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Friday, November 29, 2019

Microsoft Antitrust Essays (2426 words) - AOL, Microsoft Litigation

Microsoft Antitrust Since 1990, a battle has raged in United States courts between the United States government and the Microsoft Corporation out of Redmond, Washington, headed by Bill Gates. What is at stake is money. The federal government maintains that Microsoft's monopolistic practices are harmful to United States citizens, creating higher prices and potentially downgrading software quality, and should therefore be stopped, while Microsoft and its supporters claim that they are not breaking any laws, and are just doing good business. Microsoft's antitrust problems began for them in the early months of 1990(Check 1), when the Federal Trade Commission began investigating them for possible violations of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts,(Maldoom 1) which are designed to stop the formation of monopolies. The investigation continued on for the next three years without resolve, until Novell, maker of DR-DOS, a competitor of Microsoft's MS-DOS, filed a complaint with the Competition Directorate of the European Commission in June of 1993. (Maldoom 1) Doing this stalled the investigations even more, until finally in August of 1993, (Check 1)the Federal Trade Commission decided to hand the case over to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice moved quickly, with Anne K. Bingaman, head of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ, leading the way.(Check 1) The case was finally ended on July 15, 1994, with Microsoft signing a consent settlement.(Check 1) The settlement focused on Microsoft's selling practices with computer manufacturers. Up until now, Microsoft would sell MS-DOS and Microsoft's other operating systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) at a 60% discount if that OEM agreed to pay a royalty to Microsoft for every single computer that they sold (Check 2) regardless if it had a Microsoft operating system installed on it or not. After the settlement, Microsoft would be forced to sell their operating systems according to the number of computers shipped with a Microsoft operating system installed, and not for computers that ran other operating systems. (Check 2) Another practice that the Justice Department accused Microsoft of was that Microsoft would specify a minimum number of minimum number of operating systems that the retailer had to buy, thus eliminating any chance for another operating system vendor to get their system installed until the retailer had installed all of the Microsoft operating systems that it had installed.(Maldoom 2) In addition to specifying a minimum number of operating systems that a vendor had to buy, Microsoft also would sign contracts with the vendors for long periods of time such as two or three years. In order for a new operating system to gain popularity, it would have to do so quickly, in order to show potential buyers that it was worth something. With Microsoft signing long term contracts, they eliminated the chance for a new operating system to gain the popularity needed, quickly.(Maldoom 2) Probably the second most controversial issue, besides the per processor agreement, was Microsoft's practice of tying. Tying was a practice in which Microsoft would use their leverage in one market area, such as graphical user interfaces, to gain leverage in another market, such as operating systems, where they may have competition.(Maldoom 2) In the preceding example, Microsoft would use their graphical user interface, Windows, to sell their operating system, DOS, by offering discounts to manufacturers that purchased both MS-DOS and Windows, and threatening to not sell Windows to companies who did not also purchase DOS. In the end, Microsoft decided to suck it up and sign the settlement agreement. In signing the agreement, Microsoft did not actually have to admit to any of the alleged charges, but were able to escape any type of formal punishment such as fines and the like. The settlement that Microsoft agreed to prohibits it, for the next six and a half years from: * Charging for its operating system on the basis of computer shipped rather than on copies of MS-DOS shipped; * Imposing minimum quantity commitments on manufacturers; * Signing contracts for greater than one year; * Tying the sale of MS_DOS to the sale of other Microsoft products;(Maldoom 1) Although these penalties look to put an end to all of Microsoft's evil practices, some people think that they are not harsh enough and that Microsoft should have been split up to put a stop to any chance of them forming a true monopoly of the operating system market and of the entire software market. On one side of the issue, there are the people who feel that Microsoft should be left alone, at least for the time being. I am one of these people,

Monday, November 25, 2019

depression1 essays

depression1 essays psychiatric disorder characterized by feelings of worthlessness, guilt, sadness, helplessness, and hopelessness. It is different then normal sadness or grief from the loss of a loved one because it is persistent and severe. Clinical depression has many related symptoms trouble sleeping, eating disorders, withdrawal and inactivity, self-punishment, and loss of pleasure. People that are depressed do not like to do things they may usually like to. Surveys that have been taken that show approximately 20 in 100 people suffer from depression at any one time. About one if four Americans will suffer from a depression over the course of their lifetime. Depression strikes men and women of all ages, in all races, but most studies indicate that women are more often afflicted. There are two major forms of depression that people get. One form is called depressive disorder. It is diagnosed only by episodes of depression. Episodes can be short or long but are usually brought about by an incident in a persons life. An example of this is if someone close to them dies. The other kind is called bipolar or manic depressive illness, it is recognized by alternating depressed and manic episodes. This is an actual brain dysfunction. In the major depression or the depressed phase of bipolar illness, a depressed mood predominates, even though the patient may not be aware of feeling sad. Typically, he or she loses all interest in activities. Symptoms include sleep disturbances, not able to concentrate or to make decisions, loss of appetite or greatly increased appetite, slowed thinking and decreased energy feelings of worthlessness, guilt, hopelessness, diminished sexual interest, and recurrent thoughts of suicide and death, sometimes leading a person to actually committing suicide. In the manic phase of bipolar disorder the patients behavior is bizarre and sometimes obnoxious. ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Workforce Effectiveness (Interview Technique) Essay

Workforce Effectiveness (Interview Technique) - Essay Example Patton (1987) has recommended that such questions should be neutral and clear to the employee, they must be open ended and demonstrate sensitivity to the subject of the interview. The cognitive interview techniques aims to improve communication during an interview, through enhancing recall of past events and the context in which they occurred. This method also allows an interviewer to assess when confabulation is used, i.e, stating something that is not strictly true. Memon et al (1997) have examined the application of the cognitive technique in the context of police work where interviewing witnesses was concerned and found it efficacious in enhancing accurate recall of past events. Lindberg et al (2003) have compared three different investigative techniques used with young children. The first of these was a step wise interview process, in which questions became progressively more difficult. The second method employed a play situation and interviewed the children by asking them questions as they played. The last method was a modified structured interview in which the interviewers were provided an information packet that highlighted the importance of the resea rch and included instructions on how to build rapport with the children together with guidelines on specific kinds of questions that could be asked. The last method was found to be the best. In view of the above, it appears that the method of semi structured interview may be the best in gaining a picture of the candidates for the Executive assistant position and their abilities. While a set of prior questions can be prepared before hand, some questions can be open ended, allowing the candidate to expand on any aspect that the interview wishes to know more about. The interview will include questions about the candidate’s academic qualifications and the grades that were earned. A set of questions on job history can

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Role of Colors in The Great Gatsby Research Paper

The Role of Colors in The Great Gatsby - Research Paper Example The first huge symbolism that is exemplified in the Great Gatsby is the symbolism of green light. The green light is a monumental factor that exemplifies Jay’s dream to chase Gatsby. The green light had a profound meaning as it signifies Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby love for Daisy, as excellently illustrated in Chapter 1 as he reaches for the light, represents his quest to get Daisy. Gatsby had a strong attachment to this mysterious light as the author states, â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light† (Fitzgerald 128). The green light was Gatsby only diminishing hopes to ever get back with Daisy, which unfortunately never occurred.   In addition, the green light also represents that of the quest for the â€Å"American Dream† that the new immigrants desired when they reached the â€Å"promise land† (Mellard 853). In essence, Fitzgerald believed that Americans were disillusioned by attaching a meaning to America through their own dreams. Green is used to portray wealth and money that all people love to accumulate. Similarly, Gatsby is deceived as he attaches this perfect illusion to Daisy. Unfortunately, Gatsby is struck with utter failure as he fails to attain Daisy just as the American dream was devastated by the materialistic things in 1920’s. Gatsby’s bold attempt to re-create his best memory, which was to spend time with Daisy in Louisville, never happened. Sadly, Gatsby lost his will to live and looked forward for his death (Mellard 855). Another element that is exemplified via color, is ash through the color of gray. .† Fitzgerald excellent ability to point of key flaws in society was perfectly illustrated by this symbolism. Fitzgerald describes the Valley of Ashes in his book â€Å"a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and

Monday, November 18, 2019

Does Online Communication Compromise the Rights of an Individual When Essay

Does Online Communication Compromise the Rights of an Individual When Information is "Anonymous" - Essay Example The effect of anonymous online communication on the rights of individuals still remains a hotly debated topic in the coming years. Different scholars have divergent views with regards to the issue. Neil Swidey on one hand believes that it compromises the rights of the individual because many people post abusive and vitriolic stuff that are often eliminated by the site moderators (Akrivopoulou and Garipidis, 148). He argues that anonymous posters may sometimes become offensive thereby calling into question the nature as well as the value of online communication. Ian Lloyd, on the other hand, maintains that anonymous online communication does not compromise the rights of the individuals. He argues that there is a legal approach that protects anonymity and privacy. Even though the legal approach that is directed online communications tries to safeguard personal rights, people may often have bad intentions; therefore, life in this digital age may be subject to breaches of trust (Akrivopoulou and Garipidis, 148). However, it is worth noting that the use of anonymous online communication is unstoppable because its benefits do outweigh any limitations they bring. The government and the media should be involved in identifying how to harness the potential of anonymous online communication to inform the general public better by making sure that the good intentions do not often backfire. According to me, I tend to think that anonymous online communication is not capable of compromising the rights of the individuals in case it is used correctly because it has more good than harm. First, anonymous online communication actually protects the rights of individuals. It has greatly helped investigative journalists who frequently use it when investigating new stories. Such people have been able to gather information that they wouldn’t have reached had they used direct

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Illegal Downloading Essay

Illegal Downloading Essay Illegal download of music can be best defined as use of free sharing programs such as LimeWire, Bit Torrent, Ares and E-mule to share or obtain copyrighted music or music software without due permission from the copyright holder. From the article, we can deduce and comfortably argue that the illegal download of music is indeed harmful and should be banned and discouraged at all cost. For one, illegal download of music denies musicians the right to profits and hence prevent them from earning their living. It also kills their morale when taken to the fact that it degrades and devalues their products i.e. the music files. On the argument that artists make more money from concerts, this needs to be explicitly clarified, because download of music can actually bring an artist more money than concert appearances. Take a scenario for instance where a musician has a hit song all over the globe which is all over the internet and media outlets. This will translate to more demand, and they will get invited to numerous shows and events all over the world. Whereas anyone in any place around the globe can download the particular song or other songs by the artist no matter the time of the day. The artist himself is limited in the number of shows or concerts he or she can attend hence he might end up making more money from this than actual concerts which requires his physical appearance. The value of musical compact discs (CDs) has been viewed by some as ridiculously high, as the article reports. It will be important to understand this vital point that when a consumer really needs and wants a certain product and appreciates its value the price notwithstanding. (Aksomitis, 2007) He or she would most definitely go out of the way to purchase it this is no different when it comes to musical CD sales. If the notion that downloading of music illegally is harmless and does not really cost the artist much should be dispelled and the following will act to disabuse any such thoughts in any potential illegal music downloader. Jupiter research -a UK based research firm published a report in 2009 titled the analysis of the European online music marketing development and assessment of future opportunities. The report came up with a final conclusion that illegal music downloaders were free loaders who had little or no will /ability to pay for music. This coupled with the fact that the United Kingdom trade value of the domestic music sales had fallen to a sobering twenty five per cent in the last decade is a clear indication of the ills of illegal music download. Another study done in Netherlands by a group called TNO/SEO/IVIR in 2009 established a direct link between a drop in music sales and downloading over the internet: ups and downs-economic and cultural effects of file sharing on music, films and games. The bottom line facts and figures all point out illegal music downloading over the internet, as one of the major culprits that has led to decline in revenue and sales in the music industry worldwide. This is because a seemingly harmless action of downloading a music file over the internet has caused a wide destructive ripple effect in the industry affecting more than one individual /musician. There exist many key industry players who are negatively affected by this. The music producer for one, music managers, record label employees, music promoters, disc jockeys (DJ) and other professionals. Who include video producers, dancers, event organizers and other affiliated industry players together with thousands if not millions of employees earning a living from music and music related products. When music CD sales drops due to illegal download of music, publishers naturally feel the pinch from losses incurred. Drop in album sales lead to firing and lying off of employees by record labels and music production houses. (Noah, 2011) The musician at the end of the line is cheated off their rightful earning by the same illegal downloading. It will be of great importance to note that music CDs are on their way to becoming obsolete and outdated. Therefore soft copy downloading is becoming a more and more preferred mode of music and music software Access Avenue by fans worldwide. This means music downloads are in the future going to be perhaps the only way a part from performances and product endorsements that a musician can earn a living and make sales from his/her music. All this is a clear pointer that illegal music download is indeed harmful and musicians therefore should declare an out and out war against these offenders. Who exhibits dishonest, unscrupulous, unethical and selfish practice which amounts to mass theft of intellectual property and copyright infringement not to mention theft. It is important that there exist legal and recognized channels for music downloading where there is a good and reliable system of music downloading. This is because there would be an important source of data whereby an artist can keep tract and do a self-evaluation of his/her music progress. Other key players such as producers and music promoters would also find this handy and useful in keeping tract if their artist progress in development while keeping tabs on sales and marketing data .Ranking and artist valuing can also be easily timelines and tracked down to minute details. The government would also heavily benefit from the same when it comes to the crucial issue of taxation and revenue collection. Where there is a legal and recognized mode of music download, tax deductions and revenue payment can be smoothly and flawlessly carried out which in turn will help the government to be able to protect the musicians and assure them of continued earning from their music. This will in turn lead to high morale in the musician who will continue churning out more quality and standard music for the fans to enjoy. It is however important to take in to consideration the issue of music previews where potential downloads review and sample music before downloading. The article argue that if allowed access to sampling and previewing of music prior to online purchase, the potential customers will not value the illegally downloaded music. Resulting, into temporally use of files then deleting without actually engaging in the actual purchase of the song. There should be such a platform streamlined such as in the case of movie trailers where a sneak preview of the song is availed without unnecessarily exposing much or the whole song to potential buyers. A small part of the song such as the chorus should be coded into the system with an expiry security lock for temporal use. We must keep in psyche that prior to one goes to download a song there must have been motivators and factors that lead to his or her action. (Johnson Broida, 2002) By this, we can take into account music previews and reviews in various contemporary music shows in radio and television programs. Also written music reviews by entertainment writers and critics who are well informed about music of various genres and types they report for therefore the downloader has a pretty good idea what he/she is going to download. Up to that point all will agree that illegal download of music does more harm than good. Therefore should be severely reprimanded and allow for musicians effort to be duly recognized and appreciated when protecting and appreciating copyright and intellectual property of the artist. Musicians should come out vocally and in numbers to condemn and fight this detestable vice. This can be best done by the formation of strong reliable and powerful artist associations and bodies which will have the mandate and tasks of monitoring and ensuring music download is done legally and they benefit from the same. There is a need for existence of independent and cooperate copyright agent monitors. Who will work closely for or with the government music bodies, record labels, music distribution companies media houses. (Johnson Broida, 2002) Additionally, music promoters and online marketers of music together with the website owners to ensure efficient tracking of music download. Enabling to keep the actions in the right track and eliminate illegal music downloading or keep it to a bare minimum. The government needs to step in the fight against illegal music downloads by setting up agencies and departments to monitor and control the same. Legal actions should be taken against those found engaging in illegal music download and heavy fines and penalties imposed on the culprits to punish them. Get legal settlements to compensate the musicians and deter and discourage other potential illegal music down-loaders. There should be also financial implications for any individual, company, group or institution whose members engage in this act with full knowledge of the relevant authorities. Disciplinary actions therefore should be taken against students in educational institutions where this practice is done at an alarming rate, mostly with impunity since the perpetrators hide under the veil of the majority of numbers and institutional cover. CONCLUSION In a nutshell, the long and short of it is that if allowed to continue, illegal music download will continue hurting musicians and also the perpetrators when stun action is taken against them. The eventual effect is the ruining of the music industry and killing of dreams, new talents and music. The question is if one loves music so much, why not go out and legally purchase it?

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Why was Northern Italy so much in the forefront of urban self-government? :: European Europe History

Why was Northern Italy so much in the forefront of urban self-government? There were various reasons for the ability of certain towns in Italy to establish a certain amount of self-government. The location of the maritime cities such as Genoa was able to benefit from the crusades making them powerful. This resulted in a knock on effect to the main inland towns and cities in the north due to increase in trade. This caused prosperity and growth, because of this and also because of certain socio-economic changes originating in the countryside, the cities and towns started to break away from the old feudal systems and look to a new order more beneficial to the newly formed city classes. Their ability to consolidate this new government was due in part to the political upheaval which existed between state and church. This can be seen within the conflict of Henry IV and Gregory VII. The concept of self-government showed a major change in power within the Northern towns of Italy. The traditional feudal system was replaced by a "commune", where all orders would share al rights and powers in common. This was implemented by an elected consul, where as before Kings such as the Lombard's installed governors to rule, or at other times a powerful Archbishop would be the ruling power. This can be seen in the rule of Archbishop Ansperte 868-81, (Ella Noyles p16) By the time of the 12th century, cities such as Milan had a government loosely based on the old Roman regime. This was a three tier system consisting of Captains - the higher nobility and clergy; the vassals- the lower nobility and an increasing middle class formed of merchants and land leasers; and the common people such as the artisans and peasants. A consul was elected to govern the commune and was re-elected every year. This consul was elected by all three orders not just the elite. This is what existed for self-government in the eleventh and twelfth century. The existence of self-government in the Northern Italian towns and cities was possible due to various reasons. In part it was location. The first crusades brought huge amounts of people and wealth into the maritime cities such as Genoa Pisa and also Venice. In consequence a great amount of trade was stimulated throughout Northern Italy and toward the inland towns and cities of Milan, Florence Ravenna and Pad ova to name a few.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Conflict is the essence of drama Essay

The effect of conflicts in drama is profound, and conflicts contribute to a great extent in making drama attractive for audience to watch. Conflict basically forwards drama, while in the meantime it leads to changes that attract audiences as it progresses through time. Conflict shows character, their realizations, and also realizations of audiences, all of which make drama interesting to attract audiences. It projects meanings and gives vividness to drama, thus it makes drama interesting in order to attract audiences. Conflict forwards drama by introducing changes that keeps the audiences sited. Audiences find an unchanging play that follows routine to be boring and hopes to find differences. Thus, changes are necessary in drama for it to demand a reaction from the audiences that’s maintained, so that they can keep focused to the play. In Oedipus, changes occur from the beginning of the play to the end. Oedipus doesn’t go through a normal life as being a king or live a happy life with his wife, but experiences through a catastrophe that influences his life. Critical changes are brought out by conflict at certain moments and introduce newness to drama, for example when Jocasta discovers that Oedipus is the child she sent years ago. The conflict is within Jocasta herself, of sinfully being both a wife and mother of Oedipus. Also the conflict is between her and people of Thebes, including Oedipus, where the normal relationship has been destroyed. These two conflicts mean a dramatic change in Jocasta herself, and for the play, as it moves on acknowledging the effects of these changes. Similarly, in â€Å"Macbeth†, changes are brought out throughout the play, enriched by conflicts within characters, such as Macbeth, and conflicts between characters, such as between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. The two monologs of Macbeth shows his inner conflict between his consciences and his ambition, which slowly drives him towards murdering the king. The vast change in his inner mind based on the conflict sets the basis for the play and leads to the potential consequences that happen later. Conflict between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth occurs when Lady Macbeth accuses her husband of not being a man to have the courage murder. Changes are brought out as Macbeth becomes more firm and aggressive towards the murder, which then affects direction of the whole play by moving closer towards the murder and gives the audiences anticipation towards th e killing. This brings a sense of delight in the audiences to keep them focused to the play. By having conflicts which leads to changes, drama is forwarded along with the reactions from the audiences. At the same time conflict forwards a play, conflict also shows character of the characters. In â€Å"Oedipus†, conflict is presented between characters such as between the Terisias the priest and Oedipus. The technique of stichomythic dialogue is used when the two have a conflict in their conversation, to show the characters’ emotions, especially Oedipus’s pride. Short, fast sentences are used when Oedipus hears Teiresias’s accusation on him, he says â€Å"Shall I bear more of this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and Teiresias answers â€Å"I will. The stichomythic dialogue shows Oedipus’s jealousy and his tyranny behavior. By being not able to see the warning language of Terisias, he’s also shown to be arrogant. His conversation with Creon further shows his arrogance and hubris. Again, stichomythic dialogue is used when Oedipus says â€Å"By no means. I would have you dead, not banished† and Creon answers â€Å"if you can show in what way I have wro nged you†. In â€Å"Macbeth†, conflict within Macbeth himself shows his character. In Shakespeare’s portrayal of Macbeth, there’s resolution and irresolution, there’s decision and indecision, all which describes his character. During the two long monologs, his relentless ambition fights with his conscience, showing the opposing two sides of his inner character. When Macbeth sees the dagger hanging in front of him, he mentions he thinks not of them and that â€Å"there’s no such thing†, but it is indeed ironic because he’s mind is actually focused on them. The irony shows his character, the fighting between trying to remain conscience by not thinking of them and murdering the king. He mentions the dagger as a â€Å"false creation†, but in his deep heart desires to use it. Along with showing character, conflict shows their realizations, and more, makes also the audiences to realize. With â€Å"Oedipus†, audiences realize the effect of hubris of people, after seeing how Oedipus experiences his downfall. Audiences realize how the dominating emotions of arrogance, jealousy, pride affect Oedipus in refusal to recognize his wrongness. The paradox of Terisias of being physically blind but sees things correctly in terms of morality further contrasts with Oedipus’s emotion, and further encourages the audiences to realize hubris. Although in â€Å"Oedipus†, realizations happen while the audiences have a certain outline, some knowledge on the play, audiences still experience the play differently, since it is live. However, this is not true with â€Å"Macbeth†, as history of the play is made up as going along. Audiences realize the consequences of Macbeth after murdering the king by seeing that, in the end, he dies in the battle. Characters themselves also have realizations in drama, usually at critical moments where conflict makes the play changes its plot dramatically. Oedipus’s realization of him being the son of Laius comes slowly, but also catastrophically. Again, the tension of the realization is built up using stichomythic dialogues. Oedipus realizes that he can never go back to where he was. His conflict lies in that he wishes to return to being the king as before, but the truth does not allow him to do so. Similarly, In â€Å"Macbeth†, realization of Macbeth comes with his action of murdering the king. There is clearly a feeling of being scared of others discovering their actions inside Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after murdering the king, as they rhetorically question the noise of the surroundings. Also, Macbeth mentions† I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done†, suggesting he realizes the dangers that would occur to him if his actions were discovered. Conflict in drama projects meaning, though it might not project a resolution to the problem at the end of the play. The end of one conflict in the play doesn’t necessary mean that there will be no future conflicts. In â€Å"Oedipus†, the fall of Oedipus doesn’t indicate the problem of the nation has been solved, but on the contrary, there might be other arrogant tyrants like Oedipus in the future. However, the story of â€Å"Oedipus† somehow teaches the audiences to be morally good, therefore it has a meaning. Similarly, in â€Å"Macbeth†, the tragedy of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth teaches audiences to realize that following a path similar to them will lead to destruction. Duncan’s speeches of gracefulness, loyalty, honor, honesty and integrity are meant to project moral rightness, therefore to teach morally. Still, there’s no final resolution at the end of the play and it may mean that there will be other tyrants like Macbeth in the future. However, the play itself has projected meanings which, attracts audiences to watch it because simply no one would be interested in a play with no meanings. In conclusion, conflict does not only perform the basic functions for drama, such as forwarding the play, but conflict’s main effect is that it makes drama more interesting, which is essential to attract audiences. Changes are brought out by conflict that introduces something different, and something new. Also, characters in drama are shown vividly through conflict. Conflict projects meaning, create realizations of the audiences and characters, with all of this, it makes drama fascinating and irregular.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Descartes Goes to Hollywood

Descartes Goes to Hollywood Samantha Holland’s article addresses the ‘cyborg’ element in modern contemporary films and the philosophy surrounding cyborgs. Holland’s article focuses on Rene Descartes’ philosophy when analyzing the use of ‘half human-half machine’ characters in films.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Descartes Goes to Hollywood specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Samantha Holland addresses various angles of the mind-body philosophy in this article including personal identity, dualism of beings, gender, and technology. Throughout the article, the use of cyborgs in films is used as a tool of analysis by the author. This paper provides a prà ©cis of Holland’s â€Å"Descartes Goes to Hollywood: Mind Body and Gender in Contemporary Cyborg Cinema†. The article begins by providing examples of how materialism and dualism are manifested in cyborg cinema. The movie â€Å"Robo cop† is used to show both the materialistic OCP and the dual existence of Robocop (Holland 158). Holland presents readers with an example of how the mind-body philosophy is the central theme in most cyborg films. According to the article, there are a lot of conflicting philosophies that are contained in most cyborg films. In most cases, the film will be seeking to perpetuate a certain viewpoint but it ends up bringing up a contradiction. The conflict of the body and the mind is also the main theme in most cyborg films according to Holland. The author cites â€Å"The Terminator† and â€Å"Robocop† as examples of films with their main characters suffering from mind-body conflict. The article addresses the gender element in cyborg cinema. According to the author, although cyborg creators insist on the authenticity of the cyborg’s body, they also enhance the cyborg’s gender-look. The article cites the muscled Terminator and the feminine Cherry as exampl es of the emphasized gender-look in cyborgs.Advertising Looking for book review on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The article points out that the reason for gender emphasis in cyborg cinema is to maintain the body-essence and exploit gender roles. In addition, the article faults the notion that cyborgs are meant to go beyond gender boundaries and that they do not emphasize the common gender stereotypes. The author points out how the titles of cyborg films such as â€Å"Robocop†, â€Å"Cherry†, and â€Å"Eve of Destruction† are gender specific (Holland 165). The article continues by covering the feminist myth in most cyborg films. According to the author, most producers only try to portray strong female characters but they do not succeed. The portrayal of Sarah Connor in â€Å"Terminator† is used as an example of how feminism is usually misused in cyborg cinema. It is argue d that feminism is portrayed in both narrative and visual levels in cyborg films. The masculine male body possessed by most cyborgs is an example of the visual portrayal of the ‘strong male-gender’. The article also addresses the issue of how cyborg cinema portrays reproduction. According to the author, the ability to reproduce without using the female element can be interpreted as chauvinistic. The role of the cyborg cinema in the modern world is also addressed. Holland believes that cyborg cinema not only addresses future events but also present events. In addition, they serve as a critique of the human views on mind-body relations. The article concludes by noting that the cyborg cinema represents only the more acceptable notions of the body-mind theories. In addition, most cyborg films highlight the dualism of human beings and other forms. However, no film has been able to portray Descartes’ body-mind philosophy on an advanced level. The author also notes that most cyborg technology focuses on the machine-human interface as opposed to the human-machine interface. Therefore, most cyborg films are a manifestation of the growing anxiety over the increasing use of technology.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Descartes Goes to Hollywood specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Holland, Samantha. Descartes Goes to Hollywood.† Cyberbodies/Cyberpunk: Cultures  of Technological Embodiment. Ed. Mike Featherstone and Roger Burrows. New York, NY: Sage, 1996. 157-174. Print.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Landscape in Bessie Heads Collector of Treasures Essays

Landscape in Bessie Heads Collector of Treasures Essays Landscape in Bessie Heads Collector of Treasures Paper Landscape in Bessie Heads Collector of Treasures Paper Essay Topic: In Love and Trouble Stories of Black Women In this essay I will explore the construction of spatial discourses as they inform endured, racial and other ideologically policed senses of cultural identity. The prescribed statement; The questions of home, land, language and cultural expression are central to the constitution of identity, much as awareness of issues of gender, race, class and national identity are integral to the creative construction of liberating postcolonial subjects will be investigated through four stories from her short story collection, The Collector of Treasures (1992). The stories that will be looked at are The Deep River: A Story of Ancient Tribal Migration, Jacob: The Story of a Faith-Healing Priest, Life and The Wind and a Boy. Each story will be looked at in terms of societal changes; character displacement and exile themes; the clash between encroaching modernism and capitalism (brought about by colonialism and arguably neocolonialism) and tribal traditionalism; and dualities which reveal this clash of value as well as centers relating to control and gender. Because of the nature of her personal life and the themes with which she deals, each story will also be looked at in terms of borders: symbolic, topographic and temporal. Borders, by definition, keep things in as ell as keep things out, and so these raise the questions of space, place and belonging. For this reason, it becomes a postcolonial concern to envisage Heads fictional stories as textual landscapes by which she and the reader are allowed to navigate the potholes of gender, society, and the construction of identity. Bessie Head had a much-varied life while living in South Africa. She lived as a foster child until she was thirteen years old, studied at a mission school, trained as a teacher, and after a few years teaching, worked as a journalist for a DRIED publication, Golden City post. Head left South Africa and moved to Botswana, where she lived as a refugee for fifteen years (Head 1992:I). The Botswana government refused to grant her citizenship, fearing South African intervention should the exile community expand, and so she was forced to report weekly to the police (Nixon 1996:244). Ender Apartheid she had been the product of an illegal union between a black man and a white woman, and so her sense of cultural identity was pushed to the periphery. Her move to Botswana was not simply promoted by the search for freedom from racial oppression, but for a search of belonging. She had been rootless in South Africa, and unlike other African writers in exile, did not pursue the literary roots to the Northern Hemisphere, but moved to Botswana, one door away from South Africa (Head, cited in Nixon 1996: 243). And so, Heads move to neighboring Botswana reveals in her a belief which permeates her writing, that in being African there exists some essential connection across borders. It was a search as an African for a sense Of historical continuity, a sense of roots (Head cited in Sample 1991: 312). Head gained citizenship in 1 979, only two years after The Collector of Treasures was published. At the time of writing, Head was located firmly in an ambiguous space: not really a citizen of either country, and not really belonging to any particular (or at least recognized) racial grouping. Her concerns are visible in the readings of the short stories to be discussed hereafter. They tell the tales of movement, of a search for identity in the self and in the community. The characters in the stories take space and color for themselves an ideal place using the various modes through which a person knows and constructs a reality (Tuna cited in Sample 1991: 311). Her belief in the continuity of people is revealed, as she says: The least I can say for myself is that I forcefully created for myself under extremely hostile conditions, my ideal life. I took an obscure and almost unknown village in the Southern African bush and made it my own hallowed ground. Here, in the steadiness and peace of my own world, I could dream a little ahead of the somewhat vicious clamor of revolution and the horrible stench of social systems. My work was always tentative because it was always so completely new: it created a new world out of nothing; it brought all minds of people, both literate and semi-literate together, and it did not really qualify who was who everyone had a place in my world (Head cited in Sample 1991:312). Fittingly, the first short story I will deal with is also the first in the collection, and, interestingly, seems to offer some foreshadowing insights into some of the problems that would become a part of later society in post-Nine-/colonial rule and are dealt with in the stories later in the collection. The Deep River: A Story of Ancient Tribal Migration tells the story of a tribe, the people of Monoplane, whose kingdom was somewhere in the central part of Africa Head 1977:1 The ambiguous centrality of the tribe?s location lends itself to the idea that the problems faced by the tribe belonged to or would belong to, in this analysis all the people of Africa, and not simply those of a particular nation or region whose existence was delimited by external and constructed powers of control; borders which, in all reality, created different nations out of the same people. There are a number of themes at play in this story; the ideal community whose subjects really lived identity-less lives under the unquestionable rule of dictated authority, the corruptive power of authority, gender determinism, and finally, the search for home in new lands. Long ago, when the land was only cattle tracks and footpaths, the people lived together like a deep river (1). In the very first sentence, two motifs are introduced: movement and water. The footpaths might refer to a pre- industrial era, one of relative simplicity and free of capitalist influences, but it also might speak to the pattern of migrant and migrant labor forced upon the African people during the period of colonialism, a pattern which would remain one of the most central paradigms of socio-economic living even long after the continent was decolonize. But for now, it could make reference to the central theme of all the stories in this collection and Heads own state of traditionalism: the search for a home in which identity might manifest itself, individually and communally. Water is also an important motif in Heads stories. It comes to represent healing and well-being. In The Deep River the depth and nourishing power of the river is synonymous with the peace and calm of the people, who live together unruffled by conflict or movement forward (1 The tribe is, like the river, a wealth of tradition that returns a kind of stagnation. The river is deep, and not fast, and, like the people, unruffled by Movement forward. Immediately this allows the tribe to be imagined as stuck in its specific ways. This notion is confirmed when the manner in which they live is examined. The people lived without faces, except for their chief, whose face was the face of all the people (1). The people were community orientated, but also without individual identities. The people accepted this regimental leveling down of their individual souls (2) and followed the laws of the land, which were really Monoplanes laws. They could not plough, harvest, pound, boil or ferment the corn without permission, and so their own chief rigidly policed the peoples relationship with the land. This community was in actual fact, less than ideal, a top down power structure that quieted the popular democratic. This dynamic would be one that would become a corrosive and pervasive issue later in history, as colonial forces policed the people and their relationship with the land even more unjustly. The people of Monoplane are citizens who do not assert their democratic rights, are not allowed to assert their democratic rights. This is an important understanding to come to when read against Heads own experiences as a racial outlier in South Africa and a refugee in Botswana. This atmosphere of inertia in their own home is heightened when considering the topographic, symbolic and temporal borders as outlined by Johan Shamanism (2007). As a topographic element the river separates the tribe of Monoplane from other hostile tribes or great dangers, and so removes the possibility of harm. Because the location of the tribe is undisclosed (as this story is an entirely fictionally account of the Bootlace tribes history, as explained by Head (6)) it takes on a generalized quality of nation state borderlines. It becomes a symbolic border when considering the fact that without external contact there is no possibility of progression; the only things that could possibly be pictured outside of their own village is the great possibility of danger. Fear becomes an monopolizing factor and prevents any purport unity for development. The calm of the river and of the people is upset when Subleases right to chieftain comes into question. He admits to having conceived a son with Ranking, his late fathers wife, and takes her and the child as his own. His brothers, Animate and Moslems, are terrified that Subleases child would displace them in seniority and thus get to rule as chief before them, and they urge their brother to renounce both son and wife. When Seeable refuses to do so, they keep on him, and tacitly force him to leave the village. And so from this the corruptive power of authority can be read. Greedily, the brothers would rather force their own brother from his home than be outranked by a baby. Like its spatial positioning in this textual landscape, its temporarily becomes an intrinsic property. It outlines the passage from then into now, from the mime of unquestioning subjectivity under Monoplane to Subleases splinter groups experience later in the land of the Bandwagon people. It is important to note that the only time territory is reckon sized by name and location is here, when the splinter group have relocated and have come into contact with many other tribes like the Phalange, Bake and Boatswains (6). The reader is then allowed to attribute this very fable-like history to a particular people in a particular place and thus understand the power of landscape mapping; our eyes follow the footprints in the text until something s made familiar. The temporal borders in this story convey something about the erosive ability of time, as well as the static and discriminatory notions with regards to gender. The old men there keep on giving confused and contradictory accounts of their origins, but they say they lost their place of birth over a woman (6). The people cannot even remember their own history, and remain resentful that they lost their home, even though the splinter group who decided to leave did so voluntarily. The splinter group, before deciding to join Seeable had already decided that Animate and Moslems [were] at the OTTOMH of all this trouble (5), and yet to this day (6), the men maintain that it was a woman who had done it. This unequivocally shows that women remain the scapegoats of history; that the universal she had somehow poisoned the well from which the would-be mighty ruler had drunk. In a world where women were of no account (3), Seeable is admonished for taking his relationship with his new wife, Ranking, seriously. Ranking, the only female in the story to be mentioned by name, is compared to a child, and, if taken advice from, would negate the legitimacy of Seibel?s rule. Even Rawnesss father tries to convince her that her feelings are simply a passing fancy, that women never know their own minds (4). This is problematic for it implies that women operate on a lower consciousness level than men, if any at all. She responds by asserting other women may not know their minds (5), showing strength of character and will, but is interrupted by her fathers impersonal hand, pointing towards a new husband for her. Ranking, however, decides to leave her new partner and join Seeable on his journey to new lands. Head gives Ranking a voice where there women are denied it, and creates a metaphoric landscape in which women might be able to make themselves heard and exercise control over their own lives (Sample 1992: 311). In my opinion, Ranking becomes the predicate upon which the intrepid women figures later in the collection are drawn from. Much later in their history, the tribe has relocated to the land of the Bandwagon, and the name Teetotal was all they were to retain of their identity as the people of the kingdom of Monoplane (Head 1992: 6). In the language spoken by the tribe of Monoplane, Teetotal meant, all right, you an go (6). The language of their tribe became an integral part of their identity as a community in their new land. The new tribe literally referred to themselves as a dismissal, the notion of the journey a congenital layer in their new make-up. The people have become transnational themselves, with a historical sense of continuity. They are at once still the people of Monoplane, as well as the new people of the Teetotal. The next story in the collection is Jacob: The Story of a Faith-Healing Priest. In this story the reader becomes very aware of Heads preoccupation with the elites of human nature, of a split between good and bad. This duality manifests itself in the landscape and in the characters and is a representation of the clash of values between encroaching modernism and traditional life. As Head says in The Collector of Treasures there were really only two kinds of men in society (87). Believe this refers literally to her pattern of juxtaposing good and bad men where here, Jacob is set up against Lebanon. Also believe that it may refer to a more universal tendency to refer to society as mankind, where people contain within themselves a fundamental split. In Jacob, Jacob is beautiful and simple and deeply sincere (25) and engages in a life of meagerness. He lives in a simple hut, provides spiritual counsel to the people, takes no donations and places his trust and faith into his children followers, associating him with innocence and child-like goodness. In stark contrast to this, Lebanon is a selfish, greedy man who exploits his followers, lives in a mansion and is believed to indulge in witchcraft, or black magic. This juxtaposition is represented in the landscape where each man lives on a different side of Mangle, Jacob on the sunrise side, and Lebanon on the unset side. Clear images of good and bad, light and dark are set up, and so the split in the town illustrates the split between characters both external and internal. It is the topographic and symbolic border of the text. This binary also characterizes the temporal border of the text; Jacobs passage from a man as Prophet Lebanon (21) into his final and biblical form of goodness. Jacob had owned a beer brewing business, had a beautiful but materialistic wife and two attractive daughters. One night he is robbed and left with only a few hundred rand, when he hears the voice of God, bidding him to do his DOD work. Jacob had heard this voice before, on the night of his parents death. His father was a German man and had married a Montanan woman, and here it is clear that Head inserts some of her ova,JNI ambiguity into Jacob, rendering the split in him as intrinsic. Heads water motif comes into play here again, and its dualities are evident. She spends a page and a half describing the lush landscape of the village, and makes it clear that for Head, Botswana was a place of restorative powers and healing possibilities. The village of Mangle received its yearly quota of twenty-two inches of rain List the rest of the country was smitten by drought (19). A river also borders Mangle, marking the village as a fountain of good fortune and spiritual well-being it is home to two prophets. Drought in Heads stories comes to represent a spiritual barrenness, but this will be discussed later. However, water is also what killed Jacobs parents their car skidded into the river during a heavy downpour. It is als o believed that Lebanon could even make rain (36), tainting the spirituality of Mangles supposed good fortune with the evil of Lebanons black magic. Though it may notation both good and bad properties, it could be argued that if it were not for the death of Jacobs parents, he may never have heard the voice of God, and therefore would not have been pushed into the spiritual journey that resulted in him becoming the good and faithful man he did. This temporal border, Jacobs spiritual journey into selflessness, is also represented by his transition between two kinds of women. His first wife is selfish, greedy and materialistic and leaves him when he invites her to join in Gods work with him. Johanna, his second wife, is a single mother with children and presents the important conventions of traditional life. Just as Ranking is the only woman mentioned by name, so too is Johanna. She is strong willed, driven, and recognized as a real woman (30). And so, on a basic level, Jacobs first wife represents a capitalist society, whilst Johanna represents a traditional one. These values clash and cannot live together inside Jacob, just as Jacob and Lebanon cannot both live in the village. Lebanon becomes a victim of his own villainy and is caught performing a ritual murder. He is sentenced to death and [p]people say the OLL of Lebanon returned from the grave To tell the people whom he awoke at night his fellow ritual murderers to desist from taking the lives of people because of the agony he was suffering now (36). This may serve as a warning against the consequences of a lifestyle of capitalist greed and selfish indulgence. In her characterization and landscape, Head sets up dualities and borders across which people must travel. Though there is minimal physical movement in the story (Jacob travels into Mangle, as do his followers from other villages, including Johanna), the journeys undertaken by the characters come spiritual ones. They are the quests to find meaning and happiness in a traditional society ravaged by exploited capitalist economic infrastructures. This is the search for a cultural identity that is pursued by reconstructing reality through modes Of knowing; a search projected onto the landscape Of the text as characters attempt to cross external and personal borders and thus become actively involved in shaping their own worlds. In Life, an ironic title as the story culminates in the protagonists death, the clash of values between modern and traditional lifestyles are explored, as ell as the gender specific roles and expectations assigned to women. The story opens up with a socio-historical account of the relationship between South Africa and Botswana the borders were first set up between the two countries in 1963 and forced all Botswana citizens back to their country of birth. Head goes on to summarize a heavy flow of foot-traffic between the two countries, as migrant labor was a booming industry. From the first page, Head turns her personal traditionalism into a literary vision to convey a powerful sense of the endless border crossings, of continuation and linkages twine people (Nixon 1996: 244). In the story, Life is one of these people. Having left her village of birth at ten years old, she returns from Johannesburg seventeen years later (Head 1 992: 37). She is therefore a dislocated woman, having lived in the village but having been formed as an individual in the big city. Hers is the story and history of the continent; of forced displacement and the struggle to remained identity. The landscape of this story is not so much a physical one; descriptions of the physical terrain (as in the previous two) hold less symbolic importance than o the landscape of personal spheres of existence and clashing centers. Upon her return to the village, Life is shown to her family yard in the center of the village. With her vitality, extravagance and penchant for a luxurious and free lifestyle, people flock to Lifes center like moths to a flame; %She is going to bring us a little light, the women said among themselves (38). Life picked up her old profession of prostitution and soon the din and riot of a Johannesburg township was duplicated A transistor radio blared the day long. Men and women reeled around drunk (40). Life conceptualizes her new laity through the reconstructive modes of familiarity; by transporting the center of Johannesburg (that which she knows) into the heart of the village she creates in herself and her surrounds a sense of belonging. Lifes identity and life is intimately linked to the preservation of this center of vitality. SEG, the wealthy cattleman, occupies another center of village life, one that represents a new kind of male in the colonial era. He is simultaneously emblematic of the cultural mores and values of traditional village life as well a willing and opportunistic recipient of all things brought to African life by alongside, and enforced by neo-colonialism. As Life acknowledges in him (after he walks into the same bar that she conducts her business of selling herself) ; [h]e was the nearest thing she had seen for a long time to the Johannesburg gangsters she had associated with He same power and control (41). With a silent command he orders Life to his end of the bar, she adheres, and so their spheres come into contact. Sample (1991) suggests that Lifes downfall was due to the fact that Life moved her center into Lessees sphere. I don think that this rings completely true. Lifes center of existence had always revolved around power, money and extravagance, and just like the gangsters she had associated with in Johannesburg Lessee represented these values He was invited into her sphere so that they might control the center together. Life did not have to go home with Lessee that night, but she did so voluntarily. And had Lessee not in fact been at the same time, two kinds of men both traditional and modern Lifes fate may have been different. Lifes movement from her end of the bar to Lessees that night (41 ) delineates the temporal and symbolic borders of the landscape in this story. It suggests the moving of people into different spheres of life (symbolic), as well as Lifes passage into destruction (temporal). When Lessee arrived that night, death walked quietly into the bar (41 ). Lifes center thus becomes one of male control and dominance; He took control of all the money. She had to ask him for it and state what it was to be used for. Then he didnt like the transistor radio blaring the whole day long (41 In Life we see the emergence of a new kind of woman as well, equally influenced by the economic and power opportunities brought about by modernity. The beer-brewing women are a prime example of this. Surrounded but not ruled by the village ethos of simplicity and domestic obedience, they refuse to subscribe to these ideologies; Boyfriends, yes. Husbands, uh, uh, no. Do this! Do that! We want to rule ourselves (39). They are able to differentiate between romantic relationships and self- empowerment, stating that [l]eve is love and money is money (40). For this reason, Life becomes their queen. Michael Faculty writes about space being linked to power, and one can see this in these brave women, who flex the boundaries Of traditional life and create for themselves a world in which they re in control. Life, for a brief time, lives by her husbands rules, but becomes bored by the banality and repetition of daily life. Her vivacious spirit cannot be quieted, and in an act of final rebellion, she coordinates the event that will ultimately result in her death. [A] wild anger was driving her to break out of a way of life that was like death to her (44), and so she makes an appointment with a man at six oclock, even though she knows her husband is at home. She knows the consequences of her action as Lessee warned her at the beginning of their marriage that [I]f oh [Life] go with those men again Ill [Lessee] kill you (43). It seems as though Life wants to be caught, as though she would rather be killed physically than slowly die the spiritual death of a village wife. Alerted to Lifes actions in the yard Of a neighbor, and true to his word, Lessee kills Life with a large knife that he used for slaughtering cattle (45). In this sentence alone the value of women as a commodity to be consumed or destroyed is highlighted. She is no better than a cow, one that might earlier have been the prize of his herd, but now must be destroyed and swallowed whole without a thought. Speaking to Lessees position as a new colonial male and the unfair gender balance is Lessees sentence. The judge was a white man, and therefore not involved in Tsarina custom and its debates (46), and reacted sympathetically to Lessee who remained calm and diplomatic during his trial. Undoubtedly the judge was able to identify with these characteristics, which must have marked Lessee as a man of a new era. Lessee received only five years imprisonment. Heads comment on the gender imbalance is elucidated when compared to Diesels situation in The Collector of Treasures; she received a life sentence for committing the same crime. Once again Heads tacit monomania for dualities and the split self becomes clear. Contrasts are drawn between Life and the other village women. Even the beer-brewers, who admire her, remain somewhat removed, as they hadnt fallen that low yet (40). These clashes of values can be seen in a light similar to the clash between Jacob and Lebanon. Just as the two men could not both live in the village, neither could Life nor Lessee. He is a man split by down the middle by traditional village predicates and the greed of modern life, while she is a fire that eventually burns herself out rather than be tamed. The space Head creates in the textual landscape of this narrative is one of contested places of power, belonging and identity. Life and Lessee want to, at the same time, inhabit their individual spheres as well as share one together. Fee compromises while Lessee does not. Although physically they share the same space, they have each ascribed to it a different notion of life, happiness and identity. Their centers fight for control, and, as commented by Lessees friend at the end of the story, rivers never cross here (46). If we take into account Heads motif of water as life and healing, then both Life and Lessee re their own rivers, determining the health and direction of their own lives. They can never meet and remain individual rivers, because the current of one will always be stronger than the other. Heads experience as a transnational, attempting to create an ideal life in new spaces is illuminated in this tale of migration and of crossed borders.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Leadership, Teambuilding, and Communication Research Paper

Leadership, Teambuilding, and Communication - Research Paper Example   There are various types of leadership styles and interpersonal forms of powers used in various organizations and how they impact organization’s performance. Leadership in an organization can refer to the practices of controlling and guiding of individuals in the work environment. It is the art of getting other doing what one believes in or wants (Griffin & Moorhead, 2013). Traditionally, leadership is perceived as a method where the power is given to the leaders. The traditional behavioral theory identifies different leadership styles among the people. It recognizes several behavioral styles namely autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire styles, transformational and transactional. Autocratic or authoritarian leaders assume absolute powers over the workers in an organization (Hislop, 2013). Those leaders may use threat or force to compel the employees to pursue the organizational goals or impose their will on the workers. They perceive workers as incompetent, irresponsible an d lazy who cannot perform without authority and control (Griffin & Moorhead, 2013). Authoritarian managers do not consult the employees or allow them to give their contributions in the decision-making process. Such leaders are sole decision makers and will issue directives to the workers at all times. Military leaders mainly use authoritative powers to achieve their targets.   Democratic leaders value the contribution of their workers and always work in collaboration with the employees in order to achieve common goals.  Ã‚  

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Miyazakis Animations and the Japanese Culture Essay

Miyazakis Animations and the Japanese Culture - Essay Example This essay stresses that the contemporary society does not embody any relationship between financial independence and the spirits. Contextually, many people engage in modern jobs to earn money and not to pursue their dreams. As opposed to the ancient Japan where people engaged in work and believed in spirits as the ones that provide and help in their various life instances. This paper makes a conclusion that the Japanese society had a matriarchal system where women could take control of family structures and various relationships in the family. However, the gender and gender roles gradually changed due to modernization and Westernization influenced by the Second World War, Western culture, and advancements made in technology. Through Miyazaki, a renowned film director in Japan, the Japanese Society received various works that enhanced the shift of gender roles. Miyazaki’s personal psyche had a great impact on his animation career and bring about a positive influence on the shift evidenced in the Japanese shift regarding gender roles. Kiki’s Delivery Services forms a basis for the shift of gender roles seen in Japan through Miyazaki’s contributions. Confucianism in the ancient Japan accelerated the change of gender roles since the Japanese copied the modern cultures from China and Korea. Therefore, Hayao Miyazaki makes a considerable contribution toward the changing of culture in Japan through his Kiki’s Delivery Service, his personal psyche and commitment to the animation industry.