Hearing Loss Attributed to the 21st Century use of Personal Music Player Essay

In the recent few years leisure noise has become one of the threats to the hearing as it can reach high volumes and an increasing number of people are exposed. The danger is not only exposed by the music from the clubs but also it has been extended to the new generation of music players which are known to produce sounds at high volumes. Across Europe it is estimated that millions of people are using personal music players on a daily basis and in most of the cases these gadgets are being used inappropriately putting the user at a great risk of ear damage. This is a serious concern as the emerging technology may cause numerous problems to the people who are fond of using these entertainment gadgets. To add salt into the injury the users are exposing themselves to this particular danger for a long time as they are spending substantial time listening to music using ear phones. The amount of time one exposes to the sound of loud music from the personal music players increases the chances of hearing loss. The children and the youth are at risk as they have been noted to constitute the highest proportion of users. In this paper I will discuss the dangers involved in the use of personal music player and at the same time bring into the understanding who should be blamed for the hearing loss as a result of the constant use of these gadgets. Is it the makers of the personal music players or should we blame the users for putting their life at risk? A scientific study that was carried out for the European Union revealed that noise from the personal music players is a routine pollution for many people. It threatens permanent damage of the ear to as many as hundred million people in Europe and other parts of the world. The report indicated that those people who listened to the music for a continuous five hours per week on high volume were exposing themselves to high noise than it is allowed in the factory work places. This means that users of the personal music player who prefer to listen to their music on high volume are at a worse position than workers who are located in a noisy factory in an industrial hub. (Linkov,I and Steevens,J 2009 359) Experts argue that the maximum volume from these equipments can generate as much noise as an aero plane that is taking off. That kind of noise is enough to make a person have a quick and permanent hearing loss. The worst thing according to this report is that the users do not realize the problem until very late. This is the time when the damage has already been caused and nothing can be done about it. It is a very sad situation where a young person with bright future prospects losses his or her ability to hear at such an early age, it can be a very devastating experience but whom do we blame? Do we pass the buck to the manufacturer of these gadgets fro their neglect or do we blame the users for sometimes knowingly exposing themselves to dangers through their constant use of the music players. (Jameson,P and Romer,D 2008 347) The MP3 generation is headed for permanent hearing impairment in the cause of their lives. The youth are at the greatest risk as well as the older people too, in twenty seven countries across Europe it is estimated that fifty to a hundred million people out of five hundred people may be listening to a portable personal music player at any given time. Equivalents of five percent listeners who expose themselves to these new generation entertainment gadgets for more than one hour are at the greatest risk. These statistics have raised fears among some people prompting them to take some actions so as to avoid a future generation which has numerous problems which has been caused by things which can only be described as luxurious. In the year 2006 a man in Louisiana sued one of the manufacturing firms, The Apple claiming that this company had failed to take enough steps to prevent the problem of hearing loss among the users of one its popular product, the iPod. The suit which was filed in a federal district court in California city of San Jose claimed that iPod produces a sound which is as loud as one hundred and fifteen decibels when the maximum sound that is considered safe for listening is eighty five decibels. To this man the Apple Company was to blame for the problem that is threatening to have millions of deaf people in some years to come. I tend to disagree with his sentiments as it is clearly evident that the ipods sold by this company and many other manufacturer comes with a warning in the manual where the users are warned about the dangers they expose themselves into through playing the music in high volumes from their personal music players. It is blatantly clear that the users expose themselves to the risk of hearing loss through ignoring the warnings given by the manufacturers. The companies can not escape blame too, such warnings are printed using very tiny fonts such that not all the users might get a chance to read the small inscriptions which are usually placed on a page where the user might not even see. (Kirk,R and Mayshork,C 2007 73) The risk involved do not only come from ipods, the portable phones and personal stereos pose a similar problem as their earphones leads to a high sound exposure than any other type of a listening device. It has been stressed that young people who continue to expose themselves through listening to the high volume music from their music devices usually run into the risk of developing some hearing complications by the time they hit their twenties. Problems such as persistent tinnitus which is induced by high volume music has been reported common among the people in their youth and are constant users of the personal music devices. Despite this problem the same people continue using these devices. Therefore the problem squarely lies with the users, they are clearly aware of the risks involved, they have gone through numerous problems which have been as a result of their insatiable appetite for entertainment but they still continue to expose themselves to the risk. This can only be termed as deliberate move by these users to harm themselves and it is for this reason we can not blame the companies for the problems that are being experienced by the MP3 generation. The manufacturing firms only came to fill the gap that existed; they offer satisfaction to the people who are keen on entertainment especially when they are on move. They have clearly indicated the dangers one can expose him or herself to if the device is not used properly, that is if it is put on high volumes but the users choose to ignore such information for their personal reasons. (Tulchinsky,T and Varavikova,N 2000 285) The choices we make in life determine the direction we head, if we make the right ones we will always be on the right direction, if we happen to take the wrong choices as we mostly do then we are bound to blame others for the trouble we may get ourselves into later in our lives. It is extremely important for us to make the right decision as pertaining what we do as the opposite can lead to devastating effects. People have a choice of either buying a personal music player or any other similar device, they make a choice as to whether they will listen to the music high or low, it is basically a matter of choice. There is nothing about MP3 technology that can directly lead to hearing loss. It is the choice we make. For those users who choose to always put their devices at manageable and recommended sounds the problem of hearing impairment might not affect them but for those who choose to ignore the warnings given by the manufacturers, this problem will affect the rest of their lives. They just make a mistake of listening to the music on loud volumes for too long therefore exposing themselves to al manner of dangers associated with the noise. (Chan,S and Kwok,S 2003 34) The European Union is planning to regulate the volumes on personal music players and other stereos due to the fears that usage of these devices is causing the damage to the ears. This action has been precipitated by the findings of the scientific commission which was given a task of coming out with ways in to which this problem that is threatening the ability of million to hear can be tackled. In normal circumstances the personal music players are allowed to go up to one hundred decibels but when it used with an inbuilt headphones the sound can go up to one hundred and twenty. This is way above the recommended safe sound volumes which are close to eighty five. The recommended sound levels by the European Union committee are eighty, a figure which has been pointed out as safe enough to warrant any fears. This clearly points out that it is only a matter of educating the users on how they are supposed to go about listening to music using their sophisticated technology. If someone decided to ignore the message, he or she can not blame the manufacturing company for the problems that hearing problems which might occur later in life due to inappropriate use of the device (Linkov,I and Steevens,J 2009 359) For the sake of those who ignore the information given by the manufacturers, the makers of these devices should be advised to limit the volume levels so that they do not exceed the recommended limits. Though this might affect their sales it is the right thing to do as it will save those who have a problem following the given instructions. The company will in the short term suffer minimal losses but in the long term they will have more users as they will have expanded the markets as the effects of these devices to the ears will be minimal. The users will have won the confident of the music players as they have been set according to the standards which are considered safe for average use. (Davis,G 2004 40) The government can not limit the time a given person will spend on the personal music player. This is an individual choice; we spend as much time as we can get on these entertainment gadgets. Therefore it is up to the users to limit themselves as to how long they are going to be exposed . The user should ensure that they spend less time listening to the music through their devices to minimise the risk involved. All these points indicate that the manufacturing companies have no role to play as far as the usage of the personal music player is concerned. Their duty is to inform the users of the dangers involved through playing it loud and continuos exposure over a long period. The rest lies with the person using the gadget to decide how much time he or she is going to spend listening and on what volume they will get their music. If one decides to put his or her health at risk you can not turn at the company and blame it for the presonal problems which were as aresult of own volition. The government has the responsibility of ensuring that the manufacturing company follow the standards as far as making of the personal music players is concerned. This will go a long way in saving the users who are conscious about their health. The recommeded standards should include limiting the volume settings to a particular level which can not harm the user even if the decide to ignore the warnings. People need to take a responsibility as far as their actions are concerned. There is a need for every user to take precautiosn as far as usage of these devices is concerned. Inappropriate use can lead to devastatiting health effects which would have been prevented if the user was careful. Technology advancement has come to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. This can only be achieved if we use this technology appropriately,use of personal music player beyond the recommended sound volume can lead to seroius effects which are not related to the manufacturing. The user have all the responsibility to ensure that this piece of sophistication does not harm him or her rather it serves the right purpose which is entertainment. (Markel,G 2007 25) The manufacturing company should carry a warning on the users who violate the instructions which comes along with the product. They have a responsibility to save the end users from their own ignorance. They can do this through offering and sponsoring sessions where users get to be taught on the proper methods of handling these entertainment equipement. This can help save some people but the biggest part should be played by the end user,they must use the device responsbly so as to avoid complications that might be brought by high sound volumes besides the time spent listening to the music at the expense of other important actiivities such as studying. The sole responsbility of the hearing loss as a result of inappropriate use of the personal music player and other related devices lies squarely on the user. He or she has the ability to control its use and therefore ealding a healthy life. (Anderson,B 2004 103) Work Cited Tulchinsky,T and Varavikova,N The New Public Health:An Introduction for the 21st Century,Academic Press (2000) Linkov,I and Steevens,J Nanomaterials ,Spring Publishers (2009) Davis,G How to do Everything with your iPod and iPod Mini,Mac Graw Hill Professionals (2004) Chan,S and Kwok,S Culture and Humanity in the new Millenium:the Future of Human Value Chinese University Press (2003) Kirk,R and Mayshork,C Personal Health in Ecological Perspective,Mosby (2007) Markel,G Defeating the 8 Demons of Distraction,Geraldine Markel (2007) Jameson,P and Romer,D The Changing Portrayal of the Adloescents on the Media Since 1950,Oxford University Press (2008) Anderson,B Bringing Business to Life:Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility,ASQ Quality Publishers (2004)

Early Civilization Essay

History records the rise and fall of different civilizations of various countries. It has been found that in different times, different civilizations reach the pinnacle of glory. But, due to various reasons, like ecological change, climatic disaster, natural calamities, foreign conquest, epidemic disease, fall-short of population etc. have brought about their decay. The following examples clearly show how, after the zenith of civilization, the downfall may come about. Indus Valley Civilization The explorer’s spade has unearthed the most fascinating remains of the extremely rich and flourishing civilization of the Indus valley. The long span of the Indus Valley civilization and its firmly – settled character lead to the perplexing question – what was the cause of its destruction? At the present state of our knowledge and till the Indus script is deciphered we are not in a position to know the actual reasons of the end of this great civilization. However, on the basis of the available data, some attempts may be made to find out the causes of the decay of this civilization. First of all, there are dependable evidences to prove that rainfall in Indus valley was somewhat ample and equable in the third millennium B. C. The Indus valley had a larger rainfall than what we see today and that the land was swampy and full of jungles as known from the figure of animals like rhinoceros, elephants engraved on the seals. In course of time, the volume of rainfall gradually decreased. With the loss of rainfall, land became arid and dry. The aridity of the land led to deterioration of the civilization. The underground salt was dragged to the surface by evaporation of moisture. The progressive drying-up of the land led to desert-condition. This is proved from the story of Alexander’s invasion in the 4rth C. B. C. when Alexander the Great was marching through the cheerless wastes of Makran, the desert condition of the area was far in advance (Thaper 55). Under the teeth of this inhospitable climate, the Indus civilization started to decay long before the foreigners invaded the towns. Secondly, the growing danger of flood might had been responsible for the evacuation of Mohenjodaro. With the gradual silting up of the bed of the Indus, the water-level rose high, specially in the rainy season. This led, sometimes, to flooding of the city. At least on three occasions devastating floods swept over the city. It is found from excavation that an embankment 43ft. wide had to be rebuilt 14ft. higher up in order to protect the Mohenjodaro Citadel from the encroaching water-level of the river. Houses were built up on piled-up debrieses or on raised foundations in order to avert the danger of flood. The extensive use of the burnt-brick instead of sun-dried ones at Mohenjodaro equally testfies the danger of flood. Thirdly, human negligence was a contributory factor to the desiccation of Iands. Excessive flood of the Indus towns induced to burn bricks wood was used extensively as a fuel. The excessive deforestation caused by the felling of trees in order to burn bricks led to decline in the rainfall. It is a cardinal truth that lack of trees and forests decrease the rate of rainfall. The decline in rainfall dried up the crust of the earth and underground salinity came to the surface. Gradually deserts expanded and, resultantly, agriculture and human habitations were destroyed. The later phases of the civilization at Mohenjodaro presents a sad picture of this neglect and barrenness of the Indus civilization. In upper layers at Mohenjodaro, the dams meant to reserve the flood-water were not properly maintained. The agricultural standard also deteriorated. Fourthly, many scholars have pointed out that the Harrappans had a very iron-bound, conservative outlook about everything. They refused to learn from others any new thing or system. The civilization was cramped by its inherent barrenness and incapability to adjust itself to changing time and environment. With the march of time, the civilization lost its vitality and original creativity. It failed to survive in the midst of changing environment and changing society. Some scholars emphasize this negative aspect of Harrappan civilization as the fundamental cause of its decay and, in their view, all other causes were merely contributory. An inertia grew out of this conservatism which ruined the vitality of the civilization. This reflects the negligience of the Harappans to repair the dams. At Mohenjodaro among the seven layers, the upper layers of later period, we find growing slums, houses being created upon ruins of old houses, rooms being pertitioned into small cells for swarming lower grade population. Houses were encroaching upon the streets; lanes were chocked with klins. Old bricks were used for building new houses. Thus, there are reasons to believe that the internal decline and decay in the Harappan towns had set in long before the foreign invasion which completely swept away the Harappan culture. The internal decay started from the stagnation and barrenness of Hardpan culture and its failure to adjust with changing circumstances. With the internal decay was added natural calamities like floods, decrease in rainfalls and so on. According to some scholars, the city of Mohenjo-Daro was situated within a terrible earthquake-belt which might have frequently devastated the city. Again the earthquake theory has been challenged by others on the ground that if the people at Mohenjo-Daro could build their city upon seven layers, why they failed to built another layer upon the city destroyed by the earthquake? Moreover the earthquake theory is not applicable to all the towns of Harappa-culture (Nath 670). In any case, internal decline started from many reasons and the towns began to decay. This decline and incapability to adjust with the changing circumstances is evident in the failure of the Harappa people to learn from Samaria the art of cutting canals to irrigate the fields. This incapability led to the destruction of dams or reservoirs. This is how Mohenjo-Daro lost its importance when the Indus shifted its course. â€Å"The glorious culture was practically ruined in 1900 B. C. , long before the invasion of the Aryans† (Majumder 201). Fifthly, whatever may be the domestic potential for the gradual decline of the Indus civilization, its ultimate extinction was most certainty due to invasion from without by a people who were probably the Aryans. The tragic end of the Indus civilization came about 1500 B. C. , the time the when the Aryans entered into the land of the seven Rivers. It is said that, the Aryans destroyed some metal forts and seasonal forts. Similar forts or citadel have been found at Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro and other places. Hence, it is reasonable to infer that the Aryans were the destroyers of the Indus civilization. Certain circumstantial evidences are also available to justify the theory of Aryan invasion. Excavation have reveled that in the last stage of Mohenjo-Daro civilization, people were massacred in streets, houses and public places. Some of the victims were even women and children. Head and skull injuries found in the skeletons point to the use of sharp and heavy weapons by the invaders. The dead bodies were left uncared and exposed. (Paul 126) According to some historians, the downfall of the Indus Valley civilization came up due to some natural disasters like earthquake or flood. But most historians believed that the fall was actually caused by the Aryan invasion and the consequent cultural conquest. Fall of Roman Empire The city of Rome, founded in 753 B. C. was originally the most important commercial center situated on the Tiber, very near to place where it flows into the Mediterranean. But subsequently Rome grew into a political power and expanded the empire over a large part of Europe, the Tigris and Euphrates valleys in Asia Minor, and the northern coasts of Africa. In 330 A. D. , Emperor Constantine founded a second capital at Byzantium on the Black Sea, which came to be known as Constantinople after the name of its founder. Virtually, the vast Roman Empire was divided into two parts – Western and Eastern. In fifth century A. D. (476) the West Roman Empire was broken up by the invading barbarians but the Eastern Empire, also called the Byzantine Empire with Constantinople as its capital continued to exist about a thousand years more (1453). In the view of Prof. Henry Perrine the fall of the Roman Empire has caused a stir among the historians. According to the view of Penne the Roman Empire was essentially confined to the Mediterranean by the end of the 3rd century B. C. in fact the Roman Empire had to depend on the Mediterranean commerce for its political and economic interests. Perrine has put emphasis on the issue that the repeated German tribal invasions in the 5th century B. C. on the Western Roman Empire while converting them into German provinces could not destroy the unity of the Empire. The provinces of the Roman Empire were not Germanized. He is of the opinion that it is also a mistake to suppose that the intermittent German tribal invasions lead to the introduction of agrarian economy in the occupied zone of the Roman Empire. The Frankish system was, in fact, Romano-Byzantine. It is obvious that Perrine did not attach much importance to German invasions of the Roman Empire. His comment on the expansion of the Islam on the Mediterranean is more important as it produced far-reaching consequences. According to him, the Islamic invasion of the 7th century A. D. is something unique. The occupation of Syria, Tunisia and Spain by the Moslem invaders destroyed the Mediterranean unity and caused the final separation between the East and West. In this way two opponent civilizations came face to face with each other by the middle of the 7th century and this confrontation led to the inauguration of the middle ages in Europe. As it has been aptly pointed out, the Mediterranean, once a Roman Lake, henceforth was converted into a Muslim Lake. Secondly, in the view of R. H. C. Davis, when the Byzantine and Islamic empires were flourishing, the economy of the Latin West was stagnant. Davis has pointed out that Perrine has come to his conclusions from a consideration of the economy of the ancient world. The economy of the ancient world was dependent on the commercial navigation in the Mediterranean. Perrine is of opinion that so long this commercial navigation remained unmolested by the pirates, there was a regular flow of commerce and the population of Rome could be fed on African corn. If this normal commercial activity was disrupted then there would have been a total dislocation in this region. Davis has anticipated, following Perrine, the possible disturbing factors in the event of the inevitable decline of commerce in the Mediterranean. According to him, with the decline of commerce, the towns and cities face the same fate. The flourishing life of municipal towns became the matter of past. Naturally, the population gradually decreased. The agricultural wealth locked up within the country as there was no other outlet. The greater landlords built up their own workshops for making tools or weaving cloth and they paid their workers in kind. This possible state-affair has been described by Perrine as the ‘economy of no outlets’. According to Perrine, this character of the economy was vividly seen during the eighth and ninth centuries and this is attributed to the feudal society. The land was the only source of wealth. According to him feudalism was the outcome of this ‘economy of no outlets’ and Charlemagne was a child of it. It is the opinion of Perrine that free navigation of the Mediterranean might have been suspended but the more important problem is to determine the actual time of this suspension. He therefore, has tried to find out evidence of the use of such goods in the Frankish Kingdom as could be produced in eastern or southern shores of the Mediterranean. Although his findings have been disputed, yet these goods included gold, olive oil, (from North Africa), oriental silk, papyrus (from Egypt) and spices. According to him, these goods were very much in use in Gaul upto the last quarter of the 7th century and they all disappeared from the market by the first quarter of the eight century. Thirdly, the invasion of the Muslims is an important factor in disrupting the Mediterranean navigation. But at the beginning of the 8th century A. D. the Muslim captured Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia and Spain. The occupation of Tunisia was the most vital as later had a position of particular strategic importance. After its occupation the Muslims could disrupt the communications between the eastern and western halves of the Mediterranean. Trade also continued in Byzantium, but Pisa, Genoa and other ports of provinces were neglected. Perrine pointed out, that for its reason a great vacuum was created in the port of Marseilles. This eventually led to the decline of the cities of the southern Gaul and the â€Å"economy of no outlets† was imposed by the Muslims on the Latin West. Fourthly, in the ninth and tenth centuries the most important trading centers were secured. Thus instead of Milan, Florence, Pisa, towns like Pavia, Amalfi, Reims and Verdun flourished as they were relatively secured and farther from the coast. Venice was an exception and trade was at its low ebb in the Latin West during the ninth and tenth centuries. Fifthly, the religious intolerance also played its part. The spread of Christianity was another important factor contributing towards the fall of Rome. Rome had been known to be a nation of religious tolerance. But some Romans, mainly the Jews, did not accept Christianity. Naturally, there was a conflict between these two communities. Sixthly, although Jesus was crucified for his efforts to spread peace, the Romans were truly inspired by his words. Soon, the number of Roman involvement in the military and the participation in the community gradually declined. Resultantly, the Roman army was not increasing in numbers. At this juncture, the Barbarians of Germany, who formed an integral part of the Roman army, revolted against Rome and led disorganized attacks on several parts of Rome and even on the Roman army itself. Gradually, the Roman army became weakened and it was no longer a military super power in the world. Thus, it is crystal clear that the downfall of any civilization was never caused due to any single factor. Several factors accumulated and contributed together to the decay of these civilizations. Hence, it is amply clear that no civilization is permanent and ever lasting. As it rises at a particular time, similarly, it comes to an end at another historical juncture. Reference Majumder, R. C. Indus Civilization, The Vedic Age, Dakshinamurty Prakashan, Calcutta, p. 201-203 Nath, P. The Scripts on the Indus Seal, Modern Publications, New Delhi, p. 670-74 Paul, C. Causes of the Downfall, A History of Rome, Dey Publishers, New Delhi, p. 121-26 Sethy, S. Perrine Thesis, The Fall of Rome, World Press Pvt. Ltd. , Calcutta, 1981, p. 126-34 Thaper, R. History of India, vol. 1, ed. 3, 1987, p. 55-68 Wells, H. G. Wells, Barbarians Break Empire into East and West, A Short History of the World, Penguin Books, London, 1965, p. 152-61

MTV: Building Brand Resonance Essay

1 – What is the MTV brand image? How valuable are the MTV brand associations? What should its core values be? The MTV brand started out with a focus on the music where it helped to launch the visual impact of bands through music videos. MTV is a youth oriented brand, that started as a purely music video station, and has now involved into a pop-culture station with a mix of long-form programming, and videos. They created stars and termed new expressions like VJs and quickly differentiated their product from the competition. As a result of having a first-mover advantage they were the TV channel to go to in order to endorse your music. They managed to build up their brand and be a key channel for promotion where artists where demanding to have their own videos played on MTV. MTV remains a strong brand within the youth segment but needs to constantly evolve in order to maintain their position with new trends and changes emerging. The brand associations are strong since they are attached to a certain target-group (youths) that is very desirable to reach for many advertisers. The adolescence and early adulthood that MTV reaches are important for establishing enduring preferences for a specific type of brand that might follow a person throughout his life. Viewed as very â€Å"hip and now† many teens look to the channel to see what is popular and what the up and coming trends of today are. MTV has very strong brand attributes, with its viewers and even with people that do not view the channel as one they would frequently watch, therefore giving the brand strong brand associations. MTV has core values of staying on top of music and cultural trends, as a result ensuring their continued growth of their audience; MTV needs to stay relevant to stay on top. 2 – Describe the current sources of MTV’s brand equity. How have they changed over time? MTV creates its brand equity through high level of awareness and brand associations it’s made with its targeted viewers. MTV did this by using VJ’s or video jockeys to bring the viewers â€Å"along for the ride†. VJ’s made it’s a much more personal experience as if they were friends with the audience. The use of long-form programming has helped keep viewers interested in the channel by keeping relevant in its programming, by moving away from its roots as a music only channel and giving viewers what they were interested at any point in time. There are multiple genres and cultures represented on MTV and the channel high ratings among its key teen demographic, especially females. The evolution of the channel has kept the brand equity. In 2010 the MTV logo changed and no longer contained the tag-line â€Å"Music Television† to further emphasize their shift away from the pure music. By focusing more on programs that were â€Å"culture† shows and not only music they have managed to maintain a strong brand. Throughout their changes of focus MTV has managed to keep its core values intact. They are a channel for the younger generation that constantly provokes and stays on the edge of new concepts. By having a brand aimed at pop culture they constantly have to re-invent themselves to stay current. One of the biggest challenges for MTV is managing growth because usually when things become too popular it is no longer considered to be cool. 3 – What is the role of music within MTV? Do they need to put the â€Å"M† back in MTV? Music still plays a major part in MTV’s image and brand associations. Music and pop culture have always been interconnected, as many view the music that they listen to be how they express who they are as an individual. By having the same segments of people liking the same types of music, you can see the cliques within these segments, and usually these are how social trends begin. Although on a television station, music does not have the power to captivate viewers for prolonged periods of time; MTV found that long-form programming kept viewers tuned in on a regular basis, whereas music created grazing behaviors. Additionally, the channel viewers have changed therefore changing back to an all music channel I do not think would benefit the channel; viewers need to stay tuned in order for MTV to remain profitable and they are doing a good job of keeping their brand equity and associations. 4 – Discuss the role the Internet in programming. How should MTV best integrate the Internet into the brand? How might technology impact MTV’s future? MTV’s websites serve as an added channel to keep viewers engaged beyond just watching the channel they can now watch TV episodes and have wallpapers etc. However, the internet could pose the problem as sites like YouTube, World Star Hip Hop, and a collection of others give viewers access to video on demand, (what they want to see and when they want to see it), as opposed to watching a channel and waiting to hopefully see a song or wait for a program to air. MTV should continue to use the Internet to its advantage by offering exclusive online clips, interviews, and MTV personalized gear. They should continue to create apps and use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to connect to viewers. The MTV website already offers a variety of experiences to visitors and its greatest pull is that the brand owns the market as the resource for popular music. Drawing on that, and positioning the interactive aspect as a true storehouse for information is the most complementary stance MTVi (the interactive division of MTV) can take. With trendiness at its core, MTV will thrive as technology continues to change. 5 – How have MTV’s sister networks affected the parent channel’s brand equity? What changes, if any, would you make in positioning of the sister networks in order to create the optimal brand portfolio? MTV has effectively used its sister networks and parent channels to boost brand equity. By playing more music clips and videos on the MTV2 and VH1 channels, it spreads the core values of the brand. MTV started and made its name by showing music videos, so having its sister channels show more videos it extends the brand image and values. MTV is a global brand and therefore reaches many different people from all around the world. This means that they have an extensive range of viewers that are from different places, cultures, nationalities, ethnicities, etc. MTV’s global channels offer country specific programming to appeal to the many different countries and cultural tastes. MTV is doing a good job of positioning itself and its sister channels for continued success in boosting brand equity.

True Grit by Charles Portis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

True Grit by Charles Portis - Research Paper Example However, Mattie goes after them and La Boeuf expresses his displeasure by switching her with her rod, and Cogburn intervenes. Mattie and her team, in their pursuit of Chaney, find two criminals, Moon, Quincy, and as Cogburn interrogates Moon, Quincy kills him, and thereafter Cogburn shoots Quinsy dead. The Pepper gang knowing the hideout of Chaney arrives at the dugout where Cogburn and Mattie hide. They kill two members of the gang but Pepper manages to escape. In the same hideout, Mattie meets Chaney and tries to kill him but to no avail. He grabs Mattie dragging her to Ned who intervenes by threatening to murder Chaney if he kills her. Consequently, she is saved by LaBouef who knocks Chaney. After this, they devise a plan on how to confront Ned and his gang. Cogburn decides to fight against Ned’s team, assassinating two and wounding Ned. LaBoeuf kills Pepper, and Mattie, using a rifle, kills Chaney. In the fight, Mattie loses one arm that results from snake bite and the movie ends by the death of Cogburn. The 2010 sequence of True Grit was produced by the two Coen brothers and it is borrowed from Charles Portis novel of 1968 entitled True Grit.The version stars Hailee Steinfeld, who takes the character of Mattie Ross, and Jeff Bridges, as Reuben J, a US Marshall. Other actors in the movie are Barry Pepper, Matt Damon, and Jeff Bridges. The production of the movie was in March 2010 and was officially released in the United States of America on December 2010 (Portis & Tartt 24).

Car Industry in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Car Industry in Europe - Essay Example The essay also look in to various technical measures which car industry has to take to improve the condition of more CO2 emitting cars towards less CO2 emitting ears. It also emphasizes that how these steps improve the overall environment in EU especially the he emission of CO2 level, which is to be achieved with in a time frame. Finally the essay recommends various measures the how EU enforce these regulations legislatively to improve the overall situation of emission of GHG. It also emphasize on how customers and car industry could be benefited by applying and adhering environmental standards for sustainable growth & development. Introduction: The European is at the forefront of international efforts to combat climate change and must deliver the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to which it has committed under the Kyoto protocol. The greenhouse effect is one of the better-understood features of the atmosphere. The European commission proposed in January 2007 "The EU pursues in context of international negotiations, the objective of a 30% reduction of GHG emission by developed countries by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels)". To avoid distortions and for the sake of economical and social fairness, all sectors must contribute to the reduction effort. Cars are an important part of the everyday lives of a large number of Europeans; the automobile industry is a significant source of employment and growth in many regions of the EU. However, car usage has significant impacts on climate change with about 12% of the overall EU emissions of CO2, the main greenhouse gas, coming from fuel consumed by passenger cars. Even though there have been significant improvements in vehicle technology in particular fuel efficiency which also means lower CO2 emissions but this has not been enough to neutralize the effect of increased traffic and car size. While the EU as a whole has reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by just under 5% over the 1990-2004 period, the CO2 emissions from road transport have increased by 26% keeping in view of the above situations in June 2006, European Council therefore unanimously reconfirmed that "In line with the EU Strategy on CO2 emissions from cars/light duty vehicles, the average new car fleet should ach ieve CO2 emissions of 140g CO2/km by 2008/09 and 120g CO2 /km by 2012". The European parliament called for "a policy of strong measures to reduce emission from transport, including mandatory limits for CO2 emissions from new vehicles in order of 80-100g CO2/km for new vehicles in the medium term to be achieved through emission trading between car manufacturers. In view of the above developments in implementing environmental norms and standards by EU, car manufacturers around the globe may face specific problems as well as adhering norms laid down by EU. The auto industry is often thought of as one of the most global of all industries. Car industry is experiencing rapid changes with globalization (Carlson 2004). Rapid changes are also altering the industry structure and attractiveness. The emerging markets

Close Reading of the Feminine Mystique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Close Reading of the Feminine Mystique - Essay Example Betty Freidan studied and interviewed women that were suburban wives living in good houses with their administrative husbands who made lots of money before writing the book. These homemakers had done all things right. They had wedded when they were young, and some hardly finished or did not finish high school at all, while others were college dropouts, all for the target of marrying their darling and gratifying the perfect illustration of the feminine mystique. After marriage, these women had had large numbers babies by normal childbirth. Furthermore, they stitched all their clothing and cleaned all their dishes by use of hands. They also took the initiative to breastfed all of their children, and they concentrated on their husbands and children’s goals and interests so much that they lost focus of their own. Despite the fact that these women were dwelling by the ideal standards placed by the womanly mystique, they were terribly unhappy. A lot of them were visiting psychoanalysts without helpful results, thus many were anchoring depressing thoughts, resentful and considering all from an extramarital affair to self-murder. The psychoanalysts identified chronic fatigue syndrome to be the most ordinary problem of all (Coontz 19). The women that had this problem had listlessness as well as restlessness. They were at all times tired despite of how much they laid in bed. Their bones and joints always ached. They could never remain interested in or focused on one topic for a long period. They were bodily with their children all the time, although never present in spirit. Betty Frieden had extremely fine thought out ideas, and the American homemakers of the sixties, and later years, really required these ideas. For example, Friedan makes a comment on how the work of the house expands to suit the time available. She clearly noted that the houses of the women who were working were at

Problems a Writer Might Face in Conducting Research on Cockney Dialect Essay

Problems a Writer Might Face in Conducting Research on Cockney Dialect of London using Questionnaires - Essay Example As a result of research it was suggested that creating works on linguistics presents an unusual challenge, as it requires one-to-one interactions with the community under study. A second challenge comes in the nature of quantifying some data element, which exhibit more qualitative elements that quantitative elements. Therefore, writers find the use of research methods indispensable when undertaking any writing project. The use of statistical methods to conduct research helps in making the final work a reliable and accurate account on the subject area the writing undertaking covers. In linguistic research, the writing must reflect factual accuracy to the highest possible level. For instance, in the research of the Cockney dialect in London, an efficient method is necessary to unveil the overriding elements of the special linguistic elements of London residents. The study of linguistics requires qualitative research methods rather than quantitative methods. Consequently, the use of qua litative research methods is of primary importance. With the use of questionnaires, qualitative data is collectable on unique subjects that present special challenges to other forms of research methodologies. Questionnaire research is a proven and reliable method in social research of this nature, and is the method this essay explores in trying to decipher possible problems the method might present to a writer doing research on Cockney in London. Introduction Questionnaires are some of the most hardy research tools in use for collection of information from respondents. Principally a questionnaire consists of a number of questions, which probe the chosen sources of information for a final and comprehensive analysis. The questionnaire is a Sir Francis Galton’s invention (Mellenbergh, 212). Cockney is a unique accent of the English language common in residents of East London. Many analysts argue that the term Cockney bears both geographical and linguistic implications. This stud y emphasizes on Cockney in its linguistic identity (the English spoken by residents of the geographical region of East London). Cockney as a cultural and linguistic identity articulates a long and rich history. In addition, the subject arouses controversies and debates as to its authenticity. Over time, the definition of who constitutes a Cockney resident and who does not is now debatable. Consequently, numerous researches with the sole purpose to unravel the mystery surrounding the ancient and yet still vivid etymological group are available. Using questionnaires in data collection, this report seeks to identify some of the possible problems that a researcher might face in the course of conducting research on the Cockney language among East Londoners. Designing a Questionnaire The intimate understanding as to the nature of the research subject underlies the secret to formulating an effective questionnaire. The design of the questions in the questionnaires varies according to the pa rameters under measurement (University Sheffield, 1). For instance, some questionnaires measure separate variables, for example personal preferences, social behaviors or factual realities. Other kinds of questionnaires measure scale or index in a topical area of study, for instance observable traits, social attitudes, or indices on social issues and categories. For questionnaires to deliver optimum results, their design, and flow of the questions must exhibit a logical flow and a seamless interconnectedness. For closed-ended questions, it is imperative to ensure that the answers are exhaustive and unambiguous. Types of Questionnaires There are four types of questionnaires: structured non-disguised questionnaire, structured disguised questionnaire, non-structured non-disguised questionnaires, and non-structured disguised questionnaires (University Sheffield, 1). In non-disguised questionnaires, the respondent knows beforehand the purpose of the study, unlike

Managing Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Managing Human Resources - Essay Example gement in an international organisation involves a combination of activities that maintain, develop and attract an effective workforce required to achieve the company’s objectives (Mathis & Jackson, 2007). International human resource management (IHRM) deals with managing the expatriates and deals with how the expatriates adjust to the foreign culture and the management of a diverse workforce (Cieri & Et. Al., 2005). Organisations need to put in place an effective performance appraisal system to develop the global and expatriate managers. Global performance appraisal is a strategic process that helps the multinational corporations to continuously improve their global operations through their employees by matching up to certain pre set objectives. International Performance Appraisal (IPA) sets the basis for compensation, rewards and promotions (Shen, 2010). The subsidiaries of the MNCs have different employees of different nationalities which makes performance appraisal a criti cal task. Employees in the subsidiaries are the Parent Country National (PCN), Third Country nationals (TCN) and the Host Country National (HCN). TCN and PCN together are known as expatriates. Parent Country Nationals are the citizens of the country to which the organisation belongs and they have the same cultural background as the employees in their corporate headquarters. They do not have any knowledge about the host country’s culture, social and political conditions (Denisi & Griffin, 2005). Host Country Nationals are the residents of the host country in which the company operates and they are aware of the local culture, social and economic conditions (Denisi & Griffin, 2005). Third Country Nationals are people who neither belong to the parent country nor to the host country. They bring diversity in the organisation and the organisation benefits from their experience (Denisi & Griffin, 2005). Hiring a mix of these nationals enables greater integration, control and mobilisa tion of

Visual Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visual Art - Essay Example The Egyptians were the earliest people to invent pictorial forms of expression (hieroglyphs). These hieroglyphs were helpful in translating the complex human expressions into symbols, which had a more defined meaning for each symbol. A suitable sequencing of such symbols, thus became the earliest form of communicable written language. The society progressed, and so did this language. The system of symbols gave birth to the system of letters (or alphabets), and a combination of such letters (words) gave rise to an increasing number of possibilities of expression. Later, with the integration of the societies, it became necessary to extend the reach of this written expression by making it portable. Initial forms of portable writings, such as clay or stone tablets, gave way to the easily portable papyrus texts. With the advent of inventions like the printing press, and the development of paper technology, the written word acquired a universal reach through books, newspapers and other med ia, and became a firmly established form of communication and expression. However, human perception and expression is neither bound by the written word, nor by logic. The flights of human mind continue to depend on imagery, and the interpretation of its innumerable shades. This is emphasized by the strong presence of visual depictions, such as sketches and paintings of portraits, ceremonies and other events like wars, alongside written text, since ages. As the paintings and sketches were usually commissioned works, they had an element of glorification of reality. During the later half of the nineteenth century, the essential fabric of the society was undergoing vast changes due to the innovations in the communication technology, and the resultant progress in industrial and economic activity. Therefore the invention of the photograph during the same period found an instant appeal with the masses. It could stir up emotions like never before, because of its visual projection of reality. Unlike sketches and paintings, it projected the society in all its manifestations, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It could create the same impact on the literate masses and the 'not so literate'. Since language was not a barrier, it had a universal reach. Gradually, it became possible to transmit the photographs all over the world, at comparatively lower costs, giving it a universal appeal. Through the concept of photojournalism ushered in 1856, people got a feel of the real action, when they viewed pictures of war, grand ceremonies, accidents and other importa nt events from all over the world, sitting right in their homes. No amount of written matter could have produced the same impact on their psyche, as the visual one created by the photograph. Hence it would be apt to state that "Photographs may have placed greater importance on the visual over the written. A picture, after all, is worth a thousand words". Nevertheless, just as a masterpiece of painting still needs a title in words, the visual impact of a photograph, though superior, is greatly enhanced, if it is supported by written words. The spread of the Photograph and rise of consumerism: The nineteenth century saw a tremendous change in the lifestyles of people. The industrial and technological revolution spread to distant and remote places, facilitated by railways and other transport systems, so as to tap

The Scarlet Letter Scaffold Scenes Essay Example for Free

The Scarlet Letter Scaffold Scenes Essay The Scarlet Letter Interpretive Essay In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the Reverend Dimmesdale is the central conflict of the story. He is torn between his need to accept and pronounce his sin and Pearl as his daughter and his love of freedom. His demeanor drastically changes from the first scaffold scene, where he is seen as a two-faced criticizer to the third and final scaffold scene, where he humbly repents and acknowledges his sin publicly. The three scaffold scenes in the book are very important, as they portray Dimmesdale’s gradual advancement from total hypocrite towards complete atonement for his sin. In the first scaffold scene, Hester Prynne is seen on the scaffold, holding Pearl in her arms, unwaveringly acknowledging her sin. The Reverend Dimmesdale is there as well, taking on the role of her accuser and demanding that she reveal the person with whom she committed the adulterous act. Hester Prynne absolutely refuses to name the father of her child and declares. I will not speak, and my child must seek a heavenly Father, she shall never know an earthly one! † (Page 60) This scene shows Reverend Dimmesdale as a sheer hypocrite and, while he persists in having Hester name her lover, he secretly prays that she maintains her silence in order to keep his reputation immaculate. At the second scaffold scene, Dimmesdale, who is still maintaining his position as Hester Prynne’s accuser and a hypocrite, is suffering with the struggle of his perfect reputation battling his real self. During the middle of the night, while the townspeople are all asleep, Dimmesdale makes his way to the scaffold, holding a silent vigil. He cries out in physical and mental pain. Hester and Pearl hear his crying as they are on their way home and go to him. There, at Dimmesdale’s request, that they join him on the scaffold where they stand in the darkness, holding each other. Pearl then asks Dimmesdale if he would stand with them at noontide the next day and he refuses, saying that instead, they will stand together on the great Judgement Day. During the third and final scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is finally seen as humbly repentant for his and Hester’s sin. Immediately after his Election Day sermon, which makes him even more popular among the townspeople, Dimmesdale, leads the procession of people towards the town hall for a banquet. As he nears the scaffold, he calls for Hester and Pearl to help him up the stairs and asks them once again to stand beside him. At this moment, Dimmesdale confesses to the whole town, pronouncing his guilt but yet, at the same time, was able to salvage his soul. Dimmesdale is finally able to free himself of all anguish and die with an open conscience. This is the only moment of pride for Dimmesdale throughout the entire book. He then dies, knowing that he will be warmly welcomed into God’s Heavenly Kingdom. Through the three scaffold scenes, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows the increasing mental and physical pain the Reverend Dimmesdale experienced by trying to hide his sin from the townspeople and God Himself. In the first scaffold scene, he is Hester’s two-faced accuser; in the second scaffold scene, he displays unbearable bodily and psychological pain. Finally, in the third scaffold scene, he is publicly and humbly repentant for his sin, liberating not only himself, but also Hester and Pearl. Although one could say that he dies in shame in the eyes of the townspeople, because of his willful public confession, he is actually given a gracious acceptance into Heaven, where he will live with eternal happiness and completely free of any torment or anguish.

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe: Loss Of Identity

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe: Loss Of Identity Research Question: how does male dominance, reputation, and responsibility lead to the downfall of Okonkwos and other characters identity. My research paper has to do with the loss of identity of the main character as well as others. The conflicting battles they had with themselves and society as a whole. I believe this is important because within this novel, Things Fall Apart, there are countless conflicts that mostly ended in disarray. My gist was that the underlying themes within this novel were mostly responsible for these conflicts and so I took it upon myself to scrutinize the novel and find out for myself. In doing so, I heavily relied on the novel attained from my high school and researched other peoples perceptions concerning this topic. Through writing this paper I have made clear the motifs in this novel such as letting power control you instead of vice versa and such things were the cause of many characters downfall or rise within the novel. Loss of Identity in Things Fall Apart From reading the novel Things Fall Apart, you instantly pick up idea that the world of the Igbo people is engulfed in ancestral believes and hierarchy. These notions are strongly embedded within the society that the villages resistance to the European rein by force rumbles disarray in the society. The reader is reminded of a similar paradigm in the days of Queen Elizabeth the first.  From an Igbos view, one could pronounce that the emergence of the Europeans might have triggered the chaos follow-on their meddling with Igbo traditions. The foremost adjustment of these set in stone conventional cultures alarmed mainly the customary authority accredited to men by their known patriarchal society. Moreover, the characters keenness for male dominance undoubtedly interrupted various aspects of the existing ancestral believes and hierarchy, particularly reputation and responsibility which were deemed manly traits. Even more so, these traits amount to the main standard for measuring a mans respect and authority/dominance. The dominance of the male characters emerges inherent, within the Igbo patriarchal community where power is usually cited as the most important factor used by men to construct their own identities as the engendered representatives of humanity.(OLI) This sort of power is portrayed at the physical level as well as on a social and interactive level. On the physical level, people who tend to be lazy are regarded as an  agbala, which means a woman in Igbo. This idea is vividly illustrated through Onkonkwos father. Okonkwo himself achieved fame after showing his strength when he defeated Amalinze in a wrestling contest. This is the first account we have of Okonkwos t physical strength and ability; Okonkwo asserts comparison to the coercive physical power exercised by the British colonisers upon Umuofia people, and which Okonkwo uses to punish his wives (EP, p.52). On the social plane, we are introduced to a structural supremacy which involves several privileges accorded to the person by the tribe they belong to. We see this being exemplified through Ogbuefi Ezeudu a character who had been a great and fearless warrior in his time, and was now accorded a great respect in all the clan. (TFA, p.57). The positive male supremacy is the ideology employed in contrast to the coercive physical power. These perceptions were values customary to clans and established by the elders as a primary foundation of their ancestral beliefs and hierarchy in the Umuofia village. Within this novel, we observe the direct link between male dominance/authority and reputation. Effectively, the structural supremacy is accorded on the basis of the persons intelligence, and as well as some principles defined by the clan. Reputation however becomes the fulcrum around which most aspects of their ancestral beliefs and hierarchy turn. A reputation being the main focus in the org anised Umuofia system is stressed upon by fact that it is a standout feature of people who are capable to accede to the leadership of the clan. Subsequently, these people (men) show a great sense of responsibility because they do not want to be viewed as failures and also to encourage values that guarantee the continuation of the ancestral beliefs and hierarchy in the clan. Likewise any man who fails to attain authority or dominance loses his identity as a true member of the tribe. Consequently, my distress lies in depicting how male dominance, reputation, and responsibility have all directed to the downfall of Okonkwo and other characters identity. Situated in Igboland approaching the beginning of the twentieth century, Things Fall Apart  is embodied via the overlapping of various premises among which one is able to pull out male dominance, reputation, responsibility, collisions of cultures, ancestral beliefs and hierarchy. The novel points out the disarray as well as the incompatible circumstances caused by the onset of the white Europeans who on their arrival brought with them a new religion, new ways of going about life, and a shift in paradigm. The beginning phase of Things Fall Apart limns the integrated community of Umuofia Village, with its kingship political system.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The reader also experiences the initial exposure of male power through the central figure, Okonkwo who is portrayed as a strong fearless warrior whose celebrity status is undeniable across the Igboland, Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. (TFA, p.3) Okonkwos reputation is given more weight by the narrator who stresses on the physical account that discloses much about his personality and gives the reader insight into the main character and his capabilities: That was many years ago, twenty years or more, and during this time Okonkwos fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan.  He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look. He breathed heavily, and it was said that, when he slept, his wives and children in their houses could hear him breathe. When he walked, his heels hardly touched the ground and he seemed to walk on springs, as if he was going to pounce on somebody. And he did pounce on people quite often.  He had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough; he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had had no patience with his father. (TFA, pg.3-4) At this point you could come to the conclusion that Okonkwo is satisfied with his accomplishments taking into account his authority as a man and status within the community. In accordance to Ada Uzoamaka Azado: In the Umuofia community of  Things Fall Apart, Igbo men are constrained to achieve and flaunt [male superiority], in order to be seen and respected.  (EP,  p.50) (OLI) The Nigerian civilization described within the novel has been established by patriarchy which is intern manifested throughout the novel. Regardless of the concept of  Nneka, which in translation means Mother is Supreme, which brings to mind the assertion that the most important factor with regard to the woman in traditional society is her role as mother, women are often measured and represented as possessions of men: In domestic terms, women are reckon as part of a mans acquisitions. Hence, women are regarded in the Umuofia community as part of the several measures perceived to be as sociated to masculinity. The seclusion of female characters from the social hierarchy is hammered on by the narrator. It was clear from the way the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony was for men. (TFA, pg.87). However this circumstance is not typical to Umuofia alone. Actuality, in pre-colonial African culture, women were deemed inferior and not at pair with the opposite sex. It is then not surprising when the author controverts Okonkwos father to him. His father Unoka is presented as a sluggish and irresponsible drunk; Unoka, for that was his fathers name, had died ten years ago. In his day he was a lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. If any money came his way, and it seldom did, he immediately bought gourds of palm-wine, called round his neighbors and made merry. He always said that whenever he saw a dead mans mouth he saw the folly of not eating what one had in ones lifetime. Unoka was, of course, a debtor, and he owed every neighbor some money, from a few cowries to quite substantial amounts. (TFA, pg.4) His fathers irresponsibility is portrayed through his failure to manage money properly. His main aim is to drink palm wine and to make merry with his friends. He is talked about as a failure, an  agbala. He endured mockery just because he did not live up to the standards set for men in the community; Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. /à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Unoka was never happy when it came to wars. He was in fact a coward and could not bear the sight of blood. And so he changed the subject and talked about music, and his face beamed. (TFA, pp.5-6) The subdued image of Unoka is by no means accidental. Achebe uses this as a medium to represent male dominance in the Igbo society as well as to depict the perception against men who do not succeed. Therefore, one comes to the realisation that male dominance within the novel is strongly associated with the individuals own pursuit for identity. This elucidates the motive behind the main characters unending efforts to attain power which is threatened in novel from time to time. Simply, Okonkwo aims to characterize himself in the sense of creating an image that regarded as the real man with all authority accredited to him in this patriarchal community Okonkwo appears, first, as a successful man who has achieved the self-fulfilment he tries to look for. As Ifeoma Onyemelukwe states:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   [Okonkwo] is the man who was able to resolve his identity crisis in late adolescence. At age 18 he had developed self-confidence, a high self-concept, and self-esteem and had high achievement motivation as typical of the average Igbo man. The consequence of this is his reverberating achievement and celebrity.  (EP, p.37) Okonkwos bodily strength in combination with the mans keenness to attain social climax moulded a very commanding persona which is fit for such a patriarchal community.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The ideology of the male character as an influential and commanding individual is subsequently toughened by the image of the  agbala  which generally alludes to fruitless or sluggish men. Onyemelukwe comments:   Things Fall Apart  depicts very successful Okonkwo as showing no empathy or sympathy to less fortunate men like his father, Unoka. Such individuals, to his mind, are simply agbala  (Igbo word for woman) or she-men.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   It is not surprising that Okonkwo stands out in the novel as a macho man with a great deal of self-esteem and self-confidence.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The cap fits Okonkwo in many instances in the given description. Achebe  portrays him as one who is neither patient nor tolerant. (EP, pp. 37-38)   Okonkwos authority is as a result of his will to attain success. This is evidently highlighted within the novel:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   But the Ibo people have a proverb that when a man says yes his  chi  says yes also. Okonkwo said yes very strongly; so his  chi  agreed. And not only his  chi but his clan too, because it judged a man by the work of his hands. That was why Okonkwo had been chosen by the nine villages to carry a message of war to their enemies unless they agreed to give up a young woman and a virgin to atone for the murder of Udos wife.  (TFA, pg.27) Achebe allows the speaker to broaden the confines of Okonkwos authority, evoking what his own father could not achieve: accomplishing himself as a man and building up his reputation. However, Okonkwo was unsuccessful in effectively conveying the authority he possessed. One might argue that the power controlled his actions and in the end the rationale behind his failure may be to shed light on the flaws of the hero blinded by his reputation of and his edge to climb up on the social ladder. Okonkwos reputation drops suddenly following his accidental murder of a young boy. He is no longer deemed as the figure of authority, fame and masculinity just because a bullet from his gun inadvertently killed a young boy. In addition, the laws and regulations customary to the Igbo community demands that any being found guilty of taking anothers life must be banished to his or her motherland. This in contrast to Okonkwos macho personality highlights the shame that adorn him. Overnight, great Okonkwo, the great warrior, the great warrior, the great wrestler, one of the most outstanding achievers of his time, most respected and revered, loses all he has laboured to achieve just in the twinkle of an eye. His hope or remaining one of the lords of the clan, is shattered.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   His flight to Mbanta implies starting life afresh, from the scratch. It means loss of self-esteem, peace, happiness. His ego is obviously punctured. His fame transforms into shame. His identity crumbles. Crises and conflict set in again. (EP,  pp.41-42) It is evident that the situation Okonkwo finds himself in is a paradoxical one because, in spite of the patriarchal trend, he is still banished to his mothers village. This occurrence can be regarded as a device Achebe utilizes to reconstruct the image of women. In this regard the author celebrates the Mother as a Supreme Being, a concept which is recurrent in Achebes writings. Noticeably, Okonkwos return to his motherland plays an important role as it secures him from European influences. At this point, Okonkwo becomes fully aware of his of himself in exile. The identity alteration is first observed by his mothers brother who pertinently comments.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Why is Okonkwo with us today? This is not his clan. We are only his mothers kinsmen. He does not belong here. He is an exile, condemned for seven years to live in a strange land. And so he is bowed with grief. But there is just one question I would like to ask him. Can you tell me, Okonkwo, why it is that one of the commonest names we give our children is Nneka, or Mother is Supreme? We all know that a man is the head of the family and his wives do his bidding. A child belongs to its father and his family and not to its mother and her family. A man belongs to his fatherland and not to his motherland. (TFA, pg.133) The speaker highlights Okonkwos responsiveness to his loss of identity. [He] knew these things. He knew that he had lost his place among the nine masked spirits who administered justice in the clan. (TFA,  p.171) However, his return in the subsequent lines stress upon his reputation and responsibility:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   He was determined that his return should be marked by his people. He would return with a flourish, and regain the seven wasted years. /à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Even in his first year in exile he had begun to plan his return. (TFA, pp.171) One might wonder if the changes that have occurred in his society would allow him to achieve his reintegration without troubles. However taking into account Okonkwo we knew at the early stages of the novel, you would come to think that his return would once more rekindle the ancestral beliefs and hierarchy within the village of Umuofia. Nonetheless the overlapping of models like reputation, male dominance, and responsibility are such that they compose in a common focus characterised by violent behaviour and also the downfall of Okonkwos fame and persona Revisiting Okonkwos reassimilation within his society, he is put in the skeleton of the above body depicting that his final condition is by no means perchance. Effectively, Okonkwo composes a blend of male dominance, reputation, and responsibility. Okonkwos petulance and zeal to succeed demonstrates the fundamental nature of his character. Hence, the violent condition that has propelled Okonkwo into an inevitable downfall is a produce of the overlapping of male dominance, reputation and responsibility. The society of Umuofia is structured such that man must climb up on the social ladder if he wants to gain respect in the community. The other side of the coin is set aside for women, or in this case, men incapable of achieving masculinity. In effect, the permutation female honour / power do not lead to a decline because a woman moving upward on the social ladder is tantamount to re-examination. Its an amelioration of their rank and cannot be viewed as a downfall. This is also evident in Achebes works; A Man of the People and the Devil on the Cross when Eunice and Warrà ®Ãƒ ®nga respectively, rid themselves of their male tyrannisers. These individuals found their identity and repositioned themselves at superiors on the social ladder and hierarchy.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  In consequence, Okonkwo who is unable to find some of his previous attributes is, inevitably excluded from his rank on the social hierarchy. No longer is he perceived as a role model that he was and, as a result, declines o n the hierarchy as low as an  agbala, like his  father. Okonkwos shift on the social hierarchy is negative. The only factor resultant from the overlapping talked about themes is violence. Eunice uses this as a tool however; this is not the same in Okonkwos situation. In the first instance, violence is utilized at the personal level to liberate themselves from the Europeans, whiles the second instance has an effect on the entire village of Umuofia. Moreover, because the violence in the case of Okonkwo is not tied to one person, the reparation thereafter is irrepressible and, things fall apart. To shed light on Okonkwos failure, Achebe distances the main character from the various revolutions taking place and affecting the people of Umuofia. The author shows a significant role in conjunction to his banishment and uses that as a tool to segregate Okonkwo from the occurring changes. The altercation is no more among Okonkwo and his community, but his cultural beliefs and the European imposed culture. In point of fact, the Europeans having accomplished their efforts in convincing the Igbo people, Okonkwo is left standing alone defending the traditions of Umuofia. His accomplishments and disappointments rest on his capability to formulate a suitable decision of the three principles that constitute to his personality: reputation, male dominance, and responsibility Okonkwo inhabits a society where male dominance is the focal point of traditional beliefs. The patriarchy that he and many others have emulated from ancestral traditions vitalizes him to adopt a mind-set of superiority over the opposite sex by abusing his wives. Okonkwo rose to fame as early as the age of eighteen and since then has been most certainly blinded by fame. As a result, his main aim is to stay at the peak of his power. Okonkwo then shifts from a well-liked hero to a villain. This shift in Okonkwos character demonstrates violence as a predestined outcome of the transformations which affected Okonkwos community. For Okonkwo and many others like himself, the only respond is through violence. Achebe exemplifies Okonkwos calamity as a character falling victim to social violence on the one hand, but also of himself on the other. The first of the violence is one brought upon the Village of Umuofia by European colonisers. This violence was physically imposed and it goes up against the two different lifestyles and their cultures. The second is violence imposed by traditions on the characters. For example; Okonkwo serves seven years banishment for having killed a Klansman; the intentionally killing of twin children to avoid a curse that may strike the village; also Ikemefuna as young as she is sacrificed to Ani (the Earth goddess,) to provide justice after the death of a member of the neighbouring village. Also the individual violence Okonkwo works out on his own personality. We first observe this particular type of conflict mentally. This was where he strongly believed in recapturing his lost identity and to achieve his cause, he ends up as the physical victim of his own violence choosing to hang himself rather than fall into captivity. However, in doing this, he sheds off his reputation.   It is apparent that the last few sections of  Things Fall Apart reveal an Okonkwo who has come to terms with his failure, and tries to evoke his identity. Okonkwo now is not the same Okonkwo who said yes strongly; so his chi agreed (TFA, pg.27). Sadly for Okonkwo, he came to realisation a little late and his strive to keep the little honour he had prove to be futile. Consequentially, committing suicide is gaze at as a taboo: It is an abomination for a man to take his own life. It is an offence against the Earth, and a man who commits it will not be buried by his clansmen. (TFA, pg. 207). He is forsaken even in death just because his ordeal was against [their] custom. (TFA, pg.207). However, the speakers convey some compassion through Obierika:   Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friends body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill  himself;  and now he will be buried like a dogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ He could not say any more. His voice trembled and choked his words. (TFA, pg.208) The narrator attributes the blame of Okonkwos death to the District Commissioners men. And at this point Achebe condemns the negative and brutal aspects of the arrival of the colonisers in Africa  in general and the Igboland in  particular.  Things Fall Apart  can also be considered as a novel that Achebe uses to epitomise the irrationality of certain traditions which in the end have overwhelming effects on the individual and the entire society. Hence I conclude with this famous quote by W.B Yeats, Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. Word count: 3,582