Nora essays

Nora essays Nora Helmer is a delicate, pampered wife who was spoiled by her wealthy father and later by Torvald. As Ibsen alludes, Nora is the doll of this dollhouse, as her role is to bend into the shape of the ideal housewife. If it is dancing for her husband, completing the family shopping, or playing childish games to attract Helmer's attention, Nora will do what it takes to fit the roles. As readers, we soon read that beneath the blank smile of this doll lies a web of lies, deception, and debt. Nora lives a life separated from the glittering housewife of Torvald Helmer. Nora is possible of her own triumphs and tragedies, independent of the life and decisions of her husband. Using creative symbolic animal imagery, Ibsen develops a deeper understanding of Nora's character, allowing her the capability to deceive and strike a blow for independence of women. Helmer's first spoken phrase comes from the study off-stage: "Is that my little lark twittering out there?" (346) He refers to Nora as a lark, a lighthearted, cheerful, petite songbird found in Eurasia. Helmer is most probably attempting to make the similarity with the characteristics between the bird and his wife. The name also gives a basic meaning of Nora's actions during this situation, as when he first calls her his "little lark" Nora is scurrying around the room humming. This little lark name also suggests Nora's childlike attitude, and Helmer's desire to promote her childish behavior. It illustrates Helmer's desire to cling to his false reality of a happy, simple housewife. What is even more intriguing is the physical characteristics of the bird in relationship to Nora. All larks have white outer tail feathers with their black tail, a black band across their upper head, a black line encircling the crown, and a black "mask" across the eyes. A mask is defined as a "face covering that, in ritual and theater, disguises the wearer and usually communicates an alternate ide...

The Value of Female Friendships

The Value of Female Friendships I met my girlfriend Dana in college, and in the years since then our friendship has grown exponentially. Nine years ago, Dana told me that she had breast cancer. Shes a survivor. In that timeframe, my marathon walking buddy Allison found out she had appendicidal cancer. She too is a survivor. With two very close girlfriends in the same situation- one that was certainly new to all of us- I found myself asking: How as a girlfriend do I handle this? What do I do to support them? Where do I look for answers? This is not an article about cancer. It is an article about the incredible life-force underlining the word girlfriend. Girlfriend Support I remember the moment I heard about Allisons cancer. I didnt want to talk with my husband, even though he is a great man and a caring friend of Allisons as well. I wanted to talk with my female friends. I wanted their advice, their hugs, their sincere listening while I asked ‘why? Seeking advice, sharing concern, providing support and love, I wanted to be around the women who understood how I felt and who, I hoped, would help me be a better friend to my friends going through one of lifes scariest situations. So, why are girlfriends so important? I dug in and studied my own need for female community and what pulled me toward my friendships as a primary support system in a time a great stress. I was especially curious to find out why couldnt I fill this need with my husband or through the wisdom of books, advisors or other communities? Was it just me? Turns out it wasnt. Relationship Research A little research led me to a captivating book that spelled out the answers to me. The Tending Instinct, by Shelley E. Taylor, unlocks some of the mysteries of women, men, and the biology of our relationships. The big ah-ha! I discovered in its pages is that this need for community with other women is biological; it is part of our DNA. Taylors book consolidated a variety of studies covering cultural factors, decades of research, anecdotal references- even the biological ties to the girlfriend concept in the animal kingdom. An unending stream of fascinating facts helped define why we as women are more social, more community focused, collaborative, less competitive and, above all, why we need our girlfriends. Consider these findings: Longevity - Married men live longer than single men, yet women who marry have the same life expectancy as those who dont. However, women with strong female social ties (girlfriends) live longer than those without them.Stress - For decades, stress tests focused solely on male participants, believing that all humans would respond in the same manner. When these same stress tests were finally conducted on females it was discovered that women dont have the same, classic fight or flight response to stress that men do. According to the research presented in The Tending Instinct, women under stress have the need to tend and befriend. We want to tend to our young and be with our friends. Time with our friends actually reduces our stress levels.More Stress - A study conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine found that when were with our girlfriends, our bodies emit the feel good hormone oxytocin, helping us reduce everyday stress. By prioritizing our female friendships and spending time with th ese friends, we take advantage of a very simple, natural way to reduce our stress. Even More Stress - Prairie voles, a monogamous rodent, have a similar response to stress. When a male vole is put in a stressful situation, he runs to his female partner. Female voles, when stressed, immediately run to the females they were raised with.Self-Esteem - A recent study by Dove indicated that 70% of women feel prettier because of their relationships with female friends. Its no surprise that our self-esteem is highly influenced by our girlfriends; this is important to understand for girls as well as women.The Health Factor - Women without strong social ties risk health issues equivalent to being overweight or a smoker- its that serious. Friendships Waning With all Ive discovered that is good about female friendships, I was disappointed to come across a national survey from 2006 that found a sharp decline in friendships. Research co-author Lynn Smith-Lovin, a sociologist at Duke University said, From a social point of view, it means youve got more people isolated. When were isolated, we dont have each other to help us through tough situations like hurricanes or fires, financial struggles or relationship changes, sadness or cancer. Without communities of women, we often miss opportunities to be involved in our cities, to learn from each other, to empathize with other women and to share the benefits of laughter and a heart-felt hug. As women, we sometimes need to be reminded what being a girlfriend means. Too often it takes an illness or loss to hit us with reality, realization, and appreciation of friendship. That reminder can also be as simple as a caring card, a hug or an e-mailed photo. Once in a while we simply need to take the time to think about our friends, stop and live in the moment, and if at all possible, celebrate that moment. Hear some bad news? Call a girlfriend. Have something great to celebrate? Share that celebration with a friend. Want to feel prettier, be less stressed, be healthier and happier? Spend some time with your BFFs. Like the scary, life-changing diagnoses of my dear girlfriends, recognize your own need for friendships and fill that need with time and memories together. Life is better together- with your girlfriends. NOTE: Research for this article primarily attributed to The Tending Instinct by Shelley E. Taylor. Additional information was received form Kappa Delta, NWFD facts, and the Dove Beauty study.

Critical evaluation of Agist policies, and age discrimination Essay

Critical evaluation of Agist policies, and age discrimination legislation in the UK , focusing on employment - Essay Example These may be related to older peoples use of, and relationships with, particular housing types or social care and health services. They may also be related to features of older peoples social, economic and cultural lives. Cross-cutting both of these disciplinary and subject contexts, older peoples relationships with their environments have been a sustained field of research interest. Most recently, the concern in ageing research for environment, space and place has become even more widespread. Two reasons may be suggested for this. First, this interest may be part of a wider emphasis on place as a central focus of investigation within a range of social science disciplines. Indeed, as part of cultural turns, many social sciences have recently undergone what may be termed spatial turns and have increasingly embraced the importance of space and place and how they may impact on, and represent, human experiences, behaviour and activity. Moreover, place has increasingly been conceptualised not only in a physical sense, but as a complex symbolic and cultural construction. Second, and more practically, academic interest in space and place has also been motivated by unprecedented demographic, social, fiscal and technological changes that have impacted simultaneously in many countries (McKeever and Coyte, 1999). Indeed, these are well documented, and include rapidly ageing populations, changing kinship relationships and responsibilities, an ever broader range of health and social care and increasingly limited resources with which to provide it. Together they have radically altered, and broadened, both the ways and the places in which health and social care is provided. Importantly, change has meant that the health care system is no longer hospital-based, discrete and bounded, but diffuse. Health care sites now include virtually every setting where human beings reside in, frequent and, importantly, live in (McKeever and Coyte, 1999). Being substantial

Equity and Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Equity and Trust - Essay Example However area of conflict had arisen in the proper disposition of these gifts. A detailed description of Neil’s will and the circumstances related to each of the term stated in the will may prove to be helpful in resolving the conflict. Neil’s will states the following terms : -> 30,000 to be given to the â€Å"Supporters of Elfed Hospital† as a gift -> 60,000 to be gifted to the â€Å"Friends of Thomas Hospital† and -> 400,000 to be used to provide benefits to the inhabitants of Elfed and special privilege to be given to the employees of Neil & Co Ltd and their families. Discussing each of the terms in details would give a clear view of the scenario and will also be helpful in advising the executors of Neil on the probable terms of the declarations made. -> 30,000 to be gifted the â€Å"Supporters of Elfed Hospital† A view on the history behind the relationship between Neil and Elfed Hospital reveals that the main factory of Neil & Co Ltd. is situat ed in the village of Elfed. There is every possibility that considering this fact Neil had included this term in his will, for gifting 30,000 to the â€Å"supporters† of Elfed hospital. Though he mentioned the term â€Å"supporters† and as such there is no legal declaration or discrimination for this particular term, it could be well assumed that the main intention behind mentioning this in the will is to provide welfare in terms of monetary benefits to the Elfed hospital and not in particular to any supporters or volunteers or anyone specific as such.

Iraq and Italy Essay Example for Free

Iraq and Italy Essay Iraq has a long history of wars and invasions. The history of the land and its people goes back to more than 5000 years. Iraq has the worlds richest known archaeological sites. The ancient Mesopotamia and the first civilization appeared in the valleys of Iraq. Immigration of people from other parts of the world and invasions by powerful rulers never provided the stability needed by the country. The West Asia and Middle East region always remained vulnerable to foreign attacks and Iraq was no exception. Historical Background Iraqs geographical locations always made it a soft target for the foreign invaders. The lack of stone in the country had hindered the building of roads. As a result, most parts of Iraq were isolated from the main part of the country. The agricultural potential of its river valleys had attracted waves of ethnically diverse migration. Its true that the influx of people has enriched Iraqi culture. However, it also disrupted the countrys internal balance. The conflicts and wars have been a part of Iraqi history since the very beginning of its establishment. Situation in the Arabian region changed dramatically after Abu Bakr became the fist Caliph in 632 AD after the death of Muhammad. â€Å"The foundation of Islam in Iraq was laid down by Khalid Ibn Al Walid in 634 AD after a conflict with the local tribes. The Arabian conquest opened the beginning of conflicts, wars and invasion in Iraq that continued for centuries† (Lewis, 1997: 71). The most important event in Iraq came in the form of the Mongol invasion in 1250s that changed the landscape of the country to a great extent. The Mongol Invasion Mongol invasion was the most important even occurred in Iraq in the 13th century. â€Å"Genghis Khan was the most powerful ruler of the Mongol empire. Before dying in 1227 AD, he divided the Mongol empire between his four sons. His third son Ogotai was given the charge of the conquered lands of Persia and China. The Abbasid caliph Mustansir managed to foil Mongol invasion several times between 1226 AD and 1242 AD. However, after 1251, Mongols became united and more organized to launch renewed onslaughts on Iraq and Syria† (Simons, 1996: 171). â€Å"In 1257, Mongols led by Hulagu reached Hamadan. Hulagu sent an ultimatum to the caliph Mustasim in Baghdad to surrender before the Mongols. However, Mustasim refused to accede to any such demand and the large Mongol army reached Baghdad on 18 January 1258† (Simons, 1996: 171). The Mongols also began mobilizing the slave prisoners. The massive bombardment by Mongols destroyed the defense system in Baghdad. â€Å"Mongol forces comprised of Engineers who broke the irrigation dykes to flood the city. Many panic-stricken inhabitants were drowned in the flooded water† (Lewis, 1997: 82). Ultimately, Mustasim and his army surrendered before the Mongols. â€Å"The caliphs army was massacred on the plain. The inhabitants of the city were also hacked to death. Then the Mongol soldiers plundered the palaces, mosques and all other establishments in Baghdad. It was estimated that about eight hundred thousands men, women and children were killed in the mayhem. Mustasim and his sons were also killed. The Abbasid caliphate was completely eliminated by the Mongols. Hulagu made a pyramid of the skulls of Iraqs scholars, religious leaders and poets† (Simons, 1996: 172). All the glories of medieval Iraq were reduced to ruins. In the wake of the Mongol invasion, Iraq lost its commercial importance. Baghdad had been a center of trade for a long period. The invasion pushed Baghdad into political chaos and economic depression. The irrigation system of the country was destroyed by the Mongols, which badly hit the agriculture and food production. Iraq after the Mongol Invasion The Mongol invasion put a halt to the construction process undergoing in the country. â€Å"The Mongols applied tribute taxes on the local rulers that were very heavy. Those taxes hindered the economic development of the country for years. According to the account of William of Rubruck, the Franciscan monk, most skilled craftsmen and weavers were taken to Mongolia from Iraq and other parts of the Middle East† (Dawson, 1980: 101). The move had a positive impact on Mongolian economy. However, the craft and textile industry in Iraq were badly affected. Impact on the Islamic Culture The Mongol invasion left the Islamic culture in disarray. The Islamic world never managed to regain its lost glory. The six centuries of Islamic scholarly resources, culture and infrastructure were destroyed as the invaders burned libraries and demolished educational institutions. â€Å"The Mongolian rulers between 1258 and 1335 demolished mosques and built Buddhist temples in their place. At the end of 13th century, Gaykhatu attempted to introduce paper money. That virtually destroyed trade in the region† (Simons, 1996: 172). The Mongol invasion brought one positive result for the Islamic culture. Although the Mongols launched initial onslaughts on Islamic traditions, at a later stage, they adopted the culture into their empire. Islam became an official religion of the Mongolian empire towards the end of Mongol rule in Iraq. The rich culture and tradition of the Islamic world spread to Mongolia and other parts of the world during the Mongol rule. Italy, An Introduction History of Italy revolves around the great Roman civilization that was founded in the 9th century BC. For centuries, Italy has been hailed as the cradle of the Renaissance. It was the birthplace of the most intellectuals and talents of the early modern age. The revolutionary ideas that guided the people in different parts of the world were generated in Italy. Poets, writers and philosophers played an important role in enriching the culture of the country. Italy has produced some of the great personalities like Petrarch, Pico, Boccaccio, Sacchetti, Sercambi, Masuccio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Italy in the 13th Century AD â€Å"The last great Roman emperor Frederick II clashed with the papacy to popularize his reform process. He represented the Staufen power and his main base was Sicily. His main objective was to restore imperial rights in Italy. The new Pope, Innocent IV, claimed that Rome is unsafe under Frederick II. He summoned a council in Lyons where the emperor was deposed. Frederick died in 1250† (Holme, 1992: 236). Even after the death of Frederick, his son Manfred continued to rule in Sicily and vociferously opposed the papal authority. He led the anti-papal movement in Italy. â€Å"Manfred was killed in the battle of Benevento in 1266. Fredericks grandson, Conradin continued to fight, but he too was killed in the battle of Tagliacozzo in 1268. With his death, the Staufen power in Italy came to an end† (Hyde, 1973: 110). The popes and papal curia have been the main power center in Italy. However, when other European counties established self-government, a similar movement took place in Italy. â€Å"The uprising taken place in 1143 invoked the Senate of Rome. The movement was endorsed by the papacy. In the late 12th Century, Popes won the right to appoint the Senators. They held the economic, political and spiritual power of the country† (Hyde, 1973: 115). The popes were always dependant on others military resources in order to execute their policies. The pope invited the French kings brother Charles to oppose Manfred in southern Italy. That laid the foundation of French-papal alliance that lasted for three generations. Sicily was very significant for the popes from the political perspective. The establishment of a foreign rule resulted in large-scale resentment among people and the political class. â€Å"The bloody revolution of the Sicilian Vespers in 1282 pushed the country into a fresh conflict. The Angevins were champions of the papal cause in Italy. The involvement of the Angevins and the Aragonese in Italys internal affairs was responsible for the immediate provocation for the majority of people† (Holme, 1992: 238). The papacy was the first European power to experience the sharp rise in the cost of warfare in the thirteenth century. Innocent III initiated the administrative reforms and the extension of papal control over the Church. The followers of the pope launched crusades against Christians who opposed the papal. The second half of the 13th century witnessed power struggle for the supremacy of the church. â€Å"When Boniface VIII became the pope after the resignation of Celestine V, he was the twelfth pope to be elected in forty years. Boniface was an Angevin candidate. He demonstrated his desire to fulfill personal and dynastic interests. Boniface launched a crusade against the Colonna family, who were his rivals. He did not maintain good terms with his natural allies and improved the relationship with the French king, Philip the Fair† (Hyde, 1973: 121). â€Å"Boniface VIII endorsed the first Jubilee or Holy Year in 1300. That brought a large number of visitors to the country and generated huge profits. The idea became very popular and Jubilees were held in Rome every 50 years until the end of 15th Century. Then the interval was reduced to 25 years† (Holme, 1992: 239).

Breast Cancer Essays -- Cancer Health Medical Illnesses Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Breast cancer will strike one in every eight American women. This makes it the most common cancer in woman. Approximately 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Of that number, 40,000 will die from breast cancer each year. (Journal of Environmental Health 2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Breast cancer is just one type of cancer. Cancerous cells are cells that grow without the normal system of controls placed upon them. Breast cancer develops from the mammary ducts 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time the cancer develops from the lobules of the breasts. While breast cancer may occur in men, this paper will primarily focus on breast cancer in women. Breast cancer is 100 times more likely to affect women as it is men. There are two forms of breast cancer, invasive cancer and carcinoma in situ. (Dimensions of Human Sexuality, Shriver, S. 2002)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Invasive cancer is the more serious form of breast cancer. Invasive cancer develops when some abnormal cells from the interior of the lobules or ducts rupture out into the breast tissue surrounding the lobules. Once these cells are free, they may travel into the lymphatic and vascular system where they have access to virtually all other areas of the body. These cells are especially fond of migrating to the liver, bones, and lungs. (Dimensions of Human Sexuality, Shriver, S. 2002)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In contrast, carcinoma in situ are a cluster of abnormal breast tissue cells that develop inside of the lobules of the breast. These do not travel to other areas. In situ translates to mean ‘in place’. The cancer cells associated with Carcinoma in situ are not considered completely cancerous. They don’t possess the capability to travel outside the breast tissues. However, they are considered a precancerous condition. They may eventually develop into an invasive form of cancer or just raise the risk of developing invasive cancer. (Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper will cover the following aspects of breast cancer: Breast anatomy and physiology, Risk factors, Hormonal relationships with breast cancer, Early detection/screening, Treatment options currently available, and the unique Psychological Impact that breast cancer creates for women. Breast Structure: Anatomy, Physiology, Neurologic Control, Vascular Supply   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The breasts, also called mammary glands, exist in both females and males. Ho... ...udies have been published on their effects. Research into chiropractic care is greatly needed. With a primary focus of the chiropractic research into the preventative aspects of chiropractic care in regards to breast cancer development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women who come into a chiropractor’s office should be educated not only as to the benefits of chiropractic, but also in other areas important to her overall good health. One of these areas is breast cancer awareness. She should be given a risk assessment questionnaire, information on how to perform a breast self exam, and where to go locally for a mammogram. The chiropractor could also tell the patient where to go for more information. If the chiropractor has been thoroughly trained on how to perform a clinical breast exam and feels comfortable in doing so (and their state and malpractice insurance allows) they may perform this procedure in their office. However, it is strongly advised to have a female assistant present during the procedure, so as not to have any appearance of inappropriateness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most important thing is to get the patient educated as best we possibly can in regards to their overall health, including breast cancer.

The Ethical Issues behind Cosmetic Surgery

The article I chose is entitled â€Å"Ethnic Differences Emerge in Plastic Surgery† and was written by Sam Dolnick for the New York Times on February 19, 2011. It explains that cosmetic plastic surgery is no longer an opportunity limited to wealthy suburbanites. In New York City, there has been a surge of immigrants having plastic surgeries that are correlated with their ethnic beauty standards.Furthermore, doctors practicing in various ethnic enclaves throughout the city have seen; Italians having their knees reshaped, Egyptians getting face-lifts, Iranians getting nose jobs, Dominican women getting their buttocks’ lifted, Asians having â€Å"double eye-lid surgery† or receiving a crease in their eyelids to make their eyes appear rounder, and Russians getting breast implants.The article goes on to contrast the cultural beauty standards or tastes between one group of wealthy Long Island suburbanites with Washington Heights’ ancestrally Dominican citizens, where, in Long Island suburbs they want fat removed from their behinds, and in Washington Heights they want their rear ends enlarged and rounded. There are three ethical issues present in this article, the first being the usage of surgery to improve patients’ psychological self-esteem issues versus the usage of surgery for traditional health reasons.The second issue is the fact that doctors are willing to offer layaway plans to help patients afford operations, but even more precarious, unlicensed practitioners are performing illegal surgery throughout most ethnic enclaves. The third is the belief that American pop culture and media have a role in affecting people’s personal awareness and ideals of beauty, and this is making them much more willing to have unnecessary cosmetic plastic surgery performed. John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarian doctrine is the first ethical theory I chose to apply to these ethical problems.Mill argued that morality is based on the consequenc es you take, and that consequences must be a means to increase utility or pleasure (Utilitarianism: Of What Sort of Proof the, para 3,9). To the first ethical issue, Mill would most likely say that people who undergo cosmetic plastic surgery are moral because they are acting accordance with increasing happiness. However, they are acting upon a lower pleasure, which is vanity, and although this may bring some joy, it is something that can become an endless pursuit.Towards the second issue, Mill would most likely say that the legality of the operations, and how the surgery is paid for, is superfluous to morality. If there is a tendency for patients to come out feeling and looking better, than the surgeon has done his or her job and there is nothing immoral going on. However, if there is a tendency for people to leave these places, where layaway is acceptable and the surgeons do not have licenses to practice, in pain and vexation, there is something immoral about this particular situat ion.One could further argue, that performing surgery illegally and allowing layaway for surgery is based in greed. To this I believe Mill would still say that it is the patients responses that matter, for they are the ones who choose to have the surgery illegally, and if they have gained more pleasure through the experience, the actions taken by the illegal surgeons or greedy doctors was moral (Utilitarianism: Of What Sort of Proof, para 6).To the last part, is media and pop culture responsible for unnecessary surgery, and people unhealthy personal beauty obsessions, he would say, generally no. Although he might say that certain parts of media are potent at changing the way people view their bodies and other people’s bodies, and may make people obsessively drawn into the lower pleasures of cosmetic bodily improvement. Immanuel Kant’s Deontological ethics is the second theory I chose to administer to the article. Kant argues that for an action to have genuine moral wort h, it must be done out of duty, or from pure intentions.People or semi-rational beings must not allow subjective experiences and past events, or particular circumstances, determine what actions are morally right, but must act to achieve the categorical imperative, thus making every intention and every action together an end in itself (Groundwork: Moving from popular, para 2-4, 6-7). To the first, again being the usage of surgery for traditional reasons, versus the usage of surgery for patients who have psychological self-esteem issues; they believe that having cosmetic surgery will result in looking better and therefore bring happiness.Kant would strongly see this as immoral, as it is first off not being used to preserve one’s life, and it is seeking out happiness through picking means which Kant believes will only lead to pain (Groundwork: Moving from popular moral, para 15-16). Also cosmetic plastic surgery is not universafiable because it means that our self-love is based off of subjective contingent circumstances, and not based off of self-love because we are semi-rational beings.To the second ethical theory being layaway plans and illegal surgery, Kant would probably see the layaway plans as bad in that if everyone had layaway, there would not be any true ownership, and everyone would be in debt to someone else. Illegal surgery is also not universifiable in that, if it were universifiable, there would be no legality, and the state laws for surgical practices would not exist. As to whether Kant would see people receiving cosmetic plastic surgery as victims of our hyper-idealized beauty popular culture and media, he would probably say yes, there is a problem.Pop culture, the media, and social networks certainly do have an insidiously furtive part in how we behave, and what we believe is beautiful. To go out of your way to make yourself more beautiful because someone or something tells you to do so, especially if it is instilled upon you in a covert w ay, is not acting in accordance with freedom. It is dually leading you to use surgery as a mere means to happiness, and using you as a mere means to waste your money on advertised beauty/ diet products, more surgery, and more repetitive mindless television shows.In terms of which ethical theory best resolves the ethical issues spurred by this article, I would have to say Kant’s theory of good intentions is most critical and affirmative. All of these ethical issues I have raised have questionable intentions behind them. If I were to go with Mill, I certainly would be a lot more lenient with these issues. That is not necessarily a bad thing, since these peoples actions are not necessarily questionable. Their actions are somewhat good, because whether you are the patient, the doctor, or the pop culture media (entertainment) you are aiming at or supposedly affecting happiness (in a Mill sense).But their intentions are somewhat convoluted, and in my opinion, impure. I believe most of the doctors have greed as their intention, especially those who are willing to perform surgery illegally. Sure, the illegal surgeons may be acting in a proper way, that is, they may perform the surgery properly. But behind it all is an intention of surreptitiously avoiding the rules of the state to save money, meanwhile being completely liable to malpractice and putting in jeopardy their lives and the lives of their patients.The patients may know that these doctors are quacks, but if they don’t, then in fact they are being lied to and are being placed under the knives of surgeons who are dishonest and hence treating the patients as a mere means. Furthermore, I believe anyone who is getting cosmetic plastic surgery based off of established beauty standards, unless in some horrific accident or bearing some horrific deformity is impure in their reasoning.They are giving into standards that are not their own, but have been environmentally, and artificially created, beefed up and branded. Thus, in a Kantian sense, people are acting not under a categorical imperative, but under empirical knowledge that has been conjured through culturally relative or subjective circumstances. In sum, Kant would say be happy with what you look like, and don’t attempt to change it based off of your cultural preferences or media created beauty bombardments, because you are not acting freely and with duty.

Research and critical reflection †Money doesn’t buy you happiness. Essay

Money doesn’t buy you happiness. Everyone has heard the statement before and most studies of happiness and well-being generally agree on it. However, even though money does not buy you happiness it is largely agreed that money can be a means to an end. Hence, money cannot buy you happiness, but it can provide you with financial security and well-being. If you asked a poor person if they were happy most will tell you they are not due to living in poor conditions and having poor health. Their need for safety and security outweighs their need for nice things and possessions. So if money does not buy you happiness what does buy you happiness? What are the factors in life that make you happy? One way to address this question could be looking at ones well-being. As such a deeper interpretation of well-being is necessary. When considering the concept of well-being, there are two major approaches, objective well-being, and subjective well-being. Objective well-being looks at how healt hy a person is and the access he has to resources. Subjective well-being on the other hand looks at the overall happiness of a person. In the same breath it is also argued that material well-being, that is the things we buy and want, does not lead to our overall happiness. Hence, money doesn’t buy you happiness. (Williams, 2014). Considering this notion that money does not buy you happiness (Myers & Diener, 1995), Kawachi and Kennedy (2002, p.30 -31) sought out to summarise the main ingredients to happiness in one’s life. They noted sex, ethnicity and age scarcely make you happy. Rather it is the relationships and community you have around you that generates levels of happiness. Furthermore, enjoying one’s work and leisure is highly correlated with happiness. On the other hand, one’s wealth and income does not have a straight correlation with happiness. Some poor people are happy, some rich people are unhappy and vice versa. Nonetheless, millions of people across the globe spend large amount of money consuming things they do not need. I myself fall victim to marketing ploys and consume materialistic things that I do not always need, but want because I believe it will make me fit in more in my community, or make me happier. People follow fashionable trends and want all the new toys that come out thinking it will make them happy. This need of people to have nice fancy things has previously been coined the â€Å"new consumerism†. Back in the day, it meant keeping up with others in your community, if your neighbour got a new flash car, you had to go get one. However, with the popularisation of television,  and later on the rise of mass media, â€Å"new consumerism† meant people were now competing all over the globe. Furthermore, as we live in a world of inequality in terms of income and wealth, the gap between what we want and what we have largely depends on our income. Schor (1998), referred to this as â€Å"the aspirational gap†. If one cannot afford something, he can either be â€Å"unhappy† dealing with not having that product/want, or he chooses to take on debt in order to afford it and have it then and there; thus having to work more to cover the debt and the cycle conti nues. So if we look at happiness as the â€Å"difference between what we have and what we want we suddenly become unhappy† (Williams, 2014, p.5). Largely, I agree with the statement the money does not buy you happiness. By society’s standards I am definitely not a rich man but I consider myself to live a moderately happy life; largely due to the fact that I am healthy, I have good friends and a loving family. According to several scholars (Benin & Nierstedt, 1985, Inglehart, 1990, Myers, 2000) it is indeed our social relationships that generate the highest levels of happiness. With that said, I still consume certain things, materialistic things, and go to certain places in order to construct my social identity. I want things in order to fit in or get praise from my peers. According to many scholars however this does not lead to my well-being but rather to unhappiness. This draws back to the â€Å"aspirational gap†, if I cannot afford to look a certain way or buy certain things and keep up with the times do I ultimately become unhappy? Personally I would like to say it does not apply to me, but reflecting back to Schor’s (1998) study, it appears to point in that direction. As such, I do agree with the concept more so as a lot of people around me become unhappy when they cannot afford something they want. Or become unhappy because they got themselves into debt due to their unnecessary consumptions. Maslow (1943) devised a theory of motivation which attempted to explain the hierarchical nature of people’s well-being. Firstly it is our basic psychological needs like hunger and thirst that we have to satisfy. Next, it is our needs for security and protection, followed by our need for social bonds and love. The last two steps are ones self-esteem and self-actualisation. This is a very hierarchical view which means once a certain level has been satisfied one seeks to satisfy the next until you reach to the top – self actualisation. This will explain why people become unhappy when they cannot afford  something – reach self-actualisation. Moreover, identities are fluid. I constantly consume new trends, go to new places, and change my habits to fit society’s norms. Social psychology attributes this to people’s nature to conform. One study by Asch (1952, ci ted in Bond & Smith, 1996) shows the tendency of people to conform to the majority even when the outcome is clearly wrong. I agree with this as I buy certain clothes and go to certain places because I want to fit in with my surroundings. Zaichkowsky (1994) claims that peoples involvement with a product depends on a person apparent relevance of a product based on his inherent needs and values. Hence my values stem from my surroundings and my need for a product comes from my need to fit in to my surroundings. A lot of the above-mentioned concepts discussed were first investigated after WWII and throughout the 20th century. However, as the world is constantly evolving and changing do these outlooks on happiness and well-being still apply today? Have they gotten any better or worse? Early studies showed an increase in mental disorders and divorces throughout the late 20th century, as well as the increase need of people for bigger and better things. A study by Helliwell, Layard, and Sachs (2012) found that on average rich people are happier than poor people. However, they found that a country’s economic growth does not indicate an increase in the overall happiness of its people. This is simply due to the fact that once people reach a comfortable/secure level of income; further increase of it does not generate higher levels of happiness. Moreover, they found unemployment is highly correlated with low levels of well-being, whilst being employed – and satisfied with your job – was correlated with higher levels of well-being. Finally, they noted in Maslow’s pyramid of human needs, love and belonging come just after basic physiological and safety needs. Clearly, the sources of individual happiness include the set of social interactions through which individuals are interconnected.† (p.70). The aforementioned trends discussed appear to be in line with the current state of New Zealand. Helliwell et. al. (2012) found New Zealand ranked as the 13th happiest country in the world. This was attributed due to a low unemployment rate (6.2%), divorce number down (stats.govt.nz), and ranking high on education as well as freedom. (Helman, 2013). However, when looking at the top 50 richest countries in the world (aneki.com) New Zealand does not even make an appearance. However, it is safe to assume that new  consumerism and the â€Å"aspirational gap† still apply to New Zealand as the countries spending ($2,578 million) is higher than its GDP ($211,678 million). (stats.govt.nz). It certainly appears that money does not buy you happiness. Rather being poor is correlated with low levels of well-being. Money in itself can provide a person with security, but increased income does not appear to have an effect on overall happiness. Looking at Maslow’s theory, a person could have all the money in the world but if they are alone and do not have a loving community of friends and family to share it with they are almost always going to be unhappy. Rather, happiness is determined by a large number of factors with an emphasis on basic needs such as food and water, as well as friendships and belonging to a loving community. Consumption of materialistic objects and the aspiration for more money negatively affects our well-being. References Benin, M.H. and B.C. Nierstedt: 1985, ‘Happiness in single- and dual- earner families: The effects of marital happiness’, job satisfaction and life cycle, Journal of Marriage and the Family 47, pp. 975–984. Bond, R. & Smith, P. B. (1996). Culture and conformity: a meta-analysis of studies using asch’s (1952b, 1956) line judgment task. Psychological Bulletin, 119(1), 111–137. Maslow, Abraham H. 1943 â€Å"A theory of human motivation.† Psychological Review, 50: 370-396. Helliwell, J., Layard, R., & Sachs, J. (2012). World Happiness Report. Centre for Economic Performance. The Earth Institute Columbia University. Helman, C. (2013). The world’s happiest (And Saddest) countries. – http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2013/10/29/the-worlds-happiest-and-saddest-countries-2013/ Inglehart, R.: 1990, Culture Shift in Advanced Industrial Society (Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ). Myers, D.G.: 2000, ‘The funds, frie nds and faith of happy people’, American Psychologist 55(1), pp. 56–67. Myers, D. G. & Diener, E. (1995). Who is happy? Psychological Science, 6(1), 10–19. Offer, A. (2006). The challenge of affluence: self-control and well-being in the United States. Williams, J. (2014) Consumption and Well-being. Chapter 12. P. 104 – 127. Zaichkowsky, J. L. (1994). The personal involvement inventory: reduction, revision, and application to advertising. Journal of Advertising, 23(4), 59–69.

Great People in History essays

Great People in History essays In 559 BC a man became king of the Persians. This man would unite the Persians and conquer three of the four major powers of the ancient Near East in the first 20 years of his reign. In doing this he would start the creation of what becomes the Persian Empire. This man was Cyrus the Great. Cyrus the great was able to do this because of his excellent military leadership. In the first nine years as king of the Persians he assembled an army and conquered his neighbor the Medes. Ten years after he defeats the Medes, Cyrus conquers the kingdom of Lydia, whose wealth was legendary. This brought the Persians to their first contact with the Greeks. The Greek settlements on the Ionian coast had been subjects of Lydia and had grown rich through trade. Cyrus saw this and easily conquered them, then placed them under control of rulers loyal to him. This greatly increased the wealth of the Persians. One year later Cyrus captured Babylon and made it part of the Persian Empire. This was the last of Cyruss conquest. He spent the next eight years consolidating his empire. In 530 BC he was killed in battle against Messagetae. There have been many kings in the past who were excellent military leads, but what made Cyrus the Great worthy of his name was how he ruled his empir e. Cyrus was an unusual ruler for his time. He was a man who showed considerable compassion and wisdom in the way he ruled. Cyrus gained the favor of priesthood of his own people and the people he conquered by allowing much religious toleration. The greatest example of this was when he conquered Babylon. Cyrus allowed the people of Judah to return to their homeland, which they were removed from during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, and rebuild their temple. He also undid the destruction caused by Nabonidus by returning the statues of gods that the Babylonian ruler had taken from different Babylonian cities. Many people thought of Cyrus as a great leader ...

3 Answers to Questions About Capitalization

3 Answers to Questions About Capitalization 3 Answers to Questions About Capitalization 3 Answers to Questions About Capitalization By Mark Nichol Here are my responses to readers about questions regarding whether to use uppercase or lowercase letters in certain contexts. 1. Would you write, â€Å"I study algebra,† or â€Å"I study Algebra†? â€Å"I’m enrolled in algebra II,† or â€Å"I’m enrolled in Algebra II†? Is the following sentence correct? â€Å"The school offers algebra, French, physics, Spanish, Geometry, and english.† When you refer to an academic subject, write, for example, â€Å"I study algebra.† (Capitalize only names of languages and other proper nouns.) However, when the reference is to a course in which an academic subject is taught, write, for example, â€Å"I’m enrolled in Algebra II.† The terms in this revision of your final sample sentence are styled correctly: â€Å"The school offers algebra, French, physics, Spanish, geometry, and English.† See also the first item in this post. 2. One of our counties considers itself â€Å"the birthplace of prohibition.† My question is whether prohibition should be capitalized. I’ve seen it done that way before but can’t remember if it may have been only in the context of references to the era or the Eighteenth Amendment.† When referring to the principle rather than the era or the legislation, I’d lowercase the word: â€Å"The nonpartisan organization focused on the single issue of prohibition.† But in reference to the specific US government policy during the 1930s (or any other similar official policy in another country), capitalize the term. And if the county actually markets itself with the slogan â€Å"The Birthplace of Prohibition,† acknowledge that epithet by writing, â€Å"The county considers itself the ‘Birthplace of Prohibition’†). 3. What are the rules for saying something starts with a capital letter? Which one is correct: â€Å"The word God has a capital G,† or â€Å"The word God has a capital g†? No resource I know of refers to this specific point about naming a letter as a letter, so in this case I must defer to usage. â€Å"The word God has a capital G† may seem redundant, but that’s the prevailing style. Otherwise, when the reference is not specifically to an uppercase letter, the lowercase form should be used. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureBroadcast vs Broadcasted as Past FormPreposition Mistakes #3: Two Idioms

Safety class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Safety class - Assignment Example Insufficient training has contributed to accidents. By maintaining the safe and healthy needs of the employees in a workplace, it leads to achievement of both the moral and legal obligation of the organization. Investing in excellent training of the employees is effective as it increases skills, knowledge and productivity as well as morale at the workplace (Clapper and Kong 373). In identifying the health and training needs, first is to identify the skills and knowledge needed for people to do their job in safe and healthy way then compared to current skills and knowledge hence helping in identifying the gaps. Risk assessment help in identify factors controlling the risks and previous experiences. Consider awareness-training needs for everyone in the organization on how to manage health and safety; who is responsible for what; how to identify hazards and "evaluate risks and the hazards encountered and measures for controlling them" (Brown 578). Formulation of occupational safety and health policies is a priority of every organization during operational activities. These policies form the backbone of effective organization management for better performance (Aguinis and Kraiger 474). The organization then formulates a plan to fulfill its safety, an effective management structure and arrangements should be in place for delivering the policy. Targets in meeting the safety and health objectives for all managers and employees should be set (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work,