...THE PARADOX OF OUR TIMES Is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints We spend more, but we have less. We have bigger houses, but smaller families More conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense More knowledge, but less judgement More experts, but more problems More medicines, but less wellness. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often We have learnt how to make a living, but not a life. We have added years to life, but not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour. We have conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted our soul. We've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We've higher incomes, but lower morals. We've become long on quantity but short on quality. These are the times of tall men, and short character; Steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare, More leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are the days of two incomes, but more divorces; Of fancier houses, but broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, And a time when you can choose, Either to make a difference .... or just hit, delete. ...
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...Name: Eruan Amamie. Instructor: Professor Brent Griffin Course: College Writing. Project Title: The Influence Homewood Had on Robby. Date: 06/29/14. Paper: Final John Edgar Wideman’s ‘‘Our Time’’ talks mostly about his brother Robby’s challenges growing up in a Black neighborhood. This neighbourhood, was also associated with racial discrimination. This attribute of the society had a great effect on Robby. His color and its people were seen as the ‘‘forbidden fruit.’’ This made him anxious of what was wrong with Black Colored skin. Another feature of this community was corrupt governance. The implementers of the laws, were also the criminals against the law. As a young boy, Robby couldn’t care less about what was against the law because everything seemed right; like there were no rules that you go against. ‘‘How you gon feel sorry when society’s so corrupt, when everybody got their hand out or got their hand in somebody else’s pocket and ain’t no rules nobody listens to if they can get away with breaking them?’’(447). Robby initially could not feel the implications of the actions he took against society; until he is in prison, now tries to tell his story reflecting back on the things he did, and what caused him to do them. He did not feel any remorse even when he knew he was going against the laws. In this society, that Robby found himself, what he did was mainstream, so it never felt wrong to do what everybody did. It seemed like there were no rules, no consequences. Robby...
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...do, who I 'm going to approach in class, who I 'll avoid as friends, who I think will always appreciate me for who I am etc. Loving me for me as I show a hundred percent more of compassion, compendious, compatible love, trust, support and understanding as to me being the perfect friend shows you care a-lot more. Most time in my life, damaging, not giving happiness, destroying not building confidence. The life destroyer, darkens my future temptation of Satan's device, leaving trail of bribes of my human vice. Joy without suffering, life worth living are my goals as I be strong fighting those who try to irritate me and tell me that life and planning for the future is beyond my control. But I negligence believe that if you work hard on whatever it is you really want or think is right for you in life will come true. Achieving your life goals and truly believing in yourself that you can be or do whatever makes you be you knowing that no one is perfect yet guilty in the court of GOD, but if being axiom in ourselves averaging Right from Wrong in our daily life only a fool would say "Planning for the future is a waste of time; Too much of our future is beyond our control." Tomorrow is promised to no one but making your dream come true living life everyday as if it's your last is the same as saying, plan your future and make it happen knowing for fact that you have enjoyed or did one thing you've planned never regretting anything that once made you smiled. But learning from them telling...
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...CengageBrain User This is an electronic version of the print textbook. Due to electronic rights restrictions, some third party content may be suppressed. Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. The publisher reserves the right to remove content from this title at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. For valuable information on pricing, previous editions, changes to current editions, and alternate formats, please visit www.cengage.com/highered to search by ISBN#, author, title, or keyword for materials in your areas of interest. Copyright 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Licensed to: CengageBrain User Sociology in Our Times: Ninth Edition Diana Kendall Sponsoring Editor: Erin Mitchell Developmental Editor: Renee Deljon/Kristin Makarewycz Freelance Development Editor: Tricia Louvar Assistant Editor: Linda Stewart Editorial Assistant: Mallory Ortberg Media Editor: Mary Noel Marketing Manager: Andrew Keay Marketing Assistant: Jack Ward Marketing Communications...
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...John Edgar Wideman’s Our Time is a story of the world he and his family grew up in. In the story, Wideman takes us through the life of his brother Robby. He tells this story from different points of view, using both his voice as well and Robby’s. While telling Robby’s story, he tries to open our eyes to multiple injustices and dilemmas both inside and outside of our legal system. In using Robby’s voice, Wideman attempts to tell Robby’s story from Robby’s own point of view. Wideman attempts to provide insight into Robby’s mind. I have trouble separating Robby’s words from Wideman’s. In the story, Wideman tries to communicate what he went through growing up to the reader. In addition to using Robby’s voice, he also includes the viewpoint of their mother. Our Time starts off with Robby opening up about a very influential moment in his life; the death of his close friend Garth. Robby said to John, “It all started with Gar dying.” (Wideman, pg. 663). Garth’s death was a major turning point in Robby’s life. It cast a shadow over Robby’s own life. Robby already had a negative, cynical outlook on life. And Garth’s death exacerbated it. Robby resented the doctors that they couldn’t do more for him. “It’s our time now. We can’t let Garth down. Let’s drink this last one for him and promise him we’ll do what he said we could. We’ll be the best. We’ll make it to the top for him. We’ll do it for Garth.” (Wideman, pg. 663) By saying this, Robby is letting the deceased control his actions...
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...FINANCIAL CRISIS OF OUR TIME WHAT HAS HAPPENED In September 2008, the Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the collapse of AIG, following the demise of Bear Stern and the near collapse of Merrill Lynch triggered a financial crisis. The result was a global recession which cost the World tens of trillion of dollars, rendered 30million people unemployed and doubled the national debt of the U.S. But this crisis was not an accident. It was caused by an out of control calamitous financial industry. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, the US enjoyed a 40 year economic growth without a single financial crisis. The Financial industry was tightly regulated. Critical to these regulations was The Banking Act of 1933, known as the Glass-Steagall Act, which separated commercial banking activities from Investment banking activities, meaning Banks with consumer deposits were prevented from engaging in risky investment banking activities. Most regular banks were regular businesses and they were prohibited from speculating with depositors’ savings. Investment banks, which handled stocks and bonds trading, were small private partnerships. In the 1980’s, the financial industry exploded. The Government, with support from Economists and Financial lobbyists started a 30 year period of financial deregulation. In 1982, the Government deregulated the Savings and Loans companies allowing them to make risky investments with depositors’ money. By the end of the decade, hundreds of Savings and Loans...
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...Throughout “Our Time” John Edgar Wideman’s message is that there’s is more to the world than what people can see. Wideman has to look beyond his own beliefs, values, and views to understand what his brother, Robby, is trying to say to him. People don’t always know and understand the reasons for a person’s actions, or why they made the decisions that they have made in life. Wideman conveys his argument that choices aren’t always easy to make through his brother, Robby’s, life experience. When making choices you can either benefit or lose from them. Throughout the essay Wideman uses three different points of view. Wideman uses himself, Robby, and his mother to show how Robby’s actions affected each of them differently. “Our Time” begins with...
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...Hemingway’s In Our Time-“Cat in the Rain” 1.) Composition History A.) Notes about his life with Hadley (Hemingway’s first wife) hint at a story ready to be written, but abruptly postponed. B.) Hemingway’s earliest notes for “Cat in the Rain” were sketched in late February 1923 at Rapallo, the setting of the story. C.) After visiting Ezra Pound in Chambry-Sur- Montreux, Hemingway finished four pages of a manuscript, giving up in the process, labeling it as “False start Rapallo story possible Fascito Story.” D.) The manuscript establishes elements found in his finished product, such as the hotel, train trip from Genoa, and gives a nickname to the wife: Kitty. E.) A year later he returned to the story with another manuscript of ten pages and identified it as a “First Draft Original Manuscript/ March 1924/ E.M.H.” F.) This was followed by a nineteen-page titled manuscript with another rejected title, “The Poor Kitty.” G.) Finally, he titled the typescript “Cat in the Rain.” 2.) Publication History A.) It is likely the story was completed in March of 1924. B.) There is no immediate evidence that Hemingway submitted “Cat in the Rain” for publication. C.) The setting, the subject matter, and the partial indebtedness to T.S. Elliot are possible reasons why Hemingway didn’t want “Cat in the Rain” to be published right away. D.) Another possible reason why Hemingway didn’t publish “Cat in the Rain” right away was because he had his eye on “The Boni Liveright Book” first mentioned...
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...In every form of artistic expression the human life and how people spend our existence is explored. Our Town is one such exploration of life choices and consequences. Every single human being assumes they have a unique perspective on life. Like snowflakes, no two lives are lived exactly the same. However, the constant of life is that people are all born, live ,and die. The when, where, why, and what of life are the variables that determine our passage through earth. In a scene from Hope Floats (Whitaker)the mother says “beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most.” In the beginning, people are born blissfully unaware of the choices to be made. As people grow in awareness of what life is demanding...
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...Do you ever wonder where you came from? Where your ancestors started. Did they come from England? Ireland? Japan? Nepal? I think at some point everyone has been interested in where they originated. A different part of the world that you never would of imaged that you came from there. Some history goes way back into other eras, which you would never expect. What got me curios about where I came from, was the topic choice of John Edgar Wideman reading “Our Time” ”Page 657”. Which was a topic idea present on Old Habits. John Wideman reading talks about how you might explain your family history. Especially how would you explain where ones habits have come from? Is it something your mother did, that your grandfather has done? How can I take...
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...Our town is a play written and published by Thornton Wilder in 1938. The set of the play is very scarce throughout the play but the actors and stage manager use a lot of spoken décor throughout the scenes to make up for the limited props. The play takes place in a small town in New Hampshire called Grover’s Corner in the years 1901-1911. Throughout the play the stage manager comes on stage and narrates what is taking place. “Our Town” consists of three different acts that are spread out over the span of eleven years. The play is based mainly off the lives of two families; the Gibb’s and the Webb’s but offer’s information on other members of the town. In scene one the play starts off with Howie Newsome making his rounds through the town dropping...
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...When trying to film a version of Our Town by Thornton WIlder the filmmaker will experience many challenges. Thornton Wilder left everything up to viewer and director interpretation by having no scenery and props. Thornton Wilder also introduces a character that is not commonly seen in movies which is the stage manager. The stage manager in Our Town helps guide the play along and sometimes helps the viewers interpret scenes. One of the weirdest scenes in Our Town is when the dead talk and it seems as if they are living when they really are not. I think he added this to add texture to the play and provide more clarification for the viewer. When making a movie a film maker will face challenges with Our Town. In a movie you could depict the...
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...This is an award winning drama that took place in the small village of Gover’s Corners. It is one of Thornton Wilder’s most frequently performs plays. It is a 1949 film adapted by Harry Chandlee and Wilder. The play opens up with the Stage Manager’s introduction to Gover’s Corners whichis a fictional town based on Peterborough, New Hampshire. The story takes place over a period of fourteen years. Gover’s Corners is an average size town that represents much of an average life in a town. It portrays a typical American small town life. This play manages to convey a deep sense of human tragedy without portraying people who rabidly abuse each other. This play has three acts that each represent daily life, love and marriage, and death. The audience...
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...Enterprise Odisha Even after 62 years of independence, Odisha our beloved state is still developing. With thirty districts it is the 9th largest state in the country (155,707 Sq Km) and population wise 11th (36,706,920). It is a state which is rich with all kinds of resources right from minerals, fossil fuel and ores to rich history and culture. The land is fertile and has the capability to produce many Rabi and Kharip crops. Now if we scan the country and try to name the prosperous states, we can count them on finger tips. Among which Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Goa may be the front runners. Odisha may not even appear in the first 10. So what makes these states economically better than us despite the fact that we are far wealthier than the others in terms of Natural Resources, history, culture and intelligent brains? To find out let’s have a closer look at the simple strategies adopted by the prosperous states. My father always said, owning a gold brick does not make you rich. You will be rich only when you learn to make a fortune out of it. It is that simple. The prosperous states have done this. Only that in their case, the areas of their strength was their gold brick. Gujarat is strong in entrepreneurship and business sense, Goa is rich in natural landscapes and Punjab is rich with fertile agricultural land. These states have worked on their strengths to develop themselves. When I say the states have done it, I mean the contribution of both government and people...
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...successful economic and military reforms. Arguably the greatest problem that faced Russia in 1855 was the outdated and feudal – like system of serfdom which lagged far behind the social infrastructures of other major European nations. This system, in which over 23 million serfs were forced to work for their food and keep under private landowners, Nobles, and the state, was both economically inefficient (as Russia required a free labour force for industry and internal markets to grow) and attracted rising opposition to the Tsarist autocratic rule. For these reasons, Alexander decided to emancipate the serfs in an attempt to quell unrest and bring Russia “up to date”, famously stating: “It is better to abolish serfdom from above than to await the time when it will begin to abolish itself from below”. This shows that Alexander II saw the threat of grievances among the serfs with the ruling administration and wished to protect his own position from threatening opposition. This desire for self-preservation limited the success of the serfdom reform, as Alexander’s “Emancipation of the Serfs” sought to maintain the favour of the wealthy private land owners and Nobles, and so failed to fully appease the serfs, with millions burdened with a crippling redemption tax through buying land from landlords, as well as the cost of holdings being 134% of the market price to enable landlords to profiteer....
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