Epistemology and the Legend of the Sphinx in Oedipus Rex Research Paper

Epistemology and the Legend of the Sphinx in Oedipus Rex - Research Paper Example The possibility of pharmakos in Oedipus Rex is epitomized in the connection between the sphinx and Oedipus and how the sphinx monitors and uncovers information. Pharmakos is the possibility that there is a duality to things; that a thing can be both a fix and a toxin. The sphinx is utilized as a pharmakos in Oedipus Rex on the grounds that not exclusively does her physical appearance depict a duality, yet in addition her enigmas cover information in their equivocalness, yet in addition as it were, uncover truth concerning Oedipus and the Greek society. Epistemology can be characterized as the part of reasoning that takes a gander at the nature, cause, strategies, just as cutoff points of human information. It looks to address the subject of how to recognize genuine information from bogus information. One of the exceptional epistemological issues in Oedipus Rex is the vagueness introduced as far as the nature and degrees of Oedipus’ information about his actual birthplaces (Car el 103). Numerous logicians have contended that Oedipus may have been too uninformed to even think about figuring out realities about his past. In any case, toward the start of the play, his insight is all around depicted when he is the main man who can explain the puzzle of the sphinx. This uncertainty delivers the unclearness of the degree to which Oedipus can and ought to be considered answerable for his activities, which are: slaughtering his natural dad and wedding his own mom. Sophocles recounts to the tale of Oedipus in invert: he begins with the consummation and goes to clarify how it occurred. As indicated by the prophet, the plague that has come to pass for Thebes will discover no fix until the individual answerable for the homicide of King Laius is found and ousted from the city. Oedipus begins an examination to uncover the killer, however this examination rapidly transforms into an examination of Oedipus’ genuine personality. At first the epistemology lies around finding a response to the inquiry â€Å"who did it†, however this progressions course to the inquiry â€Å"who am I?† (Foster 22)The mental excursion of disclosure takes up a lot of this story. Information should end with delight and fulfillment. In any case, in this story, epistemology prompted a disclosure that was more awful than the occasions that prompted the revelation itself. The Sphinx The word sphinx comes structure the Greek action word which when deciphered methods â€Å"to squeeze† or to fix (Gosse 65). A few history specialists anyway contend that the word is a defilement of the Egyptian word â€Å"shesepankh† which means â€Å"living image† (Zivie-Coche and Lorton 9). In Greek folklore the Sphinx is spoken to as having a serpent’s tail, a lion’s hunches, a huge bird’s wings and a woman’s bosom and face. This malicious animal is regularly portrayed as being barbarous and deceptive. She is the evil presence o f misfortune and demolition and slaughters and batters the individuals who neglect to accurately answer her conundrum. As per legends, the sphinx was the gatekeeper of the doors into the City of Thebes. To be permitted passage, one needed to effectively answer her puzzle. The question is â€Å"which animal has four legs toward the beginning of the day, two at late morning and three at night, and the more legs it has, the more vulnerable it is? It is said that no man had ever had the option to offer a right response to the conundrum (10). Oedipus was the one in particular who furnished the right response which was ‘man’. After Oedipus offered the right response, the sphinx is said to have been angered and she slaughtered herself. The first reason for the sphinx

Superstitious essays

Offbeat papers R.L. Stine who is one of Americas top of the line creators and the evil maker of the Fear Street and Goosebumps arrangement of repulsiveness stories for kids. Stine is who composed the book I read, yet he returned with a book for the more seasoned age. All of Stines thoughts in his books are proposed from reality. A large portion of his thoughts originated from his creative mind and his memory. He presently lives in New York City with his better half Jane, and high school child, Matthew. The story occurred on a little Pennsylvania College grounds. Various of murders had occurred. Each murder was considerably more frightful than the first. The analysts didn't have the foggiest idea what had occurred. The casualties seemed as though a wild creature instead of a human slaughtered them. One of the principle characters in this was Sara Morgan. She had recently moved to Pennsylvania or school. Everything was going fine and dandy until she met a teacher named Liam O'Connor; he was another primary character. Liam had a running sentimental figure with an Irish articulation, great looks, sweet appeal, and a large group of Old World eccentric all of which stunned Sara. Diving quick into an unexpected relationship, Sara scarcely had the opportunity to see the terrible occasions occurring on the grounds. Liam was incredibly near his sister Margaret. Excessively close that is. Sara and Liam before long got hitched after a few dates. Everybody said it was peculiar, yet, too early for the person in question. In any case, she asserted she was enamored with him. She began getting wrench calls, cautioning her to avoid Liam. At that point she got two ridiculous hare feet via the post office saying If youre going to wed Liam, youre going to require all the karma you can get. That frightened her to death. At the point when she enlightened Liam concerning it, he acted like he didnt care. Rather he exploded all in her face since she forgot about the front entryway and returned in through the entryway. Of late his notions had been turning crazy. What's more, he had been getting genuine frantic ... <!

How to Write a Scholarship Essay Using Sample Essays

How to Write a Scholarship Essay Using Sample EssaysA very good way to ensure that you get the most out of your college or university scholarship essay is to include sample essays for scholarship. There are some great ones that have sample essays included that will allow you to easily use them to outline and apply for scholarships. This is a very good idea because it allows you to not only be competitive on your essay, but it also allows you to have more than one different sample essay to choose from.In order to write a winning college essay, you need to be able to write with confidence and with authority. One of the things that can help you accomplish this is using sample essays for scholarship. You will be able to get tips and ideas about how to structure and write a winning essay that they way you want it.The key to writing a scholarship essay that is easy to read and learn from is to make sure that you incorporate samples of other students' essays that are available. When you're looking for samples for your essay, you should first look for college essay samples and they can be found in many different places. You should keep in mind that the Internet can be a great place to find samples but also make sure that you look for some books that may also be of help.Also, another thing that you can do to help you learn how to write a scholarship essay is to use books on teaching and writing. The best part about these types of books is that they can help you learn to become better at what you already do. For example, if you know that you're one of the best essay writers out there, you might consider taking a class on how to write college essays.When you start to learn how to write a scholarship essay, you will notice that there are lots of different things that you will need to do. You will also need to practice different methods in order to become a more effective writer. One of the best ways to get practice in is by doing free samples of scholarship essay that you can find online.Once you have learned about writing samples and free samples of scholarships, you can begin writing your own essay and writing scholarships from scratch. It can be a bit of a daunting task, but don't worry; there are lots of people who are able to do this without too much trouble. With practice, you can get the knack of writing a winning essay.If you don't want to waste time looking for samples of scholarship essays, then the best thing that you can do is to use the Internet. Many websites are dedicated to providing samples of scholarships and writing samples. The information that you can get online will be helpful in helping you learn to write a scholarship essay, especially when you start looking for samples of high quality scholarship essays.When you start looking for samples of scholarships and essay samples, you will find that there are plenty of them online. If you want to be able to get the tips and ideas that you need, then you should get the help of a resour ce like a college essay sample. This is a great place to get tips and information on how to write a scholarship essay.

Are We Free to Make Our Own Choices in Life - 2263 Words

1st essay Are we free to make our own choices in life? Although it sounds appealing to make ones own decision freely, it is actually an impractable goal as the society has exerted significant influence and restrictions on individuals and has shaped ones value of what they should do and what they should not do. In todays society, people are more free to make our own choices than we were before, but it is true that we canno indulge our interests at the cost of transgressing the basic rules of the society. The first example is about the choice of curriculum. Nowadays, we are much less limited when choosing extracurriculum activities and collegial groups than people were before; however, there are basic disciplines which must not be†¦show more content†¦Darcys pride of status is founded on social prejudice while Elizabeths initial prejudice against him is rooted in pride of her own perception. But their true communications afterwards made both of them correct their ideas about each others characteristic as well as their own personalities. Another example is in the movie of Titanic. Rose was a girl with notable social status and she would be married with a business man, Carl. Though she did not love him, and was tired about the sybaritic life of upper classes, she lived against her own heart. When saved by Jack, and had conversations with him about their distinct life, Rose realized hat she did not want to be a upper class anymore. She finally acknowledged her love with Jack and decided to live with him forever. Jacks discretions prevented Rose from jumping into the ocean and also encourages Rose to be brave and act in accordance with her heart. Communication is the very way that made Rose to change and understands herself as a woman. I agree that the meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances and insist that communicate helps people to recognize themselves. 3rd essay Is censorship sometimes justifiable? Human rights include freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Based on this definition, many people believe that censorship is a flagrant infringement on human rights, and thus it should not be tolerated.Show MoreRelatedFree Will and Choices1546 Words   |  7 PagesIt has been sincerely obvious that our own experience of some source that we do leads in result of our own free choices. For example, we probably believe that we freely chose to do the tasks and thoughts that come to us making us doing the task. However, we may start to wonder if our choices that we chose are actually free. As we read further into the Fifty Readings in Philosophy by Donald C. Abel, all the readers would argue about the thought of free will. The first reading â€Å"The System of HumanRead MoreDeterminism And Its Effects On Life Paths870 Words   |  4 PagesIn this world our race, location, family, and social class are already predetermined. We do not get to choose the position we are born into. Si nce we live in a world where most of our choices are made for us, some of us are luckier than others. Some people are born to better circumstances in life paths because of luckier predestined factors and qualities afforded to them. Because of the status in which we are born into, the journey we set ourselves on in life is a preconceived path that can be veryRead MoreConception of Free Will and the Concept of a Person1392 Words   |  6 Pagesconception of free will and the concept of a person. Sartre’s main point is on existentialism, the fundamentals of freedom and the responsibilities of our emotions and desires. Frankfurt focuses on the first order and second order desires. Identifying with a desire and externalizing them and taking a stance as an agent, as well as, the importance of morality and self interest. Jean-Paul Sartre is a philosopher who argues about the conception of free will. In order to establish the existence of free willRead MoreFree Will vs Determinism Essay1396 Words   |  6 PagesJones Free Will vs. Determinism The argument of whether we humans are pre determined to turn out how we are and act the way we do or if we are our own decision makers and have the freedom to choose our paths in life is a long-standing controversy. The ideas of Sartre, Freud, and Darwin are each strong in their own manner, yet Sartre presents the best and most realistic argument as to how we choose our path; we are in control of the things we do and responsible for the decisions we make. Not onlyRead MoreEssay on Reasearch on Free Will and Determinism720 Words   |  3 Pages The argument of free will and determinism is a very complex argument. Some might say we have free will because we are in control; we have the ability to make our own choices. Others might say it’s in our biological nature to do the things we do; it’s beyond our control. Basically our life experiences and choices are already pre determined and there’s nothing we can do to change it. Many philosophers have made very strong arguments that support both sides. In life we are constantly questioningRead MoreDeterminism Vs. Free Will1089 Words   |  5 PagesDeterminism vs. Free will The belief that all events have causes and if there ever is an equivalent origin, the same outcome will occur is called determinism. Almost meaning that every event is certain and that there really isn’t such thing as â€Å"free will†. We have the debut of free will, it is an unmitigated appearance that simply holds that there is a case about anything that happens in the near future, nevertheless how it comes about. Which leads to the question, do we have free will? Or are our actionsRead MoreThe Master Of Their Destiny1446 Words   |  6 Pagesdestiny through a compatibilist point of view. It offers a point of view that states determinism is compatible with free will. Even though there are many arguments against this theory compatibilism offers people a alternative way of thinking, than that their life is already planned out for them out of their control. A compatibilist or also known as a soft determinist holds the belief that free will and determinism are evidently linked or are compatible with each other. Determinism states that every eventRead MoreWhat It Means to Have Freedom860 Words   |  3 Pages Today we accept that freedom is a basic right human right but what exactly is freedom. 1On one hand, there is physical freedom. People who are not imprisoned or enslaved are free. On the other hand, there is freedom as a the right to act, speak or think what you want. People cannot reach their full potential if they are not free in both senses of the word. Freedom means living life as one wants, everything else is a form of slavery. If a person is not allowed to make his or hers decisions, ifRead More Existentialism Vs. Determinism Essay783 Words   |  4 Pages Free Will nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Analyzing our individual free will can be very intriguing and can almost reach the point of being paradoxical. Ultimately, free will determines the level of responsibility we claim for our actions. Obviously, if outside forces determine our choices, we cannot be held responsible for our actions. However, if our choices are made with total freedom than certainly we must claim responsibility for our choicesRead MoreEssay on Determinism and Free will1004 Words   |  5 PagesDeterminism and Free will Suppose that every event or action has a sufficient cause, which brings that event about. Today, in our scientific age, this sounds like a reasonable assumption. After all, can you imagine someone seriously claiming that when it rains, or when a plane crashes, or when a business succeeds, there might be no cause for it? Surely, human behavior is caused. It doesnt just happen for no reason at all. The types of human behavior for which people are held morally accountable

Being an athlete is not an easy task especially when...

Being an athlete is not an easy task especially when you’re constantly competing, throughout more than half of the year in your desired sport. To be the best, you must train excessively, be mentally stable, and take care of your body which is the most crucial of all. Athlete’s bodies are precious to them and so they must give it the utmost care in order for their body to function right. However, for a professional athlete, the use of drugs may be the only way possible to enhance their body and make sure that they stay on the top of their game no matter what the cost is. Psychological and physiological factors alos come into play when abusing drugs. Athletes are often caught relying on the drug to help them get through their athletic†¦show more content†¦This often causes them to resort to them using steroids so they can be better than good enough. Steroids are used in many sports such as baseball, football, cycling, and track. This illegal drug has even made it s way down to young adults in high school who are trying to obtain a professional sports career. As a teenager playing a sport is very competitive. Also, most young adults face extreme peer pressure to use anabolic steroids so that they may be able to go on and play in college someday. Research has shown that five percent of teenage boys and two percent of teenage girls have used some form of anabolic steroids (Dowshen). This is done in the hopes of being able to run faster, lift heavier weights, or simply just to build muscle. Pre-teens are guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs as well. Eighth grade junior high students have also been reported with steroid usage. While steroids may have a short lasting satisfaction to teenagers, it can also be their last. Rob Giribaldi of California and Taylor Hooton of Texas have both lost their sons due to the steroid use (USA Today). The intentions of the young men were to bulk up and be able to perform like most professional athletes. How ever, lives are being lost due to this abusive drug. Athletes don’t die from steroids themselves but the steroids secondary effects which can cause problems such as heart failure. Many high school students across the nation continue toShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Marketing Management16709 Words   |  67 Pages 5. What are the tasks necessary for successful marketing management? One of the key factors in Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 U.S. presidential election was a well-designed and well-executed marketing program. Defining Marketing for the 21st Century Formally or informally, people and organizations engage in a vast number of activities we could call marketing. Good marketing has become increasingly vital for success. But what constitutes good marketing is constantly evolving and changingRead MoreConstraints and Challenges for the Global Manager13619 Words   |  55 Pages2 chapter Let’s Get Real: Meet the Manager Dana Robbins-Murray Account Director Caliber Group Tucson, AZ MY JOB: You’ll be hearing more from this real manager throughout the chapter. I am an account director for Caliber Group, a full-service marketing/PR firm. My main responsibility is to work with our clients to determine what type of marketing or public relations they need to create better brand awareness and increase sales for their business. BEST PART OF MY JOB: Working with a large, diverseRead MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 PagesNapoleon Hill and Think and Grow Rich (The Original Self-Help Book) ............................................... 17 Vincent van Gogh (A master painter struck by madness) ........................................................................ 19 Athletes and Sports Stars: Bethany Hamilton (Young surfer and shark-attack survivor)................................................................... 21 Billie Jean King (Tennis legend and women’s rights activist) ....................................Read MoreFactors Affecting Market Share of Retailers15007 Words   |  61 Pagesdevelopment of the society as a whole. According to Berkowitz (1997), Market share is the ratio of the firm’s sales revenues or unit sales to those of the industry (competitors plus the firm itself). Companies often pursue a market share objectives when industry sales are flat or declining and they want to get a larger share. Anheuser Busch has adopted these objectives in the brewing industry. According to August A. Busch III, the company’s chief executive officer â€Å"we want 50 percent of the (beer)Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesBehavior that helps you actively study and prepare material for class. Chapter-by-chapter activities, including built-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town DubaiRead MoreBrand Building Blocks96400 Words   |  386 PagesBRAND BUILDING BLOCKS Building Strong Brands: Why Is It Hard? It is not easy to build brands in today s environment. The brand builder who attempts to develop a strong brand is like a golfer playing on a course with heavy roughs, deep sand traps, sharp doglegs, and vast water barriers. It is difficult to score well in such conditions. Substantial pressures and barriers, both internal and external, can inhibit the brand builder. To be able to develop effective brand strategies, it is useful toRead MoreA Jerney in to the Deaf World15812 Words   |  64 PagesChapter notes: Chapter Notes from Journey Into Deaf-World Chapter 1 Chapter one is basically an introduction to the issues that are discussed throughout the book. Chapter one introduces all the people that are constantly referred to throughout the book. Ben Bahan is the narrator and introduces us to Jake Cohan, Laurel Case, Roberto Rivera and Henry Byrne. Ben is a CODA, Child Of Deaf Adults, and like many CODA’s tried to stray from the deaf community be was eventually drawn back to it. 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Book Report On The Band Aid - 876 Words

It was the craziest thing, Mom, Rhonda said, sitting next to me. I nodded. I agree. I’d been quiet the whole time. Then I started from the beginning. Telling her mom and dad everything that happened and how fast it happened. I think they felt sorry for my dad when I told them about the demon. I felt sorry for him, too, in a way. Jesus will have to come to me in full sun for me to ever let you return to that house, Rhonda’s mom declared. Rhonda smiled. I told you. You were right. Rhonda looked at me in mock shock. Say it again so I can record it. She fumbled with her phone. I rolled my eyes. I can’t wait to see Alex’s face tomorrow when he sees you, Rhonda said. I touched the band-aid. He’ll be fine. I guess we’ll see just how much resolve he s got. She smiled devilishly. Rhonda’s mom slid a drink over to me Someone tell me what’s going on. Rhonda seemed to enjoy telling her the plan. The corners of Mrs. Wallace’s eyes smiled. I see his plan failing the moment you walk in the door, she said looking at me. That boy is in love with you. When you love someone all sanity just oozes out of your ears. She laughed looking at Seamus. Seamus walked up behind his wife and planted a kiss on her cheek. Sanity is overrated. She patted his hand. I bet lunch is ready. After we ate, Seamus stretched out in his recliner and took a nap. Mrs. Wallace had a different idea. She herded me and Rhonda into the van and we went shopping for paint. I had no ideaShow MoreRelatedSavannah State University Hbcu1028 Words   |  5 Pagessoldiers in training World War I from 1914-1918. The basic application for admission process includes $20.00 Check or Money Order for Application Fee, Official High School and/or College Transcript, Immunization Records and SAT and/or ACT Score Report. Along with that , for Freshmen applicants, an SAT score of 830 College prep GPA of at least 2.3,Freshman index of 1940,16 Carnegie units (4 English courses; 4 math courses; 3 sciences; 3 social sciences; 2 years of the same foreign language). ForRead MoreEssay on Nursing: Homosexuality and United States1524 Words   |  7 PagesAnd the Band Played On University of Central Florida Question #1 Based on what you observed in the film or read in the book; clearly articulate and delineate at least three of the sociopolitical factors that influenced public health policy development for HIV/AIDs prevention and control in the United States. Then discuss separately each of the three sociopolitical factors each factor and discussion is equal to three points each. The three sociopolitical factors that influenced public healthRead MoreMardigras1558 Words   |  7 Pagesand Mobile, Alabama also have celebrations. (World Book pg. 197) History of Mardi Gras in New Orleans during the 18th century. Many wealthy Louisiana families would leave their rural plantations to spend the winter months in New Orleans, where they held lavish parties and masked balls. The first written reference to Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans appears in a 1781 report of the Spanish government, which controlled Louisiana. The report addressed problems that might arise from allowing slavesRead More Mardi Gras Essay1507 Words   |  7 PagesAlabama also have celebrations. (World Book pg. 197)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  History of Mardi Gras in New Orleans during the 18th century. Many wealthy Louisiana families would leave their rural plantations to spend the winter months in New Orleans, where they held lavish parties and masked balls. The first written reference to Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans appears in a 1781 report of the Spanish government, which controlled Louisiana. The report addressed problems that might ariseRead MoreHome of the Wildcats, Villanova University is known for being a pleasant, welcoming, private,1600 Words   |  7 Pagesbeing a pleasant, welcoming, private, four-year university. According to U.S. World Report, Villanova is also ranked #1 for North Regional Universities. Not only do they participate in twenty-four varsity sports, but they can also provide up to 220,000 hours of community service within a year (Villanova University), with the most popular event being the Special Olympics. From an exceptional amount of financial aid to an immense amount of course studies, Villanova is a great university for a freshmanRead MoreExplain How Legislations Influence Nurseries976 Words   |  4 Pagesreporting potential hazards to the Head Teacher and immediate response to such reports. Reporting all accidents to the Head Teacher and a note made in the school accident book in accordance with LA regulations. Prompt investigation of all accidents by the Head Teacher in order to establish cause and adopt remedial measures. For First Aid provision we have: Recognised First Aiders in school Provision of fully stocked first aid boxes in all classrooms and in the school hall. Notification to parents ofRead More The Importance of Roger Spottiswoode’s Screen Adaptation of And The Band Played On4180 Words   |  17 PagesThe Importance of Roger Spottiswoode’s Screen Adaptation of And The Band Played On [1] Hollywood is no longer just a name, it is a business, a living entity holding America’s people in its grasp, and it is not about to let them go. Gradually taking on more responsibility and trying to build up its reputation over the years, Hollywood has progressively assumed the position of history-teller for the American public. This role, whether or not an appropriate one for an industry such as HollywoodRead MoreTerm Paper: Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette1322 Words   |  6 Pagesthey will have difficulty negotiating today’s turbulent business environment. One industry that is currently suffering the destabilizing consequences of the Internet revolution is the publishing industry. Included here are textbook publishers, trade book publishers, newspaper publishers, and magazine publishers. All publishers are facing serious challenges. Revenues are down across the board. If these challenges are not handled properly, there is a good chance that a large portion of the publishingRead MoreThe White Man s Burden By William Easterly1704 Words   |  7 Pages‘The White Man’s Burden’ is a book by William Easterly. The book explain why Western relief has done more harm than good. There are high poverty levels in Africa where millions of children are dying from easily preventable diseases despite the increase in foreign aid. Gordon brown called for doubling of foreign aid which was a Marshall plan to help the world’s poor countries. According to Easterly, the West spent around $2.3 trillion on foreign aid for the past five decades and has not yet managedRead MoreStrategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Essay1317 Words   |  6 Pageswill have difficulty negotiating today’s turbulent business environment. One industry that is currently suffering the destabilizing consequences of the Internet revolution is the publishing industry. Included here are textbook publishers, trade book publishers, newspaper publishers, and magazine publishers. All publishers are facing serious challenges. Revenues are down across the board. If these challenges are not handled properly, there is a good chance that a large portion of the publishing

Converse All Stars, case study free essay sample

Inc.The Converse All Star is sneaker that has been around for over a century. beginning in the USA in 1917 it has seen large ups and downs in the market ever since its introduction. From being one of America’s most celebrated sporting shoe to Rock and Rolls go to sneaker. Converse All Stars (Formerly known as Chuck Taylors), are by far the most recognized and purchased style of converse shoe. but what information can we gather from the external environment and what does it mean for the future of the All Star? Demographic is of utmost importance, who is buying the product? What age range does it extend too? Which regions are being marketed? finally what income bracket are consumers falling into and what is being done to break out of that income bracket and appeal to a wider audience? By understanding all of these demographic factors we can being to expand on the overall popularity of the All Star and increase market share. The demographic of Chuck taylors therefore is of extreme importance to marketers. Converse chuck Taylors are marketed to people from age 5-50. Although this age range is clearly very broad it can be further broken down into brackets. For example, from ages 5-10 are marketing is aimed towards a mother who will buy shoes based first, on price and second, on style. Girls in this age bracket are focused on the style and the colour of the sneaker. For teenage boys All Stars are endorsed through prominent sporting figures. For the age 40 and above, market price and style are still the most important factors, going for a ‘classic’ look while still offering colours and patterns considered less conforming on the same style of shoe creates mass appeal to this market.  in fact other than personal preference, conceptions about the brand and personal choice there is almost no reason the All Star cant appeal to most age groups. As All Stars are the most diverse range of converse sneakers they can be stylish – cheap and have a classic look while remaining at the same price. Geography is also one of the most important demographic factors for Converse All Stars.. Highly populated areas with emphasis on young kids still in school are targeted by Converse. More so highly populated areas with lower income demographics are perfect. The brand is also targeted at middle class  and upper class demographics, (mostly marketing the comfort and style to upper class rather than price). This makes it more appealing to lower income people as it is still very affordable, mostly thanks to Converse’ strategy on keeping the price low and the fact that it is not a product only worn by low income demographics. Seeing well known celebrities endorse products that are affordable, has had mass appeal to lower income people and especially in the European and Australian market. The USA market is of particular importance to the Converse All star, with almost 60% of its market being based there.eeing as America is the home of the Converse shoe and particularly the all star (Chuck Taylor) as the first shoe it is easy to see why this market is seen as so vital. With the buyout from Nike (another American Brand) The USA geographic is essential to the success of the Converse All Star. once again the same tactics take place, large populated low-middle class areas are the primary targets the All Star is marketed towards. Keeping the price low in these areas is particularly important in the marketing strategy as it is important not to make people feel ripped off and angry by high prices. Especially seeing as a heavy investment in Converse shops has been made higher prices would prove more costly for the All Star. The competitive environment of the All Stars is also fundamental towards successful market growth. Competition in any sector and in particular clothing and footwear is always going to be what makes or breaks a product. People compare products, prices, comfort, style and other peoples view of all products. for these reasons competition of other brands and labels is of the utmost concern to Converse and the All Star. The All Star has not changed dramatically since it was introduced to the market in 1917.therefore consumers perception of the All Star and other products is what drives the business. Converse do not want there to a substitute product on the market they want the All Star to be one of a kind and therefore need to keep the colours designs and patterns as up to date as possible. Competition from Puma, Adidas, Reebok and even Nike shoes is primarily th e reason Converse All Stars went from America’s most recognised and successful shoe brand to bankruptcy. This was partly due to poor marketing, lack of innovative and new designs on shoes. Nike and Reebok had both. Losing sponsorship and endorsements was a massive issue causing people to view Converse All Stars differently, perhaps even just viewing other brands and shoes as superior. Had Converse taken a different approach towards their brand then they very well could have seen a different future than they now do. The All Star shoe was the most popular shoe on the market and this led to Converse putting more focus into promoting the same style for decades rather than designing newer and more exciting styles to grab peoples attention. Also in 1921 much less was known and applied to sporting science and the technology behind giving athletes greater support in their apparell, particularly shoes. Looking at the Sporting environment now it would be almost impossible to find someone playing a professional or semi-professional game of basketball in a pair of All Stars. These days before a new sporting shoe is put on the market it is rigorously tested for ankle, heel, toe and calf support. Converse failed to do this by updating the All Star. As All Star is still the most popular and recognized Converse shoe, the marketing strategies behind them and therefore peoples view of them has changed. what was once a Sporting focused shoe is now a ‘sneaker’ portraying rebellion, originality and independence. Rock and Roll themes are being heavily used to change consumers perspective of the product. This has created some new competitors for the All Star. Vans has now become one of the largest competitors of the All star ‘way of life’ and are now considered an evoked set. Vans have similar themes, mostly targeting the surfer, skater and ‘free’ lifestyle. Almost from nowhere people have completely divided between whether they are Converse or Vans people, with the choice of footwear defining them and their beliefs. This means that although converse have redefined their image, increasing market share and appealing to a broader, sometimes even ‘cult’ audience they have also gained another competitor. This can however also mean they are slowly distancing themselves from being compared to brands like reebok, who primarily target sporting sectors. Converse also believe that they have a second tier of competition. This extends out to brands such as New Balance and Timberlands. Competing successfully with these brands will not only help market share but also get the All Star back to being able to handle the heavy weights of the competition. In doing this, certain opportunities need to be taken advantage of. Providing additional clothing to consumers not only gets the brand name out there in more ways than just footwear but means that other products are now being offered. Converse already offer some clothing apparel however it is easy to see a large difference in the originality of the All Star, even after all these years and the originality of some of the clothing on offer. another opportunity is the introduction of the design your own shoe program which has given consumers the chance to have a truly unique sneaker designed by themselves. Heavy consumers of Converse are primarily the people that have taken advantage of this initiative however this has introduced a stronger feel of loyalty with the brand. Converse is also increasing sales while other companies are turning over lower profits.  taking advantage of this by positioning themselves as the dominant shoe label would be a massive opportunity. connecting with their consumer through creative ads, also taking advantage of viral videos. A simple Youtube search shows just how hard it is to find a converse ad. jumping on top of viral videos and portraying the brand through fun and creative videos would be a real advntage to the brand and the All Star. Current expenditure expenses are putting $18 million into NBA clients, $8 million into t. v commercials and only $1 million into internet campaigns. Considering the internet is one of the most cost effective ways of advertising in the modern world, it would stand to reason that more money should be invested into that category. One of the biggest opportunities for the All Star now, is the recent buyout from Nike. Nike, a brand recognised across the globe now own converse, meaning larger financial support is available to the converse brand. Converse now has more resources never before available to them to help market and sell their shoe. Competition, technology and changing social views are all threats that the Converse All Star needs to manage. Competitors gaining better technology resulting in them being able to provide their product at a lower cost possibly even taking some cost away from the consumer would make Converses low price strategy less appealing to consumers who would now have other options at a similar price or even worse, lower. A shift in consumers views, style and social ideals would also devastate the brand. if the market of 18-24 year olds for example stopped feeling the need to express independence and originality, then the entire marketing campaign of the All Star would become redundant almost instantaneously. The standard buying decision process of:- 1. Need recognition problem awareness 2. Information search 3. Evaluation of alternatives 4. Purchase 5. Post-purchase evaluation is used when purchasing a pair of Converse All Stars. However different weight is given to each category depending on the type of consumer. For a first time consumer information search might be the most important factor, the research is needed to check the All Stars style, popularity and price. while doing this they also evaluate the alternatives for the All Star. Many shops now sell shoes similar to the Chuck Taylor for under half the price. although these are not original Converse brand shoes (generally missing a displayable brand all together) they are designed to look like replicates. In this case price is almost always the driving factor. Vans and Adidas sneakers while slightly more expensive can have a different appeal altogether depending on how people define themselves. For people that have purchased All Stars before and currently own one or several pairs the need and recognition will be the greatest factor. Do i need to buy a new pair of sneakers? ’ ‘Should i stay with Converse All Stars, or try something new? ’. Asking these questions really determine if people are going to continue buying Converse or try a new brand. after the second purchase people begin to build loyalty to the brand as the sneakers have clearly satisfied their wants. This means a positive post purchase evaluation and the satisfaction continues even leading to word of mouth promotion about the product. So what triggers the need recognition process to begin with for consumers. A look at the latest marketing strategy for the All Star gives a definitive look into a spark for customers realising they need the product. â€Å"Shoes keep it clean, Sneakers get dirty† This popular quote connects with all demographics. There is a very strong idea that shoes need to be kept clean. There is an entire market dedicated to ensuring shoes don’t scuff, wear out or take damage over time. This advertisement, challenges those beliefs and not only that, triggers a thought, ‘What if my shoes were meant to get dirty’. No more worrying about cleaning or only walking on footpaths. The dirtier the shoes get the more they become a symbol against the system. Essentially this can be attributed to marketing. The clever campaigns challenge hidden conceptions that most people didn’t realise they had, ‘Having shoes means maintaining them so they look new’. This also fits into the rebellious image of the All Star of not caring about personal image, even if we know the contrary. Converse is a widely known brand across the sneaker market. when someone decides that they need more information about the All Star to evaluate its benefits to them they a large array of outlests to gather information from. When a consumer asks a colleague or friend about the Converse All Star chances are they will have some opinion on the product, whether it be that Vans, Puma and Reebok are better choices or whether they own or once owned a pair and loved them. If the colleague has no opinion or has not heard of them then the chance of that person even considering to buy a pair of All Star sneakers has already decreased. The internet is another outlet available to consumers where people can get direct feedback from other consumers via blogs, reviews and opinion pieces. This gives potential consumers in the search for information process a quick, cheap and easy way of gathering more information into the product. Using the internet to search for a product, or asking friends and colleagues for information will rarely result in core information not relating to other products. People and even the internet will benchmark products to draw comparisons. Product A may be comfortable to wear but Product B is more comfortable and gives ankle support. By itself Product A is satisfying all the comfort needs of the consumer, that is until it is compared to Product B. The same goes for the All Star, a large number of websites not run by Converse itself will compare prices with similar products available. Asking people on their opinion will also lead to a comparison, people might come out as bluntly as saying, â€Å"You should buy a pair of Vans instead of those All Stars, Vans have more style†. This is a direct comparison and evaluation of Vans (A typical Evoked set considered when Purchasing Converse) leading not only to someone potentially not buying the All Star but also purchasing from the competition. Ultimately it comes down to how we perceive our own lifestyle and how we want others to perceive us when picking between Converse and Vans. Vans compliment the skater, surfer look while Converse promote the rebellious, carefree lifestyle. After the initial need to purchase the All Star has been recognised, an information search has been done and the evaluation of alternatives is complete consumers are now ready to purchase a pair of All Stars. This will primarily be based on the positive or the negative feedback gained in the evaluation process. The consumers willingness to listen to the feedback they received from the internet or their friends and colleagues will be the driving factor behind making the purchase. as long as all needs in the buying process up to this point have also been satisfied then there should be nothing in the way of making the purchase. The post purchase behaviour is going to really be what determines a consumers loyalty towards the All Star. The consumer has done the research and evaluation, this should mean that the smart consumer received good feedback from the other steps in the process, weighed his options and decided to make the purchase, now with a certain expectation. First of all, well done, the consumer is now a member of an individual sect in society, caring more about rebellion than the mundane tasks their boss has set for them. Thanks to clever marketing converse All Stars can now get dirty and display even more independence than they did originally, meaning the more they are worn the more they begin to mean to consumers.