The Strengths and Weaknesses of Marxism

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Marxism I have chosen to write about Marxism as it is the starting foundation for the class system we use today. He saw how Capitalism fed down to the working class and produced a top down approach to how our present system within our everyday life works. He was a revolutionary on the back of the industrial revolution; his ideas were in my opinion a catalyst to the future. His vision of what would be although unbeknown by him at the time has shown rapid growth within industry and community. The system that Marx sees is and has been the same for the last 2 centuries (Giddens A 2006 pg.15-16). Karl Heinrich Marx was born into a comfortable middle-class home in Trier on the river Moselle in Germany on May 5, 1818. He was born of Rabbis but had a protestant baptism to save his fathers job as a lawyer. Marx gained a passion for romantic literature and Saint-Simonian politics. Saint Simon himself advocated a society which was lead scientifically by men who had the intellect and training to guide society using policies arrived at scientifically. Calling for the creation of a new science which would focus on man as a social creature (which eventually would be created and called sociology). (www.pinn.net 2003). Marx went on to study at the University of Berlin for a further four years due to his fathers influence. Marx became a member of the Young Hegelian movement. This group, which included the theologians Bruno Bauer and David Friedrich Strauss, produced a radical critique of Christianity and, by implication, the liberal opposition to the Prussian autocracy. Finding a universi ty career closed by the Prussian government, Marx moved into journalism and, in October 1842, became editor, in Cologne, of the influential Rheinische Zeitung, a liberal newspaper backed by industrialists. Marxs articles, particularly those on economic questions, forced the Prussian government to close the paper. Marx worked on what was known as the material conception of history. Of which the basic thesis was that the nature of individuals depends on the material conditions determining their production. Marx traced the history of the various modes of production and predicted the collapse of the present one industrial capitalism and its replacement by communism. Marxs health was beginning to deteriorate and although he was still making commentaries on his previous works and philosophies. Marxs health did not improve. He travelled to European spas and even to Algeria in search of recuperation. The deaths of his eldest daughter and his wife clouded the last years of his life. Marx d ied March 14, 1883 and was buried at Highgate Cemetery in North London.(Kries S 2000). Communism was the predecessor of Marxism. The Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto was a summary of his entire social and political philosophy. The publication of this book occurred at a most propitious time. The book appeared on the eve of the 1848 revolution in France and less than one year before an attempted revolution in Germany. After the failure of the 1848 revolution in Germany he was expelled from his country of origin and moved to London. (Newcombe J 2000) The capitalist society is a system that relies on lower waged workers to produce, and build profits for those who build the higher class system, because their own economic circumstances allow them to do so. Communism however is something that principally is a great idea but as many things politically becomes corrupted and the equal power is then seen as a dictatorship and not as a principle of equality to all. Marx was radical when looking at his ideas of industrialism. We see clearly that he recognises a class sy stem that starts ultimately from Capitalism. He starts to make waves about his findings which begin to disturb a country such as Germany who would seem relatively strong in the industrial fields and a world leader in the coming of the industrial revolution. He talks about the class system and how he saw the emergence of the working class. Before in the history of Britain there were rich or poor. In modern day there is the wealthy, the middle class, working class and beneath the breadline. Marx clearly sees that Capitalists form a ruling class. The group that make up the waged workers are the working class. Another branch of the working class are the Proletariat, these were the workers from the land who went on to expand cities and towns. Giddens goes on to say Marx stated that capitalism is inherently a class system, class relations are characterized by conflict. (A Giddens 2006 pg. 16). All about philosophy states that Under capitalism, the proletariat, the working class or the peo ple, own only their capacity to work; they have the ability only to sell their own labour. According to Marx a class is defined by the relations of its members to the means of production (www.allaboutphilosphy.org 2002). It is clear to see how the ideals of Marxism can link with the basis of socialism. It is however my belief that Marx did not intend his ideas and works to turn to the communist regime that came about under Stalin. Principally communism has its strengths. The idea that the working class reap more benefits for their labour is an ideal scenario, and thus is one of the strengths that a Marxist value represents. This is where Marx was at with his theories of Capitalisms demise. Unfortunately due to corrupted leadership communism in some parts of the world has become extreme Socialist power under dictatorship. This has caused in certain countries peoples freedoms in speech, and their own political beliefs to be stifled and open to persecution. Marx wanted to see fairness for hard labour. Marx himself stated The worker becomes all the poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production increases in power and range. The worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity the more commodities he creates. With the increasing value of the world of things proceeds in direct proportion to the devaluation of the world of men. Labour produces not only commodities; it produces itself and the worker as a commodity and does so in the proportion in which it produces commodities generally.(Kries S- 2000). Marx at the time of his works was hated by Governments; he was deported and slandered for his views and beliefs. Some of the Socialist values that Marx touches upon are a foundation for our present labour party in the UK and are a good foundation which realistically the working class and Unions can stand by. This was the rationale of their manifesto; unfortunately the socialist side of Socialism has waned due to power and Capitalisms dominance into present day. Some of these views are shared with the writer of Perspective for the 21st Century: communist revolution or the destruction of humanity. (World Revolution 2004). The conclusion drawn about t Marxism is that it brings about some conflicting views. In principle we see how Marxism can work and how it links with socialist ideas and theories. Personally having been being raised up in a socialist household, I have never really had an interest in politics or the views that the family held politically. The problem that Socialism has is how the world has developed in what is relatively a very short time. It would be hard to believe Marx did not see how technology would have the rise that it has, this has brought about mass profiteering e.g. Bill Gates, Lord Alan Sugar and others in a similar field. Banking has grown as has lending and borrowing on a mass financial scale. More and more people are investing money whether it is in property or shares. Socialisms values and idealisms relied solely on hard work and a less complicated system economically than we have in the 21st century. Capitalism has always been apparent, but its rise started to come in th e industrial revolution and has become major worldwide. Trading is now at a premium and communist countries are changing due to revolutionaries bringing about change. World Trading is a major key to a wealthier state and there is mistrust with Western Governments towards Communist states. Marxs ultimate dream would never really have become world dominant, after Stalin took Communism to another level and turned it into a dictatorship. From Stalins ideas of Communism mistrust of these idealisms was then destroyed and the Western world would have very little to do with its ideals and theories. Could there be a turnaround in the future and that capitalism actually takes a backseat. This is ultimately what Karl Marx wanted to see in his lifetime. The idea of a minimum wage structure is a little towards a Marxist view but its still not the picture that Marx draws up for us on how socialism would work and how a successful uncorrupted communist regime in a country would head up what Marx ha d worked on throughout his theories and writings.

The Gospel of John :: essays papers

The Gospel of John An Essay Written for A Humanities Course That Studies the Bible As A Historical Document THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: "The Man from Heaven," "Bread of Life," "Light of The World," "Living Water," .... and of course, "Son of Man." This is who Jesus is in The Gospel of John. Jesus' life is portrayed very differently from the other Synoptic Gospels; he lives completely within symbolism, and glorification. In reading the Gospel of John, I felt that Jesus was (more) clear to me, unlike my feelings in reading Matthew and Mark. Perhaps this is because I have gained knowledge of who the historical Jesus was since my first readings. However, I find that John writes about Jesus and Christianity more in the way that conventional American Christianity practices today! I see the verses most familiar to me (John 3:16), and I see the symbolism that I am used to. Most importantly, I see the lengthy teachings and sayings of Jesus, that are less frequent in the earlier gospels. This is the Jesus I am used to! Throughout this essay, I will show the parallels and differences from the Gospel of John and the earlier gospels (mostly Mark), as I discuss the anonymous evangelist(s)' conception of the word of God. 1. John 3:15 2. John 6:48 3. John 1:4 4. John 7:37-39 5. Has been believed to be: John, Son of Zebedee. The Gospel of John was written between 90-100 ADE. A late book in the New Testament, it deals with different problems than the early Gospel of Mark. Although the book does not try to stray from the special traditions of Christianity (after all, The Christian Church has become strong by this time), the book the Life of Jesus, to meet the needs of the community in 100 ADE. What were the changes that the Johannine Community had to deal with; and, how does the Gospel of John differ from earlier gospels to deal with these changes? The entire new testament is apocalyptic writing, by authors who (obviously) believe in the Parousia. We see a lot of different religions of the time develop a "Christ" figure ... it is a sign of the times; it reflects that most people were desperate for help from political and social problems that they could not escape. This is the community that the Gospel of Mark wrote for: the desperate, looking toward their God for help. Now the Gospel of John has to deal with the Parousia, that Christians believed was coming. The Johannine author(s) clearly had the Gospel of Mark

Bonacorso Insurance Agency, Burlington, MA

Bonacorso Insurance company was created by John Bonacorso and Brittany Martel, in Burlington Massachusetts. Presently, that location offers their only office, but another office building is being built in Middleton, Massachusetts, and it will be open soon. The company was originally established in 1956, and it served as a local insurance agency, but recently it has expanded to some degree, and offers various insurance portfolios in the private and business sectors.The company is a basic small insurance company, that is trying to acquire as many clients as possible, and to facilitate that action, the company offers discounts to new clients, and campaigns to provide people who could potentially save with Bonacorso Insurance with free quotes, and the advantages of the company, compared with those of competitors. Bonacorso Insurance offers a number of basic policies and packages, and gladly provides quotes for potential clients.The have life insurance policies, homeowner policies, health coverage policies, automobile insurance policies, policies for boat-owners, and for motorcycle owners. Life insurance premiums vary based on the specific conditions of given clients, but the policies usually cost between $500 and $1,500 per month. Depending on the size, condition, and overall value of a home, homeowner’s policies also vary greatly. For more conventional homes, policies start at $500 per month, and range up to, for the more expensive homes, a rate of $250,000 monthly.Basic health insurance policies for those who qualify cost $360 a month. Automobile insurance policies range from $550 to $6000 dollars monthly, depending on the quality and condition of the vehicle. Boat insurance is comparable in premium price to homeowner’s insurance, as its premiums range from $350 a month to $250,000 per month, based on the specifications of the boat. Motorcycle insurance is also offered by Bonacorso Insurance, and premiums for this type of insurance range from $225 t o $350 monthly, depending on the quality of the motorcycle.That is how every successful insurance agency operates, as rates are different for every client depending on their histories, and certain specifications of what is to be covered. For more conventional cars, boats, motorcycles, and houses, rates may be lower, as not as much is at risk. But for expensive items, rates are generally higher, as are the deductibles, because the company will have to make a much larger payout if coverage proves to be needed. All of these policies also take into account the specific cases of each client who is covered by Bonacorso Insurance.Rates may be slightly higher for clients who have bad histories, and lower for those who have shown their responsibility. For instance, drivers whose records are free of accidents of their own fault save on automobile insurance, as they present less of a monetary risk to the company. But drivers who have been involved in a number of accidents will generally have h igher premiums because the insurance agency feels that they are more likely to be involved in accidents, which the insurance company will pay for on their behalf.And in trying to recruit new clients, Bonacorso Insurance has people who are hired to give people free quotes, hoping that that will encourage them to realize that they could be saving if they switched to Bonacorso. People who work for the agency seek potential clients, and show them their rates, compared to the rates of their competitors, or the national average of a premium for similar clients. Often, when new clients apply for policies with Bonacorso Insurance, discounts are offered to encourage the clients to remain with the agency, because it will save them money.The insurance agency also offers benefits to clients who remain accident free after joining the agency, which may show in a decreasing of premium rates for improving drivers. Automobile insurance is one of the company’s biggest fields, so a lot of the c lient benefits and rewards are offered in that field. Monthly get-togethers, or parties, are hosted by the company, which invites clients to attend the festivities, giving clients a homely, local feel about their insurance provider.Mugs, T-shirts, and other apparel and novelty items are given to clients as well. Businesses are also recruited by Bonacorso Insurance company, and certain benefits are offered to particular businesses. Portfolios for businesses that offer coverage in a number of areas are provided for professional clients, which gives many businesses incentive to join the agency. And much like other insurance companies that work with businesses, certain services may be exchanged between a business and Bonacorso Insurance agency.For instance, if a business agrees to speak out in favor of the agency, or host certain agency events, which shows the business’ satisfaction with the agency, potentially encouraging other businesses to compare rates and perhaps switch to B onacorso, rates and portfolios may be less costly for the business. The agency has been growing in popularity lately, and has expanded from just a small, local boat and automobile coverage agency to one that offers all of the amenities of a larger, more established firm.In 1983, John Bonacorso took the company down a new road, which opened the company to the market of home insurance policies, health insurance policies, life insurance policies, and motorcycle insurance policies. One of the major benefits of the company is that premiums are cut for improving clients. Clients who had histories of accidents at home or in their vehicles would generally have higher premiums initially, but like some of the larger insurance agencies such as State Farm and Progressive are doing, rates may decrease for a client if his or her record improves, as that shows that he or she presents less risk to the agency.Bonacorso Insurance only sustains itself by its number of clients. For any insurance agency to succeed, the number of clients has to be somewhat established, and it cannot sharply decrease. For example, if there were only three clients that an agency had acquired, who were paying an average of $500 a month for their automobile insurance, it would potentially ruin the agency if one of the cars was to be totaled, causing many thousands of dollars in damages.But one in three cars being totaled in a short period is very bad odds for the insurance agency, and if one thousand in three thousand clients totaled their vehicles, it would have the same devastating effects on the insurance agency as if one in three was totaled. But the risk is much higher when the number of clients is low, because with a large number of clients, the firm acquires a level of stability, as the premiums of everyone else would be used to cover the accidents of the few.So Bonacorso Insurance makes it clear that they are always looking for clients, and they tell potential clients how they operate, which is done by stabilizing themselves with a large number of clientele. As with most insurance companies, Bonacorso provides potential clients with rate quotes, that in some cases can be detrimental to the agency, as it demonstrates that, in particular cases, the people shopping for insurance could save more elsewhere. But this is part of the process. No company can offer every client a lower rate than the individual could find with other agencies unless that agency was well on its way to monopolizing the market.So for the most part, Bonacorso Insurance knows that most clients will feel that they could be saving with the agency, as in many cases, rates are lower for potential clients with Bonacorso than with other agencies. So Bonacorso has established enough stability to reveal their quotes, compared with their competitors quotes for particular people (which at times could be slightly lower) because for the most part, Bonacorso Insurance agency offers more to the clients. Another thing t hat the agency has going for it is its local status.The company fits into the community of the Burlington, Massachusetts area, and that makes people feel safe and satisfied as they are insured by people whom they know. This is really shown by the get-togethers and parties that the agency hosts, which it invites its clientele to attend. Trust is thus established by the agency and its clients, which encourages clients to remain with the agency, which, many of them feel, really is helping them. All in all, the company has been a smaller, cordial insurance agency that has a neighborly relationship with its clients.Benefits and cut rates help the agency to secure clientele, and decreasing rates and courteousness on the part of the agency help Bonacorso Insurance maintain its client base. Although it started as a very localized agency that did not offer coverage in all of the fields that it does today, Bonacorso Insurance has grown to some degree, and plans to open a second branch in Midd leton, Massachusetts. But community involvement and its local, neighborly nature should continue to keep the company going at both locations for some time, because clients are satisfied by the way the agency operates.

Pedro Martinez essays

Pedro Martinez essays He was born on October 25, 1971 in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic. Hes five feet and eight inches tall. Hes thirty years old and plays for the Boston Red Sox. Shortstop and pitcher are his positions on the team. Last year his salary this year is about thirteen million and five hundred thousand dollars. His name is Pedro Martinez. Pedro Martinez was born to Paulino and Laopoldina Martinez in Manoguayabo, a rural town with about 1,000 residents. Pedro has two sisters and one brother. His brothers name is Ramon. They played baseball when they were kids living in the Dominican Republic and it was there where they grew their love for the game. In 1984, the Dodgers gave Ramon a contract to play in the minor leagues. This motivated Pedro a lot seeing his brother making his way to the major leagues. Pedro helped his brother warm up for the game and helped carry his equipment to the game. Pedro was first given a contract to play in the minor leagues by the Dodgers in 1988 and in that same year Ramon was given a contract to play for the Dodgers in the major leagues. He was recognized for his 98 mile per hour fastball, especially because of his young age. After competing for years in the minor leagues, he finally got drafted by the Dodgers in 1992 and was reunited with his older brother in the pitching staff. On May 5, 1993 Pedro made his first appearance and won the game for the Dodgers against the New York Mets. He started his first full season in 1993. In November 19, 1993 the Dodgers traded Pedro to the Montreal Expos for second baseman Delino DeShields. This was a great disappointment for Pedro since he wouldnt be able to pitch in the same team as his brother. His nickname when he started was Senor Pluck since he was pitching inside, nearly hitting the batters and sometimes actually hitting them. In response the National League suspended him till the end of the 1996 season and the ...

Speed-the-Plow Plot Summary and Study Guide

Speed-the-Plow Plot Summary and Study Guide Speed-the-Plow is a play written by David Mamet. It is comprised of three lengthy scenes involving the corporate dreams and strategies of Hollywood executives. The original Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow opened on May 3rd, 1988. It starred Joe Mantegna as Bobby Gould, Ron Silver as Charlie Fox, and (making her Broadway debut) pop-icon Madonna as Karen. What does the title Speed-the-Plow mean? The title is derived from a phrase in a 15th-century work-song, God speed the plough. It was a prayer for prosperity and productivity. Plot Summary of Act One: Speed-the-Plow begins with the introduction of Bobby Gould, a recently promoted Hollywood executive. Charlie Fox is a business colleague (ranking below Gould) who brings in a movie script that is connected to a hit-making director. During the first scene, the two men gush about how successful they will become, all thanks to the script option. (The screenplay is a stereotypically violent prison/action movie.) Gould makes a call to his boss. The boss is out of town but will be back the next morning and Gould guarantees that the deal will be approved and that Fox and Gould will get a producer credit. While they discuss the mutual hardships of their early days together, they also mingle with Karen, a temporary receptionist. When Karen is out of the office, Fox wagers that Gould wont be able to seduce Karen. Gould takes the challenge, offended by the idea that Karen would be attracted to his position at the studio, but incapable of loving him as a person. After Fox leaves the office, Gould encourages Karen to become more goal-oriented. He gives her a book to read and asks her to stop by his house and provide a review. The book is titled The Bridge or, Radiation and the Half-Life of Society. Gould has only glanced at it, but he already knows that it is a pretentious attempt at intellectual art, unsuitable for a movie, especially a movie at his studio. Karen agrees to meet him later in the evening, and the scene ends with Gould convinced that he will win his bet with Fox. Plot Summary of Act Two: The second act of Speed-the-Plow takes place entirely in Goulds apartment. It opens with Karen passionately reading from the Radiation book. She claims that the book is profound and important; it has changed her life and taken away all fear. Gould tries to explain how the book would fail as a film. He explains that his job is not to create art but to create a marketable product. Karen continues to persuade, however, as her conversation becomes more personal. She states that Gould does not have to be afraid anymore; he does not have to lie about his intentions. In her scene-closing monolog, Karen says: KAREN: You asked me to read the book. I read the book. Do you know what it says? It says that you were put here to make stories people need to see. To make them less afraid. It says in spite of our transgressions - that we could do something. Which would bring us alive. So that we neednt feel ashamed. By the end of her monolog, it is apparent that Gould has fallen for her, and that she spends the night with him. Plot Summary of Act Three: The final act of Speed-the-Plow returns to Goulds office. Its the morning after. Fox enters and begins to scheme about their upcoming meeting with the boss. Gould calmly states that he will not be green-lighting the prison script. Instead, he plans to make the Radiation book. Fox does not take him seriously at first, but when he finally realizes that Gould is serious, Fox becomes furious. Fox argues that Gould has gone insane and that the source of his madness is Karen. It seems that during the previous evening (before, after or during love-making) Karen has convinced Gould that the book is a beautiful work of art that must be adapted into a film. Gould believes that green-lighting the Radiation book is the right thing to do. Fox becomes so angry that he punches Gould twice. He demands that Gould tells the story of the book in one sentence, but because the book is so complex (or so convoluted) Gould is unable to explain the story. Then, when Karen enters, he demands that she answers a question: FOX: My question: you answer me frankly, as I know you will: you came to his house with the preconception, you wanted him to greenlight the book. KAREN: Yes. FOX: If he had said no, would you have gone to bed with him? When Karen admits that she would not have had sex with Gould if he did not agree to produce the book, Gould is flung into despair. He feels lost, as though everyone wants a piece of him, everyone wants to leech off of his success. When Karen tries to persuade him by saying Bob, we have a meeting, Gould realizes that she has been manipulating him. Karen doesnt even care about the book; she just wanted a chance to quickly move up the Hollywood food chain. Gould exits to his washroom, leaving Fox to promptly fire her. In fact, he does more than fire her, he threatens: You ever come on the lot again, Im going to have you killed. As she exits, he throws the Radiation book after her. When Gould re-enters the scene, he is glum. Fox tries to cheer him up, talking about the future and the movie that they will soon be producing. The last lines of the play: FOX: Well, so we learn a lesson. But we arent here to pine, Bob, we arent here to mope. What are we here to do (pause) Bob? After everything is said and done. What are we put on earth to do? GOULD: Were here to make a movie. FOX: Whose name goes above the title? GOULD: Fox and Gould. FOX: Then how bad can life be? And so, Speed-the-Plow ends with Gould realizing that most, perhaps all, people will desire him for his power. Some, like Fox, will do it openly and blatantly. Others, like Karen, will try to deceive him. Foxs final line asks Gould to look on the bright side, but since their movie products seem shallow and overtly commercial, it seems that there is little satisfaction to Goulds successful career.

Introduction to Social Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Introduction to Social Anthropology - Essay Example Anthropology investigates humankind as it arises in all recognised corners of the world (Llobera 2003). Its task is basically to explain or portray. However, without surpassing boundaries of its range, it can and should shift from the specific to the general. Why is Anthropology Important? Anthropology has a number of branches and each branch presents a particular component of the study of our roots and evolution as a life form (Wallman 1992). For example, linguistic anthropology studies language. It is a widely known fact that there are many languages all over the world. To understand further the connections between these various languages and the variations that exist in terminology and word use is one of the tasks that anthropologists perform (Moore & Sanders 2006). Anthropology is also vital from the perspective of inquiry into traditions and rituals and the human nature within various tribal groups and groups of people. Several traditions that are prohibited in some societies mi ght be viewed as acceptable in others (Moore & Sanders 2006). It is this reconciliation of the disparity between people’s inherent perspective of their own culture and the cultures of others is the basis for the relevance of anthropology. ... Despite of the unclear nature of the importance of anthropology to development, arguments were presented all over the 1990s speaking up for the moral relevance of anthropology (Moran 1996, 328): [I]t is morally necessary for anthropology to become centrally engaged in today’s critical issues- poverty, powerlessness, environmental degradation, and national, class, caste, gender, ethnic, religious, and racial oppressions—and that anthropology has important contributions yet to make about the kinds of formations that will characterise human social life in the twenty-first century. As stated by Bennett (1996), in his discussion of the emergence of applied anthropology, â€Å"anything that deprives people of their needs or desires should be changed or reformed† (as cited in Gow 2002, 299). He further explains his argument by mentioning the work of the ‘great articulator of applied ideology in the 1950-60s’, Laura Thompson (Gow 2002, 299): In essence it [a pplied anthropology] symbolises both the desire and desirability of human beings to fulfil themselves individually and collectively to the maximum of their physical-emotional-intellectual powers, and to do both as single personalities and in relation to other personalities. It is exactly this focus on the political and moral that has kept on troubling anthropologists in the mid-1990s. D’Andrade (1995) worried that anthropology is shifting from a field rooted in an objective perspective of the world to one founded on a moral perspective of the world, the main objective of such is â€Å"to identify what is good and what is bad and to allocate reward and punishment† (as cited in Moore & Sanders 2006, 513). Scheper-Hughes, reacting to

Television Advertising and Gender Stereotypes Essay

Television Advertising and Gender Stereotypes - Essay Example It should not be surprising then that gender roles are already fully enforced by the time the child leaves for school since daytime television represents the most egregious period for the reproduction of traditional gender stereotypes that coerce a commitment to meeting them from both the impressionable child and, typically, the mother whose influence over the child's developing mind is in conflict with the most entertaining and available substitute for the missing father, the television set. Television commercials are among the most effective when it comes to media reproduction of the existing gender ideologies by simple virtue of the ubiquity of the set itself. In the United States, for instance, it has been estimated that the percentage of population that has at least one television inside their home is a staggering 98%, and further the average member of these households spend more than the equivalent of one full 24 hour day per week watching television (Coltrone, Adams 325) Throughout the history of television advertising right up to contemporary times, the images that are projected and reinforced in commercials have been unsatisfying at best and demeaning at worst. Invariably, female characters are presented as objects of sexual domination who seem to exist entirely to prepare themselves for the approval of the male. At the same time, male characters are typically portrayed in such a way as to intensify the acceptance of aggressive behavior and the urge to dominate while engaging in every imaginable activity (Ruth 388.) Stereotypes are reinforced with more attention paid toward the gender dependent upon the demographics of the viewing audience, and within these minor recalculation there exists ever more subtle calibrations of the effect. For instance since the beginning of television history the daytime has been devoted to viewing aimed predominantly at females in the form of soap operas, cooking shows and children's cartoons. The demographics have certainly changed over the decades with more women entering the workplace and more men staying at home, but contemporary daytime television is still dominated by soap operas and discussion shows like Oprah Winfrey. As a result the changing lifestyles, often the gender stereotyping becomes so subtle as to be unobserved by casual viewers (Craig 209). Men are most often portrayed as confident and independent while women are generally more passive and less ambitious. This engendering of hidden stereotyp es can be as thinly veiled as showing men in suits and a tie acting in a corporate setting while women are shown dressed more casually and hanging out with friends. Commercials and advertisements offered during the daylight hours have traditionally served the purpose of reinforcing the ideological naturalization that places men firmly into the authoritarian and patriarchal role while strengthening the belief that women should associate femininity with submission (Perse 167). Even on 21st century television commercials women are invariably shown to be primarily interested in household duties and motherly obligations. The role of the housewife and by extension all women is to not only service the male and his