The Allure of Vampires and Immortality :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The Allure of Vampires and Immortality    Humanity has always been fascinated with the allure of immortality and although in the beginning vampires were not a symbol of this, as time passed and society changed so did the ideas and perceptions surrounding them. The most important thing to ask yourself at this point is 'What is immortality?' Unfortunately this isn't as easily answered as asked. The Merriam Webster Dictionary says immortality is 'the quality or state of being immortal; esp : unending existence' while The World Book Encyclopedia states it as 'the continued and eternal life of a human being after the death of the body.' A more humorous definition can be found in The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce:    'A toy which people cry for, And on their knees apply for, Dispute, contend and lie for, And if allowed Would be right proud Eternally to die for.'    While all of these are accurate interpretations to some extent none of them encompass all of what immortality really is. The reason for this is simple; there is no true definition or guideline by which to follow. Immortality means something different to each and every person on this earth. Down through the ages people have been immortalized by deeds, words, songs, poetry, and a number of other endeavors, but some have always sought the elusive Philosopher's Stone; the answer to true immortality    Since the beginning of recorded history, everlasting life has been pursued by old and young, rich and poor. One need only look to the Gilgamesh Epic, the oldest story in the world, to discover where these roots lay. Gilgemesh, the mighty king and warrior, fearing his own demise, seeks out Utnapishtim, a mortal made immortal by the gods, in the hopes that he'll reveal the secret of eternal life. The immortal tells the king of a flower, which when eaten, bestows eternal life. Note that the answer is tangible and real, something that can be seen and held. Not immortality for the soul, but for the body. In the end Gilgamesh fails at his quest, but he is all the wiser for his journeys. The Greeks, too, sought immortality, but it tended to be of a spiritual nature only, because generally the gods were the only ones considered to be true immortals.

The One Percent Research Paper

Running Head: THE ONE PERCENTPage 1 THE ONE PERCENT Ryan M. Kerrick March 18, 2012 THE ONE PERCENTPage 2 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012 A good friend of mine recently recommended me to watch a documentary called â€Å"The One Percent. † I do not usually watch documentaries unless I am gaining some type of knowledge out of the information presented. Unsure of what it was about and what I was going to get out of it, I turned on NetFlix and proceeded to watch the film. I soon came to realize I was enamored by this film, â€Å"The One Percent,† and it remains one of my favorite documentaries of all time.The documentary deals with the disparity between the wealthy elite and the citizenry and how they are both so far removed from one another. â€Å"As of 2010, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 35. 4% of all privately held wealth. † (Domhoff, 2010, The Wealth Distribution, para. 1). The producer and interviewer presents this film through many wealthy American businessmen, critics, economists and even his own family to explain this major social gap that exists on our home front. When looking at the differences side-by-side, it is hard to grasp that we all live in the same place, the United States of America.The film was created by Jamie Johnson, the heir to one of America’s most affluent families. Being born with a â€Å"silver spoon,† Jamie never really had anything to worry about in life– from private schools to private jets, equestrian clubs and charitable dinner parties. But, he always felt something was missing in his life and he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. The fortune that Jamie inherited on his 21st birthday was from one of the wealthiest family-owned companies in the United States, Johnson and Johnson. THE ONE PERCENTPage 3 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard CannellaEnglish Composition II March 18, 2012 His great grandfather â€Å"started the company in 1886† (Johnson and Johnson, 1997) and it continued to grow well beyond imagination. Jamie would always wonder what made him deserve this prosperous lifestyle. After self-examination, Jamie was determined to investigate some of the questions haunting him in his head about the wealth disparity in America. Attempting to bring his mind to ease, he decided to create this documentary, â€Å"The One Percent. † Within the first few minutes of the film I noticed a sign labeled â€Å"Private Property Members Only. To me the sign is showing how the wealthy pride themselves in being part of such an elite club. Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum, the working class feel like they are not truly part of society at all. In the beginning of the documentary you see the Johnson’s having a family meeting. At first it looks normal, but they are not discussing chores around the house. It is a â€Å"family meeting† with their financial wealth and money management advis ors. The meeting is centered on managing their wealth and assets and essentially turning their millions in to more millions.The consensus from the advisors is that every year the family fortune tenfold and they continue to become richer and richer. Jamie seems to be upsetting his father with the making of this documentary and the advisors seem hesitant to talk about money and wealth on camera. THE ONE PERCENTPage 4 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012 His father’s initial reaction is that his son’s documentary is nonsense, but something that might have a huge ripple effect if taken seriously. Jamie does a great job trying to get answers and asking difficult questions to the wealthy elite of America.The footage he presents is of people giving their most honest views and thoughts and it is evident there is a huge gap between the wealthy and the poor. Jamie Johnson interviewed numerous people within different social classes. They rang ed from Milton Freedman and Steve Forbes, who owns his own private cruise ship, to some local residents of the south side of Chicago, who live in poverty without locks on their mailboxes. Jamie is presenting the social gap with visuals– broken down buildings compared to mansions, a homeless man asking for money compared to fancy beach resorts and post hurricane Katrina victims with private country clubs.A poignant moment that stood out to me in the documentary was when Jamie interviewed Nicole Buffet, the granddaughter of Warren Buffet through marriage (his son Peter’s ex-wife’s daughter. ) It was comforting to watch and I feel even Jamie felt a sense of self-awareness as he interviewed the young female. She seemed so confident in who she was but most of all peaceful, content and happy with the simple things in life. In this situation, you can see money seems to be the root of all evil. Even to the point of ridding someone of your family that has great memories of you. THE ONE PERCENTPage 5 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr.Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012 She talked of her â€Å"grandpa† as the loving man she knows him as (not as multimillion dollar business man. ) In response to her participation in the documentary, he wrote to her â€Å"I have not emotionally or legally adopted you as a grandchild, nor have the rest of my family adopted you as a niece of cousin. † (Schroeder, 2008, p. 976) He disclaims her as a granddaughter despite all the good she says about him just because of her role in the film. People argue that Buffet was not out of place because Nicole was adopted or a step child and was not part of his immediate family.I thought the same until I stumbled upon an article written in The Wall Street Journal. The article stated â€Å"Susan Buffett, Warren's first wife, who died in 2004, named Nicole in her will as one of her â€Å"adored grandchildren† and left her $100,000. She added that Nicole †Å"shall have the same status and benefits †¦ as if they were children of my son, Peter A. Buffett. † Also, â€Å"a source close to the family says Nicole spent â€Å"very little time† with Warren Buffett over the years but that he paid for Nicole's school and living expenses until she was 28. Nicole says that Mr.Buffett's reaction may have reflected his philosophy about wealth. â€Å"Sharing my experience as a Buffett was stepping outside the box,† she says. † (Frank, R. 2008). Another part of the film that stood out to me is when Jamie interviewed the taxi cab driver and I did like what the man had to say. He said, â€Å"My family is one of the richest families in the world, but not with money. With love, kindness, tolerance and patience. Qualities that are worth more than money and you can’t buy that. † THE ONE PERCENTPage 6 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012This showed the much clear distinction in values between the rich and the working class. Comparing what the taxi driver had said to the values of Warren Buffet who wrote his granddaughter disclaiming because she did not support the family lifestyle, which would you prefer? Watching this documentary I came to find that with money also comes a fear of losing that money and becoming consumed by it. Along with money comes the changing of your values and whole aspect on life. It allows families in America to move up in class, often times allowing them to adopt different ideas and different family values.After viewing this documentary my analysis on the disparity of the wealth gap is that it is reality and there isn’t much we can do about it. I am able to see what people have to go through to make it to the top. Business men do not become who they are by being nice to people. They have to be aggressive in the business world, cut throat, sharp and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams. That might come with risks or even mean walking all over people. But, sometimes to make a difference, you have to ride through hell to make it to heaven.This might be a hard pill for some people to swallow, but, it is reality and it is the truth. People have not become moguls overnight singing KUM-BAH-YA and dancing around a fire. Las Vegas was built on mob money before it was cleaned up and presented with a new face by entrepreneur investing. This is business. You have to be able to stomach it and it is not for the weak hearted. I would therefore have to agree with what I have seen in the documentary regarding Jamie’s father and his behavior. THE ONE PERCENTPage 7 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition IIMarch 18, 2012 He did what he had to do to get to where he is today even though he inherited his thrown. In my personal opinion, if you look hard enough you will always find dirt and the top of the social ladder. You do not only have to be rich for that either, all of huma nity is flawed in its own way. I do not believe that everyone was born to be a millionaire. However, I do believe that in our own way, if we preserve and strive to work hard, we are all able to be â€Å"millionaires† in our own eyes and live fulfilling lives and contribute to making our society a better place to live.Being unemployed, uneducated and living off welfare is not fair to the people who work hard to pay taxes to support their fellow citizens. I consider it to be a lazy and irresponsible way of life. However, it is a choice in life you have. The money is out there for the taking so it is also your prerogative whether you choose to go out and get it or not. Make your decision wisely and keep your values in mind while climbing the social ladder if that is the route you decide to take. THE ONE PERCENTPage 8 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard CannellaEnglish Composition II March 18, 2012 REFERENCES Johnson and Johnson. (1997). History of Johnson and Johnson. Retrieved from htt p://www. jnj. com/connect/about-jnj/company-history/ Schroeder, A. (2008). The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life. Domhoff, G. (2010). Wealth, Income, and Power: The Wealth Distribution. Retrieved from http://whorulesamerica. net/power/wealth. html Frank, R. (2008). The Wall Street Journal: The Rich Man’s Michael Moore. Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB120371859381786725. html? mod=fpa_mostpop

The Negative Legacy of Belgium Colonialism in Africa

Belgium is a small country in northwest Europe that joined Europes race for colonies in the late 19th century. Many European countries wanted to colonize distant parts of the world in order to exploit the resources and civilize the inhabitants of these less-developed countries. Belgium gained independence in 1830. Then, King Leopold II came to power in 1865 and believed that colonies would greatly enhance Belgiums wealth and prestige. Leopolds cruel, greedy activities in the current Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi continue to affect the welfare of these countries today. Exploration of and Claims to the Congo River Basin European adventurers experienced great difficulty in exploring and colonizing the Congo River Basin, due to the regions tropical climate, disease, and the resistance of the natives. In the 1870s, Leopold II created an organization called the International African Association. This sham was supposedly a scientific and philanthropic organization which would greatly improve the lives of native Africans by converting them to Christianity, ending the slave trade, and introducing European health and educational systems. King Leopold sent the explorer Henry Morton Stanley to the region. Stanley successfully made treaties with native tribes, set up military posts, and forced most Muslim slave traders out of the region. He acquired millions of square kilometers of central African land for Belgium. However, most of Belgiums government leaders and citizens did not want to spend the exorbitant amount of money that would be needed to maintain distant colonies. At the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, other European countries did not want the Congo River region. King Leopold II insisted that he would maintain this region as a free-trade zone, and he was given personal control of the region, which was nearly eighty times larger than Belgium. He named the region the Congo Free State. The Congo Free State, 1885-1908 Leopold promised that he would develop his private property to improve the lives of the native Africans. He quickly disregarded all of his Berlin Conference guidelines and began to economically exploit the regions land and inhabitants. Due to industrialization, objects such as tires were now required in mass in Europe; thus, the African natives were forced to produce ivory and rubber. Leopolds army mutilated or killed any African who didnt produce enough of these coveted, profitable resources. The Europeans burned African villages, farmland, and rainforest, and kept women as hostages until rubber and mineral quotas were met. Due to this brutality and European diseases, the native population dwindled by approximately ten million people. Leopold II took the enormous profits and built lavish buildings in Belgium. Belgian Congo, 1908-1960 Leopold II tried mightily to conceal this abuse from the international public. However, many countries and individuals had learned of these atrocities by the early 20th century. Joseph Conrad set his popular novel Heart of Darkness in the Congo Free State and described European abuses. The Belgian government forced Leopold to surrender his personal country in 1908. The Belgian government renamed the region the Belgian Congo. The Belgian government and Catholic missions tried to aid the inhabitants by improving health and education and building an infrastructure, but the Belgians still exploited the regions gold, copper, and diamonds. Independence for the Democratic Republic of the Congo By the 1950s, many African countries embraced anti-colonialism, nationalism, equality, and opportunity under the Pan-Africanism movement. The Congolese, who by then had some rights such as owning property and voting in elections, began to demand independence. Belgium wanted to grant independence over a thirty-year span, but under pressure from the United Nations, and in order to avoid a long, deadly war, Belgium decided to grant independence to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on June 30, 1960. Since then, DRC has experienced corruption, inflation, and several regime changes. The mineral-rich province of Katanga was voluntarily separated from DRC from 1960-1963. DRC was known as Zaire from 1971-1997. Two civil wars in DRC have turned into the worlds deadliest conflict since World War II. Millions have died from war, famine, or disease. Millions are now refugees. Today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the third largest country by area in Africa and has approximately 70 million citizens. Its capital is Kinshasa, formerly named Leopoldville. Ruanda-Urundi The current countries of Rwanda and Burundi were once colonized by the Germans, who named the region Ruanda-Urundi. After Germanys defeat in World War I, however, Ruanda-Urundi was made a protectorate of Belgium. Belgium also exploited the land and people of Ruanda-Urundi, the Belgian Congos neighbor to the east. Inhabitants were forced to pay taxes and grow cash crops such as coffee. They were given very little education. However, by the 1960s, Ruanda-Urundi also began to demand independence, and Belgium ended its colonial empire when Rwanda and Burundi were granted independence in 1962. Legacy of Colonialism in Rwanda-Burundi The most important legacy of colonialism in Rwanda and Burundi involved the Belgians obsession with racial, ethnic classification. The Belgians believed that the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda was racially superior to the Hutu ethnic group because the Tutsis had more European features. After many years of segregation, the tension erupted into the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which 850,000 people died. Past and Future of Belgian Colonialism The economies, political systems, and social welfare in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi have been enormously affected by the greedy ambitions of King Leopold II of Belgium. All three countries have experienced exploitation, violence, and poverty, but their rich sources of minerals may one day bring permanent peaceful prosperity to the interior of Africa.