Emotion, Guilt, And Fear By Edgar Allan Poe - 1682 Words

Sadness, guilt, and fear are some of the most negative emotions that humanity can experience, however they are also the strongest. Edgar Allan Poe, a nineteenth century author and poet, is known primarily for his use of these emotions, as well as the results that may come from these emotions, such as substance abuse, depression, and death. However, the ability to write such elegant, sophisticated works that delve into the very dark recesses of the human mind reflects greatly upon the author himself. Repetitive themes found both in Poe’s stories and in his life deliver insight on the inspiration for this author’s stories. Poe uses themes of death, illness, and depression in order to reflect his own experiences within his writing.†¦show more content†¦To clarify, Roderick, as well as a young Poe, lived almost alone, with most of his family dead. Furthermore, both men lost a significant woman in their life to an illness, the woman being one of their last living re latives and an important influence on their lives. Additionally, Poe uses the concept of fatal illness in his story, â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†. To summarize, the story portrays a party in which an unwanted guest in a mask arrives. â€Å"And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all† (Poe The Masque if the Red Death). With this, Poe makes use of the mask, a symbol used to illustrate illness due to the masks worn by doctors during the plague era. To clarify, Poe uses this symbol of almost guaranteed death and illness in this story to show that, in his experience, illness is fatal, unavoidable, and devastating. So, when Poe writes a character in this story with a deteriorating illness, he is also writing in his own experience with fatal illness. Additionally, Poe uses the repetition of death in his stories in order to illustrate his own feelings surrounding the topic.Show MoreRelatedEdgar Allan Poe s The Tell Tale Heart857 Words   |  4 Pagescommon... they all fear the unknown. Humans fear what they can t control. Author, Edgar Allan Poe wrote short stories that evoked emotions of fear of the unknown in a way that speaks to the reader. Some of Poe s stories were not well accepted in his day because people were just not ready for them- they were scary. Poe s works The Tell-Tale Heart, The Premature Burial and The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar evoke emotions of fear of the unknown for the reader Edgar Allan Poe s The Tell-TaleRead MoreThe Black Cat And The Tell Tale Heart957 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allan Poe suffered through many unpleasant emotions through his life, the manner in which he expressed these emotions was his brilliantly horrifying short stories. In the two short stories â€Å"The Black Cat† and â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† Poe uses characterization to portray the guilt of the narrator. â€Å"The Black Cat† short story’s writing has a morbid effect on readers and describes the torments of guilt. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† Poe explores the effects of the subconscious mind, the suppressing ofRead MoreWhen you think of the name Edgar Allan Poe, happiness is the farthest emotion from the mind. You1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhen you think of the name Edgar Allan Poe, happiness is the farthest emotion from the mind. You have a sense of melancholy, constantly reading about death, murders, and the thirst for revenge, and sometimes having feelings of suspense when reading about thrilling detective work. Poe is the reason that we have modern day mystery and horror stories. Without his brilliance, and obsession with such morbid occurrences, who knows when the era of suspense and horror would have begun? Despite his obviousRead MoreGuilt And Sanity Of The Tell Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe962 Words   |  4 Pagesexample, In Tell-Tale Hearts by Edgar Allan Poe, a man with a lost soul tried to defend his sanity and yet confess to the damage that he had made. The man’s guilt crept up to him and was constantly haunting him. The narrator’s motives and intentions were to never commit the crime that he did. It was the old man’s eye that he considered as â€Å"the eye of a vulture† and it was the fear of his eye that lead him to do make insane and psychotic decisions. Edgar Allan Poe uses the fiction elements of plotRead MoreCriticism of Poe Essays1019 Words   |  5 PagesThough Edgar Al len Poe is most famous for his short mystery stories of the macabre and poetry, he is also known as one of the foremost figures in literary criticism. Poe alienated many of his colleagues due to the unyielding standards he demanded in the building of a worthy national literature, he is now credited for being one of the most influential figures in the advancement of literary traditions not only in America but in Europe as well, leaving an indubitable mark on the world of literatureRead MoreThe Tell-Tale Heart and the Similarities With Edgar Allen Poe952 Words   |  4 PagesWho came first? The mentally-ill person, or the man who only wrote about them? Edgar Allan Poe truly experienced the bittersweet symphony with being a writer of his caliber; he wrote with such proficiency that he often would become unable to escape the dark world, filled with the aspects of gothic literature, in which he created. He also faced numerous obstacles throughout his lifespan, which seemed to plague him by always returning right after the previous issue have been resolved. From povertyRead MoreTerm Paper Edgar Allan Poes Infatuation with Death1498 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allan Poes Infatuation with Death Ralph Emerson once wrote, Talent alone cannot make the writer. There must be a man behind the book. Edgar Allan Poe acquired the ability to write Gothic horror through the tragedies that existed in his life. At three years old Poe lost his mother and father. Grief and sadness overwhelmed Poes childhood and eventually his literary style. By temperament and mournful personal experience, Poe was drawn into the contemporary cult of death (KennedyRead MoreThe Tell Tale Heart Analysis1071 Words   |  5 Pagesshort story written by Edgar Allan Poe which reflects the story of an unnamed narrator about his internal conflict and obsession. This story demonstrates the imagination power of a person and how imagination can affect an individual’s life. Here in this story, the narrator commits a murder of an old man with whom he used to live with an unclear relationship as the relationship between the narrator and the old man is not clearly mentioned in the story. â€Å"This story of Edgar is simply a story basedRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven, The Black Cat And The Tell Tale Heart ``1158 Words   |  5 PagesExtension English Edgar Allan Poe Writing Task Weland La Edgar Allan Poe is a writer renowned for his incorporation of macabre themes into his variety of texts. These texts include The Raven, The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart, all Gothic texts by Poe which have contributed immensely to the Gothic genre. Readers categorise them as works of Gothic literature, but what attributes found in these texts causes it to be classified as Gothic? Poe explores numerous Gothic conventionsRead MoreImagery Through The Eye Of The Tell Tale Heart1456 Words   |  6 Pagesfill the writer’s task has only gotten tougher to create excite- ment or interest for readers. Edgar Allan Poe is famously known for using great details in his writing to create an atmosphere that allows for readers to become part of. Through out the short story, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, Edgar Allan Poe shows the readers an ominous mood through the use of imagery and point of view. Through point of view, Poe illustrates how imagination is capable of being so vivid. The narrator takes care of an old man

Public Policy Paper Healthcare Vs Medical Tourism Essay

Public Policy Paper Healthcare VS Medical Tourism Melodie Dominique Palm Beach Atlantic University GBUS 2813 01 American Free Enterprise Professor Tom Miller October 16, 2016 PUBLIC POLICY PAPER 2 America is portrayed throughout the globe as the land of opportunity and the home of the free. With all that the U.S. has to offer, it is unethical to see how the health care system has failed and is continuing to fail countless Americans. We constantly hear the stories of citizens who have benefited from their insurance, gone through challenges with insurers, or can not be insured based on their pre-existing medical history. With companies such as Microsoft, employees do not pay a dime out of pocket for any of their medical needs and their families needs regardless of the cost. Also under these broad organization insurances, employees with pre-existing health conditions can not be turned away. As for all other American citizens who work in small businesses, the insurance offered to them comes at a high coverage cost with an even higher deductible or co-pays and coverage limits. I’ve been working for a local government agency going on ten years now; one may assume that, holdin g a local government position would be a job with generous insurance benefits. In a Sun-Sentinel News article titled Mandatory Healthcare: What the Supreme Court ruling means for Floridians, Journalist William E. Gibson states, â€Å"You can remain on your current policy and cannot be droppedShow MoreRelatedA Short Story About My Self Vaishali Jalandhara1753 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract This paper is a short story about my self Vaishali Jalandhara. 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The Impact of Employee Engagement-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Impact of Employee Engagement in Increase the Organizational Performance of the Countdown, 246 Fenton Street, Victoria, Rotorua, 3010. Answer: Introduction Employee engagement is a motivational aspect of the business because it directly influences the performance of an organization. The employee engagement can be used as a strategy in the workplace due to increasing the engagement of workforces for achieving the organization goal. Employee engagement is significant as it supports to connect the workforces emotionally to the vision of the company. It helps the organization to improve their operational activity and gain its productivity for the long term. It can also be possible by generating the knowledge about the employee engagement. For sustain in the marketplace, an organization has needed to improve their skills about the employee engagement to improve the performance of business (Kehoe, et al., 2013). Research Background The research subject is to analyze the impact of employee engagement on the performance of Countdown. In the existing business, the Countdown needs to concentrate on the employee engagement to increase the contribution of an employee in the organizational activity. As a result, Countdown can improve their performance systematically. In addition, the employee engagement works as a motivational factor that supports the achieving of the objectives of the company. The employee engagement depends on some elements such as employee satisfaction level, organization attitude regarding the workforces, and working environment. Investment in the human resources department can support to an organization for improving their productivity systematically (Karatepe, 2013). Research question What is the relationship between the employee engagement and organizational performance? How engaging employees are used for the purpose of enhancing the performance of The Countdown? Which factors can affect employee engagement resulting in adverse impact on the performance of the organization? Which fundamental elements can help in promoting employee engagement? Project design (method) Introduction This section of project method will assist the researcher to select the appropriate technique to achieve the research objectives. This section entails different types of methods like research philosophy, research approach, project design, data collection method, and sampling methods. These research methods will permit the researcher to get the reliable result about the research topic (Alfes, et al., 2013). Philosophy of research The research philosophy plays a crucial role to obtain the reliable result in less time and cost. There are three kinds of research philosophies that are considered in the research such as positivism, realism, and interpretivism. For this research, a researcher will select the interpretivism research philosophy to improve the reliability and validity of the outcome. The main reason behind this selection is research issue is not based on the objective. The interpretivism philosophy is associated with idealism circumstances that will help the researcher to obtain the reliable and valid data (Cherian, et al., 2013). Approaches to research In the research approach, two types of methods are considered like inductive and deductive approach. In this research, the researcher will use the inductive approach to collect the data in the context of the research dilemma. In addition, this approach will be selected by the researcher for developing theories rather than generating the research hypothesis. It will enable the researcher to collect the opinion, views, and beliefs of the participants regarding research matter (Albdour, et al., 2014). Strategy for research The research strategy can be effective to meet the objectives and aim of research in the estimated cost and time. In this research, survey through a questionnaire and literature review will be used by the researcher for attaining the research in a systematic way. A researcher will practice survey through a questionnaire method to gather the reaction of participants about the impact of employee engagement to increase the organization performance. For pooling the information through literature review, a researcher will imply the different ways such as government, company report, offline resources, academic journal, and online sources. It will help to get feasible outcome (Mone, et al., 2014). Designing of project Mixed data collection method will be used by the researcher because it covers the characteristics of quantitative and qualitative research method. Hence, it will be advantageous for accomplishing the research objectives. From this ways, the qualitative research will support to collect the conceptual understanding of the research problem. Besides this, a researcher will execute the quantitative researcher design to present the numerical facts and figures by using the statistical methods (Cerasoli, et al., 2014). Data gathering technique The data gathering tool can be significant to collect the figures and facts to obtain the feasible outcome. In this research, both primary and secondary data collection method will be utilized by the researcher to gather the information regarding the impact of employee engagement on the organization performance. The primary data will be executed by the researcher to collect the data through a questionnaire, experiment, and observation. In addition, a researcher will also exercise the secondary data collection method through offline publications, journal article, textbook, and online (Tims, et al., 2013). Procedure of Sampling In this research, probability sampling method will be executed by the researcher to choose the participants. The probability sampling includes the random sampling method to complete the task. It will help the researcher to eliminate the biases of research issue because it offers the similar opportunity to all the participants. The sampling method will help to obtain the adequate data regarding the research dilemma. In addition to this, a researcher will choose 45 employees of Countdown supermarket Company from the diverse geographical region to collect the efficient information about research issue. These ways will permit a researcher to address the impact of employee engagement on the performance Countdown supermarket organization (Lewis, 2015). Data analysis method Statistical data analysis method will be sued by the researcher to evaluate collected data and understand it in a systematic way. In the statistical data exploration, a researcher will practice Ms-excel to present the figures and facts through column diagram, pie chart, bar diagram. Consequently, it will aid the researcher to comprehend the collected data about the research dilemma (Creswell, 2013). Project implications This research proposal will support the researcher to develop the best understanding about the impact of employee engagement on the organizational performance. This research proposal will be supportive of both old and new organization because it creates the knowledge about the impact of employee engagement on the performance of the company. It can help the company to identify the issue regarding the enhancement of employee engagement to a positive impact on the organization performance. It will be also beneficial to develop the adequate knowledge and keep the employee engagement in an organization by improving the performance of business (Creswell, et al., 2017). Ethical approval In this research, a researcher will execute the data safety and security act 1988 for securing the confidential data of participants. It will aid researcher to make an effective relationship with participants after the completion of research. A researcher will not force the respondents to contribute its confidential data and cannot show it by manipulation. In addition, a researcher will consider many factors related to the proper reference, data manipulation, plagiarism, and use the proper instruction of the university due to completing the research in an ethical manner (Creswell, et al., 2017). Timeline The research plan is discussed below: Table 1: Research schedule for completing project Research activities Time to complete each research activity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Selection of research dilemma Research aim and objectives development Data collection method through primary and secondary data collection method Development of questionnaire Selection of appropriate sample size and sampling techniques Evaluation of data Report writing Final report submission As per the above research plan, it can be examined that the data collection methods take more time due to collecting the appropriate data about the research issue. Own Learning This research proposal increased my skills of research by creating the knowledge regarding the reasons of the impact of employee engagement on the performance of the organization. This proposal was also motivating for me so as to develop my understanding about the major challenges of employees engagement in the context of the Countdown performance. In addition, I analyzed that understanding about the employee engagement enables me to improve my HRM skills along with becoming a worthy human resource manager in the upcoming time. I observed that this proposal help to create the theoretical understanding regarding the employee engagement that will help to improve the employee engagement in the working place. As a result, the company can improve their financial condition systematically. I faced many issues to collect the primary and secondary data to meet the research aims. Since, the data collection method was time-consuming. At the time of the collection of primary data, I observed tha t most of the participants are not able to react to the survey through a questionnaire that was time-consuming. Beside this, I also faced many difficulties during the collection of secondary data collection method because some the academic journals were very expensive but I purchased the academic journal to obtain the feasible result. References Albdour, A. A., Altarawneh, I. I. (2014). Employee engagement and organizational commitment: Evidence from Jordan.International Journal of Business,19(2), 192. Alfes, K., Shantz, A. D., Truss, C., Soane, E. C. (2013). The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behavior: a moderated mediation model.The international journal of human resource management,24(2), 330-351. Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin, J. M., Ford, M. T. (2014). Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year meta-analysis.Psychological Bulletin,140(4), 980. Cherian, J., Jacob, J. (2013). Impact of self-efficacy on motivation and performance of employees.International Journal of Business and Management,8(14), 80. Creswell, J. W. (2013).Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. USA: Sage publications. Creswell, J. W., Poth, C. N. (2017).Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. USA: Sage publications. Karatepe, O. M. (2013). High-performance work practices and hotel employee performance: The mediation of work engagement.International Journal of Hospitality Management,32, 132-140. Kehoe, R. R., Wright, P. M. (2013). The impact of high-performance human resource practices on employees attitudes and behaviors.Journal of management,39(2), 366-391. Lewis, S. (2015). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches.Health promotion practice,16(4), 473-475. Mone, E. M., London, M. (2014).Employee engagement through effective performance management: A practical guide for managers. UK: Routledge. Tims, M., Bakker, A. B., Derks, D., van Rhenen, W. (2013). Job crafting at the team and individual level: Implications for work engagement and performance.Group Organization Management,38(4), 427-454. Yin, R. K. (2013).Case study research: Design and methods. USA: Sage publications.

The Political Situation in Iran Essay Example

The Political Situation in Iran Essay As a strategically important country in the Middle East, the course Iran would take will have profound consequences for the entire region. But given its history and recent developments, the future looks dark and dangerous for both Iran and its enemies. The recent years had seen a gradual but definite change in Iran’s social conditions. The fundamentalist mullahs have not been as strict in interfering with people’s life-style choices, probably due to the economic advantages presented by a consumerist culture. Considering that two thirds of Iran’s population is under the age of 30, this was seen as a tactical move by the Iranian administrators. For the outside observers this may give the impression of a free society. But the uncolored truth is that this apparent freedom of choice in a supermarket is not encouraged at the more significant political levels. The Iranian youth are deceived into accepting freedoms that are superficial and insignificant. This loosening of the noose on certain aspects of life in Iran had benefited the regimes that deployed such tactics – for it kept the public opinion favorable to the administrators and distracted people away from political activism. This developing consumerist c ulture in Iran is a real problem confronting Iran. But unless the majority of the youth see through the illusion, no meaningful change is to be expected. We will write a custom essay sample on The Political Situation in Iran specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Political Situation in Iran specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Political Situation in Iran specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Dissident intellectuals, who had been once vocal and active, have been either mellowed down or absorbed into the Establishment. The present generation of Iranian youth has come to believe that enough livelihoods have been destroyed and lives lost in the name of political reform. They tend to play it safe now-a-days by toeing the Establishment line than putting their future in jeopardy. Those who aspire for greater freedoms endeavor to emigrate to the United States or Europe – they don’t seem to think that pressing for reforms in their country of birth is worthwhile. This augurs poorly for the coming years. With no substantial dissident movement and organization progress is quite far away. Iranian women’s dress codes have been a source of much controversy. As recent as a decade ago the Iranian women without exception wore the all-covering black chador. They were required to wear a head scarf and a veil – to cover up hair and face respectively. Such strictures seem to have existed a long time back. The women of today are seen to display a dress sense similar to that of western women – they had always had such an inclination. What made it easier for Iranian women of today in expressing themselves freely is the surprising aloofness of law-enforcement officials. Some western intellectuals have asserted that such trends are not due to a realization of progressive values by the wielders of power but mere cosmetic changes to temporarily appease the public. If such is indeed the truth, then the Iranian woman is a long way from being emancipated. And when one half of the population is forced to live a medieval life-style, what hope does it hold for the coun try as a whole? Iran is beset by issues pertaining to human rights. A survey conducted in 2001 by Freedom House, a human-rights watchdog, found the Iranian government practicing â€Å"arbitrary detention, torture, disappearance, summary trial and execution† of its people. Recently, reformer Abbas Abdi, the founder of a neutral polling institute, was arrested. Under relentless torture and heavy political pressure, he succumbed and offered a recantation. The media, which plays a vital role in many advanced societies, is heavily censored. Those media organizations that don’t bow to the government dictates pay a heavy penalty. For example, in the year 2000 alone, tens of newspaper offices were closed down and hundreds of journalists arrested. Some activists and reformist ministers were also put in jail the same year. The reasons given for these measures were, of course, spurious – â€Å"inciting public opinion or endangering the state†. A group of progressive intellectuals wh o returned from a conference in Germany were sent straight to prison. All these human rights violations happened in a span of 12 months. Given that the year 2000 was not so untypical in Iran, we get a dark and distressing picture of life in Iran. An issue of grave concern is the diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States of America. The relations between the two nations had always been turbulent. Iran and Iraq have always been of strategic importance for western powers. And the last half of the twentieth century saw an escalation of western interference in the middle-east. The hard-line clerics who hold much power in Iran are open and vocal in their loathing of America and American values. -they are known to indoctrinate school children with such slogans as â€Å"Death to America†. Although the election was seen as fair and valid by international observers, the rise to power of fundamentalist leader in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had added to the American ire. So much so, that the event was instrumental in Iran finding a place in the Bush Administration’s list of â€Å"evil† nations. Paradoxically enough, a recent public opinion poll found that most Iranians admire the American way of life, with as m any as 200,000 Iranian students graduating from American universities. It then seems that there are differences only at the highest political level. With an attack on Iran by the United States a likely possibility in the near future, an immediate accord between the two countries becomes imperative. With Iran equipped with nuclear capabilities, a war could prove catastrophic for both sides. The political institutions in Iran are much criticized by foreign observers. Although, democratic structures are present, the theocratic hold on the society is indisputable. And theocracy breeds fundamentalism. Ever since the overthrow of the Shah couple of decades back, the country has embraced theocracy more than progress and democracy. Many western diplomats have openly expressed their lack of faith in the Iranian democracy. For example, the most recent general elections in Iran were perceived in some quarters as rigged and hence the result invalid. Although, most Iranians prefer a separation of religion and politics, the ever present danger of a military confrontation with America and its allies has made it possible for hard-liners and fundamentalist clerics to thrive. Iran’s access to nuclear technology has caused much anxiety among its enemies. The protracted war with Iraq during the 1980’s, which cost Iran a million of its citizens, had pushed it into strengthening its defenses. Iran’s antagonism with Israel has quite a history. The present Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is compared to Hitler by some analysts. Israel being a nuclear power itself, a major confrontation between the two nations could wipe out middle-east as we know it. The International Atomic Energy Agency is not amused by Iran’s recent breach of yet another forbidden line, if only supposedly for research purposes. If Iran were to march in this direction, it would be within an arms length of developing its own nuclear weapons. Iran’s persistence in developing nuclear weapons will also pursue its neighbors – Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Syria – to follow suit. When such build up of arsenal were fired, if only by accident, would cause destruction in a massive scale. Many human rights groups have cried foul over Iran’s treatment of its minorities. Azeri Turks were subject to insults and derogatory treatment at the political and social levels. Iran’s Azeri’s essentially belong to the majority – the Shia sub sect. Yet, they were being discriminated against due to their different ethnicity. The plight of other minorities such as the Sunnis is also an area of concern. *Kurds are another minority under the spell of mistreatment by the native Shia majority. For all these different minority community’s life is made difficult right from the level of the local bureaucracy to the upper echelons of officialdom. They have disproportionately low representation in government offices. They also have to work around laws that are constructed to benefit the Shia majority. Their community newspapers are heavily censored and dissident opinion in one of them could lead to a close down. Some of the local radio and TV stations run by and for minorities are frequently under the spell of vandalism and sabotage. It is to the credit of these minorities that they have persisted and succeeded in voicing their point of view. More reformist and tolerant policies need be framed by the powers that be. Given the fundamentalist nature of the present government, the immediate future looks very bleak indeed for the minorities. Hence, reforms at all levels of Iranian society are called for. Given the strong political influence of the fundamentalist clerics, the task is not going to be easy. The fact that the public opinion in Iran is in favor of reform and progress is a source of hope. Iran had seen quite a few revolutions and overhauls in its past. Perhaps, it is time for another. References: â€Å"Down in the second class; Iran and its minorities.(Iran’s unhappy Arab minority).† The Economist (US) 375.8424 (April 30, 2005): 43 Forbes, Steve. â€Å"The Unthinkable.(Iran’s nuclear test ).† Forbes 178.12 (Dec 11, 2006): 33. â€Å"Iran: rich-poor gap still a problem. (Iran’s economic condition 12 years after the Islamic revolution of 1979).†, MEED Middle East Economic Digest 35.n26 (July 5, 1991): 14(1). Moaveni, Azadeh. â€Å"Iran’s Hard Line Begins At Home.(Notebook).† Time 168.10 (Sept 4, 2006): 14. â€Å"Misreading Iran; Nuclear proliferation.†, The Economist (US) 378.8460 (Jan 14, 2006): 16 Moaveni, Azadeh. â€Å"Fast Times In Tehran: Iran’s once restive youth is more interested in making money than in politics. An intimate look at how the regime bought off a generation.(World).† Time 165.24 (June 13, 2005): 38. Molavi, Afshin. â€Å"A new day in Iran? The regime may inflame Washington, but young Iranians say they admire, of all places, America.(Letter From Iran).† Smithsonian 35.12 (March 2005): 54. â€Å"Shorn of dignity and equality – Women in Iran.(The status of women in Iran).† The Economist (US) 369.8346 (Oct 18, 2003): 24 Taheri, Amir. â€Å"A Clash of Civilizations; The real crisis isn’t about nuclear weapons, but Iran’s determination to reshape the Middle East in its own image.(Column).† Newsweek International (Sept 5, 2005): 20. â€Å"Uppity minorities; Iran (2).(Iran’s minorities).† The Economist (US) 379.8480 (June 3, 2006): 43 Freedom of the Press is an essential aspect of functioning democracies. Be it an institution or an individual, the liberty to express openly is the most important of attributes. The press, in particular, being the Fourth Estate of a democratic society, is expected to be bold and articulate. But ground realities differ from ideal conceptions of the function of the press. In the real world, an array of external factors coaxes or coerces the press into acting against democratic principles. These include advertisers, political parties, businesses and even special interest citizen groups. In this backdrop, it is interesting to analyze the state of freedom of press in the world today. It is an interesting exercise to find out which countries are exemplary and which are at a nadir. After all, freedom of press has an immediate bearing on the lives and prospects of citizens. It is not an abstract idea whose relevance is confined merely to the academia. The Freedom House .