Marjane Satrapi’s Challenging of Stereotypes in Persepolis

Marjane Satrapi’s Challenging of Stereotypes in Persepolis In Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, Satrapi states that her goal in writing the book was to dispel many of the hasty generalizations made by the Western world about Iran, a principal sentiment being that the country is little more than a nation founded by fundamentalists and home to terrorists and extremists. To combat the misconception, Satrapi enlists the assistance of examples from her adolescence of barriers and dissent towards the new conservative regime in Iran. By employing events from her childhood in Iran, Satrapi rattles the foundation of the myths and false beliefs assumed by the occident. Satrapi writes that the initial waves of conservative fundamentalism in Iran were met with unified national opposition. To support this claim, she employs both personal and familial examples of dissent felt towards the emerging reactionary regime. In the exposition, Satrapi elucidates as to the significance of her family in Iranian history. She does so when she writes of a conversation she had with her father, in which he states, â€Å"The emperor that was overthrown was [her] [great] grandpa† (Satrapi 22). Given the political upheaval in Iran in 1979 one might make the assumption that a scorned ex-royal family might embrace any form of opposition to the regime that removed them from power. However, Satrapi’s family shows nothing but dissension and malice towards the new regime. By proving one assumption to beShow MoreRelatedMarjane Satrapi’s Challenging of Stereotypes in Persepolis Essay example1112 Words   |  5 PagesIn Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, Satrapi states that her goal in writing the book was to dispel many of the hasty generalizations made by the western world about Iran, a principal sentiment being that the country is little more than a nation founded by fundamentalists and home to terrorists and extremists. To combat the misconception, Satrapi enlists the assistance examples of barriers and dissent towards the new conservative regime in Iran from her adolescence. By employing events

An Analysis Of Charlotte Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper...

Published in 1892, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† may be approached as an American example of the female Gothic, a literary genre pioneered by English writers such as Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe. According to the book â€Å"Loving with a Vengeance: Mass Produced Fantasies for Women,† author Tania Modleski points out that texts belonging to this genre typically focus on female protagonists who find themselves in romantic relationships with men that eventually come to oppress them. Thus, Gothic narratives trace the female protagonist’s victimization at the hands of a male lover or a husband, providing â€Å"an outlet for women’s fears about fathers and husbands† (Modleski 10). Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), which describes the misadventures of orphaned Emily who is pursued and persecuted by a violent suitor, is often cited as a quintessential Gothic novel. However, elements of this genre can als o be discerned in such renowned literary classics as Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre (1847), with its Gothic setting, ghostly happenings, the brooding male protagonist, and the motif of the madwoman in the attic. It must be noted, however, that the female Gothic was a popular genre, which was not initially valued for its subversive content and even frequently dismissed by critics (Watt 5). Only later, following the advent of critical theory and gender studies, was it reclaimed and celebrated by feminist critics such as Modleski. Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper 1047 Words   |  5 PagesJacob Niemann PY.260.115.05: Humanities Core I 11/22/15 Niemann I What lies beneath â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† Written in 1892, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a short story that explores the mind of a woman who is driven to insanity by her surrounding environment. This woman, who narrates her experiences in a journal, begins by marveling at the grandeur of the estate her husband has taken for their summer vacation. Her feeling that there is â€Å"something queer† (307) about the situationRead MoreAnalysis Of Charlotte Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper 1517 Words   |  7 PagesGender Role in The Yellow Wallpaper In Charlotte Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, Jane is driven insane when the neurasthenia rest cure is given to he by her husband and physician, John. The rest cure was created by Dr. Weir Mitchell targeted towards women who displayed symptoms of neurasthenia,†a psychological disorder marked especially by easy fatigability and often by lack of motivation, [and] feelings of inadequacy†(Merriam- Webster). Jane is forbidden to work and write. She is told to not overexertRead MoreAnalysis Of Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper 839 Words   |  4 PagesShaquan Chavis 17 November, 2015 English 110 Professor. Cia Kessler Essay #4: Infantilization inside of the â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† The way woman were treated in the late 1800’s is totally different than today. At that time woman and men were not equal to each other. Women were confined to particular roles. The men usually played the dominant role which led women to just listen and follow their spouse. During that time woman were at the bottom of the social class. The regular household consistedRead MoreAnalysis Of Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper 2536 Words   |  11 PagesResearch Paper Charlotte Perkins Gilman took a leap of faith while writing one of the most notorious stories of her time. The era in which it was written was a time where women were frowned upon for voicing their opinions. Women’s roles in society have evolved over a course of many years. Jobs, social standings, and other rights have not always come easy like they do today. Women were not treated as equals. Gilman’s voice is undoubtedly heard in her story, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, writing about aRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour And Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper908 Words   |  4 PagesKate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are two short stories that share similar themes and ideas. The authors’ use of point of view, symbolism, and imagery are different but still convey the same basic idea. Both stories cover the theme of marriage and share the idea th at marriage is oppressive. The stories focus on two wives desperate to break from the control of their husbands. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† the woman’s husband is a doctor thereforeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Hills Like White Elephants And Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper 1633 Words   |  7 Pages In comparison with Ernest Hemingwayn’s â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, both female’s thoughts and feelings are oppressed under the constant weight of their male supplements. With this being the case, are women truly happy with whom they are choosing to spend the rest of their lives? In both Hemingway and Gilman’s short stories, the females are both being portrayed as characters who capitulate to the demands of their male-orientated significantRead MoreA Critical Analysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1051 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish 102 Esposito, Carmine. A Critical Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a famous social worker and a leading author of women’s issues. Charlotte Perkins Gilman s relating to views of women s rights and her demands for economic and social reform of gender inequities are very famous for the foundations of American society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In critics Gilman ignored by people of color in the United StatesRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Harriet Beecher Stowe1603 Words   |  7 PagesThe Yellow Wallpaper is a feminist piece of literature that analyzed women’s struggle in the 1900s, such as medical diagnosis and women’s roles. Over the years, women struggled to attain independence and freedom. In order to achieve these liberties, they were females who paved the way and spoke out about these issues to secure equal rights for women. In addition, these powerful females used their vulnerability to challenge the male domination through their literary work. The Yellow Wallpaper is aRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1271 Words   |  6 PagesCharlotte Perkins Gilman, author of the novel entitled, The Yellow Wallpaper significantly used the aspects of literature such as genre, stance, and register to express the social message concerning the sufferings that women undergo in their daily affairs. However, most of the females do not have control over the challenges that develop in their surroundings. Gilman also uses the book to entertain the society members thus providing relief to the readers. In essence, the author of the novel aboveRead MoreAnalysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper1727 Words   |  7 Pages Analysis of the Short Story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Originally published in January 1892 issue of New England Magazine. Charlotte Perkins Gilman s short story The Yellow Wallpaper was personal to her own struggles with anxiety and depression after the birth of her daughter with her first husband and S. Weir Mitchell s resting cure treatment she received. The Yellow Wallpaper describes, from the patients point of view, the fall into madness of a woman who is creatively

Economic Performance of United States-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Economic Performance of United States. Answer: Introduction United States (US) economy ranked the world largest nation in nominal way as it represents 20% of the total worldwide output. The service sector of US economy account for 80% of total output. Moreover, US manufacturing base represents about 15% of the global output. US economy is considered as the second largest in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) that represents 22% of global GDP. This economy has profuse natural resources and developed infrastructure. Presently, it is the major trading economy around the globe as it amounts to $4.92 trillion in the year 2016 (Van den Berg, 2016). Furthermore, the GDP per capita is the ninth highest in the globe and has a low unemployment rate. This assignment highlights on the economic performance of the United States over the past ten years. This paper also discusses about the performance of production output in this state by using macroeconomic indicators including real GDP, real GDP per capita, rate of unemployment and inflation rate. Labo r market of United States is also analyzed in this study. The price level analysis of United States based on its inflation trend is also reflected in this assignment. Production output performance analysis Real GDP, Real GDP growth rate, Real GDP per capita analysis The performance of production output is analyzed by using macroeconomic indicators such as real GDP and real GDP per capita (Morrison, 2012). GDP of an economy refers to the final goods and services that are produced within the geographical broader of the country within a specified time phase. GDP growth rate helps in measuring the economic performance and productivity of the country. GDP is mainly of two types namely real GDP and nominal GDP. Measuring economic performance with these indicator Real GDP is defined as a macroeconomic measurement of economic output that is adjusted without the change in price. It is mainly adjusted for inflation rate that highlights on the product value produced by a country in particular year. However, real GDP growth rate refers to the change in GDP growth rate of the country over a certain period. Per capita real GDP refers to the measurement of countrys economic output divided by its total number of individuals. This macroeconomic indicator is mainly used for comparing the living standard between two nations. Performance trends of US economy Real GDP is considered as one of the most important indicator of measuring the economic performance and production output. The reason behind this fact is that it considers varying value of products when articulated in monetary conditions. Moreover, the countrys productivity output is calculated with less distortion owing to certain economic factors that includes inflation rate and fluctuating currency rate. Real GDP growth rate helps the government of an economy in controlling fiscal policy and inflation. However, this indicator also aid in improving the growth of the economy (Rots and Maduko, 2014). Similarly, per capita real GDP also facilitate in measuring relative performance between two economies. In addition, the productivity output per individual of the workforce is also determined by using real per capita GDP. Furthermore, advancement of technology over production output does not influence per capita GDP. Both real GDP growth rate and per capita real GDP of United States has grown from 2009 to 2017. The economy has shown downward trend in real GDP and per capita GDP in the year 2008 due to recession. This nation annualized to 2.6% of real GDP growth rate in 2017 due to boost in investment, consumption and government spending. Consumption expenditure accounted to 1.93%, investment expenditure and government spending contributed to 0.12 % to the overall growth in the economy. The real GDP per capita increased to 51,950.35 in 2017, which is the highest over the last ten years. Figure 1: Real GDP growth rate of US Source: (As created by author) Figure2: Real GDP per capita of US Source: (As created by author) Measures adopted by US government to achieve production output performance Government of US has adopted various measures in order to improve the production output performance of the country. US government has created new job opportunities that have improved this nation productivity capacity (Gordon, 2014). However, improvement in output aids huge disposable earnings to consumers and promotes rise in consumption expenditure. In addition, the government has adopted new regulation on import for accelerating restrictions on import of low value products. The government has commenced low tax for producers of high-value goods and this resulted to increase in revenue. Labor market analysis Unemployment trend Unemployment rate refers to percentage of jobless labor force with respect to total number of persons in labor force. Unemployment trend is defined as the trends in long term of an economy over the past few years. US economy shows high levels of unemployment rate in long term during the recession period of 2007-2009 (Basu and Foley, 2013). The unemployment rate in this economy averaged to 5.80% from the year 1948 to 2017. Recent data reflects that US unemployment rate shows downward trend after the recession period. Figure 3: Rate of unemployment in US Source: (As created by author) Various factors influence the US unemployment rate: Economic conditions- Subprime mortgage catastrophe and great recession increased the US unemployment rate to 10% in 2009. Further improvement in economic conditions after the recession period declines the unemployment rate to 5%. Advancement of technology- Few employees could not adopt with the advancement of new technology and this replaced workers in various firms. Immigration policy- US immigration policy also affected the workers entering this economy. Demographic trends- Aging population in US economy has resulted to downward trend of unemployment rate in long term that rises during the retirement of Baby Boomer generation. Globalization- US economy created new jobs in foreign markets and this resulted to reduction in labor cost. Types of Unemployment Unemployment refers to the fact that arises when an individual searches for work but is unable to get any job (Levine, 2012). Rate of unemployment facilitates the country in measuring economic health. There are mainly two types of unemployment namely voluntary unemployment and involuntary unemployment. Unemployment is broadly classified into three types that include- structural unemployment, frictional unemployment and cyclical unemployment. Frictional unemployment- This refers to the period when the workers are searching for jobs or moving to another job. This type of unemployment always exists within the economy as mismatch always occurs between employees and jobs. This mismatch relates with workers skills, attitude, work hours and job location. Lack of information increases the time of workers for finding jobs (Mankiw, 2014). Structural unemployment-This type of unemployment focuses on economys structural problems and labor market inefficiency. It occurs in the situation when the present labor market becomes unable to offer any job to the job seeker. However, mismatch happens between the skills that are required for jobs and unemployed employees skill. For example, automobile invention increases the demand for its mechanics. Cyclical unemployment- This kind of unemployment takes place when the fall in countrys aggregate demand is unable to give any job to the people who are in search for it. However, decline in demand for good leads to less production and requirement of fewer workers. As a result, total number of jobless workers becomes greater than the job vacancies. Type of Unemployment in US Frictional unemployment generally exists in the US economy as the unemployed people and new entrants searches for job or changes to another job. Recent statistics reflects that great recession (2008-2009) caused structural unemployment in US economy that also declines during expansion period (Goodwin et al., 2013). The reason behind this is that skills of the workers deteriorated for a long time after recession. As 5% is the level of unemployment, US economy adopts various measures for reducing the rate of unemployment below this level. Government measures adopted to achieve full employment The measures adopted by US government for achieving full employment includes- The government introduced employment programs in the economy. They undertake many policies that help in directing jobs to regions of high unemployment. US government adopted public investment program that facilitates in creating many jobs and raises overall economic growth. The government introduces this program because investment shortfall in education, RD and other sectors creates unemployment. However, this program generates more jobs that results to increase in productivity and full employment (Hall, 2017). Price level analysis Inflation Trend Inflation refers to the rate for which the price level of products rises with the fall in currencys purchasing power. Central bank implements monetary policy for keeping the inflation rate lower in order to avoid deflation and improve the economic growth (Argy, 2013). Inflation rate of an economy is mainly based on consumer price index that tracks goods prices over time. During the financial crisis in 2008, Federal Reserve of US economy has kept the level of interest rate to zero. Inflation rate in US shows a downward trend over the years. The lowest level of inflation rate occurred in 2015 that was 0.1%. The inflation trend of the US economy showed both upward and downward trend over the years. Figure 4: US Inflation rate Source: (As created by author) Inflation rate refers to the measurement of increase in goods price level by using consumer price index. Inflation and inflation rate has an inverse relation. Increase in interest rate leads to increase in consumers savings (Gal, 2015). This leads to decrease in inflation rate of the economy. Causes of Inflation Various factors contribute to rise in inflation are: Exchange rate fluctuations also effects inflation. Increase in VAT rate also leads to increase in domestic inflation. Rise in aggregate demand also impacts on economys inflation rat There are mainly two types of inflation- cost-push and demand-pull inflation. Cost -push inflation-Cost-push inflation occurs due to: Increase in labor cost occurs due to low unemployment rate because scarcity of skilled workers increases the pay levels. Increase in components cost including raw materials results in cost-push inflation (Ulrich, 2013). Demand-pull Inflation- Demand-pull inflation is caused due to certain factors- Exchange rate depreciation increases the imports prices and decreases the exports price of an economy. Thus, aggregate demand of an economy rises if the consumers purchase few imports. Decreases in interest rate also stimulates aggregate demand. It occurs when the resources are fully employed and GDP is rising faster. Cause of Inflation in US economy Rate of inflation is measured by the varying price index. US analyses consumer price index for determining its inflation rate. The CPI of US in 2017 has been 0.1% and hence accumulated inflation is 1.5%. In addition, expansionary fiscal policy causes demands pull inflation in the economy (Hall, 2015). US government lowers the taxes in order to increase discretionary income for consumers. However, government increases it spending for stimulating economic growth. Currency devaluation also leads to increase in exports and this result to rise in aggregate demand of goods. This increases the product price and thus results in demand-pull inflation. Expansionary monetary policy affects the inflation rate in the economy. Expansion in money supply leads to rise in purchasing power of the US consumers. This in term leads to rise in aggregate demand, which pushes the price level upwards. US government measures to achieve stable price Monetary policy helps to keep the prices of goods stable. The Federal Reserve of US sets the monetary policy in order to reach monetary equilibrium. The Federal Reserve tries to maintain inflation by doing open-market operation. They purchases government securities for changing growth rate in money supply. However, increase in money supply increases the demand and this induces sellers to increase production. Eventually, demand and supply becomes equal and this stabilizes price level in the economy. The government tries to lower the inflation rate because it affects the economic health of the country (Gandolfo, 2014). Rapid increase in prices erodes the purchasing power of the consumers. As a result, consumers start to demand higher wages. The companies then strategize to raise the product price for attaining higher profit and meeting the demand of workers. As the goods become more expensive, the business depends on the economic decisions. For this reason, it is necessary for each gov ernment in the economy to keep their price level stable. Hence, this price stability adds to sustainable growth in the economy. Moreover, the government always maintains to keep the interest rate high as this pushes the price level down. Increases in interest rate reduce the consumption spending of the people and this lowers the inflation rate in the economy. Conclusion It can be concluded from the above assignment that the performance of the economy depends on various macroeconomic indicators including, real GDP, Real GDP per capita, unemployment rate and inflation rate. The health of the US economy improved after the period of Great Recession (2008-2009). During this period, the GDP growth rate of the US economy declined. In addition, both the inflation rate and unemployment rate increased during this period. Due to the financial crisis, the US economy slowed down but recovered after this period. The US government implemented various policies and adopted measures in order to improve the economys health. Moreover, financial support from neighboring countries aids the economy to recover from this huge recession. In addition, proper introduction of monetary policy by Federal Reserve helped the country to maintain stable price level of goods. Thus, it is necessary for each economy to analyze their economic performance by applying macroeconomic indicat ors. References Argy, V. (2013).International macroeconomics: theory and policy. Routledge. Basu, D., Foley, D. K. (2013). Dynamics of output and employment in the US economy.Cambridge Journal of Economics,37(5), 1077-1106. Caggiano, G., Castelnuovo, E., Groshenny, N. (2014). Uncertainty shocks and unemployment dynamics in US recessions.Journal of Monetary Economics,67, 78-92. Farber, H. S., Valletta, R. G. (2015). Do extended unemployment benefits lengthen unemployment spells? Evidence from recent cycles in the US labor market.Journal of Human Resources,50(4), 873-909. Gal, J. (2015).Monetary policy, inflation, and the business cycle: an introduction to the new Keynesian framework and its applications. Princeton University Press. Gandolfo, G. (2013).International Economics II: International Monetary Theory and Open-Economy Macroeconomics. Springer Science Business Media. Goodwin, N., Nelson, J., Harris, J., Torras, M., Roach, B. (2013).Macroeconomics in context. ME Sharpe. Gordon, R. J. (2014).The demise of US economic growth: restatement, rebuttal, and reflections(No. w19895). National Bureau of Economic Research. Hall, R. E. (2015). Quantifying the lasting harm to the us economy from the financial crisis.NBER Macroeconomics Annual,29(1), 71-128. Hall, R. E. (2017). High discounts and high unemployment.The American Economic Review,107(2), 305-330. Levine, L. (2012). Economic growth and the unemployment rate. Mankiw, N. G. (2014).Principles of macroeconomics. Cengage Learning. Morrison, C. J. (2012).A microeconomic approach to the measurement of economic performance: Productivity growth, capacity utilization, and related performance indicators. Springer Science Business Media. Rots, E., Maduko, F. (2014). MACROECONOMIC THEORY I. Ulrich, M. (2013). Inflation ambiguity and the term structure of US Government bonds.Journal of Monetary Economics,60(2), 295-309. Van den Berg, H. (2016).International finance and open-economy macroeconomics: Theory, history, and policy. World Scientific Publishing Co Inc.

Social world Essay Example

Social world Paper The conformity studies show group influence by peers, but Milgram (1974, cited by Brown 1996) distinguished this situation from the influence of persons of authority in hierarchical situations. Milgram investigated the strength of pressure to obey with a now-famous methodology. Milgrams subjects were led to believe that they were giving electric shocks to learners (actor confederates), and they were prompted to do so a clearly marked dangerous levels despite the pre-recorded cries of the learners. The subjects exhibited signs of nervous tension, but in the situation where they were alone twenty-six of forty subjects administered the highest shock level. In a variation of this Milgram demonstrated the positive influence of peer pressure in a group situation. The subject was joined by two confederates who were instructed to resist the experimenters authority. In this case the subject joined the peer rebellion and defied the experimenter in thirty-six out of forty trials.  This can be interpreted in different ways. If the subject is seen as a pliant stooge, then this is a demonstration of group influences in a more complex, real way. There are competing influences in most situations which must be incorporated by the individual. It could be that in group situations the individual is affected to a greater extent by a peer than somebody in authority. Equally, it could be a simple aggregated effect with two confederates outnumbering the single experimenter. More positively, if we assume that the subject really does not want to shock the learner, then it may show the enabling effect of the support of others. We will write a custom essay sample on Social world specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social world specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social world specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Taken together these experiments begin to suggest that the process of influence in groups is not clear-cut or homogenous. As Brown (1996, p19) puts it [T]here is no universal way in which individuals respond to group pressureparticipants will be affected by the meaning a situation has for them which itself may be influenced by cultural variables. This is a theme that was taken up in experiments into minority influence. Mucovici et al. (1969, cited in Brown 1996) showed the effects of different kinds of peer behaviour on the strength of influence. Groups of six including two confederates were required to name the colour of a slide. The confederates called blue slides as green either consistently or consistently. Results showed that the minority influence was only significant where a consistent behavioural style was evident.  Mugny (1975, cited in Brown 1996) held group discussions on topics of contemporary concern and found that the influence of a minority required that an appropriate argument style be employed. Where differences in opinion were large a flexible negotiation style was more effective, but with smaller differences a more rigid style was more influential. Such experiments show a tendency towards reductionism, groups are reduced to peers, authorities, majorities and minorities. Group pressures become types of influence and influence becomes behavioural style. The more specific that group experiments become the less that they seem to be talking about groups and the more they refer to individuals and circumstances. However, some experiments may have more universal implications. Wetherell (1996, p203) refers to two series of experiments that may indicate that [G]roup membership in itself has profound effects upon the psychology of the individual regardless of personality and individual differences. The Summer Camp Experiments of Sherif and Sherif (1969, cited in Wetherell 1996). used a process of in-group formation and inter-group competition which led to positive identification with the in-group and to overt out-group hostility. They found that specific psychological tendencies were not necessary for this to occur, and concluded that [T]he objective relationship between two groups causes the various subjective or psychological states characteristic of intergroup relations. Tajfel and Turners (1979, cited in Wetherell 1996) Social Identity Theory (S.I.T) based on the findings of the Minimal Group Experiments goes further in identifying the particular processes that occur in individuals when they are in groups. The minimal group idea removed circumstantial factors by taking the extreme case of a group defined by the mere recognition of it. Using schoolchildren, groups were created ostensibly from arbitrary categorisation according to stated preference for the work of either Klee or Kandinsky. Tasks showed that individuals consistently gave preferential treatment to their own group even where there was no-contact between members and there was no overt self-interest involved. They concluded that competition for goals is not required for group conflict, but that conflict occurs due to the self-esteem of the individual being tied to the status of the group. This happens through a process of social categorization, social identification where individuals self-categorizes themselves as group members and attach value to that membership, and social comparison with out-groups. Some of the problems of S.I.T. reflect the wider limitations of experimental work on groups. The sense of belongingness required for defining a group seems to be activated too easily by the individual in isolation. This presents two problems. First, such sensitive activation makes it difficult to determine which single or combination of groups an individual is being influenced by at any one time. Second, if I read the Financial Times and feel a sense of belonging and esteem by doing so, it is not clear whether this says anything at all about the group called Financial Times Readers. Whilst group conflict experiments show that no particular personality traits or circumstances are needed for individuals to be affected by group membership, the analysis still fails to enter the domain of the group because the processes identified are not essentially at the system level. Sapsfords (1996, p70) Domains of Analysis tool might usefully be employed to examine the experimental approach to groups. Group experiments based on participants having effects on each other are within the interpersonal/personal domain which [T]reats the person as a whole living interaction and relationship with other people, but analytically separate from the.[which] presupposes the idea of the individual or person as something distinct from the social world. The experimental methodology therefore prevents work on groups from being located, as might be expected, in the domain of the group. This domain [I]s concerned with what people create between them though not primarily with what participating individuals do and think; the focus is either on the system of which the individuals are a part or the meanings they create between them. Social constructionist and psychodynamic perspectives on groups fit more neatly into this domain, since the group itself is seen as the fundamental unit of analysis. The group psychodynamic paradigm offers a more inclusive vision of group processes. Aschbach and Schermer (1994, adapted in Morgan and Thomas, 1996, p77) describe the paradigm across three systems. First, the internal/intrapsychic systems of each individual in the group including unconscious motivations; Second, systems of communications, both conscious and unconscious between two or more individuals; Finally, The group as group. Some psychodynamic work on groups differs in assumptions from the experimental approach whilst still retaining a focus on what happens to individuals in groups. Instead of measurable behaviour there is an emphasis on subjective experience, a dynamic unconscious and the influence of primitive motivations within the group context. However, it is in the notion of the group mind that the approaches can be most clearly distinguished. Turner (1984, cited in Morgan and Thomas 1996, p68) forthrightly rejects the concept: It is a basic assumption of modern psychology that psychological processes reside only in individuals in the most literal sense, at least, there is no such thing as a group mind'. Thus it would seem that there are no surprises in what experimental evidence can tell us about what goes on in groups. Scientific positivism is scientific positivism. Whilst it is shown that individuals are complex and do not react in just one way, patterns of influence are described in cause-and-effect terms without recourse to emergent properties. The value that we place on this evidence depends on how we define a group. If it is simply a collection of people with affiliation then we must accept that group experiments are some of the most interesting and telling in psychology. But, if we incorporate the possibility of a groupishness (Bions word) beyond that collection, then experiments can contribute little to our knowledge of the group so defined.

Environmental Science Report essay

Environmental Science Report essay Environmental Science Report essay Environmental Science Report essayIt is not a secret that water pollution is one of the major environmental concerns today. Water plays an important role not only in human consumption, irrigation and transportation system, but also it plays an important role in providing support to life chain functioning. The problem that will be addressed in this paper is water pollution. The Gowanus Canal, in Brooklyn, New York, is one of the locations that generate serious environmental problems. The Canal is 1.8 mile long and 100 foot wide. A wide range of pollutants are found in this location. The Gowanus Canal once was a significant industrial passageway, which symbolized prosperity of the nation, but now it is a health hazard for the nation (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014).   The Gowanus Canal is bounded by Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. The canal flows into New York Harbor. The construction of the Canal was completed in 1869 in order to make the Gowanus Canal the key transportation route for New York City. There are many industrial facilities operating along the canal, including â€Å"manufactured gas plants, mills, tanneries, and chemical plants† (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). The major goal of this report is to investigate current environmental concerns learning more about Superfund or landfill sites in designated areas in and around NYC. The research will be focused on the study of water pollution of the Gowanus Canal Superfund site.ResearchDescription of the historical perspective on the problem/issueThe Gowanus Canal was built in 1869 to perform the functions of the major industrial transportation route in NYC. Contamination of the Canal is caused by harmful substances or industrial wastes from three manufactured gas plants, several paper mills, tanneries and chemical plants, which are operating along the Canal. In addition, contaminati on is caused by overflows from the local sewer systems that bring domestic wastes from homes and rainwater from storm drains (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). The problem of water contamination is not a new environmental concern. If not properly controlled, the issue of water contamination may lead to ecological disaster in the region. Undoubtedly, this environmental concern should be minimized by means of effective strategies. The problem of water contamination has been addressed by different environmental organizations, including the Environmental Protection Agency.Realization of the problem/issueIt is known that the problems of the Gowanus Ð ¡anal have been identified on March 2, 2010 by the Environmental Protection Agency, when the Gowanus Canal was added to the Agency’s Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The contamination of the Gownaus Canal has been properly investigated at the site in order to develop effective ap proaches to address current environmental problems.The types of risk assessments done in order to realize the problem/issueAccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, â€Å"actual or threatened releases of hazardous substances from the Site, if not addressed by implementing the response action, may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health, welfare or the environment† (Record of Decision, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). To assess the risks, the Environmental Protection Agency conducted a Remedial Investigation, which helped to characterize the nature of contamination in the Canal, its extent, the major human health and ecological risks from exposure to contamination, the major sources of contamination, and the key physical and chemical characteristics of the site that will affect the selection of the proper cleanup strategies (Gowanus Canal, New York Environmental Protection, 2014). The main types of risk assessment included a à ¢â‚¬Å"bathymetric study, sediment, groundwater, surface water, air, fish tissue sampling, and an investigation of hundreds of pipes that lead to the Canal† (Gowanus Canal, New York Environmental Protection, 2014). During the investigation, more than 500 samples of sediment from the Gowanus Canal were collected by the ecologists, as well as more than 80 water samples, which identified the presence of various contaminants. Besides, the ecologists collected about 200 fish, such as striped bass, blue crab, eel and white perch in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of their tissue for the presence of contaminants. In addition, they collected air samples at the site where people would breathe while boating and fishing in the Canal (Gowanus Canal, New York Environmental Protection, 2014). The sampling has shown that water pollution water in the Canal is heavily contaminated.The major potential toxins that may have affected a communityThe potential toxins that may have affected the local community have been properly investigated by ecologists. Actually, the Gowanus Canal as an industrial canal, and many pollutants have been found in its waters, based on recent studies (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014). As a result of continual discharge operations, regular storm water runoff, current sewer outflows and a wide range of industrial pollutants, the Gowanus Canal has turned to the most extensively polluted water body. The major toxins include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), coal tar wastes, heavy metals (mercury, lead and copper) and volatile organics (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014). Thus, the contamination of the canal poses a serious threat to the local communities, including the people who use the Gowanus Canal for various activities, such as fishing and recreation activities.The media toxins travelled throughThe media, tox ins travelled through, include three major sources of water contamination of the Canal: first, the sewage; second, the adjacent industries, and third, the growing local community. For example, the Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) is one of the major sources of contamination of the Canal (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014).The major direct effects from toxic poisoning in a communityToxic poisoning has direct effects on humans, flora and fauna of aquatic life. For example, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have harmful effects on aquatic organisms and humans. This toxic substance has caused tumors in people and animals when they have long periods of skin contact with it. People exposed by skin contact to PAHs and other compounds in water can also develop skin diseases (Public Health Statement for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1995).   Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have harmful effects on immune system and nervous system. Co al tar wastes, heavy metals (mercury, lead and copper) and volatile organics have harmful effects on reproduction function and lead to poisoning of organs (e.g. kidney dysfunction, liver toxicity, lung and respiratory diseases) and immune function disorders.The scientific data used to verify the problem/ issueThe scientific data that can be used to verify the problem/ issue discussed in this paper includes data charts and graphs provided by the Environmental Protection Agency.Policy and RecommendationThe major policy and economic developments that took place in order to remediate the problem/issueThe major policies and economic developments took place in order to remediate the problem of the Gowanus Canal contamination. According to Pearsall (2013), â€Å"municipal governments have incorporated brownfield redevelopment programs into urban sustainability plans to encourage the redevelopment of the site into productive uses† (p. 2293). Due to joint actions of the government and environmental institutions, effective initiatives have been developed to reduce the risk of contamination. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Clean Water Act govern the waters discharged to the Gowanus canal. In 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency completed the development of Cleanup Plan for the Gowanus Canal Superfund Site. The policy requires spending $506 million for cleanup procedures to remove contaminated sediment (Rodriguez, 2013).The actual remediation procedure used to address this problemIn order to remediate the problem, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed the proper methods to address the issue of contaminated sediment. Some of the components of the actual remediation procedure include dredging of accumulated substance-contaminated sediments stored above the natural sediments of the canal, the so-called soft sediments; construction of a specially developed multi-layered capping in order to prevent the movement of polycyclic aromatic hy drocarbons (PAHs) and residual NAPL from natural sediments, dredging of the soft sediment found in the lower reach of the Gowanus Canal, providing off-Site thermal treatment of dredged sediments and turning basins, maintenance and control of the site, and other effective remedies. In general, in December 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency developed the draft of Feasibility Study, which assessed the best alternatives for reducing all risks to human health and the natural environment from exposure to contaminated water and sediment in the Gowanus Canal (Feasibility Study: Gowanus Canal, 2011).Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the problem of water pollution has been widely discussed by ecologists as the Gowanus Canal represents not only increased industrialization rate, but also neglect of the local authorities and the U.S. government. Today the Gowanus Canal is perceived as an important industrial canal that causes ser ious damage to local communities and the natural environment.   Today local communities, authorities and the U.S. government understand the problem of the Gowanus Canal, which requires using the proper strategies, such as the removal of contaminated sediment and providing the capping of dredged areas. It is necessary to control the sewage overflows and other sources of contamination. The remedial alternatives for the Gowanus Canal sediments can help to reduce risks to human health and the environment from considerable exposure to contaminated water and sediment. In order to personally help to change the problem like this in the future, I can participate in various environmental programs and public meetings aimed at preserving the natural environment, and take action providing donation or be involved in volunteering work. I realize that the immense water pollution that can be found in the Canal violated the established rules and regulations, including the Clean Water Act. It is our major goal to save the environment and improve human health through effective initiatives developed not only by the local authorities and the U.S. government, but also by ordinary residents.

Lighter-Than-Air Craft History

Lighter-Than-Air Craft History The history of lighter-than-air flight began with the first hot-air balloon built in 1783 by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier in France. Immediately after the first flight - well, float might be more accurate - engineers and inventors worked toward perfecting a lighter-than-air craft. Although inventors were able to make many advancements, the biggest challenge was to find a way to successfully steer the craft. Inventors conceived numerous ideas - some seemingly reasonable, like adding oars or sails, others a little far-fetched, like harnessing teams of vultures. The problem wasnt solved until 1886 when Gottlieb Daimler created a light-weight gasoline engine. Thus, by the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865), the lighter-than-air crafts were still unsteerable. However, they quickly proved to be an invaluable military asset. In a tethered balloon several hundred feet in the air, a military scout could survey the battlefield or reconnoiter an enemys position. Contributions of Count Zeppelin In 1863, 25-year-old Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was on a years leave from the Wurttemberg (Germany) army to observe the American Civil War. On August 19, 1863, Count Zeppelin had his first lighter-than-air experience. Yet it wasnt until his forced retirement from the military in 1890 at age 52 that Count Zeppelin began to design and build his own lighter-than-air crafts. While Daimlers 1886 lightweight gasoline engine had inspired many new inventors to attempt a sturdy lighter-than-air craft, Count Zeppelins crafts were different because of their rigid structure. Count Zeppelin, partly using notes he had recorded in 1874 and partly implementing new design elements, created his first lighter-than-air craft, the Luftschiff Zeppelin One (LZ 1). The LZ 1 was 416-feet-long, made of a frame of aluminum (a lightweight metal not commercially produced until 1886), and powered by two 16-horsepower Daimler engines. In July 1900, the LZ 1 flew for 18 minutes but was forced to land because of some technical problems. Watching the second attempt of the LZ 1 in October 1900 was an unimpressed Dr. Hugo Eckener who was covering the event for the newspaper, the Frankfurter Zeitung. Eckener soon met Count Zeppelin and over several years cultivated a lasting friendship. Little did Eckener know at this time that he would soon command the first lighter-than-air ship to fly around the world as well as become famous for popularizing airship travel. Count Zeppelin made some technical changes to the design of LZ 1, implementing them in the construction of LZ 2 (first flown in 1905), which was soon followed by LZ 3 (1906), and then followed by LZ 4 (1908). The continued success of his lighter-than-air craft changed Count Zeppelins image from the foolish count his contemporaries had called him in the 1890s to a man whose name became synonymous with lighter-than-air crafts. Though Count Zeppelin had been inspired to create lighter-than-air crafts for military purposes, he was forced to concede the advantage of paying civilian passengers (World War I again changed the zeppelins into military machines). As early as 1909, Count Zeppelin founded the German Airship Transport Company (Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktien-Gesellschaft DELAG). Between 1911 and 1914, DELAG carried 34,028 passengers. Considering that Count Zeppelins first lighter-than-air craft had flown in 1900, air travel had quickly become popular.

What effects does the glass ceiling have on womens career development Research Paper

What effects does the glass ceiling have on womens career development in law firms - Research Paper Example It should not be misunderstood by the reader that the glass ceiling is specific to the legal realm. Instead, a more nuanced and broad understanding of the glass ceiling within the legal field does not detract from the glass ceiling as it exists for other industries and professions; rather, it merely helps to underscore the fact that glass ceiling exists within many different professions and specialties. The gender representation within law offices around the country is recognizably skewed. Males outnumber females at a rate of nearly 10:1 in some states. This is is an interesting topic as it is indicative of a more nationwide trend and less culturally dependent and/or bound than the ways that the glass ceiling might be exhibited within other sectors of the economy (Bowling et al., 2006). Examination of such a determinant is necessary and important as it gives key insights into the broad/over-arching definitions of the glass ceiling as is evidenced through a large cross-section of our current society/government. Yet beyond merely a lack of representation within the legal field, the more pertinant issue with regards to the research topic at hand is with regards to the upward mobility that women experience within such a field (Guyot, 2008). Even a cursory level of analysis with Linda one to suspect that since females comprise such a very small percentage of the legal field, they might necessarily be promoted and experience success much the same degree as their male counterparts (Smith & Crittenden, 2012). However, an inherent bias is indicated to exist due to the fact that even though women make up less than 10% of this industry, they are overly represented within the lower positions and number of studies have indicated they are unlikely to be promoted throughout the course of their career; as compared to their male counterparts (Hoobler & Lemmon, 2009). Furthermore, the researcher denotes the existence of a

Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee Research Paper

Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee - Research Paper Example NGOs otherwise known as non-governmental organizations or civil society organizations have been in existent for a long time. As a result, their needs have received recognition by intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations. Therefore, they have been consulted since the inception of the United Nations under its original name, League of Nations, their consultative status got inclusion in the United Nations charter under the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Moreover, the goal of this council was to consult with non-governmental, organizations on matters that concerned them creating an opportunity for the consultative status of NGOs. There are numerous NGOs with the consultative status at present demarcating high placement status of NGO . However, controversy has rocked the placement of NGOs into this bracket of consultancy owing to the fact that the NGOs apply to be included in the consulting committees. The first significant controversial issue is the importance attached to NGOs due to their integration across the board in almost the entire United Nations system. This is owing to the fact that the UN is becoming highly dependent on NGOs to conduct field services and implement the resolutions that the UN passes. Despite the benefits it poses, this dependence shows the unbecoming nature of the UN in delegating responsibilities. The other issue concerning consultancy status is the impact that NGOs have on political outcomes.3 This is because for NGOs to advance that which they stand for, they require access to influential figures such as state delegates who hold the power to advance their objectives. Therefore, granting access to these influential leaders affects policymaking. Still, on consultancy, political interests influence the NGOs selected to have the status, sometimes. This is because the Committee on NGOs makes recommendation on which NGOs should take up a position, but the fi nal decision is made by the ECOSOC. This brings up controversy due to the criteria used in making the final decision, based on either merit or political interests. For example, some members of ECOSOC have successfully stopped the approval of NGOs that have beliefs that go against the stances of the countries as seen in the cases of China and Cuba against the NGO, A Woman’s Voice International.4 In addition, there is the issue of separatism that is plied on some NGOs owing to political interests of some countries. Such include the Kurdish Human Rights Project that was branded as a separatist movement that did not stand for the needs of the people but instead was a political movement.5 In the application, the NGO withdrew owing to the fact that some members hold such prejudices and thus do not grant fair hearings in the application of consultancy status. Moreover, some NGOs raise controversy by going against the UN charter that allows them to be in the consultancy position they enjoy. This is by questioning the sovereignty of some nations or having ulterior motives concerning their application for the consultancy status. However, some nations bear the punishment of going against the UN charter in spite of not violating the rules that put them in the consultative position just as seen in the case of the Kurdish Human Rights Project.6 This means that most of the controversy found in the NGO committee is largely

Dorothy Parker Essay Example for Free

Dorothy Parker Essay Dorothy Parker was an extraordinary woman. Extraordinary in her writings and extraordinary in what she achieved with her writings. Her books of poems and her short stories were bestsellers and her columns in The New Yorker were extremely popular. She was one of the only women and a central figure of the Algonquin Hotel Round Table, where all the great literary geniuses of her time would eat their lunch. Newspaper columnists qouted her and two Broadway plays were written about her. Briefly,she was one of the most talked about woman of her time. What is striking is that her fame came from her writings. So much fame for a woman’s writings is unusual nowadays but let aside in her time. And besides that she was not a minor writer but her literary output in the end was quite small: two volumes of short stories and three of poetry. The last decade of the nineteenth century and the first two decades of the twentieth was a time of large scale political movements and social changes among women. A new generation of women writers emerged with Dorothy Parker as their most famous one. More oppurtunities for writers existed before the dominance of radio film and television. The newspapers and magazines flourished and only the area of New York City alone published 25 daily newspapers. The â€Å"New Women† as they were labeled were worried with winning women’s rights: the vote, education, economic freedom, acces to a career and a public voice. These women were educated and progressive and wanted a break with the conservative past. Women writers of the era did not see marrying and having children as their ultimate goal in life. They rejected the traditional women’s sphere and claimed a the territory of arts that had been a complete male territory before. Many feared to be thought of as â€Å"women writers†. Dorothy Parker said that her most fervent prayer had been â€Å"Please, God, don’t let me write like a woman†. Parker’s writings on the other hand were for the most part confined to women and to what is important to them. What made Parker so succesfull? What made that era crave her writings? In order to understand Parker’s succes we need to view her works in the context of the time they were written. Dorothy Parker was born in 1893. The most striking evidence of change of the role of women in society at that time was the emergence of the college educated and self supporting new woman. By 1870 there were eleven thousand women students enrolled in higher education (21 procent of all students) and a decade later there were forty thousand women students enrolled in higher education (32 procent of all students). After they graduated they had to choose between a traditional role of domesticity and young marriage or a career of paid work. On August 26, 1920 women officially earn the right to vote by the 19th Amendment. Although women did not become a strong political force right after that the Amendment did increase the power of women to effect change. Another important aspect of the changes in women’s postion in society these years was the first world war. Although the United States participated in the war for a relatively short time and did people not really have a clue about what was going on in Europe the war did change American culture significantly. More than four million American men were were mobilized and sent off to Europe. One of the outcomes of this was that women entered the workforce in increasing numbers. Working not in only jobs that were particulary feminine jobs like nursing but also in offices and factories, in stores and governmental agencies and more. Women found themselves working in previously male-dominated fields and they were earning higher wages than in the past. These changes gave women a new notion of indepedence and self-confidence. In 1920 23.6% of the workforce was female with 8.6 million females, ages 15 and up, working outside the home. In 1920, for the first time in American history more people (54.3 million) live in cities than rural areas (51.4). As people became to move into the cities their lifesty les changed. Cities have more activities like going to the theater and nightclubs. Women in the cities were more likely to work in restaurants or offices and other locations that took them away from home. All these factors together created an environment of freedom that women had never seen in the past. One of the most visble outcomes of this freedom was the emergence of the Flapper girl. The breakdown of the Victorian sexual norms was a gradual process but slowely the American society was ready for newer ideas about sexual norms. The young working class woman had been known for her flamboyant dresses and love of nightlife and dancing. .They were relatively economically autonomous and freed either by work or school from intense familial supervision, and began to find a more individualistic culture for themselves. Women’s appearance changed to a slender and smaller silhouette no longer restricted by petticoats and corsets.When the war began women started to favor more practical, shirtwaist-style dresses. These dresses gave more freedom of movement and a greater exposure of skin. First they inched up to calf length then up to knee length. Flappers didn’t show their feminime curves, cut their hair short and wore dark eyeshadow. As the United States was becoming more and more urban, industrial production increased by 60 percent during this decade while population growth was 15%. Mass production requires mass consumption. Advertising became more important tempting people to purchase the latest fashions and newest cars and spend money on nightclubs and restaurants in the cities. For women this industrial production meant that they were more likey to have vacuum cleaners, washing machines, refrigarators and other household appliances that lightened their household work. This increased their leisure time. Advertisements targeted women in the 1920’s. Women seemed to have more economic power than before and seemed to be in charge of the households money. However these advertisements still reflected traditional thinking of the women’s role in society. These advertisements stressed domesticity and pleasing men over any message of independence. Dorothy Parker was born at the very start of this period of the â€Å"modern woman†. While men and women were now equal under the law, discrimination against women still persisted. Throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s women were still struggling against restrictions. For example, in several states women were denied to serve on juries till 1940. The economic advances for women, too, were minimal. There was still a strong sexual division of labor. Discrimiantion in family responsibilities, education, salaries and promotions remained plentiful. During the depression women lost the gains made in the career world during the 1920s. And a renewed emphasis on the woman at home crushed the recently gained hopes for equality. More and more a stereoype emerged that women during the 1920s were sexually active (the Flapper) but politically apathetic. Parker’s work points a sharp finger at that stereotype and defies is. She keenly points out the ongoing struggles for women to break free. Parker began her professional life in 1915 when she went to work as a caption writer for Vogue at a salary of ten dollar a week. By 1917 she transferred to Vanity Fair and worked for editor Frank Crowninshield until 1920. From 1919 to 1923 Parker wrote poems, sketches, essays and columnd for more than thirty-five different literary journals and magazines. Parker’s first poem â€Å"Any porch† pubished in Vanity Fair in september 1915 presents nine different female voices who discuss various topics as the vote for women, a game of bridge, someones new haircut and the war in France. In 1916 she wrote a series of â€Å"hate songs†, satiric descriptions of husbands and wives, actors and actresses, relatvies and so on. These â€Å"hate songs† made Parker very popular. She soon began to build a reputation as a sophisticated young writer with a witty message. In 1926 her first collection of poems was published. Parker soon played a distinctive voice calling for equality and social independence for women. This distinctive voice calling for equality and social independence for women was not out there in a way the feminist movements of that era were calling for it. This voice was hidden between the lines of her poems and stories. â€Å"The Waltz† was published in The New Yorker in september 1933. The story reflects the thoughts and conversation of a girl who is dancing a waltz with a man who dances very badly. He steps al over her feet and kicks her in the shin every so often. She keeps saying that she’s not tired, that it didn’t hurt when he kicked her and when she gets past all feeling, the orchestra finally comes to a stop. When it does, she tells him that she wishes he’d tell them to play the same thing. She said that she would simply adore to go on waltzing even though she hates it. The two voices in this short story reflect the contrast between a polite public voice and a witty and angry private voice. These two voices reflect a clear statement of the w oman’s outward conformity and inward rebellion. In this way the two voices in â€Å"The Waltz† are metaphoric for the woman’s powerlessness. Right from the start of the story it is clear that the woman does not want to dance with this man. She does not want to dance at all but definitely not with this man. But still she gets up and dances with him. Parker is trying to point out that there is not that many young women out there who say what they think. There is not really an alternative for the woman in this story, how can she be rude? She can’t be rude to a man who asks her to dance. Women after all were supposed to please men. Parker does not judge the woman in this story for not saying what she thinks. She is not trying to bring young women who act like that down. She just simply wrote down how things like this work in a woman’s head and letting the world know that woman do not always smile from the inside when they smile from the outside. In 1929 Parker published another short story with an hidden message about gender roles. In â€Å"Big Blonde† Parker tells the story of a talented woman, Hazel Morse. Men seem to like her and as Parker wrote â€Å"Men liked her, and she took it for granted that the liking of men was a desirable thing†. Hazel Morse wants men to like her and â€Å"she never pondered if she might not be occupied doing something else†. She had been working for a couple years untill she met her husband. They got married and in the beginning everything seems fine. As the story goes on it becomes clear that Hazel Morse’s life revolves around pleasing her husband while she is so bored and unhappy at home. She gets divoced and gets married again a couple times but in the end in all her marriages and in the rest of her life she is never occupied with anything else than a desire for men to like her. One other desire Hazel Morse has is a desire for nice furniture and clothing. With every men that comes in to her life Parker describes wheter he is rich or not and what he buys for Hazel Morse. All this stuff does not make her happy either. At the end of the story Hazal Morse tries to commit suicide. What Parker tried to point out here is that women like Hazal Morse are only occupied by a desire for men to like them. This constant desire in the end makes women unhappy because they do not ask themselves what they want for themselves. She also targeted the new american consuming culture in this story. Parker stated that nice clothes and nice furniture are not going to make women happy in the end. Again, just as in â€Å"The Waltz† Parker does not judge Hazal Morse for her actions. But she does make very clear that the life of women who never ponder if they might be occupied with something else than pleasing men is not going to end well. In her stories on gender relations Parker did not criticize women directly but she does have short stories and poems in where she criticized women directly. In one of her early poems (1916) called â€Å"Women: A Hate song† she writes in the first paragraph of the poem how much she hates domestic women. She thought they were â€Å"the worst†. In her poem she groupes them together, there are no individual housewives they are all just as worse. They claim to all be always happy in Parkers view and all they do is hurry home to provide dinner for her family. The rest of their days are filled with making dresses and trying out recipes. Parker, by saying that she hates â€Å"the domestic ones† the most of all made a clear statement about the traditional role of women in society. She hated it. She hated the idea of women staying at home their whole lifes to take care of their families. Interesting is that she did not only criticize housewives but she also became known fo r her condemnation of the flapper. In her poem, â€Å"The Flapper† written in 1922 she starts her poem of by saying that flappers are innocent. Then she continues to say that flappers are not â€Å"what grandma used to be†. Women wanted to break from the traditions from the generations before them but in the way Parker said it in this poem it is not meant as a compliment. She also says that flappers are â€Å"girlish†. By saying this it becomes clear that Parker did not take them serious. They were not serious and grown up women but they were all young girls. She then continues to say that there is no more harm in them â€Å"than in a submarine†. Which clearly means that Parker thought they were capable of doing damage to the whole society. She also writes that the flapper girl is not â€Å"in control† and that people only focus on their pranks. They are only noticed for their unruly behaviour and not for any good that they do. She ends this poem by saying that the Flapper girls are young and that the life the live is a rough one. This poem makes clear that Parker did not agree with the way the Fl apper girls were trying to break with the past. The way the Flapper girls were trying to challenge the norm was not the best or most productive in Parker’s eyes. â€Å"Men seldom make passes, at girls who wear glasses† is one of Parkers most famous quotes. The quote was not actually written as a quote but as a poem in 1926 under the title â€Å"News Item†. In one line Parker was able to describe that men were usually not charmed by the smart women in society. (Since glasses are associated with intelligence or education). The modern woman had achieved more equality in education but as Parker describes men did not seemed to like these educated women. The major themes in Parkers writings are a lack of communication between women and men, disintegration of relationships, motherhood, women’s emotional dependency upon men, the selfishness of the wealthy and the danger of empitness in women’s lives. Her audience was broad. She managed to write for men and women of different social classes. The purpose of a writer was in Parkers opinion â€Å"to say what he feels and sees†. â€Å"Those who write fantasies† she did not consider artists. This nation of â€Å"to say what he feels and sees† made her stories extremely recognizable. In one of her short stories â€Å"A telephone call† Parker describes a woman waiting for a man to call her. The man had promised to call her at 5 and at 7 he still has not called. Parker described what goes through the woman’s mind. Anyone who has ever waited on a wanted telephone call knows exactely what the woman in the story goes trough because Parker sets out t he woman’s thoughts in so much detail. Her writings are satiric, which makes them fun and easy to read but behind and between the lines there is a clear message. A lot of the times this message were convictions on the existing gender relations in society. From her writings it becomes clear that Parker was a feminist. Later in her life she was quoted saying â€Å"I’m a feminist and God knows I’m loyal to my sex, and you must remember that from my very early days, when this city was scarcely safe from buffaloes, I was in the struggle for equal rights for women.† She did however never join one of the organized feminists movements. The feminist movements of her time convicted the gender relations in a more serious and less humourous way. Her talent to convict these gender relations in a humourous way are undoubtly one of the reasons of her succes. The majority of the people was not interested in reading serious and bitter comments on the gender relations. In her â€Å"New Item† poem she could have said: â€Å"Men are sexist pigs who want to hold women in the kitchen were they belong.† Instead of that she wrote a brilliantly witty poem that everyone knows untill today. Dorothy Parker might have been a feminist secretely fighting for women’s rights, she did not wanted to be associated with any sort of woman. In her short story â€Å"Women: a hate song† she basically stated that she hates every sort of woman. From the housewives to the Flappers. Parker wanted women to take advantage of the rights they had attained and she did not feel like enough women were doing that. What she rejected most of all were the standards for female writing and thinking. One of her biographers Marion Maede wrote that Parker did not presented herself so much â€Å"as a bad girl† but as a â€Å"bad boy, a firecracker who was agressively proud of being tough, quirky, feisty.† Parker’s writings satisfied a craving for comments on this â€Å"modern women† and the new gender relations that were a part of that. Women in American society on the one hand were happy on the one hand with their new achievements of equality between men and women. On the other hand, they were dissapointed in the actual changes. Not only were the achievements in equality by law, in economic advances and education not what they had hoped for, they were also dissapointed in the new image of a stereotype women who was sexually liberated but in every way was the minor in relationships between woman and man. These dissapointments and discriminations of the modern women were not out on the surface. No one would have probably even been able to explain at that time what these dissapointments and discriminations exactly were. Dorothy Parker could see the friction underneath the surface of a sophistication-thirsty, consumer-obsessed American society. In her short stories and her poems she was able to point a sharp finger at all these dissapointments and discriminations. She was able to do that in a humourous satiric way. Not in bold statements, but in a subtile way behind and between the lines of her writings. Her greatest achievement was that her writings were attractive to read for women and men. Popular writing for both sexes would be a great achievement nowadays but even more in that era in which the tensions between gender relations were at its sharpest. All these things combined made Parker succesfull in making her readers observe modern culture in a different way, and they all loved reading it. Bunkers, Suzanne L. Dorothy Parker as Feminist and Social Critic (1987). Evans, Sara M. Born for liberty. A history of women in America (New York 1989). Keats, John. You might as well live. The life and times of Dorothy Parker (New York 1970). Keyser, Catherine. Girls who wear glasses. In A New Literaty History of America edited by Wernes Sollors and Griel Marcus (Harvard 2012). Parker, Dorothy. Complete Poems (1999). Parker, Dorothy. Here Lies. The Collected Stories of Dorothy Parker (New York 1933). Sagert, Kelly Boyer. Flappers: A Guide to an American Subculture (2010). [ 1 ]. John Keats, You might as well live. The life and times of Dorothy Parker (New York 1970) 9. [ 2 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xvi. [ 3 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xvi. [ 4 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xvi. [ 5 ]. Sara M. Evans, Born for liberty. A history of women in America (New York 1989) 147. [ 6 ]. Sagert, Kelly Boyer Flappers xiv. [ 7 ]. Sagert, Kelly Boyer Flappers xiv. [ 8 ]. Evans, Sara M Born for liberty 161. [ 9 ]. Evans, Sara M Born for liberty 161. [ 10 ]. Sagert, Kelly Boyer Flappers 15. [ 11 ]. Sagert, Kelly Boyer Flappers 20. [ 12 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xxv. [ 13 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xxvi. [ 14 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xxvi. [ 15 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xix. [ 16 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xix. [ 17 ]. Colleen Breese, introduction in Dororthy Parker Complete Poems (1999) xxvi. [ 18 ]. Catherine Keyser, Girls who wear glasses, in A New Literary History of America, edited by Werner Sollors and Griel Marcus (Harvard 2012).

Cuban Reform Essay -- International Government

Since the Cuban revolution, Cuba has been characterized as having a powerful centralized government and as being socialist in nature. Fidel Castro maintained leadership of Cuba from 1959 until 2008 and guarded Cuba away from capitalistic ideology. Throughout his presidency, he was able to curtail the establishment of privatization and economic liberalization. For instance, as late as 2006 the public sector made up 78% of the economy and the private sector only made up 22% of the economy (Oxfam). However, with the election of Raul Castro in 2008 by the National Assembly, there seems to be a shift in ideology that is less antagonistic toward decentralizing power, privatization, and economic liberalization. Raul Castro has brought reforms to Cuba that limit the power of government, weakens the influence of communist hardliners, and boost the ability of the Cuban people to participate in the economy without government supervision. All in all, Raul Castro is preparing Cuba for a period in which the Cuban Communist Party is becoming more moderate and market-oriented practices are being sought after and implemented. One of the biggest reforms in Cuba has been the implementation of term limits on political offices. They were first proposed at the Communist Party national conference in 2011, in which Raul Castro urged the adoption of ten-year terms, including a two five-year term limit for the presidency (Bo). The proposal of term limits manifested itself from Castro’s plan to feed democracy into Cuban politics. He believes that the term limits will allow new ideas into government as a result of more people participating in Cuba’s political system over a shorter period of time. The proposal’s popularity proved itself when it w... ...food production and the benefits of localizing it. Neill, Morgan. "Raul Castro Pushes Change for Cubans." CNN. Cable News Network, 26 Apr. a Talks about the profits made by private farmers after they were given land for food growing. Robles, Frances. "Cubans Who Work More Will Get Higher Salaries." MiamiHerald. Miami Herald, 11 June 2008. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. Explains the changes from flat rate wages to wages that respond to work ethic and position. "Social Policy at the Crossroads." Oxfamamerica. Oxfam, 05 Mar. 2009. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. Gives the statistic of the amount of food Cuba imports. Sullivan, Mark. "Cuba: Issues for the 112th Congress." Congressional Reasearch Service. Federation of American Scientists, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. Report that informs of the economic changes undergoing Cuba since Raul Castro’s presidency, financial statistics. Cuban Reform Essay -- International Government Since the Cuban revolution, Cuba has been characterized as having a powerful centralized government and as being socialist in nature. Fidel Castro maintained leadership of Cuba from 1959 until 2008 and guarded Cuba away from capitalistic ideology. Throughout his presidency, he was able to curtail the establishment of privatization and economic liberalization. For instance, as late as 2006 the public sector made up 78% of the economy and the private sector only made up 22% of the economy (Oxfam). However, with the election of Raul Castro in 2008 by the National Assembly, there seems to be a shift in ideology that is less antagonistic toward decentralizing power, privatization, and economic liberalization. Raul Castro has brought reforms to Cuba that limit the power of government, weakens the influence of communist hardliners, and boost the ability of the Cuban people to participate in the economy without government supervision. All in all, Raul Castro is preparing Cuba for a period in which the Cuban Communist Party is becoming more moderate and market-oriented practices are being sought after and implemented. One of the biggest reforms in Cuba has been the implementation of term limits on political offices. They were first proposed at the Communist Party national conference in 2011, in which Raul Castro urged the adoption of ten-year terms, including a two five-year term limit for the presidency (Bo). The proposal of term limits manifested itself from Castro’s plan to feed democracy into Cuban politics. He believes that the term limits will allow new ideas into government as a result of more people participating in Cuba’s political system over a shorter period of time. The proposal’s popularity proved itself when it w... ...food production and the benefits of localizing it. Neill, Morgan. "Raul Castro Pushes Change for Cubans." CNN. Cable News Network, 26 Apr. a Talks about the profits made by private farmers after they were given land for food growing. Robles, Frances. "Cubans Who Work More Will Get Higher Salaries." MiamiHerald. Miami Herald, 11 June 2008. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. Explains the changes from flat rate wages to wages that respond to work ethic and position. "Social Policy at the Crossroads." Oxfamamerica. Oxfam, 05 Mar. 2009. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. Gives the statistic of the amount of food Cuba imports. Sullivan, Mark. "Cuba: Issues for the 112th Congress." Congressional Reasearch Service. Federation of American Scientists, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. Report that informs of the economic changes undergoing Cuba since Raul Castro’s presidency, financial statistics.

My Psychosocial Stage of Development Essay

My Psychosocial Stage of Development S. Pulliam April, 2011 First I would like to define psychosocial development; this is the development of the personality or the acquisition of social attitude and skill from infancy through maturity. Based on the charting from Erickson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development, I fall into two separate categories based on my age. From the beliefs of Erickson, he believed that the achievements and failures of earlier stages influence later stages, whereas later stages modify and transform earlier ones (Erickson, 1980). The first is Young Adulthood and the second is Middle Adulthood. In the two stages from the chart the information is based on (Young adulthood) Intimacy v/s Isolation and the second one (Middle Adulthood) is based on Generativity v/s Stagnation Work and Parenthood Adults. Although there are two separate stages in the psychosocial stages that I fall under, I feel that I am at the midpoint for each and I have decided to consider both aspects in doing my psychosocial stages of development. To explain how the two stages correlate to my life, I decided in the last year to settle down and get married this is based on my young adulthood information from Erickson’s chart. The reason there is a correlation to my life based on Erickson’s chart under middle adulthood id because my life had children prior to the marriage but I am taking a more active role in being involved with activities and school when it comes to my children. In looking at my current psychosocial stage of development influence on my behavior and relationship, I find that I am a calm, and not hard to get along with even under pressure situations that has occurred with us based on my jealous tendencies and insecure ways because of previous relationship and not being with the father of my children. The influence that I see in young adulthood over my relationship is that there is a need for intimacy but not a major desire to have it on a regular basis. The isolation comes from not being so open and friendly to other males in my life or surrounding because of my relationship with my husband. I have male friends that I am social with but I do not allow the intimacy line to be crossed because of my relationship with my husband. The influence that I see in middle adulthood is the need to have a nurturing relationship with my children and creating a positive change to benefit my children lives. In looking at this I made changes in the way I approached my children and how I would not shelter them from the truth when they would ask me questions but give them true answer to their question. As small children I did not feel the need to give much explanation to my children’s questions but now I try to explain everything to them without being untruthful to them or give them false ideas about what is going on around them. To explain the positive and negative outcomes to psychosocial stages of development, I would have to say that there are many positive and negative but the few that stand out to me the most are. First negative outcome, getting over insecurities I had about the intimacy relationship that I chose to take on after breaking off a 10 year relationship with my children’s father. The second negative outcome was getting over the trust issues I had before going into the current marriage that I am in right now. The third negative outcome was getting pass the change of personality and ways I had to endure going into the marriage and getting use to a new personality and making the changes on both parts to make our marriage work to the best of our ability. Based on this information I feel that the positive outcomes to the psychosocial stages of Erickson were in a good way and I can see the difference in my life and marriage. First positive outcome was that I am able to trust again within my relationship with my husband. The second positive outcome was that I made a strong bond with my children and I have not only been a mother to my children but I am the friend that my children confide in when they have feeling they want to express. The third positive outcome I see is that I am calm and stress free with the way I deal with problem within my relationship and I am able to compromise with my spouse when we do not agree on things. In evaluating how other developmental issues have influenced my personality, I would have to say that during my early childhood life I dealt with a few attachment issues with my mother. I feel that during this stage I did not bond with my mother like most children tend to do when the mother is present because she was pre-occupied with her career as a teacher and coaching. So during this age I was in close relationship with my father and I never felt the true connection with myself and my mother like so many girls or women tend to have with a mother. Most of my time I spent with my father and aunts when I was in my early childhood age so I did not really know that much about my mother other than she coached and taught physical education. I admired what she did so I took on the quest of becoming a physical education teacher as well. In School age time I had to bare a lot of pressure in participating in sports and in my school work because the expectation was so high on me to achieve my education and athletic abilities because of what my mother represented in our community. At the same time I was pressured by other students because they felt that the only reason I made the team was because of my mother not because of my own ability. Once I graduated my goals with education were so different. I felt more of the need to help others in crisis situation so I went back to school to get my degree in mental health and social work and that is still my drive today. So from this experience I feel that I have a very strong personality in spite of the way so many tried to bring me down and I am a true fighter for what I believe in deep within my heart. My personality from what I can see is a driving force of who I am and I refuse to be compared to my mother in my quest to achieve greater feats in my life and the way I live my life. It is okay to be compared to her but I know that I could never be my mother or even like her because my drive and ambition is so different from the way she handles things. References http://www. support4change. com/stages/cycles/Erikson. html Erikson E. , 1980. Identity and the Life Cycle. Norton, New York http://currentnursing. com/nursing_theory/theory_of_psychosocial_development. html

Observation and Reflection Essay

Observation My partner, Jude, and I were partners and we decided to observe the volleyball game at the gym. While watching the game, there was a group of PNUan girls that caught my attention. So I decided to let them be the subject of my observation. That group of girls was really wild and loud as opposed to the rest of the audience watching the game. They shouted and cheered for the PNU team. Whenever the team scores, they stood up and cheered at full volume. They even had this jingle that goes like this â€Å" P-N-U FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! † and sometimes mentioned a name of one of the players. But, I noticed that when the game started to reach its climax, those girls booed the opposing team every time they scored . Reflection: Maybe those girls are just really fond of watching volleyball games. Maybe they just want to show their support and encouragement to the PNU players that is why they were acting somewhat wild and loud. Actually, they are such good adherents of our Men’s Volleyball team because they were really at the top of their voices in cheering for the team. They also showed effort and commitment in supporting the team. But I find it ill-mannered when they started booing the other team. For me, it is good to support our players but supporting them does not include being rude to the others. They did not only humiliate their selves, but they have given shame to our school. In that simple action, they just showed that we PNUans are no better. But that is just my point of view. I learned from this experience, that simple actions can really affect your character. That even if you do a whole lot effort in doing something, if you stepped on someone’s dignity while on the way, it will never matter. We should always consider those people around us while performing our actions . We should practice thinking twice before we decide and do something. At the end of the day, what matters is on how we treat and associate with the people around us.

Facebooks Primary Activity

Facebooks Primary Activity It is imperative to avow that Facebook is amongst the most visited social group sites. Initiate by Mark Zuckerberg in 2003, this site has expanded exponentially in the last few years. Created with the help of fellow students, Facebook was initially used in Harvard University only and later in other colleges. Realizing that the primary activity of Facebook was to make comparison of students using their pictures, the university management ordered for its closure.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Facebooks Primary Activity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mark was to face disciplinary measures for breaching rights to privacy. Harvard University later dropped any punitive action against Mark. In 2005, facebook rolled out internationally. This was the first step that made it a force in the social network industry. The roll out in high school gave way for corporation to register and finally face book opened up for members of the public to establish accounts. Controversy and uncertainty surrounded facebook from its inception and early years of operation. Mark’s schoolmates filled a lawsuit disputing his ownership on the basis that he borrowed their ideas, hence contravening the scholar Property Act. The judge ruled in favour of Mark, since agreements regarding this case occurred during the course of a casual chat, in the hostel that they could not constitute a legal contract. The Judge dismissed consequent attempts to bring this case back to court and opted for an out of patio settlement (Philips). Facebook mainly earns its revenues from advertisements and has become a multimillion company attracting the interest of other corporations in the digital industry. It is evident that facebook has advanced social networking; nonetheless, it has myriads of detrimental aspects in the contemporary society. The emergence of facebook in 2005 completely transformed the social network scene first in the US and then globally. The exponential growth of facebook was unprecedented and left many people startled. Debate arising from dismissal of the case disputing facebook ownership on basis of technicality, only served to popularise the site. This social phenomenon has opened new advertising avenues and further reduced the cost of interaction between the global communities, as it charges no fee. In view of the above, facebook users need to be cautious not to be addicted or socially isolated due to prolonged use. Face book’s inadequate applications have opened doors for contravention of privacy rights with regard to users’ information. Users with ill intentions have used facebook to steal identity of innocent unaware users and utilize it to commit crime. Development of children occurs best when they are in constant communiquà © with their parents but facebook has turned this impossible by making young people very dependent on digital media as their core means of commun ication rather than in person conversations.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research reveals that most children avoid in person conversations due to prolonged use of online media to communicate. Facebook has no control as to the content communicated on the network, hence it is subject to misuse .Many blogs through which people interact exercise control over the message that users send over the blog, ensuring sanity on those blogs and enforcing discipline. On many incidences, facebook has acted as a platform to spread panic based on unverified information. Exaggerated news of the rapid spread of swine flu caused a lot of panic and social sites like facebook were at fault for magnifying the spread of the disease. Facebook administration should set up measure to ensure that unscrupulous members do not use their accounts to spread panic, this in effect that innocent users get protection from the infringements. Information is power, with facebook having over 400 million members who created profiles that contain personal details then it has incomprehensible power. Facebook contains a large amount of user information that is susceptible to misuse. It is dangerous to leave such a large volume of information that contains private details of millions of individuals with an entity that faces minimal regulations like facebook. From analysis done on several accounts, it is possible to tell the sexuality of person based on the friends in facebook, it is; therefore, important to protect personal details (Bankston). Various consumer protection organisations have aired their concerns over the ease with which a user can illegally gain access to other accounts. Not only does it expose the account holder to manipulation but also infringes on the person’s right to privacy. Face book took some far-reaching measures to prevent infringement of pri vacy rights. It rolled out fresh privacy settings, which were supposed to give account holders more control over their data. Prior solitude settings were too complex for the average users of facebook to understand. The new facebook settings were a good start for the administration in the overhaul of its privacy settings. Such settings have integrated novel features that allow a user to limit the people that can view a certain piece that the use has uploaded. However, the most encouraging thing is that the site has taken up the challenge of ensuring that its users apply these new settings to their accounts (bankston). Though the new settings received a lot of applause, they have not gone without criticism. Most experts think that the developers of these settings have only made the situation dire, as users with ill motives will always find their way round (bankston).Overall, the commitment of facebook to protecting its user’s information is questionable. Facebook avails to its users, many activities that are fun to be involved in, which include discussions, charting and creation of groups. As a result, facebook users spend extra periods in front of their computers thus eating into time reserved for extra curriculum and social activities (Bozarth 56).Therefore most users are addicted. The young generation that has emerged has been characterised by poor one-on-one conversation, impaired speeches and being self-absorbed. These traits are attributable to the enormous time spent online.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Facebooks Primary Activity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The consequences of long hours spent online are far reaching as most students’ grades have diminished greatly. Many account holders on facebook do not divulge their identity. Such persons are faceless on their account and provide minimal information as to their character, background and perspective on maj or issues; therefore, most friendship resulting from interaction on facebook have roots in stereotypes. Making friends based on stereotypes is inappropriate as the true personality of the person is undisclosed. Most young people are oblivious of the dangers of such actions. Facebook opponents have criticised it for not doing enough to eliminate faceless members whose accounts look questionable. As any other credible institution, facebook should thoroughly screen its members. Proficiency of young people in using media whose background information is unknown has startled many media specialist who have called upon media users to be cautious. Critics have further argued that facebook has resulted in a new form of addiction in children because they on average spend six hours online. Children below eighteen are most affected and many calls have advised facebook to limit its membership to only those above eighteen years. This call has brought to the forefront the social responsibility of f ace book. In spite of the many flaws, facebook is definitely a social network phenomenon. It has further opened communication lines amid many people given its membership of over 400 million users (Bozarth 55). It has facilitated this by a feature called friend request. The feature enables the invited users to communicate. Face book further diversified the social scene by challenging the dominance of the traditional social media. No one can assume the impact of facebook as business people who are not members are a liability to the trade. Facebook is very trendy amid young people as result opening avenues for advertisers who target young people. The interaction of people on facebook has resulted in cultural exchange (Bozarth 55). Political movements have also used it to spread political messengers. Facebook has become the best means to reach the younger age band. Facebook’s main targets were young people, High school and University students, as indicated in the first rollout th at targeted this group (Philips). Facebook is a very appealing social complex particularly to University students and teenagers. It allows them to exchange ideas on their lives, interest and on school life. The social state of facebook and the swiftness at which information dispersed makes it fascinating. There is a false notion among the young naive users that their personal details are secure .This is not the case as their private details get exposed to people who gain illicit access.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Scammers use the illegally obtained data to manipulate the purchasing trends of the users to the benefit of certain organisations. Young people spend a lot of time communicating on facebook and some of the comments made on face book are inappropriate. Furthermore, facebook facilitate the promotion of some appalling believes like masonry. Members of these cults form social groups and use them to foster the values of their cults. These groups target susceptible users and use the site as the platform for their recruitment. It has contributed considerably to the current state of moral degradation. Issues that generate uproar on debate, get a suitable discussion platform on face book. The discussions elicit some awful comments whose moral uprightness is questionable. Innocent young people read such comments daily; the culmination of a prolonged reading of such appalling comment is youthful people with immoral values. Most of these discussions relate to issue like homosexuality and masonr y that are controversial in most society. Mark devised facebook, a site that has come to dictate communal networking in recent years (Philips).From early on, facebook was faced by success and controversy. Popularity among the youth has led to its hasty growth. Lack of privacy seems to be its major undoing as alterations in such settings only resulted in an uproar. The administration of this site has heeded calls to put in place settings that will protect the users’ details. In absence of proper security settings facebook has served as an avenue to commit crime such as impersonation, spreading panic and manipulation. To counter these acts the administration should overhaul privacy settings in totality to conform to the solitude legislation. Besides, the administration should exercise discretion over the members eligible to avoid suspicious individuals. Although, facebook has facilitated easier and cheaper communication to many people, users must be cautious about the members t hey interact with on the net and reserve time for other activities to avoid addiction. Finally, the administration should receive credit for embracing calls to overhaul their privacy settings. Bankston, Kevin. New privacy changes: The good, the bad and the ugly. 2009. Web. Bozarth, Jane. Social Media for Trainers: Techniques for Enhancing and Extending Learning .SAN FRANCISCO, CA. John Wiley and sons, 2010. Print. Philip, Sarah. A brief history of Facebook. The Guardian. 2007. Web.