Modern Age Essay Example for Free

Modern Age Essay Our world is constantly changing and some say that its better, but some say that it is worse. A famous author, Lynn White Jr. is saying that since the modern age we have had an ecological crisis that is slowly worsening every year. Another author, Immanuel Wallerstein, is saying that our world economy is actually doing well since the modern age and that it is better than in the past. Janet Abu-Lughod is a famous author who disagrees with a lot of what Wallerstein says but agrees that our economy is doing better than the past. Lynda Norene Shafer is another author who tells us that the past did a lot of good for us, especially Southern India and China. All these authors have much to say but they are too focused on one part of their arguments. Immanuel Wallerstein is one author who makes a good argument and approach towards the modern age. He approaches the modern age by stating many facts and explaining as to what he believes our world system should be like. He states that since the sixteenth century, we have always had capitalist economies and world economies. Wallerstein believes that our economy has many political units inside that loosely tie together the system. He believes that we should have an economy that is bounded by one big political structure that is unitary. Wallerstein disagrees with people thinking towards what capitalism is. He says, â€Å"Capitalism is not the mere existence of persons or firms producing for sale on the market with the intention of obtaining a profit† (1-2). Wallerstein is telling us that man has been producing many things with the sole purpose of making a profit on those things. He totally disagrees with this statement as being a definition for capitalism since he believes that it is not true. Wallerstein also states the correlation between world economies and capitalist economies. He is telling us that, â€Å"Conversely, a capitalist economy cannot exist within a framework except that of a world economy† (2). What Wallerstein is saying to us is that world economies and capitalist economies go very well together. He says this because world economies are lacking a big, overall, unifying political structure that capitalism actually has. Finally, Wallerstein tells us that world systems before this modern one have always failed because of that lacking capitalistic structure. He says that, â€Å"What unifies the structure [world economy] most is the diversion of labor which is constituted within it† (1). Wallerstein says that the world systems never survived in the past, but only now because of the installment of capitalism in it. Overall, Wallerstein brings up many good points, but he is too focused on Europe and their responsibility on interconnecting world systems. Another author, Lynn White Jr. brings up many good points, but just as Wallerstein, is too Eurocentric. Lynn White Jr. is another great author who approaches the modern age. He brings up ecology and its relationship with religion in the modern age. He brings up a very strong point as to global warming and a big ecological crisis would happen if we do not change or adjust our main religion. White Jr. believes that Christianity has led to a scientific revolution. What he also states which is very important, is that it is extremely crucial for us to adjust or completely change Christianity. White Jr. believes that Christianity has led our ecology to such a crisis that it is already extremely difficult to help or even undo. Something very important that he says is, â€Å"More science and more technology are not going to get us out of the present ecological crisis until we find a new religion or rethink an old one† (11). He is suggesting that Christianity has been doing what it wants for the past centuries that it made our ecology terrible enough to put it in a crisis. White Jr. also says that â€Å"For nearly two millennia Christian missionaries have been chopping down sacred groves, which are idolatrous because they assume spirit in nature† (11). This quote is very vital to interpret because it tells us all about what Lynn White Jr. is arguing about. He is saying that for the past 2,000 years, Christian persons do as they wish, but no one has even made a good attempt to stop them. He is also putting Europe responsible for the crisis that they have caused because Christianity starts in Europe. Since no one has changed the ecological crisis that we have continuously, he says, â€Å"Hence we shall continue to having a worsening ecological crisis until we reject the Christian axiom that nature has no reason for existence save to serve man† (11). Lynn White Jr. is telling us that since no one is succeeding to stop Christianity from further worsening our crisis, we will fail in the future. We also have two  female authors, Janet Abu-Lughod, and Lynda Norene Shafer, who explain Southernization and the Rise of the West. Although many are familiar with the term Westernization, one might know that many centuries before, there has been what is called Southernization. Lynda Norene Shafer informs us of Southernization. She tells us that it basically means that there were many advances in southern parts of China and India. Southernization focused on advancements such as math and gold and most of these advancements come from India. Southernization also focused on trades when cotton was first domesticated. This allowed many trades to open up where Indians could trade cotton clothing. One said that India had â€Å"clothed the world† (13). Another author, Janet Abu-Lughod talks about world systems and a little on the rise of the west. She actually disagrees with Wallerstein. She believes that there have actually been world systems a long time before the start of the European hegemony. While Europe was as one might say, only a new start to an old life, there have been many agricultural exchanges such as crafts. Lughod believes that this was a global-made world system that took time before and during the thirteenth century. She says that world systems â€Å"Increased economic integration and cultural effervescence† (7). This disagrees with Wallerstein also because he thought the exact opposite. In conclusion, all these important authors say much but one might say not enough. Wallerstein and White Jr. are too Eurocentric. Abu-Lughod is very focused on world systems and not enough on the Rise of the West. One might say that although these authors make good points, they should also talk about how their argument affects other parts of the world or even counter their argument. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t=,o=0;o e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return studymoose.com},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf(http)==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

System development life cycle

System development life cycle The report contains the brief overview of the system development life cycle followed in Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt Ltd. The project includes the adequate technical details about the different phases including the practical example of Bank management system developed by SCMS for its client Corporate Bank. The methodology followed by SCMS for scheduling the project (using Gantt chart) and the software used in assisting the planning process are described in report. Various tests including the feasibility test conducted by system analyst and technical tests conducted by developer are mentioned with the procedure followed during the testing process. The possible threats which may result to the loss of information have been described in the report and the recommendations (solutions) to avoid such threats are also discussed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In general, the report includes the procedure of the information system development in SCMS along with the practical description of the SDLC process, Gantt chart, testing process and the threats for the information system (with recommendations). Relevant examples are included wherever felt necessary to facilitate the reader for easy understanding of the report. Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt ltd (SCMS) is a dedicated software based company which focuses in areas like Software development, Web designing, Multimedia services, Outsourcing, E-commerce, Technical writing, Search engine optimization and testing solutions, providing the services to the clients ranging from public to private sector. Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt Ltd has been operating under the software development atmosphere since 2001. It has its head office located in India and the branches in UK, Canada and US, all of them focusing on finest, cost-effective and timely solutions. With the main pillars, mission, vision and values, SCMS has been rapidly progressing in todays competitive IT world. It has been successful in providing the innovative and perfect solutions to its clients with the client based approach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the list of systems developed by SCMS we have decided to discuss the Bank management system developed for ‘corporate bank’ by SCMS. Corporate bank was established on 1906 and is one of the imperative clients of SCMS since 2004. The system developed by SCMS for Corporate bank is designed in the way to achieve the maximum security for the databases used to store the details about all the banking transactions as well as the account details of the costumers. It is also capable of recording the data of the bank employees. For example, Employee payroll records, details of employee and the attendance of employee. The system developed is able to work with all, internet, intranet as well as extranet. It was also optimized to work with different operating system and was capable to be upgraded along with the introduction of the new technology. Taking the same banking management system developed by SCMS into consideration, each of the development methodology is discussed further in the project. Information System Model in Shriv ComMedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Information System Model states an elementary conceptual outline for the major components and activities of information system. In Shriv Commedia Solution Pvt. Ltd, information system depends on the resource of people, software, hardware, data and networks to perform input, processing, output and storage and control activities that converts data resource into information products. Information system Model of Shriv ComMedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. illustrates that information system consists of 5 major Components: 1. PEOPLE RESOURCES: In SCMS people (end users and IS specialists) are necessary for the function of all information system. 2. SOFTWARE RESOURCES: it includes all sets of information processing instructions 3. HARDWARE RESOURCES: It comprises of all the physical materials and devices used in information processing. Machines: All physical devices: Computers, peripherals and telecommunication networks. Media: all tangible objects in which data is recorded Hardware resource in SCMS 4. DATA RESOURCE:- Data are raw facts and figures typically about physical phenomena or business transaction. Data constitutes a valuable organizational resource. SCMS process data into information and organize it for future use. In SCMS data resource of information system are typically organized into 5. NETWORK RESOURCE: It includes the means of communication within the organization or with the outside world like internet, intranet by which data or information can be transferred between the different departments of the organization. Telecommunication network like internet, intranet and extranet have become essential for the organizations. Network resources includes System Development Lifecycle generally consists of the five phases including Planning, Analysis, design, implementation and support. All the five phases are arranged together and used to build the information system. Followings are some of the SDLC model used by SCMS depending on the softwares requirement: Waterfall Model Prototype Model Iterative Model Spiral Model Agile software Development Model RAD Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shriv Commedia Solutions (SCMS) they first take the user requirements and decide which type of models should be followed for the development of the system. The second step will be to organize the activities by grouping them into larger categories called phases. In this way the phases are formed into the loop with support phase pointing to the planning phase whenever there is the necessity to change in the information system. The change is determined by the users want of information in different format, release of new version, or due to the hardware becoming obsolete. When the changes occur the planning phase begins again and some part of whole of the system is modified and the system development lifecycle starts again. When corporate Bank offered the project of developing ‘Bank management System’ to Shriv Commedia Solutions, Spiral Model was followed there in order to develop Bank Management System. They selected spiral Model since it provides early indication of undefeatable risks and users can be closely tied to all lifecycle steps. SCMS arranges its system development process in following order. 1. Planning Phase:- The client requests are reviewed by the steering committee (decision making body) which consists of 7-8 people in SCMS including vice president, managers and non-managerial employees. During this phase: Project ideas are collected and reviewed Project ideas are prioritized Allocate resources Project Development team is formed 2. Analysis Phase:- Gather Customer requirements: Following techniques are used by SCMS for collecting the requirements from the customers: Interviews Questionnaires Client Documents Scenarios Rapid Prototypes Select and justify a project (feasibility test) Submit and approve the request for proposal Get the project team in place Prepare the requirements documents Conduct project kick-off meeting Develop Statement of Scope WBS Development: Conduct ‘work break down Structure’ meeting Build work break down Structure Update WBS in project plan Outline project plan Assign resources to project plan tasks Create entity relationship diagram (ERD) Create Data Flow Diagram (DFD) Define data dictionary Perform object-oriented analysis 3. Design phase:- Acquire hardware and software needed for the project Design data model Write functional specifications Design prototypes Write detailed design specifications Write documentation plan Write beta test plan Write customer support plan Write training plan Write risk management plan 4. Implementation phase:- Development AND Unit Testing of Module(1-n) Testing Integration Software Quality Assurance (SQA) System test Track defects Regression test Manage Release and Change Configuration management New full releases Maintenance releases Installing and testing of new system Install beta test system Conduct beta tests Track defects and report to customer support Gather requirements for customizations Implement software Execute customer acceptance test procedure Cutover development to production Training Develop training specification for end users, help desk support staff Identify training delivery methodology i.e. computer based, classroom Develop training materials Develop training delivery mechanism 5. Support:- Post implementation system review:- Document lessons learned Distribute to team members Create software maintenance team Identify errors and enhancement Monitor the performance of system Shriv ComMedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Followed the same method discussed above for accomplishing the project offered by the Corporate Bank Following steps are used in SCMS to create a Gantt chart:- 1. All activities or task are listed in plan They find out the earliest possible date of all the tasks or activities of project and estimate the length of time it will take and check whether it is parallel or sequential. If the task is sequential they show the stages on which it depends. They use the X axis of the graph paper for the date, week or months required for the completion of the project and Y axis to itemize the tasks in its order 2. Plotting the tasks onto the plan They list the tasks in Y axis on the left hand side of the page and to draw up a rough first draft of the Gantt chart, they plot each task on the plan showing it starting on the earliest possible date. They draw each task as a horizontal bar with the length of the bar being the length of the time the task will take. Above each task bar they mark the estimated time taken to complete the task. 3. Schedule the tasks Now they redraw the Gantt chart on a fresh sheet to schedule actions and tasks. They schedule these in such a way that sequential actions are carried out in the desired sequence e.g. dig holes then lay the foundation and then start construction. They also ensure that these dependent activities do not start until the activities they depend on have been totally completed They try to schedule parallel task so that they do not interfere the sequential action on the critical path. While scheduling they make sure that they are making the best use of time and resource available to them. Once their Gantt chart is drawn one can see how long it will take to complete the project. Assessment process begins as soon as the requests are received in SCMS. They perform the various feasibility evaluations in order to know how suitable the development of a system will be to the company. The feasibility test process conducted by SCMS for the project request of Corporate Bank consisted 3 phases: The feasibility tests performed by system analyst of SCMS were: 1. Operational Feasibility: Operational feasibility was based on the following parameters: The effectiveness of the proposed system in corporate bank. Impact of new system in existing system User preferences (collected from interview) Requirements of the new system 2. Schedule feasibility: Following parameters were responsible for schedule feasibility The deadline of the project (either reasonable or not) Estimated time for project completion 3. Technical feasibility: Following things were considered during technical feasibility: Hardware and software required for project Availability of the people to deliver and support the proposed system 4. Economic feasibility: In SCMS the economic feasibility test was conducted by system analyst with the assistance of financial analyst. Following were the parameters looked upon for economic feasibility: Benefits of the proposed system to the corporate bank Cost-Benefit relation regarding the system use After the feasibility test was conducted the system analyst submitted the feasibility report to the steering committee recommending the further study (detailed analysis) of the corporate bank. Feasibility report in case of SCMS was a written document submitted with the details of the existing system, benefits of new system and recommendation. The implementation phase in SCMS consists of four major phases: Development of the program Testing of the new system Train the users Convert to new system SCMS generally uses two methods for the development of the program. Outsourcing the program Developing the program SCMS sometimes outsource the software required for them but most of the times the development process is favoured. During the preparation of the software for Corporate Bank following software and technologies were used by SCMS. The tests performed by SCMS for verifying the Bank management system designed for Corporate Bank were: 1. Functional Testing: The main objective of the functional test was to ensure that each of the elements of the system meets the user requirements. The requirements were: Requirements placed by user (corporate bank) Business Design Specification Year 2000 development standard Different phases of functional testing were: a. Validation Test It basically checked the Windows GUI standards, Valid, invalid and limit data input, Screen and field look and appearance, and Overall consistency with rest of the units. b. Specific functional test (UNIT TEST) Low level tests which were conducted to test the individual process and data flow. 2. System Test: This test was performed to check whether all the units of the application were working together to produce the output and there is no gaps in the data flow from one unit to other. 3. Integration Test: Integration test was performed by connecting the application with the different other application. The performance of the application with different other software was noted and the application was verified based on the results. 4. Performance Testing: This test was carried out to verify that the system provides the acceptable response time (should not exceed 4 seconds). 5. Regression Testing: The main objective of the regression test was to observe the functionality and stability of the software. It was automated with the help of the automated testing tools. Test environment available in visual studio and NUnit software was used to automate the testing of the application designed for Corporate Bank. Several formal reviews were carried before and during the tests and they were documented. The major formal review points were placed in different stages of testing as shown in the diagram: When all the tests were performed by the developer and all the errors /bugs were fixed, the additional tests were performed to ensure that system was working in integrated manner. In this way the application designed for the corporate bank was verified by the developers team. During the system development in SCMS there are various security that arises which may lead to the information loss. Following are some of the security risks and their solutions to prevent the information loss: 1. Server Downtime: Risk: Server downtime may cause the server to stop working so that the entire computer bridged with the server will be unable to connect with server. This may cause the loss of the information when the information is being sent to server. Solution: Before upgrading or migrating to a different physical server, make sure servers pass all tests prior to full deployment, and test and debug all applications prior to full deployment. 2. Obsolete application and tools: Risk: Due to the defect in the application and tools the loss of the information may occur. Hardware crashes and Software failure may occur causing the information loss. Solution: Make the careful inventory of the all applications and tools currently in use, prior to system implementation. Always use the trusted Hardware brands and software brands to avoid the hardware/software failure. Benchmarking testing can prove fruitful to check the hardware or software. 3. Computer Virus, Worms and Trojans: Risks: These are the malicious-logic program which act without user knowledge can alter the computers operation and result to information loss. Solutions: Following measures can be adopted to prevent the computer viruses, worms and Trojans: Prevent starting the computer with removable media in drives. Never open an e-mail attachment from source other than trusted. Set the macro security level to medium in the word processing or spreadsheet programs. Install the genuine version of the operating system Install the good antivirus software (updatable, reliable and efficient) 4. Denial of Service (DoS) attack: Risk: A DoS attack is designed to overload the server. The perpetrators use the softwares of codes to send thousand of requests to the server so that the valid user cant connect the server. Solution: The best way to prevent the DoS attack is not letting the DoS style attacks near the webserver. The tools like apaches mod_security or mod_dosevasive/mod_evasive can be used to drop the abusive IP address at the firewall before they get anywhere near the webserver. 5. Backdoors: Risk: Backdoors are the programmer created algorithms which bypass security mechanisms and provides the access to the programs so as to access the program for troubleshooting or saving the development time. But hackers and crackers use backdoors to gain access to program and inject the malicious code to the program causing the information loss. Solutions: Scan for the Backdoors with the help of tools available in market. Eg: SpyHunter security tool Update the antispyware software For developer: Try avoiding the backdoors during the design phase or eliminate the backdoors before the delivery of the software to the client. 6. Hardware Failure: Risk: Hardware failure can cause the loss of information stored in hard drives. Solutions: Frequently backup the hard drives Use Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) to prevent hardware crashes Online Storage of the data and information After the research conducted on the System Development lifecycle of Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt Ltd we came to conclude that the company (SCMS) follows the general five phases of the information system development cycle for the project received. It follows all the five phases thoroughly and tends to meet the user requirements by developing the perfect matching solutions for their business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We came to know that the system analyst has the major role in the development process as he/she acts as the bridge between both users and developers. Analyst is the person who conducts the feasibility tests and decides the suitability of the project for company. The project development team consisting of different level of employees work on the project, as scheduled on Gantt chart, designed by the project leader. SCMS conducts the different tests during and after the designing of the application to make the application error-free before it is delivered to the client. There are also many security threats for the application which may cause the information loss. By the help of the research we came to know the measures to eliminate the security risks and protect the loss of information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In general, after the research on SCMS and its system development methodology in case of Corporate Bank (one of its client) we had the detailed knowledge of the different phases of the information system development lifecycle and the possible threats for the information loss.

Fake News and Online Regulations

Fake News and Online Regulations The dissemination of fake news by online is a threat to democracy. Should online platforms therefore be subject to regulatory control? Professional journalism plays an important role in our democratic societies by acting as a public watchdog over the concentrations of power, ensuring the accountability of these institutions, and informing us of important occurrences.[1] However, fabrication, fakery and falsehood have been a part of journalism since the first journalists put quill to parchment.[2] Therefore, statutory laws and regulatory bodies aim to ensure journalism is impartial and accurate. However, journalism today is experiencing fundamental transformation due to technological advancements; consequently, the public now acquires news through digital platforms as well as traditional sources. A 2016 survey found that 35% of people in the UK now use social media to access the news, for those under 35 years old, 41% used Facebook and 20% used Twitter as a weekly source.[3] Online platforms have created more news sources to larger audiences, but this has also opened floodgates of inaccurate information pouring into our news feeds by deskilled journalists. The phenomena of citizen journalism and ‘we media’ have accelerated the pattern of random and instantaneous digital dissemination of information.[4] These activities have contributed to blurring the lines between truth and falsehood, and created fake news, which puts professional journalism under pressure. On 30th January 2017, The Culture, Media and Sport Committee launched an inquiry into fake news and called for submissions to be made suggesting ways to respond to the phenomenon of fake news. Various regulatory bodies, and institutions including the LSE Media policy project have shed some light on this topic.[5] Fake news can be best understood as ‘the misinformation (the inadvertent sharing of false information) and disinformation (the deliberate creation and sharing of information known to be false)’.[6] These types of content are being created as a result of: poor journalism, parody, provocation, passion, partisanship, profit, political influence and propaganda.[7] They are published on news sites and listed by digital intermediaries (groups consisting of news aggregators, social networks, search engines, and digital application stores) [8] causing fake news to spread across the globe. The concerning issue is the channels through which most people gain their news from are currently subject to no statutory laws, editorial guidelines nor regulation by organizations such as the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). However, there is a wealth of evidence supporting the scale, dissemination and effects of fake news. The debate has gained significant prominence since the 2016 US presidential elections. Statutory regulation of digital intermediaries A YouGov survey commissioned by Channel 4 found that only 4% of people were able to correctly identify fake news.[9] This inability is concerning as many people, especially the young, acquire knowledge, and form opinions, by what they see and read on the internet. Statutory regulation would therefore be the most direct response to the challenge of fake news;[10] under this approach digital intermediaries would be treated as publishers even if they have not played an active part in the commissioning or presentation of such content.[11] Such an approach may be necessary as a study analysing how social media can improve citizens’ knowledge of political preferences proved that there is a remarkable ability for social media to forecast election results.[12] This proved to be the case during the EU referendum, where 7% of those that voted for Brexit regretted their choice later. [13] News reporters found voters claiming they voted leave because they believed lies or false promises[14]; it is most likely that the sources of these false statements were from unregulated online platforms. Therefore, enforcing legislation on digital intermediaries would hold these platforms directly accountable, ensuring they take their civic duty seriously.[15] Fake news is also a concern on Twitter where ‘Twitter bombs’ (the act of sending unsolicited replies to specific users via Twitter in order to get them to pay attention to ones cause), are being launched within days of the elections.[16] Despite Twitter’s attempts to shut them down it has been ineffective as these users create fake accounts, fake replies and fake grassroots movements.[17] These tweets target deskilled-journalists online, pressurising some to moderate their views. Democracy is threatened if people’s views are influenced by false statements in the guise of news. Aside from political motivations, the spreading of fake news was also noted by users retweeting fake images of the Hurricane Sandy disaster[18], and pictures of the of Osama Bin Laden’s dead body.[19] Such action usually goes unnoticed unless someone has detected and reported the issue. This response is different for newspapers because they are subject to the IPSO, or a similar body. Journalists employed by regulated publishers are required to uphold the values enforced in the Editors’ code of practice. This aims to ensure accuracy of information and a standard of professional journalism is maintained[20] . However, digital intermediaries are not held accountable by any body, like the IPSO, even though they have a large audience that is affected by fabricated stories. Therefore, it is crucial that these organisations take some responsibility in resolving this issue.[21] Without implementing any strict regulatory initiatives such incidences would occur daily and remain unquestioned, leaving users to believe false information. Statutory regulation would therefore fill the gap in the law, bringing clarity and holding digital intermediaries responsible for their part in disseminating fake news. There is no doubt that intermediaries play a dominant role in the global public sphere, but perhaps we need to address the question of whether we should continue to consider them as mere intermediaries.[22] Unlike news providers, intermediaries have no investment in journalism and are therefore more likely to filter out news. This limits users’ understanding of the world, as they are insulated from opposing views. The risk is that these ‘filter bubbles’ (restrictions of a users perspective) will promote misperceptions by hiding the truth,[23]   which supports the economic models of intermediaries because digital programmatic advertising follows users through their ‘clicks’, ‘shares’ and ‘likes’.[24] By learning from the past actions of a user, news feeds will only show similar material in their next use. Requiring digital intermediaries to change their approach by bursting this ‘filter bubble’ would not be in their commercial interests, as the bubble’s content is what keeps users engaged. Statutory regulation would therefore enforce strict rules on how intermediaries should enforce mechanisms to detect and filter fake news instead of opposing views. Moreover, ensuring impartiality and accuracy is important especially during election time. ‘A BuzzFeed News analysis found that top fake election news stories generated more total engagement on Facebook than top election stories from 19 major news outlets combined’.[25] This imbalance illustrates the significant role digital intermediaries play in today’s society, and therefore it is particularly concerning if their news content is fake. If newspapers and broadcasting media organisations are obliged to follow strict guidelines on impartiality[26] and accuracy, then why should it be any different for online platforms?   For example, Section 319 of the Communications Act 2003 requires TV and radio broadcasters to comply with the standard objectives set by Ofcom. This includes, reporting ‘with due accuracy’ and not ‘misleading’;[27] furthermore, Parliament ‘requires Ofcom to develop rules with respect to broadcasters’ wider editorial coverage of elections’.[28] Similar regulations on intermediaries would ensure information is not personalized to a user’s preferences, thus maintaining impartiality and accuracy, whilst avoiding the risk of disseminating fake news to users. Statutory regulation of online news providers The dissemination of fake news by online news providers has proven to be a great concern as anonymous individuals are inventing fake news for the purpose of generating clicks and earning revenue.[29] Such behavior has been identified in Macedonia, where teenagers were found to be making money by creating fake news on US presidential candidates and promoting it via social media.[30] If statutory regulation is placed on digital intermediaries, then the same could be done for online news providers, as the same news from online news providers will be shared via digital intermediaries. This was proven to be the case as various US sites claimed to be exposing ‘Russian propaganda’,[31] was shared via other online platforms which influenced voter behavior in the US elections.[32] Examples such as as this suggest ‘misleading, biased propaganda’ is also part of the fake news phenomenon.[33] It is therefore important to set statutory regulations for both, as this type of de-skilled citizen journalism is a threat to democracy especially because people’s views are being influenced by biased and inaccurate information.[34] Furthermore, news outlets that only have an online presence, such as AOL news, Vice, and Huffington Post, are not subject to any regulatory controls as they are not members of regulatory bodies like IPSO;[35] even though they are subject to some statutory control such as defamation,[36] copyright[37] and data protection laws,[38] control is not the same as the additional regulatory standards most UK press (with a physical and online presence) comply to. Without belonging to any recognised regulator, publishers may have to pay exemplary damages under the Crime and Courts Act for defamation or other relevant claims;[39] therefore, it would be in the interests of online publishers to join a recognized regulatory body. Interestingly, Wikipedia recently banned Daily Mail as an unreliable source and excluded it as a source of reference. Wikipedia claimed the newspaper to have a ‘reputation for poor fact checking and sensationalism’.[40] These claimed characteristics are another concern for UK journalism, as IPSO regulates Daily Mail (Associated Newspapers Limited) [41] yet they are still being labelled as an unreliable source. This indicates the ineffectiveness of IPSO as it failed to ensure the credibility of a publisher they regulate. Such failures generate an inclination towards statutory regulation of online news providers as regulatory bodies are not enough, to ensure that newspapers report accurately and without exaggeration. Not only do such flaws lose the public’s trust in professional journalism’ but they also create a society that is vulnerable to fake news. There is also no evidence to suggest that the levels of   accuracy are rising or that the self-regulatory bodies set up by the major publishers, and IPSO, are having any identifiable positive effect.[42] Hence, it may be necessary to set up statutory regulations of online news providers which will create a more direct and stringent approach to tackling fake news. The Leveson Report[43] suggested that such statutory regulation would be necessary to underpin the process of recognition, and reinforce the importance of statutes guaranteeing press freedom.[44] However, three years on from the publication of the Leveson Report, the landscape of press regulation is still fragmented and confused,[45] and it may therefore be necessary to re-consider these suggestions. The implementation of statutory regulation, combined with independent regulatory bodies, should be extended to intermediaries and online news providers. Such a framework is an essential stepping stone towards a regulatory regime that is entirely fit for purpose in this new era. The negative issues with this initiative would include costs, and whether a consensus by major publishers and online platforms can be formed. Self-regulation by digital intermediaries An alternative to statutory regulations would be to enforce a self-regulatory system for digital intermediaries which would allow them to have significant control in filtering fake news according to methods they believe are most effective. Mark Zuckerberg, although first dismissing the idea that fake news influenced the US election, later acknowledged the role of social media in helping promote fake news, and proposed ways in which Facebook could help resolve this issue.[46] Actions include taking an approach that ‘will focus less on banning misinformation, and more on surfacing additional perspectives and information, including that fact checkers dispute an items accuracy’.[47] Other ways Facebook could reduce fake news without resorting to  censorship include; nudging, crowdsourcing and reducing the algorithmic bias.[48] Nudging involves monitoring what users are writing in a new post; if the content includes words they may regret posting, it notifies them. Crowdsourcing allows users to evaluate news sources by indicating ratings. Lastly, the most important solution is to reduce the algorithmic bias. This involves trying to diminish filter bubbles that create an â€Å"echo chamber†, where similar ideas bounce around endlessly which is a problem when the echo chamber blocks out corrective or fact-checking information.[49] Although, some digital intermediaries have already taken steps to tackle the issue of fake news, it would be ineffective to give them sole responsibility. More useful would be to establish a governance mechanism, such as an independent board, that could check whether the algorithms accord with acceptable principles.[50] This view is supported by the Trust Project, which suggests that algorithms alone will struggle to root out fake news, unless they can quantify indicators of trust elements, which can help set a ‘kitemark’ for trustworthiness.[51] This suggestion includes being able to distinguish the intentions behind the news, and whether it is genuine, or inaccurate reporting. Therefore, remedies based solely on technological fixes or market-driven corrections will not, on their own, address these problems. Additionally, judgments of this kind need to be carefully reviewed hence, an independent body should be established to perform this role. This approach will ensure tech platforms maintain transparency in the work they carry out to tackle this public issue. Firstly, there is no guarantee that only one country’s statutory regulation would work as technologic advancements allow users to create and access online news sites from anywhere in the world. If users can create fake news, they can create fake identities, which raises ‘concerns for verification, accountability and accuracy’[52]; therefore, alternative solutions may be needed to tackle the problem effectively. This view is supported by Dr Tambini from the LSE, who states that the unprecedented number of fake news sites is a huge and far-reaching problem that cannot be dealt within existing legal categories.[53] Therefore, a possible solution to tackling fake news would be to establish a global regulatory body that could operate across borders. Taking such an approach would not hinder the freedom of expression nor create restrictive frameworks, as a global collective regulatory body would find common ground, respecting the rights of all democratic institutions, and ensure that accuracy of information could be maintained across online platforms. Whereas, it would be difficult to establish statutory regulation without hindering the right to freedom of speech, which must be balanced against the risk of giving states excessive powers over the expression rights of individuals and organizations creating such content.[54] ‘The only category where there may be an argument for statutory regulation is the category of deliberate falsehood with intent to compromise national security’.[55] However, such a high standard will be difficult to meet and not tackle the phenomena of fake news. Instead a global regulatory system is more likely to create an effective solution that can monitor all types of fake news. However, the major concern with creating a global regulatory body is forming a consensus to establish one, and deciding some universal criteria of what constitutes as fake news. Regardless of the flaws in a global regulatory body, it is likely to be the most effective solution for a global problem. A further concern that must be addressed is the misuse of the term ‘fake news’. The term ‘fake news’ has been used by public figures and politicians to justify politically motivated attacks on journalists and press freedom.[56] ‘What was once considered a symbiotic relationship between politics, media and the public is turning from a Golden Triangle into a Bermuda Triangle’. [57] Representatives from the White House and President Trump have used this term on numerous occasions to accuse media reports that oppose Trump’s views.[58] Moreover, in the UK, headlines such as, ‘we invested  £10bn extra in the NHS last year’, and claims that, ‘Corbyn would order Labour MPs to vote for the government’s bill triggering Article 50’,[59] were later found to be false. Nonetheless journalists claim to have correctly interpreted quotes from politicians, but due to the lack of clarity, and changing views of the politicians, their journalism was labelled as ‘fake news’.[60] This labelling is no fault of their own, but it definitely damages their reputation as credible sources in the eyes of the public. A global regulatory body could establish mechanism which safeguard online journalists and individuals that may have complaints to online content. These mechanisms would be similar to the way the press is currently protected by regulatory bodies such as IPSO, Ofcom, and Advertising Standard Authority which provide all individuals with a complaints procedure to resolve disputes.[61] For online news sites created by individuals, however such protections and remedies are not available. In these cases, the only way the news sites could safeguard themselves from possible accusations of creating false news would be to become members of such bodies. A global regulatory body could protect and hold online journalists accountable for their reports, and scrutinise claims by politicians in the public eye. This protection could be extended to the existent online press, to further safeguard them from accusations and ensure accuracy. Traditional gatekeeping mechanisms, such as national statutory laws and self-regulatory frameworks, can ensure online platforms are subject to similar frameworks as newspapers and the broadcasting media are, but this approach would ultimately fail because the internet has no borders- allowing online platforms to operate globally, across multiple jurisdictions.[62] Fake news created in a different country, would still be accessible and impact users from other countries, (as proven to be the case with Macedonia). Therefore, the issue of fake news can only be tackled effectively by all democratic institutions through the creation of a global regulatory body. Bibliography Allen Nick and Lawler David, Donald Trump says fake media is enemy of the people they have no sources, none (The Telegraph, 24 February 2017) accessed 13 April 2017 BBC, Donald Trump aide accuses BBC of fake news (BBC News, 17 February 2017) accessed 13 April 2017 BBC, Fake news: How can African media deal with the problem? (BBC News, 16 February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Bfi, Regulation and Censorship (Bfi.org.uk, 2014) accessed 11 April 2017 Broersma M.J and Peters Chris, Rethinking Journalism Trust and Participation in a Transformed News Landscape (Routledge, 2013), pp 15 Byrne Andrew, Macedonia’s fake news industry sets sights on Europe (www.ft.com, 16 December 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 Ceron Andrea, Curini Luigi, M Iacus Stefano, Porro Giuseppe, Every tweet counts? How sentiment analysis of social media can improve our knowledge of citizens’ political preferences with an application to Italy and France [4 April 2013] 16(2) New Media & Society, pp 340-358 Dearden Lizzie, Brexit research suggests 12 million Leave voters regret their choice in reversal that could change result (The Independent, 1 July 2016) accessed 13 April 2017 Fenton Natalie, New Media, Old News, (Sage Publications Ltd, 2009) pp.10 Garrett R.Kelly, Facebooks problem is more complicated than fake news (The Conversation, 17 November 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 Gilad Lotan, Fake News Is Not the Only Problem (www.points.datasocietynet, 23 November 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 Goldsbie J, Craig Silverman, the man who exposed the fake-news racket in 2016 (NOW Magazine, 22 December 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 Goodfellow Jonathan, Only 4% of people can distinguish fake news from truth, Channel 4 study finds (The Drum, 6 February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Goodman Emma, How has media policy responded to fake news? (LSE Media Policy Project, 7 February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Gupta Aditi, Lamba Hemank, Kumaraguru Ponnurangam, Joshi Anupam, Faking Sandy: characterizing and identifying fake images on Twitter during Hurricane Sandy [2013] In Proceedings of the 22nd International conference on World wide web, WWW ’13, pp 729-7637 Heawood Jonathan, Independent and effective? The post-Leveson framework for press regulation [2015] 7(2) Journal of Media Law pp 130-144 Impress, IMPRESS Submission on Fake News (Impress press, 10th March 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Ipso, Editors’ Code of Practice (The Independent Press Standards Organization, accessed 10 April 2017 Ipso, UK Regulated publications (Ipso.co.uk) accessed 13 April 2017 Jackson Jasper, Wikipedia bans Daily Mail as unreliable source (Guardian.com, 8 Feb 2017) accessed 13 April 2017 Johnson Adam, Fairness and Accuracy in reporting (Why Are Media Outlets Still Citing Discredited ‘Fake News’ Blacklist? (Fair.org, 1 December 2016) accessed 9 April 2017 KCL Centre for the study of media, communication and power, Submission to: Consultation on the Leveson Inquiry and its Implementation Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Home Office (Kcl.ac.uk, 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 KCL Centre for the study of media, communication and power, Submission to: Inquiry into Fake News (Kcl.ac.uk, 16 February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Lord Justice Leveson, An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press’ (www.gov.uk, 2012) accessed 16 April 2017 Mcnair Brian, Fake news – a user’s guide (The Conversation, 6 March 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Mcnair Brian, Journalism and Democracy: a millennial audit [2000] 1(2) Journalism Studies pp 207 Metaxas T. Panagiotis and Eni Mustafaraj, Manipulation of social media affects perceptions of candidates and compromises decision-making [26 Oct 2012] 338 (6106) Social Media and the Elections pp 472-473 National Union of Journalists, NUJ submission to the CMS parliamentary select committee inquiry on fake news (www.nuj.org.uk, February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Nelson Steven, ‘Publications Called Russian-Propaganda Distributors Consider Suing Anonymous Experts’, (US News, 29 November 2016) accessed 9 April 2017 Newman Nic, H.Dutton William, Blank Grant, Social Media and the News: Implications for the Press and Society (OUP 2014) pp.139 NMA, CMS Select Committee ‘Fake News’ Inquiry: NMA Response (News.media.uk.org, 30 March 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 NMA, CMS Select Committee ‘Fake News’ Inquiry: NMA Response (Newsmediaukorg, 30 March) accessed 11 April 2017 Ofcom, Review of Ofcom list of major political parties for elections (Ofcom.org.uk, 16 March 2015) accessed 12 April 2017 PA, Can the law do anything to stop fake news? (Aol.co.uk, 12 Dec 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 Public relations and communications association (PRCA), PRCA response to the CMS Committee’s ‘Fake News’ Inquiry (Prca.org.uk, 6 March 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Robbins Martin, Fake news and fact-checking: Trump is demonstrating how to outsmart an AI (Theguardiancom, 31 January 2017) accessed 13 April 2017 Sievers Bruce and Schneider Patrice, The Civic Media Crisis and What Philanthropy Can Do (SSIR) (Stanford Social Innovation Review 8 March 2017) accessed 8 April 2017 Singer-Vine, Most Americans Who See Fake News Believe It (Buzz Feed News, 7th December 2016) accessed 13 April 2017 Stromer-galley Jeremy, Three ways Facebook could reduce fake news without resorting to censorship (The Conversation, 2 December 2016) accessed 13 April 2017 Tambini Damian, Fake News: Public Policy Responses, LSE Media Policy Project Series, (2017) pp13-15 The Trust Project Org, (thetrustproject.org, 2016) accessed 13 April 2017 Thompson Clive, Why Facebook and Twitter have a civic duty to protect us from fake news (WIRED UK, 24 February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 UK Parliament, Select Committee on Communications Corrected oral evidence: Children and the Internet (Dataparliamentuk, 22 November 2016) accessed 11 April 2017 UK Parliament, Social Media and Access to Information (UK Parliament, Jan 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 Wahl-Jorgensen Karin, Hintz Arne, Dencik Lina, Bennett Lucy, Journalism, citizenship and surveillance [2017] 5(3) Digital Journalism pp 256-261 Wardle Claire, ‘Fake news It’s complicated’, (First Draft News, 16 February 2017) accessed 9 April 2017 Wise Michael, News Plurality and Digital Intermediaries European Journalism Observatory- EJO (European Journalism Observatory EJO, 28 August 2012) accessed 13 April 2017 Zuckerberg Mark, Building Global Community (Facebook.com, 16 February 2017) accessed 11 April 2017 [1] Wahl-Jorgensen et al, Journalism, citizenship and surveillance [2017] 5(3) Digital Journalism pp.256-261 [2] Brian Mcnair, Fake news – a user’s guide (The-Conversation, 6 March 2017) accessed 11/April/2017 [3] UK Parliament, Social Media and Access to Information (UK-Parliament, Jan 2017) accessed 11/April/2017 [4] Siervers and Schneider, The Civic Media Crisis and What Philanthropy Can Do (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 8 March 2017) accessed 8/April/2017 [5] Emma Goodman, How has media policy responded to fake news? (LSE-Media-Policy-Project, 7 February 2017), accessed 11/April/2017 [6] Claire Wardle, ‘Fake news It’s complicated’, (First Draft News, 16 February 2017), accessed 9/April/2017 [7] Ibid [8] Michael Wise, News Plurality and Digital Intermediaries-EJO (European Journalism Observatory-EJO, 28 August 2012), accessed 13/April/2017 [9] Jessica Goodfellow, ‘Only 4% of people can distinguish fake news from truth, Channel 4 study finds’ (The Drum, 6 February 2017), accessed online 11/April/2017 [10] Impress, IMPRESS Submission on Fake News Page , (Impress press, 10th March 2017) accessed 11/April/2017 [11] Ibid [12] Ceron et al, Every tweet counts? How sentiment analysis of social media can improve our knowledge of citizens’ political preferences with an application to Italy and France [4 April 2013] 16(2) New Media & Society, pp.340 358 [13] Lizzie Dearden, Brexit research suggests 12 million Leave voters regret their choice in reversal that could change result (The Independent, 1 July 2016) accessed 13/April/2017 [14] Ibid [15] Clive Thompson, Why Facebook and Twitter have a civic duty to protect us from fake news, (WIRED UK, 24 February 2017), accessed 11/April/2017 [16] Metaxas et al, Manipulation of social media affects perceptions of candidates and compromises decision-making [26 Oct 2012] 338(6106) Social Media and the Elections pp.472-473 [17] Ibid [18] Gupta et al, Faking Sandy: characterizing and identifying fake images on Twitter during Hurricane Sandy [2013] In Proceedings of the 22nd International conference on WWW ’13, pp.729-7637 [19] Newman et al, Social Media and the News: Implications for the Press and Society, (OUP, 2014), pp.139 [20] Ipso, Editors’ Code of Practice, (The Independent Press Standards Organization), accessed 10/April/2017 [21] UK Parliament, Select Committee on Communications Corrected oral evidence: Children and the Internet (Data.parliament.uk, 22 November 2016), accessed 11/April/2017 [22] NMA, CMS Select Committee ‘Fake News’ Inquiry: NMA Response (News.media.uk.org, 30 March 2017), accessed 11/April/2017 [23] R.Kelly Garrett, Facebooks problem is more complicated than fake news (The Conversation, 17 November 2016), accessed 11/April/2017 [24] Ibid [25] BBC, Fake news: How can African media deal with the problem? (BBC News, 16 February 2017), accessed 11/April/2017 [26] Brian Mcnair, Journalism and Democracy: a millennial audit [2000] 1(2) Journalism Studies pp.207 [27] Communications Act 2003, Section 319(2)(d) and (h)†¨ [28] Ofcom, Review of Ofcom list of major political parties for elections (Ofcom.org.uk, 16 March 2015), accessed 12/April/2017 [29]   Jonathan Goldsbie, Craig Silverman, the man who exposed the fake-news racket in 2016 (NOW-Magazine, 22 December 2016) accessed 11/April/2017 [30]   Andrew Byrne, Macedonia’s fake news industry sets sights on Europe (www.ft.com, 16 December 2016), accessed 11/April/2017 [31] Steven Nelson, ‘Publications Called Russian-Propaganda Distributors Consider Suing Anonymous Experts’, (US-News, 29 November 2016), accessed 9/April/2017 [32]Adam Johnson, ‘Why are media outlets still citing discredited Fake News Blacklist?’, (FAIR, 1 December 2016)

Conflict Resolution in Groups Essay -- Intergroup Relations Social Psy

Conflict Resolution in Groups Conflict resolution has been researched, analysed and discussed for many years; however, it is only until recently that psychologists have gotten involved on a wider scale. Up until then the study of relations has more or less been the preserve of political scientists, historians and professionals such as lawyers and diplomats. Much of the social science research has therefore been based on the previous; therefore the theories developed give a much deeper insight to the psychological aspects of conflict resolution. In order to discuss conflict resolution, conflict needs to be defined. Chambers (2003) defines conflict is as â€Å" a violent collision: a struggle or contest: a battle: a mental struggle â€Å"(pg. 272) This is a general and very broad definition of the word which has been differently interpreted by psychologists as well as sociologists and economists. Shaw claims that in conflict situations driving forces are involved, combined with restraining forces, own forces and various combinations of induced or impersonal forces. All these contribute to a conflict situation. He goes on to explain that driving forces produce conflicts when the person is located between two positive valences, two negative valences or the person themselves. He uses a diagram to represent this (Appendix 1). In his next diagram he shows an avoidance-avoidance conflict situation is shown. (Appendix 2). Shaw refers to this as a stable conflict situation whereby the conflict usually remains unresolved. The third and last diagram represents two goals which both represent positive and negative valences in the same direction. This he calls the approach-avoidance conflict situation in which conflict is also stable however, people in this situation psychologically think they are in the avoidance-avoidance situation. Conflicts which involve other forces such as driving forces or restraining forces, and these restrictions can’t be passed the person may respond with aggression, hostility, frustration, apathy or other negative feelings. Shaw believes that conflict can be caused by opposition of forces corresponding to the persons needs, or by induced forces. However, this theory makes little sense, as Shaw gives the example of an employer giving orders to an employee, may show signs of some kind of power of P ( a boss would have a certain hold/power over his/... ...oup," in Henri   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tajfel (ed.) Social Identity and Intergroup Relations. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Univ. Press: 15-40. Tzeng, O., & Jackson, J (1994) "Effects of Contact, Conflict, and Social Identity on   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interethnic Group Hostilities," International Journal of Intercultural Relations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (vol. 18, No.2): 259-276. Van Knippenberg, A. (1989) "Strategies of Identity Management," in J. P. van   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oudenhoven & Tineke Willemsen (eds.) Ethnic Minorities: Social Psychological   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perspectives. Amsterdam, NL: Swets & Zeitlinger: 59-76. Vayrynen, R. (1991) New Directions in Conflict Theory: Conflict Resolution and Conflict   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transformation. London: Sage Publications Volkan, V. & Itzkowitz, N. (1994). Turks and Greeks: Neighbours in Conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Huntingdon, England: Eothen Press. Volkan, V. (1988) The Need to Have Enemies and Allies: From Clinical Practice to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  International Relationships. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson. Volkan, V. (1992) "Ethnonationalistic Rituals: An Introduction," Mind and Human   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interaction, Vol. 4: 3-19. Woodhouse, T. & Rambotham, O. (2000) Peacekeeping & Conflict Resolution. Portland:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frank Cass Publications

The American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and The Gre

The American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald In a majority of literature written in the 20th century, the theme of the ' American Dream" has been a prevalent theme. This dream affects the plot and characters of many novels, and in some books, the intent of the author is to illustrate the reality of the American Dream. However, there is no one definition of the American Dream. Is it the right to pursue your hearts wish, to have freedom to do whatever makes one happy? Or is it the materialistic dream prevalent in the 50's, and portrayed in such movies as Little Shop of Horrors? Or is the American Dream a thought so intangible, it changes in the heart of every person and can never be truly defined? Or is it an 'American' Dream at all, is it simply a human drive to pursue a better life? In the book, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the writers portray two completely different literary works which have an amazing connection. Both works are written to illustrate two viewpoints on the American Dream; either the pursuit of happiness, or the pursuit of material wealth. In both literary works, the authors show a comparison between these two visions of the American Dream, and in the end, the authors message is the same; the American dream cannot be a materialistic goal. Or, should not. For many Americans, the American Dream is a 2-door garage in a suburb, but as illustrated in the literary works, this sort of an American Dream leads to unhappiness, depression, and in the case of Willy Loman, suicide. In The Great Gatsby, it is Daisy who has a materialistic dream. She loved Gatsby. When he was a soldier, she loved him, but Gatsby knew he could never marry her, because of class. So, Daisy married Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man, a good looking man, but Daisy did not love him. In the book, Daisy is miserable. She knows Tom is having an affair, and she often cries. She wishes for her daughter to be " a beautiful little fool"( Gatsby 21) so that her daughter will not be smart enough to be unhappy. Daisy loves Gatsby, but she loves her lifestyle. And when she had the decision between the two, she chose her lifestyle, and she will regret her decision time and again. The concept of the American... ...attered, enough so that he could see who his father truly was. Biff had to reevaluate his life, and he came to a realization; " To devote your life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks a year for the sake of a two week vacation, when all you want is to be outdoors"( Death 139). Biff came to the conclusion that humans were not meant to work in pursuit of this economic goal, but were meant to work outside. His father could never accept that, and if Willy had, the story would have had a much different ending. The American Dream has no singular definition, but a multitude of interpretations. Yet, in these two completely different literary works, the authors share the same message; the American Dream should not be a materialistic goal, but a goal in pursuit of true, spiritual happiness. This is shown in both Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both authors feel very strongly about the issue, as do many other authors writing today, who fear American Economic views could doom the human race to a meaningless existence. With an ending not too dissimilar from Brave New World.

How a Friend Change My Life

Friends Really Do Change Your Life I believe friends can impact your life. Whether negatively or positively, the people you surround yourself with have a significant impact on where your life takes you. Specifically, I believe my best friend got me to where I am today. I am now and have been on a path to success since she entered my life. Four years ago, I was a trouble maker, rule breaker and all out rebel. The girls that I surrounded myself were known for their bad attitudes and party habits.I have watched their lives get destroyed because of the decisions they made. I believe by stepping away from them, I have become a more structured and overall better person. During my friendship with my former group of friends, I had no rules. I stayed out hours past midnight, threw parties without my parent’s permission or knowledge, and didn’t care who I associated myself with. Thankfully, I was level-headed enough to never give in to the pressure of trying drugs or alcohol. I w as only in it for the fun.Four of these girls, however, lacked the better judgment I was lucky enough to have. They drank constantly, smoked pot, and ditched school almost every day. After several years of this, I had had enough. Unfortunately, by associating myself with this group I had somewhat ruined my reputation. Even though I stayed away from drugs, people at school assumed I was just as crazy as the rest of the girls. The girls eventually dropped out of school and I was left trying to find people that would accept me.I knew of another girl at school that I hadn’t talked to in a few years. She was in Honors classes and theater, so we rarely crossed paths. Our parents, however, were best friends and always encouraged her and I to hang out but we never found much in common. After separating myself from my former group, she and I became friends. I quickly found myself realizing what true friendship really was and was surprised to have found it with someone I had once thoug ht to be so different from me. Four years later, we are best friends and closer than anyone could imagine.Through the lives of my former friends, I have seen what my path could have been. I could have been without a high school education, without a job, without my dignity and without a true friend. I have learned that who you associate yourself with can have a strong impact on your future. By becoming friends with someone I thought was on the right path, I, myself, can see a bright future ahead of me. I am extremely thankful to have found someone who helped me get on this path. I believe that without her, I would not be who I am today.

Recruitment and Employment Essay

1. Reflect on key messages you learnt about recruitment and employment for university students in the session. After listening to the sharing session by CAIO, I found that there are two main key points in recruitment for university graduates. The first key point is that students can always apply or work in the field that is not their professions, though the career path will be more challenging. Vanessa shared a few examples of the past students’ experience in finding jobs, for instance, students majoring in engineering during the 3-years university life turned out to be an accountant; and a student who was in language study finally became a flight attendant. Listening to these sharing was very inspiring and encouraging as they gave me insight into my career path. Although I am majoring in language study, I do not aim at working as a translator or an educator. Instead, I want to work in the threatre-related industry. Therefore, after listening to the talk, I realized that it is possible for me to work in the non-language related field, only that I have to work harder, or have to face a lot of obstacles and need to make adjustment. Besides, another key message I got is that attitude and being active are the essential keys when attending interviews. After listening to Vanessa, I apprehend that showing a positive attitude during the job interview will give a better impression to the employer. When a person has a positive attitude in him/herself and is able to show that he or she is eager in getting the job, the person will probably be more active and out spoken in responding to the interviewer and is able to handle challenging questions better. Thus, it gives more confidence to the employer that the candidate is suitable for the job which thus, leading to the success in job application. Therefore, in general, I have also learnt from the session by CAIO that having a positive attitude and being outspoken and active in job interviews increase the chances of being employed.