The New Community: MMORPGs and Social Networking Essay -- Social Netwo

Community is changing. As far back as the twentieth century, a social community was a group of real life acquaintances that had a common interest, goal, or career. Back then, to update one’s â€Å"status† might mean to attempt to improve a person’s social standing within a particular community or group of friends. Today, people don’t need to be told what online social networking is. It’s so engrained into the current culture that people almost can’t remember how they interacted before the internet came along. How did people keep in touch? How did they interact and socialize and play? Before social networking sites like Facebook existed, people had to rely on the email, now the cultural norm for written communication. And prior to that, people had to send letters, an ancient form of communication that, believe it or not, involved rubbing graphite on paper to create a message, and then paying a courier to take it to your intended recipient, sometimes taking days or even weeks. Communicating took a bit more effort, and, in fact, so did recreation. To play together people had to meet up in something called â€Å"real life† and interact. For example, there were fantasy role-playing groups that played games like Dungeons and Dragons back in the 1980s and 1990s, but those cultures too have moved to the internet and amassed a huge following. Massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs, or MMOs for short) are part of a new emerging subculture that has already swallowed millions of people into a relatively new social gaming experience. Fantasy and science fiction universes have been created by artists and programmers, and the subscribers (usually via monthly subscription fees) create an online avatar that exist in new, massi... ....org. Retrieved from http://socialnetworking.procon.org/#pro_con Rao, L. (2011, February 7). Comscore: Facebook keeps gobbling people's time. Tech Crunch, Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/07/comscore-facebook-keeps-gobbling-peoples-time/ Understanding, assessing and treating online role-playing game addiction. (2010, May 27). Counselor, Retrieved from http://www.counselormagazine.com/feature-articles-mainmenu-63/113 Van Grove, J. (2009). Study: Social media is for narcissists. Mashable Social Media, Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2009/08/25/gen-y-social-media-study/ Yee, N. (2006). The psychology of massively multi-user online role-playing games: motivations, emotional investment, relationships and problematic usage. In R. Schroeder & A. Axelsson (Eds.), Avatars at Work and Play: Collaboration and Interaction in Shared Video Environments London:

Globalism

I am writing today to inform you about Globalism. I will begin with . â€Å"In 1962, the Canadian communications theorist Marshall McLuhan predicted the electronic transformation of the planet earth into a â€Å"global village†. In the global village, communication between geographically remote parts of the world would be almost instantaneous, and every important new development—technological, ecological, political, economic, and intellectual—would affect every villager to some degree.Social and geographic mobility, receptivity to change, and a sense of collectivity would be the hallmarks of this new world community. Over the past four decades, McLuhan’s futuristic vision has become a reality† (Fiero). Through the decades art has been such a great form of expression for all, from the people who create, to the people who just like to look or collect. Art has also gone through such an incredible form of change. When I think of art I think of Vincent V an Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Donatello, ect. These are the most prominent artists of the last thousand years.But now there is so much more that people can do with art because of modern technology as well as the freedom of expression that, in my opinion, has made artists in this century a little more creative. â€Å"While accelerated by electronic technology, it owes much to a broad array of late twentieth-century developments: the success of anticolonial movements, the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent collapse of Soviet communism, and the end of the cold war. With the elimination of these obstacles to freedom of communication among the populations of the earth, global cultural integration became a possibility, than a reality† (Fiero).We are in the technological era where computers, and simulations do everything for us! We think of our idea, and tell the computer what we want it to look like and the computer spits out something more creative than we could ever imagine. There is only one problem with this method of art and ease of access. Modern industries bring so many benefits to humankind, but it also threatens the global ecosystem we call home. These industries are creating pollution that is damaging every aspect of our lives. â€Å"Sulphur dioxide emissions in one part of the world affects other parts of the world, causing acid rain that damages forests, lakes, and soil.Industrial pollution poisons the entire planet’s oceans. Leaks in nuclear reactors endanger populations thousands of miles from their sites, and green house gases (produced in part from the burning of the coal, oil, and natural gas that power the world’s industries), contribute to global warming and other changes in the earth’s climate† (Fiero). Edward Osborne Wilson is an American biologist, theorist, naturalist, author, and researcher of sociobiology and biodiversity who is a leading defender of the environment. He is a landmark researcher in the study of ecological systems.E. O. Wilson was born on June 10, 1929 (Wilson 1) in Birmingham, Alabama. His early work in biology identifying the correlation between ants (and other animal societies) and human species. Wilson makes great points about the preservation of biodiversity in his book titled The Diversity of Life, â€Å"Every country has three forms of wealth: material, cultural, and biological. The first two we understand well because they are the substance of our everyday lives. The essence of the biodiversity problem is that the biological wealth is taken much less seriously.This is a major strategic error, one that will be increasingly regretted as time passes. Diversity is a potential source for immense untapped material wealth in the form of food, medicine, and amenities. The fauna and flora are also part of a country’s heritage, the product of millions of years of evolution centered on that time and place and hence as much a reason for national concern as the particularities of language and culture† (Wilson 2). This means to me that we need to stop while we are ahead. Despite the wonderful progressions technology has made for the human race, it is actually setting us back.It is making it difficult for future generations to live and thrive. The more resources we use, the less that will be left. Also, with using these resources it causes bad effects for the environment. No environment, no habitat, no human race or any other species for that matter. There are many other people who agree with Wilson’s beliefs. â€Å"The poets Gary Snyder (born 1930) and Annie Dillard (born 1943) share Wilson’s concerns for the natural environment. To essays and poems inspired in part by her love for Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Dillard brings a dimension of awe that has been called â€Å"ecospirituality. A Roman Catholic convert whose outlook is essentially pantheistic, Dillard tests the objective facts of nature agai nst her mystical appreciation of its wonders† (Fiero). As far as art in concerned Wilson’s has influenced many contemporary visual artists such as Robert Smithson. â€Å".. for instance, pioneered one of the most important ecological landmarks of the late twentieth century, the piece known as Spiral Jetty† (Fiero). The Spiral Jetty is a work of art built entirely of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, earth, and water on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake.More importantly, and more recently green architecture has been on the rise. According to the text, this is because† Architects have always given practical consideration to the environment in which they build. Now, however, in the face of rising fuel prices, global warming, and the degradation of the ecosystem due to industrial growth, the job of designing structures that do the least possible damage to the environment (a practice known as â€Å"green† or â€Å"sustainable† design), has become even more imperative† (Fiero).This is great because I try my hardest to be â€Å"green† as far as recycling, using my own grocery bags instead of just using the plastic ones and throwing them in the garbage, and also buying products with recycled paper for labeling and their packaging. Being green is important to me as it should be for all. To conclude, globalism is closely identified with a belief. Globalism is acknowledging there are other species in the world besides our own and that future generations need to be thought of in the long run. We must preserve what we have for our children, our children’s children, and so forth.Bibliography Fiero, Gloria K. â€Å"Chapter 28 Globalism: The Contemporary World. † The Humanistic Tradition: Modernism, Postmodernism, and the Global Perspective. 6th ed. Vol. 6. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. 153-72. Print. O’Meara, Stephen James. â€Å"E. O. Wilson boy naturalist. † Odyssey. April. 2007: 6+ . General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 16 Oct. 2012 Wilson, Edward O. Naturalist. Washington, D. C. : Island [for] Shearwater, 1994. Print. Wilson, Edward O. The Diversity of Life. Cambridge, MA: Balknap of Harvard UP, 1992. Print

Better Decisions, Better Life Essay

John Updike, who is known for his brilliant prose style and the sensual details in his stories, takes everyday tasks and gives a whole new perspective to it. Like in â€Å"A&P†, which is a narrative from the perspective of a nineteen-year-old boy working in the checkout line. Even though Sammy is just an average boy, something significant happens that day at the grocery store. The story revolves around Sammy’s journey from adolescence to adulthood and his resignation from the job at the grocery store marks the major change. Even though Sammy’s conscience disagrees with his decision, his need to escape the monotony of his life drives him to take it. The author uses various symbols to present a gradual progression into Sammy’s decision in the end. As a teenage boy in a town in Boston in the 60s, Sammy did not have much going on for himself – his responsibility was to earn some money to manage the household expenses. For his he had to work at the grocery store. His co-worker Stokesie, who is only three years older than him, is married and has two children. He hopes to become the manager of the grocery store and is the only other co-worker mentioned in the story. Sammy obviously feels a strong connection with Stokesie, as they both eye the bikini clad girls together. Also, he mentions that the only difference he can tell between Stokesie and himself is the number of years they are apart (Updike 531). But from the tone in which Sammy talks about Stokesie, it is easy to see that he does not respect his co-worker as much. Instead he feels as though he is looking into a mirror of the future and he lives a life similar to Stokesie’s. Updike’s intention was to portray Stokesie as the future reflection of Sammy. Although when the girls enter the grocery store dressed skimpily, they present Sammy with a whole new world. Sammy says â€Å"you never know for sure how girls’ minds work†, instead he imagines it to be â€Å"a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar† (Updike 530). He observes little details about all of these girls and ranks them on the basis of his perception. The two girls he gives the position of followers were not given much thought, except for their swim suit colors and their build. However, the girl that he ranked as the leader, or the â€Å"Queenie†, received most of his attention. Other than the color of her hair and bikini, he mentions how â€Å"there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her† (Updike 530). Also, he notices that she held her head so high that her neck looked stretched, but he did not mind that because that meant â€Å"the more of her there was† (Updike 530). This shows that Sammy is extremely intrigued by the girls, especially Queenie, that the more he could examine her, the more satisfied he would be. She was something different from his everyday experiences. The colors described are significant to the theme of the story. The girls were described to be wearing plaid green, bright green and beige bikinis (Updike 529,530). They are presented as a contrast to the dull colors of the store. These bright colors represent a colorful and unknown province. Also, the floor of the grocery store is a checkerboard green-and-cream. Even though these colors are close to the colors of the girls’ bathing suits, the checkerboard pattern dissolves the radiance of these colors against the curiosity in the girls itself. This was a new event in Sammy’s life. After all, a grocery store check-out clerk does a job such as this mostly out of necessity. Evidently Sammy has grown tired of rude customers. He describes one elderly female customer as â€Å"a witch about fifty with rogue on her cheekbones and no eyebrows† (Updike 529) when she caught him swiping one of her items twice. Sammy felt as though it pleased her to correct him. He imagines people who come shopping at A&P to be sad souls. He describes some other female customers as â€Å"houseslaves in pin curlers† (Updike 531). Also, he designates the customers at the grocery store â€Å"sheeps† while narrating the story. He seems to address the herd mentality that people tend to have – to stick together when there’s trouble. Clearly, he doesn’t look up to this cowardly behavior. He complains about this since the beginning of the story. However in the end he changes this attitude. Not only the customers and Stokesie, but Sammy does not respect the manager either. Although he has never been vocal about it, Sammy mocks Lengel in his head and accuses him of hiding behind the door labeled â€Å"Manager† all day (Updike 532).This shows Lengel’s gutless personality. When Lengel walks in on the girls checking out, he asserts his authority and lets them know that they must dress appropriately in the store (Updike 532). It was the last straw for Sammy and he quits his job, even after Lengel warns him about it (Updike 533). Lengel’s warning further shows that he has always taken the safer way and that’s why he has never been able to stand up for his beliefs. Sammy did not want to be someone like Lengel, so he decides to break free. When Sammy stands up for the girls, a part of him did expect some appreciation from them. But the underlying reason is much bigger than a simple ‘Thank you’. It is about his freedom from the routine lifestyle that he was getting used to. Continuing the life he had would eventually lead to the same monotonous life that Stokesie and Lengel had. Also, Sammy’s course of action changes through the story. In the beginning he would complain about the people he came across and worked with, but he had not ever taken any step to change that. Quitting the job was the major step that would change his life. Although, he may not have a stable job anymore, this decision has definitely made him a better person. Work Cited Updike, John. â€Å"A&P.† 1961. Approaching Literature: Writing + Reading + Thinking. Ed. Peter Schakel and Jack Ridl. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 529-534. Print.

Just the Unjust for Martin Luther King Jr.

When Martin Luther King Jr. was detained for having organized peaceful protests for the Negro community in Birmingham, he felt compelled to write the white clergymen who criticized the protesters instead of defending them from the immorality of segregation.   His letter accused the white clergy of not only ignoring the moral laws of God but also enacting against it because of their own prejudicial principles.   He explained the difference of just and unjust laws to show that he was merely giving his highest accordance to what is morally right. First, he said that any law that degrades human personality is just but one that degrades human personality is unjust. Western civilization created laws to put order and respect to humanity.   However, segregation, according to King, distorts the soul and damages the human character because it gives the white people a false sense of superiority to degrade the dignity of Negroes. He argues that segregation makes whites treat blacks as objects instead of considering them as people with feelings and rights like their own. Considering other people as inferior and not worthy of having the voice to speak out their needs is immoral because Christians are supposed to treat each other as brothers and not objects. In today’s American society, the woman’s right to abort her baby, I believe, is also a law that degrades the human personality.   Although women are given property over their bodies and have the right to protect their lives from problems, this does not mean that they can degrade another person – the fetus inside of them. Like the blacks that King was defending, babies have yet to find their voice in society.   It is even more inhumane to kill these babies because doing so murders the right they could have had to give their own opinion someday. Another clarification made by King on the subject of just and unjust laws refers to the implementation of a majority group’s rules over a minority.   King believes that is unfair if a majority group forces a minority to obey but does not make the rules binding on itself. Western, specifically American laws, provided that each man must have the right to vote. However, during his time, blacks were not considered as part of the American society with legal rights and therefore had no privilege to elect nor implement and revise the legal system. King believes that this is totally wrong because the laws that were being executed stepped on the human dignity and rights of the Negroes.   What the whites wanted, they got – even if it was hurtful to the lives of colored people. The law protected the white people but did not take the plight of the blacks in consideration. This still happens in America today, although it does not necessarily just encompass the Negro community.   After the fatal attack on the World Trade Center, the Bush administration has decided to go full force against terrorism without enough consideration for the human rights of the Iraqi people. The American military operations in Iraq have caused grievous insults to the dignity of the Iraqi civilians and even death.   Being the democratic majority globally, the American government has led other nations to invade another country and decided to impose its presence to â€Å"prevent† terrorism.   However, the cultural identity and traditional beliefs of the Iraqi people have been ignored greatly which I feel is very unjust. King also pointed out that sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application. He cited that the clergy and government were one-sided in enacting the First Amendment especially when it came to the parades and peaceful assemblies King’s organization was organizing.   He reminds the readers that all citizens must have the right to freedom of expression even if it means going against the government’s policies. He believed that legally binding laws do not always protect what is morally right.   He also mentioned that Hitler did everything legally but the results were terribly wrong and unjust to the Jews. Laws, like most things, have advantages and disadvantages. Great care and analysis must be taken to understand what can be appropriately done for the gray areas.   American immigration laws, for example, can also be hurtful in its application if simply implemented without enough thought. U.S. deportation policies have become hurtful to many illegal immigrants who have lost their rights because they were not given enough consideration. There are many illegal immigrants who desired that better democratic life that Americans have.   Many of these do not know how to speak English well and are victims of wrong criminal accusations causing their deportment. Many of these were not able to defend themselves properly and have had to carry the burden of being separated from their children who were already born in the U.S. King’s Birmingham letter addresses the clouded and prejudiced vision of the white clergy but his clarifications on the justice of laws are classical principles that should guide every good citizen who wishes to follow any legal system.   In truth, laws are structures that help keep peace and order but one must consider everything from the view point of what is morally right and wrong.   Laws are merely man-made but the rule of God and nature should always be everyone’s primary guide.   

Two factors which affected the Stuart economy of 1600-1660

The Stuart economy is always difficult to analyse. Unfortunately due to incomplete records we only have a rough idea of the economic growth that England underwent during this era. For example we do not have fully accurate records that state the exact population size at the time. We also therefore do not have accurate records on the economy either but from parish records and events during this period it is still possible to make informed conclusions on what the economy was like, and the factors that stimulated it. The first thing that is important to study when discussing the economy is the population size. According to records found in parishes at the time population was generally on the increase and rose from 4 to 5 million between 1600 and 1660. However although the population did rise considerably it was certainly not a steady increase and went through phases of decline as well as increase. Surprisingly, according to information now available, some year's burial rates were actually higher than baptism rates, suggesting a population decline. However due to the fact that these records are sometimes incomplete it is not possible to give completely accurate figures about the changes in population during this era. Some historians argue that these changes in population growth point to the fact that the Stuart economy was vastly agrarian. This theory is widely accepted as being true, it successfully answers the reason for very drastic changes in the population size in some areas as agrarian economy can be easily dislocated by bad winters and poor harvests. Also the records of bad harvests coincide with drops in population during this period, suggesting that the economy of the Stuart era was finding it very difficult to keep up with demand. In order to combat this rise in demand, farmers would need to innovate and experiment with new crops in order to compete. Some historians argue that this period due to the population increase led to a ‘farming revolution' as there is evidence that many villages adopted the concept of enclosure in order to become more productive. This commercialisation of farming is thought by many to be more popular than the previously adopted method of subsistence farming. (Growing enough to feed you and your immediate family. ) This technique of enclosure meant farmers were able to be more productive and meet higher demands and is generally accepted as a more efficient system than subsistence farming. This enclosure method of once community owned fields is thought to be the start of early capitalism in England, the commercialisation of the fields is therefore thought to be brought about by the pressures of a population on the increase. But were farmers of this period willing to innovate, experiment and try new techniques? Evidence found in the diary of an ordinary farmer of the period is a strong argument that farmers were willing to trial new crops. Robert Loder left a diary concerning his farming and the changes he made to his techniques and crops. It is possible to assume that this ordinary farmer was one of many who experimented in order to boost their production. However it is still possible to argue that there was a strong amount of conservative farmers who did not adopt these new techniques but there is no evidence to suggest this. Some historians also use examples such as the adoption of tobacco crops in England as a key piece of evidence for how adventuress and innovative farmers could be once convinced of the potential of the new farming enterprise. Despite the evidence presented for innovation and experimentation there is strong evidence that suggests that farmers struggled to keep up with demand. Sources found for some areas of England suggest that there were huge rises in prices during this period due to inflation. This evidence is known as the Phelps Brown price index. Although this is one of the most commonly used sources, due to lack of information it only covers certain areas of England, mainly the south meaning that it is hard to generalise these price rises across England however it is the best information available. This rise in prices is evidence suggesting that the farmers of the Stuart economy had great difficulty despite all their innovation and experimentation to keep up with demand. However some historians still disagree. So the key question still unanswered is whether the farmers were able to keep up with constantly growing demand. Obviously it is highlighted by bad harvests how susceptible the agrarian economy was to very cold long winters and the obvious problems this could create. However equally it can be argued that through innovation and experimentation farmers managed to meet demand, however evidence of heavy inflation during the Stuart period leads many historians to the conclusion that resources were scarce and that the economy due to reliance on uncontrollable variables such as weather was not able to keep up with demand. However on the other hand it is argued by some that the farmers willingness to implement new techniques and methods of farming lead to increased productivity and was able to keep up with increased demand. However due to lack of concrete evidence this issue is still in many historians' opinions open to interpretation. Another key factor in the development of the Stuart economy was industry. Although industry only made up for around 10% of the economy it is still an important area to analyse to have a full understanding of the economic changes to took place in the Seventeenth century. Firstly it is commonly thought that the English industrial techniques were inferior to those of Europe. Most goods were thought to have been produced at home and sold locally. This technique of production suggests an undeveloped industry in England, however these limitations in manufacturing were overcome via exportation to the advanced Europe. The main industry in England at this time was textiles, located in East Anglia. In this period unfinished woollen cloth would be produced and then exported to other countries in order to create a finished product, such as the Netherlands who were thought to be the leading industrial nation of the times. The reason for exporting was purely because England lacked the techniques and resources to manufacture such products. As farming was the leading source of income in England it is thought that many industrial workers were involved in agriculture as well as the manufacturing of textiles. Although many combined farming with manufacturing and production some did seek industry as full-time employment usually through the ‘putting-out system'. Besides textiles England also produced coal, mainly mined in the north-east of England. As London grew in population the North East was able to produce more and more coal to meet demands, although limitations in technology prevented mining below the surface. However transporting vast quantities of coal is thought by many historians to have been a problem. Roads in this period were thought to be in quite a bad state, and therefore much of the coal mined was transported by sea. This transportation via sea is important. In order to transport such great amounts of coal England you would need a merchant fleet and Royal Navy to provide protection. Despite these measures the fleets that travelled between the North-East and London still suffered attacks during the wars England had with the Dutch. This is evident when we look at the prices of coal and see that prices doubled during this period suggesting heavy losses from attack. In conclusion it is probably right to suggest that industry looked for short-term solutions to meet the demands it faced, although no new techniques or technological advances are evident, this period did see the development of external trade, a key feature of the Stuart economy with the development of overseas colonies. However it can be argued that changes in agriculture and innovation were more significant, however it is still somewhat important to understand that the Stuart economy did not just rely on agriculture alone.

Rooms Division Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rooms Division - Assignment Example The functions of the reception office include: There are wide ranges of front office services which include: Reservations, check-in and registration, mail and information, uniformed service and baggage handling, telephone calls and messages, handling guest accounts, and check-out and bill settlement. These operations start from the time a guest calls or sends in a request for reservation/accommodation (www.answers.com). Therefore the staff of the front office starts interacting with guest by taking in guest information and reservation request, leading to confirmation of reservation and finally to the handling of guest on arrival and guest check-in. Front office takes in the guest information for future use and provides the guest with information about the hotel and its various services and thus becomes the connecting link between the guest and the hotel (www.hotelmanagement.com). The pivotal role played by the front office is quite apparent from this very fact that it is the centre of all activities connected with guests in the hotel. Therefore, the decisions regarding the sale of a room to a particular guest, availability and allocation of a room, maintaining guest account by coordinating with the housekeeping and room service are the major front-of-the office activities. It is the first contact a customer has with the hotel. If it is sort from the start, it makes transition much easier when they are in the hotel. The key to the success of a hotel business is service which starts with the first contact between the guest and the hotel personnel of the front office. The way guests are received and treated is very vital because it becomes the basis of their impression and conditions their disposition about what the hotel provides. It is necessary to have a well-defined plan of a Hotel front office area to enhance smooth operations since the front office area is the first place a customer comes into contact on

Discusion 4 707 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discusion 4 707 - Assignment Example She would otherwise not be depressed. Veronica also appeared direct on her negative opinion towards the review and her testimony to the physician and Mart’s testimony shows this. Mart report her position on his future in the organization while Veronica reported that Mart’s performance was substandard and that he was likely to lose his job within that year. Her attitude was therefore likely to discourage Mart, who already had personal problems, than motivate. Even though Mart thought about improvement initiatives, Veronica had not noticed any improvement and this suggest that the review had negative effects. Conflicts are common in nursing organizations and may have adverse effects on performance. In my conversations, I may try to incorporate conflict resolution strategies, through a win-win approach, in order to ensure positive outcomes such as developing self-esteem in the other party (Brinkert, 2010). I may also incorporate qualitative research in my conversations, through exploring a person’s experiences, in order to understand factors to a controversy for developing a solution to a problem instead of victimizing the party (The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2011). In the conversations with the physicians, for example, it emerges that the employee has personal problems and that he is willing to learn and improve. The problems may be undermining his potentials and a qualitative approach to evaluation would identify this and help in solving the