Social Status and Feminism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- Feminism Femin

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby may appear to be a simple tragic romance; however, within the text, Fitzgerald identifies and defines social gaps and importance of wealth. He also presents women within a very separate space as the men. The Great Gatsby allows the reader to enter into the world of wealth and experience the joys and tragedies of being within this certain class as well as allowing the reader to interpret the position of gender inside the class. "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he [my father] told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had" (Gatsby 1). This quote was possibly the backbone of the narrator's actions and character. Through out the novel, the characters that he came into contact with were immediately associated with their money and their association with their given level of wealth. The irony of this opening line is that the poor, or less wealthy, were never really even seen by the narrator. The only people that the narrator saw, according to the reader, are the more wealthy and upper class that were associated with Gatsby's parties. What is even more ironic than the overall absence of the lower classes within the novel is where this neglected level of wealth actually did become part of the novel. Ironically, the only character that lower wealth was associated with was Gatsby. In his past, he was of lower class, but in the actual time when the novel was written, Gatsby was not only representative of wealth, but he seemed to have had the most wealth of all the characters. He was the most prestigious when compared to all of the other characters, yet was the only to have the absence of money in his past. The quote in the p... ...lar practices and thoughts, or he completely redefined them. By doing so, the novel takes on a new identity separate from its tragic romantic cover. Social status and feminism tower over the lost and found love that encompasses this novel.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bewley, Marius. â€Å"Scott Fitzgerald’s Criticism of America.† In Modern Critical Interpretations: The Great Gatsby. edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1986. 11-27. Fetterley, Judith. The Resisting Reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1978. Fryer, Sarah Beebe. Fitzgerald's New Women: Harbingers of Change. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research P, 1988. McAdams, Tony. â€Å"Ethics in Gatsby: An Examination of American Values.† In Readings on The Great Gatsby. edited by Katie de Koster. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press. 1998. 111-120. Social Status and Feminism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- Feminism Femin F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby may appear to be a simple tragic romance; however, within the text, Fitzgerald identifies and defines social gaps and importance of wealth. He also presents women within a very separate space as the men. The Great Gatsby allows the reader to enter into the world of wealth and experience the joys and tragedies of being within this certain class as well as allowing the reader to interpret the position of gender inside the class. "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he [my father] told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had" (Gatsby 1). This quote was possibly the backbone of the narrator's actions and character. Through out the novel, the characters that he came into contact with were immediately associated with their money and their association with their given level of wealth. The irony of this opening line is that the poor, or less wealthy, were never really even seen by the narrator. The only people that the narrator saw, according to the reader, are the more wealthy and upper class that were associated with Gatsby's parties. What is even more ironic than the overall absence of the lower classes within the novel is where this neglected level of wealth actually did become part of the novel. Ironically, the only character that lower wealth was associated with was Gatsby. In his past, he was of lower class, but in the actual time when the novel was written, Gatsby was not only representative of wealth, but he seemed to have had the most wealth of all the characters. He was the most prestigious when compared to all of the other characters, yet was the only to have the absence of money in his past. The quote in the p... ...lar practices and thoughts, or he completely redefined them. By doing so, the novel takes on a new identity separate from its tragic romantic cover. Social status and feminism tower over the lost and found love that encompasses this novel.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bewley, Marius. â€Å"Scott Fitzgerald’s Criticism of America.† In Modern Critical Interpretations: The Great Gatsby. edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1986. 11-27. Fetterley, Judith. The Resisting Reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1978. Fryer, Sarah Beebe. Fitzgerald's New Women: Harbingers of Change. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research P, 1988. McAdams, Tony. â€Å"Ethics in Gatsby: An Examination of American Values.† In Readings on The Great Gatsby. edited by Katie de Koster. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press. 1998. 111-120.

Autobiography

My name is Andrew Windiest, I was born in Redding, California, a mid-sized city located in the most northern part of the Sacramento Valley. I have four brothers named Alex (14), Jordan (21), Nathan (25), and Tyler (28) along with two sisters, Courtney (29) and Samaritan(26). My Dad's name is Neil Windiest (60) and my Mom's name is Katharine Buchanan (49), they were never married and I don't remember them ever being together. Vie grown up most of my life in Dixon, CA where my mom lived up until three years ago when she moved to Elk Grove. Most of my friends that have known me since I was really young are in Dixon.My dad lives in Red Bluff, CA, up near Redding and that's where I spend most of my time right now. In the future I hope to get out of the valley, although I like some areas of it, I like mountainous areas a whole lot more. I am now attending Elk Grove Charter School as a senior and hope to gain on all my missing credits and graduate this year. I really enjoy the outdoors and it is where I like to spend my time whenever I get the chance. I love fishing and would fish everyday if I could, I have spent many, many hours on the river enjoying the peacefulness. Another thing I enjoy is working on cars, particularly my own.I like high performance cars and love the freedom of driving. I enjoy hiking mountains a lot and like adventures. I climbed Met. Lessen Peak when I was six years old. My Dad has a house on the Oregon coast in Coos Bay. We go up there and ride the sand dunes and it's a lot of fun. My dad bought me my first car it's a eagle's Talon. My dad has had two of these cars previously except his were all wheel drive. These cars have lots of horse power for how big the engine is because they are turbocharged. This a short story of my previous life and my life now and I hope to add many more memories to my life story. Autobiography I attended La Immaculate Primary School, Muffles College High School graduating with a Diploma in Academic Business, Muffles Junior College graduating with an Associate Degree in General Studies, university of Belize graduating with a Bachelor f Science Degree in English Education, and presently studying at Galen university to acquire a Master's Degree in Business Administration. I have always been a rather quiet individual at home, at work, and at school. Accustomed to being around primarily adults, I am mature for my age and most of my friends are males.My hobbies are reading, cooking, baking, and listening to music. Occasionally, I watch some television if I am bored. I did well in school, as I always read ahead and researched even before school opened. I spent my vacation reading all my school codebooks and highlighting the information I deemed Important, while my friends spent theirs traveling or enjoying themselves. In College, I used to spend more time with my friends. We woul d play cards and dominoes and eventually I became a great domino player.I have been encouraged to enter competitions, but I just play for the center of attention. I am more of a behind the scenes type of person, preferring to observe than step to the forefront. I was never one who saw myself with a family and did not want to be tied down by the constraints of a husband and children. Although I absolutely adored children, I assumed I'd never have any children or marry. However, as I grew older my mentality changed and I met someone whilst studying for my Bachelors.After three years of dating, I had a daughter. Shortly after the birth of my daughter, due to an accident, my partner died and I ended up becoming a single mother at the age of 21 . I found myself balancing being a mother, studying and working, always looking for a better job so to make more money to give my daughter a better life than I had. I'm proud to say this new role suits me. I'm driven, not only to do great things f or myself, but to spur my daughter on to even greater ones.What I achieve in life, I do it for my daughter. I do not consider myself a genius, but I study hard or seek help when I need it. I always attempt tasks first and then seek help when I realize that I really do not know what I'm doing, or I cannot do it on my own. I still have that independent nature strongly embedded. Presently, my goal is to graduate with honors and obtain a scholarship for a PhD. Furthermore, having met someone and getting engaged, I look forward to marrying and having two more children. Autobiography Inspirations come from many avenues. My inspiration came when I was 16 years old in the form of a 3 pound baby boy measuring the length of a ruler. Being a young adolescent myself, this was a very trying time for me. My son was born almost three months early and could very easily have not survived. The birth of my first child is what changed my life forever and shaped me into the person I am today.At the age of seventeen I was attending high school, being a mother to my son, and working away from home as a waitress; all the while missing my little boy beyond words. I knew right then what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to watch my son grow. I wanted to not only be his mother but also his teacher.As my life moved forward my family grew. I was lucky enough to have the privilege to stay at home with my children. During this time I decided that caring for children and helping them grow was what I wanted to do. I started doing child care for a few of my friend’s children and absolutely fell in love with it. This is what I have always done and is something that has always come completely natural to me. Being responsible for a child’s growth while watching them learn and mature right before my eyes is an amazing feeling and a blessing.My children are now all in school full time which has me feeling ready to share the passion I have in caring for, nurturing, and teaching children with others. After I complete my CDA coursework my goal is to become a preschool teacher. I feel with current education with child development and the love I have for watching children’s developmental growth this will be a great future for me.

Characteristics Of A Social Worker s Identity Essay

Value systems are crucial in constructing a social worker’s identity. They facilitate how approaches social justice issues. Values and ideologies construct social problems but also social responses. Social workers must assess values that shape the intervention process as this will influence the type of social change made. As a critical social worker, I will operate on the core value of non-judgment which is align with the social work code of ethics, history and mission statement. Theories emerged in social work due to a shift from a subjective to objective approach involving scientific philanthropy (textbook). It provides objectivity when dealing with a client’s situation which is align with the core value of non-judgment in practice. A social work theory tries to explain and make predictions about a phenomenon (lecture). The ecological theory, a conventional approach, places individuals at various levels of impact. This theory tries to understand the relationship between people and their environment (Textbook). Social workers who use this perspective, incorporate empathy and reflection in their practice. It will aid in sorting emotions from logic in the intervention process (lecture). The structural theory, a progressive approach, focuses on the non-visible structural elements such as social class, race, and gender. One can go beyond the analysis of the intermediate family and community, and focus on socio-economic factors (textbook). It helps to see the concept ofShow MoreRelatedRace And Ethnicity : Biological And Sociological Factors980 Words   |  4 Pagesphysical characteristics (which usually result from genetic ancestry). Race presumes shared biological or genetic traits, whether actual or asserted and the category to which others assign individuals on the basis of physical characteristics. Races are assumed to be distinguished by skin color, eye color or hair type. However, the scientific studies based on racial distinctions show that racial genetic differences are very weak except in skin color (National Association of Social Workers, 2015).Read MoreRace And Ethnicity : Biological And Sociological Factors957 Words   |  4 Pagesare distinct. The term race refers to the concept of dividing people into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of physical characteristics (which usually result from genetic ancestry). Race presumes shared biological or genetic traits, whether actual or asserted and the category to which others assign individuals on the basis of physical characteristics. Races are assumed to be distinguished by skin color, eye color or hair type. However, the scientific studies based on racial distinctionsRead MoreMultiracial Families : Multiracial People1174 Words   |  5 Pagesto Single race individuals, multiracial people have a wider variety of ways to define their ethnic identity. For example, a multiracial person who has two or more races could choose to identify exclusively as one race, or identify with both groups. Another option would be to go beyond the standard individual race options and identify as â€Å"multiracial† a category that defines ethnic characteristics in terms of the sha red experiences of people who are multiracial, as distinct from individual race groupsRead MoreA Short Description Of Rosslyn Community1626 Words   |  7 PagesDescription of Rosslyn Community Mukesh Mishra Assignment for Introduction to Community Social Work Course No- SLWK2010 Dalhousie University â€Æ' The world appears to be wrapped in a web of diplomatic deception and intrigue. Communities are developed to uncloak the clutter of empty phrases. A community is a social unit of any size that shares common values. In every community, there are conditions present that affect the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness. Communities are a major determinantRead MoreThe Communication Style Of Men And Women918 Words   |  4 Pagesother workers. Within the workplace, it is important for those to behave and speak in a professional manner in order for others to see them as assertive. The communication style of men and women creates gender stereotypes in the workplace such as gender role behaviors, social scripts and biological determinism. According to Western Society’s hegemonic norms, the gender binary is given a certain role in which they have to behave to prove their masculinity or femininity, as well as their social scriptsRead More‚Äà ºGenderâ⠂¬Å¡Ãƒâ€žÃƒ ¹ and the Importance of ‚Äà ºthe Social Construction of Gender.‚Äà ¹835 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Gender† and the Importance of â€Å"The Social Construction of Gender.† Gender is an individual s natural sense of themselves existing as a male or female, which may hold opposing views from their biological sex. I believe sex and gender are two terms used interchangeably. Sex implies the biological characteristics among females and males. Whereas gender implies the social qualities connected with being a female or male. As Lorber states, â€Å"I am arguing that bodies differ physiologically, but theyRead MoreThe Substitute Perspectives On Tongue And Character By Thornborrow, Edwards, Weber And Horner1440 Words   |  6 Pagesshow the refinements and comparable qualities as talked about by these author s, and state whether I agree or vary their work. Essentially, I will express why Tabouret– Keller s work differs in an approach to manage tongue and character. Lingo and identity is generally perceived as who and what we appear to be, and where we start from. Thornborrow states that one of the focal ways we have of setting up our identity, is through our use of vernacular (1999). So also, Edwards (2009) states that theRead MoreWhat Is Identity? Who Defines Such, And How Is It Constructed?1570 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is identity? Who defines such, and how is it constructed? The Oxford English dictionary, describes identity as â€Å"being who, or what a person is, and the characteristics determining who, or what that person is.† But, identity is much more complex than its dictionary definition. Although the word â€Å"identity† is used correctly in everyday discourse, its meaning is not captured by the definition. Identity has a double sense, it can refer to one’s self, a personal identity; but at the same timeRead Morefgdgdg1732 Words   |  7 PagesKnowledge Objectives Define organizational diversity and distinguish between affirmative action and diversity management. Distinguish multicultural, plural, and monolithic organizations. Describe the demographic characteristics of the U.S. population and explain their implications for the composition of the workplace. Discuss general changes in the United States that are increasing the importance of managing diversity effectively. Understand why successfully managing diversity is extremely importantRead MoreGender Identification : An Exploration Of The Transgender Group1625 Words   |  7 PagesTheir Relationship in Society Gender identification and expression of transgender individuals has become controversial in America because of lack of knowledge and societal acculturation of this group. As society continues to connect gender identity with sexual identity, those who identify as transgender are forced to conform to the cultural norms of society or choose not to openly portray their gender expression. Although the media and the LGBT community has played a major role in raising awareness about

Compare and Contrast Piaget and Vygotsky with references from Lourenco - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1400 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/10/10 Category Psychology Essay Type Compare and contrast essay Did you like this example? Piaget and Vygotsky are considered to be the two main contributors in influencing the development of psychology. The two theories when presented in their own constructivist views on the development of a child; this constructivist theory is a theory that explains that most of the individuals organize information based on the experience they had before (Lourenà §o, 2016). However, the Piaget emphasizes on the significance of the children learning through interacting with their surrounding environment. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Compare and Contrast Piaget and Vygotsky with references from Lourenco" essay for you Create order In the case of Vygotsky, it is believed that children are to learn through having interpersonal experiences and also according to their culture. The main purpose of this essay is to bring out the Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s views on the development of a child and also critically evaluate the similarities and the differences between these two theories. The major component in Piaget’s concept is that children always develop over a course of four distinct stages. These four stages are as follows; first, children from birth to the age of two are said to be in the sensorimotor phase. In this stage, the first sense they have is the experience which helps them understand how objects permanence and understands that objects do exist even if   they cannot be seen and also understand that, for any action, it is always accompanied by more actions (Lourenà §o, 2016). From the age of two years to seven years, this stage of children is said to be the preoperational stage. In this phase of growth, children are considered to be egocentric in such a manner that, for all they know they assume everyone knows the same thing and at this stage also they tend to acquire every bit of conversation understanding, that is, the amount of a substance always remains unchanged even if their appearance changes with time. Children from the age of seven t o eleven years are said to be in the transitional period to a concrete operational stage. At this particular stage for the children, logical reasoning becomes more prominent to them. During this stage, children understand that a person is the same regardless of the changes which occur over a certain period of time. At this particular stage also, children understand that there can be the classification of items according to physical facets as well as being put together with items of similar properties. The last stage in the development of a child is the formal operational stage. This stage occurs for those children who are in the age ranging in between eleven and fifteen (Lourenà §o, 2016). From this stage, children can finally be able to apply their logical reasoning in the current abstract world. This means that the children are able to have complex thinking and they can format different ways in solving certain case problems in life. The Piaget’s theory describes two different processes which allow the children be able to advance in their four stages and also to develop their mental schemas such as accommodation and assimilation. For children, schema means the cognitive representation of ideas, items as well other people.   Assimilation for a child means, a child being able to respond to situations in such a way that it is most consistent with the very preexisting schema (Lourenà §o, 2016). The accommodation is referred to the response to a certain situation whereby the children preexisting schema is modified or a new schema is made during the process. Piaget argues that the two processes are very much crucial for the children to be able to make accurate representations in the environment they live in as well as to be able to adapt to changes. For the children who have balanced assimilation and accommodation, they are said to have reached their state of equilibrium, thus they have earned their very pree xisting skills which are enough to enable them to handle the task might be involved in. When children tend to obtain some information that cannot be well understood by their current schema, the children are ranked in the state of disequilibrium which makes them tend to have a real sense of uniqueness within themselves. For Vygotsky, they proposed that, the sociocultural alternative to Piaget’s cognitive development stages of children. In his theory, he suggests that children operate cognitively dialogues and engagement in social interactions in understanding the symbolisms in context within their culture (Lourenà §o, 2016). When they interact with other children the obtain skills on solving the certain dilemma in their lives. When are faced with tasks they are experienced before in their lives, they use the previous experience to find the solution by drawing special strategy. Dialogues are very important to children in integrating their speeches which enable them to have complex capabilities in thinking capabilities. Vygotsky identified forms of speech which are developed in scientific order. These three forms are social, private and also internal speech. At first, children are introduced to social speech where they are involved in adult talks and are shown in different forms of direction l ike addressing a child to go and brush teeth after taking a meal. After this, they use the information obtained from the adults to solve some problems (Lourenà §o, 2016). For private speech is evolved in inner conversation when children acquire the cultural context which is required in applying abstract concepts of action. The Vygotsky theory has got another significant aspect which is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)(Lourenà §o, 2016). This defines the gap between children actual development rate as well as what can be achieved by the children while by themselves or with help of adults. To improve the growth of ZPD within the children, the adults should engage themselves in providing guidelines on what is needed in solving certain problems and thus let the children find solutions to the problems without the assistance of the adults. Moreover, as per the principle of Vygotsky in a role of culture for cognitive development, he states that children should be accessing symbolic tools which improve their communication skills. When these skills are fully internalized by the children after receiving the tools, they use them in future actions. The main difference in logical structure in the two theories is such that, for Piaget, he outlines the four development separate stages that are undergone by all the children regardless of the cultural backgrounds. In his theory, he uses the age ranges for every specific stage and children have to complete one stage within certain age period for them to enter into the following stage of their life growth. In comparison to Vygotsky theory, this theory is relatively independent on time factor and it suggests that all the children have to learn with the help of adults. In this theory, the cognitive development is dependent on the capabilities of the child in social interactions as well as the application of the cultural tools learned in every circumstance faced in life situations. Whereas, in the Piaget theory, he argues that the knowledge of the children is fully developed on individual grounds by using the available surrounding environment(Lourenà §o, 2016). Both theories states on the origin of intelligence. For Piaget, he states that the actions of a child determine their intelligence. On the other hand, for Vygotsky, he believes that any learning precedes development since the theory assumes that, children always rely on social interaction for them to integrate cultural symbolism in their cognitive processing (Lourenà §o, 2016). For Vygotsky, he discusses the origin of intelligence as the act of stimulation from other individuals but for the case of Piaget he said is irrelevant to the interpersonal conversation. The difference between the two theories is on how children language is developed. For Piaget, he describes private speech of children as the egocentric act since they cannot take another person’s help. In contrast to Vygotsky, he interpreted private speech as the platform for them to understand what is being addressed by the adults upon them(Lourenà §o, 2016). Vygotsky states that self-oriented speech regulates ones’ behavior but Piaget argues that, it limits thinking capacity. The two theories their ideas fully differed greatly, they both studied on child development with a very dialectical approach. The theories match in interactions between distinct and interdependent functions on mental. For Piaget, children are always assimilated and accommodated to their schema (Lourenà §o, 2016). For the case of Vygotsky, they involve themselves to dialogues as well as internalizing cultural tools in the development of inner speech.

Essay about Drugs and Substance Abuse in America - 658 Words

A Turn for the Worst? As the world today continues to increase in different technology, which is said to make a better and also safer society, but are they leading to road of destruction? According to the CASAColumbia organization â€Å"More than 1 in 7 Americans ages 12 and older have addiction involving nicotine, alcohol or other drugs (2014).† Meaning at 12 years old one CHILD out of seven would have an alcohol or drug addiction. Substance abuse in America is widely spread, and is definitely getting out of control. The sadness about a substance abuser is that they probably never even dreamed of using any type of drug, but when doors are closing they would kill for a way out, even kill themselves. Most drug addictions initiates in the†¦show more content†¦A lot of broken homes are mainly the reason for substance abuse because they are just looking for a way out. Another initiator is peer pressure, most weak mind, or self-conscious, people are easily persuaded into using alcohol or drugs. All it takes is simply â€Å"Come on man, you’ll be cool† and you now have entered a life of destruction. There are so many reasons to use it, but only ONE reason not to, LIFE. Listed by, A Drug Free World Foundation, people first use drugs because of the following circumstances: 1. To escape or relax 2. To relieve boredom 3. To seem grown up 4. To rebel 5. To experiment 6. To fit in The characters in â€Å"Clean† each started from one of these factors, each of them in turn became addicts, and now placed in a rehabilitation center to face their problems, face sobriety, and face themselves. Drug and alcohol use is spreading widely across our America, and it’s turning our home into a drug country, which is not acceptable. Substances such as marijuana, meth, or alcohol is becoming quite big on the market, and also is becoming easier, and easier to obtain. However, some steps have taken for the regaining of our streets from drugs. Since meth is only different chemicals mixed together, it’s easy to manufacture. Pseudoephedrine, commonly known as Sudafed, is one of the main chemicals used in meth, but now Sudafed is an over theShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse - Social Pandemic1653 Words   |  7 Pagesillegal drugs and alcohol continues, substance abuse across America has become a very serious social problem. It is mental illness that has an effec t on different races, classes and genders. The affects of substance abuse has caused countless of people to feel heartache and develop feelings of hopelessness. With alcohol and drugs readily available through prescription or on the streets (Butler,2010), it is obvious why many are acquiring addictive patterns to these accessible substances, and thatRead MoreAbstinence vs. Harm Reduction1733 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Abstinence Vs. Harm Reduction† â€Å"Drug policy regarding the control of the traditional illicit substances (opiates, cocaine, cannabis) is currently moving through upbeat times in almost all Western countries. Prohibition on the basis of repressive law enforcement not only seems to fail on a large scale, but also to create vast additional costs, problems, and harm for drug consumers, who often find themselves in extreme social, economic, and health conditions† (Fischer 1995: 389). Western countriesRead MoreDrug Abuse and the FDA Essay793 Words   |  4 PagesDrug abuse is generally defined as the use of a drug with such frequency that the user has physical or mental harm or it impairs social abilities. Drugs are used as pain killers to avert physical and/or emotional pain by providing the user with a temporary escape from life’s realities. Even though, they cause different, more serious problems with only a short escape from life’s agonies. There are five different classifications (schedules) of drugs in the Controlled Substance Act of 1970.Read MoreDrug Abuse1279 Words   |  6 PagesThe use of and abuse of illegal and prescription drugs are a health, social, and law enforcement problem that is affecting Americans across the country. Drug abuse is destroying the lives of many teens and adults and is also destroying families in the United States. The use of drugs is a major problem in the United States among all Americans, but drug addiction is the main cause for America s troubled teens today. Exactly what is a drug? A drug is any chemical that produces a therapeutic or non-therapeuticRead MoreDetrimental Social Problems: Substance Abuse Essays1197 Words   |  5 PagesSubstance abuse is one of the most detrimental social problems found in all societies. It has been the leading cause for generational breakdowns of families and communities, and is probably the most controversial social problem when developing corrective solutions. Substance abuse can be defined as the chemical dependence, or pattern of usage of both legal and illegal substances, that has adverse physical, psychological, and psychomotor effects on the human body. The use of substances does not alwaysRead MoreDrug Policy And Funding Has Not Changed Much Over The Past Two Decades1505 Words   |  7 PagesDrug policy in America has not changed much over the past two decades, but according to Sacco (2014) â€Å"over the last decade, the United States has shifted its stated drug control policy toward a compre hensive approach; one that focuses on prevention, treatment and enforcement (p.1). One approach to this is allotting billions of dollars to the Federal Drug Control Budget. As of 2014, the majority of funding for this budget went into supply reduction (59.9%), demand reduction (40.1%), and domestic lawRead MoreSubstance Abuse First Became A Big Problem996 Words   |  4 PagesSubstance Abuse Section A Substance abuse first became a big problem around the 1970’s throughout the 1980’s. America was discovering one drug after another to help manage their lives better (newsnarconon, 2009). Methaqualone was one of the first drugs that pharmacists were trying to use to take place of Barbiturate drugs (newsnarconon, 2009). The drug Methaqualone was first used to increase sexual activity, but later it was recognized that it did a great job at helping people sleep, which is whyRead MoreDrug Use And Substance Use Disorder Patients1291 Words   |  6 Pagesepidemic status with substance use disorder patients. There are many reasons to why we all should be concerned as a nation; however, this very problem is an essential topic globally. 230 million drug users are found worldwide and 19.9 million of those are Americans that have used illicit drugs in the year 2007 alone (as cited in Michael’s House, n.d); Furthermore, America makes up 4 percent of the global population and our nation manages to occupy two-third of the illegal drug use worldwide (as citedRead MoreCauses and Effects of the Controlled Substances Act of 19701653 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1970 the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) was put into place by the Congress of the United States Government. This Act, Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, is the federal U.S. drug policy which regulates the possession, use, manufacturing and importation of certain controlled substances. The substances controlled under this act fall under various classifications. These classifications are known as schedules. The legislation created 5 schedules with differentRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On American Soil Essay1539 Words   |  7 PagesIn a day and age where there is no clear or apparent bad guy, the United States battles an elusive foe on our home soil. The current epidemic of drug abuse claims the lives of thousands of Americans without any discrimination or bias. The decades old â€Å"war on drugs† has done little to hinder the devastating carnage of widespread drug abuse decimating today’s youth. This affliction hits home for almost all of us to at least some extent. The enemy is known, we as a country however have yet to devise

can you remember birth Essay Example For Students

can you remember birth? Essay According to Freud, people are unable to remember when they are born because it is a traumatic experience, and such experiences are placed in the unconscious, meaning they are forgotten, unintentionally. Being born is a traumatic experience because of the fact that a fetus is, basically, being pulled from an environment that it has gotten used to over the course of nine months. This environment is one in which there was food, warmth, and comfort. When the child is born, it comes into a cold, dry, loud place, totally unlike the warm, muffled sounds of the womb, and it is a shocking experience. For a newborn, this is not only too much for their brain to process, it shocks them into repression. In sociology, this rapid introduction into a new world is known as culture shock, in which the subject being introduced has no idea where they are or what to do, and there is a type of panic. This panic causes the brain to lose the information, that is called repression. By definition, repression is the process by which the unpleasant or traumatic incident is pushed into the unconscious and forgotten. There are about 100 billion different nerves and receptors in the brain of a newborn, but they work at such a rudimentary level, that they are incapable of holding that information.This could also be a reason why birth is a forgotten part of life and pushed to an unconscious level in the brain. The brain functions as the center of human thought, and those thoughts that are unpleasant, or cause trauma, are, somehow, forgotten. This repression forces those thoughts away from the conscious brain. Some people say that they have dreams of being born, and this is not totally ridiculous. These people have such dreams because the repressed memories are resurfacing in the dream, and people experience these visions. Often times, they do not even remember having the dream or having the sensation of being born because it is a part of the unconscious. Freud says that repression is one of t he strongest and most regularly used defense mechanisms because it is easier to put something out of ones mind, than to try to ignore it (Wood 433). According to a study by Nelson and Ross in 1980, the following hypothesis was formed:Children would show early childhood amnesia and that this could be tested by comparing obtained estimates of memory strength to values predicted by a standard retention function. The data collected confirmed this hypothesis for 6- and 10- year-old children and suggests that the early childhood amnesia period extends from birth to a point between the third and fourth birthdays. The data also supported the prediction, derived from the aforementioned model, that children would report a disproportionate number of memories from the amnesia period. Nelson and Ross go on to say the following things, to add to the validity of their findings:A fundamental characteristic of human memory is that, as time passes there is a decline in the probability that a specific episode in ones life can be recalled. For example, a child may forget a particularly bad spanking or punishment received by their parent because they would rather forget the incident than have to think about what happened. Also, it is more difficult for a child to encode information from short term to long-term memory, so they do not understand the difference between the two (Berger 172). In addition to the studies of Nelson and Ross, a group of three named Graesser, Gordon, and Sawyer came to this conclusion in 1979:Coding involves some form of abstraction and that particular events are encoded as instances of scripted activities rather than as complete memories for each episode. The same source of the above information continues with a statement that sums up the notion of childhood amnesia with the following:With development, the memory system is able to differentiate among events, which frees that child from heavy reliance on scripted information. Unfortunately, Nelson and others are not clear regarding the fate of me mories for single events, but Nelson (1984) did write that If unrepeated experiences tend to fade, drop out, or become inaccessible with time, one could adequately account for all the data (p.109). This can be read as implying that memories for single events formed during this period are forgotten at the same rate as memories formed in other periods. Because of continued research in the area of childhood amnesia and the effects that it has on what a child does and does not remember, there will be further advances in the knowledge that is currently available to the following generations of researchers. Scientists such as Nelson and Ross, and Freud have explained that children remember very few things that they want to, or the things that have not been repeated throughout their lives. Birth is an event in the life of a child that is very traumatic because of the type of culture shock that they experience. When pulled from their mothers womb, a child enters a cold world, where they are forced to breathe differently and are no longer secluded from the rest of the world around them and their mother. It is a memory that is repressed unintentionally, but is still there, as Freud would tell one, without hesitation. The unconscious controls the instincts of people and reactions to the world around them, and is as much a part of life as the conscious mind or the preconscious mind, but serves the roll of a storage space or closet, in which humans hide their deepest thoughts and most unpleasant thoughts, as well. Those who are able to remember their birth are people that have something called total recall, which means they know and understand everything about their own life history, including the trauma of birth and all the unpleasant events that will follow during their lifetime. But that is highly unlikely and these persons are few and far between.

Is Asean Relevant to the Regional Security of Southeast Asia Essay Example

Is Asean Relevant to the Regional Security of Southeast Asia? Essay Is ASEAN relevant to the regional security of Southeast Asia? | 16 pages, including cover page3,176 words (excluding footnotes, endnotes, bibliography)| Yes, ASEAN is still relevant to the regional security of Southeast Asia. I will attempt to justify my case by elaborating how the 3 key political accords and the ASEAN way has helped shared ASEAN to what it is today. I will also provide a brief summary of ASEAN’s achievements and challenges till date. Finally, I will highlight the main initiatives that ASEAN has taken to overcome future challenges to ensure its continued relevancy to the regional security of Southeast Asia. Background The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original Member Countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao, Myanmar and Cambodia. The founding of ASEAN followed the end of Indonesia’s ‘Confrontation’ against Malaysia and Singapore, which had proved costly for Indonesia’s economic development and regional stability. Thus, preventing a repetition of such inter-state confrontation and developing a mechanism for the pacific settlement of disputes were the major considerations behind ASEAN’s formation. Other reasons for the formation of ASEAN include (a) shared threat perceptions of communist insurgency arising from internal social, economic and political conditions and (b) the desire of the members to enhance economic cooperation for mutual gain especially through collective bargaining with its major trading partners. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Asean Relevant to the Regional Security of Southeast Asia? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Is Asean Relevant to the Regional Security of Southeast Asia? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Is Asean Relevant to the Regional Security of Southeast Asia? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The early declarations and statements from summits show that the group was founded primarily to provide a framework for regional political and economic cooperation. Today, ASEAN has developed an organizational structure that looks not only into the political and economic issues in the region but also social development issues. However, the journey was not an easy one. The first decade of ASEAN’s existence was relatively unproductive but much effort was spent developing and refining the concepts that form the basis of its work and methods of cooperation. This has allowed and contributed to regional confidence building, fostering trust and goodwill and developing the habit of working together informally and openly. Threatening changes in the regional environment – such as the perceived weakening of the American commitment to its local allies and the re-emergence of China as a political force – were enough to keep ASEAN united. 3 key political measures established by ASEAN In order to facilitate ASEAN progress without external interference and to enhance regional peace and stability, several major key political accords were established. Foremost among these are (1) The Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) of 1971, (2) The Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976 and (3) The Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) of 1995. ZOPFAN It commits all ASEAN members to â€Å"exert efforts to secure the recognition of and respect for Southeast Asia as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality, free from any manner of interference by outside powers,† and to â€Å"make concerted efforts to broaden the areas of cooperation, which would contribute to their strength, solidarity and closer relationship. ZOPFAN recognizes â€Å"the right of every state, large or small, to lead its national existence free from outside interference in its internal affairs as this interference will adversely affect its freedom, independence and integrity†. The ZOPFAN Declaration is the expression of ASEAN’s unwillingness to allow the major countries in the East Asian region: China, Japan, the Soviet Union and the United States of America unfettered involvement in Southeast Asia, of extending ASEAN’s responsibility for security as far outwards as possible and of preventing intervention and subversion by foreign powers to gain foothold in the region. ASEAN has struggled relentlessly for the recognition and respect of the major powers for Southeast Asia as a non-nuclear zone of peace, freedom and neutrality while intensifying co-operation among themselves as a prerequisite to contributing to their â€Å"strength, solidarity and closer relationship† in the effort. TAC The purpose of the Treaty is to promote perpetual peace, everlasting amity and cooperation among the peoples of Southeast Asia which would contribute to their strength, solidarity, and closer relationship. The treaty enshrines the following principles: mutual respect for one another’s sovereignty; noninterference in internal affairs; the peaceful settlement of intraregional disputes; and effective cooperation. The treaty also provides for a code of conduct for the peaceful settlement of disputes. And it mandates the establishment of a high council made up of ministerial representatives from the parties as a dispute-settlement mechanism. By amending the treaty in 1987 to allow non-Southeast Asian states to accede to it, ASEAN extended those principles to encompass such states’ conduct in the region. The Manila Declaration on the South China Sea of 1992 commended all parties concerned â€Å"to apply the principles contained in the TAC as the basis for establishing a code of international conduct over the South China Sea. † Finally, the ARF, at its inaugural meeting in 1994, â€Å"endorsed the purposes and principles of the TAC as a code of conduct governing relations between states and a unique diplomatic instrument for regional confidence-building, preventive diplomacy, and political and security co-operation. Several states outside Southeast Asia namely, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and the Russian Federation have also acceded to the TAC. More countries are actively considering accession. SEANWFZ The establishment of a SEANWFZ, as an essential component of ZOPFAN will contribute towards strengthening the security of states within the Zone and towards enhancing international peace and security as a whole. It reaffirms the importance of the United Nations’ Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and in contributing towards international peace and security. The SEANWFZ Treaty provides for a Protocol for accession by the five Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), namely, China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. However, consultations between ASEAN and NWS are still underway to address certain provisions of concern to the NWS. The ASEAN Way According to Donald E. Weatherbee, in the ASEAN way, conflict avoidance set the basis for the acceptance of common behavioral norms among member states through (a) Mutual respect for sovereign authority; and (b) Non-violence or use of force. Basically, conflict resolution is based on informal friendly negotiations in a structurally loose setting between disputance states. This serve to achieve 2 strategic goals : (a) Not to allow bilateral disputes to disrupt into a regional conflict and the functioning of ASEAN itself and (b) Not to let ties between ASEAN states and non-ASEAN states negatively affect intra-ASEAN relations. The ASEAN Way encourages decision-making through consultation and consensus building. When consultation cannot create consensus, the ASEAN states agree to disagree and pursue their individual interest. The ASEAN Way also encourages its member to cooperate around contentious issues. All of these features, namely non-interference, informality, minimal institutionalization, consultation and consensus, non-use of force and non-confrontation have constituted what is called the ASEAN Way. Many scholars have argued that the principle of non-interference has blunted ASEAN efforts in handling the problem of Myanmar, human rights abuses and haze pollution in the region. Issues Tackled Through the ASEAN Way ASEAN countries have been successful in preventing the spread of communism and there has been no major conflict and no war (since 1967) among members in SEA. ASEAN has also been successful in promoting peace and security thru various forums and also establish multi-lateral military exercises among the member-states. According to Amitav Acharya, the development of a collective identity in ASEAN involves the creation and manipulation of symbols. The prominent ASEAN symbols in the arena of conflict-management are the so-called â€Å"ASEAN Spirit† and the â€Å"ASEAN Way. † These symbols have been invoked on countless occasions to reduce bilateral tensions among the ASEAN members. Irrespective if the disputes were resolved or pacified, the ASEAN way was adopted in the following bilateral issues: a. The Philippines’ Sabah Claim. b. Pulau Ligitan and Sipadan (Indonesia-Malaysia) – ICJ, Hague. c. Pedra Branca (Singapore-Malaysia) – ICJ, Hague. d. The South China Sea Conflict Zone (Potential Energy Resevoir, Rich Fisheries Source, strategic sea route, etc). The 1992 Declaration on South China Sea through peaceful resolution between ASEAN amp; PRC. e. Indonesia-Aceh- Papua Ethnic Conflict. f. Muslim Separatism in Philippines. g. Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia (1978-1991) to rid Cambodia of the Pol Pol regime. Although the conflict dominated activities of ASEAN for a decade, the resolution of the Cambodian Conflict in 1991 made it possible for ASEAN to achieve goals of reuniting the 10 countries so that the countries within SEA would not be a source of conflict in the future. Challenges that has impede ASEAN’s Development Notwithstanding the successes ASEAN had in mitigating some of its bilateral disputes, there are also challenges that ASEAN has to grapple with in the past and present: a. Asian Financial Crisis 1997 ASEAN was unable to react and resulted in Thailand and Indonesia having to negotiate directly with IMF. This incident also lead to the loss of Indonesia leadership (Suharto) who was forced to step down in May 1998 in the wake of widespread rioting that followed sharp price increases caused by a drastic devaluation of the rupiah. . Forest fires in Indonesia/ Haze crisis of 1997 Indonesia’s government has been slow in addressing the haze issue and even though legislation outlawing the use of fire for land clearance has been established, the rate of prosecuting law breakers in remote areas is still slow, if not stagnant. The concept of state sovereignty impedes ASEAN from being able to take any form of action to coerce Indonesia to act responsibly. The 2002 ASEAN agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution clearly illustrated this as Indonesia has yet to ratify it. c. Myanmar – It faced a high record of human rights violations as the military rulers refused to recognize the victory of the National League for Democracy in 1990 under Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Till date, Suu Kyi still remains under house arrest. The Myanmar issue has been a contentious issue and has complicated ASEAN relations with US and EU. (General unease amongst ASEAN members on its impact on its image). d. East Timor Crisis – When the East Timorese voted for an independent state in 1999, Indonesia reacted with active support for the violent anti-independence militia resulting in massive human rights violations. The ASEAN states felt compelled to remain quiet because they did not dare to interfere with Indonesia’s internal affairs. Only efforts by Australia that led to the intervention force in East Timor (INTERFET) brought about the slowing down of the conflict. According to â€Å"The Straits Time† newspaper article on 3 Mar 2009, the ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan has also highlighted that the ASEAN’s non-interference policy restricts ASEAN as it limits the group’s options for preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution. How ASEAN progress will depend on the readiness of member states and the pressure people will put on the governments of member states. Measures by ASEAN to overcome challenges In order to overcome the present and future challenges, ASEAN need to look and move ahead to make itself relevant to the current environment and political situation. Although there are various mechanisms and frameworks of cooperation, I have highlighted 3 initiatives that I believe have significant influence to how ASEAN shape up to be to ensure its continued relevancy in the region. ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) ASEAN’s most ambitious attempt to expand its regional influence is embodied in the ARF. In recognition of security interdependence in the Asia-Pacific and wider region of USA and Europe, ASEAN established the ARF in 1994. Its conflict management roles are guided by: (1) fostering constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern, (2) making significant contribution to efforts towards regional confidence-building and preventive diplomacy, (3) working towards strengthening and enhancement of political security cooperation within the region as means of ensuring peace and stability. ARF pursues a 3-staged approach in conflict management: Stage I – promotion of confidence-building measures (CBMs), Stage II – development of preventive-diplomacy (PD) mechanisms, Stage III – development of conflict resolution mechanisms. The ARF discusses major regional security issues, including the relationship amongst the major powers (tripartite US China – Japan relations), non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, religious/ ethnic tensions (Asia) and transnational crime etc. ASEAN’s leadership of ARF meant that for the first time, a regional organisation would â€Å"lead the major powers. ARF personifies the importance of Southeast Asia in the international arena and provides a platform for member-states to pursue multilateralism. The ARF has been useful in elevating the level of confidence among its participants through regular dialogue, mutual accommodation, co-operative activities and networking. ASEAN Community At its Ninth Summit in October 2003, ASEAN announced its intention to create an ASEAN Community based on three intertwined and mutually reinforcing pillars: ASEAN Security Community (ASC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). A year later ASEAN established the Vientiane Action Programme to realize this goal. Over the past two decades, ASEAN has experienced many changes (the end of the Cold War, globalization, the rise of China and India, the Asian financial crisis, etc) that have created an impact on the process of ASEAN community building. This in turn has forced ASEAN to adjust its inward stand to that of a more responsive community to cope with the increasing political and economic competition in a globalised world. As such, the future of the region and of ASEAN will be, to a considerable extent, dependent on the degree of success of community building. The ASC is expected to maintain and strengthen peace, security and stability and enhance ASEAN’s capacity for self-management of regional security. It includes maritime cooperation and fight against terrorism. The AEC is to develop a single market and production base that is stable, prosperous, highly competitive and economically integrated with effective facilitation for trade and investment in which there is free flow of goods, services investment, skilled labours, and freer flow of capital. The ASCC is for a Southeast Asia bonded together in partnership as â€Å"a community of caring and sharing societies†. The ASCC Plan of Action contains four core elements: (1) Building a community of caring societies, (2) managing the social impact of economic integration, (3) Enhancing environmental sustainability, and (4) strengthening the foundations of regional social cohesion towards an ASEAN Community. In 2005, member countries agreed to establish an ASEAN Charter, which would serve as the legal and institutional framework for the regional organization and the ASEAN Community. Although it will not take on any supranational functions, with its ambitious goals, the ASEAN Community is believed to have far-reaching and important impacts on the lives of the people in Southeast Asia. ASEAN Charter The ASEAN Charter was adopted at the 13th ASEAN Summit in November 2007. On December 15, 2008, the members of ASEAN met in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta to launch a charter, signed in November 2007, with the aim of moving closer to an EU-style community. The charter turns ASEAN into a legal entity and aims to create a single free-trade area for the region encompassing 500 million people. It has strengthened ASEAN’s conflict/ dispute management mechanism to give it more ‘bite’ in the eyes of regional and global players. The Charter re-emphasizes key principles of ASEAN: â€Å"shared commitment and collective responsibility in enhancing regional peace, security and prosperity†Ã‚  and â€Å"enhanced consultations on matters seriously affecting the common interest of ASEAN† as the â€Å"ASEAN Way† of business. For better conflict management, the Charter implemented common Chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit and key ASEAN bodies, bestowing greater legal powers and mandate to the Chair to mediate and implement consensual decisions. Lastly, as a symbol of solidarity and collective identity, ASEAN has formulated a motto â€Å"One Vision, One Identity, One Community† and ASEAN anthem; absent even in EU. Other than the 3 initiatives stated above, ASEAN has also engaged in many other important meetings and initiatives to widen its political sphere and enhance its economic and security cooperation: a. East Asia Summit from 2005 b. ASEAN + 3 (China, Japan amp; Korea) summit from 1997 c. ASEAN + China summit in 2002 d. ASEAN + Japan, S Korea amp; India summit in 2003 e. Formation of Senior Economic Official Meeting (SEOM) f. Parallel functional ministerial meetings were held g. ASEAN Investment Area Council was formed h. Formation of AFTA Council i. Elevating the status of ASEAN Secretary-General to ministerial status for a 5-year term j. Initiating the ASEAN Dialogue Partners Programme with major economic in EU, Oceania, East Asia, Russia and the USA k. The launch of Asian Cooperation Dialogue in 2002 l. Annual ASEAN-EU meeting since 1995 m. Launched of ASEM in 1996 n. Launched of the ASEAN-Mekong River Development Cooperation Program (efforts to integrate LCVM into ASEAN) Sub-Regional Growth Zones between member-states) . The Mini-ASEAN Initiatives p. Track II levels meetings like the Shangri-La Dialogue and the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP). Is ASEAN still relevant? The answer is YES. ASEAN has provided a platform for coordination and collaboration and has allowed member-states to interact cordially in regional and international relations. However, it does not mean that conflicts and disagreements were absent within the region, it just meant that ASEAN has achieved considerable success through pacifism; containing rather than resolving differences peacefully among its members. In addition, ASEAN as a regional group would have a larger voice internationally against larger committees and this will continue to play an important feature in directing the future of ASEAN. ASEAN is essentially a security community that is inward-looking, gearing towards war prevention and conflict-resolution within the grouping, contrary to other forms of security arrangements such as security regime, alliance and collective security systems. As a security community, ASEAN shares common threat perceptions, mainly communist insurgency, border and ethnic issues in the 1970s and 80s. While communism may cease to be significant, new threats have emerged transnational terrorism, pandemics (SARS, Avian Influenza, HIV/Aids), transnational crimes (human trafficking, drugs, etc), natural disasters (haze, tsunami, etc), organized crime (piracy, etc). These trans-boundary threats call for collaboration across member states in order to effectively tackle these threats effectively. In combating threats to regional security, ASEAN has established various mechanisms of cooperation and adopted for implementation cooperation frameworks and action plans in the respective sectors. However, the region still faces emerging challenges and threats. To be able to stand tall against these threats to regional security, ASEAN Member Countries need to maintain their sense of community such as that manifested during the last tsunami episode. They need to exert leadership and commitment through partnership with the global community and, as a group, need to ensure that they get the priorities right. ASEAN also need to ensure that partnership with the global community will be according to local regional characteristics and needs. However, while it has to act regionally, ASEAN would need to think globally.