Biography of Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor

Hunger The Hunger Of Hunger - 1327 Words

Mostly everyone enjoys food, it s what brings people together. Lets face it, humans are always looking for a reason to eat. Our bodies need food in order to survive. However, at times we eat even when our bodies do not need it. This is the motivation of hunger. Hunger motivation refers to the need that humans have to eat in order to fulfill their hunger. Many factors other than surviving, can influence hunger such as psychological, environmental, and biological. Why do we eat? It’s clear to say that we eat to provide energy to our bodies. Certainly part of the reason we eat are cues in our environment that signal the availability of food. An example is walking into the kitchen to smell your favorite dish, immediately you want to start†¦show more content†¦The purpose of the study was to identify the areas in the brain that were activated with viewing images of highly appetizing foods relative to moderately appetizing foods, and to neutral objects, both when participan ts were fasted and recently fed (Green D. Lowe 2009). When fasted, the unrestrained eaters showed activity to highly appetizing foods in a wide variety of brain areas that are associated with hunger (Green D. Lowe 2009). Fed unrestrained eaters showed an activation in the right prefrontal cortex which is associated with further eating. The results also showed that fasted restrained eaters had more control of significant activations of the brain that had to do with hunger. However after they were fed and viewed the images of highly appetizing foods, they showed activation in some areas of the brain that associated with hunger or desire for food (Green D. Lowe 2009). Below is the image showing the brain activities of participants in the fed and fasted state. . (Green D. Lowe 2009). We all know that some people are genetically thinner than or more muscular than others. Genetics play a major key in eating. I strongly believe this because my mom’s sister has always been bigger than her. My cousins which are her kids are also big like her, unlike my brothers and I. Set-point is a certain weight that the body likes stayShow MoreRelatedHunger And Hunger Of Hunger1046 Words   |  5 PagesYou ask me what is hunger? Listen to me. Here I am so famished that you could see every little detail of my bones. I don’t even have the energy to talk, or even walk because my last meal was four days ago. Hear me out. This is not a joke, nor a pleasant position to be in. There are approximately 920 million people in the world who yearn for a meal each day, and every three point six seconds someone dies from hunger. Yet, when you think of hunger, you say to yourself, â€Å" Oh yes, I’ve been hungryRead MorePoverty And Hunger : Hunger1542 Words   |  7 Pag esTerri Hardy Social Problems SOC S-163-Sect. 29531 08 April 2016 Poverty and Hunger Hunger impacts 48.1 million Americans; 46.7 million of them live in poverty. According to Feeding America, seventy percent of their clients are at one hundred percent below the federal poverty line (â€Å"Hunger and Poverty Facts†, 2016). Poverty is the social factor, which creates and sustains hunger. You may be wondering that if poverty creates hunger, what creates poverty? Economics, politics, and capitalism all keep theRead MoreHunger Is A Conflict With Hunger1174 Words   |  5 PagesHunger is a conflict that many countries are having to deal with. People from all around the world have to suffer from lack of food or a disease caused from hunger. It is our job to put a stop to it for good. Many causes of hunger are lack of investment in agriculture, changes in climate and weather, poverty, unstable markets, and food wastage, as stated in WFP.org (2015). As a result, 795 million people suffer from lack of food and 3.5 million children die from hunger or diseases caused by hungerRead MoreThe Hunger Of World Hunger1261 Words   |  6 Pagespeople. But it’s kind of ironic world hunger still exist and is the leading cause of deaths per year. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 805 million people of the 7.3 billion people in the world were suffering from chronic undernourishment. World hunger doesn’t just kill people, it’s linked to diseases, physiological issues and poverty as well. That’s about 24,000 people dying a day. But what does hunger mean? Hunger is a term which has three differentRead MoreHunger : The Problem Of Hunger1488 Words   |  6 Pagesillogical that hunger has been one o f the major problems throughout human history affecting and killing 8.2 million people each year. â€Å"Every 10 seconds a human being dies from hunger.†(Cogan) It is thought that this mostly happens in undeveloped countries but surprisingly â€Å"about 98% of the 842 million people starving actually live in developing countries† (Cogan). A long time ago, these terms were related to the lower social classes. It sounds logical that poverty is the principal cause of hunger but it’sRead MoreThe Hunger Of World Hunger2319 Words   |  10 PagesWorld Hunger Imagine not being able to reach into your refrigerator and pull out a snack. Think about those mornings when you forget to eat breakfast and your stomach is growling the whole morning. Now imagine not being able to suppress that feeling. Imagine feeling that hunger day after day. This is reality for almost a sixth of the world’s population. Is there any good news? Yes there is. There are many ways for us to reduce world hunger. This essay will look at the causes of world hungerRead MoreThe Hunger Of Hunger And Malnutrition1429 Words   |  6 Pages Many countries are facing the burden of hunger and undernutrition/malnutrition. Tackling hunger is one of the greatest challenges of the times. Hunger is triggered by multiple dimensions and causes, ranging from deficiencies in macro- and micro-nutrients, through short-term shocks on food access, to chronic shortages. The food and agriculture sectors play a significant role in exaggerating the consequences of hunger and undernutrition. Extreme hunger and malnutrition remains a barrier to sustainableRead MorePoverty, Hunger, And Hunger1815 Words   |  8 Pages Haley De Stefano Zero Hunger U.S.A. Position Paper Part 1: History of Zero Hunger, and hunger around the world The Zero Hunger project was launched in 2012 by Ban Ki-Moon, to fulfill his aspiration to live in a world where nobody would be hungry and everyone would be healthy, and in the past few months and years the world has made big progress towards ending world hunger. Zero Hunger isn’t just a dream that theRead MoreHunger1287 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"HUNGER† English 101 â€Å"Hunger† In the story hunger author Anne Lamott introduces herself and her struggle with food addiction and her battle with eating disorders that she suffered in the early part of her life. In this story she talks about her life how she was growing up, her personal obsession with food, her battle with alcoholism, and addiction to eating. Lamott in the short story hunger also covers her struggle for life with the eating disorder bulimia.Read MoreHunger And Hunger Related Illnesses1540 Words   |  7 Pagesworld are chronically malnourished. That means that one in nine people do not have enough food to live a healthy lifestyle. This is the biggest problem affecting a considerable amount of the human population. Hunger and hunger related illnesses kill just over 6 millions children a year. Hunger is not partial to race or gender, it’s a problem in all corners of the world, it affects people in even the most developed countries. The more humans progress the more this problem, logically, the more this problem

Essay on The Many Problems of Obamacare Essay Example For Students

Essay on The Many Problems of Obamacare Essay As our country advances in the medical field, the costs of American healthcare expenditures are drastically increasing and the number of people purchasing medical coverage is declining. The United States healthcare system in contrast to others is recognized to be the most expensive and as a result more than fifty million American citizens are left uninsured, given the low income rate (Garson 1). Those who, in fact, purchase coverage are not properly protected, therefore other individuals do not bother wasting their money and purchasing healthcare. As soon as individuals are in need of medical attention, they happen to struggle with the preexisting conditions they suffer from because they cannot afford the desired aid. It is safe to say that this country’s prestigious name throughout the world will depend significantly on whether it can successfully control the current healthcare cost flare-up and if it fails, we will ultimately experience a severe financial calamity. With the rate of the uninsured reaching 16.3 percent, President Barack Obama enacted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March of 2010 to reduce the cost of insurance, therefore ensuring that all Americans are able to attain virtuous quality and reasonably priced healthcare (Highlights 2010). This law encloses various new provisions: the requirement of individuals to purchase health insurance and fining those who do not; the requirement of employers to provide affordable health insurance to their employees and again fining employers who do not comply; the establishment of healthcare exchanges regulated by the government; and the subsidizing of insurance in great amounts only for the elderly and underprivileged (Eddlem). While the Affordable Care Act wou. .lth Insurance Rating Rules: Destabilizing Markets and Driving up Costs. The Heritage Foundation. N.p., 20 Jan. 2011. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.Health Insurance. Highlights: 2010. N.p. , n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.Health Plans Find Health Insurance You Can Afford. Health Insurance Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.Levey, Noam N. Soaring Cost of Healthcare Sets a Record. Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA). 04 Feb 2010: A. 1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 Oct 2013.Moffit, Robert E., Ph. D. Individual Mandate: A Violation of Personal Liberty and an Attack on Federalism. The Heritage Foundation. N.p., 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.Weissmann, Shoshana. Why Im Not Signing Up For Obamacare and You Shouldnt Either. PolicyMic. N.p., 9 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.Whelan, Charlie. The New Economics of Healthcare. Frost. Frost and Sullivan, n. d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Xunzis Conceptions of Human Nature

Xunzi also known as Xun Kuang was a Chinese philosopher during the China’s classical period. He was one of the Confucian philosophers who were under the reign Emperor Xuan in China. Xunzi made significant contribution to modern philosophy because he contributed to the development of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Among many of his philosophical works is his view of human nature.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Xunzi’s Conceptions of Human Nature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Xunzi, people are evil in nature while their goodness is acquired through training. He states that the nature of human beings is evil from birth and possesses qualities like selfishness, anarchic, and antisocial traits. However, the society shapes and trains an individual to attain moral standards of the society. Furthermore, Xunzi argues that the society achieves this by influencing a person in a posit ive way. Therefore, the paper analyses the arguments presented by Augustine, Pelagius, and Zhu Xi concerning Xunzi’s view of human nature. According to Augustine, since human beings are not perfect, they are bound to make mistakes and errors. In his philosophical work titled â€Å"The City of God,† which explains how the first human beings transgressed in the Garden of Eden. Augustine elaborates the infallible human nature. He asserts that, even after God gave men the freedom to eat any other fruit in the garden and leave the one that was in the center of the garden, they still went ahead to eat the forbidden fruit; hence, making the mistake of disobedience. The â€Å"Yahist Legend,† further explains the mistake by presenting an occasion where God tells humans to eat of all the trees, which were pleasing to consume except the tree of life. According to Augustine, human beings have an imperfect nature and are bound to making mistakes. The concept is evident from what Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden as they committed the mistake of disobedience, and regretted their actions latter when God questioned them. In addition, Augustine notes that human beings are remorseful. After disobeying God, they became repentant as they hid and covered themselves with stitched leaves from figs. Humans remained subject to God, and thus, they received another chance of redemption through Jesus who is the son of God.Advertising Looking for research paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, since actions have repercussions, man and the woman received punishment from God after disobedience. In the Garden of Eden, the Adam and Eve had the freedom to eat of any tree except the tree in the center of the garden. The consequence of disobedience was death. Therefore, the man received a sentence of hard work and death as a punishment for the wrongdoing. Since God is just and merciful, he g ave Adam and Eve another chance. Thus, Augustine displays human beings as infallible, remorseful, and ready for corrections. In his letters to Demetrius, Pelagius notes that the reference to the creator is paramount when determining the good human nature. According to Pelagius, people love and admire authority. He further explains this phenomenon by asserting that men marvel at the strong and big animals that are subject to their authority and control. Additionally, human beings love freedom, which was the initial desire of God. In his letters, Pelagius notes that God wanted human to feel free and do what pleased them. However, the level of freedom reduced when humans sinned and disobeyed God. Moreover, in his letters to Demetrius he quotes the book of Deuteronomy where God gave human beings the freedom to choose between life and death. Pelagius also highlights that human beings love appreciation and praise. This is the nature of humankind as presented by Pelagius. Pelagius explains that individuals do not like policies and conventions. He says that people love working in a free environment without rules and regulations. According to Pelagius, humans love engaging in activities voluntarily without undue coercion. In the letters of Demetrius, he gives an account of some people who had a good human nature like Enoch and men who demonstrated bad morals such as Adam and Simeon to discuss the human character and nature.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Xunzi’s Conceptions of Human Nature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, Pelagius highlights that the ultimate determinant of good human nature is the creator. He also asserts that humans who have a good nature portray good morals that accrue from the good nature. He further asserts that individuals with good manners sometimes make mistakes because no human being is perfect. Zhu Xi approaches the discussion of human nature u sing the mind and a river. The scholar asserts that when the river is still or calm, it denotes a composed nature of the individual’s mind. Subsequently, Zhu Xi relates human desires and feelings with waves and flow of water in a river or a lake. According, to Zhu Xi, some waves are bad and torrential whereas others are less likely to cause any harm, as they are mild. These waves reflect the good and bad desires that people express. In the writings, Zhu Xi notes that nature precedes an activity and feelings then succeed. Hence, the mind helps in uniting nature, feelings, and activity when humans undergo through pre-active and post-active states. Moreover, Zhu Xi says that, in many cases bad moral values overrule the good values. In explaining how bad morals destroy good moral values, Zhu Xi used a dam to demonstrate that when the dam bursts it causes extensive destruction. Furthermore, Zhu Xi explains that the mind controls all the operations of an individual whether good or bad. According to Zhu Xi, the mind is a ruler and has the presence of understanding, respect, love, and morality. However, stirred the mind produces feelings like fury, contentment, happiness, and sadness. Therefore, the mind is like the supreme controller of the whole body, and thus, controls the activity of the person. According to Zhu Xi, human nature is subject to the reflexes in the mind, which is the controller of all the activities that an individual performs. Hence, according to Zhu Xi human nature greatly attributes its outcomes to the mind. Thus, Zhu Xi clearly elucidates the nature of human beings and presents the existing diversities.Advertising Looking for research paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Xunzi, human nature is evil and it is only through training that a person can acquire good attributes. In addition, Xunzi notes that from birth, humans display bad qualities like self-centeredness, lawlessness, and antisocial traits. However, through continuous training and molding by the society, a person then acquires moral values and learns to behave in a disciplined manner. Furthermore, Xunzi believes that an individual can acquire and employ moral values and personality traits from the society. The prime objective of acquiring moral values and traits is to override the innate antisocial and evil traits. Xunzi also perceives that a state or a country requires rules and regulations so that it can shape and mold the behavior of an individual, which is evil. In his assertion, Xunzi perceives that since human nature is ugly, absence of state and regulations can render a man uncivilized and wild. Pelagius thought that when determining good human nature it is vital to ref er to the supreme creator who is God. He presents that some of the human requirements include love for authority, freedom, and control. In the words of Augustine, human beings are not free from mistakes as they are not perfect. According to Augustine, humans require companionship and authority. He also states that men are erroneous and employs the case of the first humans who disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit. On the other hand, Zhu Xi uses a river or a water body to bring to the fore the discussion of human nature. According to Zhu Xi, the mind acts like the controller of human activities and dictates what an individual performs. Thus, Pelagius, Augustine, and Zhu Xi have different thoughts concerning human nature as opposed to Xunzi’s view. While Xunzi states that human nature is bad and evil, Pelagius, Augustine, and Zhu Xi explain that human beings have innate traits that are good, but are not acquired in training as asserted by Xunzi. The research paper focuses on the characteristics that human beings demonstrate. It discusses perceptions of Zhu Xi, Augustine, and Pelagius concerning human nature according to the argument of Xunzi. According to the three individuals, human beings are not perfect, and therefore, they are bound to making mistakes and errors. Pelagius and Augustine use biblical excerpts like that of Adam and Eve to explain the imperfect and remorseful nature of human beings. On the other hand, Zhu Xi relates the human mind to a body of water and discusses human nature using the relationships of human mind and river. Contrarily Xunzi believes that human nature is evil from birth and requires training and control in the evil state so that an individual behaves in a morally upright manner. This research paper on Xunzi’s Conceptions of Human Nature was written and submitted by user Ashlyn Douglas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Teenage Suicide Essay Introduction Example For Students

Teenage Suicide Essay Introduction Teenage suicide occurs at an alarming rate and can be directly attributed to three main causes: depression, substance abuse, and relationships. This terrible phenomenon is rapidly increasing in the United States and only in the last decade has any serious attention been paid to the underlying causes. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15-25, with only accidents and homicide being more common! Most teenagers express various warning signs before they attempt suicide. Therefore, suicide is a preventable occurrence in the vast majority of cases. Depression is by far the leading cause of teenage suicide. Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Therefore it comes as no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teenage suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work, and personal adjustment, which may often continue into adulthood. Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often overlooked in children and adolescents is because children are not always able to express how they feel. We will write a custom essay on Teenage Suicide Introduction specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1995) observed that the challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm. Therefore, diagnosis should not lie only in the physicians hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the child on a regular basis. Unlike adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage in risky behaviors (Oster Montgomery, 1996). Mood disorders are often accompanied by other psychological problems such as anxiety (Oster Montgomery, 1996), eating disorders, hyperactivity, substance abuse, and suicide, all of which can hide depressive symptoms. The signs of clinical depression include marked changes in mood and associated behaviors that range from sadness, withdrawal, and decreased energy to intense feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Depression is often described as an exaggeration of the duration and intensity of normal mood changes (Brown, 1996). Key indicators of adolescent depression include a drastic change in eating and sleeping patterns, significant loss of interest in previous activity interests (Blackman, 1995), disruptive behavior, peer problems, increased irritability and aggression (Brown, 1996). Blackman (1995) proposed that formal psychological testing may be helpful in complicated presentations that do not lend themselves easily to diagnosis. For many teens, symptoms of depression are directly related to low self-esteem stemming from increased emphasis on peer popularity. For other teens, depression arises from poor family relations, which could include decreased family support and perceived reje ction by parents (Lasko, 1996). Oster Montgomery (1996) stated that when parents are struggling over marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may feel the tension and try to distract their parents. This distraction may include increased disruptive behavior, self-inflicted isolation, or even verbal threats of suicide. So how can we determine if someone should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? Brown (1996) suggested the best way to diagnose is to screen out the vulnerable groups of children and adolescents for the risk factors of suicide and then refer them for treatment. Some of these risk factors include verbal signs of suicide within the last three months, prior attempts at suicide, indications of severe mood problems, or excessive alcohol and/or drug use. Many physicians tend to think of depression as an illness of adulthood. In fact, Brown (1996) stated that it was only in the 1980s that mood disorders in children were included in the category of diagnosed p sychiatric illnesses. In actuality, 7-14% of children will experience an episode of major depression before the age of 15. In a sampling of 100,000

product placement essays

product placement essays In the film I Am Sam, Sean Penn plays the role of Sam Dawson, a handicapped man who has never mentally matured past the age of seven. He has a job at a local Starbucks, which is quite an obvious advertisement. He has a life of detailed order that helps him get through the day. His obsession with keeping all the Equal Sweetener packets and Sweet and Low packets in order of their colour is an clear product placement as it is zoomed in on during the credits. He and his circle of friends have gatherings such as Wednesday movie nights or Thursday morning breakfasts at IHOP, which is once again a very noticeable advertisement for IHOP. This whole well preserved lifestyle gets shaken around when he becomes a father. He must face responsibilities that even a matured adult has troubles with, his orderly and structured life becomes totally chaotic with the new baby. Sam wanders in the isles of grocery stores staring at all the different types of Huggies and Pampers and wondering which ones to buy. This isnt a very obvious ad because the camera flies by the isles very quickly also displaying Similiac baby powder. To make things worse the mother of the baby has disappeared as they left the hospital. With the help of his withdrawn neighbour Annie (Diane Wiest) and the support of his friends, Sam becomes a nurturing father to his little girl, named after a favourite Beatles song. The Beatles were used to a great extent in this film, even the director had asked permission to use the Beatles. The only problem is that Lucy (Dakota Fanning), his daughter does not follow his orderly routine. Sam loves his daughter and wants the best for her, he takes her out shopping and buys her shoes from Payless Shoe Store which seems much more like a commercial than a moving attempt of a father trying to show his daughter that he too can be a normal adult. Very soon Lucy starts asking questions but sooner or later she ...

Article analysis summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article analysis summary - Essay Example How can health services be efficiently financed in the USA? What are the best practices in health services management in the USA? The research study will apply quantitative techniques. Data is collected through questionnaires, interviews, and secondary sources like health journals. Data recording was done in tables, and voice recorders. Data analysis was conducted through statistical measures, charts and graphs. Presentation of findings was done through presentations and reports. The sampling was conducted through random sampling method. 30 states were selected, and 10 health facilities were selected in each of the states, at random. Representatives of both private and public sector were included; each state had 5 private health facilities and 5 public health facilities. Therefore, the sample size is 300 health facilities spread across the USA. Data analysis leads to several results. 65% of the healthcare financing is got from programs like Medicare, Veterans Health Association, Medicaid and TRICARE. Health insurance by public employees is catered for by the government. Other segments of population have private health insurance providers, and some are uninsured. The main strength of this article is that it analyzes health care provision in both the private sector and the public sector. This ensures easy comparison of health care effectiveness in both sectors. The main weakness of this research article is that the sample size is small. 300 health facilities represent a very small proportion of the population; total number of hospitals in the USA. Healthcare facilities in the USA are mostly owned and managed by the private sector. 62% of the health centers are non-profit. 20% of the centres are owned by the government, public. 18% of the health centers are for profit (Mahar,

Experience being given a gold award in class for academic excellence Essay

Experience being given a gold award in class for academic excellence - Essay Example It was the day before our last day in school and I was so excited because that was the day when our teacher will announce the three top students in our grade level. I knew I was one of the candidates but I was not sure whether I could make it to the top three. I woke up early that day, not having slept the whole night because of excitement. When I arrived in school, teacher was just about ready to announce the top three students. She started by announcing the bronze medalist. My hands were as cold as ice. I was hoping that my name will be called but I felt sad when the name of the bronze medalist was not mine. She then announced the silver medalist. By that time, I was already as pale as a ghost because of anxiety. Still, I was not the silver medalist. At this point, my last and only hope was that I would be the gold awardee. I prayed fervently as if it was my last prayer. I was already having butterflies in my stomach. Then, the announcement came, â€Å"The gold awardee for this ye ar is †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yes! I was the gold medalist, the top student in class! I felt I was floating in air. I jumped for joy as if I had ants in my pants. The cheers of my classmates were deafening. My efforts at studying hard every day were not futile. My efforts paid-off. Now, I have an ace up in my sleeve. And as my dad put it, â€Å"Now son, you have another feather in your cap!† The following day was the awarding ceremony. My face was as bright as the sun this time.

Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management Essay Introduction The new trend in human resource management is strategic human resource management. It is gaining popularity edging out the traditional human resource management. Strategic human resource is critical to the success of any organization because it is management that is tied to achievement of the broader goals and the objectives of the organization. Strategic human resource gives the firm competitive advantage in the industry within which it operates as it boosts the productivity of labor, which is oriented towards the long term, and short-term goals of the organization. In pursuit of strategic human resource management there is an obvious consequence, which is attainment of competitive strategies and improved firm performance. This is so because the essence of strategic management is its ability to influence the employee to develop an attitude that leads the organization into competitive edge and productivity. A firm cannot obtain growth and expansion which strategy that facilitates operations towards the objective. 3.1 Identify a range of HR strategies for an organization There are a range of human resource strategies that are adopted by organizations in order to improve their business performance and their competitive strategies. First and foremost, the organization has resourcing strategy which ensures that the management puts in place proper human resource planning, maintains high retention rate of employees, and harness the immense talents of employees to the betterment of the organization. Secondly, there is the learning and development strategy which aims to give employees platform to engage in further training and career development. The other strategic human resource strategy is reward strategy. This strategy ensures that the employees are paid remuneration which is equal to the effort they put in the organization. Finally there is employee relation strategy which helps to ensure there is good rapport between management and employee. The employee relation strategy is achieved through having various communication channel and sound conflict reso lution mechanisms (Legge, 2005 P.154). 3.2 Assess HR strategies and their application in an organization Each organization exists in a unique industry and it is therefore prudent that each of the human resource strategies are applied uniquely depending on the industry. Industry such as manufacturing and construction industry are such that it is easy to measure employees input by physically looking at the work they have done over a given period of time. It is therefore easier for the management of the organizations in those industries to adopt reward strategy. This strategy ensures that the employees are paid remuneration which is equal to the effort they put in the organization, on the other hand, in most service industry such consultancy services it is not easy to measure employees input since input can only be assessed in terms of clients’ satisfaction (Price, 2011 P.89). Quantify client satisfaction and tying it to pay for employee is therefore almost impossibility. Other strategies are largely uniform across several organizations with only slight differences and hence they ar e applicable across organizations in different industries. 4. Identify contemporary issues affecting strategic human resource management Strategic human resource management is very dynamic and keeps changing because better approaches to the concept are realized frequently. The  dynamism that has characterized strategic human resource is driven by the fact that organizations wants to increase their competitive edge and boost their performance in the organizations within which they operate. The major contemporary issue that influences strategic management is globalization. All firms want to expand and grow into new markets to increase their revenues. In achieving this they must strategically direct the efforts of employees toward this objective. The other contemporary issue is downsizing. Firms usually are operated with profitability incentive they must therefore have cost cut measures to reduce expenses and enhance receipts (Scholes Johnson, 2007 p.69). Downsizing offers the best option to cost cutting because salaries constitute a lion’s share of organizations’ expenses. The management is therefore forced to retrench some its workers in a bid to realize profitability. Automation of systems is yet another contemporary issue affecting organizations’ strategic human resource management. Automation compels organization to ensure that their employees are knowledgeable in as far as technology is concerned. Installing system in organization is not any easy fete to achieve, it involves a lot of costs to procure the software and hardware components for the system. The other challenge is that it is time consuming because a lot of procedures have to be followed in integrating a system to the organization. The most challenging part of a management system is managing the system and its associated risks. The first risk is that the employees who are supposed to be part and parcel of such a system may refuse to embrace because they may not fully understand how such a system would be beneficial to them. The human resource team should therefore rise to the occa sion by finding ways and means of influencing the employees to embrace such system within their ranks (Sharma 2011 p.48). Conclusion . Strategic human resource is critical to the success of any organization because it is management that is tied to achievement of the broader goals and the objectives of the organization. Strategic human resource gives the firm competitive advantage in the industry within which it operates as it boosts the productivity of labor which is oriented towards the long term and short term goals of the organization. In order to achieve this daunting task human resource management is responsible for several strategic functions such as recruitment, motivation of workers, designing job analysis, making of remuneration and other non-financial packages to employees, as well as facilitating staff training and development. References Armstrong, M. Baron, A. (2004) Managing performance: Performance Management in Action. London: CIPD. P.136 Bamberger, P. Meshoulam, H. (2000).Human Resource Strategy: Formulation, Implementation and Impact. Sage Publishers, p.254 Bechet, T. P. (2008). Strategic Staffing: A Comprehensive System for Effective Workforce Planning. New York: AMACOM, p.145 Cox, W. Klinger, E. (2011) Handbook of Motivational Counseling: Goal-Based Approaches to Assessment and Intervention with Addiction and Other Problems, Wiley Sons p.125 Goodstein J. (2009) A Practical Guide to Job Analysis, John Willey and Sons pp. 68 Griffin, W. Moorhead, G. (2011) Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations, Cengage learning, p.32 Henry A. (2008) Understanding Strategic Management, Oxford University Press pp. 51 Legge, K. (2005) Human Resource Management Rhetoric and Realities, London: Palgrave Macmillan, p.154 Price A. (2011) Human Resource Management, Cengage Learning, p.89 Scholes, K. Johnson, G . (2007) Explaining Corporate Strategy, Hempstead: Prentice Hall, p.69 Sharma K. (2011) Human Resource Management: Strategic Approach to Employment, Global India publications p. 48 ASSIGNMNET 2 Executive summary Strategic human resource is critical to the success of any organization because it is management that is tied to achievement of the broader goals and the objectives of the organization. The report analyses how British Airways has adopted different strategies in strategic human resource management to achieve competitive strategies and improved firm performance. The reports also put into perspective the impact of merger between British Airways and Iberia on strategic HRM at British Airways Overview of British Airways The company commenced business in the 1974 after the successful merger of BOAC and BEA. It was owned by the state until 1987 when it undergone privatization. Up to date British Airways is the leading airline is UK flying over 400 destinations across the world through both its freight and passenger business. The company decided to merge with Iberia a Spanish Airline in order to produce synergies and as cost cutting measure through economies of scale. Task 1: Human resource strategies and their application to British Airways There are a range of human resource strategies that are adopted by British Airways in order to improve their business performance and their competitive strategies. First and foremost, the organization has resourcing strategy which ensures that the management puts in place proper human resource planning, maintains high retention rate of employees, and harness the immense talents of employees to the betterment of the airline. Learning and development strategy which aims to give employees platform to engage in further training and career development is equally applicable to British Airways. Several roles at the airline such as pilot and aeronautical engineer require immense skills and experience and as such the strategy ensures that employees attain this standard (Scholes Johnson, 2007 p.69). The other strategic human resource strategy applicable to British Airways is reward strategy. This strategy ensures that the employees are paid remuneration which is equal to the effort they put in the organization. By adopting this reward strategy employees at British Airways are driven by reward incentive to increase their productivity consequently earning the airline more business performance in terms of profitability and revenues. Finally there is employee relation strategy which helps to ensure there is good rapport between management and employee. British Airways can achieve employee relation strategy through having various communication channel and sound conflict resolution mechanisms. Task 2: Impact of merger between British Airways and Iberia on strategic HRM at British Airways The merger between British Airways and Iberia has had tremendous impact on strategic human resource management of British Airways. The merger was driven by the fact that organizations wants to increase their competitive edge and boost their performance in the organizations within which they operate. Through the merger the Airline hoped to increase its global presence by increasing its flights to the over 400 dest inations that it had before the merger. Globalization through merging with Iberia ensures that the airline now under the holding company, International Airlines Group (IAG) expands and grows  into new markets to increase its revenues. In achieving this they must strategically direct the efforts of employees toward this objective. The other impact of the merger is downsizing. (Henry, 2008 p.51) says that downsizing offers the best option to cost cutting because salaries constitute a lion’s share of organizations’ expenses. The management is therefore forced to retrench some its workers in a bid to realize profitability. British Airline after the merger embarked on an elaborate cost cutting measure; this involved reducing their costs by a whopping  £400 million in five years, one major way of achieving this would involve downsizing the workforce. The other impact of the merger is that the business adopted a new model. Installing system in organization is not any easy fete to achieve, it involves a lot of costs to procure the software and hardware components for the system. The most challenging part of a management system is managing the system and its associated risks. The first risk is that the employees who are supposed to be part and parcel of such a system may refuse to embrace because they may not fully understand how such a system would be beneficial to them (Armstrong Baron, 2004 p.123). The human resource team should therefore rise to the occasion by finding ways and means of influencing the employees to embrace such system within their ranks. The management of the International Airlines Group (IAG) decided to train 900 of British Airways staff and 4000 of Iberia staff on various aspect of this new business model Conclusion International Airlines Group (IAG) has no choice but to restructure its human capital by implementing the strategic needs of this factor of production to allow the firm a competitive edge in the industry. The management of IAG needs to integrate all the strategies of strategic human resource management to ensure that the employees are influenced towards achieving the strategic needs of the merger. The merger despite the challenges promises better gains for the holding company in terms of increased profitability and efficiency n operations. References Armstrong, M. Baron, A. (2004) Managing performance: Performance Management in Action. London: CIPD. P.123 Henry A. (2008) Understanding Strategic Management, Oxford University Press pp. 51 Scholes, K. Johnson, G. (2007) Explaining Corporate Strategy, Hempstead: Prentice Hal, p.69

Effective Community Participation Strategies Management Essay

Effective Community Participation Strategies Management Essay Introduction Community participation is the creation of opportunities to enable all members of a community to actively contribute to and influence the development process, while sharing equitably in the fruits of development (UN 1981). Midgley, Hall, Hardiman and Narine (1986) define community participation as the direct involvement of ordinary people in local affairs. Community participation can be summed up as a means of educating citizens in order to increase their competence. Reid (2000) defines community participation as a vehicle for influencing decisions that affect lives of citizens and an avenue for transferring political power. However, it can also be a mechanism for ensuring accountability, receptivity and sensitivity of social services to local communities. Successful community participation allows community members to act in response to public concerns, empowers community members to openly give their views about decisions that affect them and to actively take responsibility for chang es in their community. Importance of Community Participation According to WHO (2002), community participation helps communities to target resources more effectively and efficiently, allowing people to become more responsive to community needs and take responsibility. Communities have a wealth of untapped resources and energy that can be harnessed and mobilized through community participation. Community participation methods empower people to creatively develop skills and build competencies and capacities within communities. Furthermore, better and more sustainable decisions are made by involving communities in decision making because community participation is a way of extending the democratic process by opening up governance and redressing inequality in power. It offers new opportunities for creative thinking, innovative planning and development (WHO 2002). Heberlein (1976) notes that better community decisions are the ones that involve citizens at community level and they are generally more acceptable to local people. Cook (1975) argues that citizen participation in community affairs serves to check and balance political activities by allowing fuller access to benefits of a democratic society. This increases democracy and combats exclusion. WHO (2002) points out that community participation in decision making, planning and implantation is a human right. It is therefore important to implement new structures of governance that transcend citizens being viewed as passive recipients of services provided by agencies and decided by few representatives. This will open up genuine community participation at grassroots, empowerment of local communities and create a sense of citizenship. Community participation ensures ownership and sustainability of programs, provides a source of information, knowledge as well as experience and eliminates deficiencies in the society, empowering members to put emphasis on problem solving (Christensen and Robinson 1980). Cahn and Camper (1968) suggest that merely knowing that one can participate in community development and become accountable for development of a local community promotes dignity and self sufficiency within the individual. Interestingly, Cook (1975) points out that community participation can legitimise a program, its plans, actions and leadership, which brings the difference between success and failure of the program. Programs that lack community support end up failing while the ones embraced by the community become successful. WHO (2002) views community participation as an essential tool for ensuring that interventions and programs aimed at promoting health, wellbeing, quality of life and environmental protection are sustainable. Reid (2000) argues that active community participation is the key to building an empowered community. Participating communities are open to involvement by all groups and responsibilities are divided with an aim of engaging special talents and interests of contributing organizations and individuals thus decentralising power and responsibilities. Participating communities carry out their activities openly and publicise them widely. The citizens are well informed about community work as well as their opportunities for personal involvement in meaningful roles (Reid 2000 and Cook 1975). Successful community participation involves participating communities that do not discriminate against each other. Such communities willingly offer themselves to community involvement and perform their activities with an open mind. They are not controlled by any single organization, group or philosophy and their leadership is used to facilitate discussion of diversity of viewpoints instead of pushing for i ts own agenda. What Makes Effective Community Participation Community participation requires going beyond consulting to make citizens an integral part of decision making and action process. It should not be viewed as a response to initiatives or agendas from politicians and professionals (WHO 2002). Spiegal (1968) notes that citizen participation is the only process that can meaningfully tie community development programs to members of local communities. The participation programs involve a significant number of people in situations or actions that enhance their well being. It involves peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s income, their security, time, commitment, skills and even their self esteem. According to Brager, Specht and Torczyner (1987) there are three major aspects to be considered for successful community participation, namely: the kind of community participation under consideration, type or nature of people participating and how the participation takes place. Evans (1974) also points out the significance of issues such as, who participates, the nature of activities that people participate in, why they participate and how the activities they are participating in contribute to principles that they value as a community. Sharing community responsibilities, assuming good intentions for all stake holders involved in community initiatives and affirming the community strengths brings oneness to the community and creates effective community participation. According to WHO (2002), valuing partnership between local communities and sponsors of a community initiative and confirming benefits of the initiative is a vital tool for effective community participation. Local communities do not want to be treated as being helpless. Treating them with respect no matter how poor they are, listening to them and learning from them boosts their morale to participate and own the community initiatives (UNCHS 1986). Smithies and Webster (1998) argue that successful community participation must have support at community grassroots level, with full consultation and involvement of local communities in planning and implementation of such initiatives. Research has shown that community initiatives implemented through resourcing grassroots work and local action with both geographical communities and communities of interest as the starting point for community initiatives has yielded great success and proved effective and sustainable. This process has often led t o establishment of trust and mutual respect between communities and professionals intending to work with such communities to achieve desired objectives. WHO (2002) identifies networking for the purposes of facilitating development of community and professional infrastructure as an integral part of effective community participation. Networking gives an opportunity to communities, professionals and all those involved in community projects to share common experiences, strengthen competencies and build alliances that focus on recognition and realisation of potential people in organizations working to ensure effectiveness, capabilities and adaptability within the context of community participation. Effective community participation involves planning of concept, process, structure and content Smithies and Webster (1998). This ensures meaningful and long-term community participation at all stages of community projects. This requires an effective two way communication to ensure that the views of community members are incorporated into strategic plan. Spiegal (1968) observes that local communities should be given an opportunity and responsibility to manage their own resources, define their needs, aspirations and make decisions affecting their well being. An effective community participation program is therefore established on the basis that local people have the innate capacity to understand and act on their own problems. The approach of such initiatives should be people centered and consensus driven and involve vulnerable groups of such as people with disabilities and the elderly. They should also have a gender balance. Cahn and Camper (1968) argue that sustainable and inclusive community participation should aim at developing community infrastructures, whereby formal arrangements for communication, consultation, collaboration as well as informal networks for inter agency liaison should be developed with a shared understanding and a common purpose. All stakeholders should work in partnership to share skills and be committed to mutual learning and joint training as they appreciate and acknowledge resources that communities have in terms of expertise. Barriers to community involvement should be addressed by availing resources and taking positive approach towards building effective communication among all stake holders and adequate information management. There should be good governance and transparency in decision making to avoid prejudice. Barriers to Effective Community Participation USAID (2000) notes that community initiatives are highly likely to fail in societies where there is unfair distribution of benefits of community participation or community work among local members. Highly individualistic societies where there is little or no sense of community partnership are faced with lack of cooperation, selfishness, corruption and at times mismanagement of resources that could benefit the entire community. Bass (1995) observes that community initiatives that lack policies, laws and institutions that encourage, support, manage and reward local participation in planning and development process are faced with challenges of failing. The success of any community participation initiative is largely dependent upon the precise strategy scope, goals and likely participants. Political and cultural circumstances dictate the extent in which community initiatives succeed. Community initiatives influence by bad governance and political interference never benefit the locals but are only used by politicians as political milestones. Mayo and Craig (1995) note that communities need an appropriate organisational structure put in place for them to express their interests and build effective community participation. People are reluctant to join community initiatives whose organisational structures are cumbersome, time consuming, dictatorial or grossly insufficient. Communities that have little knowledge or limited information on the nature and benefits of community initiatives withdraw their participation and often oppose the initiatives because they are hardly involved in their planning and decision making. Case Studies Case Study 1: Newcastle City Council Newcastle city council works through partnership with other organisations such as police, universities, health service providers, all groups and individuals from community, voluntary and private sectors to ensure that community initiatives influence the future prosperity of the city (Newcastle city council). The council has a variety of community participation initiatives that have been quite successful such as building schools for future, whose main vision is to raise aspirations, opportunities and achievements of all Newcastle residents and to create a culture of learning that enhances creativity and economic prosperity. Other Newcastle city council initiatives include the rough sleepers initiative and housing initiatives. The main objectives of Newcastle city council are: to develop and sustain opportunities for local people and groups for the purpose of influencing what goes on within their communities, to create opportunities aimed at shaping and influencing quality service delivery to local communities, to manage and coordinate engagement activities for consistency, quality and partner participation. The Newcastle city council aspires to ensure that community development activities provide opportunities for entire community to participate in community programs and share their skills (Newcastle city council). These objectives have been achieved through priorities such as successful coordination and leadership of participatory community initiatives, development of protocols, toolkits and performance management framework. The council has a web based resource for effective consultation as well as inclusive ward committee structures to establish views of all community groups, to improve coordination with partners in engagement activities and to enhance skills and expertise in community development participation (Newcastle city council). Each ward in Newcastle has a neighborhood response manager and a neighborhood response team to ensure that views of residents are incorporated in service delivery. Most of the decisions are made through effective consultation with local community groups, which are then involved in implementation of such decisions through active participation in service delivery (Newcastle city council). Newcastle city council has been a successful community initiative through active participation of local communities at grassroots, Case Study 2: The Tsunami Project Following the Tsunami disaster, several groups of grant makers such as the American Jewish society, Global fund for children, Global green grants fund, Oxfam America and Global fund for women among others positively responded to assist the affected communities. However, a closer look at available literature on Tsunami shows that the central role of local organisations such as mechanisms for ensuring local participation is widely recognised throughout the Tsunami community initiatives. However, it is evidently clear that grassroots participation in Tsunami response was insignificant, this forced local communities to compete for resources and recognition (Roper and Harvey 2006). The Tsunami initiatives seem to have been driven by what grant makers had planned and purposed to deliver instead of being driven by the needs of local communities involved. The initiatives were planned and implemented without consultations with local communities. This made it difficult for more sensitive issues emerging after the disaster to be addressed because beneficial roles could only be achieved through tapping into existing community groups, focusing on marginalised groups to strengthen their capabilities, building solidarity across social divides, funding women- led initiatives to promote gender equality and giving local people an opportunity in coordinating implementation of temporary shelter (Roper and Harvey, 2006). The objectives of Tsunami response by several organisations were not well defined to members of the local community, there was little involvement of local communities in planning and implementation of Tsunami initiatives and this made the local communities feel like they were left out of the projects, without a sense of ownership hence it was difficult to address the real problems facing communities after the Tsunami disaster. Conclusion This research paper started by defining and discussing community participation initiatives and what makes community participation initiatives to be successful. Community strategies and initiatives are only successful when the local communities are fully involved in planning and implementation of such initiatives. Participatory community initiatives bring psychological satisfaction to members of the local communities, giving them a sense of ownership to community initiatives while tapping into the unlimited potential of skills and knowledge from local communities. Through the two case studies discussed, Newcastle city council has been a successful community initiative because local communities are actively involved in planning and implementation of community initiatives. This gives them a sense of ownership and the ability to identify with the initiatives and contribute to the total well being of the entire community through participation. They are not afraid of offering their expertise because they know the benefits of being involved in community initiatives. On the other hand, local communities were not given a chance to participate in planning and implementation of Tsunami project. The implementing agencies viewed communities as desperate people and did not give them an opportunity to air their views or become involved in planning and implementation of the project. This led to unfruitful results in implementation of the community initiative, with massive failure of the projects and even increased risks to local communities after implementat ion of the projects. Community participation is not an idle principle. Communities that have chosen to follow it find that not only do they derive more satisfaction from the joy that comes from open community involvement, but they also achieve more results, more rapidly and with greater benefit to the community as a whole. In short, participating communities succeed better than those that only pay lip service to this important principle.

What is sexting? Essay

In this age of technology and information, internet and mobile technology devices dominate our society (Burton, L, 2012, p.1), with over 90% of Australians aged 15-17 owning mobile phones (Australian Communications and Media Authority, 2010, â‚ ±4). Today’s teens are also overexposed to sexual content in many aspects of the media (Burton, L, 2012). This highly sexualised digital culture has transformed the way youth relate to one other (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011). One phenomenon that has emerged from the increased accessibility of these devices and sexual exposure is the practice of ‘sexting’ (Society Pages, 2013, â‚ ±1). The term ‘sexting’ derives from merging the words ‘texting’ and ‘sex’ and â€Å"refers to the sending of sexually provocative material from modern communications devices† (Forde, L. & Hardley, S., 2011). ‘Sexting’ is currently receiving mass media attention (Walker, S., Sanci, L., & Temple-Smith, M., 2011). It is recognised as one of latest youth phenomena in popular culture (Funnell, N, 2012). Although the sharing of sexually explicit material is not a new concept, it has become simpler with the internet (Walker, S., Sanci, L., & Temple-Smith, M., 2011). Shared images â€Å"become part of a young person’s digital footprint, which may last forever and have the potential to damage future career prospects or relationships† (NSW Government, 2008, â‚ ±3.). The prevalence of sexting A national survey conducted in 2010 by the organisation Understanding Teenagers found that 59% of teenagers have electronically transmitted sexually suggestive material (Understanding Teenagers, 2010, â‚ ±3). In another survey conducted by the popular teen girl magazine Girlfriend found that 40% of 558 participants had been involved in sexting (Parliament of Victoria Law Reform Committee Sexting Inquiry (PVLRCSI), 2012). In Queensland alone, 459 sexting offences were reported in 2011 (PVLRCSI, 2012) and in Western Australia sexting offences have tripled in number from 2009 to 2011 (PVLRCSI, 2012). Research by American psychologist Andrew Smiler found various causes that attribute to sexting: to demonstrate commitment in a relationship, to impress friends, to harass or bully, or as a dare. According to an article in the Teacher Learning Network journal, In popular culture, sexting is seen as a young person’s phenomenon: mobile phones, raunch culture, a lack of inhibition, a lack of respect even a lack of morals are seen by many as the perfect storm that has created the sexting phenomenon.(Funnell, N, 2012). Looking at sexting through the lens of Sociological Theory Feminist Theory Sexting is recognised as a gender related issue because young girls feel pressure from the over-sexualised media to present themselves as sexually desirable. Similarly, young men have been conditioned to expect this behaviour. Sexting has created a mechanism for young people to actualize these expectations (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011). It is understood that young girls are at greater risk of adverse effects than young men by this behaviour (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011). Experts go as far as to claim â€Å"†¦the possibility of a link between sexting and gendered sexual violence targeting women† (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011). Woman’s advocate, writer and speaker Melinda Tankard- Reist discusses in her DVD Too Sexy Too Soon that our society tells young girls their primary value is being on display sexually. Our society has created a culture where sexualisation of young girl is regarded as normal (Tutorial DVD). Jean Kilbourne and Diane Levin, authors of Sexy So Soon, argue: Boys are surrounded by media messages that encourage them to judge their female peers based on how they look, often to view them with contempt, and to expect sexual subservience from them (Burton, L., 2012). An interesting anecdote on the evolution of the women’s liberation movement from feminist Anne Manne reads: The relationship between women’s liberation and the new sexual freedom was never an uncomplicated one. The two movements have often been in tension. †¦ Jostling alongside welcome signs of women’s new-found status, and a more relaxed, tolerant, open and liberal society on sexual matters, many of the contours of the new sexual liberalism remain shaped by male dominance (as cited by Burton, L, 2012). Ms Manne (as cited in Butron, L, 2012) goes on to say that â€Å"along the way we  allowed ‘sexual liberation’ to be dictated to by pornography†. This view appears to be supported by many females reported in our media today. In the research paper Underage and Over- exposed Burton (2012) interviewed a young girl who said, Look at most girls’ role models. Most celebrities are just out there at parties, getting drunk and having sex with everyone. Paris Hilton – as much as she is a bad role model to us, she is always in the newspapers and stuff like that so younger generations will be influenced by he. There are also the recent antics of child star Miley Cyrus and her almost pornographic performances at the VMA Music awards in September and her raunchy new film clip for hit single Wrecking Ball. Symbolic Interaction Theory  Symbolic interactionists focus on how communication is central to all human interaction and how these interactions create society (Carl, J & Baker, S, 2011). This theory would view sexting as youth exercising their power to create society. These youth are developing their own standards of what is normal and acceptable behaviour (Carl, J & Baker, S, 2011). Youth consider sexting an adult or media-generated concept (University of New South Wales, 2013, p.1). Youth do not call this activity sexting, but refer to such behaviour as taking noodz, naked selfies, dirty pics or sexy pics (The University of Melbourne, 2012). However, although this creativity and individualism may be acceptable within subgroups, such as the youth subculture, on a macro level it often conflicts with the norm (The University of Melbourne, 2012). Symbolic Interactionist Chafetz argues that men and woman communicate differently: men tend to dominate conversation and woman follow arbitrary rules that men impose. She says â€Å"Women use body language in ways that weaken their ability to assert themselves, this makes them appear less powerful than their male counterparts† (Chafetz, 1997 as cited in Carl & Hillman, 2011 p. 86). Men and woman often act in a default manner associated with stereotyped gender roles. For example, woman use body language and gestures, or in this case nude images, whereas men tend to be more direct displaying their masculinity  by demanding these pictures from their female counterparts (Carl & Hillman, 2011). Sexting is a good example of the manifestation of how an individual’s definition of gender develops from everyday interactions (Chafetz 1997 as cited in Carl & Hillman, 2011). In today’s society, we are flooded with sexually explicit material and people appear desensitised. Psychologist Andrew Smiler stated A porn aesthetic pervades culture – in fashion, music, entertainment and behaviour. This is evident in the billboards, music videos and designer stores that shape the desires and imaginations of a younger and younger demographic. It is not just that culture has become more sexualised. It is that the imagery of the pornographic erotic has shaped the sexualisation of culture. (Smiler, A as cited in Burton, L, 2012). Research conducted by Hewlett Packard found that what is communicated visually has more impact than any other form of communication. Their research supports the idea that visual communication can be more powerful than verbal communication, suggesting in many instances that people learn and retain information that is presented to them visually much better than that which is only provided verbally (Hewlett Parkard, 2004, â‚ ±1). Sexual images are everywhere, often without words, and are creating a whole new set of community values. These images are encouraging our young people’s sexual exploration and thus reinforcing the behaviour of sexting. Australian Institute researcher Flood stated that the â€Å"‘regular and frequent exposure to sexual content in mainstream media produces greater sexual knowledge and more liberal sexual attitudes among children and young people†. Although the media operate at the macro level their influence permeates through to a micro level, thus influencing the way individuals communicate. Symbolic interaction provides a useful explanation of how the sub-culture of sexting has developed. Effects of Sexting Social and Emotional Youth are readily involved in this activity but are naà ¯ve as to its consequences. According to Goodings and Everaardt (2010) as cited in of  the Parliament of Victoria Law Reform Committee Sexting Inquiry (PVLRCSI)), 2013 the â€Å"social ramifications can be the most damaging when it comes to sexting†. The case of Jessica Logan an 18 year old student in America demonstrates the dangers of sexting. The images she sent to her boyfriend were later distributed to hundreds of people and ultimately ended in her suicide (Forde, L. & Hardley, S., 2011). Although most cases are not as extreme as Jessica’s, the mass distribution of these images is common. There are many other detrimental physiological, emotional and social (Goodings and Everaardt (2010) as cited in the Parliament of Victoria Law Reform Committee Sexting Inquiry (2012). Sexting is a dangerous activity and unfortunately â€Å"the viral spread of these images and the associated shame have reportedly led to social, psychological and legal consequences for victims† (Katzman, 2010). Legal Owing to the rapidity of technological development, practices such as sexting are not adequately covered by Australian law. This is known as ‘cultural lag’(J, Carl, S Baker, Scott, Hillman & Larwrence, 2011). Young people who send and receive sexually explicit images may find themselves in serious trouble under various state and Commonwealth child pornography laws. One specific piece of legislation is Part 10.6 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995, which makes it â€Å"an offence to access, transmit, publish, possess, control, supply or obtain child pornography† (Forde, L. & Hardley, S., 2011). Furthermore in Queensland, those being convicted of child pornography may also be added to the Sex Offenders Register. Sexting also falls under the category of sexual harassment under S28A of the Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Forde, L. & Hardley, S, 2011). These laws are designed to protect children from the abuse of adults and many agree that they are ill suited to the issue of youth sexting each other (Forde, L. & Hardley, S, 2011). Those working with children would need to be aware that if they confiscate a data storage device containing such images, or if such images are stored on a school device, material they can also be charged (Forde, L. & Hardley, S, 2011). My Role As a youth worker I would be involved at a grassroots level in mentoring and supporting of youth involved in this practice. I would also want to be involved in sex education classes. According to experts it is vital to include youth’s opinions and ideas if effective solutions are to be found (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011, p.8). As a youth worker I need to facilitate this and make sure that youth are given this voice. Christian Youth Work Perspective Adolescence is a time of life where humans are forming their identity (PBS, 2011, â‚ ±1). Young people are searching for truth, purpose and belonging. Many youth do not have any authority in their life instructing them on how to build and maintain healthy relationships and therefore are more likely to be involved in risky relationships (Burton, L, 2012) Christian youth workers and chaplains have a great opportunity to be in schools educating youth on topics such as identity, purpose and healthy relationships. As a Christian youth worker I want youth to find their true identity in Christ and that they ultimately belong to him. This truth is the most empowering knowledge any human can have and it answers these questions of identity, truth and purpose. Christian Evaluation From a Christian perspective the act of sexting would be seen as sexually immoral behaviour and thus frowned upon because it would contain images that would be considered pornographic. There are countless references to such behaviour in the Bible to support this. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul writes; Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies (NIV). Paul reiterates the sin of sexual immorality in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable†¦ The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (NIV). The message version of Ephesians 5:1-4 provides an excellent example of how healthy relationships are important and without good understanding of them people fall into the trap of immoral behaviour. Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Don’t allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don’t talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect. However, it is not the role of Christians to judge the youth involved in this behaviour, but to encourage them to change this behaviour because it is dangerous. The role of Church should be to promote healthy relationships and demonstrate Christ’s love. Recommendations A community approach is needed if sexting is to be effectively reduced. Parents and the education system need to work together with the youth in order to tackle this issue (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011). The problem could be addressed through: 1. Sex education classes that include advice on (a) the development of healthy relationships, (b) the dangers of sexting and (c) sexual morality and self-image (PVLRCSI, 2012, p.8&9) and (Funnell, N, 2012). 2. Providing seminars for guidance officers, counsellors and chaplains in schools to assist them in addressing this issue with their students (PVLRCS, 2012). 3. Incorporating the voice of youth into the attempts to address the issue of sexting (Walker. S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M, 2011). 4. Schools providing education for parents on the issue of sexting. This should include, (a) the various consequences of sexting, (b) the legal ramifications and (c) how they can impose restrictions on technology more effectively (PVLRCS2012, 2012). 5. Providing a government community service announcement on this issue be, e.g. a television advertisement campaign. 6. Updating the law need to address sexting appropriately. 7. Conducting further research on the topic. Reference List Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). (2010) ‘Trends in media use by children and youth: Insights from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Generation. Retrieved 22 August 2013 from, Burton, L. (2012). Underage and overexposed: Discussing pornography and raunch culture with students. Screen Education, Autumn No. 58, 58-70. Carl, J & Baker, S. (2011). Think Sociology. J.D. Baker, S. Baker, B. Robards, J. Scott, W. Hillman & G. Lawrence (Eds.) (pp.22-23). French Forrest NSW: Pearson Australia. Forde, L . & Hardley, V. (2011). Sexting: The legal implications. The National Education Magazine, June Edition, 56-59. Funnell, N. (2012). Sexting: Male and female – it’s on for young and old. Teachers Learning Network, 19 (2), 37-39. Hewlett Packard (2004). The power of visual communication [PDF file]. Retrieved 18 September 2013, from http://www.hp.com/large/ipg/assets/bus-solutions/power-of-visual-communication.pdf Katzman, D.K. (2010), ‘Sexting: Keeping teens safe and responsible in a technologically savvy world’. Paediatric Child Health, 15(1), 41-2. New South Wales (NSW) Government. (2008)Safe sexting: ‘No such thing’ information sheet for parents. Retrieved 23 August 2013 from, http//www.schools.nsw.edu.au. Parliament of Victoria Law Reform Committee on Sexting Inquiry. (2012). Sexting in Australia: The legal and social ramifications. Retrieved 22 August 2013, from ttp://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/lawrefrom/isexting/subs/S07_-_Salvation_Army_Oasis_Hunter.pdf PBS. (2011). Identity formation. Retrieved 7 September 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/topic/adolescence/identity-formation Tankard-Reist, M (Tutorial DVD) The Society Pages. (2013). Youth, technology and the ‘problem’of sexting [PDF file]. Retrieved 22 August 2013, from http://thesocietypages.org/sociologylens/2013/04/20/young-people-technology-a

The Woman in Black

Susan Hill creates a sense of isolation since the beginning of the novel, when Arthur is at Monk’s Piece. The name of Arthur’s new house (Monk’s Piece), suggest that it is a calm place, but it also could suggest that it is isolated, because in the Middle Ages monks used to meditate alone in isolated places. Isolation is also presented in the other house in the book, which is Eel Marsh House. The only way to access to Eel Marsh House was by crossing a place called ‘Nine Lives Causeway’, which is the only path next to the house.Arthur describes Eel Marsh House as ‘submerged’ and ‘untraceable’, this implies that it is almost impossible to escape from Eel Marsh House. It is submerged because the causeway is under the water and it is untraceable because the marshes last forever. The name of the causeway also creates a sense of isolation, it is called Nine Lives Causeway, and this suggests that you must have nine lives to cross it (or to be very lucky and brave). Isolation is also there when Keckwick leaves Arthur alone in Eel Marsh House.He says that he feels â€Å"alone, outside that gaunt, empty house†. This tells us that Arthur is alone in the house, without protection and he ‘predicts’ that he will see the Woman in Black soon. Another time where we feel isolation is when Arthur is alone at the house and he is so scared that he starts to pray. I think that he prays because he is looking for protection and somebody to talk in God. Mrs Drablow also creates a sense of isolation, especially when Arthur asks for information to Mr Bentley.He says that she lived for a long time in the house with nobody. She didn’t have any friends and she is also described as a â€Å"rum’un†, which means that a person is misbehaving (maybe, this is why Mrs Drablow didn’t have friends. In my opinion, isolation is mostly presented when Arthur is alone at Eel Marsh house, and it is a lso important, because it makes the story ‘more gothic’ and some characters, like Spider (the dog) or Keckwick wouldn’t appear in the story and they make the story more interesting. The Woman in Black Susan Hill creates a sense of isolation since the beginning of the novel, when Arthur is at Monk’s Piece. The name of Arthur’s new house (Monk’s Piece), suggest that it is a calm place, but it also could suggest that it is isolated, because in the Middle Ages monks used to meditate alone in isolated places. Isolation is also presented in the other house in the book, which is Eel Marsh House. The only way to access to Eel Marsh House was by crossing a place called ‘Nine Lives Causeway’, which is the only path next to the house.Arthur describes Eel Marsh House as ‘submerged’ and ‘untraceable’, this implies that it is almost impossible to escape from Eel Marsh House. It is submerged because the causeway is under the water and it is untraceable because the marshes last forever. The name of the causeway also creates a sense of isolation, it is called Nine Lives Causeway, and this suggests that you must have nine lives to cross it (or to be very lucky and brave). Isolation is also there when Keckwick leaves Arthur alone in Eel Marsh House.He says that he feels â€Å"alone, outside that gaunt, empty house†. This tells us that Arthur is alone in the house, without protection and he ‘predicts’ that he will see the Woman in Black soon. Another time where we feel isolation is when Arthur is alone at the house and he is so scared that he starts to pray. I think that he prays because he is looking for protection and somebody to talk in God. Mrs Drablow also creates a sense of isolation, especially when Arthur asks for information to Mr Bentley.He says that she lived for a long time in the house with nobody. She didn’t have any friends and she is also described as a â€Å"rum’un†, which means that a person is misbehaving (maybe, this is why Mrs Drablow didn’t have friends. In my opinion, isolation is mostly presented when Arthur is alone at Eel Marsh house, and it is a lso important, because it makes the story ‘more gothic’ and some characters, like Spider (the dog) or Keckwick wouldn’t appear in the story and they make the story more interesting.

The gold rush essays

The gold rush essays What if the shinny material was never found? In a world of hypothetical questions one has to wonder where our country would be if we had not secured what is currently known to be California, from the ruling hand of Mexico. California state history would be severely different had the Gold Rush never happened. To better understand the affects of this question, I will talk about where the gold rush took place, the results of the gold rush, and the effects of what would happen if the gold rush had not taken place. California derives fro the Latin words Cali and Fornix. Cali fornix means hot oven, another dead end for most linguistic inquiries, but which actually means alchemical crucible, the sort of alchemical crucible that has a single purpose: to turn ordinary materials into gold. (Henry 283). California was later recognized as the golden state; the gold rush came and soon swept California by surprise. The most prevalent area of mining that took place was around the foothills of San Francisco. In the start of the early 1840s there were only a few hundred people living in San Francisco but by the end of the gold rush thousands inhabited there. The citys real estate soon began to rise significantly as did the number of murders and such related crimes. The city of San Francisco burned to the ground six times in the first two years of existence, but the citys vast gold digging entrepreneurs rebuilt the city each and every time. One could say that Californias reason for being was the gold miners who came into the area in search of wealth and fame (Bonanza). Every nook and cranny of the California Mountains was completely engulfed with such miners and as the digging space near the city began to crowd miners began spreading northward and southward. As the miners began to come by the thousands, California began to see the results of its natural fruits (gold)....

Thinking Outside the Box, Turning Rejections to Payments

Thinking Outside the Box, Turning Rejections to Payments Its always painful when we spend time writing up articles only to have them rejected, time and again. However, a simple technique can turn your rejection emails in to payments. You just need to think outside the normal boxes and appeal to a different audience. Let me set the scene. Walking, hiking and backpacking are where I draw most of my inspiration for my writing. I planned a weekend trip to a mountain bothy, a small mountain shelter that is free to use and is a great place to spend an overnight in the wild. They are little more than brick built tents. On my return, I pitched an article to several magazines specialising in hiking and mountaineering. However, they all rejected me. Feeling a bit lost and dejected, I flicked through the long list of magazines accepting submissions. After spending some time reworking the article, I submitted to a completely different genre. Living in the city of London and then spending time in the mountains of Wales, I had the chance to see more of the stars and the heavens than I had ever seen before. Reflecting on this, I decided that it would be good to rewrite the article for a Christian magazine. After all, I am a practising Christian, and enjoy reading about others experiences so why not share my own? I spent some time considering Bible quotations and rewriting the article to reflect how the experience could bring other people closer to God. As the article was for a non-specialist magazine, I need to adapt the language and add explanations that would be required for readers to understand the context of the article. The experience of rewriting was extremely useful, not just to be published, but also to find errors and to tidy up my original article. I pitched to the editor and almost immediately received a response, requesting some images and examples of my previous writing. The article went to features meeting where it was accepted and so I sent the final article with the photographs that I had taken on my trip. The editor was impressed with the uniqueness of the article, especially for his magazine, which led to getting the article published. Having photographs helped too, as this meant that the editor had a complete package and did not need to spend money on stock photography. Magazines that specialise in the outdoors will undoubtedly be inundated with lots of articles on the topic of spending a night in a bothy, so to stand out and have a chance of being published you need to provide a unique angle. Whereas a publication that has a different focus might be more willing to publish as you have a different angle. Try it with one of your own rejected article pitches. Where else could you submit it? Perhaps you could rewrite the news feature for a specialist magazine into an article for a local newspaper. Or maybe a local interest story that was covered My tips for turning rejections to payments:  · Try rewriting the article for a different market  · Look beyond the obvious sources of income, who else might be interested  · Find a different angle for your article  · Try to include photographs and images as editors prefer a complete packaged (you may be paid more for it!)

Family Law - case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Family Law - case study - Essay Example In this case, there is no adultery. Dorothy can get divorce by consent if George agrees to it. It is the easiest way as there are a few problems in this divorce. George is not of incurably unsound mind. The 1937 Act allowed divorce for misfortune and 1964 decision of the House of Lords allowed cruelty as a ground for divorce. George cannot be divorced under cruelty, adultery and physical and mental violence, and hence, mutual consent would be the best way for the divorce. According to Divorce Reform Act 1969, provided that "the sole ground on which a petition for divorce may be presented to the court..shall be that the marriage has broken down irretrievably" (11-008, p.275). Desertion for a continuous period of at least two years cannot be a ground here. Nor George 'has behaved in such a way that the petitioner could not reasonably be expected to live with the respondent.' Parties have not lived apart for two years. According to the Act, court has to grant a divorce decree "unless it is satisfied on all the evidence that the marriage has not broken down irretrievably." If Dorothy insists that marriage has broken down, it is impossible for George to prove otherwise. There are no children under the age of 16 in this case. Marital breakdown becomes the main issue, as Dorothy believes that her marriage cannot be saved. If she makes a statement under section 5(1)(a) on the marital breakdown, she has to state that: 1. The party is aware of the reflection and consideration period under section 7; 2. Wishes to make arrangements for the future. If both make the statements, each of them have to state the above. Dorothy has to prove that George spends all his time and money on his hobby, neglecting her and home. She has to prove negligence on his part and also that she is shouldering all the responsibility on her own. Another point in Dorothy's favour is that she should be able to prove that George's financial contribution to the family home had been inadequate for years. Meeting with the marriage Counsellor becomes an important prerequisite of divorce. According to Family Law Act, 1996, there is no point in allowing the 'empty legal shell' of the marriage to continue, when the actual marriage has already broken down completely. With the divorce, Dorothy will also be entitled to the share of the property, if any. She is also entitled for retirement benefit sharing, pension sharing and Cretney et al (2002), Principles of Family Law, (Family Law Act, 1996, 11-043 to 11-057, pp. 297 - 309). Ancillary relief can be made to either of the party, as in the eyes of law both are equal. In spite of that, Ancillary orders mostly are made in favour of the wives, mainly because their need and closeness to children is thought to be more important. No doubt, every case is weighed according to

Driving Under the Influence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Driving Under the Influence - Essay Example Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA (2013) indicate that motor vehicle crashes resulting from alcohol impairment costs over $37 billion every year. In 2010, the number of associated deaths were 10,000, accounting for about 31% of traffic-related deaths in the US, implying one death in every 51 minutes. Therefore, those driving under the influence pose a serious social problem to the society. This has seen many organizations, such as Students Against Drunk Driving, SADD and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, set up to impact on public attitude and the enactment of appropriate legislation on DUI (Carper & McKinsey, 2012). A police officer could contact a driver for various reasons including speeding, dangerous and aggressive driving, running the red lights or just an equipment violation. Pulling over such drivers aims at ensuring the safety of the suspect and all the other road users. When one is suspected of intoxication and as such stopped, sub mission to a field sobriety test would be required. This preliminary test conducted at the scene could involve standard roadside tests as documented by the NHTSA (2013). An officer conducting the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test looks whether the suspect’s eyes jerk involuntarily. ... Intrusive and extractive methods have however proven to be expensive as more states rely on the accurate and economical method of using machines such as the breathalyzer to measure vapor content. Refusal to submit to such a chemical test in the pre-text of the right against self-incrimination could lead to the driver’s license being revoked. This follows the implied consent to test of sobriety whenever suspected by the police, with Nemeth (2012) documenting this implication through the acceptance of a driving license. Carper & McKinsey give the example of the Illinois Vehicle Code which states that for any one below 21 â€Å"arrested as evidenced by a Uniform Traffic Ticket†¦ shall be deemed to have given consent to chemical tests of blood, breath, or urine† to determine the blood alcohol content of such a person, provided the police have a reason to believe that the driver has consumed alcohol (2012, 474). Even so, before revoking the license, the driver has the r ight to warning of the effect of law and administrative or court hearing. All the 50 states in America have set the blood alcohol concentration, BAC of 0.08 as the legal limit for all drunk driving. The BAC for commercial drivers is even lower, at 0.04. For those below the age of 21, the limit is set to zero: any level of alcohol warrants arrest of such persons. Some jurisdictions illegalize driving while taking alcohol, as such, open container of alcohol in a car could warrant an arrest. BAC conveniently measures the alcohol content in the blood by weight. According to Hunter, Wong, Beighley, and Morral (2006), this intoxication level could be reached by a 120-pound female and 180-pound male after only two

Corporate Strategy and Competition Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Corporate Strategy and Competition Law - Essay Example This analysis shall also include an assessment of whether there are any competition law or antitrust issues which will need to be addressed in the application of this strategy in corporations. Information technology is one of the fastest technologies currently available to man. It is pervasive and it is also a diverse technology and is currently accessible to almost all individuals. The internet, cellular phones, and other digital media have all made the world a much smaller place. What used to be oceans or hours of plane ride away is now just a mouse click away through one’s computer. Transactions can now be carried out without parties having to meet personally with each other. Corporations who take advantage of information technology are likely to save on cost and are likely to reach a wider consumer base. Information technology now resolves the issues of advertising and marketing which used to limit corporations in terms of coverage and impact. With the advent of social networking, information technology is now in a higher level of coverage – its possibilities are limitless and for corporations, it also means that their reach and potential for profit and c ompetitive advantage can be limitless.

Existentialism of Samuel Beckett Essay Example for Free

Existentialism of Samuel Beckett Essay Samuel Beckett was a very astound Existentialist. Beckett’s work was essentially existentialist and consciously or unconsciously, his works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything. Existential philosophy became prevalent in the twentieth century as a symbol of the destruction of culture and tradition following World War II, asserting the hopelessness of humanity and focusing on life in a more honest but pessimistic manner than other socialistic philosophies. The philosophy recognizes the fact that humankind is capable of great evil and has limitless possibilities. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of ones acts. It emphasizes the difference between human existence and that of inanimate objects. Existentialism was a term adopted by Jean-Paul Sartre. Existentialism was identified with a cultural movement that flourished in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s. Heideggers 1927 Being and Time, an inquiry into the â€Å"being that we ourselves are† (which he termed â€Å"Dasein,† a German word for existence), introduced most of the motifs that would characterize later existentialist thinking(Edward). One existentialist view is absolute individuality and absolute freedom. The Existentialist conceptions of freedom and value come from their view of an individual. Since we are all ultimately alone, isolated islands of subjectivity in an objective world, we have absolute freedom over our internal nature, and the source of our value can only be internal. I feel Beckett expressed this view in the expelled when the main character got thrown out of his apartment. He had no one he could turn to for help. He just started wondering the city not caring where he was going. He knew getting thrown out wasn’t the end for him because he controlled his own destiny. Another existentialist view is the view of human nature. Existentialism is defined by the slogan Existence precedes Essence. Meaning we have no predetermined nature or essence that controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us. Human beings have no essential self; they are no more than what they appear. A person is basically born with a blank slate; humans have no uniform, predetermined principles or ethics common to all of mankind. Since there is no preformed essence or definition that exists for what it means to be human, a person must form conception of existence by asserting control of and responsibility for their actions and choices. Consequently, a human being gains essence through individual choices and actions. It is solely through the process of living that one defines ones self(Existence Precedes Essence). I feel Beckett expressed this point heavily in â€Å"Krapp’s Last Tape†. The character was an older man listening to a tape of when he was younger. He could listen to the way he use to think, act and be as a younger man. He was also able to see how his past had affected his life in the present but he still had no idea what laid ahead of him. That is way he made this tape’s so he could remind in self in the future what he thought lay ahead of him in the past. He knew to always go back and listen to the tapes to ponder on what he had made for himself and no had predetermined it. Existentialist encourage us to consider, in a personal way, the meaning of living authentically and inauthentically(Oaklander). Man is the only known being, according to the philosophers, that defines itself merely through the act of living. First you exist, and then the individual emerges as he makes life decisions. Freedom of choice, through which each human being creates their own nature, is one of the basic themes. Because individuals are free to choose their own way, Existentialist have argued that they must accept the risk they choose to take and responsibility of their actions. Those people that follow this believe they are in a world that does not always make sense, a world that is filled with uncertainty where well-intended actions can become obscure and chaotic. In basic existentialist beliefs, man is the only animal defining itself through life. Without life, there is no meaning. Existentialist believe in life and fighting for it. While fighting for life, each person must face important and difficult decisions with only limited knowledge and time in which to make these decisions. Human life is seen as a series of decisions that must be made without knowing what the correct choice is. They must decide what standards to except and which ones to reject. Individuals must make their own choices without help from external standards. Humans are free and completely responsible for their choices. Their freedom and responsibility is thrust upon them and they are â€Å"condemned to be free†. Existentialist belief people are responsible for their actions, decisions and beliefs which caused them anxiety. They try to escape by ignoring or denying their responsibility. To have a meaningful life one must become fully aware of his true self and his situation and bravely accept it. Yet other existentialist thought dictates every person spends a lifetime changing his or her essence. Without life there can be no meaning, the search for meaning in existentialism is the search for self. In other words, we define ourselves by living, killing yourself would indicate you have chosen to have no meaning. Existentialist believe in living, in fact fighting for life. In Molloy I feel Beckett expressed this believe many times. First, at the beginning when his mother was dying and dead. He stated â€Å"I have her room. I sleep in her bed. I piss and shit in her pot. † this says to me that even though she had died he had to continue living his life. Also in Expelled Becket had traces of this theme. At the end when he left the cabdrivers carriage in the morning. I felt he was portraying that he used the cabdriver. He just needed a place to stay the night. The next morning he got up and left without saying anything. He got what he needed to survive the night then continued on his life. Samuel Beckett always used the Quote â€Å"a step from the cradle to the grave†. I feel this Quote means that you are only a split second away from dying. Even when you’re a new born one thing could go wrong and you’re died. Beckett used this saying in many of his writings. One time he used this saying was in the Expelled. He said â€Å"In what had just happened to me there was nothing in the least memorable. It was neither the cradle nor the game of anything whatever. Or rather it resembled so many other cradles, so many other graves, that I’m lost. † the character could not remember anything in life. He could not till if he was at the cradle of his life or the grave because they are so close together in life. Existentialism was a very big part of way Samuel Beckett was such a great writer. His works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything which is way his stories where so great. He was also one of the last people to write in that form. After researching this subject I plan on studying Existentialism more in depth. Works cited 1. Barsoum Diane. Existentialism and the Philosophical Tradition 2. Edward N. Zalta, Standford encyclopedia of philosophy 3. Existence Precedes Essence: Jean-Paul Sartres Existentialism and Human Emotions Online at:http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/186425/existence_precedes_essence_jeanpaul. html? cat=38 4. Grene, Marjorie. Introduction To Existentialism. 5. Oaklander, L. Nathan, Existentialist Philosophy an Introduction.