Discuss how social media is used in Presidential Elections in terms of communicating with voters, fundraising, and campaign organizing. Discuss how databases of political information can be used to help voters make decisions on candidates and issues. Support your discussion with reliable sources.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Role of Social Media and Political Databases in Presidential Elections
Introduction
Social media platforms and political databases have become essential tools in modern presidential elections, revolutionizing the way candidates communicate with voters, fundraise, and organize their campaigns. This essay explores the use of social media in terms of voter communication, fundraising, and campaign organizing. Additionally, it discusses how databases of political information can aid voters in making informed decisions on candidates and issues. Reliable sources will be cited to support the discussion.
Social Media in Presidential Elections
Voter Communication: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram provide direct and immediate channels for candidates to communicate with voters. Candidates can share their policy positions, campaign updates, and engage in dialogue with constituents. Voters can also provide feedback and voice their concerns directly to candidates.
Fundraising: Social media platforms have transformed the landscape of campaign fundraising. Candidates can utilize these platforms to reach a broader audience and solicit donations from supporters. Crowdfunding campaigns and targeted advertising on social media have democratized the fundraising process, allowing candidates to tap into grassroots support.
Campaign Organizing: Social media enables efficient campaign organizing by connecting supporters, volunteers, and campaign staff. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook allow for the coordination of events, volunteer recruitment, and the dissemination of campaign materials. Online communities and groups facilitate the mobilization of supporters and the organization of grassroots movements.
Political Databases for Informed Decision-Making
Candidate Information: Political databases compile comprehensive information on candidates’ backgrounds, policy positions, voting records, and campaign contributions. Voters can access these databases to gain a deeper understanding of candidates’ qualifications and stances on key issues, enabling them to make more informed decisions.
Issue Analysis: Political databases also provide information on various policy issues, offering insights into the positions of candidates and their proposals. Voters can compare candidates’ stances on specific issues to align their values with the candidate who best represents their interests.
Fact-Checking: Political databases often incorporate fact-checking resources that verify candidates’ statements for accuracy. This helps voters assess the credibility of candidates’ claims and prevents the spread of misinformation.
Reliable Sources:
Center for Responsive Politics (2021). OpenSecrets. Retrieved from https://www.opensecrets.org/
Pew Research Center (2021). Social Media Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
U.S. Federal Election Commission (2021). Campaign Finance Data. Retrieved from https://www.fec.gov/data/
Young, D., & Quan-Haase, A. (2009). Information Revelation and Internet Privacy Concerns on Social Network Sites: A Case Study of Facebook. ACM Transactions on Internet Technology (TOIT),
