Should Abortion Be Legalized Pros and Cons Essay

Should Abortion Be Legalized Pros and Cons - Essay Example Pro-choice supporters argue for a woman’s right to make her own choices, but are willing at times to consider some restrictions if the abortion comes very late in the term of pregnancy. The right to terminate a pregnancy is thought by them to be a choice that a woman makes to be in charge of her own body. Therefore, it is almost held as a sacred obligation that society does not interfere with that choice. In cases of late-term abortions, they are sometimes willing to balance the life of the child. Pro-life advocates want to strip that right. For them, the life of the child is held as sacred, and it must be balanced against the choice of the mother. Even they are generally willing, however, to make exceptions in the case of danger to the mother’s life or pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. Such balancing is often done with heavy hearts on both sides of the issue. To complicate matters even further, some hold extreme positions that do not allow for any compromises at all. Some advocate for choice and some for life, with no exceptions. This is why abortion has remained, on both sides over the years, a hotly-debated and controversial issue. This paper will summarize the arguments that have been involved in this debate. One of the main problems with abortion’s legality in the view of those who argue for a pro-choice position is the procedure’s terrible history. In the past, women had to go to doctors or unlicensed individuals (e.g., midwives or, worse, shady â€Å"chemists†) for illegal abortions. These procedures were often performed in secret, unclean surroundings. Most of the operators who performed abortions when they were illegal were poorly qualified (or, as stated, unlicensed), and the care delivered was unsanctioned, unregulated, and dangerous. It sometimes resulted in infertility. Some women met with tragic circumstances, including death by infection and bleeding that could have been prevented if abortions had been done

Evaluation of natural composit materials in structures Essay

Evaluation of natural composit materials in structures - Essay Example 331). In relation to structures, natural composite materials have been employed in the formation of load-bearing elements. These include roofs, beams, multipurpose panels, pedestrian bridges and water tanks. Beams are vital components in bridges, buildings and other structures. In fact, beams are considered to be structural elements that are in flexural mode or bending. They may have rectangular or square cross section depending on the requirements of a structure or even the design. Beams are commonly made of reinforced concrete, timber, laminated veneer lumber or steel profiles. Research shows that recent developments of using natural composite beams lead to possible weight, cost, time and installation advantages. There is therefore an opportunity for the use of natural composites in the construction of structural beams. This opportunity can be also explored in construction of pedestrian bridge girders because they demand moderate design loads. The use of natural composite materials in beam construction is necessitated by the low cost and densities of natural fibres and their environmental benefits. Among the feasible concepts of natural composites is the composite sandwich beam. The composite sandwich beam incorporates the use of several layers of materials. More often than not, the same material is utilised for the slim bottom and top section and the compact core material located in between. The core is of lesser strength as compared to the material utilized for the bottom and top. Dweib et al. (2004, p. 150-151) have analysed and formulated sandwich beams which constitute cellulose fibres that are made from paper that is reused, foam core and Acrylated Epoxidized Soy-bean Oil (AESO) which has added strength. An I-shaped beam was another idea that was derived from the natural composite beam. Using the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding technique, soybean oil based resin system and woven burlap (jute fabric) composite has been utilized in a successful man ner to produce an I-shaped beam (Alms, Yonko, McDowell and Advani, 2009, 83). According to Marsh (2000, p. 57), the primary design methods that are normally utilized in structural design are tensile stiffness, bending stiffness, bending strength and tensile strength [36]. For some applications like roof however, impact strength is as well crucial. For polyester which is strengthened by glass fibre to be utilized as roof materials it has to demonstrate a tensile strength that is not less than 50 MPa and have no hole or crazing or cracking visible after being tested. It also has to demonstrate SREC2010-F1-5 4 impact resistance of 1.96 J in Australian standard. Roof material needs to be designed in a manner that it supports all types of loads whether it is live load, dead load and at other instances snow load. Other features of the material are; it should be water resistant, lightweight, weather resistant (for instance ultraviolet light resistant) and fire resistant. Coming second to e lectricity, the roofing sector is the second largest user of glass fibre in the construction and building sector in Europe. In third rank, in terms of percentage, is the utilization of glass fibre for industrial infrastructure which includes tanks, pipes and corrosion

The Usage Of Metaphors In Pauls Letters Religion Essay

The Usage Of Metaphors In Pauls Letters Religion Essay Reading through the letters of Saint Paul it is clear that he is a master on using metaphors. Actually, one of his main ways to communicate is the using of metaphorical imagery. Inspired by his religious genius, his biblical background and considering that he had a magnificent knowledge of the Hellenism, Paul has all the ingredients to outline a very persuasive speech. Pauls letters were written in order to persuade his audience of the powerful truth of the gospel that he learned from Christ himself. As such Paul is called to preach the crucified Christ in various sets of circumstances and in its many ramifications. Any reader of his letters is delighted by the many images he uses to transmit his message, which are very helpful for the reader to be close of Paul himself. 1. Usage of metaphorical speech by the first Christians As Francois Vouga states, in the early Christianity the pursuit for the truth about the Gospel had accepted a plurality of ways to express the same Creed in order to maintain a fundamental unity. Surely this plurality happened because the impossibility to reduce the God of Jesus Christ to a singles person view or to ones single discourse  [1]  . This could be one of the reasons why that Paul was impelled to use an imagetic language. Generally speaking, in the Bible the metaphors are tropes of language which are largely used to communicate the knowledge and the message of God to his children. As so it is very important to have over and over a deeper understanding of them. At same time each metaphor assumes various significances, in the sense that they can be interpreted starting from different angles  [2]  . Even, the metaphors within themselves can multiply themselves; those are the metaphors squared as Beverly Gaventa likes to call them  [3]  . For instance, when Paul says like a nurse nurturing their own children (2, 7) he his multiplying automatically its meanings. Latter on this work I will take a closer look to this example. 2. How Paul uses metaphor When analyzing a metaphor it is a need to be aware of the context, mainly because the metaphors are always born on a specific environment and refer to it. At same time it is a requirement to pay attention to all hits power: metaphors ask us change our minds  [4]  . Also the relationship between intimacy and metaphor is very important, especially in the paternal imagery that Paul uses  [5]  . Moreover, Paul in his letters uses many powerful images. It is very significant to work of Raymond Collins called The Power of Images in Paul  [6]  . On this book Professor Collins takes up the seven letters of Paul and pulls up the metaphors and all the imagery language that Paul uses. Through this work Raymond Collins concludes that Paul uses the ordinary to describe the extraordinary. Actually, it is correct to say that Paul is skillful on this matter and he uses a wide range of metaphors. Using many sources (for instance: secular language; religious language and biblical themes) Paul intents to speak to various audiences. Certainly Paul tries to persuade his addressees and also clarified them. It is also important that metaphors played an important role in Hellenistic rhetoric mainly because of their philosophical traditions. So, as some of listeners of Paul were Hellenistic he had to speak in their language. Also, he had to trust me to the same doctrine those who had Jewish faith. Meanwhile, being Jew Paul had to appropriate some of his language: For Paul, a Jew addressing a Hellenistic audience, correct relationships with God and ones fictive kin can be summed up in the dyad faith and love. For believers facing the impending eschaton, faith and love must be complemented by hope, the attitude that faith takes in the face of the future  [7]  . II Chapter In the second chapter, I will focus on Pauls itself, in his seven authentic (better, undisputed) letters  [8]  . Afterwards I will isolate some of the sentences where Paul uses the paternal metaphors, does how seemed from my reading of is letters to be the most important on this matter. Also, the order that I present them is according to my understanding of their strength as metaphors. So, after a brief introduction to the letter itself I will do a simple lexical analysis of the Greek words. Doing so, going to a deeper understanding of those metaphors. From there I will draw some of the implications of such images in their contexts as well as in parallel with modern psychology. First letter to the Thessalonians In the first letter to the Thessalonians Saint Paul is quite happy as he writes. This shows Pauls trust that the Thessalonians are following the Lords commandments. As many scholars say, this letter did not pretend to transmit a lot of theories, corrections or teachings. The main goal of Pauls letter was just to show a spiritual closeness to his community, exhorting them to be faithful. About its author in beginning this letter aims to be a coauthored letter (1, 1) by Paul, Silas and Timothy (as it does the second letter to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 1, 1-2). The scholars accept this authorship as true (especially concerning the first Thessalonians). Apparently this correspondence with the Thessalonians were started long after the departure of Paul and his companions from Thessalonica to Athens certainly Paul himself was hoping to come back but was hindered (2, 18), but he managed to send Timothy back. So surely this letters (and perhaps also the second letter also) was written afte r Timothys return with good news from Thessalonica concerning the stability of the community there (3, 6)  [9]  . So from Athens, a little after the year 50, Paul is exulting full of happiness with the good news the Timothy brought, showing at same time his interest for his fellow missionaries  [10]  . Together with Ugo Vanni I agree that there are three different parts on this letter. First off, there is an autobiographical part. On this one he speaks about himself as so as he recalls some aspects of the community. For instance he says We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. (2, 8). For sure, Paul wrought this letter just a few months after the foundation of this community, so it is interesting to see how he indicates right away those highest ideals of Christian faith. The second part Paul exhorts and explains what it means to be a Christian  [11]  . It is also important to note that the first letter to the Thessalonians was very close to the preaching of Paul himself: because the community was just in the beginning when Paul wrote to them. It also signifies that Paul was doing his first experiments on letter writing. Despite their brevity and their relative lack of significantly developed theological themes compared to the other letters in the Pauline corpus, the two letters to the Thessalonians Christians have become the object of much recent examination, particularly in the areas of rhetorical criticism, sociological analysis and the early development of Pauline theology  [12]  . In the beginning of this letter Paul presents himself as a role model of sincerity and integrity for his co-workers. Paul believes that a sincere faith is the key to his success as an apostle. So also, the ministers of the Word should transmit by their own lives the Word that they preach. This means, an incarnate Word. It is fair to say, like in all Pauls letters, that also here he claims the primacy of Jesus for all his work. He, Jesus, is that true center and to which all the communities should gravitate  [13]  . 1. Paul as a nurse lexical analysis 1 Tess 2, 7 (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ° à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ³ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½, à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)but we were gentle among you, à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã†â€™ à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ° à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±,  [14]  like a nurse keeping warm her little children  [15]   Chose key words analysis Relations with other Pauline passages and biblical texts Paul wants to be considered in the role of father and mother, founding his authority in Jesus  [16]  . Actually, it is in this context that Paul calls himself a nurse. In Greek the word à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã…’à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ does not mean a biological mother but an adoptive mother. So this word is full of symbolic meaning. This term refers to one adoptive mother, a nurse. As such, the word à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã…’à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ gives us a sense of motherhood, and, even though it is not a biological mother, it is a mother who nurses her own children (ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½)  [17]  . Going deeper in the analysis, it is possible to conclude that Saint Paul shows that, in reality, those children are not his own but Christs children. If that is true, it is also true that he loves them just as if they were his own. Consequently, this metaphor is full of tender care. It is important also to take a look on the verb that expresses the action of nursing: ÃŽÂ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã†â€™. Literally, this verb means to keep warm, like a bird keeping warm her eggs. As Raymond Collins claims, the images used by St. Paul are powerful, In this case he says that the word ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ (children) used by Paul describes his coworkers. He also notes that there are some doubts about this word: some scholars argue that the word here should be ÃŽÂ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ (gentiles). He doesnt agree with that position like most scholars, saying that this word fits better with all the metaphor; it even helps to inten sify it. The word ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ can even be translated as babies, so it goes along well with the word nurse, expressing the closeness and the deep knowledge shared by Paul and the Thessalonians  [18]  . 2. Rhetoric of excess metaphor in the context Context itself Parenetic perspective Affective perspective Theological perspective Apocalyptical perspective Other sources (ancient world use of this imagery) Thus, when Paul was in Athens, he remembered the Thessalonians and was afraid that their faith might weaken. As a result he sent them an affectionate message. As Jerome Murphy-OConnor asserts, Paul had a special concern for newly Christians that they left behind at Tessalonika. Of course they were under attack, as Paul itself was. But the physical persecution was just a part of the problem; the true danger was more subtle as Paul knew the Thessalonians were easily convinced or other doctrines. Paul feared that they would spread because of disillusionment, followed by a disappointment so great as to make them renounce their new faith. If the believers in Thessalonica would come to feel cheated, surely all would be lost  [19]  . 3. Before the modern psychology First letter to the Corinthians As its founder, Paul feels the responsibility to take care, at least through letter writing, of all his communities. The first (and the second) letter to the Corinthians are documents that express that concern of Paul for the community at Corinth and all the communities in the region of Achaia. On first Corinthians especially Paul applies his theological convictions, mainly Christology and Eschatology, when facing practical issues in the church. The authorship of this letter is generally accepted as authentic: is accepted to be Pauls letter (together with Second Corinthians). The foundation of the Church in Corinth (attested by Act 18) took place between the years 49-51 as part of Pauls second missionary journey. After Paul left, the Corinthians had some problems, mainly concerning ethical exclusions. So Paul, as the scholars agree, wrote a letter to them (which was lost) correcting them and giving them some specific advices. From there the Corinthians wrote back saying that they didnt understand or they didnt agree with Paul (also, was lost). So, the canonical first Corinthians followed, answering this letter from the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor 1, 11; 5, 1; 16, 15-18). Paul was, probably staying in Ephesus trying making arrangements to go to Corinth when he wrote this letter. In the meantime he sent Timothy to visit the Corinthians on his behalf (1 Cor 16, 10-11; Acts 19, 22). This appended between the autumn of 52 and the spri ng of 55. The visit of Timothy, and the sad news brought by him triggered a painful visit of Paul to Corinth (cf. 2 Cor 2, 1; 2, 5-8; 7, 8-13; 11, 4). Then Paul wrote a second letter, which was to be at least a third following the studying line of some scholars, called by many as the tearful letter which he mentions on the second canonical letter (2 Cor 7, 6-13)  [20]  . Concerning to the general structure of First Corinthians it is right to say that it has five main parts. The first part is a salutation (1, 1-3) in witch are two situations that should be note: fist, it is a joint authorship Paul (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and our brother Sosthenes (even thou afterwards it appears mainly the pronoun I); secondly this letter is addressed to the Corinthians together with all those who are calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place. The second part is a opening thanksgiving in which Paul, despite of the problems of the community, thanks God for them: The problems in Corinth are not due to their spiritual gifts per se, but to their attitude toward and use of them (cf. 12-14). From 1, 10 to 6, 20 is the third part on which Paul responds to the reports that he received about Corinth and also tries to clear Corinthians misunderstanding of his earlier correspondence. The fourth section of this letter responds to the letter from Corinth, dealing wit h specific issues like marriage (cf. 7, 1-40), food an idols (cf. 8, 1-11, 1); on the chapter ten Paul shows what are to be the consequences of their sinful acts, calling them to be instead imitators of him. Between chapters 12 and 14 Paul turns his attention to what means to behave Christlike in worship. Finally Paul closes this part calling to mind the cross of Christ on which he had grounded his letter (cf. 1, 18-25), drawing from there the consequences to the Christians, particularly regarding to the resurrection (cf. 15, 1-16, 12). The letter is completed with some concluding remarks, whit a closing sequence of admonitions (especially the need for perseverance in ones faith as it works itself out in love) and greetings from Paul and those with him in Asia (cf. 16, 13-24)  [21]  . Taking a closer look to the third chapter of first Corinthians, there is a metaphor that, again, shows the deep affection that Paul has for his communities. Despite the immense sin of the recipients, Paul is still showing a tender care in his letter. Actually, this metaphor seems like a strategy to get their attention and to make them listen to something important. Even though Paul was saying that the Corinthians are babies in Christ (ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ·) and he fed them with milk (ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±) (1Cor 3, 1-2), it also points out what is wrong among them. He reminds the ministers that they are to be humble (1Cor 3, 5); reaffirms the equality among all the members of the community (1Cor 3, 6-10); reminds them that they are built upon the same foundation (1Cor 3, 11-15); they are the Temple and in them the Spirit of God is indwelling (1Cor 3, 16-17); A s so, at the conclusion of the chapter he alerts each member to not fall on merely human assessments (ministers specially) and manipulative attitudes (1Cor 3, 18-23)  [22]  . 1. Paul feeds his babies in Christ (1 Cor 3, 1-2- lexical analysis) ÃŽÅ ¡Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã… ½, à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯, ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ º à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿-ÃŽÂ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿-à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡, à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ·. ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã…’à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±, ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃŽÂ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚ ¬ Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ° ÃŽÂ ³Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚  à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µ. à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ² à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ ÃŽÂ ½Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µ, Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet able to receive it. In fact, you are still not able Chose key words analysis Relations with other Pauline passages and biblical texts In 1Cor 3 Paul has a corrective tone, even though it is still very affectionate. There can be find the maternal imagery once again, but this time it assumes a different approach. The newness lies in the action of feeding with milk, and calling the community babies/children (ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡). Actually here is notorious the difference from 1Tess 2 because Paul juxtaposes metaphors of mother and father to express his relationship with the community at Corinth  [23]  . It is a clear that this familiar metaphor starts right away with the word brothers (à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯). But instantaneously he changes his discourse, calling these brothers little children, the ones who should see Paul as someone capable of feeding them spiritually. He does not feed them with solid food because they were immature in terms of faith. It is also very interesting that Paul uses a contrast between milk (ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±) and solid food(ÃŽÂ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±). Various scholars have intended to give a meaning to this contrast. For example Raymond Collins claims that given that Paul does not propose two types of membership in the church or two levels of preaching and acceptance of the gospel message, any pursuit of specific references for milk and solid food seems to be inconsistent with his thought. It is also right that Paul does not say that he has provided solid food to anyone. Surely the pursuit for specific references for milk and solid food is not what should be done mainly because it deprives Pauls metaphor of its rhetorical force. It is simple for us to get the sense of the contrast between milk and solid food: it fits with Pauls metaphorical description of the Corinthians as mere infants. Proclaiming themselves to be fully mature, they are really like infants who can onl y drink milk, incapable as they are of eating solid food  [24]  . Even the phrase construction has some implications for our interpretation: Paul uses the phrase have given to drink milk; this use of the past perfect tense shows the maternal affection with witch Paul nourished them. Raymond Collins also explains that, in another way, Paul intended to describe himself as a servant of Jesus, and so is a keeper of his little brothers  [25]  . Note: compare to 1 Cor 4,14-15 (Im not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. For you can have ten thousand instructors in Christ, but you cant have many fathers. Now I have fathered you in Christ Jesus through the gospel.); 1Cor 15, 8 (Last of all, as to one abnormally born, He also appeared to me.) 2. Rhetoric of excess metaphor in the context Context itself Parenetic perspective Affective perspective Theological perspective Apocalyptical perspective Other sources (ancient world use of this imagery) 3. Before the modern psychology Letter to the Galatians There were some problems among the Galatians, so Paul in writing them rehearses a number of perspectives with the goal of strengthening those Christians, who were influenced by Judaizing Christians. On this letter Paul shows some fury about this going to the extreme of calling the Galatians foolish Galatians (3, 1). Hence, freedom and unity in Christ are central themes of Pauls letter to the Galatians. About the authorship all the scholars (except a few radical critics) accept that Paul wrote this letter and it is considered as a standard example of Pauls style and theology. The proximity of themes between the letter to the Galatians, second Corinthians and Romans (particularly connected by the controversy over the role of the Jewish Law in Gentile churches) may perhaps point out that these tree letters were written during the same time. If that is true, is also true that it doesnt help much on defining an exact year when this letter was written. It is still a fascinating historical puzzle, but the outcome does not have much effect on the interpretation of the major themes of the letter. Despite all the controversies it is at least generally accepted that this letter was written after the so-called second missionary journey (after Acts 18, 22), sometime between 53 and 57  [26]  . Following Murphy-OConnor, Paul wrote this letter on the first year that he has staying at Ephesus ( between 52 and 53)  [27]  . On its constitution this letter shows some influence of the a regular appearance of an ancient letter form. As Betz does, the letter can be grouped as follows: Epistolary Prescript (1, 1-5); Exordium (introduction, 1, 6-11) Narratio (narration, 1, 12-2, 14); Propositio (proposition, 2, 15-21); Probatio (confirmation, 3, 1-4, 31); Exortatio (5, 1-6, 10); Peroratio (epistolary postscript or conclusion, 6, 11-18)  [28]  . In a simpler way, as G. W. Hansen does, this letter can be divide in four sections: salutation (1, 1-5); rebuke (1, 13-4, 11); request section (4, 12- ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­6, 10) and subscription (6, 11-18). On the salutation Paul stats clearly that he is an apostle (so he is speaking with authority), calling to mind already the unavoidable reality that as to follow Christians at all times with all its mystery: the Cross. After that Paul starts to censure the Galatians using not just his own live as an argument (cf. 1, 13-2, 21) but also the scripture (3, 6-21). Than Paul tu rns from rebuke to request: become as I am (4, 12) is the starting statement of a section where Paul uses again his own live (4, 12-20) and an allegory from the scripture (4, 21-31) to ask the Galatians not just to understand him but also to change their lives. Ending the letter Paul does it as was common in Hellenistic letters: he summarizes all the contents and, also, shows how confident he is on the conversion of the Galatians. Particularly in Gal 4, Paul writes about Galatians first experience of Christianity and all its main roots: the newness of the Gospel overcomes all of the Law (vv. 1-7); their conversion to Christ was a joyful choice (vv. 17-18); the community has a close relationship with Paul and they participate in his mission (vv. 12-16); there is negativity in those who wanted to pervert Pauls preaching (vv. 17-18). In verses 19 and 20, the ones important here, Paul shows his affection for the community. Finally, this chapter ends with a biblical argumentation which intends to explain that the primacy of Christ above the Law is already contained in the same Law. 1. Paul has labor pains lexical analysis à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦, ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬Å"à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ° ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½- ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿-ÃŽÂ ½Ã‚ · My children, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is formed in you. Chose key words analysis Relations with other Pauline passages and biblical texts Focusing on the verses 19 and 20 the verb à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ° (that translated means having labor pains) calls the attention right away. The use of this verb presumes a double significance: in one way it expresses force in the sense that Paul has difficulty giving birth to his spiritual sons into a perfect life of faith; in another way, Paul recognizes the frailty of those little ones, meaning that they dont yet have spiritual strength to resist the attacks coming from outside thinkers. Paul shows, at the same time, that the ones at the head of a community should have a diligent presence in their communities, considering the little ones as a priority. The fact stated by Paul is also important that this birth only progresses as the community lets Christs body take shape among them. They still have to grow spiritually as individuals and as a community. The adverb à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½, meaning once again also worthy of note. It tells us that this suffering is not the first time for Paul. Christ must be formed in the Galatians once more, i.e., the Galatians must be conformed to the crucified Christ (2:19-20)  [29]  . 2. Rhetoric of excess metaphor in the context Context itself Parenetic perspective Affective perspective Theological perspective Apocalyptical perspective Other sources (ancient world use of this imagery) Raymond Collins argues that, by writing this two these two short verses, Paul transmits what a mother would feel about her own children: just before his exposition of the Sarah-Hagar allegory, Paul writes to the Galatians as a frustrated mother might do: My little children (teknamou), for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth (odino) until Christ is formed in you, I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you (4:19-20)  [30]  . As Collins continues, even though the internal image is still current, he says that the meaning in this context is quite different from that of the other metaphor found in the letter to the Thessalonians: in 1Tess 2, 7-8 Paul uses this metaphor to show the affection he had for them while he was with the community; in Gal 4, 9, on the other hand, the image of mother that he applies to himself is used to speak about the sufferings caused by the community. This image gets stronger if placed together the two idea s transmitted by Paul: in one way, Paul feels again labor pains (à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °); in another way, he continues to be puzzled until Christ is formed (ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡) in them. See also Gal 1, 15-16 (But when God, who from my mothers womb set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.) 3. Before the modern psychology Letter to the Romans The letter to the Romans as J. Dunn explains his bold least controversial of the major New Testament letters and the most important. Actually this text is a well-developed theological statement by a Christian theologian and one which has had incalculable influence on the framing of Christian theology ever since. About the author is accepted (as it has been accepted through the centuries) that the letter to the Romans was written by Paul. Most of the scholars would point its date somewhere between the year 55 and 57, probably when Paul stayed at Corinth for three months. Surely Paul had to calm down and concentrate himself as to write this marble piece of work  [31]  . About the recipients should be noted that some manuscripts omitted the word Rome, so is needed to search deeper for who were to be the recipients. As Paul himself states some of the recipients would be Jews: as known there was a large Jew community in Rome in the first century (between 40,000 and 50,000). It is also known, from the letter to Galatians, that there were some Christians over there bringing the Gospel to the circumcised (Gal 2, 9). Actually those Christians had a fruitful ground among the Gentiles proselytes and God-fears who were attached to many Diaspora synagogues as the book of Acts points out. So not just for Jews but also for Gentiles: to Jew, but also to Gentile (Rom 1, 16; 2, 9-10; 3, 9; 3, 29; 9, 24; 10, 12). Actually Paul writes not only addressing special groups of people but seeing the larger social context. Actually Jews, Christians and Gentiles attached to Judaism were largely influenced by Roman culture. Also there were among them some issues to resolve, a t the least because they didnt have a central spiritual at authority in Rome. About the purposes of this letter can be said that they are drawn from the context that was just described. For sure one of the goals of Pauls letter was to provide a support base for his project mission to Spain (cf. Rom 15, 24-28). Also Paul had an apologetic purpose because he felt himself and his understanding of the gospel under attack and needing to be justified. So this letter is an apology of the Gospel and also self apology, since his whole lifes work was bound up with the gospel preached. Altogether with his purpose the letter shows a pastoral reason mainly because Paul was writing to heal potential or real divisions among churches in Rome. Attempting to have a general understanding of the argument of the letter it can be divided it in seven parts. Firstly an introduction in wh

Technology - Digital Video and Copyright Fair Use Essay -- Exploratory

Digital Video and Copyright Fair Use Abstract: Video is one of the most compelling forms of communication of this time. Over the course of the past few years, the gradual but sure drift from analog to digital in video technology has not only improved the abilities of visual communication media to distribute data, but has also improved their abilities to manipulate the data that they distribute. Digital video technology has advanced to the extent that still image manipulation has been usurped by more powerful technological developments that allow elements of a video image to be manipulated in real-time. That is, objects or persons in a video image can be edited out or edited in while the image is in broadcast without the slightest glitch to suggest that some change has occurred; everything would look â€Å"real.† The advantages that this technology opens for visual media are extensive. Similar to some technologies, however, it opens up an exploitive edge. Pixels are plastic (can be changed) and using them to distort or mani pulate reality is an opportunity open to all users of video manipulation tools. The ethics of such uses and the social considerations of how copyright laws would deal with a technology which manipulates digital works of authorship, works to which copyright automatically attaches, are issues worth considering. This paper explores the possible and actual, reputable and less reputable uses of this technology in an attempt to stimulate discussions about how â€Å"well-intended† technologies can be utilized by users in unethical and harmful ways. The paper also attempts to see where possible infringements of copyright’s fair use doctrine has occurred or could possibly occur through use of this technology. A n... ...pinions. Despite the many issues connected to this technology however, the advantages it offers surpass any disadvantages seen thus far. References 1. Amato, Ivan. Lying with Pixels, Technology Review, Cambridge, Jul/Aug 2000. p.61. 2. See reference 1 above. 3. See reference 1, p.62. 4. See reference 3 above. 5. Royal Philips Electronics, Imaging : its digital future, Briefing, Volume 3, Issue 2, article no. 19. 6. See reference 1, p.64. 7. See reference 1 p. 65. 8. Samuelson, Pamela. Copyright’s fair use doctrine and digital data, Association for Computing Machinery., Communications of the ACM; vol. 37, Issue 1; New York, 1994. p. 22. 9. See reference 8, p.23. Additional:- Samuelson, Pamela. Copyright and Digital Libraries. (class material)http://web5.computer-select.com/csweb/session/329/331/ (Article - Free Video Hosting)

Racism and ethnicity Essay

Joseph Addison once said that, â€Å"If men would consider not so much where they differ, as wherein they agree, there would be far less of uncharitableness and angry feeling in the world. † This holds true to the sentiments I have when it comes to the numerous injustices people incur due to their skin color, ethnicity, and the like. I have seen and witnessed first hand the harm people can cause to one another due to petty differences between them; and I have also often pondered why such acts occur in our world. I used to think that this may be an isolated case; a freak phenomenon that has occurred solely in the confines of my home land. A social phenomenon that has existed in my home land due to the history our people have gone through. Yet, I have seen that such injustices and anger occur in other lands such as the United States of America and knowing of this makes me wonder if racism can be found in all societies regardless of geographic location and history. To get a better understanding of this social phenomenon I have decided to look into the cases of racism I have seen in my home country of Serbia and compare that to those acts I have seen here in America. Before I do proceed, I think it is necessary to take into consideration what racism really is. Many scholars have given various definitions to this phenomenon and the differences in the definitions can be attributed to the fact that the term covers a broad spectrum of implications of race-based bigotry, prejudice, violence, oppression, stereotyping or discrimination. Since it covers such a wide array of topics and takes into account various social issues we can take into account 2 general definitions of racism; the sociological and the legal. Racism is broadly defined as a form of discrimination based on characteristics of race and existing either as individual racism, which originates in the racist beliefs of a single person, or institutional racism, which occurs when racist ideas and practices are embodied in the folkways, mores and norms (Leeder. 2003). On the other hand, sociologists Noel Cazenave and Darlene Alvarez Maddern define racism as â€Å"†¦ a highly organized system of ‘race’-based group privilege that operates at every level of society and is held together by a sophisticated ideology of color/’race’ supremacy. Racist systems include, but cannot be reduced to, racial bigotry,† (Cazenave and Maddern 1999: 42). Based on these definitions we can see two dominant themes when we speak about racism. The first among the two is the fact that racism takes into account the psyche of an individual. To be more precise, we deal with the construct of beliefs a person or group may hold against others as embodied by the mores and norms they have. The second aspect that we find is the fact that racism is a highly organized group structure as pointed out by Noel Cazenave and Darlene Alvarez Maddern. With regard to the second aspect, we find that racism is a social construct, a privilege of certain groups within a society. Hence, we are led to conclude that the social phenomenon can very well exist in any society. After all, there is no true homogenous society and the fact remain that differences abound between groups. Take the United States of America, though it is a single country the social structure can still clearly delineated between the different races that occupy its geography. As for my home country of Serbia, we also see that racism cuts across groups as I have seen people display acts of racial discrimination on gypsies; a group who since their unexplained appearance in Europe over nine centuries ago, the gypsies have refused to fall in with conventional settled life. They remain a people whose culture and customs are beset with misunderstanding, and who cling to their distinct identity in the teeth of persistent rejection and pressure to conform. This social group has been long been ridiculed and persecuted in Serbia. I have also personally seen people who look like neo-Nazis with their shaved heads launching verbal assaults and beating up gypsies. It is a saddening truth that things like this happen. What’s worse is the fact that gypsies are actually persecuted all around Europe. Other shocking instances of racial acts can also be seen in soccer games in Serbia. An example of this is even cited on a blog/news commentary on the Fox Sports website.

Personal space Essay

Most social situations North Americans require a comfort zone of six to eight square feet per person, and any violation of that buffer can trigger a reaction (Bowen). â€Å"People use avoidance responses,† says Robert Sommer, a psychologist at the University of California-Davis and author of the book Personal Space (qtd. in Bowen). But where does the standard of personal space come from? According to Sommer, â€Å"a comfort distance for conversation varies from culture to culture.† Because Mediterranean and Asian countries are more densely populated, their personal space zones are much closer to the body than those of North Americans and Northern Europeans (qtd. in Bowen). The westerns are certainly planning on keeping this standard in the future. In fact, the world’s population is increasing at an incredible rate. Even the country offers its citizens plenty of spaces everywhere; they have to learn to make compromises on their personal space not only to accept the inevitable reality but also for the benefit of this compromise. First of all, urban Americans should make compromises on personal space when they are using public transportations. The New York City subway system is a really great representative example of personal space; the total number of urban citizens is more than 18 million, thus making the subway system extremely crowded every day. But even during the rush hours, the passengers are still careful about their distance with the others. If one person has a minor physical contact with someone and doesn’t express the apology, the other person will raise their voice instantly and say â€Å"excuse me† and certainly feels offended. This is totally unnecessary, especially during the rush hours, because some people might be late for work or school already, and someone might be thinking about today’s schedule. The rest of them are doing things that indeed catch their attention. Under such circumstances, it’s highly possible for passengers to have minor physical contact with others out of negligence they don’t notice. On the other hand, there is Shanghai, the second largest city in China with more than 20 million residents and most of them use the subway for daily transportation. It’s even more crowded compared to the New York City subway. So close to each other with their shoulders and backs passengers may nudge 2 or 3 persons at the same time, and they have been totally adapted to this situation without any discomfort. The Tokyo subway  system passengers have even less personal space during the rush hours. The metro staff will push the passengers back so that more people will have the opportunity to get in the train in the morning. What are the passengers’ reactions? They don’t feel offended at all. They are actually grateful because all of them can get to work on time, and their personal sacrifice is helping many people. Their joint efforts make the subway system much more efficient and indeed prevent lots of unpleasant arguments. â€Å"When they’re moving, they tend to keep a distance of three or four steps so as not to violate each other’s personal space.† said Larry Gould, director of operations analysis at New York City Transit (qtd. in Gardy). But the sheer density of the population is giving the Chinese a very different sense of personal space (Toy, 2). â€Å"Personal spaces overlap,† said Stuart Strother, an economist who has lived in China and who wrote a travel guide, â€Å"Living Abroad in China†. â€Å"It’s not that you don’t have any personal space, but I may have to share your space,† he said. Perhaps as a consequence, Strother said, pointing at and touching people, even total strangers, is not considered rude (Toy). There’s also another interesting phenomenon. You will never see two strangers sitting together in the New York City subway if there’s empty space somewhere else. The definition for â€Å"empty† means nobody is sitting next to you, and there’s at least one seat separating you from your surroundings. Most of the time, even during the rush hours, passengers prefer to stand rather than take the single seat between two passengers. Based on Robert Sommer’s theory, â€Å"The violation of personal space increases tension levels enormously (qtd. in Bowen)†. In other words, urban Americans prefer to sacrifice many things in order to sustain their high standard of personal space. But with the expansion of population, Americans eventually have to make compromises on personal space. So why not prepare to adjust the situation ahead of time? There’re also many benefits if they’re willing to do so. The most direct benefit is to increase the capacity of the train; more passengers can get in the train if most of them are willing to have less personal space. On top of that, more empty seats will be occupied if they sit close to each other. The amounts of seats are designed for a reason; it’s common to see 3 people occupy 4 or more seats. They sit apart simply because they want to have more personal space. Nothing bad will happen if  Americans make compromises on personal space. Urban Americans don’t need to create those invisible walls to protect themselves. They probably waste a great opportunity to make new friends sitting away from each other in the subway. Society will be filled with harmony and peace if people are not so suspicious and stop creating those invisible walls subconsciously. Lots of Americans are having a hard time adjusting to Chinese culture during their visit in Chinese cities. Some locals may come to them in order to take photos with the foreigners. Other locals are probably looking at the foreigners out of curiosity. Those actions are really common in China but the Americans are quite sensitive to those actions and sometimes feel offended. Their invisible walls are necessary to isolate them but indeed increase the tension levels. Americans’ perceptions and standards of personal space are definitely hard to change, but if they do, it always comes with a greater good. The United States is currently the No.1 country in the world, which receives millions of immigrants every year. By receiving those immigrants, United States not only receives the knowledge but also accepts their different cultural standards. Urban Americans can neither apply all the American standards to new immigrants nor expect them to adopt the entire standards by themselves. Personal space is only the tip of the iceberg, but it’s fairly important to live in the big cultural melting pot of New York. Subway passengers are highly diversified, and there’re probably people from 50 different countries taking the same train at the same time. According to Shuhan Wang, the executive director for Chinese language initiatives at the Asia Society, there’s an old Chinese saying â€Å"you treat other people’s elderly as if they’re your own, and you treat other people’s children as if they’re your own∙∙∙ So in a way, everybody in society is extended family† (qtd. in Toy). This is a good concept that urban Americans should take a look at to make compromises. By lowering the standard of personal space, it will be easier for foreign immigrants to be part of the society, and lower standards are always easier to be adopted gradually. The standards of personal space can also be interpreted through sociological perspective. According to Robert Pepper, a sociology professor at New York Institute of Technology, conflict theory can be used to explain the standards of personal space because people are competing for scarce resources; every single passenger would like to  have some extra space in the subway especially during the rush hour. He used the term â€Å"ethnocentrism† to suggest that Americans to make compromises on personal space. He believes Americans should not place their own cultural group above the rest. The standards of personal space are definitely different based on the culture, and the Americans should respect all customs and religions. â€Å"Chinese society emphasizes a collective mentality over an individualistic one.† said Stuart Strother (qtd. in Toy). But the American culture is exactly the opposite, thus making it even harder for urban Americans to accept. Having the idea of individualism, Americans are rewarded for behaving independently, making their own plans, and working toward achieving their personal goals. Under such circumstance, individuals are hired and promoted largely based on individual achievement and qualifications (â€Å"Culture†). And the Americans expand this idea of individualism into all areas; they want to be unique, to be easily distinguished from the crowd, and a high standard of personal space is definitely necessary. Chinese people are different, they emphasize the idea of the group, and everyone in the group shares things equally, so no one is necessarily better than the rest. People will stay together to achieve the group goal. No one wants to be unique because if you are unique that means you are isolated. The overall impact from high population density and idea of big groups are helping the Chinese adjust the lower standard of personal space in the long run. If Americans could learn some of the concepts, it will be much easier for them to make personal sacrifices in exchange for the greater good of the society. But some people may argue that lack of personal space can indicate people’s lack of manners and this is not right. In Lee, Patrick P’s article â€Å"Rush Hour,† he introduced his own life experience in Hong Kong which at the time was still a British colony. Hong Kong adopted the language, social order, peoples’ perceptions of things and especially manners. They are taught with the British gentlemen’s style, but on the other hand, there’s no need to say â€Å"excuse me† in the subway, or any doorway. The locals aren’t being rude when they invade your personal space. They simply need to go everywhere, nowhere, fast. In tiny and overcrowded Hong Kong, the concept of â€Å"personal space† is a luxury which one can’t afford and probably doesn’t exist (Lee, 2). This kind of situation will eventually happen in big US cities. If they’re making the compromise now, it  can be beneficial in the long run. The United States doesn’t have mandatory birth control which will inevitably make the population expansion even faster, and as a result the personal space will shrink. So to be prepared ahead of time is always a good thing. The younger generation will have different mind sets in the future in order to adjust the situation. Driven by individualism, urban Americans are treating their personal space as one of their birth rights. It’s complicated even verbally to ask them to make compromises on their personal space. But the whole world population just passed 7 billion 1 month ago; this inevitable reality should give urban Americans a wakeup call. If they choose to live in the big cities, they’re going to have to face the overcrowded society. They’re going to feel disappointed because their old standards cannot apply anymore. So, make the changes of mind from now and it will eventually give them greater benefits. They can have a good mood to start the new day with the crowded subway, if they’re willing to make minor sacrifice on personal space. They’re still very gentle persons even they sit next to someone because the society accept the different mind and adapt to the situation of fast expanded population and less personal space. Foreigners won’t feel the indivisible walls anymore because urban Americans don’t need them anymore. The whole society could be filled with harmony and urban Americans could be living more like a big family.