Merchant Of Venice-Portia & Bassanios Indifference To Wealth Essays

Trader Of Venice-Portia and Bassanio's Indifference To Wealth How little is the cost I have presented in buying the similarity to my soul,(3.5.19-20) is the place the core of this play is in my eyes. Portia doing what she can for her one genuine affection, Bassanio. Cash is of no significance to her particularly with regards to the bliss or misery of Bassanio. There are numerous spots in the Merchant of Venice that show Portia and Bassanios detachment, and what is by all accounts lack of concern toward riches. Many are covered up and many are as unmistakable to the peruser. I found that adding something extra to The Merchant of Venice was a fun and fascinating experience. The manner in which Shakespeare composed his plays makes individuals truly consider what they are perusing; it helped me to remember a labyrinth. Portia, an untainted Princess to wealth, a Princess that doesnt need to ponder cash. It is something she has an impossible measure of, yet it doesnt change what her identity is or what her qualities are. Her dad appeared to ingrain in her that cash isnt everything to everyone; how you care about individuals and qualities are what matter the most throughout everyday life. At the point when we first observe Bassanio, he is revealing Antonio of a mystery trip he intends to take to win the core of Portia; yet he has no way to arrive because of his extreme living which has left him paying off debtors to other people. From the outset cash is by all accounts of some significance to Bassanio, however towards the center of the play his contemplations appear to change. In spite of the fact that Portias father doesn't have an alleged character in The Merchant of Venice; his essence is certainly felt through Portias character, just as the looks on the coffins. In doing this, Portias father in a way despite everything had a hand assisting with picking the correct spouse for his little girl. At the point when every one of the sovereigns come to charm Portia and go into the coffin room, they search for what might be the most inventive answer in choosing the coffin. The gold coffin scroll peruses Who chooseth me will pick up what numerous men want. (2.7.4-5). At the point when the peruser first observes this, he figures the gold coffin would bode well. Portias father would have placed her image in there, in light of the fact that it is gold and loaded with wealth as is Portia. Adding something extra to this the peruser may imagine that Portias father would not place her image in this one, since adoration is more extravagant than gold. The sovereign that would pick this one isn't keen on affection just Portias riches. The subsequent coffin made of silver states Who chooseth me will get as much as he merits. (2.7.7) I still can't seem to think why any Prince with a large portion of a mind would pick this coffin over gold or lead. To pick this, somewhere inside, they would not like to wed Portia. Evidently, the gold wasnt fascinating enough for them yet the lead was excessively poor. The lead coffin would be the most speaking to the Prince who truly needs to win Portias heart and not her wealth. This parchment peruses Who chooseth me must give and danger all he hath. (2.7.9) When Bassanio and Portia talk about his decisions she gets some information about his decisions cautiously on the grounds that it will decide their future until the end of time. Bassanio albeit profoundly in the red to moneylenders, can see past the gold and silver of the initial two coffins, and perils his opportunity with the lead coffin. The look inside this coffin demonstrates this point; You that picked not by the view, Chance as reasonable, and pick as evident: Since this fortune tumbles to you, Be substance, and look for no new. In the event that you be well pleasd with this, And hold your fortune for your ecstasy, Turn you where your woman is, and guarantee her with a cherishing kiss.(3.2.130-138) From the earliest starting point of the play, Portia appears for those occasions pretty much of a free soul. She has been in Belmont every last bit of her life and thinks minimal about Venice and its occupants ways of life. Portias father appeared to have imparted qualities and love in Portia from an exceptionally youthful age. She was instructed to cherish and to be

Contemporary Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contemporary Christianity - Essay Example The world is degenerate, and therefore the congregation separations itself from the world so as to keep up and protect its convictions and practices. Individuals ought not censure the congregation, however should in any case grasp it and its new ways. There are the individuals who enter the congregation with the affectation that they need to be recovered. Such individuals neglect to comprehend that the congregation is sacred, and Christianity doesn't permit fakers. An adage passes by, â€Å"pretenders are more awful than murderers†. This is valid in that professing to be somebody you are not makes one a liar. Those in the congregation should train the individuals who don't accept and have confidence to do as such, for Christianity doesn't imply that Christians’ lives stop. Being a Christian methods following in the lessons that Jesus educated, and it implies going to administrations in his respect (Weaver and David, 187). The congregation ought not separate itself from the world, however ought to rather show the world the correct way. Christians have been guided by specific rules and conventions that they have followed from the past. These rules have been ingested into their everyday lives that they have become some portion of their way of life. Review Christians as individuals who can't change their way of life in view of Christianity is making a decision about them without comprehending what they genuinely accept and trust in. Christianity by a way is political, since it has impact over a populace and is regarded by the quantity of its adherents (Weaver and David, 212). It has its own progressive system of pioneers who control and deal with the individuals. The contrast between the Christianity and an ideological group is that the Christianity impacts individuals to alter their way of life, leave their natural belongings that cause them to do sin and follow Jesus Christ looking for salvation. It doesn't guarantee salvation or recovery, yet there is a compensation toward the end. So much change has happened on the planet, and numerous things have grasped the change. But since Christians

Is Trying lying And are you truly committed to your New Years resolutions

Is Trying lying And are you truly committed to your New Years resolutions A good friend of mine recently sent me his New Year’s resolutions: #1   Be here now. #2   Keep it real. #3   Try to answer e-mail promptly. I was taken aback by #3.   First, it was the only one that required specific action, and I wondered why he would choose returning e-mails above all the other important actions to take in this world, and over a more general commitment to “Keep in close and regular contact with people important to me” or “Take action quickly on items of importance.” Even more than that, however, I was struck by the insertion of the word “Try.” Is Trying Lying? I have spent the last 10 years or so reducing the incidence of the word “try” in my spoken and written communications.   In a women’s empowerment program I was taught, “Trying is lying.” In a completely different seminar, the instructor had someone hold a tissue box in the air and said, “Try to drop the tissue box.” The person dropped the tissue box, and was met with, “No, you just dropped the tissue box. I told you to try to drop the tissue box.”   In another seminar, a different instructor did the same exercise, asking a participant to “Try to pick up that chair.”   Trying to pick it up looked like holding on to the chair and pretending to pick it up but not actually doing it. “Trying” to do something, as illustrated in these examples, is as good as not doing the thing at all.  You’re not doing it, and you’re not not doing it.   Trying leaves you in an in-between place that, in my understanding, is ultimately powerless and ineffective. Excuses, Excuses We as human beings often use trying as an excuse.   Have you gotten that project done?   “No… but I tried!   I just kept getting distracted.”   Have you lost the weight you said you would?   “No…   but I tried.”   Why isn’t your relationship going the way you want it to?   “I don’t know…   I’m trying so hard to make it work.”  We say things like “I’ll try to be there on time” so that if we’re not on time we haven’t broken a promise.   We human beings are so sneaky! Ultimately, a choice is required.   Either you do it or you don’t.   If you don’t do it, I believe the most powerful stance is to take responsibility that you didn’t do it.   If you’re still committed to a result, then do something else that works to get that result.   As another wise person pointed out, the way to attain any goal in life is to keep taking action until you achieve it.   Sounds so simple doesn’t it? Compassion is Key My New Year’s resolution friend disagreed with my take on trying.   He wrote, “I affirm the importance of stating, ‘I will try.’   Its like saying, ‘I intend.’   It sends a message to myself and others about how I am organizing my spiritual energies.”   When I asked why he didn’t write “Try” for his other resolutions, he responded, “… Its the only one of the three that doesnt come to me naturally.   So I must try harder.   :-)”   (He also mentioned that if following #3 were to contradict #1 and/or #2, he would choose not to follow #3.   We have all seen the negative consequences of impulsive or compulsive e-mailing!) I understand the value of compassion, and I understand that we sometimes go through stages in our level of commitment to a goal.   Perhaps a gentle entry (like a promise to “try”) can be useful for taking on promises we don’t know if we will keep.   Certainly, if we don’t meet one of our promises, it doesn’t help to beat ourselves up about it.   Using the word “try” lets us succeed even when we fail.   But can’t we have compassion even if we frame our promises as absolute?   If I resolve to “answer e-mail promptly” instead of to “try” to do so, and then I don’t answer promptly, I might be empowered by acknowledging that I didn’t do it, looking at why I didn’t do it, and, if appropriate, making a new promise or doing it a different way next time.   To me, that’s “keeping it real.” Honesty The Best Policy New Year’s resolutions are notoriously not kept, and I wonder if the reason is that people put a silent, implied “Try” before every one of them.   If we truly resolve to do something, rather than to try to do it, we live a more powerful life and one where results will show up with more reliability. At least my friend put “try” where it could be seen, instead of pretending something was true that was not.  A straightforward acknowledgement of one’s tendency toward fallibility might be more powerful than having “trying” live in the unsaid.   At least with an honest promise, there’s room to grow.   In the end, we must each choose the language and intention that work for us, in service of living up to our greatest promises and resolutions.

Network Security Is It Protected Or Not Important

Networking and Security What is Networking and Security? you may think network security is worthless or not important, but network security allows you to have usability, reliability, integrity, and safety of your data (â€Å"What Is Network Security† np). Without network security you would be opening yourself to many different threats such as: Viruses, Worms, Hacker Attacks, Denial of Service Attacks, Identity Theft, and more (â€Å"What Is Network Security and How Does It Protect You?† np). Network Security is important because it protects your personal information on the internet, keeps small and large business networks up and running as well as protects their private information, and speeds up the transfer rate of data because network security†¦show more content†¦With Network Security, networking technicians use multiple layers of security, so that if one layer fails the others are there to pick up the slack until the first layer is fix. Some parts of the security of a network inv olve these items: Antivirus and Antispyware, Firewalls, Intrusion Prevention Systems(IPS), and Virtual Private Networks(VPNs) (â€Å"How Does Network Security Work?† np). With this layer system that is used the ability to maintain the integrity of the network. How Does Network Security Protect You As A Common User of The Internet? Network Security helps protect you from many times of attacks every time you go on the internet some of those attacks being: Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses, Spyware, Adware, Zero day Attacks, Hacker Attacks, Denial of Service Attack, and Identity Theft (â€Å"What Is Network Security and How Does it Protect You?† np). Most of these attacks or software target the vital parts of your computer and renders them nearly viable or complete unusable. Without network security you would be unprotected from these attacks which would make the internet an unsafe place. How Easy Is It To Break Into My Computer? Even though hackers are trying everyday to make more complex software or files to get into computers and network. The companies creating the network security softwares are constantly updating their software so that they catch the majority of the new software that the

Social Factors That Changed The World - 1366 Words

Clothing became less expensive in the 1960’s because of the Industrial Revolution, so more people are seen being involved in popular fashion trends and expressing themselves in ways they please because of the affordability. The sharply angled Vidal Sassoon hair style where women cut their hair shorter and styled it in an angular way. This decade also started the trend of people wanting to look skinnier. Designers preferred models looked younger, thinner, and had longer legs. Social factors occurring at the time also effected fashion and helped represent people’s beliefs. Andrà © Courrà ¨ge s came out with many new fashions that reflected America’s involvement in the Space Race with Russia during that time and our achievement for having sent a person to the moon. This space age caused Courrà ¨ge to come out with designs that resemble space suits which included: silver sequined pants, white plastic-like boots, and white sunglasses with slits. Courrà ¨ge also ca me out with a regular suit that had a geometrically cut jacket and angled collar which became a big hit. In the 1970’s, many fashions were inspired by the â€Å"hippie look† and many clothes were becoming handmade again. Hair was often worn long and straight or rolled into corkscrew curls and loose waves. Hot pants, tie dyed shirts, bell bottoms, and flared pants worn with platform shoes became a hit. Jeans also became a standard clothing worn by many and towards the end of the decade and high waisted and skinny jeans were beingShow MoreRelatedThe Learning Theory Influences Everyone s Culture, Ethnicity, Gender, And Social Status1605 Words   |  7 Pageseveryone’s culture, ethnicity, gender, and social status, by being from different geographical location and religious background everyone has a unique characteristic, when it comes to learning or problem solving. One of the most important events in a human’s life is the â€Å"Learning Theory†. This process takes place from the minute we are born. Information is taken in and absorbed, in turn builds one’s ability to retain what one has learned. Many factors aid in the learning process which includesRead MoreSocial Change And The 21st Century Classroom1464 Words   |  6 PagesWhile 21st Century learning and teaching is always changing, it is as dynamic as the world around us. There are many factors including globalisation, social change and technology, which are driving changes in education, with a variety of positive and negative impacts on teaching and learning in the 21st Century. With ongoing changes in teaching practices, which in turn changes the attitudes of today’s teachers and learners. A 21st century classroom is a productive environment where the teachers areRead MoreImpact Of The Columbian Exchange909 Words   |  4 PagesColumbian exchange was a huge impact on our modern day world because it changed war and hunting, it introduced new ingredien ts to different parts of the world, it welcomed new diseases to different parts of the world and the beginning of worldwide trade set the tone for other countries. The first reason the Columbian Exchange affected the formation of the modern world is because it changed battle and hunting. The trade of horses and guns changed everything. The indigenous American people could nowRead MoreSelf Efficacy And Locus Of Control879 Words   |  4 PagesPeople see and act in the world in particular ways based on behavior, attitudes and understanding in society. These factors can all contribute how people see people in the world. Different factors contribute into how people view things such as; locus of control, self-efficacy, social and cultural difference and relationships. Self-efficacy and Locus of control Self-efficacy and locus of control is a constant evolve process that begins when we are born and continues even when we are at an old ageRead MoreEmbracing The Change Of Language1704 Words   |  7 PagesEmbrace the Change of Language Introduction In the modern society, although the language we use have entered into a relatively stable status, it is still subject to dynamic changes and innovations. Across the world, there is no community thatcan maintain invariable means of expression. All languages are evolving along with time. Besides, history has repeatedly testified that changes, developments and improvements in language area constantly ongoing process that has reasons behind them (Moody, 2003)Read MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1689 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough their upbringings. A child may be raised in challenging situations and not have the same opportunities compared to another child. Friends and family tend be a major factor in a person’s life. The way friends and family interact or how society judges them can make them incredibly self-conscious of themselves. The social position of a human can critically affect how someone interacts in society and how they perceive themselves. In The Great Gatsby ,by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Glass Castle byRead MoreThe Beer Market Is One Of The Largest Exporting Products1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe beer market is one of the largest exporting products in the world; the beer market holds a stable empire in international customers’ mind. The alcoholic beverages are always employed in most social situations and becomes more officially. One of the pastimes in Russia is drinking alcohol and they have the highly ranking for alcohol consumption (Blake, 2014). In the past, drinking vodka was one of the most Russian cultures but due to its negative affect, other alcohol such as beer now replacesRead MoreWhat is Sociology? Essays665 Words   |  3 Pagesbelieve they indicate that Sociology, generally speaking, is not only a study of diversity or commonality in traits among people; it is also a science about factors in a person’s life and how these factors culminate responses. Interestingly enough, its topics of concern seem to be dire ctly determined by current and common events of the world. Through the invention and expansion of new ideas, popular trends and fashions through time, Sociology adapts to responsibly to service the very subjects ofRead MoreHealth Policies and Health Determinants1438 Words   |  6 PagesDiscuss the ways that health can be conceptualized by a society. What are the determinants of health in humans? What is the connection between how a society defines health and how it pursues health? Has increased access to technology changed that perception over the last decade? Discuss the connection between health policies, health determinants, and health. Abstract Health policies, health determinants and health are all categories that are intertwined with one another.Read MoreThe Relationship Between Consumers And Businesses1113 Words   |  5 Pageshas changed due to the diffusion of technology. In addition, the tendency of Western societies to have consumer-based economies increases the impact that technological advances have on the way that business function and interact with their consumers. The widespread use of technology as well as the different functions available due to technological advances has caused businesses to shift their marketing strategies, affecting not only the consumer but also the structure of society itself. Social media

How Much Am I Worth Sexual Tourism in the Caribbean Free Essays

string(98) " here that even local women have decided to take dominion over their situations and their bodies\." When considering the ideas of female sexuality as it pertains to tourism in the Caribbean, people tend to envision call-girls at upscale parties and prostitutes that sell their bodies to the highest bidder. However, when taking a deeper look, one can see beyond the surface into the reality of the situation. Taking into consideration the ideas of female sexuality as it pertains to tourism in the Caribbean, people tend to envision call-girls at upscale parties and prostitutes that sell their bodies to the highest bidder. We will write a custom essay sample on How Much Am I Worth: Sexual Tourism in the Caribbean or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, when taking a deeper look, one can see beyond the surface into the reality of the situation. The fact is that women in the Caribbean have found ways to manage their involvement in sex tourism, music and dance to their own advantage, thereby demonstrating agency. Prior to exhibiting the truth about female agency within sex tourism in the Caribbean, it is necessary to call attention to the myths that suggest that most women are oppressed within the industry.According to Victoria Durant-Gonzalez, there is a theory that speaks to the â€Å"grace of sexuality† which suggests that women are placed into a detrimental situation at the hands of this theory: â€Å"In Jamaica, the number of women with social ties to a man is an indicator of his social status. In this way, women in the society reaffirm, reinforce, and in some instances determine male social status. An important aspect of female affirmation of male social status is the underlying assumption that these ties are se x-based. †¦ simply suggesting intimacy reinforces male status.It is from this suggestive element that the grace of sexuality is derived. Thus the grace of sexuality places men and women into reciprocal relationships whereby women receive access to sources of livelihood and men receive arbitration of social status.. .. The grace of sexuality persists because it is an efficient way of meeting and carrying out female familial responsibility. † (Henry 1981, 7) These sentiments suggest that women are indeed disadvantaged due to the setup, which surrounds sexuality in the Caribbean. This is just one of the many untruths that need to be dispelled.Another misconception is linked to the violence that female sex workers are subject to within the industry. When a group of researchers studied the sex industry in Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, and the Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias, they called attention to this very argument. â€Å"Now, women’s groups throughout the Caribbean are concerned that female prostitutes are increasingly becoming victims of violence. There are no government initiatives aimed at protecting or empowering the region’s prostitutes† (Shephard 2010, 19).There appears to be a growing concern that these women are in such dangerous situations that they are unable to fend for themselves. This theory makes women victims and takes away the sense of agency that they have within the industry. One last misconception which must be cleared is that women who participate in sex tourism in the Caribbean are reactionary in this work. â€Å"Women relate to sexuality in a predominantly defensive mode while men are urged to explore within hetero-normative practices (Lewis 2003, 135).The fact is that researchers, tourists, and foreigners alike have pictured female sex workers in the Caribbean as weak and incapable of acting of their own self-interest. However, there is evidence to suggest that these women do indeed have strength and choice in their actions. It can be assumed that some of their actions are deliberate. In a book entitled What’s Love Got to do with it? : Transnational desires and sex tourism in the Dominican Republic, by Brennan, Mignolo, and Silverbatt, women’s economic survival strategies are explored, in the face of extreme poverty and for most, single motherhood.Dominican sex workers navigate their own comfort zones, police arrests, threats of violence and AIDS. In fact, it would appear that they exploit foreign tourists’ sexually and racially motivated stereotypes in hopes to secure long-term economic relationships with these tourists, including money wires, future vacations, and in some cases marriage and visas. These women act independently, without pimps, but against a power imbalance composed of racial, gendered, and classed hierarchies.Brennan displays that tourists who visit the Carib bean for sex are supported by their native countries with the weight of the colonial and economic dominance over these developing nations. This support displays more than just a monetary aid, instead, it incorporates travel access, and the freedom to enact on fantasies at will. The sex workers than use these forces at play to give them the upper hand with regard to â€Å"earning their keep†. This book displays a clear feminist perspective and demonstrates the agency of sex workers at all points in their search for economic and at times romantic satisfaction, even as they face daunting odds.In another article, Sandra Duvivier argues that â€Å"the employment of sexuality, particularly female sexuality, is a feasible means of socioeconomic development in the Caribbean† (Duvivier 2008, 1104). Duvivier speaks about the fact that women believe themselves to be a sort of commodity. Currently, women in the Caribbean take ownership of their bodies and use it as a means of survival. Not only do they know how to handle themselves but, they also believe that they are in control of the situations where they place the mselves, thus demonstrating a sense of personal agency. Along those lines, a researcher by the name of Carolle Charles wrote: In Haiti, poor and working women speak in a different way about the image and usage of the body for social reproduction, for economic survival, for social status, and for heterosexual encounters and conjugal relationships†¦ While the dominant discourse symbolically describes women and their bodies as â€Å"ripe fruit ready to be eaten,† working class women, in contrast, define their bodies as a â€Å"resource, an asset, a form of capital that can reap profits if well invested. â€Å"Kom se kawo tem† (my body is my piece of land) claim many poor Haitian women. (Charles 1994, 137) It is evident here that even local women have decided to take dominion over their situations and their bodies. You read "How Much Am I Worth: Sexual Tourism in the Caribbean" in category "Papers" Contrary to the majority of the patriarchal constructions of Haiti that place the advantage of women’s sexuality in the hands of men, working class Haitian women have begun to define themselves in revolutionary ways and have also started to capitalize off of their own bodies.Furthermore, it is evident through the actions of sex tourists and their connections with sex workers, that there is an exploitative representation of black female bodies in the market. Travelers have appeared to take complete control of this fact, marginalizing black Caribbean women. These women are then expected to be obedient to these men, and occasionally other women. Duvivier also calls attention to the identities of race and class within this context: â€Å"For their johns, who are of various races, these sexual engagements also allow them to affirm their First-World, gendered identity.White men, as previously mentioned, assert an uncompromised white masculinity that had been threatened in their respective home spaces. People of color, while often subjected to racism and not asserting a racialized identity, affirm ‘a sense of Western-ness and so of inclusion in a privileged world. ’† However, as she later points out, Caribbean women do not share in that privilege. On the other hand, it is quite clear that females have begun to take charge of their sexuality, especially with respect to sex work in the Caribbean. †¦Caribbean women see sex work as a legitimate way to raise money for purchasing a home for their families or sending their children to private schools†¦ both men and women who inhabit marginal sexual spaces assume an active agency over their sexual lives, sometimes rebelling against narrowly defined sexual regimes. † (Sharpe and Pinto 2006, 249) Active agency is the key portion of all of this research. The fact is that, regardless of how one gets there, exerting agency is a huge part of taking away the defensive aspect of a situation.These women, who are taking their bodies into their own rights, create prices and, situations and, who say â€Å"No† or â€Å"Yes†, for that matter, they are revealing power. This power is undeniably putting the face of sex work into a whole new light, thereby, taking away the control of the usual â€Å"First-World† tourists, which is part of the fantasy. For this reason there has been little to no concrete evidence found to support these theories. However we do know that, â€Å"As sex has become part of the exotic fantasies that destinations around the world offer tourists, sex tourism has grown to become a multibillion-dollar industry. (Sharpe and Pinto 2006, 250) The reality of these women taking control ruins the fantasy for their customers, thereby decreasing profits so, many women have yet to speak up about this matter. The books on sex work in the Caribbean (Kempadoo 1999b, 2004; Brennan 2004) represent a paradigm shift inasmuch as, first, they treat prostitution as a legitimate alternative to low-paying domestic work or jobs in the export-processing zones; second, they break down the rigid boundary between sex work and domesticity; and, finally, they articulate how workers exercise some control over their exploitation. The studies attempt to find a place for women’s agency and dignity within an occupation that was previously treated by feminists as degrading and exploitative. Characterizing sex work as one of the limited options available to poor, uneducated women for feeding and clothing their children, Kempadoo includes it with other informal forms of self-employment such as â€Å"higglering† or â€Å"huckstering† as one of the strategies for survival†¦ (Sharpe and Pinto 2006, 251-2) Sharpe and Pinto call out a number of key points which seem to shape the arguments of agency within sex work.They later go on to speak about the fact that women see sex work as a path to social mobility either through its â€Å"superior earning power over other forms of unskilled labor or, ideally, as the path to marriage with someone who is willing to support them. † (Sharpe and Pinto 2006, 252) Though, as discussed earlier, it may be hard to see the agency exerted by these women in sex work, there are other areas where it is easier to see the fact that women in the Caribbean have, indeed, taken their sexuality into their own hands.Agency can be seen in the growing culture of reggae and dancehall. Women have exerted their power outwardly and have begun to take charge of their sexuality. â€Å"Bwoy mi glad seh mi hold yuh, use di pussy control yuh/ Bwoy yuh give mi di biggest wood mi ever get inna my life/ Bwoy mi never believe yuh when yuh tell mi seh mi would a need yuh/ Bwoy yuh give mi di biggest wood mi ever get inna my life† exclaims a chorus by a very famous dancehall artist, Lady Saw. This translates into: â€Å"Boy I’m glad to hold you, Use my vagina to control you/ Boy you give me the biggest penis I’ve ever had in my life/ Boy I never believed you when you told me I wouldn’t need you/ Boy you give me the biggest penis I’ve ever had in my life. † By these lyrics alone, one can see the control that women are exerting within the Caribbean. Even within the lyrics, Lady Saw uses her knowledge of a man’s ego to make him feel as though he is in control by complementing his penis. However, it is very clear that she believes her vagina is in control.For a number of years, culturally-based music, dance, and ritual has attracted tourists from all over the world to the Caribbean. Here, citizens of developed countries come to view what they deem as a â€Å"spectacle to behold† in watching women parade through the streets during carnival. Though, many have ignorantly assumed that these women do these dances and create these fa ntasies as a form of their own, unknown self-exploitation, the fact is that the dance and music of the Caribbean is a forum where women can liberate themselves. In a piece written by Belinda Edmondson she exerts: My main argument centers around the different meanings accorded to different kinds of female public â€Å"performances,† a term I use to describe women’s popular culture rituals and behaviors in the public sphere. In that â€Å"performance† suggests a physical gesture made with a physical body for a passive viewing audience, it is a particularly apt term for my purposes here. â€Å"Performance† implies agency, an act meant to do particular kinds of work or make particular kinds of statements. Edmondson 2003, 2) In a culture which may often repress a woman’s sexuality, using sexuality as an active agent in music and dance helps to release this dissonance of not owning one’s own body/feeling. Jeanie Forte has argued that, these sexual female performers â€Å"expose their bodies in order to reclaim them, to assert their own pleasure and sexuality, thus denying the fetishistic pursuit [by men]. † This thought is not actually all that revolutionary. In fact, consider the late Josephine Baker who traveled all over the world, exhibiting her sexuality as a tool for money making (similar to that of a sex worker). Though not participating in the physical act of having sex for money, Mrs. Baker’s performances created a fantasy where people of all genders and races could be united through one common, attractive factor—sex. Ultimately, the women in the Caribbean are beginning to take their sexuality into their own hands, much like Mrs. Baker, gaining from it what they want and what they need. For centuries, patriarchal societies have deemed men the sole beneficiaries of sexuality; however, the intense rhythms of Soca, Reggae, and Dancehall and now the industry of sex work is becoming a serious threat to that belief.In a book entitled, â€Å"Noises in the Blood,† Carolyn Cooper decisively considers the dismissed communication of Jamaica’s vibrant pop-culture, reclaiming these cultural forms, both oral and textual, from an undeserved neglect. The language of Jamaican popular culture–its folklore, idioms, music, poetry, song–even when written is based on a t radition of sound, an orality that has often been belittled as not worthy of serious study. Cooper’s analysis of this cultural â€Å"noise† expresses the influential and reminiscent content of these performers and highlights their contribution to an undervalued Caribbean identity.She then connects this orality, or otherwise considered the â€Å"feminized Jamaican mother tongue,† to the issues of gender in her postcolonial view. Cooper argues that these contemporary dialect forms must be recognized as genuine expressions of Jamaican culture and as expressions of resistance to marginalization, racism, and sexism. This further exacerbates the idea that women, even in their speech within the music and culture, take an active agency in their decisions. It would appear that they are divisive in nature and use every outlet possible to exert their power. To all the ladies in the dance/ I lose all control when I see you/ Standing there in front of me/ Your style, your clothes, your hair/ You fair woman, you look so sexy/ De way you wine and, de way you dance/ A nd de way that you twist and turn your waist/ Leaves me wanting, leaves me yearning/ Leaves me feelin for a taste† proclaim the lyrics to Rupee’s popular song â€Å"Tempted to Touch†. This is yet another exhibit of a woman’s power. Rupee explains how a woman can make him lose all control and leave him â€Å"tempted to touch†.The mere fact is that women have gained ownership of this control and have begun to use it for their own advantage. In fact, in a documentary entitle Masquerade, where the sexuality of women is explored within the context of carnival and other Caribbean festivities, it appeared that the general consensus was that women were taking ownership rights over their sexuality. It appeared to be a piece of them which would be hard to steal. Pat Bishop was quoted having said, â€Å"I see a sense of hedonism in our culture, it is a way of intensifying life.Others say that Carnival exhibits cathartic behavior but, to be cathartic, by definition, is to submerse oneself in grief, thereby, purging that grief. When I am performing†¦ there is no grief. † For Bishop, these rituals bring about a sense of pride and joy and she is fully aware of the fact that the way she views herself is not aligned with the way others have viewed her culture. Another woman in the documentary was quoted saying, â€Å"My race is sensual. Even when a woman walks, the sway goes to the beat. You may not hear it but, I’d bet she can.Because her knees move, her hips move; that is the base of dance. Sexual NOTHING—that’s the way we move. † This woman takes agency to an entirely other level. She would argue that Caribbean women are just being natural and that, what the rest of the world deems sexual, is actually just innate. Whether it be through music, dance, or sex work, Caribbean women have exhibited agency across the board. For a very long time, patriarchal societies and foreign tourists have deemed their behavior as such that is defensive or reactionary, when in fact, they have been in control for a long time.Asserting their own ideas and benefitting from society’s lack of knowledge about them, they have made their way toward true dominion. The single issue that remains is whether or not Caribbean women had this â€Å"disguised power† first or is it something that derived from a lack of power in previous years. Truth be told, the issue goes back to that of which came first: the chicken or the egg. It is uncertain but, ultimately does not matter. The facts remain the same: Caribbean women have found a way to exert their agency through a number of outlets, despite patriarchal systemic views.Regardless of whether or not they are paid for their actions, they receive what they want: whether that is monetary compensation, life-time partners, or just a release from daily troubles through rhythm and dance. These women are extraordinary beings and should be credited as such. How to cite How Much Am I Worth: Sexual Tourism in the Caribbean, Papers

Racism And Discrimination Essays - Discrimination, Racism, Hatred

Racism And Discrimination ...Everybody jumped on him, beat the hell out of him... Everybody washitting him or kicking him. One guy was kicking at his spine. Another guyhitting on the side of the face... He was unconscious. He was bleeding. Everybody had blood on their forearms. We ran back up the hill laughing... He should have died... He lost so much blood he turned white. He gotwhat he deserved (Ridgeway 167.) The skinheads who performed this random act of racial violence in 1990,had no reason to brutally beat their victim other than the fact that he wasMexican (Ridgeway 167). Racism is objectively defined as any practice ofethnic discrimination or segregation. Fortunately, racial violence issteadily declining as the turn of the century approaches. Now a new formof racism, covert racism, has recently sprung from the pressures ofpolitical correctness. This new form of racism, although slowly declining,still shows signs of strong support (Piazza 86). Covert racism assumes aform of civil disobedience against p olitically correct thought and speech. Essentially, covert racism is a hidden racism, or a racism not easilydetected (Piazza 78). Racism is still strongly prevalent in today'ssociety (Gudorf 3). The three different basic forms of racism, open racism, violent racism,and covert racism all express forms of hatred towards distinct ethnicgroups (Bender 47). These basic forms of racism, although different inform, all have the same main purpose, to promote racism. Open racism expresses freedom of racial thought and speech. Open racistspromote their views through strictly persuasionary tactics. This form ofracism is allowed in our society because of the First Amendment. Openracism is currently almost nonexistent and steadily declining, because itis considered politically incorrect and socially unacceptable.Violent racism promotes racism through violence, fear, and persuasionarytactics (Leone 49) This form of racism is not protected by the FirstAmendment because it promotes violence to expre ss its ideas. Unfortunatelymany violent racial groups claim they do not promote violence, andtherefore these groups are protected by the First Amendment because notenough sufficient evidence exists to prove their violent intent (Ridgeway123). Covert racism expresses ideas of racism in disguised forms; sometimes thecovert racist is not even aware of the fact that he is racist. Racism, itis asserted, is no longer blatant: people nowadays are reluctant to expressopenly their dislike of and contempt for minorities, indeed are notprepared to express publicly a sentiment that could be interpretted asracist. Racism, it is said, is subtle: it is disguised, kept out of sight(Enrlich 73) The suggestion that there is a new racism--a racism that hasa new strength precisely because it doesn't appear to be racism--deservesserious consideration (Piazza 66). Avoiding minorities on the street anddenial of a public benefit to a minority which would be awarded to a whiteare examples of covert racism. Since it is no longer politically correctto openly express one's racist views, people therefore favor disguised,indirect ways to express their bigotry (Piazza 68). Covert racism is themost abundant form of racism in our society today. What causes racism? Unfortunately, the answer is much longer and detailedthan the question. The three main causes for racism are: racism has becomepart of our heritage, right-wing racial and political groups, and pride inone's own race. Practically since the dawn of man's existence man has undoubtedly noticeddifferences between races. Racism's presence throughout the formation ofour culture is quite evident (Tucker 17). Frequently throughout historythe ethnic group with the most power has assumed that its race and cultureare superior to others. The same incident even occurred in America withthe introduction of slaves. Throughout American history, racism has beenstrongly prevalent. Racism's roots lie deep within the foundation of oursociety (Tucker 19). These roots undoubtedly are the source for a greatmany of the racist groups and covert racism ideas found throughout oursociety. Extremist social and political groups, particularly those advocatingright-wing policies of racial inequality, promote racism as well. Thesegroups serve as the epitome of racial thought and speech (Ridgeway 10). The following represent various racist groups found throughout the UnitedStates: John Birch Society, Ku Klux Klan, Knights of the KKK, InvisibleEmpire, NAAWP, White Aryan Resistance, American Front, Nazi Skinheads,Posse Comitatus, Aryan Nations, The Order, and National Alliance (Ridgeway15). All of these groups are given the freedom to express their ideas ofracism because of the First Amendment (CIEQ 16). Although the