Humans are weak. There are so many ways to terminate human’s “legendary” civilization. Nuclear war wipes every organism on this planet. Hurricane squeezes planes and vehicles.…
The social and political system in the United States of America unquestionably revolves around white supremacy and misogyny. Many pop culture icons have attempted to make a change, but none have seemed to have done it quite like Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The pop icon released her album, Lemonade, in April of 2016, which lyrically and visually shows themes of different social issues such as racism and the treatment of women. Beyoncé combines the two together and explicitly discusses the injustices faced among African-American women, which can be heard and seen in the visuals during songs like “Don’t Hurt Yourself” and “Freedom”. Beyoncé takes her personal life, expands it, and leads it into the illustration of the struggle black women face across the United States.…
The Article, Cheer up, it’s only the end of the world states that there are two major threats to the world which could lead to an apocalypse: nuclear extermination and environmental extinction. World War I started the nuclear age in history and “novelist Ken Vonnegut lamented that the threat of nuclear war had robbed us of plain old death…” (pg.2). America had a new fear that this would lead to the end of everything, “final destruction of the world”. (pg. 2).…
Perseverance Through the Storm James G. Mackay tells readers of The New York Times about his experience during Hurricane Harvey, in order to praise the resiliency of humanity throughout the storm. By implementing his first-hand accounts of heart wrenching and uplifting stories from Harvey, Mackay is able to convince his audience that the devastation has propelled the affected community into a period of selfless cooperation between strangers and neighbors. Mackay establishes credibility by detailing his direct accounts of Harvey’s disastrous effects in Rockport, Texas and other areas all around Texas and Louisiana. Beginning in the first paragraph and throughout the remainder of the article, Mackay uses the pronoun “I” when introducing segments…
Modern day people have a strange affinity for using aspects of ancient cultures as a basis for their cults, prophecies and as spiritual guides to the future. Perhaps the most memorable occurrence of this affinity was the infamous prophecy concerning the Mayan Apocalypse of 2012, an idea created from belief that the world would end or change in some fashion once that year ended. Of all the actions generated by the aforementioned mentality, this prophecy was perhaps the most ridiculous considering how obviously wrong it was and how little we really know about Mayan culture, iconography, and language. The Mayan Apocalypse of 2012 was the belief that either cataclysmic or transformative events would occur that year on December 21st.…
confessor stated that the reason there was no proof of a book that recovered. As if noting a weakness in her story, one confessor speculated “that the devil must keep the witches’ signatures because he “Carried [hers] away with him”(Triggs 2). There have been events all throughout American history that have been monumental and has had events that led into mass hysteria caused by fear. Many of these events were brought on by the ignorance of others. Events like the mass internment of Japanese-Americans during World War Two and the Red-Scare brought on during the Cold War with the fear of Russian espionage in America.…
One way in which Maugham presents ideas of love and desire is destructively. This is evident when Kitty’s love for Charlie leads to Walter presenting her with an ultimatum; either Walter ‘files for a petition’ or she goes with him to Mei-Tan-Fu. Maugham punishes Kitty’s choices and sends her to her potential death, which shows that Kitty’s adultery can have dire consequences. Kitty’s love for Charlie leads to her virtual death sentence and Walter’s self-hatred of having an unrequited love causes him to go with her into a ‘cholera epidemic’. Maugham himself was a homosexual and knew about the need to hide this from the disapproving society he lived in.…
The story of the early nineteenth century election in A Magnificent Catastrophe, Larson so wonderfully writes, provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the historical election. Adams and Jefferson, leaders and rivals in opposition, fought for the presidency in the 1800 election. Hamilton, Washington, Burr, and many other players supplemented information and took part in the events leading up to the election. The narrative centers on the new and developing political system and the trials and tribulations that were endured by all.…
It is easy to believe that attaining peace in this world where violence and wars are so apparent is getting much harder. Perhaps to the point in which it is verging on the impossible. ‘Eve of Destruction’ expresses a strong but heartfelt warning towards how our hypocrisy as a society is edging us closer to our own demise . The writer, P.F Slogan, addresses both the solider and society singing about being on the ‘eve of destruction’. He wrote, “You’re old enough to kill but not for voting”, “you don’t believe in war, then what’s that gun your totin.”…
On Wednesday, November 9th, I interviewed Dr. Kenneth Jurkiewicz and we discussed what he is currently studying and my topic for my plan b essay. Dr. Jurkiewicz, better known as Dr. J, studies various genre theories that over time have either reflected or reinforced a change in cultural attitudes and values. He was interested in this subject of study because since he was a little kid he was curious on how something would become popular over another. He began film studies his Senior year at Detroit University. Originally he wanted to be a movie critic but decided to become a teacher about book and film studies.…
After they realized the masked figure that took the Prince’s life was undefeatable \, they had no option to put up a fight with him. Soon after his death, “one by one dropped the revellers”. It doesn’t specify whether they submitted to the Red Death or to another cause. The reader finally understands the theme as much as they try, no one can escape from “Darkness and Decay and the Red Death” because they held “illimitable dominion over…
Transcendentalism In Today's Pop Culture “It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson was a great transcendentalist who shared many of his beliefs in his writings. Transcendentalism is the philosophy that promotes the understanding that there is goodness in nature and in people, and it is supported in various ways today. Many current movies, songs, books, and TV shows endorse transcendentalism.…
It’s the end of the world, the ground is shaking, and someone’s house is collapsing! What would that person do? This exemplifies an atmosphere of intense fear and hysteria, which leads to many life and death decisions. People make tough choices in dreadful situations that they would not normally do; sometimes for self gain, and other times for the sake of others. Situations similar to this include fictional events like the movie 2012, or even events in history, such as the Great Fear during the French Revolution.…
Survivalists are individuals who go above and beyond to plan for a secure future in the event of disaster. When most people think of survivalists, or preppers, they automatically associate the group with the negative stigma that accompanies the history. “You can bet Ted Nugent’s crossbow that, for most people, the term “survivalists”—or the more polite “preppers”—conjures images of tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy theorists holed up in Montana hoarding canned pinto beans and assault weapons” (O’ Conner). We have all seen or heard of television shows such as Doomsday Preppers that portray the group as extremists. Due to the political and financial strife often portrayed in society, how important is prepping going to be in the future for all members of society?…
The Age of Extremes A History of the World, 1914-1991 by Eric Hobsbawm is separated into three sections, and covers what Hobsbawm calls the short twentieth century. The three sections are, The Age of Catastrophe, 1914-1945, which is called so because it covers the first two world wars, the decaying of colonial empires, the spread of communism, the near breakdown of the capitalist system, and ended only after the liberal West and the Soviet Union forged a temporary, unlikely alliance to defeat Hitler. The second part of the book is The Golden Age, 1950-1970, where Hobsbawm covers the cold war and communism The real story of The Golden age is in the massive growth of the world 's economy, technological revolution and, for most of…