Bob Dylans Impact on Pop Culture - 1515 Words

POPULAR CULTURE ESSAY- BOB DYLAN Duluth Minnesota, May 24th 1941 Robert Allen Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) was born. 69 Years and over 45 albums later Bob Dylan has completely altered the face of popular music since his debut as a fresh faced folk singer in 1962. His early career forged him into an informal chronicler and then he later developed into an apparently reluctant figurehead of social unrest [Gray, 2006] and became a voice for a generation. His songs have been covered by many artists in a wide span of genres and he has remained a prominent and highly influential figure in the history of popular music over the past five decades. [Gates, David, 1997] In the early sixties, before Bob Dylan emerged, the concept of folk and rock fusing was†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Beatles shift towards more introspective songwriting in the 60’s would never have happened without him† [V.Bogdanov, 2002]. Artists such as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits all acknowledge the profound impact Dylan had on the industry and themselves as artists. â€Å"Bob Dylan, Ill never be Bob Dylan. Hes the master. If Id like to be anyone, its him. And hes a great writer, true to his music and done what he feels is the right thing to do for years and years and years. Hes great. Hes the one I look to†. [Neil Young, 2005]. Dylan encapsulated a generations hunger for change, challenged the social and political status quo but interestingly seemingly rejected this status after receiving the ‘Tom Paine Award’ from the National Emergency and Civil Li berties Committee he drunkenly questioned the role of the committee and claimed to see something of himself and everyone in JFK’s alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald [Andrew Loog Olham, 2005]. In 1965 The Byrds cover of his song Mr. Tambourine Man helped to propel not only The Byrds to super stardom but established the folk rock genre. [V.Bogdanov, 2002]. His verbal sophistication drew comparison to the romantic poets and much literary criticism artists still strive to attain today. His launch of Theme Time Radio Hour for XM Satellite Radio helped him to establishShow MoreRelatedBob Dylan: The Voice of a Generation Essay961 Words   |  4 Pagesthe fact that this country was engaged in a bloody stalemate in the jungles of Southeast Asia, but because we were gradually transforming into a new, better America back home. Because these tumultuous times were so important in shaping the country, Bob Dylan, a legendary songwriter, became the voice of an entire generation, and therefo re, an unlikely icon amidst the other titans of American history. Perhaps the most famous man ever born in frosty Minnesota, Robert Zimmerman came into this worldRead More Bob Dylan Essay3671 Words   |  15 PagesBob Dylan When I was fifteen and I heard Like a Rolling Stone, I heard a guy like Ive never heard before or since. A guy that had the guts to take on the whole world and make me feel like I had em too... - Bruce Springsteen The Grammy Awards ceremony in 1991 was not all that different from those which preceded it. A crowded auditorium littered with the beautiful people of Hollywood and the music industry once again gathered in Los Angeles to honor the years most popular recordingRead MoreBob Dylans Impact on Popular Music1013 Words   |  5 PagesBob Dylan is a man that needs no introduction, He was a poet with a guitar who brought poetic interest back to the younger generations. Born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24th 1941, no one saw him coming. Dylan started his music career upon dropping out of college and moving to New York, After reading his musical icon, Woody Guthries partially fictionalized autobiography, â€Å"Bound for Glory†, where he changed his name and began performing in Greenwich emulating his idol. He was given a 5 year contractRead MoreHow Media Has Shaped The Ages Through Music1273 Words   |  6 Pagesand significance of music in shaping the ages is primarily attributed to the fact that it represents more than entertainment as it has spoken for generations and exemplified belief systems. Generally, music has had a tremendous relationship to and impact on social movements in every decade from the 1960s through 2000-2010. Music has been used as a means of exemplifying the mood of the decade in terms of high profile events or movements that took place in the respective decade. Music through the Decades:Read MoreThe Evolution Of Folk Rock1543 Words   |  7 PagesFolk Rock, 1964-1967 Throughout the 1960’s Folk contributed to, and benefited from, the evolution of rock as a whole and eventually bolstered an American response to the British Invasion. Humble and politically potent, the early Folk discography of Bob Dylan gained favor with a maturing audience while laying the groundwork for Folk Rock as a distinct subgenre. Though mildly successful in his own right, his songwriting inspired numerous covers by myriad groups inside and outside the genre, and of theseRead MorePop Culture Has Influenced The American Way1043 Words   |  5 PagesPop culture has always influenced the American way. In fact, there is a saying that politics is downstream from culture. What this means is that laws, policies, and guidelines that the government enforces are all influenced by what is being said and done in pop culture. It may be hard to see this example today, but there were certain parts in time where this idea could be easily seen. One of these eras was the 1960s. The 1960s was filled with turbulence. This is because of all of the significantRead MoreMusic s Influence On America1467 Words   |  6 Pagesfavorite part of the class was learning about the history of American music and how it influenced culture. One could argue that culture affected music first, or vice versa. In my opinion, there are cases where both scenarios played out. In this paper, I will combine my thoughts with many of the details that we learned in class to show that sometimes music impacted culture first, and other times culture impacted music. Pre-1900’s It is difficult to talk about music in America without quickly summarizingRead More The Influence of Protest Music during the 1960’s And Beyond Essay examples3816 Words   |  16 Pagesa popular form of art known as protest music, which responded to the social turmoil of that era, from the civil rights movement to the war in Vietnam. A veritable pantheon of musicians, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan sang their songs to encourage union organizers to protest the inequities of their time, creating a diverse variety of popular protest music, which has reached out to the youthful generations everywhere demanding for a revolutionary change. TheRead More Black Music and the Civil Rights Movement Essay3856 Words   |  16 Pagesinto white mainstream pop culture almost overnight. The breakthrough of Elvis happening almost simultaneously with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement was no accident. As any scholar of the humanities would tell yo u that often times after a great war there exists a time of enlightenment, prosperity and reformation. One such cultural revival took place in this nation after the closing of the Second World War. The progressive thought of the ‘50s nurtured new ideas and cultures including the CivilRead MoreMusic Is An Art, Music, And Music1494 Words   |  6 Pagesmessage to making a lasting impact on music and change music in the future. In this paper I will be talking about a few of those iconic artists, how they have been influenced by major social and cultural changes during their careers and how their music has reflected that. Throughout our history, politics and music have intermingled. Artists have used their power of fame to be the soundtrack for movements of change in our society. When I think about an artist who has made an impact on rock roll or music

Ninety-Five Theses Paper Free Essays

During the earlier years of Christianity, at a time when most Catholic leaders were focused on political values rather than spiritual values, people would pay money for indulgences in order to remove the temporal punishments attached to their sins. Michael Mullet’s non-fiction work Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses studies the roots of the Protestant Reformation by giving detailed background information on Martin Luther and how Luther contributed to a religious revolution which would change the way of Christian life. Martin Luther’s work allowed people to question their faith and gave people the courage to open their own churches even in the face of powerful Catholic leaders. We will write a custom essay sample on Ninety-Five Theses Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now By looking at how Luther interpreted ancient religious scriptures in order to understand God, we are able to see how he transformed into one of the greatest theologians in history and â€Å"broke the hold of the Catholic Church over Europe† (Mullet, 2003, p. 46) One of Luther’s first major steps into following his beliefs was defying his father’s ishes for his son to become a lawyer and instead Luther became an augustinian monk. Luther was not Just simply being rebellious, but rather was driven by spiritual turmoil when comprehending God and his teachings which led Luther to immerse himself in his studies regarding the sacred texts. Through years of internal conflict and searching for religious purpose Luther was able to reach enlightenment by interpreting God’s Judgment as something that should not be feared when faith alone is what brought you salvation. So when he witnessed papal indulgences he ungracefully nailed his 95 Theses to the door of a church arguing against the sales of indulgences which intimidated the church with bold statements that questioned their and God’s power. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses quickly grew into something more than Just a debate between powers and spread throughout Europe with the help of the printing press. The church was incapable of ignoring Luther’s sharp statements and it seemed Luther made no hesitation to push back against authority if he was given the chance. The papal authority could not allow Luther to continue threatening their standing in power and ultimately branded Luther as a heretic and banished him from the Holy Roman Empire. Luther was able to hide in a castle with the help of his friends and once in solitude he was able to translate the New Testament into German for the public to read and interpret on their own. Martin Luther’s courage to stand up against the Catholic church gave others the strength to choose and question religion, but peace among the new churches and the Catholic churches would not exist ithout the shed of blood and powerful claims. Martin Luther’s concept of God arose from his deep anxiety and is described by Michael Mullet in his book Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses as â€Å"sinners won acceptance from the God the Father – were ‘Justified’ – not actively, through their good deeds, but passively and simply by taitn r st na died on the Cross to save them† (p. 47). Luther gave us the power to break the holy chains binding people to their faith and explore a world without limitations. Dr. David Powlison – On Martin Luther’s first of the 95 Theses says that Martin Luther’s teachings can help us not only understand god but ourselves and others as well. The moment when a person truly reaches enlightenment is when he/she is able to grasp the realization that every single person in your life is real and alive as you are. That these people are not Just wondering faces but actual people like yourself with families and futures of their own. This sonder is what Martin Luther was trying to accomplish in his work along with sharing his interpretation of God’s sacred texts. How to cite Ninety-Five Theses Paper, Papers

Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications. Answer: Introduction: Schwinn Bicycle Company was one of the earliest bicycle manufacturers in the world. It was incorporated by Ignaz Schwinn and his financial associate Adolph Arnold. After twenty years of its inception, the company became a leader in the industry owing to the technology and superior quality that they offered but the company was not able to grasp the changing demand of the consumers which was shifting from an ordinary cycle to a BMX and mountain bikes that resulted in decline of its sales. Furthermore, the tough competition from the competitors of Europe and Japan on technological front hampered the companys sales to a great extent and led them towards bankruptcy (Karwatka, 2014). Based on the case study of Schwinn, the following factors can be highlighted as lesson that other companies from various industries can avoid while operating and to sustain in the long run of their business: Consumer Behavior: Arnold, Schwinn and Company was a dominant player in the field of bicycle manufacturing. It achieved success through its product Sting-Ray which had some unique features like banana seat, high-rise handles, which was a huge hit in the early 1960s. The companys sales began to decline in the 1970s as the company was less focused on identifying the changing consumer behavior which was moving away from a normal bicycle to road racing and touring bicycles (Solomon, 2014). Lack of Research and Development: Moreover, the company did not emphasize on its research and development due to which it failed to develop products for the BMX market and it also overlooked the immensely growing mountain biking craze. Despite tough competition from the manufacturers of the Europe and Japan who consistently upgraded their technology and adopted new techniques through involvement in various professional bicycle races, Schwinn produced heavy and old-fashioned bicycles compared to the light-weight and trendy bicycles produced by other manufacturers (Christensen, 2013). Extensive Investment: Further, Schwinn chose China and Taiwan for producing bicycles at competitive prices. Despite the fact that the suppliers produced high quality products at competitive prices, some unfortunate sourcing choices resulted in supply deficit, furious retailers and diminishing customers base which further resulted in decline of its market share from 25% in 1950s to 5% in 1992 before it went bankrupt. Further the company infused substantial amount of investment for training its employees in China after introducing its own manufacturing practices, though it enabled them to achieve high quality at lower cost but they still failed to sustain in the long run and became less competitive (Karwatka, 2014). Following steps can be undertaken by the companies to strengthen their competitive position: Innovation: The companies that are facing similar situations like Schwinn should make substantial investment in its product innovation and develop products that could create a competitive advantage for the company (Tassey, 2012). Research and Development: In the current era, where technology is the main weapon to gain a competitive advantage, the companies should aim on improving its technological competence on a continuous basis to stay updated with the latest technology. Further, the companies should look out for new and innovative trends and more importantly they should patent their technology to protect it against piracy and plagiarism (Tassey, 2012). Pricing: The companies should aim at becoming a low-cost manufacturer, which would enable them to give a tough competition to small businesses and discourage competition by offering prices which the competitors might not be capable of matching. If the companies are able to maintain their quality while offering economical product, then it would strengthen the competitive advantage further (Hollensen, 2015). Understanding Consumer Behavior: Evaluating and analyzing consumer behavior on a continuous basis would help the companies in drawing a deep insight into the changing pattern in the needs and demands of the consumers and develop products that would meet their demands accordingly (Solomon, 2014). The international strategies and essential components of global strategy applied in the case study are discussed below: Outsourcing: The Schwinn Cycle Company went on to partner with low-cost manufacturers in the developing countries like Taiwan and China for due to the low wages of the labor. The company interviewed numerous prospective suppliers and secured the best into a long term agreement for manufacturing its products. The company then reconstructed its function to execute the final assembly and quality assessment in United States (Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis Schnberger, J. (2017). Local Manufacturing: The company soon started its own manufacturing plant in China. It implemented its own production techniques and trained its employees in China which helped them in achieving economies of scale and superior quality at comparatively lower price. The company continuously expanded its operations in China and very soon began to sell both high-end as well as low-end bicycles in the Chinese market. It also developed some cycles for the luxury segment which further helped the company to grow further (Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis Schnberger, J. (2017). Global Expansion: The company expanded its operations on a global level by setting up latest facilities in Brazil and Europe. It was done with the intention of meeting the growing demand for the cycles in the European countries as well as to give competition to the local manufacturers based in Europe and the Japanese manufacturers who sold their products in the European market. Initially the company was flourishing at very fast pace but suddenly it began to decline and lost its market share drastically. The decline in business was due to lack of research and development done by the company. The company rarely took into consideration the changing behavior of the consumers and the advanced technology used by the European and Japanese manufacturers gave the company a stiff competition on technological ground (Trapczynski Wrona, 2013).International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) can adopt the following strategies to differentiate its products from its competitors and position with core ba se consumer product companies: Focus on Core Values: The company should focus on its core value of producing scents by using organic substances instead of artificial or chemical based agents which would make the companys products stand out against its competitors(Kim Wang, 2014). Product Innovation: The company which gives a greater emphasis on product innovation is always ahead in the competition. When some additional functions or features are attached to particular product, the company can demand a higher price or can defend its current price. The company can add features to its existing product through its own product development unit or by giving permit to other company to add some features. Some companies consider product innovation as their core business strategy (Becerra, Santal Silva, 2013). Packaging: Sometimes, everything it takes to rejuvenate and differentiate a product from the competitors is by changing the product packaging. The company can look for innovative techniques to create an appealing product packaging that can easily attract the customers towards it. Niche Marketing: The company should aim to sell its products in the niche market. As the company specializes in manufacturing fragrances including colognes and perfumes for end consumers, it can target the group of people who are fond of such products (Chun, 2015). Competitive Pricing: The company should adopt a competitive pricing strategy to gain an upper hand over its closest competitors. For that the company needs to make an analysis on the cost of manufacturing its products, customer analysis, competitors analysis, market research as well as SWOT analysis. The price should be such that it recovers all the costs included in manufacturing, advertising, shipping and many others. Value Addition: One of the most important factors that all companies take into consideration while differentiating their products in the current price motivated and products/services market is value addition to the product or service on the offering. Assuming that the company aims to sell its product through it official website as online shopping is the latest norm, it can create a value addition to its product by availing free home delivery of the product, free gift coupons. Further, the company can offer distinctive incentive schemes like money back guarantee or free membership as the customers these days always look for little additional push towards buying a product (Stark, 2015). The company should definitely invest in marketing communication strategy that seeks to establish its identity among the consumers. Integrated marketing communication has become an integral part of every business. Companies that uses integrated marketing communications focuses on creating a uniform message through all channels it uses, which lowers the marketing cost of the company. Further, this kind of marketing strategy makes contact with greater mass of audience due to the multiplicity. Below are the numerous benefits that the company can derive by investing into marketing communication strategy: Competitive Advantage: The company that invests in integrated marketing communication has a competitive advantage over its competitors as the marketing communication strategy helps the company to advertise and promote its brand to a larger audience (Blakeman, 2014). Reduced Advertising and Marketing Costs: While a company invests in developing a marketing communication strategy, it also reduces it advertising and marketing costs as they aim to deliver a uniform message through all the channels they select for the communication. Greater Reach: Integrated marketing communication strategy gives the company an advantage of reaching to a greater audience. For example: the company has its own Youtube channel where it launches all its latest commercials, it would reach a greater audience due to wide coverage of the internet across the world. Further, the company can promote its products through various social networking and micro-blogging sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat (Castronovo Huang, 2012). Improved Public Relations: Integrated marketing communication strategy gives the companies to enhance their public relations and escalate its public image through continuous engagement with the customers through direct interactions. Creates Brand and Product Awareness: Marketing communication strategy helps a company helps in creating the brand and product awareness through various methods of marketing its products like direct selling, sales promotion, advertising (Percy, 2014). Boost Liking towards the Products: Marketing communication strategy helps in encouraging the targeted customers towards liking the products of the company over the competitors products. Product Trials: When a product is promoted through aggressive advertising and sales promotion, it encourages prospective new customers to try the products and thus the objective of attracting new customers is pursued by the company (Percy, 2014). Identify Consumer Behavior: Integrated marketing communication strategy not just helps the company in establishing its products in the market but it also helps in evaluating the changing behavior of the consumers and the changing pattern in the buying behavior of the consumers. Through assessment and analysis of consumer behavior, the company can develop products that would meet the changing demand of the existing customers as well as prospective new customers (Solomon, 2014). References Becerra, M., Santal, J., Silva, R. (2013). Being better vs. being different: Differentiation, competition, and pricing strategies in the Spanish hotel industry.Tourism Management,34, 71-79. Blakeman, R. (2014).Integrated marketing communication: creative strategy from idea to implementation. Rowman Littlefield. Castronovo, C., Huang, L. (2012). Social media in an alternative marketing communication model.Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness,6(1), 117. Christensen, C. (2013).The innovator's dilemma: when new technologies cause great firms to fail. Harvard Business Review Press. Chun, S. C. (2015). Niche Marketing.The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Consumption and Consumer Studies. Hollensen, S. (2015).Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Ivanov, D., Tsipoulanidis, A., Schnberger, J. (2017). Basics of Supply Chain and Operations Management. InGlobal Supply Chain and Operations Management(pp. 1-14). Springer International Publishing. Karwatka, D. (2014). Ignaz Schwinn and His Bicycle Company.Tech Directions,74(4), 10. Kim, M., Wang, I. K. (2014). Dynamic product differentiation strategies: An examination of the interplay of firm and industry characteristics.Technology Analysis Strategic Management,26(8), 959-983. Percy, L. (2014).Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge. Solomon, M. R. (2014).Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being. Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: prentice Hall. Stark, J. (2015). Product lifecycle management. InProduct Lifecycle Management(pp. 1-29). Springer International Publishing. Tassey, G. (2012).Technology infrastructure and competitive position. Springer Science Business Media. Trapczynski, P., Wrona, T. (2013). From going international to being international-strategies for international competitiveness1.The Poznan University of Economics Review,13(1), 89.

Why The North Won The Civil War Essays (2763 words) -

Why the North won the Civil War "You Are Bound to Fail." Union officer William Tecumseh Sherman to a Southern friend: In all history, no nation of mere agriculturists ever made successful war against a nation of mechanics. . .. You are bound to fail. (Catton, Glory Road 241) The American antebellum South, though steeped in pride and raised in military tradition, was to be no match for the burgeoning superiority of the rapidly developing North in the coming Civil War. The lack of emphasis on manufacturing and commercial interest, stemming from the Southern desire to preserve their traditional agrarian society, surrendered to the North their ability to function independently, much less to wage war. It was neither Northern troops nor generals that won the Civil War, rather Northern guns and industry. From the onset of war, the Union had obvious advantages. Quite simply, the North had large amounts of just about everything that the South did not, boasting resources that the Confederacy had even no means of attaining (See Appendices, Brinkley et al. 415). Sheer manpower ratios were unbelievably one-sided, with only nine of the nation's 31 million inhabitants residing in the seceding states (Angle 7). The Union also had large amounts of land available for growing food crops which served the dual purpose of providing food for its hungry soldiers and money for its ever-growing industries. The South, on the other hand, devoted most of what arable land it had exclusively to its main cash crop: cotton (Catton, The Coming Fury 38). Raw materials were almost entirely concentrated in Northern mines and refining industries. Railroads and telegraph lines, the veritable lifelines of any army, traced paths all across the Northern countryside but left the South isolated, outdated, and starving (See Appendices). The final death knell for a modern South developed in the form of economic colonialism. The Confederates were all too willing to sell what little raw materials they possessed to Northern Industry for any profit they could get. Little did they know, "King Cotton" could buy them time, but not the war. The South had bartered something that perhaps it had not intended: its independence (Catton, Reflections 143). The North's ever-growing industry was an important supplement to its economical dominance of the South. Between the years of 1840 and 1860, American industry saw sharp and steady growth. In 1840 the total value of goods manufactured in the United States stood at $483 million, increasing over fourfold by 1860 to just under $2 billion, with the North taking the king's ransom (Brinkley et al. 312). The underlying reason behind this dramatic expansion can be traced directly to the American Industrial Revolution. Beginning in the early 1800s, traces of the industrial revolution in England began to bleed into several aspects of the American society. One of the first industries to see quick development was the textile industry, but, thanks to the British government, this development almost never came to pass. Years earlier, England's James Watt had developed the first successful steam engine. This invention, coupled with the birth of James Hargreaves' spinning jenny, completely revolutionized the British textile industry, and eventually made it the most profitable in the world ("Industrial Revolution"). The British government, parsimonious with its newfound knowledge of machinery, attempted to protect the nation's manufacturing preeminence by preventing the export of textile machinery and even the emigration of skilled mechanics. Despite valiant attempts at deterrence, though, many immigrants managed to make their way into the United States with the advanced knowledge of English technology, and they were anxious to acquaint America with the new machines (Furnas 303). And acquaint the Americans they did: more specifically, New England Americans. It was people like Samuel Slater who can be credited with beginning the revolution of the textile industry in America. A skilled mechanic in England, Slater spent long hours studying the schematics for the spinning jenny until finally he no longer needed them. He emigrated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and there, together with a Quaker merchant by the name of Moses Brown, he built a spinning jenny from memory (Furnas 303). This meager mill would later become known as the first modern factory in America. It would also become known as the point at which the North began its economic domination of the Confederacy. Although slow to accept change, The South was not entirely unaffected by the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Another inventor by the name of Eli Whitney set out in 1793 to revolutionize the Southern cotton industry. Whitney was working as a tutor for a plantation owner in Georgia (he was also, ironically, born and raised in New England)

What Is Fiat Money

What Is Fiat Money Fiat money is a currency established as money by government law. The term is a derivation from a Latin word fiat (let it become) used in the sense of an order or decree. It differs from commodity money and representative money. Fiat money is a currency established as money by government law. The term a derivation from a Latin word fiat (let it become) used in the sense of an order or decree. It differs from commodity money and representative money. Commodity money is created from a good, often a precious metal such as gold or silver, which has uses other than as a medium of exchange, while representative money simply represents a claim on such a good. The simplest definition of fiat money is:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Money that exists because a government says so. MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND Historically, most money was based on some commodity such as gold, silver, or other important goods, and had a value which could be expressed in terms of some amount of that commodity. Fiat money, by comparison, has no intrinsic value; its value is based on faith in the issuing government. How Fiat Money Works Fiat money is essentially a form of credit. When a government declares a currency to be legal tender, that means it can be exchanged for goods or services equivalent to the value of the currency, and the credit comes in the form of the assurance to the seller of the goods or services that the currency can be exchanged for further goods or services. From a purely theoretical perspective, fiat money reverses the relationship of prices and currency value. With commodity-based currency, one unit of currency is equal to some quantity X of a backing commodity. The price of a cheeseburger (or other product or service) is an equivalent value of some quantity of the same commodity, expressed in terms of units of the currency: So in other words, $1 might be worth 1/1000 ounce of gold, and a cheeseburger – after the maker of the cheeseburger considers his costs to make it, the amount of profit he must make, and what he thinks his market will be willing to pay for it – might be worth 3/1000 of an ounce of gold, which makes the cheeseburger worth $3. The backing commodity is what actually serves as the money, with the coins or paper bills simply representing a sort of â€Å"IOU† for a particular amount of it. HOW TO SAVE MONEY IN COLLEGE? With fiat currency, there is no backing commodity to serve as a common frame of reference, so the value of the currency is expressed in terms of the goods and services purchased with it: This is fine, of course, as long as everyone agrees that the currency represents a certain value. When the cheeseburger maker is reasonably certain that the $3 he charges for it will cover the costs of its production plus provide him a profit, then $1 is worth one-third of a cheeseburger. In turn, his suppliers must be reasonably certain that what he pays for the bun, meat, cheese, condiments, and gas or electric needed to cook it will cover their costs plus a profit, and so on. If confidence in the assumed value of the currency is lost at some point in the whole complex value chain that exists between wheat seeds, cow embryos, and the customer standing at the fast-food counter, the fragile system begins to break down, which we usually experience as price inflation. Are There Any Advantages of Fiat Money? Fiat money is a Keynesian economic concept, so the debate among economists about whether or not it’s a good idea, unfortunately, has a distinctly unhelpful sectarian tone to it. From the purely Keynesian perspective, fiat money provides the government a means to control prices – and by extension, consumption and production – by controlling the money supply. The more money available, the less each unit of money is worth, so prices inflate; remove money from the system and the unit value decreases, thus deflating prices. This is the basic idea behind â€Å"quantitative easing†; the government prints more money to encourage lending by banks and spending by businesses and consumers. If done properly, injecting money into the financial system should hypothetically boost lending and spending enough to increase production, which compensates for the inflation in prices caused by the availability of more money. Commodity-backed currency, on the other hand, cannot be so easily managed because the amount of money is determined by the reserves of the backing commodity, usually gold, and by the price at which that commodity is being traded. Price inflation and deflation in a commodity-backed system are caused by fluctuations in the price of the commodity. For example, let’s say Country A has a reserve of one million ounces of gold and sets the value of its currency (the A$) at 1 A$ = 1/100 ounce of gold when the price of gold is 100 A$ per ounce. As the price of gold changes, the real value of the currency changes, resulting in inflation or deflation: The price of Gold Value of 1,000,000 oz. Gold Reserve Amount of Currency Value of 1 A$ Inflation/Deflation Rate 100 A$ 100 million A$ 100 million A$ 1 A$ +/- 0% 105 A$ 105 million A$ 100 million A$ 1.05 A$ -5% (deflation; 1.05 A$ worth of goods are worth only 1 A$) 98 A$ 98 million A$ 100 million A$ 0.98 A$ +2% (inflation; 1 A$ only buys 0.98 A$ worth of goods) The government can moderate inflation/deflation by either increasing or decreasing the money supply as needed to match the value of reserves, or by buying or selling the reserves themselves. Because of the value of commodities changes rather quickly, and because adjusting either the money supply or a number of reserves also affects the price of the commodity, managing prices in a commodity-backed currency system is much more difficult than it is in a fiat money system. The biggest problem with the Keynesian point of view towards fiat money is that the verdict of history is rather clear that fiat money systems are ultimately catastrophic. One of the earliest examples is the long collapse of Roman currency between 0 and 244 A.D., where â€Å"fiat money† took the form of progressively reduced proportions of silver in Roman denarii coins. In 11th-century China, a shortage of copper for coins led to the issuance of one of the world’s first paper currencies, which devalued quickly as more and more were issued (and in all likelihood, widely counterfeited). Three times in French history – after the death of Louis XIV in 1715, after the French Revolution in 1789, and during the Great Depression in the 1930’s – fiat currency was issued, rapidly over-supplied, and collapsed due to hyperinflation. Germany’s post-WW I Weimar Republic, the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, Mexico’s â€Å"Tequila Hangover† in 1994, the severe devaluation of the Russian ruble in 1998, the Argentine financial crisis of 1999-2002, and the almost unfathomable hyperinflation in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe are also examples of financial calamities brought on, one way or another, by the use of fiat money.

5 Gore Movies That Are Not For The Weak Hearted

5 Gore Movies That Are Not For The Weak Hearted Sitting in a dark theatre with a big screen and great sound may not be always fun. How do you feel watching tongues slashed with surgical knives, the human stomach spilled wide open as if someone is demonstrating the human anatomy and eyeballs rolling out on the floor? The grotesque movies often portray the hidden beasts in humans. If you are weak hearted, watching bucketloads of blood may churn your stomach. Here are 5 films that can take you through gruesome gore rides. Evil Dead A ‘scarefest’ that centers around a terrifying trip undertaken by 5 friends who stumble upon the ‘Book of the Dead’ and play an audiotape of demon-summoning chants accidentally. The gore is painful to the eyes and it can make you cringe. This cult classic, originally made in 1983, was remade in 2013. Both the films were rated NC-17. Ichi The Killer The mayhem portrayed in the movie may be tough to deal with. This Japanese crime movie portrays a psychopath who is manipulated into killing rivals of Yakuza gang. The graphic depictions of cruelty and gore scenes led to this movie being banned in several countries. The director, Takashi Miike, looks out for opportunities to dish out manga-style violence and sexulaity be it Ichi masturbating watching a pimp assaulting a prostitute or Kakihara torturing Suzuki by suspending him from ceiling with giant hooks. Cannibal Holocaust This is a gruesome movie that depicts the concept of cannibalism. The plot is revolves around a lost film-making crew that are abused and murdered by the cannibal Yacumo tribes of the Amazons while shooting a documentary on them. But as the story progresses, the evil intentions of the film crew is surfaced which leave the viewers to think who the real cannibals are. The civilized crew members torture and abuse the natives just to get the perfect shot for their movie who in turn just fight back to protect themselves. This Italian flick was from the perspective of a man who was a part of the rescue team sent to retrieve the film crew and the lost camera footage. Hostel This horror trilogy is full of brutality and bloodshed. Though the characters are different but each part of the ‘Hostel’ trilogy revolves around slaying, killing and decapitating and are some of the scariest and goriest movies of all time. The first part is about two college students who are entrapped in a hostel and are preyed upon by â€Å"The Elite Hunting Club† that tortures and slays the tourists for rich elites. The second and third part of the series also gives vivid graphic description of torturing of the backpackers by the club and mere survival of one of the many personae. The movie series by Eli Roth had a good box office collection despite being opposed to theatrical release because of the violent scenes. Saw Though known as ‘torture porn’ by the critics the series of movies were a financial success in the box office. Saw is known to be the best of horror franchise consisting of eight feature films released every year on Friday before Halloweens, from 2004 to 2010. In Saw VII (2010), the scene where Lawrence saws off his foot using a chain cutting saw is disturbing and can give you nightmares. The story revolves around a man who sets up tests for his random victims to account the will of survival through physical and psychological torments. After separating from his wife and grieving over his dead unborn baby, John is detected to be suffering from inoperable cancer and is dying. So, he plays games with people invading both physical and emotional pain in them, without direct killing. He gives them a chance of survival and the one failing the test lose their lives. He cut-out a piece of flesh in the shape of a missing jigsaw piece from the dead victim, hence attaining the name ‘Jigsaw’. These are some of the all-time bests of movies in the ‘horror’ and ‘crime’ genre that can send a chill down your spines. So, watch them at your own risk!

Era of Totalitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Era of Totalitarianism - Essay Example All these totalitarian regimes consequently took monumental toll, with millions of people perishing and suffering under the insistence of the political party in power to regulate and dictate all facets of economic, social and even spiritual aspects of human existence. The mobilizing power of the totalitarian regimes, their ability to foster mass movements was based on extreme interpretations of the ideologies of Marx and Nietzsche. Both Marx and Nietzsche lived during a time in the 19th century when science was on the rise and religion was on a decline as the guidepost in matters of human progress and direction. The inward aspects of human existence, the spiritual aspects were seemingly irrelevant with the unprecedented economic progress as can be seen in the West, that was albeit accompanied by the marginalization of certain sectors of society (the toiling, labor classes of Marx) as well as corruption and decadence (the nihilism, the weaknesses engendered by the Christian religion1) as observed by Nietzsche. Both philosophers stressed the ability of mankind to change their reality, Marx in his deterministic belief that the workers rise to power is inevitable and in Nietzsche's trumpeting of the morality of the master over the slave. The historical determinism of Marx and the infinite call to power of the individual with no boundaries in Nietzsche's ideas were potent brews that combined to foster the totalitar ian regimes of the 20th century. Marx, whose ideas led to left-wing totalitarianism turned Hegel's dialectics on its head, converting the latter's predominance of ideas over reality to that of the material determining ideas of reality. For Marx, man is determined by his material or economic needs, forming superstructure for which social, moral and spiritual norms are erected. If mankind could take control of his economic life, and revolutionize it so that the workers will own the fruits of their labor, then all the other aspects of life could be wiped out clean, with oppressive relations disappearing and the mankind living in communal bliss. Far from blissful, the followers of Marx took cue on the deterministic flavor of his ideology from which the communist party became rather an organ of repression of dissent and of oppression in the dogmatic insistence on the interpretation of what constitutes and what will constitute reality. Nietzsche's ideas on the will to power and master morality on the other hand, were the Nazis' ticket to avenge Germany's humiliation after World War I. Morally relativistic, Nietzsche on the one hand when seem in a good light enjoins man to freedom, the creation of what one sees as fit for his life, without the encumbrances of societal traditions. But if used by a group or party out for political power, it had the most fantastic consequences where a nation could be made to believe that one's race is superior and consequently others are inferior - with the resulting Holocaust that killed millions of Jews in the altar of Aryanism.