The Assault on Reason by Al Gore - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 971 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? The article â€Å"The Assault on Reason’, Introduction was written by Al Gore in the year 2007. The article shows the various stages that the American democracy has passed through the years and the danger it is involved with because of corruption from i8nfluential blocks. Gore argues that the members of the American sphere are dependent on falsehood as the backbone of policy making (Gore, 1). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Assault on Reason by Al Gore" essay for you Create order He also depicts that different essential composition of the American nation from the media, congress and the independent judiciary which are supposed to propel the country into greater heights of democracy have failed the country (Gore, 2). He shows that the democracy level of the country has been failed not only by the policies of President Bush at the time but by the people in general. There is need people to utilize the free speech and the judiciary to make sure that they check and balance the decision and policies that are made in the political field rather than sleeping on their rights (Massaro, 12). Gore shows that the democracy of the nation is in danger form the changes in political and all spheres of the American environment. Gore shows that public discourse is one of the tools that have lost its path in demonstration of the democracy (Gore, 6). He argues that the 2001 polls depicted that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the 9/11 attack but in 2007 still half of the American people believe that he is connected to the attack (Gore, 3). He also suggests that the American airwaves have been corrupted in such a way that the case of the O.J Simpson trial was a mere serial obsession of the media power houses rather than promoting good sense (Gore, 3). The media has been in high obsession of many things such as the bizarre death of six year old Jon-Benet Ramsey. The high coverage hours of the cases which was still even in documentation of the articles suggests that the media has been blinded. The American watchers were tied to watching a series of events from trials, and other med ia stuffs that are of lesser relevance in building the nation (Gore, 5). The media focuses too much on petty things in the society today rather than majoring in things that affect the democracy and building of the nation. This poses as a threat to the nation. There is lack of reason by many blocks especially the media in driving democracy to people doors (Kellner, 25). Gore also argues that there is ignorance in terms of making decisions that involve going to war or seek peace (Gore, 5). He demonstrates that there is lack of debates so as to project the consequences of the decision that people make either in the judiciary or bin the congress. Decisions that involve invading a country a crucial and thus there is need to make a lot of consultations and deliberations before executing the idea. Gore suggests that the senate has been one of the tools that have led to the fall of the nation’s democracy (Gore, 5). The senators are involved in many fundraising projects rather than being in their stipulated place where they can debate the essential things of the nation. He depicts that the time that Senator Byrd description of the senate on crucial matter of the war was met in abnormal state since most of the members were indulging themselves in projects that will lead to their reelection (Gore, 4). In the eve of war there was lack of better indulges of all of members in making the decision. This demonstrates how they have fallen behind in making decisions that will drive the country into a more democratic zone (Gans, 11). America was built from diverse cultures thus there is need to involve the various people and many sections of the institution of government sphere should be involved in the execution of democracy in the nation (Gans, 4). The media especially the television has fallen to impact the people but rather has focused on seeking attention. The television was supposed to overtake the printing media and therefore its greater influence was supposed to increase the value of democracy (Kellner, 21). Gore suggests that the concept of governance can be bought by many people vying for the seats in the governance (Gore, 10). He shows that the various ads and the opinion polls have shifted the democracy of the country through promotion of wealthy members of community rather than visionary ones (Gore, 12). The television has been very influential in dividing many people through the publicizing the public opinions sampling which has been based on propagandas. The public forum has decayed so much that th e manufacture of consent has emerged in the American sphere where it was expected to have died from the past prediction (Gore, 14). There is need for the public forum to establish accountability of the government to the people (Gore, 10). The market place of the ideas is characterized by the market place being open to ideas from everyone, dependency on meritocracy and the fact that the participants’ unspoken duty was enriched for agreement (Parks et al, 2015). In conclusion, various medium of spreading information have existed in the American world. The printing press was the most common form of media in the American world but the television has overtaken it. These medium is essential in the promotion of democracy but there is falsehood in most public forums where the element of propaganda in public opinions has stretched the democracy of the country to its bottom. The people of America have failed the country from the ruling class, the judiciary, common public and media. There is need to put focus on things that will enable the development of the democracy of the nation rather than things that seek the attention or promoting re-election in member of states. People should not allow fear to overcome reason in the exercise of democracy.

The Dream Is Not Dead, By Amy Tan - 1393 Words

The American Dream has been the ultimate goal for those who are not gifted with money, power, or status. It is the dream for those same people who start with nothing, but work endlessly for the sake of a better future. The dream is not dead; it is forsaken. Those who read Amy Tan’s Two Kinds will usually warrant Jing-Mei as the story’s heroine. Without even a thought, the audience will view Jing-Mei as a courageous young girl who discovers her true self amid her tyrannous mother’s overwhelming expectations. However, what if the lens were flipped for a moment? One can also view Jing-Mei is a devious young girl, who discovers her darker side by giving up on her own American Dream in spite of all of her mother’s efforts and hopes. Readers may not notice at first, but all of Jing-Mei’s actions grant her the title of evil. To explain this further, this essay will examine the idea of the American Dream with respect to Jing-Mei’s mother and the symbol of Shirley Temple, there will then be a transition when we realize Jing-Mei is the opposite of the American Dream, and lastly we will examine her final step to becoming the true villain by which she annihilates her own mother’s dream. A recurring t heme is the American Dream. The notion that one can overcome the systematic and cultural odds by being a diligent worker. Jing-Mei’s mother is a strong believer in this spirit as it is her last and only hope. She had recently lost her whole family in 1949 when the communists took overShow MoreRelatedThe Two Kinds By Amy Tan1272 Words   |  6 Pagesrepresenting 11% of the national population. The children of such immigrants in the U.S., also known as second generation immigrants, experience a cultural conflict between that of their parents and that of mainstream U.S. society† (Wikipedia 1). Amy Tan the author of â€Å"Two Kinds†, and the young character in the story both are a second generation immigrants, who have struggled in their life with parents, about the culture they assimilating and their real culture. In the â€Å"Two Kinds† story the authorRead More`` Two Kinds `` By Amy Tan And The Rocking Horse Winner Essay1458 Words   |  6 Pages The Cusp of Success A common theme we see in the two stories, â€Å"Two Kinds† by Amy Tan, and â€Å"The Rocking Horse-Winner† by D.H Lawrence is the detrimental effects that a forcing a bar of success can have on developing adolescents. Recognizing that the product of success is generally good, clouds the notion that there is in fact a wide range of effects that chasing success can bring about. Some of these effects have positive repercussions, teaching adolescents discipline and work ethic. However, someRead MoreRelationship Of The American Dream In Amy Tans Two Kinds?892 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Two Kinds† by Amy Tan is a short story about a mother pushing her ambitions and dreams unto her daughter, Jing- mei. Born during the American Dream era, Jing-mei’s mother believed that anyone â€Å"could be anything [he/she] want to be in America. [He/She] could open a restaurant†¦ work for the government†¦ buy a house with almost no money down†¦ and become rich † (Tan 43). With this mindset, Jing-mei’s mother pushes her daughter to become a prodigy, thus the adventures of Jing-mei trying new things began:Read MoreAmy Tan Overcoming Faulty Relationships and Self Identity Essay1514 Words   |  7 PagesAmy Tan struggled with many issues caused by her dual cultures, which she expressed thoroughly in her works. Daisy and John Tan were post war immigrants and the parents of Amy Tan (Amy Tan). Tan was given the Chinese name An-Mei, which stands for blessings from America (McCarthy). To them she was the blessing that they had received after their own struggles. Tan’s father came to America after WWII to become a minister (Amy Tan). Even though it seemed like Tan’s life was running smoothly tragedy struckRead MoreTwo Kinds822 Words   |  4 PagesSonam Shankar ID# 1723801 English 103-276 January 17, 2011-01-17 Two Kinds Amy Tan In the short story â€Å"Two Kinds†, Amy Tan uses the narrator’s point of view to share a mothers attempt to control her daughters dreams and ambitions. Tan`s short story is an example of how differing personalities cause struggles between a parent and child. Children often fall victim to a parent trying too hard or expectations being too high, and in the case of Two Kinds, we see Jing Mei’s mother trying toRead MoreIrony in A Pair of Tickets and A Rocking Horse Winner1405 Words   |  6 PagesDramatic irony as †¦irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play† (â€Å"Dramatic irony†). In reading D.H. Lawrence’s short story â€Å"A Rocking Horse Winner† and Amy Tan’s short story â€Å"A Pair of Tickets†, I find elements within each piece that are wonderful examples of both of the above definitions. Both authors have a simila r use of situational and verbal irony, a use of irony in the way in which the charactersRead More A Mothers Dream for her Daughter in Amy Tans Two Kinds Essay957 Words   |  4 PagesA Mothers Dream for her Daughter in Amy Tans Two Kinds Amy Tans short story, Two Kinds begins with a brief introduction to one mothers interpretation of the American dream. The Chinese mother who lost her family in her native homeland now hopes to recapture part of her loss through her daughter. Those of us who are parents want what is best for our children. We strive to make our childrens futures better. In some cases, when our own dreams have either been destroyed or not realized, weRead MoreTwo Halves of the Same Song Essay758 Words   |  4 PagesTwo Halves Of The Same Song One of the crucial components of Amy Tans Two Kinds is her choice of narrator. This narrative voice develops the story by adding to the characters. By using this narrator, Amy Tan allows the story to come alive through the eyes of a child. Jing-Mei, who is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant, paints the picture of her relationship between herself and her overbearing mother. Being the protagonist of the story, Jing-Mei is able to portray what she is going throughRead More Improving Mother/Daughter Relationships in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club1216 Words   |  5 PagesImproving Mother/Daughter Relationships in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club One day everything is going great, in fact things could not be better and then you say something and your friend turns to you and says â€Å"oh my god, you sounded just like your mother†.   That is when you freak out and think to yourself it is true I am turning into my mother.   This is every daughters worst nightmare come true.   When a young girl is growing up her mother always says and does things that the girl vows she will neverRead MorePlunging The Joy Luck Club by Amt Tan Essay1131 Words   |  5 PagesThe Joy Luck Club (1985) was written by Amy Tan (1952). The Joy Luck Club is the story of a Chinese mother who leaves everything behind, a mother who leaves her family in China in order to get her children (in this case our protagonist June) a better life. Or as Amy Tan says: â€Å"The Joy Luck Club, about a woman whose mother has just died and who regrets that she never knew who she truly was. The stories poured out. They were what I felt and had to say before i t was too late. I had found my reason to

Whaling One of the Big Issues in the World Free Essays

Whaling Whaling is the hunting of whales and it is one of the big issues in the world. Japan is one of the pro-whaling countries and a majority of the Western countries are objecting to Japan. However, this essay would like to insist that whaling is a part of the Japanese rural traditional culture, so it is important for some Japanese people. We will write a custom essay sample on Whaling: One of the Big Issues in the World or any similar topic only for you Order Now Therefore, the essay support the idea that whale hunting should not be prohibited. This essay aims to tell people who do not know about Japanese whaling well that the true Japanese attitude toward whaling is very different from what they imagine, and o clear up an opponent’s misunderstanding of it. What are the motivations for whaling in Japan? What are the social implications of whaling in Japan? I will answer to these questions. First of all, the biggest reason why a lot of countries oppose whaling is that whales are endangered species. However, the truth is Japan is hunting adequate numbers concerning the numbers of whales to prevent them from becoming extinct. In the world, it is said, â€Å"there are 84 species of whales† and â€Å"out of all of the 84 species, only a limited number traditionally have been hunted, such as blue whales, fin whales, inke whales, humpback whales, sperm whales and gray whales† Oapan Whaling Association). According to Gardiner, â€Å"When whales were over-hunted, species such as blue whales and right whales were reduced to very low population levels, but these species now have been fully protected for decades â€Å"(21). Then, Japan is not hunting these species and strongly believes that they should continue to be protected. On the other hand, there are species which are abundant enough that marine management is needed, † such as the Antarctic and northwestern Pacific minke hales and northwestern Pacific Bryde’s whales† Oapan Whaling Association). Gardiner also said that â€Å"there are three times as many minke whales as there were 30 years ago, and humpbacks are increasing by 17 percent a year† (21). Actually, for example, â€Å"Antarctic minke whales are hunted 850 out of 442,000 by Japan, and this amount is only 0. 2% of 442,000† Oapan Whaling Association). Thus, thanks to the advanced use of computers, we can obtain precise and clear data of the numbers of whales, so IWC, The International Whaling Commission, is the global ntergovernmental body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling, can determine appropriate numbers of whales to catch quotas on a stock by stock basis. Therefore, Japanese whaling will not harm the health of the whale populations. No whales have ever been hunted to extinction, nor will they be. Then why is Japan still hunting whales in spite of being opposed by many countries? It is because hunting whales and eating their meat is the Japanese traditional culture. Japanese people have been living with whales from prehistoric age until now. During this long history, whaling culture such as songs, dances, and traditional crafts have begun through whaling. On the other side of the coin, Japanese people have received benefits from whaling. In fact, there is a faith in whales which is for holding a memorial service for whales by way of warning because Japanese people know that taking their lives is a really serious matter. Peace said that â€Å"the Japanese do not attach the same significance to the whale as Westerners do because of the way it is culturally categorized† (7). Then, â€Å"the whale falls into the ategory of fish rather than mammal: the character for Whale’ has two parts, the first being the sign for a fish† (Peace 7). Therefore, it also shows clearly that there is a big cultural difference between Japan and Westerners, and it is very difficult to bridge the gap. Morishita also argued that â€Å"Japan, with limited grazing land and adherence to Buddhist teachings that prohibited eating of land mammals, has long resorted to the oceans to supply its animal protein. This is why we consider our food culture a ‘seafood culture’ in contrast to the European and US’ cattle culture’. † We recognize hat there are diverse food cultures in the world, and some people only accept eating of pigs and cattle while others regard eating animals as normal, so eating whales is almost the same for Japanese too. Whale dietary culture has begun from â€Å"around 1952, whale meat was officially included in school lunch-boxes nationwide, staying there for a couple of decades† according to Blok (56). Consequently, older generations in Japanese society widely share memories of eating the meat of whales during childhood. It is said that â€Å"Japanese dietary habits have changed drastically, with beef, ork and chicken, taking over and whale-meat all but disappearing, then whale-mean has become a highly â€Å"select† food, usually enjoyed at special occasions or at specific whale cuisine restaurants† (Blok 56). Thus, whale-meat eating became more special, traditional, and valuable action for Japanese, so this tradition should be passed down the generations. Some people might say that Japan is the only country, which is hunting whales, but it is wrong. Actually, Norway, Iceland, and Alaska are hunting whales too though, â€Å"Japan seems to take the blame for all the whaling in the world† (Gardiner 21). He also continued to say â€Å"Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Canada take twice as many whales as Japan. Yet the Japanese are seen as taking more than everyone† (Gardiner 21). It means that maybe the argument of whaling is almost the one-way conversation and other countries ignore a Japanese insistence. Gardiner also said â€Å"many articles written on whaling in major Western magazines seem to have an anti-Japanese bias and such media have manipulated various governments over the years into believing that the majority of New Zealanders oppose whaling† (22). Therefore, unfortunately this makes people get the wrong mpression of Japanese whaling. For preventing this, the media must report opinions of the both sides about whaling and have to stick with a neutral position, so that people also can understand there is a big cultural difference. Whaling is very controversial issue in the world and it is very difficult to say whether that action is right or wrong, because, needless to say, there is a difference in values between the pro-whaling and the anti-whaling communities. However, this essay aimed to dispel the misconception about Japanese values toward whaling and understand their point of view. Then the research supports the idea that whaling should not be banned, because some species of whales are not endangered and furthermore, Japan knows very well about how many whales they can hunt without threatening them with extinction and the country also protects endangered species. In addition, eating whale-meat connects to the Japanese tradition and Japan considers whales as fish compared to Western countries as mammals. Therefore, the essay would like some people to know that these truths and not be manipulated by the biased media. Japanese whaling nas social implications, such as culture, tood, and employment. Some people live because the Job of whaling, so if it is banned, they would lose their jobs and some young people have to leave their town, because they would not be able to get a Job. Therefore, whaling is important for Japan so should not be banned. Furthermore, it is important to educate the Western world about this topic, because there are many values in this world, so people must not to be biased when they think about a world issue. Then discussing and exchanging views of the both sides with each other not by attacking mentally and physically would also create cross-cultural nderstanding. How to cite Whaling: One of the Big Issues in the World, Papers