Lady Macbeth Analysis

The characters in Shakespeare’s are strongly developed by the use of soliloquies. Through them, introspection of the characters is revealed. Lady Macbeth, in particular, is very dynamic, and her nature grows throughout the play. Her changes are often highlighted through her soliloquies, thus giving the audience a clear idea of her development. When Macbeth told his wife of the witches’ prophecy, Lady Macbeth wanted nothing else but to make it true.She asked the spirits to â€Å"Unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top full of direst cruelty! † (Act 1, Scene 5) She asks for the power to convince and control her husband’s mind with her ambition to become the queen. In this soliloquy, Lady Macbeth reveals to the audience her evil nature; however, this trait is hidden from the characters around her as the minute Macbeth enters and her soliloquy finishes, she softens into a loving wife, calling Macbeth â€Å"My dearest love,† and comfor ting him of Duncan’s visit.Right before the scene ends, she tells him that â€Å"To alter favor ever is to fear. Leave all the rest to me. † This should send Macbeth a signal of her blooming nature. Lady Macbeth enters the courtyard of the castle after drugging the king’s guards with alcohol and says to herself that â€Å"what has quench’d them hath given me fire. † (Act 2, Scene 2) She is bold and ferocious, and she drunk not only on the alcohol, but her greed and her evil desires fuel her.Her soliloquy shows the audience the climax of her growth. She confidently admits to herself who she is and is happy about what she’s done. After meeting with Macbeth and seeing his weakness, she calls Macbeth â€Å"Infirm of purpose† and takes matters into her own hands to complete the deed. Lady Macbeth’s growth is revealed to both the audience and to her husband in this soliloquy. The last of Lady Macbeth’s soliloquies is during he r sleep walk.She is admitting her crime, and trying to wash blood off her hands. She believes that ‘’all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand,† (Act 1, Scene 1) obviously crumbling under the guilt. Her fear is also torturing her, through her unresolved reassurance to herself that â€Å"Banquo’s buried. He cannot come out on ‘s grave. † There are no traces of her evil nature left, and her soliloquy reveals her weakness, and her regret as she admits to herself that â€Å"what is done cannot be undone. Lady Macbeth is portrayed as the fierce minded wife of Macbeth, unlike most women of her time. She is strong willed, however, not stronger than her guilty conscience, as she is eventually crushed and killed by her own evil nature. Shakespeare shows the development of Lady Macbeth through three soliloquies placed in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the play to give the audience a very clear understanding of both the dyna mics of the character and also the plot of the play.

Hate Crimes Essay

A hate crime is an act of violence, a threat, harassment, or property damage motivated by bigotry and prejudice against the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or sexual orientation of another group or individual. These acts are not only against the victim(s), but also the particular group as a whole. Hate crimes are very common and often times it is hard to tell whether or not the crime is motivated by hate. I chose this topic because I was watching a TV show call Criminal that told true stories of hate crimes. The one that got me interested was â€Å"Punks vs. Preps,† there had been an ongoing feud between the two groups, which ended in a teen losing his life. This episode showed one of the many cases of hate crimes that have plagued our nation. Watching it caused me to grow curious about how often these terrible events happened, as well as, what is being done to prevent future breakouts of hate crimes. Many people assume that hate crime offenders are hate-filled Nazi’s or â€Å"skinheads†. But research by a clinical psychologist at the University of California shows that out of 1,459 cases in the span of a year less than 5 percent were members of a hate group (http://www.hatecrime.org). Most hate crimes are carried out by, seemingly, law-abiding young people who do not think their actions are wrong. Sometimes drugs and alcohol help initiate these crimes, but the main factor appears to be personal prejudice. Personal prejudice is what blinds a person from seeing the wrong in what they are doing. Most times this prejudice comes from an environment that sees differences as threats. The worst hate crimes are often committed by people with a history of antisocial behavior. One of these examples took place in June of 1998 in Jasper, Texas. Three men, with jail records, offered a ride to a black man with a limp. After beating him to death, they dragged him behind their truck until his body was partially dismembered (http://hatecrime.org). According to the FBI, about thirty percent of all hate crimes in 1996 were crimes against property. They involved robbing, vandalizing, destroying, stealing, and/or arson. Approximately seventy percent involve an attack  against a person. This can range from simple assault (without a weapon) to aggravated assault, rape, and murder. This type of attack has two levels of injury, on a person’s physical self and also on a person’s identity (http://www.stopthehate.org). Educated guesses of the presence of hate crimes in a society are difficult because each state defines and reports these crimes differently. The Hate Crime Statistics Act was enacted in 1990, but federal law enforcement officials did not begin collecting nationwide statistics until the following year. Another obstacle to gaining an accurate count of hate crimes is that many victims are afraid to report the attacks. This comes from the trauma they have experienced and fear of retaliation or future contact with the offender(s). Another reason is that it is difficult to identify a biased motive. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is often caused by hate crimes. Some symptoms are intense feelings of vulnerability, anger, and depression, learning problems, and difficulty with relationships (both physical and emotional). Studies have shown that some victims have taken as long as five years to overcome the feelings. They may heal more quickly if support is available soon after the incident (Punks vs. Preps). Hate crimes not only affect the victim himself, but they also affect the particular group the victim is from or thought to be from. When the result of the attack is serious injury or the loss of a life then it also affects the family and friends of the victim. Racial Hatred is by far the most common type of hate crime with African Americans as the group at greatest risk. In 1996, sixty percent (4,831 of 7,947) of hate crimes were committed because of race; two-thirds of these crimes were targeting African Americans (http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr). The type of crimes committed against this group has not changed since the nineteenth century; they still include murder, cross burnings, vandalizing churches, and bombings. As for the other racially motivated crimes, about twenty-five percent were against white people, seven percent against Asian Pacific Americans, less than five percent against multiracial groups, and one percent against Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. Ethnic minorities in the United States are often targeted because they are  thought to be new to the country even if their families have been here for generations. Other times they are targeted just because they are seen as different from the majority population.

Naomi Klein Essay

Naomi Klein’s comparison between Rachel Corrie and Jessica Lynch, particularly the attention she pays to the story of Corrie, illustrate the broad, almost invisible borders that defined Corrie’s conception of political and feminist solidarity. As Theresa Saliba highlights in her essay, Corrie was not merely determined to align herself politically, socially, or based upon her gender but instead sought to reach across all lines of Palestinian society to peacefully stand against the oppression of the Israeli government. Despite her status as an American, Corrie had realized an almost unknown status of human solidarity that had little to do with religion, gender, or nation. However, Corrie did not neglect the needs of the Palestinian women she encountered. Instead, she brought the same notion of political solidarity to her work with the women of Gaza. It is that overlapping of nuances, both political and gender-related, that underline the arguments of not only Corrie’s actions as described by Klein or Saliba’s defense of Corrie but the concept of feminist solidarity throughout the Arab world. Kim Berry’s examination of the misuse and abuse of the Bush Administration’s so-called defense of women’s rights, examines how important the perception of women has become in the â€Å"war-on-terror† but more importantly how such rhetoric can actually undermine these same rights. It creates a politically appealing picture for the public, to illustrate the evils of the Taliban but fails to engage the Afghan women themselves. Similarly, such posturing does little to economically or socially improve the lives of Afghan woman, as noted in the Feminist Majority Foundation’s press release on the need for more funding for the establishment of women’s rights. In the present climate, both abroad and in the U. S. , as shown in Mervat Hatem’s examination of Arab-American relations, feminist solidarity becomes part of a larger construct of human rights.

Week 8 History 2303 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 8 History 2303 - Essay Example The rules that were formulated this time allowed husbands to claim their wives wherever they found them and they could always snatch the women of their wages. There were instances where a widow could be snatched all the husbands’ belongings; fathers could distribute their wealth to all their children disregarding their daughters, women had no property rights. (Stearns and Walkowitz. 57) Also in some cases they had their rights upheld and they could be paid their wages whenever they worked for overtime and also they were not overworked if payments were not necessary. Women in some instances were guaranteed better life in the factories and there were no unjust laws. The mill girls who had their own homes were allowed moderate time to work and also the opportunity to teach in some schools during summer months. Some widows got the opportunity to be housed in corporation houses where the girls were also kept. More so, these girls were given the opportunity to read the novels and the bibles and some other good books that could appeal to them. They participated in critical writings and this was the only avenue they could voice their grievances. Many girls were put in a situation that only enabled them to extend their help to their drunken fathers and widowed mothers. Many girls were forced to work and their wages used to pay school fees for their male counterparts, althou gh the influence of industrialization made them uniformly good in terms of character, religion as well as their health. When wages were significantly reduced, girls challenged it by engaging in industrial strike. (Stearns and Walkowitz.

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Reflection - Essay Example Evidently, civilization has seen the exchange in cultural practices and activities. Best practices have always been exchanged ever since the realization of the cultural diversity. People from different cultures tend to learn the practices of the other cultures and utilize the lessons for personal and societal benefits. However, the cultural diversity does not mean that cultures are different. Indeed, the variation attributes to the presence of similarities and differences in the human culture. This paper will use the anthropology lens in demonstrating the cultural variations using two-course books. It will elaborate the cultural variations between the American hip hop group and a Japanese hip hop group The author elaborates on the diversity between the Japanese society and American society in regards to their perception to hip hop music. In the process, it explains how a culture and music that originates halfway around the world is appropriated and remade within the Tokyo clubs and the recording studios. In the process, the Japanese cultural diversity and the rest of the world are demonstrated. The book depicts hip hop as an accepted genre of music in the American society while it is still finding its ground in Japan. Evidently, the hip hop scene in Japan is vibrant. Therefore, the many of the Japanese are grappling with the music genre to come relevant in the music industry and clubs in Tokyo. As a mimicked cultural practice, the Japanese is not able to reshape hip hop into a Japanese product. Rather, they try to mimic the whole package of the American rappers. This includes the use of derogatory terms, rhythm (Condry 137). This shows that the Japanese language does not correspon d to the hip hop nature of music. The hip hop genre requires the rappers to flow with the beats and make sense out of a particular rhythm. Therefore, the two cultures vary in language, and that influences their music industry. From the recording shows,

The operations of a spares supply and service support Case Study

The operations of a spares supply and service support - Case Study Example The company sources its supplies directly from Air solutions manufacturing plants in Birmingham and Manchester. Airco will also purchase the Industrial Air Compressors (IAC) and Heavy Duty Air Conditioning Unit directly from Air solutions because it offers discount for bulk buyers and the parts purchased are genuine. The company anticipates distributing Industrial Air Compressors (IAC) spare parts until the year 2014 while Heavy Duty Air Conditioning Unit (HACU) spare parts will be distributed by the company until the year 2017. This is because the company supports distribution of spare parts of a particular machine or equipment of a particular company for a period not more than fifteen years since the first year a machine or equipment has been introduced to the market or since major modifications of an existing machine or equipment has been made and released to the market. The aim of the company is to ensure that all spares of Industrial Air Compressors (IAC) and Heavy Duty Air Conditioning Unit are available and accessible at all times. In addition the company strives to provide quick service to all its customers. The company has three outlets. The main outlet is situated at Birmingham while the other points are in Leeds and Manchester. At the above selling point, the company is able to reach all its customers with ease and low cost. By the end of 2017, Air Solutions Company would have supplied a total of 180,000 Industrial Air Compressors (IAC) and 180,000 Heavy Duty Air Conditioning Units. This is because each year, it sells 12,000 units each of them. By the end of 2017, the company would have about 19,800 total customers in the United Kingdom for both Industrial Air Compressors (IAC) and Heavy Duty Air Conditioning Units. It would have also sold a total of 1,497,600 spare parts. 806,400 spares of Industrial Air Compressors (IAC) and 691,200 pares of Heavy Duty Air Conditioning Unit (HACU). Airco Company would be commanding 7%

Nature of Justice in the Soul and State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nature of Justice in the Soul and State - Essay Example On a personal view, the definition of justice can be logical based on the fact that the three components of the soul can greatly affect the concept of justice. There is only one question in terms of the fact that reason, spirit and appetite can be considered as subjective or personal. This had been answered in the view that the soul is the microcosm of the state. Due to the fact that soul is hard to analyze, the corresponding events in the state can be studied to be able to understand the soul (Republic 436b8–9). With this analogy, it had been considered that by managing the state well, the soul can achieve happiness. For example, the part of the soul, reason is mainly interested in knowledge. In the state, reason corresponds to philosophers who have the virtue of wisdom. Honor is the main interest of the spirit and is possessed by the warriors who have the virtue of courage. Desire, which is the third component of the soul, can be equated to the commoners since the main inter est is to achieve pleasures. They have the virtue of temperance (Republic 415a-433e). Looking through the different virtues, justice cannot be found. The main view of Plato is that justice can be found in all of the classes in the society, although each one may have different perception of the concept. In the dialogue, different individuals gave their opinions which all had logical points. Cephalus said that justice is about telling the truth and repaying debts, but Socrates pointed out that it can be true but not at all times or situations (Republic 331c). Polemarchus on the other had said that justice is â€Å"giving to each what is owed† but Socrates pointed out that this can alienate the people who had done crimes which can lead to more crimes or wrong doings (Republic 335d). Every speaker in the dialogue had a point specifically Socrates. The other speakers were concerned about the application of the definition of justice to their own field but Socrates was able to prese nt the different sides on a general term. The bottom line in the view of justice, based on the reading then, is that justice does not consider sides, perspectives, virtues, or other elements in the social structure that people deemed important. The main reason for this is impartiality. Plato is right soul and state are the main ground where the rules of justice will be applied. In this case, it is subjective to begin with. There is never an absolute right or an absolute wrong. The view that Plato perceived justice to be in all the classes and all the components of the soul is his own version of impartiality. No matter how he deemed that the philosophers’ roles in the society are the most important in all classes, he still believed that justice can be achieved by the commoners. 2. Characteristics of a Good Citizen and the Possibility of Utopian State There are different definitions of the term citizen depending on the philosophers or the context. Based on Plato’s view i n the Republic, a good citizen participates and contributes to the achievement of the goals of the state. He expressed in his work that the people who participates in governance are the citizen. For the Utopian society, he citizens are the philosophers, while the others are the people being led and ruled over. Plato’s philosophy on good citizen and even the existence of people revolve around the political concepts (Republic 415a-433e). Thoreau described good citizens as active people with goals

Martha Stewart Livivng Omnimedia (MSO) Term Paper

Martha Stewart Livivng Omnimedia (MSO) - Term Paper Example 1) US Dollar Global Notes These notes are primarily issued by HP thrice in last decade including 2002 shelf registration, 2006 shelf registration and 2009 shelf registration. 2002 shelf registration consists of â€Å"$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.505% in June 2002 at 6.5%, due July 2012†. The other different types of bonds issued by HP, their face value, total amount, type of bonds (fixed, floating), maturity, interest rates and the issue prices are detailed below. These details are reproduced from the annual report of HP for the year 2010. 2006 Shelf Registration Statement: â€Å"$600 issued at par in February 2007 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0.11%, due March 2012† â€Å"$900 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.938% in February 2007 at 5.25%, due March 2012† â€Å"$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.694% in February 2007 at 5.4%, due March 2017† â€Å"$1,000 issued at par in June 2007 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0 .06%, paid June 2010† â€Å"$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.921% in March 2008 at 4.5%, due March 2013† â€Å"$750 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.932% in March 2008 at 5.5%, due March 2018† â€Å"$2,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.561% in December 2008 at 6.125%, due March 2014† â€Å"$275 issued at par in February 2009 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 1.75%, due February 2011† â€Å"$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.956% in February 2009 at 4.25%, due February 2012† â€Å"$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.993% in February 2009 at 4.75%, due June 2014† 2009 Shelf Registration Statement: â€Å"$750 issued at par in May 2009 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 1.05%, due May 2011† â€Å"$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.967% in May 2009 at 2.25%, due May 2011† â€Å"$250 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.984% in May 2009 at 2.95%, due August 2012† â€Å"$800 issued at par in September 2010 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0.125%, due September 2012† â€Å"$1,100 issued at discount to par of 99.921% in September 2010 at 1.25% due September 2013† â€Å"$1,100 issued at discount to par of 99.887% in September 2010 at 2.125% due September 2015† 2) EDS Senior Notes: â€Å"$1,100 issued June 2003 at 6.0%, due August 2013† â€Å"$300 issued October 1999 at 7.45%, due October 2029† 3) â€Å"Other, including capital lease obligations, at 0.59%-8.63%, due in calendar year 2010-2024† The total book value of these debts is around $15,258 million after the subtracting the current portion of these debts which is part of current liabilities. The promising feature of the HP bonds or notes is that they are callable in part or in full whenever HP deems it necessary at the prices and criterion specified under its prospectus. These Global Notes are considered to be the senior unsecure d debt. As at October 31, 2010 the face value of the long-term debts that are maturing in upcoming years have been segregated year wise in table given below. These long-term debts are free from any fair value adjustment, premium or discount on issuance. â€Å"Aggregate future maturities of debt outstanding including capital lease obligations† 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Thereafter Total In millions $2,208 $4,272 $3,775 $3,720 $1,111 $1,691 $16,777 Source: HP Annual Report 2010 Derivatives Being a global company, HP normally faces interest rate changes and foreign currency exchange rate movement as a result HP hedges these fluctuations by utilizing

Neil Postman's view on either religion, politics, or education in Essay

Neil Postman's view on either religion, politics, or education in Amusing Ourselves to Death - Essay Example This is certainly true, as many local cable shows make religion to be some kind of spectacle and not much else. However, even off the television religion is not all that great and in fact many of the things Postman talks about have been carried out long before television existed. According to Postman, when religion is put on television, "Everything that makes religion an historic, profound and sacred human activity is stripped away; there is no ritual, no dogma, no tradition, no theology, and above all, no sense of spiritual transcendence" (Postman). He says that what happens instead is that the preacher becomes more important than God himself, and that essentially the religious experience becomes some kind of cult of personality where the audience is enthralled with the preacher who owns the television show. Postman cites a number of television shows which proves his point. His three main examples are Jim Swaggart, Pat Robertson, and Reverend Terry. Reverend Terry "offers a "prosper ity Campaign Kit," which appears to have a dual purpose: As it brings one nearer to Jesus, it also provides advice on how to increase one's bank account" (Postman). Pat Robertson is not quite so bold about it but his 700 club still charges people "fifteen dollars per month" to belong to it and to keep running (Postman). Jim Swaggart is in the old style but his preaching is still television-ized, his sermons are "theatrical, emotional, and in a curious way comforting" (Postman). Indeed, there are plenty of television shows like the ones Postman mentions. Local cable stations abound in just the sort of preaching that he is talking about. In fact, things have gotten worse since Postman's writing. Figures like Glenn Beck, who has a television show as well as a radio show, actually just spread hatred and spectacle on their show purely for ratings. Glenn Beck is a reat example of the preacher being more important than God, like Postman says. Postman, though, says television "is not congen ial to messages of naked hate" (Postman). Figures like Beck show this is not the case, and suggest that religion has become even more degraded by television now. Postman believes that television automatically changes the message of anything, and that this is why religion becomes cheapened on television. Unlike the thrill of being there in person, where the preacher can speak more directly to you, television makes this impossible because you do not know who is watching and have to take care of the ratings. Basically he says that "on television, religion, like everything else, is presented, quite simply and without apology, as an entertainment." Postman compares several pre-television evangelists to the three TV preachers he brought up. He says that men "such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield and Charles Finney, ... were men of great learning, theological subtlety and powerful expositional skills" (Postman). He says that what makes the real difference though, is that the medium o f television is not as effective as the medium of being there in person. The problem with moderrn evangelists is that they do not "the truth, if they think about it at all, that not all forms of discourse can be converted from one medium to another" (Postman). He says this is like translating poetry, where the message remains but the meaning is lost. While Postman does make a good point about ratings, it is not necessarily true that all pre-television evangelists were better at their job. For instance there must have been many who were just in it to make money by entertaining people, and in a time when television was not available there was not any other sort of entertainment. For this reason

Evacuation was a great success Essay Example for Free

Evacuation was a great success Essay My personal view is that I agree with the interpretation that the Evacuation was a great success I will now explain why. The Evacuation scheme was entirely voluntary the children would be much safer and happier away from the big cities with the dangers will be the greatest. Childern were offered homes were they made feel welcome. Evacuating the children would safer guard the next generation. The childrens education wasnt affected as school teachers would have been have sent away to. The majority of children proved incredibly resolute and adapted to their new surroundings with relative ease. Handing over the children would make them safe from German bombs rather then keeping them at home to face uncertainty and danger. Mass evacuation was a beneficial method implemented by the government because it did the best to assure parents that evacuation at that time was in the best interest of the children. Source A is a primary source of a photograph of children smiling walking to the London Station which shows success they wanted to go . It could be seen as reliable as the picture was taken at that exact moment. Although mite not be reliable considering the children could have been smiling for the cameras the photo shows only a number of children what happened to the others. Source B is an interview once again a primary source the message given is that children were to afraid to talk which portrays that not all the children were happy, parents were anxious it could be a failure because the children were frightened . Reliability could be seen as children would be upset because they were leaving their parents which would prominently cause mixed emotions. In the interview of the teacher who was actually there so she must be telling the truth. Nevertheless the interview took place 50 years later so this could be a cause of unreliability. Source C an extract from a novel war Carries War in 1973 a secondary source its emphasising foster parents showing consideration. Realibality could be a factor since its an historical novel,some of the aspects have to be accurate she might have been through it and experienced it. Moreover its a fiction novel therefore could be exgarrated therefore it may not be realiable. Source D is an advert a primary source published by the government. It says its an appeal for more foster parents in Scotland, thanking foster parents, children were gratified. It maybe reliable because its an appeal and shows you a picture or poor children. Unreliability could be a factor theyre advertising for children its propaganda. Finally Source E is from an extract from a mass observation survey in May 1940 a primary source. The message given is parents didnt want to send their children and were worried about letting them go thinking about issues like starvation. It may be reliable because its a primary source and theres nothing to hide These sources give some failures and success although more success. Here are some successful points to consider evacuation as an accomplishment Children thought it an adventure as few children had ever enjoyed the luxury of rail travel and even fewer had ventured into the British countryside children marched patriotically songs. In addition children faced a better way of life they were treated like members of the foster family and showered with love and affection for the first time in their lives they actually encountered a lifestyle full of activities and amenities which could have never been felt before which included waling in the woods, indoor toilets, plenty of hot water, fresh vegetables, viewing live farm animals, trips to the cinemas. More general cleanliness including bathing more often. Overall they were safe from the bombing and had could concentrate on their studying. And they proved incredibly resolute and adapted to their new surroundings with particular ease. The Blitz was also a success because Britain managed to survive this they were prepared for the excepted bombings, many children had been evacuated form the cities, gas masks had been issued evacuation was carried out in stages. Volunteer organisations were set up to deal with the air raid threat. Blitz ended in summer 1941 more civilians had been killed in the war than British soldiers. Despite the above there was some points of failure which were the children were frightened they suffered the trauma of separation and isolation and were being terrified by the prospect of being removed from their parents. Another factor was that not all parents allowed their children to go because the uncertainly sometimes bordered on to paranoia mothers worried that her child would enjoy their new family to more than an extent and not want to return posters of played on parents fear to sending them away. Parents and had lost of questions about the fate of their children which were not answerable and caused hesitance. Some of the Southend parents thought there children would starve and they couldnt be looked after were the government was to send them. Poor foster parents caused distress and failure to the evacuation in a way many foster parents complained to the authorities that they did simply not want such children in their homes what a negative impact to have the conditions of the children simply failed to impress the foster parents. The absence of the government in some areas caused impatience to foster families. A few children suffered sexual and physical abuse. Foster parents did mistreat children by making them do hard work at the home/farm. Some children become so miserable that they returned home after a few weeks or days and ran away although only a minority of evacuees emphasised this. Selection was like a slave market which was another downfall to the success of the evacuation. The forced integration of people with very different backgrounds exposed the real divide present in the country at that time. Children were judged by their social and economic standing. Typically the cleanest and the heal theist children were to be adopted first. Those left had rely on government officials to replace them. These children sometimes ended up in homes where the adults had little interest in their welfare. The experience of the evacuees was determined on the home he/she went to. The process of this unfair selection was seen as 19th century slave market. Worries of parents was also an issue, they didnt want hand their children over to a complete stranger it was an agonising choice, parents had questions which couldnt be answered and basically some of the thought feared for the mistreat of their children. They lived a life of perpetual worry even ore if the worried about their husbands fighting overseas to. Parents also didnt know were their children were they were confusion to were children ended up, some travelled a few miles when others went as far a distance a British Isles. My final point is that some foster parents adopted for the wrong reasons to. The less noble, motivated, no doubt by the small government allowance and increase in rationed food to cover the cost of looking after these children. And abusing them, this was pure selfishness and the wring reason to agreeing to be foster parents. My conclusion is basically agreeing with the first point I made overall on looking the positive points the evacuation was a success remembering only a minority suffered distress.

Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds

Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds An electronic space for meeting new people, staying connected with friends and sharing ideas: Virtual reality or social reality in the age of narcissism? A study of hi5 network as an online community; its connection to offline relationships and motivations and expectations of people that become members. CHAPTER ONE Abstract The internet has changed the lives of many individuals and, with millions of people online it arguably represents the single most influential technological advancement of the Twenty First century (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). Therefore the world of the internet is one which becomes more and more relevant in the lives of individuals across the world (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19). The internet has touched the lives of most people within the 20-25 age groups, and this it perhaps even more relevant within Greek society, where internet dating and socialising has proven exceptionally popular. It is therefore not surprising that the internet is used effectively as a medium for the formation of relationships. The internet has given us electronic mail; internet blogs; pop-up message advertising; video messaging; smiley faces; on-line dating and friendship services; instant messages and internet threads and all of these have changed the way that individuals communicate with one another (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Jordan, T. (1999) Ch.1). These more contemporary methods of communicating have impacted society at many levels (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) and this may be seen through an analysis of contemporary communication discourses and methods of socialisation. Specifically, the website www.hi5.com has provided a nexus where all of these technological and communication techniques have recognition and importance. Hi5 is an online community where communication is uniquely confined to electronic means and discourses. Introduction This thesis will explore the relevance of the internet to the formation of key social relationships within the 20-25 age group of Greek society. The fact that the formation of relationships online influences and shapes the nature of relationships offline is an interesting one to approach and it will be focused on throughout the thesis. The nature of the internet and specifically websites such as Hi5 as an electronic space which facilities human interaction and the maintenance of relationships will be considered. The dichotomy between social and virtual reality will be broached within this context and the writer will attempt to comment on which description of the internet is most appropriate. The question of whether the internet is a social reality in an age of narcissism or a virtual reality will also be addressed within the research. The subject matter of the thesis will also involve a consideration of the ways that the internet has indirectly and directly affected offline relationships and the motivations and expectations of people that become members. This is an important perspective; however it is one that could easily be neglected. Therefore one of the most important points which the thesis will seek to express is the pervasiveness of the internet, and specifically the pervasiveness of the online community which engages Greeks in the 20-25 age group, and its ability to influence their offline as well as online lives, self representations, motivations and expectations. The thesis will attempt to argue that the internet is an important mechanism of social interaction, which should not be pigeon-holed to simply make what is anyway a facile critique of the internet (i.e. that the internet simply promotes narcissism), more convenient to articulate. This chapter will provide the skeleton framework through which this argument will be made. The chapter will provide definitions of the internet, communication, language, computer mediated discourse, and semiotics and these definitions will be used as a springboard to discuss how the internet has changed the lives of Greeks within the 20-25 year age category. Wider issues such as globalisation, self representation, creativity and technological advancement (Smith, M. and Kollock, P. (1998) 4) will also be considered in this chapter since these are intrinsic to the ultimate argument of the thesis that internet friendship databases such as Hi5 are crucially important and representative of developments in human socialisation patterns. The effects of these processes will be extrapolated within the context of the research question and they will assist the writer to achieve a more in depth understanding of the significance of the internet within the social circles of Greeks within the 20-25 age group. The models of analysis that will be used will be discourse analysis and semiotic analysis of text and images. The profiles of Greek members of Hi5 will be widely consulted and primary research in the form of interviews and a questionnaire-based study will be consulted and evaluated qualitatively in the analysis of all of the above mentioned issues. Therefore there will be a lexicographical and semiotic extrapolation of both text and imagery to assist the writer in answering the question of whether the internet as a social medium/social hub is a positive development and to comment upon the question title. Computer mediated electronic discourse is the label given to describe electronic discourses (Holt, R. (2004) 129) and the effects which they produce at the level of social interaction between humans. Lexicographical sequences, syntax, the length and structure of sentences, the use of colloquial words and phrases and elaborate uses for punctuation devices may all be considered to be a part of this newly developing discourse which specifically facilitates communication over the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-130). These aspects of language and how language is represented have changed to reflect and to facilitate online communication and the development of new relationships through the medium of the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-132). Images and self-representations will be looked at in minute detail; these images and representations will be deconstructed and looked at in their most basic terms. It is hoped that this focus will allow the writer to consider the research question in a comprehensive and minutely detailed manner. It is anticipated that such a focus will impart an original and innovative insight into the subject of computer mediated discourses and the increasing importance of the internet in the lives of young people (20-25) in Greece and Greeks abroad in the Twenty First century. CHAPTER TWO Research Question and Theory The Hi5 Website: What is it? This website is an internet community where friendships and romantic attachments are solicited by members. The site enables members to represent themselves and to enable others to view what they have to say about themselves, remotely through the internet. The site itself involves the use of a database of individuals all over the world who have added internet pages describing themselves; their characteristics and interests. These descriptions are referred to as profiles and are added to the database which may be searched by prospective members and member of the Hi5 website alike. Members generally add photographs of themselves, and their friends and sometimes the members can add links and descriptions of the music that they like to listen to. Primarily the website is aimed at individuals from all ethnicities who are in their twenties, and who would like to make friends, stay in touch with friends or form romantic attachments to new people over the internet. The site allows companies and other advertisers to advertise their services on the website, which allows the website to disseminate products and services which may be of interest to young people within the 20-25 age group. The website is also different from online dating services as the romantic connections which may be formed through the internet are not the principal selling point of the website. The ideas of friendship, self representation and companionship are instead emphasised. Certainly, the idea of romantic attachments is something which the website may facilitate, but its capacity to do so is understated and not focused upon. Therefore the website describes and sells itself as primarily designed to enable people to form platonic relationships through using its facilities. What is Communication? Communication, at its most basic level may be understood as a way to convey messages and emotions between human beings (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Jennings, B. and Heath, R. (2000) 91). This is done mainly (although not exclusively as we will see explained below) through the use of language (Kaplan, R. (2002) Ch. 1), which is a complex collection of symbols which have specific meanings and when used collectively may be understood to represent codifications of human emotions and messages. The system of symbols which may be understood as the building blocks of a language do not have meaning in themselves; rather they represent meaning when they are arranged within certain patterns which are objectively recognisable by others who wish to interpret them. Therefore the signals which are relied upon in the context of language are constructed; they are not generic or pre-existing. This complex system of symbols allows humans to make others understand messages which have a generic codified meaning, which may be understood objectively, and cognitively. It is important to understand communication in these terms within the context of this thesis enquiry as it is an understanding of this particular property of communication which will allow the writer to comment upon the language used on Hi5 in an abstracted and theoretical manner. This will facilitate the methodology of discourse analysis and semiotics which underpins the thesis. Communication is therefore a cognitive process (Ellis, D. (1999) 1) (Giora, R. (2003) 13). It is essentially a manipulation of the senses of humans through systematic representations of meaning and images (Ellis, D. (1999) 1). Communication does not just involve language; one can communicate at many levels (Ellis, D. (1999) 1-3) (Giora, R. (2003) 13) (Turkle, S. (1997) Ch.1). Facial expressions; sign language; body language; intonation; voice pitch and just a few mechanisms which may be used to communicate without the use of language. Language may employ these techniques in an integrated manner, as communication rarely adopts a singular mode. Therefore the clothes we wear (their colours and texture); the facial and bodily expressions we adopt; the mannerisms we adopt; various postures and the signals which we give out are all complex and systematic methods of communicating (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25). The underlying system (culture) is what allows one to describe these processes as both communicative and connected with language (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). Language may be described through the idea of a discourse (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). Discourses are particular amalgams of how language has come to be used within particular spheres for specific purposes (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). These purposes may be political, sociological and even ideological in nature (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). What makes a discourse a discourse is the style in which the language and communication techniques are manifested. These may be identified objectively and regarded as belonging within one given discourse. It is often the case that a discourse will be uniquely identifiable. Discourse may be understood at the level of lexicographical constructions and syntax (Fairclough, N. (2003) 123-124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). In this sense the discourse which is understood is viewed in a more mechanical and objective manner. Discourses of this modality will mainly occupy the methodological framework of the thesis, since this type of discourse analysis allows one to approach the understanding of the subject of electronic communication and socialisation techniques in an effective and simple way. Language also becomes a communication discourse when it is used as a system of communication within a particular community or culture (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). This was Bourdieus viewpoint (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) was one of the most influential communication theorists (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) has attempted to deconstruct the idea of communication (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1) and to assist him he used the analogy of a map and a journey (Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). He argued that communication involved rules, conventions which map a language and that actual acts of communication were akin to the taking of journeys(Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). This broadly fits the writers earlier definition of communication which has been explained above as it explains how language symbols takes on a level of significance when they are arranged within a given structure or amalgam. Semiotics Communication may also be understood through the idea of signs and meanings (Giora, R. (2003) 13). Semiotics is perhaps a more abstract and theoretical way to understand the way that language is used to engender meaning. Saussure (1989) argued that the meaning of language is a subjective exercise whereby individuals read meanings into what he referred to as signs, which do not have any intrinsic meaning of themselves, but have meaning imputed into them by virtue of the meaning which is attached to them by people (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Therefore, for Saussure, language was not as important as what he regarded as its most basic constituent part; the sign. The sign is what is represented in relational terms and not in substantive terms through the medium of language and images (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Saussure split the idea of communication and meaning into three parts; the sign, the signifier and the signified, with the signifier meaning the actual physical manifestation or form of the sign (an example being a road sign or the written form of a word), and the signified meaning being what this physical form evokes and the sign itself being a combination of both the signified and the signifier (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20). Saussure believed that a sign was a link between a concept and a pattern of sound (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20), and that these linkages came together to comprise a semiotic system which disseminated meaning. What is Culture? Culture may be described in the following functional terms: In any society, culture, in its most general sense, is concerned with individuals in a group. It has four main functions: It determines the various ways open to the individual within the group to develop the self, and hence the group as well. It specifies means for self-preservation. It determines the individuals place within the group. And, it determines the individuals and the groups perception of the world. (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). Culture also constrains the perceptions which an individual may be exposed to and given that this exposure is generally delivered through discourses, it is important to understand the connections between culture and individual perceptions. Chimombo and Roseberry (1998) give us an account of this connection: The specific culture of the group restricts each of these cultural attributes to a range of values or possibilities deemed acceptable to the members of that culture. Thus, the ways in which an individual can achieve self-fulfilment or perceive the world within a given society are limited by that societys cultural norms and practices (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). What is the Internet? The internet is a complex network of technological communication mechanisms (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). These enable people to communicate through the use of computers (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). The internet itself is both a communication mechanism and a source of information (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56) as it also allows the user to search vast databases of information using key word searches (Crystal, D. (2001) 24). It has changed the way that business, politics, government, education, communication and commercial affairs are conducted (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and has enabled individuals both to access and to disseminate information more quickly and effectively (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). In this sense therefore the internet represents a mode of communication which is electronic in nature (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and the world is connected through this mode. This electronic characteri stic of the internet means that various modes of media may be enabled through the internet and these media connect people on another level (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). How has the Internet Changed the Lives of Greek 20-25 Year Olds? Greek individuals in the 20-25 categories have been particularly susceptible to the changes which the internet has both precipitated and facilitated. It is often the case that a primary concern of those belonging to this age category will be romantically unattached and seeking to form relationships, both in the form of friendships and sexual partnerships. Therefore, it is important for one to understand that the internet is integrated within the lives of Greeks between 20-25, given the role it plays in allowing for relationships to be instigated and explored. The internet is a forum for these relationships to be instigated and played out (Kendall, L. (2002) 139-141). In the globalised world where technological advancement features strongly in the lives of most individuals this is not a surprising that the internet would be integrated in this way into such a fundamental sphere of the lives of these individuals (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). It is impossible to integrate the internet to this extent within a persons life, without the integration producing noticeable effects in both the offline and online settings. It is possible to infer from this, that offline relationships as well as the motivations and expectations of people that become members will be moulded and shaped through this process of integration. This rationalisation will be borne out in the next section. The offline relationships of individuals who also have access to online channels of communication will be affected in a number of ways. For example, it is often the case that the internet simply removes the inhibitions which are often experienced at the outset of a relationship (friendship or sexual). In a sense, the approach which may be employed between two people who are interested in one another is made easier and the fact that the feelings of rejection which may be experienced by a person after a spurned advance can be compensated for by that person, through withdrawing communication effectively and efficiently. The person in question can make their profile invisible and can also choose to which members their profiles can be made visible to. In a sense therefore traditional methods of engaging the opposite sex (or the same sex in the case of non heterosexual encounters) in conversation have been redefined through electronic discourse. Crews and Thierer (2003) give us a springboard upon which to elaborate on this point by explaining the system of rules and conventions which underpin the use of the internet: There are rules. Some of them are mechanical in the sense that the architecture of the Internet and the protocols that define its function determine the way in which it operates and the way in which applications like e-mail are or can be supported. Others are a consequence of policies set in a variety of venues and jurisdictions and informed or motivated by a variety of constituencies. (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Electronic discourse have facilitated the adoption of these rules and protocols to allow for easier and more relaxed connections to be established through the use of friendship databases such as Hi 5. This point will be backed up more thoroughly using primary research in the next section, in which syntax and the formations of language will be deconstructed and extrapolated to show how the language itself is a vehicle for these particular functionalities. For the moment it is enough to point out that these electronic discourses are driven by individual preferences of internet users. Crews and Thierer (2003) reinforce the point: Some rules may even be said to be set by the personal preferences and behaviours of Internet users, almost independent of outside forces. The ensemble of rule sets does not form a consistent or even coherent whole and there are notable conflicts, especially as local jurisdictions seek to enforce local rules on a system that is patently global (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Another point to be made about how useful the internet has proven in the lives of young Greeks is that fact that in purely logistical terms, traditional forums which are used to meet members of the opposite sex are not very effectual for the person who seeks to meet new people. Nightclubs for example could be a classic example. These venues are often very noisy and crowded. Interaction in such environments may be stressful and cumbersome. Therefore people tend to stick within the groups of people that they are familiar with and it is often difficult, for individuals to penetrate these niches, and thus strike up relationships with new people. The internet, and in particular websites such as Hi5 remove this logistical difficulty. It provides a safe and comfortable venue where relationships may be initiated on neutral terms, and the conventions which have evolved allow for interaction to flow smoothly within this environment. In terms of online and offline relationships, the sphere of socialisation which websites such as Hi5 provides often brings these two settings together, and it is perhaps unusual for a person within the age group to led an online life which is entirely separate from their offline lives. It is perhaps true that there are rules and conventions which govern the behaviour of actors within the two spheres in different ways; however this does not mean that in practical, physical terms the two spheres are separated. In actuality the two spheres have become more integrated than ever, as the internet grows in influence and importance. The impact of globalisation, also has made the internet very important in the lives of people within the age category 20-25 (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Johnson, D. and Turner, C. (2003) Ch.1). The world is more technologically interconnected and cultures and foreign countries are more accessible than ever before (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3), making them more relevant in the lives of Greeks within this age group. This globalisation of culture is of particular relevance in this context, for Greeks within the 20-25 age groups. Given that Greece has become part of the European Union, free movement between European countries has heightened the changes that have taken place on a cultural level to an even greater extent, and this has allowed for greater integration between cultures online. This has changed socialisation processes. In this sense the internet may be understood as a virtual space in which people can meet and exchange ideas. However, the ways in which these outcomes are achieved may not be understood without looking more closely as the way that human relationships are formed through the internet, through electronic means and how this spills over into conventional human interplays. To identify the age of narcissism in the question title is arguably a meaningless endeavour. It is facile to tie narcissism just with contemporary society. The reality is that this is a universal concept which has many applications within both the traditional and the contemporary. We find narcissism everywhere; it is not just a generic feature of the internet, or generically manifested through internet discourses. Therefore the proposition in the thesis title that puts forward the view that the internet represents social reality in an age of narcissism is an over simplification of a process (narcissism) which pervades so ciety at many levels; not just specifically through the internet. Certainly one cannot deny that the internet and the Hi5 site can be a vehicle for narcissism in terms of individual modalities of self-representations. The images of the body, images of self which are communicated through text and image convey narcissistic tendencies. Indeed, this however is perhaps not just a cultural construct, but a more basic survival mechanism. The title proposition which insinuates that narcissism is a purely self indulgent process therefore fails to understand the various applications which narcissism may have within the context of human development (which must be set apart from mere social reality). Let us look for example at human reproduction. This is a natural instinct within most humans, and narcissism assists the human in attracting a mate; the presentation of self within particular terms is therefore not self indulgent, per se (it may be this of course, but the point here is that this is not the only function of narcissism); it is also a tool which is u sed by humans to present and project themselves as attractive potential mates. Therefore narcissism facilitates human socialisation at the most basic of levels. It is not a superfluous mechanism in which social reality is defined as the title implies. It has a base function which assists humans to find and attract partners through the internet and electronic discourses. However, since the title proposition that the Hi5 website is social reality in an age of narcissism has been critiqued here, let us turn to the alternative proposition which is presented in the question title; is the site just virtual reality? This too is far too narrow a definition of what the site may be to be a credible description of the site. The fact is that the site cannot be simply virtual reality, given its function within both online and offline relationships. This has been argued above. The internet site involves a degree of integration between online and offline expectations and motivations which prove that it is therefore not just virtual; it cant be simply this. It is a complex interconnected network which cannot be pigeonholed into either the category of virtual reality or social reality in an age of narcissism. Both of these representations misunderstand the use and importance of the internet site to society. They force the concept of the internet site into a narrow b olthole which cannot accommodate the complexities of a mechanism such as the Hi5. To present this question as if a choice must be made between the two implies that one of the other is an accurate representation of what the internet site is. The argument of this thesis is that this is a false premise to begin from. The internet site and the mode of its dissemination, the internet has become so integrated; so important and so pervasive that to define it in such narrow terms is both to do it a disservice and to misunderstand its function, and use. The next chapter will turn to the methodology of the thesis enquiry. It will discuss the different paradigms of research and it will explain how the research methodology of this thesis has been chosen and the reasons why. An argument will be made that qualitative research is more compatible with the overall aim of the thesis enquiry and therefore it has been the most appropriate means through which the research is the be carried out. CHAPTER THREE Methodology This chapter will firstly ask some questions about the nature, structure and applicability of certain methodologies within the framework of this research project. It will then go on to outline which methodology will be used as the foundation for the thesis and will explain why. In this way the advantages and disadvantages of each methodological framework will be evaluated and explained and the suitability of particular methodological frameworks will for this linguistic and discourse orientated project will be outlined. Firstly, what is methodology? Methodology involves two separate paradigms; qualitative (phenomenological) and quantitative (positivist) (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The main difference which may be identified between the two paradigms of research is that qualitative method involves a socially constructed matrix of understanding (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Conversely the quantitative seeks to understand phenomena through objective observation and hypothesising (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Characteristics of qualitative research therefore are that it tends to be specific, confirmatory, scientific and outcome orientated (Jensen, K. (2002) 230). Characteristics of qualitative research involve explanatory aims and the method involved tends to be more situational than outcome oriented (Bauer, M. (2000) 4). The aim of qualitative research is to understand and interpret viewpoints subjectively whereas qualitative research involves more concrete and deductive foundations of research (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The methodology which will be used will primarily be qualitative in nature. There will be interviews conducted with interested parties in the field of friendship databases, there will be a semiotic and discourse analysis of the Hi5 website and there will be a questionnaire; the results of which will be interpreted qualitatively. Therefore the research design will be both constructed and interpreted qualitatively. The sampling of data will involve random internet searches of the Hi5 website and the writer will use themselves as a device to take in views and imagery which will be presented in the results chapter and assessed through qualitative means. The targets of the writer in terms of samples for the research will take the form of firstly, the Hi5 website itself, and then profiles will be consulted. The writer will try to focus specifically upon an analysis of just Greek profiles, since the website allows one to narrow ones search on the basis of ethnicity. It must be emphasised that while this does narrow down the pool of profiles, the writer has no control over which profiles are presented, other than to specify that they should be from persons who classify themselves as Greeks. Therefore the integrity of the research in terms of using random data is preserved. Sampling techniques are very important to preserve the qualitative integrity of the research and therefore its credibility. The writer has been careful to attempt to examine profiles from both genders and to examine representations of both the male and female forms, since the factor which the writer would like to control is ethnicity (therefore just Greek profiles will be focused on primarily). The writer has attempted to guarantee that random material has been generated and has relied upon the mechanism on the Hi5 website itself which allows one to generate random searches. Representativeness too was considered throughout the research. As the topics which were under consideration were imagery, self representation and the concept of the self and body, it was important to have sufficient diversity within the constraints of the research variables which were to be controlled (i.e. age (20-25) and ethnicity Greekne Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds Impact of the Internet on Relationships of 20-25 Year Olds An electronic space for meeting new people, staying connected with friends and sharing ideas: Virtual reality or social reality in the age of narcissism? A study of hi5 network as an online community; its connection to offline relationships and motivations and expectations of people that become members. CHAPTER ONE Abstract The internet has changed the lives of many individuals and, with millions of people online it arguably represents the single most influential technological advancement of the Twenty First century (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). Therefore the world of the internet is one which becomes more and more relevant in the lives of individuals across the world (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19). The internet has touched the lives of most people within the 20-25 age groups, and this it perhaps even more relevant within Greek society, where internet dating and socialising has proven exceptionally popular. It is therefore not surprising that the internet is used effectively as a medium for the formation of relationships. The internet has given us electronic mail; internet blogs; pop-up message advertising; video messaging; smiley faces; on-line dating and friendship services; instant messages and internet threads and all of these have changed the way that individuals communicate with one another (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Jordan, T. (1999) Ch.1). These more contemporary methods of communicating have impacted society at many levels (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3) (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) and this may be seen through an analysis of contemporary communication discourses and methods of socialisation. Specifically, the website www.hi5.com has provided a nexus where all of these technological and communication techniques have recognition and importance. Hi5 is an online community where communication is uniquely confined to electronic means and discourses. Introduction This thesis will explore the relevance of the internet to the formation of key social relationships within the 20-25 age group of Greek society. The fact that the formation of relationships online influences and shapes the nature of relationships offline is an interesting one to approach and it will be focused on throughout the thesis. The nature of the internet and specifically websites such as Hi5 as an electronic space which facilities human interaction and the maintenance of relationships will be considered. The dichotomy between social and virtual reality will be broached within this context and the writer will attempt to comment on which description of the internet is most appropriate. The question of whether the internet is a social reality in an age of narcissism or a virtual reality will also be addressed within the research. The subject matter of the thesis will also involve a consideration of the ways that the internet has indirectly and directly affected offline relationships and the motivations and expectations of people that become members. This is an important perspective; however it is one that could easily be neglected. Therefore one of the most important points which the thesis will seek to express is the pervasiveness of the internet, and specifically the pervasiveness of the online community which engages Greeks in the 20-25 age group, and its ability to influence their offline as well as online lives, self representations, motivations and expectations. The thesis will attempt to argue that the internet is an important mechanism of social interaction, which should not be pigeon-holed to simply make what is anyway a facile critique of the internet (i.e. that the internet simply promotes narcissism), more convenient to articulate. This chapter will provide the skeleton framework through which this argument will be made. The chapter will provide definitions of the internet, communication, language, computer mediated discourse, and semiotics and these definitions will be used as a springboard to discuss how the internet has changed the lives of Greeks within the 20-25 year age category. Wider issues such as globalisation, self representation, creativity and technological advancement (Smith, M. and Kollock, P. (1998) 4) will also be considered in this chapter since these are intrinsic to the ultimate argument of the thesis that internet friendship databases such as Hi5 are crucially important and representative of developments in human socialisation patterns. The effects of these processes will be extrapolated within the context of the research question and they will assist the writer to achieve a more in depth understanding of the significance of the internet within the social circles of Greeks within the 20-25 age group. The models of analysis that will be used will be discourse analysis and semiotic analysis of text and images. The profiles of Greek members of Hi5 will be widely consulted and primary research in the form of interviews and a questionnaire-based study will be consulted and evaluated qualitatively in the analysis of all of the above mentioned issues. Therefore there will be a lexicographical and semiotic extrapolation of both text and imagery to assist the writer in answering the question of whether the internet as a social medium/social hub is a positive development and to comment upon the question title. Computer mediated electronic discourse is the label given to describe electronic discourses (Holt, R. (2004) 129) and the effects which they produce at the level of social interaction between humans. Lexicographical sequences, syntax, the length and structure of sentences, the use of colloquial words and phrases and elaborate uses for punctuation devices may all be considered to be a part of this newly developing discourse which specifically facilitates communication over the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-130). These aspects of language and how language is represented have changed to reflect and to facilitate online communication and the development of new relationships through the medium of the internet (Holt, R. (2004) 129-132). Images and self-representations will be looked at in minute detail; these images and representations will be deconstructed and looked at in their most basic terms. It is hoped that this focus will allow the writer to consider the research question in a comprehensive and minutely detailed manner. It is anticipated that such a focus will impart an original and innovative insight into the subject of computer mediated discourses and the increasing importance of the internet in the lives of young people (20-25) in Greece and Greeks abroad in the Twenty First century. CHAPTER TWO Research Question and Theory The Hi5 Website: What is it? This website is an internet community where friendships and romantic attachments are solicited by members. The site enables members to represent themselves and to enable others to view what they have to say about themselves, remotely through the internet. The site itself involves the use of a database of individuals all over the world who have added internet pages describing themselves; their characteristics and interests. These descriptions are referred to as profiles and are added to the database which may be searched by prospective members and member of the Hi5 website alike. Members generally add photographs of themselves, and their friends and sometimes the members can add links and descriptions of the music that they like to listen to. Primarily the website is aimed at individuals from all ethnicities who are in their twenties, and who would like to make friends, stay in touch with friends or form romantic attachments to new people over the internet. The site allows companies and other advertisers to advertise their services on the website, which allows the website to disseminate products and services which may be of interest to young people within the 20-25 age group. The website is also different from online dating services as the romantic connections which may be formed through the internet are not the principal selling point of the website. The ideas of friendship, self representation and companionship are instead emphasised. Certainly, the idea of romantic attachments is something which the website may facilitate, but its capacity to do so is understated and not focused upon. Therefore the website describes and sells itself as primarily designed to enable people to form platonic relationships through using its facilities. What is Communication? Communication, at its most basic level may be understood as a way to convey messages and emotions between human beings (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Jennings, B. and Heath, R. (2000) 91). This is done mainly (although not exclusively as we will see explained below) through the use of language (Kaplan, R. (2002) Ch. 1), which is a complex collection of symbols which have specific meanings and when used collectively may be understood to represent codifications of human emotions and messages. The system of symbols which may be understood as the building blocks of a language do not have meaning in themselves; rather they represent meaning when they are arranged within certain patterns which are objectively recognisable by others who wish to interpret them. Therefore the signals which are relied upon in the context of language are constructed; they are not generic or pre-existing. This complex system of symbols allows humans to make others understand messages which have a generic codified meaning, which may be understood objectively, and cognitively. It is important to understand communication in these terms within the context of this thesis enquiry as it is an understanding of this particular property of communication which will allow the writer to comment upon the language used on Hi5 in an abstracted and theoretical manner. This will facilitate the methodology of discourse analysis and semiotics which underpins the thesis. Communication is therefore a cognitive process (Ellis, D. (1999) 1) (Giora, R. (2003) 13). It is essentially a manipulation of the senses of humans through systematic representations of meaning and images (Ellis, D. (1999) 1). Communication does not just involve language; one can communicate at many levels (Ellis, D. (1999) 1-3) (Giora, R. (2003) 13) (Turkle, S. (1997) Ch.1). Facial expressions; sign language; body language; intonation; voice pitch and just a few mechanisms which may be used to communicate without the use of language. Language may employ these techniques in an integrated manner, as communication rarely adopts a singular mode. Therefore the clothes we wear (their colours and texture); the facial and bodily expressions we adopt; the mannerisms we adopt; various postures and the signals which we give out are all complex and systematic methods of communicating (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25). The underlying system (culture) is what allows one to describe these processes as both communicative and connected with language (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). Language may be described through the idea of a discourse (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). Discourses are particular amalgams of how language has come to be used within particular spheres for specific purposes (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 5). These purposes may be political, sociological and even ideological in nature (Duranti, A. (1997) 23-25) (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). What makes a discourse a discourse is the style in which the language and communication techniques are manifested. These may be identified objectively and regarded as belonging within one given discourse. It is often the case that a discourse will be uniquely identifiable. Discourse may be understood at the level of lexicographical constructions and syntax (Fairclough, N. (2003) 123-124) (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). In this sense the discourse which is understood is viewed in a more mechanical and objective manner. Discourses of this modality will mainly occupy the methodological framework of the thesis, since this type of discourse analysis allows one to approach the understanding of the subject of electronic communication and socialisation techniques in an effective and simple way. Language also becomes a communication discourse when it is used as a system of communication within a particular community or culture (Fairclough, N. (2003) 124). This was Bourdieus viewpoint (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) was one of the most influential communication theorists (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1). Pierre Bourdieu (1990) has attempted to deconstruct the idea of communication (Danaher, G., Fensham, R., Schirato, T., Threadgold, T. and Webb , J. (2002) 1) and to assist him he used the analogy of a map and a journey (Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). He argued that communication involved rules, conventions which map a language and that actual acts of communication were akin to the taking of journeys(Schirato and Yell (2000) p1). This broadly fits the writers earlier definition of communication which has been explained above as it explains how language symbols takes on a level of significance when they are arranged within a given structure or amalgam. Semiotics Communication may also be understood through the idea of signs and meanings (Giora, R. (2003) 13). Semiotics is perhaps a more abstract and theoretical way to understand the way that language is used to engender meaning. Saussure (1989) argued that the meaning of language is a subjective exercise whereby individuals read meanings into what he referred to as signs, which do not have any intrinsic meaning of themselves, but have meaning imputed into them by virtue of the meaning which is attached to them by people (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Therefore, for Saussure, language was not as important as what he regarded as its most basic constituent part; the sign. The sign is what is represented in relational terms and not in substantive terms through the medium of language and images (Schirato and Yell (2000) p19). Saussure split the idea of communication and meaning into three parts; the sign, the signifier and the signified, with the signifier meaning the actual physical manifestation or form of the sign (an example being a road sign or the written form of a word), and the signified meaning being what this physical form evokes and the sign itself being a combination of both the signified and the signifier (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20). Saussure believed that a sign was a link between a concept and a pattern of sound (Schirato and Yell (2000) p20), and that these linkages came together to comprise a semiotic system which disseminated meaning. What is Culture? Culture may be described in the following functional terms: In any society, culture, in its most general sense, is concerned with individuals in a group. It has four main functions: It determines the various ways open to the individual within the group to develop the self, and hence the group as well. It specifies means for self-preservation. It determines the individuals place within the group. And, it determines the individuals and the groups perception of the world. (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). Culture also constrains the perceptions which an individual may be exposed to and given that this exposure is generally delivered through discourses, it is important to understand the connections between culture and individual perceptions. Chimombo and Roseberry (1998) give us an account of this connection: The specific culture of the group restricts each of these cultural attributes to a range of values or possibilities deemed acceptable to the members of that culture. Thus, the ways in which an individual can achieve self-fulfilment or perceive the world within a given society are limited by that societys cultural norms and practices (Chimombo, M. and Roseberry, R. (1998) 6). What is the Internet? The internet is a complex network of technological communication mechanisms (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). These enable people to communicate through the use of computers (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). The internet itself is both a communication mechanism and a source of information (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56) as it also allows the user to search vast databases of information using key word searches (Crystal, D. (2001) 24). It has changed the way that business, politics, government, education, communication and commercial affairs are conducted (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and has enabled individuals both to access and to disseminate information more quickly and effectively (Crystal, D. (2001) 24) (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). In this sense therefore the internet represents a mode of communication which is electronic in nature (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56), and the world is connected through this mode. This electronic characteri stic of the internet means that various modes of media may be enabled through the internet and these media connect people on another level (Gattiker, U. (2001) 56). How has the Internet Changed the Lives of Greek 20-25 Year Olds? Greek individuals in the 20-25 categories have been particularly susceptible to the changes which the internet has both precipitated and facilitated. It is often the case that a primary concern of those belonging to this age category will be romantically unattached and seeking to form relationships, both in the form of friendships and sexual partnerships. Therefore, it is important for one to understand that the internet is integrated within the lives of Greeks between 20-25, given the role it plays in allowing for relationships to be instigated and explored. The internet is a forum for these relationships to be instigated and played out (Kendall, L. (2002) 139-141). In the globalised world where technological advancement features strongly in the lives of most individuals this is not a surprising that the internet would be integrated in this way into such a fundamental sphere of the lives of these individuals (Gauntlett, D., Gottlieb, N. and Mclelland, M. (2003) 19) (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3). It is impossible to integrate the internet to this extent within a persons life, without the integration producing noticeable effects in both the offline and online settings. It is possible to infer from this, that offline relationships as well as the motivations and expectations of people that become members will be moulded and shaped through this process of integration. This rationalisation will be borne out in the next section. The offline relationships of individuals who also have access to online channels of communication will be affected in a number of ways. For example, it is often the case that the internet simply removes the inhibitions which are often experienced at the outset of a relationship (friendship or sexual). In a sense, the approach which may be employed between two people who are interested in one another is made easier and the fact that the feelings of rejection which may be experienced by a person after a spurned advance can be compensated for by that person, through withdrawing communication effectively and efficiently. The person in question can make their profile invisible and can also choose to which members their profiles can be made visible to. In a sense therefore traditional methods of engaging the opposite sex (or the same sex in the case of non heterosexual encounters) in conversation have been redefined through electronic discourse. Crews and Thierer (2003) give us a springboard upon which to elaborate on this point by explaining the system of rules and conventions which underpin the use of the internet: There are rules. Some of them are mechanical in the sense that the architecture of the Internet and the protocols that define its function determine the way in which it operates and the way in which applications like e-mail are or can be supported. Others are a consequence of policies set in a variety of venues and jurisdictions and informed or motivated by a variety of constituencies. (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Electronic discourse have facilitated the adoption of these rules and protocols to allow for easier and more relaxed connections to be established through the use of friendship databases such as Hi 5. This point will be backed up more thoroughly using primary research in the next section, in which syntax and the formations of language will be deconstructed and extrapolated to show how the language itself is a vehicle for these particular functionalities. For the moment it is enough to point out that these electronic discourses are driven by individual preferences of internet users. Crews and Thierer (2003) reinforce the point: Some rules may even be said to be set by the personal preferences and behaviours of Internet users, almost independent of outside forces. The ensemble of rule sets does not form a consistent or even coherent whole and there are notable conflicts, especially as local jurisdictions seek to enforce local rules on a system that is patently global (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) vii). Another point to be made about how useful the internet has proven in the lives of young Greeks is that fact that in purely logistical terms, traditional forums which are used to meet members of the opposite sex are not very effectual for the person who seeks to meet new people. Nightclubs for example could be a classic example. These venues are often very noisy and crowded. Interaction in such environments may be stressful and cumbersome. Therefore people tend to stick within the groups of people that they are familiar with and it is often difficult, for individuals to penetrate these niches, and thus strike up relationships with new people. The internet, and in particular websites such as Hi5 remove this logistical difficulty. It provides a safe and comfortable venue where relationships may be initiated on neutral terms, and the conventions which have evolved allow for interaction to flow smoothly within this environment. In terms of online and offline relationships, the sphere of socialisation which websites such as Hi5 provides often brings these two settings together, and it is perhaps unusual for a person within the age group to led an online life which is entirely separate from their offline lives. It is perhaps true that there are rules and conventions which govern the behaviour of actors within the two spheres in different ways; however this does not mean that in practical, physical terms the two spheres are separated. In actuality the two spheres have become more integrated than ever, as the internet grows in influence and importance. The impact of globalisation, also has made the internet very important in the lives of people within the age category 20-25 (Aitchison, J. and Lewis, D. (2003) 1) (Johnson, D. and Turner, C. (2003) Ch.1). The world is more technologically interconnected and cultures and foreign countries are more accessible than ever before (Crews, C. and Thierer, A. (2003) 3), making them more relevant in the lives of Greeks within this age group. This globalisation of culture is of particular relevance in this context, for Greeks within the 20-25 age groups. Given that Greece has become part of the European Union, free movement between European countries has heightened the changes that have taken place on a cultural level to an even greater extent, and this has allowed for greater integration between cultures online. This has changed socialisation processes. In this sense the internet may be understood as a virtual space in which people can meet and exchange ideas. However, the ways in which these outcomes are achieved may not be understood without looking more closely as the way that human relationships are formed through the internet, through electronic means and how this spills over into conventional human interplays. To identify the age of narcissism in the question title is arguably a meaningless endeavour. It is facile to tie narcissism just with contemporary society. The reality is that this is a universal concept which has many applications within both the traditional and the contemporary. We find narcissism everywhere; it is not just a generic feature of the internet, or generically manifested through internet discourses. Therefore the proposition in the thesis title that puts forward the view that the internet represents social reality in an age of narcissism is an over simplification of a process (narcissism) which pervades so ciety at many levels; not just specifically through the internet. Certainly one cannot deny that the internet and the Hi5 site can be a vehicle for narcissism in terms of individual modalities of self-representations. The images of the body, images of self which are communicated through text and image convey narcissistic tendencies. Indeed, this however is perhaps not just a cultural construct, but a more basic survival mechanism. The title proposition which insinuates that narcissism is a purely self indulgent process therefore fails to understand the various applications which narcissism may have within the context of human development (which must be set apart from mere social reality). Let us look for example at human reproduction. This is a natural instinct within most humans, and narcissism assists the human in attracting a mate; the presentation of self within particular terms is therefore not self indulgent, per se (it may be this of course, but the point here is that this is not the only function of narcissism); it is also a tool which is u sed by humans to present and project themselves as attractive potential mates. Therefore narcissism facilitates human socialisation at the most basic of levels. It is not a superfluous mechanism in which social reality is defined as the title implies. It has a base function which assists humans to find and attract partners through the internet and electronic discourses. However, since the title proposition that the Hi5 website is social reality in an age of narcissism has been critiqued here, let us turn to the alternative proposition which is presented in the question title; is the site just virtual reality? This too is far too narrow a definition of what the site may be to be a credible description of the site. The fact is that the site cannot be simply virtual reality, given its function within both online and offline relationships. This has been argued above. The internet site involves a degree of integration between online and offline expectations and motivations which prove that it is therefore not just virtual; it cant be simply this. It is a complex interconnected network which cannot be pigeonholed into either the category of virtual reality or social reality in an age of narcissism. Both of these representations misunderstand the use and importance of the internet site to society. They force the concept of the internet site into a narrow b olthole which cannot accommodate the complexities of a mechanism such as the Hi5. To present this question as if a choice must be made between the two implies that one of the other is an accurate representation of what the internet site is. The argument of this thesis is that this is a false premise to begin from. The internet site and the mode of its dissemination, the internet has become so integrated; so important and so pervasive that to define it in such narrow terms is both to do it a disservice and to misunderstand its function, and use. The next chapter will turn to the methodology of the thesis enquiry. It will discuss the different paradigms of research and it will explain how the research methodology of this thesis has been chosen and the reasons why. An argument will be made that qualitative research is more compatible with the overall aim of the thesis enquiry and therefore it has been the most appropriate means through which the research is the be carried out. CHAPTER THREE Methodology This chapter will firstly ask some questions about the nature, structure and applicability of certain methodologies within the framework of this research project. It will then go on to outline which methodology will be used as the foundation for the thesis and will explain why. In this way the advantages and disadvantages of each methodological framework will be evaluated and explained and the suitability of particular methodological frameworks will for this linguistic and discourse orientated project will be outlined. Firstly, what is methodology? Methodology involves two separate paradigms; qualitative (phenomenological) and quantitative (positivist) (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The main difference which may be identified between the two paradigms of research is that qualitative method involves a socially constructed matrix of understanding (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Conversely the quantitative seeks to understand phenomena through objective observation and hypothesising (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). Characteristics of qualitative research therefore are that it tends to be specific, confirmatory, scientific and outcome orientated (Jensen, K. (2002) 230). Characteristics of qualitative research involve explanatory aims and the method involved tends to be more situational than outcome oriented (Bauer, M. (2000) 4). The aim of qualitative research is to understand and interpret viewpoints subjectively whereas qualitative research involves more concrete and deductive foundations of research (Darlington, Y. and Scott, D. (2002) 1-6). The methodology which will be used will primarily be qualitative in nature. There will be interviews conducted with interested parties in the field of friendship databases, there will be a semiotic and discourse analysis of the Hi5 website and there will be a questionnaire; the results of which will be interpreted qualitatively. Therefore the research design will be both constructed and interpreted qualitatively. The sampling of data will involve random internet searches of the Hi5 website and the writer will use themselves as a device to take in views and imagery which will be presented in the results chapter and assessed through qualitative means. The targets of the writer in terms of samples for the research will take the form of firstly, the Hi5 website itself, and then profiles will be consulted. The writer will try to focus specifically upon an analysis of just Greek profiles, since the website allows one to narrow ones search on the basis of ethnicity. It must be emphasised that while this does narrow down the pool of profiles, the writer has no control over which profiles are presented, other than to specify that they should be from persons who classify themselves as Greeks. Therefore the integrity of the research in terms of using random data is preserved. Sampling techniques are very important to preserve the qualitative integrity of the research and therefore its credibility. The writer has been careful to attempt to examine profiles from both genders and to examine representations of both the male and female forms, since the factor which the writer would like to control is ethnicity (therefore just Greek profiles will be focused on primarily). The writer has attempted to guarantee that random material has been generated and has relied upon the mechanism on the Hi5 website itself which allows one to generate random searches. Representativeness too was considered throughout the research. As the topics which were under consideration were imagery, self representation and the concept of the self and body, it was important to have sufficient diversity within the constraints of the research variables which were to be controlled (i.e. age (20-25) and ethnicity Greekne

The History Of The Arduino Microcontroller

The History Of The Arduino Microcontroller The Arduino microcontroller was initially created as an educational platform for a class project at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea1 in Milan (Italy) in 2005. It derived from a previous work of the Wiring microcontroller designed by Hernando Barragà ¡n2 in 2004. From the beginning, the Arduino board was developed to attract artists and designers. The Wiring microcontroller was created by Hernando Barragan to be used for parsing data to electronic devices. His aim was that it could be used by non-technical people who only had basic experience with using computers. He first of all wanted it to be used as a prototyping tool. Since he needed help to create an easy software tool to programme the board he engaged Casey Reas3 and Massimo Banzi4 as his assistants. Reas created the visual programming language for the prototyping tool. He had studied interaction art as an undergraduated, and continued studying with John Maeda5 at the MIT6. After that he developed Processing7, an easy programme language oriented to designers and artists. Banzi was more interested in developing the microcontroller as an art and design tool. So he decided to brake up with Barragan and to instead create a new prototype that would fit with his ideals. The Arduino creators were Massimo Banzi, David Cuartielles8, Dave Mellis9, Gianluca Martino10 and Tom Ignoe11. This team wanted to simplify the Wiring board through the Arduino microcontroller (created by Banzi), making it easier and friendlier for the non-technical audience. And that was one of their goals to make this device triumph against others. The price was another goal to make them win against others. The Wiring Board costs about  £ 54 while the Arduino Board is  £ 20. That makes sense because it is less powerful and smaller than the Wiring Board. But this isnt a problem for designers and artists because they were searching for something that could be destroyed and your wallet wouldnt suffer from that. David Zicarelli12 (): I was really struck by the idea of what a radically inexpensive computer could mean to people making art a design goal of the Arduino project was that you could make installations and not have to tear them apart when you were done because you needed your laptop to read your e-mail. So then you can leave it embedded into projects permanently. Another way to assist users was the USB connection. The Wiring Board works with a Serial port, which is more difficult to have in a normal computer or laptop and to work with. The Arduinos plug and play nature makes it easy to understand and easy to manipulate the interaction of a project. Further goals were to achieve competitive advantage in IDE13 and open source14 supported by the community. 3. IDE. The software tool Every microcontroller needs software to be programmed. The Arduino board is not a case apart. It has its own integrated development environment (IDE). It is free and everyone can download it from its official website using either the Windows, Mac OS X or Linux platform. That allows Arduino Board to gain more users and it also helps it to grow. The IDE is very easy to understand. It contains only three different sections. The compiler, the text editor and the debugger. In the compiler part we can find the verifying tool that shows the user if the code was well written. Next to that tool, there is a button to make a new project. Then, we can see the open and save buttons; the project can be opened or saved in any folder. In addition we can find the most important tool, the compiler tool that allows you, when the code is verified, to upload the code into the Arduino Board. And the last button that it has is the serial monitor tool, which is used to debugging and monitoring data from your project. The next section is the text editor tool where the code is written. Arduino works with processing language. This language was designed with the intention to make cryptic looking instructions comprehensible and useful. It contains a lot of libraries15, which make it easier for artists and designers to prototype their ideas. However, experienced users are allowed to work in a lower programmatic level to access certain aspects of the Arduino code. In other words this means the more experience a user has the lower is the level in which he can work. And the last section is where the debugger is placed. This one provides feedback to the user fostering confidence to move forward at a rapid pace. It also helps to find the bugs in the code when this doesnt work. The whole Arduino project is supported by a community. The IDE and the Arduino microcontroller continuously advance in hardware design, software examples and popularity because users save and share documents, codes and designs online. This method of allowing other users to freely use someone elses documents is called open source. This means that every user contributes a part even if it is only a very small one to the fast development of Arduino project. However, the Arduino project is not only useful for artists and designers but also for other groups of people such as engineers, hardware hackers, interaction designers, educators and robotics enthusiasts. For example, if you are an engineer you can work on artistic projects and if you are and artist you could work on engineer project as well. This means those groups of people are blending ideas each other to growing up the Arduino community.