Terrorism as a Pressing Social Issue

According to the course material, terrorism is an act that intimidates the civilian population. Terrorism is a crime, the main purpose of which is a violation of public safety, which is expressed in encroachment on the life and health of citizens, critical infrastructure facilities, the natural environment, the information environment, government bodies, state, and public figures (Holbrook & Horgan, 2019). According to the information from the 14th chapter, if such an act is performed on the territory of the USA and violates the laws of the United States, it is then considered domestic terrorism. The information in the course materials about the legislation to fight terrorism was novel and thought-provoking for me. Investigating and examining how it changed over time was fascinating. It is especially interesting to trace how such acts are represented in mass media.

Terrorism is a serious issue with a potentially challenging solution. Buzzfeed posted an article about the act of domestic terrorism online on July 19, 2022. The article by Reinstein (2022) describes the event where a man started shooting at a public place. It mentions the victims of the accident and suggests the causes of it. According to the author, this accident occurred after the states new gun permit law went into effect. The article delivered information in a well-rounded way, starting with the providing information about the accident and continuing with the discussion of its outcomes. It contains both facts and opinions, as it states the certain number of people injured and then relates the cause to the new gun permit regulations. The author refers to the fact that the new law correction was implemented, but the point that it was a possible reason for the shooting accident is the authors opinion and not fact.

This specific article caught my attention because it discussed terrorism, one of todays pressing social issues. It speaks to its potential causes, such as governmental restrictions on gun ownership. I felt uneasy emotions with a sense of injustice when I was reading this article. The criminals recklessness is having an adverse effect on the civilian population. Since terrorism news is interesting to a wide audience of readers and viewers and, thus, generates a lot of revenue, one cannot, in my opinion, accept the presumptions that the media are interested in broadcasting a lot of it. However, I want to call attention to how the information is submitted. Unfortunately, when terrorist attacks are covered, the government is frequently the target of outrage rather than the terrorists and those who supported them (Williamson et al., 2019). Of course, there is some basis for criticizing the government for failing to stop a terrorist attack or deal with its aftereffects.

When discussing the article, it is useful to see it through the victimological lens. A national and, ideally, worldwide audience is necessary for a terrorist attack. The development of an information society is the first prerequisite for the growth of terrorism. Additionally, as media becomes more influential, society becomes more permeated, their influence on influencing public opinion increases, and the wave of terrorism grows. The area of the possible impact of terrorism on society rises, as do its possibilities, as the habit of reading newspapers and magazines is augmented by the habit of listening to the radio, watching TV, and surfing the Internet. At this point, its important to consider both political and technological criteria of medias influence on the perception of the issue.

The state needs to improve the effectiveness of its information strategy for terrorist prevention. Law enforcement authorities must forge positive relationships with the media in order to stop the harm that terrorists do to society. Journalists should not attempt to defend or even partially explain the actions of terrorists. Furthermore, it is crucial that the media under no circumstances serve as a podium for terrorists since doing so turns them into a force for spreading terror propaganda.

References

Holbrook, D., & Horgan, J. (2019). Terrorism and ideology. Perspectives on terrorism, 13(6), 2-15.

Reinstein, J. (2022). Three people are dead after a shooting at an Indiana Mall Food Court. BuzzFeed News.

Williamson, H., Fay, S., & Miles-Johnson, T. (2019). Fear of terrorism: media exposure and subjective fear of attack. Global Crime, 20(1), 1-25.

Native Americans: Social Issue

The native populations

The estimates are that the current people who report to belong to the American Indians are 2.5 million. Compared to the whole of the American population, the number is significantly small. Moreover, this is just an estimate. The predictions are that the number might even be smaller. Given the small number, the American Indians are considered to be among the minority groups in the American society.

The Native American Indians are exceptionally diverse group of people consisting of over 560 sub-tribes spread in almost all states. However, majority are living in Alaskan native villages. Due to their spread and small number, their tribes or bands are used distinguish them from the mainstream Americans.

However, the federal governments, majorly for political reasons, do not recognize most of them (Kemnitzer, 2008). Tribes currently recognized by the federal governments are located in distinct cultural settings and in most cases speaking their native languages.

The mostly stereotyped native Indian Americans are residing in the remote villages, far removed from the mainstream Americans. In most cases, they practice their own cultures. However, the practices have been undermined and discriminated against by the authorities. As modernization and urbanization continues to take its tall in America, most the natives have moved into towns.

Currently, about 33% of the Indian natives reside in urban centers. However, quit larger population still live in tribal trust lands and reservations (Kemnitzer, 2008). According to the US Census Bureau, the Indian American population consists of the younger generation.

The estimates are that 34% of the total population is below the age of eighteen. Compared to the American population the median age is 35 years and 26% are below eighteen years old.

Only ten thousand Indian American children are attending school. The number is far much less than any other American minority group (Gutierres et al., 2004). The federal government has been attempting to assimilate the natives into the American mainstream. However, the efforts have been futile (Gutierres et al., 2004). The only way through which these groups of people can be assimilated is through schooling.

According to the US Census Bureau, only 3% of the adult natives are literate. Most studies indicate that the Indian natives have undergone intergenerational historical traumas causing the low literally levels. Over the centuries, the native Indians have been discriminated against (Kemnitzer, 2008).

To some extent, most of the tribes were exterminated in a bid to wipe them out. Even over the last century, the governments attempted to wipe out the cultural aspects of the Indian Americans.

Even though there are many similarities among the natives large differences actually exists. The heterogeneity can be observed among the individuals and communities particularly, depending on the ancestry and blood relations. Other differences also exist in the residential patterns, identity, cultural affiliations and participation in the mainstream activities (Schiele, 2011).

While considering social issues affecting the natives, it is critical to put into consideration their diversity and the implications such social issues have on their development, prevention efforts and implementations.

In this case, the discussion will center on many social issue affecting the natives. Like any minority in American society, there are many social ills affecting the native larger young population.

The social issues affecting the Indian American ranges from social discrimination, prejudice, stigma and stereotype to the substance abuse. National surveys that have been done indicate that there is high prevalence rate of the substances abuse among the native young population (Wallace, 2010).

The beliefs and stereotypes

The American natives have historically looked down upon and the stereotypes continue today. For various reasons the natives have been stereotyped and such stereotypes are still engrained in the American mainstream (Trimble, 2008). For many years, the natives have been described as enigma by the mainstream American society.

The sources of knowledge including the education system have been portraying the natives as primitive, savage, exotic, unspiritual and unromantic. In fact, the American society sees natives as those who do not belong to the human race (Ashley & Jarrett-Ziemski, 2010). The natives are associated with negative aspects of society resulting into their discrimination.

In most cases, the stereotypes have been used to predict and explain the behavior of the American minorities particularly the natives. To the natives these descriptions by the dominate society has been a major concern (Ashley & Jarrett-Ziemski, 2010). In addition, the references of the natives by the mainstream society have led to the under development and have prevented the evolution of the Indian Americans.

Stereotypes have led to the individuals choosing to remain ignorant. In fact people tend to be what they are being described (Trimble, 2008). The drug abuses among the natives have been found to because of the constant reference as being drug abusers.

Most of the minority groups are constantly being associated with criminal activities by the authorities. In fact, most of the young generations tend to ignore these references by the authorities since such descriptions do fit into their morals as well as their current collection of knowledge (Jessor et al., 2005).

In fact, the young minority groups in American have been described as being lazy, childish, irresponsible, immoral, savage and in most of the social places drunk or have abused a particular substance (Ashley & Jarrett-Ziemski, 2010). The Indian Americans have also been perceived as having no religion. They are isolated group who live in the reservations.

Their children cannot complete elementary school and at worst are not seen as human beings. The minorities are not only being discriminated against socially, but also politically and economically. In sports and entertainment industry, the Indian Americans have been portrayed as ‘red-skinned tomahawk choppers’. This indicates the extent in which the minority groups have been discriminated against historically.

In the education system, the natives are confined in boarding schools where they are purported to be rehabilitated. In the last century, the native schools had a policy of rehabilitating the kids and assimilating the pupils into the mainstream society. The schools were considered substandard (Trimble, 2008).

The academics were also considered substandard and most of the students coming from such institutions could not compete with the white students for jobs. Such kind of treatment culminated into the economic and political discrimination the natives experience even today (Ashley & Jarrett-Ziemski, 2010).

Legal, political, economic, and educational oppression that have disadvantaged the natives

Because of the long history of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination, inequalities have existed. The historical relationships between the natives and the mainstream Americans have resulted in the political, social and economic inequalities that currently exist in American (Fleming, 2002).

The discrimination and enslavement of the natives have led to inaccessibility of education to many generations of the minority groups, Indian American included (Fleming, 2002). Even though such slavery has long been abolished, stigma and discrimination still exists.

Political, social and economic barricades that have been put in place by the dominant society have prevented the Indian Americans from accessing higher positions in society. In fact, the Native Americans have historically been held in inferior positions, both in political and in employment (Farkas, 2006). The former American education system ensured that native students are sustained in servitude.

In fact, the native schools were not to supplement the students with academic affluence. For a long time, the American societies have been experiencing the legal segregation in schools. Whites, natives and blacks were not supposed to learn together.

These legalities led to the inequalities that are being experienced even today (Ashley & Jarrett-Ziemski, 2010). Moreover, schools were also not supposed to get equal resources. It was until 1960s that the Indian American students were capable of having universal higher education.

The effects of legal segregations, inequalities in education as well as repressions continue today. Most of the natives, whether educated are still methodically locked out of the political and economic opportunities (Ashley & Jarrett-Ziemski, 2010). The evidence suggests that discrimination in education was aimed at shutting out the natives from the opportunities the mainstream society enjoyed.

The purported assimilation by the mission schools into the mainstream society led to the additional prejudice and discrimination. The Indian Americans who went through the assimilation process were either discriminated against by the white society or rejected by their former natives (Stiglitz, 2012).

The group of American Indians could not benefit equally from political and economic opportunities even though they have similar education as whites.

At the higher education levels, inequalities further existed with classes separated according to the racial lines. Besides, exclusive colleges and universities were reserved for the whites (Stiglitz, 2012). Even in the exclusive schools, discrimination was practiced in the circumstances that the natives had an opportunity to join such colleges.

Outside higher education, within the job market, inequalities became extreme. In fact, very few natives with higher education get jobs of high income. Inaccessibility to resources played key role to most of the inequalities that are being experienced by the Indian Americans (Stiglitz, 2012).

Economic inequalities have also led to the inaccessibility to nutrition and health leading to the poor cognitive development in native children. The Indian American children are disadvantaged and poorly developed compared to the white children (Farkas, 2006).

The economic inequalities have contributed to inaccessibility to good healthcare as well as other health needs. Indian natives, blacks and Latinos have greater possibility of accessing poorly facilitated hospitals as well as without healthcare cover (Farkas, 2006).

However, these conditions have far changed. The federal as well as the state governments have managed to increase and provide equal opportunities for the natives. In fact, programs that promote low-cost education have been put in place.

Education has also been made available to the minority children as well as those children coming from poor families (Fleming, 2002). Moreover, legal obligations have also been enacted in order to do away with any form of discrimination.

Further, education has also been made free particularly to the natives. The current systems have illegalized any form of discrimination particularly in the employment sector. Such legalities have resulted into increased opportunities for the Indian Americans. In addition, the American authorities slowly understand that the natives are not the only people involved in criminal activities.

The current studies indicate that white students abuse substances more than the blacks and the American Indian students (Stiglitz, 2012). In essence, the changes of attitude towards the natives and the blacks have reduced the stigma and prejudice that have long plagued the Native Americans and the blacks.

The advancements for these communities

To avert the inequalities existing in the American society, education should be made available to all. In fact, there are a number of policies and legal obligations that have been enacted in order to do away with any form of discrimination (Farkas, 2006). Besides legal and economic measures that reduce the inequalities, affirmative action is also required particularly to the disadvantaged groups that live in remote villages.

Besides, education should also be free or made at low-cost. Programs that provide free or less expensive education to the natives’ poor families should be promoted. However, studies indicate that such programs do not encourage the students from the natives to join schools and colleges. In such circumstances, families are supposed to be encouraged to make their children join schools and colleges (Farkas, 2006).

Another intervention should be the establishment of the community schools that offer low-cost education particularly, to the low-income natives. However, having education and providing low-cost education is not the ultimate. Equal opportunities should be provided both in political and social fronts. Providing equal opportunities will help in the advancement of the native communities (Stiglitz, 2012).

In addition, these programs should start at early stages in the child development. In fact, both the federal and state governments should provide quality care for the minority children right from the infancy. The provision of quality care will be helpful in closing the gap between the rich and the poor children.

Instead of providing low-cost education only at high levels, the program should begin at the lower levels so that the value of education can be set at the foundations (Stiglitz, 2012).

The social welfare policies for the Native Americans

As indicated, affirmative action is highly required for these communities to rise fast in their social, political and economic welfare. Most importantly, affirmative action is highly needed in educational opportunities. Raising education standards will be the surest way through which the natives will improve their social and economic well-being (Rothman, 2008).

In addition, early education intervention is highly required. In fact, colleges and institutions of higher learning should provide low-cost education to students coming from poor families. Moreover, the government should offer free college access to the native and other minority students (Farkas, 2006).

Affirmative action is also required at the college enrolment stage. Studies indicate that most of the native students do not enroll at colleges due to fear of discrimination and poor performance at secondary levels.

In such circumstances, college enrolment grades should be lowered for the natives and the discrimination in colleges done away with (Rothman, 2008). Employment opportunities should also be increased for those with higher education to encourage others to join colleges and other institutions of higher learning.

Besides, education should also be offered to the Indian Americans at low-cost or made free. Moreover, the government as well as colleges should promote programs that provide free or less expensive education.

In as much as these programs aims to promote education, studies indicate that such programs do not encourage the students from the natives to join schools and colleges. In such situations, both the federal and the state governments should have policies that encourage families to make their children join schools and colleges (Rothman, 2008).

Similarly, the government should establishment community schools that offer low-cost education particularly, to the low-income natives. Community schools and colleges will increase enrolment rates since stereotypes, prejudice, stigma and discrimination will be none existent (Farkas, 2006).

Further studies indicate that attaining higher education and providing low-cost education to the disadvantaged should not be the ultimate goal. The governments should ensure that those with increased education achievements attain employment.

Employment attainment could only be achieved through the provision of equal opportunities. Equal opportunities should also be provided both in political and social fronts. Providing equal opportunities will help in the advancement of the native communities (Rothman, 2008).

Further, provision of free educational programs should begin at early stages in the child development. In addition, both the federal and state governments should provide quality care for the minority children right from the infancy.

The provision of quality care is not an option rather a necessity for all minority children. Moreover, the provision of quality care will not only improve the nutritional and health well-being of the children but also help in closing the gap between the rich and the poor children (Stiglitz, 2012).

The provision of free and low-cost education should begin at the lower levels so that the value of education can be set at the foundations. However, similar programs should continue throughout the education system.

The attainment of the educational standards should be combined with opening up of opportunities in both economic and political fronts. All forms of discriminations in all sectors should also be done away with. All people whether native, black, or white should be treated in equal terms (Rothman, 2008).

Policy solutions, recommendation and conclusion

According to Schiele, (2011), various factors appear to affect the relationship amid Native American Indians and the rest of the mainstream American society. Though the interaction between the communities exists, no particular factor tends to emerge dominant in the pattern of relationship that exists.

In fact, this explains why any prescription to the ills that affect relationships in the society requires a blend of several approaches (Schiele, 2011).

In the same way, no single sector, corporation, or institution can claim to have measures that can tackle the critical issues such as the sour relationship existing between the natives and the rest of the society (Rothman, 2008). All the entities as well as the institutions as part of the wider stakeholder, has a responsibility to contribute towards the reduction of discrimination and its impacts or the American society.

As part of the social responsibility strategies, responsible institutions should find it critical to collaborate with other stakeholders in order to attain these goals. Each partner must play its role succinctly.

Both the federal and the state governments should reexamine important issues that are of great essence to the well-being of all the citizens including provision of social amenities such as health education and enlightenment as well as other facilities in equal terms.

In addition, the government must put in place appropriate policies that are non-discriminatory to curb the problems that face the minorities. In essence, the social policies should take cognizant of the societal basic values.

References

Ashley, J.S. & Jarrett-Ziemski, K. (2010). Superficially and Bias. American Indian Quarterly, 23(314), 14-56.

Farkas, G. (2006). How educational inequality develops. National Poverty Center, 63(5), 25-84.

Fleming, C. M. (2002). The next twenty years of prevention in Indian country: Visionary, complex, and practical. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 4(2), 85–88.

Gutierres, S. E., Russo, N. F. & Urbanski, L. (2004). Socio-cultural and psychological factors in American Indian drug use: Implications for treatment. International Journal of the Addictions, 29(6), 1761–1786.

Jessor, R., VandenBos, J., Vanderryn, J., Costa, F. M. & Turbin, M. S. (2005). Protective factors in adolescent problem behavior: Moderator effects and developmental change. Developmental Psychology, 31(16), 923–933.

Kemnitzer, L. S. (2008). Adjustment and value conflict in urbanizing Dakota Indians measured by Q-sort technique. American Anthropologist, 75(11), 687–707.

Rothman, J. (2008). Cultural competence in process and practice: Building bridges. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Schiele, J. (2011). Social welfare policy: Regulation and resistance among people of color. LA: SAGE.

Stiglitz, J. E. (2012). The price of inequality: How today’s divided society endangers our future. Helping All Students Achieve, 58(12), 6–11.

Trimble, J.E. (2008). Stereotypical Images, American Indians, and Prejudice. Psychology and Culture, 33(4), 181-201.

Wallace, J. M. (2010). Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use: Racial and ethnic differences among U.S. high school seniors. Public Health Reports, 11(1), 67–75.

Social Issues: Freak Shows

Since time immemorial, curiosity drove a man to seek experiences with unnatural phenomena. Freak shows arose from the counterintuitive natural human desire to see the unnatural. Freak shows were a commercial response to this desire.

The shows gave audiences something they craved, and the audiences gladly paid the organizers for putting up the shows. This paper explores the reasons why freak shows are still very attractive to various audiences despite the moral and ethical concerns that surround them.

The Elephant Man

Elephant Man refers to a man born in Britain with severe deformities in 1862 (Durbach 6). His real name was Joseph Merrick. At birth, Merrick was normal. However, after a few years, he started developing several abnormalities (Durbach 6).

His skin became thicker than usual, and he developed a bony lump on his head. His skin also became rough and looked like an elephant’s skin. At age 10, Merrick fell and injured his hip. He developed a permanent deformity because of this injury.

Merrick’s mother died when he was ten years old, and after his father remarried, his parents rejected him. At some point, Merrick contacted a showman known for freak shows in England. This man was Sam Torr. Thor took Merrick into his show business and his managers gave Merrick the stage name, “Merrick, the Elephant Man” (Durbach 7).

Merrick’s show career was more successful than hawking which he had tried for a few years. However, his managers exploited him and abandoned him in Brussels.

He made his way back to England, and with the help of a surgeon named Frederick Treves, Merrick found accommodation in the London Hospital where he died in 1890 (Durbach 8). Merrick’s life was a tragedy from the onset, and society exploited him because of his uniqueness. His story is representative of the lives of people who live with deformities.

Contemporary Freak Shows

Before the advent of the television, freak shows were live shows. The organizers either displayed deformed people in shops devoted to freak shows, or in circuses and traveling theatres. The need for travel arose from the realization that once someone saw a deformed person, his curiosity was satisfied. This means that the market for a particular freak show diminished after the audience viewed the persons on display.

After the advent of television and the internet, freak shows are now part of the items viewers consume from television stations and websites. Important differences exist between freak shows today and those held in the past. First, there are tighter controls on freak shows because they tend to exploit the deformed person. In some countries, freak shows are illegal.

Secondly, modern freak shows tend to highlight deformities in an educative manner, rather than purely for entertainment. This point is debatable because the shock effect is what makes the freak shows attractive. In general, people with deformities today have more legal protection against abuse compared to those who lived in the previous centuries (Bogdan 29).

Reasons for the Popularity of Freak Shows

The main question this paper intends to answer is why freak shows are still popular. The most important reason explaining the popularity of freak shows is the shock factor associated with human deformities (Durbach 14). Curiosity is part of human life. In this regard, many people are willing to pay to view phenomena they have never seen. In a certain way, curiosity explains why the world has a thriving tourism business.

People are willing to travel around the world to get new experiences and to see plants, animals, and physical features that have never seen before. This basic motivation is what drives the appetite for freak shows. In the same vein, shocking stories tend to get the most attention.

Freak shows appeal to human sympathy and can be unnerving. Human deformities evoke very strong emotions when the audience tries to empathize with the deformed persons (Bogdan 44). The deep emotional connection with the deformed person makes the event unforgettable. It is paradoxical that human beings will make an immense effort to see bizarre things, which at the same time can be very repulsive.

The second reason for the popularity of freak shows is the financial returns associated with the shows. Some commentators compare freak shows to pornography. Pornography is generally unwelcome in many societies. In some jurisdictions, it is illegal to access pornographic materials (Kull 34). However, the financial returns from pornographic content reveal that the world has a very huge online porn market.

This raises a paradoxical situation where the moral values of society are against pornography, yet society rewards pornography with economic returns. This illustration shows that something that is revolting or morally questionable can still be in demand. According to the basic laws of economics, goods and services follow demand. In this case, the demand for freak shows, regardless of its moral and ethical implications, drives its popularity.

The third dimension that explains the popularity of freak shows is that the deformed persons are adapting to the social stigma associated with their condition. The biography of Merrick shows that he tried to lead a normal life. He obtained a hawker’s license to facilitate his efforts towards earning a living (Durbach 6). However, his appearance was too grotesque. Potential customers, especially women, were too scared to interact with him.

As a result, Merrick had no source of income. He, therefore, found his way to the show business to enable him to make some money in order to survive. In this sense, Merrick joined the freak show business consciously. It was a way of making himself acceptable as a human being. In addition, the shows gave him an income that made him less dependent on charity.

In this sense, freak shows provide people with deformities with a source of income. Since they cannot find normal jobs, freak shows give them a legitimate way of making money.

They are adapting to social stigma by giving the society something it craves in exchange for monetary return (Pidgeon, Kasperson and Slovic 28). This shows that people with deformities are partly responsible for making freak shows popular because they avail themselves for the shows.

Conclusion

The three main reasons behind the popularity of freak shows are the shock effect they have on audiences, the market demand for shows, and the self-promotion of persons with deformities. The ethical concerns surrounding freak shows are not sufficient to stop freak shows. In this regard, freak shows resemble pornography, which despite being universally unacceptable still commands a significant market share in the entertainment industry.

In the past, freak shows took, place in theatres and in special shops. In modern times, the shows appear on TV, and online. The only way in which freak shows can end is by empowering deformed persons to earn a living in other ways. This calls for more effort towards social integration, education of the masses, and training targeting the deformed persons. This will kill both the supply and the demand for freak shows.

Works Cited

Bogdan, Robert. Freak Show: Presenting Human Oddities for Amusement and Profit. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1990. Print.

Durbach, Nadja. Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture. Berkeley, CA: Unversity of California, 2009. Print.

Kull, Katrin. The Model of Internet-Based Marketing Communication. Tallinn: Tallinn Technical University, 2003. Print.

Pidgeon, Nick, Roger E Kasperson and Paul Slovic. The Social Amplification of Risk. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Print.

Social Issues: the Freak Shows Popularity

The term “freak” came into popular usage during the Victorian era about people who had severe deformities (Tromp 1). The term came into popular usage because doctors and freak show producers referred to the cases of severe deformity as freaks of nature (Tromp 6). The intended meaning was that these persons had features that were unique and scary to observe.

This paper explores the current popularity of freak shows. The main proposition presented in this work is that the current popularity of freak shows arises from complex reasons anchored in society’s appetite for strange experiences and the quest for survival by persons with severe deformities.

What is a Freak Show?

A freak show was a theatrical performance organized to exhibit persons with severe deformities for the entertainment of an audience (Edmunds 14). These shows also took place as part of carnivals and in public squares. Today, many countries do not allow freak shows in theatres and in public places.

Therefore, freak shows take place online. The internet allows organizers to plan the shows anonymously without risk of arrest. For the purposes of this paper, a freak show refers to either a staged show or a filmed show that exhibit persons with severe deformities for the entertainment of an audience.

The popularity of Freak Shows

The four main reasons behind the popularity of freak shows are as follows. First, human beings have an appetite for bizarre experiences (Tromp 16). New things attract the interest of human beings in their quest to satisfy their curiosity.

Freak shows give people the opportunity to see new things. Many people are willing to pay to see the appearance of deformed persons. This appetite is what drives freak show organizers to find persons with severe deformities to satisfy the curiosity of the public.

The second reason why freak shows are popular today is the ease of access to these shows via the internet. Unlike television, the internet is user driven (Kull 44). This means that users search for what they want. This is different from television, where producers make the decisions on what content viewers can access. Television broadcasts are easier to regulate.

Broadcasters usually need licenses from regulators, and their content must meet certain guidelines. The internet lacks such regulation. Anyone who can afford a computer can turn it into an online server for the distribution of freak shows. Just like internet porn, regulating freak shows is very difficult.

This is because producers of these shows work from countries with little or no legislation governing the shows. In addition, they can shoot the shows anonymously such that no one can identify the location of the show. This limits the ability of law enforcement agencies to regulate them.

On the other side, freak shows provide persons with severe deformities the opportunity to present themselves to a society that otherwise ostracizes them (Samuels 14). Generally, persons with severe deformities find it very difficult to live normal lives. The nature of their deformities may also make it impossible for them to work normally.

Depending on the nature of their deformity, they may also have lacked the opportunity to be educated or to acquire economic skills. Freak shows provide them with an opportunity to earn a living based on the payments they earn from their appearances. However, the producers of the shows tend to exploit them (Tromp 23). In this sense, the economic realities governing the lives of persons with deformities drive them towards participation in freak shows.

Deformed persons also feel better about themselves when people pay to see them. In an awkward way, the shows allow them to be the center of attraction rather than being the target of ridicule. The attention they get from the paying audience is not similar to the attention they usually receive from the public.

The shows also give them a sense of relief because they are able to tell their stories and to share their challenges. In these ways, people with deformities find it attractive to participate in freak shows. In this way, some of the people with deformities support freak shows because they serve as an emotional outlet for them. They look at it as an opportunity to connect with society without prejudice.

These four reasons show that there is a market for freak shows. The producers know that they can make money from the shows. This motivates them. Secondly, some persons with severe deformities participate in the shows willingly for economic and emotional reasons. Freak shows will endure as long as there are producers who are willing to produce freak shows with the support of persons with severe deformities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, freak shows will still exist provided the shows have a market. The best way of eliminating the shows is by empowering persons with severe deformities. These persons need education and training to enable them to earn a living. Also, society needs more sensitization to eliminate the stigma associated with severe deformities.

Works Cited

Edmunds, Susan. Grotesque Relations : Modernist Domestic Fiction and the U.S. Welfare State: Modernist Domestic Fiction and the U.S. Welfare State. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.

Kull, Katrin. The Model of Internet-Based Marketing Communication. Tallinn: Tallinn Technical University, 2003. Print.

Samuels, Ellen. Fantasies of Identification: Disability, Gender, Race. New York, NY: New York University Press, 2014. Print.

Tromp, Marlene. Victorian Freaks: The Social Context of Freakery in Britain. The Ohio State University Press: Columbus, OH, 2008. Print.

Social Issues in the Book “The Academic Illusion” by Ken Robinson

In the introductory part of the article, the author focuses on how intelligence is measured (Robinson 81). After that, he illustrates how science has triumphed over time. The section shows how education has been passed over and changed from time immemorial. Before the introduction of mass education, education was only restricted to church members.

However, with the invention of the printing press, millions of individuals got access to education (Robinson 96). After the adoption of mass education, many people expected education to be beneficial to all. According to the author, mass education has been a disappointment because it has marginalized students’ other potentials (Robinson 106). In the last part of the article, the author persuades human beings to change how they perceive education.

He argues that raising academic standards without improving other factors is not sufficient to address the issues faced in society. To progress, the article claims that humans need fresh comprehension of intelligence (Robinson 108). As such, humans should understand the nature and benefits of creativity. Through this, people will be able to reorganize some of their fundamental concepts about education and aptitude.

Based on the paper’s analysis, it should be noted that there is a disconnection between intelligence and emotion. Similarly, there is a disconnection between arts and sciences in our societies. The above disconnections should be blamed for the unclear perception of creativity in our society (Robinson 101).

Equally, the disconnections are responsible for the unequal developments in the world. Based on the above analysis, it is apparent that our education systems and perceptions should be changed (Robinson 106). Currently, humans believe that intelligence can be quantified.

Similarly, humans are looking for means of enhancing their academic standards. In the quest to do this, we have failed to question if our initiatives will achieve the much-needed survival traits required in the future.

As such, the current education system is only focused on enhancing assessment abilities other than enhancing creativity and innovation. By doing so, humans have marginalized students’ other potentials. The above illustrations indicate that our education system is failing many individuals in society.

After reading through the article, I identified the reasons why our education systems are not equipping our students with the desired future’s skills. It was worrying to note that our education system is not suited for the future despite many resources and efforts allocated to the sector (Robinson 107). From the article, I noted that the speed and extent of change in our society have transformed how people exist and earn their living (Robinson 81).

In my opinion, academic activity alone should not be used as a tool to gauge human intelligence. Similarly, I believe that every human being can succeed in life. To achieve this, our education system should be tailored in a manner that should try to identify unique abilities in every student. After identifying these abilities, instructors should help the students in nurturing their skills.

In this regard, humans should see beyond academic activities as a means of equipping tomorrows’ population. As such, we should strive to understand how academic abilities could be combined with skills. Above all, we should acknowledge that enhancing academic standards without improving other factors is not sufficient to address the issues we face in society.

Works Cited

Robinson, Ken.The Academic Illusion. Oxford: Capstone, 2011. Print.

Social Issues: Property Ownership

Forster describes the character of individuals about what they own. Forster bought a piece of wood with a check he received after getting returns from the sale of a book he had written. The wood did not have much monetary value, but it was Forster’s first piece of property, he must have valued it too much regardless.

Owning this wood made Forster feel heavy, meaning that in addition to his simple life, he had added something to add to his misery and thoughts: property. He gives a literal example of the rich man described in the Bible; this man is loaded with all his wealth such that a camel can easily pass through the eye of a needle compared with this rich man (Forster para 2).

Possession of wealth creates a feeling of stoutness, and as a result, rich men are so full of themselves, and they will always stick out in front. Unfortunately, the Bible does not correlate stoutness and achievement because the rich man, compared with a camel, cannot pass through the eye of a needle due to his heaviness.

Realistically, this heaviness is due to the misconceptions, by the rich, of what is important to them. Rich men value their properties more than anything else. The Bible, seconded by Tolstoy, uses heaviness to figuratively refer to sin.

Rich people are never satisfied with what they have, and they will always think that they need to generate more wealth. Forster notices a bird in his wood, and when it goes to the neighbor’s field, he wishes to have Mrs. Henessy’s property. Forster describes some of the thoughts that run through his mind to get Mrs. Hennesy’s property because he does not have the money to purchase it.

This shows the lengths that people will go to expand their wealth. Forster aims at extending the boundaries of his wood, and to round it off, Mrs. Hennesy’s land is an ideal pursuit. This is similar to Ahab’s desire to round off his property by getting the poor man’s vineyard. What people are not aware of is that they justify their wicked behavior using noble thoughts.

Possession of property triggers desires that were not initially there. Just by owning a mere wood, Forster thinks of how he can own the universe, and he shows that people will come up with all sorts of ideas on how to get more wealth without thinking of the consequences as long as they get what they want.

Forster indicates the misunderstandings that can result from wealth. When the bird lands on his wood, he deceives himself by claiming ownership is it, when it moves to Mrs. Hennesy’s field, he supposes that by owning this field, he would also own the bird. But, he fails to realize that the desire to be rich clouds one’s judgment and he only learns this when the bird leaves Mrs. Hennesey’s field and flies away.

When a person owns a piece of property, he or she is always preoccupied with thoughts of making it better. Individuals try to be creative in the guise moneymaking and beauty, yet according to Forster, creativity is a form of expression that stems from an inability to enjoy one’s property (Forster para 4). The desire to own property comes from the determination to run away from starvation, and for self-development.

Earthly life revolves around material things; hence, individuals are bent on having a property that they don’t wish to lose. They will go to the extents of separating it from the public while enhancing their accessibility. Forster spans the high stone walls that he has put up to prevent the public from setting foot into his property as he is selfish.

Just like Forster, who seems not to get enough of his piece of wood, White cannot get enough of his experiences at the lake in Maine. He has clung to the past, which lingers on in his mind, and which keeps bringing him back to the lake. This had begun as a mere summer camp, but it turned out to be a lifetime action.

The difference, however, is that unlike Forster that has full ownership rights to the piece of wood, White enjoyed the benefits of a property owned by another person. White, in his early childhood days and his current days as a family man, seeks peace and inner satisfaction from spending time at this lake.

The lake is the only place where he can feel and smell nature. Here, he reminisces his childhood days through the actions of his son. White enjoys the fact that the world he knew in his childhood days has not changed at all (White 1-5).

White represents the ideology of not owning land. The camp in the lake is merely rented to supplement the life of the busy and noisy city. Renting the camp grants White the partial rights to own the property for an agreed period, but this does not change White’s perception of the lakeside. He does not deem it an indispensable commodity that cannot be enjoyed by others. The lakeside gives White the tranquility that he cannot experience in the city.

The fact that the lakeside has retained its original form in almost every meaning of the word shows that the people’s goal is to blend well with nature without distorting its balance. White learned of this campsite from his father, and he is now passing on this nice experience to his son (White 1-5).

In comparison to Forster’s piece of wood, experiences at the camp are shared, and there is no restriction. Clearly, one’s actions are mainly defined by his or her perceptions and understandings about the environment and society in which he or she lives.

The lake is everything that White’s residential place is not, and renting the property by the lake was did not change his perceptions about it. White views nature from a different standpoint to Forster’s; while he appreciates nature and the serenity of the place, Forster view of his wood is in terms of monetary value.

White shares his memories with his son, and the fact that nothing has changed at the campsite since his childhood days helps to understand the perceptions of people residing around the lake.

The people coming for vacations at the Lake in Maine and those owning the farmhouses are all governed by thoughts of sharing the resources available to make life more comfortable. No one has the desire to own what he or she has already rented, or what is rented by another person. The essence of the campsite is merely to spend time off from the pollution and the buzz of city life.

The two articles show the different characters of two people based on two approaches to ownership of property. Forster owns his piece of wood, and his perceptions and thoughts that define his character are different from Whites, who also have some ownership rights by the fact that he has rented some property.

Whereas Forster seems uneasy and is not able to enjoy what he has because he is busy guarding its borders, White enjoys his camp without any restrictions and does not mind the presence of other families enjoying the peace and beauty of the lake.

Works Cited

Forster’s, Edward Morgan. About.com, 2014.

White, Elwyn Brooks. “Once More to the Lake.” Freewebs.com, n. d. Web.

Social Issues: Common Sense and Intuition

Briefly, Gladwell’s book tries to make an argument against the traditional perception that for one to make a decision, he or she must take a long time to consider multiple alternatives and possible outcomes. The author postulates that the decisions a person makes on his or her feet instinctively “without thinking” can be just as good as those that he or she could take time to deliberate about and arrive at a conclusion (Prince 55).

Her central claim is that the instinct can be turned from just an automatic inane response to a manipulated process, and “… that our snap judgments and first impressions can be educated and controlled” (Gladwell 14-15). The author wittingly utilizes experiments that are aimed at making the reader believe that prompt decisions could be better than well research conclusions.

In addition, the author establishes where they cannot be applied and determines how they can be improved (Moule 323). This concept is described as thin slicing. Gladwell demonstrates the concept through the application of contemporary examples.

For instance, in her experiments of the idea, she found out that a stranger could make a more accurate judgment about someone’s habits from spending time in his or her dorm room than his or her friends can. In a different scenario, she describes Goldman’s techniques for diagnosing cardiac problems and proves that, using thin slicing, doctors can actually improve their skills at making a diagnosis from as low as 79% to about 85 % (Gladwell 136).

One of the most noteworthy ideas in the book was the suggestion that, in as much as people try to act or say otherwise, from a subconscious point of view, the majority is actually practicing negative racial or gender profiling at a subconscious level, but this does not necessarily mean people are prejudiced.

Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), Gladwell argues that when people’s attitude is measured on an unconscious level, the immediate intuitive associations overwhelmingly attribute negative ideas to black faces while positive ones are associated with white faces. Gladwell cites the test that was carried out on a cross-section of Americans. Although the level of difference occurs in microseconds, the statistical implications cannot be ignored.

Even the writer herself, who is half black, was found to have a negative bias for black people and a positive one for whites. Nevertheless, Gladwell claims to be a firm believer of racial equality and she does not support any discrimination of negative ethnicity. In fact, it is hardly plausible to assume that 80% of Americans think white is racist. The book clearly states the position of the author with regard to racism in the United States of America.

However, the test transcends the conscious considerations and reflects the perception, which most of us claim to be and believe we see all races as equal. In a way, this makes a strong argument for the superiority of thin slicing over conventional reasoning (Gips and Pentland 38).

It is apparent that the history of racial profiling and discrimination may have been eliminated from our conscious thought, but the slicing has the incisiveness and precision to detect it sub-consciously (Gladwell and Ruiter 199). I know first-hand how easy it can be to discriminate without being aware, from an experience I had once at the hospital. I had taken a friend to the hospital after he had a minor accident in the gym.

The injury required stitches. The doctor took a long time to see us as we were told they were seeing another patient, we waited for over 30 minutes and I got fed up, decided to look for someone to help us. I thought that we could spend a lot of time at a time without accessing the care required.

The first person I met outside was a young woman in a white dust coat. “Excuse me, nurse. We have been waiting a very long time, can you, please, tell me where I can find the doctor?” I asked the nurse. She smiled and told me she would try to help.

When we got to the waiting room, I kept expecting her to examine my friend and then call the doctor, but it was not until when she asked him to join her in the examination room when I realized that she was actually the doctor we had been expecting to meet. Surprisingly, even when I was calling her a nurse, she had been wearing a nametag with the “Dr. Wilkins” written on it.

I am not very proud to say this, but if it had been a male white man, I probably could not have failed to spot it. However, because the doctor, in this case, was a woman, and a black one at that, I fell victim to a kind of racial profiling that many of us engage in at one point or another.

Like Gladwell, I consider myself an enlightened individual who does not make discriminatory or prejudicial judgments. However, this experience was like an IAT test. My conscious most probably blinded me to the doctor’s identity, although it was right in front of my eyes.

Critics may oppose Gladwell’s claim on the basis that even such underlying prejudice are signs of racism and argue that, at the end of the day, humanity is neither as objective or even as progressive as we claim to be. Nevertheless, this should not be taken to mean that even after years of progressive ideas on the subject of race and equality we still make biased judgments.

IAT is only meant to prove that these perceptions occur, but it does not necessarily mean that they are the basis on which decisions are made. While there are gender and racial discrimination cases in the world, they are not always the results of instinctive thinking. Otherwise, based on the test, the fight against such prejudice would never be won, and on many levels today, it has been won and great progress made towards equality.

However, it does reveal the sad reality that our society is such that the prejudices of yesteryears remain in our minds. Despite the fact that discrimination is universally opposed, the attitudes that allow for it as still engraved in the minds of many people. As Gladwell proposes, snap thinking can be changed and improved.

In fact, people should analyze the way they perceive issues with regard to racism and work towards improving their negative perceptions. Therefore, and in the same way, when one is aware of his or her underlying prejudices, he or she should recognize his or her capacity to fall victim and reduce their propensity for making negative snap assumptions.

Works Cited

Gips, Jonathan, and Alex Pentland. “Mapping Human Networks.” PerCom. 2006. Print.

Gladwell, Malcolm, and Madelon E. Ruiter. “Blink: the power of thinking without thinking.” Gedragstherapie 41.2 (2008): 199. Print.

Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The power of thinking without thinking. , New York, NY: Hachette Digital, Inc., 2007. Print.

Moule, Jean. “Understanding unconscious bias and unintentional racism.” Phi Delta Kappan 90.5 (2009): 320-326. Print.

Prince, Ted. “Transportation Gut Check.” Journal of Commerce 1.3 ( 2010): 55. Print.

Social Issues: Game Theory in Daily Life

Introduction

Game theory can be described as the study of cooperation and conflict. Its concepts are applicable in situations where the actions of a large number of actors are inter-dependent. Such actors can be individual people, groups of people, institutions, or a mix of different entities. The theory enables the formulation of a language, creation of its structure, its analysis, and an understanding of the varied strategic situations that may occur during the process.

In effect, game theory can be said to be a basis for making rational decisions whereby the given decisions create impacts on the decision making the ability of other entities in the group, while also impacting one’s own decisions at the given time (Turocy and von Stengel 1).

In sociology, the game theory is referred to as the theory of social situations. Many use the game theory while playing parlor games such as bridge and poker, but it is used in research primarily to determine the behavioral and communication patterns of people in groups.

Main Body

According to Levine, game theory can be divided into two parts; cooperative and non-cooperative. Non-cooperative game theory is more concerned about how people interact and how such interactions impact the outcomes achieved by people (1). Also, there are some economic theories that are closely associated with game theory, and many economists view these theories to be a part of game theory:

  • Decision Theory
  • General Equilibrium Theory
  • Mechanism Design Theory

The decision theory can be considered a theory that involves games played between individual players or games played between an individual and nature. The emphasis is placed on how belief systems are formed and how preferences are made in holding that the preferences relative to risky choices are best described by using processes that describe how expected values of a given numerical function of utility can be maximized.

In this context, the derived utility depends on different factors, although economists are most concerned about financial matters. The general equilibrium theory is mostly used as a focused branch of game theory in dealing with aspects such as production and trading activities in situations where a large number of people or entities are involved.

The theory is mostly used in making macro-economic analysis about broader aspects of economic policies about taxes and finance. It is used to analyze stock markets, to examine the trends in interest rates, exchange rates, and price movements.

Recent years have seen increasing use of the game theory in combination with the equilibrium theory, mostly by private sector entities in attempts to examine the extent to which processes can be modeled by using positive elements of the theory. Also, the equilibrium theory is also used in combination with the game theory to ascertain voting behaviors and the effectiveness of government incentive schemes.

The mechanism design theory is a little different from game theory because it does not assume that the rules of the game are already provided for. Instead, it seeks to determine the impacts of the different rules that prevail at any given time.

However, all these aspects are heavily dependent on game theory because there is a strong need for analysts to use the theory for designing wage and compensations schemes that are effective in broadening the risk base while ensuring that incentives are not impacted adversely. At the same time, it becomes possible to create better strategies for conducting auctions to enhance revenue and to achieve other organizational objectives.

In the modern world, game theory is better understood as the scientific study of realistic and interactive decision making. The theory has now proved to be very helpful in creating a better understanding of the processes through which people make decisions and about knowing why they take the given decisions.

The theory is very crucial in our daily lives because it enables amazing insights about the different kinds of efforts that human beings make in virtually every field of human activity. It is known that the game theory has become an indispensable instrument for economists because it has strengthened the theories put forth by several Nobel laureates in the field of economics.

Game theory is very helpful for corporations because it allows them to take concrete decisions after duly examining the alternatives relative to the intricate negotiations involving billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. The theory is widely used in making international diplomacy strategies as well as military strategies, and it thus impacts the future and destiny of millions of people that are influenced by the decisions taken by leaders of different nations.

Game theory helps a great deal in providing understanding about the origin of human behavior. It not only helps psychologists in understanding why people behave in particular ways but also provides insights to biologists about the evolutionary patterns of human beings and how the given behavioral patterns of human societies have changed across different ages (Stevens 2).

Game theory can also be seen working effectively in the interactions that people engage in daily. Human activities such as buying a car, making money in stock markets, making real estate negotiations, and making salary negotiations all involve a strong element of game theory. However, a basic knowledge of the theory is essential for any person wishing to benefit from it.

Exhaustive knowledge of this extremely important concept allows us to overcome the problems associated with dealing with a lot of confusing information. Better decisions can be made in one’s own life while also understanding the situations faced by other people involved in the game. All games can be understood as interactions in which two or more players are involved.

There are situations in which people are known to share common details about the structure of the game in question and tend to make rational choices relative to the strategy that works best in enabling the achievement of maximum benefits. However, there are more complex games, such as those involving paths that relate to dealing with nuclear issues amongst nations and entering into multi-billion dollar negotiations amongst major corporations.

Nevertheless, whatever the extent of the game may be, one does confront fascinating challenges. At the same time, one does not realize that decisions are being made spontaneously, while most players may not be in the know about what others are involved in.

People involved in such games are confronted with a set of appealing and enthralling questions that stretch their imagination in thinking about several possibilities, and they are eventually able to make decisions based on the insights they gain in the process. There are situations when players are in a dilemma about determining if decisions are being taken concurrently, and if all the players are aware of what processes others are involved in.

Another issue that may arise is the question of whether the knowledge is made available in stages by way of following the decision taken by the other player. One also wonders if it is possible to enter into obligatory agreements with one another and whether the element of probability is involved in the ensuing actions.

There is no limit to the extent to which a player can extend his/her imagination. However, players are gradually able to develop the ability to answer the questions that come to their minds, and the game develops further, resulting in benefits to all parties because of the effective use of the emerging analytical tools.

According to Levine, the power of game theory can be understood from the premise that “If we were all better people the world would be a better place” (1). This represents a fallacy of composition because although the statement is applicable for every individual, it may not necessarily be applicable for a group as a whole.

Game theory provides a detailed connotation of both sides of the statement, which allows for the refutation of a given statement under particular circumstances. This aspect is best demonstrated through the prisoner’s dilemma, which is a true reflection of the game theory. The author has given a variation of the game in the form of the Pride Game, which is represented in the following diagram:

Diagram 1.

proud not confess confess
proud 4.0, 4.0 5.4, 3.6 1.2, 0.0
not confess 3.6, 5.4 5.0, 5.0 -4.0, 10.0
confess 0.0, 1.2 10.0, -4.0 1.0, 1.0

Source: Levine, David K. What is Game Theory 2014.

The pride game is almost the same as the Prisoner’s Dilemma except that a new strategy of being proud is added. It is apparent that a proud person is one who will not usually confess except while retaliating against a partner who has confessed. Meaning that if one is proud and confesses, the score in the above diagram is 1.2 because both have confessed.

This also means that the second person who confesses can stand proud before the first person’s humiliation but is given 0 in the diagram because he stands humiliated before the first person’s pride. On the flip side, if both individuals are proud, they will not confess, and their pride will carry a cost factor because both try to humiliate each-other, which is why both get four each instead of 5.

A typical example of how game theory can be used successfully is apparent from how a sports team gets involved in cooperation to work as a group and to achieve the desired team outcome. For instance, a football team playing in the World Cup has the main objective of cooperating to win the game. Every player in the team is assigned a role and is responsible for contributing towards achieving the team objective.

It is also apparent that there are some players in the team that will assume the role of lead players because of their exemplary ability and performance and they are the ones who will lead the team to victory. Other players do have an equal role, but they eventually turn out to assume supporting roles. But because they assist the lead players, the team can achieve success as a whole.

However, a different position emerges when people think from the perspective of game theory because they then tend to renege and try to break the rules in deviating from their assigned roles as and when the opportunity is available.

In such situations, the issue arises as to how the team can continue to sustain its cooperation despite the urge amongst some players to break the given rules to achieve a sense of glory. It is surprising that the solution to this dilemma also comes from game theory.

It is noteworthy that the game theory can be effectively used in our daily lives (in activities such as salary negotiation) to achieve better outcomes by using a rational approach directed at providing logical reasoning to other players. Given that there are several people in the organization that receive salaries, the game tends to become complicated because of the negotiations involved in the process.

Larger numbers of people imply greater difficulties in arriving at mutually acceptable outcomes. It is thus beneficial to break down negotiations to a single partner.

In order to achieve higher salary through negotiation and the use of game theory, it is always better to reduce one’s risk, which is best done by making the initial offer, being aware of past patterns, having credibility, maintaining consistency and demonstrating a mutual association with the player with whom the compromise or conciliation is to be made.

However, it is important to ensure that one’s services are required, which ensures his/her eligibility to get the raise. Once an individual opts to have a salary hike and enters into negotiations, it is possible to work downwards in discussing the different objections raised by the supervisor and to provide a counter-explanation for each of them. One achieves success if the partner is known, and the path to the result is understood.

Another use of game theory in our daily lives is that it allows us to save money by purchasing a car at a lesser price. Instead of just visiting a car dealer and negotiating with the salesman, a better option is to research the available dealers and call each one of them and negotiate with them individually.

Negotiations over the phone work well because of the convenience associated with it in comparison with the option of visiting each dealer. Given the competition amongst dealers, one of them will eventually agree to a negotiated price that will be much lower than the going rate. There are several examples of people that have benefited by negotiating in this manner. Another way of benefiting from game theory in our day-to-day lives is to use risk arbitrage to exploit prevailing market conditions and to make profits.

Also known as merger arbitrage, the practice permits investors to simultaneously buy stocks of a company that has declared it will be taken over by another company. An interesting aspect of game theory is that it is often at work without people being aware of it, particularly in negotiations relative to real estate.

It is known that the need to enter into negotiations in the majority of the real estate deals is known in advance, which allows the game to be clearer in comparison to other situations.

But when there are multiple offers on the deal, the situation is different. For example, if one has already made a bid and the mediator then declares that there are multiple offers on the deal, the situation becomes different, and one has to decide amongst the available choices. The original bid can be retained or withdrawn, or a higher price can be offered.

Given that the winning bid will have to be higher than the other contenders, it is better to offer a higher price to clinch the deal. Under such circumstances, one must bid based on the calculations made regarding the different parameters.

However, if somebody makes a higher bid, one should not feel disappointed because he/she had made the bid after making all pertinent calculations in keeping with the prevailing situations. There is no need to feel disappointed because no incorrect decisions were taken in the entire process.

Fantasy sports can be effectively played by using game theory with the use of replacement level draft strategies that require placing a specific value on every player. Online projection systems can be used to place a value that is expected to be the least significant for a given position. With a well-thought strategy, every player of the higher value can be replaced with the one having lower value perceptions.

The strategy allows one to achieve the optimum team outcomes based on projections. There are good chances that each player will not use such replacement strategy, which allows for altering one’s rankings by including the next player in line by using standards of evaluated abilities.

Just as it is done in the context of real state, players of poker can adopt optimum strategies, which may not always give the winning edge but will give the consolation that the attempt was worthwhile. In poker, the odds have to be studied, and the odds have to be also played.

Even if one loses trust in playing correctly, it is better than constantly changing one’s style in the game. Adopting the optimum strategy helps in achieving the best possible outcomes repeatedly, even though the optimum strategy may sometimes lead to lost points (Duronio 1).

Conclusion

The best way to understand game theory, particularly in the context of how we can use it in our daily lives is to think from the perspective of why better people can tend making the world a bad place. It can be said in this regard that if people transform in becoming more considerate for one another and nothing changes, the world will not become worse. But if people become more considerate for one another, it is true that they will tend to alter how they behave.

It is apparent from this example that when people attempt to adopt such strategies concurrently, the eventual outcome may make all people worse off. It is known in this regard that criminal behavior creates complexities because altruistic law-breakers will then tend involving in lesser crimes.

But given that crimes would then not carry severe punishments, criminals would be motivated to involve in more crimes. Therefore, if the net result is that the numbers of crimes increase, the world would become a worse place.

It is in this context that theorists have felt that game theory can be said to be a basis for making rational decisions whereby the given decisions create impacts on the decision making the ability of other entities in the group, while also impacting one’s own decisions at the given time.

Works Cited

Duronio, Ben 2012,

Levine, David K. 2014, What is Game Theory. Web.

Stevens, Scott P. 2014, Games People Play: Game Theory in Life, Business, and Beyond. Web.

Turocy, Theodore L. and Bernhard von Stengel 2001, PDF File.

Social Issues: Gentrification in Harlem

Harlem is the name of the neighborhood which consists of three Manhattan districts of New York City. The neighborhood is known as the center of the large African-American cultural community. The cultural growth of Harlem began in the early part of the 20th century when many black inhabitants of the community became known because of their literature and artworks.

The period of the cultural boost in the 1920s is known as the ‘Harlem Renaissance’, but today the researchers also pay attention to the fact that Harlem develops actively, and significant changes are noticed in demographics, social and economic spheres (Maurrasse 31-32).

It is possible to state that the beginning of the 21st century is significant for Harlem’s development because today the community experiences the new ‘Renaissance’ associated with the process of gentrification as a residential change characteristic for the urban territories.

Thus, gentrification in Harlem during the period of 2000-2012 is characterized by changes in the community’s demographics, household income, and economy connected with the arrival of wealthier residents, increased investment, promoted economic and business activities, and changes in the factor of affordability which are supported with the relevant statistical data.

Defining Gentrification and Affordability

In order to analyze the processes and factors which characterize gentrification in Harlem, it is necessary to discuss it as a phenomenon typical for the urban territories.

Gentrification can be defined as a specific change in the urban community which characterizes by the shift in the roles of poor and wealthy residents because wealthier residents begin to move into the community, develop businesses, influence the increase of property values, and often make the low-income families drive out (Zukin 47-48).

As a result, there are obvious changes in the demographics of the community which are traditionally associated with economic growth and development. The population increases, its ethnic and social background can change, and the alternations in the economic life make the community members drive out because of the impossibility to adapt to the experienced changes.

These persons cannot use the proposed services, infrastructure, and benefits of changes because of their low income and social status (Davidson 2385). The lack of affordability is a challenge associated with the gentrification process.

Harlem is divided into three parts known as West Harlem, Central Harlem, East Harlem, and these communities are correlated with Manhattan’s District 9, District 10, and District 11 accordingly. Harlem became an attractive destination for the urban residents, and the population of the neighborhood is constantly increasing (Zukin 48).

According to the Census data of 2010, the population of West Harlem was 110,193 residents in 2010 in comparison with 111,724 in 2000, and 106,978 in 1990 (“Manhattan Community District 9”). The population of Central Harlem in 2010 was 115,723 residents in comparison with 107,109 in 2000 (“Manhattan Community District 10”).

Thus, the community’s population increased by 8%. The population of East Harlem in 2010 was 120,511 residents in comparison with 117,743 in 2000 (“Manhattan Community District 11”). From this point, the population increased by more than 2%.

The significant shifts in the population numbers are caused by a range of social factors, and this process is characterized by the associated development of infrastructure and increases in the housing costs (Sullivan 583). The increase in the population numbers is associated with the movements of wealthier residents who are mostly white. As a result, there also changes in the racial characteristic of the neighborhood.

Harlem is traditionally discussed as the largest black community in New York City. However, during the period of 2000-2010, the prevalence of the African-American residents became less obvious. Thus, the African-American population of East Harlem decreased by more than 10% during the period of 2000-2010, when the Asian community increased by 110% (“Manhattan Community District 11”).

The similar changes are characteristic for Central Harlem, where the African-American community decreased in 12%, the Asian community increased in 200%, and the white community increased in 400% (“Manhattan Community District 10”). The most significant decrease in the number of the black population in 22% is characteristic for West Harlem (“Manhattan Community District 9”).

Thus, the non-black population demonstrated the great interest in Harlem in the 2000s, and this tendency led to boosting the economic and social progress of these districts of Manhattan. More white families began to choose this neighborhood for living because of the availability of services and resources.

This process resulted in increased investment in the neighborhood, causing increased housing costs. Many African Americans could not afford to live in Harlem anymore, and they began to drive out of the neighborhood (Freeman 463). These changes in the racial parameter illustrate the connection between social, demographic, and economic factors.

While focusing on the economic aspect of gentrification in Harlem, it is important to note that the urban shift is always associated with significant economic changes related to the household costs, real estate rates, costs of the residential property, and residents’ wages. Those non-black persons who moved to Harlem in 2000-2012 were wealthier than the black population of the neighborhood.

As a result, new residents began to purchase the properties actively and create the high-cost infrastructure, affecting the life of the low-income population.

Thus, the changes in the household income related to the Harlem population are significant because, in 2012, the median household income related to East Harlem was more than $31,000, the median household income related to Central Harlem was about $36,000, and the median household income related to West Harlem was about $40,000.

While comparing the numbers with the data of 2000, it is possible to state that the median household income increased in 10%, 15%, and 20% in East, Central, and West Harlem accordingly (“Manhattan Community District 9”; “Manhattan Community District 10”; “Manhattan Community District 11”).

These changes mean that the economic situation in the community improved, but the social growth was caused by changes in demographics because the increases in household income were the direct result of arrivals of white upper-middle-class representatives.

The changes are observed not only in demographics and economic life of Harlem residents but also in the social life because of the interconnection of factors. From this perspective, changes in the housing costs are also the indicator of gentrification (Davidson 2386). The rent costs in Harlem increased in more than 19% while comparing the rent costs in the 2000s (Maurrasse 36).

The increase in costs is a result of the arrival of new residents with high incomes. The demand for houses increases affecting the renting and housing costs. Thus, the economic change is associated with social change. Furthermore, education is one more important factor to be discussed in relation to the gentrification process.

The education level of Harlem residents increased in more than 40% while comparing the data of 1990, 2000, and 2010 related to School District 4 of Manhattan (Bloomberg and Burden 64). As a result, the number of college graduators also increased, affecting social changes. Thus, wages of Harlem residents increased in response to the obvious economic changes generally in 35%, while affecting the changes in the life of families.

The unemployment rate decreased by 7% because of the intense job creation observed in 2000-2010 (“Manhattan Community District 9”; “Manhattan Community District 10”; “Manhattan Community District 11”). Revitalization of the economic life of Harlem led to improving the social life in relation to such basic indicators as education and health.

However, there is also a negative result of the developed gentrification observed in Harlem during the period of 2000-2014. This aspect is associated with the notion of affordability. The problem is in the fact that the increase in the economic and social standards in Harlem was a result of the active investment in this neighborhood. New residents moved to Harlem because of the obvious potential for economic progress.

Nevertheless, the demand for services provoked the increase in costs, and services and resources became unavailable for the low-income black community. Many African Americans who had lived in Harlem before 2000 chose to leave the neighborhood because of the obvious gentrification.

While comparing the numbers of the black population in 2000 and 2010, it is important to note that the black community in three districts of Harlem decreased in about 30% (“Manhattan Community District 9”; “Manhattan Community District 10”; “Manhattan Community District 11”; Zukin 49).

The process is observed even today because the active economic acceleration and obvious changes in the social life mean that many black persons cannot afford previously used resources, and they have to drive out Harlem.

Conclusion

The process of gentrification as the residential shift is often associated with the economic boost, acceleration in business, and increased standards of social life. Referring to these aspects, it is possible to note that the indicators of such changes are noticeable about the socio-economic growth in West Harlem, Central Harlem, and East Harlem. The data of 2000 and 2010 represent significant positive changes in the household incomes and education levels.

These shifts are the result of the changes in the demographic pattern and racial composition of the neighborhood. The main characteristic of gentrification is the movement of wealthier people to the urban territories which results in the obvious replacement. Thus, during the period of 2000-2010, the population of Harlem increased in more than 10% when the African American community originally located in Harlem decreased by about 30%.

This shift is the direct consequence of gentrification because wealthier and well-educated white people and Asians produced the demand for housing and services and made the black population drive out because of the changed conditions.

The economic and social growth, job creation, and increases in incomes affected the development of the society according to the principle of affordability related to the low-income population. From this point, Harlem experiences significant changes associated with the gentrification process and the racial composition of the neighborhood changes along with the alternations in the socio-economic spheres.

Works Cited

Bloomberg, Michael, and Amanda Burden. New York City Public Schools: Demographic and Enrollment Trends 1990-2002. New York, NY: Department of City Planning, 2003. Print.

Davidson, Mark. “Spoiled Mixture: Where Does State-led ‘Positive’ Gentrification End?” Urban Studies 45.12 (2008): 2385–2405. Print.

Freeman, Lance. “Displacement or Succession? Residential Mobility in Gentrifying Neighbourhoods”. Urban Affairs Review 40.4 (2005): 463–491. Print.

2014.

Manhattan Community District 10. 2014. Web.

Manhattan Community District 11. 2014. Web.

Maurrasse, David. Listening to Harlem: Gentrification, Community, and Business. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis, 2006. Print.

Sullivan, Daniel. “Using Survey Data Reassessing Gentrification: Measuring Residents’ Opinions”. Urban Affairs Review 42.1 (2007): 583–592. Print.

Zukin, Sharon. “New Retail Capital and Neighborhood Change: Boutiques and Gentrification in New York City”. City & Community 8.1 (2009): 47-64. Print.

Social Issues: How Identities are Constructed?

Culture, ethnicity, gender, race, and geographical location are the main attributes used to identify people. They help people to understand the connections they have with other people in different regions. In modern times, many people identify themselves with their countries of birth, and this makes them eligible for citizenship rights and other social and economic privileges that are offered by their countries.

Also, many nations rely on shared geographical, social, religious, and political attributes to identify their real citizens from foreign nationals. The race is also one of the most used attributes which are applicable when trying to identify people in different countries (Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality 146).

Physical characteristics based on people’s skin color are used to divide people into various racial groups, and this influences the way their identities are constructed.

In the U.S., race, and ethnicity are the main attributes which help to assign identities to different demographic groups in the country. Therefore, people that share a common language, ancestral background, and cultural practices belong to the same demographic cluster which is used to identify them. Also, residential segregation is used to assign collective identities to people with similar ethnic and social characteristics.

Immigration of large numbers of people from one country to a particular locality leads to the transformation of cultural and economic practices of that area.

For instance, Washington Heights in New York has a lot of Dominicans, who emigrated and settled there in large numbers within the 1960s (Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality 155). As a result, the district has become a hub for economic and social activities which many immigrants from the Dominican Republic identify themselves with.

Alternative sexual and lifestyle practices encourage people to construct their own identities based on connections they have with other people who have similar interests. Therefore, such people create spaces for themselves, and this leads to the formation of exclusive communities where people with distinct sexual or lifestyle preferences live together.

For instance, in the past two decades, exclusive neighborhoods in the U.S. which have large numbers of same-sex couples and families have increased in their numbers. Power relationships in different geographical regions also have an impact on people’s identity construction (Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality160).

In the past, racial segregation laws played a major role in separating whites from people of other racial groups such as blacks, Native Americans, Asians and Latinos in the U.S. Therefore, people from minority racial and ethnic groups were considered as inferior to whites who used their economic and political power to demonstrate their racial superiority.

Gender roles are also used to identify men and women in various societies. In conservative societies, men are expected to work and support their families financially while women are to look after their homes and children. However, more often than not, women are involved in informal economic activities which are not given a lot of importance by their male-dominated societies.

This situation results in unequal gender relations, which disadvantage women because their societies expect them to be submissive and docile. As a result, this makes it difficult for women to empower themselves socially and economically due to deeply entrenched cultural prejudices.

High competition for resources redefines relationships between people from different cultural and racial backgrounds. As a result, this affects how they identify themselves about other social systems which exist in a particular area (Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality 169).

Works Cited

“Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality.” Chapter 5. Chapter 5 Identity Construct File, 2014. 144-171. Print.