Upton Sinclairs The Jungle :: essays research papers fc

Long and tedious, with the purpose of showing the unsanitary conditions of the Chicago meat industry, The Jungle is a book that was written by Upton Sinclair. After his manuscript was completed in 1905, it appeared serially in Appeal to Reason, a widely circulated socialist periodical. This initial publication caused much controversy and immediate reaction. Much difficulty was encountered, however, when he tried to get it published in book form. None of the publishers wanted it published completely in its current form, and Sinclair didn’t want to cut any of it out. It was finally published in 1906, by Sinclair himself with considerable financial aid from Jack London. There is no table of contents as it is written in the form of a novel. Likewise, there are very few footnotes and the footnotes it does have are on how to pronounce things. There is a bibliography in the back which lists all of his sources for information on meatpacking and his other documentation. For the most par t it is historically accurate, as it tells the life of a man who works in a realistic meat packing setting. Because it is fictional, though, it probably would not be much of an aid to a historical researcher. The novel itself, containing over Three hundred pages, is rather long and tediously boring.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sinclair’s central purpose in writing The Jungle was to persuade people to join the socialist party and to adopt the view that socialism is the only way to conquer the capitalistic empires that abuse the working class. The socialist ethic is that the general public will have joint ownership of the factory. Thus, they will finally be able to eliminate the undesirable working conditions and to advocate new, more comfortable working conditions. Sinclair uses many clever devices in order to get his readers to agree with this ethic. First, he keeps the many characters basically flat and two-dimensional throughout the whole novel. After their initial introduction, they are not developed any further or given any more human characteristics. They are outlined by what the author tells you they do; no thought or decision making on their part is ever shown. He also keeps all of the characters at the same level. The reader never knows any more about one character’s personality than he does about another character’s personality. He only knows basically nothing about either character’s personality. Another device Sinclair employs is leaving only one option, one alternative, to being held captive by capitalism.

The Effects of the Industrial Revolution :: Expository Essays Research Papers

The Effects of the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was absolutely beneficial to the progress of the world from the 1800s all the way to present day. Sacrifices were made which allowed technological advancements during the Industrial Revolution, which in turn, created happiness, life opportunities, and an over-all, definite amelioration of life. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, many hardships had to be overcome, causing great grief to most of the population. Faith was lost, patience was tried, and a blanket of oppression covered the people of Europe. When new inventions arose to facilitate the producing and mass-producing of goods that supplied the people of Europe, nearly everyone was forced to begin a new career within a factory. These are just some of the hardships that many loyal, hardworking citizens were faced with. The reverberations of these new inventions caused a dramatic plummet of the life expectancy of an average citizen to an alarming 15 years of age. Women and children were expected to work up to 16 hours a day and doing labor that could cause serious injury, like carrying extremely heavy loads. For their work, they were paid ridiculous wages, women around 5 shillings per week, and children about 1. One can easily recognize the negative aspects of such a dramatic event. However, if one "steps bac k" to view the revolution as a whole, he will notice that the positive aspects completely out-weigh the negative aspects. The revolution began when inventors introduced their creations to improve the way people were producing goods. Machines such as the cotton gin, water frame, power loom, and spinning jenny allowed textile products to be produced in mass quantities. These techniques of mass-production made other methods such as cottage industry, where families produce items by hand, obsolete. As a result of this, people began to work in factories with these machines. Factories became so dominant that eventually the cottage industry no longer played a part in people's lives. This dramatically changed people's lifestyles, and for a long period of time, there were terrible work conditions. These factories had its positive and negative aspects. The work conditions were very dangerous, there were no safety devices, and many had to work long hours. However, due to the mass production, many jobs were available, and the prices of goods considerably decreased because of the extreme availability. The job opportunities and price decrease definitely improved the lives of the people, giving them a chance to be a part of the society and be able to purchase products at a price that wasn't too bad.

A Smile Is Worth So Much More Essay -- essays research papers

When I asked my friends of a personal trait that best suits me, I received the same response from them all. The overwhelming feeling shared by each individual person showed how I looked in there eyes. Each person, as different as they were had said that I am â€Å"too nice.† This trait does not seem to me as large of an issue as my friends think that it is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although they say I am â€Å"too nice,† I feel that I am not â€Å"nice,† just pleasant. I do not understand how a person can be â€Å"too nice.† I never found it a burden on anyone’s personality to be nice. Of course being nice has its advantages and it’s disadvantages, as do any other personality traits that a person would have. For example, a person could be vulgar and uncouth. Many people find this kind of behavior offensive of course, but some may find it relieving that a person could be so honest to how they feel by not holding back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the matter of me being too nice, I have found that through high school and my time in college I always have been seen as the â€Å"nice guy.† Everyone has always seen me as the nice guy. Sometimes it is aggravating to be called that but I rather have that than some other name with a negative connotation. Some friends have introduced me to there friends as â€Å"Alex the nice guy,† which totally limits me in the very beginning of our relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is true that I do care for most other people’s feelings and ideas. I just tr...

Is Globalization Americanization?

Is Globalization Americanization? In my opinion, I don’t believe an item's history and origin make it inevitably American. This is partly because some items don’t gain the popularity here, but rather outside the country. In addition, some franchises are seen in so many countries that while it’s likely known that it originated in America, that’s the only â€Å"American† thing about it. Lastly, some For the fast food examples such as McDonald’s or Starbucks, they are probably best known in terms of their origin and the most popular in terms of being â€Å"American†. Both chains have been around for decades – McDonalds, since 1955 (mcdonalds. com, 2012) and Starbucks, since 1971 (starbucks. com, 2012). Both chains have continued to grow and expand to immense proportions. McDonalds currently has locations in 119 countries (en. wikipedia. org, 2012), while Starbucks follows at a respectable 50 countries (starbucks. com, 2012). They are both good examples of â€Å"American† chains however I don’t think that simply originating in America created that label. I think that if that were the case, there wouldn’t have been as much success in other countries. I think that these chains have been able to expand so much simply because they’re so popular. In theory, much of their popularity might come down to the attraction from tourists, whether famous and popular or unknown. One public message about a great restaurant is good press alone and can cause frenzy. For the television show example, I think Oprah says it all. The Oprah Winfrey Show became its own in 1986 (en. wikipedia. org, 2012). Since then, she has become has become a household name both in American and internationally. At its height, the Oprah Winfrey show aired in 149 countries (en. wikipedia. org, 2012). I think that with the viewership in other countries, it just goes to show that while the Oprah phenomenon started in America, it has certainly branched out; therefore, America is only where she’s from, not who she is. The musical example falls on the Beatles. I think they are maybe an especially important example of the American versus not question. The reason being is that although they originated in England, due to their talent of singing, if you didn’t already know where they were from, there was no immediate awareness as to their origin – at least for later generations such as myself who still love their songs years after the initial release. The point is that with the Beatles as n example, if the theory about popularity or globalization meaning American is true, then one could think they originated here because they became so popular. Obviously it has been well known for years that they originated in England; but if that knowledge was not immediately known, then they could have been from anywhere. In all fairness, the argument is probably strong both ways. I can absolutely see the point of view that Globalization can be perceived as originating from America. However, I feel even more strongly, that when you take a closer look, it really doesn’t matter when an item actually originated; it all comes down to popularity. References: Our Heritage. (2012, January 9). Starbucks. com. Retrieved from: http://www. starbucks. com/about-us/our-heritage Our History. (2012, January 9). McDonald’s. com. Retrieved from: http://www. mcdonalds. com/us/en/our_story/our_history. html McDonald’s. (2012, January 9). McDonald’s Global Operations. Retrieved from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/McDonalds#Global_operations Is Globalization Americanization? The question is â€Å"does an item’s history and origin make it inevitable American? † The answer to the previous question truthfully is yes and no. There are several items a part of our American culture that do make that specific item inevitable American. But quite honestly, the United States outsources their goods and resources meaning that a country as a whole maintains several items, such as fabrics, food and toys, from other countries. The only reason why we do this is because it is cheaper for our economy. Looking around the house, there are several items that say â€Å"Made in China†, â€Å"Made in Mexico†, and â€Å"Made in Vietnam†. These items are sold on the shelves of major corporations here in America, but they are clearly not American items. They are just sold in American and outsourced by America so in turn, the ‘history’ of these items make them American. For example, one of the toys that was bought for a friends daughter, was made in another country, but when looking on the package the toy was originally came in, it states that it was shipped an packaged here in the United States. Globalization is definitely a spread of American culture and vice versa. Countries nowadays are nothing but a melting pot of other cultures. The most common fast food chain that started off in America and went international was McDonalds. In week two, we had a discussion question base upon whether McDonalds was an expression of American and global cultures. McDonalds is more so an expression of the American culture in other countries. Other countries, such as China, have built a McDonalds industry in order to introduce the American culture to their youth. Our movie industry in America has taken over the world by storm. There are many films that are American films that ‘go big’ in other countries or are introduced to other countries around the same time that they are introduced to the American culture. Sometimes, the films are more successful overseas than here in the States. Two perfect examples of an American film that not only took off here in The United States but internationally as well would be The Twilight Saga and all Harry Potter films. The origins of the books were from American authors but once they were made into successful films, they took off internationally. These movies are two perfect examples as to the spread of American culture globally. Music is a hard one to find an example of for the research assignment. No matter whom the artist is, the instrument is or genre, one way or another, not one of them is truly American. Artists are inspired by other artists that are, nine times out of ten, an oldies artist that originated from another country. There are many international artists. Either they started in another country an then began touring in the United States along with selling records, they then became American music ‘icons’. There are some artists that got their major record label contract the America, and then became international celebrities. The major musical groups that could pertain to the Americanization and Globalization of the music industry would be the Beatles, Monkees and Selena. In conclusion, there are many items in the American culture that have gone global. To answer the state question, is Americanization Globalization? Yes. There are so many different examples that can pertain to the said question, so, once again, the American culture has hit the global market. But then again, there are many items that are made in another country for America. The true definition of globalization can differ from person to person. In my mind and my definition, globalization is the different cultures that come together as ‘one’. Our culture is seen in several countries across the globe, as well as those countries being sought out here in America. Is Globalization Americanization? It took me a while to try to work â€Å"glocal† out. This is my way of saying I had a tough time trying to wrap my mind around what exactly is glocal. To me it is open to interpretation; people will have their own theories on what it means. To me it is something that is global but has a slight variation to fit in locally or think local but act global. I see it as thinking global but adapting business to fit local needs and demands while having a global approach to the business, basically, honoring business traditions and customs and adapting product and services for regional intake according to local culture.Cultural items become glocal when they can be seen and found around the world but are changed to fit in locally. These items can be globalized at any time, whenever a company wishes to go global then it can modify changes according to local standards. Walmart is well known just like McDonalds, they have 6,155 stores internationally. These stores have merchandise and practi ces to fit into the local cultures. This is also the case for stores in the U. S. For instance, the Walmart in our little town has merchandise specifically for our area and the Walmart 15 miles away in another town sell merchandise specifically for that town.I have been trying to say away from McDonalds; even in last week’s paper, to me it was like beating a dead horse. I tried to use examples not many classmates would have used. To me it would be nice for the reader to have something different to read instead of having a dozen or so papers all using the same examples. This worked for me because it made my research interesting and I was able to learn new things. This week I will play it safe and use only examples used in the textbook, which by the way, was informative. This brings me back to McDonalds, which is a very good example.McDonalds is a U. S based company who has expanded to 119 countries. As a glocal company they ensure their foods looks and taste the same everywher e, uniformity is essential for large corporations who want to please their customers regardless of where their travels take them. They fit in locally with local customs, such as McDonalds in New Delhi serve vegetable McNuggets or fried egg with the burgers in Montevideo. Often time’s glocal companies who offer products that fit into the local culture purchase these products locally, which helps add to their success.When it comes to a glocal movie the textbook gave a good example, Spiderman. Marvel Comics took Spiderman to a new level when they took the movie franchise to India. They made changes to the movie that fit with local customs, giving India their first superhero. The characters clothing was slightly different and the story line was changed to draw in India’s market. The Glocal franchise succeeded, even though the story had drastic changes, to the point it would be unrecognizable to U. S. viewers, it worked for India viewers. Growing up I remember MTV first com ing on the air.This was when cable first came out in the early 80’s. What I find interesting is MTV was based in New York City at the time, I believe they still are, but while reading this week’s assignment it said the first video played on MTV was a British band, I thought there was a little irony there. However, MTV meets the demand wherever they are globally. Their programming is contingent on local demands. In Brazil MTV play music videos and other programming determined by the local producers. MTV in Asia endorses Thai pop stars and play music videos sung in Mandarin.What makes the three examples I used glocal is all three have ability to be international models with the flexibility to allow for local changes, so they have a global company or product that becomes local and function as both. Other companies such as Fila, an Italian shoe maker makes the same shoe that is sold around the world. Modifications are not needed to sell the shoes internationally; this make s them an international model that does not need to be flexible. It will remain an international item or one that always reflects its culture.

Today’s Society That Effect Teenagers

There are many things in today's society that effect teenagers. Throughout high schools students mindset are not very stable and they are willingly to follow the crowd. These messages can come from not only other students but from music videos,magazine advertisement television commercials, talk shows and sports. When you were a little kid, your parents usually chose your friends, putting you in playgroups or arranging playdates with certain children they knew and liked. Now that you're older, you decide who your friends are and what groups you spend time with. It's natural for people to identify with and compare themselves to their peers as they consider how they wish to be (or think they should be), or what they want to achieve. People are influenced by peers because they want to fit in, be like peers they admire, do what others are doing, or have what others have. Teenagers face many acts that pressure them to act or try to look a certain way. Peers are a powerful force in the life of a teenager. Negative peer pressure can persuade a teenager or child to shoplift, drink alcohol, take drugs, smoke cigarettes, cheat at school, vandalize property, bully other students, skip school and participate in racist and discriminatory behavior. When it seems like everyone else is doing something-dressing a certain way or acting a certain way-teens feel a tremendous pressure to go along with the crowd and be like everyone else. Most teenagers don't want to stand out as being different. Everyone wants to fit in. No one has to say anything to a student but just observing their peers will create peer pressure to be like them. Teen magazines have a high impact on the mindset of the teens and they seem to be very influenced by the information that is provided. For example,a magazine that is personally one of my favorites seventeen a world wide magazine has a section thats dedicated for tips on teen dating. They no longer give the right message of how you should wait for the right person to come along to take the plunge but instead they teach you how to attract the â€Å"hottest† guy and how to keep him. All this talk puts a lot of pressure on the teen girls to have a guy who's in which leads to other problems such as disease,pregnancy, and even rape. Although their are many things that pressure teenagers in negative ways,there are also positive things that are being held and can be done in the world today. So many things such as girls/boys convention, clubs, and Internet logs can be formed to help shape teenagers mindset in positive ways so they can grow into young adults that are needed in the future. the person they need to be. All teenagers face some kind of peer pressure whether it's something extreme as doing drugs to fit in or as little as picking on the class dork. Either way the outcome of peer pressure is never good and a small helping hand can change not only a single person's entire life but a society. † we are the future,so why not start preparing for tomorrow. â€Å"

An Analysis On Upper Echelon Theory Essay

The Upper Echelon Theory links the attributes of firm performance and top management team members. Furthermore, this theory argues that the attributes of a certain person affect the attitudes and preferences of top members and the team dynamics. The theory suggests that the organizational outcomes are the result of the strategic choices that the managers make. The idea that the values, goals, and aspirations of top management influenced organization’s culture and systems can be proven by numerous corporations from different industries that have gained reputation and credibility in the marketplace for providing excellent products and quality services (Coyle-Shapiro, 2005). Those companies have good historical backgrounds and currently possess great missions and visions for their organizations. The goals and values of a certain organization determine the competitive strategy of the firm as suggested by the theory. Apparently, the prominent organizations that have been included on the lists of profitable companies portray excellence in terms of employee line-ups and performance. The people who are highly skilled and possess strong determination are usually found working in these corporations. In other words, the people on the top management could predict the success and future status of the company based on the values and goals that the company would like to achieve in every project. On the contrary to the theory of Hambrick and Mason, Laske and Maynes suggest that people have already their firm beliefs regarding certain issues prior to their participation to an organization. Naturally, people act, talk, and behave according to the constructed reality that the society had provided for them (Laske and Maynes, 2002). In this aspect, Laske and Maynes argue that the organization may or may not fail regardless of the values set by the organization because of the diverse personalities under that firm. The person who works for a certain organization may do his or her job merely because of the benefits like compensation and promotion that the company can offer and not because of what the goals that the top management would like to achieve for the company as a whole. Generally, upper echelon theory proposes a good view in the organizational outcomes; however, it shows conflicts on the values that the company sets and the employees in that firm possess. References Coyle-Shapiro, J. (2005). The Employment Relationship. USA: Oxford University Press Laske, O. and Maynes, B. (2002). Growing the Top Management Team: Supporting Mental Growth as a Vehicle for Promoring Organizational Learning. The Journal of Management Development. Bradford: MCB Ltd. Vol. 21

Internet Has Done More Harm Than Good in the Society.

Yes. It had allowed a large amount of criminal,offensive and Discriminatory information to be easily accessed This sort of information would not usually be widely published via offline channels, but with the advent of the Internet it is very easily accessible by anyone like never before, and this is a dangerous president. This is dangerous as vulnerable people could easily be taken in and exploited if the discovered this material. It is quite often found that ‘lone-wolf’ terrorists, for example, have gotten their information and inspiration from the Internet.The Internet has caused more problems than it has done good, because it has made people lazy, among other reasons. The Internet has made people lazy. They can pay their bills online and shop online, so they do not have to leave their homes. It has created problems through social networking sites, because people are spending all their time on them, instead of time with their family and friends. Also, these social netw orking sites have created problems for kids, because it gives people another avenue for bullying and harassing.The Internet can be useful for information, but it has led to a whole new kind of criminal I believe the Internet is useful, but the very negative effects it has had on society far outweigh the usefulness. It now allows all kinds of criminals, from pedophiles to terrorists, the ability to accomplish their crimes easier and more efficiently. With the Internet, any pedophile can lure a child far easier and far quicker than in a real life situation. Violent criminals can stalk any prospective victims. The worst impact the Internet has had is it allows terrorist groups to be much more organized.The information super-highway can do so much good, but until society figures out how to regulate it better, the negatives outweigh the positives. The internet has not brought real knowledge, per say I am beginning to see that the internet is neither good nor bad in itself but those who c reate videos and web pages are not required to be responsible in an academic sense. Often, statements can be made up and believed by many as real. But, are not really the case. Some research estimates that adults in the US spend about 13 hours and teens about 31 hours online each week. Yea, I don't think this is good.I don't think 13 hours is bad, but 31?!?! That is too much time spent socializing online which takes away from socializing in person, family time, homework, etc. My friend is in law enforcement and she just had a seminar taught by a psychologist who was talking about the generations of people who are growing up with the internet and how more and more of them are lacking in major social skills because they are so used to communicating via the internet and not person-to-person. This lack of social skills can include lack of empathy, manners, etc On the flip side this has been a big problem.Sometimes we are overly informed. Why go to a real doctor when you have WebMD (not serious here but I know people who use that website as their doctor). Additionally, the sources on the internet are not always the most reliable. Anyone can put information out there that is misleading, uneducated and biased/hate filled. I also think that it is leading to lack of social skills especially since you can now go online to find a date. No human interaction needed before hand, the computer will find your perfect mate. -it's dangerous: cyber stalking, etc. it's bad for us: people spend hours staring at the screen instead of outside. The result is eye strain, headaches, obesity†¦ -spelling, grammar, etc. is ignored on the Internet and proper English is dying out. Science and technology have done more harm than good. There is no doubt that science and technology affected our lives. There are a lot of scientists who are working on different science and modern technology projects these days. However, with the new science and technology developments most people underestima te the damage it gives us.First of all, I would like to say, that with these new science and technical appliances people became to be lazy. They rarely go out to work on foot or by a bicycle. Now there are a lot of modern cars in the cities, which are said to be emitting less gas. But still their emitted gasses damage the environment, so to my mind, that is why pollution of our environment is increasing. Secondly, it seems to me, that technologies are throwing away our free time. For example, these new laptop computer or those touch-screen devices are full of entertaining programs, which are attracting people effectively.Then people forget how to communicate with others in real life, not through international communication systems like â€Å"Skype† or â€Å"Facebook†. On the other hand, my opinion is that science and technology has far increased by the past few decades. New medical treatment, new computer technologies and other useful technical appliances are helping p eople to solve variety of problems more easily than it used to be. Overall, these new science and technology inventions harm not only our environment, but even us. So in my view, we should start thinking what technologies we use.