Gender Roles in advertising Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gender Roles in advertising - Research Paper Example In other words, the cultural breakdown is a symbolism of media that currently lacks restraint in its promotion of important goals and objectives that are helpful to humanity (Adorno & Horkheimer 57). It, therefore, proves hard to find the close relationship between the essence of feminism to encourage the girl-child and making targets for increased profits. Despite the negative events that presently dominate the media in distorting and redefining gender norms to favor corporate firms, a new wave of internet activism tries to debunk these notions to bring ethics and responsibility in information dissemination. Advertising and gender roles have a close relationship in promoting the sale of goods and services while using a vibrant media. This has been attained through the consistent reinforcement of gender norms. It begins by examining the role of gender norms in business especially with the proliferation of various media such as TV, internet and radio among others. It, therefore, allow s the culture industry to thrive based on significant enlightenment because it explores morals and values found within a capitalist economy (Carroll 145). However, while Adorno and Horkheimer condemn the culture industry that has denied society the visibility of gender roles in terms of denying men and women freedom and responsibility, other pertinent factors still emerge. For example, media sources through advertising depict women as beautiful to affirm the notion that sexiness sells particularly when used in billboards, television and the internet. Additionally, the representation of bodies of both men and women evokes sexuality as an interesting game vital in generating more viewers that often translates to increased sales. The trend is escalated by a cyber democracy that blossoms on exaggerated freedoms that include politics attached to personal liberation and warped online ideologies. According to Stuart, the media sources reveal ambiguous meanings and messages that communicate a larger picture when describing the gender norms in the 21st century (Hall 54). America leads in this endeavor by reconstructing scandals and politics around advertisements with the use of political figures such as Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton. Other prominent personalities who have featured in this race of reconstructing gender norms entail Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The idea of gender norms is also evident in advertising through the assessment of complex structures that are echoed in different media forums. This is supported by a media syste m that focuses on the maximization of production through the increase of ads that are sexually stimulating and with mixed innuendos. Such orientation was notable when Kennedy’s handsomeness was given much spotlight in his presidential debate with Nixon in the 60s. The media hype was also observed in Sarah Palin’s offer for a porn movie at $1 million and as an advertising strategy of promoting the Republican’s political fortunes and thus furthering the issue of gender norms. It means the media contributes largely to the representation of heterosexuality as a channel of garnering viewership and sales while also grabbing political attention to sway undecided voters. Sexualization in gender norms also remains the dominant theme in TV advertisements and is therefore, increasing

Animal rights Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Animal rights - Assignment Example Animals can talk as they talk to their like kind. Just because humans cannot understand them does not mean that an animal should not be able to defend themselves. This may be hard for someone believing animals have no rights to understand. It is important to consider that people who believe that animals have no rights are of a different mind frame then other who do. This can be further explained when discussing poachers. People who hunt an animal that is soon to be extinct obviously do not care about animal rights or the sustainability of humans. When an animal leaves the environment this creates a gap in the food chain. The gap in the food chain creates a problem for other animals. If an individual does not care about animal and human life why should they care about animal rights? It is important to consider the different types of individuals that are against animal rights. There whole outlook on life is different. It is likely that a disagreement with someone on animal’s rig hts is likely to cause a disagreement in other topics of conversation. Since this is likely it is important to bring facts when arguing a certain topic. Facts are important when discussing a topic such as animal rights. Animals Do Have Right Similar To the Rights of Humans There are many different factors to agree upon when discussing why animals have right. As mentioned in the paper by Tibor Machan, animals act in a way that humans do. Animals are able to love, show compassion, and protect. Since animals show feelings similar to humans, why should they deserve less? The answer to that is that they don’t deserve less. They have the right to the same rights as humans. Would this be different if animals were able to speak better and be understood by people? It may be human’s ignorance of animal speech that creates a communication boundary. It is possibly that a human own ignorance towards animals allows for the thought that humans are more superior. This is where I have the strongest argument. There are some people that are able to study animals and communicate with them. Being able to communicate with animals break the barrier and allows other to be shown that the animals have feelings. Animals are no less than a person. Animals are here to protect, provide food, love and obey. Since animals are owned by humans it is the humans right to take care of the animals. Taking care of the animals means sticking up for the rights of animals. Acting in humanly to animals should be punished just like any other wrong act. Animals are alive just like humans. Taking a life from animals for game reasons and testing should be punishable by law. Animals were put on this earth to enable human survival and not to be used in a game or testing. These acts are cruel and it takes a cruel person to perform such acts. It is not just the rights of animals that is important to focus on but the nature of what is right and wrong. As mentioned in the paper, parents teach their children to be kind to animals in some parts of the world and are honored in other parts for killing for fun. That said it is the parent responsibility to ensure that children are taught the correct morals and values that honor life. Being taught to respect animals can lead to the respect of other things in life. It is wrong to think that killing animals for pleasure is okay. This type of thinking is not okay and can lead to other wrong violent behavior. Killing is killing regardless if it is a human or animal. Since it

Marketing Strategy Degree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Strategy Degree - Essay Example Coca-cola, Kellogg's, McDonald's, Kodak, Marlboro, IBM, American Express, Sony, Mercedes-Benz and Nescafe are generally in the world's top ten brand in the market , and they have reached and retained in such position mainly because of the efforts of marketing and advertising departments ( Stanley, 2003). So exactly what is an advertisement or what can we understand by the term advertisement. Their have been different views regarding the concept of advertisement. According to John Burnett, "Advertisement is a non-personal communication of marketing related information to a target audience, usually paid by the advertiser and delivered through mass media in order to reach specific objective of sponsor". However according to the critic of advertising, Judith Williamson (1978, p.57) states that it's "the most ubiquitous form in which we encounter commercial photography" which means advertising is the 'official art' of the advanced industrial nation of the west. It occupies the newspapers and is covered all over with urban environment, it is highly systematize organization involving many artist, writer and film directors, and consist of a large amount of output of the mass media. Advertisements promote and affect the idea and value which are crucial to a particular economy system. Thus a good advertisement is that, which we should not lose interest in their ideological functions, which is connected to their economic functions (Dyer, 1995 p.2). Another definition by (Longman, 1971) 'Advertising attempts to inform and persuade a large number of people with a single communication'. Therefore in its simple sense the word 'advertising' means capturing the attention to something or telling or advising somebody of something. (Dyer, 1995 p.2). Thus advertising can be seen as a medium for communicating or

Ethical values of transactional and transformational leaders Research Paper

Ethical values of transactional and transformational leaders - Research Paper Example For leadership to occur there needs to be some leader-follower relationship ­ without followers, there is no leader (Hay & Hodgkinson, 2006). Though a leader might be chosen as part of a formal system, a person can be a leader without official authorization. The actual leader of a group might not be the "assigned" manager, and in reality, the roles of leader and follower may be ever-changing, as needs and circumstances change (Burns, 1978, 2003). Leaders are a means toward change (Bass, 1981). Burns (1978, 2003) points-out that the primary, driving force for leadership is change, and leaders/followers have a dynamic interdependency. They succeed or fail, based on how well they work through change. According to Bolman and Terrence (2003), although leaders may share some common qualities (i.e., vision), a major factor in making leaders is the situation or environment in which they lead and/or develop. Kouzes and Posner (1995) state that job assignments, relationships/contacts with ot her people, as well as formal training and education can help develop leadership. Integrity and Moral Leadership Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines integrity as "firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; an unimpaired condition; the quality or state of being complete or undivided." But integrity is more complicated than these simple definitions. Persons of integrity must be independent enough to choose freely the values by which they will guide their lives. They must have an awareness and understanding of both their strengths and weaknesses and the capacity to evaluate themselves in a realistic fashion without self-deception (Spencer, 1996). Integrity may be seen as related to the desires with which we identify in order to act effectively in our lives. This identification signifies our capability to focus on reasons for carrying out certain actions other than our simple desire to do so. We therefore possess values relevant to our behavior and not just desires. We can be said to value something provided the identifications are sufficiently consistent and derived through practical reasoning and a sense of responsibility to act according to them. Integrity is displayed through self ­ awareness and self-control in acknowledging these values (Taylor, 1985). According to Ciulla (1995), in defining "good" leaders, consideration must be given of their ethics, as well as their effectiveness. It is a leader's character that really matters (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999). Leadership quality can't be considered without evaluating character, and core values are more critical than anything else (e.g., expertise, techniques, knowledge) (Sankar 2003). "Moral literacy is as important as computer literacy to a leader's effectiveness" (Sankar, 2003, p. 52). Ethical leadership in an organization can be heavily influenced by its senior leadership. Hood (2003) found that, in order to understand an organization's ethical practices, it is significant to understand the moral orientation of its CEO. Even the most ethical supervisors will have difficulty if their own upper management is unethical. For there to be an ethical organization, along with top management support, there needs to be a corporate-wide ethics policy, and, most importantly, there is a need for individual leaders who practice ethical behavior (i.e., integrity, honesty, trustworthiness) (Carlson & Perrewe, 1995).

Fundacin Chile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fundacin Chile - Essay Example In 1997 Dr. Eduardo Bitran assumed the office as general director of Fundacin Chile. He faced the difficult task of administering the institution, which was constituted as a private non-profit institution with 50% state ownership. One of the most innovative mechanisms that the foundation used, unique in Chile and probably in Latin America, was to create new businesses as a main means to diffuse and transfer technology. Dr. Bitran played a major role in Chile's economic development. , Chile had managed to keep to its course and to maintain growth and stability amidst enormous turbulence, in a period of economic decline that had affected all of Latin America. Recognition of the importance of new knowledge as the base of future businesses was gaining importance and Venture capital funds became the focus. Local innovation clusters were formed around the wine and salmon industries, and specialized fruit production was beginning to reveal the benefits of biotechnology and sophisticated pro duction methods. Immediate challenge for Dr. Bitran was to identify the path and direction for Fundacin Chile. His main challenge would be administer the institution to generate social benefits, as required by the mission entrusted to it as a quasi-public entity, while at the same time acting as a private business to obtain the necessary resources that would permit it to grow and develop. Fundacin Chile's promoted innovation and technology transfer emphasizing agribusiness, forestry and marine resources. It followed several modalities like demonstration businesses, technology transfer groups, training and diffusion, and providing services such as consulting to quality control. Chile encouraged the participation from its associates and strategic allies both national and international; financing originating from the private sector was diminishing with time, while that obtained through state grants increased. Financing provided by sales of services to the public sector had not changed for several years. Fundacin Chile, besides creating innovative business and developing the programs mentioned, began to develop financial innovations for the national market. The institution sought, with these innovations, to more efficiently mobilize savings for investment in the sectors in which Fundacin worked. The foundation also created a venture capital fund for regional investments in medium-size growth businesses and new projects. Besides these venture capital funds, the foundation also fulfilled a seed financing role for innovative projects originating within the institution. Fundacin Chile was structured in four sectoral directorates: agro-industry, marine resources, secondary wood products, and forestry. The operational model was re-defined to distinguish and specify the concepts of technological centre, business units, companies and endowment management, establishing differences in objectives and in plans of management and interaction among the

The Relations Between Islamic Fundementalism and Muslim Democracy Essay

The Relations Between Islamic Fundementalism and Muslim Democracy - Essay Example Since the beginning of 1990s, there have arisen Muslim oriented parties, but which are not fundamental or Islamist in their ideals, and which have successfully vied and won political seats in countries such as Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Unlike fundamentalists who advocate for the introduction of Sharia or Islamic law, the proponents of Muslim Democracy are seen to be more realistic in their view since they are found to be accommodative of religious and secular ideals in their approach to politics (Kepel, 2003). They are seen to disagree with the notion that a Muslim country must be governed by Sharia law, but are seen to lean towards the creation of electoral processes that are viable and accommodative of different shades of opinion so as to serve interests that are both Islamic and secular, thereby respecting the thus created democratic space whether they win in the elections or lose. They are not seen to have the motive of integrating Islam into politics but are only seen to exploit its potential through the teaching of Islamic values to help them win elections. All the same, democratization processes which are all inclusive seem to be more appealing than the path of religious and ideological change and Islamic democracy hence they are seen to be on the upper hand in shaping the political destinies of many countries in the Islamic world. Fundamentalists on the other hand do not view Democracy as an issue to be taken seriously or legitimately but only as a means to ascend to political power so as to acquire the platform through which to build an Islamic state (Roy 2006). The observers of the changes being experienced in the Muslim world have associated these changes with influence due to interaction locally and globally and the advent of internet technology. The success of Muslim democracy does not seem to have resulted from any theological or ideological process, but for being seen to address issues from a practical perspective that gives assurance to the electorate that its needs are all well taken care of. The two concepts of fundamentalism and Muslim democracy in their various ways have resulted in regime change in their respective countries, including change that was facilitated by fundamentalists in Iran and Morocco, the changes that have been occasioned by the Muslim Democracy proponents in the areas affected by the Arab spring namely Egypt, Tunisia and Libya (Kepel, 2003). The concepts are both at the forefront in struggling for political power in ruling governments even as each espouses its ideals to convince the masses, though Muslim democracy seems to be on the upper hand. There are various factors that have contributed to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism’s openness to democracy. After gauging the preference of masses, the trend has been that Islamist or secular parties are not currently as popular as those with Muslim values and moderate Islamic policies. This latter principle along which M uslim democratic parties are molded, is attracting a large section of voters since they are also more compatible with world politics. Putting a lot of rhetoric and theory aside, Muslim democracy party ideals have similarities with the Christian Democratic Party’s trend of Europe in the past and thus have had appeal as compared to the

Paris and Peace Essay Example for Free

Paris and Peace Essay Serene tried to remember the last time she and her cousin, Tina actually behaved like family, but she had to make a truce with her nonetheless. This truce was her ticket to freedom in a new city, a new country and the action necessary to please her parents. Tina was now her roommate. Selena knew her parents would never have allowed her to study Philosophy in Chicago without a chaperone. Tina fit that role in Serenas new life, but how could it be new with these old world requirements? Her parents believed that she was irresponsible, always allowing her taste for life and excitement to cloud her good judgment. Her mom and dad always wished that she would be more traditional and docile, but she had always defied that logic in her quest for her own female freedom. They were reluctant in sending their only daughter in a land known for its schmoozing and adulterous love affairs. Nonetheless, she was allowed to live away in Chicago and spend her summers alone in Lebanon. She was making her own money and felt like an independent American here, as well. Back then she knew that if they had said â€Å"no,† to this quest she would still find a way to fund her trip and defy her parents. Serena was the type of girl, who had a reputation for always winning, but without Tina accompanying her on her first big journey, the family wouldn’t allow her victory to be totally complete. Serene knew all too well that once they arrived in Rome Center, she and Tina would be living separate lives. While Tina would befriend everyone she possibly could, Serena would resolve to make a few good friends to accompany her in her nightly city adventures. She cleared her throat. She really had to say something. â€Å"Just so you know,† she began. â€Å"You won’t have to check on me every now and then. Do you understand me? † â€Å"I understand you perfectly,† Tina replied in her usual condescending voice reminiscent of old world values. â€Å"This is why we never get along. Don’t worry; I won’t ruin your plans. † â€Å"Trust me, you dont want to. † So a truce was made. Months had passed since that conversation. They were both living separate lives indeed. The two would only be seen together in Dr. Mike Silva’s Philosophy 101 class; even then, they sat on opposite sides of the classroom ignoring each other. Being the belated girl that she was, Serene often came late to class. Serena had always believed in the power of a fashionably late entrance to demonstrate her importance. Although appearing to be the model student, Tina inwardly and occasionally, outwardly, objected to her cousin’s behavior and could not help but be bothered by it. Dr. Silva, otherwise know as Mike to Serene, however, didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was quite fond of her, in Serena’s mind he believed her to be a perfect model of colonized beauty. After classes, the professor and his protege were always seen having coffee or dinner at Mundelein or at one of the nearby cafes. At least she had someone to talk to that respected her independence and charm. A short time later, it didn’t come much of a surprise when Mike asked her to accompany him to Paris for the holidays. Although Serene had her own plans to go the World Cup, she agreed, since she could not convince anyone to come with her to Germany and would not contemplate asking her conniving cousin. She knew all about the rumors circulating about her and Mike. They simply were weren’t true. She thought of him only as a friend. She was sure that he thought the same of her. However, she knew that if these rumors would circulate further, not only would the University reprimand her, but the whole Chicago Arab community would shun both her and her parents for indecent conduct. She had to ask Tina, although she half expected her to decline the offer. That afternoon, she spent hours preparing Tina’s favorite maamoul, a traditional dish from home. She had to make a peace offering. As she handed it to Tina, the her archenemy looked at her incredulously. â€Å"Do you intend to poison me or something? † Tina asked. â€Å"Just shut up and eat! † She watched Tina eat. She knew Tina longed of at least a piece of home unlike her. She never missed home. â€Å"I want you to come with me and Mike to Paris. † Tina almost choked on one cookie as she heard those words. â€Å"Listen, I intend to come back with my virginity and my reputation intact. Besides, those rumors about he and I aren’t true. † â€Å"Ugh! This is worse than poison. † She said, wiping some sugar on her jeans. â€Å"But alright. I’ll go. Why do you want to go there with him anyway? † Serene turned red with anger, but maybe it was embarrassment. She was sick of everyone asking about her relationship with Mike. â€Å"If I have to answer to one more person, you will see me leaving Rome Center tomorrow! † â€Å"Fine! Leave. That would save me a lot of trouble. † Serene sighed. Tina’s impossible, but at least she agreed. Mike’s office desk was full of clutter. He spent weeks reading the tour books and travel brochures that were scattered on his desk. He thought of throwing them away. He was upset by the message that Serene sent him, excusing herself on the trip to Paris because of several assignments due the week after the holidays. He did not understand that her first refusal was customary of Arabic women, as to not seem so eager to accompany a man on an extended holiday. But, Serena had fully intended to go. He heard a few knocks on his door. When he opened it, he was surprised to find himself Tina, one of his least favorite student standing there. Tina didn’t waste time. â€Å"I had come to ask about the Paris trip agenda, Dr. Silva. I am coming with Serene. † Mike’s feelings of rejection were replaced with outright fury and confusion. Serene failed to mention that her cousin would accompany them. â€Å"Well, I don’t know what you intend on doing in Paris, but Serene and I intend on dedicating an entire day to the Louvre. Dinner will follow at Fouquet’s. Day Two, we will go up the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. After that, we will spend more time looking at paintings in Musee DOrsay. Going to the Hotel Invalides is optional. We might try taking the train to Versailles on day three if nothing unfortunate happens. † He memorized the itinerary well, but he didn’t imagine reciting it to this girl. â€Å"I am not quite sure what you had intended on doing in Paris or why you came for that matter, but I respect any decision of Serene’s. † Tina didn’t know how to react. This man was disappointed that she was coming, and he made no effort to hide it. â€Å"Serene feels uncomfortable traveling to a new place alone. † It was a lie. Serene was used to traveling alone. Her attempts at initial rejection were in part customary (though she would never admit it) and similarly to avoid intensifying rumors that could destroy her family and send her packing back home. He was doubtful of Tina‘s revelation, but he decided to let that pass. â€Å"Alright then, Paris can be a dangerous place. Just make sure that you can watch yourself, Ms. Maalouf. † With that, he slammed the door to her face. â€Å"The only person, who I have to watch out for, is you! † She mastered all her self-control so that she wouldn’t say that out loud. It seemed Tina was more intuitive than her cousin would realize. They all arrived in Paris via the Artesia Night train. After checking in their hotel, Serene and Tina prepared to go shopping on Champs Elysees. They decided not to ask Mike, or as Tina referred to him, Dr. Silva, thinking that he would prefer to spend the morning in his bed. They were wrong. Both girls saw him on the downstairs foyer pressuring the receptionist to give him a conjoining room with the girls. His face looked crumpled with disappointment and irritation, but when he saw them, he forcibly flashed a smile. â€Å"Girls, were you planning on leaving without me? † he asked half-jokingly. Tina noted that he was obviously annoyed. Serene noticed it too. â€Å"No, we just figured to do some serious shopping, something you might not be interested in. † She never saw this side of him before. It disappointed her. â€Å"No, I am coming with you,† Mike insisted. Serena felt obligated to pacify the professor. â€Å"Ok then. But I’m afraid it will bore you. Louis Vuitton has nothing to do with history or philosophy. † She continued to downplay his disdain and provided jokes and forced laughter to keep the trip from falling short of her dreamy expectations. Tina remained silent. Perhaps no one will ever know of whatever violent thing she thought of doing to Mike at that moment. Mike was furious. They spent the whole morning shopping along the famous two-kilometer-long avenue. The girls were ready to see the Eiffel Tower next. His plans with Serene were ruined. Tina was to blame. â€Å"The Eiffel Tower is better seen at daytime than at sunset,† he said in his matter-of-fact voice. â€Å"We should wait for tomorrow. † â€Å"We have only three days in Paris. † Serene replied. â€Å"If we are to spend all day tomorrow at the Louvre, I do not think we will have time to see the Eiffel Tower tomorrow morning. † â€Å"You’re right, Serene,† Tina agreed with her for the first time. At that point, Mike lost his patience. â€Å"Your opinion does not matter. † Serene was stunned at Mike’s rude behavior to her cousin. â€Å"How dare you speak to her that way?! † Tina was still family although she never got along with her. Mike realized his mistake. He was worried that his comments would prevent Serene from wanting to spend any time alone with him. â€Å"I’m sorry. I think I just didn’t have enough sleep. † That was a petty excuse. He knew it. Tina knew it and Serene was beginning to realize that Mike was behaving like a spoiled child. â€Å"That is exactly why we choose not call you, but I accept your apology nonetheless. † â€Å"Serene, I am sorry, I did not mean to-† â€Å"The one you should be apologizing to is Tina. † â€Å"Tina, I am sorry. † Tina shrugged. â€Å"Don’t worry. My opinion doesn’t matter anyway. † She decided to do the unthinkable: she would leave Serene and Mike to themselves. Despite Mike’s earlier protests, the pair visited the Eiffel Tower. The view on the Tower’s top floor was truly breathtaking. Serene was awed by the sight of all of Paris glistening beneath her, spreading across to the horizon. No words could completely describe what she saw. No single picture could capture that moment. It was just as she had imagined it, her in all her beauty surrounded by more beauty and her companion, a man who appreciated not only her beauty, but her intellect. Paris was alive. Several times, she had to remind herself that it was real. Mike interrupted her thoughts. He made several comments on the tower’s architecture, its history and its heritage to Paris. She listened intently. He was truly her professor. At that moment, Serene forgot the irritation that he caused her that day. She was grateful to him for taking her to Paris. Without warning, he suddenly kissed her. Serene out of pure reflex, slapped him on the face. â€Å"What are you doing?! † She yelled, astonished, and unaffected by the other travelers around them. â€Å"Doing what one must do in Paris. C’mon Serene, you cannot be blind to this. † â€Å"There has to be some mistake. I saw you only as a professor and a friend, nothing more. I should have listened to Tina. I’m sorry sir. I cannot do what you ask of me. † â€Å"So I risked my reputation, my career, just so you can be better friends with that Tina?! † â€Å"Tina is one of the best people I have known in the entire world. She’s kind to everyone, even me, her enemy. She may not know it, but I have come to admire her. You cannot measure up to who she is to me. † She paused. She couldn’t believe that she just defended Tina against him. â€Å"Please, do not follow me. † She turned to walk away. Mike growled and cursed her. â€Å"Don’t you walk away from me! † He grabbed her arm. Serene clenched her fist. Her punch went straight in his eye, knocking him to the ground. â€Å"I told you not to follow me! † With that, she walked away. Several tourists rolled their heads toward them. The scene was ironically amusing if not romantic. One Korean man even took a video of them in his phone. Serene didn’t care. She was glad to be rid of him. Tina waited at La Jules Verne. She pondered if she had decided right in leaving Serene alone with the monster. A few moments later, her doubts vanished. She was surprised to see Serene back early without Mike. â€Å"Where’s Mike? † she asked. Serene sat down. She turned away to the window. â€Å"I don’t know of any Mike. I simply know a Dr. Silva. He is taking his holiday in Paris as well. We might run into him, but I don’t think will, ever again. † Tina whistled. She realized that Serene had given him a beating worse than she expected. She wanted to congratulate her cousin. â€Å"I hope he won’t flunk the both of us. † With that both girls erupted into a heartfelt laughter that they had shared in a very long time. â€Å"Well, I have decided to drop his class anyway, if you are going to do it with me. How does that sound? † Tina agreed, sealing the pact with a handshake. At last, they had agreed on something. â€Å"You are such a bad influence. † As one relationship came to an end, another presented itself. Paris was a place for romantic love, but the familial love that Serene found again was just as beautiful. She didn’t need Mike’s Philosophy class to understand that. They would carry out the remainder of the Paris trip rekindling their cousinly relationship. They avoided a disheveled Dr. Silva, who they would see frequently muttering to himself or starting a confrontation with the hotel staff. The pair would scamper out of the place with concealed glee and burst into gales of laughter on the Paris street. They didn’t speak of the past misunderstandings they had shares, but instead intuitively knew what had happened there. Serene represented the new world, full of ambiguity and questions. Tina represented the old world with all her wisdom and answers. Together the could navigate through the fog of friendships and loves, enemies and the â€Å"Mikes† of the world. Tina was no longer a chaperone in Serena’s eyes, she was an advisor.