Knowledge Is Power Essay

Knowledge is Power, but knowledge does not always come with power. Knowledge is the state of awareness or understanding gained from experience or study learning specific information about something. This means a person has the resourcefulness to obtain and criticize useful and informative information in order to become well informed citizens who can make intelligent decisions based upon their understanding and awareness of everyday situations. Does this make them powerful? Is a question that creeps into ones mind? Well, power is said to be the ability or capacity to act or perform effectively. Without knowledge, how can this ability to perform effectively, be possible? Indeed, it cannot. This proves that knowledge is very much a necessity to gain Power. Education is the key to success is one of the sayings that one hears throughout their college life. It is invariably true that every person who is knowledgeable leads a successful life. Education plays an important role in promoting a nations economic growth, as well. When you look at Americaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s rise to power during the past war era it is easy as well as trivial to attribute it to the abundance of natural resources and surplus number of new inventions. But, really we must consider how those inventions came about and how those natural resources were utilized to a productive end. More importantly than what made America the most powerful country in the world is why it became the most powerful country. It wasn’t luck, or coincidence or the fact that they had abundant resources but because they laid a firm foundation for their people by educating them and making them valuable members of the society who could meet the demands of the competing world. Investment in higher education is worthwhile because how much you spend on it right now definitely will make up for the amount it makes you gain later in life.

Human Trafficking Essay

Human trafficking, better known as modern day slavery, has existed within America ever since the government began to look at the world in shades of gray, and not judge people by race, religion, or gender. Thousands of Americans including women, men, and children are victims are human trafficking, and the questions in the minds of people everywhere are what exactly is taking place, why is it taking place, how is it taking place, and also who are the main targets and what can we do to help them. These innocent civilians are victims of something much bigger than just the faces sleeping on the street, selling drugs, and even worse selling their bodies. They are helpless beings of earth not criminals, and their human rights are being mentally, physically, and emotionally abused. â€Å"Combating human trafficking is going to require creativity and collaboration amongst government authorities, law enforcement, social services, academics, and victim advocates† (Thakur). Trafficking of humans seems to be this unrealistic, unheard of problem; however, it is not. â€Å"Cases of human trafficking have been reported in all 50 U.S. States† (National Human Trafficking Resource Center Report). Victims are recruited, transported, transferred, and harbored to America for the purpose of exploitation. They are forced to work in sweatshops, in houses as domestic slaves, farms, and for the commercial sex industry such as prostitution, escorts, and even in pornography. These are in nocent people that are forced to lessen themselves as people, and when law enforcement steps in, looked upon as criminals. Instead of the help and the therapy these beings of life so desperately need, they get throw into juvenile detention, which then forces them to endure more trauma to their lives than they already have been through. In cases like these, victim’s civil rights are completely taken out of the situation and tossed aside for â€Å"appropriate punishment†. Traffickers use particularly contradictive, deceptive ways to manipulate their victims to believe the false promises they propose. Some offer opportunities for a good job, education, or marriage. Since most of the victims happen to be children, the traffickers pose as a boyfriend, caretaker, or protector; however, if the victim refuses or denies, they will not hesitate to use force, threat, fraud, abduction, abuse of power, or even payments and benefits. â€Å"The vast majorities are sold through class ified ads on websites. The Attorney General’s office documented that underage girls were sold through these ads in at least 22 states† (Axtell). Vulnerability plays a huge role in trafficking. Traffickers tend to target younger children mostly because of their immaturity, gullibility, and vulnerability. McMahon 2 The risk in being caught as a trafficker deals with prison time or even death sentence, so is the risk and guilt of trafficking human beings worth all the trouble? â€Å"The National Human Trafficking Resource Center estimates it’s a $32 billion industry, with about 50% of this revenue coming from industrialized countries. This surpasses the sale of illegal arms† (Axtell). Basically, the traffickers are receiving free labor while making billions of dollars. Not to mention when demand is there, supply will follow, and there is an outrageous command for modern day slaves. Unfortunately, when an illegal industry grows so great, it takes an immense amount of time and patience to even get close to putting an end to it. Although it does seem like mission impossible to put an end to the misery, it can happen. Since authorities are beginning to see these people as victims and not criminals government programs are being created all the time. First off, they changed the law so ch ildren could not be incarcerated for their exploitation and abuse. Second, programs such as GEMS (girls education and mentoring service), and SHE (survivor healing and empowerment) are constantly providing support for victims of human trafficking. Stop Child Trafficking Now donated 21,060 dollars to help fund for the prevention of trafficking, and the 2012 Nation Walk raised 210,000 dollars. SCTNow has funded programs such as cyber teams, rescue centers, rehabilitation centers, and special investigation teams. â€Å"The cyber teams are talented, professional men McMahon 3 and women who make Internet pathways safe for children† (SCTNow). They identify and track down cyber predators who pose online as teenagers. Also, they keep all communities aware with the community investigative teams they fund as well. On top of funding programs to stop trafficking SCTNow focus a vast amount of energy of the effort on stopping the demand for human trafficking. With this entire desperate endeavor to stop the abuse on civil rights, one day it might just happen. Even though anyone can be trafficked, traffickers target vulnerable people. Factors that cause vulnerability include lack of opportunities, poverty, unemployment, abusive homes and young age. Although men, women and children are all defenseless, but young women are especially of interest because the traffickers force them into prostitution that financially benefits them. â€Å"At least 12.3 million people in the world are trafficked† (CRS). Out of the 12.3 million people trafficked, 1 million of th em were children alone; however, on average, only one person is convicted for every 800 trafficking cases worldwide. Not even one percent of the children victims are identified. Ages twelve to fourteen are the primary target for traffickers. Most of the young girls who end up in the sex trade come from dysfunctional, abusive homes and they just end up running away; however, some of the children do not have parents at all and have experienced an extremely rough life. They fall into the lies that the traffickers tell them. The traffickers paint them McMahon 4 a picture of a new, happy future, but more often than not they end up dead, an addict, or more miserable then before. In the United States, California has 3 of the FBI’s 13 highest child sex trafficking areas in the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Modern day slavery, also known as human trafficking has torn apart families, taken away civil rights, caused mental, physical, and emotional damage, and killed innocent people. Ideas are held on why and how people do it, knowledge of who the victims are and what happens to them when in the possession of a trafficker, and the government and other programs are continuously doing the best they can to help prevent, stop, and save victims of human trafficking. â€Å"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves† (Lincoln).

Job Sharing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Job Sharing - Essay Example In this cutthroat competition, job sharing is playing an important role in almost all sorts of businesses. In job sharing, each partner receives the full time benefits. In contrary, there are people who say that job sharing reduces the efficiency of the company as well of its employees. In this paper, we will examine why job sharing is good and what type of benefits the employees can get from it Job sharing permits business to recruit skilled, experienced workers who may not be available for or eager to do full-time work. Job sharing is a good field for both males and females but more precisely for women having kids. They can work as well as look for their family. Job sharing tolerates one position to be filled by two people different but harmonizing knowledge. Without the knowledge it is not possible to go further with the work. There should be the knowledge of related work and the company's objectives. Where job sharers have administrative responsibilities staff may find it demanding or confusing to work for two people. There is a problem that the manager can experience is that there are two people to look for. In addition, some job sharers may feel that they are attaining proportional more than a full-time employee and that they are being insufficiently paid. TheDefinition "Deal in which the responsibilities and hours of one job position are accepted out by two people." The deal contains the agreement about working with the other employee and sharing the benefits and pays. The company must organize workshops in order to provide total knowledge about the job for both the sharers and must provide the total tools required to cover the job. If one of employee wants to leave the job the company must look for another person to follow the job with the one who is working. The work should be done on time with effectiveness and efficiency by both the workers and must take company's objectives as their own. The women can get more benefits in job sharing and can get the required benefits. Even males can get good results with job sharing they can work at two places at a time for better allowance. There must be better allowance for the workers and they should be given more benefits like transport facilities, hospital facilities etc. Chapter No. 2 - Literature Review Introduction Job Sharing is an adaptable work arrangement in which two employees share the responsibility and benefits of one permanent position with another employee. Some employees work few hours in

Childhood Immunizations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Childhood Immunizations - Research Paper Example Awareness, support, and advocacy practices by nurses have gone over and above the mandated immunizations to encompass recommended immunizations (Cooper, Larson, & Katz, 2008). This process has impacted on leadership in nursing by revolutionizing the execution of health programs designed to improve health care and welfare of children and adults. Over the years, nurses have worked and collaborated with local, state, and federal authorities and agencies in formulating and implementing disease control and prevention measures (Kyle, 2008). Needless to say, such measures have encompassed child immunizations. In the process, childhood through adulthood immunizations registry has been developed. This has subsequently made childhood immunizations a traceable and effectively and efficiently managed health issue. In conclusion, the role played by the nursing fraternity in addressing child immunization as a health problem is fundamental. AAP (2006) argues that the role, contribution, and practice by nurses have resulted in a significant increase in immunization rates over time. Moreover, information completeness and accuracy have streamlined childhood immunizations even

Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Blog - Essay Example Janissaries were a formidable fighting force of the Ottomans which gave the Ottomans enormous advantage over the European forces. Gradually, firearms, infantry drill, muskets, grenades and hand cannons were introduced which further strengthened the Janissary corps. However, the original organization was strong enough to adopt these advancements. There were infantry and cavalry soldiers. The infantry was divided into seven groups: janissaries, recruits, armorers, artillerymen, artillery carries, bombardiers and sewermen. All of these groups, formed by Turkish yongmen, were strong enough to provide the military with a tough corps. Hence, it is concluded that the military should have a robust organizational structure first of all, so that it is resilient enough to adopt newer ways, tools and equipment. Although, it is also true that without the introduction and adoption of firearms, muskets, and etcetera, the Janissaries would have ended up much sooner than they did, however, the import ance of organizational structure cannot be denied as with any other field of

International Political Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Political Development - Assignment Example By the establishment of markets for various commodities, underdevelopment and poverty can be easily eradicated because there is increased diversification, production, and industrialization. Goods and services that are available through a market-based economy increase the quality of life of people within the society. The whole community benefits from trading services since the individuals that are directly involved in the trade are able to accumulate wealth while the community is able to benefit from the distribution of resources that enable them to get access to better products and services.The other point of view in regards to development is the critical approach. This differs from the orthodox view as it disagrees that the only way in which development can be measured is in numerical terms. It notes that there are various other forms of transactions that occur in these types of societies such as barter transactions and these are not accounted for in the Orthodox concept. The inform al sector plays a very important role in regards to these societies. According to the critical approach, development is measured by the ability of a certain group of people to be able to meet their immaterial and material needs (Development, 2009). Given that each society has their own views in regards to what they need, there cannot be a universal standard to measure for development. Each society, therefore, has to set their own standards that are in relation to their requirements. These can, therefore, be broken down into 3 wide areas and they include the ability of the people to obtain the basic human needs, the political empowerment of the marginalized people and the state of the natural environment.The Orthodox concept of development argues that consistent underdevelopment is as a result of poor regulations and policies by the state legislatures. To promote trade, these poor states can have legislation that enables them to protect their internal industries from external protect ion. This is despite the fact that these industries might not have any comparative advantage in that sector.

Value of entrepreneurship to emerging economies Assignment

Value of entrepreneurship to emerging economies - Assignment Example A very unique feature and characteristic of the global market, a perfect reflection of which could be paralleled to the structure of any country is that it is made up people from different socio-economic backgrounds, each of which plays a contributory role towards the collective success of the market. As far as emerging markets are concerned, they can be compared to those players on the market who trade in not so huge forms of business, but yet, having the little contributions they bring on the market, significant enough to be counted as part of collective growth and development (Sandee, Isdijoso and Sulandjari, 2002). But for the roles and contributions of these emerging markets to be felt in a perfect sense, there are some key inputs that must be present. One of these is the contributory roles that entrepreneurship plays in the emerging markets (Acs and Szerb, 2007). Generally, an emerging market may be described as a country that has social and economic activity climate that is se t on the lines of rapid growth and development (Liedholm, 2002). Because entrepreneurs have a common goal of investing in markets, their contributions to these markets have been studied in several works of literature. In this paper, five major points that make a case for the value of entrepreneurship in Brazil as an emerging market are discussed. Increased Competitive Pressure In Brazil, the political environment allows that there can be as many entrepreneurship openings as possible. With such policy, the private sector, most of which have been controlled by entrepreneurship have had so much grounds to operate. Currently, there are several entrepreneurial based companies and businesses operating in the country. Generally, the size and economic worth of these entrepreneurial businesses are not seen to be as huge as those that are presented by multinational and international companies (Valliere and Peterson, 2009). However, because the entrepreneurial businesses have their own market and client base, it has always been important for them to engage in increased competitive marketing to ensure their survival. Economically, as these increased competitive pressures take place, entrepreneurs are forced to be rigorous on the emerging market, injecting capital into their businesses. On a larger scale, the fact that these enterprises are competitive enough and have higher asset base, revenues, capital, and manpower base, they contribute to the collective expansion and growth of the emerging markets in which they find themselves (Sandee, Isdijoso and Sulandjari, 2002). In Brazil, there are multinational companies that started merely as enterprises but due to the competition that they received from other enterprises and the need for them to be proactive in their growth; they have today become key stakeholders in that emerging market. Exploitation of Innovation Valliere and Peterson (2009) note that most entrepreneurial based companies and businesses in emerging markets ar e forced to engage in the exploitation of innovation because that is the only way by which they can be competitive against traditional multinational companies. Through the exploitation of innovation, these enterprises have critically gone into research and development to understudy marketing trends and principles that works best with the local markets in which they operate (Williams, 2009). Part of the exploitation of innovation has also included the need to use highly skilled and talented human resource within the corridors of the markets in which they find themselves to growth their business. Invariably, entrepreneurship has been valuable in ensuring that the emerging markets as a collective entity, rather than their enterprises alone are borne on the wings of innovative business. As it will be noted a major characteristic of developed markets is the abundance of innovation (Valliere and Pet

Language programs in NYC Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Language programs in NYC - Personal Statement Example Therefore, the state requires students to learn foreign languages before moving to colleges. The exam conducted ensures that students’ skills at navigating are tested through conversations. The foreign language area for Regent diploma is a brilliant idea but it can not apply to all the students. Majority of the students under this program get to school when they are older. For example, Fanta Konneh goes to school at the age of 18 (Medina 1). She is the first one to step into a classroom from their family. The classrooms in the New York City are full of students with diverse educational challenges from the entire world. Approximately 15,100 students out of 150,000 in the City are always struggling in order to learn English like Fanta. These students are often illiterate in their indigenous languages. Due to these challenges, they are forced to study as their peers gets ready for the exams necessary for Regent diploma. This means they will take more time to be prepared for the same exams unlike other

Water resource issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Water resource issues - Essay Example Population size is increasing day by day whereas the availability of fresh water remains stationary or decreasing. As a result of that, the available fresh water per head is getting reduced as time goes on. Drinking water is an essential commodity required to sustain human life on earth. It is believed that the next world war may be occurred probably for the control of fresh water resources. Many people believe that the recent attack on Iraq by America was not to take revenge upon Saddam, but to seize control over the fresh water resources of Iraq. In any case, drinking water shortage is getting intensified as time goes on. It is necessary to manage water resources judiciously to overcome the drinking water shortage. Strategies necessary to reduce the pollution of fresh water resources should be implemented as much as possible. The usage of fertilizers and chemicals should be reduced as much as possible and organic farming methods should be employed more and more. Industrialization should be done carefully and the industrial wastes should not be allowed to mix with fresh water resources. In short, a little bit control on industrialization and farming would reduce the water pollution

Checklists and Rating Scales Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Checklists and Rating Scales - Assignment Example Checklists provide a list of thoughts, emotions and behaviors that may be demonstrated by the individual, and may be filled in by either an evaluator or may be reported by the person themselves. Most checklists provide the symptoms associated with some kind of challenge (Gregory, 2004). Each symptom that is demonstrated is marked and once the entire list is completed, the total number of symptoms is totaled. Checklists are thus called additive methods of evaluation (Merrell & Harlacher, 2008). These are objective and easy to understand, and do not require as much time or expertise as interviews. They are also comprehensive, and allow the evaluator to identity less visible symptoms that could be missed during observation (Merrell & Harlacher, 2008). The main issue with a checklist is that they do not allow one to estimate the magnitude of the symptom. While one person may exhibit the symptom rarely, another may exhibit it almost every day. At such times rating scales provide an advantage over checklists in that each selected item is also rated on a 3 point or 5 point scale ranging from never/rarely to always/frequently (Gregory, 2004). Thus, each symptom is provided with a weighted score all of which may be added to get a composite score. Rating scales are algebraic in nature, and the value assigned to each item provides a detailed understanding of the experience of the person (Merrell & Harlacher, 2008). Checklists are valuable screening instruments that help in identifying person’s who need help; while rating scales are useful when trying to understand which symptoms are more dominant for a particular person (Gregory, 2004). Both these instruments are objective and easy to use, but are unable to provide the meaning associated with the symptoms by the individual. The validity of the responses depends on the honesty of the responses and it may become

Social Networks Essay Example for Free

Social Networks Essay Should businesses be able to use Facebook and Twitter searches to determine whether a person is eligible for employment? There are a lot of mixed feelings about this topic, but a lot more companies are doing performing searches on potential candidates for employment eligibility. I think that employers should use social media in conjunction with hiring an individual. Many jobs today are related to the service industry and I feel that some people just do not qualify for jobs in this industry. More employers today are using Facebook and Twitter searches for determination on if a person is eligible for employment, and for retention of a current employee. In 2010 nearly 22% of employers were checking Facebook profiles when hiring a person to see if they were drinking too much, doing drugs or talking bad about a former employer (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P13). So some people argue that it is violating privacy, which has made this questionable (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). Well the Federal Government enacted some laws that could be interpreted as a questionable action (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). One of these states â€Å"Personal information shall not be collected by a collector for the inclusion in a record or in a generally available publication unless: (a) The information is collected for a purpose the is a lawful purpose directly related to a function or activity of the collector and, (b) The collection of the information is necessary for or directly related to that purpose (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). Well under the first principle an employee could argue that Facebook is personal and considered what they do outside of work, and under reference b, a potential employee could argue that their privacy was invaded and they candidate was not informed that their Facebook profile would be investigated (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). There have been many lawsuits brought against employers that use Facebook as part of their hiring process, which is starting to be a turn off to employers, because this could hurt them financially (Olencizak, Pike, 2010, P14). Although the laws do protect us, but employers can still use some of the information in their decision (Elzwig, Peeples, 2009, P9). Employers are basically using the information to apply it towards â€Å"good business† (Elzwig, Peeples, 2009, P9). Although employers must take certain steps first before applying their search towards the candidate, which are: * Check social networking sites before making employment decisions in order to gain important information * Verify the accuracy of the information * Recognize the actual purpose of the site Consider the age of the employee or potential employee Develop clear policies in regards to the using social networking * Post what the potential use of the information that is gathered on job postings and the application * Have employees and candidates sign a consent form prior to accessing the information * Check state laws and statutes for privacy (Elzwig, Peeples, 2009, P9) There are a lot of mixed feelings on whether an employer sho uld use social networks as a hiring tool. Two professionals weighed in on an interview in 2008 about this topic, Greg Fish and Timothy Lee. Greg fish stated: â€Å"Social Networking profiles are not resumes and companies should not use them when determining if an applicant should be hired† (Castone. 2008). He further stated, â€Å"When companies use these profiles to find not only a professional but also an ideological match for a job, they’re misleading themselves and building ill will with talented prospective employees, who might decline to apply for a job for fear of a comment about China on their blog makes their persona non-grata† (Castone. 2008). Timothy Lee argues that there are plenty of reasons why employers need to look at social networks (Castone. 2008). He states, â€Å"Employees in sales public relations and customer service function as representatives for the companies they work for, so employers have a legitimate interest in ensuring potential workers won’t embarrass the company† (Castone. 2008). â€Å"People shouldn’t fear that an employer will get a hold of their profile, but instead expect it and use it to their advantage,† Lee states (Castone. 008). What I feel the Timothy Lee is trying to get at by using our social network profiles to our advantage is basically use it to market yourself in the public view so that you can land that good job, just make sure you keep it clean and neat. I agree with Timothy Lee in his statement that we should not fear that an employer will get a hold of our profiles. Furthermore, I think we should expect it, and accept that an employer is looking at our p rofiles. We should use proper etiquette when setting up our profiles and not post anything negative about previous employers, or even post provocative photos. The one thing that I hate the most about going into Wal-Mart, is when I get a rude associate helping me or cashing me out. Wal-Mart does not screen their employees before hiring, I know because I used to work for the company. In conclusion, as time goes on more companies are going to be weighing in on using social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as a tool for their hiring process. Although companies should make that as a notable item to potential candidates in the interview giving them a heads up into the fact their company does run a background check and includes a search on social networks. More companies are going to weigh in on this concept and we should just accept the fact that an employer is going to use our profile as a reference. Especially in the service industry such as customer service, collections, sales, or anything that has to do with you being the front or face of the company, should mainly be focusing on this issue.

Racism & Ethnic Identity Essay Example for Free

Racism Ethnic Identity Essay Race is evidently an important aspect in our Australian society today. It is personified in the biological makeup of an individual. Individuals of different racial background differ in physical appearance such as skin color, and facial features making DNA and genes the only cause behind these dissimilarities. Many races have been introduced into this nation since decades and slowly have been recognized such as the Caucasian race and the Asian race. Ethnicity while slightly related to race is based upon a persons cultural and social expression within an ethnic group; this entails for instance that although one may be of a Caucasian descent born and raised in Australia they also may acquire an ethnic background from Greece and follow the Greek traditions and customs thus making them of Australian-Greek nationality. This paper will recount the different races which exist in Australia as well as some popular ethnic backgrounds which this country has become familiar with whilst narrating and analyzing a number of issues facing ethnicity and race in our society today. The first issue facing ethnicity is the fact which promptly makes individuals assume that other persons of an ethnic descent are liable for criminal omissions. It is often simple for people to identify ethnic members when a crime is involved as it is much easier to classify these individuals due to their distinct physical appearance. Conflict is a natural phase during times of change, however the next issue points out that it can become violent when that particular change is not managed properly and in a just way; such as inequality of the distribution of power which could lead different sections of society against each other and form their own ethnic groups to compete for power in retaliation. Therefore conflict is likely to occur when communication between ethnic, religious or cultural groups deteriorates or breaks down resulting in more conflict and problematic situations. The third issue causing a stir in todays society is racism or racial discrimination. It is evident that immigrants have been disadvantaged in the work force as well as social welfare simply because of their racial background; the law has developed remarkably over time to protect individuals against racism of any kind. This report will set the main argument of why this has become an integral part for our society with respect to social analysis.

The application of systems theory

The application of systems theory The Application Of Systems Theory To a Case Study Introduction The following case study will detail an intervention with a 32-year old service user who was referred with a range of presenting issues and needs. It was apparent that a complex array of family, social and agency networks existed, indicating that the focus of any intervention would necessitate the addressing of these various components and their role in the service user’s functioning. It was decided that employing systems theory would be the most efficacious approach in managing the service user’s needs. General systems theory was first proposed by von Bertalanffy (1968) as a universal theory of the organisation of parts into wholes. A system was defined as â€Å"a complex of interacting elements†. Although this paradigm was initially applied to the physical world (mathematics, biochemistry, etc), it was adopted by the therapeutic community in order to formulate an understanding of systems comprising individuals and organisations. Some of the ideas and concepts systems theory has brought to the field include: Families and other social groups are systems having properties which are more than the sum of the properties of their parts. Every system has a boundary, the properties of which are important in understanding how the system works. Changes within systems can occur, or be stimulated, in various ways. Communication and feedback mechanisms between the parts of a system are important in the functioning of the system. Events such as the behaviour of individuals in a family are better understood as examples of circular causality, rather than as being based on linear causality. Systems are made up of subsystems (e.g. parental, marital, siblings) which are themselves parts of larger suprasystems (e.g. extended family, the neighbourhood, hospital). (Beckett, 1973). The service user was a 32-year old male of Afro-Caribbean origins, with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder dating back to his early teens. He had been residing in a semi-secure forensic unit for more than two years and was detained under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act. In terms of family history, he had been conceived through rape and fostered by distant relatives in Trinidad. Upon the death of his foster mother, his natural mother arranged for him to leave Trinidad and enter the UK. Shortly after this, he became involved with the mental health system and the criminal justice system. Subsequently, his mother had refused all contact with him and would not engage with any of his care. The sole family contact had been his maternal grandmother. A genogram is a useful adjunct within assessment and treatment when utilising systems theory (e.g. Guerin and Pendagast, 1976), in that it gives a concise graphic summary of the composition of the systems surrounding an individual. A genogram depicting DE’s particular systems was prepared and is illustrated in Figure 1. Within the genogram, DE’s familial relationships are illustrated, showing the existing subsystem with his maternal grandmother. Other subsystems include, DE’s relationships with the criminal justice system, mental health services and with myself, his social worker. With regard to using systems theory in my assessment and intervention of DE, this would encompass developing a hypothesis concerning the nature of the relationships DE has with aspects of his system and how this impacts upon his functioning. In addition, circular questioning would be employed to test this hypothesis and promote change (e.g. Selvini Palazzoli, Cechin, Prata and Boscolo, 1980a). Each of DE’s presenting needs will be explored within the context of his wider system and the methodology inherent to systems theory employed in my intervention. Figure 1: A genogram of DE’s case. The Referral DE was a statutory referral which was accompanied by a challenge from his legal representatives to the local authority, claiming that they had failed in their duties towards DE as he was medically fit for discharge and did not need to be detained under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act. Although discharge from Section 3 was agreed, no plans were presented to the mental health tribunal by the local authority regarding the arrangement of appropriate accommodation. From the perspective of the social worker, plans were therefore required to implement Section 117 and organise appropriate after care and accommodation. In order to do this, it was necessary to identify DE’s wishes and preferences as far as possible, in addition to managing any risk perceived by the multidisciplinary team and the mental health tribunal. A transfer CPA to the community team was organised in order to maintain DE in the community and facilitate his recovery. Adhering to the notion of â€Å"goodness of f it†, inherent to systems theory (Payne, 2002), that is enhancing the match between the individual and their environment, ways of developing, maintaining or strengthening supportive interventions and reducing, challenging or replacing stressful systems were explored. Assessment An assessment of DE’s presenting needs was conducted in order to formulate a hypothesis based upon the information available which would then provide a starting point and guide to subsequent interventions. According to Selvini Palazzoli et al. (1980a), a hypothesis is â€Å"neither true, nor false, but more or less useful†. Therefore, it was important to maintain this stance when considering the circumstances surrounding DE’s case. By seeking information from DE and others within his system, I was able to obtain as many perspectives as possible and construct an understanding, or story, as to how he had come to be â€Å"stuck† and enable him to move in a more helpful direction. Both DE and the multidisciplinary team involved in his care agreed that he required 24 hour residential care, as previous supported accommodation had not been able to facilitate his needs and he had relapsed, leading to his admission to hospital under section. Additional presenting concerns reported by DE included an impoverished family support network and poor finances. Drug and alcohol misuse were also evident, acknowledged by DE and verified by a positive test for cocaine. DE’s keyworker recounted how DE frequently disengaged with him and displayed challenging behaviour, including breaking rules of the care home and absconding. Indicators of relapse described by staff included a preoccupation with insect infestation, delusions of the devil attacking him and homophobic fears of male staff sexually assaulting him. In addition, non-compliance with his care plan was recognised as a precursor to relapse. Using circular questions to derive new information about DE’s situation and the interconnectedness of the system’s components, a pattern emerged which suggested possible indicators of relapse. A principal feature of circularity is the capacity of the therapist to consider feedback from the systems involved and to invite each part of the system to relate their perspectives of other subsystems, thereby metacommunicating (Selvini Palazzoli et al. 1980a; Byng-Hall, 1988; Cecchin, 1987). Further crucial principles of circularity are asking about specific behaviours that occur, rather than feelings or interpretations and ranking behaviours in order to highlight differences (Barker, 1998; Dallos and Draper, 2000). So, for example, DE’s keyworker was asked: â€Å"what does DE do when he breaks the rules in the house†, â€Å"when you believe DE is relapsing, how do you know? What does he say or do?†, â€Å"who is most worried about DE using drugs/alcohol?â € . Similarly, DE was asked such questions as: â€Å"when you abscond from the care home, who is most concerned? †¦ and then who?†, â€Å"when you are worried about the devil attacking you, what do you do?†, â€Å"what would your keyworker say was most important for you to get sorted out?†. A specific use of circular questioning is to define the problem (Bentovim and Bingley Miller, 2002). Hence, members of DE’s system, including his key worker, other multidisciplinary team workers, available family members and DE himself were questioned as to â€Å"what is the problem? What do you think DE/keyworker/etc would say is the problem? Who agrees with DE? Who disagrees? Who is it most a problem for?† etc. Such information served to enrich the hypothesis that was being formulated of DE’s needs. Over time, a systemic hypothesis evolved which incorporated the role of impaired family functioning and an early sense of abandonment by DE’s natural mother combined with the loss of his secondary, foster mother contributing to the development of a schizoaffective disorder. A further contributing factor may have been DE’s move to the UK following his bereavement and the sense of confusion and alienation this may have instilled. A pre-existing vulnerability to his mental health problems may have been activated by DE’s use of drugs and alcohol, possibly his coping mechanism to manage the previously described stressors. In terms of DE’s behaviour within his care home, it would be important to consider physiological factors many of the concerns reported. The literature associated with schizoaffective disorders has suggested that the onset of the illness can produce cognitive deficits, including memory impairment, planning, social judgement and insight (Randolph, Goldberg and Weinberger, in Heilman Valenstein, 1993; James and Murray, 1991). These deficits, combined with the lack of family support and underlying psychological issues, could have resulted in the issues with compliance and rule-breaking reported by the professionals involved in DE’s care. However, within a systemic approach, it is important to consider the dynamic interplay between the individual and the various components of their system when conceptualising the problem. In DE’s case, it appeared that the effects of his drug and alcohol use and of rejection issues had not been fully considered by staff at the care home and therefore the consequences of these had been able to escalate into relapse. Furthermore, it may have been that an over-critical attitude towards DE prevailed within his care home, as has been described in the concept of expressed emotion (Leff, 1994). This has generally been reported as existing within the families of those with schizoaffective disorders and is thought to represent deficits in communication and overinvolvement. The function of the problem is also a vital element within a systemic formulation (Reder and Fredman, 1996; Bilson and Ross, 1999) and in DE’s case his presenting issues appeared to represent both a communication of internal conflicts (loss, abandonment, etc) and as a solution to the problem perceived by him as inappropriate accommodation. Thus, his behaviour could be conceptualised as an attempt to resolve both internal and external discordance. However, clearly DE’s perceived solution only served to escalate and maintain the essential difficulty, that of his lack of engagement with help and disruptive behaviour. Intervention There were various strands to my intervention with DE, within which I attempted to address the issues outlined in the above hypotheses. Initially, the issue of accommodation was addressed. In concordance with a systemic approach, DE’s needs and preferences, as well as opinions derived from members of the multi-disciplinary team, were matched with available accommodation. Three suitable placements were identified which were concomitant with the needs identified in DE’s care plan, that is: 24 hour residential accommodation with staff to supervise his medication, encourage independent living skills and monitor his activities and behaviour to identify relapse indicators. DE’s opinions on the three potential placements were sought and a decision reached on the most suitable. In view of DE’s history of lack of engagement with keyworkers, it was felt that regular meetings with his care co-ordinator would be vital in exploring his concerns and potential barriers t o compliance with his care plan. The use of circular questioning could be usefully extended in such meetings, in reframing DE’s perception of his concerns and enabling him to recognising the effects of his behaviour on himself and others. Specific aspects of DE’s presenting problems were managed by referral to appropriate agencies, thus widening his system of support. For the substance misuse reported he was referred to a drug and alcohol worker. A referral to psychological services was made to address his rejection and bereavement issues. The involvement of DE’s grandmother and uncle was also an integral part of discussing his difficulties and it was postulated that at some point in the future, systemic family therapy might be helpful in providing some cohesion to DE’s family structure and enabling communication with this part of his system. Once the initial concerns had been addressed, my role turned towards care management and a reasonable price for the accommodation was negotiated, along with the development of a comprehensive care plan which was presented to the agency’s funding panel. The funding was agreed and a discharge and transfer of care CPA was arranged. Throughout the ensuing discussions of plans, DE’s opinions were sought. In order to best meet the needs identified and ensure an optimal rehabilitation programme, DE’s care plan incorporated day care activities, psychological and community forensic input. In accordance with the principles of a systems intervention, a non-judgemental stance was maintained throughout (Goldenberg and Goldenberg, 2004) and the notion of partnership was promoted (Dallos and Draper, 2000). Additionally, the strategy of facilitating sustained change whilst not being an expert about the system was adopted (Fleurida, 1986), although this presented certain challenges as will be discussed in the following sections. In terms of implementing DE’s placement, it was agreed that a gradual transfer which allowed him to adjust to the new setting would ameliorate his opportunities for rehabilitation. Therefore, overnight stays and extended stays for a week prior to discharge were arranged. Initially, difficulties were experienced with DE’s compliance with some house rules and I arranged a meeting with DE and the house manager in order to discuss and negotiate these in order to prevent a breakdown of the placement. Once more, circular questions were used to elucidate the problem and identify possible routes for change. For example, DE was asked, â€Å"when you don’t comply with this rule, who is most upset?† and â€Å"what prevents you sticking to the rules?†. The house manager was asked questions such as, â€Å"What does DE do instead of sticking to the rules?† and â€Å"what reasons do you think he has for not complying?†. Consequently, specific barrier s and obstacles were identified and it was possible to negotiate a way in which DE could assert his individuality within the placement setting, whilst behaving in ways which were acceptable to staff and other residents. Thus, the â€Å"fit† between DE and this particular system was enhanced. Review and Ending During my work with DE a dynamic, fluid hypothesis was formed which was based on systemic principles, in that it was circular, addressed relationships, was expressed in terms of what people do and believe rather than what they are and included all members of the system (Reder, 1983). The hypothesis was continually monitored and reframed during the intervention phase, which facilitated change and enabled new perspectives and solutions to be considered. Other parts of DE’s system were also modified by posing circular questions as they allowed the various professionals and agencies involved to consider how helpful or unhelpful the strategies they employed to manage the exigencies of DE’s case were and to gain different perspectives. It is important to note that this approach is distinct from merely providing instruction or information, in that it facilitates change through the process of thinking and reasoning. The initial focus of intervention – to provide appropriate accommodation – was successfully completed. This was rendered smoother by the gradual transition to his new setting. By the end of the intervention, I believe that DE was able to engage in a more useful way with the various components of his system and was more settled in his placement as a result. Reports from the house manager and other professionals also indicated that this was the case. Referrals to other agencies (psychology and drug and alcohol services) which comprised a vital component of the intervention, enabled an expansion of DE’s systems and the meeting of previously unconsidered needs. His progress with these agencies was ongoing. DE’s engagement with community forensic services was valuable in gaining further perspectives into his care. Discussion Within systems theory, the questions themselves form a substantial part of the intervention (Tomm, 1988), as they are believed to lead towards a constructive change in the problematic experiences and behaviours of service users. In addition, questions constitute a much stronger invitation for users to become engaged in a conversation and process than do statements, instructions of information and provides stimulation to think through problems alone, thus promoting autonomy and a sense of personal achievement (Payne, 2002). In continually seeking the views of DE and perspectives from other parts of his system, it was possible to create a clearer picture of the characteristics of the problem and to foster a sense of ownership on the part of DE. That is, because he felt part of the process of change, he would be more likely to feel comfortable with its parameters. A further part of promoting DE’s compliance with his care plan was to use positive connotation, another important principle of systems theory (O’Brian and Bruggen, 1985). Positively connoting DE’s behaviour consisted not only in reinforcing and praising his attempts to change, but also in acknowledging that his problem behaviour was serving to express his dissatisfaction with the situation he was in. An important aspect of intervention therefore was to communicate an understanding of how things had come to be the way they were. Only through doing this was it possible to challenge the existing belief system, suggesting new an d different definitions of relationships. Therefore, by acknowledging the pain of DE’s abandonment by his mother with a referral to a psychologist, it enabled him to explore a different way of interacting with this part of his system. Similarly, by considering the role of drugs and alcohol in mediating his distress and enabling him to cope with his situation, other means of coping were explored. The use of systems theory was congruent with mental health policy guidance for CPA in that it was person focused, involved all relevant agencies and required a recognition of needs in order to facilitate the movement of service users through CPA. The identification of unmet needs in DE’s case, as well as involving multiple agencies was crucial in managing his care effectively. As DE was on enhanced CPA, it was important to consider multiple care needs and to recognise that he was more likely to disengage with care. Once more, a holistic assessment and a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, multi-agency plan which encapsulated his wider system was necessary. Systems theory requires strategic thinking about the possibilities and limitations for change in the different systems affecting the user’s environment, as well as an understanding of the possibilities for intervention in each system (deShazer, 1982; Penn, 1982), therefore considering DE’s behaviour in specific settings and with specific individuals and agencies was a useful strategy. In addition, possessing an understanding of the possibilities for intervention within each system enabled me to think creatively about different courses of action and potential outcomes (Byng_Hall, 1988). Review and Evaluation In general, systems theory was a useful tool in working with DE, in that its principles guided many aspects of the assessment and intervention towards a beneficial outcome. The basic tenets of systems theory, of being respectful of all perspectives and attempting to empower the service user to implement change, are congruent with the CPA model of working. However, the principle of maintaining neutrality (i.e. forging an alignment with all parts of the system) and a non-judgemental, non expert stance (Selvini Palazzoli et al. 1980a; Fleurida, 1986) proved to be more challenging. As DE’s care co-ordinator it could be expected that a greater alliance would be formed with him and also that I would possess, in this role, information and knowledge pertaining to a variety of issues, such as financial assistance available to him. Clearly in this case, I was unable to maintain a non-expert stance. Furthermore, being non-judgemental in relation to all DE’s presenting needs (for e xample, his drug and alcohol misuse) was very difficult and whilst my approach could encompass the evolution of a shared understanding of this behaviour, ultimately the negative impact on DE’s mental health and stability of his placement would need to be acknowledged. Therefore, it could be said that there was a juxtaposition between CPA care management and using systems theory. However, it was possible to separate the two aspects of my role with DE and apply systems theory accordingly. In terms of what I would do differently, I believe that a greater involvement of DE’s family would have been beneficial in order to assist him in constructing a different story or narrative around his history, which would have enriched his and perhaps others’ understanding of why problems were presenting themselves. Applying systems theory to a service user such as DE, who may have the cognitive deficits previously described, raises some important ethical issues. Firstly, regarding the ability to give consent to such an approach being employed and to the seeking of perspectives from other parts of the system, such as family members and other workers. The potentially harmful influence of labels has been described in the literature of systems theory (e.g. Benson, Long and Sporakowski), however the use of labels such as â€Å"schizoaffective† and â€Å"enhanced CPA† would seem unavoidable when working within a multidisciplinary team which necessitates communicating with equivalent language. However, the use of systems theory creates space for thinking about the meaning and impact of these labels and is, therefore, at the very least a valuable and functional adjunct to the repertoire of strategies for managing complex cases. Summary and Conclusion The work carried out with DE attempted to illustrate how individuals function as a part of many systems – they are affected by these systems and they, in turn, affect the systems. I believe that the circular nature of DE’s presenting issues and needs was highlighted effectively and the intervention took into consideration this dynamic interchange and the consequences that changes in one part of a system will have for other parts. Fundamentally, I have learned that many problems arise due to a mismatch between individuals and the systems of which they are a part and the role of a social worker is to enhance the fit between the individual and the systems affecting them. References Barker, P., 1998. Basic Family Therapy, 4th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Beckett, J.A., 1973. General Systems theory, psychiatry and psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 23, pp. 292-305. Benson, M.J; Long, J.K. and Sporakowski, M.J., 1992. Teaching psychopathology and the DSM-III R from a family systems therapy perspective. Family Relations, 41 (2), pp. 135-140. Bentovim, A. and Bingley Miller, L., 2002. The Assessment of Family Competence, Strengths and Difficulties. London: Pavillion. Bertalanffy, L. von, 1968. General Systems Theory: Foundations, Development, Application. New York: Braziller. Bilson, A. and Ross, S., 1999. A history of systems ideas in social work. In, Social Work Management and Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley, 2nd Edition. Byng-Hall, J., 1988. Scripts and legends in families and family therapy. Family Process, 27, pp. 167-179. Cecchin, G., 1987. Hypothesizing, circularity and neutrality revisited: an invitation to curiosity. Family Process, 26, pp. 405-413. Dallos, R. and Draper, R., 2000. An Introduction to Family Therapy. Buckingham: Open University Press. de Shazer, I., 1982. Patterns of Brief Family Therapy: An Ecosystemic Approach. New York: Guildford Press. Fleurida, C. et al., 1986. The evolution of circular questions. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 12 (2), pp. 112-127. Goldenberg, I. and Goldenberg, H. , 2004. Family Therapy: An Overview, 6th Edition. London: Brooks/Cole. Guerin, P.J. and Pendagast, E.G., 1976. Evaluation of family system and genogram. In, P.J. Guerin, ed. Family Therapy. New York: Gardner Press. James, P. and Murray, R.M., 1991. The genetics of schizophrenia is the genetics of neurodevelopment. British Journal of Psychiatry, 158, pp. 615-623. Leff, J., 1994. Working with the families of schizophrenic patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 164 (suppl. 23), pp. 71-76. O’Brian, C. and Bruggen, P., 1985. Our personal and professional lives: learning positive connotation and circular questioning. Family Prcess, 24, pp. 311-322. Payne, M., 2002. Systems and Ecological Perspectives. In, Modern Social Work Theory, 3rd Edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Penn, P., 1982. Circular questioning. Family Process, 21, pp. 267-280. Randolph, C., Goldberg, T.E. and Weinberger, D.R., 1993. The neuropsychology of schizophrenia. In, K.M. Heilman and E. Valenstein, eds. Clinical Neuropsychology, 3rd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Reder, P., 1983. Disorganised families and the helping professions: â€Å"Who’s in charge of what?†. Journal of Family Therapy, 5, pp. 23-36. Reder, P. and Fredman, G., 1996. The relationship to help: interacting beliefs about the treatment process. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1 (3), pp. 457-467. Selvini Palazzoli, M.S., Cechin, G., Prata, G. and Boscolo, L., 1980a. Hypothesising-Circularity-Neutrality. Three guidelines for the conductor of the session. Family Process, 19 (1), pp. 3-12. Selvini Palazzoli, M., Boscolo, L., Cecchin, G. and Prata, G., 1980b. The problem of the referring person. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 6, pp. 3-9. Tomm, K., 1988. Interventive interviewing: part III. Intending to ask lineal, circular, strategic or reflexive questions. Family Process, 27, pp. 1-15. Reflective Diary Analysis I applied the theory of psychoanalysis to the practice situation in order to explore underlying issues which had made ME so dependent upon her partner, JM. This appeared appropriate as it would provide an opportunity to gain information about any past experiences which had contributed to her present state, in particular, the nature and origin of her anxieties and fears. Uncovering this information would then inform my practice with ME and JM and provide structure to any intervention. The overall purpose of psychoanalysis derives from the Freudian assumption that psychopathology develops when people remain unaware of their true motivations and fears and they can be restored to healthy functioning only by becoming conscious of what has been repressed (Bower, 2005). Freud believed that the unconscious conflicts he uncovered – in dreams, in memory lapses, in neurotic symptoms – always referred to certain critical events in the individual’s early life. His observations of his patients led him to conclude that all human beings experience a largely similar sequence of significant emotional events in their early lives and that it is this childhood past that shapes their present (Freud, 1905). Although Freud cautioned against the use of psychoanalysis in schizophrenia, as he believed that sufferers of schizophrenia had regressed to a state of â€Å"primary narcissism†, a phase early in the oral stage before the ego has differentiated from the id (Freud, 1905), more contemporary psychoanalysts have adopted a different approach. Primarily followers of Melanie Klein, they have taken the position that the schizoid position, or splitting between â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† objects, was a normal stage of development and that schizophrenia was the late consequence of not negotiating this stage properly (Salzberger-Wittenberg, 1970). Thus, the flow of unconscious material (e.g. delusions, hallucinations and thought disorder) were actively encouraged, explored and participated in. In ME’s case, a formulation of her presenting issues included the role of specific anxieties and fears. Anxiety has been conceptualised psychodynamically as a state of helplessness and â€Å"psychic pain†, which results from the perceived discrepancies between one’s ideal self (or ego ideal) and one’s actual self (Freud, 1926, cited in Brown and Pedder, 1991). These painful discrepancies cannot then be easily assimilated into our conscious view of ourselves and the world because of the anxiety they arouse and the consequence is a â€Å"defence mechanism† activated to subdue this psychic pain. Using open-ended questions with ME, such as â€Å"how are you feeling?† and allowing her to respond freely revealed a little of her state of mind, ie. â€Å"very low, always tired and very sad†. It was interesting to note ME’s partner, JM’s, explanation of ME’s low mood, â€Å"the weather†, a subject he had mentioned at the outset of the encounter. This may indicate an attempt to avoid, or defend against, speaking of difficult issues and furthermore, may represent his own coping strategy. Further questions to elicit ME’s emotional state included â€Å"has it made a difference?† (regarding the use of anti-depressants) and â€Å"how do you feel about quitting smoking?† An inherent principle of psychoanalysis is the use of transference and countertransference within any clinical encounter (Casement, 1985; Salzberger-Wittenberg, 1970). Transference is the conveyance of past feelings, conflicts and beliefs into present relationships and situations, spe

The Struggles of the Youngers in A Raisin in the Sun Essay -- Raisin S

The Struggles of the Youngers in A Raisin in the Sun   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun depicts the struggles of three generations of the Youngers family in the 1950's of poorer Chicago.   Act 2, scene 2 of the play displays an understanding of the Youngers and the atmosphere in which they live.   In just a few pages, Lorraine Hansberry reveals the struggles enforced upon the characters individually as well as with their united desires as a family.   Individually, each character must overcome prejudice from his family and associates, while still enduring struggles and hardships that diminish any intended goals.   Together, however, the Younger family must overcome the racial bigotry incurred by society, while still maintaining social pride and integrity.   In contrast, a predominant expression of hope and encouragement is a factor in the lives of such characters, as revealed by the author.   With the use of dramatic elements to interpret the events of this section of the play, in addition to the issues of race and gender, it is obvious that the Youngers represent a black family struggling towards middleclass respectability not only in society, but in their own home as well.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To interpret the significance of this scene, it is necessary to consider the environment, including the way the scene is set up and other devices used to interpret the situation.  Ã‚   Set in the home of the Younger's, the scene represents the Youngers' living conditions.   Objects such as packing crates are thrown into the scene, representing the moving of the family.   All dramatic elements intertwine to offer an o... ...p; Props such as the bed, the phone, the radio and the newspaper had bold meanings associated with them.   The actions of the characters and the struggles they faced with issues of racial discrimination and gender differences symbolize the struggles of society as a whole.   The time, the 1950's, the reference to the Ku Klux Klan, and the place Chicago, represent a period of great trials and tribulations for black people overcoming the slavery of their people in America.   Throughout the entirety of the play, issues of gender and race play a recurring role.   It isn't until Act 2, scene 2 of the novel when hope is sought for these issues.   Through the revelation of this section, it is discovered that the Younger's are a family with a lot of pride who struggle and seek hope to better their position in the corruption around them.   

Government Funding For The Arts Essay -- essays research papers fc

Government Funding for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts is a government sponsored foundation. The duty of the National Endowment for the Arts is to foster the growth of the arts evenly through the national, state, and local levels of the country. With all of the budget slashing that is now taking place the arts is the first place that people look to take money from. This not only happens on the national level but also in our schools. Many people don't see the arts as important. It is the most important thing that our society has. Art, in each and every form that it comes in, shows us who we are. Our pictures that we paint, our songs which we compose, our theater for which we write, act, and dance for, our buildings which we design, as a whole, explains our culture. Future historians will look back at these things and judge us by our accomplishments in these areas. When we look back in history, we recall it through the greatest past achievements in art: the Sistine Chapel, the great pyramids of Egypt, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, and the works of Plato. Shouldn't we be able to show feats just as grand? Most Americans do agree with me. In 1992, a study called the "Americans and the Arts VI" was conducted; it ended with these results: * 60% of the people support the federal support of the arts. * 63% of the people support the state's support of the arts. * 84% of...

To What Extent Curleys Wife a Victim in Of Mice and Men Essay

In Of Mice & Men, the character Curley’s Wife is depicted as flirtatious, promiscuous, and insensitive. However, her husband Curley sees her as only a possession. Most of the workers at the ranch see her as a tart, whereas Slim, the peaceful and god-like figure out of all the men, see her as lonely. This answer will tell us to which extent, is Curley’s wife a victim, whether towards her flirtatious behaviour, or to everyone’s representation of her. The character of Curley’s Wife is very hard to unravel, as throughout the book, Steinbeck’s representation of women through characters such as George and Candy, is very harsh. This is because the sociological opinion at that time was that they were either, mothers, sisters, or prostitutes, as the audience soon see, George and other ranch workers refer to her as â€Å"bitch† â€Å"loo loo† and â€Å"tramp†. There were also a growing number of prostitutes during the Great Depression period, as they would offload their services to those whom were able to pay and have some decent income during the Depression. Other aspects that may make Curley’s Wife seem like a tart, is Curley’s â€Å"Glove Fulla’ Vaseline†. Curley literally keeps a glove full of Vaseline, in order to keep his hand soft, possibly for a sexual act. Curley boasts to Candy that the hand is for his wife, which tells us that she gives him consent to do these acts to her, and also, Curley’s nerve to inform fellow workers about his glove shows that he believes that his own wife is a tart, which is very controversial today, but back then, women were seen as nothing more than possessions, yours to do what you will. George informs Lennie to avoid Curley’s Wife at all costs, and not to talk to her, because of her promiscuous behaviour, he believes t... ...ars for the fidelity of his wife as he believes there is a chance that Slim could be with her, despite his good nature. This makes the audience believe that Curley knows his wife is capable of anything, and that he would rather have her under his control. However, the poignant side to Curley’s Wife’s victimisation is when she is victimised due to the stereotypical image of women, either mother or prostitute. This adds a dark shadow over her complicated character, because the way she dresses, and the shoes she wears, especially at the ranch of all places, is unnatural. Also, her manipulative ways ironically cost her life, as she was probably toying with Lennie being mentally handicapped. Overall, I believe that the way that Curley’s Wife has cast her impression upon everyone, has eventually made her a victim of society, the ranch workers, and most importantly, herself.

Uses and abuse of drugs

â€Å"Last year alone, 37,000 people died from drug related overdoses.† Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. Substance abuse is a growing problem that not only affects the person who is abusing alcohol or drugs but also affects the lives of those who are close to the abuser. Substance abuse is the abuse of any substance.A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body’s functions when it is consumed. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a disease and quitting takes a lot more than just changing your behavior. Drug Abuse is generally defined as the use of a drug with such frequency that the user has a physical or mental harm or it impairs social abilities. The substances that are discussed in this report are called psychoactive drugs; those drugs that influence or alter the workings of the mind, affect moods, emotions, feelings, and thinking processes.Substances drugs affect the brain, heart, liver, lungs and also the people around you. When drugs get into the bloodstream they are carried to all parts of the body and some reach the brain. In fact, drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is more difficult than it appears. The quicker the drug reaches the brain, the more intense the effects. The quickest way to get a drug into the brain, and also the most dangerous way of using any drug is to injecting into the vein. Injecting into the vein is almost as quick as smoking a drug, followed by sniffing or snorting and then by mouth. Eating or drinking a drug is the slowest route, because the drug has to pass through the stomach first.Drugs are generally categorized into two groups, stimulants and depressants. Stimulants are drugs that speed up signals through the nervous system. They produce alertness, arousal and excitability. They also inhibit fatigue and sleep. Everything from over-the-counter pain medication, prescriptions drugs such as, Oxycontin, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and even coffee can abused in one way or another. The two main substances being abused in our nation are nicotine and alcohol.How does nicotine addiction work? Basically, when you smoke your first cigarettes, when you aren’t addicted yet, you get a head-rush which is caused by the nicotine. In your brain there are nicotine receptors which aren’t used to the nicotine in a cigarette. Over time, the nicotine  receptors get used to the amount of nicotine so they can cope with the nicotine. So when this nicotine stops being given to the receptors (when you give up smoking) they panic and cause you to feel unhappy and angry. When you smoke, the nicotine receptors send out messages to other parts of the brain which release a drug called dopamine which makes you feel happy, satisfied, relaxed.When you try t o quit, or when you ‘fancy a cigarette’ your dopamine levels are going down and you start to feel unhappy, aggressive, unsatisfied. Most smokers don’t know that they are addicted to nicotine until they try to stop smoking completely they just think that they like smoking. The answer to your question is that you will have a moderate nicotine addiction, and quitting won’t be that hard. The signs of a severe nicotine addiction are needing to smoke a cigarette every 2 hours, having one as soon as you wake in the morning (or in even more extreme cases, waking up to smoke in the middle of the night).Nicotine increases the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, activating the pleasure pathways in the same way other addictive drugs do. After the effects (calmness, sense of well-being) disappear, the smoker craves more. Why is alcohol addictive? Basically because alcohol, like nicotine and heroin and other substances stimulates the reward response in your brain. You have a drink, the brain rewards itself with a surge of chemicals and hormones that it really likes, and therefore the more you stimulate it, the more it wants.Some people are more susceptible than others in that their reward responses are stronger which is why some people will get addicted to things more easily than other people will. If you add to that a troubled background of some sort, then when the brain offers its reward response though making that person feels calmer and happier or more in control, they are more likely than someone who is pretty happy.Alcohol is made of ethanol, it is a depressant, your body becomes addictive to the depressant effects and you eventually need it to stop the shakes (delirium tremors) and the withdrawals of the depressant effects on the brain and body. For example, caffeine is a stimulant, and people become addicted to that and when having caffeine withdrawals one has headaches and other neurological effects. However, alcohol is a lot more dangerous because if you are a hardcore not only can you die from drinking, if you stop cold turkey you can have convulsions and die from withdrawals. The â€Å"addictive substance† is  ethanol.When you are pregnant, it is important that you watch what you put into your body. Consumption of illegal drugs is not safe for the unborn baby or for the mother. Studies have shown that consumption of illegal drugs during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, low birth weight, premature labor, placental abruption, fetal death, and even maternal death. If its suspected that woman whose pregnant is using drugs they will test the baby to see if its born addicted, yes it is possible to see if the baby is addicted even before he/she is born.

Gender Expectations Essay

ships company often assumes authentic type of manner from everyone. but in the big picture, this mien is only ground on what type of sex you be and what your responsibility gibe to your sex. In instantlys beau monde, we hold discrimination luxuriously expectations and a set of norms that in a lot of cases only apply or be strictly apply in one sex only. So in all of this leads us to the question Are gender expectations still prevalent in this testify day?In the perfectly story, Who you callin a lady? The author Kathleen Deveny discusses how wo hands atomic number 18 speculate to procedure according to ships company. In this short story, the reader slew see how a soccer player serves as an casing of what is considered to be an antiwomen behavior. Elizabeth Lambert, shows a rough and a very aggressive behavior on the field. But is this behavior really diverse or rare for a fair sex? club has the idea that women are to be kind, warm hearted, loving and sweet , that in worldly concern women are gentlemans gentleman beings with regain outings and ruts, nevertheless resembling the relaxation of us. Feelings, that need to be expressed and released whether it is by hitting and bit normally how anger is shown. But Lamber, as mentioned before is a soccer player, soccer is a contact sport that slow generates a continuous amount of human contact that in occasions fe manful genital organ escalate and restore a teentsy bit aggressive, but it is because of the level at which the sport is being played and the passion behind it.To many spectators, they might call in that soccer might sightly be a sport, in which the objective is to get a ball into a goal, but to the players its much to a greater extent than and a game with an objective, to most its their manner its what theyve learned and cognize to do since they were little, what they have sacrificed many things in life to accomplish, what they have trained darkness and day and e xtremely hard for. Its a dream that they made a reality, with all these emotions in mind, one can better understand thesport and about of the rough play that goes on. According to Deveny the variety is that we expect bad behavior from men (Deveny 258). This quote illustrates how that the idea of men bit and being aggressive is normal according to golf-club. But who decided that expressing emotions is a character that only men are allowed to have and display? Maybe this idea stems from the characteristics such(prenominal) as caring loving and assist that are represented and reflected in our mothers. boot Deveny says, we want women to be honest, compassionate, and nice-you know, like our moms (Deveny 258).Societys view agree with Devenys quotes, that because our mothers, aunts, grandmothers and every fair sex, shares these characteristics that society associates and expects the same behavior from women in general. So if we always retrieve in this way, that women that tend t o achieve cause will be seen and reason disparately because they might not fall in this general idea of women in society. The M/F Boxes by E. J. Graff illustrate how flock have to live in a body that is not accordance with what they feel or with what they want to be categorized as. The essay mentions how doctors some metres make the stopping point of what sex the baby should carry for the rest of his/her life (Graff 250). When a doctor takes such a huge responsibility to be responsible for the sex of a person, hatful that suffer from this early judgment are forced to live a life that they fatiguet feel halcyon living in.The essay mentions examples of people that take overt feel and act in accordance to what their gender appears as. Sexuality-all of it, from identity to origination to versed orientation- is no exception it develops as a biological interaction betwixt inborn capacities and outside influences (Graff 251). This quote expresses how we do not only feel level headed or have a received degree of conformity in the at bottom but we have to express this felling on the outside. If we have a certain sexual inclination and have the desire of showing this feeling we could easily dress and act as we want. But unfortunately in straight offs society, Girls present as female, if not feminine, and fall in adore with boys boys present as male or masculine and fall in crawl in with girls (Graff 251). This quote depicts how society has already shape that boy and girls are only allowed to interact with the opposite sex.So this leads us to the question, what would evanesce if we dress as how we feel in the inside? The essay shows the reactions of contrary people. A 15 year-old girl isincarcerated in a Chicago mental hospital in 1981 and kept there for three historic period because she wont wear a dress. A Winn-Dixie truck driver is discharged from a mull over he held for xx years when his bobs learns that he wears womens array at space (Gri ff250). It is obvious that society does not see with inviolable eyeball the fact that some people beneficial want to be comfortable with them by interpreting their feelings. Stay- At- Home Dads by Glenn Sacks, dialog about the division of females and males in todays society. It shows how things will change if the female figure is the one who goes out and find a job an become the manse head of the family financially and the males stayed at headquarters taking explosive charge of the house and kids. afterward all mens are accused of men interrupt with the wives biography aspirations by their refusal of become their childrens original caregivers, forcing women to sidetrack their careers if they want children (Sacks 265). Its pass on that in todays society this is accepted, not just because is the male job top try for the family but also because society thinks that is the women job to stayed at home and take care of the kids, when is prove that either one is capable of per forming this task. Being a autochthonic financial income required more time out of the house this can interfere with family time and household relate activities such as cleaning, laundry and cooking. But what if the social occasion of house keeping is perform by a male? Will it misplace credibility and acceptance if is a male taking care of the kids? According to society this will result in as being at the mercy of their stronger wives commands (Sacks 266).Society see this as males will lose power in the house, and in a way be under the wifes command because she is the one convey the money to the table. But in reality this change is creating an chance for families to interact more with each other is giving the opportunity to exchange roles and benefits that before was only precondition to only one member. By these changes males are giving the opportunity to interact more with their children and enjoy little thing such as making dinner with a three-year-olds help, or puttin g the baby down for a noontide nap in a pile (Sacks 266). This reflects how sometimes by working a lot some people arrogatet have the time to do or share experiences with their love ones. But not everything is about changing roles is good or beneficial, often society seems that a male cant be the one who is taking care of the kids. A clear example is when Glenn Sacks wrote the following met with his teachers, and did hisspell words with him every day.Yet the woman who chaired the meeting introduced herself to my wife, began the meeting, and then, only as an afterthought, looked at me and said and who might you be? (Sacks 267). No matter what we do at home or who the one taking care of the kids is, society will always expect and think that that is a female role or responsibility. Todays society is convinced that females and males have to fit in this manual of behavior. Everyone has to meet the criteria and act like the sex they represent without even thought process if that perso n has some feelings or different expectations of themselves. What we can do to break these expectations is to be more tolerant and respect the different points of view and be less judgmental in a person behavior because there will always be a reason behind it that we dont know or sincere we didnt care to know.Work SitedDeveny, Kathleen. Who You Callin A Lady The Blair Reader. Eds. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandel. Longman, 2013. 258-259. Print.Graff, E. J. The M/F Boxes The Blair Reader. Eds. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandel. Longman, 2013. 249-255. Print.Sacks, Glenn. stay-at-home(prenominal) Dads The Blair Reader. Eds. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandel. Longman, 2013. 265-267. Print.