Concepts of Marriage: Reflective Essay

Concepts of Marriage: Reflective Essay What is marriage? To many marriage is a milestone accomplished over the course of their life, and once achieved, giving them the feeling of being complete. To others, marriage is what makes their relationship official in a way and is what keeps them monogamous to one another. Where a big party, wedding cake, and wedding bands are what make a couple no longer available to anyone else but their spouse. In better terms, the definition of marriage is a legal or formal recognized union of a man and a women or even same sex- as partners in a solid relationship. It seems that the entire concept of marriage has always been here, there, and everywhere. After reviewing videos and material written about marriage, it is clear to see that there are many stand points on the topic. Though many people advocate marriage and preach all that it stands for. Others on the other hand are fighting and argue to get rid of marriage altogether. On one of the videos that was shared in class called, Cancel Marriage consisted of a lengthy video where Merav Michaeli went deep into defining marriage and the true meaning behind husband and wife. Husband ultimately turned out to origin from the word householder or owner, while wife is derived from the terms shame and vulva. It makes you question why from the beginning of marriage, a married couple who have children were only able to carry the fathers name. To go further in to detail and really have a better understanding behind marriage in todays society, as a class we were all to collaborate amongst ourselves to put together a survey in which we could use as an instrument to interview five couples- ten individuals. The task was limited and the questionnaire added up to twenty-four unique and bold questions that the individuals asked could either answer or refuse to answer. Each question consisted of either short answer responses and even long ones. We were instructed not to write any names down and keep all answers given to us confidential and anonymous. Once each of us had the opportunity to put our final survey questionnaire to use, we counted the answers to each question and brought the total to class. Some of the questions involved in the questionnaire where, Do you respect your spouse?, Do you ever think about divorce?, and What is your secret for sustaining your marriage? Explain. No doubt that the result received from the final survey questionnaire were intriguing but the lessons learned from the responses and the event altogether was what we all walked away with. Some lessons about the survey method that even though we all had our own questions in mind to contribute, it took a while for the survey to be put together and finalized. The lesson behind this struggle taught us to think outside the box and be open to other peoples viewpoints. The lesson learned the topic stood out to us because marriage is something that has crossed our minds at least once before and we learned that even though you may not relate to a topic because you are not married, does not mean you cant connect to the topic and work together to find answers. Of course, many of us were able to take away important factors that contribute to a strong research process. If asked what lesson I learned from the research part of this assignment, was simply the interviewing part to it. I was incredulous on how to go about approaching ten individuals and ask about their married life. Though in class we were instructed to approach everyone and introduce ourselves as students and ask the subject to help with our assignment. This seemed harder said than done. Lesson learned here was that even though you may have done excellent and extensive research on the topic sometime the actual act of getting answers may be hardest part. With all this said, a lesson that I learned about myself are a couple. Firstly, I learned that it is fine to not always know how to approach a hard topic that you cant relate with because it doesnt pertain to you, but this could be turned into an even better reason to tackle it on anyway just to be more self-aware on the matter. Another lesson I learned about myself came from the subjects that I interacted with and how everyone you encounter knows something that you do not know. At the end of each questionnaire I was able to have a fulfilling sense of accomplishment because I was holding information about people who I either knew or didnt know, and with this task done I was able to have a different perspective on the topic of marriage and people.ÂÂ   I learned that I have a way with speaking to people and despite being convinced that approaching others is not my strong suit, I did very well for my first time. The lesson I took away about myself was to give myself more credit whe n faced in these situations and never stop searching for answers no matter what my inner voice may negatively say to myself. All things considered, the total of answers put together as a class was not at all to shocking. Marriage seemed to be divided into an act that genuinely rooted from love and the other half seemed to have happened in order to benefit from what we know as The Marriage Premium which included happiness, health, and economic security. Though overall, there was much satisfaction from the marriages we surveyed, I still stand with my personal views on the matter. Marriage was an institution made up in a time where women had absolutely no status before the law and were merrily property. Why is that today in 2016, where we live in a modernized world with modern women and men, that we still have such an institution as this that still exists. When this institution was created, its sole purpose was for a woman to make a living and be able to stand up on her own, therefore, a woman could not afford not to get married. After all, marriage to me is an understanding that in order to move up in life I must become a wife and be wed to a man. I dont buy into this whatsoever when we live in a world where women are continuing to fight for equal pay and rights. This to me is proof that marriage is a myth in order to keep women from rising to power and ultimately their true potential. Marriage to me equals control, and if Ive learned anything about the government system in the U.S; it is that control means a lot to those who obtain it and that is why the government practically pushes the population to marry in order to keep the control. This can easily be proved by the fact that governments give money and visas based on marriage. Marriage is a default option that must be taken down. To sum up, marriage is one of the many institutions pushed among us that must be teared down in order to build something new. If times are changing so must our ideas and the ways we approach things that will benefit everyone not just certain individuals who agree to take part of an institution that does not cover everyone. References Seccombe, Karen. Exploring marriages and families. Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon, 2012. Print.

Legal Environment of Business DB

Jurisdiction is defined as â€Å"the inherent authority of a court to hear and declare a judgment† (West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 1998). An aggrieved party must first determine where to file his case or complaint. In the determination thereof, he must ascertain which court has jurisdiction to take cognizance of his case. An erroneous determination can result in an opportunity for the defendant to challenge this and have the complaint dismissed (West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 1998). There are different kinds and classifications of ‘jurisdiction.’ For purposes of this discussion, the pertinent jurisdiction that will be discussed shall be personal jurisdiction. Personal jurisdiction is the authority of the court over the person of the defendant (in personam) or in the property (in rem) subject of litigation (West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 1998). Traditionally, personal jurisdiction is limited to the geographical or territorial area where the defendant or the person sued is present. Through the years, territoriality of personal jurisdiction has enlarged and expanded (West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 1998). Limiting personal jurisdiction merely on the basis of territory resulted in problems more pronounced in business transactions and dealings across territories. Judicial interpretation and legislative enactments enlarged personal jurisdiction through â€Å"long-arm statutes† which most states have (West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 1998). These statutes allowed a state court to acquire jurisdiction over a defendant even if he is in another state in certain cases such as when the issue involves business transactions; when it involves tort; or when issue involves real property located within such state (West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 1998). With the development of internet, it has slowly become an interstate and international medium for business transactions without being physically present in other states. This discussion will seek to illustrate internet jurisdiction. I have chosen the web site Red Envelope (Red Envelope web site, n.d.). Using the â€Å"interactive use† test for jurisdiction, the web site creator of Red Envelope may be held subject to the jurisdiction of any state that engages in business with the web site. Clearly, an analysis of the content specified in the pertinent web site reveals that there is a â€Å"two-way online communication† between the customers and the company, Red Envelope. A customer can easily order an item as specified in the web site for an amount stated therein and subject to other terms such as the terms of shipment. Clearly the information and description therein is â€Å"for the purpose of soliciting business† (Wolf, 1999). Personal jurisdiction is an issue for those who post web sites because it determines which state courts shall have authority over the issue of a case and the internet actor without infringing the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution. The courts, in the exercise of judicial power can deprive a person of liberty through imprisonment or of property by imposition of pecuniary liability in favor of a party who seeks relief. Thus, it is crucial for a web site owner to know if the court of a specific state or country can have such authority to hear and decide the claim that may arise from the use of the web site. Ordinarily, courts acquire personal jurisdiction over the defendant if he is present within the geographical or territorial area where the court sits. An exception to this rule is in the case of long arm statutes where the court may apply its provisions under the instances discussed above. Invoking the application of the long arm statute to a particular case is tantamount to having the court possess such authority over the defendant to render a binding decision notwithstanding the fact that the defendant may not be present with in the territory where the court sits. Clearly, creators of web site who may not be present in a territory where the court sits may be held liable and accountable in a binding decision. Based on an article of Christopher Wolf, there exists an ‘interactive-passive’ test of jurisdiction. The distinction lies in that, interactive test connotes that interactive uses have taken place within a state (Wolf, 1999). This means that there is more than a two-way line of internet communication to attract customers into engaging business with them as against mere information offered regarding matters (Wolf, 1999). Moreover, it signifies a high level of activity of business transactions. For instance, in the case of Red Envelope, terms and conditions for the sale of described items are clearly specified such that customers need only to order and enter their credit card numbers for payment of the item ordered. On the other hand, a passive test connotes mere information posted in the web site for the viewer’s information and satisfaction of interest in so far as the specifics of certain item or items. Finally, advertising alone does not vest a court personal jurisdiction. It takes a higher degree of activity or sales made and contacts to forum residents (Wolf, 1999). References Red Envelope web site. Retrieved on February 18, 2008, from http://www.personalcreations.com/?nc=38622&refPg=%2fhome.jsp&hp=-9782&nc2=1. West's Encyclopedia of American Law. The Gale Group, Inc. 1998. Wolf, C. Standards for internet jurisdiction. 1999. Retrieved on February 18, 2008, from http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Jan/1/241482.html ;

Edith Whartons The House of Mirth Essay - 1734 Words

Edith Whartons The House of Mirth Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth serves as a strict model of etiquette for high society in the Gilded Age. It teaches one the intricate art of keeping up appearances and assimilating into the fickle leisure class. At the same time, the novel’s underlying purpose is to subtly critique this social order. Lily Bart’s perpetual, although often reluctant quest for financial stability and mass approval is a vehicle for demonstrating the numerous absurdities and constant pretensions of a class that revolved around money and opinion. Lily Bart embodies the enormous tension between old and new money that was so prevalent during the 1880’s. Since birth, she was fated to be in the middle of†¦show more content†¦Hudson Bart had appeared young; but Lily could not recall the time when her father had not been bald and slightly stooping, with streaks of grey in his hair, and a tired walk. It was a shock to her to learn afterward that he was but two years older than her mother.† Wharton hints at the toll of the constant anxiety of falling from luxury, â€Å"Lily could not recall the time when there had been money enough, and in some vague way her father seemed always to blame for the deficiency.† She offers a hidden opinion that obsessing about money leaves one no time to enjoy life, â€Å"It seemed to tire him to rest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ultimately, Mr. Bart died when he went bankrupt, which symbolizes high society’s materialistic view that a man is only useful and valued if he has a fat wallet. Individuals lived by the idea that happiness could be bought, while unwittingly causing their own demise. Wharton also implies that high society’s symbols of luxury can often be harmful when Lily becomes addicted to tea. Wharton critiques society’s willingness to go to any extent for the sake of appearing prominent, â€Å"Lily was naturally proud of her mother’s aptitude in this line: she had been brought up in the faith that, whatever it cost, one must have a good cook, and be what Mrs. Bart called â€Å"decently dressed.† The characters are living a constant lie, and the fear that anyone outside the immediate family can be privy to one’s true financial position is evident when Mrs. Bart is reluctant toShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Timing In Edith Whartons House Of Mirth1435 Words   |  6 Pageshard to get timing right. However is timing really all that matters? In House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Wharton proposes the question, was Lily Bart and Lawrence Selden’s fate inevitable or could they have prevented it? Other than Timing, different upbringings and miscommunication both were factors that kept Lily and Lawrence apart but also could have bro ught them back together. Through the first chapters of House of Mirth, it is made clear that Lily and Lawrence have chemistry. However, this chemistryRead MoreThe Theory Of Naturalism In Edith Whartons House Of Mirth1470 Words   |  6 PagesEdith Wharton’s House of Mirth chronicles the tale of Lily Bart, a young socialite stuck at the crossroads of rejection her society to pursue her ambitions or relenting to societal expectations placed on her. In literature, naturalism, a philosophy that frequently overlaps with the theory of Social Darwinism, applies â€Å"scientific principles of objective observation to the study of human behavior and characters within the context of their surroundings† (â€Å"American Literary Naturalism† Twentieth-Century)Read More Edith Whartons The House of Mirth as Satirical Commentary on Society 2116 Words   |  9 Pages      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edith Whartons The House of Mirth creates a subtle, ironic, and superbly crafted picture of the social operation of turn-of-the-century New York. 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Edith Wharton was born on January 24th, 1862 into a prosperous New York family. She lived in an expensive area of New York and was primarily educated by governesses and personal tutors (Olin 72). HerRead MoreEssay about Naturalism in The House of Mirth1484 Words   |  6 PagesNaturalism in The House of Mirth  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Challenging the strict deterministic confines of literary naturalism, which hold that the human being is merely one phenomenon in a universe of material phenomena (Gerard 418), Edith Wharton creates in The House of Mirth a novel which irrefutably presents the human creature as being subject to a naturalistic fate but which conveys a looming sense of hope that one may triumph over environment and circumstance if one possesses a certain strengthRead MoreThe House of Mirth and the Gilded Age971 Words   |  4 PagesNovelist Edith Wharton wrote her defining work, 1905s the House of Mirth, on a subject she knew all too well: the style-over-substance realm of New Yorks upper-crust society during the Gilded Age. Having been raised in this fashionable society, Wharton knew both its intricacies and cruelties firsthand. The triumphant rise and tragic fall of protagonist Lily Bart demonstrate both the sunshine and shadow of the Gilded Age. The House of Mirth not only exposes the reality of how the otherRead MoreCriticism by Imprisonment1110 Words   |  5 Pages Francis Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton authored novels that take place in America around the beginning of the nineteenth century. In both This Side of Paradise and The House of Mirth, the authors paint the protagonists as imprisoned. This is a criticism of the society that they live in and is represented in the authors’ use of imagery, characterization, and the motif of social standing. Wharton uses a great deal of imagery to reflect Lily Bart as imprisoned, while Fitzgerald uses less imageryRead More Lilys Choice in The House of Mirth Essays2324 Words   |  10 PagesLilys Choice in The House of Mirth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Near the beginning of The House of Mirth, Wharton establishes that Lily would not indeed have cared to marry a man who was merely rich: she was secretly ashamed of her mothers crude passion for money (38). Lily, like the affluent world she loves, has a strange relationship with money. She needs money to buy the type of life she has been raised to live, and her relative poverty makes her situation precarious. Unfortunately, Lily has not been

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