Storytelling in a modern world essays

Storytelling in a modern world essays We humans are all storytellers, or story-listeners, or both. That's a crucial element of our humanity. Passing down the generations, constantly changing under the pressure of altering circumstances, stories link humanity together in chains of narrative. Odysseus sets out on the wine-dark sea, fights ferocious monsters, endures endless hardships, and eventually finds his way home; and so does Tim OBrien in The Things They Carried; and so do many thousands of other heroes conceived in the 2,900 years between Odysseus and OBrien. Storytelling has been, since the earliest times, the way people have ordered their reality. It is the fundamental use of language, that which creates and defines reality. As James Baldwin said in his essay, If Black Language Isnt a Language, Then Tell Me What Is?, People evolve a language in order to describe and thus control their circumstances, or in order not to be submerged by a reality that they cannot articulate. . .What joins all languages, and all men [sic], is the necessity to confront life, in order, not inconceivably, to outwit death (37). Baldwins understanding of the use of language can be extended to the purpose of storytelling. By telling a story, not only do we create reality, we defeat death. This concept of stories as constructing reality is not unique to Baldwin. In Narrative Means To Therapeutic Ends, by Michael White and David Epston, the same ideas of storytelling are enumerated, In striving to make sense of life, persons face the task of arranging their experiences of events in sequences across time in such a way as to arrive at a coherent account of themselves and the world around them. . .This account can be referred to as a story... (47) Ours has been the storytelling century: never before have so many of us had the chance to absorb so many stories. Earlier centuries heard stories face-to-face, figured them out ...

CDE website search and critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CDE website search and critique - Essay Example The author states that factors such as influx and transient mobility of students aren’t considered a factor; neither is the impact of ESL students. Due to such mobility, critical data is missing in the overall evaluation of this approach. His argument is sound and the resources support his paper. The author tries to be objective in his approach to the data; however, decides that due to multiple flaws, it’s not relevant as there are many important factors left out. He includes another article giving more specific data about who is responsible for student learning; perhaps this was his attempt at objectivity. He sides with the educator; he is also an educator with a job to protect. He doesn’t go into any details on how the evaluation could be more objectively done, or offer any alternatives to ways in which teacher evaluations could be more indicative of their efforts at education as opposed to the students’ performances. It is, indeed, a twofold approach wh ich provides the most objective picture and the fairest evaluation of teachers’ impact in the classroom; careful combination of teacher innovation and student readiness is involved. References Epstein, Marc. A Teacher Wonders: Can Grading Teachers Work? American Teacher. Fall 2008, p 14-17. American Federation of Teachers. Web. April 8, 2011.

Cap-and-Trade Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cap-and-Trade - Assignment Example This approach is based on credits which are issued to corporations by governments or a set authority. A corporation is issued with a set limit of the pollution level that they can cause in a given region. If it can achieve that, they can transfer their credits to another company for a given fee (Burney, 2010). Therefore, cap and trade approach creates a marketing system for those companies that are better or are able to reduce their emissions and at the same time is punishes those companies that can not be able to do so financially. On the other hand, carbon tax is a tax imposed on carbon fuels. This approach offers corporations and governments a cost effective way of reducing greenhouse emissions in to the atmosphere. Carbon tax approach is mostly applied in OECD countries based on energy products and motor vehicles (Burney, 2010). There has been increased opposition to this approach citing concerns that it can lead to firms relocating and people losing jobs. On cap and trade approach, there are no emissions costs but the influence is on the broader economy. Therefore, this approach favors the corporations. That means that whenever anyone at a personal level does any mistake he or she will not be involved. On the other hand carbon emissions are always monitored by the carbon in the fuel (Burney, 2010). I also find that very far fetched because homesteads emit as much greenhouse gases as corporations. Therefore, in my opinion I believe these measures are not enough to combat climate

Challenges of a Community College Student Personal Statement

Challenges of a Community College Student - Personal Statement Example I registered for 12 credits this semester, which includes 2 English classes and 1 Math. I think I doing good on my Math subject, great so far, even though it's hard to keep up in this 4 hour class. Then again, I try my very best with the help of energy drinks and coffee. My English classes require too much time, but I still manage to do it, even with procrastination. My son goes to the daycare 5 times a week, from 6am to 7pm. He is basically spending his whole day there. Daycare is not a place for a child to grow up. I see family reunions, birthdays; religious celebrations pass by without me. I am never there. I always have the same reason, that I am at school or I have to work to do. Because I have to work long hours, this becomes a conflict with the time I use up for my school. Giving time for my family and friends gets tougher, when I have to work on an 8 to 9 hour job basis and then spend about half of the day at school. Although school and work drives me nuts, the biggest challenge for is not having enough time for my family and friends. My work schedule is Sundays thru Thursdays, from 10pm till 7am. Not only do I have an impossible schedule, but the quantity of work that I perform every night. I work for logistics at Target. Every night I help with the truck unload procedure by scanning 2,500 to 3,000 boxes per truck.

Free Essay: 17th century Life Exposed in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

17th century Life Exposed in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses the aspects of relationships, religion, community, discipline and punishment in the puritan community of 17th century Boston. Relationships between men and women were very constrained and that is what made adultery such a bad sin in the eyes of everyone in the community. Religion seemed to govern over all, people would look up to reverends and the community believed that fate was their destiny. Public discipline and punishment were used to discourage everyone else from committing the same crime or sin as the offending "criminal" did. The community was to follow the beliefs of god and to do their duties the best they could, yet were there to criticize and punish all who disobeyed the religion or laws. In 17th century Boston every thing was very strict and everyone was expected to follow the laws, which makes Hester's sin such an excellent example of the beliefs of that time period. The first scaffold scene is very important because the scene sums up the beliefs of the general public at that time, and gives a prospective of what Hester Prynne must deal with. In the beginning of chapter two the scene is descri bed as "it could have betokened nothing short of the anticipated execution of some noted culprit,"(47) showing that the whole town was there for a ruthless public punishment. The crowd was not there for an execution though, but there for a public punishment of Hester Prynne who had committed adultery. A townsman describes Hester's punishment to a stranger as, "they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory, and then thereafter, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom."(58) This scene shows the weight of values and morals upon society in the 17th century and how public punishment was not only used as punishment but as a way to discourage others from committing the same crime. The community was key in this punishment because it helped alienate Hester and further her pain. The punishment brings forth Hester's underlying pain, "[Hester] sent forth a cry she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real.

Describe the characteristics and cause of challenging behaviour Essay

Case study 1 In case study 1 Winston is physically aggressive. However over recent months he has become very withdrawn, extremely grumpy and agitated. In the case study it says how Winston wife known as Ruby was assisting him to get ready for bed when he lasted out punching her in her chest. This shows he has become physically aggressive. The characteristics for his behavioural change, was that he shouts obscenities loudly, especially in the evening before going to bed. The cause of his behaviour is due to the fact he had Alzheimer disease. 1. What type of challenging behaviour is being displayed? The challenging behaviour being displayed is reactive. 2. How do you know this? Describe the characteristics His characteristic of his challenging behaviour is intimidating, aggressive and abusive. I know this because it says in the case study that Winston ‘shouts obscenities loudly, especially in the evening before going to bed, and has now become physically aggressive towards his wife’ another stage that shows his challenging behaviour is when Ruby is assisting him and he lashes out punching her in the chest. 3. What are the causes or triggers?  Winston has Alzheimer Disease. This is a type of dementia. Dementia is a group of symptoms which affects the way the brain functions; this could also affect the way Winston behaves as he could become aggressive. The cause of Winston’s anger is due to his physical illness, (Alzheimer Disease) this makes it difficult for him to do some activities and that’s why he has the help of his wife. Case study 2 Sean’s 21 years old and has been living with his auntie for the past two months because life at home has been very uncertain due to his parents going through a divorce. He does not know his auntie very well and is slightly uncomfortable to talk to her about his personal issues. Sean regularly attends youth club and enjoys meeting his friends from school there. She asks him about his career history and he doesn’t seem to like it as he responds abruptly. He suddenly appears to be very offended by the questions and starts to swear at the support worker repetitively and says ‘what do you need to know this for?’ He gets up and says ‘Forget it’. He starts to walk away while shouting racist comments towards the support worker. 1. What type of challenging behaviour is being displayed? In the case study it says Sean’s, ‘starts to walk away while shouting racist comments towards the support worker.’ This shows that his behaviour is challenging and he shows this verbally. 2. How do you know this? Describe the characteristics I know this because when Sean’s support worker talks to him, he’s response with a short reply, he swears at the support worker over and over asking why the support worker is questioning him. Sean characteristics are intimidating and violent. 3. What are the causes or triggers?  Sean’s behaviour is could be caused due to the fact his mother and father are separated and divorced. Because of this, he may feel unhappy and stressed. When his support worker questions him about his employment history he might have been worried about being judged.

Understanding the Phenomenon of McDonaldization

McDonaldization is a concept developed by American sociologist George Ritzer which refers to the particular kind of rationalization of production, work, and consumption that rose to prominence in the late twentieth century. The basic idea is that these elements have been adapted based on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant—efficiency, calculability, predictability and standardization, and control—and that this adaptation has ripple effects throughout all aspects of society. The McDonaldization of Society George Ritzer introduced the concept of McDonaldization with his 1993 book,  The McDonaldization of Society.  Since that time the concept has become central within the field of sociology and especially within the sociology of globalization. The sixth edition of the book, published in 2011, has been cited nearly 7,000 times. According to Ritzer, the McDonaldization of society is a phenomenon that occurs when society, its institutions, and its organizations are adapted to have the same characteristics that are found in fast-food chains. These include efficiency, calculability, predictability and standardization, and control. Ritzers theory of McDonaldization is an update on classical sociologist Max Webers theory of how scientific rationality produced bureaucracy, which became the central organizing force of modern societies through much of the twentieth century. According to Weber, the modern bureaucracy was defined by hierarchical roles, compartmentalized knowledge and roles, a perceived merit-based system of employment and advancement, and the legal-rationality authority of the rule of law. These characteristics could be observed (and still can be) throughout many aspects of societies around the world. According to Ritzer, changes within science, economy, and culture have shifted societies away from Webers bureaucracy to a new social structure and order that he calls McDonaldization. As he explains in his book of the same name, this new economic and social order is defined by four key aspects. Efficiency  entails a managerial focus on minimizing the time required to complete individual tasks as well as that required to complete the whole operation or process of production and distribution.Calculability  is a focus on quantifiable objectives (counting things) rather than subjective ones (evaluation of quality).Predictability and standardization  are found in repetitive and routinized production or service delivery processes and in the consistent output of products or experiences that are identical or close to it (predictability of the consumer experience).Finally, control within McDonaldization is wielded by the management to ensure that workers appear and act the same on a moment-to-moment and daily basis. It also refers to the use of robots and technology to reduce or replace human employees wherever possible. Ritzer asserts that these characteristics are not only observable in production, work, and in the consumer experience, but that their defining presence in these areas extends as ripple effects through all aspects of social life. McDonaldization affects our values, preferences, goals, and worldviews, our identities, and our social relationships. Further, sociologists recognize that McDonaldization is a global phenomenon, driven by Western corporations, the economic power and cultural dominance of the West, and as such it leads to a global homogenization of economic and social life. The Downside of McDonaldization After laying out how McDonaldization works in the book, Ritzer explains that this narrow focus on rationality actually produces irrationality. He observed, Most specifically, irrationality means that rational systems are unreasonable systems. By that, I mean that they deny the basic humanity, the human reason, of the people who work within or are served by them. Many have no doubt encountered what Ritzer describes here  when the human capacity for reason seems to be not at all present in transactions or experiences that are marred by rigid adherence to the rules and policies of an organization. Those that work under these conditions often experience them as dehumanizing as well. This is because McDonaldization does not require a skilled workforce. Focusing on the four key characteristics that produce McDonaldization has eliminated the need for skilled workers. Workers in these conditions engage in repetitive, routinized, highly focused and compartmentalized tasks that are quickly and cheaply taught, and thus easy to replace. This kind of work devalues labor and takes away workers bargaining power. Sociologists observe that this kind of work has reduced workers rights and wages in the US and around the world, which is exactly why workers at places like McDonalds and Walmart are leading the fight for a living wage in the U.S.  Meanwhile in China, workers who produced iPhones and iPads face similar conditions and struggles. The characteristics of McDonaldization have crept into the consumer experience too, with free consumer labor folded into the production process. Ever bus your own table at a restaurant or cafà ©? Dutifully follow the instructions to assemble Ikea furniture? Pick your own apples, pumpkins, or blueberries? Check yourself out at the grocery store? Then you have been socialized to complete the production or distribution process for free, thus aiding a company in achieving efficiency and control. Sociologists observe the characteristics of McDonaldization in other areas of life, like education and media too, with a clear shift from quality to quantifiable measures over time, standardization and efficiency playing significant roles in both, and control too. Look around, and you will be surprised to find that you will notice the impacts of McDonaldization throughout your life.