Thursday, January 30, 2020

Ethnography Essay Example for Free

Ethnography Essay The late night diner is one of the many staples of urban areas – they act as beacons to all those with no place better to be. Whether the bar has long since closed, or staying home just isn’t an option any more, 24 hour eateries are the place to be when all else fails. I recently made an educational trip to a 24 hour IHOP for some middle of the night hash-browns and ethnographic field notes. I was escorted to one of the largest tables in the room by a tired looking but albeit enthusiastic young man, and was surprised by how many people were actually there. It was three in the morning, so I’d half expected to not see a soul, but there were always at least four tables being served. Among the clientele was a couple; a group of hoodlums whom I could only guess had been band geeks in another life; and, my personal favorite, a group of middle aged drunken sushi connoisseurs. Being seated closest to the sushi lovers, I got to eavesdrop on their conversations – and creepily bond with them, unbeknownst to them. Unsurprisingly, almost everyone in the room was varying shades of inebriated. The conversation was fairly educational in the sense that they were all very proud of their sexual endeavors and had decided to meticulously compare notes. They were surprisingly comfortable with themselves, as well as those within ear shot. It was sort of a contagious comfortable-ness – there was almost a community in the grungy little IHOP. Every one there had probably been kicked out of somewhere else because of closing time, or discontentment – all of us came together not only for diner eggs and pancakes, but for a place to be. Closing time had become the great equalizer, bringing people from all walks of life – from star crossed lovers to raucous sushi lovers – into their local IHOP, more for a place to be than anything else. Many forces were at work in that IHOP. The waiters were trying to make as much as they could off of tips, iHop stayed open late to facilitate all those who just weren’t ready to go home yet during the witching hour, and the establishment’s patrons were filling many societal expectations. All of these worked together to create a very different aesthetic than one would see in the daylight. People were more uninhibited because of the late hour and whatever they’d been a part of earlier, yet certain societal standards and ideals were being held up – while others, such as quietness, were generally thrown to the wind. Meanwhile, my incredibly exhausted waiter worked to be as professional as possible while exerting the least amount of work possible – granted, that isn’t necessarily that different from the daytime. This reflected the corporate values of IHOP that were at play. It caters to a very specific demographic – the less wealthy, and very hungry. IHOP is also one of the only places in its suburban zip code that offers 24-hour service. Which, I admittedly found surprising I would have assumed there would be more places to go in the middle of the night, but realized very early into my pre-dawn adventure that there wasn’t much for one to do past midnight. This proves not only that nothing good happens after 2am, but also that nothing interesting will happen either. IHOP was the only place with its doors open after last call, after the kitchens had closed, and after the kids still couldn’t head home but had to something anyways. It’s interesting how so few places were there for the people who weren’t ready to head home for the night – and how many people stubbornly refused to go home. All the factors played together to set the scene for a bad Romantic Comedy (which undoubtedly could have been playing itself out in the corner booth, where the very young and very passionate couple were paying more attention to themselves than to their pancakes. All of the behaviors in the restaurant came together to form a cultural idea of the late night scene that one might get from the movies. People were far more uninhibited whether from lack of sleep, or intoxication, but they all still played their roles in the scene. There was a delicate balance between outlandish behavior and the rules of interaction between wait-staff and customers at play. Multiple expectations came together to form a very unique dynamic. It is worth saying that people were in the IHOP at that ungodly hour to be seen. They at least subconsciously knew that they were performers in very large scale production, and decided to stay out because of their role in social norms. They chose not to hide away in their homes until dawn, because someone needed to uphold the night owl character. Mumford argues in What is a City? That the city requires and creates drama, unlike the suburbs – which is interesting in regards to the very slim options one has in the suburbs past midnight beyond just going home. The percent of the population who want drama and tension (which in this sense are played out through late night excursions) is far lower in the suburbs, not because of the difference between structures in the city and the suburbs but because of the difference in mindset between these two areas (which also yielded the different structures). The characters in the story at hand are therefore outliers, in a sense. They seek out an experience that one generally only sees –though is not exclusively- in the city, and have a more unique experience because of it. There was a surprising amount of diversity in the demographics that night (really, no matter what tax bracket you’re in, you’re not going to find a place open in Aurora at 3am beyond Wal-Mart and the very occasional late night eatery), which created even more forces at play in the room. With every now demographic came a new set of ideas that were being prescribed to and upheld. Many sponsors played into the behavior of the performers. Societies’ concept of morality is a very large factor here. Many of the patrons had ducked in to iHop as a way to pass the time while sobering up and moving on with their life – which was caused by society’s laws and idea of moral behavior. While having a night out, they also were influenced not only by their preconceived notion of behavior that one is to have in the night, but also by the behavior that is not acceptable in society generally. Being overly drunk in public is generally frowned upon, as well as driving under the influence, which explains why many people ducked in to the restaurant – it was the best place to go so their night out wouldn’t have to end, but so they could also start to sober up. A variety of laws are in place that work to discourage public intoxication and bad behavior that might happen during intoxication, but there are at the same time a plethora of ideas at play constructed by the media about youth and the role of alcohol and late nights into the youth culture. It all plays into an equilibrium between two different sets of expectations and guidelines for behavior. The economy is also a sponsor of the performance. It is in the economy’s best interest that every performer takes on the role of the consumer, and consumerism is marketed from every angle possible so that every person will feel the need to participate. The need to stay out and continue the adventure is an idea partly concocted by the economy and media to influence people to connect the idea of leading an interesting life with products and experiences that can be profited off of. By staying open all night, IHOP offers an experience to a select group of customers, who for whatever reason need to stay up late and have eggs and coffee. Performers, for a variety of reasons, all take part in consumerism as a means to the experience of staying out late, or getting away from something. The late night patronage of IHOP is indicative of much larger forces and ideas that influence society as a whole. Customers from all walks of life participate in a late night performance that reveals influences from the economy and society as a whole. Each performer has a different reason for being there but plays into the greater whole of societal norms and expectations. A suburban 24 hour restaurant seems at first like an unlikely place for big ideas to be at play – especially when the place is sort of dead, and the customers look worn-out and inebriated, but every component of the large whole has meaning in its own way – and is essential for the bigger picture to exist.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Russian Diplomacy Essay -- essays research papers

Diplomacy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were many reasons for WW1. There was the assassination of a European archduke and many building rivalries between most of the european countries. Italy, Russia, France, Austria-Hungry, Germany and England all sought the goal of acquiring new market and establishing global empires. Russia had already had influence over Manchuria and hoped to take control of Dardanelles and Bosporus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the year of 1908, Russia had been called upon to bail out Serbia after Austria-Hungry had annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina. Russia just turned their back and denied the help to Serbia and there were two reasons for this. First, Russia had just ended the Russo-Japanese War and had no room in their budget to help out Serbia. Second, They had already secretly made a deal with Austria Hungry to take Bosnia-Herzegovina in a trade for the Dardanelles. When the Russians found out that Austria-Hungry had double crossed them and went ahead with their move before they could take part in the deal they became furious with Austria-Hungry. Because of this, Russia left the Three Emperor's League. This league consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungry, and Russia. After this occurred, Germany and Austria-Hungry formed a triple alliance with Italy. In 1890, Russia formed an alliance with France because they were afraid of being attacked by the triple alliance. A few years later Russia and France would allie with Great Britain to form the Triple Entente.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The big day for the Russians came on July 30, 1914 when Czar Nicholas II ordered Mobilization of his troops against Austria-Hungry and Germany. Russia decided to make their move when Austria-Hungry attacked Serbia. England and France decided to support Russia in their war with Austria-Hungry. In the first few weeks, The Russians took Germany and Austria-Hungry by surprise and invaded East Prussia from both the south and the east. Then the Russians were beaten senseless by the Germans at Tannenberg (Poland). In this battle alone, the Russian casualties reached 120,000. The assassination of Czar Nicholas II and his family cleared the way for Lenin to be in Control and take Russia out of the war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Game Diplomacy, Russia had the strategy of the normal beginner. Don't Lose! For about the first few moves we remai... ...nd more of the south if the game had gone a little further. Our alliances helped along the way but they helped the most when we squashed our allies and enemies with betrayal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the real WWI, Russia did not have the same outcome as we did. They were caught up in the Russian revolution which pulled them from WWI. Russia Allied with France and England. This helped them attack on multiple sides of the Central Powers. By the end of WWI Russia was poor and weak.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the way that we played the game as Russia and the way that the real Russia fought in WWI may not have been the same. But we both fought Germany and we both maintained the west for at least a little while. It is probably a good thing that Russia lost WWI because with them winning the communist party would probably be much bigger today. Anyway, I enjoyed playing this game. At first I had no idea how to play which helped me play dumb with Kevin. After I learned a little bit i was able to stab him in the back and take most of his land. If we ever played this game again I would change a few things but my result would definitely be the same. We will Win!

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Analyze Africa’s actions and reacions during European scramble for Africa DBQ Essay

When the Europeans scrambled to colonize Africa, the reactions of the natives was progressively more apprehensive. At first the natives found that they could be peaceful with this strange new white man. Soon after, though, they found that these new men mistreated and cheated them greatly, and had superior military technology. Given these new conditions of the relationship the Africans decided it was in their best interest to take up arms against the Europeans and try to rid themselves of the harmful White Man. In the beginning of the European- African relationship we see much evidence of civil exchanges, though the Africans seem to be apprehensive of complete European rule. From Document1 we see that the African rulers signed contracts with the Royal Niger company, allowing the British government to utilize the Niger river delta. This agreement upheld that the British could utilize this land for their economic needs, as long as the African rulers received a portion of the riches acquired. There was an original willingness to compromise with the White Man, but soon after, the Europeans began to get greedy. We see this when the ruler of Ashanti wrote the Queen of England, declining her offer to add the clan to her empire, though they would like to remain friendly with them ( Doc 2). This wish for peace with the Europeans did not last long after this document was written. We see other evidence of European greed for land when Menelik II, emperor of Ethiopia sent a letter to Great Britian, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia (Doc 3). He stated that the Europeans simply could not split Africa because that would upset the strong Christian values of the region, and that the rule of the land must be seated in Africa. Though strongly worded, this letter remained civil with the Europeans and showed no signs of violence towards them. This was soon to change, though. Soon after the Europeans began settling among the peoples of Africa, the natives saw their true colors. One account by a veteran of the Ndebele Rebellion against the British told of how the people were treated like slaves. This account told of violence, derision, humiliation, and rape (Doc 4). Another account from a Mojimba African chief described the British attacks upon the village. The chief recounted that after hiding out in the  forest for the duration of the attack, they returned to â€Å"†¦: our brothers, dead, bleeding, our village plundered and burned, and the river full of dead bodies†(Doc 9). Other accounts of more mild wrongdoings. An Ashanti queen spoke to other chiefs of their Kings being taken away (Doc6). Many of these injustices performed against the Africans caused an uprising in their society; several tribes began to resort to violence. As European violence increased, the Africans began to seek ways to take action against them. Yaa Asantewi, Ashanti queen mother, gave a speech to chiefs stating that if the men did not begin to take action against the European violence soon, the women would begin the fight the White Man themselves. This is quite significant because women were considered second class citizens, weak people who did nothing but the simple tasks in life. The Herero people also were compelled to take up arms against the Germans invading South-West Africa. In a letter he wrote â€Å"Let us die fighting rather than die as a result of maltreatment, imprisonment, or some other calamity. Tell all the chiefs down there to rise and do battle†(Doc 7). Finally, artwork can be analyzed from the uprisings against Europeans such as the Italians. Document 5 depicts the Battle of Adova, where the Ethiopians were successful in rising against the Italian troops trying to take over the region. Most relations between the Africans and Europeans ended in hostile revolutions organized by the native tribes, trying to rid themselves of the dreadful White Man’s rule. Though they were not successful in ridding themselves of the Europeans until much later, the Africans put up a fight to get the White Man who oppressed them out of their land, after he charmed them with his false pretenses. Another supplemental document that may be used to analyze these two groups is an excerpt from the book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe. This work of literature depicts the story of a revered tribesman of the Ibo tribe and his relations with the invading European missionaries. Tracing the relations of Europeans and Africans through the provided documents we can see that the relationship was neither extremely tolerant or violent at first, but it progressively became the later.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Why Do Scandalous Lawsuits Involving Athletes Abusing...

Nobody would argue that the quality of sports is basically dependent upon the level of skill of its players. As the skills of the players improve, so too does the quality of the game. So why are substances that would further athletes’ skills beyond human levels so ostracized? Doping is the practice of using steroids and other illegal substances to boost performance in sports and athletics. The debate of the morality of such substances has been going on for decades and continues to affect the world of sports in many ways. At the moment, steroids and all other performance-enhancing drugs are banned in their entirety from nearly all sports in most countries of the world. Scandalous lawsuits involving athletes abusing substances are constantly popping up, usually involving players and athletes that were considered fan-favorites or even heroes. Performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in sports because it would make it easier to control them, allow athletes to perform better, and widespread use of steroids would allow more solid research and advancements in the pharmaceutical field. Some would argue that if athletes used steroids, impressionable youths would be compelled to as well. Because many children view sports stars as role models, people argue that athletes using drugs would lead to children experimenting with them. This is plausible, when the fact that children imitate nearly everything they see. And since childrens’ bodies are weaker, the side effects of