Friday, January 17, 2020

Negative Influence of Social Media Essay

Today, Mass Media is notoriously known to project a negative influence on teens and society. It manipulates several aspects of our lives including, but not limited to, the choices we make about our overall physical appearance, how we perceive beauty, healthy decisions we make regarding drug and alcohol use, engaging in premarital sex, and our peer and social interactions. We emulate what the media portrays as acceptable and desirable, though it goes against the norms and values put forth from society. As we mature, our goals and values seem to change as we break from the traditional values and connect with those portrayed as cool and current, through the media and pop culture. During adolescence, one often struggles with choosing between what is right from wrong and the media often accentuates the lives of celebrities. Young children are known to emulate their role models, unconscious of the consequences that may result in their actions. The media has been proven to be detrimental to the health and lifestyle of the youth. The media has a strong impact on the appearance satisfaction of today’s youth. Young women are constantly comparing their bodies to the ones seen advertised on television commercials. Around 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States are suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, etc. After seeing these beautiful and flawless models on billboards and advertisements, many women are disturbed with their personal body images. This is known to be a main contributor to eating disorders around the world. Thus, the media has the effect to change one’s mental set up. Beauty and Body Image in the Media† is an article that explains the negative affect the media has on young women and how they view themselves. Images of female bodies are seen in films, TV, magazines, ads, etc. These models are engraving the perfect body image into the minds’ of the youth. Women’s magazines are full of ads influencing women that if they lose weight they’ll have it all. Researchers have observed that these images of thin and airbrushed models are associated with depression, loss of self-esteem, and the development of harmful eating habits. It’s been suggested that almost half of all preadolescent girls are dissatisfied with their appearances and either diet or think about dieting. Further, 50 to 70 percent of average weight girls feel that they’re overweight and 90 percent of women are frustrated with their body images. These advertisements are not only advertising their products, but they’re also selling an entire way of life. The media promotes tan, fit, and outward physical perfection in men and women. It is not only middle-aged adults who seek cosmetic surgery to alter their appearance. Today, children also undergo cosmetic procedures. In fact, in 2005 it was reported that children under the age of 18 underwent approximately 333,000 cosmetic procedures. Some included liposuction, breast augmentation, otoplasties (ear pinnings), and rhinoplasties (nose jobs). Teenagers of both genders are trying to acquire a perfect figure rather than living a healthy lifestyle and appreciating themselves for who they truly are. The media also has a reputation for promoting unhealthy choices, such as unprotected premarital sex and drug and alcohol use. The media is sending the wrong message to young adults that taking part in these activities is okay. The article, â€Å"The Media’s Influence Undermines America’s Morals†, by Tim LaHaye contains numerous examples of how the media is detrimental to the future of the United States. AIM, Accuracy In Media, and PMRC, Parents Music Resource Center, are organizations that support government regulation of the media. They believe that the media is destroying our culture and altering our values. Moviemakers, producers, and journalists are provoking sexual immorality in our society by explicitly exposing and promoting sexual relationships. The media is even found glamorizing teen pregnancies in the MTV series, 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. LaHaye states that, â€Å"the media’s power is seen in its degrading influence not only on the nation’s morals, but on†¦ virtually every area of life. † Music also plays a huge role in influencing teens toward becoming sexually active and provocative. â€Å"Rock Music Has a Negative Effect on the Youth†, by Rob Lamp is another article which states that rock music is somewhat accountable for the increase in teenage pregnancies. A counselor for pregnant teenagers believes that young girls are emulating celebrities. They are buying their albums and dressing like them. Today, 30 percent of all women loose their virginity before age sixteen. Violence sexuality has also become popular in music videos and song lyrics. Rap lyrics are being criticized by child advocate groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, for imparting the wrong message to the youth about sex and drugs. Misogamy is a derogatory or hateful comment geared towards girls and women and a lot of rap artists tend to include misogamy in their lyrics. The  APA has determined that today’s youth actually spends more time listening to and reading to the lyrics via the Internet to their favorite music than they do watching television. This council urges parents to be vigilant when it comes to knowing what their children are listening to. Lamp also states â€Å"the kind of electronic music played at raves has been associated with the use of drugs and alcohol. † The Robert Wood Johnson foundation backed a report titled â€Å"Substance Abuse: The Nations Number One Health Problem†, which shows juveniles are starting to use drugs and alcohol between the ages of 12 and 13. In fact, by eighth grade 52 percent of adolescents have used alcohol and 20 percent have used marijuana. This figure jumps to 80 percent use of alcohol and 49 percent use of marijuana by the 12th grade. A research conducted in 1997 showed that in the 200 most popular movie rentals, alcohol appears almost 93 percent of the time and illicit drugs appeared roughly 25 percent of the time. Further, of the 1,000 most popular songs, 27 percent were shown to include alcohol or drug references. These numbers have surely risen since 1997. In addition to music videos and song lyrics promoting premarital sex and drug/alcohol use, this form of media is also seen promoting violent behavior among adolescent teens. Robert Lamp also believes that â€Å"heavy metal and rap have been associated with reckless behavior and below-average academic performance†¦ heavy metal and rock music have also been associated with an increasing risk of suicide, depression, delinquency risk behavior, smoking, and conduct problems† (Neale 1). In recent years, lyrics are becoming more vulgar and inappropriate. The violence heard in rock music instigates adolescents to commit violent crimes. In Northport NY, a seventeen-year-old boy was slaughtered; the names of Ozzy Osbourne and his former band members were spray painted at the crime scene, along with many satanic symbols. Doctor Guttman, a Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern University states that, â€Å"Rock has so often been involved in these things (violence, teen suicide, etc. ) many of us in psychiatry have had to take it more seriously. † 45 percent of about 1,200 rock music videos supervised were viewed as explicitly violent. Video games and movies also play a prominent role in promoting violence among youth. The article â€Å"Most Teens Play Violent Video Games†, by Ben Berkowitz and published in the Washington Post, states that â€Å"70 percent of American teenage boys have played the violent, but popular â€Å"Grand Theft Auto† video game, and they are more likely to have been in a fight than those who have not played. † It is clear that the violence depicted through these games are mimicked by youth who have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and what is appropriate and acceptable in a realistic environment. Tim LaHaye gives a real life example of how the media affects certain people. In San Diego, a High School honor student watched An ABC horror movie on the life of Lizzy Borden, an infamous axe murderer in the 1890’s. After viewing this film, he decided to murder his mother, father, and sister. These examples illustrate how juvenile violence is promoted through music, video games, and movies. We live in a society that depends greatly on the media to impart information, allow for communication, and provide entertainment on a regular basis throughout our daily lives. It is vital that we are attentive and vigilant in deciding what our youth should be allowed to view and listen to, as we know there is a direct connection between what one consumes and what one in turn values, how one behaves and how one interacts in society. Too much exposure to the negative aspects of the media can be detrimental to one’s mental, emotional and physical health. The media influences how we perceive beauty, the healthful decisions we make, and how we interact socially. The negative media is harmfully transforming our ethical values of life and our outlook on society.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Asian Students and Colleges Essay - 1386 Words

Many people assume that Asians have it the easiest of all the races when it comes to applying to top tier schools. Not only are they â€Å"naturally intelligent†, they are also a minority meaning they can reap the benefits of affirmative action; therefore, they must be able to easily stand out against White applicants with a comparably high academic record. Surprisingly, studies show that the opposite may be true. Asians admission rates in top tier schools like Harvard suggest that White applicants may be chosen over an Asian applicant with the same qualifications due to higher expectations for Asian students. These unofficial discriminatory policies have the exact opposite effect of affirmative action: giving advantaged Whites preference over†¦show more content†¦Yet despite numerous roadblocks, the emphasis on hard work and education in most Asian cultures has allowed them to excel above and beyond expectations. On average, Asians score higher than any other race on the SAT (Washington, 2011). In highly selective High Schools that require application based on merit there is often an Asian population that is disproportionate to the Asian population in the surrounding county. In Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County, one of the top high schools in the nation for math and science, subjects Asians generally excel in, Asians have surpassed Whites in enrollment. The student body of Thomas Jefferson is fifty-four percent Asian, an astounding figure when compared to the mere nineteen percent Asian population in Fairfax County (Shapiro, 2013). n.d.). Unfortunately, this success also led to the stereotype that Asians are naturally intelligent as well as create a higher standard for Asians, undermining the hard work and dedication many put into academics. There is evidence to suggest that Asians are often held to a higher standard when applying to colleges, especially highly selective colleg es like the Ivy League. In a study by sociologists Thomas Espenshade and Alexandria Radford of students who applied to selective universities, results showed that white candidates were â€Å"three times more likely to be accepted than Asians with the same academic record† (as cited by Chen, 2012). The discrimination isShow MoreRelatedHigh Expectations From Their Family Members And Parents1352 Words   |  6 Pagespressure many Asian students receive from home and society is back-breaking. It is physically and mentally demanding. There are intimidating voices whispering through our ears, pressuring us to do the best, be the best and remain the best. HVCC is out of the question. We are expected to get into the best schools in the country. What if I don’t want to go to college? Ha! That’s a good one. Even with the high expectations from home, colleges and universities have them too. Especially from students of AsianRead MorePositive And Negative Stereotypes Among Community College Students Essay1424 Words   |  6 PagesThe purpose of this paper is to define the positive and negative stereotypes among community college students. This paper presents a brief review of diverse social biases and comprehension of Asian student’s stereotypes and discrimination in community colleges. Stereotyping people makes you ignore their individuality, but on the other hand, it helps you to find people who most likely will match who you are. Many people don’t know the real meaning of the word â€Å"stereotype†. Stereotypes are alwaysRead MoreEssay on Affirmative Action Discriminates against Asians1146 Words   |  5 Pagesa â€Å"plus factor† for minority races but it has developed into a disadvantage for Asian-American students who demonstrate academic excellence. They often find their achievements overlooked because of their racial background (Bronner). Although affirmative action was created to prevent the discrimination of minorities in the United States, Asians are instead deprived of their fair chance to gain acceptance into college. These policies claim to help the disadvantaged, but if â€Å"preferences were truly meantRead MoreAsian Americans Academic Success1728 Words   |  7 Pages School Attendance and Family Expectations Among Asian Americans Race, gender and education are status determinants in today’s society. Asian Americans’ academic success comes from a combination of helpful parents, a motivation to succeed, a supportive academic space, a supportive community and economic resources. In this paper, I will argue that Asian Americans attend college due to their cultural roots and familial expectations. Along the way to success are some hardships like stereotypes, genderRead MoreHow Asian Discrimination Is The World Of Academics1231 Words   |  5 Pageshas been used to label Asians as foreigners. The usage of this term has kept the continuation of Asians being deprecated in America. An article by The Economist, â€Å"The Model Minority is Losing Patience†, explains how Asian discrimination is invoked into the world of academics. â€Å"He was rejected by six of the seven Ivy League colleges to which he applied† (Economist). We must learn to embrace the Asian diversity, though the history of America has left a period of where the Asian population has been affectedRead MoreDo Asians Rights Be Ignored? America? Essay1489 Words   |  6 Pages11/2/2016 Do Asians’ rights be ignored in America? When I search â€Å"Asian rights in America† on Google, there are almost 68400000 search results. But if I search â€Å"Black people rights in America†, there are about 90800000 search results online. It is obviously that there are some differences between these two values and what reason causes this different? Why people focus more attention on black people’s rights not on Asians’ rights? You may say that it’s maybe because the number of Asians is smallerRead MoreAfrican Americans And Asian Americans1421 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen used most often to describe Asian Americans, group seen as having attained economic and education success at significantly higher rates than that of other minority groups. Although first coined by sociologist William Petersen in 1966, the term â€Å"model minority† was not popularized and nationalized as a reference to Asian Americans through radio and television outlets, and even some academics until the mid-197 0s. The term was meant to convey a stereotype that Asian Americans were becoming economicallyRead MoreIdentity and the Way Individuals Shape Their Identities for Themselves1341 Words   |  6 Pagesattributes and goals. A sense of self-reliance and independence are considered normal and desirable. Markus and Kitayama (1995) further noticed that most Asians cultures emphasize and identity that is based on conforming to the ideals of the community, religion and family. The importance of collective efforts and association with a group are instilled in Asian cultures. The Japanese and Chinese cultures encourage children to value and cherish collective honors through group work and to be modest about theirRead MoreIs Affirmative Action Racist? Essay1523 Words   |  7 PagesIt is responsible for colleges discriminating against Eastern Asians and whites and for employers hiring workers based off of skin color rather than skills or experience. People can’t change their race (ex cept for former president of the Spokane N.A.A.C.P. chapter, Rachel Dolezal, apparently), yet many colleges and employers favor certain races over others by using quotas, or a fixed number of people of each race. U.S. News ranks Harvard University as the number one college in the world. HarvardRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article The Model Minority Losing Patience 1278 Words   |  6 Pagesgrowing problem between Asian-Americans and the American society. A growing issue is that minorities, especially Asian-Americans are being judged based on their race rather than the accolades and achievements they have accomplished. In the article â€Å"The model minority is losing patience,† the article discusses about a high school senior by the name of Michael Wang, who was denied six out of seven Ivy League colleges, even after coming in second place in his class of 1,002 students for academics, scoring

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Artificial Heart Devices Essay - 1776 Words

Artificial Heart Devices In its never ending pursuit of advancement, science has reached a crucial biotechnological plateau, the creation of artificial organs. Such a concept may seem easy to comprehend until one considers the vast knowledge required to provide a functional substitute for one of natures creations. One then realizes the true immensity of this breakthrough. Since ancient times, humans have viewed the heart as more than just a physical part of the body. It has been thought the seat of the soul, the source of emotion, and the center of each individuals existence. For many years, doctors and researchers left the heart untouched because they thought it was too delicate, too crucial to withstand the rigors of surgery.†¦show more content†¦Artificial heart devices are indeed a biotechnical wonder. Although they are not yet perfected for permanent implantation, they are the most reliable substitutes for bad heart parts until other functional, transplantables can be located. The Jarvik-7 was the first artificial device heart which was created by Symbion Incorporated. This system was used to replace the heart of Dr. Barney Clark, the first artificial heart patient. The device lasted for one- hundred and twelve days before Mr. Clark sank into an agony of complications and died. The Jarvik-7 was implanted four more times to replace failing hearts, with similar results, before the federal authorities halted the procedure. Other devices have made progress since the Jarvik-7. One of the more successful inventions is the left ventricle assist device (LAVD). This device incorporates a host of hard won technological advances. Perhaps the most important is its quot;bio-compatiblequot; materials, which have allowed the LAVD to function without problems for well over a year in a patients body. The LAVD has been implanted in more than seven hundred people for up to seventeen months, as they have awaited human heart transplants(Stipp 38). It is difficult to fathom the great scientific ingenuity that was required to develop these devices. However, we must not be blinded from seeing the whole picture. In assuming its role as a boostShow MoreRelatedEssay on Artifical Heart Can Save Lives554 Words   |  3 Pagesneeded a heart transplant? Their heart was failing and the only way that they could continue to live and escape death was to have an operation to transplant their heart. But what if there was not a heart available for them when they required it the most? An artificial heart transplant would be a great option that could save their life. The artificial heart is one of the greatest inventions ever invented. â€Å"Dr. Robert Jarvik is widely known as the inventor of the first permanent total artificial heartRead MoreFrankenstein Science Fact Or Science Fiction?1735 Words   |  7 PagesFrankenstein Science fact or Science fiction? In Frankenstein, the technological parallels of Victor Frankenstein’s lab and 21st-century science resemble the use of Organ Transplants, the use of artificial body parts, and the use of stem cell on people. The use of Organ Transplant, stem cells, and artificial body parts could be the way to extend the life of people even the way to create immortality. In Frankenstein it is never said if the monster ever died there for the readers are left to think thatRead MoreEssay Science and Technology1128 Words   |  5 Pagesis the new mechanical heart. For some patients with failing hearts, doctors will soon be able to utilize an amazing device: the first totally implantable artificial heart that has no wires or tubes outside the body. For thousands of Americans suffering from diseased hearts, and for the doctors who treat them, this has been one of the most compelling yet unattainable goals for more than fifty years. As of May 2001 officials of Abiomed Inc., which developed the mec hanical heart, said that beginningRead MoreHistoric Journey into Outer Space577 Words   |  2 PagesThe first of this myriad of technological advances is the artificial heart pump, called the MicroMed DeBakey VAD heart pump. It is a ventricular assist device that serves as a temporary solution until a heart transplant is available. It works by pumping blood throughout the body to keep patients alive until a heart is available. David Saucier, a NASA engineer and rocket engine fuel pump expert, collaborated with Dr. Michael DeBakey, a heart surgeon to scale down the pumping technology used in theRead MoreCommon Use of Ceramics in Dental and Orthopaedic Applications1484 Words   |  6 Pagesthe ceramic can be addressed by lowering the grain size, lowering the porosity and using different manufacturing techniques like Hot Isostatic Pressing. Carbons, especially pyrolytic carbon, have been used extensively as the leaflets in mechanical heart valves. Carbons were chosen due to their resistance to degradation and low wear rate (Helmus et al, 2008). Pyrolytic carbon is used preferably in this application rather than other carbons because pyrolytic carbon is highly resistant to blood clottingRead MoreHuman Cosmetic Surgery and Prosthetic Device Implants Essay2595 Words   |  11 PagesHuman Cosmetic Surgery and Prosthetic Device Implants The human body is a collection of remarkable biological mechanisms that integrates features that can not be duplicated exactly. However, many modern prosthetic devices can add years to an individuals life, improve physical comfort and function, or in the case of aesthetic implants, improve emotional health. There are many types of implants that server a variety of functions that offer risks and benefits. Implants can server many purposesRead MoreDescription Of Edwards Sapien Xt Transcatheter Heart Valve Replacement3502 Words   |  15 Pages1 Biomaterial Analysis of the Edwards SAPIEN XT Transcatheter Heart Valve Paul Borowick Grant Gangeness Shawn Hong Alex Nelson Contact info borow069@umn.edu gange024@umn.edu hongx079@umn.edu nels8100@umn.edu BMEN 3311: Biomaterials Date May 8, 2015 Professor Wei Shen 2 General Description of Edwards SAPIEN XT Transcatheter Heart Valve. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), or Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), is a relatively new surgical procedure to combat aortic stenosisRead MorePrinting Organs And The Human Body1476 Words   |  6 Pagesorgan in layers. Advancements in transplants and artificial organs have already been executed and it will be very interesting to see what the future will hold, in terms of being able to recreate organs. Matthew Green left hospital and headed back home to his family after having his heart replaced with an artificial device made of plastic – the first UK patient to be discharged after having both sides of his heart replaced (How does an artificial heart work?, n.d.). Although this was not a printed organRead MoreThe Next Medical Advancement : Artificial Lung Transplant1399 Words   |  6 PagesDavina Lopez Ms.Loncono English 2 20 March 2015 The Next Medical Advancement: Artificial Lung Transplant The artificial lung is on a road to becoming the greatest thing in medical history. Over 200 million people suffer from respiratory diseases, 350,000 people a year die from lung disease and 150,000 more people require medical care for this disease. Individuals that suffer with respiratory diseases often need a caretaker to look after them if they cannot do basic things like use the restroomRead MoreThe Human Heart Of Cardiology1475 Words   |  6 Pages Cardiology The human heart has a special characteristic, it has its own electrical impulse, which allows it to beat normally outside of the human body as long as it has sufficient oxygen levels. The term cardiology refers to the medical branch which focuses on disease and irregularities of the heart. A cardiologist focuses on the individual area of the body that is the heart and these doctors focus on preventing and treating illnesses of the whole heart or single vessels or arteries. Technology

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Transformation in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Essay

Transformation in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Since Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now was based on Joseph Conrads novel, Heart of Darkness, it is possible to draw many parallels between the two works. Both can be interpreted as metaphors for a journey through the inner self, and each has its own particular message to convey. In many ways they also appear to have similarities to Arthurian Legend, in particular the quest for the holy grail, and other allegorical journey narratives. The sum of the experiences of the protagonists, Marlow in Heart of Darkness and Willard in Apocalypse Now, reveal to them how the horrors and effects of war or conquest, can lead some people to madness, while other persons may discover†¦show more content†¦The initial goals of each protagonist becomes altered during the course of their journeys. From the outset of the novel, Marlow is depicted as being not typical (Conrad p. 9), he is a wandering type of person. It is portrayed as if Marlow does not have a home, and it seems as if h e had a bond [to] the sea (Conrad p.1). This may lead to an interpretation that he attempts to find out more about himself, and discover his inner character. The re-appearing image of the winding river resembles a journey from a wild uncivilized world, towards the light. In Heart of Darkness when Marlow finds out along the way that Kurtz, the manager of the Inner Station is gravely ill, Marlow turns his attention on reaching Kurtz in time to aid in his recovery. In Apocalypse Now, as Willard ventures with his crew through the Nung River, he witnesses atrocities committed against fellow humans. Although his mission at the beginning was clearly stated as an extermination, Willard takes along Kurtzs military dossier and analyzes Kurtzs remarkable military career. Willard develops an interest and apparent admiration for Kurtz. A striking similarity in both works is the fact that the antagonist Kurtz has managed to set up a corrupt enclave in which the natives revere Kurtz as their god-l ike leader. There are manyShow MoreRelated Apocalypse Now vs Heart of Darkness Essay1120 Words   |  5 Pages Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now lacks the impact of its inspiration, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. While the basic elements of imperialism and human nature remain intact, the characters of the film bare little resemblance to their literary counterparts. The film serves as a re-interpretation of Conrad’s novella, updated from 19th-century British imperialism in the Congo to a critique of 20th-century U.S. imperialism in Southeast Asia. Coppola’s changes in setting and plot structure, howeverRead MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad And The Film Apocalypse Now2143 Words   |  9 Pagesand altogether brutal is what describes â€Å"Heart of Darkness† by Joseph Conrad and the film adaption Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola. A short novella published in 1899, â€Å"Heart of Darkness† centers on the journey taken by the narrator Mar low up the Congo River with a Belgian trading company. Upriver he encounters the mysterious ivory trader, Kurtz and is brought face to face with corruption and despair. Set in the Vietnam War, the film Apocalypse Now follows the central character, U.S. Army specialRead More Comparing Conrads Heart of Darkness and Coppolas Apocalypse Now3622 Words   |  15 PagesSimilarities in Conrads Heart of Darkness and Coppolas Apocalypse Now Sometimes, a work is so great that artists from other forms of expression are compelled to interpret that work in their own medium. Francis Ford Coppola took James Conrad’s classic novel Heart of Darkness and updated it to the time of the Vietnam War. James Conrad’s classic novella Heart of Darkness is a tale about a seaman who makes his way up the Congo river in search of a man and his ivory. In 1979, Francis Ford CoppolaRead More Comparing Mary Anne in Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong and Kurtz in Apocalypse Now2602 Words   |  11 PagesComparing Mary Anne in Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong and Kurtz in Apocalypse Now  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1979, Francis Coppola released a film that he said he hoped would give its audience a sense of the horror, the madness, the sensuousness, and the moral dilemma of the Vietnam war (as quoted in Hagen 230). His film, Apocalypse Now, based on Joseph Conrads 1902 novel Heart of Darkness, is the story of Captain Benjamin Willards (Martin Sheen) journey to the interior of the jungle of Southeastern AsiaRead MoreHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 Pagesindirectly c. Symbolic Vampirism: selfishness, exploitation, refusal to respect the autonomy of other people, using people to get what we want, placing our desires, particularly ugly ones, above the needs of another. 4. If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet 5. Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before? a. There is no such thing as a wholly original work of literature—stories grow out of other stories, poems out of other poems. b. There is only one story—of humanity and human nature, endlessly repeated c. â€Å"Intertexuality†Ã¢â‚¬â€recognizingRead MoreEssay on Media Violence Does NOT Cause Violent Behavior2932 Words   |  12 Pages In myths, rape, incest, all manner of gruesome bloodshed, child abandonment, and total debauchery are standard fare. We see more of the same in Bible stories, accentuated with dire predictions of terrors and abominations in an end of the world apocalypse that is more horrifying than the human imagination can even grasp. For the most part, these images of violence, promiscuity and human degradation are explained away by psychologists, mythologists, sociologists, philosophers, and non-fundamentalistRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages†¢ INTRODUCTION contributions by Jose Moya and Adam McKeown and Howard Spodek consider in nuanced detail key developments in transport and communication technologies, demographic trends, and socioeconomic shifts that represented watershed transformations in where humans lived, how they earned their livings, and their unprecedented ability to move about the globe. Moya and McKeown set the patterns of migration in the twentieth century against those extending back millennia, and they compare inRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesProject Management Body of Knowledge (2008). †¢ Revised Chapter 14 to include project retrospectives. Chapters 2, 4, 6, 7, and 12, have been updated. †¢ New student exercises and cases have been added to most chapters. †¢ Answers to selected exercises are now available in Appendix 1 †¢ A third major computer exercise has been added to the Appendix 2; †¢ The â€Å"Snapshot from Practice† boxes feature a number of new examples of project management in action as well as new research highlights that continue to promote

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Stupidity Paradox Free Essays

Submitted by: Hassan Ahmed Class Number: MBA-01 Sec-02 Submitted to: Dr. Nasir Afghan Course: Organizational Behavior and Leadership Table of Contents Part One: Stupidity Today The Knowledge Myth Not to Smart Funtional Stupidity Part Two: Five Kinds of Functional Stupidity   Leadership- Induced Leadership Structure-Induced Leadership Imitation Induced Stupidity Branding-Induced Stupidity Culture-Induced Stupidity Part Three: Managing Stupidity Stupidity Management and How to counter it? Conclusion Introduction The main purpose of any company is to grow in terms of business that is having lucrative business and at the same time enabling their employees to become their future asset. But in real world often we see organization hired smart people and they end up in making stupid mistake. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stupidity Paradox or any similar topic only for you Order Now The book highlights that organization depend on well-educated and bright people who are willing to learn but what seems to be observe is that organization ends up in creating Corporate Slaves who follows dictation, discipline and willingness to be seduced by many ludicrous ideas. We have to understand why organization employed smart people? Why smart people do stupid things and bestow with bounties by organization for doing such mistakes this is what the book highlights. They succeeded for the short time span but in longer term it damages the organization as well as their progress also. Later in this chapter we will discuss the role of stupidity in today’s workplace and profession. Part One: Stupidity Today The Knowledge Myth World has witnessed an anomaly in knowledge based economy. In a way that we have observed a remarkable progression in knowledge of individuals but in contrast to it we could not witness rapid increase in the demand of such individuals in our job sector. Instead of surge in knowledge based jobs we have seen smooth increase in low-wage odd jobs. Irony is the attitude of present day organizations who instead of addressing this issue tries to cover it up by using different tactics like granting attractive job titles to convince individuals that they are doing something innovative and useful. But in reality we have witnessed that such organizations and individuals are busy in doing routine office work. This does not mean that acquiring knowledge is wasteful or dangerous. But the ever increasing gap between supply and demand curve of highly intellectual individuals and knowledge based jobs is fuelling frustration and other evils in present day generation. This frustration can be gauged by a rapid increase in college pass outs since 1960s and number of people who were expecting that they would be given a ground to showcase their capabilities and abilities but at last they were only allowed to do repetitive office tasks on daily basis. Not to Smart Individual in the organization are rational people. They try their best to use their knowledge and experience practically but faces with many obstacles. It has been seen as most decisions in the organization are based on limited information and less time to contemplate over it which results in the satisfactory outcome but not optimal one. It has been seen mostly that smart people joining the workforce on the basis of their intelligence but they are not fully able to utilize it. If they opt to do something different they will be stopped by their boss or faced criticism from their colleagues that is the dilemma of our culture. You can see after few year of experience they will end up in corporate mindlessness. One of the obstacles in this kind of skill incompetence is that it stops people from learning. They deceive by the comforting routines that allow them to ignore troubling issues of daily life. Often you see in organization where people are being discouraged for asking question. They been given a particular script to follow and act accordingly. Usually asking difficult question or thinking to deeply seems as a great waste for the firms. It subsequently end up in restricting the thought process of employees. Employees who learn to switch of their brain are rewarded. If they think too much they can get the work done. By following the corporate line set by the firm, thoughtless employees get seen as leadership material and promoted. We usually see the policy of ignorance in the organization, where people avoid informing senior people about problem. This is because senior don’t want to face to many complicated issues. This helps them to remain unaware of the situation when something went wrong in order to pull off the whole burden from them. Functional Stupidity The observation is that firm going out of their way to block employees from reflecting on their ideas, to deter them from thinking innovatively and to resist them from giving or asking for justification for their decisions and actions. By doing this they create functional outcomes both for individuals and the whole organisation. The consequences of it can disastrous leading to collapse of organisation. However functional stupidity can be useful and produce short term results, it can nurture harmony, encourage people to get on with the job. Like the example of Pepsi was given where culture was that executive should focused only on outcome, work diligently and employees gave very less time to their social life or outside world. The type of workaholic or militaristic environment prevails in Pepsi affect the employees productivity and they all the time pre-occupied with the office work. Functional stupidity is so widespread in organization that it is simply seen as a normal. Following leaders without seeing their credentials and no careful check often result in self stupidity. Functional Stupidity basically reduces conflict, levitate anxiety, and increase self-esteem. The issue is when organization get affected in longer term which result in a great loss.Funtional stupidity is deeply rooted in organisation and eradicating it from the root is very difficult. But certain steps can be taken which will be discuss later on this chapter can help us mitigating it. Part Two: Five Kinds of Functional Stupidity Leadership-Induced Stupidity All adjectives like superior, innovative, critical, prudent, etc. attached with leaders. They are purely a myth. In reality leaders are self-obsessed individuals. Who assume themselves as a master of all. Most of them think that whatever they are saying is being praised by their sub-ordinates but reality is different from this. Mostly people take the words of their leaders superficially and take it as for granted. Henceforth, impact of a leader on organizational life is minimum. Structure Induce Stupidity Structure in organization is necessary but some time creating too much structures and norms can create a communication gap between the top management and the lower ones. We have heard the word of delegation in our management system which is used to empower the employees and encourage them to take equal parts in company’s though process. But unfortunately we can see in majority of organization that dominant or dictator rule is followed. Top management neglect the lower ones to put their input which can be valuable for organization but are often ignored in company thought process. That lowers the moral and willingness of an individual working in an organization. Managers mostly spend their time doing meeting, setting up the rule and regulation and probably are unaware of what is happening at the ground level or in the firm. If we go down the organisation hierarchy, most peoples are confine to focus on their work and not think about the broader picture. Imitation Induced Stupidity Blindly following the glowing star has become order of the day. Organizations tend to copy other organizational behaviour and strategies without any motive and approach. The repercussions of this practice are heinous and affect overall organization. Branding-Induced Stupidity Marketing and branding has become a key tool nowadays. Organizations have vigorously started working on branding their brands. They do it by hook or crook. Mostly unrealistic but catchy phrases are used to convince the buyers to buy their products. The branding game is going so strong that huge chunk of capital are now reserved only for branding. This has diverted organizations from their main purpose which is to improve their product’s quality and to serve their customers. Culture- Induced Stupidity There is a predefined set of protocols for every organization. These protocols create almost familiar culture for every organization. Eventually they create a tranquil and conducive environment within an organization. Things get disturbed when such predefined protocols are broken and are kept just for showcase. This creates a feeling of chagrin in people. Part Three: Managing Stupidity Stupidity Management and How to counter it Stupidity management constitute a conundrum. In short functional stupidity is helpful in decision making, forging a better workplace and mitigating the conflict because you will be not questioning or not doing something out of the box which ultimately builds such an environment of harmony. But in longer run, it obstruct the creativity, decision making skills and problem solving skills.Decion making tends to be easy when people stop thinking too much. Conflict of opinion shall be present in the organization; it will help individuals to express themselves and come out with different idea or opinion which ultimately benefit the organization. Due to this your thought process increases and you start thinking differently. There are number of ways where manager encourage functional stupidity. First is authority in which people are encourage to follow their leaders and they are treated as inferior who are there to comply the policies and orders. Second is seduction. People can be seduced by being encouraged to think things are great. The third is to manipulate the thing in order to make the things appears to be natural. This we call naturalisation. We follow stereotype thinking or conservative type of mind-set like this thing happen in this way and there are no alternate for it.Albeit if we think beyond the line or do some research we can come up with a way but we are provided with such justification that this is the better way or it can happen in this way only. Final is appeal to opportunism. When incentives are stacked up in the right way, people are schooled to avoid asking to many difficult questions. Now we will look how organization should foster an â€Å"anti-stupidity culture† in which it is acceptable to think critically. This includes by reflecting your ideas, involve in critical thinking and consider reducing or killing our own stupidities for this we need to do anti stupidity management. Furthermore, it required work on cultural and collective norms. Express yourself in meeting and ask tough question to force them to think again for the decision. Newcomers should be promoted to ask question and should be ask that how they perceive the situation and their take on it. Learning from the outsider or you should go to other organisation and see their culture and work, and try to interlink with yours, which will help you in longer run.Learing from the critics because they have deep views of your company loophole so engaging them and extracting the shortcoming can be beneficial. Conclusion This book shows the picture how in the organisation people are facing with different hurdles which inhibit their though process and they instead of thinking rationally they restrict their thought process which ultimately result in creating a functional stupidity –a way to remain confine in certain area and not thinking out of it or beyond the line which result in setting up a myopic mind set. In the end it briefly describe that how to tackle out of this situation through ways as describe earlier in above paragraph. How to cite The Stupidity Paradox, Papers

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Human Resources Equal Employment & Affirmative Action

Question: Describe about the Human Resources for Equal Employment Affirmative Action. Answer: Introduction The White Feather Corporation is a rapidly growing consumer product organisation which has its specialization in the production and sales of household items and products, such as lawn furniture, spa accessories, insect repellents, stain resistant paints, etc. The company has a workforce of 400 exempt and 3,000 non-exempt employees and almost all of them are full time workers. In addition to its Clucksville office, the company has five more plants and two distribution centres throughout the state. The company recently established a Human Resource department in order to centralize the function of controlling and directing its human resources. The heads of the departments were chosen out of those employees who had been working with the company for more than 10 years. Marianne Collins was given the responsibility of college recruitment and 50% of her time was to be devoted to it. During the first year, she developed a recruitment plan and decided that the company would conduct recruitment in 40 colleges by the end of the first year. The recruitment procedure began but the end results were not that good. There were a number of complaints registered by the placement officers of the colleges that the company visited. Out of the 55 candidates who were given a job proposal, only 30 accepted the proposal. In the end 25 of them were invited to join the company out of which only 15 accepted the job offer. The recruitment plan was a complete failure and Marianne was asked to meet her boss to explain him all the problems and was also told that she would receive no merit pay increase. In this assignment, we will design a revised recruitment plan for the company that would help them in conducting college recruitments more efficiently and with better end results. Wfc College Recrutiment Plan Requisitions/Needs 40 college graduates Reports to Department manager Qualifications 4 year professional degree, excellent communication skills, decision making skills, self-motivated. Relevant Labour Market The candidates will have to look after the production operations and the sales of the products. They will be offered white collar jobs if selected (Ford, 2011). Number of colleges and contacts per college The company will visit a total of 10 colleges throughout the year and will select a minimum of three candidates from each college while the rest of the candidates will be selected on the basis of their performances. EEO/AA Considerations The recruitment of candidates will be strictly according to the guidelines mentioned in the Equal Employment Opportunity Law based upon their performance in the various performance and personality tests that the management decides to take. The tests will be same for all the candidates and their will be no form of discrimination based on cast, gender, age, diversity, etc. (Hr.ucr.edu, 2016). Recruitment Plan Let us now design some important aspects of the recruitment plan: Selection and training of recruiters The selection and the training of the recruiters will be a top most priority for the management. The management will consider those people as recruiters who would have been working for more than 5 years with the organisation and know about all the basic operations that are involved in the business. The recruiters will be trained throughout the year so that they can fulfil their responsibilities by avoiding any form of unlawful activities. The training would aim at increasing their proficiencies in writing job descriptions and specification and also at conducting different personality tests. It would also increase their ability to draw conclusions from the test conducted. For their training and development purpose, they will be offered on the job training and development programs which will be conducted by professional trainers (Lse.ac.uk, 2016). Process Flow and Record Keeping The recruitment of the candidates will be conducted in a very systematic way. The tests will be conducted online and each candidate will be provided with a unique username password that would allow them to log into their accounts and take the required tests. It will also help the company in maintaining accurate records of all the candidates in the longer run. Once the preliminary tests are conducted, the passing candidates will then be eligible for personal interviews (Spencer, 2005). Pre-visit activities A team of recruiters will visit each of the college prior to the beginning of recruitment process. The pre-visit will be aimed at building relations with the institutes. The recruitment teams will conduct seminars in the institutes where the interested candidates will be informed about the company and the job for which they would be applying. The pre-visit activities will also allow the company to prepare the institutes for the recruitment process, such as selection of infrastructure, laboratories, interview rooms, waiting rooms etc. On-Campus activities The on campus activities will basically be related with the recruitment process. The on-campus activities will include preliminary test, such as personality tests and psychological tests. Once the tests are conducted, the passing candidates will then undergo personal interviews (Venzin, 2016). Post-visit activities Post visit activities will be aimed at offering jobs to the shortlisted candidates, providing and taking back feedback from the placement committees of the institutes. Measuring Success Measuring the success of the recruitment process is one of the most essential things that the WFC company will need to check after the implementation of the new recruitment process. Let us talk about some key points that will be used to measure the success of the recruitment program: Time to hire one of the key factor will be the time that the recruitment team will take to hire the decided number of candidates Cost of hire the next key factor in measuring the efficiency of recruitment plan will be to check the total cost that the company will have to incur in the recruitment process Jobs offered and jobs accepted another important measure will be the number of jobs offered and the number of job offers accepted Retention rates it has been found that fresh candidates have a tendency to quit organisations very early. Therefore, another important factor that would measure the success of the recruitment program will be the number of freshly hired candidates that the company will be able to retain ("Recruitment - Do you measure up? - APSC", 2016) References Ford, R. (2011). Blue Collar, White Collar, No Collar. New York: Harper Perennial. Human Resources: Equal Employment Affirmative Action. (2016). Hr.ucr.edu. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://hr.ucr.edu/recruitment/guidelines/diversity.html Recruitment - Do you measure up? - APSC. (2016). Apsc.gov.au. Retrieved 30 September 2016, from https://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/archive/publications-archive/recruitment-measures Recruitment and selection training - Recruiting staff (including contracting hourly paid staff) - Joining LSE - Human Resources - Staff - Staff and students - Home. (2016). Lse.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/staff/humanResources/joiningLSE/recruitingContracting/recruitmentAndSelectionTraining.aspx Spencer, K. (2005). Personalizing My Own Strategic Recruitment Plan. Plastic Surgical Nursing, 25(2), 59-60. https://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00006527-200504000-00003 Venzin, M. (2016). Develop a Sustainable Recruitment Plan. The Membership Management Report, 12(10), 1-1. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mmr.30488

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Themes in Modern Literature Essay Sample free essay sample

Modernism in â€Å"Aunt Helen† . by T. S. Eliot and â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† . by John Lennon and Paul McCartney â€Å"Aunt Helen† . by T. S. Eliot and â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† . by John Lennon and Paul McCartney are poems which comprise features of modernism. Loneliness. societal disaffection and isolation. dual criterion and delegating of faith are the chief subjects emerge from these literary pieces. Miss Helen Slingsby. the poet’s aunt in â€Å"Aunt Helen† . was an single adult female who lived entirely. except for her retainers and pets. Aunt Helen was distant and stray. and after her decease there was silence on Earth and in Eden. The repeat of the word â€Å"silence† represents the deficiency of involvement in her. Not merely that her decease resulted in indifference but she had no impact on anyone’s life but her parrot. which â€Å"shortly afterwards†¦died excessively. † â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† is besides approxi mately societal disaffection and isolation. Both Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie were lonely people. We will write a custom essay sample on Themes in Modern Literature Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page who lived in the same alienating society. worked in a church but failed to do any important contact with people around them or with each other. Eleanor was the cleansing agent of a church. dreamed to acquire married but had to settle for picking up the rice after other’s nuptialss and â€Å"waiting at the window† for person who would non demo up. Father McKenzie was a priest who wrote discourses to trusters that wouldn’t listen ( â€Å"no one will hear† ) and spent his darks repairing his socks so he could look noteworthy in the eyes of people who excluded themselves from church ( â€Å"No one semen near. † ) Double criterion is another subject in these two verse forms. Aunt Helen â€Å"lived in a little house near a stylish square† and â€Å"cared for by servants† . She was a â€Å"proper Bostonian† . a societal category who had been the vanguard of American idealism and progressive thought and set the criterions for gustatory sensation and good judgement. She didn’t have a household of her ain. and therefore she left her bequest to her Canis familiariss and par rot ( â€Å"The Canis familiariss were handsomely provided for† ) . She cared merely for her pets and left nil to her retainers who cared for her and externally abided by her regulations. The retainers were ‘careful’ while the aunt lived but after she was gone. they were prosecuting in the sort of sexual activity she would hold despised. Eleanor Rigby was a adult female who had to have on the â€Å"face that she keeps in a jar by the door. † She set on the face of a nice spiritual individual. symbolically she hid her true empty ego. Father McKenzie. by â€Å"darning his socks in the dark when there’s cipher there† . was ashamed and conceal himself merely as Eleanor did. Both â€Å"Aunt Helen† and â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† jest ironically at the futility of religious pursuits. The verse forms evoke religious emptiness. In the first. â€Å"the mortician wiped his feet—He was cognizant that this kind of thing had occurred before† and the footman â€Å"holding the 2nd maidservant on his articulatio genuss – who had ever been so careful while her kept woman lived† symbolizes the traveling off from faith every bit good as the breakage of old values. In the latter the names of Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie suggest they both were Irish. and the church. as a scene. implies on their Catholicity. Harmonizing to the Christian philosophy. redemption refers to the phenomenon of the psyche being saved from some unfortunate fate by Godhead bureau. Father McKenzie in â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† . However. Eleanor Rigby ended up dead † in the church and was buried along with her name† and non merely her. but â€Å"no one was saved† . The last line of stanza 3 symbolizes the interruption of spiritual religion and the alienation of modern society T. S. Eliot and Lennon and McCartney make usage of from and manner in order to convey their message. In â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† . the sequence of construction is inconsistent. The diminishing length of lines 2 and 4 in the three stanzas. every bit good as the questions in the shutting line of each. construct tenseness until the inevitable terminal of Eleanor Rigby and the imperative statement that â€Å"no one was saved† . It seems as if solitariness is declining as clip base on balls on. and ends in a forlorn decease. In a first glimpse. â€Å"Aunt Helen† gives the feeling of a paragraph consists of five tallies on sentences and no form. The signifier. which doesn’t seem to be poetic in stanz a signifier and lacks form. accentuates the absence. or emptiness. in Miss Helen Slingsby’s life. Although both poems’ signifier expresses a similar subject of solitariness. they are really different in their construction. While â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† is divided into three stanzas. consisting of a poetry and a chorus. that are rhymed in the same form – the first and the 2nd lines rime every bit good as the 3rd and the Forth. â€Å"Aunt Helen† has a more free signifier. The five sentences assembled in the verse form are differed in length and the rhyming strategy is inconsistent – the last word of the 2nd sentence rimes with the last word in the undermentioned line ( â€Å"street† and â€Å"feet† ) . and it is the same in the following sentence. However. the following rime has a different form – the first line in the last sentence rimes with the 3rd line of the sentence ( â€Å"mantelpiece† and â€Å"on his knees† ) . Aunt Helen’s life and decease are described in a slightly formal manner. as largely brief and to the points words are used. There are commas and full Michigans and no inquiry marks or exclaiming Markss. While â€Å"Aunt H elen’s† enlightening nature emphasizes the deficiency of metaphors. Eleanor Rigby â€Å"Lives in a dream† . wears â€Å"a face she keeps in a jar† and is â€Å"Buried along with her name† . â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† opens with boding the debut of two alone people â€Å"Ah. look at all the alone people! † The terminal of the verse form – the decease of Eleanor Rigby – is about expected. while the formality used in â€Å"Aunt Helen† avails in making an unexpected disclosure – the rejection of â€Å"old† morality. expressed in the act of the two retainers on the dining room. The authors use symbols to pass on their messages. Eleanor Rigby â€Å"picks up the rice in a church where a nuptials has been† . This symbol of fusion of two people in a nuptials ceremonial contradicts the chief subject of the verse form – solitariness. In â€Å"Aunt Helen† the mention to the Dresden clock go oning after her decease symbolizes the disaffection of a society in which people don’t leave a important consequence. Time continues without them. The overexploitation of â€Å"no one† and â€Å"nobody† in â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† intends to set up the subject of solitariness and disaffection. The storyteller mocks both Eleanor Rigby. who â€Å"was buried along with her name† . and Father McKenzie. who meant nil to cipher. and whose merely achievement was the burial of Eleanor Rigby. In â€Å"Aunt Helen† it is the repeat of â€Å"silence† that conveys this subject. T. S. Eliot and Lennon and McCartney trade in their verse forms with modern subjects – purdah and religion attenuation. In â€Å"Aunt Helen† and â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† the authors demonstrate theses issues by utilizing modern-day free signifier and linguistic communication.