ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Salaam Bombay is a film by Mira Nair that was made in 1988. The movie presents a dire and pessimistic story of a young boy and his experiences in a big city of Bombay where he struggles to survive and make money. In the film, the director intended to demonstrate the underbelly of a large urban center inhabited by and unfriendly to the multiple marginalized population groups forming a diverse environment where every individual is occupied with a single goal – survival in the harsh conditions. The reviewers from New York Times referred to this movie as a film about hopelessness (Canby). However, Salaam Bombay presents a rather complex story with multiple layers and many diverse characters. Consequently, the story also incorporates a variety of themes and ideas that are interesting to explore in terms of the functioning of the society, the role of the city in marginalization and poverty, and human interactions in the harsh and merciless conditions. Some of the major themes in Salaam Bombay are the desperation to survive at all costs, the meaning of money and material goods, family relations and friendships, adaptation to harsh environments, and childhood and adulthood perceptions. At the very beginning of the story in Salaam Bombay , the main character, Krishna is kicked out of home by his mother who demands that the boy earns 500 rupees in order to repay for his brother’s bicycle that he had set on fire and destroyed. Krishna is a young preadolescent boy; having failed to find employment in a traveling circus, he goes to the closest large city – Bombay, looking for ways to make money (Nair). In the large urban center, the little boy is immediately sucked into the merciless underbelly where he has to survive alongside crowds of other homeless street children. Krishna encounters a number of characters, whose lives are far from perfect and tries to save money in the harsh environment of the city. In this film, the director succeeded at portraying what can be referred to as the “other world” – a set of problems and scenarios that affect a very large number of people but are rarely discussed (Virdi 29). The director shows Bombay’s poorest people and neighborhoods, drawing the audience’s attention to the flaws of the city. Working as a tea server, Krishna encounters prostitutes, human traffickers, drug addicts, drug dealers, thieves, and con artists. Growing up surrounded by all kinds of hardships and dangers, street children have to adapt and adjust to the dire realities and learn to lie, trick, steal, scam, be extremely flexible, cynical, and fearless. Dayal referred to the film as “docudrama” – a unique work of art that presents realistic and dramatic events and scenarios in order make the viewers aware of the depicted problems (16). In fact, knowing that the film was made in Hindi, it is possible to suppose that its intended audience was the Indian upper class and elite who needed to be informed about the parts of the city and country they never visited. In Salaam Bombay , the major characters are children and ado
Introduction Terrorism is the most immediate and significant threat to international security and peace. By definition, terrorism refers to the use of extreme violence by non-state actors against civilians or society for political and ideological goals. Although terrorism is not a new phenomenon, it has become increasingly common in the last two decades where it has led to deaths of thousands of innocent civilians across the world. Despite the negative consequences that terrorists have posed to the society, the fight against the vice has become more difficult with time, especially in the light of the increasing support for the violent actions against civilians from extremist groups. Extremist groups use radicalization to amass support for their activities. This strategy has become a very common and real problem, which has led to people being radicalized into violent extremism (RVE) . However, the force that drives groups and societies vulnerable to radicalization into violent extremism has been a major issue in the quest for finding a solution to this growing problem. Looking at many programs and projects that are aimed at reducing extremism and radicalization, the use of financial aids and other programs for alleviating the lives of people where extremism is common is a major theme. Such an approach is a clear indication of the prevailing perception of the relationship between poverty, disparity, and extremism. This paper investigates the successful rise of extremist groups and their link to poverty and disparity. The Consensus Relating to Extremist Groups and Extremism What causes extremism? What motivates people to join extremist groups? Such questions have been at the center of efforts that have been put towards curbing extremism and extremist groups in the quest for making the world a better and more peaceful place. The questions are indeed set for a good reason, especially with reference to the ongoing proliferation of extremist terrorist groups across the world. Since 2010, there has been a 53% rise in the number of terrorist groups and militias across the world. According to
Introduction The Land of the World is inhabited in every corner and even in every far land. Historical and geographical processes divided the Earth into big and small places, into islands and mainlands. Australia is the worlds smallest continent, but nevertheless interesting and beautiful place in the World. Australia is the country in the southern hemisphere of the World comprising mainland Tasmania and a number of the islands situated in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The capital of Australia is Canberra situated in ACT (Australian Capital Territory), but due to its specific historical background and geographical position every state of the continent has its own capital. Total area of the country is 7,741,220 square kilometers. Official language is English but for Australia being multiethnic country different languages and dialects are spoken. And the first city to be discussed is Sydney and it is the most multiethnic city of the continent. Sydney is the capital city of New south Wales and is the biggest city
Jay-Z says many times in his book that the “story of a hustler” is the most important theme in all hip-hop. Hustlers are the young Black boys and girls trying to make a living in the streets usually by selling crack. The story of a hustler is a story of the struggle to make a living. It is a story of many different people. Some of them are trying to help their families. Some are trying to make it big and achieve the dream which artist often rap about. It is a dream of money, girls, and beautiful life. Jay-Z thinks that it was important to rap about that story because it shows how the Blacks are sometimes forced to chase their dreams. In the 80s, it was nearly impossible to get rich without selling drugs or doing something else illegal. Jay-Z says that it is important to make people understand what that life was. It is essential to show that it was like a war in the streets, trying to stay alive as much as to make money. He says that other artists used to focus too much on the street life or the rich gangsta life. That is also mentioned in our previous class reading “Race Rebels.” That book says that early rappers focused on tough life in the street and nothing else (Kelley 185). For Jay-Z, it was important to show how street boys became rich and what horrors they had to experience. I think the “story of a hustler” is like the stories of the Wild West outlaws. It has the same charm as the stories about robbing banks and fighting off sheriffs and rangers. The background is also similar. The Wild West was a violent and brutal place where people were killing each other to make some cash and defend their families (Hine and Faragher 10). The neighborhoods Jay-Z describes are very similar. Just like in the Wild West everybody was carrying a gun and was ready to kill. I think that is one of the reasons those stories became popular. I read the enhanced ebook. It was fascinating to see all the photos and newspapers from the time of those stories. It really creates the atmosphere. You can see what people saw back then, and it makes you imagine the stories clearly. Sometimes the pictures just demonstrate the background events, like the death of 2pac. Those photos really show how important those events were and how big the hip-hop music was at that time. The only plus of the enha
Most individuals who wake up and do as they please without conforming to a set of suffocating guidelines consider having freedom normal. On the other hand, for some especially in the Middle East true freedom is unknown. For them, they can only follow guidelines laid out by the society and religion and do not have room to accommodate individual feelings. In many Middle East countries, religion has boycotted freedom rights of individuals. It has entrapped them in cocoons they cannot escape. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, religion has swallowed up culture and tradition. The three have integrated to become one under the umbrella of religion. Islam, the dominant religion in this country acts as the guideline to how individuals should live. It has strict rules that suffocate the freedom of individuals. As of now, Saudi Arabia is one to the countries known to have limited freedom. Religion spells out the freedom that individuals can enjoy. This religion favours men and undermines women. For instance, the Saudi tradition does not allow women and children right to air their opinions in public. Further, women do not drive and can only go to school if their male guardians permit it. Women and men cover their bodies and head completely with women covering the face leaving only the eyes. In fact, the government has set aside a police force that oversees the implementation of these laws. These among other curfews imposed by religion and government suffocate individuals and deny them their freedoms as human beings. The government and religious institutions should flex these stringent rules and be more accommodating of beneficial ideas. They should embrace technology and refrain from relating everything to Islam. Instead, they should seek to blend in with the rest of the world. They can achieve this through giving women equal rights. They should allow women to go to school and engage them in making decisions that affect them. The country should also consider teenagers freedom in the society. In conclusion, Saudi Arabia should implement these and other suggestions provided by the international community in order to experience a positive social revolution. This would transform the country to an open-minded society with integrated individuals. Further, Saudi Arabia stands to gain more in social, economic, political, and cultural spheres if they increase freedom of expression, thought and worship.
The issue of whether to legalize abortion or not remains an emotive one. With improvements in healthcare standards, and with a major breakdown in the social support structures that made it easy for people who had unplanned children to cope, abortions have been on the rise. However, while there can be very strong reasons to allow women to terminate their pregnancies, there are some reasons too that make that option less than ideal. Stotland, a pro-abortionist, states, “The decision to have an abortion is not an easy one and it is not the right decision for every pregnant woman, even in difficult circumstances” (1). Making abortion an option that any woman can consider at will is dangerous. There are real consequences to it that far exceed the reasons presented to carry out an abortion. This paper argues that legalizing abortion is a wrong move that will cause more harm than good. Causes of Abortion Several circumstances make women to procure abortion. Some of them are indeed very moving, such as conception after rape or incest. In other cases, the pregnancy presents a danger to the life of the mother due to preexisting or emergent conditions. Outside of these, there are also cases like teenage pregnancy where conception is a consequence of willful action, or the result of extramarital affairs. In others, the baby is simply a major inconvenience to the social life of a woman such as one who has a demanding job or is struggling through school, or is simply afraid that she will not be able to take good care of the baby because of any number of reasons (Potts, Diggory and Peel 501). These circumstances present some of the conditions that drive women towards the option of abortion. In as much as some of them are very disturbing, legalizing abortion to cover them is simply responding in the wrong way. Below are the reasons for this assertion. Reasons Why Abortion should Remain Outlawed Man Has No Authority over Human Life At a philosophical level, abortion gives man the right to decide who lives and who does not. This is the same argument that many activists who are against the death sentence present. The idea that a man can stand and decide that a fellow man does not deserve to live is the basis of the criminal law on murder. How is it then that a mother should have the legal option to abort her unborn baby? Is this not conferring the power to decide whether someone should live to another human being? People who support the death sentence based on murder argue that if someone has taken the life of another, then they do not deserve to live. Their case is stronger because the murderer is guilty of the gravest offence known to man. However, unborn babies are very innocent and have not done anything to warrant their abortion. Other people made all the decisions leading up to their conception. From a human rights pers
Dating and abuse violence in teens is a hostile adulthood involvement that impacts many people in the US. It can occur through technology, in person, or online. It is an intimate violence category that may involve physical violence, stalking, sexual violence, or psychological aggression. Domestic violence impacts a teen’s well-being, opportunity, and health by imposing negative impacts, including anxiety, depression, unhealthy behaviors, and suicidal thoughts (Storer & Strohl, 2017, pp. 1730-1751). Dating violence is corporate in the US; it happens at any age, but young women are the most affected by dating violence. The cautioning signs of a potentially abusive relationship that a teen should be aware of include extreme jealousy, quick contribution, improbable expectations, hypersensitivity, cruelty, forceful sex, and verbal abuse (Storer & Strohl, 2017). As the brain ages, its volume shrinks, specifically in the anterior cortex. The aging of the vasculature and rising blood pressure increase ischemia and stroke possibilities, and the white matter grows lesions. Memory failure also happens with age, and brain triggering gets more consensual for memory responsibilities. The problems in adulthood associated with the loss of brain cells include dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (Gallaway et al., 2017, p. 22). Alzheimer’s illness alters the memory and thinking skills and, finally, an individual’s ability to perform simple activities. Mostly, Alzheimer’s disease is the famous basis of dementia. Dementia is the lack of cognitive functions such as reasoning, remembering, and thinking. Some of the things individuals can ensure to help maintain cognitive occupations include exercising, having plenty of sleep, taking a good diet, remaining mentally active, and socially involved. Exercise has numerous known paybacks, and it seems that steady physical actions profit the brain. Sleeping assists clear irregular proteins in the brain and merges memories, improving brain health and overall memory (Gallaway et al., 2017).
Antisocial personality disorder (ASP) has been linked to a history of child abuse. The DSM-IV-TR criteria lay out seven symptoms that indicate presence of antisocial personality disorder (APA, 2000). First, an individual will not conform to social norms. As a result of this, such a person is likely to break the law and get arrested. If a parent abuses a child, then the parent is basically breaking the rules. He or she then teaches his child to do the same, and this may develop into ASP. Secondly, the individual tends to be deceitful. He or she may lie severally or may take it to the extreme by conning others off their money. Someone with a history of child abuse may have learnt from his or her parents that self gratification is all that counts. Therefore, if one has to lie in order to achieve what one wants then one will go ahead and do so. Impulsivity is yet another key trait in the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. This kind of person fails to think about the consequences of his or her actions. If a person has a history of child abuse, then he or she may enter adulthood with emotional injuries. Such a person has no strong bonds with others and thus ends up being self absorbed. He will act impulsively as a result of this emotional disconnect. Fourth, the person tends to be highly aggressive and irritable. He or she may get into fights easily and frequently. A patient with a history of child abuse tends to learn violent behavior from the abusive parent. Eventually the person manifests the same negative behavior that had been experienced as a child. Fifth, there could be minimal regard for safety. Exposure to violence as a child may lead one to adopt a very high level of risk tolerance that may manifest as recklessness and disregard for safety (APA, 2004). Sixth, someone with the disorder tends to act irresponsibility. He or she many not honor work obligations and can act inconsistently about such important matters. Child abuse often sends the message that rules are unimportant. A child who is subjected to these emotions may end up carrying forward these sentiments into his or her adult life. Seven, the person may feel no regret for mistreating or hurting other people. One may rationalize social unacceptable behavior at every turn. Child abuse often leads to low emotional attachment between parents and the abused child. In adult life, such an individual will not form emotional attachments with other people and may not empathize with them if he or she hurts them. Borderline personality disorder is associated with a history of abandonment or severe neglect. The Diagnos
Power is important to human beings as it is used for many purposes. All the sources of energy have their own drawbacks even those considered to be safe. For instance, energy sources like hydropower have their limitations although many people consider them to be safe. However, developing nuclear alternative energy sources such as nuclear energy is more dangerous than using the fossil fuels as sources of energy. This essay will discuss the dangers of nuclear sources of energy by focusing on Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and Chernobyl nuclear meltdown. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster resulted from an earthquake that caused nuclear reactors to shut down. After the earthquake struck, action was taken immediately where control rods were fixed at the nuclear plant to stop the nuclear reactions. The external supply of power to the nuclear plant was disrupted by the earthquake. Disruption of power supply was a dangerous occurrence in the nuclear power plant. During the first hour of power disruption, diesel generators reserved for emergency cases were used to supply power. However, the arrival of the tsunami filled the generators with water causing them to stop functioning. Tsunamis had occurred in different areas but the one that hit Fukushima was unexpected. The engineers responded by using the containment structure to store everything. Failure of the diesel generators as a result of flooding forced the engineers to use reactors run by batteries. However, the batteries sustained the reactors for eight
Voting is a method by which a group of people expresses their opinion or their decision followed by debates, discussions or election campaigns. Voting is more commonly known as election when used in representative democracy in which the electorate elects among candidates for office. The electorate elects their representatives in government in political voting. The individual act in voting is called Vote, by which a person expresses his support to a particular resolution or motion, a candidate, or a political party. The person may express his disapproval of a particular policy, candidate or political party by voting against it. There are various types of voting like the plurality voting system in which a voter selects his most preferred candidate using a single vote. In Approval voting, multiple votes can be cast. There are also other types of voting like preferential voting, scored voting, multiple-winner system and others. People select based on their knowledge what policy, policymaker and government are best for them through voting. It is the most important part of a democracy, in which power is with a common man not just with the top leaders, elites or rich because in voting there is no consideration of status, race, sex or other factors. The perception of South Africans in casting votes is different especially the poor citizens. This is due to the belief of people that no political party is truly representative. And this lead to the campaign of “No Land! No House! No Vote!” which could be seen and heard easily in days of the election. Voting is the right of the citizen, hence he should never misuse this authority because the future of the country depends on the elected political party.
The chapter in question tells the story of how global trade has enriched and changed cultures. During the analyzed period, many wealthy rulers and merchants began to demonstrate their power by acquiring exotic works of art. Ideas and books circulated, and cultural exchange was extremely active. People became more tolerant of diversity and more aware of how diverse the world around them was. Ties between different cultures were strengthened because of the continuing strong globalization. European influence had spread so far that the norms and habits of people from the West were beginning to be considered universal and objective (Adelman et al., 2021, p. 597). The key term of the era becomes the Enlightenment, marking a period of triumph of human reason. People begin to think that they can understand the laws of nature and human behavior. The importance of the chapter lies in its multifaceted analysis of the period, taking into account the contribution of each continent. Among the major events, the book describes is how the three great powers formed a group in West and South Asia. The author describes how the rulers of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal dynasties contributed to the cultural development of their countries. The development of China, Japan, the two Americas, the slave states of Africa, and the development of Australia are also narrated. Particular emphasis is placed on how the interaction and mutual influence of different cultures contributed to their overall development. The sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries saw a global cultural renaissance brought on by the growth of new wealth (Adelman et al., 2021, p. 595). There was an increase in the consumption of books, and a greater number of previously unseen monuments were formed (Adelman et al., 2021, p. 595). The world has become highly integrated due to the spread of international trade. However, not all countries were willing to change and only agreed to adapt to the new norms. The Islamic and Chinese worlds generally maintained their identities, but America and Oceania could not resist European cultural pressure. Reference Adelman, J., Pollard, E., & Tignor, R. (2021). Worlds together, worlds apart: A history of the world from the beginnings of humankind to the present. W. W. Norton & Company.