Technology and the Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology and the Future - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the future is coming and it will be shaped by technology. Everywhere around us, technology is changing our lives. The future is hard to predict, but one thing we know for sure is that technology will be present and increasingly determine our lives. This raises a lot of ethical issues. We need to think long and hard about these complex issues. For example, one of the things that technology can do is provide more security and convenience. However, many new technologies provide both pros and cons. The idea of implanting a CHIP inside of all U.S. citizens is certainly one. There are definite positives relating to this idea and definite negatives. Overall, however, this is a terrible idea and should not be pursued. There are positive aspects to inserting CHIPS in all American citizens. It would reduce costs and potentially reduce bureaucratic screw-ups. No one would ever lose their medical information and it would cost less to transfer. How ever, it is plainly unconstitutional. It is also a serious encroachment into the lives of American citizens on behalf of the Nanny State. In an age where TSA officers grope children in security lines in airports, the last thing we need is more intrusion such as the implantation of chips. We need to think about these ethical dimensions. We need to think about these questions, just as we need to think about whether to find out about the genetic situation of our children before they are born.

Devised Work Challenging Established Ideas Of Drama Film Studies Essay

Devised Work Challenging Established Ideas Of Drama Film Studies Essay Foremost, it is important to establish what is meant by the devising process. The devising process is an approach; an approach undertaken by a whole Company, in creating a performance of some kind. It focuses on the long process of exploration allowing the performers to free their imagination and bodies(Complicite, 1). Each branch of the process develops from play and improvisation, instigated by games and exercises. The more traditional and established ideas of conventional drama, focuses upon the often patriarchal, hierarchal relationship between playwright and director (Oddey 1996, 4). The practises of conventional drama therefore rely upon the interpretation of the playwrights text, and the handling of the text by the director and actors, and how this then becomes realised on stage, through a production process in a theatre building (Oddey 1996, 4). Historically, Post War British theatre has rooted its practises with the play text and playwright. Thus the emphasis has always been upon the relationship between the writing and the performance. However, as an alternative the devising process offers a collective creation of theatre, rather than the importance being solely upon the writer. As Oddey states Devised work or the process is more of a response and a reaction to the playwright-director relationship(Oddey 1996, 4). Yet it is still met with a sub-genre perception in terms of theatre form, with the only reason being, it has not been constructed in the establishedway of making theatre from playwright, via director and actors, to performance(Oddey 1996, 4). Surely the devising process should be accepted as an approach nonetheless than traditional approaches in theatre. For even though it takes the opposite view, inevitably challenging established ideas, its purpose is not in replacing traditional forms but instead creating a new path where artistic endeavour can be expressed. The devising approach allows different forms and mediums to come together, rather than the focus being on traditional text-based performances or the exploration of naturalism. It reveals an inclination almost always towards the physical, surreal, and the abstract and is often instigated by a conceptual genesis that potentially eventuates in to its own language of non-verbal forms (Oddey 1996, 5). This was definitely found true during the semester, in which our focus was on devising our summative performances. Initially, after receiving our stimulus, of Hansel Gretel, we were encouraged immediately to start working on our feet. We participated in games and exercises that seemed to be far from the outcome of any performance. However, the utilising of this process enabled us to experiment from scratch and help initialise our final ideas. For example, the use of balloons and toys incorporated into the games we played helped establish the foundations for our final piece. Abstract notions certainly grew out of these games, where we tended to explore the space using our physicality rather than prompts from a premeditated script. Physical expression seemed to grow out and become the dominant form, whilst experiencing the devising process. However, there were still concerns about the approach and whether, in comparison to the traditional forms of drama, the outcome of our piece would be just as relatable and comprehendible to our audience. Thus it carried the unknown risk of whether we would be able to actualise our ideas into a tangible creation. All dramatic form encompasses a certain amount of risk. However, it is appropriate to comment that through the experience of this module, Devising encounters the highest factor. This probably stems from creating something initially from scratch that revolves potentially around the physicality of the body, more so than the written word. Furthermore, as Joan Schirle states There is no guarantee that the best ideas will emergeor that the simultaneous contributions of numbers of people can unite in a work of power and vision(Schirle 2005, 91). During our summative projects, we had to combat this barrier in particular, as effectively as possible. Everyone wanted to see their own vision realised and sometimes this meant it was difficult to maintain a calm composure and not bombard or pressure others into taking on your idea. On the other hand, we found holding back was just as detrimental. We discovered that it was important to determine the balance of vision, enthusiasm and acceptance and respect for others and structure our rehearsal processes by this policy, so that we could utilise our development time successfully. Another factor that suggests the Devising process carries more risk than other art forms is the developmental time allotted. Of course with any approach, traditional or alternative, there is a finite amount of time to explore and create. Still the traditional approach uses the script, which potentially dictates every aspect of the production, therefore assumingly making work the more easier; for example, the characters, the set, the length of the piece have already been decided, to name a few. However, the devising process can be infinite to an extent and therefore challenges the established approaches as aforementioned. For it is not bound by a play-text, but instead, is a process of un-layering and exploring a world of tangents. Yet with this supposedly new found freedom of breaking away from the traditional rules that are laid down within script work, there was still a reluctance to compromise personal artistic ideals(Schirle 2005, 91). I experienced this certainly within our group, where there was an overwhelming concern of what others might think. I found this frustrating as it wasnt related to the task at hand, of which was to create a comprehendible piece of drama. It was more about the testing of barriers, and how others would react to new drama. Surely drama, conventional or alternative, aims to provoke, disturb, question or consolidate thought, for its audience, for society. This timorousness towards the devising process, probably instigated by entrenched traditional approaches, seemed to echo the words of Raymond Chandler There is no art without resistance from the medium(Schirle 2005, 91). Devising is an approach that challenges traditional forms of drama through its ability to constantly redefine performance. It entices us as artists to formulate new techniques to communicate our reflection to society. Upon reflection of the process of our Devised work it was interesting to experience a new way in working with drama. We saw our initial idea of Hansel and Gretel encounter many tangents along the way. There was a constant battle of vision after vision, which led us down far away paths. However, working through this maze it was always important to come back and realise the aims and the outcome that we collaboratively wanted to create. Within the process of devising, the many tangents and themes that can potentially be discovered, was at times overpowering. Trying to incorporate too many ideas, in such little time, was almost an impossible feat. In comparison to established practises of drama, this approach was much more challenging. For example, a script in some respects has done the legwork for you. It has been carefully constructed and planned with a vast amount of time in perfecting it. Within the devising process there is no initial structure of which to fall back on, therefore making the struggle for ideas to be realised on stage or in performance that much harder. Nonetheless it does provide the opportunity, in contrast to established approaches, to be boundless in creativity. Furthermore, within the devising process, the initial genesis of a piece can be changed and its original intention significantly altered. Throughout our summative piece we encountered such a happening. It came to be justified in changing the intention of our piece to reflect a specific theme, food. Initially, we wanted to recreate the Hansel and Gretel story, with the incorporation of different forms of theatre, and the exploration of many themes. However, due to time constraints, it became clear that the focus on one particular theme would be more appropriate. It was through discovery in games and exercises that we came back to the relatable theme of food. Throughout the rehearsal process, we tried to re-create this, and eventually came back to our fairytale, interweaving its plot line through our performance. It was then realised that the problematic relationship of writing to devising cannot be ignored(Heddon 2006, 110). In comparison to traditional approaches to drama this conund rum is practically non-existent (Heddon 2006, 11) and therefore the decision to incorporate a director figure head, of which we would all take turns at, was undertaken. This benefited our piece positively as we were able to gain an objective insight in to the work we were creating. In hindsight we perhaps needed more of a figure head to aid the process in devising our final piece. We discovered how easy it was to lose track of our vision and it was always beneficial to have someone listening in to make sure we didnt lose focus or stray too far away from our vision. In terms of my personal development I feel the devising approach as a process, has enlightened me to the endless possibilities of interaction between different forms and mediums of drama; that necessarily wouldnt take place using a Shakespearian text for example. We did decide to explore different forms of drama, and considered naturalism and realism as one of the routes to explore in our piece. However, due to the physically expressive nature of our piece, it did not fit well, suggesting that introducing more traditional forms of theatre wasnt going to work in this type of performance. The practitioners that our group were mostly influenced by were the theatre companies whose expressivity lay in physical theatre. For example, Frantic Assembly, and Shockheaded Peter were a great inspiration to our group. We specifically looked at Frantic Assemblys production of Stockholm, an interesting collaboration that interweaved amazing physical scenes around food. It was through this inspiration that we came to create unison movements that would achieve the effect of being both shocking and mesmerising to our audience. Shockheaded Peter was influential in inspiring our costume and makeup designs. Their fun and fabulous use of masks and elaborate makeup, juxtaposed with sometimes normal outfits, engaged our group in creating a similar contrast. We particularly wanted to overindulge the face, seeing as it is such a prolific body part relating to food, and create it as the centre of focus for the audience. There were times during the process where we experienced low momentum, simultaneously stumbling across a devisors block. At times this was bitterly frustrating, as we were all significantly aware of time constraints placed upon this process. In restoring our motivation, we went back to our roots, to become invigorated. This encompassed researching and reflecting on music, art or drama that we felt was inspiring to us. It worked very well, as more often than not a quick emergence into such creativity produced a flash of thought that provided a way out of the darkness. In conclusion, it is clear that the devising process has initiated a change in my concept of the text, expanding it to various forms of media, of which can all equally be as successful as a written piece. Furthermore, I have fortunately been able to gain a new skill set, enabling me to develop another way in approaching material. The process has been both a flexible and fun approach that has helped to initiate the breakdown of barriers between colleagues and the material presented to us at the very beginning. The journey has been one of discovery and opportunity, opening a new spectrum to the world of creative expression.

Lord of The Rings :: essays research papers

J.R.R. Tolkien's concept of too much power is summed up by Lord Acton when he once said, "Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely." In Tolkien's first book of his fantasy based trilogy, Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Rings tells a story of a quest to destroy a powerful ring throughout Tolkien's created "Middle Earth". This quest was headed by a "Hobbit" named Frodo Baggins who, in the end, becomes corrupted by power himself. This corruption begins when Frodo uses his ring to become invisible over and over again to escape certain situations. The quest to destroy the powerful "Ruling Ring" forms the basis for this story. The book begins with Bilbo Baggins celebrating his one hundred and eleventh birthday. Many "Hobbits" show up at his party including his third cousin, Frodo, which is the main character of the novel and a powerful wizard named Gandalf. Biblo possed a powerful ring known as the "Ruling Ring" which gives "Supreme Power" to whoever has possession of it. At the end of the party, Bilbo uses his magical ring to turn invisible and stun his guests. Gandalf, the powerful wizard, then meets up with Biblo at his house and takes the ring from Bilbo, which is corrupting him. Gandalf examines it, realizing that the ring Bilbo has is the powerful "Ruling Ring". Knowing that the forces of evil are in search of the ring, Gandalf sends Frodo, a relative of Biblo, to destroy the ring in the only place it can be destroyed, "Mt. Doom". Overhearing the talk between Gandalf and Frodo, Sam, a "Hobbit", that is good friends with Frodo is forced on the quest to aid Frodo. The two Hobbits set off on a journey in which they meet up with others that join them on their journey such as Gimli the "Dwarf", Legolas the "Elven" archer, Boromir a "Human" tracker, Aragorn the heir to the "Human" throne, two more "Hobbits" Merry, Pippin and the powerful "Wizard" Gandalf. They travel across "Middle Earth" fighting off many "Orcs" and "Black Riders" which are in search of the ring by the orders of the powerful evil "Wizard" Sauron. During their quest, they encounter many ambushes by the "Orcs" which they overcome and usually slay. In some of the ambushes, Frodo uses his ring to become invisible to escape from the "Orcs" and "Black Riders". Boromir asks to see Frodo's ring because he has a yearning for power and authority and then tries to take it from him.

Portia the Control Freak – Merchant of Venice

I would love to write a critical essay about the role of Portia in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Merchant of Venice,† hailing her as one of Shakespeare’s greatest contributions to the society of the sane; however, I find this impossible after re-reading the text. At first, I hung on her every word and was amazed at her wit, but later I found her to be just another Shakespearean psycho. Basically, I understood Portia to be nothing less than an obedient daughter obeying the whims of her dead, over-protective father. She speaks in terms of respect about the coffin ritual, and the reader believes her to be sincere. Later as her character s unfolded, the reader sees a wife in love with the husband who was wise enough to earn her love (and consequently her fortune! ). Beware, gentle reader! Do not fall under the spell of Portia the control freak! The following scenerios must be proof that this woman is not to be trusted! First of all, let’s evaluate the scene where Portia and Bassanio are before the caskets where Bassanio must make his choice. The dialogue directly preceeding the finding of the casket is basic lover’s speech, but wait! Listen carefully to what Portia says: â€Å"If you do love me, you will find me out† (III ii 41). Portia leads Bassanio to elieve that the choice he makes in the caskets is his own. She leads the reader to believe that Bassanio’s love for her is the only force which leads to the discovery of the correct casket. However, earlier when Portia is speaking of the preparations for the casket choice, she speaks of music which is to be played while Bassanio makes his choice. Ok, this seems innocent enough; but examine the song–the first two lines of the song rhyme with lead! It doesn’t take long for the subliminal message to be absorbed in Bassanio’s brain, and the lead casket is chosen. This manipulative device is an indication to me that Portia has a need to make things go her way. She is afraid that Bassanio will make the wrong choice, and therefore assists him. Point #2. Portia creates a way of controlling the future of the relationship between herself and Bassanio. Portia gives Bassanio a ring with the words, â€Å"I give you this ring, which when you part from, lose, or give away, / Let it presage the ruin of your love†. Of course, Bassanio gives away the ring first chance he gets. Portia later makes known that the man he gave the ring to was her, and she proceeds to scold Bassanio for his lack of love. Bassanio is trapped! No matter hat he does for the rest of their relationship, in his mind will remain the idea that Portia is watching! This is a clever device invented by Mr. Shakespeare; however, it does display a certain obsessive, manipulative air about Portia. Hmmmmm†¦. Lastly, I would like to take a venture. I was wondering earlier while reading the â€Å"Merchant of Venice† why Shakespeare used the doppel- ganger technique in his presentation of Nerissa and Portia. Nerissa follows Portia about and makes the same decisions Portia does. Nerissa is not as bright as Portia, and yet she meets the same ultimate fate as Portia. I am wondering if Shakespeare could have used Nerissa to point out the manipulative characteristics of Portia. It is true that one way that manipulative people feed is through weaker people who uphold them and their values. If anyone has any insight on this thought, let me know! Well, there you have it. My true feelings on Portia. Sure she is to be admired in some aspects, but perhaps as all great archetypes she has her foibles and faults. If anyone finds anything about the aforementioned aspects of Portia’s character, please let me know. I have had not luck finding Anything about Portia on the web. Thanks.

Theme of the Road Not Taken

In life decisions have to be made. Some are regular every day choices that have little impact on your life. Others however, can change your life forever. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken† Robert Frost uses sound, figurative language, diction to illustrate the importance of every day decisions and the regret you get when you think about those decisions later in life. Once the first stanza is read the first example of sound is revealed. The rhyme scheme in this poem is ABAAB. The words that rhyme in the first stanza are â€Å"wood/stood/could† (lines 1, 3, and 4) and â€Å"both/undergrowth† (lines 2 and 5). These rhymes give the poem a sense of connectivity and flow. They also emphasize certain ideas in the poem such as the fact that both paths were equal in every way and none had been traveled before as he states in stanza two. Also alliteration is present in the poem. In line eight, alliteration makes the poem flow more poetically. â€Å"Because it was grassy and wanted wear;† (line 8). The â€Å"wa† sound repeats itself in the last two words of the line. These examples of sound make a poem that should sound uneven flow like a poem should. Figurative language in a poem can intensify any meaning greatly. For example Frost uses personification and imagery to create pictures in our head of what the forest looks like and gives personality to inanimate objects. For example, when Frost says â€Å"Because it was grassy and wanted wear† (line 8) in line eight he uses personification. A road cannot want anything but it does give the road the personality that it has not been traveled ever before. Also he gives imagery when he says the forest is a â€Å"yellow wood† (line 1) which gives the impression that the leaves have fallen off the trees and it is autumn time in the forest. Autumn in literature represents the coming of old age and wisdom but the character still has a feeling of fulfillment. So in the poem the character could be nearing the end of his journey with a feeling of riches and fulfillment but a final decision might determine his destiny. Finally diction in this poem creates the theme and gives the poem the regretful and remorseful feeling we get at the end. In the final stanza he says that â€Å"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence. † (lines 16 and17). Now, when someone tells a story with a sigh it means that they might regret the story they are about to tell. The character probably second guesses himself on the decision he made years ago and wonders what he would be like if he had chosen the other path. Even as he makes the choice (as he knows he has to or else he will not get anywhere) he knows that whatever path he chooses he will never know what lies on the other side. This is why he always tells his story with a sigh. Decisions in life are hard to make and sometimes can be overwhelming. Frost uses sound, figurative language, and diction to communicate what decisions can lead to later in life. The poem explains that in life there is not a right or wrong path. There are just many paths that are equal and have different outcomes. This leads to people second guessing themselves later in life and wondering about the unknowable path that they did not take. This means that no matter what path you choose something is going to happen and you have to accept it. Therefore, in life it doesn’t matter if you make the right or wrong decisions just seize the day.