The Nature Of Manipulation William Gibson s...

The Nature of Manipulation William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and The Matrix by The Wachowskis both depict a society in which humans are under constant manipulation by indispensable machines. In Neuromancer, the protagonist Case is indirectly manipulated by a powerful Artificial Intelligence named Wintermute. In The Matrix, majority of the human population lives within a computer simulated world, run by machines. However, both storylines depict the fact that manipulation takes origin within the individual rather than another entity, as both protagonists are frequently manipulated due to flaws in their own character. These character flaws are not individual, rather, they are representative of all humans. Thus, Neuromancer and The Matrix both†¦show more content†¦In both instances, the audience is intentionally lead by false interpretations, as to prove that individuals are constantly being manipulated unbeknownst to them. Neuromancer demonstrates this omnipresence of manipulation, as the audience is controlled by the author himself. Throughout the novel, Gibson’s distinct word choice not only encapsulates the audience, but also forces the novel to be read from a certain perspective. For example, Gibson describes the atmosphere of Ninsei, by saying â€Å"By day, the bars down Ninsei were shuttered and featureless, the neon dead, the holograms inert, waiting, under the poisoned silver sky† (Gibson 7). Gibson could simply have stated that the street was dark, and the sky was cloudy. However, he makes the conscious effort of wording the sentence with metaphors, and analogies in order to convey the cynical perspective from which the audience is to observe the story. The impact of word choice is shown again in The Matrix, as an agent justifies its horrific intentions by saying â€Å"Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure† (The Matrix). The agent is able to rationalize its intent, through the use of euphemisms. Similar to the characters of both the novel and the movie, the audience is manipulated by the author because they are unaware of it. Manipulation is a result of unawareness; individuals who are unaware of their society, are prone to manipulation. InShow MoreRelatedWilliam Gibson s Neuromancer, And The Matrix1834 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Gibson’s Neuromancer, and The Matrix by The Wachowskis both depict a society in which humans are under constant manipulation by indispensable machines. In Neuromancer, the protagonist Case is indirectly manipulated by a powerful Artificial Intelligence named Wintermute. In The Matrix, majority of the human population lives within a computer simulated world, run by machines. However, both storylines ultimately depict the fact that manipulation takes origin within the individual rather thanRead More Realities Redefined in William Gibsons Neuromancer Essay2645 Words   |  11 PagesRealities Redefined in William Gibsons Neuromancer The ways in which characters communicate and interact with one another are redefined in William Gibson?s Neuromancer. An all-encompassing web of intrigue, the Net enables humans and non-humans to access and to communicate an infinite amount of data across time and space. Medical implants open another door on virtual communications. Non-living entities such as artificial intelligences and the Dixie Flatline construct overcome the physical barriers

Sexuality in Advertising †an Occurring Issue Free Essays

Abramovitz 1 She arches her back, glancing at the camera with a look of ecstasy. Water pours down her body, wearing only soapy suds from the loofah in her hands. While a pink bottle of ‘Herbal Essence’ body wash sensors a mature view of this woman’s body, the tagline on the side reads â€Å"Our new moisture-rich lather turns H2O into H2Ohhhh! † This is a real advertisement Clairol for Herbal Essence body wash, but there countless advertisements like this one that American society is bombarded with on a daily basis. We will write a custom essay sample on Sexuality in Advertising – an Occurring Issue or any similar topic only for you Order Now These ads use women’s sexuality to sell both high end and everyday products to consumers. Even though the objectification of women in advertising has become more apparent and worse, it is not a new phenomenon; instead the insecurity of women experience through comparing themselves with idealized women in advertising has been an ongoing problem since the 1920’s. As fashion changed though women’s social empowerment so began the sexual objectification of women in advertising. The iconic figure of the Roaring 20’s was the Flapper. In Edsels, Luckiest and Frigidairies: Advertising the American Way, a flapper is defined as â€Å"A women who could vote, work, drink, and smoke†. 327) Women became more empowered to vote and to go into the workforce, and such large social changes brought new fashions. The once suppressed woman changed out of frumpy petticoats and into short beaded dresses. These were reflected in the flapper style and impacted the sale of silk stockings. â€Å"Silk stocking initially had been regarded as a luxury item †¦ few of who m felt any great compulsion to display their social status in such items. But since silk stockings carried status, once they were made more available to middle and lower class women display became almost a necessity †¦. Women would become increasingly self-conscious about their legs†. (Mquade and Wright 327-28) Silk stockings, once a luxury to have, now were used to objectify the legs of women. A woman could not read the newspaper without viewing advertisements speaking to her awful, ugly, nude legs. Unless she Abramovitz 1 went out and bought herself a pair of silk stockings she would not be sexy enough to be seen in public. Women would be pressured to go out and purchase stockings so she could be up to par with her female friends. The beginning of sexual advertisement in silk stockings promoted the idea of one body part being ‘sexy’. As one progresses through the history of American advertising, one will see that the exploitation of different body parts linked with sexual desire as a technique to raise the sales on items. The Roaring 20’s not only brought the flapper and her iconic silk stockings, but the popularity of the Model T. The automotive industry heavily relies on the sexual objectification of women in its advertising, from the 1950’s to today. One popular car of the 1950’s was the Pontiac Star Chief, a convertible with a roomy interior. In a 1957 advertisement for the Pontiac Star Chief shows a woman in the car, captured at an angle where the viewer cannot see the woman below the waist. A man is right outside the car peering in, and the caption on the ad says â€Å"Spread Your Legs! Enjoy maximum leg room in the new Pontiac Star Chief†. While the phrase â€Å"Spread your legs† is meant to talk about the interior of the car, it also refers to the woman as she opens herself for the man’s pleasure. The double entendre links together motors and women. If a man has a faster and better car, he is likely to get a prettier woman. This mentality is still relevant today’s society, even if the design is more refined. In 2006, Audi, a company that designs and sells luxury vehicles, released it’s Designed to thrill advertisements. One particularly is shocking. It’s simplistic; a black background and whites, reminiscent of a blueprint but in the shape of a female breast. On the side in small print the ad reads ‘designed to thrill’ and on the bottom right corner the Audi symbol is present. The tagline, on the surface, is talking about Audi’s internal mechanics and the fact that engineers improved them to go faster and cause a thrill in the driver. Because of how the graphic is shaped, the catch Abramovitz 1 line entertains a new meaning. When ‘Designed to thrill’ is pictured next to the form of a female bosom, it implies that the woman anatomy was made for the men’s sexual pleasure, or â€Å"thrill†. Objectifying the breasts implies that if a man were to obtain the luxury car, he would get women to show themselves and be more promiscuous. The modern objectification of women in advertisements does not just happen in male oriented products, but female ones too. An online ad for Blush lingerie shows a women in a skirt, a dog and the dog’s apparent owner; a man dressed in a business suit. The dog is looking up the woman’s skirt and blushes because of it sees. Because this is an ad for lingerie, one can assume that the dog is getting a look at scandalous underwear. The professional pleating of the skirt the woman’s wearing, and her low demure heels, the ad represents the woman as a high end professional in the business world; a person to be taken seriously. The blushing dog takes away her credibility though because if she is allowed to be sexy she cannot be respected and intelligent. Ads like this do not embrace the many sides of women, but force them to choose one or the other, although they may appear to be smart and sexy. Because you can’t see her face, just her legs up, it depersonalizes her, dehumanizes her, objectifying her into the sexy, classy, high end lingerie she’s wearing. Not only do ads promote the objectification through the type of underwear women wear, but they also promote reckless sexual behavior. Jean Killbourne, who wrote the book Deadly Persuasion, discusses an ad which promotes this behavior. â€Å"’ The only downfall to female guests that stay over for breakfast is they leave with your nicest shirts’, says an ad featuring a man getting dressed. His back is to the young women in his bed, who is covering herself up as if embarrassed. People in ads like this aren’t lovers, they are users being used. † Advertisements like these promote a culture of commodity; people objectify their friends to what they have to Abramovitz 1 offer sexually, and the aftermath of feelings that naturally come after a sexual connection are thrown in the trash and replaced by a diminished feeling of self worth. When advertisements promote cultures of reckless sex, they pressure people to shallowly judge others by their appearance and how â€Å"sexy† they are rather than their moral character. The objectification of women in advertising is not new. It has been an issue in our society since the 1920’s when print commercial advertisement began to boom. Women today continue to compare themselves with idealized women in advertising and the creates a lasting harm on their self-conscious. Carol Shepard, said â€Å"The objectification of women in advertising campaigns psychological ramifications. It socializes women to think of themselves in the manner in which they are depicted, and causes them to engage in self objectification. †¦ [This] creates anxieties relating to their weight, appearance, body satisfaction, and also creates a negative mood. (qtd Harper Tiggermann, 2008). Thus, their body image causes them to suffer emotionally and psychologically. Perhaps, by buying the advertised items, the viewing audience of women believes that they will instantly become taller, thinner, younger and prettier†. (Shepard, 5) As the objectification of women in advertising is not a new phenomenon, neither are the mental issues that women deal with because of it. Little girls will always wonder why they look at the pretty models in their mother’s magazines and then glance in the mirror only to wonder why they aren’t as pretty. Although the days of silk stockings and red convertibles are long gone, the advertisements and slogans that destroyed our women continue today. How to cite Sexuality in Advertising – an Occurring Issue, Papers

Security Studies and Criminology

Question: Discuss about the Security Studies and Criminology. Answer: Introduction: From: the australian minister for defence To: members of the cabinet Date: 4th, september 2016 Re: sending navy ship/ vessel to perform freedom of navigation patrol in south china sea rol in the South China Sea should be based on various factors. Even though Australia responded towards American Patrol through declaration of support for freedom of navigation, the country is actually faced numerous strategic problems or challenges in long standing alliance and cooperation with United States together with the fact that it has strong interests in enhancing ties with China which is not only a rising global or international influence, but it is also Australias biggest trading partner. However, the position of this memo is that the Australia should indeed dispatch a Navy ship or vessel to perform a Freedom of Navigation Patrol in the South Sea China Sea because Australian Defense Forces have the capabilities of not only performing the Freedom of Navigation Patrol, but the Australian Army also has the ability of deploying some of the land combat forces to Syria (Carl von Clausewitz, 1984). I could therefore wish to refute to the allegations by some sections of the media w hich claimed that the planned military exercises with China had been suspended or delayed. Owing to the fact that the countrys Royal Australian Navy had a long history of involvement with other regional navies and indeed frequently carries out port exercises and visits to various countries including China, it is quite apparent that China is going to send out a Navy Vessel to perform a Navigation Patrol in the South East China Sea. I would therefore wish to categorically state here that the government of Australia is actually holding its options quite open for the future patrol operations. It should also be noted by all and sundry that Australia has a legal interest in maintaining stability and peace, respect for international or global law, freedom of navigation, unimpeded trade, and even over flight in South China Sea. Due to that, both Australian aircraft as well as vessels will thus go on exercising rights as stipulated under the international law of freedom of over flight and freedom of navigation. According to Peter Jennings who was a former assistant Secretary at the Department of Defense (Simpson, 2012). He asserted that it was not actually abnormal for Australia to carry out exercise in collaboration the China Republic. Australia as a country should ultimately consider carrying out a United States style freedom of navigation mission in the South China Sea during some stages. Australia should also possess crucial interest in the specific part of globe since two thirds of the countrys products usually travels via Chinas port. As a result, Australia should not actually take the issue of sending a Navy ship to carry out a Freedom of Navigation Patrol in the South Sea China. It is important to note that even though Australia can send a Navy ship or Vessel to conduct a Freedom of Navigation Patrol in the South Sea of China, it should take precautions so that it does not risk developing a cold war with the country (Hirst, 2014). In essence, Australia should urgently ensure that it safeguards its long-term strategic and economic interests. It can genuinely be asserted that the carrying out of navigation patrols by the United States within the 12 nautical miles of the Chinese claimed territory in the South C hina Sea is a fact sheet that summarizes the current position held by Australia about the navigation freedom operations and also spells out future options (Collins, 2002). Australia should quickly consider carrying out its own Freedom of Navigation Patrols (FONOPs) around the former Low Tide Elevations (LTEs) of signal so that it can signal its concerns. Upon being asked as to whether all the nations that had interest in the South China Sea should perform the US-Style FONOPs FONOPs within the 12 nautical miles zone of the Chinese-claimed islands on the 22nd of February 2016, Joseph Aucoin, the US Vice Admiral answered that it is up to such nations but it is upon their best interests to ensure that such seas remain open (Paret, 2016). He further asserted that it was valuable for Australia to carry out Freedom of navigation Operations. Australia ought to in the nearest future dispatch Navy Vessels aimed at carrying out Freedom of Navigation Patrols in South Sea of China based on various reasons. For instance, since the making of the initial FONOP by the United States in October of last year, the position that has been held by Australia is asserting its right to freedom of navigation through noting that Australian Navy vessels and aircrafts have sailed or flown in the South China Sea for numerous years (Holmes, 2016). Australia holds the view that all nations having a stake or interests in South China Sea should indeed make efforts aimed at avoiding any form of tensions in the area by ensuring that they act with the highest restraint. Australia will thus send Navy vessels and traverse any international waters based on international law. Australia highly believes in the freedom of navigation as one of the significant objectives. Australia will thus continue advocating for peaceful revolution of different claims regarding the South China Sea in accordance with the laid down international law without necessarily adding tensions in that region (Echevarria, 2016). In fact, the freedom of navigation activities or exercises should be matters for each individual nation. Australia should ensure that it sails peacefully and legally through the 12 mile limits of the South China Sea in accordance with international law. Australia should in the nearest future carryout a Freedom of Navigation Patrol in the South Sea China but ensure that it does never jeopardize the security interests and sovereignty of the China Republic. Australia, while conducting the freedom of navigation patrol along the South Sea China, should also not jeopardize the safety of facilities and personnel on reefs and destroy regional peace and stability (Hanson, 2009). It will not thus violate the appropriate Chinese law through entering its territorial seas without permission or authorization (Waldman, 2016). In thing about any war, Australia as a country will always ensure that it observes all the philosophies of war based on not only the political aspects, but also the Cataclysmic and Eschatological aspects. This is because war is actually similar to a game of strategy such as chase. In carrying out a Freedom of Navigation Patrol in the South Sea China, Australia should not necessarily go to war with the country; instead, it should comprehend the negative effects of starting a war with China. In one of the press conferences that was held with Julie Bishop, the Australian Foreign Minister on 17th of February 2016, Wangi Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister urged China to ensure that it maintains the pledge of non-militarization while conducting a Freedom of Navigation in the South Sea of China. Chinese Foreign Minister further asserted that certainly, Non-Militarization was in the best interest of all concerned parties but it should not just be about one single entity or country (Fox Rossow, 2016). He asserted that non-militarization should not exercise double or multiple standards and appreciated the position of Australia regarding the South China Sea that it will not take sides but instead, it will advocate for peaceful solutions towards emerging disputes in the ar ea. Owing to the fact that Australia has numerous trade agreements with the Republic of China, Australia ought to send the Navy ship or Vessel to carry out a Freedom of Navigation Patrol in the South Sea China, but should not indulge in war with China (Linnemann, 2016). This is because both countries are part and parcel of the Asian Investment Bank and thus they have regular dialogue and contact. Any blow-up of negative activities in the South Sea China will result in poor economic and security issues in the entire region (Lim, 2016). On the other hand, Australia as a country should always think carefully about the issue of joining the US FONOPS. This is because joining the US in the FONOPs would not only be fraught with several risks, but it will also become extremely complex (Holsti, 2016). In order to demonstrate the interest of Australia in the Freedom of Navigation, Australia should send a Navy Vessel to the South Sea China. However, some critics have argued that there is need for Australia to join the United States FONOPs in South China Sea so as to save costs that it would incur if it indulges in the process alone. References Carl von Clausewitz, On War, ed. and trans. Michael Howard and Peter Paret (Princeton University Press, 1984 [1976]), pp. 75-132 (Book I, Chapters 1-8; Book II, Chap. 1) Collins, J. M. (2002). Military Strategy: principles, practices, and historical perspectives. Potomac Books, Inc.. Echevarria II, A. J. (2016). Rediscovering US Military Strategy: A Role for Doctrine. Journal of Strategic Studies, 39(2), 231-245. Fox, A. C., Rossow, A. J. (2016). Assessing Russian Hybrid Warfare: A Successful Tool For Limited War. Journal Article| August, 8(3), 39pm. Hanson, V. D. (2009). The western way of war: Infantry battle in classical Greece. Univ of California Press. Hirst, P. (2014). War and power in the twenty-first century: The state, military power and the international system. John Wiley Sons. Holmes, J.R., 2016. Is there an Asian way of maritime war?. Comparative Strategy, 35(1), pp.32-42. Holsti, K. (2016). On the Study of War. In Kalevi Holsti: Major Texts on War, the State, Peace, and International Order (pp. 5-25). Springer International Publishing. Lim, K. (2016). Big Data and Strategic Intelligence. Intelligence and National Security, 31(4), 619-635. Linnemann, M. R. A. (2016). Unconventional Art and Modern War. MILITARY REVIEW. Paret, P., 2016. On War Then and Now. Journal of Military History, 80(2). Simpson, E. (2012). War from the ground up: twenty-first century combat as politics. Oxford University Press. Waldman, T. (2016). War, Clausewitz and the Trinity. Routledge.