Gangs Essays (1459 words) - Crime, Criminology, Urban Decay, Gangs

Gangs Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today's cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings' personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is good evidence to point the blame at several institutions. These include the forces of the media, the government, theatre, drugs and our economic system. On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Money is also an crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that s/he could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at a TV than she/he spends in a classroom. Since nobody can completely turn off their minds, kids must be learning something while watching the TV. Very few hours of television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often shown this from a gang's perspective. A normal adult can see that this is showing how foully that gangs are living. However, to a child this portrays a violent gang existance as acceptable. 'The Ends Justifies the Means' mentality is also taught through many shows where the "goody guy" captures the "bad guy" through violence and is then being commended. A young child sees this a perfectly acceptable because he knows that the "bad guy" was wrong but has no idea of what acceptable apprehension techniques are. Gore in television also takes a big part in influencing young minds. Children see gory scenes and are fascinated by these things that they have not seen before. Older viewers see gore and are not concerned with the blood but rather with the pain the victim must feel. A younger mind doesn't make this connection. Thus a gore fascination is formed, and has been seen in several of my peers. Unfortunately kids raised with this sort of television end up growing up with a stronger propensity to becoming a violent gang member or 'violent-acceptant' person. "Gangs bring the delinquent norms of society into intimate contact with the individual."1, (Marshall B Clinard, 1963). So, as you can see if TV leads a child to believe that violence is the norm this will manifest itself in the actions of the child quite, often in a gang situation. This is especially the case when parents don't spend a lot of time with their kids at the TV explaining what is right and what is wrong. Quite often newer books and some types of music will enforce this type of thought and ideas. Once this mentality is installed in youngsters they become increasingly prone to being easily pushed into a gang situation by any problem at home or elsewhere. For instance, in poor families with many children or upper-middle class families where parents are always working, the children will often feel deprived of love. Parents can often feel that putting food on the table is enough love. Children of these families may often go to the gang firstly out of boredom and to belong somewhere. As time goes on, a form of love or kinship develops between the gang members and the child. It is then that the bond between the kid and the gang is completed because the gang has effectively taken the place of the family. The new anti social structure of cities also effects the ease in which a boy/girl can join a gang. " The formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is facilitated by the same lack of Gangs Essays (1459 words) - Crime, Criminology, Urban Decay, Gangs Gangs Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today's cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings' personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is good evidence to point the blame at several institutions. These include the forces of the media, the government, theatre, drugs and our economic system. On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Money is also an crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that s/he could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at a TV than she/he spends in a classroom. Since nobody can completely turn off their minds, kids must be learning something while watching the TV. Very few hours of television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often shown this from a gang's perspective. A normal adult can see that this is showing how foully that gangs are living. However, to a child this portrays a violent gang existance as acceptable. 'The Ends Justifies the Means' mentality is also taught through many shows where the "goody guy" captures the "bad guy" through violence and is then being commended. A young child sees this a perfectly acceptable because he knows that the "bad guy" was wrong but has no idea of what acceptable apprehension techniques are. Gore in television also takes a big part in influencing young minds. Children see gory scenes and are fascinated by these things that they have not seen before. Older viewers see gore and are not concerned with the blood but rather with the pain the victim must feel. A younger mind doesn't make this connection. Thus a gore fascination is formed, and has been seen in several of my peers. Unfortunately kids raised with this sort of television end up growing up with a stronger propensity to becoming a violent gang member or 'violent-acceptant' person. "Gangs bring the delinquent norms of society into intimate contact with the individual."1, (Marshall B Clinard, 1963). So, as you can see if TV leads a child to believe that violence is the norm this will manifest itself in the actions of the child quite, often in a gang situation. This is especially the case when parents don't spend a lot of time with their kids at the TV explaining what is right and what is wrong. Quite often newer books and some types of music will enforce this type of thought and ideas. Once this mentality is installed in youngsters they become increasingly prone to being easily pushed into a gang situation by any problem at home or elsewhere. For instance, in poor families with many children or upper-middle class families where parents are always working, the children will often feel deprived of love. Parents can often feel that putting food on the table is enough love. Children of these families may often go to the gang firstly out of boredom and to belong somewhere. As time goes on, a form of love or kinship develops between the gang members and the child. It is then that the bond between the kid and the gang is completed because the gang has effectively taken the place of the family. The new anti social structure of cities also effects the ease in which a boy/girl can join a gang. " The formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is facilitated by the same lack of

Presley essays

Presley essays At the time, no one realized that The world of music and entertainment would forever change. It was noon, on January 8, 1935, when Gladys Smith Presley, a poor Mississippi God-fearing sewing machine operator and wife of farm hand Vernon Elvis Presley, gave birth to twin sons Elvis Aron and Jesse Garon Presley. Buried in an unmarked Priceville, Mississippi grave, Jesse Garon died within six hours of birth. Jesses twin, Elvis Aron, was to become the most influential force in the history of popular music and a melding force between cultures. As the worlds most endearing and successful entertainer of his age, Elvis sold over three hundred million records, and created Today, Elvis is known world wide as The King of Rock n Roll. The dirt-poor with his polite and well-mannered ways, patterned his famous wiggle and early singing style form the gospel revival preachers he grew up with at the familys First Assembly of God Church. We were broke, man, broke, and we left Tupelo overnight, Elvis said, a quote which typifies his early life, following his parents from job to job. In 1939 the total combined Presley salary was $35 a week, when young Elvis was enrolled in L.C. Humes High School in Memphis, Tennessee. After graduation from Humes High School in 1953, while driving a truck for an electric company, Elvis passed a sign that would lead him to fame. The sign read, Memphis Recording Service-Make your own records...Four dollars for two songs. This is where Sam Phillips of Sun Records found his man. In August 1954, WHBQ radio in Memphis released the birth of a Rock n Roll legend with, Thats All Right, Mama. After an unsuccessful Grand Ol Opry stint, 1955 brought Good Rockin Tonite and Milk Cow Blues Boogie. The flamboyant personal manage ...

Music history report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Music history report - Essay Example One of the most remarkable and influential eras in the history of music is the Classical period. The Classical period, though brief compared to other musical eras, it has contributed much in the history of musical development. Symphonies, sonatas, and string quartets of the three great composers of the Viennese School (Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig Van Beethoven) were among the notable developments that happened in the Classical period. Also, other remarkable composers included minor composers such as Mozart’s father, several of J.S. Bach’s sons, Johann Hummel, Muzio Clementi, Friedrich Kuhlau, and many others (Moss). The melodies of the Classical era were more compact and diatonic in nature, thus making it an era of strict and restrained music. Notably, there was less structure in the harmony of the compositions, as well. It used the tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords, which gave the compositions its really classical nature. Conspicuously , during this period, diatonic harmony was more common than chromatic. Composers mainly used chords in triadic form and occasionally used seventh chords in their compositions (â€Å"The Classical Era†).