Metaphors that Justify War Truth Uncloaked Do you think we had all the information that was at the President's disposal when he made the decision to deploy our troops in the Gulf? Do you think having that information might have made you feel more comfortable about our involvement? Should our government decide what we get to know and what we don't? By in large, we hear exactly what our government wants us to hear. Knowing this, at no other time paralleled in history, we want the truth; we thirst for it like those traveling through the desert without water and we are tired of being manipulated and deceived by those we elect to serve our interests. However, more often than not, we settle for what is given to us. Our truth is wrapped …show more content…
Many of our current uses of metaphors are a direct result of Carl von Clausewitz view on war. U.S. Ideology and Foreign Policy According to, a Prussian General, when the costs of war exceeds the political gains, the war should cease or never be entered. Another one of his points is if at anytime a war would prove beneficial for the state it should be pursued. His “views on war became dominant in American foreign policy circles during the Vietnam War” (Lakoff, 1991). He has continued to influence us even recently: “The New York Times, on November 12, 1990, ran a front-page story announcing that ‘a national debate ha[d] begun as to whether the United States should go to war in the Persian Gulf. The Times described the debate as defined by Clausewitz's metaphor on a literal level of understanding and then the poised the questions: ‘What then in the nation's political objective in the gulf and what level of sacrifice is it worth?'” The emphasis wasn't directed at the metaphors but at the costs. The influence of metaphors should not be understated. They are an intrinsic element within any strategist's mind and often follow in close relation to one's personal rights. The-State-as-Person System …show more content…
His enemies represent the aggressive state(s) that attempt to ruin, change or destroy those whom he cares for, has respect for, or destroy his possessions or seek his destruction. In other words disrupt his manner of life. The Fairy Tale Metaphor The next metaphor under consideration is the “Fairy Tale of the Just War.” “The scenario: A crime is committed by the villain against an innocent victim (typically an assault, theft, or kidnapping). The offense occurs due to an imbalance of power and creates a moral imbalance. The hero makes scarifies; he undergoes difficulties, typically making an arduous journey...The villain is inherently evil... and thus reasoning with him is out of the question. The hero is left with no choice but to engage in battle. The hero defeats the villain and rescues the victim. The moral balance is restored. The enemy-as-[a]-demon metaphor arises as a consequence of the fact that we understand what a just war is in terms of a fairy tale” (Lakoff, 1991). From our youth stories like this have brought about the intense feeling of justice- good always wins. These stories capture the imagination and paint a picture of those who employ it as the heroes no doubt. This was one of
Finding a definition of literacy is not as easy as it sounds. The Webster definition says that to be literate is to be” able to read and write.” But to some researchers, this definition is too simplistic, leading to multiple models of literacy. Most Americans adhere to the autonomous model, which falls closest to the standard, dictionary definition. Believers in this form say that literacy is a cognitive activity that students learn like any other basic skill. It has a set of proficiencies that one must master in order to be capable of decoding and encoding text (Alvermann, 2009; SIL International, 1999). A competing theory is the ideological model, which claims literacy is intrinsically linked to culture, and therefore what constitutes a “literate” individual is ever-changing. Society is the largest influence on literacy, according to this thought, and it is affected by politics, religion, philosophy and more (Alvermann, 2009; SIL International, 1999). These two are just the tip of the iceberg. For example, some studies recognize “literacy as competence,” which is a “measure of competence to do a given task or work in a given field,” (SIL International, 1999) such as being computer literate. Although more researchers are recognizing and exploring multiple literacies, the one that most influences American schools is the autonomous, cognitive model – the ability to read and write. For many, it seems a simple task, but millions of adolescents are struggling or reluctant readers, and there are many reasons why young readers have difficulty with reading. XXXXXX------NEED HELP WITH THESIS STATEMENT HERE PLEASE—(This paper will focus on the effects of low reading skills, some of the possible causes of reluctant and struggling readership...
Figurative language includes metaphors, similes and
“Metaphor.” Dictionary of World Literature: Criticism - Forms - Technique. Ed. Joseph T. Shipley. New York: Philosophical Library, 1943. 377-8.
... A metaphor, used as a communication skill, is best described in a political way. Think of Reagan’s Voodoo economics, or Bill Clinton building a bridge to the 21st century. Politicians can easily scam an ignorant voter, should one not understand a metaphor. For example: Clinton refers to building a bridge, but does not tell us with which tools he intends to build it with. This particular concept is valid alone for the above reason. Whether you are talking to a teacher or watching television, metaphors need to understand.
My favorite type of cell is the Merkel cell, also known as the “touch cell”. Merkel cells are found in the outer layer of the skin, or the epidermis. Named after Friedrich Merkel, the German anatomist discovered these cells in the late nineteenth century while studying rats, which have large quantities of Merkel cells in their paws (“What is a Merkel Cell?”). Not much is known for certain about these cells to this day, but one thing is for sure: they function as touch receptors by signaling sensations such as pressure to the brain. While Merkel cells are distributed throughout the entire human body, they are more numerous in places where the sensation of touch is more prominent, like the fingers and face (“What is a Merkel Cell?”).
"The Role of Religion in Saving Private Ryan." Brianboyleshistorythroughfilmblog. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Ancient Hawaii, an old civilization. This has shaped modern Hawaii and our lives. From its climate, politics, education, religion, art and architecture, technology, economics, and social live. The ancient Hawaiians are fascinating.
As well, metaphors exists everywhere. They influence the way we process information in our minds. Without the idea of comparison in order to achieve a better understanding of material, everything would be abstract and the way we perceive the information would be completely
In “Reporting the News” by George C. Edwards III, Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L. Lineberry, the main idea is how the media determines what to air, where to get said stories that will air, how the media presents the news, and the medias effect on the general public. “Reporting The News” is a very strong and detailed article. The authors’ purpose is to inform the readers of what goes on in the news media. This can be inferred by the authors’ tone. The authors’ overall tone is critical of the topics that are covered. The tone can be determined by the authors’ strong use of transitions, specific examples, and phrases or words that indicate analysis. To summarize, first, the authors’ indicate that the media chooses its stories that will air
A mere generation ago, literacy was generally focused around solely reading physical materials. Susan Metros emphasizes that most of the teachers employed in schools are from a generation that was largely based around the written word (106). Literacy was a rather simple concept. As Reardon states, “At its simplest, [literacy] is a combination of word reading skills and knowledge-based literacy competencies” (18). To put it simply, if a person could read and understand what he or she was reading, he or she could be considered literate. A wide expanse of knowledge was not required for literacy. The amount and variety of books that a person had read did not dictate that person’s level of literacy. The requirement for literacy was solely that an individual be able to read written texts. At one time, being able to interpret the words on a page was enough. Catlin Tucker asserts that, "Growing up...I knew that people who were literate could read and write, and people who were illiterate could not...Now, as an educator and parent I find myself revisiting this question of what it means to be literate. The definition of literacy is changing. Literacy means something different today than it did 10, 20, or 30 years ago"
Newspapers and nightly news shows have become a business. They no longer go by the public services values they once stood by (Sensationalism, 2005). Instead of being the fourth branch of government, they are just like any other money making business. It is no longer a race to put out the truth; it is more a race for dollars and control. Sensationalism is purely fueled by money and popularity. If a news outlet garners a large amount of popularity, they can swing votes, and influence voters. Sensationalism has already affected many political situations. Sensationalism has proven to spread like a virus. If sensationalism is not controlled, there is no way the news outlets can be the advocate for the people.
The textbook definition of “literacy”, is the ability to read and write. However, in my opinion, the true definition of the word depends on what literacy means to an individual. In today's society, being literate is almost always required to get any type of decent job. Literacy is definitely the first step of many to be successful in today's society. However, that is not the only means of importance that literacy holds. The fact that literacy has different definitions ties into the fact that literacy has had different effects on certain people throughout their lives. Most people in today's society seem to take literacy for granted because they view it as a hassle or obligation. I do not view literacy as that because of how it has helped me get through the toughest times in my life. In reality, you should love to read no matter what genre it is, and you should write until your hands go numb. Throughout my life, literacy has been a backbone of sorts throughout the struggles I've been through. By using literacy as a form of support, it has allowed me to grow a strong connection to reading and writing and truly appreciate it. To me, literacy means hope. Literacy has helped me heal and has helped me connect with people from all over the country who have changed my life forever.
Metaphor is used multiple times, one example of this is when Remarque writes, “I think it is more like a fever… No one in particular wants it, and then all at once there it is”(206). Albert is saying that war is a fever. The boys are discussing who thinks that starting a wa is a good idea and benefits greatly from it. Albert then answers in this way because no one, he believes, would want to start something like this.Another is when Remarque says, “We are little flames poorly sheltered by frail walls against the storm of dissolution and madness, in which we flicker and sometimes almost go out” (275). In this way Remarque is able to explain in the way that the mental attacks of war make even the strongest of soldiers break some even to the point of madness. Simile is also used a lot throughout the book to describe the soldiers and the scenery. Remarque uses this device when he writes, “We fancied to be trained for heroism as though we were circus-ponies. But we soon accustom ourselves to it” (22). In this way Paul explains that they all had to romantic view of them being heros without much trouble but this is crushed pretty much once they get to camp. Second is when Remarque writes, “We are forlong like children, and experienced like old men, we are crude and sorrowful and superficial - I believe we are lost” (123). In this way Paul summarizes this lost generation that he and his fellow
I thought this was a great experience and opened my eyes to all the challenges individuals in wheelchairs have to face. Throughout the day, I noticed I had to go out of my way to find a path that was accessible for a wheelchair. Not only was it inconvenient, but at times it was physically challenging and required a lot of energy. The next day my arms were very sore. It was also difficult to navigate around the classroom, and I sometimes had to ask for assistance to move obstacles out of the way. A lot of the doors on campus were very heavy and made getting through the doorways a lot harder. Most of the time, I needed someone to hold open the door so I could get through to the other room. These experiences made me realize how important is it
There are some theoreticians who view literacy in a form of social practice. In their view, social issues are also important components, as well as linguistic competence and understanding cognitive processes in language studies. Freire (1974) views literacy not only as a process of knowledge transformation, but also as a relationship of learners to the world. Vygotsky (1978) suggests two stages of development at social and individual level. In his view, literacy is a phenomenon that is created, shared, and changed by the members of a society. Gee (1996) similarly argues that becoming literate means apprenticeship with texts and apprenticeships in particular ways of being. In summary, literacy practices are not just about language, but about their interrelation with social practices.