Deborah-Leaders Essay Example

Deborah-Leaders Essay Biblical Servant Leadership Fall 2013 Dry. Martin Deborah From Judges, Chapters 4 and 5 I dont often think about leaders in the Bible, but when I do, I often think of the only woman Judge mentioned In scripture Deborah. She Is one to admire. This woman of God provides a picture of leadership quite out of the ordinary in the society of her time. Very few women in of that day rose to positions of Judge. There were powerful queens, but to be a Judge For a woman it could only mean God had ordained her to this position. Deborah stands out equally for her civic leadership, as for her spiritual dervish; exemplifying qualities we all should possess to lead today. In Deborah day, Israel had no king, no central leader to whom Israel looked. Judges describes these perilous times as In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted During this time Israel found itself oppressed by Cabin, the Canniest king, and Sellers, the general of his army. Japans army was formidable. He had oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for nearly twenty years. This is the situation in which Deborah found herself. We will write a custom essay sample on Deborah-Leaders specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Deborah-Leaders specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Deborah-Leaders specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The narrative of Deborah in scripture calls how she led the Israelites against these fearsome Canniest. She received specific and distinct Instructions and directions from God so that He could deliver the Canniest into their hands. Guided by God, Deborah stood with Bark, urging and encouraging him to lead the armies of Israel to Mount Tabor in a full on assault of these cruel Canniest. Israel obediently followed Deborah as she followed Gods leadership and defeated Easier, the commander of the Canniest; enjoying an extended period of peace. Deborah might rightly be viewed as a true heroine of history. She was a multi-tasked working as a wife and mother, a prophetess and judge, a poet and singer, as well as a political and military leader. As prophetess, Deborah was In exclusive company. Only two other women In the Old Testament (Miriam, Exodus 15:20 and Hula, 2 Kings share this designation. As a judge, God gave her the authority to render civil court decisions with wisdom, prudence, and equity. As prophetess, God used her to deliver His messages to His people; she was careful not to voice her own words, but only Gods as she yielded herself to Him. My vision, as I imagine her, is not one of a cranky, sarcastic Judge Judy type. No, I see her as an honored mediator dispensing advice and counsel in the Spirit of the Lord. The discernment and assurance God gave to Deborah positioned her as one of the outstanding female leaders In history. Her wisdom and judgment were sought after. Judges says that At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lapidated, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Raman and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for Judgment. From this vantage point of power and position, she knew that there were storms of battle constantly churning In the valley below. There was chaos and confusion. From that muck and mess, God caused a woman to rise up and lead this nation to the victory God would show her. She recruited the reluctant battle, she stepped up. Her answer was unhesitant and confidently assertive and forthright l will surely go with you; never theless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Easier into the hand of a woman. wish I could say that I am her namesake, but sadly no. However far from my mothers hopes in a name it may have been, the Lord has seen to it that I would share some attributes with Deborah. I feel a kinship with her and if I were a contemporary of Deborah, I would have wanted to hang out with her. She demonstrated such strength of faith and leadership. In many of the ways illustrated below she represents an ideal leader. I believe we can learn much from her by observing her leadership qualities. In verse 5, the people of Israel came to her. Daily she took her seat of Judgment, mediation and prophecy in the shade off palm tree. The people knew where to find her because she made herself available and approachable. From her station under the palm trees, her countenance shone with confidence in the Lord ND a sure word. She did not think herself to be above them, but created an atmosphere of welcome to all. Since leaders are most effective when they are servants, cultivating an environment where others can find counsel and guidance is important. It begins in the heart and is lived out via the value placed on those who would seek direction. Judges 4:6 confirms that Deborah knew God and spent time with Him. Deborah knew Gods word and held tightly to the confidence in Him to deliver it. This confidence, however, did not breed pride. Deborah remained humble, delivering Gods words, and not her own. Even before Palls admonishment that we must decrease but He must increase, she was wisely aware that any significance in her was really of the Lord. When the people of Israel grew too accustom to their neighbors and their gods, becoming too comfortable with the godless unrestrained living of the Canniest then Israel began to adjust to their culture, becoming prey to those who would seek to dominate them. Deborah, however, chose to listen to the true and living God; bending her will to His to redeem the Israelites from the hands of slavery. She was available to be used by Him and ailing to stand in rejection of the foolishness of false gods and worship of self. How would God not select her to lead Israel into victory? It was her confident trust in God that would encourage the troops to battle. It was Deborah resolute and unshakable confidence that drove the Israelites to snatch the victory of the Lord from the godless Canniest. She was brave and steadfast, even in battle. Is it any wonder, then, in verses 8-10 that as Deborah shared with Bark the battle plan and the command to Go he insisted he would not go unless she went with him? Her story is truly a lesson f God conferring success upon those who allow themselves to be led by Him; giving Him all the credit. Deborah took action and led the leaders at a critical time, but with humility, a servants heart and great love and confidence in the Lord. We can learn from Deborah leadership style by putting aside any personal agenda, listening for Gods clear direction, and letting others know who is really running the show. She could have given herself a nice little pat on the back, but she knew the boundaries of the Lord. While Bark was the general and a leader in his own right, she was infinite enough that she could lead him when the need arose. Leaders always rise to the top in crisis. Leaders will even lead leaders, if the outcome demands it. She victory and ultimately she led him into battle 4:14-for this is the day which the Lord delivered Easier into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you? A modern day Deborah, Margaret Thatcher, once quipped In politics, if you want anything, as a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman. Her daring leadership brought the victory to a downtrodden people and brought peace for decades. So confident were hey in her courage to lead in the face of fierce enemies and her passion for God that they were willing to fight for the cause no matter the number or odds against them. She stood firm in a time of fear. She even took the helm in luring the enemy into the hands of her soldiers. So sure was she in Lords promise of ordained victory that even the fact she was living and Judging in a patriarchal society, where men seemed to dominate everything around her, did not sway or hinder her in leading men into the battle. Deborah demonstrated wisdom by standing for Godly wisdom in a time of escalating deadliness, fraught with humanism and polytheism; when every man did what was right in his own eyes. Her wise influence is evidenced in that all of Israel CAME to her for counsel, Judgment and advice on matters great and small. Deborah offered Godly counsel. Surely, she was seen as a person who was a thinker and equitable judge; dispensing individual Judgment, she prudently led people back to the truth and to God. Deborah used her tongue to speak Gods truth and encouragement to free themselves from oppression, verse 6. Verse 14 recounts her shouts of encouragement Does not the Lord go out before you? Her later song (5:31) recalling the supernatural victory says that her love for God is like the sun, when it comes in full strength. She wise to understand that positive words of victory were like a 812 shot to the troops as they faced the enemy, verse 14; she lifted their spirits to fight and secure the win Israels God has promised them. Oh, that there were men and women of wisdom like Deborah in our modern age; people who would challenge the people of God to restore their loyalties and fidelitys to God. But, sadly, wise leaders are very rare. Deborah also understood her leadership role in history it was only by he grace of God and the obedience of the people to submit to God, 5:2. Though she was the conduit to deliver the message of victory, she did not manipulate, she did not manhandle or demean those she led. She led with the knowledge that she held a place in history only by the choice and blessing of God. She did not dilute the message by sending the Israeli UN to negotiate she knew the will of God for the people of the Lord. This knowledge brought confidence and an unshakable perseverance to convince Israel that the battle was the Lords, if they would but submit to His will. The adversary, the adversity, the position as a woman in a mans world, prosperity, and flattery none could sway her because she knew this was of the Lord. Deborah, because of strength of character and love for God and His word, gave herself completely to the call, God made her capable for the task and she exuded the confidence to get the Job done. Deborah had placed a love for Gods people deep in her being. Her heart, she said in 5:9, was with the rulers. As one version puts it, her heart was with the willing volunteers among the people Her acute and instinctive sense of discernment told he could see the impact of this waywardness on her own family and the families of her community. She did not argue with God over that fact for she had sat in the gate of Judgment and knew the people were selfish and defying God. She was a prophetess, Gods hand was on her, and her heart was for the people. Though human nature often demands that we take our due, take a bow, get the recognition Deborah refused to proclaim her good deeds, but rather the goodness of the Lord in the battle won. She gives God praise, in chapter 5 and verse will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. She also praised the leaders and that faithful destroyer, Jail, who sealed the deal and killed the wicked Canniest king, Easier calling her most blessed of tent-dwelling women Judges 5:24). Deborah had seen as she Judged she had seen the selfish, self-centered, self-seeking Israelites demand their own way. It did not look good on them and would not look good on her. Deborah was wise to make it clear who sat as the definitive commander in chief: The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, Judges 4:6) and who would gain the praise, Judges 5:3). The life she lived should spur us on. It is a pattern to allow for leaders: Deborah life challenges us in several ways. To seek the wisdom of the Lord as we lead, to retain humility as we lead, to be available to those we lead, give credit to those to whom it is due, be courageous, stand strong in the Lord and in His love and have confidence that this is what he has ordained for you. There is no limit to what can be done when we let Him lead and give Him all the credit when His plan works out. Deborah convened her court under a palm tree over three millennia ago. The Song of Deborah is one of the oldest of these missives in song recorded in he Bible. It states that the stars strayed from their courses and the river washed Sierras armies away in a massive flood. All the Army of Easier fell by the sword; no one was left. Deborah delivered defeat with total destruction. Because of her persistence, because of her presence, because of this utter destruction, peace prevailed. From the first word to the last punctuation, God ordained this woman to lead. She could not and did not deny her giftedness as a leader. Her word for today is her word found in Judges 5:21 March on, my soul; be strong!

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Globalized Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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The Use And Abuse Of Technology Media Essay

The Use And Abuse Of Technology Media Essay Technology can be defined as science applied to practical purposes. It is more than hardware and silicon chips. In propelling change and altering our belief systems and culture, technology has joined religion, tradition, and family in the scope of its influence. Its enhancements of human muscle and human mind are self-evident. But technology is also a social amplifier. It stretches the range, volume, and speed of communications. It inflates appetites for consumer goods and creature comforts. It tends to concentrate wealth and power, and to increase the disparity of rich and poor. In the competition for scarce resources, it breeds conflicts. In social-psychological terms, it alters our perceptions of space. Events anywhere on the globe now have immediate repercussions everywhere, with a portfolio of tragedies that ignite feelings of helplessness. Technology has also skewed our perception of time, nourishing a desire for speed and instant gratification and ignoring long-term impacts. Nowadays, when the rapidness of development and research is so impressive, it is easy to think about the advantages of modern technology. Nevertheless some people argue that science can destroy mankind. Im quite agreeing with them, and I believe that modern technology is destroying the values of our Islamic society somehow. Computers, Cellophanes and the World Wide Web are examples of the modern technology; which are used widely nowadays, and they affect our moralities and manners badly, not because they are useless, but because we used to get the negative aspects out of every thing around us. Therefore, the most frequently asked question is: Does technology go the right way and will it save or ruin our Islamic civilization? In this project I wish to set out some of the benefits, the drawbacks and an Islamic view of one of those modern technologies which called The Internet, the influence of it on the Islamic world and the internet from an Islamic respective. As starting point for the Muslims contribution in dialogue with other sectors of society, especially other religious groups, concerning the development and use of this amazing technological mechanism. The Internet is being put to many good uses now, with the promise of many more, but much harm also can be done by its improper use. Which it will be, good or harm, is largely a matter of choice-a choice to whose making the Muslim society brings two elements of great importance: its commitment to the dignity of the human person and its long tradition of moral wisdom. WHAT IS THE INTERNET? Ten years ago, the Internet was practically unheard of by most people. Today, the Internet is one of the most powerful tools throughout the world. The Internet is a collection of various services and resources. The Internet or the World Wide Web is indeed a wonderful and amazing addition in our lives. The Internet can be known as a kind of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service available on the computer, through which everything under the sun is now at the fingertips of anyone who has access to the Internet. A human brain to our eyes appears approximately six inches in size only but inside this little bowl hidden an ocean of ideas and thoughts. Internet is not that little word as is generally understood but actually it is the name of whole computer worlds universe which is carrying with it sea of knowledge and information that deals with each and every topic that exists on the face of the earth. Today Internet is providing eve ryone peculiar knowledge and information that one needs. There is no department left about which information are not available on the Internet. In Tokyo, the city of Japan, an exhibition of Information Technology was held in which it was announced that any one who would tell a department name about which no information are given on the Internet would be awarded a prize of one million $ US. However, no one could win the prize at the end of the exhibition. Thus nobody could point out the topic. The internet has allowed our world to become a globally connected network that advances knowledge everyday. A few years ago the internet was changed forever with the creation of Napster. Napster was the first program that allowed internet users to download music and files with a click of the mouse. However, Napster was a company that was said to be profiting from the website, so musicians took a stand and shut Napster down. By that time millions of people had already become used to the idea of free downloads and wanted more. THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL CONNECTION: The last few years in the society have seen incredible changes technologically and culturally. Life has become increasingly easier as machines designed to improve living standards proliferated. Communications and travel capabilities have advanced dramatically, with long distance phone calls soon to be a thing of the past. Computers have brought so much information home that many students do all their research from the comfort of their desktop. Socially the changes have been just as great, though perhaps not always for the better. Children have massacred one another on school grounds. The income inequality gap has steadily risen. Overall, people are feeling less connected to one another than ever before. Many sociologists subscribe to the belief that the internet, in-home computer usage and widespread availability of virtual access, are transforming modern social and economic life. Problematic to these issues, however, is whether the changes have been beneficial or detrimental. The paper shows that some argue that the internet is causing social isolation and forcing a break from genuine social relationships, while others argue that the internet leads better social relationships by freeing people from mundane restraints of geography, isolationism or factors outside normal controls (e.g., illness, schedules). This group argues that the internet allows people to become socially involved on the basis of common interest rather than the vicariousness of convenience. If people were to use the Internet primarily for entertainment and information, the Internets social effects might resemble those of television. However, research has shown that interpersonal communication is the dominant use of the Internet at home. That people use the Internet mainly for interpersonal communication, however, does not imply that their social interactions and relationships on the Internet are the same as their traditional social interactions and relationships, or that their social uses of the Internet will have effects comparable to traditional social means of communication ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET: In fact, the advantages are out weigh the disadvantages. The most common thing the Internet is used for is research. Children and students are among the top people who use the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students use the Internet for research. Thirty percent of teachers give assignments requiring research from the Internet. In the classroom, sixty-six percent of teachers use the Internet to teach. The Internet has become one of the biggest sources for research. Almost everyday, research on medical issues becomes easier to locate. Web sites have become available for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites. Another popular thing to do on the Internet is to check out the news. Almost all local news can be obtained through the Internet. Using the Internet to get the weather allows people to view weather all over the world. Live radar all over the country and local forecasts are just to name a few of the things that may be obtained for weather information on the Internet. Shopping online has also become a huge success and is considered a great advantage of the Internet. No matter what people are shopping for, it can be found on the Internet. People do not even have to leave their homes. A few companies have collected millions of dollars using the Internet for selling. Clothing is probably one of the most bought items online. Almost every major clothing store has its on Web site. Just one click of the mouse on the items they want to purchase and the items are delivered to their front door. DISADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET: Despite all of these advantages of the Internet, there are numerous disadvantages. Many fear the Internet because of its disadvantages. They claim to not use the Internet because they are afraid of the possible consequences or are simply not interested. People who have yet connected to the Internet claim they are not missing anything. Today technological society must realize, it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet Children using the Internet have become a big concern. When children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. When children talk to others online, they do not realize they could actually be talking to a harmful person. There are a number of tools available today that may help keep the Internet environment safer for children. Some companies, such as America Online, try to monitor everything that is said and done on their online service; however, because thousands of chat rooms are available, it is simply impossible for everything to be monitored. In other words, children want to explore things; however, there are people on the Internet that are just too believable. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children log onto the Internet. Prophet Mohammad SAW Said: كلكÙ†¦ Ø ±ÃƒËœÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹ Ùˆ كلكÙ†¦ Ù†¦ÃƒËœÃ‚ ³ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ Ø ¹Ãƒâ „¢Ã¢â‚¬   Ø ±ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  ÃƒËœÃ‚ ªÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¡) (, thus parents should be aware of what their children are doing or seeing .. It is the duty of parents to raise their children upon the teachings of Islam by using all possible good means. In fact, the Internet can help parents in this regard if it is used correctly. However, parents should guide their children to the ways of using it in a positive way and protect them against misusing this service. The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Imam of Calgary Mosque, Alberta, Canada, and Former Professor at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, States: There are many ways of protecting both children and ourselves from the haram (unlawful) as follows: 1. By creating a barrier between us and sins. 2.By providing alternatives to take us away from the haram. Parents need to establish firm and healthy channels of communication with their children and explain to them the Islamic position concerning these issues and how to deal with them. The best way to achieve this is to be a good role model for their children, for if they see their parents as a good example, they will learn the good from them as well. Parents are supposed to introduce alternatives to them. There are many good Islamic websites that they can visit and learn from. They can be given tasks to do on each website, and then can receive prizes for that. Most importantly we must teach our kids how to choose the right friends, who are aware of Islamic teachings and can protect them from learning about haram.. One of the Islamic rules is the consideration of the other rights. The accessibility and freedom of copyrighting is also one of the disadvantages of the Internet. E.g. Musicians are one of those who are worried because of that. They are upset because the Internet provides their music online at no charge to customers. File-sharing services, such as Napster, provide copyrighted songs to all Internet users. The main concern is the music is free! Musicians feel they are not getting paid for their work. Because of Napster, it is almost impossible to close down all file-sharing services; there are too many of them to count. Legal cases have developed across the country with copyright owners declaring that their music is being plagiarized by people on the Internet. Another major disadvantage of the Internet is privacy. Electronic messages sent over the Internet can be easily snooped and tracked, revealing who is talking to whom and what they are talking about. People should become aware that the collection, selling, or sharing of the information they provide online increases the chances that their information will fall into the wrong hands. Consequently, they will become a victim of identity theft, one of the worst privacy violations with potentially devastating financial consequences. When giving personal information on the Internet, people should make sure the Web site is protected with a recognizable security symbol. On the other hand, this does not mean they are fully protected because anyone may obtain user information. Today, not only are humans getting viruses, but computers are also. Computers are mainly getting these viruses from the Internet; yet, viruses may also be transmitted through floppy disks. However, people should mainly be concerned about receiving viruses from the Internet. Some of these dangerous viruses destroy the computer entire hard drive, meaning that the user can no longer access the computer. Virus protection is highly recommended. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET ON THE ISALMIC WORLD: Although there has been a tremendous amount of discussion in the popular press about how the Internet is changing all facets of Islamic social life, research on the impact of the Internet is only beginning to emerge. A review of the studies reported in this issue suggests that the Internet may have had less impact on many aspects of social life than is frequently supposed. In many cases, the Internet seems to have created a new way of doing old things, rather than being a technology that changes the manner in which people live their lives. As a consequence, the policy implications of increasing Internet use may be less than is often believed. PRIOR STUDY: (The Internet and Youth Subculture in Kuwait) Abstract Young people in Kuwait constitute both the highest concentration of Internet users (estimated to be approximately 63% of all Internet users in Kuwait) and the largest sector of Kuwaiti society. Moreover, as argued in this article, young peoples Internet practices are likely to stimulate the most significant changes in Kuwaiti society. This article scrutinizes a handful of descriptions by young Kuwaiti of the importance and implication of the Internet in their lives. Survey Research on Kuwaiti Youths and the Internet, 1996-2001: This was the first professional conference to consider the development and impact of the Internet in Kuwait, and the Islamic World in general, ever held in the Gulf. The papers presented that independently came to the same conclusions: 1- Kuwaiti youths seem to be the most deeply effected by the transformations in communicative practices enabled by the Internet. They focused on the ways in which the Internet was detrimental to face-to-face social ties between peers and among family members. They argued that customarily, young (and old) Kuwaiti men had gathered in the late afternoon and evenings to drink tea and eat sweets together. Women had done the same. With the introduction of the Internet, young people argue that they find it more enjoyable to surf the net in the evenings instead of participating in traditional social rituals. A recent regional survey found that 55% of Internet use takes place between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., the hours when tea and home visits, or visits to the diwaniyya (male social clubs) are most likely to occur(  [1]  ). 2- young people are unlikely to use the Internet along with other family members (just over 10% did), which means that family ties are potentially jeopardized by Internet use. Instead, youths share their ideas and positive energies in cyberspace with people they dont know personally. While such interactions foster a positive sense of being one with the world. Only 7.8% of the students surveyed by Mazeedi and Ismail were taught to use the Internet by a family member. Thus the authors conclude that families dont set the rules of standards on how to use the Internet ethically and academically. Moreover, since students often use the Internet to meet with the opposite sex (more than 30% admitted to this as a regular practice) Islamic sanctions against interactions with the opposite sex outside of relatives and marriage are transgressed(  [2]  ). 3- Throughout my fieldwork, I met people who had fallen in love, or attempted to, via the Internet. One person I interviewed explained that her brother and sister-in-law had fallen in love via the computer. They met in a chatroom. Over time they developed a regular cyber-relationship. One day, several months into the relationship, they decided to meet in person. When they went to pay for their Internet subscriptions at the Ministry of Communication building, they decided to wait for each other near the entrance. It was love at first sight and they decided ultimately to marry. There were some problems, however, because he was Shii and she was Sunni, and her parents refused to bless the engagement. Ultimately love won out, and their wedding cake was shaped like a computer, a symbol of the amazing tool that brought them together, enabling the transgression of sectarian lines which divide Kuwaitis and interrupting the ritual of arranged or semi-arranged marriages(  [3]  ). 4- 73.4% of students who use the Internet felt that it was being used in socially abusive and ethically unreliable ways. Similarly, 61.1% of those surveyed felt that the morals and behavior of the students have been affected negatively by the Internet(  [4]  ). 5- Students continue to misuse the Internet. Many of them sneak into Internet cafes to freely browse through sites linked with immoral activities without check(  [5]  ). 6- Cyber-relations could in fact help young men and women in Kuwait to understand the other gender in a way that might improve communication between the sexes in marriage and the family. Moreover, the Internet might give young people more sovereignty over the choice of a spouse. Often family members choose a spouse for their child based upon standards related to what might improve or protect the social status of the family as a whole(  [6]  ). 7- While some Kuwaiti students are critical of the ways in which the Internet enables them to violate the norms they are raised to hold, others are taking full advantage of the Internet as a vehicle for challenging Kuwaiti societys increasingly conservative view of proper public interaction between the sexes. Students increasingly find cyberspace an attractive place in which to experiment with unfamiliar or endangered forms of social interaction. To a degree, students cyber-relations reveal that the Internet supports decentralization, individual empowerment, resilience and self-sufficiency. practices which coincide with the design principles of the technology. The fact that many Kuwaiti youths remain critical of such practices illustrates how Muslim values help to filter and buffer the meanings and implications of such experiences. Local cultural and social frameworks both shape what is revolutionary about the use of a new tool, and in addition, influence the pace of change(  [7]  ). A research project about the effects of the Internet on the social Arab world (  [8]  ): Dr. Albrecht Hofheinz(  [9]  ) put the cyber world into the context of social behavior in order to identify more clearly whether any possible effects of virtual changes are becoming apparent in the real world. As for if people are dealing with religious and political questions, and how do transnational and local publics connect and interact with one another? He commented: In the 1990s, Internet enthusiasts had a vision: all you need is a modem, a PC, and an Internet connection to have the world at your fingertips. This gave rise to the hypothesis that the entire structure of the way in which public opinions are formed would be transformed by significantly facilitating access to publication opportunities for a large number of people. It was felt that public debates would spread around the world, thereby bringing about a radical change in the formation of opinions in Arab-Islamic countries. The theory was that the emancipator effect of this development would be twofold: larger sections of society would become more involved in the formation of opinions and this, in turn, would result in greater participation in decision-making processes. In other words, the Internet would spread democracy. The aim of his research project was to test the theory that more people would get involved in the opinion formation process and would have more to contribute to this process as a result of the Internet. Implicitly, this would pose a threat to the hegemony of traditional hierarchies and authorities in terms of shaping opinions: The theory was that it would soon become second nature to Internet users to form their own opinions and not simply to refer to a single authoritative source and blindly follow the opinions presented there. The fact that users would themselves be able to comment on material published by others and discuss solutions in a non-hierarchical manner would result in the development of a social dynamism that would inherently help accelerate the democratization of decision-making processes. That was the theory on which this research project was based. About the developed of the use of the Internet in Arab countries he claimed: We cant generalize. The state reaction to the Internet phenomenon differs from country to country in the Arab world. None of these countries now completely rejects the Internet. However, some treat the occurrence more restrictively than others. The first countries to open up to the Internet in the early days were traditional, liberal economic, pro-Western states like Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. As for the free access to the Internet in the Arabic world he commented: A comparison of the countries in the Arab world reveals that some allow completely free access to the Internet while others channel all Internet traffic through a filter. This central filter allows them to block access to specific sites. But anyone with technical know-how can get around these filters. This sort of filter censorship can be found in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Syria. The Saudis, for example, only opened up public access to the Internet in 1999 after a long delay: they waited until the technical requirements for total filtering were fulfilled. Beforehand, the debate had centered on how Saudi society could be protected against damaging influences through the Internet. Dr. Hofheinz commented on the way that Arab countries are dealing with the Internet: Many Muslim thinkers and scholars were very careful and feared that the Internet could lead to an infiltration and wearing down of Muslim social and moral standards. In this context, discussions with Islamic overtones took place. These same discussions had other overtones elsewhere: in Asia, for example, but also in Europe and anywhere people think that the Internet might lead to a homogenization of the cultures. In concrete terms, this means that western or American cultural values and ideas are disseminated under the existing balance of power. This discussion has not become any less powerful to this day. On the other hand, Islamic groups were some of the first to make use of the Internet. At the end Dr. Hofheinz talked about his theory: My initial theory has not proven well-founded in the short term. But that doesnt mean that all opportunities have been wasted. I would say instead that the initial theory was naive in its radicalism. It was quite simply naive to expect the introduction of the Internet to unleash a political tidal wave. One has to examine what socialization process are being promoted on the Internet. The trend is clear: the Internet reinforces the role and the self-confidence of the subject. Even the chatting of young people should not be underestimated. It is easier to talk openly in chat rooms about things that are usually only talked about among friends. I still believe that this will lead to a change in political culture: not necessarily a radical change and not only as a result of the Internet, but the Internet is undoubtedly an important factor. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET FROM AN ISLAMIC PRESPECTIVE: Many researches and scholars consider the internet as the real reason for the flourishing of the so called Islamic Virtual Ummah, what do you think? In so far as virtual today has become virtually identical to cyberspace, this is certainly correct. Further, there is no doubt that the Internet has contributed greatly to a new growth of pan-Islamic feelings among many of its Muslim users. This phenomenon should, however, not be regarded in isolation from its social and historical context. Muslim activists on the Internet have been drawn first and foremost, in the beginnings, in the 1990s, from among these circles, and they have found in the Internet an ideal medium to share reflections on their beliefs, identity, practicies, policies, social life, moral ways, etc. In other words, to think of themselves as a community in new ways that were more self-reflected, and less bound by tradition, than tended to be the case back home. And this new community is often referred to, or thought of as, a virtual ummah. In how far do you think what happens on the Internet has any effect on real life? Especially in the context of the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands: the murderer apparently used texts from the extremist websites in the letter he left on the body of his victim. The Internet is thus less revolutionary than it is often made to appear. Rather, it is the latest incarnation in a long development of media that have helped Muslims (among other people) to imagine their belonging. The Internet is a medium; media, consumed, are part of peoples socialization and can influence their thoughts and acts. To say so much is trivial but it has to be said since some people still question the effect of the net on real life. Exactly how, and to what extent, media influence peoples thoughts and acts is, however, a very different question. After 40 years of research into the effects of television, there is no unanimity among researches about the nature and quality of these effects. And the debate continues on how exactly to measure such effects. Comparatively speaking, Internet research is still in its infancy, but the problems are essentially the same. People are influenced in their thoughts and acts by a great variety of factors, and to posit some simple linear connections between material posted on the net, or peoples online activities, and their acts in real life, is too simplistic. All that can be said with some certainty is that the Internet is likely to play an increasingly important role in peoples socialization, and that therefore the way material, thought, ideas, social relations etc are presented on the net is going to exert a growing influence on real life. With regard to Islam, for example, this means that increasingly, only material easily accessible on the net will be considered by the majority of Muslim Internet users in the construction of what Islam means, and how one should live properly as a Muslim. Do you think that the Internets effect of reducing and simplifying complicated and rich cultural and religious traditions will eventually lead to a loss of Islamic knowledge and traditional authority? And do you think this is necessarily a dangerous or undesirable development? Primarily it is an unavoidable development that should not be lamented so much as is taken as a challenge. And secondly, the simplification of the scholastic canon that is speeded by the Internet (but which in itself is a development that started much earlier, in the 18th century C.E.) is but one side of a larger development which at heart is dialectical. One the one side, the complicated scholastic tradition is reduced to relatively simple truths but on the other hand, these truths get reappropriated by many more people than ever before, and in the process of this appropriation new ways of thinking are engendered, which in turn will lead to a new culture, or rather, new rich cultures, and new traditions, over time. In your opinion, to what extent is Islam represented on the internet? And in compared to other religions? With regard to the first part of the question, it is noticeable that the representation of Islam on the Internet started from the periphery so to speak- from the US- (and European) based on Diaspora. For long, their voices on the Internet were much more prominent than voices from the established centers of Islamic learning in the Muslim heartlands, and that has sent the note, to an extent. What are the most popular Islamic websites on the net? It is not al-Azhar, or the Zaytuna or Deoband. Rather, it is sites like Islam Online, Amr Khaled, Islamweb, al-islam.com, Isalm Todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sites that operate from the sides of the old establishment, if you will (and I include Islamweb from Qatar and al-Islam.com from Sakhr among the sides here). So, the representation of Islam on the Internet clearly has changed from what it was before. And one may also argue that for seasoned users those who know how to find things the plurality of voices has dramatically increased. If one knows how to find, one can find pretty much anything on the net today, including pretty much any of the many representations of Islam. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, today society is in the middle of a technological boom. People can either choose to take advantage of this era, or simply let it pass them by. The Internet is a very powerful tool. It has many advantages; however, people need to be extremely aware of the disadvantages as well. People on the Internet participate in a unique electronic culture. Like all other cultures, the Internet culture has its own norms, standards and expectations for members of the electronic community. A number of resources exist to help people who are new to the Internet learning about its electronic culture. These resources usually address one of two topics: ethics or etiquette. Internet etiquette, which is often called netiquette, is similar to and often overlaps with ethical issues; however, netiquette is less a strict code of conduct and more an understanding of what constitutes good manners and electronic community expectation

Modern Art Essay

Some people consider modern arts not serious. In this regard, the question â€Å"Can we think of modern art as real art? † comes into existence. So to answer to this question we need to take for consideration what is art in general and what forms it has. There are a variety of arts, including visual arts and design, decorative arts, plastic arts and the performing arts. So, Art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. And artistic expression takes many forms: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, music, literature, and architecture are the most widely recognized forms. To begin with, when we speak about modern art, in most cases we think about the field of fine arts. Because exactly fine arts underwent the visible changes for centuries. The number of styles of painting is enormous. Artistic works can be grouped by styles according to the common principles of creative thinking. Each epoch is characterized by a certain worldview; that is why throughout the centuries the ways of thinking about art was also changing. Fine arts faced such styles as Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism, Realism, Impressionism and so on. Modern art refers to works produced during the period from 1870. Typically, modern artists rejected previous Renaissance-based traditions, in favour of new forms of artistic experimentation. They used new materials, new techniques of painting, and developed new theories about how art should reflect the perceived world. And nowadays there exists a great amount of styles of Modern art, for example: Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Performance Art, Dada Style, Neoplasticism, Surrealist Style, Postminimalism, Graffiti Art, etc. Concerning the question of modern art it’s quite difficult to judge, but nevertheless people are divided into two sides: pros and cons. First and foremost art implies the inseparability of form and content and of course talent. Famous artists affirmed that it is necessary to master the skill – the main component of the art. But many modern works have lack of this component. Modern art has no its purpose to create the artistic work, that is why modern artists are indifferent to internal connection of form and content. Therefore it is impossible without accompanying comment; for example the artist can grab a canvas, paint it in different colours and put some strokes on it, and this kind of painting can represent his happiness. Because it is often said that modern art can be done without any talent or efforts. After all real art needs to show emotion, beauty, and needs to be a window to the artist’s  emotions. Art is something that you see and must look deeply into to understand or find beauty in. Modern art is art that a 5 year old can do so it has too little effort to be considered art. Many people believe that such so called artists are supported by the mass media, that is why their works are sold for million dollars. Every person could take a brush and do smth like that, but no one would buy this daub. They say Leonardo was a great artist. Raphael was a great artist, but modern ones can’t be compared. So for the great majority of people modern art is not serious. On the other hand, who is anyone to judge what â€Å"real† art is? After all our understanding of art comes to nothing more than our school knowledge about periods of Renaissance, Classicism or Modern. Just because one doesn’t like or understand the art, doesn’t mean that the art is not real art. Besides, it should be noted that there is the term â€Å"contemporary art†, meaning the work of artists of the 90-ies of XX century. It represents the mirror of contemporary world. And often great

North American Free Trade Agreement and Company Fruit

1. Why did many textile jobs apparently migrate out of the United States in the years after the establishment of NAFTA? Jobs migrated out of the United States because where the average labor for US was $10 to $12 an hour compared to rates in Mexico at $10 to $12 a day. For example, the company Fruit of the Loom Inc. would benefit more and increase their revenue by paying their employee’s less to perform the job. It is also stated that NAFTA was credited with helping crease increase political stability in Mexico. So this could be another reason for the Jobs migrating out of the United States. 2. Who gained from the process of readjustment in the textile industry after NAFTA? Who lost? Due to this readjustment in which the United States jobs migrated to Mexico had a major effect on workers in the textile mills in the United States. But indeed had a great benefit on consumers in the US. It stated that employment in textile mills dropped from 478,000to 239,000, employment in apparel plummeted from 858,000 to 296,000. This shows that a great amount of workers were left empty handed searching for new employment. But on the other hand, this adjustment made it more reasonable for people like myself. Due to textiles moving to Mexico, prices dropped on clothing. Now it makes it easier for consumers to buy clothing at a cheaper price rather than spending a lot of money just to do so. This shows that the market will grow because people can and willing to spend more money at the cheaper rate. In this case, Mexico and U.S will benefit. Mexico would increase jobs as low cost production moves south. And U.S will increase a prosperous market and lower the prices for consumers from goods produced in Mexico. Especially when prices are at a discounted rate. 3. With hindsight, do you think it is better to protect vulnerable industries such as textiles, or to let them adjust to the painful winds of change that follow entering into free trade agreements? What would the benefits of cost of protection be? What would the costs be? I have a two-sided opinion on this matter. I feel that in a way we should protect industries such as the textiles because jobs would be lost and wages levels would decline tremendously in the United States and Canada. Mexican workers would emigrate north and pollution would increase due to Mexico’s more lax standards. And also Mexico would also lose its sovereignty which is not an important factor. But on the other hand, we shouldn’t protect because this would prosper in the market & benefit the consumers.