Young People and the Vote Essay Example for Free

Young People and the Vote Essay Since the end of the Watergate Era in the mid-1970s, voter participation among those ages 18-30 had been on the decline. (To Be Young and Voting, 2008) However, in the past fifteen years, a reversal of that trend appears to be occurring. Beginning in the Clinton Era, youth participation in the political process has been on the rise. (To Be Young and Voting, 2008) Several reasons have been put forth for the rise in youth participation in the voting process. Of the various reasons purported, the one that makes the most sense is an increased dissatisfaction about the status-quo among younger people. (To Be Young and Voting, 2008) That is, in more recent years, there is a perception among young people that the country is going in the wrong direction. Evidence indicates a dramatic increase in the interest level of people under the age of thirty in the presidential elections. (Shaw, 2008) Part of the reason behind this is simple. The candidates themselves have been younger. 1992 found the first baby-boomer candidate for a major party, who was only in his 50s at the time of his election. In 2008, Barak Obama is even younger, at 47. Both of these candidates have made concerted efforts to reach the younger demographic. Clinton in 1992 played the saxophone on MTV as part of a get-out-the-vote campaign. Obama has been making similar efforts by appearing on popular TV entertainment shows, such as Letterman, The Daily Show and others. His opponent, John McCain, also appears quite often on these shows, which indicates that both parties recognize the potential voting strength of the younger demographic. Both campaigns have attempted to use the Internet to attract younger voters. (Nagourney Thee, 2008 The first significant organization effort in history on the internet was initiated by the Obama campaign. (Nagourney Thee, 2008Both candidates make use of websites, e-mail, and viral posting more now than in any time in history. It has been suggested that the candidates’ use of sharing sites such as You-Tube, and social networking sites such as Face Book and My Space have proven to be instrumental in garnering interest among younger voters. In addition to events and activities aimed at younger voters, the major candidates have embraced themes that resonate with the younger demographic. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) Both major candidates have embraced â€Å"Change† as a central theme. This coincides with a consistent trend among young voters, who tend to support a difference in the status-quo. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) As with most Americans, younger voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, with nearly half of respondents to a recent poll indicating that the nation was a better place to live in the 1990s than it is now. The popularity of both the sitting President, and the current Congress are at historical lows. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) Troubles with the economy, gas prices, and dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq have fed the notion of the need for change. (Shaw, 2008) The â€Å"change† theme seems to coincide with some of the more divisive issues in both traditional and modern partisan politics. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) According to polls, younger people are trending to the Democratic Party, indicating that the Democrats are doing a superior job convincing young people that they are the party of change. (Nagourney Thee, 2008)An increasing number of young people are socially liberal, with liberal viewpoints on gay marriage, immigration and government programs. (Dionne, 2008) Combined with the perception that the current administration has been doing a poor job on fundamentals such as the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, younger people are beginning to flock to the Democratic Party in large numbers. (Dionne, 2008) The character of the various candidates in this election has also sparked interest among younger voters. At various times since the primary season, the major parties have offered: The first viable African American, a female who is the spouse of a former president, a Mormon, and a Former POW. All of these are firsts in major elections in the United States. The â€Å"Final Four† has generated quite a bit of youth interest, as well. Sen. McCain’s choice of running mate, Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, was the focus very recently of much attention owing to her youth, style of speaking, and the ability of a very popular actress, Tina Fey, to do a spot-on impression of her. A popular former cast-member of Saturday Night Live, Fey has injected a large political element into a variety show that has long appealed to younger viewers. There has been a marked contrast between the two presidential candidates with respect to age. John McCain, at 72 years of age, is the oldest candidate ever to run for president on a major party ticket, while Barak Obama is among the youngest at 47. The Democrats have made a considerable effort to portray Sen. McCain as out of touch, noting, among other things, his admitted inability to use the internet. (Nagourney Thee, 2008 Overall, youth participation in the political process in this election cycle has increased for numerous reasons. The primary underlying reason for this increase is a pervasive dissatisfaction with the direction of the country politically, socially, and economically. This, combined with a concentrated effort by both parties to mobilize younger voters, use of internet, and the age contrast of the candidates have combined to produce what may be the largest turnout of voters 18-30 since the voting age was lowered in 1972. References Dionne, E. J. (2008) â€Å"The Year the Youth Vote Arrives†. The Washington Post. July 25th, 2008. Nagourney, A. Thee, M (2007) â€Å"Young Americans are leaning Left, New Poll Finds†. The New York Times. June 27th, 2007. Shaw, M. (2008) â€Å"Talking Politics. † The Wilson Daily Times. Feb 9th, 2008 â€Å"The Youth Vote† (2008) The Washington Times. June 4th, 2008. â€Å"To Be Young and Voting† (2008) The Christian Science Monitor. May 5th, 2008.

Computer Ethics Essay -- Ethics Morals Morality

As of September 2003, there were approximately 70 million Americans or about 62 percent of the American population had at least one home computer. Another statistic is that about 55% of people also have internet on there home computers. In everyday life it is important for a person to have good ethics; this is also true about computer usage. Due to the fact that more then half of the American population owns computers, computer ethics are a growing concern in a rapidly changing society. Computer ethics can be broken down in to many topics including piracy, hacking, viruses, spam, phishing, and responsibility of use of software, cyber porn, and invasion of privacy and the use of the computer in the work place. Also there are many issues both moral and professional that a person who uses a computer might face. Piracy which by definition is reproduction, distribution and use of software without permission of the owner of copyright, poses some serious ethical problems. The free exchange of copyrighted materials is piracy as it undermines the ability of copyright holders (and their representatives) to control the sale and distribution of goods to which theyÂâ€"and only theyÂâ€"own the rights. Probably the best known and most widely practiced form of piracy is the distribution of copyright protected music files via popular file sharing programs such as Kazaa and Limewire. As bandwidth increases, the "sharing" of movies and television shows on the Internet is likely to increase as well. Although file sharing is quite common, that does not mean it is okay. Another ethical problem with computers is hacking. Hacking is the computer equivalent of breaking and entering. A computer hacker uses his or her skills to gain unauthorized access t... ...rious consequences could surface which could ultimately lead to a loss of ones job. There are certain times and places were looking at different websites is ok and other times were it is just not acceptable. As previously mentioned, computer ethics in some peoples eyes greatly changed based on were the computer you are on is located. There is a completely different set of ethics for work computers. Not only do ethics come into play in workplace with computer use but so do morals. It is very important for a person to be able to know the fine line between what is ok for work and what is not acceptable. This can vary from harassment through things like email to just visiting the wrong kinds of site. In my research I have found that many companies are actually coming up with ethical commandments for the work place to further define the line between right and wrong.

Hurricane Igor

When going to cnn. com I found that right away it had the link that I could click on to see all of the information about how Bermuda is bracing for hurricane Igor. Also, there are links that you can click on to view videos and live feed to see how bad it actually is. This site tells you everything you need to know such as sustained winds, the wind gust, and the latitude and longitude of the hurricane. The one thing I found interesting is it gives you a picture of the projected path that it is going. It also tells you what category, or size, the hurricane is. As of right now CNN is saying that hurricane Igor is going to affect the United States east coast over the weekend. CNN also gives you a link that you can recommend this website to people on your Facebook. This is a good thing on their part because with the Facebook link people can like it and see this article on your Facebook. They can see that you went to this site and they might look at it and like it too. This means more publicity for CNN and more people will view the top stories on there. CNN has a big article on how sever and damaging hurricane Igor is. CNN also tells you about any other hurricanes or tropical storms that were or are going to be dangerous to the east coast or Bermuda and what their projected paths are. When I went onto MSNBC. com I found the article right away, with big bold letters that say â€Å"Bermuda braces for ‘long and punishing’ Igor. † This right away attracted me to click on that headline so I can get more information on the weather and Igor. After clicking on the link there is a big picture of someone boarding their house up to keep it safe. Down at the bottom of the website it gives you three options that you can tell people about this story. You can email this story to a friend, you can share it on Facebook or you can share it on twitter. These are three main ways that people can spread this story to others so that they are aware of how sever the hurricane is. MSNBC. com also gives you a huge, well detailed article written by Elizabeth Roberts. She stated how sever the weather was in the beginning of the week. It was a category four in the beginning of the week and it has now gone down to a category two hurricane. The reporter talks about the sustained winds and the location of hurricane Igor. She tells you where it is headed and where it is going to impact. They also have this interactive tracker that shows you three different hurricanes and you can click on each one to find out how sever each one is and where it is headed. This gets updated every couple of minutes. You can also put in your address and it will give you the 5 day forecast. You can also click on a link that will give you archives of previous storms. FOXnews. com was one if the difficult websites for me. I went to their site and I didn’t see anything on hurricane Igor that caught my attention. I had to really look for this story, and I found it as I scrolled down and there is a little box that has the latest news, most read, and videos. The Bermuda story was far down the list and you had to click on the link to go to the story. When going into this article, there are no pictures of hurricane Igor, it is all words. This site gives you an article by Rick Leventhal, in which he writes about hurricane Igor. In this article he states that hurricane Igor is a category two hurricane and how it makes landfall with sustained winds near 110 miles per hour, gusting to 130. Fox news also tells you that the last major storm was back in 2003. So that is a paragraph that was interesting because it showed how they haven’t had one since then. It gives you how a hotel business has gone down by 50% since hurricane season started; this isn’t good for Bermudas economy. You cannot share this with anyone on face book or twitter but there is a place that you can leave comments and you can get follow up via email if anyone comments on this story. There is a link that you can click on that will take you to the author’s biography. It also gives you a list of all the articles he has written and there are someone other hurricanes on there. There are many similar things that all of these websites have such as telling everyone where the hurricane is located. It also describes in detail the wind gust and when it is suspected to hit the targeted area. Now when it comes to the difference there is a bunch of them. CNN from the beginning of the home page gives you a picture to look at, but also gives you a link to click on so you can view more. When you are looking on CNN you can see how they use bold writing when it comes to the sustained wind and wind gust, also the latitude and longitude. MSNBC on the other hand uses the hurricane interactive tracker to tell you all of that. I found that this is very detailed and very helpful. It is a different kind of tool that you can use to really see where hurricanes are going and who will be affected by them. MSNBC and CNN give you the option to send the information to someone by emailing, facebooking, or placing it on twitter. This helps them get more viewers and makes their rating go up for how many people view the website. Fox news on the other hand is not at all appealing for the weather. You have to really look for the article and when you find it, all it gives you is the article. The difference here is that there is not enough information for me about the hurricane, Igor.

Hero Essay A Hero Is A True Hero - 805 Words

Christopher Reeve states, â€Å"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.† In other words, a hero is a everyday person that has the courage, bravery, and strength to overcome any challenge they are going through or as a challenge to help someone no matter what it takes. Even though there could be many struggles, a hero has to endure the strength to do anything to help in any way they can. Many people think they know what a hero is, but do they really know what a true hero is!? Some say heroes are like superheroes, however, heroes are actually your everyday person as well. A hero is strong, selfless, kind, and risk their own lives to save others. For example, in the†¦show more content†¦Another example of what a hero is not, is a quote by, Kevin Heath, and he stated â€Å"A true hero is not someone who thinks about doing what is right, but one that simply does what is right without thinking.† The quote explains that a hero doesnt do what is right automatically, but does it without thinking, or by instinct and doing what is right. In conclusion, a hero doesnt like to be in the spotlight, nor do whats right knowingly, but rather does whats right without thought, and honor others for their own heroic actions. You might never realize who is a hero, because a hero can be anyone, and they can be anywhere around the world. For example, in the article, â€Å" The Psychology of Heroism†, it explains that a terrible shooting of the theater in Aurora colorado, during the summer of 2012, three woman who survived the shooting because of the three womens boyfriends. Their boyfriends shielded them with their own bodies, which got them killed. In addition, In the same article, a shooting at a Sikh temple, a man died trying to disarm the shooting, and another man got injured trying to help stop the shooter. Another example, in the website, 12 KFVS â€Å"kid hero saves teacher†, it tells a story of how a young student saved his teacher from a dangerous asthma attack. The teacher named, Madonna Kenser, was teacher her class when her throat started to close up, due to the fact that she had an allergic reaction to the chemicals in her dry erase marker. SheShow MoreRelated A True Hero Essay356 9 Words   |  15 PagesA True Hero As I read David Halberstam’s ideas in his essay, â€Å"Who We Are† (2004), I started thinking about our nation’s leaders and heroes. September 11th came to my mind and the many firefighters and rescue workers who heroically risked their lives to save complete strangers. Then, I remembered that the media dubbed Jessica Lynch a hero when she came back to the United States. Not only Jessica, but also many other American soldiers fighting abroad are called heroes. I started wondering ifRead MoreWhat Is A True Hero Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesGalo Roman Professor Messier English 102 October. 26,2017 What Makes a True Hero There are many people in The Essential Homer that are considered to be heroes for various reasons. Among them are Achilles, Odysseus, Agamemnon and the list goes on. However, the true hero is Hector. What makes Hector a hero, is that he is guided by his morals, he has a code of honor, and he fights for reasons outside of himself. On multiple occasions you can see that he is concerned about his people and his familyRead MoreOdysseus: A True Hero Essay1451 Words   |  6 PagesMany think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary its more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership. As part of the hero profile, one would have to be determined,Read MoreEssay on Okonkwo: A True Hero1223 Words   |  5 Pagesefforts despite being left with nothing but the dishonorable reputation of his â€Å"lazy and improvident† father. Toiling in the fields, enduring droughts, exhibiting fearless on the battlefield, and fueled by a burning desire to succeed, Okonkwo becomes a hero in Umuofia. Okonkwo’s success stems from his hard-work and perseverance, which he achieves in spite of his father’s shortcomings. He â€Å"lay[s] the foundations of a prosperous future† by slowly and painfully working like â€Å"one possessed† in order to escapeRead MoreA Hero Essay : A True Heroism877 Words   |  4 PagesA True Hero â€Å"True heroism is†¦ not the urge to surpass others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.† - Arthur Ashe. Heroism is not anyone that wears a cape, but is a person that is willing to sacrifice themselves just so everyone can be happy and can be safe. They are always going to look up with a smile and will be brave. Heroes won’t let anything get in their way. Although, they might be a little afraid, they will always look on the bright side with a big smile. If, Read More Jesus is a True Hero Essay1182 Words   |  5 Pagesand gone to the best schools. Jesus said â€Å"what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.† Meaning that the riches of the world are not worth having if you have to lie and cheat for them. Also a Man who has no money but is true to his faith and to god is richer than a man who has money and treasures but does not possess a soul. The popularity Jesus gained during his lifetime and beyond, did not start with support from people who were rich. It came from the commoners, muchRead MoreEssay Odysseus: A True Hero1149 Words   |  5 PagesThere are many different ways that a hero can be described or imagined. Everyone has their own ideas of what makes someone a hero. Also, for many heroes it is debatable whether they really are a hero. In The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Odysseus is one such debatable hero. Odysseus is a hero because he is brave, level-headed, and he shows faithfulness and respect to important figures in his life. First, Odysseus shows bravery in many ways throughout The Odyssey. He showsRead MoreEssay on Odysseus: A True Hero At Heart1636 Words   |  7 PagesIn the epic poem, The Odyssey, written by Homer, a hero named Odysseus is unveiled. A hero is a person who takes charge, who is bold, confident, courageous, and loyal. Many debate whether or not Odysseus earns the title of a hero. Odysseus earns the title of a hero by representing many qualities such as: leadership, bravery, and determination. Odysseus illustrates the quality of leadership. To be a leader, one must be loyal, strong, sharp, and wise. Odysseus demonstrates loyalty while he isRead More The True Hero of Homers The Iliad Essay890 Words   |  4 PagesThe True Hero of Homers The Iliad The Iliad is a story in which many men should be recognized as great war heroes. They all show a tremendous amount of courage to fight in such a barbaric battle. But this paper?s main focus is between two great leaders of opposing sides. Achilles, who represents the Achaians and Hector, who represents the Trojans. Though both show their bravery during many different instances in the poem, it?s quite obvious to the reader who the betterRead MoreOdysseus: A True Modern Hero Essay892 Words   |  4 PagesIn Homer’s, The Odyssey, I believe that Odysseus is a true modern hero. During his long and perilous journey home Odysseus shows many heroic qualities that help save his men from many dangerous situations. He first shows his Valiant behavior during the war in Troy, he cares about his crew and survives the war. He also deeply cares about the welfare of his men on their return trip to Ithaka. Odysseus is a hero because he is a courageous leader, a quick thinker and a modest man. Odysseus is a courageous

Informative Essay On Caffeine - 900 Words

Caffeine. From your morning cup of coffee to the pain relievers for your headache, nearly 90% of Americans consume it daily, making it America’s most popular drug. Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant around the world and present in many different products including coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolates, and over-the-counter medications. Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system that can cause physical dependence, but doesn’t threaten the health of the consumer the way addictive drugs can. Caffeine is associated with the long term effect it has on sleep. It has properties similar to adenosine, which causes drowsiness by slowing nerve cell activity. Therefore the brain thinks there’s an emergency occurring and releases†¦show more content†¦As stated by USA Today, strong factors include: gourmet offerings, coffeehouses with hip appeal, and health benefits. Coffee has become important to us on so many levels and theres no signs its cachet is going away anytime soon, its part beverage, another part pop culture†(DeRupo). Another factor is the production of baristas for use at home. There has been an escalating popularity in homebrewing gadgets and custom blends for use in the simplest ways. People today are more educated on their coffee and want it every time the way they like it. While there’s constantly growth in the consumption of coffee, the demographics of the drinkers steadily change. Recent studies show that over the last two years, 74 percent of Hispanic-Americans drink coffee daily, that’s more than 12 percent of non-Hispanics. While Hispanic-Americans are drinking more coffee, the younger generation is drinking less. Among ages 18-24, 41 percent said they drank coffee daily, which brings them down from 50 percent in 2012. Despite these changing habits, the consumption of coffee is expected to keep climbing. We usually flip over new foods, not something that has been around for centuries, But today coffees got everything going for it, plus a jolt of caffeine thats hard to beat(Fernau). In addition, caffeine offers many different health benefits or disadvantages. In recent studies, caffeine has been proven healthy if taken inShow MoreRelatedInformative Caffeine Speech Essay646 Words   |  3 PagesWell we aren’t alone; according to Villanova Health Service about 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine in one way or another every single day. Transition: So what is caffeine you generally think of it in, Coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate, and its part of almost all college students daily diet. I. Caffeine A. What is caffeine 1. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary caffeine is defined as a bitter alkaloid C8H10N4O2 (not that any of you care) found especially in coffee,Read MoreInformative Speech-Caffeine Essay755 Words   |  4 Pages18 Feb. 2013 Informative Speech-Caffeine Outline Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about what caffeine is, the effects of it, and the withdrawal symptoms. Central Idea: Caffeine can be found in many places and comes in many forms. It can major effects on our body and we can experience major withdrawal symptoms. Introduction I. What does coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, and a bottle of medications have in common? II. They all contain caffeine, and that’s whatRead MoreInformative Essay About Drugs1020 Words   |  5 Pages Drugs Wyatt Lehr Lamar High School APA Informative Drugs have been an effective way of reaching a pleasurable state, relieving pain, avoiding stress, and meeting social expectations for the past six thousand years. There is a controversy over whether drugs are good for people or not, but this essay is not an opinion of what drugs are and should be used for. This paper will explain the background and effects of drugs on the human body and mind (Scheme=AGLSTERMS.AglsAgent; corporateName=StateRead MoreThe Health Benefits of Coffee956 Words   |  4 PagesThe Health Benefits of Coffee An informative essay presented to Dr. Marianne Jennifer M. Gaerlan Department of English and Applied Linguistics De La Salle University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for ENGLCOM Term 1, AY 2012-2013 By: Divina Kristina S. Red V24B 14 August 2012 Have you ever questioned the existence of coffee or even wondered what it contains? Coffee is a drink that most people of today are familiar with and it is not just yourRead MoreEssay Nursing Care Plan1805 Words   |  8 Pagesmoreover it ensures that nurses recorded their findings which will ensure high standards of care are set and maintained (Hunt Marks-Maran, 1986). By following the SMART guidelines this should be achieved (Williams Wilkins 2007).The remainder of this essay will go on to evaluate and critique a particular care plan and show the flaws and also what could have been included. In this care plan the main focus is on Mr McCue’s disrupted sleep pattern, the care plan is therefore aimed at achieving anRead MoreWomens Fitness Magazines Essay5258 Words   |  22 PagesElsa Benitez who is 6’ and 125lb (Magazine Dimensions 153, 162) (supermodelguide.com). (Are these the healthy bodies that we should be trying to obtain?) Fitness Magazines need to revamp themselves and give women healthy, realistic images and informative articles so they can help women become healthy. The Department of Medical Oncology at the University of Newcastle states in its online medical dictionary that health is â€Å"the state of being hale, sound, or whole, in body, mind, or soul; especiallyRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesprobable good consequences of each action and the probable bad consequences while weighing the positive and negative impact of each consequence. It’s a kind of cost-benefit analysis. Exercises 1. Columbus Day is an American holiday. Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on Columbus Day, October 12. Here is some relevant background information to reduce yourRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesmanagement textbook, it is important that you understand its distinctive learner-focused features especially the five-step learning model: Skill Assessment, Skill Learning, Skill Analysis, Skill Practice, and Skill Application. You’ll also find informative research on how much managers’ actions impact individual and organizational performance, and the characteristics of effective managers. †¢ Thoughtfully complete the Skill Assessment surveys in each chapter. These diagnostic tools are designed toRead MoreDamodaran Book on Investment Valuation, 2nd Edition398423 Words   |  1594 Pagesanswer some fundamental questions -- What is the appropriate price to pay for high growth? What is a brand name worth? How important is it to improve returns on projects? What is the effect of profit margins on value? Since the process is so 8 informative, even those who believe that markets are efficient (and that the market price is therefore the best estimate of value) should be able to find some use for valuation models. The Role of Valuation Valuation is useful in a wide range of tasks. The

Thoreau’s Case for Political Disengagement by Carl Bankston

In the article â€Å"Thoreau’s Case for Political Disengagement,† the author, Carl Bankston, examines Thoreau’s portrayal of having a moral conscience while being controlled by society. The author distinctly explains Thoreau’s ideas, while also giving his own opinion on the subject. Absorption in civic involvement, from the point of view Thoreau gives us, dimin-ishes the independent self and therefore diminishes the ability to think for oneself, which is necessary for the use of the full range of moral judgment. Moral judg-ment, in turn, is essential for true service to civil society. Paradoxically, only those who resist the state serve it with their con-sciences, and only those who hold them-selves apart from civic cooperation can improve the†¦show more content†¦They are not going to let anything get in the way of their moral decisions. They are all just willing to go against society to be able to use their consciences. They are seen to be â€Å"treated as enemies† for the fact that they are not going to change their opinion, although society wants them to. Thoreau presents the concept that people who work for society, only think based on political conscience. In the passage, it shares â€Å"Others, as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, m inisters, and office-holders, serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions.† (P.3) All of the jobs listed are employed within society. All of their jobs depend on them knowing the laws of society. They even make their moral decisions based on their perception of the opinion of society. In some circumstances, Legislators will make moral decisions for the greater good of the community. Thoreau depicts the soldier as an individual that who uses neither political nor moral conscience to make decisions. The passage says, â€Å"The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies.† (P.3) Considering the government tries to transform the opinions of the soldier, they do not have an opinion at all. When using the word â€Å"mass† to describe the group of soldiers, the definition of the word brings up the idea that it is a larger body of matter with no shape. Society expects every soldier who joins the army toShow MoreRelatedChristopher Johnson Mccandless s Transcendentalism2535 Words   |  11 Pagesrelies on nature to help him survive, so that he recognizes the importance of nature. In addition, Henry David Thoreau had a strong bond with Emerson and his writings. To tell the truth, Emerson’s â€Å"Nature† became the major point of Thoreau’s work. In Understanding Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† which is published by Andrew Kirk, it is explained that â€Å"For Emerson, nature was the supreme determining force in human lives. Thoreau was to make the study of nature the central theme of his work, although paradoxically

Drugs and the Music Industry free essay sample

We have all benefited in one way or another from a Caucasians use Of mind altering chemicals or in some cases, plants, and this is an undeniable fact. Drugs have had an overall positive impact on the music industry. They have inspired, enlightened, expanded, and even destroyed the minds of some of Americas best musicians. However, no matter what happens to the musician, the drug fueled music that they have made lives on forever to inspire later generations of youth to join the revolution and create something worthwhile.Whether it be jazz, rap, rock, electronic, or even modern day pop, as long as people are out there creating music, there will be a new type of drug to fuel the fire. The history of drug use started with jazz musicians and their use of heroin, and led to the counterculture movement and their avocation of psychedelic drugs and marijuana. This in turn brought about the punk movement, who took drug use to an extreme that was not seen before. Although this drug use positively effects the musical aspect, it does destroy the lives of those who choose to take the risk.Many musicians have lost their lives to drug use which shows the fine line between just drug use, and drug abuse. Despite all the negatives, drugs have had a positive impact on the American music industry over the past 1 00 years. The whole thing started with a little thing called jazz. Down south and in the streets of Harlem, many famous jazz musicians were known to be hard drug users whose drug of choice was heroin. This drug could keep you up for days upon end with little to no food, allowing for hours and hours of practice and time to write beautiful works of art. Wink) Famous musicians such as Ray Charles, Miles Davis, and Hank Mobile all were using this hip drug and their influence led to not only just other musicians using it to increase their playing abilities but also to the everyday listener. This caused a problem in the jazz immunity as more and more people were falling victim to this drug for all the wrong reasons. People were becoming hooked on this new jazz sensation. In those days, people did not know the overwhelming addictive powers of heroin. The mistake they made was trying it just once.After they tried it, they were hooked, and the creativity part of it was no longer. It simply became an addiction. (Wink) Once the creativity aspect left the equation, it just became another drug to be abused. However, almost all popular music to this day have heavy roots and jazz, which just goes to show that although it destroyed ivies, the music created was greatly influential. Next came the infamous counterculture, the hippie movement of the sasss. This generation of peace and love highly advocated the use of marijuana and psychedelics such as LSI, mushrooms, mescaline, peyote, and MADAM.These drugs definitely showed up in the music of the decade. Bands such as the Beetles, Pink Floyd, The Jim Hendrix Experience, and many others all took these psychedelics and entered a sort of trance that increased their composing and lyrical abilities. (Gillespie) Some people say that even in order to fully understand this music, one must be under the influence of some sort f drug. Since a lot, but not all, of the drugs that were done during this time period were not addictive, everyone seemed to be enjoying this movement without any inference.Much of the music created during this time period is still popular today and has a big impact on the youth, showing the positive effects of these drugs on the music industry at this time. The use of drugs in the music scene was at its most extreme during the Hardcore Punk movement of the sasss. This scene was entirely different from any that was experienced before. Drug use also held initial significance n the movement; the inherent connection between recreational drug use and the production of rock music applied to the Hardcore movement just as it appeared in the music of the asss. (Cashbook) The punks took any drug that was available to them that was cheap and hit fast and hard. Inevitably, their drug of choice became speed because, It was cheap, it was around, and you could play fast music on it. It also curtailed your appetite. In San Francisco, the Negative Trend guys literally lived on potatoes. (Mark) This revolutionary drug let musicians play for days upon end with no sleep and title need for basic necessities. It may have taken a toll on their bodies, however the pure, raw energy it created was something never seen before. Drug use, however, does not increase your creativity.There is no scientific evidence that shows a direct correlation between drug and alcohol use and the creative parts of your brains. To the contrary, studies have shown that I actually limits the amount your brain functions. (summary, Coinage) However, the mainstream media portrays such a direct link between the two that when people take drugs, they convince themselves that they have these effects. The drugs almost act as a placebo for a persons creativity. If you truly believe that taking drugs will help you write any type of music, then it most likely will, and vice versa.It all has to do with the perspective Of the user and their outlook they have on drugs. Although drug use has positively influenced the quality of music over the years, it has also taken the lives of many fantastic musicians who crossed the line from use, to abuse. Musicians such as Jim Hendrix, Janis, Joplin, Amy Whininess, and countless others have all died due to some sort of drug or alcohol addiction. Blindsided) Jim Hendrix allegedly overdosed on sleeping pills. Janesville overdoes on heroin. Amy Whininess died due to alcohol intoxication.These were all supremely talented musicians who let the drugs get the better of them. At first the drugs were used for the rush and a creative boost, but they eventually turned into a habit that couldnt be quit. Their music also glorified addiction and the use of the drugs that were killing them. This shows the fine line between just the simple use of drugs and the powerful force of addiction that can overtake you if you are not careful. It seems as if todays music really romanticizes the use of drugs and alcohol, and in some cases, even advocates addiction.Tom Hamilton of Aerostatic even said, he probably wouldnt have come up with that great bass line from Sweet Emotion had he not been high (Bollixing) This does not exactly promote a sober living, and no rock stars truly do, but it goes on to prove that drugs do in fact have a positive effect on musicians writing and playing abilities. However, this could become a bad thing for todays youth. Seeing as many teens look up to musicians and pop stars who live a wild lifestyle, it may influences them to make stupid decisions that they otherwise wouldnt have made.Drugs must be used with a purpose in mind, whether it be gaining an experience, making art, or writing music. Too many teens will destroy their lives just trying something for the thrill of the high or to just look cool. Over the past 20 years, straight-edge movements have been gaining in popularity. These groups make music and pledge to not take drugs or alcohol. It seems as if more and more teens are getting into these sober movements because they offer something different from the norm. It has become normal or musicians to be drunks and addicts and these teens are just looking for a change.These groups make one wonder whether or not the link between drugs and music is finally breaking down, or if this is just a small blip in the radar of music. Although the majority of evidence is against it, drugs still have made a positive effect on the music industry. They have paved the road for countless great bands, albums, and songs and have opened the doors of creativity to many musicians. This is very prevalent within the music of the Beetles. If it werent for marijuana and L SD, their success and experimentation would eve been very limited.