All Things Being Equal Essay - 1062 Words

All Things Being Equal Most of us have heard Martin Luther Kings I Have a Dream speech, or part of it, at some point in our lives. In 1964, one year after the speech was given, Lyndon B. Johnson signed Executive Order 11246, which signaled the birth of affirmative action. Affirmative action refers to efforts to increase educational and employment opportunities for minorities and women. In November, 1997, California voters did away with affirmative action [at the state level] by passing proposition 209. They were convinced that it was no longer needed, that it gave minorities and women special rights. Governor Pete Wilson wrote in 1996 as part of his campaign against affirmative action: Let me be clear: we havent yet fully†¦show more content†¦We are struggling over crumbs because we know that the bigger part hs been received by the elites in corporate America. (Brunk 331) An example of this fighting over crumbs is the California proposition 209. White people felt they were not getting jobs, scholarships, into college, because the jobs, scholarships, etc., were being given to less qualified people of color. Some people of color were also against affirmative action because they didnt feel like they made it on their own accord but were hired or admitted to college, etc., because of their skin color and not because of their merits. This inferiority complex is shared by Richard Rodriguez, an American essayist and teacher. According to the biographical sketches in Literacies, Despite his academic success, Rodriguez left the university partly because he was uncomfortable with advantages he felt he received because of his minority status. (Brunk 697) To understand affirmative action we must look back in history. According to Cornel West,The fundamental aim of affirmative action was to put a significant dent in the tightly controlled networks of privileged white citizens who monopolized the good jobs and influential positions in American society. (Curry 32) Affirmative action is not aboutShow MoreRelatedAll Things Not Being Equal827 Words   |  4 PagesAll Things Not Being Equal An ongoing debate continues in the academic and scientific world of psychology in regards to the measurement of hypotheses, theories, and phenomenon. For the researcher, the argument is worrisome as well as tedious in nature. Most have the desire for the greatest statisticians to arrive at a consensus or standard, and allow the remainder to return to research business as usual. Very few if any researchers enjoy, comprehend, or desire to be knee deep in what a p value reallyRead MoreAnalysis Of Animal Farm, By George Orwell1235 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Soviet Union. Animal farm includes use of propaganda as well. A quote for example would be â€Å"some animals are equal but some are more equal than others.† I think that this book fits that quote very well as the author makes Napoleon along with Snowball are the leaders of the rebellion against Jones. A few questions that come to mind are, how does one define one animal being more equal than others? Why is a certain animal favored over the others? Why are there two leaders of the same animal andRead MoreEquality In Harrison Bergeron, The Scarlet Ibis, And Brownies884 Words   |  4 Pagesbecause everyone would have to have an equal intelligence. Doesn’t that sound weird an equal intelligence, equal strength, and much more that would make things so much different. That doesn’t sound good to me I don’t think everyone should be treated equally. Harrison Bergeron, The Scarlet Ibis, and Brownies all share this in common they want people to be equal and when they try to treat people as equal they sometimes don’t take into concentration some things about them or if they have different waysRead MoreThe Communist Manifesto Essay546 Words   |  3 PagesMarx is living in a world he is not happy with, and seems to think that he has the perfect solution. I am a strong believer in his ideas. We are living in a time period with a huge class struggle. The Bourgroise exploits and the proletariat are being exploited. Marx did not like the way this society was and searched for a solution. Marx looked for â€Å"universal laws of human behavior that would explain and predict the future course of events (36). He saw an unavoidable growth and change in societyRead MoreI Have A Dream Speech By Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.926 Words   |  4 Pagesof men. In his speech he quoted words directly from the Declaration of Independence stating, â€Å"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal† (King, Jr). Even though the United States was founded two whole centuries before the MLK’s speech, there was still an issue about the equality of some. The Declaration of Independence was our break up letter with Great Britain, and createdRead MoreGender Equality And The Equal Rights1314 Words   |  6 Pagesrefers to the equal rights and opportunities presented to both genders: Men and Women. I chose this topic because I believe it is a topic that is in need of improvement in most cases including that of society and the church.They both have standard views that women and men have different parts to play in society and different roles that are associated with them; thus I want to show how such views can be both right and very wrong; the world that most people hope for is a country that has equal balance ofRead MoreSocrates s Theory Of Knowledge1130 Words   |  5 Pageshas an opposite, and there is a special process that exists that transforms it from one state to another (Phaedo 71a-d). He then carries on this conversation of opposites to the body. First, Socrates asks Cebes, â€Å"Then, Cebes, living creatures and things come to be from the dead†¦ Then our souls exist in the underworld† (71d). Later on, Socrates continues this thinking by saying, â€Å"It is agreed between us then that the living come from the dead in this way no less than the dead from the living, andRead MoreMen and Women Treated Equally635 Words   |  3 PagesI am going to be discussing equality amongst men and women. I am going to explain many different reasons why women should be treated equal to men. I am also going to get you a reason why some would think that women aren’t equals to men. While there are some things men to better because they are naturally stronger than women, I do think that women and men are equal because women are just as strong as men mentally and spiritually and that is very important. Women have proven over the years that asRead MoreAfrican American Movements in the 20th Century1107 Words   |  4 Pagesthe viewpoints in America and how society would be. As a whole it changed society an d the rights now given to all people regardless of skin color. It was a breakthrough and a relief given to people of color, their main goal was equality for all. The Modern Civil Rights Movement was all about equality. African American just wanted their own â€Å"piece of the pie† in society. To be given equal rights and opportunity. They were nonviolent, usually focused on Judea-Christian tradition. They focused on moralityRead MoreThe Metaphysical Point Behind The Opening Question975 Words   |  4 Pagesopening question is to show that there is another thing that exists called the Equal. The best evidence to this is found in the line, â€Å"I do not mean a stick equal to a stick or a stone to a stone, or anything of that kind, but something else beyond all these, the Equal itself,† (74a5-74a8). Plato makes it clear he is not talking about a stick being equal to a stick. Rather, if two objects are equal, than the â€Å"Equal† must exist and be a thing. The Eq ual is the equivalent to the Universal because the

A path to spiritual discovery - 903 Words

As Madhu Bazaz Wangu indicates, Buddhism is a path to spiritual discovery (8). Being Buddhism, a non-theistic religion, their disciples follow the monotheistic doctrine demonstrating they believe in only one deity. Siddhartha Gautama, mostly known as Buddha––the enlightened––, is the one deity Buddhists believe in. As Wangu writes, Siddhartha practiced severe self-denial and meditation before he could reach Nirvana (state of mind that ends the path of suffering) (8). Siddhartha came to the conclusion that in order to reach Nirvana one should be able to eliminate desire by doing right and thinking right. This could be done by following the Dharma (the law of Buddhism). Because the Buddha never wrote down any of his teachings, his disciples†¦show more content†¦Because Shunyata teaches that everything is independent, and that only understanding this concept will allow to eliminate disturbing emotions in order to reach Nirvana, it is the primordial p hilosophy in Mahayana. Shunyata can be realized by purification, practice of ethics, and single-pointed concentration; this will allow the individual to understand him/her self as an independent I. Moreover, it allows realizing that society does not shape an individual, but an individual shapes his/her self by comprehending shunyata. Even though Mahayana Buddhists believe in Buddha, they believe in a different form of Buddha; Bodhisattva––Being of Wisdom. As Heinrich Dumoulin points out, a Bodhisattva is an enlightened Buddhist monk who delays Nirvana in order to help other people obtain release from the path of suffering. Mahayana Buddhists believe that Buddha had been a Bodhisattva in his past lives before he was born as Siddartha Gautama. Apart from showing compassion, a bodhisattva also plays a sacrificial role just as any other deity in order to help the latest individual to obtain nirvana. Being a savior, a bodhisattva practices the Six Virtues, or Paramitas to g ain merit for humankind. According to Wangu, the Six Virtues are, the perfection of giving (dana), the perfection of morality (sila), the perfection of patience (santi), the perfection of courage (virya), the perfection of meditation (dhyana), and the perfection of wisdomShow MoreRelatedMotorCycle Diaries Essay 31216 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿All discovery is in some way transformative. An individual’s discovery is transformative on their perceptions of the world. This is the case for the book ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ by Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara and Keats’s sonnet â€Å"On first looking into Chapman’s Homer†. In this book, we are taken on Che’s journey as he travels Latin America as a young man, before the fame. His diary entries lead the reader into his own eyes, as a typical young man on an adventure, not the revolutionary figure we all associateRead MoreGautama Buddha and Siddhartha1721 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout ones entire existence he/she goes through countless trials to discover our true Self or some sort of spiritual enlightenment. Along the way one may encounter many teachers that can guide us along several different paths while telling us what they think is right or wrong. They offer us guidance and assistance, but still yet one makes his or her own decisions. Clearly portrayed in the German n ovella Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, we can easily point out the importance of teachers in onesRead MoreSri Aurobindo870 Words   |  4 Pagesrevolutionary, poet, philosopher, writer, and Spiritual Master. One of India s great modern philosophers, Aurobindo was a prolific author who expressed his views on humankind, nature, God, and the cosmos in numerous works of poetry and prose. He believed in the unity of all things material, intellectual, and spiritual, and a central theme that runs throughout all his writings is the divinization of life on earth. Sri Aurobindo, not only expressed his spiritual thought and vision in intricate metaphysicalRead MoreEssay The Spiritual Effect on Actions915 Words   |  4 Pagesand Herman Hesses Siddhartha show the same spiritual characteristics. In House of the spirits theres Clara, who believes that her powers can be used to help others, and her son, Nicholas, who uses the beliefs of spirituality for commercial venues. In Siddhartha, we see Sid dhartha who believes that through traveling, both physically and mentally, he will achieve enlightenment. While, Govinda believes that that hearing strictly the doctrine will be a path to enlightenment. From all of these charactersRead MoreReligion And Its Impact On College Students1444 Words   |  6 Pagesas a path of guidance and a way of life to many people. In a Gallop and Lumina (2014) study, about three in four Americans said a post-secondary degree or credential leads to a better quality of life. Colleges and universities are places where students can learn valuable information about careers, but also where one can learn about who they are. Experiences in college stimulate self-discovery, where students find new features about themselves (Yair, 2007). During this time of self-discovery, sometimesRead MoreInto The Wild By John Krakauer1735 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscussed topics of the novel relates to the idea that Chris’ journey of self-discovery in his quest for â⠂¬Å"ultimate freedom† is inherently selfish or nobel. McCandless’ quest is noble in many ways. The first of which is his desire to leave behind the modern materialistic world and isolate himself to find peace. He also has this deep seated desire to fill a void, a missing piece of himself, by walking on a spiritual path through nature. Finally, his high standards for himself and society drives theRead MoreSiddharthas Spiritual Journey Essay examples622 Words   |  3 PagesFrom the river of life where Siddhartha learns the unity of all things, he takes himself back to the river he once crossed, and falls into a deep sleep that reawakens him to the world. Throughout the novel, Siddhartha travels to find spiritual meanings in his life as he deals with the Samanas, Gotama Buddha, the Kamala and the ferryman. From different events that happen to him physically and mentally, Siddhartha realizes what he is set out to do. After his father tells Siddhartha that he may joinRead MoreThe Is Our Universal Language Essay998 Words   |  4 Pagesthe sound moves in a space or how it works in your ears, you reach a much fuller picture of what is taking place. Einstein once famously stated â€Å"Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.† Nothing really can tell the story of discovery like mathematics. The concept of infinity is fascinating to many theorists. Karl Friedrich Gauss, a famous mathematician wrote, â€Å"I protest against the use of an infinite quantity as an actual entity; this is never allowed in mathematics. The infiniteRead MoreNeo Orthodoxy And Its Impact On Society Essay1361 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing a good story. This view will have effects on a person’s spiritual formation. Spiritual formation can be understood as every part of a person’s being, living in relationship with God, growing in Christlikeness and showing a Spirit-directed life, to demonstrated the power of God to the world. (Mark A. Maddix and Diane Leclerc, Kindle location 142) The historicity of the resurrection is of major consequence to a person’s spiritual formation. If the resurrection is not a historical event thatRead MoreBuddhism : Religion Of Buddhism1282 Words   |  6 Pagesthat Bauddha Dharma (Buddhism) can be translated as Religion of the Buddha or Way of Buddha . Which means following the teachings of the enlightened one. Buddhism is the religion of spiritual enlightenment through the suppressing of one’s worldly desires. Buddhism takes one on the path of a spiritual journey, to become one with their soul. It teaches one how to comprehend life’s mysteries, and to cope with them. In this essay, I will first start of will how the religion bega n and who was

Weapons of the First World War - 698 Words

Research Overview of WW1 Weapons During World War I many new kinds of weapons and technology were invented and improved. Some of these weapons included tanks, chemical and biochemical weapons, grenades, and machine guns. Chemical Warfare was used for the first time on a large scale in World War I. There are two main types of chemical warfare, one affects the surface of the body they come in contact with and the other affects the nervous system. Almost all chemical warfare weapons needed to be inhaled to cause severe damage or death. Chemicals that caused neurological damage acted by blocking the transmission of nerve messages throughout the body, these types of chemicals included tabun, soman, sarin, and VX (â€Å"Chemical and Biological†¦show more content†¦Chemicals that attack the nervous system are very powerful and can cause death within minutes of inhalation. Nerve agents work by blocking the transmission of nerve messages within the body (â€Å"Chemical and Biologic al Warfare†). â€Å"A single drop of nerve agent can shut down the entire body’s nervous system in a few minutes† (â€Å"Chemical and Biological Warfare†). Tanks were first used in combat in September of 1916 by the British (â€Å"The WW1 Tank†). When tanks were first created they were basically an armored car with a track instead of tires for easier off road use. The first prototypes of tanks were very flawed and would take a lot of improvements to become what they are today. They were not well adapted to moving over uneven muddy battle fields so the tanks were easily bogged down by mud and sometimes got completely stuck. Tanks were not only effective by their protective properties but also had a scare factor towards the beginning of the war since they were new and the German army had not experienced them in battle before. View slits were one of the main problems with the first tanks. For one they were too small to be able to effectively see anythi ng out of them while the tank was moving. And the slits were targets for enemy gunshot. The name tank came from the British, they shipped the parts for tanks in crates marked â€Å"tanks† to try and disguise what wasShow MoreRelatedWas the Invention of New Types of Weapons the Main Reason Why the First World War Was so Deadly?886 Words   |  4 PagesThe First World War, also known as ‘The Great War’ due to its immense number of casualties and also large amount of countries involved, took place in 1914-1918. The spark that started the whole war occurred when Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro Hungarian throne, was assassinated on the 28th of June, 1914. The First World War was pernicious in many ways; however there are three main reasons the Great War was so deadly: the new types of weapons, lack of successful leadership and theRead MoreWeapons of World War I Essay1623 Words   |  7 PagesNapoleonic Wars to World War I. This can be credited mainly to the new weapons. There were many different weapons in World War I, whether they wer e completely new or just variations and improvements of previous weapons. Some of the new weapons included machine guns, mustard gas, Zeppelins, and planes, while some of the improved weapons included the bolt-action rifle, the Howitzer, and pistols. The innovative new weapons that were introduced in World War I have forever changed the way wars were foughtRead MoreThe Creation of Nuclear Weapons Changed the World Forever654 Words   |  3 Pagesend of World War I and the beginning of World War II scientist started to develop new ways to to react to wars.Scientist like Julius Robert Oppenheimer with the help of Albert Einstein created the first atomic bomb called the â€Å"Little Boy† and the â€Å"FatMan†. Oppenheimer was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico. He was incharge of gather the best minds to develop weapons of mass destruction. Oppenheimer along with 200 other physics developed weapons that would change the world foreverRead MoreChemical Weapons are Dangerous805 Words   |  3 PagesSince The First world War up to now, toxic gases died thousands of people. How many people have been suffering from toxic gases? How many people have permanent diseases because of toxic gases? Toxic gases have been using as chemical weapons to attack people. Chemical weapons had been using in The First World War and they had been using in Iraq against Iran and Kurdistan. Also, chemical weapons have been using in Syria. Chemical weapons killed and injured thousands of people. Therefore, chemical weaponsRead MoreTechnology During World War II1082 Words   |  5 PagesDuring and After World War II Marcel Grishaj Seminar in History Professor Troncone December 10, 2015 The preparation for and the acts of war have been greatly influential in technological advancements, economic growth, and industrialization. No war has made a bigger impact in these areas than World War II, as applications in the fields of engineering and science were passed on to the military for future operations that they would have. Prior to World War II, the world that people sawRead MoreThe Human Race Cannot Coexist with Nuclear Weapons Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesThese two bombs ended World War II and changed the public’s view of nuclear energy. Those bombs were the only nuclear weapons used in any war, but there were many more detonated for tests.(1) During a speech about the nuclear test ban Kennedy said â€Å"Eighteen years ago the advent of nuclear weapons changed the course of the world as well as the war.†(2) The invention of nuclear weapons changed the world by having the ability to destroy the human race, changing how countries fight wars, and buildin g fearRead MoreThe World s Peace Maker1262 Words   |  6 PagesWar. War never changes. The Romans waged war to gather slaves and wealth. Spain built an empire from its lust for gold and territory. Hitler shaped a battered Germany into an economic superpower. But war never changes. As long as there are sovereign nations possessing great power, war is inevitable but such nations can prevent conflict by being prepared, as it is the most effective means necessary of preserving peace. Owing to nuclear weapons the world is prepared. The precise thing that can causeRead MoreTaking a Look at the Cold War1676 Words   |  7 PagesCold War was a very scary and very horrible time between two countries after post war and each side was a very strong and had a lot of power:the USA and the USSA .At that time when everything was in tense there were some things,which they wanted to increase pulses between both the East and West but none of them where affect weapons of mass distractions was involv ed. In most tense moments of the Cold War was time when were due to the associate nuclear weapons.The fears of the new nuclear weapons ofRead MoreNuclear Weapons And The Atomic Bomb1432 Words   |  6 PagesThird World War is fought with nuclear weapons, the fourth will be fought with bows and arrows† Lord Mountbatten. This quotes, by a famous British Naval Officer, summarizes the threats nuclear weapons present to the entire world. With the development of the atomic bomb during the Second World War, a new war was started: the Cold War. The ideology behind this war continues on to this day and has led to many treaties and other attempts to stop the production and potential use of nuclear weapons. NuclearRead More Nuclear Power: Is it necessary? Essay993 Words   |  4 Pagespower of the atom, mankind has itself in the possession of weapons with unbelievable, destructive power. Nations now have the ability to destroy entire cities from hundreds of miles away, in only minutes. These weapons are nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons cost the citizens of the United States billions of dollars in taxes each year, the testing and maintenance of these weapons pose serious health risks, and the actual need for these weapons is not and has not been around for years. For the above reasons

King Arthur free essay sample

Welcome fellow royal subjects, family, and friends. We all are here for the same reason, to mourn over the loss of our dearest king, King Arthur. The world the past few days has seem like a whole new experience without him around. I have noticed less smiles on people’s faces, the rainy days have seemed longer, and the sun seems to shine less bright. Our beloved king was a kind sir who cared about each and every one of you. Where ever his soul may be now, we should acknowledge that he’s in a better place because we know he’s released from all the pain he had suffered from. King Arthur as a young child had a life very different to others. He never knew his real mother and father and was raised in a foster family. His foster father, Sir Ector, believed in tough love. Sir Ector gave Arthur a nick name, Wart. We will write a custom essay sample on King Arthur or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Arthur was called this because he was almost a nuisance to the family. Sir Ector gave Arthur many duties as a child such as dishes, cooking, and sweeping. With so much responsibility, Arthur never really had the chance to be a child. Our King did however have many qualities as a child that were overlooked by his family. He was curious, brave, and loyal. The only one who ever appreciated and accepted Arthur for who he really was, was Merlyn. When Arthur was young, he wanted to become a squire when he grew up, but Merlyn believed in having a good education and wouldn’t allow that to happen. When Merlyn would tutor Arthur, Arthur would ask lots of questions. He was always striving to know more. Merlyn was loved by the family. When he had told everyone that he was leaving because the children didn’t need to be tutored anymore, Arthur had said his goodbyes in a depressing way and Sir Ector had said, â€Å"I think you’re a useful chap whatever happens. You just stay and teach me, or be the librarian or something. Don’t you leave an old man alone, after the children have flown† (White 1035). Merlyn helped Arthur discover himself and challenged him to do new things. Arthur was brave in many ways. An example of his bravery as a child happened when he was hunting with his foster brother, Kay, and was ordered to go into the woods. He wasn’t afraid of the woods even though most children most likely would’ve been. Our great King that was had come to know and love didn’t become King because he was an heir, he was chosen. When he went to London with his family for a tournament, he was Kay’s squire. Kay had forgotten his sword, and Arthur had to go back to the inn to get it. The Inn however was closed. â€Å"He turned his mount and cantered off along the street. There was a quiet church-yard at the end of it, with a kind of square in the front of the church door. In the middle of the square there was a heavy stone with an anvil on it, and a fine new sword was stuck through the anvil† (White 1038). Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone. He was the only one who had ever managed to do such a thing because he was the chosen one. This meant that he was now the king of Camelot. Arthur wasn’t all that excited to be the king though because he did not like having such power over people.

Samiramis And Zenobia Essays - Crisis Of The Third Century

Samiramis And Zenobia A role model is an important person who has an important role in society. He is an example to his people and everybody wish to follow him and be like him in order to have the same fame that he has. Actually, people make role models ; they believe in some people and in their ideologies and they let them be famous by spreading or applying their ideas . We can say that, in order to be classified as a role model, one should be different than other people. One may have an extra capacity or intelligence which he proved and that made the people love or hate him. A role model is, therefore, any tyrant or loving person that made some different thing from other people. Each role model should have some ideologies that he has to accomplish or try to apply on people. Therefore , even if he doesn't make his values and norms valued in real life , he may left some souvenir and some hope in some people's life. Well, role models exist and have existed since ancient times. They contributed in creating and marking our history by their behaviours. This paper deals with two considered to be role models: the first one, from the ancient time, is Samiramis, and the other is Zenobia. Two important women who can prove that females were and will always influence and be a contributing member in life and in history. Some historians claim that the existence of Samiramis is a fairy tale . Some others argue about its period of time . However, because her name was connected to the story of Nenoi and the building of Babel we cannot deny or reject her existence in real life . Well, Samiramis was born in a strange situation . Some say that she was born in a region near Syria and that her mother was a maid , who mother left her in the desert after her birth and it is said that the birds fed her . When she was one year old, a shepherd called Samiramis found her. She was a child having a magnificent beauty; therefore, he gave her the name of Samiramis. As she grew up in age, Samiramis became popular for her extreme beauty in addition to her high intelligence. After a period of time , the governor of Nenoi called Mnones saw her. Charmed by her beauty, he fell madly in love with her and decided to marry her. Also, when the king Nenos saw Mnones's wife that is Samiramis he ordered Mnones to give him Samiramis, and he promised him that he would give him in return his daughter. Mnones loved too much his wife and he couldn't accept or bear the idea of losing her in addition to the fact that he doesn't dare to disobey the king's orders; therefore, Mnones killed himself . After Mnones's death, Samiramis had to marry Nenos. This latest died after 52 years from reigning the country, and he left the kingship to his wife as his only son was still very young. Samiramis spread the news of her reign all over the country and declared that every member in the country should obey her orders . She put in her finger the king's ring and she sat on the throne. Unfortunately, Samiramis misused her power. She wanted to have an immortal image and an unforgettable name, so she let her people build her the great city of Babylon which needed two million workers to achieve it . In addition to the great city of Babylon, Samiramis ordered her people to build various castles in which she lived and where she had too many gardens established on her honour. What we should add is that each one of these monuments had her name and a paragraph that certifies the power Samiramis had . It was, therefore, known according to these texts that Samiramis had the strength of a man and that she was able to control the powers of nature ,for example she certified that she is the one who forced the rivers to flood whenever she liked. Samiramis was an intelligent woman, and she used this intelligence during war. When she went to conquer India, for example, she covered the camels she had with bull's skin, so they would look like these latest .So ,when she and her army reached India, the elephants were afraid of the bulls and they ran away and that's how she

American health care Essays

American health care Essays American health care Essay American health care Essay Essay Topic: The Healers The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Refugees from Laos began immigrating to the United States in the 1970’s. Since then, over 100,000 Hmong have settled in the United States. Many came because they felt they had no other option. They could not return to their homes in Laos because they faced persecution, and they had to leave the refugee camps in Thailand due to closure. Anne Fadiman’s book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, explores a Hmong family, American health care, and the disastrous encounters between the two disparate cultures. Lia Lee, born in 1981, developed symptoms of epilepsy. However, by 1988, Lia was brain dead after years of misunderstanding, over-medication, and culture clash. Fadiman states that what the doctors saw as clinical professionalism, the Lees viewed as arrogance and cold indifference. Additionally, Fadiman shows readers how each party blamed the other for Lia’s illness, yet the assumptions and beliefs that each group brought to the doctor-patient interactions were never explored. American doctors saw Lia’s epilepsy as a neurological abnormality, but the Lees perceived Lia’s illness as a loss of her soul. They believed only appeasement of the lost soul and the restoration of spiritual order would cure their daughter. Although, Lia’s parents and her doctors both wanted what was best for Lia, lack of understanding led to tragedy. Anne Fadiman’s book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, reveals how the inability to communicate and the ignorance of cultural differences pr! ohibited the Lees and the medical staff from forming the cohesion necessary to save Lia’s â€Å"soul.† The field of Western medicine has a very distinct culture. Medical students and nurses are socialized into this culture while they are in training. Their view of clinical reality assumes that biological concerns are more basic, real, and clinically significant than psychological or sociological issues. The biomedical viewpoint does not accept alternative forms of healing or other healers. Western medicine is considered superior to other medical systems in the world, and because of this fact, other beliefs about causation, diagnosis and treatment of disease are disregarded and/or denigrated. This ethnocentric view is rigid and highly judgmental especially when treating patients from other cultures. Therefore, in the clinical setting, the applications of this theory includes the belief that patients should be prompt, comply with the doctor’s plan of treatment, subordination of health care workers to the doctors, and vigilant observation of the doctor’s instructions. If p! atients fail to comply with these expectations, doctors may feel personally and medically threatened and lash out at patients or health care workers. An example of a doctor’s frustration in treating Lia is apparent in the following excerpt: â€Å"People in the early years of their medical careers have invested an  incredible amount of time and energy and pain the their training, and they  have been taught that what they’ve learned in medical school is the only  legitimate way to approach health problems. I think that is why some  young doctors go through the roof when Hmong patients reject what we  have to offer them, because it intimates that what Western medicine has to  offer is not much† (Fadiman, 76). American health care professionals focus on the disease rather than illness, and concentrate only on the individual and not on the individual as part of a much wider social environment. Medicine focuses on the germ theory of disease. Doctors reach their diagnosis by using blood tests, x-rays, and other procedures. However, most non-Western cultures do not depend on the germ model, but instead believe that illness is caused by spirit possession, soul loss or breach of taboo. Many Hmong immigrants seek the help of traditional healers before they turn to Western medicine. This is only natural since their healing traditions have served them well for thousands of years. They trust and have confidence in these rituals while they are suspicious of the medical procedures, diagnostic tools, and treatment plans of Western medicine. â€Å"Most Hmong believe that the body contains a finite amount of  blood that it is unable to replenish, so repeated blood sampling,  especially from small children, may be fatal. When people are  unconscious, their souls are at large, so anesthesia may lead to  illness or death. If the body is cut or disfigured, or if it loses any  of its parts, it will remain in a condition of perpetual imbalance,  and the damaged person not only will become frequently ill but may  be physically incomplete during the next incarnation, so surgery is  taboo. If people lose their vital organs after death, their souls cannot  be reborn into new bodies and may take revenge on living relatives;  so autopsies and embalming are also taboo† (Fadiman 33). American health care providers are unaware of the isolation and fear the Hmong feel when they are unable to communicate in their native language. The inability to discuss their beliefs about illness and expectations regarding treatment leads to frustration and poor adherence to treatment plans. Lia’s mother, Foua, explains her daughter’s illness and the desire for American doctors to understand their point of view: â€Å"Your soul is like your shadow†¦[s]ometimes it just wanders off like a  butterfly and that is when you are sad and that’s when you get sick, and  if it comes back to you, that is when you are happy and you are well again†¦Ã‚  but the doctors don’t believe it. I would like you to tell the doctors to believe  in our neeb [or healing spirit]†¦the doctors can fix some sicknesses that  involve the body and blood, but for us Hmong, some people get sick because  of their soul, so they need spiritual things†¦it was good to do a little medicine  and a little neeb, but not too much medicine because the medicine cuts the neeb’s  effect†¦but the doctors wouldn’t let us give just a little medicine because they  didn’t understand about the soul† (Fadiman, 100). The conflicting paradigms that each member of these relations brought to the interactions are at the core of these great misunderstandings. Each group holds their beliefs to be true. The Lees remained suspicious of American doctors and American doctors continued to consider the Hmong an ignorant and backward people. Along the way, there was a lack of trust and respect between the family and doctors, and both groups blamed each other for the tragic results- Lia’s severe mental and physical disabilities. In Stress Management for Wellness, Walt Schafer describes the components of coherence as a feeling of confidence that stimuli deriving from one’s environment is predictable, structured and explicable, resources are available to meet the demands posed by the stimuli, and the challenges are worthy of investment and engagement (239). In addition, Schafer states that groups with a strong sense of coherence â€Å"experience significantly less burnout than those with a weak sense of coherence† (240). The doctors never felt Lia’s treatment at home was predictable or structured, neither did they feel there were resources available to meet the demands of communicating with the Lees, and the challenges to understanding their culture were never explored. In reflection, a doctor describes the gap as a â€Å"layer of saran wrap or something between us†¦we were reaching and reaching†¦but we couldn’t touch them. So we couldn’t accomplish what we were trying to do, which was take care of Lia† (Fadi! man, 48). In comparison, the Lees’ experience with the hospital and doctors was unpredictable, and without familiar structure. The hospital norms prevented them from using their customary resources of ritual and healers necessary for coping and helping during the healing process, and they dreaded the use of prescribed treatments. Because the doctors and the Lees lacked the elements of cohesion, their relationship was strained, untrusting, and uncompromising. All the benefits that accompany cohesion and the distress-resistance it offers was out of reach to all the players involved in Lia’s care. In the end, everyone lost a little bit of his or her soul.

stock market essays

stock market essays Prior to the stock market crash in 1929 and Black Thursday, a day which meant financial ruin for much of America, the U.S Economy was experiencing a great boom. The stock market, a growing trend in the life of Americans, allowed almost every man to experience the American dream. Investing was something that almost every person could do, the thought of putting in a few hundred dollars one day and waking up the next morning with twice as much money as you had put in amazed people. Once they started they couldnt get enough. At the beginning of the 1920s approximately 1.5 million citizens participated in the stock market but at the close of 1928 survey s said the about 17million had taken interest in the stock market. Because of their success and that of so many others, people could not possibly see how the stock market could fail, they watched its growth day by day and saw themselves grow more and more wealthy. This is not to say however that no one paid attention to the increasing amo unt of warning signs. Many noted that the pace at which prices were rising could be potentially dangerous, however when they tried to warn the public, people thought they were crazy for thinking this amazing time of wealth and prosperity could come to a devastating end. In the 1920s playing the stock market became a sort of national sport, people who had never invested in anything or prior to the 20s had never even heard of the stock market were buying and selling in hopes of getting rich quick. Brokerage firms became a common thing with advertisements and competition for lowest interest and down payments of as low as 10%. This further added to the madness of the times. What the average person didnt understand however, was that the stock prices did not reflect the real values of the shares or how much the companies were worth. Because of this, people spent their entire savings on stocks and when the bear market began...