Brain Rules Paper Essay Example

Brain Rules Paper Essay Book Assignment How I’ve come to find myself â€Å"stupid† For this assignment I read a book that you too have also read; Brain Rules. This explains my creative title, and gives those who haven’t read this book an insight as to what it contains. Because this book literally goes chapter by chapter, every chapter being a Brain rule, I have found that writing this assessment would be the simplest yet most effective way of summarizing the points, in this case â€Å"rules†, of the book. This also gives me a chance to reflect upon what I’ve learned, something that a simple sculpture or drawing wouldn’t do for me. There are twelve rules all related to the science behind our brains; exercise, survival, wiring, attention, short-term memory, long-term memory, sleep, stress, sensory integration, vision, gender, and exploration. Brain rule number 1; exercise boosts brain power. In this first chapter, the author John Medina emphasizes the positive effects that exercise has on the human brain’s function and on the body in general. Before cars and advanced technology in general, Humans walked miles and miles a day (around 12) to carry out the necessities in order to survive. John uses this information to back up the idea that our brains were made for walking, so we were meant to move. So theoretically, to improve thinking skills, one must be active. From a biological standpoint, exercise gets blood to the brain, bringing it glucose for energy and oxygen, which the brain needs in order to soak up toxic electrons that our brain produces. It also stimulates the protein that keeps neurons in the brain connecting, which is the foundation for brain activity. We will write a custom essay sample on Brain Rules Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Brain Rules Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Brain Rules Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer So exercise literally makes getting fuel (blood) to the brain more efficient. John described an interview with a man in his 90’s who was known for his physical wonders, like being able to swim attached to a line of tug boats (when he was younger of course). Compared to the likes of many others of his age, he seemed far more alert and mentally stable. He reacted to everything John said almost instantly, without hesitation. Typically, other people his age would find themselves in a state of mental decay, and have lost much of these abilities over time. He implied that because this one man had been physically fit his entire life, he was more mentally active then his sedentary friends. In relation to disease, aerobic exercise just twice a week cuts ones risk of general dementia in half. It also cuts the risk of Alzheimer’s by 60 percent. Theoretically, long term exercise makes one more mentally and physically healthier. Brain rule number 2; the human brain evolved too. This chapter describes the evolution of the brain, how our brains ended up where they are today, and the biology that the human brain has. The human brain has three parts; essentially all 3 parts are a separate brain. Humans started out with a lizard-like brain to keep us breathing (which is now the center of the human brain), then atop eventually developed a cat-like brain, and then the atop of that developed the most distinctive outer part of the brain known as the cortex, the human-like brain. Humans took over the earth by adapting to change itself. As John puts it, â€Å"We were forced from the trees to the savannah when climate swings disrupted our food supply†. He then goes on to talk about the extraordinary affect that the evolution of upright movement (walking on two legs as apposed two all four) had on our ability to conjure up a complex brain. When we switched from â€Å"on all fours† to an upright posture, we used a fraction of the energy it took to walk on all fours. This freed up the energy to develop a complex brain. In this complex brain, developed some uniquely Human talents, like symbolic reasoning. John goes on to describe how this talent, symbolic reasoning, may have arisen from our need to understand one another’s intentions and motivations, allowing humans to coordinate within a group. Brain rule number 3; every brain is wired differently. The title is pretty self-explanatory, John goes into detail about how this happens. He first addresses how the brain is wired, stating that what you do and what you learn in life physically changes what your brain looks like – it literally rewires it. For example, a violinist’s brain compared to others might have a more developed section in the brain that involves the use of the left hand. This supports the idea that various regions of the brain develop at different rates in different people. John goes on and describes that in general, no two brains store the same information in the same way in the same place. Many studies have been conducted in which involved mapping out the functions of the brain. Other experiments and/or treatments involve patients with a damaged brain. One specific case, involved a four year old girl with severe epilepsy. The doctor was there in order to remove some of her misbehaving brain cells, but in order to do so he has to make a map of the girl’s brain so that he knew where he had to do the surgery. While hovering over the girl with her brain open and exposed, the doctor uses a metal prong that emits electrical currents that is called a cortical stimulator. If one were to come in contact with such a tool, they would only feel a tingly sensation. The doctor touches this wand to the girl’s brain and then asks her, â€Å"do you feel anything? † she would respond â€Å"somebody just touched my hand! † and then he would place a slip of paper on that specific region of her brain with â€Å"hand† written on it. This procedure has to be done with every patient, solely because of the basic fact that every brain is wired differently. I saying this, john also implies that because every brain is wired differently, there are a great number of ways of being intelligent in respect to one individual, many of which don’t show up on IQ tests. Brain rule number 4; we don’t pay attention to boring things. John medina, as well as being a writer, is also a teacher. Many points in this book are in retrospect to the teaching environment, some may be directly derived from his experience in teaching. This chapter for instance, describes the typical attention span to different subjects, something anyone with adequate intelligence would say is derived from a classroom. First point he makes; multitasking is a myth. Human brains are not known to be able to retain attention to more than one thing. For instance; driving while talking on the cell phone. One study found that doing this is the equivalent of drunk driving, in some cases, even worse than drunk driving. He implies that what we consider multitasking is not multitasking at all, like being able to have multiple windows open on a computer. He states that we don’t apply ourselves to more than one window at a time, but we do the exact opposite; apply ourselves to one window at a time, never at the same time. He goes on to describe brain function in regards to attention, stating that Humans are batter at seeing patterns and abstracting the meaning of an event rather than humans are at recording detail. He states that there is a common misconception about how the brain remembers things. Many people think it’s like a recorder, like myself before I read this book, and that humans simply have to find the button to press. This is not the case at all, proof being if this was the case nobody would forget the material, but forgetting is all about being human. John states that emotional arousal helps the brain learn, which makes sense if you think about traumatic events people claim they will never forget. Being the teacher that John is, he also has recognized that the attention span of a classroom environment is about 10 minutes, but you can grab their attention back by telling narratives or creating events rich in emotion. I found this to make a lot of sense because you can’t just rely of one topic to teach an hourly class, you have to keep It interesting and different in order to retain attention. Brain rule number 5; repeat to remember. This is the only chapter where I found myself able to relate to (besides all of the human aspects that relate to everyone). I find that the concept of repeat to remember is a big part of my learning life, which is apparently a good thing because it works. John opens up this chapter by giving some background on the brains memory systems, stating that we have many memory systems, one important type follows four stages of processing; encoding, storing, retrieving, and forgetting. This is like the path that a memory follows in one’s brain. The encoding and storage part is quite complex. When information enters the brain, it is split into fragments that are sent to different regions of the cortex for storage. I thought that this chapter was also interesting because of these specific processes that take place in order for a memory to form. Especially the idea of retrieving a memory, which is done by collecting all of the fragments from a memory and forming them into a memorable event. Also I found the idea that you have a greater chance of remembering something if you reproduce the environment in which you first put the memory into your brain very intriguing. I found this to be very contradictive to the school system of homework because we are expected to remember processes that we do outside of school, in school, which is in direct contradiction with the previous statement. Brain rule number 6; remember to repeat. This chapter, and the chapter prior are very much so related. The only difference being what kind of memory is being discussed. In the previous chapter, it was short-term memory. In this chapter, its long-term memory. These chapters helped a lot with my understanding of how to remember things. I learned that there is a fragile state in the beginning of the formation of a memory in which most are forgotten. But for those memories that pass this stage, they only strengthen with time. John talked about the case of an interesting man edited as H. M. who had his hippocampus surgically removed, along with the ability to encode new information. H. M. however still had some of his long term memories before the hippocampus was removed, up until about 11 years before his surgery, then it is all blank. John states that long-term memories are formed in a two way conversation between the hippocampus and the cortex, until the hippocampus breaks the connection and the memory is fixed in the cortex, which he states, with H. M. ’s case in mind, could takes years, something like 11 years or so. This explains why H. M. can recall events up until that point in his life. Another interesting fact that john states is that our brains only give us an approximate view of reality, because they mix new knowledge with past memories and store them together as one. It is strange to think that we don’t have a true view of reality. To counter this, John suggests that to make the memories more reliable, you must incorporate new information gradually and repeat it in timed intervals. Brain rule number 7; sleep well, think well. This chapter was probably the most contradicting with my own personal lifestyle, mostly because I sometimes like to consider myself nocturnal. I found it interesting, however, the idea of day and night in terms of our bodies. The brain is in a constant state of tension between cells and chemicals that try to keep you awake and cells and chemicals that try to get you to sleep. He also explains an interesting theory as to what sleep actually does for the mind. He believes that sleep isn’t for restoring energy, but for allowing the mind to process what was learned during that day in an environment in which it allows it to do so, such as a sleeping environment. My favorite part of this chapter however is the part that describes the need for an afternoon nap. At this point, the chemicals in which are at tension with each other come to a stalemate right around 3 in the afternoon. This is also known as the â€Å"3 in the afternoon† feeling. This feeling is â€Å"biologically universal† as john comes to describe it, and is the reasoning behind his napping theory. I knew that a lack of sleep was bad, but I didn’t know how bad. John goes on to describe the affects that lack of sleep has on the human body such as; effects on attention, executive function, working memory, mood, quantitative skills, logical reasoning, and even motor dexterity. All of these are vital for a proper mind set in order to learn, and gives me personally another excuse to get some sleep. Brain rule 8; stressed brains don’t learn the same way. Something that I’ve never really had a problem with is stress, but it was interesting to find out the negative long-term effects that stress has on the mind and body. In fact, stress can only be negative when it is recurring and common to an individual. John explains that stress is a defense mechanism built for a short term cause, but like stated in the previous sentence; stress can be very harmful when it’s recurring and common. This is why stress over time can cause a heart attack or stroke. Individually, the worst kind of stress is the feeling that you have no control over a situation, and that you are helpless. I know that I have time and time again found myself in this type of situation at work. I work at Steak N Shake, and sometimes we get extremely busy to the point of where there is a point that no matter what we do it will not help the situation, and you stand there helpless. I hate it when this happens, so I find it understandable when John talks about the worst kind of stress being the helpless kind. John also talks about the negative effects that stress has on society compared to an individual. For example, what I just talked about; my instances at work. It makes you not want to work, in essence, lowers my productivity level, which could be seen as a negative effect. Stress at home, like between parents can lower a student productivity level in school, even when the stress is not about the student. I hate stress, and usually do everything I can to say away from it. Staying positive is exactly what Mr. Medina is going for, and I agree with him a hundred percent. Brain rule number 9; stimulate more of the senses. This chapter is devoted to the idea that memories last longer if at the time of conception, more than one of the five senses are used to encode an event in our brains. Mr. Medina puts it this way; our senses evolved to work together, vision influencing hearing for example, which means that we learn best when we stimulate several senses at once. He also states that the brain seems to rely partly on past experience in deciding how to combine electrical signals sent to the brain, so two people can perceive the same event very differently. The last idea that he goes on to describe in full detail is the ability that our sense of smell has to recall memories. I know that every time I use tea tree shampoo ill remember the night I saw I am Legend in theaters, it scared the hell out of me first time I saw it. Right after I saw the movie, I took a shower, and I used the tea tree shampoo. I’ll remember that movie every time I use the stuff. Brain rule number 10; vision trumps all other senses. This chapter was especially appealing to me because I consider myself a visual learner and an overall visual person in general. Its devoted to the idea that because of the amount of effort that the brain has to put forth, just so we can have a clear image in our heads of what is going on around us makes it a sense that makes all other senses look wimpy. Vision takes up half of our brains resources. I found it most intriguing the idea that what we see is what our brain tells us we see, so it’s not 100 percent accurate. This made me think of all the people who have claimed to see a UFO or an act of God; were they telling the truth? And if they were, was it a mind hallucination or an actual perception of what was going on outside of their heads? I thought it was interesting to think about. John goes on to talk about how images are recorded through our eyes and how it travels to the mind. The last point he makes made me feel very comfortable about my learning apparatus when I first read it, he states that we learn better through pictures, not through written or spoken word. Makes sense what you think of the famous saying that a picture says a thousand words, and that they are more efficient. Brain rule number 11; male and female brains are different. This chapter goes into descriptive detail about gender in the genetic, neuroanatomical, and behavioral areas. I thought it was interesting that fact that John came out and said that he doesn’t look forward to talking about this subject, because a majority of it would be perceived as being sexist, or bias. Genetically, obviously the letter Y is the major factor between a girl and a boy. It’s the chromosome that a male has. Neuroanatomicaly, Males like to use the right side of the brain which is more so related to perceiving things in a â€Å"general† fashion. Females use the left side of the brain which is more so related to perceiving things in a more â€Å"detailed† fashion. Behaviorally, because of the previous idea, it is theorized that the stereotype that women are more emotion is not the case, and that because they perceive things with more detail, they simply have more to react to, a. k. a. more emotions. Brain rule number 12; we are powerful and natural explorers. The last rule, exhibits the most important idea according to Mr. Medina, the idea that we should advocate curiosity in our society, and not shoot it down. According to Mr. Medina and people alike, curiosity is the foundation of learning, and the result of the human tendency of exploration. After I read this it immediately hit me, that is, the importance of curiosity in a healthy learning environment. Curiosity is the distinct will to try something new, and see what this something does in respect to other things, which makes it a very suitable start for learning. John talks about the human tendency for exploration, and how since we were born, this exploration program has been imbedded in our DNA. It makes a lot of sense to advocate curiosity, because otherwise how do we know what we want to do, or what we don’t want to do. I personally don’t read all that often, not often at all really. But when I do it almost always serves to do some good, weather that good is the expansion of my creativity, or simply just to practice learning. I found that with this book, I actually liked it. It answered a lot of questions that I had conjured up over time about why we do things and how we do them. I liked this book most of all because I found it to have a lot of valuable information I can use in the classroom, and at college. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who finds themselves questioning their everyday practices. This book gives those people, like me, a reason to argue that the current education systems and lifestyles that we fall under are in considerable contradiction with the reasons they were set up in the first place. I just wanted to thank you Mr. Hancock for exposing this book to me, and letting me borrow it. I now feel less timid in the realm of books, and I truly think this report has changed my thoughts about reading in general, which is why I think I deserve an adequate grade. No matter what grade I receive on this paper, I believed that I passed in my own way, and succeeded in doing exactly what I think was intended. I learned.

Importance of Initial Consultation and Ethical Issues Facing the Therapist The WritePass Journal

Importance of Initial Consultation and Ethical Issues Facing the Therapist Introduction Importance of Initial Consultation and Ethical Issues Facing the Therapist ). There are some who do not charge for initial consultations, and it is important that the client is informed whether the therapist does or does not charge for the first session (Wheeler, 2014).   A potential problem may ensue with the use of a free initial consultation. This is because clients may feel committed after the initial consultation and may have difficulty declining further treatment because the initial consultation was free of charge. Some might even regard this practice as taking advantage of clients and may perhaps be seen as undue influence mentioned in the code of ethics (Welfel, 2013). Another ethical issue that may ensue during initial consultation is sexual attraction between the client and the therapist, which is identified as a boundary ethical issue (Houser et al., 2006). The client may have emotional or sex-related problems that he/she initially presents to the therapist, which the therapist must approach objectively. Albeit discussion of these feelings can foster therapeutic progress, it is still unethical and counter-therapeutic to act on them. Even when it may seem sound to become sexual with a client with sexual problems as an intervention, engaging in such unethical activity is definitely against established ethical standards and codes. Rather, the best intervention that the therapist may adopt for his/her client with sexual problems is sex therapy with the client and a significant other.     The several malpractice suits filed against therapists relating to sexual relationships with their client only confirm the unethical and counter-therapeutic sta nce of sexual relationship between the therapist and client (Kohlenberg and Tsai, 2007).   Even at the onset of the initial consultation, sexual attraction may already spark, which the therapist, being the more responsible person, must put a wall against. Emotional tyranny is also a common ethical issue that may occur even during an initial consultation. It is a term describing abuse of power by psychotherapists to the disadvantage of their clients, caused by the power imbalance between them. For example, during the initial consultation, the therapist’s power is seen in how he establishes the therapy session, how long   the session should last, how often he and the client should meet, how much the session costs, and what the permissible and impermissible behaviour must be within the session (Kohlenberg and Tsai, 2007). The realm of ethical decision-making involves the aspects of ethical dilemma, the client and the therapist’s values, race, gender, personal history, etc.; local and national laws; professional knowledge; and codes of ethics (Houser et al., 2006). The therapist may also face violations relating to dual relationships. Such relationships are nonsexual that may involve counseling a friend, relative, or neighbour, as well as receiving referrals from people who know the client and the counseling process. An ethical dilemma of dual relationships may potentially occur when the therapist has several roles with a client; in that apart from being a client, the person is also a friend, a neighbor, a relative, etc. to the therapist. It has been suggested that accepting referrals from existing clients may constitute a boundary violation (Houser et al., 2006). Indeed, even at the initial consultation, the therapist is already face-to-face with the issue of whether to continue with the professional relationship, or terminate it right away upon seeing his or her friend across the table as a client seeking therapy. Self-disclosure is another ethical issue besetting the therapist. Even during the initial consultation, the issue of self-disclosure may occur. Relating to this issue, it is important to determine the extent of information a therapist should share with the client and the types of self-disclosure to be made as well. Another example of ethical issue involving boundary is socialising with a client outside the counseling session and negotiating for fees (Houser et al., 2006). One possible ethical dilemma facing the therapist during is confidentiality, which deals with maintaining privacy and nons of these are those surrounding harm that may involve the client who is contemplating about suicide or is expressing thoughts about inflicting harm to others;   court-involved clients; child abuse reports; and clients with medical conditions who express engaging in precarious acts relating to their condition (e.g. HIV) (Houser et al., 2006). Further, it was found that successful outcomes ensue when clients change their personal values and take a close resemblance of that of the therapist/counselor. A relevant ethical dilemma with regard to this is in order for the counseling to be successful, how similar the client’s values must be to the counselor. Moreover, another dilemma is whether fostering such similarity is ethical and helpful enough to the client. A question for the profession is whether therapists utilise moral and ethical frameworks reflecting society’s norms as the only basis of their ethical decision-making, or whether therapists come to an ethical decision whilst taking into account the values, morality, and ethical stances of their diverse client population (O’Donohue and Fisher, 2009; Houser et al., 2006). These issues are being dealt with even upon an initial consultation. Conclusion This paper dealt with the importance of initial consultation and the ethical issues facing the therapist in the performance of his profession. An initial consultation is important because it forms the basis of the client’s diagnosis. It generally covers finding out the reasons as to why the client seeks help and what he or she aims to obtain as a result of the psychotherapy experience. The ethical issues faced by the therapist in the conduct of his profession during the initial consultation are those involving a decision to charge the client for a specific fee or not for the initial consultation; potential sexual attraction between them; the issue of confidentiality and client consent; emotional tyranny; violations relating to dual relationships; and self-disclosure. Having laid down these ethical factors besetting a therapist, the conclusion being arrived at is that the therapist is bound by set standards and ethical codes through which the expected functions of his performance must be based, and that he/she should conduct the initial consultation and further sessions objectively. References Boylan, J. C., Malley, P. B/, and Reilly, E. P. (2011) Practicum Internship: Textbook and Resource Guide for Counseling and Psychotherapy. Third Edition. NY: Brunner-Routledge. Corey, G. (2013) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Ninth Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Houser, R., Wilczenski, F. L., and Ham, M. (2006) Culturally Relevant Ethical Decision-Making in Counseling. London: Sage Publications, Inc. Jenkins, P. (2007) Counseling, Psychotherapy and the Law. London: Sage Publications, Inc. Klonoff, P. S. (2010) Psychotherapy After Brain Injury: Principles and Techniques. NY: The Guilford Press. Kohlenberg, R. J. and Tsai, M. (2007) Functional Analytic Psychotherapy: Creating Intense and Curative Therapeutic Relationships. NY: Springer. O’Donohue, W. T. and Fisher, J. E. (2009) General Principles and Empirically Supported Techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Plante, T. G. (2011) Contemporary Clinical Psychology. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Weiner, I. B. and Hess, A. K. (2006) The Handbook of Forensic Psychology. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Welfel, E. (2013) Ethics in Counseling and Psychotherapy. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Wheeler, K. (2014) Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse: A How-to Guide for Evidence-Based Practice.   NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.       Bibliography Boylan, J. C., Malley, P. B/, and Reilly, E. P. (2011) Practicum Internship: Textbook and Resource Guide for Counseling and Psychotherapy. Third Edition. NY: Brunner-Routledge. Clarkson, P. (2005) Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy: An Integrated Approach. NY: Routledge. Cooper, J. and Alfille, H. (2011) A Guide to Assessment for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists. London: Karnac Books Ltd. Corey, G. (2013) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Ninth Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Forrest, G. G. (2010) Self-disclosure in Psychotherapy and Recovery. Plymouth: Jason Aronson. Houser, R., Wilczenski, F. L., and Ham, M. (2006) Culturally Relevant Ethical Decision-Making in Counseling. London: Sage Publications, Inc. Jenkins, P. (2007) Counseling, Psychotherapy and the Law. London: Sage Publications, Inc. Klonoff, P. S. (2010) Psychotherapy After Brain Injury: Principles and Techniques. NY: The Guilford Press. Kohlenberg, R. J. and Tsai, M. (2007) Functional Analytic Psychotherapy: Creating Intense and Curative Therapeutic Relationships. NY: Springer. O’Donohue, W. T. and Fisher, J. E. (2009) General Principles and Empirically Supported Techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Plante, T. G. (2011) Contemporary Clinical Psychology. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Weiner, I. B. and Hess, A. K. (2006) The Handbook of Forensic Psychology. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Welfel, E. (2013) Ethics in Counseling and Psychotherapy. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Wheeler, K. (2014) Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse: A How-to Guide for Evidence-Based Practice.   NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Discussion Question 13 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Question 13 - Assignment Example There are various behaviors that I need to incorporate in my teaching such as cultivating a holistic mindset and internalizing professional ethical standards that are sensitive to cultural diversity. I will also need to engage in those activities that advance nursing education and science. This also means that I will need to exhibit discovery behaviors by developing and adopting scholarly materials and make sure that I am creative and persevering enough to cater for the needs of the rest. I am meeting this scholarship competency by being proficient in writing of proposals. I am also considering ingraining lifelong learning concepts and being focused on understanding how diverse people learn. I have also continued to ensure that I seek advanced teaching techniques in order to expand my theoretical intellect. In order to prepare nurse students, I ought to be an expert in my nursing skills. Therefore, in case I do not get an opportunity to complete this competency, I will meet it in future as an educator by making sure that I balance the time that I spend in academics with that spent improving my personal skills in both roles as a nurse and an educator. Finally, I will continue going for seminars, trainings, practice prospects, and workshops to ensure personal growth (Cash & Tate, 2008). Cash, P., & Tate, B. (2008). Creating a Community of Scholars: using a Community Development approach to Foster Scholarship with Nursing Faculty. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 5(1):

In the UK, ethical businesses are not as successful as less ethical Essay - 2

In the UK, ethical businesses are not as successful as less ethical businesses. Discuss - Essay Example The reason for lesser success among ethical businesses in the market is that there is a lack of awareness among potential customers concerning origins of most products. This ignorance has made it extremely difficult for ethical businesses to not only promote themselves, but also to achieve the sales margins that less ethical businesses achieve (Anand and Rosen, 2008). Furthermore, the most popular brands available for customers tend to be those that are owned by less ethical companies and this situation makes it harder for ethical businesses to compete with them at the same level. Therefore, while most ethical businesses spend much money in advertising their products, less ethical ones, which have been in the market longer, do not need to spend as much since they have established firm customer bases. Further, less ethical businesses take advantage of all favourable market conditions available to ensure that they reduce their costs of production as well as distribution and this is done in such a way that they do not necessarily have to observe ethical values. They take advantage of cheaper labour, greater means of production as well as favourable government policies to ensure that their products are not only cheaper, but also abundant in the market. This is an aspect of current business environment, which many ethical businesses cannot compete with because they are based on achieving ethical observances such as fairer prices for producers as well as fair wages for those who provide labour. In the end, it is difficult for these companies to keep their prices low because they have to recover their costs; a major disadvantage when compared to less ethical companies. In recent years, less ethical businesses have had an edge over ethical businesses based on their having been firmly established in the market for much longer than their counterparts have. This has made it quite difficult for ethical businesses

English Contemporary Historical Fictions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

English Contemporary Historical Fictions - Essay Example terary genre, Romance depicts a style of narrative verse or heroic prose that was very much used in Europe during the Middle Ages right up to the time of Renaissance. This literary genre includes passionate love stories which can be fiction or reality or it could be highly adventurous tales about heroic deeds and secret love by knights and passionate ladies. Good examples of Romances are – Shakespeare’s â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† and â€Å"The Tempest†. There are yet others who are of the opinion that it is a name that is given to the various languages and people associated with the Latin language. It is also described as –â€Å"A type of narrative fiction characterized by the fanciful, often idealistic, treatment of subject matter; love and adventure are often its principal themes. [. . .]à ® (Guerin et al. 326). The romantic period spans over the time during which Wordsworth and Coledridge (1798) lived to create wonderful Lyrical Ballads of love and adventure and goes right up to the time Charles Dickens career to 1832. (Holman 405) According to Guerin, Realism is the opposite of Romance, he says –â€Å"A manner of presentation in literature that stresses an accurate, perhaps even factual, treatment of subject matter. à  The emphasis is on the rational and probable, as opposed, for example, to the romantic† (Guerin et al. 326). Therefore we find that Romance is more fictional than realistic and depends largely on imaginary, fictitious and mysterious characters and settings. Romances as opposed to Realistic stories use passionate love and adventure as a base in writing novels and poetry. Sarah Dunant was born in 1950 and completed her education at Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, London. Her novel of â€Å"The Birth of Venus† (2003) is an inspiring tale of art, politics, danger and passion. She worked as an actress for some time and then became a novelist, critic and a broadcaster on BBC radio in 1974. She had won many awards for her writing which

Margaret Atwood, The Circle Game

Margaret Atwood, The Circle Game Her first publication was a book of poetry, The Circle Game 1964, which received the Governor Generals Literary Award for poetry (Canada), Several other poetry collections have followed since, including Interlunar (1995) , Morning in the Burned House (1995) and the latest, Eating Fire: Selected poetry, 1965-1995 (1998). She was also as a short story writer and her books of short fiction include Dancing Girls and Other stories (1982), Wilderness Tips (1991) and good Bones (1992). Margaret Atwood is best known for her novels, in which she created strong and puzzling women characters. Her first novel was The Edible Woman (1969), which is about a woman who cannot eat and feels that she is being eaten. Surfacing (1973); Lady Oracle (1977); Life Before Man (1980); Bodily Harm (1982 and The Handmaids Tale (1986) is a futuristic novel describing a womans struggle to break free from her role. Her latest novels have been; Cats Eye (1989), dealing with the subject of bullying among young girls; The Robber Bride (1993); Alias Grace (1996); The Blind Assassin (2000); and Oryx and Crake (2003), a version of a scientific dystopia. These novels have received many awards. The most vital crisis in the life of a modern man is that of identity. Twentieth century literature reflects this very accurately. The important issue dealt in modern literature is the search for identity or the quest for self. The strength of todays literature is found in its evocation of the individuals predicament in terms of alienation or exile or quest for identity. (Srivastava 130) In fiction, the attention has shifted from the society in the century to the individual in the twentieth century. The individual is given more important and man is seen as one who creates societies rather than one who is created by it. The subject of the self has gained universal importance and it, is most dominant in Common Wealth countries. The Common Wealth countries in the twentieth century feel that they do not belong anywhere as they were under the rule of the British for long time and the suddenly let free. These countries strive to seek a separate identity of their own new and the same is seen in their literature. The Common Wealth writers feel that they have a responsibility in giving a unique identity to their countries. The question of identity first started with the nationality and slowly it narrowed down to the individual itself. Canada being a Common Wealth country faces both the problems of national and individual identity. The very word Canada gives the meaning. It is derived from the Spanish word Canada-aca-nada which means nothing here. 3 The search for a recognizable and meaningful Canadian has been a main Pre-occupation in Canada. M.F. Salat says that the Pre-occupation with self-definition and the search for a distinctive Canadian identity has been such a central aspect of Canadian imagination, it can be said , the discourse on identity is the Canadian discourse. (salat 62) What distinguishes Canadian predicament from other Countries is the continuation of the identity crisis is the continuation of identity crisis over a long period of time. This is because Canada has never been free of what is called the Colonial identity. In the beginning it was under the influence of the British culture and lately it suffers from the psycho- social and economic colonization by the United States of America. The issue of the Canadian identity rose up most vehemently in the post 1960. It was mostly dealt by women writers as it was the period of the womens Liberation Movement. The women writers also had a personal reason behind it as they wanted to establish their identity as writers without any prejudice on gender. The Womens Liberation Movement helped to release Canadian Women from many of the restrictions and inhibitions of the society. It helped to create the new women. This, says Barabara Godard, astonished, amused and frightened Canadians in the period before the First World War. (Janeja 172) 4 Many women took to writing as a profession and portrayed their ambitions and aspirations of the new women Their writings portrayed their yearning for freedom from the limited constrains of a conventional society. In Canada women began to assert consciously and confidently their potential as writers in the post- 1960s. The wide spread preoccupation with the quest for a distinctive cultural identity in Canada in the post 1960s, was responsible for strengthening the desire to assert a distinctive feminine identity comparable to and compatible with the male, in culture as well as in literature. (salat 78) The most important women writers of this period are Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, Ruby Wiebe, and Alice Munro. A among these writers the most noticed and appreciated. Women writers is Margaret Atwood. Atwood has implicit and successfully problematised Canadas quest for identity in her novels by making her women protagonists undergo a similar crisis. She has a predominantly feminine search for a distinctive identity. Atwoods reaction to this sensitive issue of identity has been the most articulate and she has deliberately set out to create all her novels in such a way that towards the end, each of her protagonists emerges as a woman who knows her own self. Margaret Atwood is a Canadian novelist, poet, short-story writer and also a well established critic. She was born in Ottawa in 1939. She spent a 5 Considerable part of her early life in the northern Ontoria and Quebec bush country. She started writing at the early age of five. Her father who is an entomologist often took his family on field trips. This produced in Atwood an early and an avid interest in the wilderness. In 1946, the family went to Leaside, a suburb of Toronto and settled there. This change is also reflected in her writing. The contrasts beween its Christian, middle-class morality and its blatant materialism define the spiritual wasteland through which many of Atwoods characters pass on their way from childhood to maturity.(75) Atwood is a graduate from the University of Toronto, where she won a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. She took her Masters Degree from Radcliffe College. Since 1973 Atwood has live with Graeme Gibson a Canadian novelist and Cultural activist. They have a daughter, Eleanor Jess. They now live in Toronto. Atwood has been a write- in residence at Universities in Canada, the USA and Australia. She has taught in several Universities such as the University of British Columbia, the University of Alberta, Sir George Williams University, Montreal and at York University Toronto. She was the founding member of the writers Union 1984-86. She is still an effective spokesperson, and activist on behalf of Canadian writers and of womens right, Native rights and the environment.

marxism Essay -- essays research papers

How convincing was the Marxist critique of the capitalist state? This next unit of theory is entitled "Ideology and Discourse." The theorists we're examining--Althusser, Bakhtin, and Foucault--are discussing how ideology works, and how ideologies construct subjects. All of these theorists are coming from a Marxist perspective, using ideas and terms developed in Marxist theory, though only Althusser actually claims to be a Marxist. So to start off, I want to talk a bit about some basic ideas of Marxist theory. Marxism is a set of theories, or a system of thought and analysis, developed by Karl Marx in the nineteenth century in response to the Western industrial revolution and the rise of industrial capitalism as the predominant economic mode. Like feminist theory, Marxist theory is directed at social change; Marxists want to analyze social relations in order to change them, in order to alter what they see are the gross injustices and inequalities created by capitalist economic relations. My capsule summary of the main ideas of Marxism, however, will focus on the theoretical aspects more than on how that theory has been and is applicable to projects for social change. As a theory, Marxism is pretty complicated. You can think of Marxism as being three types of theory in one: philosophy, history, and economics. First, Marxism is a philosophical movement; Marx's ideas about human nature, and about how we know and function in the world come from traditions articulated by Hegel, Feuerbach, Kant, and other German philosophers. All of these guys, including Marx, are interested in the relation between materialist and idealist philosophy. As a philosopher, Marx helps create and define a branch of philosophy called DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM. Materialism in general is the branch of Western philosophy from which science (Aristotelian or Newtonian) comes. Materialist philosophy is based on empiricism, on the direct observation of measurable or observable phenomena; materialist philosophy is interested in studying how the human mind, via the senses, perceives external reality, and particularly with the idea of how we know things "objectively," without the interference of emotions or preconceived ideas about things. Materialist philosophy often wants to ask how we know something is real, or, more specifically, how we know that what is real IS real, and... ...other forms of ideology (like religious ideology), and thus can provide insights into how ideologies are structured, and what their limits are. This view is also followed by Georg Lukacs, who argues that Marxist literary criticism should look at a work of literature in terms of the ideological structure(s) of which it is a part, but which it transforms in its art. For other Marxists, including Bertolt Brecht, Walter Benjamin, and Louis Althusser, literature works the way any ideology does, by signifying the imaginary ways in which people perceive the real world; literature uses language to signify what it feels like to live in particular conditions, rather than using language to give a rational analysis of those conditions. Thus literature helps to create experience, not just reflect it. As a kind of ideology, literature for these critics is relatively autonomous, both of other ideological forms and of the economic base. You can't trace one-to-one direct ties between literature and any particular ideology, or between literature and the economic base. (When you can, we call it bad literature; literature directly linked to an ideology we call "propaganda," for instance).

Negative Effects of War Essay

In â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story,† Tim O’Brien presents many themes within his story. One major theme is the negative effects of war on a soldier. Many situations arise in the story that bring out the theme to make it easy to understand for the reader. The effects of war can be very harmful to a soldier’s life, and he or she can be scarred forever. When Bob Kiley’s friend, Curt Lemon, dies at the beginning of the story, Kiley takes the time to write Lemon’s sister. He wrote about what a good guy Lemon was and the many adventures that he took. Kiley explained that Lemon was a dare devil and a soldier that loved what he did. Bob Kiley did not have to write to his friend’s sister at all, but he did it out of kindness. He poured his heart out into the letter because he wanted his friend’s sister to understand what a great guy he was. O’Brien’s narrator tells the reader that, â€Å"[h]e says he loved the guy. He says the guy was his best friend in the world. They were like soul mates, he says, like twins or something, they had a whole lot in common† (O’Brien 347). Kiley went into detail about some events, but he wanted this girl to know everything. He sent the letter and he waited for two months for one in return. She never sent Bob Kiley a letter back and he got upset. The negative effects of war made him go into detail about the story and that may have made the sister not write him. When a soldier sends a letter to someone, all they want is one in return. It makes them feel good when they know someone is at home thinking about them too. War can make a soldier feel alone and having someone to write to can make them feel wanted. Kiley felt alone and used when he did not get a letter in return. He wrote the letter out of kindness and all he wanted was a thank you from the girl. If she would have sent Kiley a letter in return he would have felt better about himself. When Curt Lemon died, the story portrays his death three different times. Each time his death is told it is told in different ways. Curt Lemon’s death was caused by a booby-trap buried in the ground. The story portrays him floating into the sunlight through the trees. The negative effects of war can cause soldiers to remember someone’s death in detail. They remember him being blown into pieces as he was killed. Remembering vivid details about someone else’s death can cause disturbing flashbacks in a soldier’s life. The death of Curt Lemon caused Bob Kiley to take out his frustration on a baby water buffalo. When they stopped to rest for the night Kiley takes an unexpected turn and shoots the buffalo in the leg. He continuously tortures the animal, as the others soldiers watch in disbelief. O’Brien’s narrator tells the reader that, â€Å"[t]he whole platoon stood there watching, feeling all kinds of things, but there wasn’t a great deal of pity for the baby water buffalo† (O’Brien 352). The buffalo takes the torture and never reacts. The negative effects of war caused Bob Kiley to do something that no one could ever believe doing. He lost his best friend, so he took his pain out on the water buffalo. Any soldier in their right mind would have enough sense not to kill an animal, but the negative effects of war can change people. Kiley will never be the same because of the things he had to endure during his time of duty. War can change a soldier in many ways. They may go home and never be the same as before they left. Often, soldiers will tell stories, but they will not be entirely true. O’Brien’s narrator tells the reader that, â€Å"[i]n war you lose your sense of the definite, hence your sense of truth itself, and therefore it’s safe to say that in a true war story nothing much is ever very true† (O’Brien 354). The negative effects of war can be very harmful to a soldier’s life.

urban sociology essays

urban sociology essays In David A. Snow's book, Down on their Luck depicts the lives and horrors of homeless people in Austin, Texas. Homelessness is a crisis that has had an impact in our lives. Many people think that homeless people are those who are the mentally ill that are a threat to society, however, that is not the case. Majority of people who are victims of homelessness are those who have been pushed out of their homes, victims of environment catastrophes, the elderly, runaways, and unemployed individuals who are forced to move out because they can't pay rent. Some even face homelessness when they flee their countries for political and economical reasons. There are three themes in Snow's book that I feel are significant to address. The first theme I will talk about are the three dimensions of homelessness. Each of the groups in Snow's book experience some degree of homelessness, but the nature of that experience often varies considerable among them. These differences can be clarified by c onsidering three separate dimensions of homelessness. The first dimension being life-style characterized by the absence of conventional permanent housing, the second dimension being the presence or absence of familial support, and the third dimension being the degree of dignity and moral worth associated with the various categories of homelessness. These dimensions may be reasons why people become homeless. Snow feels that "homeless street people are more likely to be perceived as homeless by virtue of their own imperfections or moral failings"(p. 9). As we can see from this quote, people don't take the three dimensions into consideration when viewing the causes of homelessness. People feel that the reasons for homelessness are inadequate work-skill, laziness, and failings in life. The second theme I will address is the inadequate care homeless people have in hospitals. The poor do not qualify for Medicaid because they don't make enough to get ...

Death Valley, the Lowest and Hottest Place in the U.S.

Death Valley, the Lowest and Hottest Place in the U.S. Death Valley is a large part of the Mojave Desert located in California near its border with Nevada. Most of Death Valley is in Inyo County, California and comprises most of Death Valley National Park. Death Valley is significant to the United States geography because it is considered the lowest point in the contiguous U.S. at an elevation of -282 feet (-86 m). The region is also one of the hottest and driest in the country. The Vast Area Death Valley has an area of about 3,000 square miles (7,800 sq km) and runs from the north to the south. It is bounded by the Amargosa Range to the east, the Panamint Range to the west, the Sylvania Mountains to the north and the Owlshead Mountains to the south. From Lowest to Highest Death Valley is located only 76 miles (123 km) from Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous U.S. at 14,505 feet (4,421 m). The Climate The climate of Death Valley is arid and because it is bounded by mountains on all sides, hot, dry air masses often get trapped in the valley. Therefore, extremely hot temperatures are not uncommon in the area. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was 134Â °F (57.1Â °C) at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. Temperature Average summer temperatures in Death Valley frequently exceed 100Â °F (37Â °C) and the average August high temperature for Furnace Creek is 113.9Â °F (45.5Â °C). By contrast, the average January low is 39.3Â °F (4.1Â °C). The Big Basin Death Valley is a part of the U.S. Basin and Range province as it is a low point surrounded by very high mountain ranges. Geologically, basin and range topography is formed by fault movement in the region that causes the land to drop down to form valleys and land to rise up to form mountains. Salt in the Land Death Valley also contains salt pans which indicate that the area was once a large inland sea during the Pleistocene epoch. As the Earth began to warm into the Holocene, the lake in Death Valley evaporated to what it is today. The Native Tribe Historically, Death Valley has been home to Native American tribes and today, the Timbisha tribe, which has been in the valley for at least 1,000 years, inhabits the region. Becoming a National Monument On February 11, 1933, Death Valley was made a National Monument by President Herbert Hoover. In 1994, the area was re-designated as a National Park. Vegetation Most of the vegetation in Death Valley consists of low-lying shrubs or no vegetation unless near a water source. At some of Death Valleys higher locations, Joshua Trees and Bristlecone Pines can be found. In the spring after winter rains, Death Valley is known to have large plant and floral blooms in its wetter areas. Wildlife Death Valley is home to many different types of small mammals, birds, and reptiles. There are also a variety of larger mammals in the area which include Bighorn Sheep, coyotes, bobcats, kit foxes and mountain lions.To learn more about Death Valley, visit the official website of Death Valley National Park. References Wikipedia. (2010, March 16). Death Valley - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_ValleyWikipedia. (2010, March 11). Death Valley National Park - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley_National_Park

Recreational Drug Use Negatively Affects Society Research Paper

Recreational Drug Use Negatively Affects Society - Research Paper Example From the report it is clear that recreational drugs include many kinds of drugs which can be legal or illegal. The use of recreational drugs in a society can cause several economic effects as people commonly start spending about one-fourth of their income in drugs, and utilize their savings, thus lowering their standards of living. In recent years, the overall economy of the American society has tremendously lowered as there is an increase in the usage of recreational drugs. The drugs industry is making high profits and it surely benefits their market as some drugs are highly expensive and once people are addicted to them, they buy them excessively to fulfill their needs. The more profits the drugs industry makes, the more risks of drugs smuggling, illegal selling and possession of drugs, and access use of controlled drugs will increase causing social, economic, and psychological problems. This paper highlights that people often start taking recreational drugs to divert their minds from their life problems or to gain some pleasure. Drugs are often successful in providing peace to the disturbed person and allowing him to forget all his worries for a while. This attracts people to use them more often, hence creating an addiction. Most people first get addicted to this feeling, then physically addicted, as it becomes a need for the body to calm down and feel good. Drug addicts are fifty percent more likely to commit crimes such as robbery and stealing, only for the purpose of buying more drugs.

Present and evaluate J.C. Maxwells version of the Golden Rule as Essay

Present and evaluate J.C. Maxwells version of the Golden Rule as discussed in class and in your reading. (Again, this means discussing the argument) - Essay Example What you do is important; but how you do, what you do is more important. Meaning, the process of living is supreme than achieving success in life. In business, seeking wealth is perfect. What is inappropriate is the intentional manipulation of business practices to deceive others. Desires are not bad; but motivated desires and causing intentional pain to others to secure monetary gains is undesirable. Great business projects are fine, but the prerequisite about such projects is creating noble individuals to implement them. When ethics is the foundation stone of an individual viewed from perception of life as a whole, nothing can go wrong for such an individual. He can be a businessman, politician, bureaucrat, farmer etc. The fundamental rules of ethics will not change, only their application in a particular situation may vary. Scandals originate in the heart. An individual must have a cause to be ethical, the heart to be ethical, and pursue the ethical principles with grit, stamina and heroism, and finally receive the rewards or any other types of accruing results with a balanced mental attitude. Even if the results are not favorable in a given situation, one will have the inner satisfaction of following the Golden Rule of ethics. One has to be truthful at all times and at all costs and avoid ‘pressure, pleasure, power, pride and skewed priorities’, to uphold the Golden Rule. In that ideal situation, societal environment will be