British decolonisation in Africa Essay Example for Free

British decolonisation in Africa Essay Within the context of 1880-1980, to what extent did British actions accelerate British decolonisation in Africa? In the later years of the 19th century the scramble for the African continent by Western imperialist powers was reaching its climax. It appeared that the dark continent was to be no longer dark, but to be the product of Western colonial expansion with several European countries dividing up the land. No where was this more apparent than with Britain whose Empire was at its height at the turn of the century. Egypt, for instance, was a colony for 40 years (1882-1922) with its pinnacle at the turn of the century; however the decolonisation of the country as early as this is an anomaly in itself as only South Africa had previously been granted independence by the British, albeit as a self-governing dominion. In a bizarre turn of events which historians still debate today, the Empire crumbled and by the 1970s only two African states remained British colonies: Rhodesia and South West Africa. The Empire had taken the best part of a century to amalgamate, yet was mostly swept away in just over a decade. Many reasons have been proposed for the vast acceleration of decolonisation including economic difficulties at the metropole (Cain and Hopkins)1 and the rise of local nationalist movements (Hodgkin)2. More recently the actions of the British have been cited as a possible factor for the acceleration of decolonisation in Africa, marking a change in the historiography of the period. Turner3 and Lapping4 are promoters of this theory, which is gaining credence in the academic world. The 1945 election of the Labour party is a watershed in decolonisation acceleration. WW2 had recently ended which marked a shift in British culture and society, including a changed attitude to Empire. Interestingly, whilst many of the new Cabinet were anti-imperialists, the new government did not have a direct plan to fully decolonise. It was more a case of the Empire having to take a backseat to far more pressing matters: imperialism, in effect, slipped through the cracks of government. The party was elected on the mandate of and closely focused upon British welfare; the African colonies were working and therefore the governments attention was deviated, however it was one of the actions directed at the metropole which accelerated independence for many colonies. The introduction of the Welfare State in 1948 led many Britons to consider the priority and indeed the importance of the Empire when compared to home-grown issues. WW2 brought increased globalisation and it is possible that through this many British citizens saw their needs ahead of the colonies: an archaic and out-of-date segment of British foreign policy. If the colonies had representation in the British Parliament and were a province of, rather than simply a colony of Great Britain, this attitude may have been different: French Algeria, for instance, was certainly more respected at the metropole then any of Britains African colonies. There is a debate however, as to whether the British public had undergone a liberal revolution or were simply acting with self-interest. White has theorised that the latter is true, citing that the reason as to why the colonies were ditched was to release resources for domestic welfare spending5. Moreover, the fact National Service was revoked in 1960 reduced Britains ability to defend its colonies against uprising nationalist movements: conscription was ended through self-interest, as the majority of British youths didnt want to have to fight in the far off terrains of Sub-Saharan Africa. This further implies that the average British citizen was becoming disinterested by the Empire or, at the very least, impartial to its future. I will cover nationalism in greater depth below, but with such a lack of metropole interest, the Empire could not be expected to last long. The British action of electing a Labour government effectively, in an indirect form, accelerated decolonisation for ma ny of the African colonies. WW1 expanded the Empire both geographically and as a world power, with Britain gaining several new mandates from the Ottoman Empire. The geographical expansion of the Empire post-WW1 and the reluctance of the metropole to grant these new mandates independence6, imply that attitudes had not changed and many (both in government and in society) saw the Empire as a credible and useful segment of British politics: therefore, with the exception of the more economically advanced Egypt, African decolonisation by the British did not occur between the wars. Rather, many African colonies developed and became more stable societies. Take the Gold Coast for instance: between the wars its economy, communications and education became, to a certain extent, Westernised and the country flourished. Admittedly this led to the acceleration of nationalist movements in the area which, in turn, accelerated decolonisation, but the country was undeniably prospering due to the British-led government of the time.7 Many citizens of the African colonies (including Egypt and the Gold Coast) fought alongside British soldiers in WW1 and the respect and prestige for the peoples increased because of it. Indeed, the 1914-1939 era can be seen as one of the strongest periods of the British African Empire. This implies that a post-1945 factor (e.g. the Suez Crisis, see below) accelerated decolonisation. In comparison, World War 2 accelerated decolonisation at a far greater rate than many could have imagined just a few years prior. Effectively, the war established rather paradoxically that imperialism (both British and otherwise) was both positive and negative. Ferguson has noted that the British Empire sacrificed itself to stop the spread of the evil empire of Nazi Germany: indeed, the British Empire had never had a finer hour8 than when it was self-sacrificing. During the war it was inevitable that Britain would have to, to a certain extent, neglect the colonies to focus on defeating the enemy. Through this the colonies became more independent having to, for example, source resources and engage in trade without the aid of the metropole. Moreover, the colonial peoples had a greater influence on the running of their societies; in effect, many became informal dominions. This, combined with the policies of the 1945 Labour government, further fuelled nationalism which accelerated decolonisation; in a way similar to how the two World Wars improved womens rights in Britain, the wars seemed to suggest that many colonies could govern effectively on their own. Previously, only the more economically and politically stable societies had been granted independence (e.g. South Africa, 1910) and several colonies (e.g. the Gold Coast) seemed to show similar traits during the war. The Second World War didnt lead directly to decolonisation, but it is this British action which occurred because of the conflict that accelerated decolonisation in British Africa. The end of WW2 bought increased globalisation and a new world order, where the enemy didnt appear to be Nazism or Fascism, but rather the expansion of the Soviet Bloc and the spread of communism: the Cold War was just beginning to ignite. Along with the notion of changed attitudes of the British people, there is also the argument that the Empire really didnt fit into the new world. Now, the split between East and West had never been more apparent and British Africa looked like an oddity: along with the passing of new welfare legislation at the metropole and the changing attitudes of the British people, Britain needed to abolish the Empire for two reasons directly related to the Cold War: to concentrate efforts on halting the spread of communism and to appease the anti-imperialist US, who Britain now required as an ally more than ever before. Moreover, the world order was now unclear and Britain had far greater problems to worry about than what their small African colonies were up to: put bluntly, the new threat of nuclear inhalation seemed more important than the political shortcomings of, say, Somalia. While WW2 does spell out more crucial factors for the acceleration of decolonisation, the Cold War is another smaller factor which just added to the need to decolonise. The post-WW2 economy is a further crucial factor in the acceleration of decolonisation. Britain was no longer able to withstand the fiscal costs of Empire; this was coupled with a lack of substantial profit coming into the metropole from the African colonies. Economically, WW2 was a great strain on Britain with the country coming out of the war in great debt; she required a loan of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½145million from the US alone9. Britain was exhausted and worn down, both figuratively and physically. Many cities required money to rebuild, some from scratch, plus food badly needed to be imported following years of intense rationing. Moreover, the introduction of the welfare state (see above) required significant funding. As said, attitudes to Empire were changing which, combined with the need for intense spending on the homeland, led to many seeing the African colonies simply as a drain on Britains already scarce resources. Britain made the situation worse: during the war she had understanda bly concentrated on producing munitions for her troops, resulting in fewer exports to the colonies. Many turned away from the metropole and looked to alternate suppliers, including their own land which inevitably fuelled nationalism further. Moreover, two acts (The Colonial Development and Welfare Acts of 1940 and 1945) were passed during wartime which forced the British government to further invest in the colonial economies10, therefore making an already problematic economic situation worse. It is possible that the government felt it was backed into a corner and simply did not have the patience or money to rebuild the colonies and the metropole: they had become, or at least had the potential to become, a major rupture on the British economy a rupture Britain could not afford to fix, but only to cut out completely. In the early 20th century when British imperialism was at its height, Hobson11 saw the expansion of Britain in Africa as purely economic and an underhand method to help capitalists at the metropole this opinion was endorsed by Lenin in 191612 and, in an albeit modified form, by the historian Darwin in 1984: more completely than ever before, economics and empire had come together13. More recently, Cain and Hopkins14 have suggested that imperialism in Africa was established by gentleman capitalists15 who were simply aiming to make profit out of the African land. Of course, if this is the case, then with the post-war debt experienced in 1945 it would have been difficult to make money from these colonies, leading to decolonisation. The decolonisation of African colonies would effectively make Britain a richer country, therefore agreeing with the views expressed by Cain and Hopkins and others: the Empire had served its purpose of aiding Britains wealth but now it was draining it and, as such, it was time for it to go. The Suez Crisis of 1956 was one of the most decisive British actions in the 20th century to accelerate decolonisation in Africa. Former Prime Minister Harold MacMillan once remarked that it is events, dear boy, events16 which determine the success of a premiership. The term event is almost too light of a phrase to use when considering the Suez Crisis: not only did it annihilate Anthony Edens administration, but it was also the launching pad for many factors which saw British decolonisation vastly accelerated. There are two key elements of the crisis which paved the way to said factors: the deception employed by the imperialist powers of Britain and France, plus the apparent overreaction to a simple act of nationalisation by a head of state. Both these factors led to the reputations of the countries involved and international relations been damaged, as well as a decrease in trade. Britain was the driving force behind the attack hence she was particularly wounded with the political and economic fallout: for one, the special relationship with the United States was harmed (Secretary of State John Foster Dulles claimed the British government had explicitly lied to [him]17) and, more critically for this inquiry, her reputation within the African continent was damaged. Britain looked small and corrupt, a mere shadow of her former colonial self; she was attempting to throw her imperialist weight around in a world which it didnt seem to fit. Nasser had successfully stood up to the Western powers and won, thus undermining Britain and France, plus providing inspiration to the many oppressed colonies. However, it is possible that the reaction did not provoke the level of international condemnation that is contemporarily considered, showing a difference in historiography. To the African colonies, former British dominions that had experienced colonialism and anti-imperialist powers such as the USA, then yes, it is likely that Britains reputation was damaged. However, to other imperialists it is possible that the government simply appeared to be standing firm with a tyrant. World War 2 had been won only 11 years prior, hence the memory of what tyrannical dictators can achieve was still fresh in most leaders minds. Eden may have appeared noble and selfless, destroying not just his own political career but a carefully-crafted reputation built up over more than 20 years18 for the greater good of a safer world, or at least a more economically stable Great Britain. White has proposed that there [were] a number of lacklustre continuities, rather than dramatic discontinuities19 in imperialist policy following Edens departure: a government memorandum circulated in the immediate aftermath of the crisis, for instance, made no mention of impending decolonisation20. Suez was not so much a watershed, but a temporary setback in Britains imperial decline, indicating other factors are responsible. Economically, the Egyptian nationalisation of the canal posed a significant danger to Britain as 2/3 of the countrys oil utilised the waterway. The chief reason as to why Britain intervened in the first place (and, indeed, retained the Canal Zone in 1922) was that the government simply did not trust the Egyptians to efficiently control the windpipe21 of the British economy. Post-crisis, Britains humiliation resulted in a trade decrease and a catastrophic22 run on the pound, resulting in her appearing not only politically and militarily weak but also financially weak. This situation, which was caused by the Suez Crisis, meant that Britain could no longer afford to support the African colonies, implying that the British action of invading the Suez Canal Zone led to one of the factors which brought about the Empires collapse. Combined, these factors inspired nationalist movements within the colonies and general condemnation of imperialism, which also accelerated decolonisation. The crisis is unique as not only did it, to a certain extent accelerate decolonisation, but it is also one of the very few examples of where a British action greatly damages the standing of the Empire. Prior to Suez, Britain was surprisingly cautious with decolonisation (with regard to Africa, only 4 of her 24 colonies had been decolonised at this point); arguably this was to retain an Empire, but also to ensure that the new societies were ready to govern. It was only following the Suez debacle that decolonisation accelerated, implying that previously Britain had took great care over the handovers of power. South Africa was a stable society when decolonised in 1910 and, looking further afield, so were Australia, Canada and India. To many other countries and colonies, Britain appeared now unable to continue to be the metropole of a successful Empire. After all, if the dictator of a former colony could cause a country such ridicule, how could they be expected to carry on maintaining a successful Empire? Comparatively with White23, Turner has called the crisis a military failure and political disaster24, whilst Lapping has referred to it as the imperial cataclysm25 in decolonisation acceleration. The crisis was highly influential in the eventual collapse of the British Empire in Africa but it did not lead directly to decolonisation, rather greatly accelerated it. The rise of nationalism within the African colonies inevitably accelerated decolonisation; advocates of this theory argue that for decolonisation to occur there needs to be an opposition force to the status quo government (in this case, colonial British rule), thereby giving the people a choice. Looking throughout history at the Empire as a whole gives this theory credibility: look at the violent independence battles of the 13 North American colonies in 1783 or India in 1947, and compare that to the peaceful colony of the Falkland Islands which still exists today. The previous decolonisation record of the British government, plus the 1947 granting of independence to India, no doubt sent the message that it was only a matter of time before the African colonies were decolonised. India specifically was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire and as such its decolonisation will have led many, both in the colonies and abroad, to see the Empire as deteriorating. This accelerated nationalist movements within the African colonies, with India referencing the beginning of the end. After all, if India could be granted independence through a powerful and violent nationalist movement, then why couldnt the other far less prestigious colonies? Indian independence inspired others to rise up and attempt to take back control of their lands, accelerating the decolonisation process for British Africa. Similarly, plus to reiterate an earlier point, the Suez Crisis accelerated nationalism: Nasser appeared to be the David who had managed to annihilate the imperialist Goliath. This inspired nationalism in other colonies to grow and attempt to take back control of their lands: after all, if Nasser could manage it then why couldnt they? Harold MacMillans Winds of Change speech four years later further inspired this nationalism as, for the first time, the government officially acknowledged the inevitability of decolonisation. The speech sent the message to many colonial peoples that nationalism was acceptable: for the first time in almost 100 hundred years, power was given to the Africans. MacMillan was acknowledging that the British government could no longer afford to sustain an Empire and would be willing to pass power to the local peoples if they should so wish. The speech had a great effect as over the next ten years 88% of Britains remaining African colonies were granted independence; by 1968, only two remained. Nationalism was suddenly acceptable which encouraged those who may have been content to be a colony to rise up against imperialism. This speech, combined with Britains poor economic situation and damaged credibility following Suez, vastly accelerated decolonisation. Moreover, the vast majority of British colonies were underdeveloped both economically and socially which further advanced nationalism. Take Nigeria for instance: the peoples were so against colonial oppression many began to strike from work a surprisingly Western phenomenon implying the people were more integrated than they may have wished to believe. It is estimated that from 1945-50, over 100,000 working days were lost in Nigeria to strike action against colonial rule26. Even the Gold Coast (the very model27 of a colony) was not free of such demonstrations against imperialism: February 1948 witnessed a violent protest, resulting in the deaths of two British servicemen28. One only has to look at Kenya and the Mau Mau rebellions to see further evidence of increasing dissent with British imperialism. It had, to use the words of one modern historian, turned into a rapid scuttle29 of local nationalism. The Gold Coast was decolonized in 1957 but had been allowed to gradually master the art of modern government over many years, leading to a much more stable society post-independence, making it the very model of decolonisation30. In comparison, when Nigeria was swiftly decolonised in 1960 the government was a weak coalition with limited power two army coups followed in 1964 and 1966. Britains damaged reputation in the continent prevented stable governments from being created, resulting in far more fragile states today. French Algeria (despite been a province of the metropole) saw terrible violence between the FLN and colons: to use a term of warfare, the Algerian nationalists utilised violent guerrilla tactics to spread their cause, resulting in a great amount of destruction and loss of life. Algeria bullied itself into independence in 1962 further showing that imperial metropoles were not as powerful as they once were. It is an exaggeration perhaps, but it can be said that the Suez Crisis was the first instance which led to these new states political and economic troubles which still exist today. Look at Egypt and South Africa today or, from a more international perspective, India and Australia, all of which were granted independence pre-1956 and compare them to the troubled states of Nigeria, Kenya (1963) and Somalia (1960). The acceleration of British decolonisation in the latter half of the 20th century is the opposite of what the government and imperialists like the legendary Cecil Rhodes would have imagined just 60-70 years previously. They had fought sometimes bloody battles for the expansion of the British Empire into the less civilised areas of the world, yet now the government was seemingly trying to get rid of the Empire in as rapid and inefficient way as possible. Multiple factors account for the sudden acceleration of decolonisation, but most come back to the actions of the British: if Britain had, for instance, provided more support and direct governance in a Westernised style (as seen in the Gold Coast), her colonies would have developed at a greater rate leading to a greater level of content from the colonial peoples. However her neglect and exploitation of her own people led to dissent within the colonies, leading many to want out before they were politically ready. The most pivotal British action which is continually referred back to is the 1956 Suez Crisis: for the first time in the Empires history, the British appeared militarily, politically and economically weak, causing many in the African colonies to quite fairly believe they could run their countries better. Nationalism was inevitable, and the international conflicts of the Cold War and the two World Wars couldnt be stopped, implying that Britain herself was responsible for the downfall of her own Empire. If the crisis hadnt occurred then the Empire would have faded away through gradual decolonisation as each territory became more economically, politically and socially developed; instead, the Crisis turned decolonisation of Africa into a rapid scuttle31, with Britain almost retreating into a corner trying to distance herself as far as possible from the embarrassment of 1956. Today, it is easy to see that decolonisation was inevitable; the Suez Crisis just accelerated that inevitability. One of the worlds greatest Empires was established by one of the most powerful countries in the world, so it is only fitting that it was destroyed by one of the most disgraced it is just unfortunate they were both Great Britain. 1 Cain, P. J. Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 2 Hodgkin, T., 1956, Nationalism in Colonial Africa 3 Turner, B., 2006, Suez 1956: The Inside Story of the First Oil War 4 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire 5 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 32 6 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 16 7 McLaughlin, J. L., 1994, The Colonial Era: British Rule of the Gold Coast 8 Ferguson, N., 2004, Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World 9 Rohrer, F., 10/05/2006, BBC News [Online] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4757181.stm] [Accessed 25/04/2010] 10 Chamberlain, M.E., 1985, Decolonisation: The Fall of the European Empires, Pg 35 11 Hobson, J.A., 1902, Imperialism: A Study 12 Lenin, V., 1916, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism 13 Darwin, J., 1984, British Decolonization since 1945: A Pattern or a Puzzle?, Pg 197 14 Cain, P. J. Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 15 Cain, P. J. Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion, 1688-1914 16 Beckett, F., 2006, MacMillan, Pg 97 17 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 79 18 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 128 19 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 85 20 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 128 21 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 96 22 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 84 23 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945 24 Turner, B., 2006, Suez 1956: The Inside Story of the First Oil War 25 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire 26 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 48 27 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 50 28 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 49 29 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire, Pg 227 30 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 50 31 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire, Pg 227

Causes Animal Extinction Essay Example for Free

Causes Animal Extinction Essay Choose one of the following topics and write a 3-paragraph essay consisting of an Introductory Paragraph, ONE Supporting Paragraph and a Concluding Paragraph. Requirements: 1) Your introductory paragraph should not exceed 150 words, the body paragraph should not exceed 200 words, and the concluding paragraph should not exceed 150 words. 2) Your thesis statement should consist of at least 3 subdivisions and choose only ONE subdivision to develop your supporting paragraph. 3) Type your essay using Arial font, 12 pt., and spaced at 1.5 between lines. Remember to include page numbers. 4) You MUST cite works from experts. Include at least TWO (2) specific supporting details of different types (e.g. quotations or paraphrase/ statistics/ examples from various sources / references / online journals). Citation and referencing should be using the APA format. 5) Essays that are submitted after the deadline will be penalized 2 points per day unless you have prior approval/extension date, or a good and confirmable reason. If you need an extension, see your instructor. Extensions are at his/her discretion. TOPIC 1 Many foreign students are interested in studying in Malaysia for many reasons. However, some of these students do not turn up at their colleges after successfully obtaining their student visa. In some cases, those absentees were caught being involved in vice activities such as prostitution and drug dealing. Suggest some methods that can be implemented by the government and education institutions to stop foreign students from misusing their student VISA. TOPIC 2 Every 4-5 years, Malaysia undergoes the election process by which the citizens select the people to lead the government. However, many of the younger generation do not feel the need to participate in the voting process. Suggest the ways to encourage youths to register as voters. TOPIC 3 It is easy for people to forget that when they travel alone, whether via public transportation or on their own, they are actually exposed to many dangerous situations, such as crime. Hence, it is vital for all to have some basic safety guidelines to avoid or protect oneself from danger. Suggest the precautions that a person can take while travelling alone.

Body Image Distortion Among Women In The Media

Body Image Distortion Among Women In The Media American society, most commonly women within the United States, have a rather unhealthy obsession with their personal looks, the physical strive and determination to be acceptingly beautiful, and the idea of looking as flawless as humanly possible. The common perception of beauty is falsely created for women to believe that the ultimate perfect image is obtainable. However, it is indeed an impossible standard for most women in American society today. This idea of impossible perfection is mostly driven by the beauty industry who work to sell their products to those women who are insecure about their image. The media alone is at war with body image. Women in todays society are viewed as being digitally transformed, airbrushed, surgically improved, or suffering from various different eating disorders. These are just a few of the many different difficulties facing women in American society today due to the largely exaggerated media influence. Teenaged girls especially learn what society considers an ideal physical appearance generally from the media and the images that they are crowded with in magazines, movies, television, and also in music which in turn manipulates what is truly fashionable and attractive. Recent studies have found that by the time a women is seventeen years old, she has received overs 250,000 commercial messages through the media. (Body Image and Advertising, 2000) Women tend to see multiple different images throughout their lives which impacts the ways they think of themselves and their own self-worth within American society. Today, models weigh about 23 percent less than the average woman. (Weighty Matters, 2007) According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the average American model is 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 117 pounds. The average American woman is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. (Body Image: Loving Your Body, n.d.) All too often, American society associates being thin with hardworking, beautiful, strong, and self-disciplined. On the other hand however, being fat is usually associated with being lazy, ugly, weak and lacking willpower. (Body Image: Loving Your Body, n.d.) Similarly to this idea, a life-sized Barbie doll would measure a thirty-eight-inch bust, eighteen-inch waist, and thirty-four-inch hips. (Ojeda, 2003, p.14) The average American woman measures a thirty-seven-inch bust, a twenty-nine-inch waist, and forty-inch hips. (McDowell, 2006, p.48) What is the media trying to teach women within the American society? Some critics in the American society believe that the unrealistic ideas of physical looks and personal flaws may cause young children to face insecurities and lead to poor health choices later on in life. What most people dont realize is that every image of a model or actress in a fashion or beauty magazine has been touched up using the latest computer enhanced technology to remove flaws that are most commonly faced by women including pimples, bumps, stretch marks, wrinkles, and various other different imperfections. Advertisements emphasize thinness as a standard for female beauty, and the bodies seen in the media are frequently not typically normal, healthy women. In fact, 69 percent of girls in one study said that magazine models influence their idea of the perfect body shape, and the acceptance of this impractical body type forms an obtainability that is rather unrealistic for virtually all women in society today. (Body Image and Advertising: A Thin Ideal, 2008) This concept pushes forth the idea of vast concern for the rise in eating disorders and other topic related areas. Many Americans attribute eating disorders to society as a whole. Hollywood and the media demand an impossible standard of thinness, and young people feel that in order to be attractive to those around them, they have to look like celebrities in the spotlight which is what many media outlets are influencing generation after generation with. With approximately six billion people in the world, and ten million of them suffering with some type of disordered eating, the media obviously doesnt cause everyone to develop anorexia, bulimia, or compulsive overeating. Current statistics have indicated that approximately one in every one hundred teenage girls may develop an eating disorder. (Re: What Are the Causes of Eating Disorders, Pitso, 2008) Diet advertisements are also another source of problems. Whether it be on television, in health journals, magazines, newspapers, and other media sources, society is continuously influenced with the concept that losing weight will make an individual more confident and reliable to stick to a specific diet plan. Often times, many Americans are persuaded with the idea that by sticking with a certain diet plan, individual success is a guarantee however, it has been proven through various different general studies and statistics that most diet plans do not indeed show results or in many cases do not even work. As long as society continues to buy into diet companies and their fabricated claims by purchasing these products, the more the diet industry will keep pushing forth their mottos on American consumers. With a distorted view of foods role in life, some teenagers mistakenly expect that losing weight will make everything in an individuals life better and more sufficient. People naturally have different shapes and body types. There are a numerous variations in height, skin tone, eye color, hair color, height, weight and other physical features which make up the incredibly large diversity of America. The millions of messages about thinness, dieting and beauty tell ordinary people that they are always in need of adjustments, that that the female body is an object to be perfected. Researchers report that womens magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and articles promoting weight loss than mens magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of womens magazines include at least one message about how to change bodily appearance, whether it be for dieting, exercising or cosmetic surgery. (Beauty and Body Image in the Media, 2010) Even the average woman is said to fit into anywhere between sizes ten and above, whereas the average model fits into a size two or three. Knowing that todays ideal body is another passing trend does not lessen the desire teenage girls and younger adult woman have to adhere to the current ideal and be considered attractive. However, it is important to remember that the current standard of extreme thinness is unrealistic and impossible for most women to achieve. (Ojeda, 2003, p.16) In 2003, Teen Magazine reported that approximately 90 percent of women are dissatisfied with their appearance in some shape or form. (Womens Body Image in Canada and the Facts, 2008-2010) Rather than striving for the ideal image, keeping the body healthy by exercising regularly on a routine basis and eating nutritious food is beneficial in more ways than one and create strong and fit lifestyle habits for the majority of women in American society today. Naturally, feeling healthy can boost your self-esteem and your body image. (Ojeda, 2003, p.16) In todays society, the problem that we, as Americans, are faced with is rather complicated and as a result, there are no real easy solutions. Many individuals tend to lean towards a more active approach mostly by watching out for themselves and being conscious of what is going on in the media however, taking appropriate responsibility for ones self and limiting the exposure of the vast media will propose a healthier lifestyle. Distorted and unattainable images are the inevitable consequences of a social system that face many downfalls. As a society, Americans have created an environment so obsessed with the bodily image that those with power give approval for being thin and disapproval of being fat, creating a generation of individuals so self-conscious about their bodies that it in turn most often, negatively affects their health. Everywhere an individual looks, this situation seems to be a fab that one cannot get away from, the concept it simply too overpowering. Todays pretty faces represent a new kind of people, female figures and displays in stores are revealed with a large amount of sex appeal. With a stressed importance on the ideas of absolute beauty and flawlessness, television commercials, magazines, billboards, and various other mass media sources across the country are just a small, insignificant consideration and excuse of just how warped American societys view is of beauty and real body image. According to the narrow minded society in which Americans live, there just doesnt seem to be a limit on how beautiful an individual can become, especially for women. Most of us are aware of our societys emphasis on the importance of appearance, and we know what the socially sanctioned standards of beauty are. But not all of us accept or internalise these standards: strong-minded individuals who reject current standards are more likely to have a positive body-image. (Mirror, Mirror, 1997)

Love in Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays

Love in Their Eyes Were Watching God Love plays a very important role in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes were watching God. Janie spent her days looking for love. She thought of love just as she thought of the elements of springtime: Sunny days, bright skies, a bee pollinating pear tree blossoms. She searched far and wide for this kind of perfect love. Logan Killicks couldn't give this kind of love to Janie. He may not have loved her at all. To him, Janie was just another working set of hands. He treated her almost like another man. He was inconsiderate of her feelings, her hopes, her aspirations. He probably didn't know the color of her eyes. Janie was worked hard by Logan. He made her do all sorts of things that only men should have to have done. He was even going to make her plow the fields-a job that requires a considerable amount of strength: strength that Janie didn't have. Janie complained that nothing beautiful was ever said. She had no love with Logan Killicks. That is why she left him for a man that showed much potential to give the kind of love she was looking for. The whistling man that Janie ran away with was Jody Starks. With Jody, Janie thought that she would forever have "flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything." She thought she'd have "a bee for her bloom." She didn't exactly find this in Jody though. In him she definitely found change and chance, but still not the love she was looking for. What Jody had for Janie was more of a lust than a love. He was very protective of her and didn't want anyone else to see in her what he saw. He gave Janie many things including lots of money, but he couldn't give her love. The little love that was there eventually died. So did Jody. Finally, Janie met up with Tea Cake. The moved together to the Muck in the Florida Everglades and lived in Tea Cake's Shanty. They spent each new day together. They laughed together, fished and hunted together, talked together, and spent time with friends together. These were all things that were missing from her previous relationships. They had made her to be somebody that she wasn't. Tea Cake let her be herself. He loved her just the way she was. He encouraged her to be what she wanted to be, to follow her dreams, her thoughts, her aspirations. Janie had finally found her bee. Tea Cake was the perfect bee for her bloom.

scar :: essays research papers

f one looks underneath the profanity and perceived brutal violence of Scarface, they will find an admirable all-round motion picture. However, for those who have an open mind and are unwilling to dig deep, Scarface is still one cool film. Antonio 'Tony' Montana (Al Pacino) has just arrived from Cuba along with his friend Manolo Ray (Steven Bauer) and about 125 000 other Cubans. It seems Fidel Castro has opened a Cuban port allowing Cubans to go to the United States. Unbeknownst to the U.S. though, Castro has secretly cleared his jails and included prisoners with the refugees (guess what group Tony and Manolo belong to, *wink wink*). Tony is an ambitious person; he wants the world. He always says what is on his mind and does not let people take advantage of him. His attitude eventually lands him a job with Drug Lord Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia). Lopez immediately takes a liking to Tony, who takes a liking to Lopez’s trophy girlfriend Elvira (Michelle Pfeiffer). Lopez is not greedy; he is happy with the state of his business, but less happy with Elvira’s cocaine addiction. As Scarface progresses, it details Tony’s rise in the drug business as well as his relationships with his partner Manolo, his sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) -of whom he is overprotective- and Elvira. Scarface is loosely based on the original 1932 Scarface (directed by Howard Hawks and based on real life gangster Al Capone). The talented Brian De Palma (Carrie, 1976) directs the ‘remake’, written by another famous director: Oliver Stone (Midnight Express, 1978). Stone deserves real credit for his gritty yet accurate depiction of the drug industry. Stone, who was himself struggling with a cocaine addiction at the time, interviewed both Law Enforcement officials and drug dealers before writing his script. The lack of positive characters and an unconventional ending is also praiseworthy since it makes this film into an atypical Hollywood movie. Brian De Palma’s direction in this film is slick. While the plot is very violent, the movie shows only some of this violence. De Palma expertly cuts the camera away from some scenes at the last second, showing us the actor’s reaction rather than the deed. Visually the movie uses bright colours, with a focus on neon and whites. While this sounds contrary to the dark nature of the character’s actions, it fits nicely with the colours of Miami and its people.

Cigarette Advertising Essay example -- Marketing Tobacco

Truth About Cigarette Advertising Two lithe, tanned bodies lazily languish near a limpid river. The heads of the two persons are thrown back in poses of a supremely confident nature. Their facial features, though, are indistinguishable amidst the ephemeral haze which envelops them. Curiosity piqued and intently surveying the scene, one then notices the cigarettes dangling from the fingers of the pair. Advertisements such as this are now ubiquitous to the point of annoyance. These attempts to entice consumers to buy cigarettes are not simply trumped up exaggerations, as is the case with other products. Cigarette companies market their products with blatant lies. No one is shown with yellowed teeth or suffering from a hacking cough. Instead, smokers are always pictured as being in the pink of health. More alarmingly, smokers and smoking are perceived as being desirable. This perception has seemingly permeated every facet of popular culture. The sad truth today is—cigarettes are cool! More overt instances of cigarette companies attempting to marry their products with images having positive connotations occurred in the first half of the twentieth century. Since then, however, the marketing juggernauts of these organizations have become more adept at promoting their brands in nearly every sphere of public life. In the earlier times though, the principal mode of product placement was via magazines. Here are two such magazine advertisements. Kool magazine advertisement circa 1940 Camels magazine advertisement – circa 1950 In the first picture, which was put out during the Second World War, cigarettes are linked with the badges of the United States Armed Forces. Here, Kool attempts to ride the wave of support for Americ... ...g—turning all of us into potential cigarette addicts. I am of the firm opinion that legislature should be passed which prevents these companies from advertising in certain fields, particularly those pertaining to healthy pursuits such as sports. But, then again, these laws would have to be passed by many people who sit on the boards of, or had election campaigns funded by, cigarette companies. Those changes don’t seem too likely, do they? Works Cited â€Å"Cigarettes† Wikipedia Foundation Inc.1 Sep. 2006. Crary, David. â€Å"Tobacco giants wage fight against state anti-smoking measures.† Associated Press 13 Oct. 2006 Haralambos, Michael. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. 3rd ed. London: HarperCollins, 1991. Nocera, Joe. â€Å"If It's Good for Philip Morris, Can It Also Be Good for Public Health?† New York Times 18 June. 2006: B46.

Change Speech -Kite Runner, Poem, Article Essay

One can perceive change within themselves in various ways and through various mediums. Today I stand before you, ladies and gentleman to discuss with you three significant Changing Self texts I believe, strongly connect in their own ways with the Representations of Changing Self expo. Change can be an immediate process or it can be a series of events over a prolonged period of time like it is in Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, published in 2003. However, using different texts The Kite Runner and perhaps a poem, like The Door, by Miroslar Holub for example, can represent change of self not only in a different format, but also connecting ideas that change can be triggered by a certain event or experience in history which can leave a lasting impact on the present and future. At times we need to be coached or pushed into change, however in other instances we are called to embrace the opportunity as it arises. Sometimes we come across change unknowingly, by innocence or fear of circumstances as of a true story of an Indian boy named Saroo who unknowingly was driven through the process of change. Changing Self can be a very difficult process to acknowledge and to accept. This idea is significant in The Kite Runner; a ‘deeply moving’ novel demonstrates how a horrific experience of one unforeseen event can change the present and future of a young life. Amir slowly develops realisation with age that another change is required to bring about a new beginning or ‘a way to be good again’, as Rahim Khan said presented as a ‘one time’ opportunity . As discussed in the beginning of the novel we are revealed with a component of the past which reflects the choice of future Amir is faced with. The result of Amir’s dreadful experience of watching his servant friend, or not-so-much friend, Hassan being raped and the fact that he didn’t do anything about it, or step in and fight Asef before any commotion began fills Amir with unsound guilt and remorse which he proved unable to hide away from, ‘it was my past of untatoned sins† as quoted. This guilt is too powerful for him to acknowledge, so much so that he takes the course of trying to change the way things ran around his home, by getting rid of Hassan from his life. Amir runs away, metaphorically and literally from the environment and surrounds in hope to seek a better mind and reality. Using the literal ‘running’ from Afghanistan to America to seek safety, he does this metaphorically as he tries to run away from the guilt he cannot let go of. The symbolic use of the cleft lip is a significant detail in the novel used to classify that a person can be identified through specific events and choices, positive or negative. By this whereas Hassan had a cleft lip as a child, this same scenario is changed around as Amir embraces the opportunity to ‘become good again’ and save Sohrab, Hassan’s son, and Amir’s own nephew, from Asef. Amir changes his old cowardice to courage, stepping fourth to fight a losing battle with Asef, a noted, ‘cathartic’ experience, relieving himself from pain, with pain from the blows of Asef, leaving Amir with a cleft lip also. Only to be saved by Sohrab with the repeated symbolic use of the slingshot, this was also used to save Amir from Asef by Hassan years before. Amir feels as though he has positively changed for the better by embracing opportunity and new attribute of courage, filling in the gaps of his stained past. Changing self may be presented as a door of opportunity or experience we may be called to open. The Door, an influential, yet daring poem by Miroslar Holub emphasises in an imperative tone of urgency and pushiness that any change is better than no change at all. Therefore, one must embrace any change as the opportunity presents itself. The symbol of the door is an indicator of opportunities, and the need for them to be open, just as Rahim Khan was a door of opportunity for Amir to open and experience the ‘drought’ or movement of change willing to take place, good or bad. The words, ‘if there is a fog, it will clear’ demonstrates how this presented opportunity for Amir to relieve his life of guilt with be finally removed with action of ‘opening the door.’ The repetition of ‘go and open the door’ is not only encouraging but coaching and emphasising that if all doors are opened and even if so many are negative, there will still be a positive movement because the door was opened and ‘at least there will be a draught,’ or rather, at least you will have tried to do something about an awful event or experience with an unseen future and not remain in the same position, dealing with the guilt and regret, which cannot escape. As long as the door remains shut, the air will remain stuffy and uncomfortable to breathe in, so coming fourth and opening the door will let fresh air and new opportunities to evolve. The writer explains the positives of change which is used to entice or urge the reader to want to experience a new change of air. Changing circumstances in one’s life can erratically change and impact one’s life within a series of events contained by a short span of time. This concept is represented in the deeply touching true story of an Indian boy, named Saroo which was published in the Sydney Morning Herald back in March this year. Throughout 25 years, young Saroo went through an array of unforseen events which lead him away from lifelong poverty and his mother to where he is today, amongst the rich living in Australia. Just as the Herald Sun writes, ‘Australia’s very own, slum dog millionaire!’ Why was this so? Many say it occurred because of fate. When Saroo, whom at the time was only five years old- awoke alone and very frightened at one of India’s very many train stations very late in the evening after he had fallen asleep waiting for h is brother to return. At this part of Saroo’s life, he had very little and was uneducated. Was it fear or was it God or a mixture of the both who persuaded young Saroo to pursue looking for his brother in the closest train simply because, ‘he might be in there.’ This simple child’s thought shunted and altered his life away from anything he ever knew†¦ one unforseen event, encouraged by fear, taking the opportunity to open the doors which lead to a train, almost leaving to go to Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald describes this event as ‘the night his young life’s course was altered forever.’ This change of self is represented by the innocence of a young boy. This concept is characterised by Saroo explaining how the reality of trying to get home became a dead end, just like, all the trains he road, to try and reach home, only to meet with another dead end. Various aspects of Saroo’s life were in fact ‘dead ends’ but when it came to his life depending on it, just as Amir depended on the opportunity from Rahim Khan, as unforseen at the time as it was both boys embraced their opportunities to find something, whether a brother or second chance. They opened the door. Saroo’s door opened eventually to a family from Australia whom adopted him, suddenly and strangely out of his life course, he landed himself in Hobart. In conclusion, we can gather that changing self can be a difficult process, yet also an unforseen process which may take place over a series of events. These three researched texts have shown connecting and similar views that we must make use of experience and opportunity of change as it arises. Through these views, we are challenged that ultimately it is up to ourselves via thoughts or actions or a mixture of both to decide the course of change we are willing to take. In the Kite Runner, it is up to Amir to choose to put himself in danger to make up for his guilty past, The Door commands us to take opportunities, and yet in the Sydney Morning Herald’s feature Story illustrates that with physical experience change is forever impacting. Each of these demonstrates in their own way how change can somewhat be forced upon a person and ultimately deliver them into a new direction.