They Coming! Essays

They Coming! Essays They Coming! Essay They Coming! Essay They Coming!!!!!!!! They Coming!!!! These are the words you hear ringing loud throughout the thousands of supporters and spectators as Junkanoo groups’ approach the starting gate of what is expected to be an exciting parade. Junkanoo is celebrated in the wee hours of the morning on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Scores of people show up from near and far to celebrate in one of the Bahamas’ most talked about cultural events. After waiting all year long, Boxing Day is finally here! The thought of sleep never enters my mind, as the anticipation of who will be victorious resonates in my mind throughout the night.Excitement builds, as all I could think about is the feelings of swaying to and fro while watching the groups â€Å"rush† down Bay Street. Midnight is here†¦ Let the parade begin! As I make my way through the large crowd to get to my seat, I could hear the sounds of the goatskin drums and whistles blowing. The cowbells begin to shake, and I could feel the rhythm deep within my soul. The well-toned brass section chimes in, and it is almost melodious, as the melodies and tunes all mesh together perfectly.The dancers make their way up Bay Street gyrating and moving their bodies to the rhythmic beat of the drums, cowbells, and whistles, demanding all the attention; while dressed in brightly colored costumes. The larger than life costumes adorned with bright, dazzling colors, â€Å"tricks† and feathers threaten to steal the show. I find it extremely difficult to contain myself, as the various Junkanoo groups â€Å"rush† past me in the stands. I can feel the feathers as they rub across my face and the music thump.The energy of the dancers and the beat of the music motivate the large crowds of supporters and spectators to start moving in their seats, or on their feet. Daylight breaks, all too soon, the parade is over. I am so excited and energized that all I could think about is the New Year’s Day Junkanoo Para de. For one week I eagerly wait to hear the words â€Å"they coming† being echoed throughout the stands all over again! My love for Junkanoo is overwhelming from the magnificent, ravishing colors of the costumes to the music which moves throughout every part of me and creates a sound that is too strong to resist, where it almost becomes mesmerizing!

Understanding Meritocracy

Understanding Meritocracy Meritocracy is a social system in which success and status in life depend primarily on individual talents, abilities, and effort. It is a social system in which people advance on the basis of their merits. A meritocratic system contrasts with aristocracy, for which people advance on the basis of the status and titles of family and other relations.   From the days of Aristotle, who coined the term ethos, the idea of awarding positions of power to those most capable have been a part of political discussion not only for governments but for business endeavors as well. Many Western societiesthe United States chief among themare commonly considered to be meritocracies, meaning these societies are built on the belief that anyone can make it with hard work and dedication. Social scientists often refer to this as the bootstrap ideology, evoking the popular notion of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps.   However, many challenge the validity of the position that Western societies are meritocracies, perhaps rightfully so. Widespread evidence exists, to varying degrees, within each of these societies of structural inequalities and systems of oppression designed and developed specifically to limit opportunities based on class, gender, race, ethnicity, ability, sexuality, and other social markers. Aristotles Ethos and Meritocracy In discussions of rhetoric, Aristotle relates the epitome of his understanding of the word ethos as the mastery of a particular subject.   Rather than determining merit based on the modern state of affairs as exemplified by the political system in place at the time, Aristotle argued that it should come from a traditional understanding of aristocratic and oligarchical structures that define good and knowledgeable. In 1958, Michael Young wrote a satirical paper mocking the Tripartite System of British education called The Rise of the Meritocracy, declaring that merit is equated with intelligence-plus-effort, its possessors are identified at an early age and selected for appropriate intensive education, and there is an obsession with quantification, test-scoring, and qualifications. The term has come to frequently be described in modern day sociology and psychology as any act of judgment based on merit. Although some disagree about what qualifies as true merit, most now agree that merit should be the primary concern for selecting an applicant for a position. Social  Inequality and Merit Disparity In modern times, especially in the United States, the idea of a merit-based-only system of governance and business creates a disparity, as the availability of resources to cultivate merit are largely predicated upon ones current and historic socioeconomic status. Thus, those born into higher socioeconomic standingthose who have more wealthhave access to more resources than those born into lower standing.   Unequal access to resources has a direct and significant effect on the quality of education a child will receive all the way from kindergarten through university. The quality of ones education, among other factors related to inequalities and discrimination, directly affects the development of merit and how meritorious one will appear when applying for positions. In his 2012 book Meritocratic Education and Social Worthlessness, Khen Lampert argues that a kinship exists between merit-based scholarships and education and social Darwinism, wherein only those given opportunities from birth are able to survive natural selection: By awarding only those who possess the means to afford a higher-quality education, either through intellectual or financial merit, a disparity is institutionally created between the impoverished and the wealthy, those born with inherent disadvantages and those born into socioeconomic prosperity. While meritocracy is a noble ideal for any social system, achieving it first requires recognizing that social, economic, and political conditions may exist which make it impossible. To achieve it, then, such conditions must be corrected.