Of Mice and Men Themes: Depression Essay

A central focus in the novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is the idea of inherent human loneliness. This manifests itself in many different ways for each character, but is collectively expressed as an unshakeable sadness or worry. Crooks states early on in the novel â€Å"I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of land’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head. They’re all the time talkin’ about it, but it’s jus’ in their head† This is an accurate representation of the general feeling of never-ending sadness expressed by the characters in this novel. Steinbeck’s approach to this feeling ventures outside the realm of just a plot device, because he uses it as a way to enable the reader to better understand each character’s self discovery and viewpoints on the world they live in. One of the most intriguing characters in the novel is Curley’s wife, who is never given a name, as to represent the treatment of women during the era. She is introduced as a character you are meant to dislike, promiscuous and seemingly out for trouble. Throughout the novel in the time leading up to her murder, we learn that she is not working to harm the people around her, but rather working to satisfy the sadness that stems from her lowly place in the world. She expresses this feeling when she states â€Å"Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live. Explaining how her â€Å"promiscuity† is actually just a cry for attention, showing that she isn’t the happy flirty woman she is made out to be, rather a fairly depressed and unhappy woman who wants to find ways to lift herself up. Moreover, it is hard for some people reading the novel to relate to the sadness felt by Curley’s wife, because it is seemingly warrantless, but Steinbeck does a commendable job of appealing to a broader audience with the character Crooks, an unhappy African American farmhand who feels isolated and melancholy because of his depressed status on the farm due to his race. He finds great joy in Lennie and George’s dream, and we see it become a savior for him, and outlet for all the anger and sadness he feels because of his position in the world. His depression is more obvious to the reader and also more relatable to anyone who has felt marginalized in their life. His sadness is very raw and clear, but he never acts upon his sadness. This shows a level of self control that isn’t seen in the other characters, and it very clearly differentiates his role within the world he lives in. In contrast to the reserved nature of Crooks, Curley’s sadness is expressed in his aggression that is rooted in his deep insecurities about himself. He acts out of rage and to assert his dominance to the characters around him, in an attempt to cure himself about his extreme lack of self confidence. This is proven to be an ineffective method for him, because no matter what he does he is seen with a bigger ego, but never seen liking himself anymore than before. Steinbeck writes him to be a short and stout man , which I believe is a representation of how trapped and unhappy he feels on the inside, almost as if he is being so oppressed by himself that it becomes physically manifested. His sadness affects me the most of all the characters in this novel, because it is the most unresolved. You get the sense that he does not even recognize his own sadness, which is something very tragic. In contrast to most of the characters in this novel, there is one that seems to be at peace with himself, and who also seems to recognize everyone else’s sadness, and has no problem accepting it as his own. I believe that slims character was added by Steinbeck to be a sharp contrasts from every other character, as well as a method of giving the reader hope that not all dreams die, and sadness is not permanent. Slims lack of internal or external conflict gives him an interesting perspective on the other characters, and made him my favorite character in the book. He handles the depression and the loneliness around him so effectively that it almost makes him appear to be superhuman. He is an educator to the others in the book, as well as an educator to the reader. He teaches everyone that our insecurities and our unhappiness doesn’t have to last forever and doesn’t have to define who we are as people. In conclusion, Steinbeck teaches us through â€Å"Of Mice and Men† that sadness is universal, but it doesn’t have to be an end all. It manifests itself in different ways for all of us, but the causes are never very different. We can learn to accept it and grow from it, or we can let it consume us, but either way it will always be there, and we just need to work to find the little things in life to help us persevere.

Puberty Mini Essay

Puberty Mini Essay There are many factors that affect the timing of puberty. A large factor is genetics, because it later causes the onset of other factors as well. It’s said that maturation and puberty are determined by genetic forces and can be different depending on ethnicity as well. Children in the US seem to mature and hit puberty faster than Asian Americans, while African Americans are ahead of the US. Massimo Mangino, author from the Twin Research Department at King's, says: â€Å"It is fascinating how common genetic variants influence both early puberty and weight gain. With that said obesity is another factor and is becoming an epidemic in this country. Obesity can almost guarantee the girl will have an early start into puberty and can later lead to a higher risk of psychological problems, risk-taking behavior, and even future breast cancer. But the opposite effect of obesity on pubertal timing may occur in boys. Studies have shown that early maturing boys seem to h ave a lower rate of obesity when compared with boys with normally or later timed puberty. Another factor is anxiety/stress.When there is a higher level of stress on the child it tends to prompt the body to send the hypothalamic signal and cause the child to reach puberty at a younger age than normal. Since this sends the child into early puberty, it can affect them with aggression and antisocial behavior as well later on. But on the other side of this, it can also delay puberty as well; it typically relies on the type of stress and the environment of the stress. If the living conditions are poor and there is little food, the stress can lead to a delay of maturation.Early puberty onset for females can be much more damaging than later onset. Females who start puberty early are at higher risk for problems and cancer later in life and usually have a negative body image as well. Earlier puberty onset for males is not as damaging as it is on females though. Sometimes it is seen as a head start in some cultures. If the male is strong and larger than his peers he is looked up to. If the male has a later onset of puberty he may have a different appearance than his peers and may be picked one which can cause a negative body image as well.Works Cited Belsky, Janet (2010). Experiencing the Lifespan (2th Ed). New York: Worth Publishers Yuen, F. The Onset of Puberty. http://www. soc. hawaii. edu/leonj/409as98/yuen/famr499. html Walvoord, E. (2010). The Timing of Puberty: Is it changing? Does It Matter? Journal of Adolescent Health, 1–7. (Kings College London, 2010) Researchers discover common genetic variants influence early puberty, body fat. http://www. news-medical. net/news/20101122/Researchers-discover-common-genetic-variants-influence-early-puberty-body-fat. aspx

Will receiving a college degree improve your career opportunities Essay

Will receiving a college degree improve your career opportunities - Essay Example This paper puts into perspective how a college degree can improve career opportunities. A college degree has the potential of enhancing my career opportunities because it increases an individual's chances in the market. Case in point is that an individual with a college degree has an added advantage compared to those who do not have a single certificate. Unlike previous regimes, a college degree provides an opportunity for an individual to earn decently compared to a high school graduate. The financial value of a college qualification cannot, therefore, be overemphasized because it is the only gateway through which an individual can earn some decent living. A college degree widens an individual's world view making it possible to scrutinize issues from different perspectives. Employees require individuals who are critical and can make appropriate decisions under crucial circumstances and a college degree presents such opportunities. A reflection in the process of Critical thinking used in forming the response Critical thinking is an essential component employed in determining the appropriateness of the information presented. The process of critical thinking used relate to the process used to find content for the answers in this context. Having a college degree improves an individual's portfolio in the job market and understanding such as a phenomenon demands essential interpretation of the inherent facts.

Internetworking Technology Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internetworking Technology Paper - Essay Example In order to connect the workstations of these employees, switches are terminated on each department. However, there is a possibility that more than one switch is required to cover up all the nodes. As mentioned earlier, star topology is implemented for centralized administration and configuration of the network, the diagram demonstrates Microsoft Active directory that connected with a domain controller. Active directory is an advanced directory service that is a built in feature for Windows server that is utilized for access management for network resources. Moreover, it is a domain based network similar to the Domain Naming System (DNS) (Active directory.2011). Protocols that are used include LDAP and Kerberos for security purposes. The selection of switches is essential, and compatible routers must be considered, as cisco supports active directory in its IOS router (Active directory.2011). Each switch supports gigabit full duplex Ethernet capability that will operate on a CAT 5 100 0 base-t cables. The company does not want interruption in the local area network and it must be available for all times. For this reason, all the switches are powered by PoE (Power over Ethernet) that is a distributed power mechanism on a CAT 5 Ethernet cable (Poe.2011). Likewise, PoE enables a secondary channel for power distribution and continues to provide power to networked devices even if the primary power link goes down. As shown in the Fig 1.1, the blue link shows PoE connectivity between networked devices for ensuring network continuity. Moreover, there are two routers aggregating data channels and configured to backup each other. In case of a primary router failure due to malfunctioning hardware or configuration, secondary router will make itself available up to the task. Furthermore, to ensure redundancy in software infrastructure, primary and secondary domain controllers are installed for load balancing and backup procedures. In addition, for security purposes, Virtual L AN can be configured for distributing data channels associated with highly sensitive data. For addressing security, Fig 1.1, demonstrates a firewall that is installed after the router and in between the Internet to ensure the filtration of inbound and outbound network. References Active directory.(2011). Computer Desktop Encyclopedia, , 1. Poe.(2011). Computer

Trends and challenges in HR management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trends and challenges in HR management - Essay Example Timely performance management can be used to identify, measure, and develop those individuals who could be the stars of a company (Campbell & Garfinkel 1996). A system of annual appraisals works with the idea that performance should be managed at the end of a give year but the more modern version of the process looks at performance from quarter to quarter which is the process used by many Fortune 500 companies (Grote, 2002). The annual appraisal system may put a considerable time gap between the time high performance was shown and the time when the reward for the performance is received. Kerr (1996) uses the example of giving food pellets to a mouse in a cage when a button is pushed by the mouse and says that if the reward comes a year after the button was pushed, it would be difficult to readily associate the two acts Of course, quarterly appraisals or other systems that have a shorter feedback loop as compared to annual appraisals may demand more time from managers as well as the employees if 360 performance evaluations have to be used. However, compared to an annual system of performance appraisals, more timely systems can give a company the means by which their strategic HR objectives, evaluation purposes and HR needs analysis could all be met (Bretz, Milkovich, & Read, 1992). Thus the annual appraisal system may come with the advantage of less time and money invested by the company; it certainly has its own set of drawbacks which make other systems more attractive. In essence, there are two primary approaches that can be taken towards an appraisal system i.e. an approach which focuses on the behavior of the employees and an approach that focuses on the results produced by the employee. However, in real world scenarios, the methods used by companies may take elements from both approaches to create a performance appraisal system for the employees. Amongst them the two more popular ones remain

How Serious a Threat to Democracy Is the Far Right in Europe Today Essay

How Serious a Threat to Democracy Is the Far Right in Europe Today - Essay Example However, other citizens although fewer in number, continue to exploit the same freedom so as to challenge existing political systems with a view of undermining equality, civil rights liberty, and at times seriously endangering them (Katz and Mair, 1995). For quite a number of decades, a radical political system was the major cause of the major cause of these challenges. From the late nineteenth century and onwards, including the World War II, democratic regimes incorporated legal measures to exclude the far right parties from the political game (Betz, 1994). In this manner, liberal democracies acted in a manner to ensure their own stability. However, political dynamics within the last decade has led to the emergence of new forms of threat to the stability of the existing democracies. In this context, such threat is referred to as the uncivil society. Notably, such threat seem to more fluid in the structure and the nature of the political parties, thus presenting an even much greater challenge than the subversive political parties towards the democratic regimes in search for measures to ensure stability. In this study, we contend that, in the 21 century achieving stability by outlawing of some far right political parties is no longer an effective strategy. Moreover, contrary to the to the declines of parties and trade off theses , it is argued that, far right parties and the uncivil society are in joint operation to advance similar goals and thus presents the double threat operating right from parliament and within its environs. The changing nature of the political process By 1850, virtually no county in Europe knew the basics of a political party apart from a few small groups of... This paper has highlighted the three objectives, which were exploring how changes took place in the European politics, which were heavily affected by the far right wing activities. Secondly, the paper has explored the boundaries of the within the European political systems and lastly whether the new regimes have completely replaced old regimes or they have forged cooperation’s. In recent years, the changing role of the party institution has had a significant impact on the far right wing parties. As noted it is only until the 1980s that new wave far right parties emerged. Like their counterparts, the new parties can be regarded as cartels which enjoy poor links with the society. The emergence of new forms of governments not only the growth of the far right camps but also plays a role in their expansion. Generally, uncivil society comprises of well established individuals and groups which have the full support of the current politicians and in some extent they have forged allian ces. Notably, the uncivil society is geared toward subverting liberal democracy through their old fashioned political movements. They hope to govern behind the scenes, influencing all the decisions made at national level. Indeed, such strategies are directed at introducing crime and violence. However, social movements are closer to the people as opposed to the political parties. Some grass toot activities carried out to the far right agenda reveals the intolerances as well the hatred in the society. Although political party has changed in Europe, the role of the party as an organization still remains and in fact these is presented in far rightwing ideologies.

Watershed moments of American history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Watershed moments of American history - Essay Example Watershed moments are those moments which heralded a strong influence on the history and social attitudes of the people and changed the perception of people.The American history is fraught with such watershed moments,but in the 20th century so many events happened and it is difficult to decide which moments could be called as watershed.The following paragraphs would describe three events and justify them as watershed moments.The most important of these moments is the perhaps the attack on the World trade centre on 9/11. Following the horrific events of that day, the local, national, and international relations changed forever to a very great extent. The attack of 9/11 had a wide ranging effect on the US foreign policy and weakened the relationship between the US and the Islamic states. The attack reframed existing policy in such a way that it was now considered quite just and fair to take violent and aggressive action against rogue nations. The US considered this attack as a threat t o its sovereignty so the period that followed after the attack witness a revival in the cold war and snide policies which were last seen in the World War II. The world saw a new era of 'War against terrorism' which was lead by the US and which resulted in two major wars. Thus it is very clear that the aftermath of the 9/11 made a drastic impact on the whole world and it would not be wrong to call this attack a watershed moment of the 20th century. (Dudziak). The second such event which created such an upheaval, the likes of which cannot be found in any other event is the nuclear bombing on the Nagasaki and Hiroshima. It was the August of the year 1945 in which the world saw the first use of the nuclear weapons ever. The result was only destruction and devastation of the bombed cities however its consequences were more than that. The prowess of the US was witnessed which elevated it to the title of the greatest super-power of the world. The United Nations was also formed soon after the bombing to maintain global peace. The bombings became the watershed moments in the US history as it changed the way the country was seen by other nations. Another example of the watershed moments, though somewhat different is seen is the 1965 Act of Immigration and Nationality. This act is also known as a 'Demographic Revolution'. The act put an end to the quota system, and even the xenophobia which was being promoted in the Americans. The Act was actually a declaration of equality and an end of prevailing prejudice. This erased the sense of exclusion which was felt by the Asians from the side of Americans and resulted in a huge number of Asians ushering into the US territory. The act changed the social attitude of the Americans towards the Asians and proved to be a watershed movement in the US history. Section Two, Answer to Question 3: The Civil rights movement was campaign intended to free the Americans from the grip of ethnic discrimination. This was a movement which demanded the recognition of the black Afro-Americans and an end to the racist policies. The Civil Rights movement began when a black woman 'Rosa Parks' who is often called as the mother of the 'Civil rights movement' refused to give her seat to a white American. But it was not only the Afro-Americans who were involved in the movement, thousands of people of all ethnic groups living in America participated in this Civil rights movements and the liberation movement till the 1970s in the long run. These included students, political leaders, people from religious organizations and even some white liberals; in short the 'liberation' movement was not just the efforts of blacks but the combined struggle against the bigotry and racial discrimination of all the ethnic groups living in America. Previously a very strong and intimidating attitude was adopted by the Americans towards the blacks. They were looked down upon, often became a subject of taunting and were commonly referred

Explain this Confucian Virtue and discuss the ways in which this does Essay

Explain this Confucian Virtue and discuss the ways in which this does or does not exist in contemporary American society. Use concrete examples. Make sure that you adequately define this Virtue - Essay Example Thus, the core of the teachings of Confucius oscillated around the right individual ethics, values and virtues that are morally healthy and socially upright. Confucianism refers to an ethical, virtuous, moral and as well as psychological system of thought that was introduced by Confucius (Sun, 37). This system borrows its origin from the periods of Autumn and Spring in the Han Dynasty. During that period, Confucianism was majorly used as a tool for ethical and sociopolitical teaching. The teachings of Confucianism majorly revolve around humanism. Such teachings mostly espouse the importance of family relationships and disregards beliefs in gods. The teachings further depict that human beings can be taught through personal as well as communal endeavors. In addition, the teachings of Confucianism maintain that individuals are improvable as well as perfectible relevant to their personal as well as communal endeavors (Smith and Huston, 51). This can be realized mainly through self-creation as well as self-cultivation of morally upright virtues alongside lending credence to ethical maintenance. Confucianism’s teachings majorly revolve around four main ethical concepts. These include ren, yi, li and zhi. Ren observes the virtue of humanness and altruism whereas yi obligates righteousness and moral responsibility to do good (Smith and Huston, 47). Li determines the way a person should conduct himself or herself with regards to certain norms. Zhi regards the ability to identify what is considered either wrong or right relevant to how an individual relates to others in the society (Wong, 67). It is of critical significance to acknowledge that the teachings of Confucianism can bring good results when incorporated within the governance policies and rules of any country. Confucius argues that for a leader to govern his subjects effectively, he must start with

Progressive Era Through the Great Depression Essay

Progressive Era Through the Great Depression - Essay Example During the above period, some historical turning points were felt by the Americans. Progressivism came about in the early 20th century as a varied inclination, different in various parts of the State and including all members from political parties. The period became the country’s first leading mindset to support state intervention in free market and in individual liberty in every sphere and at all levels (Perry & Manners, 2006). Moreover, the period made a history in a quick expansion for American capitalism, while at the same time the ruling class soared confidence. Leading economists declared that the era of slumps and booms was a past, and it was time for the US economy to experience permanent prosperity. All these proclamations were made during the 1920s, but before the progressive era was over, the worst depression had hit the US economy. The 1929 stock market collapse which manifested the start of the great depression brought in a period of submersion for almost the ent ire working class. As a result of government intervention in free market, major businesses made more profits while wages continued to be low and workers failed to buy the goods they contributed in production. The banking and financial systems were not regulated and some banks had crashed during the 1920s. Automotive and construction industries, whose business had boomed during the progressive era slowed down at the great depression (Hofstadter, 2011). By the year 1919, when the United States’ congress approved the 19th amendment to grant full voting rights to women, 13 out of 16 states in the west had already granted full suffrage to women. Wyoming was the first state to grant suffrage to women in 1869. In contrast, Eastern and southern states, suffragists had the ability to win the voting right before the federal amendment only in two states that is in Michigan in 1918 and New York in 1917. One of the key reasons for the women’s right was the idiosyncratic circumstanc es in all the suffrage states. The fact that the West was the forerunner in granting the rights suggests a number of common social conditions at work in the Western region, contrary to the other regions (Perry & Manners, 2006). Presidents Roosevelt, Wilson, and Taft all adopted the progressive reform spirit in the legislation that they campaigned for, and in their view of the federal regime’s role in the life of the state. Despite attempting to continue with Roosevelt’s basic directions and policies, Taft’s presidency was not smooth, and a sour rift developed between them and within their party, paving way for Democrat Woodrow Wilson. One of the legislation was the spirit of progressivism. Regardless of divergent concerns and philosophical differences, progressives held to many basic doctrines. They were hopeful about human nature as they tried to humanize and adjust to big politics and businesses. They believed in the significance of direct intervention in citi zens’ lives and wanted the government by all means to actively participate in manifesting reform. All these presidents were driven by their protestant ethics to reform the state using science techniques (Hofstadter, 2011). The Underwood tariff reduced the levy charged on imports and included a new income tax. Thus, the lost revenue was replaced by the tax, authorized by the 16th constitutional amendment. On the other hand, Wilson reforms were not just targeted at Wall Street, but he

Self-esteem and Teen Girl Flips Essay Example for Free

Self-esteem and Teen Girl Flips Essay Sixteen year old Fathima looks at herself in the mirror. She studies her body along with her face and thinks she is extremely ugly. She looks at the television and a popular celebrity appears on the screen with a beautiful face and body. She compares that person to how she looks. She says to herself, Why am I so ugly? Why am I so fat? I want to be beautiful! Good day to one and all. My topic for today â€Å"Celebrities and how they impact on teenagers lives. Living in a technological era, we have access to the tabloids more than ever before. There are television sets, magazine covers, Internet blogs, and movies screaming to be read and watched. When a life of parties, short-term relationships, drugs, and alcohol are leading celebrities like Britney, Paris, and Justin to spiral out of control, you would think that their lifestyle is not ideal. But, fans of these stars disagree. Now, in an age where we have more contact with celebrity gossip than we have ever had, we are faced with a question: what are the effects that superstars have on our youth? . Every day there are more and more stories and pictures on the Internet of the illicit activities of celebrities. Teens see these people partying, drinking alcohol or doing drugs, and they think they should too. This sends the message to teens that in order to have fun or be cool, you have to use these substances. Teens may begin to think that it is no big deal, and this can cause serious problems leading to drug and alcohol addictions, risk-taking behaviors, and even death. The use and abuse of drugs and alcohol is not the only dangerous celebrity influence for teens. Some of the most common problems that occur are issues with self-esteem for teens, especially teen girls. When a teen girl flips through her favourite fashion magazine, she is inundated with pictures and articles revolving around the erroneous belief that celebrities are perfect. The air-brushed pictures, workout and diet tips, and pin-thin models can cause body images issues for teens. In trying to make themselves look like the pictures that they see, teens can cause real damage to their bodies. Working out too much or not eating enough can lead to an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia. Many teens are like Fathima are strongly affected by celebrities. Popular celebrities are always shown on the covers of magazines and on television for teens to view. They look glamorous and beautiful, causing teens to want to be like them. Many teenagers look up to these role models but most of these popular beauties affect teens negatively. They go through extreme measures to become thin and are afraid of gaining weight. Teens also think that by becoming thin they will look beautiful and become popular. Many teens have low self esteem and become quickly swayed by the celebrities looks. So many times they forget that they are beautiful the way they are. They want to look perfect. Either their nose is too big or theyre not skinny enough. These small imperfections cause teens to look at the celebrities and envy them. They strive to lose that extra kilos, but end up losing more than enough. If something cannot be done to make that tiny imperfection better, it leads to dangers, such as suicide. Teens should appreciate the way they look already and be grateful. Many children who face hardship and live with poverty arent even able to look ‘cool if they wanted to. While it is almost impossible to completely remove any negative celebrity influence from your life, you can lessen the effects of celebrities and the media by seeking out positive role models in real life who you can aspire to be like. Try to find people who exhibit qualities you would like to have, such as honesty, optimism and perseverance. It can also be helpful to try to take the focus off of your appearance as much as possible. Remember, that you are not defined by what you look like. What really makes up a person is how you act and treat other people. Thank you.

Piagets Theory Of Cognitive Development

Piagets Theory Of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget was a Swiss development psychologist who was known for his work on epistemological studies. He is known for his major theory in the area of cognitive development. Cognitive development is a field of studies that emphasised on the neuroscience and psychology aspects of an individual. Development can be seen as process that takes part in every living human starting from bodily level up to cognitive level. The Websters Dictionary defines development as the series of changes which an organism undergoes in passing from an embryonic state to maturity. It is continuous process of expanding or becoming more advance in pursuit of new purposes. Cognitive best can be described as a process involved thinking, acquisition and storage of knowledge at the mental level of a brain. According to Piaget theory, our thinking process changes radically, because we constantly strive to make sense of the world through our senses, perception and experiences in life. (Woolfolk, 2011) According to Khanna (20l0), development in wider context is a progressive change to a greater maturity supported by physiological capacities and psychological capabilities. These changes can be further subcategorised into physical, emotional and intellectual. There are few general principles of development that occurs in all normal individuals. Development occurs at different rates in different individuals. This can be seen quite clearly during the infancy stage. There are cases where some babies start walking later that the expected age of 12 months. This normally can be seen in male babies and I personally can vouch for this statement as my own son; Pratham started walking only when he was 14 months old. Development is a continuous process. Development is continuous process as a child acquired new skills, these skills are added to the pre existence skills in a child and there is no stopping for further acquisition of skills as the child grows. This finding is best describes by the developmental stages theory of Piagets. During sensorimotor stage, a child learns by touching, association and imitation. This phenomenon can be seen clearly when a child repeats patterns in his play such as putting or taking an objects inside or outside a containers. This finding is further supported from a research that was done by Arnold Cath (2003) on a child named Harry. Development occurs in sequence of predictable and orderly stages. It is a known fact that human life is divided into few predicable and orderly stages which is expected of every normal individual in social settings. Robert Havighurst, an American educationalist introduced developmental tasks that characterise six development life stages from infancy and early childhood to later maturity. Another interesting theory of development was coined by Erik Erikson, popularly knows as Psychosocial Development. The main element of his theory emphasis psychosocial process, that development is subject to internal psychological factors and external social factors. This theory looks at eight stages of human life also knows as eight ages of man. According to Sugarman (2004), Erikson theory centre specific issues to resolve by an individual at given stage before moving to the higher stages per below table. Approximate age Issues centre around Important Event in Life 0 1 year Trust Feeding 1 6 years Autonomy Toilet training 6 10 years Purpose Independence 10 14 years Competence School 14 20 years Identity Peer relationship 20 35 years Intimacy Love relationship 35 65 years Generativity Parenting/Mentoring 65 years above Integrity Reflection and acceptance of ones life Development is influenced by heredity Each of us begin life at the moment of conception and hereditary traits are passed from parent to offspring through strings of microscopically small particles knows as genes. Therefore we are different from each other and development of individual is contributed largely by hereditary. According to Blackburn (2000), hereditary traits are transmitted by dominant genes over the weaker ones; an example of a disease that can be transmitted through hereditary is Diabetes. Development is influence by environment There is no denying; environment plays a very big role in human development process. Environment in this context covers social setting, cultural setting and language setting. Vygotskys believed that human activities take place in cultural settings and has a great influence on cognitive development. Vytosky assumed that cultural development appears twice, first on social level (interpsychological) and later on individual level (intrapsychological). For example an Indian child who is born in United States will have different perspective of things compare to an Indian child born in India due to differences in culture and social settings. Indeed, Piagets theory of cognitive development to certain extent has helped teachers to design or tailor made teaching materials to suit learners level of cognitive development but there are others factors too determine effectiveness of learning such as students readiness or motivation level. Piaget proposed theory can be divided into four stages: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete operational and Formal operational. Piaget emphasised more of the biological maturation of cognitive abilities for each stages. In order for us to understand better, Piaget stage development theory, we need to look closely at changes that happen in various stages proposed by Piaget. Sensorimotor stage The earliest period is called the sensorimotor and begins from birth to two years old. According to Richardson K (2010), infants enter the world with set of simple coordination which we called reflexes. One example of this is the sucking reflex when a child nurses from the mother. Later, when the infant is growing up, his reflex actions will be translated to goal-directed actions through several repetition activities. At this stage, a child develops object permanence, the understanding that objects exist whether they perceive them or not. During this time also, a child learns through imitation from his pre-exist surrounding. Preoperational stage This second stage of the theory is known as the preoperational stage spanning from the period of two to seven years old. According to Axelrod (1999), children are able to manipulate environment symbolically through inner representation by using word, gestures, images and signs. There is drastic development in language and thinking skills. Piaget believed at this stage a child is moving toward mastery but has not fully mastered the mental operations. Another unique characteristics developed during this stage is Egocentrism. The concept of egocentrism means children see the world from their viewpoint and not able to consider other peoples viewpoint. Concrete Operational stage This stage spans from the age of seven to eleven years old. At this age, a child has developed mental operations that allowed them to see and treat the physical world in logical and systematic order. A child at this age is able to provide justification by mastering conservation. According to Mitchell (2004), Piaget had indentified three important operations in conservation process: i) Compensation: Changes in one direction can be compensated by changes in another direction. ii) Identity: If nothing is taken away or added, the material remains the same. iii) Inversion: If the entire process is reversed, the quantity of the materials remains the same. At this point, a child is able making an orderly and sequential arrangement of an object based on size, weight or volume. This process is known as seriation which enable a child to construct logical series such as arranging object from small to large or vice-versa. Formal Operation stage This is the last stage of Piagets developmental theory. This stage ranges from eleven years to adulthood. According to Mitchell (2004) formal as used by Piaget mean well-mannered etiquette. Children at this stage, capable of systematic reasoning about things which take hypothetical form without having to see concrete objects. Students at this level are able to solve science experiments such as the pendulum problems. They are also able to solve algebra problems by using deduction method to derive at certain value. Adolescent at this age, exhibit a phenomena known as adolescent egocentrism. According to Stuart-Hamilton (2006), study conducted by Piaget examined, egocentrism does not refer to selfishness, rather a childs immaturity that whatever he or she can see is the viewpoint of everyone else as well. This is the feeling that they are the centre of attraction and leads to false sense of security, eventually increasing risk taking behaviour like participating in illegal racing, exper imenting with drugs and having unprotected sex. For teachers to fully understand and incorporate Piaget theory into teaching methodology, a teacher need to accept cognition is a process of adaption. According to Meadows (1986) based on Piaget theory, a child actively trying to make sense of the world by adapting to its environment. It proceeds via twin functional invariants of assimilation and accommodation. Before discussing further on assimilation and accommodation, ones need to understand schema first. Schema is a Greek word which means frame. Piagets believes schemas are the basic building blocks of thinking. It is representation of perception and experience of organized systems translates through action. Schemas can be very small or specific, for example cooking pasta. According to Roeckelein (2010), assimilation from Piagets theoretical viewpoint means incorporating new or modified ideas and concepts into a childs existing cognitive structure. Accommodation refer to the childs modification of ideas or concepts of the world in response to new experience that are inconsistent with previous knows idea or concepts. In another word, a person must change existing schema to respond to new situation. Every child in learning process strives to achieve state of equilibration. According to Woolfolk (2010) based on Piaget work, assimilation and accommodation can be viewed as a balancing act. Once the child is able to understand and registered new information in his schema, he achieved the equilibrium stage. Disequilibrium happen when current ways of thinking not working in solving a particular problem, thus the act out of balance occurred. In order for me, to plan an activity that promotes assimilation and accommodation, first I need to do some homework regarding the student Im going to teach. I need to find out their age and prior learning knowledge. For this activity, Im going to device an activity targeted for form one student (13 years old) conducting a lesson on compass direction (geography). It is easier for me to access their prior knowledge, as I have taught them at primary six during Kajian Tempatan period. The students already have basis knowledge of main compass direction (East, West, North and South)- Cardinal direction. Keeping in mind that my students are at formal operational stage which requires plenty usage of visual aids. Therefore in my lesson planning, I will have illustration of slides, diagram and video clipping when presenting new material. I will normally start my lesson by showing a short video clip about a sailor lost at deep sea. This is my normal practice for breaking the ice with students and gauges their interest in the lesson. Randomly I will pick up few students to analyze the video clipping. At this point, many of the students will be able to give the answer Im looking as students at this level are able to think hypothetically. Then I will ask them about their previous learning on this matter, which is compass direction. I will call a student to draw basic direction diagram on the board. In this way Im refreshing their memory to what they have learned during the primary years. Then I will show them a new power point slide on additional compass direction. (North East, South East, South West, North West) Ordinal direction. Compass direction is the schema already exists in student mind. Here, assimilation happen when students fit new information into existing information. Existing information is prior knowledge, which is cardinal direction and new information is ordinal direction (red colour). If you look at the below model, the students did not change their existing schema, rather incorporated new learning to prior learning experiences. Assimilation model NEW KNOWLEDGE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE SCHEMA W S N E NW NE N W Compass Direction E SW SE S ASSIMILATION ORDINAL DIRECTION CARDINAL DIRECTION Teaching the same students, from understanding basic compass direction, the next higher level of learning will be measuring degrees using protractor. Based on their prior learning, protractor was used in their mathematic subjects to find certain angels values. Here the student will faced certain degree of disequilibrium as current way of thinking, using protractor the mathematical ways will not solved problems in geography lesson. This required student to change existing schemas to respond to new situation, thus accommodation is taking place in students learning. In Mathematic, students are required to place the protractor horizontal ways to find value of angel, but in Geography students are required to place protractor the vertical ways to find degrees value. If you look at below model, the students have to change existing schemas to accommodate new learning. Accommodation model EXISTING SCHEMA Mathematical way NEW SCHEMA Geographical way Piagets development theory to certain extent can assist teachers to design teaching in delivering lesson but how effective the learning took parts would be another major concern for teachers. Piaget theory only proposed that learning occurs after development, but in certain cases, children are able to learn at earlier developmental stages. Piaget theory also fails to look at learner motivation which I personally believe is a very big factor in effective learning. Teachers as an educator plays the role of facilitator in imparting information, students on the other hand need to be more accountable of their own learning. There need to be a paradigm shift from teacher centric learning to student learning centric at school level in order to produce world class student.

The Most Significant Aspect of Roosevelt’s Presidency and New Deal up t

The Most Significant Aspect of Roosevelt’s Presidency and New Deal up to 1941 In this essay I am going to be assessing which was the most significant aspect of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Presidency, by looking at four different aspects of it, and then applying tests to each aspect. I will be looking into Roosevelt’s Economic Policies, Economic Ideas, Role of the Presidency and the Electoral performance of the Democratic party – and then, applying the following tests to them: Firstly, the ‘Amount of change,’ then the ‘Immediate effects,’ then the ‘Long term effects,’ and finally the ‘Effect of one aspect on another.’ Roosevelt’s economic ideas were clearly different to those of the Republicans and also the Electoral Position of the Democratic Party also changed a lot from the 1920’s. However it was the modifications to the role of the President and Roosevelt’s new economic policies that produced the biggest changes from the Republicans presidency in the 20s. Before Roosevelt became President, the rules of the constitution were followed very strictly: The Legislature role (congress) was to make the laws, the Executive’s (the president) was to carry those laws out and the Judiciary (Supreme Court Judges) to judge the laws. Each having their own authority and weaknesses to form a ‘balance’, ensuring that power and control was split equally between the three branches. When Roosevelt became President in 1933, he made three major changes to the role of the Presidency. Firstly, he changed the relationship between the Presidency and congress. While it was still the responsibility of the Congress to make laws, Roosevel... ... I found that only really the Role of the Presidency had a major long term effect after Roosevelt, there are aspects of Roosevelt’s presidency that are still largely apparent in the United States of America today – because the USA has such a polar economy, there is a big divide between the rich and poor, and although there are still a lot of poor people in America, who receive limited aid, there is a larger majority that are extremely wealthy and the USA is the richest country in the world today. And Roosevelt does have some part to play in this; because of everything he did (long and short term) he managed to succeed in largely curing the depression and getting America back on its feet. Without this, we don’t know where America would be today and so this is what I believe to be the best way of measuring significance. The Most Significant Aspect of Roosevelt’s Presidency and New Deal up t The Most Significant Aspect of Roosevelt’s Presidency and New Deal up to 1941 In this essay I am going to be assessing which was the most significant aspect of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Presidency, by looking at four different aspects of it, and then applying tests to each aspect. I will be looking into Roosevelt’s Economic Policies, Economic Ideas, Role of the Presidency and the Electoral performance of the Democratic party – and then, applying the following tests to them: Firstly, the ‘Amount of change,’ then the ‘Immediate effects,’ then the ‘Long term effects,’ and finally the ‘Effect of one aspect on another.’ Roosevelt’s economic ideas were clearly different to those of the Republicans and also the Electoral Position of the Democratic Party also changed a lot from the 1920’s. However it was the modifications to the role of the President and Roosevelt’s new economic policies that produced the biggest changes from the Republicans presidency in the 20s. Before Roosevelt became President, the rules of the constitution were followed very strictly: The Legislature role (congress) was to make the laws, the Executive’s (the president) was to carry those laws out and the Judiciary (Supreme Court Judges) to judge the laws. Each having their own authority and weaknesses to form a ‘balance’, ensuring that power and control was split equally between the three branches. When Roosevelt became President in 1933, he made three major changes to the role of the Presidency. Firstly, he changed the relationship between the Presidency and congress. While it was still the responsibility of the Congress to make laws, Roosevel... ... I found that only really the Role of the Presidency had a major long term effect after Roosevelt, there are aspects of Roosevelt’s presidency that are still largely apparent in the United States of America today – because the USA has such a polar economy, there is a big divide between the rich and poor, and although there are still a lot of poor people in America, who receive limited aid, there is a larger majority that are extremely wealthy and the USA is the richest country in the world today. And Roosevelt does have some part to play in this; because of everything he did (long and short term) he managed to succeed in largely curing the depression and getting America back on its feet. Without this, we don’t know where America would be today and so this is what I believe to be the best way of measuring significance.

The Life and Work of William Butler Yeats Essay -- Biography Biographi

The Life and Work of William Butler Yeats Born in Dublin in the year 1865, William Butler Yeats would go on to become universally recognized by his peers as the greatest poet of this century writing in the English language. This recognition would come as early as 1828, a decade before his death with the publication of arguably his finest volume, The Tower (Fraser, 207). The son of one time attorney and later well known painter John Butler Yeats, W.B. Yeats was of partially Cornish and Gaelic decent, born near Dublin and raised between both England and Ireland. Though born in Dublin and raised between England and Ireland, Yeats would develop, through his mother, a love for the west country of Ireland that would last all his life. Parts of his childhood and later vacations would be spent in County Sligo, the childhood home of both his parents. Yeats would later depict his beloved County Sligo in such works as "The Lake Isle of Innisfree". These works would serve as a symbol of his imaginative escape from the disappointments and unpleasant realities of life (Magill, 1957). Yeats's childhood would be broad in education and personal experiences. Yeats would become a youth full of internal contradictions, often spawned by his desire to question all that he was taught. Spiritually, educationally, and personally, Yeats seemed to himself pulled in different directions, unable to decide on a clear path. These internal contradictions would come to shape the writer and man that he would one day become. Much of childhood for Yeats was spent in London, where he attended the Godolphin School. At the age of fifteen, Yeats returned to Dublin and attended the Erasmus Smith School. In the tradition of his family, Yeats studied art... ...thors: A Twentieth Century Gallery. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1970. Kunitz, Stanley J. and Howard Haycraft, eds. Twentieth Century Authors: A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature. New York: The H. W. Wilson Company, 1942. Magill, Frank N, ed. Cyclopedia of World Authors: Revised Edition, Volume III. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1974. Rogers, Pat, ed. The Oxford Illustrated History of English Literature. New York : Oxford University Press, 1987. Scott-Kilvert, Ian, ed. British Writers. Volume VI. New York: Charles Scribner & Sons, 1983. Stock, A.G. W. B. Yeats: His Poetry and Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1964. Unterecker, John. A Reader's Guide to William Butler Yeats. New York: Octagon Books, 1959. Yeats, W.B. The Autobiography of William Butler Yeats. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1916.

Comparing Symbols and Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown and The Lottery :: comparison compare contrast essays

Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown and The Lottery      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors, Shirley Jackson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, both frequently use symbols within their stories "The Lottery" and "Young Goodman Brown."   Symbols are utilized as an enhancement tool to stress the theme of each story. Hawthorne uses names and objects to enhance the theme, and Jackson mainly utilizes names to stress the theme, although she does have one object as a symbol of great importance to the theme.   The stories both contain symbols describing evil. The majority of Hawthorne's symbols describe religion (both good and evil), but Jackson's symbols reflect the evil nature within society as a whole.   There exists symbolic acts in each story.   The short stories both share the use of symbols, but the symbols are   used to express different thoughts in ones mind while reading them.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The stories "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Lottery" both use names as symbols.   Hawthorne uses the names Young Goodman Brown and Faith to portray nice, descent people.   The name Faith alone implies a faithful and Christian individual as stated  Ã‚   "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named," (211).   Jackson uses the name Mr. Graves throughout her story, he is the coordinator of the lottery. She needs not give any explanation to the name, as it speaks for itself (a symbol of death).   Various other names are used as symbols within each story, however, these mentioned are the most significant names to the theme.   The stories each contain names, objects, and acts as important symbols.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hawthorne uses the names to stress good people, but relies heavily on objects to portray Satanism.   The object of obvious Satanism   is the staff (a cane) mentioned throughout the story.   It is clearly identified when the old traveler throws it down in the sentence "it assumed life, being one of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to the Egyptian Magi" (215).   According   to the Bible. sorcerers with magic powers change their rods into serpents.   Jackson uses the black box throughout her story as a symbol of   tradition not to be changed as stated "Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without

Dracula and Kenneth Essay

The high angle shot and extreme long shot looking down at Dracula and Harker crossing through the hall. This shot draws attention to Dracula’s extremely long red cape streaming out behind him like a trail of blood. The low angle shot shows Dracula looming over Harker and makes him look powerful, like he is in control. Many two shots are used to allow the audience to make comparisons between the two characters. The low angle shot is also used to emphasize the shadow’s movements. The low lighting helps with casting Dracula’s shadow which is again typical of horror. Dracula’s eerie shadow moving in the gloom is very effective for scaring the audience as the combination of shadow with candle light works exceptionally well for this scene. This candle light makes the gloomy aspect more present as the castle is immense and there are not very many candles so most of the entrance hallway would be beyond the reach of the light and in darkness, which makes it very scary as you do not know what lurks in the gloom. There is orchestral music played by the strings which go low and slow to create a sinister atmosphere. This music adds to the feeling of tension, the feeling that something is going to happen. The music gets louder and quicker when Harker offends Dracula by laughing and Dracula gets furious and pulls out a sword. This combined with the change of pace and volume of the music makes the audience become afraid, a typical trick of horror. There are many different sound effects in this scene from Dracula. There is the howling of the savage wolves, which scares the audience and makes the element of horror and wildness of the setting more clear. There was the thunder, which is typical of a horror movie. The clanging of the huge, metal gates emphasizes the feeling of the strength and inescapability of the castle and that Harker will not be able to escape and this will be his prison for the rest of his life. Harker’s costume is typical of a man of those times. He wears a suit and is very neatly presented. He has his hair combed very carefully. Dracula’s is very different. He wears a huge red robe which trails out behind him like blood. His hair is curled up high and is white and it mixes with the skin on the back of his neck which makes him look weird and scary. His skin is white and wrinkled like an old man and this creates the effect that he has been drained of all his blood and that helps you to understand his lust for blood and the way he talks about the preciousness of blood. It makes him look very scary and effective, almost dead in a way. It also makes him look exotic and abnormal. He would stand out in a crowd of normal people. There were quite a few similarities between the film extract and the text; both were set in a huge, Gothic castle with a vast courtyard. The stone was ‘massively carved’ and the door was old and studded. Both had creeping shadows and lanterns. In both the film extract and the text, Dracula is portrayed as having hairy palms (abnormal), profuse hair, an â€Å"extraordinary pallor† as he is very pale, he is portrayed as being an old man in both and he is also similarly portrayed as speaking with a ‘strange intonation’ (foreign accent). The similarities between the film extract and the text with Harker is that in both they portray his feelings of anxiety and his crossing of the threshold is made significant. The differences are that in the text, Dracula is described as having bushy eyebrows and a moustache whereas in the film extract he has a plain face. In the text, Dracula is dressed in all black while in the film he is dressed in white which emphasizes his paleness with a red cape that is more powerfully visual as looking like blood flowing behind him. Also in the text Dracula is portrayed as having a red mouth with protuberant, pointed teeth while in the film he is shown as having a pale mouth and normal teeth. The director uses this look in order to make Dracula look like a normal human, adding to the feeling of mystery surrounding him, and to make him different from the stereotypic image of Dracula. Summary These two films engage a modern audience in the way the films use clever tricks to give suspense, which can be overlooked in some of the newer horror films that rely on the amount of blood that comes out rather than clever filming and jumpy moments. In short, Dracula and Frankenstein were very similar in the way that they portrayed the typical horror tricks and consisted of similar camera angles to each other point out various bits. I thought that Dracula, both the written extract and the film extract fitted the horror genre a bit better than Frankenstein as it was more believable for me. I also thought that the film extract was much more scary, although Frankenstein wasn’t bad and had its moments of fright. My final views were that Dracula was on the whole filmed better than Frankenstein as it used the different camera angles more effectively in my opinion. Andrew Baillie 10ALB Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

GWF Hegel and the Development of Moral Integrity Essay

Moral integrity is the core and purpose of Hegel’s moral writing. The point is to reconnect mankind with the nature and purpose of their development, something that Bookchin shares. Moral integrity is a process, a process that develops only through institutions, and hence, is perfectly a part of this paper: ethical integrity is a social integrity, both created by and mediated by institutions (Horowitz, 1966, 8). For Hegel, these institutions are three-fold, the family, the civil (economic) society, and the state itself. These three things work together to form to integral personality and mediate it through the various elements of day to day life. While often highly rarified and theoretical, it seems that Hegel, in reality, is the most practical of all the writers we have examined. The moral personality as an integral unit is mediated through, first, the family. Initially the moral personality is seen as the opposite of integral: completely and absolutely free to adopt any end whatsoever. This is not a good things, but is the very source of capriciousness and arbitrariness. The entire point of building the morally integral person is to provide this otherwise empty will with purpose and content. The first institution to do this is the biological family. In this first and vital institution, the human person is shaped to love and to see oneself in the other. Mutual aid is a fact in the family, and such mutual aid seeks no profit, but exists in and of itself, helping and assisting for the sake of loving (Horowitz, 1966, 12). But this institution, as significant as it is, is not self-sufficient. In order to function and survive, it needs to be a part of the broader society and its productive capacities, hence, it passes over into what Hegel calls â€Å"civil society. † This second institution is similar to Locke’s principle of productive property. This is the realm of free action, of the drive to manifest one’s personality in work. Here, it is morally legitimate and useful for a person to seek gain and profit. The family was the arena for love and self-sacrifice, civil society is the arena for its opposite. But, just as the family is not self sufficient, neither is the market. The market leads to oligarchy ane the domination of capital. If unchecked, as Bookchin reminds us, the market will take on a life of its own, and all things will be valued on the basis of their monetary value. Hence, the economic life of the people will finally resolve itself into the state, a far more complex manifestation of the family, headed by the king, a patriarch (Yack, 1980, 710-712). The state manifests the universal mind of the people. Locke and Proudhon hold that the true nature of the natural law has its repository in the people: here, it is the people coming together in the state, the state as the ultimate integral individual. So while all three of the above writers saw the state as a problem, Hegel views it as the solution. If natural law and moral integrity are a single concept with basically a single content, then the central state becomes all important as the physical manifestation of this. What is significant is that all four of these writers got to their conclusions in the very same way, through the application of natural law in the construction of morally integral beings. 5. Conclusion All four of these writers used natural law. All four denounced the world of market capitalism that is not restrained by natural law. All four sought to define the integral individual. Locke sought to define this in the property owner, virtuous in the respect that he would not judge in his own case, but he will be a part of a limited state that would objectively apply civil law to criminal cases. Proudhon rejected the state, and defined the integral person as a producer, a part of a guild or organization based around economic function, operating in a free arena where goods and services are exchanged via contract. The morally integral person, then, functioned as an honest broker, one who maintains his promises and promotes the good of all in so doing. For Book chin, the morally integral person was a real citizen: the balance between market goods, the natural world, political rights and communal responsibility. The morally integral person limits his needs to what is good for the community and what preserves the natural beauty around him. Lastly, Hegel sees the morally integral person as a developmental entity: someone who has all his natural attributes, the lover and the fighter, synthesized in the state and the national culture. Bibliography: Bookchin, Murray (1993) â€Å"What is Social Ecology? † in Environmental Philosophy: From Animal Rights to Radical Ecology. ME Zimmerman, ed.Prentice Hall Forde, Steven. (2001) â€Å"Natural Law, Theology and Morality in Locke. † The American Journal of Political Science 45, 396-409 George, William (1922). â€Å"Proudhon and Economic Federalism. † The Journal of Political Economy. 30, 531-542 Horowitz, Irving. (1966) â€Å"The Hegelian Concept of Political Freedom. † The Journal of Politics. 28, 3-28 Proudhon, Pierre (1977) The Principle of Federation. The University of Toronto Press. Seliger, M. (1963) â€Å"Locke’s Natural Law and the Foundation of Politics. † The Journal of the History of Ideas. 24, 337-354 Yack, Bernard (1980) â€Å"The Rationality of Hegel’s Concept of Monarchy† APSR 74, 709-720

Love’s Pain Is Its Own Redemption Essay

â€Å"What is love?† According to Joseph Rey F. Celestino, M.A, this is a question that excites and stirs a thousand fold of other questions in our minds. That’s a verbatim of what he had said in an article he made, called Love’s Pain is It’s Own Redemption. It is an article that opened my eyes to the reality of love. It’s an article that never seizes to amaze me, to amuse me, to make me question my beliefs, and change my views and opinions (in a good way), no matter how many times I read it. It continues to serve as an instrument of wonder, challenging me to go out, explore, and experience the magic, the marvel, and the astounding beauty of love. It’s an article about the enticing world something that we all know of, but only get a glimpse of its true form. I have never viewed love in a way that’s even just a tiny bit close to the way I see it now. I gained a deeper understanding of how love moves and works, but I know that I still have a long way to go before I figure out what love really is, or who knows? Maybe I’ll never find the right words to define what it is. Maybe I’ll never know what love means. The possibilities are endless. But this article is my guide, so that I won’t get lost, as I start my quest on finding clues that might lead me to the answers I’ve been looking for, to questions I never thought I would ever ask, about things I never thought I‘d be curious about. According to the author, â€Å"What is love?† is a question that knows no barriers, knows no bounds, and knows no age and generation. He also made a statement which I find very agreeable. He said that â€Å"love is the most celebrated theme of human existence (†¦)† I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. No matter who you are, where you’re from, how old you are, or what gender you are, you absolutely, positively have something to say about something is related to love, or when love itself is being talked about. We each have our own views and opinions regarding love. These may be brought about by mere experiences, or our beliefs, or other factors that may affect or form our ideas and judgments. He further stated that the untangled web of mystery of love is what binds us all. He said that â€Å"As we are drawn to the nearness of its answer, the more that we find ourselves confused and puzzled.† Pertaining to the question being discussed. He explained how love or the question of what it is, is in fact too close to being a paradoxical phenomena. Maybe that’s why people try so hard to find a definition for love. Maybe that’s why people try to put love in words. Because people do not want things and questions left unanswered and undefined. Being curious is in our nature. We hunger and thirst for answers to things we do not even fully understand. We find it hard to â€Å"let things be†. Because we exist questioningly. And we do not easily let things go. That’s why, each of us, whether we say it or not, has our own definition of love. We on our own try to define it, or share our ideas about it to find common things with others’ ideas, and formulate a concrete explanation or definition of love. For what reasons, there may be a lot. But the point is, the mere presence of love in a conversation, or discussion, or anything, really, we automatically get excited and pay attention, because we want to know what it is. The author, through the article, further explained thing about love that might deepen, or cut our curiosity about it. He explained that the on-going controversy about the definition of love is not new to the world. He said that that controversy went even way, way back before some of us existed. He said that Philosophy has been trying to reckon prominent questions, such as â€Å"Is love and unanswerable question, or an unquestionable answer?†, and â€Å"Why is there love, rather than no love at all?†. As I said earlier, according to the author, Philosophy has been trying to reckon these questions for more than two and a half millennia of its existence. This means that Philosophy has been trying to approach these problems for over 2,000 years. He further stated that Socrates and Plato, on the one hand, and the poetic movement led by Homer, on the other hand, opened their respective conversation tables on the subjects of love and intimacy in that ancient far away. He also said that scholars of the present day, still linger on the ideas left by these past masters. Countless books have already been published, (and still publishing), of millions of films have already been produced, just to give us an inch of hope or a glimpse of the definition, or the answers to the questions about love. It’s taking so long, for people to find love’s meaning. And yet, we never get tired. With each experience we gain, we get bits and pieces of ideas of how we can define love. But still, despite all efforts given by our ancestors, and us, people in the present, we only see a blur, of loves true form. Maybe it’s about time we stop trying to define love, and just let it be. Let love be love. Maybe, we should start experiencing it, and enjoying it, instead of stressing ourselves trying to find meaning to something this mysterious, this big, this amazing. Yes, maybe we should do that. But there’s something about trying to define love, that gives us this sense of satisfaction, because that more we try to find meaning for it, the more we get to experience it. Our hearts burst with so much happiness when we know that we are in the presence of love. Mr. Celestino, got into a deeper explanation of tons more interesting topics, like, the myths created by society, about love, about Aristophanes’ narrative that concerns human relationship, and a lot more, Part of this â€Å"a lot more† topics included on of my favorite arguments ever. Love at first sight. I have never been a believer of love at first sight. This may sound offensive to those who believe, but, I think the idea is pretty unrealistic. Yes, it’s a really good idea. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice to see someone and automatically know that that person is â€Å"the one†? Isn’t that what happens in most romantic movies? Two people just happens to be in the same place,, at the same time, and look at each other at the same moment. They look into each other’s eyes, and poof! They’re in love. It would be nice. I really would. But as I said earlier, that’s what happens in most movies. That’s what happens in most r omantic books or novels, even. These are made to tickle our systems and trick us into believing that these things could actually happen in to us real life. Truthfully speaking, nothing that perfectly constructed, and well-made could happen in real life. We exist in reality. We don’t live in some 2-hour-or-so film that is so beautifully made, it may be close to perfection. That’s not how life works. That’s not reality is all about. On the contrary, in reality, nothing happens the way we imagine it would, let alone like what would happen in films or books. That’s exactly why people make films and movies. They make things that they imagine come to life. They make their imaginations seem real, by putting them into films or books. This is where people get the concept of love at first sight. And upon reading through the article, I just found more proof to what I believe in. Mr Celestino said that there is no such thing as love at first sight. In verbatim, he said â€Å"Love does not bite on a first sight.† He explained that â€Å"The presence of the other that is brought to one’s sight appears as an assembly of physical qualities and in turn, the one beholding such sight finds himself or herself being caught in a feeling that is simply stated as attraction.† This statement sums up my thoughts, and puts them into words. As I most commonly say it, â€Å"Love takes time. Baka infatuation lang yan.† He further explained that the attraction brought about or formed by meeting or seeing someone particularly attractive, may breathe two things. Infatuation and affection. He said that infatuation is a shadow of love’s true form. He said that infatuation is confined as mere liking of corporeal qualities that are usually pleasing aesthetically to one’s sight for a short-lived time. Affection, on the other hand is love in its potential state. Affection is something that may grow to be love. Love is neither infatuation, nor is it affection. Although affection may grow to be love, it is not love. At least, not yet. These two are commonly mistaken to be love. But as I always say, â€Å"love takes time.† It doesn’t happen in a blink of an eye. He explained other topics, like the famous clichà ©s, â€Å"Love is blind†, â€Å"First love never dies†, what love is in the Philippines, and another one of my favorite topics, rejection. According to the article, â€Å"Rejection is painful but it is liberating in the sense that the self that is being refused is set free to reclaim himself/herself in order to heal the wounded soul and to love again when the right time comes.† Yes, love is liberating, it may take some time to make all the pain go away, because nothing hurts more than the refusal of one to receive the self that is being offered. It traps the soul of the lover into a world of agony and pain, and sometimes, the lover finds no other meaning in life, since he and his love had been rejected. This is why rejection is crucial in a lover’s life. Simply because the pain inflicted to that person, may cost him his very life. The author also explained what pain is, and what it’s all about, selfishness, and divorce and separation, how God’s love for humanity, and Christ’s crucifixion is the concretion of love in an ultimate sense. And he ended this beautiful article with a just conclusion, he said, â€Å"To love, therefore, is to face even what is uncalled for and to manifest unselfish goodwill towards the other. It could be painful in the process but love will find a way to surpass it. That is why there is resurrection in every instance of death.† I was left with no words, as I reached the last page of the article. It was beautiful, breathtaking, and heart stopping. It spoke from a view that is totally different from others. And it may still not contain answers to my question, but it made me hunger for more, thirst for answers, and crave for the experience of love in it’s fullest. For me, to earn a symbiotic and intact relationship, there are a lot of values needed. Love, as there core, with others such as trust, understanding, disciple, respect, etc. In spite of all these, I think a symbiotic relationships would not exist without respect. Because, well, love and respect would not be right without one another. If you love someone, you are going to respect him/her. And the everything else will follow. Respect comes with trust, and understanding. If you respect a person, you will trust him, that he/she’s doing things for the better. You would come to a deeper understanding because you respect each other, and each other’s opinions. You will be discipline, because you respect your loved one, and if you respect them, you won’t do anything that would bring them harm. All, in all, I think respect is an essential in a mutual loving relationship. After reading the article, honestly, I was left with no words. I was too breathless, too astonished, too bewildered to even speak. I had to process my thoughts, and get the thoughts of the author in synced with my own. I had to clear my head and catch my breath. I’m not saying that the article gave me too much to handle. All I’m trying to say is that the article is something different from all others that I have read. And now that it’s been a while since I last read the article, I can finally confide with my thoughts and put them into words. After reading this article, I have learned so much, and I can easily say that I have more knowledge about love than I could ever imagine. I never thought I’d see myself writing this essay about love, (which isn’t really my specialty), yet here I am, close to my fourth page. I never knew I had so much to say about love until now. I never knew the impact and effect that article had on me. And all my thoughts, put into a statement after reading Love’s Pain is Its Own Redemption is found in the very first sentence of this entire essay. It seems to me like I just went back to where I started, and let me state (or ask) it again. â€Å"What is love?† I learned that no matter how hard we try to define love, it’s just too big of a paradox to start with. It’s too broad of an idea to put in just a few words in the dictionary. It’s too extraordinary to try and figure out. It’s to magical, to be given any scientific explanation. So I want to end my essay the way I started it. After reading the article written by Joseph Rey Celestino, M.A., I’m left with only one question (and a gazillion more underneath it). What is love?

Fashion Channel Essay

Analysis Following Rosewood through this case study we have seen the company come to a crossroads. The company had to redefine itself to stay relevant in an evolving space. Rosewood had a reputation for managing uniquely distinctive properties without widespread corporate brand name awareness. Each individual property enjoyed vast success in particular from repeat guests who mostly stayed at only one of their distinctive properties in their growing portfolio. Now the company is looking to the future and specifically evaluating whether or not to incorporate the Rosewood brand into the name of each hotel. Rosewood’s senior management is engaging several tools to make their decision. Implementing this new strategy could lead to a bright future or spell disaster. Pros and cons of Rosewood moving to a corporate brand What is branding? According to Entrepreneur magazine â€Å"The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.† Creating a corporate brand can come with positive and negatives. Rosewood’s objective will be to leave an imprint that no one else can leave and to create magic moments that their guests will never forget. Such as when the guest goes down memory lane years later after their stay, they will recall the positively outrageous service, the amenities, the food and the atmosphere created by Rosewood. No other hotel will duplicate what they experienced at their properties. Another positive to branding, Rosewood will create standards to measure the overall performance of all their properties. Such as curb appeal, beautiful landscaping, manicured green grass, flowers in season, to beautiful shrubs and trees. Additionally, as the guest arrives the people become part of the standard set, from the doorman, to the desk clerk, to the bellman, to housekeeping, to the engineering team that keeps the building and room temperature comfortable. This is where Rosewood can benefit from differentiation and drive performance. For that reason Jack Welch states in a World Press article, â€Å"Companies win when their managers make a clear and meaningful distinction between top- and bottom-performing businesses and people, when they cultivate the strong and cull the weak†. Some of Rosewood’s property managers, as mentioned in Harvard Business Review:  Rosewood Hotels and Resorts: Branding to increase customer profitability and lifetime value, many had â€Å"mixed feelings† about moving to a corporate brand. When you are measured against other hotels there is only so much room at the top. Naturally, there will some managers that will be asked to â€Å"ship up or ship out†. Thus, the upside is each hotel pushes each other to be the best they can be. Finally, the guest could anticipate what experience they will have at each Rosewood if they moved to a uniform brand. On the other hand, the down side or cons of moving to a uniform brand for Rosewood could be that data gathered from properties could be skewed or demographic information could not apply to all hotels across the brand. According to Phillip Kotler in A Framework for Marketing and Management â€Å"The data collection phase of marketing research is generally the most expensive and the most prone to error† (p.39). Also, some management after differentiation is established and measured could be dismissed if their hotel is at the bottom. Finally, another con could be that some management and employees are not good team players and are not able to uphold the standards charted by management. Customer Lifetime Value Calculator Using a tool like the Customer Lifetime value calculator can be helpful to Rosewood management as they crunch the numbers. This tool helps management take quantitative information and funnel it down to several outcomes. However, garbage in garbage out must be considered here. The CLTV is only as good as the information provided. If one Rosewood hotel provides flawed information or has not collected the data properly, the assumptions arrived to by the CLTV are not accurate. Perhaps as JWMI 518 W2, L2 states â€Å"The best approach is often to make use of both qualitative and quantitative research†. This approach considers the ever changing market conditions, tangibles and intangibles contained within qualitative and quantitative research. They are both valuable and have their place. Finally, within all the data and assumptions gained from the CLTV, there is one factor not considered. The relationship factor. In order to carry out the legendary service brand Rosewood wants to create, the most critical factor the team should be focused on is building relationships. The data, the CLTV, the amenities and a uniform brand all revolves around the staff building meaningful relationships with the guests. The standardized expectation of  how the guests are served is the most important ingredient and the CLTV does not factor this into the equation. According to INC Magazine, â€Å"The truth is that entrepreneurs too often get caught up in the details of the kinds of products or services they are selling to notice how critical it is to build relationships not just with your customers, but also with your vendors, employees and–gasp–even your competitors. â€Å"Without strong relationships, it is impossible to have success as a business owner, Recommendation My recommendation is that Rosewood should move to branding their hotels using the Rosewood brand immediately. Without setting standard foundations the guest will not know what to anticipate. Rosewood could use standardized data to help anticipate the needs of the guest before they even asked. Also, creating a uniform brand will help everyone come together as one team. When you are a consummate team player you elevate the performance of everyone around them and then there is no limit to what you can do as a team. When Rosewood has everyone on the same page going in the same direction they can create a wow factor the guest will be telling the world about. To most of the world, getting good service is common versus giving positively outrageous service is uncommon. Having a satisfied customer is common versus taking that satisfied customer exceeding his or her expectations and then taking the service one percent beyond that now Rosewood can create a raving fan that is uncommon. References Entrepreneur Magazine, (2013) http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/branding Harvard Business Publishing, (2007), Rosewood Hotels and Resorts: Branding to increase customer profitability and lifetime value, P. 5 INC. (2013) http://www.inc.com/guides/201101/how-to-build-better-business-relationships.html Kotler, Chapter 3: Collecting Information and Forecasting Demand, P.39 World Press, (2012) http://frrl.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/jack-welch-on-differentiation-or-making-winners-out-of-everyone/

Linguistics structure and meaning in literary discourse Essay - 1

Linguistics structure and meaning in literary discourse - Essay Example The main terms used in the analysis are literary discourse, structure and cultural environment. The main sub issues involved in each point are gender relations and colonialism as a part of meaning in literary discourse. The structure of the chapter, dialogues and short remarks represents a unique meaning of the text, its linguistic peculiarities and cross cultural significance. Thesis The chapter reflects phonological, syntactic, morphological and semantic uniqueness of the text and its meaning. The chapter under analysis reflects complex syntax as a marker of literary discourse. The stereotypical hierarchy of superior western literature/inferior postcolonial literature dominates most literary study and it is clear that the establishment of Afrocentric criteria poses an important challenge to the traditional patterns. On this view, generalizations about syntactic structure are statable independently of considerations about interpretation or use. Meanings are composed of semantic primitives, e.g. concepts like 'banana' and 'eat', that are members of particular conceptual categories like Thing and Action. Moreover there are correspondence rules that map representations at one level into representations at another. Syntactic structures are explicit, more or less well understood, and relatively easy to specify and manipulate. It is possible to state generalizations, both true and false ones, in terms of the properties of the syntactic representation.

Digital Technologies Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Digital Technologies - Article Example Digital technology is a novel field focusing on computational thinking and creating an awareness platform for digital systems. It entails creating a number of solutions to day to day out problems digitally (Weber & Dixon, 2007). The concepts surrounding this term include software, hardware, data and the manner of its delivery to the external parties. Commonly, they will exist as pictures, diagrams, and symbols. In addition, it comprises a series of steps that when followed in the order presented, solve the task at hand. Digital technologies in the wider scope explore the usage of information systems in place to meet their needs. These needs range from entertainment, communication and information want. It is also inevitable to work with other people in the community to organize these ideas and data using information systems and disseminate it for the consumption of the entire community via the cyberspace.The methodologies involved in the collection of the data will include: the use of questionnaires and interviewing persons who have had hands on digital libraries. Further, the research seeks to delve more into reviewing secondary sources readily available on the internet, journals, and books to form the basis for continuing this project. The consequent realization of the application will amount to a better and more improved digital library system. That will address the current loopholes in our libraries and accommodate the ever changing needs of the consumers in this day and age.

Week 6 Discussion Questions and Participation Questions Essay

Week 6 Discussion Questions and Participation Questions - Essay Example As a manager of a business I would optimize the utility of my human resources by investing in education and training. When employees improve their knowledge and skills they are able to produce more. The company can offer its employees a yearly education expense retainer between $5000-10000 a year. The money would reimburse the employees for educational expenses which include tuition, books, and other materials. Training is an effective wait to transmit knowledge to a large pool of participants in a short period of time. I have participated in company sponsored training initiatives. These trainings have helped me become a better professional through the acquisition of knowledge. My opinion is that the benefits of growth out weight the costs. Americans citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. Due to this prosperity millions of people come to the country legally and illegally in search of a better future for themselves and their families. China is an example of a country that has ripped the benefits of economic growth during the last 30 years. The economy of China has achieved double digit economy growth during the past three decades. There are some costs to economic growth. Humanity has to protect the environment and the natural resources. As a manager I would pay close attention to the concept of implicit and explicit costs. The most common implicit cost is opportunity costs. I would evaluate different alternatives or opportunities in order to determine which can increase the profitability of the company the most. Another concept from the article that I would use in my managerial career is that people response to incentive. To increase the revenues of the company I would sell the merchandise online. A price discount of 15% on online sales is a way to increase the revenues of the company. FedEx and UPS are having record high quarters – I would interpret that the economy

Beta thalassaemia major Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beta thalassaemia major - Essay Example This classification is based on the type of globin chain (alpha or beta) which is affected. This clearly indicates that hemoglobin structure is central to the pathology of thalassaemia. Beta thalassaemia or Cooley's anemia as it is called refers to decreased beta chain production and hence deficits in hemoglobin due to defects in the gene forming the chain Hemoglobin (Hb) is protein responsible for oxygen carrying in the body. It is made of four peptide chains, two alpha or a chains and two beta or b chains. Hemoglobin synthesis is controlled by genes which are switched on and off at different phases in the human life (beginning at the embryonic stage). Gamma genes regulate formation of fetal hemoglobin, which is switched to beta genes postnatally. It is about the 9th gestational week that the transcription switch from g chain to b chain production starts. Normally fetal hemoglobin synthesis declines gradually during this time but continues until 9 months of age. It is at about the 9th month after birth that the switch is completed.(Sarnaik 2005). This beta gene therein controls beta chain production in adults. In patients suffering from beta thalassaemia, there is a switch from a normal gamma-globin gene, in the fetus to an abnormal beta-globin gene, in the adult. (Blau 1994). ... tations have been described so far) Beta-thalassaemia major is hence a result of transmission of the mutated form of beta-globin gene from both parents, to the offspring. This results in inheritance of both defected form of the gene and has severe clinical manifestations for the patient. Clinical features and abnormalities As has been described above, beta thalassemia major refers to a decreased production of beta globin chains which are required for formation of normal haemoglobin in the blood. This results in decreased levels of normal haemoglobin(A) in the body. Interestingly there are evidences of increased levels of fetal (F) and abnormal haemoglobin (A2). Recent studies established that this abnormal increase in other Hb forms was due to production of excess of alpha chains, some of which are consequently utilized to synthesize hemoglobins which do not require beta chains, such as hemoglobin F (a2 g2) or hemoglobin A2 (a2 d2) and hence the elevated levels of such hemoglobins! (Perrimond 2001). Clinically this is very relevant as it leads to excessively reduced RBC life, this is primarily due to precipitation of free alpha chains on the RBCs. Other clinical features are is extremely severe hypochromic anemia as a result of ineffective erythropoesis. There is also significant decrease in hemoglobin content per cell and microcytosis. In order to compensate for this the body attempts to increase the red cellproduction. This results in increase marrow cavities and 'extramedullary erythropoeisis' in the liver and spleen. The consequences of such endeavours may result in hepatosplenomegaly, bone defects and much discomfort (pain) in patients. In children, there is high incidence of growth deficit, cardiac problems and jaundice (due to excessive break down of red

Arth 1380 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Arth 1380 - Assignment Example Despite using marble in their compositions, people of this period also introduced bronze and used it frequently, thus that age was known as Bronze Age. The reclining female figure found in Menil collection is carved in marble with less obvious facial features except prominent nose that is the only visible portion in the face. The shape of face is oval which is connected to neck with a slender torso depicting two round shapes showing breasts of a female. The female figure is made in nude form with breasts and sexual organ shown; the only features that consider the figure as feminine. However, the figure has a slightly slender waist that is also indicative of a female figure. The female figure is shown with arms folded below breasts in a manner as if both of the arms are tightly enclosed around the body. The shoulders are angular and the legs are shown closely connected with each other and giving an illusion of being separated, however they had been carved in a same marble. The feet are carved in an upward style which gives an impression that the figure might have been of a lying human as it seems difficult to keep the figure stand w ithout support. (McGill, 1987) The formal analysis of the reclining female figure has been done here by highlighting the color, form and shape, space, line and texture of the piece. Firstly, the color of the statue is dull with cool color and the value of color is light with not bright intensity. The color of the figure seems to be close to grayish brown with dull outlook giving the impression of seriousness. As the color used is not a warm color such as red, orange or yellow, the figure cannot be considered an indicative of a delightful occasion. The figure incorporates certain hue stains all over which suggest use of paint on marble to give it a colorful look. It conveys the message of seriousness and the impression created on the minds of viewers

Democratisation and Reforms in Singapore and Malaysia Research Paper

Democratisation and Reforms in Singapore and Malaysia - Research Paper Example This paper therefore is to scrutinise and study the process of democratisation and reform in Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore and Malaysia have an aspect of striking similarity which has shaped their process of democratisation. Both countries enjoy strong authoritarian stability because of the strong state apparatuses they possess. Some strong states such as Taiwan and South Korea had emerged before Malaysia and Singapore became authoritarian in the 1960s and would have been instrumental in helping stabilise national politics in Singapore and Malaysia to democratise. Slater observes that the drawback in this state of affair above is that the same state strength that props up stable transitions to democracy is the very force that enables authoritarian rulers and regimes to forestall democratisation and reforms. This is to mean that the chief reason for Singapore and Malaysia’s democratisation is the main reason democratisation and reforms may not transpire thereto. A case whic h underscores the need for Malaysia’s democratisation and reforms is epitomised by the move by the Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Najib Razak of singlehandedly picking a committee to review the country’s electoral system and the Internal Security Act. While the Prime Minister dishonestly explained such a move as a needful exercise in arresting lawlessness, the entire exercise was a response to the Arab Spring (Slater, 30). The need for Singapore and Malaysia to democratize and reform The need for Singapore and Malaysia to undergo democratisation and reforms is premised on the economic gains and developments that are taking place therein. In the case of Singapore, there has been the registration of rapid and gradual economic growth. For this cause, Singapore has come to be the second highest income earner in Asia, immediately after Japan. As a matter of fact, Singapore is being touted by scholars such as Beng-Haut as the largest non-democracy economy in world history . Because of this status, it is expected that Singapore should be setting the standard for democracy and reforms in the Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, much to the chagrin of many, this is not the case, yet the failure to democratise and reform will stunt economic accruals therein (Beng-Haut, 23). The need for Singapore to democratise is also underscored by the fact that Singapore’s political life and commitment to constitutionalism is doing very badly. According to Beng-Haut, with the exception of the Islamic Brunei sultanate, Singapore remains the only ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member which is excluded from the list of countries that are democratising. The exclusion of Singapore from the ASEAN countries that are democratizing is serious, given that other pseudo-democracies such as Indonesia where institutions (such as the electoral commission) are still too weak to withstand the undue influence of the executive, were included in the list (Beng-Haut, 23). Conversely, Singapore has no recourse to democratise and reform, given that it still has strengths that can facilitate democratisation. Singapore parallels other authoritarian regimes by manifesting commitment to human rights and collective goals. Factors That Impede Democratization and Reforms in Singapore and Malaysia Setbacks that inhibit Singapore’s path to democratisation and reforms are: (a) tension between the presence and influence of