Truth

Knowledge is to know or understand something or someone. It is the information, truth or expertise acquired through learning or experience. It can be implicit or explicit. Knowledge is a very wide concept and has no end. Acquiring knowledge involves cognitive processes, communication, perception and logic.

It is also the human capacity to recognize and accept the truth. Knowledge is Wisdom; acquiring knowledge makes you wise and improves your social status. A knowledgeable person is commands respect in the society and holds a dignified position. Acquiring knowledge is a never ending process and requires only basic inquisitiveness and a desire to learn.

Long and Short Essay on Knowledge in English

We have provided below Long and Short Essay on Knowledge in English for you.

These Knowledge Essay will give you an insight into the real meaning of knowledge and its importance in life.

After going through these long and short essays on education you will know the role that knowledge plays in our day to day life and in our overall progress.

Short Essay on Knowledge – Essay 1 (200 words)

Knowledge is awareness and understanding of something such as information, facts, narration or skills gained through education and experience by observing, discovering or learning. It refers to both theoretical and practical comprehension of a subject. Knowledge comes into practice with our actions. Knowledge guides us to a certain goal in life. Humans progress with the growth of knowledge. Human beings are ruled by both mind and heart, and knowledge is a part of the mind. Without knowledge human beings would have been as good as animals. We as humans are powerful as we use the power of knowledge to empower other living beings and nature for our benefits.

Knowledge can be used for positive as well as negative purposes. So knowledge can create and destroy at the same time. Some use knowledge for personal progress as well as the progress of the community, city, state and nation. But some may use it for negative purposes that may not only harm individuals but can also harm the community, city, state and even the nation as a whole.

Knowledge is crucial in varied aspects of life. We, humans would not have developed and progressed so much in life without knowledge about various things we are surrounded with.

Essay on Knowledge is Power – Essay 2 (300 words)

“Knowledge is power” is a very meaningful and important proverb. It refers to the power and awareness that we acquire through knowledge that we gain from experience and education. A well educated and knowledgeable person can make wiser decisions based on his understanding of day to day situations to overcome a difficult problem. Knowledge is superior to muscle power. Power is the ability to work and act effectively.

Earlier man used to live a life of a nomad at the mercy of nature. He used to wander in search of food and shelter and to protect himself from wild animals and other dangers. Soon man started observing nature and events happening around him and started gaining knowledge. He discovered fire and its uses. He also started making tools for hunting purposes and developed his hunting skills.

With his power of knowledge man began to develop and discover natural phenomenon. He started using nature for his personal advantage. Knowledge made his life comfortable and he started living a more settled life by building huts for shelter. Today, man has developed by leaps and bounds. He makes use of his knowledge to dominate others. With knowledge man has achieved all the leisures and comforts in life.

Knowledge gave him the power over physically strength. Man has now educated and cultured himself. He has immensely progressed in the field of science and technology. He is the most powerful creature on Earth and dominates nature and other physically strong species with his mental strength and ability.

Man has succeeded in diverse aspects of life with the power of knowledge. In day to day life knowledge is important to deal with any kind of problem or situation. Thus, knowledge is power. It is more powerful than any other power. A knowledgeable person is respected by everyone around.

Essay on Knowledge and Wisdom – Essay 3 (400 words)

Introduction

Knowledge is awareness and understanding of something. It refers to the information, facts, skills and wisdom acquired through learning and experiences in life. On the other hand, wisdom is the ability to think and act wisely by using knowledge gained through understanding, experience and learning.

Wisdom is the understanding about why things behave in a certain way. It is to have deeper insight into something than just knowing them on the surface level. Wisdom is to understand the consequences of certain actions for one-self and for others. Developing wisdom is very important. Developing wisdom is one of the reasons of gaining education and knowledge.

Wisdom vs. Knowledge

Wisdom refers to the coordination of “experience and knowledge” and how to effectively use both to improve wellbeing. We gain knowledge by learning and education and wisdom is the attribute of being wise. Knowledge gives us a clear understanding of facts and truth and wisdom helps us make correct decisions in life. If a person learns about any particular subject such as history or geography then he can eventually gain knowledge about that subject. He can read books or research online to develop knowledge on any topic of his interest.

Having knowledge alone is not enough but the ability to use your knowledge and experience effectively in day to day life is important. Wisdom is the ability to solve problems with the knowledge you have. Wisdom is to act in any given circumstance with knowledge about its various aspects. It is to practice self-control during the hardships and challenges of life and to patiently deal with it.

It is to understand the feelings and emotions of one-self and others. Wisdom helps you overcome negative feelings and have a positive perspective towards life. It leads you towards meaningful and purposeful life. On the other hand, knowledge has made man wise and the most powerful creature on Earth.

The progress man has made is through knowledge as well as wisdom. Even if we were wise but we didn’t have knowledge about diverse things in life we wouldn’t have developed so much and vice-versa.

Conclusion

We have learnt so much by gaining knowledge and education and we seek more and more knowledge every day. Wisdom is important to wisely put that knowledge into practice. The skill of wisdom is important for everything we do in life. Thus, knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand. Having knowledge alone is of no good and same goes for wisdom.

Essay on Knowledge Based Education – Essay 4 (500 words)

Introduction

Knowledge based education puts emphasis on teaching and learning based on broadly shared knowledge as it builds strong foundation for future learning. It provides a stock full of useful facts and a set of flexible skills. Unless we know the content and context we cannot demonstrate our skills. In knowledge based education learners get information that they need to know and how to apply that information in real life. Acquiring knowledge is the first step towards the development of an individual.

Knowledge based education is based on both knowledge that students already have and the knowledge they are going to obtain. Knowledge is facts and information and a set of scientific principles. It is about knowing and learning to do something. It is about developing social skills. Knowledge based education gives you a deeper insight and better understanding of the subject. It builds confidence to discuss about various topics with people around you.

Importance of knowledge based Education:

• Knowledge increases Knowledge: We always learn something new by building on knowledge that we have. To learn something new we need to have basic knowledge first. For example, if you want to buy a dress of Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor’s brand “Rheson” you will search online where you can buy the dress. But if you never knew the name of the brand and that the brand even exists then you wouldn’t be searching for it. It is important to know to learn more. To move on from one step to another we need to know more. Like in school we start from LKG, UKG and then move on to 1^st standard, 2nd standard and so on. It builds the strong base.
• Reading Comprehension: Reading helps to decode text and improves fluency to pronounce the speech sounds clearly. In knowledge based education, teachers focus on providing reading instructions to develop comprehension skills such as to understand the main idea, imagine, evaluate and conclude. But to understand and comprehend students need content rich knowledge on the subject.
• Communication: Shared knowledge allows you to communicate. Shared knowledge is important for communicating and understanding each other. In school when we discuss about a certain chapter with classmates, they have knowledge about it as it has already been discussed in the classroom by teacher. They are aware of the subject matter in detail so it becomes easy to communicate. Students can also identify what they have learnt and what they still don’t know that helps them to clear the doubts later.
• Boost Confidence: Knowledge based education boosts confidence in students as they possess essential knowledge and skills to use it. It builds their ability to think and process independently. Knowledge enables them to develop and grow to their full stature. It helps them socialize more confidently and effectively.

Conclusion:

Knowledge based education is important as students can advance educationally and become better readers by obtaining knowledge of the world around them. It helps them develop and become socially active. It helps them progress in various aspects of life. Knowledge gives them a better understanding of the world around them.

Essay on Importance of Knowledge in Life – Essay 5 (600 words)

Introduction

Knowledge is information and skills obtained through education and experience. It is the practical or theoretical insight into a subject. Man has a unique power, “The power of knowledge.” Knowledge gives him a vision in life and helps him develop and progress. It helps him succeed and achieve what he wants in life.

Each and every activity he does or decision he takes in life requires knowledge. Knowledge helps him to create and innovate. It helps him in every aspect of life whether its art, entertainment, studies, cooking, travelling, and managing finance or just about anything. It is also important to put knowledge to good use. As knowledge can create, it can also destroy. If knowledge is used for negative purposes in life it can be very harmful.

Importance of Knowledge

• Personal Development: Knowledge is important for personal growth and development. Knowledge can last for lifetime and it impacts our growth which influences everything in our life from relationships to work. By enriching brain with knowledge we improve its ability to think, evaluate and process. We can gain knowledge on everything that we find interesting like any dance form, art, architecture, history or just about anything for our personal development. With knowledge we become more confident about ourselves in life. It is easy for us to socialize confidently and have meaningful conversation with people. It makes us wise enough to independently take our decisions in life. But it is important to adopt positive mindset to become a constant learner only then it helps us progress and achieve our goals.
• Knowledge leads to success: In today’s fast paced and the power of knowledge it is not possible to succeed in life. It is not just enough to have knowledge on a particular subject to succeed but it is also important to have knowledge about how to use it effectively to succeed. For example if one is a writer, it’s not just enough to write and get the work published but it’s also important to promote it on social media through various mediums. So, in today’s world it is important to have knowledge about various aspects of a subject.
• Day to day events: Knowledge is important and useful in day to day events. For example if I want to order a dress online, I need to have knowledge about how to order it and what are the payment options and what if the product is defective, within how many days I can return the product and so on. So, I need to have knowledge about all its aspects before I place the order. I also need to stay up-to date about the latest schemes and discounts available else I may end up paying more. So gaining knowledge is a constant process and is useful every single day.
• Knowledge is important to solve problems: We face many problems in life which can be solved with the power of knowledge. Knowledge enhances cognitive skills like reasoning and problem solving. A strong base of knowledge helps brains function more smoothly and effectively. We become smarter with the power of knowledge and solve problems more easily.

Conclusion

Knowledge is useful in every aspect of life. The more knowledge we have the more power we possess. It is important for our personal and professional development and leads us to achieve success in life. It is the personal attribute that leads us to live a good and humble life. Knowledge helps us in several ways but the best part is that it helps us understand ourselves as well as those around us better. It also helps us act wisely in different situations.

Further into this, Shakespeare continues to explore the theme of ambition in Macbeth by further presenting Macbeth’s eagerness and uncontrollable desire for the third prophecy of him becoming king. A line to prove this from Act 1 Scene 3 from Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth’ is: ‘(aside) two truths are told, as happy prologues to the swelling act of th’imperial theme.’ The phrase ‘two truths are told’ refers to the first two honorable titles that he has received: Thane of Glamis and the Thane of Cawdor.

In the phrase ‘two truths are told’, dental alliteration is used which is meant to give pace to Macbeth’s language, as he is trying to calm down and think about what he is actually saying- illustrating the idea of him taking stock of things due to his obvious shock. Initially, Macbeth appeared hesitant to the witches’ prophecies; however after two of the prophecies have taken place, Macbeth describes them as ‘truths’ instead of just ‘prophecies’ or ‘predictions’, implying that his awakening ambition is causing him to hold onto his achieved goals in hope of his other desires to become as true as them.

More importantly, Shakespeare’s use of this noun further highlights Macbeth’s blinding ambition as it appears that he is trusting the witches, who are creatures that are believed to never have good intentions; suggesting that this uncontrollable force slowly unravelling within him is causing him to value people only by how they can help him achieve his desires. Macbeth’s trust towards the witches is further highlighted through his thoughtful and firm tone in the alliteration ‘two truths are told’, which stresses the seriousness in which he takes the witches’ prophecies. In regards to context, the Jacobean audience believed that witches’ had the ability and power to predict the future and that there predictions would always be true and therefore would’ve expected Macbeth to receive the titles of the Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor, as the witches have predicted this earlier within the play.

Consequently, the Jacobean audience would have understood and agreed with Shakespeare’s use of the noun ‘truths’, since the witches’ prophecies were indeed believed as truths, and were ultimately the reason why Macbeth has received the titles. King James I would’ve been satisfied with Shakespeare’s presentation of the witches’ predictions as ‘truths’, due to the fact that James I was passionate upon the supernatural (evidently proven as he wrote and published a book with the title ‘Demonology’ in 1597 regarding the supernatural power of witches); hence he would have agreed with the fact that the words of the weird sisters shouldn’t just be described as ‘predictions’ or ‘prophecies’ as it is an understatement of their ability; but ‘truths’ as the powers of the witches are not to be doubted.

Additionally, since the Jacobean audience would’ve seen witches’ prophecies as cursed, they would’ve felt a sense of concern for Macbeth’s ambitious and eager reaction to the prophecies coming true, as this is an obvious bad sign that the witches’ are essentially in control of Macbeth’s fate- which will thus end tragically. Essentially, this highlights the negative effect of ambition to the audience, since Shakespeare effectively presents how blind Macbeth has become: to the point where he appears almost oblivious to the high chances that these honorable titles are a sign of nothing but potential destruction and disaster. Subsequently, Shakespeare has not only successfully presented his moral message about the tragic effects of ambition; but has also increased the amount of tension present where the audience are on the edges of their seats and eager to see which calamitous path Macbeth’s ambition will lead him.

Contrasting this, the modern audience would think Macbeth’s use of the noun ‘truths’ is a form of hyperbole, since they would believe that the predictions were reasonably obvious observations and a matter of coincidence, since Macbeth would have received the titles anyways as a way of honor due to previous plots within the play including the winning of the battle and courageously defeating a traitor. The modern audience would still understand Shakespeare’s intentions concerning his morals upon the major theme, since Macbeth’s blinding ambition and greed for more is causing him to completely ignore the possibility that the prophecies could just be a coincidence and that he would have eventually received the worthy titles from his success in battle.

Right from a young age people learn to tell lies. They start out as little white lies that don’t harm anyone, they may grow to rumors, but they start out more or less harmless With age, everyone learns to lie more elaborately, and create excuses for what they have done or don‘t want to do. It’s a natural reaction for most to cover something up to prevent blame and protect themselves. Whether big or small, the lies become a mask concealing them, As their lies become more elaborate and carried out for long periods of time, the lies begin to define them. In every story, there are characters masked by their lies. Kurt Vonnegut, William Shakespeare, and Tennessee Williams all write about characters in their books Slaughterhouse-Five, Much Ado About Nothing, and Streetcar Named Desire.

People create false identities not only so they can hide from others, but so they can hide from themselves Lies are the ultimate step in creating a mask for oneself. Every story has people who lie to cover up a mistake made by them or someone close to them. In Shakespeare‘s Much Ado About Nothing, Leonato confronts Claudio in hope to clear the family name: ”Thou hast so wronged mine innocent child and me that I am forced to lay my revenge”. When Claudio calls out Hero‘s adultery. Leonato isn‘t concerned about whether it is true or not, but how he can make it appear that his family isn‘t tarnished. The way he thought to do this was by telling Claudio that his confrontation killed Hero, and in Claudio‘s pity, he would beg forgiveness and Leonato would appear to be the victim.

The mask. or false identity. is created because he warps the truth in his favor making Hero seem innocent and turning it on Claudio. A more obvious mask is one which there is no warping of the truth but only a lie. Billy lies in slaughterhouse Five by saying, “‘I like you just the way you are‘” because “He had already seen a lot of their marriage, thanks to time-travel, knew that it was going to be at least bearable all the way” (Vonnegut 120). His lie is merely to save his own skin, but it makes his wife, Valencia, think that he loves her so that he won‘t risk changing the outcome of his life. He lies creating the new identity of a caring husband, which Valencia doesn‘t question because she wants it to be true. For Blanche in Street Car Named Desire, however, it wasn’t so easy to keep her identity hidden.

When Mitch drunkenly confronts her, he tells her to turn on the light, “What it means is I’ve had no real good look at you, Blanche. Let’s turn the light on there” (Williams 144). Being in a dimmer light makes Blanche appear to be the young beautiful woman she hoped she would always be. If she stayed in the darkness, no one could see her wrinkles or how her face had aged, thus being a literal mask concealing who she truly was, As elaborate or literal they may be people create false identities to conceal themselves. The most obvious use of a mask is to hide oneself from everyone else. Each lie turns into deception which deters others from the truth. To cover up her leaving Blanche told Stanley she had a much better life than she really did, but Stanley called her out, “There isn’t no millionaire! And Mitch didn‘t come back with roses ‘cause I know where he is…” (Williams 157).

The entire time she was staying with the Kowalski’s, Blanche was feeding them lies to make her appear better and to keep them from the truth of how retched her life had become. Because she was so built up on concealing the truth from them. when Stanley called her out, it made her whole world come crashing down. Billy, from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughter House Five, also got caught up in his false truth, but he had all the answers to back himself up:‘”it can’t be detected from Earth if that‘s what you mean,‘ said Billy. ‘Earth can‘t be detected from Tralfamadore as far as that goes. They’re both very small. They’re very far apart'” (Vonnegut 30). Billy wanted everyone to believe that this planet was real and that he had been there so bad that he continued to pile on his story.

The lies became so intense because they were his attempt to block others from truly seeing that he had been driven insane from his time in the war. Both Blanche and Billy began to believe the lies they were creating for others, however, Hero grasped reality, When Claudio dishonored Hero, she was forced to fake death to hide: “Death is the fairest cover for her shame that may be wished for” (Shakespeare 4.1.122- 123). Rather than face the distain of others, Hero was forced to hide from the society until she was proved innocent. This ultimate mask was kept until her wedding where she didn’t uncover herself until she was wed; ensuring everything went her way, and deceiving everyone. In each way, people were able to create an alternate identity keeping people from seeing the truth.

What people don’t always notice, is that they wear a mask to hide their ugly truth from themselves. Each mask, however strong, is to prevent oneself from seeing the truth: “And if it sort not well, you may conceal her, as best fits her wounded reputation, in some reclusive and religious life, out of all eyes, tongues, and injuries“ (Shakespeare 4.1251154). Hero was sullied and Leonato wanted her to fake death and live life as a nun to hide from the grief. By being a nun, she would be so focused on her religious duties that she wouldn’t have time to remember her shame, Also, she would be disguised from all the looks of others; thus. she won‘t be reminded of her shame. Another way people deter from seeing the truth is by lying directly to them: “I’ve been hungrier than this,‘ the hobo told Billy. ‘l’ve been in worse places than this.

This ain’t so bad”x” (Vonnegut 68). The hobo doesn’t want to face the severity of his situation so he told himself he had been through something worse He is lying directly to himself to appear tougher to the others in the car, but he also says it to reassure himself. For some, the mask is created not by deceiving themselves, but by blaming others, “But you‘re the one that abandoned Belle Reve, not I! I stayed and fought for it, bled for it, almost died for it! (Williams 20). Blanche was so shamed that she needed to blame Stella to relieve her guilt. She was so intent on blaming Stella that she was hiding herself from the truth that she was really to blame because of her need for human connection. Because she was unable to accept the truth, her lies became deeper and deeper. so much so that she began to believe them, overall not being able to focus on reality.

The mask everyone creates to hide from others ultimately conceals it from them. The endeavor to close others out from the truth ends up blocking it from oneself. Because people try so hard to prevent others from seeing the terrible truth, they block it from everyone, including themselves. It may be intended, seeing as some people are so ashamed of the truth they can’t bear to face it themselves as in Streetcar Named Desire and Much Ado About Nothing; for others, the lies become so evolved, they are the reality, as in Slaughter House Five. If they create a mask so thick to hide from others, they forget the truth themselves. Each mask that is created is started from the initial lie as small as it may have started, it becomes what the person knows to be the truth.

In our world, there are two ways of telling a war story, the story truth and the happening truth. Story truth is something that is made more real and is not how it actually happened. Happening truth is the exact truth and nothing different. In the book “The Things They Carried”, author Tim O’Brien, illustrated these two ways of truth very well. He uses both but do not say when, which leaves it up to the reader to find out which one it is. Leaving the reader to do this, can make it easier for the author to mess with their mind. Also, in the two movies “Black Hawk Down” and “We Were Soldiers”, story truth and happening truth are both portrayed. Both of the movies show a war story that can make you believe that it is a story truth or a happening truth. Because O’Brien showed in-depth detail of what a war story is, I believe that “Black Hawk Down” was more of a happening truth than “We Were Soldiers”. In the movie “We Were Soldiers”, there were many places that could be considered a happening truth. Places that hold deep meaning and places that show the truth rather than a made up version. Throughout the whole movie, it is hard to believe any of this actually happened. Which is what makes it a true war story. “In many cases a true war story cannot be believed”, before you realize that all of it is true. This story shows how a true war story can make you believe that it is not true or make you want to think that it is not true. A true war story is something that makes you believe that all of it is not real because of the real and exact truth that it portrays.

It makes you believe that there is no way any of this actually happened. But in reality, all of it happened and it blows people’s minds when they find that out. Not just because it’s all true but that it actually happened. “We Were Soldiers” is a happening truth movie that portrays all the bad things that happened, making it feel fake, when it was actually 100 percent real. In the movie “Black Hawk Down”, it was apparent that it was a story truth rather than a happening truth. During the movie “Black Hawk Down” it showed us what a happening truth story was like. It showed all the ups and downs but it did not give off a moral in the end. The end was just plain and simple and “A true war story is never moral”. It showed all the feelings and looks of a happening truth story. In some cases a true war story can not be believed, but this movie was believable in every way. The way the story was told, made the viewers believe what was going on. And the viewers believing it is what made it a happening truth over a story truth. “Black Hawk Down” is a story truth movie that shows us how a war can really be. Making us believe it to be true when it is not true at all is what a happening story truth is all about. “Black Hawk Down” is a more story truth story than “We Were Soldiers”. “In the end, of course, a true war story is never about war…” it is about the things that are inside and things that do not involve war. “We Were Soldier” is just that. It wasn’t really about the war that they fought, it was about the struggle for life, love, and the things that they were afraid to do. These things helped prove that it was a story truth story. The movie showed these clearly when Colonel Moore gave his speech, right before the soldiers went off to battle. “Black Hawk Down” was just the opposite. It showed the struggles of war and nothing but war. It showed all the pain and all the sorrow. It showed the agony that it brought to others. The movie had no moral, it only showed war at its finest. The movie “We Were Soldiers” and the movie “Black Hawk Down”, they both showed what it is really means to be a happening truth story and a story truth story. They both showed what the brutality of war can bring and what our imagination can bring forth. Which is a happening truth story inside itself.

In the short story “The Landlady”, by Roald Dahl, a quick overView Will not accomplish an effective response. Short stories are created with hopes that the reader will infer to their own conclusion, The writer establishes a tool that enables a reader to think about what is presented and keep the questions rolling in their mind. Billy Weaver is a naive, innocent boy, whom is perfect for the landladies plan. Being a seventeen year old teenager iust entering the field of business, as well as a foreigner in Bath, makes him a perfect candidate for this particular bed and breakfast. Although his destination is the Bell and Dragon, Weaver enters the bed and breakfast Without rational thinking. The expression “Don’t Judge a book by its cover“, should have been reminded to Weaver at this moment.

Looking at the green curtains, the yellow chrysanthemums, the dog resting soundly in front of afire, and a parrot in a cage by a variety of cozy couches. he assumes that this would be a suitable arrangement. “Animals are usually a good sign in a place like this”, Billy told himself. He failed to investigate any further when the incredibly cheap price was revealed. Why would such an exceptional enVironment be so inexpensive? He failed to question this. “There were no other hats or coats In the hall. There were no umbrellas, no walkingsticksrnothing.“ With such a reasonable rate, why wouldn‘t others be reaping the benefits? Again he failed to question the abnormality. As he began getting situated into his living arrangement. the observation of the landlady being a little “dotty” enters Billy’s mind, “but at six pense a night, who gives a darn about that?” His mind is only focused on one point, the cost. Throughout the pages a feeling of danger is inflicted.

The landlady conveys an aura of uncertainty as she speaks With an overly-friendly tongue and suspicious actions. “He pressed the bell – and out she popped!” The subtle greeting from the landlady aroused confusion in Weaver, but he simply brushed it off and noticed the “warm welcoming smile”. An unusual amount of knowledge is conveyed in the ladies mind when Weaver inquires on a room. “It’s all ready for you, my dear,” is what she said. She already had a special room ready for Weaver before he even agreed on staying, When it was concluded that Billy was going to stay at the bed and breakfast, the statements made by the landlady are hardly ignored. “And it is such a pleasure, my dear, such a very great pleasure when now and again | open the door and | see someone standing there who is just exactly right”, This implies the requirements the landlady places on accepting a visitor into her household.

But once again, Billy ignores this peculiarity. Although the story presents a numerous amount of questioning remarks from the lady, Billy never picks up on the danger. The recognition of the two names in the guest book begin to stimulate the boys mind, but the puzzle is still obscured. He continues to boggle over this recognition, as he throws out suggestions to his thinking. Getting closer to the truth the lady reverts his attention to another subject, “I stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away,” The conversation about the stuffed pets allows the inference of what will conclude With the boy. Close details enhance short stories as they force the reader to come to their own conclusions. A reader needs to learn the skill of reading between the lines and use all of the presented information. What is often seen as irrelevant and small in a quick glance is often seen larger when Viewed more closely.

Bullying, drugs, alcohol and sex were a few of the issues raised in this article, published on the 27th November 2005 as facing teenagers in today’s society. As one of these young adults in our civilisation, I feel that it is my duty to defend myself and others like me in the face of such criticism.

Firstly some of the points mentioned in your article I fully understand and agree with. For example, I agree that there are too many teenagers in society who are taking drugs or drinking alcohol whilst roaming our streets. You state that, “72% of 14 year olds have consumed alcohol”. This growing incidence of alcohol and drug use could also be a factor in the rise of the crime rate. However, I don’t think that the press or general public can put all of the blame for this on today’s teenagers, their families or the area in which they live. I think that the media has had a part to play in this and so should accept some of the blame.

One of the reasons I think this, is that it wasn’t so long ago that many newspapers and television documentaries claimed that cannabis didn’t have any side effects or create long term damage; however, we are now being told by the media that there are serious side effects to cannabis, such as, that it the effects the quickness of the brain and how well you learn in class. Cannabis is proven to affect concentration ps so therefore pupils will not be able to take as much in during lessons. This may be one of the reasons for teenagers becoming addicted to drugs as they have been given mixed messages about the use and effects of them.

In my opinion, the media is to blame for some of the negative behaviour that we are seeing from the teenagers of today. The main reason for my belief is that the media publicise a lot of the bad behaviour of teenagers; for example, young teenagers getting pregnant or drunk. However, I feel that the media very rarely praise teenagers for good behaviour and the achievement of some amazing goals. For example, good exam results, helping charities or helping out at home in difficult situations.

Furthermore, some negative teenage behaviour, like smoking and drinking are activities shown on many popular television programmes, such as ‘Footballers Wives’ and ‘Bad Girls’. After watching such programmes, some teenagers see these activities as cool and copy what they have watched. The media may also be influencing some teenagers to behave badly, as some of them crave to be famous and they feel that the only way to achieve this ambition is to do something delinquent, as they see these sorts of things getting attention every day.

However, the media plays its part in the negative behaviour of teenagers in Britain today, so do a lot of people living in our country and indeed the laws we follow. It isn’t the teenagers’ fault that they believe that drinking alcohol will not harm them, as this is what they have been led to believe by our new licensing laws; These allow pubs and clubs to open for much longer and therefore make alcohol more readily available. Also the companies that are selling alcohol are partly to blame as they create new drinks which appeal to a younger market by making them taste more like soft drinks. Instead of marketing alcohol to teenagers people should be making young people aware of the dangers of alcohol and binge drinking. Adolescents should be advised to drink in small amounts and not go out binge drinking like these laws may encourage.

Your article is extremely negative with its facts. You suggest that a percentage of teenagers have done something disapproving rather than celebrating the percentage of teenagers who have not. For example, instead of saying that “32% of 14 year olds have had sexual intercourse”, you could have said that 68% of 14 year olds have not had sexual intercourse. By being so negative you make teenagers sound as bad as you can, rather than praising the ones who aren’t like this. This makes it far easier for the people reading your article to stereotype teenagers and jump to conclusions; however we are not all like you suggest.

Finally, I would like to question the facts and statistics presented in this article as I don’t always fully agree. I don’t think that you have taken a big enough sample of teenagers in Britain, also I don’t think that you have asked teenagers to complete your surveys in enough areas of Britain. Therefore, I question how you can support some of your statements as you seem to are stereotype all teenagers in Britain to be like the few you have spoken to. Would you like someone to go and speak to one or two people in your street and say you were the same as them? No, I didn’t think you would. Well, is it fair that you have done this to the teenagers of Britain?

According to Marshall Berman, modernity is a mode of vital experience of space and time, of the self and others, of life’s possibilities and perils-that is shared by men and women all over the world today. To be modern, he suggests is to find ourselves in an environment that promises us adventure, power, joy, growth, transformation of ourselves and the world-and, at the same time, that threatens to destroy everything we have, everything we know, everything we are.

Modern environments and experiences cut across all boundaries of geography and ethnicity, of class and nationality, of religion and ideology: in this sense, modernity can be said to unite all mankind. But it is a paradoxical unity, a unity of disunity: it pours us all into a maelstrom of perpetual disintegration and renewal, of struggle and contradiction, of ambiguity and anguish. To be modern is to be part of a universe in which, as Marx said, “all that is solid melts into air.” ( Marshall Berman, www…)

Modern life has been characterised with great discoveries in the physical sciences, changing our images of the universe and our place in it; the industrialization of production, which transforms scientific knowledge into technology, creates new human environments and destroys old ones, generates new forms of corporate power and class struggle; (Marshall Berman, www…)

According to Giddens, modernity refers to modes of social life or organisation which emerged in Europe from about the 17th century onwards. It is an era distinguished by discontinuities which separate modern social institution from traditional order.

The characteristics of this era are;

– the pace of change- rapid change in modernity i.e. technology

– the scope of change

– particular institutional forms (e.g. capitalism, nation state and the differences in the nature of institutions between modern and traditional ones.

According to Giddens, the modes of life have moved us away from all traditional types of social order. This is because they have served to establish forms of social interconnection and they have come to alter some of the most intimate and personal features of our day-to-day existence, (reading).

As we can gather, modernity is about change from traditional ways to modern ways of doing things. In this discussion, I discuss the impact of modernity on institutions most especially the family. Has modernity brought more harm than good?

Traditionally as most of us believe, life at the very beginning evolved very much around Christianity and belief in God. This shaped people’s lifestyles, ways of living and thus the society. Christianity and the belief in God is the tradition that has been abandoned as a result of modernity, as put by Kirk Thomas, “…the tradition which promised to become fruitful some 350 years ago proposed that the best hope for authentic human flourishing would come through diligent attention being given to two sources of truth; the word and the world of God. Human beings would understand their true destiny and be able to enjoy it to the full only as they read and lived on the basis of two books; the bible as both the record of both God’s action within and the interpretation of the whole reality and nature as a source of human nourishment and pleasure, (K.T, www…).

This tradition Kirk continues was ‘sabotaged from within and distorted from without’- from within, the tradition was vandalised by a ‘will to power’ due to conflict between forces of the reformation and the counter reformation and from without, the tradition was deformed by the ‘will to independence’, (K, Thomas). As time progressed, the word was not seen as the only source of knowledge or truth. Slowly there was the realisation that reasoning could occur without having to depend on faith- thus there was the development of scientific knowledge in the attempt by humans to separate truth from falsehood, reason from unreason and fact from fiction. This was seen as the way to examine causes of human problems and analyse them.

As a result, human’s dreams of the future dominated their imaginations- the dream of a society of social harmony free from oppression and ignorance. By contrasting such a bright future and the past- the dark ages to be overcome, it seemed development was irreversible, there was no turning back, (Catrell). Human’s desire for reason made it become the sole action in society, then it became an autonomous power which carried other oppressive powers within its bosom- capitalism, colonialism, technology and state bureaucracy- this was the birth ob modernity. The book of the word was shut and the world became more important. Transition is ongoing, humans are striving to achieve more and more. What are the effects of this on modern society, institutions and the individual?

Modern era exacerbates the changes triggered by the industrial revolution that mainly affect economic life, culture and the family. Postmodern life is characterised according to Peter Berg as;

a) suffering from time- famine- this is because the requirements of capitalism are too demanding and occur at other spheres of life, i.e. leisure, spiritual life and the family

b) because the other spheres of life become less important to man, he becomes hyper- individualistic where individual self- fulfilment is the life long quest and priority. Family therefore becomes less important than it was before ‘modernisation. As a result, it becomes more single headed as unwed parenthood becomes normal, where as during the pre- modern era, family was very crucial to people’s livelihoods as they depended highly on each other. The community was much more important than the individual. People held close bonds in the beliefs they shared and the norms that they were careful not to break. Modernity therefore has been a complex cultural and social movement that has/is changing the shape of the society today.

Let us look closely at the effects of modernity on the family. There is the dissolving of the nuclear family showing that people are not as highly dependent on each other as they were before modernisation. Today is mostly every man for himself, looking after mainly his immediate family because of the high demands the society has on the individual, the push it has for making the individual strive to better himself at all cost. Today there is an increase in the use of birth control and abortion. In the past, a young woman that fell pregnant had to be hidden from the society or chased from her home because she was seen as such a disgrace, but nonetheless, people, valued life so much that abortion even in the most difficult circumstances was not an option. Today in modern times, it is legal.

Could it be because modernity has resulted into us putting such little value on children and family than our ancestors? The move from tradition to scientific has given a licence to man to play God. For example, there is the issue of cloning and an increasingly permissive attitude towards euthanasia. Whether these are ‘harms or good’ brought by modernity, one has to decide. Modernity has provided us with a lot of choices that our ancestors didn’t have. As put by Marshall Berman, “the promised land into which we have crossed flowing with rapid technological progress and endless consumer goods seems like a splendid world indeed- but is there an underside to the bewildering options before us? Does too much choice become unhealthy? Does choice ever become dangerous’.

Our fundamental identities as men and women he writes are matters of choice and construction. He states that in our age, we have moved from fate or destiny to choice. Simply put, we have choices to make where our ancestors did not. We choose our education, our profession, our spouses and our places to live. ‘Modernity has made us turn our children into acquisitions. Modern technology has made a reality what the pre modern mind could only imagine as an utter oxymoron: planned parenthood and genetic engineering will soon manufacture for us the blonde- haired, blue- eyed designer child that we order. Modernity has seduced us into exploiting the institution of work and family to fuel the appetites of the self, but that appetite is impossible to satisfy’. The question therefore is, is it good or bad that the individual is slowly and rapidly achieving the perfection he strives for? He has so many alternatives than did our ancestors.

It is clear that the family is one of the institutions that has been greatly affected my modernity. According to Gordon Anderson, in the modern era, four behavioural factors undermine the traditional family;

* the distinction between primary and secondary groups- the former is the small intimate, effective group exemplified by the family and dominant in the pre- industrial society- the latter is the large scale, depersonalised, rational organisation illustrated by the modern corporation and modern state. Modernisation is essentially the progressive rationalisation of society and the gradual eclipse of primary by secondary relationships. Modern societies he states are planned economies. Bourgeois, capitalism and socialism are dominated by secondary groups and relations and in these case the family is less important. Family in modern times is characterised with low birth rates, high rate of divorce and abortion and weak family institution.

* In the bourgeois society, family is also undermined because there is a drive to move private issues over to the realm of the public policy- that is deviant behaviour, personal relationships, family life and other areas of life that were private become objects of state concerns and involvement.

* Anderson states that the weakening of the family in modern society stems from the growth of individualism- rather than group- centeredness

* As a result of medical technology, demographic trends and the materialistic value of the system of modern society, sexual behaviour becomes less of a procreation activity and more of a recreation. For example, single women or gay people may choose to have children even without the attachment of marriage. Sex has become like taking a cup of coffee. Children today can start having sex as early as 12 years old whereas in pre modern times, courtship was the only thing to do before couples got married, ( Anderson)

The causes of family change in postmodern era

Technology and the economy- The family is changing because of the electronic transformation of the post modern era where information and misinformation are transmitted with increasing speed to increasing numbers of people thus also changing the nature of human communication. There is no need for families to stay together when they can easily communicate in a short time via emails telephone etc. Giddens also saw this in his characterisation of modernity under what he called the separation of time and space. He stresses on the difference between space and place. Place he says, refers to the physical setting of social activity as situated geographically and that unlike pre-modern societies where place and space coincide, the advent of modernity he suggests tears space away from place by fostering relations between absent others. In other words, modernity compresses everything; communication as a result is fast in reaching those people that one is not living with.

Giddens also talks about time and space under the characteristic of modernity called, disembedding- this he says is the lifting out of social relations from local contents of interaction and their restructuring across indefinite ps of time and space. This he states occurs in two ways, through the creation of symbolic tokens and the development of expert systems. By symbolic tokens he means, the media interchange which can be passed around without regard to those that handle them. Expert systems, he states are systems of technical accomplishments or professional expertise that recognise large areas of test material and social environments in which we live today. All these only show us that the family will keep on changing due to modernity because the individual has other ways of getting by, i.e. through the use of symbolic tokens such as money, or through putting trust in expert systems.

Another cause of family change is demographic, for example the decline in population of some countries I.e., Japan, Germany, Italy, etc. Even those countries that are over populated are also trying to reduce population by changing the structure of the family.

Another cause in family change. In the realm of values the following transformations occur, these are;

> The cultural and ideological elite of the postmodern world from old-fashioned economic politics to new identity politics. Social movements pursue psychological and cultural objectives such as gay pride and politically correct language. Feminism’s goals increasingly combine economic equality and cultural equality

> The search for self-fulfilment now assumes the forms of new age religious, environments and communal movements. All these transformations in society have resulted into changes in the family.

Another cause is the reversal of home life and priorities. Due to the fact that in this era people are ‘time bind’- demands of work and parenting clash- the home becomes the arena for stress and work haven to which parents escape to socialise with friends and colleagues.

As we can see, work which was once historically a survival necessity is turned into a good. In agricultural societies, work occurs at home on the farm, industrialisation and the rise of the factory pulls work out of the home thus causing a physical separation between home/family life and work/economic life, ( Anderson). Feminism in this era has also made the modern woman to see a job as not something to put up with, but something desired, a mark of liberation, a source of identity, meaning and self -esteem. Staying at home with babies and diapers is viewed as torture and oppression. Does this show the victory of corporate capitalism which seems to have taken over the working class and has triumphed finally over the family, the home and the private sphere?

What are the consequences for the individual and society?

When reality changes, humans have no choice but to redefine it, i.e. when the original concept family declines, other concepts are formed, i.e. families of gay parents and single parents redefine the family. The issue of whether or not changes of the family are good or bad is debatable. On one hand, one may say, pre industrial families in fact suffered from more severe pathologies that does modern evolving family including domestic violence, child abuse and marital rape- the patriarchy family was not kind to all its members, on the other hand to day, there is a lot of emphasis on individual freedom of choice.

Consequences for children- less primary socialisation in the home as there is a lot of single parenting in the modern era and there is also a high emphasis on the importance of work and the increase in day care. Mothers also suffer as divorce causes them a decline in income and bad physical and mental health.

What are the consequences of these for the society?

The rise of mass society- where a society is polarised between a mass of atomised and alienated individuals on the one hand and an overbearing state on the other. In mass societies individuals pay allegiance to themselves and to their nation- nothing in between

The rise of the nanny state- with high divorce rates, single parenthood and childlessness and increased freedom of choice, a substitute father emerges- the nanny.

Decline of civility- Kirk suggests that the absence of effective socialisation agents will produce a stunted self, thus leading to a decline in civility because he states that the quality of an individual self depends on his/her socialization. The result of an increase in dysfunctional families is an increase in children with criminal activities and hobbies. Dysfunctional families he says produce stunted selves because they fail to do their job, (Kirk Thomas)

Modernity and post modernity have brought a lot of changes to the family and the society as a whole. The major causes of family decline are deeply rooted in major social, cultural, economic and technological trends that have been underway for several centuries. However, whether the changes brought forward are positive or negative is up to the individual to decide.