Ethics of Consumption Essay

Once you have read the textbook chapter and the Reading, answer discussion questions 1, 3- 5 (ignore questions 2 and 6). Q1. Who is the â€Å"we† in the question â€Å"Why do we consume so much?† Is Juliet Schor correct that â€Å"there is increasingly little that we do which is not a consumption experience† And that we have become a culture of excessive consumption? Explain your answers. The â€Å"we† in the question â€Å"why do we consume so much?† is stands for the majority of Americans those whose basic needs are met, who have discretionary income, the large middle classes whose standard of living has risen so dramatically over this century. Juliet Schor is correct that â€Å"there is increasingly little that we do which is not a consumption experience†. For example, the average American home has increased by more than 50% since 1970s and the number of vehicles per person has increased. And we have become a culture of excessive consumption due to $20,000 outdoor grills, $17,000 birthday parties for teen girls FAO Schwartz, diamond studded bras at Victoria Secrets, professional appliances for people not home to cook, designer clothes for 6 year olds as well as $1000 bed sheets. Q3. Explain why Schor believes that â€Å"more leisured. Less consumerist lifestyles are structurally blocked†. Why can’t people simply choose to work less and enjoy more free time? Do you agree that working long hours encourages people to consume more? Schor believes that â€Å"more leisure, less consumerist lifestyles is structurally blocked† because we are undermining our quality of life, we fail to take enough leisure, and live excessively busy and stressful lives. People cannot simply choose to work less and enjoy more free time because the employers set work norms and schedules, and those are tied to jobs. A full-time worker is paid per person, not per hour, and the employers prefer to hire fewer people, as well as employees who work longer hours are more financially dependent on the firm. Also, the income that people earned determines the level of consumption. The more they earned, the more or luxury goods they are able to purchase. I do not agree that working long hours encourages people to consume more. I have some working experiences before. After working for the whole day, I felt very tired and I thought money does not come easily, so I would not buy as much as I earned. I would like to save it and buy wait until I think the price of the good I want to buy is acceptable and it is useful. Q4. Schor refers to the second structural feature that creates too much consumption as â€Å"the ecological bias†. What does she mean by this? Do you agree with her that it is serious? Schor means that people overuse of the ecological resources of the earth, which account for global warming, species extinction, ecosystem depletion, water shortages, deforestation and soil erosion. I absolutely agree with her that overuse of natural capital is serious because the rate of resource use, pollution, and ecological degradation exceeds earth’s absorptive and regenerative capacities. We are already beyond a sustainable relation with earth. If rest of the world lived like the Americans do, need an additional four planets to support this lifestyle. Q5. Explain why you agree or disagree with Schor’s contention that consumption has become a social competition. How has the old concept of â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† changed? Do you agree that it is difficult for individuals to resist or drop out of the consumption competition? Explain why or why not. Yes, I agree with Schor’s contention that consumption has become a social competition because more and more people buy luxury goods to show off, which  it stand for recognition, esteem, status, and even envy it confers. Especially young teenagers, they like to keep up with their classmates or schoolmates. As a result, branded goods were carried by students is obviously around the school. The old concept of â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† has changed because Americans’ consumer aspirations now has become more vertical, which is in terms of economic and social standing. Young Americans regarded Rockefeller or Bill Gates who makes $100,000 a year or more as an important aspirational target. They are more squint towards a decent or comfortable standard of living. I agree that it is difficult for individuals to resist or drop out the consumption competition. Since everyone is using the latest products, we have to elevate ourselves as well. If we refused to upgrade our belonging, we will fall behind the others, it may account for inconvenience in our life. For example, nowadays, some homework has to type it out or submit online, if we do not have a laptop at home, then it will be troublesome and inconvenience. Thus, individuals are getting more and more difficult to drop put the consumption competition.

Gender Criticism Essay

The study of human behavioral pathways can intensify the scope of how each individual is grouped according to preferences. In this aspect, it would be important to study the role of gender ideals in molding the society. Gender criticism is the overall approach in understanding the ideas about the complete make up of men and women (Bedford 1). This includes the notion acceptance of what is masculine and what is feminine. It regards sexuality as a very complex method of classification which basically becomes a reflection of a particular culture based on what is feminine and what is masculine relative to that society’s norms. The study does not regard sexuality as mere classification of heterosexuality and homosexuality. On the other hand, feminist criticism is a study on how the current status of the female segment came to be. The main approach of the study is to utilize literary or language based mediums of social structure to look for certain causalities which lead to the portrayal of females to be that of an inferior species. Moreover, the study intends to look for proofs of segments which can be derived from the literary complexities of cultures as to why male domination came into being. The offset of gender criticism may be coursed upon how feminist criticism came into being. Basically, these two concepts are not really opposites of each other but intertwined in terms of relative scopes of matters (Bedford 1). Many experts argue that the two notions are too complicated to be separated because one factor influences the other in a continuum of understanding towards gender, tradition, sex and culture (Bedford 1). In summary, feminist criticism is actually a variation of gender criticism only that the former specifies what could have provided the avenues to let feminism achieve a kind of status delegated in most societies today. Works Cited Bedford, â€Å"Critical Approaches. † Virtual Lit. 1998. 3 Feb 2008 .

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Reflection - Essay Example However, technological advancements would have some drawbacks. There will be no privacy in travelling since there will be audits of every route and journey. Secondly, internet connection will not be perfect in ‘moving offices’. Furthermore, ensuring the security of car office can be a challenge as the office is susceptible to criminal activities. Amazon Prime Air is an amazing technology. Jeff Bezo’s discovery is applicable in transporting packages from one point to another through autonomous drones (Stern 1). The technology will create the convenience of handling small-sized items as one can deliver a package from the comfort of the house. It would enable performance of tasks at a fast rate. The technology will also save on cost of operation. Instead of spending money to deliver a particular package, an individual can comfortably send it. However, the technology comes along with several challenges. Packages delivery at the doorstep of the receiving address may be challenging if the system does not identify the specific recipient. Unintended recipient at the receiving address can receive the package. Godsmark, Paul. Don’t laugh; the new Google prototype car has implications for your business. May 28, 2014. Web. June 4, 2014. Viewed: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140528072025-142059068-don-t-laugh-the-new-google-prototype-car-has-implications-for-your-business?trk=mp-reader-card Stern, Joanna. Amazon Prime Air: Delivery by Drones Could Arrive As Early as 2015. abc NEWS. December 1, 2013. Web. June 4, 2014. Viewed:

Diverse Families Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diverse Families - Movie Review Example Extended family includes, Karen and Jack. Karen Walker is Grace’s receptionist who is bisexual. Jack is a gay struggling actor and friend of Will. It is a situational comedy with homosexuality as the main theme. But what I love about the serial is its human relationship that transcends sexual orientation, cultural and racial paradigms. Karen with her bitchiness and Jack with his flamboyant character and who has tried his hand on all types of job, excel in their characters. Jack’s relationship with Will and Karen’s attraction to Jack all add up to hilarious anecdotes. A family with parents and 2 siblings who would welcome, love and support an 18 years old smart long haired guy, who loves to dress in feminine clothes. Preference would be given to the family where mother is black and both siblings are girls as I want sisters who would adore me and lend me their dresses when I go to parties with my

A literature review about the role of nutrition information in Research Paper

A literature review about the role of nutrition information in influencing consumer choice - Research Paper Example The pieces of information are inclusive of brand name, price and search attributes that are within a store. There is also set levels of importance given to the visual aids within the product as well as the factual information given. It has been found (Degeratu et al, 55: 2000), that the factual information, such as fat levels, nutritional levels and other measurements, are the most important determinant of what consumers decide to buy from a supermarket (Degeratu et al, 55: 2000). While the nutritional value that is available through information is known as the most important aspect for those buying food, there are also differences in the decision making process. The demographics and expectations from different sets of individuals determine what the most popular items are in supermarkets. For instance, young adults often consume snacks that don’t have the same levels of nutritional values. The decision to choose the snacks is based on the taste, satisfaction and trends that ar e a part of the snacks. It was found through a recent study (Cranage et al, 125: 2003), that there wasn’t a difference in nutritional value when choosing different snacks. Two snacks were given, one with higher nutritional value than the other. ... From these two studies, it can be seen that the nutritional information depicts choices between various types of groups. However, there is a difference in whether the responses are positive or negative as well as what influences consumers with the enjoyment of the food. Through another study (Edwards et al, 332: 2005), there was a question of how negative or positive information influenced those that were deciding to take specific types of nutritional foods. A group was assisted with the purchases that they made by being given information on the food. The information was specifically designed to cause a positive, negative or neutral statement about the food. After eating the food, the participants were given a survey to define the quality of food with nutritional value as well as taste and satisfaction. It was found that the negative information or beliefs about the food caused the participants to be influenced by the food chosen. However, if the food was chosen, despite the negative comments, it didn’t create a negative response after eating the food in satisfaction or the taste value associated with the food (Edwards, et al, 332: 2005). This particular study shows that the information before giving individuals a type of food can influence their decision to buy the food. However, it doesn’t influence the responses that are given after eating the food and making the determination necessary for their own understanding of quality. The attitudes and behaviors that are created from quality have some dependence on the nutritional information. However, there are also cultural and societal trends that begin to influence the choices of those that are buying different types of food

DESCRIPTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DESCRIPTION - Essay Example As a representation of that faith in mankind and the belief in a higher power the building I have chosen to observe is a church. The church itself is non-denominational and it is called the Christ Fellowship. It is set slightly off the main road which makes it accessible yet offers the peace and quiet which is a requirement for meditation and contemplation. While the typical church may exalt in the beauty of architecture with high roofs, steeples and a narrow structure this building is rather squat since it only has two floors but it looks very modern since it is a beige structure and makes liberal use of glass in its construction. The entrance is covered with an overhang that is supported by four white pillars and which put a person at rest soon as one lays eyes on them. Evenly spaced windows all around the building not only let the sun in they also give a beautiful well-lit outlook from the inside. Looking at it one would think it is a school building or another utilitarian office since there is no stained glass or much Christian imagery around the building. That certainly helps the purpose of the church since it is supposed to be a centre of learning and holds quite a lot of utility for us. While there are a number of trees which run around the building perimeter, there is also a significantly large car park attached to the building which is large enough to hold a hundred cars or more. Behind the building there are several open fields where a person can take a walk or children can use as play grounds. I have been told that once enough funds are generated, the empty space behind the church will be utilized for further development. On a typical Sunday morning you would find the car park almost filled to capacity and people of all races coming into the church. Most of the people who are coming in are in SUVs or family sedans and looking at them you would be able to guess that they are middle class or upper middle class

Engineering and construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Engineering and construction - Essay Example ............................................ 30 Task 1 Laminar flow Laminar flow is a type of flow where fluids generally move at low velocity. The layers of the fluid slide by one another. There is no lateral mixing of the fluid and no formation of eddies, cross current or any swirls. Particles of the fluid move in straight line in orderly manner parallel to the boundary walls which can be seen in straight sections of pipes. It generally occurs at a Reynolds number below critical value of 2040. Turbulent flow Turbulent flow is a type of flow that occurs in large velocities characterized with the formation of eddies, swirls and other disturbances in the flow pattern. There is irregularity of flow pattern, fluctuating nature of flow, and diffusivity of particles due to rapid lateral mixing. There is a rapid change in pressure and velocity happening with respect to the space and time. The drag due to boundary layer skin friction is increasing and the overall drag often reduces due to t he changing of structure and location of boundary layers. It generally occurs at a Reynolds number greater than 2040. Uniform Flow Uniform flow occurs when the terminal velocity of the flow is reached. This phenomenon arises when the loss of potential energy in flow is equal to the work done against the channel surface friction. If flow properties are the same at every location along the channel, the flow is uniform. dy/dx = 0. The energy line, water surface and channel bottom becomes all parallel thereby creating uniform flow. So= Sf . In a uniform flow, the velocity can be expressed only as a function of time. According to Eulerian, it is described as   Non-Uniform Flow Non-uniform flow is a type of flow for fluids where the velocity and other hydrodynamic parameters at a particular instant of time is not the same at all points. Change in parameter occur both in points where flow is in the same direction and perpendicular to the direction. The perpendicular non-uniformity is enc ountered near solid boundaries where the fluid passes through. This can be explained by the no-slip condition which occurs when the viscosity tries to reduce the relative velocity of fluid to zero. Steady Flow A steady flow is a type of flow where the hydrodynamic properties of fluid do not change at particular location and time. However, this flow is restricted with space but not with time. There is a required frame of reference. For example, in a laminar flow within a sphere, the flow is kept stationary and steady with respect to the shape of the object. Using the Eulerian approach, a steady flow is described as, and Unsteady Flow An unsteady flow is a type of flow where the hydrodynamic parameters and fluid properties at a particular point changes with respect to time. Turbulent flow is generally unsteady in nature. Reynolds Number Reynolds number denoted by Re is a dimensionless number. It represents a critical quantity to determine the type of flow of fluids, whether it is lami nar or turbulent. It is a ratio of the inertial forces to the viscous forces of fluid. Laminar flow occurs at low Reynolds number while turbulent flow occurs at high Reynolds number. [4] where: = The mean velocity of the object relative to the fluid. The unit is m/s L = Characteristic linear dimension. The unit is m ? = Dynamic viscosity of the fluid. The unit is kg/(m ·s) ? = Kinematic viscosity. The unit is (m?/s) = The density of the fluid. The unit is kg/m? Bernoulli's Theorem Bernoulli's theorem states than in a flow which has no viscosity or inviscid flow, there

Macroeconomics - power of the federal reserve in monetary policy Term Paper

Macroeconomics - power of the federal reserve in monetary policy - Term Paper Example The paper provides a brief overview of some recent actions that are taken by Federal Reserve. Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful institutes in terms of its capability of significantly influencing the monetary policy of United States of America. The primary mission of Fed is to make sure that sufficient money as well as credit is available and a sustainable economic growth is maintained without inflation. The organization has the power of slowing down the growth of money supply into the financial system when the inflation is likely to threaten the purchasing power of the common mass. The Fed has three tools to influence the monetary system and these are ‘discount rate’, ‘open market operations’ and ‘reserve requirements’ (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, n.d.). Among these ‘open market operations’ can be considered as the Fed’s main tool for influencing the monetary policy. There is a committee named Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) that is responsible for developing monetary policies that are based on â⠂¬Ëœopen market operations’ (Federal Reserve, n.d.). In open market operations, US government securities are bought and sold in the open market. The primary objective of such buying and selling is to influence the short-term interest rate and the growth of credit and money. Once the policy is developed by FOMC, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York takes the responsibility of implementing it. The second most important tool is the ‘discount rate’ which is nothing but the interest rate that is charged by the Fed from different financial institutions against short-term loans. The third one i.e. the reserve requirement is the amount that the financial institutions have to keep aside as ‘reserve’. If the ‘reserve requirement’ is raised by the Fed then the banks are likely to have less money for lending and as a result the growth of money

Christian Believes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christian Believes - Essay Example He gave them the ability to control nature, which was created in order to allow people to have everything necessary for their lives. Many modern scholars believe that Christianity is responsible for the deterioration of the environment and the emergence of serious problems such as global warming, pollution of the planet, etc. However, if one reads the Bible attentively, he/she will see that the Bible urges people to respect nature and the environment based on a rational and careful use of natural resources. God created nature and gave the man the ability to control it: The Bible focuses particular attention on the responsible attitude of people to nature. In particular, in the Old Testament, Jewish people had been instructed to give the land an opportunity to rest for 50 years, so it could be used after (Lev. 25. 8-11). In addition, God forbade the Jews to destroy the trees growing in the cities that they wanted to capture (Deut. 20.19). Thus, Christianity justifies the need to take care of nature, because nature gives people all that they need for their harmonious life. Unfortunately, violence continues to be one of the most common forms of misunderstanding between people. Throughout the world, one can observe various forms of violence that often lead to casualties. As an example of violence, one can consider the type of violence caused by racial hatred. Many countries have faced this serious problem. United States is no exception. In the US, racial hatred led to the death of many people. Many people who have been victims of such violence believed that they had the right to use violence in response. Nevertheless, Christianity represented by the Bible and especially the New Testament opposes any form of violence, in particular caused as a result of racial hatred. Jesus Christ has marked a completely new approach to the problem of violence. He urged people to eradicate violence in the community and learn to love each other,