Analysis Same Love Essay

Same Love Medium: Song Composer: Macklemore features vocals by Mary Lambert. Year: 2012 Publisher: Ryan Lewis Analysis: This song is written and sung by Macklemore and has featured vocals by Mary Lambert. Macklemore’s real name is Ben Haggerty. Macklemore’s Uncle is gay and he had wanted to write a song about gay rights and homophobia within the hip-hop community and the world. Macklemore was fuelled by the issue of marriage equality and the flagrant use of ‘gay’ as a derogative term in the hip-hop industry, and the world. He would also use and say ‘that’s gay’ himself because it is so embedded in our culture. It was not until he was caught out saying it by friends that he realised that he had to stop. He wanted to make an impact on his fellow musicians, rappers and hip-hop artists and express his concerns for the use of words such as ‘faggot’ and ‘that’s gay’ as just another lyric. The song ‘Same Love’ has lyrics that hopefully makes people second guess their language. Macklemore’s positive stance against marriage equality, homosexuality and the queer population has gained an overwhelming acceptance. He is the first male mainstream hip-hop artist who has rapped positively about homosexuality. More and more pro-gay artist are coming out in support of the gay community. Proving that popular culture can turn the tide of peoples use of derogative comments, opinions and challenge our ways of thinking in regards to our gay community. He says ‘he simply enjoys writing songs that get people thinking’. Many of the lyrics in the song ‘Same Love’ have made me stop and think about what they really mean. I have Uncles, Aunties, cousins and friends who are gay so my choice of words are often corrected by my parent and peers. But nothing is more powerful then the words in a song that is of pop culture and because I believe it’s accurate for a generation more accepting, tolerant and knowledgeable of homosexuality. Its human rights for everybody, there is no difference! Live on and be yourself. These lyrics from the song, stayed in my mind when I wrote this assessment because I believe it should be how we should all live, as we are all equal. Macklemore says â€Å"I write songs that challenge myself, they challenge listeners, they might be controversial to some people, songs that push the boundaries of what a rap song sounds like or the subject matter that might be in a rap song. † Being young and influenced by pop culture, I relate to his point of pushing the boundaries as I would always want to be able to grow, learn and challenge myself to become a better person in my community.

Dinner With Friends

Within the field of psychology there are branches that explore different types of human behaviour. Some of those branches turn their attention to hidden aspects of the human nature, like for example research into our linguistic faculties, other deal with modeling of various situations to better investigate our individual or group modes of action.But perhaps one of the fields of psychology that deals with the realm of human life which is most familiar to us in our everyday goings-on is the branch investigating interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication can be most generally defined as our communication with another person or within a group of persons. However, this overall description hides the true complexity and variety of the forms that interpersonal communication can take.Indeed, to this aspect of our social life we can attribute such fundamental elements of out interaction with people as ability to initiate and maintain conversations or arguments, to listen, to spea k privately and publicly, to generate and interpret patterns of nonverbal communication, manifest our unconscious modes of communication, and any other skills that actually enable us to be active members of society. At this point, considering the proximity of the phenomenon of interpersonal communication to our everyday life, we may wonder what are the proper ways of study of forms of interpersonal communication?Of course, psychology as a strict science has its own standards and methods of investigation. But at the same time I think that we can find a lot of examples of interpersonal communication happening on a regular basis right before our eyes. To see this we may turn to the film â€Å"Dinner With Friends† (2001) directed by Norman Jewison, which provides a lot of interesting aspects relevant to the theory of interpersonal communication. Let us take a closer look and discuss such aspects.The film â€Å"Dinner With Friends† tells a story of two married couples †“ Gabe and Karen, and Beth and Tom – that have been close friends for 12 years, and were spending their time over dinners discussing their relationships, their children, and other matters and interests that friends can share. However, when unexpectedly for Gabe and Karen Beth declares that she and Tom had decided to separate, this event inflicts a profound change in the pattern of their relationships.As both couples undergo emotional turmoils it turns out that, ironically, their mutual love of cooking may be the only thing that remains between them, while their former friendship is gone. â€Å"Dinner with Friends† is mostly built upon conversations as the vehicle to unfold the story. The personages talk a lot about different things, from their love of food to their ideas about the meaning of life, and the director managed to make dialogues in the film very life-like, akin to those that we would expect from really good friends.In this way, touching upon the theme of t he complexity of human relations that is familiar and important to most of us, the film provides very subtle insights into the nuances of friendship, marriage as a very delicate union between people, and divorce as a force that can have profound impact on lives of people. Now, speaking about interpersonal communication we may immediately begin to find examples of it in the film.Being the direct and the most personal form of interaction, interpersonal communication helps people learn about each other in an intimate way. We can see this in the film, which depicts communication between two people, also called dyadic communication. Dyadic communication occurs in privacy between Gabe and Karen, and Beth and Tom, and also between Karen and Beth, and Tom and Gabe, when due to the break-up of their traditional relations tensions develop between these women and men.In this regard, it is interesting to point out that as Gabe and Karen perceived their friendship with Beth and Tom as a close on e, after learning about the alleged betrayal of Beth by Tom Karen is angry that she had been unaware of the brewing troubles in their marriage. Thus, the previous apparent intimacy of relations between the couples was not completely true, and it could hardly be such. As Karen bitterly says, one can spend the whole life with another person, and in the end it may turn out that the person you fully entrusted your fate to is an impostor.To this, Gabe thoughtfully responds: â€Å"But it can`t be as simple as that†. Indeed, in accordance with the developmental view of interpersonal communication, with time communicators get to know more details about each another, develop ability to partly predict their behavior, and create their own rules of communication. But in the case of the couples from the movie, it seems that their established rules of communication at some point began to lag behind the changing nature of relationships within couples themselves, as most notably was the case with Beth and Tom.At the same time, being influenced and disturbed by the divorce of friends Gabe and Karen also had to reevaluate their seemingly healthy marriage. This fact hints about another quality of interpersonal communication, which lies in its effect on formation of our self-concepts through confirmation and gradual transformation of our identities. In application to the characters from the film, this can be evidenced by the belief of Gabe and Karen that they knew their friends very well, while in reality this was not the case.And when tensions between couples develop, Beth reevaluates the nature of gifts that Karen, who considered Beth to be â€Å"a mess†, had presented to her. In the scene where Beth declares that she has a new lover and Karen advises her to slow down, Beth observes: â€Å". . . you love it when I'm a mess. Every Karen needs a Beth. † It is not wonder that such aggressive stance of the person who had been your close friend can surely influe nce our self-perception. We also may interpret the interrelations between the characters of the film as representative of the small group communication aspect of interpersonal communication.While it is somewhat difficult to define a small group, some researches propose to consider as small such a group in which each participant can immediately sense and remember the presence of other participants. This definition suits the situations of the personages of the film â€Å"Dinner With Friends† very well. Judging from this viewpoint, small group communication between the couples can be interpreted as a dynamical process of receiving inputs, processing the information, and outputting certain behavioral modes.Input factors are present even before a group forms, and in our case it is the mutual background of the two couples, as Beth and Tom were in the first place introduced to each other by Gabe and Karen; process factors are developments that emerge in the process of communication within group, as exemplified in the film by rapid change of the format of individual relations between the personages themselves, and, consequently, between the couples in the aftermath of the break-up between Beth and Tom; finally, output factors are end results of the communication, and for Gabe, Karen, Beth, and Tom the end results were different, but in all cases prominent.For Beth and Tom the divorce meant the transformation of their lives, and for Gabe and Karen the separation of their friends from their small group serves as an impetus to come to conscious conclusion that â€Å"practical matters outweigh abandon† when it comes to their own family chores. On ground of what we have discussed, we can see that in the end of the film all its personages are deeply affected by the changes in the disposition of their dyadic relations and relations within their small group. In this way, it becomes clear that interpersonal communication has a very important role for all of us be cause it can influence the most important aspects of our life, friendship and marriage among them.

Book Analysis The Male Brain

The Male Brain Similarly to Loan Breezinesss The Female Brain, Lethe Male Brain takes us through the changes throughout the lifetime of a male brain. It breaks down each stage of a males life and takes a look at the happenings of their brains from boyhood, through their teen years, into relationships and children, finally ending with the mature male brain. The Male Brain explains many of the biological reasons, along with the learned reasons behind many of the common traits and behaviors found in males.The focus of this analysis will be on how male brains differ from females, and whether that gives them n advantage or disadvantage in work settings. It will include how the early development of boys brains effects their traits and personalities, how men and women differ when it comes to emotions, and how all of these things contribute to the historical stereotype that men are better leaders than women. As Brazening explained, from a very early age boys are interested in completely different things than girls.Although I dont agree with her idea that boys are programmed to act a certain way, believe that part of their traits belongs to their biological hardwiring and the other are due to their ultra and upbringing. As it says in The Male Brain, at a young age boys are more likely to take risks and break rules. This relates directly with Eagle and Carols Through the Labyrinth when they state women presumably evolved a strong concern with their own personal safety as well as tendencies to be fearful and anxious and to avoid danger and risk. These statements translate very well into the stereotypical man when it comes to his career. While most of the time women are afraid to take risks, as it said in the TED talk Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders, men are willing risk takers which leads to egger paybacks, especially in their careers. Women are also more concerned with how other people f eel and everyone getting along, however beginning when boys are around a year old they begin ignoring their own mothers facial expressions. At this age, the opposite happens in little girls.They read and react to the slightest look of disappointment or anger on their mothers face almost immediately. This could contribute to the fact that when men grow up they are more self-centered and concerned with their own career, while women are worried about how others feel. Referring again to the TED elk View We Have Too Few Women Leaders, they stated that men are more likely to take credit for their own achievements, while women give a lot of credit to those who helped and supported them. This is one of the traits that men have which give them more opportunities to be promoted and join higher ranks in the work force.Another point that Brazening made was that during their younger years, boys are obsessed with and imitate their dads, uncles, or any other male role models that could be considered alpha males. Believe that this obsession with alpha males could lead to the strong drive hat men have to become one, whether it is in the ir home or their workplace. Again, strength and aggression are mentioned a lot. In her book Brazening states, by age two, a boys brain is driving him to establish physical and social dominance. All these traits and behaviors either taught or wired into boys at such a young age, all contribute to their actions and behavior as they grow older and climb the ladders in their careers. The common issue of men accuse women of being too emotional and women accuse men of not being emotional enough is explained very well in the male brain. From personal experience, I have seen relationships not work out just because one person doesnt feel the other is listening, or one doesnt react the way the other was hoping for. After reading this book I realize that all of this due to the fact that men and women process emotions differently.When faced with a problem, a man doesnt respond emotionally, instead his brain looks for a way to solve it. I think Brazening says it best when she states The male brain is a lean, mean, problem-solving machine. Faced with a personal problem, a man will use his analytical brain structures to find a solution. This leads to others getting annoyed by male responses because they feel as if their emotions are not being acknowledged and instead are being given advice and direction that they didnt want to hear. As hurtful as this can be in personal situations, I feel like it could be proven helpful in professional work situations.As it says in Eagle and Carry, women usually respond in a manner that acknowledges others rights and their own rights, giving a more emotional response. Men also react to situations by hiding their emotions. If they are scared or nervous their instincts tell them to mask that ND not show those feelings in their facial expressions. They learn at a young age that acting cool and hiding their fears are the unwritten laws of masculinity. believe that the differences in how men and women react to emotions and how they use their emotions gives men another advantage in the work force.After comparing both The Female Brain and The Male Brain, it has changed my views a little bit about how men are natural leaders. I believe that in our society today men are better suited to handle leadership roles. The use of their aggression and self-preservation is the type of traits that get people far in their careers in our world today. It is more likely that doing whatever it takes is hardwired into a males brain than females. In The Male Brain it says Instinctive male-male competition and hierarchical fighting is driven by both hormones and brain circuits. I interpret this as men having it built into their brains that they need to be the best no matter what. I dont feel like women have the same instincts. Women are more worried about how others feel and their emotions. As it says in Eagle and Carry, Women emerge more often than men as the social facilitators. This means that they trivet to help people get along but dont usually hold much power themselves. I believe that women dont hold as many executive jobs as men because to climb to those roles in todays society require someone who looks out for themselves before others.Another aspect of men fitting the leadership role better is due to the fact that they dont react to emotions as women do. The fact that men try to come up with solutions to problems is ideal for todays work force. The fact that they can pull of an instinctive poker face could also help when it comes to making deals, making tough decisions, ND controlling their emotions. However, I do believe that there are some leadership roles that require more of a womans emotions and consideration.That being said, those leadership roles usually arent what we think of in our society when we think of powerful leaders. All in all, after the comparison of the male and female brain I do believe that males have quite a few biological and cultural traits that give them an advantage over women in the workforce. Its not that I dont believe that women cant be successful, I just believe in order for them to climb the ladder n their careers, especially the corporate one, they need to learn some of the traits that men are born with.Eagle and Carry put it perfectly when they say Changes in the psychology of women and men follow f rom changes in their roles. The early development Of the brains Of boys, the differences in response to emotions between men and women, and the natural leadership qualities that men possess have been giving them an advantage in the work force. However, I feel that as society changes, women will be able to adapt and make more progress and become just as successful in their careers.

Psychological disorders and how they affect every day life Essay

Psychological disorders and how they affect every day life - Essay Example Bipolar disorder mainly affects those in the adult stage of life and it lasts a lifetime and very few cases of Bipolar disorder have been reported in childhood. Bipolar disorders are characterized by extreme mood changes that cause patients to exhibit inconsistent moods and feelings. The condition, if not well managed, can be a cause for stress and agony for both the victim and the family members who are affected indirectly or directly by the sharp mood fluctuations of their loved ones as a result of the Bipolar disorder. While the manic state leads to dangerous behavior, the depressive state for Bipolar disorder can result into suicide. This paper further looks at incidences of misdiagnosis, as well as the available treatments for the Bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorders are manifested in various forms such as suffering from mania state as well as depressions state which interrupts the patient's normal way of life such as sleeping, eating, studies for students, as well as many other parts of life such as relationship in marriage given that such mood swings affects how couples, partners and spouses communicate with one another (Soares, & Mann, 1997.26-76). The seriousness of the Bipolar disorder is such that it can result into a sense of hyperactivity in an individual whereby a patient, full of energy gets easily excited and energized to such high levels that they may get involved in uncontrollable behavior (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The fact that Bipolar disorder is hard to predict, control due to sudden mood changes makes its diagnosis a hard task, something that has resulted into misdiagnosis in the past (American Psychiatric Association, 1994.43-59). Bipolar disorder is known to be caused by a wide range of factors all tied to genetics or environment and are linked to the brain (Soares, & Mann, 1997.54-74). Soares, and Mann, (1997.61-74) further notes that, biological factors such as imbalance of neurotransmitters, triggers such as; unexpected or major life events are possible causes of Bipolar disorder although research in this area is ongoing and new evidence can come up in the next few years. The Bipolar disorder consists of the following episodes according to (Hyman, & Rudorfer, 2000.78-125) - depression, mania, hypomania as well as mixed moods. Depression mood episode refers to a situation whereby the Bipolar disorder patient experiences long durations of sadness, laziness that makes the bipolar patient to experience unusually difficulties in waking up and/or taking meals. Mania mood episode results into hyperactivity characterized by risky behavior which can cause harm to those around the patient. Hypomania mood episode exhibits symptoms similar to those of mania, although Hypomania symptoms are less severe. Hypomania is characterized by false 'good' feeling although this can sometimes degenerate into other mood episodes such as depression and mania, which can lead the patient into engaging in the risky behavior characteristic to mania episodes. Mixed mood episode is the condition whereby, the patient experiences symptoms of mania and depression in a single day, something which means that the bipolar patient can be overwhelmed by the mood changes. In addition, Bipolar disorder is a condition that lasts a whole life time and therefore the better it is managed, the more the quality of life a patient is exposed to. Also proper medication are preferred and recommended

Poor money management amongst americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poor money management amongst americans - Essay Example Money management is also significant in assessing the possible impacts of engaging in risk taking, especially where there are uncertainties. An individual draws a plan indicating the amount of money that he/she can risk to satisfy the needs and also remain on the safer side (Belk et al 2003). For the people trading in stocks and gambling amongst other businesses with high risk, money management is usually a significant tool to form the basis of decision making. It helps a person to be in control of his/her income and expenditures, whereby the expenditures are maintained at minimum levels compared to the income. Budgeting is one of the major tools for money management. It is important in giving guidelines for purchasing decisions. This paper is a critical evaluation of poor money management amongst the Americans. The reasons why Americans are so affected by the economy and what they can do to manage their finances better have been discussed. One of the aspects of poor money management is usually exhibited in the problems with personal debts. It happens that house holds have access to debts on their credit cards which they are free to use at any time when need arises. This can be a very helpful possession especially in case of eventualities that require money since an individual can settle family needs without much struggling to acquire finances. However, it becomes a problem when not effectively used. It has been established through studies that many Americans use credit cards without consideration of the fact that they accumulate debts which will have to be repaid at the end of the month (Evans et al 2006). Simple loans and overdrafts to satisfy personal needs are also a major contributor to the amount of debt that needs to be settled at the end of the month. When this time comes, the salary received is used to reinstate the debts owing, which leaves a person with little money to

Planning for sustainable water quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Planning for sustainable water quality - Essay Example In the past, majority of ecological and human crises originate from inadequate access to, and mismanagement of water resources. Aquatic ecosystems, land, and community goals may be destroyed in the process of harnessing water. The growing population may increase water-related problems, and the state has to plan for sustainable water projects. Sustainability guarantees access to basic amounts of water necessary for sustaining human health and to sustain the ecosystem. Sustainability of water resources provides room for renewal of these resources ensuring a constant supply of water. Environmental planning agencies have to assess water quality changes associated with land use activities. The main factors influencing water quality are vegetation, farming methods, and soil type. Rain water contains dissolved gases and minerals (150). These minerals react chemically with the soil constituents when rain water reaches the ground. Land use alters the composition and texture of the surface soi l. The initial interference involved dumping of human and animal wastes into water systems. Improved farming techniques such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides interfere with water quality. Fertilizer and pesticides runoff increase the nutrient levels present in water naturally. Most of these pesticides contain harmful chemicals that cause water poisoning and chemical reactions in the water. Some of the chemicals are volatile and deposited in the air due to exposure to the atmosphere. Chemicals dissolved in water affect natural minerals in the water and they affect marine and human lives. Deforestation is popular in forests, which are also the catchment areas of rivers. Some farmers practice poor farming methods that loosen the soil structure. Activities such as overstocking and overgrazing deprive the land vegetation cover that cements soil particles together. Runoff from these areas contains sediments that are washed into water sources. Sediment loading increases the amount of soil particles and minerals in water sources. In urban areas, industries produce chemical effluent and gases that contaminate water pathways and the atmosphere (157). These gases dissolve in rain water to form acidic rainfall or increase chemical components in the water. Industrial waste washed into watersheds contains poisonous metals and chemicals that cause health complication in animals and humans. Planners must consider the effect of different land uses on the water quality. Minimizing effluent from industries and agricultural can improve the quality of water distributed to homesteads. The federal government passed the Clean Water Act that regulates discharges of pollutants into water bodies and regulates the quality standards for surface water. In this act, EPA has implemented programs to control water pollution such as setting wastewater standards for industries. According to CWA, discharging pollutants from a point source into navigable waters is unlawful unless a permit is acquired. Point sources are conveyances such as man-made ditches and pipes that carry water. The act also provides assistance to public water treatment projects that improve wastewater treatment (160). These projects convert wastewater to safe water that can be utilized by ordinary citizens. Industries cannot discharge waste water directly into public water treatments areas without prior purification. The pretreatment aims at reducing toxic wastes discharged into these treatment works. EPA has also

Phase 5 Individual Project 5 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Phase 5 Individual Project 5 - Coursework Example The global spread is due to its superior quality brand that meets consumers’ tastes and preferences and high reputation in customer service delivery a critical factor that its competitors lack. Currently, the firm is the fourth largest retailers in world. Profitability being one of the main objectives that guarantee sustainability and growth of an organization, Home Depot is trading at a profit. This is  showed  by an  increase in the Net sales from $78.8Billion in the year 2013 to $83.2Billion in 2014. The net earnings scaled up from $4.5Billion in 2012 to $5.4Billion in 2013 and finally to $6.3Billion in 2014. Additionally, the store count also improved from 2256 in 2012 to 2263 in 2013 to 2269 in 2014. This result indeed shows that the firm will continue operating at a profit for unforeseen future pursuant to the basis of a going concern (The home depot, 2015). For the purposes of financing its internal activities and investments, the firm preferred long-term debt because of the tax shield that is tied up in the debt. The total amount of debt that is spent by the enterprise is $16.869Billion. The huge sum loan was due to the decrease in its assets by $572Million, decrease in shareholders equity by $572Million, an increase in accounts payable by approximately $10Million all from February 2014 to February 2015. However, this is not  an issue  to shareholders as Home Depot’s statement of cash flows clearly indicates that the cash and cash equivalents have been increasing. This is evidenced by an increase in cash from operation from 6975 in 2013 to 7628 in 2014 and 8242 in 2015. The cash from investing activities increased from 1432 to 1507 and 1271 from the year 2013 to 2015 respectively. The cash from financing activities scaled up from 50354 in 2013, to 6652 in 2014 and 7071 in 2015. This stipulates that the cash and cash equival ents have been increasing substantially and, therefore,

Federal Sentencing Guidelines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Federal Sentencing Guidelines - Essay Example Judges are allowed to sentence aside from the sentencing guidelines with an appropriate reason. In this case, other judges keep a sonorous glance on the sentencing if they are reasonable and appropriate. The basic objective to compile these sentencing guidelines manual is to immobilize crime and to augment the crime justice system giving the reasonable and efficient punishments. The first issue that congress wants to achieve by these sentencing guidelines is honesty. Congress want nation justice to punish criminal in a manner they can not only decrease the crime but also no favoritism may take a part and though, these guidelines help the criminal by lessen their punishment in good if they start doing well for the nation legally. The United States Commission also wants to have a uniform sentencing through out the nation. I.e., Every Federal Court sentence a crime in the same manner as it is treated on the other end of the nation. This may keep the criminal intact that they will be punished with the same sentence wherever they run. Third was the proportionality that is justified punishment that is not to impose a strict rule of act on a small amiss deed or furnish with an act of punis hment that is very least to the crime criminal ended with. There was an interaction with the crim... This person helps the nation catch the criminals red handed while making crimes. The advantage of this to the criminal that the years of chastisement can be reduce and the criminal can promise himself for staying the good man forever and always help the nation to save it from the criminals and terrorists. Castillo's attorney is confident enough for Castillo to receive a favorable consideration from the federal judges while final sentencing. This is only due to his study upon United States Sentencing Commission Guideline Manual, which is actually made for the uniformity of sentencing all over the States and open punishments for nation's knowledge. This strong belief of Castillo's attorney made us study the latest sentencing guideline manual easily available on Internet. The belief of Attorney that Castillo will receive a favorable deliberation from the judges is due to Federal Sentencing Guideline Manual. This manual about drugs visibly imposes the acts 2B1.1with the offence level 6; if the drugs are only steroids but not carrying any more vigorous acting ingredient. The act 2D1.1 may also force upon the criminal if the one is under age i.e., less than 18 (offence level = 26) or (offence level =13) otherwise. Similarly, it is declared that a criminal gets involve in a crime such that a history gets maintained that "Offence Saturatory Maximum" will lead that says that if the criminal get caught for drug supply once with no prior history may punish for ten to twenty years but if his criminal act is upon a history of same acts may implies him with the punishment for thirty years, the maximum rather than twenty years. A departure below the limit can be done if criminal's

A View from the Bridge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A View from the Bridge - Essay Example The time setting, which is between 1940 and 1960, may not appeal to the interest of the present-day audience. But analytically speaking, the story contains more substance than many stories written by most contemporary writers. It connotes the favorability as well as the dangers one must experience and endure when living in a foreign land. [It] is a play largely concerned with discovery. As [Italian-American lawyer] Alfieri warns, no one can ever know what will be discovered. There are two secrets in the play: Eddie's incestuous desires for his niece and the two illegal immigrants hiding in the Carbone home, Marco and Rodolpho. [qtd. in Sparknotes, 18] The play, which is set to happen in an Italian-American community known as Red Hook, situated in the waterfront in Brooklyn, New York City, tells the story of Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman who feels something toward his niece other than filial love and how his life ends tragically because of it. Eddie Carbone - the center of the story - is a character who was created as an ordinary man; the type of person whom everyone will learn to love. However, Miller did not create a totally perfect character, but rather gave him flaws and weaknesses; his weakness is mainly concentrated in his love for his niece, Catherine. [] a suitable subject for a modern tragedy because the potential for self-destruction, which is in all of us, in Eddie's case has destroyed him. And apart from this improper love, Eddie is a good man; and this love has its origin in the quite proper love of father for child, and Eddie's sense of duty to his family and community. [A View from the Bridge] In a review of the play, another critic commented: Eddie sets in motion against one person rains a whole avalanche of destruction. Like many classic tragic figure (including Shakespeare's Hamlet), Eddie's effort to get rid of the one man he perceives as his enemy, cannot control fate's ripple effect on Marco, Marco's family and the hapless additional underground border - and, as importantly, his own standing in the tight-knit community. [Sommer] Despite Eddie's efforts to hide his feelings toward his niece, he is not able to do so, as shown in his actions. Although his wife Beatrice is aware of the fact of Eddie's non-paternal feelings toward her niece, she tries to ignore it and pretends that everything is just normal. Eddie's relationship with his wife and niece becomes more complex when he takes into the shelter of their home the two illegal immigrants, Marco and his brother Rodolpho, cousins of Eddie's wife Beatrice. Eddie's problem starts when one of the brothers, Rodolpho becomes romantically involved with his niece Catherine to whom Eddie harbors special feelings. Eddie tries everything in order to stop Rodolpho and Catherine from getting married, including seeking lawyer Alfieri's advice, making Catherine see Rodolpho's flaws and finally reporting the two brothers to the Immigration Bureau, an act which destroys Eddie's good reputation in the community. Eddie, however, is not able to stop the marriage from taking place. Embittered by hatred for Rodolpho and probably also driven by frustration, he refuses to reconcile with the younger man. In the end, Rodolpho becomes and American

A critical appraisal of the 2011 E.coli outbreak of food poisoning in Germany Essay Example for Free

A critical appraisal of the 2011 E.coli outbreak of food poisoning in Germany Essay A critical appraisal of the 2011 E.coli outbreak of food poisoning in Germany Introduction            E. coli is an abbreviation that stands for Escherichia coli which is a rod shaped, facultative, Gram negative bacterium. This bacterium is very common in the lower intestines of warm blooded animals. Although not all types E.coli bacterium are harmful, there are some stains that are known to cause serious food poisoning in human beings. The harmless E.coli strains are components of normal flora and produce vitamin k2. Moreover, they are important to humans because they inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines (Bill Clark 2012:74). The gut flora is made up of 0.1% of E.coli and other related bacteria and is mainly transmitted through fecal-oral means. Many of E.coli cells can only survive for a short time outside the body making them good indicator organisms for testing environmental samples of fecal infection. However, recent research has discovered some strains of the E.coli bacteria that can survive for long periods of time outside the body.            The first case of E.coli outbreak in Germany was reported between May and June in 2011 and was largely concentrated in the northern parts of the country. According to German health officials, the foodborne illness was caused by a new strain of the E.coli bacteria known as O104:H4. The disease was mainly characterized by a number of complications like hemolytic-uremic syndrome  (HUS) and bloody diarrhea (Lan Reeves 2002:84). The high number of deaths was mainly caused by hemolytic-uremic syndromes which require quick treatment. Initially, the outbreak was believed to have been caused by a strain of E.coli known as enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) but future research found that the outbreak was in fact caused by enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). Moreover, this strain of E.coli was found to have the ability to produce Shiga toxins. Initial epidemiological research had suggested that vegetables were the main source of infection. More specifically, the German agricultural mi nisters identified one organic farm in Bienenbà ¼ttel as the most likely source of the infection. As a means of controlling the outbreak, the German government ordered for its immediate closure. Despite the fact that laboratories in Bienenbà ¼ttel did not detect the E.coli bacteria in produce, one laboratory in North Rhine-Westphalia later established that the outbreak strain was in fact present in packaged sprouts from the suspected farm. On June 30th 2011, fenugreek seed imported from Egypt were announced as the most likely source of the outbreak by the German  Bundesinstitut fà ¼r Risikobewertung (BfR)  (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Todar 2012: 29). The German E.coli outbreak affected 3,950 people in total and caused 51 deaths in the country alone. Other countries that were affected by the outbreak include the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland and Canada (Bill Clark 2012: 93). At the beginning of the E.coli outbreak , the German authorities claimed that the bacterium was most likely to have originated from Spain. Without carrying out any tests, the German health officials claimed that the O104 E.coli strain was most likely to have originated from cucumbers imported from Spain. However, future tests revealed that Spanish greenhouses were not the source of the E.coli strain responsible for the outbreak. This claim by the German officials provoked protests by the Spanish government because it made the country lose about 200 million USD per week in agricultural exports.            The 2011 E.coli outbreak in Germany was the worst ever recorded case of shiga toxin producing Escherichia Coli outbreak in the world. The outbreak started on May 8th and was declared over by the German health officials on July 4th the same year. The outbreak could have been more serious if the government did not alert the public to avoid consuming foods from areas suspected to be the likely source of the bacteria. In 2011, Germany encountered the biggest episode of Stec cases ever recorded: what added up to 3,842 cases were accounted for, incorporating 2,987 instances of research facility affirmed E. coli gastroenteritis with 18 passings and 855 instances of hemolytic uremic syndrome (Hus) that prompted 35 lethal conclusions (Lan Reeves 2002:93). The episode began on May 8, topped on May 22, and was proclaimed fulfilled by July 4. One could contend that open health measures halted the pandemic by alarming individuals to maintain a strategic distance from the utili zation of debased sustenance, yet it is likewise conceivable that the plague ceased on the grounds that polluted sustenances were no more present in the business sectors. The procedure has been openly scrutinized for being too moderate and for beginning false press advertisements joining cucumbers and not sprouts to the episode. Reflectively, this feedback must be seen with some control. In the beginning of the episode, the average reporting times for Hus cases were 8 days to analysis, in the ballpark of 10 days to illuminate the nearby health section, and around the range of 12 days for showing up for the Robert Koch Institute (Rki) (3). In a U.S. study on E. coli O157 contaminations, a normal reporting time of 7 days was attained. There are two purposes behind the slower reporting process in Germany (Ihssen et al 2010:83) Germany has a less-brought together open health framework, and these cases introduced with an abnormal profile, facing medical practitioners with another clinica l substance. An early epidemiological examination comprised of a case-control study including 26 mature people hospitalized with Hus. Univariate dissection connected just the utilization of sprouts with sickness. Notwithstanding, no sprout cautioning was issued at the start of the episode, since stand out quarter of the patients recalled having depleted sprouts. Next was an accomplice investigation of 177 subjects who had consumed at a solitary restaurant, prompting 33 instances of affirmed Stec the runs. As per the restaurant formula, every one of the 31 cases that could be questioned had depleted uncooked sprouts. An arrangement of natural and follow back and follow send examinations by the German assignment gathering recognized an assembly of Swedish guests who had depleted a sprout mixture. This finding indicated a sprout maker in easier Saxony, Germany, where in May one-third of the workers fell sick, with some of them contaminated with the pestilence strain O104:h4 (Lan Reeve s 2002:102). The following pieces in this perplex were the wholesalers served by this grow maker, joining further groups to sprouts. Strikingly, the German sprout maker had a seed supplier that could be joined to 15 instances of O104:h4 contaminations in Bordeaux, France. These cases were clearly additionally connected with sprout utilization. The beat field gel electrophoresis example of the French disconnects was indistinguishable to that from the German flare-up however unique in relation to those of preoutbreak reference O104 strains, prescribing a solitary source clonal episode, predictable with the epidemiological confirmation. On 10 June, sprouts of fenugreek seeds foreign made from Egypt were declared by the German powers as the offender wellspring of sullying in this episode. On the other hand, none of the sprout mixtures (seeds) tried positive for O104:h4.            The force of the study of disease transmission contrasted and a microbiological methodology was highlighted by the failure to develop the scourge strain from any of the examined sprouts or from the sprout seeds which were taken from the handling chain. Growth of the strain was just conceivable in a couple of situations where back defilement was quite likely, for example, an opened bundle of sprouts from a family unit with illness. Because of the practically all around utilized society based identification routines for plagues, this disappointment speaks to an observation issue for health and sustenance security dominant voices as a rule. The issue could be brought on by the low irresistible measurements of the pathogen, its rot in nourishment at the minute of examination, or a particular physiological state of microbes characterized as suitable however nonculturable (VBNC). Numerous diverse bacterial species, incorporating E. coli, enter this Vbnc state as a reacti on to distressing ecological conditions (Ihssen et al 2010:125). Microbes in the Vbnc state dont develop on microbiological media however recapture cultivability when revived after stretch alleviation. In fact, O104:h4 entered this Vbnc state when presented to supplement poor conditions, poisonous amassings of copper particles, or faucet water. Soothing the anxiety by copper particle chelating encouraged the revival of O104:h4. Be that as it may, these trials ought to be translated with forethought, since there is so far no immediate confirm that E.coli O104:h4 is found in the VBNC state in nature.            The epidemiological investigation of first fundamentally sustenance borne tainting gets to be much more troublesome when the starting pathogen transmission by means of the evolved way of life is traded by human-to-human transmission. Human-to-human transmission is known to happen in the ballpark of 20% of families with an O157:h7 essential patient. Optional family transmission from mature person patients was likewise prescribed for O104:h4 contaminations in France and The Netherlands, fundamentally dependent upon the perception of deferred onset contrasted with the brooding time of 7 to 9 days for O104:h4 contaminations. Optional transmissions were additionally reported in Hessen, Germany, which is arranged outside of the primary plague center in northern Germany (Todar 2012:38). The study recorded transmission in families, the healing facility, and the microbiological research center.            Health officials in Germany faced a lot of difficulties in isolating the causative organism mainly due to its versatile nature. Based on the investigations carried out during the German epidemic, there are two major distinct pathotypes of the E.coli bacteria namely enteroaggregative E.coli (EAEC and enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) E.coli. It becomes even more difficult to control the E.coli bacteria if the virulence genes are located in the mobile elements of the DNA. Based on this, E. coli outbreaks in Germany, Oregon and Michigan are not the last. This calls for the microbiological community to carryout more research and ensure that the E.coli strains are sequenced on time and in an open way (Peter et al 2011:84). In Germany, the annotation of the E.coli strain responsible for the outbreak was carried out in a community-wide approach through the use of the internet. It brought together bioinformaticians from all corners of the world working day and night to sequence the genomes. Some of the international health organizations that were involved in handling the outbreak were the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the world health organization (WHO). The main role of a UK Local Authority based Environmental Health Practitioner would have been control the spread of the bacteria by isolating all infected animals and farm produce. Lessons from the 2011 E.coli outbreak in Germany            There are a number of lessons that can be learnt from the 2011 E. coli outbreak in Germany. To begin with, there is need to come up with more safe ways of growing foods especially fruits and vegetables. The investigations into the cause of the 2011 E. coli outbreak established the presence of certain strains of the bacteria in a number of vegetables and not on sprouts alone. This raised the question of E. coli prevalence in the European fresh produce (Russo 2003:4). The second lesson that can be learnt from the 2011 E. coli outbreak in Germany is the need for better communication incase any harmful bacteria are found in foods. After the E. coli outbreak, the German government came under a lot of criticism for taking too long to announce the outbreak. The government took too long before it took the report to the Roberth Koch Institute (RKI) (Todar 2012:83). Many of the infections and deaths that resulted from the outbreak could have been avoided had the government w arned the people on time. Based on this, it is important for governments all over the world to have an efficient E.coli surveillance and warning system. The final lesson that can be learnt from the E.coli epidemic in Germany is the need to ensure food safety both nationally and internationally. Despite the fact that the 2011 epidemic was concentrated in one area, it had global impacts. According to investigations, the sprout seeds found in the implicated farm were found to have originated from Asia, southern Europe and Germany. It is important for countries to raise food safety standards mostly in free markets like the European Union. References Benzer S 1961, ‘On the Topography of the Genetic Fine Structure’,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A Bill Marler Marler Clark 2012,’German E. coli O104:H4 Outbreak – $2.84 Billion in Human Damage’  : Food Poison Journal Connolly, Allison 2008)’  Ã¢â‚¬ËœE. Coli Outbreak Kills One More Patient as Source Eludes Investigators’, Bloomberg Ihssen J, Kowarik M, Dilettoso S, Tanner C, Wacker M, Thà ¶ny-Meyer L. 2010,’Production of glycoprotein vaccines in Escherichia coli’, Microbial Cell Factories Lawrence JG, Ochman H, 1998, ‘Molecular archaeology of the Escherichia coli genome’.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. Lan R, Reeves PR 2002, ‘Escherichia coli in disguise: molecular origins of Shigella’,  Microbes Infect. Lee SY 1996, ‘High cell-density culture of Escherichia coli’,  Trends BiotechnolPeter Walker, Adam Gabbatt and agencies 2011,’E coli: European commissioner suggests  £135m payout for farmers | World news’,  The Guardian Russo E 2003,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe birth of biotechnology’,  Nature Todar, K.2012,’Pathogenic  E. coli’.  Online Textbook of Bacteriology. University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Bacteriology Source document

Aristotles Friendship Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotles Friendship Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle addresses the topic of friendship in Book 8 and 9 of his Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle makes the argument that friends can be regarded as second selves. Aristotle says that just as virtuous behavior improves an individual, friends have the potential to generate improvements upon each others lives. The main gist of Aristotles argument is on the relationship between friendship and justice (102). He asserts that if people stay friends, they do not have any need for justice, but if they maintain justice, they also need friendship in addition. This paper shows that the arguments that Aristotle makes in support of this assertion is convincing. Additionally, the arguments made here explain both the ethical and political importance of friendship for Aristotle. Aristotle categorizes friendships into three categories: friendships of utility, friendships of pleasure, and friendships of the good (107). He asserts that the failure or success of ones friend is just like the ones own failure or success. Friendships of pleasure are based on delight in other peoples company alone. People who drink beer together are said to be in this friendship. However, when these people no longer enjoy sharing the activity, the friendship may come to an end. Friendships of utility are those friendships that are formed with no regard to the other person. When a person is buying merchandise, has to meet the seller, but the relationship that is required is rather shallow. The only reason why such people communicate is for them to transact business. Typically, quarrels may result in this friendship only. Friendship of the good involves the enjoyment of each others characters. As long as these friends maintain their similar characters, their relationship endures because its main motive is care for each other. This is friendship at its best, what in modern English may be referred to as true friendship. In Book 8, Aristotle says that without friends, nobody would choose life. Even those people in possession of all the goods that they need in life, including high office, need friends. They do not perceive the use of all such prosperity without an opportunity of beneficence, which can only be exercised in its most laudable form towards friends. Similarly, it is impossible to guard prosperity without friends. Aristotle also indicates that friends are the only refuge when misfortunes and poverty strike (108). For the young, friendships are a way of avoiding straying. For older people, it is useful for ministering to their needs as well as supplementing the various activities that could be failing as a result of weakness. For Aristotle, friendships appear to be holding states together, and lawgivers are more careful about friendships than for justice. Since unanimity seems to be like friendship, they aim at this most of the time, and strive to expel faction as their worst enemy. It is on this basis that he indicates that when men are friends, they need justice. However, when they are just, they require justice as well. The truest form of justice according to Aristotle is thought to be an enduring friendly quality (118). Friendships are considered not only necessary, but also noble, since people always praise those who show love for their friends. It is also thought to be a great thing to have many friends. The different kinds of friendships may be cleared if attention was shifted to the object of love, in which case only the lovable objects can be loved. Lovable objects are those that pleasant, good or useful. For this reason, friends are formed on the basis of the good and pleasure that is produced, which has to be useful. However, a clash emerges in this argument, especially in determining whether men love the good or what they consider good for them. Whatever is good for a man, though, becomes the object of his friendship. The clash arises in that each man loves not just what is good, but that seems good for him. For Aristotle, this makes no difference. Aristotle poses the question of whether goodwill in itself constitutes friendship. In this case, goodwill amounts to friendship only when the feeling is reciprocated (120). This is because, many people may have goodwill for those they have not necessarily judged to be useful or good. This raises the genuine difficulty of telling who friends really are without their feelings being communicated. To be friends, then, there is a need for feelings to be mutually recognized as wishes of goodwill to each other. In terms of justice, the friendship of the good is enough proof against slander. This is because it is difficult to trust anyone except a man who has been tested by oneself. When all the things that are demanded in friendship are found, true friendship is said to exist. However, nothing prevents various evils arising, such that the assertion that he would never wrong seems to be inaccurate. Considering the three forms of friendships, it is true to say that bad men will always be friends for the sake of utility or pleasure, while good men will always be friends for their own sake, that is, for the virtue of their goodness. In the latter case, these are friends without qualifications while others are accidental friends, for whom, the only thing that they share is the resemblance of needs. In efforts to explain why the truest friendship is the one that one of the good, Aristotle argues that the friendship that is without qualification pleasant or good seems to be desirable or lovable. Here, the impression made is that love is merely a feeling, and friendship a state of character. The mutual love for certain choices springs from the state of character of the friends. Men tend to wish well those they love, not because of a feeling, but as a result of a certain state of character. In loving friends, men indicate their love for what is good for themselves. Aristotle completes the logical analysis by saying that in becoming a friend, a man ideally becomes good to his friends (129). Each of them, then, both love what is good for himself, while at the same time making an equal return through goodwill and pleasantness. In this sense, friendship is said to be similar to the concept of equality. Incidentally, both the concepts of goodwill and pleasantness are found in the concepts of friendship and equality. Most people appear to like being loved instead of loving, mainly because of ambition. Aristotle supports this proposition by saying that this is the reason why most men love flattery; since the flatterer takes the position of inferiority in a friendship, or pretends to be such and to more be more loving than he is being loved. Most people aim at being loved since this is akin to being honored. With friendship, there is love. Therefore, friendship does a lot of justice by making everyone feel honored. If people did not the terms that bind them in various forms of friendships, there would be no need for justice. From the arguments that Aristotle makes, friendship and justice appear to be concerned with similar objects, and expressed between the same persons. In Aristotles view, there is thought to be a certain form of justice as well as friendship in every community. Friendship depends on community, and brothers and comrades tend to have many things in common, including, in some cases, property. Aristotle ventures into what appears like a contradiction when he says that claims of justice tend to differ. However, he makes his argument clear by giving examples of duties of parents to children, as well as those of brothers to each other, which he says are never the same. The same case applies to the duties of comrades and their fellow citizens. The same case applies to all other kinds of friendships that exist. On the basis of this argument, it is possible for one to draw a parallel between the principles of justice and the principles of friendship. It appears that where one applies, the other cannot apply. Injustice increases when it is exhibited towards people who are considered friends in the fuller sense. For instance, it sounds more offensive to defraud a comrade than to defraud a fellow citizen. It is also more offensive to deny ones brother assistance than to refuse to help a stranger. It is more terrible for one to kill ones mother than to kill any other citizen. The demands of justice, therefore, appear to increase with the insensitivity of the level of friendship. This implies that there is a limit of friendship to which justice does not apply. It also implies that when there is justice, friendship becomes a necessity, such that when the concept of justice is introduced into a scenario where friendship is at play, both elements tend to have an equal extension. Aristotle also assesses the position of friendship vis-Ã  -vis that of justice by bringing into perspective the concept of constitution (119). He identifies three kinds of constitutions: monarchy, aristocracy, and timocracy or what many people refer to as polity. The best constitution, according to Aristotle, is monarchy, while the worst is timocracy. Although both monarchy and timocracy are a one-man rule systems, the main difference between them is that the tyrant looks at his own advantage while the king looks to the advantage of his subjects. Each of these constitutions may involve friendship just as much as it involves justice. The friendship that exists between the king and all his subjects is dependent on the benefits conferred, and Aristotle likens it to the friendship of the father to his son, the only difference being the greatness of all the benefits conferred. The reason why Aristotle brings into perspective the aspect of constitutionality is to shed light on the concept of friendship as it applies to governments. His arguments make the concept of friendship to predominate that of justice. At the same time, he seems to suggest that justice cannot take place in a vacuum there has to be a friendly relationship of sorts between all the participants in the legal process within a given jurisdiction. In the deviation-forms of constitution, justice hardly exists; the same case applies to friendship. In the least, friendship exists in its worst form, such that in a form of government such as tyranny, there is too little or no friendship at all. This is because of the lack of anything to be shared between the ruler and the ruled. Even if justice was to exist in such a type of constitution, people would not appreciate it since the spirit of friendship is lacking. In Aristotles view, in every form of friendship, there has to be some form of association. For instance, the friendship that exists between brothers and sisters is born out of a shared parentage and upbringing. Aristotle also carries the association debate even further, noting that friendships form the basis of humankinds very existence. Particularly, he indicates that man has a tendency to form couples and households more readily than even cities. He also notes that unlike animals, mans associations in the form of couples are not for reproduction purposes only, but for many other purposes in life. To this extent, the tendency to form marriages arise from not just pleasure but also utility. Through such illustrations, Aristotle provides a clear proof of the power of friendship over justice (138). Although friendships of utility are always full of complaints, this does not necessarily mean that an injustice has been committed against the complainant; rather, it is normal for the process of bargaining and haggling to be characterized by tough talk and claims of unfair pricing. No form of justice can be said to have taken place in such engagements, regardless of the outcome of the bargaining process. Everything is left in the hands of the two people who have become friends of convenience in order to transact business. In Aristotles view, two types of justices are worth considering for purposes of assessing their applicability to friendships: unwritten and legal justice. The legal type is one where the terms are fixed, while the unwritten one is the one where moral values are conventionally applied. Aristotles explanation of the applicability of both unwritten laws and legal laws is enlightening on the ways in which friendship takes the place of justice. In the same light, friendship is identified as necessary where the formal rules of justice require to be applied, for instance in the legal laws. In other words, even where legal laws have been put in place for political reasons, friendship is needed in order for the ethical aspects of justice to be put into consideration. Work Cited Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics (Translated by Ross, David. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980.

Sigmund Freud :: Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychoanalysis, method of treating mental illness, was Sigmund Freud’s most recognized work. In 1938, Freud was eighty-two years old and was forced to flee to London because he was Jewish. He died the following year with many accomplishments and went through plenty of hardships in his life time. That’s why Sigmund Freud has influenced American politically, socially, and ideology because he changed the country’s perception on how people think, dream, and the things they do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sigmund Freud was born on May 6th, 1856 in Frieberg, Moravia. Which is present day Czech Republic. Sigmund Freud was the son of Jacob and Amalia Freud. Sigmund’s family was Jewish, the population of Frieberg was one hundred and thirty Jews, out of four thousand and five hundred ,and the rest were Catholic. During this time period Jewish people had to move to different countries because they were persecuted or had legal restrictions, banishments or slaughtered. That’s when the Freud’s moved to Tysmenite. This was popular for Jews and it was the center to Jewish learning and scholarships. Sigmund had two half brothers from his fathers first marriage. Then Sigmund Freud’s parents had another son and named after Amalia brother. The baby died the same way her brother did. After that she zoned away and didn’t take care of Sigmund. They hired a maid to take care of things. A couple years later, Jacob and Amalia started to have kids agai n. They had five daughters and another son. Little bit after that Sigmund’s father’s business collapsed and things started to fall downhill for the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sigmund Freud did outstanding in school, he received his medical degree from University in 1881. Before he became interested in the medical field, he wanted to study natural science and to solve challenging problems concerning scientists. Sigmund Freud was influenced by many people. Right after Sigmund finished school, he changed his career to a psychiatrists. Between 1885 and 1886 he went to work in a clinic in Paris with Jean Charcot. Then later in 1886 opened a private practice in Vienna. He devoted half an hour everyday to self-analysis. His psychiatric expanded when he became a professor at Vienna University. Sigmund’s first book was published in 1895, Studies in Hysteria, the co-author was Josef Breur. The next ten years of Sigmund’s life he was working with Josef Breur. In 1908, was the first international Psychoanalytic Congress developed.

What Kind of God is He? :: Religion, Genesis, Trials

God puts trials upon everyone, and in Genesis twenty-two he sets Abraham out on his own journey, to sacrifice his own son, Isaac. After all the struggle Abraham and Sarah had to conceive the child, God decides that the boy should be sacrificed to him. And without an even a moment of procrastination or a murmur of woe (Gen 22:3) the man sets off to do God’s bidding. What sort of God would ask a loyal man such as Abraham to do this appalling deed? I believe firmly, that God did not do this so that Abraham would be deprived of the wonders of his offspring, or to have a human burnt offering for his own good, but to gain our trust and show how trustworthy he is. And also to show that if we just listen to what he has to say that we too, will have everything â€Å"provided† for us when urgent times come. He trusted in Adam and Eve, whose adversity started when they turned their ears away from Him and ate the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:6). Or in the story of Cain and Abel, Cain chooses not to listen to God and committed homicide against his brother Abel (Gen 4:8) and is then sent out to Nod. Yet again, another misfortune happened when Lot’s wife ignored the commands of the Lord and looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, only to be turned into a pillar of salt (Gen 19:26). All these stories show how much God trusts in humanity but we either do not listen to his wishes or trust in Him, and because of this disobedience there are severe penalties. And this trend only continues throughout the bible. Abraham, on the other hand, conceded to his rules and does as he is told without even the slightest hesitation. He made his slow venture up the mountain, to the exact place God had shown him, and, builds the altar then ties his son up and getting him ready for the sacrificing (Gen 22:9). But at this point the Lord stopped him. Without shame, for he did as he was told, he announced â€Å"Here I am† (Gen 22 :11). This is unlike Adam whom has to hide himself for going against the Lords will earlier in chapter three of Genesis. And unlike in chapter three, instead of getting reprimanded and punished, Abraham is blessed by the Lord (Gen 22 :16-19), for he did what he was told even though it was a great loss in his family.

Married To Be Alone? Essay -- essays research papers

Married To Be Alone? Although marriage is the symbol of two lives ¡Ã‚ ¦ union, in the real world many people experience it in the opposite way. Gloria Steinem says:  ¡Ã‚ §The surest way to be alone is to get married. ¡Ã‚ ¨ In  ¡Ã‚ §The Story of an Hour ¡Ã‚ ¨ by Kate Chopin, we can certainly realize how well the author describes the loneliness of a marriage. There is another short story that also reflects the same point of view in a relationship; it is William Faulkner ¡Ã‚ ¦s  ¡Ã‚ §A Rose for Emily. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Both works serve as strong evidence for Gloria Steinem ¡Ã‚ ¦s opinion. In  ¡Ã‚ §The Story of an Hour ¡Ã‚ ¨ Chopin implies an idea of that Mrs. Mallard lives as a prisoner. Maybe it is because she grew up in a society in which women used to be properties of men, she has not noticed that fact until she receives her husband ¡Ã‚ ¦s death news. Marriage did not really unify emotionally her life with her husband ¡Ã‚ ¦s. This can be seen in the lines,  ¡Ã‚ §And yet she had loved him  ¡V sometimes. Often she had not ¡Ã‚ ¨ (8). She lived with this man, saw him everyday, slept by his side every night, but she did not even love him. Is that a how a relationship between a couple supposed to be? All those years she spent with her husband were as alone as being a prisoner; isn ¡Ã‚ ¦t that sad? But everything is solved (she thought so), as Mr. Mallard is dead, at last she can be liberated from that prison,  ¡Ã‚ §Free! Body and soul free ¡Ã‚ ¨ (8). This is not a usual expression of a woman whose husband has just died; here we can understand how alon e she has bee...

Autobiography of Ruskin Bond Essay

Ruskin Bond was born in a military hospital in [Kasauli] to Edith Clerke and Aubrey Bond. His siblings were Ellen and William. Ruskin’s father was with the Royal Air Force. When Bond was four years old, his mother was separated from his father and married a Punjabi-Hindu, Mr. Hari, who himself had been married once. Bond spent his early childhood in Jamnagar and Shimla. At the age of ten Ruskin went to live at his grandmother’s house in Dehradun after his father’s sudden death in 1944 from malaria. Ruskin was raised by his mother, who remarried an Indian businessman. He completed his schooling at Bishop in Shimla, from where he graduated in 1952 after having been successful in winning several writing competitions in the school like Irwin Divinity Prize, Hailey Literature Prize. Ruskin’s love for books and writing came early to him since his father had surrounded him with books and encouraged him to write little descriptions of nature and he took his son on hikes in the hills. After his high school education he spent four years in England. In London he started writing his first novel, The Room on the Roof, the semi-autobiographical story of the orphaned Anglo-Indian boy Rusty. It won the 1957 John Llewellyn Rhys prize, awarded to a British Commonwealth writer under 30. Bond used the advance money from the book to pay the sea passage to Bombay. He worked for some years as a journalist in Delhi and Dehradun. Since 1963 he has lived as a freelance writer in Mussoorie, a town in the Himalayan foothills. He wrote Vagrants in the Valley, as a sequel to The Room on the Roof. These two novels were published in one volume by Penguin India in 1993. The following year a collection of his non-fiction writings, The Best of Ruskin Bond was published by Penguin India. His interest in the paranormal led him to write popular titles such as Ghost Stories from the Raj, A Season of Ghosts, A Face in the Dark and other Hauntings. The Indian Council for Child Education recognized his pioneering role in the growth of children’s literature in India, and awarded him the Sahitya Academy Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra. He received the Padma Shri in 1999. Media-shy, he currently lives in Landour, Mussoorie’s Ivy Cottage, which has been his home since 1964 Filmography Based on Bond’s historical novella A Flight of Pigeons (about an episode during the Indian Rebellion of 1857), the Hindi film Junoon was produced in 1978 by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Shyam Benegal). Ruskin Bond made his maiden big screen appearance with a cameo in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film 7 Khoon Maaf, based on his short story Susanna’s Seven Husbands. Bond appears as a Bishop in the movie with Priyanka Chopra playing the title role.[2] Bond had earlier collaborated with him in the The Blue Umbrella which was also based on his story. Literary style Most of his works are influenced by life in the hill stations at the foothills of the Himalayas, where he spent his childhood. His first novel, The Room On the Roof, was written when he was 17 and published when he was 21. It was partly based on his experiences at Dehra Dun, in his small rented room on the roof, and his friends. Since then he has written over three hundred short stories, essays and novels, including Vagrants in The Valley, The Blue Umbrella, Funny Side Up, A Flight of Pigeons and more than 30 books for children. He has also published two volumes of autobiography. Scenes from a Writer’s Life describes his formative years growing up in Anglo-India; The Lamp is Lit is a collection of essays and episodes from his journal. Bond said that while his autobiographical work, Rain in the Mountains, was about his years spent in Mussoorie, Scenes from a Writer’s Life described his first 21 years. Scenes from a Writer’s Life focuses on Bond’s trip to England, his struggle to find a publisher for his first book The Room on the Roof and his yearning to come back to India, particularly to Doon. â€Å"It also tells a lot about my parents,† said Bond. â€Å"The book ends with the publication of my first novel and my decision to make writing my livelihood,† Bond said, adding, â€Å"basically it describes how I became a writer†. His novel, The Flight of Pigeons, has been adapted into the Merchant Ivory film Junoon. The Room on the Roof has been adapted into a BBC-produced TV series. Several stories have been incorporated in the school curriculum in India, including â€Å"The Night Train at Deoli†, â€Å"Time Stops at Shamli†, and Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra. In 2007, the Bollywood director Vishal Bharadwaj made a film based on his popular novel for children, The Blue Umbrella. The movie Works †¢ House †¢ Garland of Memories †¢ The Boy Who Broke the Bank †¢ Bus Stop, Pipalnagar †¢ Funny Side Up †¢ Rain in the Mountains-Notes from the Himalayas †¢ Our trees still grow in Dehra †¢ A Season of Ghosts †¢ Tigers Forever †¢ A Town Called Dehra †¢ An island of trees †¢ The Night Train at Deoli †¢ A Face in the Dark and Other Hauntings †¢ Potpourri †¢ The Adventures Of rusty †¢ The Lost Ruby †¢ Crazy times with Uncle Ken †¢ The Death Of Trees †¢ Tales and Legends from India †¢ Hip Hop Nature Boy and Other Poems Novels †¢ Room On The Roof †¢ Vagrants in the Valley †¢ Scenes from a Writer’s Life †¢ Susanna’s Seven Husbands †¢ A Flight of Pigeons †¢ Landour Days – A writers Journal †¢ The Sensualist by Ruskin Bond †¢ The Road To The Bazaar †¢ The Panther’s Moon †¢ Once Upon A Monsoon Time †¢ The India I love †¢ The Kashmiri Storyteller †¢ The Blue Umbrella †¢ The Tiger In The Tunnel †¢ Delhi is Not Far †¢ Animal Stories †¢ Funny side up †¢ Ruskin Bond’s children omnibus Ruskin Bond’s autobiography in Penguin’s Independence list âÅ"“ Scenes from a Writer’s Life, the autobiography of eminent English author Ruskin Bond; will be published in September this year as part of Penguin India’s †50 Years of Independence† series. âÅ"“ Bond said that while his earlier autobiographical work, Rain in the Mountains was about his long years spent in Mussoorie, Scenes from a Writer’s Lifedescribed his first 21 years. âÅ"“ â€Å"Looking back, I find that those earlier years of my life have more incidents resulting from youthful enthusiasm,† said the writer. â€Å"Two-thirds of the book talks about my life in Dehra Dun as a young boy,† he added. âÅ"“ Scenes from a Writer’s Life dwells on Bond’s trip to England, his struggle to find a publisher for his first book The Room on the Roof and his yearning to come back to India, particularly to Doon. â€Å"It also tells a lot about my parents,† said Bond. âÅ"“ â€Å"The book ends with the publication of my first novel and my decision to make writing my livelihood,† Bond said, adding, â€Å"Basically it describes how I became a writer.† âÅ"“ Speaking of his life in the mountains over the past four decades, Bond says, â€Å"Given the choice, I would not have done differently. When you have received love from people, and the freedom that only the mountains can give, then you have come very near the borders of heaven.† âÅ"“ Other books to be published by Penguin India as part of this series include Satish Gujral’s A Brush With Life (memoirs), R K Laxman’s comic account of his life titled, The Tunnel of Time, B K Karanjia’s Godrej: A Hundred Years, and R K Narayan’s collection of essays titled How to be a Writer in India and Other Uncollected Essays. âÅ"“ To mark the 50th anniversary of Partition, Penguin India is publishing a selection of stories by Saadat Hasan Manto titled Mottled Dawn: Fifty Sketches and Stories of Partition. Urvashi Butalia’s Partition Voices is a meticulous account of the traumatic event, recorded in the voice of survivors and others on whom Partition left its imprint. âÅ"“ Colours of Independence, a lavishly illustrated art book, is also being brought out on the occasion. In this book, 50 of India’s finest painters and artists interpret, through original paintings and drawings, the 50 key events in the country’s life since Independence. Short Information about Ruskin Bond: âÅ"“ Ruskin Bond was born in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, on 19th May, 1934, and grew up in Shimla, Jamnagar, Dehradun and Mussoorie. As a young man, he spent four years in the Channel Island and London. He now lives in Landour, Mussoorie, with his adopted family. âÅ"“ In the course of a writing career spanning thirty five years, he has written over a hundred short stories, essays, novels and more than thirty books for children. Three collections of short stories, The Night Train at Deoli, Time Stops at Shamli and Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra have been published by Penguin India. He has also edited two anthologies, The Penguin Book of Indian Ghost Stories and The Penguin Book of Indian Railway Stories. Bonds writing is greatly influenced by the hills, and the valley of Dehra Dun, where he spent his childhood. Ruskin Bonds first novel, The Room on the Roof, written when he was seventeen, won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Vagrants in the Valley was also written in his teens and picks up from where The Room leaves off. These two novellas were published in one volume in 1993. His non-fiction writing, Rain in the Mountains was also much acclaimed. Since then he has written several novellas (including Vagrants in the Valley, A Flight of Pigeons and Delhi Is Not Far), essays, poems and children books. Ruskin Bond has also written over 500 short stories and articles that have appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies. His novel, The Flight of Pigeons was adapted into a movie, Junoon. He received the Sahitya Academy Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra and the Padma Shri in 1999 for children literature Life and works Bond started displaying his literary talent in England. He wrote his first novel named ‘Room On The Roof’ when he was all of 17 years. The book made him win prestigious ‘John Llewellyn Rhys’ Prize that is awarded to British Commonwealth Writers who are under the age of 30. The book was primarily based in and around Himalayas and was successful in capturing its beauty and ethos in a manner that was never tried before. Its sequel named ‘Vagrants in the Valley’ followed it. Riding on the success of these two novels, Ruskin took the journey back home. Ruskin Bond has now been writing for more than 5 decades. He has stressed more on the local elements of Himalayas in his writings. His writing style is distinct in a way that it tries to make reader understand the landscape and ethos through carefully mastered words. His writings have won him both tremendous critical acclaim as well as a long list of fans through out the literary world. Replete with unassuming humor and quiet wisdom, his stories manifest a deep love for nature and people. His mesmerizing descriptions about the flora and fauna of Himalayas can not be missed in his 100 something short stories, essays, novels, and more than thirty books of children that he has written. His works has inspired several generations of writers, authors and scriptwriters. His novel named ‘The Flight of Pigeons’ has been adapted into the acclaimed Merchant Ivory film Junoon. Another less known novel named ‘The Room on the Roof’ has been adapted in to a BBC produced TV series. Nevertheless his greatest achievement comes from the fact that several of his short stories from his collections have been incorporated in the school curriculum all over India. It includes jewels such as The Night Train at Deoli, Time Stops at Shamli and Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra. In spite of all these successes, Bond can be concluded today as a media-shy and reclusive literary genius. He spends his days with his adopted family at a place close to Dehradun. He received the Sahitya Academy Award for English writing in India for ‘Our Trees Still grows in Dehra’ in 1992. He has also been conferred with Padma Shri, one of the most prestigious civil awards in Ind ia.

Old Wise Men Essay

Do all old men truly possess wisdom because they can see their death on the horizon? Wisdom is a valued trait in our society today. In both King Lear by William Shakespeare and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, the main characters were able to acquire wisdom after undergoing trials and tribulations. However, both of these men began their quest as completely different people. Morrie always emphasized the value of family and of love, while King Lear saw these qualities that could be used to boot his ego. Morrie was disappointed by the way things were in society, while King Lear did not care much about it and accepted it the way it was. Morrie viewed death as a natural thing and an ideal way to live, while King Lear still wanted to live life as a King despite giving and dividing his land between his daughters. Regardless of being very different character wise and beliefs, both King Lear and Morrie came to achieve wisdom by experiencing the fact of life; otherwise known as death. Both of these men differed in their values when it came to the life concept. Morrie believed that it was better to perish than to live a life without love, where he quoted â€Å"If you don’t have the support and love  and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don’t have much at all. Love is so supremely important. As our great poet Auden spoke â€Å"Love each other or perish†Ã¢â‚¬ (Albom 91). This quote shows Morrie’s view of love and has the opinion that it is better to die than to live a life without love. Although Morrie grew up with little love in his life, this is the reason why he emphasized the importance of love and family to him. Contrarily, King Lear believed that family only existed to serve his needs. â€Å"Tell me, my daughters, since now we will divest us both of rule, interest of territory, cares of state which of you shall we say doth love us most that we out  largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge?† (I.I.47-53). This quote illustrates King Lear’s feeling towards family. He set against his daughters against each other for his benefit. His love was conditional, even though Cordelia was his known favourite between his daughters he warned her. â€Å" How, how, Cordelia? Mend your speech a little, lest you may mar your fortunes.† (I.I.94-95). This quote shows the fact that he believed that love in a family that is one-sided, he should only receive love but should not give any. On the contrary, Morrie’s love for this family was unconditional and a two-way street. However, Lear realized the value of unconditional love when Cordelia returned despite after disowning and cursing her but he was too late. While Morrie learned the value of love through the lack of having it earlier o in his life, King Lear  would learn it through the death of his daughter. Both cherish family and life more after coming to terms with the concept of death, and realize the trouble of their society. Both King Lear and Morrie Schwartz also had different perspectives on life and society. King Lear accepted the ranking of his society, of course, since he was the peak of the â€Å"great chain of being†. â€Å"All I ask is that you provide me with a hundred knights for my own entourage. I’ll keep only the title of king†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I.I.136-138). This quote depicts King Lear’s view of society and that he comes before the rest of society, depriving 100 knights form society for his benefit. Morrie, on the other hand, was disgusted with how his society was so materialistic. A quote from Tuesdays with Morrie, â€Å"Do you know how they brainwash people? They repeat something over and over again. And that’s what we do in this country. Owning things is good. More money is good. More property is good. More commercialism is good†¦we repeat it and have it repeated to us-over and over until nobody bother to even think other wise† (Albom 124). This quote demonstrates the disgust Morrie has with society and how it constantly promotes materialism rather than important values such as love, which is showed in this quote â€Å"You know how I always interpreted that? These people were so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes† (Albom 125). This quote shows that Morrie believes that people are  materialistic because of a lack of love within their lives. Furthermore, King Lear realizes the disorder of his society during his hardships. â€Å"Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand. Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thine own back Thou hotly lust’st to use her in that kind for which thou whipp’st her. The usurer hangs the cozener. ( IV.VI.152-57). This shows both his disgust of the social customs of his time and how it favors the rich and frowns upon the poor. Lear regrets not being a just king and mistreating the poor people because he was too greedy. He bawled â€Å"Poor naked wretches, whereso’er you are, that bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, how shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, your looped and windowed raggedness, defend you from seasons such as these? Oh, I have ta’en too little care of this!† (III.IV.30-34). Although Morrie was aware of the problems within his society and always fought against them, Lear only came to this conclusion and earn this wisdom through these tribulations. Morrie and Lear had contradicting views of death before they acquired their wisdom. First of all, Lear believed that he would die as a king and even with his old age he believed death was far in the distance, proven in the quote â€Å"All I ask is that you provide me with hundred knights for my own entourage. I’ll keep only the title of king†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I.I.136-138). Lear did not believe in preparing for his death or saying goodbye to loved ones, as he still wanted to live like a king even after diving his kingdom  and wealth. On the contrary, Morrie believed that death should be accepted in life. â€Å"Oh yes, you strip away all that stuff and you focus on the essentials. When you realize you are going o die, you see everything much differently†¦Learn how to die, and you learn how to live†(Albom 83). This quote shows that Morrie though if more people lived as if they were going to die at any moment, then the world could be a more positive place. Morrie was also very optimistic and grateful for his disease and how long he had to say goodbye to everyone he cherished. â€Å"It’s horrible to watch my body wilt away to nothing. But it’s also wonderful because of all the time I get to say  good-bye.† (Albom 57) On the other hand, King Lear was coming to terms with his mortality. When Gloucester asked to kiss his hand he replied â€Å"Let me wipe it first, it smells of mortality.† (IV.VI.125-126). It shows that Lear found his new humbleness and acceptance through death. Morrie and Lear both achieved wisdom by coming to terms with their deaths. King Lear and Morrie Schwartz are very much alike, although they were completely different people before they acquired their wisdom. They were both able to attain insight and satisfaction through difficult hardships and becoming aware of the problems that are in their society. They have learned that if more people are aware of death and live everyday as if they were to die tomorrow, they would have more fulfilling  and satisfying lives. Through acquiring wisdom they realized the importance of their family, and love. They only differed in respect where Lear is filled with regret while Morrie gains a higher appreciation for it. Death is something that we all must accept and Lear and Morrie finally embrace it.

Implications for Marketing Organizations Essay

Among these, the shift in the nature and growth rates of the world population has perhaps drawn much more attention of the business leaders because demographic variables reflect changes in consumer patterns and behaviors (Martins & Brooks 2009) which can impact their business practices. This report will examine the main trends in age structure of the global population and their implications to business strategies of marketing organizations throughout the world. The increase in ageing population is an important trend in many parts of the world, especially in developed countries (Madalina 2010), resulting mainly from the decline of fertility and increase in life expectancies (United Nations, 2011). After World War II, there was a sudden rise in the population which was termed as Baby Boom (Tombs & Seamons, 2010). They form an important target group for marketers. However, Tombs and Seamons (2010) pointed out that following the baby boom, the birth rate declined significantly in several nations such as Australia and New Zealand and a low fertility rate has existed since the mid 1970s. According to United Nations (2011), the aged population in the developed world is increasing rapidly and the number of old people will probably have outnumbered the young for the first time by 2050. People now prefer smaller families and this has led to a sharp fall in the birth rate. The improvement in living standards has a contributed to an increase in life expectancies. These factors have caused major changes in market patterns as well as in the type of goods being bought. For example, Gumbel (2008) demonstrated that the generation of Japanese women aged in their twenties who drove the growth in luxury fashion groups in most of the 1990s have mostly settled down to start families and buy apartments. As a result, the sales of luxury goods in Japan have fallen sharply. The age brackets which make up different proportions in the demography as a result of the changing age structure, have influenced the targeted markets and marketing strategy of companies (Tombs & Seamons 2010). The authors distinguish 6 different age groups within the Australian population, wherein each one has specific growth rates. The first category consisting of children below the age of five accounted for 6. 2% of the population in 2007. It is a promising market for companies who provide childcare services and children-related products. The population in the second group consisting of 10 to 19 year olds had declined at the beginning of the 1990s, but is gradually rising. This bracket is a targeted market for education, garment products, and entertainment. Post-teenagers and young adults aged 20 – 34 years constitute the grown-up category which was affected by the low fertility rate during the 1970s, causing its reduction through the 1990s. This group with a high disposable income purchase a variety of technologically advanced electronics along with branded garments. The fourth group of early middle aged people consisted of 13% of Australian population in 2007 and is predicted to increase to 23-25% by 2056 (Chandler 2008, cited by Tomb & Seamons 2010). The subsequent category is ‘Late middle age’ (Tomb & Seamons 2010, p. 161). Both these segments will have more importance for companies in the coming years as its share of the total population will grow gradually and consume a variety of high-priced luxury products. The last group comprising of senior citizens will also have a positive growth rate during the coming years similar to the two previous groups. These aged people are more interested in health care services, travelling and relaxation as opposed to the younger population which is easily attracted by technological commodities providing a positive social experience, creativity, innovation and uniqueness (Cuddeford 2012). A very important methodology behind television advertisements while targeting the middle aged groups is portraying celebrities in middle aged characters in order to please them by creating a sense of familiarity and thus, affinity (Diaz 2012). This is especially effective when several marketing ploys propagate youth culture. This approach is targeted towards expanding this segment which is attractive not only because of its increasing growth rate as the world population is ageing, but also because their exhibition of a loyalty related to service industry is considerably highercompared to the younger age groups (Paul & Patterson 2007).

Biomedical and Biopsychosocial models of care Essay

Competing views of the human body as either a biological phenomena or a complex microcosm borne of its environment, have provided the basis for the development of two different models of care: the biomedical model, and the recovery-based psychosocial model. The model of care adopted by care providers heavily influences the nature of the treatment given, and the trajectory of a patient’s journey through illness, to wellness. Historically, the biomedical model of care has been the foundation of Western medicine, and has remained largely unchallenged as the dominant model of care used in the delivery of psychiatric treatment. It is practiced with a focus on disease, pathology, and ‘cure’. The emergence of the biopsychosocial model (Engel, 1977) and psychosocial rehabilitation has provided the mental health arena with an effective alternative to the biomedical model. With an approach that is person-centred and recovery focused, it aligns with contemporary attitudes about mental disorders having their origins and impacts in a social context. This paper will critically analyse and compare the benefits and limitations of both models of care, through an exploration of three key areas: (i) empowerment/disempowerment of the patient, (ii) implications for nursing practice, and (iii) outcomes. In psychiatry, the biomedical model emphasises a pharmacological approach to treatment, and supposes that mental disorders are brain diseases caused solely, or by a combination of chemical imbalances, genetic anomalies, defects in brain structure, or neurotransmitter dysregulation (Deacon, 2013). This supposition makes up one side of a Descartian divide that exists between biological psychiatry and a biopsychosocial approach to mental health care. Engel (1977) viewed the biomedical model as ‘reductionist’, and posited that it neglected the social, psychological and behavioural dimensions of illness. He proposed a biopsychosocial model that takes into account ‘the patient, the social context in which he lives, and the complementary system devised by society to deal with the disruptive effects of illness’ (p. 131). It is within this biopsychosocial framework, that  recovery-focused psychosocial rehabilitation takes place (Cnaan, Blankertz, Messinger & Gardner, 1988; King, Lloyd & Meehan, 2007). Less objective than the biomedical model, psychosocial rehabilitation focuses on the subjective experience of recovery and wellness, that is, the presence of signs and symptoms may not necessarily align with the individual’s sense of self and wellness. (i) Empowerment/disempowerment of the patient A persistent criticism of the biomedical model is the assertion that the patient is disempowered. Firstly, the nature of the doctor-patient relationship suggests that the patient is a passive recipient of treatment; the patient is reduced to a diagnosis, and offered diagnosis-specific treatment options. The role of personal choice exists, however in a limited capacity. Secondly, the ideology underpinning the biomedical model assumes disease to be a deviation from the biological norm, with illness understood in terms of causation and remediation (Deacon, 2013; Shah & Mountain, 2007; Engel, 1977). This perspective assumes the existence of some underlying pathological cause for symptoms and behaviour, and focuses on objective indicators of recovery (King et al., 2007). The implications of this perspective are that the patient cannot, from his own resources, do anything to ameliorate his illness, and to affect any change in his behaviour, he must adhere to diagnosis-specific treatment se t out by the psychiatrist. It is argued that the ways in which a patient can be disempowered by a psychiatric diagnosis (stigma, forced hospitalisation, long-term pharmacotherapy etc.) far outweigh any benefits they might receive (Callard, Bracken, David & Sartorius, 2013). Comparatively, recovery within the framework of psychosocial rehabilitation is widely considered to be empowering for consumers of mental health services (Shah & Mountain, 2007; Callard et al., 2013). Two key principles of psychosocial rehabilitation are an emphasis on a social rather than medical model of care, and on the patient’s strengths rather than pathologies (King et al., 2007). Similar to the doctor-patient relationship of the biomedical model, there exists a relationship between patients,  caregivers and clinicians in the psychosocial framework. The emphasis however is on the formation of a therapeutic alliance (King et al., 2007) in which recovery is owned by the patient, with professionals and services facilitating this ownership (Mountain & Shah, 2008). The aim of psychosocial rehabilitation is for the patient to have self-determination over their illness and health, and a fulfilled sense of self despite the possible continuation of symptoms (Barber, 2012). This is in stark contrast to the biomedical model in which illness is managed by the practitioner, and health is hallmarked by the absence of symptoms and disease (Wade & Halligan, 2004). The psychosocial perspective must also be considered in terms of its potential limitations. By placing an emphasis on self-determination and self-management of mental illness and wellbeing, there runs a parallel risk of instilling a sense of responsibility or blame within the patient when less than desirable health outcomes occur. This is of particular relevance in mental health settings, where poor health outcomes are unfortunately, likely (Deacon, 2013). In the biomedical model, the psychiatrist would offer some small consolation to the patient in the form of shouldering the bulk of the responsibility. With regard to empowerment of the patient, this notion of ‘care’ versus ‘cure’ suggests that the biomedical model of care and psychosocial rehabilitation are two competing models of care that are divorced from one another. They are not, however, mutually exclusive, and it is worth noting that contemporary definitions of the biomedical model at least attempt to consider the incorporation of recovery-based treatment approaches (Barber, 2012; Mountain & Shah, 2008; Wade & Halligan, 2004). It has been suggested that modern day doctor-patient relationships are far more aligned with the nature of the psychosocial therapeutic alliance, founded on engagement and the recognition of skills and knowledge of each partner (Mountain & Shah, 2008). Specifically in a mental health setting, it might be argued that the biomedical model parts ways with psychosocial rehabilitation by use of compulsion (Mountain & Shah, 2008). The intent behind much of today’s mental health legislation is guided by the ideologies of the biomedical model. This  results in patients with a psychiatric diagnosis being frequently disempowered, by having their right to self-determination overridden by legal powers of compulsion (Thomas, Bracken & Timimi, 2012). Despite a shift towards self-determination by the biomedical model, mental health patients may be forced to accept treatment against their wishes. In opposition to this, the psychosocial framework favours a community-based, ‘case-managed’ style of care (King et al., 2007), which seeks to empower the patient and maintain independence. (i) Implications for nursing practice The medical model is a useful framework to assist the psychiatrist in the identification of disorders and diseases. However, scientists have identified neither a biological cause nor a reliable biomarker for any mental disorder (Deacon, 2013), and arguably, most mental disorders have their origin and impact in a social context (McAllister & Moyle, 2008). Therefore, the validity of the biomedical model as a nursing model of care in mental health settings must be questioned. The all-encompassing nature of the care delivery required by a psychosocial framework may, at times, appear to be at odds with more ‘traditional’ concepts of nursing. It is understood that the biomedical model is the model on which many nurses base their practice. It is also the model that has long dominated the field of psychiatry (Stickley & Timmons, 2007), despite a plethora of literature espousing the importance of the interpersonal domain and psychosocial factors. Findings from a study by Carlyle, Crowe & Deering (2012) showed that mental health nurses working in an inpatient setting described the role of mental health services, the role of the nurse and nursing interventions in terms of supporting a medical model of care. This was despite recognition amongst the nurses that they used a psychodynamic framework for understanding the aetiology of mental distress, as being a result of interpersonal factors. The problems with the use of the biomedical model in mental health nursing are varied. The overriding goal of the biomedical model is cure, and  therefore nurses that base their practice on it must also aim for this outcome. This is obviously troublesome for a speciality that treats disorders that may not have a definable cause, and typically have poor outcomes (Deacon, 2013). Regarding ‘care’ versus ‘cure’, the challenge for nurses working in mental health settings where their practice is underpinned by the medical model, is the inability to achieve the outcome of care that they believe to be appropriate, that is, a cure (Pearson, Vaughan & FitzGerald, 2005). In terms of the provision of nursing care, the biomedical model’s focus on disease and the objective categorisation of people by disease can serve to depersonalise patients and so too, the nursing care provided to them (Pearson et al., 2005). It may well be argued that the biomedical model devalues the role of the nurse, because the humanistic side to care is diminished in favour of a medical diagnosis and cure. Overall, the ideals of mental health nursing practice are constrained by the biomedical model (McAllister & Moyle, 2008), however, nurses feel comfortable using this model to explain their practice, in the absence of a defined alternative. Psychosocial rehabilitation as an alternative to the biomedical model not only has positive implications for consumers of mental health services but also to the nurses who provide their care (Stickley & Timmons, 2007). Indeed, a wealth of literature supports a shift from the medical model to a recovery-based, psychosocial approach (Engel, 1977; Barber, 2012; Caldwell, Sclafani, Swarbrick & Piren, 2010; Mountain & Shah, 2008). In contrast to the biomedical model, the nurse-patient therapeutic alliance is at the core of the psychosocial framework (King et al., 2007). In this way, the role of the nurse moves away from being task-focused, to actively developing, coordinating and implementing strategies to facilitate the recovery process (Caldwell et al., 2010). Additionally, this model of care strongly aligns with nursing perceptions of their role as care providers, their beliefs regarding the aetiology of mental disorders, and their attitudes towards best practice (McAllister & Moyle, 2 008; Carlyle et al., 2012). (i) Outcomes Generally, the biomedical model has been associated with vast improvements in medical care throughout the 20th century. Despite its persistent dominance of both policy and practice, the biomedical model in regards to the delivery of mental health care is characterised by a lack of clinical innovation and poor outcomes (Deacon, 2013). It does, however, have its redeeming qualities. The primary strength of the biomedical model is its core knowledge base derived from objective scientific experiment, its intuitive appeal, and relevance to many disease-based illnesses (Pearson et al., 2005; Wade & Halligan, 2004). Evidence-based medicine allows the psychiatrist to access objective evidence about the safety and effectiveness of their interventions (Thomas et al., 2012). Shah & Mountain (2007) argue that the model’s rigorous methods used to gather evidence that have resulted in numerous effective psychopharmacological treatments, cannot be translated in helping to identify which spec ific elements of psychosocial treatments are effective. This assertion is evidenced by a study documenting the efficacy of a psychosocial rehabilitation programme (Chowdur, Dhariti, Kalyanasundaram, & Suryanarayana, 2011) in patients with severe and persisting mental illness. The study showed significant improvement for all participants across a range of parameters used to measure levels of functioning. However, the results did not reveal the specific effects of various components of the rehabilitation programme, making it difficult to isolate each component and to study its effect. Regardless, the overall benefits of psychosocial rehabilitation should not be ignored simply due to study limitations. Despite the biomedical model’s rigorous study methods and evidence-based core, tangible signs of progress are few and far between. Indeed, the biomedical approach has failed to elucidate the very biological basis of mental disorder, and also failed to reduce stigma (Deacon, 2013; Schomerus et al., 2012). Kvaale, Haslam & Gottdiener (2013) determined that biogenetic explanations for psychological illnesses increase ‘prognostic pessimism’ and perceptions of dangerousness, and do little to reduce stigma. This conclusion has obvious implications in a society where the layperson’s, and in fact, nursing student’s understanding of mental illness is a biogenetic, ‘medicalised’ one (Kvaale et al., 2013; Stickley & Timmons, 2007). In  contrast, psychosocial rehabilitation programmes may have the effect of reducing stigma. As previously discussed, psychosocial rehabilitation is underpinned by an ideology that seeks to empower the patient. Research has shown that empowerment and self-stigma are opposite poles on a continuum (Rà ¼sch, Angermeyer & Corrigan, 2005). By enhancing the patient’s sense of self, insight, societal roles, and basic self-care functions (King et al., 2007), psychosocial rehabilitation programmes have the ability to reduce the negative effects of stigma. In a study particular to patients with schizophrenia (Koukia & Madianos, 2005), caregivers and relatives reported lower levels of objective and subjective burden when the patient was engaged in a psychosocial rehabilitation programme. In their exploration into the validity of evidence-based medicine in psychiatry, Thomas et al. (2012) differentiate between specific factors (e.g. pharmacological interventions targeting specific neurotransmitter imbalances), and non-specific factors (e.g. contexts, values, meanings and relationships). They determined that non-specific factors are far more important in relation to positive outcomes, which would support a psychosocial approach. In recent years, public opinion and policy has become more aligned with the recovery model, evidenced by the wealth of literature echoing Engel’s (1977) proposition of a ‘new medical model’ founded on a biopsychosocial approach. Recently, the Australian Government Department of Health acknowledged the positive outcomes associated with a recovery-based model, and released the National framework for recovery-oriented mental health services (2013). Despite their ideological differences, psychosocial rehabilitation need not be viewed as the antithesis to the biomedical model, with literature suggesting a degree of compatibility between the two that is becoming more apparent in the modern delivery of mental health care (Barber, 2012; Mountain & Shah, 2008; Shah & Mountain, 2007). Conclusion Recent years have seen significant changes in the perceptions of mental illness, and the provision of mental health services that are available. The  move towards community-based care, psychosocial rehabilitation programmes, and empowerment of the patient through self-determination has been accompanied by a growth in research, and positive outcomes for mental health consumers. Despite this progress, modern mental health care is still largely dominated by the biomedical model. Whilst contemporary interpretations of the psychiatric biomedical model recognise the value of social and psychological factors, they appear to do so in a way that relegates those factors to an order below that of biological factors. This occurs in the absence of any definable biological causes for mental disorders (Deacon, 2013). A contemporary model is required in modern mental health services. Indeed, Barber (2012) suggests that recovery should be thought of as the ‘new medical model for psychiatry. Psychosocial rehabilitation is associated with improved objective and subjective patient outcomes, and emphasises the role of the nurse. As observed by Engel (1977), the dogmatism of biomedicine inadvertently results in the frustration of patients who believe their genuine health needs are being inadequately met. 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