Pre-Colonial Literature free essay sample

Even before the Spaniards came to colonize our country, the natives in our land already had a civilization of their own. This is in contrast to what some early Spanish colonizers claim that the Philippines, before they came here, did not have a culture of its own and was barbaric. Even during the modern times, some people claim that natives of the early Philippines had a culture which is inferior to theirs. But although our histories were full of depreciations from other cultures, the way of life even before the coming of colonizers was already flourishing. That is enough reason to defend the fact that our culture is never inferior to anyone’s. Pre-colonial Filipinos, for instance, had a system of writing before the coming of the Spaniards called Baybayin. This goes to show that even before the time of Christ our ancient people were abreast with the style of the world’s writing. We will write a custom essay sample on Pre-Colonial Literature or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although the natives did not have the knowledge of the Roman alphabet, which was what the first colonizers used, it did not make them illiterate as some may think. With the existence of written language also comes literature as a natural consequence. Pre-colonial literature abounds in the form of sabi (maxims), bugtong (riddles), epics, and myths. The early Filipinos also had a form of government called Barangay, headed by a Datu or Sultan (among the Moros). Social classes exist but social mobility was possible. Also, the early Filipinos followed and obeyed rules, as evident in the ancient body of laws: Code of Kalantiao and Code of Maragtas, which is also called Code of Sumakwel. Therefore, even before colonizers came, our ancient people already had an organized community or settlement. Our country has known godliness since time immemorial. Our ancestors turned to religion for hope and encouragement, proving religion was the backbone and outstanding power of the world and brought change to the human conduct in moral, social and business life. It is said that the apprehension or conviction of the existence of a Supreme Being or a supernatural power or influence controls a person’s humanity. The pre-Spanish Filipinos believed in a Supreme Being they called Bathala and worshipped minor deities whose functions were closely related to the daily life of the people. Based on the way of life of our ancestors, one can make several observations. 1. Our ancestors already had concepts or ideas which are not far from those of other countries. Early Filipinos had concepts of people, places, statuses, or events similar with that of other culture although some of these countries did not colonize us. The natives of the Philippines were considered by the Spaniards as indigenous people possessing epic poems in the style of Iliad and the Grecian Ode, which sang glories of its people and the memorable deeds of their heroes. These epics include, but are not limited to, Biag ni Lam-ang of the Ilocanos, Tuwaang of the Manuvus in Central Mindanao, Hinilawod of the Sulod of Panay, Hudhud and Alim of the Ifugaos, Handiong of the Bikolanos and the Bantugan of the Maranaws. The Alim tells the story of gods who resembled the Indian gods in the epic of Ramayana. Our ancestors also had a concept of hierarchy as seen in their myths. The story of The Great Flood by the Tinggians mentioned guards and palace. The concept of beauty of our ancestors is also evident in their literary works. An example is the description of the Maiden of Monawon in the epic Tuwaang: But she was much fairer Than the eye of the rising sun For it can be darkened And hence be dimmed For it can be covered Even by a little cloud Over the horizon. Generally, those women who were considered beautiful by our ancestors had black hair which reached down to the waist, had fair skin and had shapely legs. However, our ancestors did not only look at the physical aspect as they also considered beautiful those who are skilled in crafts. A Story of the Orphan Girl mentioned how our ancestors defined beauty based on skills. †¦for she was very beautiful, with straight eyebrows, and very skillful in all womanly arts, such as weaving†¦ Myths and legends also bore traces of Hindi and Hindu influences. For example, the history of the deluge of Northern Luzon and the legend of the Manubo Ango in Agusan contained some parallelism with biblical history of ot and the Hindu myths of Ahalya in Ramayan. Our ancestors had a way of explaining phenomena Our ancestors used literature as a way of explaining natural phenomena, past events, and contemporary beliefs. This is to make the environment less fearsome by making it more comprehensible and, in more instances, to make idle hours less tedious by filling them with humor and fantasy. For instance, the Maranaw legend How the Angels Built Lake Lanao explains how the said lake is formed. The ancient Visayans’ mythology created a world they called Bambu. Other manifestations of this observations include the Panay-Visayan myth of Tungkung Langit and Alunsina which tells the story behind the rain and thunder as well as the Second Creation of the Tirurays which relates how the calls of the forest doves named lemugens give the farmers much needed agricultural omen. 3. The early Filipinos gave importance to values and beliefs. The literature of the natives recorded written traditions about wisdom which are beneficial to human life. The early Filipinos valued their beliefs so much that they take efforts to pass them from generation to generation through different forms of oral and written literature. These can be seen in several proverbs and short poems. These forms of literature make use of different early Filipino values such as patience, humility, wit, contentment, resilience, courage, sociability or pakikisama, and friendship. For instance, the proverb, ‘Ang kata-katayak sukat makapagkati ng dagat (Tiny drops of water continuously draining, enough to dry up the sea)’, stresses the Filipino value of patience. These simplest forms of literature, which contain talinhaga (analogue, metaphor or figure) give us a clear picture of the oral literature in a culture. This, in turn, give us an idea of the general and shared conceptions of what is good, right, appropriate, worthwhile, and important with regard to modes of conduct and states of existence in a given community. 4. The pre-colonial natives were observant of their surroundings. The early Filipinos were critical-thinkers as they sensed what was happening around them and incorporated these observations into their ulture, especially in literature. Bugtongs (riddles) were usually about anything that can be found in nature. Riddles such as ‘Kapag hiniwa mo, naghihilom nang walang pilat (tubig)’ from the Aetas, ‘Batang Magindanaw, abot hanggang Saysay ang kanyang palahaw (agung)’ from the Bagobos, ‘Sa hita ni Iggat lahat ay kumakaskas (pulot-pukyutan)’ from the Isnegs, ‘Malaking bahay, libot ng durungawan (lambat)’ from the Tagbanwas and ‘Sinturon ni Apu, walang pwedeng humiram (sawa)’ of the Subanons all have answers which can be found in the surroundings of the natives. This is because material culture cannot be separated from the non-material culture. They become essential to a culture’s functioning because without them, people could not carry on the necessary activities of daily life. But more than that, they are expressions of the culture that produces them. Material aspects of culture carry with them non-material aspects such as the value and belief regarding or associated with that object or element. 5. Our ancient people used different aspects of culture as a way of self-expression. Our ancestors used art, literature, dance, and music as ways of expression. More than just preserving and inculcating their way of living in a certain field of the arts, the natives used different media in self-expression. In the field of art, expression can be seen in their tools and weapons, potteries, beads, amulets, and bracelets. They give us a clear picture of how the early Filipinos vented out their emotions. Tattoos and clothing are also forms of art. More than being a symbol of social class, they are also a reflection of the personality of the wearer. Furthermore, Filipinos are considered born musicians. Most of them played one or two musical instruments. Perhaps, these instruments served as an outlet in showing the emotions of the natives. Poems of love, grief, adventures, and celebration of bountiful harvests were sung to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Dances, which are rhythmic movements in tune to music, also expressed their way of living. Thus, the ancient Filipinos from all regions had different dances and songs for all occasions. Lastly, in the field of literature, both oral and written works contain the portrayal of the pre-colonial Filipinos’ feelings, both favorable and otherwise. Human passion is evident in different short poems. For instance, the Lamge of the Bilaans show how they are enthusiastic with working even though they are already tired. The Dangdang-ay, on the other hand, expresses unfading love of the author for a person. The Dumheb ako a Dumas by the Ivatans relate about the personal problem of the author which concerns beauty. Ancient Filipinos had many outlets to express their emotions and feelings. They did not limit themselves to only one form of cultural manifestation; rather, they had many ways to reflect their personalities. In conclusion, the pre-colonial natives of the country already had concepts or ideas which are not far from those of other countries had a way of explaining phenomena, gave importance to values and beliefs, were observant of their surroundings, and used different aspects of culture as a way of self-expression. These observations are evident in artifacts, especially in literary proofs and this only shows that even before colonizers set foot on our land, our ancestors already had patterns of behavior and its products embodied in thought, speech, action and objects.

Free Essays on Developing The Leader Within You

â€Å"Developing The Leader Within You† John Maxwell’s book â€Å"Developing The Leader Within You† gives basic instructions for developing leadership skills. The author believes that leadership skills are not necessarily in-born, but can and should be developed. Maxwell teaches that even natural leaders need to learn appropriate leadership skills in order to maximize their potential. Leadership is defined as influence or the ability to get followers. Maxwell’s favorite leadership proverb is: "He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk." Everyone influences someone. All of us are leading in some areas, while in other areas we are being led. No one person is excluded from being a leader or a follower. Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence ten thousand other people during his or her lifetime. In any situation there is a prominent influencer. This may change with a different group of people or a different situation. For example a mother may be the dominant influencer over a child in the morning. The child may become the influencer of other children once school begins. It’s pretty easy to pick out the influencer of any group. If an issue is to be decided, who is the person whose opinion seems most valuable? Maxwell describes the levels of leadership: Level 1: Position Basic level of leadership. Influence is basically from title or position. Level 2: Permission This level of influence is the ability to get someone to do something for you when they are not obligated. This level is based on interrelationships. The focus is on people development. Level 3: Production People are more results oriented. They come together to accomplish goals. Level 4: People Development This level can be recognized because his/her people consistently demonstrate superior performances. Level 5: Personhood People follow because of who you are and wha... Free Essays on Developing The Leader Within You Free Essays on Developing The Leader Within You â€Å"Developing The Leader Within You† John Maxwell’s book â€Å"Developing The Leader Within You† gives basic instructions for developing leadership skills. The author believes that leadership skills are not necessarily in-born, but can and should be developed. Maxwell teaches that even natural leaders need to learn appropriate leadership skills in order to maximize their potential. Leadership is defined as influence or the ability to get followers. Maxwell’s favorite leadership proverb is: "He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk." Everyone influences someone. All of us are leading in some areas, while in other areas we are being led. No one person is excluded from being a leader or a follower. Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence ten thousand other people during his or her lifetime. In any situation there is a prominent influencer. This may change with a different group of people or a different situation. For example a mother may be the dominant influencer over a child in the morning. The child may become the influencer of other children once school begins. It’s pretty easy to pick out the influencer of any group. If an issue is to be decided, who is the person whose opinion seems most valuable? Maxwell describes the levels of leadership: Level 1: Position Basic level of leadership. Influence is basically from title or position. Level 2: Permission This level of influence is the ability to get someone to do something for you when they are not obligated. This level is based on interrelationships. The focus is on people development. Level 3: Production People are more results oriented. They come together to accomplish goals. Level 4: People Development This level can be recognized because his/her people consistently demonstrate superior performances. Level 5: Personhood People follow because of who you are and wha...

How have ideas about race been shaped by changing economic, social and Essay

How have ideas about race been shaped by changing economic, social and political circumstances - Essay Example Those who belong to a particular ethnic group maintain shared cultural heritages, language, social ideologies, religions, rituals and biological ancestry (Peoples and Bailey 2010). By applying a definition to ethnicity, society is able to make distinctions between different social groups. Race, however, is a construct that is absolutely considerate of anatomical attributes. Race is defined by Cornell and Hartman (2007) as the method by which groups are able to define themselves through the commonality of physical attributes that are shared biologically throughout a society or culture. Race is determined by the meaning that is placed on these shared characteristics. People who share common physical features determine which specific attributes are significant and then attempt to organise groups according to a perceived set of boundaries and then develop social ideologies that give the aforementioned boundaries or characterisation a relevant meaning which serves as the foundation for race. Hence, race is very much a social creation whilst ethnicity is more concerned with the tangible similarities of a particular group. Race serves to mould the social and political methodologies by which the world is classified and organised. The concept of race was formed in global and regional cultures as a product of various socio-political systems that recognised denial and opportunity (Dalmage 2010). Race has become substantially rooted in the structures that guide societies, a form of institutionalisation of perceived human value and relevancy constructed through centuries of changing economic, political and social circumstances. The conception of race as a social interpretation is ever-changing and the meanings and values assigned to various races evolve when it becomes advantageous to those maintaining power within a society. Those who represent dominant groups, such as the European whites in the 17th Century, often assign race to less-advantaged groups as a method

Preventing STI on Juveniles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Preventing STI on Juveniles - Essay Example The effects associated with the acquisition of STIs are not only limited to medical and psychological aspects but have other devastating implications on the infected teenagers including the cost and sequelae of STIs. In order to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, a diverse range of barrier methods are available, such as condoms to ensure safety of both partners during coitus. In modern society, one of the major problems faced by the health care system is the prevention of sexually transmitted infections in juveniles (Steele et al 2005). Preventive Measures: Abstinence from sexual relations is one of the most efficacious means of reducing the risk of acquiring AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. On the other hand, maintaining a mutual monogamous sexual relationship with an uninfected partner is another way of minimizing the risk of acquiring STIs through sexual contact. The risk of infection with HIV and other STIs can also be significantly reduced by usi ng barrier methods such as latex condoms or by using spermicides. In heterosexual partners, the prevalence of HIV infection is quite high. In accordance with a recent research, the percentage of heterosexual partners having HIV infection is as high as 11% and about 60% of HIV infected heterosexual partners’ exhibit seropositive results (McGlynn et al 2000). The need for Diverse Interventions: In order to reduce the initial acquisition, further transmission and sequelae of sexually transmitted infections, there is an urgent need to formulate and strictly implement a diverse range of interventions. Interventions such as fostering the use of condoms, development of new biomedical methods, school-college based educational programs and routine screening have simply not been able to cause a sharp decrease in the incidence of sexually transmitted infections in sexually active young individuals. It is a fact that these interventions have significantly increased the awareness about ST Is but the rapid increase in the number of cases reported each year mirrors their inefficacy. The alarming rise in the number of teenagers having STIs reflects the failure of the government in the implementation of effective and diverse interventions at every level. Therefore, the need for drawing up and strictly enforcing effective projects for the prevention of STIs is the greatest now than ever before (Steele et al 2005). Design for Change in Practice: To ensure effective outcomes, it is a prerequisite for the interventions mentioned in this section to be implemented comprehensively and at different societal levels. The new design for change in practice will address the following areas of concern. The most effective way of sharply decreasing the percentage of new STI cases is to convey the importance of sexual abstinence to young individuals. The advent of new biomedical approaches, such as vaccines, has been assumed to provide easy and instant solution to the critical problem of rise in STIs in juveniles. However, it is quite unrealistic to believe that such approaches will provide fast and instant solution. The realistic approach is to couple these biomedical approaches with behavioral approaches in order to increase their effectiveness and efficacy. Thirdly, it is quite important to realize that teenagers need to be informed about how to properly use condoms during sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, a large number of community or school based programs and parent

What are the 3 key factors to consider when buying merchandise for a Essay

What are the 3 key factors to consider when buying merchandise for a high street fashion brand such as Topshop - Essay Example As buying occurs in set periods it’s further necessary to have significant foresight. Another prominent factor that buyers must consider is quality control (Goworek 2005, p. 9). While there is generally a quality control department it’s recognized that they contribute to finalizing the aesthetic aspects of the fit, shape, length and proportion of the garment; additionally, it may be necessary to test the fabric to ensure that it matches the end retailer’s standards. The final factor that buyers must consider when purchasing merchandise for a high street fashion brand is progressive sales of past brands (Goworek 2005, p. 17). This is a slightly complex notion as it necessitates that buyers consider the specific sales of garments in the range and recognize then effectively manage these purchases in the context of future buying patterns. While it may not always be possible to purchase the same garments the buyer can match specific trends within these ranges accordin g to retail tendencies to achieve maximum

Sensor Technology for Mineral Exploration

Sensor Technology for Mineral Exploration 1. Introduction Significant contribution is done by satellite remote sensing in the field of mineral exploration viz. Geological faults, fractures and mapping, which are associated with the ore deposits based on spectral signature, (Farooq and Govil 2013; Magendra and Sanjeevi 2014; Murphy and Monteiro 2011, Le Yo et al., 2011) the spectral signature helps in the recognizes hydrothermal altered rocks (Sabins, 1999). The multispectral remote sensing exhibits differences in spectral signatures which are insufficient spectral resolution for the hydrothermal altered mineral mapping (Clark, 1999). The Multispectral sensors viz. Landsat TM, ETM+, ASTER image processing helps in iron oxides mapping, the spectral ranges 1.55-1.75 Â µm and 2.08-2.35 Â µm is important for iron mapping (Gupta, 2003). The hyperspectral images provide a higher spectral resolution the the multispectral images (Clark et al., 1990; Magendra and Sanjeevi 2014; Van der Meer 2012). The discovery of new hyperspectral sensor technology in terms of both sensor and technical development has provided the opportunity to revisit previous remote sensing approaches for the mineral exploration as well as for the development of improved methods. Hyperspectral sensors have hundreds of channels, aircraft and satellite platforms which provide unique spectral datasets, and which are helpful in analyzing the surface mineralogy mapping (Goetz et al., 1985; Kruse et al., 2003; Debba et al., 2005, Vaughan et al., 2003). The airborne sensors like AVIRIS, HYDICE and Satellite sensor like Hyperion are used for mapping geology, snow etc. Hyperspectral remote sensing aims at providing the requirements like spectral, spatial and radiometric empower, measuring in terms of range, sampling, response, stability, uniformity, precision and accuracy. With the help of hyperspectral remote sensing we can find different minerals viz iron oxides, micas, chlorites, amphiboles, talc, serpentines, c arbonates, quartz, garnets, pyroxenes, feldspars and sulphates (Eva Papp and Cudahy 2002; Magendran and sanjeevi 2014; Hubbard and Crowley 2005). EO-1 Hyperion is the first Space based hyperspectral sensor, and it was launched on 21 November 2000 (Ungar et al., 2003). The Hyperion image has 30m spatial resolution, 242 channels and 7.7 km swath. The hyperspectral (Hyperion) sensor with 0.4-2.5Â µm spectral range, i.e. visible-near infrared (VNIR) spectrometer (approxmeterly0.4-1.0Â µm) and one short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrometer (approximately 0.9-2.5Â µm) (EO-1 User guide) in which some minerals and rocks show good absorption and reflectance, due to variation in physicochemical properties, which help in their exploration mapping (Clark et al., 1990; Hunt et al., 1971). The spectral reflectance one can detect and identify the Earth surface and atmospheric constituents to measure the reflected spectra’s component concentration. We can find the distribution of the component and validate by improving models. The processing of Hyperion image is a challenging task as it consists hundreds of channels. The selection of required channels with its good apparent reflection requires good skills. The direct measurements of atmospheric properties are rarely available, and there are some techniques which surmise them from their imprint on hyperspectral radiance data. These properties are used to constrain highly accurate models of atmospheric radiation transfer to produce an estimate of the true surface reflectance. Moreover, atmospheric corrections of this type can be applied on a pixel by pixel basis since each pixel in a hyperspectral image contains an independent measurement of atmospheric water vapor absorption bands. There are different models available viz QUAC, 5S, 6S, ATCOR, ATREAM, HATCH, EFFORT Polishing, FLAASH etc (ITTVis, 2010). FLAASH is a MODTRAN4-based atmospheric correction software package, which provides accurate, physics-based derivation of apparent surface reflectance, through derivation of atmospheric properties such as surface albedo, surface altitude, water vapor column, aerosol and cloud optical depths, surface and atmospheric temperature from hyperspectral imaging data. FLAASH uses the most advanced techniques for handling particular stressing atmospheric conditions, such as the presence of clouds, cirrus and opaque cloud classification map adjustable spectral polishing for artifact suppression. The Hyperion image consists of a huge number of data sets which are supposed to be reduced dimensionally. The techniques like Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) transform are used to reduce the number of spectral dimensions to be analyzed. The pure pixels are the most spectrally extreme pixels (Broadman et al., 1995), which spectrally correspond to the mixing end members. These end members form the base for the n-Dimensional visualization, and each selected end members are spectrally matched with USGS spectral library. The near visible near infrared image (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectral range cover the features of iron bearing minerals, hydroxyl bearing minerals sulphates and carbonates. The iron ores and iron bearing minerals have characteristic spectra in the 850nm to 950 nm wavelength (Magendran and Sanjeevi, 2014). The ferric iron minerals hematite (Fe203) has distinct spectral curves in the visible near-infrared image (VNIR), which is caused by absorptions and induced by crystal field transitions at about 465 nm, 650 nm and 850–950 nm (Townsend, 1987). The paper presents an attempt for mapping iron oxides in Chitradurga Schist belt by using the Hyperion image. The iron distribution mapping is made with the standardized hyperspectral methodologies. An attempt is also made by taking the spectra of iron in-vitro and compared it with the USGS spectral libraryfor mappingiron distribution. The Spectral Angle Mapper Classification (SAM) is an automated method of comparing the image spectra with the individual spectra, or a spectral library (Boardman 1992; Kruse et al 1993). SAM treats both individual spectra, spectral library spectra and calculates as vectors and its spectral angle. Since the SAM algorithm uses the only vector direction and not the vector length. The result of the SAM classification is an image showing the best match at each pixel. This method is typically used for determining the mineralogy and works better in the areas of identical regions. The USGS maintains a large spectral library composed of mineral and soil types, which has image spectra and can be compared directly. 1.1 Study Area and image data The lithology of the Chitradurga schist belt 13036’25’’N and 760 35’49’’E belongs to both Bababudan and Chitradurga Groups. (Figure 1) The Bababudan Group of rocks represented by metabasalt-quartzite formations and NNW trending synclinal Kibbanahalli BIF formation, wrapping around the Chikkanayakanahalli (CN Halli) gneiss and joining the main CN Halli belt near Dodguni (Radhakrishna, 1967; Srinivasan and Sreenivas, 1975; Seshadri et al., 1981; Ramakrishnan and Vaidynadhan, 2008). Chitradurga Group covers most of the CN Halli schist belt, represented by quartz-sericite-chlorite schist, quartzite, carbonates, Mn formations and BIF overlies Bababudan Group (Devaraju and Anantha Murthy, 1976, 1977). EO-1 Hyperion level 1 radiometric (L1R) product having 242 bands covering CN Halli area acquired on 14 April 2011 was used. The image covers the spectral range of 0.4 to 2.5Â µm at 10 nm bandwidth. However, only 155 of them are calibrated from visible-to-infrared (VNIR) and short wave-infrared (SWIR) regions. (Table 1) (EO-1 User Guide, 2003).

The Maori Of New Zealand :: essays research papers

The Maori of New Zealand The Maori people, the natives of New Zealand, have played a strong part in the development and success of the small island nation. Their ferocity and determination won the respect of the colonizing English, and to this day they are esteemed members of the society. They hold positions in their government and are in control of their own destinies. Their greetings and posture when having their picture taken for the outside world is a part of culture that I would like to discuss. Years ago, back in the days of rampant imperialism, the English navy found the part of the world that today is referred to as "down under". They originally came first to Australia, but it was only a matter of time before New Zealand, Australia's tiny neighbor, was discovered also. The mighty English, who at the time was one of the world powers, subjugated the natives of Australia, the Aborigine people. The Aborigine, having very little technology, were easily subdued and the land became an English colony, used at first for its natural resources but also as a exile or prison colony. The lack of resistance from the natives made it relatively easy for the English to accomplish their task. This gave the Aborigine absolutely no respect from the English, and almost to this day are they treated as inferiors, by the English. This was not the case with the neighboring Maori's. As stated before, the English eventually found their way to the south, where the beautiful island lay untouched by foreign hands. They also found that the island had a native populace just as Australia had had. But one thing was very different from these natives. The English, thinking that this island was also theirs for the taking, met heavy resistance from the Maori. Many an English life was lost at the hands of these fiercesome warriors, and even though they were outclassed technologically, still did the Maori fight on. Their persistance and desire to defend their land from the invading outsiders won them the respect and admiration of the English. Presently, they hold positions of power in the New Zealand parliament and are regarded as equals in society. When a Maori takes a picture for the outside world, e.g. for a post card or tourist, their ferocity and determination are shown in their stance and posture. They strike a fighting pose, with one arm raised above their heads in an attack position and the other in front of them, ready to defend their midsection. The best aspect is their facial expressions.

Conspicuous Consumption and Veblen

How far is Thorstein Veblen’s theory, that the main function of dress is the display of wealth, still valid? Thorstein Veblen was a sociologist and economist who came up with the term ‘conspicuous consumption. ’ He was the author of the book ‘The Theory of the Leisure Class’ published in 1899 which spoke about the working class in America. During that time the working class was visibly aspiring to the ‘leisure class. ’ The Leisure class was known to be the emerging ruling class of that time, as they would consume and constantly engage in a public display of their status. The following essay is going to explore Veblen’s theory in relation to the display of wealth through dress. I aim to show the relevance of Veblen’s concept today whilst taking into thought the changes in class, consumption and consumerism. Veblen provided a few main ideologies in which he examines the notion of ‘dress’ as an â€Å"expression of pecuniary culture† Veblen (1994:15) He stated that the idea of ‘conspicuous waste’ proved the wearer had the freedom to purchase anything they liked without so much as any economical obstacles. Currently, ‘fast fashion’ feeds the desire to overcome need, and clothes are replaced before they are worn out. The seasonality of today’s fashion is the epitome of conspicuous waste as new trends come out every season which encourages one to throw out items that have gone ‘out of fashion. ’ Trends are changing faster than ever before (Fig 1). (Tesseras : 2010) states; â€Å"textile waste at council tips now accounts for 30 per cent, compared to just seven per cent five years ago. † The thrill of watching each season’s runway shows, to the pressure of ‘joining in’ and following the trends, (Fig 2) fast fashion promotes mass production and waste. Fig 1 Fig 2 Another principle of Veblen’s, is that of ‘conspicuous leisure’ which he defined as a non-productive use of time. Examples of conspicuous leisure include taking long ’unnecessary’ vacations to exotic places which are fully motivated by a social factor (Fig 3). †Time is consumed non-productively (1) from a sense of unworthiness of productive work, and (2) as an evidence f pecuniary ability to afford a life of idleness† (Veblen 1934 : 43) These are time-consuming activities that suggest an indifference to such mundane concerns as working for a living. (Fig 4) â€Å"The leisure rendered by the wife in such cases is, of course, not a simple manifestation of idleness or indolence. It almost invariably occurs disguised under some form of work or household duties or social amenities, which prove on analysis to serve little or no ulterior end beyond showing that she does not and need not occupy herself with anything that is gainful or that is of substantial use. (Veblen 1934: 69) Figure 3 Figure 4 â€Å"Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability†¦ No class of society, not even the most abjectly poor, forgoes all customary conspicuous consumption. †Ã‚   Veblen (1994 :  Chapter 4) In Veblen’s time during the late 19th century (Fig 5) and early 1900’s (Fig 6) woman’s wear was made to look as far apart from any work-wear as possible. Corsets, delicate fabrics and high heels all were worn to prove that they are entirely restricted from any laborious work and would make manual work very difficult. Affluent women crippled themselves in order to put on a convincing display of idleness, and as he put it made them â€Å"permanently and obviously unfit for work. † Veblen (1994: Chapter 7) The tight corsets and luxurious fabrics proved that they could afford to wear impractical clothing which was expensive to clean all for the sole purpose to acquire a certain level of status amongst the public. These consumers could easily fall into the ‘Nouveau Riche’ category which was an emerging class in the 19th century. Style would therefore play a key role in separating the wearer from the working class. â€Å"In addition to showing the wearer can afford to consume freely and uneconomically it can also be shown, in the same stroke, that he or she, is not under the necessity or earning of a livelihood, the evidence of social worth is enhanced to a considerable degree. Our dress, therefore, should not only be expensive, but it should also make plain to all observers that the wearer is not engaged in any kind of productive labour† (Veblen: 1994:105) Fig 5 Fig 6 Veblen’s most well-known principle related to his term ‘conspicuous consumption’ which describes the unnecessary purchase of services and goods which are bought for the sole focus of displaying and advertising wealth. This is done in the endeavour to maintain or attain a certain level of social status. Such goods are now collectively known as ‘Veblen goods’ which is a group of commodities. The fact that these goods are placed at such high prices is the very thing that makes them attractive to conspicuous consumers. Conspicuous consumption was certainly not limited to the western countries, in China, for example, girls in affluent families would have their feet broken and tightly bound so that they grew to have tiny â€Å"lotus† feet. These were thought to be very fashionable since the women who had them were unable to survive without the help of servants. This was a sign of wealth taken to the extreme (fig 7 Figure 7 Mass advertising was kick-started by the Americans when Paris could no longer be relied on for the latest fashions due to ban in exports in the early 1950’s. The Americans capitalised on this ban and created a new form of ‘American Fashion. ’ It was now the Americans’ turn to show the world what’s what. American images swamped the media. By the 1950’s the media had However, Elvis Presley, James Dean and Marlon Brando (Fig 8) now were coming onto the scene and headed the iconic ‘all-American’ rebellious look this decade brought about. Subcultures started to form, rebels and gangs adopted denim as a means of revolt against the want to fit the ‘mould’ the media portrayed. The Teddy Boys is a perfect example of such a subculture. The Teddy boys were largely working class men who wore clothes that had resemblances to that of the Edwardian era and would dress up for the evening. This look was strongly associated with American Rock and Roll and this look made it ok for people to start caring again for what they looked like since World War II in Britain. The look compromised of dark shades of ‘drape jackets’, waistcoats, high-waisted tight-fitting trousers exposing the wearer’s socks and velvet collars. In direct contrast to this, the upper and middle class â€Å"white collar† workers, were choosing to dress own during their leisure time, casting off the constraints of the suit they had worn to all week, resulting in a complete reversal of Veblen's â€Å"conspicuous leisure† theory, where the working classes are also rejecting the notion that just because they are involved in productive labour it does not mean they cannot dress socially above their class status. Figure 8 During t he 1970’s the Hippy movement began and as the hippies were mostly from wealthy backgrounds and middle to upper class families this was clearly yet another rebellion against Veblen’s theory. The 1980’s was the decade of ‘money loving’ and is often referred to as an excessive time of conspicuous consumption. The mentality in the 80’s was all about big money and spending (Fig 9). The economy had boomed, greed was good, women entered the boardroom with full force and it was all about power dressing. The yuppies were born due to conspicuous consumption and shopping malls began to sprout up everywhere. Figure 9 Today, there are still many examples of ‘conspicuous consumption’ and the studies on general modern consumption are so intricate, that almost all walks of life are targeted with today’s mass media. Adverts and billboards are everywhere telling the public what’s ‘cool’ and what’s not. Brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Moet ; Chandon sell a lifestyle. Moet ; Chandon (Fig 10) advert states ‘Be Fabulous’ and shows two beautiful well-dressed women climbing out of an expensive car with a bottle of champagne in one woman’s hand. An advertisement like this is basically trying to show the public what status could be achieved by purchasing a bottle of Moet ; Chandon. The term ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ comes to mind, as studies show that many consumers purchase goods just to ‘show off’ and maintain a certain status amongst their friends. Figure 10 Veblen goods aren’t just restricted to clothes as the purchase of certain magazines, purely for the status they offer. Being seen reading a magazine like Robb Report or Conde Nast’s traveller may give the impression that one can afford what is featured in the magazine. Veblen also spoke about the way dress can prove many things. The wearer can give an impression that they can spend without much thought on the price. Veblen goods are still very much around, such as designer handbags, expensive wines and thousand-dollar watches. The luxury watch is an ultimate example of a Veblen good as the consumer really buys into the allure of a higher status. Companies like Rolex, TAG Heur and Omega have all used celebrities such as Roger Federer, Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Craig in his bond suit. Even though its purpose is very practical and can help with everyday decision making. These watches are aimed a business men with a high salary who identify or would like to identify with the sports stars and actors wearing these watches at the back of TIME magazine and the like. A Louis Vuitton bag for example just wouldn’t be viewed the same without the high price tag. Today’s fast fashion and mass production also encourages conspicuous consumption. However mass production has changed the outlook on man’s life and has created a singular type of existence which can be viewed as almost humiliating and that the products are what drives man. The trends we see from designers on catwalks are translated as quickly as possible into high street stores. It is not surprising that with the emphasis on keeping up with the latest trends which ties into ‘fitting in with society’ consumption of clothes has reached an all-time high. The quality of clothes however, is less of a feature than the over-all look of the item. In the Victorian times, garments had to be made of the best lace, but with today’s technology, garments can be made to look more expensive than they really are. Keeping up-to trend with accessories such and bags and shoes is still very expensive to do. Designer’s put their signature touches on shoes and bags which make them more lust after. Christian Louboutin’s shoes have the signature red sole, Louis Vuitton may feature an LV and a Mulberry bag could carry their characteristic tree on the logo (Fig 10). To be seen with any of these items offers a instantaneous status that comes with it. The recession did not bring about any less ostentatious designer bags from luxury fashion houses during the recession. Joseph Nunes, a marketing professor at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business recently stated in the  Journal of Consumer Psychology (2011) â€Å"A good chunk of America loves using products to signal their status. If the recession didn't hit them, their need for status outweighed their need to follow social norms. † Figure 11 Most high fashion haute couture designers have yet to cater for a poorer crowd, and still target people with a higher income. The current obsession with what celebrities are wearing can also dictate what a large group of the public choose to wear. This is where Veblen’s theory is still very much in place. Victoria Beckham, Alexa Chung (Fig 12) and Kate Moss (Fig 13) are all very much followed by what they wear. By buying into the current ‘celebrity craze’ where being seen with a Birkin bag can greatly increase ones chances of a higher social status, one is also buying into conspicuous consumption. Magazines devote much of their features to ‘Who’s wearing what. ’ Most celebrities still choose to wear designer labels, thus making the public lust after these individual items, and save up for them just to be part of ‘the craze. This feeds into the label-hungry shopper where Burberry’s checked pattern and Gucci’s brown, red and green stripe offers a satisfaction worth shopping for. Fig 12 Fig 13 Charity shopping has presented a new outlook on inconspicuous consumption and the consumer no longer needs to spend a lot of money to look fashionable and be part of the ‘in crowd. ’ Five years ago the thought of purchasing second hand goods would be flinched at. Fashionably vintage items can be found and are lusted after in charity shops. Now you don’t have to spend money to look good which Veblen surely did not foresee. Even the media has gotten involved and magazines feature articles on how to be a ‘smart charity-shopper’, how to recycle your own clothing and the art of buying ‘classic’ pieces which will last forever. A few notable factors have changed since Veblen’s time which presents a new outlook on conspicuous consumption. In the late 1800’s when looking at the display of wealth through clothes, one would look at the wearer’s fabric quality to determine their status. Good handmade lace and beautiful tailoring was a status of wealth. Now hints that determine wealth have become less subtle with the ntroduction of labels that indicate the garment’s worth. Logo’s like Ralph Lauren’s man playing polo on a horse (Fig 14) , Lactose’s crocodile, Burberry’s knight on a horse and Hermes horse drawn carriage. Many of these logo’s feature a horse, and this might be because of their age and may hint to a previous era o r because of the fact that the ownership of a horse is a luxury in itself and is very expensive to maintain. There is much thought that goes into labels and there is always a message and reason behind them. Nike’s logo for example features a tick which means it is ‘correct. Subliminal messages such as these, feature everywhere today and there’s no doubt that Veblen would have never anticipated this. â€Å"This antagonism offers an explanation that the restless change in fashion which neither the canon of expensiveness nor that of beauty alone can account for. † (Veblen: 1994:108) Figure 14 Veblen’s theory in the modern day can be seen as somewhat of a sweeping statement and is not entirely applicable to the present day. Veblen relied on the concept that only if you were of the nouveau class would you take part in looking fashionable, thus ignoring the middle class completely. The internet, television and magazines (Fig 15) have brought fashion to a significantly larger audience where not only rich people partake in frivolous buying. Figure 15 I believe Veblen’s theory is still applicable today in some instances. However, with the introduction of mass production and the changing attitudes in class as that of which I have mentioned. Wealth is still very much shown through dress, from the use of logos and labels which hint on how much the wearer has spent on their clothes. However today with so many fake products and good imitations of these well-known labels it may be impossible to know how much the individual spent on their garment. One thing remains the same however, the item was bought for the primary purpose of being ‘seen’ and acknowledged by others, fake or not. Designers pay celebrities to endorse their products or ‘be seen’ wearing them which indicates that Veblen’s theory has stood the test of time, it is still very much the taste of the wealthy that has an impact on fashion and dictates what sells and what doesn’t. Veblen wrote that the lower classes would imitate the dress of the leisure class which as shown, is still applicable to today. Mass consumption and mass production are amongst the features that have changed since Veblen’s time. Throughout the decades since Veblen’s time there has not been as much of an emphasis on individuality and self expression through clothes as there is now, and this is where Veblen’s theory slightly loses its relevance. The movement to express oneself without considering wealth as much in a liberal society. Other factors have started to replace the display of wealth such as, religion, age, music taste and gender. This is obvious because of the large amount of subcultures found today. I have shown how Veblen’s ideologies have lost and increased in relevance through the decades. Veblen was able to show how consumption can also be a symbol of social structure and that conspicuous consumption is relational and not functional and is a conscious display of affluence and status through the consumption of these garments. Bibliography Info Books * Malcolm Barnard (1996). Fashion as Communication. First ed. London: Routledge Publishers. (p59-64) * Thorstein Veblen (2005). Conspicuous Consumption. London: Penguin Books. p. 42-62) * Tim Delany & Tim Madigan (2009). The Sociology of Sports. North Carolina: McFarland & Company Inc. Websites * Tricia Ellis-Christensen. (2010). What is conspicuous consumption? .Available: http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-conspicuous-consumption. htm. Last accessed 6th Dec 2010. * Dr. Paurav Shukla. (2010). Middle-aged consumers & luxury consumption. Available: http:/ /www. evancarmichael. com/Management/1066/Middleaged-consumers–luxury-consumption. html. Last accessed 5th March 2011 * Ben Steverman. (2011). Conspicuous Consumption Is Back. Available: http://www. businessweek. om/investor/content/jan2011/pi20110127_382340. htm. Last accessed 7th March 2011 * Lexic. (2011). Literary usage of Conspicuous consumption. Available: http://www. lexic. us/definition-of/conspicuous_consumption. Last accessed 9th March 2011. Quotes * Thorstein Veblen (1994). The Theory of The Leisure Class. New York: Dover Publications. (p. 256) * Lucy Tesseras, 2010. Fast fashion: a throw away trend? {blog} 12 July, http://www. supplychainstandard. com Available at: {Accessed at: 2nd March 2011} Joseph Nunes quoted by Ben Steverman (2011). Conspicuous Consumption Is Back. Available: http://www. businessweek. com/investor/content/jan2011/pi20110127_382340. htm. Last accessed 7th March 2011. Images: (Fig 1&2) Image . (2008). Shop the Spring Trends. Available: http:/ /fashiontribes. typepad. com/fashion/2008/02/shop-the-spring. html. Last accessed 8th March 2011. (Fig3) Couple on Yacht. (2010). Image. Available: http://www. corbisimages. com/Enlargement/42-18292911. html. Last accessed 9th March 2011 (Fig 4) John William Godward. (1900). Conspicuous Leisure. Available: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/File:Godward_Idleness_1900. jpg. Last accessed 8th March 2011. (Fig 5) Truly Victorian , (2010),  1899 Fashion Plate  [ONLINE]. Available at:  http://trulyvictorian. com/history/1890. html[Accessed 06 December 10]. (Fig 6) Chanarambie Victorian , (1905),  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Very Latest† back in the days of 1905  [ONLINE]. Available at:http://www. rootsweb. ancestry. com/~usgenweb/mn/murray/history/098-099. htm  [Accessed 06 December 10]. (Fig 7) Daniel Schwen. (2010). Footbinding. Available: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/File:Foot_binding_shoes_1. jpg. Last accessed 8th March 2011. Fig 8) Columbia Pictures/Courtesy of Getty Images, (1953),à ‚  Marlon Brando  [ONLINE]. Available at:http://www. stylelist. com/2010/05/25/joes-jeans-marlon-brando/  [Accessed 08 December 10]. (Fig 9) image. toutlecine. com, (1988),  Working Girl  [ONLINE]. Available at:  http://www. ellecanada. com/fashion/lights-camera-fashion/a/28965/4  [Accessed 08 December 10]. (Fig 10): Brandsizzle, (2006),  Moet & Chandon  [ONLINE]. Available at:http://www. brandsizzle. com/blog/2006/12/sexy_advertisin. html  [Accessed 08 December 10]. (Fig 11): Geek Handbags, (2009),  Mulberry Bag  [ONLINE]. 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