Reflections Through the Looking Glass Essay Example for Free

Reflections Through the Looking Glass Essay Gazing at who the world perceives me to be†¦..A hesitant glance, my mind is flooded with questions. Who am I? Is this reflection a true representation of me? The looking glass offers up an image. An image that I know not to be true. It is a temporary snapshot of, supposedly, who I am. Am I to believe that this blunt and uncomfortably â€Å"honest† silver artist truly portrays ME, and all those that make use of the looking glass? It occurs to me that maybe it is not what one sees in the reflection that defines who I am, but rather what I feel. Sadly the reflection can be misused. We so often search for not who we are but who we want to be. The looking glass can begin to form part of an addiction to some and just like all other addictions, it damages the user. This ritual becomes, in some ways the source of a self-inflicted pain. Instead of pain in a physical sense, it takes its toll on one’s self esteem. I think that we all experience this at some stage in our lives where we simply loath that which is reflected in the mirror and feel pressured to change our image so as to fulfil the supposed requirements of society. In Sylvia Plath’s poem ‘Mirror’ she describes the arrogance of a woman’s mirror. In the last two lines she describes how the mirror has changed her self-perception and how she has aged. â€Å"In me (the mirror) she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman rises toward her, day after day, like a terrible fish.† I believe that Sylvia Plath’s poem addresses our concern with our outward appearance. However I think that, like in this poem, as in society, the most important aspect of one’s reflection is not made clear. We need to realise that our outward appearance is not all that the looking glass reflects, for indeed, if we look deeper, beyond the physical bonds of the looking glass, the heart becomes clear, for it is the reflection of our heart on the silver that truly defines who we are Don’t become a prisoner to the bondage of the looking glass. The only true facets of you are absent in the echo of the reflection. Shatter the glass with your inner truth and be liberated to see beyond the silver reflection – into your heart, where the Glory of God resonates the truth of who you are and let the shattered lies of the looking glass tumble into a heap of debris where they belong!

Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy Essay -- Government Political Ess

Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy Although the aspirations and goals of states are often motivated by external political pressures, analysis of recent foreign policy decisions demonstrates how internal political forces can play equally crucial roles in the pursuit and execution of these objectives. Thus, it would be invalid to claim that domestic politics and the nature of regimes play minor roles in either the goals a state pursues or the means it employs to reach them. By understanding how the diffusion of power in governments affect policy decisions, one can develop increased awareness of the linkages that exist between the internal pressures of domestic politics and the external forces of foreign politics. Before discussing the impact of domestic politics on foreign policy objectives and their execution, one must first understand the different types of policies that states pursue. The foreign policy of states can be directed toward the protection and enhancement of valued possessions (â€Å"possession goals†) or intended to improve the environment in which it operates (milieu goals). More specifically, possession goals pertain to national possessions where states aim to enhance or preserve one or more things they value such as territory, permanent membership in international organizations like the UN Security Council, or access to trade areas. And while milieu goals are different from possession goals in that states that work towards achieving them are not seeking to defend or increase their possessions but instead attempting to shape conditions beyond their national boundaries, milieu goals can be seen as an indirect way of achieving possession goals. A nation that pursues a mi lieu goal—such as the promotion of peace through the signing of international treaties—provides clear benefits for the international community but ultimately serves to enhance its own national security by creating a safer environment where its national possessions are protected from external threats. But for many states, whether their foreign policy objectives assume the form of possession goals or milieu goals, the pursuit and execution of these goals are often constrained by the powers of domestic politics. And in the case of American foreign policy, the Constitution of the United States as well as recent history provides compelling support to this claim. American foreig... ...reted without reference to domestic politics or leadership. Realists argue that the interests of states transcend domestic politics and leadership change because that the broad orientation of foreign and defense policies are unchanging. Although the realist model may be most appropriate for analyzing actions when vital interests are at stake such as in times of crises, it seems to have little explanatory power for national security policy making in times without crisis. Although the aspirations and goals of states are often partially motivated by external pressures, it is important to recognize that internal forces also play equally crucial roles in the pursuit and execution of these objectives. The decisions of foreign policymakers must take into account domestic political considerations. This fact is especially evident in the political landscape of the United States, where the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branch allows Congress to act as a counterweight to the power of the president. All states, whether their governments are democratic or authoritarian, must contend with domestic political considerations when evaluating foreign policy decision.

Data and Assumption on New Technology Innovation Essay

Yesterday at the stroke of midnight a series of tragic events came to a closing when Othello, Venice’s most eminent and respected Moorish general, killed himself in his wife’s bedchamber after smothering the young belle–none other than Venice’s coveted Desdemona–with a pillow. According to several witnesses of the bloody suicide, the mentally tormented general was under the notion that Desdemona had been illicitly tupping his first-in-command, Michael Cassio, a lie fed to him by the ironically misnamed â€Å"Honest Iago.† Iago, the villain responsible for the murder of his own wife as well as a Venetian gentleman, has been taken by Cyprian officials for questioning and possible torture. However, it is known that he orchestrated a plan to create conflict between General Othello and Lieutenant Cassio surrounding Desdemona that he hoped would result in the death of both Cassio and the lady. Witnesses to the blood bath describe the scene gravely and painfully. â€Å"I walked into the room and there was Othello, with his wife Desdemona slain on the bed. It was really shocking. Her face was very pale, and though she was evidently dead, it seemed she was trying to say something,† says Gratiano. Another witness describes Othello’s suicide with great distress. â€Å"He was very calm, but there was a wondrous rage in his face, like a monster. I had never seen him like that before. He took his sword and drove it into his chest before anyone could stop him.† The only survivor of the discord is Lieutenant Cassio, who suffered a major injury in his leg from Iago’s sword. When asked whether he was ever involved with lady Desdemona, Cassio responded, â€Å"We were dear friends, and it pains me greatly that she is gone. But we never shared more than the touching of hands or a brief brush on the shoulder. As for the man who caused this, I will see to it that he pays for his cruelty with his own suffering.† A funeral will be held in three days near the town square. Mourners are welcome, including former suitors of Desdemona. Michael Cassio asks that all that attend bring memorabilia of the lost ones such as locks of hair, clothing, letters, or embroidered handkerchiefs.

Study of Psychology - Understanding Mental Images,...

Task B How can memory be improved by use of mental images, concepts and schemas (which help organise thinking)? Within this essay I am going to try and explain the defining roles of mental images, concepts and schemas. These processes are the ways in which our minds interpret information in order for us to understand, use and convey in our everyday life to aid and organise our way of thinking. The role of a mental image is to provide our memory with an almost visual aide to prompt our thoughts, to create a snapshot of information. This snapshot of information is better absorbed as pictures or images rather than words. With a mental image we tend to place it in a more familiar area or situation that we know. The stranger the images†¦show more content†¦Loftus researched and investigated something called the leading question. She showed a group a clip of a car crash. She asked the group to guess what speed the cars were at when the crash took place. Some of the group were asked what speed the cars were doing when they ‘hit’? While the remaining part of the group were asked what speed the cars were going when they ‘crashed’? The group that were asked about the ‘hit’ averaged an estimate of 34mph, where as the group that were asked about the crash averaged an estimate of 41mph. Therefore a slight change in the details caused a slight change in the answer, so from the effect of the leading question the element of remembering is clouded with regards to an eye witness schema recall. So to sum up how our memory can be improved by the use of mental images, concepts and schemas. Without the small cues or prompts we would be unable to process everyday information, as there would not be any thoughts or words therefore leading to much less communication and language. This would make any form of communication or interaction with others impossible. References 1.1 Starting with psychology course manual, Chapter 3.2 page 45 - Study performed by Michael Raugh amp; Richard Atkinson (1975). 1.2 Starting with psychology course manual, Chapter 3.2 page 53 - Experiment carried out by Weston BousfieldShow MoreRelatedHow Can the Use of Mental Images, Concepts and Schemas to Organise Our Thinking Help Us to Improve Our Memory?1740 Words   |  7 PagesHow can the use of mental images, concepts and schemas to organise thinking help us to improve our memory? Cognitive psychology is primarily concerned with the study of subjective internal mental states. However, the subjective nature of cognitive activities such as thinking, memory, learning, perception, and language make it difficult to directly and empirically test these mental processes. Cognitive psychology therefore relies on a fundamental assumption of reductionism, where the dynamic andRead MoreY183 Tma011122 Words   |  5 Pagesthe ways we organise our thinking is by using mental images. 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