Never To Late Essay -- essays research papers

Many older students are making their way back to school The number of older, more â€Å"nontraditional† college students are growing. These students say that maturity and life experience give them a clear advantage in the college classroom, and many advisors agree. No matter how old or young one is; it is never too late to start working toward an educational goal in becoming a college graduate! Remember the dream within us sits waiting to spread forth and become a reality. It is only the lack of belief in ourselves that stops us from achieving those things with the heart, and it is only through our own understanding, ability and perseverance that we see them become realities. Until then, they are little more than visions in a crystal ball, with no chance of development. Some would-be students believe it is too difficult to pursue a college degree, believing they are not smart enough or personally powerful enough to see a degree through. And, no doubt, it is no walk in the park, but is and will be the most personally fulfilling and rewarding experience and personal achievement that life will bring, second only to a beautiful, long lasting marriage or having children to share ones life with. The first step in achieving ones college goal, is believing in yourself and making a commitment to yourself and education that no matter what the next few years bring in personal circumstance or situation that ones priority is achieving their college dream, and nothing will stand in ones way in achieving them. It is only the student with this most positive and certain attitude that will succeed. Otherwise, difficult circumstances and situations are sure to arise, and without this attitude, students are sure to follow a voice within them that says, â€Å"It’s too difficult, why not just quit!† And that will be the end of that. But with a positive and certain goal the voice within will remind the student of the dream, the band playing pomp and circumstance and the diploma in hand. And the struggle will seem well worth it. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), by 2010, 16 million people will be enrolled in American colleges and universities – over half of them adults. Not Your Average College Freshman Why return to school? Some people want to finish a degree begun earlier in life but interrupted by career decisions or family responsibilities. Others d... ...illing to speak up if problems arise. 5. Are willing and able to commit 4 to 15 hours per week per course. 6. Can meet the minimum requirements for the program, whether traditional or online. 7. Can accept critical thinking and decision-making as part of the learning process. 8. Have access to a computer and modem. 9. Are able to think ideas through before responding. 10. Believe that high quality learning can take place without going to traditional classrooms. Myths and Realities about Going to College as an Adult Myth: College is for young people. Adults don’t fit in. Reality: Today, College is for everyone. Almost 6 million people are 25 years of age or older which is forty percent of all American college students. Further, the U.S. Department of Education estimates that 90 million individuals participate in some form of adult education each year, including training and basic education offered outside traditional higher education. Myth: Going to school part-time, you’ll never complete a degree. Reality: One of the ways that institutions have accommodated adult learners is by devising alternate schedules that allow students to complete more classes in the same amount of time.

Information Technology Acts Paper Essay

Have you ever been sitting at home relaxing when the phone rings and it is a telemarketer on the other line trying to sell you something? You didn’t reach out to the company on the other line prompting this intrusion. Most of the time, you don’t even want the product they are selling. This is an issue that has plagued millions of people across the United States since the mid-to-late eighties when businesses started using the telephone in order to market and sell their products. Two Acts in particular have been passed in order to help battle telemarketers and maintain residencies’ privacy when it comes to the telephone. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was passed in 1991 was implemented because of the increasing amount of commercial solicitation calls consumers were receiving. The act laid out rules that companies must abide by when marketing through the telephone. Some of these rules consisted of providing the solicitor’s name, the name of the entity whose behalf the call is being made, and a telephone number or address where they can be contacted. Another is that solicitation calls can only be made between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm. Finally telemarketers must abide by any do not call requests from consumers. According to â€Å"Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls† (2013), â€Å" In June 2003, the FCC supplemented its original rules implementing the TCPA and established, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the national Do-Not-Call list. † George W. Bush signed the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act into law on June 11th, 2003. This Act in conjunction with the TCPA, the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act is also here to protect the consumer from unwanted phone calls. There is a grace period of 31 days that the consumer has to put their phone number on this list from the day the number is registered. Companies can be sued by individuals for not upholding rules by which these to Acts represent. States can also initiate civil action against offending companies. Individuals can also file complaints through the FCC. These are a few of the ways the TCPA and Do-Not-Call Implementation Acts can be enforced. They are only here to protect the consumer and we are all better off for them.

The Haitian Revolution Essays - 1384 Words

The Haitian revolution became the pedestal of slave or black rebellion across many nations in the world. Slaves around the world were seeking to be recognized as equals to their conquerors or colonizers and therefore uprisings began to develop after the orchestration of the first black uprising known as the Haitian revolution. A distinguished black leader Toussaint L’ouverture was one of the prominent leaders of the Haitian revolution. He advocated for equality, fraternity and liberty. He was also well known for being a pioneer of the abolishment of slavery. According to The Caribbean: History of the Region and its People â€Å"the Haitian revolution transformed the very meaning of freedom, not just in the Caribbean but far†¦show more content†¦When Jamaicans got wind of Haiti’s success in their uprising, they began to sing songs of war to encourage their each other to unite and rebel against their colonizers or captors. The Christmas rebellion in Jamaica led by Samuel Sharpe was a one of such rebellion or revolts inspired by the Haitian revolution in the Caribbean. The Haitian revolution had set the ball rolling for movements of abolition and human rights this is how the Christmas rebellion was inspired to revolt against the inhumane treatment of black people in Jamaica. Samuel Sharpe was a learned slave who served his people by advocating for the abolishment of slavery. He was also known to have instigated peaceful resistance among his fellow black counterparts to fight for the ideals Toussaint L’ouverture fough t for. Just as L’ouverture Sharpe was able to organize and keep secret the plan of the uprising during an era where blacks were assumed incapable of organizing themselves. He was able to pull of an army of approximately 60000 slaves to rebel simply by preaching to them about his educated viewpoint of why they should have a right to be treated as equals and not as animals or slaves. Sharpe was able to bring about fear to the white ruling class within the island of Jamaica. Most of the whites feared that the black Jamaican slaves would be successful in their rebellion as that of their Haitian once enslaved counterparts. Though the rebellion was unsuccessful itShow MoreRelatedThe Revolution Of The Haitian Revolution1385 Words   |  6 PagesThe Haitian Revolution is one of the most effective and swift Slave revolts of all time. The causes of the Haitian Revolution were quite simple and was similar to any other kind of slave revolt. Many ideas carried around by slave traders at the time such as treating slaves as property, using social/racial classes, and oppressive control ultimately tipped the slaves over the edge. Ideas of independence also sparked the revolution, and one key inspiration to the cause was The French Revolution. ThisRead MoreHaitian Revolution : The Revolution1199 Words   |  5 PagesHaitian Revolution: The Haitian Revolution was led by Toussaint L’Ouverture from May 20, 1743 to April 7, 1803. It has been described as the largest and most successful slave rebellion. The rebellion was initiated in 1791 by the slaves. In the end, they had succeeded in ending slavery and French control on the colony. The Haitian Revolution consisted of multiple revolutions going simultaneously. The Haitian Revolution existed from 1791 to 1804. It was important because Haiti is the only country whereRead MoreThe Haitian Revolution1975 Words   |  8 Pagesrebellion is called the Haitian Revolution. The Haitian Revolution is one of the largest slave revolts that have ever occurred. Finally fed up with oppression, severed rights under the French, and failed promises of liberty, the slaves of Saint Domingue took matters into their own hands. After years of violence and struggles for freedom, the slaves of Saint Domingue finally were emancipated, making all their efforts worthwhile. The Haitian Revolution is the most notable revolution that have ever occurredRead MoreThe Haitian Revolution And The American Revolution1365 Words   |  6 PagesAtlantic World. In a time that can be called an era of revolution, the Atlantic World faced a multitude of uprisings. The American Revolution in 1765 would be the start of the age of revolutions, and would later inspire the revolutions of other countries across the Atlantic, such as the French Revolution in 1789, the Haitian Revolution in 1791, and later the Latin American Revolutions during the early nineteenth century. The events of these revolutions created shockwaves across the Atlantic that wouldRead MoreHaitian revolution Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesIn 1791 revolution broke out in the French colony of Saint Domingue, later called Haiti. The Haitian Revolution resounded in communities surrounding the Atlantic Ocean. One of the wealthiest European outposts in the New World, the Caribbean islands western third had some of the largest and most brutal slave plantations. Slave laborers cultivated sugar, coffee, indigo, and cotton, and they endured horrible death rates, requiring constant infusions of slaves from Africa. In 1789 roughly 465,000 blackRead MoreThe Haitian Revolution Of 17911317 Words   |  6 Pages The Haitian Revolution To say that all men are born and created equally is an understatement to say the least. Speaking morally, yes. But in reality, no. Especially if you are someone of African descent lost in the diaspora. Case in point, the Haitian Revolution. Holding someone against their will and forcing them into slavery is wrong. To force an unfair and unjustified debt upon a people for fighting for their freedom and winning is double wrong and equally as bad as slaveryRead More The Haitian Revolution Essay2474 Words   |  10 Pageseffects of the Haitian Revolution have played, and continue to play, a major role in the history of the Caribbean. During the time of this rebellion, slavery was a large institution throughout the Caribbean. The success of the sugar and other plantations was based on the large slave labor forces. Without these forces, Saint Domingue, the island with the largest sugar production, and the rest of the Caribbean, would face the threat of losing a profitable industry. The Haitian Revolution did not justRead MoreSuccess of the Haitian Revolution1897 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿The Success of the Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution was the result of a long struggle on the part of the slaves in the French colony of St. Domingue, but was also propelled by the free Mulattoes who had long faced the trials of being denoted as semi-citizens. This revolt was not unique, as there were several rebellions of its kind against the institution of plantation slavery in the Caribbean, but the Haitian Revolution the most successful. This had a great deal to do withRead MoreFrench Revolution vs. the Haitian Revolution762 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution vs. The Haitian Revolution A revolution is a shift, a turning point, a change in government. A revolution usually occurs when the majority of a nation is frustrated with the economic, political, or the social situation of their country. Two very interesting revolutions were the Haitian and the French revolutions. While the Haitian and French revolutions took place in close proximity to one another, the cause for the revolutions and results were quite different. The politicalRead MoreFactors Responsible for the Outbreak of the Haitian Revolution2143 Words   |  9 PagesCaribbean was the Haitian Revolution. This School Based Assessment (SBA) is aimed at identifying the main causes and effects of the Haitian Revolution. Another aim off this school Based Assessment is to seek to find out why most slave protest and rebellions failed to destroy the system of slavery. Factors that were responsible for the outbreak of the Haitian revolution Class division was a major factor, which contributed to the outbreak of the Haitian Revolution. In St Domingue, there

Legalizing Marijuana - 4050 Words

Legalizing Marijuana Abraham Lincoln once stated that, Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man s appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimesÂ… A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded. In today s society, this statement still applies in reference to the illegal use of marijuana. Marijuana prohibition causes far more harm than marijuana itself. Keeping marijuana illegal is expensive and causes crime. Out of four possible connections between drugs and crime, at least three would not exist if drug prohibition laws were repealed. First, crimes which occur billions of times a year are producing, selling, buying, and†¦show more content†¦During the same period, FBI resources devoted to drug enforcement increased from $8 million a year to over $100 million; U.S. Marshals resources from $26 million to about $80 million; U.S. Attorney resources from $20 mi llion to about $100 million; U.S. Customs resources from $180 million to about $400 million; and Bureau of Prison resources from $77 million to about $300 million. Expenditures on drug control by the military and the intelligence agents are more difficult to calculate, although by all amounts they have increased by at least the same magnitude and total hundreds of millions of dollars per year (8-9). Federal, state, and local government spend about $75 billion a year on law enforcement and criminal justice programs. About $20 billion of that is directly related to drug law enforcement. Roughly another $15 billion is related to crimes committed to obtain drug money or is systematically related in some way to drug commerce. This means about $35 billion per year is spent on drug law enforcement and lost by crimes committed to obtain drug money. The $35 billion along with money squandered on the ineffective drug suppression activities of the government, and the money lost as a result of the unnaturally high price of drugs, creates a $100 billion total (Duke 354-355). Benson Roe believes, It is time to recognize that the problem isShow MoreRelatedLegalizing Marijuana2983 Words   |  12 PagesDecember 3, 2012 The topic of marijuana has been a big topic for the past few years. The United States considers marijuana as a drug, in some other countries they say it is a natural herb that is grown from the ground. The issue at hand is â€Å"should marijuana be legalized?† the congress of the US stay in a constant debate on this subject. Why is the subject of marijuana such in high demand, if the US already considers it a drug? There are many facts that need to be looked at before a finalRead MoreReasons for Legalizing Marijuana841 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Reasons for Legalizing Marijuana Abstract Marijuana can be used by the public for many purposes. Medicine is an important part of our lives and marijuana has been tested to cure cancerous cells as well as help people with their epilepsy. Using marijuana for medical purposes is one major aspect that people should take into consideration for legalizing it. Marijuana’s market has also been brought to many people’s attention because it has been poised to grow faster thanRead MoreThe Battle Of Legalizing Marijuana1289 Words   |  6 Pages Jake Mincher Mrs. Hasty English 1, 1st Hour 4/20/17 The Battle to Legalize Marijuana in the United States The United States is splitting up into two sides with the date of 4/20 coming closer with one wanting the legalization of the plant substance and the other opposing it. According to the United Nations, 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana—more than 3.8% of the planet’s population. Marijuana was legalized on the 20th of April in Colorado in 2014. It has been legalized in variousRead MoreThe Issue Of Legalizing Marijuana1324 Words   |  6 PagesDoes it really come to morality after all? The decision to legalize marijuana has been subject for debate since first introduced in 1969; many arguing the fact that we are sitting on an industry worth an estimated 113 billion dollars. For once we have an opportunity to make a real impact in our economy. We have an aid on â€Å"the war on drugs†. But are we then showing our children that legalizing drugs is really the answer to our problems or does only the big picture mater in the end? Will this bringRead M oreThe Issue Of Legalizing Marijuana1821 Words   |  8 PagesThe issue of Legalizing marijuana is a very controversial topic of modern times. The use of marijuana is all over the media with celebrities doing it and young people in on the craze. Marijuana is the world’s oldest illegal drug, not only that, it is also the drug that is most widely used among society today (Aanstoos, 2015). Different types of people use this drug for a variety of reasons, such as, as a way to disconnect from todays hectic world, something they are peer pressured into, or even medicalRead MoreBoth Sides of Legalizing Marijuana1316 Words   |  5 Pagesof us know, marijuana has been legalized in Washington and Colorado for recreational use. According to polls and predictions, Oregon may be one of the up and coming states to legalize it next. But here comes to question, Should marijuana be legalized? Why or why not? There are many pros and cons to this situation, and they all affect not just our s tate but our country as a whole. That is exactly why I chose this topic. Since middle school, there has been talk about whether marijuana should be legalizedRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana For Recreational Use926 Words   |  4 PagesLegalizing Marijuana in Texas for Recreational Use The well known debate over the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in The United States has been ongoing since 1935. Recently Colorado and Washington have legalized the use of marijuana for recreational use. By doing so, the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana has become more of an issue than it already was and now brings other states to question whether or not they should legalize marijuana (Breecher). Which brings aboutRead MoreThe Debate over Legalizing Marijuana967 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana is a drug which is used for recreational purposes as well as medicinal purposes. However, the medicinal use of marijuana has only been suggested in the recent years because previously it was just a drug which used to be exploited by the teenagers, adults and others for their own personal purposes. Many people get arrested for illegal possession of marijuana because it is still illegal to have marijuana despite the ongoing debate of making it legal. There are many people who are againstRead MorePositives and Negatives of Legalizing Marijuana1886 Words   |  8 PagesI have always been against the use of all illegal drugs including marijuana, but while researching this topic, I have learned a lot about some of the positives of legalizing marijuana use. Considering it is classified as an illegal controlled substance, I have always been under the assumption that marijuana was bad for people, no matter what my friends may have said about how good it was. I was peer pressured into trying it when I was fourteen. I knew right away that it was not for me. It madeRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana For Open Recreational Use1261 Words   |  6 Pagesand use of marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational use. While hotly debated on both sides, one of the more ironic factors regarding the issue of legalization is that it was found to be perhaps the most logically and fairly debated topics of the state’s recent mid-term elections. T he facts of legalization are becoming more black and white and less about morality, which may be a testament to why 24 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws legalizing medicinal marijuana. Of those

Disease, Sickness, Death, and Decay in Hamlet Essay

Death, Sickness, and Decay in Hamlet Decay is defined as a gradual decline; deterioration, disease as any departure from health. Both have many forms: physical, psychological, social, etc. Multiple examples of illness and deterioration can be found in the tragedy Hamlet. In this drama, Shakespeare uses imagery of decay and disease and the emotional and moral decay of his characters to enhance the atmosphere of the play. The drama Hamlet abounds with images of decay and disease. Celestial bodies are described in this manner; in Act I Horatio says that the moon Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse, and in Act III, Hamlet says that the moon is thoughtsick at his mothers sin. Abstract ideas such as wealth†¦show more content†¦Most of all, Hamlets description in Act IV of Polonius corpse eaten by worms is a disgusting passage: Not where he eats, but where a is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are een at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar are but variable service -- two dishes, but one table. Thats the end. References to sickness and rottenness are made throughout the play, but decay is perceivable in other ways as well. The characters in Hamlet decay emotionally throughout the play. For example, at the beginning of the drama Queen Gertrude is happy, but her conversation with Hamlet in Act III, his apparent insanity, and his vague hints about her sin torment her until in Act IV she moans miserably, To my sick soul (as sins true nature is) Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss; So full of artless jealousy is guilt It spills itself in fearing to be spilt. Poor Gertrude has made the pathetic journey from blissful ignorance to wretched half-enlightenment, and her peace of mind is totally destroyed. Likewise, Ophelia is totally changed within the course of the play.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Hamlet Metaphor1089 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Hamlet, a revenge tragedy that continually depicts the vibrant metaphors of manifesting corruption and festering disease in order to auger the impending calamities in the state of Denmark. Throughout Shakespeares play, there are successive images of deterioration, decay and death. These images are skilfully accomplished through the use of metaphors of rotting and dead gardens. Shakespeare wonderfully creates these metaphors that add great dimension to the play of Hamlet. The gardenRead More hamlet metaphor Essay1073 Words   |  5 PagesShakespearequot;quot;s Hamlet, a revenge tragedy that continually depicts the vibrant metaphors of manifesting corruption and festering disease in order to auger the impending calamities in the state of Denmark. Throughout Shakespearequot;quot;s play, there are successive images of deterioration, decay and death. These images are skilfully accomplished through the use of metaphors of rotting and dead gardens. Shakespeare wonderfully creates these metaphors that add great dimension to the play of Hamlet. The gardenRead MoreImagery of Disease in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay1574 Words   |  7 PagesImagery of Disease in Hamlet by William Shakespeare The disease imagery in Hamlet serves to constantly remind the reader of the initial problem in the play: King Hamlets poisoning by his brother. After hearing his father graphically describe the murder, it is constantly on Hamlets mind. For this reason, many of the images that Hamlet creates in the play are connected with disease and poison. The literal poisoning becomes symbolic of the rest of the events of the play. Remember that poisoningRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - The Moral Corruption Essay2770 Words   |  12 Pages William Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been widely regarded as one of the greatest tragedies ever written. One prominent theme exemplified in this particular play is the theme of rottenness or decay. Shakespeare uniquely uses disease, rotting, and decay in order to reveal the manifestation and consequence of moral corruption. Physical corruption mirrors the moral corruption within the characters in the play. The moral corruption in Denmark is showcased for the readers throughout the play by images ofRead MoreHamlet And Twelfth Night Comparison Essay957 Words   |  4 Pagestragedies to comedies. Of them, Hamlet and Twelfth Night are perfect examples of both. A comparison between them could be of interest because their common points demonstrate that, however differing their genres are, Shakespeare’s plays essentially illustrate what it is to be human[1] . [2] Hamlet and Twelfth Night could both be compared through instances of body imagery, critical thought and social integration. In the first place, when it comes to body imagery in Hamlet and Twelfth Night, the firstRead MoreCorruption in Hamlet by William Shakespeare1279 Words   |  6 Pagesis wholly free of the disease of corruption, and if it is allowed to develop and become significantly strong, it can obstruct the good processes of governing and deteriorate the fabric of society. It can become a barrier to continual development and make it so that essentially no room remains for justice to succeed. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the destructive force of corruption is clearly exemplified through the abundance of imagery concerning decay, death, disease, sickness, and infection as the playRead MoreShakespeare s Hamlet - Images Of Death, Decay, And Corruption2094 Words   |  9 Pages Throughout ‘Hamlet’ we have the images of death, decay, rottenness, and corruption embedded in the story. The imagery that Shakespeare uses in hamlet relates directly with the plots of the play perfectly. The corruptions images are illuminated in the beginning with Claudius own actions. The characters use metaphors of disease in the connection to sickness and rottenness. Within â€Å"Hamlet†, Shakespeare makes a number of references to Denmark s tainted state due to the deceitfulness that lies withinRead MoreCompare And Contrast Hamlet And Twelfth Night1162 Words   |  5 PagesFrom Hilarity to Tragedy in Shakespeare: How Hamlet and Twelfth Night Compare By Zawadi Bunzigiye William Shakespeare wrote plays covering the breadth of human experience. They seem to have transcended the restraints of age because of the universal themes that they contain. His body of his work is comprised of genres of plays varying from tragedies to comedies. Of them, Hamlet and Twelfth Night are perfect examples of both. A comparison between them would be of interest because their common pointsRead More Analysis of Ophelia from Hamlet Essay5117 Words   |  21 PagesAnalysis of Ophelia from Hamlet Ophelia is gentle, loving and beautiful. She is also obedient to her father and loyal to her family and it is this which draws her into the circle of disaster and leads to her untimely death. She is deeply in love with Hamlet and believes his tenders to be sincere, but her obedience to both her father and her brother must come first. Laertes tells her to beware of Hamlets interest as it is driven by lust, not love. He also points out the difference in theirRead MoreHamlets Soliloquy - to Be, or Not to Be2355 Words   |  10 PagesHamlet s Soliloquy - To be, or not to be Hamlet s To be, or not to be soliloquy is arguably the most famous soliloquy in the history of the theatre. Even today, 400 years after it was written, most people are vaguely familiar with the soliloquy even though they may not know the play. What gives these 34 lines such universal appeal and recognition? What about Hamlet s introspection has prompted scholars and theatregoers alike to ask questions about their own existence over the centuries?

Sample Q Free Essays

Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) When backed by buying power, wants become A) self-esteem needs B) physical needs C) demands D) exchanges E) social needs 2) When dealing with a(n) managers must decide whether to invest in it in an attempt to build it into a star or cash cow or whether to phase it out. A) cash cow B) cat C) exclamation mark D) dog E) question mark 3) Because of increasing Americans will demand higher quality products, books, magazines, travel, personal computers, and Internet services. We will write a custom essay sample on Sample Q or any similar topic only for you Order Now A) levels of education B) family size C) numbers of nontraditional females D) ethnic diversity E) social class awareness 4) Causal research Is used to A) test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships B) gather preliminary information that will help define problems C) uncover information in an unstructured way D) quantify observations that produce insights unobtainable through other forms of research E) describe marketing problems or situations 5) Donna wants to buy a new coat. During the stage of her purchase process she will ask her friends to recommend a store and/or a style of coat. She will search the newspaper for coat sales, and she will visit nearby stores to see what is available in her price range. A) product evaluation B) information search C) purchase decision D) need recognition E) alternative evaluation 6) When Burger King targets children, teens, adults, and seniors with deferent ads and media, it is practicing segmentation. A) behavioral 8) lifestyle C) age and life-cycle D) user status. How to cite Sample Q, Papers

The Impact of Advertising on Women free essay sample

Everyday of our lives, we are exposed to dozens of advertisements, whether it be on television, the radio, in magazines, on billboards or signs, or anywhere else that companies try to reach us in an effort to promote the products they sell. Advertisers appeal to our hopes, dreams, wants and desires, and exploit our insecurities in an effort to sell us a product, ranging from cars, to household appliances, to a bottle of shampoo. Advertising affects everyone, whether they acknowledge it or not, and it often promotes something that is out of reach to the average person, such as great wealth, or a perfect body. Advertising often carries an overload or excess of meaning, such as statements of power, wealth, leisure, and sexual allure, and they also convey meanings of race and gender. (â€Å"Introduction: Media Studies†) As this paper will demonstrate, advertising is an extremely powerful tool which has the ability to change the way we perceive ourselves. Of particular interest is the effect that advertising has on women. Women are continually bombarded by advertisements in which they are told, directly or indirectly, that they must be thin in order to be beautiful, and they are marketed products that they are led to believe will help them achieve their desired body image of being thin. Women become convinced that they must look like sexy all the time, when in reality, it is almost impossible. Women often begin dieting in order to attain the perfect body that they are striving for, and they occasionally undertake more extreme measures to lose weight, such as bulimia or anorexia, all because they are led to believe, by advertising, that they must have a perfect body. Women are also sexually objectified in advertising, and viewed as merely sexual objects. This paper will explore in depth how women are portrayed in advertising and, more importantly, the impact which it has on them. In western culture, a slender physique has come to be regarded as the standard of feminine beauty; although it is an unrealistic benchmark for nearly all women. The average woman has a seven percent chance that she will be as slim as a catwalk model, and an even lesser chance that she will be as thin as a supermodel. (Konrad, 2008) A 2000 study found that the body fat of models and actresses is, on average, 10 percent less than that of a typical active, healthy woman. (â€Å"Behind the Hype: Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign†) The models that companies use in advertising are also getting thinner relative to the average population. Twenty years ago, models weighed 8 percent less than the average woman. Today, they weigh 23% less than the average female population. (â€Å"Beauty and Body Image in the Media†) However, these truths do not stop women from trying to attain the perfection they see in every day advertisements. Since advertising continually implies that women should be slender, those who do not have this particular body type often suffer from low self esteem and hold a negative self image of their body. After a study in which women viewed sexual and non-sexual ads, the women who viewed the sexual ads rated themselves as being larger, on average, than the women who viewed the non-sexual ads, and women who viewed the sexual ads also expressed greater dissatisfaction over their current physique than the women who watched the non-sexual ads. (Tygart) George Lipsitz has argued that consumer culture and media representations play a greater role than ever in defining identities. (â€Å"Just Do It†) When women see thinness represented in advertising, they would like to look like the models they see and have that same identity that is being shown to them. In addition to women feeling pressure to conform to the desired body type due to their constant exposure to it in advertising, they also are under pressure to attain the perfect body because they believe it is what men feel they must look like. According to a study published in American Behavioural Scientist (Choi et al. , 2008), women are able to realize that the images of supermodels that they see in advertisements are unrealistic and they recognize that they will not be able to attain the body of a supermodel. However, these same women feel that men who view these advertisements will not be able to ascertain the fact that the body types shown are unrealistic. Since women feel that men cannot discern the unrealistic nature of the female body that is presented in advertisements, they feel that men will expect them to meet the standards of beauty portrayed in these ads. Consequently, this leads women to desire to look like the models they see in advertisements, not necessarily because they want to, but because they believe that men view it as realistic and attainable. As stated by Choi, et al. (2008), â€Å"Women are influenced by unrealistic media imagery because they are well aware that men will view those images as real, and value them. † It is argued that, although women know the images shown to them in advertising are unrealistic, they are unable to ignore them, because of the threat of men judging their bodies. Since advertising has the effect of making women desire a thin, slender body that is almost impossible to attain, they frequently make radical efforts in an attempt to get it. An astonishing 75 percent of women who are a normal weight feel that they are in fact overweight. The Anorexia Nervosa Related Eating Disorders research group states that one in four college aged women undertakes unhealthy methods of weight control, ranging from skipping meals and laxative abuse, to self induced vomiting. (â€Å"Beauty and Body Image in the Media†) It has also been estimated that magazines directed to a female audience contain over ten times as many advertisements promoting weight loss than men’s magazines do, advocating a variety of solutions, from diet pills to cosmetic surgery. Researchers have shown that this advertising has led to an increase in eating disorders. (Choi, et al. , 2008) Teenage girls who already claimed to be dissatisfied with their body image showed a higher tendency towards dieting and bulimic behaviours after prolonged exposure to advertisements in a teen girl magazine. (â€Å"Eating Disorders: Body Image and Advertising†) Self-image is often affected in teenage girls because they cannot escape the message that their bodies are imperfect. â€Å"A Girl of Many Parts†) Many researchers believe that advertisers want women to feel insecure and disappointed with their body shape, since this will create the desire for an unattainable body that will increase the consumption of products that companies are trying to sell, such as skin care creams, weight loss supplements, and others. Paul Hamburg, a professor at Harvard Medical School, states: â€Å"The media markets desire. And by reproducing ideals that are absurdly out of line w ith what real bodies do look like, the media perpetuates a market for frustration and disappointment. Its customers will never disappear. † (â€Å"Eating Disorders: Body Image and Advertising†) In terms of sexual objectification, women agreed that they were sexually objectified in advertising, however, contrary to popular belief, younger women appear to no longer have an issue with it. The â€Å"third wave† of feminism today embraces sexuality, and views sex as power. (Dahlberg Zimmerman, 2008) Many feminists now believe it is acceptable for women to use their glamour to their advantage, as long as they are doing it out of their own free will. According to a recent study, young, educated women are not offended by the sexual objectification of women in advertising, which may be a product of the highly sexualized culture we live in today. (Dahlberg Zimmerman, 2008) Although women are deeply affected by how models appear in advertisements, by their desire to want to look like them, the women of today no longer appear to be affected by the sexuality in advertising, and in many cases, they are embracing it. To conclude the efforts, if any, which are being made to change the portrayal of women in advertising should be examined. Although advertising on the whole is still relatively unchanged with respect to its portrayal of women, some companies have altered the message they send about beauty and changed their advertising to reflect this change. An example is Dove, and its Real Beauty advertising campaign. Dove launched the Real Beauty campaign in response to a study it undertook among females aged 18 to 64, the majority of whom felt that advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty for women that is nearly impossible to achieve. â€Å"Behind the Hype: Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign†) The ads featured the use of everyday women instead of professional models, and images that were not airbrushed in any way. The campaign has been well-received and led to an 11. 4% increase in Dove’s sales in early 2005, although, some critics stated that the campaign promotes obesity in a time when many Americans are struggling with weight issues. Since Dove introduced the â€Å"Real Beauty† advert ising campaign, both Nike and Levi’s released similar campaigns, featuring everyday people as opposed to models. â€Å"Behind the Hype: Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign†) It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue into the future, but at the very least it demonstrates that companies are beginning to provide an alternative to the advertising they had used in the past. In summation, advertising plays a considerable role in how women regard themselves and in their perceptions of how they should look. Advertisers use models with a physique that all but the few, most genetically gifted women could ever attain. As previously stated, he average model has a body fat percentage which is 10 percent less than that of a typical healthy, active woman, and supermodels, on average, weigh 23 percent less than the average woman. After viewing advertisements featuring supermodels, women often feel worse about themselves and begin to suffer from poor self-image and low self-esteem. Even a small amount of exposure to advertising has been demonstrated to make this occur; although women are exposed to hundreds of advertisements on a weekly basis. However, women no longer appear to be affected by the sexual objectification they see in advertising, which has been attributed to the third wave of feminism and the sexually charged culture that we live in. Women also feel pressure to look like a supermodel because, although, they often realize that what is advertised to them is not realistic, they believe that men do not realize this and want regular women to look like the models they see in advertisements. This leads women to seek out that body type, since they feel that men expect it from them. Women undertake everything from common methods of weight loss such as dieting to extreme measures such as anorexia to achieve the body that advertisers tell them they must have. The dissatisfaction they have with their bodies leads them to consume the products that advertisers are marketing to them. One company, Dove has taken a major step forward in its advertising, by using everyday people who have a normal body type in its â€Å"Real Beauty† campaign, and other companies have followed suit with similar advertising, but the majority of advertising still promotes an unrealistic body type as being ideal and desired. Until this changes, women will continue to hold on to the desire to look like a supermodel, however unrealistic that may be, they will continue to go to great distances to turn that farfetched dream into a reality.