The Fair Sentencing Act For Mandatory Minimum Sentences

#1 Three salient points from the films/lectures were assessments of change from the five stages of change model (Norcross, j. c., n.d.), the Fair Sentencing Act for mandatory minimum sentences (American Civil Liberties Union, 2010), and eliminating government involvement in regulation of drugs and alcohol substance, while allowing the various states to manage control (ABC News.com, 2007). The first salient point was based on Norcross (n.d.) explaining that finding out and recognizing where the consumer thinks he/she is within the process of change. Asking questions of intention, where do they see themselves, and drawing a working model to show them their actuate stage of change (Norcross, j. c., n.d.). The second salient point was based on the Fair Sentencing Act for mandatory minimum sentences. Over two decades ago people were given longer jail/prison sentences because the belief was that crack cocaine was more harmful to people and community than powder cocaine. These â€Å"disparity fell disproportionately† on minorities, especially black people. Furthermore, with the aid of â€Å"both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama urging reform,† finally a new law that reduces mandatory minimums is active (American Civil Liberties Union, 2010, para 4). The third salient point is based on eliminating government involvement in substance issues at the state level. Ron Paul expressed that he would â€Å"Allow states to deal with such problems.† If states were to manage control over drugs andShow MoreRelatedThe Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws1613 Words   |  7 PagesCurrent mandatory minimum sentencing laws are in dire need of reform. A mandatory minimum sentence is a court decision where judicial discretion is limited by law. As a result, there are irrevocable prison terms of a specific length for people convicted of particular federal and state crimes. As of January 2014, more than 50 percent of inmates in federal prisons are serving time for drug offenses, and more than 60 percent of people incarcerated are racial and ethnic minorities. The use of safetyRead MoreMandatory Minimum Sentences For Nonviolent Drug Related Offences1031 Words   |  5 PagesMandatory minimum sentences are the backbone of a racially unjust, overpopulated, and overpriced criminal justice system. The Smarter Sentencing Act is a bill that aims to r educe the mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug related offences. â€Å"The United States has five percent of the world’s population, and twenty five percent of the world’s prisoners. Our prison population has grown eight hundred percent in the last thirty years, mostly because of changes in state and federal sentencingRead MoreMandatory Minimums712 Words   |  3 Pages Summary: This bill would remove mandatory minimums enacted under the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act invoked by convictions of importing, exporting, manufacturing, distributing, or possessing â€Å"with an intent to distribute† a legally-controlled substance. It repeals several mandatory minimums associated with possession, selling controlled substances in a school zone, employing youth under age 18 to distribute drugs, and the adult sale of controlled substancesRead MoreThe Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe establishment of mandatory minimum sentencing laws has been a policy blunder since their proliferation in the 1980s. Mandatory minimum laws are negatively affecting the U.S, economically and socially. These laws effectively strip judges of their ability to adjudicate a fair punishment by setting a minimum sentence and handing their discretion over to prosecutors. A number of individuals and their f amilies have been negatively affected by mandatory minimum penalties, however, there are othersRead MoreClassical Perspective And Mandatory Sentencing Act837 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Perspective and Mandatory Sentencing Act The classical perspective founded by Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham; stated that at people choose to commit crime after they considered the pros and cons that could be associated with a crime, and believed that the pros outweighed the cons (Tonry,2014). The theory relied on deterring criminal acts by assuring that the consequences of crime are absolute, harsh, and quickly administered (Tonry,2014). Mandatory Sentencing Act Today, more than 2 millionRead MoreThe Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws1528 Words   |  7 Pagescould vary. To have unvaried penalties, mandatory minimum sentencing laws were enacted. These laws help keep citizens protected, while criminals are incarcerated. John Oliver, the host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, talks about how mandatory minimum sentencing increases the number of criminals incarcerated, and he believes the length of their prison time is longer than it should be. He shows videos of criminals who were convicted under the mandatory minimum law with drug crimes. These videos explainRead MoreWelfare Against Mandatory Minimum Law1143 Words   |  5 Pages Families Against Mandatory Minimum also known as FAMM advocate for smart sentencing such as individualized and fair criminal sentencing that protect the public. FAMM is nonprofit supported by attorneys, judges, criminal justice experts and concerned citizens. Their objectives include: uncrowding jails, which use citizens tax money, shift resources from uncrowded jails due to excessive incarceration to other departments such as law enforcement and additional programs whose aims include reducing crimeRead MoreMandatory Minimum Sentences And Sentencing Guidelines899 Words   |  4 Pagesfines, jail time and the overall outcome of a case. This paper will discuss mandatory minimum sentences and sentencing guidelines. Sentencing guidelines are just that, guidelines to follow we a sentencing of an individual is taking place. â€Å"At the national level this effort led to the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, which established a set of guidelines to structure the sentencing process: The guidelines contain a Sentencing Table with 43 offense levels on the vertical axis and six categories of criminalRead MoreThe Effects Of Mandatory Sentencing On The United States Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pagesuse of imprisonment for social control. These policy changes were enacted in order to achieve greater consistency, certainty, and severity and include sentencing laws such as determinate sentencing, truth-in-sentencing, mandatory minimum sentencing, and three strikes laws (National Research Council 2014). Furthermore, I argue that mandatory sentencing has had the most significant effect on the incarceration rate. The political turmoil and changing social climate of the 1960s contributed to the policiesRead MoreRape And Burglary As A Post Incarceration Supervision1730 Words   |  7 Pagesof imposing a life sentence without parole (Sutton, 2013). Mandatory minimums take away the discretion of the judge in sentencing. These officials are bound by statute to place offenders behind bars. Because these statutes are put into place, the judge is not allowed to hand down alternative punishments, nor do they give them the opportunity to prescribe treatment or a change to rehabilitate. Such laws also hold racial discriminatory factors (USSC, 2011). Determinate sentences are those in which

The United States and Latin America Essay - 2618 Words

American attitudes towards Latin America can be summed up as an extension of larger global directives, and the exclusion of foreign powers in the region. This was highlighted especially during the Cold War as US involvement was essentially in competition with the USSR. Latin America was therefore a mere pawn in the larger context of US-Soviet competition for global dominance. The actions and methods used are also characterized by the lack of an international authority, or an atmosphere of inter-state anarchy, which shaped their calculations in the endeavor to increase their influence over Latin America. When one analyzes the situation, it seems only rational that the United States treated its southern neighbors so, due to the geographical†¦show more content†¦While the Cold War does not mark a significant distinction from US involvement in Latin America pre-Cold War, the inclusion of ideology in US foreign policy decisions did mark a change in attitudes and focus. While US p olicy can be described as rational to a certain point, the Cuban dilemma caused an irrational fear in US foreign policy makers to avoid a second-Cuba. The fear of a â€Å"second Cuba† can be seen in the various interventions by the US in Latin America during this period. The motivation behind US endeavors during the Cold War was to interfere with Latin American countries politically to counter the spread of communist ideologies that were seen by the US as being directly opposed to its economic and philosophical interests. The US’ economic interests were spread and consolidated through corporations operating within Latin America such as Alcoa, United Fruit, and others. It is through these corporate interests, which were under threat of nationalizion in their respective countries by leftist governments taking hold, that the US justified much of its involvement toppling governments in the region. US foreign policy in Latin America is greatly influenced by its interactions with Cuba during the late fifties. With the efforts of Fidel and Raul Castro, and other Marxist revolutionaries such as Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, the corrupt and tyrannical caudilloShow MoreRelatedThe United States And Latin America1362 Words   |  6 PagesWhen looking at the history between the United States and Latin America, you see many interactions between them, all that aided the relationship that they have today. Despite that the United States and Latin America are in the same part of the world, the beliefs in which they govern may differ. This difference has often been seen playing a major role in the disputes that have occurred in past. The United States and Latin America have faced many social, economical and governing barriers in formingRead MoreLatino And Hispanic : The United States And Latin America1267 Words   |  6 Pageson behalf of Latino and Latina youth in the U.S. justice system, focuses on the Latinos community residing in the United States and La tin America. Primarily, the research focuses on Latino/a youths in the criminal justice system. Furthermore, the research report discusses Latino communities are getting differential treatment than other racial and ethnic communities from the United States criminal justice system. The research report has many case studies and story of incidences of Latino/a youths facingRead More Nationalism and United States Policy in Latin America Essay6054 Words   |  25 Pagesand throughout Latin America, is the desire to regain control over economic and cultural resources tinged with antipathy towards the United States. The question arises, how does the United States react to nationalism, which manifests as anti-Americanism? This essay analyzes how and why the United States averted the repercussions of Mexican nationalism through diplomatic pressure and negotiation. The essay later compares the United States’ experience with Mexico to the United States’ general attitudeRead M oreWhat Does Mestizaje Play? Latin America And The United States? Essay1704 Words   |  7 Pagestaken place, and what is its importance in Latin America and in the United States. To fully understand the term, one must first pay attention to three central ideas. To start off you must first simply define the word mestizaje, and understand how mestizaje plays a role in Latin American societies by blending and dividing cultures. By defining this principal one may then illustrate how these cultural differences translate to racial differences in the United States. Furthermore, I will be able to explicateRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Global Mobility Of Latin America And The United States1316 Words   |  6 PagesA Guide to Global Mobility in Latin America and the United States Introduction For multinational organizations the global movement of employees is essential, but companies today are faced with a maze of legal issues to consider. The following article provides a regional overview of current trends, key government agencies, and visas for business travel, training and employment assignments for the United States and certain countries in Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, ColombiaRead MoreThe Policies Of The United States During The Period912 Words   |  4 PagesThe policies of the United States during the period 1898-1936 regarding latin america can be broadly covered in phases; the first phase: Big Stick Diplomacy 1898- 1909, the second phase known as Dollar Diplomacy from 1909- 1913, the third phase called missionary diplomacy from 1913- 1921 and finally the fourth phase known and the good neighbor policy 1933- 1936. These four policies had a great impact on not only the landscape of latin america but on the future of the United States in the region. StartingRead MoreEssay The Good Neighbor Policy1074 Words   |  5 Pagesnon-intervention between the United States and Latin America. This was the United States’ attempt to regain trust and economic relations with Latin America. The Good Neighbor Policy had good intentions of no longer intervening with Latin American policies and governments. During the 1930’s, the Great Depression effected the U.S. and Latin American nations. After the stock market crash the U.S. went through an economic depression which would in turn affect Latin America. President Franklin D. RooseveltRead MoreUS Foreign Policy During the 20th Century797 Words   |  4 PagesOver the course of the history of the United States, specific foreign policies have affected the methods in which the U.S. involves itself around the globe. Specifically, certain policies have affected U.S. involvement in Latin America. It is the intention of this essay to explain the United States foreign policy behind specific doctrines. In order to realize current objectives, this paper will proceed as follows: Part 1 will define the Monroe Doctrine, Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 will concurrentlyRead More Training Ground For Murderers Essay1749 Words   |  7 PagesTraining Ground For Murderers Continued U.S. support for the School of the Americas, an institution that has trained dictators and political assassins, is completely unjustifiable. At seven o’ clock in the morning on December 11, 1981 an evil force entered the small El Salvadorian village of El Mezote (School of Assasins). With painted faces and army fatigues, the guerillas carried machine guns and automatic rifles into the peaceful village. As survivor Rufina Amaya recounts, â€Å"At ten o’clockRead More US-Latin America Essay1400 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the United States was the most dominant power in the Western Hemisphere. European nations conceded to the United States their right of any intervention in the Western Hemisphere and allowed the United States to do whatever they wanted. The United States took this newly bestowed power and abused it. The United States intervened in many Latin American countries and imposed their policies on to these countries against their will. A perfect example

Production and Operations Management Essay Example For Students

Production and Operations Management Essay BUS 508: Business Enterprise11th August 20112Analyze Marathon?s product process and determine which phase is open to the greatest number of efficiency improvements. Explain your rationale. Marathon is among the top five crude oil refineries in the United States. It?s an integrated international energy company engaged in exploration and production of oil, sand mining, integrated gas, refining, marketing, and transportation operation. Marathon needs to upgrade a few of their refineries and pipelines in order to increase the production process of heavy crude oils, (marathon.com). For example, once the Detroit Heavy Oil Upgrade Project is completed, the refinery crude capacity will increase from 106,000 bpd to 115,000 bpd. The upgrades will allow the Detroit refinery to process an additional 80,000 barrels of heavy crude oil per day (detriothoup.com). The existing pipelines at the Detroit refinery do not have the capacity to transport additional volumes of crude oil to meet the refinery?s upgrade needs. Therefore a 1.5-mile pipeline will provide an alternative oil supply line to the refinery and provide extra security in the event of a supply disruption. Pipelines are the safest and the most efficient way to transport crude oil and other liquid petroleum products. They reduce traffic and pollution as well as provide economic benefits. Pipelines transport two-thirds of all the crude oil and refined products in the U.S. compared to three percent by tanker trucks. According to detriothoup.com, currently 100,000 barrels of crude per day are transport to the refinery. Transporting the same volume of oil by tanker truck would require between 400 to 500 shipments per refinery day which would be a logistical nightmare and is not cost efficient for any company. Marathon Oil Corporation is a global corporation that is among the world?s leading energy companies. The company?s strategies lie in ?applying innovative technologies to discover and develop valuable energy resources, providing high-quality products to the marketplace and delivering value to all of the 3Companys stakeholders? (Marathon, 2008). Marathon produced a video entitled The Time it Takes to Pro vide America?s Transportation Fuels. The video, set in six phases, explains the process of gasoline production from its inception as crude oil to its processed products as gasoline and other petroleum products. A subsection of Phase one explains the world?s demand for oil and its projected growth. According to the video, it has been estimated that ?world oil demand will grow from 84 million barrels a day in 2009 to approximately 99 million barrels per day in 2030? (Marathon Petroleum Company, 2011, Phase one, World/U.S. Demand); and that the increase would ?require daily crude oil production of fifteen million barrels more than the current production? (Marathon Petroleum Company, 2011, Phase one, World Production). If this projection is correct, the U.S. must develop ways to increase crude oil production since ?less than 40% of the crude oil used in the United States refineries was produced in the U.S.? (Marathon Petroleum Company, 2011, Phase one, Marathon Crude Oil Supply). Discus s the relationship between the retail price of gasoline and the world demand for crude oil. The United States is a big retail gasoline market. There are more than 150,000 retail stations across the country; most locally owned and operated. Every day, tens of millions of Americans stop at a retail gasoline station, regardless of the daily increased gas prices. Whether it is cold, hot, rainy or windy; a retail customer has to fuel his/her vehicle. Because gasolines, as well as crude oil, are commodities that are traded worldwide, the price is determined by supply and demand. ?If the wholesale price of gasoline goes up, retailers have to pay more when they buy their next load. They raise their price to cover the increased cost of the new load? (Marathon 4Petroleum Company, LLC, 2011). The gas prices fluctuate, depending on how high or low the demands for these commodities are. The cost of a gallon of gasoline is determined by production and operational management, federal and state tax es, refining and distribution cost, marketing, retail and profits. Gasoline prices fluctuate in local markets due to competitiveness, world events and disruption in the refinery process. The crude oil market and gasoline market are entangled. However, there are some instances when changes in their perspective markets are not comparable. The escalation of gasoline prices worldwide is under scrutiny because the cost of gasoline significantly impacts the budgets of consumers. The relationship between crude oil prices and gasoline cost at the pump appear broken. Retail prices for gasoline rise more quickly than crude oil and decrease much slower than crude oil. There have been instances when the price of crude oil held steady and at the same time the price of gasoline increase progressively. The increase in gasoline prices sometimes can be attributed to a slowdown in processing thus creating reductions of supply. World situations can disrupt the supply and demand which could affect the price of crude oil. Some crude oil price increases are temporary, while others reflect longer-lasting market changes. These future contracts are agreements that allow the investors to buy or sell oil in the future and for a specified price. ?Crude oil accounts for 55% of the price of gasoline, while distribution and taxes influence the remaining 45%. Usually, distribution and taxes are stable, so that the daily change in the price of gasoline accurately reflects oil price fluctuations. Occasionally, however, distribution lines are disrupted or are down for maintenance, which can sometimes make high gas prices even when oil prices are down? (Amadeo, 2011). The United States imports more than forty-two million gallons of gasoline everyday and U.S. demand increases at an average rate of 0.5 to 1% per year. At the same rate, 5worldwide demand increases as well. ?The only real way to lower gas prices is to lower demand for gas and oil over a long period of time since the U.S. consumes 25 % of the worlds oil. This has increased over the last twenty years, from 15 million barrels per day to 20.7 million barrels per day. A concerted effort might convince commodities traders, who have driven oil prices up 25% in the first quarter of 2008, that oil was a bad investment, thus allowing oil prices to return to pre-bubble levels? (Amadeo, 2011 ). Explain what marathon could do to keep the price at the pump the same without losing profits if the prices of crude decreased by 10%. .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a , .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .postImageUrl , .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a , .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:hover , .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:visited , .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:active { border:0!important; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:active , .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud41a00617ff5543c194b16401634942a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Starbucks Downsizing and Global Growth Strategy Essay It is possible for Marathon to maintain a steady price at the pumps and not lose profit. The key lies in Marathon?s development and use of integrated gas. According to the company?s corporate profile, ?Marathons integrated gas business adds value through the development of opportunities created by demand for natural gas. This business complements the Companys exploration and production operations and opens a wide array of investment opportunities designed to add sustainable value growth? (Marathon, 2008 ). There are many options that Marathon can take to keep prices at the pump the same without losing profits. By ordering material in bulk, the company could competitively price their products to their consumers. However, the company must be careful and balance the amount of material that they purchase; ordering excess material can tie up funds unnecessarily and cause the company to lose income in the future. On the other hand, when you have the needed material on hand you will keep th e loyalty of current customers, possibly gain new ones, and maintain brand recognition that they are known for. Also, Marathon might try reducing labor/man power time (work smarter 6notharder). Cooperate offices should keep detailed accounts of time and how it is being used to see where they will be able to reduce time. They may want to take a look at their cost and see where things can be adjusted or reduced. Look at the employees and their job description. It is possible that they could hire an independent contractor to accomplish this task at a lower price, without the expense of paying for the insurance or additional taxes. In June 2010, President Obama imposed a six month deep water drilling moratorium. Determine the impact of a continued moratorium on deep-water for retail gas prices in the U.S. President Barack Obama suspended deep water drilling in response to the recent disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This moratorium allowed the administration of President Obama to properly investigate the spill and implement new safety requirements. Therefore, the United States oil companies would employ different strategies to remain competitive. United States oil companies will probably deploy their resources to foreign suppliers with whom they have joint venture arrangements for projects. Next, United States oil companies may establish oil industry mergers, alliances, and acquisitions in order to cut costs, especially amongst the smaller companies. Also, United States oil companies may invest in renewable resources and explore alternative fuels. Americans use between 20 and 21 million barrels of oil per day. That translates into 10,000 gallons per second. Currently, domestic production is about seven million barrels per day; roughly one-third of the consummation. About thi rteen to fourteen millions are imported every day (Hofmeister, 2010). If the six month deep-water drilling moratorium were to extend, it would place a larger demand for imported oil, thus 7allowing the retail gas prices to gradually increase. If the industry were permitted to drill both offshore and on federal lands however, this could significantly increase our domestic production. Deep-water drilling has been prohibited in over eighty-five percent of the United States outer continental shelf for the past thirty years by both presidential and congressional moratoria, and drilling on federal lands has been prohibited by federal regulation (Hofmeister, 2010). 8ReferencesDetroit Heavy Oil Upgrade Project. (2010). Retrieved August 9, 2011 from: http:/ www.detrioth oup.comMarathon Oil Corporation. (2010). Annual report. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from: http://www. marathonoil.com/Amadeo, K. (2011). Why gas prices are high. Retrieved August 9, 2011 from: http://useconomy. about.com/od/commoditiesmarketfaq/p/high_gas_prices.htmHofmeister, J. (2010). Why we hate the oil companies. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Marathon Petroleum Company. (2011). The Time It Takes to Provide America?s Transportation Fuels. Available from: http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/content/includes/mpc/info_re sources/the_time_it_takes/index.htm

Male and Female Spatial Ability Essay Example

Male and Female Spatial Ability Essay One theory developed by psychologists working within the biological approach is the idea that males have better spatial ability than females. Spatial ability is the ability to mentally manipulate 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional figures. One way in which spatial ability can be operationalised is in the form of mental rotation test. A mental rotation test requires participants to identify rotated versions of a target stimulus. Mental rotation usually takes place in the right cerebral hemisphere, in the areas where perception also occurs. Mental rotation can be separated into the following cognitive stages (Johnson 1990): 1) Create a mental image of an object 2) Rotate the object mentally until a comparison can be made 3) Make the comparison 4) Decide if the objects are the same or not 5) Report the decision. See below for an example. Shepard and Metzler (1971) have identified sex differences in performance on mental rotation tasks. Males perform better than females (faster and making less mistakes). For this piece of research a quasi experiment is conducted because the variable that makes one group different from the other is gender i. . one condition will be male and the other condition will be female. Since gender is something that cannot be altered, the groups are pre-determined by their biological sex, therefore making it a naturally occurring variable. Any experiment that involves the investigation of a variable like the effect of gender on behaviour is called a quasi experiment because the conditions to which p articipants are assigned is based on a natural phenomenon. In a quasi experiment the independent variable is decided by something beyond the experimenter’s control. We will write a custom essay sample on Male and Female Spatial Ability specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Male and Female Spatial Ability specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Male and Female Spatial Ability specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The aim of this study is to conduct a partial replication of Shepard and Metzler (1971)) research in order to investigate whether sex differences exist between males and females for spatial ability. The research question is: ‘Do males have better spatial ability than females? ’ Based on previous research the experimental one-tailed hypothesis is: ‘Males complete mental rotation tasks more quickly than females’. A one-tailed hypothesis of difference is predicted because of previous findings. The Null Hypothesis is: ‘There will be no difference between the performance of males and females on a mental rotation task’. Operationalising the variables The independent variable is naturally occurring and is simply whether the participants is male or female. Spatial ability, the dependent variable, will be operationalised using a simple mental rotation task. Participants will be required to mentally rotate pictures of objects in order to match each picture with one of six other pictures that show objects mentally rotated in a different position. Participants (10 males and 10 females) will be required to choose the correct match from a selection of six different possibilities. There will be ten separate trials. The ten trails of each participant will be timed, in seconds, and an average time calculated for the completion of each trial. See figure 2 before for an example. Participants: 20 participants took part in the study. They were recruited using an opportunity sample. This method of sampling simply involves asking people to take part who are easily available at the time of study. In this case it was a collection of year 12 and 13 psychology students from three different classes. 10 females and 10 males took part ranging in age from 16-18 year. To follow ethical guidelines full informed consent was obtained from each participant. This detailed the purpose of the study and explained that all results would be kept entirely confidential and participants could withdraw from the study at any point. Participants could withhold their results from the mental rotation task if they wished. Controls Because the study is a laboratory experiment, controls can be put in place to prevent confounding variables affecting the results. It is therefore possible to be more confident that any difference between the results of the males and females is only due to their gender. Controls in this experiment included ensuring that all participants undertook the task in silence. All participants took the test in the same school computer lab and at the same time of day (Between 1:00 and 2:00pm). All participants were of a similar age and all participants did exactly the same task. Participants were seated a desk apart so they could not copy each others answers. Design As there are two groups of different participants, one male and one female, to compare times between groups the research design is an independent groups – each participants is only in one group (condition). Procedure A pilot study was conducted with 5 students not taking part in the study. This enabled the researchers to check the timings involved in administering the mental rotation test and also to check that everything ran smoothly. The study also enabled the researchers to perfect the wording of the standardised instructions. For the main study 10 male participants sat at separate desks in the computer room with the mental rotation programme loaded. Participants read and signed a consent form. The experimenter then read from a standardised set of instructions explaining the procedure and giving permission for participants to begin the 10 mental rotation trails when they were ready. Sitting next to each participant was a research assistant on hand to time the task. In their own time participants began the task – matching a 2D object with one of six other mentally rotated objects. This was completed in silence. After all participants had taken part a full debrief was read out to all participants, explaining the details of the research. All participants were told they could review the findings when the data had been analysed. Results The mean score (measured in seconds) for each participant can be seen below. The mean is one measure of central tendency. If a sensitive value because all scores are taken into however this may cause the value to be skewed if there are outlying values. The mean time to complete each mental rotation trial for males was 5. 84 seconds compared to 7. 73 seconds for females. This means that males completed each on average 1. 89 seconds faster than their female counterparts. This data is represented in a visual form in the graph below which shows an observable difference between males and females. Inferential statistics To test whether there is a significant difference between the sets of scores an inferential statistical test needs to be undertaken. This tests the probability of whether the difference between males and females is due to chance or whether the difference is due to the independent variable. An inferential statistical test is used to test the significance of the results, which will indicate whether to accept or reject the null hypothesis. Inferential statistics will indicate the probability that the results are due to chance. If the probability of the results being due to chance is high you cannot reject the null hypothesis and must assume that there is no difference between the spatial ability of males and females. However if the probability that the results are due to chance is very low (say 5% or P lt; 0. 05) you can reject the null hypothesis and therefore accept the experimental hypothesis and thus assume that there is a real significant difference between the spatial abilities of males and females. When doing an inferential statistical test on the data one must select the appropriate test. To do this you must look at: 1) the type of data collected (level of measurement), 2) the research design of the experiment and 3) whether the research is looking for a difference or a relationship (correlation) between sets of data. For this experiment the correct test to use is a Mann-Whitney test because 1) the data gathered is ratio data, 2) the research design is independent groups and 3) we’re looking for a difference between sets of scores for two different groups of participants. The results of our Mann Whitney Test produced a U value of 19. 5. Because this is less than the critical value (23) from the statistical table the results are significant. Therefore the null hypothesis is rejected and the experimental hypothesis is accepted. This means that we have found support for the idea that males do have better spatial ability than females, but it does not prove it. The results are due to a real effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. Conclusion One can conclude from the above research that males perform mental rotation tasks more quickly than females. The experimental hypothesis is accepted ‘Males complete mental rotation tasks more quickly than females’. However this conclusion should be considered in light of the issues described below. Issue of Validity The mental rotation is not really a true reflection of how we normally use spatial information in everyday life e. g. when driving, writing and many other everyday activities. As such this experiment may be considered to be low in ecological validity. The test is not a particularly realistic test of spatial ability as the mental rotation task is only looking at one very specific type of spatial ability. Validity may also be questioned because of the controlled, artificial setting used. Participants knew that their performance was being monitored and this may have influenced their behaviour. Males are possibly more competitive when they know they are being watched which may explain why males performed better than females. (There may be more of a social facilitation effect for males compared to females). Other threats to validity may come from demand characteristics i. e. males may respond more to demand characteristics that females or males may respond more to experimenter effects than females. All these alternative explanations as to why males may perform better than females threaten the validity of the study. Reliability Each person who took part in the study had their spatial ability measured using the same test scored in exactly the same way, so the internal reliability (consistency) is good. The findings are externally reliable in the sense that they produced a consistent finding to that of previous research. The fact that the study can be easily replicated, partly because it is a laboratory study, means that the reliability can be tested. Generalisability Only having 10 participants in each group all of whom are between 16 and 18 years of age and from Enfield, is not a broad enough sample to make generalisation about populations beyond the sixth form where the study took place. A larger more representative sample is needed to be able to make more confident generalisations to a wider population. Since all students are studying A-levels they do not represent the academic abilities of all students and hence the sample is not fully representative. Credibility The overall credibility of the experiment may be questioned as the research took place in an artificial setting and the results could have been the result of where and how the experiment was conducted rather than the result of the difference between males and females in terms of spatial ability. Because the experiment may have validity issues plus problems with generalisation caused by the limited and unrepresentative sample many psychologists would argue that the results lack credibility. More evidence may therefore be needed to support the hypothesis that males have better spatial ability than females. Male and Female Spatial Ability Essay Example Male and Female Spatial Ability Essay One theory developed by psychologists working within the biological approach is the idea that males have better spatial ability than females. Spatial ability is the ability to mentally manipulate 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional figures. One way in which spatial ability can be operationalised is in the form of mental rotation test. A mental rotation test requires participants to identify rotated versions of a target stimulus. Mental rotation usually takes place in the right cerebral hemisphere, in the areas where perception also occurs. Mental rotation can be separated into the following cognitive stages (Johnson 1990): 1) Create a mental image of an object 2) Rotate the object mentally until a comparison can be made 3) Make the comparison 4) Decide if the objects are the same or not 5) Report the decision. See below for an example. Shepard and Metzler (1971) have identified sex differences in performance on mental rotation tasks. Males perform better than females (faster and making less mistakes). For this piece of research a quasi experiment is conducted because the variable that makes one group different from the other is gender i. . one condition will be male and the other condition will be female. Since gender is something that cannot be altered, the groups are pre-determined by their biological sex, therefore making it a naturally occurring variable. Any experiment that involves the investigation of a variable like the effect of gender on behaviour is called a quasi experiment because the conditions to which p articipants are assigned is based on a natural phenomenon. In a quasi experiment the independent variable is decided by something beyond the experimenter’s control. We will write a custom essay sample on Male and Female Spatial Ability specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Male and Female Spatial Ability specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Male and Female Spatial Ability specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The aim of this study is to conduct a partial replication of Shepard and Metzler (1971)) research in order to investigate whether sex differences exist between males and females for spatial ability. The research question is: ‘Do males have better spatial ability than females? ’ Based on previous research the experimental one-tailed hypothesis is: ‘Males complete mental rotation tasks more quickly than females’. A one-tailed hypothesis of difference is predicted because of previous findings. The Null Hypothesis is: ‘There will be no difference between the performance of males and females on a mental rotation task’. Operationalising the variables The independent variable is naturally occurring and is simply whether the participants is male or female. Spatial ability, the dependent variable, will be operationalised using a simple mental rotation task. Participants will be required to mentally rotate pictures of objects in order to match each picture with one of six other pictures that show objects mentally rotated in a different position. Participants (10 males and 10 females) will be required to choose the correct match from a selection of six different possibilities. There will be ten separate trials. The ten trails of each participant will be timed, in seconds, and an average time calculated for the completion of each trial. See figure 2 before for an example. Participants: 20 participants took part in the study. They were recruited using an opportunity sample. This method of sampling simply involves asking people to take part who are easily available at the time of study. In this case it was a collection of year 12 and 13 psychology students from three different classes. 10 females and 10 males took part ranging in age from 16-18 year. To follow ethical guidelines full informed consent was obtained from each participant. This detailed the purpose of the study and explained that all results would be kept entirely confidential and participants could withdraw from the study at any point. Participants could withhold their results from the mental rotation task if they wished. Controls Because the study is a laboratory experiment, controls can be put in place to prevent confounding variables affecting the results. It is therefore possible to be more confident that any difference between the results of the males and females is only due to their gender. Controls in this experiment included ensuring that all participants undertook the task in silence. All participants took the test in the same school computer lab and at the same time of day (Between 1:00 and 2:00pm). All participants were of a similar age and all participants did exactly the same task. Participants were seated a desk apart so they could not copy each others answers. Design As there are two groups of different participants, one male and one female, to compare times between groups the research design is an independent groups – each participants is only in one group (condition). Procedure A pilot study was conducted with 5 students not taking part in the study. This enabled the researchers to check the timings involved in administering the mental rotation test and also to check that everything ran smoothly. The study also enabled the researchers to perfect the wording of the standardised instructions. For the main study 10 male participants sat at separate desks in the computer room with the mental rotation programme loaded. Participants read and signed a consent form. The experimenter then read from a standardised set of instructions explaining the procedure and giving permission for participants to begin the 10 mental rotation trails when they were ready. Sitting next to each participant was a research assistant on hand to time the task. In their own time participants began the task – matching a 2D object with one of six other mentally rotated objects. This was completed in silence. After all participants had taken part a full debrief was read out to all participants, explaining the details of the research. All participants were told they could review the findings when the data had been analysed. Results The mean score (measured in seconds) for each participant can be seen below. The mean is one measure of central tendency. If a sensitive value because all scores are taken into however this may cause the value to be skewed if there are outlying values. The mean time to complete each mental rotation trial for males was 5. 84 seconds compared to 7. 73 seconds for females. This means that males completed each on average 1. 89 seconds faster than their female counterparts. This data is represented in a visual form in the graph below which shows an observable difference between males and females. Inferential statistics To test whether there is a significant difference between the sets of scores an inferential statistical test needs to be undertaken. This tests the probability of whether the difference between males and females is due to chance or whether the difference is due to the independent variable. An inferential statistical test is used to test the significance of the results, which will indicate whether to accept or reject the null hypothesis. Inferential statistics will indicate the probability that the results are due to chance. If the probability of the results being due to chance is high you cannot reject the null hypothesis and must assume that there is no difference between the spatial ability of males and females. However if the probability that the results are due to chance is very low (say 5% or P lt; 0. 05) you can reject the null hypothesis and therefore accept the experimental hypothesis and thus assume that there is a real significant difference between the spatial abilities of males and females. When doing an inferential statistical test on the data one must select the appropriate test. To do this you must look at: 1) the type of data collected (level of measurement), 2) the research design of the experiment and 3) whether the research is looking for a difference or a relationship (correlation) between sets of data. For this experiment the correct test to use is a Mann-Whitney test because 1) the data gathered is ratio data, 2) the research design is independent groups and 3) we’re looking for a difference between sets of scores for two different groups of participants. The results of our Mann Whitney Test produced a U value of 19. 5. Because this is less than the critical value (23) from the statistical table the results are significant. Therefore the null hypothesis is rejected and the experimental hypothesis is accepted. This means that we have found support for the idea that males do have better spatial ability than females, but it does not prove it. The results are due to a real effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. Conclusion One can conclude from the above research that males perform mental rotation tasks more quickly than females. The experimental hypothesis is accepted ‘Males complete mental rotation tasks more quickly than females’. However this conclusion should be considered in light of the issues described below. Issue of Validity The mental rotation is not really a true reflection of how we normally use spatial information in everyday life e. g. when driving, writing and many other everyday activities. As such this experiment may be considered to be low in ecological validity. The test is not a particularly realistic test of spatial ability as the mental rotation task is only looking at one very specific type of spatial ability. Validity may also be questioned because of the controlled, artificial setting used. Participants knew that their performance was being monitored and this may have influenced their behaviour. Males are possibly more competitive when they know they are being watched which may explain why males performed better than females. (There may be more of a social facilitation effect for males compared to females). Other threats to validity may come from demand characteristics i. e. males may respond more to demand characteristics that females or males may respond more to experimenter effects than females. All these alternative explanations as to why males may perform better than females threaten the validity of the study. Reliability Each person who took part in the study had their spatial ability measured using the same test scored in exactly the same way, so the internal reliability (consistency) is good. The findings are externally reliable in the sense that they produced a consistent finding to that of previous research. The fact that the study can be easily replicated, partly because it is a laboratory study, means that the reliability can be tested. Generalisability Only having 10 participants in each group all of whom are between 16 and 18 years of age and from Enfield, is not a broad enough sample to make generalisation about populations beyond the sixth form where the study took place. A larger more representative sample is needed to be able to make more confident generalisations to a wider population. Since all students are studying A-levels they do not represent the academic abilities of all students and hence the sample is not fully representative. Credibility The overall credibility of the experiment may be questioned as the research took place in an artificial setting and the results could have been the result of where and how the experiment was conducted rather than the result of the difference between males and females in terms of spatial ability. Because the experiment may have validity issues plus problems with generalisation caused by the limited and unrepresentative sample many psychologists would argue that the results lack credibility. More evidence may therefore be needed to support the hypothesis that males have better spatial ability than females.

Money or Family Values First Which Way to Go

Money or Family Values First Which Way to Go The fast paced life and major shifts in socioeconomic front witnessed in the 21st century has necessitated major re-alliances and re-alignments of what people consider important for their wellbeing and survival. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Money or Family Values First? Which Way to Go specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Principles and philosophies that not so long ago served to preserve the social fabric have been discarded, and their place taken by the inordinate self-directed obsession of monetary and wealth accumulation that is characteristic of most people living in this generation. While money and wealth accumulation are valid indicators of economic progress, the methodologies and strategies that are employed to gain them continues to raise more questions than answers. Today, more than ever before, people have become increasingly obsessed with their work for purposes of accumulating more wealth to an extent t hat family and societal values are relegated to a distant position in the hierarchy of needs perceived to be of importance. It is against this background that this paper purposes to evaluate by comparing and contrasting the various factors and issues that will assist us to understand what, between money and family values, should be of primary importance. It is indeed true that the dream of nearly everyone in this world is to become financially independent and happy, and money is largely viewed as the only silver conduit to financial freedom and enjoyment of life. However, it must be said that this kind of thinking is grounded on misconstrued facts and perceptions that only borders the bizarre. The foremost requirement for individuals aspiring to become financially stable and lead a happy life is to learn how to spend and save the money accrued over their lifetimes and, more importantly, how to invest the financial resources to attain stability. These valuable lessons are best inte rnalized at the family level, and family values play a significant role in molding the principles and perceptions of how young children will utilize their resources later in life depending on what they learn from their parents and older siblings. If the parents are careless with how they spend their money, chances are that the children will internalize that in their value system and will likely become careless spenders later on. As such, family values becomes the epicenter of shaping individual behavior and actions towards the attainment of a certain good, while money assumes the position of facilitating the attainment of a certain good such as that of becoming financially independent.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Establishing strong family values undoubtedly creates a foundation which permits people, especially young children, to make wise choices on their own. In deed, the values espoused at the family level not only acts as a moral guide to the members of a family, but also functions as the cornerstone of their own conscience. It is primarily the family that functions to instill such values as integrity, respect, forgiveness, self-discipline, and honesty, among others. In the absence of these values, money looses its place in making our lives more fulfilling by virtue of assisting us to meet our needs. Money, in its holistic form and nature, can neither be used to buy the values that are so fundamental to our very own existence such as self-discipline and honesty nor can it be used to buy some states of wellbeing such as happiness and health. For instance, movie celebrities are not only known for their fat wallets and fame, but also for their erratic behaviors such as drug abuse, law-breaking, and high-level divorces. On the contrary, the internalization of good family values into people’s lives allows them the opportunity to use money to enhance the attainment of states of wellbeing that guarantee happiness and health. As such, money assumes a secondary role of making our lives more fulfilling, and may indeed miss out on playing such a role in the absence of good family values. In line with the above, family values helps us discern what is good from the bad, and offers us the opportunity to develop our feelings of self-worth and identity. However, character and self-worth cannot be measured or evaluated in terms of dollars or monetary predisposition. It is true that money can bring security and comfort, but this should not be misconstrued to imply that an individual with lots of money is valued or evaluated using the monetary yardstick. For example, drug lords and bank robbers have a lot of money, but certainly aren’t perceived as people of upright moral values by individuals who know what they do. The fact that society defines people by their actions and behavior, not by their wealth, therefore ass umes a paramount role in this discussion. Certainly, the family is one of the most essential facets of an individual’s life, and the values transferred to the individual by the family institution define his self-worth and identity. As such, it is important to first entrench responsible actions and behavior at the family level before thinking about what money can do to transform lives in ways such as getting a good education, donating to charity, or establishing a business venture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Money or Family Values First? Which Way to Go specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It can be safely agued that family values assists individuals to develop their own world views in ways which money can possibly never achieve. The worldviews that people form are basic to their very own existence since they helps them traverse various life challenges by formulating strategies and frameworks for proper conf lict resolution and coping mechanisms. It is universally agreeable that a weak, negative, or disjointed worldview only serves to occasion more problems that cannot be solved by the financial capability of an individual. For example, Mike Tyson was a great and astute boxer, but his negative worldview arising from his poor upbringing as a child brought him problems with the law enforces that could not be solved by his vast financial resources, resulting in his jailing. This example demonstrates that family values are extremely important in assisting an individual to develop a positive worldview, which inarguably goes a long way to define the capacity of such an individual in developing relationships with others and in conflict resolution. Money and wealth cannot assist an individual in developing good relationships or solving conflicts that are so prevalent in modern society in the absence of family values and, as such, they only assume a secondary role as far as values are concerne d. It is a well known fact that family values are affected by the socioeconomic realities within the family setup, and that money is an important indicator of the socioeconomic status of a family. Indeed, some individuals use this line of thinking to conclude that families with strong economic status have strong family values, implying that money and the wealth it accumulates are the foremost determinants of a family’s capacity to have good family values. However, this is a fallacy that is not only wrong in its interpretation, but has served to instill a misplaced perception that money is everything. In India, for example, the Caste system aligns families with their social economic status, but no evidence has to date been adduced to the effect that families within the lower castes have lesser family values than those in the upper levels of the system. As a matter of fact, it is more rational to argue along the continuum that family values determines the socioeconomic status of individuals since evidence can be adduced to support this argument. For example, children from families which abhor alcoholism and drug abuse are more likely to become successful in life than those reared by alcoholic parents. As such, family values are more important than money All in all, the above discussion has demonstrated why family values must take precedence over monetary considerations. Money is good, but it is not the panacea for leading a prosperous and fulfilling life. However, the capitalistic nature of modern society coupled with misleading media reports and advertisements are entrenching a new angle in our perceptions about what money can do for us to a point where the position of family values in the social matrix is increasingly been threatened by our compulsive love for money. Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When parents start to worship money, children will have no alternative other than to view money as of primary importance to the values that will help them later in life. This trend should be reversed at all costs.

Present Simple Exceptions in English Grammar

Present Simple Exceptions in English Grammar Here is the most important English language rule to remember: Almost every rule is about 90% valid. As confusing as that concept may be, it is certainly one of the most frustrating and truthful things about learning English. All that hard work to learn the correct grammar and then you read or hear something like this: Peter does want to come this summer. Its just that he cant get off work. As an excellent student, the first thought that comes to your mind is; wait a minute, that first sentence is a positive sentence.  Does want  cant be correct. It should be; Peter  wants to come this summer. Of course, according to what you have learned you are correct. However, in certain instances, you can use both the auxiliary and principal verb together to form a positive sentence. We allow this exception to add extra emphasis. In other words: Peter really wants to come this summer. Exceptions to the (English) Rules This feature will concern the various uses of and exceptions to the simple present. You all know that we usually use the simple present to express: Habitual actionsOpinions and preferencesTruths and facts You also know that the standard construction is the following: Positive: Tom goes to the beach on SaturdaysNegative: Mary doesnt like to eat fish on Fridays.Interrogative: Do they work in New York? Here are some simple present exceptions/extra possibilities. Exception 1 In order to add stress to a positive sentence, we can use the auxiliary verb to do. We often use this exception when we are contradicting what someone else has said. Example: A: I dont think Peter wants to come with us this summer. He told me that he wouldnt be able to come, but I think he just doesnt want to come with us. B: No, thats not true. Peter  does  want to come. Its just that he has too much work and cant get away from the office. Exception 2 The simple present can also be used for the future. We use the simple present to express future, scheduled, events with verbs that express beginning and end, or departure and arrival. Example: A: When does the train for Paris leave?B: It leaves at 7 tomorrow morning. Exception 3 We use the simple present in time clauses when talking about future events. The  when  is expressed with the simple present. The  result  is expressed with a future form, usually the future with will. Time clauses are introduced by time signifiers such as when, as soon as, before, after, etc. The construction is the same as the first conditional except that we use a time signifier such as as soon as instead of if. Example: A: When are you going to come and see the new house?B: We will come as soon as we finish the Smith project. Exception 4 We often use the simple present when we write timelines or biographical outlines even if all the events take place in the past. Example: 1911 - Pete Wilson is born in Seattle, Washington.1918 - Pete begins to play the saxophone.1927 - Pete is discovered by Fat Man Wallace.1928 - Fat Man Wallace arranges Petes first concert with Big Fanny and the Boys in New York.1936 - Pete goes to Paris. Exception 5 In the question form, we usually use the auxiliary verb to do. However, if the question word/words (usually who, which or what) express the subject and not the object of the sentence, the question is asked using positive sentence structure with a question mark. By the way, this is true of other tenses as well. Example: Regular: Who do you work with? (some people prefer Whom do you work with?)Exception: Who works with you? Regular: Which toothpaste do you use?Exception: Which brands of toothpaste use fluoride? Exception 6 Time words cause a great deal of confusion to English learners. Here are some exceptions concerning time words. Adverbs of frequency such as regularly, usually, normally, always, often, sometimes, never, etc. are generally put before the main verb. However, they can also be put at the beginning or end of a sentence. Example: Regular: John usually arrives home at 5 oclock.Also possible: Usually John arrives home at 5 oclock OR John arrives home at 5 oclock usually. Note: Some teachers do not consider the other possibilities correct. However, if you listen carefully to native speakers, you will also hear these forms used. Exception 7 The verb to be also causes special problems. If the adverb of frequency is placed in the middle of the sentence (as is usually the case) it must  follow  the verb to be. Example: Regular: Fred often eats in a bar and grill.To be: Fred is often late to work. Exception 8 This is one of the strangest uses of adverbs of frequency. Negative adverbs of frequency used in the initial position of a sentence must be followed by question word order. These adverbs include  rarely, never,  and  seldom. Example: Regular: Patricia rarely finishes work before 7 p.m.Initial placement: Seldom does John play volleyball. The above exceptions are certainly not the  only  exceptions, however, they are some of the most common ones that you will encounter in your English language-learning journey.

Stress Management in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stress Management in the Workplace - Essay Example An incident that went in front of my eyes was when one of my peers had to face a very stressful situation at the hands of her boss who was constantly harassing her in one way or the other. This meant that she had to undergo immense mental and psychological torture which was bracketed under the heading of both sexual harassment as well as stress that she was taking almost on a daily basis. It left her into resigning soon after but with the help and assistance of a few friends that even included me; she went back to work and spoke to the human resources department about the same as well (Warn, 2003). This made her feel good because her irony was documented for and she felt valuable within the domains of the organization nonetheless. The reason why she was holding back her thoughts and feelings was due to the fact that she was her subordinate and did not know how to go about dealing with such a delicate matter involving her superior. Once her friends exclaimed to her that she had to get her act together and take back her resignation because it was uncalled for, things were set right immediately. The workplace stress was such that she had started to believe that the mistake was hers and that she was a victim of some form of shortcoming on her own part, which was simply not the case at all. Her friends made her realize that she needed to get her act together and speak to the human resources department to bring an end to both her stressful regimes as well as the harassment ordeal that she was going through. I found out that she got the courage after her friends at the workplace found out and they helped her get through to the relevant individual within the human resources department which was a very quintessential aspect of the whole debate nonetheless. There were quite a few learning that were done on my part. I found out that the stress

Ancient giza Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ancient giza - Research Paper Example The pyramid is believed to have been built as a tomb for one Egyptian Pharaoh whose name was Khufu. This explains the name Pyramid of Khufu. The name is translated as Cheops in Greek language and this also explains why the pyramid is also known as Pyramid of Cheops. Khufu was a pharaoh in the fourth dynasty. How pyramids were built. Pyramids were normally built from quarry stones. One of the major challenges faced by the Egyptians during early pyramid building was the mobility of the huge rocks as well as other raw materials. The illustrations from the Djehutihoep of the twelfth dynasty show an alabaster statue being pulled by around one hundred and seventy two people. It is estimated that the statue was about sixty tons heavy. It further estimated that one rock block required about forty five workers to move a block of about sixteen thousand three hundred kilogram (Penn State University 23). The Symbolism of Pyramids The shape of pyramids in early Egypt are said to have been symboli c. They are believed to have been representing primordial mound. The early Egyptians believed that the earth had been created from the primordial mound. The shape itself was believed to be a representation of the sunrays. For this reason most pyramids were from high polished and reflective white limestone. The purpose of this was to give the pyramid a shiny look like the sun. Some pyramids were given names that give them a sunny description. For instance, the pyramid at Senwosret in El-Lalun was formed named as Senwosret is shining. While it is generally accepted that the pyramids were general burial monuments, there have been continued disagreement about the particular theological foundational principles surrounded them. One of the theories is that they had been designed as a form of "resurrection machine.† The mummies in the pyramids were actually thought to continue with their lives (Lehner 84). The Egyptians had believed that the dark area brought by the night sky which th e stars appeared around was a heaven gate way. There was a sharp pointed end at the top of the pyramid. This has been believed to suggest that the pyramids were actually a way to send the demised pharaohs to the gods through this opening. Most of the Egyptian pyramids were located on or closer to the banks of river Nile. Most of these pyramids were found on the West of river Nile. This was where the sun normally set. This is said to have a symbol of representation of the demise of the pharaoh to be buried in that pyramid. This can be logically attributed that Nile was an important source of raw materials. The alluvial soil from the river banks as well as the proximity to a large quantity of water. Most of the Egyptian is desert and therefore proximity too water for such heavy construction is very important. The ancient Egypt had an elaborate and complex form of civilization. In fact the civilization from ancient Egypt is said to have influenced civilization in other parts of the wor ld. Although Arabic is the currently widely spoken language the Egyptian language was an indigenous language that was spoken during the ancient. They even had laws (Shupak 103). The language can be evidence from the specific kind of writing that existed in the ancient Egypt. The writings are known as the hieroglyphics. These writings were normally preserved on reeds, papyrus reeds. The Egyptian language kept evolving. The Coptic language was a stage of the

Youth and Sports Essay Example for Free

Youth and Sports Essay Raising children in today’s society is not for the faint of heart. Raising children has never been easy, but it is especially difficult in youth sports today. Coaches and parents are putting a lot of pressure on our young sons and daughters. The pressure to succeed in sports at such a young age is taking the fun out of the sport by making it all about winning. A Personal Perspective My own interaction in youth sports has been many: As a parent, participant and an observer. My experiences as a child in youth sports were mostly positive. In my early days of sports in school, all children were encouraged to play for their school, skill level did not matter. There were no tryouts and no one got cut. We all were equal no matter what our overall ability. Sports were an enjoyable competition between schools and were simply for fun. I remember playing on my elementary schools basketball team. My coach was the school science teacher and my teammates were my friends and classmates. Our practices would be right after school and we would only practice for one hour. I remember the practices as an extended gym class. We would just run around, laugh, have fun and learn a few plays. I do not ever recall a coach yelling at me when I made a mistake or made a bad play. I remember the coach saying, â€Å"that’s ok, shake it off, you’ll get it next time. † I never worried about being pulled from a game if I made a mistake. We all played our fair share. We played the game as a game, with an opportunity to learn skills, compete, increase confidence, and have fun, we were able to go with the flow, relax and play for the sake of playing. Even our parents back then would just sit and enjoy the game. They didn’t yell at us to run faster or play harder. They didn’t even yell at the referee for making a bad call. I remember my parents telling me before every game, â€Å"Have fun and do the best you can† and after the game no matter how I played they would say, â€Å"You played a great game†. They always asked me if I had a fun time playing. I always did. I didn’t remember the losses. I remember playing with my friends and laughing about how bad we played some days. It seems like in youth sports today, the emphasis is no longer on developing skills through competition, with others and with yourself, but on the win-loss record, points scored, etc. Youth sports are run by adults. Adults tend to focus on the wins. When an adult arrives at end of the game, as the kids come off the field or court, what are the first words out of their mouth? Its usually Who won? or Did you score any points, get any hits, etc.? The children, meanwhile, are talking about whose mom brings the biggest candy bars for snacks! If, we as adults, teach our kids to focus on the winning, scoring, and scholarships, rather than skill improvement and having fun than mistakes or losses are not seen as opportunities to learn, but as occasions of failure and are to be avoided at all cost. If children think only in terms of winning, the pressure is on. Over the years I have seen how the youth programs are turning. Burned-out teenage athletes, coach-parent conflicts and abusive parents are indicators of a deep and continuing problem in youth sports. Youth sports programs have become the focal point of many families. The increased interest in sports over the past two decades have promoted the increased promotion of these programs, as well as developed interest on the part of parents to encourage participation by their children. It is disturbing to look behind the facade and to realize that children participating in organized sports are often pressured; they feel the pressure to fit in; they worry that they will only fit in if they are athletically talented; they feel the pressure that they need to win, to please their parents and coaches. Children develop their sense of fair play and their perceptions of ethical behavior in part within the context of these programs. These programs can also make a significant impact on the development of a childs self- perception, self-esteem and emotional health. If the messages displayed by adults in reference to the sporting events have a decidedly negative tone, the impact of youth sports programs on the emotional development of children will not have positive outcomes. There are a number of factors that can impact the influences of organized youth sports programs on the participants, and studies have shown that the results of the full picture of youth sports is not always a positive one. Some of the influencing factors include: the participation of parents in youth sports programs, the suggestion by coaches, parents and observers that winning is more important than the game itself, and the nature of sports, that lends itself to competitive and aggressive behavior. It is difficult to develop a concrete perspective about the impacts of youth sports programs without considering these influences. A Child’s Perspective Many children simply want to participate in sports programs to have fun, have a recreational activity and work together with friends towards a common goal (Kohl and Nelson, 1990). It has been recognized that competition can foster mistrust between children, when winning serves to dismiss losers, creates envy of the winners and leads children away from the focus of the game (Kohn and Nelson, 1990). It is also clear that the pressure that parents place on their children to compete and win creates its own set of inherent psychological dilemmas. Pressure to play on an elite team is an issue that should really boil down to what your child wants. A parent needs to read the signs indicating that a child wants to be on an elite team. If a child needs prodding to get ready and go to practice, the child who consistently does not want to go may not be suited for an elite team. Sometimes, the kids who complain about doing things outside their comfort zone just need a little push to discover they enjoy whatever it is they are so adamantly opposed to doing. But, after a season of being on an elite team, it should be apparent whether or not the child wants to continue with the sport at a higher level. I always make it clear to my son that he can play whatever sport he wants and at whatever level he wants. In his fifth year of hockey, he decided that he didn’t want to continue to play travel hockey despite his obvious skill level and the prodding of several teams trying to convince him that he â€Å"needed† to continue or he would fall behind. We laughed about the coaches who had told him this. I asked, â€Å"fall behind in what? † I had never been a parent who thought my son was going to be a professional hockey player. My goal was to involve him in sports that he enjoys and that would allow him to grow and experience the life lessons that sports can teach. At that point he loved hockey, but just didn’t want to have it take up so much of his social time. The following year the travel hockey flame was rekindled and he was more enthusiastic than he had ever been about playing. He still loves the game, and despite the fact I really believed he may be able to play at a collegiate level if he really wants to put in the work, he plays for fun and most likely will play for the rest of his life. The bottom line is, a family should not be pressured into anything, especially when it comes to their children. Ultimately, our children should have the biggest say in what they want to be involved in and at what level. Children who have been pressured by their parents in youth sports activities often display increased amounts of anxiety along with an increased level of awareness about the importance of the game (Weider, 1993). In other words, one child may be able to perceive the game as simply a game, but another child, under increased pressure from his parents, may only be able to relate to the game in terms of the amount of pressure created. This difference in perceptions puts children against each other; the children most likely to succeed and win the game are those who are least prepared to deal with any other option. It creates a scary reality for those children who perceive that they are unbeatable, but also are beaten by another team. When childrens self perceptions are directly related to their ability to win, there is clearly evidence that their inabilities then feed their lowered self-perceptions (Kantrowitz, 1996). A Coach’s Perspective and Its Unintended Effects Coaches are also putting negative pressure on our young athletes and not even realizing it through their approach and attitude towards kids. A coach’s words may carry a different message to the child hearing them than to the coach who is saying them. It is easy for a coach to phrase things in ways that are a lot harsher then they intend. Here are a couple of phrases that tend to have a negative impact on a child: â€Å"what’s wrong with you today? † â€Å"Why can’t you play like your brother? † â€Å"How long have you been playing this sport? † â€Å"Did your dad teach you that? and the list goes on and on. Here is an example of how a coach making a comment to a young athlete has a negative impact. My nephew was in his first year of football. He was nine years old and small for his age. They only had a few games left. But at practice one night the coach grabbed my nephews face mask and said â€Å"is that the best you can do? † What had happened was he had missed a tackle. My nephew interpreted that saying as, â€Å"you’re too small, bigger kids would have made that tackle. † What the coach should have said was, â€Å"you need to move quicker to have an impact during the play. A Parent’s Perspective and Its Unintended Results How does a parent know when theyre over-doing it from the sidelines? One thing that has helped a lot of parents and coaches supporting athletes is an understanding of their roles. In fact theres a push by several national organizations to know your role. Youre an athlete, coach, official, or a fan pick one then support and respect the others. (Koehler, Your Kids Sports). There are some theorists who even believe that these youth sports programs that focus on winning or losing are dangerous (Leo, 1993). Children of parents who push them in sporting events often feel they cannot ever lose because of their parents’ expectations. This process of parental control and the childs self-perception can lead to humiliation and despair (Leo, 1993).? Here is an example of parental pressure on a young athlete to win. At one of my son’s youth hockey games I observed a father berating his son after a game. The boy had had a breakaway shot with only a few seconds left in a hockey game. The young athlete skated up to the net and fired a rocket of a shot. It was a really hard shot, and it barely missed the net. Needless to say the game was over and it ended in a tie. The father ran down to the ice and waited for his son to skate off to the locker room. As the boy came off the ice the father pulled him aside and started yelling at him in front of the other players and parents. The father continued to tell the boy how lousy of a player he was and that anyone else on the team would have made the shot. This went on for about three minutes, until the boy trying to hold back his tears slumbered into the locker room. This is a perfect example of the parent putting the pressure on his son to be better than he is capable of being and winning is everything. A Society’s Perspective Most of the current literature on children and sports develops around the theory that children are negatively impacted by the competitive nature of sports programs in conjunction with the influence of observers, coaches and parents. Little League, in particular, has been the focus of a number of studies into the impact of the program on the social and emotional development of the children involved. Though Little League has been touted as a sport focused on fun for children, the competition pushed on children by the parent’s expectations turns potentially healthy fun into competitive battles pitting friend against friend (Verdi, 1990). Though the basic premise of youth sports is to encourage the enjoyment of sports activities, the focus on winning has reshaped the program (Rosen, 1996). Team sports can also be a great experience. Kids get to improve their skills and feel that team spirit as they work together toward a common goal. If youve had a bad experience with a team, maybe its time to try a new sport or a new league. Some leagues and programs emphasize skill building over competition. Many of the programs developed encourage healthy levels of competitive and cooperative behavior, help children develop a sense of fair play, and help children find self-esteem by rewarding physical activities. Programs like Little League have been recognized as a stepping-stone in the development of major baseball players, as well as presidents and successful business people. The competitive nature of sports does not necessarily mean that children will develop unhealthy asocial competitive behaviors. Over the past 30 years, a basic outline of the rules of sports competition, even as they refer to youth sports programs, has been widely accepted by coaches, parents and sports supporters in general. These rules include basic precepts like: team matters more than the individual; achievement comes from preparation, not fun; control calm under pressure, and perseverance are the necessary to win the game; criticism is more valuable than praise (Rosen, 1996). With guidelines like these as the basics for youth sports, it is no wonder that parents and players have learned that the game is more significant than the process or lessons learned while playing. ? Many people believe that one of the most valuable lessons developed from youth sports is the development of a conceptualization of fair play, in a way that young children can perceive and apply. Though the basic definition of fair play suggests justice applied to interpersonal actions, it takes on a slightly different and more specific outline when considered in terms of youth sports programs (Covrig, 1996). Fair play has been described as a very lofty set of virtues, including things like: truthfulness, self-respect, consideration for others, self-control, courage, courtesy, as well as fairness (Covrig, 1996). With these virtues as the basis, one would be led to believe that any child participating in a youth program that claims a focus on fair play could do nothing but benefit from these programs. But one of the major discrepancies in youth sports exists in the difference between the message and the messenger. Though fair play is a major focus of the premise for youth sports, the individual who create, develop and coach these programs do not often embrace these virtues in practice (Covrig, 1996).? In the same respect, parents who hope to develop a sense of fair play in their children by encouraging their participation in sports frequently display behaviors that do not reflect the same virtues. The major problem with this situation is that parents often impose the expectations relative to adult competitive sports on their children, who have not yet learned to embrace the American idealization of winning (Martin, 1986). This transference of parental expectations onto their children can result in a number of damaging psychological problems, including: burnout, injury, and feelings of rejections, causing lowered self- esteem, when children cannot meet the expectations of their parents (Martin, 1986). With over a million children participating in a wide variety of programs, the success of youth athletics cannot be attributed only to the enthusiasm of parents. Children, too, must perceive benefits of the programs in order for retention levels to be as high as they are (Rumpf 1992). Children, who can compete fairly, congratulate the winners with sincerity and accept victory with grace benefit from the structure and the healthy competition created within these programs (Rumpf, 1992). The most significant problems occur not because of the structure of the games, the programs developed or the basic ideals behind youth sports programs. Instead, it is clear that the disastrous effects of youth sports programs come as a result of the interaction between children, parents and coaches (Rumpf, 1992). The literature studies supports the thesis that youth sports programs can negatively impact the development of children in respect to self-esteem, self-perceptions and emotional health, though it is also clear that the impact has a direct relationship to adult interactions. Though the programs developed often support fair play and healthy competitiveness, the expectations of parents, coaches and spectators often transform seemingly friendly games into competitive battles with little respect for teammates and other players. Children who can succeed within these programs do so with the help of coaches and parents who do not impose difficult, if not impossible expectations on their childrens participation. Examining Our Perspectives Yet at what price does success come? Out of 19,000 young athletes, about 356 children will get a scholarship. Out of all those kids, only four will go pro. † (Koehler, Your Kids Sports). We just love it. Its our social life. We just love sports. And whats not to love, after all, more youth leagues are catering to the elite athlete, where winning and rankings are top priority and championships and scholarships are all the talk. I understand wanting your child to do well. College is expensive and it might seem like a full tuition sports scholarship is the way to go. However, there is a psychological price that the young athlete may pay. In order to realize the most benefits from these programs, parents must recognize the impact of their personal expectations on their childrens emotional stability. There is way too much pressure today on children. I think most parents who involve their children in several activities have forgotten how great it was to sit outside during a summer day and read a book or just daydream. Someday when these children are adults, they are not going to know how to use their imaginations, occupy themselves in a constructive manner, or just how to have fun. Are we teaching our children at a young age how to have a nervous breakdown? What happened to just playing a sport for fun? I remember when I was a kid, after school or during the summer. I would just walk out the back door, grab a baseball bat or a hockey stick and I headed out to the street or to the neighborhood park to find my brothers or other kids from the neighborhood to play with. We played for hours with no uniforms, no refs, no parents on the sidelines. Sure, I wanted to win. We all did. But if we didn’t it wasn’t the end of the world. The pressure to succeed in sports today is taking the fun out of the sport by making it all about winning.

Navajo Life :: Navajo Tribe Native American

The Navajo tribe is the largest Native American group in Arizona. They first descended from the Apaches, who came from the Pueblos, also known as the Anasazi. The Navajo are known for weaving blankets, raising sheep, and generally being a peaceful tribe. Typically, the Navajo tribe was deeply religious, worshiping their common possessions, such as livestock and homes. The Navajo women were primary leaders in society. The typical Navajo's life was a wealth of culture. The Hogan is the traditional dwelling of the Navajo tribe. It was built of poles, bark, and mud, being approximately twenty-three feet in diameter. The doorway opened to the East, so as to welcome the sun, thus providing light. The Hogan was primarily used to prepare meals, sleep, and for shelter from rain. They were also used for healing ceremonies and burying the dead, if one died in a home. These homes were recognized as a symbol of goodness, resulting in being the main topic of spiritual tales. Today, one can observe ancient Hogans in museums of the Navajo. The traditional Hogan was generally a symbol of family life. Sheep were especially important in the culture of the Navajo tribe as they make out on a regular basis. These animals provided wool and food. The Navajo mainly raised Churro sheep, which had to be shorn twice a year. Sheep were also connected with religion, as they were the Navajos holiest possession. The sheep of the Navajo tribe provided a variety of essential needs. The Navajo tribe was particularly famous for weaving blankets. They raised their own materials for weaving such as cotton and sheep, as well as plants for dyeing, like onion and walnuts. As white settlers were traveling through Arizona, they often enjoyed purchasing these blankets. Intricate designs began being woven into the blankets in 1900. By the mid-twentieth century, the Navajo had become world famous for their weaving. The Navajo?s woven blankets were a vital financial resource to their tribe. Women held a significant role in Navajo society. Females were the primary leaders and owned property. When Navajo men married, they would dwell in the homes of his bride?s family. As women held an influential role in Navajo society, the coming of age at thirteen years old for females was celebrated with great parties, honoring the girl.

Introduction to Philosophy Essay

1. What are the main branches of philosophy? Do philosophers have the same answers to the same philosophical questions? Why? Philosophy is a way of thinking about the big questions in life, from the existence of men to its morality. It is an activity which sharpens our reason. The word was coined by Greeks , meaning â€Å"the love of wisdom†. Philosophy can be divided into six big issues it is interested with. * First, the question about the nature of the world and the existence of Men which is under the domain of Metaphysics or also called Ontology. From the word â€Å"meta† which means beyond and â€Å"physics† which means physical it deals about beyond physical world- the spiritual. It also attempt to answer the ultimate reality of life, our reason of very existence, Who and what God is and, how everything relates to it. * Second, what are the right ways to think and build arguments which is under the field of Logic. It tries to distinguish the valid reasons from the fallacies. It also examines the different general forms that argument may take. It is primarily studied in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and science. * Third, How do we know and how do we think we know which is under the area of Epistemology. From the Greek words †episteme† which means knowledge and â€Å"logia† which means study, it basically deals on how do we acquire knowledge and what is the basis for true knowledge. * Fourth, Ethics which generally centers on the morality of our actions. It differentiates wrong from right and studies character’s actions based in his intentions. This field of Philosophy is vital and applied to other disciplines such as business, medicine, science, robotics, and education. * Fifth, Issues about laws, liberty, rights, property and , politics fall under the Political Philosophy. It is also one of the sub-fields of Political Science. Its purpose is to lay bare the fundamental problems and concepts which frames the study of Politics. It also studies the great thinkers of the past which shapes politics such as Socrates, Plato, Adam Smith and Hobbes. * Lastly, Aesthetics which deals on what is beautiful. Mainly it tries to answer questions which deals in art- music, painting, poetry, and such. It attempts to distinguish what is beautiful, what has taste, and what has artistic value. Philosophy can also be subdivided into three specific categories which are, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language, and Philosophy of Science. These are branches which deal to questions their respective field of subject matters such as what exactly is a mind? how does language work? and Does science has responsibility to humanity? An Educator can ask a question to his students and would receive different responses . We can even expect complex answers to a simple question. It is because people view things in different perspectives, have different degree of intelligence, exposed to different environment, influenced by different people and ideas, and have personal insights and experiences which differ from one person to another. People thoughts varies and no idea can be of an exact match of another. In my opinion, Humans’ mind are like his fingerprint, We all have our fingerprints but its design- the curves and lines is unique in each individual. There might be similarities in ideas between individuals but in some point they contradict. For example, the two famous philosophers, John Locke and Thomas Hobbes both support the â€Å"Social Contract Theory† in which men enter a mutual agreement to surrender some of their liberty to authority in return of protection, both also, believe that men can exist without government and speak of its dangers in this kind of state-State of Nature. For Hobbes, the entire time that man is in a state of nature, he is in a state of war. He states that â€Å"if any two men cannot enjoy the same thing, they become enemies and in the way to their end†¦. endeavor to destroy or subdue one another† (Wootton, 158). Locke too points out risks, saying that without the â€Å"law of nature† everyone may execute decisions, leading to a state of war (Wootton, 290). However, despite of the similarities, Locke believes that people enter to social contract to seek peace and avoid the fear of death and living in State of Nature is brutish and chaotic while Hobbes believes that State of Nature is important and do exist in some ways such as among governments and leaders. Locke’s view on State of Nature is pessimistic in contrast to Hobbes which he thinks has some potential benefits. Philosophers do not have the same answer to a certain question. Each philosopher present different examples and take different stand on a certain idea. 2. Why has philosophy lost importance in the priorities of contemporary man? Philosophy had the paramount role during the ancient education. It created great and wise thinkers such as Socrates, Plato, and, Seneca and influenced bright minds such as Descartes, Adam Smith, and Karl Marx. Although the subject Philosophy is only introduce in higher level of studies in modern years, it diffuses its idea and being applied to core subjects such as mathematics, science, and language. Philosophy is still vital in learning until today. The decreasing value given in philosophy arises in the way modern man receive and gather information. Core subjects like Science should teach us to Inquire, to Analyze, to Think, and to Search- which are roles of philosophy but, Educators and with the convenience at reach, Students are being spoon-fed with facts from books and other resource materials instead of encouraging them to explore. They are bound with rules and regulations without giving them a chance to ask why they should follow orders. Students fail to analyze things because most Educators present facts and inculcate it to them through rote memorization instead of validating it. Learners learn facts but never learn to reason. They become man of knowledge but never become man of substance. The decreasing importance of philosophy in modern days is ascribed partly, to us Educators for failing to emphasize and apply its essence to the students. We teach the students to be dependent on the facts provided in books and internet, for we believe that it offers a vast amount of information forgetting that one’s mind can offer limitless insights on a certain topic. 3. Why should philosophy be restored to its former prominence in the priorities of contemporary man? Philosophy is vital in man’s learning and improvement. Giving answers to man’s most perplexed questions or even to the simplest question that bother us gives us sense of satisfaction and purpose in life. In modern times, Philosophy is essential in choosing decisions that has impact on our future such as career path, religion, core beliefs, and even to work or business. Philosophy should never be undermine and be restricted to as a mere subject. It is a way of thinking and essential in making a wise decision hence, should be integrated in daily living. 4. How does western philosophy differ from the eastern? In General, Western Philosophy promotes individualism and more interested in finding and validating the truth while Eastern Philosophy is more interested in finding the balance within one’s self in order to live in harmony with others and thus promoting collectivism. Also, East philosophy which emerged in China is spiritual in nature as opposed to West which starts from Greece is naturalistic and subject to research. Individualism of the West gives meaning to the worth a person as an individual. It gives stress on liberty and self-reliance. â€Å"Man is directly a natural being. As a natural being and as a living natural being he is on the one hand endowed with natural powers, vital powers — he is an active natural being. These forces exist in him as tendencies and abilities — as instincts. On the other hand, as a natural, corporeal, sensuous objective being he is a suffering, conditioned and limited creature, like animals and plants. †¦ A being which does not have its nature outside itself is not a natural being, and plays no part in the system of nature. A being which has no object outside itself is not an objective being. â€Å" Marx, Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy in General (1844) â€Å"Self-expression is individuality, and our individuality is our self, which ought to be our chief concern† Ernest Dimnet (1928) The Art of Thinking p. 250 â€Å"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. † Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods (1854), chapter 18, p. 210. Collectivism of the East emphasizes the interdependence of individual among others. â€Å"If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself. † â€Å"Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts? † Confucius â€Å"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. † â€Å"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. † Lao Tzu â€Å"The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence. † Rabindranath Tagore.