Sunday, January 26, 2020

Impact of the Internet on Live Music

Impact of the Internet on Live Music Antà ©a H. E. L. GEORGHIOU   The Internet has killed live music and caused financial problems for musicians. Discuss. Society is confronted to a fast changing technological environment, especially with the Internet. Some claim that live music is on the decline, and that music industry and musicians suffer from financial problems. We will be discussing the negative, but also the positive aspects that has the Internet on live music and on the music industry. Firstly, it is a known fact that in comparison to the past, CDs sales are declining, and this is mostly due to the apparition of new media and to illegal music streaming and downloads online.[1] Despite this, online content also has advantages: many consumers, especially the younger population, use the Internet as a way to discover new music, although it is mostly done illegally. This discovery can be turned into revenue with legal streaming services. [2] The younger generation does not go in shops to find music anymore; the Internet is a more practical way to discover new artists, while staying at home. Services, such as Spotify, have been made available to stream music legally: free versions are run thanks to advertisements, and consumers can pay to not have them.[3] Consumers tend to download music in order to sample it, and if they like it, they may purchase it,[4] and maybe even go to concerts later on. This is also positive for live music; it is an effective advertisement in a way. Some debates were recently going on about Periscope, a mobile application that allows you to watch people live-streaming all over the world. It is said to have a negative impact on live music since people were live-streaming concerts for example. On the one hand, it is true, for people watching the performances are not paying, and people are streaming it without owning the rights to do so.[5] On the other hand, it can be a good way to make other people discover an artist, especially since it is available to see worldwide, including places where there may not be concert opportunities. From a financial point of view, illegal resources online do impact the industry and artists. However, new ways are found to improve these issues as much as possible. A successful example is Japan: in order for their disc industry to keep on selling, they developed an effective strategy; albums and singles come with unique features, special songs or additional content and bonuses. This strategy is working well because fans are ready to pay to get this additional content from their favourite artists.[6] The music industry in all its aspects has changed over the past years due to the Internet and the digitization of music. Nowadays, consumers want free access to music. It became an expectation and piracy is considered normal. Subscription models are now more and more used, allowing the consumers to pay in order to access a music library.[7] Streaming services ensure revenue to artists, labels, etc. Artists themselves can also release free songs through these in exchange of consumers loyalty. These services also prove to be useful for the evaluation of trends and popularity of songs. The Internet also offers opportunities for artists that other media dont provide. Artists can now interact with their fans on social media a lot of them do so -, and make their own advertisement directly to their fanbase. To conclude, despite having made illegal copying and downloading much easier, new technologies also offer new opportunities for the music industry. References Andersen, B. and Frenz, M. (2010). Dont blame the P2P file-sharers: the impact of free music downloads on the purchase of music CDs in Canada. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 20(5). Fox, M. (2004). E-commerce Business Models for the Music Industry. Popular Music and Society, 27(2). Gopal, R., Bhattacharjee, S. and Sanders, G. (2006). Do Artists Benefit from Online Music Sharing?. The Journal of Business, 79(3). Miller, K. (2017). Japan overwhelmingly favors CDs to digital music. [online] Japan Today. Available at: https://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/japan-overwhelmingly-favors-cds-to-digital-music. Miller, K. (2017). Japan overwhelmingly favors CDs to digital music. [online] Japan Today. Available at: https://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/japan-overwhelmingly-favors-cds-to-digital-music. Peitz, M. and Waelbroeck, P. (2004). The Effect of Internet Piracy on CD Sales: Cross-Section Evidence. CESifo Working Paper Series, (1122). Pfanner, E. (2017). Music Industry Lures Casual Pirates to Legal Sites. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/technology/internet/20stream.html?emc=eta1pagewanted=al. Sciencedirect.com. (2017). Is the music industry stuck between rock and a hard place? The role of the Internet and three possible scenarios. [online] Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698910001256. The Guardian. (2017). Meerkat and Periscope are fun apps but beware the sting in the tail. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/mar/31/meerkat-periscope-live-streaming-copyright-brands. Us Weekly. (2017). Adele Calls Out Fan for Filming Her Concert: Enjoy It in Real Life!. [online] Available at: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/adele-calls-out-fan-for-filming-her-concert-enjoy-it-in-real-life-w208223. [1] Peitz, M. and Waelbroeck, P. (2004). The Effect of Internet Piracy on CD Sales: Cross-Section Evidence. CESifo Working Paper Series, (1122). [2] Andersen, B. and Frenz, M. (2010). Dont blame the P2P file-sharers: the impact of free music downloads on the purchase of music CDs in Canada. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 20(5), pp.715-740. [3] Pfanner, E. (2017). Music Industry Lures Casual Pirates to Legal Sites. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/technology/internet/20stream.html?emc=eta1pagewanted=al [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017]. [4] Gopal, R., Bhattacharjee, S. and Sanders, G. (2006). Do Artists Benefit from Online Music Sharing?. The Journal of Business, 79(3), pp.1503-1533. [5] The Guardian. (2017). Meerkat and Periscope are fun apps but beware the sting in the tail. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/mar/31/meerkat-periscope-live-streaming-copyright-brands [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017]. [6] Miller, K. (2017). Japan overwhelmingly favors CDs to digital music. [online] Japan Today. Available at: https://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/japan-overwhelmingly-favors-cds-to-digital-music [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017]. [7] Fox, M. (2004). E-commerce Business Models for the Music Industry. Popular Music and Society, 27(2), pp.201-220.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Democracy Best Form of Government?

Democracy is best defined as the government of the people, by the people. The classical example of democracy is that of ancient Athens, where the whole populace would meet in the marketplace to vote on decisions. It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others have been tried. In my opinion, democracy is not a perfect system, but it is the best form of government when compared to others and is the most effective among all different types of government. In a democratic government, power is given to the people. This allows the people to have a direct say in who governs them, via the votes cast by every adult member of the population. As such it ensures that a government is made up of those who are truly representative of the people, satisfying the population of electing a government that will think about them, care about them and provide for them. Furthermore, when power is given to the people, the people will be more careful when using their power as they will have to bear the consequences if the leader elected is corrupted or not a wise leader. By giving power to the people allows decisions to be made according to the will of the people and also prevents the abuse of power. Citizens are kept informed by the media and are thus fully capable of making an informed decision. Furthermore, the will of the people is far more representative of different groups in society than the condescending rule by elites, who have no understanding of different ways of life. Only the citizens of a country understand what kind of leader they truly needs and in a democratic country they will have the ability to vote for them. Democracy empowers the people and allows them to participate in decision-making, which is why it is the best form of government. Besides power, democracy also allows the freedom of speech and that allows a nation to improve and progress. Democratic nations allow citizens to criticize leaders, their policies and laws. Being open to criticism allows leaders to listen to opinions of the citizens and understand what the citizens truly needs. This allows policies to be improved and the nation to progress better. By silencing the people and censoring any constructive criticisms, citizens will gradually stop thinking critically and start to follow laws blindly. This will be detrimental to the innovation and creation of ideas in a nation. Allowing criticisms can ensure that citizens think critically of how policies and laws will affect them, constantly sharpening their thoughts. Having a population that thinks critically is vital to the progress of a nation, and a democratic government that allows the freedom of speech can allow the nation to improve and progress, thus being the best form of government. As mentioned earlier, democracy is a not perfect form of government. Citizens of a country have never received any training and do not possess any skills needed to face and solve the problems that a state faces. Also, the masses are easily manipulated and tend to act according to their feelings. For example, after the 911 terror attacks in New York, many citizens of America pushed for the use of nuclear technology against Middle East. If America were a full democratic country, it would have already been engulfed into another nuclear war, and the consequences are heavy. As such, expecting the people to elect the â€Å"best tools for the job† is unrealistic. Government from above can see, by virtue of its position and advantages, what is a better solution for problems. Therefore, democracy may not be as effective in certain situations as other forms of government. Furthermore, real, effective leadership must come from above and not from below. The government should give orders, make laws and not take orders from the people. Democracy functions on the unrealistic assumption that all citizens are as capable as the leaders and is able to make the best decision. This is what makes democracy imperfect and ineffective. In conclusion, democracy is, to a large extent, the best form of government. The best form of government is that which teaches us to govern ourselves. However, if man were angels, no government would be necessary. Hence, a balance should be striked between governing the people and allowing them to make decisions themselves, and democracy is the only form of government where such a balance can be found.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Van Gogh’s Starry Night

Despite my limited knowledge about art, its components, and the artists who create their masterpieces, Vincent Van Sago's The Starry Night is probably my favorite piece of artwork in the textbook. I love this painting and chose it because to me, this piece of work is so serene yet captivating and stimulating at the same time. I believe that if a piece of art can evoke that many emotions in a person, then it is truly a masterpiece. I actually have a replica of The Starry Night hanging in my house, which as another reason why I chose to discuss this particular painting.One of my favorite aspects about Van Sago's work is the lines depicted and painted in the art. I think that is the main element that makes The Starry Night so unique and beautiful. Van Gogh uses colorful and curvy lines in an energetic and stimulating way. The color used in this piece of art is also a powerful element included . I think that the colors Van Gogh chose to use are genius because it makes the painting more r ueful yet sets almost a cool and serene atmosphere by using the blue colors and its hues.The textbook suggests that many have depicted The Starry Night to reflect Van Sago's disturbed mind. However, I find the painting to have almost a mystical and calming effect. The different lines that Van Gogh uses in this piece of art also provide the piece with texture. Looking at The Starry Night hanging in my living room or the one in the textbook makes me want to reach out and actually be able to feel he artwork itself and the lines to feel the texture it appears to have.Van Gogh also uses the elements of light and dark superbly in this painting. The whole painting is created using darker colors yet the sky reflects lighter hues variously throughout which I believe provides The Starry Night with a nice contrast. I think that Vincent Van Sago's The Starry Night is my favorite piece of artwork I have seen yet and contains many different design elements and principles that help make it the mas terpiece that it is today.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Buddhism Life And Teachings Of Buddhism Essay - 1476 Words

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