Written in Disgust of Vulgar Superstition :: Disgust

Written in Disgust of Vulgar Superstition The subject of John Keats "Written in Disgust of Vulgar Superstition" has to do with the opposition of religion and what people do to seek their "religious enlightenment". It seems more as if the theme is based on his personal dislike of religion and the things people do for religion. Keats suggestion that a preachers sermon tears you from "Fireside joys" and "Lydian airs" makes it seem as if the people in church do not want to be there, which is most likely not the case. He is trying to make his point about what he is speaking of by trying to make the reader agree with him. Which might work with some people, but as for me I already have a fixated belief about religion, one that will not change even if I read some writers perturbed opinions. Images are used very well by Keats to present his opinion or feelings about the subject. On lines two and three of "Written in Disgust of Vulgar Superstition" Keats says "calling the people to some other prayers, some other gloominess, more dreadful cares." This image of people flocking to prayers so that their heads can be filled with nonsense (dreadful cares) which they do not need is the initial bash on church by Keats. From these two lines, it is obvious right away that the writer is no too fond of religion and the morals it preaches. He apparently feels as if church is a bunch of superstitious people trying to implant these ideas into public minds about how to live their life. Before you even begin to read his poem it is obvious of his dislike for something by the title "Written in Disgust of Vulgar Superstition", you can not tell exactly what his dislike is for until you begin reading. Then the images on lines two and three make you start thinking that his "disgust of superstition" could be a disgust of religious superstition. I feel that it is those images that set the tone for the rest of the poem. "A chill as from a tomb". Those are pretty strong words to be used in opposition of religion.

How America Became a Global Superpower Essay

The United States of America is the world’s last remaining superpower. However, this was not always the case. The United States toiled in relative obscurity on a global scale for most of its history. As the world evolved, so too did the young nation. The United States attempted to stay out of world affairs, but a time came when that was no longer possible. Necessity dictated that the United States become a major player at the global level. The United States entered into World War II a great power and emerged a global superpower. What is a superpower? In order to properly examine the events that led to the emergence of the United States as a superpower it is important to understand exactly what constitutes a nation gaining the status of that title. According to Lyman Miller of the Stanford Journal of International Relations, â€Å"A â€Å"superpower† is a country that has the capacity to project dominating power and influence anywhere in the world, and sometimes, in more than one region of the globe at a time, and so may plausibly attain the status of global (2006)†. There have been many global superpowers throughout history. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Soviet Union, and the United States have all spent significant time in the past as global superpowers. The collapse of the Soviet Union allowed the United States to become the only nation with a legitimate claim to the title of global superpower. However, there are other nations that may be able to lay claim to the title at some point in the future. Perhaps the most visible, and closest, of these countries is the People’s Republic of China. Over the past 20 years, China has grown into both a military and economic power. China has the second largest GDP in the world, next to the United States, according to the International Monetary Fund. However, Miller doesn’t seem to believe China will be evolving anytime soon. â€Å"At a broader level, in global affairs, its stature and power are growing, but in most respects it remains a regional power, complementing the cast of other great powers under the overarching dominance, however momentary, of the United States (Miller, 2006)†. Focus on Domestic Issues The United States stayed out of foreign affairs throughout most of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. These policies actually served the country quite well as the young nation had many domestic problems that needed to be resolved before it could take a prominent position in global affairs. This did not stop the United States from intervening when it was necessary. Aside from this, the citizens of the United States did not really have the stomach for foreign powers. This could perhaps not be better stated than it was by George Washington, the first President of the United States, in his farewell address in 1796. â€Å"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none; or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities†. The first major problem the United States wanted to tackle was the belief that the country was destined to expand across the continent. This led to a focus on expansion. The dream began with Thomas Jefferson’s purchase of the Louisiana Territory. This purchase doubled the size of the United States. Between 1811 and 1912 the United States went from 17 to 48 states spanning from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It took 100 years, but the United States’ dream of manifest destiny was realized. (World Book, 2011) One issue which evolved from the nation’s rapid expansion and precluded the United States from becoming involved in global affairs was the country’s relationships with Native American’s. The United States would move Native American’s off of their land and moved them to reservations. It was a very tenuous relationship. There were other issues within the ensuing years. The most significant of these problems was the Civil War. Between 1861 and 1865 the United States was locked in a brutal Civil War. South Carolina seceded from the union on December 20, 1860. Ten other southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi in January; Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia later in 1861) followed South Carolina’s lead and formed the Confederate States of America. Over the next four years American’s killed each other in combat. This resulted in over 600,000 American deaths. The Civil War remains the deadliest war (in terms of American deaths) in United States history. The war did have a couple of positive outcomes. The war preserved the United States. Additionally, the war led to the abolishment of slavery. (World Book, 2011) The Civil War led directly to another major issue. The issue of reconstruction was not just about rebuilding the ravaged the south, but also rebuilding the nation’s unity. Laws were passed to allow African-American’s to have the same opportunities as white Americans, though they often weren’t enforced. Former Confederate states were â€Å"required to ratify the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution in order to be readmitted to the Union (World Book, 2011)†. Reconstruction ended in 1877, 12 years after the Civil War ended. Communication Problems Domestic problems were not the only things standing in the way of the United States becoming a world power. There were numerous communication barriers that prevented the United States from having any significant influence on issues of a global scale. The most obvious of these issues is the proximity of the United States to the other Great Powers of the world. There are hundreds of miles of ocean between the United States and Europe and Asia across the Atlantic and Pacific respectively. Until the advent of the telegraph the only form of communication between the new world and the old world was via letter or personal contact. Communication in this manner could take weeks to complete. Superpower Ability There were many positive things happening domestically for the United States. The United States has a varied climate, a diverse amount of natural resources, and geographic barriers that make it more difficult to attack the country. These issues placed the United States in a unique position to become a global superpower. The climate of the United States gives it the ability to grow several different types of crops. Corn grows in the plains, cotton in the south, and dairy in the north. It also allows for many different types of animals co-exist as there are several different items for them to graze on. This gives the Unites States the ability to reliably feed its entire populace, at least at the current population levels. The United States also has a plentiful supply of natural resources. These resources include both renewable resources, such as the aforementioned food and animals, and a wide array of nonrenewable resources, such as coal, oil, and metals. The vast amount of natural resources have allowed the United States to create an economic infrastructure that is capable of sustaining the populace without outside assistance from other nations. While the nations geographic barriers have made it harder to communicate with other world powers (at least initially), they also make it harder for a country to maintain a sustained offensive against the United States. It is hard to keep supply lines stocked when the venue of war is halfway across the globe. Most countries do not have the resources to keep up that type of attack for an extended period of time, and even fewer have the ability to maintain an occupying force over the course of several years to combat insurrection. Effect of War Wars had a profound effect on the emergence of the United States as a global superpower. Not only did these wars show that the United States had a military worthy of global recognition, but they also helped to give the United States more clout on the world political stage. World War I and World War II probably had the largest effect, but the Korean and Vietnam Wars, while smaller in size, had large effects on the United States’ sphere of influence. This gave Americans the wherewithal to become more involved in world politics. World War I was the first major overseas conflict in which the United States became involved. The United States attempted to stay out of the war. When German submarines began sinking United States merchant vessels shipping supplies to Europe, however, it became impossible for the United States to maintain its neutrality. â€Å"These and other acts of aggression convinced Wilson and other Americans of the need to join the war against Germany to make the world â€Å"safe for democracy (World Book, 2011)†. The United States joining the war was enough to tip the scale in the allies favor. A little over a year and a half after the United States joined World War I it ended with the surrender of the Central Powers. The European countries in the war spent nearly 60% of their GDP on the war. This number was much lower for the United States. This gave the United States a much needed economic boost over the European powers. (World Book, 2011) After World War I there was a relatively short lived peace between the powers. In the late 1930’s war sentiments in Europe began brewing again. In 1939 Germany invaded Poland sparking World War II. Again the United States took a militarily neutral stance. They did support the Allies (the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union) against the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) economically by sending supplies. Some American soldiers even volunteered to go fight for the United Kingdom. It once again took an unprovoked act of aggression (this time Japan’s sneak attack on Pearl Harbor) to provoke the United States to join the conflict. While the United States’ intervention in World War I helped secure an allied victory, the United States’ intervention in World War II helped change the course of the entire war. The United States did not recede back into isolation following World War II; unlike the end of World War I. With most of the combat happening in Europe, Africa, and Asia the United States again suffered very little damage to their infrastructure. Europe was quite the opposite. With two major conflicts in less than 50 years European infrastructure was decimated. Japan was forbidden from keeping a large enough standing military to have any true significance on a global level thanks to their treaty with the United States. The Soviet Union stopped cooperating with the western Allies before the ink was dry on the peace treaties ending the war. The Soviets refused to unite their portion of Germany with the rest of the country, effectively splitting the country in two. The Cold War had begun. The Cold War necessitated that the United States remain on the forefront of global affairs because neither France nor the United Kingdom were in a position, economically or militarily, to defend against the Soviet threat. While the Cold War didn’t have any direct combat between the two remaining superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, it did have conflict. The United States was involved in combat in Korea (which resulted in the split of Korea into two countries) and Vietnam. The Soviets were involved in combat in Afghanistan. The Cold War caused the United States to continue its military growth. As seen in the following chart, National Defense expenditures peaked in 1954 at almost 70 percent of the nation’s total budget (U.S. Government, 2009). Global Influence The size of the United States’ military put them in a position of global dominance, but it takes more than a large military to become a global power. It also takes influence in foreign matters. This is another thing the United States has developed over the two and a half centuries since being founded. There have been more than a few global matters that the United States has influenced other than wars. After World War I the League of Nations was formed. While United States President Woodrow Wilson was an advocate of the League the United States Senate was not. They voted down the motion for the United States to join the League of Nations. Many Americans believe that had the United States joined the League of Nations it would not have failed. This could have helped stop the Nazi spread through Eastern Europe. Decisions made by the United States influence the economies of every nation on earth. The world also looks to the United States for action in times of need. â€Å"I think that the authorities would do better to sit down with Ambassador Thomas and take advantage of whatever voluntary help the only superpower in the world today has to offer the Philippines to put a stop to the worldwide problem of women trafficking (Vitas, 2011)†. Without the United States the spread of communism would have continued unabated following World War II. To this end the United States helped to create the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to create the Soviet Union’s Warsaw Pact. This helped to ensure the safety of democracy for the world. It also helped to curb the spread of communism. The United States also sets the tone culturally. Hollywood is the predominant film industry in the world. Perhaps the area where the United States had the largest cultural impact on a worldwide scale was with regards to space. It was a large achievement for all members of the human race when the Americans landed on the moon. Conclusion The United States went into World War II as a world power and emerged as one of two superpowers. There were many things leading up to the nation’s emergence. The United States has the world’s largest economy, largest military, and the decisions made by its President have far reaching impacts. It has given the country a large sphere of influence that is still evident in the world today. References Einhorn, R. L., & Schulman, B. J. (2011). History of the united states. In World Book Advanced Retrieved from http://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar576000 Imf: Report for selected countries. (2011, September). Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/02/weodata/weorept.aspx Miller, L. (2006). China an emerging superpower? Stanford Journal of International Relations, Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/group/sjir/6.1.03_miller.html U.S. Government. (2009). The budget for fiscal year 2009, historical tables. Retrieved from U.S. Government Printing Office website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2009/pdf/hist.pdf Vitas, H. M. (2011, November 15). The revelation of the real harry thomas. Philippine Daily Chronicle. Retrieved from http://campus.westlaw.com/ Washington, G. (1796). George washington farewell address 1796. Retrieved from http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp

Children Of Men Alfonso Cuaron s Courage - 1009 Words

Vishal Patel Prof. Hartlen Writing about Film (English BXE) November 27, 2015 Children of Men: Alfonso Cuarà ³n’s Courage to Showcase a Powerless Society The year is 2027 and the world is being redefined by a year long infertility crises that threatens the human race. Gangs form the innocents while the elderly desperately lineup for government sponsored euthanasia: Quietus. The United Kingdom, being the only stable nation, is under a refugee crisis of people fleeing the chaos that has taken out around the world. This situation resembles a lot to Nazi Germany and also what has been current in news these days. Nicole L. Sparling writes in her article, â€Å"Without a Conceivable Future† published in 2014, â€Å"As it is set in a world without a ‘conceivable’ future, Children of Men, I contend, when understood through the lens of science fiction, reveals the crises of representation embodied in biopolitical figures, such as bare life, and exposes serious implications for re-productive, civil, and human rights. Such an aesthetic, I argue, transfigures the concepts of nation, hope, and futurity and their symbolic weigh t on actual bodies within the world of the film† (160). This statement draws his attitude toward the film which is multilayered and genially arranged by director Alfonso Cuarà ³n. The film tries to convey a state of urgent for humans to take action and gain control of our ill planet. Cuarà ³n effectively achieves to convey this message by creating a dystopian world where

Plato s Apology And Crito - 977 Words

Throughout, the history of western civilization, religion and politics have been put together and associate with the major the historical events that have marked the history of humanity on earth. In the following written works, Plato’s apology and Crito, The gospel according to Mark and Date’s Inferno, in each of these works religion and politics are intertwined to show the impact of these in each character in each written work. Also, these written works explain how politics are affected by religion and vice versa. In Plato’s Apology and Crito, are two consecutive plays that explain how Socrates, which was considered an honored and the wisest man in all Athens by the oracle is sentenced to death by because he did not want to admit his wisdom and the importance of the Gods. In the Apology and Crito, it is seen how religion and politics are linked when Socrates is declared by the Delphic oracle the wisest man in the whole Athens because unlike other people in Athen s, he knew he did not know anything, â€Å"I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing. â€Å"Socrates, Apology. Socrates beliefs in the Gods, especially Apollo, but by going against what the oracle says he faced political issues. After his declarations, Socrates is taken on a trial and he is accused of corrupting the youth and not believing what the oracle said. In his speech Socrates tries to defend himself by questioning one of his accusers, Miletus and using a series of sarcasticShow MoreRelatedPlato s Apology And Crito983 Words   |  4 Pagesevents that have marked the history of humanity on earth. In the following written works, Plato’s Apology and Crito, The Gospel According to Mark, and Dante’s Inferno, religion and politics are shown to be intertwined, which emphasizes the impact of each individual character in each written work. Also, these written works explain how politics are affected by religion and vice versa. Plato’s Apology and Crito are plays that explain how Socrates, who was considered an honored and the wisest man in allRead MorePlato s Apology And Crito976 Words   |  4 Pagesevents that have marked the history of humanity in earth. In the following written works, Plato’s apology and Crito, The gospel according to Mark and Date’s inferno, in each of these work religion and politics are intertwined to show the impact of these in each character in each written work. Also, these written works explain how politics is affected by religion and vise versa. In Plato’s Apology and Crito are two consecutive plays that explain how Socrates, which was considered an honored and the mostRead MoreAnalysis Of Plato s Apology And Crito Essay1857 Words   |  8 Pages Final Paper The word â€Å"philosophy† can be defined as someone’s theory as to how one should live their life. For Socrates, in Plato’s Apology and Crito, the concept of the human soul drives the actions in which he lives his life. His view of the purpose for one’s actions differs from that of his fellow Athenians, who viewed physical pleasures – money, status, power – as the most important objectives in life. Within his own argument to the Athenian jury against the importance of bodily pleasuresRead MoreTry to Persuade Socrates Friends to Save Him Against His Will1191 Words   |  5 PagesTry to persuade the Socrates`s friends to save him, against his will. 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Behind these conundrums is a contradiction less often explored: Socrates is at once the most Athenian, mostRead MorePlato s Life And Accomplishments874 Words   |  4 PagesPlato, a Greek philosopher, was born in Athens, in 428 B.C. under the name Aristoles. In his youth, he was a wrestler, that’s how he got the name ‘Plato’, that was his ring name. Plato means broad or flat, his shoulder were broad and his forehead was flat. He won a few trophies for wrestling but never made it to the Olympics at Olympia. He later change more toward the arts, and he wrote plays, and poetry, but in never won in any of his writin g competitions. â€Å"Having failed to win an Olympic goldRead MoreCritism in Plato2608 Words   |  11 Pagesthe Republic, Plato claims that only a very few individuals are capable of understanding how human life is to be lived. If it could be done, the rest of us would be best off it we were to let out lives be controlled by such individuals. This position held by Plato has been one of much discussion and disagreement over the years. In this paper I will attempt to give my own insight and stand on Plato s position and will evaluate his position as it emerges throughout the Apology, the Crito and the RepublicRead MoreSocrates World Views1549 Words   |  7 Pagesof this paper is to discern and construct the world views of Socrates through the various readings, lectures and videos that we have seen in class. Some of these sources include: Socrates by G. Rudebusch; excerpts from The Last Days of Socrates by Plato; and The Allegory of a Cave. Of the nine world views covered in cla ss, I will delve into my interpretation of four of them as seen through the various sources that we have been exposed to in class. These four world views will include Death, ConditionRead MoreSocrates Sides with Creon or a1379 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates#8217; Sides With? Through my reading of Plato#8217;s Apology of Socrates and Crito, I have been able to see how Socrates makes important decisions and what he primarily bases his decisions on. As a individual person we have individual morals which lead us to our own moral or immoral decisions. Sometimes are own morals or beliefs might oppose the views of the state or the enforced law that clams to find justice. In this case we rely on our own beliefs that may be through passedRead MoreEssay on Socrates Fight for Justice1101 Words   |  5 PagesPlato’s works Apology and Crito there is an attempt by Socrates to defend himself in court and defend his choice to receive the death penalty when found guilty. Although he makes very valid and strong arguments throughout one can only wonder why such a wise person would choose death over life. The following essay will analyze three quotes from Apology and Crito, find the correlation between them, and reveal any flaws that may exsist inside these ar guments made by Socrates. In Plato’s Apology Socrates

School Uniforms Persuasive Essay - 1069 Words

Today, many schools around the world enforce uniforms, requiring students to wear specific clothing. School uniforms, which was first established in 16th century England, are a topic of much debate in the public school system of the United States. Many people feel that uniforms reduce competition among students and bring a sense of unity in school. People who are against school uniforms think that they prevent students from expressing themselves and inhibits creativity. Many students dislike school uniforms because uniforms can be viewed as a violation of their rights, while others benefit from uniforms because it relieves the stress of picking what to wear to school. Although school uniforms do have its benefits, they also limit†¦show more content†¦It is a belief that school uniforms teach students to respect their learning environment and behave themselves, and, therefore improving discipline. However, that assumption isn’t entirely correct. Researchers have actual ly found that school uniforms don’t make students better behaved. According to a study of more than 4,500 students, those who wore a school uniform did not have fewer behavior problems or better attendance. Forcing students to wear uniforms lead to more problems and misbehavior instead of encouraging discipline. Students could get into trouble if they did not wear their uniforms correctly. Many kids in today’s society cannot stand the thought of someone telling them what to do, especially what to wear. Instead of encouraging respect, uniforms may cause rebellions. For example, in 2009, a group of students at John A. Ferguson Senior High School rebelled against their school uniforms. Instead of following their school uniform requirements, the students wore what they thought would be a better school uniform to school. Not only uniforms don’t earn schools the respect from its students, but it may also lead to more problems. Some critics say that school uniforms inc rease the amount of clothing that parents have to buy for their children, meaning that they would have to spend more money. Students wouldn’t wear their uniforms outside of school, so parents would have to buy casual clothing for their child to wear outside of school.Show MoreRelatedSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1001 Words   |  5 PagesMake a Difference? If schools could automatically have more safety, a stronger sense of unity within students, and higher self esteem for every individual student at a minimal cost without transgressing any laws, or stepping over students rights it is doubtful that many would turn up their nose to all of these things. There is no difference between this situation and the benefits that school dress codes would provide. While the majority of public schools do not require uniforms, the ones that do reportRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms979 Words   |  4 PagesThe age old argument of whether or not uniforms and dress codes should be enforced in schools seems to never conclude. The issue of appropriate clothing in schools is controversial and provoking. Many argue that abolishing a student’s choice in their attire violates their freedom of expression. Students use what they wear to express themselves; their clothing gives them a sense of a unique style and identity. Others argue that pe rmitting students to wear whatever clothing they like can create unnecessaryRead MoreSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesAssociation (2016), an estimated 160,000 students missed school every day due to a fear of violence and harassment from their peers. Students at many schools, including my own, have become more divided. 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Imagine a parent’s comfort in knowing their child was being treated as an equal at school each and every dayRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms717 Words   |  3 Pages The idea of school uniforms has been a vital point within school districts for a long time now. As a parent with two kids within the school system, it is a popular trend amongst schools as both my children’s schools require for their student to wear uniform. However, more recently, students as well as parents are beginning to disagree with the enforcement with school uniforms as they believe uniforms are possibly taking away the right of self-expression for students. Although this is a valid complaintRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms723 Words   |  3 Pagesmandatory for students to wear uniforms, they have evidently been misled. Uniforms kill individua lity and creativity, are too expensive for some, and can lower both self-esteem and performance of students in school. Many critics are bringing to light the crisis of dropping individuality and creativity; we cannot afford let it plummet any further. School uniforms destroy diversity and kill courage, on top of preventing individual student expression. In addition, school uniforms provide an almost jail likeRead MoreSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1470 Words   |  6 PagesBenefits of Uniform Adoption in Public Schools Ever wonder what it would look like to have all students wearing the same white polo shirt, black pants, and a district sweater walking in the hallway? Nowadays, public school and many districts are discussing the possibilities of enforcing the uniform policy. In most places, many private schools already require students to have their mandatory uniforms; however, there are only a few public schools adopting this mandatory school-uniform policesRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms1671 Words   |  7 Pages Hari Mainali South University School Uniform â€Æ' Abstract Freedom of dress is violated by restricting on school uniform. A school and university have their own dress code which does not require a particular dress. Some researcher and scholar suggest misbehavior in the student are the result of banning uniform. But misbehavior is what they acquired in their life. Banning uniform, student can exercise their right to express themselves freely. Student will be able to focus on education and saveRead MoreSchool uniform persuasive essay2016 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿ School Uniforms: Agree or not? Uniforms are globally used at schools around the world, especially schools in Asia. In Asia, the policy of wearing uniform enforces strongly during school hours and whenever at schools. The policy is enforced because schools want to teach discipline to their students and prevent unanticipated troubles at school. The policy of school uniforms is not completely implemented in the United States, especially public schools. According to the US Department of Education,Read MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms1889 Words   |  8 Pagesfor all schools to implement school uniforms in the classroom for all students. Schools everywhere across the America are changing their policies due to changes of their dress code. Whether it be due to vulgar language, inappropriate content, or the same outfit for all students, this is becoming more popular across America. In a recent study done by Statistic Brain it has shown that twenty three percent of countries across of America have implemented a pol icy that requires school uniforms. The school

A Reaction Paper to Pablo Picasso’s Guernica Free Essays

What would be the best way to express an outcry against war? How could one influence another, a crowd, or even the world? During the Spanish Civil War in 1937, the Basque town of Guernica was bombarded by the German Air Force, which led to the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. In response to this, Spanish-painter Pablo Picasso expressed his outrage with a mural-sized painting entitled Guernica, his memorial to the brutal massacre, which has since become the twentieth century’s most powerful indictment against war, a painting that still feels intensely relevant today. Confusing and chaotic; those were the words to describe the painting at first glance. We will write a custom essay sample on A Reaction Paper to Pablo Picasso’s Guernica or any similar topic only for you Order Now I was thrown into the midst of seeing everything in a state of instability. Every nook and cranny screams the word death. On the far left is a woman, head back, screaming in pain and grief, holding the lifeless body of her dead child. This is one of the most devastating and unforgettable images in the painting. To her right is the head and partial body of a large white bull, the only unharmed and calm figure amidst the chaos. Beneath her, a dead or wounded man with a severed arm and mutilated hand clutches a broken sword. Only his head and arms are visible; the rest of his body is obscured by the overlapping and scattered parts of other figures. In the center stands a terrified horse, mouth open screaming in pain, its side pierced by a spear. On the right are three more women. One rushes in, looking up at the stark light bulb at the top of the scene. Another leans out of the window of a burning house, her long extended arm holding a lamp, while the third woman appears trapped in the burning building, screaming in fear and horror. All their faces are distorted in agony. Eyes are dislocated, mouths are open, tongues are shaped like daggers. The space is little to none, compacted and ambiguous with various perspectives and multiple viewpoints characteristic of Picasso’s earlier Cubist style. Images overlap and intersect, obscuring forms and making it hard to distinguish their boundaries. Bodies are distorted and semi-abstracted, the forms discontinuous and fragmentary. Everything seems jumbled together, while sharp angular lines seem to pierce and splinter the dismembered bodies. However, there is in fact an overriding visual order. Picasso balances the composition by organizing the figures into three vertical groupings moving left to right, while the center figures are stabilized within a large triangle of light. Picasso chose to paint Guernica in a stark monochromatic palette of gray, black and white. This may reflect his initial encounter with the original newspaper reports and photographs in black and white; or perhaps it suggested to Picasso the objective factuality of an eye witness report. A documentary quality is further emphasized by the textured pattern in the center of the painting that creates the illusion of newsprint. The sharp alternation of black and white contrasts across the painting surface also creates dramatic intensity, a visual kinetic energy of jagged movement. In the end, the painting does not appear to have one exclusive meaning. Perhaps it is that very ambiguity, the lack of historical specificity, or the fact that brutal wars continue to be fought, that keeps Guernica as timeless and universally relatable today as it was in 1937. How to cite A Reaction Paper to Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, Papers

Thinking Skills and Problem Solving

Question: Discuss about the Thinking Skills and Problem Solving. Answer: Introduction: The idea of critical thinking can be identified as the ability to think clearly and rationally about the ways to dealing with a particular problem situation. The purpose of the critical thinking is mainly the exploration of the most logical approach to address a particular problem, depending on the resource and knowledge base (Kong Dong, 2013). Critical thinking requires evaluation and improvement of the established thought process and creates a logical solution for a situational problem. As discussed by Jackson (2015), by identifying the causes of the situational contingencies, the critical thinking process helps in eliminating those causes and thus resolves the issues. It can be identified as the most important skill for job success. As mentioned by McPeck (2016), in the modern workplaces which is continuously becoming complex combined with competition and threat of recession, it is important for the employees to opt for critical thinking to eliminating the issues like work relate d stress and disrupted work life balance. One of the major frameworks for critical thinking is the Cause and Effect diagram. By identifying the factors related to the set units of this diagram, one can identify all the influential factors of a certain problem situation. As mentioned by Wong, Woo, Woo (2016), the cause and effect diagram helps in recognising all inclusive picture of a certain problem. Here, in the context of this essay, disrupted work life balance has been identified as a problem situation in Malaysia. The idea of work life balance can be identified as the division of ones time and concentration between his professional and the familial life. As mentioned by Babatunde (2013), the lack of personal time and space and increased work load is continuously creating stress among the employees. The issues of work related stresses trigger a number of psychological distresses among the employees. Now, for the successful completion of this essay, the author has used the Cause and Effect diagram for identifying the influential factors those are creating work life stress and disrupting the work life balance. After that the author has provided five relevant recommendations to eliminate the ceases of disrupted work life balance and obtain a relaxing and satisfactory professional filed to the employees of Malaysia. Discussion: Causes: In the modern world of globalization, the professional world is continuously becoming a place of steep competition. It is creating stress among the employees which is decreasing their motivation, health status and in turn jeopardising the potentiality of the economy to grow further. As mentioned by Jamadin et al. (2015), in the Malaysian context, a number of employees are facing the issue of work related stress which is influencing their personal life and impacting their productivity in the professional sector negatively. Hence, maintaining a work life balance is important for both the personal and professional level. As discussed by Dollard et al. (2014), the idea of work life balance can be identified as the perception of employees on work, personal and family time that are maintained and integrated with a minimum of role conflict. However, in the Malaysian context, the mental health problems are affecting the youth to a great extent. As per the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) conducted by the national government of Malaysia the incidence of mental health problem among the age group of twenty to twenty four is more than 32.1 per cent (Mohan Suppareakchaisakul, 2014). However, the major cause of disrupting the work life balance can include a great range of professional, psychological and other issues. As mentioned by Haar et al. (2014), the workplace condition highly influences the state of occupational stress and disrupted work life balance. An adverse workplace condition can include the issues like unrealistic workload. As mentioned by Agarwal (2014), work overload is likely to happen in the cases when the employees are burdened with tasks those are beyond their capabilities. As opined by Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard (2014), the issues like, pressure to meet the work demand, lack of realistic deadlines, poor work design, lack of desired knowledge among the workers can be identified as some of the major reasons of work related stress and disruptive work life balance. The cause and effect diagram on the selected strategies: As mentioned by Ennis (2015), the critical thinking techniques largely involve the identification of the root causes behind an issue and suggest ways to resolve them. Here, the cause and effect diagram can be utilized successfully for inclusive identification of the causes or the remedies to collect a certain effect (Wong, Woo Woo, 2016). As discussed by Stefanovic et al. (2014), the cause and effect diagram or the Ishikawa diagram was invented by Kaoru Ishikawa for identifying the causes those are typically influential in creating a certain problem situation. As described by Bowell and Kemp (2014), the causes are usually grouped into five categories to identify these sources of variations. These include: People: the individuals related to the process. Methods: the policies, rules and regulations related to it. Machines: the tools used in the process Materials: the raw materials used Measurements: data generated and used for evaluation Environments: time, temperature, culture etc. Now, depending on this framework, the issues of workplace related stresses can be critically analysed. The people: as discussed earlier, the people related to a competitive workplace often are responsible for their disruptive work life balance. The individuals often strive for perfection and a greater level of material achievement. This drives them to provide an amplified attention towards their professional lives and ignore the importance of the family life or personal space. On the other hand, the lack of personal competency can make the people face increased workload, and issues with time management (Belwal Belwal, 2014). Thus, it can disrupt the work life balance of the Malaysian employees. The methods: As opined by Ibrahim (2015), in Malaysia the companies are now experiencing substantive growth. Hence, most of them are ignoring the importance of employee relaxation during the working hours and beyond. Hence, they are typically following the policy of overtime and massive work load in short deadlines. Moreover, not a many company follows the strategy of providing required level of trainings to their employees (Devi Kiran, 2014). This inefficient human resource policy is creating a range of inefficient and de-motivated employees who are assigned with a bulk of professional responsibilities. Thus the methods are influencing the increasing cases of disrupted work life balance of the Malaysian professionals. Moreover, the issues like harsh management, low salary, lack of welfare services are also influential in creating work related stress and subsequent disrupted work life balance. Machines: The usage of computer is often being accused for the occupational stress among the employees. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), the continuous changes in the technological world compel the employees to repeatedly struggling to adapt to it. Moreover, the lack of technical knowledge creates a threat of structural unemployment among the employees. Thus, the machines used in the modern professional world is creating work stress and disrupting the psychological serenity of the employees. Materials: In the context of this non-communicable disease, the raw materials used in the professional sectors cannot essentially be identified as the influencing factors. However, as discussed by Rubel and Kee (2014), the materials like mobile phones used in the workplaces are most likely to disrupt the work life balance of the employees. In modern companies, the employees are provided with separate numbers in which they have to be available round the clock. It distrusts the right of personal time of the employees and they become vulnerable to the work related concerns even in holidays. Thus, the materials used in the workplaces are engulfing the time of the employees which is making them vulnerable to the occupational stress. Figure 1: Cause and Effect Diagram for disrupted work life balance (Source: Created by the author) Measurement: As mentioned by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), the workplace monitoring and the policy of performance appraisal in largely influential in creating occupational stress among the employees. In the Malaysian context, not a may company possesses a fair and encouraging appraisal system. As discussed by Achour et al. (2015), the lack of 360 degree feedback system creates a biased or inconclusive performance monitoring pattern. On the other hand, as identified by Dhanda (2017), the KPIs set by the management often ignores the practical and on site challenges those the employees face in meeting an occupational target. Hence, a KPI set by the management without a consultation with the employees, often become impractical to achieve in the given time frame. Thus, a faulty performance measurement system can create stress among the employees. As discussed by Gamor, Amissah and Boakye (2014), the tension of failing the deadline, being reproached by the management for the performance fa ilure, Environment: The idea of environment in identifying the causes of occupational stress can entail a number of issues like culture within the organization, the global or national value base, the timing of work and the leadership and communication pattern within the organization (Agarwal, 2014). Here, in the context of Malaysia, the country is experiencing a significant level of economic boom (Mohan Suppareakchaisakul, 2014). With the integration to the world economy, the country is continuously adopting the philosophy of consumerism. As described by Ibrahim (2015), it has a two faced implication upon the Malaysian society. The consumerist value is increasing the urge of material gain among the individuals and thus it is directing the economy to increased growth level. However, this particular trend it being responsible for increased occupational stress among the employees. They are concentrating on the professional growth and the personal life is being disordered consequently. On the other hand, as mentioned by Juster et al. (2013), the organizational environment is also influential in creating work related stresses among the employees. An organization that follows an autocratic leadership, the employees are not allowed to raise their concerns which promote an ineffective communication channel. As mentioned by Mohan and Suppareakchaisakul (2014), this detrimental organizational environment is largely responsible in creating occupational stress. Thus, the issue of occupational stress is continuously being influenced by a number of factors in Malaysia. Now, for eliminating these issues the following recommendations can be utilized. Steps needed to be taken by the employees: As discussed by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), in the competitive world of domestic and international businesses, achieving a work life balance is challenge but necessity. In the Malaysian context, the issue of work related stress is impacting the psychological status of the employees to a great level, which is continuously decreasing the productivity of the workers (Mohan Suppareakchaisakul, 2014). As mentioned by Agarwal (2014), a disruptive work life balance is more likely to create dissatisfaction with the work, lack of motivation and severely damaged quality of work. It is largely connected to the psychological satisfaction of the employees. Hence, the employees also need to concentrate on the critical thinking processes to identify the strategies to obtain an effective work life balance. For obtaining work life balance, the major responsibility needs to be taken by the employee himself. As mentioned by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), it is the duty of an individual to be able to divide his time for work and family. Hence, after the completion of the working hour, the employees must not entertain any job related queries. From the employers end, the companies should have a policy of not engaging the employees into the work responsibilities or such other requirements after the schedule hour. An uninterrupted personal time provides a mental relaxation. The companies need to understand the importance of this psychological disengagement from the employees end. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), the companies which are prone to call an employee or assign tasks when he is with his family faces the issues like employee dissatisfaction and high turnover rate. Hence, it is important to the employees to leave the work at office and enjoy an undivided personal time after wor k. Moreover, the employees need to take initiative for improving his professional competencies. With the strategies like occupational trainings, task planning, time management strategies etc. they can manage the work load and obtain a work life balance. Steps related to the method: As mentioned by Mohan and Suppareakchaisakul (2014), in the Malaysian context, two thirds or 67 per cent of workers in Malaysia will consider a career that can strike a balance between life and career more attractive than a fatter pay check. Hence, the employers must concentrate on creating strategies or policies which would be helpful in achieving a work life balance for the employees. Flexibility in the working pattern helps the employees in finding a relaxation even during the working hours. As mentioned by Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard (2014), a flexible work environment can include a number of strategies like relaxed dress code, flexible working works, the facility of working from home or the places of the workers preferences and many others can create a sense of satisfaction with the work which positively stimulates the employees psyche and motivate him to provide better quality of service or production. As mentioned by Agarwal (2014), opting for the facility of working from home will be helpful for the employees to strike a good level of work life balance. The major criteria of achieving the work life balance is satisfactorily dividing the time and focus of the employee between the job responsibility and his or her familial life. As discussed by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), flexibility in the working site provides a scope to the employee to manage his responsibilities according to his preference and availability of time. It can provide an effective work life balance. Moreover, the companies must have leave policies or on site facilities to perform the familial responsibilities like maternal leave, crche for the children etc. Thus, the employees will be able to divide their attention between their families and job responsibilities. As mentioned by Haar et al. (2014), for maintaining employee satisfaction and provide them a significant work life balance, the companies can opt for providing yearly vacations with the family or friends to its employees. A number of internationally successful companies opt for this particular strategy to provide a quality time to their employees with their families. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), it creates a sense of value and commitment among the employees which increases the quality of their production. Steps related to the machines and materials: In the modern competitive world, the professional world is continuously engulfing the time and concentration of the employees. With the increase in the professional competition, a mass craving for materialistic achievements and the integration of the world economy to the global financial world, people are continuously losing their time for the families and themselves. In such a context, the employees need to avoid the usage of the machines like computer, or entertain the job related quarries over mobile phone after the working hour. As discussed by Agarwal (2014), the digital screens are snatching away our precious time which our friends and family deserves. It is important for the individuals to socialize in the world surrounding him which can provide him psychological relaxation and directs them to find a work life balance. The companies also promote this practice by making it compulsory to return the workplace appliances before going home, or providing special facilities to those employees who are being available 24*7 for the company (like one weekly leave or special vacation). Steps related to measurement: As mentioned by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), employees often find the performance measurement policy as a stress creating factor in their occupational lives. The set KPIs by the management, often compels them work in a pressurised situation to obtain the performance goal. Moreover, as discussed by the expectancy theory of Agarwal (2014), the organizations needs to create an expectation among the employees to obtain a higher position. It drives the companies to set the performance measurement criteria. However, the competition and the comparison with the colleagues may create frustrations among the employees. Hence, it is important for the companies to opt for a performance evaluation system which includes the opinion of the employees. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), the KPIs set by the employees is more likely to be attended by the performers and it creates an inner drive among the employees with less stress to achieve the performance goals. Moreover, the management needs to refrain from reproaching an employee in the case of failure to attend the performance targets. Rather, it would be recommended to send the employees to occupational training sessions. Steps related to environment: The companies need to promote a participative leadership strategy that reduces the employee stress. The management which is open to the opinions and ideas of the employees create organizational policies those are employee oriented (Kumarasamy et al., 2015). Moreover, an open communication channel helps the companies to raise their concerns regarding the job which helps the companies to address the issues with pragmatic steps and provide a less stressful work environment to trhe employees. Thus a relaxing and approachable work life creates psychological satisfaction among the employees, which ensures a better work life balance. On the other hand, to encounter the consumerist values, the companies need to encourage their employees with intangible awards for better performance. Here, the company can provide long holidays or celebrating a family day where the employees will be provided sponsored trips and activities with the family members (Haar et al., 2014). Conclusion: Hence, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that the critical thinking process can provide an all inclusive idea about a certain problem situation. In the Malaysian context, the country is now at the stage of experiencing a good level of economic success which is directing the company to achieve the place of a developed economy. With the increased economic opportunity and a cutthroat competitive financial circumstance, the country is facing an increased number of reported cases of psychological issues among the working youths. The cause and effect diagram has revealed that factors like employee incompetency, the organizational policies, excessive use of mobile and computers, faulty performance evaluation system, leadership, organizational communication and the national value base are some of the causes of this disrupted work life balance,. Hence, the author has recommended a number of steps like employee training, flexible work environment, leave policy etc. for increasing the family involvement of the employees. References: Achour, M., Grine, F., Nor, M. R. M., MohdYusoff, M. Y. Z. (2015). 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