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Since 2005, when the Lord’s Resistance Army ceased operations in Uganda, the country has seen a period of relative stability, gains in peace-consolidation, and progress in meeting its Millennium Development Goals. However, the effects of decades of violence on resilience, social cohesion, and levels of equality among various sectors of the population are still poorly understood. Moreover, education is assumed to play a critical role in the promotion of peacebuilding goals, but these assumptions are rarely tested. In Uganda, as in many post-conflict countries, regional disparities in educational experiences, resilience and social cohesion in the population have not been scrutinized.
This baseline study to measure resilience and social cohesion, administered in partnership between UNICEF and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative of Harvard University, was designed to fill these gaps. Specifically, it looked at five dimensions of social cohesion: 1) trust, 2) social relationships, 3) civic and social participation, 4) inclusion and attitudes toward social processes and services, and 5) constructive dispute resolution and their relationship to educational experiences.
Key findings suggest strengths that can be leveraged through education sector interventions to improve social cohesion, as well as areas of improvement. For instance, since respondents reported relatively high levels of comfort in interacting with people from other religious, political, and ethnic groups, there is a positive foundation of inter-community interaction upon which greater levels of trust can be built. The overall low social cohesion scores and diversity scores, however, suggest that there is room for improvement, including promoting respect for diversity within Ugandan classrooms.
The study is based on a survey conducted among a random sample of 2,079 randomly selected adult residents of Uganda.
Pham PN, Vinck P, Gibbons N (2015). Population-Based Survey on Peace and Education: Uganda. UNICEF, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.
The results of this study are also presented in an interactive map format here. | http://www.peacebuildingdata.org/peacebuilding-education/uganda |
While most of the implemented programmes that promote social cohesion are based on people’s ideology, perceptions, and social behaviours, the impact of the physical built environment, that hosts people’s lives and their social interactions, remains less tackled. In the context of urban planning, to what extent do our cities affect the advancement of social cohesion of communities? And could elusive and complex social concepts –like social cohesion- be tackled in a practical spatial planning approach that yields concrete actions?
The fostering of social cohesion gained intensive focus in the literature of urban planning and sustainable development studies, especially in cities, which include complex socio-economic fabrics and experience big demographic changes. Cities, that involve a diverse mass of the population of different backgrounds, interests, religions, ethnicities, and social statuses, would constitute more than two-thirds of the world population by 2050.
Opportunities and challenges of diversity come hand-in-hand. Providing equal opportunities and basic needs to all citizens, regardless of their background or social status is a pressing concern of planners and decision-makers in cities, where the income gap is more likely to get wider. Moreover, preserving unity and social solidarity among different social groups is a hard challenge that needs more than providing material needs to everyone.
Amman provides one case in point. Historically, the city received immigrant and refugee waves including Circassians, Palestinians, Iraqis, and recently the Syrians. The city, which is populated with 4,327,800 million residents which is 42% of Jordan’s total population, stands as a unique cultural and ethnic melted mixture, while presenting an example for peace and tolerance in a charged and unstable region. Yet socio-spatial division is still perceived in some areas of Amman, mostly based on the economic and wealth distribution, evidently between east and west Amman. The eastern areas of Amman is poorer, hillier, more crowded, less fertile, and people are younger and receive services of lower quality than those in the western areas. Moreover, the recent unplanned Syrian refugee influx was an unprecedented demographic change that Amman planners could not have detected.
According to the Encyclopaedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research, “social cohesion refers to the extent of connectedness and solidarity among groups in society” and is based on two main dimensions. The relationships among members within the community and their sense of belonging to the city.
Social cohesion between different social groups depends on many factors.
Although urban planners cannot independently provide the complete solution to the social problems of the city, yet their role would be facilitating the interaction and social mixing in the community by ensuring well-connected and liveable urban patterns. Therefore, urban planners tend to apply the human perspective to their cities when planning “cities for people” or “people-friendly” cities, where public spaces are occupied by people of different statuses.
For planners to provide equitable opportunities and services, the following needs to be taken into consideration: planning for suitable proximity between facilities, transportation, places of employment, and housing, while keeping accessibility and mobility within suitable range for all citizens. In addition to providing different affordable housing types for different social groups.
On the other hand, fostering social cohesion requires maintaining social values like justice and equality, which are connected to the distribution of wealth, and current and future opportunities among individuals. Also, critical to fulfilling equality and justice among citizens is people’s participation in the process of shaping their cities. In this regard, participatory planning is a key approach to enhancing the sense of belonging and social inclusion of all members of society.
Fostering social inclusion in planning cities implies concepts like “the right to the city”, which is the right of the residents to full and equal access to the resources and services in cities. This right includes the concept of “Autogestion” (self-management), where people are free to make and remake their cities and themselves. In that sense, the right to the city is a continuous process shaped by people’s needs and challenges and based on “social solidarities”.
Another urban concept that explores justice in cities is the “spatial justice”, which have been broadly discussed by Professor Edward Soja in his book “Seeking Spatial Justice”, 2010. The term states that “justice has a geography, and the equitable distribution of resources, services, and access is a basic human right”. The term highlights the spatial dimension of justice, which explains hidden aspects and new perspectives for action.
Both concepts fall under urban social movements and complement each other to create the just city, which implies equity and distribution of resources on the one hand, and supports the full development of the individual and the society as a whole, on the other. Furthermore, the concepts are linked to the notion of citizenship, which requires people’s social mobility and participation in decision-making.
preserving social cohesion and spatial justice among citizens raises their sense of belonging, while inequalities and injustice in distribution wealth and rights would lead to marginalise some social groups that are the least represented in the city or deprived of their basic needs. Subsequently, the society’s stability and security would be threatened, while conflicts, poorer social relationships, and violent crime rates would increase.
In most cases, the poor and the most vulnerable sense the injustice and inequality impact more than wealthier social groups, therefore, “the call for a “real” right to the city comes from the oppressed and alienated”. It comes also from “the most marginalised and the most underpaid and insecure members of the working class”.
Fostering social cohesion in the urban planning context requires action plans that intersect and work in parallel with different layers of development; social, economic, political, and cultural. The traditional tasks of urban planners in managing land use to provide services and needs are no longer enough to cope with the complex and massive growth of cities. Furthermore, anticipating shocks in an unstable part of the world, that is constantly changing, is a difficult task, therefore, proactive and resilient planning that responds to possible future scenarios is a necessity in this struggle.
This process must consider the participation of different social groups to foster the inclusivity and to preserve the sense of belonging and active citizenship within the community. Finally, while grievances and injustices could take several forms, linking them to the spatial dimension is a contemporary and practical approach that provides evidence and facilitates forming concrete actions, where both, the urban planner and the sociologist work together for a common agenda, in a collaborative manner. | http://wanainstitute.org/en/blog/how-could-urban-planners-contribute-social-cohesion-cities |
The functionalist perspective, which originates from Emile Durkheim’s work on religion, highlights the social role of religion.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Explain how functionalists view the purpose of religion in society
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Key Points
- The positivist tradition encourages the study of society using dispassionate and scientific methods.
- Emile Durkheim argued that religion provides social cohesion and social control to maintain society in social solidarity.
- Collective consciousness, which is the fusion of all of our individual consciousnesses, creates a reality of its own.
- Critics of the functionalist approach point out that religion can be dysfunctional. For example, religion may incite violence by a fundamentalist religious group.
Key Terms
- social control: any control, either formal or informal, that is exerted by a group, especially by one’s peers
- social cohesion: The bonds or “glue” that maintain stability in society.
Functions of Religion
The structural-functional approach to religion has its roots in Emile Durkheim’s work on religion. Durkheim argued that religion is, in a sense, the celebration and even (self-) worship of human society. Given this approach, Durkheim proposed that religion has three major functions in society: it provides social cohesion to help maintain social solidarity through shared rituals and beliefs, social control to enforce religious-based morals and norms to help maintain conformity and control in society, and it offers meaning and purpose to answer any existential questions. Further, Durkheim placed himself in the positivist tradition, meaning that he thought of his study of society as dispassionate and scientific. He was deeply interested in the problem of what held complex modern societies together. Religion, he argued, was an expression of social cohesion.
Religion, for Durkheim, is not imaginary, although he does deprive it of what many believers find essential. Religion is very real; it is an expression of society itself, and indeed, there is no society that does not have religion. We perceive as individuals a force greater than ourselves and give that perception a supernatural face. We then express ourselves religiously in groups, which for Durkheim makes the symbolic power greater. Religion is an expression of our collective consciousness, which is the fusion of all of our individual consciousness, which then creates a reality of its own.
It follows, then, that less complex societies, such as the Australian Aborigines, have less complex religious systems, involving totems associated with particular clans. The more complex a particular society is, the more complex the religious system. As societies come in contact with other societies, there is a tendency for religious systems to emphasize universalism to a greater and greater extent. However, as the division of labor makes the individual seem more important, religious systems increasingly focus on individual salvation and conscience.
The primary criticism of the structural-functional approach to religion is that it overlooks religion’s dysfunctions. For instance, religion can be used to justify terrorism and violence. Religion has often been the justification of, and motivation for, war. In one sense, this still fits the structural-functional approach as it provides social cohesion among the members of one party in a conflict. For instance, the social cohesion among the members of a terrorist group is high, but in a broader sense, religion is obviously resulting in conflict without questioning its actions against other members of society. | https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Textbooks_and_TextMaps/Sociology/Book%3A_Sociology_(Boundless)/14%3A_Religion/14.3%3A_The_Functionalist_Perspective_on_Religion/14.3A%3A_Functions_of_Religion |
The World Economic Forum on how we can rebuild social cohesion and trust through citizen dialogues.
The economic and social disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic is severe. Loss of lives and livelihoods, poverty and inequality are rising in every country on Earth. Social movements such as Black Lives Matter have brought attention to systemic injustices across our societies. The compounding effects of different crises present a serious threat to social cohesion and global cooperation, potentially setting off a vicious cycle of economic despair and social unrest.
While knowing the aggregated effects of COVID-19 on the world helps us see the big picture for the post-pandemic recovery, understanding the individual experiences and perceptions of citizens will help chart a path forward towards a just recovery that puts those most affected by the crisis at the centre of these efforts. In this report, we share the results of deliberative citizen dialogues, unearthing collective intelligence on citizen priorities during the pandemic and beyond. The dialogues were conducted with 120-plus participants in five different contexts in December 2020: they encompassed European countries (France and Germany), India, West Africa, an international network of youth students and children, giving a glimpse of the global scale of the effects. The dialogues were executed with the support of six partnering organisations: Civis, Confkids, Isha Foundation, Missions Publiques, United World Colleges (UWC) and the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). To ensure representative and evidence-based recommendations, the dialogue findings presented in this report have been supplemented by further supporting materials and insights, priorities and solutions proposed by global civil society.
The findings highlight the effects of COVID-19 on the participants and their priorities for the post-pandemic recovery, as well as the importance of social cohesion and trust. The report concludes with a proposal to spur collective action for a transformational recovery.
COVID-19 opens the doors to change
While, overall, participants felt that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their lives, there is optimism that the crisis will pave the way for positive effects in the years to come. There is a strong sentiment for change after the COVID-19 outbreak, both personally and for society.
The top positive impacts identified include increased solidarity in society, an infrastructure boost in developing nations and beneficial effects on the environment. A lack of clarity and transparency in decision-making, amplification of social inequalities and insecurity in livelihoods, and a decrease in global collaboration were emphasized as the biggest negative effects of the pandemic.
Strengthening social cohesion
The resilience of a society is dependent on high levels of social cohesion. In a time when economic and social issues are worsening and the vulnerability of individuals is increasing, an approach to the future needs to be cohesive rather than divisive.
Equality was deemed the central element to advancing social cohesion. Fairness in vaccine distribution stood out as a priority to drive equity in a post-COVID-19 world. Participants felt that trust in others was being eroded during the pandemic. A sense of declining trust in government was also observed. At the same time a stronger sense of social cohesion emerged that strengthened trust; this was exemplified by many solidarity initiatives and the great deal of mutual aid that was established.
Collective action and collectivism, dialogue, participation, diversity and social awareness and education on the root causes of inequality were all seen as central to encouraging social cohesion. Additionally, the role of religion and its influence in building social cohesion should not be underestimated.
Download the full report here. | https://ceo-na.com/opinion/engaging-citizens-for-inclusive-futures/ |
How much should we care about social cohesion?
Nayah Victoria Thu, Oslo International School, Norway
Winner of the 2019 Politics Prize | 7 min read
Introduction
In a world where our common future looks increasingly uncertain, humanity needs a measure of collective potential: social cohesion. Using GDP as a proxy for progress is outdated, as purely economic measures are neither sustainable nor sufficiently holistic. Academics have previously dismissed "additional indicators [as] a fundamentally political question" (Feigl, Hergovich and Rehm). However, social cohesion is neither “additional”, nor solely “political”. Instead, it provides a central focus for the necessary shift in global mindset away from perpetual economic growth. Social cohesion is imperative as humanity moves towards the ecological and societal sustainability embodied in initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Referring to the “bonds” that hold society together, social cohesion can be defined as “the willingness of members of a society to cooperate with each other in order to survive and prosper” (Stanley). This concept was born of Emilie Durkheim’s attempt to define the quality lost during the “social erosion” of early industrialization. He baptized it the “consciousness collective; the belief held by citizens of a nation-state that they share a moral community, which enables them to trust each other” (Larsen). In the present day, Durkheim would notice striking parallels to his lifetime: great technological change in an increasingly connected yet polarized world. As Durkheim’s perspective can be used to defend forced homogeneity, his concept must evolve to reflect modern liberal values. The trusting community he mentions must originate organically in order to reach its full potential. While he refers to the “nationstate”, moving towards the ecological ceiling of our biosphere requires genuine cooperation on a much greater level. The infrastructure to improve measurements of cohesion should likewise be globally developed, encompassing factors such as: “life satisfaction, trust, prosocial behaviour, suicide and voter turnout” (OECD). Social cohesion’s utilitarian value lies in determining the factors necessary for the future prosperity of the human race.
Reimagining Development
Humanity needs to start measuring and appreciating the social qualities required to move into ecological and societal balance. In On Liberty, Mill argues for the ability of any person to do what they want provided they do not hurt others. Today, this capability to “hurt” includes future generations – redefining the individual as part of an interconnected system, where affecting others is the rule, not the exception. As “Identity is socially constructed” (World Bank), the independence and sense of fulfilment required for peace is only possible through the opportunities afforded by a socially cohesive state. It encompasses the social structure necessary for individual development and group identity, remaining deeply utilitarian in nature. It is a measure of “inclusion…trust… and mobility” (Fonesca, Lukosch and Brazier). Liberal values and cohesion are mutually supportive: respect of individual freedom makes people more willing to work together, and less likely to abuse others’ rights. In addition, the empathy and collaboration of a cohesive society increases altruism, serving general utility. Merely replacing “citizen” with “consumer” changed survey respondents’ values, causing “reduced social involvement” (Bauer, Wilkie and Kim). A holistic system to measure fulfilment and cooperation would be even more powerful than reversing this semantic change. It could transform the individual’s role from that of a narcissistic homo economicus to a cooperative member of humanity.
Cohesion and the State
Social cohesion provides a lens through which to objectively analyse the rise of countries culturally dissimilar to the West. It is a defining component of development, more important than historical similarities or differences. Locke justifies the state through tacit consent: the acceptance of state systems and benefits. High social cohesion measures citizens’ acceptance of and willingness to work with one another and the state, thus embodying tacit consent. As any country’s potential for development is contingent on its legitimacy and contemporary political situation, cohesion also constitutes the essence of sustainable growth. This sheds light on the significance of high trust levels present in China “across … the last couple of decades” (Ortiz-Ospina and Roser). The constituent elements of social cohesion, from prosocial behaviour to high voter turn-out, justify the Chinese government, enabling it to mobilize the population towards its common goals.
Although social cohesion is criticized as “vague enough to follow political meanderings” (Stanley), this applies to political misuse of the term, not its essence. Independently evaluating alleged social cohesion clarifies this distinction. In Greece, the “cost of protecting
insiders falls largely on ‘outsiders’” (The Economist), as the bloated public sector excludes younger citizens from economic participation. While undertaken in the name of cohesion, this leads to social stratification – eroding organic trust and undermining cooperative potential. Greece is blatantly misusing the term. Nevertheless, elements of social cohesion are open to interpretation. For example, Plotke questions whether competitive elections are the only valuable method of political representation. He broadens “representation” to include interest and “type” representation and “suggests that modern understandings of political representation are to some extent contingent on political realities” (Dovi). Explaining the importance of cohesive inclusion in representing a diverse society, he recommends analysing of contemporary political systems. Their effect on representation can be extended to their ability to support social cohesion. For example, within Western democracies, first-past-thepost and plurality systems are markedly different. The latter cultivates a culture of compromise, while the former, used in the UK and USA, is more divisive. Countries relying on a winner-takes-all system must strengthen their true cohesiveness or remain susceptible to partisan division. Any government desirous to retain power must understand the significance of social cohesion.
Focusing on social cohesion makes any state accountable for its citizens’ welfare, no matter the form of government. The feedback loops of political participation incentivize the incumbents to do more for their citizens. This is clearly shown in the democratic process of voting, as “average life satisfaction is significantly related to the vote share [of the incumbent party]” (Ward). If social cohesion were an accepted measure of success, it would incentivize authoritarian regimes like the government of Equatorial Guinea to polish their international image by developing their country and society, instead of chasing oligarchical economic gains, touting a deceptively high GDP per capita and “spending huge sums on public relations” (Birrell) to “prove” their development. The presence of moral norms, with the “expectations of a social contract backed up by public accountability” (Raworth 125) can have tangible effects on objective measures of welfare. A Ugandan hospital’s public noticeboard and results reporting led to “33% fewer children dying under the age of five” (125). Note that the phrase “social contract” is imperfect as it does not imply common ownership of solutions, unlike the inclusive concept of “society [as] a joint-stock company” (Emerson 3). Nevertheless, social cohesion can prevent a transactional, economic worldview, holding governments accountable for all their actions.
Cohesion and Development
Social cohesion within countries is paramount to measuring the potential for successful international aid. According to William Easterly, the IMF and World Bank’s efforts to fix long-term economic issues have been less successful than their crisis control. Attempting to forge societal development using economic tools, they block the “circuitous route to a free market” (Easterly). This route implies that social cohesion must grow organically to reach the minimum level of trusting co-operation required to implement economic plans. Working through corrupt governments, organizations cannot mobilize the population or increase vertical trust required for the country’s self-sufficiency. Willingness to cooperate must be present for economic tools to successfully encourage sustainable development.
Social cohesion can correspond to social homogeneity. Economically developed Botswana, unlike many African countries, has a dominate ethnic group, language and a relatively intact traditional hierarchy. Linguistic and social diversity pose a barrier to trusting interaction. They have a negative correlation with societal development as “Countries with high social capital…tend to be linguistically homogenous” (Prospero). Perceived cultural and linguistic norms allow for conversion of social capital into tangible benefits, as outlined by Bourdieu. However, Botswana is a case of naturally occurring homogeneity, comparable to monocultural countries like Japan and Iceland. Cultural homogeneity should be seen as a possible contributing factor to social cohesion, not a desirable end in itself.
Just as social cohesion’s value lies in serving general utility, homogeneity’s value lies solely in its ability to generate social cohesion. Utility is served by social inclusion; “The process of improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity to take part in society” (Bordia Das). Durkheim attempted to artificially recreate natural homogeneity. However, he mistakenly neglected to acknowledge that marginalizing minority groups strips social cohesion of its utilitarian value. Today, modern academics recognize that “[forced] social homogeneity may be detrimental to social cohesion” (Stanley). For instance, destabilizing legal initiatives to create social homogeneity leave minorities like the Rohingya “lack[ing] basic rights” (Blakemore). This diminishes incentives to cooperate, breeding a culture of fear inconducive to the trust that forms the essence of social cohesion. With the ensuing power imbalance, authoritarian states lack the fluidity to respond to threats to their social and group identity. Considering current migratory pressure and the importance of inclusion for utility, social homogeneity becomes an unworthy goal.
Our Common Humanity
Inter-group, pro-social behaviour is arguably a greater source of legitimate power than any monopoly on physical force. Bourdieu argues that owners of social capital could become much stronger if owners of economic capital did not pit them against each other. Though such solidarity is difficult to maintain, moments of collective human identity and purpose can inspire group action. Grassroot efforts, personified in protests like Occupy and Extinction Rebellion, are imperative in raising awareness of our shared humanity. Similarly, according to Roger Griffins, counter-movements in less cohesive states succeed because they rely on shared, inextinguishable moral ideas. These commonalities establish trust, increasing group efficacy. A tendency towards self-interest does not prevent unifying goals from nurturing the horizontal trust necessary for social cohesion.
Just as the technological change and inequality of the industrial revolution worried Durkheim, so should the current power of social media merit a greater focus on social cohesion. Social media algorithms confirm, not challenge, extremist views as various groups discuss complex issues “within politically homogeneous ‘echo chambers’” (University of Pennsylvania). This creates a dichotomy between collective human identity and divisive factions, accelerating polarization. However, "egalitarian social networks, in which no individual is more powerful than another” utilize the “remarkably strong effects of bipartisan social learning on eliminating polarization" (University of Pennsylvania). By refocusing, governments and media companies can not only accelerate, but also mitigate polarization. Even technicalities such as “the shade of blue and the size of buttons” (The Economist) greatly impact people’s
willingness to listen to each other and empathize with other groups. Social media can facilitate constructive interaction, as long as it aims to promote social cohesion.
Social cohesion is a fragile, long-term goal that requires a sense of our common future. Focusing on interaction and present similarities facilitates this understanding. Inter-group exchange enables cohesion to grow organically in a larger, inclusive moral community. It is infinitely preferable to denying the presence of minority groups or persecuting them in misguided attempts at creating homogeneity. Mill argued “The only people who need to concern themselves regularly about … society in general are those few whose actions have an influence that extends that far” (Mill 13). The interdependence of 21st century society means that every individual’s actions reverberate globally in some regard, solidifying the importance of a cohesive human identity and global awareness.
Conclusion
There is no single panacea for the challenges facing humanity. Solutions are not solely technological, political, economic or cultural, but complex webs of vertical and horizontal cooperative effort. Social cohesion is a crucial measure of our propensity to cooperate,
focusing on stability and holistic development as opposed to short-term economic gain. Only by appreciating its essence can we harness our collective potential to achieve harmony within the limits of our shared planet.
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Conflict management is an important topic to the fields of animal behavior and human evolution, as mitigating the negative consequences of aggression is a crucial component to our ability to coexist and cooperate in social groups. Exploring conflict management behaviors performed by third parties can shed light on our understanding of the origins of prosocial behavior: given the risks of escalated or redirected aggression, the fitness benefits that third parties accrue which may drive them to participate in conflict management strategies remain unclear. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate conflict management in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) by exploring the ontogeny, patterns and function of third party conflict management behaviors.Chapter 1 provides an overview of the evolution of group living and the costs of aggression that accompany life in a social group. I introduce conflict management behaviors as a strategy for mitigating the deleterious outcomes of aggression and promoting group stability. Next, I argue that chimpanzee are a compelling species in which to investigate patterns of third party conflict management given their elevated rates of within group aggression compared to humans, diverse repertoire of third party behaviors, fluid social groups and close genetic relationship to humans. I focus on two third party conflict management behaviors that may be prosocial in nature: third party affiliation in which the third party extends affiliative behaviors to the victim of the aggression, and policing in which a third party impartially intervenes in the conflict.Chapter 2 uses 26 years of data to investigate the emergence of third party affiliation in wild immature eastern chimpanzees (P.t. schweinfurthii) of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. I find that immatures between the ages of 1.5 - 12.0 years do not express third party affiliation as measured by grooming or play. These results contrast with findings from captive studies which found that chimpanzees as young as 6 years of age demonstrated third party affiliation, suggesting that variation in conflict management behaviors of young chimpanzees may be heavily influenced by social, ecological, and demographic factors. Chapter 3 investigates four hypotheses for the functional value of policing behavior in chimpanzees, a conflict management strategy whereby uninvolved third parties monitor and control conflicts between members of their social group. This study analyzes 19 years of long-term behavioral data from Gombe National Park, Tanzania, finding that while policing behavior occurs at relatively low levels (3.3% of all aggressive interactions are policed), individuals are more likely to police aggressive interactions involving maternal kin compared to those involving individuals not related through the matriline, so long as their relative social power is sufficient. Furthermore, mature males police altercations between individuals of all age-sex classes, and males of varying dominance rank act as policers. These results provide at least partial support for factors that influence policing including kinship, the assurance of sexual benefits and group stability.In order to expand upon Chapter 3, I examine the relationship among policing, aggression and measures of community cohesion in an explicit test of the Group Stability Hypothesis for the function of policing behavior in wild chimpanzees in Chapter 4. The Group Stability Hypothesis proposes that policing enhances group cohesion through the reduction of group-level rates of conflict. However, the results of this study found that in wild chimpanzees, community cohesion was better explained by socio-ecological factors, such as community size, season, or presence of estrous females, than either policing or aggression. In summary, this study provides no support for the Group Stability Hypothesis in terms of broad social patterns in wild chimpanzees.This dissertation provides evidence that the fission-fusion dynamics and broader socio-ecology of wild populations play an important role in the expression of third party conflict management behaviors in chimpanzees. Importantly, this lends support to the notion that conflict management strategies in chimpanzees are flexible, and may exist at high or low levels according to a population’s demography and grouping patterns. This suggests that the last common ancestor of the Pan-Homo clade likely possessed the foundations for conflict management, and that these behaviors could have evolved in complexity within the Homo lineage as a result of changes in population density and social structure.
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Social cohesion: inclusion and a sense of belonging in Latin America and the Caribbean. Summary
- Corporate Author(s):
- NU. CEPAL
- Editor(s):
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Ottone, Ernesto |
- Sojo, Ana
- Date Issued:
- 2007-05
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Preface In Latin America and the Caribbean, the idea of social cohesion has emerged as a response to persistent problems which, despite certain achievements over the past few years, continue to exist: high indices of poverty and indigence, the extreme inequality that characterizes our region and various forms of discrimination and social exclusion dating back to the distant past. The actors that might potentially be capable of fostering positive interaction lack a common set of principles of cooperation and communication. While there are usually many reasons for these gaps, the frail material foundation of social cohesion is a stand-out factor - although the problem certainly transcends the mere satisfaction of material needs. Hence the importance of policies to promote social cohesion based on democratic values. In addition to its unquestionable ethical importance, given its implications for equity, social cohesion has a role to play in assessing the strength of the rule of law, the democratic social order and governance. Its conceptual use, however, has been far from rigorous; it is more akin to a political objective or aspiration, indistinctly associated with a variety of multifaceted social-development issues which are said to promote or impede its achievement. Since the early 1990s, ECLAC has been working to develop a vision of development suited to a globalized world of open economies. This approach is intended to create positive synergy between economic growth and social equity, within the context of the modernization of productivity. Objectives such as increased competitiveness, macroeconomic balance and the strengthening of participatory, inclusive political democracy are also emphasized. The ideas submitted by ECLAC in this book represent an attempt to increase the visibility, identity and depth of social cohesion, and advance its adoption as an important beacon for public policies. To that end, several dimensions of social cohesion are explored. Action in these areas will require resources and political will, in order to reduce gaps caused by exclusion and create a sense of belonging founded upon the effective exercise of citizenship and a democratic ethic. The social cohesion agenda for the region must take into account both the limits and the economic, political and institutional restrictions that constrain the viability of social cohesion. An analysis of the underlying causes of its absence is also indispensable, for at least two reasons: in order to design and implement policies geared toward achieving social cohesion, and to consolidate agreements that will help bring it about. In this book, ECLAC will argue in favour of a social cohesion contract for the countries of the region, taking into account the specific features of each country. Chapter I provides a definition of social cohesion, in order to address the ambiguity that surrounds the concept. In concrete terms, social cohesion may be defined not only as the inclusion and exclusion mechanisms instituted by society, but also as the manner in which these mechanisms influence and mould individual perceptions of and behaviour toward a particular society or community. After defining the concept, the chapter briefly explores the link between the obstacles preventing the achievement of social inclusion and certain significant features of the current stage of Latin American and Caribbean development. The chapter closes with a reflection on the issue from the perspective of citizen rights. Chapter II summarizes certain background elements and features of the system of social cohesion indicators used by the European Union, and submits some preliminary ideas regarding the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean in this regard. A system of indicators could be used to apply minimum standards of social cohesion, assess situations of discrimination and exclusion, and measure the progress and effectiveness of public policies in this field. The contradictory trends which characterize social well-being in the region raise questions regarding social cohesion. Accordingly, Chapter III identifies and analyzes the national socioeconomic characteristics that most directly affect the way individuals perceive their chances of achieving wellbeing, and therefore contribute to the development of attitudes and behaviour that facilitate or hinder the achievement of social consensus. This approach makes it possible to focus on a limited number of issues and processes. Specific consideration is given to certain structural or objective" factors - poverty and inequality in the distribution of income, among others - whose relative persistence over time may contribute to the sense of financial insecurity revealed by opinion polls. Given the definition of social cohesion adopted in this book, it is important to capture the views and perceptions of individuals regarding the level of solidarity their society provides, as well as their definition of solidarity toward others. The survey method used in Chapter IV makes it possible to study the perceptions, views and attitudes of individuals regarding the main social inclusion and exclusion mechanisms in the region. Such perceptions, views and attitudes can ultimately lead to behaviours that facilitate or hinder the development of social covenants. It is difficult to have an impact on the subjective aspects of social cohesion through public policy. Consequently, a more indirect approach is usually employed. Given the decisive role of economic performance and the distribution of the fruits of development in individual well-being, policies that affect the objective conditions most clearly associated with well-being and quality of life can be more effective in this regard. Chapter V examines three such policies, all of which are intertwined: increasing production opportunities, encouraging the development of personal capabilities and developing more inclusive safety nets to deal with vulnerabilities and risks. The final chapter describes a social cohesion contract that would solidify agreement with and political commitment to the aforementioned objective, and furnish the economic, political and institutional resources needed to make it viable. As is well known, this is not the first time ECLAC has proposed the adoption of social covenants in the region. Fiscal and social-protection covenants, for example, were developed precisely as a response to the magnitude of the task at hand and the need for long-term sustainability. In this regard, while ECLAC is aware that repeated or excessive use of the idea of a social covenant can diminish its power, it considers the idea of a contract that sheds light on the role and duties of the State and society in the achievement of democratic social cohesion, and encourages them to fulfil such duties, to be a fruitful and innovative one. Chapter VI explains the proper use of the term "social cohesion contract", details its potential implications and posits certain ideas regarding the funding of such an initiative in the political context described by the book as a whole. José Luis Machinea Executive Secretary Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)"
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- Notes: | https://repositorio.cepal.org/handle/11362/31966 |
Building Social Cohesion in our Communities is an interactive online resource to support local governments build strong, socially cohesive communities.
Monitor, evaluate and share outcomes.
The online resource is structured around five elements for social cohesion. It features case studies from local governments around Australia, tips for implementing good practice at the local level and links to further resources.
Why is social cohesion important for local government?
Social cohesion refers to positive social relationships – it is the bond or ‘glue’ that binds people. A socially cohesive society is one which works towards the wellbeing of all its members, fights exclusion and marginalisation, creates a sense of belonging, promotes trust and offers its members the opportunity of upward mobility.
Compared to other countries, Australia has a remarkable degree of social cohesion given its diversity. However, maintaining this cohesion can be a challenge.
Rapid social change, particularly in growth areas, can result in disharmony between newly arrived groups and established communities. Social tensions in the wider community can also play out at the local level.
Local governments are at the centre of this ever-changing environment. They know and understand their communities better than any other level of government. They deliver economic, environmental and social outcomes across a range of areas which affect community cohesion. As such, they are well placed to implement initiatives to reap the benefits of stronger, more resilient and productive communities.
Good practice involves local government making a commitment to build social cohesion and then implementing the policies and processes to support this.
The Scanlon-Monash Index can be used either in its entirety or by using one or more domain (especially belonging; acceptance and rejection, legitimacy; and worth) to measure social cohesion.
Use the checklist in the online resource to conduct an audit of policies and procedures to ensure they support social cohesion objectives.
Local governments need to understand their communities and where there is potential for tensions to arise between different groups.
Map your community and assess its demographic diversity. This template can be used internally or as part of discussions with the community.
Uncover potential issues which may cause conflict now or in the future. This template can be used in focus groups, included in a manual or used in a phone or online survey.
Building social cohesion requires strong partnerships with business, community groups, the police, other local agencies and local governments.
Strong partnerships also need organisational commitment to ensure longevity.
Actions to build social cohesion need a local focus and should meet the specific needs of the community.
Local governments should evaluate their social cohesion efforts to ensure resources are allocated efficiently and effectively.
Key informant interviews with community leaders.
The Building Social Cohesion in our Communities online resource was developed by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government for the Australian Human Rights Commission under the National Anti-Racism Strategy.
ACELG is creating a community of practice around social cohesion and would welcome any local government case studies. | https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-discrimination/publications/building-social-cohesion-our-communities |
Military experts at West Point and the Army War College are questioning a new report which casts doubt on one of the central justifications for the gay ban.
A group of military analysts have engaged each other in a debate over why American soldiers are willing to risk their lives in combat. The discussion, which emerged out of an assessment of the early military successes in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, was published this summer as part of a forum in the prestigious journal, Armed Forces and Society.
The crux of the debate centers on the relative roles of two different types of cohesion in influencing combat motivation and performance: task cohesion and social cohesion. Researchers on the subject distinguish between whether group members like each other and feel emotional bonds of friendship (“social cohesion”) and whether they share the same goals and a commitment to working together to achieve a common objective (“task cohesion.”) They then apply their interpretations of the import of these factors to an assessment of their roles in combat operations.
A 2003 monograph called “Why They Fight: Combat Motivation in the Iraq War,”which was authored by Army War College Professor Leonard Wong, as well as other distinguished military professors, and published by the Strategic Studies Institute, links the initial combat success of the U.S. Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom to the levels of social cohesion present in the armed forces. “The U.S. Army,” it argues, “is the best in the world because” its soldiers have “an unmatched level of trust” based on “close interpersonal bonds” and respect for their leaders. The study’s conclusions stress both the centrality of social cohesion in motivating soldiers to fight and, in a departure from conventional wisdom, soldiers’ commitment to the ideals of freedom and democracy as additional motivating factors.
But in the publication in this summer’s Armed Forces and Society, entitled “Does Social Cohesion Determine Motivation in Combat,” Berkeley professor Robert MacCoun and two other civilian scholars find in the Wong, el. al. study “problems in its design and execution” which limit the generalizability of its conclusions. They argue that the study ignores “basic scholarly guidelines for sound causal inference” and dismisses much of the literature on unit cohesion while failing to identify sound reasons for rejecting what is widely seen as a consensus on such scholarship.
The disagreements are considered an essential part of scholarly debate on matters of crucial importance to military policy. “The Armed Forces and Society forum provides a healthy opportunity for scholars to air their opinions on the connection between cohesion and combat,” said Dr. Aaron Belkin, a co-author of the MacCoun article, and Director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military, a think tank at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
According to MacCoun, et. al. a vast research literature has shown a correlation between task cohesion and performance. These conclusions are corroborated by evidence from military desegregation, worldwide fighting forces and related civilian institutions such as police and fire departments. By contrast, the research shows, social cohesion has been shown to have “no reliable correlation with performance.” In fact, too much social cohesion can damage cohesion by resulting in cliques and clubbiness that lead to feelings of exclusion and resentment. Wong and his coauthors write that the distinction is immaterial: “Attempting to dissect cohesion into social or task cohesion and then comparing correlations with performance is best left to the antiseptic experiments of academia.”
One of the starkest points of contention between the two analyses concerns the level of causation involved in linking cohesion and combat effectiveness. MacCoun et. al. argue that Wong et. al. fail to prove “that the degree of social cohesion was causally related to combat effectiveness” in the Iraq War. But in his written reply published in the same journal issue, Professor Wong argues that the MacCoun critique “misses the mark” by focusing on causal links between cohesion and performance. According to Wong, the original study, “Why They Fight,” did not seek to explain combat performance but combat motivation. The article, he claims, “examines why soldiers continue in battle despite obvious risk to personal safety.” He suggests that the MacCoun critique, in focusing on combat outcomes, “rests on the creation of a straw man,” and he concludes that the “powerful role of emotional bonds between combat soldiers” (i.e. social cohesion) has not been dismantled by the efforts of MacCoun and his co-authors.
Please click here to read an additional critique written by Thomas A. Kolditz of the United States Military Academy. | https://palmcenterlegacy.org/scholars-debate-combat-motivation-u-s-soldiers/ |
Economic Strain and Perceptions of Social Cohesion in Europe: Does Institutional Trust Matter?
21 Pages Posted: 18 Jan 2014 Last revised: 15 Jul 2015
Date Written: 2014
Abstract
The degree to which different social groups get along is a key indicator of the cohesiveness of a society. This study examines perceptions of social cohesion amongst Europeans and explains variations in those perceptions by considering the separate and combined effects of economic strain and institutional trust. Analyses were conducted with the 27 member countries of the EU based on the Eurobarometer 74.1 on poverty and social exclusion conducted in 2010. Results show that individuals living in households experiencing economic strain perceive social cohesion to be weaker than their less economically hard-pressed counterparts. By contrast, individuals trusting their political institutions perceived there to be higher levels of cohesion. Furthermore, institutional trust substantially moderates the negative relationship between economic strain and perceptions of cohesion. These results are robust to various model specifications. Moreover, extending the analysis revealed that this moderating effect held when considering social relations between the poor and rich and between different racial and ethnic groups. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed. | https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2380312 |
Inflammatory tirades in the public domain, run the risk of degenerating the social stability of the populace leading to civil violence, a situation compounded by existing ethnic polarization—an unfortunate colonial legacy that pervades the political climate.
This was the dire warning by Head of State, President David Granger, who Thursday met with stakeholders gathered to validate a national social cohesion plan, at the Georgetown Marriott Hotel—a confab organized by the Ministry of Social Cohesion and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Delivering the keynote address ahead of the workshop’s working session, President Granger used the occasion to caution perpetrators and Guyanese generally, to desisting from contributing to the social erosion that has generated violence in the past.
Acknowledging post independence efforts at mending tattered race relations borne out of Guyana’s colonial history, President Granger told a packed to capacity conference room, ethnic polarization, remains an unfortunate legacy in the local political sphere—a situation that has in turn spawned social marginalization.
The President was adamant, “Guyana today still needs to staunch the social erosion that degenerated into civil violence—as recently as the troubles.”
He spoke to the ease with which the ranting “of a few rancorous persons” can lead to racial animosity, calling it a “retrograde step, it has no place in modern society.”
Granger in his address to the gathering inclusive of Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan and members of the diplomatic corps, expressed alarm at what he called, “vocal efforts by those persons who promote social division.”
According to the President, “we warn that such inflammatory tirades run the risk of generating social instability, of fostering distrust and fomenting disorder.”
Steering clear of the alleged ‘race hate’ attacks over the Phagwah weekend at Canal #1 West Bank Demerara, President Granger instead used his address to appeal to religious, ethnic, political and other social diversities permeating Guyana to be seen as an asset and not a liability.
Granger said the nation has already been scarred by the violence of the 1960s and more recently in 2002.
Calling for greater relations at all levels of society, including on the political front the President reminded that discord stemming from religious, ethnic, political and other differences, as has already been experienced in Guyana, “has the potential to spawn hatred and death…our nation has been scarred by violence which left a lingering level of distrust and the threat of disorder.”
The President in calling diversity an asset versus a liability, pointed to the co-existence of religious worship houses (Mosque, Temple, Churches) in a single community without the taint of religious violence or racial riots.
He said social cohesion is also viewed in a Guyana context as an indispensable element to public security hence the work on the part of the Ministry in leading the formulation of the Draft Strategic Plan for Promoting and Enhancing Social Cohesion in Guyana (2017-2021).
Pointing to some of the measures undertaken on the part of the administration since coming to office two years ago President Granger again defended the establishment of the Ministry of Social Cohesion. “The Ministry is not ornamental, it has an onerous obligation to continue in building a nation in which diversities are embraced, conflicts resolved, networks and collaborations with stakeholders strengthen, an decision making process result in equal opportunities for all.”
He urged those gathered that the Ministry’s mandate not be measured by the size of its budget but “by its accomplishments in harmonizing social relations.”
The One Day workshop was organized by the Ministry of Social Cohesion bringing together stakeholders from across the spectrum to ‘validate for implementation’ the SPPESCG (2017-2021) and was held under the the,“…building a unified Guyana. | https://demerarawaves.com/2017/03/16/guyana-president-alarmed-over-efforts-to-sow-discord-says-inflammatory-tirades-foment-distrust-disorder/ |
Through the founding of the Berlin University Alliance, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have set themselves the ambitious joint goal of establishing Berlin as an integrated center of research dedicated to addressing global challenges – Grand Challenges – in a unique way.
In its first Grand Challenge Initiative, the Berlin University Alliance is dedicating itself to the analysis, understanding and future of social cohesion. Social cohesion is not something that can be taken as given; it has to be constantly renewed and recreated. Many of the challenges currently faced, whether environmental, economic, social or political, appear to be weakening and endangering social cohesion. In complex specialized societies, issues such as multiculturality and mobility, global digital networking, lives lived simultaneously in virtual and geospatial worlds, parallel worlds of national organizations and economic, technical or political globalization, environmental disasters and democratic upheaval present opportunities, but also bring with them challenges for social cohesion. Social cohesion represents a research field of great current relevance at the interface of the different perspectives of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, requiring innovative perspectives and interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches as well as the close collaboration of a wide range of researchers.
Objective of the funding program
Exploration Projects aim to establish interdisciplinary research associations in Berlin dedicated to issues of social relevance which coordinate and link the research undertaken by members of the Berlin University Alliance. By doing so, they contribute to the development of the Grand Challenge Initiatives of the Alliance and strengthen Berlin as a center of research. Networking with business partners and/or social groups relevant to particular issues to address Grand Challenges as effectively as possible throughout the course of an Exploration Project is a goal we very much wish to pursue.
The Berlin University Alliance is funding Exploration Projects on social cohesion within its first Grand Challenge Initiative. The Alliance is also seeking to facilitate top level research to analyze the conditions and influencing factors of social cohesion, to gain an understanding of developments and changes and to develop recommendations and new approaches.
The overarching aim is to understand the global preconditions, dynamics, perspectives and limitations of social cohesion and demonstrate suitable solution structures for the future sustainable success and stability of society. The research projects will also contribute to making Berlin a significant center for innovative research on social cohesion.
Accordingly, funding is focused on topics that require new and innovative methods, questions, work directions and approaches. In adopting this approach, the Alliance is explicitly supporting high-risk undertakings with innovative approaches. At the same time, the funded Exploration Project should also facilitate the development of longterm research projects and financing structures.
Object of the funding program
The funded research projects contribute to the analysis of the prerequisites of social cohesion at the interface between the different perspectives of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, an understanding of the changes occurring in social cohesion and the effects of social, natural or technical influences.
In keeping with its cross-cutting theme of ‘diversity and gender equality’, the Berlin University Alliance’s research projects should also examine the relevance of diversity for social cohesion and make clear in their conception their commitment to a research culture which values diversity of opinions, perspectives and experience. The Alliance’s research projects should also seek to advance an integrative academic community where all members are equally valued and integrated and able to pursue their intellectual goals.
Reflecting the Berlin University Alliance’s internationalization strategy, the research projects could also serve to strengthen international partnerships – in particular the Berlin-Oxford cooperation initiative.
Knowledge exchange and teaching & learning are integral elements of the Excellence proposal and as such constitute key activities of the Berlin University Alliance. It is an explicit aim to link the Alliance’s various objectives. Initiatives for exchange formats and innovative teaching practices are therefore very much welcome in the context of the Grand Challenge Initiatives’ call.
The four main focuses of this funding program are:
1. Developmental dynamics and negotiations of social cohesion
- More closely defining the term and what is understood by it in an interdisciplinary sense, taking account of its empirical foundation
- Negotiating social cohesion in an urban society
- Dimensions of class, gender, ethnicity and age for social cohesion
- Historical and cultural dimensions of social cohesion
- Socio-ethical norms and techniques for the attribution of responsibility
2. Challenges and potential of social cohesion
- Challenges and potential of technology development for social cohesion, e.g. the processes of digitalization
- Challenges and potential of lifestyles, education, nutrition and physical practices for social cohesion
- The weakening of social cohesion as a result of polarization in politics, the economy, religion, etc.
- Social cohesion in everyday life and communication
3. Local and global dimensions of social cohesion
- Potential, challenges and new forms of social cohesion through transnationalization, globalization and migration
- Potential, challenges and new forms of social cohesion through ecology and climate change
4. Creating social cohesion
- Innovative technical, scientific and medical opportunities for creating social cohesion
- Social cohesion in the working environment
- Social cohesion through infrastructures, logistics, etc.
- Creating social cohesion through institutions, law and politics, in participative structures and social movements
- Care and the shift in the gender division of labor as challenges for social cohesion
The funding program of the Berlin University Alliance’s Grand Challenge Initiative Social Cohesion supports Exploration Projects which pursue novel research topics on the principle of close interdisciplinary collaboration. Funding is targeted for projects which transcend the borders between disciplines and their different methodologies and which seek to benefit from interdisciplinary approaches. Transdisciplinary collaboration with partners from industry and relevant social groups is encouraged.
Nature, scope and level of funding
Exploration Projects are based on a three-year funding period. No option to extend this funding period is envisaged. Projects can be approved if the applicants convincingly demonstrate that they can develop issues, perspectives, networks and ideas for usage to create a new and sustainable area of research. Funding in an Exploration Project serves to explore the longterm sustainability of an idea. Projects can be extended in the event of absenteeism due to sickness or family issues (pregnancy, parental leave, etc.). No additional funding will be made available, however, for any such extensions.
A maximum of 450,000 euros per annum is available for each Exploration Project, in other words a maximum of 1.35 million euros for the three-year funding period. Funding will be made available to the member institutions of the Berlin University Alliance for this purpose as budget resources.
Based on the budgetary requirements of the particular Alliance institution, funding may be applied for to cover staff costs for academic staff (including student staff) and, to a lesser degree, for non-academic staff, for equipment and investment resources (excluding construction costs) as well as rental costs. Funding is also made available for networking and activities benefiting public relations.
Doctoral candidates can be employed as part of an Exploration Project on the condition that their contract can be guaranteed for the entire duration of the project. In such cases where the doctoral phase exceeds the standard period for a doctorate of three years covered by the project, proof of financing for the doctoral candidate beyond the period of the project must be provided.
Coordinative tasks are to be undertaken by academic staff; positions for office staff may not be applied for for this purpose.
A budget plan must be provided confirming how funding will be divided among the Alliance institutions participating in the application. It is not possible to make substantial changes to this once funding has been approved. In exceptional cases, applicants’ own positions may also be financed. This, however, is not possible if you are the main applicant.
Funding may be carried over to the next financial year up to a maximum of 20% of the annual total for the duration of the project if requested by 1 September of the year.
Requirements / Eligibility
Professors and postdoctoral researchers working at Alliance institutions (Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and Charité – Universitätsmedizin) are eligible to apply. Financing of the applicant’s own position must be guaranteed for the entire duration of the project (by means of a work contract). As funding is intended for the development of longterm perspectives, the majority of applicants should be employed on a permanent basis. Should the contract of one of the applicants be fixed-term and scheduled to expire before the scheduled end of the project, a letter from the relevant dean, president or chair of a board may be appended to the proposal confirming that the position will be guaranteed until the end of the project.
Applying postdoctoral researchers in the early phases of their careers are required to provide proof of academic independence according to the criteria of their discipline (e.g. junior research group leader, Emmy Noether Groups, etc.). Qualification phases for post-docs are particularly desirable as part of the application process. It is also possible for applicants at this stage of their careers to obtain financing for their position if they make a strong enough case.
Researchers from Germany and abroad as well as partners from industry can participate in projects as co-applicants, but are not eligible for funding. Members of non-university research institutions in Berlin which are not affiliated to the Alliance institutions may participate only as cooperation partners and must provide their own funding. Any third-party co-applicants must provide proof of their own funding contribution when submitting their proposal (this can include funding for their own position). It is also possible to nominate additional external cooperation partners. These partners are not required to present proof of their funding contribution. Depending on the procurement laws for budgets at the individual Alliance institutions, it may also be possible to commission work from external sources.
Affiliated institutes (German ’An-Institute’) are not per se eligible to apply. Individual persons, e.g. professors at an An-Institute affiliated with an Alliance institution are, however, eligible to apply. Doctoral candidates and individuals who have completed their doctorates but are still awaiting doctoral certificates (Dr. Designatus) are not eligible to apply.
Group applications must consist of at least 6 and a maximum of 12 researchers. The group must include applicants from at least two Alliance institutions. In the interests of advancing the careers of early career scientists, it is desirable that the application consortium includes at least one researcher at an early stage of their career (post-doc, junior professor or W2 professor). However, in the interests of sustainability, it is important that applicants are available to participate in the longterm realization of the project.
It is not possible to participate in more than one project within the Exploration Projects Social Cohesion call.
Application procedure
Proposals can be submitted in either German or English.
Proposals have to be submitted via the following online portal: https://portal.bihealth.de/Portal/SitePages/Home.aspx.
If you do intend to submit a proposal, we kindly request you to inform us of this in good time (by 15.03.2020) so that we can arrange suitable expert assessors for your proposal. To do so, please write to [email protected] stating the topic of your proposal and a provisional list of PIs.
The proposal must include
1. Proposal
- Presentation of the question and objectives of the Exploration Project as it relates to the topic of social cohesion.
- Presentation of research gap
- Presentation of the main interdisciplinary perspectives and if applicable the transdisciplinary approaches to be pursued
- Presentation of the planned procedure, including schedule and work packages/contributions of each applicant
- Details regarding quality assurance, including criteria for monitoring quality assurance
- Details of diversity strategies and measures
- Details of open access strategies and measures
- Presentation of how the project will contribute to the goals of the Exploration Projects
- Presentation of how the project will contribute to knowledge exchange formats
- Output and sustainability strategy or perspectives for anchoring the project (e.g. longterm research strategy or plans for anchoring the project and obtaining subsequent third-party funding)
2. Further documents to be submitted
- Short applicant CVs focusing on their five most important publications on the topic to be addressed by the project
- Costs projection including an explanation and justification of costs as well as details of co-financing by the participating institutions or third-party funding
- List of cooperation partners
- Index of cited literature
- Statement provided by the relevant dean’s office or equivalent institute concerning basic equipment (rooms etc.)
A form for applicants can be found online. Further details are provided in the online portal.
We would also like to draw your attention to the FAQs for the main call, which can be found on the Alliance website.
Selection procedure
The selection process is two-stage.
Firstly, all proposals will be assessed by an expert committee that consist of international experts in the field of social cohesion as well as experts from the Berlin University Alliance. Up to 15 proposals will be selected and invited to a project pitch to be held at the beginning of August. Selected representatives from other steering committees will also attend the pitch in an advisory capacity. The PIs will present their projects to the selection committee. It is planned to fund five projects. The earliest start of funding will be 1 September 2020.
Funding criteria
In additional to excellence in research, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and networked approaches are of particular importance for the Exploration Projects funding program.
The main funding criteria are:
A (key funding criteria)
- Convincingly demonstrating that a new field of research in interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary cooperation will be opened up by the Exploration Project
- Diversity of the group members
B (essential requirements for funding)
- Research
- Quality and originality of the research program by international standards
- Coherence of the research program and the research productivity of the cooperation
- Convincing presentation of research gap
- Participants/personnel
- International competitiveness
- Promotion of equality of opportunity and diversity
- Appropriateness of the funds applied for
C (additional criteria)
- Contribution of the research program to the Alliance’s Grand Challenge Social Cohesion
- Research excellence of the participating researchers
- Promotion of early career scientists and their independence
- Management, quality assurance, science communication
Contact persons
The central contacts for your questions are the academic coordinators of Steering Committee 1 at [email protected]. | https://www.berlin-university-alliance.de/en/commitments/grand-challenge-initiatives/call-social-cohesion_end/call-2020/exploration-projects/index.html |
The Link between Social Cohesion and Sustained Growth
Recent studies by the Poverty and Inequality Initiative (PII), the World Bank and others have reconfirmed that South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world. These findings have underlined the urgency for effective policies to reduce the relentless poverty and inequality in the country. What is needed are strategies for inclusion that address the root causes of poverty, enhance opportunities for all – including through growth – and thus smoothen inequalities.
Prof. Hiroyuki Hino, a Visiting Professor at the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) until recently, believes the quest for such strategies requires deliberate attention to create social cohesion alongside out-of-the-box approaches to achieving economic growth.
Social cohesion as a cause and consequence of greater equality
"We need to address social cohesion, which involves how people feel towards others, whether they feel that they ‘belong’ to the society, and if they feel that they share a common future. A socially cohesive society is both a cause and consequence of greater equality, more trust, and living and working together more closely. The more cohesive a society, the higher its productivity, investment and, hence, economic growth."
Prof. Hino’s collaboration with the PII started in 2014 when he joined Pro-Vice Chancellor: Poverty and Inequality and SALDRU director, Prof. Murray Leibbrandt, and Prof. Justine Burns, Economics department, in convening a workshop on social cohesion in South Africa. The event brought together most prominent thinkers of the subject in the country, and from abroad, and marked the beginning of a significant social cohesion research project under the banner of the PII. Prior to that Prof. Hino worked on African economic development as the economic advisor to the Prime Minister of Kenya, as a senior advisor to the African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and as an academic at Kobe and Yale universities.
The social cohesion research project explored the relationship between social cohesion and economic inequality in South Africa, and the institutional changes needed to promote social cohesion and reduce inequality. The recently completed multi-disciplinary study was a collaboration between the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), and UCT’s PII.
The value of multi-disciplinary research
Prof. Hino, an economist, says there is immense value in a multi-disciplinary approach to research. “Traditionally, economists have not worked with anthropologists, sociologists, historians …. But there are great benefits in facilitating communication between different disciplines. How people live – including as an economic agent – is intrinsically linked to history, society and politics. Multi-disciplinary collaborations help to go beyond the ups and downs of numbers.”
Over the past 20 years, Prof. Hino has been involved in bringing researchers from different backgrounds together to work on a number of policy issues for African development. His IMF and Kenyan experiences especially involved negotiating with people and connecting the right individuals to work together. “To be able to understand and communicate with others from different cultural and social backgrounds, to understand opposing views of others, is a key ability – and an important one for policy-making from the conceptualisation stage onwards.”
Lack of social cohesion a barrier to economic progress
Prof. Hino says that social cohesion should not be thought of something that is abstract as it relates to each fabric of society, such as one’s family, village or town, or place of work. The country’s history of discrimination means that workplaces – be it a farm, a mine, or a manufacturing company – typically are plagued by mistrust and a lack of cooperation, which constrains employees’ sense of belonging and long-term commitment to the employer. According to Prof. Hino, the current economic struggles in South Africa can also be attributed in part to this lack of cohesion in the workplace.
The AFD-IJR-UCT study found perceptions of division in South Africa are rooted in four systemic and structural issues, all linked to the legacy of apartheid: economics, politics, race, and culture.
The importance of social cohesion for land reform
Prof. Hino believes that the difficulty in engendering cooperation and trust is also at the root of poverty in rural villages in South Africa. Over the last three years, he worked with Prof. Lungisile Ntsebeza, who was until recently the DST-NRF Research Chair in Land Reform and Democracy in South Africa and A.C. Jordan Chair in African Studies at UCT, on research on poverty in villages in the former Transkei. The work included the Delindlala Communal Property Association (CPA), a promising land reform group consisting of villagers from Luphaphasi, who received a 2009-hectare farm under the land redistribution programme. The goal was to study the Delindlala CPA as a case study on land, poverty and social cohesion with the aim of putting forward a model of success for such community-led land redistribution initiatives. Profs. Ntsebeza and Hino and other colleagues are carrying this study forward, broadening its scope to cover other farming projects in Transkei with a view to understanding root causes of the absence of village cohesion, and drawing policy implications.
Reflections on social cohesion in Africa
While Prof. Hino has exchanged his SALDRU office for one at Duke University in the coming academic year, he remains committed and passionate to continue his involvement in projects and collaborations started over the last three years.
The PII hopes to have him back for a seminar later this year with the launch of a book, From Divided Pasts to Cohesive Futures? Reflections on Africa. It is a multi-authored volume edited by John Lonsdale, Frances Stewart, Arnim Langer and Hiroyuki Hino and will be published by the Cambridge University Press (CUP) towards the end of this year. The publication is a sequel to Ethnic Diversity and Economic Instability in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives which was co-edited by Hino, Lonsdale, Stewart and the late Gustav Ranis in 2012. | http://www.povertyandinequality.uct.ac.za/news/link-between-social-cohesion-and-sustained-growth |
The current topic on the UnderstandingSociety blog poll is a proposition about social cohesion:
THE INTERNET IS HELPING TO CREATE NEW PATHWAYS OF SOCIAL COHESION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY.
The poll is still open, but as of today 70% of respondents somewhat or strongly agree that the Internet creates a basis for new forms of social cohesion, while only 16% somewhat or strongly disagree. On its face, a large majority of readers are optimistic about the ability of the Internet to contribute to a stronger national community. What the poll question doesn’t reveal is the respondents’ underlying thinking as the basis of their judgment. So let’s see what some of the considerations might be.
First, what do we mean by “social cohesion”? Along with Durkheim, we can approach the concept by relating it to the bonds of morality and loyalty that lead members of a society to adapt their behavior to the perceived needs of society. A willingness to sacrifice in times of crisis, a willingness to defer to the common good, a willingness to conform to widespread social norms — these are the sorts of things that go into the concept of social cohesion. A society that lacks all bonds of social cohesion is one in which individuals care only about their own interests; who pay attention only to their own individual ideas about morality; and who find the idea of sacrifice for the greater good to be for the gullible. (Interestingly, this is a state of affairs that Durkheim describes as “anomie”, and it is the factor that he believes conduces to a heightened rate of suicide in a population; Suicide.) (Here is a nice contemporary survey of the sociological literature on social cohesion by Noah Friedkin; link.)
Where would the social basis of this kind of cohesion come from? Ferdinand Tönnies characterizes a traditional society with a strong basis for social cohesion in terms of the idea of “gemeinschaft“; whereas he describes a modern liberal-market society in terms of the idea of gesellschaft (Community and Society: (GEMEINSCHAFT AND GESELLSCHAFT)). According to Tönnies, traditional societies maintain social cohesion through traditional social mechanisms: face-to-face relations in a village, common religious institutions, and other institutions representing and inculcating collective values. And as these traditional mechanisms have lost traction in modern civil society, the intuitive idea is that modern societies are generally declining in the level of social cohesion that they reflect.
So how might the mechanisms of social connection provided by the Internet potentially influence the facts about social cohesion in a twenty-first century society? How might Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and webpages have effects that are either favorable or unfavorable for social cohesion? It seems that these capabilities of the Internet have the potential for working in both directions — both undermining cohesion and enhancing cohesion. So overall, it is very difficult to assess the net impact of these capabilities.
First, consider a few tendencies in the negative direction. Much as Internet-based news sources have fragmented the audience for the network news — and thereby have reduced the degree of commonality citizens have through their regular interactions with Walter Cronkite — we might speculate that the Internet facilitates a fragmentation of social groups into smaller and smaller segments. So instead of a set of attitudes that bind citizens together as part of American society, we get micro-sets of attitudes that bind individuals together into micro-constituencies. This would seem to be a force working against social cohesion at the level of the population as a whole.
A related point stems from the evident ability of Internet tools to create ever-more strident groups of people around very specific issues and concerns. If each issue has its own website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, social media management strategies, and the like, individuals are drawn into greater engagement with ever-smaller groups of like-minded individuals. So it is increasingly difficult for politicians to create mass-based constituencies around a core set of values; there is a declining basis for a social consensus in a world in which individuals gravitate towards divisive social and political advocates.
These points suggest that the Internet has effects that are corrosive of social cohesion. What are the tendencies of the Internet that point in the other direction? The example of the use of Facebook during the democracy demonstrations in Egypt provides one positive indication. It would appear that activists were able to gain strong support from thousands of interested Egyptians through the real-time communication and social expression that Facebook pages enabled. This was a process of agglomeration rather than fragmentation for some period of time — a process through which a broader and broader group of individuals became actively engaged with the values and current happenings associated with the pro-democracy movement.
Second, a little more generally, it is possible that social media like Facebook or YouTube may facilitate the development of more other-oriented interest on the part of the people who use them. If the United Way of Chicago or San Francisco can begin to attract tens of thousands of followers to a Facebook page with powerful, current information about the social needs of other Chicagoans or San Franciscans, we can imagine that there might be a rising level of willingness to get engaged in United Way fundraising and community efforts throughout the community. So YouTube and Facebook can become a contemporary alternative to the face-to-face relationships that Durkheim and Tönnies highlighted.
Third, several recent national elections have demonstrated that millions of people are willing to get involved in presidential and congressional campaigns through social media — including the act of making online political contributions. The success of these efforts since 2006 suggests the faint possibility that online communities may begin to regain some of the pervasiveness that a fragmented television audience has lost. Perhaps this capability for aggregating large numbers of citizens around online communities of political interests suggests that the Internet can begin to help citizens build a broader consensus.
These considerations suggest that social media and the Internet have tendencies in both directions — fragmentation and agglomeration — with the result that its overall influence on cohesion may be neutral. In fact, we might speculate that social media enhance small group cohesion while undermining national cohesion.
In short, I’m inclined now to change my vote in the poll. I had supported the idea that the Internet is mildly favorable to increasing social cohesion. I now think that it’s a wash, with negative as well as positive tendencies at work at the same time. | https://undsoc.org/2011/05/25/social-media-and-social-cohesion/ |
WITH current state of affairs in the nation, the African Polling Institute, API, Monday, released its report called Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey, #NSCS2021, indicated 63 per cent of Nigerians scored Federal Government poor on fight against corruption.
The survey was undertaken to develop a social cohesion index for Nigeria and measure citizens’ perception on the state of social cohesion.
The Nigeria Social Cohesion Index (NSCI) was computed as 44.2 per cent, which according to the report is below the average 50 percentage points and indicating that Nigeria is not as socially cohesive as it ought to be.
The survey findings also indicated growing citizens’ distrust towards the state and fellow citizens; as well as a proclivity towards ethnicity over nationalism.
The survey pointed that the country has become more divided today than it was four years ago, as observed by 65 per cent of citizens interviewed; representing a whopping 20-points increase from 2019’s score of 45 per cent.
According to the report there is evidence to suggest that the country has become more divided along ethnic, socio-economic, political and religious lines, thereby threatening the social fabric, unity and peaceful co-existence of the country.
API with the support of Ford Foundation, conducted the nationwide Citizens Perception Survey, CPS, to measure social cohesion in Nigeria, between the months of April and May 2021.
A total of 8,114 contacts were contacted, out of which 5,363 interviews were completed, representing a response rate of 66.09 per cent. All interviews were conducted by ‘Face-to-face’ Household Interviews, using the Stratified Random Sampling technique; with citizens aged 18 years and above.
The concept of social cohesion refers to the willingness of citizens of a country to cooperate and work together towards ensuring the survival and prosperity of the country.
The API is an independent, non-profit and non-partisan opinion research think-tank, which conducts opinion polls, surveys, social research and evaluation studies at the intersection of democracy, governance, economic conditions and public life; in order to support better public policy, practice and advocacy in Africa.
The report reads in part, “Overall, the results of the Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey 2021 and the Nigeria Social Cohesion Index, computed with a score of 44.2 per cent, suggest that Nigeria currently falls slightly below the average threshold of a socially cohesive country.
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“Corruption Indicator; Almost 7 in 10 citizens (69 per cent) believe that the level of corruption has increased significantly in the past year, while 63 per cent assess the government’s efforts at tackling corruption ‘Poorly’.
“Natural Resource Governance’ Indicator; The survey revealed that 59 per cent of citizens believe that the government is managing the revenues from natural resources ‘Poorly’; while 41 per cent of Nigerians “Agree or Strongly Agree” that the availability of natural resources fuels corruption in the country, compared to 40 per cent citizens that ‘Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed’. As regards the derivation policy, 45 per cent of citizens consider the 13per cent derivation policy ‘Unfair and Insufficient.”
Meanwhile, the report also indicated that 83 per cent of Nigerians say impunity thrives amongst government officials.
“Impunity’ Indicator; 83 per cent of Nigerians consider human rights violations a problem in the country. Also, 48 per cent believe that most cases of human rights violations are never reported to the Police; and in cases where they are reported, 56 per cent were more likely to report such cases to Community and Religious Leaders and not the Police.
“53 per cent of citizens believe that impunity thrives in the current administration and 83 per cent believe impunity amongst government officials is ‘increasing’.”
However, API in the report made some recommendations which include creating a National Cohesion Commission, NCC, playing a crucial rural in ensuring that all policies and activities of government are properly explained and feedback from citizens are also received in order to give them a sense of belonging.
“API recommends that the Federal Government creates a National Cohesion Commission with the crucial responsibility for ensuring that all policies and activities of government have components within them that create a sense of belonging, promotes trust, fosters inclusive governance, and continuously offers citizens opportunities for upward mobility.
“The Federal Government needs to forge a new national movement for Nigeria and Nigerians that inhibits centrifugal tendencies that cause or promote conflicts, division or separatism; but strengthens centripetal forces that promote unity, oneness and peaceful co-existence amongst citizens.
“Like a new Nigerian Dream, this movement needs to be stimulated by the government and marketed to the citizens.
It also called on government institutions such as the Federal Ministry of Information & Culture, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and their affiliates to “have an increasing role to play, in shaping and amplifying narratives that help to promote social cohesion, inclusion and unity.”
Also appealed to religious and ethnic leaders on the need to “mitigate against hate speech, discrimination and hostility at the community level since they are closer to the people and citizens have more trust for them, as evident in the findings.
“CSOs contributions to social cohesion in Nigeria are imperative and viable because they possess the understanding, capacity and technical know-how to respond to societal issues and facilitate peaceful co-existence of the people which will help to rekindle public trust for civil authorities.
“Citizens are encouraged to participate in community dialogues, civil engagements and initiatives that promote cohesion and discuss the future of Nigeria; especially ideas and insights on how to build a more enduring and egalitarian society.
“Finally, while Nigerians remain resilient and committed to working together for a better country; we reiterate the need for a national dialogue to help renegotiate the fault lines that currently threaten our shared existence as a nation”, it added. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/09/63-of-nigerians-score-fg-poor-on-fight-against-corruption-report/ |
The Words of Cohesion
The Territorial Cohesion Agency proposes a social section dedicated to the simplification of Cohesion Policy language titled “The Words of Cohesion”. A weekly appointment to respond to the need for transparency that must necessarily start from sharing the institutional language and most frequently used words, to activate new paths of awareness on Cohesion Policy contents and value. Each word will be explained through tailored cards built on the chosen words and shared on the Twitter and Instagram channels of the Agency.
Go to the Fiches on the Words of Cohesion
- Partnership Agreement
- Schengen Agreement
- Additionality
- Urban Agenda
- Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development
- Territorial Cohesion Agency
- State Aid
- Audit Authority
- Certifying Authority
- Managing Authority
- European Investment Bank (EIB)
- European Documentation Centre (EDC)
- Safeguard clause
- Solidarity clause
- Cohesion
- Supervisory Committee
- Conditionality
- Institutional Development Contracts (CIS)
- First level controls
- Territorial Public Accounts (CPT)
- European Territorial Cooperation
- Decree-Law “Cura Italia”
- Department for Economic Policy Planning and Coordination (DIPE)
- Decommittment
- Application for payment
- Eurobarometer
- Europe Direct
- ESI Funds
- European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development – EAFRD
- European Regional Development Fund – ERDF
- European Maritime and Fisheries Fund –EMFF
- European Social Fund – ESF
- Development and Cohesion Fund (FSC)
- “Innova per l’Italia” (Innovate for Italy)
- ESM – European Stability Mechanism
- Monitoring
- Thematic Objectives
- Partnership
- Development Pacts
- Stability and Growth Pact
- Administrative Strengthening Plans (PRA)
- The 2030 Plan for Southern Italy
- The “Governance e Capacità Istituzionale” NOP
- The “Città Metropolitane” NOP
- Operational Programme
- Programming
- Quantitative Easing
- The N+3 Rule
- The ERDF-ESF Network of Communicators
- Review meeting
- Certified expenditure
- National Strategy for “Inner Areas” – SNAI
- S3 Smart Specialisation Strategy
- Financial Instruments
- Task Force
- Evaluation
- Special Economic Zone – SEZs
- The Word is Yours! | https://www.agenziacoesione.gov.it/comunicazione/communication-campaigns/le-parole-della-coesione/?lang=en |
Arts and Culture to host the Social Compact Convention with various Sectors
The Department of Arts and Culture is the custodian on South Africa’s social cohesion process and plays a leading role in ensuring that the vision of the National Development Plan (NDP) of a transformed and socially cohesive society is realised. The Department of Arts and Culture will host the Social Compact Convention on the 6-7 February 2020 at Saint George Hotel as part of Social Cohesion and Nation Building Strategy. This compact represents a collective agreement between all South Africans on how to address major issues in our country through a united effort.
Despite positive strides since 1994, South African society remains divided. The privilege attached to race, class, space and gender has not yet been fully reversed. The social, psychological and geographic elements of apartheid continue to shape the lives and outlook of many South Africans.
Through the social compact; business, government, labour and civil society will agree to work together to bring about future change. It will reaffirm the importance of freedom, peace and security as well as the respect for all human rights.
The social compact is aimed at promoting national unity, cohesion and nation building. The strategic objectives of the compact are focused on inviting all sectors of the society to play a role in advancing constitutional democracy, human rights and equality. Furthermore, the compact seeks to building unity amongst South Africans, as well as with the region, continent and the international community; and encouraging healing of individuals and communities.
The social compact takes forward the National Development Plan which advocates the need for such a compact given the socio-historical divisions across society, especially along racial lines, still persist.
The NDP is clear that exclusion, and the associated poverty and lack of opportunity, undermines social cohesion in South Africa. The compact will delve into the strategies to bring the previously disadvantaged and disenfranchised into the mainstream affairs of the country and the economy.
The NDP advocates for a social contract to contribute substantially to providing the political, economic and social conditions for our long-term development. It focuses on the collective problems facing our country such as labour market policy, spatial planning, gender violence, unemployment and economic growth.
At the core of the social compact, government will work to invest more on social and economic infrastructure and expanding the social wage to the poor. Business is encouraged to take a longer term perspective by investing more, and increasing employment and training. Labour is encouraged to recognise that some wage moderation is required and efforts to raise productivity are essential.
The Department of Arts and Culture commissioned Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic reflection (MISTRA) to facilitate the social compact process through consultations and agreement on the framework and programme of action; thus to be informed by specific pillars. This process entails consultations with identified stakeholders in Government, Business, Labour, Youth, Traditional Authorities, Media and Civil Society. The specific objectives of the project are to: Provide a dialogue platform on social cohesion to various key role players; Obtain a broad consensus on the role that different sectors will play in promoting social cohesion and nation building; and obtain agreement on the spirit and the letter of the social compact and its binding force on all sectors.
Through MISTRA the Department has managed consultations with the following sectors; Business, Youth, Labour, Media, People living with disability, Traditional Leaders and Government who will form part of the Convention on the 6-7 February. These consultations were conducted in order to prepare the sectors for the Convention where a social contract will be signed. | https://www.dac.gov.za/content/arts-and-culture-host-social-compact-convention-various-sectors |
The impacts of displacement crises can be complex and catastrophic on the lives of affected populations, dislocating populations from their homes, livelihoods and communities.
They include the physical, visible impacts such as damage to housing and public infrastructure, injury and death.
They also include the less visible impacts or factors that might, in some instances, have led to their displacement in the first place, such as inter- or intra- communal tensions over scarce resources, marginalization of different social or ethnic groups.
Transitioning out of the immediate, emergency phase of displacement crises, whilst positive, in most cases reveals deeper, more complex and lasting impacts on the stability of affected areas. Displacement crises can weaken or eradicate the social, physical, political, cultural, economic, judicial and security structures and systems required for societies and communities to function.
If left unaddressed, multi-dimensional instability can result in the emergence or re-emergence of violence, humanitarian crises and displacement, as well as preventing the achievement of durable solutions.
IOM’s community stabilization approach comprises locally driven, development-principled programming in crises or transitional or fragile contexts. This programming aims to prevent, mitigate and reduce the drivers and negative effects of displacement, irregular and return migration.
IOM works with governments, stakeholders and individuals to promote stability at the local level as a step out of crisis or fragility, paving the way for more sustainable development approaches.
The community stabilization approach combines addressing multi-sectoral early recovery needs with a specific focus on addressing the factors that destabilize communities, restoring horizontal cohesion across communities and vertical social contracts with local leadership, for which both flexibility and an in-depth understanding of local contexts are essential.
Interventions include, inter alia, community-based planning and recovery; local-level reconciliation; quick impact livelihood restoration; inclusive access to basic services; strengthening the capacities of local authorities; and strengthening social cohesion through sports, arts, culture and strategic communication. | https://www.iom.int/community-stabilization |
In Lord of the Flies, Jack Merridew’s character traits propel the theme of violence and evil, the dark part of human nature. As a former “head boy” as well as choirmaster, Jack arrives on the island with the experience of significant success in controlling as well as exerting his power over his peers. As such, he is eager to establish rules and consequently punish individuals who fail to meet his expectations, even though he is quick to break the same rules whenever he needs to further his self-interest. This paper will, therefore, provide an analysis of how Jack’s violent, jealous, and manipulative character traits propel the manifestation of the theme of savagery and evil in the novel. Jack is depicted as a violent character in the novel.
The trait is evident when hunting begins to take over him as it is revealed that he attempted to convey “the compulsion to track down and kill things that was swallowing him up” (Golding 42). The use of the word “compulsion” suggests that killing had become an instinct that came to him easily, a characteristic of evil and savage tendencies. Additionally, Jack’s violent nature is manifested when he rushes at Piggy, and slaps him, causing Piggy’s glasses to break. Also, when Ralph asks Jack to return Piggy’s glasses, he reacts by attacking Ralph. Based on these reactions, Jack’s actions as a violent character propel the theme of evil and savagely in the novel. Jack is also jealous of Ralph in the novel, which furthers the theme of savagery and evil in the book. More specifically, when Ralph is chosen as chief, Jack’s jealous nature is seen as his face shows a blush of mortification.
Jack’s envy of Ralph’s authority is also seen when he shouts at him, “and you shut up! Who are you anyway? Why should choosing you make any difference? Just giving orders that don’t make any sense” (Golding 79). The rant reveals that Jack is so envious of Ralph’s authority and leadership that he is unwilling to acknowledge him as the new chief. The jealously builds up in the plot until it explodes in the theme of evil as Jack eventually turns savage, calling for Ralph’s blood. Furthermore, the theme of evilness and savagery is propelled by Jack’s cunning and manipulative nature. More specifically, he uses fear and excitement to scheme and manipulates his peers in the novel. In this regard, he uses excitement to lead his peers into a hunting adventure, which he paints as exciting and fun. In this way, using excitement, the boys cling to Jack due to the excitement that he generates. Similarly, he uses fear to manipulate the boys into supporting him as he plays up the fear and horror of the beast, which he paints as a godlike figure with the ability to change its form (Golding 82). The fear gives the tribe a reason to obey Jack, just as he intended. As such, Jack’s scheming and manipulations create chaos and manifest the elements of savagery and evil in the novel.
Jack is an essential character in The Lord of the Flies as he influences the theme of savagery and evil in the novel. In this regard, his compulsion to kill and his violent attack on Ralph are evidence of evil in the story. Additionally, his jealousy of Ralph’s authority drives him to take actions aimed at undermining his power, including attempting to kill him. Jack also uses manipulation to propel his evil and savage deeds and further his leadership agenda. In these ways, Jack’s character traits influence the theme of evilness and savagery in the novel. | https://studydriver.com/fear-in-lord-of-the-flies/ |
We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat - !” (Golding 91). Through this line, Golding emphasizes the hold hunting has taken on Jack, and the emotional state that is slowly driving him insane. Jack longs to rebel from the rules, and he thinks that hunting can solve every problem on the island. He is no longer a civil, young boy, but rather,
And we were going to keep the fire going...’” (150), we see Ralph not only asserting his democratic and fairly gained power, but also trying to refocus the boys on their long term goal of rescue. Jack’s first manipulation over the boys is by focusing on killing the pig to eat as food. In the quote, “‘He’s not a hunter. He’d never have got us meat...He just gives orders and expects people to obey for nothing.’” (126), Jack is manipulating the
His group goes as far as killing Piggy. The killing of Piggy declares an end to civilization on this island, where savagery takes over, and the evil internal conscience has consumed the good within them. In the beginning, the boys sought to work together to make a just society, a society where they could add knowledge that they have gained from their previous culture. Violence starts to take place when Jack and his hunters take on the job of hunting for food. The society built off of civilization starts to fall apart when jack starts his own group, which leads him to inflict pain on others.
"...they savored the right of domination"(P.33). This is when Jack and Ralph first trek to the peak of the island and start to realize that by having control over the other children, they basically have control over the island. B. "I was chief and you were going to do what I said. You talk but you can 't even build huts...then you go off hunting and let out the fire..."(P.93).
He believed that he should’ve been the one true leader of all the boys on the island, and he ruled with absolute authority and an iron fist showing no mercy to anyone. While Ralph appealed to reason in order to get cooperation from the other boys. These differences between the both of them caused the split up into the two groups and also would cause the death of Piggy because of him sharing the same views as Ralph. Piggy also argued with Jack over every little thing and in the end, Piggy would end up paying for being against Jack instead of being with him by losing his life. He also murdered Simon with the assistance of the other boys except for Ralph and Piggy.
Before chapter 2, Jack was afraid to kill the pig. But, after the littleluns said that there was a beastie, he initiated the plan to hunt and kill the beast. This quote portrays how the beastie somehow started the savage instinct in Jack because even though he knows that the beast does not exist, he is still determined to kill it. Additionally, they went more wild when some boys have claimed they saw the beast. “This head is for the beast.
When the storm comes, “A wave of restlessness set the boys swaying and moving aimlessly” and “the littluns began to run about, screaming.”(P187) Jack demands that savages do the ceremonial dance just as they do it before killing pigs to achieve a sense of security. Even “Piggy and Ralph […] found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society” (P187). However, Simon appears for his decision of sharing his discovery about the beast at this time, and this is absolutely inopportune. All of the boys, include Piggy and Ralph, brutally beat him to death. After this assembly, The boys are officially divided into two groups -- one is lead by Ralph and the other one is under Jack's control.
Jack’s new tribe is carefree, fun, and they all hunt whenever they want. He has no rules in place, and it is total chaos. His tribe hunts animals and leaves part of the animal for the beast. His tribe grew from belief in the beast, and he lured them with meat, fun, and no rules. He leads his tribe to savagery and becomes their king.
The repetition used throughout Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies develops Golding’s theme of how savagery is shrouded within civilization, by demonstrating the boys slow progression into monsters as they spend more time on the island. On page 118, the boys are dancing around in their hunting circle and repeatedly chanting “‘Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!’” (Golding 118). Their use of force and incessant jeering about murdering the beast is important in exhibiting how the boys have, for the time being, forgotten their fear and have focussed solely on fulfilling the urge to kill that has risen up inside of them.
The boys often dance around it, chanting, and becoming animals. After chanting the boys are inhuman and let their inner evil out, nearly killing people. After a chant, Robert is the poor victim to one of these inhumane crazes. The text demonstrates the inhumanity in this quote, “The circle moved in and round. Robert squealed in mock terror and then real pain. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Why-Is-Childhood-Important-In-Lord-Of-FCNT5G4UZV |
This stays with you throughout the story. In the story, Lord of Flies, the author, William Golding, uses diction, imagery and detail to create an intense tone for the novel. The story delivers a good description of the fears that any normal person would feel. It also illustrates the demons that may lay in the human heart, even the hearts of children. The novel is definitely not for young children, it would be more for teenagers and young
A world war takes place as a group of boys get stranded on an island. As the boys try to escape the war, it follows them onto the island in the form of a never ending conflict with how to survive. As the boys become engaged in this war they lose their innocence. In the Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, loss of innocence plays a big role in the outcome of the book. Loss of innocence is ultimately what leads to the war which takes place on the once “good island” (Golding 34). In the Lord of the Flies the boys lose their innocence in exchange for savagery or for maturity because of the attitudes towards killing animals and people.
The boys in the book lord of the flies came from a life in Britain. They came from having tea time to being trapped on an island with no parents to exert authority. The ‘savagery’ is not ‘savagery’ at all, it is simply just them losing the innocence that they once had. Yet this ‘loss of innocence’ In The Lord of The Flies is represented by not just foreshadowing but by
In Lord of the Flies, William Golding conveys using rhetorical devices that everyone has innate evil and when evoked, it overcomes one’s sense of civility and humanity. The author creates a scenario whereby he places a group of boys onto an uninhabited island and examines how the group are effected over time. Through the course of the novel there is a considerable change in mentality throughout the group. The change is due to the lack of a strict and functioning society and ultimately the boys have degenerated into primitivity. In addition, the boys are becoming more evil, embodying evil in their own ways.
In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, the stranded boys take on a complete loss of innocence as they continue to live on the island.
Geoffrey S. Fletcher, an American screenwriter and film director, has always been “...interested in how innocence fares when it collides with hard reality” (Geoffrey S. Fletcher Quotes). If Fletcher wishes to examine this change of unknowingness he is interested in, the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, perfectly depicts how the purity of a child changes when that child is forced to face reality. Lord of the Flies is a novel about how lack of control can turn the purest beings on earth, children, into ruthless savages. A plane strands a group of boys on a deserted island, and readers observe the characters losing their incorruptibility while trying to form a coherent civilization. Advancement in maturation is shown in the novel Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, through the loss of innocence in Jack, Piggy, and Ralph.
Throughout the novel of Lord of the Flies, William Golding provides a profound insight into human nature. Golding builds on a message that all human beings have natural evil inside them. To emphasize, the innate evil is revealed when there’s lack of civilization. The boys are constantly faced with numerous fears and eventually break up into two different groups. Although the boys believe the beast lives in the jungle, Golding makes it clear that it lurks in their hearts. The message of inner evil is portrayed throughout the book by the destruction of the conch, terrifying beast, and character developments to establish the hidden message throughout the novel.
William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies does not simply describe the life of a group of children stranded on an island, but rather it is a representation of the qualities of human nature. As the novel progresses, the children grow deeper into savagery, performing actions that would be often criticised in society. The absence of law and order devolves even those that attempt to recreate it, like Ralph and Piggy. In this novel, Golding uses children to answer the question whether or not humans are born inanimately good or truly evil. Golding answers this question by symbolising the main characters and their descent into savagery. He uses Ralph and Piggy to describe the well-educated that attempt to grasp civilisation, but ultimately fail to deliver. His symbol of Roger as an ordinary person that breaks loose of the chains of society once disconnected from it. Finally, the nature of Jack is a depiction of the power hungry that will do anything to lead.
“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy,”(202). This is when Ralph, one of the main characters in Lord of the Flies by William Golding, finally realizes all of the terrible things loss of civilization and innocence have done to him and his friends. Written during World War II, Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of young boys whose plane crashes on an island. Without adult supervision or the shelter of civilization, the boys have to fend for themselves, as they regress towards savagery. Their innocence is taken from them when two of their own are brutally murdered by the boys themselves, and their loss of humanhood causes them to spiral out
Thesis Statement: In Lord of the Flies William Golding throughout the book is trying to show you that society should recognize man is evil. Introduction Paragraph: In the book Lord of the Flies the author William Golding shows a group of boys losing their innocence throughout their life stuck on this inhabited island in the pacific ocean. These boys go from being quiet and shy to violent and dangerous young little boys. Golding uses the pigs, hunting, and the boys face painting to show their lose of innocence throughout the story. There 's no rules of any sort on this island these boys landed on they are free to do whatever they want whenever they want.
In Jake Wallis article, “Why Lord of the Flies speaks volumes about boys”(2014), argues that Lord of the Flies is not about human nature, it’s only about how boys act. He supports his claim by saying “it could be more accurately be said to be about the male human condition. ”Simons’s purpose is to tell the readers that the Lord of the Flies doesn’t talk about all human nature, it only talks about boys human nature. He creates a direct tone for everyone who reads the book.
Schoolboys lose their innocence Lust and greed are more gullible than innocence by Mason Cooley. In the book Lord of Flies , schoolboys from England crashed on an island , near the Pacific. Their innocence starts to slowly drift away as the longer they stay at the island. The boys tried to keep their connection to the adult world , but the boys were losing hope. The schoolboys lost their innocence by killing a mama pig , killing another school boy named Simon and hunting down another school boy named Ralph, to the point of almost killing him.
Innocence is only shown unless yourself or someone else tarnishes it. Those who tarnish other’s innocence still show innocence in a way. Those people are innocent to the idea that the innocence is being taken away and they are to blame. In Lord of The Flies, Jack tarnishes the boy’s innocence by exposing them to savagery. William Golding proves that without rules to live by, people will eventually become savage.
Human behaviors are easy to be changed by the experiences and environment. As the time passes by, the changed behaviors can be worse or better than before. However, most people become worse because of the specific experiences in their life time. In Lord of the Flies, the changes of behavior are occurred obviously in the characters of Jack, Roger, and Ralph. They become different because of the extreme environment and new experiences around them. The characters of Jack, Roger, and Ralph change in terms of their behavior by becoming savagely brutal, which shows the significant influence of their experience on the island.
In the Roman Empire, England, France, and the Middle East, ever since people have been around, there has always been conflict and fighting. A common theme in war is inhumanity. For example, in World War I mustard gas would produce terrible blisters on soldiers who were exposed to it. Empathy for those suffering young men was not present in those causing the pain. While war is still ongoing in the world, Europe is much more peaceful today then it was a hundred years ago and people in general are being taught to resolve conflict in a humane way. Since William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies there have been many improvements in society over the last 70 years. While William he was alive, teenagers were often mean and inhumane like those portrayed in the book. If William Golding were to observe the life of a teenager in 2018 he would be impressed and pleased about the acceptance of others, the use of technology, and the teaching of humanity to children as these things did not occur during the 1950s or in the book. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Loss-Of-Innocence-In-William-Goldings-Lord-PKTL8B7ESCP6 |
On the humid, dark mountaintop, Simon's fit passes into the weariness of sleep. Waking up, Simon speaks aloud to himself, questioning what he will do next. His nose bleeding, he climbs farther up the mountain, and in the dim light, catches sight of the Beast. This time, however, he recognizes it as the body of the man who parachuted onto the island. Overwhelmed with disgust and dread, Simon vomits. He realizes that he must inform the other boys of their mistake, and he staggers down the mountain toward Jack's camp to tell them what he has found.
Ralph notices the clouds overhead and estimates that it will rain again. Ralph and Piggy play in the lagoon, and Piggy gets mad when Ralph squirts water on him, getting his glasses wet. They wonder where most of the other boys have gone, and they realize that they must have gone to Jack's feast for the childish fun of pretending to be a tribe and putting on war paint. They decide to find them to ensure that the events do not spiral out of control.
When Ralph and Piggy arrive at Jack's camp, they find the other boys sitting in a group together, laughing and eating the roasted sow. Jack, now a leader, sits on a great log, painted and garlanded as an idol. When he sees Ralph and Piggy, he orders the other boys to give them something to eat, then orders another boy to bring him a drink. Jack asks all of the boys who among them will join his tribe, for he gave them food and demonstrated that his hunters will protect them. Ralph is distressed to see most of them agree to join Jack's tribe. Attempting to convince his boys otherwise, Ralph provokes yet another argument with Jack, and the two yell at each other about who deserves to be chief. Feeling that he is losing ground, Ralph appeals to his symbol of authority, the conch shell. Jack, however, does not acknowledge the conch's significance and tells Ralph that it does not count on his side of the island.
Disturbed by the hostile turn of events, Piggy urges Ralph to leave Jack's camp before there is serious trouble. It starts to rain. Ralph warns the group that a storm is coming and points out that Jack's tribe is unprepared for such disasters, since they do not even have any shelters. The littluns become frightened, and Jack tries to reassure them by ordering his group to perform its ritual pig hunting dance. The boys begin dancing and chanting wildly, and they are soon consumed by frenzy. The storm begins, and a figure emerges suddenly from the forest. It is Simon, running to tell the others about the dead parachutist. Caught up in the madness of the dance, however, they do not recognize him. As Simon cries out about the dead body on the mountain, the boys rush after him with violent malice. They fall on Simon, striking him repeatedly until he is dead.
Meanwhile, on the mountain, the storm intensifies and spreads across the island. The boys run to the shelters, seeking safety from the increasingly violent wind and rain. The strong winds lift the parachute and the body attached to it and blow it across the island and into the sea, a sight which again terrifies the boys, who still mistake the body for a beast. At the same time, the strong tide, propelled by wind, washes over Simon's body and carries it out to sea, where a school of glowing fish surrounds it.
Analysis
In this particularly significant chapter, Ralph finally loses his leadership over the other boys, who succumb to Jack's increasing charisma and the opportunity he gives them to indulge their violent and childish interests. Golding underscores the tragedy of this shift in power with the violent storm that ravages the island, a storm for which the shortsighted Jack was not prepared. Just when Ralph's calm judgment and practicality is most needed, he lacks the authority to bring the boys to safety. The storm on the island serves as a reminder of the perils they face; while Ralph has built shelters for the boys and is prepared for this situation, Jack has focused simply on hunting and entertaining the boys, to their detriment. Golding again directs the reader's sympathy towards Ralph, whose concern remains for the good of the group.
Jack's authority over the other boys becomes increasingly disturbing and dangerous in this chapter. When Ralph finds Jack, he is painted and garlanded, sitting on a log like an idol. This distinctly pagan image is at odds with the ordered society from which Jack came and is the final manifestation of his rejection of civilization. We may note again the presence of chanting and dancing among the boys in his group and recall that, prior to their arrival on the island, Jack and his boys were members of a choir. Traditionally, boys' choirs sang Christian religious songs and hymns. Jack and his tribesmen still sing, but they sing chants that strongly evoke the animistic religious traditions of native cultures. Their choice of ritual and song, coupled with Jack's appearance as an "idol," indicates the boys' complete and final rejection of the civilization of the Home Counties.
In this chapter, Golding also emphasizes Jack's rise to power and foreshadows the brutal consequences of his authority. Again, Jack rejects the rules established for the island, telling Ralph that the conch yields no authority when Ralph attempts to cite precedent. He signifies his power over his tribe with his painted body and garlands, an image that alludes to Joseph Conrad's 1902 novella, Heart of Darkness, in which a boat captain, Marlow, accepts an assignment to find a defecting government agent, Kurtz, in Africa. In Conrad's story, Marlow discovers Kurtz in a remote area of the continent, living with a group of natives who worship him as their leader and god. In this chapter of Lord of the Flies, Golding draws a deliberate parallel between Jack and Kurtz in order to emphasize the extent of Jack's power over the other boys and to call the reader's attention to the severity of the tension between Ralph and Jack which, like the tension between Marlow and Kurtz, is strongly ideological (Marlow and Ralph representing civilization, and Jack and Kurtz representing savagery). This tension eventually leads to violent conflict.
Note the increasing importance of the beast to the boys in this chapter, and its centrality to Jack's usurping of leadership from Ralph. As Ralph and Piggy discover, Jack and his tribe have constructed an elaborate mythology around the beast, to whom they now attribute many qualities that were not present in earlier descriptions. They believe that the beast is immortal and can change shape as it wishes, and they claim that it must be both worshiped and feared. Around this mythology Jack has established the rules of his society. His boys are united by their belief in the beast and, above this, their belief in Jack as the one person who can protect them from the beast. Their ritual dances and chants, as well as Jack's makeup and adornments, express their commitment to this mythology, within which the Lord of the Flies functions totemically.
The Lord of the Flies embodies and expresses the mythology of the beast that unites Jack's tribe and is significant in many ways. As an offering to the body of the parachutist on the mountain, which the boys (excluding Piggy) regard as the beast, it symbolizes Jack's acknowledgment of, and deferral to, the evil impulses that reside inside the individual psyche. In previous chapters, he had vowed to kill the beast; here, Jack attempts to appease it, to gain its favor. As a totem, an artifact that unites Jack's tribe (much like the conch served as a totem for Ralph's group), the Lord of the Flies symbolizes the solidification of Jack's group around a shared set of values and interests which, as we have noted, are self-interested and indulgent. Finally, as a memento of the hunting of the sow, the Lord of the Flies represents the imposition of human will over nature, another of Jack's goals for island life. The pig's head reminds the boys of the essential opposition between man and nature, an opposition Jack views as essentially hostile and one that the boys can win.
The most important event of the chapter, however, is the murder of Simon by Jack's tribe. They are in a trance-like state from their ritual dancing, although this does not excuse them. The murder continues the parallel between Simon and Jesus established in the previous chapter by depicting the murder as a sacrifice, akin to Christ's murder on the cross. Like Jesus, who was the sole bearer of knowledge of God's will, it is Simon who alone possesses the truth about the beast. Also like Christ's, Simon's tragedy is governed by the fact that he is misunderstood or disbelieved by those around him. For example, the other boys believe Simon is crazy, yet he is the only boy to discover the truth about the supposed beast. This irony is compounded when Jack's hunters mistake Simon for the beast himself. His murder represents the culmination of the violent tendencies prevalent among Jack's band of hunters, who finally move from brutality against animals to brutality against each other. The change is subtle: they murder Simon out of instinct, descending on him before they realize that he proves no danger to them. Nevertheless, this is yet another line that the boys cross on their devolution into inhuman savagery and another step toward engaging in complete and premeditated violence against one another. Simon's murder reveals the essential brutality of the human spirit. On both metaphoric and structural levels, Golding casts Simon as a martyr, a figure whose death is instructive at least to the reader.
The parallels between Simon and Christ continue even after Simon is dead. We may note not only the religious subtext of the chapter's final image, but the distinctly pessimistic tone of this subtext. The storm simultaneously removes the parachutist's and Simon's bodies from the island. Yet, while the parachutist appears to ascend on the winds, Simon is dragged under the tide. The parachutist, who represents both the war that caused the events that brought the children to the island (he is a soldier) and, in a more general sense, the evil that is present in the human psyche (he resembles a fallen angel, a common figure for Satan), is lifted into the sky, while Simon, a Christ-like figure, appears to descend beneath the surface of the earth. The image, therefore, reverses the traditional story, with Satan rising to the heavens and Christ descending to the underworld. The implication is that the ideal order of good and evil has been reversed on the island. Evil has triumphed, a suggestion that mirrors Jack's rise to power and foreshadows the even more tragic events to come. Still, a vestige of optimism remains: Simon's body, as it is carried out to sea, is surrounded by some small glowing fish, who function as a kind of living halo. They do not necessarily want to eat the body; perhaps they are figuratively honoring it. The implication is that the truth of Simon's message, and the injustice of his death, will be recognized in time, as is the case with martyred prophets and saints. | https://www.gradesaver.com/lord-of-the-flies/study-guide/summary-chapter-nine-a-view-to-a-death |
The boys choose Ralph to lead them, and Ralph elects Jack as leader of the hunters. Generally, however, Golding implies that the instinct of savagery is far more primal and fundamental to the human psyche than the instinct of civilization. Loss of Innocence As the boys on the island progress from well-behaved, orderly children longing for rescue to cruel, bloodthirsty hunters who have no desire to return to civilization, they naturally lose the sense of innocence that they possessed at the beginning of the novel. Theme 5 Absence of Social Norms A major latent theme that William Golding has put into Lord of the Flies is the presence of social norms and traditions. Even Ralph and Piggy, who both strive to maintain their sense of humanity, ultimately join in on the mass murder of Simon, momentarily surrendering to the thrill of violence and mass hysteria. Have the class generate examples of how events and characters in stories and films convey themes, either directly or indirectly.
Negligence leads to the disappearance of a small boy and later to a missed opportunity to be rescued. In the end, Ralph is alone, there is no tribe, the conch is destroyed and Piggy murdered in the ultimate refutation of its power, and the boys abandon the signal fires, making no effort to prepare for or attract rescue. Eventually, this community turns against Ralph after killing Piggy. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. The need for civilization is important because there were no adults supervising them and that they needed to follow the rules in order to survive in the island. The conch, which symbolizes order and rules, can challenge raw physical power, and so it is destroyed.
Golding develops this theme by having his characters establish a democratic assembly, which is greatly affected by the verbal violence of Jack's power-plays, and an army of hunters, which ultimately forms a small military dictatorship. However, just as in the biblical story, a beautiful place can be the setting of a great fall. If a group of boys were left unsupervised on a deserted island, would they be expected to conform to general order and sophistication, or would they resort to impetuous and savage mayhem? Although simple at first, a devious immoral action of Jack to dominate the children by taking leadership from Ralph turns into a vice. Jack represents savagery and primitive fear, and so he consistently devolves to a primitive state. Throughout the novel we witness the gradual decline of the morals of the individual boys and therefore the eventual decline of their constructed society as a whole.
This is a life of religion and spiritual truth-seeking, in which men look into their own hearts, accept that there is a beast within, and face it squarely. But as the plot developed, these boys became independent on their decisions and had negative thoughts about not being rescued. Lord Of The Flies Quotes Quotes from Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies is a book by the English author William Golding, published in 1954. Similarly, Jack's boys are loyal to him. The former schoolboys sought unthinkingly to dominate others who were not of their group. While readers only get hints of these in Ch. When the boys gather on the beach for the first time, summoned by the sound of the conch, they have not yet internalized the fact that they are now outside the normal bounds of civilization.
Beauty of nature Nature can inspire people with peace and happiness. Lastly, the British naval officer saw the smoke that was on going. They also play make believe and other games, exulting in their freedom from chores and rules. Teachers may want to use themes from previous texts studied this year to use as a springboard to this analysis. The civilized and reasonable behavior of the boys at the beginning of the novel is predicated on the expected return of an ultimate authority: adult rescuers. Ralph tried to comfort and convinced the littluns that there was no beastie and that it was just a dream.
But as the chapters went by, some of the boys lost their innocence due to human nature being evil. In Lord of the Flies, the second theme is a consequence of the first. At first, the island may be seen as a Garden of Eden. In fact, some of them got into the idea of killing or murdering their fellow group mates. In particular, the novel shows how boys fight to belong and be respected by the other boys. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw.
Why things are what they are? It may be helpful to insist that students phrase themes in complete sentences e. He fears that absurdity is dominating, and it will swallow him. Their belief in The Beast stems from their own imaginations and fears, but it quickly takes on what seems to the boys to be a physical form. Outlets for Violence Most societies set up mechanisms to channel aggressive impulses into productive enterprises or projects. This would change as Roger realized there was no real authority and no punishments on the island and thus became more and more emboldened. When left to their own devices, Golding implies, people naturally revert to cruelty, savagery, and barbarism.
The themes in Lord of the Flies have been widely debated; however, there are two that are commonly accepted: the tensions between man's urge for savagery and the controlling nature of civilization, and secondly, the loss of innocence. Once the rules are broken, they are on the loose. Hence, Piggy remained safe until there were a proper leadership and rule of conch. But Golding does not portray this loss of innocence as something that is done to the children; rather, it results naturally from their increasing openness to the innate evil and savagery that has always existed within them. On the other hand, Jack also had power but abused it.
. Savagery is an idea seen throughout the story as witnessed in the hunts, the deaths of Simon and Piggy, and the attempt to kill Ralph. He says will it come back again tonight? Quotes that represent : Blindness and sight 1. See for sample theme statements. The Theme Of Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies Jack and the Hunters in the 1990 film adaptation of Lord Of The Flies In Lord of the Flies, William Golding presents a Freudian view of the individual, specifically that within each person there is a struggle between right and wrong.
To complete this lesson, students need to have read the entire novel. We don't want to see children lose their innocence and we often mourn for our own. The main way in which the boys seek this belonging and respect is to appear strong and powerful. In chapter 3, Jack tracks a pig through the forest, but it escapes. One of the main characters, Ralph, realizes this when he comes to the realization in chapter 5 that 'the real world, the understandable world is slipping away'. | http://crowdfynd.com/lotf-themes.html |
Lord of the Flies by William Golding imagines the consequences of a group of young boys being stranded on a tropical island. It explores issues of power, good versus evil, and the dangers of groupthink.
The book is structured chronologically, beginning in medias res after the boys’ plane has crashed onto the island. There are multiple examples of foreshadowing, hinting at the boys’ descent into savagery and at events like Simon’s death at the hands of his friends.
The main character is Ralph, one of the older boys in the group who takes authority and tries to make a system to help the boys survive and get rescued. The other main characters are Jack (who becomes resentful towards Ralph’s authority), and Piggy (an overweight and intelligent boy who supports Ralph). Important secondary characters include Simon (who represents goodness) and Roger (who is cruel and violent).
The novel’s physical setting is a tropical island with a mountain, beaches, and a jungle. There is a fortress-like rock formation called Castle Rock where Jack rules his tribe. Although the island feels good at the beginning, it becomes a sinister place towards the end as the boys become more savage. The wider setting is an imaginary nuclear war that takes place in a time approximately contemporary with the novel’s publication in 1954.
The novel has a third person omniscient narrator. The narration follows different characters at different times, and sometimes gives a sense of what is happening when the boys are asleep or away. However, the narration does not give any details of what is happening beyond the island.
The language used in Lord of the Flies is mostly quite formal and occasionally complex. The novel features a lot of dialogue, developing the voices of the individual characters. The dialogue often features idioms, slang, and other language typical of young boys from the 1950s. | https://primestudyguides.com/lord-of-the-flies/analysis |
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The structure of the Lord of the Flies is chronological order. The events are split into order in 12 chapters, in a time period during a fictional world war. Chronological order helps organize the plot in an orderly fashion, helping the readers understand when and what is happening. This type of structure is especially important when you reach key parts of the novel like Simon’s death and Piggy’s death.
Point of View: The point of view in the Lord of the Flies is Third Person Omniscient, meaning that the reader can hear the thoughts of more than one character. Third Person Omniscient is perfect for the Lord of the Flies, because the novel doesn’t focus on one character instead it focuses on multiple characters, and third person omniscient allows readers to get a glimpse at all of the characters thoughts. We can really see the importance of third person omniscient when after Jack failed to kill a pig in the first chapter, we hear the thoughts of Jack and what Ralph and Simon were thinking when it says, “They knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood. Next time there would be no mercy. He looked round fiercely, daring them to contradict. Then they broke out into the sunlight and for a while they were busy finding and devouring food as they moved down the scat toward the platform and the meeting” (Chapter 1 Page 36). This POV also allows the narrator to tell us how the characters are feeling.
Protagonist: The protagonist of this novel would most likely be Ralph, since he is the only boy through the end of the novel to not let the savagery and evil overwhelm him. Ralph is shown as “the boy with fair hair”(Chapter 1 Page 1) and his physique is described when it says’You could see now that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went, but there was a mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil.’ Ralph is a symbol of fairness, leadership, and civilization, as he was elected leader in the beginning of the novel, and unlike the other boy’s who wanted to have fun and kill, Ralph always was the one that wanted to be productive and do the jobs that would benefit the team.
The antagonistic force in this novel is the savagery and evil that exists within mankind and the isolation from civilization. Both of these factors contribute to the boys savagery and evil that they show as they remain on the island and as their fear of the beast increases.
Piggy- Piggy is described as, “-shorter than the fair boy[Ralph] and very fat […] then looked up through thick spectacles”(Chapter 1 Page 2). Piggy is a symbol of rationalism and intellect throughout the novel. Piggy is very talkative and smart. Piggy is the one behind many of Ralph’s ideas such as using the conch to call meetings and building shelters. Piggy is one of the three that doesn’t let his savagery and evil overwhelm him. Piggy’s rational and intellectual personality conflicts the savagery and evil of Jack and his tribe, which leads to his death. Simon – Simon is described as a “-skinny, vivid little boy, with a glance coming up from under a hut of straight hair that hung down, black and coarse.”(Chapter One Page 25)+
Symbolism or Allusion: One symbol that is prominent throughout the novel is boys fear of an imaginary beast that they believe in. The imaginary beast represents the primal instinct of savagery that the boy’s display as the time that they spend on the island increases. Simon is the first among all of the boys to speculate that the Beast is within themselves when he says, “Maybe,” he said hesitantly,”maybe there is a beast.” ”What I mean is…maybe it’s only us.””(Chapter 5 Page 119-120). Simon’s thoughts of the Beast being themselves is proven true, when he talks to the Lord of the Flies (pig’s head). The Lord of the Flies says, “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!, said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are” “I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see? You’re not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island! So don’t try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else-” (Chapter 8 Page 200-201). This quote shows how as Simon is hallucinating, he realizes that the Beast is within themselves and the more savage they act, the more realistic the Beast will become. Simon later finds out that the Beast that the boys were seeing was just a dead parachutist, giving further evidence about how to Beast is within themselves.
What is the Theme and Justification of the Theme: One of the central themes in this novel is the idea that evil exists within all mankind. The theme is portrayed by the savagery and evil of the boys especially Jack and Roger. The fact that cements the theme is the fact that when the boys first arrived on the island they were all civilized trying to build a civilized society within themselves, but as time passed by and their fear for the Beast increased we began to witness their savagery and evil. Jack Merridew is a prominent symbol that evil exists within all mankind. Jack was like all the other boys in the beginning, scared to even hurt nevertheless kill anything. Jack’s innocence and unwillingness to hurt is shown in the beginning of the novel when it says, “They found a piglet caught in a curtain of creepers. The three boys rushed forward and Jack threw his knife with a flourish. He raised his arm in the air. There came a pause, a hiatus, the pig continued to scream and the creepers to jerk, and the blade continued to flash at the end of a bony arm. Then the piglet tore loose from the creepers and scurried into the undergrowth.Jack’s face was white under the freckles. He noticed that he still held the knife aloft and brought his arm down, replacing the blade in the sheath. “I was choosing a place,” said Jack. “I was just waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him” They knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of unbearable blood” (Chapter One Page 35-36). Jack shows signs of savagery however in Chapter 4, where it says, “His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink.”(Chapter 4 Page 92).
(3)- http://biography.com/writer/william-golding
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Simon is a character who doesn't say much, but when he does speak, it is to reveal some sort of truth and his words are sometimes prophetic. Often times, Simon is at a loss for words or has a lack of confidence when he wants to speak to a large group of his peers: "Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind's essential illness" (89). In this line, Simon is trying to say that the beast is something dark within the boys themselves, which is "mankind's essential illness", or evil nature. He is the
Simon is the first character in the novel to see the beast not as an external force but as a component of human nature. Simon does not yet fully understand his own idea, but it becomes clearer to him in Chapter 8, when he has a vision in the glade and confronts the Lord of the Flies. Then everyone thought the beastie was real but us the audience knew the beastie was not real and so did simon. Simon was going to tell everyone but “There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me.
To further enhance the purpose of the text, Simon serves as a Christ figure throughout the novel. To begin, Simon provides the boys with numerous prophecies, as Jesus does in the gospels. He repeatedly reassures Ralph that “You’ll get back alright. I think so, anyway...I just think you’ll get back all right”(121). Though a strong friendship exists between him and Piggy as well, Simon does not say the same to him.
Simon, being one of the wiset boys, said, “Maybe there is a beast...maybe it’s only us…” (Chapter 5, page 80). Some boys believe that there is a wild beast roaming about and others think that it is nonsense. The boys are beginning to split up and divide themselves over the thought of a silly creature when in reality, they should be packing together. A dead parachutist lands on the island, stuck in the rocks and trees and the boys mistake it for the beast. The boys have officially decided that continuing hunting on the island is better than trying to get off the island which makes Ralph very angry.
When he wakes up after passing out, he walks to the mountain, where he discovers a dead parachutist. Seeing then that the brute does not exist remotely yet rather inside of every individual kid, Simon goes to the shoreline to tell the others what he has seen. Be that as it may, the others are amidst a disordered party even Ralph and Piggy have joined Jack's gala and when they see Simon's shadowy figure rise up out of the wilderness, they fall upon him and slaughter him with their bristle some
Simon is a character Golding used to create a Christian allegory in The Lord of the Flies. Golding conveyed a Jesus-like figure through Simon, whereas the Lord of the Flies is the Devil. Simon stayed moral and human while the rest of the boys became savages as the society crumbled. Simon knew the beast the other boys talked about was their own fear. That is was just the evil side of their human nature.
Simon’s departure suggests that he does not have a grasp on how others can deal with the stress of surviving on a deserted constantly, while he cannot. Simon, therefore, feels more fragile compared to the other boys. Fearing that the other boys think he is “batty” (111), Simon tries to mask his weakness. Unlike the
By comparing himself to them he says that he does not have any interest in corrupting youth, because money are meaningless. Furthermore, Socrates asked audience to prove his corruption, but there was no one who could gave any examples (33d-34b). Socrates was a victim of society, who did not understand the idea of education by questioning. To conclude with, Socrates was not liked among citizens, because he used his knowledge to show the weaknesses and simplicity of peoples thinking and their vanity of life. His all accusations were related to the issues of morality which never was defined by one explanation.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a book about a group of boys stuck on a deserted island who try to organize their own society which results in a series of events and disasters. This book portrays many different personalities and characters that are important parts of the book. One of the protagonists, Simon, has a plethora of fine qualities such as kindness, intuition, thoughtfulness, and virtue. These qualities shape Simon into a Christ-like figure. Simon is shown to be an image of Christ through his tender-hearted nature, prophetic-like qualities, and understanding of the beast within the boys.
The good the evil and the balance in between Good and evil can be found within everyone, most people have an equal balance while others tend to lean more to one side or the other. The novel Lord of the Flies is a novel written by author William Golding. Golding portrays the themes of good, evil and a balance between both. He does so by using three specific boys in the group, Jack, Ralph, and Simon to embody these themes. Each boy represents one of the following symbols: savagery, civilization or purity, these symbols represent the three themes. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Theme-Of-Simon-In-Lord-Of-The-F3YRG8H4SCF6 |
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel that represents a microcosm of society in a tale about children stranded on an island. Of the group of young boys there are two who want to lead for the duration of their stay, Jack and Ralph. Through the opposing characters of Jack and Ralph, Golding reveals the gradual process from democracy to dictatorship from Ralph's democratic election to his lack of law enforcement to Jack's strict rule and his violent law enforcement.
The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding used a group of British boys beached on a deserted island to illustrate the malicious nature in mankind. Lord of the Flies dealt with the changes the boys underwent as they gradually adapted to the freedom from their society. William Golding's basic philosophy that man was inherently evil was expressed in such instances as the death of Simon, the beast within the boys, and the way Ralph was fervently hunted.
“... Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart and the fall through of the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy”(202). The evil that is innate in which is repressed in the bodies of humans are bound by the rules of society. When one is liberated from the restriction rules brought, it results in a free spirited person who cannot feel any remorse for their new excitement that is shunned by the taboo of the old life. People who liberate their repressions become savages as a result. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, a group of British boys attempt to recreate society when their plane crashes onto a deserted island, during the midst of WWll. As time passes, the civilized morales becomes destroyed, a rivalry between Ralph and
Lord of the Flies by William Golding was novel about a group of English schoolboys who got stranded on an island with no adults, fending for themselves. With nothing but the clothes on their backs, they had to start building a little community by electing a leader, making shelters, and finding food. Ralph was the leader of the kids since he was the oldest and strongest. Each boy represented something different whether it was wisdom, reason or truth. Golding wanted to portray that all human beings are savage by nature, and are moved by urges toward brutality and dominance over others.
Looking at Lord of the Flies by William Golding, readers may notice both good and evil in each character. Golding wrote this novel to demonstrate that humans are evil and requires the constraints of society to maintain social order but Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s philosophy states that a person is naturally good but is corrupted by society. Taking place during World War II, Golding’s novel is centered around a group of British boys between the ages of six and twelve whose plane was shot down and were left to survive on an island. While on this island – away from the laws of England and the rules of the school – the boys had the freedom to act however their hearts desired but most of the boys became savage and violent proving Golding’s belief, that the evil of a person is kept in order by the restrictions of society, to be true. Rousseau’s belief is defined by the term the state of nature, which in this case, is hypothetical.
Katherine Paterson once said, “To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another.” William Golding, who is a Nobel Prize winner for literature, writes Lord of the Flies, originally published in 1954. Golding’s novel is about a group of boys who crash land on an island. All of the adults are dead and they are abandoned on an island. The boys try to set rules and create a fire in efforts of being rescued. The group of boys chooses Ralph to be their leader. This choosing makes a literary character named Jack, who doesn’t show his anger until half way through the plot. The novel shows the nature of humans and how fear can control them. The novel also shows the difference between good and evil. Golding experienced this when he was in World War II. There were many times fear controlled the boys in the island in Lord of the Flies.
At a skim through William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the reader discovers an adventurous story of English schoolboys stranded on an uninhabited island, while in further inspection, the novel is a story based on Golding’s views on human nature. Without contextual analysis, Lord of the Flies is simply about the English boys who crash on the island during evacuation from war and realize that there are no adults to manage them. Their immediate societal instinct is to form a government and order, but after being stranded for too long, the societal influences wither away until the boys become savages, separating into tribes that fight amongst themselves. The island represents a place without social restraints where the characters are fully able to delve into their state of nature. They are without friends, family, religion, and a structured law and justice system; all they have is language that allows them to manifest themselves into a state of nature. The novel portrays an experiment with an independent linguistic variable that subjects the boys to evolve. The experiment may be slightly skewed due to the fact that the boys once existed in a structured society, although, it provides insight that no matter how manicured a society is, it will always revert to the state of nature when given the chance. Lord of the Flies is truly not about the adventures of boys, but their actions that mimic the larger world where war has dominated civilization. Objects like the conch, Piggy’s glasses, the fire, and the beast each represents a defining character of mankind. In the Lord of the Flies, the conch, glasses, fire, and beast symbolically represent elements of the real world; characters represent different parts of existing humanity and recurring...
In conclusion, Lord of the Flies by William Golding conveys the id and the super-ego to the extreme in Jack and Piggy. Throughout the story, we see the difference in moral values between Piggy and Jack. The conch shell becomes a fundamental object that governs the boys and is constantly brought up by Piggy and neglected by Jack. The novel thoroughly supports Freud's theory that all humans have instincts to do horrible acts, but they may or may not be able to control
William Golding’s novel ‘The Lord of The flies’ presents us with a group of English boys who are isolated on a desert island, left to try and retain a civilised society. In this novel Golding manages to display the boys slow descent into savagery as democracy on the island diminishes. | https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Internal-Enemy-71746 |
Theme Analysis Essay Template Example
Description:The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to very closely examine a work of literature. Your central idea in this essay will focus on the work of literature as a whole or focus on one particular element in a longer text. Some common types of literary analysis essay focus on analyzing a theme, a character or a symbol. You may analyze a poem, a short story or a novel.
Topic: The Symbolism of the Shell in Lord of the Flies.
Literary Analysis Example
For centuries, philosophers have grappled with the question of whether mankind is inherently good or evil. In his novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding examines this question through a story about what happens after a small plane carrying British schoolboys crashes on a desert island. Because no adults survived the crash, the boys were on their own to govern themselves and await a rescue. As the story unfolds, the boys are forced to organize themselves outside of civilized society. Throughout the story, Golding uses the symbol of the conch shell to represent civilization and democracy.
From the beginning, the conch shell functions as a tool for establishing a civil order. When Ralph, a character who would become a leader among the boys, first finds the conch shell, he blows it like a horn to gather all the boys together. Once the boys emerged from the tropical jungle to gather near Ralph, he ?smiled and held up the conch for silence." At that moment, the attempt at creating an orderly civilization begins. The conch shell is initially used as a tool for both gathering together and establishing leadership.
Another symbolic use for the conch shell occurs during the scenes involving the boys' assembly. The intention of the assembly is to form a governing body. Ralph is chosen as a leader in part because he found and used the conch shell first. When the boys vote for a leader, they exclaim ?Him with the shell. Ralph! Ralph! Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing." Here, the conch shell represents the power vested in ralph as the decision-maker among the boys. The shell is an image of the fair, democratic microcosm of civilization that the boys hoped to invoke.
Gradually, however, the boys lose their connection with the conch shell, signifying their momentum towards giving in to disorder and chaos. Both Piggy and Ralph use the conch shell as a horn any time they feel that their makeshift civilization is falling apart, in an effort to gather the boys. When some of the boys start a fire on the island and Piggy attempts to use the conch to stop them, he is rebuked by Jack who is beginning to express rebellion and evil. The conch doesn't count up on top of the mountain," said Jack. When such limitations are placed on the power of the conch, the boys begin to lose respect for the established civil order.
Further, as the island civilization degenerates, so does the conch shell itself. Jack diminishes the power of the conch when he proclaims that "we don't need the conch anymore." At this point, Jack's assertion links the demise of the conch's power with a dramatic shift in the civil order. Golding's descriptions of the conch shell also show that it has literally lost its color and luster over time, physically mirroring the eroding social situation. Additionally, the scene where Jack steals Piggy's glasses instead of stealing the conch shell shows how the shell was no longer valued.
Finally, the conch shell is literally crushed by a boulder. This occurs when Piggy was holding the shell and was intentionally murdered by the boys pushing rocks upon him. The complete destruction of the conch, a symbol of fair and just civilization, corresponds with this deliberately evil act. The conch shell was the ultimate civilizing influence on the island. With its destruction, the group was given license to slide into savagery, evil and disorder. Through the symbol of the conch shell, Golding communicated that evil is an inevitable aspect of man if the conditions arise for its expression.
Одно движение, и он выстрелит. Но стрелять не понадобилось. Халохот был мертв. Беккер отшвырнул пистолет и без сил опустился на ступеньку. | http://lokhj.webz.cz/477-theme-analysis-essay-template-example.php |
In Lord of the Flies and Fahrenheit 451, William Golding and Ray Bradbury use strong symbolism to show the faults in man. Lord of the Flies is filled symbolism- the most powerful being fire. Fire
Diction and imagery are very important components to a story. It is the way that the author displays their feelings through the character. Homer uses very vivid shifts in tone, sometimes creating room for the reader to learn a lesson. In one of Homer’s famous books, “The Odyssey,” he uses diction, imagery, and tone to show that everything does not always go as planned. Wishing to escape the cyclops’ bondage, Odysseus tries to get out of trouble and assumes that he and his men are safe by lying to the Cyclops.
Liesel represents the power of words and its ability to deceive and persuade; however, Rudy is affected negatively the most through the power of words, these representations of how words can be powerful are merely exercised through emotional measures rather than through expression of thought, which certainly affects the outcome of the story. The literary devices in the novel have allowed the author to depict an image of how the power of words is displayed. Besides this, the application of this analysis could be more intensive that just this instance, which is why it is critical to understand the power of analyzing the effect that words can have, they can revamp and change views to represent a completely different perspective. The Book Thief is a buoyant novel that educates and guides youth to be more cautious about the effect of words on altering your
A person’s true colors are seen when they come across times of great challenges and conflict, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~Martin Luther King. This quote best fits the plots of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet struggles to keep himself sane while acting insane to avenge his father murder. In the Lord of the Flies, Ralph and Piggy try to keep peace and order on the island while jack resorts to complete savagery.
The Forbidden Fruit Selfishness is an innate human trait that when left unchecked, can cause the fabric of society to unravel. This is demonstrated in the allegorical novel The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, where a group of boys wrestle with their primal desires while attempting to survive on the island. The most obstructive person to this goal is a boy by the name of Jack. Although the group quickly comes together and divides the urgent tasks of their new society amongst themselves, Jack strays away from his. He instead pursues his own desire and takes responsibility for his own survival, rather than placing it in the hands of the group.
Simon’s characterization as a wise, Christ-like figure impacts the story’s themes and meanings in three ways. Simon is a kind, just boy with an ability to see good in anything, but no one else seems to have the insight that he has. This leads to the first theme that Simon demonstrates: the magnitude of the good, light side will always pale in comparison to the darker, viler one. While the other boys are frolicking about and eating fruit, dreaming about killing the pig they came across, Simon slinks into the forest and “[glances] swiftly round to confirm that he [is] utterly alone” (56).
Curley Character Analysis Every story has a hero, a person that readers get to like. Besides that person, almost every story has someone that complicates the protagonist’s life. A character that the audience hates. An antagonist is mostly depicted as negative and bad. They are important, because they make the story interesting, they influence the protagonist’s actions by making their current world increasingly undesirable and presenting obstacles to the story.
The theme of duality is explored through the ongoing push and pull that Dorian faces between the influence of Lord Henry and the influence of Basil. This is made apparent as Dorian ponders whose guidance he should listen to and thinks, "When I close my eyes, I hear them, and each of them says something different. I don 't know which to follow”. Wilde’s use of sensory imagery illustrates the physical toll that this mental conflict is taking on Dorian. The juxtaposition of visual and aural imagery shows Dorian’s internal battle, but the fact that Dorian cannot see them, only hear their voices displays the blind faith that Dorian has in two men who have completely contrasting moral ideals, displaying Dorian’s mercurial and conflicting morals.
The novel the ‘Lord of the Flies’, by William Golding has a main theme that touches on the human condition – ‘the struggle between civilisation and savagery’. Golding advances in his writing techniques, showing symbolism and characterisation throughout. Golding chose to create a ‘Beast’ that would soon cause an emotional ‘rip’ between the boys. This beast is a symbol for the evil and the malice that resides within the children. Characterisation is shown with Ralph displaying different concepts like leadership and order, Piggy, intelligence and reason, Simon kindness and Jack, savagery.
Truong Page 1 Lauryn Truong Mr. Poling English 5th Period 7 October 2015 Lord of the Flies Character Analysis: Simon In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Simon is empathetic; however, he struggles to communicate with the boys. One trait that Simon has is empathy, which is expressed through his actions. Golding develops Simon as a Christ-like figure, meaning he takes on characteristics that Christ had. Like Jesus, he is able to interpret what the group's problems are and what needs to be done to fix them.
People put on mask whenever revealing their genuine identity or behavior can cause issues. They are afraid of the aftermath that their actions might cause. This is the situation one can see in The Canterbury Tales, Piers Plowman, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight prologues. All of these literary works present different valuable societal issues. First in The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer gives us a description of characters and their flaws.
William Golding 's novel, Lord of the Flies integrates symbolism through the conch, the beast, and the boys painted faces. By using symbolism the author develops the plot of the novel while allowing the reader to interpret each perspective of the symbols. These allegories work together in a way that expresses the theme; rigorous situations unveil the inner beasts of all people. While difficult situations are still present in modern society, they may not result in the same outcome as previous instances but they are equally
When he discovers the Lord of the Flies, it actually speaks to him, because the Lord of the Flies represents evil, while Simon represents holiness and good. The Lord of the Flies asks Simon “aren’t you afraid of me?” and instead of folding, Simon fights the evil, and shakes his head no (Golding 143). He can also see the corruption of his fellow peers, and the civilization leaving the group. Simon takes the beast as man, man that was once “heroic and sick” but is not corrupt and savage (Golding 103).
Society isn’t perfect and it’s about to either hit you in the head or go over. “Lord of the Flies”, shows symbolism, a topic some people don’t understand. William Golding uses symbolism to create a universal message in his novel. Symbolism is the symbolic meaning attached to natural objects or facts. In this novel, William Golding uses symbolism to trace the defects of society back to the human nature by two major symbols, Piggy and the Conch.
Crawling through the undergrowth on an unknown island with nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. As the sun swims across the sky turning day into night, strange noises come to life. This is the everyday setting in the novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding. In the novel, a group of English boys crash onto a mysterious island. Unfortunately, the plane crash left no trace of adults, therefore, leaving the young boys stranded on the island alone with no adult supervision (Golding pp. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Lord-Of-The-Flies-Simon-Character-Analysis-FKJ2B8H4AJPR |
The human nature can be a vile, corrupt, and heinous object that will do anything to benefit itself and put down others. This is the bleak reality of the human nature. LoTF, written by William Golding, and Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini are two books that follow the tragic stories of young boys who lost and sacrificed everything when they succumbed to their evil desires. Lord of the Flies and Kite runner both shed light on human nature by showing the inherent evil that can be evoked, how it can lead to the loss of childhood innocence, and the sacrifices we are willing to make.
The Evolution of the Beastie’s Symbolism Nightmares are something that everyone gets in their lifetime but the “worst nightmares can also happen with your eyes open” (Florence Welch). The book Lord of the Flies written by William Golding is about a bunch of boys who are stuck on an island because their plane has crashed, no one knows where they are and they are no adults present on the island with them. Another major factor that had affected all the boys that were stuck on an island was time. Time goes by really quickly and with time even people change. Fear soaked in the boys, and as time passed on they went from being civilized little kids, to irrational, schizophrenic little kids to finally being complete savages, which corresponds to the
Betrayal is a ghastly act that often ruins relationships permanently. It tears the two parties apart and builds a wall between each other. Betrayal is, unfortunately, not a hard concept to understand in William Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth and Banquo’s relationship was long and emotional, for they were best friends and war comrades. This only makes the betrayal of Macbeth even more unforgivable, knowing that he only did so for himself.
The adolescents in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone are entangled in chaotic situations that placed them in vulnerable positions to commit dangerous acts of violence. In Golding’s novel, a cluster of boys are trapped on an unknown island caused by a fatal plane crash that leads to the lack of adult supervision. The need to survive on the deserted island causes two leaders to emerge and clash: Jack and Ralph.
Lord of the Flies Essay Revision In the book, Lord of the Flies by WIlliam Golding, a group of young boys are stranded on an island all alone, which turns to have a horrible outcome- murder and savagery. Golding uses a variety of symbols to paint the picture of little boys turning savage, one symbol being ¨the beast¨. Throughout the use of the beast as a symbol of fear, as seen when the boy´s find a dead parachuter and confuse it with the beast, Golding suggests that every human has a beast in them, and humans are the only thing that should be feared. From the start, it was clear to see how rapidly the boys were starting to turn into savages on account of their fear of the beast. Piggy and Simon were the first to figure the puzzle out on page 84, during an assembly to discuss about the beast.
The untouched, pure island was corrupted by man when the boys came, and this made it the young boys leave their marks, thus killing its beauty. In other words, since the boys came the island’s perfectness was left in utter chaos because of their actions. For example in the article “Game Metaphor” in Golding 's Lord of the Flies, it states that “ The boys in Lord of the Flies consider most events as games... whereas in reality these are all key elements in the disintegration of the island.” This proves that the boys going hunting or even leaving the fire unattended, means the destruction of the island. In addition on page 201 in Lord of the Flies, it says “A flame, seemingly detached, swung like an acrobat and licked up the palm heads on the platform.
At the end of Chapter 12, Grendel’s last words were “Poor Grendel’s had an accident … So may you all.” (Gardner 174). Such words are meant as a curse to affect mankind. To start off, Grendel’s relationship with humans are not great.
Once you were finished with them, you left them on top of a moving taxi. (We The Unicorns) The incident that ignited the whole situation was your finding a dead body in Aokigahara, the infamous “Suicide Forest,” laughing at it, and putting it in not only your video but your disgusting thumbnail. (We The Unicorns) This is only a sample of the destruction you caused.
When the boys get rescued there is an irony in the way the officer reacts to the boys’ savagery. He shows his disgust by saying, “I should have thought that a pack of British boys - you’re all British aren’t you? - would have been able to put up a better show than that - I mean- “ . The fact that the officer that rescues the boys get disgusted by the way British boys can end up so savage in such a short period, is ironic because he himself lives in a world where violence and war goes hand in hand with
He even further proves his evil soul when he murders Basil without even thinking minutes later. Dorian had turned from harsh and selfish to a murder. Dorian Gray starts off as a harsh person who thinks about repairing his mistakes, but transitions to a selfish murderer who seeks pleasure, all because of Lord Henrys poisonous words. Dorian Gray ruined countless lives throughout the book and goes from breaking hearts and causing suicides, to killing his good friend Basil Hallward. As a result of Lord Henry’s influence, he begins to think only about himself and for his own benefit and pleasure and nothing of anyone else.
Savagery has overtaken Roger and his murder of Piggy symbolized savagery destroying civilization.
“And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy” (Golding 202). In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Ralph is a boy who had a crony that has been killed. The friend, with the name of Piggy, was a sharp-witted, affable boy. Both of the boys were stranded on an island, due to a plane crash. Ralph becomes extremely distraught when the killing of Piggy occurs.
‘Lord of the Flies’, written by William Goulding's; This is a Parable telling how a group of boys, stranded on an unmapped island want to be rescued after crashing a plane there. The lighting of a signal fire; which is Piggy’s idea; to attract passing ships but one boy, Jack interferes with their plans with the fire. Another boy, Ralph, the chief of the group confronting Jack, but Jack refuses to listen and tries to burn Ralph off the island. Then, the last second before Jack tries to kill Ralph, a man in a ship sees the fire and rescues them and takes them home where there is a war going on. How did this happen?
In the early chapters of the the Lord of the flies, the island they are on resembles the Garden of Eden from Genesis in the bible, with its scenery, food, and great weather. The boys are symbols linked to Adam and Eve even before they crash. Ralph's first act after the plane crash was to remove his clothes and bathe in the water, the nudity in bible show the innocence of Adam and Eve. Golding starts his second this biblical allusion when he begins to introduce island life as full of fear, when that of the first reports of a creature the boys refer to a "snake-thing. "
Geoffrey S. Fletcher, an American screenwriter and film director, has always been “...interested in how innocence fares when it collides with hard reality” (Geoffrey S. Fletcher Quotes). If Fletcher wishes to examine this change of unknowingness he is interested in, the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, perfectly depicts how the purity of a child changes when that child is forced to face reality. Lord of the Flies is a novel about how lack of control can turn the purest beings on earth, children, into ruthless savages. A plane strands a group of boys on a deserted island, and readers observe the characters losing their incorruptibility while trying to form a coherent civilization. Advancement in maturation is shown in the novel Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, through the loss of innocence in Jack, Piggy, and Ralph. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Similes-In-Lord-Of-The-Flies-PJYUXR6GZT |
Piggy's action's and behavior depended on his glasses. Lord of the Flies illustrates this theme through the story of a group of boys stranded on an island who must overcome not only the natural difficulties presented by the island but also the difficulties presented by their own inherent human nature. He has very bad eyesight and wears thick rimmed spectacles. He becomes hypnotised by the head, which has flies swarming all around it. I'm the reason why it's no go? Ralph and Simon are civilized and apply their power in the interests of the young boys and the progress of the group in general. Once free of the temptations created by adults and society the boys are able to live happily ever after in a peaceful utopia.
Lord of the Flies takes the opposite view: that evil comes from within. The Lord of the Flies The Lord of the Flies is symbolized by the bloody head of the sow that Jacks plants on a spike in the forest glade. As the fire reduces in intensity, the boys keep on getting comfortable with their savagery on the island and losing the desire to be rescued. Littluns — a generic name given to the stranded children six-years-old and under. However it's the things that fear can cause a person to do that makes it dangerous. By frequently quoting his aunt, he also provides the only female voice. He adopts a savage approach that will see him turn the group against Ralph and Piggy and finally causing death.
Ralph's effort to keep the fire going are consistent but unsuccessful, in the same way his efforts to restore order are unsuccessful. GradeSaver, 18 August 2007 Web. They are eventually rescued by a naval ship. Ralph tires of having to think like an adult and the other boys rebel. In all versions of the story, Piggy is generally ignored by the other boys, or treated disdainfully when they do pay attention to him.
Minor Characters Simon — The strangest of the boys, Simon is extremely shy and unable to communicate the truth about the island, the beast, and human nature. Introduction Lord of the Flies is the masterpiece…. I would compare and contrast the characteristics of the three boys: Ralph, Jack and Piggy with regards to there appearance, personality and potential for leadership as follows Piggy's appearance is short and fat and he has fair hair. The common virtues Piggy had were; self-discipline i. When the hunters kill a pig, Jack smears blood on Maurice's face.
Piggy, along with being the brains of the island, is also a very complex and misunderstood boy. It is quite obvious he was often bullied for his weight at school, due to the fact that kids called him Piggy there too. Piggy is so intent on preserving some remnant of civilization on the island that he assumes improbably enough that 's raiders have attacked Ralph's group so that they can get the conch when of course they have come for fire. Piggy also relies too heavily on the power of social convention. Like all the other boys in this version, he is American and attends an unnamed American military boarding school.
Naval Officer The naval officer appears in the final scene of the novel, when Ralph encounters him on the beach. Simon also had a very specific role in the novel in being the character in contact with nature. He believes that holding the conch gives him the right to be heard. The first is when he discovers the shell. As the island civilization erodes and the boys descend into savagery, the conch shell loses its power and influence among them. A dead man floats onto the island and becomes lodged in rocks and trees.
Piggy symbolizes science and rationality. Symbolism is in three different formats: It can be universal, archetype or contextual. . Key words: symbolism, Lord of the Flies, collective unconscious, archetypal theory 0. He tells Ralph that his ship decided to inspect the island upon seeing a lot of smoke the outcome of the forest fire that Jack and his tribe had set in the hopes of driving Ralph out of hiding. He, in reality, saved Jack, an abusive boy who harassed him ever since they crashed, and Roger, the boy who threw stones, and the boy who murdered the innocent Piggy.
When was a script editor for he commissioned a script of Lord of the Flies from , but Ealing Studios closed in 1959 before it could be produced. At the beginning of the book, the symbolism of his glasses is highlighted when they use the lenses from his glasses was used to start a fire by focusing the rays of the sun. He picks fruit for the littluns and gives Piggy meat. He is overweight, and also suffers from asthma. The choir boys make wooden spears, creating the appearance that they are warriors within the group.
In The Coral Island, a group of boys become stranded on an island in the Coral Sea and learn to happily live in peace and harmony with each other and their environment. However, when Piggy takes the conch, they are not silent as their rules require but instead jeer. Piggy is dedicated to the ideal of civilization and consistently reprimands the other boys for behaving as savages. Lord of the Flies: 1990 Movie Piggy in the 1990 film, portrayed by Danuel Pipoly. There had grown up tacitly among the biguns the opinion that Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and a certain disinclination for manual labour. | http://minecraftservers.nu/piggy-lord-of-the-flies.html |
Destruction The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding certainly represents Golding’s worry of the thin veneer of civilization in the modern-day world and how it is bound to crumble at any time. In Golding’s novel, the boys who are stuck on the island turn to savagery after lots of difficult months of forcing civilization on each other. As soon as the boys have exited the modern world the thin layer of civilization is now gone. This forced them to use savagery to get what they want rather of being arranged, using compromise, and staying civilized. The kids try to increase in power through murder, worry, manipulation, and worry.
The young boys on the island very first attempt to begin a fire and prosper in this effort. The fire on the mountain represents both the best and the worst in the human experience. The kids discovered team effort and had hopes of being rescued. This exhibits the very best in the human experience due to the fact that collaborating is a crucial life ability, as is optimism. They want to make a fire to signal a ship if it ever happens to come to the coast. A young boy called Piggy lets the group use his glasses to start the fire. Although the boys interacted in some methods, they also turned against each other.
The boarding school and choirboys all pit themselves versus Piggy, the fat and asthmatic child. He tries to provide his ideas about starting the fire till Ralph, the fair-headed boy, “elbowed him to one side” (Golding 40). Ralph chews out Piggy since apparently he was supposed to make a list of the young boys who had actually left the crashed plane securely. It seems as though the kids are simply looking for somebody to take their sadness and anger out on. Piggy is an easy target. This represents the worst in the human experience. It shows that if you are a little various than your peers, they will tease you for no factor at all.
One kid speaks up after the kids prosper in beginning the fire and reverse about how many of them there are on the island. Piggy decides to inform the others that he” [does not] see him” (Golding 46), describing one of the more youthful children. This likewise stands for another part of the worst in the human experience. Individuals tend to pay less attention to you when you are young and in a group. But this incident also represents the best in the human experience. When the other little young boys go crazy about the missing kid, the older boys attempt to soothe them down. This is a kind gesture and also an honorable one.
The starting of the fire brings out both the very best and the worst of the young boys personalities and of the human experience. The character called Ralph tries to bring order to the civilization in the chapter “Beasts from Water.” Ralph, being the chief of the little people, naturally has the other kids’ best interest at heart. Ralph calls a conference and chooses to discuss what the group should do to make sure that the society works effectively. At the assembly, Ralph grasps the conch and criticizes the kids for their failure to follow and sustain the group’s rules.
He informs the kids that they must utilize the rocks as a restroom, make certain that they do not take fire from the mountain, and to keep the fire on the mountain going. Jack, the hunter chief, tries to calm everyone down by stating there is not a beast and even if there were one he “would have seen it” (Golding 83). Later, Jack withdraws his claim and tips that there may be a monster when he says that he will track and kill it. This is an example of manipulation. It is an adjustment that leaves the remainder of the kids full of fear. The remainder of the group is more going to provide the power to Jack and his hunter.
They are willing to overlook the savagery that Jack and his crew dedicate for the sake of the group’s “safety.” The kids’ civilization is portrayed as a damaged and damaged society. The 2 head leaders are battling and not paying as much attention to the “people” as they must be. In reality, the society is not civilized any longer. They have all become paranoid, and have even created a beast within their minds. Jack is using the more youthful kids’ headaches indirectly in order to get power. This expresses the impulse for savagery that was formerly kept by the civilization of modern society.
Using Jack as a token, Golding is implying that everyone can cleaning themselves tidy of civilization and becoming the beast that they have within them. In the reflection “Notes on Lord of the Flies” by E. L. Epstein, Epstein talks about the significance, turmoil, and significance of the novel. When the sheer veneer of civilization and society slides away, you are inclined to trace the defects of “society back to the defects of humanity” (Golding qtd. Epstein 2) itself. Both Golding and Epstein effort to explain that this is the basis of the unique Lord of the Flies.
Another theme that shows up in Epstein’s notes is the struggle of everyday life in modern-day cultures and societies. The battle for power between Jack and Ralph depicts the battle for success and power in our civilizations, although the struggles and hardships they withstand are on a larger scale. There are fights in between people, groups, companies, states, and even countries. Everybody desires power and wants to combat for it. If our world was not civilized and humane these people who are battling to win would be as wild and untamed as the boys on the island were.
Epstein also talks about why Golding entitled his novel what he did. Apparently, the name Lord of the Flies is an actual translation of the “Hebrew Ba’alzevuv” (Epstein 3) or Beelzebub in Greek. Both Ba’alzevuv and Beelzebub are names for the Devil. This specific devil’s name suggests perish, obliteration, dejection, craze, and terror. It suits Golding’s theme fantastically, specifically due to the fact that the layer of civilization has been shed and whatever that the Devil comes with also includes turmoil. The severed plant’s head that the kids give as sacrifice to the Beast is the most actual representation of the Devil in the book.
Lord of the Flies is filled with fights, has a hard time, flaws, and the natural evil that human beings have. The boys on the island murder a poor, innocent sow that was nursing her piglets at the time. Her children saw her being slaughtered and this clearly shows how ignorant the kids are and also how savage they have ended up being. By murdering the sow near her poor piglets the young boys are viewed as devolving animals, not civilized, smart, or considerate any longer. The reader can plainly see the young boys devolving as sophisticated beings in the sexually charged scene.
The recently become savage’s relentless acts are the tip of the iceberg, when the civilization lastly falls apart. Jack and the hunters “joke” nervously about where the plant has actually been stabbed. The boys talk about how the spear went right “up her ass” (Golding 138) and tensely reminisce the kill. The heinous nature of the criminal activity devoted against the plant obviously resembles a rape or a sexual assault. Golding is dropping bits and pieces about the sexual nature of this murder because he wishes to show the newly found perversion of the boys’ society.
The scene is a representation of how the civilization is collapsing due to absence of adult guidance. The veneer of civilization has actually been wiped away. Their bloodlust is revealed through the savage murder of the poor sow who was nursing a “row of piglets” (Golding 134) at the time. Unfortunately, Ralph’s idea of an orderly island has actually been thrown in the trash. Jack has actually now taken over the minds of a great deal of the boys with his desire to steal the blood of an animal. Through murders, spoken attacks, and a split in between people, the kids have no choice but to rely on savagery and give up their informed methods. In the essay “Society vs.
Savagery: Meaning in Golding’s Lord of the Flies” by Rachel Breneman, she describes the theme of the struggle between savagery and civilization in the book. The boys originally prepared to have an arranged and rule-based society. But, the reader should bear in mind that they are just merely young boys without any adult guidance. They planned to have order however simply let condition populate. Breneman discusses the very first signs of order that we see and likewise the first symbols of savagery presented in the book. The conch is symbolization for order, company, and the boys desire to produce a civilized society.
The conch is likewise a sign “of authority” (Breneman) and exemplifies the young boys’ requirement to set limits. Although the young boys do wish for a civilized society, their primitive and unsophisticated humanity always forces them to pull away back to savagery. Breneman discusses that a person of the very first symbols of barbarity and savagery that is displayed in the book is the boys’ painting of faces. Jack informs the others that he wants to paint his face to be camouflaged and this is real to some level. Then, Jack searches in the water and his inner savage is released. He becomes a bloodthirsty animal who only has a taste for the excitement of the hunt.
Jack has actually lost all of his “social impulses” (Breneman) and is now absolutely nothing but an unrestrained savage. The young boys have no option however to slowly lose their longing for an organized and civilized society as the unique advances. Humanity is configured in the most savage and primitive state and nothing can stop that. When Simon is accidentally eliminated, the remainder of the characters accept the truth that it was just that– an accident. Sadly, when Piggy is extremely murdered and the conch shell he held is shattered, the young boys and the reader can see the ultimate breakdown of the veneer of civilization. Simon’s eath, unlike Piggy’s, was the outcome of a video game. A reenactment of a sow’s slaughter killed Simon, but a rock pushed by a young boy caused Piggy’s death. Although the slaughter of the plant was indeed an act of savagery and not civilization, Piggy’s death was not a mishap like Simon’s was. Their terrible deaths loomed “over the island” (Golding 197) like a cloud. After Piggy’s murder, Ralph considers his and Simon’s deaths. Ralph, the embodiment of a civilized individual, understands that there is no hope of civilization on the island. All of the vestiges of civilization have actually now vanished, specifically the conch.
The truth that Ralph understands savagery has taken control of the island’s civilization after Piggy’s death just stresses the idea that the manslaughter of Simon was not as essential to Ralph’s awareness as Piggy’s murder. The absolute damage of civilization is likewise demonstrated when Ralph finds the skull of the Lord of the Flies and is filled with “ill fear and rage” (Golding 198). Piggy’s murder, Simon’s death, and the annihilation of the conch all force Ralph to come to terms with the truth the there disappears organization or civilization left on the island.
A “beast” triggers outcry on the little island of young boys in the chapter “Present for Darkness.” Jack calls an assembly out of shock and spite towards Ralph. Ralph was a “coward” (Golding 127) when they discovered the monster and Jack demands that he must be impeached for his lack of bravery. He tries to topple Ralph as leader by forcing the kids to vote who should be primary– him or Ralph. In a normal civilization, a member of society would not try to topple the leader, he would try to speak with them and compromise. Jack is not being reasonable and therefore interfering with the natural method a civilized society is meant to be run.
None of the young boys elect Jack when he carries out the election. Jack storms away with his feelings harmed and his heart broken. He invites anybody that wants to join him just to follow him and “hunt with [him] whenever” (Golding 126). The reader can just assume that this declaration excludes both Ralph and Piggy. Jack declares himself chief of a brand-new people. He rules this tribe using the boys’ worry of the monster to his benefit. Jack is a savage, rowdy, and even often dictatorial leader. Civilization is supposed to be orderly and arranged. Without order, there is virtually no civilization in place.
Jack ruins Ralph’s dream of a civilized society when he leaves from the tribe. Jack’s pledge of a better and more fun tribe lures some of the littluns and as the littluns leave, some of the biguns follow. Piggy and Ralph will always stick together however. Piggy’s pleasure of Jack leaving sparks joy in the others that they can not manage. Ralph does not lead by fear which is what makes his society/tribe more civilized than Jack’s will ever be. The veneer of civilization slowly begins to collapse when Jack Merridew reveals his apparent hatred for Jack.
Piggy and the symbol of civilization in the book are eradicated when Roger crushes them with a stone. Jack and Ralph are combating yet once again best prior to Piggy is struck while holding the conch. In the middle of their brawl, Piggy cries out greatly and hopes someone will hear him. Piggy tries to speak and wants to advise the group of the significance of being saved and also about the island’s guidelines. As he is trying to speak, Roger thrusts an enormous rock down the mountain. It crushes Piggy and shatters the conch he is holding. Although Piggy is an important part of the unique, the conch leaves a bigger mark when it is crushed.
Prior to the boulder strikes Piggy and the conch, Ralph tries to use the conch to fix the damaged “civilization” on the island and also clutches it to console himself after all of the young boys (including him) murder Simon. The conch works as a sign of civilization and organized society. Ralph clutching it demonstrates his desire to return house and review the structured environment that he has not yet let go of. The damage of the conch represents the supreme demolition of society and civilization on the island and for the boys. | https://essays4yu.com/lord-of-the-flies-11 |
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a book about abandoned children on an island after surviving a plane crash, and is overall an analogy on how people created society for themselves, as the children in the book create their own self-made government and have disputes on who gets power and resources. Its a difficult read at times, but is enjoyable to see the descent into madness as the children struggle to survive. I would recommend the reading age for the book to be 13+.
Lord of the Flies is an amazing book about a group of young boys who have been stranded on a desolate, deserted island and must adapt to their new environment. The book has a slow ascending to the climax where the idea of savagery and chaos is slowly pushed upon the boys in the group. William Golding’s dark imagery and descriptions have made this book an absolute classic; it's a must read ! But this book isn’t for the light-hearted it has a lot of gory content that may not suit everyone so watch out for that !
at times, disturbing
The Lord of the Flies is a common high-school read. After a group of boys are stranded on an island as a result of a plane crash with none of the adults surviving, they are forced to try and rule themselves. The story progresses to show how each of the boys ultimately descend into madness and become stripped off their moral principles. I found it to be a fascinating read! It brings up many topics about how humanity will naturally act when there is no society or laws to keep people in place. The author, William Golding, makes sure to include several metaphors and symbolism in order to accurately convey how humans are essentially the root of all evil. Although this book has depictions of violence and may seem a little depressing, it is definitely though-provoking and makes you think about how the minds of human’s work.
In the story, The Lord of the Flies, William Golding creates an allegorical and dystopian fiction book that includes a group of boys on a stranded island with no adults to fight nature’s obstacles. Jack Merridew, a character that is not fully developed with the world, starts a hunting group and leads most of the boys to follow the lifestyles of savagery. Ralph, an organized boy who was the originally voted leader, loses his position and, over time, loses much of his popularity. With a failed attempt at starting a socialization, Jack transforms himself and his crew into barbaric beasts, surviving in a reckless lifestyle almost as of an animal. Ralph, one of very few people who still remain civilized, continues to bring back others into a structured form of living.
After Golding’s horrific first-hand experience in fighting World War II, he wanted to share his belief that humans are inherently evil, and that without a government, society would crash. Although many would disagree with this claim, I rate it a five out of five stars, because the story plays a fair demonstration of his point. The book isn’t a very hard read either, so I recommend it ages 11+.
Does this book provide some truth and insight to the psyche of childhood? No, but it is nevertheless a great story.
What would happen if a plane crashed on a deserted island and the only survivors were a group of English schoolboys?
Would they form their own society?
Would they establish rules by which to govern themselves?
Would they be kind to one another?
William Golding describes this scenario in his 1954 novel "Lord of the Flies".
It is a dark story.
After their plane crashes, killing all adults on board, the boys attempt to self-govern, but quickly devolve into savagery. The stronger boys seize power and bully the weaker ones.
Golding uses the boys on the island as a microcosm of society. Without the rule of law to govern them, the strongest take over and exert their way upon the weaker ones.
Not one of the boys is over 12 years old, but it is easy to forget this as they grow more violent and emotion overrides reason and groupthink overrules logic.
A power struggle takes place between Ralph, who tries to establish order and a set of rules to help the boys survive and increase their chance of rescue; and Jack, who appeals to their emotions and plays on their fear of an alleged monstrous beast on the island.
As their makeshift society collapses, they begin to worship the head of a pig swarming with flies (their "Lord of the flies") and even robbery and murder is no longer taboo to some of them.
I read this parable 20 years ago and again this week - and I loved it. Golding paints a dark picture of the chaos that results when rules are not enforced. We see ourselves in these young boys and it is not the best part of ourselves.
Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were stuck on a deserted island with a bunch of children? It is only natural that chaos would follow, as it does in William Goulding’s Lord of the Flies. A classic novel for both personal and educational reading, a ragtag group of young boys are deserted on an island after their plane crashes. From there, they must learn how to coexist and build a semblance of structure in order to stay sane and survive. The early chapters begin with introductions to characters such as young Ralph and chubby, bespectacled Piggy. A fight between Ralph and choir boy Jack Merridew over becoming the leader of this quasi-civilization leads to a break in trust, loyalty, and leadership. The boys encounter a series of terrifying natural elements, forcing them to adapt to this new normal. As it becomes clear that rescue is not imminent, the boys begin to lose their sanity, and truly become beasts of the wild.
While some may see this as just a typical island story to read in school, I believe this is anything but, for it details what truly happens when civilization and structure is removed from your life. It shows that civilized boys can become deranged beasts, capable of killing both animals and each other. I was captivated by all of the symbolism and character progression in the story, as they were simultaneously subtle and prominent. This is a fascinating novel that does an excellent job of exploring the animalistic aspects of human nature, even in young boys who have no previous history of violence. Goulding skillfully highlights their descent into madness and their gradual forgetfulness of anything that society has taught them about civilization. In the wild, it is eat or be eaten, and this is exactly what the boys do.
I love this novel, but it is extremely dark. I would not recommend this to people who cannot read about death or violence, as this book is replete with it. Overall, it is a great novel that goes deep into barbaric tragedy and destructive chaos.
Age rating: 13+
Star rating: 5 stars
The Lord of the Flies follows a group of young children who are all alone on an island because their plane was shot down amidst a war. Coming from civilized society, the young boys are free from all rules due to the lack of supervision by grown-ups. This very lack of control results in their descent from “civilized” to “uncivilized,” and eventually become savages.
I personally really liked the novel since its coming-of-age story is very interesting and the character development is fairly engaging. The fact that the novel explains the importance of rules in our society is one of the reasons why I love this novel. The novel represents the tensions between the human urge toward savagery and the controlling nature of rules and regulations.
Lord of the Flies is a book that definitely makes the reader want to keep reading. In the story there was a bunch of young boys who got stranded on an island due to a plane crash. Throughout the story the boys form different relationships, groups and attitudes. In order to stay “civil” on this deserted island two boys, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch shell that is used to summon the others on the island as well as create rules to stay alive. These tactics do not end so well and eventually lead to brutality and violence. This was a great book and teaches some important lessons for people of all ages.
AgeAdd Age Suitability
FriendsDragonsCats44 thinks this title is suitable for 13 years and over
IshaanGupta30 thinks this title is suitable for 13 years and over
abc123abc123123 thinks this title is suitable for 14 years and over
maheswari_bajji thinks this title is suitable for 13 years and over
pataustin11 thinks this title is suitable for 14 years and over
brookebixby thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 14 and 99
SummaryAdd a Summary
At the beginning of the Second World War, a group of British boys on a flight overseas crash-land on a deserted island, bringing nothing with them but the clothes on their backs and the wisdom of their young minds. Which, unfortunately, is usually less than sufficient. Luckily, the island is bountiful with animals, fruit-bearing trees, clean water, wood for shelters, and kindling for fire. But here's the issue: there are no adults present. At first, Ralph, one of the oldest of the boys, is declared chief by popular vote, and starts to delegate younger children to complete much-needed tasks on the island. But very soon, an opposition is established by Jack, the obvious and manipulative leader of a cohort separate from Ralphs. Conflict very quickly arises between the two. It turns into an unsanctioned power struggle where the winner is only determined by the other children, many of whom just want to play and eat freely. The beginnings of a shaky but pragmatic endeavor to survive turns into a bid for total control. As the boys become more and more war-like and primitive, other, younger boys start to disappear without any mention of their whereabouts. When more and more start to die, the boys are forced to reckon with the destruction they've caused, and change, for better or for worse.
A group of young boys all by themselves on an island. No adults to tell them what to do. It’s paradise… at least that’s what they all thought at the beginning. Soon, the boys choose a leader named Ralph; however, another boy named Jack wants to be the leader too. As time goes on, their relationship starts getting unhealthy. Some boys support Jack and others support Ralph. Read this book to find out about how Jack, Ralph, and the other boys stranded on the island interact with each other with no adults to give them advice. Will they end up finding a way to live peacefully together? Or will they end up fighting and have a violent relationship? Will there ever be a rescuer who comes to save all the boys from this island?
Lord of the Flies is a book written by William Golding. It is about a group of young boys aged 5-12 who crash land on a desert island. To survive they have to start a civilization and cooperate, which becomes bad by the end of the book. Upon arriving, the boys chose a boy named Ralph to be chief. Throughout the story Ralph calls assemblies with a white conch he finds with his new friend Piggy, and their “civilization” does start. However his enemy Jack who wants to be chief and loves to hunt, makes life on the island a tribe and ruins “civilization”. There are 4 main characters in this book Simon, Ralph, Piggy and Jack who represent 4 aspects of life. I like this story as it talks about how young boys survive without adults on an island. The ending is surprising, because two boys “disappear” and Jack’s tribe becomes Savages. I like the book as it also talks about a power struggle between two boys, and how that causes life to become very bad on the island. I would rate this a 5/5, and say that this book is for children ages 13 and up.
In William Golding’s allegory novel Lord of the Flies, a group of boys are on an uninhabited island and have to govern themselves. A plane was shot down over the island. Some of the group of British schoolboys survived. Without adult supervision, they try to set rules for the island. A set of twins, Sam and Eric, mistake a dead pilot parachuting down to the island for a beast. Jack, thinks he is the rightful ‘chief’, calls for a hunt for the beast. Ralph, the ‘chief’, accuse Jack of not wanting to be rescued. Ralph joins the hunt and they do the "kill the pig" chant multiple times. After a while, the boys were under the impression that Simon was the beast and decided to kill him. Ralph and Piggy tried to justify their part of the murder. They said it was motivated by fear and instinct. Piggy questioned Jack about being sensible: “Which is better-to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is” (180)? Piggy was hit and he fell down the mountains until he hit the beach. The impact killed Piggy. Jack declared himself chief then he calls for a hunt on Ralph. Ralph realized that the schoolboys that arrived on the Island are now savages. Ralph hides until he noticed the other boys are setting the forest on fire to try to smoke him out. If they continue to do this, the fire will destroy all the fruit on the Island. A naval officer arrived on his ship. He thought the boys have been playing games to which he scolds them for not behaving more organized and responsible. Ralph wept for the end of the boy’s innocence and the death of Piggy.
Overall, I had a few favorite quotes. Of Course, I like that one kid calling people “wacco[s]” (27). I just enjoyed the quote about letting the fire go out: “They let the bloody fire go out” (68). The quote about fear just was really cool: “The thing is-fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream” (82). Personally, I enjoyed some childish fights and comments. Ralph and Jack arguing about who will be the chief. Also, when they call each other names “‘Who’s a thief?’ ‘You are’” (177)! In my honest opinion, it was not the best book I have read. I only enjoyed a few quotes and a few sections. The only reasons I would recommend this book is because it is an easy and short read; the book took me about two hours to read. Other than that I do not recommend reading it.
Schoolboys are stranded on an island together. Attempts at a civilized society are made, but as the hope of rescue grows farther away, as the terror of beasts and monsters takes control, the society is fractured. The boys deteriorate into a violent, brutal mob, praising and fearing a "beast" and brutally punishing those against them.
golding reenacts WWII in this book by showing how many young boys crash down into a mysterious island in a plane,and revert to savagery as their hope of survival
A number of English school boys suffered from a plane accident causing them to get stranded in an uninhibited island. The period was maybe during the World War II. Trying to be civilized, they elected a leader for themselves as well started the division of tasks (hunters, fire-watchers, etc). Things turned bad when there's a power struggle between the group leaders, worsened by various sightings of a monster in the island. No, don't think about "Lost" because this is way different.
This novel is about a group of young English boys who miraculously survived a plane crash. They are all alone in this mysterious and inhabited island of lagoons, cliffs, hills, wild pigs, flies and boulders. The author used many literary techniques to add zest to his novel. Character development, defined as a positive or heroic transformation in a character, is so well suited to Piggy – a protagonist in the novel.
A bunch of boys are stranded on an island and kill each other....
A group of school boys are the only survivors when their plane crashes on a deserted island. Forced to survive alone without adult authority the boys regress and form murderous tribes.
QuotesAdd a Quote
“ ‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!...You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?’ ” (126)
“You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?” ~ the Lord of the Flies, page 158
“The greatest ideas are the simplest.”
"Maybe there is a beast...maybe it's only us."
"He turned away to give them time to pull themselves together;
and waited, allowing his eyes to rest on the trim cruiser in the distance."
NoticesAdd Notices
Violence: A pig is killed in a sadistic and brutal way, with its head later stuck on a pike and devoured by flies. A boy is beaten and torn apart by the others, and later another boy is hit by a boulder, flies off a cliff, and has his head bashed open.
Violence: Since the boys are left stranded on the island, many of them turn into savages.Two boys are killed.
Violence: A stabbing and a crushing with rock
Violence: Oh yeah as if the book couldn't get bad enough, 3/4 of the way through they decide to bludgeon a boy to death and then they push another one down a mountain and crush him with a rock.... | https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/137725082 |
Keith Ward, former Regius Professor of Divinity and head of the theology department at Oxford University, wrote a highly acclaimed five-volume series on comparative religions.
It is a good idea to reread the thesis statement several times to ensure that the emphasis remains. Basically, a thesis statement supports whatever claims the writer may intend to make and it should persuade the reader, once the supporting evidence has been produced, and convince him to agree with A thesis statement is an invaluable part of an essay as it allows the writer to stay focused on the main purpose of the essay.
In Lord of The Fliesthere are various topics which a writer could focus on, most of which hinge on the civilization versus savagery theme which William Golding portrays so vividly. Potential thesis statements, which would appear in the introductory passage, could be: It is a symbol of democracy and civilization on the island where the boys find themselves.
Jack has little respect for the conch from the beginning and this is seen in his behavior and his treatment of Piggy.
Jack uses and abuses the conch, which indicates his lack of respect for authority, and is ultimately responsible for its destruction.
It is significant that Piggy dies when the conch is smashed. Only Simon comes to an understanding of the fear that exists within each person. Jack capitalizes on fear and uses it and violence as a weapon to manipulate the boys in his attempts to be the leader.
Fear is a very real feeling for the boys, once the euphoria of being on a deserted island, with no adult supervision, subsides. The fact that the beast is a figment of the imagination does not make it any less scary.Introduction.
Famous William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies was written in Being a kind of parody for books of R.M. Ballantine’s The Coral Island () sort, this tale of survival on a tropical island is a description of principal forces driving the development of society and a warning against the evil nesting in each human being.
Golding’s . Click on image to go to page "KENT (PERCIVAL) FLETCHER SCRAPBOOK PAGE" Click on image to go to site. "GRANDDAUGHTER ON . Free summary and analysis of Chapter 1 in William Golding's Lord of the Flies that won't make you snore.
We promise. Simon.
Whereas Ralph and Jack stand at opposite ends of the spectrum between civilization and savagery, Simon stands on an entirely different plane from all the other boys.
"How we went about testing these questions and what we found may astound you. Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended after only six days because of what the situation was .
Here are some questions that I've pulled out of the last few years' AQA, OCR and WJEC exam papers. Some of these are made up based on exam board question styles. | https://dofyvykotyzodyjo.plombier-nemours.com/lord-of-the-flies-what-is-evil-and-where-does-it-come-from-essay-10073wk.html |
Is Roblox piggy kid friendly?
When you think of Roblox, you usually think of an imagination building, kid-friendly game. In Roblox Piggy, you can choose to play from a range of 12 maps and various different game modes, all of which revolve around fighting for your life against a family of murderous swine.
Who killed Piggy?
Roger
How did piggy die LOTF?
As Piggy tries to speak, hoping to remind the group of the importance of rules and rescue, Roger shoves a massive rock down the mountainside. But the boulder strikes Piggy, shatters the conch shell he is holding, and knocks him off the mountainside to his death on the rocks below.
Who becomes savage in Lord of the Flies?
Right from the start, Jack has a savage nature. He is a cruel bully and picks on those who are weaker than himself. Throughout the novel he gradually turns into a real savage with no sense of justice or what is right. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling.
Why did Jack want to kill Ralph?
Ralph spies on Castle Rock from a hiding place in the forest. He thinks the boys have become savages and knows Jack will try to kill him. Jack must destroy Ralph for savagery to prevail over civilization.
How is savagery shown in Lord of the Flies?
One of ways Golding shows conflict between savagery and civilisation is when Jack and some of the other boys are killing the first pig. Jack chants “kill the pig, cut her throat, spill the blood”. This suggests savagery as the boys are being violent and aggressive when killing the pig and they don’t care about it.
Why did Ralph reveal Piggy’s name?
This makes Ralph ‘faintly interested’ and he asks Piggy for the nickname without requesting his actual name. Piggy, in his desire for friendship, makes his first mistake on the island by revealing the name given to him from former tormenters.
Who is the youngest in Lord of the Flies?
The littluns and the bigguns are the two main groups that emerge in Lord of the Flies. The youngest of the littluns is about six, and they tend to keep to themselves, staying on the beach or in the fruit groves. The bigguns are older, and are more often found in the forest or up on top of the mountain.
Why did Percival cry on the beach?
Why did Percival cry on the beach? He got salt water in his eye.
How old is Jack in LOTF?
How does Jack represent savagery?
In addition to this, Jack chants about killing a pig, cutting its throat, and spilling its blood several times in the book. This illustrates Jack’s savagery by exposing his very strong desire to kill and see somebody’s blood spilled, whether it be an animal or one of the boys. The first time the chant, Kill the pig.
Is Jack older than Ralph?
In the 1990 film adaptation, Jack is portrayed by Chris Furrh. He is sixteen, two years older than Ralph, and has blond hair.
What is the main message in Lord of the Flies?
Golding’s message throughout the novel Lord of the Flies is that fear is the catalyst for violence and the destruction of civil societies. Fear is a major theme throughout the novel and is the reason behind the boys’ loss of innocence.
How does the beast represent savagery?
Hover for more information. The beast symbolically represents the boys’ inherent wicked nature, which becomes more pronounced as the novel progresses and they descend further into savagery. Initially, the littluns fear a “beastie,” which they claim lives in the forest and haunts their dreams.
Who does Jack kill in LOTF?
The Verdict “Jack is not guilty of murdering Simon,” states one foreman. “And not guilty for murdering Piggy,” states the other. Jack does a victory dance.
How old is Piggy?
twelve-year-old
Who doesn’t die in Lord of the Flies?
At the end of Lord of the Flies, what three boys do not make it off the island? The boys who don’t make it off the island at the end of Lord of the Flies are Simon, Piggy, and the boy with the mulberry-colored birthmark. The group of hunters kills Simon in their frenzied excitement over the hunt.
How did Simon die LOTF?
Simon tries desperately to explain what has happened and to remind them of who he is, but he trips and plunges over the rocks onto the beach. The boys fall on him violently and kill him. The storm explodes over the island. | https://www.meltingpointathens.com/is-roblox-piggy-kid-friendly/ |
into primitive savages once freed from the trappings of society.
This view, that man is capable of gross wickedness, is central to the
whole novel. It is revealed through Simon's conversation with the
imaginary Lord of the Flies when he realises that the real beast is
one that exists in all the boys. However, Golding also shows that if
man is willing to recognise the evil potential in his nature, he will
able to curb his own evil instincts.
It is important to note how much the boys manage to achieve before
their inner fears destroy their sense of responsibility and reason,
that is, before the boys finally succumb to savagery and violence.
They discover fire, they build shelters (albeit prone to collapsing!),
they explore the island, they go on hunting trips, and they delegate
social responsibilities. Initially, one would be inclined to think
that Jack's leadership is a poor one as he relies on brute strength.
However, Jack is shrewd enough to know that the boys' survival is as
important as rescue. Food has to be hunted; emotional needs (which
Ralph tries to deny) have to be satisfied.
Also, Piggy, Ralph and Simon serve as reminders in the novel that
there remains much to be admired in mankind. Each of them displays
positive qualities of wisdom and goodness in their own way.
For all his physical weaknesses like asthma, myopia and fatness, Piggy
is no doubt an intelligent, practical and a sensible thinker. He is
the mouthpiece of science and reason on the island, and is a good
planner who can think logically and prioritise things.
For instance, Piggy's realism and sense of perception are revealed at
the beginning where in contrast to Ralph's naively optimistic belief
that his father will rescue them, Piggy reminds him that in view of
their circumstances, that would be unlikely. Piggy is also the one who
prompts Ralph to "find the others" and "call a meeting". He often
comes up with the solutions to the boys' problems. His "intellectual
daring" is revealed when he suggests moving the fire from the
mountain. Throughout his life on the island, Piggy remains focused on
the most important thing for them to do: to keep the fire going in
order for the boys to be rescued.
Piggy has a very sharp sense of perception and can provide insight
into the boys' relationships. For example, he understands perfectly
well why Jack hates Ralph - because the latter "got him over the
fire".
Piggy's adult outlook is reflected in his belief in scientific logic.
Life to him is purely... | https://brightkite.com/essay-on/lord-of-the-flies-by-golding |
Lord of the Flies was written several years after the end of World War Two; as Golding was exposed to a plethora of atrocities on the western front, the war would have impacted his life significantly. Golding uses Jack to express his concerns about the innate, evil passion for savagery. One of the most obvious and yet significant factors about Jack is his appearance. Golding introduces him by denoting his hair as “red” and his “light blue eyes” as being “ready to turn to anger”.
In spite of this un-friendly introduction, the reader, to some extent, is tricked into accepting the innocence and friendliness of Jack – “Jack and Ralph smiled at each other”. Perhaps Golding uses the symbolic colour of red, and the savage appearance of Jack, to lament the inevitable. The colour red is symbolic of anger and hatred; whereas anger is symbolic of an animalistic character trait.
The fact Golding ingeniously combines a plethora of characteristics – both moral and immoral – in creating Jack, perhaps accentuates the innate capabilities of man-kind: although it is possible to act on our civilised character traits, we are diseased with the intrinsic capacity and desire for evil. Jack significance is not merely confined to his appearance: he stands for dictatorship, and acts as a barrier against democracy, and hence Ralph. Unlike the latter, Jack takes advantage of the “littleuns” vulnerability.
He proposes a life filled with fun and hunting; unlike Ralph, who offers laws, rules and the conch. Gradually, Jack uses his power to convert his virtuous choir-boys into savage beasts: the most obvious example being Roger. At the start of the novel he is described as one “who to himself with an inner intensity of secrecy and avoidance”; by the end of the novel, however “the taboo of the old life” had been destroyed, and Roger is described as carrying “death in his hands” Jacks’ affects on the boys is not only confined to the insides, but to their outsides as well.
After Jack “planned his new face” his choir-boys felt encouraged to follow his lead: by the end of the novel, the boy’s appearance is akin to the beasts of the forests. This decent into savagery, promoted by Jack, states the magnitude of the boy’s actions: not only to they commit atrocious acts, but they have transformed evil into a ritual and integrated such character-traits into their personality. It is perhaps the similarity between Jacks’ murdering of the bore and Roger’s murdering of Piggy that defines the brutality of Jacks society.
The pigs on the island were killed for two reasons: they were a source of food; but more importantly they provided the boys with a hobby. When Piggy’s death is described to be “like a pig’s”, it becomes clear as to what Jack has done to the boys: he has crafted them into power-hungry barbarians, such that murdering a fellow acquaintance becomes acceptable and enjoyable. Golding’s description of Jack at the end of Lord of the Flies encapsulates all we know to be true about Jack – he is savage and power-hungry; but perhaps for the first time in the novel Jack “stood still”.
The reader has to ask themselves, why? It could simply be due to the authorising presence of an adult; however, if we analyse how the naval-officer is presented, it is possible to conclude otherwise. Jack revered violence, blood and power but the tools he used to inflict pain on others are meek; the naval officer on the other hand posses “a revolver”, a weapon with a superior level of authority. This is perhaps why Jack “stood still”: he was in total awe of this supercilious level of power, and felt belittled and insignificant.
The patronising presentation of the officer only accentuates the intrinsic, incorrigible evil within Jack; but it is Golding’s ultimate presentation of Jack that signifies his greatest concerns: “man-kinds essential illness” inflicts every-one of us – this is implied as Golding concludes his book with the theme: “the darkness of man’s heart”. Throughout the novel, Golding increases the stark-presentation of evil; he uses Jack, only to promote the obnoxious behaviour on the island. When we place Jack’s wage for power in historical context, we can conclude the following: power corrupts; absolute power absolutely corrupts. | https://blablawriting.net/prime-significance-jack-lord-flies-essay |
Can you have too many ideas?
One of the hardest challenges for creative people is focus. I have coached many talented people who really struggle to contain the fountain of ideas that keep bubbling in their minds. Living with a creative mind can be a real challenge, both for the individual and the people around them.
For many the challenge is how to find a way of managing this ongoing rush of ideas.
Taking stock
Ideas come in many shapes and sizes and in a whole variety of contexts, they can range from having an idea about a different way of doing things, a long held ambition, ideas related to your work, to even important inventions.
One of the first stages is recognising that not every idea that you have will be a great idea, and although it may be a brilliant idea, you may not be the right person to execute it, and also to try and distinguish between an idea that could make you money and one that is just a fun project.
Given this ongoing stream of potential, if you are struggling to know what to do with your ideas, it can help to regularly set aside time to take stock; with the aim of anchoring down all your current ideas and finding a way of moving forward with them.
Take time to explore
Ideas can come to us at any time, ask any creative person where they get their best ideas and the list will be quite random, but ideas often occur when we are doing mundane things, e.g. in the shower, cooking, gardening etc. For other people it is outside, often doing something physical like walking, running, or swimming, authors often go on ‘plot walks,’
It can be helpful to find a way of capturing fleeting moments of inspiration, by keeping a notebook, recording your voice, using a notes facility, or even scribbling on scraps of paper!
But after that light bulb moment many people need a quiet time to explore and take the idea to the next stage. Our world is naturally noisy, just stop for a moment and listen to the sounds around you.
Quiet time is precious, and if you really want to achieve something important you will need thinking time to order your thoughts and make a plan.
Find Your Thinking Place
Every creative thinker needs to identify their thinking place. Often this is somewhere away from others, it may be in your home, but at a time, or in a place when you are on your own, others go to libraries, or museums where it is quiet.
Having quality thinking time is so important if you are trying to be creative. It can also mean that almost like creating muscle memory, you associate this thinking place with being creative.
Creating an environment and a pattern of behaviour that you associate with the pleasure of thinking creatively will encourage you to start relaxing when you reach this place, and allow your thoughts to take over.
Exploring your ideas
If you want to create an order and pattern to your thoughts it can be helpful to create a structure and this may become a regular activity for you.
Our minds can become overwhelmed with our thoughts and you can feel frustrated that you never seem to make progress with your ideas. If you know that you have a regular time to explore your thoughts it can be a way of allowing your mind to focus and really enjoy the exploration stage.
One of the solutions can be relatively simple and involves two pieces of paper and a pencil. One piece of paper is A4 and the other ideally needs to be larger, A3 or bigger, and I recommended a pencil and rubber as this gives you more freedom to move things around as you refine your choices.
To help with this process try and be quite disciplined about identifying the key areas.
On the A4 piece of paper write a list of everything you want to explore under these two headings:
Current and grounded: These ideas are related to what is currently in your life, but you believe there could be the opportunity to do things differently, or there is further potential to explore.
Future and possible:This is more unknown, where hopes and dreams, or completely new opportunities are explored.
Using this list move onto the larger piece of paper and start to draw circles with each circle containing an idea. e.g.
‘I love painting and I think I could sell my paintings’
At this stage it is about pure exploration and not editing your ideas with ‘yes buts’.
From this circle start drawing lines about the potential within the idea and the opportunities that you could pursue.
For each idea, ask yourself some exploratory questions, here is a sample:
What are the key actions that I need to explore to take this idea further?
If it is a business idea, how much time will it take to get this idea off the ground?
If it is for pleasure, how soon can I get started?
What’s stopping me?
How much money will it take to start?
What resources will I need?
Can I do this on my own, or will I need help from someone else?
Does this idea have the potential to grow?
Recognise that each step will have further steps attached to it, don’t feel pressured to complete everything in one session. You may also find that your mind wanders to other ideas at the same time, just keep making notes and use this template to explore other ideas. If this exploration becomes part of a regular pattern in your life, it can be a reassuring process that means your ideas are never wasted. In time you may also want to encourage trusted others to share the process with you.
One of the most satisfying feelings comes when you finally feel that you have started to anchor down the opportunities. By writing everything down you can begin to create a sense of order. What this does is begin to create a feeling of calm, if you have a bundle of ideas bubbling around in your mind it’s exhausting, finding channels where you can feed these ideas can really help in making the best use of your creativity.
One of the important things is to realise that you are not alone, many creative people throughout history have struggled with the same challenges, Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t just interested in painting, or sculpture, he was an inventor, mathematician, and his interests also extended into music, astronomy, anatomy, botany and much more. Your ability to think creatively is a precious gift, but we sometimes need help to realise its potential.
Taking ideas to the next stage
One of the most magical and satisfying results for creative people is when you finally feel that you have started to create outlets for some of your ideas, and are able to make decisions about how much time and energy to invest in them.
In some cases it is just about devoting time to enjoy the activity, not every idea has to be taken forward as a business idea. It’s important to recognise which opportunities are purely for pleasure and relaxation and which ones have the potential to generate revenue.
You may also find by going through this process of taking ideas to the next stage that you are not as passionate about doing it as you first thought. The more realistically you consider ideas the easier it is to make sensible decisions about their viability.
You may also generate ideas that are of benefit to others, be generous, share your inspiration freely, the more committed we all are to giving something back the better the future will be for everyone.
Feed and nourish your growth
Self-belief is so important, whatever you want to achieve, it is more likely to blossom and bloom if you protect it from negativity and the effects of unwelcome comments. When you are growing your precious ideas protect them in the same way that that you would protect a delicate plant from the effects of damaging elements.
Don’t share your ideas too soon, take time to fully explore the idea yourself, both positively and also from the perspective of your likely worst critic. By putting yourself in their shoes you will be better prepared to understand their arguments and prepare a persuasive counter-argument.
Many objections come from a lack of understanding, or a fear of the unknown.
Refine your choices
This is why it is so important to spend time on your own fully exploring and evaluating your options before sharing, particularly if you anticipate objections. Before presenting a proposal to a partner, work colleagues, or investor you really need to own the idea. Don’t waste precious energy on something that you feel half-hearted about.
If you really want to achieve something, it should glow, beckoning you, it should excite you, motivate you and it may even scare you a little. But the more you explore it, the more familiar it will become to you.
Whatever your idea, take time to reflect on your choices and always take advice before you invest money in any of your ideas. | https://www.creativebrandstudio.co.uk/can-you-have-too-many-ideas |
The way to protect the female leads older brother fandom: When it comes to popular culture, it’s no secret that females are often the focus. This is especially true in the realm of entertainment, where female leads are common and often well-loved. Though this trend is often applauded, there is a downside: female leads older brother fandoms (or any fandom focused on a character who is not the main protagonist) can be subject to abuse and violence. In this blog post, we will explore the ways in which you can protect your female leads older brother fandom from such dangers. We will also provide some tips on how to keep your fandom safe and healthy for everyone involved.
The Basics of the Older Brother Fanfiction Fandom
Looking to write fanfiction about an older brother and his female lead? Here are some basics to keep in mind.
1. Make sure your story is safe for fans of the original show or movie. Fanfiction should be respectful of the source material, so avoid including spoilers or sensitive information that could ruin the experience for other readers.
2. Be aware of age gaps between characters. Older brothers and sisters can be very different in age, so make sure your story takes this into account. If one character is significantly older than the other, it may be necessary to adjust the ages of those characters accordingly.
3. Try not to rely too heavily on clichés or recycled ideas in your writing. There’s a reason these types of stories are called fanfiction, and it’s because they’re often derivative and predictable. So make sure you come up with something new and exciting when writing about an older brother and his female lead!
How to Protect Female Leads in Older Brother Fanfiction
When creating fanfiction about an older brother and his female lead, it is important to consider the unique dynamics between these two characters. Older brothers typically have more authority over their sisters, and as such, a female lead in a older brother fanfiction should be cautious when communicating with him.
In order to protect the female lead from any potential abuse from the older brother, it is important to establish clear boundaries early on in the story. Make sure that all communication between the characters is clear and open, and never allow the older brother to control or dominate the female lead. Always maintain a level of respect for your readers by writing believable and engaging stories that appeal to them on a personal level.
Conclusion
There is no one answer to protecting the female leads older brother fandom, as the best way to keep our beloved shows safe for future generations depends on the specific circumstances involved. However, some general tips that may help include making sure our social media accounts are private and only sharing information we feel comfortable with (and that others in our fandom can also trust), being aware of potential red flags in any relationships we form and speaking out if something feels off to us. We must each take responsibility for keeping our beloved franchises healthy and safeguarded so that they can continue to be enjoyed by future generations. | https://merriamnews.com/the-way-to-protect-the-female-leads-older-brother-fandom/ |
Who is Yang Yang? He is a male celebrity. He was born on Monday December 9th 1963, in Unknown.
Yang Yang is practical, down to earth with strong ideas about right and wrong. He is orderly, organized, systematic and controlled, and once committed - he employs decisive and methodical steps to problems solving, without giving up easily.
Yang seeks to establish a solid foundation, and would rather use hard work and long hours to build a business or career than search for "get rich quick" schemes. He has great potential for success, but only after putting out effort and overcoming the limitations he so often encounters. Courageous and a true survivor, he is a builder and the foundation of any enterprise, and his hard work and practical values pay off to provide Yang Yang with the rewards he seeks and deserves.
Justice and honesty are sacred to Yang, making him reliable and dependable, and quite often - a cornerstone in the community. Also, though not a typical idealist, Yang Yang is willing to work for a better world in a realistic way.
Yang Yang works well with others, but it is important that he would have his own responsibility and well-defined task, because he performs better when his responsibilities are not overlapping with those of others.
Due to the rare discipline and perseverance that Yang possesses, not everyone can keep up with him, and he has to be careful not to be bossy and rude. He can be also rigid in his ideas and get stuck in convention or too quick in judging his fellow man.
Yang Yang is loyal to those he loves. He is well suited for marriage and often becomes a responsible loving parent. However, anything that violates his profound sense of order, such as separation or divorce can be a shattering experience for him. More...
More flavors to Yang's personality
Yang Yang is a person of thinking and planning.
Having well-developed business mindset, he is good at making effective plans, setting goals and working out the best way to achieve them.
He may also have excellent organisational and administrative skills, but that depends on how often he skips the details in order not to lose sight of the bigger picture.
It is natural for Yang to think before he acts, to constantly plan the short- and long-term future, and to keep elaborate notes and diary with everything well planned and written down.
He also knows how to work effectively and efficiently with others in business, while maintaining self control and discipline, and teaching them to appreciate knowledge as the key ingredient to success.
If Yang is over-organized, he should practice finding his way in disarrayed environment, or otherwise feel confused and in disarray himself.
But if he ignores the details in favor of the bigger picture, others might view Yang as undisciplined with details, and not appreciate his great planning skills.
Yang Yang has a good memory, is highly intelligent, well balanced and with strong mental abilities. His thinking process is logical, and his problem solving skills are outstanding.
While intellectual, creative and with good judgement, Yang should avoid being impatient with others who are less gifted in the intellect and mental-strength department, or worst yet - looking down on them.
Yang is more intellectual than emotional or practical and his quick analytical brain is capable of abstract thinking, so solves problems quickly and easily.
Intellect-driven that he is, it is important for Yang to keep his brain stimulated and to challenge himself mentally throughout his life with ongoing learning and study, however - he might also glitch into mental laziness due to lack of interesting triggers in his career and workplace, or in the people that he surrounds himself with.
Tour Yang's menu and gain more insight into his personality traits, relationships, strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, compatibility with you and with others, and much more.
We invite you to create your own free personality profile, in private and for your eyes only!.
Yang Yang feels a lack of support from others on January 18th 2022, but this is only a way to call him to be independent and take charge.
This is a good day for Yang to finish one project and start a new endeavor. He may also be introduced to someone new who will turn to be important for Yang.
Yang Yang must be cautious today of possible material loss, and carefully watch his keys, wallet, etc. | https://www.celebrities-galore.com/celebrities/yang-yang/home/ |
This video features the background and journey of the mentor, the overview of the course and why it is important to take this course.
Lugo Gonzalez
Learn More About
Course Description
There are different approaches to making music. Usually, one starts from the perspective of a songwriter or musician.
Meet Grammy-nominated producer Lugo Gonzalez, a graduate of the National Conservatory of Mexico, the Berkeley College of Music, and the current CEO at IMAGND LLC. As a songwriter and composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Lugo shares his very unique process of music creation and production coming from the standpoint of also being a studio engineer.
From the importance of mental conditioning to open up creativity, figuring out what parts work, generating the conversation among instruments, recording vocals to ending with a rough mix, Lugo explains his personal method and how being an engineer distinctly shapes and guides the entire process.
Although one need not be a sound engineer, taking this course and learning to understand and practice all of Lugo’s steps will certainly provide a more global outlook and edge.
Track: Music
Format: Video On Demand
Date: April 2, 2022
Duration: 2 hours
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01
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This video features the background and journey of the mentor, the overview of the course and why it is important to take this course.
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02
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Discover the keys that will help you write music on a daily basis no matter what the situation may be.
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03
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Understanding the kind of song you want to create, the genre, or the artist. The important skill: LISTEN to everything.
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Lugo comes up with a house music track from scratch! The next sessions will show you how it's done. In this lesson, you will see the steps in picking the tempo, creating the session in the DAW, using templates, etc.
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Lugo explains how we make all music elements of the beat fit within a spectrum of frequencies.
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Lugo shows how to begin to put ideas down by quickly picking sounds as we engineer them at the same time. It’s all about working in an organized way by naming tracks! Keeping levels, etc.
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We should all work efficiently while picking tools like synths, samplers, loops to create melodies and rhythms
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You don't have to commit to a specific idea by using the graveyard. It’s okay to switch ideas and replace sounds as you go along.
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Introducing the use of special effects such as reverbs and delays to color the sound while making it more interesting. Utilizing loops.
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-Choosing and bringing some previous sounds from the graveyard -Recording additional elements -Making sections within the structure of the arrangement -Using "Flags" or "Markers"
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Continuing to put down ideas while not limiting ourselves creatively and keeping everything organized.
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Continuing to develop the track by adding extra sections to the arrangement by sometimes copying what we already had prerecorded.
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Listening to extra elements to enhance the beat. Keep coloring the sounds with reverb and such.
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Begin to bring the first elements we recorded to the drop or new structure section.
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Summarizing what we have just learned. Refreshing the concept of the graveyard
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Understand what it takes to be a good engineer or to choose the right engineer.
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Experience world-class technical expertise musicality as Lugo brings more EQing and filters all the way down to the mix!
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Here’s to more EQing, light Compression, and Carving out your Frequencies as Lugo begins to walk you through this mastering process. It’s all about the instruments conversing and collaborating well with one another.
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Giving that added punch, Bringing Up the Volume, Coloring, Compression and Saturation, Sub-harmonics - all the good stuff you need to make the track sound even better! Plus a Recap of the Creative Process
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Lugo gives a fitting finish to the course by sharing learnings from decades of being in the industry. These nuggets of wisdom are universal and applicable no matter what field you’re in. | https://www.artkipelago.com/courses/ALL-IN-ONE |
I am wondering about ideas on how to be creative in taking notes, this post is on taking notes content creatively with the focus on mental engagement, understanding, brainstorming, or contemplation (not about how best to divide a page or what colors to use for highlights). Creativity is by no means an easy topic to cover or master and we can only apply different ways or methods to see if we can have a breakthrough. The masters of storytellers could have based their fictional works on real-life happenings and applied some imagination, they may have periods of excellence but at times struggled with writers’ blocks; Everyone is different.
Creative taking notes ideas
- Pairing examples
- Start from the end
- Relatable objects association
- What-ifs
- H4W – How, Why, When, What, Where
- What next
- Imagine
- 30 seconds or less
- Mood
- Confidence
- Contemplation and re-reading
Being creative and note-taking are skills to be practiced consistently to proficiency. Sure, some can be more talented but they may not develop these skills as much as one who keeps at it. Some methods are more suited for certain subjects than others. Please read on to learn more about each to be creative in taking notes.
Take creative notes by pairing examples
I do not like to read too much into irrelevant information for my interest in hand. So one fast way to grasp the understanding and even help to remember is to zoom straight for the example. Which do you think you can understand and remember better? Abstract high-level explanations or clear thought of a scenario/objects/person analogy. Next time you take notes, start with writing 2 examples of subject matter and then spin off with more unique and possibly creative notes from there. See if this works for you.
Example:
- Evernote and Sublime Text are notes and editors. Green and white color with Evernote for clean notes while Sublime Text has a dark theme for programmings, like day and night. Note Taken: Typing Evernote on a green hill in the day and sublimely texting away at night under a starry sky.
If a person has very limited time to learn or review one thing, he probably should zoom in on understanding one example. Before a test or exam, gather up and review all examples. Examples are one of my favorite ways to quickly recap what was learned for understanding; One may assign one or two examples to each chapter as main representations of his learning experience.
Start from the end
It is possible to start taking notes from the end first. At the end of the chapter or book, there may be questions and conclusions, or at least read the last paragraph. We are looking for the objective or what to achieve for this chapter by noting what we do not understand and want to learn. This will give us a strong direction and purpose for intentional learning and look out for anything that can help us understand how to answer the questions or make sense of the conclusion at the chapter end. This is similar to readers who read the blurb on the book’s back cover to have an idea of what to expect. Please do not be discouraged in the process of discovering how much we lack in our knowledge, continuous learning is a lifetime endeavor.
This is a splendid approach to note-taking in my opinion. Students who did not prepare beforehand usually walk into class or lectures clueless about what to expect, but taking notes from the end may clarify our shortcomings and what we should learn. By the end of the self-study session or lecture, we should at least know if we had been learning effectively or not by asking ourselves if we can then answer the questions or understand the conclusion. We may take notes quickly this way and use another technique that starts from the chapter beginning.
In addition, we can even measure up the meeting or lectures’ effectiveness by knowing if it covers what we need to know to answer the questions and score well; Students have to consider the possibility of proactive learning to excel if passive teachings are not addressing the objectives sufficiently and effectively.
Relatable objects association
Pick an object, easier if you have a designated list of say 30 interesting and relatable objects you can use regularly as a reference. A memorable object that has meaning to you or a more relevant and meaningful object will obviously be more effective. The object can also be a number. Connect the matter you are working on with the object in any number of ways.
Let’s say you like and pick a relevant object – cucumber.
While taking notes, connect to the cucumber in different ways. You may make a storyline or not. But you can certainly use the properties of the cucumber in so many ways:
- Cucumber green color merges with your subject matter…
- The taste of pickled cucumber nourishes the …
- It takes the shape of the cucumber
- The cucumber slices can be used on …
- Eating dried cucumber crisps while working on…
This can be a powerful way of training the mind. For example, did you know young children trained to do mental abacus can calculate large numbers in seconds or less? And it is creative in a way because usually, people do not even associate an odd calculating instrument with mental visualization of numbers to possibly produce very quick and accurate results.
A simple exercise to build up:
- Pick 5 different objects of preference
- Select the first object and make a mental link to your note
- Repeat for the next four objects to notes
- Associate and remember the five objects in sequence
- Close your eyes and test if you can remember everything starting from the first object.
- Repeat above steps one or more times to reinforce memory
Take extra note of the first object associated with the chapter to kickstart the process. Expand to more objects when you are more comfortable and need more patterns for growth.
Please visit Resources for more inspiration as well.
What-ifs
Ask different questions to consider different situations and factors in play.
For example:
- What if I take notes while a robot spews creative ideas…
- What if ideas are not creative thoughts but just contrived opinions…
- What if creative thoughts are just a continuation of previous activity…
- What if taking notes is neither creative nor uncreative but just a neutral physical action
- What if being creative is not the goal but the focus is.
- What if we are missing the point of all this while we should have spent time with cats
- What if hugging your loved ones or cat or teddy bear has more weight and impact on our creative talents and happiness
- What if this does not work out, can there be more than one backup plan
What-ifs can a complete game-changer itself in my opinion. There are plenty of questions that we can ask, and they will reveal loopholes and opportunities alike. If we embrace by acknowledging our faults and face our fears squarely, what can stop us from overcoming them? Every obstacle can present an opportunity. Take notes to keep track of them clearly.
Exercise – Ask yourself and note down:
- What are you afraid of?
- What if this inner fear is fictional?
One may start from oneself before applying this technique to other aspects including note-taking.
H4W – How, Why, When, What, Where
Ask these questions applying to the subject matter. And answer these questions in different ways and consider the possibilities. The more details and life you give to it, the clearer you perceive in your mind. The more you engage with a subject matter, the more you associate, remember, and the chance of understanding it better. Mental engagement is key here.
- Why did this happen? Reasons for its presence…
- When was this here? Guess…
- How did it arrive here? Someone brought it here…
- What is it? The elements and factors that makeup…
- Where is it? The location in reference to you or the world…
The more questions asked and answered the better for understanding the matter. Every single answer adds to the discovery. Deeper insight may inspire more interest and creativity.
What next
Take notes and exhaust all possibilities of what may and can happen next based on the current situation and conditions.
For example, we can think of anything related to story endings in general. This natural brainstorming technique should apply to any general topic. You can do it if authors can do it for decades or centuries.
- The story may or may not end well and the protagonist lives to the next episode or not
- The story may wrap up with closures like riding into the sunset
- The sudden blackout ending and what happened is up to the audience’s interpretation
- The protagonist went missing or went into hiding in the end
- The protagonist was dead but resurrected with…
- The protagonist is frozen until…
- The story stopped because the author did or could not finish the story
- The story was banned because…
- The protagonist died but his legend survives in his descendants
- Protagonist was reincarnated
- Protagonist spinoff and revives at a different time, settings, language, culture, country or even genre
- The protagonist survives by other authors
- No one remembers or speaks of the protagonist or story anymore
Above is just an example of what possible storyline an author can concoct. Personally, in my opinion, it is better to write about non-fiction than fiction. What-next may be applied to any general topics and even to evaluating our own lives.
Imagine
Clear visualization undeniably can have a very powerful influence. I reckon imagination can be an extension of what-if and what next exercises, but with clarity and conviction even. Imagination can be a combination of all the above.
- When listening to your favorite song, what comes to mind? Can you associate that with the subject matter and daydream away happily about what happens next with the tune in your mind?
- Imagine your subject matter, and visualize all different possible scenarios that can happen. Even the unimaginable. Cover and write down all possible angles.
- Observe interesting and extraordinary events in your life, and evaluate if these can be connected or related with imagination to your notes.
- Include Internet viral or popular videos that stirs curiosity as part of your notes in imaginative ways. One may also search YouTube for the topic of study, and note down special ideas and images as suggestions for connections with related recommended next videos.
- Imagine movements, varying speeds of motions, and physical actions that naturally pulls our attention. Movements can also gravitate to memory. This is one of the most natural, direct, and effective ways I observe imagination can serve to our purposes. Experiment with this if you are unsure which one to pick.
Simple exercise:
- Pick a topic object or person
- Visualize how this entity may interact with others
- How fast or slow does can this entity move in which trajectory if applicable
- What sounds or voice exudes; Include other sensory information
- Experiment, deduce, and imagine how the entity may react under different circumstances
- Think of various uses and applications in connection with the entity
Tip: We know fiction can be based on non-fiction facts or stories. What if we can be inspired or visualize better to take better notes while reading non-fiction graphic books such as Science Comics and Cub?
Mind mapping can also be a creative way to take your notes.
Mood
Take notes while in a good mood. People who are distressed hardly feel like doing anything. Conversely can be true. It is like people who are hyped-up are likely to respond and reply faster.
- Setup yourself to be in a happier mood, and then start taking notes away. Associate happiness and beauty with your subject matter.
- Some people listen to baroque or sentimental music to help them get in the mood.
- Hug and love your family, play with your pet, and take notes.
- Put a picture of your favorite person, pet or place, think kindly of those who loved us, and then start typing or noting.
This may be one of the most significant aspects of productivity of any kind, and perhaps also one that is often overlooked. Humans and other lives, experience emotions, and sufferings that may influence and affect our mental and physical performances; Be good to others without expectations.
30 seconds or less
Impose a very strict time limit to come up with an idea related to your subject matter. Any idea. This is not about quality but what comes to mind. And note down immediately, much like brainstorming. Have you seen TV shows where contestants are given very limited time to complete certain relevant objectives or tasks? Yes, like that. This can help kickstart a slow inactive group or person. Like a car ignition start.
- Given a subject matter, ask a related question and quickly just come out with as many solutions as possible in 30 seconds.
- With a group of people, pose an idea or question, get them to google immediately, or think of some possible solutions, and note down their replies in one shared document. The point here is engagement and putting something down.
- Repeat the above one or more times to get more ideas.
- From the many creative ideas noted, select the best ones.
Alternatively, read aloud the text or notes, and record for 30 seconds. Make sure to understand clearly what was read. Replay the recording a few times for drills before moving on to the next 30 seconds. Verbal learners will benefit more from this approach. This is akin to learning from audiobooks. It is also possible to split up lectures (recorded with permission) 30 seconds clips for short but numerous replays.
Experiment with this with main examples or visual pictures for chapters reviews too. This can be a great time-saver and fights distractions for dedicated study sessions. Give yourself 30 seconds to study, review, or take notes every 10 minutes or at regular intervals. You might be surprised what you can achieve with short sessions spurs.
Confidence
Wait patiently for inspiration with longer-term perseverance while contemplating the topic. If you are out of ideas or do not know what else to put down, for now, do not lose faith yet. Know that sometimes it takes a while before any idea will present itself. This is just the natural way we can be. Rushing may not help the impatient. This is also part of discovering about ourselves what are our current limits. If there are no creative ideas even after weeks or months of coming back to reflect upon, which I very much doubt, then you should have a backup plan to move on to other more productive endeavors. Being creative and taking notes can also mean practice and hard work. Please note that we still have to discipline ourselves to spend time pondering the topic, not just waiting for inspiration without effort.
For example: When I plan to write up a particular post, but instead I may have other ideas which I will then update and write in other related posts titles first. It does not always work this way or another, especially when you are tinkering with creative ideas. But I should feel confident that I can write and finish up the post given time, just like the one you are reading now.
Having confidence not only for inspiration to keep taking more notes on ideas, but it also means not to give up too early before success. Keeping faith works in tandem with the next point.
Frequent contemplation and re-reading of notes
This may be an age-old tested method but it works. Frequent contemplation of your notes and reading and re-reading over and over again until you have a breakthrough: A creative new idea occurs that have not been explored that may hold the key to solving or even the start of a new field of study. Repeated listening of the notes can be effective and convenient as well.
Have you seen a detective’s office or home with a large board pinned with pictures and information that they kept studying for hours and hours? Or a detective with a peculiar habit of keeping notes for all his encounters and referring to them incessantly for clues of an unsolvable case?
In the case of a student doing this, it is possible he is likely to get so good and creative at a particular niche topic he not only top his batch but may excel over his teachers and experts because he spends so much more time and effort thinking and even act on it than a general educator or expert.
For example, some university drop-outs are so good at what they are doing that they become much wealthier than their university lecturers and professors.
Why does this work?
The fact that you are reading these posts on Takenotesguide proves that this works, at least for me and I have no reason to think otherwise for others.
Bonus Tip: Experiments
We can experiment with different tools to create new ideas or works. For example, the artwork below that resembled a map group of islands is actually a magnified view of a flower image.
Another example is to engage or include creative writings in your notes:
“There is something oddly satisfying with old and new KungFu films with quick and refined repertoire of routines alike in the non-violent sense, not too different from watching ASMR youtube without the tingling sensation; If you know what I mean, I said. She, (my cat, the ASMR relaxing master) looked at me speechless, at ease in her element. Smiles.“ – TakeNotesGuide.com fiction quote
Conclusion
Apply some of these methods or techniques to your note-taking. Do not let others decide for you, for example, some may not think reading the notes over again is effective for memory or studying or creativity but give it ample time and see if you can get productive with creative note-taking ideas and then you conclude if it works for you or not.
Even if someone has conducted some study, still everyone is different and what may not work for them may have marvelous results for you or another person.
I, too, have tried and failed at different ventures before; I understand what it is like to invest the time and hard work just to find out it is all for naught. But I believe in keeping working hard and not giving up, as long as our conscience is clear. Someone or some obstacles may clip our good efforts in one path but we have a choice to go for another. Note-taking mirrors life too, creativity and perseverance play their parts.
Know yourself better, find out what works for you or not and be kind to others. Good luck with your note-taking endeavors!
Related questions
What if I still have no idea to take for my topic?
Keep working hard. Practicing applies not only to maths. People created a whole market and community with their ideas and products when they are passionate, and capable and others are willing to accept and even embrace them. One idea and action is built on another, and when it snowballs it may seem like a different or even grander piece of work.
The point here is not to underestimate the power of hard work. This applies to doing good and avoiding evil too. You are responsible and accountable for your own actions and success, and until you acknowledge, accept and act on that, should someone deserve success by doing less or nothing over another who worked so hard for it?
Do this exercise, start taking notes as usual, even if that means going through the same chapter where you last left off, and while taking the notes did you notice any new understanding or even observe what was lacking in the materials and expect what should be next for improvement? Learning materials and books are written by people and so expect room for improvements that you may even exceed in the future if you wish to pursue it.
For example, a related idea may occur to you though not relevant to directly having creative new ideas for the topic studied, you may wish to improve upon the format of medium for learning that subject or topic or start a new community, even if you do not have many original ideas, any public domain educational knowledge can be improved upon for publication online on blogs and YouTube to help others instead.
What about random idea generators for creative note-taking ideas?
Generally, I am not fond of random idea generators because it does seem weirdly illogical or unnatural. I am afraid depending on idea generators may even mess up your independent creative juices to note-taking ideas. When you put in more effort to generate associative new ideas, they are more creatively relevant and applicable.
An example would be an article you put your heart to writing every single word and sentence with research and reflection versus a software-generated content optimized for non-human google robot searches. Be honest to yourself, which would you rather read when you google for information?
What about page designs and pen colors or neat writings?
It is good to keep neat and use templates, but do not lose the big picture or main purpose here – creative ideas of quality and relevant content. We can get 0 marks if we answer completely out of point to an essay question, no matter how neat or colorful or imaginative or grammatically perfect your answer may be. Pretty styles may help some to concentrate on the topic (that is fine in this case) but for others please do not surround yourself with distractions that can be counter-effective to your main focus or even lull yourself into thinking you have done well simply because your notes are beautifully arranged. Be clear and correctly identify what is your objective beforehand.
Are there any more ideas for taking notes?
I hope this will give you some good ones.
- Best, Good, And Bad Note-Taking Habits
- Revolutionize With Different Ways To Take Notes
- 10 Ideas When To Take Notes
- Who Else Wants Note-taking Tips? | https://www.takenotesguide.com/breakthrough-with-10-creative-note-taking-ideas/ |
Ralph Carter - a male celebrity - born on Tuesday May 30th 1961, in New York City, New York, USA,.
Ralph Carter has a compelling sense of himself as a spiritual being who is the searcher and the seeker of truth. That said, Ralph's life is devoted to investigations into the unknown, and finding the answers to the mysteries of life. Monumental as it is, Carter is well-equipped to handle his mission. He enjoys a fine mind, and is an analytical thinker, capable of great concentration and theoretical insight. Ralph Carter enjoys research, and putting the pieces of an intellectual puzzle together, and once he has enough pieces in place, Ralph is capable of highly creative insight and practical solutions to problems.
Ralph Carter enjoys his solitude and prefers to work alone. He needs time to contemplate his ideas without the intrusion of other people's thoughts. He is a lone wolf and a person who lives by his own ideas and methods. As a result, close associations are difficult for Ralph to form and keep, especially marriage. Carter needs his space and privacy, which, when violated, can cause him great frustration and irritation.
When his life is balanced, however, Ralph Carter is both charming and attractive. He can be the life of a party, and enjoy performing before an audience. Ralph loves displaying his wit and knowledge, which makes him attractive to others, especially the opposite sex. It should just be remembered that because he associates peace with the unobtrusive privacy of his world, intimacy is difficult for Ralph Carter. It is Carter's challenge to avoid shutting out the love of others and keeping him from experiencing the true joy of friendship and close companionship.
With his abilities to learn, analyze, and seek out answers to life's important questions, Ralph Carter has the potential for enormous growth and success in life. By the time he reaches middle age, Ralph will radiate refinement and wisdom. More...
More flavors to Ralph's personality
Entrepreneurial and progressive, Ralph Carter is ever-striving, heading for the top, and enjoying an enterprising, ambitious and determined personality to do things well, and an unyielding dedication to his plan until the goals are achieved.
He bounces back easily from setbacks and can overcome any adversities or obstacles thrown in his way.
There is danger, however that his trait of determination and dedication will shift to stubbornness, making Ralph cling to ideas and projects well past their fruitious season. It is a good idea for him to keep fresh pipeline of ideas to make it easier to replace outdated plans by new and better ones.
Patient as he is towards his goals, Ralph's flying, ravaging temper endangers his relationships with the very same people that will help him to accomplish those goals. He should use his strength of will to study and practice anger management.
Ralph Carter has a good memory, is highly intelligent, well balanced and with strong mental abilities. His thinking process is logical, and his problem solving skills are outstanding.
While intellectual, creative and with good judgement, Ralph should avoid being impatient with others who are less gifted in the intellect and mental-strength department, or worst yet - looking down on them.
Carter is more intellectual than emotional or practical and his quick analytical brain is capable of abstract thinking, so solves problems quickly and easily.
Intellect-driven that he is, it is important for Ralph to keep his brain stimulated and to challenge himself mentally throughout his life with ongoing learning and study, however - he might also glitch into mental laziness due to lack of interesting triggers in his career and workplace, or in the people that he surrounds himself with.
Tour Ralph's menu and gain more insight into his personality traits, relationships, strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, compatibility with you and with others, and much more.
We invite you to create your own free personality profile, in private and for your eyes only!.
Ralph Carter feels a lack of support from others on August 18th 2019, but this is only a way to call him to be independent and take charge.
This is a good day for Ralph to finish one project and start a new endeavor. He may also be introduced to someone new who will turn to be important for Carter.
Ralph Carter must be cautious today of possible material loss, and carefully watch his keys, wallet, etc. | https://www.celebrities-galore.com/celebrities/ralph-carter/home/ |
In the pursuit of quality content, the picture that comes to mind when the term “brain dump” is heard is likely something pertaining to a hazardous construction zone filled with muck and debris; however, the imagery that best exemplifies this picture is sand going through a sieve. A hefty bucket full of beach slides through the sieve. Every idea, good and bad, is explored.
Before you even begin brainstorming with others, consider your colleagues. Find out how each individual likes to work and allow them to work in a scene conducive to their creative process. Some people need pin drop silence while others generate their best work amidst a cacophony of explosive drum and guitar. Some people feel better supported at a coffee house where they know they can get their caffeine fix at the slightest emergence of writer’s block.
Some people need to walk to think. Some people need to flesh out ideas aloud. Creativity is nebulous and free flowing. The environment wherein one goes to create should lack restriction as well. Give your team the creative space they need to thrive.
I know it’s 2017. I know collaboration is “so in” right now, but it has a time and a place in the brainstorming process. Steering away from a collaborative sharing of ideas in the beginning stages of idea generating will help fight the group’s potential to fall into group thinking. Harvard Business review warns that when working in groups, often times consensus rather than collaboration emerges. Don’t stifle creativity right out of the gate by immediately sharing ideas.
Once your team has had the opportunity to mull over ideas independently, it is time for collaboration to grab the mic. Again, consider the needs of your team before choosing a collaboration location. Regardless of your location, ensure that your venue has some place to display ideas visually whether it be a whiteboard, projector, or TV screen. Many people are visual processors, and keeping a running list of ideas will allow them to digest each concept better.
Have a plan in place for documenting ideas as they occur and for collecting ideas after the brainstorming session ends. Allow your team a platform to continue to add ideas too long after your meeting has concluded. You could do this through a Google doc, Slack chat, or simple email. However you go about staying connected, make sure your team feels encouraged to continue the conversation and pursue new ideas.
Oracy is the ability to communicate verbally with intention. Considering one’s intentions is most essential when pitching an idea; however, intentionally communicating while giving feedback is also extremely valuable. During the collaboration process of brainstorming there is the potential for a few different negative outcomes: a colleague might withhold additional ideas because his first one was shot down swiftly, a colleague might lack the ability to translate his thoughts to others, or a colleague might feel insecure in his idea after hearing a coworker spout off their ingenious proposal.
If each of these people remains silent, potential ideas, approaches, creativity, and ultimately revenue also disappear. Combat this problem by creating a culture that fosters respect. Set parameters before brainstorming even begins to ensure colleagues are supportive rather than dismissive of one another’s ideas. Craft dialogue stems that lead to productive conversation. Have an expectation that everyone will share their ideas, and actively question each member’s responses to ensure that idea has been sufficiently analyzed.
You’re probably asking yourself, “Why in the world would I allow a bad idea to reach a consideration stage?” Well, some bad ideas can actually turn out to be phenomenal once reframed. Post-it Notes were actually a failed attempt at creating an intense adhesive. Dr. Spencer Silver the 3M scientist who created the product was able to see its potential worth outside of its intended usage, so he reframed, remarketed, and revolutionized note taking.
Considering bad ideas, especially among multiple experts in your field has the potential to breed solutions. Ask a colleague to give you a second opinion on an idea. Your idea might target a buyer you hadn’t considered. It might need the support of being coupled with another idea, but together they soar. It might serve a different purpose altogether, but the worst thing you can do is to let an idea die before even attempting to give it life.
When a group acknowledges the value of a comfortable work environment, offers time for independent thinking, respects one another’s contributions, and is willing to entertain ALL ideas, it is then that treasures will emerge amidst the sand in the form of valuable content ideas. | https://blog.creativecavemarketing.com/setting-the-stage-for-your-brain-dump |
Neeraj Mistry is a UI/UX designer who completed his graduation from MIT Pune of Design, currently working as a UX designer in Secure Meters Limited, Udaipur. He is passionate about music and is a trained tabla player.
Neeraj took a session for students at Digication and offered valuable insights into the world of professional UX design.
He well explained students the core principles on which UX/UI stands and how in real time these principles help you make decisions when everything else is vague and uncertain.
Apart from this, he told students how important it is for a designer to be empathetic towards his work. Integrating empathy and compassion into the design process is very crucial, it revolves around simply taking the time to carry out user research, absorbing it into your thinking to guide your decision-making processes.
With his amazing ideas and analogies he gave students an example of how human body is beautiful design in itself where the organs represent the UX design: measuring and optimizing against input for supporting life functions and UI design represents the cosmetics of the body–its presentation, its senses and reactions.
Interview round with Neeraj over a cup of coffee!
1. Describe your creative process. What are the major steps?
Define: The process generally starts with defining a problem statement. The statement is not very specific in nature for example – design a device used for maintaining oral hygiene, instead of directly stating – design a toothbrush! This gives a general broad perspective and does not confine the mind with the thought of existing solutions.
This phase is highly governed by the market requirements in case of a corporate scenario.
User research – It’s really important to empathize with the user (putting your feet in others shoes), know their lifestyle what people really need and what are their aspirations with the product. This is followed by a couple of ideation sessions, also known as brainstorming sessions, keeping in mind the inputs from user research.
Mockups bridge the gap of communication between user and the designer.
The user can more confidently express through these mockups and it’s easier for the designer to observe how they actually use it.
The insights from the user testing are used for improving the concept, this is the iterative stage and has a cyclic nature.
It’s really important to keep user at the center of the process if it is to be a user centric approach.
After a couple of mockup iterations, and a satisfied user, then comes the time to give the concept a more realistic look, through prototyping.
Prototyping is the final stage in the design process, we try to build the product by hand or by less expensive industrial process and give it the intended look and feel. The prototypes are used for testing in the field scenarios.
2. What have you learned from your mistakes as a UI/UX designer?
Neeraj: Never assume and expect things from the user, they’ll always surprise us. We all have a different mindset and a different perception about things so its very important to know your. User /client by doing a thorough user research.
3. Tell us about your experience working as UI/ UX Designer. What do you feel is important to make sure the work gets done efficiently?
The stakeholders would be – idea generator, designer, engineer, production personnel, sales team, wholesaler, Family members and finally the end user.
All of them will have different thoughts and aspirations, I think it’s important to understand each of these stakeholders and also understand the different types of constraints that will come up at each level of the development process. It’s good to think about alternatives beforehand, during the design stage keeping in mind all the possibilities for the work to get done efficiently.
4. What’s an example of a project where you disagreed with the client’s feedback and how did you handle it?
Neeraj: Haha this happens every time, there is always an argument related to cost, that compromises the quality of your design.
In such cases we need to take our stand and explain how important it is from the user perspective, how relevant it is for the user, in most cases I pose a question to the client, that what they would do if they were in place of the user. The fact is, happy users, happy sales….
5. What qualities do you consider necessary for a good designer?
Neeraj: Sensitivity towards everything. Empathy towards people. Good observation power. Questioning the obvious. And of course a crazy creative mind.
6. What challenges are you looking for in this position?
Neeraj: Variety of design challenges which can serve the environment and improve the quality of life of the people.
7. Can you critique your own work?
Neeraj: Yes I can, but it’s always important to take views from the others, especially when you are on a learning stage, since everyone has a different perceptions but eventually it’s up to you as a designer to judge the comments and present in the way you want.
8. Message for students to become Designer.
Neeraj: Don’t take things for granted, but question the obvious, have empathy towards people and be sensitive towards the usability of a product and the environment. Be observant and have a problem solving attitude.
Thanks a lot Neeraj for sharing your gracious experiences and guiding our students regarding the importance of UI/UX design in today’s world. For more information write to us at [email protected] and stay tuned with us to know more about upcoming meetup sessions. | https://getdigication.com/meetup-with-neeraj-mistry/ |
Ethan Walker and Teri Coates organized the second session of the year focused on entrepreneurship and management, held at the Knoll showroom. There was a specific emphasis on how these ideas look outside of the practice of architecture. Our first speaker, Marc Steren, spoke about the process of idea generation and consumer research required to create a successful and profitable product. Bill Spauling then discussed the variety of social styles that likely make up an office setting and how to work together in a successful way despite these differences. Our third speaker, Ben Miller, introduced his company, Fundrise, and the regulatory challenges that come along with creating a different type of investing business. Brad Bauer of Bluecadet then walked the group through the different skill sets that have contributed to his company’s success. We finished the day with the challenge of creating a two minute pitch to be presented to the group, utilizing Jeff Reid’s “6 steps to a Successful Pitch”.
Presentation #1 – Systems and Frameworks for Entrepreneurialism
Marc Steren of Georgetown University kicked us off with an introduction to the process of entrepreneurship. His presentation centered on the ability to pivot during the creative process while finding and identifying problems to solve. Marc discussed his Business Model Canvas and the steps to creating. The first step he identified was to create a value proposition. This proposition helps to identify the problem, build out the need for a solution, create a social connection, and determine the jobs that can be done. Once the value proposition is identified, Marc talked about the importance of identifying the appropriate client through customer interviews and open ended questions. He finished his presentation by walking the group through his process with his latest product, its testing, and its adoption by a major buyer.
Presentation #2 – Knowledge Management
Bill Spaulding of Bergmeyer began the second presentation by providing a thorough review of the group’s survey results. Scholars were asked to take a survey prior to the session to help identify social styles including: Analytical, Drive, Amiable, and Expressive. People of each social style communicate to others in a variety of different ways, in both a leadership position and when working as a member of supporting staff. Bill walked us through ways to resolve conflict with others that might have different social styles than our own by presenting a variety of scenarios to the group. He also introduced us to ways in which Bergmeyer tries to stay in touch with its employees through their internal intranet. Bill finished his presentation by discussing knowledge management, supported by sharing knowledge, a critical knowledge of specific information, and the ability to surround yourself with a knowledge community.
Presentation #3 – Office Culture and Entrepreneurialism
Ben Miller from Fundrise discussed his own entrepreneurial experiences. Fundrise serves as an online investment platform that believes in delivering a simpler, smarter, and more reliable way to invest money. Ben spoke on local investment in the DC market and the overall strategy in the startup process. He described the ins and outs of recognizing both valuable opportunities and the signs that something is not working. A key point of discussion was the ‘speed of change’ and how the desire for linear growth may not always be realistic. Actual growth may meander in a variety of ways, but with a good idea and persistence the target growth can still be reached.
Presentation #4 – Entrepreneurial Habits
For the final speaker of the day, Brad Baer from Bluecadet, broke down the personal styles and positions within their company and how it has led to success for them. By focusing on the roles and players within their office, it showed the importance of each person in the overall success. Brad shared knowledge behind the process of many unique projects such as the Museum of the American Revolution, Van Gogh’s Bedrooms, and Hoover-Mason Trestle. Bluecadet brought a unique focus described as “the Process is the Project.”
Activity #1 – Mini Pitch Competition
The culminating activity of the day involved scholars testing their own entrepreneurial creativity with a mini “shark tank” style pitch competition. Scholars were paired off and given the objective to quickly and concisely sell an idea that would benefit their firm using knowledge gathered from the various topics of the day. Pitch ideas ranged from new food programs for the office, technological advancements, mentoring programs, reward systems, and even an umbrella exchange. Each team gave an enthusiastic pitch as they tried to beat the clock and concisely sell their idea. The pitches followed Jeff Reid’s “Six Steps to a Successful Pitch”, which include: | https://ckldp.com/2017/11/14/session-2-entrepreneurship-management/ |
The personality rights justifications of intellectual property are, as we have seen in Chapter One, based on the main premise that the creator is the legitimate owner of the results of his creative work, because his personality is realised through his creative work. Supporters of the self-ownership thesis who believe that I might be right with my argument in Chapter Two, that the creative agent does not deserve the surplus from market transactions because of the labour he has put into his work, but that full self-ownership also implies that ideas are owned by the self-owner, would insist that ideas and expressions emerge from individual’s brains and therefore are owned by these individuals exclusively. But this individual creator concept includes two hidden premises. First, it requires that the creator is the sole source of this work in such a way that the result of his creative work can be attributed to him alone;1 and second that in fact he himself as an active and responsible agent is the creator of the work. We will now examine these two hidden premises in more detail.
The creator as a meme copy machine
We usually think of every cultural expression as a result of one or more person’s labour. But it is more than just ‘labour’ that we attribute as the input factor for the result of a creative process. It is a kind of extraordinary creativity, which not every person is fortunate enough to have. For some it is even the divinity which talks to us, through the creator. Our perception of the artist is often that of a genius. But is the creator then really a creator in the sense of being a creative agent, or is he just a means to represent and reproduce what the ‘Zeitgeist’, God or his unconsciousness creates? Is the inventor really an inventor or is he just an explorer of what is already there? In other words, is creativity something where we act as active agents, or is it something which just happens unconsciously inside our neural system?
In the closing chapter of his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins introduces his postulate of the meme (Dawkins 2006).2 In 1991 Daniel Dennett used this concept as an important building block for his account of how human consciousness can be understood from a materialist perspective (Dennett 1993). The term “meme” is an abbreviation of the ancient Greek word “mimeme” which stands for ‘imitator’. A meme is a cultural expression, or a behaviour which reproduces itself while jumping from brain to brain. This happens through human imitation. Imitation is the building block of human culture and tradition. The brain is the copy machine for the memes. Cultural evolution occurs, like biological evolution, as soon as there is information which shows variation, selection and heredity. Memes get copied by imitation. During this copy process they are sometimes changed only slightly, and sometimes they are recombined with other memes, which leads to variation. Some memes are more successful in getting copied than others, which gives us selection. For example the idea of nations and states was more successful than the idea of a society without authorities; the idea of a person-like God was more successful than the pantheistic or animistic world views, or the story of two lovers who are not allowed to come together and eventually commit suicide is told in different variations and settings over centuries, and so on.
The concept of the meme is important for our analysis of intellectual property because it gives us a framework to explain cultural evolution as an interpersonal process from which we cannot postulate one individual as the exclusive creator of a creative work. Ideas cannot realise themselves without brains, but brains are not the creators of ideas, they are just the hosts for the replication process. Even if an individual person recombines different memes, which is more common than the simple copying from one meme, it is still a copying process, which we cannot really operate ourselves actively. It just happens with us, inside our brains. As I am writing this text, I am not really in charge in the sense that I decide which memes I am taking and combining with others. I do of course have the experience of ‘thinking myself,’ but this is not what actually happens inside my brain according to Daniel Dennett (1991).3 Everything I write here is the result of a continuous meme copying and recombination process. One association leads to another. The river of consciousness is full of surprises which I cannot claim myself as an active agent to be responsible for, in the sense that I can insist on an exclusive property right for what comes out of my brain.4 Artists also often talk about having the sense of not being in charge while creating their artwork. They emphasise that they don’t know how it comes about that they are creative. They usually are not aware of what is going on in their consciousness while creating a piece of art, or at least are not able to explain it. It is common that they talk about inspiration on which they depend and that one has to wait until it arrives. Sometimes it does not arrive at all. The idea of the need to be inspired by outside forces to be able to be creative can be traced back to the Muses of Greek mythology. The romantic concept of art, which emphasises that the genius has the benefit to let the divine express itself through the artist, also leads to the idea that the genius himself is not in charge here, but something else is. Human beings and their memes are living in a symbiotic system. Cultural expressions seem to be continuously replicated inside brains, and from brain to brain, so to speak. Each copy is slightly different from its original and is at the same time another original for the next replication procedure. This is important because it shows that all expressions are equal in the sense that they are all copies and originals at the same time. We should not imagine memes as singular representations of expressions or ideas in our brain though. They are rather complex compositions of many different aspects and attributes of them in different places and at different times as Daniel Dennett explains in his multiple drafts model (Dennett 1991:111ff).
The creative process as a collective process
Because ideas jump from brain to brain in the form of memes the creative process has to be seen as a collective process. Every piece of art, every patent, every musical pattern, every behaviour is always the end- and starting point of a continuous collective process of human creativity and innovation. Ideas are represented through expressions. These can be words, images, music melodies, behaviours and so on. There are no ideas without representation, which means that we cannot communicate or experience ideas without them being expressed somehow. The idea-expression relationship is far more complex and controversial than we can discuss in this paper, but for our purpose (to point to the mechanism of cultural evolution through copying) it should be sufficient to understand its general aspects.
Every expression of a human being is the result of the recombination of what has been expressed by someone else and of the meme copying process inside his neural system. We have evidence for the collective aspects of creativity from Ludwik Fleck’s philosophy of science. According to Fleck it is not correct to assume that human beings think individually. We should accept the fact that ‘cognition is a collective process’ (Sady 2012).
‘A truly isolated investigator is impossible… An isolated investigator without bias and tradition, without forces of mental society acting upon him, and without the effect of the evolution of that society, would be blind and thoughtless. Thinking is a collective activity… Its product is a certain picture, which is visible only to anybody who takes part in this social activity, or a thought which is also clear to the members of the collective only. What we do think and how we do see depends on the thought-collective to which we belong.’ (Fleck 1935b, cited in Sady 2012)
Fleck is stressing here that without mental content from other members of the thought-collective we belong to, we would not be able to give meaning to our thinking. We could also say that Fleck describes some of the cultural effects of the meme-replication-process. This becomes even more apparent when we look at how Wojciech Sady describes the definition of Fleck’s thought collective:
‘A thought collective is defined by Fleck as a community of persons mutually exchanging ideas or maintaining intellectual interaction (Fleck 1935a, II.4). Members of that collective not only adopt certain ways of perceiving and thinking, but they also continually transform it—and this transformation does occur not so much “in their heads” as in their interpersonal space.’ (Sady 2012)
The continuous transformation of ideas in ‘their interpersonal space’ is what we could also call cultural evolution. And even if Fleck has provided his account in the special context of the question of how scientific research works, we can easily adapt it to the creative process as such. Not only in science but in every aspect of creativity, cultural evolution is at work. Let us imagine in a short thought experiment a human being born on an island, where his parents have died right after his birth. Somehow he has managed to survive and he is living now as an adult alone on this island. It is rather unlikely that he has started to paint images in his leisure time, but for the sake of the argument, let us assume he did. But what seems to be rather implausible is that he paints images in the style of cubism without any social interaction or cultural heritage. Cubism is a typical example of a phenomenon of cultural evolution and at the same time an example of how our society tends to attribute cultural innovations to individuals even if there is much evidence that it is more an emergence of the “Zeitgeist” than a creative event by a single genius. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are usually said to be the inventors of cubism, while at the same time it is considered as a fact in art history that there were different predecessors and influences which prepared the ground to let the new movement arise. We can consider the members of the cubist movement as a thought collective in Ludwik Fleck’s sense and adapt his findings to the process of art production. Even if we consider Pablo Picasso to be one of the most important artists of cubism it does not seem very probable that he would have created the same type of paintings had he lived in the eighteenth century or had he been raised by a worker family in Manchester around 1850. And it also does not seem very likely that cubism would not have evolved if Pablo Picasso had never lived at all.
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that it was Picasso who painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and not some thought collective. There is at least a substantial individual part in the creative works of artists of any kind. There is no artwork without the decision of the artist to start working on it. If he decided to plant trees instead of creating a piece of art, there would be no painting, song or text we could enjoy and analyse. This is definitely true, but the question is, is this enough to consider him as the only source of the result and to provide him therefore with the rights to exclusively exploit the benefits from it? It is undeniable that there lies labour in every cultural artefact, and this labour can usually be attributed to the creators. It was Pablo Picasso who moved the paint brushes to create his Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and not Paul Cézanne. But the fact that this picture looks how it looks cannot be attributed to Picasso alone.
Let us assume the meme model and the thought collective are adequate conceptual descriptions for how human expressions and ideas evolve interpersonally. It still can be said that what we call being creative is what is new or original, and that this is exactly what the individual aspect of creativity represents. The problem here lies in the question: what is to be considered as new or original? As we have seen in the case of cubism, even when we can assign a new category to an artistic style, it has not evolved out of nothing. The borders of such categories are always blurred and arbitrary, and they fade away as soon as we try to find them. And even what we consider as radically new and original in the history of our culture, like cubism, or as another example the theory of relativity formulated by Albert Einstein, can be traced back to former works by other individuals which were necessary foundations for Picasso or Einstein to make their discoveries. There is never anything radically or totally new in human culture. Every cultural expression evolves slowly from its predecessors. Evolutionary steps are very small: so small that they usually are not detected. It is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back. The famous big theories, the so-called new inventions in art or the great discoveries in science are always results of long-lasting interpersonal creative and evolutionary processes. It looks as though it is mere luck that the memes are combined in a particular way inside a neural system from a specific individual and not through someone else’s. Of course, the artist or the scientist has often contributed a lot of personal education and work to bring themselves into the position to be able to make this very last important step for a new discovery or a new kind of cultural work. But it remains a small step compared to the whole process which was needed before he could take this step. Albert Einstein knew this as well. He said at a meeting of the National Academy of Science in 1921:
When a man after long years of searching chances on a thought which discloses something of the beauty of this mysterious universe, he should not therefore be personally celebrated. He is already sufficiently paid by his experience of seeking and finding. In science, moreover, the work of the individual is so bound up with that of his scientific predecessors and contemporaries that it appears almost as an impersonal product of his generation. (Einstein 1921:579)
The creator or author is far from being passive in this process. As we have seen above, it was Picasso who painted his paintings and it was Einstein who wrote his papers. So there is definitely an important individual part in every cultural work. But when we take the collective aspect of the creative process we have sketched so far into consideration, it looks like it just does not seem to be justified to attribute the originality to the individual by whom it was expressed. The person who creates a work should not be seen as its author or creator but more as its source. This kind of attribution gives respect to the individual part without stressing it too far. There are many practical reasons to attribute the work to a source. It helps others to refer to it, it may help to understand it better, it may even help to give some other kind of reward (e.g. money) to its source. But just because we are the source of a piece of work, we cannot thereby claim that we are the single author or creator and therefore the owner of it. Such a treatment of the work is also in line with Kant’s account of the personality rights of an author. While attributing the source of an expression, we esteem the individual part one has on the creation of a cultural expression without making him the sole creator and exclusive owner.
Both the postulation of a meme theory and the concept of the thought collective may lead to several objections. The most important is that the concept of free will may not be compatible with these views. Meme theory as proposed by Daniel Dennett has to be considered as a materialistic theory of the mind. Materialistic theories of the mind and the concept of the thought collective can be called deterministic in their character. It is disputed whether free will is compatible with determinism or not, and we cannot discuss this question in this paper. And it is true that if we hold the view that free will exists and that it is not compatible with determinism we have to reject meme theory and maybe Fleck’s thought collective as well. But we could still accept that creativity and innovation are more to be perceived as interpersonal than individual processes; we just have to find another theory which is not in conflict with free will. Anyone who insists on the view that ideas and expressions are naturally owned by the individual from whom they occur, must also provide a plausible theory as to how minds produce ideas independently from their social environment. I do not assert that such a theory does not exist, but I have not come across one yet. But if we accept that we are merely a source rather than a creator of cultural expressions, and if the only thing which we can take into account for intellectual property rights is the labour we have contributed and not the creativity itself, there seems to be little ground for any personality-based account of intellectual property rights. The only hope for the justification of the personal property of cultural expressions and inventions lies now in the utilitarian arguments, which are the ones we are going to examine in the following chapter.
1. There are also situations where a work is attributed to more than one person, like multiple authors for a text, or the composer and the lyricist for a song. But for the sake of simplicity I always talk about one creator.
2. Memes as they are used in this paper and by the proponents of a meme theory are not be confused with the same name for Internet phenomena which are shared widely through social networks. For a comprehensive account of meme theory see Blackmore (1999).
3. Dennett’s materialistic account of how consciousness should be understood is contested, but I assert that a theory for an interpersonal process of creativity could also be developed on the basis of idealism.
4. This does not mean that I do not have free will, as we will see later.
Read the previous Chapter
2. Control Rights and Income Rights, or Does The Creator Deserve His De Jure Monopoly? | https://onlinebooks.io/intellectual-property-is-common-property/3-myth-individual-creator/ |
I recently read Danah Boyd’s book, It’s Complicated and was sparked to write about privacy, a topic I speak to faculty and students about regularly. For most of my life, invoking privacy meant keeping some ideas and information to myself and limiting the sharing of these thoughts with the people I chose. Ask a “technology native”, a term coined by Marc Prensky in 2001 and defined as a person who has grown up with technology as commonplace, and privacy has a very different meaning.
Boyd frames the concept of privacy not around keeping aspects of our lives a secret but having agency to decide who sees what we share about our lives. This is an idea I keep in mind when advising faculty and students about privacy and the use of technology. It is our responsibility to let children know of the options they have for sharing their work, ideas, images, and life events. They can negotiate privacy if given the right tools and opportunities to practice.
According to Susan McLean, author of “Sexts, Texts & Selfies: How to Keep your Children Safe in the Digital Space.” “Parents and children need to be reminded that they are never anonymous online and everyone has a digital footprint. Postings and comments can be found years later.” The more we can educate ourselves and our children about privacy options, the more they and we will respect and support each other’s privacy. Privacy will come to be understood and valued as a sort of commodity and a right.
To enable children to control their privacy we might encourage them to use a pseudonym while online, support their choice to opt-out of sharing their academic work or creative property on a public site, or spend time discussing the potential consequences of a tweet or Instagram post that goes viral. For teens who are active on social media sites, like Facebook, Instagram, and others, we can suggest tools of manipulation to protect the information they post. Students can learn how to determine and control who will see their posts, even when the given system of conveyance, for instance Facebook, is not designed for this.
For educators, privacy is worth navigating with students, given the powerful and motivating effect of connecting children with authentic audiences for their academic and creative work. Creating something meant to be viewed by more than one person or persons who reflect back differing points of view can turn the results of effort into something transformative. Collaboration and feedback can be of great value to the artist, writer, philosopher, and innovator that exists in every child.
Boyd states and I concur privacy is “a practice and a process, an idealized state of being, to be actively negotiated in an effort to have agency. Once we realize this, we can reimagine how to negotiate privacy in a networked world.” Let’s help our children better understand the worth and value of taking control of their privacy. | https://voyagerscommunityschool.org/our-community/blog/privacy-comes-with-agency |
Imagine that you've spent a considerable amount of time creating your version of a masterpiece. Whether it is a painting, a book, a musical score, software, or a graphic design logo, a freelancer’s craft is often a reflection of their time, resources, and talents. There is also the monetary value that is attached to your work or intellectual property.
What is Intellectual Property?
Intellectual property is commonly and simply defined as a work or invention that is the result of one’s mind or creativity. With the proliferation of social media and the ease of digitizing one’s work, we often share or even overshare our intellectual property without thinking about the implications. Now, imagine the aforementioned masterpiece being stolen by someone else.
Innocuous Mistake or Something Else?
A few years ago, I posted a micro-blog on my personal page. It took me about an hour to write and it addressed a topic that I was deeply passionate about. My intent was simply to provide my take on an issue that was trending on Facebook. Because I wanted to respond in a timely manner, I decided to post it on FB rather than on my blog site. No big deal.
A couple of days later, a post came through my newsfeed. When I first read it, I thought, “Wow, what is the likelihood that this person would have the same exact sentiments about this particular subject matter?” I looked at his post more carefully. Not only were our ideas eerily similar but so was our diction, our syntax, and the overall way in which we expressed our ideas.
Then, I pulled my head out of the sand: Those were my words attributed to someone else on his page.
I went to the person's page and lo and behold, it became quite clear that he had copied and pasted what I said as if it were his own. I politely messaged him and attached a side-by-side screenshot of his post and mine. I asked him if he would attribute the content back to my page. If not, I asked that he take it down.
He apologized profusely and agreed to add the attribution. I was satisfied with how he handled it, but the experience left me with an unsettled feeling. If his post hadn't come through my newsfeed, I would not have known. I still believed that it was an innocuous mistake (although another part of me wanted to go into full English professor mode and have a serious discussion about plagiarism).
Yes, this was just a FB micro-blog, but it’s the principle that matters. What about larger, more complex works or pieces that are not intended for dissemination on social media platforms? Property is property and no one likes to have their work used without permission or proper compensation. As a freelancer, what can you do to protect yourself?
What Type of Content Should be Copyrighted?
Content–such as fiction and non-fiction books, lyrics, jingles, periodicals, 2D and 3D artwork, drawings, apps, computer programs, animation, television shows, and commercial photos–is often copyrighted. Although this list isn’t exhaustive, it is a good starting point. If you are a freelancer who creates in one of these areas, consider copyrighting your work.
Most creative content is copyrighted after it has been completed/produced. It is also worth noting that if you use a third party for the distribution or publishing of your work (e.g. a book self-publishing company) the company may take care of copyrighting your work on your behalf—just be sure to confirm this.
What are the Advantages of Copyrighting Your Work?
The advantage of copyrighting your work is that you are protecting yourself in case there are issues later on about rightful ownership and possible infringement. It alleviates doubt as to who owns the work and when the work was originally created. The Library of Congress explains:
“Registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration. Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees in successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within five years of publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration” and Circular 38b, Highlights of Copyright Amendments Contained in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA), on non-U.S. works.”
Creative entrepreneurs in particular must be careful. Being diligent about protecting your intellectual and creative property may require a few extra steps, but being proactive is worth avoiding the heartache of potentially being tied up in litigation years later.
How Can You Protect Your Work?
Protecting your work can actually be a DIY endeavor. Depending on the nature of your content, you may want to consider registering your work with the Library of Congress. The fees are nominal depending on what you are copyrighting. Although ownership begins with creation, it is important, in my opinion, to have a paper trail.
Contrary to popular belief, the poor man's copyright, or emailing/mailing content to yourself to get a date and time stamp, is not recommended. The Library of Congress notes that, “There is no provision in the copyright law regarding any such type of protection, and it is not a substitute for registration.”
If copyrighting is not the best option for your work, you may want to think about trademarking or patenting it. The United States Patent and Trademark Office provides extensive information as to what content should be trademarked or patented and the process for doing so. And if you are not sure if you need one, or all three, check out this helpful video that differentiates between trademarks, patents, and copyright.
Lastly, there is always the option of seeking a good intellectual property lawyer. Whatever you decide to do, remember it’s your property and you want to protect it. Operating under the assumption of good will may not be enough, especially for freelancers. | https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/03/06/are-you-protecting-yourself-from-property-theft-2/ |
Numerous fantastic things have begun as a simple, creative idea. Take into consideration donating a few of your finest ideas to aid others. The more creative you are, the more ideas you will have the ability to create. You can be imaginative, even if you do not assume you are.
I have recognized many people that were scared to make use of a computer for the first couple of times. Nevertheless, after diving into it, they became comfier. They wanted to take a risk and also make some errors. The result was a capacity to discover and do things they would certainly never be able to do without the use of a computer.
Being creative and also inventing world-changing ideas happens in the same way. Everybody can be imaginative, yet they need to be willing to begin. The creative process will certainly, after that, come to be a lot more all-natural over time.
Attempt the following tips to aid you on your journey to be more creative:
- Record your ideas on whatever fits and practical at the moment. What is important is that you record your ideas. In the past, I had forgotten ideas that I thought about when I was on a stroll. Currently, I bring an electronic recorder with me on those walks. At other times I use my computer, note pad or journal. Choose what will certainly function best for you and also make certain you have the means to record your ideas in any way times. You never recognize when an essential idea will appear.
- Do not limit on your own to ideas that appear possible. Capture every one of your ideas. Also, those that seem impossible to carry out are important for a couple of reasons. First, what seems impossible to you may not be difficult at some time in the future or for someone else. Second, impossible ideas urge additional creative ideas that could be more likely to be executed.
- Change your scenery or area. A change in scenery can boost creative thinking inside you. A change may be as easy as keeping an eye out a home window. You can also go to someplace new like a park, beach, or mall. The new environment can promote new ideas.
- Continue reading many topics. It is impressive the number of points in an unassociated topic can motivate new ideas. By broadening your expertise into more areas, you make your creative thinking perspective expands.
- Opt for a walk. A few of my ideal ideas had occurred when I was on a stroll. This relates to any type of moderate exercise. I have become aware of others that have composed short articles as well as speeches while walking or jogging.
- Focus in 10-15 min increments. It does not take a substantial quantity of time to conceptualize some potential ideas. Conceptualizing jobs best when done for short periods. Focus for a couple of minutes on create as several ideas to attend to a particular area or trouble. Then record anything that comes to mind throughout the rest of the day (see suggestion # 1). You will have a number of ideas for factor to consider for little investment of time. One of those could become something significant for aiding others.
- Think big. What inquiry are you asking to motivate your ideas? The larger the concern, the larger the effect those ideas may carry the world. You can begin by resolving smaller troubles yet don’t restrict on your own to those. You have one-of-a-kind experiences, understanding as well as talents that should be put on aiding others on a grand scale as well.
Follow these tips, and you will be on your method to creating ideas that have the possibility to change the world. Don’t allow your previous lack of creative thinking maintain you from developing as well as donating your ideas. Start today. | https://i5letter.com/2020/07/06/7-tips-to-make-you-more-creative/ |
Thinking Through Writing
Jennifer Moriarty, MPhil Candidate in the Department of English and Humanities, reports on a recent workshop that brought together researchers to discuss the relationship between thinking and writing in the arts.
In the early days of my PhD, my supervisor told me that ‘writing is how we work out what we think about things’. I nodded — hopefully sagely — and wrote it in my notebook, not really grasping the significance of the statement. Then I went away and promptly struggled to write my first chapter. A constant stream of academic memes reminding me that I ‘should be writing’ seemed merely to underline that, unless writing was ceaseless, it was never enough. But, I began to think about how writing, if it truly was a means of understanding my own creative input, should be deployed alongside the reading of inputs produced by others. Did ‘writing’ mean writing or was the word used as shorthand for a more nebulous combination of reading/writing/thinking? Seeking greater insight into this balancing act, I attended several ‘academic writing’ workshops in which speakers largely addressed questions of how to unblock the mind that already knows what it thinks or how to use the predefined structure of the scientific PhD document to galvanize writing. While I did learn some practical tips about structuring sentences and paragraphs, my questions about the writing process as a way to generate ideas went unanswered. None of these sessions got at the heart of how to use writing to synthesize existing research and original ideas within the context of the arts-based thesis. Using the training-needs-analysis document as a catalyst to articulate my questions, I was delighted when Luisa Calè, the Assistant Dean for the School of Arts, identified that guidance on the use writing to generate thinking was lacking in the training provision and that deeper scrutiny of the writing process would be of interest to students across the School.
On 2 July, researchers came together in a day-long ‘Thinking Through Writing’ workshop that offered a mixture of advice from experienced writers and practical hands-on writing sessions. What we learned — spoiler alert— is that the process of writing is difficult and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. But feedback from attendees said that hearing about others’ methods and finding solidarity among peers facing the same struggles offered fresh perspectives and rejuvenating energy. The message reiterated throughout the day was that writing and thinking are inspired as much by reading as they are seemingly non-academic activities like exercising, baking, or listening to music.
Panel 1 — Thinking through writing: approaches to composition
An initial panel presented the reflections of three writers on their process of writing from different fields.
Mark Blacklock, drawing on his experience as a journalist, novelist, and academic writer, encouraged attendees to think of critical writing as a process of responding to something, for example, a primary source or a historical idea. Among the steps he outlined for generating ideas were:
- The ‘first mark’—get over the blank page as quickly as possible by breaking ground with handwritten notes in notebooks or margins or books. Once digitised, these notes can be searched, often throwing up serendipitous connections.
- Keywords— brainstorm keywords in response to the primary source then really zoom in on the words and concepts.
- Sentences— use sentences to add meaning and order to your ideas. Mark mentioned Don DeLillo ‘s practice of writing only one sentence per page in order to leave space to unpack each one thoroughly.
- Sections— compile granular-level sentences into sections and then rearrange these to see which content is redundant or to identify any gaps
- Editing— allow some time to pass before editing your own work, but also consider editing others’ work as a means of gaining insight into alternative writing styles.
- Publishing— commit to publication (journal articles or conference papers) to impose often helpful deadlines on your writing. Mark recommended blogs as a lower-stakes place to practise writing. Blog posts must be good enough to put out before the public, but they don’t need to be up to academic standard.
Sam Dolbear, speaking from his experience of writing his PhD, discussed several tactics that he employed to find ideas in his own writing. Sam suggested rearranging sentences either electronically or by printing out and cutting them apart to speak new connections. Importantly, Sam emphasized that the writing process is difficult and can involve as much failure as productivity. Introducing an idea that would be reiterated throughout the day, Sam noted that distraction often serves as a productive force, enabling the mind to process ideas. Activities away from the desk, such as walking, cycling, or going to the cinema can often trigger reflective modes of thinking, but no one approach would suit everyone.
Emily Baker took up this idea, drawing a parallel between the processes of writing and musical composition. While Mozart wrote by thinking through his entire work before drafting and made infrequent adjustments to his core ideas afterwards, Beethoven’s approach was to consider each note as it was influenced by those preceding it and to make endless improvements even after publication. Emily recommended a hybrid approach of planning and chance tailored to suit each individual writer’s temperament. She noted that some people react productively to self- or supervisor-imposed deadlines and benefit from outside accountability, but others are more likely to rebel and won’t find motivation in these pressures. Emily also recommended the Forest app as a tool to help resist the temptation to be distracted by social media or other websites while writing.
Music proved a rich metaphor and topic of discussion. Bach’s method of ‘counterpoint’—where one melody responds and interacts with another within the same piece— was suggested as a helpful way to think about dialogic forms of writing. Others noted that pieces of music listened to repeatedly while writing can become associated with arguments or chapters, providing a useful trigger for returning to an earlier train of thought. Max Richter’s Sleep (2015) and the website Noisili were mentioned as examples of neuroscience being used to inform compositions designed to aid concentration, productivity, and/or relaxation.
Pomodoro
In the first of two writing sessions, the group participated in a ‘Pomodoro’. Named after the tomato timer, Pomodoro refers to a time-management technique that recommends using 25-minute intervals of concentrated effort to break tasks into smaller chunks, followed by 5-minutes of break. When sitting down to write, many people find themselves distracted by their surroundings or daunted by what they want to achieve. Others sit for hours without taking a rest. By setting a writing goal for the time period and knowing that there is a built-in time afterwards in which distraction is permitted, writers applying the Pomodoro technique say that it helps to increase focus and productivity.
Panel 2 — Writing Feelings
In the afternoon, the group discussed the feelings that writing engenders. Many people expressed a combination of frustration/anxiety intermixed with feeling of elation/accomplishment. Others expressed guilt at not writing but also about writing, that arts research wasn’t considered to be ‘real’ work.
Julia Bell encouraged attendees to use the productive energy of anxiety to foster creative bursts of active writing. She attributed this anxiety to the paradox of writing within an environment structured by beats of the clock— scheduled events in our lives, like deadlines— while at the same time reflecting on timeless or historic matters. Using Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘Shapes of Writing’ metaphor, Julia drew a comparison between writers and characters in a novel, both subject to time-bound existence but also affected by thoughts and motivations that sit outside of time. She also suggested that students’ anxiety can spring from concerns that their readers are more knowledgeable than they are, but she encouraged them to take confidence from their work at the coalface and their familiarity with the latest research in their field. While it’s important to be prepared to face an external examiner, that person’s expertise may have been built 10 or 20 years earlier.
Julia pointed out that academic work is embracing elements of creative writing, including a willingness to incorporate the writer’s own experience as evidence and writing in the first person.
‘Shut Up and Write’
In the afternoon, the group completed a one-hour ‘Shut Up and Write’ session. Despite its aggressive name, the longer silent writing session was greeted with enthusiasm by participants. Many enjoyed the feeling of solidarity of writing within a group, knowing that others were also working toward similar goals, and the feeling of accountability group writing fostered, given the social pressure to prevent them from being distracted. Several participants reported being more productive in the day’s short writing sessions than they had in days or weeks!
If you’re interested in group writing, Birkbeck offers a number of opportunities. The Birkbeck Graduate Research School often runs shut up and write days, and Sophie Jones runs a twice-weekly writing group during term times, which is open to researchers at all stages. Please contact Sophie for more details or to be added to the group’s email list.
The Uses of Procrastination
In the final session of the day, historian Emma Lundin, from the podcast Tomorrow Never Knows (with Charlotte Lydia Riley), took up the idea that procrastination can be productive. She reiterated the importance of knowing yourself and, whenever possible, identifying times of day and environments that make thesis writing easier. Often, however, commitments to family or work can impose restrictions on when and where writing takes place. Emma cited Toni Morrison and Nick Laird who discuss how to fit writing around other commitments and also encouraged writers to see time away from writing as ‘thinking time’. Activities like baking cookies or watching movies may feel like procrastination but can offer the mind a chance to consider any problems obliquely or subconsciously. Emma also recommended the use of other writing outlets— blogs, a podcast— to create lower-pressure opportunities to practise writing and to rejuvenate the writer. Twitter, ordinarily considered a distraction from writing, can be used productively as a place for collecting and recording ideas, as well as a forum for conversation with the wider community.
Scrivener offers a digital solution for writers who tend to want to edit what they have already written instead of continuing to write, because earlier work can be ‘hidden’, and writers are encouraged instead to compose chunks of text in any order for later compilation or rearrangement.
So, it seems that maybe we shouldn’t always be writing. To give space for thinking, research can and ought to encompass opportunities at and away from the desk for making connections between ideas and readings. The process of writing can encompass ‘positive procrastination’ as an opportunity for creative and problem-solving parts of our mind to process information. Writing in shorter but more focused sessions, perhaps even with other people, may also increase productivity and help to maintain motivation throughout the thesis. | http://blogs.bbk.ac.uk/artsresearch/tag/sophie-jones/ |
It may come as no surprise that dissolving a marriage can be a stressful process, as those facing a similar life change may face a variety of difficult decisions. Individuals in Arkansas can experience a variety of emotions while preparing for a divorce and finding ways to keep emotions out of the decision-making process could be challenging, yet vital. Seeking advice on how to limit stress and achieve clarity could help place a person in a better position to focus on taking steps to safeguard his or her future during divorce proceedings.
As dissolving a marriage is a major life decision, taking the time to carefully consider the situation could be vital to deciding if divorce is the healthiest option. While it may be a difficult topic to consider, this could also provide a sense of clarity and help a person better prepare to focus on the future instead of current feelings. Those facing a similar circumstance could also benefit from researching information on options such as collaborative divorce and mediation, as these methods could also help limit the stress of dissolving a marriage in certain scenarios.
Although it may seem difficult, finding ways to promote peace and maintain mutual respect with the other party could also help alleviate stress during a divorce. Studies indicate that those who are able to find and focus on common goals may be more inclined to cooperate and communicate their needs in a more peaceful manner. Some examples of common goals could include placing the needs of the children first or sharing a desire to limit unnecessary conflict while taking steps to safeguard one’s future.
Since the outcome of a divorce can have a substantial impact on a person’s life, keeping emotions in check can seem a daunting task. Those who wish to seek advice on how best to prepare for what comes next could find it helpful to consult with a family law attorney for guidance on what to expect from the process. An attorney in Arkansas can address all a client’s wishes and needs and assist in developing a strategy to seek the best outcome achievable concerning his or her future during subsequent legal proceedings. | https://www.robertson-law-firm.com/blog/2020/06/keeping-emotions-in-check-during-a-divorce/ |
Q. What are the criteria to judge an idea as creative? Discuss the factors that affect creativity.
Creativity
Arun Kumar
M.Sc.(Psy), UGC( NET), R&T Exp: 20+ Yrs, Founder -Beautiful Mind , Delhi
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24 Responses
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Kanak priey says:
Creativity is a skill to think towards a new idea, a novel work of individual, something which was unknown til then.
However we think new ideas every now and then, even psychological disordered patients are generating new words, sentences etc.
Sometimes these ideas are of daily life utility which helps us to cope up with activities. Every step towards life has some novelty attached to it.
Although all able thinking pattern seems novel and new but the science and psychology needs more to call it creativity.
Creativity is seen in the context of problem solving. The novelty of idea is about new solution to the problem. There can be two way to judge creativity-
1. The process or the approach.
2. The product or the outcome.
The process is judged on the inputs like the thinking pattern and search method for a solution. An idea can be called as creative if the thinking goes beyond conventional stages of problem solving to incubation where there is no more conscious thought given to the problem. The all new solution comes as insight (Aha moment) and it’s all of a sudden outcome. Hence creativity needs out of the box thinking.
The thinking process also need remote linking ability. It is believed that the more remotely it’s linked there is high chance of getting creativity.
The outcome based criteria tests the end result of thinking. If many of the expert and existing constructs validates it then it may be called creative.
Factors affecting creativity-
1. A moderate level of intelligence, generally facilitates creativity. Too low and too high intelligence may inhibit creativity. There are exceptions like Williams syndrome but this rule is by and large accepted today.
2. Social and cultural factors influences. Studies reveals that creativity needs tolerance to ambiguity, thus societies or culture which promote more abstract thinking, more difficult concepts may facilitate creativity as compared to simply societies.
3. Cognitive silks like- thinking, memory, perception etc. Thinking pattern for creative thinker has to be out of box, memory may block though existing sets or add experience as facilitator, finally perception to the problem itself differentiate others from creative thinkers.
4. Open and evaluation free environment facilitates creativity.
5. Personality factors like openmindedness ensures that thinning is not blocked to just conventional solutions but ready to accept novel one.
More or less all factors which influences thinking are someway a determinant to creativity either as facilitator or as inhibitor.
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Arun Kumar says:
The answer is substantial . you can score better if you
1 elaborate the idea with some examples
2. Be more precise
3. Add some references of research studies
Scaled marks 5
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sourabh says:
Creativity is a process wherein we produce an idea or an object that is new and useful. Certain criteria to evaluate an idea as creative are :
1. Novelty i.e. it should be new.
2. Originality i.e. idea formed should not be a mere modification of someone else’s work but should be produced by the person himself.
3. Problem – solving i.e. an idea should be able to solve a problem than a mere statement. For example, designing a watch to learn about time is creativity but not simply learning about time from a watch.
Factors that affect creativity :-
1. Intelligence – it is the ability to apply the acquired information and skills. Proper application of intelligence in different conditions produces creative ideas.
2. Knowledge – we need to have a proper knowledge about a subject or an object to produce creative ideas. For example, knowledge about gravity, friction, force helped us to design bullet trains, without whose knowledge we may not be able to design it.
3. Motivation – both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are crucial in fostering creative ideas.
4. Social and cultural factors – an environment which is not supportive of application of new ideas may not foster creativity. Creativity can be fostered if the environment is supportive, non-judgemental, non-critical.
5. Personality – a person who is open to new ideas, flexible in thought can get creative ideas rather than a person who is rigid and stubborn.
So, creativity in essence is the ability to see new relations in the context of problem solving. Discovery of a solution is the creativity but not the solution itself
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Arun Kumar says:
Add research references…
5 marks
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Navkaran Singh says:
A creative idea can be defined as an idea which is:
1. Novel or new in approach
2. It should solve some problem
3. The solution should be pragmatic and practical
Besides the process based approach, another approach to judge an idea as creative or not is given by Teresa who talks about the idea that it is the products that are creative and not the human being. In order to judge whether a product is creative or not, she highlighted that opinion of experts should be taken while analyzing a product as creative or not.
Factors which affect creativity:
1. Knowledge: The knowledge base of an individual about an area greatly influences whether he is creative in that field or not. For example: Einstein would not have proposed the theory of relativity if he didn’t have the sound knowledge of theoretical physics.
2. Environment: A highly accepting and criticism free environment helps to foster creative ideas as opposed to an environment where a person is heavily criticized and frowned upon.
3. Motivation: According to studies a person who is intrinsically motivated towards a task is bound to be more productive than the person who performs a task for a reward. Scientists like Tesla loved science and didn’t do it for money or commercial success. In fact the true worth of his studies was realized after his death.
4. Personality: A risk taking and resilient personality is found to be more creative than a low risk taking behaviour. Such people tend to pursue their goal even when there is little chance of success because they believe in their idea.
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Arun Kumar says:
Give suitable example and research references
4.5 marks
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Manreet says:
Creative ideas are based on free thinking and mainly associated with problem solving where one desires to move from original problem towards goal setting ( innovative solutions resolving problems ). Main criteria for judging an idea as creative is :
1. Novelty : Idea should be both new and innovative.
2. Practicality : Useful application based idea which may be in larger interest of society.
However individual’s prior knowledge and perceived efforts are involved in making ideas creative. ‘Creativity’ is an increasing area of interest for psychologists citing current globally affected issues confronting all societies and there is no agreed unanimity on its definition. Factors affecting creativity are as follows :
1. Cognitive factors – Cognitive psychologists consider role of basic processes like concept formation, information retrieval from memory etc underlying creative thought. According to them intelligence is necessary but not sufficient condition to produce creativity.
2. Social factors – Social psychologists believe that personality traits make individual creative and environmental situations can both enhance as well as inhibit creativity. E.g Amabile’s study on evaluation expectation found that creativity gets reduced when an individual knows he/she is being watched by others, given a reward, put into competent situation and lastly restricting freedom choices wrt finding of innovative solutions.
3. Researchers have found role of intrinsic motivation ( working for finding creative idea in itself a reward ) behind exceptional creativity.
4. Confluence approach ( Lubart and Sternberg’s study ) – Currently accepted view is that many converging factors play role in development of a creative idea. E.g Lubart considers 6 distinct factors like intellectual abilities, knowledge, personality attributes, styles of thinking, motivation & environment as affecting creativity.
5. Role of incubation period – Incubation ( time lag between original work on problem and resumption of next shift of work ) provides space whereby solutions may emerge either from unconscious processes or activation of schemas towards finding a new solution.
To conclude creativity is a dynamic concept & thinking a complex process, hence no factor can individually explain as to what extent creativity gets affected. Moreover research studies are still going on.
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Arun Kumar says:
Improve organisation of ideas.. points 4 contains all the factors under Lubart’s model of creativity. You just need to elaborate them. And thus all other points are not required to be mentioned separately
4.5 marks
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Siddharth says:
Creativity is the process of solving problems by combining ideas in new ways. Works that are novel i.e. original and unexpected, as well as appropriate are termed as creative.
For example a new piece of music composed by a musician will be his creative work and will be recognised as creative if it is original and unconventional.
According to Lubart, 6 distict resources affect creativity. These are:
1. Intellectual abilities: Ability to see problem in new ways and be intellectually innovative.
2. Knowledge
3. Certain styles of thinking: think globally
4. Personality attributes: e.g. willingness to take risks.
5. Motivation: intrinsic and task focused motivation promotes creativity
6. Supportive environment.
Other factors that affect creativity:
Cognitive psychologists believe that processes like retrieval from memory, associations, mental categories etc Play a role in creative thinking.
Social and cultural factors also affect creativity. E.g. A more open culture promotes abstract thinking.
Development of a person also affects creativity. Creativity is not completely innate but can be fostered. With proper training and interventions promoting creativity is possible.
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Arun Kumar says:
Elaborate the points with suitable examples.. points given at the end are mere repitition?
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Kamlesh says:
Creativity is an ability to produce a product or a work that is both original and useful. The important criteria for anything to be creative are as follows:
It should be novel i.e. it should be new and original.
It should also be practical and by that it means that it should also have to solve the problem.
The important factors that affect the creativity are cognitive like thinking style, knowledge, emotions. Social factors like the supporting environment and non judgmental society. Cultural factors also play important roles in developing or thwarting creativity.
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Arun Kumar says:
Too short to be adequate
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Vaishnavi Fulzele says:
Creativity is an ability of an individual to think in a novel way to give a solution to a particular problem.
Criteria to judge creativity is:
1. Idea placed must be an out of box idea I.e. to place an idea which was not thought earlier.
2. Idea ought to be novel and original.
3. Idea must get the social validation.
4. Idea put forward must give some solution for a problem.
Factors affecting creativity:
1. Environmental factor: A accepting environment foster the creativity on the contrary environment which criticizes the idea suppress the creativity.
2. Knowledge: An individual with the adequate knowledge about the subject of his domain of his interest will show more creativity in his domain. Eg. Thomas Alava Edision invented electric bulb because of his self acquired knowledge about electricity and other metals.
3. Motivation: studies have proved that interensic motivation plays a vital role in an innovative idea to strike. Eg. Goal oriented person finds his way to reach the goal to get reward for himself.
4. Sensitivity, independence and divergent thinking will foster the creativity.
5. Personality traits: person high at taking the calculated risk tends to have more creativity. Eg. A creative engineer working on site will give a solution to a problem and will take a risk to implement it.
Hence, creativity is about giving a brain storming ideas. A person can be said creative only on the basis of his ideas(product) to solve a problem.
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Arun Kumar says:
Suitable framework…add research references
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Mansi Nandal says:
Creative idea is not an idea which is different ;the most important factor is that it must be problem solving.The other important criterias are as follows:
1.It must be novel and original means some unique features should be added to it.
2.Appropriateness in particular context like thinking of being different without any purpose ,indulging in fantasy without any aim are sometimes mistakenly taken as creative idea.
3.It must be reality oriented,constructive and socially desirable.
For example-
Writing letter or email can be considered as means of communication but live video interaction with person staying abroad was a creative idea because it qualifies all the above stated criteria of being creative; on the other hand in In maruti suzuki plant ;every year thousand of same maruti car model are produced but it can not be considered as creative.every year same car model produced without any change in features.
Factors affecting creativity:
1.Hereditary factors are important in determining the extent to which one can be creative.
2.Environment factors facilitate or hamper the creativity.for ex criticising children at lower age for every silly mistake makes them vulnerable to change in life in later stage of life.
3.Motivation and emotional blocks also interfere with creativity.for example fear of rejection;fear of failure hamper one ‘s way to think differently.
4.Culture also influence creative thinking.in some culture creativity is not prized or appreciated so people tried to stick to traditionality for example Indian dance .
5.Lastly ;thinking and perceiving in a familiar way makes it difficult to think in novel ways.
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Arun Kumar says:
You nicely elaborated what is creativity.. the second part requires more scientific approach. Add research studies to make your points
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Amit Shankar Singh says:
An idea can be called creative if it is novel, original and practical and is instrumental in solving problem. Creative ideas can be divided into two categories viz. Every day and Exceptional. Everyday ideas may be judged on basis of changes in the traditional ways of use in order to increase efficiency, reduce time and labour etc. e.g. Use of solar panels over canals. Whereas exceptional ideas are new inventions like Aeroplane, telephone.
Since there are various views whether an idea qualify to be called creative or not. provides An amicable solution is provided by Consensual Approach which says that Experts of the domain by consensus should judge about the creativity of any idea.
Lubart in his Confluence approach found following factors which affect Creativity:-
1) Intelligence & Knowledge Base-At least Moderate Intelligence(Ability to reason) is required. Knowledge of the domain should be adequate enough to reason well about the pros and cons of various approaches.
2) Environment-Conducive and cooperative environment promotes expression of creative ideas whereas criticism hinders.
3) Personality Factors-Moderate Risk taking ability, high tolerance for ambiguity, Motivation to excel etc. begets creativity.
4) Social factors-Upbringing of an individual let one to be autonomous and curious. These are important factors in fostering Creativity.
Hence,It can be said that Nature as well as Nurture both play significant role in fostering Creativity.
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Arun Kumar says:
Suitable..add some researches of Teresa Amabile and Mednick
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Mansi Nandal says:
.
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Shashwat Mittal says:
Creativity is simply an out of the box thinking.
That is, in a manner which involves:
a.) Original/ Novelty ideas,
b.) Ability to see a new relation, provided that it is problem solving.
(&) c.) In an effective manner.
For Example,
If one may want to go to Agra from Noida, and Agra highway is choked and he takes a long route all the way from Gujarat to Mumbai to Chennai to Kolkatta to Agra following a Golden Triangle may be a new idea, but definitely it is not at all a creative idea.
Note: Please be advised that the idea must be Optimised and tangible to be considered as an Creative Idea.
Few factors that affect Creativity are as follows:
Psychologist ‘Lubart’ has given 6 Factors that affect Creativity, which are as follows:
1.) Intellectual Abilities (To see and approach problems in a different way).
2.) Knowledge (adequate knowledge, albeit may not be a subject matter expertise).
3.) Style of Thinking (novel ways).
4.) Personality Attributes (or simply traits).
5.) Motivation (plus a go-getter attitude).
6.) Environment (which is supportive and encouraging).
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Arun Kumar says:
Elaborate the points adequately
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Jayansh Singh says:
Creativity is the act of coming up with novel and original ideas in the context of problem-solving. It is different from intelligence.
For an ideas to be creative, as given in the definition, it should fulfill certain criteria –
1. an idea must be novel in the sense that it should be something totally new. For example, an out-of-the-box idea
2. it must be original
3. it must solve some problem. One of the important considerations to keep in mind while defining creativity is that it should be seen in the domain of problem-solving. An idea, which may be new and original (like in the case of a schizophrenic patient) can’t be called creative simply because of its newness and originality.
4. thinking involved in creativity is of a specific type called divergent thinking
Various factors influencing creativity are –
1. intelligence – There is some correlation between intelligence and creativity. However, it is entirely possible that a person is creative but not intelligent and vice versa
2. society and culture – A culture can have significant influence in fostering creativity. Some societies are more encouraging of creative people. For example, western European countries.
3. conducive environment – a less judgemental environment with positive feedback helps
4. state of health
5. motivation – level of motivation is directly correlated with the degree of creativity.
6. personality type – openness trait is directly correlated with creativity. A person willing to consider new ideas will be more creative.
7. analogous thinking and brainstorming have been linked to creativity
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Bhavini Bargotya says:
Creativity is the formation and development of other than the mainstream, “out of the box” ideas. We can consider an idea to be creative if:
1. It doesn’t copy/replicate any pre-existing ideas.
2. It involves a different way of thinking about existing ideas or forms new ones.
3. The idea should be reality oriented.
4. It should be able to solve the given problem.
Factors affecting creativity:
1. Environment should be conducive.
2. Intelligence.
3. Past experiences and knowledge to give an idea about the problem.
4. Skill set about the problem is helpful.
5. Any mental set can hinder creativity.
6. Personality of the problem solver.
Tests such as RAT (Remote Accessing Test) –Mednick and Mednick, Torrance test, etc. have been helpful in measuring the levels of creativity in individuals.
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Karthik Kosana says:
A creative thought or work should satisfy the following criteria:
1. Novelty – unique and original
2. Unusualness – Bruner calls it “effective surprise”
3. Appropriateness – practical, constructive and directed to solve a specific problem
4. Socially value and validation- without this it cannot be creative but only original and will be forgotten eventually.
Factors affecting creativity:
1. Individual factors:
a. Intellectual abilities
b. Knowledge – in that particular field of study
c. Personality attributes –Risk taking, Sensitivity and Independence.
d. Style of thinking – Divergent thinking.
e. Intrinsic motivation – Goal or problem focused.
2. Environmental factors:
a. Cultural
b. Social
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Every person’s situation is unique when it comes to the reasons for ending his or her marriage, and each person’s experience is different. However, there are a handful of mistakes made during divorce negotiations that are common occurrences. Couples who are considering divorce in Wyoming should have realistic goals and a strong understanding of their current monetary conditions to avoid future financial blunders.
One objective of a divorce is determining the division of property, possessions and assets. Determining whether a marital home should be kept or sold can be an emotional issue, but now is the time for one to consider future financial implications. Before agreeing to a settlement, a person should consider future events and changes that could happen such as a disability or job loss. Attorneys can address potential changes and recommend ways to protect clients from unforeseen circumstances that may arise down the road.
When dealing with shared costs for children, experts recommend automatic payment plans for all support payments and for the paying parent to inform employers of any payroll deductions for support. One should also keep accurate records and documentation of all shared costs that require reimbursement. The financial expense for insurance co-pays, prescriptions and activities can be substantial, so accurate record keeping is crucial. They also suggest only accepting reimbursement payments in a form that can be tracked and documented.
The process of a divorce can be overwhelming and may have significant financial consequences for both parties. For those in Wyoming who are contemplating divorce, they may benefit from consulting with an attorney. A lawyer who is incisive about divorce negotiations will work with his or her client to attain a fair settlement. | https://www.zubrodlaw.com/blog/2018/06/mistakes-to-avoid-during-divorce-negotiations/ |
Editor’s note: This article is the 17th in an A-Z series on issues related to creative blocks. This month we explore how focusing too much on quality can hinder creativity.
Those of us who do creative work can, at times, become stuck during the creative process. One reason for this is that we tend to overemphasize the importance of the quality of the end result: we focus too much on how things will look in the end or on whether our idea will be perceived to be any good. Becoming constrained by our worries about degrees of creative excellence, instead of letting our minds wander freely, limits creative risk-taking and can contribute to developing nagging creative blocks. we may end up becoming creatively blocked.
Of course, quality is something that creative people ought to think about. A frequently referenced definition of creativity uses novelty and usefulness—or else quality—as its criteria for something to be considered creative. Creators generally need the reassurance that they’re judging their work with high standards. Yet there is a right and wrong time to be preoccupied with quality. If we become fixated with quality too early, this can be counterproductive and lead us to become creatively blocked. For an example of this, consider Stephen’s case below.
Stephen was a choreographer who had been feeling creatively blocked for about a year. He struggled to come up with ideas that fascinated or inspired him. During our work together, we spent some time exploring his self-critical tendencies and the way his depression was affecting his motivation to collaborate and try different ways to stimulate his brain. While all this was helpful, it didn’t seem to hit the nail on the head regarding what was sustaining his creative block.
Taking a break from emphasizing the quality of our creative results is not easy. We want to feel that our time is well-spent in coming up with ideas that will make the cut and be certain these ideas will be part of the final product.
Part of our work included keeping a “process journal.” I encouraged Stephen to keep track of all the thoughts he had that pertained to the process of starting to choreograph. One of the things we discovered was that he would evaluate the quality of every idea as soon as he had that idea. Every thought about what kind of music to use turned into a question of whether the end result would be “edgy’ or “experimental” enough. Every thought about unique ways to use his body turned into an assessment of whether the movement would look pretty. Overall, every creative spark was quickly snuffed out by concerns about whether the choreography would result in his best work yet.
Stephen and I quickly noticed the negative effect this habit had on his ability to think creatively. To tackle this concern, we made deliberate attempts to embrace the messiness that is often involved during the creative process.
- We affirmed the value of making an effort, regardless of the outcome.
- We established a consistent choreography schedule so he’d know that even if one practice session went poorly, he had another planned shortly after.
- He avoided recording his choreography ideas until he felt more confident to watch videos of himself trying them out.
- He looked for sources of inspiration among other choreographers, both those who were well-established and those who were just beginning.
In addition to learning how to tolerate the unpredictability of creative efforts, Stephen also eventually learned to catch his internal voice when it asked questions like “Is this any good?” and “How does this look?” Though change didn’t happen overnight, he practiced listening to a different voice—one that said “This is new and interesting!” and “I’ve always wanted to try this. Here’s my chance!”
Taking a break from emphasizing the quality of our creative results is not easy. We want to feel that our time is well-spent in coming up with ideas that will make the cut and be certain these ideas will be part of the final product. However, a rigid attitude on what “time well-spent” means can only limit our brains’ natural abilities to make new cognitive associations and come up with innovative ideas and solutions.
If you struggle to do this on your own, consider seeking support from a qualified, compassionate mental health care professional.
© Copyright 2017 GoodTherapy.org. All rights reserved. Permission to publish granted by Olga Gonithellis, MA, MEd, LMHC, therapist in New York City, New York
The preceding article was solely written by the author named above. Any views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the preceding article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment below. | https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creative-blocks-from-a-to-z-quality-1222175 |
Ogden L. Mills - a male celebrity - born on Saturday August 23rd 1884, in Unknown.
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The day continue with intelligent discussions and successful sharing of his ideas with others.
Ogden's creativity and originality today may be lacking of practical application, but his wittiness and resolve help him to resolve conflicts and harmonize relationships. | https://www.celebrities-galore.com/celebrities/ogden-l-mills/home/ |
One of the more elusive benefits of blogging has been the implications for my professional identity. As a part-time PhD student, without funding but committed to an academic career trajectory (albeit at times waveringly), I found myself engaged in a diverse array of short term roles within the academy. Some of these had clear relevance to my nascent identity as a researcher but most did not, requiring competencies I already possessed by virtue of my research training or helping me develop ones which might in future be beneficial to me as a researcher; though never quite reflecting the core concerns that motivated my work while nonetheless being close enough to them that I could rarely put these questions out my mind in the way that would be expected in paid work engaged in for consistently and straight-forwardly instrumental reasons. The professional socialisation that ensues from such circumstances is inherently refractory, shaping one’s professional identity in all manner of ways but without the easy unfolding of a narrative that makes sense of the occupational trajectory that is unfolding. This is far from a unique experience within the neoliberal university, as the systematic casualization of academic labour combines with the idealised notion of scholarship as a noble calling to produce an intersection of commitment and precarity with all manner of harmful consequences.
It is in this context that these new communication tools become so significant, with the possibilities afforded by them being misrepresented when conceived as something external to the everyday lives of those working within the academy. Obviously these are instruments which can function to expand the scope of dissemination activities but construing them solely in such terms misses an important set of questions concerning the implications of social media for academic identity. In my own experience personal blogging helped integrate what would have otherwise been a fragmented professional identity, perpetually divided as it has been between different roles and different institutions. Sustaining a personal blog inevitably invites reflection on one’s own experiences, though of course such a use is not dictated by the technology itself. In doing so, it helps imbue those experiences with a coherency which they might otherwise lack, addressing the perennial question of how present commitments relate to potential futures.
The process of using the blog in this way has also led to an increasing awareness of the types of use I make of it, reflected in an initially inchoate working taxonomy which has emerged in my own psyche as to the various tasks which are involved in the development of ideas and the production of academic work. The process of sustaining the blog as an ‘open notebook’ has inculcated a sensitivity to workflow and craft which I had previously lacked. The claim here is a straightforward one: a change of tools can provoke a greater awareness of the uses to which such tools can be put. However this could easily be misconstrued as postulating an untenable juxtaposition of habitual analogue practice to reflexive digital practice. Instead I wish to offer a much less contentious proposition: digital tools offer a diverse range of opportunities for rethinking the practice of research and, in doing so, unavoidably raise questions in virtue of their novelty which can lead to a newfound reflexivity about the means and ends of practice. To make sense of such a claim, it is crucial that we distinguish between the tool used and the purposes to which it is put because the former may be new but the latter manifestly is not. For instance one of the most prominent explorations of the practice of journaling can be found in the explanation by C. Wright Mills of how keeping a file or a journal,
“encourages you to capture ‘fringe-thoughts’: various ideas which may be by-products of everyday life, snatches of conversation overheard on the street, or, for that matter, dreams. Once noted, these may lead to more systematic thinking, as well as lend intellectual relevance to more directed experience […] by keeping an adequate file and thus developing self-reflective habits, you learn how to keep your inner world awake. Whenever you feel strongly about events or ideas you must try not to let them pass from your mind, but instead to formulate them for your files and in so doing draw out their implications, show yourself either how foolish these feelings or ideas are, or how they might be articulated into productive shape.”
What concerns Mills here is the cultivation of attentiveness as an aspect of intellectual craft. Through the considered adoption of specific habits of self-reflection, enacted via the medium of the ‘file’, it becomes possible to more fully and creatively engage with one’s environment and to develop the fruits of this engagement in a productive manner. On such a view, the development of ideas is seen as something which cannot be segregated into particular tracts of space and time without proving injurious to the creative faculties on which such work depends. Instead, Mills offers a view of intellectual work as dependent upon a lived engagement with the world and one which, if creativity is allowed to emerge, often overflows the conventional boundaries that society places on ‘work’. On such a view the ‘file’ cannot be adequately understood as an external record simply used to record ideas for future retrieval (though of course it does serve this purpose). Instead, it is seen as constitutive of the process through which such ideas emerge prior to being ‘recorded. For Mills the ‘file’ is the medium through which academic work becomes intellectual craft and, with this, a life encompassing academic labour becomes a life of intellectual craft which may (or may not) contingently be supported by employment within the academy.
Given that talk of ‘craft’ may divide sociological opinion, we might simply reframe this in terms of writing in the most encompassing sense of the term. Not just writing for publication but all the prior working through and recording of developing thoughts which runs prior to more formal writing. As Howard Becker succinctly observes, “by the time we come to write something, we have done a lot of thinking”. In highlighting the degree to which “[w]e have an investment in everything we have already worked out that commits us to a point of view and a way of handling the problem” Becker aims to help his readers overcome the anxieties which failing to recognise this so often provokes. Once we see writing as something intertwined with a broader process of intellectual engagement than the disabling perfectionism which can thrive in circumstances of ‘pluralistic ignorance’ (where the difficulties of similarly placed others are rendered invisible by their privatised working practices) begins to abate: it helps remove the pressure otherwise attached to the writing process by repudiating the myth of ex nihilo creation.
If we accept Becker’s diagnosis of the psychology of the writing process then we can be begin to see personal blogging as an important spur to reflexivity. It very literally serves to clarify where we stand in relation to our own work. Through regular blogging we come to register what Becker, in his discussion of free-writing, describes as “what you would like to say, what all your earlier work on the topic or project has already led you to believe”. Through the iteration which characterises engaged blogging, themes begin to emerge through repetition; some explicitly, as deliberate ways of formulating or categorising ideas, others less so, as repetition gradually reveals the convergence or overlap between superficially distinct interests or enthusiasms. Blogging of this form, as an engaged practice sustained over time, can be conducive to what we might think of as ‘non-linear creativity’: an open-ended creative process generative of emergent structure in often surprise and unpredictable ways. The humanistic psychologist Carl Roger conveys something of this in his account of the transformation experienced by a client in his creative work, | https://markcarrigan.net/2014/12/12/the-value-of-blogging-for-part-time-phd-students/ |
Indonesia’s parliament has voted unanimously to let the people elect their own local leaders after months of political maneuvering that had threatened to quell a new wave of participatory governance, but observers are cautious that undemocratic changes may yet be made to the electoral system.
A new generation of directly elected progressive local leaders are helping millions of Indonesians enjoy better lifestyles by including residents in the management of their cities, but their future was put at risk in September last year after the previous parliament in its final days voted to scrap local elections, leaving regional parliaments to appoint governors, mayors and district chiefs.
Even though the opposition coalition of parties, which has a majority of seats in parliament, spearheaded the move to scrap local direct elections, they all voted in favor of keeping local elections on January 20, reversing the law passed in September.
Kota Kita welcomed the parliament’s decision to let people choose their own leaders, describing direct elections as the people’s right.
“Indonesia has dodged a bullet — if local leaders were chosen by parliaments, this would just hand power to political parties, which are traditionally much further removed from the people, are conservative and less creative,” Kota Kita co-founder and director John Taylor said.
Direct elections are the very mechanism that allowed Indonesia to shift from a decades-long autocratic government to a more democratic and socially just one, Taylor said, adding that they had allowed the emergence of leaders who are proving to be open to new ideas and more creative about solving complex urban problems.
“But we should remain cautious as the parliament is poised to make revisions to local elections. All Indonesians and relevant organizations should keep monitoring to ensure any revisions are democratic, so this new generation of leaders can continue their good work,” Taylor said.
Local leaders taking a bottom-up approach to urban management have sprouted following the meteoric rise of President Joko Widodo, a man with humble beginnings who was elected Solo city mayor and became wildly popular for his frequent visits to villages to hear communities’ grievances and for cutting red tape to find quick solutions to urban problems.
Known affectionately as Jokowi, the mayor moved up to become governor of the capital, Jakarta, where he won legions of fans before rising to the presidency in the July 2014 poll.
His political opponents had argued that scrapping local elections would reduce costs as the country carries out hundreds of polls each year, but the law’s passage in September was more widely seen as revenge against the president, and a way to prevent reform-minded leaders from being elected by the people and rising up the ranks again.
Under immense political pressure, then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono overturned the bill before Joko’s inauguration through a decree, after his Democratic Party stormed out of the September vote, essentially handing victory to the opposition in having local elections scrapped.
But the party made an about-face on January 20, voting to keep the elections.
Overhauling cities
In the meantime, mayors in the cities of Surabaya and Bandung have made enormous changes to improve city life with the help of citizens.
Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini was nominated for the World Mayor award in 2014 for her overhaul of the country’s second-biggest city, having made simple changes to transform what was once an eyesore of industrial activity to a clean living space adorned with parks — a rarity in Indonesian cities.
Under her leadership, simple changes to Surabaya’s drainage system has dramatically reduced flooding. Listening to the people, Tri fought off an earlier government plan to build a toll road through the already congested city, instead drawing up plans for a monorail and tram system.
The “one soul, one tree” campaign saw 5,000 new trees planted to restore mangrove forests along the beaches, where poor communities have received training to produce goods, such as mangrove batik, syrup and other food products. The city government has also begun and urban farming program.
The story is similar in Bandung, Indonesia’s third-biggest city. Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil, perhaps the country’s best-known architect, has mapped out a city of cable cars, monorails, bike sharing lanes and even a pedestrian skywalk in a country where footpaths are usually unusable because of damage and poor management.
Ridwan was one of the most vocal opponents to the law scrapping local elections, and as an avid Twitter user, he instructed all departments in his administration to set up Twitter accounts so that the public could report problems, such as damaged roads and blocked drains, by posting photos.
“I’m using collaborative energy to transform urbanism. Collaboration is (part) of our culture. During the floods in February 2005, we asked citizens to dig boreholes, one-meter deep with a diameter of 10 centimeters to absorb the rainwater. In one week, we had 10,000 volunteers digging 3,050 holes — a world record,” Ridwan told green architecture journal FutureArc.
Civil servants too are finding inspiration from these leaders, bringing participatory governance to their departments.
Fajar Desira, the Regional Planning and Development Agency chief of Banjarmasin city on Borneo island, worked with students, residents of a the Sungai Jingah riverbank village and Kota Kita on the Firm Foundation project to restore a port that had fallen into disrepair.
The design helped revive important daily economic activities, such as purchasing vegetables from boat vendors, and the public space included multiple ways to engage the river through fishing and other activities.
“Pak Fajar selected the site, contacted the village chiefs and helped us coordinate with all the officials at the neighborhood government office and agencies we needed. He essentially facilitated our direct engagement with the local population and gave his official approval of our work, which is very important in Indonesia,” Taylor said. | https://kotakita.org/feature-new-leaders |
What’s going on with the hedgehogs? To find out, Miriam Jans, author of ‘Henry and The Super Chillies’ has kindly set aside some time to chat with me today about Henry and what’s going on in his hedgehog world. Miriam, let’s get to the really important questions first. What inspired you to explore the world of hedgehogs through this book?
The book started from an image of Henry which I drafted early 2016 in a cafe in Cornwall, England where I lived at the time.
Do you feel that Henry’s life in England mirrors your own experiences in Cornwall, or life generally?
Not in particular, just the urge to translate my urge for reconnection into something creative for the world to enjoy and understand.
Did you find that your creative urge kept you energised as you wrote? Or did the challenge to produce creative work get a little overwhelming at times?
Depends on the day. If everything just flows its easy but even on harder days I can get into editing once I see the first changes improving the story.
Creative work really can be hard, especially if you’re having problems sharing your message with the readers. What message were you trying to communicate?
Henry & The Super Chillies is about honesty, so my message with the book is how being true to oneself and honest to others is the ultimate aim to keeping us all connected.
And how did you find that the characters developed around these principals of honesty and connection?
Through a long process of focussing on the message and comparing the hedgehogs life to one of a human.
Looking back over this long process of story creation, what do you think was the most important thing that you learnt?
The most important thing I learned was patience and not to get too attached to the words rather than the storyline itself.
Do you trying to keep the storyline at the front of your mind as you write?
I think about the children who will inherit the Earth and the mentors who teach them.
Has your writing progressed as you’ve taken the challenge to become a mentor to these children through your writing?
I feel more mature in my work and sure of what and how I need to express myself
Have you found that by developing greater maturity in your work, that you’ve also developed an author brand that showcases your self-expression?
I haven’t yet as my focus is on the books themselves at the moment, maybe in the future.
That’s a great goal for the future! Now, you’ve teased us about other books, what can you tell us about what you’re currently working on?
Henry is only one animal of The Animal Alliance Series, and there will be a total of 12 books of which 7 are already written and I am currently working on editing Volume 2.
Wow, seven books are fantastic progress. You’ll be a fantastic writer with a very strong author brand full of ideas by the time you get to your twelfth book! Even with seven books written, I have a feeling that you have some fantastic ideas to share. To round out our interview, let’s see a little of your idea generating power in action with some funky fun questions. Let’s try the question if space is a vacuum, who changes the bags, to start. What’s your opinion?
The stardust fairies.
Now, Stardust fairies just sound like they’re made up of all kinds of magic! I certainly want to meet one of them. While I’m waiting, perhaps I can meet a new animal that you’ve made from mixing two animals together. What would I be meeting?
A dolphin bird.
Neat. Obviously not as sparkly as the fairies, but definitely someone I’d like to meet. And perhaps when you’ve finished those twelve animal books you’ll move onto mythical animals for us to meet. Until then, we’ll go and meet Henry the hedgehog and his family in ‘Henry and The Super Chillies’. Miriam, thanks for sharing a taste of Henry’s life with us, and I can’t wait to meet more of his friends soon!
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Excited to read the book we discussed today? Find it here on Amazon: ‘Henry and The Super Chillies ( ASIN: B07K2P22H1 )‘.
Want to find out more about Miriam Jans? Connect here! | https://itswritenow.com/106542/author-interview-with-miriam-jans-of-henry-and-the-super-chillies/ |
Creativity is vital for leaders in a rapidly changing world. But as a leader, do you have those days when you wake up feeling dull and nothing creative seems to come to mind?
You’re tempted to retreat into the mundane and routine just to get the day over and done with.
Forcing Creativity
Maybe you do manage to pick a subject and try to bludgeon some creativity out of your brain.
- Which subject to go for?
- In which direction to travel?
- What will my new creation look like?
It all seems too much like hard work to me. You’re tired and uninspired. You eventually accept it, but now what? How do you get new creative ideas to flow from your mind?
A Creative Energy Crisis
“The visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper, and re-imagines the world.” ~ Malcolm Gladwell
Can we be creative only when we’re energised? I hear you saying something like this:
“When I’m tired I have no energy and I feel incapable of raising the effort. Everything I want to think about just asks too much of me. Without energy how can I possibly come up with anything creative or useful?”
Why would you expect to be a full-on high energy creative person every day? There are going to be days like this one. Should you retreat, lick your imaginary self-indulgent wounds and sit in a corner.
If you can crack this challenge you will not be a prisoner of “tiredness.” Luckily there is plenty you can do.
“Creativity is an act of defiance” ~ Twyla Tharp
How Creative Are You?
In a great TEDx talk by John Paul Caponigro, he tells us “You are a lot more creative than you think you are” and gives great ways to trigger our creativity.
The direction you want to take is entirely your decision
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAe9iraJkms]
Steps To Juicing Your Creative Mind
A key message of John’s is to become childlike again.
- First release the pressure.
- Just mess about with “stuff.”
- Aim nowhere in particular.
- It doesn’t matter where you start or finish.
- Have faith, something will develop out of the mist.
- Keep playing and it will crystallize.
- The stuff you throw away today might be useful another time, so keep brief notes.
- Scratch away until things gel, and then focus down on the specifics.
- Then analyse and introduce your mental editor.
“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” ~ Erich Fromm
“Scatching” and Keeping the Good Stuff
Twyla Tharp dancer and choreographer spends many hours in rehearsal, playing with steps and poses, throwing away most of her work but keeping the really good things. She coined the term “scratching.” If it’s good enough for her it’s good enough for me, and you.
Remarkably, energy appears as if by magic driving yet more creativity.
Triggering creativity is about letting the juices flow and revealing the gifts spontaneously. You cannot force it. Next harness and develop your new creation.
My formula for scratching is PTP – Place, Time and Permission.
- Place – Find a place conducive to scratching. (e.g. a favourite coffee shop, jogging and crucially for teams an agreed thinking space).
- Time – Give yourself sufficient time. Scratching shouldn’t be rushed.
- Permission – Give yourself (and others) permission to put aside time to scratch. This time is valuable and not wasted; it’s the golden time which generates the most creative elements of our lives and our work.
Can I add a couple more P’s: patience and persistence?
The Creative Environment
In his brilliant study of the environment of creativity Steven Johnson describes in his video at the top of this post how many great inventions or intellectual leaps have required decades of patient development.
The great ideas often involve the collision of multiple smaller concepts and observations.
He also proposes that creativity is a product of chance and that “chance favours the connected mind.” We are all more connected than ever before which is a good thing. Our challenge is to prevent being distracted by the dross. We need to scratch purposefully to find the hidden gold.
Follow the Leaders
Finally, if this creative process is good enough for the leader it must be good for everyone who follows. The creativity of an organisation will be magnified many-fold if you create a connected physical and cultural environment.
Chance will then favour this highly connected authentically aware creative crowd.
“The things we fear most in organizations—fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances— are the primary sources of creativity.” ~ Margaret J. Wheatley
Action Plan
Your Actions Today
- Find a Place, assign Time and give yourself Permission to scratch.
- Let thoughts come and go – don’t concentrate on anything in particular.
- Play around with ideas and make notes. Is it good for today or tomorrow?
- Notice how you feel before, during and afterwards.
- During and at the end of today make notes on what you observed and felt.
Recommended reading
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
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——————–
Dr Gary R Coulton is CEO of Adaptive Intelligence Consulting Limited
He empowers leaders to release their Adaptive Intelligence
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5 Comments
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Reblogged this on Blogging about Life and commented:
Just had to reblog this! Great !!
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Hi Everyone, Thanks for the likes, shares and reblogs. What are your tricks for engaging your creative mind?
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Reblogged this on The Global Mobile Worker Project and commented:
Even though I bought a tablet with handwriting recognition I can’t let go of the dozens of pieces of paper that capture my creative mind.
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Robinade Thanks for the reblog – you have my sympathy with all the paper but I alway encourage people to stay analogue as long as possible before going digital.
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Great piece Gary — thanks for sharing.
Another tool I can recommend is to treat your ‘Ideas’ like you do your ‘To Do’ list. Many people maintain a filing system of one kind or another that is used to remind them each day what To Do’s are due today.
If you simply extend this process to include the ‘pieces of paper’ that include the ideas you have had, but not yet used, a few things begin to happen:
1. Ideas do not get forgotten. They are in your system, each with a date on which they will reappear (tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, or many months from now.) When one pops up in front of you, you reflect: “Does this relate to what is happening now — or in the near future? If not, give it a new date in the future, and let the idea rest until its turn comes up again.
2. Since you can rotate them at different rates, different ideas will get grouped with random others over time. This ‘connection’ of ideas will often lead to great ‘aha’s’. This random conjunction of your own ideas is hard to achieve in any other way.
3. Since your ideas never get forgotten, you can free your mind up, i.e. you do not need to continuously rotate thoughts through your head just so you do not forget them. This factor is far more powerful than you will believe until you experience it. | http://recalibratenow.com/2014/05/visionary-leaders-squeeze-their-creative-juice-every-day/ |
Ladislav Krecmer - a male celebrity - born on Saturday April 3rd 1926, in Prague, Czechoslovakia,.
Ladislav Krecmer has a compelling sense of himself as a spiritual being who is the searcher and the seeker of truth. That said, Ladislav's life is devoted to investigations into the unknown, and finding the answers to the mysteries of life. Monumental as it is, Krecmer is well-equipped to handle his mission. He enjoys a fine mind, and is an analytical thinker, capable of great concentration and theoretical insight. Ladislav Krecmer enjoys research, and putting the pieces of an intellectual puzzle together, and once he has enough pieces in place, Ladislav is capable of highly creative insight and practical solutions to problems.
Ladislav Krecmer enjoys his solitude and prefers to work alone. He needs time to contemplate his ideas without the intrusion of other people's thoughts. He is a lone wolf and a person who lives by his own ideas and methods. As a result, close associations are difficult for Ladislav to form and keep, especially marriage. Krecmer needs his space and privacy, which, when violated, can cause him great frustration and irritation.
When his life is balanced, however, Ladislav Krecmer is both charming and attractive. He can be the life of a party, and enjoy performing before an audience. Ladislav loves displaying his wit and knowledge, which makes him attractive to others, especially the opposite sex. It should just be remembered that because he associates peace with the unobtrusive privacy of his world, intimacy is difficult for Ladislav Krecmer. It is Krecmer's challenge to avoid shutting out the love of others and keeping him from experiencing the true joy of friendship and close companionship.
With his abilities to learn, analyze, and seek out answers to life's important questions, Ladislav Krecmer has the potential for enormous growth and success in life. By the time he reaches middle age, Ladislav will radiate refinement and wisdom. More...
More flavors to Ladislav's personality
Ladislav Krecmer is a person of thinking and planning.
Having well-developed business mindset, he is good at making effective plans, setting goals and working out the best way to achieve them.
He may also have excellent organisational and administrative skills, but that depends on how often he skips the details in order not to lose sight of the bigger picture.
It is natural for Ladislav to think before he acts, to constantly plan the short- and long-term future, and to keep elaborate notes and diary with everything well planned and written down.
He also knows how to work effectively and efficiently with others in business, while maintaining self control and discipline, and teaching them to appreciate knowledge as the key ingredient to success.
If Ladislav is over-organized, he should practice finding his way in disarrayed environment, or otherwise feel confused and in disarray himself.
But if he ignores the details in favor of the bigger picture, others might view Krecmer as undisciplined with details, and not appreciate his great planning skills.
Ladislav Krecmer has a good memory, is highly intelligent, well balanced and with strong mental abilities. His thinking process is logical, and his problem solving skills are outstanding.
While intellectual, creative and with good judgement, Ladislav should avoid being impatient with others who are less gifted in the intellect and mental-strength department, or worst yet - looking down on them.
Krecmer is more intellectual than emotional or practical and his quick analytical brain is capable of abstract thinking, so solves problems quickly and easily.
Intellect-driven that he is, it is important for Ladislav to keep his brain stimulated and to challenge himself mentally throughout his life with ongoing learning and study, however - he might also glitch into mental laziness due to lack of interesting triggers in his career and workplace, or in the people that he surrounds himself with.
Tour Ladislav's menu and gain more insight into his personality traits, relationships, strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, compatibility with you and with others, and much more.
We invite you to create your own free personality profile, in private and for your eyes only!.
January 22nd 2019 combines responsibilities with financial opportunity for Ladislav Krecmer.
It is a day of emotional strength for Ladislav, and he may find himself playing the role of counseling and comforting in domestic affairs and among his friends, up to the point of self-sacrifice. | https://www.celebrities-galore.com/celebrities/ladislav-krecmer/home/ |
The Summer Film Network (SFN) is a two week summer program of film production, education, collaboration and experimentation in Pisek, the Czech Republic.
It brings together students from Film Production at Salford University in Manchester, London-based actors, and students from FAMO in Pisek (and their friends at the Anglo American University in Prague).
The SFN is an opportunity to engage in international collaboration, networking and skill-sharing, while taking part in advanced creative workshops and jointly making short fiction films.
Intimate, personal environment in which to produce strong collaborative work
Pisek is a beautiful small town in the south of Czech republic, about a 90-minute drive from Prague, surrounded by pristine, atmospheric countryside.
FAMO is a small film school with very high production standards and dedicated facilities.
Over the 12 days of the SFN, you will form strong creative and personal bonds with other filmmakers, and work in an inspiring, stimulating environment.
Focus on working with actors and experimental storytelling
Specialist workshops and dedicated masterclasses in directing, storytelling and working with actors, delivered by John Zibell, Alex Lichtenfels, Pavel Prokopic, and others.
We will be joined by a group of ten highly suitable and talented actors. This will be a great opportunity to practice and experiment with directing actors, while forming strong creative relationships.
The actors will inspire your stories and characters (rather than casting based on specific characters in a script). This will be a creative limitation driving the work.
Innovative ways of working together
Short films will be made in small production teams during the second week. However, every evening we will reflect on the rushes as the whole group – from this, certain unifying aspects between the individual projects will emerge, supported by the shared cast.
Teaching staff will supervise projects, but also contribute their skills to projects, and make their own practice.
The footage from all the projects will be shared, and all groups will be able to incorporate each others’ footage. All the resulting films will eventually be combined into a single feature-length project.
The Summer Film Network Plan
April 30, 2021: Application deadline.
May 14, 2021: Payment deadline.
June 2021: Participants begin to network online, meet each other and share ideas. Creative ideas and concepts begin to be developed.
Week 1 (5 - 9 July): Workshops in directing actors, experimental storytelling and devised cinema. Masterclasses by participating tutors, previous work presented by students, ideas and scripts are discussed and developed.
Week 2 (12 - 16 July): Intense production in small teams with daily reflective viewing of rushes.
August 2021: Individual films are edited; all footage is available to all groups.
September 2021: Cuts are reviewed and reflected upon online by the whole group. Once finalised, all films are combined together in a feature-length structure.
October 2021: The resulting film is screened to the public.
How to take part?
The SFN is especially suited to people interested in directing, storytelling, experimental film and cinematography, but all specialisms are welcome!
A maximum of 20 places on the SFN can be offered by FAMO.
The application process will close on 21. March, 2021.
If you want to take part, you will have to submit a creative video statement (up to 5 minutes), introducing yourself, outlining your motivation and suitability to take part, and your creative vision and ideas for the SFN. You should incorporate examples of your previous work that best demonstrate your suitability, or film new examples of creative video work for the statement. There is no 'right' way of doing this. Be creative. Be yourself. Make it unique and interesting.
If you are selected, this video statement will be shared with all participants, so that everyone can get to know each other and where they are coming from creatively – so please bear that in mind.
Submit a movie file (.mov or .mp4), compressed in h.264 and up to 1GB in size, name the file with your full name only, surname first (e.g. JohnSmith.mov) and also include a caption with your full name, email and telephone number right at the start of your video (from the very first frame of your video)!
The cost of taking part
The program is offered at a cost of 9,700 CZK (390 EUR if being transferred from a foreign account).
This amount is to be paid into the following bank account by 01.04.2021.
Bank Account Details
Beneficiary: Filmova akademie Miroslava Ondricka v Pisku
Bank: CSOB
Branch: CSOB, a.s. Pisek
Karlova 107/1
39701 Pisek
Payment from Czech accounts (to be paid in CZK):
190 134 906 / 0300
Payment from foreign accounts (to be paid in EUR):
IBAN: CZ39 0300 0000 0001 9013 4906
SWIFT: CEKOCZPP, (EUR)
For those participants not living in Pisek, low-cost daily travel may be organized from Prague via www.regiojet.com.
There are various accomodation options in Pisek. Budget (primarily shared room) accomodation possibilities include Hotel Buly, or Hotel Pod Skalou. More luxurious options include Hotel Art and Hotel Biograf.
The key creative workshops will be delivered by John Zibell, Pavel Prokopic and Alex Lichtenfels
John Zibell is a lecturer in Film Production at the University of Salford. He earned his PhD in Performance Studies from UC Davis. He is a performance scholar / practitioner working on critical training and radical politics. His material practices happen in the theatre, cinema, gallery, and the street and focus on exhaustion, image, and presencing. Zibell earned the Provost’s Dissertation Year Fellowship at UC Davis, during which time he developed a major Practice as Research work in the immersive virtual reality environment of the UC Davis KeckCAVES. The piece was suggested by the film/TV works of Samuel Beckett and the outcome was a dissertation chapter on the systematizing of actor training practices involving embodied engagement with new media. As well as a practicing scholar, John is a conservatory-trained actor currently working with a company of actors/filmmakers using the methodologies from his reasearch in the CAVES to produce workshops directed at cinematic devising strategies around de-unifying the camera’s “gaze.” Zibell’s key research focus is constellated around strategies (largely taken from theatrical knowledge systems) that can be used to pull the camera into practice and process as an active player.
Pavel Prokopic specialises as a director and cinematographer, but has comprehensive skills and understanding related to all key aspects of the creative process, especially from the perspective of an experimental filmmaker and self-shooting director. Pavel has recently completed an AHRC-funded practice research project entitled Affective Cinema, which resulted in a feature-length series of 12 short films. The research, which earned him a PhD and won the Award in Creative Media Research, experiments with established and innovative approaches to storytelling, cinematography and directing actors. As an independent filmmaker, Pavel has written and directed several dramas and experimental projects, and worked as a freelance cinematographer in London for clients such as Sky, American Express, Toyota Classics, Ogilvy and Live Nation. He also worked as a director/producer on a research project The Living Room of the Future with BBC R&D and the British Council, and has taken part in various artistic residencies and collaborations, including the Visual Research Network, StoryLab and the Sidney Nolan Trust. His work has been widely published, exhibited and presented, including FACT in Liverpool, Grosvenor Gallery in Manchester and Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Before coming to Salford, Pavel worked as a lecturer in Film and Screen Production at Queen’s University Belfast and as a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster and various other UK institutions. Prior to his PhD, Pavel earned a Master’s degree in Film Aesthetics from Magdalen College, University of Oxford. For more information, please visit pavelprokopic.com
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the production groups going to be formed?
In the month before the SFN, we will make sure that everyone who is taking part gets to know each other online. People will have the opportunity to share ideas, and establish common ground. We will especially encourage collaborations between students from Salford and FAMO. However, the actual production teams will only be formed and decided during the SFN residency. The creative teams will generally be very small, usually formed by three students. However, collaborations between production teams – and across the whole SFN group – in terms of sharing resources, skills and feedback will also be very important, and encouraged through the daily reflective discussions where we'll jointly view the rushes and consider plans for the following day.
What kind of films will we be making?
We will focus on fiction – but we call it experimental fiction, or experimental storytelling. This is because we will strive to combine our creative ideas with opportunities (and creative limitations) presented by immediate circumstances. The ethos will be to keep our creative ideas fluid and open, and constantly evolving. For example, your stories will be shaped and inspired by the available cast, and interesting/atmospheric locations that you will discover whilst in Pisek – but also by the intuition or impulse that will emerge from the creative/collaborative energy and the creative workshops. Likewise, we will view rushes and discuss ideas with the whole group every day, and your approach will keep evolving in light of this. Ultimately, your film will be truly born again in the edit, and you should feel free to redefine at that point what your film is. This will be supported by the fact that the footage of all the other groups will also be available for you to incorporate into your film (and as you will all share the ten actors taking part in the SFN, the footage will often be surprisingly compatible). We will view and discuss cuts online with the whole group in September and further changes might be implemented at that point. Ultimately, we will decide how to order and connect your films into a single feature-length structure, generating yet more surprising or unpredictable narrative connections and meaning. | https://filmovka.cz/en/ifs/summer-courses/412-19-30-07-2021-in-collaboration-with-the-university-of-salford-uk |
This post benefited from feedback and comments from the whole Conjecture team, as well as others including Steve Byrnes, Paul Christiano, Leo Gao, Evan Hubinger, Daniel Kokotajlo, Vanessa Kosoy, John Wentworth, Eliezer Yudkowsky. Many others also kindly shared their feedback and thoughts on it formally or informally, and we are thankful for everyone's help on this work.
Much has been written on this forum about infohazards, such as information that accelerates AGI timelines, though very few posts attempt to operationalize that discussion into a policy that can be followed by organizations and individuals. This post makes a stab at implementation.
Below we share Conjecture’s internal infohazard policy as well as some considerations that we took into account while drafting it. Our goal with sharing this on this forum is threefold:
- To encourage accountability. We think that organizations working on artificial intelligence - particularly those training and experimenting on large models - need to be extremely cautious about advancing capabilities and accelerating timelines. Adopting internal policies to mitigate the risk of leaking dangerous information is essential, and being public about those policies signals commitment to this idea. I.e., shame on us if we break this principle.
- To promote cross-organization collaboration. While secrecy can hurt productivity, we believe that organizations will be able to work more confidently with each other if they follow similar infohazard policies. Two parties can speak more freely when they mutually acknowledge what information is sharable and to whom it can be shared, and when both show serious dedication to good information security. A policy that formalizes this means that organizations and individuals don’t need to reinvent norms for trust each time they interact.
Note that at the current level of implementation, mutual trust relies mostly on the consequence of "if you leak agreed-upon secrets your reputation is forever tarnished.” But since alignment is a small field, this seems to carry sufficient weight at current scale.
- To start a conversation that leads to better policies. This policy is not perfect, reviewers disagreed on some of the content or presentation, and it is guaranteed that better versions of this can be made. We hope that in its imperfection, this policy can act as a seed from which better policies and approaches to handling infohazards can grow. Please share your feedback!
Overview and Motivation
“Infohazard” is underspecified and has been used to mean both “information that directly harms the hearer such that you would rather not hear it” and “information that increases the likelihood of collective destruction if it spreads or falls into the wrong hands.”
At Conjecture the kind of infohazard that we care about are those that accelerate AGI timelines, i.e., capabilities of companies, teams, or people without restraint. Due to the nature of alignment work at Conjecture it is assured that some employees will work on projects that are infohazardous in nature, as insights about how to increase the capabilities of AI systems can arise while investigating alignment research directions. We have implemented a policy to create norms that can protect this kind of information from spreading.
The TL;DR of the policy is: Mark all internal projects as explicitly secret, private, or public. Only share secret projects with selected individuals; only share private projects with selected groups; share public projects with anyone, but use discretion. When in doubt consult the project leader or the “appointed infohazard coordinator”.
We need an internal policy like this because trust does not scale: the more people who are involved in a secret, the harder it is to keep. If there is a probability of 99% / 95% / 90% that anyone keeps all Conjecture-related infohazard secrets, the probability of 30 people doing so drops to 74% / 21% / 4%. This implies that if you share secrets with everyone in the company, they will leak out.
Our policy leans conservative because leaking infohazardous information could lead to catastrophic outcomes. In general, reducing the spread of infohazards means more than just keeping them away from companies or people that could understand and deploy them. It means keeping them away from anyone, since sharing information with someone increases the opportunities it has to spread.
Considerations
An infohazard policy needs to strike the right balance between what should and what should not be disclosed, and to whom. The following are a number of high level considerations that we took into account when writing our policy:
- Coordination is critical for alignment. We must have structures of information and management that allow for resources to be deployed in a trustworthy manner. In other words, we need coordinated organizations. This is a major reason why Conjecture was founded, rather than just supplying EleutherAI with more compute.
- Sharing information is critical for coordination. Some reasons include:
- Coherence: ensuring Conjecture knows where to aim its research efforts
- Oversight: ensuring people are doing useful things and resources distributed well
- Avoiding redundancy: ensuring no duplicate projects
- Avoiding adversarial or destructively-competitive dynamics: ensuring people are not slowing down others in order to look better
- Sharing information makes people more effective at doing alignment research.
- Asking questions to many people about what you are working on helps a lot
- 99% of ideas are not solutions, they are brain food. Their entire +EV is being shared
- Some infohazards are not that bad to spill, others are really bad to spill and it is usually not clear ahead of time which is which. We live in a bad timeline. We are not many years off from AGI; existing actors are racing towards AGI; and aligned organizations are not really listened to. We want to ensure that we do not worsen this situation.
- Secrets are harder to keep for longer periods of time. It is easier to keep secrets for 1 month than 10 years. “Luckily” you expect this to be less of a problem if you have short timelines.
- Secrets are harder to keep the more you have. It is easier to keep track of 1 secret than 100 secrets. Therefore, it is better to silo per repository or project, than per individual technical insights. This is a crude level of granularity, which means that more things will be made part of secret packages than needed, with the goal of keeping the number of packages themselves small.
- Safety vs Security. This policy is designed with safety in mind: the goal is to avoid leaks (in particular, accidental leaks), rather than being spy-resistant (infosec and opsec will be dealt with in future policies).
- Functional Decision Theory. Don’t mess it up for everyone.
In other words, we need to balance many different considerations, not merely whether “it is an infohazard or not”.
The Policy
(Verbatim from Conjecture’s internal document.)
Introduction
This document is for Conjecture and includes employees, interns, and collaborators. Note that this policy is not retroactive; any past discussions on this subject have been informal.
This policy applies only to direct infohazards related to AGI Capabilities. To be completely clear: this is about infohazards, not PR hazards, reputational hazards, etc.; and this is about AGI capabilities.
Examples of presumptive infohazards:
- Leaking code that trains networks faster
- Leaking a new technique that trains networks faster
- Leaking a new specific theory that leads to techniques that trains networks faster
- Letting it be known outside of Conjecture that we have used/built/deployed a technique that already exists in the literature to train networks faster
- Letting it be known outside of Conjecture that we are interested in using/building/deploying a technique that already exists in the literature in order to train networks faster
1-3 are obvious. 4-5 are dangerous because they attract more attention to ideas that increase average negative externality. If in the future we want to hide more types of information that are not covered by the current policy, we should explicitly extend the scope of what is hidden.
Siloing of information and projects is important even within Conjecture. Generally any individual team member working on secret projects may disclose to others that they are working on secret projects, but nothing more.
The default mantra is “need to know”. Does this person need to know X? If not, don’t say anything. Ideally, no one that does not need to know should know how many secret projects exist, which projects people work on, and what any of those projects are about.
While one should not proactively offer that they are keeping a secret, we should strive for meta-honesty. This means that when asked directly we should be transparent that we are observing an infohazard policy that hides things, and explain why we are doing so.
Rules
There are three levels of disclosure that we will apply.
- Secret: Information only shareable with specific individuals.
- Private: Information only shareable with a fuzzy group.
- Public: Information shareable with everyone.
We will consider these levels of disclosure for following types of information:
- Repositories: Entire repositories are easier to box than individual files and folders.
- Projects: Specific projects or sub-projects are easier to box than issues within a project.
- Ideas: Ideas are very hard to keep track of and make secret, so when possible, we will try to box them in repositories or projects. But there may be ideas that are exceptions.
Each project that is secret or private must have an access document associated with it that lists who knows about the secret and any whitelisted information. This document is a minor infosecurity hazard, but is important for coordination.
An appointed infohazard coordinator has access to all secrets and private projects. For Conjecture, this person is Connor, and the succession chain goes Connor → Gabe → Sid → Adam. When collaborating with other organizations on a secret or private project, each organization’s appointed coordinator has access to the project. This clause ensures there is a dedicated person to discuss infohazards with, help set standards, and resolve ambiguity when questions arise. A second benefit of the coordinator is strategy: whoever is driving Conjecture should have a map of what we are working on and what we are intentionally not working on.
Leaking infohazardous information is a major breach of trust not just at Conjecture but in the alignment community as a whole. Intentional violation of the policy will result in immediate dismissal from the company. This applies to senior leadership as well. Mistakes are different from intentional leaking of infohazards.
More details on the levels of disclosure are below, and additional detail on consequences and the process for discerning if leaked information was shared intentionally or not is discussed in “Processes”.
Secret
- Who: For an item to be a secret, it needs to have a precise list of people who know it. This list can include people outside of Conjecture. This list of people must be written down explicitly in the access document, and must include the appointed infohazard coordinator.
- What is covered: All information related to secret projects must be treated as secret unless it is whitelisted. It may only be discussed with members of the secret project. The policy prohibits leaking secret information to anyone not on the project list. When in doubt as to whether information is “related,” talk to the project lead or appointed infohazard coordinator.
- Whitelisting: For any given secret, there may be some information that is okay to share with more people than just the secret group. All whitelisted information must be explicitly written in the access document and agreed on by those who know the secret. Without this written and acknowledged agreement, sharing any information related to the secret will be considered a breach of policy. Whitelisted information is considered private and must follow the rules of private information below. The appointed infohazard coordinator must abide by the same whitelisting rules as all other members of a secret group.
Private
- Who: For a thing to be private, it needs to have a group or groups that are privy to it. In practice, this could mean Conjecture, or groups from the Alignment community (e.g., “Conjecture and Redwood know about this.”) The document for each private project must explicitly state which groups know the information. Information related to private projects may only be shared with members of these groups. See “Sharing Information” in processes below for more details.
- Try to define fuzzy boundaries: Private things can be much less specific than secret things, and the “groups” shared with are sometimes undefined. This is a necessary evil because we do not have the bandwidth to keep formal track of all interactions and idea-sharing; these broader categories are necessary to facilitate collaboration.
- Limit publicity: No private information may be published to sites like LessWrong or AlignmentForum, or in a paper. Please refrain from posting about private information on Discord, Slack or other messaging platforms used in the future by Conjecture, unless in relatively small and protected environments where the “group” or audience is clear.
- Use sparingly: Avoid relying on private as a category; it is clearer and preferable to make information either public or secret.
Public
- Who: Literally everyone. This is information you could tell your mother, or all your friends, or post on Twitter. That does not mean that you should.
- Discretion: It is still important to apply discretion to sharing public information. Posts that we write on the AlignmentForum are public, but they are not press releases. Information we discuss at EAG is public, but it is not something we would email everyone about.
- Forums are public: LessWrong, AlignmentForum, EA Forum, EleutherAI Discord (public channels), and similar sites are considered public outlets. Any information shared there must be deemed public.
- No take-back-sies: Once public information has been shared, we cannot take it back. We may revise our discretion level and move information to secret, but we should assume anything shared is permanently, irreversibly, out there.
Processes
1. Assigning Disclosure Levels
For new projects: Whenever a new project is spun up, the appointed infohazard coordinator and the project lead work will work together to assess if the content of the project is infohazardous and if it should be assigned as secret, private, or public. Each conversation will include:
(1) what information the project covers
(2) in what forms the information about the project already exists, e.g., written, repo, AF post, etc.
(3) who knows about the project, and who should know about the project
(4) proposed disclosure level
If the project is determined to be secret or private, an access document must be created that lists who knows about the project and any whitelisted information. Any information about the project that currently exists in written form must be moved to and saved in a repository or project folder with permissions limited to those on the access document list.
Anyone can ask the appointed infohazard coordinator to start a project as a secret. The default is to accept. At Conjecture, the burden of proof is on Connor if he wants to refuse, and he must raise an objection that proves that the matter is complicated enough to not accept immediately, and might change in the future. In general, any new technical or conceptual project that seems like it could conceivably lead to capabilities progress should be created as secret by default.
(We will return to this clause after some months of trialing this policy to write better guidelines for deciding what status to assign projects).
For current projects (changing disclosure levels): Anyone can propose changing the disclosure level of a project.
- Secret → Private: To move a project from secret to private, all members of the project and the appointed infohazard coordinator must agree.
- Private → Public: Before making public any information, all members of the project must agree. Also, members must consult external trusted sources and get a strong majority of approval. We are considering:
- [We are in the process of reaching out to individuals and we will include them after they confirm. If you have suggestions for individuals to include please add a comment here.]
- E.g.,: Eliezer Yudkowsky
- Paul Christiano
- Evan Hubinger
- John Wentworth
- …
When collaborating with another organization, there should be one or more individuals that both parties agree is trusted to adjudicate on the matter.
- Public → Private: Avoid this. Redacting previously public information is difficult, and in the rare circumstance that this should be done it is presumably because the information is infohazardous enough that it should be made secret.
- Public or Private → Secret: This should only be considered in situations where infohazardous information is determined to be particularly sensitive. Furthermore, this should be done with care, in order to avoid attracting more attention from the Streisand effect.
Here, the burden of proof is on the individual proposing the change, and they should discuss the matter directly with the project leader or the appointed infohazard coordinator. If the coordinator (and in most cases the project lead) agree, follow the process in “for new projects” above.
Additionally, if the project was private and if this is feasible, check in with everyone that currently has access to the information to inform them that the disclosure level is changing to secret, and have them read the infohazard policy. Each person must be added to the list of people who know about the project. If these individuals will no longer be working on the project, they should still be noted as knowing about the project, but in a separate list.
2. Sharing Information
Each project must have an access document associated with it that lists who knows about the information and what information is whitelisted to discuss more freely. This list will be kept in a folder or git repository that only members of the secret or private project have access to.
Secret information can only be shared with the individuals who are written on the access list. Anyone in a secret project may propose adding someone new to the secret. First discuss adding the individual with the project leader, and then inform all current members and give them a chance to object. If someone within the team objects, the issue is escalated to the appointed infohazard coordinator, who has the final word. If the team is in unanimous agreement, the coordinator gets a final veto (it is understood that the coordinator is supposed to only use this veto if they have private information as to why adding this person would be a bad idea).
Private information can only be shared with members of groups who are written on the access list. Before sharing private information with person X, first check if the private piece of information has already been shared to someone from the same group as X. Then, discuss general infohazard considerations with X and acknowledge which select groups have access to this information. Then, notify others at Conjecture that you have shared the information with X. In case of doubt, ask first.
Public information can be talked about with anyone freely, though please be reasonable.
For all secret and private projects, by default information sharing should happen verbally and should be kept out of writing (in messages or documents) when possible.
3. Policy Violation Process
We ask present and future employees and interns to sign nondisclosure agreements that reiterate this infohazard policy. Intentional violation of the policy will result in immediate dismissal from the company. The verdict of whether the sharing was intentional or not will be determined by the appointed infohazard coordinator but be transparent to all members privy to the secret ((i.e., at Conjecture, Connor may unilaterally decide, but has his reputation and trust at stake in the process).
C-suite members of Conjecture are not above this policy. This is imperative because so much of this policy relies on the trust of senior leaders. As mentioned above, the chain of succession on who knows infohazards goes Connor → Gabe → Sid → Adam; though actual succession planning is outside the scope of this document. If it is Connor who is in question for intentionally leaking an infohazard, Gabe will adjudicate the process with transparency available to members of the group privy to the secret. Because of the severity of this kind of decision, we may opt to bring in external review to the process and lean on the list of “Trusted Sources” above.
Mistakes are different from intentional sharing of infohazards. We will have particular lenience during the first few months that this policy is active as we explore how it is to live with. We want to ensure that we create as robust a policy as possible, and encourage employees to share mistakes as quickly as possible such that we can revise this policy to be more watertight. Therefore, unless sharing of infohazardous information that is particularly egregious, nobody will be fired for raising a concern in good faith.
4. Information Security and Storage
[Details of Conjecture’s infosecurity processes are - for infosecurity reasons - excluded here.]
5. Quarterly Policy Review
We will review this policy as part of our quarterly review cycle. The policy will be discussed by all of Conjecture in a team meeting, and employees will be given the opportunity to talk about what has gone well and what has not gone well. In particular, the emphasis will be on clarifying places where the policy is not clear or introduces contradictions, and adding additional rules that promote safety.
The quarterly review will also be an opportunity for Project Leaders to review access documents to ensure lists of individuals and whitelisted information for each project are up-to-date and useful.
This policy will always be available for employees at Conjecture to view and make suggestions on, and the quarterly review cycle will be an opportunity to review all of these comments and make changes as needed.
Additional Considerations
The information below is not policy, but is saved alongside Conjecture’s internal policy for employee consideration.
Example Scenarios
It is difficult to keep secrets and few people have experience keeping large parts of their working life private. Because of this, we anticipate some infohazardous information will leak due to mistakes. The following examples are common situations where infohazardous information could leak; we include potential responses to illustrate how an employee could respond.
- You have an idea about a particular line of experimentation in a public project, but are concerned that some of the proposed experiments may have capability benefits. You are weighing whether to investigate the experiments further and whether or not you should discuss the matter with others.
Potential response: Consider discussing the matter in private with the project lead or appointed infohazard coordinator. If it is unknown whether information could potentially be infohazardous, it is safer to assume risk. A secret project could be spun off from the public project to investigate how infohazardous it is. If the experimental direction is safe, it could be updated to be public. If the experimental direction is infohazardous, it could stay secret. If the experimental direction is sufficiently dangerous, the formerly public project could be made secret by following the process in “Assigning Disclosure Levels” in the policy.
- You are in the same situation and have an idea for a particular line of experimentation in a public project, but this time believe P(experiments result in capabilities boost) is very small but still positive. You are considering whether there is any small but positive probability with which you should act differently than scenario (1).
Potential response: Ultimately, a policy should be practical. Sharing information makes people more effective at doing alignment research. There is always a small probability that things can go wrong, but if you feel that an idea has low P(experiments result in capabilities boost) while also being additive to alignment, you can discuss it without treating it as secret. That said, if you have any doubt as to whether this is the case or not in a particular situation, see scenario (1).
- You are at a semi-public event like EAG and a researcher from another alignment organization approaches and asks what research projects you and other Conjecture employees are working on.
Potential response: Mention the public projects. You may mention the fact that there are private and secret projects that we do not discuss, even if you are not part of any. If the individual is a member of one of the groups, you may mention the private projects the group the person belongs to is privy to.
- You are at an alignment coffee-time and someone mentions a super cool idea that is related to a secret project you are working on. You want to exchange ideas with this individual and are worried that you might not have the opportunity to speak in the future.
Potential response: The fact that this is a time limited event should not change anything. One must go through the process, and the process takes time. This is a feature and not a bug. Concretely, this means you do not discuss that secret project or the ideas related to the project with that person. Feel free to learn more about how far that person is in their idea though.
- You are talking with people about research ideas and accidentally share potentially infohazardous information. You realize immediately after the conversation and are wondering if you should tell the people you just spilled information to that the ideas are infohazardous and should be kept secret.
Potential response: Mention this to the project lead and appointed infohazard coordinator as soon as possible before returning to the people, and discuss what to do with them. Because these situations are highly context dependent it is best to treat each on a case by case basis rather than establishing one general rule for mistakes.
- You are at EAG and you come across someone talking publicly about an idea which is very similar to an infohazardous project you are working on. You are considering whether to talk to them about the risk of sharing that information.
Potential response: This depends on how good you are with words. If you confidently know you are good enough to hold this conversation without spilling beans, go. Else, if you have any doubt, mention this to your project lead and the appointed infohazard coordinator.
Best Practices
The following are a number of miscellaneous recommendations and best practices on infohazard hygiene. Employees should review these and consider if their current approach is in line with these recommendations.
- Exercise caution. Consider potentially-infohazardous ideas to be infohazardous until you have checked with your project lead. Given that potential infohazards are private by default, attempt to formalize them as secret as quickly as possible.
- Be careful with written material. Writing is more helpful than verbal communication for sharing information, but riskier. Writing helps coordination because written artifacts scale, and they’re easier to process. But writing leaves more traces, meaning that it is harder to keep a secret. Written stuff is more often recorded than verbal stuff, very often automatically, and very often even unknowingly.
- Consider carefully the audience of any conversation. The audience of a conversation matters. Capabilities engineers, individuals with executive power, public figures, influencers, etc. are riskier audiences, and even more caution than usual should be used when speaking with them even if you are not discussing infohazardous projects. This also applies to people with a history of sharing (what they or we think is) infohazardous information, or who do not take infohazards seriously.
- Avoid implying the existence of infohazards. It is sometimes best to answer directly that information is infohazardous and that you are not willing to speak further on it; this is a “hard no” answer. But most of the time, it is easier and safer to avoid implying the existence of infohazards. Defer to talking about other work, and do not proactively offer that you are working on infohazardous projects if it can be avoided.
- Avoid bragging, especially to romantic interests. It is easy to justify bypassing the process by thinking that your romantic partner is not a concern. However, it is important that this process is not only about you, but about everyone you work with: the question is not whether or not you evaluate your romantic partner to be a concern, but whether or not you want everyone you work with to have to evaluate this too. It is also about whether you want to evaluate that everyone’s romantic partner is not a concern. This does not scale. If you think doing so is actually worth it, see with your team to add them in the secret. However, it is likely much easier to just not mention infohazardous information to them in the first place.
- Be careful with Google docs, since they don’t delete editing history. It is easy to accidentally spread infohazards that have been deleted from documents simply because they were not deleted from the version history. Do not make this mistake. Sharing documents with other organizations should be done only in rare circumstances in general, but when it must be done, share view-only versions such that file history cannot be viewed. Additionally, share with specific people instead of making it readable to anyone with a URL.
Psychological Safety
Working on a secret project and not being able to talk about what you’re doing and thinking about can take an emotional toll. The nature of Conjecture (startup, generally young, mostly immigrants) means that for most employees, coworkers provide the majority of socialization, and a large aspect of socialization with coworkers is talking about projects and ideas.
On one hand, the difficulty of secret-keeping should be embraced. The fact that it takes an emotional toll is not coincidence, and is well aligned with reality. Mitigations against this may make things worse, and we should default towards not employing people if they have difficulty holding secrets.
On the other hand, we do not currently have the bandwidth to be perfectly selective as to who we hire and assign to secret projects. And we can’t rely on people self-reporting that they'll be incapable of holding a secret before being hired or assigned to a project. Most people don't have a good counterfactual model of themselves.
Therefore psychological safety is not just a concern for the emotional well-being of employees but also for the robustness of this policy. Someone who is feeling stressed or isolated is more likely to breach secrecy. Emotional dynamics are just as real a factor in the likelihood that secrets get shared as the number of people who know the secret. In both cases we assume human fallibility. If we only ever hired infallible people, there would be no reason to have internally siloed projects.
Potential risk factors that amplify the likelihood that an infohazard is revealed:
- A person’s primary project(s) are secret
- Long-running secret projects
- Particularly scary projects
- Non obviously scary projects
- Trusted friends are not included in the silo
- Personality and life circumstances
As such, we will consider taking some possible solutions into account with our approach to infohazardous projects such as not assigning people only to siloed projects, siloing projects between collaborators who are used to being very open with each other, or adding a trusted emotional support person to project siloes who knows only high-level and not implementation details. Note that Conjecture will not guarantee following any of these steps, and therefore this is not policy but rather general considerations.
In general, employees reading this policy should understand that mental health and psychological safety are taken seriously at Conjecture, and that if there are ever any concerns about this, that they should raise any concerns with senior management or whomever else they are comfortable speaking with. Rachel and Chris have both volunteered as confidants if individuals would prefer to express concerns to someone besides Connor, Gabe, or Sid.
An additional emotional consideration is that it should cost zero social capital to have and keep something secret. This is very much not the default without a written policy, where it often costs people social capital and additional effort to keep something secret. The goal at Conjecture is for this not to be the case, and for anyone to be able to comfortably keep things secret by default without institutional or cultural pushback. We also intend for this policy to reduce overhead (the need to figure out bespoke solutions for how to handle each new secret) and stress (the psychological burden of keeping a secret). Having access to a secret is by no means a sign of social status. In that vein, a junior engineer might have access to things that a senior engineer does not. | https://www.alignmentforum.org/posts/Gs29k3beHiqWFZqnn/conjecture-internal-infohazard-policy |
We are looking for an HR manager to oversee all aspects of human resources practices and processes. To us, an HR manager is the go-to person for all employee-related issues. This means that your HR manager duties will involve managing and doing activities such as job design, recruitment, employee relations, performance management, immigration and other HR related tasks.
Responsibilities
Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy
Bridge management and employee relations by addressing demands, grievances or other issues
Manage the recruitment and selection process
Support current and future business needs through the development, engagement, motivation and preservation of human capital
Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the organization
Nurture a positive working environment
Oversee and manage a performance appraisal system that drives high performance
Maintain pay plan and benefits program
Assess training needs to apply and monitor training programs
Ensure legal compliance throughout human resource management
Requirements
Proven working experience as HR manager or Senior Generalist
People oriented and results driven
Demonstrable experience with human resources programs, policies and metrics
Knowledge of HR systems and databases, experience with Namely a plus
Proven experience developing and implementing compensation, performance management, company policies, talent acquisition practices and culture initiatives
Competence to build and effectively manage interpersonal relationships at all levels of the company
In-depth knowledge of labor law and HR best practices
Degree in Human Resources or related field
Ability to work in ambiguous and often changing direction. | https://jobs.livecareer.com/l/hr-manager-redapt-eed35f4c322fb26671088cd18b22980e?q=Sr.+HR+Manager&l=Bothell%2CWA+98021&fid=&score=&resumenm=&isresumesearch=False&resumeguid=&bgclr=5 |
Offered Salary:
Negotiable
Job Role:
Human Resource/ Org. Development
Number of Vacancy:
1
Job Level:
Mid Level
Job Type:
Full Time
Address:
Mahalaxmisthan, Lalitpur
Skills Required
Decision-making
Conflict management and resolution skills
Time-management skills
Enthusiasm
Job Description
Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy
Bridge management and employee relations by addressing demands, grievances or other issues
Manage the recruitment and selection process
Support current and future business needs through the development, engagement, motivation and preservation of human capital
Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the organization
Nurture a positive working environment
Oversee and manage a performance appraisal system that drives high performance
Maintain pay plan and benefits program
Assess training needs to apply and monitor training programs
Report to management and provide decision support through HR metrics
Ensure legal compliance throughout human resource management
Job Specification
We are looking for an HR Manager to oversee all aspects of human resources practices and processes.
To us, an HR Manager is the go-to person for all employee-related issues. This means that your HR Manager duties will involve managing activities such as job design,
recruitment
,
employee relations, performance management, training & development and
talent management
.
Job Overview
Gender
Female
Career Level
Mid Level
Category
Human Resource/ Org. Development
Experience Required
More Than 1 Year(s)
Qualification Required
Bachelor
Apply Before (Deadline)
30 Nov, 2022 11:11 PM (Expired)
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1
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As organizations and companies grapple with outdated legacy systems, the challenge on how to better address new staffing expectations of the 21st century have put many Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) in the position where they are implementing a two-tiered plan of attack to address concerns. In the long term, they understand the importance of establishing a framework built around ensuring their organizations are equipped to handle the company mission and human capital priorities, policies, procedures and business requirements. At the same time, some initiatives can’t – or shouldn’t -- wait for two, five or 10 years to be implemented.
The good news is that today, many critical initiatives don’t need to wait.
Targeted Human Capital Initiatives
Real improvements that make an impact can be made in the short term, and thoughtful CHCOs are making moves now to implement important changes. They are looking to increase the number of high-performing employees in order to improve their ability to meet their organization’s missions.
Various functional areas comprise the big picture of how CHCOs are looking to improve human capital management in order to drive increased strategic value.
While not universal, it is generally perceived that organizational hiring is a mess. Many see the challenge as archaic and incredibly slow. To make matter worse, the problems don’t end with hiring, as employee engagement has also remained a sore spot, which leads to problems of retention.
Fixing Talent Acquisition
It’s a vicious cycle, but it all starts with talent acquisition and the problems are voluminous:
- Time to hire takes too long
- There are too many manual, error prone processes
- Workflow processes for requisitions and job approval are inefficient
- Assessing candidates is too time consuming
- There is a disconnect between HR and hiring managers
- Interview management, including scheduling and coordination, is inefficient
- Tracking job and vacancy statuses is cumbersome
- Onboarding new employees takes too long
- Inefficient use of existing talent pools
- High-level information for senior management and executives is generally unavailable.
The challenges don’t end with hiring top talent, but getting the best possible people in the door is a logical place to start. If candidates are too frustrated with a cumbersome hiring process, they are bound to move on to other job opportunities, and any chance to engage and develop a new employee is wasted.
Hiring and Analytics
HR departments can greatly benefit when implementing real change in months, not years by using data. From implementing a merit system for performance, to hiring and being flexible with employees on a case by case basis, understanding the workforce and tracking the approach can reflect better management for future employment opportunities. Underpinning the process is data and analytics, which shines a spotlight on problem areas, opportunities for improvement and actual, real-world successes.
A key component of understanding your business requirements is highlighting the relationship of C-level executives and HR leaders of organizations/companies to maximize their functionality by identifying key human capital priorities. Once this has been taken into agreement, the efforts to increase profitability and job satisfaction go hand in hand all while offering a more successful blueprint to implement moving forward.
Organizations should leverage business intelligence and analytics to become more data-driven in their culture and decision making. An important element of this philosophy is an understanding of the complexities of the myriad of different systems that typically comprise a full HRIT and the data sharing that must occur seamlessly between them. This starts with talent acquisition. The importance of data and analytics to organizations human capital initiatives, including talent acquisition, shows no sign of abating.
Getting Strategic
Company Chief Human Capital Officers and their teams recognize the need for a more strategic view and plan to address human capital management requirements and drive increased strategic value. As they collaborate on the best ideas to achieve this, there are also more tactical initiatives that can be undertaken in the near-term that will ultimately drive strategic plans and missions. While several HR pillars comprise the overall strategy, improving talent acquisition is one area to have proven rewards as organizations embark on their integrated talent management journey. | https://blog.shrm.org/blog/strategic-human-capital-management-talent-acquisition |
Alfred & Victoria Associates is one of Nigeria’s leading ICT solution based company. Our company offers a wide range of services which are in high demand of today’s emerging market. AVA has three major arms which have been streamlined to meet our customer’s needs.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Group Head, Human Resources
Location: Nigeria
Report To: Group Managing Director
Role Overview
- The Head, Human Resources shall oversee and manage the Human Resources activities of the three entities within the group (Microfinance Bank, Finance House and the Insurance Brokerage Entity) while supporting and improving the people and culture experience, as well as be responsible for all people-based activity within the organization from both an operational and strategic point of view.
- The post holder will also identify, design, and implement long term solutions for desired strategic outcomes in areas such as talent management, human capital effectiveness, culture and engagement, performance management, leadership development, change management, organizational design, and talent retention
Key Accountabilities
- Align the Human Resources Strategy in line with the overall organizational strategy.
- Oversee the HR strategy unit’s procedures, suggesting measures and tactical approaches to improve the organization’s employment life-cycle (e.g. recruitment, on-boarding, career growth, capacity planning, succession planning, competency modelling, talent balancing/mapping, and occupational gap assessment and workforce realignment).
- Communicate human resource policies and procedures to all staff, and guide/facilitate the implementation of new/revised systems through continuous interaction with line managers and other staff members.
- Establish and oversee processes that prevent internal conflicts within the group and facilitate resolution of conflicts when they occur.
- Develop annual manpower need across the group.
- Design and implement the talent acquisition strategy that drives seamless hiring and onboarding exercise.
- Formulate a robust performance management framework that drives objective appraisal outcome and reward.
- Advise managers on team performance management via a data driven approach.
- Liaise with line managers to understand their manpower need and deploy necessary Learning interventions to address it.
- Ensure that systems are in place to collect feedback on employee benefits and to answer questions from employees on the benefits program.
- Work with management in preparing salary increases in accordance to the budget.
- Provide support as needed to resolve issues related with employee disciplinary issues, employee termination, or other HR-related issues (Disciplinary Committee).
- Design and implement appropriate employee recognition schemes that drives employee satisfaction, productivity and retention.
- Supervise the Administrative HR functions that include Medical scheme, pre-employment medicals, and overseeing activities of welfare committee (advisory / supervisory role).
- Supervise the HR Business partners of respective entities on HR related functions.
- Supervise the Head, Learning and Development to ensure learning interventions close the competency gaps identified in various departments.
Academic Qualification
- University Degree in related field.
Professional Qualification:
- Professional certification in Human Resources such as CIPM, SPHRi, SHRM is required.
Experience:
- At least 10 years’ relevant experience in the Financial Services Industry, with 5-6 years Senior Management Experience.
Key Skills & Competencies:
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiating and drafting skills.
- Strong understanding of the Financial Services Industry.
- Excellent analytical and writing skills
- Ability to work under pressure and ability to calm tough situations
- Problem-solving attitude
- Excellent Computer and presentation skills
- Deep industry knowledge in Labour laws and current HR business trends
- Ability to proactively network with colleagues in the industry
- Leadership and strong management skills
- Excellent team management skills.
Salary
Very Attractive.
Application Closing Date
Wednesday, 3rd August, 2022; 3:00 PM.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their tailored CV to:
using the job title as the subject of the mail.
Note: Any application received after this will be automatically rejected. | https://jobcenternigeria.com/group-head-human-resources-at-alfred-and-victoria-associates/ |
We help our clients build and use a strong information system, business analytics and website. We are official partners of Google for Work, Google Cloud, and Odoo ERP, while also developing solutions in Pentaho Business Analytics and Excel.
HR MANAGER
jobsDB Ref. JID200003001932041
Job Responsibilities:
If you feel that you can meet the qualification and up for the challenge,please send your complete resume and current color photograph by clicking button bellow
- Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy.
- Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the organization.
- Bridge management and employee relations by addressing demands, grievances or other issues
- Manage the recruitment and selection process
- Support current and future business needs through the development, engagement, motivation and preservation of human capital
- Nurture a positive working environment
- Oversee and manage a performance appraisal system that drives high performance
- Maintain pay plan and benefits program
- Assess training needs to apply and monitor training programs
- Report to management and provide decision support through HR metrics
- Ensure legal compliance throughout human resource management
- Candidate must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree, any field
- At least 5 year(s) of working experience in the related field is required for this position.
- Excellent communication in English and interpersonal skill.
- Knowledge implementation to proposed the most fir application of Compensastion Strategic in Organization.
- Excellent knowledge in update compensation benefit strategy.
- Excellent in HR analytic skill (PPH 21, Pyroll, BPJS, Recruitment, Training). | https://id.jobsdb.com/id/en/job/hr-manager-200003001932041 |
Allied House 227 Ikorodu Road, Town Planning Ilupeju,
Lagos
0808 623 3765, 0812 073 0748
View all 49 Jobs
Job Type
Employee
Job Status
Full Time
Announced
30 August, 2022
Job Title
Head, Human Resources
Job Location
Lagos
Job Presentation
Job Introduction
Adexen was mandated by an international organisation to recruit a Head of Human Resources for its operations in Nigeria. The position is based in Lagos.
Responsibilities
Responsible for the overall HR activities within the company and supports all Heads of Department to deal with day-to-day people management issues to achieve high standard of people and organization performance
Collaborate with the Managing Director and provide strategic direction on people-related matters
Provide direction and lead organizational development initiatives
Develop and implement company-wide Global HR Programs to ensure global best practices within the organization
Supervise the HR departments of the multiple entities operating in Nigeria
Manage CSR initiatives in line with Group global CSR initiatives (HIV, Malaria, Diabetes, and Education)
Collaborate with Line Managers to define headcount required, set-skills and attitudes for each position
Manage Assessment Centre, Interviews in line with Global Practice
Manage global talents and monitor implementation of Succession Plan
Provide advisory on Global Compensation and Benefits to ensure Group remain competitive within peer players in global market
Collaborate with Line Managers to design training needs, aimed at employees consistent improvement
Participate in Group HR eLearning activities for Global Business Leaders
Monitor compliance with Global Safety Standards
Collaborate with Workshop Managers to ensure compliance with ISO 9001 Standards at the workplace
Ensure compliance to the code of business conduct
Ensure compliance to internal control procedures
Seek to continuously develop Human Resources through coaching, mentoring and training
Desired Skills and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or any relevant field of study
Master's degree in Human Resources is a plus
Minimum 10 years experience in a similar senior position within an international organisation
Minimum 10 years experience in an industrial environment: FMCG / Consumer Goods / Distribution / Manufacturing
Experience in managing a large HR department
Knowledge of all relevant HR legislation and policies
Working knowledge of HR cloud-based software
Strong understanding of leading HR practices
Track record in influencing positive organizational change
Ability to work well under pressure and tight deadlines
High level of personal ethics
We thank all applicants however only those selected will be contacted.
Valid Till
26 Jan, 2023 (51 days left)
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How to Apply?
Please apply for this job on
Adexen.com
website: | https://www.businesslist.com.ng/job/8430/head-human-resources |
LonAdd HR Consultancy Plc (www.lonadd.com) is a Recruitment & Outsourcing Company based in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, with branch offices in Dukem and Hawassa.
Job Purpose
We are looking for a skilled HR manager to oversee all aspects of Human Resources practices and processes. He/she will support business needs and ensure the proper implementation of company strategy and objectives.
The goal is to promote corporate values and enable business success through human resources management, including job design, recruitment, performance management, training & development, and talent management.
Accountabilities
- Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy;
- Bridge management and employee relations by addressing demands, grievances or other issues;
- Manage the recruitment and selection process;
- Support current and future business needs through the development, engagement, motivation and preservation of human capital;
- Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the organization;
- Nurture a positive working environment;
- Oversee and manage a performance appraisal system that drives high performance;
- Maintain pay plan and benefits program;
- Assess training needs to apply and monitor training programs;
- Report to management and provide decision support through HR metrics;
- Ensure legal compliance throughout human resource management.
Job Requirements
Key Skills/Experience Required
- BA/MA degree in Human Resources or related field and 7 years and above work experience.
- Experience in NGO, Manufacturing and/or consulting industries are desired.
Competencies Required
- Proven working experience as HR manager or other HR executive
- People oriented and results driven
- Demonstrable experience with human resources metrics
- Knowledge of HR systems and databases
- Ability to architect strategy along with leadership skills
- Excellent active listening, negotiation and presentation skills
- Competence to build and effectively manage interpersonal relationships at all levels of the company
- In-depth knowledge of labor law and HR best practices
Applying Instructions
Interested applicants with the appropriate qualifications and experience should submit their most recent and detailed CV only, via email to [email protected], by putting Application for Human Resources Manager in the subject box. | https://newjobsethiopia.com/job/cost-senior-accountant-2/ |
Key responsibilities will include but not limited to as follows:
Set-up & manage the HR department by developing and implementing, company-wide HR policies, strategies and procedures.
Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy.
Bridge management and employee relations by addressing demands, grievances or other issues.
Manage the recruitment and selection process.
Support current and future business needs through the development, engagement, motivation and preservation of human capital.
Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the organization.
Nurture a positive working environment.
Oversee and manage a performance appraisal system that drives high performance.
Maintain pay plan and benefits program.
Assess training needs to apply and monitor training programs.
Report to management and provide decision support through HR metrics.
Ensure legal compliance throughout human resource management.
All Employees related activities such as payroll, leave salaries, employee records, visa process, and employee insurance.
Plan and manage recruitment process of new employees, selection, orientation and training.
Preserve management guidelines through preparing, updating and recommending human resource Policies and Procedures
Create and preserve employee benefits programs, suggest benefit programs to management and direct the processing of benefit claims
Prepare job description for new employees, maintain the work structure through updating job requirements as well as job descriptions
Administering payroll activities and maintain employee records.
Required Education, Skills and Qualifications:
Proven working experience as HR manager or other HR executive.
People oriented and results driven.
Demonstrable experience with human resource metrics.
Knowledge of HR systems and databases.
Ability to architect strategy along with leadership skills.
Excellent active listening, negotiation and presentation skills.
Competence to build and effectively manage interpersonal relationships at all levels of the company.
In-depth knowledge of labor law and HR best practices.
Degree in Human Resource or related field.
00971504049533
Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines,
Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines,
Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, | http://classifieds.cebucentral.com/listings/item/jobs/hr-manager/ |
testing, inspection and certification services for the following position:
GENERAL MANAGER
Location: Targu Mures
Role: overseeing daily business activities, improving overall business functions, training heads of departments, managing budgets, developing strategic plans, creating policies, and communicating business goals.
Responsibilities:
- Providing leadership, direction and management for the company;
- Ensure the creation and implementation of a strategy designed to grow the business;
- Plan, coordinate and manage all business operations to achieve corporate goals;
- Ensure the development of tactical programs to pursue targeted goals and objectives;
- Develop and implement business plan for profitability and customer satisfaction;
- Assist in budget preparation and expense management activities;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing program and recommend improvements;
- Develop strategies to improve overall quality and productivity;
- Generate business, cost and employee reports for Board of Directors;
- Schedule regular team meetings to discuss about business updates, issues and recommendations;
- Coordinate the development of key performance goals for functions and direct reports;
- Address customer inquiries promptly and professionally and ensure customer satisfaction;
- Identify business opportunities with new and existing customers;
- Actively contribute to the development of sales and customer service team;
- Provide direction and guidance to employees in their assigned job duties;
- Determine staffing requirements and ensure that positions are filled promptly and according to the company request and culture.
Requests:
- 3 + proven experience as leading management roles, in sales or general management;
- 8+ years of experience in sales role, service area is a big plus;
- Bachelor’s Degree Economics, Management or related fields;
- Proficiency in English;
- Excellent knowledge of data analysis and forecasting methods;
- Strong interpersonal skills, ability to communicate and manage well at all levels of the organization;
- Strong problem solving and ability to make decisions based on accurate and timely analysis;
- Advanced computer skills, including proficiency in MS Office, CRM tools;
- Results-oriented, strategic thinker and planner, high level of integrity;
- Business acumen with a problem-solving attitude.
COVID-19: Cum și-a adaptat Psihoselect comunicarea cu candidații și clienții în această criză? Cum au loc interacțiunile? psihoselect.ro
For further information, we’ll be happy to answer any question! | https://psihoselect.ro/job-uri/general-manager-location-targu-mures/ |
At Nephroplus , a Training and Engagement Manager is responsible for increasing a company's productivity by focusing on targeted training and knowledge building exercises. They will have the responsibility for developing strategies to improve engagement, and manage programs designed to foster it, such as employee recognition programs, wellness programs and other activities aimed at creating a positive workplace environment. An engagement manager may also have responsibilities in internal employee communications and shaping corporate culture.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Collaborate with the management to identify the company's training needs
- Develop individualized and group training programs that address specific business needs.
- Develop training manuals that target tangible results.
- Evaluate organizational performance to ensure that training is meeting business needs and
improving performance.
- Drive brand values and philosophy through all training and development activities.
- Effectively communicate with team members, trainers and management.
- Identify training needs according to needs, based on research, plan and implement training
programs that will prepare employees for the next step of their career paths
- Build quarterly and annual training program
- Developing and delivering the organizations internal communication strategy, planning and
calendar of activity, supporting us to increase levels of employee engagement.
- Driving the creation of an employee brand
- Overseeing our established internal communications channels (e.g. intranet, employee
newsletters, email announcements) while reviewing and developing our channel mix,
considering the needs of all employee audiences across NephroPlus.
- Coordinating monthly and annual recognition awards, aligned to our values
- Working to develop engaging content that inspires and motivates
- Taking a lead on cross departmental and organizational initiatives including talent
management, org planning and budgeting.
- Effectively manage the training and engagement budget.
- Select and manage resources, including working with both internal employees and training
vendors to develop and deliver training.
- Manage the technologies and technical personnel required to develop, manage and deliver
training.
- Keep abreast of training trends, developments and best practices.
Job Specification
- Bachelors Degree in human resources, business administration, finance, or related field
- 4-6 years of prior work experience
- Highly computer literate in Microsoft Office
- Strong social skills and excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong administrative and organizational skills
- Attention to detail
- Outstanding written and verbal communication
- Ability to work in a team
- Willingness to continually self-educate.
Behavioral Competencies
- Empathy & Flexibility
- Ethical in thought and action
- Ability to work with diverse teams, able to influence and build professional relationships
- Confidence and Self-motivated to excel
- Leadership skills
- Decision-making
Interested candidates can send their resumes to [email protected] and [email protected]
Education-
UG:Any Graduate in Any Specialization
PG:
Doctorate:
Company Profile
Nephrocare Health Services Pvt. Ltd.
NephroPlus is India's highest quality dialysis & top kidney care provider
Company Info
Websitehttp://careers.nephroplus.com
Contact Company:Nephrocare Health Services Pvt. Ltd.
Address:Nephroplus, West Wing, 1st floor, Punnaiah Plaza, Road Number 2, Banjara Hills, above SBI Bank, Hyderabad, Telangana 500034
Salary:
4,50,000 - 5,50,000 P.A.
Industry:
Functional Area:
Role Category:
HR/ Recruitment / IR
Role:
Training Manager
Employment Type: | http://careers.nephroplus.com/job-listings-opportunity-training-manager-hyderabad-nephrocare-health-services-pvt-ltd-hyderabad-secunderabad-4-to-6-years-060521002244 |
“A risk-based Incentives and Sanctions program is an evidence-based intervention where supervising officers apply sanctions or rewards in response to specific behaviors of the offender. The goal is to increase positive behavior change related to behavior such as reducing drug use or applying for jobs” (p. 1). This primer covers what contingency management is; how it works; why it works; who to use it with; important things to remember; what the research says; the immediate, certain, relevant, and consistent sanctions or rewards; and implementation ideas.
The contingency management component of a cognitively-behaviorally based substance abuse treatment program in a probation setting is examined. Individuals looking to set up a similar treatment program will find this article very informative. The program is called "Supporting Offenders to Avoid Recidivism and Initiate New Goals (SOARING)". Sections following an abstract include: contingency management (CM) overview; CM intervention settings; CM intervention in substance use treatment; CM in criminal justice settings; a test of CM in community supervision; discussion about target behaviors (or goals) and related issues, contingency issues, and urinalysis issues; and implications.
"This manual provides a simple and straightforward approach to implementing evidence-based practice" (p. 3). This manual explains: quality assurance plan development; peer review; quality assurance indicators; customer satisfaction; program evaluation; and individual performance measurement. Samples of pertinent forms are also included.
Principles of effective evidence-based intervention are presented. Topics discussed include: evidence-based practice (EBP); term clarification; eight principles for effective interventions -- assess actuarial risk/needs, enhance intrinsic motivation, target interventions, skill train with directed practice, increase positive reinforcement, engage ongoing support in natural communities, measure relevant processes/practices, and provide measurement feedback; components of correctional interventions; implementing EBP principles; applying the principles at the case, agency, and system levels; seven recommended strategies for implementing effective interventions; and levels of research evidence.
“Community corrections researchers and practitioners face many barriers when trying to implement evidence-based programs and practices in the field. This webinar offers some practical strategies for improving the implementation process and achieving better program results. James Bonta describes the efforts of the research team at Public Safety Canada to develop the Strategic Training Initiative in Community Supervision (STICS) model and the large-scale, systematic steps taken to help ensure successful implementation of the program. STICS focuses on the role of probation officers, and works to improve the effectiveness of their day-to-day interactions with offenders. Kimberly Sperber discusses risk-based dosage, or how much treatment is required to impact recidivism of offenders. Knowing that high-risk offenders should receive more services and supervision is not the same as knowing how much more services and supervision are needed to yield the maximum reductions in recidivism. Practitioners too often have little guidance on "how much is enough," which can hinder adherence to the principles of effective correctional intervention. “
The use of collaboration to implement an integrated system reform model is explained. This publication has sections regarding: the need to collaborate; who should be included; the need for structure; sustaining collaboration; a collaborative model for implementing change; essential elements of collaboration; chartering; and consensus decision-making.
Organizational development (OD) concepts and strategies that foster organizational change and reform are described. Sections of this publication include: changing the way business is done -- the integrated model; organizational case management; the leadership challenge; the influence of infrastructure; step by step; the literature; the integrated organizational change process model; the importance of a healthy organization; leadership styles and leading change; managing transitions; and structural supports for change.
“Employment providers are already serving large numbers of individuals released from correctional facilities or who are required to find jobs as conditions of their probation or parole. Yet the corrections, reentry, and workforce development fields have lacked an integrated tool that draws on the best thinking about reducing recidivism and improving job placement and retention to guide correctional supervision and the provision of community-based services. To address this gap, this white paper presents a tool that draws on evidence-based criminal justice practices and promising strategies for connecting hard-to-employ people to work. It calls for program design and practices to be tailored for adults with criminal histories based on their levels of risk for future criminal activity” (p. v). Sections of this publication include: introduction to the relationship between employment and recidivism; what works to reduce recidivism—principles for improving outcomes among unemployed individuals with corrections system-involvement; proven and promising practices for improving outcomes for hard-to-employ individuals; and the resource-allocation and service-matching tool—an integrated approach to reducing recidivism and improving employment outcomes.
Evidence-based and research-based programs to be used by adult corrections in Washington State are inventoried. Three parts comprise this report: definitions—evidence-based, research-based, and cost-beneficial; updated reviews using a three-step research process (evidence, benefits and costs, and risk), effective practices in community corrections, sex offender treatment, and conclusion; and the inventory. “WSIPP identified two programs—sex offender treatment and EPICS—that were not previously included in WSIPP’s evidence- and research-based results. Our updated findings on the two topics in this report allowed us to incorporate the results in the adult corrections inventory. The weight of the evidence indicates that sex offender treatment, delivered in confinement or in the community, is evidence-based and generates benefits that exceed costs. Our findings on EPICS [Effective Practices in Community Supervision], however, are not as clear cut. While we find supervision based on RNR principles is effective, the evidence on the particular approach—EPICS—is still undetermined until further research becomes available” (p. 5-6). | https://nicic.gov/tags/evidence-based-practice-0?page=3 |
Imagine when you were younger, and you really wanted to go somewhere with your friends and you were told that you couldn't go. Instead of seeing the logic behind the decision, you might have gotten angry and thought you had the worst parents ever, and all they cared about was ruining your life! Ugh! Unfortunately, in situations like this, we may tend to shift blame away from the actual issue to something else. And not only that, but we tend to exaggerate the motives behind the issue far past their logical end.
Arguments that attempt to divert our attention from the real issue being put forth are called red herring arguments. In this lesson, we will discuss one particular subset of a red herring argument known as the straw man fallacy.
A straw man fallacy occurs when a person ignores another person's position on an issue and instead exaggerates, misrepresents, or creates a distorted version of that position. We tend to do this because by exaggerating someone else's position, it makes the other person's position easier to attack. The origin of the title of this particular fallacy is not completely known. However, one theory is that it comes from a technique used to physically train real fighters using straw dummies. It is much easier to practice fighting techniques against an opponent made of straw rather than one made of flesh and bone. Similarly, it's easier to mentally fight an opponent if you construct a version of your opponent that is more easily defeated by extending your opponent's arguments beyond their original point until their stance appears ridiculous.
The logical form of a straw man argument is as follows:
Person A makes claim X
Person B takes claim X but distorts or exaggerates it into claim Y
Person B is now easily able to defeat claim Y
Therefore, claim X must be false
Let's take a look at some examples to better understand this concept using our example from the beginning of the lesson.
Child: Can I go to the movies with my friends?
Parent: Not tonight, you haven't finished your chores.
Child: Ugh! You'll never let me do anything fun with my friends.
Parent: I never said you could never go anywhere with your friends.
In this example, the child is diverting attention away from the fact that he or she can't go to the movies because they did not do their chores. Instead, they are setting up a straw man argument to conclude that the parents will never let them go to the movies or do fun things with friends. This position has also put the parent on the defensive to defend a position that is different than the one that was originally put forth.
Another example is a common one that typically occurs during discussions of evolution:
The theory of evolution is ridiculous! If man evolved from monkeys, then how come monkeys still exist? After all, doesn't macro-evolution state that a monkey can't just evolve into a human?
This is another example of a straw man fallacy because it misrepresents the concept of evolution, specifically macro-evolution. Evolution doesn't posit that things just turn into another, but what it really says is that a species can split off from another because of evolutionary changes.
We mentioned earlier that a person may use a straw man argument because it's easier to ultimately attack, but what makes something easier to attack? The most common straw man argument is to take an opponent's position and twist it to the extreme. In other words, you might see a straw man set up that uses words like 'all,' 'always,' 'no,' or 'never.' This is because these types of words are the easiest to refute, since all it takes is one example to the contrary. For example:
Person 1: I don't believe in a biblical God.
Person 2: So what you're saying is you're an atheist who doesn't believe in God?
Person 1: Well, that's not exactly what I said.
Person 2: Oh, so then you do believe in God?
You see, person 2 has taken person 1's argument to the extreme. This forces person 1 to attack a straw man argument that then makes person 2 feel like they won the argument.
In this lesson, we have discussed a version of a red herring fallacy called the straw man fallacy in which a person diverts attention away from an issue and instead establishes a weaker version of the argument to attack. Most straw man arguments also attack at the extremes in an attempt to poke holes in an argument.
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Have You Ever?
Have you ever been in a dispute and noticed that the person you’re arguing with is not actually arguing the same point as you? Perhaps they latched onto a small part of your main point and dedicated their whole tirade to disputing that one minute detail. Or maybe they exaggerated your position on the argument and labeled your stance as too extreme. In these situations, it might appear that your opponent’s argument is sound because they do in fact present valid points in their favor. However, they are attacking a misrepresentation of your position, so no progress on the original argument is actually made. These types of situations are incredibly frustrating because the two sides of the debate end up engaging in two different arguments, but both feel as though they are correct in their assertions.
Explanation
When someone replaces their opponent’s argument with a slight misrepresentation, giving the illusion that they are responding to the real proposition, they are said to be “standing up a straw man.” The “straw man” , the false argument, is then attacked as if it were the original contention. This is fallacious thinking because the argument under discussion is not properly refuted or even fully addressed.
The Straw Man Fallacy
The straw man fallacy occurs when one person distorts or disregards elements of their opponent’s argument and responds to the distorted point. Therefore, they are not responding to the original argument, but rather an unrelated, extreme, or less relevant point. This is known as attacking a straw man since the false argument merely resembles the original contention.
The History
Straw man arguments have existed since people began arguing with each other. Aristotle noted instances of this type of argument as far back as the 300s B.C.E., but it was not formally recognized as a fallacy until relatively recently. Social theorist Stuart Chase first explicitly identified the straw man as an informal fallacy in his 1956 book Guides to Straight Thinking. An informal fallacy, as opposed to a formal fallacy, is an error of reasoning rather than an error of logic. As such, a straw man argument might be a perfectly logical and valid argument, but the fact that it attempts to refute a point other than the original proposition is erroneous.
Why Care?
Straw man arguments are sneaky because it is not always obvious when they occur, and, if used successfully, they can distract from relevant arguments. They are often employed by politicians to evade controversial topics or uncomfortable questions. A well-known example is then-Senator Richard Nixon’s 1952 “Checkers” speech. Nixon, a candidate for vice president at the time, was accused of illegally using tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds for personal spending. In a televised public address on the issue, Nixon turned attention away from the donated money to a dog that was gifted to him by a supporter. He garnered sympathy from the audience by mentioning how much his young daughter loved the puppy, named Checkers, and how he intended to keep it for her. This is a straw man argument because, although he spoke about gifts he received as part of the campaign, Nixon focused on Checkers rather than the misappropriated funds, which was the real issue at hand. Nixon ultimately gained public support following the speech. He went on to become vice president and later President of the United States.
The “Checkers” speech demonstrates the danger of straw man arguments in high stakes situations. It is frustrating for those who recognize the straw man argument, and it can lead those who do not recognize it to false conclusions about the resolution of an issue. It can be tough to identify at first, but it is a common phenomenon. Most people are guilty of committing the straw man fallacy at times, which emphasizes the importance of careful listening during contentious discussions. | https://academy4sc.org/video/straw-man-fallacy-thats-not-the-point/ |
An argumentum ad hominem (Latin: "argument against the man"), is a logical fallacy consisting of denigrating one's opponent or otherwise introducing irrelevant premises about one's opponent, instead of dealing with the flaws in the form and function of the opponent's argument. Note that the statement made in an ad hominem argument does not have to be false for this type of fallacy to have been committed; it just has to be irrelevant to the topic of the debate.
A has a flaw in his character, or else his circumstances mean that X somehow serves a special interest of A, etc.
It is an appeal to emotion rather than to fact.
It introduces an irrelevant consideration.
That is, it has no bearing on the truth value of the other person's assertion.
The ad hominem fallacy can take several forms, the most common of which are personal abuse and the introduction of an irrelevant circumstance. Some debaters use the ad hominem attack pre-emptively, a technique known as poisoning the well.
Example: Atheist scientist A might present arguments that there is no God. Opponent C might respond by stating that A is fat and should be able to use science to control his weight. This would be an example of the ad hominem fallacy.
In a special form of ad hominem that is closely akin to special pleading, a debater attempts to deflect criticism of himself by asserting that his opponent has the identical character flaw. This form is called tu quoque (Latin, "thou too") or "whataboutism" (as in "What about [my opponent's identical character flaw]?"). The proverbial expression of this fallacy is "It takes one to know one" or "The pot calling the kettle black"
Example: A liberal states that people should not vote for the Republican candidate because he is a racist. A conservative replies with "well you are also a racist so your argument doesn't count!". In this case, while the liberal may in fact be a racist, this doesn't preclude them from voting against a racist candidate.
might be considered an ad hominem attack on Wagner's music. It is true, and in some contexts might be a relevant comment. But if someone says it in order to suggest that Wagner was a bad composer, then it's an ad hominem attack, because whether some bad people liked his music is not a relevant comment on the quality of his music. Additionally, the Nazis' misdeeds had nothing to do with their ability to critique opera. However, even if a tone-deaf person, who is not a good judge of music, said he liked Wagner, it would still be an ad hominem attack to conclude Wagner is bad.
The ad hominem attack is usually fallacious, and becomes reasonable only when the consideration being advanced is directly relevant to whether the other person is generally truthful or reliable, or whether he is telling the truth in this instance, or whether he is engaged in a logical fallacy of his own. The usual case occurs when the other person is engaging in special pleading. Exposure of special pleading is a valid counterargument—so long as the accusation itself is valid. Technically, this is not an example of ad hominem, because it is an attack on the specific argument and/or the evidence advanced to support it.
In the modern legal system, most judges allow the prosecutor to attack the credibility of those who testify on the stand; such witness impeachment can call into question the character, impartiality, honesty, or competence of a witness. Again, however, this is not technically an ad hominem argument.
This page was last modified on 13 June 2017, at 11:44. | https://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Ad_hominem |
We are going to examine fallacies. By the term “fallacy” I don’t mean a mistaken belief–as for instance when one says that it is a “fallacy” to think that women don’t make good firefighters. Rather, I mean by fallacy a commonly made psychologically persuasive error in reasoning.
How many fallacies are there? How many standard tricks do people commonly employ in reasoning? Hundreds. One book–Historian’s Fallacies by Ronald Fischer–lists over two hundred of them. But we will be much less ambitious, covering the five most common fallacies I find in student papers.
An important point needs to be made about the list of fallacies we are about to cover. Each label will be defined and illustrated in such a way as to make it distinct from the others. But as with the terms “stew” and “chili,” there are going to be cases in which we could apply more than one label. The point is to not get overly concerned with labels, but instead to use the labels to help you detect flaws in reasoning.
First: Irrelevant Appeal to Antipathy
The first of these fallacies is often called ‘arguing against the person’ or ‘appeal to hate’. We will use a more accurate label, irrelevant appeal to antipathy. This we define as attempting to arouse an aversion to a person or group that is irrelevant to the topic at hand to get the listener/audience to accept a claim instead of giving logical evidence for that claim.
This fallacy is committed in two ways. The first form is irrelevant personal attack, which is the fallacy of criticizing a person who puts forward a proposal or claim rather than giving evidence to refute his point of view logically. Arguing against the person is illogical even if the attack is factually correct. It is illogical because good people can be wrong in what they say, and even bad people can be correct in what they say, so to figure out whether a statement is correct one has to look at it, not the person who originated it.
We can distinguish several varieties of personal attacks. One variety is the abusive form, in which the person’s character is attacked. Dismissing a person’s claim on the basis of her being a “fascist,†or “pinko,†or “nut,†or “creep,†or “thief,†or any other (alleged) defect in her character is to commit the abusive form of this fallacy. Consider this example:
Dear Editor:
Regarding Fred Boar’s claim (see his letter to this paper May 13) that the 55 mph speed limit doesn’t save lives, I have this to say: Boar, you are the stupidest jerk I have ever run across. I would expect more smarts from a clump of fungus!
Logically speaking, one decides whether the 55-mile-per-hour limit saves lives by looking at the statistics concerning accident rates (among other things). Fred Boar’s character or intellect is entirely irrelevant to the issue. Notice I say that the accusation is irrelevant, not false. It wouldn’t matter if it were true: even people of low character or weak intellect can be correct in what they say.
The second variety of irrelevant personal is the circumstantial variety. Here, one does not so much attack another person’s character but rather accuses him of being biased. Again, whether the accusation is correct does not matter, because even biased people can be right. Some examples of this fallacy:
Lecturer: I think that lecturers are underpaid at this university, and deserve a significant raise in pay.
Student: Well, of course you would say that — you yourself are a lecturer!
The student hasn’t shown lecturers at that university do not deserve higher pay. For that, the student would have to cite facts about how much lecturers earn, what their duties are, how much time those duties take to perform well, and so on. That the lecturer is biased doesn’t matter: in fact, his bias may be what has made his recognize an unjust pay level.
Consider next this reply by someone who was accused of severe mismanagement:
Leonard J. Hansen, Senior World’s founder, publisher and editor, says that while he has recently experienced “severe cash problems,†reorganization has cut overhead and put the newspaper on the road to good health. Hansen dismisses the allegations as being from “a couple of disgruntled former employees who are going around trying to assassinate me.â€
Has he proven those charges false merely by accusing those who made them of being prejudiced against him?
The third variety of irrelevant personal is tu quoque (‘you also’), in which a person’s point of view is dismissed because of (alleged) hypocrisy. But, once again, even hypocrites can be right. It is illogical to dismiss your father’s warning about the use of drugs merely because he drinks. Even if he is a hypocrite, his warnings may be right: maybe seeing what his alcoholism has done to his own life is what enables the father to see the risks in his son’s behavior.
Consider this example of tu quoque, which took place during a debate between then California governor Jerry Brown and then San Diego mayor Pete Wilson. Brown asked Wilson to explain a $70,000 loan the mayor had gotten that allowed him to invest in a tax shelter and escape federal income taxes in 1980. Wilson responded that it was:
…the ultimate in brass even for Jerry Brown to come up with a comment on taxes. . . . Over the last three years, sir, I have paid more taxes than you. So if I have not paid a fair share of taxes, neither have you, brotherâ€.
The fourth variety of irrelevant appeal personal attack is poisoning the well. To poison the well is to accuse the speaker of being a liar before he has a chance to speak — in effect, poisoning the minds of the listeners to what the speaker has to say. The tactic is to imply that the speaker is not to be trusted or believed. For example:
Friends, over the next few weeks you are going to hear a lot of stories about Senator Smith’s husband. Please keep in mind that all of these tall-tales are generated by a vast right-wing conspiracy of liars.
The second basic form of irrelevant appeal to antipathy deserves mention. Often, an idea (or theory, or practice, or proposal) will be attacked on the basis of its origins (its “genesisâ€). That is, instead of giving relevant evidence that the idea is false, the arguer will denigrate the group (as opposed to the person) that originated it. We call this a genetic fallacy. For example, such a fallacy would be committed by someone who argued against the idea of a four-day work week by saying it was a ‘communist’ idea. It would equally committed by one who argued that the proposal to build more freeways is bad because freeways were first built by the Nazis.
When is it relevant to look at the character and background of a proponent of a point of view? That is, when is it not a fallacy to criticize the source? Two broad situations: when a person is testifying and when the issue at hand is precisely a person’s fitness for a position or role. Let’s examine each.
Quite often, a person will ask you to accept a point based on his testimony, his say-so. That is, he is acting as a witness: he is the evidence, so to speak. In such a situation, it is obviously relevant and logical to look to some extent at least at the witness’s credibility, character, qualifications, biases, and motives.
For example, suppose Jones is on trial for murder, and Smith is a witness who has just testified he saw Jones commit the crime. Jones attorney will almost surely question Smith. If under questioning Smith reveals that he was intoxicated the night he claims he saw Jones commit the crime, the jury will likely discount his testimony. And they would be logical to do so, for Smith has revealed he probably had impaired observation and judgment at the time. Again, If Jones’ attorney gets Smith to reveal that Smith has been having an affair with Jones’ girlfriend, the jury will likely discount Smith’s testimony. And they would be logical to do so, for Smith has revealed he has a powerful reason to lie: by lying, he can get his romantic rival put away.
The second area in which a person’s background and character are relevant is when the question is the fitness of a person is the issue. For example, if Smith is applying for a job as (say) a school bus driver, of course it is broadly logical for the interview committee to ask him about his driving record. If a member of the interviewing committee asks Smith whether Smith has had any speeding or drunken driving tickets, and Smith reveals he has had numerous such tickets, the committee will likely not hire him. And they would be logical to not do so, since the legitimate issue here is his ability to drive safely, and numerous tickets for speeding and impaired driving are evidence for lack of care behind the wheel. Again, if under questioning, Smith reveals he has had accidents at which he was at fault that killed others, the committee likely will not hire him. And they would be logical to not do so, since past accidents are evidence that Smith will be more likely than people with no past accidents to be in future accidents.
However, even in question of testimony and fitness for a position, there are limits to what information can be considered relevant. Attorneys and hiring committees generally cannot ask witnesses/job candidates about their past religious preferences, or their ethnicity or sexual orientation, or about a host of other matters.
The following examples should help you see the difference between relevant and irrelevant (that is, fallacious) criticisms of a person.
Case 1
- President Jason says he will lower taxes if re-elected.
- But Jason has promised to lower taxes many times in the past, and never delivered.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Jason probably won’t keep his promise.
Case 1 is not a fallacy, because the question at hand is whether Jason will act in a certain way, and his past behavior is relevant to that.
Case 2
- President Jason advocates lower taxes as a way to create more economic growth.
- President Jason is a liar, a drunken bum, and a filthy womanizer.
  ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ We should not lower taxes.
Case 2 is an illogical argument, because the question at hand is whether lower taxes would cause economic expansion, and Jason’s character or behavior is irrelevant to that issue.
Case 3
- President Jason has had numerous extramarital affairs and recently cheated on his wife by having an affair right in the Oval Office with a White House intern.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ We should not vote for Jason for re-election.
Case 3 is tougher, because it depends on how you view the presidency. If you view the president merely as a government employee (however high-level he or she may be), whose performance in office is all that matters to his or her retention, and the argument is fallacious. Why? Because under that view, marital fidelity doesn’t matter in a president since it has nothing to do with his or her performance as the president. On the other hand, if you view the president as a head of state (as a living representative of the country), if you view the president as a role model for the youth of the country, or if you view the presidency as an honor only to be bestowed on the most worthy, then of course the personal character of any candidate is of relevance.
Second: Irrelevant Appeal to Identity
The next fallacy to be discussed is irrelevant appeal to identity, which involves the speaker arousing in the listener/audience a feeling of belonging or a desire to belong to a group instead of evidence to get a point accepted. Most texts call this fallacy ‘appeal to the crowd’. Such appeals come in many varieties. These include bandwagon arguments, appeals to tradition, mob appeals, and appeals to sex.
In a bandwagon argument the arguer asserts that because most people believe some proposition P, P must be true. The irrelevant appeal here is to one’s identity as a person. In standard form, we can represent it as follows:
- Most people believe P.
    ————————————————————————————————–
   ∴ P must be true.
This conclusion is clearly illogical. Or we can represent this sort of argument as an enthymeme:
- Most people believe P.
- Whatever most people believe is true.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ P is true.
But the problem then becomes premise 2, since the majority of people often believe false things.
Illogical as it is, the bandwagon argument is common. For example, one car company argues in its commercials that its cars must be the best because they sell more than any other model.
We often see the irrelevant appeal to identity take the form of saying that you should believe or do something because “the winners†or “the leaders†or “the smart people†do so. We call this snob appeal.
Another form of irrelevant appealing to identity is appealing to tradition. In appealing to tradition, someone argues that something is good or true because it has traditionally been believed or done. But because something has been widely believed in the past is no more evidence of its truth than that is widely believed now.
A more subtle method of irrelevant appeal to identity is to appeal to feelings of patriotism, ethnic or racial pride, religious clannishness, or hometown sentiment. We call this tactic of demagogues and advertisers mob appeal, also called grandstand appeal. Chevrolet advertises its cars by appeal to patriotism: “What does America love? Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.†(As if only a traitor would buy a Porsche!) Dodges are often pictured in ads in front of “hometown America†scenes, such as family picnics and homecoming celebrations. Brands of TVs are advertised with the TV screens showing pictures of the Lincoln Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, and other national symbols.
One other form of appealing to the crowd is worth mentioning, which for lack of a better name I call appeal to sex. In this fallacy, allusions to sex replace rational evidence. The use of attractive models is pervasive in advertising.
When are appeals to identity relevant? Again, it depends on the question at hand. Consider some cases:
Case 1:
- Most people in this town say Ed’s Restaurant serves tasty food.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Ed’s Restaurant probably serves tasty food.
This argument is reasonable, because the populace is being cited as actual witness to the truth of the claim about how good-tasting the food at Ed’s is. The testimony of witnesses is reasonable, relevant evidence in this case.
Case 2:
- Most people in this town believe the fish from the local lake are contaminated by toxins.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Probably the fish are contaminated by toxins
This is a fallacious argument, because there is no evidence given that the majority of people in this town have professional competence to judge toxin levels in fish. (It would be different if we are told that this town is inhabited mainly by marine biologists!)
Case 3:
- This ad says that these beautiful people will date me if I send them money.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Probably, I will be escorted by one of these beautiful people if I send them money.
This argument is not fallacious, because the issue at hand is precisely the ‘renting’ of the people pictured in the ad. The beautiful model used to advertise an ‘escort’ service is a relevant appeal since it is precisely her appearance or behavior that is the issue.
Case 4:
- This ad shows beautiful models using vitamin x.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Probably, I should take vitamin x.
This argument is fallacious because even assuming that it is true that the beautiful models use x, no evidence is presented that those models are medical doctors who are in a position to testify professionally that it is precisely vitamin x that made them or kept them beautiful.
Case 5:
- The majority of Californians voted for Smith for governor.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Probably, Smith should be permitted to become governor.
This argument is reasonable because, unless Smith has just committed a crime or is ineligible for some other reason, the preference of the majority regarding their representatives is what determines who takes office in a democracy.
Case 6:
- The majority of Californians voted for Smith for governor.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Probably Smith is the best person for the job.
This argument is fallacious, because there is no evidence given that the majority of Californians have some special professional expertise in judging the fitness of candidates.
A more puzzling case is this:
- The majority of voters in Senator Smith’s state favor capital punishment.
    ————————————————————————————————–
   ∴ Smith should vote for capital punishment.
This argument is reasonable, but not necessarily compelling. In a democracy, representatives should work to enact the wishes of the people governed. But there is a difference between a direct democracy, in which the people directly institute laws, and a representative democracy, in which the people elect leaders who are expected to use personal judgment in doing legislative work. The need to represent her constituents is one relevant reason for Smith to favor or oppose something, but there are other considerations as well, such as personal conviction.
So let us refine our statement of the fallacy of irrelevant appeals to identity. An argument of the form:
- Most people (or most elite people, or most people of some preferred ethnic group or most sexy people) believe p.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ p is probably true.
is a fallacy, unless the people cited are either credible witnesses to the truth of p, or else p is about the behavior or choices of those people. Otherwise, the opinion of the crowd is irrelevant.
Third: Ignoring the Issue
The next fallacy is perhaps the most pervasive of all, certainly in political realm. Quite often, faced with an issue he cannot logically address, a person will ignore the issue at hand and instead talk about something else. In other words, he will simply change the subject. We call this ignoring the issue (This fallacy is also called ‘irrelevant conclusion’, in that whatever evidence is given supports only a conclusion irrelevant to the discussion at hand).
As you might imagine, politicians often commit the fallacy of ignoring the issue: rather than admit they do not know the answer to a question they will talk on and on about matters they can address. It does not matter whether the irrelevant evidence is indeed good enough to establish the irrelevant conclusion — the point is the question at hand has been ignored. The only way to represent such a fallacy as an argument form would be:
- P is true.
    ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ Q is true.
which is not very helpful. It is better to view this fallacy as breaking a rule implicit in rational dialogue: if a question is pertinent, answer it instead of changing the subject.
Varieties of this fallacy are often considered fallacies in their own right. They include glittering generalities, cavilling, diversion, red herring, strawman, slippery slope, and apples and oranges. We will discuss in turn each variety of ignoring the issue.
We begin with glittering generalities. It is expected of people that they try to propose solutions to the problems they face. But these proposals need to be supported by reasons. When a person supports her proposal by speaking in generalities (such as how terrible the problem is) rather than specifics (such as why this particular proposal will solve the problem and solve it in the best way), she ignores the issue. Politicians commit this fallacy with depressing regularity. Ask a senator to justify his bill on unemployment, and he will very likely give you only glittering generalities about how terrible it is to be unemployed, how it hurts the family and saps a person’s self-esteem, and so on. All true, but all irrelevant to the real issue: why vote for this bill? (What makes the generalities “glittering†is their obvious truth and compassionate nature.)
The converse fallacy of glittering generalities is nit-picking (also called cavilling), which is the fallacy of focusing on petty details to ignore the larger issue at hand. For example, it would be cavilling to nit-pick that, whereas your opponent claims an unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, it is “really only 10.25 percent.†In so doing, you are failing to come to grips with his claim that the unemployment rate is too high.
Another form of ignoring the issue is diversion, which is to change the subject by joking. Two recent presidents stand out for their exceptional ability to evade embarrassing or tough issues by joking: John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Wit is an admirable quality, but not if it is used to evade one’s responsibility to justify his beliefs.
The third way to ignore the issue is to raise a red herring issue. That is, faced with a difficult issue on which he is not prepared to give logical evidence, a person will often cloud the waters by raising controversial issues superficially like the one at hand, but essentially different. Example:
My fellow Americans, my opponent says he wants to reinstate the draft to better enable us to fight a war if necessary. But aren’t all wars really due to our capitalist system?
Here, the issue is whether the US should bring back the draft. The politician doesn’t address this issue, but makes a controversial claim about wars and capitalism.
A fourth variety of ignoring the issue is strawman, which is the distortion of another person’s position. (The name arises from the metaphor of setting up a straw man, a dummy, and vainly trying to prove your prowess by knocking it down.) A person can distort her opponent’s position by oversimplifying it (leaving out important qualifications and details) or by extending it to situations to which it was never meant to apply. For example,
Candidate: My opponent wants to increase the number of day care centers. But do we really want the government to take over child rearing? I say: let the parents raise the kids!
The claim the candidate’s opponent made was a modest one, viz., to increase the number of day-care centers. The opponent never suggested that the government takeover child rearing.
A fifth way to ignore the issue is by slippery slope. A fallacy of irrelevant slippery slope occurs when the arguer changes the issue to some other irrelevant issue by degrees. That is, faced with some issue, the arguer says, “But if we agree to A, then why not A1? Or A2? Or A3? But A3 is obviously absurd!†and the conclusion is drawn that the original issue or claim A is false too. What allows this fallacy to appear plausible is that the claims A1, A2, A3, and so on, differ by degree only. Consider this example:
Dear Editor:
The PTA has asked the television networks if they [the PTA] can have the power to stop programs with a lot of violence in them from being aired. I am outraged by the PTA’s request. If the PTA is allowed to determine what shows I can watch, maybe they can next determine what I can eat, when I should sleep, and what I read. I suppose they’ll be burning books next!
Notice that the writer has shifted away from the real issue (“Should the PTA be allowed to decide whether a TV program has too much violence to be aired?â€) to a much easier one to refute (“Should the PTA be allowed to burn books?â€)
One cautious note is worth making here. We should note that not all slippery slope arguments are fallacies. Many slippery slope arguments are causal in nature. A causal slippery slope argument is a negative argument from consequences with a key causal premise:
- If A1 occurs, then it will cause A2, which in turn will cause A3, which in turn will cause A4, . . . , ultimately causing An.
- But An has negative consequences.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ We should not do A1.
The term cause here is defined broadly. We can have in mind physical cause, as in:
- If you smoke marijuana, it will cause you to desire harder drugs, and then still harder drugs, until you will become a heroin addict.
- The life of a heroin addict is hideous.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ You should not smoke marijuana.
But the term cause can mean socially cause or socially give rise to, as in:
- If we allow mercy killing, society will become coarsened, and will eventually allow killing people who are deemed “inferior.â€
- That would be a gross violation of human rights.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ We should not allow mercy killing.
Also, the term cause can mean legally cause or be a legal precedent for, as in:
- If we allow government to prohibit pornography, that will become legal precedent for prohibiting controversial literature, which in turn will be legal precedent for prohibiting radical political speech.
- But the control of radical political speech would be dangerous to our freedom.
   ————————————————————————————————–
    ∴ We should not allow government to prohibit pornography.
Notice that the crucial relevant premise in a causal slippery slope argument is that causal linkage between the different things along the slope. When this linkage is asserted, the argument is not logically bad (that is, fallacious), although it may be factually bad — as the examples given above illustrate. An irrelevant slippery slope fallacy occurs when a person mentions several other issues but does not assert (explicitly or implicitly) a causal link.
A sixth form of ignoring the issue is apples and oranges. In this form of the fallacy, the speaker lumps issue A in with another issue B and then proceeds to defend B instead of the real issue A. For example:
Criticism persists that much of what the NSF does fails to meet any reasonable definition of spending priorities. Its defenders say scientific advancement and improved technology depend upon the foundation’s continued growth. Last March, when Rep. John Ashbrook (R-Ohio) offered an amendment to cut $14 million from the foundation’s biological, behavioral, and social science research, some warned that he could be denying money that might lead to breakthroughs in medical research.
“How many people here would vote for $100,000 to study the growth of viruses in monkey kidney cells?†asked Rep. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). While that foundation-funded research had no immediate payoff, Harkin said, Dr. Jonas Salk a few years later used the study in his own research and came up with a polio vaccine.
But Harkin and Ashbrook, it seemed, were talking about apples and oranges. Ashbrook was not attacking medical research. Instead, he was criticizing studies that he argued were indefensible and simply wasted tax dollars. Like the $83,839 the foundation gave to the American Bar Association to study the social structure of the legal profession.
Ashbrook attacked social science funding; Harkin responded by exploiting the fact that the same agency that funds social science also funds medical science, to defend social science funding by defending the irrelevant issue of medical funding.
Fourth: Faulty Analogy
We often “reason by analogy,” as when I figure that the Toyota Avalon I just bought will last over 100,000 miles because I have owned several other Toyota Avalons, and they lasted that long. Argument by analogy has this form:
- A, B, C,…all had property P
- X is like A, B, C,…
   ∴ X probably has property P
Clearly the essence of a good analogical argument is that the things compared (X and A, B, C,…) must share all significant characteristics, and not have any significant differences. A fallacy of false analogy occurs when a significant difference is overlooked. For instance, in the example used above, if the Avelon I just bought happens to have power steering, power brakes and air-conditioning, while the ones I previously owned did not, I would be making a false analogy.
Here are a few examples of the fallacy of false analogy:
Despite the fact that there is no evidence that the pilot of a small plane at San Diego was at fault in any way, the favorite solution suggested in the media has been to ban or restrict small-plane operations at major airports. This suggestion ignores the fact that airports are public property paid for by all taxpayers, just as we all pay for highways. No doubt there are bus and truck drivers who would like to see private cars and amateur drivers banned or restricted on major highways, too. The solution is for the airlines to build and operate their own private air-transport terminals–much as the railroads once built and operated their own stations.
But a key difference exists between the need for private autos and the need for private planes.
Editor:Â I believe that the fraternity system should be abolished on all colleges in the United States. The reason for this belief is simple. The behavior of many fraternity members is spiritually reminiscent of the Nazis of Hitler’s Germany as well as the leadership of the present-day Communist Party in both Russia and China. This may well seem to represent an extreme viewpoint, but I believe it to be a fair and rational conclusion in view of all the facts.
For example, you may recall not only the recent destructive behavior of certain pledges in terms of noise and property (palm trees), but also the recent law passed against hazing (an activity that has taken the lives of a number of students). There was also the fraternity member who endangered the lives of several thousand students at SDSU by flying his plane at nearly ground level a few semesters ago.
But clearly Frat members don’t seek genocide against those who aren’t members, or seek to conquer the world.
United Teachers–Los Angeles (a teacher’s union) president Hank Springer claims that the advertising agency Winner/Wagner bungled the job of defeating Proposition 13 (which the union hired it to do) so badly that a labor boycott of the firm’s clients is in order. Springer said:
“If we can boycott Coors beer and hurt its sales because the company is unfair to its employees and boycott J.P. Stevens products for the same reason, we can and should boycott Winner/Wagner. Like Coors and J.B. Stevens, Winner/Wagner let its unions down.”
Surely there is a difference of intent: The companies intended to stop unions, Winner/Wagner did not.
Fifth: Begging the Question/Loaded Language
A word or phrase is loaded if it has theoretical and/or emotional connotations. A word can be loaded in the sense of being theoretically loaded or emotionally loaded or both. As examples, consider the words ‘bourgeois’ and ‘proletarian’. Both are loaded with Marxist economic theory (which posits those economic classes) and emotion (‘proletarian’ being laden with positive and bourgeois with negative emotional connotation). Of course, terms can be theoretically loaded without being emotionally loaded (‘electron’, ‘ionic bond’) or emotionally loaded without being theoretically loaded (‘dirty rat’, ‘punk’).
It is again worth emphasizing that loading is an extremely pervasive feature of language. Very likely, most words are loaded with overtones. That, per se, is not bad. It is how the loaded word is used that makes it good or bad. If a theoretically loaded term is used in a situation in which the theory at hand is not under question that is okay. If an emotionally loaded term is used in a context (a conversation, say) in which expressing emotion is the central purpose it is reasonable. But if the language is loaded to persuade by slanting the evidence, that can be bad. Such a situation (in which loaded language is used to slant evidence) is often called biased description.
The nature of biased description is best conveyed by Bertrand Russell’s “conjugation of an irregular verbâ€: “I am firm, you are stubborn, he is a pig-headed fool.†Here, the same trait (holding fast to one’s beliefs) is described favorably or unfavorably by using loaded terms.
Biased description is the stock in trade of the “yellow journalist†and the propagandist. For instance, an incident (a riot by some of the workers at a factory) might be described this way by a leftist journalist:
Yesterday, the oppressed proletarians at Smith Clock Works rose up in indignation. The fascistic agents of the capitalists battled the heroic workers for hours.
Yet the same incident could be described this way by a rightist:
Yesterday, union goons and shiftless malcontents tried to destroy private property at the Smith Clock Works. Brave public guardians tried for hours to restore law and order.
All we can safely conclude from reading such slanted accounts is that some violence occurred yesterday at Smith Clock Works. A more neutral description might be as follows:
A riot occurred yesterday at Smith Clock Works, apparently caused by labor discontent. The police fought the rioters for several hours.
One point is worth emphasizing here. Loading is a matter of degree. Hence something can be loaded without being used to commit a fallacy. But it does not follow that the amount of degree is unimportant: differences in degree can amount to differences of kind that are important. For example, the difference between wealth and poverty is one of degree, but few would hold it to be unimportant. And with loaded language, the loading can be so strong as to commit the fallacy we call ‘circular argument’. For example, consider this editorial:
Now our government’s really gone loco with your tax dollars — blowing $6,710 to study how religion influences life in a small Spanish town! The nitwit-run National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded money to a U.S. university student who plans to go to the province of Huelva in Spain for his incredibly useless study.
The student got the grant after convincing NSF’s bozos that it’s important to examine the influence of religion on the politics and economics of Huelva. An NSF official insists the project is a “well-thought-out proposal which will help us understand meaning and power in complex societies.†But its meaning for U.S. taxpayers is already clear — they’re getting shafted for more bucks, declares Rep. Bill Chappell (D-Fla.). “I doubt whether the NSF should be spending $6,710 on such a personal academic project,†he said.
In this example, the writer of the editorial wants us to believe that the research project in question — which appears to be a standard sociological field study of religion — is not worth funding, but he gives absolutely no evidence why. He doesn’t tell us, for example, that this research would only duplicate numerous already published studies, or that the researcher is not qualified in some way to do the research, or even that America is so short of money it can no longer afford to fund social science research. Instead, the conclusion is built into the phrases “loco,†“nitwit-run,†“incredibly useless study,†bozosâ€, “shaftedâ€, and “personal academic projectâ€. In this example, then, the evidence isn’t slanted — it is completely non-existent. We simple repeat the conclusion by building it into the phrases we use to describe the situation being judge. This tactic is called using question-begging epithets.
Another example of the use of question-begging epithets is:
Why do I think Gary is a bad person? Because he is totally evil, I mean, he’s just a despicable human being. He’s simply immoral.
Here again, no actual evidence is given that Gary is a bad person (by citing, say, his behavior towards others), it is just repeated in the epithets “totally evilâ€, “despicableâ€, and “immoralâ€.
Using question-begging epithets is just one way people commit the fallacy of circular argument, which is an argument in which claim C is backed up by premises P1, P2,…, Pn, but where one of those premises is, in fact, equivalent to the conclusion. Remember that the same statement can be made using many greatly different sentences, and this is what makes circular arguments so difficult to spot in practice.
Consider these examples:
To allow every man an unbounded freedom of speech must always be, on the whole, advantageous to the state; for it is highly conducive to the interests of the community, that each individual should enjoy a liberty perfectly unlimited, of expressing his sentiments.
In this passage, the conclusion argued for (that freedom of speech is worthwhile for the state) and the premise offered for it means the same thing, but this is not obvious because they are expressed by different words.
Another example:
A person’s strongest desires determine that person’s actions. For people do just what they want to do most.
Making circular arguments even harder to detect is the fact that many premises may intervene, causing the listener to lose track of what conclusion is to be proved.
      He: God certainly exists.
           She: How do you know?
           He: The Bible states clearly that He does.
           She: Maybe the Bible is wrong.
           He: Impossible — it is too consistent
           She: So maybe it is consistently wrong.
           He: Impossible — it is written by prophets.
           She: What do you mean by “prophet�
           He: A person inspired by God.
The premise “prophets inspired by God wrote the Bible†would not be accepted by someone who did not already believe in God’s existence.
Another example:
Papandreou had a simple proposition. It was that the CIA had bankrolled the colonels and told them to stage the coup d’état.
“That’s a hell of a statement for you to make, Mr. Papandreou, can you prove it?â€
                       “I have seen the documents.â€
                       “What documents?â€
                       “They are secret.â€
                       “But what if they are secret, how is it that you are quoting from them?â€
                       “They cannot be seen by unfriendly eyes.â€
But the statement “They cannot be seen by unfriendly eyes†assumes that the documents exist.
Circular argument can occur in explanations. A famous example of a humorous circular explanation is from a play by Moliere, in which a physician explains why opium causes people to fall asleep by saying that it has “dormative power.â€Â The “explanation†is just the fact needing to be explained expressed in different words. | https://www.profgaryjason.com/tutorial-common-fallacies-to-avoid/ |
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
—- Mark Twain
I use a Mac, so I know I think different. I also coexist on an alternative parallel world where people live on the same planet as me, but have such a radically different way of thinking that I wonder if we have the same ability to evaluate reality (1).
The best example of different ways of seeing the same thing is homeopathy. Homeopathy is utterly and completely ridiculous with zero plausibility or efficacy. Only therapeutic touch is its rival. Yet homeopath Louise Mclean can suggest there are 50 facts that validate homeopathy (2). These facts were presented as an attempt to counter criticism that homeopathy is only water with no therapeutic effects.
Lets evaluate each fact. There are two parts to the evaluations: whether the fact is true and what, if any, logical fallacy is being used. Deciding on which logical fallacy is being used is not my strong point, feel free to correct me in the comments, and I will add to the text later.
1) Fact 1 – Hippocrates ‘The Father of Medicine’ of Ancient Greece said there were two Laws of Healing: The Law of Opposites and the Law of Similars. Homeopathy treats the patient with medicines using the Law of Similars, orthodox medicine uses the Law of Opposites, e.g. antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anticonvulsants, antihypertensives, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics.
Logical fallacy (3): Argument from authority, argument from antiquity, strawman.
Errors: Hippocrates’ ideas as to disease treatment have no (as in zero) applicability to how we understand medicine. Also, medicine does not treat by the Law of Opposites, and using the ‘anti’ prefix as an understanding of how a process works is just weird. Its like finding significance in assume making an ‘ass’ of ‘u’ and ‘me’. Antibiotics, for example, work by targeting very specific bacterial chemical pathways to kill the organism. Anti inflammatories block a specific enzymes in the inflammatory pathway to decrease inflammation etc etc. There is no Law of Opposites in modern medicine. That is either a profound misunderstanding or a misrepresentation.
Fact 2 – Homeopathic theories are based on fixed principles of the Laws of Nature which do not change — unlike medical theories which are constantly changing!
Logical Fallacy: Strawman.
Error: Homeopathy is based on nonsense, and there are no fixed “Laws of Nature” upon which it is based (I do like the the capitals, makes it seem so much more authoritative). What “Law” outside the fictions on Hanneman (he pulled his Laws out the his, well, imagination), is homeopathy based on? None. All the Laws of chemistry, physics, physiology, biology etc would suggest that homeopathy is unequivocal nonsense.
That medicine is changing is its strong suit. Ask yourself this (not applicable if you are Amish or a Homeopath) is there any part of your life where you would prefer to operate under the concepts and technology of the mid 1800’s? Modern medicine progresses. Homeopathy is not only nonsense, it is stagnant nonsense.
Fact 3 – Homeopathy is an evidence-based, empirical medicine.
Logical Fallacy: Non-Sequitur, moving goalpost.
Error: none. Unfortunately all the evidence based, empirical data demonstrates that homeopathy is totally useless.
Fact 4 – Homeopathy is both an art and a science.
Logical Fallacy: Non-Sequitur, moving goalpost.
Error: It is an art, like other works of the imagination. As to science, not so much. Homeopaths denies the applicability of all the basic sciences to homeopathy, especially chemistry and physiology. It does occasionally misinterpret quantum mechanics as applicable to its mechanism of action, but misapplying science does not a science make, in this they share a close kinship with the science of intelligent design.
Fact 5 – The Homeopathic provings of medicines are a more scientific method of testing than the orthodox model.
Logical Fallacy: Unstated Major Premise.
Error: This is only true if you think non randomized, uncontrolled, unblinded anecdotes based on unknown or unproven physical principles are more scientific than randomized, controlled, double blind studies based on therapies that have biologic plausibility. This statement is the same as postulating astrology is better science than astronomy.
Fact 6 – Homeopathic medicine awakens and stimulates the body’s own curative powers. The potentized remedy acts as a catalyst to set healing into motion.
Logical Fallacy: Non-Sequitur? There needs to be a logical fallacy for using scientific terminology that seems to make sense, but doesn’t. I call it the “Say What? logical fallacy.
Error: Which curative power and how it is stimulated and what is catalyzed is never said. It sounds impressive until you ask for details. Vague homilies, no meat. Potentized is homeopathy speak for really dilute and shaked/shook/shooken really well.
Fact 7 – Homeopathic medicines work by communicating a current/pattern/frequency of energy via the whole human body to jump start the body’s own inherent healing mechanisms
Logical Fallacy: say what?
Error: This makes no sense as I understand the world. The phase “communicating a current/pattern/frequency of energy via the whole human body” really has no content in reality based medicine. Like Oakland, there is no there there. Much of alt med is often all sound and fury, signifying nothing. Big, impressive words and concepts that when analyzed carefully say nothing.
Fact 8 – Homeopathy assists the body to heal itself, to overcome an illness which brings the patient to a higher level of health. Orthodox medicine suppresses the illness, bringing the patient to a lower level of health.
Logical Fallacy: strawman.
Error: There is a presumption in alt med that the people have a perfect level of health they should be at all the time. Probably not true, as evolution has given us a system that mostly functions reasonably well, but is far from perfection. Next time I cure a heart valve infection, or my cardiology colleague limits the damage of heart attack, or my surgical colleague takes out that cancer, I tell the patient, sorry. I have only suppressed your illness, your level of health is now less.
Fact 9 – The homeopathic practitioner endeavours to search for and treat the cause of the disease in order to heal the effect.
Logical Fallacy: strawman.
Error: this is the big lie (Big Lie to make it more authoritative) of all alt med. This is what “orthodox” medicine excels at, and what alt medicine, because it is grounded in magic, superstition and faulty understanding of the physical world, can never do. Real doctors find and fix the root cause of illness, homeopaths cannot and do not do any such thing.
Fact 10 – Outcomes of homeopathic treatment are measured by the long term curative effects of prescribing and complete eradication of the disease state for preventing numerous diseases.
Logical Fallacy: false dichotomy.
Error: none. however, when you diagnose and treat based on magic, you can define cure and prevention in non-verifiable ways.
Fact 11 – The homeopathic practitioner treats the whole person, believing all symptoms are interrelated and seeks to select a medicine which most closely covers them all.
Logical Fallacy: strawman.
Error: Again, being grounded in nonsense and magical thinking, homeopathy can only have an erroneous and faulty understanding of the whole person. See https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=137 for an extended rant.
Fact 12 – Homeopathic remedies are cheap.
Logical Fallacy: none.
Error: Yes, water is inexpensive. However, think for a moment what it takes to make a homeopathic preparation. Take a 25 ml (1.7 tablespoons) bottle of 200C homeopathic preparation. To make such a product you need 495 liters (about 130 gallons, or 1040 pints) of water to make the required dilutions for one bottle (4). That is an amazing waste of water. Environmentally maybe not so cheap.
Fact 13 – Pharmaceutical medicines are expensive.
Logical Fallacy: strawman, non sequitur. false dichotomy, which I like to call the, ‘oh yeah, well you are fat’ fallacy.
Error: some real medications are expensive , some are not. Unlike homeopathy, pharmaceutical medicines are proven to work. Whatever the failings of science based medicine, those failings do not validate homeopathy. Homeopathy has to stand or fall on its own, not on the perceived failings of others. It is like declaring you are thin, because I am fat.
Fact 14 – There are more than 4,000 homeopathic medicines.
Logical Fallacy: strawman.
Error: Homeopathy is one ‘medication’: water.
Fact 15 – Homeopathic medicines have no toxic side-effects.
Logical Fallacy: none
Error: tell that to Percy Bysshe Shelley. Medications can only have side effects if first they have an effect. No effect, no side effect. I wonder. Do homeopaths ever misdiagnose? If so, what is the effect of giving the wrong homeopathic treatment?
Fact 16 – Homeopathic medicines are non-addictive.
Logical Fallacy: none.
Error: you try going without water.
Fact 17 – Every true homeopathic medicine is made using one substance — whether plant, mineral, metal, etc. The exact substance is known, unlike most modern drugs where we are rarely informed of the ingredients.
Logical Fallacy: strawman, false dichotomy.
Error: I could be in error, but I did not know that plants were made of one substance. A quick scan of the periodic chart, oh yeah, there it is: foxglove. Right after belladonna. The first mineral in the mineral database (4442 total minerals) is Anorthite,CaAl2Si2O8, made up of 4 substances. Plants and minerals are made up of many many substances. But I am a reductionist. Again it is true in that all homeopathic medications are water and only water.
As to modern drugs, I guess she has not seen a PDR, where the ingredients of medications are freely available, meticulously detailed and strictly controlled, the opposite, at least in the US, of all alt therapies which have zero oversight as to their composition.
Fact 18 – Any remedy up to a 12c or a 24x potency still contains the original molecules of the substance and this is known as Avogadro’s number.
Logical Fallacy: say what?
Error: “Avogadro’s number, is the number of “elementary entities” (usually atoms or molecules) in one mole, that is (from the definition of the mole) the number of atoms in exactly 12 grams of carbon-12 (Wikipedia).”
As it applies to homeopathy, “According to the laws of chemistry, there is a limit to the dilution that can be made without losing the original substance altogether. This limit, called Avogadro’s number (6.023 x 10-23) corresponds to homeopathic potencies of 12C or 24X (1 part in 1024). At this dilution there is less than a 50% chance that even one molecule of active material remains (5).”
I thought it was the water that had the potency, not the molecule. BTW: who wants to go to a bartender who serves Cosmopolitans made with the principals of homeopathy? A 12 C martini would have 60% chance (6) of one molecule of alcohol in it, but should be more potent than a normal cosmo. At least if it were a homeopathic cosmo.
Fact 19 – Every Patient is Unique so homeopathic medicines are individualized.
Logical Fallacy: ?
Error: homeopathy appears to postulate 6 billion different treatments for each person in the world who has hypertension. And 6 billion different treatments for fever. And 6 billion unique treatments for…. on and on for each of the diseases out there. It is, of course, like the rest of homeopathy, impossible.
And for each individual treatment there are, by Fact 14, over 4000 homeopathic remedies. And you apply 4000 remedies to 6 billion people and make each treatment individualized how? There are over 13,000 prescription drugs. Who do you think is better able to provide an individualized therapy?
Fact 20 – Homeopaths treat genetic illness, tracing its origins to 6 main genetic causes: Tuberculosis, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Psora (scabies), Cancer, Leprosy.
Logical Fallacy: say what?
Error: Tuberculosis, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Psora (scabies) and Leprosy are infections. Infections not genetic illnesses. Thats just stupid. Cancer, may be considered genetic.
Fact 21 – Epidemics such as cholera and typhoid were treated successfully using homeopathy in the 19th century with very high success rates, compared to orthodox medicine (http://www.whale.to/v/winston.html) .
Logical Fallacy: argument from antiquity.
Error: As best I can tell, in 1854 10 of 61 cases of cholera died in a homeopathic hospital, while 123 of the 231 died of cholera in a regular hospital. I am not able to find the details of the therapy and the rigorousness of the diagnosis. I can find insufficient information to comment on the validity of the information. If it is a valid conclusion it has been the only positive study in the 150 years of homeopathy.
Fact 22 – There are thousands of homeopathic books, available at specialist outlets, not sold in the high street.
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to popularity.
Error: none. Reading fiction remains a popular pastime.
Fact 23 – There are 5 homeopathic hospitals in the U.K. — in London, Tunbridge Wells, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow. They cost the NHS under £10 million a year compared to the £100 billion for the total annual NHS budget for 2008!
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to popularity.
Error: I do not doubt it is a true fact. No wonder the sun set long ago on the Empire.
Fact 24 – At one of the earliest debates on the NHS Act of 1948 the Government pledged that homoeopathy would continue to be available on the NHS, as long as there were “patients wishing to receive it and doctors willing to provide it”.
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to popularity.
Error: As George Bush II said: “You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.” I bet there are those that wish cocaine had the same criteria for availability from UK doctors: someone wants it and a doctor will sell it.
Fact 25 – There is a campaign by certain U.K. Professors to oust homeopathy completely from the NHS after they wrote on NHS headed paper to all Primary Care Trusts in 2006 telling managers not to refer patients to the homeopathic hospitals.
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to popularity.
Error: none. Certain U.K. professors are better at understanding good healthcare than others and much better than politicians pandering to nonsense with a promise of homeopathy forever.
Fact 26 – The Homeopathic Hospitals are clean, with friendly, well informed staff. The patients are generally pleased with their treatment unlike many orthodox National Health Service hospitals.
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to popularity, false dichotomy.
Error: none. Con men need to please their clients/victims since they have no real service to offer.
Fact 27 – The chances of contracting MRSA or C. Difficile at a Homeopathic Hospital are extremely rare.
Logical Fallacy: ?
Error: I do not doubt this. MRSA and C. difficile are unfortunate (and perhaps unpreventable) complications of doing interventions that work. MRSA most commonly causes a postoperative wound infection from surgery and C. difficile occurs after receiving antibiotics. SInce homeopathy does nothing, it cannot have these complications.
Fact 28 – Unlike orthodox medicine where two thirds of all conventional hospital admissions are due to the side-effects of pharmaceutical medicines, the bill for negligence claims soaring into billions, one U.K. leading insurance company reported only ‘a couple’ of claims against homeopaths in a ten year period!
Logical Fallacy: say what?
Error: ” two thirds of all conventional hospital admissions are due to the side-effects of pharmaceutical medicines”. Where did this number come from? She appears to making stuff up (I bet someone finds it on the whale). Maybe 6% or so of hospitalitzations are due to adverse drug reactions (7). I somehow operate under the assumption that facts have a correlation with real data that can be evaluated and not, like Hahnemann’s Laws, just made up.
Fact 29 – In the United States in the early 1900s there were 22 homeopathic medical schools and over 100 homeopathic hospitals, 60 orphanages and old people’s homes and 1,000+ homeopathic pharmacies.
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to popularity.
Error: And the life expectancy was 48.23 years (8). We abandoned homeopathy and doubled our life expectancy.
Fact 30 – Members of the American Medical Association had great animosity towards homeopathy after its formation in 1847 and it was decided to purge all local medical societies of physicians who were homeopaths.
Logical Fallacy: ?
Error: Curiously, as an MD (but not an AMA member), I have an animosity towards my patients wasting their money and jeopardizing their health on nonsense.
Fact 31 – Big Pharma does not want the Public to find out how well homeopathy works!
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to paranoid delusions (not a standard logical fallacy, but needed here).
Error: its a paranoid delusion.
Fact 32 – In 2005 the World Health Organization brought out a draft report which showed homeopathy was beneficial causing Big Pharma to panic and The Lancet to bring out an editorial entitled ‘The End of Homeopathy’.
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to paranoid delusions.
Error: its a paranoid delusion.
Fact 33 – In 2005 The Lancet tried to destroy homeopathy but were only looking at 8 inconclusive trials out of 110 of which 102 were positive. This was a fraudulent analysis.
“The meta-analysis at the centre of the controversy is based on 110 placebo-controlled clinical trials of homeopathy and 110 clinical trials of allopathy (conventional medicine), which are said to be matched. These were reduced to 21 trials of homeopathy and 9 of conventional medicine of ‘higher quality’ and further reduced to 8 and 6 trials, respectively, which were ‘larger, higher quality’. The final analysis which concluded that ‘the clinical effects of homoeopathy are placebo effects’ was based on just the eight ‘larger, higher quality’ clinical trials of homeopathy. The Lancet’s press release did not mention this, instead giving the impression that the conclusions were based on all 110 trials.” (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articl…)
Logical Fallacy: Appeal to paranoid delusions.
Error: meta analysis of impossible therapies are medical paradolia, seeing patterns were none exist. See https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=242 for details. The best quote ever on the topic:
“I see all the homeopathy trials as making up a kind of “model organism” for studying the way science and scientific publishing works. Given that homeopathic remedies are known to be completely inert, any positive conclusions or even suggestions of positive conclusions that homeopathy researchers come up with must be either chance findings, mistakes, or fraud.
So homeopathy lets us look at how a community of researchers can generate a body of published papers and even meta-analyze and re-meta-analyze them in great detail, in the absence of any actual phenomenon at all. It’s a bit like growing bacteria in a petri dish in which you know there is nothing but agar.
The rather sad conclusion I’ve come to is that it’s very easy for intelligent, thoughtful scientists to see signals in random noise. I fear that an awful lot of published work in sensible fields of medicine and biology is probably just that as well. Homeopathy proves that it can happen. (the problem is that we don’t know what’s nonsense and what’s not within any given field.) It’s a warning to scientists everywhere (10).”
Fact 34 – There have been many clinical trials that prove homeopathy works. In the past 24 years there have been more than 180 controlled, and 118 randomized, trials into homeopathy, which were analyzed by four separate meta-analyses. In each case, the researchers concluded that the benefits of homeopathy went far beyond that which could be explained purely by the placebo effect.
Logical Fallacy: none.
Error: The question is are there quality trials that show homeopathy works. Nope. And fact 5 dismisses these scientific trials as inferior to the homeopathic proving, so which is it? It is a case of having your cake and eating it too, which should be a logical fallacy.
Fact 35 – The Bristol Homeopathic Hospital carried out a study published in November 2005 of 6500 patients receiving homeopathic treatment. There was an overall improvement in health of 70% of them.
Logical Fallacy:
Error: association is not causation. They improved and received homeopathic treatment NOT They improved because they received homeopathic treatment. Causality is a tricky thing to prove, at least outside of homeopathy.
Fact 36 – Homeopathy can never be properly tested through double blind randomized trials because each prescription is individualized as every patient is unique. Therefore 10 people with arthritis, for example, may all need a different homeopathic medicine.
Logical Fallacy: the cake and eat it too fallacy.
Error: facts 33 and 34 depend on their validity from double blind randomized trial, which are denied in fact 36 and fact 5. And if 4001 people have arthritis, that 4000 and first is out of luck. See fact 19. She sure isn’t one for consistency in her facts.
Fact 37 – Homeopathic medicines are not tested on animals.
Logical Fallacy: false dichotomy.
Error: If homeopathic medications are more effective on animals (fact 38) and have no toxic side effects (fact 15), then why is this a good thing? It is bad to test on animals because it harms them. If homeopathy is harmless, then there is no moral high ground to be gained from not testing on animals. We know water is safe for animals, especially for fish, who are subject to all the increasingly dilute, and therefore more powerful, homeopathic medications sent down the drain. Is that why the fish stocks are crashing?
Fact 38 – Homeopathic medicines work even better on animals and babies than on adults, proving this cannot be placebo.
Logical Fallacy: say what?
Error: huh? The efficacy of the medication depends on age and species? How is this supposed to work? And if homeopathic medicines are not tested on animals (fact 37), then how do we know they are more effective?
Fact 39 – Scientists agree that if and when homeopathy is accepted by the scientific community it will turn established science on its head.
Logical Fallacy: strawman.
Error: absolutely true. If homeopathy is accepted because to experimental proof, then 500 years of progress in all the sciences have been in error. If homeopathy is accepted without scientific proof, then its back to the dark ages for western civilization, and only the morticians and homeopaths will profit.
Fact 40 – Homeopathic Practitioners train for 4 years in Anatomy and Physiology, as well as Pathology and Disease, Materia Medica, Homeopathic Philosophy and study of the Homeopathic Repertory.
Logical Fallacy: non sequiter.
Error: no argument here. Four years to learn anatomy, pathology and physiology just so you can ignore it later. I wonder if they study chemistry.
Fact 41 – Most homeopaths treat patients who have been referred to them by word of mouth. Most patients seek out homeopathy because conventional treatment has not benefited them or because it poses too great a risk of side-effects.
Logical Fallacy: appeal to popularity.
Error: none.
Fact 42 – The homeopathic community has thousands, even millions, of written case notes that demonstrate the positive benefits of their treatment. Some homeopaths have video proof of their patients before and after treatment.
Logical Fallacy: appeal to popularity.
Error: the plural of anecdote is anecdotes, not data.
Fact 43 – Homeopaths charge patients an average of £50 an hour. Specialist Doctors can charge up to £200 or more.
Logical Fallacy: strawman
Error: one gets what they pay for. You can spend thousands of dollars on a car for transportation, but I bet a unicorn would cost less for the same purpose.
Fact 44 – The popularity of homeopathy has grown in the past 30 years, its revival entirely through word of mouth and estimated to be growing at more than 20% a year the world over.
Logical Fallacy: appeal to popularity.
Error: see George Bush quote above.
Fact 45 – Hundreds of famous people throughout the past 200 years have enjoyed the benefits of homeopathic medicine (www.homeopathicrevolution.com) .
Logical Fallacy: appeal to authority and popularity.
Error: being famous does not make your knowledge of medicine more (or less) valid (9).
Fact 46 – The aristocratic patronage of homeopathy in the U.K. extended well into the 1940s and beyond can be easily demonstrated. In the Homeopathic Medical Directories there are lists of patrons of the dispensaries and hospitals. They read like an extract from Burke’s or Debrett’s.
Logical Fallacy: appeal to authority and popularity.
Error: Like being famous, being an aristocrat does not make your knowledge of medicine more (or less) valid.
Fact 47 – The Royal Families of Europe use homeopathic medicine and Queen Elizabeth II of England never travels anywhere without her homeopathic vials of medicine.
Logical Fallacy: appeal to authority.
Error: since the Queen is a medical authority, as a medical doctor I am an authority on constitutional monarchy.
Fact 48 – Homeopathy is practised nowadays in countries all over the world. In India there are 100 homeopathic medical schools and around 250,000 homeopathic doctors.
Logical Fallacy: appeal to popularity.
Error: none. But Indians have a life expectancy 20 years less than the US. Cause and effect?
Fact 49 – In a recent Global TGI survey where people were asked whether they trust homeopathy the following percentages of people living in urban areas said YES: 62% in India, 58% Brazil, 53% Saudi Arabia, Chile 49%, United Arab Emirates 49%, France 40%, South Africa 35%, Russia 28%, Germany 27%, Argentina 25%, Hungary 25%, USA 18%, UK 15% (http://www.tgisurveys.com/documents/TGI…)
Logical Fallacy: appeal to popularity.
Error: The data is accurate, but does not validate homeopathy. In the USA, 18% was the percentage who trusted Wall Street in 2007 (11).
Fact 50 – The media as a whole has been unwilling to air a defence of the efficacy of homeopathy and the validity of this 250 year old profession.
Logical Fallacy: paranoid strawman.
Error: from my perspective, the opposite is true with the media all too willing to perpetuate nonsense like homeopathy.
Fact 51: I think Ronald Reagan was practicing homeopathy when he said “Facts are stupid things”.
Logical Fallacy: I like a good quote.
Error: none.
————–
1) Note: I said different, not better, he says in a feeble attempt to forestall comments.
2) http://www.naturalnews.com/024512.html
3) http://www.theskepticsguide.org/logicalfallacies.asp.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy
I am often uncertain re: which logical fallacy applies, feel free to correct of add to them. And I am sure I will hear about my own.
4) http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/homeopathy2.htm
5) http://www.skepticfiles.org/skmag/homeo.htm
6) http://www.ukskeptics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67
7) http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/329/7456/15
8) http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005140.html
9) Unless you are a famous scientologist. Then you have expertise in psychiatry. | https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/51-facts-about-homeopathy/ |
Poisoning the well is a logical fallacy (a type of ad hominem argument) in which a person attempts to place an opponent in a position from which he or she is unable to reply.
What is the fallacy of poisoning the well?
Poisoning the well (or attempting to poison the well) is a type of informal fallacy where adverse information about a target is preemptively presented to an audience, with the intention of discrediting or ridiculing something that the target person is about to say.
Which of the following is an example of poisoning the well?
Poisoning the well occurs when negative information that is irrelevant is presented ahead of time to discredit the argument. For example, in a political campaign, candidate 2 presents negative information about candidate 1 (true or false) so that anything that candidate says will be discounted.
What is genetic fallacy examples?
The genetic fallacy arises whenever we dismiss a claim or argument because of its origin or history. 1) You cannot believe Bob’s idea because it came from his dream. 2) The psychologist says Tim believes in God because Tim lost his father at a young age. So, God doesn’t exist.
What are logical fallacies in an argument?
Logical fallacies are arguments that may sound convincing, but are based on faulty logic and are therefore invalid. They may result from innocent errors in reasoning, or be used deliberately to mislead others. Taking logical fallacies at face value can lead you to make poor decisions based on unsound arguments.
Is ad hominem the same as poisoning the well?
Poisoning the well is a logical fallacy (a type of ad hominem argument) in which a person attempts to place an opponent in a position from which he or she is unable to reply.
What is an example of a false analogy?
A false analogy is a type of informal fallacy. It states that since Item A and Item B both have Quality X in common, they must also have Quality Y in common. For example, say Joan and Mary both drive pickup trucks. Since Joan is a teacher, Mary must also be a teacher.
What is red herring fallacy?
A red herring is a logical fallacy in which irrelevant information is presented alongside relevant information, distracting attention from that relevant information. This may be done intentionally or unintentionally. A red herring is often used in movies, television and literature.
What is a non sequitur?
Definition of non sequitur
2 : a statement (such as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said We were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some non sequitur about her dog.
How many types of fallacies are there?
Species of Fallacious Arguments. The common fallacies are usefully divided into three categories: Fallacies of Relevance, Fallacies of Unacceptable Premises, and Formal Fallacies. Many of these fallacies have Latin names, perhaps because medieval philosophers were particularly interested in informal logic.
What is a smokescreen fallacy?
Smokescreen or Red Herring Fallacy
The smokescreen fallacy responds to a challenge by bringing up another topic. Smokescreen or red herring fallacies mislead with irrelevant (though possibly related) facts: “We know we need to make cuts in the state budget.
What does equivocation fallacy mean?
The fallacy of equivocation occurs when a key term or phrase in an argument is used in an ambiguous way, with one meaning in one portion of the argument and then another meaning in another portion of the argument. Examples: I have the right to watch “The Real World.” Therefore it’s right for me to watch the show.
What does the term no true Scotsman mean?
No true Scotsman, or appeal to purity, is an informal fallacy in which one attempts to protect their universal generalization from a falsifying counterexample by excluding the counterexample improperly.
Why is straw man a fallacy?
Straw person is the misrepresentation of an opponent’s position or a competitor’s product to tout one’s own argument or product as superior. This fallacy occurs when the weakest version of an argument is attacked while stronger ones are ignored.
How do you wear a kilt like a true Scotsman?
Quote:
Basically put your socks flashes on first make sure the lanes. Are straight up and down of the cable the sock a tie you put your shoes on and tie your laces.
What is the definition of a Texas sharpshooter logical fallacy?
The Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy is a logical fallacy based on the metaphor of a gunman shooting the side of a barn, then drawing targets around the bullethole clusters to make it look like he hit the target. It illustrates how people look for similarities, ignoring differences, and do not account for randomness.
Why is anecdotal a fallacy?
A person falls prey to the anecdotal fallacy when they choose to believe the “evidence” of an anecdote or a few anecdotes over a larger pool of scientifically valid evidence. The anecdotal fallacy occurs because our brains are fundamentally lazy. Given a choice, the brain prefers to do less work rather than more.
Is moving the goalposts a fallacy?
Moving the goalposts is an informal fallacy in which evidence presented in response to a specific claim is dismissed and some other (often greater) evidence is demanded. That is, after an attempt has been made to score a goal, the goalposts are moved to exclude the attempt. | https://antennamediatorino.eu/en/is-there-a-name-for-this-variation-of-poisoning-the-well/ |
Literature Summary – Max Schulman’s “Love is a Fallacy”
Love is a Fallacy is the writing of the American satire master of XX century Max Shulman. It’s a short amusing story that has a plot with classical aspects for the youth time. They include intolerance towards other ones’ imperfection, assurance in own rightness and, of course, false approaches and failed attempts to find the one to spend the life with. But what makes it unique is that it can also be used as an easy-to-read guide to logical fallacies.
A self-confident freshman of law school decided since it was only a few years left till he would be a practicing lawyer the time came to look for an appropriate for the career wife. Applying stereotypes from the scope as guidelines for his search, he opted for the girlfriend of his friend’s Petey. He didn’t feel guilty since after chatting a bit he realized that his comrade seemed to care much more about a raccoon coat than about her and almost without doubts traded their relationship for an old piece of wardrobe.
After a few dates, the protagonist realized that his candidate on a life-partner role Polly Espy wasn’t a lawyer wife material as it initially appeared. Especially for such a keen, calculating, perspicacious, acute and astute future professional. But instead of giving up he decided to take the challenge and share with her newly acquired wisdom of logic.
The main character’s goal was to teach his chosen one fundamental aspects of logical, analytical and critical thinking by enlightening her about logical fallacies such as (instances are taken from the story):
Dicto Simpliciter. An argument based on an unqualified generalization.
Example: Everybody should exercise. It’s false, for some people these actions are restricted by physicians.
Hasty Generalization. A conclusion based on the insufficient number of proofs.
Example: The survey of three students indicated that nobody couldn’t speak French in the university. It’s a fallacy since the too small percent of the total amount of scholars was involved in the investigation.
Post Hoc. A hypothesis based on the given dataset.
Example: Every time Bill comes to picnic, it rains. This statement is based on coincidences since that guy doesn’t control the weather. Ergo it can’t be valid.
Contradictory Premises. An argument is deduced from incompatible affirmations.
Example: If God is almighty, he can create a stone that he can’t pick up. It’s false since if God can’t do something that he isn’t omnipotent.
Ad Misericordiam. An irrelevant to the discussion argument that appeals to the sympathy.
Example: A potential employee’s answer to the question about his qualification contains the facts about his miserable life instead of working experience.
False Analogy. A suggested pattern based on the comparison of events or objects that are falsely determined as similar.
Example: If surgeons can use auxiliary remedies during the operation then students should be allowed getting help from textbooks during the exams. It’s an incorrect assumption since surgeons are doing the job, students are taking the test.
Hypothesis Contrary to Fact. A conclusion that is drawn from an untrustworthy fact or statement.
Example: Marie Curie discovered radium because she had left a photographic plate in a drawer with a chunk of pitchblende. It couldn’t be considered as truth since there was no evidence that the finding couldn’t have taken place on any other day or been made by other scientists.
Poisoning the Well. An argument the presentation of which is causing the misjudgment of all followings.
Example: One of the debate participants name others liars before they can express themselves. This way whatever they declare now, they won’t be taken as in earnest as before the opponent’s affirmation.
This logical fallacy helped the teacher by choice to make a breakthrough in his tutoring. His student had finally grasped the sense of the delivered for two nights material. The protagonist was happy that he was able to overcome work, sweat, and darkness and understood it was time to claim the reward.
According to him, Polly, a cretin, wasn’t worthy of him; Polly, a logician, was. So on the next date, he took actions to go steady with her. During anticipation, one realized that he felt like Pygmalion who loved the perfect woman he had fashioned. He was certain in the success.
How surprised he was when Polly defined as a logical fallacy every statement that he used to reach that goal. His direct proposition was rejected either since as she informed him his friend Petey had arranged a commitment with her behind his back. The main character was furious and demanded the answer why she opted for a pathetic Petey and not for him, a brilliant man. It turned out the raccoon coat had outweighed all his advantages. | https://essaywritingsolutions.co.uk/love-is-a-fallacy-summary |
According to Miller and Wright (2002), "When it comes to plea bargaining, we have created a false dilemma. The dilemma grows out of the central reality of criminal adjudication in the United States. The vast majority of criminal cases are resolved through guilty pleas rather than trials. Most of those guilty pleas result from negotiations between prosecution and defense" (p. 29).
Straw Man.
According to Walton (2004), "The straw man fallacy is committed when the proponent's argument is based on premises that do not represent the commitments of the other party in the dispute, and where his argument used a distorted version of these commitments to try to refute the other party" (p. 25). The straw man fallacy represents a common technique that is used to divert attention away from the actual issues involve to irrelevant or even imaginary ones that can be impossible to defend against. In this regard, according to Walton (2004), "Straw man, as a fallacy, is defined as misrepresentation of an arguer's position. When an opponent's position is distorted or exaggerated in a straw man argument, the effect is often to divert the line of argument to irrelevant issues. So the straw man argument, as typically used, involves an aspect of irrelevance.... Straw man is getting your opponent's position wrong and then refuting that wrongly attributed position" (Walton, 2004, pp. 22-4).
Some organizational uses of the straw man fallacy can be found among physical education professionals and the scientific community when assertions as to race accounting for superior performance are made. For example, Entine (2001) points out that, "Some race realists seduce themselves into believing that they are being intellectually honest in pointing out the 'natural' advantages of certain 'races,' but they reach beyond limited data to speculative and sweeping conclusions. The consequences of such disingenuousness are serious and mounting" (p. 294). The casual observer might ask what damage was possibly being done by such assertions, but Entire emphasizes that the effects can be profound. Citing the example of a scientist at a prominent national conference, Entine reports that he "declared that there is no 'running gene,' as if that somehow resolved the debate over the causes of black domination of running. Such bluster is a classic straw man. No scientist claims there is a 'running gene.' That's a dodge of the real question: Do genes prescribe possibility in some sports, running most specifically, and are there some population-based patterns? The answer is an indisputable yes" (2001, p. 294).
Conclusion
In a day and age where a "culture of fear" is being foisted on the American public by politicians and the media alike, critical thinking skills have become more important that ever. The research showed that there are a number of fallacies that can adversely affect the critical thinking process, and these techniques are widely used by those who are unable or unwilling to prosecute their points in a straightforward and reciprocal manner. The research also showed that three common fallacies are ad hominem arguments, which are personal attacks on the answerer himself; the false dilemma, wherein an insufficient number of alternative outcomes are presented to develop an informed decision; and the straw man fallacy, which is the misrepresentation of an opponent's position to divert attention away from the true issues under consideration. In the final analysis, these and other fallacies represent a major threat to critical thinking skills.
References
Baarsma, W. (2002). Shafer v. South Carolina: Another missed opportunity to remove juror ignorance as a factor in capital sentencing. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 93(1), 23.
Entine, J. (2001, September). The straw man of 'race.' World and I, 16(9), 294.
Hutchenson, M. (2006). AP English Language Definitions. Retrieved July 4, 2006 at http://annahutcheson.tripod.com/id8.html.
Miller, M., & Wright, R. (2002). The screening/bargaining tradeoff. Stanford Law Review, 55(1), 29.
Spiro T. Agnew. (2006). Rotten.com Library. Retrieved July 4, 2006 at http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/usa/spiro-t-agnew/.…..... | https://www.helpmyessay.com/essays/fallacy-summary-and-application-paper-70879?utm_source=hms-e&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=papers |
A red herring in conversations is something that misleads or distracts from a relevant or important question.
It may be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion.
When it comes to rhetoric, the use of red herrings is operationalized through the concept of the red herring fallacy. The red herring fallacy is a logical fallacy where someone presents an irrelevant piece of information in an attempt to distract their opponent and the audience from the topic that is being discussed, or to shift the discussion in a new direction.
For example, if a politician is asked in an interview to explain how they feel about a certain policy, they might use the red herring fallacy by saying how they feel about a related topic instead, without actually answering the original question which they were asked.
Etymology
A dead red herring was often used to confuse or test the scent of a hunting dog. | https://www.wikispooks.com/wiki/Red_herring |
A Fallacy of Ambiguity, where the ambiguity arises from the emphasis (accent) placed on a word or phrase.
Affirmation of the Consequent
An argument from the truth of a hypothetical statement, and the truth of the consequent to the truth of the antecedent. In the syllogism below, P is the antecedent and Q is the consequent:
* P implies Q
* Q is true <— Affirming the consequent
* Therefore: P is true
If P then Q, therefore, if Q then P.
Example 1: "Nibiru's arrival will create an increase in natural disasters like earthquakes. A massive earthquake occurred in Japan this March; therefore, Nibiru is arriving."
Example 2: "Tomato-eating fairies invade peoples' gardens and leave behind partially-eaten tomatoes. I see you have partially-eaten tomatoes on your plants; therefore, you've got tomato-eating fairies living in your garden."
Ambiguity
An argument in the course of which at least one term is used in different senses. Also known as equivocation. There are several types of "fallacies of ambiguity," including Reification, Equivocation, Amphiboly, Composition, Division, and Accentus.
Example: "The Theory of Evolution is just that: a theory." (The word "theory" means something quite different in the scientific sense than it does in the everyday sense.)
Amphiboly
A type of Fallacy of Ambiguity where the ambiguity involved is of an "amphibolous" (equivocal, uncertain) nature. Amphiboly is a syntactic error. The fallacy is caused by faulty sentence structure, and can result in a meaning not intended by the author. "The department store now has pants for men with 32 waists." (How many waists do you have? I have only one!)
Appeal to Simplicity
Presenting something as true or desirable because of its perceived simplicity.
Example 1: "I'm just a down-home country boy; I might not know much about all this complicated sciencey stuff but I know all about patriotism, so elect me."
Example 2: "My opponent's solution is so complicated, but mine's so simple!"
Appeal to Vanity
Exactly what it sounds like: appealing to a person's vanity to win them over to your side. This is often done in advertising by making a product appear elite or classy through advertising, or by claiming that people are more intelligent or whatever if they take your side.
Example 1: "A clever/intelligent/spiritual/compassionate/etc person would be able to immediately see the merit of my proposition."
Example 2: "You're the best, so you deserve our product."
Appeal to Tradition
The fallacy of claiming that because something is traditional, it cannot be wrong and is above scrutiny.
Example: "There's nothing wrong with selling a twelve-year-old girl as a bride. It's tradition!"
Association Fallacy
The fallacy of deciding that something is good or bad depending on whether it is associated with someone or something that is generally perceived as good or bad.
Example 1: "Adolf Hitler believed in evolution. Therefore, believing in evolution is bad and wrong."
Example 2: "Alcoholism is bad. Therefore, drinking any alcohol is bad."
Example 3: "The guru teaches love and unity, so he/she must be a good person and must be telling the truth." (Many evil people taught love and unity - EG, Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler. It's an effective manipulation tool since it appeals to our idealistic sides.)
Argument From Personal Incredulity
The fallacy of assuming that you personally find something unbelievable, it cannot be true.
Example 1: "I don't see how ancient humans could have built the pyramids by themselves. Therefore, aliens must have been involved."
Example 2: "I cannot think of any natural mechanism to explain how a radio works. Therefore, it must be magic."
Argumentum ad Antiquitam (Appeal to Antiquity)
A fallacy of asserting that something is right or good simply because it is old or because "that's the way it's always been."
Example 1: "Of course my product works. The (insert culture here) have been using it for centuries."
Example 2: "Men have always been in charge and women have always raised the children, so that must be the best way to do things."
Argumentum ad Baculum (Appeal to Force)
An argument that resorts to the threat of force to cause the acceptance of the conclusion. Ad baculum arguments also include threats of fear to cause acceptance (e.g., "Do this or you'll go to Hades when you die!" or "Might makes right.").
Argumentum ad Consequentiam (Appeal to Consequences)
An argument that tries to base the likelihood of something based on how desirable or undesirable it is. The consequences needn't even be real.
Example 1: "If our beliefs are true, then life has value and meaning. If our beliefs aren't true, life has no value or meaning. Therefore, our beliefs are true." (This is also a false dichotomy.)
Example 2: "If you stop believing what we teach you/leave our group, you'll go insane/go broke/be damned for eternity. Therefore, you must believe what we teach you."
Example 3: "I believe in fairies, because believing in fairies makes me happy."
Argumentum ad Crumenam (Appeal to Wealth)
Fallacy of believing that money is a criterion of correctness; that those with more money are more likely to be right.
Argumentum ad Hominem (Personal Attack)
An argument that attempts to disprove the truth of what is asserted by attacking the speaker rather than the speaker's argument. Another way of putting it: Fallacy where you attack someone's character instead of dealing with salient issues. There are three basic types of ad hominem arguments: (1) abusive, (2) circumstantial, and (3) tu quoque: Meaning "You Too!"
Example 1: "You're obviously criticizing us because you're just jealous of our success."
Example 2: "You're a woman! You can't know anything about this!"
Example 3: "The only reason you'd argue so hard against us is if you worked for Them."
Argumentum ad Ignorantiam (Appeal to Ignorance)
An argument that a proposition is true because it has not been shown to be false, or vice versa. Ad ignorantium arguments are also known as "appeals to ignorance." This fallacy has two forms:
* P is true, because it has not been proven false.
* P is false, because it has not been proven true.
Example: "I believe vampires exist, because you can't prove they don't!"
Argumentum ad Lazarum (Appeal to Poverty)
A fallacy of assuming that because someone is poor he or she is sounder or more virtuous than one who is wealthier. This fallacy is the opposite of the informal fallacy "argumentum ad crumenam."
Argumentum ad Misericordiam (Appeal to Pity)
An argument that appeals to pity for the sake of getting a conclusion accepted.
Example 1: "The world is in such terrible shape. Children are starving and people are dying of starvation and disease. Me and my group are just trying to do some good in the world."
Example 2: "We provide hope for people who don't have any. Why would you want to take away their hope?"
Example 3: "I know she mistreated you, but she's your own mother! How could you cut ties with the woman who birthed and raised you?"
Argumentum ad Nauseam
The incorrect belief that an assertion is more likely to be true the more often it is heard. An "argumentum ad nauseum" is one that employs constant repetition in asserting a truth.
Argumentum ad Novitam (Appeal to Novelty)
A fallacy of asserting that something is more correct simply because it is new or newer than something else. Or that something is better because it is newer. This type of fallacy is the opposite of the "argumentum ad antiquitam" fallacy.
Argumentum ad Numeram (Appeal to the Masses)
A fallacy that asserts that the more people who support or believe a proposition then the more likely that that proposition is correct; it equates mass support with correctness.
Example: "There are so many people who believe that Elvis is still alive that there must be something to it!"
Argumentum ad Populum (Appeal to Popularity)
An argument that appeals to the beliefs of the multitude (i.e., the "populace"). Another way of putting it: Speaker deals with passions of audience rather than with salient issues. Ad populum arguments often occur in (1) propaganda, (2) demagoguery, and (3) advertising.
Example: "Come join us to worship the Great Lord Snorglefroz. One million people can't be wrong!"
Argumentum ad Temperantiam (Argument to Moderation)
The fallacious assumption that when two opposing claims are made, the truth must lie somewhere in the middle. Also known as Fallacy of the Golden Mean or False Compromise.
Example 1: "You thinks the moon is made of rock and you think the moon is made of cheese. Did either one of you ever consider that it might be made of both?"
Argumentum ad Verecundiam (Appeal to Irrelevant Authority)
An argument in which an authority is appealed to on matters outside his/her field of authority. "Ad verecundiam" also refers to a fallacy of simply resorting to appeals to authority.
Example 1: "Dr. Brilliant Astrophysicist says that we could achieve world peace if we all stopped eating meat."
Example 2: "Even Mr. Clever Chemist believes the apocalypse will happen soon!"
Bifurcation
Also referred to as the "black and white" fallacy, bifurcation is the presentation of a situation or condition with only two alternatives, whereas in fact other alternatives exist or can exist.
Example 1: "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Note that there can be some truth to this: if you choose to stay "neutral" on an issue where one side clearly has an advantage over the other, you are essentially aiding the more powerful side by simply staying out of their way.
Example 2: "Either the universe came about all by itself, or it was created by the God of the Bible just as Genesis describes."
Circular Reasoning
See "Begging the Question".
Circulus in Probando
See "Begging the Question".
Composition
An argument in which one assumes that a whole has a property solely because its various parts have that property. Composition is a type of Fallacy of Ambiguity .
Example: A single cell has no consciousness. People are made of cells; therefore, people are not conscious.
Cherry Picking
See: Observational Selection
Converting a Conditional
See Affirming the Consequent
Cum Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc (Correlation Equals Causation)
A and B occurred simultaneously, therefore A and B are related. A fallacy of correlation that links events because they occur simultaneously; one asserts that because two events occur together they are causally related, and leaves no room for other factors that may be the cause(s) of the events. This fallacy is similar to the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy.
Example 1: As New Age beliefs gained popularity, heart disease increased. Therefore, New Age beliefs cause heart disease.
Confusion of Correlation and Causation
See Cum Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Denial of the Antecedent
An argument in which one infers the falsity of the consequent from the truth of a hypothetical proposition, and the falsity of its antecedent.
* P implies Q
* Not-P
* Therefore: Not-Q
Example 1: "If it's snowing outside, then the weather must be cold. It isn't snowing right now, so it can't be cold outside."
Dicto Simpliciter (Sweeping Generalization)
This fallacy occurs when a general rule is applied to a particular situation in which the features of that particular situation render the rule inapplicable. A sweeping generalization is the opposite of a hasty generalization.
Example 1: "You promised you'd be there for me no matter what, so you have to help me rob the bank."
Example 2: "Forcing people to do things against their will is wrong. Therefore, it's wrong to make people with severe paranoid schizophrenia take their medication if they don't want it."
Division
An argument in which one assumes that various parts have a property solely because the whole has that same property. Division is a type of Fallacy of Ambiguity.
Example 1: "If you put pure sodium into water, you'll create an explosion. Therefore, water is explosive."
Example 2: "People are conscious. People are made of cells. Therefore, cells are conscious."
"Don't you have more important things to worry about?"
An attempt to divert attention from the issue at hand by appealing "more important" problems. It is a fallacy because it makes no attempt to deal with the subject under discussion. See also Red Herring.
Enumeration of Favorable Circumstances
See Observational Selection
Excluded Middle
See Bifurcation
Equivocation
An argument in which an equivocal expression is used in one sense in one premise and in a different sense in another premise, or in the conclusion. Equivocal means (1) of uncertain significance; not determined, and (2) having different meanings equally possible. Equivocation is a type of Fallacy of Ambiguity. The opposite of equivocation is "unequivocation," in which a word always carries the same meaning through a given context. Equivocation is a type of Fallacy of Ambiguity.
Euphemism
The act of replacing an offensive or obnoxious term with something that sounds more pleasant. For example, calling a war a 'police action,' 'armed incursion,' 'protective reaction strike,' 'pacification,' safeguarding American interests,' etc.
False Analogy
An analogy is a partial similarity between the like features of two things or events on which a comparison can be made. A false analogy involves comparing two things that are NOT similar. Note that the two things may be similar in superficial ways, but not with respect to what is being argued.
An example of this would be the way crackpots who are shunned by legitimate scientists compare themselves to Galileo. The analogy is invalid because Galileo's opponents were not other scientists, but the Catholic Church. An accurate comparison to Galileo's situation would be the way some religious groups have stymied and prevented education about evolution and global warming.
False Dichotomy
See Bifurcation
Genetic Fallacy
A fallacy wherein the origin of a thing or claim is used to attack or elevate the thing/claim, rather than the actual significance or merits thing/claim itself.
Example 1: "I was brought up to believe that this interpretation of the Bible is correct. Therefore, his interpretation is wrong."
Example 2: "'Fag' isn't a homophobic slur; it originally meant 'piece of wood.'"
Guilt-Tripping
Some individuals or groups will try to make you feel guilty for questioning them and/or not following their beliefs and/or actions.
Example 1: "How can you hate on a bunch of people who are just trying to help others?" (Just because you're trying to help people doesn't mean you are. You might even be making things worse.)
Example 2: "You should finish your dinner. Other children out there are going hungry!"
Example 3: "The leader has sacrificed so much for the cause. Would you really abandon him like that after all he's done for us?" (What the leader has or hasn't done has no bearing on whether the cause is just.)
Example 4: "You should just be grateful she did this for you. After all, it's the thought that counts."
Hasty Generalization
An argument in which a proposition is used as a premise without attention given to some obvious condition that would affect the proposition's application. This fallacy is also known as the "hasty generalization." It is a fallacy that takes evidence from several, possibly unrepresentative, cases to a general rule; generalizing from few to many. Note the relation to statistics: Much of statistics concerns whether or not a sample is representative of a larger population. The larger the sample size, the better the representativeness. Note also that the opposite of a hasty generalization is a sweeping generalization.
Example 1: "I know all atheists hate religion, because the atheists I keep seeing on YouTube are all anti-religious."
Example 2: "I have a few friends who belong to your group and they don't think what we're doing is offensive, so you're clearly overreacting."
Hypostatization
See Reification
Ignoratio Elenchi (Irrelevant Conclusion)
An argument that is supposed to prove one proposition but succeeds only in proving a different one. Ignoratio elenchi stands for "pure and simple irrelevance."
Illicit Process
A syllogistic argument in which a term is distributed in the conclusion, but not in the premises. One of the rules for a valid categorical syllogism is that if either term is distributed in the conclusion, then it must be distributed in the premises. There are two types of Illicit Process: Illicit Process of the Major Term and Illicit Process of the Minor Term.
Inconsistency
e.g., Consider it reasonable for the Universe to continue to exist forever into the future, but judge absurd the possibility that it has infinite duration into the past.
Interrogation
The question asked has a presupposition which the answerer may wish to deny, but which he/she would be accepting if he/she gave anything that would count as an answer. Any answer to the question "Why does such-and-such happen?" presupposes that such-and-such does indeed happen.
Meaningless Question
(e.g., What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? But if there is such a thing as an irresistible force, there can be no immovable objects, and vice versa);
Misunderstanding Statistics
e.g., President Dwight Eisenhower expressing astonishment and alarm on discovering that fully half of all Americans have below average intelligence.
Moving The Goalpost
Changing the goal you gave your opponent so you can avoid admitting defeat.
An example of this would be young Earth creationists who ask for evidence of evolution. When shown any number of documented cases for evolution, they claim that these are all examples of microevolution and what they want are examples of macroevolution. In fact, "macroevolution" is just a lot of what they call "microevolution" over long periods of time. They might as well ask for proof that oaks grow from acorns by demanding that someone produces an oak tree that grows to full maturity overnight.
Non Causa Pro Causa (False Cause)
An argument to reject a proposition because of the falsity of some other proposition that seems to be a consequence of the first, but really is not.
Non-Sequitur ("It does not follow")
An argument in which the conclusion is not a necessary consequence of the premises. Another way of putting this is: A conclusion drawn from premises that provide no logical connection to it.
Example 1: "Archaeologists have found stone age statuettes of the female body in Europe. This proves we used to be matriarchal."
Example 2: "Many famous people were mocked and laughed at before they were taken seriously, so laugh at me now, because my research will be famous!"
Observational Selection
Also called the enumeration of favorable circumstances, or as the philosopher Francis Bacon described it, 'counting the hits and forgetting the misses"
Example 1: A state boasts of the presidents it has produced, but is silent on its serial killers.
Example 2: Many professional "psychics" depend on people making this error. They will bombard clients with a series of questions and statements (a technique known as "shotgunning.") The client will usually latch onto the most accurate statements and forget the inaccurate statements because they want to believe the psychic is real.
Petito Principii (Begging the Question)
An argument that assumes as part of its premises the very conclusion that is supposed to be true. Another way of saying this is: Fallacy of assuming at the onset of an argument the very point you are trying to prove. The fallacy is also sometimes referred to as "Circulus in Probando," or "circular reasoning." The argument assumes its conclusion is true but DOES NOT SHOW it to be true. It has two forms:
* P is true, because P is true.
* P is true, because A is true. And A is true because B is true. And B is true because P is true.
Example 1: "This book is true because the author says it's true." (In fact, many stories that claim to be accurate representations of real events… aren't.)
Example 2: "This ex-member of the Illuminati is telling the truth because he's Christian now, and a Christian wouldn't lie."
Example 3: "Our ancestors didn't try to domesticate and conquer the world like people do today because they respected Mother Earth."
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc ("This happened before that, therefore this was the cause")
An argument from a premise of the form "A preceded B" to a conclusion of the form "A caused B." Simply because one event precedes another event in time does not mean that the first event is the cause of the second event. This argument resembles a fallacy known as a Hasty Generalization.
Example: "Just before I got into a fight with my girlfriend, I ate a carrot. Carrots must make me more prone to getting into fights."
Plurium Interrogationum (Many Questions)
A demand for a simple answer to a complex question, or for someone to answer a flurry of questions that they cannot possibly process. See also the Gish Gallop.
Poisoning The Well
The act of delegitimizing one's opponent before the opponent has even had the chance to make their case. A subtype of Ad Hominem attack.
Example 1: "Obviously this website is run by the government1 as a cover-up."
Example 2: "You can't believe anything our opponents say. Their hearts are corrupted by darkness."
Example 3: "Anyone who calls us crackpots is really working for Them."
Quaternio Terminorium (Fallacy of Four Terms)
An argument of the syllogistic form in which there occur four or more terms. In a standard categorical syllogism there are only three terms: a subject, a predicate, and a middle term.
Red Herring
A fallacy when irrelevant material is introduced to the issue being discussed, such that everyone's attention is diverted away from the points being made, and toward a different conclusion. It is not logically valid to divert a chain of reasoning with extraneous points.
Reification
To reify something is to convert an abstract concept into a concrete thing. Reification is a Fallacy of Ambiguity. Reification is also sometimes known as a fallacy of "hypostatization".
Secundum Quid
See Hasty Generalization
Shifting the Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is always on the person making the assertion or proposition. Shifting the burden of proof, a special case of "argumentum ad ignorantium," is a fallacy of putting the burden of proof on the person who denies or questions the assertion being made. The source of the fallacy is the assumption that something is true unless proven otherwise.
An example of this would be people who insist that you prove that Elenin isn't a brown dwarf, when in fact the burden of proof is on them - they need to demonstrate that it is a brown dwarf.
Short Term vs. Long Term
A subset of the excluded middle. (e.g., We can't afford programs to feed malnourished children and educate pre-school kids. We need to urgently deal with crime on the streets.)
Slippery Slope
Related to the excluded middle. (e.g., If we allow abortion in the first weeks of pregnancy, it will be impossible to prevent the killing of a full-term infant. Or, conversely: If the state prohibits abortion even in the ninth month, it will soon be telling us what to do with our bodies around the time of conception)
Someone Has It Worse Than You
This is an attempt to delegitimize what a person is saying by claiming they have no right to complain about something because somebody has it worse. It is a fallacy because it makes no attempt to deal with the subject under discussion.
Special Pleading
Special pleading is a logical fallacy wherein a double standard is employed by the person making the assertion. Special pleading typically happens when one insists upon less strict treatment for the argument he/she is making than he or she would make when evaluating someone else's arguments.
An example of this are people who claim that comedians should get a free pass for using slurs and ethnic stereotypes that wouldn't be acceptable anywhere else simply because it's comedy, as if being ''comedy'' somehow makes it exempt from the same scrutinies as any other form of entertainment.
Statistics of Small Numbers
A close relative of 'Observational Selection'. Having an inadequate sample size to prove one's conclusion.
Example: "Gay people love wearing clothes like that. I know because I have a gay friend, and he wears clothes like that all the time."
Straw Man
It is a fallacy to misrepresent someone else's position for the purposes of more easily attacking it, then to knock down that misrepresented position, and then to conclude that the original position has been demolished. It is a fallacy because it fails to deal with the actual arguments that one has made.
Example 1: "Evolutionists say life appeared when lightning hit a puddle!"
Example 2: "How could you criticize us when we just want to help the world? What's your problem with people trying to do good?" Many abusive groups and organizations use this line or a variation of it.
Suppressed Evidence/Half-Truths
(e.g., An amazingly accurate and widely quoted "prophecy" of the assassination attempt on President Reagan is shown on television; but was it recorded before or after the event?)
Example: "Scientists use carbon-14 dating to determine the age of Egyptian artifacts. But simply touching the artifact will contaminate it and give false results." As if every artifact ever found has been fatally contaminated and scientists don't know how to account for contamination when it does happen.
Tu Quoque (You, Too!)
When a person attempts to delegitimize their opponent by pointing out that the opponent is engaged in behavior that is just as bad, if not worse. It is a fallacy because it makes no attempt to deal with the subject under discussion.
Example: "You have no room to criticize me for what I do when what you do is just as bad!"
Undistributed Middle
A syllogistic argument in which the middle term of a categorical syllogism is not distributed in at least one of the premises.
Example: "Alien spacecrafts come from space. Comets come from space. Therefore, comets are alien spacecrafts."
Weasel Words
Weasel words are essentially empty words and meaningless phrases that are used to mislead the listener or reader into thinking more is being said than actually is. In the following examples, the weasel words are bolded:
Example 1: Experts agree that Nibiru is coming in 2012. Who are these experts?
Example 2: Many ancient prophecies predict Guru Lulu. Which ancient prophecies?
Example 3: Many feel the secularization of American culture is contributing to the decay of society. Who are these "many?" Also, feelings ain't necessarily fact. | http://2012hoax.wikidot.com/fallacies |
Resonance tuning of cabinets is critical because the cabinet´s main purpose is to provide the drivers the environment to perform at their best. In contrast to a musical instrument, in which the beauty of the sound is created by the resonant support lent by the body or cabinet, a speaker cabinet should be neutral, to the exclusion of additional resonances and vibrations. Our speaker cabinets are designed using the latest computer analysis techniques (Finite Element Analysis) and critical measurements to ensure that they are structurally inert, and extensive listening is conducted to verify the theories in practice.
One of our analysis techniques records the strength of vibrations with “accelerometers.” For example, cabinets are scanned to assess the location and amplitude of vibrations. As a result of using this technique to analyze many prototypes, we found that it is vital to the sound to spend extraordinary effort in finding the exactly defined and tested position of a bracing point. That´s why even a relatively small speaker like MOZART features two full-depth braces, forming three chambers, and two additional position-defined short-braces. A single, well-placed brace can reduce the radiation down to a tenth of the original level of the unbraced cabinet.
Obviously the front-baffle, housing drivers that produce astounding levels of energy, plays an important role and must offer true stability, which can be achieved by mass and stiffness. That´s why all of our speakers feature extraordinarily massive front-baffles, ranging from 30 mm (1.2 inches) up to 40 mm (1.6 inches), depending on the application.
An additional cause of potential sonic degradation, is the so-called “standing waves” within a cabinet. We were able to eliminate them through several means, one being the formation of chambers of three different lengths within cabinets (especially floorstanders). The chambers prevent a single wave from being amplified by three identical frequencies; moreover, these three lengths are in a proportion to even decrease one another. Furthermore, the cabinets are created with full-depth braces that are intentionally asymmetrical, dividing them internally into non-uniform shapes wherever possible. The cabinet division has an additional important effect: It limits the maximum lengths a standing wave has at its disposal, which is vital. We discovered through a series of tests that consistency and perfect positioning of the natural fibre internal damping can achieve only so much, because the damping materials are able to absorb solely mid and high frequencies, the higher the frequency the better the absorption. They are not able to absorb low frequencies, e.g., 100Hz. However, our small internal chambers prevent low frequencies (because the shorter the length of the wave, the higher the frequency), and as a result the damping material in our cabinets is able to absorb the rest of resonances.
In addition to all of the measures above for quieting the enclosures, there is another reason for making the cabinets as massive as we do – the internal pressure caused by the bass system is more easily controlled.
Some of our floorstanding models feature an additional hidden chamber, accessible through the base, that may be filled with sand for the final touch in system tuning. The sand increases mass and inserts thousands of energy absorbers (through the movement of the individual grains). This simple augmentation results in enhanced smoothness and clarity, for the ultimate in refinement.
Finally, all of our designs feature narrow front baffles, created so slim to minimize early reflections, allowing the sound to release freely into the room and thereby enabling holographic depth in imaging. Also, the baffles are carefully curved on all four edges to limit box-edge diffraction effects. | http://www.vienna-acoustics.com/index.php/the-music-company/music-through-technology/cabinet-technology |
NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Sound has the ability to uplift us, especially when those frequencies are operating within a higher vibration than we are. When we expose ourselves to higher vibrations the principles of resonance apply and our vibrations begin to shift coming into resonance with the higher vibrations. We integrate breath work, asanas and meditation throughout the class to allow the body to be in full receivership of a truly transformative healing session.
Sound therapy, through the use of our voice and sonic tools with specific frequencies, can bring our own vibrations into right relationship, clearing out stagnation and unlocking dormant energies that allow us to tap into our full potential. The very basis of sound healing is simply the concept that everything is in a state of vibration. Everything in the universe vibrates, and everything that vibrates imparts or impacts information. The shifts that occur within the energy field of the mind and body are profound and have a ripple effect throughout our lives. Our mind, body, and spirit unfolds new levels of insights as we tune into our own subtle vibrations and resonate within our own energetic laboratory of sound.
Sound is an amazing tool for transformation. It has the ability to take that which is vibrating out of ease and put it back into ease, balance, and harmony. This can include not only our physical bodies, but also our emotional, mental, and spiritual ones. In addition, sound can affect, alter, and enhance our consciousness. It has the power to actually shift our overall vibratory rate, causing imbalances and disharmonious vibrations to drop away.
Benefits of Sound Therapy include:
• Increased Energy
• Deep Relaxation
• Stress Reduction
• Enhanced Health & Vitality
• Brain Hemisphere Balancing
• Release of endorphins
• Activation of the Chakras
• Immunological Enhancement
• Improved Self-Esteem
• Increased Mental Clarity
• Deep Meditation
• Expanded Consciousness
I grew up in a household that held a lot of old programming and limiting beliefs. I come from a place of deep fears, suffering from insecurities, anxieties and depression, and really questioning why I am here. My journey into the Universe, the body mind connection and the human condition stems from wanting to get to know myself and heal my trauma.
My background includes many titles and I’ve gained so much from each of the teachers, mentors and gurus that I’ve had along the way but when I trained with Jonathan Goldman and Lama Tashi (pioneers of the modern Sound Healing movement) back in ’02 it really unlocked something deep within me. It was the first time that I could see beyond my fears and I experienced a profound sense of peace. I have been working with sound ever since.
Each class is completely unique. I am honoured to teach these classes and have an extensive collection of sonic tools that I draw from. It is my passion to create an experiential process that allows students and clients to have profound shifts in their lives. I tune into the energies that will be presenting themselves and allow the Universe to guide me in serving all those present for their greatest and highest good.
Much Love, | https://yogasantosha.ca/featured-class-yoga-and-sound-therapy/ |
DMSP Submission 1 – Music and Emotion
The purpose of this year’s Brain Drain DMSP project is to use electroencephalography (EEG) readings to monitor an individual’s emotional reaction to stimuli – stimuli in this case being sound. An EEG headset will measure brain activity, which is decoded into numerical values between 0-1 for four separate moods; engagement, meditation, excitement, frustration. These ‘mood’ readings are based on the strength of the alpha, beta, theta, and delta brainwaves. These numerical values will then be used to control visual output, hopefully providing insight towards the individual’s emotional response to sound. The sound will be ‘composed’ in real-time, with a level of user-control being provided to the audience. The conclusion of the project will be an interactive installation combining each of these elements, with the aim to create an immersive and enjoyable, yet informative, experience.
This report will discuss the main theoretical concepts underlying the project, with a focus on sound and its intended emotional effect on the user. Decision-making regarding sound will be supported by studies in the field linking music/sound and emotional/cognitive response. Installation setting and audience participation will also be discussed, considering a way to include an element of user-control that allows for freedom and enjoyment for the audience, but ensures an interesting and effective installation.
“All musical emotions occur in a complex interplay between the listener, the music, and the situation.” (I. Deliège, pg 118)
Before analysis of sound and how it may be used to evoke emotion, consider the point made in the above quote. Emotional response to music or sound cannot simply be thought of as a direct result of a specific timbre, phrase, or sequence of notes, but that of a range of factors. Therefore, to reach the goal of making the stimulus effective in this project, looking beyond the sound itself is essential. Although sound is the main stimulus for the performer, the location and audience participation may play as vital a role.
The size and shape of the performance space will determine how the sound will travel and reverberate. Size and shape, along with building materials, determine dampening/attenuation of specific frequencies within the audible range due to standing waves formed between hard, parallel surfaces, and absorption of softer surfaces. Audience participation may interfere with sound or distract the performer, preventing meditation and engagement or evoking frustration. “A significant proportion (approximately 40%) of musical emotion episodes seem to occur when the listener is alone” (I. Deliège, pg 119), perhaps suggesting that separating the audience and the performer may be the best way to obtain strong emotional response in the installation. Deliège also suggests “musical emotion episodes are most prevalent in the evening” and “more frequent during weekend days than weekdays”, highlighting time as another important factor in perception and emotional response to sound.
Undeniably, we must tread carefully when designing sound with the intention of inducing a reaction in a setting that has largely been undefined. This said, there are a number of sonic features that we can look to emphasize in order to lead the performer towards a certain mind state. | https://dmsp.digital.eca.ed.ac.uk/blog/braindrain2014/robbie-christie/ |
Modeling has become an important tool for making musical instruments today. Models are used to capture how instruments interact with their environments and how they respond to different musical parameters.
It can be used to create realistic simulations of musical instruments and to develop new instruments with innovative sounds and features.
In this article, we will explore modeling in more detail and discuss the possibilities for using it with musical instruments.
In this post we'll cover:
- 1 Definition of Modeling
- 2 Types of Modeling
- 3 Applications of Modeling
- 4 Benefits of Modeling
- 5 Conclusion
Definition of Modeling
Modeling is an important technique in the production of musical instruments. It involves using special software to create a virtual model of an instrument that captures the physical characteristics of a real-world instrument, such as its sound, size, shape, materials and construction process.
This model can then be used to generate realistic sounds that mimic the characteristics of the recorded physical model.
The modeling process begins by capturing data from the physical instrument, such as its sound pressure levels (SPLs) or digital samples. The data is then used to create a mathematical or algorithmic representation of the instrument’s behavior. This virtual representation is used as a starting point for creating various types of custom models that can be manipulated and changed as desired.
The resulting digital model can also be programmed with additional features, like automatic volume adjustment or modulation effects. This makes it possible to create instruments with more complex and nuanced sounds than could otherwise be achieved from playing a single instrument in isolation without any effects processing applied.
Modeling technology has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, enabling musicians to customize their instruments for more personalized playing experiences. Such advances have increased both the capability and affordability of modern musical instruments, making them more accessible than ever before for people who are interested in exploring different music genres and styles.
Overview of Modeling Technology
Modeling technology is the use of computer software to simulate real-world physical systems and processes, for applications such as sound modeling in musical instruments.
In this context, modeling refers to the ongoing research and development of techniques used to systematically replicate acoustic phenomena that occur in physical environments. Models are created through a combination of physical measurements, digital signal processing techniques, and mathematical equations. The goal is to accurately capture and reproduce the behavior of a given environment or device while avoiding artifacts and excessive computational resources.
Musical instruments equipped with modeling technology employ processor-based synthesis techniques that allow them to imitate the tones of traditional acoustic instruments, as well as various effects processors used in recording studios. Depending on the modeler’s sophistication, digital tone generation can vary from relatively simple parameter adjustment engines (such as equalizer settings) to complex simulation engines capable of replicating virtually any natural sound. Modeling can also be combined with analog circuitry for more complex sounds.
Types of Modeling
Modeling is the process of taking an acoustic or electrical signal and using it to generate a similar sound. It is a popular technique used in music production, and has become increasingly popular in recent years.
There are a variety of different types of modeling that are used in music production, each having its own unique benefits. This section will cover each type of modeling and explain what it can be used for in musical instruments:
Physical Modeling
Physical modeling is a type of sound synthesis technique that uses digital signal processing (DSP) and algorithms to emulate the behavior of acoustic music instruments, sounds and effects. The sound production is based on a mathematical model of an instrument’s sound producing structures and circuit components and is empirical in nature. Usually this algorithm does not involve sampling or physical instruments, instead the system makes abstract representations of the instrument and component behaviors.
Physical modeling can range from simple models such as single-oscillator synthesizers to complex ones involving multiple physical objects, acoustic fields or particle systems. The essence of physical modeling lies in using fewer computationally intense processes to simulate complex phenomena that cannot easily be accomplished with traditional synthesis techniques. Some of the more common components used in physical models include Fourier Series Transformation (FST), non-linear dynamics, modal parameters for resonant behavior, and real-time control schemes for articulation modulation.
In terms of musical instrument synthesizers, physical modeling provides synthesis capabilities traditionally found within sample-based emulations but may be limited by comparison when it comes to imitating rare, unique or vintage instruments due to lack of specific component parameters used in the model itself. However, advancements in technology continue to bring improvements such as higher fidelity sounds that are closer than ever before to their real world counterparts.
Digital Modeling
Digital modeling is a process that uses computer-based technology to produce digital representations of physical devices. Digital modeling creates detailed models of existing physical devices, such as instruments, and produces exact replicas with digital means for use in virtual environments. It involves creating both the sound and the look of the device, so that it can be used in software or hardware applications.
Digital modeling can also be used to create new instruments that don’t exist in the real world. By using programmatic algorithms, sound designers can construct sounds and models entirely from scratch. This type of synthesis is commonly referred to as “algorithmic synthesis” or “physical modeling”, and takes advantage of modern computing power to generate complex instrument models.
There are many different types of digital modeling architectures, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Examples include acoustic synthesis methods such as sampled wavetable synthesis (sampling) or FM (frequency modulation), additive synthesis approaches such as additive granular synthesis (added oscillator tones) or subtractive synthesis (subtracting out harmonic overtones). Another type, granular sampling, has recently become popular for creating new textural sounds, combining small pieces of audio together into larger samples for use in virtual instrument patches.
Overall, digital modeling is an important tool for creating realistic-sounding instruments and effects from both existing physical sources as well as from source material created digitally from scratch. It combines both traditional signal processing techniques with modern computing technologies to bring amazing capabilities to sound designers that were not previously possible before this technology was developed.
Hybrid Modeling
Hybrid modeling combines physical modeling and sampling techniques to create more accurate and realistic sounds. Traditional sampling may struggle to recreate natural instruments such as drums and guitars but with hybrid modeling, the technology exists to capture all the nuances of a real instrument.
The process involves combining physical modeling of the actual sound wave produced by the instrument with a pre-recorded sample from a real-life performance or recording. The result is a deep, authentic sounding sonic recreation of the original source material. Hybrid modeling is especially useful in creating realistic digital synthesizers, such as virtual analogs that are designed to sound like classic hardware synthesizers.
By combining the two technologies, producers can incorporate live performance elements into their productions that were difficult or impossible before hybrid modeling was available. Hybrid models make it possible for producers to craft unique sounds by blending environmental audio simulations with recordings of virtual acoustic instruments.
Applications of Modeling
Modeling is a term used to describe the process of creating a digital representation of a real-world object or system. It can be used in various applications, such as engineering, video game design, and music production. In the music production context, it is used to accurately emulate instruments, amplifiers, and effects that are not available digitally.
Let’s take a look at the different applications of modeling for musical instruments:
Synthesizers
Synthesizers are digital devices used for creating and manipulating sound. Synthesizers are used in many different musical contexts, from audio compositions to live performance. Modeling is a form of synthesis technology, which allows the software to ‘model’ analog or acoustic waveforms into digital waveforms. This offers musicians great possibilities with their sound design and processing options. With modeling synthesizers, users can employ all kinds of different waveforms including circuit-bent sounds, sampled and granulated sounds, and so much more.
Within the field of synthesizers there are several major types of modeling synthesizers: subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis, FM synthesis and sampling-based synthesizers. A subtractive synthesizer uses basic harmonic components which can be dynamically shaped by user operated controls like pitch envelopes, resonance filters etc. An additive synthesizer follows a more complex approach whereby an arbitrarily complex waveform is constructed by continuously adding together multiple sine waves at various frequencies, amplitudes and phases. FM (Frequency Modulation) synthesis uses basic sinusoidal waveforms (though not the same ones as you would use in an additive synthesis instruments) where one or more sinusoid modulate in frequency along with a fixed carrier frequency resulting in new audible harmonic content generated by new side bands. Sampling-based synthesizers allow recording audio to be transformed as well extracted Harmonic/Time domain based features that help musically alter the recorded audio information into something usable within a music production context.
Modeled analog synthesizers have become extremely popular amongst today’s music makers due to their varied sound design capabilities, ease of usability with current computer technology and cost efficacy against purchasing classic analog instruments or converting them via hardware digitally recreate them in modern terms. Synthesis through modeling gives producers an infinite amount of sonic possibilities allowing them to create endless exciting tones with greater accuracy than ever before possible before modern technology made it possible!
Electric Guitars
Modeling guitars use modeling technology to produce lifelike sounds. This type of modeling aims to accurately recreate the sound of various instruments, and it is most often used in electric guitars. Modeling is a form of signal processing that uses sophisticated mathematical algorithms to recreate analog audio signals.
With electric guitars, these models are created by digitally recreating the resonance characteristics of an acoustic guitar body or speaker cabinet. In electric guitars, models can range from recreation of vintage tube amps or amplifiers from other manufacturers, to simulation of acoustic guitar or essential harmony tones such as those found in twelve-string and lap steel guitars.
To activate the model, players typically use a pedal with controls that allow them to choose shapes and sounds that mimic certain instruments. These tone presets can provide a great variety of musical textures – from warm and mellow tones on a clean channel up to edgier sounds on more intense gain settings.
By using modeling technology in combination with effects pedals, amplifier modeling and distortion boxes, players are able to combine various elements into one distinct sound that is unique to them – instead of having several separate pieces individually connected together as was often the case in days gone by! Modeling also allows for quick switching between tonal settings during live performances which gives players more flexibility during song transitions or when creating a particular sound for each piece they perform. In short, modeling has revolutionized electric guitar playing today!
Digital Pianos
Digital pianos are popular modern instrument that use technology and modeling to provide the most realistic piano sound and playing experience. Through advanced technologies, modelers are able to realistically replicate the acoustic properties of classic and vintage pianos, as well as generate entirely new timbre.
One popular technique employed in digital piano modeling is convolution. This involves capturing impulse responses of acoustic pianos and combining them with digital audio to create a more realistic-sounding sound. Examples of this include using multiple speakers (stereophonic sound) and adding elements such as reverberation and chorus effects.
Another popular modeling technique used in digital pianos is physical modelling. This incorporates physical parameters such as string tension, hammer tension, hammer mass and frequency response to generate a more realistic-sounding tone. In addition, electric pianos can also be modeled using sample libraries which allow for a great deal of customization not available on an acoustic instrument.
The applications of modeling can also be found in other electric instruments such as guitars, drums or keyboards. By taking an electric guitar or keyboard sound from a classic LP record or various studio sessions can help give electric instruments an authentic feel and unique character that is impossible to reproduce with the typical out-of-the-box sounds from today’s synthesizers or software synthesizers. Additionally, singers may employ vocal modeling plugins when recording vocals for a musical production to help make their voice ”larger” than life on the recording stage.
Benefits of Modeling
Modeling is a popular method used in many musical instruments and digital audio workstations to give users access to a variety of different sounds and textures. With modeling, users can create realistic sounds and textures in real-time without having to use traditional samples.
Let’s take a look at the key benefits of modeling and how it can help music creators:
Improved Sound Quality
When modeling is used in musical instruments, the goal is to create a more realistic sound, one that closely mimics the sound of real instruments. Through modeling, various components of the instrument can be simulated and enhanced to achieve a greater degree of accuracy. This improved sound quality provides a great way to explore and produce more complex sounds than ever before.
Modeling technology works by replicating the physical properties and behaviors of acoustic instruments and other sound sources. Complex mathematical algorithms are used to create digital models that accurately create faithful recreations of physical sounds such as guitar or bass strings, drums, cymbals and even orchestral instruments. These models are then combined with audio processing, editing and effects algorithms to craft richly detailed representations of acoustic sounds. As musical technology continues to progress, advances in modeling allow for further exploration and experimentation with sound creation.
Greater Flexibility
Modeled instruments offer players the tools to achieve a greater level of flexibility with their sound and performance. By eliminating the need for physical components, digital instruments can recreate sounds from different genres and styles with ease. The vast range of sounds offered by modeled instruments allows for a greater level of inspiration and creativity compared to traditional instruments.
In addition to providing access to a wide range of sounds, modeling technology also allows for a higher degree of control over the individual elements in an instrument’s sound. This includes the ability to adjust parameters such as envelope, attack, sustain, release and more, which helps players to shape the sound they want more precisely.
All these factors combine to create exciting new possibilities for musicians looking to explore different sonic textures. Modeled instruments provide an opportunity for programmed soundscapes that would not be achievable with acoustic or electric musical instruments alone. This is why modeling technology has become an integral part of modern music composition, allowing musicians to push sonic boundaries while maintaining control over their instrument’s unique sound palette.
Cost Savings
Modeling technology can provide cost savings to musicians, producers, and sound engineers. Because the technology is able to emulate the sounds of a variety of classic and modern musical instruments, there is no need to purchase different expensive pieces of equipment or invest in costly recording sessions. Moreover, modeling technology allows professionals to accurately mimic multiple instruments at the same time while still preserving signal quality. As a result, fewer hands are required during a recording session or musical performance resulting in time and money savings.
Additionally, since sound engineers are able to more easily create flawless recordings and mixes with modeling technology due to its ability to finely adjust signal processing parameters such as attack, sustain and decay times in an automated fashion, additional costs for retakes are minimized.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the use of modeling technology in musical instruments can provide Guitarists and other musicians powerful sound capabilities that were previously impossible. With its ability to emulate a wide variety of different instrument tones, control of playing dynamics, and tunable digital effects, modeling technology provides versatile and sophisticated sound design options for musical creators.
Modeling technology is used in many modern instruments to create high-quality tones that capture the fidelity required for professional recordings as well as live performance. It also makes it easier than ever for players to customize their sound and make it their own. This has ushered in a new era of expressive guitar playing that allows guitarists’ creativity to truly shine.
I'm Joost Nusselder, the founder of Neaera and a content marketer, dad, and love trying out new equipment with guitar at the heart of my passion, and together with my team, I've been creating in-depth blog articles since 2020 to help loyal readers with recording and guitar tips. | https://neaera.com/modeling/ |
Dynamics: In this article, the author explores the interpersonal dynamics between a music artist and a record producer or a music artist and a sound engineer. It mentions the need for the engineers and producer to know the psychology of an artist and to bring out insecurities in an artist. It offers suggestion for shared understanding to avoid mistrust and to give everyone their chance to give input.
On the Affective Potential of the Recorded Voice -Affective science increasingly concludes that the voice is a powerful tool for emotional communication. The process of creating a finished product by means of studio recording gives listeners the opportunity to engage in experiences of the voice that are quite unlike that which would be achieved in a traditional concert hall or live performance and even more so when compared with day-to-day speech. The audio production chain, from sound capture using particular sound recording techniques, to specific effects processing affords the engineer (or the vocalist themself) unparalleled access to shape the recorded voice, and thereby enhance the affective impact of the voice for the listener. This paper expands upon previous work presented at the 139th AES Convention in New York defining affective potential and considers a number of examples where one of the points in the production chain has been exploited to increase the affective impact of the voice (either deliberately or by happenstance), suggesting that the affective sciences might find the analysis of such applications of the recorded voice a fertile ground for future investigation of perceived affective correlates and their underlying musical, or more generally, acoustic, cues
Practical Production Analysis: Helping Students Produce Competitive Songs A common goal among music production educators is that upon completion of their studies, students will be able to produce songs that are competitive in today's market. The challenge is that we cannot begin to cover all the genres and subgenres in which students express interest. This paper introduces a simple production analysis method that not only helps students achieve the aforementioned goal, but also empowers them to modify the curriculum to fit their genre of choice. This method can also be used with students who have varying levels of skill. This paper addresses four core areas of proficiency (form, instrumentation, texture variation, and audio/production techniques), the classroom method, analysis process, and the benefits and challenges that were discovered
Nexus Work: Brokerage on Creative Projects - This study examined how brokers on creative projects integrate the ideas of others. We use the term "nexus work" to refer to brokerage requiring synthesis or integration, rather than just communication or transference of ideas. With an ethnographic investigation of 23 independent music producers in the Nashville country music industry, we examined how producers in the brokerage role fostered the integration of others' contributions throughout four phases of the creative process. We discovered that ambiguity was an inherent part of the collective creative process and identified three types: (1) an ambiguous quality metric (What makes a hit or constitutes success?); (2) ambiguous occupational jurisdictions (Whose claim of expertise entitles them to control the process?); and (3) an ambiguous transformation process (How should the work be done?). We show when each type of ambiguity became acute in the creative process and identify the practices producers used to leverage their brokerage role depending on the type of ambiguity confronted. In doing so, producers moved between two ideal conceptions of brokerage--as strategic actors extracting advantage from their position and as relational experts connecting others to foster creativity and innovation--to foster a collective creative outcome. | https://guides.library.berklee.edu/mp/maximizing_emotion_through_performance_arrangement_sound |
Step 1: the artist creates a song in terms of melody, harmony, rhythm, counterpoint melodies, counter-point rhythms and instrumentation – creativity following both technical and musical theory guidelines. This is then practiced and adjusted or moulded as required.
Step 2: the song then needs to be arranged, with appropriate instrumentation relative to the musical style (genre) of the song.
Step 3: once the song is considered to be finished, it needs to be recorded. An essential aspect of the production process is the performance of the musicians used in the tracking process. If the musicians are both technically proficient and aesthetically sensitive, then there is hope that the song could be captured as the songwriter or composer had intended the song to be. A great song needs to be performed in the best possible way in order for that song to stand and be considered as it was intended.
Step 5: Once this recording, or production process is complete – ie not further recording is required – the song needs to be mixed.
It is the role of the mixing engineer to take all of the recorded tracks and commit each of them to a final mixdown, in order to realise the pre-agreed qualities of the required end goal – the sum total of these tracks as being part of the cultural production artefact – in a balanced manner. This is the goal – the target – of mixing.
Mixing involves working on each track independently. Mixing is a constructive, engineering process, considering each of the recorded sound source elements – usually, but not necessarily, the instruments – that have been captured to tape as part of the tracking process. As outlined by Ownsinski (2013), the mixing process includes adjusting the amplitude levels and panning each instrument within each of these tracks, allowing each instrument to be heard within the balance of the mix – to sit within its own space – spectrally and dynamically. The mixing engineer usually also adds processing – sonic and automation –to the recorded process to embellish the tracks sonically and musically.
The mixing process therefore is both a technical and a creative process.
The mixing process is considered to be a technical process in terms of any auditory or sonic corrections required from the recording (tracking) process. This is usually required if for any reason there are deficiencies in either the recording or performance equipment; or the tracking or performance process. A mix engineer may assess the recorded assets as being deficient in either amplitude, their stereo position, or the actual recorded frequency range of the particular instruments.
The mixing process is considered to be a creative process as the mix engineer can influence the final tracks, by determining the relationship between multiple musical and sonic captured sound sources within the one track. Moylan (1992) agrees mixing is both a technical and an aesthetic process. Mixing requires the creation of a sound stage – width, depth and height – that is both congruent to the genre, but also allows the mix engineer to transport the listener to a land that they imagine, an environment that is congruent for the artist and the cultural production to exist. A good mixing engineer arranges the sound sources in a way that creates moments of interest for the listener, that engages them without them necessarily being conscious of the manipulation. Sometimes the mixing engineer may decide it is necessary to take what could have been a pure or natural sound or tone, and dress it up for the desired outcome – usually, for an audience’s entertainment. The degree of dress up used by a mixing engineer should be guided by the pre-agreed qualities of the required end goal; but often an experienced mix engineer is recruited for their experience and creativity. In this case, they will use techniques to create a soundscape – breadth, height, depth and dynamics -, along with a range of processing and automation techniques to add colour, interest, texture, space to highlight the existing or original song hooks, and also to add a range of extra hooks. There are after all, many options in the creative process.
However, as mixing involves working towards an end-goal of a cultural production where all of the sounds and tracks work as a homogenous whole, it is important that the mix engineer progressively builds a mix to a pre-agreed aesthetic. In order to facilitate this process, it is necessary to use a reference track to guide all of the participants in the production process at every step of the process. This reference track will suggest what type of song they are producing, the musical style (genre), the balance of what the finished tracks should become, and the degree of production creativity that it appropriate to include in the particular track. The pre-agreed reference track is especially important within the mixing stage. The mixing engineer will use a reference track – a track that they can make reference to regarding the overall balance of the desired artefact – as an agreement with the person directing the production process (known as key stakeholder – possibly the song-writer, artist, manager or record label owner) – of what this end-goal, the cultural production will sound similar to, musical style-wise, musically and sonically.
It is intended for this blog to continue in a series of Mixing blogs here (Page 2014).
Moylan, William. 1992. The art of recording: the creative resources of music production and audio. NY: Kluwer Academic Pub.
Senior, Mike. 2011. Mixing secrets for the small studio. Oxford: Focal Press. | https://davidlintonpage.com/2010/12/15/mixing-part-1/ |
In recent years, research has shown that the lower frequency portion of impact sound, down to 20 Hz, is of significant importance to residents’ perception in buildings that have lightweight timber floors. At low frequencies, the finite element method is a useful tool for predictive analysis. Impact sound frequency response functions, which are easily calculated using finite element software, are useful as they offer a common ground for studies of correlations between measurements and analyzes. On the measurement side, the tapping machine is well defined and has become the standard excitation device for building acoustics. When using a tapping machine, the excitation force spectrum generated – necessary to achieving experimental frequency force to sound response functions – is unknown. Different equipment may be used for excitation and force measurements and if a structure behaves linearly, the use of any excitation devices should result in the same frequency response functions. Here, an ISO tapping machine hammer is fitted with an accelerometer, enabling estimates of input force spectra. In combination with measurements of the sound in the receiver room, frequency response functions are then achieved using an ISO tapping machine. Various excitation devices have been used on a floor partition in a timber building and on a cross-laminated timber (CLT) lab. floor in order to compare the resulting frequency response functions. Structural nonlinearities are evident, implying that for accurate frequency response measurements in acoustically low frequencies, excitation magnitudes and characteristics that are similar to these which stem from human excitations, should preferably be used.
Funding details: Energimyndigheten; Funding details: Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas; Funding details: VINNOVA; Funding text 1: We would like to express our gratitude to those that have supported the work. The CLT floors were borrowed from the JSP2 project funded by Akademiska Hus. The measurements of the CLT floors were made within the BioInnovationen project FBBB, financed by VINNOVA, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish Research Council Formas and by the participating organizations. The analyzes here were made within the Intereg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerak project, Urban Tranquility. The measurements of the M-building were conducted within the ProWOOD research education program, funded by the Swedish Knowledge Foundation, Linænus University and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. Appendix A
The aim
of the project "Biobased building and living for the future" was to create conditions for increased use of bio-based products and services in the construction sector in Sweden and Europe and to increase the competitiveness of the Swedish timber manufacturing industry. The project has shown ways to develop E-commerce, parts of the production where increased digitalization leads to increased capacity and quality, as well as solutions for development of floor systems, external walls and tall timber buildings. The project has shown development opportunities to increase the use of bio-based products that implemented will increase competitiveness.
The project has been divided into eleven sub-projects to study the various aspects of external factors, market conditions and business models, process development and product development. Within each sub-project, several workshops have been carried out to jointly evaluate results and decide the next step in the sub-project. Through joint workshops, the partners have also been able to meet and share results across the sub-projects and spread knowledge and create networks within the industry. The last part is perceived as very valuable by both the companies and the academy / institute.
For the joinery value chain, a current situation analysis has been carried out and shown how the development of E-commerce platforms must be combined with process development in order to have a large effect. The results will be utilized in the companies' strategy work ahead. For the timber building value chain, demonstrators have shown development opportunities for both process and product development. The next step for the companies is to evaluate the various solutions linked to their own production conditions.
An increased share of multi-story buildings that have timber structures entails potential in terms of increased sustainability as well as human-friendly manufacturing and habitation. Timber buildings taller than two stories were prohibited in Europe until the 1990s due to fire regulations. In 1994, this prohibition was removed in Sweden. Thus, being a rather new sector, the multi-story timber building sector lags behind in maturity compared to the multi-story concrete sector. The low-frequency range down to 20 Hz has been shown to be important for the perception of the impact of sound in multi-story apartments with lightweight floors. This frequency range is lower than the one that has traditionally been measured according to standards and regulations. In small rooms, the measurement conditions tend to go from diffuse fields above 100 Hz to modal sound fields dominated by few resonances, below 100 Hz. These conditions lead to new challenges and to new possibilities for measurements and modelling. In the present research, a frequency response functions (FRFs) strategy aimed to simplify simulations and correlations between the simulations and test results was used. Measurements made indicate that, in the low frequencies, the highest sound pressures occur at the floor level opposite the ceiling / floor that is excited. By having an iterative measurement strategy with several microphones and making measurements until a required standard error is obtained, it is possible to gain a desired precision and information about the statistical distribution of both the sound fields and floor insulation performance. It was also found that, depending on the excitation source, the FRF from an excitation point on the floor above to the sound pressure at a microphone position in the room below may differ. This indicates that non-linearities in sound transmissions are present. Thus, the excitation source used in a test should be similar in force levels and characteristics to the real excitation stemming, for instance, from a human footfall, to achieve reliable measurement results. The ISO rubber ball is an excitation source that is close to fulfilling this need. In order to obtain an FRF, the impact force must be known. A rig that enables the impact force from a rubber ball to be measured was developed and manufactured. The results show that the force spectra are the same up to about 55 Hz, regardless of the point impedances of the floors excited in the tests. Similar results have been found by others in tests with human excitations. This means that FRFs up to about 55Hz can be achieved without actually measuring the excitation force. On the calculation side, finite element simulations based on FRFs may offer advantages. FRFs combined with the actual excitation force spectra of interest give the sound transmission. At higher frequencies, it is more important to extract the point mobilities of the floors and relate them to the excitation forces. By using an infinite shaft, sound transmission can be studied without involving reverberation time. The calculation methodology is used in the present research to evaluate different floor designs using FE models.
Linnaeus University Press, 2019. s. 162SerieLinnaeus University Dissertations ; 364
Disputation 2019-11-19, Södrasalen, Hus M, Växjö, 09:30 (Svenska)
Opponent: Hopkins, Carl, Professor
Handledare: Linderholt, Andreas, Dr. Nilsson, Börje, Professor
Forskningsfinansiär: KK-stiftelsen
Low-frequency impact sound insulation, down to 20 Hz, has a significant effect on humans' dissatisfaction due to noise in timber buildings. Today, the low-frequency procedure of the ISO 16283-2:2015 impact sound measurement standard covers the frequency range down to 50 Hz for the use of an ISO tapping machine, but does not yet cover the use of an ISO rubber ball. Here, microphone grid measurements were made in two small rooms that were excited by an ISO rubber ball from the rooms above. In each grid, 936 microphone positions were used to capture data representing the full spatial fields of impact sound pressures from 10 to 500 Hz for one excitation location for each room. The data show that the positions at the radiating ceiling surfaces have low maximum sound pressure levels compared to the pressure levels at the floors, especially in the floor corners. First, a measurement procedure to predict the maximum exposure of low-frequency sound in a room is proposed It is suggested that the maximum values for each frequency band in the corners opposite to the partition being excited (i.e., the floor corners) be used. Second, a procedure to predict the room average sound pressure level and the prediction's normal distribution is suggested. Iterative measurements with random microphone locations and random excitation locations are used. The advantage of this method is that the required precision and information about the sensitivity due to different excitation points are obtained.
Funding details: FEDER, European Regional Development Fund;
Impact sound below 100 Hz is an important issue for light weight timber buildings. It is also well known that finite element model simulations are more beneficial in the low frequency range than in higher frequencies due to the longer wavelengths allowing the element meshes to be coarser. Utilizing transfer functions to describe impact sound would imply simplifications to correlate data stemming from measurements and low frequency finite element models. If the impact force is known, the simulations become easier since there would not be any need for the modelling of the impact mechanisms, just calculations of the transfer functions which are then combined with the force spectrum to give the resulting sound pressure. The impact ball has shown to be in close resemblance with a human's excitation in the low frequency range which makes it a suitable excitation device. However, when its force spectrum is needed, it may be hard in practice to achieve that during a regular measurement since the ball is not easily equipped with a force gauge. Here, two different methods are investigated. An investigation of the repeatability of the force spectrum of the rubber ball in the low frequency range for floors having different mobilities is made. To enable this, an equipment for field measurements of impact force spectrum and potentially point mobilities using an ISO ball, is designed, manufactured and evaluated. Impact force measurements are made on lightweight timber as well as concrete floors, with different properties for comparisons. Within the lowest frequencies it is potentially possible to use one given force spectrum from the ISO ball together with impact sound measurements for the creation of impact force to sound transfer functions on different floors.
Timber is a renewable and human friendly construction material and thereby a potential solution to achieve life cycle sustainable buildings. However, it is clear that impact sound and vibrations wit hin the low frequency range still are challenges for wooden joist floors. Another challenge is the, mostly, larger building heights of wooden or hybrid floors compared to the heights of concrete floors. Using timber as the structural joist floor material could imply fewer stories due to maximum allowed building heights, which renders in less income in a building project. Accurate simulations of impact sound may decrease the need for prototypes; thus saving money and time in the timber building industry. Here, a hybrid joist floor consisting of wood, sand and steel is compared to a concrete floor in terms of radiated impact sound into a rectangular cavity. The hybrid floor is designed such that its mass distribution and globa l stiffness are close to the same properties of the concrete floor. Finite element models are used for simulations of the radiated transient sound induced by impact forces having the characteristics of human walking. The simulations indicate that similar surface mass and bending stiffness of a floor intersection give similar impact sound transmission properties around the first bending mode, while it is not necessary so at higher frequencies.
Funding details: National Space Biomedical Research Institute; Funding details: Knowledge Foundation; Funding details: University of Miami
SP, Innventia och Luleås Tekniska Universitet har genomfört en förstudie där man undersökte om nära-infrarött (NIR) data kan bidra till säkrare hållfasthetsbestämning av virke. För att göra det behövdes förutom NIR-data, dels data som konventionellt används i sågverk för att göra hållfasthets-uppskattningar, dels referensdata från mekanisk provning.
Följande data samlades in från 100 granplankor med dimensionen 3600*150*45 mm3:
1. mått, vikt, och därmed densitet,
2. egenfrekvenser via dynamisk excitering,
3. högupplösta NIR-bilder på 2 flatsidor av varje planka,
4. RGB och fibervinkeldata från flat- och kantsidorna,
5. röntgentomografibilder,
6. förstörande böjtestdata, med bestämning av lokal och global E-modul, och
7. kvalitativ inventering av brottyp och kvistposition.
Databasen är i sig en värdefull resurs och en god grund för fortsatt forskning och utveckling mot kun-skap och tillämpningar baserat på information som hittills inte utvärderats och nyttjats.
Virkesegenskaper som påverkar hållfasthet, såsom tjurved, kunde identifieras och visualiseras. Andra egenskaper som är viktiga hållfasthetsindikatorer, såsom egenfrekvens och densitet, kunde predikteras med multivariata modeller baserade på NIR-spektraldata. Inledande modellförsök visar att det går att prediktera global E-modul med multivariata modeller baserade på NIR-spektraldata med ungefärlig samma precision som industriell hållfasthetsbedömning med dynamisk excitering. De NIR-data som användes i modelleringen var dock bara medelvärden över hela plankan. Därför finns det god potential för bättre prediktion med mer riktade variabler, som speglar de spatiala variationerna i varje planka, t.ex. runt kvistar, vilket blir ämnet för ett eventuellt fortsättningsprojekt.
Projektet finansierades av Norrskogs Forskningsstiftelse, Stiftelsen Åforsk, Träcentrum Norr, och Södra Skogsägarnas Stiftelse för Forskning, Utveckling och Utbildning. Individer som medverkade i projektet inkluderar Gerhard Scheepers, Jörgen Olsson, Anders Lycken, Sven-Olof Lundqvist och Thomas Grahn (RISE Bioekonomi); och Olle Hagman (LTU). RemaSawco och JGA i Linneryd hjälpte också med insamlingen av fibervinkeldata.
The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first aim is to develop a numericalanalysis procedure, by combining FRFs from FE-models with analyticalformulas for sound emission and transmission from the ceiling anddownwards within a room with four walls. The aim is to, by applying thisapproach; accomplish a tool which calculates the relative impact soundbetween different joist floors, in the low frequency range. The second aim is tobenchmark a thin hybrid wooden based joist floor with similar thickness,surface weight and global bending stiffness as a concrete hollow core floorstructure. What will be the difference in sound transmission? The question isrelevant since it may be necessary to make thinner wood based joist floors inhigh rise buildings, if wood should stay competitive against concrete. Theresults show that the direct transmissions of impact sound are very similararound the first bending mode. As the frequency increases, the modes in thestructures differ significantly. Below 100 Hz, the concrete floor has 4 modes,while the hybrid joist floor has 9 modes. As the frequency increases the soundradiation characteristics differs. The results show that it is possible to havesimilar sound transmission properties around the first bending modes for ahybrid based joist floor and a hollow core concrete floor structure with similar thicknesses. At the first modes of the structure, the information about thesurface weight and global bending stiffness are useful for prediction of soundtransmission properties but for higher modes, they are not sufficient.
The FE-Model development of the joist floor made within the ProWOOD research education program,funded by the Swedish Knowledge foundation, Linnæus University and SP Technical Research Institute ofSweden. The further sound radiation analysis of the joist floors was made within the Intereg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerak project Urban Tranquililty.
In recent years research has shown that low frequency impact sound is of significant importance for inhabitants´ perception of impact sound in buildings with light weight wooden joist floors. The tapping machine is well defined as an excitation device and is a standard tool for building acoustics. However, the excitation force spectrum generated for each individual floor is unknown when using a tapping machine. In order to increase the possibilities to compare simulations to impact sound measurements, there is a need for improvement of impact sound measurement methods. By measuring the input force spectrum by a modified tapping machine and the sound in the receiver room, transfer functions can be achieved.In the light weight wooden building used for the evaluation test of the proposed method, structural nonlinearities are evident in the frequency response functions stemming from different excitation levels. This implies that for accurate FRF-measurements in low frequencies, excitation magnitudes that are similar to these stemming from human excitations should preferably be used.
The study was conducted within the ProWOOD researcheducation program, funded by the Swedish Knowledgefoundation, Linnæus University and SP TechnicalResearch Institute of Sweden.
An increased share of construction with timber is one possible way of achieving more sustainable and energy-efficient life cycles of buildings. The main reason is that wood is a renewable material and buildings require a large amount of resources. Timber buildings taller than two storeys were prohibited in Europe until the 1990s due to fire regulations. In 1994, this prohibition was removed in Sweden. Some of the early multi-storey timber buildings were associated with more complaints due to impact sound than concrete buildings with the same measured impact sound class rating. Research in later years has shown that the frequency range used for rating has not been sufficiently low in order to include all the sound characteristics that are important for subjective perception of impact sound in light weight timber buildings. The AkuLite project showed that the frequency range has to be extended down to 20 Hz in order to give a good quality of the rating. This low frequency range of interest requires a need for knowledge of the sound field distribution, how to best measure the sound, how to predict the sound transmission levels and how to correlate numerical predictions with measurements. Here, the goal is to improve the knowledge and methodology concerning measurements and predictions of low frequency impact sound in light weight timber buildings. Impact sound fields are determined by grid measurements in rooms within timber buildings with different designs of their joist floors. The measurements are used to increase the understanding of impact sound and to benchmark different field measurement methods. By estimating transfer functions, from impact forces to vibrations and then sound pressures in receiving rooms, from vibrational test data, improved possibilities to correlate the experimental results to numerical simulations are achieved. A number of excitation devices are compared experimentally to evaluate different characteristics of the test data achieved. Further, comparisons between a timber based hybrid joist floor and a modern concrete floor are made using FE-models to evaluate how stiffness and surface mass parameters affect the impact sound transfer and the radiation. The measurements of sound fields show that light weight timber floors in small rooms tend to have their highest sound levels in the low frequency region, where the modes are well separated, and that the highest levels even can occur below the frequency of the first room mode of the air. In rooms with excitation from the floor above, the highest levels tend to occur at the floor levels and in the floor corners, if the excitation is made in the middle of the room above. Due to nonlinearities, the excitation levels may affect the transfer function in low frequencies which was shown in an experimental study. Surface mass and bending stiffness of floor systems are shown, by simulations, to be important for the amount of sound radiated. By applying a transfer function methodology, measuring the excitation forces as well as the responses, improvements of correlation analyses between measurements and simulations can be achieved
Opponent:Kari, Leif, Professor
Handledare: Linderholt, Andreas, Lektor
ProjektProWoodSilent Timber BuildUrban TranquilityBioInnovation FBBB
Delarbeten: | http://ri.diva-portal.org/smash/person.jsf?pid=authority-person%3A33125 |
Exploring the use of audio to influence humans physically and psychologically as a means of non-lethal warfare methods throughout both the 20th and the 21st century.
nature, sources such as the Fuego volcano in Guatemala emitted 120 decibels of infrasonic sound ranging around 10Hz (Georgia State University, no date). It is with occurrences like this that calls for a large amount of infrasonic monitoring to counter natural disaster detection. Beyond the use of infrasound detection, this frequency range, of which is inaudible to us, has been researched throughout the decades to investigate its effects on the human body. One of which is it’s application to military usage.
“global ban on all research and development, whether military or civilian, which seeks to apply knowledge of the chemical, electrical, sound vibration or other functioning of the human brain to the development of human beings, including a ban on actual or possible deployment of such systems” (Giordano, 2014).
Thus, this may result in military bodies taking a critical view before the acceptance of research to be made. However, it is important to understand at this point within this study, that this does not just encompass infrasonic sound but also applies to ultrasonic sound too.
Infrasound has resulted in a large amount of interest within the creation of NLW. It is apparent that given the technical depth that infrasound can be applied to within weaponry, a very in depth analysis of each device would be required. The present chapter within this text will analyse research collated that will allow for a greater insight into the application of infrasound on the human body, thus allowing us to formulate a background before exploring the outcome of the research tested within this study.
This device, known as the ‘Wirbelwind Kanonew’ , is perhaps the only known fully developed infrasonic weapon created in order to physically effect it’s target, with the intention of countering enemy aircraft and infantry by creating a vortex of sound (Crab, 2008). Moreover, there are cases that perhaps suggest a possible application of infrasound to cause physical damage to the ear drum. (Harding, Bohne, Lee, & Salt, 2007) cites that frequency ranges around 4Hz, at high decibels, are perhaps able damage parts of the ear drum. The vibrational movement created by the infrasonic frequency result in large fluid movements of cochlear fluid, the intermixing of cochlear fluid is hypothesised to result in lasting damage. There are however, in contrary to this, studies also suggest the mechanisms of the ear have a normal reaction to infrasonic sound. As preciously mentioned, the central mechanism of the ear is the cochlear; within the cochlear there are two sensory cells, the inner hair cells (IHC) and the outer hair cells (OHC) (Cook, 1999). IHC responses are dependant on velocity and due to the fluid within the ear, the stimulus lowers as the frequency lowers; in contrast, OHC have a greater response to low frequency ranges such as infrasound. As a result, the effect of infrasound on IHC’s within the ear, could be suggested as inefficient thus resulting in infrasound’s effect on the ear, physically, being normal (Salt & Hullar, 2010). However, this does not suggest that the effect of infrasound on both IHC and OHC do not have a psychological effect on the brain. Exposure to levels above 80db between 0.5Hz and 10Hz causing these possible vibrational movements within the ear’s functions, are said to cause psychological changes such as fear, sorrow, depression, anxiety, nausea, chest pressure and hallucinations (ECRIP, 2008). It is the result of this effect in the middle ear, that (Goodman, 2010 p. 18) cites as being discovered by military personnel during World War 1 and World War 2.
The effect of emotional and psychological change as a result of infrasonic exposure can later be found during the second Indochina war. In 1973, The United States deployed the Urban Funk Campaign, a psychoacoustic attack during the war with the intention of altering mental states of their enemies (Goodman, 2010). The device utilised both infrasonic and ultrasonic frequencies, which emitted high decibel oscillations from a mounted helicopter onto the Vietnamese ground troops (Toffler, Alvin, & Toffler, 1995). Though there is no record of the specification of this device, one can assume that the U.S Military had tested the infrasonic frequency ranges in order to achieve a psychological effect on it’s targets. As previously cited by (Goodman, 2010), it is documented that the frequency range of 7Hz is thought to instil effects of uneasiness, anxiety, fear and anger. (Walonick, 1990) reports in a experiment that below 8Hz had caused agitation and uneasiness for participants. Goodman also supports this discussing “It has been noted that certain infrasonic frequencies plug straight into the algorithms of the brain and nervous system. Frequencies of 7 hertz, for example, coincide with theta rhythms, thought to induce moods of fear and anger.” (Goodman, 2010). It is within the psychological change that we begin to question the reasoning behind it, many of the studies in the next chapter of this study suggest that resonance is perhaps the reason as to why there could be an emotional and psychological change to human’s when exposed to infrasonic frequencies.
All objects have a property known as their resonant frequency, this involves the “re- enforcement of vibrations of a receiving system due to a similarity to the frequencies of the source” (Pellegrino & Productions, 1996). It is this property that is held within all matter, that we can apply sound as a means of resonance within the human body. It is resonance within the human body that is thought to create the psychological effects of that mentioned in the previous chapter.
It is apparent that the frequency range sitting around 7Hz has been widely discussed as changing a subject emotional state when exposed. As a result of this research, the study will gather primary research to understand the effect of 7Hz on the human body, and analyse the emotional effect it has within formulated within this study.
Brain Stem Reflex is the effect of the brain recognising the acoustic properties of a sound, signalling the brain to react instinctively. Much similar to that of the American ‘Long Range Acoustic Device’ discussed later within this section.
Evaluative conditioning is the effect of association between setting and sound; if the brain has heard a specific sound repeatedly in a specific setting, this triggers an emotional connection between the two.
Emotional contagion is the perception of emotion expressed in certain sounds, whether or not the audio sounds sad, the association is recognised by the brain as an expression of emotion.
Visual imagery relates to the brains association between a certain sound and a visual image or sensation.
Episodic memory is the effect of the brain recognising sound as a memory, evoking the thought of stations to which a memory of sound was present.
Sound expectancy is the brains mechanism of expecting how a sound will hear through previous experience.
It is these mechanisms within the brain that aid us to draw the association between techniques developed for military application and sound in order to alter the state of mind of subjects. Whether it is by creating resonance within the brain or allowing for association between a sound and setting, many key pieces of research provide insight into the use of these techniques. It is with these mechanisms that we can gain an understanding as to why audible sound can effect our mental state.
“His favourite tape was called “Wandering Soul,” and as we lifted out of Snuffy he explained, “what we’re doing today is psyching out the enemy. And that’s where Wandering Soul comes in. Now you’ve got to understand the Vietnamese way of life to realise the power behind Wandering Soul. You see, the Vietnamese people worship their ancestors and they take a lot of notice of the spirits and stuff like that. Well, what we’re going to do here is broadcast the voices of the ancestors — you know, ghosts which we’ve simulated in our studios. These ghosts, these ancestors, are going to tell the Vietcong to stop messing with the people’s right to live freely, or the people are going to disown them.” The helicopter dropped to within twenty feet of the trees. The PsyOps captain threw a switch and a voice reverberated from two loudspeakers attached to the machine- gun mounting. While the voice hissed and hooted, a sergeant hurled out handfuls of leaflets which made the same threats in writing.” (Pilger, 1986).
“A young Palestinian covers his ears from a sound, launched by a new weapon of the Israeli army, during a demonstration against the construction of Israel’s separation barrier at the West Bank village of Bil’in Friday, June 3, 2005. Israel is considering using an unusual new weapon against Jewish settlers who resist this summer’s Gaza Strip evacuation, a device that emits penetrating bursts of sound that send targets reeling with dizziness and nausea.” (Teibel, 2005).
However, when discussing the LRAD device we must also consider it’s use of ultrasound, as this device also applies ultrasound within it’s mechanism — this will be discussed in section 4.3.1. It is clear to see that the effect of sonic weapons used in order to impact the human body physiologically and alter the subjects mental state, is of large importance when researching acoustic warfare weapons.
The effect of sound on our brain often leads back to a common theme of resonance. Brainwave entrainment (or often referred to as neural entrainment) defines itself as the use of certain frequencies to activate bands of electrical wave resonance within our brain, to induce neurological states within our body. The preliminary proof of concept and main body of contextual research in this field stems from German professor of Physics, Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, who made discoveries in brainwave entrainment (BWE) through infrasonic frequencies entitled “Binaural beats” in 1841 (Kliempt, Ruta, Ogston, Landeck, & Martay, 1999). This method of entrainment occurs when two coherent frequencies within our audible range, are made present in both the left and right ear. Each frequency enters the auditory canal of the ear through to the cochlea; in turn the basilar membrane resonates at the frequency heard, this passes to the brain allowing us to recognise the frequency (Cook, 1999). The effect of this allows the brain to detect the phase difference between the two frequencies, rather than the brain responding to each frequency, the effect comprises of the difference between the two. This instils the ‘third’ frequency to resonate at an infrasonic range below 20–30Hz. The stimulus frequency reverberated by this induces a specific cerebral wave corresponding to characterised states of mind. (Caterina Filimon, n.d). Goodman states “…resonating with alpha and theta rhythms in the brain known to produce moods of fear, anxiety or anger” (Goodman, 2009, p. 18).
This technique has been applied to many non-warfare scenarios, which allows us to understand the importance of it’s application. Many musicians and directors have found ways of utilising neural entrainment to initiate fear into the listeners. Movie Director Gaspar Noe and musician Thomas Bangalter, used two differing bandwidths to instil beta wave frequency to the audience in order to create a feeling of tension in particular scenes of the movie Irreversible (Stathatos, no date).
Articles posted in The Times & New Scientist in 1973 document the use of a device called a ‘Squawk Box’ (New Scientist, 1973), used by the British Military in Northern Ireland. The device, mounted on a vehicle, emitted two frequencies of marginal difference in order to resonate a particular frequency bandwidth, similar to the effect discussed previously (Spannered, 2009). The article in New Scientist reports that the audio produced psychoacoustic effects giddiness, nausea, fainting, or merely a “spooky” psychological effect to targets. It also goes on to say that “Most people are intensely annoyed by the device and have a compelling wish to be somewhere else.” (New Scientist, 1973). Though the exact frequency range that was created is discussed in many aspects of military application, it’s important to draw from research to discover which areas of brainwave entrainment may perhaps effect the human body negatively.
“Anxiety — Too much beta activity may cause you to feel afraid or have thoughts of fear towards things that you are usually calm. I would imagine that if your brainwaves get high enough in the beta range, you will begin to notice a fear of things that are not normal to freak out over.
Stress — Though there are many good things that come with beta waves, there is also a huge possibility that they may stress you out. They are linked to increased stress, which is why it is important to learn how to shift your brainwaves when needed.
The spectrum beyond human audible range defines itself as ultrasound, this being above 20,000Hz. Ultrasound maintains very directional wave forms, due to their smaller wavelength and is very easily absorbed by materials, which allows for a greater application of use than other frequency bandwidths (Carovac, Smajlovic, & Junuzovic, 2011). Due to this, we can see ultrasound utilised in largely in the medical industry, with a particular focus on digital diagnostic imaging. Diagnostic imaging of ultrasound scanners operate around 2 to 18 megahertz, being hundreds of times greater than human perception (Carovac, Smajlovic, & Junuzovic, 2011). The mechanisms for this process depends on the echo time or Doppler shift, of the reflected ultrasonic sound on the internal organs or soft tissue, thus resulting in a 2d or 3d image (Georgia State University, no date). Ultrasonic sound is often produced using either piezoelectric or magnetostrictive transistors, by applying the output of an electronic oscillation within the device (Georgia State University, no date). The preliminary applications of ultrasound can be seen as a means of radar detection, similar to that of infrasound discussed in section 3.1, with the employment of submarine detectors in World War 1 (Carovac, Smajlovic, & Junuzovic, 2011). This depended on similar technologies of that used today in the medical industry, however since then, we have seen research within ultrasonic frequencies rise in many differing fields. Though it is apparent that the use of ultrasound has not been as widely investigated as both the infrasonic and sonic frequency fields, we can still see a common interest in it’s application for military use.
‘Hypersonic sound’ can be referred to simply as the focusing of ultrasound. Similar to that of light being focused into a laser, hypersonic sound works under a similar principle, with a speaker being focused into a highly directional focused beam of sound. The effect of this involves a speaker which emits low level ultrasound at around 100,000 vibrations per second, resulting in the audio creating the sound in the air as it travels, as a pose to regular speakers which make the sound waves on the face of the speaker (Norris, 2004). However, as previously mentioned in section 3.2.2, hypersonic sound used in devices like the LRAD do in fact utilise audible frequencies too and it is important to understand the cohesion within it’s application.
“We make a version with this which puts out 155 decibels. Pain is 120. So it allows you to go nearly a mile away and communicate with people, and there can be a public beach just off to the side, and they don’t even know it’s turned on. We sell those to the military presently for about 70,000 dollars, and they’re buying them as fast as we can make them.” (Norris, 2004).
This in fact, gives us a great insight into the development of techniques used within prior wars and the advancement that has been made with technology of those discussed in previous sections. We can also see from this that the application of ultrasound has in fact been popular by the military and one could assume that there may be more progressed development within this field. Moreover, (Goodman, 2009) cites “There is, however, evidence to suggest that ultrasound has been considered by military and law enforcement authorities as a likely technology for so-called ‘non-lethal weapons’ for use in crowd control and ‘coercive interrogation’.” which is evident to this day. We can also see the application of hypersonic ultrasound as a means of public crowd control with the likes of The Mosquito Anti-Social Device (M.A.D), which emits high frequency sound, around 20,000hz and above, with a range of around 15 to 20 meters (Goodman, 2009). On the Compound Security System’s website, who are the company behind the M.A.D, they specify that the sine wave frequency played by the device, at 20kHz, can only be heard by those under 25 years of age (Compound Security, 2015). Thus, this system is targeted as a youth deterrent. The company goes on to state that field trials suggest that teenagers where acutely aware for the ultrasonic tone and would usually wish to move away after around ten minutes (Compound Security, 2015). This suggest that perhaps the device’s intended use is to create auditory discomfort for the target audience, in order for them to move away from a specific area. Moreover, devices similar to this have also been developed previously; though military and law enforcement have denied the use of ultrasonic devices it apparent that such exist. Instructions and a Patent for a ‘Phasor Pain Field Generator’ can be found, which emits ultrasonic frequencies at 20,000Hz to 25,000Hz as a schematic for a handheld self-defence device, specifying that it’s “intended for Law Enforcement, Personal Or For Qualified Acoustical Research” (Free Information Society, no date) & (De Laro Research, 2014). Within the description of this device, it also states “if at any time head or neck feels swollen or you feel light headed or sick to your stomach, it is an indication that you are being affected. Sometimes you may experience a continuous ringing in the ears even after the device is turned off” (Free Information Society, no date). One can draw a conclusion from the description of both the M.A.D and the ‘Phasor Pain Field Generator’ that the intended outcome if the the target to feel discomfort. It is not unreasonable to state that as technology has progressed within ultrasonic research and as more psychological effects of inaudible sounds are discovered, the perceptual military operations of sonic warfare have widened. These techniques of applying 20,000Hz as a means of deterrent of said ‘self-defence’ devices allow for more primary research within this field to be explored. As a result, this study will collect primary research within this area to allow for a greater insight into the application of these techniques.
HEYS, T. (2011). Sonic, Infrasonic, and Ultrasonic Frequencies: The utilisation of waveforms as weapons, apparatus for psychological manipulation, and as instruments of physiological influence by industrial, entertainment, and military Organisations.
Sound. What are the Similarities — if any — between these two Distant Practices?
Pilger, J. (1986). Heroes. Random House. | https://nanobrainimplant.com/tag/warfare-techniques/ |
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the No.30's design is the two towers that contain the D/A converters and analog output circuitry. Besides giving the No.30 its distinctive look, there were some important engineering reasons for isolating the analog circuitry from digital signal processing and control signals. The towers are virtually immune to radiated noise, both by their shielding and by their distance from the digital electronics. More important, however, are the thermal conditions under which the critical conversion to analog takes place. The towers were very carefully designed to maintain a constant high temperature, unaffected by the outside temperature. Further, no temperature variations exist within the towers that could affect D/A conversion. The enclosed modules maintain a carefully chosen thermal balance between the module's large heatsink and its internal heat-generating components. Because the modules are too hot to touch, they are surrounded by the black outer chassis.
Music
Footnote 3: My reaction to the No.30 in a very different systemWadia transport, glass-fiber datalink, Mod Squad Line Drive Deluxe, Audio Research Classic 120 monoblocks, Spendor S100 loudspeakerswas identical. One CD led to another to another to another; a common experience with LP, but a first time for me in nine years of CD playback.John Atkinson
Madrigal strongly believes that thermal gradients around the DAC severely degrade conversion accuracy. When considering that the Least Significant Bit (LSB) in a 20-bit system produces an output voltage on the order of a few µV, it's plausible that temperature stability plays a large role in accurate D/A conversion.
Each tower contains analog supply-regulation stages, a dual DAC, and an output buffer. The ±15V regulator is a discrete hybrid stage identical to that found in the PLS-330. D/A conversion is performed by two UltraAnalog C009 dual 20-bit DACs custom-made for Madrigal. One dual DAC per channel is used for true differential operation. The double-differential signal from the DSP board is converted to a single-differential signal on a small sub-board within the tower.
The analog output stage, mounted on a Teflon pcb along with the DACs, is an all-new discrete circuit that, according to Madrigal, achieves "sonic neutrality superior to that of any previous Mark Levinson product." This unity-gain buffer features no AC feedback in the audio range, a DC servo circuit to eliminate coupling caps in the signal path, and an output stage cascoded with a current amplifier to preserve class-A operation while minimizing voltage changes across the output. Muting relays in the output stage prevent noise or pops from reaching the output during power-up or power-down.
Like Madrigal's other digital products (the Proceed line), the No.30 has a very low output impedance (specified at <6 ohms). Output low-pass filtering is an active Bessel-aligned type with constant group delay to 40kHz. This filter's design was reportedly critical in maintaining the processor's sense of dynamics.
Despite the length of this technical description, the No.30 includes many elaborate techniques I haven't mentioned; it's just chock-full of innovative design and uncompromised execution, the latter clearly dictated by sound quality, not efforts to meet a "price point." However, Madrigal claims that every technique and circuit refinement in the power supply and No.30 had an audible effect. If their ears heard an improvement, the technique was incorporated. If they didn't, it wasn't. The No.30 is thus the defining physical embodiment of Madrigal's D/A converter philosophy.
It probably goes without saying, but the build integrity, parts quality, and fit'n'finish are extraordinary. In fact, the No.30 is the most beautifully built and elaborately designed audio product I've ever seen.
Music
To say I was eager to hear what this technological marvel sounded like is an understatement.
From the very first moment of listening, it was obvious that the No.30 was something special. This was clearly digital playback many levels above what had been previously considered the state of the art.
As I sat in my listening chair through the first piece of music, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of musical information revealed by the No.30. It was as though a translucent window had been removed from between me and the music, allowing previously obscured detail to become vibrant and lifelike. Suddenly, I realized the implications of what I was hearing: if music I knew so intimately had this many more levels of detail and nuance, perhaps all digital media had a hidden musicality waiting to be revealed. It was an exciting prospect.
The next few hours were revelatory. With disc after disc, the reaction was the same: music known intimately was presented in a way that made me feel as though I were hearing it for the first time (footnote 3). In addition, I felt that I was hearing just the music, not a digital processor's interpretation of it.
Specifically, the No.30 exceeds the performance of every other converter in every criterion I use to assess digital processor quality. From detail resolution to soundstaging to dynamics to tonal neutrality, the No.30 was in a different league.
Starting with the bass, the No.30 had a combination of tautness and dynamic impact that was stunning. The entire bottom end was tight as a trampoline, punchy, and with superb pitch resolution. In jazz with acoustic bass, the instrument took on an entirely new character: round, liquid, controlled, and very dynamic. These qualities added greatly to the music's rhythm and drive. In addition, the bass seemed to stand out, existing independently of the rest of the presentation. The impression of a bass player standing there playing was palpable. Further adding to the sense of presence, the low frequencies had a liquidity and wealth of inner detail that made instruments sound just plain real. The stultified, wooden, featureless bass presented by some digital processors was thrown into sharp relief by the No.30's liquid, finely woven rendering.
The bass also had a remarkable clarity and solidity. On the Dorian recording of Jean Guillou's organ transcription of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (DOR-90117), the very low pedal tones were each clearly articulated and differentiated. By contrast, other converters' low ends could sound like a roar, degenerating into a jumble of indistinct tones. This was especially true at high levels and during complex passages. This recording highlighted the No.30's ability to maintain pitch definition and clarity, no matter the demands placed on it.
The No.30 presented a very "fast" low end. Bass drum had a suddenness and steep attack not previously heard from digital. There was a sense of dynamic effortlessness that was startling. The combination of remarkable pitch precision with unhindered dynamics produced greater impact and power. The musical effect of the No.30's superb bass reproduction was a heightened sense of rhythm, pace, and drive. There was a bounce and energy to the music that provided a greater impression of musicians playing and interacting with each other. The rhythm section really locked in and cooked through the No.30, bringing a newfound sense of energy. Every kind of music benefited from this sense of pace. From the rhythmic intensity of The Rite of Spring (Chesky CD42) to be-bop (my own recording) to electric blues (Luke and the Locomotives, AudioQuest AQ CD1004), the No.30's drive was exhilarating.
Moving to the midrange, the No.30 had an unparalleled presentation of natural timbresno glare, hardness, or synthetic artificiality. Instrumental timbres were lifelike and palpable, richly infused with fine detail. The acoustic guitar and fretless acoustic bass on Three-Way Mirror (Reference Recordings RR-24CD) sounded much more real when fleshed out with such textural purity and delicate nuance. This is an area where the No.30 has no peer: the ability to resolve the subtleties that make a reproduced instrument sound more like "live." There was a harmonic rightness to textures that made the No.30 sound distinctly "undigital." The hardness and slightly metallic edge of most converters was replaced by a warm smoothness that allowed high playback levels without cringing. In fact, I was constantly tempted to turn the music up rather than downrare indeed for digital.
The No.30 has perhaps the most "right" and unfatiguing treble presentation of any digital processor I've auditioned. Many converters attempt to gloss over digital's treble hash by making the top octaves overly soft and syrupy. This gets rid of the whitish grain overlaying the music, but also robs it of detail and richness. The No.30 paradoxically provided a silky-smooth treble and lots of detail. The only other digital source with this smooth a treble balance that doesn't overly romanticize the presentation was the Linn Karik CD player reviewed last month.
Instruments rich in high frequencies were beautifully portrayed by the No.30, completely lacking that fatiguing brittleness so often heard from digital. On the excellent Harmonia Mundi recording of Nicholas McGegan conducting Handel's Water Music (HMU-907010), there was a warmth and smoothness to the strings that was a revelation. I didn't have to listen past a steely metallic quality to enjoy the music.
In addition, cymbals had a burnished, round quality rather than being overlaid with grain. Even compared to some smooth-sounding processorsthe Wadia 2000 and ARC DAC1-20the No.30 achieved another level of treble purity and sense of ease. Music was relaxing, not edgy. Long listening sessions were free from fatigue, without the common sense of relief when the volume was turned down. I found myself listening at higher playback levels than normal because of the No.30's treble smoothness. Overall, the No.30's tonal balance was just righttight and full bass, silky treble, and no midrange forwardness. | https://www.stereophile.com/content/mark-levinson-no30-reference-digital-processor-page-3 |
EQ is one of the most commonly used signal processing tools in the studio today. Equalizers appears to be simple enough at first glance. I mean, we easily grasp the concept of how to use one. You simply boost or cut specific ranges of frequencies to make something sound better. But in case you were hoping for a more in depth explanation of some different ways to use EQ, here are a few basics and suggestions:
1. Subtractive
So the first two on my list are very basic concepts. Subtractive EQing is when you cut or reduce frequencies with your EQ. Some people prefer subtractive EQing. This is because if you don’t increase any frequencies, then you don’t risk clipping due to whatever changes you made with your EQ. There are even engineers that swear that this is the only way you should EQ, and you should never use additive EQ. It’s really a school of thought thing though, because there are also plenty of engineers that say it doesn’t matter as long as you know what you’re doing. Subtractive EQ is also great to use in conjunction with other techniques on this list!
2. Additive
Additive EQing is when you boost or increase frequencies in your EQ. I don’t think additive EQing is as bad as some people make it out to be, and here’s why: Back in the good old days, when the world was all analog, engineers had much more of a struggle with the signal-to-noise ratio. So back then, if you were to boost the signal through EQ, you risked substantially raising the noise floor, which can be a real problem for your recording. Nowadays, the noise floor is usually so low with all our digital and modern gear, that it isn’t such a huge concern. So, in my opinion, it’s okay to use a little of both additive and subtractive EQ. Just do whatever sounds best, make sure you watch for clipping, and you should be fine.
3. Noise Reduction
Have an annoying low hum in your vocal track? Struggling to get rid of a click somewhere in the chorus? Depending on the unwanted sound, and whether its frequency content overlaps the desired audio in the track, you can reduce or get rid of it with EQ.
With something like that annoying low hum, I like to engage a high pass filter on my EQ, and see if I can sweep it up so that it cuts the hum, but DOESN’T cut any of the frequencies in the vocal track. If you’re lucky, it might just do the trick. With something like a click, you can notch and sweep to find the click. I’ll generally select a band in a parametric EQ and set a very high “Q” value to it, so that I’m sweeping in a very small range of frequencies. Then I’ll highlight and play the offensive section on repeat, sweeping the band in my EQ around until I find the location of the click. Sometimes I’ll do this by boosting the band, and listening for a boost in the offensive sound. Sometimes I’ll cut the band instead, and sweep back and forth on the frequency axis to listen for when it retreats. Either way works. Again, if you’re lucky, the frequency content of the offending sound won’t overlap with your desired audio, and you can safely remove it. You’re also lucky if the frequency content of the offending sound exists in such a small range of frequencies that you can cut it without reducing the quality of your desired audio. The key here is to listen to what you’re doing, and be careful. There are other ways of reducing unwanted sounds if EQ doesn’t cut it.
4. Harmonic Work
Do you ever notice that some vocalists simply have some very grating frequencies in their voice? It’s not their fault by any means, and they can be an amazing vocalist and still have this. Actually, every instrument has harmonic frequencies that exist above the fundamental frequency. The fundamental frequency gives us the pitch or note that we hear when the instrument is played, but the harmonics are what really give the instrument its characteristic sound. They’re essential, and important, and you generally shouldn’t cut them. However, sometimes you’ll hear some pesky or annoying frequencies – especially with vocals. Luckily, you can reduce those using EQ!
To do this, I actually use a very similar method to the one used for the click sound above. I usually pick a band in a parametric EQ, and set a high Q value. I then boost that band dramatically, and sweep it up and down the frequency spectrum to listen for the ugly harmonics. When I find them, I simply cut that range, adjusting the Q and how much I cut it based on how things sound.
Another type of harmonic work that you can do with EQ is finding and either boosting or reducing the fundamental frequency. Select a band, and sweep it around like I described above to find the fundamental. Then adjust accordingly. There are some great EQ plugins that will visually display where the sound is falling on the frequency spectrum. If you’re a beginner and still developing your ear, this can really increase your speed in finding something like the fundamental. I also think it’s good for ear training to have a visual reinforcement of what you’re hearing.
Anyway, this technique can be especially useful for something like a kick drum. Once you find the fundamental, you can either boost the fundamental for a bit more power, or reduce it for more of the upper “snap” of the drum. For more information on that, visit this post, where I went over using EQ on a kick drum in a bit more detail.
5. Make Room in the Frequency Spectrum
This is probably my favorite use for subtractive EQ. Once you get into mixing a track, you might struggle with a muddy, busy, or “out of control” sounding mix. An easy way to clear up some of the jumble is to free up space in the frequency spectrum. You do this by observing an instrument (let’s say voice for this example), and assigning it a “space” in the frequency spectrum. Then, reduce or cut that same frequency range in other instruments in your mix. I mean, obviously you don’t want to cut anything essential, so use your ears and best judgement. Think of it as cleaning up some junk in the other instruments, so that your vocals can shine through where they are strong.
This technique is great because it really helps an instrument pop out in the mix. If you just try to boost the element that you want to stand out, then you’re just adding more noise to the jumble. But cleaning up everything else and making way for the desired element can reduce the muddiness and give you the sound you want.
6. Graphic EQ and Rounding Out your Track
The most commonly found EQ plugin is a parametric EQ. Like the stock EQ in Pro Tools, parametric EQs allow control over the width (or “Q”) of the sections of frequency that you boost or cut. Graphic EQ units, however, are more common in high end home audio, and in live sound. You can boost or cut audio with these EQ units using equally spaced chunks of frequency (usually octaves). These frequency bands often overlap each other slightly. These units usually look like a row of faders, with each fader controlling a frequency band. While you don’t necessarily have as much precision with a graphic EQ, they can be great for rounding out the frequency balance in your mix.
Give the mastering engineer a head start! Find a graphic EQ (or even use a parametric EQ with low Q settings on the bands for a similar effect), place it on your master fader, and adjust the frequencies to improve your overall mix. Try boosting the upper-mid frequencies, and listen to see if it adds that extra definition that you wanted. Give the lows a small boost for a bit more power. Experiment and hear what works for your track.
Questions? Comments? As always, please share in the comments below! | https://www.signaturesound.com/6-ways-to-use-eq-in-your-mix/ |
Sonic Logs first appeared in 1957. Sonic logs rely on the properties inherent in Snell’s Law to propagate sound from a logging tool through the rock to receivers located on the same logging tool.
Sonic logs require a fluid filled borehole to operate properly. Modern logs can make most measurements in both open and cased holes. Open-hole logging refers to logging operations that are performed on a well before the wellbore has been cased and cemented. This means that the logging is done through the bare rock sides of the formation. Cased-hole logging involves retrieving logging measurements through the well casing, or a metal piping that is inserted into the well.
Basic Principle of How Logs Work
Sonic logging tools emit a sound pulse every second. The arrival of this pulse is detected at an array of receivers a few feet from the transmitter. The difference in time elapsed between the arrival of sound at the receivers is the desired travel time, the sound wave travels through the formation while undergoing dispersion (spreading of the wave energy in time and space) and attenuation (loss of energy through absorption of energy by the formations). Essentially the basic principle of these sonic logging tools is to measure the travel time of sound through rock. Newer generation logging tools can use a cross correlation of waveforms to determine this travel time. As well as the compressional wave that is detected in the first described cross correlation methods also detect the shear, Stoneley and mud waves.
Formation Types
Formations are commonly split into two categories, fast and slow. Fast formations are a rock in which the shear velocity is faster than the compressional velocity in the fluid or mud, when the shear velocity is slower than the compressional velocity it is classified as a slow formation. In addition, subsurface rock formations typically exhibit elastic anisotropy. This anisotropy is typically in the form of vertical and/or horizontal transverse isotropy (VTI/HTI).
Energy Sources for Acoustic Logs
Tools today typically operate in the 5 – 10kHz frequency range. In our Sonic Logging Examples we use two different types of excitation method, monopole (Figure 1) and a Dipole (Figure 2) source.
The difference between the two is that Monopole sources emit sound uniformly in all directions, commonly referred to as axisymmetric or radially symmetric sources. At the critical angle the energy is refracted so that it travels parallel to the borehole inside the rock, the energy is refracted back into the borehole and is recorded at the receivers. Sound velocity is the inverse of slowness, which in the formation is the difference in time between the arrival time of the refracted sound energy at the receivers.
The dipole source exerts a differential pressure on one side of the transmitter element which creates a flexural wave in the borehole. Flexural waves are dispersive but at low frequencies they travel down the borehole at the formation shear velocity. Receivers must be calibrated to detect this flexural wave. If the wavelength of the flexural wave is at least 3x the diameter of the borehole, the wave travels near the formation bulk-shear velocity. However, because this is a dispersive mode, if the wavelength is shorter, this flexural mode will travel slower than the shear velocity and dispersion corrections are needed.
Acoustic Transmission Modes
Monopole sources can generate both body and surface waves. Dipole sources can only generate surface waves. Body waves refer to the waves that travel in the formation. Surface waves are waves that travel on the wall of the borehole or bounce between transmitter, wall and receiver.
- Fast compressional waves, longitudinal or P-waves are the fastest acoustic waves and are the first waves to return to the receiver. It has been used successfully for years as a porosity indicator.
The velocity of this wave doesn’t vary much with frequency. The spectrum of the wave depends on the source excitation frequency. Sonic logging tools usually operate in the 3-15kHz range.
- Surface compressional waves, also referred to as the leaky compressional wave follow the fast-compressional waves. The amplitude of the surface wave varies with the formation Poisson’s ratio. This wave is dispersive, meaning low frequencies travel faster than higher frequencies
- Shear body waves are generated by conversion of the compressional fluid wave when it refracts into the rock from thee wellbore. This refracted wave returning is referred to the shear head wave.Monopole sonic logs can not detect these waves in a slow formation because refraction cannot occur. Just like the compressional waves generated, the shear waves can be used to predict porosity
- Stoneley waves are guided waves generated by a monopole source. Their arrival time is typically after the shear wave. The annulus between the tool and the wall of the borehole acts as a waveguide for Stoneley waves.
The amplitude of the Stoneley wave is dependent on the permeability of the formation. Higher permeability absorbs more energy. | https://onscale.com/blog/the-basic-principle-of-sonic-logging-tools/ |
Sound Matters is an elective course that I created for the School of Design Strategies at Parsons. Rather than focusing on sound design, acoustics, or sound art, I am interested in looking across disciplines and encouraging students to consider sound as a transdisciplinary hub that sits between numerous practices. For this reason I encourage students from across the New School to take this course.
Course Description
This course is all about your ears.
Starting with a focused attention to the sounds of the city, you will launch into projects that interact with, interrupt, or unmask the sonic world around us. Sound Matters is an explicitly interdisciplinary studio and offers the opportunity to create projects that might include field recording, sound collage, sound installation, audio intervention, performance, sound sculpture, drawing, or written explorations. The ultimate goal is to become a careful listener and to enter into a deliberate engagement with sound in your work.
Project: Aural History
This simple project asks students to begin to make connections between their own history and memory and the their sense of hearing. How does listening differ from hearing? What kinds of sonic events burn into your memory and why?
Project: Aural History Isolator
This brief project asks students to examine their chosen Aural History sound (see above) more closely and to propose a device that might isolate that particular sound. The device has few parameters, but it cannot be electronic and it must focus on the signal that they have identified in their initial written reflection. None of these devices are actually created and so students can propose ideas without financial or skill constraints.
It’s worth mentioning that in early iterations of this course, I asked my students to create sound isolating devices and it was extremely difficult for many of them as it not only taxed their ability to understand the dynamics of sound, but in many cases their ability to craft such a particular object.
In this theoretical version however, students were able to propose ideas that led to a discussion about the properties of sound, the physical presence of sound, the impact of materials, of space, the neurological aspects of sound processing, etc.
Project: Sound Materials and Improvisation
This project begins with an in class building session in which each student uses the same base materials to create a sound generating device (or instrument). In this case students used plastic boxes, rubber bands, wire, hot glue and a variety of bits of hardware. Students amplify the object using a piezo pickup (contact mic) made the week before and attempt to elicit as broad a range of sounds from the instrument that they can.
This session is followed the next week by an improv workshop lead by an improvising musician (2012 and 2014 were led by Aaron Moore and 2013 by Derek Baron). The group experiments with the possibilities on non verbal sonic conversation and end the day by creating improvised scores for projected films. | http://johnroach.net/sound-matters-2/ |
The omnipresent eternal origin of sound is called Sabda and it is the initial expression of Brahman. Where there is sound there is vibration. Scriptures say that vibrations are also expressions of Brahman. Universe is a network of vibrations with different frequencies. Everything exists in the form of vibration before it manifest (vyakta). Even, we after shedding the gross body, the subtle body and causal body continue to exist in the form of subtle vibrations till it takes another gross body. We exist in an ocean of vibrations with different frequencies.
Sound has two effects. First, the meaning of the sound has psychological effect on the mind. Second, the sound itself (without its meaning) has an effect on the mind and body. For example, when you hear a drum beat, it has no meaning; however, our body and mind reacts to the sound. There are two types of sound. They are audible sound (vyakta) and non-audible (avyakta). If the frequency is in the range of 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz then the sound is audible. If the frequency is below 20Hz then it is said as infra frequency and it is not audible. If the frequency is above 20.000Hz then it is said as ultra frequency and the sound is non-audible. The universe has sound waves of all frequencies among which some are audible and some are non-audible.
Vibrations once generated exist for ever in the Universe. Thus, vibrations of words, mantras and thoughts of Rishis and great spiritual personalities remain in the space for ever. They influence us in every way. Thoughts and words of every human being exist in the Universe for ever as vibrations. Thought waves are equally powerful like sound waves. An intense thought wave can penetrate the far layers of the Cosmos. The vibrations emitted by all beings and every entity in the Universe are superimposed on the basic vibration and eternal sound of the Universe ‘OM’. By meditating on this basic vibration ‘OM’, we can feel its existence in us and we can feel that we are connected to the rest of the world. Scriptures say that Om or Omkara is the initial sound which came in to existence after the unfolding of the Universe. A dedicated mantra practitioner (sadhaka) can sense the omkara reverberating inside him. Every sound manifest from the basic sound ‘OM’, and is pronounced as ‘AUM’. The Universal vibration which is reverberating in music is called Nada and the Universal origin of sound is called Sabda.
Mantras are cosmic vibrations which are revealed to the Rishis in their trance. Rishis had the capacity to decode the vibrations and reveal to us as mantras. Great philosophies and spiritual secrets are encapsulated in the form of mantras. Mantra means mental retention and repetition that relieves the mind from ego and worldly attachments and leads to the path of ultimate freedom. Mantras are used mainly for four purposes namely for dharma (righteous act), artha (achievement of goal and objects to facilitate dharma), kama (achievement of happiness and fulfillment of desires to expand one’s dharma) and moksha (liberation of the soul). Apart from this there are arogya mantras which are widely used in ayurvedic treatments. Some mantras can also be twisted and used for non-righteous acts by perverted minded people.
Mantras when chanted purify the gross, subtle and causal bodies. Mantra uproots the evil tendency, implant, enhances virtues, and makes one’s destiny positive. Mantras erase the impressions of evil tendencies (sins) present in the causal body. Mantras help to reflect our original nature which is divine. Individual Consciousness is part of the Universal Consciousness. Each individual is divine. Our core desires also has power to manifest in the external world. We dilute that power by our negative thoughts and doubts. Mantras help us to realize these facts.
Vibrations of mantras carry immense energy. They are further amplified by the prana, refined spiritual thoughts, faith of the practitioner and by the static and thermal electricity of the practitioner. The circular flow of the blood, inhalation and exhalation by the lungs, expansion and compression of the muscles, beating of the heart etc produces a subtle thermal and static electricity which is also said as bio-electric energy. Apart from this continuous generation of thoughts and emotions also produce electromagnetic waves. All these help to energize the mantra to achieve the goal.
Mantras have the power to connect the individual consciousness to the Universal Consciousness. Sanskrit mantras are formed by selecting the appropriate syllables in Sanskrit to get the required frequency. Vibrations produced by pronouncing Sanskrit words have high vibration frequency than pronouncing words from other languages. The combination of Sanskrit syllables in a mantra gives a specific sonic effect. Sometimes a single syllable (beej mantra) gives that effect. Therefore, a mantra with perfect accent, pitch, amplitude and rhythm has a very powerful effect. If the pronunciation is wrong then its effect diminishes. A powerful sound can travel anywhere in the Universe. Repeating the mantra for a certain number of times is called mantra japa. Repetition helps to generate the specific sonic pattern.
When a mantra is chanted it has direct effect on the body, mind and the atmosphere surrounding the sadhaka. In the body, the chanting of the mantra induces energy in the seven main chakras, nerve centers, mind and brain. Every mantra has a meter which is called chandas. Only the right syllable and right chandas give the required sonic effect. Each mantra has its own sonic pattern which makes them effective.
The intensity and faith with which we chant a mantra gives the mantra its power. Our faith in the mantra helps to connect the mantra with the divine consciousness easily. The powerful vibration of the mantra establishes a link between the individual and the different cosmic layers. Sound waves can travel thousands of miles, combining with other sound waves with similar frequencies. These sound waves return back to us along with the gathered sound waves on their travel. They come back in a magnified form. Thus, whatever we think or utter influences the surrounding and return back to us.
Pt.Sriram sharma acharya in his book “Science of sound and mantras” explains, ‘every mantra is linked to a devata except the mantra ‘OM’. A devata symbolizes an eternal energy field of specific flow of cosmic consciousness. When a mantra is chanted in a specific rhythmic manner, its associated sonic waves expand in a specific pattern. It travels in space and penetrates the corresponding cosmic field of divine power. When we concentrate on the mantra, a subtle energy is generated from the mind. This subtle energy helps the transmission of the sound waves to reach the desired energy field. The waves of the mantra travel and collide with the corresponding divine power center and results in the reflection of the desired cosmic radiation, as per the aim of the associated mantra. This cosmic radiation returns back to the physical and subtle energy level in and around the sadhaka’. If the sadhaka wishes, the divine cosmic radiation can be directed to any desired place. The quality of the returning waves depends on the intensity, emotion and faith with which the original mantra waves are transmitted. The original transmitted mantra waves are magnified by the cosmic divine power for which the mantra is aimed at and they return back to the sadhaka. The sound vibration and emotional energy with faith gives life to the mantra. The regularity in timing, its speed, numbers of repetitions are important to generate the appropriate sonic vibrations from the japa of a mantra. While doing mantra japa, the mind must rely within the mantra and not on external matters.
When mantra japa is performed along with yagna (sacrificial fire), the herbs used in the yagna and the thermal energy produced by the sacred fire multiplies the effect of the mantra by energizing the sonic vibrations of the mantra and expands them at the cosmic level. This in turn brings back manifold benefits to a vast domain. Furthermore, Pt. Sriram sharma acharya also explains ‘when the sonic waves generated by chanting of the mantra collide with the thermal energy generated by the yagna fire, it amplifies the sabda (inner energy) in the mantra. The spiral waves of electrons in the yagna vapour play the role of ‘transmitter’ to ‘communicate’ the signals of the mantra in the etheric whole. Thus the positive effects of the mantra are spread to a large domain and many people are benefited by yagna’. The vibrations of the mantra are more felt in the subtle body than in the gross body. It brings many positive effects to the sadhaka. The speed by which one recites the mantra must match one’s natural frequency of speech. As said before, linguistic meaning have only a psychological effect and prime importance is given for the sonic pattern generated by pronouncing the mantra. The densely energized and compact beej mantras like ‘hreem’, ‘shreem’, ‘kleem’, ‘aim’, etc do not have a linguistic meaning. It may denote a specific divine power. However, it is the force of the sound vibration which makes them highly powerful. These highly energized mantras are used in tantric tradition. Tantric tradition is devotional worship of various deities (divine power) and mantras are used to reveal the inner truth of these deities. Tantric mantras have very high potential and it has specific targets. The vibration generated by pronouncing these mantras have direct and intense effect and their misuse results in physical and mental disorder. In tantric tradition, the mantra is the sound form of the deity.
Continuous repetition of a mantra for sometime produces a centrifugal force of attraction created by the circular, cyclic and upward movements of the associated sonic waves produced by the japa of the mantra. The speed by which one chants the mantra must be constant. The consistency and continuity gives a cyclic motion to the sonic waves generated by the japa. This helps to activate the related divine powers and attract the desired result.
As said earlier, while chanting a mantra the sonic patterns produced by the different configuration of syllables are very important. In this aspect, chanting of gayatri mantra is very powerful. The twenty four syllable gayatri mantra produces very powerful vibration in and around the sadhaka. The rhythmic pattern (meter) for chanting a mantra is called chandas. Gayatri is the name of a meter (chandas) in Rig Veda. When a mantra is repeated with its appropriate chandas, its specific pattern of sonic waveform is generated. Gayatri mantra is chanted to the Sun devata. A regular dedicated sadhaka gets vital energy, inspiration and divine illumination from the Sun God, Savitha. The communication may be very slow in the beginning; however it gradually increases by practice.
Devata represents the specific cosmic energy field. It can also be said as the divine quality and aspect of the Universal Consciousness. The same quality is present in us but it may be in an inactivate state. A mantra to a particular devata activates the corresponding quality in us as well and it helps us to connect with that particular realm of Consciousness. For example, some of the divine qualities are Lakshmi for wealth, Saraswati for learning and knowledge, Kali for strength and vigour, Shiva for peace etc. Only a specific mantra can link the sadhaka (individual consciousness) with the particular devata.
Different forms of devata are the different expressions of the non-dual Universal Consciousness. Every sound has a certain vibration and has its corresponding image. Dr. Hans Jenny’s Tonoscope is the instrument which produces sonic transformation. When you pass a sound in tonoscope it converts the sound to its corresponding vibration image. When you chant a mantra with mental concentration it produces its related vibration image of the devata. However, it is too subtle to be perceived by the normal senses.
Atmosphere also amplifies the effect of the mantra japa. Mantras chanted in the cave, in cremation ground, in thick forest, near the bank of the river or sea shore, in sacred places like temples, in front of the rising sun, in front of the ghee lit lamp are more powerful. Chanting of mantras inside the house gives only a moderate effect.
vachika japa – mantras are chanted in a manner that they are audible to others. It is most suitable for beginners. In this japa the rhythm, amplitude and pitch must be consistent.
Upansu japa – mantras are chanted in such a way that there will be lip movement but no sound. This method is useful for extroverts and makes one introvert.
Manasika japa – the japa is performed silently in the mind. The mind is focused upon the meaning of the mantra. This type of japa is very powerful. It activates the chakras and nerve centers more quickly.
Ajapa japa – with every inhalation and exhalation, mantra is recited. For example, ‘SO’ is recited with inhalation and ‘HAM’ is recited with exhalation. Soham is said as the hamsa mantra. Much concentration is needed for this practice. Ajapa japa is mostly used in yogic practices.
Pradakshina japa – when a mantra is chanted while doing circular motion (pradakshina) of the deity in sacred places, it is called pradakshina japa. This is very popular among people who follow the bhakti culture.
Mantras are the sound power. Yantra is its geometrical representation or form of the deity associated with that mantra and tantra is the knowledge of application of mantra and yantra.
In yogic science, mantras are chanted along with pranayama and they are highly powerful. By dedicated yoga sadhana we can generate vibrations from the seven important chakras and this helps our spiritual transformation.
In ayurvedic medicine, the Rishis understood the deep connection of the mantras and its effect on particular nerve centers. Sounds have deep impact on our body and mind and this forms the basis of their treatment.
When we chant a mantra the vibration pattern settles in the subconscious level of the mind. It clams the mind whenever it gets agitated. Mantras have the power to erase the deep seated negative impressions in our mind. It has the power to change our mind from tamas to rajas and to sattva. By using mantras we can restructure our karmic tendencies. Therefore, regular practice of the mantra japa is highly beneficial. | https://advaitamandscience.org/2018/08/23/science-behind-the-mantras/ |
Hello, I am Katie!
Eleventh Element is a story of transformation and a journey back to self. The elements and nature is what I work with and their constancy as nourishment for the soul and truth as a mirror of reflection and learning. The number eleven as a master spiritual number is also personal to my family and I. My family have been my biggest teachers and inspiration to show up in this world and be a better person. They were the trigger to both lose and find myself. They were also the inspiration for the creation of this range and what this can offer other adults and children in their journey back to reclaiming their true self.
It has been my dream for some time to create a way to help people and their families create change in their world through the energetic patterns and the frequencies they hold in their bodies, which ultimately create their outer world.
The entanglements of our relationships, family stories and ancestral links are our biggest lessons. These essences were co-created with nature and coded frequencies as keys to unlock the stories I see in both myself and the collective that keep us playing small and imprisoned in our own minds.
As a mum of three young children myself, I understand the journey of forever looking for solutions to help the family dynamics and harmony and simultaneously work on your own soul growth.
Being a Kinesiologist, I spent many years working on the symptoms and patterns of my physical body. Trying to ‘fix it’ through external solutions of supplements, exercise, diet which yes all play a big contribution to our physical make up but not the entire picture. No matter how hard I tried to achieve ‘hormonal balance’ I could not shift my body’s reactivity process to my emotions and external environment. Likewise trying to ‘fix’ my children’s perceived issues through focusing on the problem similarly did not work. This is because we focus on the symptom or emotional response to the issue at hand rather than looking at the desired state and frequency we’d like to bring forth.
Our physical body responds to our emotional and energetic frequency. Our nervous system is hardwired as the forefront and integration point of our energy body. Vibrational medicine works on the energy body and bringing in the desired frequency by anchoring it into the physical body allowing us to shift vibrationally. Everything in the universe operates through a vibrational energy and can be measured to a hertz frequency. Even the hardest and most solid structures of the world can be scientifically measured. So too can our energy body. As we shift the vibration, so too does our physical and emotional body in response to this.
In turn, nature offers us healing capacity through decoding the energy frequencies that require us to integrate and move with mother earth. Every element, plant, tree, animal and planetary alignments offer us different capacities for change. Working with nature is our saviour to shift through this ever-changing world.
It was my vision before moving to this property on the Mornington Peninsula to have a magickal space to work with nature and all that it offers to create a range of vibrational medicine to help people awaken and shift to integrate the new frequencies birthing forth into the world. As I worked on my own self and children I could see the difference it made and wanted to share an easy and effective way to create change without perpetually looping in the cycle of pain, focusing on the past or getting stuck in the lower vibrational frequencies that exist to keep us the same. Nature has been a guide since the depths of time and the ancients knew this, allowing the properties of nature and the intricacies and inter-connectedness of all help alchemise our way forward. This co-creative process has been a dream come true and an honour to work with mother earth in all her beauty.
These essences have been designed to work both singularly and as a key together to unlock and dismantle the subconscious mind to give you the unbounded freedom to be yourself in it’s truest form. It is a journey and commitment of self to reveal all parts and claim back your true sovereign self.
I hope you enjoy these products and the journey back to self they bring.
If you would like to have a session with me for kinesiology, please select your service and time via the booking system at the top of the homepage.
Much love x
I acknowledge and pay my respects to the Traditional Owners of the land in which Eleventh Element resides (Bunurong people).
I honour their Elders past, present and emerging for their protection of the sacred lands and waterways of their ancestors, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities present on this land today. In deep gratitude and love. | https://eleventhelement.com.au/pages/about-us |
Accumulated level of all distortions compared to level of multiple low respectively high frequency test tones.
Critical are systems that cannot generate a minimum multi frequency test tone level within acceptable distortion limits
Good or natural harmonic distortion
All tones we hear consist of a fundamental frequency and additional harmonic frequencies. A violin and a flute do not sound the same, even when they play the same note equally loudly. The difference in their instrumental typical sound characteristic arises from the fact that every note on any musical instrument consists of not just one frequency, but a combination of the fundamental and its overtones, its harmonics. Therefore harmonics are an inevitably and good thing. A fundamental frequency of 100Hz, played by a bass instrument, comes with its 2nd harmonic frequency of 200Hz, 3rd of 300Hz, 4th of 400 Hz and so on, its always a simple multiple. Those harmonics are fare less loud than the fundamental and their loudness further decreases from lower to upper harmonics.
In some cases artists use purposely harmonic distortion to create special sounds. Rock guitars are most famous for this special and extensive distortion sounds.
Intermodulation distortion
IMD is the amplitude modulation of multi tone/frequency signals, caused by nonlinearities or time variance in a system. The intermodulation between frequency components will form additional frequencies like harmonic distortion and also many more additional frequencies.
Intermodulation is caused by non-linear behavior of the audio system. Practically all audio equipment has some non-linearity, so it will exhibit some amount of IMD, which however may be low enough to be imperceptible by humans. Humans perceive the same percentage of IMD as more bothersome compared to the same amount of harmonic distortion.
By Ice Ardor – I measured the intermodulation characteristics of an amplifier myself on a spectrum analyzer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
IMD is only distinct from harmonic distortion in that the stimulus signal is different. The same nonlinear system will produce both total harmonic distortion (with a solitary sine wave input) and IMD (with more complex tones). In music, for instance, IMD is intentionally applied to electric guitars using overdriven amplifiers or effects pedals to produce new tones at subharmonics of the tones being played on the instrument.
Slew-induced distortion (SID) can produce intermodulation distortion (IMD) when the first signal is slewing (changing voltage) at the limit of the amplifier’s power bandwidth product. This induces an effective reduction in gain, partially amplitude-modulating the second signal. If SID only occurs for a portion of the signal, it is called “transient” intermodulation distortion.
Bad distortions?
Many instruments, if played louder, increase the level of lower harmonics (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th) more than the fundamental. So does the air itself, and our hearing. Therefore we are less sensitive to those lower order harmonics than high order ones (6th and higher), at rising levels.
Problem is: audio devices also produce very high order harmonics if stressed, and dis-harmonic frequencies (frequencies which are not harmonics of the fundamental tone). These may sound annoying to our ears, and are to some part measured as „intermodulation distortion“ (IMD). The more instruments are recorded, the more complex their frequency spectrum produced. This kind of intermodulation interferes with the IMD of technical devices.
Loudness at intermodulation distortion limit
Some audio systems add distortion to the sound by themselves, which sounds very odd and can dramatically alter the sound of the input music. Those are bad, not tolerable distortion.
Impact on listening
Systems with high LF or HF IMD reproduce lower frequencies (such as base, drums, low voices) or higher frequencies (such as violins, guitars, flutes) inarticulate, opaque, and without contour; in worst cases, the artificial noise exceeds the recorded sound.
Some audio systems add lots of IMD, up to an annoying level.
It sounds like a curtain of noise is modulated by the sound level. A curtain between the listener and the musician that can be more or less transparent, depending on the amount of IMD. Thereby masking the beauty of individual instrument’s sounds. Such curtain allows for listening to the music and one would realize mostly when the curtain is taken away, how clear the sound can be.
Another description might be the air between the tones. Instruments and vocals might sound closer, kind of compressed, less space or room between them. As such, IMD have a significant influence on the beauty of sound. It compares a bid to watching a football match on a full HD display versus to watching on a 4k display.
What can I do? When … an audio system
… buying …
This is an utmost important criteria when buying a system. A system that artificially adds distortion at listening levels, will continue to do so. The type of flaw is severe and very difficult if not impossible to fix.
Know what distortion sounds like before you buy a system. Specification details might not prevent you from being mislead. They are hardly to understand and have to be read and understood in context.
Listen, for instance to music with distorted rock guitars, to learn how distortion sound like. Listen to some deep frequencies played on a rather small speaker. Observe how those frequencies become more muddy and hum when carefully increasing the loudness. Before buying a sound system compare the sound to a rather better one. Just to be sure that the one you want to buy does not sound much more muddy or less detailed, especially in the bass region.
Distortion levels, also for individual lower frequencies at higher levels, should stay clearly below 5%.
… setting up …
If the system adds lots of distortion at listening levels, there is not much you can do about it. Some overstrained systems add lots of distortions. This holds true for every component in the whole audio system. Make sure non of the components of your system with independent volume-control is overstrained.
… listening to …
If the system adds lots of distortion at listening levels, there is not much you can do about it. It might help, to listen at lower levels. That might prevent overtraining the system. | https://testhifi.com/2019/07/26/flaws-in-audio-systems-loudness-at-intermodulation-distortion-limit/ |
Liquids used in critical surface preparation are carefully characterized and monitored to establish and maintain chemical composition as well as to minimize particulates and dissolved contaminants. Appropriate chemical and physical properties are selected to optimize the process; most are well understood.
While adding sound waves to a liquid results in invaluable attributes, system properties (liquid plus ultrasonics or megasonics) may not be adequately understood or monitored. A system with specific parameters is chosen based on past performance. Do we have the equivalent of an optimally-tuned sports-car? We really don’t know.
Both ultrasonics and megasonics involve the interaction of sound with liquid to produce activity such as compressible cavitation bubbles and acoustic streaming. While often treated as separate techniques, they actually represent a continuum ranging from ýelatively low frequencies (e.g., 25 kHz for heavy-duty ultrasonics) to very high frequencies (e.g., 1000 kHz is clearly megasonics). There are distinctions. Megasonics, for example, is a line-of-sight technique and in general produces less surface damage. (As used here, the term “sonics” will refer both to ultrasonics and megasonics unless otherwise specified.)
Liquids vary markedly in their response to a given set of sonic parameters. The challenge is to compare and monitor system behavior. Certain solvents are relatively unresponsive to sonic energy; some aqueous products become more active than anticipated. In response, equipment suppliers offer a dizzying array of options and features such as frequency, power, sweep, on-off cycle, and transducer placement.
Accurate, reproducible sonic metrics are needed to enhance contamination control, optimize surface preparation, achieve appropriate quality control, and compare system options. It would be helpful to monitor power distribution within a tank including impact of the acoustic field and various aspects of cavitation. It would be useful to spatially map the activity within a given tank, track changes over time, and compare performance among tanks of a single design or among tanks from several manufacturers. Inconsistent sonics effectively means that, despite initial analysis and study, we are using poorly controlled solutions.
Unfortunately, quantifiable sonic metrics for surface preparation is in its infancy. For lower frequencies, the classic test is based on aluminum foil. Because it is sensitive to erosion and chemical incompatibility, foil acts as an early warning signal of ultrasonic problems, a bit like a canary in a mine shaft. A thin sample of commercial foil is submerged in the liquid for a consistent time, then inspected for the presence of a characteristic, distinctive, slightly dimpled orange-peel pattern. The absence of this pattern indicates lack of ultrasonic activity. Visible erosion is a sign of undesirably high activity. Gravimetric determinations may also be performed where weight loss is presumed due to erosion of the surface (and perhaps removal of trace contaminants) and is taken as an indication of activity of the system of liquid plus sonic activity.
The foil test is rapid and inexpensive. For emergency troubleshooting, it is not unknown to enlist foil from the cafeteria. Although the method is often thought of as unsophisticated, the foil approach does have value as an indicator of cavitation activity. However, the method is qualitative, subjective, and dependent on sample preparation. There are indications that slightly wrinkled foil may be more sensitive to erosion than very smooth foil. In addition, the technique becomes less applicable at higher frequencies; in fact, the orange-peel pattern is actually assumed by some megasonics proponents to indicate the unsuitability of ultrasonics for delicate components.
Witness or test samples provide an indirect indication of sonics metrics. Where there is suspicion that fixtures have dampened activity, the product can be replaced with aluminum foil to see if the characteristic pattern is achieved. As a more sophisticated extension, a witness sample may be processed with the component, then analyzed to establish surface quality (absence of erosion, removal of contamination). This approach has been used in wafer fabrication to establish megasonic quality and uniformity.
Next month:progress in the development of quantifiable ultra-and megasonic probes.
Reference:1 J. M. Kolyer, A.A. Passchier, and L. Lau, “New Wrinkles in Evaluating Ultrasonic Tanks,” Precision Cleaning magazine, May/June, 2000.
Acknowledgements:
The authors appreciate information and comments from L. Azar of PPB; M. Beck of ProSys, and G. Ferrell of SEZ. | https://www.rdworldonline.com/measuring-sonics-part-1/ |
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