Persuasive Letter Essay Example for Free

Persuasive Letter Essay The question of uniforms at school is becoming more pertinent to our society. Wearing a school uniform is a breach of children’s individuality and self expression. Everyone is unique and so making people wear a school uniform takes away their personality. May this be the reason which discourages them from performing to their full potentials? People believe that if students wore their own clothes they would get judged on how they look. However no matter, what you dress in, they will always find a way to pass judgement upon their peers. If it’s not based on the style of clothes you wear, there are many other superficial ways to judge people and form cliques. Uniforms don’t always ensure equality among students. They can actually encourage racism and rivalry between different schools. I tell you that for a fact that not wearing a school uniform actually decreases the number of detentions you get. You may think this sounds stupid, but it is true! Have you ever had one of those bad days where everything seems to go wrong? When something bad happens unexpectedly? Well I’m talking about my friend. The other day she got in trouble because her skirt was too high. Seriously if school uniform was abolished, it wouldn’t lead to this. Detention for such a pointless reason! No way. I surrender That friend was me! We all know that school uniforms are expensive. Uniforms make parent spend money unnecessarily. They tend to be more expensive than the daily clothes we wear, outside of school. Uniforms can cost a lot, especially when more than one child is attending school. Overall, I personally think that school uniforms should be abolished. Uniforms don’t let us express who we really are. They are expensive and often waste a lot of money, when children grow out of them. Please consider taking action on this vital issue. I would truly appreciate it if you would put some time and thought on this case and put my points into consideration.

Problem Of The Piazza D Italia Cultural Studies Essay

Problem Of The Piazza D Italia Cultural Studies Essay With public space or areas we usually mean roads, streets, squares, beaches and parks, but also free accessible government buildings and public institutions are part of public space. The moment public areas have been formed they have been a platform for gathering people and groups from different origins. It is a place where people can meet socially and exchange ideas. Public spaces play a social as well as a political role in society and are the mirror of this society. (Carr et al.,1992) Creating such places has always been a point of discussion from the beginning. Especially since the 20th century public areas went through major changes. It is therefore that their role and existence in the future are in the 21st century more than ever a point of discussion. These discussions have started with the arrival of modern times. In this period there have been realized different public spaces which each in their own way have given a contribution to these discussions. There are some creations which are very successful, but also some projects which are less prosperous. Within modern time we can distinguish different periods of style and of movements, of which the post-modern style is a good example. Piazza d Italia in New Orleans, Louisiana, designed by Charles Moore, is such a public space project of post-modernism. From the beginning until the very present there have been different discussions in architectural society as well as in public circles about the role of the Piazza dItalia as a public area. The Piazza knows some restrictions within the way the design has been realized, which causes that people do often feel that the square cannot be experienced as a public space. In this essay there will be researched what causes the hidden problem of the Piazza d Italia. The square often gives an isolated and estranged impression toward its users. The reason for this can have different causes. That is why it is important to research with this essay why en how the Piazza gives the impression of isolation and strangeness and also why the visitors do not experience this square as a real public space. Ultimate goal is to find out on which parts there have been discussions in the past and, more important, during the post-modernism period and if these discussions are still up to date with the present 21st century. The structure of this essay is as follows: within this research it is important to know what postmodern architecture really means. In the first part we will get into detail by looking at the beginning of this period, the characteristics and to what extent this period differs from the modern architecture. The second part will then describe the Piazza d Italia. First of all we will look at the ideology and ideas of Charles Moore about its role as a public space within society, referring to his essay: You Have To Pay For The Public Life from 1965. The next step is describing the original design of the Piazza and subsequently the most recent result of the design. In the third part of the essay we will, according to the book Architectural Positions, compare the recent Piazza d Italia with the various themes and essays as written by different architects. We will look into the differences and similarities between the Piazza dItalia and the theories in the book Architectural Positions. In the final part of the essay there will be the conclusion which will summarize the result of this essay and where the conclusions about the problem of the Piazza dItalia will be designated. Postmodernism In this part of the essay we will look into the meaning of postmodernism as a style within architecture. Also it is important to know how postmodernism has taken shape, its charactistics and in what respect it differs from modern architecture. While answering these questions we will use the book Architectural Position and the Western history of architecture. Postmodernism is a style within the architecture which has formed around 1960 as a response to modernism. Modernism is characterized by very straight, functional designs, without any ornament. According to reviewers this led to a certain extent of uniformity. Postmodern architecture however characterizes itself by its free shapes, fanciful details and references to the past. Postmodernism is since the eighties on the rise and has an important position within the modern-day architecture. According to the Dutch philosopher Rene Boomkens there are four historical and philosophical stages of modernity which have eventually have led to postmodernism: The first one starts in the mid-nineteenth century, when new inventions, scientific breakthroughs, and the rise of industry inspired amazement, but also a distinct sense of ephemerality (Avermaete et al., 2009). The second stage, between the two world wars, the liberating and progressive potential of modernity was strongly emphasized. Scientific and technological advances inspired profound confidence in the perfectibility of society and the progress of culture generally meaning Western culture. Modernity was experienced as distant from the past and aiming at the future (Avermaete et al., 2009). The third stage of modernity had a more diffuse character. It showed both regressive and progressive tendencies and reached its apex in the late 1960s, with the sexual revolution, and the Paris protest of May 1968 and the Amsterdam Provo movement. One key feature of this stage was the emergence of the welfare state and mass culture, resulting in growing economic prosperity and social mobility, but also in an increasing process of individualizations (Avermaete et al., 2009). The fourth stage is postmodernity. The difference between modern and postmodern architecture can essentially be reduced to the use of ornaments, embellishment, local specialties and rich details from which the modern architecture has taken a distance. But we do see them in postmodern architectureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Piazza d Italia Regarding this research we will take a look in this chapter at the Piazza dItalia in New Orleans, designed by postmodern architect Charles Moore. In his essay: You have to pay for the public life, 1965, Charles Moore starts a discussion about the role of Disneyland as a public space. Charles Moore describes Disneyland as a very important and successful place, offering possibilities to the changeability of public environment. He describes how in this fantasyland full with dreams, stories, small and large dramas, visitors get the possibility to recreate, watch, and be watched in this area. Also Charles Moore deems the success of Disney is due to the fact that the designers of Disneyland used historical buildings and public places to recreate a world with which visitors can identify themselves and a space which they can create as their own. The fact that visitors have to pay a fee at the entrance to get into Disneyland, guarantees that Disneyland as public space will stay clean and tidy and that there is no place for junks and vagabonds, according to Charles Moore in his essay. Also Charles Moore discusses in his essay the rise of privatizing modern American cities, like floating groups of islands, which can only be reached by car, and how these cities miss the re-imagination of the public qualities which Disneyland creates. During the seventies Charles Moore tries to learn a lesson from his admiration for Disneyland and to use the positive qualities in his design for Piazza d Italia in the centre of New Orleans in America. Piazza dItalia is an urban public square in the centre of New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States of America. It has been designed in 1978 as a social gathering centre for the Italian community, which lived there in large numbers during the seventies. Charles Moores design consisted of a city block which contained an already existing high office tower and around this block he designed a single-floored building where different activities, publicly as well as commercially attached to the American Italian community, were housed . In the middle of this building there was a round square with lots of decorative motives and ornaments, with a wide range of influences from Egyptian to Art Deco. From the design we can easily conclude that Charles Moore, like in Disneyland, uses historical references to stimulate a feeling of re-imagination with its visitors. Already from the beginning Piazza dItalia, as an urban public space, was confronted with problems regarding further developments. It appeared that it was impossible to find public or private investors who would be prepared to pay for further development and realization of the square. The result of this shortcoming of investors led to a totally different Piazza dItalia of the year 2012 than was meant by the original design, because only a part has been realized of what Charles Moore has designed. This square consists of a revolving plateau with tiles in different shades of grey, light and dark, which like an amphitheatre draws the attention to the fountain, forme d as in an Italian landscape, surrounded by bright coloured concrete pillars. Furthermore the square holds a belfry as an entrance at the south side and at the north side there is a passage which reminds of a keyhole. The square is located at the foot of the office building and is surrounded by streets and parking places. As a result of the unfinished state of affairs the Piazza dItalia is also known to be named the first postmodern ruin. Themes In this chapter the most recent result of the Piazza d Italia will be criticized and be searched according to a few themes from the book Architectural Position combined by Tom Avermate, Klaske Havik and Hans Treeds. As described in the introduction, Piazza dItalia gives an aliented and isolated feeling in regard to its environment and this results in that people do not feel it as a real public space in which one can recreate. To find out what the problem is the Piazza will be discussed and compared on the basis of several themes from the book Architectural position. The first theme is the definition. The essay of Adriaan Geuze will be reviewed and there will be made a comparison between the ideology of public space by Adriaan Geuze with the Piazza dItalia and in what ways there can be found similarities. Adriaan Geuze writes in his essay Accerating Darwin that Public space must challenge, provoke and disorient, he argues that only when the users of urban spaces are given an active role and can make spaces in the city their own, its possible to speak of a significant urban experience, a real public sphere. In this essay Adriaan Geuze describes the Maasvlakte near Rotterdam to explain his conviction about the definition of public space. The Maasvlakte is an industrial area and as such part of the port area of Rotterdam. This area has been described by Geuze as an unprogrammed public space which gives its users the opportunity to recreate and to make the space their own. This withstanding the fact that this area never was meant to be recreational, but is actually in use by industrial factories and warehouses with a lot of heavy truck traffic. According to Adriaan Geuze the Maasvlakte is the ultimate public space for its users because they are totally free to use the space in their own way, since they are not restricted and isolated by defined and assigned spaces. Also Adriaan Geuze says in his essay that ÃÆ' ¯nterventions in public space, or rather, in the public landscape, should no longer be focused on generating greenery, the real challenge is to create space and textures for city dwellers to colonize in their turn. Nature can play a role in this but is not a priori the main role. If we should make a comparison between the essay of Adriaan Geuze and the Piazza dItalia in its present situation, the conclusion can be made that the Piazza does not suffice at all to the ideology and ideas of Adriaan Geuze. The Piazza is too programmed because it is surrounded by parking lots and office buildings. Furthermore the square itself makes a statement with its appearance. Therefore there is no freedom for visitors to create their own and to recreate. If the square had been developed according to the first design of Charles Moore, than indeed it would have given this space, combined with surrounding activities. This would have given visitors the feeling of freedom. The square would have been surrounded by locations and activities, which would have strengthen the picture of an Italian oasis in the busy American grid structure. A place to go to happily, escaping the city. Also Adriaan Geuze states that nature itself can help with improving the qualities of public space. However, with the Piazza we can establish that, while the square is unfinished, there is no way of using nature to embellish the space. The second theme is Monumentality for which we use the essay The Monumentally Informalby James Stirling, 1984. In this essay Stirling connects the question of monumental to a buildings ability to communicate with larger social groups. Convinced that a public building should be monumental as well as informal and populist, Stirling categorizes his realized projects in two terms: abstract and the representational. Abstract is being the style related to modern movement and the language derived from cubism, constructivism, the Style and all the ism of the new architecture. Representational is being related to tradition, the vernacular, history, recognition of the familiar and generally the more timeless concerns of the architectural heritage. When comparing the Piazza dItalia with the vision of Stirling in his essay, one can conclude that it is better to place the Piazza in the category representational. The square refers in an exaggerated way to historical references and traditions, while the category abstract is totally absent. The absence of the Abstract is maybe a reason that the square is no t being experienced as a modern monument, because it simply does not have its own character in which one can recognize its era. Instead we recognize the square more or less as a historical ruin. Historical ruins draw attention to the visitors, because they have a story to tell and their own rich history. Generally ruins are an attraction as such and are public places for which one has to pay to visit, like Charles Moore describes in his previously mentioned essay Disneyland. However, as a ruin Piazza dItalia sadly misses its back-up story and history, so it cannot be an attraction in this relation. Conclusion In the context of this essay the question has been made why the Piazza dItalia leaves such an isolating and estranged impression, causing it not to be a public space experience. In this conclusion it will be emphasized that this essay is directed to the most recent result and not to the original design of Charles Moore. In the three parts of this essay there has been research to the various opinions and ideas of other architects to be able to answer the research question. As a result of this research there can be concluded that the reason why the square is not a success, can be related to the fact that the square is a strange element within an urban environment, with contrasting contexts. We can also conclude that the square is a by all means a presence because of its image and looks, without possibilities for visitors to recreate and make the space their own. As James Stirling describes the role of public buildings in his essay, a public space should be abstract as well as having av ailable representative qualities. The fact that the square looks like a ruin, without any associated (historical) characteristics, leads to alienation. Furthermore the square presents many historical references, which are completely out of context and are clearly unfinishedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The English architectural critic Charles Jencks pointed out that the quality of the square resided in the fact that it appealed simultaneously to at least two groups: to architects and an engaged minority that are concerned with architectural problems, but also to the broad public or visitors that are interested in questions of comfort, of traditional building methods and lifestyle. This combination of popular and specialist elements and images were the ideal recipe to reconcile the tension between the architect and the users of public space. AVERMAETE, T., HAVIK, K. TEERDS, H. 2009. Introduction. In: AVERMAETE, T., HAVIK, K. TEERDS, H. (eds.) Architectural Positions. Amsterdam: SUN

Generic Concept Of Authenticity In Pop Music Music Essay

Generic Concept Of Authenticity In Pop Music Music Essay This thesis and its associated research had its origins in my own fascination with the generic concept of authenticity, as it exists within life generally, and specifically within popular music. The dualities of good/bad, genuine/false, honest/fraudulent, and creative/derivative have always been present within the ranks of musicians and their performances. This thesis is intended to reconcile and explain the distinctions within these dualities, and to develop a model for evaluating authenticity within popular music. An Hypothesis on Authenticity in Popular Music As a foundation for the research and development in this thesis, I will explain my own stance on the key issue of authenticity. There are six key tenets within this proposition: Authenticity functions as a marker of quality Authenticity can be evaluated. Authenticity is not a finite concept. An Hermeneutic approach is essential in measuring authenticity Authenticity judgement requires a prior-researched description of genre Authenticity may only be assigned to a single piece of musicking. Here are some details of each one: 1.1.1. Authenticity functions as marker for Quality Whilst there are some ingredients of Authenticity that are more easily measurable, there are other criteria which are more subjective, and where evaluation of them is an activity more determined by expert consensus, or personal taste and background. Judgements made using these criteria are largely unquantifiable, and often in the form of personal assessments. Some of these judgements may be socially and culturally constructed, and are shared between groups of people, notably in the case of fans, critics, or enthusiasts of a specific type of music, or a particular performer. Students and researchers of popular music would normally adopt a more balanced and catholic judgement, so that an equally fair evaluation would be made on a piece of country-rock music, as would be made on a piece of punk music. Authenticity is a description of the provenance and integrity of a recorded, or live performance, as well as a definition of musical skill, tunefulness, and of a listeners personal gratifi cation. The judgement, or evaluation, of some aspects of authenticity of a piece of musicking may use less scientific criteria than others, wherein the measurement is inevitably affected by the tastes of the judge or evaluator. I have drawn extensively on Christopher Small (1998:2-3) and his eleven activities within musicking, in developing my own nineteen criteria for evaluating Authenticity, which operate as a hermeneutic circle, and of which the first fourteen relate to recorded songs, with an additional five criteria for evaluating live performances of songs. Here is a brief description of my nineteen criteria: The Notation This element is less important in popular music than in classical music, since the main method of transmission has not been through stave notation, but through recording, and performance. (Moore, A.F 2001:34) However, where it originally exists, or where subsequent notation has taken place on existing works, there is still value in its inclusion as a criterion, particularly where patterns of notation may be compared within several songs, or where consistent notational motifs may be identified Lyrics Whilst I contend that it is Performance and Reception that are central to the true meaning of a song, the lyrics have a strong bearing on this. It is also possible to identify common patterns in lyrics (Wall, T 2003:129) as well as everyday language in the context of performance, and collective responses and aspirations (Frith, S 1988:121) The words of the song should usually be grammatically correct and recognisable, and the overall content should be rational. Biography This element should also be twinned with autobiography as it refers to the use and influence of personal history, upbringing, nurture and culture on singer/songwriters and their eventual compositions and performances. It is an essential element to consider as far as authenticity is concerned, and in my view has been vastly under-analysed, and has been allocated insufficient importance. Recognised Influences There are undoubted connections here with my Biography element (No. 3), in that childhood and developmental influences are nearly always lasting, especially where they have been received in an emotional context (e.g. happy, sad, or painful). But in addition consideration is needed on more contemporary influences, both of musical, and of other types. Song Structure An important element in the primary text is the actual shape of the song, in terms of its musical texture, its use of instruments and voices, its rhythmic organisation and its relationship to lyrics. This is often a key factor in the determination of a genre. It is important that there is a pleasing shape to the song, with sufficient changes (verses and choruses), a comprehensible story line, and an appropriate length. There should also be a balance between familiarity and variety, and the song must have sufficient familiarity to provide comfortable reception, whilst, on the other hand, offering something new and challenging. Melody This is a pattern of pitches and rhythm that creates a tune or song, and as such, underpins the whole content of a song. It is the melody that, to a large extent, is the basis for the Emotion (No.13) element of the song. In popular music, the melody usually comprises verses and chorus, but with variety in the phrasing and lyrics. Meaning and Intellectuality The meaning of a musical piece may be interpreted in an abstract or a universal manner, and Composition may be viewed as having a subtle difference in meaning from some Performances. Such differences may also affect the meaning from the position of Reception, but it is easier to see musical works anchored to specific time, place, and cultural situations. This aspect is probably the most difficult to analyse scientifically, since the central question is whether the lyrics and/or the music stimulate some intellectual curiosity, with ultimate satisfaction. Context This broad topic is important not just for the more obvious analysis of Performance, and Reception, but also for the historical and biographical context in which a song was composed. Again there will be some interconnection with aspects of Biography and especially factors such as class, culture, gender, and politics. Instrumental The traditional rock line-up of a band is two or three guitars and drums, but in the case of country-rock and its convoluted development phase, many other instruments were involved. The exploration of the use of these instruments, and the ways in which they have contributed to the Performance and Reception of music is essential. Much has been written on the appropriate use of specific instruments and their relationship to the true membership of a genre, as well as whether there are acceptable levels of musical proficiency demonstrated in the execution of the song by the instrumentalists. Vocal Most popular music involves one or more voices, and this element is concerned with how these voices are used, singly or harmoniously, and the ways in which communication is established between singer and listener (Moore, A.F 2001: 44/5) It is arguable that, in many cases, it is the voice that is the final arbiter in establishing whether a piece of music is authentic or not. It is important that acceptable levels of musical proficiency are demonstrated in the execution of the song by the vocalist/s. Production This mainly Performance related element deals with the technical, and technological systems used to aid and enhance performance, as well as the choices made about instrumentation, vocals and, in some cases, stagecraft. There is a natural interlinking with other hermeneutical elements. The technical production of the recording should meet standard conventions of the genre, in regard to the mixing, the balance, and the volume as well as any additional enhancements. Cohesion and Balance (including Sonic Balance) This element is concerned with the extent to which the band is playing as a team with appropriate use of instruments and vocals, and to which the various instrumental and vocal elements within the performance/recording are balanced, so that a smooth and cohesive overall sound is achieved. Connectivity and Emotivity It is important that the listener/receiver, acknowledges a personal relationship with the song, lyrically and/or musically with the song exciting some form of emotion upon reception, and in which the listener/receiver is sufficiently stimulated and curious to have a desire to hear the song again. The Leader Within a band, the style of performance may be dictated or at least highly influenced by the leader who is often, although not always the singer. This inevitably affects the Reception of the music. However, the Composition of the music also needs to be considered in the light of the leader, for even if it is not he/she that is the main author, the style of the piece could be shaped by his/her approach. Repertoire This is what Christopher Small terms The Drama of Relationships (Small, C 1998:158) Each musical performance has, or should have, a recognisable narrative, or a set-list and this is most significant in the analysis of Reception. The psychology inherent within constructing a performance including many songs is important in the development of Audience Rapport, or even individual fan admiration. Stagecraft Middleton (1990:168) recognises false music and true music, where false means corrupt, manipulated, over-complex, and mechanical, and true means natural, spontaneous, and traditional. In these senses, the interpretation of drama, and a sense of theatre in the performance and reception of popular music are always important. It is inevitably connected to Repertoire, but is far more than this single item. Again, only in a live performance, the image presented by the performers through body movement, gestures, stance, and cohesion should augment the reception of the song. Planning and Organisation This thoroughly contemporary affair as Christopher Small puts it (Small, C 1998:30) includes the organisation of performances, the role of publicity and advertising, and the ways in which the audience is prepared for the Reception. Whilst they are not directly a composite part of a piece of music or its actual performance, the intricacies of the arrangements undoubtedly sway perceptions of a musical show or concert. Venue This, of course is solely a Performance/Reception element but, like Planning and Organisation, is extremely powerful, since the size, shape, location, construction, lighting and acoustics will exert major pressures on the ultimate performance. Audience Rapport This element is concerned with the intimacy, community, bonding and sharing of an audience and the ways in which they are able to persuade each other. It is also concerned with individual and group participation in the Performance and its effect on the perceptions of authenticity. In a live performance, there must be a general and universal approval demonstrated towards the song as demonstrated through facial and bodily expression during the performance and applause at the end. Having described all nineteen elements used in the assessment of Authenticity, it should be stressed that whilst Authenticity is a term that provides for a description of the integrity of a piece of musicking, this integrity is not always synonymous with attractiveness, as recognised by huge swathes of the worlds population. As I show in this dissertation there are plenty of examples of music that are authentic, according to measurement of many of the criteria, but which are not necessarily well received. Conversely there are many instances of well-received musicking that are not of a high level of authenticity as related to the other criteria. In other words, Authenticity is not finite. 1.1.2. Authenticity is not a finite concept. Authenticity has so many different components (I have identified at least nineteen) as well as many mediators, so that relative judgements on each of the items would almost certainly mean that a final decision as to whether the song was authentic, could never result in a simple yes or no, but would be a relative assessment. The more appropriate question that should be posed by the judge, or evaluator, would be: to what extent has this song/performance been deemed to be authentic? A piece of musicking may, for example, have some authentic attributes, such as a truly original instrumental performance, and the vocal qualities may be genuine, whereas its lyrical content may be mundane, and derivative, thus rendering the song only partially authentic. This particular principle relegates the rockism argument, described in other parts of this thesis, to a peripheral position, since it accommodates varying degrees of authenticity, rather than insisting on one broad form of music being superior to another, simply based on its provenance. Rockists are people who consider that there were, and occasionally still are, golden periods of Rock, illuminated by artists and performances which contain an honesty, authenticity, and value of which the mainstream of performers in pop music are both incapable and unconcerned. The differences that show themselves when evaluating Authenticity, particularly in the contrasts between the more objective criteria and those that embody the expression of values generated and constructed by the critical and fan community, mean that an evaluation of authenticity cannot remain in perpetuity, and that it has a clear temporal characteristic, wherein evaluation may change over time. Therefore, despite the fact that judgements on the Authenticity of pieces of musicking may be made, they are essentially of a relative nature. 1.1.3. Authenticity can be evaluated There are many different hypotheses on the topic of musical authenticity, many of which have been reviewed and assessed within this thesis, all of which, without exception, explain the concept in notional terms, whilst avoiding any attempt to develop, or impose, a quantitative measurement of judgement. The decision on the authenticity of a piece of musicking, has been derived from a qualitative evaluation, left to the complex devices supposedly inherent within the intellectual abilities of a few senior musicologists and experts, or socially and culturally constructed values. I propose that, with the application of a list of authenticity criteria, built into a hermeneutic framework, there are a number of activities that can move the efficacy of the judgement towards a more accurate qualitative assessment, albeit still with strong elements of discrimination within it. 1.1.4. A hermeneutic approach is essential in evaluating authenticity Since each evaluation criterion has influences upon, and from, each of the other criterion, the idea of a circle is used so that ones understanding of a piece of musicking, as a whole, is established by reference to the individual criteria and ones understanding of each individual criterion by reference to the whole. Neither the whole piece nor any individual criterion can be understood without reference to one another, and hence, it is a circular process. Strictly speaking, hermeneutics was originally conceived as means of cultivating the ability to understand things from someone elses point of view, and to set aside ones own predelictions and tastes. So the whole evaluation exercise must be considered in full awareness of the evaluation conclusions which may have been reached by the relevant community practice, before and during the judgement process. Using the tools and procedures that I have developed to make an ultimate judgement on both authenticity, ensures that the decision will be as informed, researched, and analytical as is possible. 1.1.5. Authenticity judgement requires a researched description of genre Whilst I have described in some detail the general nature of a range of criteria that I have allocated to Authenticity [including Quality], it is important that the Authenticity criteria are enhanced and made more explicit. This should be done through a close examination, and subsequent description, of the genre that one is analysing (in this thesis, my exemplar is country-rock music). There have been major academic debates on the nature of genre, and in particular whether genre is a stable item rather than a temporal one. My position is based on the assumption that genre may be fixed and stationary, if one is, firstly, prepared to accept the existence of a continuum of a multitude of popular music styles, within which many different genres and sub-genres reside. Secondly, and perhaps paradoxically, it is important to acknowledge that the detailed description of any single genre, or sub-genre, is not universally acknowledged and is, therefore never canonically explicit. The nature of both of these conditions will be influenced by the beliefs and convictions of individual researchers. This means that genre definitions will inevitably vary, albeit within boundaries. Nevertheless, it is essential to generate a broad genre template through which authenticity may be evaluated. It is important to note that authenticity may be a validity descriptor of a piece of musicking, both in general terms, in the sense that the song has been composed, performed, and received in an authentic manner, but also in genre specific terms; so that a song may be classed as being authentic blues or authentic country-rock. The significance of this lies in the need to define genre-parameters when attempting to evaluate authenticity within a genre; hence the statement: Authenticity Judgement Requires A Researched Description Of Genre. 1.1.6. Authenticity may only be assigned to a single piece of musicking Within Popular Music, I propose that the evaluation of authenticity may only be made as far as a recorded or performed song is concerned. Authenticity comprises a number of attributes of composition, performance and reception, but is largely concerned with sound, rather than the characteristics of a human being. Therefore, authenticity cannot be assigned to an artist, other than in a general sense, through a judgement of his/her individual performance of a song. It may be seductive to contemplate the authenticity of an artist, as has been done frequently over the history of popular music, and as argued forcibly by the Rockists. Indeed, many rock artists have been accorded that epithet, including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Leonard Cohen, and Lou Reed. However, human authenticity is a complex and hugely debatable concept. For example, it is arguable that even these notable performers could only be described as authentic, if they were to have totally eschewed commercial gain, desire for glory, or other forms of psychological reward during their long and successful lives. This has patently not been the case. Of course, it is arguable that human authenticity could be assessed on the basis that it is not a finite concept (as I have professed is the case for musicking). However, the study of authenticity of individual human beings, would be a multi-faceted, and almost impossible task, since there are so many variables and criteria, which would need to be taken into account, such that even a relative evaluation would involve an extremely complex decision-making process. It is most certainly not within the remits of my research within this thesis. It is also important to stress that the epithet of authenticity cannot be assigned to a body of work, rather than a single song or piece of music, but is only related to individual performances/recordings of songs. It would be possible, however, to make assessments of a number of individual songs performed by one artist or even an assembled group of artists, wherein it might then be possible to offer an overall measurement of the degree of authenticity of that particular set of songs but it would be an average, or mean, of the total assessment. On the same basis, it would be technically possible, albeit extremely arduous and time-consuming, to carry out such an exercise on the entire output of a particular artist. It should be stressed that even so, the eventual conclusion would still be an evaluation of the performance of the music, rather than the person. At this point I should also restate that my position holds that the evaluation of Authenticity of a live performance of a song may be made, even though this will inevitably differ from the recorded version of the same song. All of the criteria used in the evaluation of a recorded song will apply to a live performance of a song, but there will also be a few additional elements that should be applied. These are listed under an earlier principle (Authenticity functions as a marker for Quality)

Analysis of Faulkner Short Stories Essay -- essays papers

Analysis of Faulkner Short Stories Response to the Faulkner Short Stories In each of these stories, Faulkner communicates to the reader through very strange characters. In â€Å"Was†, we hear of a story that basically stems around a runaway slave. The two Uncles are very stereotypical. The other owner was also very stereotypical. Basically, in this story, the white men are trying to apprehend a slave that has run off to see his girl. However, the story then progresses into a standoff between the white owners. They bet each other on very arbitrary matters until finally, though the previous bets did hold some weight, the men turn to a deck of cards to settle their disputes. The ironic aspect of all of this is that they end up betting on the lives of the slaves. So, in order to prove their superiority over each other, they use their slaves as leverage. This was one of the times I felt that Faulkner was trying to illustrate the fact that these people seemed hopelessly lost in the old Southern way. What was also very interesting though is that they se emed to treat the slaves fairly humanely. First of all, if a slave had run off in early times, they probably would have beaten him or killed him. Here though, it is a kind of game. It’s a race to see who can get him first. Faulkner also throws into the story the woman who seems to be in love with one of the uncles. This too, was very clever because the new â€Å"southern Belle† was also being communicated to the reader. The Uncles though, are bachelors, perhaps signifying the dying southern gentleman, who is unable to deal with his past, and who will lead his genre of people to extinction. All in all, I liked this story. I didn’t see Faulkner as a racist and I didn’t see any of his charact... ...However, this doesn’t deter Faulkner from writing very complex stories that reflect his literary prowess. Most of his characters can hardly speak correct English, and yet, his pieces are filled with words that even I have trouble discerning meaning from. In particular, Rider’s character is very blue collar. Faulkner communicates this to us in many ways, but has no trouble throwing in phrases like â€Å"the junctureless backloop of times trepan†. This occurs throughout all of these stories. It is like the characters are very natural, they know the environment, the have the skills to hunt, they work hard, and they love each other. But these ideas are contrasted by his writing style and complexity and really blend nicely to create very good pieces of literature. It was just one thing that caught my eye in reading these pieces and I am very envious of this skill he possesses.

Bless Me Ultima - Character Analysis :: essays research papers

The Man-Child A child is much like a far-reaching scientific experiment. Both are expensive and in constant need of attention. Nevertheless, an experiment can be terminated at anytime. The experiment of child cannot be aborted, and sometimes the Experiment fails when he or she chooses the wrong path. However, for Rudolfo Anaya’s "Experiment Antonio" of Bless Me, Ultima, the results are promising. Antonio, as a child, already possesses traits that lead to a good and pure life. He is naturally a mature and wise man-child yearning for knowledge. Antonio shows a startling maturity. Psychologically, a typical six-year old will suffer serious mental agonies if he or she witnesses the death of four other people. Tony, however, "[runs] the words of the Act of Contrition" (23) through his mind, praying to God promising that "[he] will sin no more." (170) Furthermore, the typical six year old child will not possess the mentality to question the flaws of a religion nor question why God "forgives all" (173), even murderers. This is not the case for Tony, who is bothered by the fact that God will "forgive Narciso†¦" only "†¦if [Tony] also asks [God] to forgive Tenorio." (173) In addition, Tony’s maturity leads him to order someone to "go get the lifeguard" (239) during the drowning of Florence. At the same time, Tony notices a "red spot on [Florence’s] forehead where he must have hit the edge of the culvert." (240) Death, to a six year ol d, is a mystery while religion is accepted just like the letters of the alphabet. However, Tony’s questions of religion and reactions to death reflect a mindset of someone far beyond his age group. For someone of his age, Antonio has a strong yearning for knowledge. He is "driven by the desire to make [his] the magic of the letters and numbers" (64) and works hard, "eager to learn the secret of the magic." (76) At school, while others "cry†¦and wet [their] pants" (58), Antonio spends his time in the corner "writing [his] name over and over." (58) Even Ultima praises Tony’s willingness to study, saying, "[he] learns as much in one day as most do in a year." (81) However, Tony’s drive for knowledge is not restricted to books; he also "[seeks] more answers" (71) about God. He tries in vain to find the answers why people are made to "suffer [for] Old Eve’s sin," (196) why "†¦didn’t [God] make this earth [free] of evil things" (196), and of why "The Old Man†¦left [Florence] all alone" (195) with no family.

Myths Surrounding Innovation

â€Å"There are myths surrounding creativity. The intangible nature of creativity does not lend itself to easy definition†. Introduction The intangible nature of creativity does not have a specific definition for it. However, creativity can refer to many things that differ and which also over laps many other elements. Joanna: 2003). â€Å"Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize idea, alternatives, or possibilities that may be used to solving problems, communicating with other, and entertaining ourselves and others†(Robert E. Franken: 2002).It also depends on the nature of the person what are his/her characteristics, hinging power and the artistic ability. It is said that managers equate innovation with creativity, but creativity comes with innovation; creativity is Just an idea and innovation is carrying out the idea and turning it into a business and providing It to the market (Visas governing]an: 2010). There is not a one specific definition for innovation. â€Å"Technically innovation Is defined merely as Introducing something new† (Jeff Dance: 2008), it does not concern how well or admirable the Innovation Is as long it is better than what it was.It is most likely that innovation Is a narrower incept than creativity. I believe If there Is no creativity then there Is no Innovation. It is the human nature than make them feel they are not creative enough that Is why there are different myths and MIS-understanding and have failed to provide one convincing definition. It Is proven that creative people are complex as It also states creativity is complex; people who are complex have the habit of showing thoughts and actions that others set apart (Scoot Barry Kauffman: 2011).The seven myths discussed In this essay are: the smarter you, the more creative you are, If u don't express creativity ate a certain age It's too late, alcohol and drugs will make you more creative, time pressure fuels creativity, money Is a creativit y motivator, creativity come from creative people, creativity Is Just one eureka moment. The first myth states â€Å"The smarter you are, the more creative you are† (Constantine Indianapolis & Patrick Dawson: 2009 peg 19/20) this Is not necessarily true; you don't have to be smart however you need to have certain knowledge.There Is now Instant access to any Information through the Internet, but to Innovate something ND create something you need to be highly educated and smart they say (Amiable: 1996). An example would be of the greatest clients Albert Einstein who had proved the theory of relativity. He was not from a very educated background and was experiencing speech difficulties In his early days. He used to work SIX days a week on his scientific theories at the age of 26 Kneeler Rosenberg: 20th century).The other example Is of Michael Angelo who was a well known painter, sculpture, architect and a poet; he had no Interest In schooling neither any Interest In his formally financial business. He used to go vaults the church and see the people planting and drawing that gave him some knowledge about It (w. NM. Bibliography. Com/melancholies). These they were doing that made them so creative. Whereas Michael Angelo is concerned he didn't need to smart to paint all he needed were a little knowledge and an idea to express it through art.The second myth states that â€Å"If you don't express creativity by a certain age it's too late† (The ©r ©SE Actor: creative minds). This is clearly not true; there is no age to show what your creative about. Although some people find out their inner ability of being retrieve a little late, but it does not mean they cannot express it when they pass a certain age. For egg: Anna Mary Robertson Moses also known as ‘Grandma Moses' who was a well-known artist, she became a public attention in 1940 at the age 80, where she has started painting in a natural way, drawing from her memory and painting on Americans rural sceneries.Furthermore, she had no training and did it because she enjoyed doing it, all this started after she had retired from a career in embroidery because of arthritis (Silent Reed: 2013). However I believe people tend to realize their retentiveness after a certain age, when they are free are figure out what they enjoy doing enables them to bring out their creativeness and draw up a picture in their mind. People get De motivated after listening to people saying ‘it's too late or you have passed that age' which makes them even more less confidence which does not let them become creative. One is never too old to succeed in life† – Anna Mary Robertson Mosses The third myth states that â€Å"Alcohol and Drugs will make you more creative† (The ©r ©SE Actor: creative minds). I personally don't believe that's true: people have a psychological effect that makes them feel that when they are under the influence of drugs and alcohol they became creative. It is proven to be shown that people under the influence of drugs and alcohol become creative only because the stimulants creates the illusion of creativity (Mark Smith – 2010).This makes people feel that they are creative and this creativity of theirs does not remain for long and can stifle. I believe the idea of being creative after consuming alcohol and drugs tempts musicians and artists to try and instead results in an early loss of life or when they re under the influence of drugs and alcohol their behavior changes and also takes them into deeper thoughts convincing them to suicide or overdose themselves. A clear example would be of the famous Elvis Presley who was known as the king of rock and roll, who had died of overdosing himself with drugs on the 16th of August 1977.At first people thought it was Just a heart attack, later it was found that the reason of his death was because of a massive drug overdose (wry. Unsolved. Com/ Elvis Presley). â€Å"Elvis Presley woke up on the 16th of August, premeditated, planned, took and killed himself deliberately' – David Stanley. Nevertheless, there are celebrities who have overcome these dug problems and are still creative and famous. For instance the famous rapper Ben Hagglers also known as Mackerel who had also started drinking and dabbling into drugs, he also claimed â€Å"l don't have moderation when using drugs and alcohol.It got to the point where it was hurting my life, my potential†. He then entered rehab and sobered himself up in 2008 and now his having the Auk's biggest- selling single (Siam Growing: 2013). Celebrities easily get which is clearly untrue, thus a myth. The Fourth myth states that â€Å"Time pressure eels creativity' (Bill Breed: 2004) this is clearly made up from someone. I cannot think of anything creative when there is time pressure. People tend to take bad decisions in hurry which leads bad consequences and I feel are the least creative.In one of the research it is shown that people who work under great pressure fail to be creative on that day and also the next two days as well (Bill Breed: 2004). This does not allow people to engage in the problem properly and are unable to come up with a better idea. To be creative it is necessary to concentrate on the particular problem, et the problem soak into your brain completely and then let the ideas flow out, thus creativity need preparation time (Bill Breed: 2004).An example to support this myth would be of Sir Isaac Newton who was one of the greatest scientists; he also impressed many people with his knowledge on bible. His most famous theories he discovered was the motion and gravitation, thus known as the â€Å"apple story'. He was able to discover his theories when he had the eighteen months gap when his school was shut due to the plague in the summer 1665 (Chris Pinnate: last visited 2917/13). Therefore, no expert can be creative under time pressure even the world's renowned scientists too k eighteen months to discover his theories on motion and gravity.The fifth myth states that â€Å"Money is a creativity motivator† (Bill Breed: 2004) this myth is also very much untrue. Creativity comes from within one's self and the only motivation for creativity is by verbal motivation. A person presenting his creativeness and ideas should be recognized by others and supported in order to be motivated. Studies suggest that many people said that money isn't everything and it is not elevate on a daily basis.For those who want to show their creativeness's they do not need any money all they need is a little confidence to show what they are capable of. Individuals who work towards money feel that their works performance will affect their compensation are most likely to be less creative. They should be happy with their compensation they receive and research has also shown that workers are more creative when they are interested on their work and are able to extend their skills (B ill Breed: 2004).An example to illustrate this myth would be of the website Flicker. Ludicrous the inventors of flicker had before started a online multilayer gaming software in the year 2002-3, after about an year they realized on the software they had created there was this chat that enables gamers to share pictures and videos and they thought even though they got this big gaming software, they decided to get rid of it and make the sharing of pictures and videos into a big business so that's how flicker was invented (Scott Bergen: 2008).So the above example clearly states that although ludicrous was making profits out of the gaming business, but still decided to o ahead with their creative idea and started the flicker business with confidence. Therefore money was not a motivating factor that had driven them to start flicker. â€Å"Creativity takes courage† – Henry Matrices The sixth myth state that â€Å"Creativity comes from creative people† (Bill Breed: 2004 ) is not true at all. Everyone has the capabilities to become creative; it takes knowledge, skills and experience.This specially happens in organizations where the managers feel that only certain employees in the organization are creative like in marketing and research and development departments and the rest of them aren't like in the retrieve enough then there are barriers to creativity in which the employees are unable to tap their creative potential, thus reducing the success of the business (Bill Breed: 2008). People also Judge people in not being creative if they are not from a creative background and not anywhere in the creative field.There instances where somewhere is doing something creative and a very negative comment is given towards that creativity which results in that persons potential being dropped and loses confidence, but not all people lose hope after being rejected some keep trying until they where they want to be An example to challenge this myth would be Steve J obs who is a university dropout and was not anywhere creative neither had a creative background until he started at Hewlett-Packard.While working there he came up with this idea of personal computers and shared his idea with Hewlett-Packard and wanted them to build the personal computer unfortunately they had rejected his idea. What so ever, he never gave up on his idea and started with his friend Steve Waking to build the personal computer and came up with apple (Scott Bergen: 2008).Therefore, no matter how negative comments and rejections you get about your creativeness or idea , Steve Jobs never gave up on his idea and passion and had his company apple bigger and better than Hewlett-Packard. â€Å"Be a yardstick of quality, some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected† – Steve Jobs. The seventh myth â€Å"Creativity is Just one eureka moment† (Harold Evans: 2005) this is the type of myth that people have a strong belief in.They tend to wait for an eureka moment to come rather than tapping their creative side and bringing out the artistic within them. When an individual is working on a particular work and is unable to solve it, working for days and keeps thinking about the work in order to find a solution to it and finally when the brain realizes what that work process was all about and in the end the solution for that work problem is all clear in your mind, that is when the eureka moment happens (Wisped).Although Archimedes did have is eureka moment that was not true, he was already an intelligent person and he was already working on finding a solution. He simply kept his mind open and was thoughtful and observing and taking time to connect the puzzle when he finally unconnected the puzzle he screamed eureka (Andre Duran: 2013). An example to confront this myth is Henry Ford although he did not have his eureka moment, but he was creative enough to come with the assemble line idea after failing twice with two au tomobile companies (Robert Greene: 2012).

HR function

Hrs manager is also responsible or the management of HRS to assist the company to reach their target. Moreover, HRS manager shares duties with line manager and HRS professionals. Line manager also seeks the guidance from HRS manager for selecting employee, training for staff, promoting staff and taking disciplinary action HRS outsourcing (HRS) is a process to hire external HRS professionals to help with HRS issues. The main point of HRS is to decide which needs to be out sourced and which needs to be kept. Mainly HRS focus on routine transaction oriented processes and clerical work.Yet, the strategic HRS management Is still taken care by HRS manager. HRS outsourcing is processed In these ways: Business process outsourcing, Discrete services and multiprocessing services. HRS shared service centre Is a expertise centre which helps to take the routine transaction and activities for the company in one place. HRS shared services centre offer another option for HRS outsourcing and offer th e same saving cost and services. Less professional will be needed while the shared services centre is used, in which can help the company to save a lot of cost.Also the most useful function to use hared service centre is to arrange payroll, relocate and support for recruitment, training and development, planning and retain the professional. Professional Employer Organization is organization to rent people to other business. PEP manage the administrative needs of employees and PEP will pay for the staffs salary and other compensation, benefits. PEP has the power to lease, release, and discipline and reassign the employee. However, the company can still have enough control so that they can run their own business.PEP Is benefit for staff because they offer the staff a to of organization so they usually have economies of scale that allow them of have a wider selection of benefits at a cheaper cost and they have a huge number of employee in the pool. Line manager involved in individual d epartment and mainly in charge of their own section. Nowadays, the line manager is involving many tradition al work of HRS manager and is performing their duties as well. For instance, all the recruitment and selection process, performance evaluation, developing of employee have been transferred to be done by the line managers partially.Intercontinental Hong Kong Is a five star hotel In Hong Kong, the service standard Is a very Important factor In the hotel industry. HRS Is responsible to process the recruitment and selecting of the employee, also they are the first one to screen the Interviewee for Individual department In order to make sure every Interviewee Is up to standard and then to be selected by the line manager or department head. HRS quantify interviewee for individual department they can save time for any not necessary interview and can hire a suitable person in a short time.In order to maintain a high standard in a hotel, training is a must for the staff. HRS is one for the department responsible for this. They hold different training for different department timely. For example, for the restaurant they invite some professionals to have a talk or wine tasting to the Food and Beverage staff to enhance and keep updating their knowledge. For the front desk, HRS chooses Some special comment card from guest then share with the staff and also ask that complimented staff to share the tips and how to please the guest.Other than the training and recruitment, Rewards is a significant recognition to the staff. In every quarter, HRS holds a reward presentation to all the staff who is complimented at least one time by the guest. They can get, for example a certificate to thank the great performance to the staff by management, a bottle of wine and Food and beverage coupon in the hotel restaurant, in which depends on the number of compliments. This action is to show the recognition to the staff and let them know the management really care and thank their amazing performance.HRS is also a tool for the staff to share their comment to the management. HRS holds a meeting is called † Direct Line â€Å"that individual can choose their representative to attend this meeting, in which they staff can have a direct conversation to the General Manager and reflect their opinion. This action allows staff to communicate with the senior management directly and let them know the management do care their thought and opinion. After all, HRS tries their very best to enhance the staff loyalty to the hotel and take place the training to make them competitive.