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The 13th Documentary Analysis
The 13th Documentary Analysis
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The 13th Documentary Analysis
The 13th is a film that discusses the story of the black people within American society and how that is a grave issue as a lot of American black people have suffered a lot at the hands of the whites. The movie is called the 13th documentary because it looks back at the time in America when slavery was allowed and in fact in the articles of confederation and the initial constitution slavery was allowed and whites were allowed to own slaves. This means that the American system has never been pleasant to the American black people and those who are African Americans. The major question of the film is whether Africans will ever be free to equal the freedom that the white people have and which they enjoy. This paper discusses the film in light of mass incarceration which is a major practice in the American society brought out in the film.
Firstly, the film begins by describing how hard it was for Americans to live to be slaves in the time of the past. There were courageous people in the history of African American history and these are the ones responsible for the many new changes which have happened and in a positive way to the American black community. However, they did not find it easy and they had to suffer for the cause they were fighting for (Juarez, 2018). The documentary is called the 13th about the 13th amendment of 1865 which states that the black person had the free right to whatever right the white person had. Before 1865 black people were exposed to slavery and they were owned by the whites. The 13th amendment gave them rights and placed them in an annual place with the whites. However, the big question in the 13th amendment is whether declaring black people were free made them free in practice.
With the 13th amendment, the black people were assumed free but in a real sense the American society did not want them to b free, and therefore they were not free. After the amendment, black people could be incarcerated for very little offense and this was seen as totally okay by the whites. When blacks were declared free the whites began developing jails and correctional facilities and this was meant for the white population (Neubauer, & Fradella, 2018). Therefore, this was the beginning of unfair incarceration and the animosity which even today exists between the black people and the police. This was also the beginning of mass incarceration as a lot of black people were getting arrested for the smallest mistakes they did. This practice which is still being practiced today is what has contributed to America being the one lace with the highest level of convicts as for every 4 males one of them is in prison or has been to prison. This is a worrying trend.
According to the film America can be best described through the retributive justice system. This is the system that has been used in American for a long period even though it is used to treat black people justly. The retributive theory of punishment suggests that every person who does wrong to society or another person should undergo the same pain or the same circumstances and therefore justice is restored. When a person does wrong, they should suffer an equal amount of pain they caused. This is the major justice theory used in America and a lot of people have embraced it as when a person does wrong to society the person should suffer in a similar manner (Platt, 2019). However, the issue of the death penalty has been controversial and a lot of states have abolished it while some uphold it as they are not sure if having such kind of law makes the retributive theory a good way to go. This has been focused on in the movie in a great way.
The movie as it is suggested that the United States of America move towards rehabilitation as a form of justice. This is because according to the film rehabilitation and changing the behavior of the individuals who are involved in crime is a very important part of changing society and making it better. Therefore, if rehabilitation was to be used the society could be better and grow into an accommodative society with time. Rehabilitation is a theory that states that the people who are found guilty should be assisted to change and fit back into society well. Rehabilitation as understood in layman’s language is majorly an expensive exercise and a lot of people tend to fall back once they are out of rehabilitation. However, if well employed it can help a lot of offenders get away from doing what is wrong.
The film is a very strong one and discusses the issue of incarceration with a concentration on black male incarceration to a great deal. It states that incarceration for blacks is a big problem and because of this many black people still live in fear in a country they build. From the film, I learned that back people have a history of being hurt in the United States of America and that has come down from their slave ancestors to the current generation (Platt, 2019). The Justice system needs to be reconsidered to reduce the number of people in jails. Those with few or very few offenses should not be in jail but should be given other types of punishment.
References
Juarez, S. E. (2018). The Power of the Documentary: Examining the Effectiveness of Ava DuVernay’s 13th. Synesthesia, 8(1), 2.
Neubauer, D. W., & Fradella, H. F. (2018). America’s courts and the criminal justice system. Cengage Learning.
Platt, T. (2019). Beyond these walls: Rethinking crime and punishment in the United States. St. Martin’s Press.
The 10 People you’ll find in Any Gym by Chris Sparling
The 10 People you’ll find in Any Gym by Chris Sparling
Explain each of Sparling’s 10 types of people who go to the gym.
The gamma radiation victim, Thomas Edison (invent their own exercises), the sparkle motion (early riser ladies), a bit too personal (working out with a friend as they share stories), bob the builder (unfashionable), the unworthy screamer- pants and yells for nothing, teen titan- teenagers in the gym (made worse if they are a group), doctor style (work clothes in gym), Scarface and the senator who always wants to talk to you even if you’re not interested in his talks.
Why do you think the author wrote this article about gym types?
The reason for this article about gym types is to help an individual be able to identify the different types of individuals who can be at the gym. Apart from identifying them the individual can learn how to deal with them or avoid them if they make that person uncomfortable. It also provides an ideal expectation in a gym and if a person does funny stuff they may be encouraged to leave them aside when going to gym.
Can you add any categories to Sparling’s gym member types?
The other categories may include those new babies to the gym and they are trying to learn everything. Most of the time they are shy and keep on looking at what others is doing to learn how to exercise. There are also those big bodied ones but not big bodied and energetic just big bodied and very weak that come to the gym to try and cut weight.
What is the significance of the author’s classification system?
The classification system of the author is very significant in that all the mentioned groups of individuals can be found in a gym and their manner of behavior is very clearly explained. Therefore in as much as it may sound harsh it is true that some of the traits of the different individuals like the senator are annoying.
Which of Sparling’s types is most common at the gym? What personality traits go with the gym behavior for this group?
The unworthy screamer is one of the most common individuals in the gym. Most of the times they scream for different reasons. One of them can be trying to lift very heavy weights which are heavy than their ability, tiredness and exhaustion among other reasons. The major character is the sign of tiredness and almost giving up on the exercise.
What do all the references to proper nouns (brand names, people, and places) add to this essay? Give an example to support your conclusion.
The author uses brand names, people and places for the reader to be able to clearly and very fast identify with the different nouns mentioned and therefore understand the characteristics talked about with a lot of ease. For example when the author mentions the senator it is clear that politicians are talkative and therefore this person clearly relates and portrays a senator in terms of being talkative.
Why do you think people in gyms are easy to classify into groups?
People in gyms are easy to classify since they all have peculiar characters. Each and every person acts in a certain way and therefore they are put into a group of people who behave that way. However there is a deeper reason; people tend to try to be fashionable within the gym while others desperately come to the gym for the sake of their health. These two differentiate the many categories into 2.
Why do you think most of these types of people are so oblivious to their own bad behavior?
Most of the people at the gym do not really care what other people say and their focus is training and exercise. However others are so much concerned with others for the sake of company and a sense of belonging when at the gym that they just act funny and maybe somehow foolish.
How would you describe the tone of this essay?
The tone of the essay is a mocking one. Even though there is important information to pass, the manner of passing this information is in a kind of mockery manner because of the bad behavior of the individuals. This is also brought out by the focus on the negative attributes only.
How well do the titles of his categories introduce the author’s explanations? Which title do you think is most accurate? Explain you’ answer.
The titles of his categories introduce the different individuals with surprise. This is because the manner of comparison is so good even though focused on the negative attributes and this introduces the different types of people in any gym in a unique manner. The most appropriate title would be gym dominators since most of the people explained are the most common ones in gyms.
How does Sparling organize his categories? Is this an effective order? Explain your answer.
The order of organization can be said to be somewhat wacky. However it expresses the main communication and it is an effective manner of organization. The effectiveness of the organization comes in whereby the main and the major message is still communicated even though in a comical and exaggerated manner.
In his essay. Sparling uses several comparisons that fall into two categories: similes, which use the words “like” or “as” to compare two similar items, and metaphors, which omit “like” or “as.” Find three comparisons in this essay, and explain what each one adds to the section.
This is used in many places within the essay, for example “Even worse is when they use far too much weight on the cable crossovers and end up being violently yanked backwards like Sweerchuck in Police Academy” and the names given to the different categories like the senator whereby he could have said as talkative as a senator. Ignoring them or hint dropping for them to leave you alone are about as effective as using gasoline to put out a fire. These three comparisons add to the quality of narration and being out different sound effects which brings a kind of rhythm and flow of the essay.
The #Me-Too Movement
The #Me-Too Movement
The #Me-Too movement has begun a powerful campaign led by women to raise awareness of sexual assault and harassment that women face daily worldwide. The movement’s goal is to increase awareness of this problem. As a consequence of the high levels of harassment experienced by women in Hollywood, which included assault, groping, rape, and molestation in 2017, the movement began in the United States of America 2017. The actress Alyssa Milano invited her followers on Twitter to respond with the hashtag “me too” if they have ever been the victim of sexual assault or harassment in any manner whatsoever. In a very short amount of time, more than 60,000 people answered, resulting in the movement’s name being established. One of the movement’s goals is to empower women while raising awareness about the many obstacles women regularly encounter in their everyday lives. According to Google, the movement has received extensive notoriety around the globe; the movement has been searched for in 196 countries, proving its broad popularity. To challenge and eliminate gender inequity and male hegemony, female activists have begun a cultural revolution that they hope will be successful. With the Me-Too movement, feminist activists deliver a message to a patriarchal society that women’s voices can no longer be ignored, and the world is finally taking notice.
The #Me-Too movement has resulted in a decrease in workplace harassment (inappropriate and unwanted touching, staring) according to around 60% of American working women since the campaign began. Researchers questioned more than 500 women in the United States in 2016 and then again in 2018. They discovered that the number of sexual harassment incidents reported by women has reduced, suggesting that the Me-Too campaign has been effective. As a result of the #Me Too movement, males are less likely to coerce or manipulate women’s sexual favors sexually. The number of women who have been sexually attacked or harassed has decreased. Stories like this show how the Me-Too movement has challenged conventional views of masculinity and masculinity in general. Men can no longer treat women as though they are only sexual objects while they are at work. As a consequence of the #MeToo movement, women have become more assertive in demanding respect and equality. Men are slowly starting to comply, putting their previously held hegemonic masculinity at risk.
As a result of the severe and persistent sexual harassment that many women experienced in the workplace, many women have left their professions. To be sure, as a consequence of the Me-Too movement, women are experiencing less sexual harassment and, as a result, are remaining in the workforce at greater percentages. In 2016, 25 percent of women reported being subjected to sexual pressure; by 2018, that percentage had dropped to 16 percent of the population. As of 2016, two-thirds of working women reported being inappropriately touched in the workplace; by 2018, one in every four working women reported being ogled or groped at work (Borges, 2019). As a result of the Me-Too movement, women have come to realize that they are not alone in their experiences.
According to sociologist Jen Schradie, movements with a well-established organizational structure are more likely to succeed than others (Moitra, 2020). Moreover, she asserts that the well-structured organizations with volunteers and staff members who are solely focused on maintaining the organization’s online presence are the ones that engage in the greatest amount of online engagement. #MeToo has nearly the same level of intensity as the civil rights movement in terms of energy. It also has a stronger online presence, which has built a significant amount of organizational structure.
When it comes to this kind of movement, men and women are often perceived as conflicting with one another, and males would suffer as a consequence if women gained greater influence. As a result of the #MeToo movement, it has become evident that men may be oppressed in the same ways that women are: by a biased system against them (Leung, 2019). As the movement has shown, a more respectful approach toward consensual sex may benefit both men and women. Many women have said that they have stopped blaming themselves for the sexual abuse they have suffered at the hands of other women worldwide after learning about the Me-Too movement. With the help of the campaign, women who have experienced sexual harassment in any form now have a safe space to recover and a platform to express themselves. With the ultimate goal of eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace and other facets of life by challenging the systems in place that allow sexual violence to thrive, the Me-Too movement has set itself a high bar for itself.
Although the Me-Too movement has had some success, men’s hegemonic masculinity over women in the workplace is slowly diminishing, while the unfairness women experience may be rising. Women polled in 2016 claimed that 76 percent of them had experienced workplace sexism; women polled in 2018 reported that the vast majority (almost all) had experienced it after the 2016 election. A possible explanation for men’s increased hostility toward women and sexism is the Me-Too movement, which advocates for sexual harassment and assault victims in the workplace. According to a survey conducted on male managers, males are even less inclined to work with women one-on-one, such as in training or mentorship. When working with women, older, more senior men are apprehensive of doing so, whether it’s over business lunches, business holidays, or private meetings. Given that women would no longer get executive mentoring and guidance, this will do little to address the imbalance that women now suffer.
Business leaders and executives are on edge due to the #Me-Too movement; women may be avoided and isolated at work, or they may not be hired at all. I find it fascinating that guys would prefer to stay away from interacting with women at work than treat them with decency and courtesy. Males are distancing themselves from women in the workplace due to the Me-Too movement since they see women as nothing more than consumable vessels (Gibson, 2019). Consequently, they cannot remain in the same room as women without being subjected to unwanted sexual advances. One-on-one engagement and mentoring foster the development of relationships and trust, which may result in a more positive and diverse workplace for both men and women; yet, women are denied this opportunity because of workplace discrimination and inequality (Airey, 2018). Despite efforts to advance gender equality in management, excluding women from the workforce and the diminishing share of female senior executives have brought the movement to a grinding halt. As shown by multiple studies, sexual harassment is more likely to occur in firms when the top executives are males; as a result, there should be a greater proportion of women in management roles. If there is still gender discrimination and a power imbalance in the office, sexual harassment will never be eliminated.
In addition to being a social movement, the Me Too movement aspires to bring about legal and political changes to the sexist institutions that now exist in our society. Me-Too campaigners advocate for legislation to address issues of gender parity, such as equal pay and a safe working environment, among other things (Pipyrou, 2018). They are especially interested in the progress of low-wage women and women of color, among other things. An organization called “Time’s Up” has been founded to financially aid women who seek to utilize the court system to oppose sexual harassment they have encountered. The GoFundMe campaign for this legal fund earned more than $21 million in less than two months, making it the most successful campaign in the company’s history. Women are taking males who have sexually harassed them to court due to the Me-Too campaign. This step would not have been possible without the financial assistance and support offered by activists and the Me-Too movement. As a result of the #MeToo movement, Males are being reminded directly that the days of women’s voices being ignored or not being heard are over.
In a nutshell, sexual harassment in any form is appalling, and the women who have had to suffer it in quiet while they were mistreated have finally had enough of being harassed and abused. Because of the #MeToo movement, the gender gap and conventional concepts of femininity and masculinity have been aggressively questioned and contested. It all started with a small group of Hollywood celebrities and has blossomed into a worldwide movement that enables women to speak up against patriarchal norms and values. The discrepancy between men and women in terms of opportunities and incomes exists.
Still, the #Me-Too movement, which is fighting injustice in the legal system, has begun to close some of the residual disparities in society, although slowly. It seems that the notion of femininity is shifting, and women are speaking out for themselves and making it apparent to men by their acts and words that their bodies are not intended for male consumption (PettyJohn, 2019). As long as there is an issue with sexual assault and harassment against both men and women, #MeToo will succeed and continue to grow in popularity. It is also successful since it addresses the issue with both men and women, rather than simply with women alone. This movement has become too huge to be ignored and will need some settlement to put it another way. As a result of the campaign’s backing, men and women may feel more comfortable coming out and, in some cases, pursuing legal action against those who have harassed them. The #MeToo movement will continue to evolve and be successful even after making a statement and implementing change.
References
Airey, J. L. (2018). # MeToo. Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, 37(1), 7-13.
Johnson III, R. G., & Renderos, H. (2020). Invisible populations and the# MeToo Movement. Public Administration Review, 80(6), 1123-1126.
Leung, R., & Williams, R. (2019). # MeToo and intersectionality: An examination of the# MeToo movement through the R. Kelly scandal. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 43(4), 349-371.
Moitra, A., Hassan, N., Mandal, M. K., Bhuiyan, M., & Ahmed, S. I. (2020). Understanding the Challenges for Bangladeshi Women to Participate in# MeToo Movement. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 4(GROUP), 1-25.
PettyJohn, M. E., Muzzey, F. K., Maas, M. K., & McCauley, H. L. (2019). # HowIWillChange: Engaging men and boys in the# MeToo movement. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 20(4), 612.
Pipyrou, S. (2018). # MeToo is little more than mob rule//vs//# MeToo is a legitimate form of social justice. HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory, 8(3), 415-419.