Jean Baudrillard An Influential Thinker - 1379 Words

In 2007, Jean Baudrillard was published in a Canadian Newspaper, La Presse. Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007), French sociologist and philosopher, is one of the most influential postmodern thinkers, known for his scathing critic on consumerism or late capitalism, which he prophesied. In 1970, he published The Consumer Society, which he shed light on the subject and object of consumption, around which contemporary societies are organized. A few years later, he published Simulacra and Simulation, and implemented the hyper reality, by which objects are to be false and hidden from the truth. Baudrillard, an early admirer of McLuhan, expands his research and analysis on McLuhan’s idea that the ‘the medium is the message’ - distancing and separating from the Marxism. By â€Å" the medium is the message†, McLuhans describes that the ‘real message that the radio and television deliver†¦is not in the images that it transmits but rather the new mode of percep tion that it imposes on traditional group and family structure’ (Baudrillard 1983:187). In other words, it is, in fact, through the medium which a message shaped the perception of people, and not vice-versa. McLuhans warned us about the new medium effects, which it is often something unheard of in the early 18th century, since the medium, itself, influences society. Therefore, media and its medium mediate our experience without us noticing it, and Baudrillard alarms us about it. However, we must first differentiate the definition ofShow MoreRelatedAn Essay on Baudrillard2221 Words   |  9 Pagescritic? Radical thinker? Critical terrorist? Nihilist? These are just a number ways French sociologist, Jean Baudrillard is described in academic literature. Famous for his well-documented theories on Post-Modernism and the media, Baudrillard presents numerous commentaries on the media’s portrayal of ‘reality’ within society. His theories are extensive and includ e thoughts and narratives on Marxism and the rise of ‘new’ technology, to note a few. As Richard Lane suggests, â€Å"Jean Baudrillard is not onlyRead MorePostmodernism and the Simpsons10775 Words   |  44 Pagestheories of intertexuality, hyperreality, and metanarratives. Before delving into The Simpsons, some major theoretical aspects of postmodernism in aesthetic production are outlined. Three of the most prominent theorists of postmodernism – Lyotard, Baudrillard and Jameson – are introduced, as well as their theories which will be brought into consideration in the following chapters. The objective of the essay is to apply these theories to The Simpsons and thereby reveal some of the foremost characteristicsRead MoreA Critical Review of â€Å"the Ambiguities of Football, Politics, Culture, and Social Transformation in Latin America† by Tamir Bar-on.14147 Words   |  57 PagesPolitics, Culture, and Social Transformation in Latin Americaâ₠¬  by Tamir Bar-On. Introduction: In Latin America, soccer is not a game; it is a way of life. It is mixed in with politics and nationalism. It defines social classes. How politically influential is soccer in Latin America? It is used by â€Å"various Latin American socio-economic elites in order to retard the acceleration of working class and popular discontent† (Bar-On 1997:1.8). Is it then not intriguing that women play no part in the schemeRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesfrom the audience. This is a book that will become a classic in organization studies. Mihaela L. Kelemen, Professor of Management Studies, Keele University, UK An unusually rich and deep philosophical book on organization theory with several new thinkers and ideas. Pedagogically a well-structured book with many clear learning objectives, cases, examples and good summaries for every chapter. Professor Martin Lindell, Hanken Business School, Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration,

The Slavery Of The United States - 1451 Words

Growing up as a child, you are always told that violence is never the correct way to handle an unfair situation or conflict and that you should always use your words and not your fists. Violence is seen as uncivil and barbaric, to be avoided at all costs. However, the institution of slavery is itself uncivil and barbaric, and in the case of the slave Frederick Douglass, violence became the only viable option, even as a boy/young man. Fighting and not conforming to impossible demands of his overseer, Mr. Covey, was the only way that Douglass could avoid the horrible beatings that were among the worst hardships of slavery. While I do think that fighting back was the right thing for Douglass to do, I don’t think that his choice to fight back was the most meaningful turning point to his emancipation. Learning how to read and write was what set Douglass apart from the other slaves that he was amongst, and what led him to learn about the better opportunities in the North and inspire d him to risk everything to escape to where he could live a free life as a free man. I believe that Douglass’s fighting off Mr. Covey, who was â€Å"leasing† Douglass from his owner, was the right thing to do. When Mr. Covey made impossible demands and beat Douglass viciously, Douglass did not initially resort to violence. He first sought the protection of his owner, Thomas Auld. This was a bold and desperate thing to do, since slaves could not challenge the words or actions of a white man without riskingShow MoreRelatedSlavery And The United States891 Words   |  4 PagesThe Unites States during the 1850s was a harsh time for African Americans, not only were they treated extremely harsh; but many of them were slaves as well. Slavery was the topic of every discussion during this time period and the United States was literally split on the issue of slavery. A lot of the Southern States wanted to continue slavery because it was a way of life. Many of the southerners depend on slavery to help grow and harvest crops that were on acres and acres of land. N ortherns, onRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States1449 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Slavery is founded on the selfishness of man’s nature; opposition to it on his love for justice.† This saying by Abraham Lincoln tells us that people are really different when it comes to their beliefs and attitudes. Some are so focused on wealth, which is why they have slaves to work for free, and treated them as properties instead of real human beings. On the other hand, some people were against slavery because it violated the basic human rights like the right to life, liberty, and security.Read MoreSlavery And The United States848 Words   |  4 Pagesthe United States. During these years, many different topics were up for dispute and compromises were being negotiated. Unfortunately, it was hard for all of the citizens to come to a complete compromise for the disputes. Some states had similar opinions, while others were in a deadlock. One of the biggest disputes during this time were over slavery. While other disputes only involved a few states, slavery was a dispute that caused unrest between two distinctive regions in the United States: theRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States953 Words   |  4 PagesEvery country has a dark past, whether it’s about conquering land from Native Americans, or mass genocide of a single race. The United States was no different from the rest of the world, especially when slavery was involved. The South had its reasons on why to establish and justify the slavery system while the North rejected their beliefs. By focusing on the South’s argument, this will help to understand why they fought for their rights to keep slaves and understand how the African Americans wereRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States1095 Words   |  5 Pagesattempted to cure their complete opposition on the regulation of slavery by using federal power to coerce an end to the feud, yet the movement increased tension between the divided nation. By invoking both legislative and judicial power, politicians used laws which included slave codes and freedom laws as well as court decisions like Dred Scott v Sandford (1875) to convince or force the population into acceptance of stances on slavery. Each party viewed their tactics and ideas to be righteous, andRead MoreSlavery And The United States1305 Words   |  6 PagesSlavery; An Issue Neglected to a Key Principle in the U.S. For 20 years slavery had existed in the United States of America despite its immorality and the objections of many citizens. Strides were made to correct this injustice around the time of the Revolutionary war; colonists started to demand their natural human rights from Britain. In 1766, our founding fathers were the first faced with a decision to abolish slavery; they felt the pressure from facing the purpose of their campaign due to theRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States976 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery has played a very integral part in the development of the United States so far. It has taught people the importance of racial equality and moral discipline, which was lacked back in the time when slavery existed. Moreover, slaves were used mostly by farmers and business owners who wanted to maximize their profits and wanted cheap sources of labor. Slaves were first imported into the United States back in 1502 by a merchant named; Juan de Cà ³rdoba. The South was very interested in bringingRead MoreSlavery And The United States1507 Words   |  7 PagesOver the centuries, slavery held a prominent factor in United States history. Slavery shaped and formed what society was in the United States. Slavery’s influence impacted the United States in various ways. The ways that slavery impacted United States history are the United States economy, society and politics. Some historians argue slavery is not an important factor in United States history. However, they are wrong because slavery brought many different political movements and the Underground RailroadRead MoreSlavery And The United States1673 Words   |  7 Pageshowever, when slavery existed, blacks were undermined and denied many freedoms entitled to them under the Constitution. There were many topics argued about, but slavery caused the most dispute within the country. In the 1850’s, the pro-slavery South and the anti-slavery North collided when the case of Dred Scott, a black slave who attempted to gain liberation, was brought to court. The North and South had vastly different views on the subject of slavery, Scott had resided in the free state of IllinoisRead MoreThe Slavery Of The United States1670 Words   |  7 Pageswedge between the nation. As the United States progressed into different industries, slavery benefited only one side of the country – the south. The north began outlawing slavery, deeming it as immoral and unconstitutional while the south needed and depended on slavery to maintain their economy. The opposing sides on the slave system lead to arguments between the North and the South as to decide what new territories would allow slavery, then leading on to outlawing slavery all together. Tensions increased

The sun’s ray’s play on my face †Creative Writing Free Essays

The sun’s ray’s play on my face, I manage to open my eyes and see the house bathed in a pool of light, making the old house’s white walls glow. Between the walls, the windows with their mysterious sheen give the patina of age, reflecting the whole house. It has a rustic feel about it with a few pieces of outdoor furniture made by a skilled craftsman many years ago. We will write a custom essay sample on The sun’s ray’s play on my face – Creative Writing or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is an old white house with a red roof and a large porch from where lots of sunflowers in their vessel’s smile at the sun. Looking through the windows made utterly impossible with the glorious morning’s sunlight. The garden seems heavenly, with its extraordinary colours and vibrancy. The sun’s rays reflect of the flowing water of the stream alongside the river, almost painful to look at if it weren’t for its rare beauty. The aroma of flowers and various strange plants waft through the air creating a summer feel. In the painted pots, geraniums enchant my sight with a large palette of colours, creating a peaceful feeling. The sun is up in the blue sky, birds are singing on the trees and the air is filled with the fragrance of the flowers. The little pathway leading up to the house is very quaint with its meandering cobblestone formation, its tiny gate and the fences surrounding them. I glide my fingers over the front of the door, feeling every fine texture and ripple of the mature oak. I return to the house deep into the evening. The sun finally let way for the moon and in doing so has changed the sense of the house entirely. It’s small gate and fences reassure me that it is the same house yet so much seems altered in some way. The bright sparkling blue stream running down the garden had become a dark mysterious crawling creature. The house is now purple with moonlight tainting the beautiful white that it previously was. The furniture’s silhouettes show distorted figures watching over the garden. Furthermore, the sunflowers appear as scarecrows with their tall thin body and wide spanned leaves imitating the arms. The moonlight has jaded the house’s rustic charm and made it an object of unsettling nature. The garden has also been distorted with its lack of colour and texture, everything seemingly taking a troublesome form in it’s silhouette status. The once beatiful smeel of plants has now been frozen out by the chill of the air. The beams of sunlight have vanished, replaced with the dull smolder of the moon catching everything in its wake and not allowing even a fragment of colour to reach my eye. The bees and the birds have left and with that comes the sinister silence of the shadowy darkness. The dim snake that was the pathway curls and coils its way to the doorway where I had once stood, nonetheless the house seems unrecognisable without the colours, sounds and smells that once made it such a special place. How to cite The sun’s ray’s play on my face – Creative Writing, Papers