The History of Consumerism in America - 827 Words

Consumerism is both a social and an economic system that is based solely on the creation and dissemination of the purchasing of goods at an ever increasing rate. After the founding of the United States, and particularly after the Civil War, America was growing by leaps and bounds. Railroads opened the West, factories increased in urban areas producing steel, building was rampant, and all of these activities took a larger labor force. Because these vast numbers of workers were unable to produce their own essential goods as they did under agricultural societies, factories were set up to produce those goods as well. Because of this method of production, the previous norm of scarce resources, when combined with modern technology and production methods, changed to a situation in which products were available in large quantities at relatively low prices, and available to virtually everyone. In fact, this trend moved so fast that the term conspicuous consumption began to define American soc iety in the 19th century, becoming even more rabid in the 20th (OCass and McEwen, 2006; Faragher, et.al., 2009, Chapter 19). However, we can look at consumerism from a macro (downward) or micro (upward) progression. For consumerism to occur there had to be disposable income to purchase goods and services. For that to happen, there had to be extra dollars left over from the worker so that they could enrich their material life. And, within that segment, instead of being owners and workers,Show MoreRelatedConsumerism in the United States1461 Words   |  6 PagesSummary Defining consumerism can be complicated. Consumerism is a term used to describe the effects of equating personal happiness with purchasing material possessions and consumption (Fritsh). In other words, consumerism is the wants and needs of people based upon standards that are set in a given society and how those people acquire wealth. Throughout history, consumerism has evolved drastically since the first records of civilized society were recorded. The evolution of consumerism in the UnitedRead MoreThe Absolute Value Of America1555 Words   |  7 PagesValue of America Transactions at a local corner store, the purchase of a fresh cup of coffee in the morning, and the credit card debt accumulated through the buying of miscellaneous objects on the internet, are just a few contributors to the most powerful â€Å"ism† that powers America. From the 1920s to the present day America has been driven by consumerism. Consumerism- in its simplest form- is defined as the buying and selling of products. When tracing the evolution of consumerism in America, one mustRead MoreEssay about Consumerisms Role in Americas Economy904 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the effect of consumerism on the American economy? The father of modern economics and capitalism, Adam Smith, maintained that ambition and acquisitiveness, two drivers of a market economy, were merely illusions. He believed it is these illusions that compel a society to work for what they believe will make them happy which, in turn, leads to a consumer-driven economy. Indeed, consumerism broadens a socie ty’s economy through a wider selection of goods and services, but does it also increaseRead MoreConsumerism Has Changed Our Society1342 Words   |  6 PagesConsumerism over centuries has shaped our society into the world we live in today. Throughout our history, the American dream has been to become the most successful person you can possibly become given the opportunities presented to you. Consumerism has provided our country with a lot of jobs and efficient sources of income for the general population. Consumerism gives our country an upside unlike many other countries in that you could grow up in a hardworking blue collar family and become the mostRead MoreModern Society and Consumerism Essay1035 Words   |  5 PagesConsumerism is defined as â€Å"the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable† (â€Å"Consumerism†). Its primary motivation is the idea that if one does not have all that money can buy, then he or she cannot be happy. This school of thought has become an integral part of modern society not only in the United States, but internationally as well. While the exact source of this term and ideology are debatable, it is certain now that consumerism is here to stay, intertwining withRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between The 1920s And 1950s908 Words   |  4 PagesThe 1920’s were a very important era in America for better or worse. There were many issues in relation to race and how people of different ethnic groups were treated. African American had a cultural rejuvenation that being the Harlem Renaissance. The advent of the Ford Model T change the way how people traveled. Many may say an era like the 1950’s were highly comparable. Race related issues were on a decline as America as whole sought to be more accepting and the oppressed started to speak out onRead MoreFordism, Post-Fordism and the Flexible System of Production1199 Words   |  5 Pages------------------------ ------------------------- Top of Form Bottom of Form Other Free Encyclopedias  » Science Encyclopedia  » Science amp; Philosophy: Condensation to Cosh  » Consumerism - Consumerism And Mass Production, Consumerism And Post-fordism, Soap, The Politics Of Consumerism Consumerism - Consumerism And Post-fordism soap particular class world fordist consumption market mass Ads by Google Mr Power Giant Controller Saves 50% of your GEYSER costs! Pays for itself within monthsRead MoreThe Economic And Social Changes During The 1960s Under The Reagan Administration989 Words   |  4 PagesLife in America began to undergo great economic and social changes during the 1980s under the Reagan Administration. During this period of time, stagflation began to distress the US economy, leaving millions of Americans to fall victim to homelessness and poverty. The unemployment rate had reached its highest peak since the Great Depression, creating a major crisis for low-income families and other individuals concerning living conditions. The introduction of Reaganism into society primarily focusedRead MoreA Supermarket in California Essay1554 Words   |  7 Pagesof drugs, and opposition to industrialism as well as consumerism (Parkins). Over time, these writers became known as the Beat Generation and created the Beat Movement. Among the members of this rebellious group was the infamous Allen Ginsberg who is considerably one of the most i nfluential poets of his time. By utilizing tools like imagery, allusions, and symbols, Allen Ginsberg’s â€Å"A Supermarket in California† discusses themes such as consumerism, sexuality, and alienation which reflect Ginsberg’sRead MoreThe Mall Of America By David Guterson Essay1680 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"Enclosed. Encyclopedic. Endured: The Mall of America,† David Guterson’s description concerning the Mall of America researches into numerous surfaces that are entrenched throughout the mall both physically and psychologically. David Guterson claims that the Mall is a psychological impact on the applicants inside. He makes this claim through his portrayals of the shopping mall’s: exterior and interior environment, the people he interviews, and the malls many titles. A vivid depiction about the

The Ethical Issue Of Euthanasia - 1913 Words

91464- Analyse a contemporary issue in relation to well-being Introduction (2 paragraphs) PG 145 IN WORKBOOK Define ethical issue and introduce your health topic explaining why it is an ethical issue. (Use and reference NZ statistics / information). The ethical issue is Euthanasia, there are many groups that support or oppose this issue. Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The different viewpoints are based around whether it is humane to assist someone in dying and whether it should be illegal for someone to assist the death of someone who has a terminal illness and are suffering incurable pain. Groups that oppose the issue generally believe that it is inhumane to end someone s life early, these groups generally believe these people should be given care and as much comfort as possible until their last days. Groups that support the issue generally believe that if someone has lost their mental state or are suffering unbearable pain that cannot be cured, that they should be allowed the option of euthanasia because it is inhumane to make someone suffer unbearable pain if they do not need to. An ethical issue brings systems of morality and pr inciples into conflict, ethical issues are more subjective and opinionated and generally cannot be solved with facts, laws and truth. Euthanasia is an ethical issue because there are two equally unacceptable options. It is considered wrongShow MoreRelatedEssay on Moral and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia1521 Words   |  7 PagesMoral and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia    As we all know, medical treatment can help save lives. But is there a medical treatment that would actually help end life? Although its often debated upon, the procedure is still used to help the aid of a patients death. Usually dubbed as mercy killing, euthanasia is the practice of ending a life so as to release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering (Encarta). My argument over this topic is that euthanasia should haveRead MoreEthical, Moral and Religious Issues Surrounding Euthanasia Essay1214 Words   |  5 PagesMiriam-Websters online dictionary defines euthanasia as the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. In contrast to euthanasia, the definition of assisted suicide is suicide committed by someone with assistance from another person. Although the distinction between the two is subtle, the end result is the same- d eath. When discussing physician-assisted suicideRead MoreThe Islamic Ethical Principles Of Euthanasia Essay1419 Words   |  6 PagesHOW DOES ISLAM RESPOND TO EUTHANASIA? INTRODUCTION The objective of my inquiry is to find and investigate the Islamic ethical principles of the act of euthanasia, to see how Islam responds to euthanasia. The Islamic ethical principles that this investigation addresses includes the sanctity of human life and how only Allah has the right to decide the length of our lives, in relation to evidence given by the authentic Islamic sources of Quran, Hadith (sayings of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings ofRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of The Medical Field1619 Words   |  7 PagesAn ethical dilemma is a situation that involves a mental conflict between moral obligations and imperatives whereby one obeying them may transgress another. For a situation to be termed as an ethical dilemma; an ‘agent’ must make a decision regarding an action they perceive best. Also, there must be a variety of different course of action that one can choose from, and that regardless of the course of action taken in the situation an ethical principle must be compromised. It means that in an ethicalRead MoreEuthanasi The Controversial Issue Of Euthanasia1650 Words   |  7 PagesAdelaide students think about legalising voluntary euthanasia in Australia? Introduction The purpose of this research is to seeking and analysing the opinions about legalising voluntary euthanasia within Adelaide students (aged 18-25 years old). With recent changes to legalisation of child euthanasia in Belgium, the controversial issue of euthanasia is currently being re-spotlighted all over the world. Ongoing active discussion on the legalisation of euthanasia mainly debates individual’s choices in endingRead MoreEuthanasia: Murder or Mercy? Essay1665 Words   |  7 Pagesa way as to reach an impasse amongst two opposing parties. Euthanasia happens to be a topic that has been debated extensively for the larger part of the twenty-first century (Larue). Even the definition of euthanasia evokes mixed emotions: the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy (Merriam-Webster). The struggle over whether euthanasia should be accepted as a common practice is majorly stim ulatedRead MoreThe Conflicting Ethics With The Right1540 Words   |  7 Pagespatients requests. The ethical difference of nonmaleficence, however, requires that you do your patient no harm (Lamke, 1996) If your patient wants to die, and under the circumstances that you feel death would be of good to your patient, how do you justify honoring these two ethical codes without violating the nonmaleficence principle or doing no harm to the patient? This particular question is one that comes up a lot in nursing and must be assessed on a case-to-case basis. This issue of the right to dieRead MoreEssay about End of Life Decisions719 Words   |  3 PagesWith anything that is done in the medical field there will be ethical issues that surround it. Since we are only on this earth for so long then death becomes one of those issues that we must face. With the new advancements in technology death can become complicated. Also since we have other issues such as euthanasia involved things will only get even more complicated. Euthanasia, definition of death, living will decisions, and ethical issues surrounding these subjects will be discussed. End of LifeRead MoreTaking a Look at Euthanasia1733 Words   |  7 PagesEuthanasia, also commonly referred to as ‘mercy killing’, and ‘assisted suicide’, has been and continues to be the subject to moral, legal, religious and political debates around the world. At the core of debate lies to competing values between the right for every individual to decide to die with dignity when suffering, and the need to uphold the right to life. (Australian Human Rights Commission. 1996) The purpose of this task is to critically analyse the nature and extent of euthanasia and whetherRead MoreEuthanasia: Ethical Choice or Not?1236 Words   |  5 PagesIn today’s society we are constantly being presented with choices that require our judgement on whether we believe that choice is ethical or not. Most of these choices are not things that we will likely ever be confronted with, and yet we are compelled to judge the moral actions of others. Euthanasia has come to the fore-front of these moral and ethical issues. Euthanasia is defined as â€Å"the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma† and

Evaluation of The Shining free essay sample

Horror stories are believed to be strictly scary. Although, that is somewhat true, horror stories do carry a powerful message. This novel is a perfect example of the problems that may occur in some families. Throughout the story it is constantly shown how evil is easily attracted to our weaknesses. Stephen King’s The Shining is a significant horror novel because of its characters, setting, and themes. There are numerous encounters with Jack Torrance in the story. His violent behavior does not formally start when he comes in contact the Overlook Hotel. It is shown earlier in the story. Jack was a former college professor fired from Stovington University for beating up a student. He is now jobless because of this incident. Also, Jack is a recovering alcoholic. When he hears of a job as a caretaker of a hotel in the remote mountains of Colorado he jumps at the opportunity. We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of The Shining or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jack gets the job not knowing of the hotels’ very violent past. He is depressed and is struggling to make ends meet. The Overlook Hotel provides him with what he thinks will turn out to be the best decision he has made for his family. Jack does not see anything wrong with moving his family to the hotel. Jack’s violence was formed from the hands of his own dad. So, it would be very bizarre that Jack would not be violent towards his own son Danny Torrance. Jack’s drinking usually results in his sudden burst of violence. Shown in the first chapter Jack breaks Danny’s arm. Although given no reason for harming his son, King emphasizes that Jack was drunk when he did it. This shows how Jack is easily provoked to be violent when under the influence of alcohol. Yet, King stills tries to show the father figure in Jack and the positive side of him. The more we know about him the more we begin to understand his character† (Russell 52). Jack is constantly battling the demons within him. Jack’s weakness for alcohol is what makes him easily under the control of the hotel. Danny has developed a love/hate relationship with his father. This relationship can make him very vulnerable to the influence of the hotel. Even though Jack abuses him, he still loves his father dearly. While at the hotel Danny has acquired a imaginary friend named Tony. Tony only plays the role as a source of information to help Danny. Danny has powers known as â€Å"the shining†. The shining gives Danny the strength to look past his love for his father at the end of the story. This was how Danny was able to survive. Danny then understands that he has not been recognizes his father for what he really is. We know little about Danny’s mother Wendy. Wendy, unlike her son, has no special powers. She sees only the results of supernatural events that occur in the story. The hotel is not interested in her at all. Wendy tries to save Danny but can not. Jack is too powerful to overcome. Her use in the story is to only be a victim of her husband’s violence. Every horror story has a â€Å"good guy†. In the case of The Shining, Hallorann would be considered that guy. â€Å"Hallorann’s function as the good father who takes over when the blood relative fails is common in early king novels† (Russell 54). King giving Danny a evil father balances out when Hallorann came into play. Hallorann is used to explain the supernatural occurrences in the story. He also gives Danny the understanding that helps him to survive in the story. â€Å"The world’s a hard place Danny. It don’t care† (Russell 58). King does not fully explain why Hallorann is able to resist the evil in the hotel. Hallorann only role is to play the â€Å"good guy†. The Overlook Hotel kitchen and Overlook Hotel room 217 is the evilest places in the hotel. Both rooms are extremely haunted. They both share the characteristic of being old and ragged. The kitchen is the home of the infamous pressure boiler. At the end of the story the boiler is soon over pressurized and blows the hotel to pieces. Hallorann and the hotel’s kitchen seems to have a connection. Out of all the rooms in the hotel the kitchen is the one room Hallorann is attached to. King dose not provide full details why but he does makes it obvious in the story several of times. Room 217 is haunted by the ghost of a woman that killed herself because she found out she couldn’t buy love. Throughout the story King makes it quite noticeable that the room is forbidden. This is also the room Hallorann warned Danny not to go in. Danny disobeys and entered the room and was almost killed by the woman. King uses several comparisons of fairy tales in the story. â€Å"The traditional stories King presents form a bridge between the world of the child and the world of the adult† (Russell 56). Some stories belong to adults as well as children. Two of the numerous fairy tales mentioned in the novel is â€Å"Hansel and Gretel† and the nursery rhyme â€Å"Jack and Jill†. Jack’s death at the end of the story makes reference to Jack’s fall in the nursery rhyme. As in the nursery rhyme there is no explanation to why Jack fell, neither is there in The Shining. The first visit to the kitchen by Wendy contains many references to â€Å"Hansel and Gretel†. â€Å"I think I’ll have to leave a trial of bread crumbs every time I come in,† she said† (Russell 56). The enormous list of foods Hallorann tells Wendy about makes us think of the giant’s feast. Hansel and Gretel survived due to their wits in fooling the witch. Wendy shoves Jack into the pantry much as Gretel stuffs the witch into her own oven. Although as not in â€Å"Hansel and Gretel†, the evil is not destroyed easily. In The Shining Grady opens the door for Jack and freeing him. As in â€Å"Hansel and Gretel† the characters in The Shining must also work together to destroy evil. Evil lurks within the hotel because of its past. The ghosts that haunt the hotel are the ghosts of gangsters and a woman that committed suicide. Both were attracted to the hotel because of money. Money symbolizes the abuse and power that can come with having it. It is obvious that the major cause of the corruption from beginning to the end of the story was money. The evil that was once at the hotel easily comes back alive after coming into contact with the Torrances. â€Å"The evil forces come alive when they are exposed to Jack’s personality and Danny’s powers† (Russell 55). King makes a clear justification that evil and pain can remain even if the person no longer exists. It is very ironic how Danny is the only one powerful enough to defeat the evil and save himself, his mother, and Hallorann. The Shining holds a very broad explanation of differences from other horror stories. It does not only shows a family battling supernatural forces but the inner demons of alcoholism, resentment, and rage. This story could be read for both entertainment and the morals it possesses. The connection of realistic problems and supernatural events occurrences is exactly what makes The Shining a remarkable story. It is safe to say that the story’s characters, setting, and theme is what made the story delectable as it was.

Key Deer Essays - Deer, Mammaliaformes, Mammals Of New Zealand

Key Deer The Key Deer is a small species (in population and in stature) of deer that lives in the Florida Keys. It is in the same family as the Virginia white tailed deer. The Key Deer is about 26 inches tall and weigh an average of about 55 pounds. The males have antlers, and the antlers grow in cycles. They drop their antlers at the beginning of spring, and they grow back by June. The deer feed on indigenous plants including the red mangrove, the black mangrove, and the white mangrove. The Key Deer can drink water with some salt in it, but needs fresh water to survive. Although it seems awkward, the Key Deer is a fairly good swimmer, and at times will swim from key to key. The Key Deer are endangered for two main reasons, the first and most detrimental is the loss of habitat. The Everglades has been cleared away for highways, and other commercial developments, and it has caused a huge drop in the population of Key Deer, among other animals. Another big reason why Key Deer have been disappearing are the highways in southern Florida. You have heard the expression like a deer in headlights, and it is used because when deer see headlights, it freezes. This, although it makes for a good simile, causes a lot of road kill accidents with Key Deer. The National Key Deer Refuge was opened to breed Key Deer, and since its opening, the population has increased by almost %600!!! Also, Ms. Riskin, please make sure that you do not feed any Key Deer, because it causes them to be comfortable around humans, which sounds nice, but it is part of the reason that they hang around near the highway. So, that just about sums it up; thanks for not feeding Key Deer, and keep your foot on those breaks. Bibliography: Key Deer February, 2000 http://www.shadow.net/~grgreen/glades/deer.html Kirkpatrick, Charles M. Deer The World Book Encyclopedia. Volume D, 1986 R., Austin. Key Deer February, 2000 http://www.miamisci.org/ecolinks/everglades/keydeerinfo.html