Presentation and Representatives: Presenting the Future (Part 1)

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Presenting the Future (Part 1, 2001)

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Varieties of pre-sentation

The relationship of the present to the future is partially defined and distorted by a variety of intriguing uses of present, presenting and presentation:

Presentations of projects: The business world is almost entirely governed by this process. Whether given by entrepreneurs seeking funding, executives reporting on planned targets, or consultants advising on new approaches, all take the form of presentations. The same approach is used by non-for-profit organizations. A much used software package (PowerPoint) is even used to facilitate this process.

Presenting a paper: Academics typically also present papers to conferences by which advances in human knowledge are articulated.

Presentations of government policy: Government representatives, like their business colleagues, use a simlilar format to present policy for the approval by their peers, their constituencies, or the general public.

Presenting the news: The media make use of presenters, notably for the news, but also for shows of many kinds. Curiously, although "new" by definition, the news has to be "presented".

Presenting for breeding: Mares in particular are "presented" to a stallion for breeding. In this language, ironically, the stallion "addresses" the mare. In the wild, females (notably chimpanzees) may "present" themselves to a male of their group.

Presenting arms: This procedure has shifted significance from the serious need for inspection of weapons prior to battle to honouring others on the parade ground -- features that have been repeatedly explored in sexual humour.

Presenting symptoms: This is characteristic of preoccupations in diagnosis and therapy, whether of individuals, groups or planetary society. Unlike other variants, it tends to be of impersonal origin -- rather it is presented for human attention.

Present giving: Gifts are given under a wide variety of circumstances, in part as a celebration of the present. But as with much celebration in modern society, what is celebrated is completely lost in what is increasingly a commercialized process.

Presenting people: The process of intrioducing one person to others is of great importance in many (sub)cultures. It may be a vital prelude to courtship or advancement.

Presenting oneself: There is much concern with how people present themselves. This involves questions of status, image, enhancing attractiveness, and seeking to influence. This dimension is a prime concern for the cosmetics and fashion industries. It is vital to interview processes and career advancement.

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