Korean Pop (K-POP) Essay -- Music Musical History Korea Essays

Korean Pop (K-POP) K-pop is short for K = Korean and pop = pop. So what is K-pop? Korean pop. But what really is it? It is the pop of Korea. (No one really knows.) However, there is evidence that it is used for non-ceremonial purposes on the historic peninsula of Korea. Korean pop music happens to be very popular in Korea. It is most popular among the youth of Korea. For the purpose of clarity for this one-thousand-word essay, the youth is defined roughly as ages 0 - 22. Now, there is a phenomenon that occurs with Korean pop music and older Koreans. This phenomenon is a distinct characteristic of Korean pop that separates it from the older Korean pop music of the seventies. This phenomenon is that the older Korean people do not understand the words that come out of the mouths of the singers of Korean pop music that pumps out of the music industry of today in the nation of Korea. This phenomenon parallels that of the pop music of the biggest country of North America—also known by many humans as the United States of America—where older people have trouble connecting with the popular trends in music. This might be illustrated by American people who tend to like country music. If it is not obvious, fans of country music like country music because, as the author of this text has heard, "you can understand [the words]". It is also the tendency that fans of pop music dislike country. These two seem to be mutually exclusive musical tastes. In fact, the older pop of Korea, in the opinion of the author of this text, sounds like country just a wee bit. Trends tend to have the effect that older people can’t understand the words that come out of the mouths of the setters of the trends. Back to our first topic, what is K-pop? It is... ... the rest of the conversation. When asked ‘what you would like to receive as a present for Christmas’ Britney replied, ‘Clothes and accessories’ from which BoA replied, ‘me too’, ending their conversation. However, Britney who had been requesting many fussy conditions during her stay in Korea, left as soon as the concert finished, leaving no further chance for the two stars to talk and the fans disappointed†. In conclusion, K-pop is just like A-pop, with sometimes less talent, sometimes more. Only one thing is certain, eh-hem, analytic and a priori: What exists exists to not not exist. All else: non-analytic, non-empirical. In your head, son. Bibliography KPop Music Video, www.kpopmusic.co.uk KPOP Music.com, www.kpopmusic.com/ solid07 - #1 stop for kpop, www.solid07.net :+: kpop forum :+:, www.kpopforum.cjb.net Kpop.co.uk, www.kpop.co.uk Korean Pop (K-POP) Essay -- Music Musical History Korea Essays Korean Pop (K-POP) K-pop is short for K = Korean and pop = pop. So what is K-pop? Korean pop. But what really is it? It is the pop of Korea. (No one really knows.) However, there is evidence that it is used for non-ceremonial purposes on the historic peninsula of Korea. Korean pop music happens to be very popular in Korea. It is most popular among the youth of Korea. For the purpose of clarity for this one-thousand-word essay, the youth is defined roughly as ages 0 - 22. Now, there is a phenomenon that occurs with Korean pop music and older Koreans. This phenomenon is a distinct characteristic of Korean pop that separates it from the older Korean pop music of the seventies. This phenomenon is that the older Korean people do not understand the words that come out of the mouths of the singers of Korean pop music that pumps out of the music industry of today in the nation of Korea. This phenomenon parallels that of the pop music of the biggest country of North America—also known by many humans as the United States of America—where older people have trouble connecting with the popular trends in music. This might be illustrated by American people who tend to like country music. If it is not obvious, fans of country music like country music because, as the author of this text has heard, "you can understand [the words]". It is also the tendency that fans of pop music dislike country. These two seem to be mutually exclusive musical tastes. In fact, the older pop of Korea, in the opinion of the author of this text, sounds like country just a wee bit. Trends tend to have the effect that older people can’t understand the words that come out of the mouths of the setters of the trends. Back to our first topic, what is K-pop? It is... ... the rest of the conversation. When asked ‘what you would like to receive as a present for Christmas’ Britney replied, ‘Clothes and accessories’ from which BoA replied, ‘me too’, ending their conversation. However, Britney who had been requesting many fussy conditions during her stay in Korea, left as soon as the concert finished, leaving no further chance for the two stars to talk and the fans disappointed†. In conclusion, K-pop is just like A-pop, with sometimes less talent, sometimes more. Only one thing is certain, eh-hem, analytic and a priori: What exists exists to not not exist. All else: non-analytic, non-empirical. In your head, son. Bibliography KPop Music Video, www.kpopmusic.co.uk KPOP Music.com, www.kpopmusic.com/ solid07 - #1 stop for kpop, www.solid07.net :+: kpop forum :+:, www.kpopforum.cjb.net Kpop.co.uk, www.kpop.co.uk

Dreams :: essays papers

Dreams FOUND: An intelligent young woman on the verge of graduating seeks an opportunity to further her education. Coming from a small family, this extremely driven and focused woman needs your help in pursuing her dreams. She would like nothing more than to have a chance to better herself and her future. Going to the college of her choice poses a problem to her family however. The lofty expense of tuition may deter her aspirations of earning a degree and a potential career as a physical therapist. With the generous help your association presents as scholarship money, she will be able to reach and excel past her goals. Goals are not a foreign idea to this talented young leader. Since the age of four she has been actively participating in many recreational and competitive soccer clubs. Together with her teammates, scoring and working towards a common goal has been the main purpose throughout her years of play. This game of skill and physical force has taught the young woman about herself and has taught her lessons that can be learned through life. Once a shy timid girl, she has gained an assertive attitude along with the courage to conquer anything that stands in the way of her dreams because of her partaking in soccer. Ambition, respect, motivation, intuition, and the simple idea that hard work combined with cooperation can lead to big rewards has all been expressed to this young woman because of the game, and she takes this off the field into her everyday life. The definition of hard work can only be compared to the course load that she has decided to undertake her senior year. While many of her friends already have started slacking off by taking all art classes, she has not been influenced by their decisions. Enrolled in honors classes such as English IV and Pre Calculus, doubling up on her science classes; Physics and Chemistry, while also partaking in after school activities and honor societies, it has proven to extend this woman to the furthest point of her potential. Everyday she endures a new task and undertakes it with the utmost responsibility and precision. The effort which she puts into her everyday tasks reflects what she has learned in these past months from balancing a heavy school load and numerous extracurricular activities.

Mystical Motifs in Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway Essay -- Virginia Woolf Mrs.

Mystical Motifs in Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway The scholarship surrounding Woolf’s mysticism by and large focuses on a psychoanalytical approach. While this paper will somewhat attempt to move away from a psychoanalytical methodology, it is valuable to examine the existing scholarship and the departures from this approach. Within this theoretical structure, the critical discussion further breaks down into two separate, though not incompatible, groups: those who see Woolf’s use of mysticism as a feminist statement and those who see Woolf as a mystic. I contend that both perspectives are valid and are inherent in Woolf’s application of mystical motifs, particularly in Mrs. Dalloway. Val Gough in his article â€Å"With Some Irony in Her Interrogation: Woolf’s Ironic Mysticism† makes an argument for Woolf’s ironic use of mysticism in her works as a feminist statement. Through various syntactical subtleties, Gough points out areas in Woolf’s work where â€Å"the mystic quest for truth [is portrayed] in a subtly skeptical manner† (Gough 86). Gough extends her use of irony to examine how it serves â€Å"to de-naturalize the relationship between text and reader, to make it overtly complex and problematic† (88). He contends that irony, in operating between the reader and the text, serves to break down, to some extent, the â€Å"stability of the sign and of supposed ‘absolute’ truth† (88). Ultimately, he concludes that â€Å"Woolf’s ironic mysticism†¦necessarily involves a feminist challenging of rigid structures of phallic (and imperialist) power, thus making it a mysticism of subversive, politically critical, feminist irony† (89). Gough’s particular approach is interesting because it contends that an ironic mysticism is inherently politicized and specifica... ...ulie. â€Å"Varieties of Mystical Experience in the Writings of Virginia Woolf.† Twentieth Century Literature Vol 41 Iss 4 (1995): 328-349. Minow-Pinsky, Makiko. â€Å"‘How then does light return to the world after the eclipse of the sun? Miraculously, fraily†: A Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Woolf’s Mysticism.† Virginia Woolf and the Arts. Pace University Press: New York 1997. Moore, Madeline. The Short Season Between Two Silences: The Mystical and the Political in the Novels of Virginia Woolf. Allen & Unwin: Winchester, Mass 1984. Rachman, Shalom. â€Å"Clarissa’s Attic: Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway Reconsidered.† Twentieth Century Literature Vol 18 Issue 1 (1972): 3-18 Smith, Susan Bennett. â€Å"Reinventing Grief Work: Virginia Woolf’s Feminist Representations of Mourning in Mrs. Dalloway and To The Lighthouse.† Twentieth Century Literature Vol 41 Iss 4 (1995): 310-327

Homelessness In Britain

Try to imagine waking up in a cold shop doorway, dirty and hungry. There's nowhere to wash and you have to beg for three hours before you have enough money to buy yourself a cup of tea, there's also nowhere for you to get warm. It's a terrible thought, but its okay because it will never happen to you, or so you may think. Tom Watts was A wealthy businessman with a devoted wife and two lovely children, he worked in London and often passed homeless people in the street, often chucking them some spare change as he passed, not even giving them a second thought until now. You see, Tom Watts is no longer the big businessman with the big house and the big car, he lived beyond his means and became bankrupt losing his house. Because of all the stress he also lost his wife and children. Now he sleeps wherever he can, this morning he woke up in the London underground he  says † I just take one day at a  time, I never know where I'll be one day to the next†. Tom's only wage is the 65p he gets from every copy of the Big Issue, which is sold for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 – a magazine sold by the homeless. Tom can officially earn up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½17 a week before his à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½38-a-week social security is under threat, he says â€Å"The money I earn is not much at all. But if I could just find a place to live I could then go about getting a job and once I'm settled I can go to court, and see about getting to see my kids, but without a place to live it won't happen†. That's where shelter comes in Tom like hundreds of other homeless people are on the waiting list for temporary housing, it gives people a head start. It's not just a hostel where you have a first come first serve basis, while your in temporary housing shelter help you to find a more permanent placement. They also help you to find a work placement and any legal advice you may need. Shelter was launched in 1966 to bring housing problems to everyone's attention and  appeal for money to improve things. In 1970 shelter opened its first housing aid shelter to give people with housing problems or nowhere to live free advice. Tom sells the Big Issue: â€Å"I just want to see my kids† Some of the main reasons for people becoming homeless are job loss, break-up with a partner, heavy debts, drug addiction and even mental illness. The majority of people start off moving round sleeping on friends sofas or floors, but before long you realise you've been there for a few weeks or even months and think you're beginning to out stay you're welcome and can't abuse their hospitality any longer and leave. More than 326,000 people are homeless in Britain, sleeping rough, in hostels or moving from place to place with no home to call there own. Experts believe the problem is extremely bad and is worsening and without the help of charity the problem would rapidly increase.

The Ethical Dilemma of THE FIRM

There are a number of ethical dilemmas that are quit obvious on the surface in THE FIRM and play a large role in the development of the narrative. These dilemmas revolve around criminal activity and are obvious. The ethical dilemmas that the main character faces are that of whether or not to continue his relationship with illegal activity or to abandon his complicity of the illegality. This is, of course, compounded by the fact that the authorities realize what is going on and will prosecute the main character if he does not aid them and if he does aid them he will risk discover and, possibly, assassination. Again, while much of the narrative and the ethical dilemmas that resonate from it are obvious, there are also a number of subtle ethical dilemmas that equally contribute to the overt dilemmas that the viewer is clearly aware. Consider how Mitch McDeere, the main character, finds himself in the position that he is in, in the first place. McDeere is not a wealthy man and he supports himself through law school by working as a waiter. He is marries and we must logically assume that his wife is also financially supporting him as a waiter’s tips could never finance a full time law degree course load. (A visual motif is employed when we first see Mitch and his wife – they are eating Chinese take out food right out of the cartons. A cheap device to hint that they are short on cash) Mitch is seemingly humbled by his experience and there is a bit of inferiority found within his perception of himself. When the job offer to work at a law firm in Memphis arises, McDeere is enamored with the job for one reason and one reason alone: money. The Memphis firm simply pays the best and it is located in an area where the cost of living is low. Because of this, McDeere will reap cash rewards and, as a result, cleanse himself and his psyche of the inferiority complex that he developed pinching his budget in order to survive. Of course, this also has created a tunnel vision approach to accepting the job offer and McDeere accepts his job offer from a firm he knows relatively little about. Because he rushes into the union based solely out of a desire for a quick profit, he leaves himself woefully vulnerable as he enters a world that is hardly what it seems. He is not so much entering the legal profession as he is entering the criminal profession as the law firm is heavily involved with organized crime and money laundering. For McDeere’s wife, the dilemma becomes one that conflicts her. Should she stay in the marriage and risk her life or should she leave her husband to his own fate? For McDeere’s mentor, Avery Tolar, his dilemma is that he must convince McDeere to literally reshape his own ethical beliefs so as to accept a life of crime. If he can not convince McDeere of this, Tolar is then faced with the dilemma of what to do with McDeere. In other words, Tolar may be forced to have someone whom he considers a surrogate son assassinated. Therein lies a number of complexities within the framework of THE FIRM: the dilemmas posed to McDeere are interrelated with other characters and, ultimately, the dilemma is rooted not so much in the narrative’s complexities as much as they are rooted in the complexities of the motivations of McDeere. This is further compounded by the fact that McDeere’s motivations have shifted from wealth as a source of providing for his family to wealth for wealth’s sake to simply being able to survive. In order to resolve this dilemma, McDeere must figure a way out of a no win situation. He can take his chances with the firm and hope he will not get prosecuted or he can help the police and risk being killed. Either way, his choices are not exactly good so he must seek a third option that may allow him to circumvent the police and his employers at the firm. This leads McDeere to investigate deeper into the business practices of the firm where he hopes to find the magic bullet that will allow him a safe passage out of the dilemma he finds himself. Eventually, he does find an escape and it is the downfall of the film as a serious drama. The way in which the ethical dilemma was resolved is, quite honestly, insane. That is to say, it would appear that the producers of the film did not like the ending of the novel and wanted to create a more upbeat â€Å"Hollywood† ending. In the novel, McDeere and his wife have â€Å"co-opted† quite a bit of the firms money and run away. The novel ends with them on a ship sailing away to a new life and we presume they also will have new identities. The ending of the novel is purposefully ambiguous leading the reader to assume that the escape may or may not work. Whether it does or not is irrelevant as the purpose of the ending of the novel is to show that McDeere has matured and has become self sufficient as well as to provide a cautionary warning to those who make the errors of pride that McDeere embodied. The cinematic adaptation of THE FIRM was a summer release featuring a bankable, box office star. Simply put, there was NO WAY the studio was going to risk losing money with an ending audiences would find too downbeat. In the ending of the film, McDeere’s moral dilemma is solved by presenting the mafia bosses who employ the firm with records of over billings. This way, the mob no longer works with the firm. They will not kill McDeere because he has provided them with proof that they have been â€Å"ripped off† and now the mob will file criminal charges against the firm. To put it mildly, this ending is UTTERLY IDIOTIC, and ruins all the proceedings of the film. It is, however, the way the ending of the film is scripted and it is how a convenient ending is crafted to escape the dilemma the main character faces. Would a different framework to the ending have provided a better conclusion? Had the original ending of the novel been retained the answer would be yes as the ending would have made more logical sense within the genre as the cinematic ending was too ridiculous and contrived. Furthermore, the cinematic ending allows McDeere to EVADE his dilemma that actually confronting it. That is, he plays a sleight of hand game to remove himself from the equation and eliminate the mob’s threat. Again, the ending is silly, but it is the ending we are stuck with. In terms of the overall entertainment value of the subgenres of courtroom/crime/police procedural dramas, there are a number of reasons for the success of these genres despite the fact that these subgenres have a great deal going against them: the age brackets they appeal to are limited and plots are generally not ‘popcorn’ entertainment, yet audiences turn out in droves to see them. (THE FIRM grossed well over $100 million in theaters when first released) Of all the reasons that these subgenres are popular, there are two reasons that stand out the most. First, the audience perceives the films to be â€Å"real.† Of course, what is presented on screen is far removed from what really exists in the mundane world of criminal investigations and courtroom proceedings, but the genres root themselves in the realm of plausibility. While the events that are presented on screen generally do not happen in the dramatic manner in which the events are portrayed, there is the possibility that they could happen in such a manner. As such, the narrative becomes gripping and it draws the audience into the seriousness of the proceedings. Second, the audience finds the morality play in these types of films to be gripping. THE FIRM is not a film that deals exclusively with corruption as it relates to the plot as much as it is a condemnation of corruption in general which is then dramatized in the form of a cinematic morality play. The concept of the audience learning moral lessons in from the entertainment medium is hardly a new concept and it is perennially popular. While such morality lessons started with Greek myths they have carried over into modern cinema where they remain equally popular and will remain so for many years to come. Ultimately, THE FIRM is an excellent thriller that poses a number of ethical dilemmas for the cast of characters as well as the audience. Sadly, the ending cheats both the characters and the audience out of an effective cure for the dilemma, but the film remains entertaining overall despite its flaws. Bibliography Davis, J. (Producer), & Pollack, S. (Director). (1993). The Firm [Motion picture]. Los Angeles, CA: Paramount. Grisham, John. (1992) The Firm. Paperback Edition.   New York: Pengui

How Far Was Edward Iv Responsible for His Own Deposition in 1470?

How far was Edward responsible for his own desposition in 1470? When Edward VI became King in 1461, he had to deal with some unfavourable circumstances. Edward had not executed his enemies; Henry VI, Prince Edward, or Margaret of Anjou, so they escaped to Scotland. This provided an alternative King for Edward's opponents to support. He was also a usurper to the throne, therefore the majority of the nobility that were still loyal to Henry VI could use this to their favour. Additionally, Edward did not control the distant parts of the country, especially the North of England and Wales.The Kingdom was extremely divided. There were still Lancastrian castles in the Midlands that needed to be captured and/or destroyed. His government was also in severe debt. Considering Edward's age and inexperience, it was unlikely he would be able to deal with this situation effectively and provide the best possible outcomes. However, some circumstances were actually quite favourable. Although he had to deal with a difficult situation, it would be practically impossible for Edward to do much worse than the disaster King who reigned before him, Henry VI.Edward had also proved his military credentials as a warrior King at the battles of Mortimer's Cross and Towton, showing he was not as incompetent a leader as Henry VI. He was also an ideal candidate for kingship because he was both tall and charismatic, and although he was a usurper to the throne, he was technically the strongest claimant. The beginning of Edward's first reign can be considered reasonably successful. Edward immediatly destroyed the remaining Lancastrian castles and tried to strengthen his power base by allowing a selected number of the nobility to help him, including Warwick, Montagu and Herbert.He also ordered the execution of the Earl of Oxford and his son after he discovered plots to kill the King. Then Edward, marched his army north where a Lancastrian- Scottish force invaded England, and defeated them. He also issued his close ally William Herbert to defeat opposition in Wales. However, soon after, Edward started to show his weaknesses. Edward decided he was going to try to win over some of his opposition, rather than show them no mercy. He welcomed Somerset, a leading Lancastrian to court and allowed him to join him in all his King-like events, such as hunting, jousting and even sharing the same sleeping quarters.Sir Ralph Percy, was also given back his castles as a sign of Edward's willingness to trust him. This proved unpopular among the Yorkist nobility, and rightly so, as in the end, both Somerset and Percy betrayed him by fleeing back to Henry and handing over their castles to the Scots. Finally, Somerset was recaptured and executed. Although Edward's mistake was not as severe as other mistakes, such as marrying Elizabeth Woodville, it was his first mistake proving his naivity and inexperience. His choice of wife was his most major mistake. Most English kings married foreign princes ses to create alliances and to increase diplomatic influence.It would also prevent an alliance between the Lancastrians and France. Edward knew that marrying Elizabeth Woodville, a woman from low nobility, would be considered a serious error, so he married her in secret. Her previous marriage was to a Lancastrian, Thomas Grey, another reason as to why he shouldn't have married her. In addition, Elizabeth Woodville had an extremely large family, which meant the King would have to reward his new family with patronage and titles. This created resentment among noble families, there was now less land and titles for them to gain and less places for leading nobles at court.The Woodvilles also invaded the marriage market significantly. Elizabeth's 5 sisters all married into important noble families, reducing the prospects of other Yorkist nobles. By 1475, Edward had split the nobility even more than it had been before and this was mainly his fault. Warwick, was increasingly resenting the Ki ng for a number of reasons. He had been negotiating with the King of France, Louis XI, to marry Bona of Savoy, a French princess to Edward. When he discovered that Edward had already married Elizabeth Woodville in secret, he was humiliated.As well as this, now that the Woodvilles were in the marriage buisness, Warwick's arrangements to marry his two daughters were now ruined. One of Elizabeth's sons, Thomas Grey married Anne Holland, who was meant to marry one of Warwick's nephews. Not only did he antagonize Warwick in the marriage industry, but he also implemented his own ideas in foreign policy, creating an alliance with Burgundy rather than France, therefore completely ignoring Warwick's suggestion. The traditional view of Edward's first reign was that he was too young and inexperienced to rule effectively, but by his second reign he controlled the situation much better.However, some historians such as Professor Carpenter have argued in opposition to this view. He did cope extrem ely well in both Lancastrian and foreign interference. He did not allow Warwick or the Woodvilles to dominate him, and by antagonizing Warwick he was proving his independance from the ‘Kingmaker'. Besides, Warwick was extremely difficult to please. He was not satisified even after he had recieved a number of titles and land. Edward did not give him land in Wales that he had originally requested because Edward desperately needed a wider power base, so he gave this land to the Herberts.Warwick was so ambitious, he was even willing to go against the Yorkist regime to get what he wanted. He joined forces with the King's brother, Clarence, as they both resented the Woodvilles. He did everything in his power to antagonize the King. He arranged for Clarence to marry one of his daughter's against the King's wishes. He also organised a rebellion against the King in the North. In doing so, he proved his extreme childish behaviour. Nobility were meant to ensure law and order, not provoke rebellion. He even organized a rebellion to make Clarence the King of England, which in hindsight, we know did not succeed.Warwick's traitory streak was on-going. He wanted to get rid of Edward VI by whatever means possible, even if it meant resorting to a French/Lancastrian alliance in 1470. He was now involving foreigners into the conflict. Warwick finally brought Henry VI back onto the throne in 1470, while Edward and his closest allies escaped the Kingdom. Overall, Edward was largely responsible for his desposition in 1470. Some of Edward's descions during his first reign can be justified, for example rewarding other nobles rather than Warwick to increase his power-base or keeping his traditional trading ally Burgundy to distance himself from Warwick.However, there are some descions that are injustifiable, mainly his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. If this descion wasn't made, he would have probably avoided a number of conflicts with Warwick. On the other hand, Warwick and man y other nobles were overly ambitious, and if he didn't antagonize him by marrying Elizabeth Woodville, it is likely that he would have antagonized him in any other descion he made. Warwick and Clarence should also take a large part of the responsibility as they were prepared to betray their own side in pursuit of their ambitions.

Is intelligence innate? Essay

For many years, there had been a debate over whether genes alone can determine one’s intelligence or whether the environment and training can increase one’s intelligence. Some scientists think that people behave as they do according to genetic predispositions. This is known as the â€Å"nature† theory of human behavior. Other scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the â€Å"nurture† theory of human behavior. Intelligence can be employed to indicate the amount of knowledge available and the rapidity with which new knowledge is acquired; the ability to adapt to new situations and to handle concepts, relationships, and abstract symbols. Scientists have known for years that traits such as eye color and hair color are determined by specific genes encoded in each human cell. The Nature Theory takes things a step further to say that more abstract traits such as intelligence, personality, aggression, and sexual orientation are also encoded in an individual’s DNA. Therefore, it is argued that intelligence is innate. People are born with it. There are also beliefs that the more folds you have in your brain, the more intelligent you are as your brain contains more neurons. Intelligence can be inherited. This can be used to explain why people say that Jews are smart. According to adoption studies, adopted children have more similar intelligence scores than their adoptive parents who reared them from birth. Supporters of the Nurture Theory do not deny that genetic tendencies may exist, but believe that they ultimately do not matter. Our behavioral aspects originate only from the environmental factors of our upbringing. Therefore, intelligence can be increased or augmented if one goes through training. The importance of twin studies is evident if we look at the studies objectively, if intelligence is basically hereditary, identical twins who have the same genetic legacy. Jones’s study (1946) shows that there is a modest difference in the intelligence test scores of twins reared apart, and the more divergent the environments, the greater the difference. I believe that it is a combination of both nature and nurture. Intelligence can be increased by training, but how much it can be increased very much  depend on one’s innate intelligence. We are all born with a certain I.Q.. Some people may have higher intelligence than others. However, if both a high I.Q. person and low I.Q. person goes through similar training, they can both increase their intelligence, but it would be easier for the high I.Q. person to increase his/her intelligence. I feel that it is not possible for one’s intelligence to be solely determined by the genes. If this had been the case, we would be living in a scary world. Our intelligence would be decided once we are born, and there is nothing we can do to change it. We have to live with it for the rest of our lives. I believe our environment plays a part. We can only fulfill our genetic potential by first, optimizing our environmental factors. For example, people living in third world countries may be born with the same intelligence level as other people in first world countries. However, they do not have the optimum environment to realize their potential, thus they fare much worse than others in first world countries. Genes only serve as guidelines. The rest is derived from interactions with the environment. Individual intelligence and human behavior cannot be predicted based on knowledge of genetics and the environment. When something is considered determined, free will is destroyed.