John McPhee His Life and Work

Once called â€Å"the best journalist in America†Ã‚  by The Washington Post,  John Angus McPhee (born March 8, 1931, in Princeton, New Jersey) is a writer and Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University. Regarded as the key figure in the field of creative nonfiction, his book Annals of the Former World won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. Early Life John McPhee was born and raised in Princeton New Jersey. The son of a physician who worked for Princeton Universitys athletic department, he attended Princeton High School and then the university itself, graduating in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then went to Cambridge to study at Magdalene College for a year. While at Princeton, McPhee appeared frequently on an early television game show called â€Å"Twenty Questions,† wherein contestants attempted to guess the object of the game by asking yes or no questions. McPhee was one of a group of â€Å"whiz kids† appearing on the show. Professional Writing Career From 1957 to 1964, McPhee worked at Time magazine as an associate editor. In 1965 he jumped to The New Yorker as a staff writer, a life-long goal; over the course of the next five decades, the majority of McPhee’s journalism would appear in the pages of that magazine. He published his first book that year as well; A Sense of Where You Are was an expansion of a magazine profile he’d written about Bill Bradley, professional basketball player and, later, U.S. Senator. This set a life-long pattern of McPhee’s longer works beginning as shorter pieces initially appearing in The New Yorker. Since 1965, McPhee has published 30 books on a wide variety of subjects, as well as countless articles and standalone essays in magazines and newspapers. All of his books started off as shorter pieces that appeared or were intended for The New Yorker. His work has covered an incredibly wide range of subject matter, from profiles of individuals (Levels of the Game) to examinations of entire regions (The Pine Barrens) to scientific and academic subjects, most notably his series of books concerning the geology of the western United States, which were collected into the single volume Annals of the Former World, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction in 1999. McPhee’s most famous and widely-read book is Coming into the Country, published in 1976. It was the product of a series of travels through the state of Alaska accompanied by guides, bush pilots, and prospectors. Writing Style McPhee’s subjects are very personal—he writes about things he’s interested in, which in 1967 included oranges, the subject of his 1967 book titled, appropriately enough, Oranges. This personal approach has led some critics to consider McPhee’s writing to be a unique genre called Creative Nonfiction, an approach to factual reporting that brings an intimately personal slant to the work. Instead of seeking merely to report facts and paint accurate portraits, McPhee infuses his work with an opinion and viewpoint presented so subtly it’s often overlooked consciously even as it’s absorbed unconsciously. Structure is the key element of McPhee’s writing. He has stated that structure is what absorbs most of his effort when working on a book, and he laboriously outlines and arranges the work’s structure before writing a word. His books are therefore best understood in the order in which they present information, even if the individual essay-like sections contain beautiful and elegant writing, which they frequently do. Reading a work by John McPhee is more about understanding why he chooses to relay an anecdote, factual list, or momentous event at the time in his narrative that he does. This is what sets McPhee’s nonfiction apart from other works, and what makes it creative in a way most other nonfiction work is not—the manipulation of structure. Instead of following a simple linear timeline, McPhee treats his subjects almost as fictional characters, choosing what to reveal about them and when without actually inventing or fictionalizing anything. As he wrote in his book on the craft of writing, Draft No. 4: You’re a nonfiction writer. You can’t move [events] around like a king’s pawn or a queen’s bishop. But you can, to an important and effective extent, arrange a structure that is completely faithful to fact. As Educator In his role as Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University (a post he has held since 1974), McPhee teaches a writing seminar two out of every three years. It’s one of the most popular and competitive writing programs in the country, and his former students include acclaimed writers such as Richard Preston (The Hot Zone), Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), and Jennifer Weiner (Good in Bed). When he is teaching his seminar, McPhee does no writing at all. His seminar is reportedly focused on craft and tools, to the point where he has been known to pass around the pencils he uses in his own work for students to examine. As such it’s an unusual writing class, a throwback to an era when writing was a profession like any other, with tools, processes, and accepted norms that could earn a respectable if not flashy income. McPhee concentrates on the building of narratives from the raw ingredients of words and facts, not the elegant turning of phrases or other artistic concerns. McPhee has referred to writing as â€Å"masochistic, mind-fracturing self-enslaved labor† and famously keeps a print of sinners being tortured (in the style of Hieronymus Bosch) outside his office at Princeton. Personal life McPhee has been married twice; first to photographer Pryde Brown, with whom he fathered four daughters—Jenny and Martha, who grew up to be novelists like their father, Laura, who grew up to be a photographer like her mother, and Sarah, the outlier who became an architectural historian. Brown and McPhee divorced in the late 1960s, and McPhee married his second wife, Yolanda Whitman, in 1972. He has lived in Princeton his whole life. Awards and Honors 1972: National Book Award (nomination), Encounters with the Archdruid1974: National Book Award (nomination), The Curve of Binding Energy1977: Award in Literature from the Academy of Arts and Letters1999: Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction, Annals of the Former World2008: George Polk Career Award for lifetime achievement in journalism Famous Quotes â€Å"If by some fiat I had to restrict all this writing to one sentence, this is the one I would choose: The summit of Mt. Everest is marine limestone.† â€Å"I used to sit in class and listen to the terms come floating down the room like paper airplanes.† â€Å"In making war with nature, there was risk of loss in winning.† â€Å"A writer has to have some kind of compulsive drive to do his work. If you dont have it, youd better find another kind of work, because its the only compulsion that will drive you through the psychological nightmares of writing.† â€Å"Almost all Americans would recognize Anchorage, because Anchorage is that part of any city where the city has burst its seams and extruded Colonel Sanders.† Impact As an educator and writing teacher, McPhee’s impact and legacy are obvious. It’s estimated that about 50% of the students who have taken his writing seminar have gone on to careers as writers or editors or both. Hundreds of well-known writers owe some of their success to McPhee, and his influence on the current state of nonfiction writing is enormous, as even writers who haven’t been lucky enough to take his seminar are deeply influenced by him. As a writer, his impact is more subtle but equally profound. McPhee’s work is nonfiction, traditionally a dry, often humorless and impersonal field where accuracy was valued more than any kind of enjoyment. McPhee’s work is factually accurate and educational, but it incorporates his own personality, private life, friends and relationships and—most importantly—a buzzing sort of passion for the subject at hand. McPhee writes about subjects that interest him. Anyone who has ever experienced the sort of curiosity that sets off a reading binge recognizes in McPhee’s prose a kindred spirit, a man who sinks into expertise on a subject out of simple curiosity. That intimate and creative approach to nonfiction has influenced several generations of writers and transformed nonfiction writing into a genre almost as ripe with creative possibilities as fiction. While McPhee doesn’t invent facts or filter events through a fiction filter, his understanding that structure makes the story has been revolutionary in the nonfiction world. At the same time, McPhee represents the last remnant of a writing and publishing world that no longer exists. McPhee was able to get a comfortable job at a famous magazine shortly after graduating college and has been able to choose the subjects of his journalism and books, often without any sort of measurable editorial control or budgetary concern. While this is certainly due in part to his skill and value as a writer, it’s also an environment that young writers can no longer expect to encounter in the age of listicles, digital content, and shrinking print budgets. Selected Bibliography A Sense of Where You Are (1965)The Headmaster (1966)Oranges (1967)The Pine Barrens (1968)A Roomful of Hovings and Other Profiles (1968)Levels of the Game (1969)The Crofter and the Laird (1970)Encounters with the Archdruid (1971)The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed (1973)The Curve of Binding Energy (1974)The Survival of the Bark Canoe (1975)Pieces of the Frame (1975)The John McPhee Reader (1976)Coming into the Country (1977)Giving Good Weight (1979)Basin and Range (1981)In Suspect Terrain (1983)La Place de la Concorde Suisse (1984)Table of Contents (1985)Rising from the Plains (1986)Looking for a Ship (1990)Arthur Ashe Remembered (1993)Assembling California (1993)Irons in the Fire (1997)Annals of the Former World (1998)Founding Fish (2002)Uncommon Carriers (2006)Silk Parachute (2010)Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process (2017)

Critically Evaluate the Cognitive Theory of Stereotyping.

Critically evaluate the cognitive theory of stereotyping. B231: Social Interaction, Exam Paper 1998, Question 4. Graeme Gordon Stereotyping is a form of pre judgement that is as prevalent in todays society as it was 2000 years ago. It is a social attitude that has stood the test of time and received much attention by social psychologists and philosophers alike. Many approaches to, or theories of stereotyping have thus been raised. This essay evaluates the cognitive approach that categorisation is an essential cognitive process that inevitably leads to stereotyping. Hamilton (1979) calls this a depressing dilemma. Browns (1995) definition of stereotyping through prejudice is the holding of derogatory social attitudes†¦show more content†¦Categorisation is seen as a way of ordering what we perceive (Billig, 1985), stimuli of the external world that needs to be simplified, using iconic images, to pass into our short-term memory (Neisser, 1976). This simplification process transforms James blooming, buzzing confusion into a more manageable world in which it is easier to adapt - categorisation is a cognitive adaptation. For we do not have the capability to respond differently to each stimulus, whether it be a person, an object, or an event. Categorisation is important in every day life, as well as in the most extreme of circumstances - for example, the discrimination between friend and foe. For categorisation to be useful, we enhance the difference between groups. This was found to be the case at both social and physical levels, and later became known as the accentuation principle (see above). However, the distinction between physical stimuli and social objects must be made clear. We ourselves our social objects, thus, we are implicated by such categorisations. As Hogg and Abrams (1988) state: it would be perilous to disregard this consideration. This can be seen in the accentuation of out-group homogeneity (Park and Rothbart, 1982). Tajfel (1981) made two hypothesis on the cognitive consequences of categorisation. First, that if stimuli are put into categories, then this in itself enhances the difference between groups.Show MoreRelatedOutline Of Social Identity Theory1278 Words   |  6 PagesOutline social identity theory and with reference to recent research critically evaluate the strategies individuals or groups might use to achieve a positive social identity. Social Identity Theory (SIT) is a relational term, defining who we are as a function of our similarities and differences with others. It is shared with others and provides a basis for shared social action and the meanings associated with any social identity are products of our collective history and present. 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Analyzing the legalization of drugs Free Essays

Introduction The increase in the drug cases during the years has lead several propositions from various individuals, one of which is the legalization of drugs. Since the widespread use of illegal drugs has eventually persisted throughout the expanse of time, and with the failure to contain the issue of illegal drug use, one suggested solution is to amend the law by legalizing the use of drugs or by putting it finally under the control and mandate of the law. However, the judicial system has had to cope with the situation. We will write a custom essay sample on Analyzing the legalization of drugs or any similar topic only for you Order Now The need to reexamine the existing methods of managing and handling these drug cases proportionally rose with the persistence of illegal drugs amidst existing legal sanctions. This had led to the processing of drug cases not only in court but even outside the court. This is to cope with the great number of drug offenders of varying levels getting apprehended everyday. There were several judicial strategies conceived in order to deal with the massive amount of drug cases. These judicial strategies include the creation of specialized divisions of a drug court in some trial courts, sped-up case processing procedures, deferred prosecution programs requiring court-supervised treatment and counseling and more. There are also combinations of these strategies, all to speed-up the processing of these cases. These cases are screened beforehand in order to know what degree and what level of judicial supervisions would be applicable for the case. This is also essential for early treatment intervention and rehabilitation of the offenders, so as to stop the continued drug abuse and the likelihood of crimes. On the other hand, arguments for the legalization of drugs are constantly being hurled forward in order to finally resolve the existing contentions against the ill-effects of drugs as well as for the perceived benefits both the government and the individuals can actually obtain from legalizing these substances. Arguments for the legalization of drugs One of the most common drugs in the society today is Marijuana. It is known scientifically as the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, where the leaves are being dried up, rolled into sheets of paper and be smoked just like cigarette or tobacco. It is the most often used illegal drug in the world, known in various names all over, like â€Å"pot,† â€Å"herb,† and â€Å"Mary Jane.† Some users can make use of marijuana by mixing it into food substances or drink it by brewing it with tea. The addictive element of marijuana is its Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC content. The effect of marijuana would depend on how strong or how potent is its Tetrahydrocannabinol content, thus also giving various effects on the marijuana users (Dell and Snyder 630). One of the reasons for finally legalizing drugs, especially marijuana, is founded on the historical context of the â€Å"illegal† substance. In America, for instance, those who lived in the area of Jamestown back in 1611 raised marijuana under the order of King James I for the purpose of crafting rope for the naval force of the British. The â€Å"herb†, as it has been called, also served as a medicinal substance specifically for George Washington who planted marijuana within the premises of Mount Vernon and that the plant was categorized as a prescription medicine until 1937 (Smith 101). Marijuana also has positive sides which can be used as an argument for its eventual legalization. One of the beneficial effects of the use of marijuana rests on its utility for the control of symptoms, especially in chemotherapy procedures, as an â€Å"effective antiemetic† among patients with health profiles such as cancer and â€Å"AIDS patients with wasting syndrome† which led to â€Å"a greater ability to cope emotionally with disabling or life-threatening illness (Gorman 23). Moreover, under the rule of Emperor Chen Nung of ancient China five centuries ago, marijuana has been declared as well as a plant that has medicinal value in terms of curing malaria, rheumatism, constipation, â€Å"absentmindedness† as well as the claims for mental and bodily disorders suffered by women (Grinspoon and Bakalar 3). There is also the contention for the prospect of establishing a regulated drug market which can be a profitable source of government tax. This idea illustrates the observation that the widespread use of illegal drugs and its potential to be a market commodity can overcome the legal restrictions ascribed unto it.   A controlled degree of the regulation of marijuana, for example, creates, instead, an increase in government revenues that may outweigh or, at least, come close to the actual government payments on law enforcement against the production, distribution and consumption of marijuana (Caputo and Ostrom 475). Refutations Drug Abuse is one of the most common criminal cases in the society today. It is a form of substance abuse, just like alcoholism, since these illicit drugs are actually addictive in nature. Because of this, many people who are hooked on drugs cannot easily let go of the addiction, and would often lead to drug-related crimes like robbery, physical assault, or even murder. Not only does these drugs dangerous to others, but it is also harmful in the drug users’ body, causing the body to take into negative turns, like deterioration and organ failures. When a person smokes or inhales marijuana smoke, he would usually feel rapid heart beats, loss of coordination and decreased sense of balance, slow reaction rate and a dry mouth. These are already signs of marijuana intoxication, along with the expansion of blood vessels in the eye, that’s why marijuana users usually have red eyes. The effects of marijuana would usually last two to three hours, where the marijuana user would usually tend to be sleepy. The negative effects of using marijuana would be hindering the user’s short term memory, wherein it would be difficult for him to remember recent events. This would usually lead to car crashes and other accidents, since their sense of coordination is greatly affected. Another dangerous drug would be cocaine. This drug’s effect on the body is really damaging, where addiction to cocaine could bring about permanent damages in one’s body or even death. Cocaine has both short term and long term effects. The short term effects are immediately noticeable, but not that damaging as compared to the long term ones. The common short term effects are a feeling of boosted energy, a decrease in a person’s appetite, and a rather hyped heart rate and blood pressure. There are still many other types of illegal drugs and similar forms of substances that create ill-effects to the overall health of individuals, oftentimes resulting for them to commit crimes that they could not have possibly committed had they not taken these illegal substances. Conclusion Although several illegal substances can actually bring forth benefits for individuals, the negative consequences outweigh these positive sides. Further, not all of these substances have positive effects when used, and that the negative consequences of illegal drug use oftentimes lead to crimes and violence. For these reasons along with the refutations against the legalization of drugs, it can be asserted that the legalization of drugs should not be taken as the ultimate measure for solving illegal drug issues. Rather, the reasons behind the legalization of drugs should be taken as a means in finding the deeper refutations against it. References Caputo, M. R., and B. J. Ostrom. â€Å"Potential Tax Revenue from a Regulated Marijuana Market: A Meaningful Revenue Source.† American Journal of Economics and Sociology 53.4 (1994): 475-90. Cocaine-Effects.com. â€Å"Cocaine Effects.† 2001. Dell, D. D., and J. A. Snyder. â€Å"Marijuana: Pro and Con.† The American Journal of Nursing 77.4 (1977): 630. Gorman, M. â€Å"Substance Abuse.† The American Journal of Nursing 97.11 (1997): 23. Grinspoon, L., and J. B. Bakalar. â€Å"The History of Cannabis.†Ã‚   Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine. London: Yale University Press, 1997. 3. Smith, G. R. W. â€Å"Possession of Marijuana in San Mateo County: Some Social Costs of Criminalization.† Stanford Law Review 22.1 (1969): 101.    How to cite Analyzing the legalization of drugs, Essay examples

Business Ethics and Points Question free essay sample

A group of young professionals were discussing the relationship between law and business. Adam argues that law primarily benefits the owners of businesses at the expense of workers and customers, while Beth takes the opposite position that law primarily benefits the individual employees, customers and others, at the expense of the owners of businesses. Charlie posits that all parties are better off because of the presence of law, while David asserts that law is not a significant factor in the conduct of business. Based on your text, which persons view is most accurate? Answer A. Adam B. Beth C. Charlie D. David . 10 points Question 2 Which of the following is NOT true about law? Answer A. Law should be demonstrably fair to all concerned. B. Law should accurately reflect the beliefs of the majority of citizens. C. Neither of the above is true D. Both of the above are true . 10 points Question 3 When faced with the possibility of wrongdoing, which of the following is most appropriate? Answer A. We will write a custom essay sample on Business Ethics and Points Question or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When you first hear of an issue, immediately appoint a board to investigate it, incorporating board members from other work areas, from other geographical sites, and from H. R. B. Bring in outside experts if an internal investigation is to be conducted. C. Bring in the outside experts, but never conduct any preliminary inquiries, because that would taint the investigation process. D. Conduct the preliminary investigation, then if additional information substantiates the rumors and an internal investigation is to be conducted, bring in outside experts. . 10 points Question 4 Which of the following is the best example of an ethical act? Answer A. Passing a law that guarantees that employees will be paid a living wage that is higher than the federal minimum wage. B. Doing something that you sincerely believe is the right thing to do even if it does not benefit you personally is an example of an ethical act. C. Considering the impact on and perspectives of all significant stakeholders before making a decision. D. All the above are equally good examples of ethical acts. . 10 points Question 5 If a proposed action is legal but does not maximize shareholder value, should the action be taken anyway? Answer A. Yes. B. Take the action if it would unethical to refrain from taking the action. C. Take the action if it is an ethical action. D. No. . 10 points Question 6 Which of the following is most correct about how law in various countries relates to corporate governance? Answer A. Countries have arrived at a consensus of how the interests of various business stakeholders should be balanced, resulting in the direct facilitation of international trade and finance. B. Industrialized countries do not have public policy regarding laws that impact business, relying instead on the free market to regulate business behaviors. C. Much of the current debate on what constitutes good corporate governance turns on how much weight to give to the interests of shareholders, debtholders, employees, customers and suppliers, and to the protection of the environment. D. Both A and B are true. . 10 points Question 7 Which of the following best describes how law and ethics are related? Answer a. The law does not prohibit all bad behavior. An action that is unethical will nonetheless be illegal. b. The law does not prohibit all bad behavior. An action that is illegal may nonetheless be ethical. c. The law does not prohibit all bad behavior. An action that is unethical may nonetheless be legal. d. The law does not prohibit all bad behavior. An action that is unethical will nonetheless not be illegal. . 10 points Question 8 Acme corporations manufacturing plant was discovered to be pouring toxic waste into a creek that flows to a large river. The Environmental Protection Agency fined the corporation one million dollars. Which of the following is true about this fine? Answer A. It will not punish the wrongdoer(s). B. It will punish the wrongdoers because it will be paid by the parties who caused the toxic pollution. C. It will punish the wrongdoers because it will reduce the value of the stockholders shares, and they own the company. D. Both B and C are correct. . 10 points Question 9 Which of the following is a topic considered in discussions of corporate social responsibility? Answer A. Product Safety B. Targeted Advertising C. Conflicts of Interest D. All of the above. . 10 points Question 10 The ethical test of Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is an illustration of which ethical theory? Answer A. Teleological School of Ethics B. Utilitarianism C. Reversibility D. Universalizability