Cultural Differences in Perception

The cultural influence of difference in focus and categorization In the research article, â€Å"The influence of culture: holistic versus analytic perception† provided by Richard E. Nisbett and Yuri Miyamoto, there is evidence that perceptual processes are influenced by culture. The research found that Western cultures focus on salient objects and use rules and categorization for purposes of organizing the environment, whereas, East Asian cultures focus more holistically on relationships and similarities among the objects when organizing the environment.In an illustrative study both rural Chinese and American children were shown a picture of a man, a woman, and a baby. The Chinese children tended to group the woman and the baby because of the relationship between the two, a woman takes care of a baby. American children tended to group the man and the woman because they are both adults. The results indicated that culture influences late stages of perception and categorization.I n another study East Asians and European Americans were presented with the Rod-and-Frame Test. In this test a rod or line is shown inside a frame, which can be rotated around the rod. The participants were asked to state when the rod appeared vertical even if the position of the frame was in a different position. The East Asian participants made more errors than the European American participants. This indicated that the East Asians were attending more to the whole field which made it difficult to ignore the frame.It was found that East Asians not only attended more to the field, but they noticed it earlier, remembered more about it, and related the object to the field in memory. Additional evidence that Asians pay more attention to context comes from work by Masuda and Nisbett. They presented American and Japanese participants with two animated pictures of a farm. The two pictures had various small differences in details. Some of the changes differed in focal objects and other chan ges were made in the field and relationships between objects.The findings showed small differences in styles of attending to information in the environment. In conclusion Nisbett and Miyamoto found, â€Å"considerable evidence that shows that Asians are inclined to attend to, perceive and remember contexts and relationships whereas Westerners are more likely to attend to, perceive and remember the attributes of salient objects and their category memberships† (Paragraph 10). Eye-movements during scene perception In the past hundred years, cultural differences in perceptual judgment and memory have been observed.It has been found that Westerners pay more attention to focal object whereas East Asians pay more attention to contextual information. Hannah Faye Chua, Julie E. Boland, and Richard E. Nisbett wrote a research article, â€Å"Cultural variation in eye movement during scene perception† in which they studied such cultural differences. They examined the possibility t hat the differences came from culturally different viewing patterns when confronted with a nature scene.The authors did so by measuring the eye movements of both American cultured individuals and Chinese cultured individuals while they viewed photographs with a focal object in a complex background. They found that the Americans fixated more on focal objects and the Chinese participants paid more attention to the background. It appeared to Nisbett, Boland, and Chua that the differences in judgment and memory may have come from differences in what is actually attended as people view a picture.In the study performed by Nisbett, Boland, and Chua participants were asked to sit in front of a computer screen with a head-mounted eye-movement tracker. The individual would start the session by looking at a plus sign in the middle of a black screen followed by a scenic picture. The findings from study Easterners and Westerners differ in assigning information to objects versus backgrounds. The East Asians were less likely to correctly recognize old foregrounded objects when presented in new back grounds.Providing more evidence that East Asians appear to bind objects with backgrounds in perception. Therefore the cultural differences in visual memory are likely caused by how people from Eastern and Western cultures view scenes and are not only due to cultural norms. American participants looked at the foregrounded object sooner and longer than the Chinese whereas the Chinese looked more at the background than the Americans did. It is thought that this is due to the fact that East Asians live in relatively complex social networks. Thus, attention to context is important for effective functioning.Westerners, however, live in less constraining social worlds that stress independence which allows them to pay less attention to context. Thought habits in different cultures In the research done by Nisbett and his colleges it is found that individuals not only think about different things but think differently over all. In all the studies it was found that Easterners think more holistically, paying more attention to context and relationship and relying more on experience-based knowledge than abstract logic and showed more tolerance for contradiction.Westerners are more analytic, tending to detach objects from their context to avoid contradiction. They relied heavily on formal logic. The Asian participants in the studies showed greater attention to the background of scenes than the objects in the background whereas the Americans showed greater attention to the objects. When it came to interpreting events in the social world, the Asians seemed similarly sensitive to context more quickly than the Americans did. This can cause different views when perceiving world events.

Family Structure and Development Essay

I am a part of a Nuclear Family which is defined in the modern era as the characteristic family unit of developed industrial societies which consists solely of husband, wife, and children, and spans only two generations (Dillen, 2003). The nuclear family is more mobile geographically and socially, and allows more autonomy. On the other hand, it produces an observed increase in depression, divorce rates, delinquency, and weakening of cultural transmissions (Acs & Loprest, 2004, p. 56). The roles within a nuclear family is used to be the father being the main bread winner and working long hours to support his family and the mother as the caregiver who looked after the children and the home. My Nuclear family included my father, who worked as a banker, my mother who was a housewife and my 3 siblings. Growing up, I had this notion that all families were happy all the time as was mine and I was unaware of the problems my parents faced. The giant responsibility was to provide needs and wants for a family; however, as I grew older I began to realize the difficult task my parents and other families endured everyday by being able to give their families what they need and want. Having a stay-at-home mother, a working father and living in a locality where other families lived in similar circumstances, it never gave me the chance to monitor families living in different situations. As I grew older, I realized that there were many diverse family types in terms of family structures and responsibilities. Although many assume that the nuclear family structure with a working father and stay at home mother, is a narrow-minded idea (Hao, 1996, p. 269), but it makes me feel very comfortable to say that my brought up under my mother’s supervision at home was done in a very organized way. This was not possible if my development was done with out the hard work of my mother and that also allowed my father to focus on his job. References Acs, G., & Loprest, P. (2004).  Leaving Welfare: Employment and Well-Being of Families That Left Welfare in the Post-Entitlement Era. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Dillen, A. (2003). Queer Family Values: Debunking the Myth of the Nuclear Family.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32(5), 489+. Hao, L. (1996). Family Structure, Private Transfers, and the Economic Well-Being of Families with Children.  Social Forces, 75(1), 269-292.

Carbon Fibres and Composite Material Free Sample for Students

According to Goodman et al. (2011), a composite material refers to a combination of two or more materials that are of different composition, physical property, and morphology. These materials are often combined on a microscopic scale. Depending on the constituent properties, composites are in many cases designed to (or â€Å"intending to†) producing materials with materials aimed at fulfilling specific mechanical, physical, or chemical requirements. As a result, Hofmann (2016)   points out that the use of composite materials have progressively increased for the past 40 years and have many uses in the automotive, aeronautic, medical, and naval fields among other industries. Consequently, different composite biomaterials have been tested and studied for use in the medical field and are often commercialized for their advantages of the traditional composite materials that were used before. In the medical field, most human tissues such as skin, bones, tendons, teeth, and ligament are composites made up of single constituents whose distribution, morphology, amount, and properties are the major determinants of the final behavior of the resulting organ or tissue according to Paknikar and Kumbhar (2015). The same study denotes that human-made composite materials can as well be used in making prostheses that are used to mimic these biological tissues with the aim of ensuring thy match their mechanical behavior and restore the mechanical functions of the body tissues that have been damaged. This paper presents the history, structure and synthesis, mechanical properties, possible uses, as well as pros and cons of the carbon-fiber-reinforced,   peek (CFR-PEEK) composite material whose use have been studied, tested, and proven fit for medical purposes. Carbon Fiber, a polymer that is also known as a graphite fiber, is a very strong material and light in weight. Though stiffer than steel, its light weight makes it suitable for use as a raw material in the manufacturing of other materials (Garry, 2013). The composite material was discovered back in 1879 by Edison Thomas. The scientist backed bamboo silvers and cotton threads at high temperature carbonizing them into a fiber filament of all-carbon. His invention led to the use of high-performance carbon fibers in 1958 in Cleveland. CF-PEEK was then introduced as a matrix where long and short PEEK fibers were used as the composite matrix to ensure the end product had the qualities of both fibers. Despite the fact that they were inefficient, the fibers contained approximately 20% carbon with low stiffness and strength properties. However, the carbon fiber’s strength potential was realized in 1963 through a new manufacturing process at British research center (David et al., 2014). In the medical field, carbon-fiber-reinforced peek materials range from large scale components such as x-ray application materials to most invisible bolts internally used to support the bones in the body according to Paknikar and Kumbhar (2015). CFR-PEEK materials have for a long time been adopted for use in the medical field in different facets. They are widely used in the orthopedic processes mainly for bone crafts, bone cementing, hip joint replacement, and in the fixation of the bone plates in the body. Hofmann (2016) points out that CFR-PEEK can be fabricated with tensile strength or stiffness in the capability of the bone they replace in the body. As a result, the materials are successfully finding their way into the medical devices as implants to replace the internal body organs and tissues. Historically, many challenges have been faced by implant designers in achieving acceptance from different regulatory agencies globally. However, the uses of carbon-fiber-reinforced peeks are on the rise as a result of technological advancements and innovations. New medical applications and composite materials are gaining popularity and approval in many parts of the US food and drug administration (Garry, 2013). CFR-PEEK are used in the formulation of bone growths for implants such as temporary bone supports and bone screws mainly adopted in the orthopedic repairs. These materials have been adopted for use in the bioresorbable polymers that can safely break down and be absorbed by the body in the rebuilding process of the bone. In the medical industry, the first synthesis requirement is a performance parameter indicating the relative merits of different designs of CFR-PEEK with the primary knowledge that the growth and micro-motion of bones can be used for different purposes in a clinical view. What follows is a finite element code that determines the strains in the bone used as essential parameters in evaluating the performance of the carbon fiber. The CF-PEEK composite is manufactured by the use of a hybrid fabric composing of PEEK and carbon fiber as a matrix that is then modified and treated by low temperature and oxygen plasma. The process is then followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transformation attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) that are essential I relating the functionality and roughness of the carbon fiber surface with the PEEK interfacial adhesion strength.   The plasma treatment is aimed at increasing the roug hness of the carbon fiber surface while the prolonged treatment results into the smoothing. According to Duraccio, Mussano, and Faga (2015), the structural properties of a composite material are determined by the length, volume, and alignment of the carbon fiber it contains. Apart from being strong, carbon fibers have high tensile strength and stiffness but with low weight. It also has a high chemical resistance and is often tolerant to high temperature and excessive heat but with a low thermal expansion as denoted by Garry (2013). According to Cano and Guilemany (2016), the mechanical property of a composite material can be determined by the mechanical properties of CFR-PEEK. Carbon fibers consist of strong and thin crystalline carbon filaments for the strengthening of other materials. David et al. (2014) denote that the fibers can be thinner than the human hair but gets its strength when the fibers are twisted and laid over a coated and molded into plastics or resin. For these mechanical properties, carbon fiber is adapted for use not only in the medical field but many industries such as the military, automotive, and aerospace. There are two main forms of carbon fiber incorporation used in composites for medical applications. Short CFR-PEEKs that consist of short carbon fibers randomly aligned and are mostly less than 0.4 mm, used as producers of the homogeneous material property for the implant. Long CFR-PEEK consists of carbon fibers essentially running the entire width of most composite materials. The long CFR-PEEK has a tensile strength that is greater than 2000 Mpa when compared to the 170 Mpa which is of the short carbon fiber (Aspenberg, 2014). As a result, their controlled alignment of these carbon fibers hence helps in providing a broad range of anisotropic properties that can be controlled for specific functions depending on there the composite material that needs to be made and the use.   Ajioka et al. (2016) denote that carbon-fiber-reinforced peek material is engineered to produce a varying degree of stiffness and strength based on the number and orientation of the carbon fibers used. It is hence easier to help the manufacturer match the elasticity of the bone to be replaced with the composite implant material that will be fixed. On the other hand, Paknikar and Kumbhar (2015) also denotes that using carbon fibers as composite materials is easier since, before their innovations, manufacturers were facing challenges from modulus mismatch of the then used metal implants. For instance, the mismatch was often producing stress shielding; alter loading, and a periprosthetic bone remodeling process that was often detrimental. Commercially available carbon fiber composite materials have been tested in several ways for fatigue cycles but have always proven to be effective and resistant. Nayeri (2014) denotes that the average strength for a 4.5mm implant plate is 19.1 Newton meters while that of a similar 4.5mm stainless steel compression plate is 17.8 Newton meters. The bending strength of available 10-mm CFR-PEEK is averagely 80.3 Nm, while an 11-mm titanium tibial plate bending strength is 43 Nm. This has proven that the testing for wear debris of the implants is significantly lower than the wear debris strength of titanium plates made from the steel as pointed out by Goodman et al. (2011). The same study denotes that the healing and fracture reduction are available for a standard radiograph. The absence of both MRI and computed tomography means that CFR-PEEK for the composite implants has applications for infections, spine, and for oncologic cases. Even though there are several advantages of using the carbon-fiber-reinforced peek composite implants for medical reasons, there are also some specific disadvantages. For instance, they cannot be contoured hence making their use in fracture fixation limited to straight diaphyseal hence calling for a specific locking screw technique anatomically designed for the specific fracture Utech and Boccaccini (2016). At the same time, stiffness can be beneficial to the receiver, but the too much flexibility is as well dangerous as it can lead to pseudarthrosis. The increased fatigue strength of the implants helps in decreasing any possible risk to fatigue failure. However, the radiolucent nature of the carbon-fiber-reinforced peek used in the manufacturing of the implants precludes directly hence visualizes radiography. In his study, Hofmann (2016) denotes that all biomaterial composites intended for use in the body of any living organism have to meet certain conditions, regulatory requirements, and criteria. These include; Carbon-fiber-reinforced peek have found a wide application and use in different facets of the medical sectors. These include bone cementing, bone grafting, hip joint replacements, bone fixating plating, and other forms of bone replacements (Asghari et al. 2017). In the manufacturing and design of prosthetic composite implants used for the replacement of the central bone and the combined joint, the primary objective is often to arrive at an implant with a higher bone growth stimulus but slightly lower that the titanium alloys implants that are currently used (Egger et al. 2017). From the CFR-PEEK innovations, patients can easily get access to rapid and easier proper implant fixation and bone replacement. Achieving these objectives requires the synthesis and structure of the composite implants to consist of three primary elements. In his study, Soboyejo (2017) points out that CFR-PEEK includes bio-glass-ceramic, xenograft, and allografts often used in joint replacements and tissue engineering. They are often made of different layers of long and short carbon fibers; the final product often combines the properties of both the materials used. The resulting product is often mechanically strong but lightweight at the same time. Saleh (2016) also denotes that the materials have low density and can easily resist corrosion. The use of composite body implants has several advantages when compared to the metallic devices that were used before their inventions. It modules if elasticity and fatigue strength makes the CFR-PEEK an ideal composite implant material for bones plates and nails. The disposal of CF-PEEK is becoming a major issue since the different carbon fiber reinforced composite materials are reaching the end of their live services. According to Schinner, and Brandt (2011), over 27 000 tons of CF-PEEK have produced annually. As a result, grinding up the waste material and sending it to landfills or disposing of it through incineration has little appeal to the environment since it is non-biodegradable.   With global warming and climate change policies affecting every global industry, incineration is not the best method of disposal of the material as it will lead to the production of greenhouse gasses as well as smoke, thus leading to pollution. Disposal into landfills also reduces the aesthetic value of the environment turning the areas into wastelands and creating environments for disease-predisposing factors such as stagnant water collection points for mosquito and bilharzia breeding when it rains. As a result, different recycling methods such as pyroly sis have been adopted that strips away the epoxy resin from the fibers while leaving the original properties undamaged. The medical industry is driven and guided by the demands of the medical profession that seeks constant improvements and device innovations for better medical care. Consequently, different composite biomaterials have been tested and studied for use in the medical field and are often commercialized for their advantages of the traditional composite materials that were used before. Carbon fibers have found a wide application and use in different facets of the medical sectors. These include bone cementing, bone grafting, hip joint replacements, bone fixating plating, and other forms of bone replacements. Ajioka, H., Kihara, H., Odaira, C., Kobayashi, T., & Kondo, H. (2016). Examination of the Position Accuracy of Implant Abutments Reproduced by Intra-Oral Optical Impression.  Plos ONE,  11(10), 1-12. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164048 Asghari, F., Samiei, M., Adibkia, K., Akbarzadeh, A., & Davaran, S. (2017). Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers for tissue engineering application: a review.  Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine & Biotechnology,  45(2), 185-192. doi:10.3109/21691401.2016.1146731 Aspenberg, P. (2014). Alendronate-eluting polyglucose-lignol composite (POGLICO).  Acta Orthopaedica,  85(6), 687-690. doi:10.3109/17453674.2014.979724 Bailey, S. R. (2009). DES Design: Theoretical Advantages and Disadvantages of Stent Strut Materials, Design, Thickness, and Surface Characteristics.  Journal Of Interventional Cardiology,  22S3-S17. doi:10.1111/j.1540-8183.2009.00449.x   Cano, I., & Guilemany, J. (2015). Cold spray as an emerging technology for biocompatibility of Carbon Fibers: state of art.  Journal Of Materials Science,  50(13), 4441-4462. doi:10.1007/s10853-015-9013-1 David, J., Cyril M., Seligson,   D., Bennie L. (2014). Use of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composite Implants in Orthopedic Surgery, Journal of Orthopedics, 37 (12): 825-830 Duraccio, D., Mussano, F., & Faga, M. (2015). Biomaterials for dental implants: current and future trends.  Journal Of Materials Science,  50(14), 4779-4812. doi:10.1007/s10853-015-9056-3 Egger, J., Gall, M., Tax, A., ÃÅ"cal, M., Zefferer, U., Li, X., & ... Chen, X. (2017). Interactive reconstructions of cranial 3D implants under MeVisLab as an alternative to commercial planning software.  Plos ONE,  12(3), 1-20. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0172694   Garry, P. (2013). Self-tapping ability of carbon fibre reinforced polyetheretherketone suture anchors.  J Biomater Appl. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1177/0885328214535274   Goodman, B., Stuart, S., Kelsey, G. & Deborah, J (2011). Composite Implant for Bone Replacement. Journal of Composite Material, vol. 261, pp.  63-81. Hofmann, A. (2016). Surface Functionalization of Orthopedic Titanium Implants with Bone Sialoprotein.  Plos ONE,  11(4), 1-23. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153978 Kumbhar, J. (2015). Applications of bacterial cellulose and its composites in biomedicine.  Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology,  99(6), 2491-2511. doi:10.1007/s00253-015-6426-3 Paknikar, K., & Kumbhar, J. (2015). Applications of carbon fiber and its composites in biomedicine.  Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology,  99(6), 2491-2511. doi:10.1007/s00253-015-6426-3 Saleh, M. M. (2016). Biodegradable/biocompatible coated metal implants for orthopedic applications.  Bio-Medical Materials & Engineering,  27(1), 87-99. doi:10.3233/BME-161568 Schinner, J. & Brandt, H. (2011). Recycling carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, J Thermoplast Compos Mater, 6(9), pp. 239–245 Soboyejo, W. (2017). Polymeric composite devices for localized treatment of early-stage breast cancer.  Plos ONE,  12(2), 1-11. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0172542 Utech, S., & Boccaccini, A. (2016). A review of carbon-based composites for biomedical applications: enhancement of hydrogel properties by addition of rigid inorganic fillers.  Journal Of Materials Science,  51(1), 271-310. doi:10.1007/s10853-015-9382-5

Human Rights and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Human Rights and Development - Essay Example Low-income countries have many issues to deal with including poverty, poor education systems, inadequate healthcare provision systems and corruption among other issues. Most low-income countries are ill equipped to deal with diseases that affect large populations especially communicable diseases. HIV/ AIDS has proven to be a very difficult issue to solve in low income countries affecting human rights and development in such countries (Institute of Medicine (U.S.), Briere & National Academies Press, 2011:29). The UN Charter on human rights states that every person has a right to good health status, which means that all people must have access to quality health care services. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has made it difficult to achieve this aspect of human rights under the UN charter. Most low-income countries are ill equipped to deal with the pandemic. Their economic status and the healthcare sector do not have enough funds, equipment and personnel to deal with HIV/AIDS. In addition to this, most low-income countries cannot afford to provide medication and the necessary healthcare services to people with HIV/AIDS considering that these countries have the highest number of people suffering from the disease (Robinson,  2011:99). This countries struggle to deal with the HIV/ AIDS pandemic on top of the fact that new infections occur at higher rates compared to the middle income and the high income countries. As such, the fulfilment or the provision of human rights to populations with HIV/ AIDS in low-income countries has become a difficult issue to accomplish. All people affected by the HIV/ AIDS including those infected and their families are entitled to access public resources that enable them to cope with the effects of HIV/ AIDS. However, low-income countries face a difficulty to provide public support to this group meaning that they suffer rejection and

Teaching and presentation skills FOR NURSING AND SOCIAL WORK SKILLS Essay

Teaching and presentation skills FOR NURSING AND SOCIAL WORK SKILLS - Essay Example The topic I chose for my teaching and presentation session was Direct Payments. The present essay will discuss the theories, process and teaching and presentation skills which I learnt to practice. I will use Gibbs reflective model to examine the preparation and delivery of the lesson I delivered using teaching and presentation skills. I have opted for Gibbs model of reflection because it integrates a number of logical steps including description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan (Gibbs 1988). I will facilitate critical thought and relate theory to practice in an effective manner using Gibbs model. I will evaluate and analyse my teaching practice using SWOT analysis in order to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of my teaching practice and to identify areas for future improvement (Wilkinson 2007). Reflective practice in nursing and social work is guided by models of reflection. A reflective practice model serves as a framework within which nursing or other management professions can work. Reflective practice model is also a structural framework or learning model that serves the purposes of a profession and is particularly applicable to health and social care professions (Smith & Jack 2005). Any portfolio of practice includes a model of reflection as reflection helps in determining what was positive or negative in a pedagogical experience. Reflective practice highlights the importance of learning from experiences through reflection. It relates the practical experiences to the theoretical learning approaches (Johns & Graham 1996). There are many different ways of learning and teaching. Sensory stimulation theory has its foundation in learning through the senses that is seeing, hearing, touch, smell and taste. (Petty 2004). Brockbank & McGill (1998)

Impressionism painting appearance Research Paper

Impressionism painting appearance - Research Paper Example Impressionism was a technique of emblematic art that was not essentially dependent on practical representations. At that time, the scientific thinking was just starting to understand that what the eye perceived and what was understood by the brain did not match and that they were two diverse entities (Nineteenth Century French Art, 1819-1905: From Romanticism To Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, And Art Nouveau). The Impressionists artists wanted to capture the visual lights effects to communicate time passage, weather changes and other changes in the environment.Impressionist artists relaxed their brushwork and blanched their palettes to incorporate pure primary colors. They deserted their old linear point of view and stayed away from the clearness of form that had in the past served to differentiate the most vital rudiments of a painting from the minor ones. It is mainly for this fact that numerous reviewers criticized impressionist's works for their uncompleted look and on the fa ce of it substandard quality. Impressionism takes note of the consequences of the immense mid-nineteenth century overhaul of the city of Paris spearheaded by the civic structural designer Georges Eugene Haussmann that comprised Paris's freshly built railway lines and stations, wide streets that served in the place of the narrowly constructed pathways and huge luxurious houses. Many times putting more emphasis on public leisure features, particularly cafà © sights and cabarets, the impressionism artists.

Materials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Materials - Essay Example 3D printers are efficient and simplifies most processes during manufacturing; they can easily build things compared to old machines. Consequently, introduction of automatic machines will increase the cost of production. Automated milling machines have rendered factories efficient in their manufacturing processes. Most modern products cannot be manufactured using old machineries (Markillie 1). There is a corresponding change in the materials used in making modern products such as carbon-fiber composites. Software use in factories is increasingly gaining precedence in modern societies. Social manufacturing is equally ginning prominence in the modern world. The third industrial revolution will benefit developed countries, according to Markillie. Application of 3D printers renders most industrial processes simple and easy to undertake. 3D printing functions through progressive processes of layers based on information provided by computer programs. Different designs supported by software applied in 3D printers work by piling materials in successive layers. In other situations, 3D printers may use powder as the materials applied in manufacturing. The process involves spreading powder on thin layers of build trays and an additional squirt of semi-liquid or liquid binders. The process may also involve laser sintering; melting into the required shape. Other additional materials or unfused powder is applicable to strengthen complicated structured built using 3D printers. Diverse materials can be printed using 3D technology including ceramics, metals and plastics. 3D printers can also combine materials to enhance their strength and rigidity. 3D printers are also applicable in the production of living tissues. It is possible to prin t food, as well, using 3D technology. Based on research, it will be possible to make other large body organs in the future using 3D printers. Additive manufacturing

Kinship Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kinship Organizations - Essay Example The Kinship System and Culture of Yonomamo Their social life is organized around the respected tribesmen, where kinship relationship descent from ancestors and marriages between these kinships. According to Webster (2004), the tribesmen are given responsibility to maintain order in the villages and determine the village’s relationships with people of other villages. The tribesmen are given these positions owing to kinship and marriage customs, and it depends on the main kinship groups in the villages they come from. Webster (2004) indicates that the social changes within Yonomamo villages are based on giving and receiving marriageable girls in society. Thus, marriages are arranged by order kin, who include uncles, brothers and fathers of the spouse. Marriage in Yonomamo is based on the political process where girls are promised marriages while their extremely young, and men involved forms alliances with other men via marriage exchanges. There is inadequate of women in the Yono mamo due to the sex ratio imbalance in the younger ages that result in men having more than one wife. In case of fighting in the village, this is as a result of sexual relationships and attacks done to married women by other men. Meanwhile, the fight can cause internal fighting and conflicts of such greatness that lead to splitting and fission of villages, and create new villages. Yonomamo have a series of quality forms of violence that include club fighting and chest pounding that prevent severe violence like shooting to kill. This offers them a great deal of flexibility in resolving the conflict without immediate resort to deadly violence (Webster, 2004). Meanwhile, they have incorporated patterns of alliance and friendship that serve to limit violence these include trading and feasting with others in order to promote friendships. According to Webster (2004), the thin line between friendship and hostility must be controlled by village leaders whose political acumen and strategies are both admirable and complex. The Yonomamo have developed one unique language that each community speaks in variety version of this language. Traditionally, they had no written language, but depended on the same words to describe several different things. For instance the Yonomamo word â€Å"Xawara† can mean disease, gold and epidemics at the same time; thus, they communicate by chanting, telling stories and using lively expressions. The Yonomamo culture does not have political readers or police force to keep law and order. However, they depend on village leaders, who do not have power over anyone, but are allowed to make suggestions about matters of daily activities. Children are an essential part of the Yonomamo culture that means the more children living in a village; the more they assisted with household tasks. To increase chances of having many, men are allowed to marry many wives that give the family a better chance of continuity. Moreover, the ceremonies are another significant part of the Yonomamo culture, and they are carried for many reasons and used to communicate with spirit. Webster (2004) indicates that ceremonial hunts may be introduced to practice catching a specific animal and they usually take part with the whole family. Meanwhile, they travel to other villages to share stories and socialize with other groups; thus, family and relationship are a significant part

Joint Medical Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Joint Medical Program - Essay Example This suggests holistic development for students like me who intend to become ethical, value-driven, and compassionate medical practitioners in the future. This desire to develop medical student holistically is likewise reflected in their approach to clinical assessment, where the student is expected not only to evaluate the patient’s clinical symptoms, but those in the other facets as well, including cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. In effect, the student is not only constrained to being empirical and research-driven but considers the â€Å"whole† person in his diagnosis and treatment. At the end of the day, my ultimate objective in pursuing a career in medicine is to be able to extend selfless service to the less fortunate, with whom I have been exposed to early on. I can empathize with their suffering and their communities’ dire need for medical attention. I appreciate the use of â€Å"case-based problem-oriented learning†¦that contextualizes and fully integrates the basic, clinical, and social sciences.† This program again demonstrates the holistic approach of JMP to developing medical students. They have also reviewed and undertaken scheduling changes to enhance the teaching of research skills, and allow the students sufficient time to work on their Masters theses. This is ideal in helping medical students like me to manage their time effectively. Moreover, the use of the more novel and perhaps more effective case-centered, small group tutorial model would allow more collaboration and interaction among class members.

Readers response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Readers response - Essay Example The term â€Å"coy† informs the reader that the young woman is not an easy catch. In other words, she is not easily carried away. Besides suggesting that the word â€Å"coy† could mean a â€Å"sweetheart â€Å" or a â€Å"lover†, it could also be the equivalent for a lady, manager or a courtesan. The lady in â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† plays a kind of a cat and mouse game with her suitor in being shy and artfully demure and at the same time being playfully hesitant. She is well aware that the young man’s motivation is more of a carnal desire for her than true love. He urges her time and again to take advantage of the moment saying â€Å"sport us while we may† telling her that dallying was not a good idea because youth passes quickly. He presses his case on telling her that the luxury of time is not with them for â€Å"time’s winged chariot is ever racing along’ and before they realize it, youth would have passed them by and only their graves would remain. From the lady’s point of view, it is understood that her lover is not motivated by true love but by sheer carnal desire for her. She doesn’t seem to want to succumb to his charms and passion. Though her lover seems impatient and desperate, yet she does not relent. Though the lover suggests that time and their youth is passing them by and they should take advantage and enjoy the pleasure of each other presently, yet she stalls on this fact and does not want to give into his passions. The silent female in this poem tries to be quite tolerant to her suitor and does not encourage his advances. She seems to be somewhat unhappy and dejected by the fact that his key motivation behind his advances is not that of love but of lust or carnal desire and passion. She would rather prefer that his desire for her would be centered on pure love than on fleeting passions. This beautiful poem by Andrew Marvell – â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† has both crude and shocking imagery and gross

Teens Spend Outrages Amount of Time Online Essay Example for Free

Teens Spend Outrages Amount of Time Online Essay This really shows how dependent teenagers have become of their gadgets. 88% of the teenagers think that these devices help them in everyday life and 69% of parents agree. One of the parents who do not agree is Susan Maushart, she decided to digitally detox her children and herself for a total of 6 months. Mother of 3 Susan Maushart decided to cut off all electronic devices and internet use for an entire 6 months as she thought her children were using too much time online, on their cellphones and on their iPods, she only saw their necks she said. Susan dropped the bomb on Christmas morning. The children were chocked and grumpy at first, but after the first month or so they were starting to enjoy it more and more. The children’s friends even thought it was cool, they would come over to Susan’s house to play games such as Scrabble or play music and sing. Susan kept a journal and published a book called â€Å"The winter of our disconnect†. Many adults were outraged by the experiment at first but now see how well it actually worked. Susan says that she actually bribed her children into the detox, she said that if she got the book published they would get a part of the money, but in the end it wasn’t needed as the kids enjoyed themselves and didn’t need all the electronics. Parents around the world are seeing this increasing amount of internet use negatively, many children are being addicted by gaming, and others are just wasting all their time on social networking sites instead of doing homework, working out or other more important things. Although parents agree that the internet makes life easier, most parent are also making restrictions to make sure their teenagers don’t abuse the internet. 30% of American parents believe that the media and the internet have no effect on their children. These parents will usually have little or no control over their teenagers, or the parents are simply teenagers themselves on the inside and use the social media sites as much as their children, making them think it is okay. Most teenagers know that they spend too much time online and know that it takes time away from doing homework etc. but most teenagers these days simply do not care. The schools aren’t as strict as they have been, so the young people don’t mind if they haven’t completed all of their homework. Of course that doesn’t mean that no teenagers do homework, but many more young people stay up late at night watching television or browsing the web, causing them to be unprepared and tired for school the next day. Physical contact is avoided more and more and teenagers communicate mostly by phone or the internet. As one of Susan Mausharts children said in an interview â€Å"Most of our plans are minute to minute and are made on Facebook. † This makes it harder for teenagers to stay off Facebook, as they do not want to miss anything, so the youngsters will stay online most of the time. American teenagers are on the internet or using electronic devices 8? hours on average, which is more time spent on the internet than time spent sleeping. This seems to become a problem for children as they become tired. At MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) teachers and professors are getting worried about their students engagement in school. They can see that the students aren’t fully concentrated on the teacher or the lesson. They sometimes check Facebook, read blogs or view Youtube videos. This is a problem as it takes more from the teachers side to obtain full attention, which means they have to do more work without getting paid more. The students at MIT themselves are under the impression that they can control it. That they can multitask, it is of their opinion that blocking sites such as Facebook or Twitter would only cause rage and would be of no help to the lectures. All in all parents and teenagers share some views while teachers have a totally different view on social networking. Most young people are aware of the problem but do nothing, while most parents put up time restrictions or such for their teenage children. The opinion of the teachers is that social networking should not be allowed in schools.

Chance within the play Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Chance within the play Romeo and Juliet Essay George Aberto once said above anything else, fate is what brings lovers together. In Shakespeares play, Romeo and Juliet, fate, chance, and coincidence are all important to the development and eventually the conclusion of this tragedy. Without these three closely related themes the play would not have been able to make it out of the first act. These themes are pivotal to the development of the play and there are many instances where this is very obvious. These themes play a part in the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, the invitation of Romeo to the ball, and the death of the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet. For as long as the two families, The Capulets and The Montagues, can remember, they have both been at war with each other and held an ancient grudge (Prologue). The purpose and goal of this feud is never revealed thus it must be assumed through the Prologue that their hatred is solely based on tradition from past generations. This feud is visible within the first line of Act 1 Scene 1 where Sampson, a servant of the Capulet family says that he will not carry coals (1.1.1). He says this in talking to another servant, Gregory, about how he will not be humiliated by a Montague servant. This allows the audience to see the importance of the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, meet and fall in love at the ball in Act 1 Scene 5. This is visible in Romeos dialogue O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / Like a rich jewel in an Ethiops ear. (1.5.46-48). It is chance that Romeos true love happens to be part of the family he was brought up to hate. Romeo is aware that Juliet is a Capulet but Juliet is not aware that Romeo is a Montague and even though the feud between the families is existent, fate takes its course and allows enough time for Juliet to fall in love with Romeo. Therefore, once Juliet learns that Romeo is a Montague, she has already fallen in love with Romeo and she cannot turn back now. This is one of the most important examples of fate in the play because if she had known that Romeo was a Montague she would have never pursued a relationship with him and the rest of the play would have never turned out the way it had. Romeo and Juliets relationship begins at the Capulets house during the ball  without Juliet knowing that Romeo is a Montague although the fate involved in getting Romeo to the ball is just as important as Juliet not knowing Romeos last name because if Romeo would not have gone to the ball then he would have never met Juliet and fallen in love with her. It all starts with one of the Capulets servants in the streets of Verona with a list of the different guests which are invited to the ball. This list contains the names Mercutio, Tybalt, and Rosaline among others. The servant which is given the list is not able to read and this is another example of fate because once Benvolio learns that Rosaline is going to be at the ball he decides that him and Romeo will attend. Benvolio wants to Compare her face with some that I shall show / And I will make thee think they swan a crow. Meaning that he will bring Romeo to the ball to show that a comparison of Rosaline with other girls will make a difference and possibly relieve his sadness and love for Rosaline. This is also fate because if Rosaline was not invited, Benvolio didnt create a plan, and if the servant would have been able to read then Romeo would have never been invited and he would have never met Juliet. The meeting of the two lovers is important although the death of the two lovers is probably one of the most important roles fate plays in the play. The first instance where fate makes its mark leading up to the death of the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, is when the Prince banishes Romeo from the city of Verona for the death of Tybalt. The Prince reacts to the situation by saying that for that offence / Immediately we do exile him hence. This gets the ball rolling on the events that will lead to the two lovers death. After Romeo flees on the recommendation of Benovlio, Romeo finds himself hiding out in Friar Laurances Cell and then in Mantua. The next event which fate is involved in is the idea of Juliet faking her death so that she is not required to marry Paris. Friar Laurence devises a plan which he tells Juliet in Scene 1 of Act 4 as they are both talking in the Friars cell. He tells her to: Hold, then; go home, be merry, give consent To marry Paris: Wednesday is to-morrow: To-morrow night look that thou lie alone; Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber: Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distilled liquor drink thou off, (4.1. 91-96) These lines explain everything she must do so that she does not have to marry Paris and can be with Romeo instead, although he has forgotten to tell her one thing. That one thing is that the Friar has not told Juliet to tell Romeo that she is going through with this plan, faking her death. Friar Laurence realizes this and sends Friar John to give Romeo, who is hiding in Mantua, the message of his plan. What happens next is a perfect example of chance and coincidence. Right as Friar John is preparing to deliver the message an outbreak of the Plague occurs in the city of Verona and Friar John could not send it,here it is again,- / Nor get a messenger to bring it thee, / So fearful were they of infection (5.2.14-16). Therefore this causes Romeo to not receive the message of the Friars plan but instead he receives news of Juliets death so it then becomes a race to the tomb, in which Juliet was placed, to stop Romeo from seeing Juliet dead. So Friar Laurence Now must I to the monument alone; Within three hours will fair Juliet wake(5.2.25-27) . Fates second last appearance in the play occurs Romeo arrives at the tomb first, before the Friar, and he sees Juliet, his love, dead. If the Friar would have arrived first, Romeo and Juliet would have never killed themselves and they would have been able to live together but that was not the case and it led to the suicide of both lovers. The final appearance of fate occurs after the lovers death and it is the end of the feud between the two families. It was fate for the lovers to die and resolve this feud. Fate, Chance, and Coincidence play an extremely pivotal part of the development of the play as well as the ending and without them the play would have turned out anything like it had and it would have never gotten  out of Act 1. The feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, Romeos invitation to the ball, and the death of the two star-crossed lovers which led to the end of the feud between the two families are all examples of how fate was able to sway the development of the story so it would lead to the death of Romeo and Juliet, For never was a story of more woe /Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

Ethical Issues In Marketing Vulnerable Customer Groups

Ethical Issues In Marketing Vulnerable Customer Groups Ethics are defined as the set of principles which guide a persons conduct towards being morally right. When a person is faced with some moral dilemma, the choice that the person makes largely depends upon the values and ethical principles that person holds. It is over and above just being legal. Due to being dependent upon the personal values and principles a person holds, ethical code of conduct cannot be described in absolute terms. Like in all the disciplines of life, recognizing and quantifying what is ethical in marketing and what is not is difficult. In a broader sense, ethics in marketing mean implementing standards of moral rights and wrongs and of fairness in the marketing practices of an organization. The main objective of any business is said to be shareholders wealth maximization. In order to achieve this objective, the organization has to perform better than its competitors and create a competitive advantage for itself. This competitive advantage is mainly dependent upon the perception the customers hold of the products or services of the organization. An organization can create competitive advantage by means of its marketing decisions, behavior and practices. This includes aligning its marketing mix as per the customers requirements. The organization will gain competitive advantage only when the customer will perceive the marketing mix i.e. product, price, place and promotion to be of value. The focus has increased towards being ethical in marketing practices mainly due to two reasons. First, when an organization works ethically, the customers tend to develop more positive perception and attitude towards its products and services and the organization as a whole. This leads to long-term positive relationship with the customers. When the marketing practices of an organization depart from being ethical and the standards that are considered to be acceptable by the society are not followed, the organization taints its own image. It may lead to bad publicity for the firm, dissatisfied customers, lost business, lack of trust, and in some case even a legal action. Second, ethical abuses lead to pressure from either the society or the government for the firms to be more responsible. Since such ethical abuses do occur, people tend to believe that such marketing practices abound. As a result of this, consumer interest groups and some professional associations exert influence on marketing practices and keep them checked. An indicator of this is several regulations that have been designed just to protect the consumers rights. However, in order to be good to some stakeholders the organizations may sometimes make decisions which are not good for other stakeholders and effectively turn against those stakeholders interests. The ethical issues may not be only in terms of consumer, but they may also be for other stakeholders like the suppliers, employees, distribution chain etc. Categorizing Ethical Issues in Marketing Ethical issues in marketing can be categorized as follows: Unethical Product and Distribution Practices Several product-related issues, especially regarding the quality of products and services raise questions about ethical conduct in marketing. The most frequent complaints are voiced regarding the products which are of unsafe nature. Other than this, the problems are regarding poor quality of product or service, product/service not containing what is promoted or the product/service becoming obsolete or going out of style before they are used. The company which is making products that is of poor quality or is potentially unsafe for its consumers may jeopardize its image and develop a reputation for poor quality products or services. It may also put itself in situation of product claims or legal actions. Sometimes, however, the changes in an industry itself occur and the products become obsolete so fast that the consumers may misinterpret it as planned obsolescence e.g. in computer industry. Ethical issues may arise in the distribution process as well. Since the marketing personnel and sales representatives are evaluated mostly on the basis of sales performance, they may face performance pressure and this pressure may lead to ethical dilemmas. This may lead to unethical practices like pushing sale for products with higher commission, exerting influence on vendors to reduce promotions for competitors products, or making false promises regarding shipment dates and quantities. Deceptive Marketing Practices Deception is making the customer believe in the value provided by the product/service which it actually doesnt provide. It may take the form of misrepresentation or omission of key facts or misleading practices. This may also involve omission of important terms and conditions of sale and bait-and-switch selling techniques in which a product/service is offered usually at a lower price and the customers are then encouraged to buy more expensive items. Selling the potentially hazardous products without disclosing the dangers is also considered as deceptive and unethical marketing practice. There may also be packaging deception which is mislabeling regarding the content, weight, size, or use information of the product. Offensive and Objectionable Materials and Marketing Practices The promotional materials, advertisements and publications that are perceived as objectionable may create strong negative reactions for the organization. Such things may be perceived as objectionable or even offensive for some when they contain material which is related to certain stereotypical images, sex, or religious practices. Some things may carry different meanings in different locations and religions which may also be problematic if not handled properly. When people find the products or the promotion and advertising media as objectionable, they may force the vendors to stop carrying the product. So, it is in the interest of the company to screen such things and make them suitable so as to match to the tastes and preferences of their target market. Direct marketing also involves objectionable practices ranging from minor irritants like the frequency and timing of sales calls, letters or e-mails, to the ones that are even illegal. The practices that may raise ethical questions are persistent and annoying telemarketing calls, sales disguised as contests, use of mailing lists containing personal mail IDs, junk mails etc. However, there have been some steps and regulations to control these practices like Do not call registry to avoid telemarketing calls etc., but they are not sufficient and much needs to be done in this regard. Marketing Research and Benchmarking This is another area in which ethical questions may arise. Consumers and entities being benchmarked may consider it an invasion on their privacy. They are usually resistant on giving out personal information. However, in order to obtain correct and better data, researcher may act by unfair means. The same may happen in case of benchmarking. In some cases, the questions may be modified in a way to gain information which the respondent would not be willing to share otherwise. The organizations have to impose ethical standards for themselves in such instances. Ethical Issues in Marketing to Vulnerable Customer Groups The vulnerable customer groups include children, elderly, certain minorities, and religious groups. These customers may be influenced comparatively more easily as they have either less knowledge about these practices or they are vulnerable in terms of their minority or religion. Children have always been important marketing target for certain kind of products. However, in recent times more and more marketing efforts are being focused on children. Children have great influencing power while making any purchase decision. But, generally, their knowledge is less developed and limited about the products, media, advertisements, and the selling strategies adopted by the firms. Due to these reasons, they are more likely to be attracted to the strong images projected towards them and the psychological appeals directed towards them. Ethical questions arise in such environment when children are exposed to questionable practices e.g. advertisements attracting them towards products which are potentially harmful like alcohol and tobacco. The advent of Internet and direct marketing practices to market the products to children has become a major ethical issue in todays environment. There are very less, almost negligible, controls which can supervise the content which goes over the web sites. The marketers can present objectionable and misleading material to the minors without any regulation. Due to all these issues, there is increasing need to control the content being presented to children. It requires higher levels of regulations for marketing to children. Ethical Issues in International Marketing There is a relationship between the culture of a country and the perceived ethical perceptions of the citizens of that country. Due to globalization of the markets and hence the marketing practices, the marketers have to deal with the ethical issues arising in cross-cultural scenario. In this cross-cultural environment, the marketer may have to choose between entirely different set of ethical norms and values. A marketer may not wish to leave her own ethical values and adopt the cross-cultural values and this may pose the ethical dilemma. A practice which is generally accepted as being right in one country may be completely unacceptable in another. The situation gets more complex due to lack of clearly defined ethical standards and code of conduct. Major ethical problems in international marketing are as follows: Small or large scale bribery Bribery is mostly considered to be an unethical practice. However, in some countries it may be acceptable to get some work done or speed up the process. Gifts/Favors/Entertainment These include items like gifts, personal travels etc. which may be intended to get some job done. However, it may be considered just as a gift in some cultures, it may also be considered as being a source of influence in other cultures. Pricing The ethical issues regarding this include unfair price differentials, pricing to eliminate local competition by selling products at prices which are well below those in home country, or adopting pricing practices which are illegal in home country but are legal in host country like price fixing arrangements and forming cartels. Products/Technology This may involve ethical issue of selling the product/service which is banned in home country but not in the host country or which is inappropriate or unsuitable for people in host country to use. Questionable commissions to Channel partners This may include unethical practices like paying unreasonably high commissions to channel partners like dealers, distributors, sales personnel etc. to carry the products of this firm and restricting the products of competing firms. Involvement in political affairs This includes the issues of exertion of political influence by multinationals, or indulging in marketing practices in countries which are at war with the home country. Cultural differences There may be potential misunderstandings as some practices may be considered as right in one culture and immoral or even illegal in another. Reasons behind Ethical Issues in Marketing For any ethical issue arising in marketing, first we need to understand the reason of its emergence. Following are the reasons or ethical dilemmas or tensions due to which ethical issues arise: Consumer Autonomy vs. Marketing Effectiveness The consumer should be autonomous and should be allowed to make free choice about the product/service. At the same time, the marketing effort should be effective which means that it should help the organization to achieve the intended financial results and to do so affect the consumer behavior. Most of the times, the effectiveness criteria which can be described as achievement of sales goals takes preference over the consumer autonomy. The problems arising out of this type of tension may include misleading advertisements, concealment or misrepresentation of critical information etc. This can best be explained by the example of Amazon.com which offered different prices to different customers on the same day. The concept of differential pricing is perfectly in sync with the marketing effectiveness. However, it was against the concept of consumer autonomy. Consumer Choice vs. Consumer Protection Consumers should be given alternatives to choose from as per the consumer choice concept. Consumer protection says that the consumer should be protected from abuse. Consumers may not always choose the product which is good for them. This is especially true for consumers like children, elderly or poverty-stricken. Target marketing to such vulnerable consumers is an example where these two goals diverge. Target marketing is a core concept of marketing. However, when it involves vulnerable consumer segment, it may attract criticism. This raises a question that the product is serving the distinct needs of the segment or taking advantage of their vulnerability. Consumer Satisfaction vs. Revenue Growth Firms should increase their profits and they should also focus on delivering satisfaction to their customers. Most of the times these two objectives can go hand-in-hand. However, sometimes these objectives diverge because fulfilling the requirements and obligations of current customers may come in way of incremental revenue generation. E.g. If a firm discovers a fault in its product, should it recall it, offer free or discounted replacement or use the same resources for further revenue generation. If a recall is not done it may cause reduction in customer satisfaction. There have been several instances in which companies have forsaken their revenues for customer satisfaction. The latest example in this can be taken from Honda recalling almost 7 lakh Jazz and City cars globally due to a defect. However, there have also been the cases where companies chose not to act even after detecting the defect and the customers have suffered due to this. Customer Participation vs. Total System Efficiency As per the marketing theory, entire marketing process from product development to communication and distribution should be made as efficient as possible. It also says that the consumers should participate in the process. However, to gain more efficiency, the processes require standardization which may not be quite engaging for the customers. Customer Welfare vs. Price Discrimination In industries having high fixed costs and expiring capacities, like airlines, hotels etc., price discrimination is very important to maintain profitability. In such cases, the firms should try to capture the consumer surplus by exercising price discrimination. On the other hand, the firm should also contribute to consumer welfare and price discrimination is believed to reduce this consumer welfare as it results in increased price dispersion for the products/services. Ethical issues such as predatory pricing occur due to this reason. Predatory pricing initially offers lower prices to the customers, but subsequently it leads to reduced innovation, variety and increased prices. Selling branded goods at price premium is also considered as being an ethical issue due to this particular reason. Employee Satisfaction vs. Short-Term Profit Employee satisfaction has often been related to customer satisfaction which in turn leads to the success of an organization. If the organization maintains conditions such as ethical climate in the organization, then it may lead to improved employee satisfaction and service quality. However, this may come in conflict with the profit goal of the organization to maintain its competitive advantage. This may lead to situations where companies take advantage of their employees, avoid safety and health standards and go against labor unionization. There have been cases when companies have put the health and safety of their employees just in order to maintain their profits and earnings. Collaborative Supplier Relationships vs. Short-Term Cost Control Longer term relationships with suppliers enhance the firms results. The smaller the number of suppliers, i.e. the more collaboration a company has with its suppliers, the better the results of a firm are. However, the mass merchandisers take so much margin out of small suppliers that the small suppliers are forced to leave the business. Hence, such things lead to ethical issues. Changing Perception to Resolve the Ethical Issues in Marketing Ethical issues cannot be resolved easily due to the fact that there are no concrete guidelines regarding what is ethical and what it not. However, a marketer may try to resolve the ethical dilemmas she faces by applying some logics which are different from generally followed logics. Following are some of the ways that may help in resolving some of the ethical issues arising in marketing: Changing perception about the unit of exchange Changing perception about unit of exchange between the organization and consumer from just being a product or service to the benefit of than product or service may help a company make better ethical choice. Where a product focus makes a company think that since the product is intended for a particular segment, it will always provide benefit to the segment, a benefit focus makes the company think in terms of actual benefit that is being provided to its consumers. E.g. while marketing an alcoholic or tobacco product; the marketer may think that there is a good demand for the product, so the consumer should be provided with additional choice. However, when the focus is on benefit being provided to the consumer, the company may take responsible action like also providing information about the health hazard of such products. With this logic, a firm would not sell a potentially harmful product to its customers with conviction that they are do ing it for harmful purposes. Customer as a Co-Creator of Service Generally a customer is regarded as only a recipient of products or services. The marketer segments the customer, places its products, and distributes and promotes to the customers. However, if the marketer involves the customer and does things in interaction with the customer it may work to reduce two potential ethical dilemmas of consumer autonomy vs. marketing effectiveness and consumer participation vs. total system efficiency. When the customer is working in collaboration with the marketer, more transparency can be introduced which will further lead to marketing efficiency. E.g. in case of differential pricing, with collaborative actions more transparent discounting may be introduced which will further allow the customers to make informed choices. Such an approach makes sure that deception or any other type of manipulation with consumers judgment doesnt happen. When the consumer is co-creator of service, the perception of marketer will shift from making the process as efficient as possible to making it of more value to the customer. Value determination from producer to consumer Recognizing the fact that value is determined by the consumers may help the firms decide between societal benefits and mere profit maximization. This helps in resolving the ethical dilemmas of consumer welfare and price discrimination. The companies may look closely at the totality of their value proposition including all its consequences like social and environmental consequences. Instead of focusing on the product and its functional benefits, the value is determined from the perspective of consumer. Here, as long as the price discrimination is transparent, the choice made by the customers reflects the perceived value she attached with the choice. It reflects the notion of consumer welfare in the terms of customers perceived value of status, quality, convenience, innovation, variety and assurance. This logic also shows that the price premiums charged by companies are evidence of customers willingness to pay more for the trust inspired by the brand name. Firm-Customer Interaction As per this concept, the customers should be active participants instead of just being acted upon. This reduces the tension between the goals of satisfying current customers and working for incremental revenues. It also works to reduce the firm-supplier tension of collaborative relationships and profit maximization. These ethical dilemmas get diluted because the firm recognizes the value of customer relationships and this is willing to invest in the same. An example of this is the implied meaning of a brand as being a promise. There is a moral obligation for a company to deliver what a brand promises. Failure to deliver that value may harm the consumer perception and hence the firm-customer relationship. On the other hand, fulfillment of this leads to the strengthened relationship between the firm and the consumer. Recognizing the source of economic growth Traditionally, the firms consider the wealth to be the things which they own i.e. the resources which can be acted upon. However, the firms should consider that the main source of their economic growth is the skills and knowledge of the employees which act on these resources. This recognition may help in reducing the ethical dilemma of employee satisfaction vs. short-term profit. What an organization should do? Following are some guidelines that an organization may adopt in order to be ethical in its marketing practices: Take responsibility First and foremost, an organization should be able to take the responsibility of its actions. The organization should make sure that any marketing decisions and actions meet the customers needs and are able to satisfy them. In addition to this, these marketing decisions and actions should also cater to the broader needs of the society. The responsibility also extends to the employees and other organization that the firm deals with like suppliers or dealer agencies. The organization should not choose to encourage the unethical behavior in terms of any of these stakeholders. Recognize your customers rights Any organization has specific duties towards its customers: The customers should be able to expect that the products and services they intend to use are fit accordingly. The communication regarding the products or services should not be deceptive. The organization should intend to work in good faith. The organization should have appropriate policy to handle the grievances a customer might have. The organization should be considerate about the rights and interests of vulnerable groups and should not exploit them. Balance the Customer Interests with Marketing Needs Marketing has a number of objectives ranging from providing information about the product/service, stimulating the demand and boosting the sale, emphasizing the product value and differentiating the product from those of competitors. Hence, it may get difficult for an organization to strike a balance between these objectives of marketing with the ethical commitment to the consumer for providing honest, clear and unambiguous information. The situation may be aggravated if the business conditions are not good. However, the organization should focus on the long-term benefits in terms of better branding and customer loyalty while taking decisions on ethical issues. Recognize the inherent possibility of Ethical Issues Ethical issues arise when the interests and viewpoints of different stakeholders like the organization itself, customers, employees, and society etc. clash. Such issues are, however, very prominently inherent in certain industries or with certain kind of products e.g. tobacco and alcohol products. The organization should consider whether to advertise for them, to what extent to advertise and what the target customers for the advertisements should be. But, in such industry, no matter what decision an organization takes, it may have to bear the brunt of social ethicality merely be being in the particular industry. Be Environment-Friendly Green issues have come to prominence and have become major point of concern in recent times. Several organizations have made changes in their methods in order to be environment friendly. Some have even adopted special practices to give back to the environment. However, when the organizations try to improve the perception of their products/services by communicating these practices to the customers and other stakeholders they tend to get skeptical about the motives and claims of the organization. The organization should be able to promote such motives and claims so these are accurate and are able to be substantiated. Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility Conventionally, customers are primarily influenced by the product/service features, price and availability while making a choice about the product/service. However, with growing concerns about sustainable practices, environment-friendliness and social responsibility, there is one more dimension which has started influencing customer decisions. This dimension is of the policies a company adopts for its products and services. Customers are getting increasingly sensitive about the production processes, and the level of social responsibility with which organizations deal with their employees, invest their money, or indulge in other activities. Customers tend to prefer the products/services from a company which is relatively more socially responsible. Hence, it is a benefit for the organization to be ethically correct for its customers. In order to gauge the level of social responsibility of the organization, it should consider following factors: Are the products safe and being manufactured with sustainable materials, processes and under responsible conditions? Are the advertising practices being followed honest, clear and socially acceptable? Does the product provide value for money to the customers along with providing profits to the organization? Is the organization indulging in unethical selling practices? Does the organization ensure fair access to its products and services through its distribution channels? Is it easy for customers to get their issues resolved and does the organization meet customer requirements? Review all the aspects of marketing The organization should review all aspects of marketing including product design, pricing, distribution and promotion. Product Design and Development The organization needs to consider how the product will be produced i.e. the methods of manufacturing, materials and other resources to be used in the production. The company should assess whether the all these things including the production process are safe or they have any impacts on society or environment. The organization should also consider the potential use of the product/service. It needs to consider whether the product has the potential of being exploited and misused. The organization should take into consideration, the disposal of the product after it has been used. Pricing The prices of the products/services should provide value to the customers. It should not necessarily be the lowest price on the market. However, the company should be able to convey the value to the customers that they are getting for the price they pay. Packaging and Labeling Packaging has an important role in terms of brand identity and is very critical for sale. However, there are growing concerns with regards to packaging due to environmental impacts of the discarded packaging. The organization should also ensure that the labeling provides clear information regarding the use of the products. If there are some potential health or safety hazards associated with the product, they should be clearly brought to notice of the customer through means of labeling. Distribution In terms of distribution, the organization should make sure that the products are freely accessible to the customers without any discrimination e.g. of geographies. If the business is heavily dependent upon retailing, there may be another set of ethical issues that may arise. With growing concentration of retail business, retailers have gained considerable power to exert influence over the customers as well as the suppliers. The retailer may get involved in unethical practices like stocking products for only some of the companies who pay them more margins. All these issues should be tackled carefully and the power of influence should be divided carefully.

Was Colonial Culture Uniquely American? :: American America History

"Was Colonial Culture Uniquely American?" "There were never, since the creation of the world, two cases exactly parallel." Lord Chesterfield, in a letter to his son, February 22nd, 1748. Colonial culture was uniquely American simply because of the unique factors associated with the development of the colonies. Never before had the conditions that tempered the colonists been seen. The unique blend of diverse environmental factors and peoples caused the development of a variety of cultures that were mostly English, part European, and altogether original. The unique conditions, both cultural and environmental, of each colony produced a unique culture for that colony. And while each colony had it's share of groups, the mix of people and their cultures in each colony was not evenly distributed. In some colonies there was a high mix of people, while in others one group dominated. These regional differences caused the colonies not to develop one unique culture, but instead a group of distinctive cultures, each unique, and each regional. The regional differences and cultures among the colonies can be divided into four basic groups. These groups each dominated a different region, but they weren't the only group in their respective region. There were the Puritans of New England, the Quakers of the middle colonies, the Anglicans of the southern colonies, and the Scots-Irish of the Appalachian backcountry (Madaras & Sorelle, 1995). The culture of New England was one unique to New England. The northern colonies of New England were dominated by the Puritans, and settled primarily for religious reasons. The environment of New England consisted of rocky soil, dense forests, and large numbers of fish (Sarcelle, 1965). The culture that developed in New England was appropriate to such conditions. The soil, being rocky, had to be worked constantly and patiently (Sarcelle, 1965). Patience and persistence were trademarks of Puritan ethics. The lush forests provided for a shipbuilding industry , while the fish provided a source of food (Brinkley, 1995). The New Englanders became fishermen, farmers, lumbermen, shipbuilders, and traders (Sarcelle, 1965). To the south of New England were the middle colonies. There the soil was fertile, and the weather more acclimated to farming (Sarcelle, 1965). Rivers flowed west toward the frontier, enabling transportation. The middle colonies, as opposed to the relatively Puritan dominated New England, were very diverse in people. A mixture of Dutch, German, Swedes, English and other smaller groups were present in middle colonial cities such as New York (Higginbotham, 1996).

Austrian Immigration to Canada :: essays research papers

There are a lot of important migration routes nowadays; one of pretty crowded route is between the Canada and Europe. This essay will answer the questions of migration issue among the Austrian immigration to Canada. Canada can be identified simply as a country of vast geographical size, the second largest country in the world, but with a small population of some 25 million people, and is in many ways several countries accidentally linked by the historical development, peopled by different and distinct immigrant cultures, symbolised by having two official languages.(Brake, 1985, p.144) Immigration is a big complex issue that depends on individual choice but if there should be a generalisation it would be indicate as a struggle to create a new life with hopes by sweeping the past mostly. To an answer to why is it a â€Å"complex† issue, it can be said that the general dissatisfaction, which means, people migrating to other countries by leaving many things behind mostly nag abou t the conditions of the new country in terms of racism, ethnic prejudice also native residents complain about newcomers too. So if nothing has changed in terms of satisfaction why are these people still continuing to migrate? To make this question clearer, some points have to be highlighted as firstly brief information about how Austrians came to Canada then why Canada is attractive to Austrian residents, sociologic profile of Austrian immigrants, what are the contributions of immigrants for the migrated country and also the issue of native’s feedback to immigrants. Even tough Austrian immigration seems considerably positive for Canadians, they implement discriminations and prejudice among them. Immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire began to arrive in Canada as early as the seventeenth century (who) were soldiers enrolled in French regiments which came to New France, sojourners, and settlers (Engellman, 1996, p.45). From 1880s on, more Austro-Hungarians immigrated to Canada and, after the turn of the century they were arriving on a large scale. During the world-wide crisis (1923-1929) the unemployment rate was on average 9.5 percent which followed on World War two by continuing rose more sharply still (Engellman, 1996, p.59). Moreover, in the Second World War period, Austrians had violent oppression and had fear about their on lives on racial grounds then they faced with a new problem: to find a secure place to live. Because of the unstable economy and having own problem in herself, Canada shut down their doors to large scale of refugees, but post-war period Austrian immigration also be successful, approximately 30,000 refugees and Austrian citizens found a new home th ere (Engellman, 1996, p.

The Fourth Act of The Duchess Essay -- The Duchess Plays Literature Es

The Fourth Act of The Duchess "The first necessity of baroque is that the audience should be gripped, excited, moved" [1] - so says Ralph Berry. The fourth act of The Duchess of Malfi certainly succeeds under all these criteria, being the dramatic crux of the play. The events that occur in the first scene are undoubtedly crucial, but it is the characters' vastly varied reactions to them that are vitally important. Rich imagery is deeply interwoven with the fabric of play - indeed, it is an essential part of its function - and the scene's proceedings are completely overshadowed by the telling relationship between Ferdinand, Bosola and the Duchess that is explored throughout act IV, scene i. Often, it is in the most trying times that the true nature of people is allowed to shine through their veiled everyday existence. In this scene, the Duchess is subjected to imprisonment and cruel tortures by her malevolent twin brother who is still unable to come to terms with his sister's independence and intimate relationship with Antonio. Bosola is beginning to experience emotions he had previously repressed or never had the capacity to experience in court life. He is forced to astatically struggle with inner turmoil and design for himself a new system of morality. Because of these simultaneous occurrences, the three major characters' rà ´les are brought out to the front of the stage for punctilious analysis. "The whole of Act IV is a protracted dying as, step by step, 'by degrees', the Duchess is made to face the utmost pain, misery and evil" [2]. As this happens, the very best and most deplorable characteristics are teased out and, as their relationship develops, the tensions between these three persons cause the... ...voked combines with horrors typical of the period and the complex relationship between the Duchess, Ferdinand and Bosola elicits responses that have a far greater effect on the outcome of the play than any other aspect of the drama or events that have occurred. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Ralph Berry, The Art of John Webster (Clarendon Press, 1972) [2] Jan Kott, A personal essay (1986) [3] Professor John Jump, "The White Devil" and "The Duchess of Malfi" [4] John Webster, The White Devil, (Mermaid, 1996) [5] Peter Murray, A Study of John Webster (Mouton, 1969) [6] Professor John Jump, "The White Devil" and "The Duchess of Malfi" [7] Irving Ribner, Jacobean Tragedy: The Quest For Moral Order (Methuen, 1962) [8] U. M. Ellis Fermor, The Jacobean Drama: An Interpretation (Methuen, 1936)

Generation X

It is natural for any society to create a permanent split between emotional ‘truth' and logical truth. Young people tend to accept the values and opinions they learnt from their parents, friends, in school and do not want develop their own or test these opinions on the logic truth. Children naturally develop respect for the ‘beliefs,' customs, institutions and role models of their society. One has always to deal with objective and subjective. These two are connected so that one can not often divide them.It often happens so, that what we thought was subjective is concurred with what is accepted as objective and vice versa. But one thing is definitely true – We let the objective world through our perception and it becomes subjective. This perception is not always correct: neither our perception of the world, nor of other people. Moreover we often have to deal with the wrong perception of us, ourselves, by other people. There is a group of people in our society about which we all have a definitive opinion and we think that it is the most correct one..A very significant phenomenon caused by the objective reality is so-called ‘Generation X’, a term coming from a 1991 novel by Douglas Coupland – Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. Xers were born between the years of 1965 and 1980 and have a unique outlook on the world and it is believed that this group is actually formed by people born in that time. But having conducted a great number of researches and surveys one has concluded this generation was more likely to be defined not as a chronological but a way of looking at the world.There are three defining experiences that have influenced all aspects of Xers’ personalities and behaviors: the divorce rate (which has tripled since 1960); the number of children born out of wedlock (which has increased 28 percent since 1960); and the number of absent fathers (which has also increased. ). Generation X has been left in a state of instability because of social problems such as high crime rates, divorce, children born out of wedlock, and lack of fathers in many families. Some researchers say that Xers accept these problems as facts of life, which actually has inspired them to seek stability in all aspects of their lives.They feel responsible for creating and maintaining a more stable environment. They have grown up in a world that is cynical toward leaders, and those leaders have justified this cynicism by cheating, stealing and lying. These are the objective reasons of forming of this way of world perception. The society has formed its own opinion about this generation and this opinion has already become an objective way of perception of Xers. Media have done its task and named a whole generation after a piece of fiction or a punk band depending on who you ask. We read about Xers in newspapers, see them in commercials.And that happened just because television and media love to group people in so-c alled target market. ‘X’ usually means something unknown. May be one just could not find an appropriate name for this generation and there was chosen this ‘X’ which like stamp put a negative tint on this term. The society seems to know everything, every single negative characteristic of this generation. Rather than evoking sympathy, members of Generation X have become a symbol of a society in decline. They are labeled slackers, whiners, the image is of a tuned-out individual, dressed in grunge, not doing a whole lot.When we see a commercial for a household product there is always an advertised product and an ‘X’-one. This brand X is always low quality and not as effective as the ‘better’ advertised product. And so are Xers in our society – low quality and worse that others. The top four Xers’ activities are thought to be: 1. Sitting around experiencing Angst, and brooding about how limited their life prospects are; 2. Complaining about how long old people are working these days before they retire; 3. Raging about how difficult it is to get a really good Cappuccino for a decent price; and 4.Bemoaning the fact that there are so few CEO positions available to very talented people without any experience. People believe that Xers are cynical, hopeless, frustrated and unmotivated slackers who listen to alternative music and still live at home because they cannot get real jobs. Here are the common characteristics of Xers: – seeking stability, balance; – embracing the â€Å"look out for yourself† attitude; – working, with one-foot-out-the-door attitude; – displaying political ambivalence; – accepting diversity (sexual, racial);– standing firm on an unwillingness to compromise home and family life; expressing conservatism; – projecting cynicism; – holding on to tradition; – expecting sophisticated visuals. Unfortunately these character istics are perceived by the society as negative ones. We do not seem to realize that the time was different when this generation, this outlook was formed. The initial objective conditions were quite different. It is different time now and so the generation. Of course there will always be Xers in society but these will be people brought by the ideas and subjective X-perception of the world of the real Xers.This is what Xers say themselves: Three areas in which Xers are seeking answers are ecology, community, and spirituality. Alongside this seeking is a profound rejection of the answers offered by the prevailing philosophical and cultural paradigms. Xers perceive that the current economic order is destroying the planet, that individualistic society has created the paradox of people being alone in a multitude, and that the Church has given people a rational religion which in many cases rejects the supernatural.In response and reaction to this, the values of Xers lean towards environme ntal holism, relational integrity and spiritual experience. Another important point is the attitude of Xers towards institutional authority which is irrelevance. Organizations are part of â€Å"the system† which itself is generally perceived as negative and destructive. After all, the system has produced the ecological crisis, unemployment, racism and fragmented families – a world that holds little future for Xers.Institutions are perceived as interested in Xers only for their economic value, base their operation purely on reason, and enforce conformity – all of which Xers instinctively react against. Though the power of such authorities, such as the police, may be recognized they are generally avoided. One thinks that Xers do not have a future, that they will just exist and will always remain the same: no progress, no future. The characters they have will not do anything good neither for the society nor for themselves.I believe that most Xers are strongly indep endent, hard-working, creative. I do not agree that Xers are slackers. They just see the poverty, homelessness and they work really hard in order not to have those in their lives. But they also accept there must a leisure time spent with family, friends. People say that Xers do not care about their lives or future, that thus they do not have any future. But exactly this generation is more concerned about the future that any previous one. The Xers are even more concerned with the future of the world, of our environment, earth.They are more socially, economically and environmentally conscious. They also take care of their health. They care about their future and live with the following motto: exercise, the environment, healthy body and mind. Some people believe that Xers just love to hang around drinking coffee and smoking. Xers justify themselves saying that they can feel a difference: work and leisure. It is true that these people differ but the human nature is so, that we think tha t what is different is always wrong negative. We do not want to accept this generation. It will always be ‘X’.

Peer Group Essay

1. Peer group education in formal educational settings Peer group education in schools is initiated by the teachers with the aim to subsequently give over the responsibility of the programme to the students and pupils. During the process of the programme the role of the teacher changes from initiator and teacher to facilitator and consultant, in the ideal case, the teacher should eventually become redundant for the succession of the programme. In methodological terms, this could mean teacherless groups, pairing of students, proctoring (Keller, 1968) and the opening of formal educational settings to a wider public. (Project reference in section 5: The mediation programme in schools of the Jugendbildungswerk Offenbach, Germany) Definitions ‘Peer group. Technically a peer group is any collectivity in which the members share some common characteristics, such as age or ethnicity. It most commonly refers to age groups in general, but more specifically to adolescent groups where members are closely bound together by youth culture. Adolescent peer groups tend to have: (1) a high degree of social solidarity, (2) hierarchical organisation, (3) a code which rejects, or contrasts with, adult values and experience. From an adult perspective, peer groups are often deviant because delinquency is supported by the rewards of group membership.’ (A peer is a member of a peer group.) (Abercrombie, 1988) ‘Peer group education is a method of information transference or role modeling where a particular type of behaviour is promoted or information transferred. The peer educators closely match the target group in some manner; whether it is by age, sexuality, gender, etc.’

The Knowledge Taught in Vain

If you were to ask a teenager today if he or she would rather study or watch television, what do you think the answer would be? From what I have seen in myself when I was a teenager and in almost everyone that I meet, nobody would rather study. Today's fast food culture has sucked the beauty out of individual thought and the acquirement of knowledge. Schools give an insufficient amount of knowledge on a variety of different topics and sub-topics without any encouragement of critical thought and analysis on the knowledge. Indeed, if schools required children to do so as a part of their education then the politicians, people of elite status, and teachers would be shown that the way they have been doing things, and they way they are doing things, is wrong. Some people who do actually think about things and disagree are rare not only because it's hard to find interest in something public education has made arbitrary but because doing so results in being a social outcast. Some still disagree anyway. It is not allowed in the classrooms so they drop out of schools, die their hair black, get body piercings, become pessimists, and become stereotyped as trash to express their rebellion against being trained to think in a way that does nothing but confuse thought itself. The simple fact is that if young people were encouraged to change our current situation instead of being cast out and beaten down, these same tattooed drug addict losers would be Nobel Prize winners. Its not these rebels that are causing environmental problems, sucking up all the available resources at the expense of people living in poverty, and sending American jobs across the Mexican border for the sake of a greasy buck. It is not the individualist envisionary artists we call elements of a demoralized young generation that are over taxing the people to build machinery for wars that, most of time, are none of our damn business. It is not the gun carrying gangsters that are engaging in the politics of deception and manipulation to lie to the majority of â€Å"honest† people in this country and take their money to fulfill their bloodthirsty wallets at the cost of peoples lives. These proprietary social outcasts are defense mechanisms that result from the disgusting maginalization of the current system. Where does it all begin? In the public schools are the roots of the problem. What helps it? The media with its advertisement propaganda waters those roots. There are many problems in our society that spring from one thing: the miseducation of our children. There are many problems in the education of our children that spring from one thing: students are being taught what to think instead of how to think. The core of our education of children should not be the amount of material covered but the encouragement of thinking about the material which should be presented with a high degree of honesty with emphasis on awareness and responsibility. On many occasions in public school I can remember inquiring on the importance of material only to be laughed at by the class. In eleventh grade English, designed for vocational students, we read â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by Harper Lee. We read during class and each Friday had tests on the material without any discussion of our purpose for learning it. One day when I questioned why we needed to learn it and the class laughed at me. The teacher told me that it was just part of the curriculum required by the state. I can remember that adding to the anger and frustration of my already rebellious attitude. The rebellion that I felt at the time was against everything that I was being taught. I at the time, like most people, had grown repulsed by learning since the knowledge had been distributed in a way that made it seem like it was a waste of my time. There were seven class periods a day. Each class was less than an hour long and there was little time to go over the things of real importance. When things of real importance were â€Å"taught,† I had six other classes crowding in trying to choke any desire that might have been there to investigate the matters further. Consequently, books and knowledge brought to mind nothing but the meaningless boredom of the manner in which they were presented in school. Whether in school or out, reading books sucked. When that last bell rang it always sparked the conditioned thought of myself hanging out with friends, watching television, listening to music, smoking pot, and doing anything but being productive. Being productive seemed like something that old people do because they need to survive, not because it is something that they loved to do, and its perquisite implied hours of monotonous dedication to memorizing conceptual relics from a former epoch that have no relevant applicability to my modern life. Watching television consumed most of my out of school time since that was mostly what people in my surroundings talked about. Why was it important? It provided for my parents a relief from doing work that they do not enjoy all day. It provided for me and my fellow students an automatic identity and purpose since school had degraded the idea of constructing one from history, science, literature, and philosophy to meaningless syllables that invoked sleep. If a public school student were to actually pay attention in school and manage to get an A, lets say, in history class, that person might be able to tell you that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. That person might be able to tell you that the Declaration of Independence says we are all created equal, but if you told him the truth that Jefferson had slaves and that he cheated on his wife with a slave for the better part of twenty years, she would either think you are dumb, laugh at you, or both. When I was riding the bus to school in the twelfth grade, I saw that a girl with a calculus textbook. I tried to talk to her about it and told her that Kempler, one of the fathers of calculus, developed the subject for the study of astronomical bodies. She was an honors student, smart enough to be in calculus, but she did not believe that what I was saying was true. â€Å"Calculus has nothing to do with astronomy! † she said. All I could think was how boring this subject was because its history and meaning had been negated. It made me angry that the teacher never described exactly what happened in history or how much depth and beauty is in mathematics just because â€Å"it's not a part of the curriculum. † Most people think of mathematics and reading books as boring. This is a direct result of people being showed things like geometrical shapes, the battle of Gettysburg, and the periodic table of elements without indicating their significance at the time that these things were discovered or occurred, or their significance in modern day life. When most people think of school they see one subject, instead of a vast array of topics and interests, and they think of that subject as dreadful, boring, and a waste of time. For instance, Mike Rose wrote about the public education experience in his book â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average†: The particulars will vary, but in essence this is what a number of students go through, especially those in the so-called remedial classes. They open their textbooks and see once again the familiar and impenetrable formulas and diagrams and terms that have stumped them for years. There is no excitement here. No excitement. Regardless of what the teacher says, this is not a new challenge. There is, rather embarrassment and frustration and, not suprisingly, some anger in being reminded once again of long-standing inadequacies. No wonder so many students finally attribute their difficulties to something inborn, organic: â€Å"That part of my brain just doesn't work. † Given the troubling histories many of these students have, it's miraculous that any of them can lift the shroud of hopelessness sufficiently to make deliverance from these classes possible. This situation is not just applicable to this particular case, but is a good generalization of the majority of people who experience public schools first hand. Put simply, the government designs a curriculum. In that curriculum it is set up for students to cover a certain amount of material; however, I cannot remember one class in public school where we finished a text book. It appears like the government sets unreachable curricular goals because there is no desire for them to invoke critical thought in the minds of the students. They know that if a student were taught to think about too much, the things that are wrong in our government, socioculture, and environmental ecology would be criticized. That would mean a major change in the way that we are doing things, and all those who are taking advantage of the system for their own greed would be brought to light. Many people would lose their status, power, control, and luxuries. So, while people are trained, in a sense, to see education and knowledge acquirement as monotonous and boring, they are being prevented from being able to do anything about the wrongs in our world. To aid in this suppression, â€Å"the powers that be† also use television to inform, and misinform, the masses of the problems and solutions. As a result, people are being spoon-fed what to think without having to think, because thinking is something that is not of primary importance whatsoever, for the reasons above. The few people who do are such a small amount that it is hard to convince the masses who are being â€Å"zombified† that that is in fact what is happening to them. There are a few wonderful exceptions. Some public school teachers deviate from the curriculum because their passion over-rides their fear of not accomplishing their job requirements. For instance, Jonathan Kozol wrote about a teacher in the city of Chicago in his essay â€Å"Corla Hawkins†. She did her best to teach her kids how to think about what they learned, how to teach each other what they learned, and how what they learned applies to their life. The thirty children in her fifth and sixth grade class were seated in groups of six or five called â€Å"departments†. Each department was composed of six desks pushed together to created a table. One of the groups did math, another something they describe as â€Å"mathematics art†Ã¢â‚¬â€œpainting composites of geometric shapes–and the other is studying â€Å"careers,† which on this particular morning in the essay were writing about successful business leaders who began their lives in poverty. Then, they all switched groups while one stayed behind to teach the rest the ropes of that department. This teacher, Mrs. Hawkins, was showing them how to communicate intrapersonally and interpersonally information that would be of use to them. The essay made it clear she cared more about the way her children thought and less what her children thought. â€Å"This is the point of it,† she says. â€Å"I am teaching them three things. Number one: self-motivation. Number two: self-esteem. Number three: you help your sister and brother. I tell them they're responsible for one another. I give no grades in the first marking period because I do not want them to be too competitive. Second marking period, I team them two-and-two. You get the same grade as your partner. Fourth marking period, I tell them ‘Every fish swims on its own. But I wait a while for that. The most important thing for me is that they teach each other†¦ † (178) This is an awesome example of teaching the kids how to think. Sadly, though, these kids are most likely being suppressed outside of school. Although education is something they probably look forward to every day, the society around them does not place much importance on education a t all. In a textbook, â€Å"Invitation to Psychology†, I read the work of psychological researchers Harold Sevenson, Chuanshen Chen, and Shin-Ying Lee. They compared children from 20 schools in Chicago and 11 schools in Beijing. The study, ironically, was on fifth graders, as in the class stated above and eleventh graders who were compared ten years earlier. Their results can show us much on the cultivation of intellect. On computations and word problems, the lowest scoring Beijing schools did better than the highest scoring Chicago schools! Only 4 percent of the Chinese children had scores as low as the average American child. Interestingly, the Chinese had worse facilities and larger classes! The Chinese parents were also poorer and less educated than the American parents! In this case, the government propagates to its society the importance of education because it benefits them. Since it is a Communist society, people who are more productive and intelligent benefit the high ranking political parties. Because of this, Chinese students are expected to devote themselves to their studies, but American students are expected to be â€Å"well-rounded†Ã¢â‚¬â€œto have after school jobs (74 percent of them did, compared to only 21 percent of the Chinese), to have dates and an active social life (85 percent to 37 percent), and to have time for sports and other activities. Contrary to the stereotype of the stressed and overworked Asian student, it is American students who are most likely to report that school is a source of stress and academic anxiety. Asians actually had the lowest incidents of stress, depression, insomnia, aggression, and physical symptoms. American students do not value education as much as Asian students do. They are also more complacent about mediocre work. When asked what they would wish for if a wizard could give them anything they wanted, more than sixty percent of the Chinese fifth-graders named something that related to their education. Can you guess what the American children wanted? A majority said money or possessions. (216) It is not an absurd notion to think that the US government and the economical superpowers of this country propagate materialism, simply because it fills their pockets continuously. The solution to many of our world's social and economic problems would surface rather quickly if we changed our curriculum to promote critical individual thought. Right now the current system may not be intended to fill the pockets of the wealthy and the polititions, but that is sure what it does. Rather than keep filling their pockets with money, lets fill our global, national, and communal problems with solutions. The best way to do this, clearly, is to stop over feeding our children's minds with the water of knowledge and to start planting there more seeds of thought. A very prolific man, Neale Donald Walsch, makes a great suggestion of how to do this in â€Å"Conversations with God†: I am talking about focusing your children's attention as much on understanding the core concepts and the theoretical structures around which their value system may be constructed as you now do on dates and facts and statistics. In your society you have created a system in which little Johnnie has learned how to read before getting out of pre-school, but still hasn't learned how to stop biting his brother. And Susie has perfected her multiplication tables, using flash cards and rote memory, in ever earlier and earlier grades, but has not learned that there is nothing shameful or embarrassing about her body. Right now your schools exist primarily to provide answers. It would be far more beneficial if their primary function was to ask questions. What does it mean to be honest, or responsible, or â€Å"fair†? What are the implications? For that matter, what does it mean that 2+2=4? What are the implications? A highly evolved society would encourage all children to discover and create those answers for themselves. Present Data should not be the basis of Present Truth. Data from a prior time or experience should always and only be the basis for new questions. Always the treasure should be in the question, not in the answer. And always the questions are the same. With regard to this past data which we have shown you, do you agree, or do you disagree? What do you think? Always, this is the key question. Always this is the focus. What do you think? What do you think? (127-128) Through out life I have been fortunate to know very intelligent, charismatic, â€Å"thoughtful† people. The best of them all combine to form the ideal role model. The actualization of their thoughts, each with a distinctive power, wonder, grace, is nothing less than an amazing vision of beauty that cannot be described on paper, only felt in observing. The public school system, if anything, has attacked my comprehension of and capability of contributing to this beauty. The struggle that I call my past could have been a plethora of aesthetics if I had been shown the ways of the thinker instead of the ways of a zombie. Anyone who has felt a personal feeling of deep contemplation would agree that its goodness could not be replaced or taken away by anything external or material. Those people are the ones who evolve the current system. Instead of these people loving themselves through their students, they will love their students through wisdom.