An Analysis of a Totalitarian Society Essay

â€Å"Totalitarianism: Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed,† (dictionary.com). Essentially, totalitarianism is a type of government in which the person or people in power seek to maintain absolute control over every person under their authority, with virtually all importance eliminated from the concept of an individual. The term was characterized by Hannah Arendt, the German-American political theorist who wrote The Origins of Totalitarianism, inspired by Hitler and Stalin of the just-finished World War II and just-starting Cold War. Responding to the terrors of WWII that she experienced firsthand, Arendt describes the evils of totalitarianism as she saw them. George Orwell, an author living at the same time as Arendt, responded similarly to the widespread war and terrifying totalitarianism. In his 1984, Orwell creates a strictly totalitarian society, offering an alarming glimpse into a possible future. Orwell’s society shows every characteristic named above in the definition of totalitarianism, its government’s sole goal to maintain power. The society of 1984 functioned on the belief that control over the human mind is control over reality. As O’Brien, an important member of the Orwellian government referred to as the Party, says, â€Å"Reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes; only in the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party,† (205). The Party is not concerned with objective facts. They argue that reality can only become reality when it is believed; additionally, the believed reality is the only reality. When O’Brien tells Winston that 2 plus 2 equals five, Winston must believe it, for he is not permitted any other option. Expanding on that idea, the Party states, â€Å"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past,† (204). Only the present out of the three times is tangible, so the others do not really exist. And since reality exists only in the human mind, the Party has only to control the thoughts of that mind to control the  reality of past, present, and future. In their attempt to control the human mind, the Party seeks to eliminate all thoughtcrime, the crime of thinking anything against the infallible Big Brother, the intangible being by which everything is ordered. The act of thinking about committing a crime is, as Orwell describes it, â€Å"the essential crime that contained all others in itself,† (19). That action is considered by the Party the most horrible, for only with thought and a conscious decision to take action will any action be performed; without thoughtcrime, no crime would be committed. As such, the Party utilizes every possible method of eliminating thoughtcrime. Winston Smith, the main character in 1984, commits a thoughtcrime at the beginning of the book when he purchases a diary and in it writes, â€Å"Down with Big Brother,† (19). He then reflects on the inevitable consequences of his action: â€Å"Whether he went on with the diary, or whether he did not go on with it, made no difference. The Thought Police would get him just the same,† (19). The Party has the power to realize any committed thoughtcrime and to punish the criminal. Their ability to do so is even seen in the language; the English language is developed to satisfy the ideological needs of the society, creating Newspeak. One man says, † ‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it,† (46). Without fail, the Party maintains their control over all of the society. In order to follow the society conceived in 1984, a method of thinking is absolutely essential; the action of doublethink. Doublethink is a method of reality control; the Party’s ultimate goal in all their actions. As Orwell describes it, â€Å"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them,† (176). It is the principle on which Ingsoc (the society of 1984) is founded. Ingsoc’s basic tenets are as follows: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength. It is possible to deliberately speak a lie while firmly believing in what one says- through doublethink. One’s memory can be  rearranged and memory altered- through doublethink. Though to our unenlightened minds these terms may seem to be contradictory, the process of doublethink eliminates all confusion. Clearly, these statements are far from oxymorons; rather, they are absolute truth. Doublethink allows for all of the society’s actions that would otherwise seem to be ridiculous; once again, the Party’s ultimate power is revealed. The Party’s absolute control is maintained through various methods, one such being the infliction of threats and pain. Every member of the society knows that once a thoughtcrime is committed, that criminal is taken by the Thought Police. When Winston is arrested, he is able to experience firsthand the punishment constructed by the Party. He is taken to the Ministry of Love- an instance of Newspeak’s use, the meaning of love is utterly reversed- where he is to be made sane. The Party fully believes in the importance and rightness of their actions, and O’Brien explains how their society is different: † ‘We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will†¦Everyone is washed clean,’ † (210). Winston must fully surrender to O’Brien. It does not matter what he says, but rather what he believes, for in the mind lies the ultimate powe r. Describing the process enacted in the Ministry of Love, O’Brien says, † ‘There are three stages in your reintegration†¦There is learning, there is understanding, and there is acceptance,† (215). In order to attain the state desired by the Party, one deemed mentally deranged must undergo all three of these stages, as Winston eventually does. However, Winston initially is unable to truly believe everything said by the Party. He is able to say that he believes, and perhaps wants to believe, but doubt still remains. As the final push to belief, Winston is taken to the infamous Room 101. O’Brien tells Winston, † ‘The thing that is in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world†¦[it]varies from individual to individual,’ † (233). The greatest possible torture is individualized, and with this torture, comes anything. In Room 101, one is forced to face his greatest fear. Out of his absolute terror, Winston betrays the one he vowed never to betray- Julia, the girl with whom he had a love affair. He finally realizes that love of a fellow common person like himself is futile; only the love of Big Brother is important. At the end of  the book, Orwell writes, â€Å"He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother,† (245). Ultimately, the absolute power of the Party allows Winston t o believe in everything that society does. Realizing the importance of the human mind, the Party not only threatens the society, but also channels the people’s potential into actions to benefit the Party. At all times, Oceania is at war with either Eurasia or Eastasia. It is not certain whether war actually exists, but the actual fact is not important, for reality exists only in the mind, and the Party tells us that a war is occurring. In doing so, the Party assures themselves of ultimate faithfulness from the society, for anyone to go against a society in wartime must surely be denounced as unpatriotic. Furthermore, the Party institutes the Hate Period: for two minutes every day, a film of Emmanuel Goldstein, the pronounced Enemy of the People, is shown, and the viewers driven to a frenzy. As Winston declares, â€Å"The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in,† (12). By utilizing the power of the human mind, the Party is able to further their control over their society. The society created in Orwell’s 1984 was undoubtedly an effective society, but the qualities held by that society go against all principles which we now hold to be essential to life. We assume that we have the right to freedom of speech, and that our language cannot be corrupted, yet Orwell says, â€Å"Political language- and with variations this is ture of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists- is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind,† (â€Å"Politics and the English Language†). We assume that we have the right to challenge anything, yet Orwell tells us, â€Å"Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness. A genuinely unfashionable opinion is almost never given a fair hearing.† Today, Orwell’s terms- Big Brother, doublethink, newspeak, and others- are heard when discussing our own government. Though 1984 is a fictious story written over 50 years ago, its message is still relevant today. We all must realize Orwell’s warning  that he sought to make clear over half a century ago- at any time, we all face a common danger; that of conforming; that of losing our individuality, our thoughts, and all qualities valued in humanity.

Objections and Rebuttals

Objections and Rebuttals Whenever a customer has an objection to the offer or price, the problem is not that offer or the price it is actually that we as advocates have failed to build enough value in the product to justify the price. So in actuality the reason for the objection more often than not is that the customer is telling us that they are not willing to pay $19. 95/$24. 99 at this moment. The best way to combat this is to use an intelligent and informed rebuttal, do this by keeping the conversation going don't get flustered or aggravated Listen Think & Respond. Show empathy with the customer let them know you are here to solve their problem, remember we have to make the customers objections seem miniscule and offer a reasonable solution to get the sale. DO NOT LET AN OBJECTION TURN INTO A VERBAL BATTLE BETWEEN YOU AND THE CUSTOMER, YOU WILL LOOSE. How to address an objection: Step 1 – Cushion the objection by saying, â€Å" I totally understand but†¦ † Step 2 – Question the objection. I know this is a hurdle for some of us but we have to be confident remember these customers called us for a solution. Use what they revealed in the probing and call them out on it. Step 3 – Build more value tie the benefits directly to the objection. Again remind them why they called Paint a Picture for the customer help them visualize the results. Step 4 – Close. Don't wait after making a relevant rebuttal that makes purchasing the product today logical ask for the sale. Now lets explore some common objections and rebuttals for those objections. Objection: â€Å"I don't have a credit card! † Rebuttal: â€Å"I totally understand, many people don't use credit cards. This is when we need to go back to the hot button, remind the customer of their answers to your probing questions. Build value by tying the benefits directly to their reason for calling. This is were we need to make an affirmative statement â€Å"If I can guarantee you that for $19. 95/$24. 99 Proactiv would finally get rid of your acne or you get a full refund of the purchase price don't you agree that that would b e a full-proof investment? It's a win win situation you can't loose with this offer. If the customer still says they don't have a card we have to give them every option available such as â€Å"Is there someone there that understands what your going through that could let you use their card and you could give them the cash? † or â€Å"Is there someone that you can call to help you out with this I don't mind holding while we figure this out? † This particular objection can seem tough at first again DONT GET FRUSTRATED display your dedication in finding a solution for the customer. Objection: â€Å"I'm going to think about it† this particular objection should make our blood boil. What's to think about after talking to a knowledgeable advocate such as yourself, Right? Rebuttal: â€Å" I totally understand but don't you agree that the best way to think about this product is to actually use it in your home and get real time results, because that is exactly what this Risk-Free promotion is about† or â€Å"I totally understand but let's be honest with ourselves are you really going to go home and think about having clear skin? We all know life is hectic and putting this off will only make that clear and healthy skin be further out of your reach we are halfway there its time to take control† remember some of these customers are very indecisive we need to be the deciding factor in the phone call and we do this by displaying confidence in our rebuttals. Objection: â€Å"I need to talk to† this is usually just the customer backing out Rebuttal: â€Å"I totally understand but that is why we have the Risk-Free trial so there are no strings attached , if you thought enough of this person(or yourself) to call then I am positive that this is the solution for them/you the results will speak for itself† Objection: â€Å"I will call back† this one you have to do additional probing WHY do they need to call back Rebuttal: â€Å"May I ask why you would need to call back† it will most likely turn into another objection , at this point we need to build more value and create urgency in ordering today. Objection: â€Å"I thought it was FREE† this is the one we get the most do not get frustrated Rebuttal: Agree with the free â€Å"I totally understand the commercial does mention free gifts, and you are going to be receiving some really great free gifts today $35 worth in fact. But we give these free gifts to you when you purchase the Risk-Free trial, we simply want to prove to you how great Proactiv will work for you and what a difference it will make in your life. † Objection: â€Å"I'm driving and I cannot get to my card at the moment† we need to make this seem very miniscule Rebuttal: â€Å" I totally understand and honestly your calling off our radio add and 80% of our callers are calling in while driving, not a problem happens all the time. I'm willing to wait until you get to a safe spot or stop because I can tell your really interested and we can get that part done and it will take less then a minute† Then go on talking to the customer, if you have not received the address info do this first and take your time. If you have already took the address info then talk with the customer a little bit waiting 3 to 5 min is totally worth the sale Now not all of these rebuttals will work like magic and some of them you will have to do some improvising to tailor to your particular call. The key is not to give in until every option has been explored. Remember we want the customer to USE Proactiv and if it does not give them the results they are looking for then that is why we have the MBG. Let the customer know that the reason we have the MBG is because â€Å"We are so confident that this product will absolutely work for you that we just want to prove that and give you the clear healthy skin you deserve† Also after an objection the rebuttal should include some other values that have not previously been stated to entice the customer to buy instead of repeating what the customer has already heard. Ex. if the customer was already not aware that Proactiv is #1, its also great skin care system, they will always receive free gifts, mix and match, always have a MBG if that is a concern, able to get a hold of us 2 diff. ays to answer any questions and concerns, customizable accounts, free rush, upsells at $5 each, catalog has 25% discount off retail price,  Proactiv's Micro Crystals are exclusively with us, Proactiv was the first acne treatment with 3 steps â€Å"Combination Therapy† etc.. Some of these can be used in the presentation to boost confidence and sh ow great value before going into offer and also using the V/P/V (Value price Value) format. If we can do a great job with the presentation this will cut out some of those objections and make that price seem smaller, making an easy and quick sale.

Rituals of the Umuofian Culture essays

Rituals of the Umuofian Culture essays In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, many cultural values are demonstrated through special ceremonies. The Ibo inhabitants of the land Umuofia perform ceremonies of many different sorts. Today, in modern America, we brush our teeth, take showers and go to school, but in this text, the Umuofian villagers break kola nuts, have bride-prices, and sacrifice living organisms. These rituals are not just done for any reason, but they have special importance towards each clan. We may think the rituals to be odd, but in a peculiar way, it relates to many customs we do today. He who brings kola nut brings life. But I think you ought to break it, replied Okoye, passing back the disc. No, its for you... (pg. 6) One must be wondering what a kola nut is and why it is so important. The breaking of the kola nut (somewhat like a coconut) shows status, respect and honor. As we have the custom of unscrewing the cork in a wine bottle, they break a kola nut. Normally, the oldest in the family would unscrew the cork, like how the eldest or higher status one in the feast would break the nut. He then broke the kola nut and threw one of the lobes on the ground for the ancestors. (pg. 165) The villagers of Umuofia always seem to sacrifice to their ancestors. Ancestors are well respected, but in some cases they go a little overboard with what they are willing to give up. Not so far away, lay the Evil Forest, which entrusted in it are all of the bodies of the ill-fated men and women who died from evil causes. Twins were also thrown into the Evil Forest because of the clans superstition. The story did not mention a particular reason, but one would think it to be another interesting custom they used. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man falls alone. (pg. 25) Unoka, Okonkwos father was also laid in the Evil Forest to rest because he had...

The Red-Haired Man by Danill Khrams

The Red-Haired Man by Danill Khrams Free Online Research Papers â€Å"The Red-Haired Man† by Danill Khrams We began to research who Danill Kharms’ was before reading the text and decided what was more interesting for us to perform. After we read all the stories together we resulted in choosing â€Å"The Red-Haired Man† because we all understood the text in a similar way. Then we all read silently the useful questions to ask when considering the â€Å"story†. Where is the story set? At that moment we were thinking about the life of Danill Kharms’ †¦ Our groups’ main objective was to use what we have learned during the lectures and to try to pass from one text to the reality in a way that we could be active within the society. We all believe in the social context of the message to create ‘alive theatre’. We were really concerned with the concept of being understood. So we picked the key point of the story: if the red-haired man does not have anything he does not exist. But he exists because he has red hair so he is against what is happening and no one wants to listen (to be red means to be in the inferior level of society). For us Danill Kharms’ was telling children his own story. The avant-garde literary societies that Kharms’ was associated with were banned by the Stalin regime. He could not write freely, he did not have a voice. â€Å"He writes the poem in 1937 and dies starving in jail in 1942.† The story is written for children which is why he uses this language and imagery. He wanted to talk. This was the platform for our performance. â€Å"There was a man†¦,† we created a neutral character that loses the energy and disappears. The character appears in front of the audience with a strong presence yet neutral body, however, when sat on the chair his presence weakens due to the entry of the remaining characters (i.e. the society in general). These other characters cover his eyes, his nose, his mouth†¦ with the same sequence that happens in the text. During each of these movements we used a sound of a gun in a way to create curiosity in the audience and a connection with the rest of the performance. The sound was used to create an image of war in the audience and was representing the idea that every time that we block one of someone’s five senses, the person dies or disappears. This interpretation has to be our response considering the date the text was created. By the time that Danill Kharms’ wrote this text, Russia was at the peak of a communist Era. Stalin was in power, the state was extremely repressive and people had no freedom of speech. All property was controlled by the state, individuals possessed nothing. The world was on the verge of The Second World War. People were struggling to survive. We pass from the chair scene to another where is a man on stage at a superior level (as he is on a platform) above three women side by side. This was the area I took responsibility for in the oral presentation. The man represents the power and ownership over people exercised by the state in 1937 and also in a way reflects upon what occurs today. He is ripping questionnaires with audience’s identities and there are three women positioned like in the army, just to reinforce the war image in people’s minds. The soldiers become women weeping progressively more. The audience is alerted to the connection between the past and the present and that they are also part of a society which has its own problems. We connected Danill Kharms’ absurd style of writing with the absurdity of the weeping women. This has been done in a ‘clown’ way because initially the story was created for children and we were devising the text for our five minutes performance. In this scene, we were also looking for a break in the routine. The cry was not fitted on the original text, but it was implicit. It was a very serious issue. After this each one of the three women steps to the front and in their own language tell us of a very actual social issue they were experiencing. They spoke in their own language because we wanted to express the world’s multiculturalism. This scene was portrayed in a grand playful manner. We worked ensemble. The last scene sums the entire story up with each one of the women sitting again on the chair doing nothing. We did not have any specific intention in doing this, but looking back at it I now think this is representative of people’s apathy. The whole performance finishes with one more gunshot. We tried to keep repeating the use of certain props, such as the gun and the chair. Our characters experienced different feelings, ranging from the neutral in the beginning, passing through fake and real emotions because we are learning and we have to experience as much as we can. We were concerned about using the space properly. In the end we did what we could within the time we had available. The theme could be expressed more strongly but we didn’t intent because the all audience researched about it. After the performance we realised some surprising facts, such as there being more women than men filling in the forms, some students suggested new ideas to use this fact in the play. The absurdity of the cry was discussed as fake, we took the risk and we assume the responsibility. Our group were very happy because we performed and achieved our goal of engaged the audience and make them think about society in our days. During the time that our group have been together everyone was always full of new ideas to try to improve our performance that is why was so exciting to do this work. Research Papers on â€Å"The Red-Haired Man† by Danill KhramsThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementMind TravelStandardized TestingHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Hockey GameComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

ESL Conversation Lesson Points of View

ESL Conversation Lesson Points of View Points of view is an intermediate to advanced level discussion lesson that asks students to rate their opinions from one to ten (1 - strongly agree/10 - strongly disagree) on a number of controversial issues. The worksheet can be used in a number of ways, and for a number of purposes during any course. Below is a suggestion for integrating this discussion plan into your lesson. Aim: Helping students express their opinions and explain their reasoningActivity: A classroom survey on a number of controversial subjects.Level: Intermediate to advanced Outline Points of View Discussion Distribute Points of View sheet. Ask students to rate their opinions from one to ten: 1 - strongly agree/10 - strongly disagree.Divide students into small groups and ask them to discuss their responses to the statements.Listen in on the various groups and take notes on common language mistakes while students are presenting their various points of view.At the end of the group discussions, write a number of the most common mistakes on the board and ask other students to correct the mistakes.Make sure to suggest standard formulas for stating ones opinion if these formulas do not come up during the correction process (i.e. in my opinion, Do you really think that, As far as Im concerned, etc.)As a class, go through each point asking for someone who (relatively) strongly agrees to explain his or her point of view. Do the same for someone who (relatively) strongly disagrees with the statement.As a follow-up activity, ask students to write a short composition on one of the statements. Points of View Worksheet Rate your opinion from one to ten on the following statements. 1 strongly agree/10 strongly disagree Making mistakes in English is OK as long as people understand you.My friends should come from the same social background as I do.It is impossible to have a happy family life and a successful career.War is not an option for solving international disputes.Multinational global corporations are to blame for most problems in the world today.Women will never be equal to men in the workplace.Marriage is outdated. There is no need for state or church approval or recognition of a partnership.Gay marriage is wrong.The death penalty is acceptable in some cases.Celebrities earn too much money.Foreigners should not be allowed to vote.The government is responsible for making sure that all citizens of a country have at least a minimum living wage job.Quality of life will greatly improve in the future.Teachers give too much homework.Military service should be obligatory.

Stress Implications for College Students Research Paper

Stress Implications for College Students - Research Paper Example However, this generation has adopted certain ineffective and unconstructive methods to overcome stress and consequently stays more troubled (Bland et al. 362). As a result of majority of students being troubled and stressed out, it raises concern as to what underlying root sources are involved and what solutions shall work best to combat these causes. I believe that the college students of this generation suffer largely from stress because of financial issues, transitional difficulties and technicalities of burdensome study courses. Therefore, after conducting comprehensive research and studying various pieces of literature, this paper has been prepared to identify and analyze most common and major reasons that have exposed college students to stress and anxiety. Masses around the globe have suffered from recessionary downfall and inflationary pressures. Inflation has caused an increase in costs of living and competition, resulting in stressful circumstances for students joining coll ege. The added expenditure of tuition fees, purchase of books and other supplementary necessities covers a substantial proportion of any household income. Consequently, families suffer from liquidity difficulties and students get tensed about their financial burdens being borne by their caretakers. Moreover, if students approach the college trust for financial aid, then it creates a stressful burden of liability that must be eventually repaid and settled by them. In fact, â€Å"62% of students say that over the past three months financial worries have had some/a lot of impact on the stress the experience in their daily life† (MtvU 2). Students, who are already facing increased expectations and demands for academic performances from their families and mentors, also have to go through additional stressful factors pertaining to college studies, including regular tuition fees, study material expenses, hostel or alternate residing arrangements, traveling and entertainment expenses and other miscellaneous outflows that come part and parcel with college life (May & Stephen 264).  

The Youngest Daughter by Cathy Song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Youngest Daughter by Cathy Song - Essay Example Therefore, without any choice, the youngest daughter has to look after her mother and take care of her, returning all the mother’s sacrifices for her, her siblings and even their father. In trying to understand more clearly the matters the speaker is bringing to the reader’s attention, the speaker will be discussed further in detail together with the setting, style, ambiguity reflected in the poem and also the impact the poem has on this author. Reading the poem once may not bring much sense because of the ambiguity of words used. One can never tell what the poet is really talking about not unless he knows pretty well Asian traditions which are pertinent in the poem. From the point of view of someone who is blinded about Asian traditions, the literal meanings can be understood but somehow, he would notice that obviously, the poet is saying something else other than what is literally meant by the words. For instance, the phrase, â€Å"The sky has been dark for many year s†, could be well understood literally. However, it seems to be unrelated to the succeeding lines of the first paragraph so that one cannot help but question what the poet is trying to say behind such words. Similarly, the phrase also seems to have no relevance to the other paragraphs. In fact, the images created in each paragraph appear to be just separate circumstances in the speaker’s life which do not really give a clear overview of what she is presenting. Nevertheless, a little background about Chinese traditions, assuming that the speaker is Chinese because the author is of Chinese descent, will greatly help in understanding the poem. It is expected of the youngest Chinese daughter not to marry in order for her to be able to take care of the aging parents. If she marries, she will still have the responsibility of taking care of them especially when they are sick. Considering the burdens of having one’s own family and the need to take care of one’s pa rents, it would perhaps be best for the youngest daughter not to marry. In the poem, it is obvious that the daughter opted for the latter. The phrase â€Å"The sky has been dark for many years†, now has a figurative meaning, describing how dark the years have gone by for the youngest daughter who has done nothing but take care of her ailing mother. From the fourth stanza, one can suppose that the youngest daughter has been attending to her mother’s needs for thirty years and that long a time could really put someone in a melancholic life and yearn for an escape. The youngest daughter, despite her obligations, still tries to dream about her future. Perhaps she has been doing that for the past thirty years so that thinking of her freedom now deeply hurts her. In the second stanza, the speaker says, â€Å"when I touch my eyelids, my hands react as if I had just touched something hot enough to burn†. Touching one’s eyelid could be an effort to clear oneâ€⠄¢s eyes, for her to look more clearly. However, whenever she looks at the realities of life, at the fact that she actually does not have to take all the obligations of taking care of her mother, she pains so much and therefore has to remove her hands away from her eyelids immediately. For the Chinese, it is almost a crime to leave aged parents in the care of other people. They cling to Confucius’ teachings that children have the responsibility of returning the care their parents have lavished on them.     Ã‚