Understanding Of Media Audiences

Understanding Of Media Audiences Audiences are a critical subject in studying media. Audience is the term used to describe a large number of unidentifiable people, who usually united by their participation in media use. (Hartley, 2002) Media has a huge power to influence audience thinking and behaviour. There are many approaches to deconstruct the relationship between the audience and the text. The question arise here is, how do human receive text from television, or internet etc.? How do human analyse and affect by the text? In this essay, we will discover two approaches looking into the audiences and how will they related the media or how do we understand media audiences from these approaches. In term of media, Uses and Gratifications (UG) Theory and two-step flow theory are the essential approaches of understanding the audiences. There are many academic studies developed under the UG theory since this idea arises over the past 100 years. On the other hand, two -step flow theory explains that the audiences will be influenced by the media or other opinion leader. Although these two theories has been criticized and negated, they help us to understand the relationship between the media and receiver. In the first part of the essay, we will discover two theory of study the audiences. The first approach is Uses and gratifications theory, this approach focus on the consumer and the audience, rather than the message. It is concern about how people (media audience) made choices and what they did when consuming texts. According to Katz (1959), ask not what the media can do to people, but what the people can do with media. In other words, audience should be an active role to use media for pursues their own needs. Blumler and Katz in The uses of mass communication bring up an idea: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦something of the way in which individuals uses communications, among other resources in their environment, to satisfy their needs and achieve their goals, and to do so by simply asking them. (Blumler Katz, 1974) Blumler and Katz (1974) concluded that different people use the same media for different purposes; therefore, the same media content may satisfy different needs for different individuals. Rosengren (1974) developed the idea of Katz and other scholars and presented the following diagram: mmm Figure 1 (Blumler, 2004 p.271) The diagram put more attention to the society and individual characteristics affect much of people needs. In term of individual characteristics, not just Psychological Set-up, but also added the Social Position, and Life History. Moreover, Rosengren build up `Perceived problem and solutions it explains human psychological process between needs and motives. Those elements not previously emphasized by Blumler and other scholars. In the diagram, basic needs, individual characteristics and society structure are three factors interact and result in people use media for variety of gratifications. Lucas and Sherry (2004) put more simplified model of Rosengrens paradigm.   According to psychologist Maslows hierarchic theory of needs, (1943) basic needs are divided five main cataloguers including physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization.(Maslow, 1943) More detail shows in the following figure: http://levelupliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/hierarchy-of-needs3.png Figure 3 (ICT Learning, 2010) However, in media perspective, according to Katz et.al put `needs into five different categories: cognitive, affective, personal integrative, social integrative and tension release needs. (Iqbal, 2010) In term of individual characteristics and society, we can clearly see these factors including psychological set-up, social position, life history and media structure in figure 1. Audience thinks perceived solutions when he realizes there is a perceived problem and thereby creates motives. After that, audience use the media, make choice to choose different types of media, how much time they going to spends with media etc. Audience also uses with other behavior such as personal contacts or other means of communication. At the end, audience decides to continue use the media while he could obtains gratification or non-gratification. Blumler et.al. concern audiences use media as a sough gratification. They point out UG theory is built up on five assumptions. The first assumption is that the audience is conceived as active (Blumler Katz, 1974) In other words, UG establishes people play the active role to discover their own satisfied information for different reason and in different ways. Secondly, they assume in the mass communication process much initiative in linking need gratification and media choice lies with the audience member. (ibid.) This is an idea that people can allow the media to influence them. `The media competes with other sources of need satisfaction. (ibid.) is the third assumption of UG. This is an idea that mass media is only one of the resources to satisfied people needs. Therefore, mass communication must compete with other non-media resources such as interrelationship communication aim to produce the need. The forth assumption is `many of the goals media use can be derived from data supplie d by the individual audience members themselves. (ibid.) It assumes audience is rational, and can fully understand their choices and motives. Audience also are able to explain them clearly. The last assumption is `value judgments about cultural significance of mass communication should be suspended while audience operations are explored on their own terms. (ibid.) This assumption believes people determinate the value of the media. These five assumptions help us to understanding the relationship between the media and audiences. For the motivation for media use, McQuail, Blumler, and Brown (1972). proposed a model of media-person interactions to classify four different gratifications: diversion, personal relationships, personal identity and surveillance. (Katz, E.) Diversion refers to people escape from reality like everyday problem and the constraints of routine. Secondly, personal relationship is about social interaction, people using the media as a substitute companionship. Thirdly, personal identity is including people referencing, learning and exporting themselves from the text. Lastly, surveillance is means the information could be helps our life such as weather report and news. In 1983, McQuail purposed four typology of common reasons for media use, there are information, personal identity, intergration and social interaction, and entertainment. (Chandler, 1994.) This is similar with media-person interactions in 1972 which have been mentioned above. Nevertheless, this typology had emphasis more on soc ial environment and psychological. With other theory, UG theory received some criticism. Ang, L claims that theory did not emphasis on social context and audience is individualistic. UG ignore the content of media, stressed that is the active audience needs. The research found out that the audience is not selective on the messages delivered to them. The result is a contradiction with the theory of assumption that audience is active to make choice for the use of media. The terms of need, motivations, and expectation have not clearly define while gratification sought and gratification obtained is indistinguishable. Despite this theory challenged by these factors, still has its value of researching by the audiences point of view of media. The second approach to understand the audiences is Two-Step Flow of communication. (P. E. Lazarsfeld, 1944) Lazarseld, Berelson and Gaudet introduced their hypothesis in 1955. Research had been carried out on the decision making on a Presidential election, the result of the research had concluded that information does not flow directly from the text into the audiences mind but is filtered through `opinion leaders then leader influence other audiences (followers). (Katz, 1955.) There is two distance stage of media text transmitted. The figure illustrates the how this theory works: Figure 4 (Katz, 1955) In the diagram above, messages no longer dispatch from the mass media (producers) to the receivers directly. Messages were first transmitted to opinion leader who then interpreted and give the information to other (followers) in face-to-face. (ibid.) This explains why media may have failed to alter audiences attitude or behavior. In other words, the effect of mass media is not universal, must be assessed to other media channels to influence the information or opinions. Unfortunately, this hypothesis has criticized and being questioned, For example, figure 4 shows followers only received message from opinion leader. Obviously, we can receive the information from mass media directly. In additional, some scholars discover that transmitting information in society not only two step flow. It is involved multi step flow. (Inglis, 1990) The transmitted is more complicated than we imagine. Moreover, we might get confuse who is the opinion leader. It is a general assumption that a person who influences other people can be opinion leader because they use media more, and socially active. Baran, S,J. defines opinion leader as a ` people who initially consume media content, interpret it in light of their own values and beliefs, and then pass it on to opinion followers. (Baran, 2002.) In other words, most of the opinion leaders social position or status or by virtue of their grater interest in the topic at hand. (Robinson, 1976) Nonetheless, we cannot be certain who opinion leader is? For instance, A is an opinion leader of fashion; however, A is a follower in music while B is an opinion leader. Therefore, opinion leader is depends on the position, background and issue etc. These theories receive many critics from scholars due to the confusion of the position of the person. In spite of those criticisms, two-step flow receives praises and influence mass media especially advertising. The theory refined the ability to predict the influence of media messages on audience behavior,(Dave, 2009) and the reason why people sometime does not influence by media. In the second part of the essay will be illustrate how those two approaches contribute to our understanding of media audiences. Through the study of uses and gratifications and two-step flow theory, we can understand what audience can do with media, their motivations to use media and how media can be transmitted. Put these knowledge into a mass media and into the society, we can explain some social phenomenon and why audience influences by each other. Uses and gratifications approach is very suitable in explaining why people watch television. To apply this theory into the context of audiences which watch TV, watching TV provide the basic needs, society media structure and individuals characteristics which will sum up to gratifications in Blumeler Theory where by they are information, personal identity, integration and social interaction, and entertainment. TV channels provide information such as news and advertisement. Audiences can easily find themselves on TV programme like quiz show. For example, audiences can compare with the experts, laugh at the contestants mistake. (Chandler, 1994) In term of integration and social interaction, audiences may watch the TV together and so create an interaction or communication. They also recognize and more importantly to interact with the highly stylized images presented by TV programmer, especially those entertainers, talk show hosts. (Levy, 1979) Audiences entertained by TV programme such a s game shows and soap operas. They are able to relax, escape from reality. Despite new means of media counties come out namely internet and telephone, still, television can `survive in the completion because tally audience needs of UG theory. Subsequencetly, we can use UG theory to explain audience use other means of media such as magazine and radio. On the other hand, many companies and advertiser may apply to two step flow approach. They agree that customer might change their view of the product or company because of other users opinion. Evidently, a business would be a success as long as they gained the opinion leader support. This is because opinion leader will promote for the business. For instance, social network such as Facebook reaches nearly 500 million active users in 2010 since Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg launch the website reaches mere 1 million active users in 2004. (Facebook, 2010) In this case, word of the mouth is `I add you on Facebook or `how come you dont have facebook? The initial opinion leader on Facebook is the founder and his university classmates. The aim of communication within the campus, however, communication has power to influence other. When a follower became an opinion leader, number of users will dramatically increase. Although the initial aim of founder is not a business, which shows how two -step flow works. Again, that theory can apply to other media or business, especially in this information explosion era. People can easy to obtain information or review from `opinion leader. And other example of two step flow is the source of Lazarseld et.al study -election campaigns. They concluded that only 5% of the people changed their voting behavior as a result of these media messages. (Katz, 1955.) The voters influence by their interpersonal communication (such as friends, politic tradition) and short-run considerations (such as candidate attractiveness or current social issue). This view of media effects known as limited effects theory. Audience is a giant subject of studying media. Beside these two approaches, we can extend the study of understanding audience. Those audiences have different preference or motivation in using the media. We can construct the audience to different cataloguers. In some study, gender, ages, and social class are the elements to decide the audience to use media. For instance, newspaper readers in different gender, age and social position will choose to buy/read different newspaper. The following table shows the newspaper readership: (Griffiths, 2010) In conclusion, uses and gratification and two-step flow theories are the important theories to study audiences behavior. Through this theory of UG, we can understand what people do with the media, how audience satisfy their need by using media to establish such needs and why people using different kinds of media or communication such as radio and television. In the same way, we can see sometime media not fully influence the audience in the theory of two step flow. This approach also suggests audiences are influenced by or face-to face communication with the opinion leader who is more active in media uses. There are many other approaches which provide knowledge for understanding the audiences behavior. In spite of some criticisms of these two theories which we had discussed in the essay, Uses and gratification theory and Two-step flow hypothesis are significant theoretically.

CHINAS RESPONSE TO OVERPOPULATION :: essays research papers

Introduction Today so many children and people in the world suffer from poverty and starvation. In so many third world country's families are going without food or good water. Never before have we seen so many children die before the age of five. It is impossible to feed all of these mouths and clothe all of these backs. The world is full of natural resources at our disposal. These resources are taken for granted and not preserved the way they should be. As a result, fossil fuels will not be available in a matter of years. Nature is missing links due to the extinction of many species, many we don't ever get a chance to learn about. More people means more products made in factories, more jobs needed, and more consumption of this earth's precious resources. Were are overcrowded! We are overpopulated. Not to mention all of the disease that is spread through the poverty stricken slums that the malnourished live in."We are already living with the consequences of human population growth. Ther e are now so many people, that we were probably pretty much forced to modernize and give up smelly outhouses in favor of the more convenient and practical flush toilet. Sanitation workers are paid to collect the trash that huge cities of people generate, as large populations need proper sanitation."(Garrett Hardin) We try to regulate this epidemic by using birth-control and other devices, but we see what good all of that is doing. We ourselves are setting up for extinction. There must be a way to control the overpopulation. We should not be a disease to this planet. Do we not see the connections between science and society!? Gaylord Nelson was quoted as saying, "The number one environmental problem facing the earth today would have to be population. Where on Earth Are We Going? He said the answer is: "It's all up to us. The level of human population and the scale and intensity of human activity has reached a point where we are literally affecting the very conditions o n which human life and well being depend. "The first major effect of overpopulation is consumption of valuable resources. This is one of the major causes of depletion of our natural resources. When mentioning consumption, we are referring to all the products we buy and use. In the United States, Americans consume far more than what is necessary.

Compare the descriptions of the four ghosts Essay

Dickens’ little Christmas book, ‘A Christmas Carol’, was one of many of Christmas novels, however the book, as well as selling six thousand copies in one week, has become Dickens most famous novel. Although the Victorians opinions of ghosts were conformist and modern day reader’s opinions are more lax; the variety of spectres ensured it appealed to both ages and revived the charitable meaning of Christmas for the Victorians. The first ghost Dickens introduces to the reader is Marley and he uses vivid adjectives to illustrate the typical conventions of a ghost. Some of these conventions are shown when Dickens writes, ‘The same face: the very same’, and describes his clothes as, ‘usual waistcoat, tights, and boots’. In saying that the ghost has, ‘the same’, face and clothes as the person it originated from, it conforms to the stereotypical image of a ghost. This makes the reader feel more comfortable with the opening of the novel; allowing the reader to make the prediction that the other ghosts would be similar. This successfully results in the reader being shocked later on in the book. Furthermore, Dickens uses personification to create the suspense and fearfulness that the reader would expect a ghost to do. This is evident with the quote, ‘ flame leaped up’, and, ‘it cried, â€Å"I know him! Marley’s ghost†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ. When the flame, ‘leaped up’, it gives the effect that it has identified something so fearful that it has gave life to in-animate objects. This makes the reader desperate to find out why this ghost is so frightening. The flame also seems to detect that the ghost is Jacob Marley, which suits the idea that a ghost haunts someone that did wrong to them in their previous life. Adding to the terrifying image of the spectre, Dickens highlights the fear with the phrase, ‘disturbs the very marrow in his bones’. The phrase strengthens the idea that Marley is a typical spectre as a Victorian reader would expect Scrooge to be immensely scared of the ghost, this is because the conformist opinion was that ghosts we’re to be frightened of. Although Marley is overall a conventional ghost, Dickens does use a combination of metaphors and similes to add interesting original touches. These are found when the book says, ‘being provided with an infernal atmosphere of it’s own’, and, ‘as by the hot vapour from an oven’. The simile highlights the alteration between Scrooge and the ghost. One interpretation of this is that the simile is a representation of how a ghost sees the world from a different perspective then a human. The simile emphasises this interpretation and suggests that the difference between the perspectives of the two characters is that the ghost looks on the earth with envy as his own world as Marley’s own world agitates like, ‘hot vapour’. This is one of the first signs that the book will push the conformist boundaries of the after life; alerting the reader to the thought that this ghost has feelings, which is not expected from a Victorian audience. In contrast to the ghost of Jacob Marley, the ghost of Christmas past is strange and unconventional. Just as in the description of Marley, Dickens uses sound to build up suspense. For example, he describes the hour bell as, ‘hollow’. The use of this word may mean that the ghost is evil, however on the other hand it may suggest that it won’t use discretion as it is hollow and doesn’t have a heart; this is significant as it was believed that feelings came from the heart in the Victorian period. The word is successful as it makes the reader make predictions about the ghost before it arrives. This is playing with the reader and will create anxiety, as the reader will want to discover whether the prediction was right or not. In addition, Dickens confirms the idea of a ghost further. This occurs when he writes, ‘unearthly visitor’. One interpretation of this is that the word, ‘unearthly’, gives the impression that it doesn’t belong on earth and is not a typical creature. This adds to the idea of a typical ghost however, a subtle implication strays from the stereotype. The word, ‘visitor’ may imply that the ghost will not stay long which may seem insignificant to a modern reader but the Victorians feared that ghosts would haunt a specific person making their lives a misery. I think that this effectively created an unusual sense around the ghost that pre-emptively warns the reader that it isn’t a normal ghost. Moreover, Dickens uses juxtaposition to make the reader acknowledge that the ghost represents something. The contrast is shown with phrases such as, ‘like a child’, and, ‘like an old man’. The contrast implies that what someone does in the past can alter their future so you should always do the right thing. This representation is further emphasised with the imagery, ‘now with one leg’, and, ‘now with twenty legs’ as it gives an interesting, visibly imaginable example of the change. These quotes are successful as the reader can see that the ghost represents the fact that every action has a consequence.   

Federalism In Political Culture Essays - Political Systems

Federalism In Political Culture Essays - Political Systems Federalism In Political Culture The Significance of Federalism in Political Culture The United States government is constructed of many systems and ideas which, when bound together, create the Democratic government utilized by the country. All of the different things, in most cases compliment each other and therefore, work together. Two examples of this are the system of federalism and the idea of political culture. They make up some of the important aspects of the government and its operation. Federalism is the system the United States uses as a frame for its government's power distribution when it comes to policies, procedures, and the likes. It is what maintains the power between the different levels of government, be it the National, state, or local governments. It also defines and separates these power possessors, while protecting the rights and profits of each. There are many opinions and theories concerning the success of such a system, depending on a person's outlook on the subject. However, despite its pros and cons, it can be said that if nothing else, it at least gets more citizens involved in politics. That is a important aspect that it brings, especially when it is tied to political culture. Political culture is a particular way of thinking in regard to how political and economic life ought to be carried out by a country's government. These notions may not always be shared by the country as a whole. There will always be different ideas, which leads to political subcultures. Depending on the situations of each person and each community, they will have their own beliefs in how the government should be doing things. Specific things that are taken into consideration when it comes to political culture are liberty, equality, civic duty, individual responsibility, and democracy. Federalism is the system that political culture works within. They flatter each other in that federalism gives political culture an outlet to be heard and to be useful and political culture gives federalism a means of success. In many other systems of government, political culture is obsolete because the people's ideas are not often taken into consideration as they are with Federalism. Without political culture, the idea of federalism is, in a way defeated. It is put there for the poeple and if those people do not hold an opinion and voice it, Federalism has a hard time serving its purpose of aiding its poeple. They work well hand in hand, more so than they would alone. Together, federalism and political culture make for a more successful government in the United States. In a way, the thrive off of each other and both highly depend on the country's poeple and their responsibility to take action. The representative government that the United States has relies on these sort of things. They are a significant piece of the puzzle that is called a government. Bibliography none

Essay on Graphic Design History

Essay on Graphic Design History Essay on Graphic Design History Essay on Graphic Design HistoryThe development of the graphic design in the 1960s – 1970s was vulnerable to the growing impact of the popular culture, sexual revolution, and appearance of iconic figures in music and pop culture, such as Elvis Presley. At the same time, the graphic design of the 1960s – 1970s became closer to the mass audience. One of the mainstream trends of the graphic design of that time was the emergence of celebrities and their wide involvement in the graphic design, when graphic designers used celebrities as icons that created the particular brand image and conveyed specific messages which designers wanted to convey to the audience. In this regard, the development of the graphic design contributed to the increasing role of celebrities in the cultural and social life. On the other hand, the graphic design also benefited from the wider involvement of celebrities because celebrities allowed attracting the attention of the audience to the particular pr oducts of the graphic design of that time.On analyzing the development of the graphic design of the 1960s – 1970s, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that one of the most popular celebrities of that time was Elvis Presley, who attracted not only the mass audience but also professional graphic designers, who, in their turn, used his popularity to create their own products and manifest their skills and making the graphic design a true art. In fact, Elvis Presley was one of the key figures, the icon of the 1960s – 1970s, whose contribution to the music and culture of that time can hardly be underestimated.Elvis Presley was extremely popular in his time and his creative work became particularly interesting for graphic designers, who created their own works being inspired by Elvis. At the same time, his style influenced the graphic design in a way because the public just wanted to be â€Å"like Elvis†. As a result, graphic designers used the full potential of the popularity of Elvis Presley among the audience and used his image and style to attract the target audience to their products.The huge popularity of Elvis Presley was beneficial for graphic designers, who could use his image in their products. However, such cooperation of the celebrity and graphic designers was beneficial for both parties. Elvis Presley also benefited from works of graphic designers because they made him even more popular. As they used his image in their works, Elvis Presley became the iconic figure, who was almost everywhere. In such a way, the popularity of Elvis Presley grew stronger, while companies using graphic design depicting Elvis Presley could also rip off maximum profits benefiting from effective promotion of their products.In such a way, graphic designers, who remained devoted to traditional family values, could be inspired by Elvis Presley. The theme of traditional family values was historically very popular in the US and Elvis Presley also contr ibuted to the maintenance of the ideal view on the family as the main value of the American culture (Dundy, 2004). Even though Elvis Presley divorced, his images with his family were very popular and inspiring for Americans and graphic designers used it successfully.In such a way, the image of Elvis Presley has been commercialized successfully and even today various brands use his image to promote their products and services. The enormous popularity of Elvis Presley was the result of his talent as well as media and graphic design, in a way, because his image was well-recognized and the attention of media and graphic designers to his personality made him even more popular.At the same time, the theme of sexual revolution and gender relations had had a considerable impact on the graphic design of the 1960s – 1970s.In such a way, the graphic design of the 1960s – 1970s still reserved a considerable impact of the traditional view on males and emphasized male individualism. However, the popularity of the male individualism in the US was also the result of the traditionally positive attitude of Americans to individualism (Stanizsewski, 2009). The cult of hero is deep-rooted in the American culture and the graphic design just mirrored the trend to the popular view on the male individualism in the US.The 1960s were marked by the growing attention to the family planning and gender roles (Stanizsewski, 2009).In such a way, the graphic design mirrors the growing trend to the change of gender roles due to the emerging feminism and steady elimination of gender gaps. At the same time, the aforementioned image reveals the sense of human that have finally appeared in the graphic design in the 1960s. The change of gender roles and the humor which is present in the image show clearly that the American society has started to change, while the graphic design became the powerful tool with the help of which the change was recorded and presented in mass media. The trans formation of the US culture of the 1960s – 1970s was the result of profound changes in the US society, but the graphic design has managed to notice all those changes. This is why it is possible to trace key changes in the US society throughout time through the analysis of works of graphic designers. For instance, it is hardly possible to find implications to the change of gender roles in the pre-World War II graphic design, whereas those changes become obvious in the graphic design of the 1960s and, especially, the 1970s.Thus, the development of the graphic design in the 1960s – 1970s was marked by the increasing role of celebrities in the American culture and the wide use of celebrities in the graphic design. In this regard, Elvis Presley was one of the most influential figures of that time. He became the cultural icon, whose steep decline in the 1970s became the tragedy for millions of his fans. However, the graphic design has used the full potential of Elvis Presley as the iconic figure in the US culture. At the same time, the graphic design mirrored other profound changes that took place in the US society in that time, including the sexual revolution, changing gender roles, male individualism, and others.

World Event Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

World Event Analysis - Essay Example orate social responsibility projects present companies with an opportunity to impact society building a reputation that can prove to be of advantage in terms of sales. It is worth noting that the group commits its time and resources on social responsibility and volunteerism events. The group collaborates with other organizations in projects and events that target to affect the society. One of these events was the launching of a campaign titled ‘back to school back to health’. This paper will analyze the reasons why the united health group to become a partner and how the event has affected the society and the community. With the emerging promotion of corporate social responsibility, companies face a challenge and an opportunity in fulfilling their responsibility in the social front. It is a requirement and an expectation for each company to contribute towards sustainability and social agenda. Each company must exhibit its commitment to contribute positively. This necessitates companies to respond to collaborations that call for the pursuit of worthy causes. Companies may not plan for these events to their happening. At times, they have to respond when need arises forcing the company to make adjustments in order to exhibit its commitment to worthy causes. On October 14, the united health care, which is a unit of the united health group, launched an event in partnership with 4-H Youth in Texas. The Eat-4-Health partnership targeted to educate people in the importance of healthy eating habits and adequate exercise in combating the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. The 4-H Youth, interested fami lies, and leaders from the community would share a day of fun, health exercises, and tips on healthy living. The united health care had the responsibility of conducting health exercise that can promote calorie breakdown in the body (United Health Group, 2012). Being a leader in the medical insurance industry, promoting healthy-living awareness is one of the

The Key Factors Dictating Stalins Attitudes And Policies Toward Essay

The Key Factors Dictating Stalins Attitudes And Policies Toward Religion - Essay Example There is no politician accused in so many uncommitted crimes. How to understand this ambiguous personality? The best way is to address the documents and the recollections of the people who were acquainted with him. Stalin’s regime is characterized by mass repressions of 1937-1939 and 1943. This period is also characterized by extermination of the outstanding figures in the field of science and art, church and religion persecution, forced by industrialization that turned that USSA in to the state with one of the strongest economies in the world. Stalin’s regime was also the period of collectivization that led to agriculture downfall, mass escape of peasants form villages and the famine of 1932-1933. There are many questions around Stalin’s personality, which can be addressed in this paper: if Stalin was despot in relation to his companions and subordinates, if he really was unskillful leader and impeded the process of the war, why Stalin’s contemporaries co nsidered him to be brainy. All these questions are very interesting to be answered, however, the given paper will investigate Stalin’s attitude towards religion: what it was and how it was formed. *** Stalin is one of the greatest oppressors. He was a master of destinies of millions of people. The Soviet Union was focused on eradication of religion. It is incredible, but Stalin thought that it was necessary to take away the most important trigger of human spirit, which is religion. Stalin positioned himself as God. He wanted to be the most powerful human being in the world. Physical features of Stalin and his middle height were hidden behind his artificial power. He was unattractive pygmy, who wanted to compensate his physical vices by his cruel intentions taken against other people. Therefore, the Communist regime was enriched at the expense of church resources. Religion was ridiculed and the believers and followers were prosecuted. Atheism was promoted at schools, but the C ommunists wanted to position their beliefs as the most important and the crucial for the society. Anti-religious campaigns of Stalin’s policies were focused against the Russian Orthodox Church. This religion had the largest number of followers. There were 50,000 churches, but in the result of this anti-religious policies only 500 remained open. Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941. After that year Stalin was promoting patriotic feelings of his nation and restored the Russian Orthodox Church. By 1957 about 22,000 Russian Orthodox churches had become active. Other types of religion were also oppressed during the regime of Communists. Attacks on Judaism were dangerous in the Soviet period. Religious practices of Judaism were almost forbidden and the followers were prosecuted. â€Å"Nonetheless,  Davies  discovered  that  throughout  the  periodbelievers  could  be  found  among   all segments  of  society.  The  population  stubbornly  resisted  official  antireligious  propaganda.   Moreover,  the  church  held  special  attraction  for  it  continued  to  provide  a  type  of  entertainmentwhen  other  diversions  were  lacking†Ã‚  (Dunn 2004, p. 156). It was a kind of entertainment for people to go and take part in different forbidden rituals. Russians were positioned as those, who were prevented from following their own religious beliefs or any other triggers for their possible normal functioning in the society. In the majority of cases average Russians were positioned in opposition to other nations. At the same time, Russians were not totally prosecuted; they were put under a strong control and supervision of their almighty rulers. Communism was ever existent form of ruling and oppression in