Introduction to Gross Domestic Product

Introduction to Gross Domestic Product In order to analyze the health of an economy or examine economic growth, its necessary to have a way to measure the size of an economy. Economists usually measure the size of an economy by the amount of stuff it produces. This makes sense in a lot of ways, mainly because an economys output in a given period of time is equal to the economys income, and the economys level of income is one of the main determinants of its standard of living and societal welfare. It may seem strange that output, income, and expenditure (on domestic goods) in an economy are all the same quantity, but this observation is simply the result of the fact that there is both a buying and a selling side to every economic transaction. For example, if an individual bakes a loaf of bread and sells it for $3, he has created $3 of output and made $3 in income. Similarly, the buyer of the loaf of bread spent $3, which counts in the expenditure column. The equivalence between overall output, income and expenditure is simply a result of this principle aggregated over all of the goods and services in an economy. Economists measure these quantities using the concept of Gross Domestic Product. Gross domestic product, commonly referred to as GDP, is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time. Its important to understand precisely what this means, so its worth giving some thought to each of the definitions components: GDP Uses Market Value Its pretty easy to see that it doesnt make sense to count an orange the same in GDP as a television, nor does it make sense to count the television the same as a car. The GDP calculation accounts for this by adding up the market value of each good or service rather than adding up the quantities of the goods and services directly. Although adding up market values solves an important problem, it can also create other calculation problems. One problem arises when prices change over time since the basic GDP measure doesnt make it clear whether changes are due to actual changes in output or just changes in prices. (The concept of real GDP is an attempt to account for this, however.) Other problems can arise when new goods enter the market or when technology developments make goods both higher quality and less expensive. GDP Counts Market Transactions Only In order to have a market value for a good or service, that good or service has to be bought and sold in a legitimate market. Therefore, only goods and services that are bought and sold in markets count in GDP, even though there may be a lot of other work being done and output being created. For example, goods and services produced and consumed within a household dont count in GDP, even though they would count if the goods and services were brought to the marketplace. In addition, goods and services transacted in illegal or otherwise illegitimate markets dont count in GDP. GDP Only Counts Final Goods There are many steps that go into the production of virtually any good or service. Even with an item as simple as a $3 loaf of bread, for example, the price of the wheat used for the bread is perhaps 10 cents, the wholesale price of the bread is maybe $1.50, and so on. Since all of these steps were used to create something that was sold to the consumer for $3, there would be a lot of double counting if the prices of all of the intermediate goods were added into GDP. Therefore, goods and services are only added into GDP when they have reached their final point of sale, whether that point is a business or a consumer. An alternate method of calculating GDP is to add up the value added at each stage in the production process. In the simplified bread example above, the wheat grower would add 10 cents to GDP, the baker would add the difference between the 10 cents of the value of his input and the $1.50 value of his output, and the retailer would add the difference between the $1.50 wholesale price and the $3 price to the end consumer. Its probably not surprising that the sum of these amounts equals the $3 price of the final bread. GDP Counts Goods at the Time They Are Produced GDP counts the value of goods and services at the time they are produced, not necessarily when they are officially sold or resold. This has two implications. First, the value of used goods that are resold doesnt count in GDP, though a value-added service associated with reselling the good would be counted in GDP. Second, goods that are produced but not sold are viewed as being purchased by the producer as inventory and thus counted in GDP when they are produced. GDP Counts Production Within an Economy's Borders The most notable recent change in measuring an economys income is the switch from using gross national product to using Gross Domestic Product. In contrast to gross national product, which counts the output of all of an economys citizens, Gross Domestic Product counts all output that is created within the borders of the economy regardless of who produced it. GDP Is Measured Over a Specific Period of Time Gross Domestic Product is defined over a specific period of time, whether it be a month, a quarter, or a year. Its important to keep in mind that, while the level of income is certainly important to the health of an economy, its not the only thing that matters. Wealth and assets, for example, also have a significant effect on the standard of living, since people not only buy new goods and services but also get enjoyment from using the goods that they already own.

Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Facts

Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Facts The Virginia northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus and abbreviated as VNSF) is a subspecies of northern flying squirrels (G. sabrinus) that lives in high altitudes in the Allegheny Mountains in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. In 1985, this squirrel was listed as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but after its population rebounded, was delisted in 2013. Fast Facts: Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Scientific Name: Glaucomys sabrinus fuscusCommon Name: Virginia northern flying squirrelBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 10–12 inchesWeight: 4–6.5 ouncesLifespan: 4 yearsDiet:Â  OmnivoreHabitat:Â  Allegheny mountains of Virginia, West VirginiaPopulation: 1,100Conservation Status: Delisted (due to Recovery) Description The Virginia northern flying squirrel has dense, soft fur that is brown on its back and slate gray colored on its belly. Its eyes are large, prominent, and dark. The squirrels tail is broad and horizontally flattened, and there are membranes called patagia between the fore and hind legs that serve as wings when the squirrel glides from tree to tree. Adult VNFS range in size between 10 and 12 inches, and between 4 and 6.5 ounces. Diet Unlike other squirrels, the Virginia northern flying squirrel usually feeds on lichen and fungi growing above and below ground instead of eating strictly nuts. It also eats certain seeds, buds, fruit, cones, insects, and other scavenged animal material. Habit and Distribution This subspecies of flying squirrel is typically found in conifer-hardwood forests or forest mosaics consisting of mature beech, yellow birch, sugar maple, hemlock, and black cherry associated with red spruce and balsam or Fraser fir. Biological studies have shown that it prefers mature growth red spruce trees at high altitudes, because of the presence of downed trees which promote the growth of fungus and lichens. The Virginia northern flying squirrel currently exists in red spruce forests of Highland, Grant, Greenbrier, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Tucker, Webster counties of West Virginia. Behavior These squirrels large, dark eyes enable them to see in low light, so they are very active during the evenings, especially two hours after sunset and one hour before sunrise, moving among trees and on the ground. Virginia northern flying squirrels live in family groups of adults and juveniles that share ranges. Home ranges of males are approximately 133 acres. The squirrels fly by launching themselves from tree branches, and spreading their limbs so the gliding membrane is exposed. They use their legs to steer and their tails to brake, and they can cover more than 150 feet in a single glide. They may build leaf nests but often opportunistically reside in tree cavities, underground burrows, woodpecker holes, nest boxes, snags, and abandoned squirrel nests. Unlike other squirrels, Virginia northern flying squirrels remain active in the winter instead of hibernating; they are social animals and have been known to share nests with multiple males, females, and pups in their families over the winter for warmth. Their vocalizations are varied chirps. Reproduction The breeding season for Virginia northern flying squirrels falls between February to May and again in July. Gestation lasts 37–42 days and one or two litters of live pups are born with two to six individuals and averaging four or five. The squirrels are born from March through early July with a second season in late August to early September. After theyre born, the mothers and the newborns move to maternal nests. The young stay with their mother until they are weaned at two months and become sexually mature at 6–12 months. VNFS have a lifespan of about four years. Threats In 1985, the primary cause for the decrease in population was habitat destruction. In West Virginia, the decline of Appalachian red spruce forests was dramatic beginning in the 1800s. The trees were harvested to produce paper products and fine instruments (such as fiddles, guitars, and pianos). The wood was also highly valued in the ship-building industry. The single most important factor in the squirrels population resurgence has been the regeneration of its forested habitat, reports the Richwood, WV, website. While that natural regrowth has been ongoing for decades, there is considerable and growing interest by the U.S. Forest Service Monongahela National Forest and Northeastern Research Station, the state of West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Department of Forestry and State Park Commission, The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups, and private entities to foster large spruce restoration projects that restore the historic red spruce ecosystem of the Allegheny Highlands. Since being declared endangered, biologists have placed and encouraged the public placement of nest boxes in 10 counties of western and southwestern Virginia. Primary predators of the squirrel are owls, weasels, foxes, mink, hawks, raccoons, bobcats, skunks, snakes, and domestic cats and dogs. Conservation Status The loss of red spruce habitat by the end of the 20th century necessitated the listing of the West Virginia northern flying squirrel under the Endangered Species Act in 1985. In 1985, at the time of its Endangered Species listing, only 10 squirrels were found alive in four separate areas of its range. In the early 2000s, federal and state biologists captured more than 1,100 squirrels at over 100 sites and based on that believe that this subspecies no longer faces the threat of extinction. In 2013, the Virginia northern flying squirrels were delisted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, due to population recovery. Sources Cassola, F. Glaucomys sabrinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T39553A22256914, 2016.Diggins, Corinne A., and W. Mark Ford. Microhabitat Selection of the Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Sabrinus Fuscus Miller) in the Central Appalachians. BioONE 24.2 (2017): 173–90, 18. Print.Ford, W. M., et al. Predictive Habitat Models Derived from Nest-Box Occupancy for the Endangered Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel in the Southern Appalachians. Endangered Species Research 27.2 (2015): 131–40. Print.Menzel, Jennifer M., et al. Home Range and Habitat Use of the Vulnerable Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys Sabrinus Fuscus in the Central Appalachian Mountains, USA. Oryx 40.2 (2006): 204–10. Print.Mitchell, Donna. Spring and Fall Diet of the Endangered West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Sabrinus Fuscus). BioONE 146.2 (2001): 439–43, 5. Print.Trapp, Stephanie E, Winston P Smith, and Elizabeth A Flaherty. Diet and Food Avail ability of the Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus): Implications for Dispersal in a Fragmented Forest. Journal of Mammalogy 98.6 (2017): 1688–96. Print. Virginia northern flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus). ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System.

Zhang Yi Mou film-makers Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Zhang Yi Mou film-makers - Movie Review Example Let us overview some of the films of Zhang Yi Mou in order to find out what they are trying to show to the audience, and in the end try to see what similarities exist in his films and in the way the director presents them. The movie "Raise the Red Lantern", filmed in 1991, is one of the earliest works of Zhang Yi Mou, but nevertheless represents an astonishingly mature genre of melodrama. Indeed, while offering the audience rich and beautiful imagery, this picture is in essence a bitter story of Chinese sexual politics. That the films events take place in 1920s should not distract us from the fact that dangerous traditions may still be present in todays China as well. The movie begins as young Songlian after her father dies leaves college and becomes the fourth wife of Chen, a rich older man. However, this new life of Songlian is hardly a happy one because of a hostile atmosphere within her new family where each wife competes for preference from the side of their husband. Initially, Songlian attempts to win through in this contest, but the worth of the prise is hardly justified - it is the sexual attention of the husband, who himself is almost ignored by the camera. Power is distributed between wives b y the masters choice where to spend night, and the chosen wife may enjoy foot massage and the right to appoint menu for the next day. Here, we can understand the name of the film - according to an old tradition, red lanterns mark the place where the master wants to spend the night. Quite symbolically, if the master is absent lights go out as well as his attention to a wife. So, it is in this environment that Songlian attempts to outwit the ageing first wife, the apparently attentive second wife, and the secretive third wife. The faked pregnancy of Songlian temporarily endows her with power, but when the truth is uncovered the fate of Songlian is predetermined - her red lanterns are destined to remain dark. Finally, the girl becomes mad, and, ironically, the film ends with the arrival of the fifth wife. This plot is probably used by the director to indicate the ways in which we ourselves tolerate our own subjugation and ideological oppression, and this is true for people of different times, nationalities and positions. It is also quite indicative that "Raise the Red Lantern" was prohibited in China. "The Story of Qiu Ju", filmed in 1992, is another fascinating picture about a Chinese woman. The heroine of the film, an idealistic and obstinate peasant, strives for justice to be served after her husband gets hurt by the village authority. For Qiu Ju this incident is an extreme example of power abuse, so she can only be appeased by an apology, which she cannot obtain. In this situation, even despite being pregnant, Qiu Ju goes to town to settle her pressing issue with authorities there. But there she again fails to get satisfaction as all that she is offered is a financial settlement without recognition of guilt and public excuse. Then the woman carries her matter further to the city level, to the county level, until she reaches the capital authorities. Qiu Jus crusade against bureaucracy provides a comprehensive picture of modern China with its striking contrast between rural and city life. At the same time, the story of the peasant woman investigates different moral issues in a b ureaucratic society. However, above all stands the convincing and moving

Digital business snapchat Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Digital business snapchat - Research Paper Example At the end of this provided timeline or period, the videos or photographs become hidden from the devices used by recipients, as well as being deleted from Snapchat servers. As the new thing in the market, more people were using it evidenced by the company’s records whereby, as at May 2014, Snapchat application users were sending 700 million photos and videos on a daily basis. In addition, viewers of Snapchat content users towered over 500 million times on a daily basis. This high usage from customers is mainly due to the benefits that the application provides to its users. Furthermore, the application can work through various communication devices such as SmartPhones, thereby enabling privacy and security of the images and videos shared. The self-destruct mechanism set by the application on shared photos and images also ensures a high sense of privacy, as one cannot keep it long enough for it to leak to unauthorized persons. The sender has the option of selecting the people he or she wants to view his or her videos or photographs. As such, the sender determines the amount of time in which he or she wants his or her recipients to view the photos or videos before they self-destruct and delete completely from the application’s database (Bassiliades, 2014). A comprehensive SWOT analysis entails evaluating four major options in the business environment of the company. as for this case, a SWOT analysis evaluates the business environment of Snapchat since its inception to date, with regards to aspects such as S – Strengths, W – Weaknesses, O – Opportunities, and T – Threats. Strength refers to the factors or aspects that provide a competitive edge for the application. A weakness refers to the areas within its business environment that can create a loophole and diminish the returns on the business profits. An opportunity refers to new doors and chances that

The Main Events in the Life of Prophet Muhammed Essay Example for Free

The Main Events in the Life of Prophet Muhammed Essay Outlining the Main Events in the Life of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and Assessing his Importance and Influence. Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was born around 570. He was born in Mekkah in Arabia into the Quraishi tribe. He was born on the 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal to his mother Amina. His father Abdullah died in Yathrib before the Prophet (pbuh) was born. When Muhammed was six years old, his mother Amina fell ill and died. Muhammed (pbuh) was looked after by his grandfather Abd-ul-Muttalib for two years but when Muhammed was eight, Abd-ul-Muttalib also died. Abu Talib, Muhammed (pbuh)s uncle took care of him. Abu Talib was a wealthy. Powerful businessman. He took Muhammed (pbuh) on many of his business trips. One such trip was a journey to Syria when Muhammed (pbuh) was twelve years old. On this trip to Syria, Abu Talibs caravan passed the home of a Christian monk called Bahirah. Bahirah noticed that Muhammed (pbuh) had some features that matched the ones mentioned in the holy book Bahirah followed describing a prophet to come after Isa (Jesus). As Muhammed grew up, his honest character shone through the evils of Makkan society and he was given the title Al-Amin which means the trustworthy. Whilst working alongside his uncle as a businessman, Muhammed met Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid, a wealthy lady of noble birth with a well-known noble character. Khadijah asked Muhammed to marry her and he accepted. Muhammed was twenty-five at the time and Khadijah was forty years old. They were married for about twenty-five years before Khadijah died. In Ranadhan the year Muhammed was forty years old (about 610), Muhammed sat alone in Cave Hira in Mount Bur. An angel appeared and asked him to read. Like most Arabs of the time, Muhammed (pbuh) could not write, nor could he read, so he told the angel that he could not read. The angel squeezed him and asked him to read again, and again he told the angel that he could not read. This happened three times before the angel told him to Read in the name of your Lord and revealed to him the first verses of the Quran. That night was one of the last five odd nights in the month of Ramadhan, there is great blessing in this night, and it is called Lailatul Qadr, the night of power. After the incident in the cave, Muhammed returned home to Khadijah. He told her what happened. Knowing what a kind, loving man he was, Khadijah believed the revelation had been from one God, Allah. Khadijah became the first person to accept Islamic monotheism and become a Muslim. Before accepting Islam, Khadijah talked to her cousin, a Chritian named Waraqah. Waraqah told Muhammed that he was a messenger confirming what Bahirah had said. Muhammed (pbuh) preached to others who knew him well. Those who he spoke to accepted Islam, Ali, his cousin, Zaid, and Abu Bakr, his best friend were among them. In the first few years around fifty people from among his friends and family converted to Islam. In 615, the Muslims in Makkah were being persecuted so much that Muhammed (pbuh) advised them to leave Mekkah and migrate to Abyssinia where a Christian king called Negus ruled. In 619 the Makkans felt threatened by the growing number of Muslims. The Makkans boycotted them on a massive scale. No one was allowed to sell to Muslims, buy from Muslims or help them at all. During the boycott, Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)s uncle Abu Talib died so did his wife Khadijah. He lost the two people who supported him most. Though Abu Talib had dies, the protection Muhammed had from him was not lost. It was around this time that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) experienced the Night Journey, Isra wal Miraj. In one night, he travelled from the Holy Mosque in Makkah to the Further Mosque in Jerusalem. He made this journey on a winged horse called Buraq. Buraq took him to the heavens where he spoke to Allah and brought down the commandment to pray. The message of Islam had spread 480km Makkah. A serious plot to assassinate Muhammed (pbuh) was put into action. The prophet and the Muslims in Makkah migrated to Yathrib (Madinah). On the 16th July 622 the Muslims left Makkah and went to Madinah on foot. The Madinans had visited Makkah and converted to Islam, they invited the prophet (pbuh) to be their leader. The emigration was called the Hijraj. The Muslim calendar starts from the Hijrah (AH). In Madinah the prophet ruled from a simple house. Now with Madinah as the first Islamic State the prophet taught the systems of Islam. The Makkans hated the Muslims even more now that they had Madinah as their state. Two important battles were fought. In 624 the Muslims fought at the Battle of Badr, 300 Muslims with 900 Makkans. The Muslims won despite the numbers. They also fought the Battle of Uhud that they lost. In 627 the Makkans attacked Madinah but the Muslims had dug a trench that protected the city. The Hudaybia agreement was drawn up, which allowed the Muslims to visit Makkah on pilgrimage. In 632, Muhammed delivered his farewell speech on mount Arafat after the Muslims conquered Makkah peacefully. The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) died at the age of sixty-three. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was important in the Makkan society he lived in before he became a prophet. He was a fairly wealthy businessman. The family and tribe that he was born into were very powerful in Makkah. He himself was the grandson of Abd-al-Muttalib, one of the most powerful leaders of the Quraish tribe. For many years of his life, he was in the care of his uncle Abu Talib, an extremely wealthy businessman. Another of his uncles was Hamza, a great warrior. Many people were surprised when he did not harm the prophet but accepted Islam. As a businessman, prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was respected because everyone around him was corrupt, they cheated and lied in their trade whereas he remained honest and truthful. People trusted him so much that they gave him the title Al-Amin which means the trustworthy. He received his prophet hood around 610 CE. He was the last person to receive prophet hood or any kind of divine revelation. There will be no more prophets and no more revelation. He is important in Islam because prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the Seal of the prophets. He was a messenger to mankind to call the people to Allahs way of life. He was and still is so important that announcing your belief in him is part of the Muslim declaration of faith (the Shahada). He is part of a Muslims belief. If you do not believe that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah then you are not a Muslim. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is also very important in Islam, as he was the last person to receive divine revelation. He was given the Quran by Allah through Angel Jibreel. Every word he received was carefully written down and preserved because it was so important that even if a few words were incorrect, it would ruin the beauty of the Quran given to prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is one of the worlds most influential men of all time. While he was alive, he managed to change the polytheist Arabian society to one of monotheistic beliefs and values. He was able to change masses with his words. Many of the things he said, did, and consented to have been recorded in Hadith narrated by people in his world. People close to his like his wives and his companions and people he met once or twice. Both kinds of people in his life valued his word so much so that they would record it, keep it and pass it on to others. Hadith are still very influential even today. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)s words are so important and influential that Muslims make important decisions in their lives today based on them. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was able to change people beliefs through his image set before he became a prophet. He was an honest, trustworthy man and people believed what he was saying to be the truth because they believed that Muhammad son of Abdullah wouldnt lie and they took him to be Muhammad, messenger of Allah. Today, people all over the world, speaking many different languages still respect prophet Muhammad (pbuh), because of his importance and influence when they say Peace be upon Him (pbuh) after mentioning his name. To conclude, prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was an extremely important and influential figure not just of his time. He also remains a prominent figure in history for being one of the world most influential people. He convinced masses in days and still holds a place in the hearts of millions one thousand four hundred and twenty-two years later.

Flowers for Algernon Essay -- Character Analysis, Charlie Gordon

â€Å"Flowers for Algernon, first published in 1959, is considered a landmark work on both science fiction and disability literature,† (Werlock 2009). The American Library Association reports that this novel was banned as an obscene for its love scenes. When the main character, Charlie Gordon, increases his IQ from 68 to a level that makes him a genius (after received experimental brain surgery), his maturity leads him to fall in love with his teacher, and a sexual encounter ensues. This caused Flowers for Algernon to be banned and challenged in many places (Plant City, Florida- 1976, Emporium, Pennsylvania- 1977, Oberlin High School (Ohio) - 1983, among others). Most people consider the sexual scenes fairly mild, but there are those who consider any mention of sexual behavior inappropriate for teens or pre-teens, hence the attempts at censorship. Many of the challenges have proved unsuccessful, but the book has occasionally been banned from school libraries including some in Pennsylvania and Texas. Flowers for Algernon has won numerous awards, even for the film, and it is regularly taught in schools around the world; therefore, it should remain on shelves. Flowers for Algernon received a Nebula Award for Best Novel from the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1966. In addition, Cliff Robertson won an Oscar for acting in the movie Charly. Even the original version of the short story was published in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction received the Hugo Award for the Best Novelette of 1960. (http://www.danielkeyesauthor.com 22 May 2011). Many parents allow their children to watch television, and most shows have sexual content. If parents allow kids to watch this on a screen, they should also be allowed to read a book contain... ...pread and resulted in a better-than-average television movie, which was under the title The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon (Werlock 2009). Due to its accomplishments, the novel Flowers for Algernon should not be banned. â€Å"If there is bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable,† states William J. Brenna of the Supreme Court. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, is criticized for sexual, religious, and unmoral themes and are the reasons for opposition. However, these examples do not give reason for banning any literature, especially when it has an important, underlying lesson of how wisdom does not make the person but can actually hurt them. Therefore, Flowers for Algernon should not be banned and should remain on shelves.

English Lang and Composition Essay

The British naturalist and politician John Lubbock wrote, â€Å"Your character will be what you yourself choose to make it.† This brings up the idea of nurture and nature. Although this topic has been something discussed for many years, it is the influences beyond our control that shape our character. Even though many of people’s physical traits come from their parents, the mental and emotional characteristics come from outside influences that cannot be chosen, whether it is from personal experience or the way a person was raised. People are not born with all of their characteristics. A person gains their character as he/she is growing up and experiencing new situations. When a child in kindergarten takes a crayon from a fellow peer, the teacher scolds him/her and tells the child that is not right. The teacher’s tone of voice and the negative experience of getting in trouble is an indicator to the child that what he/she did was wrong and shouldn’t be done again. Education plays an important role in building a child’s character. When children receive education, they are taught morals that will benefit them in the future, and they receive a sense of discernment. The environment a person lives in can influence his/her characteristics. In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, a plane filled with English schoolboys crashes on an unknown island. The boys, who were used to living in a wealthy society where their needs were always provided for, had to adopt a new, completely different lifestyle in order to survive. Because there was no one to take care over the young boys, they became like savages, unbound by rules. This eventually led to them killing wild animals and even each other. Golding’s novel connects to the difficulties of traveling to other countries. Because of the cultural diversities, it is difficult for a person to adjust to the lifestyle of another country, because he/she has been living influenced by another environment. The media and pop culture are two reasons why our society has altered drastically over the past 20 years. In modern society, being different is something that is shunned upon. If a person lives a lifestyle that is different than what is popular and accepted, he/she is considered â€Å"weird† and â€Å"unacceptable†. This is why there are numerous cliques in schools, and why bullying is such a serious issue. People are afraid of judgment, and try to change who they are in order to fit in with the people they are surrounded by. The media and pop culture is exceptional at manipulating people into believing anything. They lead people to believe through advertising that what is popular is what they should live by. Take, for example, celebrities. Their fame, wealth, and talent are appealing. People desire to be like them because of their success, and try to live like these celebrities in hopes of becoming as successful as these celebrities. Nature certainly has an effect on a person’s character. It is called nature because it serves as a person’s foundation. However, it is through experiences that people are truly made distinct.