The Importance Of The Enlightenment - 1189 Words

The 17th and 18th centuries were filled with intellectualism, new ideas, and important discoveries. These events took place during the Enlightenment; a time period where reason and logic trumped the church’s ideas. The Enlightenment sparked new ideas about the government which got people thinking and questioning their rulers. Philosophers started to point out the flaws in government that common people used to look past, and these Philosophers started to come up with ideas that would help the government improve. Although the rulers in charge at the time were not fans of what these philosophers had to say, the people started to protest these ideas and stand up for what they believe in. With these new ideas circulating, a democratic†¦show more content†¦He believed this would be a good idea due to the fact that absolute power according to him was, â€Å"bound to result in arbitrary despotism,†(Montesquieu, 6). From Montesquieu’s perspective, absolutism was not a good idea because it gave a ruler complete power and with that power, they could do good, or be completely destructive. Also, according to Rousseau, the government corrupts people and the way they think; this is because people were listening to one person and one opinion at all times. Rousseau wrote a lot about the topic of the people not having any power compared to the rulers in charge and said, â€Å"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains,†(Rousseau, n.d). Rousseau believed that people were being given no power and were restricted because they had no say in what was going on. Absolute rulers were abusing the power they were given, and a democracy where no one person has too much power would be the only way to fix the problems at hand. Also during this time, people from all backgrounds started to become interested in the idea of democracy and the natural rights that they had. The idea of natural rights came about because of Locke, a philosopher who expressed the idea that everyone was born with certain liberties. Locke claimed that â€Å"Men being†¦ by natural all free, equal, and independent, no one can be†¦ subjected to the political power of another without his own consent,†(Locke, 5). Locke believed that people were born with certainShow MoreRelated Comparing Kant and Mill Essay913 Words   |  4 Pagesthat which leads to enlightenment (in Kant’s terms) and a general understanding and certainty, as Mill would put it. The two political philosophers, while both striving to reach the same goal, ultimately achieve their goals in a different sense, and even demonstrate a slight discrepancy in what they ultimately mean to attain. Mill’s path toward certainty and understanding is depend ent on dissenting opinion, and is asymptotic to truth; one never achieves the complete enlightenment that Kant describesRead MoreEnlightenment Rationalism and Romantic Subjectivism1187 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Enlightenment Rationalism and Romantic Subjectivism In the eighteenth century social theories had a huge impact on individuals within a society. Two social theories in particular came to be during radical times. The enlightenment rationalism theory was based on human reason and rational thought. The romantic subjectivism theory was based on the importance of individual freedom with an emphasis on the subjective mind and culture. These two social theories were both highly influential during theirRead MoreRomanticism1649 Words   |  7 Pagessocial movement in the 17th to 18th century. However, as the 19th century began, Romanticism came into the light with a new perspective that intrigued the people. It stressed emphasis on emotions and imagination while also helping to realize the importance of self-expression. The American Romanticism movement illustrated inspiration, bias and predominance of individuals in the nineteenth century. Romanticism has a very small amount to do with events and manners traditionally thought of as romanticRead MoreEssay on The Enlightenment1246 Words   |  5 PagesThe history of Western civilization cannot be neatly divided into precise linear sections. Instead, it must be viewed as a series of developing threads that combine, interact, and, at various intervals, take pervasive shifts. The Enlightenment of the eighteenth century was one of these paradigm historical shifts, challenging the traditional notions of authority by investing reason with the power to change the human condition for the better. This ecumenical emphasis on reason and independent thoughtRead MoreImpact Of Enlightenment On The French Revolution878 Words   |  4 PagesI agree that the Enlightenment was force for positive change in society. The Enlightenment was one was the most important intellectual movements in History, as it dominated and influenced the way people thought in Europe in the late 17th and 18t h centuries. We will look at how it ultimately influenced the American and French Revolution which is still strongly governed by these ideas and principles today. The Age of Enlightenment was a European movement emphasizing reasoning and individualism ratherRead MoreEnlightenment And The Great Awakening814 Words   |  4 Pages In the 18th century, Enlightenment and the Great Awakening changed the idea of freedom for the colonists. The Great Awakening was a time of religious revival in the colonies. Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in the 18th century which emphasized economic and political freedom. American and British tensions grew in this time period due to Britain wanting America to be under the king’s control. Enlightenment, the Great Awakening, the Founding Fathers, and different social groups changed theRead MoreBenjamin Franklin As A Representation Of The Enlightenment1571 Words   |  7 PagesRepresentation of the Enlightenment The Enlightenment was largely a rational response to the 16th and 17th century Scientific Revolution, as well as major developments in philosophical thinking, such as ideas proposed by Rene Descartes. During the Enlightenment, thinkers emphasize rational and critical ways of thinking, rather than the complete reliance on religion that had been previously accepted. In many ways, Benjamin Franklin was the human embodiment of the Age of Enlightenment. Similarly to theRead MoreCompare And Contrast : Dogen And Hakuin1419 Words   |  6 Pageskoan practice of the Rinzai School, which focused on â€Å"observing the key word†. Dogen founded the Soto school of Buddhism in Japan, which stressed silent sitting and a gradual path to enlightenment. Hakuin was a major critic of Soto Zen and believed that it was a fixation on emptiness rather than a path to enlightenment. However, Hakuin did agree with Soto s accessibility to the common people since it was more popular among lower class pe ople. Both Hakuin and Dogen were important leaders and thoughRead MoreThe Enlightenment : Main Ideas Of The Enlightenment800 Words   |  4 Pagesfreedom was another prominent theme of the Enlightenment. By this, we mean the idea that man is endowed with certain liberties or rights. These rights were believed to have been granted by God and/or nature. Enlightenment figures typically espoused ideas of equality and human dignity. The Enlightenment had individual freedom with certain unalienable rights is very much in line with the Enlightenment concept about individual freedom.In addition Enlightenment philosophers main idea was too write aboutRead MoreThe Declaration Of The Rights Of Women1237 Words   |  5 Pagesemployment, and divorce. All of these principles relate to the Enlightenment idea because she is arguing for natural rights that many women back then were not given. De Gouges emphasizes that women deserve the right to have jobs and that they can equally fulfill the responsibilities that once belonged to a man. In the end of the â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Women† De Gouges’ mentions a marriage contract which gives proof of Enlightenment thought because she argues that women should not have to stay

The Effects Of Fast Food On The Food Industry - 2086 Words

Fast Food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served quickly. Typically the term refers to food sold in an economical restaurant served to the customer for eating there or elsewhere but, any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food. It might seem harmless, satisfy your hunger, and be cheap, but research has shown there are more severe consequences beyond just gaining a couple pounds. The food industry is run very intelligently in that they have many clever business strategies designed for the sole purpose of earning money. Their main targets are children and students to make billions of dollars in profit. In a world ever changing and constantly speeding up, people choose to eat at fast food restaurants because it’s quick, efficient, and delicious. However many do not know the truth behind it and the harmful effects that are contributed to eating fast food. Not only can fast food cause illnesses, but it also makes its way towards obes ity and food poisoning. As a result, one should wisely think before eating at any fast food restaurant, not just from experience working at the fast food restaurant Carl’s Jr., but also due to the ever-increasing amount of facts and statistics pointing to the unhealthy nature of the fast food industry. Some interesting facts come into connection; did you know that most Americans eat three burgers a week and that 81% of Americans consume junk food while driving? It comes as no surprise, since peopleShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Fast Food On The Food Industry2319 Words   |  10 Pagespresent themselves (What Causes Obesity, 2006). Advertisements in the fast food industry are persuading people to eat their greasy, fat, salty, unhealthy foods (McDonald’s Advertising Themes, 2013). In order for people to live a happy, healthy life, they must change their eating habits. However, fast food advertisements are contributing to what is making eating habits so hard to change, with their misleading advertising. Fast food is slowly but surely killing us, yet we hardly notice until it finallyRead MoreEffects Of The Fast Food Industry On Canadians1263 Words   |  6 Pages This paper will look at the effects of the fast food industry on Canadians, specifically, the raise of obesity in C anada due to the wide availability of fast foods. This topic is covered by providing a background about obesity, examining the health consequences, the economic impact, and looking at the social impact and the psychosocial impact on individuals diagnosed as obese. The paper was researched by reading about the subject matter in peer-reviewed journals and grey literature. The search termsRead MoreThe Economic Effect Of A Minimum Wage Increase On The Fast Food Industry Essay2389 Words   |  10 PagesEconomic Effect of a Minimum Wage Increase in the Fast Food Industry A question plaguing economists in the news the last couple of years is what would the effect of an increase in the fast food industry minimum wage be for the workforce. Better yet, how would it effect the fast food industry itself. There have been certain areas of the country that have already increased fast food workers minimum wage, but the debate is would it work elsewhere. With the increase in the demand from fast food workersRead MoreThe Fast Food Industry Has a Harmful Effect on Society1211 Words   |  5 PagesThesis: The fast food industry has a harmful affect on society. Topic Sentence 1: Fast food causes Coronary Artery Disease. Topic Sentence 2: Fast food is popular among our nation. Topic Sentence 3: The environment is affected by the fast food industry. We provide food that customers love, day after day after day. People just want more of it†(Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald’s). Coronary Artery Disease is a type of heart disease and the most common cause of heart attacks. Plaque from eating unhealthyRead MoreEssay about The Effects of the Fast Food Industry on Britain4492 Words   |  18 PagescÐ ¾nceptiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f the British fÐ °st fÐ ¾Ã ¾d industry Ð °nd hÐ ¾w it Ð °ffects its sÐ ¾ciety in vÐ °riÐ ¾us Ð °spects. FÐ °st-fÐ ¾Ã ¾d mÐ ¾stly Ð °dÐ °pted tÐ ¾wÐ °rds the yÐ ¾ung peÐ ¾ple Ð ¾f the mÐ °rket. In terms Ð ¾f prepÐ °rÐ °tiÐ ¾n Ð °nd service times Ð ¾f fÐ °st fÐ ¾Ã ¾d Ð °re cÐ ¾nsiderÐ °bly quick. Ð s fÐ °st fÐ ¾Ã ¾d is Ð ° prÐ ¾duct Ð ¾f perishÐ °ble nÐ °ture it cÐ °n be cleÐ °rly differed frÐ ¾m the Ð ¾ther Ð °rticles Ð ¾f fÐ ¾Ã ¾d. The Ð ¾bjectives Ð ¾f the reseÐ °rch Ð °re: TÐ ¾ identify Ð °nd develÐ ¾p cÐ ¾nsumer behÐ °viÐ ¾ur prÐ ¾files Ð ¾f the fÐ °st-fÐ ¾Ã ¾d industry. TÐ ¾ determine the custÐ ¾mer trends inRead MoreHow Fast Food Has A Latent Function957 Words   |  4 PagesFor many years, people have turned to fast food restaurants to get food that is prepared and served very quickly. Without knowing that fast food has an unaware consequences. Furthermore, I grew up in a country where people cooked every day. However when I moved to the United States, the lifestyle that I knew changed. Due to my parents work schedules, it was easier to get fast food. But, I did not know that fast food has a latent effect. Using Functionalist Robert K. Merton idea that every activitiesRead MoreFast Food Research Paper1014 Words   |  5 PagesFA Research Paper Topic: Fast Food 1. Why is fast food bad for you? 2. What are the effects of eating fast food? 3. What are some successful fast food industries and there business strategies? Introduction It seems harmless, satisfies your hunger, and is cheap, but really is egregiously unhealthy. The fast food industry is very smart; they have many sly business strategies to make money. They target children and students and make millions of dollars in profit. Each and every dayRead MoreThe Dark Side Of A Growing Industry1454 Words   |  6 Pages The Dark Side of a Growing Industry 186,627. That is the exact number of fast food restaurants that existed in the United States in 2012, according to Numberof.net. The fast food industry has become the face of America. On every intersection there is a McDonalds, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, Chipotle, or Church’s. As an American, one can go anywhere in the country and find the same fast food that they’re used to in nearly every state. Many of these places have already figured out howRead MoreFast Food Nation Essay862 Words   |  4 PagesFast food is very popular amongst today’s society. Fast Food Nation has reasons for the explosion in popularity of fast food restaurants in the mid-1900’s. It also explains negative effects on American Culture in today’s society. The fast-food industry has multiplied across America and changed the food industry. Eric Schlosser describes in Fast Food Nation the way people think about what they eat and what people think of the fast food ind ustry, and also its impact on society. 2 ND There are manyRead MoreAll That and a Bag of Chips719 Words   |  3 Pagesto know that fast food would alter the way I looked? But then again, I was just only a child; I had no control over what I ate. I’m guessing my parents were supposed to take care of my diet though? That is the idea that Spurlock, Popkin, and Schlosser try to reveal; Americans have no idea what they stuff in their mouths and don’t know how to control their binge for fast food. These three artists take different approaches in informing us the cause and effects of the fast food industry. Spurlock perfectly

“Financial Crises and Corporate Finance Causes, Context and Consequences” Free Essays

string(106) " the deal by providing a credit default guarantee for the SPV in the event of default \(Teasdale, 2003\)\." 1.0 Introduction – background to financial crash of 2007-8 This essay will examine the background and unfolding of the 2007-2008 financial crisis and its impact on the theory and practice of corporate finance. I will analyse whether changes to the way the financial and non-financial corporate sector operated over recent years contributed to the depth and severity of the crisis. We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Financial Crises and Corporate Finance: Causes, Context and Consequences† or any similar topic only for you Order Now Specifically, financial deregulation in the 1990s in financial markets and the securitisation of the corporate sector (Ball, 2009), have led to claims that the ‘solution’ to the so-called agency problem of aligning manager and shareholder interests may have actually made the crisis worse. I will argue that the easing of regulations on the mortgage loan sector especially increased the risks of a financial crisis developing by creating the environment for a massive financial asset bubble. Historically low interest rates and ‘easy money’ policies of the US Federal Reserve under Alan Greenspan following the bursting of the technology bubble in 2000 created conditions for the bubble. I will also examine whether the growth in markets for innovative financial products such as CDOs disguised risks and even mispriced assets in the mortgage market by separating the obligation to fund the original loans from the trading of such obligations as collateralised debt. The outcome of the crisis in terms of future corporate financial behaviour and regulatory reforms of the corporate sector will be reviewed. 2.0 Corporate finance models and the financial crisis – the role of CSR Critics of the corporate sector such as Simms have argued that the narrow focus among publicly listed companies on short-term profits over and above sustainable long-term corporate health, helped cause the financial crisis of 2007-9. The process of selling off traditionally run companies to global multinationals had led to the disappearance of famous companies such as Twinings and Cadbury from the British economy, and the loss of jobs related to these closures. Simms is not alone in claiming that the narrow pursuit of short-term profits as well as excessive pay among senior executives has not served the interests of the wider economy and stakeholders including workers and pension funds. Simms sees the selling off and closure of great British enterprises as the result of the loss of traditional family business ethics and their replacement by financial sector values of high returns to investors. Fernandez-Feijoo Souto (2009) analyses the financial crisis in terms of the opportunities it presents for companies to refocus on corporate social responsibility. CSR is seen as growing in importance as part of the corporate culture although there is difficulty in defining what CSR actually means. Fernandez-Feijoo Souto argues that the financial crisis has provided a new urgency to the need to clarify what defines CSR and how it should be implemented. This includes building a name as a responsible business and relating this to growing revenue, keeping key personnel, understanding consumer’s bias toward companies with a good CSR brand; changing relationships through the value chain based on trust and treating customers and suppliers well; improving conditions which in turn reduce employee turnover and raise productivity, and reducing legal conflicts by complying with regulations. Simms argues that companies with a business model that has CSR built into it have been shown to be much better adapted to survive the challenges of the global financial crisis than companies that have followed a short-term profit strategy. He uses the examples of Bear Sterns and Lehmans, which traded under the saying â€Å"Let’s make nothing but money,† as classic examples of the kind of approach that led to disaster. However for each such example, one can point to a similar company, such as Barclays or Goldman Sachs, that have continued to thrive during the financial crisis despite having the same financial focused ethos. This is reflected in the evidence of numerous studies the result of which show unproven links between CSR and cost, profit and longevity (Fernandez-Feijoo Souto, 2009). There is evidence also of a split between positive economic results and more negative financial results, meaning that potentially short term financial gains may come at the cost of longer term economic performance. Lipton, Lorsch and Mirvis (2009) state: â€Å"Excessive stockholder power is precisely what caused the short-term fixation that led to the current financial crisis.† They point to money managers focused on short-term financial results who fuelled excessive risk taking. This tendency was favoured by government and regulators failing to impose checks on risk taking. Lipton, Lorsch and Mirvis see a â€Å"direct causal relationship between the financial meltdown and the short-term focus† of stockholders. 3.0 The role of securitisation in the financial crisis Securitisation of the mortgage and loan market, which developed in the 1990s, is seen by some commentators as central to the development of the financial crisis of 2007-8. Securitisation of asset-backed bonds is the process of creating debt instruments from a package of loan assets, usually home loans, commercial loans and retail loans such as credit card debt or auto loans. This allows banks to release value from the assets on their balance sheet. The asset-backed market was developed in the United States and grew rapidly from the early 2000s. Banks and other originators of mortgages sold on packages of their loans to an issuer, usually called a special purpose vehicle (SPV). The purpose of the securitisation is to reduce the institution’s balance sheet, which allows its return on equity to rise and also releases capital for other purposes. The process of securitisation enables the issuer to achieve enhanced credit ratings, usually up to AAA investment grade (Sundaresan, 1997 ). The credit rating of the original loan does not affect the rating of the SPV, even if the original mortgage holder defaults on the loan or is declared bankrupt. The securitisation deals are normally rated by credit ratings agencies such as Moody’s, Fitch or Standard Poor’s. The investment bank or investor which purchases the SPV securities will often approach an insurer to gold plate the deal by providing a credit default guarantee for the SPV in the event of default (Teasdale, 2003). You read "â€Å"Financial Crises and Corporate Finance: Causes, Context and Consequences†" in category "Essay examples" It has been argued that the complexity of securitisation restricts the ability of investors to assess risk, and that securitisation markets are likely to be subject to serious declines in underwriting standards. 3.1 Credit Default Swaps – analysis of impact of CDS market in the financial crisis The huge growth of the credit default swap (CDS) market is considered by many analysts to be one the worst elements of securitisation. The Bank for International Settlements reports that the CDS market increased in size from $6 trillion in 2004 to $57 trillion in June 2008 measured by notional principal (Stulz, 2010). The government bailout of AIG brought the CDS market to global attention, and led some commentators to see the CDS market as the primary cause of the financial crisis. As Stulz (2010) argues, there are two problems with the CDS market. First, the sellers of credit default swaps are not able to bear the risks they took on, so some of the benefit of credit default swaps in terms of hedging are actually unfounded – ultimately leading to the $80 billion bailout of AIG. Second, because of their inherent leverage of a CDS, they can enable investors to take more risky positions. The availability of these instruments to non-risk-averse investors may lead to risk being un der-priced. However, Stultz shows how the CDS market performed remarkably well around the default of Lehman Brothers. The credit default swap market did not cause the subprime mortgage defaults or the disappearance of liquidity. Excessive leverage by financial institutions and the collapse of the housing market was the cause of the crisis. For example, AIG borrowed heavily to acquire home loan-backed securities and it made even bigger losses on its portfolio of home loan-related securities than on its credit default assets. 4.0 Ponzi schemes and failure of investment banks to report criminal behaviour The crisis also revealed outright criminal activity taking place in the investment sector, most famously in the case of Bernard Madoff, whose wealth management business was exposed as a Ponzi scheme with $65 billion funds missing from accounts. Madoff was sent to prison for 150 years. JP Morgan acted as banker to Madoff but did not report their suspicions about his activities to the SEC (Ferguson, 2012). Critics have commented that there have been very few prosecutions of investment bankers for such activities as ‘shorting’ the very stocks that they recommended to their clients (Lewis, 2010). The Securities and Exchange Commission and New York prosecutors have brought very few prosecutions and no one has faced criminal conviction. Ferguson points out that Morgan Stanley’s Howie Hubler began to bet against securities connected to the subprime market in 2004 with management approval (Ferguson, 2012). The title of Ferguson’s film ‘Inside Job’ refe rs to the pattern of investment bankers and lawyers whose clients are banks then taking senior judicial and political roles in the government and financial authorities. This, it is argued, has caused a disincentive to go after the banks for actions that could be prosecuted. 5.0 Reform of corporate finance regulations – legislation and limits of reform Reform of the banking and wider corporate sector has been discussed and enacted in a variety of forms in the US and Europe. Banks have undergone stress tests to see if they could cope with further financial crises. The UK authorities have begun to reform corporate governance to give shareholders greater power to oversee compensation of executives, such as binding votes on executive pay, but this has not yet been implemented. New rules on the levels of reserves that banks must hold in order to ensure they are able to cope with future crises were agreed in November 2010 at the G20 summit in Seoul. G20 Finance Ministers backed the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s plans for capital and liquidity requirements for financial institutions. However most of these new reserve requirements have not yet been enforced, partly because the banking sector remains extremely fragile following the financial crash with high level of debts still threatening the financial system. Following t he crisis, there were many calls for the separation of retail and investment banking, or even the breaking up of ‘too big to fail’ banks, but these have not been acted on by government. President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law in July 2010. The Act marks the biggest reform of the US financial sector since the Great Depression (Avery, 2011). Section 939A of the Act effectively bans the use of credit rating agencies in an attempt to improve capital requirements for US banks. However implementation is likely to take many years. In America economists such as Paul Krugman have called for a return of the Glass Steagall Act 1933, which was put in place following the 1929 Wall Street Crash and then removed in the 1990s as part of the liberalisation of the banking sector (Krugman, 2011). Countries with stronger regulation of their banking sector, including Canada, Australia and Germany, did not suffer a banking crisis in the manner of the UK and USA, where regulation was ‘light’. 6.0 Conclusion: comparison with regulatory response to 1929 Financial Crash By comparison with the response of authorities to the Great Crash of 1929, it can be argued that through to 2012, five years after the crisis began, major reforms to the banking sector and to corporate governance in the US and UK have not been implemented in the way they were in the 1930s. This may be a result of the fact that governments and securities oversight authorities are far less independent of the corporate finance sector than they were in the 1930s. The financial services sector has grown in relation to GDP compared to its position in the 1930s, and its political influence is far greater. This means that reform and regulation has been much slower and weaker than it was in the last Great Depression. Calls for reform will not go away, especially as the crisis continues in Europe and North America. Action on corporate governance, and implementation of proposals for financial and banking reform will be required in order to prevent further financial crises occurring in the futur e. REFERENCES Avery, A. W.; 2011. Basel III v Dodd-Frank: What Does it Mean for US Banks, Who’s Who Legal. Ball, A. 2009. The Global Financial Crisis and the Efficient Market Hypothesis: What Have We LearnedThe University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Volume 21, Issue 4, pages 8–16, Fall 2009 Ferguson, C; 2012, Heist of the century: Wall Street’s role in the financial crisis, The Guardian, 20 May 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/20/wall-street-role-financial-crisis Fernandez-Feijoo Souto, B.; 2009. Crisis and Corporate Social Responsibility: Threat or OpportunityInternational Journal of Economic Sciences and Applied Research, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2009. International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), 2008, Statement on the Global Financial Crisis. Krugman, P and Wells, R., 2011, The Busts Keep Getting Bigger: WhyNew York Review of Books,14 July 2011 Lewis, M. 2010, The Big Short, Allen Lane, Penguin. Lipton, M; , Lorsch, J. W. and Mirvis, T.N, Schumer’s Shareholders Bill Misses the Mark, Wall St. Journal, 12 May, 2009 Mirvis, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen Katz, 2010. Corporate Governance and the Financial Crisis: Causes and Cures, February 28, Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation. Sims, A; 2010. The power of corporate finance is an amoral hazard, The Guardian, 8th September, 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/sep/08/power-corporate-finance-amoral-hazard Stulz, R.M., 2010, Credit Default Swaps and the Credit Crisis, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 24, No. 1: 73-92. Sundaresan, S., Fixed Income Markets and Their Derivatives, South-Western Publishing, 1997, chapter 9. Teasdale, A; 2003, The Process of Securitisation. YieldCurve.comhttp://www.yieldcurve.com/Mktresearch/files/Teasdale_SecuritisationJan03.pdf How to cite â€Å"Financial Crises and Corporate Finance: Causes, Context and Consequences†, Essay examples

Gender Roles in the 2000 Film Billy Elloit Essay Example For Students

Gender Roles in the 2000 Film Billy Elloit Essay In the 2000 film, Billy Elliot, we meet an eleven-year-old boy who struggled to come to terms with his passion for ballet. Jamie, Billy’s father, was quick to forbid him from taking lessons, expressing that ballet is a female pastime; currently this statement remains relevant because the gender social norm still discriminates between what is traditionally male and female activities. Throughout the film, Billy finds himself torn between doing what he is passionate for and pleasing his father by conforming to be labeled as just another ‘normal’ boy who participates, in a boys pastime. The film points blame at society as the main source of the problem. Although Billy’s father was quick to react angrily when he found out about his son’s drive to become involved in a traditionally feminine hobby such as ballet. Society’s influence is exhibited through Billy’s family not accepting him based on a feminine pastime that he chose over boxing. Throughout the movie Billy isn’t afraid to combat any obstacles that are put in his way to achieve his goals. Despite his father dealing with the death of his wife and the coal miners strike, finding out that Billy was interested in ballet and not what the stereotypical boy should be interested in potentially worried him that society wouldn’t accept his son for who he was. Although gender social norms have improved today compared to the early 80’s, plenty of children, teenagers, and adults still struggle on a daily basis to be accepted by society. When Billy’s father finds out about Billy’s secret ballet lessons, he scolds him and is quick to question his son’s interest in ballet. His father states: â€Å"lads should be playing football, boxing or wrestling, not doing ballet. † Unlike the short video, Billy doesn’t feel the need to mold himself into being the aggressive, masculine individual accepted by society. This scene shows how society labels certain activities as either feminine or masculine, thus making it abnormal and frowned upon for the other gender to partake in that activity. This film effectively shows how an individual could feel uncomfortable when discovering that a male or female is involved in an activity that is not considered socially normal for their individual gender. Billy’s brother exemplifies this uncomfortable discovery by lashing out towards Billy forcing him to dance on the kitchen table. Billy’s brother represents the traditional masculine figure by looking to get into a fight with the police during the strike. Billy’s brother also remains loyal to the strike longer than Billy’s father which further illustrates how much more difficult it was for the brother to fully accept Billy’s passion for dancing. Thus, I feel the film does portray the social problem accurately and is a form of claims making because it covers an important social problem that many people struggle with in their every day life. The film touches on a subject that many individuals can relate to and are passionate about. Yet, I don’t feel that the film helps to establish this social problem in society’s â€Å"minds eye† because the overall feel for this film was so lax and humorous. The audience might possibly just see this as an innovative and funny movie compared to a movie that tells a unique story about a severe social problem. This film does reflect changing norms about this particular social problem. We see that things such as receiving a higher education, playing sports, and being involved in politics not too long ago where all considered to be a social norm for only men. Nevertheless, laws and legislation were passed that made woman able to enjoy almost all the same rights as men. Things such as popular TV shows, social media, and magazines encourage children and teenagers to just be who they are without worrying about what other people may think of them. Despite Billy’s father’s tough guy attitude and initial reaction of his son wanting to partake in ballet lessons, he sucks up his pride, goes back to work, and even sells some of his most prized possessions to help support his son’s dream. .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba , .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .postImageUrl , .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba , .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:hover , .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:visited , .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:active { border:0!important; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:active , .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u882d69f1c74f5950c61b21a92af3e4ba:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analyze the film Blade Runner EssayBilly’s father then encourages Billy by helping him make it to his ballet school audition, being proud when he was accepted, and attending his performance at the end of the movie. Watching this film made me realize how unfortunate it is that some children do not have the ideal support system. How many parents, siblings, family members, and peers are not supportive of a young child just based off of what society labels to be normal or not normal. This truly opened my eyes to be more accepting and understanding in various situations. Today this particular social problem of gender norms does still exist, but we do see that Americans now have more equal rights compared to the 1980’s. Individuals are now more willing to be different and accept people for their differences no matter what the social norm. I believe that this film could move society in the right direction towards having full acceptance of everyone despite the current social norm.