The Book Outliers The Story Of Success By Joe Flom

The story of Joe Flom incorporates many aspects of the first half of the book Outliers The Story of Success. Malcolm Gladwell uses comparisons of other families with similarities of Flom’s story to demonstrate why he is successful. The story of Flom not only has what the previous chapters present but also some new concepts. At the beginning of the chapter Gladwell tells the reader about Flom’s success and then jumps backwards to explain how it occurred. He also explains why some people thrive while others do not such as lacking a certain skill or background. The first lesson of this chapter is the importance of culture. Gladwell tells the story of one of Flom’s classmates, Alexander Bickel. Doing this shows a meaningful connection between everyone that was a Jewish immigrant and just of a single person. This is shown by both stories being similar in the protagonist, apart from the end result, and the denial of a first rate law firm. Therefore it is seen as an imp ediment, but it is a â€Å"golden opportunity† (124). Because Flom was forced to start his own firm or join a second rate one, he chose to join an up and coming new firm which he then elevates to the top. This leap to the top happened because he was part of a newer firm. Gladwell writes about this portion as a barrier for Flom intended to have the reader feel sorry for Flom. However, Gladwell swings it around and states that thanks (original emphasis) to this Flom’s proxy fight, an overtaking or litigation for companies,Show MoreRelatedOutliers, By Malcolm Gladwell1739 Words   |  7 PagesHow Does Success Happen There are many perplexities associated with the reasons why particular notable events occur and why certain people achieve success while many others fail. In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers, the reasons for these unusual happenings are explained as he argues that many of the factors ignored by most people actually matter. Throughout the book, Malcolm Gladwell insisted that overlooked factors such as heritage, birthdate, culture, and time period are important in understandingRead MoreMy Analytical Intelligence Has Changed My Future Through College Acceptances And College Performance2367 Words   |  10 PagesSelf of Ruminations Essay Advantages I have advantages in my life that help me to climb the ladder to success. They have shaped me into who I am today. My advantages have blessed me abundantly. They have opened me to many opportunities and have granted me with great academic achievement. A big advantage of mine is my analytical intelligence. Analytical intelligence is the ability to solve and perform academic tasks. My analytical intelligence has allowed me to perform so well academically. It has

So Much Emotion from the Music of Hip-Hop - 703 Words

Rhetorical Analysis Hip-hop. How is it that uttering of two almost identical words can generate so much emotion, so much conversation, and so much controversy? People have been using music in a multitude of forms to document and share their experiences; in this respect hip-hop is no different. James McBride offers an intriguing proposal for our consideration: regardless of how we feel about hip-hop, it is here to stay because it has become a part of our global culture and represents a restless generation unsatisfied with the current state of almost anything its rebellious its different and most importantly NEW! Drawing upon his dual credentials of journalist and musician, McBride weaves together a diverse range of rhetorical strategies to compose and convey this message, using a writing style that acts as a metaphor for the music itself. In the opening paragraphs, McBride successfully establishes his credibility by sharing first a scenario and then an anecdote. He begins with an ext remely personal futuristic nightmare of his daughter bringing home the stereotypical rapper â€Å"with a mouthful of gold teeth, a do-rag on his head, muscles popping out of his arms, and a thug attitude† (1), The worst part is that â€Å"before you know it, I’m hearing the pitter- pater of little feet, their offspring, cascading through my living room, cascading through my life, and drowning me with the sound of my own hypocrisy† (1). He then connects this nightmare to his own reality, a past thatShow MoreRelatedThe Violence And Police Brutality Essay932 Words   |  4 Pages I grew up in an urban environment and many times were faced with much adversity. I’ve seen depression, drug addiction, violence and police brutality. There are many past events that I’ll never forget so whenever I see or hear certain things I get emotional. The reason for getting emotional is because the connection to the past. According to â€Å"Black Rage in New Orlea ns† as â€Å"African Americans grew in the nation’s cities, it did not take long for white officers to develop an â€Å"us versus them†Read MoreSimilarities Between Hip Hop And Pop Music1117 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween hip hop music and pop music. It has brought a bountiful amount of collaborations and music that makes individuals want to dance and have a great time. Many times there is a negative connection between the musical styles. For example, there is also a lot of disdain between artists, many times about whether their respective genre is what they consider â€Å"real† music. Pop music has been defined as â€Å"a body of music which is distinguishable from popular jazz, rock and folk music.† Hip Hop music hasRead MoreHip-Hop’s Beneficial Influences on Teens1081 Words   |  5 PagesHip-Hop’s Beneficial Influences Hip Hop is a genre of music that was born around 70’s. This type of music doesn’t really involve singing but words that are spoken. Hip Hop is in a poetic form with simple phrases and it usually has end rhyme. The music genre known as Hip-Hop produces positive effects on teenagers of this generation. Hip Hop is this great form of music that is very much poetic and almost hypnotizing. It uses old classics of music that people already love and throws funky loopedRead MoreEssay about Analysis of Hip-Hop Dance and Reasons for Its Popularity999 Words   |  4 PagesHip-hop dance is a popular and energetic dance genre, usually accompanied by hip-hop music. It has enjoyed popularity among young people all over the world. I have been interested in hip-hop music and dance for a long time. I can show my love for life and exercise my body by practicing hip-hop dance. Young people like hip-hop dance because they can invent their own moves. It offers young people a new way to express their own personalities and emotion. Hip-hop dance also shows that they feel goodRead MoreAnalysis Of The Song Expression By Salt N Pepa862 Words   |  4 Pagesmusicians used their music as a platform to express the struggles that their community experienced daily during the 1980’s and 90’s. It allowed them to represent their anger or sorrow without acting out violently while also spreading awareness to the listeners about their stories, ideas, struggles, deep emotions, and the messages behind their songs. Lyrics to songs can bring a lot of meaning to a person or society. Music is an art and showcases an individual’s spirit. Hip hop music has brought many messagesRead MoreThe Misrepresentation of Hip-Hop Essay1584 Words   |  7 Pagesfor being one for not only being one of the best rappers in hip-hop but also having a successful career in and outside of hip-hop. Recently he has been protesting some of the newer hip-hop. His songs â€Å"D.O.A† (Death Of Auto-Tune) â€Å"Run This Town† he takes a rebel approach to all of the recent fads in hip-hop. Even though, the fads were embraced by pop culture, Jay-Z saw them as stale and unprogressive. In â€Å"D.O.A.† he talks about hip-hop becoming ringtone rap and has lost its edge. â€Å"This is a ntiRead MoreTupac Shakur: a Hip Hop Inspiration1236 Words   |  5 PagesTupac Shakur: A Hip-Hop Inspiration Music is a cultural journal that expresses the realities and emotions of life in a poetic way. For the African American culture, music has always been a statement for many controversial topics such as racism, religion, politics, education, crime, and violence. In the 1990’s, Hip-Hop became the newest cultural and artistic voice for the African American population. Genres such as jazz, blues, rock-n-roll, and gospel that once dominated the musical cultureRead MoreHip Hop Is A Genre Of Music1192 Words   |  5 PagesMusic has always been one of the ways that people use to express the connection between their feelings and the outside world with melody, rhythm and sound. There are different genres and many kinds of music from different places and different nationality. Hip hop is a cultural movement that emerged in the 1970s in the United States among Latin Americans, Jamaicans and African American that aimed to protest the social conflicts and violence suffered by the lower cl asses of urban society. Hip HopRead MoreRoots of Hip Hop968 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Ã‚   â€Å"The Roots and Stylistic Foundations of the Rap Music and Tradition†    Hip-Hop as well as many other artistic cultural forms we practice today can be related back to African culture and various traditions. Author of  The Roots and Stylistic Foundations of the Rap Music and Tradition,  Cheryl Keyes, discuss’ the spirit, style, tradition, emotions, culture and the delivery of music. Keyes says that many of these practices can be traced back to the West Afrikan Bardic Tradition in particular. WhenRead MoreThe Manifesto For A New Generation1439 Words   |  6 PagesHugo stated, â€Å"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.† This quote encapsulates the idea of how music can be more than just sounds. It states what music is too many on a deeper level than that. Music is not only something that we listen to and our brains let off dopamine; music in some musicians cases, is a struggle for freedom or even the struggle for a better future. Music is the manifesto for a new generation. Music is lo ve, emotion, happiness, sadness

Untitled Essay Research Paper Regulation of guns free essay sample

Untitled Essay, Research Paper Regulation of guns is a necessary action that needs to be taken in order to salvage lives. A good definition of gun control is needed to understand the sides and issues. Gun control is an attempt to halt the rise in violent offense by beef uping Torahs on the ownership of pieces. Persons in the group against gun control believe that gun control is incorrect, and that it is a misdemeanor of constitutional rights. Those in favour of gun control believe that gun control is good, that the Second Amendment does non use to regular citizens, and that guns should be taken out of the custodies of felons. There are several major anti-gun control groups. These groups include the National Rifle Association ( NRA ) , and the Gun Owners of America ( GOA ) . The NRA is a national group dedicated to the upholding of the Second amendment of the Constitution ( See Appendix ) . We will write a custom essay sample on Untitled Essay Research Paper Regulation of guns or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In their magazines, American Hunter and American Rifleman, they say # 8220 ; The NRA, . . . believes that every observant citizen is entitled to the ownership and legal usage of pieces, . . . # 8221 ; The NRA does many things to assist expose their beliefs and persuade others to their beliefs. This association besides has a strong pull on statute law, because it has many lobbyists and protagonists in authorities. This group has many members in Congress, and former presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan are NRA members. The NRA anterooms for several types of statute law. For illustration, the NRA is presently tryingto revoke the prohibition on assault arms. A batch of money is spent each twelvemonth on statute law ( See Appendix for figures ) . The Gun Owners of America is another group that is against gun control. The GOA conserves and defends the rights of gun proprietors through statute law. They publish books, articles, and pictures on gun issues and how those issues affect people. They besides conduct seminars for the imperativeness and Congress about issues on the Second Amendment, and gun issues. The GOA opposes bans on semiautomatic arms, armour piercing ammo, and pistols. There are besides many groups that are pro gun control in the United States. The major group for gun control is Handgun Control, Inc. ( HCI ) , which is headed by Sarah Brady. Mrs. Brady is the married woman of James Brady, who was shooting during an effort on president Reagan # 8217 ; s life in 1981. Another major group is the Alliance to Stop Gun Violence ( CSGV ) , which was once known as the National Coalition to Ban Handguns. The CSGV believes that pistols should be outlawed wholly, with a few exclusions, such as the armed forces, constabularies and sportswomans who keep their guns locked up together in a gun nine. Some achievements of HCI are Torahs forbiding the interstate sale of pistols, and Torahs forbiding the sale of # 8220 ; assault weapons. # 8221 ; The chief end of this organisation was to go through the Brady Bill. Some of its other ends are to censor multiple gross revenues of pistols, to make gun-free zones around all of the schools, and to set up control over who can fabricate and sell arms. HCI is working really hard to accomplish these ends. The CSGV is dedicated to the entire remotion of guns from the custodies of citizens, with a few exclusions. The CSGV is seeking really hard to set gun censoring statute law in the jurisprudence. They believe that if there are fewer guns out on the streets, so there will be fewer gun offenses committed. The anti-gun control people believe in several major thoughts. They believe that the 2nd amendment rights apply merely to militia, which they define as a group such as the National Guard and non regular citizens. These people besides believe that by commanding Numberss of guns on the streets gun force can be reduced. The national authorities making working with the issue of gun control. There have been several measures passed in the last 10 old ages that hold to make with gun control. First, there was the Gun Control Act of 1986, which banned all fully-automatic arms from the custodies of citizens. Then in 1988 there was the Brady Bill, which made a weeklong waiting period mandatary for all pistol intents, this jurisprudence passed the House of Representatives in 1991, but portion of it was ruled unconstitutional in 1994. Most late there was the prohibition on assault arms, which bans the sale and industry of what the authorities considers assault arms. Both the NRA and HCI have fought really hard against one another to go through some measures, and to maintain some measures from going jurisprudence. gt ; Both sides of this statement present really strong instances. They have many facts and statistics to utilize as arms ( see Appendix for information of both sides ) . The stronger instance being presented by the pro-gun control groups. The NRA has several good points, but HCI has points that are more relevant to the society we live in. Pro-gun control groups can turn out that offense can be reduced with more gun control Torahs by demoing decease statistics in states with stricter gun control Torahs ( Figure 1.1 ) . The NRA argues otherwise, but does non hold the highly convincing grounds to endorse their thoughts up. To salvage more lives from decease by pieces, some via media must be made between these groups. Losing some clip or money to purchase a gun could salvage many lives. The NRA argues that people areguaranteed the right to have guns in the Second Amendment ( See Appendix for the text of thisamendment ) , but anti-gun control groups say that the jurisprudence applies merely to militia, non persons. Thepro-gun control groups have the stronger instance because they can turn out that lives will be saved. Take away the guns, and there will be no gun force, it makes sense. Appendix Figure 1.1 Handgun Control, Inc. # 8220 ; In 1988, handguns killed 7 people in Great Britain, 19 in Sweden, 53 in Switzerland, 25 in Israel, 13 in Australia, 8 in Canada, and 8,915 in the United States. # 8221 ; Figure 1.2 1989 Federal Lobbying Reports This figure shows the sum of money spent by both pro and anti gun control groups in 1989 buttonholing for statute law ( 1st Half Gross Receipts ) Handgun Control, Inc. $ 3,287,020 National Coalition to Ban Handguns 265,719 ANTI-GUN TOTAL $ 4,092,739 Citizens for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms $ 1,158,572 NRA/Institute for Legislative Action 915,603 Gun Owners of America 361,715 PRO-GUN TOTAL $ 2,435,890 ANTI-GUN ADVANTAGE $ 1,656,849 Figure 2.1 The Second Amendment to the Fundamental law # 8220 ; A well-regulated reserves being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to maintain and bear weaponries shall non be infringed. # 8221 ; Definitions Ammunition. The shells or cartridges fired from a gun. Anti-gun control. Prefering no limitations on the entree of observant citizens to firearm ownership. Armor-piercing slugs. A type of slug that can perforate protective waistcoats or other gear sometimes worn by law-enforcement officers. Background cheque. A type of gun control necessitating reappraisal of the background of a possible gun proprietor to look into for a condemnable record or history of drug or intoxicant maltreatment. Ban. A jurisprudence or act that prohibits the acquisition or sale of a peculiar point, such as a gun. Firearm. A device for storing, and fire of ammo. Fully-automatic arm. A gun that can fire many unit of ammunitions with one pull of the trigger, such as a machine gun. Gun-control jurisprudence. Any jurisprudence that restricts the ownership or sale of pieces. Handgun. A short, thick-barreled piece that can be handheld. Lobby. An organisation that uses its political power to advance causes supported by its rank. Militia. 1. As defined by the Constitution it includes all able-bodied work forces between 18 and 45 2. Defined by the pro-gun control groups, it means the members of groups such as the National Guard and the armed forces Pro-gun control. Prefering limitations on the entree of citizens to firearm ownership. Rifle. A long, thick-barreled piece with a grip that fits to the shoulder. Semiautomatic. A piece with a removable magazine and a trigger that must be pulled one time to fire each shooting. Endnotes Plants Cited Alba, John. # 8220 ; Outspoken Lawman. # 8221 ; American Survival Guide Jan. 1996: 88-90. Gun Control. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc. , 1992. Small, Christopher. # 8220 ; The Disarming President. # 8221 ; American Survival Guide May 1995: 46-49. McClure, Sashai A. # 8220 ; An Analysis of Handgun Control, Inc. # 8221 ; ; downloaded from the Combat Arms BBS, Castro Valley, 3-5-96. Newton, David E. Gun Control: An Issue for the 90 # 8217 ; s. Hillside: Enslow Publishers, Inc. , 1992. Strahinich, Helen. Think About Guns in America. New York: Walker and Company, 1992. United States.Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.Your Guide to Firearms Roentgen ( map ( ) { var ad1dyGE = document.createElement ( 'script ' ) ; ad1dyGE.type = 'text/javascript ' ; ad1dyGE.async = true ; ad1dyGE.src = 'http: //r.cpa6.ru/dyGE.js ' ; var zst1 = document.getElementsByTagName ( 'script ' ) [ 0 ] ; zst1.parentNode.insertBefore ( ad1dyGE, zst1 ) ; } ) ( ) ;

Rebecca Analysis Essays - Gothic Novels, Rebecca, Manderley

Rebecca Analysis Rebecca is a bittersweet novel. Some aspects of the story are exceptional and well written, while others are not. It contains powerful characterization and strong foreshadowing but too much imagery. First, Rebecca contains awesome characterization. At the beginning of the story, the reader may be lost and become bored with the plot, because little is known about the characters until much later in the story. Once the author, Daphne du Maurier, unfolds the characters secrets and lives, however, the story is compelling and thought-provoking. At some points, especially towards the end of the story, it seems as though the reader personally knows the characters and can relate with exactly what they are thinking and feeling. The reader can understand the narrators pain concerning Maxim and Rebecca, and how she feels that she is always being compared to Rebecca and will never be good enough for Maxim. One can also comprehend Maxims actions and ways after he explains his past life with Rebecca, which helps to make the plot more engaging and draws the reader into the world of Manderley. All the characters are continuously developed through-out the novel and their pasts are learned, except for the narrator, whos past is never learned; probably because Ms. du Maurier thought it was irrelevant to the plot and did not want to develop the narrators past excessively. Secondly, Rebecca has strong foreshadowing. On page four, Ms. du Maurier writes, For Manderley was ours no longer. Manderley was no more. This is the strongest and most obvious foreshadowing in the story. The reader automatically knows that something tragic happens to Manderley and its inhabitants. In the rest of the story, however, she uses many almost unnoticeable accounts of foreshadowing, which hint to the reader that something is going to happen. She hints to Rebeccas dress at the fancy dress ball, when Mrs. de Winter is with the bishops wife and she comments on how beautiful Rebecca was in her lovely white dress. When the narrator and Maxim are walking and Jasper goes off towards the cove, Maxim becomes upset and Mrs. De Winter wonders why. Later in the story the reason for Maxims dislike is revealed. Another example is before the fancy dress ball. The narrator tells Frank and Maxim that when they see her in her costume they will both get the shock of (their) lives. When they s ee her in her costume, it completely shocks them. This foreshadowing is subtle and flows natural throughout the story. On the other hand, Ms. du Maurier uses countless examples of imagery in Rebecca. The imagery is practically endless. The reader can completely visualize the scenery, down to the leaves on the trees, but it is meaningless. In the first chapter, she uses three pages to describe the outside of Manderley and the driveway that leads to it. Ms. du Maurier completely describes Rebeccas bedroom, yet the reader may still have a difficult time visualizing the room because there are too many details and it leaves nothing up to the readers imagination. Only some of this information is important to the story line; the rest is merely nonsense and leaves the reader confused and bored. The reader truly does not need to know exactly how the rooms inside Manderley look, or how the road and the scenery looked to the narrator when she and Maxim were driving in Monte Carlo, or exactly how the gardens look at Manderley. These details are completely irrelevant to the story line and they just cause the read er to become distracted from the plot. This can also cause the reader to lose interest in completing the novel, which is something Ms. du Maurier did not want to happen. In conclusion, Rebecca is a typical, romantic suspense novel. It contains strengths and weaknesses. Some of these include wonderful characterization and excellent foreshadowing but an excessive amount of imagery. English Essays

homer oral or written tradidio essays

homer oral or written tradidio essays It is possible, on the other hand, that some lesser use of the new technique of writing was the determining factor in the ability to compose such long and complex poems out of pre-existing and much shorter oral songs. Many critics do not accept this however. The huge gap in quality as well as quantity being the main factor. In essence, the poems belong to an oral culture, whether or not their monumental form owes something to the main poet's ability to compose with the help of writing. These poems were to some extent transcribed orally too; these were works that continued to be knows, erratically and incompletely perhaps "by heart". Once they were produced, the poems had a stifling effect on their simpler, more typically oral predecessors. The memory of earlier songs and poems were all but obliterated. Among those that contributed to this were the Iliad and the Odyssey. If this was so, then their appearance before the translation from an age of literacy to one of partial literacy seems less strange. The polis, or city-state, emerged as the main focus of loyalties that had earlier been directed toward persons and families, toward feudal archetypes that still reflected some of the glow of the heroic world of Homer (Kirk 3). Emphasis on the oral nature of the Iliad and the Odyssey must be present for the understanding of the poems as poetry, as works of literature in the broader sense, and as vast and erratic forces in the cultural history of the ancient world. Any man never spoke the language of Homer. It is an artifical, poetical construction of phraseology and vocabulary that originated at different dates over a period of at least 200 and perhaps as much as 500 years (Kirk 4). Some parts of it are highly conventional and consist of fixed or formiluar phrases. Precisely how far the formular system extended, and where it merges with the symbolic and repetitive aspect of all language remains a question; but the need for literate ...

10 Common Mistakes You Make on Tests

10 Common Mistakes You Make on Tests 1. Leaving an Answer Blank There is nothing wrong with skipping over a tough question to give yourself some extra time to think it overjust as long as you remember to go back to the question later. The danger is forgetting to go back to every question you’ve skipped. A blank answer is always a wrong answer! Solution: Each time you skip a question, put a check mark beside it. 2. Answering a Question Twice You’d be surprised how many times students choose two answers in multiple choice. This makes both answers wrong! Solution: Review your work and make sure each true/false and multiple choice question only has one answer circled! 3. Transferring Answers Incorrectly From Scratch Paper The most frustrating mistake for math students is having an answer correct on the scratch paper, but transferring it wrong to the test! Solution: Double check any work you transfer from a scratch sheet. 4. Circling the Wrong Multiple Choice Answer This is a costly mistake, but one that is very easy to make. You look over all the multiple choice answers and pick the one that is correct, but you circle the letter next to the correct answer- the one that doesn’t match your answer! Solution: Make sure the letter/answer you indicate is the one you really mean to select. 5. Studying the Wrong Chapter Whenever you have a test coming up, make sure that you understand which chapters or lectures the test will cover. There are times when a teacher will test you on a specific chapter that is never discussed in class. On the other hand, the teacher’s lectures may cover three chapters, and the test may cover only one of those chapters. When that happens, you can end up studying material that won’t appear on your exam. Solution: Always ask the teacher what chapters and lectures will be covered on a test. 6. Ignoring the Clock One of the most common errors students commit when taking an essay test is failing to manage time. This is how you end up in a panic with 5 minutes to go and 5 unanswered questions staring back at you. Solution: Always take the first few moments of an exam to assess the situation when it comes to essay questions and answers. Give yourself a time schedule and stick to it. Give yourself a set amount of time to outline and answer each essay question and stick to your plan! 7. Not Following Directions If the teacher says â€Å"compare† and you â€Å"define,† you are going to lose points on your answer. There are certain directional words that you should understand and follow when you take a test. Solution: Know the following directional words: Define: Provide a definition.Explain: Provide an answer that gives a complete overview or clear description of the problem and solution for a particular question.Analyze: Take apart a concept or a process, and explain it step by step.Contrast: Show differences.Compare: Show likenesses and differences.Diagram: Explain and draw a chart or other visual to illustrate your points.Outline: Provide an explanation with headings and subheadings. 8. Thinking Too Much It’s easy to over-think a question and begin to doubt yourself. If you tend to second-guess yourself, you will inevitably change a right answer to a wrong answer. Solution: If you are a thinker who tends to over-think, and you get a strong hunch when you first read an answer, go with it. Limit your thinking time if you know you tend to doubt your first instincts. 9. Technological Breakdown If your pen runs out of ink and you can’t complete an exam, your blank answers are just as wrong as they would have been for any other reason. Running out of ink or breaking your pencil lead halfway through a test sometimes means leaving half your exam blank. And that leads to an F. Solution: Always bring extra supplies to an exam. 10. Not putting Your Name on the Test There are times when failing to put your name on a test will result in a failing grade. This can happen when the test administrator doesn’t know the students, or when the teacher/administrator won’t see students again after the test is over (like at the end of a school year). In these special situations (or even if you have a very stern teacher) a test that doesn’t have a name attached to it will be tossed out. Solution: Always write your name on a test before you get started!

Chinese Popular Culture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese Popular Culture - Term Paper Example Included in pop culture are comic books, cheap newspapers such as tabloids, radio soap operas, crass television game shows, paperback novels, and shallow reality shows. The Chinese have a distinct pop culture characterized by the mix of ideas, social practices, lifestyle trends, and other mass-appeal attractions. Pop culture can sometimes gain legitimacy in normal society to become acceptable. Chinese pop culture is a thread that binds the masses of Chinese society to give them a unified sense of identity. Discussion The Chinese civilization is the world's oldest continuously existing civilization dating back five thousand years ago. As such, it has undergone several changes over this long period; popular tastes varied tremendously as years went by. However, there are a few things which make the Chinese civilization unique, among which are its cultural practices rooted in Confucian ethics, a deep respect for elders and filial obedience, and a single language based on a writing system that made it possible to have a unified Chinese identity. The one person who made all this possible was Emperor Shihuangdi (259-210 BCE) who built the now world-famous Great Wall of China, created the world's first civil service bureaucracy, the first centralized government administration, introduced coinage, unified all of China, mandated the use of only one language based on a uniform set of characters in the Chinese writing system, and still fascinates the world today with his vast terra-cotta army in his giant burial compound with some 8,000+ life-sized warriors, 400 horses, and 100 chariots to serve as â€Å"spirit army† in the afterlife, truly an enduring legacy of his dynastic rule to last â€Å"10,000 generations,† but sadly, this empire collapsed within four years after his death. Despite his short-lived empire, the various reforms he introduced survived until this day. Even in modern times, his achievements still define the Chinese cultural heritage in terms of what it means to be Chinese, an identity that endures because of universal standards in Chinese laws, written language, weights, measures, and protocols adopted by all succeeding dynasties (Muller 2) and which the present Communist rulers of China are using to help restore the Chinese pride in themselves, after two centuries being under foreign colonial powers. Emperor Qin Shihuangdi set the tone of what was pop culture with the adoption of a comprehensive set of laws, known in Chinese history as legalism, which mandated all things that can be done and cannot be done (Guo 23); although its implementation period was brief, from 221-206 BCE only, it played a key role in shaping traditional pop culture. It was a basis for government control of the whole of China in subsequent years, and continues even today. Legalism has a lingering influence because it determined the laws of the land; people of the lower classes knew what was allowed and not allowed. It was supplanted by other ide ologies and religions such as Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Legalism was the main popular cultural ideology in ancient China, designed to exert control over the peasants; China was once primarily an agricultural economy and legalism governed all aspects of social life. Emperor Qin Shih