The Great Depression crisis

The Great Depression crisis Introduction The year 1929 to 1939 marked the period when the western world was almost brought on its knees. Never in the history of civilization had the Western world experienced such a severe and prolonged period of depression. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Great Depression crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The depression effects spread from United States to the rest of the world. Generally, there were spiraling rates of unemployment, reduced output and high levels of deflation across the globe. The economic and cultural crisis occurring as a result of the depression almost paralleled what was experienced during the Civil War. Economic History The effects of depression were felt at different times in different parts of the world. Europe and the United States were most affected. On the other hand, countries like Japan and those in Latin America were the least affected. The depression was trigg ered by several factors such as inappropriate economic policies in United States that led to a decline of output, a fall in consumer demand and widespread financial panic (Duiker, 2007). The downturn was transferred to other parts of the world more conveniently due to the gold standard that was used by all countries to facilitate exchange of currency. In retrospect, the great depression was brought to an end when the countries unanimously agreed to do away with the gold standard. Instead, a consensus of expanding the monetary policy was reached to reduce the likelihood of such an occurrence. New economic theories were adapted, new global economic institutions built and new microeconomic policies enacted and implemented (Romer, 1992). The economic downturn began in the summer of 1929. The great depression was to wreck havoc from this period up to early 1933. Prices and output fell sharply. The United States experienced a 47% decline in industrial production and its GDP fell by 30%. Deflation which is the measure of a fall in wholesale price index had fallen by 33%. Unemployment is said to have gone up by 20% according to statistical reports (Keylor, 2001). A person can understand best the severity of this depression when the foregoing statistical results are compared to the recession occurring from 1981 to 1982 in the United States. In between this period, GDP plummeted by 2%, unemployment had gone up by 10% and the prices increased dramatically though they suddenly started declining. The condition of gradual decline in prices after previously rising sharply is called disinflation.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A country like Great Britain had to endure prolonged periods of depression especially during the 20’s after having decided to revert to gold standard system with an overvalued currency (Crossley et al., 2009). However , the situation was less serious in Britain compared to United States if statistical evidence is anything to go by. Statistics indicate that decline in industrial production in UK was a third that of the US. Though the effects of great depression were slightly felt in France, this country had difficulties recovering from slowed economic growth in 1932. This led to a substantial decline in prices and production from 1933 all the way to 1936. Some countries in the Latin America were not spared from the effects of the great depression which occurred much earlier in comparison to United States i.e. in 1928 and 1929. Argentina and Brazil were least affected. In Japan, the downturn occurred a little bit late i.e. in early 1930 and was not severe in comparison to United States and other parts of the globe. In every country that was affected, deflation of prices became similar to what was being experienced in United States. Wholesale prices plummeted by a margin of 30% in all developed co untries from 1929 to 1933. The reason why Japan was least affected was due to the flexibility of its price structure. This is what led to the occurrence of a rapid deflation from 1930 to 1931. It was this occurrence that prevented production in Japan from remaining low for a long period of time. Much of the prices of primary products such as cotton, rubber and others were sliced by half from 1929 to 1930(Keylor, 2001). This led to a decline in terms of trade for anyone who dealt with products of such nature. Things began looking brighter in the mid 1930’s. Output had begun rebounding and in the spring of 1933, recovery began to be experienced everywhere. In between 1933 and 1937, United Sates GDP is recorded to have grown at a steady rate of 9% annually. However, things worsened in between 1937 and 1938 but this condition did not last for long since it was replaced by a period of increased prosperity at the end of 1938. The increase in output had stabilized by the end of 19 42. The economy of Great Britain began improving a couple of years later after abandoning the gold standard in late 1931(Keylor, 2001). The same applied for most economies in Latin American which attained full recovery at the beginning of 1932. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Great Depression crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the fall of the same year, the economy of Japan and Germany had begun rebounding. Most European countries and Canada had their recovery go hand in hand with that of the United States that began in early 1933 (Crossley et al., 2009). Some developed countries and France in particular took longer to recover. This is because this country experienced depression much later and recovery began taking place at the fall of 1938. Principle Causes of the Great Depression The great depression was triggered primarily by a reduction in spending or aggregate demand. This forced manufactu rers to shrink production after speculating a possible rise in inventories. Other causes that led to a reduction in aggregate demand followed throughout the depression period and the effects were transmitted from the United States which was in essence the ‘epicenter’ of the depression to the rest of the world courtesy of the gold standard system. Other countries had unique factors that contributed to the escalation of depression. The Crash of the Stock Market Too much speculation in the stock market led the United States government to act by tightening its monetary policy. This move sparked a decline in output immediately after it was enacted in 1929. The economy was performing fairly well prior to the tightening of the monetary policy. Mild recessions occurring in between 1924 and 1927 notwithstanding, the wholesale prices of goods continued to be stable for a whole decade. However, there were excesses in the stock market in that the prices of stocks were four times more at the end of the decade. In other words the stock prices were rising at an astronomical rate up from a low in 1921 and onto the peak that was reached by the close of 1929 (Findly Rothney, 2006). The Federal Reserve wanted to contain the spiraling stock prices and the stakeholders thought the best way to reach this end was to tighten monetary policy. This was in form of raising interest rates to a level that would make speculation to be difficult. The result was that sectors that were sensitive to interest rates drastically reduced their spending (borrowing). These sectors included real estate, automobile and construction industry. This led to a decline in production. According to Crossley et al., (2009) a boom in housing construction may have also led to excessive supply of housing that consequently led to a decline in construction by the close of 1929.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The foregoing events made it almost impossible to gauge stock prices against anticipations of future earnings. Thus, when a minor event triggered a gradual reduction of prices by the fall of 1929, investors were no longer willing to take any risk. This happened in October 1929 and the stock market bubble finally burst due to pressure exerted by the monetary policy. Investors due to panic began selling their stock at very low prices. This was sad mainly because most of the stock traded was bought using loans. The decline in stock prices was made worse by the fact that most investors were forced to liquidate their holdings (Findly Rothney, 2006). On what is commonly called black Thursday on October 24, 1929, the prices had fallen by a record margin of 33% on the Cowles Index. The magnitude of the decline was so huge that the event taking place on this particular day was given the name of the Great 1929 Crash (Duiker, 2007). American consumers were no longer capable of investing and in buying durable goods. The combined lack of spending by firms and individuals led to a sharp decline of output. Indeed, it was the great crash and the great depression combined with reduction of stock prices that led to unprecedented increase in unemployment and reduced output during this period (Keylor, 2001). The Run on the Bank and Monetary Policy By the close of 1930, great fear fell on all investors holding their money with the banks across the United States. The depositors due to widespread fear demanded their investments with the bank in the form of cash. Banks normally hold a small fraction of deposits in form of cash. Thus, when faced with a situation where all depositors want their money immediately, banks are left with no choice but to initiate a process of quick liquidation of loans. This kind of action is very harmful in that even the strongest of the banks can end up closing. There was a run on many banks across the United States from 1930 to 1932. The situation w as so severe that President Roosevelt decided to close all banks on the 6th of March 1933 (Adas, 2006). A bank would only be allowed to open after a rigorous process of vetting to ascertain its solvency. By the end of 1933, a third of the Banks in the United States had their doors closed permanently, never to open again. The United States Federal Reserve failed to act promptly in order to contain the run on the bank. Consequently, people held more money than what they had as bank deposits. This led to a 33% shortage of money supply in US from 1929 to 1933. The situation was aggravated by the Federal Reserves decision to contract money supply. Moreover, the Federal Reserve also raised interest rates thereby forcing most European countries including Britain to abandon the gold standard for the fear that the Dollar would as well be devalued. This led to a further reduction of money supply which in turn led to reduced output. The Gold Standard According to Adas (2006) the motive behind the contraction of money supply by the Federal Reserve was to try and preserve the gold standard system. This standard allowed individual countries to back their money in terms of gold. Under the system, an increase in demand of US products especially of stocks and bonds by foreign countries led to increased inflows of gold into the United States and vice versa. The contraction meant that there would be large amounts of gold flowing from foreign countries and into the US. This is true because Americans found it difficult to purchase foreign goods and the deflation experienced throughout the country provided foreigners with an opportunity to purchase US goods. Foreign countries reacted by raising their interest rates to counter possible US trade surplus and minimize the chances of weakening foreign currencies against the dollar. Thus, every other country that was privy to the gold standard systems was forced to reduce its money supply. Recovery To contain the ill effects of the gr eat depression, governments across the globe were forced to devalue their currencies and expand their monetary policies. Countries that were quick to devalue their currencies and quick to abandon the gold standard recovered relatively fast. Devaluation allowed countries to increase their money supplies with little regard to effects due to the exchange rates and the gold standard (Romer, 1992). However, recovery as a result of this action was quite slow in comparison to abandonment of the gold standard. The Federal Reserve relaxed its monetary policy by increasing money supply between the periods of 1933 to 1937 by a margin of 42% (Findly Rothney, 2006). This was possible because so much gold had found its way into the United States especially due to widespread instability that rocked Europe and that eventually led to the start of the Second World War. Similarly, other governments across the globe followed suit and increased their money supply. This was made possible by lowering i nterest rates to encourage borrowing and investments so as to stimulate the economy by increasing output. Countries like Japan and Germany used Fiscal policies to stimulate economic recovery. However, this did not work well with the United Sates. Spending due to military activities increased the supply of money in most countries that went to war. After the recovery, crucial measures were undertaken to cushion the depositor from losses in case a downturn of such a magnitude was to occur again in future. Banks were no longer allowed to trade in securities (Yetman, 2003). Furthermore, legislation was passed that allowed for the regulation of stock markets and banks were forthwith required to insure depositors’ money. The depositor insurance policy received global acceptance and it led to increased depositor confidence. Moreover, governments around the globe resolved to increase government spending to impede any possible depression (Eichengreen Sachs, 2008). Other measures such as reduction of taxes from time to time and monetary expansion would be used to curtail future deflationary effects. References Adas, M. (2006). Turbulent Passage: A Global History of the Twentieth Century. New York, NY: Longman. Crossley, P. K., Lees, L. H., Servos, J. W. (2009). Global Society: The World since 1900. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Duiker, W. J., (2007). Contemporary World History. Boston, MA: Wadsworth. Eichengreen, B., Sachs, J. (2008). Exchange Rates and Economic Recovery in the 1930s. Journal of Economic History 4 (5), 925-946. Findly, C. V., Rothney, J. A. M. (2006). The Great Depression and the Second World War. Boston, MA: Wadsworth. Keylor, R. (2001).The Twentieth-Century World, 4th ed. Ardsley, NY: Transnational Publishers. Romer, D. (1992). What Ended the Great Depression? Journal of Economic History. 52 (10), 757-784. Yetman, J. (2003). The credibility of the monetary policy. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Physiological and Social Needs Associated with the Aging Process Term Paper

Physiological and Social Needs Associated with the Aging Process - Term Paper Example This paper will focus on physiological and social needs associated with the aging process pertaining to people who are 65 years old and older. It will discuss areas such as selective optimization, cognition and aging, socio-emotional selectivity, as well as personality and aging, and recommend how these areas could be improved to make the life of the elderly person better. Physiological and Social Needs of the Aging Process Introduction The aging process is, in essence, transforming from middle age to old age. It is a time when humans shift away from their former periods of usefulness to dependability (Sharma & Rana, 2012). The aging process causes a broad variety of problems. When one is old, psychological and physical function declines (Nigam et al, 2012). It forces some decline in psychological and physical functions. The problems and needs of elderly people differ considerably in relation to their age, health, socioeconomic status and living status, as well as other such backgrou nd traits. As individuals move away for the early days of their lives, they normally reflect on them. A majority of them usually are regretful and seem to live in the present, choosing to ignore the future totally (Salthouse, 2009). From 60 to 65 years is when adults are normally regarded to be in the transition age from middle to old (Salthouse, 2009). ... As someone ages, they might become more discerning with the individuals they opt to spend their final years with (Spicker, 2013). Psychological closeness might become more significant with other individuals. The notion to which people can selectively pick whom they wish to dedicate their time for becomes more vital as one grows. The premise of cognition is the age-related drop in fluid cognitive performance (Salthouse, 2009). This is, in other words, the effectiveness or efficiency of carrying out tasks of thinking, learning, memory, as well as spatial skills. Nevertheless, crystallized skills are much more stable across the natural life and might even enhance with age, which signifies the cultural and social influences on the world knowledge. Cognitive transformations with the aging process for individuals of the age of 65 are well documented and influence a wide variety of tasks. There are, in realty, three vital cognitive procedures that are affected as one ages; the working memor y, perceptual and sensory abilities, and the rate in which information can be processed (Brossoie, 2012). As one ages, they face decrements in auditory and visual acuity. Some of the age-associated visual problems can be rectified by glasses, and, even though, hearing aids can assist in detecting low-frequency sounds, they normally amplify background noise (Nigam et al, 2012). Such changes raise the potential of processing overload in a situation, which might have once presented minute challenges. Even general activities such as walking become less habitual (Spicker, 2013). The aging process of individuals over the age of 65 brings with it less feelings of shyness, depression or

Fallout 1 and 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fallout 1 and 2 - Essay Example It all started in 2052, when the Resource Wars erupted. The ravages of war, spawned by the famines in Africa and India, pollution in Asia, the rise of extremism in the Middle East, and the unquenching thirst for oil threatened to annihilate the world forever. No one knows whether China declared war on America, or vice versa, but the oil-hungry Chinese attack of 2066 on Alaska was the point of no return, when the genesis of a new terrifying, Great war, was on the horizon. Weeks turned into moths and moths turned into years, as the Alaskan trench warfare yielded nothing but blood and an unusable wasteland. America eventually won the war, but the plains of Alaska were never the same. A smoking ruin was all that was left of the Alaskan frontier. What was to follow was something far more horrific than anything man has faced before. The nuclear armageddon began in the morning on October 23 2077, resulting in the destruction of all major cities, polluting the oceans and creating changes tha t even dr. Moreau wouldn't imagine. Some scientists and artisans, soldiers and men of wealth managed to survive the holocaust by taking refuge in the massive shelters called Vaults, built before the war by a company called Vault-tec. These three-stories underground structures built deep inside the mountains shielded the survivors from the effects of radiation, disease, and other catastrophes. Equipped with G.E.C.K.'s, or the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, devices capable of creating a new life for the inhabitants of the Vault's after they returned to the surface, some of the Vaults managed to survive the earthquakes, attacks by the Raiders, and other disasters. People living in the Vaults survived the immediate destruction, but their descendants would face far greater challenges in a changed and desolate world. In Fallout 1, the events occur some 80 years later, in the year 2161. One of the shelters called Vault 13, located in Southern California, faces a serious difficulty- the Water Chip, a computer chip responsible for the water recycling and pumping machinery has stopped working. The Vault Overseer of Vault 13 has no choice but to assign the protagonist, an inhabitant of Vault 13, to the task of finding a new Water chip, therefore sending our hero into the harsh outside wasteland, armed with nothing but the PIPboy 2000 as a bookkeeping apparatus and bottle caps as currency. Our hero enters into a new world, fractured more by the various organizations and beliefs, than the unspeakable number on nuclear weapons that have scorched Earth's surface. One prominent organization is the Brotherhood of Steel, a quasi-political and religious group, which is strongly dedicated to the preservation of technology. Although the 3 classes within the organization are knights, paladins and scribes, the me mbers are not adhering to the rules of chivalry at all, since they are not concerned with the ones less fortunate than them. The New California Republic is also an important group in the new desolate world. Located in South California with its capital Shady Sands, it is probably the closest thing to states that existed before the war. It has a

Critical thinking Essay Example for Free

Critical thinking Essay (i) Compound argument is one claim made up by two claims with using or or and to combine the two claims in the sentence. The argument has multiplicity on at least one side of the statement. For example, apple is not orange or apple could not make an orange Juice. Although there are two claims in this sentence, but it Just can be considered as one claim only. Source: http://www. westminsterreformedchurch. org/Logic/LogicTerms/LogicTerms. compound %20argument. htm Answer (it) Concealed argument defined as the claim where uses slanter in order to convince omeone of their claim without using any argument whatsoever. Slanters are the various linguistic devices commonly used to attempt to persuade without argument. Concealed claim contain dubious claim to a loaded question, such as When did you stop beating your wife? . The answer may conceal the fact which called as concealed argument. Source: Critical Thinking Information Literacy across the curriculum, Retrieved from: http:// www. bellevuecollege. edu/lmc/ilac/Curric/kint/phi17. htm Answer (iii) In the principle of rational discussion, we have to assume several things such as the erson who is discussing with us or whose arguments we are reading. On the other hand, we must know about the subject under discussion and whether is able and winning to reason well, and also make sure it is not lying. Before involve in the discussion, we must make sure we do not bring in any bad emotion such as fear, spite or pity to avoid unfairness. So that, we will give a valid reason for the argument with rational thinking and lead to a good conclusion. Another thing we have to consider carefully, do not introduce new arguments while another argument has yet o be resolved because it will lead to confusing. Yet, we must provide the evidence for our position or arguments otherwise our argument or claim will not be valid. Source: Hooks (2011). Critical Thinking: The Rational Discussion Flowchart, Retrieved from: http://www. 606studios. com/bendisboard/showthread. php? 208669-Critical-Thinking- The-Rational-Discussion-Flowchart Answer (iv) Fallacies defined as a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound arguments. It also can be defined as a claim that someone gives to another person is not good. It ay contain some bad emotion such as appeal to fear, pity, spite, and prejudice. One of the example of fallacies: All dogs are animals. Ginger is an animal. So, Ginger is a dog. In this sentence, Ginger may or may not be a dog. The conclusion is not true that direct conclude that Ginger is a dog, therefore the argument is fallacy since there is no prove for its position. Another example from the author, Bubbly, she said that ner triend, Joanna was spread out the rumors without evidence and concluded Bubbly is a bad person. Joanna doesnt not has any prove on her argument and it is ust came from she heard.

Dairy Queen :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Dairy Queen The United States was coming out of the Depression in 1938. Business began to flourish and prosper again and families had more money for leisure time and recreation. J. F. McCullough, owner of the Homemade Ice Cream Company in Illinois, experimented in the soft serve ice cream at the right time. He thought that ice cream tasted better when it was served fresh and not frozen. He first tested his idea on August 4, 1938 in an ice cream shop owned by one of his best customers, Sherb Noble. They offered an all you can eat ice cream festivity for 10 cents. The response they had was overwhelming and had lines down the street. They found a reliable freezer to keep the soft serve ice cream at a temperature of 23 degrees Fahrenheit with Harry Oltz. McCullough and his son were ready to open for business on June 22, 1940. McCullough thought that his soft serve creation was the closest thing to dairy perfection and therefore he called it Dairy Queen. Dairy Queen struggled during WWII and thrived greatly at the end of the war. They only had 100 stores in 1947 and jumped to a nationwide system of 1156 stores by 1950. Dairy Queen introduced a system of territory operators across the country which still play a great role today. The McCulloughs and Oltz laid groundwork for a franchising system that many fast-food organizations use today. In the 1950’s they expanded the menu by adding new ice cream products. They later added a food line which the called the Brazier. In the 1960’s many changes were brought about to the operations of the Dairy Queen system.

Advertising and Identity through Consumer Culture Essay

Never before in the history of the modern world has advertising become so prevalent, ubiquitous, and an â€Å"undeniable essential† to a modern man’s everyday life than that of our century. Advertising images of all sorts, now flood public spaces: from billboards with eroticized images to the blinding electronic billboard, down to the â€Å"comfort ads† which oddly stares back in the rest rooms of malls. Magazines and televisions are also full of products that entice the readers and the audience to buy and patronize a certain brand. Similarly, cultural events cannot be seen without a popular brand nor is a sporting event complete without a corporate ad. Indeed, advertising has become part of today’s culture and has become an inescapable ghost that dominates our media, our road, and our home. The road towards the advertising era began its transition during the 1880’s to1920’s. It is during this period that ads focused largely on the products themselves. Products took the center stage, using heavy texts to introduce, feature and market the product. â€Å"Real† representation of people were absent in advertisements, but rather representation of people who stand for the social values such as   family structure and status differentiation were seen during this stage (Jhally, 1990, p. 228). With the written material properly explaining visual the visual imagery, ads during this period were instructional. At the same time they were also educational as well as promotional. These ads taught the consumer audience how to read commercial messages. However, by the postwar period, education was replaced for a puzzle of numerous visual messages. Visual images then took the limelight during the 1950’s. Texts were highly reduced and were then replaced by icons and images to allure the consumer. These visual imageries eventually took over the product. The image, rather than the product, became the main message that is communicated to the consumer audience. The once educational ads were now replaced with a hodge-podge of photos and visuals (Jhally, 1990, p. 229). As the 21st century ushered in, the idea of â€Å"identity† was then marketed to the buying audience, convincing the public that the products they buy represent their identity; identity which can now be brought in the nearest mall and will assure not only satisfaction but happiness as well. This paper will discuss the contemporary culture in the advertising industry as it permeates and even molds today’s idea of beauty, style, as well as identity. Similarly, it will discuss how people are influenced by this media medium by citing several studies and researches related to the mentioned topic. Apart form this, it will also discuss the benefits and the disadvantages brought about by the culture of advertising. Ours is an era whose society is in constant struggle to find their true identity. Never before has a mankind been so engrossed in a quest for an identity, life, and beauty only to be directed to the market place. Ads that promote images with identity are prevalent. A popular celebrity endorsing this line of clothing, for instance, will give the audience the message that buying these kinds of clothes will make you happy, beautiful, or popular. Likewise, purchasing this brand of shoes will make you a part of the â€Å"cool† or â€Å"in† group. Through these visual representations, consumers desire to be like the image they see on ads, and the consumption of this certain product will help them imagine, create, and sustain their idea of themselves, their image, and their identity. The idea of beauty is perhaps one of the most capitalized and used advertising ideas. Numerous magazines often represent a beautiful woman as someone who is skinny, blond, tall, and has a porcelain-like skin.   These faces are evidently plastered on every magazine cover. Of course, a brand logo is placed along side the photo of the model as if saying: You can be just like me if you use this brand†. Aside from this, almost every celebrity has the same body type. A small or fat woman would consequently mean that she is not conforming to society’s image of beauty, which therefore automatically makes her ugly. With all of these images, it is no wonder why millions of girls from different parts of the world accept the idea that in order to be beautiful, one should look like a cover girl or a celebrity. This also means that buying that certain skin care line or wearing the same brand of clothes would automatically transform them as they conform to the idea of beauty as well as their identity. In a report which studied the consumption patterns of youth, consumers regard consumption not as a mode of cultural activity, but rather as a rationalized process of fulfilling their desires. This means that a number of individuals actually believe that buying a product will fulfill their desire to look a certain way. Since their idea of perfection is duly represented by images of stunning models and celebrities, their pursuit of what is perfect can only be realized by using the same products or items that these models endorse. Although these ideals of perfection somehow give directions to the consumers, the truth is the images presented are first and foremost unattainable. More often than not, the audience is oblivious to the fact that the images they see, both on screen and on print, has already undergone a process of â€Å"editing† in order to make it even more perfect. The idea of beauty did not used to be boxed up with the idea of being skinny. In fact, during the prehistoric times, women are portrayed not as a wafer thin woman but rather as a full-bodied female with breasts, hips, abdomen, and thighs. The statuette called Venus of Willendorf for instance, has been revered as a goddess of beauty and fertility. Similarly, the statuette Venus of Moravany and Mal’ta are both revered because of their physical attributes. These images of beauty however, began to change as advertising emphasized the need to fit in a size two dress. This is particularly used by companies who promote diet and weight -lose products. Likewise, other manufacturers and business also saw the need to create slimming pills, slimming tea, and so much more. This eventually led other manufacturers to create clothes that will emphasize a woman’s thin frame. Apart from a person’s physical attribute, a person’s lifestyle is also used as a handle by the advertising world to create a market-based image. According to the same report, more than half of the young consumers believed that the products they buy represent their identities and lifestyle in some way. For them, identities are expressed in a variety of products such as shoes, clothes, cosmetics etc. Even seemingly trivial things are supposed to express their lifestyles. For instance, 36 percent of young males answered that their choices of telephone/ mobile equipment represent in some way their identities, and 63 percent of young females think that their choices of hair salon is a representation of their identities (Report on Youth Consumption Trend, 1994, p. 114). The one hour documentary entitled â€Å"Merchants of the Cool† is perhaps one of the most scathing examinations of how popular culture and advertising are entwined together. Exactly as the title suggests â€Å"Merchants of the Cool† chronicles how the media both reflects and influences pop culture. A large amount of money is paid to â€Å"cool hunters† in order to find out what is cool and what is hip. This information is then coursed through mediums such as the television. MTV for example, pay its â€Å"cool† audiences as well as the hosts and performers to attend to their party to make it look even â€Å"cooler†. Behind all these happening, there lies a big logo of a soft drinks brand. Much like how a ventriloquist controls a puppet, it is also the same with how a company and how advertising is behind how the image of â€Å"coolness† is presented (Frontline, 2001). This construction of a sense of identity, according to British sociologist Robert Bocock (1993), can be seen as a process which may make use of items of consumption such as clothing, footwear, popular music or sporting activities, including being a supporter of particular music groups, singers or soccer clubs. Such consumption patterns could be used as a central means of defining who is a member and who is outside a specific group. It is through material items that eventually determine an individual’s social group, which then ultimately gives him or her identity. A brand is a powerful tool that associates commodities with consumers because it symbolizes various elements of the product so that consumers have relative liberty in finding the association between their identities and commodities. The visual images, even the endorser of the brand also plays a crucial role in alluring the consumer to believe that by purchasing this product, you will become like me or that you will be popular or will have an identity like mine (Bocock, 1993, p. 4). However, the more important question is how does an individual associate his or her identity through the purchase of a certain brand or a certain product? The research mentioned above illustrates the characteristic mentality of a young consumer. â€Å"I do not care about what other people choose. I think of design as an important consideration when I choose things,† and my choices of commodities express a part of my personality.† This statement underlines the prevalent belief that the freedom of choice of the consumer leads to the expression of his or her identity. In other words, since it is the choice of the individual that made him or her wear this particular pair of shoes, this particular pair then represents the identity of the individual who made the decision. Representative form of their self-identities derives from the individual level; individual consumers make a decision by themselves to buy things in order to express their own identities (Hattori, 1997, p.10).

The Problem Of Face Theory - 1627 Words

Face theory, developed originally by Goffman (1969), is defined as how we view ourselves through the interpretation of others in interaction. A key part of his theory suggests that, in avoiding potential threats to face, defensive (for the self) and protective (for others) measures are employed. Brown and Levinson (1987) expand on this theory. They suggest an individual has a positive and negative face, reflecting our feeling of self-worth and the desire for our thoughts and actions to be unimpeded respectively; this should be constantly maintained. Threats to face, they argue, can be mitigated through positive and negative politeness strategies. Social theorists Watts and Locher challenge this â€Å"overextended† (2005: 10) notion of politeness, instead proposing that ‘politic’ behaviour is used in interaction; this is behaviour that is considered ‘appropriate’. These theories will form the foundations of this discussion on the issue of mitigating f ace threatening acts (FTA’s). The role of context when FTA’s occur amongst family and friends will also be questioned through the analysis of other theories. To investigate, I conducted a 10 minute audio recording of 4 female friends having a discussion in the living room of their student house. While Jade, Katie and Emily have all known each other for over a year and lived together in their first year, Nancy has not known them as long but all are good friends; the transcript for this can be found in the appendix. Firstly, Brown andShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding The Behavioral Theories And Practices Essay1696 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribes a need for understanding the behavioral theories and practices. These groups present numerous cultural challenges that one has to identify while working with such populations. The crossing of identities across racial lines presents unique challenges for Social Workers when applying behavior theories to assessment, treatment, and interventions. The vignette introduces Charlie, a 6-year-old child of color, who based on mental health problems within the house lives with his Aunt and stepfatherRead MoreReactive Attachment Disorder And Its Effect On All Aspects Of Life, And Diversity1501 Words   |  7 Pageshints at a problem within the attachment relationship as a potential source of difficulties. The name itself is derived from a reaction to pathogenic care in early childhood. Attachment is a crucial part of development, as evidenced by these two disorders. This theory was the work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, in theory and in practice respectively. The theory is based upon the relationship developed between a child and caregiver beginning in infancy. There is also adult attachment theory, but thatRead MoreRochester Youth Development Study: Relationship Between Family and Juvenile Delinquency1052 Words   |  5 PagesThe behavior among juveniles and family problems among their homes is a major issue at hand in our society today. According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (2010), in the year 2010, 784 juveniles were arrested for murder, 2,198 for rape, and 35,001 for aggravated assault. The amount of juveniles being involved in violent crimes is very detrimental to all aspects of our society, but environmental factors are a major component of this issue that needs to be analyzed. The questionRead MoreExistential Therapy1639 Words à ‚  |  7 PagesExistential Therapy Existential therapy helps people who has uncertainties, anxiety depression, grieve and depression. Problems can distract a person life and essential of living. Sometimes it is hard to become stable possessing core cognitions, cognitive distortions thoughts and feeling on how a person views the world and themselves, which points out low self-esteem. Cognitive distortions are mainly negative thoughts of self, guiltiness that leads to uncertainties emotions and actionsRead MoreDefine and Discuss the Different Theories of Management, Using Practical Examples from Your Experience or Knowledge. Compare Classical Management Theory to Any Contemporary Management Theory.691 Words   |  3 Pagesdifferent theories of management are classical management theory, behavioral management theory, quantitative management theory, systems management theory, contingency management theory, and quality management theory. The classical management theory focuses on finding the one best way to per form and manage task. The behavioral management theory recognizes employees as individuals with concrete human needs, as parts of work groups, and members of a larger society. The quantitative management theory usesRead MoreOrganizational Communication Is The Flow Of Messages Within A Network Of Interdependent Relationships1187 Words   |  5 Pagesinterdependent relationships (Goldhaber, 1976). Terry, Drexler, and Faulkner wrote an article researching communication of family businesses. Research shows that there are fewer problems with family employee in comparison to non-family employees of the same firms (Terry, Drexler, Faulkner, 1997). Yet when there problems with a family member employee, it comes from mixing their roles work-related roles with family related roles and cannot separate their conflicts in professional and personal lifeRead MoreIs Personal Identity in the Mind of the Beholder?795 Words   |  4 Pagescontinuity is what defines our personal identity. Locke disc usses the case of the prince and the cobbler to help shape his theory. However, I absolutely disagree with Locke’s theory. Locke’s theory of personal identity creates many problems, such as the duplication problem. By reformulating Locke’s theory of personal identity, we still come across these problems that prove Locke’s theory false. Summary: Locke’s argument for the memory criterion of personal identity, is that psychological continuityRead MoreThe Goal By Eliyahu Goldratt And Jeff Cox906 Words   |  4 PagesIt Obvious?. Goldratt was the founder of Theory of Constraint for education. This theory becomes a tool for teachers to use in operation management. The Goal genre is a fiction. The purpose of this book is to understand the theory of Constraints and resolve the bottlenecks. The Goal book is intended to any Operation manager who wants to success in the real business. The goal is a very interesting story. It is more about a plant manager who faces personal and professional challenges. AlexRead MoreImplementation Of A Transitional Care Program Evaluation1405 Words   |  6 Pagescombine two separate theories to aid in addressing the problem of poor transitional care outcomes, the process of measuring outcomes, and the creation of recommendations for improvement. A middle range nursing theory, Transitions theory centers on the process of individuals’ transitions and addresses the barriers to and principles of successful transitional outcomes (Meleis, 2010). The theory is both descriptive and predictive, it can be used to further describe and define the problem of poor transitionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Social Media On Our Lives1608 Words   |  7 PagesSince the very beginning, face-to-face communication has been an important factor in our lives. This was the only source of communication for a long period of time. Over time, we develope d new ways of communicating with each other such as emailing and talking on the phone. Human beings have become so reliant on the use of electronic devices to communicate. Although this is a good way to keep in touch with friends, it can become a serious problem to many individuals. The growth of social media sites