Critical Analysis Of Two Japanese Designers

Critical Analysis Of Two Japanese Designers In the 1960s, Japanese designers came out from an economic and industrial boom. This was the beginning of the first Asian invasion of the fashion world and by the early 1980s, Rew Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamotos names were wildly popular. Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto were the first few Japanese designers that found admiration for Japanese art and idea of modernism through the channels of developing technology, visual imagery and three dimensional figures. They first made a real impression on the fashion world in 1982 with the creation of the Japanese aesthetic. Their entry into the international fashion scene was not only puzzled but was fascinated by many in the fashion industry. This paper will discuss the significance of the designs by Rei Kawakubo and Yojhi Yamamoto on the international fashion catwalks in the nineties with relation to the specific methods of construction and materials they used in their collections. While Kawakubo and Yamamoto have a distinctive point of view on fabric deconstruction, however the two designers share a commonality for creative artistic design collaborations in developing their collections, marketing and image. Evident in Kawakunos designs was the exaggerated and hyperbolic manufactured aesthetics. She collaborated with architecture, Takao Kawasaki, which bought about the designers first Comme des Garcons boutiques (da Cruz, 2004). Kawakubo had a longing to make garments that was an ever changing result of its social cultural environment, showing both the Neo-realism and Futurism in her runway collections and marketing (da Cruz, 2004). Yamamoto on the other hand, was loyal to the Japanese cloth traditions and was famous for his kimono-inspired trench coats and shirts. He had a desire for the pure geometric forms of pure clothing and found ways in integrating modern sportswear constructions into his designs. This technique brings a postmodern street chic feel to his designs and also has the important role of protection and durability. The evolution of fibre technology with the tonal and textual eclecticism gave way to show designers how important their uses of raw materials were in their designs. With the continual movement in fabric and structure of clothing, it directed the concept of drapery in Yamamotos designs and the shrouding, texturing and layering techniques in Kawakunos designs. Seeking to redefine the universal concept of beauty in fashion, Yamamoto demonstrates through the preference for asymmetrical shapes, oversized clothes and models of all ages, challenging the norms of perfection, and body. Most evident was in his refusal to use the traditional forms of feminine glamour and sex appeal through make up, heels, skin baring and fitted clothes. Yamamotos design creations revolutionised the Western fashion for women with its structured figure hugging clothing that sexualised the female body. He also designed garments that wrapped the female body with fabric, ignoring the usual accentuation points and moving the attention to the back. The fashion silhouette and the body/clothing relationship changed from this point onwards. Yamamoto created designs based on breaking down mens clothing to form graceful and stylish womens garments, by playing his garment, he exhibited challenging ideas of how women faced both masculine and feminine sides of being a woman. Many were fascinated in his work of challenging the ambiguity of gender whether this was through the women models in his menswear shows or his refusal to follow the traditional Western definitions of womens wear and menswear. Kawakubo studied fine arts and literature and being untrained as a fashion designer, she communicated her ideas to her patternmakers. She employed the romantic subtleties of historic fashion but yet champions cold synthetic fibres in her finishing designs. The piece that most resembles this tendency was the lace sweaters from the Comme des Garcons fall/ winter 1982-1983 collection. It featured black wool knits distressed with gaping holes to invoke the composition of lace (da Cruz, 2004). She created designs intentionally to create a look that seemed incomplete and had been worn, in order to create something different and extraordinary by resisting to common sense and provide stimulating challenges to the idea of perfection (Kawamura, 2004). The initial reactions of the public look upon with distaste, however over time they grew to admire and astonished with her designs and the look she wanted to create (Baudot, 1999). Kawakubo (in Ayre 1989:11) states that Perfect symmetry is uglyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I always want to destroy symmetry, this was postmodernism applied as its best to fashion. Kawakubo did not apply the traditional clothes- making or fashion design institutions to her work and worked against what was seen as how traditional designers should design. She was one of the first to show designers that the going against the normal processes can also be accepted. Yamamoto often experimented with innovations in technical textiles and new synthetic sand also implemented unconventional natural materials in his designs. According to Yamamoto, I start with the fabric, the actual material, the feel of it. I then move onto the form. Possibly what counts most for me is the feel. And then, when I start working with the material, I think my way into the form it ought to assume. (Vinken) He blurred the boundaries between prà ªt a porter and haute couture fashion (Duncan, 2007). When Yamamoto first started designing clothes, he knew there were two ways. Firstly by working with formal classical shapes, and secondly being casual. Thats what I decided on but I wanted a new kind of casual sportswear that could have the same status as formal clothing (Menkes, 2003). In his 1991 fall/winter collection, a vest and skirt outfit was made entirely of hinged wood slats. This established his dedication to communicating the raw visual distinctions as a designer he w as (da Cruz, 2004). Yamamoto was characterised as hang an anti fashion approach by creating often sculpted asymmetrical, often oversized shapes that are layered and usually black. He was influenced by traditional indigenous Japanese clothing and by historical Western uniforms and industrial work wear. In other words clothes that is functional. His original look was based on his desire to give the kimono a new shape and energy (Duncan, 2007). Paris had a strict couture tradition and bourgeois heritage and was shaken by the vision of Kawakubos work- it was regarded as minimal and nihilistic. In contrast with the opulent gowns, tailored suits and gentle colours of designers like Dior, Kawakubos collection consisted of trousers with sweater cuffs around the ankles, tunics that transformed into shawls, oversized overcoats and shapeless knitwear constructed with holes. She regarded the conventions of fashion as a necessary evil. Kawakubo had an obscure approach to clothing construction echoing the concept of a visual artist more than a fashion designer. She often attempted to translate art styles into clothing- minimalism, abstraction, postmodernism and deconstruction. Kawakubo was praised and criticized for pushing the fashion boundaries forward. Also famous for simple, functional elegance but yet sexy, Yamamotos early garments relied solely on the irregular details like uneven hems and collars, hems with zips, cut outs, pockets or flaps. The label inside stated: There is nothing as boring as a neat and tidy look (Mitchell, 2005). Creating designs that would disagree from the traditional Japanese design philosophy that values the asymmetry and irregularities of nature. Yamamoto believes perfection is ugly, and symmetry not sufficiently human and desires for the scars, failure, disorder, distortion in people to come out and be shown (Duncan, 2007). In the late eighties, his designs evolved into a more structured and fitted silhouette outstanding for their cut, craftsmanship and material originality. From the nineties onwards, his collection displayed a more Westernised fashion aesthetic and showed his ongoing romantic references to historical French couture styles from the Belle Epoque bustle to classic fifties Dior (Duncan, 2 007). During the time where French couturiers ruled the fashion world, black was not considered a colour for day wear; Yamamoto and Kawakubo challenged this norm. Yamamotos designs were consistently monochromatic with emphasis on black. The occasional off white, red, purple, brown and dark blue would make an appearance through his collections but black were usually his preference for his creations. He favoured black because he described black as modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy- but mysterious. It means that many things go together, yet it takes different aspects in many fabrics. You need to have a silhouette. Black can swallow light or make things look sharp. But above all black says this: I dont bother you- dont bother me.'(Duncan, 2007) Like Yamamoto, Kawakubo was also famous for the love of black. She was famous for designing in many shades of black rather than black alone. Her autumn 1988 collection was burst with colour, declaring Red is Black (Quinn, 2002). She has continued to move away from black fabric and stated that its popularity among other designers has diminished its power. Black is no longer strong and has become harder to use, Kawakubo said in an interview with Susannah Frankel (Quinn, 2002). Designers in the 1980s, sought engagement with everyday life, and found inspiration in people the real world. Likewise, Yamamoto also sought a distinct relationship with women who wore his clothes. By looking at the pre-modern consumer, he envisions people dressing for their role in society. Parallels are seen in his desire to make costumes for working women, and how his clothing looked like they have been lived in, as though it had a passion for the past and the hatred for what was new. Both designers broke clothing rules, against the custom 1980s haute couture opulence, traditional ideas of beauty and gender. Yamamotos talent allowed him to construct shapes and forms that naturally adjust with a womans contours and movement. His garments showed Yamamotos commitment to creating fresh and new silhouettes through his sculptural cross-examination of shape and material. This mean his clothes were easy and comfortable to wear. Yamamoto believed the essence of a woman is in her joints (Yamamoto). He tested his boundaries of designs by using his techniques of cutting and cut outs which puts him in par with modern couturiers like Pierre Cardin. His creations were rarely cut close to the figure and this was as fundamental component of Yamamotos designs. Yamamotos design philosophy was there should always be some interaction between the body, the wearer and the essential spirit of the designer. His focus was always on the shape of a feminine body when designing and believed, by looking at the clothes someone is wearing, you are able to get an idea of the personality of a person (Duncan, 2007). Kawakubos talent is working with both deconstructed and reconstructed the vernacular of Western tailoring. In contrast with Yamamotos passions for producing functional clothing, Kawakubo deconstructs clothing by disregarding its function. One of the most famous was a dress that had no openings, making it possible to put on. But Kawakubo insisted it could be worn and was offended when told it could only be used as an apron. She focused on using jacket lapels to design halter neck jackets and scarves. Her mens suits consisted of cropped trousers with double- breasted sports jackets with shawl collars and bleached classic checked fabrics. She challenged the concept of fashion having to be beautiful by slashing and shredding her silhouettes while other designers were cutting and draping theirs. Her habit continued onto adding more than two sleeves to a shirt and turning shapes upside down or inside out, baffled the fashion world but turned her into a pioneer of her stream. Many of her cl othes are also designed to be worn in a variety of unconventional ways. This pushes the boundaries between occasion- specific wear and everyday wear to end (Quinn, 2002). Yamamotos gift was combining traditional Japanese garments, with the use of both the kimono and the obi combined with Modern Western Fashion everyday wear clothing. By creating classical garments which were both sensual and appealing. In his spring /summer 1993 collection, he experimented with new fabrics using the Thai and African fabrics. His designs always stressed the importance of raw materials, enabling him to learn and discover different tones and textures in his work. While he often engaged in working with new fabrics, Yamamoto also used natural fabrics like linen and Herringbone woollen fabrics. While he often said oriental fabric was boring and dull, In Yamamoto 1995 Spring/ Summer Collection he was able to counter this by creating a kimono from exotic flowing gowns inspired by the Japanese art of dying fabric. Through the commonly shared ideas and presence of Yamamoto and Kawakubo on the international catwalks, at first appeared to shake the foundations of the established fashion capitals but in reality have reinforced the supremacy of fashion. Participating in the international fashion catwalks earned them the social, economic and symbolic capital that enabled them to differentiate themselves among other Japanese designers. Kawakubo and Yamamoto have continually put forth their ideas which, in turn significantly contributed and boosted the rise of Japans fashion industry by communicating its visual and artistic designs to the fashion world. Despite their provocative collections, they have revolutionised the industry and paved a way for Japans influence on fashion, easing the path for younger Japanese designers and to a larger extent to the acceptance to Asian designers, in a world previously closed off to them. In respective to the collections, both designers have linked their differing i deas from Western fashion, with the use of Japans rich visual heritage as a foundation for aesthetic, social and political collection of cultures around the world. Kawakubo and Yamamoto runway designs strive towards theatricality, luxury visual and organic movement (da Cruz, 2004). Black is now a palette for day and night wear and both designers have become the leaders of the avant-garde. Today, the dark silhouettes in distressed fabrics common in both designers are worn by women all over the world. Over the past 30 years, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto have proven to the international fashion world with their revolutionary work, proving that Asian designers could be inspiration to others. Cotton dress, Rei Kawakubo Comme des Garà §ons, Autumn/ Winter 1984. Kyoto Costume Institute collection. Photo by Takashi Hatekeyama, courtesy KCI. Felt dress, Yohji Yamamoto, Autumn/Winter 1996. Kyoto Costume Institute collection. Photo by Takashi Hatekeyama, courtesy KCI

Communication Problems Between Teenagers And Adults Essay

From the beginning of time teenagers and adults have always had conflicts with each other. These conflicts occur most of the time because of the lack of communication between the teenager and the adult. The generation gap between the teenager and the adult can play a role in the problems they have communicating. The superior adult has the instinct that whatever the inferior teenager does can lead to bad things, and lectures the teenager about it. Most of the time teenagers have many other sources of advice they can listen to, and it seems that the adult can become the last resort or not a resort at all. The generation gap, the feeling of being inferior and superior, and the other sources of advice can play a big part in the problems teenagers and adults have communicating. Both parties have an equal role in communicating with each other. But the choice comes down to the two willing to take that particular role. The generation gap between teenagers and adults plays a huge part in why they have problems communicating with each other. The adult who had a very different lifestyle and childhood then that of a teenager may have a different view on life. Things unheard of years ago to the adults can now have rational reasoning through the advance of technology. For a teenager to talk to an adult, on a subject that the adult has no idea on can almost become impossible. Still living in the last decade, adults may not correspond with the thinking of today’s youthful teenagers. The age difference between the teenager and the adult plays a huge role in the game of communicating between the two. The superior adult has always had the impulse to contradict the ideas of the inferior teenager, and lecture the teenager on the teenager’s wrongful ways. The more mature adult thinks that he or she has more knowledge than the younger teenager and sees that the teenager may benefit from the lecture. This gives a feeling of uneasiness in the teenager and makes them very irritable. Many verbal conflicts have aroused after the adult has given his or her point of view in the lecture. The adult often times makes the teenager feel inferior to him or her in the lectures. The teenager feeling inferior, who has a lot on his mind, may not express what he or she really  feels to the adult. This state of feeling inferior and superior between the teenager and adult does not help solve the problems they have communicating. Teenagers talk to so many friends about things they have in common with, it makes talking to an adult like taking to a person on the other side of the planet. Teenagers have so many other options on expressing what they think, that it seems very difficult talking to an adult. The teenager could always first go to a close friend of theirs if they had something on their mind. Teenagers going to adults for help can lead to more problems because the two may not agree on the same thing. This example goes the same way with an adult. If an adult has something on his or her mind and has to express it some way, he or she will go to another adult who would have the same ideas on it. The lack of respect they have for one another can explain the problems they have in communication. Problems and conflicts occur all the time among teenagers and adults. The hurdle of communication can sometimes become the hardest obstacle teenagers and adults have to overcome. The trouble of the two communicating can lead to a very tough relationship or lead to no relationship at all between the two. The two must try to have better communication with one another if they want to improve the relationship between them. The leading responsibility for this problem can have something to do with the generation gap of the two, the feeling of inferior and superior, and the abundant sources of advice. One person cannot fight the communication battle alone. With the help of both sides this war on communication can lead to a victory for both teenagers and adults.

Controlled? Assessment: Touching the Void

I was freezing, even my precious finger had gone numb. On lay The Lord knew what I could have done, not me unfortunately. I didn't do anything; just hung there o n that one rope†¦ For was officially stuck. This was like being in the cold burning of hell, as my leg w as starting to get to me. In my mind, I was thinking of Simon. How was he getting on? What was he DOI nag? Decided to give him a shout ‘Simon!! ‘ cry but the strong blows of the wind cancelled out my calls and he d isn't reply. Fearfully looking down, I spotted the crevasse, the hole of darkness.The crave SSE was waiting to eat me; the sparkling ice in the crevasse watching me. I knew for a fact if dropped d I would be dead. So I waited to die. I waited†¦ And waiting†¦ Whoosh! The sound made when found myself falling 200 MPH. Was falling a s fast as an avalanche. The â€Å"shocked† look appeared on my face as I was falling into the b eely of the crevasse. I was the avalanche. My back crac ked the teeth of the crevasse and I continued to fall. The inbreeding fall. Suddenly, I landed on some sort of sloped area. I was trying to stop myself fall inning any lower.This was the point when I noticed I was still alive. I was laughing with happen as, and joy filled my heart, because I was highly relieved to be alive. When I finally stopped laughing g, found myself shaking . Worried, kick to my right. Gasp. I looked, looked away and slowly 10 eked back again, only to see that I was sitting right next to a deeper hole. A hole that resembled the path to out of the world. ‘If had fallen to the right†¦ Only by a bit, I would have ended up as this crevasse see's faces,' say to myself with a smile, relieved that I hadn't .The darkness was scaring me. I hat De the fact that I had to stay there as I had no idea what would happen next. I sat there like an unique cited avalanche, waiting to erupt. Then inspected my leg. Actually seeing how bent and useless it was. After a few seconds of complete utter silence, I erupted. I was screaming, shoo outing, swearing you name it. That lasted for about five minutes before I stayed silent, again. I wished I could have just died as I fell. That way, I wouldn't have had to go through that eternal adamant Ion.The deeper crevasse I was in was full of slippery ice, the ice that made it really radar for me to stand up on my two feet (well one foot be precise). After a few attempts, I s successfully got up. Satisfied that was able to stand up, I checked myself out, see if I was able to stop any bruises and how deep they were. This was the point when noticed that I still had the rope tied around me. If it was tied around me, it was definitely tied around Simon as well. Using my cleverly thou get process I believed that if I pulled the rope, it'll tighten on Simony's body as he would have fell and gotten stuck.

Mistrys First Person Narrative Indian Nationalism...

Rohinton Mistry’s (38) first person autobiographical narrative of his trip to the Himalayan city of Dharmsala is on the surface a quaint, visual, biographical account of a journey to an Indian town that helps the author come full circle: His childhood visions of the city he dreamt of visiting and its reality as he sees it in adulthood are different in many ways, yet his childhood and adulthood converged in serene moment that epitomizes Mistry’s glorification of his native India: â€Å"To have made this journey, I felt, was to have described a circle of my own. And this understanding increased the serenity of the moment† (51). However, a rhetorical analysis of the speaker in the essay, which as mentioned is a first person autobiographical narrative lead us to an agenda that is hidden below the surface: Indian nationalism and pride. This is not to insinuate that the author has some hidden, malevolent agenda to thrust Indian nationalism upon the reader. Rather, the tools of rhetorical analysis reveal the subtle undertones of the essay in a manner that perhaps even the author is not full conscious of. Rhetorical analysis depends on part in gauging what effect a text has on its intended audience (Leach 218). Thus, the strength of rhetorical analysis lies in the textual evidence that is presented as proof of an analytical claim and that is what is attempted throughout this analysis. The essay starts off with an account of the Dalai Lama and how he found political refuge in India.

Analysis of Nikes Air Max Shoes Example

Essays on Analysis of Nikes Air Max Shoes Book Report/Review ï » ¿NIKE Air-Max Customer Traits: For a successful and experienced business like Nike, maintaining customer loyalty through clearly understanding the customer is the key. This is done through having a clear understanding of consumer ´s geo-demographics, psychographics and other personality traits. In a business where Nike faces direct competition from brands like like Adidas, Puma, Reebok and indirect competition from other shoe wear like Converse, Sketchers, Timberland etc, differentiation strategy is very important. Nike has been successfully maintaining its differentiation strategy with help of Brand Ambassadors, massive campaigning, and producing differentiated products like Nike Air Max Shoes. Nike ´s Air Max Shoes possess a highly competitive advantage due to its differentiation strategy in bringing in a new air technology that provides comfort, long term satisfaction along with durability in brand (Berthon et al, 2011). A clear customer profiling and segmentation for Nike Air Max is described below: Customer Segment: The idea behind Nike Air Max was to create comfortable shoes for athletes for sporting and casual users casual wear purpose. If we go along with the tag line of  ´Just Do It ´, it refers to all those people who have a drive and motivation to excel in life, be it sports, and be it other aspects. But since sports is considered to be a true demonstration of one ´s skills, abilities and passion, the excellence aspect in Nike Air Max Shoes it shown by athletes (Goldmen Pepson, 1998). Target Market: Target market is explained on the basis of geo-demographics (geographics and demographics), psychographics and brand positioning: Geographic Segmentation: Nike Air Max, like all other Nike assortments is a global brand therefor there is no geographic boundary. With the help of franchises, company-owned outlets, exports and online sales, Nike Air Max is available worldwide to its broad target market. Demographic Segmentation: Age: The age segment include young people, mainly including teens and youth. However, the purpose and spirit of Nike as a brand is for the people who are young at heart and have a passion to excel, the demographics in terms of age can be extended to 18 till 40 years (Rubini, 2010). Sex: The market for Air Max includes both Males and Females. Income Level: Nike, as compared to other snicker brands and shoes, is an expensive brand, therefore the income levels for targeted customers include middle-upper to upper-upper class. Psychographic Segmentation: The psychographics determine the consumer inner, intrinsic nature and personality which is external factors and situations and here in particular, with purchasing. Some factors that apply in this case are: Lifestyle: In terms of Nike Air Max, the consumer psychology is the need to stay comfortable and enjoy the experience, be it in sports or any other field. Therefore for Nike, it is critical that it targets the customer need of satisfaction and comfort during their experience to excel in any aspect of life. Personality: As discussed, Nike Air Max is a brand for people young at heart and full of spirit, therefore it aims at creating such image by advertising celebrities like Rafal Nadal, Christiano Ronaldo, Ashley Cole and Mario Balotelli. Considering Maslow ´s hierarchy of needs with respect to personality, the target market of Nike Air Max falls in the category of  ´Self Esteem ´ needs and  ´Self-actualization ´ needs. It is when people want to be associated with Nike, due to its brand name and high class product assortments, they also want to self-actualize by aiming to reach the zenith by excelling in their field (Fortin Uncles, 2011). Positioning Positioning defines the perception of brand into the minds of consumers. Therefore even though different marketing, branding aspects work on the background, the similar positioning is formed into the minds of consumers. On technical grounds, the positioning of Nike Air Max is based on the unique technology of storing air pockets into the shoes in order to give more comfort to the users (Neale Fullerton, 2010). This translates into the minds of consumers as unique, techy shoes that give style, separates from others along with giving comfort and ease. Nike Air Max has been successful at maintaining this positioning into the minds of consumers as they consider the brand as different and sporty as compared to any other brand from direct competitors like Adidas and Reebok and they treat Air Max exclusively. References: Berthon, P. Campbell, C. Pitt, L Ian, M. (2011). Creative consumers: awareness, attitude and action. Journal of Consumer Marketing [internet], 28 (7). Pp, 500-507. Available from: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17003528show=abstract [Accessed 08 May, 2013] Fortin, D. Uncles, M. (2011). The first decade: emerging issues of twenty first century in consumer marketing. Journal of Consumer Marketing [internet], 28(7). Pp. 472-475. Available from: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17003574show=abstract [Accessed 08 May, 2013] Goldman, R. Pepson, S. (1998). Nike Culture: The sign of Swoosh (Cultural Icons Series). London. SAGE Publications Neale, L. Fullerton, S. (2010). The international search for ethics norms: which consumer behaviours do consumers consider un(acceptable). Journal of Services Marketing [internet], 24(6). Pp, 476-486. Available from: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/case_studies.htm/journals.htm?articleid=1886201show=htmlWT.mc_id=alsoread [Accessed 08 May, 2013] Rubini, A. (2010). The role of brand in consumer behaviour: A case study of how sneakers have turned into status symbol. Savonia University of Applied Sciences (internet). Available from: http://theseus17-kk.lib.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/16097/Rubini_Andrea.pdf?sequence=1 [Accessed 08 May, 2013]

Chinas High Dependence On Child Labor - 1677 Words

Child labor is a commonplace in China. Most of the children in China, families work income is dependent on their family’s survival. Child labor is a major issue throughout the global economy, especially in developing countries like China. Although, China has anti-child labor laws, many children in China are forced to work against their will. China is the home of many poor families and some of these families force their children to work because of their struggle with poverty and their lack of income. China’s urban poverty is mainly related to the living conditions of migrant laborers (Huang, 2012, p. 36). Many children start work at twelve years of age and younger and do not get the opportunity to finish school. These children have to work†¦show more content†¦Having these young children working instead of being in school becoming educated, hinders China’s future development. Attendance at many China schools are declining, since children start to work in fields and factories at a younger age each year. Many children lie about their age or falsify their birth certificates to be able to work in factories with no overtime pay and late night shifts. There are many reasons children begin work at such a young age in China, but one reason these children are taking part in the work force at a young age is because they can’t afford the school cost. Some social implications are the family’s financial standing, the Chinese cultural beliefs, and the lack of government actions. Child labor in China is a major problem that has existed for many years, but it still has not been acted on completely. Even with the many child labor laws, the Chinese government has not yet buckled down on child labor. Although collective bargaining is allowed under the current labor law, an independent union movement capable of negotiating workers’ interests claims does not yet exist in China (Oakley, 2002, p. 70). The Chinese government seems to have a soft enforcement when it comes to child labor. Child labor has been banned largely and has become very limited, however lately it has emerged again in a few factories that manufacture electronic products. To hire a child

The Ethics of Cognitive Enhancement free essay sample

Achievement is valued highly in our society. Coaches want their players to give 110 percent, professors encourage their students to study harder, and parents want to see their children become the best person they can be. Not only do we want to keep up with the Joneses, we want to surpass them. In the pursuit of excellence, some people will take drugs as an enhancement for their cognitive abilities. What makes this path to excellence ethically questionable? There are two large issues to using cognitive enhancements: fairness and the pressure to use them. While there may be nothing intrinsically wrong with using cognitive enhancers, the use of these drugs will likely have major side-effects on society which need to be taken into consideration. Cognitive enhancements have been proven to increase mental capacity in healthy people. This gives them an advantage over their peers who are not using these drugs. This will apply pressure on normal people to use enhancements in order to gain this advantage. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethics of Cognitive Enhancement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If nobody in a workplace is using enhancements, the temptation to start using them will exist to gain an edge. If everyone in a workplace is using enhancements, then those coming into that workplace would also need to use them in order to be competitive. If cognitive enhancements were made legal for all people, the use would become very widespread and some companies may even make it mandatory to increase productivity. There would probably not be an issue with most people using cognitive enhancements if they came with no side effects and it was the cultural norm. One of the concerns that come up with using these drugs is the availability factor. Unless cognitive enhancements are available to everyone, they should not be legalized. If enhancements are expensive, this will give the wealthy population another advantage over the poor. Wealthy students already have an advantage in being able to afford tutors, attend private schools, go to college, etc. Leon Kass speaks of this unfair advantage in his article and says that it is especially unfair by participants in competitive activities such as school and work. The division between the wealthy and the poor communities would become even larger with cognitive enhancements. Anyone that did not use them may be seen as a lower class in the social order. Students seem to be getting lazier as the years go on which presents a huge problem for society. I understand that technology has made things easier for people to do things, which some people argue is the reason why people are considered â€Å"lazier†. For example, if you want to know how fast a cheetah could run, you can find it instantly by going to Google and typing it in. Twenty years ago, you would have to go to the library, find a book or encyclopedia, and look it up to find this information. Yet, I do not think that technology is the problem here. There is much more to education than just learning facts. Students who are more than capable of learning without medication are too lazy to put in the time and effort, which is a huge concern. If they could take a pill and learn with less effort, this would further increase laziness in our society. If cognitive enhancement drugs became widespread, students would no longer see the value that they obtain from education and working hard for something. Healthy people who are using cognitive enhancements for improved performance are seeking an unfair advantage over those students who are honest. An honest student who works hard and does what is viewed as â€Å"the right way to do things† would not be rewarded for his effort. If stimulants were provided to those without disorders, the standard for what is considered â€Å"normal† performance would rise. This, which Carl Elliot calls the problem of â€Å"relative ends†, would lead to many hard-working, honest people not being considered normal anymore. Performance enhancers, such as steroids or human growth hormone, make sports less entertaining for everyone. An athlete that uses enhancers that are illegal for normal people gains an unfair advantage over the other athletes who do not use enhancers. The respect is lost for the athlete who cheats by using enhancers. Was it Barry Bonds who hit 762 homeruns over his career or was it the steroids? Should we admire someone who finds a way to increase performance in a way that is condemned by most people? I know I wouldnt be as proud of an achievement if it was drug enhanced. I would see myself as a cheater and wonder if my success was because of the drug and not me. It seems as if an athlete on performance enhancing drugs goes from being well-liked and a role model to being despised by most once they are caught using the drug. If they are never caught or nobody knows about their use of enhancers, all is well for the athlete, the sport, and the fans. Other athletes do not want to see their competitors using this unfair advantage because it makes them look inferior comparatively. Sports fans also do not want to see someone succeed that cheats by using enhancers. They want to see someone who works hard and earns what they are trying to accomplish. Enhancement drugs in sports should be discouraged by everyone. However, I see enhancements in sports as less of a problem to society than enhancements for the brain. This is because there is less of an impact on society for the use of enhancement drugs in sports than there would be with mind enhancing drugs. Enhancing drugs would not only change society, but it would change how we think, who we are and who we become as an individual. Would we really be happy if our success depended on taking drugs? Will we even know who we are? Our strengths and weaknesses help make us become the person we are. Artificially enhancing the way a person thinks and learns will change who they are. With the drug, they may not have learned to study correctly, to work hard, to focus, or to persevere through tough times. By popping a pill they are not given the opportunity to become a better person and learn these virtues. It is one thing to try hard and do your best, but it is quite another to have to use a drug to be your best. The drug enhanced you is different from the real you. Imagine if everyone did this. One area where I think cognitive enhancements should be encouraged is in the military, especially during critical situations like war. Alertness is necessary at all times during war and these drugs can help achieve this. This is a situation where human’s lives are on the line and troops rely on one another to stay alive. They often times have no control over their environment and work with little sleep and a high degree of stress. It’s not necessarily about improving a soldier’s performance, but maintaining a level that the individual would not be able to maintain if it were not for the drug. Normal people that are not in the military and use cognitive enhancements do not need cognitive enhancements to stay alive, whereas those in the military sometimes do. In conclusion, the use of cognitive enhancements is wrong because it provides the people that are using the drugs with an unfair advantage, widens the gap between the wealthy and the poor, and fails to recognize the importance of effort in society. It is selfish for normal people to use a drug that was made to aid individuals who have a disability and use it to enhance themselves. Competition is a huge part of society and encouraging the use of cognitive enhancements would lead to chaos and the loss of human dignity.