Book Review of 1491 by Charles C. Mann Essay

With 1491:New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus Charles C. Mann has written an extremely interesting and controversial book. Beginning in 1983 Mann began to become aware that research had indicated the commonly held view of the settling of the Americas was wrong. The commonly held and taught belief that the Americas were inhabited by people who crossed the Bering Sea from Europe about 13,000 years ago was wrong. Allegedly these people lived in small, isolated groups that had little impact on the environment. Instead Mann, with considerable documentation and research by scientists, archeologists and geographers supporting this view, argues that the Americas were inhabited thousands of years earlier, existed in far larger numbers, and had been â€Å"successful at imposing their will on the landscape that in 1492 Columbus set foot in a hemisphere thoroughly marked by humankind† (Mann, 1491, 4). Spurred by what he had seen and read and by the fact that his son was being taught the same thing Mann had been taught in high school thirty years earlier, he wrote a book that â€Å"explores what I [he] believes to be the three main foci of the new findings: Indian demography . . . Indian origins . . . and Indian ecology† (Mann, 1491, x-xi). Mann begins his book by discussing the notion of the â€Å"Noble Savage,† a concept that began in the early sixteenth century. This position is the notion that the indigenous people of the Americas lived an idyllic life prior to the arrival of Columbus or were savage barbarians who did nothing constructive. Mann cites Bartolomà © de Las Casas a conquistador who had visited the Americas who believed â€Å"Indians were natural creatures who dwelt, gentle as cows . . . waiting for millennia—for Christian instruction† (Mann, 1491, 12-14). In essence this view is that of a colonist who came to the Americas looking for signs of the Old World. Since the Native Americans apparently did not have as dramatic an impact on the environment subsequent generations viewed the pre-Colombian people as either innocents or as barbarians. Both accounts showed the prejudice that these people lacked â€Å"agency—they were not actors in their own right, but passive recipients of whatever windfalls or disasters happenstance put in their way† (Mann, 1491, 12). It would be interesting to examine the European migration into the Americas from the point of view of the indigenous people. Mann cites studies that have called into question the notion that Native Americans first arrived in the Americas 13,000 years ago over a land bridge in the Bering Straits and slowly migrated drifted south and east until they populated the Americas. In 1987 people who had supported this view publicly admitted that there is clear evidence of human habitation in Chile more than 12,000 years ago. Consequently it is unlikely that natives would have migrated more than 7,000 miles in less than a millennium leaving people in their wake to form new groups of people who would create their own culture. In addition there is evidence suggesting habitation in Chile more than 20,000 years ago. Further exploration has revealed numerous indications of large civilizations throughout Mesoamerica and South America that had existed and ended well before the sixteen century. According to Mann the current view among scholars is that the Western Hemisphere was â€Å"a thriving, stunningly diverse place, a tumult of languages, trade, and culture, a region where tens of millions of people loved and hated and worshipped as people do everywhere† (Mann, 1491, 26-27). According to a 1999 United Nations estimate, the population of the earth in the beginning of the sixteenth century was about 500 million. Estimates by Dobyns and others indicate that by 1630, between 80 and 100 million Native Americans had been killed by a variety of epidemics including small pox, typhus, and influenza. These numbers suggest that nearly one fifth of the world’s population was killed by disease in the one hundred and fifty years after the arrival of Columbus (Mann, 1491, 94-96). According to Mann in 1491 the Inka (or Inca as it is more commonly spelled) was the largest empire on the planet. It was bigger than China, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and bigger by far than any European state. It extended for more than thirty-two degrees of latitude (the United States has a latitude length of approximately twenty-five degrees of latitude though of course a much wider degree of longitude). The Inka had a goal that was remarkably similar to the Europeans; they want to â€Å"knit the different groups of South America . . . into a single bureaucratic framework under the direct rule of the emperor†(Mann, 1491, 66). They wanted to meld together the people’s religion, economics, and arts. At time they were brutal. They would remove people from their homelands by means of a road system of approximately 25,000 miles, the longest in the world and locate them to live with and work with other people who had also been displaced. They developed a system of accounting that used ropes with knots in a way remarkably similar to the binary mathematics use in today’s computers. Such an extensive and sophisticated government hardly supports the theory of the â€Å"Nobel Savage† living an idyllic life, doing nothing that affected their environment (Mann, 1491, 64-82). Interestingly, among those people who are reluctant to accept such an early arrival of Native Americans are Indian activists who do not wish to push the date of arrival of Native Americans further into the past. Particularly in light of the evidence that supports the notion that large civilizations such as the Incas and Aztecs were not the original inhabitants but had supplanted people that had arrived much earlier. If this were the case, the claim that their land was stolen by European immigrants is considerably weakened since the indigenous people at the time of Columbus were not the first to â€Å"own† the land, just the people who had most recently stolen the lands from the previous populations in the Americas. According to his website Mann is a journalist and writer. He is a correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, Science, and Wired. He was written for a wide variety of magazines including: The New York Times Magazine, Forbes ASAP, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post. He has co-authored four other books. Mann’s writing tends to focus on â€Å"the intersection of science, technology, and commerce.† He is a three time National Magazine Award finalist and has received numerous awards from the American Bar Association, the American Institute of Physics, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Margaret Sanger Foundation. Mann’s credentials indicate that he is a well qualified writer and does careful research. Mann’s writing has a liberal edge to it that often seeks to correct common perceptions about the topics he chooses to write about: in this case the life of Native Americans before the arrival of Columbus. 1491 is a well-written, well-organized book. Mann provides a survey of research since the early 1950s when the â€Å"Noble Savage† theory of Native Americans was first popularized. Although Mann clearly has a position he wants to convey, he provides a fair presentation of other positions and explains why he believes the â€Å"Noble Savage† theory does not account for many discoveries and recent research. He writes in a very readable style without the many subordinate clauses and circumlocutions professional scholars are often given to. A nice feature of the book is the inclusion of maps and pictures located throughout the book instead of placing the maps on the flyleaf and having the pictures grouped together in the middle. Consequently, the impact of the pictures and maps is greater because they are pertinent to the nearby text. Mann provides ample endnotes both citation and explanatory notes that add to the authenticity of the text. The bibliography is comprehensive and lists use of a variety of scholarly journals from such disciplines as anthropology, geography, history and archeology among others. Mann’s writing is convincing. He provides considerable recently discovered information that contradicts the Noble Savage theory. It is apparent that people have lived throughout the Americas for a much longer time than the 13,000 years conventionally taught. Although future research and advanced technology will likely reveal new details and correct other errors, it is clear to that the indigenous people existed in much more sophisticated societies and in much larger numbers that has been believed. Works Cited Mann, Charles C. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005 Mann, Charles C. â€Å"Charles C. Mann.† Charles Mann.org. 16 March 2007 .   

How do social roles and the environment affect behavior, attitudes and beliefs Essay

Our roles in social institutions and our various environments have a huge influence on our behaviours, attitudes and beliefs. When placed in an extreme environment, individuals usually begin to stress and feel unsafe. When assigned to authoritative roles, indivuals in toxic environments tend to act aggressive and arbitrarily in order to maintain control and avoid any form of harm directed at them. When placed in an extreme environment, one tends to assume that their values and morals can overcome the harsh situations in that environment. Unfortunately the sad reality is that these extreme environments usually take control over one’s behaviour and beliefs. This was proved in various experiments conducted such as Milgram’s Experiment on Obedience and Conformity and Zimbardo’s Experiment on the â€Å"Pathology of Prisoners†. Stanley Milgram’s Experiments on Obedience and Conformity. Under certain circumstances ordinary individuals, with no prior sadistic or violent history, can be pressured and convinced into harming others. These circumstances arise when the individuals committing the harmful acts are forced into believing that they are not going to be held accountable for any of the acts committed. Milgram’s experiment on Obedience and Conformity demonstrates this idea. Milgram’s experiment involved a researcher dressed in a lab coat, who instructed a subject referred to as the teacher to teach a pair of words to the subject known as the learner. Under instructions given by the researcher, the teacher was to administer an electric shock to the learner, whenever the answer he/ she gave was inaccurate. The severities of the shocks administered were to increase with each wrong answer given by the learner. Milgram found that majority of the participants administered  the highest level of the shock, despite the agonizing pleas and cries made by the learner. Milgram’s also came to the conclusion that ordinary individuals could become accomplices to harmful behaviours which violate human rights when they are persuaded into believing that they do not have to assume full responsibility for if anything harmful should occur to other individuals. Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford Experiment on the â€Å"Pathology of Imprisonment†. Roles assigned to us usually tend to have huge influences on our behaviours and attitudes towards others. We usually like to assume that our morals and values will triumph over destructive environments. The unfortunate reality is that when placed in an extreme environment, the environment usually takes control of our attitudes and beliefs. Zimbardo’s Experiment on the â€Å"Pathology of Imprisonment† would prove how difficult it is to overcome the temptation to abuse the power and authority granted individuals. Zimbardo’s experiment involved a mock prison in which participants were assigned their roles arbitrarily by the flip of a coin. Half were assigned the roles of prisoners, while the other half was expected to portray the roles of guards. After the first two days the participants seemed to become their roles, as opposed to them consciously acting out their roles. There was a sudden and extreme change in behaviours in which the guards developed a cruel and de grading approach towards the prisoners. The prisoners on the other hand became servile towards the guards and displayed signs of depression and resentment towards the guards. Zimbardo’s experiment reveals that because the guards were granted authority and power over the prisoners, they begun to act in ways in which they will not usually act, in their everyday normal lives. The prisoners on the other hand became depressed and servile due to the fact that they had no control or power in the environment in which they were placed in. The Documentary about Zimbardo’s experiment. In extreme and toxic environments such as Zimbardo’s mock prison, individuals with power exercise cruel and intimidating measures towards the people they control, in order to maintain order and a sense of power. In the  documentary about Zimbardo’s experiment, Psychologist Zimbardo along with other participants give detailed accounts of what occurred during the time period of the experiments. Dave Eshleman, who participated as a guard revealed that he instigated the method of harassment and verbal abuse against the prisoners in an attempt to show his authority and dominance over the prisoners. Eshleman also expressed his disbelief at the fact that none of the good guard made an attempt to point out his tyrannical abuse of power, but rather was stunned that the other prisoners went along with his harsh attitudes. Clay Ramsay, who participated as a prisoner, recalls losing his sense of comfort and also recounts having his thoughts become distorted under the constant ver bal and emotional abuse administered by the guards. Ramsey reveals that being placed under such an environment, made it easy for him to display signs of anxiety and severe stress. Referring to these accounts given by the participants, one can come to the conclusion that power corrupts. While individuals subjected to harsh and unjust abuse from authoritative figures find it difficult to stand up and defend themselves. This reveals that victims of abuse find it tough to stand up to their abuser out of fear. The Movie â€Å"Das Experiment†. When given a high position in a stressful and extreme environment, individuals with power desire respect and obedience from the people whom they control. In certain circumstances, authoritative figures resort to violence and aggressive behaviours to confirm their authority. This usually occurs when they people they control stand up to them, or challenge their actions. When given excessive power to establish regulations and exercise power, authorities become excessively aware of the power they hold and use the fear of their subjects to make them obedient. The movie â€Å"Das Experiment† conveys this idea. In the movie sadistic guard Berus is considered as the dominant guard among all the guards. He believes that the key to maintaining power and order is through humiliation and dehumanization of the prisoners. Berus authority and aggressive behaviour is challenged by Tarek, the dominant prisoner. Upon the realization that Tarek, is not a push over Berus and Exhert, another abusi ve prison guard, turn to drastic measures such as  urination on Tarek, and forcing him to clean the toilet with his clothes. Violence was also used as a means of taming Tarek and the other prisoners. The Movie â€Å"Das Experiment showed that when giving power and authority over others it is easy to become tyrannical in an attempt to maintain power and establish who is in control. Abu Ghraib Prison. Soldiers who run the prison located in Abu Ghraib turned the prison into a torture site for prisoners and captured prisoners. Prisoners brought in for interrogation, faced abusive treatments and harsh torturous measures, in an attempt on the part of the soldiers, to get the prisoners to crimes they may have or may have not committed. The soldiers in this environment had no previous known records of an abusive or sadistic history. These soldiers were normal individuals placed in a toxic and unsafe environment. The soldiers placed in the Abu Ghraib prison did not receive formal training, and may have felt threatened and insecure in an unstable environment such as Iraq. Thefore in order to remain and be perceived as the total authority figures, the soldiers ruled with dominance and fear. Prisoners were subjected to physical, sexual, mental and emotional abuses by the soldiers. This incident proves that even people considered normal, when place din stressful environment scan lose all sen se of morality. Similar to Zimbardo’s experiment, the soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison began to settle into their roles as authority figures and abused the prisoners in order to show their power and dominance.

ME Critical Thinking Mod 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ME Critical Thinking Mod 5 - Essay Example Several economists have regarded income inequality as one of the major concerns. Therefore one cannot ignore the importance of alleviation of income inequality to achieve long term economic growth. It can even be stated that increases in income inequality in the short term will lead to decrease in income inequality in the long term. The US government has taken some initiatives in order to stimulate economic growth of the nation. They have taken the initiative to persuade the private sector to make investments in green technologies. Such type of technologies uses low carbon. Such a policy was followed with the view to restore the confidence of the investors through green investments as well as innovation (Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, 2012). The government currently is not in a position to offset the private savings through extra borrowing. But they have the capability to restore the confidence of the investors if they can choose the right instrume nt with the view to stimulate private investment. Such type of low carbon investments will surely improve the quality of life by not only creating job opportunities but the environment will also reap the benefits of low carbon emission. In order to make the first policy regarding investments in green technologies to be much more successful some initiatives from the part of the government like providing some kind of subsidy or relaxation for the investors can be taken. Such actions will act as the incentives for the investors. The loans for students in the country of US are backed by the government. The loans usually carry a fixed rate of interest but there have been cases where the rates remained high in spite of the overall rate being low. It has been expected that the reform on student loans will discourage adults for further education and women were expected to suffer most (Murray, 2012). The policies of student loans do not seem to upgrade the quality of life as the rates of int erest is significantly high. The interest rates for the students must be the same for all and low as well. If the interest rate is high they are not going to opt for the loans and the economy as a whole will suffer. It is necessary to keep the interest rates low and more and more needy students are to be driven under the purview. The forces of globalization reshaped the global economy. Some of the experts opined that the expanding free trade policy of the government will open up new jobs opportunities. The exports of the country will find its place in the foreign markets and the competitiveness will get boosted. The policy of free trade and that of trade liberalization will open up more opportunities for the exports of the country and so the policy is expected to be gainful for the economy. There are two folds benefits from free trade. The short term advantages include lower consumer prices, wider potential of consumers as well as larger investments in the sector that enjoy comparat ive advantage. Thus the dead weight loss is reduced (Department of Business Innovation and Skills, 2012). Free trade has the potential to create expanded markets for the export sector in the long run. Globalization driven by trade has reached by unprecedented pace. It has laid down the path of creating new opportunities that contribute in accelerating economic growth and reduce the level of poverty. Policymakers have clinched the liberalization of trade in course of time because such policies seemed to enhance economic

Human trafficking in Utah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human trafficking in Utah - Essay Example Hence, due to this repugnance by the businessmen, there has been the desired by the private and public sectors to work together in an attempt to control and administer the crime. In this gaze, the paper examines on what ways have the private and public sectors can cohesively work closely to reduce the menace that has stood to destroy the name of the city. The public sector of Utah has since been accused of many wrongdoings over the past that includes corruption, bribery and retrogressive policies that did not impact much on the reduction of human trafficking. According Potrafke, (2013), he observed that public confidence and trust has changed significantly in the fight against human trafficking. The citizens will find it easier to report the crime as they are sure that actions would be taken against the perpetrators. The new office of the public sector of the state under the new bureau of the attorney general had recruitment and expanded the workforce both from the private sector and government officials. The society stakeholders, therefore, find an easier way to the public corridors especially the Utah citizens. Another mechanism that has been used by the public sector is to create a different task force within the city of Utah that comprises of private and public personnel. (Farrell & Pfeffer, 2014) observed that having a proper wo rkforce ensured that thorough investigations are taken and prosecution of perpetrators. The two arms of the society provide a wider view of the problem that enables the crime to be reduced. Both the private and public department has been involved in the development strategy of the city of Utah to reduce human trafficking. Utah’s attorney general office has been creative through innovations by the use of modern technology to reduce humanity crimes as the trafficking in persons. They have created web-based within their systems that enables reporting of crimes such as human trafficking.

Should Middle School Students be Drug Tested Essay

Should Middle School Students be Drug Tested - Essay Example As the report highlights  the outcome of its adversity cannot be assessed at the initial stage of direct or indirect consumption of substance. But diagnosis at the earliest can minimize its catastrophic effects through awareness imparting process by which one can abstain from further abuse of drugs. Otherwise, it may generate several problems to the users, to their family and the community itself. Lack of mental stability and restlessness may lead into personality disintegration of the user and, therefore, they may fail to take right decision as per the demands of the life situations. One who frequently consumes drugs and substances like sedatives may lose control over his or her behavior and this may extend to become a social problem. Drug addiction among school children may badly reflect in their academic performance as well as their overall understanding, and may force them to be at a below average.According to the essay findings  the initial consumption and use of the drug ma y result in health problems like insomnia, excitement, gastrointestinal disturbance and psychomotor agitation and so on. Drug users and addicts usually deliver poor social responsibility, hesitate to cooperate with others, their intellectual levels may decrease day by day, they may feel inferiority complex, minimize sociability, and may express fear when facing others.  Drug testing among middle school students is not universally approved because school managements and parents usually give consent to do so but they may not bother about the misuse of medical examination without the readiness and willingness of the clients.

Defining Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining Marketing - Research Paper Example Marketing is established on business foundation in terms of the needs of the customer and how to satisfy them (McQuarrie, 2005). In addition, marketing is concerned with the values associated with the exchange of goods and services. This paper will look at marketing and its importance to the success of an organization. The term marketing has many definitions. My definition will be based on activities carried out business to business and business to consumer. From the business to business perspective, marketing entails creating associations, value, and solutions either long term or short term with a company or product. From business to consumer, marketing refers to the process in which business organizations create solid relationships with customers and initiate value for clients, so as to attract customer value in return. Marketing engenders the approach that causes business developments, methods of sales, and business communication (Blankenship, Breen & Dutka, 1998). In addition, ma rketing involves different activities that make sure a business organization continues to meet the clients’ requirements and gets adequate value in benefit. Apart from my definition, there are others from various sources; they include: marketing is a social process where people and corporations acquire what they require and need by initiating and trading with other people (Christ, 2008). Marketing is the process of management that involves spotting, looking forward to, and fulfilling the needs of the customer while accruing profits (McQuarrie, 2005). On the other hand, marketing concept presumes that for a business organization to achieve its goals, the business organization should recognize the wants and desires of the people they target and deliver whatever will help to satisfy the needs of the client. Moreover, the marketing concept suggests that a business organization should predict the customers’ requirements and needs and meet them more efficiently than their op ponents. Marketing is a substantial component of any business enterprise in the current, competitive environment. This is because those organizations and people who only depend on enhancing their commodities and services lag behind in the curve of power. The main focus of any business organization should be the client or customer. Each and every organization whether small or large, profit or non-profit, should set up an objective to provide goods and services that are of quality to clients. The organization’s main goal is achieve customer satisfaction. The success of an organization depends on the willingness of clients or customers to buy or use the products offered by the company. Marketing encourages organizations to design techniques of competing with rival companies that offer similar or cheaper products (McQuarrie, 2005). Marketing is a vital component in business as it contributes to the success of a business. If properly done, marketing makes customers aware of the pr oducts on offer. The main objective of marketing is making the service or product accepted. An organization should not relax and expect people to know about what they are offering. This means that if a company has accomplished high quality goods or services on offer but no person is aware of its existence; then

War in Afghanistan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

War in Afghanistan - Research Paper Example That is what the point of this research is: to find out how relevant the war really is today. II. Subjects for Study According to Hersh (2004), "A report for the United Nations Development Program...stated that the nation was in danger of once again becoming 'a terrorist breeding ground' [if they did not receive more development aid]" (p. 145). This paper will basically focus upon 30 individuals. The number thirty is chosen because that is a statistically significant number. The subjects which are most likely to be chosen will probably be a mixture. People will be from different ethnic backgrounds. People to be surveyed will be from different races. They will be, most likely, from the city and the suburbs. People to be surveyed will be married, single, and divorced. Ages of survey participants will range from 18 years to 80 years, on average. No one younger than 18 will be surveyed due to ethical considerations, which will be discussed more in the next section. Additionally, it is probably highly likely that no one over age 80 will be surveyed due to the fact that there might not that many older people to survey. Basically, people are going to be asked those three questions. A survey will be given. The results will be tallied. The research will be presented in the form of graphs. III. Ethical Considerations The ethical considerations of the research are many. The interviewer will have to make sure that it is okay with the people being interviewed to be asked these opinions. Additionally, people might feel frustrated with the war. According to Schroen (2005), "The debate continued over the fate of Kabul and how to deal with... According to Hersh (2004), "A report for the United Nations Development Program...stated that the nation was in danger of once again becoming 'a terrorist breeding ground' [if they did not receive more development aid]" (p. 145). No one younger than 18 will be surveyed due to ethical considerations, which will be discussed more in the next section. Additionally, it is probably highly likely that no one over age 80 will be surveyed due to the fact that there might not that many older people to survey. Additionally, people might feel frustrated with the war. According to Schroen (2005), "The debate continued over the fate of Kabul and how to deal with the Northern Alliance. The lack of focus in [the main] bombing campaign was of concern, becauseefforts to date seemed to be having little impact on the Taliban forces and their willingness and ability to fight" (p. 302). The way the Taliban came to power is a complex issue. According to Rashid (2000), "between 1994 and the capture of Kabul in 1996, the Taliban's decision-making process was to change and become highly centralized, secretive, dictatorial, and inaccessibleMoreover after 1996, the Taliban made known their desire to become the sole rulers of Afghanistan without the participation of other groups" (p. 95). According to Fiscus (2004), "America's greatest problem was finding targets in Afghanistan.

Instruction Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Instruction Groups - Essay Example Thus, the teacher may have a number of high achievers in one group and low achievers in another. Students enter the system with varied levels of reading abilities and mathematical skills. Hence, it is common for teachers to practice within-class groupings for the teaching of Reading and Mathematics. Flexible grouping encompasses the arrangement of students based on their learning levels. Hence, students may not remain in the same group for an entire semester. The teacher closely monitors students’ progress to ascertain when students may have improved in a particular subject area. This student is then placed in a group that contains members of similar aptitude. However, a student may be excellent in one subject area yet weak in another. Regardless of the type of grouping used, the teacher should establish only two or three groups within the class for easier supervision and timely intervention. Each group should work on material that is suited to their unique needs and abilities. Some situations in which whole group instruction may occur include storytelling, the introduction of new concepts, ideas and skills, writing composition, poetry appreciation, dramatization of a story and the generation of a language experience chart. Specifically, there is a lure about story-telling that equalizes all students irrespective of their reading level or their ability in any other content area. For example in the telling of the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the teacher could read aloud this story, varying the intonation of the voice in order to portray different characters. All the students are allowed to participate in this session. However, at the end of the reading of the story, students can be divided into groups based on their ability or skill. Thus, the teacher of a third grade class for example, may ask each ability group to write a different ending to the story. At the end of the writing period, the

As a Mass Communication Student Essay Example for Free

As a Mass Communication Student Essay Mass Communication is a very interesting course. Like what John Phelan said, most of the students want to be in this field because the skills and talents they have fit to this course. It’s more fun and adventurous. You’ll encounter lots of people, ordinary, celebrities, politics. Go to different places. Enjoy foods and new things. And learn cultures of others. But I still can’t figure out what’s gotten into my mind in choosing Mass Communication. I even don’t want to be a public figure. As we all know, public figures doesn’t have privacy anymore. And sometimes they’re into trouble because part of their job is to criticize and give opinion on a certain issue. But that’s the consequence. Even if I work behind the camera, still my name will appear as part of the show or whatever it is that I’m into. Sometimes, to make others realize that what they do is not good anymore we must take actions for them to behave in the way we want and other people wants. And as Media personnel, being responsible is what we must also possess because the audience that we have has no age limit. Kids and youth can see us. We can be part of their growing process and we don’t want to be a bad influence to them. Instead, we want them to learn good things from us. Also for the old ones especially that they depend on us for the service of giving them the right information’s that they want to hear or to see. In return, we can feel the fulfilment that we are an effective Media Personnel. They say that in this field, you can have lots of money. Yes, if you are disciplined, hardworking and determined. But money is not important. What’s important for me now is to gain experience and to learn new things to prepare myself for the future. Those things that Phelan and Schramm said inspired and taught me a lesson not only about the things happening in Media but also about the life that later on we Mass Communication students will have.

European Influence on Japan & China Essay Example for Free

European Influence on Japan China Essay The European arrival had an effect on both China and Japan. China and Japan had some similar and different reactions to the arrival of the Europeans. In China and Japan, the European arrival affected the technologies and economies of both societies similarly, whereas the reason of isolation differed in these societies. The technology of the Europeans following their arrival penetrated both the Japanese and Chinese societies. In China, in order to gain the elites interest in the Christian religion, the Jesuit missionaries introduced the technology of cannons and clocks. In Japan during the 1950s, the Portuguese technology of clock and gun making, influenced society strongly. The Japanese and Chinese both openly accepted the new European technologies because they felt they needed to accept the technologies to keep up with the Europeans, who seemed more technologically advanced. In both China and Japan, people were being converted to Christianity. They were being converted from top to bottom. Once a year, China and Japan, were able to trade with the Europeans. They isolated themselves and traded with each other. Japan and China also had some different reactions to the European arrival. They had different reasons for isolating. After Zheng He died, the Chinese government decided to close the ports, except two. The Chinese and the Europeans exchanged goods once a year for the next 400 years. China agreed with the isolation because the scholar gentry saw the voyages as a waste of resources. They rather spend the money on defending China. Japan grew doubts with the European intentions, that both merchants and missionaries might subvert the existing social order. This led to official measures to restrict foreign activities in Japan. Under Ieyasu and his successors, the persecution of the Christians increased to isolate Japan from outside influences. In the 1630s, all the Japanese ships were forbidden to trade or even sail overseas. By the mid-17th century, Japan’s retreat into almost total isolation was complete. A major difference was after Japan isolated themselves, an elite group still remained interested in the Europeans. Unlike the Chinese who looked down on the Europeans and ignored what they had to offer and stay isolated with them. The Chinese and Japanese had similar and different reactions to the arrival of the Europeans. Both of these societies had a technology advancement. Also, they both isolated themselves from the Europeans and instead they traded with each other. They had different reasons for isolating. Also, an important difference was that in Japan, a group remained interested in the Europeans. This differed from the Chinese because after they isolated, they didn’t want anything to do with the Europeans.