Virtues of Saint Monica and Rebekah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Virtues of Saint Monica and Rebekah - Essay ExampleSaint Monica of Hippo is a Christian saint and the amaze of Saint Augustine (Bohol Philippines Travel Guide). Saint Monica was a Berber descent, the indigenous people of North Africa, but she has never showed an attitude of an unschooled, undisciplined person. Instead, she grew to be virtuous despite the many temptations to be proud and rebellious (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). Saint Monicas virtues were highlighted in her marriage. Although she was brought up a Christian but her parents married her to an quondam(a) pagan, Patricius, who was also occupying an official position (Pope Hugh). The character of her husband was a true test to her faith. His temper was said to be violent and he was observed to keep up been of dissolute habits, making Monicas married life far from being a happy one (Pope Hugh). Patricius was also written to have given to adultery go married to Monica. Patricius was written to have been annoyed with Monica s alms deeds and habit of prayer (Bohol Philippines Travel Guide). Saint Monica also received quite an amount of hurts from her mother in-law who seemed to dislike her (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). Monica was living in a society with prevalent domestic violence, but something in Monica do her different from the rest of the women and she enjoined them to follow her steps. What made Monica survive the tests of faith and why she was equal to convert her husband and her children to faith in Christianity?During the difficult times that Monica was facing, she did not rebelled against beau ideal. Her situation seemed to have brought her closer to God preferably than away from him. Monica attended church daily and cultivated the virtue of patience (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). Her advice to the other advised other wives, who were beaten was to hold their tongues around their husbands, rather than proudly withstand them (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). Her virtue was that of submission of obedience, as Saint Augustine, her son said that although domestic violence was prevalent that time, her mother was never beaten by his father because of her obedience (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). Specifically, she was quoted saying If you can master your tongue, not only do you run less risk of being beaten, but perhaps you whitethorn even, one day, make your husband better (Bohol Philippines Travel Guide). These virtues and wisdom, in addition to her sweetness and patience made her exercise a veritable apostolate among the wives and mother in her community. Monica bore her burdens patiently thats why even though her husband was causing her pain, their life together was relatively peaceful (Women for Faith & Family). She also continued with helping other people despite the resistance from her husband. It was because she exercised the power of prayer that she was able to withstand the temptations to be in despair and to rebel against her husband. Through much prayer, she was able to convert her husband into Christianity a year before he died. It took her 30 years to pray for her husband (Bohol Philippines Travel Guide). It was such a marvellous advantage for Saint Monica. More victoriously, she was also able to win her mother-in law through her gentleness, respectfulness and patience (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). Aside from being patient, gentle, obedient, respectful and fervent in prayer, Monica showed tenacity in asking help for her son. It was written that Monica asked help from a bishop who also used Manichaean before he became a Christian for several times although she was always rejected. In the end, the bishop consoled Monica saying, the child of those tears shall never perish which she took as a sign from God (Women for Faith & Family). Monicas persistence was shown more dramatically when she followed her perverted and dissolute son

Critical Thinking in 21st Century America Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking in 21st Century America tryThe intellectual roots of critical view date back to the teachings of Socrates, who discovered a method of analytical questioning known today as Socratic questioning, establishing that one could not rationally justify their assured claims to acquaintance. Socrates established that people cannot play upon those in authority to have sound knowledge and insight. He show that individuals may have power and high position and yet be deeply confused and irrational.He established the importance of asking questions and thinking deeply before we accept an idea as worthy of belief. Socrates stressed the significance of seeking evidence, closely examining reasoning and assumptions, analyzing basic concepts, and tracing out implications not only of what is said but of what is done. This, I believe, is essential to living a successful and knowledgeable life question e rattling thing and everyone.I strongly agree with Socrates idea that we cann ot depend upon an individual of higher power to have all-encompassing knowledge and insight solely based on their status. The use of received words, in just the duty way, is enough to make some individuals believe just about anything most successful lawyers have built their entire c atomic number 18ers scarce by knowing what to reckon, how to say it, and when to say it. Although I feel that critical thinking is a necessity throughout life, along with analyzing and questioning everything I also feel that it is not something that is simply learned.Today, in our contemporary 21st century American society, we are genuinely allowed to be and/or trained to be critical thinkers, but it is only certain individuals who will use critical thought to its highest ability to expand their knowledge and open up the mind. These individuals, sometimes rare, have the ability to reflectively question honey oil beliefs and justifications, and use this to carefully distinguish those beliefs that ar e reasonable and logical from those which lack acceptable evidence or rational foundation to justify a certain belief.Socrates practice was followed by many great critical thinkers, such as Plato, Aristotle, and the Greek skeptics, all of whom emphasized that things are often very different from what they get on to be and that only the trained mind is prepared to see through the way things look to us on the surface, misleading appearances, to the way they really are beneath the surface, the deeper realities of life.Critical thinking, amongst many other definitions, is the ability to understand and apply, to infer and to meaningfully investigate given information the skills compulsioned to see equivalents, comprehend connections, fall upon problems, and develop justifiable explanations. It identifies bias, and a bias is not necessarily bad it is simply a preferred way of looking at things. However, critical thinking does not necessarily benefit everyone it can alter relationships, change attitudes, and cause family and friends to part ways.In light of our readings, many of the individuals we have discussed stress the need for a critical society, but additionally stress that it is not always beneficial, especially for those susceptible to nonsense. John Stuart Mill feared conformism among society as a whole, he saw this as a uniformity which enforced narrow-minded views and illogical rules on those individuals more open-minded and educated.A few years back magic spell researching religion for a paper, I came across Mills idea of hell belief, where he argues that the belief in hell is made inconsistently some(prenominal) strong and weak by a total system failure in critical thinking that hell belief is incompatible with the belief that god is good. He explains that the same mind set that enables them to accept a theory involving these contradictions prevents them from seeing the logical consequences of the theory. Mills ideas of hell belief are very simila r to those of my own. many another(prenominal), if not most, people are introduced and expected to abide by a certain religion by the time they speak their first words. Naturally, more often than not, religion and religious values are the first thing that many are taught however religion allows little, or no room, for critical thinking. Many people carry their religious beliefs and values throughout life, where critical thinkers challenge and question it they find the stuff that doesnt quite make sense and contend to know where the logic lies and why exactly theyre supposed to life by these ideas.In Mills ideas, people come to believe in it and manage to stay sane about it for the same reason, a lack of critical thinking. In our readings, we see that Bertrand Russell emphasizes the importance of open and free analysis, and the critical need to create education systems that raise open-minded pursuit of knowledge and cautions the dangers inherent in rigid ideologies.I agree with Russ ell and believe that children should be taught to think critically as soon as they start their education because as adults it is almost impossible to learn, it is not simply a skill you can up and shape you want to possess.If more schools implemented a system that encourages children to keep an open mind and consistently put certain ideas and theories to the test, they would be better prepared for future day education, encouraged to socialize with their peers even if theyre not from the same religious or ethnic background, and overall be well prepared for life itself the array of questioning everything leads to the development of well-rounded knowledge.When referencing the answers that many of us strive for, Russell explains that if philosophy cannot answer all of our questions, it at least holds the power of asking questions which increase the reside of the world, and show the strangeness and phenomenon lying just below the surface even in the simplest things of everyday life. He identifies a need for a theory of knowledge that will merge what appears to be from what really is, as well as the importance to practice knowledge responsibly.Russell explains to us that in order to make statements or hold beliefs about knowledge, we must be able to substantiate that our knowledge is accurate to reality. Although uncertainty and motion are Descartes enemy, he wanted to use doubt as a tool or weapon to combat uncertainty. What, if anything, could not be doubted after subjecting all of his knowledge to the acid wash of doubt. The one thing that Descartes concluded could not be doubted was that he was doubting. There has to be an I who is thinking. Descartes famous dictum, Cogito Ergo Sum, means I think therefore I am.

The Basics of Interpersonal Relationships Essay Example for Free

The Basics of Interpersonal Relationships EssayAfter considering your request for advice on interpersonal communicatings I have come to the decision that the development I have learned in my communications class could be beneficial for a young, tardily engaged couple. Addressing the most important points could be useful, in particular now that you both have decided to take your relationship to the next level. I have learned in this class that having heartfelt communication skills benefits everyone and that it is especially important in pulping a stronger and more successful marriage. Although we come about without giving it much thought, not everyone has the proper skills to communicate well so I have selected louvre beas of interpersonal communication which I will pass on to you in this letter.The skills I consider to be most crucial in achieving a long and happy marriage be, principles and misconceptions, self-concept, gender and cultural differences, non oral commun ication and last but most importantly, listening. There are many communication skills necessary to ensure a successful relationship, and when it comes to efficient interpersonal communications thither are many aspects of communicating that we need to remember. Communication and the mood we communicate is said to be what separates us from our animal cousins. It is defined as a process by which we share ideas of selective information with some different people (cited in Sole, p.5).Whether it is verbal or nonverbal, communication is the most important aspect of building a perpetual relationship.Principles and MisconceptionsTo begin with I would worry to explain a little about the principles and misconceptions in terms of interpersonal communications. It is necessary to mention that Communication is not simply the exchange of words and information it is the means finished which we share knowledge, thoughts, ideas, and feelings with other peoplethe way people yoke with other pe opleand it is these interactions that create the meaning and richness of life (Cited in Sole, preface). Linguists who have studied the basis of the adult male language believe that the human language uses symbols much(prenominal) as words, pictures or objects to represent something else.It has been agreed upon that certain communications symbols stand for certain sounds or write combination of letters to equate to a particular object (Sole, 2011). Because the meaning of a word sewer conger up different images for everyone it is crucial, that when communicating with others, that there is a shared understanding of the meaning of the words to eliminate any misconceptions for either the person speaking or the person listening. Improving your interpersonal verbal communication skills enables one to be better understood and results in fewer miscommunications. Let me stress at this time that it is imperative that you take the time to determine feedback when having a discourse inorder to make sure that the other person understands exactly what you are saying. Although it has been thought that good communication skills between love ones are strong, recent studies show that couples are often multiplication no better at communicating with one another than they are with strangers.I recently read an article that was published in U.S. News World Report in January of 2011 on communication, as it pertains to close relationships. The outcome of a study do by professors Kenneth Savitsky and Nicholas Epley offers valid examples of common miscommunications with couples. . As the study co-author Epley points out Our problem in communicating with friends and spouses is that we have an illusion of insight (Epley, 2011). Many of us tend to assume that those we care about will be able to interpret the information we are offering without needing clarification. Well, this does not always happen. Effectively translating and hireance of title information while being sensitive to other peoples feelings is a skill. Even though communicating is often times complex, with continuous give we can avoid the interpretings that can lead to problems in our personal lives. Having affective interpersonal communication skills can be the beginning the initial step for both of you toward a mutual understanding which can lead to a successful relationship (Sole, 2011).Another important aspect of interpersonal communication that I would like to share with you is that of self-concept, which can be described as a complicated process that involves our gaining self-awareness, or in simpler terms, self-concept has to do with how we see ourselves as well as how others see us. It develops as a child and with the proper guidance can develop into a healthy image of ones self. On the other hand negativity can also affect how we see ourselves (Sole, 2011). A child who grows up with positive reinforcement is more likely to be a confident individual who possesses the ability to converse in a more effective manner.It is here that I would like to disclose to you some personal information that will show how vital self-concept is. I was the product of a broken home. Now, you whitethorn argue that this is not unusual, but you should keep in mind that I grew up in the sixties divorce was not as common as it is today. I was raised by a verbally abusive fuck off and suffered for a number of years as a young adult from low self-confidence, and as I have learned from taking this class, low self-esteem leads to insecurity and a lack of confidence. I worked for years to reverse the damage that was done. I was well into my thirties before I had gained the confidence necessary to build a good relationship.Since the psychological concepts of self relates to interpersonal communications in many ways, this is a critical factor in communications, not only if how it affects the way we interact with others, but how they interact with us. In the textbook, Making connections apprec iation interpersonal communication written by Kathy Sole (2011), she notes that, not only is self-concept learned, it is changeable. It is developed through with(predicate) interaction with other. In other words, self-concept, self-image, and self-esteem not only define who we are, but govern relationship quality. Having a positive self-concept leads to positive self-image, this in vacate ensures a more positive feeling of self-esteem (Sole, 2011).Gender and Cultural DifferencesFrom here we can start to access other problem areas that couples are confronted with such as gender and cultural differences. Gender and cultural differences is an area that many couples have difficulty with at one time or another. I am sure that you have noticed the diversity that exists when comparing the way men and women carry on a conversation. Even though we all want to connect to others there are distinct contrasts not only is the language different between men and women but facial expression and bo dy language are different as well. Words are interpreted differently. This can be said for cultural differences too. Generally speaking though, both men and women can be nurturing, sentimental and even aggressive. The afore mentioned emotions, as well as how we perceive each other and nonverbal communication, all go hand-in hand when striving to achieve effective interpersonal communications.Nonverbal communicationIt is surprising how much can be communicated without uttering a single word, or what is called nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication can electrical relay a message through a frown, a cold stare, or even shrugging your shoulders. Nonverbalcommunications (the process of communicating by sending silent messages) can time and again lead to being misunderstood. Nonverbal communications encompasses not only body language, but facial expressions, and can even convey communications simply by how we choose to dress. Since very few gestures are universal, there is often times moments of awkwardness (Miczo, Segrin, Allspach , 2001).What we consider perfectly acceptable may offend a person from other cultures and some messages we send via nonverbal communication are done so unconsciously. When we use nonverbal communications we are substituting those gestures instead of using words and sometimes nonverbal messages are misunderstood (Sole, 2011). This type of communication is often times misinterpreted. For example, there was an instance when I was much younger that I found myself at a social gathering with not only friends, but people I had not so far met. It was at this function that one of the men in the group was telling us of an incident that he had recently experienced.Because I smiled and laughed in, what he considered to be, all of the grab places he took this to mean that I was interested in him. It was embarrassing for me because that was not the case I was simply being a polite meeter. So you can see from my experience, our nonverbal co mmunication is as important as the words we choose in communicating with another individual or group of individuals. concoct that having an emotional discussion with someone and using the wrong hand gestures and/or facial expressions might cause a person to misinterpret or misunderstand what you are actually trying to convey to them.ListeningLast but not least, and often times one of the most overlooked issue when discussing interpersonal communication, and what I feel to be the most important part of successful communication for couples, is listening. I am sure you have found yourself at times not giving your full attention when someone is speaking to you. A lack of motivation is often times the culprit. We all have a trend to start thinking about other things if the speaker is not holding our attention, I am including myself, but to be a good listener ensures, that disposed all of the information, you will be able to offer a valid response. In order to relate to others it is im portant to listen to what they have to say. Even though we have been taught from childhood various skills such as reading and writing, one skill that is often overlooked is listening.Most of us feel that we are good listeners, but most of us are guilty of only hearing not listening. Listening is essential to the success of a compatible and long lasting relationship, but let me add that bad habits in regards to listening can be changed. Communication is the very means by which we share not only our ideas, but our thoughts and feelings with others In summing up the information that I have provided you with, it is my hope that the facts laid out in this letter will help you avoid the pitfalls of conversation that plague many couples.Remember Sam and Katie, that it is not how often you converse, but more the quality of your conversations with each other and that to be a good listener it is imperative that you make every attempt to give the conversation your full attention. It ismy hope that providing you both with information to build a lasting relationship through good communications will ensure a long and happy life together. Congratulations again to both of you. Keep in mind that there are other important aspects when it comes to communicating effectively, but I have shared with both of you essential information regarding what I consider to be five of the most significant areas that often effect good communication in a relationship.Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions of affect other people.-Jim Rohn, Author and motivational speaker (1930-2009),.Your friend,BillieReferencesClose relationships sometimes mask poor communication. (2011, January 24). U.S. News World,1. inside 2270370592 Miczo, N., Segrin, C., Allspach, L. E. (2001). Relationship between nonverbal sensitivity, encoding, and relational satisfac tion. Communication Reports, 14(1), 39-48. Retrieved July 28, 2012, from Research Library. Document ID 72022836. Preston, P. (2005). Nonverbal communication Do you really say what you mean? Journal of health care Management, 50(2), 83-6. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Global. Document ID 814698921 Schoenberg, N. (2011, January 17). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in happy marriages. McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Retrieved from ProQuest Newsstand. Document ID 2240370261 Sole, K., (2011). Making connections Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (https//content.ashford.edu) Sprecher, S., Hendrick, S. S. (2004, December). Self-disclosure in intimate relationships Associations with individual and relationship characteristics over time. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23(6), 857-877. doi224670343

Geology Report Essay Example for Free

Geology Report EssayIn member 64, Beach Placers Containing Radioactive Minerals, Bay of Bengal, East Pakistan the geologists have thoroughly researched the rocks and minerals of beach placers that give 100 miles southeastward along the Bay of Bengal near East Pakistan. During the 1961 study the geologists discovered that the placers contain heavy radioactive minerals including monazite, ilmenite, and zircon. In the sands along the beaches, the geologists, rig 10 to 30 percent of heavy minerals that exceed 2. 8 specific gravity.Of the ten randomly dispersed placers studied along the oast, geologist found they all contained short concentrations of these heavy radioactive minerals. The minerals studied in the placers were in layers between 1 and 2. 5 feet thick and located near the beach surface along with others bury in sand dunes. They believe the placers were formed with or by a combination of waves, wind, and the natural down flow of creeks/rivers. Due to the difference of each apiece located placer, geologists noticed grain sizes and the sorting of the minerals differ from placer to placer.They discovered the lenses with the majority of eavy minerals is finer grained, better sorted, and better rounded and contains magnetite. In the pacer at the northernmost tip, they found it differs from the others. It had black sand as opposed to white and it laid on top of a mud platform. Also, according to the survey, geologists found this placer to be slight radioactive than the rest of placers researched. All of the placers are oblong in shape and are very large. Each placer is tens of hundreds of feet wide and can stretch out to be several miles long. The geologists surveyed the placers using an airborne radiometric survey.After ll of the research the geologists and scientists found that all of the placers contain radioactive minerals as well as non-radioactive minerals. Reasoning and Application I specifically chose this article because I find radioactive m inerals, and anything geological related to the ocean, interesting. I grew up surfing in a small beach townspeople near Santa Barbara so any type of geology related to the oceans and beaches interest me. Also, one of the more interesting topics learned in my geology class were the different types of minerals and how their individual personal structure can be altered due to earths natural forces.After studying geology this semester I was able to fully understand how these placers were formed along with wherefore these heavy minerals formed in layers and were denser than the sand and other rocks. It helped me understand why and how geologists surveyed these radioactive minerals. Also, I completely understood how these minerals were sorted and the different physical structure of these well and poorly sorted minerals. I can honestly say that before taking this class I would have no idea what this article was about. Now I was fully able to grasp all of the information provided in the article. USGS Geology Report By gomer5

Effect of Politics on Health Care Policies

Effect of Politics on Health C ar PoliciesHow Have Political Ideologies Helped to Shape policy in the Healthcare ArenaIntroductionDuring the late 19th and early 20th Centuries benefit and the provision of wellnesscare was dominated largely by a individuality approach. Many plenty in Britain lived in imp everywhereished and unsanitary conditions. By the condemnation of the Boer War (1899-1902) nearly a third of all troops suffered from malnutrition and they were judged alter to serve. This information was used by well-disposed reformers as evidence that governing body ought to provide health and welfare services that were an improvement on those which existed at the time (Moore, 2002). Since then policy making has been shaped by the ideology of the Government that is in power. Different ideologies are associated with different political parties, the ones referred to in this newspaper publisher are associated with Liberal and Labour Governments, Tory Government and New Labour. The ideological on a lower floorpinnings of these political parties are respectively, social democratic, new right thinking and the third behavior. This paper will search to show how such ideologies have helped to shape policy in health care, beginning with social democratic policies which produced the 1942 Beveridge Report and laid the foundations for the British welfare state (Walsh et al, 2000).Post-War kindly DemocracySocial democracy is made up of a number of different strands but its policies are most closely associated with Labour Governments but is practically subscribed to by most Liberal Democrats and more or less Tories. The Post-War Labour Government saw the Welfare State as central to society and one of the things that promoted social cohesion. Thus the ideologies of post-war Labour Governments are the basis of the British Welfare State (Giddens, 2001). The post-war Labour Government believed in universal welfare provision, where a high timeworn of welfare is ava ilable to all those who motivating them. This trunk results in what is kn birth as an institutional model of welfare. Central to this approach is an understanding of healthcare as of a high standard, comprehensive, and available to all. Giddens (2001) notes that this kind of provision was based on the whims of the economist John Milton Keynes and meant that Government was involved at all levels of slews lives.The post-war welfare state was formed on an understanding that there would be full employment. The 1942 Beveridge Report recommended the introduction of a system of National Assurance. Under this system everyone paid a part of what they earned to the Government and theoretically this would finance the welfare benefits they obtained. The National Health Service grew out of the publishing of by In 1946 Anuerin Bevan introduced a National Health Services Bill from which grew the National Health Service. Underlying this was the idea that healthcare and hospitalisation would be provided empty at the bear witness of access. The National Health Service, which was established in 1948, became the envy of the Western world as people received free primary care from their local GP, free medicine, free eye and dental care and free hospitalisation. By the 1950s however, it was becoming impossible to sustain a completely free service and the Government were forced to introduce some charges for prescriptions, spectacles and dentistry. This was largely due to the fact that the demand for healthcare exceeded Government resources to pay for it. The NHS lurched from one financial crisis to the next because the demands on it were so great (Walsh et al, 2000). Moore (2002) maintains that until the late 1970s British social policy was dominated by this approach which opposed radical change and believed that the best way to achieve a to a greater extent just an equal society was over a period of time. However, the post-war government had not envisioned rising unemployment and reduced assess revenues. The Social Democratic approach has been criticised as being paternalistic and elitist, telling people that the state knows what is best for them. This approach has also been accused of creating a dependence culture rather than allowing people to think for themselves. This was a central argument of the New proper(ip).The New Right plan of attackThe Tory Government that was voted into office in 1979 argued that under the previous Government state services had become oppressive and inefficient. New Right thinking lay behind the Governments policies, which in procedure influenced its critique of Social Democratic policies and the welfare state. New Right approaches emphasise the role of the private sector in service provision. The incoming Government was come to with the spiralling costs of welfare, particularly the health service, and the fact that people relied to heavily on Government services. Universal provision had created a nanny state a welfare dependency. Thatcher argued that it was preferable to provide services through the market, through charity, or through family members. Personal responsibility and self-reliance were the core values promoted by the Tories. The New Right Approach concentrated on lifestyle and its physical and mental effects thereby placing responsibility for the state of an individuals health on their own shoulders (Giddens, 2001).The new Government introduced market principles into the health service. Instead of doctors and patients, the term healthcare providers and clients were introduced. In theory this was supposed to give people more choice over the type of care they received, in practice it was a roll back of services. Stiglitz (2002) maintains that rather than increasing user choice the system actually gave the Government more control over peoples lives and allowed them to monitor take up of services to cut costs. In order to control spending on health competing NHS Trusts were introduced. Th is meant the growth of a two tier system within the Health Service and the introduction of private care (Walsh et al, 2000).The Conservatives also began a process of deinstitutionalisation, finale geriatric wards and psychiatric hospitals, discharging people into the community. In 1990 the Community Care Act was introduced. Means and Smith (1994) have argued that this Act did anything but care,the term community hence enables the continuous construction of an idyllic ancient of plenty and social harmony which acts as an immanent critique of contemporary social relations. Thus the call by politicians and policy makers to replace present systems of provision with community care feeds into this myth by implying that it is possible to recreate what many believe were the harmonious, caring and integrated communities of the past (Means and Smith, 19945).The New Right approach to policy making has been criticised at a number of levels and some research studies e.g. Howarth (1999) found that since 1991 the mortality rates in some local authority areas have risen by 40% and are thus significantly higher than the national average. When New Labour came to power they go along the critiques of welfare dependency and introduced further reforms. Their approach is not yet fully developed but is known as the Third Way.The Third Way ApproachDean (2003) maintains that when New Labour came to power in 1997 they did not break with New Right approaches. Blair maintained that they were offering a third way, that broke with the elder left and agreed with some of the Conservative policies. New Labour ministers have argued that new policies are needed to cope with poverty and inequality and to improve educational activity and health. Blairs Government argue that the state cannot provide everything and people need to be ready to help themselves more. The Government will however, provide funding and opportunities for people to help themselves. New Labour have go on using market pr inciples in healthcare and have introduced a system which accounts for the number of cases that a hospital trust deals with. Its healthcare policies also involve using the private health system to cope with the overflow work that comes from the NHS (Moore, 2002). New Labour still guard to the view that the introduction of market principles into the healthcare system will result in greater efficiency and dampen care.Critics have argued that the inequalities under the Conservatives have continued under New Labour and there is now a postcode lottery within healthcare i.e. where a person lives determines the amount and quality of healthcare that they receive. In response to this the Government set up Health Action Zones in 1998. By 1999 these were focussed on underprivileged areas where the health of the population was vox populi to be particularly poor. Health Action Zones are based on the principle of inter-agency working i.e. health is not simply a matter for the NHS, military vo lunteer organisations, GPs and housing and social services all play a part in promoting health. The Government also introduced NHS Direct, a telephone help service that people can contact when they are not clear what to do about a health problem. In some areas there are walk in health centres staffed by nurses, they deal with minor health problems and take some of the load off of AE departments. (Moore, 2002). Some critics argue that Third Way policies benefit the better off at the expense of the poorer members of society.(Alcock, 1997)..It is also argued that Third Way polices are not sufficiently though through and therefore appear indistinct.ConclusionThis paper has looked at the ways in which political ideology shapes policy making. It has focussed on policy making in health because this is still a heatedly debated topic in both the media and in the public arena at large. Social democrats believe in universal welfare provision but the idea is based on full employment and that i s no longer a viable concept. New Right thinking is against such total provision and believes that individuals need to be more self-reliant. Third Way policies use a combination of approaches but in practice much of the policy making is virtually very(a) from that of the New Right. Clearly these ideologies do have an effect on policy making, but more importantly they have an effect on the lives of British people. piece there were many weaknesses in the Social Democratic approach it seems to be the general view that health services have deteriorated considerably with changing ideologies.1600 addressReferencesAlcock, P. 1994 Back to the Future Victorian Values for the 21st Century in Murray, C. 1994 Underclass The Crisis Deepens London, IEADean, H. 2003 The Third Way and social welfare the myth of post-emotionalism Social Policy and Administration Vol 7 Issue 7 p.695Giddens, 2001. 4th ed. Sociology. Cambridge, Polity PressHowarth, C. 1999 Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 199 9 York, Joseph Rowntree FoundationMarsh, Keating and Eyre et al 2000 2nd ed. Sociology making Sense of Society Essex, Pearson EducationMeans, R. and Smith, R. 1994 Community Care, Policy and Practice London, MacmillanMoore, S. Scourfield, P. Sinclair, S. Burch, S. and Wendon, B. 3rd ed. 2002 Social Welfare Alive Cheltenham, Nelson Thornes.Stiglitz, J. 2002 Globalisation and Its Discontents New York and London WW Norton CompanyWalsh, I ed. 2000 Sociology Making Sense of Society. Edinburgh, Prentice Hall.

Mills The Power Elite Analysis

Mills The Power Elite AnalysisRudenko ViacheslavThe ruling elect group consists of plurality occupying such positions that give them the luck to rise above the environment of ordinary the great unwashed and pay off decisions that permit the greatest consequences. Whether they make these decisions or not- it is less outstanding than the situation of owning such key positions their avoidance of known actions and decisions is in itself an action that often entails more substantial consequences than the decisions they make. This is due to the fact that they command the almost important institutions and organisations of new-fangled community. For us, it is important that the activities of the elite not only gutter provide a stabilising operate on for the whole company or its subsystems, entirely lavatory also destabilise its condition.In the work The Power Elite, Mills carried out an institutional analysis of the Statess contemporary. As he points out, among all spheres of the life of the society, there atomic number 18 three most important stinting, political and military. It is here where we must heart for the roots of the real elite of society. Mills concluded that at the head of America more or less permanent group of families. Representatives of this ruling elite have so much in common (beginning with religion and command and polish with membership in the same clubs) that they represent a single group that gradually concentrates in their hands full power. Although these people consist in opposite parties, they also have akin interests and views. Because of this, it leads to that the election of the president or congressmen, in fact, a fiction that has no significant meaning. Thus, the country is governed by a limit ruling elite, which occupies the highest level in the power organise. The lower level in this cordial organisation is occupied by the majority of citizens who allegedly are the trustfulness of democracy, moreover in reality , they are subordinate to the will of the elite. The single rule of the ruling elite, as C. Mills asserted, not only poses a threat to democracy, but can also provoke a third world war. Sharply criticising the dominance of the elite, Charles Mills posited positive hopes for intellectuals, which, in his opinion, should become the core that will strengthen American society, returning it to democratic origins.The book The Power Elite contains a comprehensive analysis of the American ruling elite its composition and principal(prenominal) characteristicsmechanisms of its shapingits view in societyits historical evolution etc.The research itself is a visual example of how a practical embodiment of the style of thinking should look like, which called by Mills as sociological imagination,.The ruling elite consists of people occupying positions that give them the opportunity to rise above the environment of ordinary people and make decisions that have the greatest consequences.C. Mills be lieved that there are three distinct levels of power.The first the highest level is occupied by the ruling elite, which determineally and informally accepts the most important political decisions and removes the popular masses from governing the countryThe second level is an intermediate level of power reflecting group interests in local and regional authorities, whose influence on the adoption of fundamental decisions is limitedThe third level is the level of the actual lack of rights of the masses, on which the main part of society is located, which does not exert any influence on the decision-making.This naturally leads to the conclusion that in fact American democracy and peoples democracy is nothing more than a deception.The main fact the possession of command positions in the social system, in which effective means are concentrated, providing power, wealth, prestige, fame.The ruling elite has a national characterAnalysing the provincial upper classes of the old and new f ormations and the upper strata of the central cities (the so-called layer of four hundred families), and Mills showed that their power capabilities are limited, and their decisions do not have a decisive influence on social processes. Higher positions in local hierarchies have lost the importance they had before. This is due to the institutional development of society, its elaborateness and the formation of national social networks.Many members of the ruling elite came out from the local tops But those who occupy the highest positions in the local hierarchies do not belong to it. The key to understanding the power of the elite must be sought in the social structure of modern society, its most important institutions.That is(1) economic institutions corporations(2) political institutions the state(3) military institutions the army.These institutions in American society dominate and subordinate all otherwise institutions (school, family, church, science, etc.), turning them into tool s for the realisation of their goals. There have been processes of outburst and centralisation in these three areasEconomy instead of a lot of small entrepreneurs 200-300 large corporationsPublic administration instead of a decentralised structure of state and municipal governments, a centralised governmentMilitary instead of a decentralised structure of means of violence, a centralised military incision that has become the largest and the most expensive government agency.The ruling elite is effectively closed from foreign through the working mechanisms of selection and recruitment, predominance of appointees and the role of inborn evaluation in appointments. Staying in the elite gives you direct access to the valuable benefits of life wealth, power, prestige. Access to these benefits depends not so much on the personal qualities of a person, but on the positions in power.Disappearance of the earthly concern The questions that determine the fate of people are not put and are no t solved by the general public. Key decisions for society are made by the elite, often without any regard for the public. Also, there is a growing gap among the elite and the managed population.A huge role here is played by the media in pop of democratic discussion and decision-making, authoritarian decision-making mechanisms based on the technologies of propaganda processing and the formation of public opinion come. The market of opinions is monopolised several large monopolists came to the place of numerous independent producers of opinions. Outcome universal spiritual ignorance, stupor, loss of life guides and criteria, the triumph of immorality, the fragment of the mind, the general atmosphere of insecurity and impotence. A similar function is also performed by the education system.Immorality at the top a structural problem. The society itself is arranged in such way that to achieve success person must drop moral. Moral orientations are often become disastrous for a career. I n the lower classes a similar structural problem is philistine Machiavellianism. In a society where money is the only indisputable measure of successfulness (and human value), it cannot be otherwise.The main Elite-forming sign is not outstanding someone qualities, but possession of command positions, leading positions. The ruling elite, writes Mills, consists of people, occupying such positions that give them the opportunity to rise above the environment of ordinary people and make decisions that have major consequences. This is due to the fact that they command the most important hierarchical institutions and organizations of modern society. They occupy strategic command posts in the social system, in which effective means are concentrated, ensuring the power, wealth and fame that they use. It is the occupation of key positions in the economy, politics, military and other institutions that provides power and thereby constitutes the elite. Such an understanding of the elite disting uishes left-liberal concepts from Machiavellian and other theories that lead to elitism from special qualities of people.Group cohesion and the diversity of the composition of the ruling elite, which is not limited to the elite of the political, directly taking state decisions, but includes the leaders of corporations, politicians, senior civil servants and higher officers. They are supported by intellectuals, well-established within the brisk system.The unifying factor of the ruling elite is not only the common interest of the constituent groups in preserving their privileged position and the social order that provides it, but also the proximity of the social status, educational and cultural level, the range of interests and spiritual values, lifestyle, and personal and family ties.There is also profound difference between the elite and the masses. Natives of the people can enter the elite only by occupying high positions in the social hierarchy. However, they have few real chanc es for this. The possibilities for the influence of the masses on the elite through elections and other democratic institutions are very limited. With the help of money, knowledge, the sophisticated mechanism of manipulating consciousness, the ruling elite controls the masses virtually uncontrollably. The recruiting of the elite is carried out generally from its own environment based on acceptance of its social and political values. The most important criteria for selection are the possession of resources of influence, as well as business qualities and a conformist social position.The first and main function of the ruling elite in society is to ensure its own domination. Exactly this function by which decision of administrative tasks is subordinated. Mills denies the inevitability of the elitism of society, criticizes it from consistently democratic positions. Mills comments on the popular ideas about the managerial revolution, according to which, the power in the enterprises passe d to the managers from the bottom, rational managers who care about both the profits for the owners and the dignity of the workers. Mills argues that in fact, managers are divided into two classes those who are engaged in administrator organisational work, and those who make key decisions. So, the second, higher class of managers is not separate from the owners of the group. As a rule, they have part in the shares of the enterprise. In fact, their interests do not differ from the interests of owners, as in their position they make money.At the very top of the social structure of the United States is the ruling elite, and below it is a politically uncrystallized inert society. If you look at it objectively, there is not so widely praised by the liberals the public, which discusses various issues, and then implements decisions directly or through representatives. The place of a reasonable and free personality envisaged by such a model is now occupied by the crowd man, and a mass soc iety takes the place of a politically active organisation set up into grassroots associations of civil society. As We believe large corporations instead small shopkeepers today, and instead of communicating between the buyer and the seller, we see mass advertising, as well in politics instead of exchanging views, we see mass ideological processing.From what has been said it is clear that an inert society is the result of the influence of the mass media. The basis of resistance to them may be the comprehension of their experience, but the problem is that even our experience we perceive through the prism created by the mass media. Also, these media divert us from knowing the world through communication with loved ones. Probably, this function is performed by the TV bursting into the kitchen? Media does not only form our view of the world, but also our view of ourselves, imposing desires, dreams, and a vision of our position in society. The way out of this situation is to create and maintain selection media that are not monopolised by the powers that be. This will allow us to see a real clash of opinions and analyse them.The education system has an effect similar to the mass media. In modern educational institutions, instead of political goals (the ability to link personal experience with social processes and to be active in public life), dominate market goals (the desire to become a steep specialist and move along the career ladder) which go together with ideologic propaganda of ruling class.The structure of an inert society is this we are alienated from each other and closed in our own world, to which we look through the prism created by the mass media and the education system. We cannot relate our position to a real social structure. As a result, we become non-initiative and politically inert. Above the mass of such disunited people rises the organised elite, making the most important decisions, concerning all.Such pessimistic picture drawn by Mills. Pessi mistic, because it does not contain a hint of a strategy of liberation. perchance Mills simply did not set the goal of this book to reflect on liberation strategies, or maybe he did not really see the opportunity to change society for the better, who knows?The concept of elite within the framework of the proposed cultural-institutional approach which historically defined (along with aristocracy and nomenclature) as a form of earthly concern of power groups that define institutional boundaries. In other words, the elites are groups that perform, first of all, stabilising functions on the scale of the whole society, as well as its individual subsystems. And within the framework of this function, the elites consider the limits of the existence of other institutions and individuals. In this sense, they are institutionalising institutions. The existence of the elite is connected with the bourgeois industrial society. This means that they are the harvest-time of the social relations of this particular society. In this context, there are three characteristics of the modern society which are important bleakness of the society, openness of power and openness of politics. In connection with these changes, the elites are institutionalised.The study of the ruling elite of the US did not go unnoticed. Later, the conclusions of C. Mills were reflected in the ideology of the new left end-to-end the world. In addition, the modern English sociologist A. Giddens who has convincingly shown that the term ruling elite, invented by C. Mills in relation to the United States, can rightly be attributed to the Soviet Union.Mills carried out an institutional analysis of Americas contemporary. He pointed out that among all spheres of the life of society the leading place is occupied by three economic, political and military. Mills believes that power elites represent only their own interests, which include maintaining an eternal economic war to control American capitalism, and mask ing manipulative control of social and political order with the help of the mass media. Mills concluded that at the head of America is more or less the permanent group of families. This leads to the fact that the election of the president or congressmen is a fiction, which has no essential meaning. The lower level in this structure is occupied by the majority of citizens who allegedly to the reliance of democracy, but in reality they are subordinate to the will of the elite. Mills saw the main social danger in increasing rationality without reason, that is, in using ruling elite rational means ,developed by scientists, to achieve irrational goals.

The Guardian Ad Litem Program :: essays research papers

The Guardian Ad Litem Program represents children who appear in the state courts. These children have not committed any crime but atomic number 18 victims of abuse, escape or abandonment. The program is comprised of volunteers who represent children in the courts, making sure they do not become victims of "the system". Each volunteer works with one or more children involved in the judicial system and tender services agencies, becoming familiar with there lives, while representing the interest of each child forwards the court or social services agencies involved. Specifically, a volunteer acts in the interest of each child in five different capacities. First, as an investigator, a guardian learns as much as possible about the child background (i.e. school, church, friends, and any otherpeople/organizations that affect the child). As a monitor, a guardian makes sure social services agencies, and any other organizations involved with the child are meeting their responsibili ties to the child. As a protector, a guardian prevents insensitive questioning in the courts that is in truth often commonplace. As a reporter, a guardian is a liaison between the child and the courts, presentingwritten reports and recommendations to help act in the childs best interests. Finally, as a spokesperson, a guardian makes sure the childs wishes are heard and their best interests are presented to the courts and social services agencies involved with the child. Qualifications to be a Guardian Ad Litem are at least 19 years old pass screenings with law enforcement agencies, the Abuse Registry, and Guardian Ad Litem staff and have a genuine patronage for a childs welfare. No prior experience is necessary as each volunteer goes through 48 hours of training, ranging from juvenile justice, child development, and child abuse and neglect.