Deborah Tannens Opinion on Complicated Relations between the Concepts of Gender and Talkativeness

During a long period of time, researchers intend to find the answer to the question of how much women and men talk in comparison to each other. Furthermore, it is also important to answer the question about the criteria according to which the conclusions should be made (Tannen and Alatis 12).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Deborah Tannen’s Opinion on Complicated Relations between the Concepts of Gender and Talkativeness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From this point, the article â€Å"Who Does the Talking Here?† which is written by Deborah Tannen and published in the Washington Post in 2007 can be discussed as one more attempt to respond to the developed debates. In her article, Tannen proposes to discuss the relation between the concepts of gender and talkativeness from the large perspective because these relations are rather complex. Tannen claims that it is irrelevant to count words spoken by women and men without references to the concrete situations and speakers’ purposes, and although many popular researches are based on the principle of counting spoken words, Tannen’s position seems to be rather persuasive because the author not only provides a range of arguments to support her vision but also discusses the weaknesses of counterarguments in detail. Tannen starts her article with drawing the audience’s attention to the controversial idea which contradicts with the public’s traditional visions. The author states that a group of researchers found the evidences to support the view that â€Å"women and men talk equally† (Tannen par. 1). Tannen focuses on this research’s conclusion as the basic argument to state the necessity of re-thinking the visions of men and women’s talkativeness. Thus, the author continues presenting her idea while discussing the opinion about the females’ talkativeness which prevailed in the so ciety during a long period of time. The popular opinion is based on counting the words, as it is in Louann Brizendine’s study, according to which women speak 20,000 words a day, and men speak only 7,000 words a day (Tannen par. 2).Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To oppose this idea, Tannen refers to the other researchers’ numbers which are 16,215 words spoken by women during a day and 15,669 words spoken by men (Tannen par. 2). Paying attention to numbers which cannot appropriately reflect the real situation in the society, Tannen chooses to focus on the other approaches and criteria as more important in comparison with the method of counting the words. Having stated the impossibility of the other researchers’ approach to discuss the situation with men and women’s talking in detail, Tannen presents clearly her own vision of the problem while asking th e questions about the correlation between gender and language. According to Tannen, â€Å"to understand who talks more, you have to ask: What’s the situation? What are the speakers using words for?† (Tannen par. 4). To support the importance of these questions, Tannen provides the vivid example to illustrate the role of the situation for men and women’s talking. The example of a man who speaks more at the meetings than at home is effective to support the author’s vision of types of talking. Tannen states that women talk more when they want to focus on the people’s personal experience and feelings. This type of talking is the ‘rapport-talk’. On the contrary, men prefer to provide people with some information, and it is the ‘report-talk’ (Tannen par. 7). The author’s discussion of these types of talking seems to be rather rational because the purposes of females and males’ speaking are explained clearly. While developing the connection between the situation, purpose, and length of speeches, Tannen provides different real-life examples to support her conclusions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Deborah Tannen’s Opinion on Complicated Relations between the Concepts of Gender and Talkativeness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to the purposes of speaking because women are inclined to be more talkative than men at home, when men are inclined to demonstrate their knowledge at work (Speer 23-25). In her article, Tannen tries to focus on all the aspects of the issue and to discuss all the associated stereotypes. From this point, referring to the research by Campbell and Ayres, Tannen states that â€Å"women’s rapport-talk probably explains why many people think women talk more† (Tannen par. 11). Moreover, people prefer to focus on others’ talking when they spe ak little (Tannen par. 12). As a result, Tannen leads the reader to understand the fact that in reality, women and men talk equally, but there are more situations when men can concentrate on women’s talkativeness. In her article, Deborah Tannen builds a strong argument to support her vision of the problem of women and men’s talkativeness. While discussing the importance of gender differences to influence the males and females’ talks, Tannen chooses to focus on the causes for revealing numbers traditionally presented in the scholarly literature. The author claims that the concentration on counting words cannot provide researchers with the appropriate results. It is important to know when and why women and men speak more. This information is necessary to conclude about the connection between the concepts of gender and language. As a result, Tannen’s position can be discussed as correlated in a way with the idea stated in the article’s first paragraph according to which women and men talk equally. Works Cited Speer, Susan. Gender Talk: Feminism, Discourse and Conversation Analysis. USA: Psychology Press, 2005. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tannen, Deborah. Who Does the Talking Here? 15 Jul. 2007. Web. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071301815.html. Tannen, Deborah, and James Alatis. Linguistics, Language, and the Real World: Discourse and Beyond. USA: Georgetown University Press, 2003. Print. This essay on Deborah Tannen’s Opinion on Complicated Relations between the Concepts of Gender and Talkativeness was written and submitted by user Xavier Davenport to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Organizational Change Project Fat Tax in Denmark

Organizational Change Project Fat Tax in Denmark The Purpose of Studying the Organizational There is no secret that the recent â€Å"Fat Tax† has caused quite a stir among the Danish public, and especially among the owners of the Danish food producing enterprises (Cooper, 2012). Analyzing the effects of the reform in the context of a specific organization and taking a closer look at the changes that the Fat Tax has inflicted on it, one can possibly decide whether the Danish companies in general and a specific food-producing organization in particular can survive the changes.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Organizational Change Project â€Å"Fat Tax† in Denmark specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Brief history about the company KiMs has been around in the world of the Danish fast food production for quite a while. Offering chips and snacks, the company was initially an affiliate of the Finnish headquarters. However, as the sales grew, the company expand ed, taking over the fast food market in the Scandinavian countries and ousting the rest of the fast food services (KiMs, 2012). The organizational context for change Previously focused on the production of typical fast food, KiMs produced the food that had been enjoying wide popularity among the Danish people from all walks of life, starting with teenagers to businessmen and office employees. In addition, the source materials for producing fast food with sufficient amount of fats allowed for a flexible financial strategy. However, after the Fat Tax reform, KiMs was to lose not only a part of their revenues to the government tax companies, but also a considerable part of their clients, mainly because fast food was considered not appropriate for healthy lifestyle. Therefore, KiMs had to reform its organizational process, or, to be more exact, the production stage had to be changed greatly. The company had to come up with a substance that could replace fats, which, in turn, could have influenced the entire production process and cost KiMs a lot of money. The driving forces behind the change As it has been mentioned previously, the key driving force behind KiMs’s organizational change was the new tax that was imposed on the companies producing food that contained more fats than corresponding regulations allowed. As a matter of fact, KiMs offers a perfect example of how an organizational change concerning such an important element as the production process can be carried out without the company suffering any significant losses. As the KiMs’s spokesman, Andersen, said in his interview, â€Å"We have shifted all our crisps and snacks to sunflower oil† (Obesity and the Fat Tax Issue, 2011). This is exactly how a company should react to the changes that the government or any other force imposes on it. Without wasting their time on arguments, the company has chosen the least painstaking and the most reasonable way of shaping their production to meet the new requirements.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The parties and stakeholders involved According to the existing record, the head of KiMs managed to handle the situation on their own without attracting any parties. As for the company stakeholders, Andersen claims that the change is not going to harm them, since neither the company, nor its reputation has suffered any damage.  Especially in the light of the recent abolishment of the additional taxation of food, it is clear that the company will have to undergo a number of changes. Moreover, the fact that the taxation of the food products containing fats will be cancelled (Denmark scraps fat tax in another Big Food victory, 2012) means that the company will have to undergo an additional change, which is going back to the traditional financial strategy and rearranging its production system. Thus, â€Å"Fat T ax† was developed with a good intent, yet the organizational changes that it drags test the company’s viability in a rather harsh way, making it shift from one strategic plan to another. Reference List Cooper, B. (2012). Nutrient taxes: European moves on nutrient taxes fuel debate. Web. Denmark scraps fat tax in another Big Food victory (2012). Web. KiMs (2012). About KiMs. Web. Obesity and the Fat Tax Issue (2011). Web.

Short term and long term environmental impact of the Royal Ascort Essay

Short term and long term environmental impact of the Royal Ascort - Essay Example This includes improving the gateway view from the Western Approach and opening up the views of open land and Ascot’s high street. Introduction of the new pond must have improved the areas ecological standing through habitat diversification. Redevelopment of the racecourse came with inherent benefits like infrastructural improvements especially in road networks which are meant to make the racecourse to be more accessible. The construction of two underpasses improved the traffic flow in the region. The most notable aspect of the 2006 redevelopment of the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire is that the developer endeavored to keep the service roads, all the perimeter walls, and under and inside the new grandstand, clear of construction debris even as the construction work was ongoing. The racecourse developer worked with a team of road sweepers to ensure that during the entire project, existing roads, underpasses and new roads were swept clean. Prior to the opening of the racecourse, the team worked for 24 hours a day for a period of one week to ensure that the service roads and the highways are clean. This approach ensured that the high street areas and the racecourse were clear of rubbish and site debris which helped to control the environmental impact of the reconstruction and prevent disruption of residents in the two year period. As a key event in the British social calendar, the Ascot racing facility hosts up to 80,000 people during some of its key events. Such a gathering of people in an open space is bound to lead to noise pollution as the massive crowd shouts to cheer their favorite horse to victory. Traffic congestion has a negative environmental impact because of the high concentration of exhaust fumes that is likely to take place as a result of the congestion. Event days at Ascot Racecourse are often characterized by a high traffic

Migration History Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Migration History Paper - Essay Example Firstly, it is the understanding from the interview that was conducted that ultimately the migrant experience within the United States has remained unchanged since late 18th century. Although technology has increased, jet travel has enabled individuals to rapid transit from international origins, and the complexity of paperwork and documentation within the United States has shifted, the first experience for the migrant is one in which hardship, deprivation, and most generally a step backwards in terms of quality of living is ultimately assumed. With regards to the interviewee in question, she described an experience in which once arriving in New York, she moved in to an apartment that was no larger than 500 ft.? and housed no less than six people; whereas in her home country, she had lived in the apartment that was nearly 700 ft.? and housed only three people. ... o the United States within the past 250 years, the reader should be mindful of the fact that the immigrant experience is ultimately different due to the rules and regulations of US visas and permits. Whereas 200 years ago the United States was willing to accept individuals as a means of providing labor to the rapidly industrializing system, the United States is currently reach the status of a highly developed nation and no longer requires the massive influx of unskilled immigrants to power the means of economic growth. However, this is not to say that migration and integration is no longer encouraged. As was the case with the interviewee in question, it was rapidly determined that rather than merely representing unskilled labor that had come to the United States as a means of bettering her life, this individual was highly skilled and represented key assets of education and experience can be utilized within the US economic system. The ultimate financial incentives that drove her to se ek out opportunities within the United States remain the fundamental defining characteristics of why I like the United States is continually attractive. With regards to the question of whether or not she would consider going back to her own country, the response came not as a function of seeking to define the fact that she now considered yourself an American where that she identified with, understood, and appreciated American culture; rather, the response was concentric upon the fact that she would not be able to make the same level of money and her own country as she was able to within the United States. This understanding necessarily brings the reader/researcher to the realization as to why it oftentimes takes to or three generations in order for the individuals to consider themselves an

Is it morally obligated to help the poor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is it morally obligated to help the poor - Essay Example This also means that moral principles would not be a measurement of one’s life value. The moral principles of an individual would only reflect in the quality of life one leads. It would also reflect on the quality of life that one transmits onto the immediate and external community. A probable foundation of this concept regards Thomas Jefferson’s idea of men’s equal creation. On one hand, he could have been expressing the view that no individual is of moral inferiority to the other (Waller 187). On the other end, he could have been arguing about equal sharing of certain inalienable rights by all individuals. In this view, human beings would share an inalienable right to proper diet. In case a part of the population has inadequate sharing of the rights, it becomes an obligation for the rest of the population to uplift the disadvantaged. In addition, the direction of help is a fundamental view. It is crucial for the financially able communities to invent stable ways of arousing long term solutions. In most instances, poverty may arise out of inadequate empowerment to sense the opportunities of alleviating the situation. This relates to poor knowledge and irrelevant skills of economic enhancement. The relevance of such empowerment relates to the aspect of establishing self help means. This suggests that the first step to alleviating poverty is providing necessary education for community skills. Most poor communities exist in deplorable states because of external events (Andre and Velasquez 2009). This suggests that external factors contravene their own development. For instance, a business venture would face the constraints of a manipulative environment and corruption. A poor person who would be striving to attain a job would face a constraint out of nepotism and favor to corporate positions (Cullity 290). This occurs in spite of one’s efforts to continually seek for employment. The effective

Gender Equality In Politics

Gender Equality In Politics The initiation of women into influential politics has the potential to greatly benefit society. There are a number of theoretical reasons women would be doing the world a favour by entering into politics. Basic statistics demonstrate that equality would benefit the economy. In the West, the perception towards women is positive: they are mostly on equal ground with men regarding capabilities (Pew Research Center [PRC, 2008]. Moreover, because most female politicians have to juggle professional, private, and sometimes family lives, their resulting ability to multi-task should allow them better management skills and more sensible political priorities. Now, these theories regarding womens abilities and inclinations do have some factual basis. There are already successful females in high positions of power within government (e.g. Angela Merkel; Scandinavian Parliament). A survey carried out in India had results illustrating that where women were in charge, villagers were much better off ( Beaman, 2007). Surprisingly, Southeast Asia is where the most women have reached the highest governmental positions (Fleschenberg, 2008). One can argue that, whether there is a positive or ineffectual upshot to womens involvement in politics, merely achieving equality and effectively rendering most prejudices null would be a tremendous benefit to society. However, while the women of the West have far more opportunity and are reluctant to take advantage of it, there are still the women of developing countries, where bias against women is still quite distinct (Beaman, 2007). In the meantime, there is the Middle East, where progress in gender equality is practically nonexistent (Akande, 2007). But despite the emphasis given to creating equality for women, there are still very few females in high-level decision making positions. (McDermott, 2009). If gender inequality can be overcome, it can open the doorway to alleviating a significant amount of the dilemmas the world faces. Opening the Doorway: Gender Equality in Politics If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost. Whether or not Aristotle meant to include females in his definition of persons, this quote of his basically supports the idea that there is no real equality until individuals of every possible variance are not only involved in government, but have the same say in proceedings. Equality is an abstract term; it has evaded human beings since the time we came into existence, and remains indomitably out of reach due to our own inherent prejudices. It is only very recently that real attempts have been successful in overcoming these imbalances in social order; but naturally, those at the top want to stay that way-and with their power comes the ability to maintain their position. Therefore, we still have a long way to go before humans can declare themselves a race of egalitarianism. Gender inequality is probably the most prevalent form of discrimination, due to the fact that it exists, unfailingly-not only in all societies-but within the classes and castes within those societies (Jamal, 2009/2010). The superiority of men has been a given through the ages, both through formal laws and unwritten, shared understandings (Jamal, 2009/2010). These days, women have come far along the road to equality, but-as modern feminists complain-women still have to work twice as hard to get half as far as men in their careers. There is no argument that, thanks to or despite this, women are underrepresented in many areas, most notably those of power. But politics, which has the most potential to influence culture and civilization, is the most notable area of all. Whether or not women are better than men is not the question here-the question is, would gender equality in politics have a substantial effect on global affairs? And would this effect be favourable or detrimental? Because gender is the key to the organization of product and reproduction, women are at the crossroads between economic growth and human development. (Jamal, 2009/2010, p. 5) The initiation of women into influential politics has the potential to greatly benefit society. There are a number of theoretical reasons women would be doing the world a favour by entering into politics. According to Akande, women are the worlds most under-utilised resource; getting more of them into work is part of the solution to many economic woes, including shrinking populations and poverty. (2007, p. 10) Basic statistics even demonstrate that equality would benefit the economy- women put in 67% of the hours of work done on Earth, yet they earn 10% of salaries and possess 1% of all goods (Career Womens Forum, 2006). So women have already proven themselves diligent, and take up around 50% of a population-on this note, Akande reasons that their lack of active participation (2007) in all influential fields, including the workforce, intellectual or academic spheres, or politics, basically deprives a country of valuable human resources. This applies more directly to developing countries where gender discrimination completely obstructs womens chances to achieve anything, let alo ne politics; however, it bolsters equality in general. Perception is the basis of social context, and negative social context is womans biggest obstacle towards achieving anything, let alone a career in politics. In the West, the universal perception towards female leaders is changing for the better. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals the proletarian opinion on why women are still underrepresented in politics: gender discrimination, resistance to change, and a self-serving old boys club' (PRC, 2008). The public also believes that women are held back by the pressure of juggling family (which, as women, they are still meant to take care of) or personal life, and professional life; lack of the necessary skill is cited by few as a potential cause (PRC, 2008). In the same survey, women were rated higher than men on the majority of traits considered important to leadership (e.g. honesty, intelligence, compassion) (PRC, 2008). Women are believed by the populace to be more inclined towards dealing with civic issues such as health care and education (PRC, 2008); men, however, are more disposed towards eradicating crime, public safety, defence, and national security (PRC, 2008). This has been backed up by actual studies, though they put mens priorities in a less favourable light: Studies show that women are more likely to spend money on improving health, education, infrastructure and poverty and less likely to waste it on tanks and bombs. (Akande, 2007) The results of the survey continued by rating women higher than men in other areas believed to be important for a leader: holding firm to their principles even in the face of political strain; in negotiation and compromise; in instilling honesty in the government; and relating to the general public (PRC, 2008). Despite all this, only 6% actually claim women make better political leaders than men, which would be the natural progression (PRC, 2008). However, 69% rate men and women as equal, so this is probably, essentially, an even bigger step towards equality than if the reverse imbalance was presented (PRC, 2008). Even more theoretical reasoning can back up this claim: because most female politicians have to juggle professional, private, and sometimes family lives, their ability to multi-task is forcibly but finely honed (Career Womens Forum [CWF], 2006). This in turn allows them better management skills and more sensible political priorities. Now, these theories regarding womens abilities and inclinations do have factual basis. There are already successful females in high positions of power within government, such as Angela Merkel, Germanys first female Chancellor. Scandinavian countries, according to Career Womens Forum, are of the better-managed countries of the world, the most imaginative and prosperous (2008); the article goes on to correlate this fact with one stating their Parliaments are made up of 40% women, the highest percentage in the world. A Millenial Survey was carried out by a non-governmental organization in India in the year 2000 (Beaman, Duflo, Pande Topalova, 2007). It focused on subjective and objective measures of both the quantity and quality of five basic public services: drinking water and sanitation, health, education and child care, road transport and the public distribution system (Beaman, 2007). Though the survey was not undertaken for the express purpose of comparing male and female leadership performances, this-in accordance with the simultaneously subjective and objective nature of the survey-afforded the surveyors a lack of predetermined bias towards the results (Beaman, 2007). The results illustrated that where women were in charge, there was a higher investment in clean drinking water, leading to the avoidance of water-borne diseases and overall improvement of health (Beaman, 2007). Also, children were more likely to be immunized, and where women were in charge the gender gap in schooling was less by almost 13%; women were also less likely to accept bribes (Beaman, 2007). Despite all this, villagers reported dissatisfaction with their female leaders; Beaman found this rational, though, due to the inherent bias of the society (2007). Though the Nordic area can claim the highest percentage of women in Parliament, it is, surprisingly, Asia where the most women have reached the highest governmental positions (Fleschenberg, 2008). The first female Prime Minister in history was Sirimavo Bandaranaike, of Sri Lanka; she had power three times, beginning in 1960, and when she died in office in the year 2000, she was succeeded by her daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga (Fleschenberg, 2008). Indira Gandhi, India, is possibly the most famous female politician, with the most influence and positive impact thanks to her campaign for progress in India-a recent BBC poll named her the greatest woman of the last 1,000 years (Fleschenberg, 2008). Aung San Suu Kyi is the accepted leader of democratic Burma despite her continuing house arrest (Fleschenberg, 2008). In Malaysia, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail freed her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, and has headed the parliamentary opposition party in Malaysia since the late 1990s (Fleschenberg, 2008). The re are more notable names, from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines; though all of these cultures are undoubtedly patriarchal and paternalistic in political and ideological terms, women have achieved the position of prime minister or president in all of them (Fleschenberg, 2008). These countries have little in common in terms of economic development, culture, religion, and political systems (Fleschenberg, 2008). The one defining commonality between these women involves their education: no different from influential politicians in general, but exceptional for their own locale, where often education cannot proceed past the secondary or tertiary level (Fleschenberg, 2008). In addition, many of them gained reputations and political experience against backdrops of political turmoil and/or transition (Fleschenberg, 2008, p. 33) as leaders of opposition movements, effectively classifying them as transformational leaders, (Fleschenberg, 2008, p. 33) valuable to their country from day one. As for their terms in office, analysis proves that none of these countries deteriorated [. . .] as a direct consequence of female governance (Fleschenberg, 2008, p. 5). In fact, any declines were caused by male-led interventions (Fleschenberg, 2008). These leaderships are made even more interesting by the fact that these women came into power by proving themselves worthy, rather than just to promote equality, are recognized as capable, self-reliant leaders with no limits on their power due to their gender (Fleschenberg, 2008). On the other hand, their governments are still not gender balanced; Fleschenberg admits that they are the exception, and their rise to power should not be confused with increased womens participation in politics (2008). One can argue that, whether there is a positive or ineffectual upshot to womens involvement in politics, merely achieving equality and effectively rendering most prejudices null would be a tremendous benefit to society. Women are generally fighting an uphill battle in this respect-or, at least, some of them are. Interestingly, a report comparing the victory rates of male and female candidates yielded the result that when women run for office, they win just as often as men do. (Bowman, 2008) Since this included mostly small-time political positions in already developed countries, it is not as provocative as it may appear; it basically only reveals that, at least in the West, there is less interest in politics. The surveyed women were not enthusiastic about running for office, or the process required, such as raising campaign cash or balancing familial responsibilities (Bowman, 2008). Still, Akande says, Women are more likely to organize in other politics, such as social movements, and in non-governmental organizations. (2007, p. 16) So, while the women of the West have far more opportunity and are reluctant to take advantage of it, there are still the women of developing countries, where bias against women is still quite distinct (Beaman, 2007). Because women are generally assumed, not to lack leadership skills so much as have less than men-even those with similar personality traits-if a woman is fulfilling a normally male role, she will be judged more ruthlessly (Beaman, 2007). For example, a bad decision, or merely an unpopular one despite advantageous ends, would gain them a harsher level of criticism than if they were male (Beaman, 2007). This social backlash for violating stereotypes dissuades all but the most determined women; indeed, where the Western woman shuns politics for the stress it promises, or mere lack of interest (Bowman, 2008), a woman in a developing country shuns it to avoid the extra controversy that would top that stress (Beaman, 2007). In the meantime, there is the Middle East, where progress in gender equality is practically nonexistent (Akande, 2007). Akande attributes this to the ongoing political upheaval, citing the near civil-war situation in Iraq, the murky future of the Palestinians, Irans nuclear ambitions, or the future of democracy in the region. (2007, p. 10) The female in the Middle East is generally far worse off than those of other developing countries, due to being in a society that is either indifferent (Akande, 2007, p. 17) to them, or downright hostile. (Akande, 2007, p. 17). The principles of the predominant religion of Islam cannot directly take the blame for this (Akande, 2007), as women have gained political prominence in every Islamic country of South-eastern Asia apart from Brunei (Fleschenberg, 2008). However, the combination of religion and culture do play a big part in the viewpoints that support this maltreatment of women (Akande, 2007). This goes not just for the Muslim women of the Arab world, but for other religions that undermine the weaker sex, such as Sikhs, Hindus, and Native Americans (Akande, 2007). He stresses the Middle East, however, because the predicament of the regions women essentially has a direct effect on world affairs; he believes that much of the strife in the Middle East (i.e. underdevelopment, domestic and regional instability [. . .], ethnic frictions (Akande, 2007, p. 9)) could be mitigated, if not outright halted, if women had more of a voice in government (2007). If the results of the studies referenced by Akande earlier on, as well as the beliefs presented by the Pew Research Center survey are any indication, even a gradual move towards gender equality-in politics and otherwise-would be a big step towards eventual stability. At any rate, gender equality is a worldwide goal, and there are measures in place meant to promote womens involvement in Parliaments, etc (McDermott, 2009). In India, one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for women (Atkins, 2008). Though some see these enactments as a step backwards merely because they appear as a chauvinistic inability to allow women a true sense of accomplishment (Atkins, 2008), there is a much more considerable reason they can be seen as such. Despite the emphasis given to creating equality for women, there are still very few females in high-level decision making positions. (McDermott, 2009) This even goes for the previously-praised Nordic countries where there is an almost-balanced level of genders within the government (McDermott, 2009). Still, when it comes to decision-making, the women have limited say. Gwaze points out that in Zimbabwe, women appointed to seemingly important positions only have real significance at voting time; otherwise, they are little more than puppets for the males with real power (2007). What we see now is a faà §ade of equality that prevents women from making the change that they are capable of. With all the previously described obstacles that women have to overcome, only for women to be rendered utterly inconsequential by males who continue to wield more power, it is no wonder that gender inequality prevails in government. Successful female politicians often take pride in not only their achievements in public service, but the fact that they are positive role models for younger girls (Campbell Wolbrecht, 2005). Males do not bother to see themselves as role models, reflecting the fact that men and boys need little additional evidence that the halls of power are open to them. (Campbell, 2005) The only way to change points-of-view on female politicians is for them to continue in this vein-its a snowball effect. Women already proven the positive impact they are capable of; as more gradually get into politics and gradually become more successful at it, the window of politics as a career is opened to more and more women. And as these women prove their value within government proceedings, attitudes towards them will change for the better, the way they already are (Beaman, 2007). Gender equality is not the biggest problem face by society, and it is not the only discrimination human beings must cope with. However, if this most profound and prevailing prejudice can be overcome, it can open the doorway to alleviating a significant amount of the dilemmas faced by the world.

Two Kinds of Love in Movie Casablanca Essay -- Love Casablanca Movie F

Two Kinds of Love in Movie Casablanca In the movie Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz, two different kinds of love are exposed. The love relationship between Ilsa Lund and Rick is a more passionate relationship while the one between Ilsa and Victor Laszlo is more intimate. Love is composed of different feelings and because of that it can be expressed, as seen in Casablanca, in different ways. â€Å"The Intimate Relationship Mind†, a text by Garth J. O. Fletcher and Megan Stenswick, helps support that claim providing a scientific background on how love is shaped by those different feelings. It says that â€Å"love is composed of three distinct and basic components that each represent evolved adaptations; namely, intimacy, commitment, and passion† (Fletcher and Stenswick 73). Those three components help shape different kinds of love. The first love relationship that is portrayed in Casablanca is the one between Ilsa and Rick. It is explicit that the relationship is a passionate one and that what they had was more of a fling, an affair, than a relationship that would last forever. That can be noticed by the lyrics of the song â€Å"As Time Goes By†, which is the theme song for their love: You must remember this, A kiss is just a kiss, A sigh is just a sigh, The fundamental things apply, As time goes by. The lyrics basically mean that their love will not last long. That they may kiss and sigh as time goes by but one day it will be over and become a memory. There certainly is passion in Rick and Ilda’s relationship but it lacks the two other components stated by Fletcher and Stenswick: intimacy and commitment. That is shown when Rick has his flashback from Paris. Rick ask... ... That is how Ilsa and Laszlo’s relationship was shaped, with higher levels of intimacy and commitment, and lower levels of passion. It is a relationship that would typically last. Casablanca does an excellent job in portraying two different kinds of love: a passionate love and an intimate and committing love. Passionate love is unavoidable and a part of life but people need to accept that a love based solely on passion does not last. An intimate and committing love is what will persevere and is what they need to hold on to. In the final scene Rick and Ilsa accept that their moment is gone, that they will be separate for life but â€Å"will always have Paris†. She then moves on to continue her relationship with Laszlo. That is the main message in Casablanca: that you need to accept that passionate love doesn’t last and embrace intimate and committing love.