Celebrity Culture Essay Essay Example

Superstar Culture Essay Example Superstar Culture Essay Superstar Culture Essay Superstar human advancement is perceived today as the promotion of specific people that have highlights which may or may non be dependable. in any case, society positions as surpassing. Today’s stars do non really require to hold an outstanding blessing or ethicalness to be known all through the universe. These graven pictures are presently ready to determine overall inclusion through basic celebrated individual magazines and perceived broadcasting appears because of self-advancement or deceptive conduct. The acclaimed individual human progress ever has and ever will hold an effect and impact on society. Famous people are perpetually in the media and have become work hypothetical records for youngsters and teenagers. The immature heads in the present coevals is going more veered off from imagining the universe all in all and is increasingly focussed on their ain â€Å"bubbles† where anything in that air pocket should straight partner and effect them. The most recognizab le effect is on their situations towards magnificence. sexualisation or sexual turn of events. what's more, health. Excellence. in a run of the mill youthful jargon. has been barely changed into a youthful. even. skin-and-bone. tanned grown-up female or grown-up male laping to and fro their ravishing hair and grinning their ideal dentitions. Ads having these acclaimed people give a sentiment of â€Å"if you need life and happiness† resemble me and buy these stocks. Teenss are confusing that they are more than the measure of their proprietorships and wages. more than the measure of their visual perspective and picture. what's more, more than the measure of their achievements and disappointments due to what they are seeing and every other person is seeing through the media. Increasingly more of young people are being influenced by the sexualisation of misss orchestrating to mental health specialists. An exploration on examining the impacts of basically every signifier of media from music wordss to video games indicated a result that juvenile misss are respecting the power per unit zone of sexualisation by posting uncovered pictures of themselves on the internet or leting colleagues to take uncovered exposures of them. Moreover. insouciant renowned individual sex gives off an impression of being the standard among the youngster. As a result of an over-sexed society. youthful misss can be found with mental self view and enthusiastic occupations like nervousness and disgrace. what's more, inadequacy of confirmation in and comfort with her ain natural structure. Sexualisation of misss effectsly affects girls’ capacity to build up a solid sexual mental self portrait. explore proposes. Famous people do non simply negatively affect the characters and articulations of fans. yet, other than in their wellbeing. There have been cases where superstar has been utilized emphatically and to coordinate out a decent message however there have been different cases in which well known people have put out a terrible picture. For representation. the supplication of medication and intoxicant abuse has expanded thus have pictures of alcoholic popular people in magazines and broadcasting. Famous people have glamorized smoke in the media and are puting an outline for individuals everyplace that it is worthy to smoke. Stars ought to do it a desire to refrain from using medications and guzzling over the top entireties of spirits since it makes an impression on heroes that an existence of medications and intoxicant is a palatable way to populate. Big names need to adjust the way they act and how they are seen. Their activities have a greater amount of a result on us such a large number of individuals accept they have. Slim. impulsive popular people are adjusting the way numerous youthful young people think and act. Big names need to modify these terrible wonts now and perceive that they should be progressively worried about themselves and with their likeness in the media. Lamentably. the intensity of who gets celebrated and what pictures are introduced is entirely in the authorities of the media.

A Few of my Favorite Things (Counting Blessings)

A Few of my Favorite Things (Counting Blessings) I’m home in Pennsylvania for three weeks, for the second time this summer. The morning after I got here, I woke up to a pile of stuffed animals on top of me where I had fallen asleep on the couch and, on a post-it note (it was the second draft, apparently), this: I think it’s safe to say that this note and the feelings behind it was one of my favorite things. I found it again this morning and curled up outside with my coffee before everyone else was up and thought about it, and about life, and realized that though I don’t think I’ve felt rooted to a place before, Boston and State College have both become home, though in very different ways, State College over eight years and Boston over the past three. Here are a few more of my favorite things from both places, split by 500 miles: Warm Boston thunderstorms just outside my open window, from safe under my loft with my Legos and my books. Having a boyfriend who likes Legos and science fiction as much as I do. The chocolate and hot glue E. coli figurines my 7.02 (Experimental Biology and Communication)  TA   Regina C. ‘14 made our bay in lab two semesters ago (at right). The smell of Cambridge in the early fallâ€"rain, cooking, the memory of late mornings, boxes, and the same smells during freshman orientation. A clean, efficient black-and-white figure in a paper, and comprehensive scientific controls. Getting an email and it’s a comment on a blog post. Writing alone in a crowded café or bar. Walking until I get lost and finding myself in the Boston Public Garden. Fog on the Charles River at sunrise. Crossing the Harvard bridge into Cambridge, MIT growing in the distance, and feeling the thick wind blowing off the Charles. Happy voices trailing up to my room from the neighboring apartment buildings while I p-set, and the knowledge that 92 of my best friends are just beyond my open door. Having an 11-year-old brother who appreciates my sense of humor and sneakily stays up reading Motor Trend like I used to stay up reading Lois Duncan. The omelet my grandmother made me yesterday, with cucumber slices and bread arranged around it like rays of sunshine. Clean dishes hot from the dishwasher. Ten minutes of shavasana after an hour of power yoga. The smell of burnt coffee spilled on the stove. The end of a good science fiction story, resurfacing days after I read it. Biking alongside Spring Creek and the memory of hugging my boat before a race, the creek flowing around my arms like they’re rocks on a riverbed. The memory of my dad teaching me how to drive stick shift four summers ago, in my pick-up truck on a two-lane highway, the sunset diffusing through rows of corn. The view of the stars far from town. Reading a book while Max plays saxophone, the windows closed so we don’t wake the neighbors. The way my mom playing Bouree in E Minor on the guitar seems to connect every stage of my life, creating a sense of continuity no matter what else seems to change. Candlelit dinners with the porch door open, the cold night breeze and the sound of crickets, and the quiet, empty night. Biking at sunset with my dad and my brother, breathing clean cold air into what feels like every branch of my lungs, fireflies rising from the grass like dust. My mom and my brother and me about five years ago, in November 2008, when I was 16 and Max was six, photographed probably by my grandfather.

Caribbean Diaspora - 3821 Words

History Paper on Caribbean Diaspora Decendents of the Caribbean Diaspora are located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and countries that were previously colonial empires. The inhabited islands that are in the Caribbean are not only geographical regions, but also regions of the imagination, lived cultural experiences and are an interesting study in religious identity as well (Harry:2).† Colonized by European powers from the sixteenth century, the Caribbean islands have become a mixture of cultures from Europe, Africa, and India, as well as from the original inhabitants of the islands. Harry Goulbourne and John Solomos in there article â€Å"Ethnic and Racial Studies† says that the â€Å"History of the Caribbean has been shaped for a†¦show more content†¦This was a time for growth in the United States, often referred to as the Industrial Age. This time period was an exciting period because of the fact that there is another revolution going on in the workplace. As technology started to c hange and bloom, everything around it started to transform and more jobs were created. As a result, the Industrial Revolution affected the whole stability of a nation, not only the economy. It affected the relationships between classes, and also the relationships between countries and gave those individuals who migrated over to the United States a chance at a prosperous life without slavery. With many Africans migrating to the United States there were those who decided to go back to the Caribbean and continue their traditional cultural ways. In the late eighteenth century, written reports discovered a cultural tradition of masking by Africans in various parts of the Caribbean: Belize, Bermuda, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Kitts, Nevis, Guyana, Grenada, and Trinidad. These masking activities were called by several names like gumbe, jonkonu, or kambula, however today it is referred to as Carnival. Carnival is an annual celebration of life found in many countries of the world and i s an integral part of West African religious culture, intimately connected with secret societies that were gender specific (Lewis:180). Growing up in a family that celebrates this specific tradition, the history of how it began isShow MoreRelatedLetter For The Nomination Of Bertram Omar Leon For A National Award759 Words   |  4 PagesSt Lucia; his overall support for his local community and youth development are just some of his many contributions. I am also aware of his desire to promote UK Caribbean diaspora development via his many associations with the Caribbean diaspora communities. He has already successfully influenced the St Lucia government to adopt a Diaspora Policy, which was recently approved, to engage and ensure better inclusion of overseas national in the country’s national development plans. He is regarded as anRead MoreMasculinity in the Trinidadian Diaspora in Sections of an Orange by Anton Nimblett696 Words   |  3 Pages Sections of an Orange dives in to the personal stories of men and women living in Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidadian diaspora in New York. Anton Nimblett allows the reader to experience the struggles with the characters, and there are feelings of isolation, longing, deception, and most commonly—love. Caribbean conceptions of gender and sexuality are usually geared towards the traditional types. In other words, boys are to playing football, and not helping their aunts sew and cook. Men areRead MoreReflection Paper About The Caribbean1637 Words   |  7 Pageswanted to share with you how much I have learned about the Caribbean—which is essential to how I now not only view the countries but the people. I’ve come to realize how ignorant I was in regards to knowing exactly what the Caribbean is. Strangely enough, our entire family is from the Caribbean. Im from the Caribbean. But, I know so little. The first day of classes back in September, I was asked by the professor to describe what the Caribbean mean to me. As we went around the room, my turn came andRead MoreAnalysis of Caribbean Festivals Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesThe Caribbean is a region known not only for its sun, sand and sea, but its festivals. Also known as ‘Caribbean Carnival’, these festivals have spread to the diaspora. Oxford Dictionaries define carnival as, â€Å"a period of public revelry at a regular time each year, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving processions, music, dancing, and the use of masquerade.† The term and concept of ‘carnival’ originated in Italy, however, with the influence of African cultureRead MoreNegotiating Halls Caribbean Identity in Kincaids Annie John3215 Words   |  13 PagesNegotiating Halls Caribbean Identity in Kincaids Annie John In his article Negotiating Caribbean Identities, Stuart Hall attempts to relay to the reader the complications associated with assigning a single cultural identity to the Caribbean people. Even though the article is intended by the author to represent the Caribbean people as a splicing of a number of different cultures, the processes Hall highlights are noticeable on an individual scale in the main character of Jamaica Kincaids novelRead MoreDefining Of The African Diaspora1930 Words   |  8 PagesDefining African Diaspora When defining Diaspora, many aspects can come to mind. The topic of Diaspora usually brings to mind certain ethnic groups, but that of African and African-Americans typically are not considered. Diaspora is defined as â€Å"To refer to migrants who settle in distant lands and produce new generations, all the while maintaining ties of affection with and making occasional visits to each other and their homeland.† Usually those of Jewish heritage are known for Diaspora, but aroundRead More Diaspora and Syal’s Anita and Me Essay2970 Words   |  12 PagesDiaspora and Syal’s Anita and Me Diaspora, a term used to describe the dispersion of a people from their original homeland, has become an increasingly pertinent topic of discussion in contemporary society. Nalini Natarajan in the essay â€Å"Reading Diaspora† argues that â€Å"the phenomenon of diasporic populations is by no means new, but its scale in the twentieth century is dramatic† (xiii). Natarajan also argues that the nature of contemporary diasporic experiences, due to the global reach of technologyRead MoreThe Family Aspect Of The Quilt1139 Words   |  5 PagesIn a perfect world, the Caribbean is like a quilt that has been stitched together by a mother or grandmother. It eventually comes together to form a unique blanket that incorporates a multi-dimensional group of different pieces of colors and sizes in its final product. The maternal aspect of the quilt, represents the Euro-colonial influence that was responsible for the colonialization of the Caribbean region. All patches have their o wn unique shape and design, and eventually come together to makeRead MoreAn Active Role in Shaping History Essay1590 Words   |  7 Pagesshaped ultimately by outsiders. The colonization of Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America were all controlled and executed by the Europeans. The slave trade and plantations were also under the power of whites. Even the emancipation of slaves, though the African-descended definitely contributed, was mostly shaped by and a result of decisions in which they had no involvement. They were unable to play an active role in their Diaspora; they were forced to be passive participants. However, followingRead MoreThe Importance Of Slave Trade In Africa751 Words   |  4 PagesEnslaved Africans taken to Brazil came mainly from Angola and those taken to Caribbean were mostly from West Africa. The top African countries that supplied slaves to the European nations were the west central Africa which in the present day is known as the democratic republic of C ongo and Angola. Other areas include the Gold Coast, eastern Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon. Majority of the enslaved Africans were shifted to Caribbean, Spanish empire and Brazil (Rawley p49) On the way to the European countries

Can Christians Believe in Dinosaurs

Plenty of animals make cameo appearances in the Old and New Testaments—snakes, sheep, and frogs, to name just three—but there isnt a single mention of dinosaurs. (Yes, some Christians maintain that the serpents of the Bible were really dinosaurs, as were the fearsomely named monsters Behemoth and Leviathan, but this isnt a widely accepted interpretation.) This lack of inclusion, combined with scientists assertion that dinosaurs lived over 65 million years ago, makes many Christians skeptical about the existence of dinosaurs, and of prehistoric life in general. The question is, can a devout Christian believe in creatures like Apatosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex without running afoul of the articles of his faith? In order to answer this question, we first have to define what we mean by the word Christian. The fact is that there are over two billion self-identified Christians in the world, and most of them practice a very moderate form of their religion (just as the majority of Muslims, Jews, and Hindus practice moderate forms of their religions). Of this number, about 300 million identify themselves as fundamentalist Christians, an inflexible subset of which believes in the inerrancy of the Bible concerning all things (ranging from morality to paleontology) and therefore have the most difficulty accepting the idea of dinosaurs and deep geological time. Still, some types of fundamentalists are more fundamental than others, meaning its difficult to establish exactly how many of these Christians genuinely disbelieve in dinosaurs, evolution, and an earth thats older than a few thousand years. Even taking the most generous estimate of the number of die-hard fundamentalists, that still leaves about 1.9 billion Christians who have no trouble reconciling scientific discoveries with their belief system. No less an authority than Pope Pius XII said, in 1950, that there was nothing wrong with believing in evolution, with the proviso that the individual human soul is still created by God (an issue about which science has nothing to say), and in 2014 Pope Francis actively endorsed evolutionary theory (as well as other scientific ideas, like global warming, that some people disbelieve). Can Fundamentalist Christians Believe in Dinosaurs? The main thing that distinguishes fundamentalists from other types of Christians is their belief that the Old and New Testaments are literally true—and thus the first and last word in any debate concerning morality, geology, and biology. While most Christian authorities have no trouble interpreting the six days of creation in the Bible as figurative rather than literal—for all we know, each day may have been 500 million years long! Fundamentalists insist that a biblical day is exactly as long as a modern day. Combined with a close reading of the age of the patriarchs, and a reconstruction of the timeline of biblical events, this leads fundamentalists to deduce an age for the earth of about 6,000 years. Needless to say, its extremely difficult to fit creation and dinosaurs (not to mention most of geology, astronomy and evolutionary biology) into that brief a time frame. Fundamentalists propose the following solutions to this dilemma: Dinosaurs were real, but they lived only a few thousand years ago. This is the most common solution to the dinosaur problem: Stegosaurus, Triceratops and their ilk roamed the earth during Biblical times, and were even led, two by two, onto Noahs Ark (or taken aboard as eggs). In this view, paleontologists are at best misinformed, and at worst perpetrating an outright fraud, when they date fossils to tens of millions of years ago, since this goes against the word of the Bible. Dinosaurs are real, and theyre still with us today. How can we say dinosaurs went extinct millions of years ago when there are still tyrannosaurs roaming the jungles of Africa and plesiosaurs shadowing the ocean floor? This line of reasoning is even more logically incoherent than the others since the discovery of a living, breathing Allosaurus wouldnt prove anything about a) the existence of dinosaurs during the Mesozoic Era or b) the viability of the theory of evolution. The fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals were planted by Satan. This is the ultimate conspiracy theory: the evidence for the existence of dinosaurs was planted by no less an arch-fiend than Lucifer, to lead Christians away from the one true path to salvation. Granted, not many fundamentalists subscribe to this belief, and its unclear how seriously its taken by its adherents (who may be more interested in scaring people onto the straight and narrow than stating the unadorned facts). How Can You Argue with a Fundamentalist About Dinosaurs? The short answer is: you cant. Today, most reputable scientists have a policy of not engaging in debates with fundamentalists about the fossil record or the theory of evolution, because the two parties are arguing from incompatible premises. Scientists gather empirical data, fit theories to discovered patterns, change their views when circumstances demand, and boldly go where the evidence leads them. Fundamentalist Christians are deeply distrustful of empirical science and insist that the Old and New Testaments are the only true source of all knowledge. These two world-views overlap exactly nowhere! In an ideal world, fundamentalist beliefs about dinosaurs and evolution would fade into obscurity, driven out of the sunlight by the overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. In the world we live in, though, school boards in conservative regions of the U.S. are still trying to either remove references to evolution in science textbooks, or add passages about intelligent design (a well-known smokescreen for fundamentalist views about evolution). Clearly, vis-a-vis the existence of dinosaurs, we still have a long way to go to convince fundamentalist Christians of the value of science.

Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads Free Essays

Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the continuous journey of life; there exists not a path that leaves one with but a sole direction in which to advance. In his poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Robert Frost exhibits insight and perception in using poetic techniques to communicate this message. The piece depicts a man’s regret at not being able to travel two roads, and having to make a choice between the two. We will write a custom essay sample on Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads or any similar topic only for you Order Now The importance of making decisions is disclosed in the narrator’s assertion that his choice â€Å"has made all the difference.† The first few lines of the poem introduce the elements of Frost’s primary metaphor and symbol, the diverging roads. The use of the road suggests that life is a journey that the narrator is traveling. The â€Å"two roads diverged† symbolize the points in this journey where one must make choices. As the narrator contemplates his decision, wishing that he could take both paths at the same time while knowing there is no possibility in that, the reader is able to glimpse the strength of Frost’s symbolism- every person must make decisions with the knowledge that going back and changing them is impossible, because one has already traveled too far down the chosen path to turn back. The setting, along with imagery, assists in developing the key symbols of the poem. The piece opens with the narrator taking a walk in the woods during the autumn season, when he is suddenly confronted with a diverging path. The central image of â€Å"two roads diverged† helps to convey the theme of having to make choices in life. The â€Å"yellow wood† corresponds to the autumn season, a period that is often related to the end of the annual cycle in flora and foliage. Autumn may be perceived as a state in limbo between the vivacity of summer and the chill of winter. The speaker examines one path to the best of his ability: â€Å". . . and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth†. His vision, however, is limited because the path bends, and a certain amount of undergrowth obscure the destination of the road. The description of the paths indicates that although the speaker would like to acquire more information, he is prevented from doing so because of the nature of his environment. The road that will be chosen leads to the unknown, as does any choice in life. The concept of â€Å"two roads diverged in a yellow wood† illustrates an interval between two phases in life, and helps convey the theme of one having to inevitably choose between digressing paths. The ironic tone is inescapable: â€Å"I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence.† The speaker anticipates his own future insincerity. He knows that he will be inaccurate, at best, or hypocritical, at worst, when he holds his life up as an example. In fact, he predicts that his future self will betray this moment of decision as if the betrayal were inevitable. This realization is ironic and poignantly pathetic. But the â€Å"sigh† is critical. The speaker will not, in his old age, merely gather the youth about him and say, â€Å"Do what I did, kiddies. I stuck to my guns, took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.† Rather, he may say this, but he will sigh first; for he won’t believe it himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind will remain the image of yellow woods and two equally leafy paths. Ironic as it is, this is also a poem infused with the anticipation of remorse. Its title is not â€Å"The Road Less Traveled† but â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Even as he makes a choice (a choice he is forced to make if does not want to stand forever in the woods, one for which he has no real guide or definitive basis for decision-making), the speaker knows that he will second-guess himself somewhere down the line–or at the very least he will wonder at what is irrevocably lost: the impossible, unknowable Other Path. But the nature of the decision is such that there is no Right Path–just the chosen path and the other path. What are sighed for ages and ages hence are not so much the wrong decisions as the moments of decision themselves–moments that, one atop the other, mark the passing of a life. This is the more primal strain of remorse. It is observed that the title of the poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken,† may be intended to serve as a subtle hint, an insinuation of the narrator’s dissatisfaction with the decision he made. What about â€Å"the one less traveled by†? Neither of the roads was less traveled than the other. He less traveled both roads because this was the first time the narrator had come upon these paths. Leaves covered the ground, and since the time they had fallen no one had yet to pass by on this road; both were worn about the same â€Å"in leaves that no step had trodden black.† Nevertheless, the speaker is unhappy that he took the path that he chose, and yearns to go back and take â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Time, however, does not allow second chances. â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is an ironic commentary on the autonomy of choice in a world governed by instincts, unpredictable contingencies, and limited possibilities. It parodies and demurs from the biblical idea that God is the â€Å"way† that can and should be followed and the American idea that nature provides the path to spiritual enlightenment. The title refers doubly to bravado for choosing a road less traveled but also to regret for a road of lost possibility and the eliminations and changes produced by choice. â€Å"The Road Not Taken † reminds us of the consequences of the principle of selection in al1 aspects of life, namely that al1 choices in knowledge or in action exclude many others and lead to an ironic recognitions of our achievements. At the heart of the poem is the romantic mythology of flight from a fixed world of limited possibility into a wilderness of many possibilities combined with trials and choices through which the pilgrim progresses to divine perfection. The reader finds, at the literal level, the narrator expressing his regret at his human limitations, at not being able to travel two roads; he must make a choice. The choice is not easy, since it took him a long time to come to a decision: â€Å" . . . long I stood and looked down one as far as I could†. He examines one path â€Å"to where it bent in the undergrowth†, but his vision is limited because the path bends and is covered over. He describes the second path as â€Å"just as fair† as the first rather than more fair, and that the paths are â€Å"really about the same†. This ambiguous evaluation of the paths reveals his search for a clear and logical reason to decide on one path over another– only that reason is unavailable. When the narrator finally makes his decision, he tries to persuade himself that he will eventually satisfy the desire to travel both paths, while simultaneously admitting that such a hope is unrealistic:  Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.  At the end of the poem, in the future, the narrator will claim that the paths were actually different from each other, and that his choice â€Å"has made all the difference.† The last lines of the poem suggest that life would have been different had the speaker taken the other path: â€Å"I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.† The fact that the speaker says the entire last stanza â€Å"with a sigh† works together with the title to show that the speaker is disappointed with the choice he made. Once the entire poem is read, it may be realized that this is not an inspirational piece about why one should be different from everyone else. Rather, it reminds the reader of the consequences that follow a decision, and the manner in which one choice can shape one’s life. In his poem, Robert Frost conveys his notion of life as a journey that every person must travel, a journey laden with diverging roads, many decisions, and occasional sighs; the piece demonstrates the poet’s belief that it is the road that one chooses that makes him or her the person who he or she is. â€Å"The Road Not Taken† leaves its readers with many different interpretations. In any case, however, it is Frost’s clever use of poetic techniques to express the theme that opens the door for analysis, and allows all readers from different backgrounds to relate to the poem. How to cite Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads, Essay examples

How To Write The Title Of A Short Story In An Essay Example For Students

How To Write The Title Of A Short Story In An Essay It was one of those nights that the sky was clear and the stars were visible. I had just defeated the stress of finals and was now ready to be back in action; the late night activity of the San Francisco underground scene was calling my name. It is where a person could go and walk down one street and probably visit at least 30 clubs by doing this. There was a particular flavor I was in search of this night, something that could make me exert my body to its fullest extent. I needed to go and release some stress by dancing at a club, I needed to let loose. When my friends Mike, Christina and I arrived in San Francisco our first destination was the Cat Club. It was a seedy little place hosted the break beat and jungle music. It wasnt much to look at it, with its dark entrance and several vagrants sleeping in the street near the entrance. A different crowd hung out there. It was a mixture of old dance party burnouts and very young ambitious club-goers. I felt confident though, I was going to go in there and knock the crowds socks off. I was in my best fits (outfit); I was wearing my black old school Adidas running suit with white stripes, and a black Kangol hat. The Adidas Superstar shoes that I was wearing had my white fat laces in them, to add a little flavor, but the shoes themselves looked almost war torn; they were scared from many other late nights. As the line moved forward closer to the entrance of the club, I could feel the pulsating vibes of the music like a gust of wind every time the door was opened to allow other patrons int o the club. It sounded wild in there, I was outside and I wanted to be in there so bad. Just the sound of the music and feeling of the vibration was making me more anxious then ever. I felt like a little kid waiting for Christmas.I needed to be inside, on the dance floor, just it and me. I was going to dance tonight. Suddenly, the line had stopped. What was going on? This couldnt be happening I needed to be inside; I needed to feel weightless and sweaty from some fast paced break dancing. My legs were jittery with anticipation. I felt like I was going to go mad. Mike being as pushy as he usually is walked up to the bouncer and in his English accent said to him, Oie, whats the hold up, why are we still standing outside freezing our bullocks off The bouncer looked at him with amazement that someone would actually approach him that way. I heard him say very humbly, that the bathroom had been backed up so they needed to clean the overflow and it would be about 33 minutes; he said that t hey didnt want to let anymore people in so it wouldnt intensify the mess. It was understandable, but I was now at the edge. Mike walked back and looked over he knew without saying anything that I had heard what the bouncer said. Not a word was said for about 5 minutes until Christina began whining, I am so bored waiting in line just is not fun! My clothes are too expensive to just be standing here in the street!!!! As pretty as I am she be the first one in, god damn it!!!! She was a bit self-centered. She loved to play the displaced glamour queen. I didnt pay much attention to her; I just needed to dance! At this point it felt as though all of the stress that had built up from school was coming back tenfold. I hated waiting in line at clubs it was the worst thing to do. Usually you would know someone at the club and they would put you on the list or the line moved pretty quick. I felt like a social reject waiting in line with people that I had never noticed in any club before. I sat here and wondered where the hell were most of theses people when I

Urban Economics The Urbanization Process and its Effects

Introduction The human society can generally be divided into urban and rural inhabitants. For centuries, the majority of the global population lived in rural settlements. However, this trend has been reversed in the last few centuries with more people joining urban settlements. In the last few decades, the world’s population has experienced a great transformation as the urbanization process has taken root.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Urban Economics: The Urbanization Process and its Effects specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The year 2007 was a tipping point when the global urban population became greater than the rural population. This made the world predominantly urban and this trend is expected to continue with the projections indicating that 60% of the world’s population will be living in urban settlements by the year 2030. Considering the prevalence of urbanization in the modern world an d the importance attached to this process, this paper will set out to discuss urbanization. It will begin by providing a historical overview of the process and trace out how urbanization has progressed over the centuries. The paper will then discuss some of the impacts that urbanization has had on society including economic effects, environmental effects, and social effects. Urbanization: A Brief History The size and number of urban settlements in the world have grown impressively over the last century. By definition, urbanization is referred to as â€Å"the process by which rural areas become urbanized because of economic development and industrialization†.1 Researchers indicate that urbanization is initiated when a society develops from the agricultural to the industrial sector.2 In addition to this, urbanization is also caused by the movement of people from rural areas to urban centers that are characterized by high industrialization and greater economic development. Urban areas are normally the centers of trade and commerce in the country. When compared to the rural areas, urban settlements have larger and denser populations. The phenomena of urbanization can be traced back to many millenniums ago. Historians document that around 6,000 years ago, the earliest form of urban life emerged in the geographical region currently occupied by Iraq. These early urban settlements were built around areas where traders converged. Trade was therefore the key catalyst of urbanization. The next major urban settlement took place in South America. Due to the significant agricultural conquest of the Mayans and their complex political organization, urban centers were able to develop. Advancements in Mayan building technology led to the implementation of architectural complexes.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Administrative and economic hubs were establish ed at the epicenter of these complexes and clusters of residential houses were clustered around them. The Chinese built the first large urban settlements in the 13th century and they continued to do this over the following centuries. Some of the major cities built by the Chinese such as Hangzhou and Chang’an were populated with over a million inhabitants making China home to the first large cities of the world.3 Due to the success of the Chinese cities, great dynasties were established and the Chinese civilization witnessed significant advancements. Until the end of the eighteenth century, the bigger percentage of the global population lived in rural settlements. The urban population was scarce due to limited food supplies and poor transportation networks. By 1850, the urban population was only 4% of the entire human population and there were only 110 cities in the whole world with a population above 100,000.4 Most of these cities were located in Europe, Asia, and the America s. The growth of urbanization began earnestly during the nineteenth century. The growth in the urbanization process was accompanied by a marked rise in the world’s population. People migrated in large numbers to the urban centers where they took up work in the industries.5 Europe and the United States experienced the greatest levels of urbanization starting from the mid nineteenth century. By 1890, 20% of the European and American population could be found in urban settlements. The urbanization process in these regions became more intense during the twentieth century and by 1950, the urban population had surpassed 20% in Europe and the US. Urbanization occurred significantly later in the developing world. While high levels of urbanization had been realized in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia by the year 1950, limited urbanization existed in South Asia, East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Urban Economics: The U rbanization Process and its Effects specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the rate of urbanization started to increase in the late 20th century and by the beginning of the 21st century, a significant portion of the developing world’s population lived in urban settlements.6 Presently, the developing world is experiencing the highest rate of urban growth. Urbanization has led to the growth of large cities (with a population of over a million) and mega cities (with a population of over 10 million inhabitants). In the initial stages, urban cities were classified as those with over 100,000 inhabitants. However, the population of cities has exploded and today a city with 100,000 people is considered small. The phenomenon of mega-cities has started to take root in all continents. London was the first megacity at around 1990 with a population of 10million.7 However, the number of megacities has increased and by 2005, there were 20 megacities with the majority of these being in developing nations, most notably China and India. Effects of Urbanization Urbanization has some significant consequences on the society. As has been noted from its definition, urbanization promotes development and it leads to increased population density as it promotes the movement of people from one geographical area to another. These occurrences have some significant impacts that can be classified as follows. Economic Effects The economy of a country is greatly influenced by the urbanization process. The correlation between urbanization and economic development can be seen from the fact that all developed nations exhibit high levels of urbanization. Reports indicate that highly industrialized countries such as the US, Germany and Britain have over 75% of their population living in urban areas.8 Urbanization has gained ground in modern society and it is expected to keep growing. Presently, rapid urbanization is mostly taking place in d eveloping nations. High urbanization is seen as a tool for development and many nations have embarked on intensified urbanization projects. The United Nations reports that by the year 2008, over half the world’s population will be living in urban areas. Urbanization encourages global trade by promoting specialization and mass production of goods. Pellow rightfully notes that modernity is almost universally equated with the degree to which a nation has succeeded in urbanizing itself and integrating its urban centers into the global economy.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Through novel technology, a country is able to produce goods that can be sold in the global market for a profit increasing the economic well being of the country. By producing goods that can be exported to other countries and creating a market for foreign products, urban centres promote international trade. The influence that urbanization has on the global economy is evident from the fact that the top 600 urban centers in the world generate almost 60% of the whole world’s GDP.9 In addition to this, urbanization promotes trade by increasing the individual consumption level. Researchers agree that urban settlements command an increasingly dominant role in the global economy.10 These are the major centers of both production and consumption. People in urban centers purchase many goods and services due to their increased purchasing power and needs. The overall economy of the country is stimulated by the increased consumption encouraged by urbanization. Urbanization increases the j ob opportunities for the population. This is achieved through the high level of diversification of commercial activities in the country encouraged by urbanization.11 While the rural economy is typically based on agriculture, the urban economy is based on a wide variety of industries and trade opportunities. Individuals are able to seek employment in the various avenues presented by urbanization . In addition to the formal sector in the urban settlements, there are many informal jobs available. The informal sector, which springs up due to urbanization, plays an integral role in the economy of nations. For many developing nations, the informal sector creates many jobs leading to lower unemployment rates. The role of the informal sector is especially prominent in developing nations where 33% to 50% of all output is generated by this sector.12 Environmental Effects Urbanization has some significant impacts on the environment. While the impact of urbanization on the environment was not v ery dramatic, the recent rise of large and megacities has increased the environmental impact that urbanization brings about. To begin with, urbanization has increased the rate at which natural resources are depleted.13 Building huge urban settlements requires more resources that sustaining a rural settlement. Resources such as timber, iron, and stones to name but a few have been exploited to build large cities. Urbanization has had a negative effect on water resources. Huge water resources are required to operate cities. To provide for the enormous water needs of the urban settlements, groundwater has been exploited extensively. Groundwater is the main water source for use in industry, irrigation, and drinking for most urban settlements.14 This overuse of water has had a negative effect on the land above the water bearing aquifers. Land subsidence is one of the negative impacts of groundwater exploitation. This phenomenon refers to the lowering of the land surface due to the compact ing of clay layers within an aquifer due to overexploitation of the water reserves.15 Land subsidence causes disruption of road surfaces and it leads to the development of cracks in buildings. The over-exploitation of groundwater has also contributed to the destruction of wetlands and lakes. As more water is drawn from the ground, the level of infiltration of water from inland rivers, wetlands and lakes increases. This leads to a decline in surface water and wetlands are destroyed. Urbanization has contributed to environmental pollution. The pollution has mostly occurred in regions where urbanization has occurred in an unplanned fashion.16 In these regions, open drains of raw and untreated sewerage are allowed to exist. Open untreated sewerage leads to air pollution as toxic gases are emitted by the decomposing waste. In addition to this, urbanization has led to the problem of garbage disposal. In cities with poor urban planning and services, huge garbage dumps are set up in some pa rts of the city. These dumps lead to the degradation of the natural beauty and pollute the air. Dumps also lead to a spread of diseases and pollute the groundwater as the liquid waste seeps into the ground. Some cities make use of mass incinerators to deal with their waste. However, incinerators produce harmful emissions that are released into the environment. Burning of waste therefore contributes to environmental degradation.17 Population Effects A major issue brought about by urbanization is housing. Researchers admit that rapid urbanization leads to housing management problems since the existing houses are unable to meet the demands of the vast number of people moving into the cities.18 Rapid urbanization results in the concentration of people in small tracks of land. Due to rapid and unplanned urban growth, substandard housing and crowding is prevalent in many urban regions in the developing world. This densification negatively affects the poor who are forced to live in slums a nd shanties. Slums have emerged as a common feature in urban settlements in all developing countries and some developed nations. Slums have non-standard and poor quality housing units and they mostly house the poor communities in the urban settlements. The infrastructure available in most slums is degenerative and there is a socially disorganized neighborhood. The decline in rural development has been blamed on urbanization since this process has contributed to rural population decline. While the fertility rates in both urban and rural areas are equal, urban areas have witnessed an increase in population while rural areas have suffered from a decline. The appeal of better employment prospects and access to health and education facilities has led to the increase in rural-urban migration in many nations.19 The youth have emigrated in large numbers from their rural homes to the urban centers. The rural areas have therefore suffered from under development since the individuals who would serve as the labor force for development have migrated to urban areas. Social Effects Urbanization has a marked impact on some of the major social amenities offered by the nation to its citizens. A study on urbanization and education noted that policy makers regard providing education in urban settlements as a pragmatic decision. This perception is based on a number of factors including the fact that urban areas exhibit higher levels of student enrollment in the country’s education system. Governments are therefore more inclined to offer the best education in urban areas compared to rural areas since it is typically cheaper and more efficient to do so. The greater efficiency arises from the fact that a large portion of the urban population is able to pay for these social services. In this way, urban settlements become centers of learning and innovation is encouraged due to urbanization. In addition to this, the government obtains higher returns from providing public services such as education to the urbanized settlements since the urban living provides greater reinforcement for better academic performance. As such, inhabitants of urban areas have better access to education and training facilities. This leads to a greater intellectual and personal development for individuals in the urban settlements. The better access to education and training prompts some people to migrate from the rural to the urban areas. Urbanization has had an effect on the concept of family and gender roles in society. The urbanization process has contributed to the decline of the traditional family concept. New types of households based on partnerships are emerging. Women in the urban areas are more likely to be engaged in the labor market.20 This participation of women in the labor market arises due to a number of reasons. To begin with, urbanization leads to better education opportunities for both genders. Women with a high level of education are likely to be engaged in the lab or market.21 In addition to this, life in the urban settlements is relatively expensive. Families are therefore able to lead lives that are more comfortable if they have two breadwinners. Urbanization has increased the health outcomes of individuals. The overall health, which comprises of an absence of disease and a presence of mental and social well-being in the individual, has increased dramatically because of urbanization.22 Urban settlements lead to the increase in the quality of life for a large segment of the population. Infectious diseases that are exacerbated by poor quality of life such as typhoid and tuberculosis have reduced drastically due to urbanization. However, urbanization has led to an increase in some non-communicable diseases. These diseases have become prevalent due to the lifestyles and behaviors adopted by people in urban settlements.23 Due to poor diets, lifestyle diseases such as obesity and high blood pressure are prevalent in urban areas. The high levels o f pollution due to the presence of industries and many vehicles in urban areas have increased respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis. In addition to this, urban living can result in poorer mental health outcomes. People in the urban space are exposed to greater levels of mental stress at work and in the home setting. Due to a lack of a good social network, urban settlers are likely to succumb to depression and this will interfere with the individual’s ability to operate normally.24 Discussion It should be noted that Urbanization has occurred in a heterogeneous manner. Some cities have grown into highly efficient centers where innovation and development is abundant. In these model cities, opportunities for prosperities for millions of people have been presented with huge gains. On the other hand, some cities have grown in rampant and unplanned manners leading to great inefficiencies. These cities are fragile in nature and present dangers especially for the poorest residents who lack proper housing and a stable means of livelihood. From this paper, it is clear that the urbanization process has social as well as economic implications. While urbanization can be an effective tool of development, it can also lead to detrimental effects. Specifically, expansive and rapid urbanization can lead to poverty, poor quality of life, and environmental degradation. While most developed nations have been able to manage the negative impacts and mitigate them significantly, a majority of the developing nations are struggling to deal with the impacts of urbanization. The World Development Report asserts that rapid and unplanned urban growth is the source of most of the environmental hazards present in urban regions in the developing world.25 For this reason, urbanization is regarded as a serious global problem. Policy makers all over the world have therefore been forced to recognize the negative impacts that unplanned urban development can bring about in their respective countries. As a result, many countries are investing more in urban planning in order to benefit from urbanization and avoid the negative impacts that this process leads to. Modern cities in developed nations are developed with the environment in mind. Steps are taken to improve the health of the city’s air, water, and land resources. The urban settlements have a sustainability plan that incorporates environmental consciousness in the building of the cities.26 Such plans make recommendations on sustainable transportation, energy use, and economic development in the region. Conclusion This paper set out to discuss urbanization and its impacts on the world. It began by noting that the global urban population has risen from a mere 3% of the world population in the early 1800s to a significant 50% by the year 2007. The paper then traced the history of urbanization from the Arabs in the Middle East to the Chinese in Asia. It then proceeded to demonstrate the urbanization has a positive impact on the economy of the country. The social outcomes of the population are also improved by urbanization as people have better access to amenities such as health and education. However, the paper has also illustrated that while urbanization acts as a force of great development on one hand, it exposes the population to numerous risks on the other. It has recorded how urbanization leads to an intensified pressure on natural resources and negative impacts on the environment. Policy makers should take action to mitigate the negative effects of urbanization and ensure that the global community continues to benefit from this process. References Bengtson VL, ‘Beyond the Nuclear Family: The Increasing Importance of Multigenerational Bonds’, Journal of Marriage and Family, vol. 63, no. 1, 2001, pp.1-16. Dociu M Dunarintu A, ‘The Socio-Economic Impact of Urbanization’, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Managem ent Sciences, vol. 2, no. 1, 2012, pp. 47-52. Giffin J, Urbanization: Its Effects on Government and Society, Literary Licensing, LLC, London, 2012. Heynen N Kaika M, In the Nature of Cities Urban political ecology and the politics of urban metabolism, Routledge, NY, 2006. Muggah R, Researching the Urban Dilemma: Urbanization, Poverty and Violence. IDRC, Quebec, 2012. Pellow C, Transnational alliances and global politics New geographies of urban environmental justice struggles, Routledge, New York, 2006, Peng X, Chen X Cheng, Y, Urbanization and its consequences, UNESCO-EOLSS. New York, 2010. Thomas, A, ‘Urbanization Before Cities: Lessons for Social Theory from the Evolution of Cities’, Social Sciences, vol. 18, no. 2, 2012, pp. 211-235. Tolley G, Urbanization and Economic Development, 2009. Web. Vlahov D Galea S, Urbanization, urbanicity and health, Academy of Medicine, Oxford University Press, New York, 2002. Wagner L, Urbanization: 21st Century Issues and Challeng es, Nova Publishers, Boston, 2008. Webb B, Sustainability of Groundwater Resources and Its Indicators, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, Boston, 2006. Yasin G, Sumaira S Farhan F, ‘Rapid Urbanization as a Source of Social and Ecological Decay: A Case of Multan City, Pakistan’, Asian Social Science, vol. 8, no. 4, 2010, pp. 180-189. Footnotes 1 X Peng, X Chen Y Cheng, Urbanization and its consequences, UNESCO-EOLSS. New York, 2010, p.2. 2 L Wagner, Urbanization: 21st Century Issues and Challenges, Nova Publishers, Boston, 2008, p.30. 3 Ibid, p.3 4 Wagner, p.29. 5 A Thomas ‘Urbanization Before Cities: Lessons for Social Theory from the Evolution of Cities’, Social Sciences, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2012, p. 212 6 Wagner, p. 39. 7 Yasin et al., p.182. 8 Ibid, p. 213. 9 R Muggah, Researching the Urban Dilemma: Urbanization, Poverty and Violence, IDRC, Quebec, 2012, p.1. 10 Yasin et al., p. 181. 11 M Dociu A Dunarintu, ‘The Socio-Economic Impac t of Urbanization’, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012, p. 50. 12 X Peng et al., p.3. 13 M Dociu A Dunarintu, p.49. 14 B Webb, Sustainability of Groundwater Resources and Its Indicators, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, Boston, 2006, p. 54 15 Ibid, p. 59 16 N Heynen M Kaika, In the Nature of Cities Urban political ecology and the politics of urban metabolism, Routledge, NY, 2006, p.43. 17 Ibid, p.44. 18 G Tolley, p.1. 19 Yasin et al., p. 183. 20 M Dociu M A Dunarintu, p. 50. 21 Ibid, p.51. 22 D Vlahov S Galea, Urbanization, urbanicity and health, Academy of Medicine, Oxford University Press, NY, 2002, p.24. 23 Ibid, p. 29. 24 V Bengtson, ‘Beyond the Nuclear Family: The Increasing Importance of Multigenerational Bonds’, Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 63, No. 1, 2001, p. 5. 25 G Yasin, et al., p.182. 26 N Heynen M Kaika p.52. 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