Social Control and The Hunger Games Essay - 1110 Words

The Hunger Games, a film based off of a novel written by Susan Collins, was released in March of 2012. The film, and the book it was based on, chronicles the struggles of a girl named Katniss Everdeen, a girl who lives in a poverty stricken province or â€Å"District†, until untimely circumstances forces her to play in the Hunger Games, a gladiatorial like contest where children between the ages of 12 and 18 are forced to fight to the death. A contest that was set up by an oppressive and authoritarian government, and has thus far been sustained via the forced obedience of the rebellious Districts, the brainwashing and conditioning of Districts 1 and 2, and the conditioning of the residents of its Capitol. The movie has a variety of messages,†¦show more content†¦The reason why is hope. Hope is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective...a lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, so long as it is contained.† (Hunger Games) With this statemen t, President Snow reveals the overall scheme of the government, in how they use the Hunger Games to keep the Districts in line. They use the Games to punish the Districts, and make them fall into line, but at the same time, they use the Games to give the people in the Districts a false sense of hope. Because the Games have a winner, each District has the faint hope that someone they send might win, thus investing them in the contest, and giving them incentive to care about who wins and who loses. And if a District does have a winner, that winner and the District are given the chance for many rewards and opportunity for advancements and improvements. The winner of the Hunger Games will become a celebrity overnight, and would be able to use his or her power to help improve the conditions of their District, if they so chose. So with the Games giving the Districts this hope, a hope of a reward or a better chance, the government of Panem is able to keep the rebellious Districts in line, with minimum fuss. A perfect, if devious, combination of punishment and reward. However, the Capitol hasnt stopped there in its plans to subjugate the Districts with the Games. It goes beyond that.Show MoreRelatedHunger Games Sociology Essay1098 Words   |  5 PagesSuzanne Collins’ novel The Hunger Games and its big screen adaptation follow the journey of a teenage girl in the dystopian country of Panem. Katniss Everdeen must fight to survive in a game of death against other youth from the twelve districts in Panem. However, The Hunger Games is not just a young adult genre obsession, but also a complex study of the social sciences. The symbolism and plot of The Hunger Games are prime examples of Sociology because they display different societal rules and normsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Hunger Games 1250 Words   |  5 PagesRoman elements in the series of Hunger Games Rome, which was once the greatest power of the world, had tremendous impact on how we do things in different social aspects today: The Roman Republic is the origin of modern democratic system, and the Roman Law, which was seen as the foundation of modern legal system, is still a required course for law school students nowadays. However, Roman impacts on our modern society is not only within the conceptions of social systems, but in the aspect of cultureRead MoreThe Hunger Games The Capitol851 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Hunger Games the Capitol is a place of vast wealth while the districts especially the districts of eleven and twelve are living in poverty. This wealth that the Capitol has it a type of social control because it keeps the districts from being able to gain the ability to fight back against the Capitol due to their poverty status. The poverty in the districts is so bad that Katniss Everdeen from District Twelve requires that she break a law of the Capitol’s, whi ch is not leaving the fenced areaRead MoreHunger Games By Suzanne Collins860 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins and the motion picture In Time; both embraces the functionalist perspective, where they’re contributing to the stability of their nation of a whole by intimidating their citizens, by keeping the districts/time zones isolated from one another to prevent them from rallying together against an authoritative leadership, that consist of the Capitol being ruled by President Snow (Hunger Games) and New Greenwich (In Time). In both the novel and film, eachRead MoreCrime and Punishment in North America and the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins1052 Words   |  4 Pagesundemocratic and militaristic form of capitalism (Naiman, 2012). It consists of an all powering totalitarian government, which controls the people, nation and the economy. Fascism can occur in any capitalist society under certain conditions, and occurs as a gradual shift wit h the growth of fascist beliefs and values. Large corporations can operate freely and gain control over the economy, while the citizens are strictly controlled and live within a policed state. Fascism emphasizes a strong leaderRead MoreThe Hunger Games vs. Gladiatorial Games1358 Words   |  6 PagesThe Huger Games The Hunger Games is a game, that occurs annually and it is set up by the ruling Capitol to show the other 12 districts of Panem that the Capitol owns them and that they are in-charge and it also serves as a merciless reminder to the price of rebellion against the Capitol. The hunger games consist of twenty-four teenagers, a male and a female from each twelve districts and they range in ages of twelve to eighteen. They are put in an arena, that differs every year and they have toRead MoreThe Hunger Games the Indian Caste System1427 Words   |  6 PagesENG 266 - 1001 Essay # 1: The Hunger Games April 3, 2013 In a story that has an underlying theme of class and poverty, The Hunger Games and their twelve districts can be compared to India’s caste system. Both are hierarchies based on social status. The districts in The Hunger Games include the Capitol being at the top of the chain, with districts one through twelve falling below in numerical order. Going down the order, each district gets more and more poor. Following along with that, the IndianRead MoreThe Hunger Games Essay1320 Words   |  6 PagesThe book The Hunger Games, portrays a society where people are treated unfairly based on factors that they cannot control. The people are born into one of 13 districts. There lives vary drastically based on where they are born. Someone born in the Capitol has a completely different life than someone born in district 12. A person born in the Capitol lives a wealthy life and is always treated with respect. On the other hand someone born in district 12 has a life of constant back breakin g work. TheyRead MoreDifferences Between Government And The Hunger Games975 Words   |  4 PagesEmerson Ruley Ruley 1 Lions Scholar Program Mrs. Lee 15 April 2015 Differences in Government The government in the Hunger Games has many similarities and differences to our government in the USA, and gives us a different view of our government to the Hunger Games. Our government is unlike the government of Panem in how much control our government has, in the area of laws, and our ways of punishment. Both of these governments are similar because they have censorship, authority, and laws. Lastly, SuzanneRead MoreComparing the Dystopian Elements in Suzenne Collins The Hunger Games and George Orwells 19841377 Words   |  6 Pageselements in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games echo those in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four Dystopian literature adheres to certain conventions; the theme of a dystopian future typically encompasses a severely repressed society, with socio-political dysfunction and class stratification. Themes of surveillance, censorship and personal independence have been established by authors such as George Orwell, and are recurrent throughout 2008 novel â€Å"The Hunger Games† by Suzanne Collins, although Orwellian

Is Lennie Responsible for His Actions in of Mice and Men...

Throughout the novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck presents Lennie to be responsible and also irresponsible for his actions. Sometimes throughout the novel, Steinbeck presents Lennie to be irresponsible for his actions because life at the time was very difficult. People were losing their jobs, many farmers lost their farms, and were forced into the life of itinerant workers. The lifestyle Lennie had could be responsible for his actions, because he didn’t really have support. However on the other hand you could also argue that all the other men lived the same lifestyle as him and they took responsibility for their actions, you could also argue that Lennie had more support than any other ranch worker, because he had George taking care of†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"We need the stake,† this shows George sticking up for Lennie as he knows is they don’t have money, they cannot buy their house. George knows that it is false hope but it is keeping Lennie sane from doing anything stupid, Steinbeck has shown foreshadowing through George’s worry. Steinbeck presents Lennie to be responsible and irresponsible when he is not with George. Steinbeck shows how he is responsible when he sticks up for George, â€Å"He ain’t never been hurt, ‘cause he’s careful.† This quote also suggests Lennie realising himself how is irresponsible for his actions and how he needs George to guide him. This is because Lennie gets quite anxious and angry at the thought of not having George, â€Å"He stood up and walked dangerously towards Crooks.† Steinbeck presents Lennie to be irresponsible for his actions when he lets their secret of their dream, slip, â€Å"George says we gonna have alfalfa for the rabbits.† This shows that he is careless for his actions and doesn’t think before he acts. Steinbeck portrays Lennie to be very careless and irresponsible through the death of the mouse, the puppy and Curley’s wife. The death of the mouse foreshadows the death of the puppy and the death of Curley’s wife. Through the death of the mouse we see how Lennie is irresponsible for his actions. â€Å"They was so little,† he said apologetically. This shows that Lennie is takingShow MoreRelatedOf Mice And Men Essay896 Words   |  4 PagesOf Mice and Men Essay In today’s society people tend to be open about differences and respond to them understandingly. In the 2014 Special Olympic USA games Kim Chandler who is a thirty-eight-year-old olympic swimmer with down syndrome and uses her unique athletic skills to teach able children to swim. Kim is a brilliant example of how society has changed positively. What is so inspiring about Kim teaching children to swim is the way people accept her and include her in our own lives. We acceptRead MoreOf Mice Men Loneliness Essay1353 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Of Mice and Men Loneliness Essay Loneliness is an impossible fact of life that nobody can avoid especially during the Great Depression. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, a novella by John Steinbeck shows that in the early 1930s – during the Great Depression – was a period of great loneliness of men and women, therefore people are driven to find friendship in order to escape the loneliness. But barely anyone find the right companionship while a lot of them were still lonely even if they found theirRead More Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay example9610 Words   |  39 PagesOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born on 27 Feb 1902 in Salinas, California, not far from the area where Of Mice and Men is set. He attended Stanford University, but never settled to one area of study and left without obtaining a degree. In his twenties, he pursued a varied working life, including that of an itinerant ranch worker, similar to the characters portrayed in the novel. His early writings had some success, and established him as an author interested inRead MoreDeath Penalty : Analyzing The Capital Punishment s Statistical Effects And Harms1199 Words   |  5 Pagesthat makes them strive to do better. The death penalty kills their hope. It takes their hope and annihilates it, leaving no traces behind. The death penalty is a punishment that should never be used because no person deserves to be killed for their actions, and it has way too many harmful statistics that affect the government and the people of America. The death penalty has also been suggested as a threat in plea-bargaining. In the article Leveraging Death, Sherod Thaxton addresses the use of the death

Project on Samsung. Free Essays

COMPANY PROFILE Samsung Group is a South Korean multi national conglomerate company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul. It comprises numerous subsidiaries and affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand, and is the largest in South Korean. Samsung Electronics Co. We will write a custom essay sample on Project on Samsung. or any similar topic only for you Order Now , Ltd. mainly engaged in the production of consumer electronic products. One of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, Samsung Electronics is also South Korea’s top electronics company. Samsung Distribution Channel iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" src="https://phdessay.com/the-distribution-strategy-of-samsung/embed/#?secret=ou82p479vc" data-secret="ou82p479vc" width="500" height="282" title="#8220;Samsung Distribution Channel#8221; #8212; Free Essays - PhDessay.com" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"/iframe It makes many kinds of consumer devices, including DVD players, digital TVs, and digital still cameras; computers, color monitors, LCD panels, and printers; semiconductors such as DRAMs, static RAMs, flash memory, and display drivers; and communications devices ranging from wireless handsets and smartphones to networking gear. The company, which is the flagship member of Samsung Group, also makes microwave ovens, refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines. Nearly half of sales come from the Asia/Pacific region. Company Vision :- Samsung Electronics’ vision for the new decade is, â€Å"Inspire the World, Create the Future. † This new vision reflects Samsung Electronics’ commitment to inspiring its communities by leveraging Samsung’s three key strengths: â€Å"New Technology,† â€Å"Innovative Products,† and â€Å"Creative Solutions. † Samsung SWOT analysis Strengths:- 1. Hardware integration with many open source OS and software 2. Excellence in engineering and producing hardware parts and consumer electronics 3. Innovation and design 4. Focus on environment 5. Low production costs 6. Largest share in mobile phones and 2 place in smartphones sales 7. Ability to market the brand Weaknesses:- 1. Patent infringement 2. Too low profit margin 3. Main competitors are also largest buyers 4. Lack its own OS and software 5. Focus on too many products Opportunities:- 1. Growing India’s smartphone market 2. Growing mobile advertising industry 3. Growing demand for quality application processors 4. Growth of tablets market 5. Obtaining patents through acquisitions Threats:- 1. Saturated smartphone markets in developed countries 2. Rapid technological change 3. Declining margins on hardware production 4. Breached patents 5. Apple’s iTV launch 6. Price wars Marketing Mix (4P’S) of samsung smart phones 4 P’s of Samsung smartphone: What made it possible for Samsung to beat Apple in smartphone sales? How to cite Project on Samsung., Papers

Science Inquiry Essay Example For Students

Science Inquiry Essay Inquiry 2: Force with varied mass Introduction: In this inquiry the relationship between force and mass was studied. This inquiry presents a question: when mass is increased is the force required to move it at a constant velocity increased, and how large will the increase be? It is obvious that more massive objects takes more force to move but the increase will be either linear or exponential. To hypothesize this point drawing from empirical data is necessary. When pulling an object on the ground it is discovered that to drag a four-kilogram object is not four times harder than dragging a two-kilogram object. I hypothesize that increasing the mass will increase the force needed to move the mass at a constant rate, these increases will have a liner relationship. Materials and Methods: In the experiment these materials were used in the following ways. A piece of Veneer wood was used as the surface to pull the object over. Placed on top of this was a rectangular wood block weighing 0.148-kg (1.45 N/ 9.80 m/s/s). A string was attached to the wood block and then a loop was made at the end of the string so a Newton scale could be attached to determine the force. The block was placed on the Veneer and drug for about 0.6 m at a constant speed to determine the force needed to pull the block at a constant speed. The force was read off of the Newton scale, this was difficult because the scale was in motion pulling the object. To increase the mass weights were placed on the top of the box and then the block was drug again. Three trials were taken for each weight to assure high accuracy. The average force was determined so that the data could be synthesized into one graph. The results are as follows: MassForce Trial 1Force Trial 2Force Trial 3Average Force 0.148 kg0.40 N0.40 N0.40 N0. 40 N 0.248 kg0.55 N0.60 N0.60 N0.58 N 0. 348 kg0.80 N0.80 N0.85 N0.82 N 0.448 kg1. 1 N1.1 N1.1 N1.1 N 0.548 kg1.3 N1. 3 N1.3 N1.3 N 0.648 kg1.5 N1.5 N1. 5 N1.5 N 1.148 kg2.7 N2.8 N2.6 N2. 7 N 1.648 kg3.6 N3.7 N3.7 N3.7 N Results and Conclusion: In this inquiry the effects of a variable mass was studied with its results on force. This inquiry can be extended however. The forces on the block should be analyzed. There are four distinct forces on the block. The force of gravity is the most obvious it pushes down on the block at 9.80 m/s/s. Without any additional force the block stays in place, this means that the normal force, the force exerted up and against gravity, must be equal. The two other forces are the force of the pull and the force of friction. When the block moves at a constant speed the force of the pull and the force of friction are also equal. From the inquiry at hand one concludes that with increased mass there is an increased friction because of the increase of force needed to keep a more massive block at a constant speed. In conclusion the hypothesis stated, that the force would increase in a positive liner fashion, is consistent with the findings in the inquiry. .

Richard Nixon Essays (556 words) - Richard Nixon, American Quakers

Richard Nixon I am writing a report on a significant person in U.S. history. The person I chose is Richard Nixon, the thirty-seventh president of the United States. Richard Milhous Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, California in 1913. His Father, Frank Nixon, had many failing businesses that took the family different places. His mother, Hannah Nixon, had two boys before Richard. They both died young After high school, Nixon attended Duke University to study law. He tried twice to become class president. Finally he succeeded. Soon after his college schooling, Nixon enrolled in the Navy. War broke out and he was sent to fight. He was stationed at Green Island however; he never saw any combat action. He was a ration distributor. When discharged, he had acquired the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Soon after discharge he was brought into politics. His stance of anti-communism made him well respected. Good in debates, Nixon was a shoe-in. Soon he began his political struggle. He challenged Jerry Voorhis for a district seat in the California House of Representatives. Amazingly, he won. After acquiring some political power, he decided to move up more. He soon set his sights on the U.S. Senate. He defeated the expected senator; Ms. Helen Douglas. Since he won the senate he set his eyes on a bigger prize; vice president was his next goal. He was voted in with President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He went through many political high points, such as the Caracas Mob incident, where Nixon was taken hostage. The Kitchen Debate, noted as a high point for Nixon, where he and the Russian leader, Nikita S. Khrushchev, discussed issues in a kitchen. With Eisenhower he served two terms. Nixon's next goal was to become the President of the United States. In 1960, John F. Kennedy and Nixon ran for presidency. As it turned out, Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson won by only 120,000 votes which isn't much in this type of race. It was believed Kennedy bought Texas and Illinois. Johnson soon became president after Kennedy's assassination. Now Nixon would try presidency once more. Nixon beat Hubert Humphrey with some political strategy. He told the citizens of the U.S. he would stop the war in Vietnam and make it better. In the long run he made it worse. He would be, soon, our first president to resign. It was when Nixon pulled off a huge upset for his second term. At first, nobody thought anything of it. Burglars broke into the Watergate Hotel stealing Democratic plans. Soon tempers rose, and fingers started to point at Nixon. He was becoming angry and short-fused. While they were drafting articles of impeachment, Nixon resigned to escape impeachment. It became to be one of the most embarrassing moments in U.S. history. After leaving office he lived a secluded life with his family in California. On April 22,1994, former President Nixon dies. I liked this book because of the way they illustrate his life through pictures. It was also informative and it provided me with a better feel on Nixon. I knew he was a president but I did not know what he did while in office. I learned that Nixon didn't want segregation to end and that Nixon played such a big part in Watergate. History Essays

Do not be alarmed - Emphasis

Do not be alarmed Do not be alarmed Imagine youve got to write a set of instructions for a total stranger; no, millions of total strangers. Its a huge audience, made up of people from all walks of life. So its going to be impossible to cater for individual needs. Youll have to write it so that practically anyone can understand the language. Not only that, but theyre likely to be somewhat distracted panic-stricken, in fact. Because the instructions are on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. That was the challenge facing the Government and the BBC in the 1970s, at the height of the Cold War. And the results of their efforts are a study in how to write clearly. The National Archive released them today, and you can read them here. Note the short paragraphs and varying sentence length. Longer sentences vary the pace, while shorter ones (Water means life. Dont waste it) add real impact. Note especially that the script addresses the reader (or listener, in this case) directly, including using the word you frequently. The writer also guides the listener very carefully by taking them through a logical thought process: Do not, in any circumstances, go outside the house. Radioactive fall-out can kill. You cannot see it or feel it, but it is there. If you go outside, you will bring danger to your family and you may die. If youre struggling to write a report or a tricky email, it could be a lot worse.

Mankind is Causing Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mankind is Causing Global Warming - Essay Example . In fact, 25% to 30% of the greenhouse gas that is released into the atmosphere every year is 1.6 billion tonnes which is due to deforestation. According to Daniel Howden, (2007) "In the next 24 hours, deforestation will release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as 8 million people flying from London to New York. Stopping the loggers is the fastest and cheapest solution to climate change. So why are global leaders turning a blind eye to this crisis" The rapid destruction of the rainforests which forms a valuable cooling band in the region of the Earth's equator is one of the main causes of climate change. Carbon expelling due to deforestation far surpass damage induced by planes and automobiles and factories. Water vapour is the most widespread and most potent greenhouse gas on the planet. It increases as a result of warming induced by carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. "Because the air is warmer, the relative humidity can be higher (in essence, the air is able to 'hold' more water when its warmer), leading to more water vapor in the atmosphere" (http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html, accessed on 29th April, 2009). Water vapour holds on around 2/3rd of the heat pinned by all the greenhouse gases (L.R.Kump, 2002) due to which global climate change has occurred. Meth Methane, a natural gas is the 2nd most vital of the greenhouse gases ensuing from human actions. It is formed by rice cultivation, cattle and sheep farming, and by decomposing material in lowlands. Methane is also let out during coal removal and oil drilling, and by permeable gas pipelines. Human actions have enhanced the density of methane in the atmosphere to around 145% above to the quantity that is present naturally. (http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/04.html,1997, retrieved on 29th April 2009) Carbon dioxide emitted by vehicles is also a reason for global warming. According to the US Emissions Inventory 2006 page 8 vehicles which have poor gas mileage add the most to global warming. For instance, according to the E.P.A's 2000 Fuel Economy Guide, a new Dodge Durango sports utility vehicle which gives 12 miles per gallon in the city will emit an approximate 800 pounds of carbon dioxide above a distance of 500 city miles. But if a large vehicle is used like the SUV's then due to their narrow wheel base they are 4 times as liable as cars to overturn in an accident (Keith Bradsher, Article appearing in the San Francisco Chronicle, December 12, 1997 originating in the New York Times). Another principal man-made ground of Global Warming is population. More people lead to more food, and more modes of transportation. This only means more 3 Methane as there will be increased amount of burning of fossil fuels, and more agriculture. The main source of methane is manure. Because more food is demanded more food has to be raised. Animals like cows are a resource of food which leads to increase in manure and methane. Yet another issue with increasing population is transportation. Increased number of people means more cars, and more cars means more pollution. (http://library. thinkquest.org/J003411/causes.htm, retrieved on 29th April 2009). The permafrost sheet has begun to melt due to human activities. Alaskan permafrost has apparently warmed up by a mean of 1.5C over the past 15 years. (Osterkamp, 2000,

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Globalization - Essay Example Due to globalization, ‘unhealthy’ foods have been promoted in different parts hence encouraging people to consume ‘trendy’ foods. In this regard, I suffered obesity after consuming fast foods for a long time. On the other hand, there are three most important global issues facing the world currently. Firstly, many countries in the world are facing tough economic times due to global inflation. On this basis, there are countries classified as third world because of low economic status while those of high economic status are referred to as first world. Secondly, the world has increasing suffered social problems associated with globalization. For example, due to free movement and improved technology, cases of terrorism have increased in different countries. Lastly another major global issue in the world is the spread of diseases classified as international disasters. For instance, diseases such cancer and HIV have made governments to spent a lot of money in research and purchase of

Cyber Bullying Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cyber Bullying - Research Paper Example Even though the internet technology affords children very useful avenue to learn, communicate and build relationships, it also opens possibility of technology misuse by children and by other users against children (Martin and Keith, 2005). The internet has brought a new form of bullying known as cyber bullying, which has increasingly become a new emerging problem in today’s world. Cyber bullying is defined as the use of the internet technology to threaten, target, embarrass, or harass another person. It should be noted that cyber bullying relates to young people and particularly among the children; when an adult is involved, the definition of cyber bullying changes to cyber-stalking or cyber-harassment (Brown et al, 2006). This paper will discuss cyber bullying and in particular select an academic organization that has cyber bullying program. It will describe the program, when it was founded, why it was founded, its mission statement, and how it works. Martin Springer Institut e is one of the educational organizations that have a cyber-bullying program. The college has developed a comprehensive cyber bullying program to prevent bullying in the college. The program was developed in 2006. It was developed with the view of addressing the problem of cyber bullying that had become rampant among colleges and grade schools in the United States. The college has developed cyber bullying prevention resources that are aimed at protecting students from cyber bullying, as well as enabling the college to address the problem of cyber bullying as and when it arises. The college offers a variety of cyber bullying prevention resources which include books, Annual Bullying Prevention Conference, Advisements and Connections, and DVDs and films to promote discussion on all forms of bullying including cyber bullying. The program provides the basis upon which students can learn about cyber bullying, report bullying to the college administration, and punishment of cyber bullying (Martin Springer Institute, 2012). The college offers a selection of resources about bullying prevention. These resources provide students, parents, teachers, and general public with information about cyber bullying and how to deal with this problem. The resources offer information on how to respond to cyber bullying. In addition, it provides cyber bullying prevention guides for public, parents, students, and teachers; the guide is designed to enable these categories of people to take advantage of what has been studied and accomplished over the years regarding prevention of cyber bullying. This guide provides the college’s community and the public with information about how cyber bullying has been perpetrated in the society therefore helping them know its various dimensions. Along with that, it provides information on how different schools and colleges have responded to different cases of cyber bullying (Martin Springer Institute, 2012). In an attempt to address the challenge of cyber bullying in the college and the public at large, Martin Springer Institute provides resources that offer information on bullying statistics, fact sheets, research, solutions, stories, an strategies of helping its community and the public to stop cyber bullying. This has been instrumental in helping them realize that cyber bullying is a crime that occurs virtually everywhere and that there is need for concerted efforts to address the ch

Humanistic Theory According To Abraham Maslow Education Essay

Humanistic Theory According To Abraham Maslow Education Essay This is the psychological perspective popularized by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow that emphasizes the human capacity for choice and growth. The overriding assumption is that humans have free will and are not simply fated to behave in specific ways or are zombies blindly reacting to their environment. The humanists stated that the subject matter or psychology is the human subjective experience of the world how human experience things, why they experience things, etc. Humanistic psychologists look at human behavior not only through the eyes of the observer, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving. Humanistic psychologists believe that an individuals behavior is connected to his inner feelings and self-image. Unlike the behaviorists, humanistic psychologists believe that humans are not solely the product of their environment. Rather humanistic psychologists study human meanings, understandings, and experiences involved in growing, teaching and learning. They emphasize characteristics that are shared by all human beings such as love, grief, caring and self worth. Humanistic psychologists study how people are influenced by their self-perceptions and the person meanings attached to their experiences. Humanistic psychologists are not primarily concerned with instinctual drives, responses to external stimuli, or past experiences. Rather, they consider conscious choices, responses to internal needs, and current circumstances to be important in shaping human behavior. Humanistic theory is based upon the idea that everyone has the potential to make a contribution to society and be a good and likeable person if their needs are fulfilled. Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers led the humanistic theory movement and it was Maslow who developed the pyramid of needs. Maslow believed that fulfilling the needs in the correct order would allow individuals to become self actualised, fully able persons. So only after the basic physiological needs such as food, shelter, warmth are met can individuals move on to the next stages; the need to feel secure, to be loved and accepted etc. Maslow developed his theory not by studying mentally ill patients, which is where much psychological knowledge had derived from up to that point, but by studying healthy, productive, creative individuals lives and careers. He concluded that there were common characteristics which were shared by successful individuals including self acceptance, openness and respect for other individuals. Carl Rogers felt that, in addition to Maslows hierarchical needs, in order for a person to develop fully that they needed to be in an environment which would provide them with genuineness, acceptance and empathy and that without such a nourishing environment healthy personalities and relationships would be unable to flourish. Humanistic theory is basically about the development of the individual. It was very popular in the 1970s but seems to be slightly out of favour today as Western nations have generally moved slightly towards the political right and there is more emphasis on conforming and contributing to, a slightly more conservative society. Of course, whilst humanistic theory does have a very strong focus on the individual, it is based upon the belief that well developed, successful individuals are best placed to make a positive contribution to society. Humanistic theory suggests that the achievement of happiness is frequently dependent upon achieving, or giving yourself the licence to, investigate and pursue your own deepest interests and desires. Humanistic Theory according to Abraham Maslow Abraham Maslow has been considered the Father of Humanistic Psychology. Maslows theory is based on the notion that experience is the primary phenomenon in the study of human learning and behavior. He placed emphasis on choice, creativity, values, self-realization, all distinctively human qualities, and believed that meaningfulness and subjectivity were more important than objectivity. For Maslow, development of human potential, dignity and worth are ultimate concerns. Maslow rejected behaviorist views and Freuds theories on the basis of their reductionistic approaches. He felt Freuds view of human nature was negative, and he valued goodness, nobility and reason. Also, Freud concentrated on the mentally ill, and Maslow was interested in healthy human psychology. Maslow and his colleagues came to refer to their movement as third force psychology, the first two being psychoanalysis and behaviorism. The third force is based on philosophies of existentialism and humanism. He is famous for proposing that human motivation is based on a hierarchy of needs. The lowest level of needs are physiological and survival needs such as hunger and thirst. Further levels include belonging and love, self-esteem, and self-actualization. From Maslows perspective, the drive to learn is intrinsic. The purpose of learning is to bring about self-actualization, and the goals of educators should include this process. Learning contributes to psychological health. Maslow proposed other goals of learning, including discovery of ones vocation or destiny; knowledge of values; realization of life as precious, acquisition of peak experiences, sense of accomplishment, satisfaction of psychological needs, awareness of beauty and wonder in life, impulse control, developing choice, and grappling with the critical existential problems of life. Maslows theory of learning highlighted the differences between experiential knowledge and spectator knowledge. He regarded spectator, or scientific, knowledge to be inferior to experiential. Properties of experiential learning include: immersion in the experience without awareness of the flow of time momentarily not being self-conscious transcending time, place, history, and society by being beyond and unaffected by them merging with that which is being experienced being innocently receptive, as a child, uncritical suspending temporarily evaluation of the experience in terms of its importance or unimportance lack of inhibition, subsiding of selfishness, fear, defensiveness experience unfolds naturally without striving or effort suspending criticism, validation, and evaluation of the experience trusting experience by passively letting it happen; letting go of preconceived notions disengaging from logical, analytical, and rational activities Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Physiological Needs They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature. They are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all needs, the physiological ones would come first in the persons search for satisfaction. We need these for basic survival. Maslows theory said that you need to satisfy first the basic needs like Physiological needs and Safety needs, to get motivation to truly attain the higher-level needs like social needs and esteem. Safety Needs When all physiological needs are satisfied and no longer dominating our thoughts and behaviors, we progress to safety needs. A persons attention turns to safety and security for himself/ herself to be free from the threat of physical and emotional harm. Such needs might be fulfilled by: Living in a safe area Medical insurance Job security Financial reserves These include the need for security. We often have little awareness of these, except in times of emergency disorganization in social structure (war time, terrorist acts, domestic violence, natural disasters). Maslows hierarchy said that, if a person feels that he or she is in harms way, higher needs would not be attained that quickly. Belongingness Love needs When a person has attained the lower level like Physiological and Safety needs, higher level needs become important, the first of which are social needs. Social needs are those related to interaction with other people like: Need for friends Need for belonging Need to give and receive love When safety and physiological needs are met, we desire, to be loved by others and to belong. Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness alienation. This involves both giving receiving love, affection the sense of belonging (family, friends, social groups). Esteem Needs After the first 3 classes of needs are met, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem for the esteem a person gets from others. Esteem needs may be classified as internal or external. Self respect and achievement are some examples of Internal esteem needs. Social status and recognition are some examples of External esteem needs. Some esteem needs are: Self-respect Achievement Attention Recognition Reputation Humans have a need for a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, respect from others. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels self-confident valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless worthless. Need for Self-Actualization When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. The last necessity is the Self Actualization or Fulfillment Needs. This includes purposed, personal growth, and the full realization of ones potentials. This is the point where people start becoming fully functional, acting purely on their own volition, and having a healthy personality. Maslow describes self-actualization as a persons need to be do that which the person was born to do. A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write. These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness (person feels edgy, tense, lacking something, restless.) The person must be true to his or her own nature, be what you are meant to be. Maslow believed that very few people reach the state of self-actualization. Although we all have the need to move toward the goal of reaching our full potential, other needs may get in the way. Misconceptions about Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Maslow himself agreed that his 5-level need hierarchy oversimplifies the relationship between needs behavior. The order of needs makes sense for most of us, though there may be some notable exceptions (e.g., some people need to satisfy their needs for self-esteem respect before they can enter a love relationship). We may so desire fulfilling a need that we sacrifice others below it. For example, a person with a passion for acting might sacrifice his or her hunger, which is one of physiological needs, to pursue a career in acting even though the payment is barely enough and struggling to live while trying to make a name for themselves in the business. Maslow was interested in studying people who are psychologically healthy. These were people who had become self-actualized. He interviewed these people to see how they were able to satisfy all of the needs on the hierarchy. He conducted what he called a holistic analysis in which he sought general impressions from his efforts to understand these people in depth. What are Self-Actualized People Like? They tend to accept themselves for what they are. They freely admit their weaknesses, but do make attempts to improve. They dont worry excessively over the mistakes they have made, but instead focus on improving. They respect feel good about themselves. However, this self love is healthy not narcissistic. They are less restricted by cultural norms than the average person. They feel free to express their desires, even if contrary to the popular view. These people have frequent peak experiences, in which time place are transcended, anxieties are lost, a unity of self with the universe is obtained (birth of a child, marriage, deciding to go to school). Humanistic Theory according to Carl Rogers Carl Rogers was a central figure in the humanistic movement of personality psychology. He lived from 1902 till 1987. In the span of his life, he was an instrumental figure in the understanding of the individual as a central point of the study of human potential. He believed that within each individual lies an innate desire and motivation to learn in order to progress to a higher level of achievement and self-development. Both Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers work became popularly known in the mid-1980s as the human potential movement. This categorization of their work became the ground where psychologists used their conceptual framework to study the impact on ones personality as well as in the field of education, among others. One of his famous quotes epitomized his conceptual framework, The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change. This quotation reflected his theoretical conception that people must be able to create a learning curve that will enable them to change towards a new chapter in their self-development. According to Rogers (1951), people can be tuned to learn to unlock themselves from an environment that constricts their potential because of preconceived notions of how they should be. Rogers believed that people who are restricted by their perception of the environment in which they exist in have a debilitating effect on how they may view their potential. However, if an individual is able to overcome the faulty perception(s) of the environment, and learn to acknowledge the potential to grow, then the individual may initiate steps as well as processes towards this end. Rogers strongly advocated that a growing individual is on where he or she is aware of a progress of ongoing internal change, and an acceptance of oneself. Rogers further emphasized that individuals will inevitably experience positive development if they are exposed to supportive environmental condition. By his understanding of supportive environmental condition, Rogers believed that social factors contribute to positive development. Rogers (1982), quoted by Pfaffenberger. A, 2007, p 508, emphatically stated that in his opinion, all humans will display compassion and cooperation if they are provided with the appropriate environmental supports. Therefore, Rogers was of the view that learning in a supportive environmental condition was crucial to the development of oneself. In a much later publication, Rogers (1982) also placed emphasis on growth-enhancing relationships that facilitate inner awareness and congruence which allowed motivation of effort towards a certain objective. Rogers postulated that relationships that provide for an awareness of oneself in differing situations can lead to personal growth. For example, if a child learns that he or she is nurtured in a caring family and with acceptance (relationship factor), he or she is more adapted to see situational variables (such as studies, or skill based acquisition) as motivation towards achieving objectives. However, it is notable that this presumption of Rogers may be faulty because it is argued that situational variables can also work to the detriment of the individual. In contrast, Abraham Maslow (1968) explicitly acknowledged that difficult circumstances can also be growth-enhancing. Much research had been conducted to investigate how growth-enhancing relationships and situational variables may trigger different affect. One of the more definitive studies was conducted by L. King (2001), (quoted by Pfaffenberger. A, 2007, p 510). In this study, King investigated the influence of challenging and limiting life events on personality development as measured by Loevingers (1976) SCT Sentence Completion Test. The study concluded that cognitive abilities and personality structures interact with life circumstances, and that the nature of this interaction is relevant to whether growth occurs (p, 511). This study also supports Rollo Mays (1958) theory of existential therapy, where clients are taught to constructively work with their limitations and to create freedom so that they can choose values, meanings, and their levels of commitment. Theoretical orientations of Rogers humanistic concept: The humanistic orientation of Rogers theory can be essentially encapsulated using two (2) theories. The two (2) theories are the person-centred personality theory and the self-determination theory. Person-centred theory For almost fifty (50) years since his earlier publication of A Theory of Therapy, Personality and Interpersonal Relationships, developed under the Client-centred Framework, Rogers (1959), the person-centred movement and client-centred approach towards counselling and psycho-therapy are also generalized to other fields of knowledge. The crux of the person-centred personality theory is the assumption that human beings have an inherent tendency towards growth, development, and optimal functioning. According to Rogers (1959), quoted by Patterson and Joseph, 2007, p 120, the person-centred approach offers a dynamic, process-focused account of personality development and functioning,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ What this means is that, every human is born with an innate motivational drive, known as the actualizing tendency. Actualizing tendency is defined by Rogers (1959) as, the inherent tendency of the organism to develop all of its capacities in ways which serve to maintain or enhance the organismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦development towards autonomy and away from heteronomy, or control by external forces. (p 196) (Quoted by Patterson and Joseph, 2007, p 120) Every individual possesses some capacity that allows him or her to realize the inherent potential within. One of the key implications of Rogers actualizing tendency lies in how individuals undertake to bring out the potential. According to Rogers, the impact of the environmental conditions is a determining factor. Under favourable social-environmental conditions, Rogers proposed that the individuals self-concept actualizes in accordance with his or her organismic valuing process (OVP). The OVP refers to the evaluation of experiences in a manner consistent with ones intrinsic needs: Rogers summed it by declaring that, the human infant is seen as having an inherent motivational system and a regulatory system (the valuing process) which by its feedback keeps the organism on the beam of satisfying his motivational needs. (Rogers, 1959, p 222). Even from young, every individual is keen to fulfil some of his or her intrinsic needs; those that are not dependent on externalities or due to any prior learning. An example is how children recognize the importance of exploration whilst learning and/or playing. In the process, children discover more about themselves, about the environment, about others and about life in general. As children learn to correlate these experiences into their organization of self-concept, they begin to instil a sense of their OVP learning to evaluate the experiences based on their intrinsic needs. The concept of OVP is important to the central theme of Rogers theoretical framework. Important to Rogers understanding is his (1957) terminology of a fully functioning person an ideal of autonomous psychological functioning that occurs when self-actualization is organismically congruent. This concept is similar to Maslow (1970) and presupposes that individuals must firstly satisfy their most fundamental needs. In his later works, Rogers (1963 and 1964) proposed that the attitudes and behaviours of more fully functioning individuals are consistent with certain internally generated value directions. The value directions include moving toward increasingly socialized goals, where sensitivity to others and acceptance of others is positively valued and where deep relationships are positively valued, and moving in the direction of greater openness to experience, where the person comes to value an openness to all of his or her inner and outer experience ( Rogers, 1964, p 166). Rogers acknowledged that conditions or the social-environmental factors are not always ideal for the emergence of a fully functioning person. Situations like this give rise to a state of incongruence. There is a state of tension and internal confusion. When an unfavourable social environment is present, the actualizing tendency is thwarted, Rogers (1959). The actualizing tendency is compromised by the conditions of worth. Conditions of worth are conceptualized as the values that are introjected by the individual from his or her social interactions and that stem from the developing infants need for positive regard from significant others in his or her social environment. In this respect, if an infant receives positive regard that is conditional, then he or she learns to evaluate experiences according to whether or not they satisfy the externally imposed conditions. As the child develops, the conditions of worth are introjected, meaning that they act as an internalized social order and replacing organismic valuing as the principle governing the individuals attitudes and behaviour. Self-Determination Theory This is a contemporary organismic theory formulated by Deci, E.L and Ryan, R. M, (1985, 1991, 2000) that focused on motivation and personality functioning that emphasizes the central rule of the individuals inner resources for personality development and behavioural self-regulation. This theory is similar to the person-centred theory in that self-determination theory views the individual as an active growth-oriented organism, attempting to actualize his or her potentialities within the environment in which he or she functions. A summary of the self-determination theory carries the following elements: Human beings are inherently proactive; have potential to act on and master both the inner forces and the external, Human beings, as self-organizing systems, have an inherent tendency toward growth, development, and integrated functioning, For people to actualize their inherent nature and potentials, people require nutrients from the social environment. Adapted from Deci and Vansteenkiste, 2004, pp 23-24, (quoted by Patterson and Joseph, 2007, p 124) In self-determination theory, one of the major sources of motivation and/or OVP is the recognition whether the behaviour is intrinsically or extrinsically motivated. Intrinsic motivation/regulation is equivalent to acting in accordance with OVP. At the same time, there are three (3) subcategories of extrinsic motivation that may account for extrinsic regulations. Perceived locus of causality/ Locus of evaluation describe the individuals perception as to whether the motivation is located internally or externally = person-centred construct of locus of evaluation (Rogers, 1959), Basic needs/ Necessary and Sufficient conditions need for competence, relatedness, and autonomy; essential for facilitating psychological growth and integration, social development, and personal well-being. Competence refers to our need to control outcomes, and to be efficacious in our environment, autonomy refers to the individuals attempts to be a self-determining agent of his or her own attitudes and behaviour, while relatedness describes the urge to be in relationship with others, caring for others, and being cared for by others. Self-determination theory hypothesized that, for the individual to experience an ongoing sense of integrity and well-being, each of these three basic needs must be met throughout the life-span. This hypothesis supports the contention that certain, social-environmental conditions nurture self-regulation based on organismic valuing and lead to a process of growth and change in the direction of healthy functioning and psychological well-being. Contingent Self-Esteem/Conditional Self-Regard refers to the influence of people viewed as significant others (Deci Ryan, 1995; Ryan Brown, 2003). This is similar to the person-centred view of conditional self-regard. There exists a great amount of similarities between the person-centred and the self-determination theory. Both theories postulate that the path to psychological well-being involves following an innate guidance mechanism. This understanding is important to the field of learning because each individual has a different subset of characteristics that may promote and/or hinder learning. In this respect, knowing what triggers effective learning, providing conducive environment, taking into account an individuals OVP, social factors, as well as structuring the curriculum are necessary to enhance the optimal level of learning. Humanistic theory proposed understanding humans as a state of being, a dynamic and ever-changing situation where each individual is seen as always striving to fulfil the potential within. APPLICATION IN EDUCATION In the field of education, humanistic theory grants educators important conceptual understanding about the role of learners. From Maslow and Rogers, educators have a better insight into the elements of learners style and dimensions of absorption of knowledge and utilization of skills and abilities. In his paper, Humanistic Self-Instruction, the author, R. Craig Hogan (1978) suggested that instructors/educators should demonstrate their appreciation and value of the individual learners by viewing them as objects that have unique and specific needs. The negative implications of treating the learners as empty jars or blank slates is that many instructors/educators feel that learners are passive receivers only; filling the learners as the instructors/educators wish. This negative implications are serious to warrant attention as instructors/educators may force learners to be receptive and have no obligation whatsoever to consider his or her individuality and autonomy in learning. According to Chris Argyris, in his book, Intervention Theory and Method: A Behavioural Science View, 1970, pp 15-16, we see them (learners) and they see themselves as autonomous, responsible individuals committed to the direction the intervention is taking, making free choices based on sufficient valid information about the means and ends. It is a common error that most instructors/educators as well as educational institutions assume that learners need to be instructed as to their learning. This assumption works on the premise that effective learning must follow certain syllabus, instructional method(s) and assessment grading. The education system in most countries is mostly rigid; built along the tried and tested formula of the existing structure of instructed teaching. In cases such as these, the classroom may contain students of varying levels of interest, self-management skill, independence versus dependent minded, industrious versus sluggard and bright as well as lesser bright ones. The methodology of teaching would be uniform across all All are fed the same the same fare at the same rate in the same way. The classroom atmosphere suppresses individuality, autonomy, and freedom by stifling students initiative to manage their own learning at every level of responsibility. Self-directed learning is minimized (Hogan, 1978, pp 262-263) Combination of group contingencies and cooperative learning in adopting humanistic principles The conceptual understanding of group contingencies is that it is primarily derived from behavioural learning theory (Bandura, 1969). The theory behind group contingencies is that a group is rewarded if it collectively meets some standard; and the members of the group apply social sanctions to one another to encourage group members to do what is necessary to ensure that the group will be successful (Slavin 1987). Group contingencies are also workable if the reward/sanction is used in tangent to the efforts of individual member of the group. This creates a situation where each individual makes him or herself liable and responsible for the success of the group. In this, the humanist tendencies are activated in each of the individual. Cooperative learning refers to a set of instructional methods in which students are encouraged or required to work together on academic tasks. Cooperative learning methods may be as simple as having students sit together to discuss or help one another with classroom tasks. Rewards may be offered; as in group contingencies but are not essential (Slavin, 1987, p 31). An aspect of cooperative learning that is vital is the element of peer interaction. The quality of the peer interaction determines the extent of the learning and the success of the completion of tasks. The effectiveness of cooperative learning is best seen in two (2) studies (Hulten DeVries, 1976; Slavin, 1980) which found that providing recognition to student teams based on the sum of their individual learning increased student achievement even if students were not permitted to interact in class. In the same vein, a German study, (Huber, Bogatzki, Winter, 1982) found that providing students an opportunity to study together did not increase their achievement, but adding group rewards based on individual learning did lead to enhanced achievement. (Slavin, 1987, p 33) Therefore, the researches listed above clearly supports the position that cooperative reward structures, or group contingencies, based on individual learning of group members are necessary for the success of these methods in improving student achievement. Peer interaction is also found to be important to the success of cooperative strategies. [Webb, (1985), Peterson Janicki, (1979)] Students are motivated to engage in elaborated, cognitively involving explanations and discussions if the learning of their group mates is made important by the provision of group rewards based on individual learning performances (Slavin, 1983). One of the important findings of Slavins study has found positive effects of cooperative learning non race relations, attitudes, self-esteem and other non-academic outcomes (1983). Humanistic understanding of education is not specifically confined to the individual per se but rather emphasizes on how learners/students are able to gain the right concept of themselves and pursue towards growth. In this, cooperative learning has a major role if the outcomes point to similar outcomes. Humanistic theory and learning in Adult Education Humanistic application is most seen in adult learning. For most adults, the adage of more is caught than taught is true. According to a paper presentation by Jackson, Sanetta. George, Cooks, Alyce; Hackney, Darwyn; Stevens, Claude; and Zumwait, Dave, (2002), this adage refers to the informal and incidental learning that takes place on a daily basis and in most situations. In these situations, the learning revolves around human relationships. It is common knowledge that the psychological learning environment of adults and non-adults are significantly different. By virtue of adults ability to make decisions regarding their personal growth and development; especially in learning, humanistic theory provides for a deeper insight into understanding the psychological learning environment of adults. The psychological learning environment is defined as creating a climate in which both learners and teachers are able to engage in genuine exchange. (Jackson, et.al) For teachers, this means that learners need to feel a sense of welcome and at ease, attending to the fears and doubts that adult

fathers and sons :: essays research papers

Father and Son But I am prouder - infinitely prouder - to be a father. A soldier destroys in order to build; the father only builds, never destroys. The one has the potentiality of death; the other embodies creation and life. And while the hordes of death are mighty, the battalions of life are mightier still. It is my hope that my son, when I am gone, will remember me not from the battle field but in the home repeating with him our simple daily prayer, 'Our Father who art in Heaven.' (Douglas Macarthur) Even though the main father and son relationship in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons does not display the â€Å"perfect† relationship they still hold respect and love for one another, they are each other’s security. In this play the author displays a society in which the characters are selfish, and seem to care only about themselves and the things that may benefit them. The men in this play go through great lengths to get everything they want, even if their actions may bring harm to others. Mr. Joe Keller seems to be an exception in this play; He will go through a lot of trouble to benefit others, especially his family. Joe displays so much love for his family through his affection for his son Chris. Chris and Joe have an amazing bond that lies deep within them. The respect and love they hold for one another is unmatched by other characters, and seem to be hard to divide. Although Chris is Joes’ son, Joe also has many other â€Å"sons† the men that fough t in the war, these too are his children yet he deceives them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joe Keller and his son Chris are the main father and son relationship in this play; they are extremely close and completely respect one another however, they have much to learn, for one has a secret. Being a father means more then anything to Joe, it means the personification of graciousness and infallibility. Every move Joe makes in his life is for Chris. His entire factory that he has built from the ground up has been for Chris; his plan was after he retired that Chris would have total control over the business. After Larry, Joe’s elder son passes away Chris becomes everything to him. His love and desire for Chris to be successful made Joe oblivious to all that surrounds him. fathers and sons :: essays research papers Father and Son But I am prouder - infinitely prouder - to be a father. A soldier destroys in order to build; the father only builds, never destroys. The one has the potentiality of death; the other embodies creation and life. And while the hordes of death are mighty, the battalions of life are mightier still. It is my hope that my son, when I am gone, will remember me not from the battle field but in the home repeating with him our simple daily prayer, 'Our Father who art in Heaven.' (Douglas Macarthur) Even though the main father and son relationship in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons does not display the â€Å"perfect† relationship they still hold respect and love for one another, they are each other’s security. In this play the author displays a society in which the characters are selfish, and seem to care only about themselves and the things that may benefit them. The men in this play go through great lengths to get everything they want, even if their actions may bring harm to others. Mr. Joe Keller seems to be an exception in this play; He will go through a lot of trouble to benefit others, especially his family. Joe displays so much love for his family through his affection for his son Chris. Chris and Joe have an amazing bond that lies deep within them. The respect and love they hold for one another is unmatched by other characters, and seem to be hard to divide. Although Chris is Joes’ son, Joe also has many other â€Å"sons† the men that fough t in the war, these too are his children yet he deceives them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joe Keller and his son Chris are the main father and son relationship in this play; they are extremely close and completely respect one another however, they have much to learn, for one has a secret. Being a father means more then anything to Joe, it means the personification of graciousness and infallibility. Every move Joe makes in his life is for Chris. His entire factory that he has built from the ground up has been for Chris; his plan was after he retired that Chris would have total control over the business. After Larry, Joe’s elder son passes away Chris becomes everything to him. His love and desire for Chris to be successful made Joe oblivious to all that surrounds him.

Barry Lopez “Learning to See”

The article by Barry Lopez â€Å"Learning to See† is a masterpiece of the author’s feelings during his numerous trips into the wild. It is a valuable essay included in the collection â€Å"About This Life. † Furthermore, it is a manifestation of sincere adornment by the nature on the whole and the author’s reasoning on it, in particular. In fact, the article was not that spontaneous for the author, because Barry Lopez got through a long process of reasoning on why people should learn to see the features of nature as being put in deeply in their minds.The author makes emphasis on that the nature can be vividly recollected through positive vision. It is something to get through personal feelings, not just to take a photograph. Going over this thesis statement, Barry Lopez encourages a reader to get into the matter of his article. In fact, it is dedicated to an individual’s reasonable impression of any photo exhibition which once made the author reflec t his own ideas on why people are apart from the gist of nature as such.The author is highly motivated to answer the question of why personal reflections on what an individual can see is more precious than reflecting such episodes of nature or life events on a photograph. The author is at a dead-end when meditating between what he saw and what he wanted to write down to a notebook (Lopez, 2010). The question is that the wanderer and writer, Barry remarked a difference between what a painter or a photographer sees and what he/she draws thereafter. That is the conclusion which Barry Lopez comes to in his rumination on the value of the scenes around.The reasons to state such a strong conclusion fall into the author’s personal meditation on what he once saw at Robert Adams’s exhibition â€Å"To Make It Home: Photographs of the American West, 1965-1985† performed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in June 1989 (Lopez, 2010). Looking at these photographs, Barry remembe red eventually his trip to Arctic when he was as close to a polar bear as never before to fix all details of such an encounter (Lopez, About This Life, 1998). However, Barry provides some ambiguity in his assumptions.Thus, after he has been closer to a polar bear, he admits that it is more convenient to fix details of nature in memories and on a sheet of paper than through photographs (Lopez, About This Life, 1998). In its turn Barry convinces then in the value of photography, as he is a photographer himself. Hence, there is a scope of values and assumptions represented in the author’s discussion. It is seen when Barry Lopez compares clarity of what is described on photographs and paintings with a spectacular story told to him in the childhood (Lopez, About This Life, 1998).The aesthetical feature is amplified many times in Lopez’s meditation. As might be seen, Lopez’s discussion lacks more facts from the real life about how people described their feelings from what they saw. Conversely, Lopez focuses strictly on his own experience. It is possible to assume such reasonable conclusions, as: taking advantage of what memories give would complement the way photographers choose the right foreshortening in order to bring a numinous atmosphere of reality to viewers.As for me, a value assumption on the Lopez’s essay is that it has many things to do with teaching people to nuzzle close to the nature every now and then so as to never lose this connection. The article’s argument could be exceeded by dint of what have the applied art and artistic thought at large achieved so far. Thus, the essay is of aesthetic and teaching value. Reference Lopez, B. (1998). About This Life. New York, NY: HarperCollins. Lopez, B. (2010, May 27). Learning to See. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from About This Life: http://www. barrylopez. com/_i_about_this_life__i__44670. htm

Factory Farming

December 4, 2012 Factory Farming With the rising population growth in the United States, food production has greatly changed. Factory farming was developed in the 1920's; soon after the discovery of vitamins A and D, these vitamins were added to the feed, eliminating the requirement for exercise and sunlight for growth. But what exactly is a factory farm? Factory farming is the dominate source of livestock food for the U. S. Harsh and cruel conditions are inflicted towards the animals which are confined in small cages, the factorys are inhumane and morally wrong.Simply put, it is a farm that runs like a factory. The dangers of this kind of agribusiness inflict not only the animals but the environment, communities and our health. Should factory farming be banned? The government refers factory farming as; concentrated (or confined) animal feeding operations (CAFOs). So what are the conditions of these ‘concentrated animal feeding operations? These facilities house hundreds or tho usands of cows, calves, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other animals that live in extremely stressful conditions.They are confined in small cages, Jam packed in rooms with little to no room to move around or lay down comfortably. They are fed drugs to fatten them faster and keep them alive in conditions that could otherwise kill them. Genetically modified organisms (GMO's) are used to make the animals grow faster or to produce much more milk or eggs than they naturally would. (Sorensen, 2009) When animals raised for food are large enough for the slaughter houses they are transported in crowded trucks with often no water or food. The animals that survive this grotesque trip are often slaughtered alive.Practices such as altering animals bodies are common in all factory farms, practices such as; debeaking, A process that nvolves cutting through bone, cartilage and soft tissue with a blade to remove the top half and the bottom third of a chicken's, turkeys or ducks beak. Thi s measure is taken to reduce the excessive feather pecking and cannibalism seen among stressed, overcrowded birds in factory farms (ASPCA). So why aren't factory farms banned? There are many reasons as to why these facilities flourish in the United States and other countries. Factory farms are an efficient way to produce food for the large demand of meat, at a low cost.The large amount of Jobs it entails. They also ensure that huge cities will always have food. Factory farming has also promoted the development of vital amenities like good roads and hospitals among others (Harri). Corporations such as McDonalds and others alike are some of the largest consumers of the factory farming business. Without these farms it would be difficult, or impossible to provide chain restaurants with the amount of meat necessary in order to run efficiently. The people, we nourish this business by our desire for low priced food. Are these advantages actually positive or are we overlooking past the down sides?The number of factory farms in the U. S. s undefined, but according to the Factory FarmMap. org; in 2007 there were 571 ,210 livestock units in New Mexico. New Mexico nas extreme levels ot dairy tactory farms. One of them being along interstate 10 southeast of Las Cruces, there are 30, 000 dairy cows on 11 back to back dairy farms. How are factory farms dangerous? Factory farms pollute our land, air, and water by the extreme amount of waste generated by the vast amount of animals being raised in one place. Land and water have been poisoned by decades of use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers for mass production of livestock feed.According to the New Mexico Environment Department (Burnett, 2009); two thirds of the state's dairies are contaminating groundwater with excess nitrogen from manure leaking from lagoons or being over applied to fields. Nitrous oxides are being released from farms in large quantities due to manure application and are among the leading causes of aci d rain (Grace). Can we ban factory farming? It is irrational to think factory farming can be banned, although changes can be made. We can bring awareness to others about factory farming, and by buying local organic food at either farmers markets, or organic produce stores. Factory Farming Oral Presentation Preparation Factory Farming First of all, I am not against meat eating. However, factory farming is an unacceptable practice of meat producing and this unethical action need to be stopped. In order to support my idea, I am going to discuss the facts about factory farming. In order to have a better understanding about factory farming, it is necessary to define what the factory farming is. It is almost where the meat comes from. In 1920s, factory farming began to modify family farming to maximize the profits at great cost to both humans and animals.In fact, two million small farms have disappeared in 1950s. If the rate continues to be the same, there will no real independent farm left. Soon after they discover the vitamin A and D, which are added to feed animals, the animals are no longer required to exercise and sunlight for growth. Therefore, animals in factory farming are raised indoor for their whole lives. In addition, in the food industry, animals are not consid ered animals at all; they are food-producing machines. They are confined to small cages with metal bars. So, why are there too many people against factory farming?The reason is not hard to find – animals are suffered most by factory farming. There are so many animals spend their lives in cages such as chickens, cows, pigs, fox, bears and even tigers. The first to be transformed into mass-produced farming is chicken. Over 600 million chickens live and die in nightmarish conditions to supply Canadians with their meat and eggs. They are kept in small wire cages, called â€Å"battery cages†, with between 7 or 8 chickens. Because of stress and fear, they are peck at each other. In order to prevent the fights, their peaks are cut.It causes lasting pain; effect the ability to eat, drink, or any movement of their peaks. After 18 to 20 weeks, they are considered â€Å"spent hens†, and need to be sent to slaughter. The second major animal in the factory farm is cow. They are milked by machines, which they are not even allowed to sit down. Normally, the dairy cow is forced into a repeated cycle of pregnancy and having her newborns taken away as young as a few hours old so the milk can be used for human consumption. Another factory farm animal, pigs, are kept indoor, unable to turn around, an only stand and lie down with difficulty. There is no respect for mothers: the baby pigs are taken from their mothers in two to four weeks to be fattened up. After 3 to 4 years, mother pigs will be sent to the slaughter. Instead of giving them some more space to live, factory farmer will have pig’s tails docked and teeth clipped to prevent tail biting. Factory farming does not hurt only animals; it also damages human lives by so many dimensions: environment, health and even the economy. As the number of animals in factory farming increases, the amount of animal waste produced increase, too.It damages the air globally. Moreover, it also raises a great concer n about water pollution. For example, if 2 million birds are killed a day, 12 million gallons of water is needed to flush away 3 million pound of guts, chicken heads, feathers, and blood. Public health concern is another issue. In order to promote growth of animals, more than 83% of farm animals are fed with antimicrobial. In 2008, in the U. S. , two million people become infected at hospitals, of those, 90,000 have died because their infections were immune to treatment.Hilariously, the point of developing factory farming is to increase a country economy system; there are some economic arguments against factory farming. Some can believe that factory farming is more efficient method comparing to local farming, it is also considered the best way to produce protein-rich foods as well as affordable. However, economists say no, because the full cost of factory farming will be equal to the total cost of land use, waste disposal expense, cost of air and water pollution, the cost of public health, and finally the cost of community when the value and quality of life decrease.In fact, according to a study, the cost of cleaning up pollution, together with repairing habitats and dealing with sickness caused by factory farming equal to 2. 3 billion pounds which is almost the same amount as a total agriculture industry’s income. By being aware of this facts about factory farming would make a better world for both humans and nonhuman animals. It will soon destroy both humans and nonhuman animals. In addition, the fact is without factory farming, we still can live with an even better life and health, both for humans as well as nonhuman animals.Again, by some perspectives, humans have the right to consume meat, so in the end animals are killed; however, doing what cost least suffer for animals during their lives is a must. Works Cited Michael Bristow. â€Å"China bear bile farms stir anger among campaigners. † BBC News, Beijing. 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-china-17188043>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Chooseveg. ca Mercy for Animals. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. chooseveg. ca/animal-cruelty-canada. asp>. â€Å"The Pork Industry. † People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Peta. N. d.Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. peta. org/issues/animals-used-for-food/pork-industry. aspx>. â€Å"What are the Factory Farms hiding? See for Yourself? † Occupy for Animals. 03 Mar. 2012. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. occupyforanimals. org/what-are-factory-farms-hiding-see-for-yourself. html>. Danny Penman. â€Å"The factory farm tigers being turned into wine. † Mail Online. 12 Mar. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-441632/The-factory-farm-tigers-turned-wine. html>. â€Å"Factory Farm: The True Cost. † Human Farming Association. Wildlife Resource and rehabilitation.N. d. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. wildlife-rescue. org /index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=60>. L, Murray. â€Å"Factory Farmed-Chickens: Their difficult lives and deaths. † Britanica Advocacy for Animals. 14 May. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012 < http://advocacy. britannica. com/blog/advocacy/2007/05/the-difficult-lives-and-deaths-of-factory-farmed-chickens/>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Be Compassionate Be Veg. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012 < http://www. beveg. ca/factory-farming-in-canada. php>. Willis, Peterson. â€Å"Family Farming in America. Family Farming ahap. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://familyfarmingahap. weebly. com/family-vs-corporate-farming. html>. Phillip Lymberry. â€Å"Why is Factory Farming such a big deal. † Compassion in World Farming. Youtube. 5 Jul. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. . â€Å"Back to the start. † Chipotle Mexican Grill. Youtube. 25 Aug. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=aMfSGt6rHos> â€Å"The Meatrix. † Canada. The meatrix . N. d. Video. 11 Jul 2012. < http://www. themeatrix. com/intl/canada> Factory Farming Oral Presentation Preparation Factory Farming First of all, I am not against meat eating. However, factory farming is an unacceptable practice of meat producing and this unethical action need to be stopped. In order to support my idea, I am going to discuss the facts about factory farming. In order to have a better understanding about factory farming, it is necessary to define what the factory farming is. It is almost where the meat comes from. In 1920s, factory farming began to modify family farming to maximize the profits at great cost to both humans and animals.In fact, two million small farms have disappeared in 1950s. If the rate continues to be the same, there will no real independent farm left. Soon after they discover the vitamin A and D, which are added to feed animals, the animals are no longer required to exercise and sunlight for growth. Therefore, animals in factory farming are raised indoor for their whole lives. In addition, in the food industry, animals are not consid ered animals at all; they are food-producing machines. They are confined to small cages with metal bars. So, why are there too many people against factory farming?The reason is not hard to find – animals are suffered most by factory farming. There are so many animals spend their lives in cages such as chickens, cows, pigs, fox, bears and even tigers. The first to be transformed into mass-produced farming is chicken. Over 600 million chickens live and die in nightmarish conditions to supply Canadians with their meat and eggs. They are kept in small wire cages, called â€Å"battery cages†, with between 7 or 8 chickens. Because of stress and fear, they are peck at each other. In order to prevent the fights, their peaks are cut.It causes lasting pain; effect the ability to eat, drink, or any movement of their peaks. After 18 to 20 weeks, they are considered â€Å"spent hens†, and need to be sent to slaughter. The second major animal in the factory farm is cow. They are milked by machines, which they are not even allowed to sit down. Normally, the dairy cow is forced into a repeated cycle of pregnancy and having her newborns taken away as young as a few hours old so the milk can be used for human consumption. Another factory farm animal, pigs, are kept indoor, unable to turn around, an only stand and lie down with difficulty. There is no respect for mothers: the baby pigs are taken from their mothers in two to four weeks to be fattened up. After 3 to 4 years, mother pigs will be sent to the slaughter. Instead of giving them some more space to live, factory farmer will have pig’s tails docked and teeth clipped to prevent tail biting. Factory farming does not hurt only animals; it also damages human lives by so many dimensions: environment, health and even the economy. As the number of animals in factory farming increases, the amount of animal waste produced increase, too.It damages the air globally. Moreover, it also raises a great concer n about water pollution. For example, if 2 million birds are killed a day, 12 million gallons of water is needed to flush away 3 million pound of guts, chicken heads, feathers, and blood. Public health concern is another issue. In order to promote growth of animals, more than 83% of farm animals are fed with antimicrobial. In 2008, in the U. S. , two million people become infected at hospitals, of those, 90,000 have died because their infections were immune to treatment.Hilariously, the point of developing factory farming is to increase a country economy system; there are some economic arguments against factory farming. Some can believe that factory farming is more efficient method comparing to local farming, it is also considered the best way to produce protein-rich foods as well as affordable. However, economists say no, because the full cost of factory farming will be equal to the total cost of land use, waste disposal expense, cost of air and water pollution, the cost of public health, and finally the cost of community when the value and quality of life decrease.In fact, according to a study, the cost of cleaning up pollution, together with repairing habitats and dealing with sickness caused by factory farming equal to 2. 3 billion pounds which is almost the same amount as a total agriculture industry’s income. By being aware of this facts about factory farming would make a better world for both humans and nonhuman animals. It will soon destroy both humans and nonhuman animals. In addition, the fact is without factory farming, we still can live with an even better life and health, both for humans as well as nonhuman animals.Again, by some perspectives, humans have the right to consume meat, so in the end animals are killed; however, doing what cost least suffer for animals during their lives is a must. Works Cited Michael Bristow. â€Å"China bear bile farms stir anger among campaigners. † BBC News, Beijing. 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-china-17188043>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Chooseveg. ca Mercy for Animals. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://www. chooseveg. ca/animal-cruelty-canada. asp>. â€Å"The Pork Industry. † People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Peta. N. d.Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. peta. org/issues/animals-used-for-food/pork-industry. aspx>. â€Å"What are the Factory Farms hiding? See for Yourself? † Occupy for Animals. 03 Mar. 2012. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. occupyforanimals. org/what-are-factory-farms-hiding-see-for-yourself. html>. Danny Penman. â€Å"The factory farm tigers being turned into wine. † Mail Online. 12 Mar. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-441632/The-factory-farm-tigers-turned-wine. html>. â€Å"Factory Farm: The True Cost. † Human Farming Association. Wildlife Resource and rehabilitation.N. d. Web. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. wildlife-rescue. org /index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=60>. L, Murray. â€Å"Factory Farmed-Chickens: Their difficult lives and deaths. † Britanica Advocacy for Animals. 14 May. 2007. Web. 11 Jul. 2012 < http://advocacy. britannica. com/blog/advocacy/2007/05/the-difficult-lives-and-deaths-of-factory-farmed-chickens/>. â€Å"Factory Farming in Canada. † Be Compassionate Be Veg. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012 < http://www. beveg. ca/factory-farming-in-canada. php>. Willis, Peterson. â€Å"Family Farming in America. Family Farming ahap. N. d. Web. 12 Jul. 2012. < http://familyfarmingahap. weebly. com/family-vs-corporate-farming. html>. Phillip Lymberry. â€Å"Why is Factory Farming such a big deal. † Compassion in World Farming. Youtube. 5 Jul. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. . â€Å"Back to the start. † Chipotle Mexican Grill. Youtube. 25 Aug. 2011. Video. 11 Jul. 2012. < http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=aMfSGt6rHos> â€Å"The Meatrix. † Canada. The meatrix . N. d. Video. 11 Jul 2012. < http://www. themeatrix. com/intl/canada>

Essay Sample on Deforestation Why Should We Be Concerned

Essay Sample on Deforestation Why Should We Be Concerned The tropical rainforests are falling at human hands. The world’s oldest living ecosystem is under threat in our conquest for farmland, timber, minerals, and other resources (Grainger 17). These forests cover 2% of the Earth’s surface, or 6% of its landmass, yet they house over half the plant and animal species on Earth (â€Å"Rainforests†). Rainforests originally covered twice that area. Deforestation is occurring on such a scale that if it were to continue â€Å"at present rates the forests could disappear within the next one to two hundred years† (Grainger 17). Why should we be concerned? Deforestation poses a threat to the rich biological diversity of tropical rainforests, hinders the advancement of medicinal discoveries, and contributes largely to the greenhouse effect. Because if the forests go, then so will many of the species that they support. This greatly reduces the biological diversity of the whole planet. Secondly, deforestation curtails â€Å"our future options to exploit other plants for medicines,† (Grainger 17). Finally, it will contribute to the impending global climate change through the greenhouse effect (Grainger 18). For these reasons it is imperative to control deforestation so that a large area of tropical rainforest will remain. Tropical rainforests are defined by two primary factors: location (in the tropics) and amount of rainfall they receive (â€Å"Rainforests†). Rainforests receive from 4 to 8 meters of rain a year (â€Å"Rainforests†). Most of the rainfall is blocked by the heavy vegetation, and water reaches the forest floor by rolling down branches and trunks. Another distinctive characteristic is that the rainforests have no â€Å"seasonality†- no dry or cold season of slower growth (â€Å"Rainforests†). In addition, they are the Earth’s oldest living ecosystems. The Rainforests are a â€Å"priceless part of our natural heritage† and their removal through deforestation would mean the loss of one of the planet’s most valuable ecosystems (Grainger 146). Rainforests are being destroyed at an astounding rate. According to the National Academy of Science, at least 50 million acres a year are lost, â€Å"an area the size of England, Wales, and Scotland combined,† (â€Å"Rainforests†). â€Å"All the primary rainforests in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Haiti have been destroyed already† (â€Å"Rainforests†). In addition, the rainforests of the Ivory Coast have almost been completely logged. Areas such as the Philippines and Thailand lost over 50% of their rainforests by 1985 (â€Å"Rainforests†). These statistics prove that there is no more powerful reason for wanting to preserve the tropical rainforests. Biological diversity, often shortened to â€Å"biodiversity,† has three main components: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity. So the biodiversity of a given area is characterized by the presence of different kinds of ecosystems; its species diversity; and its contribution to the genetic diversity of particular species (Grainger 147). According to the National Academy of Sciences, a typical four square mile patch of rainforest contains as many as 1500 species of flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 125 mammal species, 400 species of birds, 100 of reptiles, 60 of amphibians, and 150 species of butterflies (â€Å"Rainforests†). In particular, deforestation threatens to reduce these numbers of species, degrade the genetic diversity of individual species, and hinder the survival rate of species already exploited in their wild form in the forests. Major consequences arise for plant and animal species as a result of deforestation. All forms of disturbance displace animals from part or all of their territories. The more extensive the disturbance, the more likely animals in an area will become overcrowded and their populations will decline due to social pressures, limitations on food, and impaired reproductive activity (Grainger 150). Even by just removing a few plants, the complex annual calendars of food sources could be disrupted. These annual food source schedules enable many rainforest animals, like the orangutan, to cope with the â€Å"low density and irregular flowering and fruiting regimes of the plants they eat† (Grainger 150). Moreover, other plants may be affected â€Å"if animals on which they rely for pollination or dispersal leave to search for food elsewhere† (150). Furthermore, genetic diversity of individual species is also being degraded. This is a concern to plant breeders because several of these species are commercially valuable crops (Grainger 147). Their degradation will â€Å"threaten our ability to continue breeding new varieties to keep ahead of pests and diseases that threaten products.† Several key economic crops that originate in the humid tropics and still grow there today are brazil nut, cashew nut, cocoa, passion fruit, pineapple, rubber, papaya, bamboo, banana, ginger, rice and yam (Grainger 152). Crops that grow on the outskirts of the forests have been bred from wild plants to give the best yields under particular environmental conditions. Extracts from the wild plants have been taken in order to make use of specific genetic characteristics from the entire population. â€Å"It is vital to retain a wide genetic diversity of wild plants so that plant breeders can counter threats to crop productivity caused by new pests and diseases and changing climate.† For example, in the Amazon huge sums of money are spent in breeding new groundnut varieties resistant to diseases such as leafspot (Caufield). Also, some high yielding rice varieties last only two years before being attacked by a new insect pest and needing replacement (Grainger 152). Deforestation is increasing the rate of species extinction so that the plants we are using will disappear along with many animals also. â€Å"Extinction is an irreversible change and once a species is gone it is lost for good† (Grainger 150). It occurs naturally at a rate of about one species every two years (150). Species are put at much risk early on when their numbers drop so low that they could be eliminated by drought, disease or other random events. There are many endangered species found in the tropical rainforests that risk extinction if the present conditions continue. Some examples are the koupray or wild cow of Southeast Asia, of which only 100 individuals remain, the broad-nosed lemur from Madagascar, which is down to just two colonies, and the southern bearded saki, a monkey living in the forests of the northeast Amazonia (150). Many medical advances have come from the abundant botanical resources of the tropical rainforests. Half of the Earth’s plant species live there and only 1% have been thoroughly examined for medicinal potentials (â€Å"Rainforests†). Extracts from organisms are used directly as drugs for many maladies ranging from headaches to lethal diseases such as malaria. An aid in the cure of malaria, quinine, is an alkaloid extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree found in Latin America and Africa (â€Å"Rainforests†). Also, the alkaloid d-turbocuarine found in the â€Å"deadly poisonous bark of curare lianas is used to treat diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and other muscular disorders.† Lastly, two important anti-tumor agents are found in periwinkle from Madagascar. â€Å"One provides for a 99% chance of remission in cases of lymphatic leukemia. The other offers a life remission in 58% of Hodgkin’s Disease sufferers.† In addition, chemical structures from organisms serve as templates for which scientists can chemically synthesize drug compounds. Approximately 7,000 medical compounds prescribed by Western doctors are derived from plants that reside in the rainforests (â€Å"Rainforests†). The blueprint for aspirin is found in extracts from willow trees in the rainforest for example. And ninety percent of prescription drugs that are based on higher plants from the rainforest include direct extractions from those plants (â€Å"Rainforests†). Finally, the plants of the rainforest provide aids for research. Some plants provide testing agents for potentially harmful food or drug products while other plant compounds allow scientists to understand how cancer cells grow (â€Å"Rainforests†). Also, tropical forests â€Å"offer hope to safer contraceptives.† â€Å"Approximately 4,000 plant species have been shown to offer contraceptive possibilities.† This is a notable fact since the exponential growth of the world’s population is in need of more effective birth control methods. Deforestation also contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect and global warming. The greenhouse effect describes how Earth’s atmosphere functions. To begin, the sun emits short wave radiation through the atmosphere to the Earth. In return, the Earth radiates some of the sun’s energy back into the atmosphere in the form of long-wave infrared radiation. Certain trace gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide retain heat by trapping some of the infrared radiation. Without these â€Å"greenhouse gases† the Earth would be 33C cooler than it is now (â€Å"Rainforests†). Clearing and burning rainforests releases considerable amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. â€Å"Each year, deforestation contributes 23-30 percent of all carbon dioxide in the atmosphere† (â€Å"Rainforests†). Deforestation is also responsible for destroying our means of absorbing and storing the substance. This leads to global warming be cause the Earth has lost one of its only ways to absorb excess atmospheric carbon. Through photosynthesis the rainforests absorb the carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. Yet, with deforestation there is â€Å"more and more carbon released into the atmosphere† due to the burning of the plants, and â€Å"less and less forests to remove the carbon from the atmosphere† (â€Å"Rainforests†). Rapid warming of the atmosphere can have tremendous consequences. First, many species will not be able to survive the climate change or may not be able to continue life in another habitat. Secondly, the sea level will rise approximately 1.5 meters which will cause coastal flooding (â€Å"Rainforests†). Also, an impact can occur on agriculture in food exporting nations such as the United States, Canada and France as a result of drought and drier soil conditions (â€Å"Rainforests†). And lastly, there will be increases in severe storms such as hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons (â€Å"Rainforests†). Tropical deforestation has many significant environmental impacts. It threatens the biodiversity of our planet, deters medicinal discoveries plant species may offer and contributes to potential global warming resulting from the greenhouse effect. In conclusion, conservation of the tropical rainforests is imperative in order to preserve one of the Earth’s oldest, most rich and valuable ecosystems. 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