World War I And The Great War - 1196 Words

Mass culture by definition refers to the set of ideals and values that develop from a common exposure to the same media, news sources, music, and art (chegg). It conveys the idea that culture emerges spontaneously from the masses themselves, like popular art did before the 20th century. However, post WW1 American society had advancements in technology that aided certain ideals and values in spreading across the nation. And the term media culture gives reference to the current western capitalist society that emerged and developed from this 20th century time period under the influence of mass media. World War I, or the Great War, was one of the bloodiest wars of all time. It was a war sparked by militarism, alliance, imperialism, and†¦show more content†¦As president, Wilson was an aggressive progressive and passed lots of protective legislation for his citizens. With better working conditions and wages accompanied by better workdays, the middle class was built up and social and economical gaps shrunk. His triple law of privilege, or Wilson’s 3 points, was a key piece of progressive legislation. He lowered the tariff, controlled banks with the Federal Reserve act and created the F.E.D. to decide interest rates, and controlled big corporations with anti trust laws. But after the end of the war Americans wanted a change and they received that with republican senator from Ohio, Warren G. Harding. Harding campaigned on the slogan of a â€Å"return to normalcy†. Under the Harding administration, normalcy meant a pro business government, anti-tax, and anti-regulation (shmoop). A consumer culture was created. A newspaper reporter stated, â€Å"The first responsibility of an American to his country is no longer that of a citizen, but that of a consumer† (Understanding the American Promise). Old values were tossed and new mottos were to spend money rather than save. Mass production fueled corporate profits and national economic prosperity ( Understanding the American Promise). A new culture was founded, a United States that focused on itself. An American culture was conceived that had fun

Tatyana Tolstaya’s White Walls Summary Free Essays

White walls. In having white walls, there is always room tort improvement. You are never stuck with one look because you can always simply change it. We will write a custom essay sample on Tatyana Tolstaya’s White Walls: Summary or any similar topic only for you Order Now Tolstoy is very optimistic in that she feels that with the end of Communism and the Soviet Houses 3 Union, there is great room for improvement. I believe that she is correct in this assessment because Russia today is not as big of super power as the United States, but it is certainly on its way to be there soon. Another big symbol in this piece, I believe, is Johnson + Johnson. Tolstoy never clarifies entirely what Johnson + Johnson is, but it seems to be a big company. This could be a new company that was formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. We learned about how when the USSR dissolved the government and the economy took a huge hit. I believe this is an example of a company that is on the rise. This can definitely be viewed as a symbol due to the fact that it is not only a business, but the name Johnson + Johnson makes it seem as if it is a family run operation. The sentence after Tolstoy mentions Johnson + Johnson, she says, â€Å"From broad, there were quick-acting cleaners and spot removers-aerosols to erase memory, acids to eliminate the past. † This is another example of how she wants the past to be erased. Although Johnson + Johnson is only mentioned a few times in this short story I believe it is a crucial symbol. The business industry is on the rise in Russia. The final symbol I chose was Mikhail Avouching Jason. M. A . Jason was the builder of the dacha that Tolstoy and her family lived in when they were kids. He is constantly mentioned throughout this piece. Tolstoy alas about how she always found some of his old stuff in the attic and how she was always very intrigued by what she would find. The way they describe Jason, makes it seem that he was a very nice and kind man. The main message that I get from reading this is that Russia is a rebuilding country. All the examples in the story of tearing down old things to replace them with new Houses 4 items shows this message. If it weren’t for Jason then Tolstoy would never have lived in this house and she wouldn’t have found all of the old items left behind by IM. She talks about how Jason essentially dispersed without any remembrance of him. Tolstoy says that, â€Å"Jason dispersed, disintegrated, vanished into the earth. † This shows how over time things become lost. She then talks about how his plaque saying his name had been stolen by an admirer of nonferrous metals. Many people have come and gone but the country has remained alive. As new generations evolve the country has to adapt to their specific needs. Again this is why I believe Tolstoy is trying to tell us that Russia is a rebuilding country. All three symbols mentioned played crucial parts of this story. Different people could interpret them in many different ways, but this is how I see them. They all show different parts of Totality’s childhood and how she grew up. All of these symbols also have historical references in them. Again it depends on how you view and interpret them. Someone could think it meaner one thing when another person could thinks it meaner the complete opposite. She never makes a comment specifically about Communism in this piece. She mentions Lenin and Stalin a few times but does not give you her impression of them. An author for The New York Review of Books says about â€Å"White Walls†, that â€Å"Totality’s favorite theme is an inexhaustible one: the passage of time, often accompanied by a potent regret for opportunities lost. † This is extremely relevant because the whole story is about the passage of time and how things change. All in all the main message is that Russia is a rebuilding country that is on its way to becoming more of a super power than it is today. How to cite Tatyana Tolstaya’s White Walls: Summary, Papers

Musical Prodigy Who free essay sample

â€Å"Are you sure you want to drop orchestra for journalism?† My school guidance counselor asks, shooting me a glance. Her computer mouse cursor hovers over a course title: â€Å"Symphonic Orchestra.† It’s my sophomore year, and my counselor just informed me that I can’t take journalism and orchestra next year because they’re during the same class period. â€Å"Uh. Yes, I don’t want to take orchestra—wait, I mean no—I mean, it’s right that I don’t want orchestra—I—I—† I feel my face grow warm. A moment passes. â€Å"Journalism,† I say. â€Å"Yes, I want journalism.† I focus on the carpet fibers as the click! of the mouse seals my academic fate. Following traditional expectations, my Asian parents believed their Asian kid—namely, me—was destined to be the next Yo-Yo Ma or Dr. Salk. To them, a single yet prominent physical characteristic determined my path of success. We will write a custom essay sample on Musical Prodigy Who? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To deviate from set cultural expectations was an unthinkable atrocity that wouldn’t only lead to financial instability, but would also mean that the deviator wasn’t using his intellect to his full potential. Plus, it’s common knowledge that Asians are born to be musical prodigies and mathematicians, not journalists. Their creative writing style would never unintentionally present itself as five-or-less-sentence-paragraphs like that of a news article. Right? In fourth grade, I started playing violin. I found solace not in playing scales and concertos, but in writing short stories and poetry. However, the shame of having an interest in liberal arts, coupled with the fear of being shunned by my parents, kept me from expressing my passion for writing to my parents. I aimed to never verbalize my desire to quit music, but my ranking as the worst violinist in my school’s orchestra was all my parents needed me to say. After every long-winded lecture on my musical incompetence, I’d write to vent. A flashlight in one hand and a pen in the other, I conducted my writing sessions under my bedcovers after my parents were asleep. When I came into freshman year, I believed that being Asian meant continuing violin until I graduated, so I stopped writing to focus on music. But those two minutes of my stuttering and half-finished sentences as I was forced to choose between orchestra and journalism put my preconceived notions into perspective. Up until that point, I’d thought my parents and race dictated my future. In actuality, my irrational thinking did. My counselor and parents may seem to have ill intentions, but identity politics aren’t what’s at play here. I’d just much rather read and write words than music notes, and I also just happen to be an Asian with traditional Asian parents. Sure, my parents encouraged my music career, but all they wanted was for me to find my passion. Their beliefs may not be completely valid, but they never said I couldn’t pursue a more liberal subject simply because they didn’t know I wrote. If I wanted to be a student journalist, so be it, I shall. Sure, one look at me—petite frame, dark hair, flat, almond-shaped eyes—and it’s evident that I’m Asian. But in the journalism world, race and other characteristics aren’t as important as being one hell of a writer. I was just blindsided by the idea that I must conform to stereotypes and expectations. When I told my parents about quitting music for journalism, they were adamant about preserving my music career – but, they also supported my writing interest. A passion is a passion, they said. So as I sit down to finish this essay, I’m in my high school’s newspaper room as the Commentary Editor of my high school newspaper, waiting for my Editor-in-Chief to review my latest article before going to print: an opinion-editorial supporting in-store commerce over the online version. And as I type this conclusion, I’m reminded of how similar this is to my once routine of late-night writing sessions. Except this time, I’m not in hiding.