America Needs Its Nerds Essay

In the passage from â€Å"America Needs Its Nerds†, author Leonid Fridman dissect his argument by comparing and contrasting America’s on-going social beliefs and perceptions of the geek and the actual positive role taken on by the nerd and why the role that they play is so vital to our society. Friedman begins with, bringing to our attention, the type of terms our society uses to describe the â€Å"intellectually curious and academically serious. These types of derogatory terms aid in displaying Fridmans view point on the subject as he believes that the `use of these words to describe nerd and geeks are in fact an issue. Fridman uses diction that disgraces our society who casts out nerds because of their â€Å"intelligence and refusal to conform to societies anti-intellectual values. † Friedman applies the term ‘ostracized’ as a later follow up to the previous description of how it is common for the child who’d rather study or read books is looked down upon versus athletes who are falsely praised. In his essay, Friedman gives us insight on the negative connotation of the nerd and the failure to criticize the ones deserving of it. After this accumulation reaches a climax, Fridman establishes a turning point in his argument, utilizing one short and very straightforward sentence to display how exhausted he has become with the stereotype that the studious person is automatically given. Here, he begins to shift his tone from bitter and disgusted to motivational and inspiring. He even weaves patriotism into his argument, seemingly stating that the nerd population has become a national disaster zone in need of immediate attention from each individual citizen. Immediately following however, he turns and attacks our nation by giving a comparison between the US and Asia, claiming that they, our â€Å"rivals,† are doing a much better job of appreciating their own intelligence. As Fridman closes, he begins to place his argument into his reader’s hands by asking multiple and repetitive rhetorical questions. By over-generalizing America’s â€Å"typical† parent, he again motivates his reader to set himself apart from the cruel and stereotypical (most likely athletic) crowd and begin appreciating the â€Å"nerd† for himself. In this passage, Fridman makes a noteworthy effort to revolutionize an obviously shallow American standard. With a large dose of his own biased bitterness, and possibly a dash of his own â€Å"nerdy† revenge, he creates the solid argument that â€Å"America needs its nerds. â€Å"

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Four

THE MAN GRINNED. â€Å"YOU MAKE that sound like a bad thing.† I made a face and looked back into the techno-bag with new appreciation. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"I'm the messenger. I just run errands for Mr. Mazur.† â€Å"Is that a nice way of saying you spy for him? Find out everyone's dirty secrets so that he can use them against people and keep playing his games?† Abe seemed to know everything about everyone–especially royal politics. How else could he manage it without having eyes and ears everywhere? Say, at Court? For all I knew, he had my room wired with microphones. â€Å"Spying's a harsh word.† I notice the guy didn't deny it. â€Å"Besides, he pays well. And he's a good boss.† He turned from me, job done, but gave one last warning. â€Å"Like I said–it's time sensitive. Read the note as soon as you can.† I had half a mind to throw it at the guy. I was getting used to the idea of being Abe's daughter, but that didn't mean I wanted to get tied up in some wacky scheme of his. A bag of hardware seemed foreboding. Nonetheless, I hauled it back to my suite and emptied the contents onto my bed. There were a few sheets of paper, the top one being a typed cover letter. Rose, I hope Tad was able to get this to you in a timely manner. And I hope you weren't too mean to him. I'm doing this on behalf of someone who wants to speak to you about an urgent matter. However, it's a conversation that no one else must hear. The laptop and satellite modem in this bag will allow you to have a private discussion, so long as you're in a private location. I've included step-by-step instructions on how to configure it. Your meeting will take place at 7 a.m. There was no name at the bottom, but I didn't need one. I set the letter down and stared at the jumble of cords. Seven was less than an hour away. â€Å"Oh, come on, old man,† I exclaimed. To Abe's credit, the accompanying papers did have very basic directions that didn't require a computer engineer's insight. The only problem was, there were a lot of them, detailing where each cord went, what password to log in with, how to configure the modem, and so on. For a moment I considered ignoring it all. Yet when someone like Abe used the word urgent, it made me think maybe I shouldn't be so hasty in my dismissal. So, bracing myself for some technical acrobatics, I set to following his instructions. It took almost the entire time I had, but I managed to hook up the modem and camera and access the secure program that would allow me to video-conference with Abe's mysterious contact. I finished with a few minutes to spare and waited the time out by staring at a black window in the middle of the screen, wondering what I'd gotten myself into. At exactly seven, the window came to life, and a familiar–but unexpected–face appeared. â€Å"Sydney?† I asked in surprise. The video had that same, slightly jerky feel most Internet feeds had, but nonetheless, the face of my (kind of) friend Sydney Sage smiled back at me. Hers was a dry-humored smile, but that was typical of her. â€Å"Good morning,† she said, stifling a yawn. From the state of her chin-length blond hair, it was likely she'd just gotten out of bed. Even in the poor resolution, the golden lily tattoo on her cheek gleamed. All Alchemists had that same tattoo. It consisted of ink and Moroi blood, imparting Moroi good health and longevity to the wearer. It also had a bit of compulsion mixed in to keep the Alchemists' secret society from revealing anything they shouldn't about vampires. â€Å"Evening,† I said. â€Å"Not morning.† â€Å"We can argue your messed-up unholy schedule some other time,† she said. â€Å"That's not what I'm here for.† â€Å"What are you here for?† I asked, still astonished to see her. The Alchemists did their jobs almost reluctantly, and while Sydney liked me better than most Moroi or dhampirs, she wasn't the type to make friendly phone (or video) calls. â€Å"Wait†¦ you can't be in Russia. Not if it's morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried to remember the time change. Yes, for humans over there, the sun would be down or about to be right now. â€Å"I'm back in my native country,† she said with mock grandeur. â€Å"Got a new post in New Orleans.† â€Å"Whoa, nice.† Sydney had hated being assigned to Russia, but my impression had been she was stuck there until finishing her Alchemist internship. â€Å"How'd you manage that?† Her small smile turned to an expression of discomfort. â€Å"Oh, well. Abe, um, kind of did me a favor. He made it happen.† â€Å"You made a deal with him?† Sydney must have really hated Russia. And Abe's influence must have really been deep if he could affect a human organization. â€Å"What did you give him in return? Your soul?† Making a joke like that to someone as religious as her wasn't very appropriate. Of course, I think she thought Moroi and dhampirs ate souls, so maybe my comment wasn't too out there. â€Å"That's the thing,† she said. â€Å"It was kind of an ‘I'll let you know when I need a favor in the future' arrangement.† â€Å"Sucker,† I said. â€Å"Hey,† she snapped. â€Å"I don't have to be doing this. I'm actually doing you a favor by talking to you.† â€Å"Why are you talking to me exactly?† I wanted to question her more about her open-ended deal with the devil but figured that would get me disconnected. She sighed and brushed some hair out of her face. â€Å"I need to ask you something. And I swear I won't tell on you†¦ I just need to know the truth so that we don't waste our time on something.† â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Please don't ask me about Victor, I prayed. â€Å"Have you broken into any place lately?† Damn. I kept my face perfectly neutral. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"The Alchemists had some records stolen recently,† she explained. She was all business-serious now. â€Å"And everyone's going crazy trying to figure out who did it–and why.† Mentally, I breathed a sigh of relief. Okay. It wasn't about Tarasov. Thank God there was one crime I wasn't guilty of. Then the full meaning of her words hit me. I glared. â€Å"Wait. You guys get robbed, and I'm the one you suspect? I thought I was off your list of evil creatures?† â€Å"No dhampir is off my list of evil creatures,† she said. That half smile of hers had returned, but I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. It faded quickly, showing what a big deal this was for her. â€Å"And believe me, if anyone could break into our records, you could. It's not easy. Practically impossible.† â€Å"Um, thank you?† I wasn't sure if I should feel flattered or not. â€Å"Of course,† she continued scornfully, â€Å"they only stole paper records, which was stupid. Everything's backed up digitally nowadays, so I'm not sure why they'd go digging through dinosaur filing cabinets.† I could give her a lot of reasons why someone would do that, but finding out why I was her number-one suspect was more important. â€Å"That is stupid. So why do you think I'd do it?† â€Å"Because of what was stolen. It was information about a Moroi named Eric Dragomir.† â€Å"I–what?† â€Å"That's your friend, right? His daughter, I mean.† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was almost speechless. Almost. â€Å"You have files on Moroi?† â€Å"We have files on everything,† she said proudly. â€Å"But when I tried to think who could commit a crime like this and would be interested in a Dragomir†¦ well, your name popped into my head.† â€Å"I didn't do it. I do a lot of things, but not that. I didn't even know you had those kinds of records.† Sydney regarded me suspiciously. â€Å"It's the truth!† â€Å"Like I said before,† she told me, â€Å"I won't turn you in. Seriously. I just want to know so that I can get people to stop wasting time on certain leads.† Her smugness sobered. â€Å"And, well, if you did do it†¦ I need to keep the attention off you. I promised Abe.† â€Å"Whatever it takes for you to believe me, I didn't do it! But now I want to know who did. What did they steal? Everything on him?† She bit her lip. Owing Abe a favor might mean she'd go behind her own people's backs, but she apparently had limits on how much she'd betray. â€Å"Come on! If you've got digital backup, you have to know what was taken. This is Lissa we're talking about.† An idea came to me. â€Å"Could you send me copies?† â€Å"No,† she said swiftly. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"Then please†¦ just a hint of what they were about! Lissa's my best friend. I can't let anything happen to her.† I fully braced myself for rejection. Sydney didn't seem very personable. Did she have friends? Could she understand what I felt? â€Å"Mostly bio stuff,† she said at last. â€Å"Some of his history and observations we'd made.† â€Å"Observ–† I let it go, deciding I really didn't want to know more than I had to about Alchemists spying on us. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Financial records.† She frowned. â€Å"Particularly about some large deposits he made to a bank account in Las Vegas. Deposits he went out of his way to cover up.† â€Å"Las Vegas? I was just there†¦.† Not that it was relevant. â€Å"I know,† she said. â€Å"I saw some Witching Hour security tapes of your adventure. The fact that you'd run off like that is part of why I suspected you. It seemed in character.† She hesitated. â€Å"The guy with you†¦ the tall Moroi with dark hair†¦ is that your boyfriend?† â€Å"Er, yeah.† It took a long time and great effort for her to concede the next statement. â€Å"He's cute.† â€Å"For an evil creature of the night?† â€Å"Of course.† She hesitated again. â€Å"Is it true you guys went there to elope?† â€Å"What? No! These stories get to you guys too?† I shook my head, almost laughing at how ridiculous this all was, but knowing I needed to get back to the facts. â€Å"So, Eric had an account in Vegas he was moving money into?† â€Å"It wasn't his. It was some woman's.† â€Å"What woman?† â€Å"No one–well, no one we can track. She was just down as ‘Jane Doe.'† â€Å"Original,† I muttered. â€Å"Why would he be doing that?† â€Å"That we don't know. Or really care about. We just want to know who broke in and stole our stuff.† â€Å"The only thing I know about that is that it wasn't me.† Seeing her scrutinizing look, I threw up my hands. â€Å"Come on! If I wanted to know about him, I'd just ask Lissa. Or steal our own records.† Several moments of silence passed. â€Å"Okay. I believe you,† she said. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Do you want me to not believe you?† â€Å"No, it was just easier than I thought convincing you.† She sighed. â€Å"I want to know more about these records,† I said fiercely. â€Å"I want to know who Jane Doe is. If you could get me other files–â€Å" Sydney shook her head. â€Å"Nope. This is where I cut you off. You know too much already. Abe wanted me to keep you out of trouble, and I've done that. I've done my part.† â€Å"I don't think Abe's going to let you go so easily. Not if you made an open-ended deal.† She didn't acknowledge that, but the look in her brown eyes made me think she agreed. â€Å"Good night, Rose. Morning. Whatever.† â€Å"Wait, I–â€Å" The screen went black. â€Å"Damn,† I growled, shutting the laptop more forcefully than I should have. Every part of that conversation had been a shock, starting with Sydney and ending with someone stealing Alchemist records about Lissa's father. Why would anyone care about a dead man? And why steal the records at all? To learn something? Or to try to hide information? If that last one was true, then Sydney was right that it had been a failed effort. I replayed it all in my head as I got ready for bed, staring at my reflection while brushing my teeth. Why, why, why? Why do it? And who? I needed no more intrigue in my life, but anything involving Lissa had to be treated seriously. Unfortunately, it soon became clear I wouldn't figure out anything tonight, and I fell asleep with all those questions spinning around in my head. I woke up the next morning feeling a little less overwhelmed–but still short on answers. I debated whether or not to tell Lissa about what I'd learned and finally decided I should. If someone was gathering information on her father, she had a right to know, and besides, this was hardly the same as rumors about his– A thought startled me in the middle of scrubbing shampoo into my hair. I'd been too tired and surprised to string together the pieces last night. That guy at the Witching Hour had said Lissa's dad was there a lot. Now Sydney's records reported that he'd made large deposits into an account in Las Vegas. Coincidence? Maybe. But as time went on, I was starting not to believe in coincidences anymore. Once presentable, I set out toward Lissa's side of Court–but didn't get very far. Adrian was waiting for me down in my building's foyer, slumped back into an armchair. â€Å"It's early for you, isn't it?† I teased, coming to a stop in front of him. I expected a smile in return, but Adrian didn't look particularly cheerful this morning. In fact, he appeared kind of bedraggled. His hair lacked its usual styling care, and his clothing–unusually dressy for this time of day–was wrinkled. The scent of clove cigarettes hung around him. â€Å"Easy to be early when you don't get much sleep,† he responded. â€Å"I was up a lot of the night waiting for someone.† â€Å"Waiting for–oh. God.† The party. I'd totally forgotten the party his mother had invited me to. Abe and Sydney had distracted me. â€Å"Adrian, I'm so sorry.† He shrugged and didn't touch me when I sat down on the arm of his chair. â€Å"Whatever. I probably shouldn't be surprised anymore. I'm starting to realize I've been deluding myself.† â€Å"No, no. I was going to go, but then you won't believe what–â€Å" â€Å"Save it. Please.† His voice was weary, his eyes bloodshot. â€Å"It's not necessary. My mom told me she saw you over at Dimitri's questioning.† I frowned. â€Å"But that's not why I missed the party. There was this guy–â€Å" â€Å"That's not the point, Rose. The point is that you managed to make time for that–and a visit to his cell, if what I heard is true. Yet, you couldn't bother showing up at something you said you'd do with me–or even send a message. That was all you had to do: say you couldn't go. I waited over an hour for you at my parents' house before giving up.† I started to say he could have tried to contact me, but honestly, why should he have? It wasn't his responsibility. I was the one who'd told Daniella I'd meet him there. It was my fault for not showing up. â€Å"Adrian, I'm sorry.† I clasped his hand, but he didn't squeeze back. â€Å"Really, I meant to, but–â€Å" â€Å"No,† he interrupted again. â€Å"Ever since Dimitri came back†¦ no, scratch that. Ever since you became obsessed with changing him, you've been torn over me. No matter what's happened between us, you've never really given yourself over to our relationship. I wanted to believe what you told me. I thought you were ready†¦ but you weren't.† Protests rose to my lips, but once more, I stopped them. He was right. I'd said I'd give dating him a fair shot. I'd even sunk into the comfortable role of his girlfriend, yet the whole time†¦ the whole time, part of me had been consumed with Dimitri. I'd known it too but had kept living split lives. A weird flashback to my time with Mason popped into my head. I'd led the same double life with him, and he'd died for it. I was a mess. I didn't know my own heart. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said again. â€Å"I really do want us to have something†¦.† Even to me, the words sounded so lame. Adrian gave me a knowing smile. â€Å"I don't believe that. Neither do you.† He stood up and ran his hand over his hair, not that it did any good. â€Å"If you really want to be with me, then you've got to mean it this time.† I hated seeing him so grim. I especially hated being the reason. I followed him to the door. â€Å"Adrian, wait. Let's talk more.† â€Å"Not now, little dhampir. I need some sleep. I just can't handle playing this game right now.† I could have gone after him. I could have tackled him to the ground. But it wouldn't have been worth it†¦ because I had no answers to give him. He'd been right about everything, and until I could make up my own confused mind, I had no right to force a talk. Besides, considering the state he was in, I doubted any further conversation would have been productive. Yet as he started to step outside, I couldn't help my next words. â€Å"Before you go–and I understand why you have to–there's something I've got to ask you. Something that's not about us. It affects–it affects Lissa.† This slowly brought him to a halt. â€Å"Always a favor.† With a world-weary sigh, he glanced at me over his shoulder. â€Å"Make it fast.† â€Å"Someone broke into the Alchemists' records and stole information about Lissa's dad. Some of it was ordinary life history stuff, but there were some documents about him making secret deposits into a bank account in Las Vegas. Some woman's bank account.† Adrian waited a few moments. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And I'm trying to figure out why someone would do that. I don't want anyone snooping around her family. Do you have any idea what her dad would have been doing?† â€Å"You heard the guy at the casino. Her dad was there a lot. Maybe he had gambling debts and was paying off a loan shark.† â€Å"Lissa's family's always had money,† I pointed out. â€Å"He couldn't have gotten into that much debt. And why would anyone care enough to steal that info?† Adrian threw up his hands. â€Å"I don't know. That's all I've got, at least this early in the morning. I don't have the brain power for intrigue. I can't really picture any of that being a threat to Lissa, though.† I nodded, disappointed. â€Å"Okay. Thanks.† He continued on his way, and I watched him go. Lissa lived near him, but I didn't want him to think I was following him. When he'd put enough distance between us, I stepped outdoors as well and started to head in the same direction. The faint sound of bells brought me to a halt. I hesitated, suddenly unsure where to go. I wanted to talk to Lissa and tell her what Sydney had told me. Lissa was alone for a change; this was the perfect opportunity. And yet†¦ the bells. It was Sunday morning. Mass was about to start at the Court's church. I had a hunch about something, and in spite of everything that had happened–including with Adrian–I had to see if I was right. So I sprinted off toward the church, going in the opposite direction of Lissa's building. The doors were shut when I reached my destination, but a few other latecomers were trying to quietly slip in. I entered with them, pausing to get my bearings. Clouds of incense hung in the air, and my eyes took a moment to adjust from sunlight to candlelight. Since this church dwarfed St. Vladimir's chapel, it was packed with a lot more people than I was used to seeing at mass. Most of the seats were full. But not all of them. My hunch had been right. Dimitri sat in one of the back pews. A few guardians sat near him, of course, but that was it. Even in a crowded church, no one else had joined him on the bench. Reece had asked Dimitri if he'd step inside the church yesterday, and Dimitri had gone one step further, saying he'd even go to Sunday services. The priest had already begun to speak, so I moved down Dimitri's pew as quietly as I could. Silence didn't matter, though, because I still attracted a fair amount of attention from nearby people who were astonished to see me sitting next to the Strigoi-turned-dhampir. Eyes stared and several hushed conversations broke out. The guardians had left some space near Dimitri, and when I sat beside him, the look on his face showed he was both surprised and not surprised by this. â€Å"Don't,† he said in a hushed voice. â€Å"Don't start–not in here.† â€Å"Wouldn't dream of it, comrade,† I murmured back. â€Å"Just came for the good of my soul, that's all.† He didn't need to say a word to convey to me that he doubted I was here for any holy reasons. I stayed quiet throughout the service, though. Even I respected some boundaries. After several minutes, the tension in Dimitri's body eased a little. He'd grown wary when I joined him but must have eventually decided I'd be on good behavior. His attention shifted off of me and focused on the singing and the praying, and I did my best to watch him without being obvious. Dimitri used to go to the school's chapel because it brought him peace. He had always said that even though the killing he did destroyed evil in the world, he still felt the need to come think about his life and seek forgiveness for his sins. Seeing him now, I realized that was truer than ever. His expression was exquisite. I was so used to seeing him hide emotions that it was a bit startling for him to suddenly have a host of them on his face. He was absorbed in the priest's words, his gorgeous face completely focused. And I realized he was taking everything the priest was saying about sin personally. Dimitri was replaying all the awful things he'd done as a Strigoi. From the despair on his face, you'd think that Dimitri himself was responsible for all the sins of the world the priest spoke of. For a moment, I thought I saw hope on Dimitri's face too, just a spark of it mixed in with his guilt and sorrow. No, I realized. Not hope. Hope implies that you think you have a chance at something. What I saw in Dimitri was longing. Wistfulness. Dimitri wished that by being here in this holy place and listening to the messages conveyed, he might find redemption for what he had done. Yet†¦ at the same time, it was clear he didn't believe that was possible. He wanted it but could never have it as far as he was concerned. Seeing that in him hurt me. I didn't know how to react to that kind of bleak attitude. He thought there was no hope for him. Me? I couldn't imagine a world without hope. I also never would have imagined I'd quote back a church lesson, but when the rest of the crowd stood up to take communion, I found myself saying to Dimitri: â€Å"Don't you think that if God can supposedly forgive you, it's kind of egotistical for you not to forgive yourself?† â€Å"How long have you been waiting to use that line on me?† he asked. â€Å"Actually, it just came to me. Pretty good, huh? I bet you thought I wasn't paying attention.† â€Å"You weren't. You never do. You were watching me.† Interesting. To know that I was watching him, would Dimitri have had to have watched me watching him? It boggled the mind. â€Å"You didn't answer my question.† He kept his eyes on the communion line while composing his answer. â€Å"It's irrelevant. I don't have to forgive myself even if God does. And I'm not sure He would.† â€Å"That priest just said God would. He said God forgives everything. Are you calling the priest a liar? That's pretty sacrilegious.† Dimitri groaned. I never thought I'd take joy in tormenting him, but the frustrated look on his face wasn't because of his personal grief. It was because of me being impertinent. I'd seen this expression a hundred times on him, and the familiarity of it warmed me, as crazy as that sounds. â€Å"Rose, you're the one being sacrilegious. You're twisting these people's faith for your own purposes. You've never believed in any of this. You still don't.† â€Å"I believe that the dead can come back to life,† I said seriously. â€Å"The proof is sitting right next to me. If that's true, then I think you forgiving yourself isn't that much more of a leap.† His gaze hardened, and if he was praying for anything right then, it was that the communion process would speed up so that he could get out of here and away from me. We both knew he had to wait this church service out. If he ran out, it would make him look Strigoi. â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about,† he said. â€Å"Don't I?† I hissed, leaning closer. I did it to drive home my point, but all it did (for me, at least) was give me a better view of the way the candlelight shone on his hair and how long and lean his body was. Someone had apparently decided he could be trusted to shave, and his face was smooth, showing its wonderful, perfect lines. â€Å"I know exactly what I'm talking about,† I continued, trying to ignore how his presence affected me. â€Å"I know that you've been through a lot. I know that you did terrible things–I saw them. But it's in the past. It was beyond your control. It's not like you're going to do it again.† A strange, haunted look crossed his face. â€Å"How do you know? Maybe the monster didn't leave. Maybe there's still something Strigoi lurking in me.† â€Å"Then you need to defeat it by moving on with your life! And not just through your chivalrous pledge to protect Lissa. You need to live again. You need to open yourself up to people who love you. No Strigoi would do that. That's how you'll save yourself.† â€Å"I can't have people loving me,† he growled. â€Å"I'm incapable of loving anyone in return.† â€Å"Maybe you should try instead of just feeling sorry for yourself!† â€Å"It's not that easy.† â€Å"Da–† I just barely stopped myself from swearing in a church. â€Å"Nothing we've ever done has been easy! Our life before–before the attack wasn't easy, and we made it through that! We can make it through this too. We can make it through anything together. It doesn't matter if you put your faith in this place. I don't care. What matters is that you put your faith in us.† â€Å"There is no us. I've already told you that.† â€Å"And you know I'm not a very good listener.† We were keeping our voices low, but I think our body language clearly indicated an argument. The other churchgoers were too distracted to notice, but Dimitri's guardians were regarding us carefully. Again, I reminded myself about what Lissa and Mikhail had both said. Getting Dimitri angry in public was not going to do him any favors. The problem was, I had yet to say anything that didn't make him angry. â€Å"I wish you hadn't come here,† he said at last. â€Å"It's really better for us to stay apart.† â€Å"That's funny because I could have sworn you once said we were meant to be together.† â€Å"I want you to stay away from me,† he said, ignoring my comment. â€Å"I don't want you to keep trying to bring back feelings that are gone. That's the past. None of that's going to happen again. Not ever. It's better for us if we act like strangers. It's better for you.† The loving, compassionate feelings he had stirred within me heated up–to fury. â€Å"If you're going to tell me what I can or can't do,† I growled in as low a tone as I could manage, â€Å"then at least have the courage to say it to my face!† He spun around so quickly that he might have indeed still been Strigoi. His face was filled with†¦ what? Not that earlier depression. Not rage either, though there was a bit of anger. There was more, though†¦ a mingling of desperation, frustration, and maybe even fear. Underscoring all of it was pain, like he suffered from terrible, exquisite agony. â€Å"I don't want you here,† he said, eyes blazing. The words hurt, but something about it all thrilled me, just as his earlier agitation at my flippant comments had. This wasn't the cold and calculating Strigoi. This wasn't the defeated man in the cell. This was my old instructor, my lover, who attacked everything in life with intensity and passion. â€Å"How many times do I have to tell you that? You need to stay away from me.† â€Å"But you aren't going to hurt me. I know that.† â€Å"I've already hurt you. Why can't you understand that? How many times do I have to say it?† â€Å"You told me†¦ you told me before you left that you loved me.† My voice trembled. â€Å"How can you let that go?† â€Å"Because it's too late! And it's easier than being reminded of what I did to you!† His control snapped, his voice echoing through the back of the church. The priest and those still taking communion didn't notice, but we'd definitely gotten the attention of those in the back half of the church. A few of the guardians stiffened, and again, I had to repeat the warning to myself. No matter how furious I was at Dimitri, no matter how betrayed I felt that he'd turned away from me†¦ I could not risk others thinking he was dangerous. Dimitri hardly looked like he was going to snap someone's neck, but he was clearly upset, and one might confuse his frustration and pain for something more sinister. I turned from him, trying to calm my churning emotions. When I looked back, our eyes locked, power and electricity burning between us. Dimitri could ignore it all he wanted, but that connection–that deep calling of our souls–was still in there. I wanted to touch him, not just with this brushing of my leg but with everything. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and hold him against me, reassuring him that we could do anything together. Without even realizing it, I reached toward him, needing that touch. He sprang up like I was a snake, and all of his guardians shot forward, braced for what he might do. But he did nothing. Nothing except stare at me with a look that made my blood run cold. Like I was something strange and bad. â€Å"Rose. Please stop. Please stay away.† He was working hard to stay calm. I shot up, now as angry and frustrated as him. I had a feeling if I stayed, we'd both snap. In an undertone, I murmured, â€Å"This isn't over. I won't give up on you.† â€Å"I've given up on you,† he said back, voice also soft. â€Å"Love fades. Mine has.† I stared at him in disbelief. All this time, he'd never phrased it like that. His protests had always been about some greater good, about the remorse he felt over being a monster or how it had scarred him from love. I've given up on you. Love fades. Mine has. I backed up, the sting of those words hitting me as hard as if he'd slapped me. Something shifted in his features, like maybe he knew how much he'd hurt me. I didn't stick around to see. Instead, I pushed my way out of the aisle and ran out the doors in the back, afraid that if I stayed any longer, everyone in the church would see me cry.

In a World of Pay by Fryer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

In a World of Pay by Fryer - Research Paper Example The contribution of this article in the study of human resources is significant in the sense that the article is sufficient enough to enable the HR students gain a real-world insight on how to apply HR theories and practices. The article also allows the students to have an idea concerning the level of competition in the real world of business. Likewise, the article revealed how HR managers should plan on designing effective work compensation packages based on the Coming up with a win-win situation between the employer and employee is very important. Since Anne as a job applicant is a well-known individual who has marked a competitive marketing performance within the ERP software industry, the HR manager should consider the fact that Anne is paying a fee of US$3,000 per month for the assisted living facility of her mother, a competitive health care plan for her 7-year old son who is suffering from asthma and allergies (Fryer, 2003, p. 32, 34). The HR manager also needs to consider that Anne is a single mother. Therefore, transferring her to Germany could be very costly since Anne may need some support on house rent, day care services, cultural training for her and her son, and the annual tuition for her son’s education (p. 37). Knowing the major concern of Anne as a potentially competitive marketing employee, the HR manager should come up with a better working arrangement option or work compensation package that will directly address the main concerns of Anne. With this in mind, the HR manager should weigh the proposed work compensation packages with the market potential and business profitability Anne could contribute to the company. Â  

Marketing communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing communication - Assignment Example Channels evolving offline marketing will include the use of billboards, public relation tactics, radio & television media, mail orders and use of traditional print channels, such as newspapers and magazines. With the use of all the elements of marketing mix (i.e. product, price, place, promotion & packaging), a company is able to develop the IMC (Kotler, 2000). In this paper, the intention is to suggest IMC strategies for McWendy’s, a local restaurant serving fast food to the community, to launch its products successfully. In fast food retail chain businesses, where markets are growing to maturity and opposition is becoming increasingly fierce, one might perceive of limited opportunities. However, with lower entry and exit barriers, it is possible to do well with a new product launch, capturing the immense scope of innovation and competitive advantages. It has been a noteworthy concern in this context that innovation helps in providing an outline for systematizing the improvement procedure (OECD, 2014). McWendy’s might look into indifferently at the poor indulgence value proposition. Furthermore, the chain’s differentiated capabilities in developing a variety of products and managing its superior quality rudiments could put this segment under McWendy’s reach. Consumers of pure extravagance may represent a usual new objective, a group that McWendy’s can reach with a bit more enthusiasm in its innovativeness, which is again replicated through the launch of the new product. To succeed, McWendy’s might have to rethink about enhancing the store experience and fulfilling the need of its consumers, obtainable through superior taste, service quality maintenance and proper concern to sustainability issues (Antonsson & et. al., 2011). The interest in healthy foodstuffs has increased significantly in the past few decades, which has created a new opportunity for McWendy’s. McWendy’s

Chapters Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapters Summary - Essay Example n, use of least pressure, deterrence from the use of severe measures until inevitable, and specific and detailed description of performance problem to the employee. Managers must have full awareness of the problem to use the disciplinary process effectively. First the manager diagnoses the problem together with the employee, and after coaching and feedback, if the desired improvement is not seen, actions become unilateral from bilateral, thus causing the manager to decide what eventually needs to be done to halt the consistent poor performance of the employee. Progressive discipline involves least use of force to solve performance problem, but in case of failed solution of cooperative problem, consequences are applied. The three phases of progressive discipline process include identification and cooperation, cooperative consequences in the case of persistence of performance problem, and unilateral consequences. Identification and cooperation includes identification of problem and pre paration of plan to solve it. Cooperative consequences include identification and application of consequences. Unilateral consequences include taking severe action in case of persistence of problem remaining within the labor agreement constraints. Commitment and a different mindset is required to manage performance. Good management aims at adding value instead of speeding up the processes to get everything done quickly. Common managerial objections include being too busy to take more work, not being clear on the manager’s job, considering the system dreadful, dissatisfaction of the employees with the appraisal process, tendency of employees to benefit from the cooperative approach of the manager and the power being shifted from the manager’s hand into the employees’ as a result, considering the process of performance appraisal useless until used for rewarding employees, lack of acknowledgment of the imperfection of any pay for performance system, fear of the manager to lose

MANAGING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MANAGING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR - Essay Example A critical analysis and understanding of people’s personality is essential for ardent management of human behaviors especially in organizations large teams of employees. Hopcke (1992) argues that Jung’s typology test aids in assessing someone’s personality and understanding the influence of personal perception on life issues. In fact, it gives an insight of suitable carriers and opportunities available regarding an individual’s personality type. After carrying out the Jung typology test, the results for the questionnaire emerged as follows; moderate preference of introversion over extraversion (56%), slight preference of thinking over feeling(12%), slight preference of thinking over feeling (12%) and finally moderate preference of judging over perceiving (44%). The results are a prospect of my general personality and are important for assessing workplace behavior, interaction with fellow colleagues in the workplace, anger management and motivational factors. Essentially, personality has great influence on someone’s career and performance when assigned tasks. In fact, personality type is a crucial determinant of how an individual relate with coworkers and the type of career to pursue (Hollway, 1991). From the above outcomes, my personality is best suited to working in a quiet place and interacting with just few people or none. The personality type postulated by the above outcomes does not accommodate working in organizations with large number of employees. Unfortunately, most workplace settings involve several employees working together with the aim of accomplishing organizational goals. It is important to examine the personality types of employees in order to discover the place each individual can fit best. For instance, people with introverted personalities work best in a secluded location. On the contrary, people with extraverted personality are suitable working in teams and in areas involving interaction with huge crowds of

Women's studies - Gender, Culture and Technology Essay

Women's studies - Gender, Culture and Technology - Essay Example Sex stereotypes are defined as â€Å"socially shared beliefs that certain qualities can be assigned to individuals, based on their membership in the female or male half of the human race† (Lips, 1993, pp. 2). The individual tends to conform to the roles defined or constructed by the society. Individuals are so influenced by the socially specified categories that they tend to organize themselves according to these categories. A woman speaks in one way when she is speaking to another woman, and in a different way when she is speaking to a man. She may behave differently when she is working with a group of men than when she is working with a group of females. This is because the woman has learnt through modeling, practice and reinforcement, to behave differently in situations that differ only in relation to the gender of the partner or the group. Her role vis-à  -vis to the gender she is interacting with has already been prescribed and defined by society. Bohan (1993, pp.6) suggests that the differences between boys and girls and men and women can be explained by two different perspectives – Essentialism and Constructionism. Essentialism locates the origin of the gender qualities within the individual whereas Constructionism locates these gender qualities outside the individual as a component of the acts and actions of the individualism. Gender is therefore made external to the self. It is not intrinsic. It is only in what the actions of the individual. Gender qualities, from this perspective, are not intrinsic characteristics based on biological sex. Bohan argues that gender is not something that the individual possesses but something that the individual does. Essentialism on the other hand locates gender within the individual as intrinsic. The constructionist perspective actually locates gender in the social realm. It defines gender in terms of ‘doing’. West and Zimmerman (1993, pp. 380) define gender itself as â€Å"a routine, methodical and

Tabloid, Celebrity Internet Assignment Research Paper

Tabloid, Celebrity Internet Assignment - Research Paper Example He suggested four categories for the purveyors of news, namely: elite, prestige, popular, and tabloid (Sparks and Tulloch, 2000, 292). It follows a hierarchical classification where the best is the elite and the tabloid - at the bottom rung - is typified by poor quality in terms of structure and content. The differences demonstrate a reverse progression of content standards - from objective stories that are factual and substantial, the additional use of images, the emphasis on drama, action, entertainment, simplicity and immediacy, to the pure sensationalized content that focus on scandals, celebrity and crime. It is interesting to note that Paletz, identified TV shows such as American Journal, A Current Affair, Hard Copy and Inside Edition in addition to supermarket tabloids in the category of tabloid news (Sparks and Tulloch, 293). Rainwater supported this stratified characteristics when he explained the hierarchy and characteristics of taste and cultures are similar to the hierarc hy and characteristics of the U.S. class structure, pointing out that the taste that a person develops can largely depend on his or her class origins, particularly the quality of education. The idea is that tabloid media must cater to the low taste culture of a segment of the population that are not exposed to higher cultural origin - those that prefer â€Å"greater literalness† and the emphasis on action, as found in adventure stories, melodrama and violent sports (Rainwater, 2009, 356). Rainwater stressed that â€Å"taste culture often express the class concerns of their public† (356). This aspect highlights the cultural and social dimension to tabloid programming. The public reception to the Bonnie and Clyde movie demonstrate this position. It was positively received by the audience across various class groupings. But the appreciation came from diverging perspectives. The elite saw the material as a critique to the American society whereas lower class public saw it as a crime thriller, one that shocks and entertains. A comparison to history or historical documentary/narrative is an excellent approach to highlight the nature of tabloid media. According to Glynn (2000), history â€Å"depicts the current regime as the inevitable expression of an unbroken continuity rooted in human nature and a presumptively teleological social evolution† (138). The opposing approach is identified as genealogy, which focuses on discontinuity into our very being in an attempt to explore possibilities of the past and the future. As Glynn pointed out, the origin of tabloid media is aligned with its modalities since genealogy is all about depicting history â€Å"in the form of a concerted carnival† (138). What makes it appealing is the fact that it supposedly provokes laughter and entertainment as opposed to the sobriety and solemnity of pure truth. These points of view highlight the perception that tabloid media public tends to be drawn to fantastical m aterials that show extremely distorted truth in order to satisfy a thirst for entertainment. Also, media today - through technological advancement - has become a public forum where producers of content sets the stage and the millions of spectators can access or watch at the same time, regardless of geographical distance and time. There are authors who consider the media and the entertainment industry as a battleground wherein important messages, images, issues and constructs

Othellos position as an outsider fuelled by his insecurities Essay Example for Free

Othellos position as an outsider fuelled by his insecurities Essay In what ways does Othellos position as an outsider fuelled by his insecurities bring about his downfall? Shakespeare was on of the greatest writer of all time he wrote many plays and among them there are his timeless tragedies. Some of the most popular are Romeo and Juliet, a typical love tragedy, Macbeth and the famous Othello. Tragedy is one of the oldest genres in literature. It started off in Greek times and one of the earliest writers was Aristotle. Shakespeare was influenced by Greek and Roman thought and ideas, which he used in his own revenge tragedies. Shakespearean tragedies are all set around the hero. The hero normally has a fatal flaw that causes the downfall of the hero. These ideas are clearly shown in the revenge tragedy Othello. In the play, Othello is a typical revenge hero. Othello is a cultural and racial outsider he is a moor, which is a natural of Northern Africa. This featured separates him from the other characters. He is a well-respected man who is a loyal officer and has repeatedly proved himself in a battle, but people still do not accept him as one of them. This fuels Othellos insecurities and the way people treat and talk to him build on the many insecurities he already has. Throughout the play there are many references to Othellos race and social background. In scene one the audience are introduced to Othello through Iago and Brabantio conversing about him. The audience are informed that he is marrying the Kings daughter (Desdemona) behind the Kings back. This is highlighted by a quote from Act one Scene one A black ram is tupping your white +ewe. The audiences first impressions of Othello are that he is sly and untrustworthy. The imagery used by Iago black ram and white yew signifies the differences between Desdemona and Othello, Othello is black and Desdemona is white. Not simply this but other ideas are connoted by these images to the audience. Black symbolising hate and evil while white symbolising purity, good and angelic. This opposite effect between them gives a negative effect on the audience about Othello. Witchcraft is spoken of He thought twas witchcraft by Iago and Rodrigo as there is no other reason for a pure and angelic character to love such a hideous beast. The ideas of witchcraft being mentioned shows that people are thinking that Othello has put a spell on Desdemona for her to love him. Othello isnt seen as attractive or conventionally good looking. His colour makes him unappealing and frightening implied by the imagery used by people in the play when speaking about Othello. When referring to Othello. The Moor and Thick lips are used as references to Othellos colour in many scenes. The imagery of animals or beasts is used a lot, Black ram and barbary horse. This is bringing Othello to an animalistic level with the imagery of wild un tamed animals or beasts. This is used to insult Othellos colour and his racial background. By saying he is of a low level and uncivilised. Although a lot of insults are directed towards Othello these insults are never spoken to his face. This is because Othello is a valuable and skilled soldier he has done a lot for the country and people respect him for that. I have done the state some service and they knowt. When speaking to Othello, Iago and Rodrigo call him my lord This shows respect and Othello seems to be accepted into their Venetian society because of his fighting ability, although the dramatic irony is clearly shown when Iago says, I do hate him as I do hells pains but when speaking to Othello in Act 4 Scene 4 he says. You know I love you my lord. This would be one thing that would change the audiences views about Othello and make them more aware of Iago as this starts to show his true colours. Iago mentions the word hell signifying the devil and pure evil, this again relates to the views and opinions people have on Othellos racial background. His black skin reinforces the images and thoughts also. Discrimination is a key theme during this play a lot of which is aimed at Othello. Although Othello has been accepted into their society he still feels conscious about his racial background as he states , haply, for I am black. Othello knows that hes an outsider to them and understands why, his unknown qualities may be threat to some but on the other hand others are intrigued which Is shown when he says, her father loved me/oft invited me/still questioned me about the story of my life. People do not like to accept the unknown but like to question it or like Iago feel the need to push it away. The unknown is ventured into by Desdemona she crosses the line between her society and the unknown by marrying Othello. This shocks and seems outrageous but it helps Othello be accepted more into their society. Desdemona was once too scared by Othellos race this is highlighted by the quote And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks. But she looked beyond this I saw Othellos visage in his mind. This shows that if one can see the inner beauty then why cant every one else? Perception is a key theme during the play. The audience see that Othello is beautiful not on the outside but on the inside. Iago although he appears beautiful the audience see a different view they see more than skin deep. Desdemona accepts Othello for who he is, therefore Othello feels safe and secure with her. He loves and adores Desdemona and would do anything for her. This is clearly shown in Act4 Scene4 And I when I love thee not, chaos is come again. This is implying that without Desdemonas love it would be the end of the world, the end of Othello. When Iago starts to question Desdemonas love for Othello, Othello now feels he cannot trust Desdemona. This affects him because she makes him feel accepted because she loves him for who he is and now he feels unaccepted into their society. Iago knows this so he plays on these insecurities to get what he wants. I think this quote is a good description telling the audience he is comparing Othello to an Ass, and Iago is leading him with his lies. And will as tenderly be led by thnose as asses are. This creates an image of an animal being led away so easily by something so simple, but by something it loves and craves. Iago does not tell Othello anything about Desdemona and Cassio he just cleverly puts thoughts into Othellos head, it is shown well n this quote, Ha I like not thatNothing my lord. Iago immediately catches Othellos attention and he is eager to find out more. Iago plants the seed of doubt and nurtures it over act 3. Iago carries on and starts to mention Cassio although he doesnt say anything about Desdemona and Cassio being together he implies it, shown in this quote I cannot think he would sneak away so guilty like, seeing you coming. These quick sentences get Othellos mind racing, with doubt and jealousy. The words that make Othello eager are sneak and guilty this really sets the scene for a private affair. Othello panics and he answers Iago quick trying to find out more. What dost though think? As the scene progresses Othello becomes suspicious and starts to get annoyed with Iago, as it seems Iago knows something and is not telling Othello, Othello says Show me thy thought. Othello, feeling an outsider already is now separated from the group even more as there are secrets revolving around that he knows nothing of. Iago realises that Othello may not believe him, to get Othello to trust him and start to believe him he says You know I love you my lord. This dramatic Irony starts to show the audience that the real villain is Iago in the play and their sympathy goes out to Othello as all he is, is another cog in Iagos conniving and twisted plan. Toward the end of the scene Iago starts to really play on the insecurities of Othello. She did deceive her father marrying you. This implies that if she can deceive her own blood then what chance does Othello have? This idea was brought up at the start of the play when Othello was speaking to Desdemonas father, and he warns Othello of her background telling him that she has deceived him many times before. So Othello starts to really believe it now. Why did I marry? To make sure Othello really understands Iago, Iago starts to imply that Othello being an outsider means he does not know a lot about their society. Iago comes from this society so anything said, Othello will believe because he doesnt know any different. In Venice they do not let god see their pranks, they dare not show their husbands; their best conscious. Here Iago is implying that Venetian women are not what they seem. Iago knows this from past experience and implies Othello has been pulled in by their deceptive ways. Othello is starting to doubt his position in the society as he realises he does not know enough. This plays on his insecurities and he feels more of an outsider than hes ever felt. This is shown by his epileptic fits on stage as he works himself up so much his body shuts itself down. His epileptic fits contribute to his outsider qualities as this is a fault within him, which separates him from the society. People dont understand him and therefore cant accept him totally into their society. This gives Iago a chance to work situations to his advantage like the Cassio and Bianca scene. Othello becomes more and more insecure and vulnerable he needs to rely on Iagos advises more. Iago gets him to depend on him and a power change occurs. The audience are aware of the change by Act 4 scene 4 when it is clearly shown. From then on Othello becomes more and more insecure, and Iago feeds on his weakness. Rude am I in speech / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace. (A statement form Othello.) This is showing us that Othello is presenting himself as an outsider and constantly brings up his differences from other Venetians. This insecurity is brought on by the thoughts of other people. If everyone else thinks it, then Othello starts to think it too because he is so unsure about himself. Another quote that shows this is when Othello says, Haply for I am black/and have not those soft parts of conversation. Othello knows he is discriminated against his colour and he admits it Haply for I am black, his colour is linked to the ideas of a beast he refers to this by saying, have not those soft parts. The soft in this sentence is the total opposite of what is thought about Othello. He now discriminated himself and compares him self to other people and this is when he thinks his whole world is crumbling around him especially because his one true love has supposedly betrayed him. If Othello chooses not to believe in himself and lets himself be an outsider from the rest, then what chance does he have expecting others to accept him? Othellos position as an outsider is in a lot of way fuelled by his insecurities. This is a serious weakness that comes across on Othello and the paranoia he has upon himself does not help. Desdemona gave him the confidence to not care, but Iagos twisted and conniving ways led Othello to believe his one true love was not there beside him any more helping him through the tough times. Desdemona fuelled the little confidence Othello had and it was this reason that Iago used to break Othello. In the last scene Othello speaks Like a base Indian, threw a pearl away. Here in this metaphor Othello has realised Desdemona was his pearl the one thing left that made him she was his world and his world had now gone.

Oodgeroo Noonuccal Biography Essay Example for Free

Oodgeroo Noonuccal Biography Essay Oodgeroo Noonuccal was born in 1920 on Stradbroke island (Minjerriba to the Aboriginal people), which was in Queensland, and she was born into the Noonuccal people of the Yuggera group. She was an actress, writer, teacher, artist and a campaigner for the Aboriginal people. Oodgeroo shared a trait with her father that was the sense of injustice. She left school at the age of 13 and worked as a domestic servant until 1939. After that she volunteered for service in the Australian Woman’s Army Service. Between 1961 and 1970 Oodgeroo popular poetry and writing made her very popular to the aboriginal people, Torre Strait Islanders and the people of Queensland. Oodgeroo Noonuccal became the first published Aboriginal woman when she wrote ‘We are Going’, which was sold out in only three days breaking some Australian records. Between 1964 and 1988 Oodgeroo wrote many Children’s books, short stories, new poems, essays and speeches. Oodgeroo Noonuccal was involved in many Aboriginal right organizations. Now her work is recognized worldwide and the themes in most of her poems in the need for peace between the black and white Australians. Her aboriginal upbringing helped her for inspiration, what she used to be surrounded to and the way she had been treated. Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s father had taught her to be stubborn and to be proud of being Aboriginal and with this, Oodgeroo would push through discriminations and penalties. Oodgeroo’s campaigning for Aboriginal voting rights started in 1960 when she strived for equality. She traveled Australia giving talks and doing all sorts of stuff to make more people aware. Finally in 1967 the campaigning showed to be successful and the Aboriginals got their rights. When she tried to campaign Globally nobody would listen to her and she got quite frustrated. She went back to her home, on Stradbroke Island, to build an Aboriginal Museum but the government would not allow it.

Reflection on Care Interventions and Decision Making

Reflection on Care Interventions and Decision Making Reflective evaluation of care interventions and clinical decision making. Introduction This essay is a reflective examination of a care episode in the domain of mental health nursing, in relation to the processes of nursing decision making, clinical reasoning, and processes associated with patient care planning and management. The reflection on elements or aspects of care, or on specific clinical experiences, is an important part of nurse development and ongoing professional practice (Rolfe, 2005). Reflection is more than simply looking back at experiences and incidents, it is a process of making sense of them, understanding all the dimensions of an experience, and using information, evaluation and analysis to improve future practice (Hargreaves, 2004). It is, therefore, about learning from experiences, as much as learning about experiences (Gibbs, 1988; Kolb, 1984). Although reflection is known to be, at times, an imperfect means of reviewing practice, because there is always the possibility of biased reflection, or poor memory (Jones, 1995), it is a means of allowing student nurses and qualified nurses to ask questions about their practice and look at it in the light of knowledge and evidence. Using reflection, this essay will attempt to examine the care of an older adult with dementia, in order to examine the elements of clinical decision making and clinical reasoning in relation to their care and the management of care for them in the longer term. As such, it will also look at elements of care planning for this patient, and the processes which surrounded a key clinical decision, which is about place of care for the designated patient, who will be described below. The essay will be based within the framework of Gibbs (1988) cycle of reflection, which provides a structure and guideline for constructive reflection and allows practitioners to develop action plans for future practice improvement (see Appendix). The essay will present the case history and summary of the client’s clinical/health status, and then will follow the structure of the Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle. It will conclude with the action plan and a brief conclusion of the arguments developed throughou t the essay. Case History/Summary The patient, whose name has been changed to protect confidentiality, is Arthur, a 69 year old man who was admitted to a general medical ward three weeks ago with pneumonia. Arthur is married to Anne, who is also 69, and both are retired teachers. Arthur was diagnosed with vascular dementia three years ago, and his health, and in particular, his symptoms of dementia, have been steadily worsening since that time. Anne is his chief carer, and gets regular support and help from their two children, a daughter, who is a full time clerical worker, and a son, who is married and lives an hour’s drive away from his parents. Anne and Arthur live in their own home, where they have lived since they were married 47 years ago. Arthur’s symptoms are memory loss and dysfunction, apathy, fatigue, withdrawal, fixation on routines, communication difficulties, and ‘wandering’. Arthur is accustomed to regular social activities at the local Home Guard club, some of which Anne attends with him, and also to going into the local shopping area most days to buy a paper. Anne has to help him with the majority of his activities of daily living. His appetite has decreased, and he needs assistance with dressing, hygiene and other self-care activities. Anne helps him manage his medication. He has a history of essential hypertension, which is managed with anti-hypertensive medication. Arthur developed pneumonia following a viral infection, and was admitted with dyspnoea, pyrexia and increased confusion, alongside dehydration. He was treated on a medical ward, and during this time was reviewed by an occupational therapist, social work liaison, and by the mental health team, as well as his medical team. His pneumonia responded well to antibiotic therapy, and he received nutritional supplements and assistance with some of his activities of daily living. Reflection Description: What Happened Arthur’s physical health improved sufficiently for the medical team to determine that he was ready for discharge from the medical ward. Initially, the discharge plan was straightforward, and had been commenced on admission, and finalised by the nursing team looking after Arthur, under the leadership of his named nurse. Arthur was to be discharged home to his own home, with community nursing involvement. However, because of his degenerative condition, and his current state of health and wellbeing, one of the nurses on the team objected to this plan, and decided that it might be time to consider the best place of care for Arthur in the longer term. In the light of her referral to the medical consultant, and to the primary care nurse consultant, a full case conference and multidisciplinary review was called to review the discharge plan. A number of professionals were present: occupational therapy, a social worker, his named nurse, the nurse who had instigated the case conference, the Nurse Practitioner, a representative of the mental health team, and the author, along with Arthur’s Registrar and SHO. Each professional presented their case, and discussed Arthur’s current state of health, and the support, care and input he needed. Because of his increasing debilitation, reports of his wandering behaviours on the ward, and his increasing dependence on carers, it was decided that Arthur should not be discharged home, but instead a place should be found in an EMI nursing home, where he could receive the level of support believed to be necessary for him. It was agreed that a nursing home close to his own home would be chosen, so that his wife would be able to visit him, but the home found for him was seven miles away from their home, and when his wife was informed of his place of care after discharge, she was upset. She wanted Arthur at home with her, and insisted that she could cope with his care. She also explained that the care facility they proposed was not on an easily accessible bus route, and it would take two buses and a considerable amount of time to travel from her hom e to visit him. Despite this, she was informed that the best place for him now was a nursing home, because his safety was at risk, and eventually, it was agreed that he be discharged to this nursing home as soon as a room became available. Feelings: What Were You Thinking and Feeling. My feelings were very much around empathy with Arthur’s wife, who wanted Arthur discharged to his familiar home environment, but also a sense of concern for Arthur, for his safety and wellbeing, and for the burden that his care was placing on his wife. However, I also felt quite strongly that she should have been included in the case conference. I also felt that Arthur should have been consulted about where he preferred to be discharged to. Although he had poor communication, there were times when he was able to appear at least aware of his surroundings and circumstances, and I felt that someone should have tried to get his thoughts and feelings on where he would go after discharge. I felt that the multidisciplinary team was working effectively, that they were communicating openly and professionally about the care, but that they still did not quite seem to see Arthur as a person, a whole person, with a life, a family, and his own preferences. Instead, I felt that they saw him predominantly in terms of the problems he posed for care services. And I felt that this was not necessarily the best ethos to underpin such a significant, life-changing decision. Evaluation: What Was Good and Bad about the Experience. Positive aspects of the experience included the insight I gained into a multidisciplinary team case conference, in which all the professionals concerned were not only well prepared and well meaning, but eager to listen to each other, to listen to people’s experiences of caring for Arthur, and to debate the whys and wherefores of his case and the discharge decision. Attitudes towards Arthur were positive, in terms of focusing on his wellbeing, safety, and prognosis, as well as focusing on the wellbeing of his wife and main carer. However, negative aspects of this were chiefly the exclusion of Anne and Arthur from the case conference, and the lack of the presence of a member of the community nursing team, or Arthur’s GP, or anyone who actually understood his home circumstances properly. It seemed to me that no one was able to really state with certainty what his home circumstances were like. I also felt that the team should have considered the effects on Anne of ‘losing’ her husband’s presence in her home, because this could have consequences for her emotional, social and even financial wellbeing. While Arthur is their primary concern, if they had seen him and his wife in terms of the realities of their lives together, this might have affected their decision. Analysis: What Sense Can You Make of the Situation? Providing care for the older adult who has a diagnosis of dementia, whatever kind, is difficult and challenging, because the disorder affects so many aspects of their lives, not just their ability to take care of themselves. The NSF for Older People (DoH, 2001) clearly states that all care for the older adult should be based on person-centred care principles, looking at the individual needs, and looking at the person in context of their social life and home life. However, because the older adult is more likely to have a number of concurrent health problems (Grabbe et al, 1997), providing care to meet all the needs of the patent can be very challenging. The literature suggests that despite the Governmental guidance, and the ongoing drive to improve care for the older population, standards of care for this sector are still not as good as they should be (Helme, 2007). This suggests that there are still considerable improvements to be made in the ways that such people are cared for, and the kinds of decisions made and treatment choices offered for them (Redfern and Ross, 2001). Dementia is a difficult disease to plan care around, because it has so many manifestations, and for different reasons. It is a very prevalent disorder in the older population (DoH, 2001). According to Helme (2007) more than 50% of elderly people in nursing homes, and an equivalent number of elderly patients who are admitted to hospitals, have dementia. This poses a considerable burden on health and social care. But the NSF also argues that it is vital that older people’s dignity is preserved and prioritised within these healthcare services (DoH, 2001), and if this is the case, then the kinds of decisions made about their place of care, as in the case of Arthur, should be decisions that are about their dignity, and their autonomy. It could be, in this case, that the balance between preserving Arthur’s autonomy at home, and between protecting his dignity (he has been known to wander out of the house in his underwear, or get lost in town), has brought the team to their dec ision. If the team are practising patient centred care, or person-centred care, then Arthur’s wellbeing would be the reason for the decision. However, this is not always the case, and it could be that the decision has been made based on what is likely to cause the least amount of strain on the community health and social care services (Dellasega and Fisher, 2001). There is some evidence in the healthcare literature that many healthcare professionals continue to have innate prejudices or stereotypes of elderly patients (Gunderson et al, 2005). If this is the case, then Arthur may be being judged based on his diagnosis, and on preconceptions about his current clinical/mental state, rather than on a holistic picture of his whole life and his social context. There are those who would argue that making this decision for Arthur is the wrong course of action, because he has been functioning well at home prior to hospital admission for a medical problem, and there is no reason why he could not carry on with the same level of support for the time being (Hoare, 2004). However, it might be that this admission to hospital has been the first time that such a large team of healthcare professionals from different disciplines has had the opportunity to assess Arthur’s current health status and healthcare needs, and this is what has led to this decision (Fielo, 1998). It might be, for example, the first time the true impact of Arthur’s condition on the activities of daily living has been observed (Farley et al, 2006). However, it is also important to remember that as a patient with Dementia, Arthur is likely to behave very differently in a hospital setting than he would in a familiar home environment, and so this assessment may not be based on how he usually manages his daily life (Zarit and Zarit, 2007). However, if the professionals involved believe that the complexity of Arthur’s needs are such that the easiest place for Arthur to be cared for is within a nursing home environment (Miller et al, 1996), this might be the reason for the decision, perhaps in relation to an awareness of local resou rces and availability of certain support services for Arthur (Eloniemi-Sulkava et al, 2001). The process of discharge planning is one which still seems something of a mystery, despite the clear communication between the multidisciplinary team. It is apparent from the literature on the subject that discharge planning conferences can be difficult, and for many health professionals and patients, it can be hard to get your opinion across and make sure that this opinion, or observation, is taken seriously (Efraimsson et al, 2006). Certainly, I felt that I could not voice my opinion during this conference, and yet in hindsight I feel that I should have done so, because I really feel that the most important people were missing from the case conference. The voice of Arthur was not there, perhaps because the team believed he would not be able to communicate effectively (Efraimsson et al, 2004), but Anne should definitely have been involved, as his wife and primary carer (DoH, 2001). The literature shows that lack of involvement in discharge planning, particularly when significant decisions are being made such as this, disempowers patients and their families and can have detrimental effects on health and wellbeing (Efraimsson et al, 2003). Leaving Anne out of this decision may have an impact on her health and wellbeing, including her mental and emotional health, and if she had been involved, she might have come to the same conclusions that the team had, rather than just having them make a rather paternalistic decision without consulting her (Redfern and Ross, 2001). Conclusion: What Else Could you Have Done? One conclusion that I have reached through examining this case, is that it is important to question care decisions and clinical decision making processes, even if you are in the minority (Daly, 1998). In this situation, I felt disempowered, and I am sure that it might have been the case that Anne would have felt quite challenged to be part of the conference, but it should have been opened up to include her and to give her a chance to voice her own thoughts and feelings, and provide the insight into Arthur’s health, wellbeing and home life that was lacking from the conference. Another conclusion I have reached is that while multidisciplinary conferences are important, there can still be underlying personal agendas, or prejudices, and so focusing on a person-centred model of care and discharge planning is important. Also, it might be that the label of dementia has been colouring everyone’s reactions and making them lean towards nursing home care because of what they know about dementia, rather than because of what they know about Arthur. I should have raised the questions that I had, and been more proactive. I also felt that they could have referred more explicitly to the available guidelines, such as the NSF (DoH, 2001), and the local policies and guidelines on discharge planning, and on social care planning. There should have been community nurses or Arthur’s GP involved in the discharge conference. I should have raised these points, and perhaps referred to the appropriate guidance, or asked for it. Action Plan: If it arose again, what would you do? I would ensure that the patient and their primary carers were included in the discharge planning conference, that their preferences, experiences and opinions were sought, and that these were incorporated into the clinical decision making process. I would gather together all available policies, guidance and governance documents relating to the case. I would also seek out and gather together as much of the evidence base as possible relating to the patient’s care, in order to make a more reasoned decision. I would make sure that the community health professionals who had been involved in Arthur’s care up to the point of his admission to hospital were also involved in the discharge conference. This would mean that a more realistic picture of his needs was presented. I would include detailed information about an alternative plan of care and social support for Arthur, one which included realistic assessments of available resources and impact on current care provision. I would make sure that the impact of this admission on Anne and her home situation was also considered in making the final decision. I would also attempt to ensure that the discharge plan included identification and mobilisation of resources and support services for Anne as well as for Arthur. Conclusion It would appear from this reflection that a significant decision making process such as this, even when many good principles are adhered to, is complex and difficult, and it is important to make sure that all aspects of the client’s needs are being met, not just their safety and medical/social care needs. Decisions such as this cannot be made without the full picture and without considering alternatives to what might appear to be the easiest solution. References 213569 Daly, W..M. (1998) Critical thinking as an outcome of nursing education. What is it? Why is it important to nursing practice? Journal of Advanced Nursing 28 (2) 323-331. Department of Health (2001) The National Service Framework for Older People Available from www.dh.gov.uk. Accessed 10-11-08. Dellasega CA. Fisher KM (2001) Posthospital home care for frail older adults in rural locations. Journal of Community Health Nursing. 18(4): 247-60. Draper, B. Low, L. (2005). What is the effectiveness of acute hospital treatment of older people with mental disorders? International Psychogeriatrics, 17, 539-555 Efraimsson, E., Sandman, P. Hyden, L-C., and Rasmussen, B.H. (2006). How to get one’s voice heard: the problems of the discharge planning conference. Journal of Advanced Nursing 53 (6) 646-655. Efraimsson, E., Rasmussen, B.H., Gilje, F. and Sandman, P. (2003) Expressions of power and powerlessness in discharge planning: a case study of an older woman on her way home. Journal of Clinical Nursing 12 707-716. Efraimsson, E., Sandman, P. Hyden, L-C., and Rasmussen, B.H. (2004). Discharge planning: ‘fooling ourselves?’ – patient participation in conferences. Journal of Clinical Nursing 13 562-570. Eloniemi-Sulkava, U., Notkola I.L., Hentinen, M. et al (2001) Effects of supporting community-living demented patients and their caregivers: a randomized trial. Journal of the American Geriatric Society 49(10):1282-7. Farley, A., McLafferty, E. and Hendry, C. (2006) The physiological effects of ageing on the activities of living. Nursing Standard 20(45) 46-52. Fielo, S. B. (1998) Discharge Planning for the Elderly: A Guide for Nurses. Nursing and Health Care Perspectives Volume 19(2) 94-95. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing. A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic, Oxford Gould, D., Berridge, E-J. And Kelly, D. (2007) The National Health Service Knoweldge and Skills Framework and its implications for continuing professional development within nursing. Nurse Education Today 27 26-34. Grabbe, L., Demi, A., Camann, M.A. and Potter, L. (1997) The health status of elderly persons in the last year of life: a comparison of deaths by suicide, injury an natural causes. American Journal of Public Health 87 (3) 434-437. Gunderson, A., Tomkowiak, J., Menachemi, N. and Brooks, M.D. (2005) Rural physicians’ attitudes toward the elderly: evidence of ageism? Quality Management in Health Care 14 (3) 167-176. Hargreaves, J. (2004) â€Å"So how do you feel about that? Assessing reflective practice.† Nurse Education Today 24 (3) 196-201. Hoare K. (2004) Care home placement: can admission direct from acute hospital be justified? Nursing Older People. 16(6): 14-17. Jones, P.R. (1995) Hindsight bias in reflective practice: an empirical investigation. Journal of Advanced Nursing 21 (4) 783–788. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning London: Prentice Hall. Miller, J., Neelon, V., Dalton. J. et al (1996) The assessment of discomfort in elderly confused patients: a preliminary study. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing 28 (3) 175-182. Redfern, S.J. and Ross, F.M. (2001) Nursing Older People. Third edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. Rolfe, G. (2005) The deconstructing angel: nursing, reflection and evidence-based practice Nursing Inquiry 12 (2), 78–86. Zarit, S.H. and Zarit, J. M. (2007) Mental disorders in older adultsfundamentals of assessment and treatment. New York: The Guildford Press. Gibbs (1988) Cycle of Reflection http://www.nursesnetwork.co.uk/images/reflectivecycle.gif

Somatic Gene Therapy Essay -- Genetics Science Ethics Essays

Somatic Gene Therapy To a parent, the thought of their child having a severe, yet rare genetic disease brings guilt, sadness, and responsibility to an aching heart. Parents who see their child pass through life with the weight of a terminal illness often wish in their hearts that the curse had been placed upon them rather than their child. To some, the thought of the old clichà © "no parent ought to see their child die" seems to swim endlessly in their mind. The hope for a cure fills the hearts of many waiting on the edge of their seats in hopes for a better quality of life for themselves, loved ones, and human kind. The news of success with a novel technology in putting to rest these diseases brings a purpose in life. Such is the case with Ashanti DeSilva, a four-year-old girl diagnosed with severe combined immune deficiency (Human Gene Therapy). Ashanti hardly lived what would be call a normal life, confined to her sterile home where she battled common childhood diseases, like the cold, with massive amounts of antibiotics. She lived a life of separation, avoiding contact with the public and even those she loved. With a compromised immune system due to a missing gene in her genome, she was vulnerable to every passing germ. On September 14, 1990, Ashanti received a life changing treatment as the first approved gene therapy. In the procedure the researchers removed white blood cells from Ashanti, which were then grown in a lab. These cells were then spliced with the missing gene and infused back into Ashanti. Although this is a treatment and not a cure, Ashanti can now live a life she and her parents dreamed of. She can now attend school and play with friends and family without fear of contact, thereby living a more... ...lt;http://www.wiley.co.uk/genmed/clinical/> Human Gene Therapy (2000). National Reference Center for Bioethics Literature. (Online) 20Nov04. <http://www.georgetown.edu/research/nrcbl/scopenotes/sn24htm>. Questions and Answers About Gene Therapy (1993). National Cancer Institute. (Online) 20Nov04. <http://www.cancernet.nci.nih.gov/clinpdq/therapy/Questions_and_Answers_About_Gene_Therapy.htm>. Rubanyi, G. (2001). The Future of Human Gene Therapy. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 22,3, pp. 113-142. Walters, LeRoy, and Julie Gage Palmer. Ethics of Human Gene Therapy. Oxford University Press, New York. 1997. Williams, D. (2003). Gene Therapy-New Challenges Ahead. Science. 302, 5644, pp. 400. Wilson, J. (1997) What Is Gene Therapy? The Institute for Human Gene Therapy. (Online) 20Nov04. <http://www.med.upenn.edu/ihgt/info/whatisgt.html>.

The Relationship Between Early Humans and Their Environment :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

The Relationship Between Early Humans and Their Environment In television shows and textbooks, early humans are often presented as being an isolated force within their environments - that is, that they evolved with relatively little influence from their environment. This view often stresses the advances of human beings and their exploitation of the environment as a function of their anatomical development, particularly brain capacity. However, it fails to address the fact that human beings were not as we know ourselves to be today; that we were simply another large carnivore interacting with many different types of animals and environmental conditions, who happened to evolve into a social creature with capacities for reason and innovation. I believe that that aspect of human evolution is extremely important because it is the only way in which one can begin to decipher the reasons why humans evolved from a relatively "dumb" creature, one among many, to the animal which they are today. In A Green History of the World, Clive Ponting analyzes human history from humans' hunter-gatherer roots, their ability to stand upright, their use of speech, and their use of tools. Mary Stiner would emphasize that although these aspects of humanity are important, it is just as fruitful, if not more so, to study the interactions of humans with their faunal counterparts. In doing so, one can try to uncover the reasons why humans evolved into large predators capable of using speech and tools to survive rather than remain like their primate relatives, who are relatively non-predatory. In Stiner's article, "Modern Human Origins - Faunal Perspectives," she emphasizes that because of changes within human beings themselves and changes in the environment (climactic conditions and types of surrounding predators, competitors, and prey) were human beings able to perhaps diverge from these primates with non-modern human characteristics and instead evolve to resemble their predatory competitors. Interestingly, a work on the nature of dogs has shed some insight into this idea of Stiner's - that the predatory competitors of humans rather than human ancestors heavily influenced humans in their hunting and lifestyle habits. It has been debated for some time how dogs became domesticated animals, how and from where they evolved, and how they helped humans to evolve. In a New York Times article by Nicholas Wade ("From Wolf to Dog, Yes, but When?"), Wade convincingly argues that perhaps dogs were never domesticated by humans, but rather domesticated themselves as a survival skill.

Three Wishes

Three wishes are upon me and three wishes are my lead into achieve what I want. These wishes can or cannot grant what I want but they will surely help me think what the most important things in my life are. I got these three wishes for my great personality and my positiveness. I have three wishes that I would like to wish for, even though if they can’t be granted at least the most important thing is to try it by my own. These wishes are the lead to my happiness and they are, wishing to visit Osaka Japan, second is to wish to pass my ENG 010 class and the final wish is to graduate from college.Wishing to visit Japan is one thing I always wanted. Even though I don't speak Japanese, there are things do and places to go that don’t need language skills. There are plenty of wishes I would like to wish for, but visiting Osaka Japan is one of first one that I have in mind. Wishing to visit a place isn't really a wish because you can do it whenever you want if you have money. I wish to visit Japan not only because is a famous country, instead, is because I would love to interact into a different culture.I choose this wish since money is a problem when talk about vacations. For example, when people talk about vacation, the first thing they think about is money. Since money is the lead into do whatever you like, going to an expensive place would be impressive. I prefer this wish than others because visiting a far place will not be an opportunity that I would have every day. In addition, I would love this wish since life is about time I want to pass some of that time being happy and free from problems. Passing a class on school is a big deal for me.My second wish would be about passing my ENG 010 class. I choose this wish because I want to pass that class, finish the year and finally graduate. This wish is my second most important in my life not only because is about my education but because my future is ahead of me. If this wish can be granted, my life would be easier in several ways. For example, if this wish is granted maybe I could have the ability to do much better. Also, this wish could give me more knowledge by studying more into passing the class.I wish to pass this class since this is the one I’m doing worst, I also don’t want it to be the first one I failed for the first time. I choose this wish instead of others because failing a class is a nightmare. For example, you will have to pay for the class all over again each time you failed it. Also, you have to work on things you already done. Finally, each time you failed a class you will be one step further from your career. Passing my English class has been a frustrating moment for me and that’s why I want this wish to be granted.Graduating from college is my first and most important wish I have. This wish is unique from others because it can lead me into achieving what I want, which is graduating from college. This wish will give me the benefit to finally g et one step closer to my career. I choose this wish because this is the one which will show me my future. For example, if I get this wish granted, I will see me myself working on a big company in the future. This can be done by completing my education and begin to do what I want to.I prefer this wish not only because is about my education instead since I will know by then that when I graduate I will have master my skills in any subject. If this wish is granted, it will be easier for me because this wish will improve my knowledge on studying and brings me more hope onto pass my four years without any problem. Having this wish granted or not, I will still be happy and trying hard to finish college. Having wishes is one of the greatest things I always wanted. These three wishes can change my life in several ways. These three wishes can change others life’s in several ways.I have three wishes which they are important in my life, even though if they can’t be granted, I woul d still be happy for what I had. Having the opportunity to go to Osaka Japan is amazing since is really expensive. Passing my ENG 010 class can be a great time for me because I will be one step closer to my graduation. Finally, graduating from college is the best thing that could happen to me; one step closer to be part of the career I want. Where there is hope, there are always wishes and I will still be happy if these wishes aren't granted.

The Relevance of Religion to Society

Throughout history, the impact of the Darwinian Theory has reimbursed the existence of all religions in major societies and has inevitably enforced relevance into the modern world. Religion is a set of beliefs imposed by the elders of society to implement the moral values necessary to preserve the society, which exploits a belief in the supernatural to administer â€Å"the rules. † In the modern day world, societies with religion are more likely to survive than those without religion because of the community, compassion, lack of anarchy or murder, family structures, etc. hich are reinforced through the morality and beliefs religions entrust. In a primitive society, without modern day methods of transportation of communication, religions could not encounter each other’s beliefs as strongly as it occurs in present times. However, a means of religion was that it was necessary to build societies stable enough to bring about the technological advancements needed to bring the se religious beliefs into conflict. Conversely, in the modern world, the deep set of beliefs in supernatural powers has deceivingly led people to cause more harm than good. This is because people are willing to fight and die to force their beliefs upon others in a time when science and technology have reached levels high enough to refute or make obsolete the claims of supernatural powers on which those beliefs are based. In Christianity, The Bible is used to help us succumb to the knowledge and understanding of God, however, we also need to continuously apply some of the normative and hermeneutics of the Bible in order to shed a better light on the understanding and evaluation of our modern culture. The literal application of every biblical text without contextualization or understanding is a pitfall we all need to avoid. Although, partaking in these acts is what considers our life in day-to-day modern society to be enriched and fulfilled in the love and care of our lord. This inevitably establishes Christianity to be an importance in modern society as it helps to indoctrinate the good in all beings surrounding us and in ones self. Much like Christianity, Buddhism also establishes a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama who is commonly known as the Buddha, meaning â€Å"the awakened one†. He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help emotional beings end their suffering through the elimination of ignorance by way of understanding and the seeing of dependent origination and the elimination of craving, and thus the attainment of the cessation of all suffering, known as the sublime state of nirvana. Buddhists globally preach and also worship this enlightened religion to enrich their lives and many lives around them thus having an important relevance of that to modern day society. An example of such for religions in modern day society can be expressed through the uniform and selfless characteristics of one man, Bill Gates. Gates is an American business magnate, investor, programmer, inventor and philanthropist. Gates is the former chief executive and current chairman of Microsoft, the world’s largest personal-computer software company. He is constantly recognized as one of the wealthiest men alive. However, his what seems to be eternal richness is not all he is acknowledged for. Bill’s work in starting his very own globalized charity in which he donates excess amounts of money to is one of the many other feats he is known for disregarding technology. He unselfishly gives others a chance through donation, which have nothing to reason with. This truly comes across as an act of kindness, and also that of Jesus himself. If these acts can honestly swoop under the radar without becoming notable in day-to-day society, then that is when religion becomes much less relevant. Although, throughout our modern day culture, random acts of kindness and gestures never seem to go unrewarded. This then leads me to believe that without religion, or some sort of rightful justice or notability system, the world today in which we live in would merely crash and burn. This can be reasoned by the terroristic acts that occur daily around the globe. If religion were not alive today, it wouldn’t give the victimized people or country of an attack hope in a better future for tomorrow. In short, religion in modern day society is more relevant now, than it ever has been.

Explain Benthams Utilitarianism

Explain Benthams Utiliarianism (30 marks) The theory of utilitarianism was put forward entierly by Jeremy Bentham, who wrote about Ethics and Politics. He was a social reformer keen to improve the lives of the working class. Many of the improvements made in the treatments of criminals in the 18th and 19th centuries were the results of Benthems ethics. Bentham believed that which is good is that which equals the greatest sum of pleasure and the least sum of pain. (Hedonism). We can divide his theory into three parts: His view on what drove human beings, and what goodness and badness was all about. ( The motivation of human beings)The principle of utility, which is his moral ruleThe hedonic calculus, which is his system for measuring how good or bad the consequence is.The motivation of human beingsBentham maintained that human beings were motivated by pleasure and pain, and so he can be called a hedonist. He said, in principles of morals and legislation, ‘nature has placed mankin d underthe governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do' The principle of utilityOnce Bentham had established that pleasure and pain were important qualities for determining what was moral, he developed the utility principle. The rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its ‘utility' or usefulness, Usefulness refers to the amound of pleasure or happiness caused by the action – hence it is a teleogical ethical theory which determines a good act by the ends it brings about. The theory is known as the greatest happiness principle, or a theory of usefulness.‘An action is right if it produces th greatest good for the greatest number', where the greatest good is the greatest pleasure or happiness and the least pain or sadness, and the greatest number are the majority of people. When faced with a moral dilemma, Bentham argued that one should chose an act in such a way that brings about the maximum possible happiness for the most people. However the possible consequences of different possible actions must be measured clearly to establish which option generates he most pleasure and the least pain. To measure the results, Bentham proposed the hedonic calculus This calculus was  supposed to measure the amounts of pleasure and pain according to seven factors. The seven factors1. Intensity: How intense is the pleasure or pain? 2. Duration: How long does the pleasure or pain last? 3. Certainty: What is the probability that the pleasure or pain will occur? 4. Propinquity or remoteness: How far off in the future is the pleasure or pain? 5. Fecundity: What is the probability that the pleasure will lead to other pleasures 6. Purity: What is the probability that the pain will lead to other pains 7. Extent: How many persons are affected by the pleasure?In the hedonic calculus. Benthem considers how strong the pain or pleasure is, whether it i s short lived or life long and how likely it is that there will be pain or pleasure. He considers how immediate the pain or pleasure is and how likely it is to lead to more of the same, the extent to which there might be a combination of pains and pleasures, and lastly the number of people affected. The balance of pleasures and pains is compared with those of other options and the best result determined. The action that leads to this best consequence is the morally correct one to pursue.