The Theory Of Everything By Stephen Hawking - 1566 Words

The general consensus in the academic world is that knowledge is power that can solve humanity’s problems. Sometimes, it is clouded by greed, or it lights the way for a better humanity. Scientists experiment to prove new theories, artists sculpt to express emotion and theologians study to provide interpretations of biblical stories. Therein lies the problem, while society is always searching for knowledge, to date there is no singular â€Å"foolproof† method of obtaining it. In the movie â€Å"The Theory of Everything,† Stephen Hawking has a â€Å"eureka† moment when pulling a sweater over his head and seeing flames through the material. In this case, it seemed that serendipity played a role in his search for truth. This led me to wonder, to what extent is the discovery of knowledge a matter of serendipity that can then go on to solve problems? While an exploration of whether knowledge is produced only to solve problems in the Natural Sciences may be mor e obvious, its application to Mathematics and Indigenous Knowledge may draw some interesting observations. Knowledge can be produced using a variety of different methods. However, in the natural sciences sense perception through observation is used primarily. This can be seen through the work of researchers who often observe the results of experiments and trends in order to analyze different phenomena and perspectives. While there are many scientific methods based on scientific thinking using logic and predictability, the idea thatShow MoreRelatedEssay on Stephen Hawking Biography1328 Words   |  6 Pagesminds of millions. His theories have baffled the minds of great thinkers. His discoveries break the laws of which we thought governed the universe. He is a man whose work has changed the ways we look at the universe, our galaxy, our solar-system, and our planet. His name is Stephen Hawking. He has written many books, attended two universities, and is a renowned scientist. From conception to the present, Stephen Hawking has lived a very interesting life. Stephen William Hawking was born to Frank andRead MoreEssay on The Existence of Black Holes1308 Words   |  6 Pagesbefore I was introduced to a scientist by the name of Stephen Hawking. The introduction was very informal. In fact, I have never even seen him. My first introduction to Stephens theories came when I read a popular book that Stephen wrote called A Brief History of Time, in this book he attempts to explain some of his most complicated theories. These include the topics of black holes, imaginary time, and the origin of the universe. Stephen is the front runner in his field. Many of his peers considerRead MoreStephen William Hawking : Stephen Hawking1379 Words   |  6 PagesStephen Hawking Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 to Isobel and Frank Hawking in Oxford, United Kingdom. As a young boy, Stephen showed a passion for science and the sky. In his early years, Stephen was known as a bright kid outside of school. He was ranked third to last his first year at St. Albans, but that did not bother him because he had his mind set on things aside from school. Early Life Stephen Hawking is a Physics professor at Cambridge University, locatedRead MoreStephen Hawking : The Great Minds Of This Era1319 Words   |  6 Pagesinfluential people in fields from science to literature. Stephen Hawking has made an astounding impact through his studies in physics and cosmology. Not only is he known for his many works, Stephen Hawking is honored even more for his fight against ALS. Stephen Hawking is one of the great minds of this era with his exceptional ability to think and overcome adversity from his early childhood into his current age of seventy-three. Much of Stephen Hawking’s childhood experiences changed and developed himRead MoreStephen Hawking : A Man Of Introspect1325 Words   |  6 PagesStephen Hawking: A Man of Introspect Throughout the years, there have been many influential people in fields from science to literature. Stephen Hawking has made an astounding impact through his studies in physics and cosmology. Not only is he known for his many works, Stephen Hawking is honored even more for his fight against ALS. Stephen Hawking is one of the great minds of this era with his exceptional ability to think and overcome adversity from his early childhood into his current age of seventy-threeRead More Stephen Hawking Essay1350 Words   |  6 Pages Stephen W. Hawking Stephen W. Hawking has a mind set that is beyond todays general way thinking. His attempts to identify a grand unification theory that unites everything we know about the physical world and science far exceeds any realm of thinking that has ever graced this earth. Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England. He spent most of his childhood in and around London, and was always a bit of a self-educator. He was interested in the stars, and his family used to lie outRead MoreA Brief Note On The Ice Bucket Challenge1825 Words   |  8 Pagesand happens to be the other name people refer this disease as. I answered with â€Å"Stephen Hawking†, and people would give me a bewildered look as if asking me â€Å"who the heck is that?† I would stare back in absolute shock and little bit of horror, because honestly, who has not heard of the man that basically theorized black holes and extended Einstein’s idea of general relativity with quantum physics theory. Stephen Hawking, who is a little less than a god, is â€Å"arguably the most famous scientist aliveRead Moreâ€Å"How can we understand the world in which we find ourselves?† In The Grand Design, a 2010 book700 Words   |  3 Pagestheoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, two authors claim that they have found a philosophical approach – Model Dependent Realism (MDR) – as the solution to this fundamental question of philosophy. Combining the ideas raised from methodology of mathematics and Physics, MDR leads a possible path to reconcile the uncertain nature of modern science and the idealistic pursuit of absolute truth – perhaps the theory of everything (TOE). According to Hawking and Leonard, Model DependentRead MoreEssay on A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking1532 Words   |  7 PagesA brief history of time by Stephen Hawking is a novel about the known range of time from the big bang up to black holes. Hawking talks about different theories and how they have changed over time from Copernicus to himself. He combines all known physics and astrophysics and displays them quickly and simply. He states that the goal of science is to able to accurately describe the universe in one theory. As he tells about theories that have disproved other theories of that time, it is proof that scienceRead MoreThe Greatest Heroes Of Stephen Hawking1999 Words   |  8 Pagesquote from the famous Stephen Hawking, which shows that intelligence is not measured by how much you know, but rather by what you do with what you know. Stephen Hawking has continually showed the many characteristics of a hero through his life, even while fighting with amyotro phic lateral sclerosis. Stephen Hawking grew up in England and was diagnosed with ALS at a very young age. However, he did not let this stop him from shaking the foundations of science forever. Stephen Hawking is considered one

The Era Of The 1920s - 2434 Words

The 1920s was a pivotal era in women’s fashion—an era that saw Prohibition, Jazz and celebration of war’s end. Gone was the hourglass figure of the 19th Century, swept away by the World War I, and replaced by the figure of a modern, independent woman. This book covers fashions from 1920 to 1924, an often overlooked period of fashion which was a time of transition between the draped and layered fashions of the post World War I era and the free and easy gowns of the jazz age flapper. Before the Roaring Twenties, women were still wearing floor-length dresses with corsets, and crinolines, arms and legs were covered, hair was long. This Gibson girl look was set the standard for beauty, fashion and manner. And the Victorian attitudes toward dress and etiquette created a strict moral climate. Until 1920s things changed quickly, the women was given the right to vote, they began to attend college. The Equal Rights Amendment was proposed in 1923. The World War I was over and men wanted their jobs back. Women, though, who had taken up men’s jobs while they were at war, had proved themselves worthy of men’s jobs, so many organizations and feminist reformers took up the task to encourage gender equality. Many important things happened in the 1920’s like prohibition and jazz music. Something that is also very significant is that this was the decade where fashion began entering a modern era. After decades of Victorian style, clothing such as corsets and petticoat, fashion was finallyShow MoreRelatedThe New Era: America in the 1920s700 Words   |  3 PagesAmerica in the 1920’s was called the new era. It is called a new era because it became a turning point in American society, and marked a separation from the 19th century and the 20th century. We soon begin to develop our own social norms, music, and culture as we evolve into a modern nation. The 1920s was also a time of significant economic, political, and social change. The new era economy reflected the industrialization that the country had just undergone. Although there was a recession fromRead MoreProhibition During The Era Of 1920-1933 Essay814 Words   |  4 PagesProhibition Essay: By: Savannah Crawford During the era of 1920-1933 could best be characterized as the path to a sober nation. This time of history consisted of the eighteenth amendment which was passed on October 28th 1919; Volstead Act. The Volstead act was created to carry out the movement of prohibition. In addition, Prohibition is the legal prohibiting of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks for common consumption according to dictionary.com. Furthermore, this amendment concurs thatRead MoreThe Progressive Era During The 1920 S973 Words   |  4 PagesThe progressive era during the 1890’s and 1920’s in the Unites States saw an economic expansion with the aid of the industrial capitalists, a growing population with immigrants coming to the United States seeking a better life through labor with American industrialization, and government corruption being eliminated progressively by political reforms like the Sherman Antitrust Act. This era also had complications such as racial tension between immi grants, poor working and living conditions amongstRead MoreThe 1920S Were An Influential Era In American History For1413 Words   |  6 Pages The 1920s were an influential era in American history for the development of women’s rights and ideals following World War I. The concept of the perfect housewife was being more widely rejected as women began to work outside the home, provide for themselves, and vote. It was a time in which young women could express themselves more freely than ever before. The drinking of alcohol and the smoking of cigarettes became more widely acceptable for females to do in public. Women would cut their hair shortRead MoreThe life and accomplishments of Al Capone during the prohibition era in the 1920s.2535 Words   |  11 PagesDuring the prohibition era of the 1920s, if one wasnt an enemy of Alphonse (Al) Scarface Capone, was he, in many eyes, a hero? Due to his savvy street smarts and the corrupt rebellion of the decade, Al Capone was not only a popular commentary of the time, but is now a legend. His classic boy from the ghetto turned generous multi-millionaire story only adds to the heroism seen in this most famous Chicago mobster. Chicagos industries, open spaces and four seasons were an enormous magnet for theRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Current Era of Globalization with the First Age of Globalization (1850s-1920s). What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization in Its Current Context?1720 Words   |  7 Pagesname: Hyde Zhu Student number: 220089143 Course code: MM202 Assignment question: topic 1 Compare and contrast the current era of globalization with the first age of globalization (1850s-1920s). What are the advantages and disadvantages of globalization in its current context? Word count: 1530   Unit Coordinator: Dr Tony Ramsay I am going to contrast the current era of globalization with the first age of globalization in many different aspects, in the mean time analysis the merits and demeritsRead MoreThe Roaring 20 s Era Of Growth And Reform1309 Words   |  6 PagesThe era of the 1920s, also known as the Roaring 20’s, was a revolutionary time in which radical changes struck the American nation, drastically increasing advances in society and economy. New and different forms of dance, music, clothing, behavior, and lifestyle were developed nationwide. The Antebellum Period in the late 1700s increased rebellion, similar to the Roaring 20’s era of growth and reform. As this time period brought profound changes, conflict, cultural excitement, and experimentationRead MoreThe Role Of Media And Technology During The 1920s And 1930s1535 Words   |  7 PagesThe development of 1920s and 1930s media and technology was extremely influential upon the period of time immediately after. Media in the 1920- 30s and its relevance to the years that followed, focusing on the western world. Through the journalism and writing movements during the era, new technology was exposed to the public and impacted events in the years that followed. The term technology can also apply to machinery, medicine and weaponry; however, none of them corresponded with the changes toRead MoreThe Changes in the Role of Women throughout Different Eras1381 Words   |  6 Pagesrole of women changes tremendously throughout several eras. Women in the Puritan era are restricted to most rights in which men have, while women in the 1920s are more independent and rebellious against communal standing. In the Puritan era, the rights of women are from dreadfully restrictive to none. Puritan women are personified to be women who continually do what they are told, otherwise known as being â€Å"the good wife.† Later in the Victorian era, women began to feel imprisoned because they have suchRead MoreThe Street Empire9 16 Words   |  4 Pages The United States has had its share of economic prosperity, but none as thriving as the 1920s era, labeled the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†. The 1920s era saw great political and social change to the United States society. The US economy blossomed, and the nations total wealth more than doubled in the 1920s era. As a result of this social and political change as well as the success of the economy, transformed many Americans into a consumer society. The great economic success during the time period also

Life Cycle Environmental and Economic †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Life Cycle Environmental and Economic. Answer: Introduction: The Holden Company is a historical figure in the Australian automotive industry and has been doing business for the past one and a half decades. The company launched its first car model called the 48-215 in the year 1948, which was an immediate success in the automotive market of Australia. The company became an integral part of the people within the country and the name is often associated with its own status and symbolizes a spirit of strength along with adaptability (Thomas and Holden 2016). The company presently employs around 6300 people from Australia and has produced more than seven million vehicles. The company is a part of the General Motors (GM), which is one of the largest automobile industries in the world since 1931. The company caters to the domestic and international clients and is an exporter of best quality engines across the globe and provides expertise in the markets as well (Holden and Risebro 2015). The operational activities of the company are located in Fishermans Bend, which deals with the manufacturing of the engine parts along with administration; the Dandenong area provides expertise in the operation of the spare parts and the Lang Lang area in Victoria along with Elizabeth in South Australia are the places where the manufacturing plants of the company are located (Ewing, Wagstaff and Powell 2013). The retail sales of Holden Australia according to the 2007 market saw an increase of 14 percent of the market share, as the company was able to sell 146,680 number of car units. The brand called Commodore alone was sold in 57,300 numbers of units and continued to be the most popular car of the Australian people for twelve years in a row. The plant that is located in Elizabeth produced a total of 107,795 numbers of units out of which the exports for the company reached to 36,354 units. Apart from this, the engine operations that are located in Victoria produced a total of 269,421 number of four and six- cylinder engines, which was exported to different places across the globe (Holden and Risebro 2015). Internal environment of the company The company was established in 1856 and shows the legacy of its brand in the Australian market. Most of the people can easily associate the brand with themselves, as it has served the community for a long period. The company provides employment opportunities to more than 6000 people, which has helped them in leading a better life and helped in increasing the economy of the country. The company is known to make minivans and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), which are preferred in the Australian and the entire market as well. The company also has a strong image in the Australian and the New Zealand market, which has helped them in increasing their sales and generating better revenues. The merge with General Motors has helped the company in gaining international recognition, as the company is known all around the world (Sharma and Strezov 2017). The company mainly focuses its sales on a regional basis and tries to be competitive in its home and New Zealand market. The presence in the global market and the shares in the international market for the company are negligible when compared to other manufacturers in the automobile industry. The weak presence of the company in the international has made it difficult for the company to increase their sales in those particular markets (Bunyan 2015). The model Chevrolet/ Holden Volt is one of the products of the company that will help the company in increasing its volume of sales. The company needs to capitalize this opportunity so that they can capture the international market as well. The company needs to tap the resources that are present in the Asian and the African continents. This will help the company in increasing their volume of sales. The company can also develop their cars in a better manner with the help of the parent company that is General Motors, as they can provide better insights about new models of designs to the company (Morris 2013). The shift from the fuel cars to the electric or hybrid cars, which has increased has caused a problem to the company, as they majorly deal with cars that dawns a trendy look to the customers. The Korean and the Japanese car manufacturers have established their companies in a better manner, which has caused a problem for Holden in entering in to new markets that may provide opportunities for the company. The goodwill of the brand does not have a better reach in all the geographical locations on the earth (Mutze 2017). The government of China since the inception of 2013 is creating problems with the sale of the foreign products, as it is encouraging the local people in the intake of the local products. Before 2013, it was seen that the agencies that are based locally helped in encouraging the people in purchasing foreign goods. The rules and regulations of the government have had a huge impact on the automobile industry and made it mandatory for them to follow the safety procedures. The government has imposed custom duties and regulations of trade, which are complex for the marketing procedure of the company. The government has to be given a certain sum of shares so that they can keep a check on the ongoing practices within the company along with the taxation rules (Garcia 2017). The fluctuations in the price of the fuel along with the demand of the customers that is relative in nature, as they look for solutions that are economical in nature. The company needs to conduct a thorough research of the market so that they can have a better understanding of the high-end and the hybrid cars that are plying within the country. The prices of steel are also fluctuating in the marketing, which will pose as a threat for the company in the Chinese market (Shende 2014). The company has to understand the social needs of the Chinese customers so that they can provide the customers with the choice of vehicles that may be suitable for the consumers. The company also needs to give preference to the social status of the people in China so that they can be provided with the choice of cars that they want (Kapinski et al. 2014). The technology has been advancing on a regular basis in the current market and the Chinese economy is considered to use the latest technologies that are available to them. the company needs to set up their manufacturing plants in the country and hire robots in the production process so that the units that are manufactured in the company can be increased to a great extent (Zhou et al. 2015). The business has to be set up keeping in mind the rules and regulations that are present in the country so that they are not violated. The laws of safety along with the custom laws have to be followed by the company so that they can set up their business in a proper manner. Holden is known to follow all the rules and regulations that are present in the countries and ensures that the company is under the guidance of the laws that are present in that country (Hao 2014). The company has to follow the environmental laws as well, as China is highly polluted and they need to reduce the carbon emissions so that they can operate in a successful manner. The company needs to take the environmental pledge that is the CERES Principles, which consists of ten points about the environmental guide to the business (Zhou et al. 2015). The company produces various kinds of vehicles such as sports vehicles along with luxury and fuel efficient cars. This helps the buyers, as they get a wide range for selecting their vehicles according to their purchasing power. The company tries to manufacture the products according to the demands of the customers so that it can help them in increasing their value in the local market. The company provides the cars to the customers according to the capacity of the usage of the customers. The cars that are luxurious in nature are manufactured for the elite group while the young people prefer sports cars. The middle class people are more in to cars that are fuel efficient in nature. The cars are manufactured in the range of 1500-2000cc, which extends up to 7000cc as well for the sports cars. These cars are all built according to the demand that the company has in the market place (Andre et al. 2015). The company will try to attract the all section of the customers, as the products that are being manufactured by the company will cater to the needs and preferences of all sections of the society. The cars that have a higher price will be preferred by the elite classes that are living in the country, which will act as a status for them. The middle class people will be interested in the cars that will help them in saving their costs in every month. The customers who are adventurous will try to purchase the sports cars from the company, which will help in them in providing them with a thrilling experience (Jahanshani et al. 2014). The company is trying to manufacture hybrid cars so that it can help in protecting the environment in a better manner. The SUV vehicles that the company is manufacturing will be introduced in a new and upgraded manner, which will get a makeover known as Holden Special Vehicles (HSV). This will be done with the help of the local manufacturers so that their ideas can be taken up for completing the project. The CEO of the company has stated that these cars will come in different varieties and models, which will help the customers in having their own preferences. The old varieties of the cars will be launched in a new manner so that it can provide a new design to the customers, which will help in boosting up of the sales. The company will try to provide stiff competition to Ford in the custom car market, as they are trying to enter the market with new varieties of products (Fang 2013). The company can also provide valuable services to its customers in a new manner. The company can provide free services to the high end customers along with the loyal customers if their cars break down while driving on the road. The company can provide help lines to the customers so that if any accidents that might take place can be handled in an efficient and a better way. The customers can ask for help from the company and the company will provide the customers with another car at their current location so that the customers can reach their destinations safely. This will help the company in having a better understanding with the customers and strengthen the relationships as well (Jahanshani et al. 2014). The marketing mix serves as a basic foundation for a company to understand and formulate the strategies that will help them in campaigning in a new market. The analysis of the market is based on the macro and the micro parameters, which helps in understanding the characteristics of the brand and the presence that it has over the world (Baccarellla et al. 2014). The marketing mix consists of the factors that are as follows: The product that the company needs to introduce in the market will be the cars that are compact in nature so that the traffic problems can be avoided. The cars will be produced according to the needs and preferences of the customers and according to the rules and regulations that are laid by the government. The standards of the environment need to be maintained by the company so that the products can be pliable in the new market (Du, Hu and Damangir 2015). The pricing of the cars needs to be done based on the current economic conditions so that the customers can be interested in purchasing the products. The company needs to set the prices according to the range of income of the middle class group of people so that they can afford to purchase the products. This will help the company in maintaining its equilibrium of price in the market (Raj, Sasikumar and Sriram 2013). The company needs to choose an appropriate place for launching its product so that it can help in selling of the products in a better manner. The manufacturing and assembling plants have to be located in a better environment so that the products that have been manufactured can be transported to the showrooms in an efficient manner. This will help the company in increasing its sales in the market, as the operational cost will decrease to a great extent (Colmom and Hulsmann 2014). The use of extensive advertisements has to be done by the company so that the customers can be aware of the product that that the company wants to sells in the market. The promotional activities will help the company in spreading awareness about the product among the customers. The use of newspapers and magazines along with the social media platforms will help the company in explaining the details of the products to the customers so that they can get to know about the product in a better manner. The company needs to evaluate the effectiveness of the electronic media as well, which will help them in attracting the prime time customers towards the company as well (Baccarella et al. 2014). Conclusion Therefore it can be concluded that the company needs to set up its business in the Chinese market with respect to the following criteria that has been mentioned. The right customers have to be targeted so that they can help in increasing the sale of the products for the company. The company needs to evaluate the external factors in a better manner so that they do not face any barriers while entering the market. The rules and regulations of the country have to be maintained in a better manner by the company, which will help them in setting up of the company easily. The promotional activities that will help the company in spreading awareness about the product will help in increasing the sales of the product so that the customers can get the benefit of using the product that is being manufactured by Holden. The price that will be kept by the company will be based on the average level of income that is present in the market so that the customers will be willing to try out the product, wh ich will be easy on their pockets as well. The company first needs to try the exporting method, which is that the products need to be imported from Australia so that it can help in understanding the dynamics that are present in the market. Reference List Andre, D., Kim, S.J., Lamp, P., Lux, S.F., Maglia, F., Paschos, O. and Stiaszny, B., 2015. Future generations of cathode materials: an automotive industry perspective.Journal of Materials Chemistry A,3(13), pp.6709-6732. Baccarella, C.V., Scheiner, C.W., Trefzger, T.F. and Voigt, K.I., 2014. High-tech marketing communication in the automotive industry: a content analysis of print advertisements.International Journal of Business Environment,6(4), pp.395-410. Bunyan, M., 2015. A Plan for the Future of Australian Manufacturers: Developing Management, Leadership and Innovation. Colmorn, R. and Hlsmann, M., 2014. Strategic perspectives for electric mobility: some considerations about the automotive industry. InEvolutionary Paths Towards the Mobility Patterns of the Future(pp. 155-168). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Du, R.Y., Hu, Y. and Damangir, S., 2015. Leveraging trends in online searches for product features in market response modeling.Journal of Marketing,79(1), pp.29-43. Ewing, M.T., Wagstaff, P.E. and Powell, I.H., 2013. Brand rivalry and community conflict.Journal of Business Research,66(1), pp.4-12. Fang, E.E., 2013, May. Customer participation and the trade-off between new product innovativeness and speed to market. American Marketing Association. Garcia, D.A., 2017. Analysis of non-economic barriers for the deployment of hydrogen technologies and infrastructures in European countries.International Journal of Hydrogen Energy,42(10), pp.6435-6447. Hao, H., Ou, X., Du, J., Wang, H. and Ouyang, M., 2014. Chinas electric vehicle subsidy scheme: Rationale and impacts.Energy Policy,73, pp.722-732. Holden, H. and Risebro, N.H., 2015. Introduction. InFront Tracking for Hyperbolic Conservation Laws(pp. 1-51). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Jahanshani, A.A., Hajizadeh, G.M.A., Mirdhamadi, S.A., Nawaser, K. and Khaksar, S.M.S., 2014. Study the effects of customer service and product quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Kapinski, J., Deshmukh, J.V., Sankaranarayanan, S. and Arechiga, N., 2014, April. Simulation-guided lyapunov analysis for hybrid dynamical systems. InProceedings of the 17th international conference on Hybrid systems: computation and control(pp. 133-142). ACM. Morris, S., 2013. Improving energy efficient, sustainable building design and construction in Australialearning from Europe.ISS Institute, Australia. Mutze, G., 2017. Continental?scale analysis of feral cat diet in Australia, prey?switching and the risk: benefit of rabbit control.Journal of Biogeography,44(7), pp.1679-1681. Raj, M.P.M., Sasikumar, J. and Sriram, S., 2013. A Study On Customers Brand Preference in Suvs and Muvs: Effect of Marketing Mix Variables.Researchers World,4(1), p.48. Sharma, A. and Strezov, V., 2017. Life cycle environmental and economic impact assessment of alternative transport fuels and power-train technologies.Energy. Shende, V., 2014. Analysis of research in consumer behavior of automobile passenger car customer.International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications,4(2), p.1. Thoms, D. and Holden, L., 2016.The motor car and popular culture in the twentieth century. Routledge. Zhou, Y., Wang, M., Hao, H., Johnson, L. and Wang, H., 2015. Plug-in electric vehicle market penetration and incentives: a global review.Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change,20(5), pp.777-795.

American Cinema of the 1970s A Failure or The Golden Age Essay Example

American Cinema of the 1970s: A Failure or The Golden Age? Essay How do we define failure and success?   Failure is not achieving the desired end.   It is the condition of being inefficient and insufficient.   On the other hand, Success is achieving what is desired.   The standards of failure and success are always subjective and relative to the person or group who is judging an idea or an event.   It is never objective.   The word desire in itself is very subjective.   We have different desires.   We differ in what we value and what we deem as important.   Some may contest by saying that their opinion or verdict is based on facts and is purely impartial.   But to say that someone is totally unbiased is in effect saying that the person is inhuman.   The fact that a subject was chosen to be studied is somehow biased.   It goes to show that the subject is of importance or is interesting to the person to merit his time and effort in studying it.   The way that some events or ideas are emphasized and some are downplayed is ba sed on personal preference. Using the framework of subjectivity in any kind of analysis will be very useful in the discourse on the American Cinema in the 1970s.   I am now faced with two opposing views.   On one side are the proponents of the American 1970s Cinema as a failure.   On the other side is the group who refers to this period as the Golden Age of Cinema.   Both may have their own valid points and both may have their weaknesses.   In the analysis of the American Cinema in the 70s, both groups could have focused on different aspects of the Industry.   Each group could have their own set of ideals on what Cinema should be.   It is possible that these ideals may be opposing or they could also share some ideals but may be clashing in some. We will write a custom essay sample on American Cinema of the 1970s: A Failure or The Golden Age? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on American Cinema of the 1970s: A Failure or The Golden Age? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on American Cinema of the 1970s: A Failure or The Golden Age? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Let us start with a background of the social, political and economic situation of the United States in the 1970s.   The 70s saw the worst recession after 40years.   Richard Nixon was forced to resign as President due to impeachment charges relating to the Watergate scandal.   Social movements, specifically the anti-war demonstrations increased because of US involvement in the Vietnam War.   An event directly connected with anti-war demonstrations is the Kent State University tragedy where four students were killed by National Guardsmen when they open fired on demonstrators.   The Supreme Court released a decision to legalize abortion.   These are just some of the important events in the 1970s. The economic and socio-political climate of the 70s greatly affected the Film Industry.   The sale of tickets went down due to bad economy.   People considered movie-going as a leisure activity and thus made it a least priority.   They also considered watching movies as one of those non-worthy activities.   They felt that movies are a distraction to more important activities or to issues that are greatly affecting the country and its people. Another noteworthy effect on the movie-going statistics in the 70s is the gaining popularity of  Ã‚   Television.   Television and its wonders kept the audiences of the 1970s glued too their Television sets at home (San Filippo, 2001).   Television programs and sitcoms touch based with the reality of everyday life. The shows reflected the lives of ordinary American families in the 70s, even showing lifestyles of the 50s creating nostalgia.   A more damaging effect on the Film Industry is the introduction of the Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) which took away some of the Industry’s business.  Ã‚   There was a decline in movie-going due to the accessibility of home videos. This is the starting point for the advocates of the 1970s as a Cinema of Failure.   The Film Industry needed to draw the attention back to patronizing of their films.   They need something to revive the Industry.   That something was provided by the emergence of a new generation of players in the Industry like university-educated directors and actors.   They took a risk and experimented with young alternative film-makers while the Hollywood professionals and moguls faded and a new breed of film makers surfaced (The New Decade for Film-makers).   These young film makers took up film courses and were very skillful and technical in terms of production.   At a certain point, it was all good.   Fresh ideas from young directors gave a new take on film-making.   Their films tackled contemporary social issues with characters that are believable and with astounding visual effects (Huggins).   These directors were given the autonomy they needed for experimentation and so trie d all sorts of combination to make the movies appealing.   They were provided big budgets which allowed them to utilize elaborate productions.   Their creative juices were encouraged to flow and storyline or visual effects restriction was not common.   Auteurism was very much alive.  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is the method of analyzing films in terms of the distinct characteristics of a directors work which makes him or her the author or auteur in French (Auteur Theory).  Ã‚  Ã‚   It gives ownership of the film to the director’s personal artistic vision. The American audience saw this new spirit in the Film Industry which intrigued and enticed them to watch movies again.   Movie Characters and plots which mirrored the present social and political state of society made the films interesting and relevant.   People were able to connect to the movies and can very well relate to the characters or to the feelings evoked by these characters.   Cinema at that time was a reflection of society.   It challenged norms and rules which were very evident in the social and political arenas.   People were questioning leadership motives and abilities, and were seeking reforms in social matters. If you look at what was happening at that time, one would wonder why critics continue to call this era as a failure.   Their contention was that this period in the 1970s Cinema history was short lived.   The brief glory days were overshadowed by big blockbuster films which capitalized on form rather than content.   Studios spent a lot of money with these blockbuster films.   The focus was placed on box-office earnings and the production concentrated on youth-oriented films with incredible special effects (The New Decade for Film-makers).   The studios experimentations paid off and finally had the formula of success in their hands.   They found the key to great financial rewards through the blockbuster films which were promoted to mass audiences. The two monumental blockbuster films from this decade include Jaws (1975) by Steven Spielberg who was then 27 years old and Star Wars (1977) by the George Lucas who was 33.   Both films were amazing successes earning rentals of more than $100 million (The New Decade for Film-makers). Through these two films, the studios did not need to experiment further.   They already had the formula in their hands so what they did was to create blockbuster films following the recipe of Jaws and Star Wars to increase their profits.   This was the time when the creativity drought set in.   Critics claimed that the human interest and thought-provoking stories were sacrificed for more popular and mainstream topics with very simple and predictable storylines.   Films had no focus on content and no relevance to society’s ails and issues.   Film-making as an art of storytelling was soon overshadowed by film-making as a business.   The major film studios controlled the Industry and the independent producers and directors have no place to go. On the other side of the fence are those who believe that The American Cinema in the 1970s is The Golden Age of American Cinema.   Film-makers showcased their creativity without having to think of restrictions on form and content because the Industry experienced a loosening of film censorship at this time.   Elements of violence, nudity, sexuality and extreme language were all needed to make the films closer to reality.   These elements have to be incorporated in the film to a certain extent to give life to the characters and give the story a touch of realism. The formats of the films produced in this decade were not only mentally challenging, but they are also stimulating and entertaining.   The cinematic effects were admirable due budget was really set aside and not constrained for this purpose. It is in this decade when movies from different genre were made to cater to a diverse audience.   Movies reflecting the political and social conflicts within society were shown.   These movies were reflections of the sentiments of the people about certain issues at that time.   Two of the more relevant movies shown were The Parallax View (1974) and All the President’s Men (1976) both by Alan J. Pakula.   The Parallax View was based on the issues of conspiracy surrounding the Watergate Scandal.   It was about a reporter whose girlfriend mysteriously died after witnessing an assassination.   He believed that the death of his girlfriend was a conspiracy to silence her.   He then goes undercover so he can gain access to the Parallax Corporation, which he discovered was recruiting and training political assassins.   The film used the wholesome themes of family and home, and also involved violent scenes or images to put forth the message that violence and political a ssassinations are existing in the American realm (Millikan, 2007).  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All the President’s Men was also a movie based on the Watergate Scandal.   The movie was about two Washington Post reporters who discovered the Watergate conspiracy.   After uncovering the conspiracy, they were placed under surveillance their lives were in grave danger.   Although the movie showed that the President eventually resigned, the point of the story did not end there.   The story wanted to bring the message across that even if the problem was solved, there are still existing problems and issues will come up in the future.   It is important that the people maintain constant vigilance (Millikan, 2007). Both of the movies mentioned above are great examples of movies relevant to the times.   Other conspiracy thrillers include the Conversation (1974) by Francis Ford Coppola, Chinatown (1974) by Roman Polanski and Three Days of the Condor (1976) by Sydney Pollack.   These political thrillers catered to adult movie-goers.   The offbeat comedy drama genres with movies like The Shampoo and Midnight Cowboy also had adults as the audience base. The Film Industry had to produce a film which catered to the whole family.   This was when Star Wars was born.   Star Wars catered to both the young and old alike.   Though sentiments of critics claim that Jaws and Star Wars placed an end to the Golden Age of American Cinema due to the introduction of blockbuster movies, it has to be emphasized too that these movies were all-encompassing in that it reached different markets.   The box-office status was attained because they did not only target a specific market or they did not specifically target the adults only.   Instead, they were open for appreciation by the whole family and this is what happened.  Ã‚   Other family oriented movies which also showcased other talents like singing and dancing were Saturday Night Live and Grease.  Ã‚   The movie Close Encounter of the Third Kind (1977) also proved to be a family spectacle. The movie Rocky (1976) with Sylvester Stallone and directed by John Avildsen made a tremendous impact on audiences because it created a hero for the people who were at that time experiencing transitions in leadership and failed representations.   The people had a hero in Rocky idealizing the values of reaching the top through hard work and determination.   Sequels were made of Rocky along with the very successful movie The Godfather (1972).   The movie Exorcist (1973) inspired Horror film-makers as this movie caught the interest of young thrill-seeking audiences. The contemporary style of advertising to increase sales started during the 70s.   Upcoming movies or new releases were advertised in Television to increase audience awareness of the showing dates.   The first movie to ever benefit from a Television marketing campaign is Jaws.   The promotion of movies and actors through the print media started with People Magazine.   This allowed the people to monitor the new releases and to get to know the celebrities better.   This technique was likewise very effective and up to this date is being utilized. The 1970s ushered in most of the styles and strategies used in the Film Industry today.   Most of the movies made in this decade are known by even the young generation of today.   The 1970s was a decade of rebirth, experimentation, risks, emergence of talents and new strategies, and of failures and successes. Critics who call the 1970s American Cinema as a Cinema of Failure have their points.   Likewise, advocates of the 70s Cinema as The Golden Age have their own points.   These are subjective opinions which I cannot even negate unless no concrete evidence was used as support for the arguments.   The question now is who merits the most number of valid statements.   Before I even attempt to answer this, let us discuss the nature of the Film Industry as a whole. Film can be considered a mix of different media.   The story came from prose fiction.   The acting or drama originated in theatre and the sound came from music.   Film is also a business.   It exists to make profit and to pay the salaries of the workers.   With these premises, I can now adequately respond to the question of validity of the statements of both sides. Let me start with the business aspect.   The critics argued that the content and the artistic side of the Film Industry were sacrificed for big profits and that the blockbuster films hindered the studios from being creative and further investing in experiments.   The point is real but is not practical.   The studios cannot afford to miss out on profits or cannot rely on break even results because of the tremendous amount of investments involved.   If they do not earn money, they will not have the funds to continuously create other films.   They would not have the funds to pay the salaries of the workers.   They would not afford the salaries of the actors.   In short, if no money comes in then there will be no business to run.   Regarding the issue of experimentation, this cannot sustain any business.   The reason why businesses have their trade secrets is because of the value of a formula for success.   There should always be one consistent and stable factor in ac hieving the desired results. I do not think that the artistic expression in films was totally ignored.   In fact, it was very evident.   It just came in a different package.   Artistic expression and storytelling skills were not longer limited to elaborate dialogues or storylines, but they were also reflected in the form and the effects of the movie. The times are changing and in order to keep up with it, we have to embrace the new ideas or concepts that go along with it.   The state of the Film Industry now, like how it was in the 1970s may not be the same tomorrow.   Someone could wake up tomorrow with a brilliant idea to revolutionize the existing system.   It could mean further success, but on the contrary, it could mean failure to some sectors of society.   We each have our own opinions and views.   We of course stick to them, but it will not hurt if we open ourselves a bit to new information and new ideas. References Autuer Theory. (n.d.). [online].[Accessed 6th June 2007]. Available from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auteur_theory San Filippo, M. (2001, Oct). American Films of the 70s: Conflicting Visions. [online].[Accessed 5th June 2007]. Available from Senses of Cinema: http://esvc001106.wic016u.server- web.com/contents/books/01/17/american_70s.html Huggins, N. (n.d.). When the Lunatics Took Over the Asylum. [online].[Accessed 5th June 2007]. Available from Futuremovies: http://www.futuremovies.co.uk/filmamaking.asp?ID=110 Millikan, J. (2007, Jul 07). The Conspiracy Thrillers of the 1970s. [online].[Accessed 6th June 2007]. Available from Stylus Magazine: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=1092 The New Decade for Film-makers. (n.d.). [online].[Accessed 5th June 2007]. Available from Filmsite: http://www.filmsite.org/70sintro.html