The Media And Television Influences People s View Of Reality

The theory that suggests the media and television influences people’s view of reality. George Gerbner and Larry Gross and a few other associates developed cultivation theory in 1976. â€Å"Cultivation Theory postulates that as individuals are exposed to more of a certain kind of television programs, each exposure plants sees that grow into a perspective that is largely influenced by the themes presented in the programs,† (Gerbner p.15). There are different assumptions regarding the Cultivation Theory and why it is believed accurate. One being, television is technically different from other forms of media because it tends to be more influential, or that television shapes ones beliefs as well as attitude about other people and society itself, and that television does not show reality, but tends to create an alternate reality. Cultivation theory focuses mainly on television and not on other aspects of media because television is related to almost all ages and has been arou nd longer than other mediums. Television is a primary source of socialization as well everyday information. It is a centralized system of storytelling via news, dramas, commercials, and much more. The difference in the level of cultivation between various television viewers is known as cultivation differential. The different types of televisions viewers are heavy and light. Heavy viewers tend to watch an average of four or more hours of television per day. A light viewer watches an average of two or less hoursShow MoreRelatedWhy is important to study the media, rather than simply consume it?1631 Words   |  7 PagesThe media is a dynamic entity inherent in society that is both powerful and important. It demonstrates this by playing a vital role in the development of a person s perspective on political, economic and socio-cultural issues. This consequently helps to shape individuals viewpoints of the world and define their lives through the interpretation of media texts. (Newman, 2004). Bazalgette supported Newman s point by stating Media studies open up your understanding of how things work, how peopleRead MoreMedia s Negative Images Of Health Care1215 Words   |  5 Pages Should Media Portray Only Positive Images of Health Care Name Institution Should Media Portray Only Positive Images of Health Care Media has portrayed many negative images of healthcare through television including movies. It is important that media presents positive images of healthcare to influence positive public perceptions on healthcare delivery. Health care television shows have portrayed nurses as handmaidens to doctors, ‘naughty’, battle-axes’, sex objects, self-sacrificial angelsRead MoreThe Effects Of Television Violence On Children915 Words   |  4 PagesToday violence is the gold of television. Violence has become a high demand by the viewers. The more violence equals more views which equals more demand. According to Hamilton (2002), â€Å"Children are not the target of advertisers on most violent programs. But their exposure to violent images can lead to social damages not factored into decisions about when to air programs and where to draw the line on content† (p. 18). The controversial debate that television violence influence children is nothing new.Read MoreThe Reality Of Television Has On Store For Me Tonight1547 Words   |  7 PagesIt is Monday morning and I am already thinking about what reality television has in store for me tonight. There are so many shows to choose from at prime time, so instead of making a hard decision, I simply plan to watch them all. From Basketball Wives and Black Ink Crew to Love and Hip-hop and The Real Housewives of Atlanta, my Monday night seems to be very eventful. It is something about the constant drama that keeps my glued to the TV screen – the constant shouting and fussing, not to mentionRead MoreThe Effects Of Reality Television In Our Society Can Be1509 Words   |  7 Pages The effects of reality television in our society can be seen within the people and even within the government. Reality TV has affected our society in some drastic ways. Reality television started off by showing families suppo rting each other and being loving, this no longer the case in the year 2017. Reality TV is now promoting acts of aggression, twisting the society s morals, and values. This genre of television has greatly influenced some preposterous behaviors within teenage viewers and undoubtedlyRead MoreTelevision Is An American Staple Essay1042 Words   |  5 PagesTelevision is an American staple. According to Mitchell Stephens, Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at New York University, Television as we know it, was first introduced in 1927.(Stevens) currently over 98% of American households have at least 1 television set and the average American watches around 3 to 4 hours of television daily. The thought that television can entertain and inform as well as influence is equally powerful and disturbing. As early as the 1920 s, Thomas EdisonRead MoreDiscuss The Article ‘Reinforcing The Myth: Constructing1546 Words   |  7 Pagesarticle ‘Reinforcing the myth: Construc ting Australian identity in â€Å"reality TV† ’. The main contention in Price Erma’s article ‘ Reinforcing the myth: Constructing Australian identity in â€Å"reality TV† ’ which published online on May 2010, is to portray the myth of Australian identity shows in TV that there is a balance to measure how much is true, how much is false. Erma leads the reader to understand that the myth is against ‘reality TV’ because there always has tension between ideas of credibilityRead MoreThe Truman Show By Peter Weir Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pagesin the 90’s. The movie’s message to us is that we are stuck in a media landscape full of fantasies that is catered to the interests of more powerful people. If we want to live an authentic life and be free, we should put distance between ourselves and the comfort that is our media filled culture. We have to leave the safety that is the media’s grasp and be willing to live in the world the way it actually is. In the 1990’s, televis ion culture in particular was in full swing. Television is such a powerfulRead MoreThe Stereotypical Reality Of Television1624 Words   |  7 PagesThe Stereotypical Reality in TV Although television can sometimes be educational, it is often agreed that reality TV creates dangerous stereotypes. These days, it seems like producers are willing to turn almost anything into a an hour long weekly series. Another growing concern that may indirectly promote stereotypes is the issue of privacy in reality TV. It is said that â€Å"participants in reality shows have openly admitted that giving the public access to the most personal moments of their livesRead MoreFactors that Contribute to the Popularity of Reality Shows on TV874 Words   |  4 Pagesand engagement of audience with reality television. The study aims to investigate which factors influencing on television viewers’ decision to vote and also provide an exploration on their psychological side which may be vital for understanding their interactive behaviors. In the context of greater interaction between the programs and its audiences has been stimulating by television producers, it is significant to research this interactive form of reality television that encourages deeper audience

Fight Against World Poverty Free Essays

Fight Against World Poverty: How Markets and Governments Can Deal with Poverty (Author deleted) December 20, 2010 Introduction This paper presents the current thoughts on the fight against poverty, specifically the views of different economists on the role of markets and government on this issue. The discussion begins with Hazlitt’s ideas, based on the U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Fight Against World Poverty or any similar topic only for you Order Now experience. It is then followed by the works of other key economists focusing mainly on the underdeveloped world. Lastly, some concluding opinions are offered. Reducing Poverty in the Developed WorldHazlitt (1973), in his book The Conquest of Poverty makes the case for free enterprise system (Capitalism) as the solution to poverty. [1] Through a thorough analysis, Hazlitt outlines various remedies that have already been tried and those that have been suggested for the future poverty relief in the United States. All these fixes translate into government interventions. The most common interventions discussed by the author are establishing minimum wage rates, creating labor unions, developing welfare programs and job programs, and redistributing income.In the book, and as discussed below, the author analyzes why each of these actions not only fails to reduce poverty, but actually worsen it. Minimum wage actually increases unemployment, and specially the unemployment of those that need the most, the unskilled workers. Why is that? Simply because by forcing the employer to pay a worker more than he/she is worth, it makes it unprofitable for empl oyers to hire those workers, and therefore forces them into unemployment. The minimum wage logic also applies to labor unions.Labor unions, without realizing it, are an anti-labor force. Wages, like any other price, are determined in the free market by supply and demand, and the demand for labor is determined by the labor productivity. Thus, if union wages exceed what employers consider to be the employees’ worth in productivity, the employers are forced to reduce the work force; otherwise, they would be employing them at a loss. So, as union wages are increased, there is a point where employers cannot afford them, and get rid of them.In situations where employers cannot reduce the work force because of labor agreements, eventually they will shut down the operation. In addition, it is only expected that the next marginal capital will either not be invested or will be invested where labor is cheaper. Thus, the bottom-line is that arbitrary labor wages, which typically are excessive, can only result in work reductions. Now, if instead the wages would be set by the market, the employers have an incentive to hire them, increasing employment.Welfare programs have continued to balloon exponentially since their inception, not only in number but also in cost. To appease the voters, government consistently enlarges these programs without regard to the consequences. Thus, they have led to higher taxes and chronic deficits because taxes have not been able to keep up with the cost of these programs, thus the government has had to resort to printing paper money, creating chronic inflation. These programs are like a chronic disease.Once on welfare, people typically stay on it. Moreover, those on unemployment compensation have little incentive to go back to work. Lastly, there is uncontrollable fraud and cheating among those on relief. Many feel that it is the government’s obligation to assure full employment. However, some degree of unemployment is always present in a dynamic economy, mainly as a result of shifts in product demands. Some industries are contracting while others are expanding, thus, some workers are laid off while others are hired.There are times, however, when significant unemployment happens, and typically, it is due to some type of the government action discussed above. Now, if the reason for unemployment is the normal downturn in the business cycle, government intervention by providing jobs to those displaced by the downturn will in essence prevent the natural adjustment of wage rates. This will in turn create an unbearable burden to the taxpayers, and the only way out would be further budget deficits and inflation.Thus, to assure that all these bad things do not happen, the author suggests that the situation be allowed to take its course in a natural manner. Demand and prices decrease will force the natural reduction in wages, which in turn will eventually result in an increase in employment. The idea of income redistribution has been proposed by some, especially those with socialistic tendencies. Any forced redistribution will create an environment where those receiving the guaranteed minimum income, whatever level it is, would have no incentive to work if it exceed what they could earn in the open market by working.And, there are a substantial number of people that even if they could earn a bit more would prefer to live in extreme poverty than to work. This problem gets worse the higher the income guarantee, as more people would see no reason to work. The above are the main actions that conflict with the function of a free competitive market in the U. S. ; and, according to the author, these actions must be removed since history has shown that it is the free competitive market that has been the driving force to reduce poverty in the Western world in the last two centuries.The government’s duties should be limited mainly to activities that protect private property, and the citizens’ safety (law enforcement); and to some degree, the preservation of the country infrastructure. However, Hazlitt recognizes the government’s need to provide adequate help to the poor to assure that they are not deprived from the minimum for their subsistence; but the government must be careful not to provide more than the absolutely necessary to prevent the needy from not working. Lastly, Hazlitt warns that it is only possible to conquer poverty, but not to eliminate it.This is because poverty is an individual issue; thus, it cannot b e stopped more than death can not be prevented. Hazlitt’s model is the capitalistic, laissez faire approach. Although the U. S. has not followed a pure capitalistic approach, as he claims, it represents one of the best models of a political system that has tried to comply with his philosophy. Given that, it is surprising that roughly 13 to 17% of Americans still live below the federal poverty line at any given point in time, and roughly 40% fall below the poverty line at some point within a 10-year time span. 2] Although these statistics are not encouraging, the author makes a convincing case against the other extreme, socialism, or total government control, and was undoubtedly proven right with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. A recent political movement, the Third Way, which attempts to take the positive things from both capitalism and socialism, led by world leaders such as Tony Blair and Bill Clinton is currently being discussed in the political arena as an alternative to mitigate some of the weaknesses of both sys tems, see Whyman (2010). So far the poverty discussion still goes on. Reducing Poverty in Underdeveloped World Hazlitt bases his government model on historical data in the US; thus, one should not automatically assume that it could also apply to the underdeveloped world. In fact, there are many different opinions on remedies for poor countries, which not only involve internal prescriptions, but also suggestions on the interaction between the underdeveloped and developed world, and the shape that foreign aid should take. A summary of some of the most significant views are described below.Easterly (2008) takes Hazlitt’s views and using Hayek’s thoughts of the market process describes his approach to poor nations as follows: To conquer poverty, the creativity and spontaneity of market participants create the most effective system. This is an unpredictable bottoms up process that happens without any central organization intervening and it cannot be dictated from the top, as organizations like IMF a nd World Bank attempt to impose without much knowledge of the country’s local culture, issues, etc.The author explains that where the government political system allows it, the free market is able to produce the big hits in the export markets that have historically helped create wealth in poor countries. Examples are the great success in Kenya exporting cut flowers, or cotton suits in Fiji, both very much unpredicted before the businesses started. Studies have shown that capital income is highly correlated with economic and political liberty; it is liberty that causes prosperity. Therefore, the solution to poverty is to let the market act freely, without government interference.Why, then, it is so hard to convince the world of this fact and the developed world’s approach continues to impose failed tops down solutions? Because growth rates are so volatile in these countries, even for periods lasting a decade, that anyone with a specific agenda can as easily use data to prove that either liberty or the lack of it is the key success factor. O’Rourke (1998) agrees with Easterly. After visiting countries like Albania, Sweden, Russia, Tanzania, and Cuba, he concluded that it is the suppression of individual liberties that creates poverty.His view is that wealth can only be cr eated when there is enough production of goods and services, and this can only occur when there are incentives, which can only exist in an environment of liberty. Similar thoughts are offered by Ravier (2009). Referring to Hayek’s work, he states that globalization, an important element of free and voluntary trade, creates wealth and peace among the nations. De Soto (nd), another free market economist, in his book, The Other Path,[3] focuses on private property, and more specifically, the lack of government protection of property belonging to the poor as a key issue that keeps them in poverty.As a case in point, property, owned by the poor of Peru for generations, is very rarely legally registered, preventing this extremely important them from gaining a meaningful presence in the market, and without it, any possibility of acquiring wealth. [4] The point is that as long as the poor are not part of the legal market economy, the nation cannot extract itself from poverty, and in most underdeveloped countries, the poor remains outside the system all together.The elite minority enjoys all the benefits of the legal system and prospers, while t he poor cannot, and stay in poverty. In Peru, where De Soto’s work is conducted, in order to survive, to protect their assets, and to do as much business as possible, the poor create their own rules, but operate outside the formal system, with all its inefficiencies, shortcomings, etc. Since this group constitutes a large percent of the country’s population, this problem severely impacts the society at large. The issue, according to De Soto, is worldwide among underdeveloped countries.He estimates that about US$ 10 trillion of dead capital could be put to use should the properties be properly legalized. Reinert (2007) and Chang (2008) consent with the above authors’ positions on liberty and private property; however, they add limited protectionism to the box of solutions, at least until these underdeveloped countries can face global competition. They explain their case as follows: To reduce poverty, sustained growth is necessary and it can only be delivered through industrialization. Why?Reinert explains that activities like agriculture, so predominant in poor countries, are subject to diminishing returns, while manufacturing is subject to increasing return. As an example, should country X decide to be in the carrot business, after all the ideal land for carrot production is used, any additional, and not as good land will become more expensive to use, increasing the production cost without any compensation for it in the market. This is not the case for manufacturing, where any addition unit being sold reduced the marginal cost and increases the return.Thus to grow, each country must choose an industrial path, then carefully nature it until it can compete in the world markets. This requires upgrading the relevant technological and managerial capabilities of the country, and while these efforts are pursued, the chosen industry/industries must be protected. Chang compares economic protectionism to the protection that parents must provide to their young children until they are old enough to face life by themselves. He claims that without this protection, these industries would have little chance to survive.He gives South Korea as a good example. Presenting South Korea as a model, Chang relates his own story: born in 1963 in one of the poorest countries in the world, while now it is one of the richest. He explains that during the years between the 1960s and the 1980s, when the major industrialization took place in South Korea, traditional economists would have the world believe that neo-liberal strategies were the reason. [5] However, according to Chang, Korea nurtured the new industries through tariff protection, subsidies, and other forms of government support.The banks were owned by the government, thus the flow of credit was all under its control, and further, some of the model industries were even owned by the government. [6] Its economy was based on export; however, Chang explains that this did not necessarily require free trade. Japan and China prove that. Both authors warn that free trade is only suitable for countries at the same level of development, meaning that poor countries should hold some sort of protectionism until they can fully compete.Chang reminds the reader that South Korea is not a unique case, he claims that practically all of today’s developed countr ies, including Britain and the U. S. , at one time or another, were forced to follow policies that go against neo-liberal economics. Conclusions Although, there is enough disagreement on how to conquer poverty, there is no question that the economists agree on at least two basic points are of paramount importance, the need for a free market and government protection of private property.Beyond that, one thing is clear, the struggle to reduce poverty is still very much an unresolved issue, and the solutions are highly debatable, may be because each country presents a different challenge, a unique culture with different internal considerations, needing different medicine. References Chang, Ho-Joon (2008). Bad Samaritans. Bloomsbury Press, New York. De Soto, H (no date). Commanding Heights, PBS interview. Retrieved Oct 10, 2010 from http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/pdf/int_hernandodesoto. pdf Easterly, W. (2008). Hayek vs.The Development Experts. Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Retrieved Oct 10, 2010 from http://www. manhattan-institute. org/html/hayek2008. htm Hazlitt, Henry (1973). The Conquest of Poverty. Arlington House, New Rochelle, N. Y. O’Rourke, P. J. (1998). Eat the Rich, Atlantic Monthly Press, N. Y. Ravier, Adrian (2009). Globalization and Peace: A Hayekian Perspective. Libertarian Papers, Vol. 1, Art. No. 10. Reinert, E. (2007). How Rich Countries Got Rich and Why Poor Countries Stay Poor. Constable, UK. Whyman, P. (2010). Third Way Economics. Palgrave McMillan.Retrieved October 10, 2010 from http://www. palgrave. com/pdfs/1403920656. pdf ———————– [1] Hazlitt discussing poverty solutions states: Man throughout history has been searching for the cure for poverty, and all that time the cure has been before his eyes. Fortunately, as far at least as it applied to their actions as individuals, the majority of men instinctively recognized it—which was why they survived. That individual cure was Work and Saving. In terms of social organization, there evolved spontaneously from this, as a result of no one’s conscious planning, a ystem of division of labor, freedom of exchange, and economic cooperation, the outlines of which hardly became apparent to our forebears until two centuries ago. That system is now known either as Free Enterprise or as Capitalism, according as men wish to honor or disparage it. [2] Wikipedia. See http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States#cite_note-0 [3] See http://www. amazon. com/Other-Path-Economic-Answer-Terrorism/dp/0465016103 [4] Referring to the poor’s unregistered property, De Soto states: For it is in the legal system where property documents are created and standardized according to law.That documentation builds a public memory that permits society to engage in such crucial economic activities as identifying and gaining access to information about individuals, their assets, their titles, rights, charges and obligations; establishing the limits of liability for businesses; knowing an asset’s previous economic situation; assuring protection of third parties; and quantifying and valuing assets and rights.These public memory mechanisms in turn facilitate such opportunities as access to credit, the establishment of systems of identification, the creation of systems for credit and insurance information, the provision for housing and infrastructure, the issue of s hares, the mortgage of property, and a host of other economic activities that drive a modern market economy 5] Neo-liberalism  is a market-driven  approach based on neoclassical theories of economics  (aka  capitalism) that maximize the role of the private business sector in determining the political and economic priorities of the state. [6] Chang states: â€Å"The Korean economic miracle was the result of a clever and pragmatic mixture of market incentives and state direction† How to cite Fight Against World Poverty, Papers

What is a Dictionary Definition and Meaning free essay sample

A dictionary, sometimes known as a wordbook, is a collection of words in one or more specific languages, often arranged alphabetically (or by radical and stroke for ideographic languages), which may include information on definitions, usage, etymologies, phonetics, pronunciations, translation, etc.[1] or a book of words in one language with their equivalents in another, sometimes known as a lexicon.[1] It is a lexicographical product which shows inter-relationships among the data.[2]A broad distinction is made between general and specialized dictionaries. Specialized dictionaries include words in specialist fields, rather than a complete range of words in the language. Lexical items that describe concepts in specific fields are usually called terms instead of words, although there is no consensus whether lexicology and terminology are two different fields of study. In theory, general dictionaries are supposed[citation needed] to be semasiological, mapping word to definition, while specialized dictionaries are supposed to be onomasiological, first identifying concepts and then establishing the terms used to designate them. We will write a custom essay sample on What is a Dictionary? Definition and Meaning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In practice, the two approaches are used for both types.[3] There are other types of dictionaries that do not fit neatly into the above distinction, for instance bilingual (translation) dictionaries, dictionaries of synonyms (thesauri), and rhyming dictionaries. The word dictionary (unqualified) is usually understood to refer to a general purpose monolingual dictionary.[4]There is also a contrast between prescriptive or descriptive dictionaries; the former reflect what is seen as correct use of the language while the latter reflect recorded actual use. Stylistic indications (e.g. informal or vulgar) in many modern dictionaries are also considered by some to be less than objectively descriptive.[5]Although the first recorded dictionaries date back to Sumerian times (these were bilingual dictionaries), the systematic study of dictionaries as objects of scientific interest themselves is a 20th-century enterprise, called lexicography, and largely initiated by Ladislav Zgusta.[4] The birth of the new discipline was not without controversy, the practical dictionary-makers being sometimes accused by others of astonishing lack of method and critical-self reflection.[6]