Sunday, May 17, 2020

Why Do So Many Hate the Selfie Craze

Whats in a selfie? Answers to  this question tend to focus on women and girls, despite the fact that men and boys post them too. While its true that women and girls post more selfies--according to the research project SelfieCity  women in New York City post 1.6 selfies to the mans 1--this difference does not justify that  the critiques of selfies land almost exclusively  on the shoulders of  women and girls. But, the critiques are out there, so lets take a look at them. The main critique of selfies seems to be that they express vanity,  narcissism, and superficial attention-seeking. They are either cast as braggadocio--Hey world, check out how good I look!--or as desperate attempts to receive the validation of others, which suggest embarrassingly low levels of self-esteem. The evidence seems to bear out in this regard. A 2013 study conducted by researchers at Birmingham Business School in the UK found that selfies shared on social media can serve to alienate those in our networks who are not close friends or family. People who are not close to us do not like them, and that diminishes their perception of us. Others argue, as many do of stripping and sex-work, that the selfies of women and girls reflect the internalization of our sexual objectification within a heterosexual, patriarchal culture. In such a context, women and girls are  socialized to value ourselves as sexual objects that exist for the consumption and pleasure of men. To be valued and  validated, then, we behave in ways that fit these expectations, and ultimately  reproduce our existence as sexual objects. For like-minded critics, selfies do just that. Sociologist Ben Agger, author of  Oversharing:  Presentations of Self in the Internet Age,  refers to the selfie craze as the male gaze gone viral. He views the practice of taking selfies  as a consequence of  women and girls having been socialized in the above-described way.  Speaking more specifically to sexy and naked selfies, sociologist  Gale Dines suggests they are evidence of  a porn culture in which women and girls are expected to behave like the porn actors that fill the web. Dines argues that presenting ourselves as desirable sexual objects is one of the few ways for women and girls to be visible and noticed in  society. Research into social media user behavior validates  these critical theories. A 2013 study by researchers at Harvard Business School found conclusively that on Facebook, men do the majority of profile viewing, while the profiles of  women constitute the majority viewed. In sociological words, men are  active subjects on social media sites, and women are passive objects. Our final critique comes from  sociologist Nishant Shah. In a 2014 talk in Graz, Austria, Dr. Shah explained that the digital self is inherently a shared self, and that once shared, it exists beyond the control of the person to whom  it is attached. This was recently made painfully and criminally clear by the hack of the digital accounts of celebrities that resulted in a massive leak of nude selfie photos of dozens of women (and a few men). Actor Jennifer Lawrence, a victim of this hack, decried the episode as a sex crime, which seems appropriate given its  violating nature. However, according to Dr. Shah, revenge porn laws do not currently cover selfies--only images taken by others. This critique comes down to the idea that one loses control over ones body, ones self-image,  and ones  reputation by sharing. In  a hacker culture, simply possessing selfies on our devices opens us up to unwanted sharing and loss of control. So, from the critical standpoint, selfies hold the potential to be quite damaging to our relationships, our identities, and to the status of women and girls in society. Click here to read the surprising arguments in defense of the selfie made by some sociologists in Part II of this debate.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Marketing Plan for Pharmasim - 3854 Words

A) Executive Summary The management team at the over-the-counter cold medicine (OCM) group of Allstar Brands is looking to utilize revenue generated by Allround to help fund new opportunities in emerging markets. Therefore, it is critical that Allround maintain its market-leading position in terms of market share, profitability, and sales in order to fund these new initiatives. While Allround is a leader in brand awareness and brand most frequently purchased, there are direct competitors to Allround. These competitors offer various products from general cold medicine offerings to single-use medicines. It is likely that these companies will continue to develop new offerings in that arena to have greater coverage across different segments.†¦show more content†¦All competitors of Allstar’s are diversified into other categories of the OTC market and not dependent upon just the cold segment. This is one area where Allstar can potentially improve its sales and diversify its product lines. Although Allstar has the highest brand awareness, it also has the highest price amongst competitors. The fact that Allround has a strong reputation in the market place due to the product effectiveness allows Allround to maintain a higher price than its competition. All other competitors supply its OTC in capsule form, which is the preferred method of consum ption by consumers. Allstar must be aware of the various formulations of the competitors, be selective in considering new products to market, and pay attention to newly offered products and the markets the competitors are targeting. The Allstar team needs to reassess the strategy and approach each period based upon competitor information while maintaining the long-term strategic objectives. Economics Allstar must monitor the economic conditions when deciding the appropriate budget allocations to advertising, sales force, promotion, and discounts. 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Certain measurements are introduced to weight the success and progress of the objectives such as feedbacks from customers and retailersRead MorePharmasim Case818 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿PharmaSim Case Wednesday, May 14, 2014 11:15 AM    Introduction: Management team at the over-the-counter cold medicine (OCM) group of Allstar Brands just completed its third presentation in the past month to the Pharmaceuticals Division Manager regarding the status of the Allround cold medication.    Problem: Allround brand it manages is of strategic importance to the company. Unfortunately, the fourth quarter performance were not as positive as management expected.    Overview: Allround

1984 Socialism Essay Example For Students

1984 Socialism Essay 1984 SocialismEric Blair, known to his readers under the English pen name of George Orwell (1903-1950), was a man familiar with the roles of government.He served with the British government in Burma under the Indian Imperial Police.Returning to his European roots, Orwell also sided with the Spanish government as he fought with the Loyalists in their civil war.It wasnt until he wrote professionally as a political writer that Orwells ideas of government were fully expressed.Orwell, in his political writings, was extremely contradictory.He was a critic of communism, yet he also considered himself a Socialist.He had hatred toward intellectuals, but he too was a political writer.It is only natural that a man of paradoxes would write of them.In his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell develops his Socialist Utopia as a paradoxical society that ultimately succeeds rather than flounders. The society that Orwell creates is full of paradoxes that existed all the way up to its origins.The founders of the new lifestyle, known as the revolutionaries of the mid-twentieth century, leads the public to believe false intentions of revolt, as these purposes soon become exact opposite outcomes.The original designers seek to create an ideal social order out of England that is beneficial to all.Marin Kessler, a literary essayist, agrees that these utopianshad hoped to construct a perfect society in which men and women could enjoy that ultimate degree of happiness which, it was implied denied through the folly and wickedness of their present rulers (304).Besides being founded on the concept of a Utopia, the revolutionaries believe they could achieve their goals through Ingsoc, a variation on English socialism (named justly).The main concept of socialism is its stress on social equality, so much that the government distributes any possessions equally.In reality, this policy sought t o destroy individual property, instead emphasizing collective property, owned by the government for the ultimate purpose of equality.Socialism is also often considered the politics of the working class and lower regime, since they actually benefited from it.Although the founders claim to create a socialist Utopia with its respective freedoms, the society of Oceania they create is exactly the opposite of their original principles.OBrien, a major contributor to the government organization known as the Party, describes the contradictory characteristics of the world power of Oceania, Do you begin to see then, what kind of world we are creating?It is the exact opposite of the stupid hedonistic Utopias that the old reformers imaginedThe old civilizations claimed they were founded upon love and justice.Ours is founded upon hatred (Nineteen Eighty-Four 220).Oceania is anything but socialist; it is rather a totalitarian empire.The Party is all-powerful in this nation and limits the peoples o wn power as well.Oceanias people are oppressed by the government that is supposed to be protecting them and their rights.Orwell foresaw the approach of a totalist society from which faith, custom, common sense, justice, order, freedom, brotherhood, art, literature, and even sexual love would be eradicated, declares literary critic Russell Kirk.The new socialist oligarchy would live for the intoxication of brutal power (311).Every action and policy of the Party demonstrates its oppressiveness.The Party destroys the concept of privacy via the telescreen, an instrument used to transmit and receive images.The Party conceals the truth and only tells lies to its people through the controlled media.The Party destroys a language as it evolves English into Newspeak, a language limited in abstract ideas.The Party outlaws the act of sexual intercourse and procreation.The most horrific violation of natural rights is the Partys prohibition of individuality.Although there are no written laws in O ceania, there is only one true offense: opposing the Party.Socialism attempts to create a society with only one true social order, so that all members are equal parts.Oceania, on the other hand, is composed of three real class orders with the top oppressing the other two. A work entitled The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, more simply known to the Oceanic public as the book, describes the true class structure: At the apex of the pyramid comes Big Brother.Big Brother is infallible and all-powerfulBelow Big Brother comes the Inner Party, its numbers limited to six millions, or something less then two percent of the population of Oceania.Below the Inner Party comes the Outer Party, which, if the Inner Part..y is described as the brain of the State, may be justly likened to the hands.Below that come the dumb masses whom we habitually refer to as the proles, numbering perhaps eighty-five percent of the population.In terms of our earlier classification, the proles are th e Low, whoare not a permanent or necessary part of the structure. (171-172). .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c , .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .postImageUrl , .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c , .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:hover , .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:visited , .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:active { border:0!important; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:active , .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5be304d47e026a4dc6ee3137b2a2c08c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Diary of Anne Frank EssayThe Party of Oceania completely rejects the class structure that Socialism is founded on.Oceania is more a monarchy than that of a Socialist society, with Big Brother as its immortal and superhuman king; the Party is the nobility class and the proles, mere peasants.Additionally, Socialism is the politics of the proletarians, the working class of a society, differing immensely from the Oceanic structure as the proles are exactly those who are neglected and oppressed.All of the goals the founders sought to bestow upon their supposed, Socialist Utopia do not even imitate those actually outcomes.These intentions, therefore, play a major paradoxical role in this mixed up society. Although the origins of Oceania are paradoxes, the institutions that make up this massive power are also baffling.The most notable signs of paradox to indicate that its establishments are also paradoxical are literally contained in the Partys slogan: War is Peace.Freedom is slavery.Ignorance is strength (7).Even though this slogan appears irrational, it is due to the fact that it is devised by an irrational and contracting government.The paradoxical government represents the philosophies of that government.The Partys entire existence lies upon one ultimate paradox, Doublethink. Doublethink is the ultimate paradox, because as its name suggests it is the philosophy of holding a double meaning, two ideas that are contradictory to one another.It would be impossible, however, for the repressive dictatorship to realize the full benefitswithout DoublethinkWithout Doublethink the party would not function, explains expert on politics Martin Kessler.For, when the party intellectual lies, it is essential that he both know that he is tampering with reality and at the same time genuinely believe in his lie (306).Since the philosophies of Oceanic government are paradoxical, it is no surprise that its four major institution are as well.The Ministry of Truth, which tells little of it, is responsible for all forms of news, entertainment, education, and fine arts.In reality, the Minitrue, as translated in Newspeak, falsifies all information and media exposed to the public, destroying any details hinting otherwise.The Ministry of Peace (Minipax) deals only with waging war, rather than keeping peace since Oceania was always in combat with either Eastasia or Eurasia, the only two other superpowers.The Ministry of Love (Miniluv) offers little compassion whatsoever, because they were responsible for punishing and even vaporizing people with even a hint at anything against the Party.The majority of those sent to the Miniluv by the Thought Police are truly guilty of nothing.Lastly, the Ministry of Plenty (Miniplenty) is contradictory to its name, because although its job is to supply the public with economic goods, it rarely distributes anything to keep the power and property within the Party (8).The institutions within the Ocenic society are mere paradoxes of the society as a whole. Even more paradoxes exist within the Partys primary ways of ruling the continental power of Oceania.Its contradictory methods and instruments used for managing demonstrate the true paradox of the society.The technology and use of the telesceen exhibits many paradoxical qualities.This device, while seeming like an entertainment, is able to cause more suffering than pleasure.It is an oppressive instrument that completely abolishes the concept of privacy as the people that are forced to hear and see the television screen can themselves be heard and seen at all times under constant supervision even while sleeping or in the bathroom, according to writer Issaac Asimov (315).The utilization of the telescreen becomes unpleasurable when it makes it easier for the Party to catch one in any act suspicious to it.The Paradox arises even in its mechanism as it transmits propaganda to the people like a television, but at the same time it receives images of the people like a camera.The true paradox arises, because there may have to be five watchers for every person watched.And then, of course, the watchers must themselves be watched, since no one in the Orwellian world is suspicion-free (Asimov 315).It is a wonder how such a technology is able to work, as the philosophies of the Party must be broken at one point.