How does the public utilize different media platforms to gather different types of information regarding the General Election 2015?

For our Social Research module, we were required to form a group of 5 and were randomly assigned a scope of study, ours being "Media and Politics". Hence, we decided to tackle the research question:

“How does the public utilize different media platforms to gather different types of information regarding the General Election 2015?”

This is due to our interest in how the general public uses the different platforms like Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date on the General Elections in 2015.

With the conclusion of the 2015 General Election (GE), we have been exposed to many different ways that political parties present themselves. There is plenty of information that is being circulated and the public will utilize different platforms of media to gain knowledge about the GE. There were several ongoing events that the political parties conduct to promote their values and beliefs such as rallies and speeches. Our research objective is to discover how different media platforms such as social media and published media can affect the awareness of the GE.

Our research question is as follows: “How does the public utilize different media platforms to gather different types of information regarding the General Election 2015?". Our group believes that the results of our project will contribute to how future campaigns are conducted. This proposal begins with our literature review which is a study of relevant secondary sources to help us understand our research topic and narrow down the scope of our research topic. This is followed by further exploration on our variables as well as our research methodology to collect and analyse the data.

We expect our research to reap diverse views since we are using mixed methods and have a few predictions on our results. Firstly, we believe that the public would lean towards social media for information. This is because it is free to access, easily accessible through personal devices, and frequently updated. Next, we foresee that there will be a decrease in the usage of traditional print media as people become more environmentally-conscious and tech-savvy. Lastly, the use of online mainstream media will gradually increase since it has become more readily available on digital devices.

Our proposal has shown that it is essential to look into how the public uses media platforms to access information related to the GE. With the advent of social media, they have more platforms to make use of in order to stay connected. Using the findings of our research, political parties will have the information needed to actively reach out to their relevant communities and supporters. Our findings would also help private companies in reaching out to potential customers with the use of their marketing strategies. The various sections, namely the variables, methodology and literature review will help to construct our potential research project.

UC Hope

As part of UniSIM's Service Learning experience, I, along with two other group mates, decided to join UC Hope, a student initiative to raise awareness about animal shelters and strays as we were interested in helping animals and spread the message about animal conservation.

The group meets every weekend at Animal Lovers League, an animal shelter in Pasir Ris Farmway which holds everything from puppies to large ferocious dogs. Our first meeting at the shelter was met with many obstacles, as we had to find our way into the shelter from the main road which was confusing to the uninformed. Furthermore, it was raining heavily and we were drenched to the bone.

However, it was a fun and eye-opening experience. The shelter was in a bad condition with major maintenance work needed on many areas. Furthermore, it seems as if there are more strays than the shelter can handle and manpower is an issue.

To document our meeting, I have compiled this short video diary to bring you through one of our visits.

Changi Beach

For our World Histories and Issues GBA, we were required to choose a site of memory and explore the interesting histories surrounding the area. We decided to choose the Changi area for its close connections to World War 2 and the dark period when the Japanese occupied Singapore. We were required to record a video presentation and an individual summary and we also worked hard to provide a fun yet informative presentation to the class.

Individual Summary

Memorial at Changi

Our site is an amalgamation of areas which held great importance during the Japanese occupation of Singapore during the Second World War. We have chosen to focus on four key locations, namely Changi Beach, Changi Prison, Changi Museum, and the Old Changi Hospital. These places each have significant events tying them to the dark days and as we revisit them, we hope to understand more about their rich histories. These areas remain as an important part of our memorial heritage and provides a reflection for what happened in the past.

Changi Beach

Changi Beach is one of the areas where many brutal murders of Singapore Chinese were carried out. On 20^th February 1942, a large group of them were made to stand at the edge of the sea while the Japanese military police or Kempeitai shot them. This was all part of the Sook Ching operation which required able-bodied Chinese males to report to screening centres where they were imprisoned or executed if believed to be anti-Japanese (Tan, 2009).

Changi Prison

Changi Prison was one of the places where numerous Prisoners of War were held. Initially, they had many liberties and healthcare was readily provided. However, starting 1942, the Japanese’s attitude towards them changed dramatically and the prisoners were squeezed into overcrowded cells where diseases started to spread. Their living conditions were miserable and they were treated inhumanely which resulted in numerous deaths.

Changi Chapel and Museum

Changi Museum was built in 1988 and was first located beside Changi Prison. However, due to the expansion of the prison, it was moved to a nearby site. The date of the relocation was chosen to coincide with the 59^th anniversary of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese (Museum, 2001).

Old Changi Hospital

Changi Hospital was first built in 1935 and was named the Royal Air Force Hospital which provided care to the British soldiers. However during the Japanese occupation, the Kempeitai used the building to torture their prisoners. It was renamed and disbanded several times before merging with Toa Payoh Hospital in 1997 and the old building was abandoned ever since (CGH, 2013).

In conclusion, our four areas all have interesting histories surrounding them in connection to the horrors of World War Two. Preserving these sites enable us to reflect and learn, and hopefully avoid such calamities in the future.

Word Count: 378

References

CGH. (2013). Milestones. Retrieved from Changi General Hospital: www.cgh.com.sg/AboutUs/Pages/milestones.aspx

Museum, C. (2001, Febuary 15). The Changi Museum. Retrieved from Changi Museum: http://www.changimuseum.sg/about-us/

Tan, S. T. (2009). Syonan. In S. T. Tan, Syonan (p. 15). Singapore: Singapore : National Archives of Singapore.

Class Presentation

King Oedipus

As part of the course assessment,  I was required to read the tales of King Oedipus and answer a specific essay question. I was pleasantly surprised to be graded well in this essay which gave me confidence in my studies.

Tutor Marked Assigment

Question A
Do you feel that King Oedipus can be adapted for a specifically non-Ancient Greek setting? Show how the play may have any relevance to other contexts. In your answer, identify the techniques that Sophocles relies upon to make his play resonate with a world beyond those of ancient Greece.

Sophocles’ renowned play “King Oedipus”, has fascinated readers from all over the world for many generations. One of the key features of the play is its ability to evoke our human emotions and intellect, making us ask questions about the issue of fate versus our own free will and our ignorance to the truth. This essay will explore the issue, and also highlight its relevance to modern society. It will identify several techniques used by the author that still enable readers of the 21st century to appreciate its work due to its universal messages.

A major motif of the play is the question of determinism and human agency. Determinism refers to events happening not due to human interaction, but rather due to external forces that one cannot control. On the other hand, human agency refers to the act of forging one’s future and determining one’s outcome by one’s own actions, in other words, free will.

In the play, the story of Oedipus is largely formed with the idea of fate and how he cannot escape from his destiny and prophecy. From the play "King Oedipus", the chorus has said that “time sees all; and now he has found you, when you least expected it” (Sophocles, 1947, p. 59). With every action which he thought would enable him to break the vicious prophecy that was given to him, it only brought him closer to its inevitable conclusion. This shows how fate and the Gods prevent him from changing his destiny.

This is where the universal message of the play comes in. We can apply this to a modern setting, whereby people born into wealthy families are more likely to lead a smooth and easier life while those born into poor families are more often than not stuck in a life of poverty. These people are given birth privileges (or lack thereof) and this largely contributes to their standard of living, which to a larger extent, forces them to conform to norms of the financial and social class such as level of education or income earned.

An example of this is the Indian caste system in which all Hindus born in India are placed into castes which determine their field of work and standard of living. Those belonging to the top of the system, priests and teachers are treated better than those at the bottom who are physical labourers and remain as such for the rest of their lives. This continues in the family line and is almost impossible to break out of (O'Niell, 2003).

9/11 Tragedy

Another modern example of fate is the 9/11 tragedy. Some lucky survivors were saved from death due to several decisions made at the last minute. Morgan Stanley, a survivor of the incident, was called out of her office for a cigarette break which she usually would not go out for. This can be seen as an act of determinism or free will, depending on one’s perspective. Is it an external force (God) which led her out of the building, or is it merely her own actions, which led to her escape on the event (Park, 2011)?

The issue has troubled people from philosophers to scientists to even the common man. Throughout time, humans have debated over their own existence, and whether our own actions are instrumental in the course of our life. However, it is not possible to completely find a solution to this problem but merely take a stance and form our own opinions on the matter. The play raises this issue to the readers, and allows them to make their own decisions on which ideology to follow. This is why even today, the play is widely read as it is still very relatable in today’s society even after 2000 years.

Similarly, there is a matter that Sophocles has chosen to highlight, the willingness to ignore the truth. In the same that way that Oedipus chose to ignore Teiresias’ words because it didn't align too well with his image of the “truth”, some may also ignore the truth even when facts are clearly presented to them. This use of symbolism is relatable to contexts of all times as it is ingrained in our subconscious to reject what seems unfavourable to us and cling onto our own version of the "truth".

The play has also addressed the different ways in which people deal with a tragic situation, and these are universal emotions and actions that transcend time. There are two ways in which people handle such circumstances, escaping and trying to tackle the situation. In the play, these two methods are both used by the main characters, Jocasta and Oedipus respectively.

Jocasta attempts to redress the situation by an extreme form of escape, suicide, while Oedipus attempts to “rectify” the situation by inflicting self-punishment in order to make up for the atrocities he has committed  This can be also seen throughout the ages, with suicide cases being a prevalent part of society. This happens when those who cannot take the reality of their situation feel that death is the only option left for them. However, there will be others who try to tackle the situation by solving the problem or inflicting some form of punishment unto oneself. These reactions to situations are very adaptable as humans from all walks of life and all ages would go through a similar thought process when experiencing a stressful situation.

In “King Oedipus”, Sophocles relies on two techniques to universalise his play beyond its ancient setting, namely, the play’s ability to evoke human emotions, and its potential to stir the reader’s intellectual psyche.

The play’s ability to evoke our human emotions, grief and regret, is noteworthy. Toward the climax of the play, Oedipus suffers major emotional trauma upon finding of the truth of his existence, having lost his mother and lover in a single stroke. These feelings of grief over losing a loved one and regret over his actions are strong emotions that enable the reader to connect with the play on a deeper, more emotional level.

Its potential to make the reader think about his own existence is also noteworthy. Sophocles plants this question in the reader's mind about the play’s central theme of fate versus free will and helps them to form their own conclusions and decisions about how they view the consequences of their own actions.

In conclusion, “King Oedipus” is still very relatable to a modern setting and need not be confined to its Ancient Greek setting. Sophocles achieves this by his universally adaptable theme of determinism versus human agency, our ignorance to the truth and the two different ways in which people deal with a tragedy. Finally, he ties the play together by evoking the reader’s emotions and asks the reader to decide his own stance toward fate.

Word Count: 1132

References

O'Niell, T. (2003). Discrimination against India's lowest Hindu castes is technically illegal. But try telling that to the 160 million Untouchables, who face violent reprisals if they forget their place. Retrieved from National Geographic Magazine: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0306/feature1/

Park, M. (5 September, 2011). Small choices, saved lives: Near misses of 9/11. Retrieved from Cable News Network: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/09/03/near.death.decisions/
Sophocles (1947). The Theban Plays. (E. F. Watling, Trans.) London, England. (Original work
published 429 B.C.)

Play and its various forms

Below is the essay which I submitted as part of my course assessment. I was glad to find out I was praised for a concise essay with valid objections. This gave me confidence in my writing skills.

Tutor Marked Assignment

Is play necessary?

In Stephen T. Asma’s essay about play and its various forms, he has underlined several interesting points about play that people may not usually associate with such an activity. Many a time, we believe play to be a distraction, a side hobby from our otherwise hectic lifestyles. However, he establishes its importance in self-development and how different philosophers have differing views on play as a form of human activity. He also outlines how society undermines the value of play and follows by categorising play into two different forms, active play and passive play. To a certain extent, I agree with the author as he brings up very good points on the benefits of play. However, there is a point on passive play I will object to and provide evidence for my claim.

In the essay, Asma describes play as the highest form of man’s activity and its necessity for the development of the mind, body, and soul. This is due to three differing factors: it equips us with necessary life skills, social skills and enables us to experience pleasure and joy in life.

Play equips us with the necessary life skills to survive in our modern society today and the author describes it with a three-step process. Firstly, using the analogy of a camel with a heavy load on its back, he compares man with the burden of cultural and social ethics weighing down on the personage. This refers to the traditions and social ethics which man must attend and abide to before any other activity. Next, he proceeds to describe man as rejecting the social psyche, and freeing himself from obedience from the authority. This enables him to exclude himself from the political and stringent way life is run by rules and regulations. Lastly, he compares play to the act of an innocent child playing, and this refers to how creativity will exude itself from the activity. These layers help in giving man the essential life skills to adapt in the society he has been placed upon.

Play equips us with social skills to interact with other members of society and to include oneself into its system, and at the same time, forge alliances and friendships. Asma describes play as helping one become familiar with the physical body and helps prepare himself for social engagements. This will also help one to learn the importance of dominance and submission, as evident in most mammals, where play is used to show supremacy in the pack or group it is born into. A prominent example is in wolves, where there is a hierarchy that each wolf has to follow where an alpha (top) and an omega (bottom) position is established from young (Conger, 2008). In modern society, this translates to an acknowledgement of the status quo and fitting into the society we have been placed into.

Hierarchy in a wolf pack

Play also enables us to experience pleasure and joy, while at the same time relieving stress. At the very basic level, it is ingrained in our physical and nervous system as our body releases spikes of dopamine, which helps control the brain’s pleasure and reward system, giving us “feel good” chemicals like opioids and oxytocin. As such, we are able to expel tensions and negativity just by playing.

However, some philosophers argue and counter argue against the importance of play. Some feel it is an unnecessary diversion from normal activities, others feel it is a vital part to true happiness.

Plato, a Greek philosopher, rejected play and calls it an act of disorder. He describes play as a distraction for the working and mechanized soul, and refers to play to be mere stoppages of time that could be used to benefit the person and at a larger scale, the community. Juvenal, a Roman poet, also believes in how play is unnecessary as he feels that it is a decline of civic and societal responsibilities and refers to play as “mere amusements”. He feels it is a distraction from the person’s societal ethics and consciousness, and rejects play as an experience worth pursuing.

Play is an unnecessary diversion from duties?

In objection to this, Aristotle, another Greek philosopher, claims that play is serious business that should not be taken lightly. In our high-paced lifestyle, it serves as a break for our tired minds and bodies and prepares it for the oncoming challenges one has to face. For this reason, we should never undermine the importance of play. Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher, also rebuts the above points by arguing that modern society always feels a need to give purpose to every endeavour we embark on. Play does not necessarily need to have a purpose. On the other hand, in order to achieve true happiness, there is a need for an organized and systematic distribution of work.

Asma also states that society has undermined the value of play. He claims that the stakes of play are higher than what we actually perceive it to be as we have always been taking it lightly. However, play, he argues, is a form of conduct that rebuts the convenient mode of living that exists only to contribute to society or the survival of oneself. This is because we don’t measure play in values used to numerate productivity but instead we should focus on our physical and mental attributes that we gain from play itself. Nevertheless, people are utilizing play as a straight road to achieve success rather than enjoying the actual act itself. A prime example of this is “Tiger Moms” sending their kids to extra-curricular lessons such as music and ballet to gain an extra edge in their life, even if the child is not enjoying said activity (Park, 2014). However, we should not only pursue success in play, but enjoy the very activity itself.

Tiger Moms

Play can also be divided into two broad categories, active and passive play. Active play is dynamic and energetic, and also vitalises the individual engaging in the activity. This form of play also requires some degree of skill and practice to accomplish. Some examples of active play are sports and music. Passive play, on the other hand, is submissive and static. The author also compares it to “cheap pleasures” that anesthetizes the user and reduces the level of creativity. Finally, passive play requires no effort or skill to complete. Examples of passive play are watching the television or consuming alcohol.

Throughout the entirety of the essay, I can agree to Asma’s claims to a certain extent. The only objection I have toward his points is toward the idea on passive play. He describes passive play as a black hole of creativity. However, this is not true as passive forms of play can in turn be used as forms of inspiration. For example, watching television programmes can be informative and help to provide direction in one’s life (Jacobs, 2013). Consuming alcohol can also, in fact, reduce one’s ability to focus on certain things and ignore or forget others. This translates to creative ways for the brain to solve problems (Beilock, 2012). From the examples shown, passive play can actually inspire and improve the way we process information while maintaining creativity levels.

In conclusion, Asma has brought up several points about play that resonates with our intrinsic nature. He highlights the importance of play; how it equips us with essential life and social skills, and provides us with pleasure and joy. He then underlines how society has taken play lightly and proceeds by dividing play into its active and passive forms. However, I feel that passive play is also as important as its active counterpart in bringing inspiration and not merely as cheap amusements and distractions as the author claims it to be. However, one thing remains clear, play is as important as it once was and always will be.

References

Beilock, S. (2012, April 4). Alcohol Benefits the Creative Process. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/choke/201204/alcohol-benefits-the-creative-process

Conger, C. (2008, July 30). What is a wolf pack mentality? Retrieved from HowStuffWorks: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/wolf-pack-mentality.htm

Jacobs, T. (2013, October 28). Watching TV can make you a better person. Retrieved from Salon: http://www.salon.com/2013/10/27/research_finds_tv_inspires_altruism_what_does_that_mean_for_homeland_fans_partner/

Park, A. (2014, May 5). The Tiger Mom Effect Is Real, Says Large Study. Retrieved from Time: http://time.com/88125/the-tiger-mom-effect-is-real-says-large-study/

Slavery

This is the Tutor-Marked Assignment that I submitted as part of my CCO107 module assessment on slavery. The module allowed me to appreciate the peace and stability brought about by our forefathers and why it is always important to learn and understand history, such that we may not make the same mistakes as our forefathers.

Tutor Marked Assignment

Slavery, though it has been made illegal in every state of the world, it is still apparent albeit in different forms. Child labour is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern society due to the ever-growing demand for manual labour in developing countries. Slave owners turn to children as they provide the extra hands necessary for physical work while being cheap to acquire. Furthermore, children are easily influenced, and also less demanding which leads to fewer chances for rebellion against their masters (Vasilenko, 2012). Moreover, the children are made to work in extremely hazardous environments without proper protective equipment. This essay will look how child labour is executed, the methods in which they are exploited, and finally the actions that have been undertaken to address the issue. It will also highlight the various challenges authorities face in eliminating child labour completely. 

Child labour in the chocolate industry

Slave owners use deception or force, and kidnapping to gather the manpower they require. Sometimes, parents even sell their offspring to the owners for extra income.

Firstly, the owners usually employ deception tactics to coerce and convince children to leave their hometowns and travel to nearby plantations or mines. These children, who want to earn a source of income for their families, are usually sent by their parents with blessings as they feel it is "a better way to spend their time" (Els, 2012).

Poverty-stricken families

These slave owners further perpetuate this behaviour by persuading the children to work in order to earn a better life for themselves. Most of the time, the children are unaware of the cruel working conditions. 

Next, the recruitment process occasionally involves kidnapping. In China and other parts of the world, there are reports of children forcefully taken to factories and made to work for the slave owners. Threats of violence deter the children from escaping and they work for little to no pay in brutal and harsh conditions with no hope of escape (French, 2007).

Child labour in Chinese factories

Lastly, the parents of the child, unable to even support the family with basic necessities, are left with no choice but to sell their offspring to the slave owners (Singla, 2014). In developing countries, this is perpetuated by the high costs of education, which would incur more expenses for the parents after childbirth. 

These child labourers are transferred from their hometowns, with or without their consent, to their designated areas of work. Some examples of such areas are cocoa plantations and underground gold mines. Sometimes, the children are smuggled illegally across international borders by land vehicles such as motorcycles or taxis to avoid the watchful eye of the authorities (Mammel, 2013).

Gold Mining

Child labour, in particular, is undesirable as it not only stunts the child’s growth due to the backbreaking work, but is hazardous to the child’s health because of the lack of protective equipment. In addition, when the child is employed, they will be spending time working rather than studying which impedes their education. This creates a vicious cycle in which the child, due to their lack of proper education, would only continue to take on menial labour in their lifetime. Usually, these children are forced to work due to their extreme poverty (The University of Iowa Labor Center, 2011).

Several factors contribute to the increasing number of children entering the workforce illegally, namely, obstacles to education and inadequate government intervention. 

Not all countries provide free and readily available education, especially in developing countries. Even if access to schools is available, the quality of education can be poor or irrelevant. As such, families living in poverty will choose to send their children to work rather than to school which would incur more costs and debts (United Nations, n.d.).

The government plays a big part in the elimination of child labour. When policies and laws are not fully and diligently implemented, these traffickers would take advantage of the lax system and enslave more children. For instance, neglecting the inspection of mining operations and not punishing those guilty of employing child labour (United Nations, n.d.).

Nations all over the world have employed different strategies and passed laws to prevent the prevalence of child labour. However, governments need to regularly check its local companies particularly those in the agriculture and mining department as these areas require large amounts of manpower to function and would usually turn to children for cheap labour. 

The International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized department of the United Nations has started the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). Its aim is to gradually eradicate child labour worldwide, starting with the worst and most dangerous forms. Since its beginnings in 1992, IPEC has put in place country-specific programmes to implement policies and measures to end child labour, and spread awareness to the community. As a result, hundreds of thousands of children have returned from the workforce (International Labour Organization, n.d.).

The ILO has also conducted research and helps to train companies and its employees in the regular detection and monitoring of its workplaces for signs of child labour (International Labour Organization, 2015). In addition, they promote social dialogue, which helps to raise awareness and encourage better working conditions which translates to better wages for employees. This helps to foster cooperation and understanding in the workplace, which can help to reduce the use of child labour (International Labour Organization, n.d.).

However, there exists numerous challenges that prevent governments from eliminating child labour completely. With such a widespread use of children in Africa and South Asia in the areas of agriculture, it may be difficult to eradicate it fully in the short term as it would require changing of attitudes and extended help from the authority. Furthermore, the “hidden” forms of child labour such as those working in family farms or businesses are the most difficult to tackle as they not commonly seen by the public eye (Ellen Webbink, 2012).

Nevertheless, instead of tackling the traffickers and smugglers, the authorities should attempt to tackle the problem at the source, which is the issue of poverty and the lack of education. As most forms of child labour happen due to the family facing poverty, the government should help poor families and prevent their children from entering the workforce to earn money. This would inevitably enable the children, and to a larger extent their children’s children, perpetually stuck in a life of manual labour to escape this vicious cycle. Education should also be promoted and be easy to access. Organizations such as the Bangladesh Building and Metal Workers’ Union aim to remove children from hazardous workplaces and place them into schools (The University of Iowa Labor Center, 2011).

In conclusion, child labour is still being used in various parts of the world for manual labour due to their low costs and ease of being controlled. However, this puts the child both physically and mentally at risk, stunting their growth and preventing them from getting a stable education. To completely stamp out the use of children in the workforce, the authority needs to implement policies relating to poverty and education, and also have a clear and regularly monitored system of checks to prevent such occurrences. 

References

Ellen Webbink, J. S. (2012). Hidden child labour: Determinants of housework and family business work of children in 16 developing countries. World Development, 631-642.

Els, F. (2012, October 12). Report: Half of gold miners in Africa could be children. Retrieved from Mining.com: http://www.mining.com/report-half-of-gold-miners-in-africa-could-be-children-38365/

French, H. W. (2007, June 16). Kidnapped children in China forced into slave labor / Hundreds of youths reported to be toiling in brutal conditions. Retrieved from SFGATE: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Kidnapped-children-in-China-forced-into-slave-2555932.php

International Labour Organization. (2015, September 29). ILO and Japan Tobacco International step up joint work to promote fundamental labour rights in the tobacco supply chain. Retrieved from International Labour Organization: http://www.ilo.org/pardev/news/WCMS_409381/lang--en/index.htm

International Labour Organization. (n.d.). Action against child labour. Retrieved from International Labour Organization: http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Action/lang--en/index.htm

International Labour Organization. (n.d.). Social dialogue and child labour. Retrieved from International Labour Organization: http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Action/social-dialogue/lang--en/index.htm

Mammel, M. (2013, November 26). Child Slavery: The Bitter Truth behind the Chocolate Industry. Retrieved from Terry: http://www.terry.ubc.ca/2013/11/26/child-slavery-the-bitter-truth-behind-the-chocolate-industry/

Singla, E. (2014). A Bitter Truth of Indian Youth, Child Labour. International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research, 104-113.

The University of Iowa Labor Center. (2011, July). Ending Child Labor. Retrieved from Child Labor Education Project: https://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/ending.html

The University of Iowa Labor Center. (2011, July). What is Child Labor? Retrieved from Child Labor Education Project: https://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/what_is_child_labor.html

United Nations. (n.d.). Child Labour. Retrieved from United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/childlabour/

Vasilenko, S. (2012, October 12). Child slavery becomes world's third popular problem. Retrieved from Pravda.ru: http://english.pravda.ru/society/stories/10-12-2012/123109-child_slavery-0/

Marriages: why they should be banned.

CCO 103

Critical Readings 

 Group Based Assignment

My group’s video is about why we believe banning all marriages are beneficial to our personal life and on a larger scale, our modern society.

Legalisation of Gay Marriages

Recently in the United States, the Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriages in some states. This has led to a vast and overwhelming mix of reaction from the populace, some supporting the new law, others outright rejecting it. However, our group proposes that all marriages should be banned in our current society, including same-sex marriages.

The ugly truth

Firstly, marriage is redundant as romance soon dies after marriage. After marriage in a modern society, the couple would be working to pay off their debts. Thus, they would be spending less time with each other and gradually lose the spark they once had. According to a survey by the Daily Mail, close to 3000 married couples polled that they had lost their flame in the relationship (Reporter, 2010). When this happens, marriage often ends with a divorce. This is because most couples tend to have the misconception that they would naturally get along together after the marriage but instead, they have little clue about the problems with co-habitation.

Mundane sex life

Secondly, there are restrictions one face when one gets married. Financial burdens such as honeymoon and the wedding are taxing on the couple and debts once owned by a single party are now shared. The couple also faces social restrictions as they concentrate on their new lives and neglect their social lives. Furthermore, with the advent of marriage, they would have a mundane sex life as they would only have one sexual partner to relieve sexual tensions with, as compared to the numerous partners one would have whilst single.

Unfair advantages given to married couples

Thirdly, there are numerous inequalities surrounding singles. Married couples get unfair advantages in housing and other government grants. This unjust discrimination would not be prevalent if not for marriage and its “benefits”. It should not matter whether a person is married to be given advantages and grants.

Loss of business opportunities

Lastly, if marriage is banned, the country will inevitably prosper. When couples marry they would miss out on potential business opportunities due to a lack of social networking. If there were only singles in society, there would be no loss of business opportunities which would lead to income in the country, thus leading to a boost in economy.

Why restrict yourself?

To conclude, the above benefits would severely outweigh the disadvantages of marriage. The banning of all marriages would not only bring about the individualistic freedom we once had, but change how we view ourselves and to a larger extent, how society views the hushed taboo about sex with multiple partners. Sex should be celebrated, not kept behind closed doors. 

References

Reporter, D. M. (2010, October 26). Forget the seven-year itch - a marriage goes stale after ten  years and 11 months. Retrieved from Daily Mail: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323722/Seven year-itch-myth--marriage-goes-stale-years-11-months.html

Reflection on the Assignment

The group-based assignment we were tasked to complete was both educational and gratifying. The entire process of filming the video was efficiently executed as we managed to plan the outline and shoot our required scenes in the span of merely 2 hours. However, the shooting of our hand-drawn presentation backdrops were slightly more tedious.  Our group was agreeable in the general direction in which we wanted the project to head to. We were struck with the idea of producing hand-drawn screens instead of the regular presentation and we felt this was a creative method in presenting our ideas. I believe our video stood out from the rest of the pack due to this quality.