Humanities Today Essay Example for Free

Humanities Today Essay For as long as humankind has existed so have art, music, architecture, literature, and philosophy. The University of Phoenix (2009) defines humanities as â€Å"an approach to study that emphasizes ideas and values through analysis of modes of cultural expression, philosophical and religious thought, and modes of human communication† (University of Phoenix, Week One Supplement). Gloria K. Fiero (2006) further defines humanities as literature, philosophy, history, architecture, visual arts, music, and dance (p. 4). Humanities impact daily life without many people being aware of their presence. What distinguishes humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression is that they focus on ideas and values, not simply the production or result of an action. This paper will provide current examples of visual art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature and analyze how they reflect current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology. Visual art can be, but is not limited to, painting, sculpture, and photography. Classic paintings by renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso are still considered masterpieces in today’s society but are not enjoyed by the common population the way that graphic and digital art have in the past century. Graphic and digital technology have become the means by which visual art is to be viewed and cherished among the mass population in a way that has never been available in history. Today’s society has become focused on instant gratification. Changes are expected to be made in politics overnight, struggles in socioeconomics demand rectification within weeks (even though they took years to create), and advancements in technology feeds society’s dependence on better, faster, and stronger tools. Unfortunately, visual art has become victim to this need for instant gratification. No longer are single masterpieces created by the flow of an artist’s hands, shaping and molding art into a creation of his or her soul. Instead, art is generated digitally by the click of a mouse and a selection of color and size from a predefined chart. The art can then be mass-distributed and mass-produced around the world in the matter of minutes. The creativity is still there, but the love generated through the time and patience required to construct that art by hand is no longer there. With the flood of self-help books saturating the market, literature also reflects society’s need for instant gratification. Self-help books are a reflection of the current socioeconomic state in which everyone is looking for a way to better his or her life instantly. Politicians have indirectly supported this literary genre by focusing and promoting what is wrong in the country and in each other. For example, if a politician has shortcomings in his or her public speaking abilities, the opposing political party will ridicule that person publicly. Citizens who feel they also do not have strong speaking skills and fear being mocked may then be compelled to purchase a self-help book on public speaking. As technology has advanced, self-help books have become a wonderful tool for individuals struggling to learn how to use the newest electronic devices. One popular technology self-help series is the For Dummies books. The books began in 1991 with â€Å"DOS for Dummies† (Johnson, 2006, para. 3), but they have now sold over 150 million Dummies books in 39 languages. Many people have benefited from the simple, helpful language used in these books, but not all self-help books are created equal. Some self-help books offer a quick solution that often leaves individuals feeling worse than when they began. Striving for self-improvement is excellent; however, self-help books can sometimes do more harm than good. Music in today’s society can also do more harm than good when presented to an impressionable mind. Music has always been used as a means of creatively reflecting political and socioeconomic issues, but since the inception of the Rap and Heavy Metal music genres, discontent, anger, and frustration have become common and wide-spread in music over the past 50 years. Songs about drug use, suicide, murder, and rape and those that use explicit language are common in these two genres of music and have begun to permeate other forms of music. This reflects not only society’s discontent with the current political and socioeconomic state, but it also reflects society’s tolerance and acceptance of freedom of speech. The sound of music, the production of music, and the enjoyment of music have evolved as technology evolves. New sounds that have never been possible before are now available through technology. Music is now available anywhere through the use of an MP3 player or cell phone. No longer does a person have to stop and listen to a musician; music can be played at any time. This fills society’s need for instant gratification. Today’s architecture also caters to the on-the-go lifestyles of society. Bigger, stronger, smarter, and faster are all ideas and values visibly manifested in current architecture. The aesthetic appeal of a building has given way to designs which exploit opportunities to get the most for the money. A recent trend which reflects a change of political and socioeconomic initiatives is building environmentally-friendly structures. That means creating a building that produces little waste, uses alternative power solutions, and emits minimum greenhouse toxins. Advances in technology have made these structures possible; however, they cost additional money to construct, and businesses and individuals are charged more money to use them than a traditionally built structure. Instant gratification, the struggle for self-improvement, tolerance and acceptance, and the idea of making as much money as possible are all philosophies in today’s society. Each is reflected in art, literature, music, and architecture, but as a whole, they make up the philosophy of society through their ideas and values. Developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology have all played a part in creating these philosophies, but they are visibly manifested in the humanities. One can only wonder how the current humanities will be viewed and analyzed 50 or 100 years from now. The examples this paper has provided of visual art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature demonstrate how current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology are reflected. As politics, socioeconomics, and technology change so too will art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. They are a reflection of one another and intertwined in their evolution. References Fiero, Gloria K. (2007). The humanistic tradition (5th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Johnson, Doug (2006, October). For dummies books are popular learning aids. Retrieved from http://www. voanews. com/specialenglish/archive/2006-10/2006-10-12-voa1. cfm University of Phoenix (2009). Week One supplement: Humanities Terminology. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Week One, HUM102 – Introduction to the Humanities website.

Hollywoods Attack On Religion :: essays research papers

Hollywood's Attack on Religion The section that I have chosen to analyze from the book Hollywood vs. America is "The Attack on Religion." In this part of the book, Michael Medved discusses the shift in attitude Hollywood has made toward religion, from acceptable to contemptible. He takes a look at the messages being sent in films, music and television in the last 15 to 20 years and analyzes their effects. In general, Hollywood depicts religion in an unfavorable manner, according to Medved. Moreover, Medved also argues that, not only has Hollywood taken a hostile stance toward religion, but it has paid the price, literally, for doing so. All of Medved's arguments are well supported and documented, making them seemingly futile to argue against. Yet, Hollywood, which includes films, music and television, continues to disregard the obvious facts that Medved has revealed. In the first chapter of this section, "A Declaration of War," Medved discusses the facts surrounding the protest which took place on August 11, 1988, in opposition to the release of the motion picture The Last Temptation of Christ. MCA/Universal, which funded the Martin Scorsese film, called the protesters a "know-nothing wacky pack" (38). However, as Medved points out, the protest was "the largest protest ever mounted against the release of a motion picture" (37) and included such groups as the National Council of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention, twenty members of the U.S. House of Representatives and prominent figures such as Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Ken Wales, former vice president at Disney studios. Even with such strong opposition from these respected groups and people, the studio refused to listen and stood behind its First Amendment rights. MCA/Universal was even supported by the Motion Picture Association of America, which stated that "The . . . MPAA support MCA/Universal in its absolute right to offer to the people whatever movie it chooses" (41). However, Medved rebukes this statement, arguing that "absolute right" wasn't the issue; the issue "concerned the movie company's choices, not its rights" (41). He supports this argument further by indicating that the MPAA would never support a film portraying Malcolm X as a paid agent of Hoover's FBI or portraying Anne Frank "as an out-of-control nymphomaniac" (41). By releasing The Last Temptation of Christ, the studio positions Jesus, God and Christianity below these prominent figures in history because it is portraying Jesus and other religious figures in uncharacteristic situations that would never be associated with these historical figures. This is supported by past experiences when movies were edited so as to not offend animal rights activists, gay advocacy groups, and ethnic

Arthur Miller presents Eddie Carbone as a tragic hero Essay

The next major event in this scene is where Rodolfo and Catherine have been dancing to â€Å"Paper doll† The words â€Å"Paper doll† could represent Catherine, as Eddie is implying that Rodolfo only wants Catherine for his papers; his passport to the country. During this scene Eddie’s anger has been rising and he then makes an attempt to dishonour Rodolfo by making him look foolish and unmanly, â€Å"I mean like me . . . would be like in a dress store. † During this point Catherine and Rodolfo have stopped dancing and turned off the phonograph, showing that Rodolfo has taken notice of this remark and his pent up anger is shown when he unconsciously tears the newspaper in half. Eddie’s jealousy and anger has been rising throughout this scene and in another attempt to make Rodolfo look unmanly and foolish Eddie asks him for a sparring match. Eddie hurts Rodolfo by punching him, â€Å"He feints with his left . . . staggers Rodolfo. Marco rises† He does this to illustrate his power over him and show to Catherine that he is weak and also to warn him this kind of behaviour is shown in animals where males fight each other for the right to mate. Marco has realised what is going on so he â€Å"rises† to have his presence felt by Eddie and to show him that he will back Rodolfo up. During this scene Miller has been building up tension through Eddie’s controversial joke to the sparring match as what seems to be â€Å"comradeship† and jokes, is really a way to get back at the two brothers. At the end of this scene Marco and Eddie have a challenge to see who can lift a chair from one leg to above their heads. Eddie tries and tries but to no success the chair just, â€Å"leans over to the floor†. When Marco attempts this he raises the chair as if like a â€Å"weapon over Eddie’s head† this action is symbolic of Eddie’s fate as he dies because of Marco in the end. It is a gesture that foreshadows the future events yet to occur after this incident. This challenge of strength was also a more blatant warning to Eddie by Marco to show that he could out power and even defeat him in a fight, we know this because of the stage directions, † . . glare of warning into a smile of triumph† These show Marco’s facial expressions. He is smiling because he knows Eddie is no match for him, Eddie also knows this as his, â€Å"grin vanishes† ending the scene and act with a dramatic climax. Eddie cannot defeat Rodolfo and Marco by being â€Å"more of a man† so he is left with one option, betrayal, which brings on his downfall. The next time Eddie encounters Alfieri is his final meeting with him. Eddie comes to him desperate to do something about Rodolfo and Marco as he is immersed by his jealousy after seeing Catherine come out of the same bedroom as Rodolfo in the previous scene. In this scene Alfieri again describes Eddie’s eyes as â€Å"tunnels† this repeated use of the word â€Å"tunnels† suggests that his fate is inevitable as a tunnel has only one way out and so does Eddie’s fate. In fact in this paragraph there are numerous phrases and words that suggest the downfall of Eddie is inevitable such as, â€Å"On December twenty-seventh I saw him next. I normally . . . sat around looking out my window at the bay† It seems unusual for Alfieri to break from his routine by staying in his office as he is a busy man and staying just â€Å"looking out† the window is an illogical way to spend time, suggesting to me it was fate that made him stay in his office that day. Also the word â€Å"transfixed† shows the downfall of Eddie, the meaning of the word transfixed is to be fixed to the spot through fear. Alfieri is scared as he knows what is going to happen next and he is powerless to stop it from happening repeating this idea of inevitability. Eddie uses the same excuses that Rodolfo is homosexual and that he is using Catherine as a way to stay in America. Alfieri tells him as he told him before, â€Å"you cannot stop it† but Eddie’s desperation drives him on. Alfieri warns him, â€Å"the law is only . . . drown you if you buck it now† Alfieri is trying to warn him about the implications that would arise if he was to go against the marriage of Catherine and Rodolfo when he says â€Å"law† he is also talking about the marriage however his warnings are futile as he â€Å"starts turning around† and goes to the phone booth. Eddie knows now that there is nothing more he can do than to call the immigration bureau, his hastiness and desperation impairing his morals, making him go against the things he stands for. In the last scenes we see that Eddie has lost everything, as all of the community turn their backs on Eddie, â€Å"Lipari, the butcher, turns and starts up left†. He has informed the immigration about Marco and Rodolfo which is considered to be the most dishonourable thing a Sicilian man could do and so they have lost all respect they had for him. Eddie still maintains his innocence as he never gave up fighting for his niece till he died and he stuck to his ways. Eddie is a tragic hero as he died because of his fatal flaw; his over possessive love of his niece Catherine. We see that he realises his mistake at the end as his last words are, â€Å"My B.! † this suggests that Eddie has now understood that his loyalties should have stayed with Beatrice his wife. It is Alfieri that recognises that the death of Eddie should persuade you to think that, â€Å"it is better to settle for half†. Alfieri also says that even though he knew that what Eddie did was bad there was still something in him that made him good, â€Å"something perversely pure calls to me from his memory† This conveys that Alfieri still thinks that Eddie is the â€Å"good guy† at the end of the play, as what he did was out of love a passion for his family, even though inevitably this would lead to his downfall and this was the reason why he died the way he did. At the end of the play we agree with Alfieri as the audience considers Eddie to have been hero in his own way.

Why Are Monarchs Caterpillars Turning Black

Black death in monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) is one of several recent threats to the one of our most popular and revered insect species. Whether youre raising  monarch butterflies  in a classroom, observing them in your backyard milkweed garden, or taking part in one of the habitat restoration projects, you may have noticed that a percentage of monarch caterpillars never reach adulthood as a butterfly. Some just seem to disappear, while others show visible signs of disease or parasitism. Symptoms of Butterfly Black Death One day, your caterpillars are munching away on their milkweed, and the next, they turn lethargic. Their colors seem a little off. Their black bands appear wider than usual. Gradually, the entire caterpillar darkens, and its body looks like a deflated inner tube. Then, right before your eyes, the caterpillar turns to mush. Signs that your caterpillars will succumb to black death: lethargy, refusing to eatdiscoloration of the cuticle (skin)watery droppingsregurgitationshriveled tentacles Even after several years of raising bumper crops of monarchs in your own milkweed patch, you may still be in danger of infestations. In the worst case, a catastrophic parasite infestation can occur, leading to an overall decline in the health of your caterpillar population. What are the signs? Some or nearly all of the monarch caterpillars slowly turn black and die. Chrysalis discoloration is another thing to look out for. While a healthy chrysalis does turn dark just before the adult butterfly is ready to emerge, an unhealthy one turns solid black—and adult butterflies never emerge from them. What Causes Black Death in Butterflies? In most cases, black death has two causes: a bacterium in the genus  Pseudomonas  and the  Nuclear polyhedrosis  virus. Pseudomonas  bacteria prefer moist environments and are pretty much ubiquitous. You can find them in water, in soil, in plants, and even in animals (including people). In humans,  Pseudomonas  bacteria may cause ear, eye, and urinary tract infections, as well as other hospital-acquired infections. Pseudomonas  is an opportunistic bacteria that typically infects caterpillars that are already weakened by other diseases or conditions. The  Nuclear polyhedrosis  virus is almost always deadly to monarchs. It resides inside the caterpillars cells, forming polyhedra (sometimes described as crystals, although this is not entirely accurate). The polyhedra grow within the cell, eventually causing it to burst open. This is the reason infected caterpillars or pupa seems to dissolve as the virus ruptures the cells and destroys the structure of the insect. Fortunately, the  Nuclear polyhedrosis  virus does not reproduce in humans. Tips for Preventing Black Death in Monarchs If youre raising monarch butterflies in a classroom or in your backyard butterfly garden, there are several precautions you can take to lower the risk of black death. The  Pseudomonas  bacteria like moist environments. Keep your breeding environment as dry as possible. Raised cages constructed of ventilated mesh are a good choice.Keep the cage out of the sun.Vacuum up any frass (butterfly droppings) and old milkweed leaves. Wipe down and dry the cage daily.Rinse milkweed cuttings and leaves with water before feeding.Watch for condensation in breeding cages. Be sure to let milkweed plants dry completely before use.If you see any signs of sickness in a caterpillar (lethargy, discoloration, etc.), isolate it from the other caterpillars.Remove any chrysalides that are turning black.If you have evidence that your butterflies are suffering from the black death, disinfect the cage with a 5 to 10 percent bleach solution prior to raising any more. Citizen Scientists and Preserving Monarchs The monarch butterfly population has crashed in recent years, experiencing an 80 percent decline in North American populations over the past few decades. Only part of this downturn is due to the black death. Other parasites affecting monarchs include tachinid fly infections, Ophryocystis ​elektroscirrha (OE), and Trichogramma and Chalcid wasps. Unfortunately, the most serious threat to monarchs comes from human sources including insecticide and herbicide use and loss of habitat. Today there are several monarch preservation opportunities for students and ordinary citizens to take part in that offer opportunities from monitoring and reporting infestations, to tracking migrating butterflies, to getting grants to launch new backyard gardens and promoting butterfly health. Sources Agreement: Monarch Butterfly to Get Endangered Species Act Protection Decision by 2019. Center for Biological Diversity. Web. Accessed June 9, 2018.Monarch Butterfly: What is Citizen Science? USDA Forest Service. Web. Accessed June 9, 2018.Monarch Predation by Invertebrates, Parasitoids, and Disease. Monarch Watch. Web. Accessed June 9, 2018.Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus. International Butterfly Breeders Association. Web. Accessed June 9, 2018.Pseudomonas Infection, Medscape Reference. Web. Accessed June 9, 2018.Pseudomonas, Southern Illinois University. Web. Accessed January 7, 2013.Parasites and Natural Enemies, MonarchLab, University of Minnesota. Web. Accessed June 9, 2018.