The thirty year war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The thirty year war - Essay Example Protestant leaders in Bohemian crown soon formed alliances with the neighboring states which were also facing religious conflicts such as France and Sweden. Being in the center of Europe Bohemian crown had the advantage of using its many economic, political and religious linkages to gather an army. During late 15th to early 16th century Catholicism and Lutheranism prevailed in central Europe while Calvinism was also spreading across Germany but Augsburg refused to accept it as a religion. Moreover, Bohemians were mainly Protestants while their new rulers i.e. Habsburgs, were Catholics. Protestants were often repressed by the Roman Catholic kings. Letter of Majesty by the king Rudolf in 1608 provided a vast freedom for the Protestant practitioners and authority to the Church to control activities of Calvinism. Habsburg is a Catholic family of Swiss origin. Its domination in Europe began in 1273 and was characterized by military conquests as well as strategically formed marital alliances which gained political advantages to the family example, the double marriage agreement which enabled Habsburgs to rule Austria, Bohemia and Hungary in unite. The Czech lands fell into the ruling of Habsburgs in 1526 as the Bohemian Diet elected Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, as the king. In 1546 German Protestants assisted by Bohemian noble men started riots against Ferdinand’s brother Charles V. Ferdinand responded by killing Protestants leaders, exerting royal control over Bohemia, removing privileges from the noble, taxing and punishing the people. In 1575 Habsburg ruler, Maximilian II refused authorizing Bohemian Confession which would have formed alliance between Protestants, Utraquists and Bohemian Brethren while preventing the war from taking place. Letter of Majesty was openly violated by the proceeding Habsburg rulers especially king Ferdinand II. On May 23rd 1618 infamous

How children with challenging behaviours can be included in the Literature review

How children with challenging behaviours can be included in the classroom - Literature review Example Though there is much disagreement on the exact definition, yet the intellectual community is aiming at identifying pragmatic solutions to the issue. For this reason, it is first crucial to understanding the reasons behind such behaviours which may range from general communication difficulties to other external factors, sometimes even socio-economic disadvantages or an underlying medical cause (Knowles & Landen 2012). Thus, once the underlying causes are identified, policy initiatives can be taken at the institute level which would then be needed to be incorporated into classroom to incorporate children with needs in the classroom. Establishing and Promoting positive behaviour towards children implicating challenging behaviour, on part of the teachers, is the most effective technique to resolve the issue early on. However, the main question arises in context to which techniques to apply and how, in order to ensure a secure and an encouraging environment for such children with needs. Moreover, the policies would only be effective if they contribute toward building a positive culture in the institute where an encouraging environment can be reaped to help the children with challenging behaviours. Analyzing literature is essential to understanding what has been done in the past to deal with the issue at hand, and more importantly the effectiveness of the techniques being applied in the past. More importantly, literature review will lead toward better understanding of the topic at hand which will further provide logical insights on the research question. Moreover, literature review will offer a holistic analysis of the children with challenging behaviours, which will help in generalizations adding further knowledge to the topic at hand. The topic is a policy concern for all institutions imparting education to children, since these institutes leave a serious impact on the students. Not

Far from the Madding Crowd Essay Example for Free

Far from the Madding Crowd Essay As they are speaking to the well-educated and proper Bathsheeba, this is effectively emphasised. When Bathsheebas eyes first fall upon the dying flock, Hardy describes the sheep as being helpless, livid and afflicted animals. These strong words add to the gloom of the scene, and Hardys description of Bathsheebas sad, bursting heart also creates despair. The ailments of the flock are described vividly which makes the whole situation seem much more real: Many of them foamed at the mouth, their breathing quick and short, whilst the bodies of all were fearfully distended In Bathsheebas moment of bewilderment, the rustics explain in their characteristic fashion that the only man in the area that could save them was Gabriel Oak. Immediately she protests: How dare you name that man in my presence! This shows that even a day after their argument, Oak is still very fresh on her mind. She rejects the rustics idea of Oak and turns to Boldwood for help. This act avoids confrontation and also yet again promotes her authority, this time over her workers. However, she quickly learns from the rustic people that Boldwood does not know the cure and that he sent for Oak when his sheep had the same disorder. Bathsheeba shouts at the workers and tells them to find somebody to cure the flock. This shows that she is too proud and stubborn to send for Oak, and does not want to, as it would show a weakness of her character. Never will I send for him-never! she said firmly As she witnesses an ewe dying in front of her, she repeats the above but this time wringing her hands. This signifies that she is frustrated; frustrated at herself for being so stubborn and frustrated that the only man who can save her prime flock is the same man she has just fallen out with. Hardy goes on to explain that with Bathsheeba the No, I wont virtually means I think I must. We have seen this inconsistency in Bathsheebas personality in the previous chapter when she declined Oaks opinion of her conduct at first and then went on to request it. It is a similar circumstance. Bathsheeba is far too stubborn and proud for her own good as it too often makes her life more difficult. However her inconsistency is the sure sign that her quest for power is really a show and that she is a lot weaker and sensitive really, for here she gives in again. Laban Jump on the Bay mare, and ride across, and say he (Oak) must return instantly-that I say so Bathsheebas above statement shows how very conscious she is of looking weak. It is quite clear that she has had a change of heart and decides to do the right thing and get Oak, yet still she must speak in her authoritative manner, seemingly trying to cover up her sensitive, more weak decision. As Laban rides towards where Oak is staying, Hardy names the places and features he passes on the way and on the way back. This is how Hardy conveys more of the area, naming places adds to the reality of the situation, and the reader can feel more involved and stimulated by the events occurring. The list of places also adds length to the passage where Laban rides to get Oak, which in turn adds to the suspense of the situation. On Labans return Bathsheeba sees that Oak is not with him, and Labans face is described as tragic, a dramatic word, which makes the reader think the worst. Laban explains that Oak would not come unless Bathsheba asked in a civil and proper manner, which annoys Bathsheeba Oak knows this. As much as Bathsheeba tries to control Oak, it is clear that Oak is in control this time. Her real sensitive and feminine personality is shown as another sheep falls dead and Bathsheeba bursts into tears another indication that she is not really strong and infinitely stubborn. Bathsheeba admits to her need for control and cover-up stubborn attitude when she murmurs: O, it is a wicked cruelty to me-it is-it is! And he drives me to do what I wouldnt This refers to her having to talk to Oak, whom she has only just sacked, as if she was politely asking a favour, and it is this sign of weakness that she hates so much. Bathsheeba decides to write Oak a short note, and Hardy conveys that it is heartfelt by describing her sobs and bursts of crying whilst she writes it. At the bottom of the note, driven by the drama of the time she conveys her first open passionate feelings toward Oak: Do not desert me, Gabriel! It is now clear that Bathsheeba does have close feelings towards Oak and is appealing to him right from her heart. The reader is not familiar with this highly feminine and sensitive side to Bathsheeba, which, again, adds to the whole drama of the scene. Oak responds this time, which conveys how strongly her emotional note appealed to the man who is in love with her, and cannot bear the thought of deserting her. Bathsheebas feminine charm had worked and she knew it for Hardy clearly states: She knew from the look of his face which sentence of her note had brought him After all of her powerful signs of affection, Bathsheeba still cannot face ceasing her commanding tone. Her first words to Oak: O, Gabriel, how could you serve me so unkindly! The flock is again described as Oak sees it: as turgid, prostrate forms. Hardy uses such striking words to fuel the readers suspense. Oak then gets to work, and the method he uses to cure the sheep is described in clear detail, which makes it more realistic. Oak manages to save the flock: When the love-led man had ceased from his labours Bathsheeba came and looked him in the face This line is important because it shows that all the effort Oak had just put in to save over fifty sheep was all driven by his love for Bathsheeba. It also contrasts from the end of the previous chapter because they look at each other, instead of avoiding eye contact, which conveys the romance conjured up by the heroic actions of Oak for the woman he loves, and her realisation of this. The chapter ends with Bathsheeba asking Oak to return to the farm, which he agrees to, and the last line, again contrasting with the previous chapter, conveying how Bathsheeba really feels: And she smiled on him again. Interestingly, the two chapters I have looked at above convey a cycle of the relationship between the two main characters. Everything starts off amicably before a crescendo of cutting comments result in an argument and the sacking of Oak. However, the occurrence of the flocks disorder makes Bathsheeba realise that she regrets sacking him and that she did it out of anger. After Oak saves the flock Bathsheeba is very grateful and their relationship becomes friendly again. Bathsheeba, as you have seen, is a very strong character and throughout the extract tries hard to control Oak. However, the situation develops, she ends up sacking him and then depending on him. Having noticed this, I also realised that this happens again in the book. At the beginning she rejects him as a husband, but then it is the actions of Oak who put out a serious fire, which begins at her new farm. This can be linked to the above extract: Oak gets rejected and then depended on by Bathsheeba. Similarly the night that Bathsheeba and her husband, sergeant Troy, celebrate their marriage is the same night that Oak saves the Harvest from a freak storm. Once again, Bathsheeba has denied Oak, but it is he who she depends upon in the end. In a way the whole book is based on the cycle conveyed in this extract. Bathsheeba continually rejects Oak, first for Boldwood, then for Troy. Oaks continual work on the farm keep it going whilst Bathsheebas marriage fails, and she turns to Oak for comfort: depending on him. Oaks devotion finally pays off in the end though, when eventually he does marry his true love, Bathsheeba Everdene.

Sociological Theories of Leisure: Marx and Weber

Sociological Theories of Leisure: Marx and Weber Leisure is an area of sociological study that has, according to many sociologists including Chris Rojek[1] been neglected. The literature, certainly in the countries of Britain and Australia, has been dominated by views and theories that fit into a Marxist framework. ‘Leisure’ is juxtaposed against what is deemed its opposite, ‘work.’ In this essay I shall attempt to elucidate some of that Marxist framework and then criticise what can be viewed as its limitations thus, hopefully, highlighted and understanding some of the implications necessary for a further and deeper understanding of the sociology of leisure. Marx’s most basic premise, that man in capitalist society is alienated from his own labour, is also, unsurprisingly, the theoretical underpinning for Marxist notions of leisure. The change from older forms of economic markets to capitalist industrialisation forced a schism in the work/leisure relationship. â€Å"The identification of leisure as the sphere in which needs are satisfied and pleasure found simultaneously makes work less susceptible to criticism as unsatisfactory and more salient as that which has to be tolerated to ‘earn’ the freedom of leisure. Instrumentalism about work is built into this enforced separation: ‘leisure’ is the prize to be won.†[2] This demarcation is seen as the principle victory, in a stream of relatively uncontested battles, of capitalism in regards to leisure. The alienation of labour is made more tolerable by leisure activities and pursuits. The idea that one worked to live at the weekend, or outside of work, became prevalent. Work became a means to an end. The sphere of leisure, once created, offered the ruling classes the opportunity to restrict and control workers lives further, in insidious ways, permeating what was supposed to be ‘free’ time. â€Å"If the working class wants alcohol and music, it shall have them but only to be consumed under certain conditions.†[3] Under the guise of caring for workers rights and needs, and by setting up institutions of leisure, the dominant ruling classes could ensure that time away from work was spent in activities deemed appropriate. The point of this control was, of course, to ensure the productivity of workers and thus perpetuate the capitalist market. A hung over worker was of little use. â€Å"The establishment of leisure as consumption†¦has also been of considerable significance.†[4] This was capitalism’s second great victory in regards to leisure. The capitalist process, at its most fundamental, is all about consumption. By turning leisure into a commodity, to be bought and sold as well as used, revenue could be exploited. The irony and hypocrisy of the sphere of leisure, supposedly free of capitalist ideology, feeding that ideology with new avenues of revenue, production and reproduction, is shown by Clarke and Critcher. The freedom of leisure is a fallacy. â€Å"The much vaunted democracy of the market-place rests on the rather less democratic foundations of the profoundly unequal distribution of wealth and income.†[5] Instead of resistance to the fact that choice is limited, nay controlled, by the market, we, the consumer, value what choices we do have all the more. Choice in leisure is curtailed by social division and unequal distribution.â€Å"Those with relatively more control over work tend to have more control over their leisure; class does not end at the factory gate†¦gender even less so.†[6] Clarke and Critcher indicate a direct link between the alienation of work, to an alienation of leisure, precisely because they conceptualise leisure as being a by product of what we term as work. Leisure is defined by work, caused by work and needed because of work in a capitalist industrial society. Resistance to leisure models are, according to Clarke and Critcher, ultimately futile. The market can not completely control how leisure products are used, the young especially tend to use them in ways never envisioned. This would be seen as a site of resistance except, â€Å"Such strategies may modify but cannot challenge the market/consumer model. Before we can modify the meaning and use of any commodity, we must first enter the market as consumers to acquire it.†[7] â€Å"In a manner sometimes reminiscent of the early Marx, Simmel argues that modern production is not the site of creativity, of individuality, of pleasure.†[8] Marx stated that workers were alienated from their species being, their creativity, individuality and ultimately their pleasure. Simmel here echoes those sentiments. He also concurs that leisure is an escape from such alienation. â€Å"In this context then, the history of forms of leisure is the history of labour The exhaustion of our mental and physical energies in work lead us to require only one thing of our leisure; ‘we must be made comfortable’; ‘we only wish to be amused.’†[9] These notions are very similar to those of Marxist and neo-Marxist theorists such as Clarke and Critcher. Leisure is a reward for time spent working and the real purpose of leisure is to repair and relax the worker ready to once more be a useful member of the industrial complex. â€Å"The sphere of non-work, ostensibly that of leisure, can also be filled out by consumption and by circulation in search of what is new. Where a mass of consumers has been created, commodities can be sold for their price rather than their quality.†[10] It is to be noted that in sociology of the Marxist tradition, and here in Simmel’s own words, what constitutes leisure in a capitalist society for the workers is judged morally bankrupt and alienating. Quantity over quality, mere amusement over the satisfaction of any deeper needs. Many theorists question this view. Wrestling would certainly be treated as such mere amusement in a Marxist or Simmel tradition, yet for Barthes[11], such ‘low’ culture reproduces the ‘species being’ that they see as lacking from capitalist leisure. The Marxist tradition makes those judgements with very little empirical evidence. As Rojek states, â€Å"So far leisure and other studies have provided little sense of what people actually do or feel in pubs, gardens, kitchens, on pitches or package tours.†[12] The assumption of what people experience during leisure is dangerous. [13] In Freudian psychology, â€Å"An irresistible verbal transition†¦effortlessly replaces the†¦term ‘leisure,’ with a substitute, ‘pleasure.’†[14] In essence our existence, at the polymorphous perversity stage, begins as fun. The processes of society, the rules of the ego, attempt to cage that fun. â€Å"The world of fun is repressed.†[15] Freud noted the classic bourgeois ego, perhaps best represented by Veblen’s â€Å"Leisure class.†[16] For Freud, it was, â€Å" Just this ‘objectivity’ which justified the utilitarian tradition in psychology, and, viewing the individual as a consumer rather than a producer, regarded pleasure as the consequence of possessing valued objects.†[17] Freud depicted the Bourgeois ego as deriving its pleasure from owning commodities. This pleasure was leisure and inexorably, in both implicit and explicit ways, the subordinate classes were compelled to adopt this view because, as Rojek points out, â€Å"the ideas of the bourgeois class are the ruling ideas in society.†[18] Interestingly, Freudian psychology breaks with Marxist tradition. The pleasure of fun is not to be found in commodities. Commodities are the only form of leisure since, under capitalist ideology all leisure is a commodity. So, reacting to the psychological need to escape from the alienation of work, people seek excitement from their commodities instead. â€Å"Consumption has become exciting†¦Possession, of course, remains its prerequisite, but necessity is held in abeyance.†[19] The act of shopping in itself has become the excitement, the commodity itself holds less importance. Evidence of this comes from, â€Å"The comparative longevity of modern goods (Which are) overwhelmed by the wish for continual newness.†[20] Freud, rather pessimistically, saw no real way out of this ideological trap, hence his claim, â€Å"For psychoanalysis the modest therapeutic aim of ‘transforming neurotic misery into common unhappiness.’†[21] â€Å"Kelly argues that, ‘If something has to be done then it isn’t leisure’ and that ‘leisure is generally understood as chosen activity that is not work.’†[22] Sociology is replete with such ethereal and vague definitions of just what exactly leisure is. Clarke and Critcher state that their work, â€Å"Does not attempt to lay to rest all those complex definitional questions about what is or is not leisure. We do not believe that these questions can be solved by ever more elaborate analytical juggling.†[23] H F Moorhouse[24] takes issue with this. He raises the very salient point that one could consider it blithely ignorant to conduct a whole study without first defining what it is one is researching. Clarke and Critcher rely on a ‘self evident’ truth of what leisure is. ‘Self evident’ truths are, quite often, less than self evident. They rely on common sense notions, but sense in this case is not necessarily c ommon. â€Å"It operates with the simplistic and stereotyped view of what most ‘work’ is like, seeing it as impoverished, routinised, deskilled etc†¦..What is a very complicated issue is oversimplified.†[25] For Moorhouse, their treatment of work is crude and their definition of leisure spurious. They refuse â€Å"To allow that paid labour can be, for most, a source of satisfaction, purpose, creativity, qualitative experience, and so on.†[26] This can only be seen as a weakness. Classical assumptions of the nature of work and leisure may no longer be sufficient. Clarke and Critcher state that they are writing during a time (1985) of transition to ‘post-industrial’ society. If one take this claim seriously then it has important implications. â€Å"The introduction of flexi-time and the development of human relations techniques in management have made the workplace less oppressive and monotonous for many workers†¦Moreover, technical progress enables paid employment to be conducted from the home.†[27] Technology, in particular that most wide of world webs, has magnified the possibilities of working from home and blurred the lines of what constitutes work and leisure still further. The dualistic and simplistic account, as found in Clarke and Critcher and other works in the Marxist tradition, may no longer be completely adequate to explain the sociology of leisure. Their account seems isolated in a very specific moment, a moment of change . Older accounts, Veblen’s, Marx’s, Simmel’s, may have been entirely accurate at the time they were published, but that time has long since past. Other considerations may need to be taken into account. â€Å"My submission is that the distinctions between work and leisure, public and private life, duty and excitement, have blurred.†[28] If one takes the work of Rojek seriously, what implications for the tired and simplistic definitions of what constitutes work and leisure? Freud defines leisure as pleasure as fun. If the boundaries of what constitutes leisure and work are indeed eroding could it mean that leisure, pleasure and fun can be found in work? Or work in fun? A cogent example would be of a party that one feels obliged to attend. You do not like the food, you hate the music, you’re surrounded by people you despise and you would give anything to be anywhere else. Yet this is your leisure time? The sociology of leisure needs to address these concerns. â€Å"Relationships and structures of leisure help mitigate human problems, foster cohesion in communities, alleviate personal suffering, maintain economic stability, and encourage political activity.†[29] Some sociologists see leisure as being a site for developing essential social networks, places that maintain and improve cohesion and interaction. If one considers Simmel’s conception that sociability is the, â€Å"Pure form of interacting independence of individuals,’†[30] then one might conclude that the development of leisure networks are a ‘morally’ good occurrence that let actors enjoy true or ‘pure’ leisure, pleasure and fun. Perhaps for the good of the sociology of leisure, â€Å"There is a need to shift attention away from the characteristics of individuals or groups as the unit of analysis, and focus on the characteristics of social relationships between people.†[31] â€Å"Social structure may also be manipulated by the intentional activities of actors.†[32] The Marxist based argument is one sided. The bourgeois are the active oppressors, the working class the submissive victims and there is no room for any real dialogue between worker’s desire and capitalist ideology. [33] Also it assumes that capitalist ideology is uniform and coherent. The ideological structure is rarely that simple. Feminist theorists such as Wearing[34] raise the issues of the problem of women’s experiences of leisure. Though raised in Clarke and Crichter’s work, their account does not, perhaps, delve deeply enough into the feminist sociological perspective. The structural and pervasive economic ideology of Marxism is, in many ways, present in feminist accounts, however particular attention should be paid to the fact that this ideology is exclusively the preserve of men, and is not exclusively economic. Theorists such as Butler[35] indicate the problem of explaining women’s position in society while being forced to use the only language available, the language of masculinity. Still further Collins critiques feminism as the preserve of white women only.[36] â€Å"If one ‘is’ a woman then that is surely not all that one is†¦gender intersects with racial, class, ethnic, sexual and regional discursively constituted identities.†[37] In conclusion and as stated above in the introduction to this essay, leisure is very often regarded as having been neglected in the arena of sociological study. Perhaps one of the reasons for this indifference has been the genuine problem of even defining exactly what leisure is. The Marxist tradition has held dominance in the field much since the time of Marx himself. Even those who I have used to criticise some of the Marxist perspectives themselves share many similar views[38]. This is because it is incredibly difficult to understand leisure without its ‘opposite.’ This study is really as much of a study of work as it is of leisure and this author actually can not find fault in that approach. What I do find fault with is the quite often simplistic dualism that is depicted between the two. As Rojek concludes, the edges between work and leisure are blurred and this is something that is important to the future study of leisure. Marxist ideas are frequently accused of being economicly deterministic. Whilst I personally find that accusation a tad harsh, many of the theories outlined above could be accused of considering the economic, the capitalist, a little too much in their theorisations. â€Å"Leisure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœIs action in structure†¦produced by action in the real world of roles and responsibilities as well as the division of race, class, age and gender.†[39] All of these particular characteristics must be considered in any study of leisure. Moorhouse suggests a methodology. â€Å"Weber used the concepts of status group and lifestyle to refer to specific patterns of consumption and culturally based attachments. †[40] What is certain is that by using such concepts, and still further, the sociology of leisure can only broaden its knowledge. Bibliography Roland Barthes Mythologies pub by J. Cape 1972 Roland Barthes Image, music, text pub by Fontana Press 1977 Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 The devil makes work: Leisure in capitalist Britain by J Clarke and C Critcher. Published by Macmillan 1985 Leisure in society, A network structural perspective by Patricia A Stokoswki. Published by Mansell 1994 Ways of Escape by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan Press 1993 Leisure and Feminist Theory by B Wearing. Published by Sage 1998 Gender trouble by Judith Butler. Published by Routledge 1999 Black feminist thought by P H Collins. Published by Routledge 1990 The theory of the leisure class by Thorstein Veblen. Published by The new American library 1959 Footnotes [1] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 Ways of Escape by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan Press 1993 [2] The devil makes work: Leisure in capitalist Britain by J Clarke and C Critcher. Published by Macmillan 1985 p94-95 [3] Ibid p95 [4] Ibid p95 [5] Ibid p96 [6] Ibid [7] Ibid p201 [8] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 p78 [9] Ibid p83 [10] Ibid p78 [11] Roland Barthes Mythologies pub by J. Cape 1972 Roland Barthes Image, music, text pub by Fontana Press 1977 [12] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 p31 [13] Though Rojek himself reaches many of the same himself conclusions regarding the banality of modern leisure, in particular package tours, travel and tourism. Ways of Escape by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan Press 1993 [14] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 p53 [15] Ibid p64 [16] The theory of the leisure class by Thorstein Veblen. Published by The new American library 1959 The ruling Bourgeois idea of leisure, for Veblen, was conspicuous consumption, the ostentatious display of wealth through the purchase of commodities. [17] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 p69 [18] Ibid p101 [19] Ibid p70 [20] Ibid p70 [21] Ibid p57 [22] Ibid p17 [23] The devil makes work: Leisure in capitalist Britain by J Clarke and C Critcher. Published by Macmillan 1985 pxiii [24] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 [25] Ibid p22 [26] Ibid p25 [27] Ibid p108 [28] Ibid p108 [29] Leisure in society, A network structural perspective by Patricia A Stokoswki. Published by Mansell 1994 p112 [30] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 p87 [31] Leisure in society, A network structural perspective by Patricia A Stokoswki. Published by Mansell 1994 p38 [32] Ibid p112 [33] At least not in any meaningful way as we have seen in the above example, from Clarke and Critcher, that the very entry into the market process taints any action with is ideological stigma. [34] Leisure and Feminist Theory by B Wearing. Published by Sage 1998 [35] Gender trouble by Judith Butler. Published by Routledge 1999 [36] Black feminist thought by P H Collins. Published by Routledge 1990 [37] Gender trouble by Judith Butler. Published by Routledge 1999 p6 [38] Ways of Escape by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan Press 1993 [39] Leisure in society, A network structural perspective by Patricia A Stokoswki. Published by Mansell 1994 p37 [40] Leisure for leisure edited by Chris Rojek. Published by Macmillan press 1989 p31

Non Verbal Communication Skills in the Workplace

Non Verbal Communication Skills in the Workplace Given todays technology-driven communication systems, people have fewer face-to-face interactions. As a result, it is crucial to maximize their impact. Dr. Gorman provides a valuable guide for doing just that by helping the reader understand how the nonverbal aspects of a conversation often say much more than the verbal ones. Jon Peters, President, The Institute for Management Studies. It is well-known that body language refers to nonverbal mode of communication. On scientific analysis, it has been found that the different aspects of communication comprise 55% bodily movements and gestures, 38% vocal tone and only 7% words or verbal communication. It is thus clear that about 93% of communication is nonverbal, as many times, words are inadequate. This shows that correct use of body language serves as an effective nonverbal communication tool to convince fellow-workers at workplace, as well as family and friends, eventually leading to overall organizational success through self-development. It further leads to personal and professional growth of an employee, ultimately benefiting the organization. An attempt has, therefore, been made in this paper to discuss the importance, modes and effective use of body language in successful organizational development (Rane, 2010). A thorough understanding of the role that body language plays in our day-to-day business activities is vital. Executives, managers, and salespeople who arent reading the clear signals of others or who dont have a clue how their own nonverbal communication is sabotaging their efforts. At a time when it is widely recognized that professional success is achieved with or through other people, the power of, and the need for, good interpersonal skills couldnt be greater (Gorman, 2008). 1. Nonverbal Communication: Definition. Any form of  communication  that is not expressed in words.  Nonverbal  communication  is estimated to make up 65-90% of all  communication, and understanding, interpreting, and using it are essential skills.  Forms of  nonverbal  communication  include actions and behaviour such as silence, failure or slowness to respond to a message, and lateness in arriving for a meeting.  Body language is also an important part of  nonverbal  communication. Nonverbal  elements of  communication  may reinforce or contradict a verbal message (Bloomsbury Business Library Business Management Dictionary; 2007, p5154-5154, 1p). Body language is like a computer. Everybody knows what it is, but most of us are never exactly sure how it works. Thats because the process of receiving and decoding nonverbal communication is often done without our conscious awareness. It simply happens. Human beings are genetically programmed to look for facial and behavioural cues and to quickly understand their meaning. We see someone gesture and automatically (Gorman, 2008). Everyone knows someone who can walk into a room full of people and within minutes give an accurate description about the relationships between those people and what they are feeling. The ability to read a persons attitudes and thoughts by their behaviour was the original communication system used by humans before spoken language evolved. Before radio was invented, most communication was done in writing through books, letters, and newspapers, which meant that ugly politicians and poor speakers such as Abraham Lincoln could be successful if they persisted long enough and wrote good print copy. The radio era gave openings to people who had a good command of the spoken word, like Winston Churchill, who spoke wonderfully but may have struggled to achieve as much in todays more visual era. Todays politicians understand that politics is about image and appearance, and most high-profile politicians now have personal body-language consultants to help them come across as being sincere, caring, and honest, especially when theyre not. It seems almost incredible that, over the thousands of years of our evolution, body language has been actively studied on any scale only since the 1960s and that most of the public has become aware of its existence only since the book  Body Language  was published in 1978. Yet most people believe that speech is still our main form of communication. Speech has been part of our communication repertoire only in recent times in evolutionary terms, and is mainly used to convey facts and data. Speech probably first developed between two million and five hundred thousand years ago, during which time our brain tripled its size. Before then, body language and sounds made in the throat were the main forms of conveying emotions and feelings, and that is still the case today. But because we focus on the words people speak, most of us are largely uninformed about body language, let alone its importance in our lives (Pease, 2008). Body language is also known as  kinesics.  A pioneer in the field, Ray Birdwhistell (Ray L. Birdwhistell, Kinesics and Context. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1970, p. 80.), writes, The isolation of gestures and the attempt to understand them led to the most important findings of kinesic research. This original study of gestures gave the first indication that kinesic structure is parallel to language structure. By the study of gestures in context, it became clear that the kinesic system has forms which are astonishingly like words in language. Researchers have observed people involved in the communication process. They have studied body language and other nonverbal behaviour, and they have then related or identified these actions with actual content of the message being transmitted. 2. Relationship Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. There are several ways in which the nonverbal behaviour is seen clearly related to verbal behaviour. This relationship is one of dependence and also of independence. There are nonverbal communicative acts that are easily and accurately translated into words. Several gestures clearly illustrate this relationship. For example, the gesture of folded hands for namaste, the gesture of handshake, a smile, a frown, etc., are generally translatable into words. There is also a class of nonverbal acts that are very much a part of speech and serves the function of emphasis. Examples are head and hand movements that occur more frequently with words, and phrases of emphasis. There are acts which draw pictures of the referents tracing the contour of an object or person referred to verbally. Yet another class of acts is employed for displaying the effects (feelings). Another class refers to acts that help to initiate and terminate the speech of participants in a social situation. These regulators m ight suggest to a speaker that he keep talking, that he clarify, or that he hurry up and finish (Ekman and Friesen, 1969). There are the ways in which the relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication can be characterized. These are as follows: -The relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication is one of the latter playing a supplementary role to the former. The nonverbal acts that are supplementary to verbal acts may precede or follow or be simultaneous with the verbal acts. For example, in many verbal acts one notices an accompaniment of one or more nonverbal acts, such as gestures, facial expressions, and movement towards or away from the addressee, to illumine the meaning of the former. While for any verbal acts such an accompaniment may only be considered redundant, for several others, such and accompaniment explicitness, clarity, emphasis, discrimination and reinforcement. -The relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication is also one of the former playing a supplementary role to the latter. In many verbal acts, both in children and adults, in normals with all the linguistic organs intact, and normal with some handicap to the linguistic organs, as well as in abnormal individuals, nonverbal acts may take precedence over the verbal acts in several ways. In the normal with all the linguistic organs intact, occasions demand the use of nonverbal acts such as pantomime and gestures for aesthetic purposes, and for purposes of coded (secret) communication. Indulgence in nonverbal acts as primary medium is also necessitated by the distance that separates the parties which can, however, retain visual contact while engaging themselves in communication. -The relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication could be one of correspondence as well. That is, there are several nonverbal acts that can be accurately translated into words in the language of a culture in which such nonverbal acts are performed. A handshake, shaking a fist at someone, a smile, and frown, etc., are all nonverbal acts translatable into verbal medium in a particular language. The functions of these nonverbal acts, context to context, are also codified in aesthetic nonverbal acts, such as dance, sculpture and other arts. The correspondence is sometimes translatable into words, sometimes into phrases and sentences, and several times translatable into compressed episodes involving lengthy language discourses. But the correspondence is there all the same and the import of this correspondence is shared between individuals within a community. There is also yet another correspondence of nonverbal acts in the sense that similar nonverbal acts could mean different things in different cultures. -Yet another relationship between a verbal act and a nonverbal act is one of dependence. A verbal act may depend for its correct interpretation entirely on a nonverbal act. Likewise a nonverbal act may depend for its correct interpretation entirely on a verbal act. In extreme circumstances, the former is caused because of deliberate distortion of the verbal act, or because of the difficulty in listening clearly to the verbal act, or because of the difficulty in reading with clarity what is intended to be read in the written verbal message. Deliberate distortion is not found only in contrived acts such as poetry or drama. It is done in day to day language itself. Distortion and opacity of the verbal message are also required in certain socio-cultural contexts wherein it is demanded that verbal acts be suppressed and made dependent on nonverbal acts. The dominant nonverbal acts also depends on verbal acts for clarity. This dependence also depends on verbal acts for clarity. It also occ urs in daily life. -Verbal and nonverbal acts can be independent of one another. Something is communicated through a verbal act. The continued manifestation of this communicative act may be in the form of nonverbal acts. That is, in a single communicative act, part of the message may be in verbal form and the rest in nonverbal, in an alternating way. Each part is independent of the other. This is contrived in poetry and drama. It is also found in every day life. An extreme form of this independence is the gulf that we notice between what one says and what one does. Also prevarication both in word and deed derives its strength, among others, from this feature. -Another relationship between verbal and nonverbal acts in one of non-relevance. This is most commonly found in normal adult speech and its accompanying gestures which are produced simply without any communicative intent. We move our hands, snap our fingers, move our bodies while speaking, with these gestures having no relevance to the speech we make. When this non-relevance between verbal and nonverbal acts found in normal is shifted to non-relevance or irrelevance within the ingle domain, within speech itself or within nonverbal act itself (during which coherence in speech or act is lost), we start considering the individual abnormal in some way. That is, non-relevance across the verbal and nonverbal media is normal, but non-relevance within a single medium is abnormal. The non-relevance is idiosyncratic and could be imitational as well. In the normal the excessive non-relevance of nonverbal acts accompanying speech comes to hamper the understanding of the verbal acts. 3. Types of Nonverbal Communication and Their Effects on Business. The types of nonverbal communication are almost limitless. However, there are the types that are most applicable to business communications: facial expressions and eye contact, other body movements and gestures, clothing and personal appearance, distance and personal space, physical environment, and time (Hamilton, 2011). Reading faces is not just a matter of identifying static expressions but also of noticing how faces subtly begin to change. People in face-to-face exchanges watch each others expressions to gauge reactions to whats being said and heard. Even when some words are missed, observing the expression on a speakers face can help the listener follow a conversation (Goman, 2008). The smile is a very potent form of facial expression. It opens the door to communication.  A natural, pleasant smile carries great significance in establishing and sustaining human  relationships, be they in a family, society, community or a business organization. Significance of smiling is beautifully brought out in the saying, You are never fully  dressed unless you wear a smile. Smile speaks the language of love, compassion,  sincerity, courtesy, confidence and dependability. A smile emits positive signals. A smile  can create a favourable impact and earn goodwill. All the same, it is also true that all  smiles are not genuine. In the service industry, the sales force is specifically taught to  cultivate genuine smiles and smile liberally in their day-to-day transactions with  colleagues and customers (Marwijk,2002). The eyes have been described as the gateway to the soul. They speak in the most revealing and accurate language because of the vast amount of information they convey about internal processes (Gorman, 2008). Probably everyone has had some experience with eyes as nonverbal communicators. Most of us have been stared at and have wondered why. Was it curiosity or ill manners? Or perhaps the starter had poor vision and was merely trying to get us in focus. But then there is the possibility the observer found us attractive and interesting and was issuing an invitation to get better acquainted. Most of us have decoded eye language even if we did not know about body language or nonverbal communication. There are numerous messages that can be sent with the eyes, but the stare is the most important technique a person has. In our culture one does not stare at another person-one stares at things. Therefore, a stare can have a devastating effect because it reduces a person to nonhuman status. There is an endless number of messages which can be sent when one thinks of eyes combined with different positions and movements of the eyelids and eyebrows. As with all forms of nonverbal communication, messages sent by the eyes should be decoded in terms of the words accompanying them (Marwijk, 2002). Daniel was well qualified (overqualified, in fact) for the job he was seeking, so when he didnt get hired he was shocked. But when Daniel called the recruiter who sent him out, he was told, You were fabulous in all the technical aspects, but you freaked out the interviewer because you couldnt look her in the eye (Goman, 2008). How can anyone hope to communicate without using hands and arms? And even legs are for something besides walking. No doubt each of us knows someone who talks with his or her hands. Some people punctuate communications with such extravagant gestures that it is extremely dangerous to get too close to their nonverbal exclamations. Do you know people who during a conversation or a card game drum or tap incessantly with their finger tips? Are there people you know who constantly click the on-off switch of their ballpoint pens? Do you know people who frequently pop their knuckles? Do you notice individuals who tap their feet, who cross and uncross their legs, or who cross their legs and then swing their crossed legs back and forth? What do these nonverbal messages tell you? Is the person nervous? Insecure? Bored? Thinking? Happy? Craving attention? A nuisance? Perhaps the messages mean nothing. On the other hand, if nonverbal signs reveal the emotional side of a communication, it is often important for you to try to determine what message is being transmitted along with the verbal one. Sometimes they are the same; other times they are drastically different. Many people are devoting their entire life to the study of body language. Body language is an interesting, fascinating area of nonverbal communication; much remains to be learned about it. By becoming a better observer, by sharpening your powers of perception, and by knowing as much as possible about your audience (decoders), you should be able to translate more accurately nonverbal and verbal messages (Marwijk, 2002). Elements such as physique, height, weight, hair, skin colour, gender, odours, and clothing send nonverbal messages during interaction. For example, a study, carried out in  Vienna,  Austria, of the clothing worn by women attending discothà ¨ques showed that in certain groups of women (especially women who were in town without their partners) motivation for sex, and levels of sexual hormones, were correlated with aspects of the clothing, especially the amount of skin displayed, and the presence of sheer clothing, e.g. at the arms. Thus, to some degree, clothing sent signals about interest in courtship. Research into height has generally found that taller people are perceived as being more impressive. Melamed Bozionelos (1992) studied a sample of managers in the UK and found that height was a key factor affecting who was promoted. Often people try to make themselves taller, for example, standing on a platform, when they want to make more of an impact with their speaking. Environmental factors such as  furniture, architectural style,  interior decorating, lighting conditions, colours, temperature, noise, and music affect the behaviour of communicators during interaction. The furniture itself can be seen as a nonverbal message. Proxemics  is the study of how people use and perceive the physical space around them. The space between the sender and the receiver of a message influences the way the message is interpreted The perception and use of space varies significantly across cultures and different settings within cultures. Space in nonverbal communication may be divided into four main categories: intimate, social, personal, and public space. The term territoriality is still used in the study of proxemics to explain human behavior regarding personal space.  Hargie Dickson identify 4 such territories: Primary territory: this refers to an area that is associated with someone who has exclusive use of it. For example, a house that others cannot enter without the owners permission. Secondary territory: unlike the previous type, there is no right to occupancy, but people may still feel some degree of ownership of a particular space. For example, someone may sit in the same seat on train every day and feel aggrieved if someone else sits there. Public territory: this refers to an area that is available to all, but only for a set period, such as a parking space or a seat in a library. Although people have only a limited claim over that space, they often exceed that claim. For example, it was found that people take longer to leave a parking space when someone is waiting to take that space. Interaction territory: this is space created by others when they are interacting. For example, when a group is talking to each other on a footpath, others will walk around the group rather than disturb it. When we discuss space in a nonverbal context, we mean the space between objects and people. Space is often associated with social rank and is an important part of business communication. Who gets the corner office? Why is the head of the table important and who gets to sit there? As the context of a staircase has norms for nonverbal behavior, so does the public speaking context. In North America, eye contact with the audience is expected. Big movements and gestures are not generally expected and can be distracting. The speaker occupies a space on the stage, even if its in front of the class. When you occupy that space, the audience will expect to behave in certain ways. If you talk to the screen behind you while displaying a PowerPoint presentation, the audience may perceive that you are not paying attention to them. Speakers are expected to pay attention to, and interact with, the audience, even if in the feedback is primarily nonverbal. Your movements should coordinate with the ton e, rhythm, and content of your speech. Pacing back and forth, keeping your hands in your pockets, or crossing your arms may communicate nervousness, or even defensiveness, and detract from your speech (Scott McLean, 2008). Do you know what time it is? How aware you are of time varies by culture and normative expectations of adherence (or ignorance) of time. Some people, and the communities and cultures they represent, are very time-oriented. The Euro Railways trains in Germany are famous for departing and arriving according to the schedule. In contrast, if you take the train in Argentina, youll find that the schedule is more of an approximation of when the train will leave or arrive. When you give a presentation, does your audience have to wait for you? Time is a relevant factor of the communication process in your speech. The best way to show your audience respect is to honour the time expectation associated with your speech. Always try to stop speaking before the audience stops listening; if the audience perceives that you have gone over time, they will be less willing to listen. This in turn will have a negative impact on your ability to communicate your message. Chronemics  is the study of how we refer to and perceive time. Tom Bruneau at Radford University has spent a lifetime investigating how time interacts in communication and culture. As he notes, across Western society, time is often considered the equivalent of money. The value of speed is highly prized in some societies.  In others, there is a great respect for slowing down and taking a long-term view of time. When you order a meal at a fast food restaurant, what are your expectations for how long you will have to wait? When you order a pizza online for delivery, when do you expect it will arrive? If you order cable service for your home, when do you expect it might be delivered? In the first case, you might measure the delivery of a hamburger in a matter of seconds or minutes, and perhaps thirty minutes for pizza delivery, but you may measure the time from your order to working cable in days or even weeks. You may even have to be at your home from 8 a.m. to noon, waiting for its installation. The expectations vary by context, and we often grow frustrated in a time-sensitive culture when the delivery does not match our expectations. Across cultures the value of time may vary. Some Mexican American friends may invite you to a barbecue at 8 p.m., but when you arrive you are the first guest, because it is understood that the gathering actually doesnt start until after 9 p.m. Similarly in France, an 8 p.m. party invitation would be understood to indicate you should arrive around 8:30, but in Sweden 8 p.m. means 8 p.m., and latecomers may not be welcome. Some Native Americans, particularly elders, speak in well-measured phrases and take long pauses between phrases. They do not hurry their speech or compete for their turn, knowing no one will interrupt them. Some Orthodox Jews observe religious days when they do not work, cook, drive, or use electricity. People around the world have different ways of expressing value for time (Bruneau, 1976). 4. Improving Nonverbal Skills The words that you say in a conversation are only a small part of what you communicate to another person. Your tone and body language play a much larger role in what you are communicating to another person. For example, the words great job can be taken as a sincere compliment or as a sarcastic barb, depending upon the nonverbal skills used. If you are saying the right words but not backing them up with your nonverbal skills, then you are not going to be a very effective communicator. Here is how to improve nonverbal skills. -Recognize that nonverbal skills are a very important part of communication. The way that you position your body and the voice tone that you use during a conversation can speak even louder than the actual words coming out of your mouth. By improving your nonverbal skills, you can become a much more effective communicator in all areas of your life. -Make eye contact. The fastest way to improve your nonverbal skills is to make eye contact with the other person during a conversation. By making eye contact, you are connecting with that person, which makes it much easier for both of you to understand each other. When your eyes are wandering during a conversation, you are sending the nonverbal message that you are not invested in the conversation. -Pay attention to your tone. Most of us have had the misfortune of sitting through a speech in which powerful words were killed because the speaker was clearly bored, which made what could have been a dynamic speech unbearably boring. If you want to motivate another person, you need to put some energy into your speech. If you want to put another person in his place, use a deeper and more firm voice. Use your tone to energize your words. -Watch your body language. The way you position your body during a conversation speaks volumes, and you can use the way you position yourself to improve your nonverbal skills. If you want to end a conversation sooner, make of point of looking at your watch, which says, I have somewhere else that I need to be. If you want to be in a power position during a conversation, stand while the other person remains seated. If you want to communicate that you are open to the other persons ideas, then uncross your arms. -Pay attention to other peoples nonverbal cues. When you are in a meeting, observe two people talking with each other. Notice the tone of their voices and the positions of their bodies. You can often tell who is going to win a disagreement based upon the nonverbal body language used. -Incorporate effective nonverbal skills into your own communication style. When you see another person use a nonverbal skill effectively, try to incorporate that nonverbal skill into your own communication style. For example, if you see a person effectively raise his eyebrows in a way that sends the message, I really do not believe you, without having to say a word, then incorporate that nonverbal skill into your own way of communicating when you are in a similar situation. -Practice improving your nonverbal skills. At first, you might feel self-conscious as you start focusing on your nonverbal skills. However, with a little practice, your nonverbal skills will become second nature, and other people will be learning from you (Marwijk, 2002). 5. Conclusion Nonverbal communication variables play a major role in affecting the meaning of messages in business communication contexts. Consequently, business communicators need to have a general understanding of nonverbal communication and to recognize how such behaviors as body posture and movement, eye contact, facial expression, seating arrangement, vocal cues, spatial relationships, and personal appearance affect the ways their verbal messages are received by others. Quite often nonverbal communication provides metacommunication, or communication about communication, serving to repeat, contradict, substitute, complement, accent, and regulate verbal communication. If business communicators want to ascribe meaning to others nonverbal behaviors, they should take care to interpret the nonverbal message in its proper context, realizing that people respond differently to different stimuli and that some nonverbal behaviors vary in meaning across cultures. Businessmen can apply their understanding of nonverbal communication to personal interviews to show their true feelings of immediacy, potency, and responsiveness, to relax others, and to achieve maximum effect from the interview situation. They can also observe and adjust seating arrangement, room decor, and eye contact between group members to increase productivity at conferences and in small group discussions.

The Quantum Brain: Theory or Myth? :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Quantum Brain: Theory or Myth? The study of neurobiology has long involved the actions and interactions among neurons and their synapses. Changes in concentrations of various ions carry impulses to and from the central nervous system and are responsible for all the information processed by the nervous system as a whole. This has been the prominent theory for many years, but, now, there is a new one to be reckoned with; the Quantum Brain Theory (QBT). Like many new theories, the QBT has merits and flaws. Many people are wholeheartedly sold on it; however, this vigor might be uncalled for. Nevertheless, this could prove to be a valid and surprisingly accurate theory of brain function. One of the most convincing arguments of the QBT is its explanation of how reality is conceived by the brain. Classically, reality should always be changing, even by the slightest notion, and the brain should be aware of these changes as they occur. According to quantum mechanics, this would be impossible; there is no time during which something is changing. Therefore, the brain cannot be in a state of change, it must be in one state or another, there is no in between. The QBT states that our brain takes in reality one moment at a time, it is never in a state where it is observing something change. It observes reality before the change and then after the change and then fuses these two images together in order to make sense of them. One question about the QBT comes when reality itself is considered; "why can't reality be a quantum system?" Well, there are a few explanations. One is that quantum systems are usually very small. Quantum mechanics cannot be used to explain the universe as a whole in all venues, however, can explain the movements of an electron, or the actions of a black hole. Another reason why reality cannot be explained by quantum mechanics is that quantum mechanics call for a holistic interpretation of the system. Reality, then, is much too large for all of it to be encompassed in one interpretation. Non-locality, another feature of quantum mechanics, prevents reality from being explained by quantum mechanics. Non-locality means that distance is not an issue in the effects of one part of a system on another. For example, curtains might not be blowing because your window is open and there is a wind, they might be blowing because somewhere in Russia, a woman is beating her rugs. The Quantum Brain: Theory or Myth? :: Biology Essays Research Papers The Quantum Brain: Theory or Myth? The study of neurobiology has long involved the actions and interactions among neurons and their synapses. Changes in concentrations of various ions carry impulses to and from the central nervous system and are responsible for all the information processed by the nervous system as a whole. This has been the prominent theory for many years, but, now, there is a new one to be reckoned with; the Quantum Brain Theory (QBT). Like many new theories, the QBT has merits and flaws. Many people are wholeheartedly sold on it; however, this vigor might be uncalled for. Nevertheless, this could prove to be a valid and surprisingly accurate theory of brain function. One of the most convincing arguments of the QBT is its explanation of how reality is conceived by the brain. Classically, reality should always be changing, even by the slightest notion, and the brain should be aware of these changes as they occur. According to quantum mechanics, this would be impossible; there is no time during which something is changing. Therefore, the brain cannot be in a state of change, it must be in one state or another, there is no in between. The QBT states that our brain takes in reality one moment at a time, it is never in a state where it is observing something change. It observes reality before the change and then after the change and then fuses these two images together in order to make sense of them. One question about the QBT comes when reality itself is considered; "why can't reality be a quantum system?" Well, there are a few explanations. One is that quantum systems are usually very small. Quantum mechanics cannot be used to explain the universe as a whole in all venues, however, can explain the movements of an electron, or the actions of a black hole. Another reason why reality cannot be explained by quantum mechanics is that quantum mechanics call for a holistic interpretation of the system. Reality, then, is much too large for all of it to be encompassed in one interpretation. Non-locality, another feature of quantum mechanics, prevents reality from being explained by quantum mechanics. Non-locality means that distance is not an issue in the effects of one part of a system on another. For example, curtains might not be blowing because your window is open and there is a wind, they might be blowing because somewhere in Russia, a woman is beating her rugs.

Essay --

Video games have shaped this country in many ways, in such a way that no other product has even came close. This accomplishment would not have been met if it were not for its many different types games there are for sale. If someone were to ask someone that was from an era where video games were popular and you asked them about games from the old age and the new age, that gien person will either know what you are talking about and/or had the experience to play that game. That is how popular video games are in this country. There are many different types of videos games that consumers can choose from. When someone walks into a video game store, or anywhere that sells video games, they are bombarded with huge selections of games. These games vary from action games, war games, tracing games, and even role- playing games. The list of possible selections could go on and on. But, the three best types of games that have been consistently popular have been the third-person video games, first -person video games, and arcade games. Though there are many different types of video games that are out on the market, each one gives the user its own unique experience. A type of video games that I have had a lot of experience with are first person shooter games. A first person video game makes looks through the perspective of the character. This means that the only object seen is the gun or whatever object the character has in hand. Some examples of this type of game include: Call of Duty, Borderlands, Halo, and many others. Usually, these types of games makes someone feel like they are apart of the story line and really gives a feeling that he/she is right there in the action and gives players a cool outlook on the game while playing. This experien... ...s of the games and have at least played arcade games a few times. This just shows that arcade games are still popular among the children and teen population today, and still very well known and appreciated by the adult population. There are many types of video games out there for the consumer to buy and enjoy in their free time. The types of games that I thought were the most popular were first-person, third-person, and arcade games. These sought- after games have been both popular and popular throughout the world. The consumer can see this by how the demand for these types of games has been constant for a number of years. It is up to the consumer to make up their opinion if a game is good or bad. I believe everyone should give these games a chance, because they are not only the best sellers of this video game era, but are in my opinion the most enjoyable to play.