The Play Antigone Presents - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1262 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/05/20 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Antigone Essay Did you like this example? The play Antigone presents the conflict between Antigone and king Creon. Antigone holds religious beliefs and respect of the dead while king Creon stood for the rule of law. Antigone made the choice to give her brother a proper burial after he was killed, hereby disobeying the orders of king Creon which eventually let to her death sentence. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Play Antigone Presents" essay for you Create order Thoreau wrote in his essay If it [the injustice] is of such nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law (Thoreau). Although laws are created to be followed, sometimes people have to be civil disobedient to make revolutionary change in the world even if this means severe punishment, even death. Antigone is right to sacrifice her life for personal and religious beliefs as she creates revolutionary change; her story shows that civil disobedience can have negative consequences for the individual, but positive consequences for society. Antigone decided to stand up for her beliefs and obeyed the rules of the gods while disobeying the law. Although she knew her brother Polynices betrayed his country and the king, Antigone gave him a respectful burial because she believed that was the right thing to do. Without a proper burial her brother would not go to heaven. Antigone didnt care about her own fate, all she cared about was standing up for the unjust ruling by the King, And if I die in the attempt, I shall die in the the knowledge that I have acted justly (Sophocles page 7). Antigone believed that the will of the gods were more important than the laws of the state. Antigone lived in a time where women had no voice and were supposed to obey all men, but when Haemon said; Listen to the people in the streets, Father. The ordinary Thebans! They say she hasnt (Sophocles page 32), it showed that Thebes citizens didnt agree with the kingrs ruling. Antigone didnt care to die for doing what she thought was right and hopefully , she didnt die in vain. When her sister Ismene tells her that she will keep their meeting secret, Antigone answers; Dont you dare! You must tell everybody, shout it in the streets (Sophocles page 8). Antigone shows here that she is ready for a revolution. The king regretted his decision to send Antigone to death after his son Haemon committed suicide. The chorus says; We have seen an old man, through suffering, become wise (Sophocles page 55). Antigone had to sacrifice her life but she made the correct decision because the King Creon became a better man. King Creon has punished Antigone by sentencing her to death for the unlawful burial of her brother. Polynices tried to invade and take over the city of Thebes, which gave King Creon no other choice than to follow his laws and deny him a proper burial. Antigoners actions were justifiable but also could have brought unrest and uproar to the nation. King Creonrs only obligation was to protect the city of Thebes. King Creon believed that all citizens have the moral obligation to defend their state and show their patriotism. He is a leader who strictly follows the rule of law and every citizen disobeying the law will be severely punished, so order and security will be kept in the nation; Im speaking like a king. Itrs my responsibility, and I will act according to my own convictions! (Sophocles page 32). Although these days, King Creonrs laws can be seen to be cruel and inhumane, one has to understand that life 400 BCE was a total different time with no mercy. Betrayal and civil disobedien ce were always punished with death. Civil disobedience is punishable today by probation or jail time. Revolutionary changes have only be made possible by people who stood up against unjust rulings and laws. These people didnt care about the consequences, just like Antigone. All they cared about was fairness and justice for all. Dr. King was arrested and jailed for organizing illegal marches which eventually helped weaken the segregation and oppression. His answer to the question; How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others? was that there are two types of laws: there are just laws, and there are unjust laws (MLK). Both Antigone and Dr. King were civil disobedient in a non-violent way. Antigone didnt try to escape after she was taken into custody by the Kingrs guards and Dr. King accepted his jail sentence without any resistance. Being civil disobedient for the right cause is as justifiable as the punishment given by the authorities. However, It is because of these individuals like Dr. Martin Luther King, Thoreau and maybe even Antigone, that revolutionary changes were eventually made. We live in a world where civil disobedience is part of our society. From a young age, we learn to stand up for what we believe in. People find it important to make a difference in the world. People find it important to show love and pride and that the unachievable is actually achievable even when all the odds are against you. Todayrs political climate brings all kind of emotions to the surface and people feel they have to fight for their country and their beliefs, whatever side you are on. In his article In a Divided Era, One Thing Seems to Unite: Political Anger, Jeremy W. Peters writes High tension, raw emotion and occasional violence have always been a feature of American society, he continues but interviews with voters across the nations suggest that politics is changing how Americans think and behave in new and unsettling ways (Peters). Antigone was written in a time were people didnt have any opportunities to make their voices heard, and women were to obey the men. King Creon m akes also clear that he doesnt treat women any different that men with regards to the law when he said: women must learn to obey, as well as men. The can have no special treatment. Law is law (Sophocles page 24). The monarchy ruling system was set up in a way that the King ruled, made the laws and was at the same time the judge too. These days, we have all kind of ways to let our voices be heard. We can go to social media, Twitter and Facebook, and we can organize legal protests. If we protest without a permit, we might be arrested but the overall consequences are minimal and if we are charged we have the right to a fair trial in court. We also have the opportunity to read about different opinions in magazines and newspapers or watch news programs on TV. Antigone didnt have such opportunities. She had no other outlets to fight for unjust laws. When she disobeyed the kingrs ruling, Antigone was severely punished but her religious beliefs gave her the courage to gainsay the King. The choices people make in life can have severe consequences but sometimes these choices are necessary to fight against injustices and make revolutionary changes. Antigone fought for her personal beliefs when she unlawfully gave her brother a respectful burial. She acted out of love and peace for her family. Dr. King, Thoreau and the colonials who fought for Americars independent all were civil disobedient for a cause that has written history. Civil disobedience is a necessity in our society because it often helps us to become a little closer to a more fair and just world. Antigone was right to stand up for her personal and religious beliefs and although she paid a large price, her decision had positive consequences for society.

The Future Of Solar Energy - 2007 Words

Almost everywhere there is technology, and what does technology require? Energy. Such a simple answer, but where does it come from? That is a question many tend to overlook. There are many energy resources that are being harnessed in this modern age, all of which are truly interesting in their own special ways, but solar energy seems to stand out. The idea that mankind can concentrate the Sun’s light and turn it into energy for personal use is very interesting. Although solar energy does have its drawbacks, its importance and potential should not be ignored. It has huge promise as developments are being made everyday. There is a chance that solar energy could very well be the solution to the current energy crisis that faces mankind. As time has passed, even over the past decade, its presence has increased. There are also many advantages of going solar, and because of its availability it is being harnessed in many different regions all around the world. From its pr imitive beginnings to now it has undergone many dramatic changes, and if it continues to evolve it may just make the future a brighter place. Society is too dependent on the fossil fuels. They have been used for hundreds of years and are still the major producers of energy. They include coal, oil, and natural gas. Except for a few exceptions society has been barreling forward and burning up the fossil fuels without stepping back and considering the consequences. Because of this the world isShow MoreRelatedThe Future Of Solar Energy Essay1079 Words   |  5 Pages For many years we’ve used gas and coal as our main sources of energy. These two sources of energy have more than accommodated our needs for power since the early days of electricity. However, as the dangers to both the environment and human race begin to be revealed regarding both substances, scientist begin to turn their heads in search of new and safer processes such as solar and nuclear energy. 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In 2001 the worldwide average energy consumption rate was approximately 13.5 TW (terawatt), but it is predicted that by 2100 that rate could triple to about 43 TW. In order to account for this greater need it becomes necessary to take action, as current production levels cannot meet the projected increase in energy consumption. ThereRead MoreSolar Energy : The Future Of Alternative Energy Sources Essay1920 Words   |  8 PagesSolar industry has been paying lots of attention to coating technology in the past 10 years. Solar energy is considered the future of alternative energy sources. It has been recognized as one of the most widely used renewable sources of energy in the few recent years for its non-polluting characteristics which combats the Greenhouse effect on global climate created by the use of fossil fuels, figure 1.6. 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This plethora of power and will be utilized in the future because we cant afford not to. It is predicted that in 100-500 years our fossil fuels will be depleted: this means that alternative sources of energy will be a necessity (Exxon). Read MoreFossil Fuels Are Bad For Our Environment889 Words   |  4 Pagesenvironment, and in a economy that is struggling, there is no point in pouring billions of dollars a year into an energy source that is killing our other resources. This kind of spending and reckless destruction of our environment will eventually have to stop. The question is, when it does what will we do? There are many other forms of alternative energy that are accessible to us right now. These energy sources will eventually have to be used in the place of burning fossil fuels to power our world. PeopleRead MoreRenewable Energy : Improving Solar Energy1510 Words   |  7 PagesMath November 27, 2014 Topic: Solar Energy Improving Solar energy in the United States Audience: Home owners Executive Summary: Solar energy has been in existence for a longer than any of us will imagine. Of course the sun is the oldest and most basic source of energy. Solar technology has been in existence since the 7th century B.C. Solar energy is a clean and renewable energy that does not have most of the problems fossil fuels have. There are three types of solar technology that can be utilizedRead More Solar Energy Essay981 Words   |  4 PagesSolar Energy Since the beginning of humanity, people have relied on the sun for their daily needs. Whether it is to grow the crops that they eat, dry clothes or warm their family, people have relied on the resource of the sun for sustainability. It was not until people started to get the idea of managing this energy source, that people were able to fully take advantage of the sun. In 1767, a Swiss scientist discovered a practical way to harness the energy of the sun. Horace de Saussure inventedRead MoreThe Debate On A Solar Society1462 Words   |  6 PagesPolicy Paper: The Debate on a Solar Society Now days it seems like we cannot be certain of what is good and what is bad. Especially when it comes to what is good and bad for a large group. Even with topics where it seems like the answer is a no brainer, there is always some uncertainty about how much we actually know. Do we have all of the facts, or do we just have the facts that the people controlling the situation want us to have? You can apply this mindset to practically any situation. It

We should embrace nihilism for growth Free Essays

NIHILISTIC PERSPECTIVE â€Å"Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy† (http://www. We will write a custom essay sample on We should embrace nihilism for growth or any similar topic only for you Order Now iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm). In a nihilist perspective, there are no beliefs in dogma, religion and other socially constructed norms and standards. Nihilists question the set of universally made way of thinking and that there is nothing real in this world. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION â€Å"Social constructs are institutionalized entity or artifacts in a social system, invented or constructed by participants in a particular culture or society that exist because people agree to behave as if it exist, or agree to follow certain conventional rules, or behave as if such agreement or rules existed† (wikipedia.org). Social constructs are created entities in which people or groups of people perceived them to be true. Social constructs are perceived realities that are put into a convention to be turned into social beliefs. Some examples of social constructs are religion, morality, sexuality, class and many more. These social constructs play a major role in people’s daily lives. Social constructs became an integral part of people’s daily lives. These became inevitable realities of their existence. Basically, how people act are based on social constructions. Social constructions dictate the everyday lives of people. Social constructs determine how people will act and what their pattern of actions is. These social constructs are the perceived rightness of actions in a particular given situation. Therefore, people’s lives are controlled and move by social constructs. Social constructs evolve and changes as time pass by. It depends on the richness of thought of human beings. The minds of human beings are very rich and full of possibilities. People have the capability of evolving one system of thought into another. A particular social construct is not permanent and will not last forever because it only depends on the people who were the ones who constructed them. Social constructs are dynamic because the minds of people are also dynamic. What most people are experiencing now may just become a history of tomorrow. THE WORLD AS A REALM OF MEANING AND CAN BE DISCLOSED BY NIHILISM For Heidegger, he viewed the world as a realm of meanings and possibilities. These possibilities are for Da-sein to discover and the meanings are for Da-sein to assimilate. This world for Heidegger is where the Da-sein is situated and part of the facticities given to the Da-sein. This world is for the Da-sein to discover and understand. The world gives meaning to the existence of man and man is to exhaust these meanings or possibilities. Hence, the world is where the Da-sein interacts and for him to assimilate. This word â€Å"aletheia† describes the world for Heidegger. â€Å"Aletheia† means revelation and concealment which constitutes the world’s disclosedness to man. The world is the realm of meanings for man that man is always in constant assimilation. Even if it reveals itself to man, it also conceals something to man and that the task of man to assimilate and understand is a never-ending task and that Heidegger called man as â€Å"always already understanding the world†. The word â€Å"always† signifies the infinity of understanding that man is task to reveal the world, the never-ending task of correlation and understanding. Man as Da-sein is the very nature and function of man as a being who is thrown into this world. â€Å"Da† means there and â€Å"sein† means being. Da-sein is openness to the world and the readiness of man to exhaust and assimilate. Da-sein is the there of being of man, the very thrown ness of man into a particular context. To understand more of man as Da-sein, we will tackle on the succeeding parts the functions of being a Da-sein. According to the great Heidegger, attunement is man’s mood or state of mind in which affects his perception of reality. He viewed man as always in the mood and is always ready to understand reality. Man as being thrown into this world, attunement is already embedded in his being. This attunement as already embedded in the being of man girds man to understand. Given the facticity of Da-sein as being-in-a-world, he is always in the mood to seize reality or to be conscious of reality and thus constituting man’s openness to the world. Da-sein as the there of being is always situated in the world thus, a temporal being. This situated ness of man gives him ample opportunity to correlate with the world and to fulfill his very nature as an understanding being who is already attuned to do so. Man becomes conscious by virtue of interaction, which is the very process of understanding for Heidegger. To correlate with the world is to exhaust its possibilities, to assimilate its meaning. Through interaction, man becomes conscious of reality, becomes conscious of meaning. Reality is already in the realm of meanings, which constitutes the world, and it is only for man that he can be conscious of and that is by virtue of correlating with the world. To question dogma and religion and other social constructs can be a tool for better understanding of reality. As discussed, Heidegger emphasized that man can slowly reveal the reality of beings by correlating with the world which is the world of meaning and possibilities. The world has its own meaning. The nihilistic view in its proper use, such as not totally for destruction but of finding the truth behind the world, it can open man’s eye to the real meaning of this world. Man as Da-sein in being a nihilist can be able to arrive at a better truth regarding the world. The world still has a lot to give in man’s understanding of it that is why dogmas and principles of today must be questioned because it is still not in its absolute state. NIHILISM AS A TOOL TO A BETTER UNDERSTANING OF REALITY Man’s life is full of socially constructed norms and beliefs that are the ones dictating what he ought to do and act. There is religion that dictates morality and there is government that dictates who are enemies and not such as who are terrorists and not terrorists. A society is comprised of many ideas and perspectives that battles to gain monopoly. Man is put in the center of contrasting views. With the birth of nihilism, there came an opportunity to arrive in a truth wherein wrong dogma and beliefs can be erased and replaced with better ones. Nihilism can give good effects if not put in its extreme nature of destruction. Questioning beliefs and dogma is a healthy process to undertake. Through questioning, man can slowly reveal to himself the true essence of his existence. Questioning must also not be intertwined with destruction because it can be a truly great means for development and better understanding. â€Å"I hope to bring some balance and clarity to a number of realities that seem to attract a great deal of misunderstanding: [1] the very serious issues of violence in Islam [including recent Muslim violence]; [2] the abhorrence that many Muslims have of violence; [stereotypes of Islam and Muslims as inherently violent]; and [4] the larger context of violence in our world [not just the Muslim world], much of which is woven into the fabric of our society in such a way that we may not even regard it as our own violence† (Hussain, 2006). The misunderstandings such as looking as a Muslim to be violent can be corrected by the nihilist perspective. People can arrive to a certain truth that not all Muslims are violent and stereotyping can be erased. NIHILISM AS A TOOL TO END CHAOS AND VIOLENCE IN THIS WORLD The chaotic world is brought about by the differences in beliefs and norms and even in the practices of different religions. These are products of social constructions. With different beliefs and principles and with the devotion to such beliefs and principles, it brings chaos and even to violence. People seem to impose their own beliefs to other people which also have their own set of beliefs. By imposing one’s beliefs, it creates an atmosphere of competition that gives tensions and chaos to this world. Nihilism can be a tool to end all chaos and find peace in this world. People, in there different perspectives, can look at the common ground of their different beliefs. To question their own beliefs is a healthy process and even comparing their own beliefs to others is also a healthy process. This is an act of nihilism. People will not destroy their principles and beliefs but rather, developing it to be better set of beliefs and principles. One example can be seen in the realm of religion where we can see differences but looking at the greater reality of it, there are much more similarities that can be used in arriving to a better belief, a belief that can be bannered by all people from different contexts. Even the difference of science and religion, if nihilistic perspective can be used in a proper way of dialectics and questioning, people may arrive at a certain truth that science and religion has its common ground and that one will not be an opposition of the other. CONCLUSION The world is a realm of meaning and possibilities and is plague with socially constructed beliefs and principles. With the birth of nihilism, which is a perspective that most of a time attributed to destruction, the world may find better understanding in its hand. By the method of questioning which is a healthy process, people can arrive to better understanding of reality and the very principles and beliefs that they believe. Therefore, we should embrace nihilism. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bogossian, Paul. What is Social Construction. 03 Mar. 2007 http://as.nyu.edu/docs/IO/1153/socialconstruction.pdf Heidegger, Martin. The Question of Being. New Haven (Conn): College and University  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press 1958. Hussain, Amir. Oil and Water: Two Faiths: One God. Pilgrim Pr, 2006. Nishitani, Keiji. Religion and Nothingness. University of California press, 1983. http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm#H5 How to cite We should embrace nihilism for growth, Essay examples

Nonverbal Communication Essay Example For Students

Nonverbal Communication Essay Do you think communication is a No-Brainer? Communication is consistently listed as one of the keys to success in business and life, and just as frequently identified by employees as a key missing link to maximum productivity and job satisfaction. We communicate every day verbally and nonverbal to co-workers, to people on the phone, and to our family. Weve been communicating since the day we were born. Actually, we were communicating before we were born, in our mothers womb. What is communication? Communication is the process of constructing meaning together. We live in a world of meaning, and communication is the process of collaboratively constructing these meanings. We hope in this process, that presenting something to other individuals that we are getting our ideas across precisely. We would hope that through this process the receiver would be able to translate our messages into ideas. Unfortunately there are a lot of barriers to this process. I will be discussing four different topics, verbal nonverbal communication, perception, listening, and self-disclosure. Through the presentation of these topics, I will demonstrate several ways in which we can communicate among ourselves more effectively. There are several different components that make up the whole of nonverbal communication. Kinesics is the movement and positioning of the body and how it is interpreted by a receiver. This includes many of the more obvious nonverbal cues such clapping your hands or a thumb up. Oculesics refers to eye contact and eye positioning during communication. Averting ones eyes is a cue that, depending on context, could show respect, shame, or nervousness. Haptics is the act of physical contact to display an emotion. A punch, a kiss, and a pat on the back all portray meaning without the need for words. Arguably the most important nonverbal cue is paralanguage. Paralanguage is the non-word utterances used in moments of emotion that can occur by themselves or as a particular emphasis on a word or syllable. The importance of nonverbal communication becomes clear with the realization that it constitutes for the preponderance of human communication. It has been estimated that any where between sixty-five and ninety-three percent of the emotional impact of a delivered message originates from nonverbal cues. For example, a statement such as, Im fine, can have a multitude of different meanings depending on its delivery. Added emphasis on fine and a furrowed brow would lead you to believe that the sender is upset while a smile and a slight rise in pitch would indicate that he or she is indeed, ok. Nonverbal communications greatest importance is the fact that it conveys emotional information which would be otherwise concealed. Therefore the large brunt of human emotion is passed on not through what people say, rather by what they do. According to an article published by Shaver, Schwartz, Kirson, and Oconnor in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology facial expressions are recognized universally for their meanings. A smile indicates happiness while a grimace shows displeasure. The impact and use of facial expressions however, is culture bound. This becomes clear when comparing high context cultures of the far-east with the low context cultures of the western world. In china facial expressions are used far less and hold less impact than they do in America. The emphasis in communication within the Chinese culture lies primarily within the context of the spoken message itself. These differences can lead to misinterpretations between cultures. A Chinese man would have a much harder time reading the nonverbal signals of an American than he would a fellow Chinese. Nonverbal communication is all around us. The majority of all the information we receive is subject to some sort of nonverbal cue. This strengthens our ability to communicate by allowing us insight into our fellow man. It is this insight and this understanding of one another that has allowed us to come as far as we have. While linguistics are an essential part of the communication process, when its broken down actions really do speak louder than words. Warren G Harding EssayAdler, R.B. ; Towne, N. (1999). Looking Out/ Looking In: Interpersonal Communication. 9th Ed. San Francisco: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Shaver, P. , Schwartz, J., Kirson, D., ; OConnor, C. (1987). Emotion knowledge: Further exploration of a prototype approach. Journal of Personality and .