History of Psychology Essay

The development of modern psychology has roots that can be found well past the 19th century. This paper will identify philosophers who are historically related to the beginnings of psychology as a formal discipline. It will also identify philosophers in the western tradition who were primary contributors to the formation of psychology as a discipline. The development of the science of psychology during the 19th century will also be explored. Philosophy is not the same as psychology. However, several philosophers provided the necessary foundations for modern psychology (Goodwin,2008). Two philosophers that are historically related to the beginning of psychology as a formal discipline are Plato and Aristotle. During the fourth and fifth centuries, Plato and Aristotle were the prominent philosophers. Ironically, Aristotle was Plato’s student (Bennett,2007). However, they did have different thoughts on explaining the â€Å"soul†, which was the common term used for the mind. The view that Plato held was that the soul was composed of three parts: the thymos(emotion), nous (intellect) and menos (rage). He also believed that the soul was incorporeal or not material (Bennett,2007). Aristotle on the other hand, distinguished three different kinds of soul: rational, sensitive and nutritive and thought it impossible for an incorporeal soul to interact with a corporeal body (Bennett,2007). So in other words, Aristotle thought that both mind and body, that the mind is not a spirit, but is substantial. These two philosophers unknowingly laid the foundation for psychology. Even in this modern age we still do not have a clear understanding of all the attributes of the psyche, such as cognitive, emotional and responses work. Following Plato and Aristotle, around the 17th century, one of the topics of discussions of human psychology was whether or not humans are born with knowledge and understanding of reality, or are they acquired through experiences and interactions with the world. John Locke is one of the two major philosophers of the western tradition that was a primary contributor to the formation of psychology as a discipline. John  Locke was a British philosopher with an empiricist view. His theory stated, that at birth, the mind was a blank slate, onto which experiences of what a person sees, hears, smells, tastes and feels are written (Goodwin,2008). So in other words there is no store of knowledge, but through our senses, our knowledge comes. This debate stills continues today and it is referred to the nature versus nurture. The other important philosopher is during the 19th century was John Stuart Mill, who was also British. John Stuart Mill, was the son of an important British philosopher. Mill senior used the empiricist and associationist doctrine to shape Mill junior (Goodwin,2008). Johns Stuart Mill was also empiricist, like John Locke. However, he did not restrict himself to solely the empiricist views. He believed that,† a complex idea, is formed by the blending together of several simpler ones.† In 1843, John Stuart Mill published, A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive, Being Connected View of the principles of Evidence and the Methods of Scientific Investigation, which was the foundational rules for conducting empirical research (Goodwin,2008). Both Locke and Mills advocated that empiricism, knowledge that is obtained from the senses (simplypsychology.org,2012, is the most practical and scientific approach to understanding the human psyche. The development of the science of psychology during the 19th century ushered in Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920), who some say is the founder of modern psychology. Wundt developed structuralism. He believed that the mind and behavior can be subject to scientific analysis. William James (1842-1910) also brought in a new approach to psychology called functionalism. James is known for his work, Principles of Psychology, the belief that mentality must be seen as an ongoing process and not fragmented into bits of consciousness. In conclusion, the history of psychology is important for three reasons. First is still a young science. Second, it is important to understanding the heritability of traits. Third, the past can provide unity for psychology’s future (Goodwin,2008). All of the great philosophers of ancient times made discoveries that have aided in modern day psychology as a respectable and scientific discipline. References http://www.simplypsychology.org/science-psychology.html Retrieved November 3, 2012 Bennett, M. (2007). Development of the concept of mind. Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Psychiatry, 41(12), 943-956. Goodwin, C. J. (2008) A history of modern psychology (3rd ed). Hoboken, NJ:Wiley

Organizational Behavior Essay

Organizational Behavior Instructor: Rachana Misraraj December 10, 2012 Organizational Behavior Analysis Organizational Behavior is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. â€Å"Organizational behavior is a misnomer. It is not the study of how organizations behave, but rather the study of individual behavior in an organizational setting. This includes the study of how individuals behave alone, as well as how individuals behave in groups(Werthiem, 2004). † The purpose of organizational behavior is to gain a greater understanding of those factors that influence individual and group dynamics in an organizational setting so that individuals and the groups and organizations to which they belong may become more efficient and effective. The field also includes the analysis of organizational factors that may have an influence upon individual and group behavior. Much of organizational behavior research is ultimately aimed at providing human resource management professionals with the information and tools they need to select, train, and retain employees in a fashion that yields maximum benefit for the individual employee as well as for the organization. The purpose of the paper below is to analyze the organizational behavior of my current or former employer (current: Street, Water, and Sewer Department for my town), by describing how each of the components listed below influences the behavior of the organization in a negative or positive manner, and they include, the Type of culture (Pluralism, Dualism or Salad bowl? ); Modes of communication (Describe the dominant communication form used, e. g. written or verbal); Nature of authority (recognized social rank); Motivational techniques (Describe the motivational driving forces e. g. Intrinsic or extrinsic used to influence productivity and performance? ); Areas of EQ incorporated (Describe how the organization embraces the theory of emotional intelligence); and How are the components of a virtual organization embraced? (Explain how the organization embraces new paradigms such as teleworking and virtual offices? ). Grasping a complex and knowledgeable understanding on why, when, where and how, organizational behavior functions and operates, can provide great tools and skills to an individual or organization to better manage behavior and productivity within a company. I currently work for as a laborer for the Water/Sewer department for my county/town. As a member of the STREET department which is responsible for the maintenance and repair of City roads and right-of-ways; maintenance and repair of drainage located on City property; installation and maintenance of signs and roadway markings; and removal of snow and ice. The Employee’s operates, maintains and repairs various machinery, tools, and equipment. As for the water department, this position is responsible for maintenance and repair of City’s WATERLINE system. Installs any and all new additions to the existing distribution system as well as performs necessary maintenance and or repairs to any part of the water distribution system. Performs miscellaneous duties such as operating and repairing equipment, general clean up, concrete finishing, painting, etc. Uses various hand tools, power tools, heavy equipment and machinery. As a member of the WASTEWATER(Sewer)Department which is responsible for maintenance and repair of the City’s sewer line system. Employee performs necessary maintenance, repairs, and/or replacement of sewer system components. Employee uses various hand tools, power tools, heavy equipment, trucks, and machinery. Employee performs miscellaneous duties such as operating and repairing equipment, general clean up, concrete finishing, painting, etc. Good communications skills are required as this position frequently deals directly with the public. The primary hours of this position are Monday through Friday during the day; however, extended shifts and overtime on weekends, evenings, and holidays may be required. Therefore organizational behavior skills are a must. Type of culture (Pluralism, Dualism or Salad bowl? ) Culture can be defined as the cultivated behavior that is socially transmitted. It involves the accumulation of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, experiences, religion, relations, concepts of the universe, values, meanings, roles, notions of time, relations, material possessions and objects acquired and a way of life of a group of people throughout the generations. When it comes to the type of culture on my job I would have to describe it as a pluralism type of culture. This refers to the type of culture whereby smaller groups of people within a large society tend to maintain their unique culture identities and their values, behaviors and identities are well accepted by the wider society or culture. The minor groups of people participate fully within the dominant society while still maintaining their cultural differences. It involves coexistent of different cultures in a location without the domineering of one particular culture. The human differences that exist are accepted by the majority and hence it eliminates discrimination in the form of racialism or sexism. It can also be refereed to as multiculturalism (Henry, 2011). † Within the three departments that I participate and work in, there are 5 different nationalities of workers who coincide within the organization, and they include African American, Mexican, Caucasian, Latino, and American Indian. Each and every one of these individuals, have their own way of living, eating, etc.. But when everyone clocks in in the morning, we are all one cohesive group, who knows that the main goal is to come to work, be safe, respect your fellow co-worker, get the job done in a professional manner, and most importantly be in the best interest of the tax payers and the town in general, while at the same time excepting who each individual is a person, where they come from, and their cultural differences. This influences the company in a positive manner because, it incorporates good behavior on the job, respect for the job, positive progress for the people participating at the job, and goal completion. Modes of communication (Describe the dominant communication form used, e. g. written or verbal) â€Å"Communication consists of transmitting, receiving, and processing information. In organizations, communications flow between individuals, between levels in the organizational hierarchy, between departments, and between the company and outside publics. Effective communication has often been linked to interpersonal and company success (Baak, 2012). † Communication is of high importance on any job, especially the one that I work for, due to the risks that are associated with the work and projects that we take on. Even though we may use written communication from time to time, describing what our daily goals and tasks are, verbal communication is the dominant mode of communication throughout the organization. Whether it be verbal or non verbal, both revolve around the importance of everyone, working in sync with one another and most importantly working safely around your fellow co-worker. One example is, when we are replacing larger water lines (12 inches in diameter) within a trench, which may be at a depth of 2ft to 14ft. Therefore, when a worker is in the trench digging around and locating the pipe, there must to be a competent person at the top of the trench looking for cracks or imperfections in the walls, where a potential cave in could happen, injuring or killing the person in the hole. So, verbal communication is regularly used when there is no machinery running, and you have to alarm the workers of a dangerous situation. And non-verbal communication is used, when a gas powered saw is in operation to cut a pipe, in which, the worker cannot hear you verbally, thus non verbal actions and communication are used to alarm the worker of potential danger and they are pulled out of the trench before anything catastrophic occurs. On that note, this influences the company on a postive level, because, both verbal and non-verbal communication is the dominant and vital mode of communication, that provides protection for a safe work environment. Nature of authority (recognized social rank) The nature of authority is also very important on my job because, each individual respects the fact that one should not go over the next persons head of authority, or having curiosity about a co-workers way of life without discussing it with them first. Because, there are individuals on the job who have been there 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, etc, therefore when you join a team or a group of people, you become part of that organizations social system, and you must adjust and relate to that world of work. â€Å"The variables in an organizational system operate in a working balance called social equilibrium. Individuals make a psychological contract that defines their personal relationship with the system. â€Å"When they contribute to the organization’s success, we call their behavior functional. The broad environment that people live in is their social culture, and a major change in it can lead to cultural shock. People need to accept and appreciate the value that cultural differences can contribute to the success of an organization (www. angel fire. com). † â€Å"Other important cultural factors include the work ethic and corporate attitudes toward social responsibility. Role is the pattern of action expected of a person in activities involving others. Related ideas are role perceptions mentors, role conflict, and role ambiguity. Status is the social rank of a person in a group, and it leads to status systems and possibly status anxiety. Organizational cultures reflect the assumptions and values that guide a firm. They are intangible but powerful influences on employee behavior. Participants learn about their organization’s culture through the process of socialization and influence it through individualization (www. angel fire. com). On that note, the nature of authority can be both positive and negative, because, from a negative standpoint it can be used for growth in power in domination. But from a positive standpoint, it can be sued for uplifting other coworkers, by improvising their skills, capabilities and more importantly, their motivational drive on the job. Motivational techniques (Describe the motivational driving forces e. g. Intrins ic or extrinsic used to influence productivity and performance? ) Due to the constant and unpredictable adjustments that my organization goes through, behavior can change in a instant, with each and every individual on the job. Therefore, motivational techniques are a concurrent thing, on a day to day basis. â€Å"There is no doubt that motivation is the driving force by which humans achieve their goals. Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the actions required to achieve a goal, without relying on external rewards or pressures (Amin, 2011). † In my organization the motivational driving force is intrinsic, because pride is everything to a man more than anything, therefore everyone on the job feels a sense of obligation to achieve the goals presented to them to their best ability. Productivity and performance stays at an all time high and positive level, thus, whatever daily goal is presented to us, is handled with confidence and integrity. Our motivation consist of reminding ourselves that what we do, is what we enjoy to do, what we do is appreciated by the tax payers & family and most importantly we enjoy knowing that our skills and capabilities are worth the time and effort that we put forth to learn and achieve the skills and tools to complete present and future organizational objectives. Areas of EQ incorporated (Describe how the organization embraces the theory of emotional intelligence) Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic. And it consists of four branches that include perceiving emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding emotions and managing emotions (Cher ry, 2012). † Based on the high demands of my job, my co-workers and myself included, may at times have high emotions about whether something on the job is not going right, and show some form of frustration without even knowing it sometimes. Therefore my our organization constantly issues EQ (emotional intelligence ), reminder courses, that helps the crews keep a stable mind set when working in dangerous areas, and if something goes wrong, we use the EQ tools to control and manage our emotions for the sake/safety of our well being the others that are around. EQ classes have been very positive for the organization over the past 5 years, and every since the integration there have been no altercations, accidents, or incidents on the job at all. A 100% success rate. How are the components of a virtual organization embraced? (Explain how the organization embraces new paradigms such as teleworking and virtual offices? ) â€Å"Traditional brick and mortar businesses may become a thing of the past. Today’s modern workplace has embraced the virtual environment. The ultimate goal of the virtual organization is to provide innovative, high-quality products or services instantaneously in response to customer demands (Hamilton, 2012). On that note, my organization has embraced the components of a virtual organization on a very positive and useful level. For example, in the Water/sewer department, we are responsible for the distribution of bills/and cut-off notices for the water use throughout the city. For decades, this task was done by hand; by hand I mean driving to each and every house in the city, knocking on the door, and handing the customer their water/sewer bill for that month. Ever since the company embraced the compo nents of a virtual organization, these tasks are now obsolete. Now we contact the customers, through email, text messaging, and voicemails. When the customer has a question about their bill, they are able to contact the office and have a videoconference with the workers in the water/sewer department, to discuss whatever problem they are having with their water/sewer bill, or their water/sewer in general. My organization has also embrace the concept of a virtual organization in the street department. When there is a down power line, streetlight, street sign, blocked up drain pipes, etc. my organization has integrated a beacon system that alerts us when any of these incidents have occurred and in what area. All we have to do is acknowledge the beacon alert, log on to our computers, locate the problem, and proceed to fix the issue at hand. Integrating the components of a virtual organization has been immensely helpful and positive to our over all daily tasks and duties. In conclusion, Organizational Behavior is the study and application of knowledg e about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. The purpose of organizational behavior is to gain a greater understanding of those factors that influence individual and group dynamics in an organizational setting so that individuals and the groups and organizations to which they belong may become more efficient and effective. Culture can be defined as the cultivated behavior that is socially transmitted. It involves the accumulation of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, experiences, religion, relations, concepts of the universe, values, meanings, roles, notions of time, relations, material possessions and objects acquired and a way of life of a group of people throughout the generations. When it comes to the type of culture on my job I would have to describe it as a pluralism type of culture. Communication consists of transmitting, receiving, and processing information. In organizations, communications flow between individuals, between levels in the organizational hierarchy, between departments, and between the company and outside publics. Effective communication has often been linked to interpersonal and company success. The nature of authority is also very important on my job because, each individual respects the fact hat one should not go over the next persons head of authority, or having curiosity about a co-workers way of life without discussing it with them first. Due to the constant and unpredictable adjustments that my organization goes through, behavior can change in a instant, with each and every individual on the job. Therefore, motivational techniques are a concurrent thing, on a day to day basis. Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perce ive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic. And it consists of four branches that include perceiving emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding emotions and managing emotions. Traditional brick and mortar businesses may become a thing of the past. Today’s modern workplace has embraced the virtual environment. The ultimate goal of the virtual organization is to provide innovative, high-quality products or services instantaneously in response to customer demands. All in all the purpose of the paper above, was to analyze the organizational behavior of my current or former employer (current: Street, Water, and Sewer Department for my town), by describing how each of the components listed below influences the behavior of the organization in a negative or positive manner, and they include, the Type of culture (Pluralism, Dualism or Salad bowl? ); Modes of communication (Describe the dominant communication form used, e. g. written or verbal); Nature of authority (recognized social rank); Motivational techniques (Describe the motivational driving forces e. . Intrinsic or extrinsic used to influence productivity and performance? ); Areas of EQ incorporated (Describe how the organization embraces the theory of emotional intelligence); and How are the components of a virtual organization embraced? (Explain how the organization embraces new paradigms such as teleworking and virtual offices? ). Grasping a complex and knowledgeable understanding on why, when, where and how, organizational behavior functions and operates, can provide great tools and skills to an individual or organization to better manage behavior and productivity within a company. References Amin,. (July 21, 2011). Motivate your team intrinsically or extrinsically? Retrieved on December 10, 2012 from http://blog. 7geese. com/2011/07/21/intrinsic-vs-extrinsic-motivation/ Baack, D. (2012). Organizational behavior. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc Cherry, K. (2012). What Is Emotional Intelligence? Definitions, History, and Measures of Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved on December 10, 2012 from http://psychology. about. com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/emotionalintell. htm Hamilton, D. Dr. (April 23, 2012). Today’s Organizations Embracing Virtual Business. Retrieved on December 10, 2012 from http://drdianehamilton. wordpress. com/2012/04/23/todays-organizations-embracing-virtual-business/ Henry,. (April 4, 2004). Culture Definitions and Types. Retrieved on December 10, 2012 from http://language. ezinemark. com/culture-definitions-and-types-17b25a011fd. html Wertheim, E. G. (February 22, 2004). Historical Background of Organizational Behavior. Retrieved on December 10, 2012 from http://ehcweb. ehc. edu/faculty/ljcumbo/downfiles/historyofOB. pdf http://www. angelfire. com/blues/cannonsessays/org_behavior/ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAV

Ageing Experience And Psychological Well Being Social Work Essay

Ageing Experience And Psychological Well Being Social Work Essay There are two potential determinates that might influence quality of life and psychological well-being of elderly people. Firstly there are the objective factors that are income, health, status and age and intuitively, usually having more of these things means greater quality of life. However, in various research based on happiness of the elderly people, objective factors are less powerful than one might expect as Lyubomirsky et al; cited in the research article titled ‘Psychological Acceptance and quality Of Life in the Elderly,'(2007). The research suggested that objective factors account for about 8 to 15 % of the difference in happiness. So, †Do people get less happy as they get older?† and their well- being while ageing has been discussed by various researchers in order to define the concept of successful ageing but there is still a lack of consensus on what defines a successful ageing. The various researches on the relationship between old age and well-being have been at many times assessed through life satisfaction, happiness and morale. 2.2 Theories of ageing In attempting to explain the ageing process and moreover the elderly experience with family support in this particular study, the theories of ageing, which describes the ageing process and what it implies will be taken into account. 2.2.1 Activity theory, developed by Havighurst and associates in 1953, asserts that remaining active and engaged with society is primordial to satisfaction in old age. The theory asserts that positive relationships in the aged individual’s level of participation in social activity leads to life satisfaction as active aging equals successful aging. Activity can be physical or intellectual in nature so as to replace those interests and relationships that have been diminished or lost over time. This theory proposes that elderly people need to remain active in a variety of social spheres as for instance with family or friends because activity is pr eferable to inactivity as it facilitates well-being on multiple levels that is assuming that activity is vital to well-being. Activity theory proposes that social activity and involvement with others results in an increased ability to cope with aging, improved self-concept, and enhanced emotional adjustment to the aging process (Lee, 1985). 2.2.2 Disengagement theory was proposed by Cumming and Henry (1961). This theory states that ‘aging is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement; resulting in decreased interaction between the ageing person and others in the social system he belongs to’ (Cumming and Henry, 1961, p.2). Disengagement theory thus assumes that social involvement decreases with aging and that successful ageing is best achieved through abandoning social roles and relationships and by the individual reducing both activities and involvement. Proponents of this theory maintain that this separation is desired by society and older adults, and serves as such to maintain social equilibrium. While high morale is evident at the completion of the process, the transition is characterized by low morale. However, this theory has been strongly criticized by researchers who found a lack of evidence from older people disengaging from their surroundings. Whereas older people social relationships change and that they possibly have fewer ties, it was found that these relationships were often deeper and more significant.

Leadership and Ethics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and Ethics - Coursework Example 23-30). However, ethics and good leadership are subjective topics and are commonly a reflection of the civilization. Therefore, the perceptions change depending on the context and time of argument. In my view, an ethical leader demonstrates normatively appropriate conduct based on personal attributes and interpersonal relationships. Such leaders coordinate followers through a structured two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making. In line with the theme of focus, ethical leadership framework manifests through strategic planning, cultural transformation, and leadership development. My concept of ethical leadership entails distinctive principles. First, an ethical leader guides the organization to deliver services beyond legal obligations. Frequently, the principle involves doing more than the minimum requirement of following the established federal laws and regulations (Fluker, 2009, p. 34-30). Corporations that apply this principle benefit from lower employee turnover, greater customer loyalty, and maximum profits. For example, giving more may entail environmental stewardship, better remunerations and management of the product chain. Second, ethical leadership principle elaborates the importance of business honesty. Therefore, ethical leaders promise what they are capable of deliver, engage in honest advertising, and inform employees about issues that might affect job security and practices fair competition. In common, business honesty also translates into maximized income and success. Similarly, leadership strategy that lacks ethical clarity results to economic and moral bankruptcy. In line with the highlighted principles, unethical leadership structures contribute to business failures. The approach typically creates mistrust among employees, suppliers and customers. An unethical practice also exposes the company to unnecessary legal dilemmas and attracts several fines or bans. Achievement of the

Communication in an Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication in an Organization - Essay Example However, those with a good communication, they are able to overcome most of the hurdles that might be faced in the organization. Having effective form of communication in an organization is very important to both the employer and employees to maintain an essential relationship between them. Incase anything needs to be done in the organization; the manager has to pass the information to the employees. This information has to be passed effectively or else, any breakdown will result in the poor communication thus affecting the whole system. A good communication takes place when the manager has got some tips on how to effectively communicate with his employees. Therefore, it can be correctly argued that with good communication, the organization will be faced with few or no chances of misunderstanding and misrepresentation, thus reducing the cases of management problems. Another importance of good communication to be considered is that it is an important tool that can be used to motivate the employees in the organization. Poor communication in the organization has been the main cause of conflict between the employees and the management thus resulting in too low morale among the employees during the working period. To increase the morale, the managers should be able to clarify to employees what is to be done and how well to be executed, and as well what can be done to improve their motivation at work. A manager can outline the company objectives to the employees so that they are able to merge them with their personal objectives so that they have a common goal for the organization. Employees can use communication to air their grievances to their seniors or the management. A speedy and effective communication in the organization helps the employees to avoid such cases as delays and misunderstandings in the organization. In the end, it is possible that with this, there will always be harmony in the organization, particularly between the employees and the employers. Communication in the organization can either be verbal or written. Written communication needs to be clear and precise in order to avoid any cases of misinterpretation of the information. Written communication is advantageous as it provides a record for future reference and allows the employees to put their comments or suggestions in writing, which it can also be found for future reference. Good communication in the organization can be a very important factor in creating a stronger relationship as well improving the bottom line. "The 2005/2006 Communications ROI Study conducted by Watson Wyatt Worldwide found that between 2000 and 2004, companies with the most effective employee communication programs returned 57 percent more to their shareholders than companies with the least effective communications programs", (http://www.ceridian.com/myceridian/connection/content/1,4268,13444-60420,00.html para 2). It has thus been found out that communication is important in driving superior performance of the organization. This is due to various reasons. One is that, with good communication, the employees feel that they have a certain connection to the business, in which, it will be possible for them to understand their actions within the organization and thus be in position to support it. This can as well be very important to the new employees as they will be able to adapt easily to the company's culture. Furthermore, good

DEFEATING THE LOGIC OF ISLAMIST TERRORISM Assignment

DEFEATING THE LOGIC OF ISLAMIST TERRORISM - Assignment Example The findings mentioned in the article actually highlights the overall weaknesses in the ideology of Islamic terrorist organizations and US can actually take efforts to help modern elements within Muslim countries to encourage such thinking. As discussed in the article, the overall battle is not only fought based upon the physical strength of the enemy but also upon the overall psychology, beliefs and ideas of the enemy too. US, due to its military and political power can subvert the governments however; the war on terror is relatively a different war. Islamic terrorist organizations are also making efforts to win it through ideas and raising general sentiments against West and US. Winning the battle of ideas therefore is of critical importance as it will not only allow US to reduce the number of supporters but can also help in future to actually allow more Modern Muslims to become the voice of Islamic world and not the

A Study on the Apostolic Creed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Study on the Apostolic Creed - Essay Example But what is difficult for us to understand is this Powerful Being; whose powers we can barely even begin to comprehend actually personally cares about us. Even David asks Him, â€Å"what is man that You care about him so much†. We know that God cares about us and protects us. Our Parents take care of us and protect us. Our Mother nurtures us. Our Father protects us and guides us. For me that is the most natural way to look at God, as a Father. And the reason for that is not to assign him male attributes, because he is beyond that but because I see in Him somebody who cares and protects me, but also gives order and meaning to my life. And this in no way means that I consider a Mother’s role secondary in a family , because it is not but because the Father is the Head of the household and you can trust Him to take care of it. Many religions and many individuals have a very private approach to religion. In these readings you will find that there is an underlying communal approach found in the Catholic Church. From what you have read, why do you think Catholics emphasize communal religion and/or which reason do you find most satisfying for this approach even if it is not your personal style. The Catholic Church stresses the communal dimension of all the sacraments, seeing them as "community events," not private rituals.2 The reason for that I think is that for many years and even perhaps centuries , the church seemed a distant organization which the Church Parish had to observe as spectators. That is actually quite ironic considering that crucification of Jesus Christ the Curtain separating the Tabernacle from the people was torn in half since now there was nothing separating man and God. The communal nature of the Catholic Church involves everybody in the Church Parish and in many ways takes the Church to them and so it is something personal to them. Experience and response is the focal point of these readings. What was the most unique experience Christians had of Christ (according to The Creed) and what are some of the ways they responded The unique experience which Christians had of Christ was that By his Revelation, the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addressed men as his friends, and moved among them, in order to invite and receive them into His company. When the Lord of the Universe comes down among us and extends an Invitation to us, the only thing we can do is accept it. And that is what the Christians did by faith and belief.3 The Faith was to God , but the belief was twofold , it was to the Truth and to the Person who was witness to the truth. Teilhard de Chardin has a very mystical view of creation and our participation in it. What are two or three of the most interesting things he has to say about this relationship and what do you think they mean. Teilhard de Chardin thinks that creation was not one act at one moment but is a continuous event. And indeed that is way it makes most sense theologically. We know on a personal level that God deeply cares about us and knows the smallest thing which effects us. But at the same time we want to say the He created this Universe long ago in one instant and then left it alone. Creation is not an event but is something which is continuous and indeed continues even now. Our limited understanding perhaps required this to be a linear event. But God is beyond time and space. And that is why this apparent argument between Religion and

Piety and Impiety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Piety and Impiety - Essay Example This meant he was more likely to face the consequences of his actions as those against him yielded the power to prosecute him. According to Plato’s (Socrates close friend) account, Socrates prosecution was masterminded by Anytus, a leading democrat. In the years before Socrates trial, the Tyrants had taken over Athens, these were lead by Critias, a former pupil of Socrates (Brickhouse and Smith 26). Many of the Athenians who supported the democrats and the democrats who were overthrown by the tyrants viewed Criatias actions as emanating from Socrates teachings. The fact that Critias made it clear that he had cast aside the follies of his youth, such as education, did not change the Athenians view of Socrates role in the growth of the tyrants. Soon after, the Tyrants were replaced by the democrats. As a sign of reconciliation and a means of healing the wounds of the civil war Socrates perceived role was sidestepped. However, Anytus who was a leading voice among the democrats wa s not as forgiving. His actions were not only a result of the civil war but were mostly personal as his son was a keen follower of Socrates teachings. ... The first of these charges was impiety. Under impiety, Socrates was accused of believing in multiple gods of which the state never believed in. In extension, he failed to seek divine explanations and instead sought natural explanation for natural phenomenon. The second charge was that he corrupted the young, as part of the charge Socrates was accused of invoking a spirit of criticism among the youth (Fagan and John 121). As part of his regular teachings Socrates received great audience from the youth across all social groups in Athens, he critically evaluated prominent individuals in the marketplace. In his cross-examination of prominent people such as poets, artisans, and statesmen Socrates often dismissed them as lacking in knowledge and believing to know more than they actually did (Brickhouse and Smith 26). It is his ability to criticize those in power that he struck a code with the young and this had a profound effect among them. As stated, Socrates trial was a result of witch h unting and a bulk of what Socrates was accused of was a misrepresentation or misinterpretation of his engagements in Athens. According to the Athenians, piety was a representation of several engagements. Key among these was respect for the gods, the dead and the ancestors. They believed that any impious person was only attracting the wrath of the gods and the entire society would suffer in return, mainly through plague and sterility. Impiety charge was thus a serious charge among the Athenians. Because Socrates was a critique of existent practice it is possible that any of his words or actions would have translated to an impiety charge. A keen follower of moral instructions, Socrates may have failed to take part in significant religious festivals. Further, he attracted

No more excuses, Hollywood needs to hire more female directors Research Paper - 1

No more excuses, Hollywood needs to hire more female directors - Research Paper Example The reasons for the Second World War are not hard to plumb. The major driving forces of the Second World War started to show immediately after the end of the First World War. The antagonism between old enemies, which were involved in the First World War, was still very strong. Since the First World War came to an end the credibility gap was growing between such European countries as Germany and France, for instance. Tensions in Europe mounted and little was done to stop the inconsistencies. Furthermore, riding on the wave of deep social problems, populism and economic challenges of the post-war Europe a considerable number of aggressive authoritarian regimes began to come to power across the continent. Fascist or authoritarian regimes were established in Hungary in 1920, Italy in 1922, Bulgaria in 1923, Albania in 1924, Greece in 1925 and Portugal in 1926.1 Fascism and revisionism started penetrating deep in the political structure of Europe, which jeopardized the established pattern of international intercourse and peace between nations. A dangerous trend for revision of the existing national boundaries in the world had been growing in strength within political discourse of such countries as Germany or Italy for many years. After the Nazi party came to power in Germany in 1933 the escalation of revisionism seemed to gain momentum and aggressive revanchist rhetoric became dangerously popular with German society. Nazi Germany started to systematically violate the most significant provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed between the warring parties of the First World War in 1919 and put an end to the war. In contempt of the Treaty of Versailles, Nazi Germany started restoring the military forces of the country in 1935. In 1938 Germany annexed Austria, which was the direct violation of the treaty as well and it ceased to exist de facto.2 It must be

Press release event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Press release event - Essay Example Buses will leave for Bradford Woods from the School of Public Health – Bloomington building, on Oct 15th @ 8am. Culture of Care emphasizes the Bystander Intervention Mechanism to help students demonstrate care for one another. The program encourages them to adopt an active approach for the delivery of care to other members of the society, as this is essential to overcome the obstacles that arise due to the more prevalent Bystander Effect. Many of us are well-aware of the reluctance that is demonstrated by our people regarding performance of social duties. Considering every social responsibility to be the duty of others is the primary reason behind the Bystander Effect; a phenomenon that is detrimental to our society as a whole. This encouragement program targets Hoosiers to rise to the occasion and have the courage to care, by learning about overcoming the Bystander Effect. Goal of the retreat is to answer questions pertaining to what, why and how this initiative is important. The topics pertaining to social and psychological well-being are of the highest priority and will be addressed accordingly. The aim is to bring about a positive change in the behaviors of the members of the society by educating them in a way that is informal yet contributory towards the learning of the society as a whole. Being the first-ever retreat hosted by this initiative, the event will inspire fresh ideas brought forward by students to make the campus a safer place for all. Revolving around the notion of Bystander Effect, the activity will seek to find answer to questions

Perceptions of Children who Present Challenging Behavior Essay Example for Free

Perceptions of Children who Present Challenging Behavior Essay Challenging Behavior among children stems out from various intricate and interrelated factors. Often times, the family and the educators are not able to properly address the needs of these children due to the lack of information, education and support. Strain and Joseph (2004) revealed that 73% of educators perceived that challenging behaviors among children has been significantly increasing. But surprisingly, educators are facing problems and some are even not that willing to help and assist children with challenging behavior. Strain and Joseph (2004) 70% revealed that teachers who handle students with challenging behavior claimed that children with such make them feel stressed, while 60% said that it has a negative effect on their job satisfaction. The case of June (Laursen, 2005) reveals how educators perceive children with challenging behavior, and how a child who encounters behavior difficulties relates with her peers and her educators. Most of her teachers are not that positive in terms of doing an extra work in terms of helping her overcome her difficulties in school because of her attitude. As such, an education plan was set in order to help her. June was made to sign a behavioral contract that furthers the agreement that she should stay awake in school, not yell at adults, not assault anyone and attend the group meeting all day (Laursen, 2005, para 2). According to Reichle and Wacker (1997), the most effective venue for the assessment of challenging behavior could be conducted in natural environments such as home, school and local community (para 2). also emphasized that Communications Based Interventions are the best approach in terms of dealing with challenging behavior (para 4). The Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is tailored to meet the specific needs of the child and also takes into careful consideration all of the contexts in which problems with regard to challenging behaviors emerge. The model devised by Dunlap and Fox (1999) as cited from Fox, Dunlap and Powell (2002) creates an Individualized Support Program (ISP) that seeks to help the family and the childs care givers in order to change his or her difficult behavior.

Databse Approach Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Example for Free

Databse Approach Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Each individual record is represented as a row, and each attribute as a column. Entity types are related to each other using  1:N  mappings, also known as  one-to-many  relationships. This model is recognized as the first database model created by IBM in the 1960s. The  network structure  consists of more complex relationships. Unlike the hierarchical structure, it can relate to many records and accesses them by following one of several paths. In other words, this structure allows for many-to-many relationships. The  network model  is a  database model  conceived as a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships. Its distinguishing feature is that the schema, viewed as a graph in which object types are nodes and relationship types are arcs, is not restricted to being a hierarchy or lattice. Example of a Network Model. The network models original inventor was  Charles Bachman, and it was developed into a standard specification published in 1969 by the  CODASYL  Consortium. The  object-oriented structure  has the ability to handle graphics, pictures, voice and text, types of data, without difficultly unlike the other database structures. This structure is popular formultimedia  Web-based applications. It was designed to work with object-oriented programming languages such as  Java. The dominant model in use today is the ad hoc one embedded in  SQL, despite the objections of purists who believe this model is a corruption of the relational model since it violates several fundamental principles for the sake of practicality and performance. Many DBMSs also support the  Open Database Connectivity  API  that supports a standard way for programmers to access the DBMS. Before the database management approach, organizations relied on file processing systems to organize, store, and process data files. End users criticized file processing because the data is stored in many different files and each organized in a different way. Each file was specialized to be used with a specific application. File processing was bulky, costly and inflexible when it came to supplying needed data accurately and promptly. Data redundancy is an issue with the file processing system because the independent data files produce duplicate data so when updates were needed each separate file would need to be updated. Another issue is the lack of data integration. The data is dependent on other data to organize and store it.

The Past, Present Future of Mäori Smokers

The Past, Present Future of Mà ¤ori Smokers Introduction Tobacco with the scientific name of Nicotiana tabacum is a plant known to originate on South America during prehistoric times and spread northward to North America. Long before Columbus discovered America 5000 years ago it was believed that the Native Americans already adapted, domesticated and refined the use of tobacco. Europeans and Spanish explorers spread tobacco to Europe and then to Asia including here in New Zealand, since then â€Å"tobacco is the fastest spreading plant in human history† (Herrick, C., Herrick, C., Mitchel, M. 2010). Native Americans first use this by shamans (medicine men) in sacred ceremonies by drying the leaves and smoking it in pipes. Tobacco have played an important role in the history, it is an important bartering product during the precolonial times and was one of the cause in the spread of slavery and the means to win the war for the independence of America. Now a days, many people all over the world use tobacco as a recreation despite the ma ny negative known effects from its use. People smoke tobacco because of its psychoactive effects which in turn relieve anxiety or a means of relaxation from stress and pressure, it stimulate the mind to be more active and sometimes cause hallucination; while most of the time people specifically the younger generations start to smoke to look mature, be like their friends and to experiment. By the time the younger generation becomes an adult, they become addicted and becomes their habit they cannot get away from in the long run. Tobacco smoking known to cause serious preventable diseases that could lead to death such as cancers of different kinds, heart diseases and stroke. This study will describe how did the Mà ¤ori people encounter tobacco smoking, the smoking trends of Mà ¤ori and lastly discuss the ways the government acts to these trends. The Beginning â€Å"Kai paipa† or literally mean eating pipe and â€Å"momi paipa† also means sucking pipe, this are the terms the early Mà ¤ori use to associate smoking but Mà ¤ori did not know tobacco smoking until 1700s when Europeans arrived in New Zealand. The first time they saw James Cook smoking a tobacco, the chief threw water over his head to see if his head was burning since smoke comes out of his mouth. He then told to the Mà ¤ori with him that if the water will put the fire out then he is human, if not then he is a demon and should be killed. After the water will run down his head, the wipe out the fire in the pipe, then it was decided that James Cook was indeed a human. Since then, tobacco was widely used as a standard trade item by 1800s. It was use a payment for Mà ¤ori (including children) for services and or as a form of gift in exchange of land and resources. By then Mà ¤ori of all gender and age become fond of tobacco smoking. Current Trends Currently there are 45.4 percent of Adult Mà ¤ori identified as smokers, this is more than two times the smoking rate of non- Mà ¤ori. 800 Mà ¤ori dies every year because of different smoking-related diseases which puts tobacco smoking as a leading cause of preventable death among Mà ¤ori in New Zealand (Ministry of Health 2009). Mà ¤ori adults have two times (women) and one and a half (men) the rate of smoking in total population. About 30 percent of Mà ¤ori women smoke during their pregnancy in New Zealand (Glover, M. et al. (2007). The number great numbers of Mà ¤ori smokers resulted to $260 million in tobacco taxes each year. Smoking during pregnancy can result to different kinds of complication to the unborn child. This complications are: Sudden infant syndrome (SIDS), premature labour and birth defects like spina bifida, cleft palate, clubfoot, congenital heart diseases and much more. Mà ¤ori begins to smoke at an average age of 14.6 years, but experimentation and initiation of smoking tobacco begins at the age of 10.7 years. On the other hand their non- Mà ¤ori counterparts initiates smoking at the age of 11.8 years old, much older than Mà ¤ori. (Paynter, J. 2008) in general, it is reported the youth got their tobacco by purchasing it themselves or from their friends and family. The rise of Mà ¤ori smokers in New Zealand subsequently also increase the number of Mà ¤ori that are exposed to second hand smoke. A report shows a 23 percent of Mà ¤ori are exposed to second hand smoke inside their homes while 10.9 percent for non- Mà ¤ori. 30.1 percent of Mà ¤ori exposed inside the car compared to 12.6 percent for their non- Mà ¤ori counterpart (New Zealand Tobacco Use Survey 2006). The current trends suggest that the overall population in New Zealand, basing on ethnicity, the Mà ¤ori are much more inclined to smoking compared to other ethnicity. The current trend on Mà ¤ori smoking rates also resulted in a 22 percent of Mà ¤ori deaths that relates to smoking compared to non- Mà ¤ori which only have 20 percent of death rate (Peto, R. 2006). The Help The principle of the treaty of Waitangi says that the crown has a duty to actively protect the Mà ¤ori interest, the word â€Å"Mà ¤ori interest† includes the health and safety. The needs of both Mà ¤ori and the wider community must be met. Health must be available to all and treat everyone â€Å"equally†. On health promotion and health programs, Mà ¤ori should get involve in the planning, delivery and monitoring in partnership with the governing body and non-government organizations for it to be successful. The Ministry of health of New Zealand set 3 objectives basing on the current trends of smoking. These are: to reduce smoking initiation, to increase quitting and lastly to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke. Different programs and promotions were establish to attain these objectives. Some of this programs/projects are: (Ministry of Health 2014) National Quit Month Is provided by ASH New Zealand (Action on Smoking and Health), this project is a national campaign with the aim to create sixty-five thousand quit attempts with the help of different networks of professionals, media, commercial or business partners and other organizations. WERO (Group stop smoking competition) Auckland UniServices are providing this project. In the project, different ethnic groups in New Zealand, including Mà ¤ori and Pacific peoples compete for the most number of smoke quitters. This is with the help of different smoking cessation provider and coach. The project hopes to initiate mass quitting, because this groups are competitive in nature. Campaign to enhance smoking cessation interventions in general practice – This project focuses on the primary care sector. This is project utilizes different kinds of media like video to present information on tobacco smoking and the ways to prevent or stop this addiction. Incentives for Pregnant women to Stop Smoking – due to an increase number of smoking pregnant women, this project will focus on the younger generation. This project will teach and guide them through intensive support and incentives like vouchers given to successful participants. Supporting Smokefree Intersectorally – Provided by Counties Manukau DHB, this projects supports smoking cessation non-government agencies or organizations in the places with greatest need primarily in the place of Counties Manukau. Quit Bus – A mobile bus which travels to different regions, especially to areas that is hard to reach. This bus will provide support with the people who wish to stop smoking. Shifting the Culture in Mental Heal Services This project aims to improve the mind-set of the current acceptance level and the encouragement of smoking. This includes the research and development of guidelines and takes it into action in the primary site. Smoke free Movement – This project provided by Massey University focuses on youth to create a smoke free movement. This includes different competitions like designing of smoke free applications or software, video blogs and video documentaries about smoking. Back to the Future: Preserving our People through Performance – This project is provided by National Heart Foundation – Tala Pasifica. This project uses the conventional methods know to different cultures or traditional methods of communication. These are though entertainment, storytelling, humour and dance. Modern ways of spreading information are fully utilize like Facebook and online blogging. Taking NRT Direct to Smokers – University of Otago is the provider of this project. This project focuses on giving smokers an opportunity to try Medsafe-approved nicotine replacement. Used as a therapy to stop smoking. This will give the smokers motivation and inspiration to quit tobacco smoking. References Broughton, J. (1996). Puffing up a storm:‘Kapai tetorori!’Dunedin: Ngai Tahu Maori Health Research Unit, Dept. of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago. Herrick, C., Herrick, C., Mitchell, M. (2010). 100 Questions Answers About How to Quit Smoking (pp 2-4). Sudbury, Massachusetts. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Lange, R. (1999)May the people live: a history of Maori health development 1900–1920. Auckland: Auckland University Press. Barnett, R. Pearce, J. Moon, G. (2004). Does socialinequality matter? Changing ethnic socio-economic disparities and Maori smoking in New Zealand, 1981-1996 Broughton, J. (1996). Puffing Up a Storm; Volume I –â€Å"Kapai te torori!† Dunedin: University of Otago Ministry of Health. 2009. Tobacco Trends 2008: A brief update of tobacco use in New Zealand. Wellington. Ministry of Health. Blakely T, Fawcett J, Hunt D, Wilson N. (2006). What is the contribution of smoking and socioeconomic position to ethnic inequalities in mortality in New Zealand? Lancet2006; 368: p. 44-52. Peto, R., Lopez, A.D., Boreham, J., Thun, M. Deaths From Smoking, Mortality From Smoking In Developed Countries 1950-2000 (2nd edition, revised June 2006) Glover M et al. (2007) Cessation support for pregnantwomen who smoke: A survey of New Zealand general practitioners and midwives. Auckland: University of Auckland Paynter, J. (2008). National Year 10 ASH Snapshot Survey, 1999-2008: Trends in tobacco use by students aged 14-15 years. New Zealand Tobacco Use Survey 2006, Wellington:Ministry of Health. Ministry of Health. 2014. Smokefree New Zealand 2025 Innovation Funding – Successful Projects. Wellington. Ministry of Health. â€Å"

Physics of Ski Waxing :: physics sport sports ski skiing wax

Skiing is one of the things to do during the winter, here in Canada. It is also cheap and easy to start, since there are ski-tracks almost everywhere and it is possible to find used skis for less then $50. Skis are pretty simple in design. Originally they were designed just as the snow shoes, though today they are much more advanced. (Wikipedia) Skis can be used just after you bought them, without doing anything to them. However, if you want your skis to perform to their best, simple maintenance needs to be performed. One of the best and easiest way to do so is to apply wax. One can be confused at first by the variety of waxes available on the market. To see that, just check ski section in local Beaver Sports store. In reality, just one or couple waxes needed to get started. I'm going to explain how to wax your skis for the diagonal stride technique and what exactly waxing does to the skis. Ski structure Cross country skis are bent vertically. That allows for using different kind of wax depending whether person is sliding or kicking. When buying skis, you should choose ones that are made for your mass. If they are for bigger person, skis will be less bendable, thus area of contact will be only on the ends. If they are for smaller person, skis will be unbent most of the time. That is not very good, because it would slow the person down. Ideally we want all the area of the ski to be in contact with the snow when pressure is applied and middle section off the snow when sliding. Friction is force dependant, meaning it changes depending on force applied. Ff = F * ÃŽ ¼ Glide wax is applied to the front and the end of the skies, this way when person removes force from one leg, friction becomes less and ski slides. The ski is unbent when force is applied to it. Friction between snow and wax in the midsection increases so that it grips enough for a kick. Coefficient of static friction of the kick wax is only big enough for "the snow irregularities dig into wax irregularities just enough to give a motionless ski bite, or grip." (Brady) At the moment when ski gains velocity, it is not at rest anymore, and since ÃŽ ¼k is less then ÃŽ ¼s, friction is not big enough to hold the ski.

Life is Beautiful :: Personal Narrative Essays

Life is Beautiful I threw my hands into the air, fell back on Emily's bed, and covered my stressed eyes with the palms of my hands. Suddenly Emily turned out the lights and whispered "night-night" in a small voice as the door closed. She did it again. Just when I thought that I was the worst teacher in the world, torturing this sweet little girl with incomprehensible questions that she just wouldn't answer, she does something to show me that she does see me, she can hear me, and more importantly, she's responding to me. Sitting up, I think, "Oh Emily, I could just pick you up, hold you, and never make you work again. But you won't let me hold you. That is why we have to do this." Renewed, I was ready to start again. Emily is a six-year-old with autism. I met her in 1996 through a baby-sitting job. This was the first time I had ever taken care of a person with a disability. Although I was a little afraid, I was excited that I would be able to do this. Emily's autism causes her to learn more slowly than other children. She doesn't communicate or respond to the outside world as most children do. It is a rare social and emotional developmental disorder. For Emily, simple tasks, such as focusing on an object or idea, become difficult, aggravating, and sometimes impossible. This makes it very hard for Emily to play a board game with her sister because she doesn't understand about rolling dice or moving the pieces. A year after meeting Emily, her mother offered me another job through an organization called Respite. I would work exclusively with Emily to reinforce her communication and self-motivation skills, and in turn, help to take down the communication barrier. I would accomplish this by being both her friend and teacher: playing with her while prompting her to talk and respond. I've been doing Respite work with Emily for three years and it has been an incredible experience. Of course there were times when I would talk to her and she would just not respond the way I wanted her to. These instances of frustration are always made up for by the times when she progresses so fast and I just have to hug her. Although I know that with her degree of autism she will never fully overcome her disabilities, it is exhilarating to see how she has improved.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Southern Traditions :: Free Essay Writer

To Kill a Mockingbird - Southern Traditions The South has always been known for its farming economy, confederate tendencies, family pride, and delicate females in ruffled dresses. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the South's familiar traditions become ostensible as a theme throughout the plot. This novel takes place in Alabama in the 1930s and tells a story about a lawyer who defends a wrongly accused black man while trying to raise his two children, Scout and Jem, as they go through life's most active learning stage. Southern ways enhance the plot of the story and give a realistic and historic perspective to the book. This portrayal of Southern culture appears in various forms of racism, hatred, meek women, and family. The Southern women were told and obligated, by some code of southern conduct, to mature into fair-smelling, perfect "ladies." By "ladies" they meant women who were well mannered, good at embroidery, and wore frilly, lacy dresses. One example of this southern tradition occurs when Aunt Alexandra comes to the Finch residence to help Atticus raise his children during the trial. When first arriving she says to Scout, "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys." This comment implies that the only subjects girls are expected to understand are boys and clothes. Aunt Alexandra makes no mention of Jean Louise's intelligence, education, or personality. Her diction suggests that the only thing Jean Louise is capable of pursuing is her attire and a man. Scout discovers what a "southern lady" is as she notices how Aunt Alexandra "chose protective garments that drew up her bosom to giddy heights, pinched in her waist, flared out her rear, and managed to suggest that Aunt Alexandra's was once an hour-glass figure." Scout was considered to be very improper, wearing overalls and pants, but Aunt Alexandra would still try and introduce her to other ladies. I assume that she did this to try and influence Scout. She hoped Scout would form lady-like habits by watching others. Another example takes place after the trial, when Jem is appalled at the decision the court makes in response to Tom Robinson's case.

Bullying Essay Essay

Bullying is when someone causes verbal, social, cyber, or physical harm to another; this is an often repeated and habitual behavior. A victim of bullying often socially lower than the bully and is less powerful. Reasons for such behaviour can include differences in race, class, sex, age and ability. Bullying can cause lots of emotional pain to the victim and change the way they feel, think, or act. Victims of bullying are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims according to studies by Yale University. In this paper, I will discuss the effects of bullying, the bully’s point of view and how we can join together to eliminate bullying once and for all. Most people who get bullied are too scared to fight back. They give the bully the reaction he or she wants and the bully is encouraged to continue what he/she is doing. We need to stand up to bullies although this may seem terrifying. We need to build up the courage. Students need to be educated on bullying. Studies show that more than half the people in Canada don’t stand up to bullying and 80% have been bystanders at one point or another. The only way to stop bullying is to work together even if you are not a victim because you may be next. Many people bully other either knowingly or unknowingly. Putting other people down helps bullies feel better about themselves. This is because they have probably been victims of bullying themselves. Lowering others’ self esteem boosts theirs and makes them feel less miserable. This is not a very good method to boost your self-esteem and bullies don’t feel better for long. At least one in three adolescents in Canada have reported being bullied recently. Bullying has adverse effects on victims in terms of health and self esteem. Victims may not want to go to school and, if they do, may not be able to focus as a result of depression. Bullying is very harmful to the mind and if it becomes a long-term thing it may even lead to suicidal thoughts. If youngsters aren’t taught about bullying, they may not know how to fight back and fall into deep depression. Even worse, they could become  bullies. In this essay, I have analyzed the harmful effects bullying can have, why bullying happens and how it can be avoided. It is a big deal to make others feel small.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 5

Five MOST DISCIPLINARY ISSUES AT the Academy went to Headmistress Kirova. She oversaw Moroi and dhampirs alike and was known for her creative and oft-used repertoire of punishments. She wasn't cruel, exactly, but she wasn't soft, either. She simply took student behavior seriously and dealt with it as she saw fit. There were some issues, however, that were beyond her jurisdiction. The school's guardians calling together a disciplinary committee wasn't unheard of, but it was very, very rare. You had to do something pretty serious to piss them off to get that sort of response. Like, say, willfully endangering a Moroi. Or hypothetically willfully endangering a Moroi. â€Å"For the last time,† I growled, â€Å"I didn't do it on purpose.† I sat in one of the guardians' meeting rooms, facing my committee: Alberta, Emil, and one of the other rare female guardians on campus, Celeste. They sat at a long table, looking imposing, while I sat in a single chair and felt very vulnerable. Several other guardians were sitting in and watching, but thankfully, none of my classmates were there to see this humiliation. Dimitri was among the watchers. He was not on the committee, and I wondered if they'd kept him off because of his potentially biased role as my mentor. â€Å"Miss Hathaway,† said Alberta, fully in her strict-captain mode, â€Å"you must know why we have a hard time believing that.† Celeste nodded. â€Å"Guardian Alto saw you. You refused to protect two Moroi – including the one whose protection you were specifically assigned to.† â€Å"I didn't refuse!† I exclaimed. â€Å"I†¦ fumbled.† â€Å"That wasn't a fumble,† said Stan from the watchers. He glanced at Alberta for permission to speak. â€Å"May I?† She nodded, and he turned back to me. â€Å"If you'd blocked or attacked me and then messed up, that would be a fumble. But you didn't block. You didn't attack. You didn't even try. You just stood there like a statue and did nothing.† Understandably, I was outraged. The thought that I would purposely leave Christian and Brandon to be â€Å"killed† by a Strigoi was ridiculous. But what could I do? I either confessed to screwing up majorly or to having seen a ghost. Neither option was appealing, but I had to cut my losses. One made me look incompetent. The other made me look insane. I didn't want to be associated with either of those. I much preferred my usual description of â€Å"reckless† and â€Å"disruptive.† â€Å"Why am I getting in trouble for messing up?† I asked tightly. â€Å"I mean, I saw Ryan mess up earlier. He didn't get in trouble. Isn't that the point of this whole exercise? Practice? If we were perfect, you'd already have unleashed us upon the world!† â€Å"Weren't you listening?† said Stan. I swore I could see a vein throbbing in his forehead. I think he was the only one there as upset as I was. At the very least, he was the only one (aside from me) showing his emotions. The others wore poker faces, but then, none of them had witnessed what had happened. If I'd been in Stan's place, I might have thought the worst of me too. â€Å"You didn't mess up, because ‘messing up' implies that you have to actually do something.† â€Å"Okay, then. I froze.† I looked at him defiantly. â€Å"Does that count as messing up? I cracked under the pressure and blanked out. It turns out I wasn't prepared. The moment came, and I panicked. It happens to novices all the time.† â€Å"To a novice who has already killed Strigoi?† asked Emil. He was from Romania, his accent a bit thicker than Dimitri's Russian one. It wasn't nearly as nice, though. â€Å"It seems unlikely.† I dealt out glares to him and everyone else in the room. â€Å"Oh, I see. After one incident, I'm now expected to be an expert Strigoi killer? I can't panic or be afraid or anything? Makes sense. Thanks, guys. Fair. Real fair.† I slumped back in my seat, arms crossed over my chest. There was no need to fake bitchy defiance. I had plenty of it to dish out. Alberta sighed and leaned forward. â€Å"We're arguing semantics. Technicalities aren't the point here. What's important is that this morning, you made it very clear you did not want to guard Christian Ozera. In fact †¦ I think you even said you wanted us to be sure we knew that you were doing it against your will and that we'd soon see what a horrible idea it was.† Ugh. I had said that. Honestly, what had I been thinking? â€Å"And then, when your first test comes around, we find you completely and utterly unresponsive.† I nearly flew out of my chair. â€Å"That's what this is about? You think I didn't protect him because of some kind of weird revenge thing?† All three of them stared at me expectantly. â€Å"You aren't exactly known for calmly and gracefully accepting things you don't like,† she replied wryly. This time, I did stand up, pointing my finger at her accusingly. â€Å"Not true. I have followed every rule Kirova laid down for me since coming back here. I've gone to every practice and obeyed every curfew.† Well, I'd fudged some of the curfews but not willfully. It had always been for the greater good. â€Å"There's no reason I'd do this as some kind of revenge! What good would it do? Sta – Guardian Alto wasn't going to really hurt Christian, so it's not like I'd get to see him punched or anything. The only thing I would accomplish is getting dragged into the middle of something like this and possibly facing removal from the field experience.† â€Å"You are facing removal from the field experience,† replied Celeste flatly. â€Å"Oh.† I sat down, suddenly not feeling as bold. Silence hung in the room for several moments, and then I heard Dimitri's voice speak from behind me. â€Å"She has a point,† he said. My heart thumped loudly in my chest. Dimitri knew I wouldn't take revenge like that. He didn't think I was petty. â€Å"If she were going to protest or take revenge, she'd do it in a different way.† Well, not too petty, at least. Celeste frowned. â€Å"Yes, but after the scene she made this morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dimitri took a few steps forward and stood beside my chair. Having his solid presence nearby comforted me. I had a flash of d? ¦j? ¤ vu, back to when Lissa and I had returned to the Academy last autumn. Headmistress Kirova had nearly expelled me, and Dimitri had stood up for me then too. â€Å"This is all circumstantial,† he said. â€Å"Regardless of how suspicious you think it looks, there's no proof. Removing her from the experience – and essentially ruining her graduation – is a bit extreme without any certainties.† The committee looked thoughtful, and I focused my attention on Alberta. She had the most power here. I'd always liked her, and in our time together, she'd been strict but always scrupulously fair. I hoped that would still hold true. She beckoned Celeste and Emil toward her, and the other two guardians leaned closer. They had a whispered conference. Alberta gave a resigned nod, and the others leaned back. â€Å"Miss Hathaway, do you have anything you'd like to say before we tell you our conclusions?† That I'd like to say? Hell, yeah. There were tons of things. I wanted to say that I wasn't incompetent. I wanted to tell them that I was one of the best novices here. I wanted to tell them that I had seen Stan coming and had been on the verge of reacting. I especially wanted to tell them that I didn't want to have this mark on my record. Even if I stayed in the field experience, I'd essentially have an F for this first test. It would affect my overall grade, which could subsequently affect my future. But again, what choice did I have? Tell them that I'd seen a ghost? The ghost of a guy who'd had a major crush on me and who had quite likely died because of that crush? I still didn't know what was going on with these sightings. One time I could write off to exhaustion†¦but I'd seen him – or it – twice now. Was he real? My higher reasoning said no, but honestly, it didn't matter at the moment. If he was real and I told them, they'd think I was crazy. If he wasn't real and I told them, they'd think I was crazy – and they'd be right. I couldn't win here. â€Å"No, Guardian Petrov,† I said, hoping I sounded meek. â€Å"Nothing more to add.† â€Å"All right,† she said wearily. â€Å"Here's what we've decided. You're lucky you have Guardian Belikov to advocate for you, or this decision might have been different. We're giving you the benefit of the doubt. You'll go on with the field experience and continue to guard Mr. Ozera. You'll just be on a probation of sorts.† â€Å"That's okay,† I said. I'd been on probation for most of my academic life. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"And,† she added. Uh-oh. â€Å"Because the suspicion isn't entirely removed, you'll be spending your day off this week doing community service.† I jumped out of my chair again. â€Å"What?† Dimitri's hand wrapped around my wrist, his fingers warm and controlling. â€Å"Sit down,† he murmured in my ear, tugging me toward the chair. â€Å"Take what you can get.† â€Å"If that's a problem, we can make it next week too,† warned Celeste. â€Å"And the next five after that.† I sat down and shook my head. â€Å"I'm sorry. Thank you.† The hearing dispersed, and I was left feeling weary and beaten. Had only one day gone by? Surely the happy excitement I'd felt before the field experience had been weeks ago and not this morning. Alberta told me to go find Christian, but Dimitri asked if he could have some time alone with me. She agreed, no doubt hoping he'd set me on the straight and narrow. The room emptied, and I thought he'd sit and talk to me then and there, but instead he walked over to a small table that held a water dispenser, coffee, and other beverages. â€Å"You want some hot chocolate?† he asked. I hadn't expected that. â€Å"Sure.† He dumped four packets of instant hot chocolate into two Styrofoam cups and then added in hot water. â€Å"Doubling it is the secret,† he said when the cups were full. He handed me mine, along with a wooden stirrer, and then walked toward a side door. Presuming I was supposed to follow him, I scurried to catch up without spilling my hot chocolate. â€Å"Where are we – oh.† I stepped through the doorway and found myself in a little glass-enclosed porch filled with small patio tables. I'd had no idea this porch was adjacent to the meeting room, but then, this was the building the guardians conducted all campus business out of. Novices were rarely allowed. I also hadn't realized the building was built around a small courtyard, which was what this porch looked out to. In the summer, I imagined one could open the windows and be surrounded in greenery and warm air. Now, encased in glass and frost, I felt like I was in some kind of an ice palace. Dimitri swept his hand over a chair, brushing off dust. I did the same and sat down opposite him. Apparently this room didn't see a lot of use in the winter. Because it was enclosed, the room was warmer than outdoors, but it wasn't heated otherwise. The air felt chilly, and I warmed my hands on my cup. Silence fell between Dimitri and me. The only noise came from me blowing on my hot chocolate. He drank his right away. He'd been killing Strigoi for years. What was a little scalding water here and there? As we sat, and the quiet grew, I studied him over the edge of my cup. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew he knew I was watching. Like every other time I looked at him, I was always struck by his looks first. The soft dark hair that he often tucked behind his ears without realizing it, hair that never quite wanted to stay in its tie at the back of his neck. His eyes were brown too, somehow gentle and fierce at the same time. His lips had that same contradictory quality, I realized. When he was fighting or dealing with something grim, those lips would flatten and turn hard. But in lighter times †¦ when he laughed or kissed†¦well, then they'd become soft and wonderful. Today, more than his exterior hit me. I felt warm and safe just being with him. He brought comfort after my terrible day. So often with other people, I felt a need to be the center of attention, to be funny and always have something clever to say. It was a habit I needed to shake to be a guardian, seeing as that job required so much silence. But with Dimitri, I never felt like I had to be anything more than what I already was. I didn't have to entertain him or think up jokes or even flirt. It was enough to just be together, to be so completely comfortable in each other's presence – smoldering sexual tension aside – that we lost all sense of self-consciousness. I exhaled and drank my cocoa. â€Å"What happened out there?† he asked at last, meeting my gaze. â€Å"You didn't crack under the pressure.† His voice was curious, not accusatory. He wasn't treating me as a student right now, I realized. He was regarding me as an equal. He simply wanted to know what was going on with me. There was no discipline or lecturing here. And that just made it all the worse when I had to lie to him. â€Å"Of course it was,† I told him, looking down into my cup. â€Å"Unless you believe I really did let Stan ‘attack' Christian.† â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"I don't believe that. I never did. I knew you'd be unhappy when you found out about the assignments, but I never once doubted that you'd do what you'd have to for this. I knew you wouldn't let your personal feelings get in the way of your duty.† I looked up again and met his eyes, so full of faith and absolute confidence in me. â€Å"I didn't. I was mad†¦Still am a little. But once I said I'd do it, I meant it. And after spending some time with him†¦well, I don't hate him. I actually think he's good for Lissa, and he cares about her, so I can't get upset about that. He and I just clash sometimes, that's all†¦ but we did really well together against the Strigoi. I remembered that while I was with him today, and arguing against this assignment just seemed stupid. So I decided to do the best job I could.† I hadn't meant to talk so much, but it felt good to let out what was inside of me, and the look on Dimitri's face would have gotten me to say anything. Almost anything. â€Å"What happened then?† he asked. â€Å"With Stan?† I averted my eyes and played with my cup again. I hated keeping things from him, but I couldn't tell him about this. In the human world, vampires and dhampirs were creatures of myth and legend – bedtime stories to scare children. Humans didn't know we were real and walking the earth. But just because we were real didn't mean that every other story-time paranormal creature was. We knew that and had our own myths and bedtime stories about things we didn't believe in. Werewolves. Bogeymen. Ghosts. Ghosts played no real role in our culture, short of being fodder for pranks and campfire tales. Ghosts inevitably came up on Halloween, and some legends endured over the years. But in real life? No ghosts. If you came back after death, it was because you were a Strigoi. At least, that's what I'd always been taught. I honestly didn't know enough now to say what was going on. Me imagining Mason seemed more likely than him being a true ghost, but man, that meant I might seriously be heading into crazy territory. All this time I'd worried about Lissa losing it. Who had known it might be me? Dimitri was still watching me, waiting for an answer. â€Å"I don't know what happened out there. My intentions were good †¦ I just†¦ I just messed up.† â€Å"Rose. You're a terrible liar.† I glanced up. â€Å"No, I'm not. I've told a lot of good lies in my life. People have believed them.† He smiled slightly. â€Å"I'm sure. But it doesn't work with me. For one thing, you won't look me in the eye. As for the other†¦ I don't know. I can just tell.† Damn. He could tell. He just knew me that well. I stood up and moved to the door, keeping my back to him. Normally, I treasured every minute with him, but I couldn't stick around today. I hated lying, but I didn't want to tell the truth either. I had to leave. â€Å"Look, I appreciate you being worried about me†¦but really, it's okay. I just messed up. I'm embarrassed about it – and sorry I put your awesome training to shame – but I'll rebound. Next time, Stan's ass is mine.† I hadn't even heard him get up, but suddenly, Dimitri was right behind me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I froze in front of the door leading out. He didn't touch me anywhere else. He didn't try to pull me closer. But, oh, that one hand on my shoulder held all the power in the world. â€Å"Rose,† he said, and I knew he was no longer smiling. â€Å"I don't know why you're lying, but I know you wouldn't do it without a good reason. And if there's something wrong – something you're afraid to tell the others – â€Å" I spun around rapidly, somehow managing to pivot in place in such a way that his hand never moved yet ended up on my other shoulder. â€Å"I'm not afraid,† I cried. â€Å"I do have my reasons, and believe me, what happened with Stan was nothing. Really. All of this is just something stupid that got blown out of proportion. Don't feel sorry for me or feel like you have to do anything. What happened sucks, but I'll just roll with it and take the black mark. I'll take care of everything. I'll take care of me.† It took all of my strength just then not to shake. How had this day gotten so bizarre and out of control? Dimitri didn't say anything. He just looked down at me, and the expression on his face was one I'd never seen before. I couldn't interpret it. Was he mad? Disapproving? I just couldn't tell. The fingers on my shoulder tightened slightly and then relaxed. â€Å"You don't have to do this alone,† he said at last. He sounded almost wistful, which made no sense. He was the one who'd been telling me for so long that I needed to be strong. I wanted to throw myself into his arms just then, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't help a smile. â€Å"You say that†¦but tell me the truth. Do you go running to others when you have problems?† â€Å"That's the not the same – â€Å" â€Å"Answer the question, comrade.† â€Å"Don't call me that.† â€Å"And don't avoid the question either.† â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"I try to deal with my problems on my own.† I slipped away from his hand. â€Å"See?† â€Å"But you have a lot of people in your life you can trust, people who care about you. That changes things.† I looked at him in surprise. â€Å"You don't have people who care about you?† He frowned, obviously rethinking his words. â€Å"Well, I've always had good people in my life†¦and there have been people who cared about me. But that doesn't necessarily mean I could trust them or tell them everything.† I was often so distracted by the weirdness of our relationship that I rarely thought about Dimitri as someone with a life away from me. He was respected by everyone on campus. Teachers and students alike knew him as one of the deadliest guardians here. Whenever we ran into guardians from outside the school, they always seemed to know and respect him too. But I couldn't recall ever having seen him in any sort of social setting. He didn't appear to have any close friends among the other guardians – just coworkers he liked. The friendliest I'd ever seen him get with someone had been when Christian's aunt, Tasha Ozera, visited. They'd known each other for a long time, but even that hadn't been enough for Dimitri to pursue once her visit was over. Dimitri was alone an awful lot, I realized, content to hole up with his cowboy novels when not working. I felt alone a lot, but in truth, I was almost always surrounded by people. With him being my teacher, I tended to view things as one-sided: He was the one always giving me something, be it advice or instruction. But I gave him something too, something harder to define – a connection with another person. â€Å"Do you trust me?† I asked him. The hesitation was brief. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then trust me now, and don't worry about me just this once.† I stepped away, out of the reach of his arm, and he didn't say anything more or try to stop me. Cutting through the room that I'd had the hearing in, I headed for the building's main exit, tossing the remnants of my hot chocolate in a garbage can as I walked past.

Lipstick Jihad

In Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran, Azadeh Moaveni has written a memoir of growing up first as an American girl born of Iranian parents in Southern California, then as an adult working as a reporter for Time magazine while living in Tehran, Iran. Azadeh Moaveni tells of her jihad (struggle) to develop from a self-centered, spoil girl into an adult with recognition that there are billions of others in the world, each of whom has opinions and beliefs that are equally as important as her own. While living among the community of expatriated Iranians and going to public schools, Azadeh Moaveni sometimes felt she was living a schizophrenic life: at home she was an Iranian daughter of upper middle class Iranians who had escaped Iran just prior to the 1979 revolution that overthrew the Shah of Iran and installed a Moslem Republic in its place. At school and at the mall she felt like an outsider because she was darker skinned and had a name no one could pronounce. She was ashamed of her parents, ashamed of being an Iranian because so many people remembered the taking of the American hostages and harbored resentment against Iranians. Since she felt out of place in California, Azadeh Moaveni had built a fantasy of what her life Iran would be like; it would be perfect. What she fails to realize is that she was really just a typical teenager; no one feels they fit in while going through adolescence; everyone is ashamed of his or her parents and other family members. Although the book isn't formally divided into two sections, it is in fact divided in this manner. The first four chapters tell of her life growing up in Palo Alto and San Jose and her first few months working as a reporter. The second half of the book tells about her realization that the beliefs and opinions of others matters; she moves from an egocentric worldview to a more realistic, balanced view of the world and her place in it. The first chapter, â€Å"The Secret Garden,† Moaveni tells of her life in the United States living within the Diaspora community of Iranian expatriates. Her parents and others of that generation had been among the upper classes in Iran before the 1789 revolution. In Iran they had lived well, they had servants, and led a life separate from the vast majority of the people of Iran. In many ways they had absorbed the superior attitude of the British who lived and worked in Iran to exploit the considerable oil resources at the expense of the less privileged members of Iranian society. In the United States they lived in their own Iranian community within the California community at large. Naturally they held a positive, nostalgic belief that Iran of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s was the real Iran and they waited for the Shah or his son to return to power so they could go home. Azadeh Moaveni had visited Iran once as a child when she and her mother spent a summer with their relatives in her grandfather's walled compound in downtown Tehran. In this compound she felt absolutely free. She climbed the trees and ate the fruit of the trees. Due to this memory from her childhood and to the almost fanatical reverence of Iran that the adults around her believed Azadeh Moaveni developed a fantasy of life in Iran. When she was unhappy that fantasy was her escape from the difficulties of the day-to-day problems of being an adolescent. Consequently, when she finished college and was looking for a place to work, she chose to return to Tehran. Azadeh Moaveni called chapter two â€Å"Homecoming† because she anticipated that she would finally be where she should be, among her people, people that could pronounce her name, people who could understand her.   She was to be disappointed, â€Å". . . we had assumed here, in this country where people could pronounce our names, our world would expand. Instead we felt constricted† (Moaveni, 2005). Everywhere she went she found barriers from the officials, from the police, and from the volunteer, Basig, a group of young toughs who enforced the rules of public dress and behavior with force, if necessary. Azadeh Moaveni had an elitist attitude indicated by her opinion of the Basig. â€Å"The Basig were carefully selected in the poorest of neighborhoods and were cultivated to violence with a skillful balance of brainwashing and small incentives.† Certainly the violence practiced by the Basig was wrong, but Azadeh Moaveni's failure to realize the Basig may not have seen their role as making barriers, but of enforcing the Islamic law established by the current administration. The fact that she speaks of them being from the â€Å"poorest of neighborhoods† indicates an aristocratic slant to her view of those less fortunate than she was. Much of her struggle at this point was a failure to look at any issue from any vantage point other than her own. She was very much the California girl. Her priorities were shallow and self-serving. â€Å"Celine became my first new Iranian girlfriend, guiding me to the best manicurist, waxing lady, and private pastry chef in the city with the shared belief that these were urgent priorities.† (67).   Throughout the remainder of the first half of the book she exhibited similar attitudes and priorities. Even her attempts to practice the precepts of Islam were lacking depth. For Ramadan I had â€Å"resolved to fast, naively expecting to spend the month in harmony with the daily rhythm of the millions of Iranians around me† (Moaveni, 2005). When she realized others she knew did not do, she was disappointed and gave up her fasting. Her fantasy view of Iran had begun to crumble. In the second half of the book, Azadeh Moaveni began to grow. More oppressive violence began to be practiced by the clerical militants in Iran in an attempt to discourage people from voting at all. It was clear to everyone that the reformist President Khatami would win the election, however the more conservative clerics wanted to make sure he did not win with a large enough majority to be able to claim that he had a mandate from the people to make changes and lift restrictions that had been established by the Ayatollah Khomeini when the Islam Republic had been established in 1979. Khatami was reelected with 78% of the vote with 66% of the people voting (Moaveni, 2005). Many of Azadeh Moaveni's friends had boycotted the election because their vote would mean nothing in a repressive society. She began to realize that the political and educational elite she lived among had little in common with the people who lived in Iran. Their non-voting meant absolutely nothing. It was irrelevant to the majority of people of Iran. For the first time Azadeh Moaveni began to look beyond herself and her class and realize the Iran she carried in her head, was not Iran at all. What she and her friends thought meant nothing. â€Å"About six months after I came to Tehran, I put my labors of self-interrogation to rest, happy to nominally consider myself Iranian from America, but mostly happy just to live, and not consider myself so much† (Moaveni, 2005). When the attack on the United States occurred on September 11, 2001, Azadeh Moaveni was devastated. She couldn't understand why no one seemed to care. The three thousand plus dead was a small number compared to the millions killed in the struggles in Bosnia, the genocide in the Sudan and Somalia. Thousands of men died in the recent Iran-Iraq war. Both sides in this war were armed by the United States. Azadeh Moaveni began to understand the anti-American sentiment throughout the Middle East. When this book began, I was disappointed. Based on the word â€Å"Jihad† in the title and the fact that it had to do with Iran, I expected something more universal than a memoir of a young woman. I felt deceived as if she had composed her title to attract more buyers who saw the word â€Å"Jihad† and were interested in learning about the Middle East and not at all interested in another teenager comes of age book. Throughout the first half of the book I saw little reason to change my opinion. I became more and more disappointed. Frankly, I did not care about Azadeh Moaveni or anything she did or thought. She seemed to be little more than a typical upper middle class teenager who thought the center of the universe coincided with her particular location at any particular moment. She was self-centered, arrogant and egotistical. By the time I had read half of the book, I was suffering from a Jihad of my own and wondered how I would be able to stand Azadeh Moaveni for the rest of the book. However, in the second half this changed. Azadeh Moaveni became a woman, a real person who understood that there were other people besides herself and her circle of friends and relatives. She recognized there were millions of people in Iran, and in California for that matter, who lived and struggled and died. Each of them was just as much a person as her educated, young, elite friends, and her relatives who had been made wealthy under the Shah and had made their wealth at the expense of workers in Iran. By the time I finished reading the book I had come to appreciate it. It was a Jihad for Azadeh Moaveni, a struggle to grow from the girl with childlike fantasies about life into a woman with sensitivity and balanced worldview that was not populated by solely her friends and relatives. It is a book well worth reading, not only for those who like coming of age stories, but for those interested in learning about the Middle East and America's role in the development of its current political, religious and ideological structure. It can help the reader begin to understand the anti-American attitudes of other countries. Interestingly, the United States has in many ways behaved in the past the way Azadeh Moaveni did in the first half of the book: like a spoiled, self-centered child. Hopefully we will see the same growth that Azadeh Moaveni experienced begin in the United States and its interactions with other countries and peoples. References Moaveni, A. (2005). Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran. New York: Public Affairs, a member of Persius Books Group.