Are Gun Control Policies effective or ineffective Essay

Are Gun Control Policies effective or ineffective - Essay Example Implementing strict and effective gun control measure serves as a platform to reduce the increasing crime rate and deaths that result from firearm’s misuse. According to criminologists, intensified gun control measures focused to disarm every citizen are the solution to the recent misuse of guns and increased crime in the United States. Remarkably, the reduction of guns in the streets contributes substantially to the reduction of armed crimes and deaths. Increasing gun control does not reduce crimes by itself, but the enforcement of the law is the way forward to solve the dilemma of gun control and crime rate. Criminologists have conferee to the realistic reasoning that the absence of a gun in the hands of a criminal of angered member of the family would not result to fatality. The possession of firearms by an individual is always perceived as a factor that increases the likelihood of gun fatality. Through observations, the presence of firearms trigger the gun attack that incr eases the possibility of deaths involved in a conflict. Advocates for stiff gun control measures are contented that many lives would be saved if the government made it harder for people to own guns. There are a number of reasons behind intensified gun control measures. One of the realistic rationale on gun control lies on the fact that citizens services no military or police duties and should not thereby own riffles. The laws restrict the public from taking law into their hands. As a result, gun ownership serves more of breaking the law than ensuring personal security. Similarly, ownership of firearms by citizens’ law may not contribute to crimes directly, but has an underlying loophole for gangs to access firearms to use in criminal activity. The ban on firearms saves lives among the citizens because it deprive the victims an easy way of suicidal mission. Remarkably, ownership of gun has seen the rise of suicides committed in a country. The absence of a firearm within an angry or depressed individual may be the difference between life and death that critical point. The public is more of the side of gun control with fifty –four percent of the Americans being in su pport of strict gun control policies. While a considerable number of citizens may advocate for gun anti-control, it is evident that the public does not see possession of firearms as way to improve persona security, but as a threat to the lives of others. This has

Shakespeare's tragic vision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shakespeare's tragic vision - Essay Example Ben Jon son, a contemporary Play Wright said about Shakespeare that, "He was not of an age but for all times" who with his dramatic genius has established and underlying reputation for himself which he lived. Shakespeare's age was a period of ignorance and superstition. Despite the advancement of science and learning, the majority of the people still believed in witchcraft and charms omens of all sorts' .The frequent appearance of the supernatural can be seen like ghost in Julius Caesar and Hamlet, witches in Macbeth. Medical science was still rudimentary, and all sorts of fantastic lures were prescribed. Hamlet is considered as a tragedy has all the typical features of a Shakespearean tragedy. A Shakespearean tragedy is essentially the tale of one man- the hero .Hamlet is the prince of Denmark, frank, noble hearted man. That is why he is popular with the people, and Ophelia and Fortinbras praise him so highly. The suffering of the tragic hero is also exceptional; he suffers so terribly the hearts of the readers filled with pity and sympathy. Hamlet has all the chief Characteristics of a typical Elizabethans Revenge ply. The Revenge motif is strong in it. Hamlet's father is murdered in a most foul manner. It is an unnatural crime, for the criminal is the real brother of the murdered King. His queen has been unfaithful to her husband during his life time and soon after his death she marries the murderer. Thus there is murder, adultery, and incestuous marriage. In the manner of revenge play, it is the ghost of Hamlet's father who reveals to the young prince the horrible truth about his father's death, and lays upon him the duty of revenge. The supernatural motif has been fully exploited, eg. The ghost speaks only to the prince. In Hamlet there is much of fighting, bloodshed and violence. First Hamlet kills Polonius hidden behind the curtain. Not only had that he dug his body down exclaiming: This man will set me packing; I will lug the guts into the neighboring room . The revenge motif has been fully exploited, and thrills and sensations, for which the "grounding" longed, have been provided in ample measure. It is not merely an object of horror, but also the representation of the hidden, mysterious forces that lurk around us. It is an instrument of justice to punish the evil doer. Hamlet is one of the greatest tragedies of the world. As Goggling is points out, Hamlet, "is not to be regarded as a tragedy of revenge, but as a universal figure; he is every man. In his suffering, melancholy, hesitations in his inaction at a crucial moment in his life he typifies some one or the other phase of human nature". Hamlet is a tortured soul and it is through his soliloquies that the dreamiest has laid bare his soul before us. Without the soliloquies the drama would be more husks without a Kernel. One can say that Hamlet is Soul's tragedy and raise above a crude Melodrama or Revenge play. According to Samuel Johnson on Hamlet, "The play of Hamlet is opened, without impropriety, by two sentinels; Iago bellows at Brabantio's window, without injury to the scheme of the play, though in terms which a modern audience would not easily endure; the character of Polonius is seasonable and useful; and the grave-diggers themselves may be

Pearl harbor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pearl harbor - Essay Example In 1940, the United States of America stopped the export of all aviation fuel, scrap iron, and other military imperative supplies to Japan. This was an effort to stop Japan’s interference in Southwest Asia without war. In fact, the United States never intended to declare war at all, and was looking for more peaceful solutions. Japan, however, refused to back down. In the summer of 1941, the United States, Netherlands, and Britain joined in a combined effort to freeze Japan’s assets. This was done in order to prevent the purchase of oil. The United States also moved their Pearl Harbor base to Hawaii, from San Diego. Feeling pressured by the demands of the United States, Japan’s military force felt that the movement of Pearl Harbor from San Diego to Hawaii was a threat to their expansion throughout Asia and the Pacific. With no settlements made on either side, the decision was made by Japan to attack the base in Pearl Harbor. Two centuries of tension between two countries, and a lack of communication, were the main reasons why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Neither side had the communication technology that we have today, and so telegrams and messages were understandably delayed. The result was a catastrophic attack that Japan felt was in their right. To this day there are still numerous other theories as to why the attack on Pearl Harbor took place, and hundreds of years from now there will likely still be

Fishers narrative paradigm Essay Example for Free

Fishers narrative paradigm Essay One could argue, for instance, that the narrative of Translators without Borders ultimately sustains and justifies an ethics of consumerism through the commoditization of human grief. By blurring the boundaries between commercial and humanitarian agendas, the narrative accommodates itself to the established cosmetic use of good causes by big business to improve its image and deflect attention from its less savory practices. Finally, the Translators Without Borders story feeds into hegemonic cultural narratives of social responsibility that are ultimately designed to make the donors feel good about themselves rather than directly address the needs of the recipients. This is evident in Lori Thicke s article, published in Multilingual Computing and Technology, where she explains the attraction of the humanitarian exercise as follows: Giving away translations for Ð ° worthy cause is Ð ° win-win scenario. Eurotexte feels good about it. The translators feel good about it, and they see Eurotexte as an agency that really cares which we do. And last but not least, our customers consider this to be Ð ° point of distinction. (2oo3:4) In the final analysis, as Hinchman and Hinchman point out, we extend or withhold allegiance to communities depending on our rational judgments concerning the narratives on which they are based (1997:238) Fishers narrative paradigm, as І have tried to demonstrate with the narrative of Translators Without Borders, offers us Ð ° framework not only for making rational judgments but also for assessing narratives in terms of fidelity and, thus, their ethical import. Gumperz (1982) demonstrated that speakers in Ð ° conversation are engaged in an ongoing and immediate process of assessing others intentions and producing responses based on the assessment of those intentions. He calls this situated or context-bound process of interpreting meaning conversational inference and the meanings themselves are flexible and evolve as conversations proceed (Gumperz 1977). To talk back and forth-to speak as well as listen-entails both sending and receiving multiple levels of meaning. In numerous examples, he illustrates how meanings are conveyed from multiple levels of language consisting of, but not limited to, lexical or phonological choice, syntactic patterns, use of formulaic expressions, code-switching, prosodic cues (intonation and stress), and paralinguistic (e. g. , pitch, register, rhythm, and volume). Meaning is not only determined by features of language, but also, as Gumperz demonstrates, by background expectations, prior knowledge or relationships, roles, cultural knowledge, and other social knowledge. According to Gumperz, interpreting meaning is Ð ° process of contextualization in which Ð ° listener associates certain kinds of cues within the language, called contextualization cues, with information content on the one hand and with background expectations, or social knowledge, on the other ( Gumperz 1978; 1982). Contextualization cues refer to any aspect of the surface form of utterances that, when attached to message content, function as Ð ° way of signaling how to understand what is said. These cues signal to listeners when speakers have made their points, which information is foreground and which is background, what the relationship is between comments, how what is said should be heard (whether anger or joking is meant), and many other kinds of information. Adopting Ð ° cross-cultural perspective, Gumperz developed Ð ° method for investigating the process of contextualization cues by examining situations where they fail to work. When speakers share similar cultural backgrounds, then contextualization cues are also shared and speakers rarely misunderstand. However, when cues are not shared, misunderstandings prevail. Schiffrin ( 1994) interprets his main contribution as emanating from his studies of the way people within Ð ° larger culture, who are members of smaller, distinct cultures, may share grammatical knowledge of Ð ° common language (such as English) but may also contextualize what is said differently than Ð ° member of the larger culture. In this way, messages are produced that are understood perhaps partially, but not completely, such that people take away different interpretations of what was said and done. The following is Ð ° well known example from Gumperz (1982: 3o) cited by Schiffrin (1994: 7): Following an informal graduate seminar at Ð ° major university, Ð ° black student approached the instructor, who was about to leave the room accompanied by several other black and white students, and said: Could І talk to you for Ð ° minute? І am gonna apply for Ð ° fellowship and І was wondering if І could get Ð ° recommendation? The instructor replied: oK. Come along to the office and tell me what you want to do. As the instructor and the rest of the group left the room, the black student said, turning his head ever so slightly to the other students: Ahma git me Ð ° gig! (Rough gloss: І am going to get myself some support. ) Before exploring how different interpretations were made by listeners, this example can serve to illustrate what interactional sociolinguistic data is and how its analysis proceeds. First, Ð ° sociolinguist analyzes actual utterances that have been written down immediately or recorded on tape by an investigator. Significant to sociolinguistics is that these are not data generated from the analysts mind or experience but rather have been actually uttered by Ð ° human being in Ð ° natural context. Second, examples from data are always accompanied by Ð ° brief explanation of the contextthe physical setting, social roles, relationships of other participants, and other information. Any utterance can be the focus of analysis by asking, how was this utterance understood by the people who heard it, and how did these participants arrive at their interpretation? For the sociolinguist, this entails describing the grammatical knowledge of participants and the socio-cultural knowledge that listeners rely on to understand the messages conveyed. Specifically, such an analysis accounts for the way explicit linguistic signs, such as word choice, intonation, rhythm, stress, and lexical and phonetic choices indicate speaker intent and also how social knowledge influenced Ð ° listeners interpretation. When these cues are tacitly shared by speakers, interpretive processes tend to go un-remarked. However, when Ð ° listener does not react to Ð ° cue or is unaware of its function, interpretations vary, misunderstandings occur, and judgments are made.

Important elements in An Inspector Calls

Important elements in An Inspector Calls The first act of the play by J.B. Priestley, An Inspector Calls, displays many of the essential features that will dominate throughout the whole dramatic piece. Set in the Edwardian Era, the play reflects the differences in social classes, as well as the influence of the industrialization over the entire society. Likewise, the rigid gender roles of the Edwardian Era are clearly noticeable throughout the different characters. Gerald Croft, Edna, Eva Smith and the Inspector Goole are important characters in the argument, in spite of the fact of not being part of the Birlings family. The Inspector blamed all characters for the death of Eva Smith, claiming for justice. Finally, Priestley takes advantage of the context of the time when the text was written. He plays with the audiences emotions given that the audience at that time had recently suffered the consequences of the Second World War. The play exemplifies the social structure and industrialization of the Edwardian Era all the way through the plot and the setting. The play is divided into three acts and takes place in the dining-room of a prosperous manufacturer, Arthur Birling, in the industrial city of Brumley. At the beginning of the act, the author gives the impression of a heavily comfortable house. With the arrival of the Inspector Goole, the lighting turns out to be brighter and harder reflecting the change in the atmosphere: tense and mysterious. The Edwardian Era was a period of false security, which preceded the Great War, as discerned in Mr. Birlings opinion about the unviable chance of a war or the unsinkable Titanic. These are examples of dramatic irony, as the audience of the play from 1946 had witnessed all the events that the characters in 1912 were unconscious of. It was a time of urbanization and mass production, where the upper class had the whole supremacy over the common laborers. The upper cru st was not supposed to say such things [polite, nice things] to the hoi polloi. The industrialists sought for lower costs and higher prices, touching upon the working class. The employ of the antithesis between lower and higher is really significant as the lower costs mostly take effect by paying the workers less and the higher prices make the well-to-do richer. Gerald Crofts engagement to Sheila means a tremendous lot to me [Arthur Birling], giving clues to the audience about the marriages between the moneyed which ensured the creation of new social positions. The gender roles are epitomized by the Birling family. At the time the play is set, women and men were unequally treated and lack of gender fairness was a common feature. While Arthur Birling and Eric were able to obtain well-paid jobs, and had a word in decisions, women were unable to obtain education and were kept at home. Mrs. Birling and Sheila are clearly inferior to men, and they could only aspire to make an impact on a bountiful man. Mrs. Birling is aware of these gender differences, and in occasions she suggests that Sheila and I had better go into the drawing-room and leave you men, referring to the gender-specific activities of the Era (in this case the men will talk about manly topics, and the women will leave them alone.) Mr. Birling is very proud of his achievements, and he tries to intimidate the Inspector. He is very selfish and only mind his own business and look after himself and his own. He is continually trying to protect his reputation and the one of Birling and C o. Eric, his son, is totally opposite to his father as he defends the working class, and he is unfortunately a drinker, he is genuinely curious as he asks quite a few questions. He ironically suggests that a man has to look after himself, showing his will to know the truth. Mrs. Birling, in the other hand, is a rather cold woman and her husbands social superior. We can see from her words, men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business, that she accepts the fact that men used prostitution very often. In the other hand, Sheila depicts the generational difference, considering herself modern and is morally sensible. The outsiders are fundamental figures of the plays plot. The Inspector Goole gives the impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness, the way J.B. Prestley described this central character says a lot of his personality and way of acting throughout Act 1. One person and one line of inquiry at a time, this is the way he works. This shows that he is very manipulative in his actions. He tries to find Geralds impatience by stating that Gerald has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girls suicide. The influence of the word wretched is substantial to his slow and convincing movements. Gerald Croft is also a character from outside the Birlings Family. His engagement with Sheila means a lot to her father, but his aristocratic status makes his future marriage unfavorable due to his higher social status. Edna and Eva Smith are the only characters which belong to the proletariat. Edna is the parlourmaid of the Birlings, while Eva Smith has no family, although she was described as a lively good-looking girl. Moreover, there is many discrepancy in the way in which Eva is treated among the characters in the play. Justice and morality, as well as social responsibility, are essential underlying messages throughout the first scene. The play is morally trying to find the audiences accountability for its own actions and the corporate responsibility to society. Priestley uses the authoritarian figure of the Inspector to demonstrate each of the characters responsibility for Evas suicide. As the Inspector suggests, youre partly to blame. Just as your father is. [Referring to Sheila]. The usage of short sentences makes the statements sharper and direct, however the utilization of the personal pronoun you is really significant as it appeals to the theatergoers own responsibility. Inspector Goole has the law in his hands, he is the authority figure which seeks for justice of the young Eva Smith. He is in command of giving us some more light, a subtle metaphor for truth. Sheila and Eric are morally sensible, she alleges that these girls arent cheap labour they are people. The way she claims that they ar e people shows her understanding and respect of the lower classes. It has now become clear that J.B. Priestleys first act of An Inspector Calls, is charged with standout elements which are fundamental throughout the whole piece. An evident link has therefore emerged between the Edwardian Era and the way the play is set up. The prerogative class dominated over the majority of the working class which holds a job in the industries such as that of Birling and Co. Following this, gender roles and the responsibility of the characters, as well as the moral purpose of the play show very interesting perspective of a different time, but the rich description chain of dialogues makes this play to continuously be worth watching.

Cultural Differences and Switching of In-Group Sharing

Cultural Differences and Switching of In-Group Sharing Nuchelle Atkinson, M.A. Research Article Critique Qiu, L., Lin, H., Leung, A. K. (2013). Cultural Differences and Switching of In-Group Sharing  Behavior between an American (Facebook) and a Chinese (Renren)  Social Networking Site. Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(1), 106-121. Emma J. Barnes Abstract Culture is often mirrored by or perceived through shared practices in a community. The different shared practice on users’ national culture represents their host cultures. Facebook is the main social network site (SNS) in Singapore, thus, the partakers was considered bicultural online users, because of the widespread experiences to two culturally different online environments. The authors studied cultural differences and behavioral switching in the context of the fast emerging, naturally occurring online social networking, using both self-report measures and content analyses of online activities on two highly popular platforms; Facebook and Renren (the â€Å"Facebook of China†). Furthermore, the study considered indications of the extent to which characteristics described perceived cultures. These results set the stage for further investigations on flexible switching of actual sharing behaviors. The results also provided the basis that users’ behavioral differenc es in online sharing are due to their culturally shared practice as opposed to differences in technical capabilities. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to achieve two objectives; to seek to identify cross-cultural differences between technologically similar SNS platforms; Facebook and Renren (the â€Å"Facebook of China†). Second, to demonstrate cultural frame switching in online environments. The study also sought to establish that Renren and Facebook are two technically similar platforms in terms of system performance, security, and user-friendliness of in-group sharing functions. This would eliminate the possibility that behavioral differences in the two online communities are attributable to technical differences between the two platforms. Methodology: . The study was conducted using a 5-Point Likert-type scale event on the News Feed page of the participants’ accounts. Participants completed a set of questionnaires on perceived characteristics and various technical capabilities of Facebook and Renren. We created a survey to examine the perceived cultures of Facebook and Renren using characteristics that are related to either a collectivistic or an individualistic orientation in the context of online social networking. We used the scale developed by Tuunainen, Pitkanen,and Hovi (2009) to assess user perception of information security on Facebook and Renren. Website Analysis and Measurement Inventory (WAMMI). WAMMI (www.wammi. com) is a measure widely used in industry for assessing the overall system performance Results: The present article fills this gap by studying the practice of in-group sharing, a highly common online behavior afforded by many SNSs. Our findings demonstrated for the first time that users with extensive experiences with two culturally distinctive SNS communities can flexibility switch their online behaviors to match the shared practice on those SNSs. Conclusions: first, our studies demonstrate that SNSs are interesting cultural environments on their own. our research suggests that SNS users can actively participate in multiple online cultures and acquire multicultural experiences through social interactions in the virtual world. Culture is often mirrored by or perceived through shared practices in a community. The different shared practice on users’ national culture represents their host cultures. Online culture has been considered as a knowledge system formed by constellations of shared practices, expectations, and structures that members choose to follow with the help of networked computer technology (Fuchs, 2008). However, little work has been approached from a cultural psychological perspective; there is a need to examine the emergence of online culture. Studying different online cultures will expand the possibility of cultural psychology by providing new evidence to support existing cultural theories or challenge established ones. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to understand the behavioral ramifications of exposure to multiple online cultures. The problem and statement of importance is clearly stated. The purpose of the study is to achieve two objectives; to seek to identify cross-cultural differences between technologically similar SNS platforms; Facebook and Renren (the â€Å"Facebook of China†) and to demonstrate cultural frame switching in online environments. The study also sought to establish that Renren and Facebook are two technically similar platforms in terms of system performance, security, and user-friendliness of in-group sharing functions. The authors hypothesized that Renren (vs. Facebook) culture is relatively more collectivistic, whereas Facebook (vs. Renren) culture is relatively more individualistic. The second hypothesis is that Renren and Facebook differ in their cultural orientations, with Renren being more collectivistic and Facebook being more individualistic. The authors hypothesize that in-group sharing is a shared practice more prevalent on Renren than on Facebook. All key terms are well d efined. The literature review is very comprehensive in that it covers all of the mechanisms associated with the current study. The authors identify different forms and interpretations of this study. The review concludes with a brief summary of relevant literature and the reasoning for this study. The author intent of the study was explained with words that reflect higher order thinking skills. The participants are mentioned, the setting of the study is explained and words are well chosen; free of jargon and no unnecessary words are used. Thus the purpose was clearly stated. The hypothesis was provided in the literature review and logical. The justification of why the study is important was stated and convincing. It explained the purpose of the study and provided a compelling foundation, enabling the work to be set in the context of both existing evidence and its practical applications. All of the references are pertinent to the problem and help to inform the reader of the study’s purpose. The author used a systematic methodology involving the construction of theory through the analysis of data. The study was conducted using a scale developed by Tuunainen, Pitkanen and Hovi (2009), Website Analysis and Measurement Inventory (WAMMI), and a 5-Point Likert-type scale event. Participants completed a set of questionnaires on perceived characteristics and various technical capabilities of Facebook and Renren. The authors created a survey to examine the perceived cultures of Facebook and Renren using characteristics that are related to either a collectivistic or an individualistic orientation in the context of online social networking. This was an original study as the authors seek to step further in examining if similar cultural switching behavior would occur in natural online environments.Previous research has shown that attributes such as sharing-oriented (Berry et al., 1997; Triandis, 1995), conformity-oriented (Bond Smith, 1996), hierarchical (Triandis, 1995), and supportive (Miller, 1997) pertain to collectivistic cultural characteristics, and attributes such as self-expressive (Kim Sherman, 2007), assertive (Church Lonner, 1998), egalitarian (Triandis, 1995), and competitive (Triandis, 1993) pertain to individualistic cultural characteristics. What are the variables? Participants completed a set of questionnaires’ in Chinese, the participants’ native language. In this study, the authors counterbalanced the order of questionnaires that asked about Facebook and Renren. The present article fills this gap by studying the practice of in-group sharing, a highly common online behavior afforded by many SNSs. The study demonstrated for the first time that users with extensive experiences with two culturally distinctive SNS communities can flexibility switch their online behaviors to match the shared practice on those SNSs. With online social networks becoming a highly viable research tool, the current research offers an example of utilizing online data to study an emerging sociocultural phenomenon. Study 1 confirmed that system performance, security, and the usability of sharing functions are similar across Facebook and Renren, the two SNSs differ in their language medium. Facebook’s user interface is in English, whereas Renren’s is in Chinese (although users can communicate in Chinese on Facebook and English on Renren). From the author’s viewpoint, language is part of the cultural systems on SNSs. Indeed, considerable evidence suggests that language constitutes a part of the larger culture such that the use of Chinese can activate the Chinese cultural system and the use of English can activate the Western cultural system (as sited in Bond, 1983; Trafimow, Silverman, Fan, Law, 1997). Thus, it is reasonable not to consider the effect of language as a rival explanation of the current finding, but to view language as an important element of the online culture in which the users are participating. Another alternative account concerns how different degrees of closeness of friendship on the two SNSs might have affected individuals’ sharing behaviors. Our participants joined the Renren community when they were in China, and later became Facebook users after they arrived in Singapore. One might argue that these friends’ online activities constitute only a small sample of activities that may not accurately represent what other users generally do and therefore the shared practices of the SNS cultures. We contend that, however, it is the practices and activities nominally engaged by their friends that are most likely to reflect the immediate cultural environment in which the participants are actively involved. Conclusions and Implications (2-3 paragraphs)3 points Are the conclusions of the study related to the  original purpose? The present article fills this gap by studying the practice of in-group sharing, a highly common online behavior afforded by many SNSs. The study demonstrated for the first time that users with extensive experiences with two culturally distinctive SNS communities can flexibility switch their online behaviors to match the shared practice on those SNSs. With online social networks becoming a highly viable research tool, the current research offers an example of utilizing online data to study an emerging sociocultural phenomenon. We highly encourage other researchers to capitalize on this valuable resource and study the cultural dynamics of their own interest. The conclusion of the present study is related to the original purpose. The purpose of the study is to achieve two objectives; to seek to identify cross-cultural differences between technologically similar SNS platforms; Facebook and Renren (the â€Å"Facebook of China†). Second, to demonstrate cultural frame switching in online environments. The study also sought to establish that Renren and Facebook are two technically similar platforms in terms of system performance, security, and user-friendliness of in-group sharing functions. Were the implications discussed? The current findings have important implications, both theoretically and methodologically. In  terms of theoretical significance, first, our studies demonstrate that SNSs are interesting cultural environments on their own. Their technological capabilities enable them to afford new norms and practices that are not previously observed offline. For example, instant in-group sharing of information such as videos and pictures can be easily done online but not offline. Nevertheless,  the use of new media may not alter the fundamental essence of a culture—the newly emerged  norms and practices online may evolve from and later reinforce the shared norms and imperatives prevalent in the culture where the online community is hosted. Thus, SNS practices could be important manifestations of cultural products that contribute to a sense of â€Å"cultural consensus† (Lamoreaux Morling, in press). Second, our research suggests that SNS users can actively participate in multiple online cultures and acquire multicultural experiences through social interactions in the virtual world. Whom the results and conclusions will effect? With millions of people engaging in online communities What recommendations were make at the conclusion? SNS communities can flexibility switch their online behaviors to match the shared practice With online social networks becoming a highly viable research tool, the current research offers an example of utilizing online data to study an emerging sociocultural phenomenon. We highly encourage other researchers to capitalize on this valuable resource and studythe cultural dynamics of their own interest.

China and Japan research :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In China and Japan, there are numerous similarities and differences in their religions. People have their choices of following a certain religion. China is a country with great diversity as well as Japan. Religion is a big deal to many Asians. Chinas religions major religions and beliefs are Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Dongba and Protestant. China has about 5.5 million Protestants and 3.5 million Catholics. Confucianism is one of the major philosophies that concerns human society, social relations, and individual conduct. It is more of a social and ethical philosophy than a religion. Confucianism was adopted as a state religion which was to reorder society. The concept of family is central to Confucianism, generating a high standard for family interaction through mutual respect, love and consideration for the needs of others. Buddhism originated in India. This is another one of the major world religions. People sit and meditate for many hours then enlightenment comes to the man and becomes the Buddha. The main concept is liberation of the soul to achieve enlightenment. Life is made of suffering because people are tortured by desire. People overcome desire and enter nirvana, a state of complete freedom. Taoism is truly a Chinese religion which is more individual and mystic and greatly influenced by nature. This is the driving force and all order behind life. It is the power of nature and way of the universe. Taoism is the way to follow to organize life in harmony with nature and the universe. It inspired a love of nature and an intense affirmation for life- physical health, vitality, longevity, and even immorality. Taoism covers a wide variety of gods, magic ceremonies, powers and sorcery. All the religions are practiced today along with Chinas communist ideology. Confucius had government aspirations. He took to streets offering solicited advice about how to structure government and administration bodies. The religion became accepted as a state ideology and orthodoxy. The emperor considered the embodiment of Confucian wisdom and virtue. A strong hierarchy became the canon of political rule. Buddhism spilt into several major schools. Many of Japans religions are the same as Chinas such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Many of the beliefs are the same. Religions do not play a big role in the everyday lives of most Japanese people nowadays. The average Japanese just follows the religious rituals at a few ceremonies such as births. Japan's two most important religions are. The two religions co-existed for several centuries and even complemented each other to a certain degree. The feeling of duty to belong to just a single religion as it is widespread among followers of the three large occidental