Hindrance to Effective Communication Essay Example for Free

Hindrance to Effective Communication Essay New technology such as smart phones should be a great asset and a powerful aid to helping us work more efficiently. We can respond to urgent emails on the go, refer to useful websites and look up quick facts. However, these gadgets, as well helping us, can also prove to be a hindrance providing information overload and constant interruptions. We receive so many emails and are exposed to so much information that it can be hard to distil what is actually important and what isn’t. We fill our brains with clutter and lose the ability to focus on our priorities and spend our time responding to trivial emails. We think we are multi-tasking but actually we are becoming less productive. We read each email but don’t always process the information we need. As a result, we risk irritating the sender by asking them to remind us what they said or to send the email again. More worryingly, we allow ourselves to be distracted from more important tasks by the seeming urgency of each email that comes in. This information overload doesn’t only impact the way we process information ourselves but can also have a negative impact on the way others perceive us. It is all too easy to give the impression that you are not listening to the other person. It can be quite obvious even on the telephone that you are distracted by your inbox rather than giving the speaker your full attention. In a face-to-face meeting, of course, it is only too apparent when the person you are talking to is distracted by their smart phone rather than focusing on the content of the meeting. In the past several years, texting and instant messaging have become phenomena that few of us have been able to escape. Though most popular with the younger generations, it is becoming increasingly common to see people of all ages absorbed in silent conversations on their cell phones. The availability of constant, instant communication makes many people feel connected to their friends in ways they never were before. But do these printed messages and instant responses help or hinder us socially? The instant messaging fad brought abbreviations such as LOL (Laugh Out Loud) and BRB (Be Right Back) into our language as commonly accepted words. The younger generations chatted happily in this new language while everyone else struggled to understand what BTW (By the Way) and IDK (I Dont Know) meant. This phenomenon spread over into texting as children as young as five received the latest models of cell phones to communicate with their friends and family. Though everyone with a cell phone is clearly well-connected to other people, the question remains whether engaging in such constant, abbreviated communication is a help or a hindrance in personal relationship skills. Over the past decade there has been a dramatic difference in the attitudes and communication styles of the younger generations, but how much of this change has been compounded by the lack of face to face communication advocated by the texting craze? There is no way to tell for certain whether texting and instant messaging have actually caused the breakdown of one-on-one, face-to-face communication with people, but I believe it has not helped. Instead of using cell phones as a mere communication tool, many young people view them as a necessity they could not possibly live without. We have all seen people glued to their phones, their fingers flying over the keys as they stand in line at the store, or are walk down the mall, and even frighteningly enough, while they are driving. In one case, a pair of girls walking together in the mall admitted that they were texting each other! I have even been engaged in a conversation with someone when they whipped out their phone to send a text message to someone else! Is this the kind of society we are encouraging by allowing young people to be so dependent on their phones? A society where face to face communication all but ceases to exist in place of disembodied text messages, even when the person you are talking to is standing beside you? It may be true that the people sending and receiving those text messages are communicating with each other, but what does it say to the people who are actually physically around them? What happened to the days when you could walk through the store and complete strangers would smile and greet you as you passed? Have the basic societal manners of years gone by disappeared for good? Using cell phones to talk or text is not a bad thing in itself. However, it is my opinion that certain rules of etiquette should be applied when using them in order to maintain a respectful relationship with everyone you are in contact with. Being glued to your cell phone puts off a very distinct signal that you are unavailable and unapproachable to everyone around you. If you text a friend while talking to someone else you are telling the person in front of you that the friend is more important than they are. Bad grammar and spelling are also compounded by electronic communication. Constantly using abbreviations and fragments in instant communication ingrains these bad habits into a person. English teachers have always struggled to encourage correct spelling and grammar in their students. Now, with texting and instant messaging becoming so prevalent, their jobs are that much harder. And it is not just in the classroom where spelling and grammar have fallen by the wayside. Businesses who are interested in maintaining a high level of professionalism are often hard-pressed to find applicants who can spell, speak, and write properly. So, what can we do to help those people who are addicted to their phones remember that there is more to life than texting and instant messaging? I believe that parents should try to encourage their teenagers to talk on the phone for long conversations, rather than texting back and forth 500 times. Doing so will help teens develop real conversation skills which are not possible in the lingo of texting. Also, everyone should be encouraged to give their full attention to the person they are talking to. If you are engaged in a conversation with someone who starts texting some0one else, kindly ask them to finish talking with you first. If they refuse, simply walk away. I have used this method myself very effectively. Usually, if the person cares about you at all, they will realize how rude their behavior is. So, is texting and instant messaging a help or a hindrance? I believe it is both. Texting and instant messaging can be wonderful forms of communication when implemented correctly, but they can also be abused and have adverse effects. People of all ages need to realize that moderation is the key when using alternate forms of communication. By understanding when these forms are appropriate and when they are not, people can gain valuable communication skills, be more likely to absorb correct spelling and grammar principles, be more productive in the business world and appear far more approachable to the world in general. Since society as a whole is becoming increasingly dependent on the instant communication provided by cell phones, I believe that we must all do what we can to engage in respectful behavior ourselves and encourage it in others. Excellent communication, proper grammar and spelling do not have to be things of ages past. With a little effort and encouragement we can all help ensure that these important values of yesteryears are around for future generations. Texting is the preferred method of communication for young people. According to an article by Mike Flacy, DigitalTrends, One in ten young adults between the ages of 18 to 24 report that they send or receive at least 200 text messages per day (approximately 6,000 messages per month). The next age group, 25-34 year olds, typically average about 42 texts per day and this trend continues to decrease down to about 5 texts a day for the 65 and older group. 200 text messages per day? Do they have time to do anything else in life? Will these young adults get carpal tunnel syndrome of the thumbs? Do you prefer to text rather than talk? According to the survey, Most people are too occupied and busy in todays world that they hardly get enough time to have an elaborated conversation on phone, and hence prefer to communicate via text. I can see the attraction to texting, however I do like to hear a persons voice. The emotions and flavor of the conversation can be misunderstood more easily through texting. After all, you cant hear the sighs and laughter while texting. Yes, you can text little acronyms like LOL and put little smiley faces in your text, but sarcasm and irony are lost in texting. I do like to get little morning text messages from my friends far away, and it is how I communicate with my son most of the time. But I would have to say, my preferred method of communication is voice or Skype. With texting taking over, hands-free devices are even more important. Many of the Smartphones have the capability of translating voice into text to send text messages without typing. A good quality Bluetooth headset with noise canceling makes this process much better. Do you have a Bluetooth mobile headset? I have a Droid X, which is a bit cumbersome to hold up to your ear to talk. I love having my Bluetooth headset to use, especially for multitasking around the house while talking on the phone. And of course with more and more states requiring hands-free devices while driving, a good headset is essential. Do you have one? Whats your favorite? Meanwhile, dont get into any thumb wrestling contest with anyone under 30 years of age. You KNOW their thumbs are agile and strong from texting a bazillion words per minute.

The Human Service Movement Social Work Essay

The Human Service Movement Social Work Essay After the World War II, there was an important part of the legislative which is the National Mental Act of 1946. For more than 50 years, since its establishment was authorized by Congress in 1946, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has created, shaped, and implemented the attitudes toward, policies for, and treatment response to the mentally ill in the United States (Judd, 1998). They had the funds that were available to support research teachings and education to help the people with mental illnesses. In 1955, the Mental Health Study Act was passed. This act called for studies that focus on major issues in the mental health fields. They had promoted research training in discovery in the brain and behavioral sciences, charting mental illness trajectories to determine when, where, and how to intervene, and develop new and better interventions that  incorporate  the diverse needs and circumstances of people with mental illnesses (National Institute of Mental Health, 201 2). This led to the Mental Health Act of 1955 to initiate the passage of the Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health (Harris, Maloney, Rother, pg. 26). From this act it unfolded to political steps towards the Community Mental Health Centers of 1963. In 1963, decision led to the passage of the Community Mental Health Centers. The center was a place to encourage active user participation in the development of mental health policy that has seen an increased focus on collaboration and the development of partnerships between service users and professionals within community mental health services (Elstad Hellzen, 2010). They gain more knowledge about people with mental problems living in a community. The purpose of the legislation was to be able to reach out, counsel, and provide services that are coordinate to be offer to the community centers (Harris, Maloney, Rother, pg. 26). Community Mental Health Centers Acts were intended for changing the society as a whole and by solving what social problems there were. After the Community Mental Health Centers Act we got into the other legislative acts that were developed in the field of human service such as the Economic Opportunity Act and the Schneurer Sub-professional Career Act. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was the focus of the fight against war on poverty in which was an important part of legislation that had an impact in the field of human services. The purpose for this act was to provide education to adults, provide job trainings and loans  to help small businesses because of the unemployment and poverty rate. The objective was to help the poor by enabling them to pull themselves from the grip of poverty. In 1966, the Schneuer Sub-professional Career Act was put into place to provide the opportunity for the disadvantage to enter into new jobs in the mental health field. According to Harris, Maloney and Rother, during these formal training students learned the skills necessary to work with variety of clients and other health professionals (pg. 26). This led to the act to open up more doors for people to transition to other fields in mental health. The National Organization for Human Service Education (NOHSE) and Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE) were to encourage best practices for preparing human service workers. Although these two groups share common goals, they do serve different purposes. NOHSE has to ensure medium is available for collaboration and cooperation among students, practitioners, and their agencies, and faculty (Harris, Maloney, Rother, pg. 31). They had to improve the education of human service students and professionals by cultivating exemplary teaching and research practices and by curriculum development (Harris, Maloney, Rother, pg. 31). The other two main purposes according to Harris, Maloney and Rother, was by abetting and providing assistance to other organizations at local, state, and national levels, and to improve human service education and delivery through conferences, institutes, publications and symposia (pg. 31). This organization was developed to serve the needs of the f aculty. The Council for Standards in Human Service Education in 1979 via from the National Institute for Mental Health grants (Harris, Maloney, Rother, pg. 31). They are intentionally general to strike a balance between clearly stated principles and enough flexibility to avoid constraining natural diversity among programs for students (CSHSE, 2012). Under the CSHSE there are the five functions (Harris, Maloney, Rother, pg. 32): Standard for training programs at the associates and baccalaureate degree levels. Review and recognize programs that meet standards. Sponsoring faculty development workshops in curriculum design, program policymaking, resource development, program evaluation, and other areas. Offering vital and informational assistance to programs seeking to improve the quality and relevance of their training. Publishing a quarterly bulletin to keep programs informed of Council activities, training information and resources, and issues and trends in human service education. In the field of human services, these legislations will continue to improve from its historical traditions through the knowledge, skills and values we gain from it. The efforts of these acts in the human service field will only provide quality educational programs that will evolved as a direct result of the program approval progresses. We need human service professionals who will be able to give people that kind of help that are needed to get by. Laws that will help protect the people with mental illnesses.

Baptist Church Visit Essay -- Personal Narrative Church Essays

Baptist Church Visit I decided to go to a Baptist Church here in Miami. The reason that I chose Coral Park Baptist Church was because most Baptist Churches that I called here in Miami had the service in Spanish but Coral Park Baptist had an English service as well. I went to the eleven o’clock service on Sunday. The whole church itself was pretty big. There is the main temple that has the regular service in Spanish and then there is a whole other building that has separate classrooms where the English service is held and other Sunday school type classes are held.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were not as many people in the English service as there were in the Spanish service because the Spanish service is the focal point of the church. In the English service there were about 40 people present. Everyone that was there was dressed normal. Normal meaning a polo style shirt or a long sleeve shirt with nice pants for the men and the women were also dressed with semi-formal clothes. Even the preacher was dressed in semi-formal clothes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The image that I saw the most while my visit was the cross but the cross did not have Jesus on it. It was just the cross by itself. The scriptures that were read came from the bible. They provided me with a bible there so I could follow along with any of the passages that were read. There were no symbols on the bible. The title of the bible read, â€Å"The Holy Bible†. There weren’t a lot of images during the service that caught my eye. The only one that I...

Essay --

Virat Kohli was captain of team India at the 2008 Under 19 Cricket World Cup which was held in Malaysia and India Won that World Cup. He did several tactical bowling changes during the tournament. His mother noted that "Virat changed a bit after that day. He became a much more matured and responsible person. From that time he took every match very seriously. It's as if his life changed totally on cricket after that day. Virat Kohli did his repuation no harm when he led India to victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup . His performance in the World Cup led to a surprise call-up to the ODI team a few months after the tournament. Virat Kohli credits Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his success as captain.Under Virat Kohli's captaincy, India recorded their first-ever five-match ODI series whitewash on foreign soil after they thrashed Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final match at Bulawayo. Virat Kohli is a mixture of Both MS Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly (known as Dada) because Kohli is a great leader as well as aggressive. Kohli has endorsements with PepsiCo , Nike , TVS Motors , Fastrack (from Titan) , Royal Challenge , Sangam Suitings , Fair and Lovely , Boost , Toyota Motors , Celkon Mobiles , Cinthol (from Godrej) , Munch (from Nestle) , etc. Virat Kohli set to beat Dhoni and Tendulkar in endorsement earnings. He has signed a Rs.10 crore per year deal with Adidas. KEYWORDS- Young Talent, Inspirational, Aggressive, Motivator, Great Leader PERSONAL LIFE AND BACKGROUND Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi to Prem Kohli (father) and Saroj Kohli (mother). He has an elder brother, Vikash and an elder sister, Bhavna. Kohli did his schooling from Vishal Bharti & Savier Convent. His father, Prem, was a lawyer and he passedaway in De... ...s , which is ideal for a lot of brands today. Kohli’s looks are also very attractive , because of that more endorsements he will get and soon will break the record. CONCLUSION- From this Case Study it is concluded that Virat Kohli is one of the finest player of International Cricket. He inspired and motivated Indian Youth from his talent. Many companies endorsed Virat Kohli because of his talent. When Virat Kohli lead team India as Captain , India recorded their first-ever five-match ODI series whitewash outside India after they thrashed Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final match at their ground and he gave credit to Dhoni for success as a captain. He has achieved many records and signed many brand endorsements like PepsiCo , Nike , Boost , Fair and Lovely , Cinthol , etc. A deal signed between Virat Kohli and Adidas of Rs.10 crore per year. Essay -- Virat Kohli was captain of team India at the 2008 Under 19 Cricket World Cup which was held in Malaysia and India Won that World Cup. He did several tactical bowling changes during the tournament. His mother noted that "Virat changed a bit after that day. He became a much more matured and responsible person. From that time he took every match very seriously. It's as if his life changed totally on cricket after that day. Virat Kohli did his repuation no harm when he led India to victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup . His performance in the World Cup led to a surprise call-up to the ODI team a few months after the tournament. Virat Kohli credits Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his success as captain.Under Virat Kohli's captaincy, India recorded their first-ever five-match ODI series whitewash on foreign soil after they thrashed Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final match at Bulawayo. Virat Kohli is a mixture of Both MS Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly (known as Dada) because Kohli is a great leader as well as aggressive. Kohli has endorsements with PepsiCo , Nike , TVS Motors , Fastrack (from Titan) , Royal Challenge , Sangam Suitings , Fair and Lovely , Boost , Toyota Motors , Celkon Mobiles , Cinthol (from Godrej) , Munch (from Nestle) , etc. Virat Kohli set to beat Dhoni and Tendulkar in endorsement earnings. He has signed a Rs.10 crore per year deal with Adidas. KEYWORDS- Young Talent, Inspirational, Aggressive, Motivator, Great Leader PERSONAL LIFE AND BACKGROUND Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi to Prem Kohli (father) and Saroj Kohli (mother). He has an elder brother, Vikash and an elder sister, Bhavna. Kohli did his schooling from Vishal Bharti & Savier Convent. His father, Prem, was a lawyer and he passedaway in De... ...s , which is ideal for a lot of brands today. Kohli’s looks are also very attractive , because of that more endorsements he will get and soon will break the record. CONCLUSION- From this Case Study it is concluded that Virat Kohli is one of the finest player of International Cricket. He inspired and motivated Indian Youth from his talent. Many companies endorsed Virat Kohli because of his talent. When Virat Kohli lead team India as Captain , India recorded their first-ever five-match ODI series whitewash outside India after they thrashed Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final match at their ground and he gave credit to Dhoni for success as a captain. He has achieved many records and signed many brand endorsements like PepsiCo , Nike , Boost , Fair and Lovely , Cinthol , etc. A deal signed between Virat Kohli and Adidas of Rs.10 crore per year.

Pop control :: essays research papers

In the essay â€Å"Population, Delusion and Reality,† Amartya Sen discusses two opposing approaches to population control. These two approaches are â€Å"collaboration† and â€Å"override† The collaboration approach calls for a voluntary choice as well as a collaborative solution to controlling the population growth. The collaborative approach relies on more choices for men and women, a more educated and rational decision on the part of both men and women, and an open arena for a more extensive discussion on such subjects. These men and women are able to make such rational decisions based on the opportunity to be more educated and with a sense of self-confidence when presented with the ability to do so by having public policies such as family planning, health care, bigger and better education facilities and a sense of economic well being. Our ability to solve problems by making rational and educated decisions seems like a better alternative than to forcing a reso lution. The â€Å"override† approach works by means of legal or economic coercion, such as the means that China forces with their â€Å"one child policy.† With this approach, the government may deny individuals of job opportunities or deny housing. These people are left with no other choice but to follow along with what the government would want them to do. Although the collaboration method results in a higher standard of living with higher levels of consumption as well as increases threats to the environment, Sen believes that it is still the preferred method of controlling and curbing the population at hand. For one, â€Å"override† leaves the individual with very few choices. It limits their freedom. As with China, it can lead to neglect and often endangerment to a second child. More often than not, since a male child is favored among the Chinese, female children have been reported to have been severely neglected and speculations that female infanticide may occur. A higher level of consumption isn’t big enough of a problem as some may assume. As Sen puts it â€Å" the worldwide trend of output of food per person has been firmly upward.† The places that have an increase in population are the ones that also seem to have an increase in the production of food. The average American does pose as a bigger threat on the environment than dozens of Third World individuals, but yet these individuals raise a red flag for complications for a denser population on rural resources such as forests, fields, and other greenery.

Tracka History

Tracks are the bars that chain every life-full and lifeless life. It is the reason of being and not being and yet it has no reason to its own being! The Journey of human life Initiates on an aching track Inside a human life. It Is by this way that every track is born from an existing track to give birth to a new track: with the pain and strive for its survival. The birth of a new track, the birth oaf human life continues the agony of Its Journey under Its crafting and being crafted. The track hen widens and branches into various phases that life has to undergo.Every life possesses its own track which lays a unique awe of colors, flavors, and aromas. The human elite begins with the fetal pain and enters the cheerful, merry phase to childhood which is the enlivening arrival of the tracks among other tracks. It chirps with hues of innocence and freedom and the sweet flavor of inexperience and gullibility. Then the phase to adolescence is hoot-marked by the tracks with hues of upcoming m aturity and yet instability, impulsiveness, and sentimental blows, lush and gleam, Inquisitiveness and irresistibility and the sweet fragrance of a fascinating sense of growing up and yet being juvenile.It is all because of the tracks that change their routes and shapes. Then the youth spreads its golden wings with the flavor of velour, passion, potency, piquancy, gallantry. It Is also with beauty and might and the vigor that love adores in; it pours in its thrilling attraction towards other tracks, perception to mingle with another track to beat as one and to produce another out of Its existence. It Is these tracks that bloom relationships as hey connect each other. It is also a sense of belonging, a sense of disparity amalgamated with hot enthusiasm that also leads to confrontations between lives and hence tracks.It Is then that tracks bring human life to adulthood with compassion and ripened maturity with parenthood and sympathy, with Indulgence. Perception and harmony towards ot her beings. It is here that the tracks start to ripen, to make a realization of responsibilities, the ultimate goal of tracks. Then the tracks wrinkle and decolonize, they meager, leaving as much residual wisdom as Seibel; drooping off the lives, growing old, fragile and shaky and finally hand over the bunch to experiences to other tracks to lay hints tort lives to go on and on, however hopeless it may seem to be.The scrawny tracks shed but are yet immortal, as they lay behind evergreen generations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Similarly, the Journey of a seed begins in DARK TRACKS, deep beneath the earth with immense trepidation and yet hopes to have an acquaintance with light, knowing not of the slaughtering and exterminating heat that accompanies It. The suffocating seed striving for growth ruminates, Witt the branching up to its painful track to soar high above earth yet remain anchored and grounded to its roots. The tracks stimulate its germination to the seedling phase, consuming the resourc es and the efforts to lead its formation.It grows with traits of tenderness, softness, and delicacy. The seedling, along with the widening of tracks; widens and blooms into a plant and then into a kind tree. It is then that the tracks take them to places where they have to pay the returns and much more than that utilized. They shed and regret endlessly, with heir fruits given happily or rather taken happily! They serve their master tracks- the human beings as givers. And perhaps sacrifice their lives by letting us brutally cut off their tracks. And then the tracks fall as the life falls.A non-living being also has an expedition of its own, often unnoticed. The pencil enters its expedition with a sense of completeness, wholeness, vividness, originality and totality unlike the living ones. It then enters a phase of sharpening that sets its Journey on until it sheds itself. The tracks gradually become narrower and shrink as they succeed. The pencil harpers itself, hoping to improve the marks it leaves, to paw mark itself to serve its master-the human being, who though is the creator of the pencil, is not the creator of its tracks!It then feeds marking and blackening and writing lives losing its own! And then as it feels it's growing the precedence of tracks deteriorate its existence. The only difference between Journey of a life-full and a lifeless one is that tracks make the former grow up as they change, whereas the latter shrinks down. The formers life is so simply started that it makes it complicated whereas the latter's life s so complicatedly started that it ends simply. It is the beauty and magnificence of tracks that though they lose significance without a traveler, they are not created by the travelers.Although they provide choices to go on, they bind us in chains somewhere in time; of which we realize when we've lost the assumed control. They also depict and bring correspondence to all ‘prisoners' despite their uniqueness and disparity. It dissolv es the boundary of poor and rich, masculine and feminine, black and white, strong and feeble, animals and plants and to an extent- living and non-living! Every track has a Journey- whether a Eng one or a short one, a complete one or an incomplete one.The Journey though different, is always amongst and with all tracks. Every Journey has a purpose and the tracks are those which chain them to it, and so it fulfils its being. Be it Journeys of living beings or of non living beings, all tracks mingle in one point Just as they are born out of the hands of one single creator- the almighty. Here, I remember of a very famous truth, â€Å"Dust thou art, to dust returnees. † They circle around one single destination- death, closure, end†¦ . Every track ends, what differs is Just the pace of ending, it is Just the fate of

Effect of Art Essay

Traditionally, we have believed that art imitates life. The painter represents what he or she sees by producing a scene on a canvas. The sculptor does the same with bronze or stone. A photographer or film maker does it even more directly. A writer describes life in his or her books. This simple concept is known as mimesis. But some have questioned the one-way nature of mimesis by arguing that art also changes the way we view the world, and in fact, life sometimes imitates art rather than the other way around. The person who first articulated this belief effectively was Oscar Wilde. Speaking about the foggy conditions in London in the late 19th century, he wrote that the way we perceive them changed because of art. Referring to the â€Å"wonderful brown fogs that come creeping down our streets, blurring the gas lamps and turning houses into shadows† he argued that â€Å"poets and painters have taught [people] the loveliness of such effects†. According to Wilde, â€Å"They did not exist till Art had invented them.† And you don’t have to look too far to see anti-mimesis in our lives. To what extent is our outlook on life altered by ideas we read in books? The portrayal of people in films? The styles we see in fashion photography? One great example of this is the TV series The Sopranos, and how it affected both the Mafia in the USA and the FBI. Art’s influence on society: propaganda and censorship Throughout history, it has always been the case that art has the power to change society, especially when new media are used to express an idea. During the First World War, for example, movie cameras were used for the first time to record trench warfare – when the film was shown in cinemas in Britain, audiences ran out screaming. This led to the government censoring further such use of such a powerful medium. And in government censorship, and use of art as propaganda, we see how seriously governments take the effect of art. All of the major dictators of the C20th understood the power of art to influence the population. In Nazi Germany, Hitler set up the Ministry of Propaganda and National Enlightenment. It was headed by Goebbels, who made sure that nothing was published, performed, or exhibited without his approval. When this happens, you know there isn’t going to be a happy ending. And what Goebbels approved, of course, only fit in with Nazi ideology and ideas. In terms of art, this meant no modern and abstract art, certainly nothing hostile to the regime, and nothing that featured images other than the stereotypical blonde-haired, blue eyed set in idyllic pastoral scenes of blissful happiness. In Stalinist Russia, there was also a keen understanding of the power of art. Art portrayed contented peasants, industrious workers, and Stalin himself. In fact, Stalin was shown god-like in many paintings, a phenomenon known as the Cult of Stalin. Just as in Germany, gigantic architectural projects expressed the power of the state. However, there is no doubt that in Russia there were greater artistic achievements than in Nazi Germany. Composers worked with fewer hindrances – as seen in the works by Prokoviev and Shostakovich, and film-makers such as Eisenstein emerged. Art’s influence on society: the trial of Lady Chatterley’s Lover But even under less oppressive governments, the artistic expression of certain ideas can be subject to control. One great example is the book ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ by DH Lawrence, which was deemed offensive on many levels. In this book, Constance Reid, a woman from a progressive liberal middle class family marries a minor member of the aristocracy, Lord Clifford Chatterley, and takes the title ‘Lady Chatterley’. But her husband is injured in the First World War, confined to a wheelchair, and left impotent. Despite this, he becomes a successful writer and businessman. It is more his obsession with financial success and fame rather than any physical difficulties which come between him and his wife, and she begins an affair with their gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors. The largely aristocratic ‘establishment’ of Britain at the time – the book was published in Italy in 1928 – were shocked by many aspects of the book. First, there was the fact that the book was ‘obscene’, in the way it went into explicit detail the affair that took place (see below). Second, there was the fact that a women was breaking her marriage vows, something considered far worse than a man behaving in the same way. Finally, it represented an intimate relationship between a member of the ‘lower’ classes (although it emerges during the story that Mellors is actually well-educated, and became an officer in the army during the First World War) and the ‘upper’ classes, a concept that was totally taboo in Britain at that time. The book was duly banned. But the book was republished by Penguin books in 1960. The attorney general, Reginald Manningham-Buller (dubbed ‘Bullying-Manners’ by the journalist and author Bernard Levin) had to read only four chapters to decide to prosecute Penguin books for publishing it. What annoyed him was not just the content, but the fact that the price of the book meant it was affordable to women and members of the lower classes (remember that only few women worked at this time, and husbands were generally in charge of family finances). The trial was a disaster for Manningham-Buller and the prosecution. They had failed to find any experts to support their case, in stark contrast to Penguin’s defence team, which had brought in authors, journalists, academics, and even members of the clergy to defend the book. Manningham-Buller and his team had very little idea of what Lawrence had been trying to express in his book, regularly being caught out by the superior insight of the witnesses they were trying to catch out. And although they tried to shock the jury – in his opening speech, Manningham-Buller announced: â€Å"The word ‘fuck’ or ‘fucking’ appears no less than 30 times . . . ‘Cunt’ 14 times; ‘balls’ 13 times; ‘shit’ and ‘arse’ six times apiece; ‘cock’ four times; ‘piss’ three times, and so on.† – they were unable to prove that the book would have a negative influence on the readers it was aimed at. According to the Guardian: No other jury verdict in British history has had such a deep social impact. Over the next three months Penguin sold 3m copies of the book – an example of what many years later was described as â€Å"the Spycatcher effect†, by which the attempt to suppress a book through unsuccessful litigation serves only to promote huge sales. The jury – that iconic representative of democratic society – had given its imprimatur to ending the taboo on sexual discussion in art and entertainment. Within a few years the stifling censorship of the theatre by the lord chamberlain had been abolished, and a gritty realism emerged in British cinema and drama. (Saturday Night and Sunday Morning came out at the same time as the unexpurgated Lady Chatterley, and very soon Peter Finch was commenting on Glenda Jackson’s â€Å"tired old tits† in Sunday Bloody Sunday and Ken Tynan said the first â€Å"fuck† on the BBC.) Homosexuality was decriminalised, abortions were available on reasonable demand, and in order to obtain a divorce it was unnecessary to prove that a spouse had committed the â€Å"matrimonial crime† of adultery. Judges no longer put on black caps to sentence prisoners to hang by the neck until dead. Can we say, though, that it was art in this case that changed society, or was it an interaction between human sciences (ie, the law) and the arts (the book) that led to change? This is from the same Guardian article: †¦the message of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, half a century after the trial, is that literature in itself does no harm at all. The damage that gets attributed to books – and to plays and movies and cartoons – is caused by the actions of people who try to suppress them.