Pope Innocent III - Powerful Medieval Pontiff

Pope Innocent III - Powerful Medieval Pontiff Pope Innocent III Was Also Known As Lothair of Segni; in Italian, Lotario di Segni (birth name). Pope Innocent III Was Known For Calling the Fourth Crusade and the Albigensian Crusade, approving the works of Saint Dominic and Saint Francis of Assisi, and convoking the Fourth Lateran Council. One of the most influential pontiffs of the Middle Ages,  Innocent  built the papacy  into a more powerful, prestigious institution than it had ever been before. He  viewed the role of the pope as not merely a spiritual leader but a secular one as well, and while he held the papal office he made that vision a reality. Occupations Crusade SponsorPopeWriter Places of Residence and Influence Italy Important Dates Born:  c. 1160Elevated to Cardinal Deacon: 1190Elected Pope: Jan. 8, 1198Died:  July 16, 1215 About Pope Innocent III Lothairs mother was nobility, and his aristocratic relatives may have made his studies at the Universities of Paris and Bologna possible. Blood ties to Pope Clement III may also be responsible for his elevation to a cardinal deacon in 1190. However, he didnt get very involved in papal politics at this point, and he had time to write on theology, including the works On the Miserable Condition of Man and On the Mysteries of the Mass.​ Almost immediately upon his election as pope, Innocent sought to reassert papal rights in Rome, bringing about peace among the rival aristocratic factions and gaining the respect of the Roman people within a few years. Innocent also took a direct interest in the German succession. He believed that the pope had the right to approve or reject any election that was questionable on the grounds that the German ruler could claim the title of Holy Roman Emperor, a position that affected the spiritual realm. At the same time, Innocent explicitly disclaimed secular power in most of the remainder of Europe; but he still took a direct interest in matters in France and England, and his influence in Germany and Italy alone was enough to bring the papacy to the forefront of medieval politics. Innocent called the Fourth Crusade, which was diverted to Constantinople. The pope excommunicated the Crusaders who attacked Christian cities, but he made no move to halt or overturn their actions because he felt, erroneously, that the Latin presence would bring about a reconciliation between the Eastern and Western Churches. Innocent also ordered a crusade against the Albigenses, which successfully subdued the Cathar heresy in France but at a great cost in life and blood. In 1215 Innocent convoked the  Fourth Lateran Council,  the most successful and well-attended ecumenical council of the Middle Ages. The Council passed several very important decrees, including Canons concerning the dogma of Transubstantiation and reforms of the clergy. Pope Innocent III died suddenly while preparing for a new Crusade. His papacy stands as an impressive political force of the thirteenth century.   The text of this document is copyright  ©2014 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is  not  granted to reproduce this document on another website.   The URL for this document is:  https://www.thoughtco.com/pope-innocent-iii-1789017

How to Write a Heart-Melting Graduation Speech

How to Write a Heart-Melting Graduation Speech College is almost left behind. Youve finished top in your class. You put in all the time to get those straight As and impress the pants off your teachers. Now you expect to leave school on a speech that has to be impressive for both faculty stuff and your fellow graduates. You need to write a speech that makes them laugh, cry, and think. It’s up to you to distill 4-6 years of heartbreaking sacrifice, agonizing defeat, and tons of embarrassing party stories into 10 minutes. In order to make your mark on your graduating class, you need to employ some of these vital speech-writing skills. Introduction (One Minute) You need to start your speech with something that gets their attention. While you might be tempted to go serious from the first instant, people respond to humor much better. Take advantage of your captive audience by hitting them with about a minute of solid college jokes. You can make good fun of your Dean, you can laugh about how much â€Å"research† you had to do to get your degree in Criminal Studies, or you can just tell about the time you woke up in the toilet. Do: Make sure you test out your potential jokes ahead of time to ensure that they land well. Don’t: Do not start your introduction with how much you don’t want to give a speech. Not only is it boring, but it instantly shows everyone that they shouldn’t listen to you. Your Story (3-4 Minutes) Here’s where you start to bring it down to a level. Now that you’ve got them laughing, you want to tell them a story. This needs to be a true story that has a lot of heart. Were you raised in the Foster Care system? Did you finish school despite being a paraplegic? This is what they really want to hear. They want to be inspired by the fact that you, like they, have overcome nearly insurmountable odds to come to this point in your life. Do: Explain both the trials and accomplishments over the last years of your life. If you don’t have anything (which is unlikely), choose a great historical figure, important professor, or your mom. Everyone loves their mom on graduation day. Don’t: Lie or make fun of anyone who has helped you. Remember, your audience wants to be uplifted and inspired. Make sure that even the darkest story always hints that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Connect With Your Audience (3-4 Minutes) Once you have shared your story, it’s time to make this story about your audience. Just like you, they have been through hard things. Some of them are single parents, some of them have lost loved ones, some of them took decades to complete their degree. And, through it all, they’ve been dedicated to following their dreams. Congratulate them on their success and show them that your success is really just the success that you all share together. Do: Remember all the different people who you are representing. You are representing the poor, the lonely, the popular, the minorities, the gay, the straight. Honestly call out the fact that you are no better than they are, and that each one of you have accomplished something great. Don’t: Make fun of any individual or group that you represent. It’s your duty to represent the best in every one of the 50-50,000 people who are wearing caps and gowns. Respect their sacrifices and make your speech about them. Conclusion (1-2 Minutes) This is the end part, where you wrap everything together into one heart wrenching ball. Complete your speech by showing your audience who they could be and how each of the hard and wonderful moments of their life have led to this day. Express how their actions today will affect generations of children. Show them that they are the true heroes. Do: Look inside yourself and find the most true thing you know about who you are and who you can be. Then tell them that they have the same power, and that today is where their future begins. Don’t: Be afraid to cry. If you’re doing it right, you will realize how amazing it is that you have accomplished this goal – and so will they. They will look back on this speech and thank you for giving them a singular moment of inspiration on this momentous day. Is your graduation speech ready but you are scared to death to deliver it? Find out how to memorize your speech and   how to overcome the stage fright to stay calm on this important day! Cant write it by yourself, keep in mind that our experts are ready to write your speech for you.

Compare and Contrast an Alligator vs. Crocodile Essay

Compare and Contrast an Alligator vs. Crocodile - Essay Example Alligators are generally categorized as belonging to the alligatoridae family of crocodilians that is seen to also include the caimans. Perhaps on the most distinguishing characteristic aspects of the alligator is the fact that the noses of alligators are generally shaped to have a rather wide U-shaped, and rounded snout that can be deemed as having the appearance of a shovel (Barnes-Svarney and Svarney187-188). This broad design of an alligators snout can be perceived to have been designed mainly for strength and is designed to ensure that the animal can be able to easily withstand the stress to its bone structure caused when it applies massive force in cracking the rather hard shells of invertebrates such as turtles that form a significant part of its diet. As a result of an alligator’s upper jaw being significantly larger than its lower jaw, its jaws completely overlap when its mouth is closed with the teeth on the lower jaw becoming completely hidden as they neatly fit int o small depressions located in the upper jaw (Barnes-Svarney and Svarney187-188; Tan 40). This aspect can be seen to be especially pronounced in relation to the large fourth tooth of the animal located in the lower jaw. The salt glands situated on the tongues of alligators are less effective as compared to those of crocodiles and generally appear to have lost their innate ability of enabling the animal to excrete significant amounts of salt (Tan 40). Alligators can be able to grow and attain a length of about 14 to 16 feet a length that is considerably larger that of some crocodile species (Smith 205). With a V-shaped snout, the snout of a crocodile is basically found to be more pointed as compared to an alligator. The shape of its snout is seen to cause the animal to become more generalized and much better adapted for a wider range of prey. A crocodile’s upper and lower jaws are fundamentally the same width

Language development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Language development - Essay Example At this preliminary stage it is necessary to investigate the topic through a variety of means. Researchers suggest a number of strategies which may be effective in examining the topic. These include brainstorming, clustering and free-writing (Lipkewich and Mazurenko1999). Clearly, these strategies act as a measure of developing or restricting a topic. The more ideas that are generated at this stage the more structural focus the writer would obtain from this initial piece of writing. The purpose of this first step then is to establish some sort of structure to the ideas that are generated. Thus, if a writer decides to choose free-writing as a means of initiating the writing process then the writer may begin to write on a topic without interruption until everything the writer knows about the topic is exhausted on the paper. In this case there may no adherence to grammatically correct structures such as spelling, punctuation or even paragraphing. The words that appear on the paper would be an exact replica of the thoughts that flow through the mind. The second step involves the actual composition of the paper. Some writers use this stage as a means of creating a rough draft of the final paper. The previous stage which may or may not have included free-writing is the precursor to this writing stage where the writer brings some sort of focus to the writing. During this stage therefore the writer must adhere to the mechanics of writing which were previously ignored in the earlier stage. There is need to organize the work in terms of correct punctuation, paragraphing and other grammatical structures which may have been non existent in the previous stage. Consequently, the major purpose for this writing stage is to add content and organization to the work. The more time a writer spends on this initial writing stage the less work will be needed to complete the final draft. Revising, the third step in the writing process

Before and After the Cellphone Essay Example for Free

Before and After the Cellphone Essay Cellphones have gradually become an imperative part of peoples lives today. 70% of the worlds population have cellphones. These days, people and their mobile phones seem to be inseparable. Texting or calling someone when we wake up has become a usual habit just like brushing our teeth in the morning. For many of us, its hard to imagine a time before cellphones. Having a cellphone has changed our manners, the way we communicate, and our safety. Before cellphones there seemed to be more peace and quite. People seemed to have manners. Today people dont always remember their manners when using their cellphones. People constantly carrying on personal conversations in a public place can be very annoying. Some people talk really loud and dont care that everyone around them can hear every word they are saying. It can be extremely disturbing to someone when they are walking in a mall or down a street and someone starts speaking right beside or behind them. They turn to respond, only to find out he or she beside them has an earbud active. Before we had cellphones people would actually write letters. During my elementary school days it was â€Å"cool† to pass notes. We actually used complete sentences and words that were in the dictionary. Also before cellphones if someone was to leave the house, they didn’t make a phone call unless they popped 10 cents into a pay phone. People never received any calls away from home. People actually had to be out of touch with friends and family when they weren’t at home. Now that we have cell phones letters are rarely sent. Today note passing is rare. If kids want to communicate during school they simply just shoot each other a text message. Also, today if someone is to leave the house, making a phone call is easy. With a quick dial on a cellphone people can make a call at any time. Cellphones have not only changed the way we communicate but they have changed our safety. Texting and driving has become common and has caused many deaths in the United States. It was reported in 2005 that cellphone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year. Another safety issue with cellphones is privacy. Say someone’s at an airport, or on the bus. Several people are on their cellphones, some talking business, and others talking about personal information. Any information shared has now become available to anyone else who might have been around to hear their phone call. Others may now know their address, information about their family, or financial records. Before cellphones life were more safe. Before cell phones people didn’t have to constantly worry about someone overhearing their conversation. Also people didn’t have to worry about others driving them off the road because of the careless mistake of texting while driving. The cellphone is loved by many and hated by the few for ruining society. Although cellphones have changed society I have a hard time imagining my life without one. Cellphones have had a major impact on our lives and have vastly changed our manners, the way we communicate and our safety. Many of these changes are apparent, while others we may not even be aware of.

Essays --

Musye Gebrezgiy World History Professor Minkin Things Fall Apart How is colonialism a theme throughout the novel? How does this novel address a Eurocentric understanding of African history? Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of Okonkwo our main character and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected leader within the Igbo community of Umunfia in eastern Nigeria. He first gets respect within the village by defeating Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling contest. Okonkwo is determined to become a powerful and wealthy man unlike his father who was weak. Within the community, Unoka was considered a failure and a laughingstock he was looked upon as a woman who had no property to call his own. He eventually died a shameful death and left numerous debts. Okonkwo despises and resents his father gentle ways he decides to overcome the shame that he feels for his father’s weakness by becoming what he considers to be â€Å"manly†. He dominates his wives and children by being insensitive and controlling. Over the years, Okonkwo becomes an extremely volatile man. For example beating his youngest wife Ojiugo for accidently forgetting to prepare the afternoon meal for his family. Things begin to fall apart soon with the arrival of Christian missionaries who spread their religion and culture throughout the land and. Colonialism is a theme that’s constantly addressed throughout the book and is to blame for the fall of the Igbo culture and Okonkwo. The first signs of colonization come to Abame when the first white man appears. The village at first didn’t know what to expect from him. The elders of the village consulted the Oracle and soon came to the decision to kill the man because they f... ... people and obedience to the tribal leaders and their gods. The missionaries who subjugated unfortunately stripped this for the Igbo people. Eurocentric perspective was a widely held belief among Europeans that Africa was wild, exotic, and natives were uneducated had no principle. This was more than enough for the Europeans to establish their culture into Africa because it was more superior to that of African culture. Achebe does a great job in proving this idea wrong. He takes us into a new world shows us that even though the natives had a different view of the world they were still no different than that of the Europeans who just like the whites showed compassion, hate, have faith in a god(s) and unite as one for the better. He was a man on a mission dedicated to spreading knowledge of Africa’s contributions to history and unifying the continent and its people.

Being Gay and Elderly in Toronto

According to Peter Sprigg, author of â€Å"Gay Marriage Questions,† there are two reasons a civil marriage should not be granted for gay couples. One is that since they are relationships and not marriages, they should not be granted. Sprigg says that in order to have a marriage, there must be a union of a man and a woman, not a man and a man.Traditional intercourse cannot take place with two men involved. The second one is that these type relationships are harmful. They do not provide the same benefits as a marriage between a man and a woman, and their consequences are far more negative than positive. (www.nogaymarriage. com/gaymarriagequestions. html) Either way, it’s looked at, even with the evidence standing alone, it is enough to not accept the claim that gay couples should be able to legally marry. The first argument is that marriage is an institution that predates the law and the Constitution. Marriage is sociological, not legal. Laws relating to marriage just ack nowledge and keep in tact an institution that is already in existence. However, some people believe that marriage is a way of recognizing couples who are in love with each other. With that being said, they want to spend the rest of their lives together.Consider this. According to Sprigg, love and companionship were sufficient to define marriage, then there would be no reason to deny â€Å"marriage† to unions of a child and an adult, or an adult child and his aging parent, or to roommates who have no sexual relationship. Most people think that the sexual element is what defines a marriage. However, marriage is so much more than that. According to Webster, marriage is a mutual relationship between husband and wife; the institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family.Anthropologist Kingsley Davis says that marriage is â€Å"the unique trait of what is commonly called marriage is s ocial recognition and approval†¦of a couple’s engaging in sexual intercourse and bearing and rearing children. † The question was raised, are married couples without children really in a marriage? If gay couples are denied to marry, shouldn’t straight couples without children be denied also? According to what Sprigg had to say concerning marriage and children, this would make sense, would it not? Not necessarily.If a couple wants children, and for some reason cannot have them, it is not their fault. A couple who decides not to have children may change their minds. At any rate, childless marriages are still acknowledged because if not, it would be an invasion of a heterosexual couples privacy to require that they show intent to bear children, or the ability to have children. So, what is the real purpose of marriage? Anthropologist Kingsley Davis says that a marriage’s purpose is to socially recognized and approved to engage in sexual intercourse and be ar and rear children.Another marriage scholar, Maggie Gallagher says that â€Å"marriage across societies is a public sexual union that creates kinship obligations and sharing of resources between men, women, and the children their sexual union may produce. The mere biological conception and birth of children are not enough to make sure that reproduction of a healthy and successful society. Paul Nathanson, the homosexual scholar says that there are at least five functions that marriage serves—things that every culture must do in order to survive and thrive. They are: 1. Foster the bonding between men and women 2.Foster the birth and rearing of children 3. Foster some form of healthy masculine identity 4. Foster the bonding between men and children 5. Foster the transformation of adolescents into sexually responsible adults Maggie Gallagher puts it more simply, saying that â€Å"children need mothers and fathers† and â€Å"marriage is the most practical way to get the m for children. Actually, when you look at it, homosexuals already have the right the right to marry just like anyone else. When applying for marriage licenses, the application does not ask for a person’s sexual orientation. Now, the freedom of homosexuals to marry is another story.Their marriage, just as any marriage stipulates that any person is legally sanctioned from marrying a child, a close blood relative, a person who is already married, or a person of the same sex. Just because homosexuals have a desire to marry, does not make it right or legal anymore than the desires of other tiny (but less vocal ) minorities of Americans gives them a right to pedophilic â€Å"marriages†, â€Å"incestuous marriages,† or polygamous â€Å"marriages. † Some feel that prohibiting same sex marriages is just as discriminatory as interracial marriages. However, that is not valid thinking.The purpose of the law against interracial marriage was to protect the social syst em of racial segregation, not to protect the nature of marriage. Preserving â€Å"racial purity† was an unworthy goal, certainly not one of the fundamental purposes of marriage common to all human civilizations. One of the arguments against gays is the fact that God is not pleased with that union. According to the Bible, Men should not be lovers of themselves and neither should women. If God said it, then, that settles it. Among all the sins mentioned in the Bible, perhaps none is more disgusting to God than that of homosexuality.God destroyed two cities in the plains of Jordan, called Sodom and Gomorrah, because their wickedness was great (Genesis 13:10-13). The English word, â€Å"sodomy† is a derivative of the word â€Å"Sodom† for the cities were full of the sins of sodomy. Now, with that in mind, how many times are people arrested for sodomizing young children or sodomizing another man? If one can get arrested for sodomizing, then evidently, it would stand to reason, that homosexuality is not right Biblically or lawfully. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. â€Å"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.They shall surely be put to death and their blood {shall be} upon them. † (Leviticus 20:13). Homosexuality is not a disease that is inherited or a disease from birth. Homosexuality is a learned behavior, much like lying, stealing, fornication, etc. Those that learn and practice such must stop. 1 Corinthians 6:9 says, â€Å"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolater, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.† The homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God. They must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. Now, the purpose of this paper is to argue whether or not same sex marriages should take place in Toronto or anyplace else. Though the Bible or religion is not in question here, there is still the argument of whether gays should be legally married? The scripture clearly states, that this union should not be sanctioned. Consider this. It is not a sin for the color of one’s skin to be white, red, yellow, or lack, and we shouldn’t discriminate against another because of it. However, it is a sin to be a homosexual.It is not a matter of discrimination. It is a matter of right or wrong in the sight of Almighty God. Some say homosexuals are born that way and cannot change. This is another effort of men trying to justify themselves while practicing homosexuality. Homosexuality is condemned from the beginning of time to the end. One of these days, we will have to stand before God and give an account of what was we do to our bodies, smoking, homosexuality, illegal drugs, etc. In Nova-Scotia, two men were married, but they were told, t hat they could not receive communion, unless they were celibate.These two men, both 69 are now trying to make the decision whether to leave the Catholic Church because now, they must make a choice between their religion and their marriage. They were refused, because Communion wafers are considered the body and blood of Christ. To Catholics, receiving communion is one of the faith’s most sacred rituals. Additionally, they were told that their marriage was a public scandal. Many people wonder why defending marriages and defending the family require different views regarding same-sex unions. In other words, how can a homosexual marriage affect a heterosexual marriage?Well, homosexuals unions often have a more direct impact on heterosexual marriages than we know. For instance, the Boston Globe reported June 29, 2003, that â€Å"nearly 40 percent† of the 5,700 homosexual couples who have entered into â€Å"civil unions† in Vermont â€Å"have had a previous heterosex ual marriage. † Children are the ones who suffer the most of homosexual unions because these children grow up without a mother and a father. These children are also products of heterosexual marriages that ended up in divorce or death. These children also face being ridiculed at school and among their peers.The question is will these children, after being exposed to homosexuality in the home, grow up to be gay, or does this help them to choose heterosexuality vs. homosexuality? How do the mothers of these children feel about their now gay ex-husband, having custody or visitation rights? Some would approve it, and some would not. In Toronto, June 30, 2006, (LifeSiteNews. com) – The mainstream media brought to life the phantom of the gay gene theory7 in covering a Canadian study on the origin of homosexuality. â€Å"Homosexuality influenced by biological factors, Canadian researcher says, â€Å"proclaimed the CBC, the first to break the story.This study was regarding sex ual orientation of men determined before birth. However, the study was most intriguing for what the mainstream media failed to cover. Namely that, if true, the study suggests that homosexuality is a congenital abnormality, and shares its origins with other disorders developed in the womb. (www. lifesite. net/ldn/2006/jun/06063003. html Westen, John Henry, 2006) Some researchers at Brock University in St. Catherine’s Ontario published a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences entitled â€Å"Biological versus non biological older brothers and men’s sexual orientation.The results of this study proved that same-sex sexual orientation is a result from having older brothers, even though the brothers may have not been raised together. To put it simpler, by way of explanation the researchers suggest that same sex relationships result from an immune reaction of the mother to the male child in her womb. â€Å"A theory of male homosexuality is consi stent with the present finding that maternal immune response to succeeding male pregnancies,† says the study.If in fact, this study is correct, then the link between the mother’s immune reaction and the child’s future sexual orientation would probably be some effect of maternal anti-male antibodies on the sexual differentiation of the brain. † Dr. John Shea, medical advisor to Campaign Life Coalition, explained to LifeSiteNews. com that the study explains the significance of its findings suggesting that â€Å"the immune response of the mother’s body, damages the sexual differentiation of the brain of the male child in the womb, thus producing an abnormality in the fetus.† In 1998, almost 3. 7 million Canadians were 65 years of age and older. Over the next fifteen years, this number is expected to grow to approximately 5. 9 million. However, it is impossible to tell how many lesbians and gay men live in Canada. However, the numbers of older gay adults are estimated between 296,000 and 370,000, and should incr4ase proportionately to the general older population of the country to between 471,000 and 590,000 people.(Newsletter of the centre for Applied Social research Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Vol. no. 2/Fall/Winter, 2002). Gerontological research has begun to look at the issues pertaining to gay and lesbian seniors only in the late 1970s, and most of these studies in the area have not succeeded in the experience of gay aging from the viewpoint of women, ethnocultural minorities, low-income individuals, and chose not actively involved in the gay and lesbian communities. (Ibid, 2002)In summary, if all studies conducted on whether or not gay marriage should be sanctioned y the church in regard to marriage, the evidence shows and proves that homosexual couples, male or female should not be sanctioned because of the following reasons: 1. An abomination in the eyesight of God 2. In these relationships, the ma rriage cannot be sanctioned because no union really took place. 3. Children, cannot be born of these marriages, unless they were brought in from a heterosexual marriage.One of the purposes of marriage is to have children. 4. Foster the bond between many women, and a list of other reasons mentioned above. References (www. nogaymarriage. com/gaymarriagequestions. html (Leviticus 20:13, King James Version of Holy Bible) (www. lifesite. net/ldn/2006/jun/06063003. html Westen, John Henry, 2006) (Newsletter of the centre for Applied Social research Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Vol. no. 2/Fall/Winter, 2002).

Discuss evolutionary explanations of gender Essay

According to the evolutionary explanations of gender, the reasons behind gender roles and characteristics seen today is due to the passing down of genes through natural selection from our ancestors who were able to successfully survive and reproduce over 500,000 years ago. Natural selection is the process of physical and psychological traits being passed down from one generation to another due to it being advantageous to survival and reproduction. For example humans with a wider hand shape were able to toss spears better when hunting and therefore were able to successfully survive and reproduce resulting in humans today particularly men having larger and wider hands. A stem of natural selection is known as sexual selection. Sexual selection is the process of passing down traits both physical and psychological that are an advantage for attracting mates for reproduction. The evolutionary theory for gender believes that due to sexual selection gender behaviours, such as females being child-rearing and males being workers occur. From these processes, evolutionary psychologists developed the hunting hypothesis. The hunting hypothesis states that the men who were hunters during the evolutionary stages and were successful due to their strength, aggression and spatial skills were able to survive and pass on their genes. The weaker men who were less aggressive and had less spatial skills were unable to survive and reproduce meaning these genes died off thus resulting in men today being more aggressive, strong and having good spatial skills. As woman did not hunt and we more likely to be raising the children and caring for others, they were less aggressive, strong, and had less spatial skills. Instead woman during these days had better communicational skills and according to this theory, it is due to this that woman today are better at communicating than men and are usually also weaker and less aggressive. Another theory supported by evolutionary psychologists as an explanation for gender is known as the parental investment theory devised by Trivers (1972) which states that the differences in the investment in a child and future reproduction are due to evolutionary differences. For example, during the evolutionary ages men were likely to have sex with numerous women in order to successfully pass on their genes. Therefore these characteristics were passed down in natural selection and can be used to explain why men today tend to be far more promiscuous than women. In females, during the evolutionary ages woman searched and preferred men with good resources and genes for themselves and their offspring. Evolutionary psychologists and Trivers believe that this is the reason for woman today being less promiscuous and being more careful when selecting a mate. (AO2): Support for Trivers Parental Investment comes from research carried out by Buss (1989) who sampled 10,000 males and females from 33 different countries and asked what they looked for in a partner for marriage. Buss found that women said they look for ‘good financial reports’ in men and men said they look for ‘physical attractiveness’ and ‘younger females’. This supports Trivers theory as it provides evidence of woman placing an important on resources and men on physical attractiveness and young woman which may be in order for successful reproduction. Buss’s research was highly reliable due to the large sample used and various countries participating. This made the study generalizable to a wide population. Buss also used questionnaires in his study which was a good experimental method as it allowed the possibility of a large sample, however the use of questionnaires exposes the research to social desirability bias as the participants may have answered the questions falsely in order to appear acceptable. This matters because this could mean the results found many not be valid. Although the results provide a strong support for Trivers theory in explaining gender, the results given may not be a valid support, suggesting for research must be carried out in order to fully support Trivers theory of parental investment in explaining gender. Another supporting study comes from research carried out by psychologists in Lancaster University. They repeated the research carried out on Buss on a smaller sample using an online questionnaire with undergraduates and found that women chose wealth as the most important in a mate and men chose attractiveness. This supports the parental investment theory as it shows the evidence of the gender difference in men and women in terms of reproduction and commitment. This study is also highly reliable as the study can be easily repeated and provide the same results. However due to the study being carried on only undergraduates the results cannot be generalised to a wider population of older adults and elderly. This matters because although it provides evidence of the evolutionary approach of gender being seen today, we cannot be sure that the results given in this study was purely down to genetics rather than other factors such as individual differences. This suggests that more research must be carried out focusing on genetics in order to support Trivers theory as an explanation for gender. The evolutionary explanation of gender provides a valid approach to gender behaviours and characteristics which can be clearly seen today and supported in research. However this approach fails to consider other factors in gender such as psychological factors. For example women desiring men with wealth due to economic reasons such as less jobs, rather than the successful rearing of children. Also the evolutionary approach fails to provide an explanation for the promiscuity of women today or the men that do not want to have children. These situations are best explained by social approaches suggesting that a theory considering both genetics and social factors would be best in explaining gender.

The Most Serious Threats to the State Come from its Citizens

The Most Serious Threats to the State Come from its Citizens Introduction Human beings are similar to animals in their feeding, reproduction, respiration and sensitivity. However, the fact that human beings have the ability to govern themselves and govern all other living things in their environment makes them become the most complex living beings on the planet.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Most Serious Threats to the State Come from its Citizens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Human beings have developed various systems through which they derive their rights and responsibilities while undertaking their daily activities (Duerksen 120). They have advanced ways of ensuring their behavior is regulated and that all human beings enjoy their lives without interference from other people. Therefore, people have established ways through which they are able to demand their rights and seek justice whenever they feel their freedoms are violated. This essay aims at discussing why p eople present a threat to their states. A state is defined as a community of people under a given area of international jurisdiction governed by a given set of political establishments. It should be noted that all states have their sovereignty which makes them independent entities that are subject to non interference from other states. A citizen is any individual that belongs to a certain state and is bound by the rules and privileges offered by it (Sachs 23). A threat is any statement, word or action that is aimed at expressing an intention to do harm or destruction. The state is in charge of ensuring that all citizens are protected from any external and internal attacks that threaten their well being. In some cases, states come together and form rules that act as their guidelines and ensure that all members governed by these rules are respected and assisted in areas they experience problems. However, citizens have become the greatest threat to their states in the process of demand ing their rights. There are various issues that make this claim very controversial in the modern world as it will be discussed below. Political Order Political order is a continuous process that involves several concepts that act as its principles. The first principle is legitimacy that gives the state the power to exercise its authority over its citizens.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This legitimacy is given to the governments of the day through a democratic process that involves voting to elect the citizens’ preferred government. Through these process, citizens exercise their power over legitimacy of any government to run their state and therefore the citizens have higher authority over their governments as far as the state is concerned. Whenever there are issues that citizens feel the state is ignoring, it becomes their duty to demand them through demonstration s and strikes to ensure the state heeds to their demands. The state has a duty to ensure that all their citizens are protected against any natural disasters regardless of their causes. The state is mandated to ensure that effective measures are taken during floods, disease outbreaks and drought periods, for example. The state is obligated to listen and act with regard to the needs of their citizens in order to claim their legitimacy. The process through which citizens make claims leads to social conflicts while the ability to make these claims legitimate brings political order in the society. The states monopoly of violence during riots and strikes in maintaining social and political order is usually a great factor that exposes citizens to various dangers including death and physical damages to human beings and property. This becomes very challenging given the fact that the same state is entitled to protect lives and properties of its citizens. However, this issue is very debatable due to the fact that these riots stall various activities in the society. There are also various channels through which citizens may address their grievances apart from causing chaos. In addition, this chaos caused by citizens usually results in great losses forcing the state to make use of its legitimate authority and use force and violence to control demonstrators. The same criteria are applied whenever communities within a state are at war to ensure that they live in accordance with the democracy and authority that the state struggles to uphold. States face a very big challenge in establishing legitimacy on the use of force and violence within societies on its boundaries as this exposes them to international pressure and ridicule in these processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Most Serious Threats to the State Come from its Citizens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is further argued that states does no t need excess power to create social and political order among their citizens but rather people should find ways to co exist and due to cooperation, respect and fear they will achieve social order by themselves hence this does not need to be a great threat to the state. However, in some situations there is need to have institutions to prevent cases of social disorders in society. Whenever these institutions fail to bring order in society they are perceived to be illegitimate and this makes the state to lose the monopoly of using force and violence to bring order. This causes a situation of anarchy as different forces begin to compete to monopolize authority over others and this is evident in Northern Ireland, Somalia and former Yugoslavia. The result is usually violence and citizens will not be in a position to do their daily activities that constitute a great percentage of factors that promotes social order. Social Order The society we live in is in constant conflicts as people str ive to achieve various objectives in life. These conflicts are not necessarily physical but they involve the forces and tensions that people face in the process of getting their daily needs. Therefore, the process of maintaining social order by the state becomes very complicated as these tensions are responsible for the smooth running of the society. As discussed in chapter seven, individuals always involve in various duties in the attempt to ensure that all their wants are met. However, in most cases people do not put into consideration the means through which they used to get what they want. The society is therefore obligated to ensure that these means are legitimate and that they do not interfere with the rights of other citizens. Authority Authority is defined as any power or ability to influence others to do or follow a certain way of thinking. In this context, it is evident that citizens are the custodians of the authority that governs them. Many countries do not just select i ndividuals to sit in panels and draw up rules and policies that will govern a country’s citizens. It is very important to note that all laws originate from the citizens of any given country.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Any law that citizens view to be oppressive and discriminatory is usually subjected to grievances that eventually makes it possible for the state to change them or drop them all together. This usually starts with petitions being filed at various institutions that are in charge of passing and implementing them. These institutions include the ministries of home affairs, internal security and constitutional affairs. In case these petitions are not addressed in time, it causes a lot of anxiety among citizens (Pelosi 34). These tensions eventually culminate to movements that threaten the government to take immediate measures to ensure that the demands of its citizens are met. Whenever the state fails to act in accordance with the demands of its citizens more drastic and tragic events are inevitable. One of the main events that may arise is anarchy. Even though, most of these events are politically motivated; their origin is usually a sincere cry from the common man. Unfortunately, such c ries are usually hacked along the way by groups that have always opposed the state in various issues. Legitimacy This is defined as the degree of acceptance of a certain fact by a group of people. Legitimacy is granted by the existing laws, traditions and practices. In the first place, a state derives its legitimacy through the fact that the rules that govern the behavior and conduct of its citizens are formulated and endorsed by them. This means that the citizens of any given state have the ability to determine the legitimacy of these rules. In addition, a state is rum by various institutions that ensures its citizens have access to everything they require. These institutions are put in place by these citizens and this means that they have the ability to determine the fate of any institution. The most important factor to note is that these institutions are headed or controlled to a certain degree by the government that is in place (Keynes Audio CD 3). These governments in turn rece ive their support from the state’s citizens through a process of voting. This is a very common practice in almost all countries in the world as it reflects the wishes and desires of their citizens. Voting is usually considered to be free and fair process of selecting political leaders to fill various government leadership positions. Through this process, many states have faced great threats from their citizens a they have a greater authority of determining their next leaders. In addition, some very controversial issues are usually subjected to referendums to decide on whether they should be adopted or not. A referendum is a voting process which is aimed at establishing whether citizens of a particular country support a given policy, plan, project or law. Most states have changed their constitutions to have a modern approach to issues through this process. However, a referendum is usually not an appropriate way of assessing whether citizens agree to or reject the subject in qu estion. This is due to the reason that a referendum usually has two options of whether to agree or disagree. Some issues are very controversial and require minor amendments to make them acceptable by the majority of the citizens. However, referendums do not give many states room to make such changes that are essential to total rejection on the basis of minor changes. Capacity of the State to Order Lives The state plays a very important role in ensuring that its citizens behave in an orderly manner. This is made possible through various means including the use of force to ensure that the order is maintained. The society is structured in such a way that all individuals conform to a general guideline that reflects the wishes of the whole population (Gecan 21). It should be noted that the state has a very high ability to direct the behavior of its citizens regardless of their rights and freedoms. It is very evident that although citizens have the ability and the right to decide their de stinies they do not have anonymity over their actions and whenever it threatens state security the state will automatically act in a manner to bring order to society. This includes the prevention and use of force to control rioters and demonstrators. Conclusion It should be noted that while the state faces great risks from their citizens they are not entirely responsible for the occurrence of most issues that subject them to these risks. The state has a major responsibility of ensuring that all the rights and privileges of its citizens are protected and upheld regardless of the costs incurred. Therefore, it is the right of all citizens to be provided with the correct services from the government as they have all their hopes in them. However, it should be understood that these rights and freedoms come with responsibilities that should be observed. Duerksen, Christopher. The Citizens Guide to Planning. New York: Planners Press, 2009. Print. Gecan, Michael. Going Public: An Organizers Guide to Citizen Action. New York: Anchor, 2004. Print. Keynes, Milton. Citizens and the State. Exploring Social Lives (Audio CD 3). The Open University, 2009. Print. Pelosi, Alexandria. Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip. New York: N.A.L., 2011. Print. Sachs, Jeffrey D. The Price of Civilization: Reawakening American Virtue and  Prosperity. New York: Random House, 2011. Print. Self Reflection The analysis of the issues that make citizens become a great threat to the states is a very complex subject of discussion due to the fact that most issues discussed seem to base their arguments on each other. It is very difficult to differentiate between the rights of citizens and their boundaries. It is very difficult to separate citizens’ rights and the states responsibilities. However, this task has been fascinating, especially due to many similarities between the state’s and citizens’ responsibilities.

Humility and Humiliation

Humility and Humiliation Humility and Humiliation Humility and Humiliation By Maeve Maddox I heard a television interview subject express compassion for previously independent Gulf Coast fishermen whod had to go through the humility of accepting financial help. The word wanted in that context was humiliation, not humility. Wanting to see if it were a common error, I did a web search. Sure enough, I found more examples: †¦each member of our family suffered humility and loss of face in public †¦having to submit to the humility of having to ask for new shoes †¦the humility of having to ask for so many payment options †¦hope they never know the humility of having to ask for help. In some religious writing the words humility and humiliation may overlap, but in modern secular usage, the words have distinct meanings. humiliation: the act of humiliating or condition of being humiliated; abasement. humility: The quality of being humble or having a lowly opinion of oneself; meekness, lowliness: the opposite of pride or haughtiness. Humiliation is a bad thing. Its a painful emotion that we feel when weve been shamed. No one should be treated in such an unfeeling, bureaucratic way as to be humiliated. Humility is a good thing. It is a virtue that has become very rare in a culture that even goes so far as to begin sentences with me and myself. A humble person gives credit where its due. A humble person acknowledges others and respects their dignity, talents, and opinions. Humility is not weakness; its a spirit of self-examination that prevents one from becoming selfish and arrogant. The word humiliation applies to a negative state of debasement inflicted by persons or conditions outside oneself. Verbs that go with the word humility are not suffer or endure, but practice or cultivate. NOTE: One often sees the word humbleness, but it seems wasteful to use a -ness form when the distinctive abstract noun humility exists. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†50 Idioms About Fruits and Vegetables25 Favorite Portmanteau Words

Media in the Providing Wartime Coverage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Media in the Providing Wartime Coverage - Essay Example For peace to exist among all nations, ideas and information should be freely disseminated both within frontiers and across them. This is because a free and independent media is essentially the lifeblood of well-founded, working societies, and a lifeline to progress itself (Shaw, 1996). In nations where censorship has been found to be imposed, both democracy and development have been big losers. It is also a known fact that most of the reporters who have died in the line of duty around the world have been mostly murdered for reasons such as revealing corruption or abuses of power, opposing entrenched interests, legal or illegal or simply for doing their jobs. Many hundreds more have faced harassment, intimidation and physical assault, with such acts resulting in chilling effects on society at large thereby stifling dissent and debate (Shaw, 1996). Such attacks must not be tolerated at all cost and as such legal mechanisms should be put in place to protect reporters. Journalistic work constantly involves difficult options, but wartime reporting raises the level of intensity, consequently forcing reporters to face myriad issues including separating objectivity from propaganda; uncertainty from prejudice and the need to convey the impact of conflict, particularly on civilians, without displaying images of death and suffering, which are insults to human dignity (Shaw, 1996). The issue of selectivity usually poses the biggest challenge in that some issues and situations attract undivided coverage, while others of seemingly equal importance fail to achieve matched attention. The problem of hate media is another outstanding outcome of reporting during wartime. A good example in real time is found in Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the world witnessed genocide and crimes against humanity, triggered, in part, by nationalistic and ethnocentric hate campaign, propagated through the mass media. In the same vein, many media outlets in Cte d'Ivoire and South Africa have in recent times used xenophobic messages through political manipulation, unsubstantiated claims, and incitement to violence against individuals and groups, especially of specific foreign origin, all emphasizing how misuse of information can have deadly consequences (Shaw, 1996). Finally, the media can do more than anything in wartime to help the world learn not only how a war is conducted, but also how it is affecting people. During this period, reporters can give voice to those who would otherwise remain unheard and also tell stories that otherwise would remain untold. Through this way therefore, reporters can create conduits between those trapped in a conflict zone and those outside it. Moreover, in times of conflicts and war, the presence of reporters can help prevent atrocities. This is simply because the reporters can effectively sense a conflict ahead and alert the world to the need for preventive measures to avoid tragedy (Shaw, 1996). The Supreme Court is crucial in deciding what issues are discussed and those that are classified. Foremost is any issue relating to the needless invasion of personal privacy. If a privacy interest exists, for instance, it should be weighed against the public