Thomas Paine Questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Thomas Paine Questions - Coursework Example Paine believed that his work was going to be remembered for a long time – may be forever. He argued that though his work would not have obtained general favor from readers, after some time its objectives was going to be achieved as more people were going to like it - â€Å"Time makes more converts than reason† (Paine, 1776, p. 1). Therefore his belief was that in the long run, his document was going to gain some favor from the readers. Question Two In the views of Paine, society and government are two very different organizations. They are the very opposite of each other. Paine argued that society and government are not the same and even their origin is not the same. The origin of society comes out of our wants but that of the government is from our wickedness. While the society enhances people’s happiness my uniting their great moments, government bring gloominess unto our lives by restraining our vices. Furthermore society enhances intercourse while government brings about classifications. While a society is viewed as a blessing a government is said to be punisher. Paine described a government as a necessary evil when it is in its best state. To Paine, government is badge of lost innocence. Society and government are therefore very different from each other and cannot be compared. In the description of Paine, they seem to oppose each other. It is very interesting how Paine contrasted society and government. In his description he was indeed able to show that though the two are different from each other they cannot be separated from each other. He used such words as necessary evil in describing government showing that government was evil but all the same it cannot be done away with. Question Three Though Paine described government as an evil and a badge of lost innocence, he still argued strongly that it was necessary for the society. Paine saw a great need for regulations and government in general in the society. Government and regulation become necessary because a society grows to a point whereby its members lose commitment and attachment to each other. At first, regulations will be set up to be observed by all the members of the society whereby all the members will have some form of say in the formulation of such regulations. But as the society grows, the need to leave legislation to a legislative body will raise and thus a government would have to been formed. In the views of Paine, regulations and government are simply necessary for the sake of ensuring that there is order in the society. Paine argued that it is the failure of the members of the society to uphold moral virtues that give raise to regulations and government. Along this thinking, he described government as â€Å"a mode rendered necessary by the inability of moral virtue to govern the world† (Paine, 1776, p. 1). Therefore, in simple terms the need for regulations and government is for the purpose of keeping order in the society. Question Four Paine finds two â€Å"tyrannies† in the English Constitution in the form of the Monarchy and Aristocracy. This is because it is a complete opposite of what he

Nanosolar Solar Panel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Nanosolar Solar Panel - Essay Example Nanosolar will increase the value of its products for all its stakeholder by going global. For the same manufacturing and Research and Development expenses, it will be able to widen its market. The best strategy is to penetrate a country that is underexplored by solar panel manufacturers. By using export mode, Nanosolar will be able to maximize current investment. The mobility of its panels will make it easy to transport. Nanosolar may continue manufacturing its products in its current location and ship it to the country of choice. Introduction: Company Background Nanosolar is a revolutionary solar panel created by a startup company who got their initial funding from Silicon Valley venture capitalists (VC). True to the reputation of young Silicon Valley technology developers, Nanosolar is radically different from other solar panels such as Sunpower and Evergreen. This solar panel is as thin as newspapers, foldable, flexible and very light. This makes it a non-intrusive technology. Ot her solar panels need to be incorporated in the construction of buildings or houses or would require major construction to be installed. Nanosolar’s size, lightness, and flexibility make it easier to be installed. Any existing homeowners can buy this solar panel and install it with minor repairs (LaMonica 2008, 41). The company originated in Chicago but has expanded its operation in the United Kingdom. In fact, their first major contract was in Germany instead of the U.S. Nanosolar continues to develop its technology to improve the amount of heat it converts to energy and make solar electricity cost as affordable as conventional electricity. They are now officially the world’s most affordable solar panel and also the most profitable for the stakeholders of the company and efficient for the consumers of the product. Its superior technology and even more superior market positioning also give it the potential to be a truly global product. It is the only solar panel on the market that is possible to be shipped through conventional consumer courier. It is the framework that makes Nanosolar’s entry into the foreign market not only practical but logical. It will maximize the current investment by capturing a larger market. Main Report Motives for Internationalization The strongest reason for internationalization is the value it promises to its shareholder. The most obvious is the additional revenue it will generate using existing resources (Friedman 1970, 32). Nanosolar is the only one of its kind in the market that is easy to transport because of its flexibility. It renders the setting up of a manufacturing plant unnecessary. Companies who expand to foreign markets are forced to open a manufacturing plant in or near the market they want to penetrate. This equates to bigger investments which lengthens the returns to the stakeholder (Hollensen 2011, 231).

Comparison And Contrast Between Achilles And Hector History Essay

Comparison And Contrast Between Achilles And Hector History Essay Homers poem The Iliad is an epic poem that describes the majority of the war between Greek and Trojan. The purpose of this essay is to enhance our critical reading and writing skills. The mean of this is essay is compare and contrast between Achilles and Hector discussing the similarities between two protagonists of the poem the Iliad. I think its important to be sure that we have a complete understanding of the things being compared because it will be much easier to write a critical essay. The poem was written by Homer who is generally considered being one of the most important poets and authors of the eighth century. Also, Homer has had an enormous influence on the history of literature and he has a particular form of writing. To my understanding, He had the ability to perceive life in a different way because he wrote most about of the life in Greek and war their respective times. The poem the Iliad is very important and interesting because He teaches many good things about the lif e of one person during the war. The main protagonists of the Poem are Achilles who is considered as the greatest warrior in the world. Achilles is the son of Peleus, the former king of the Myrmidons, and a sea nymph named Thetis. Patroclus is Greek warrior and beloved companion of Achilles. Menelaus is King of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon and he is who his wife, Helen, was taken by prince Paris Trojan, After, was like that the Greeks declared war on Troy. Agamemnon is Commander of the Greek armies and son of Atreus, the king of Mycenae. Hector is prince of Trojan and revered the bravest of the Trojan warriors. Priam is King of Troy. Andromache is noble and dedicated wife from Hectors. Paris is Prince Trojan and who took Helen from Menelaus. Zeus is King of the gods, who prefers to remain neutral in the war but he intervenes after a plea for help. Hera is Queen of the gods, who favors the Greeks. Apollo is revered like a god of light and the sun, who sides with the Trojans. Thetis is known as the goddess of water, who is the mother of Achilles. Although exist many most protagonist but to me them are most important. (Harold Bloom) According to Egbert Haverkamp Begemann , Homer was a writer; whose writing manifests of the wars between Greek and Trojan. The Iliad, the subject is war. The Greek army has traveled to Troy to battle the Trojan army by the recused Menelaus wife Helen from Paris , resulting in a war that rages on for the better part of a ten year. To me the three most important and relevant protagonist of the Iliad is Achilles, Hector and Patroclus. Achilles fights for the Greek army and is considered the greatest of the Greek warriors. Patroclus is the most loyal commander from Achilles and considered like brother of war of the great Achilles. While Hector, who fights for the Trojan army, he is not only a prince of Troy is also considered the greatest of the Trojan warriors. Achilles and Hector are most important characters in the Iliad because they are respected and revered as heroes by all people of their side. They are different by the way that they had relationships with their families, the way that they lead their troops in the Iliad in the way that they view and interact with the power of the gods. The first contrast between Achilles and Hector is that they have different personalities and how they live their life. Hector is a man of family who loves his child and wife and he believed that Confidence, communication is important to build a good relationship with respect and love to keep the family. Also, he can forget war when a little child cries or his people suffer by the war. Whiles Achilles is ruled by his uncontrollable passions as seen in his rage and proud headstrong ways and to Achilles is evident that military glory is more important than family life. He risks his life in order to gain military glory. According, The Iliad is a poem that shown Achilles has a great love to his mother and his close friendship with Patroclus and Briseis. Achilles is a man who comes to live by and for violence (Lawall 115). Achilles was like that because he was grown with this Greek culture where always were in wars. Also, Achilles never see his lasting life was not in his future because he always was presented in all wars that the Greek have by pride and gain glory. Also, He is willing to sacrifice his life only so that his name will be remembered. For Hector, war is a necessary evil in which he fights bravely, but reluctantly (Lawall 115). While Achilles participating or fighting in wars by pride, glory and to have his name remembered, Hectors motivation is more humanistic. A great example by that Hector is considered one hero between the Trojans is because he fighting against the Achaeans is all about preventing well-being and keeps peaceful in his land. Furthermore, hector have pride but different to pride of Achilles because his pride is subdued in order to maintain his loyalty to his homeland and its people. Hectors loyalty is evident in the Iliad. Another important contrast between the characters principals of the Iliad has different ways of showing heroism. Hector is a hero in his own way. Although he died in a very dreadful way, the Trojans all celebrated him as a great hero of their time because He fought by people of his land and peace. While Achilles were possibly the most important warrior and hero of Greek time. Although, The Greeks treat Patroclus as a hero after his death, He was given a great celebration in his honor because Patroclus death is the most important influenced to that Achilles participating in the war against Trojan and so they could win the war. To me understand a great similiratlity between Achilles and hector according to Iliad, Achilles loves Briseis and Agamemnon rips her from him, without remorse. After the great Achilles doesnt believe that he should fight in it war because he was directly insulted to his pride like man when Agamemnon demanded to the love of his life Briseis. He was fury to refuse to fight against the Trojans by the fail of respect of Agamemnon to him. According the Iliad, Hectors love for his family is shown when he is shown playing with his infant son before he goes out to meet his death at the hands of Achilles. To me understand is one great example love and passion that the family has in the life of hector. Another similarity is when Achilles feeling guilty for the death of Patroclus and other Acadians who had died by the pride and choice of refused to participating in the war after the great offend by part Agamemnon. In addition, Achilles realized the consequences of his actions and He was sorry for what he had done and wanted to fix it. Then is when Achilles feels that if he kills Hector, Patroclus death will be justly avenged and he will not carry by his actions. Hector values honor and pride in his army and homeland more than he values life. For example, when he advises the citizens of Troy to sleep outside the city gates, because he assumes all is safe and then finds out people were murdered through the night because by the raging Achilles had returned, he assumes full responsibility for the disaster. If the situation had been reversed, Achilles would have pointed fingers of blame at others, but on the contrary, Hector knew that he had made a mistake and was to ashamed to return inside the gates, instead giving his live attempting the end that of the man who viciously killed so many Trojans. (Harold Bloom) this quote is important to understand the personality, values that the great hector have, courage and honor required to be recognized like a true epic hero. Hector demonstrates every quality an epic hero should. He combines his fighting abilities with integrity, humanity, and an entirely altruistic approach to every situation he faces. He honestly lives to fairly fight his best every day for the Trojans.

Technology and Cheating Essay -- essays papers

Technology and Cheating "Technology really is a double-edged sword when it comes to cheating. The means for detecting cheating are catching up with the means for cheating." â€Å"There are many definitions of cheating, but the one that most accurately applies to the school environment is this one from Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, to violate rules dishonestly.†[1] With that definition, â€Å"A recent survey of more than 1,000 Choices readers shows that cheating among teenagers is a huge problem. Ninety-six percent of the respondents said that cheating was a problem in their school, and while 98 percent of the students said a person did not need to cheat to succeed, 64 percent of the respondents admitted cheating on a test.†[2] Another example of this is given â€Å"in a recent study by the Center for Academic Integrity at Duke University, 73 percent of seventh-graders and 66 percent of sixth-graders admitted that they had cheated. ‘Because kids as young as eight and nine now have Internet access, we see this problem moving further down in grade level,’ reports Steven Jongewaard, Ph.D., professor of education at Hamline University.†[3] Why do students cheat? According to the same survey as above, â€Å"students said they cheated because they needed to save time, they felt the problems, questions, or assignment were too hard, they were afraid of getting a poor grade or failing, and they weren't prepared. ‘Some kids think they're too cool to study, or that they know everything and don't have to study,’ says Alyxe. ‘Then, when it comes to the test, they're surprised and they try to cheat.’ Trying to please parents or attempting to help a friend is also reasons why kids cheat.†[4] To me this all seems like excuses. It seems... ...=EJ531712&db=eric [1] http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us . Retrieved May 2, 2004 [2] http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us. Retrieved May 2, 2004 [3] http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us. Retrieved May 2, 2004 [4] http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us. Retrieved May 2, 2004 [5] http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us. Retrieved May 2, 2004 [6]http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us [7] Argetsinger, Amy, Washingtonpost.com, Technology Exposes Cheating at U-Va. Wednesday, May 9, 2001; Page A01. Retrieved May 2, 2004 [8] Chase, Kimberly. â€Å"Teachers Fight Against Internet Plagiarism†. From the March 02, 2004 edition. http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0302/p12s01-legn.html. Retrieved May 2, 2004. [9] Argetsinger [10] Chase [11] Bushweller, Kevin. 1999. "Generation of Cheaters," The American School Board Journal, April. Online: www.asbj.com/199904/0499coverstory.html. Retrieved May 2, 2004.

Fat Chance for the “Fat Tax”

Fat Chance for the â€Å"Fat Tax† Our bodies and what we put into them is our own business unless someone else is harmed in the process. I can understand a tax on drinkers and smokers because drinkers can harm others when they get behind the wheel of a car, and secondhand smoke is a killer of many, but a tax on what people eat is preposterous. People are still going to eat junk food no matter what the cost is; look at smoking, the price of cigarettes keeps going up but people continue to buy them.People already know that junk food is bad for them, but again and again they resort back to it because of the taste. We cannot depend on our government to help us with everything, we need to be independent and learn from our own mistakes, it’s the only way we will grow as a society. The fat tax would not work because it would make the poor spend more of their already limited income, people would still go back to junk food time after time, and obesity is a dilemma that would not be solved by a simple tax. Obesity and poverty go hand in hand; junk foods are cheap so the poor continue to buy them.By placing this tax we would be taxing the people who couldn’t afford it. Even people that are not obese would be affected by the tax, people like the taste of junk foods whether they are overweight or not. The poor would only end up poorer if the tax was set because even if they did stop buying junk foods, they would still have to pay more money for a healthy alternative. The tax could possibly end up making us a healthier nation†¦ possibly; but one thing for sure is it would definitely make us a poorer nation.Alan Maryon-Davis, President of the UK Faculty of Public Health stated that, â€Å"The downside of the tax is that it’s regressive in terms of it would hit the poorest hardest, and in the current climate when people are struggling to make a living, it’s a difficult balance. † Establishing this tax could also lead to job cuts a t corporations that have popular products that are considered unhealthy. To set a tax during a time when the economy is not up doesn’t seem to be a good idea any way you look at it; we will be taking more money out of people’s pockets.People prefer chips, fast food burgers, and fries over healthier things such as fruits, vegetables, and organic foods; so paying an extra . 20 or . 30 cents is not going to change their mind on what they like to eat. People might grumble about paying the extra money, but they will still dish it out in the end. If it were a four or five dollar tax then it would probably change their mind, but there would be some very angry citizens. Fatty foods will still be less expensive then healthier foods even if the tax was imposed.People are still going to do what they like to; cigarettes and alcohol are already taxed but people continue to smoke and drink, so how people think a tax on junk foods will change the way people eat is beyond me. Citizens should not look to the government to tell them what they should eat; they should be able to choose by themselves. The tax will either be too large for citizens to accept and they will get angry, or it will be too small for people to really care; there doesn’t really seem to be a happy medium. The June 2005 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition describes this in the article. ‘Overweight or obesity (BMI 25) was 29% among both semivegetarians and vegans, and 25% among lactovegetarians. For them, vegetarian and vegan foods are fattening. Should they be taxed? † (Satin). This seems to raise a very good question. Should people that are eating healthy but still seem to not be able to keep the weight off be taxed also? We should start using our time to spread healthy eating habits throughout the country instead of taxing things when they get out of hand.Obesity it not a problem that can be solved by a simple tax; just like smoking and drinking were not solv ed by taxes. If you take this matter as far as the Prohibition went then there would be people hiding out in places sneaking junk food around. William Saletan makes a good point in saying, â€Å"If you want to tax the hell out of soda, you need to make people think it’s a drug, not a beverage – that downing a Coke is like puffing on a cigarette† (Engber). If you want people to stop eating junk foods then you need to show them how bad they are, taxing them won’t help.Education on healthy eating habits and exercise would help the obesity epidemic more the tax would. Starting a fat tax would also form the opinion that the U. S. society is against overweight people, which could form insecurities for overweight people, and possibly be considered discrimination. The enabling of the tax might show a decline in obesity, while it could also possibly show a rise in diseases such as anorexia and bulimia. People would get uncomfortable about being overweight, maybe e ven to the point of depression.The tax could show a decline in obesity over many years, and the money generated from the tax could also help stimulate some of the anti-obesity organizations. The money could also be used to cover health care, medical research, or any other number of beneficial things. It might stimulate some people to start eating healthier and exercising more. Children might be fed healthier and down the road, in a couple generations, the obesity rate would drop. Even though people would still mostly likely buy junk foods it still might cut down on the over-eating of them.Denmark has already started to impose the fat tax and it will be fully done so in 2019. I still don’t buy it. The fat tax is a concept that should be thrown out the window. There are many other ways we can try to rid obesity; we could make companies state (in larger print) clearly what the shopper is buying when they look at the product, make healthy eating habits and exercise a bigger part of our children’s schooling, and inform citizens on the better choice of eating healthy and what it can do to help you. These are easy ways to help obesity prevention without taking money out of the pockets of our citizens. America is a free country and citizens should have a right to choose what they can and cannot eat.Works Cited Engber, Daniel. â€Å"Let Them Drink Water! What a fat tax really means for America. † Slate. 21 September 2009. Article. 19 November 2010. Satin, Mort. â€Å"Fat tax falls flat. † saltinstitute. Salt Institute. 29 July 2009. Web. 20 November 2010. Wilkins, Rebecca. â€Å"Danes impose 25% tax increases on ice cream, chocolate, and sweets to curb disease. † bmj. BMJ. 6 July 2010. Web. 20 November 2010.

Beatniks: The New Ideology of Manifest Destiny and Freedom

The 1950s were a time of revitalization. They were a time of rebirth for the American people. World War II had ended and heralded the reinsertion and reintegration of thousands of service members into society. Working women who epitomized Rosie the Riveter and passed into the workforce along with their 12 million counterparts working when the US entered the war, saved the money they earned. Prior to the end of the war, there was not much to spend earned income on with the exception of war bonds. Afterwards, however, American industry expanded like never before. The buying power offered to Americans expanded, as well. Goods that were not available during the war became readily accessible. This increased the job market and stimulated the economy. Not only that, but the returning soldiers helped the US experience a population boom helping to facilitate a spike in consumerism. Veterans were starting families and were in need of housing which the Levitt family began and perfected, building housing areas called Levitt-towns. People were increasingly more materialistic—shopping for wants and not just needs. It was truly the Fabulous Fifties. Out of this time was born a generation of seeming radicals that fought against the agreed upon normalcy of the times. This ‘Beat Generation’ reimagined the ideals of Manifest Destiny and freedom because they wanted to be free to explore what was considered insanity by many but for them was artistic expression—a breaking free of conformist beliefs of the supposed American dream of materialism and gain. The Beat Generation or Beats, as they were sometimes called was a term coined by the author and member of this same generation Jack Kerouac during a conversation with fellow writer, John Clellon Holmes. He clarified his phrase by saying beat â€Å"meant being socially marginalized and exhausted—‘beaten down’—and blessed—‘beatific’ † (â€Å"Mid-1950s-1960s†, 2007). The term implied their generation was beaten down for their artistic nature and general deviance from mainstream behavior. Beatniks were labeled law breakers, troublemakers and rebel rousers and charged with being communists. In fact, in 1961 the director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover claimed that the beatnik lifestyle was in the top three major threats to American society and way of life. Kerouac and other founders of the generation took offense to this accusation. Their insistence was they merely wanted to be free to explore what may have been considered absurdity but really were searching for what they felt was missing in life. They were searching for a deeper meaning. They refused to be complacent just because the war had ended and the world was seemingly a better place. Things were not perfect just because the economy was on the rise. The war had not solved humanity’s problems and consumerism was just an empty shell for them. Therefore, this search for a higher self, took the form of experimentation. Many of the Beats were openly homosexual or bisexual and freely experimented with their sexual natures. They aligned themselves with the culture of jazz musicians and the music they made. Jazz music followed no preordained rules. There were no wrong notes no matter how raw. The more noisy and discordant, the better and more real—emotional—it sounded. The Beats raged in their literature and poetry, sounding much like discordant peals of music echoing from the saxophone of a jazz musician, against those who would suppress them. These feelings were elegantly detailed in the semi-mad ravings of Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl. Like Ginsberg, many wrote under the influence of drugs like Benzedrine and marijuana, experimenting with them in order to achieve a state of transcendentalism. Gregory Stephenson (2009) explains it thusly, â€Å"The poet, for a visionary instant, transcends the realm of the actual into the realm of the ideal, and then, unable to sustain the vision, returns to the realm of the actual. Afterwards the poet feels exiled from the eternal, the numinous, [and] the super conscious. The material world, the realm of the actual, seems empty and desolate. The desolation the Beats felt was born from the feeling of being out of sorts and disconnected with a world no longer theirs. This made them howl. They howled, they cried out, they wailed and fought against a forced subjugation. And thus, refusing to be subjugated, they were ostracized. Thereby, making them howl more and inspiring the title of Ginsberg’s poem. In analyzing the poem, it is clear Ginsberg wanted to accomplish two things. First, he wanted to exact an unmistakable and distinct delineation between those who fall under the Beatnik category and those they feel are the conformists of their time. Secondly, he made it known that this was their declaration, it was their manifesto of freedom. â€Å"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, angel headed hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of nigh, who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyes and high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness of cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities contemplating jazz†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1955). The material world Stephenson speaks of and the fix Ginsberg speaks of correlates to the Beats movement centered on a lifestyle of a total rejection of this mainstream idea that one and one must always equal two, one must always know when the right time is to settle down, what constitutes a productive member of society, a person must write and speak in formalities, have a certain religion, wear what is acceptable and love who is acceptable in order to be accepted into society. They used alcohol and drugs to feel and then proceeded to write down what they felt, even if it was not in a formal order that made sense. Therefore, â€Å"the academic community derided the Beats as anti-intellectual and unrefined†¦Established poets and novelists looked down upon the freewheeling abandon of Beat literature† (â€Å"The Beat Generation†, 2013). Furthermore, this ‘freewheeling abandon’ applied to more than just the literature of the Beat movement, it applied to their psychical bodies, as well. American history was based on an idea of expansion, evidenced by a phrase coined in 1845 by editor, John O’Sullivan, called â€Å"Manifest Destiny†. Those that settled in the newly founded America believed â€Å"courageous pioneers†¦had a divine obligation to stretch the boundaries of their noble republic†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Manifest Destiny†, 2013). And yet in the 1950s these ideals America was founded on came to a screeching halt despite the mass production and affordability of automobiles and the interconnectedness of cities by highways. People became complacent and began to settle down in Post-World War II newly built homes in newly generated housing areas. The word of that era was conformity. The houses were all built to a certain style; the yards were groomed in the same way; the people behaved in a manner as what was expected of them. The idea of buying a home and being stationary represented a large section of what the Beat Generation saw as conforming to a capitalist and consumer-based lifestyle. The Beats advocated a hobo type of lifestyle, rather than one weighed down by physical possessions. â€Å"These men†¦were attempting to escape what were perceived as the restrictive shackles of the nuclear family but†¦rejected the trappings of a settled bourgeois lifestyle and were geographically mobile† (McDowell, 1996). So the romanticism surrounding Jack Kerouac’s autobiographical book On the Road, which spoke to those in this generation and wanting to relate or understand them, also became the definition of the ideology of the Beat Generation. An ideology which said ‘Life should be actively lived and you must make of it what you want, not what others tell you to want to make out of it’. It was about â€Å"†¦grabbing and doing it. It was about not wanting to stay somewhere and rooting, but rather going somewhere and making your own reality† (â€Å"American Road†, 2011). Kerouac epitomized this in his book: â€Å"†¦I left with my canvas bag in which a few fundamental things were packed and took off for the Pacific Ocean with the fifty dollars in my pocket. I’d been poring over maps of the United States in Paterson for months, even reading books about the pioneers and savoring names like Platte and Cimarron and so on, and the road-map was one long red line called Route 6†¦I’ll just stay on 6†¦I said to myself and confidently started†¦Filled with dreams of what I’d do in Chicago, in Denver, and then finally in San Fran,†¦I started hitching up the thing† (Kerouac, 1957). He wondered and daydreamed about what he would do in those cities, but knew what he did not want to do. Kerouac’s character, Sal, did not want to miss out on anything by becoming deadened, which is silently implied, had he joined the rat race and gotten a job. It was wasted energy. He â€Å"hated the thought of it†¦There were so many other interesting things to do [and meet]† (Kerouac, 1957). The ideals incarnate in his book through his characters were an open and honest free love of people, an enjoyment of the experiences that were happening in the now, and a meeting of the minds of ll types and races of people. They were colorblind. And this was also new in a time when people who were different were excluded or called communists. In a time when Joseph McCarthy was initiating a ‘Red Scare’ and accusing citizens of being communists and Hoover’s G-Men were illegally wire-tapping politicians and regular citizens alike, people had become overly sus picious of everyone. People were anxious to show militarism and an acquiescence to conform to what was inherently American. Yet, in spite of this, Beatniks marched to their own poetry and beliefs. Ginsberg howled and Kerouac left on a holy trek to find a true inner consciousness, laden with real freedom and genuine spontaneity. Several times, Sal’s character considered traveling elsewhere instead of his intended destination for no other reason than to see where the roads would take him or what or who would lie in that particular direction. Though most, if not all, those in this beat generation originally came from a middle class background, they rejected it as being conformists and closed minded. â€Å"Conformity [to them] was born from fear of the political system† (â€Å"American Road†, 2011). They were not afraid though they felt this overt obsession with conforming to an evil government and material possessions was killing the spirit and creativity found within. This idea was further cemented by Ginsberg statement of the best minds of his generation being destroyed. In the second part of Howl, Ginsberg continually mentions the name or entity â€Å"Moloch† and in the context he uses it, one can ascribe a negative connotation to it: â€Å"What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination? Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars†¦Moloch the heavy judger of men! Moloch the incomprehensible prison! Moloch the crossbone soulless jailhouse and Congress of sorrows! Moloch whose buildings are judgment! Moloch the cast stone of war! Moloch the stunned governments† (Ginsberg, 1957)! This entity â€Å"Moloch† no doubt represents all the things in American society considered to be the norm, but for the Beat Generation is stifling and oppressive. Cement and aluminum were the utensils builders used to build homes like Levitt-towns and universities that inhibited free thinking and self-expression. He mentions unobtainable dollars because the pursuit of money and material possessions was a fleeting happiness. Once possessed, it is no longer desired. And everywhere they turned there was heavy judgment, except from their own kind. The publishing and almost instant success of Jack Kerouac’s book, On the Road, as well as the publishing of other Beat writers, like Allen Ginsberg, marked the beginnings of an evolutionary change. The Beat Generation became a subculture that truly impacted America. Men and women—teenagers and young adults, were finding themselves increasingly disillusioned by a lifestyle that was centered on home and work. People were taking a page from Kerouac’s life and hitting the road on a journey to find themselves and what meaning life really had for them. They were taking verses from Ginsberg’s manifesto and â€Å"†¦bit[ing] detectives in the neck and shrieked with delight in policecars for committing no crime but their own wild cooking pederasty and intoxication†¦ (1957). Indeed, the Fabulous 50s brought with it trials and tribulations, materialism and consumerism, and in general, the earmarks of an American social way of being that is still prevalent today. But within that culture, a counterculture was also born whose inhabitants were not satisfied with the world as it was. They were not satisfied with what the world wanted to turn them into. They wante d to march to the beat of their own drum; to experience what was out there in the world and truly be liberated. Born of this desire was the Beat Generation, the forebears of the hippies of the 1960s. They advocated a freedom and liberation of minds and bodies. They wanted to be liberated of all censor. They wanted the freedom to love hard and fast, to travel at will and forsake the idea that in order to be truly happy one had to engage in a rat race of empty labor for money and material possessions. The Beatniks reinforced and reimagined the ideals of Manifest Destiny and chose to manifest their destiny of finding the freedom to be themselves and love it despite opposition. References Films Media Group (2011). American Road [H.264]. Retrieved from http://digital.film-s.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=18596&xtid=48260 Ginsberg, A. (1955-1956). Howl. Collected Poems, 1947-1980. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179381 McDowell, L. (1996). Off the Road: Alternate Views of Rebellion, Resistance and ‘The Beats’. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/622491 Stephenson, G. (2009). Daybreak Boys: Essays on the Literature of the Beat Generation.