Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Similarities and differences Essay Example for Free

Similarities and differences Essay But Ginsberg keeps hope alive by believing that salvation is possible through unity. Ginsberg does this by calling Solomon his brother, his equal: There can only be salvation if we embrace the world as one. Like he says in line 72: ah, Carl, while you are not safe I am not safe, and now youre really in the total animal soup of time. Like Whitman, Ginsberg believed in embracing the Other to achieve a sense of oneness that is not about being the same but about recognizing the inherent rights and individuality of each person. And just like Whitman, Ginsberg was as vocal, if not more so, about homoeroticism in his poetry: who let themselves be fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy, who blew and were blown by those human seraphim, the sailors, caresses of Atlantic and Caribbean love, who balled in the morning in the evenings in rose gardens and the grass of public parks and cemeteries scattering their semen freely to whomever come who may†. (Howl, line 36/38) And unlike in Whitman’s poem, the reference to homoeroticism in Ginsberg’s poem is more powerful because he used direct language as compared to Whitman especially when it is considered taboo and something short of a disease at that time. Indeed, including homoeroticism in Ginsberg poem can be seen as a tool to draw people’s attention to the reality that they refuse to accept – in effect, Ginsberg is trying to make them see what they hope does not exist. More than just a homoerotic reference to Ginsberg’s personal life, reading these passages as social commentary will help more in understanding the poem’s message and the statement it seeks to make at that time and context. Both writers yearned for a world that goes beyond the material. The only salvation possible from the degrading, repetitive and alienating modern world is the acceptance of the individual and the embracing of our inherent sameness and difference. While Whitman portrayed a world that was full of promise by recognizing himself in each and everyone, Ginsberg depicted a world of counterculture to escape the stifling Molochs of modern society. He tried to find salvation in crossing the borders of language, time, society and experience. He crossed the limitations of the mind through the use of drugs and used repetition in his work to establish a quasi-religious tone or chant as an extension of the spiritual world. It is not surprising that there are many similarities between Leaves of Grass and Howl. Allen Ginsberg, after all, read Whitman and even took Whitman’s tone and style in writing his own poem. Ginsberg’s Howl is Whitmanesque in the sense that it took for its subject the individual and its quest for his rights and freedom, and also he employed Whitman’s natural speech rhythms and long lines. Whitman using free verse demonstrated his dedication to democracy, to a society not bound by rigid rules and uniformity but upheld individuality and freedom, and Ginsberg’s adopting the same showed his own perseverance to give voice to all those who want to break free from the constricting social norms his time presented. Their uninterrupted stream of consciousness writing style, without reflective interruptions that may diminish their spontaneity, rendered the truth as they saw it. To achieve this, Whitman and Ginsberg had to cross the borders of what was generally accepted as poetry. They challenged the barriers of what was considered poetry, and by doing so, made breakthrough poetry. Conclusion Considered landmarks in American literature, both Leaves of Grass and Howl are remarkably unconventional, especially taking into account the time of their respective publications. Maybe the overall theme of salvation through unity was not new, but the means through which both poets achieved this definitely were during their time. Both Whitman and Ginsberg looked for new ways towards an uninhibited expression of the mind, as the above mentioned salvation was only possible through challenging existing notions of order and social norms. Thus, by challenging the conventional rules of grammar and style in their poetry, the poets were, in effect, expressing their desire for a more liberal society, for hope for the people that through their works an emotion will be stirred within them calling out for the preservation of the human spirit and freedom of the individual. For two poems separated by a hundred year interval and which continues to make waves even today, truly, it is a magnificent feat. Finally, the poems’ survival is enough credit to show that these are literary masterpieces worthy to be read as text by themselves and not as mere extensions of their poets.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Overall family structure

Overall family structure Abstract: This paper introduces Helen, Julie, and Garry a family subset from the movie, The Parenthood and provides a description of their overall family structure also seen in the form of a genogram. The paper also includes a literature review of both Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT), and Solution-Focused Family Therapy (SFT) with the author settling on SFT as the preferred method for eliciting change from a systems perspective; which also includes a treatment plan complete with practical interventions using SFT and a GARF analysis from the BFT approach. In addition to noting how Helen and her children relate to the larger family system the learner offers a look into her personal world based on the effects of treating this family. The Family Subset The family subset to be discussed, from the movie The Parenthood, is comprised of a divorced mother of two children, one of which is engaging in teenage premarital sex, and the other is masturbating while watching pornographic films. This core group has expanded to include a husband for the teenage daughter who comes to live in the home of his new in-laws, a love interest for the mother, Helen, who eventually becomes a husband and the needed father figure for the pubescent son, and an extremely disinterested father who is preoccupied with his new life which includes a new set of children in addition to a new wife. Helen is the second child of four born to her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Buckman. One of the more noticeable things about the family is the relationship that does not exist between the family patriarch and his older three children. It is especially painful to witness how hard Gil, the eldest son, tries to be such a good father by being so actively involved in the lives of his own children as a way to escape falling into the same pattern of his fathers parenting style. In addition, to the fathers distant relationship with his children is the very passive attitude of the mother. Her every attempt to assert herself into conversation and even the lives of her children are thwarted and ultimately overshadowed by the final say of her authoritative and detached husband. Each of the four children Gil, Helen, Susan, and Larrys parenting style and success in their sexual/marital relationships can be attributed to the way they interpret their own upbringing. As mentioned earlier, Gils desire to have a better relationship with his children has caused him to be extremely high strung which is possibly because of the self imposed pressure to succeed. Also, his oldest son, who he tries the hardest to bond with has been diagnosed with something akin to high-functioning autism to which he blames himself. However, his marital relationship appears to be pretty solid; thus, he has succeeded in not being like his father in the respect that he shows to his wife. Susan, the youngest daughter has chosen a man who was able to tame her wild antics. She found his control to be quite sexually attractive. Susans response to her husband is a two-fold result of her bearing witness to her mother being controlled by her father as a child and wanting to rebel against that control while secretly desiring it. Nathan, Susans husband, is unlike her father in that he is very involved with their only daughter, Patty. The problem is that Nathan is overly occupied with everything that relates to Pattys educational capabilities and has included her in every aspect of their lives leaving very little time for intimacy for a still newly married couple. Thus, causing distance in their relationship which forces her to not be like her mother at all, and initiates a separation from him for a while. The youngest son, Larry, has seemingly benefited the most from the paternal relationship because the father saw a lot of himself in this son is not as successful as the other children whose relationships with their dad were not as close. Larry is extremely irresponsible and has only held on to the life lessons taught by his father that enable him to continue on his quest for getting rich quick. Larry does not have a stable companion, has never been married, does not hold a steady job, and has brought home a son whose mother is a Las Vegas showgirl at best. While Larrys life seems to be the most exciting, he lives rather dangerously and his life is at risk as a result of his out of control gambling which is a part of his quick money schemes. Helens childrens behavior is a reflection of the timing of her divorce rather than a reflection of her parenting style. Along with the end of a marital relationship between a husband and a wife during and after the divorce come feelings of failure, blame, and denial. The problem is that those emotions and thoughts are not exclusive to the couple involved but, often are things experienced by a child who is a product of divorce. When the parent who has the children, in this case the mother-Helen, has not adequately dealt with their own feelings concerning the divorce it makes it extremely difficult for them to address the needs, wants, and concerns of their offspring. Helens childrens actions are in relation to an unsmooth transition due to being a product of a bad divorce (Carter McGoldrick, 2005). And, thus have turned into a centrifugal family leaving the mother out and making her feel as if everything is her fault and there is nothing that she can do to make them happy (Capuzzi G ross, 2007). In our patriarchal society the man is often considered the breadwinner even if both parties are gainfully employed; while the woman is regulated to the position of primary caregiver. In this role, Helen is battling a range of lifes concerns from her own happiness which she feels she is neglecting because of her responsibility to her children. In her current state, she cannot be much good to her children although their safety and well-being is her main concern. The manner in which this family interacts with one another is a direct result of how their personal experiences with the divorce of Helen and her ex-husband has negatively impacted their thoughts and patterns of behaviors. Each taking on or placing the blame on self or one of the other remaining members of their family unit. Therapy would serve Helen and her children, Julie and Garry, by helping them over this intermediary hump of emotions relating to the divorce crisis and propelling them into the next healthy stage of the family cycle they now find themselves. Group therapy would provide the family and opportunity to effectively communicate their individual issues for example, Helen might bring up her concerns surrounding her role as primary caregiver and the neglect that is self-inflicted in hopes that she might make up for whatever her ex-husbands absence has deprived them of; Julie might discuss how she needs to feel the love of a male figure and although her choice might not be the brightest he is showing her the love that she feels she needs; Garry will likely open up about how his family has turned against him (his mother made his father not love him anymore, his father choosing to love his other son more, and his sister turning to her boyfriend and barely acknowledging him) just as his body has (because he no longer has a father to discuss and prepare him for the upcoming normal bodily changes associated with puberty). In order for this family subset to reach a place of normal healthy functioning for a family unit it is necessary to assess and create an environment of understanding of the emotional attachment of the family system and, how easily the family is able to adjust to whatever natural and unsuspected events that occur during the life cycle (Maynard Olson, 1987). The learner believes that the two systematic therapeutic models that will work best in bringing this family back to a positive place in their cognition, and behavior are solution focused therapy and family behavioral therapy. Solution-focused therapy will work to accentuate the successes of Helen and her children and move them away from current behaviors that have them each emphasizing on their own failures and that of other members of their family subset (insert citation here, Clinical Training in Solution focused therapy-Josee Lamarre, Journal of Family Psychotherapy 143-148, 2005). While Behavioral Family Therapy evaluates the family and how they currently work together so that changes can be made towards how they will interact with each other moving forward (insert citation here, Eileen Spillane-Grieco, Cognitive-behavioral family therapy with a family in high-conflict divorce: A case study, Clinical Social Work Journal 2000 105-119) In using the behavioral model the position of the counselor is to assist the client family in changing specific behaviors which have been defined by Dr. Glasser as being comprised of action, thinking, feelings, and physiology and, in turn will cause effective communication to develop (Glasser, 1980a). Solution-focused therapy suggests that the client family should look to what is presently taking place, and where they want to be in the future as opposed to what has transpired in the past. In changing the focus of the therapy sessions from that of the problem to that of achieving their personal goals based on what they would like to see as a result of their time in therapy will cause the client family to begin implementing the necessary steps to see those things realized. In addition, the client is instrumental to the process because they are constantly asked to define for themselves what is necessary for change to take place, or for the counseling being received to be effective (inse rt citation here: A Thumb-nail map for solution-focused brief therapy, Lance Taylor, Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 2005, 27-33); thus, causing Helen and her children to verbalize their responsibility to the success of their family unit. A Literature Review The articles that will be discussed in this literature review will argue the importance of the helping relationship; provide insight into intervention models that have worked with a range of client race, age, and backgrounds utilizing both behavioral family and solution-focused therapies. In addition, the editorials will offer evidence towards how well these theories have worked and will work for the learners client family. On Behavioral Family Therapy Thoughts about seeking help from a counselor can have negative connotations as expressed in the film from which we extract our client family-The Parenthood. Individuals are considered to be crazy, or think their problems are too insignificant, or are afraid of embarrassing themselves or their families with the kind of information that will be discussed. But, in actuality therapy provides an environment that is non-judgmental and safe, a counselor will affirm the feelings of the client and challenge them to think and behave in a manner that causes them to be more productive. It is those negative thoughts that will make it harder to get an entire family to come, as opposed to a single person, or even partake in the first couple of sessions. The problem has been statistically proven to be more likely a case of engagement. One article suggests that Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT) has the helping relationship as the foundation and if the counselor is able to build rapport quickly and earn estly then, it is more probable that the client family will not only remain engaged in the therapeutic process but, will likely have a successful outcome once therapy has ended (James, Cushway, Fadden, 2006). It is necessary to mention counselor responsibility in BFT considering that their role is valuable to the process. The therapist is required to explore and evaluate the hows of the family system as it operates currently and its potential for operation in the future (James, Cushway, Fadden, 2006). Without arguing for or against nature or nurture it is safe to say that family does play an important role in the way one acts consider the relationships of the Buckman clan as a whole and the dysfunction that ensues as they attempt to be different than the generation before them, and so then it should be equally safe to believe that therapy that would include the family is just as important in working towards change. Change is the ultimate goal in identifying and then ranking behaviors that the client family would like to change are priority. Once they have been outlined then interventions to facilitate change are necessary. In keeping with the definition of behavior which included thinking one conduit for change is positive thinking through cognitive restructuring, each family member will create a list of strengths of all of the members of the family unit. The result brings about a sense of self-awareness and quite possibly a new way of what role one actually plays in the family structure. Part of the homework will be for each family member to work on maintaining this new self-image in between sessions and ultimately adopting it as a lifestyle change (Khodayarifard, Rehm, Khodayarifard, 2007). This type of intervention will work well with Helen and her children as they are quite verbal in their disdain of each other. So, in highlighting the positive qualities of each other will not only affirm their role within the family, and work to dispel some of the former negative statements but, will cause them to live up to the attributes ascribed to them more often; thus, serving as a behavior modification. Although there is overwhelming evidence that supports the effectiveness of family behavioral therapy an article from 2000 argues that research shows that this theory has not been sufficiently compared to other like orientations (Kolko, Brent, Baugher, Bridge, Birmaher, 2000). However, BFT is still thought to be one of the best methods because of its relative adaptive nature that is specific to the preferred client demographics-family, individual: adult, adolescent, and etc. as the client family consists of a mother, and two children: one teenager, and one adolescent. Behavioral Family Therapy will work well in a family setting as Helen, Julie, and Garry can participate equally. The self control technique is an effective intervention that can be applied to Helen and her children within the Behavioral Family Therapy model. This method holds that each individual is responsible for their own actions and possess the necessary qualities to change them (Teichman Eliahu, 1986). Taking personal responsibility will force the family subset to see themselves separately from who they believe their parents to be and remove the need to place the blame on them for how they have decided to live their lives. For instance, Garrys behavior will no longer lead to acts of destruction because his father has chosen to not be actively involved in his life instead, he will recognize that he has control over who he will be and that is completely separate from who his father is to him. On Solution-Focused Therapy As the therapy name suggests there is an immediate purpose when utilizing this model. As such, after the necessary introductory things have been accounted for, one of the first pieces of information that the counselor needs to extract are the exceptions. These are windows into viewing potential solutions in that they identify specific instances where the client has already attempted to change what is considered normal behavior (Corcoran, 1997). Exceptions are seen as a kind of intervention in that positive affirmation is bestowed onto the person who has created an avenue for personal change and in so doing shows them how easy it is for change to occur. This will translate to Helen and her children perhaps through Julie who has demonstrated that she runs away from her problems-literally. She left home after an argument with her mother and impulsively got married; she left her husband and returned home when things got a little thick between her and Tod. But, during his stint as a race car driver, even though she vehemently opposed to this career option she showed up to the contest and was first at his side when he wrecked. All done of her own volition and thus, a time when she changed what could be considered normal or expected behavior. With thoughts focused on the future exceptions it will allow for the client family to consider how they can make a difference in family squabbles and other relational issues by meditating on the future. What will not happen are constant thoughts on the pain, the frustration, and the angst associated with the dysfunctional state of the family but, instead each member will meditate on a dream solution, which is ultimately a resolution to a problem (Bannink, 2007). One outcome to an ideal solution for this family would be that they no longer talked or yelled at each other but, now respected each other enough to quiet themselves and listen to the opinions and concerns of each other. Another benefit of the therapy would be for the family members to learn how to respond rather than react in a calm and rational manner. Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) will cause the client family to look to self for resolution as opposed to the very dysfunctional thinking of placing blame and pointing out the negative in others. It is believed by the author, that a persons natural inclination is to think more negatively than positively in terms of what is likely to happen based on what has previously occurred. But, through the use of this model they find that the reverse is actually true and are likely to look forward to each day as opposed to dreading coming home to mom, or spending family time together (Reiter, 2007). Conclusion Both, BFT and SFT focus on the relationship and building rapport with the client in addition to being able to fit a broad spectrum of clientele. The combination of Behavioral Family Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy will help the client family come out victorious because of the effectiveness of each orientation separately. BFT would work to learn the negative behaviors and then work to teach and enforce new behaviors and SFT will mandate that their attention always be focused on bringing about a different outcome and therefore a preferred outcome. While there are a myriad of downsides to both BFT and SFT they are so minute that they would not likely have an adverse affect on the client family. For instance, it may be that the length or number of sessions will be smaller than other theoretical approaches which would suit Helen just fine considering she is now the main source of income for the home. Fewer sessions can also work in favor of the client family in pushing them into setting realistic goals that need to be achieved and will also cause for the techniques learned while utilizing either approach be employed sooner rather than later and hopefully will continue long after the sessions have ended to go on with the changes that are necessary for success within their family unit. Through homework and other intervention exercises a favorable outcome is expected of Helen, Julie, and Garry, the client family. They will unlearn playing the victim role and lashing out in anger, learn how to effectively communicate, accept what has transpired in their lives and in putting it behind them not out of embarrassment or shame but, out of a realization that the present and future is where their focus needs to be. In the end, the learner is confident that both the Solution-Focused Therapy and the Family Behavioral Therapy theoretical orientations will serve as a successful method of therapy for this family. Diagnosis and Treatment Plan Helen and her children by all accounts can be considered a family that has not healed from divorce but copes with what that disruption to their family system translates for them and yearns to be well again seeks the counseling services of the learner. The remaining members of this unit individually and collectively exhibit a range of dysfunctional behaviors that include but are not limited to premarital teen sex, masturbation, yelling at each other and other dysfunctional communication patterns. The learner proposes that the therapeutic model that will work best in bringing Helen and her children back to a positive place in their cognition, and behavior is solution-focused family therapy. Before a counselor or therapist is able to successfully engage the client through verbal communication, nonverbal clues are given as to potentially how bad the situation is by simple things like how [the clients] choose[s] to sit in the room (Walrond-Skinner, 1976, p. 39). These kinds of nonverbal tools are just as important to assessing the situation as the ever blunt first question, why are you here today? The answer to that question is key in assessing the situation. From the interactions of the family as witnessed while in their natural habitat the following have been evaluated in regards to this operation of this family system: effective communication does not exist between the parent and children, the sibling emotional bond is nonexistent, and they do not rebound well when change occurs. After the initial general assessment or a description of the presenting problems has been disclosed the counselor must then set goals. In a variety of settings such as corporate meetings, counseling sessions, and etc. one widely used acronym for goal setting is to be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. The purpose of being smart when laying out the goals for others to adhere to is to ensure that they know what is expected of them without a shadow of a doubt; that a counselor or therapist will be able to easily notate when progress has been made or remains unachieved; to create practical objectives that while they may not be easy to accomplish are necessary for personal growth; and to ensure that there is a cap so that the client is aware that a deadline to check if improvement has been made. With SMART in mind, the treatment plan for Helen, Julie, and Garry would include the following: Goals: Helen, Julie, and Garry will work together to improve effective communication Helen, Julie, and Garry will learn adjustment skills as it relates to experiencing unexpected situations specifically the divorce of Helen and her ex-husband Julie and Garry will learn to interact as siblings by learning how to support each other in an effort to build an emotional bond between them Interventions : Clients will be required to hear out the other members of their family and to consider that persons point of view. The request to begin considering the point of view of others will begin within the second session between all three members of the family unit and will continue being asked until the 10th family session. In addition, the client family will be asked to apply this question to instances when an argument is likely to take place as a substitute to the way they normally communicate. This intervention will include the therapist and all subsequent members of the host family: Helen, Julie, and Garry and will last for at least ten sessions and will be assessed at the 10th session to see if it needs to continue. Helen, Julie, and Garry will journal about their past and present feelings related to the divorce of Helen and her ex-husband on a daily basis, and something will be chosen from each family members journal to be read aloud in the following weeks session. This intervention will allow all family members an opportunity to learn how each individual processed and is handling the divorce. In addition, the family will be required to attend at least three additional sessions of counseling in a Persons involved in Divorce support group to be educated on the varying perspectives of all involved in such a process. This intervention will include all members of the subsequent host family: Helen, Julie, and Garry and the therapist will act as the reader. The therapist will also be instrumental in securing a place for them within a support group; the family will be able to offer suggestions which the therapist will thoroughly consider and make an informed decision based on what is better for the clients. After the required three sessions, a decision as to how beneficial the group meets were and the necessity of continuing in them will determine whether more sessions are needed. That information will be considered from Helen, Julie, and Garry in addition to, the lead therapist of the group sessions. Julie and Garry will begin to genuinely compliment each other at least one time per day over the course of their time in therapy. In addition, they are to find out something that the other is involved in like Garrys new fascination with cars and wholeheartedly support those endeavors making time for them at least two times per month. The hope is to achieve the goal of creating a genuine sibling emotional bond. This intervention will include only the sibling subset of the client family unit. And, will consist of Julie and Garry having a separate bi- weekly family session (for a total of two sessions per month) without their mother Helen. During the last session for the month a verbal synopsis that will include how well they enjoyed the time spent witnessing their sibling doing something they loved. The learner has implemented interventions that adhere to the thought behind solution-focused family therapy, and when evaluating Helen and her children will take into consideration the possibility for numerous modifications based upon client achievement of goals, and failures as it relates to not adhering to the scheduled mandates of the treatment goals (Seligman, 2004). Each intervention applied would likely have the learners desired effect which will cause this family to knit closely together. They would own up to their own contributions to the state of their relationship as well as absolve themselves and the others of misplaced blame. The lines of communication will be open and no longer will they talk at each other in fits of hysteria or desperation. As a result of the intervention the family members will implement the communication skills learned which will include how to talk to each other and value the opinions, and feelings of one another even at those times of disagreement. Ultimately, this family unit will grow closer to each other, develop as a cohesive unit, mature in their personal pursuits and thought processes, and learn from each other which will cause them to have a smooth transition into the next life stage of their family subsets life cycle. The Learners Personal Reflection The entire process that began with watching the Buckman family at large and specifically the subset that included Helen, Julie and Garry and ended with setting goals that were believed to be to the benefit of making their family unit more cohesive had the learner slightly stressed. The limited experience in a counseling setting as a professional and as a client caused a recurring question regarding correctly processing and applying information. It is the belief of the learner that her experiences as wife, mother, daughter, sister, and etc. would create an excellent source from which to pull information from when dealing with clients and cause an equalizing of the relationship. While the learner can clearly relate to some of the dysfunction of the family on issues such as how families talk to each other, or not actually being able to relate or have things in common with siblings. One aspect of this family system that the learner has no personal knowledge of is divorce and how seriousl y it can upset the entire family cycle. The model for marriage for this learner has been that of her maternal grandparents who were married for 58 years before the death of her grandfather. The lack of reaction to Helen being divorced considering the learners religious views was a very interesting dynamic. It is more likely that this can be attributed to how often she can be credited with desiring divorce than, recognizing that as a professional personal beliefs regarding things like divorce are irrelevant to the counseling process. One of the biggest reactions was in regards to the ex-husband and his complete disregard for the well-being of his own biological children. This set off red flags of personal biases towards deadbeat dads as a result of the learners own father who was only sporadically involved in her upbringing, at best. Due to the internally boisterous response the learner will need to routinely do a self-check to ensure that her personal biases will not negatively affect the counseling environment that is a necessary conduit for client change. Due to the fathers utter removal from every aspect of his childrens life as a result of the divorce, Helen was regulated to the role of a single parent; and it forced their children into a single-parent family situation (Carter McGoldrick, 2005). Early on, the learner and her three sisters formed a pack after constantly witnessing the unnecessary sibling rivalry amongst their mother and her sisters. In clearing defining our goals for our sister-friend relationships, we are extremely honest with each other, genuinely concerned about every aspect of each other lives, and have vowed to remain so. From this relationship that was first built on a blood bond evolved four very different people, at various stages in their lives, who are now friends. Once the commitment was made to be different and was adhered to change occurred within the relationship between the learner and her youngest sister who she really did not know mostly because of the difference in age. Therefore, setting a goal for Julie and Garry to become more emotionally involved with each other was something that the learner can attest to. One final thing to note, is how in the learners family which is multi-generational and includes not just an immediate family unit but, is comprised of extended family members there is always something that occurs that can upset the family system however, behaviors are not drastically changed as a result. The adaptability of the learners family unit has created an environment where others are always prepared to take on countless roles in the event that the traditional role holder is unable to continue on. Thus, the family is able to continue to run smoothly even after a major upset to the family cycle. A persons entire being is founded, rooted, expanded, and explored through the family framework which by all accounts is the initial segue into a host of firsts (Carter McGoldrick, 2005). Thus, it stands to reason that it is completely necessary to ensure the stability of the family unit by ensuring its flexibility when presented with anything that has the power to modify the normal flow of the family system and, maintaini

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Stopping Terrorism Worldwide Essay -- essays research papers

Can We Stop the Worldwide Disease-Terrorism? Terrorism, which has been around for as long as people can remember, has been on the rise for the past ten years. Terrorists usually use murdering, kidnapping, hi-jacking and bombings to achieve their political purpose. For instance, according to Wikipedia.com (2006), in 1985 816 deaths, then in 2003, more than 1,000 people died by terorist acts around the world. In recent years, terrorism seems to be at a new height and attacks are much more violent than in the past. Unfortunately, in spite of many anti-terror campaigns, projects and organizations are being created for prevention (to prevent) terrorism, the number of terrorists only is increasing. These days terrorism is all over the world. Terrorists use violence against civilians or against civilian targets, in order to attain political aims. As it is mentioned in Cfrterrorism.org (2006), The US Department defines terrorism as "premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience." Paul Pillar (Council on Foreign Relations, 2004), a former deputy chief of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center, interprets the definition of terrorism as follows,â€Å",†¦, planned in advance, rather than an impulsive act of rage and not criminal, like the violence that groups such as the mafia use to get money and not carried out by the army of a country.†, The purposes of terrorists are different but majority of their victims are peaceful people. There are many different types of terrorism, for many different purposes. The primary purpose of terrorism is to force a change in their government structure or position. If terrorists are not s... ...hat terrorism can not be ended with violence. Violence in response to violence can only lead to further violence. So we should discover more creative programs about reducing the poverty, let everybody study, regarding their religion, sex, race and nationality. If we invest money into these things than investing to wars, we have already reduced terrorism. Other crucial thing is freedom. Nowadays, many terrorists claim that they are freedom fighters of their country. From this we can conclude that we, ourselves, are making terrorists by occupying their native country. If we do not want any terrorism, let them enjoy their freedom. But these days it is sad to realize that some bigger countries, with its (their) powerful economy want to take control over smaller countries, which is again leading people of these countries to take a gun and defense their countries values.

Dylan Thomas Essay -- essays research papers

Despite Dylan Thomas’ often obscure images, he expresses a clear message of religious devotion in many of his poems. He creates images that reflect God’s connection with the earth and body. In “And death shall have no dominion,'; Thomas portrays the redemption of the soul in death, and the soul’s liberation into harmony with nature and God. Thomas best depicts his beliefs, though abstract and complicated, to the reader with the use of analogies and images of God’s presence in nature. Appreciating the virtue of humility in “Shall gods be said to thump the clouds,'; Thomas associates God with thunder, rainbows, and night only to remind us that He is even more present in a simple stone as He is in other great entities. In “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower,'; Thomas again makes the connection of body and earth, implying that there is only one holy force that has created all motion and life on this planet. This force, becaus e it is so pure and boundless, is present in the shadows and poverty of our world, as depicted in “Light breaks where no sun shines.'; God’s sacred presence in the body and earth is the ultimate theme within these chosen poems. In “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower,'; Dylan Thomas illustrates the connection between the earth, the body, and God. He discusses how both nature and man are propelled by the same holy force and therefore are united. He does not propose the question of how the stem grows to create a flower or how blood circulates within the body, but rather what is the ultimate force behind all motion and life on the earth. “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower / Drives my green age/…The force that drives the water through the rocks / Drives my red blood;'; In these analogies, Thomas humbles the human race and depicts God’s presence in all natural things, including humans. Thomas reveals that we are not a separate entity, but only part of a greater existence. Aside from the holy force that propels the world, Thomas also examines how we alter the way our lives should naturally progress. Death is a stage of life; as a rose is bent or killed by the cold so should we age and eventually die in due time. However, Thomas analyzes human and natural... ...s,'; and “waste allotments.'; This stanza is the most important because it claims that “When logics die, / The secret soil grows through the eye, / And blood jumps in the sun.'; Making the final connection with the holy presence in the earth that grows up through the body and into the brain, Thomas conveys that God will save us and be there when we are empty and he will bless us at times when we need it most. In these poems and many others, Dylan Thomas expresses God’s presence and unconditional love for everyone. He has conventional spiritual views, occasionally alluding to the Bible, but his images are unique. He describes heaven with the stars and the wind, and connects God with thunder, rainbows, and gravel. Using the motion and life on the earth, Dylan Thomas facilitates these concrete ideas to describe his abstract spiritual beliefs. Nature is an ideal way to describe God because He is present everywhere on our earth. Whether it be the soul’s redemption into heaven with God and the earth or God’s great force that creates all motion on the planet, His presence is the theme that Dylan Thomas expresses best of all of his poetry.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Automobiles in the 1950s Essay -- essays papers

Automobiles in the 1950s Another element that was present in the 1950’s was automobiles. Automobiles were something that everyone once dreamed of owning. Now after the war. they could finally own one. Automobiles of the 1940’s were dull and very plain. This was because designers were too busy designing tanks, planes, etc... for the ongoing war. The major event that took place that changed the way cars looked and how they performed happened on October 14, 1947. This was when Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. From this point on everyone wanted to go faster. People wanted automobiles with larger displacement engines. They also wanted sleek and aerodynamic cars. This prompted General Motors Corporation to hold Motorama in 1949. This was a giant exposition of concept cars that had an emphasis on power, style, convenience, and features. These for features would be what many cars of the 1950’s would be based on. One car that was a design evolution was the Chevrolet Corvette. The first Corvette was built on June 30th, 1953 at the Flint, Michigan plant and continues to be produced today. In 1953 it featured an all fiberglass body with a chromed grill. The car had no side windows and no outside door handles. Each 1953 Corvette was virtually hand built and all 1953 models were white and had red interiors. This may have not been the most technologically advanced car but it would pave the way for the true performance and sports car. Concept cars also played a part in the 1950’s. They were designed to attract the publics eye, introduce and gauge the publics reaction to new styling and engineering ideas, help attract the public to the auto dealerships where they were displayed at, and to drive car crazy kids nuts. The 1955 Lincoln Futura featured a plexiglass bubble top and a 300 horsepower V-8. In the 1960’s this car was sold to a car customizer in California and was converted into the first ever Batmobile. The 1958 GM Firebird III was the most radical concept car of the 1950’s. It was powered not by the normal combustion engine but by a gas turbine engine. It also featured a dual cockpit design and was controlled by joystick controller instead of the normal steering wheel. Another element that was seen in the 1950’s were the tail-fins present on most Cadillacs. The first Cadillac that had the tail fin was introdu... ...1957. It was a very basic satellite and let out beeps every few seconds. This was very surprising to the US. They did not think that the Soviets had the knowledge of anything as complicated as a satellite. As a result of the launch of Sputnik the US began to put greater emphasis on science and engineering in education. They also began to try extra hard to develop space technology. Thus the space race had begun. The American Dream of the 1950’s involved achieving and expanding upon the success of previous generations. This is shown in all of the things mentioned. Cars for example show how much of a success previous generations were at creating machines. In the 50’s however people made these cars better and equipped them with newly developed technology. This was the progressive spirit that the 1950’s had. People had the spirit to expand to new areas. The introduction of the interstate system allowed for easy expansion and growth. People began to move away from the norms that the 30’s and 40’s had set. They began to live the ways that they wanted and they would not let things such as technology restrict them. This is how the 1950’s played out the American Dream.

Friday, August 2, 2019

Psychological research Essay

One of the main criticisms that have been levelled against psychology is that it does not produce objective, value-free science. The assumption here, of course, is that an absolute ‘truth’ actually exists and that psychologists should be pursuing it with vigour. The natural scientists such as biologists and chemists firmly believe in this positivist stance that an absolute truth exists and denial of this must weaken any science and scientist that ignores it. The importance of this question is central to the nature of bias in research because if a value-free science can be achieved, then, psychology should be able to embrace this and eradicate bias. However, the very real possibility that there is no such thing as a totally value-free knowledge (i.e. one without prejudice or personal bias) means that gender bias as well as cultural and other biases will be impossible to remove, which is not to say that psychologists condone such practice, only the realisation that value-free knowledge represents a ‘holy grail’.  Psychology before the 1970s was riddled with gender biases. Early male psychologists such as Stanley Hall claimed that women should not be allowed into higher education because education increases the blood flow to the brain and away from the uterus. With the rise of the feminist movement in the 1970s feminist psychologist began to challenge limiting and demeaning views of women. The classic paper written in 1971 by feminist psychologists Naomi Weisttein was a scathing attack on psychology’s theories about women. Psychology she said portrays women as inconsistent, emotionally unstable and intuitive rather than intelligent. In short the list adds up to a typical minority group stereotype of inferitory. She pointed out that these kind of psychological theories were used to keep women out of education and professional occupations, to confine women to the kitchen, the bedroom and the nursery, inferior to men in all aspects. Research examples of gender bias in psychology can be found where research only uses male participants and generalises results to women without question. This type of research makes it unclear as to whether findings for men are equally same to women. If women behaviour differs from men’s, the former is often judged to be pathologically, abnormal or deficient in some way (sexism). This is because men’s behaviour is taken (implicitly or explicitly) as the ‘standard’ or norm against which women’s behaviour is compared (andocentric – male centeredness, or the masculinity bias).  Psychological explanations of behaviour tend to emphasise biological (and other internal) causes as opposed to social (and other external) causes. This emphasis on internal causes is called individualism. This gives (and reinforces) the impression that psychological sex differences are inevitable and unchangeable. In turn this reinforces widely held stereotypes and women and men, contributing to the oppression of women (another example of sexism) Many feminist psychologists argue that scientific method is gender bias. For example, Nicolson (1995) identifies 2 major problems associated with the ‘objective’ study of behaviour for how claims are made about women and gender differences.  a) Experimental environment takes the individual ‘subjects’ behaviour, as opposed to the ‘subject’ herself. This ignores the behaviour’s meaning, including its social, personal and cultural contexts.  b) Experimental psychology takes place in a very specific context, which typically works to women’s disadvantage (eagly, 1987). In an experiment a women becomes anonymous. She is put in a strange environment and expected to respond to the needs of (invariably) a male experimenter, who is in charge of the situation. How does gender bias help  According to Kitzinger (1998) questions about sex differences (and similarities) aren’t just scientific questions they are also political.  Answers to some of these questions have been used to keep women out of universities, or to put them in mental hospitals. Others have been used to encourage women to go to assertiveness training courses, or to argue that women should have all the rights and opportunities as men. In other words science of sex differences research is always used for political reasons.  According to Gilligan (1993) at the core of her work on moral development in women and girls were the realisations that within psychology values were taken as facts. Psychologists have a responsibility to make their values explicit about important social and political issues. Failure to do so may contribute to prejudice, discrimination and oppression. Alpha bias  According to Travis, the belief that man is the norm and women is the opposite, lesser or deficient (the problem) constitutes one of the 3 alternative views regarding the mismeasure of women.  Alpha bias underlines the enormous self-help industry. Women consume many books advising on beauty, independence and so on†¦Men being ‘normal’ feel no need to correspond in the same way.  Examples of alpha bias in research  Wilison (1994) maintains that the reason 95 % of bank managers, professors etc†¦ in Britain are men is that men are more ‘competitive’ and because dominance is innate in a man. Wilson also argues that women in academic jobs are less productive than men ‘objectively speaking, women may already be over promoted’. Women who do achieve promotion to top management positions ‘may have brains that are ‘masculinised’.  The research cited by Wilson to support these claims comes partly from the psychometric testing industries. These provide ‘scientific’ evidence of women’s inadequacies, such as (compared to men) their ‘lack of mathematical and spatial abilities’. Even if women are considered to have the abilities to perform well in professional jobs, Wilson believes they have personality deficits (especially low self esteem and a lack of assertiveness) which impede performance.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Solving Proportions

A comparison of two numbers is referred to as a ratio, similar to fractions that can be reduced to lowest terms and then converted into a ratio of integers. Ratios allow one to compare sizes of two quantities and unit measurements. Any statement expressing the equality of two ratios is known as a proportion, which is used in numerous formulas in today’s real world settings and applications. Using proportions is an effective way to find solutions by using the extreme means property or cross-multiplying. Extreme means property is simply the end result of the product of the extremes equaling the products of the means.Cross-multiplying is a short cut in proportions providing it is a faster way to solutions rather than multiplying each side of the rational expression equation by the LCD. Applications of rational expressions involving formulas include finding the equation of a line, distance, rate, time, uniform motion, and work problems. Proportions are used on a daily basis withou t even one realizing it by comparing measurements, unit pricing, driving distances, and calculating populations and wildlife on a daily basis to find a solution.For example, I will be using the extreme means property to estimate bear population in Keweenaw Peninsula. I was asked to solve problem #56, on page 437 of Elementary and intermediate algebra, (Dugopolski, M. , 2012) which states, that conservationists captured, tagged, and released 50 bears. Over a one-year period, a random sample of 100 bears included only 2 tagged bears in Keweenaw Peninsula. To calculate the proportion, it will allow me to expect the ratio of bears that were originally tagged to the whole population is equal to the ratio of the returning bears totaling 100 but only 2 tagged bears to the size of the sample.The variable â€Å"b† for bears is applied, then followed by cross-multiplying the extremes and means to the proper set up of the proportion to find the solution. The two ratios are as follows: 5 0/b = the originally tagged bears to the whole population and 2/100 = the recaptured bears to the sample size. The means are 2 and b and the extremes are 50 and 100. 50 = 2 b 100Correct setup of proportion. 5,000 = 2b cross multiply the means (2*b) and the extremes (50*100) 2 2followed by division of 2. 2,500 Answer after division was carried out.x = 2, 500 The estimated number of bears in Keweenaw Peninsula. Continuing onto the second assignment involving proportions, the following equation must be solved for y. Since there are single fractions (also referred to as ratios) on both sides of the equation, the extreme means property will be used again in this proportion. y – 1 = -3 x + 3 4Written as an equation; solving for y. 4(y – 1) = -3x(x + 3)Cross multiplying was done. 4y – 1 + 4 = -3x +3 +3Distribute 4 on left side and 3 on the right side. y = -3x -3 + 1 Add 1 to both sides.4y = 2x -5Last step, 4 is divided on both sides. 4 4 y = -3 4 Linear equation in the form of y = mx + b and with a slope of -3/4. Taking notice that the slope of -3/4, is the same number as the number on the right hand side of the previous equation. I must continue trying another method but still use the extreme means property and try another method to see if I get a different solution. This may be an extraneous solution that I may come upon considering if the solution does not satisfy the rational expression.y – 1 = -3O riginal equation. x – 3 4 y – 1 = -3 Distribute (x-3) on both sides and multiply. x – 3 4 (x – 3)Cancel out common factors which eliminates denominator on left. y – 1 + 1 = -3x – 3 +1 To isolate y, 1 is added to both sides. Cancel common factors. y = -3 x -1 4Equation complete and simplified. For this equation, I could have multiplied the LCD to both sides, but I found the extreme means property was an efficient shortcut. Cross- multiplying allowed me to eliminate the fractions and have the same endi ng result.We can now consider this an extraneous solution because the number showing as the solution but causes zero (0) in the denominator. As rational expressions can be tricky when there is a variable involved in the denominator so caution must be adhered. The use of proportions is everyday life and real world settings and applications are used without one even realizing it. While proportions can determine a solution whether it be driving distance, estimated population count, unit measuring, gas mileage, or to estimate an average time for a job to be completed, it is a necessary tool that is used in many ways.The ratios that build the proportion can be easily solved by cross- multiplying the extremes and means in a fast and effective way. The wildlife can be assured that their tags will be calculated with an accurate solution for any conservationist inquiring about a certain species. So the next time you find yourself comparing two quantities, deciding the average time for a spec ific job, or determining how many miles you can go on a half of tank of gas on your next road trip, remember you are actually calculating proportions!