Risks in Becoming Oneself in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Risks in Becoming Oneself in Society - Essay Example The first risk that is related to becoming oneself is related to the culture and the surrounding pressures that are in each environment. This comes from the pressures that others place on you, specifically which can cause one to lose their true self. In my instance, I find that there is a lot of pressure that comes from different social groups. The first social group that tries to define my personal identity is the peer group that I am surrounded by. Going to college is one that automatically changes this peer identity and leads into a definition from the old group to the newer groups that are into different activities and concepts. However, neither of these groups can truly identify the personality and the true self. Understanding which parts of my identity fit into this group, as well as which I have to overcome, both create a different risk. Some of the risks is one that is established with my choices of identity and what will be accepted, while others relate to what doesn’ t fit into groups and how to approach this within different groups. The second concept that applies to my identity and the way that it is redefined by different social groups is with the family and surrounding friends in different age groups. Most of the relations that I have outside of school and from the college environment are older than I am. This is related to the identity that most expect me to have at the age of 17, as well as how this relates to the expectations of the age, culture, and understanding at this age. Family and older acquaintances often assume that I will act or be a specific way, which causes a loss of respect. This identity is one that continuously has to be battled and approached with changed attitudes so the idea of my age doesn’t interfere with the inner belief of who I am.

Romanticism in American Lit Essay Example for Free

Romanticism in American Lit Essay anRomanticism in American Literature brought us some of the worlds greatest writers ever to live. Writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau all wrote during the Romanticism period. Without them we would not have stories such Moby Dick, Resistance to Civil Government, The American Scholar, The Scarlet Letter, and Edgar Allan Poe’s most notorious works such as The Raven and Annabel lee. The Romanticism movement started in Europe and in the late 1820’s it worked its way into America. It was aimed as a rebellion against the enlightenment movement. It was also referred to as the American Renaissance because it was the rebirth of literary values lost previously in the enlightenment era and Puritanism era. American Romanticism was in a broad sense a new attitude toward nature, humanity, and society that espoused individualism and freedom. Characteristics of romanticism writing included the power of imagination, impulse towards reform, admiration for nature, and the fascination with death and the supernatural. Romanticism literature had two very different sides to it, one being optimistic and the other is pessimistic. On the optimistic side you had writers such as Walt Whitman, Margaret Fuller, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Pessimistic writers included Edgar Allen Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Edgar Allan Poe was a very dark romanticist and was also a very deeply pessimistic writer, but in a philosophical kind of way. He wrote poems, novels, and essays throughout his writing career, and he even developed the style of southern gothic writing. His poems often portray a character in despair and he explores the state of the mind a lot. Another trait of Poe is he uses a lot of symbolism and imagery for example his use of darkness and light in the poem â€Å"Annabel Lee†. Poe implies that the â€Å"kingdom by the sea† is a bright, cheerful place where the sun shines on two young lovers, the narrator and Annabel Lee. Ironically, in another realm of dazzling light–heaven–the highest order of angels, the Seraphim grow dark with envy of the young couple. Under cover of night, they send a cold wind that kills Annabel Lee: The wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee. But the narrator says he remains in a realm of light, for his soul and the soul of Annabel Lee are one. In the last couple lines, Poe emphasizes this point with light imagery: â€Å"For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams, Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes, Of the beautiful Annabel Lee† (679). Poe’s writing goes down in history for being some of the best literary works to ever come out of this period in American literature. Poe was a pessimistic writer on the other hand was Henry David Thoreau who was a very optimistic writer. One quote a found from Thoreau was just to â€Å"love your life†. In his essay â€Å"Resistance to Civil Government† he shows his rebellion in committing to governments values and ideas. Is very clearly stated at the beginning when Thoreau says â€Å"The Government is best which governs least† (829). Thoreau was a strong believer of take action for our own principles and to start thinking for ourselves and if you want change make it happen if you think it’s right. Ultimately he was jailed for his beliefs. Those including not believing for paying for stuff that didn’t benefit people and also for not supporting the Mexican American war, but Thoreau said to make changes sometimes good people have to go to jail. The romanticism period came to an end in the mid 1860’s, and In conclusion the romanticism period in America was a chance for writers to break out of the cookie cutter mold of previous era’s and a chance for writers to get their views and ideas out to the world through their literature. Romanticism writing can be broken up into eight different key ideas. Individualism is the idea that every person on earth knows God in their own way, and we will find truth for ourselves. Emerson and Melville often fall into the category of individualism. Organicism is the concept that society or the universe is comparable to a biological organism, as in development or organization, everything is connected. Unity and diversity stated that things are made up of many parts, but they all come together to make a one whole object. Dynamic change is the idea that the whole world brought us to this one moment yet the world is in a constant state of change. Imagination, originality, emotional, and finally nature.

The Problems Of Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell :: The Problems Of Philosophy Essays

The value of Philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its uncertainty. The man who has no tincture of Philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from the convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation of his deliberate reason. Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy. Philosophy is commonly thought of as an activity reserved for Oxbridge high- brows; or a sort of intellectual table-tennis indulged in by the Ancient Greeks to while the time away before television came along. Russell suggests that it may actually serve a purpose for everyone. In the first line, Russell is clearly contrasting his own belief in the inherent uncertainty of philosophy with the attitude of those people who dedicate their lives to a search for the "right" theory, in an attempt to understand the "truth" about human nature. He argues that, were a philosopher to write the perfect, unanswerable theory, the solution to life, the universe and everything, then philosophy would itself become responsible for inducing the very mental laziness which it should help us to avoid. Disagreement and debate between the adherents of rival theories is, moreover, essential to the health of philosophy. Just as many major advances of science are catalysed by war, so the great intellectual insights are sparked by discussion. If there were universal agreement on one philosophical theory, then all further thought would be rendered useless. (See p.319, Small World by David Lodge: "†¦what matters in the field of critical practice is not truth but difference. If everybody were convinced by your arguments, they would have to do the same as you and then there would be no satisfaction in doing it.") Russell talks of three different factors involved in the formation of prejudice. Each is considered in detail below. The first type of prejudice is derived from common sense. This is interesting: it appears that Russell is suggesting that common sense is to be avoided. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines common sense as "sound, practical sense, especially in everyday matters". In theory, any sound sense is to be welcomed, where appropriate; the distinction to be made here is between applying common sense to mundane problems, which Russell would certainly not advise against, and taking it out of context as a set of rules which can be followed without any further thought, no matter what the circumstances. For example, if you are feeling hungry, and you are holding a biscuit, then a philosophical debate is not required to reach the conclusion that you eat the biscuit: it's common sense. The Problems Of Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell :: The Problems Of Philosophy Essays The value of Philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its uncertainty. The man who has no tincture of Philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from the convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation of his deliberate reason. Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy. Philosophy is commonly thought of as an activity reserved for Oxbridge high- brows; or a sort of intellectual table-tennis indulged in by the Ancient Greeks to while the time away before television came along. Russell suggests that it may actually serve a purpose for everyone. In the first line, Russell is clearly contrasting his own belief in the inherent uncertainty of philosophy with the attitude of those people who dedicate their lives to a search for the "right" theory, in an attempt to understand the "truth" about human nature. He argues that, were a philosopher to write the perfect, unanswerable theory, the solution to life, the universe and everything, then philosophy would itself become responsible for inducing the very mental laziness which it should help us to avoid. Disagreement and debate between the adherents of rival theories is, moreover, essential to the health of philosophy. Just as many major advances of science are catalysed by war, so the great intellectual insights are sparked by discussion. If there were universal agreement on one philosophical theory, then all further thought would be rendered useless. (See p.319, Small World by David Lodge: "†¦what matters in the field of critical practice is not truth but difference. If everybody were convinced by your arguments, they would have to do the same as you and then there would be no satisfaction in doing it.") Russell talks of three different factors involved in the formation of prejudice. Each is considered in detail below. The first type of prejudice is derived from common sense. This is interesting: it appears that Russell is suggesting that common sense is to be avoided. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines common sense as "sound, practical sense, especially in everyday matters". In theory, any sound sense is to be welcomed, where appropriate; the distinction to be made here is between applying common sense to mundane problems, which Russell would certainly not advise against, and taking it out of context as a set of rules which can be followed without any further thought, no matter what the circumstances. For example, if you are feeling hungry, and you are holding a biscuit, then a philosophical debate is not required to reach the conclusion that you eat the biscuit: it's common sense.

Homosexuality Is Not a Psychological Disorder

In the past, homosexuality was considered to be a psychological disorder, up until the APA removed it from its list of mental illnesses. This was due to the fact that homosexuality causes no form of impairment on the individual’s judgment, stability, reliability, or general social and or vocational abilities. This decision made over 30 years ago, has caused a lot of criticism, many believe that the APA’s decision was made due to the amount of influence that the homosexual activism and not according to the scientific data that was collected. There are two possible sides to this assumption about whether or not homosexuality is and should be considered a psychological disorder. According to an article published in the Scientific Controversies: Case Studies in the Resolution and Closure of Disputes in Science and Technology, edited by H. Tristam Engelhardt Jr. , and Arthur Caplan, Cambridge U. Press, 1987. Dr. Irving Bieber, described the attempts for psychiatry to adopt a new perspective regarding sexual normality. During this time the psychiatric professions were moving from the established psychoanalytic theories based on unconscious motivations, in which they claimed that if you cannot visible see distress, dysfunction, and or disability among psychological conditions then it isn’t seen as being disordered. Dr. Bieber while attempting to describe the difficulty of classifying homosexuality concluded that homosexuality was not a normal sexual adaptation. When the APA adapted a new set of criteria for defining psychological disorders, Bieber argued that psychopathology, which could possible show signs of distress, social functioning, and the ability to work effectively could be present in psychopathology. Many others agree that homosexuality is indeed a psychological disorder, and argue that it actually stems from unhappiness in the family that leads to more unhappiness throughout their lives. Many individuals refer to it not being God’s will thus it is constituted as abnormal, thus it is a mental disorder. On the other hand, homosexuality is defined as being attracted to or aroused by individuals of the same sex. Homosexuality is considered not to be a mental disorder due to the fact that their actions don’t impair their ability to function either at work or in their personal lives. Homosexuality doesn’t have an effect on their ability to function or hinder their ability to handle their responsibilities at work, nor does it prevent them from being able to create and maintain long lasting and healthy personal relationships. Homosexuals are just as psychologically healthy as any heterosexual is. The infamous Sigmund Freud and Havelock Ellis adopted a more accepting stance regarding homosexuality. Ellis in 1901, argued that homosexuality was inborn thus it wasn’t immoral, that it wasn’t truly a disease, and many homosexuals had contributed outstandingly in society. Sigmund Freud had another stance about homosexuality, and that was that he felt that all human beings were innately bisexual, and those they actually become either homosexual or heterosexual as the result of their past experiences with their parents and others. Either way Freud agreed with Ellis that homosexuality shouldn’t be viewed as a form of pathology. In a very famous letter that Freud wrote to a mother back in 1935, he stated that homosexuality cannot be considered as an illness, and that he considered it to be a variation of sexual function produced by certain area of sexual development. He then went on to note that many highly respectable figures throughout both ancient and modern times have been homosexual including Plato and Leonardo Da Vinci. In 1957, psychologist Evelyn Hooker conducted a study in which she asked if homosexuals and heterosexuals differed in their psychological adjustments. She then recruited a group of homosexuals who were considered to be functioning normally in society. Then she employed a procedure asking experts to rate the adjustment among the men without previously knowing their sexual orientation. Her study concluded that homosexuality was in no way a clinical entity nor was it associated with psychopathology. In conclusion, Homosexuality is not a psychological disorder. The APA’s board of directors chose to remove it from the DSM- IV- TR, due to the great deal of data collected, along with the changing among social norms and the development of homosexual and gay activist organizations. We have to also take into consideration that by labeling homosexuality we quickly are exhibiting discrimination against those individuals. There is nothing in regards to homosexuality that would cause a great deal of distress and or cause them impairment in their ability to function normally. Their sexual preference shouldn’t be considered as a being a psychological disorder. The fact that an individual prefers the same gender doesn’t mean at all that they have a mental illness, it doesn’t affect their ability to be outstanding members in society, nor does it directly hinder their ability to unction. Psychological disorders are defined as the individuals behavior or thoughts that impacts their life altogether and as causing a significant amount of distress for the individual. Homosexuality does not mean distress for these individuals, it is merely preference. If homosexuality was considered to be a psychological disorder, we take away the right to privacy after a ll sexuality is private; we would also be taking away the right to happiness, the right for them to make their own choices, the right for them to be them. How can the choice that they choose to make in their private life that doesn’t have any effect on their ability to function nor does it cause distress to them be considered a psychological disorder? They are not seen as being harmful to themselves or others by living their life the way that they choose to. Their sexual preference has no effect on how their psychological functioning, thus homosexuality is not a psychological disorder. It doesn’t affect their ability to think, feel, act, and the ability for them to become functioning members of society. Reference www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06062008.html

Ancient Chinese Contributions

The world owes a lot to the Chinese for all the major contributions and innovations they introduced. For example, during the Era of Disunity (approx. 220-581 AD) the ancient Chinese invented kites, matches, umbrellas and much more (â€Å"Inventions,† â€Å"n. d. †). The Yuan dynasty brought us paper money, blue and white porcelain and several other contributions (â€Å"Inventions,† â€Å"n. d. †). The discovery of making gunpowder came from the Tang dynasty (200AD) (â€Å"Inventions,† â€Å"n. d. ); the list goes on. The most significant contributions came from the Han dynasty (approx. 202 BC-220 AD) introducing moveable rudder and sails, cast iron technology, wheel barrow, and the hot air balloon (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). More importantly, the Han dynasty brought to the world the manufacturing of paper, the compass and the production of Chinese silk (â€Å"contributions,† 2003-2012). The four most ingenious or innovative c ontributions are paper, the compass, printing and silk. Europeans thought of Chinese silk as elegant and traders would pay the same weight in gold for this high commodity. Silk was traded along the â€Å"silk road†, another ancient Chinese innovation, which stretched from the Yellow River valley to the Mediterranean, nearly five thousand miles long (Sayre, 2011, p. 224). The silk road was the doorway to the spread of ideas, religions and technologies to the rest of the world. The ancient Chinese taught the world how to harvest silk from silk worms along with paper making, glass making and printing. The first printing technique put to use was block printing, a very lengthy process, from the ancient Tang dynasty. Much time and labor went into block printing, but once the carved block is finished, the advantages of high efficiency and large printing amount made it very worthwhile (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). The printing technique was enhanced with moveable type printing during the Song dynasty by the inventor Bi Sheng. Moveable type printing greatly boosted printing efficiency by reducing block making time. Other advantages were, moveable type was smaller and easier to store and can also be used repeatedly, saving materials (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). We wouldn’t need printing techniques if we did not have the creative invention of paper, also brought to us by the ancient Chinese. Before the invention of paper, characters were written on animal bones, turtle backs or stones (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). The Han dynasty produced paper from fibrous hemp, which later, improvements in technique and quality introduced by Cai Lun were made using silk rags, hemp and tree bark. His method, although now simplified, is still used today (Sayre, 2011, p. 226). It is hard to imagine the world without this ingenious invention. Everything we learn comes from some form of media printed on paper, whether it’s a book, magazine, newspaper, encyclopedia or journal. Can you imagine all of us walking around with our clay I Pads? The compass is another great contribution to the world by the ancient Chinese. It was used primarily for religious purposes to determine if a building being constructed was facing the right direction so it could be in perfect harmony with nature. The early compass resembled a wooden circle which had a number of marks on it along with a magnetic spoon on the top (â€Å"contributions,† 2003-2012). Today’s compass is probably the most important navigation tool we have. A mariner wouldn’t dare set out to sea without a compass, nor would a pilot take a flight without a compass, for fear of getting lost. Of all the many contributions given us by the ancient Chinese, the one I could not live without would be the combination of printing and paper. How would I learn without being able to research a book or reference an encyclopedia? In my career, it takes a reference manual to complete a project or task safely and properly. I would miss being able to sit down and read a relaxing novel or magazine in my spare time. I just cannot imagine not having this wonderful contribution. I praise the ancient Chinese for all they have given us.

The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Essays

The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Essays The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Paper The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Paper In the Millers Prologue and tale, Chaucer describes each character in great detail. The Miller is also graphically described to us in the general prologue to the tales. Key characters such as Alisoun, Nicholas and John are all described in detail, and Absolon is no acceptation.  This section is important as it introduces and describes Absolon. He is introduced by a lengthy detailed description. We learn he has many talents such that he can play songes on a small rubbile and song som time a loud quinible. However, although this lengthy section does describe Absolon, it has far more significance than just introducing him to the tale, he is characterised as the satirised courtly lover; a deliberate device used by Chaucer in his bawdy fabliau.  Firstly, Chaucer depicts Absolon as attractive but with a feminine slant. To some this may be attractive, but to Alisoun, it certainly isnt. His hair is described; Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon. We also learn he eyes were as greye as goos and that he has Poules window corven on his shoos. This description is important because he is described similar to a courtly lover. Clearly, he is ridiculous and fails as the ideal courtly lover, which lies at the heart of Chaucers deliberate use of satire. There are some elements of Absolons character that fit the ideals of courtly love, although he is still an object of satire, such as his appearance but there are also other aspects of his character in this section that clearly dont conform to those of a courtly lover.  In the section, we find out that Absolon takes an interest in women, however his interaction with them doesnt match that of a courtly lover, again highlighting Chaucers important use of satire in this section and throughout the tale. When we learn that In al the toun nas bewhous ne taverne that he ne visited with his solas, there any gailard tappester was we can establish that this wouldnt be typical behaviour of a courtly lover. The ideal courtly lover would woo their lady by charm and by worshiping her; they would appreciate that she is a lofty creature, worthy to be served. This is further demonstrated when we are told that Absolon abuses what authority he has within the church. When we read that to look on hire him thoughte a mirie lyf it could be suggested that Absolon isnt prepared to go any further than simply gaze at her. In a way, this could be true of a courtly lover as Absolon could be said to be showing respect to the lady. However, this could also be for another reason; that he is squeamish towards bodily functions; again, the satirised courtly lover as a true courtly lover wouldnt have been that feminine. Conversely, in the next two lines we read that if she hadde been a mous, and he a cat, he wolde hire hente anon. Whilst this shows some reference to gratifying Absolons sexual desires, Chaucer lacks to write in the same detail as he does when he writes about Nicholas satisfying his sexual desires. When Nicholas is wooing Alisoun, his language is far more vivid and descript, this is clear when he caughte hire by the queynte. This contrast is important in the section because it again demonstrates that Absolon is hopeless. Although it is hard for Nicholas to be described as a courtly lover, he is getting far more female attention than Absolon, who could be described as conforming to the rules of courtly love more closely than Nicholas. This again, could be suggested that Chaucer is using satire in this rather subtle point, and possibly foregrounding the unrealistic nature of courtly love. A few lines later Chaucer reveals that Absolon took noon offringe from Alisoun because For curteisie, he seide, he wolde noon. This translates to Absolon not taking offerings from Alisoun because good manners forbade it. Here, Chaucer uses good manners as an excuse for Alisoun not paying the church and the only reason she doesnt pay is because of how Absolon feels about her. It could be said that Chaucer simply writes about good manners and courtesy to protect himself, as it could have a deeper meaning. It could be suggested that Chaucer is making a point about the church, and even using it as an object of satire through Absolon. It could be said that the idea of courtly love and wooing a woman is placed before the church, as in this case, courtly love and wooing has defeated and come before the church. Therefore, it could be said that he is showing a certain weakness in the church and religion, and that courtly love or the power of woman triumphs over the church. As highlighted previously, Chaucer possibly puts this in a very subtle way to protect his own identity in real society. It could then be suggested that this mirrors that of the context of the tale. On the pilgrimage, society as a whole would have been represented. There would have been religious figures such as the priest and the nun, and less religious figures such as the Miller and the Shipman. By making his point subtle, it would ensure there would be no objections at the end of the tale. Ultimately this is what happens, the pilgrims show the opposite to objections and in fact all laugh. This cuts across social boundaries and brings the pilgimrs together as one community.  Therefore, in this sense the section describing Absolon is highly important, and even central to the Millers prologue and tale. Chaucer uses it as a springboard to explore many wider issues that avail in society, such as the satire of the courtly lover and the possibly criticism of the church.

Effects of the Zoroastrianism Afterlife Scheme on their Ethical Teachings Essay Example

Effects of the Zoroastrianism Afterlife Scheme on their Ethical Teachings Essay Example Effects of the Zoroastrianism Afterlife Scheme on their Ethical Teachings Paper Effects of the Zoroastrianism Afterlife Scheme on their Ethical Teachings Paper For believers of Zoroastrianism, where a soul goes in the afterlife is determined by a balance between good and bad deeds.   The good deeds of a person have to outweigh his bad deeds for him/her to be able to enjoy ‘heaven’ in the afterlife.   For those whose deeds weight out equally, there is some kind of purgatory or mid-level where they are sent, considering that in Zoroastrianism, there are various levels in hell.   Bad deeds can be cleansed by way of confession or by the transfer of supererogatory merits; hence, leeway is left for human weakness. Based on this concept of the afterlife, it would be safe to say that Zoroastrianism teachings focus on people having to collect more good deeds than bad deeds while they are still alive.   As is with other religions, believers of Zoroastrianism, focus their energies on committing good deeds.   There is a catch to this, however, that may affect how believers live their life.   There is a very real possibility that believers would still commit bad deeds with the confidence that if they commit enough good deeds, their bad deeds would still be outweighed.   Their teachings of dualism, where there is a fight between good and evil, and where the triumph of good is always assured, adds to this concept of balancing between good and bad.   In other words, no matter how many bad deeds you commit, you can still enter heaven as long as you commit enough good deeds to gain entrance.   There is one thing of note in this particular concept though, who counts how many good or bad deeds o ne has committed?   Is there any way of knowing if your good deeds have already outweighed your bad deeds?   Despite the focus of Zoroastrianism teachings on the collection of good deeds, there is no disputing the possibility Effects of the  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 that people will tend to manipulate and abuse this religion’s concept of the afterlife.   Zoroastrians focus on self-regulation in their teachings, and human as we are, there is always that possibility of going beyond these teachings or using these teachings as a scapegoat as most Christians do nowadays. Effects of the  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4 References Zoroastrianism Religion Facts. 20 Feb. 2009 religionfacts.com/zoroastrianism/index.htm.