Thursday, November 28, 2019

Labor Day Essays - Charade, Films, , Term Papers

Labor Day Labor Day Charade Peter Noel plays fast and loose with the facts to attack me [At Each Other's Throats, October 6]. I did not march behind a racist float in a Labor Day Parade in Broad Channel, Queens, as he wrote, which he knows since he told one of my staff members that he has my statements strongly and publicly condemning that grossly racist float. In fact, I was at the front of the parade campaigning among the people who were watching, and left when it started raining. The float was at the very end of the parade. Had I seen it, I would have loudly protested before leaving. Noel tries to cover his falsehood by seeming to give my side, writing that Hevesi later denied he was aware that the float was part of the parade. That makes me sound like a weasel. As if I marched behind this float, but now I'm trying to claim that I didn't know it was part of the parade. That is not what happened, and it is not what I said. I have fought against bigots of every type and every color. I denounced Joseph Kovner, the Jewish council member from Deer Park, New York, when he called State Comptroller Carl McCall a Harlem nigger, and demanded Kovner's resignation. I condemned the bigotry of Queens council member Julia Harrison when she attacked Asians, and I supported her Asian opponent in the last election. I have gone to Queens to confront school board member Frank Borzellieri and his campaign of hate against racial minorities and gay men and lesbians. And I attacked Khallid Muhammad as the leading anti-Semite, anti-Catholic and anti-gay bigot in America. Disagree with my positions all you want, but do not use falsehood and distortion to try to paint me as a racist. Alan G. Hevesi Comptroller City of New York Peter Noel replies: It doesn't matter if Alan Hevesi was at the back or the front of the parade. The truth is that he was at a racist parade, and was exposed. It strains credulity that he was not aware of the float carrying white men in blackface parodying the murder of a black man in Jasper. This was not the mammoth West Indian Parade or the St. Patrick's Day Parade. This was a tiny parade in a predominantly white, backwater enclave in Queens. Is this the same Alan Hevesi who could not separate Khallid Abdul Muhammad, the messenger, from the message of the Million Youth March? Hevesi's dilemma is that he doesn't know how to undo the political harm he has done to the African American community. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahoy Vey What the hell is Karla Jay talking about? [Queers Ahoy: The High Price of Gay and Lesbian Travel, September 29] Maybe the ignorant, racist/colonialist/imperialist tourist who wants to travel, but not see? Such tourism--gay or straight--should be examined. These cruises and packages often have exclusive beachfront properties in places like Jamaica, leaving locals with less and less seafront access. Why not stay home? Go to Florida. Why the Nile, or the Bahamas, or Thailand? Clearly, not for the history, culture, or the people. In Jay's discussion of sex, she blatantly disregards the populations of several travel destinations. Was it that she was writing about gay clients of the sex trade--not straight businessmen with poor Thai women--that allowed the Voice to print this article that disregards the lack of economic and social mobility that exists for young Thai men? In the piece, a travel agent is quoted as stating of Thailand that the sex is very readily available and elderly gentlemen are the delight of young Thais. Really? Finally, Queers Ahoy and queer package trips themselves assume terrible things: that straight and gay people cannot be social partners (one man in the article laments the possibility of having dinner with straight people); that gay people have not carved out niches wherever they live in the world; that as a traveler you have no interest in meeting locals and finding out how they live; that you can act any way you like wherever you go in the world. Queer, or loving the same sex, means different things all over the world. Find out instead

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Thesis Statement Writing Tips and Guides

Thesis Statement Writing Tips and Guides Useful Tips on Writing a Good Thesis Statement for an Essay What is a thesis statement? How should it look like? Newbies are sick and tired of answering those questions. A thesis statement is actually a movie trailer for your major work. It highlights the key ideas and aspects of the topic. Although it may seem easy to write, a thesis statement becomes a major challenge for 100% of students no matter how good they are at essay writing. Our tips will make the process simpler and less time-consuming. We do hope you will find them handy. The importance of thesis statement Here are the key points that describe the importance of the thesis statement: It showcases your ideas; It organizes the argument; It contains guidelines for the reader; It establishes claims for a dispute. Types of thesis statements All thesis statements can be divided into two main types: debatable and non-debatable. Make sure you clearly understand the difference before you use any of those types: The debatable thesis is a statement that considers opinion readers may agree or disagree; The non-debatable thesis is a statement that does not reserve any place for readers to debate. What is a proper length of a thesis statement? Avoid writing too long thesis statements. Most students get into a trap when writing huge papers. They think that the length of the thesis statement depends on the volume of a general paper. Well, it does not. The shorter and narrower your thesis, the better. Two or three sentences are more than enough to get your readers intrigued. The thesis should have a claim for a future dispute. Types of thesis statement claims Each claim refers to a particular type and category. They are as follows: Definition or common fact; Event and Result (cause and effect); Value of the category described; Policies and solutions. Include the claim depending on your readers’ type. The audience always matters when it comes to choosing the right claim for your thesis statement. Tips to build a thesis statement Follow our easy tips to construct a solid thesis statement that will grab readers’ attention: Explore and research the sources – you need to analyze all the information you generate from different sources. Compare and contrast all facts to establish your own opinion on the topic; Always make notes – write down everything that comes up to your head. Make sure you always hold a pen or pencil; Include your thesis in the introduction – a thesis statement should be the last part of the introductory paragraph; Provide counterarguments – a thesis statement should encourage your readers on further debates and discussions. Anticipating counterarguments will be a good idea. To know if your thesis is good, try to answer some of the following questions: Does it contain answers to the essay questions? Is the thesis statement specific? Does the major work support your thesis? If the answers are â€Å"Yes†, you have done a great job!

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Buddhism Believers Practice Meditation

Buddhism Believers Practice Meditation There are a number of things that happen in the lives of humans, which are beyond one’s control. For example, no one can control the fortunes and misfortunes that normally occur in human life.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Buddhism Believer’s Practice: Meditation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of every individual to take charge of his/her own state of mind and control what it thinks about at any particular time. Buddhism asserts that taking control of one’s state of mind is the most important thing that people can do. In Buddhism, this aspect is called meditation.1 The practice of meditation in Buddhism enables the believers to take control of things, such as fear, anxiety, hatred, confusion, and sorrow, which can make them commit sin.2 By reviewing a number of books, I intend to prove in this paper that the practice of meditation is the main driving force behind Buddhism. Meditation in Buddhism simply refers to practices that its believers use to make their minds think positively. The practice of meditation involves skills that develop and encourage concentration, positive thinking, and clarity regarding living and non-living things.3 When Buddhists engage in the practice of meditation, they get to understand the habits and behaviors of their minds. As a result, they are able to transform themselves into positive and understanding human beings. Buddhists strongly believe that meditation offers a transformative effect that brings about a new a way of understanding life.4 Every believer is required to learn the concepts of meditation in order to strengthen their faith in the religion. The practice of meditation is normally taught through the Triratna Buddhist Community. The basic practices in meditation are taught according to the original teachings of the historical Buddha.5Advertising Looking for proposal on religion t heology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The practices of meditation are considered effective if they are aimed at achieving calmness and emotional positivity among the believers of the religion. The practices are supposed to be taught by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order at Triratna Centers. These members are highly skilled meditators and the students who learn how to meditate need to have an interest in Buddhism.6 Buddhist meditation is majorly divided into two categories: insight and tranquility meditations. The two categories of Buddhist meditations are combined and used at the same time.7 However, in some cases, the two meditations are used one after the other. In cases where the two are used separately, tranquility is used first, followed by the insight meditation. The two categories of meditation are normally used simultaneously to enable the believers to obtain maximum results.8 Insight meditation, which is also known as vippasana, uses a number of skills taught in Buddhism to enhance the believer’s faith. Insight mediation literally includes the skills taught in tranquility meditation and other areas of the religion. Insight meditation helps Buddhist believers to practice absolute and important truths. It is said that Buddhist believers who practice insight meditation have the hopes of appreciating the truths of suffering and impermanence.9 The practice of insight meditation is majorly based on the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness is an improved state of concentration in which the mind is given a chance to take control of the entire system of human beings. When a person is mindful of something, he carefully thinks and observes it.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Buddhism Believer’s Practice: Meditation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Buddhist believers, through insight meditation, not only focus on wh at happens to and around them, but also try to understand how these things come to happen the way they do.10 The believers of Buddhism can only see the fruits of the insight meditation if they identify and understand the important truths taught in the religion. The believers are supposed to practice what the Buddhist doctrines say in everything they do. The main part of Buddhist doctrines and practices, which is also provided for in insight meditation, is liberation. This implies that a Buddhist believer who practices insight meditation exclusively practices all the doctrines of the religion.11 The second type of meditation, tranquility, is based on the concept of concentration. Tranquility meditation is used to immobilize the minds of the believers and guide them to concentrate on major things that affect their lives. This type of meditation is intended to achieve its goals by using tools or virtues like loving-kindness and the recollection in Buddha’s sayings.12 Tranquility meditation assists Buddhist believers to achieve a number of goals in life. Firstly, the believers are assisted to detach themselves from the external world to enable them to develop the need for happiness.Advertising Looking for proposal on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, the believers use this meditation to acquire a state of exclusive equanimity and self-fulfillment. Lastly, tranquility meditation enables the believers to improve their concentration and reasoning with regard to what happens to them.13 In conclusion, this proposal intends to analyze the concept of meditation among Buddhist believers. The paper uses a number of books to illustrate the importance of meditation in Buddhism. The practice of meditation in Buddhism is primarily divided into two categories: insight and tranquility. The two types of meditation are based on, among other things, liberation, which is the main doctrine of Buddhism. Consequently, the paper shows that mediation is the core of the practices that all Buddhists undertake in their lives. Bibliography Gerner, Katy. Buddhism. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008.This book contains the main concepts of Buddhism. It is going to help me illustrate Buddhism as one of the major religions in the world . Ingram, Daniel M. Mastering the Core Teaching of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book. London: Aeon Books, 2008.This book contains aspects of meditation in Buddhism. It will assist me to explain how meditation forms the core of the Buddhism religion. Kuan, Tse-fu. Mindfulness in Early Buddhism: New Approaches Through Psychology and Textual Analysis of Pali, Chinese and Sanskirt Sources. New York, NY: Routledeg, 2008.This book contains the kinds of meditations used in Buddhism. It is going to be helpful in defining insight meditation and how it is applicable to the religion. Morgan, Diane. Essential Buddhism: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010.This book talks about the main practices undertaken by Buddhist believers. It will help me to show why tranquility meditation is regarded as a core practice in Buddhism. Segall, Seth Robert. Encountering Buddhism: Western Psychology and Buddhist Teachings. Albany, NY: State University of Ne w York Press, 2003.This book talks about the beliefs of Buddhists. It is helpful in explaining the impact of insight meditation on Buddhist believers. Shaw, Sarah. Buddhist Meditation: An Anthology of Texts from the Pali Canon. New York, NY: Routledge, 2006.This book sheds light on the applications of meditation in Buddhism. It will help me to explain the effects of insight meditation on Buddhist believers. Silva, Padmasiri. An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology. Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield, 2000.This book explains practices and beliefs found in Buddhism. It is important in explaining the impact of tranquility meditation on Buddhism. Teece, Geoff. Buddhism. Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2005.This book illustrates the main practices of Buddhism. It is beneficial in explaining Buddhism as a religion. Waynne, Alexander. The Origin of Buddhist Meditation. New Yok, NY: Routledge, 2007.This book explains the characteristics and origin of Buddhism as a religion. It will help me to e xplain the origin of the meditation practice in Buddhism. Wood, Cavan. Buddhism. Oxford, Heinemann Educational, 2002.This book explains Buddhism as a special type of religion. It will help me to explain meditation as a special concept in Buddhism. Footnotes 1 Geoff Teece, Buddhism (Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2005), 8. 2 Geoff, 14. 3 Katty Gerner, Buddhism (Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008), 6-8. 4 Katty, 10 5 Cavan Wood, Buddhism (Oxford, Heinemann Educational, 2002), 7. 6 Cavan, 9. 7 Sarah, Shaw, Buddhist Meditation: An Anthology of Texts from the Pali Canon (New York, NY: Routledge, 2006), 8-14. 8 Alexander Waynne, The Origin of Buddhist Meditation (New Yok, NY: Routledge, 2007), 96-100. 9 Seth Robert Segall, Encountering Buddhism: Western Psychology and Buddhist Teachings (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2003), 65-71. 10 Daniel M. Ingram, Mastering the Core Teaching of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book (London: Aeon Books, 2008), 57-60. 11Tse-fu Kuan, Mindfulness in Early Buddhism: New Approaches Through Psychology and Textual Analysis of Pali, Chinese and Sanskirt Sources (New York, NY: Routledeg, 2008), 59-63. 12Diane Morgan, Essential Buddhism: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice (Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010), 124-128). 13 Padmasiri Silva, An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield, 2000), 129-133.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

A Fool-Proof Way to Achieve Any Goal - And Thats a Promise

A Fool-Proof Way to Achieve Any Goal - And Thats a Promise The Temptation of Giving Up A friend of mine set out to make croissants for the first time. For those of you unfamiliar with the art of French baking, these pastries require several stages of preparation over 2-3 days. On the second day of his first attempt, when the batter got too thin and sticky, my friend got frustrated and threw the dough into a bread pan instead of finishing the croissant-making process. I protested that he was giving up too soon, but to no avail. He ended up with some cross between biscuits and croissants, and a learning experience for the next attempt. The Art of Perseverance – A Lesson from Mouse Tales My tendency is not to give up on almost anything until absolutely all options have been exhausted. Part of that philosophy was hammered into me as a child through multiple readings of the book Mouse Tales, by Arnold Lobel. I did not realize it at the time, but I think I learned some of my most important life lessons from that book. In one story, The Journey, a mouse ventures out in his car on a road trip to his mother’s house. After driving for some time, he encounters a slight problem: The car, sadly, falls apart. But, thankfully, just at the right moment, there is someone selling roller skates at the side of the road. The mouse purchases a pair and rolls and rolls until, guess what? The wheels fall off of the roller skates. As luck would have it, there is a person selling boots at the side of the road! The mouse wears through the soles of the boots, and then through a pair of sneakers, and then, would you believe, though a pair of feet. When his feet get too tired to walk, amazingly enough, there is a person by the side of the road selling feet! The mouse makes it to his mother’s house wearing his brand new pair of feet. Excuses, Excuses Many of us in the mouse’s situation would never have made it to our mother’s house with all these breakdowns. Do any of these laments sound familiar? My car broke down! Now I have to take it to the shop. Sorry mom. I tried! I even tried getting there on roller skates! But everything just keeps falling apart. It wasn’t meant to be. My hands are tied. Bad things are always happening to me. No one is there to help me. I have to do everything alone! I can’t let my mother know that my car is so old and broken down. I don’t have time for this. These excuses keep us from being creative, from keeping our eye on the prize, and from noticing that person who shows up just at the right time to help us. They keep us from prioritizing our relationships. And they have us tossing in the towel long before the game is truly over. The Magic Formula for Achieving Any Goal Setting aside all judgment about how important our mother would feel if we gave up on our journey, what this Mouse Tale has to teach us is something about persistence and perseverance. This mouse was not about to give up no matter what. He understood that his commitment to his goal was beyond any limitation on how he would achieve it. And at every juncture where he could have thrown up his paws and said â€Å"I can’t† or â€Å"It’s impossible† or â€Å"It’s too hard,† he found an alternative and went with it. My friend Seth and I, some time ago, identified a surefire and quite simple way to reliably achieve any goal: â€Å"Don’t give up until you achieve it.† You will either achieve that goal or you will die trying. Whether it’s making croissants, getting a new job, or making a visit to mom, the rule always applies. That’s the rule the mouse followed. He reached his goal, he could feel proud of himself, and his mother was very very happy. [By the way, my croissant-making friend did try again. Things did not go perfectly the second time either, but he pressed on until actual croissants, albeit dense ones, came out of the oven. Perhaps the third time will be the charm.]

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Distributive Justice (M4C) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Distributive Justice (M4C) - Essay Example However reasonable this might appear in the light of economic yardsticks, it will always remain a futile attempt in achieving medical ethics, if profit takes the center stage. Quality of healthcare may necessitate medical plans that require certain medical plans in the modern age. The sustainability of integrated health care plans designed in the modern era attracts a lot of complications that go far beyond cost issues (Frangenberg, 2011). Medical management will increasingly find it invaluable to rely on the provisions of medical ethics if the core responsibility of ensuring patients’ health is not to be compromised. Future medical systems will only veer off the controversy of inappropriate practices by conducting prior considerations of the underlying ethical issues before celebrating when it is too early. Distributive justice criteria is applied in the determination of where and how to allocate resources and is entirely guided by fairness principles (Maddox, 1998). Ach of the criteria must be thoroughly and critically dissected to determine implications on the basic ethics expected. It is therefore illogical to implement a blanket policy where the uninsured patients pay higher charges for the same procedure given to the insured. Maddox, P.J. (1998) â€Å"Administrative Ethics and the Allocation of Scarce Resources.† Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 3(3) Retrieved from:

Present and critically assess Kolodny's account of love Essay

Present and critically assess Kolodny's account of love - Essay Example Kolodny selects appropriate relationships which can serve as reason for love according to three characteristics defined in his theory; he finds that appropriate relationships are ongoing, historical and existent between particular people. He also notes that love has a symmetrical nature and applies it to all kinds of relationships reviewed in his paper. I believe that his theory tries to simplify love by excluding degenerate kinds of love from it; the nature of love is complex and it can appear in the situations which are excluded by Kolodny (2003) in his theory. The complexity of love is easy to prove. For instance, there is no clear definition of love shared by all people. Since love is often treated as a set of beliefs about valuable relationships, the definition of these relationships will also be individual. For example, in love relationships between two partners both participants do not necessarily define their finally valuable relationships similarly. For one person the present relationships can be fully appropriate because they meet all beliefs and expectations shared by this person. The other person can be unsatisfied with present relationships because they fail to become a realization of all beliefs shared by this person. As a result, one person will consider these relationships to be appropriate to reason love while the other person will not treat them as love at all. Even though such relationships meet all criteria set by Kolodny (2003), they are not symmetrical in their realization. In this way, the proposed model fails to consi der such a situation where people in relationships define their finally valuable relationships in different way. There are even more examples of degenerate relationships which are excluded from Kolodnys theory, but they can reason love. For instance, Kolodny (2003) believes that the relationships between student and teacher are not

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Bless Me Ultima Character Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bless Me Ultima Character Analysis - Essay Example Another example that illustrates Antonio’s wisdom and seriousness ness is his early understanding of the conflicts between his father’s and mother’s respective goals for him. This demonstrates his acute sensitivity, because he is aware that he is trapped between two different worlds and cultures. While his father wants him to be a vaqero and follow in his own footsteps by riding a llano, his mother is from a farming community and she wants her son to become a priest, insisting that he display model behavior when Ultima arrives because of his destiny to become a priest. The bond between Antonio and Ultima derives from the folk healer’s understanding of the boy’s inherent wisdom and moral aptitude, despite his uncertainty about his own destiny. In fact, it is this very duality in his heritage which is the foundation for Antonio’s understanding of the duality of contrasts that exists in the world. His father’s and mother’s people are different, Ultima tells him – the Lunas are constantly orbiting the moon while the Marez associate with the restless, ever changing ocean. This is the basis for Antonio to understand the duality of God – the father who is stern and not always forgiving vis a vis the virgin who is loving and always forgiving. Antonio is brought face to face with death at an early age, when he witnesses the death of Lupito, one of the village residents. This is the catalyst that sparks Antonio’s moral side and plunges him into a deep and intense crisis of faith, where he becomes unsure of the validity and strength of his Catholic faith. However, throughout the novel, it is Ultima and her calm wisdom that help the boy to weather his internal crisis and growth. Slowly he learns how to trust and make his own moral choices, he learns how to rely upon himself and his own decisions in determining his own future. He learns to draw solace from nature and to

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Developing the Professional Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Developing the Professional - Coursework Example Reference List 15 Appendices 17 Appendix A 17 Appendix B 18 Skills and Character Audit In this essay, I will shed light on my personal skill set and try to create a framework with which I can develop my existing skill level up to a greater extent. This document will also try to analyze my character and skill set that I developed during Masters Programme. After auditing my present skill set, I will conduct a personal SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) in order to identify critical skill areas which I need to improve in order to ensure my academic and professional development. Before going to the discussion about my skill level, I will try to shed light on the question that why personal skill development is an essential part for a management professional or for a student pursuing management course? Wilson (2009) pointed out that students in the management course should be encouraged to write reflective essays and such reflective writing helps them to identify their skill gaps. Ertmer and Newby (1996, p. 18) defined importance of reflective skill auditing as â€Å"reflection is critical for transforming the knowledge gained in and on action into knowledge available for action.† ... halyi (1996) and Maani and Maharaj (2004) defined intellectual skills as the combination of linear thinking approaches such as empirical testing, analytic thinking, imagination and visualization, creativity, intuition, holistic evaluation and emotional intelligence. However, I cannot boast myself for having all the above mentioned linear intellectual skill sets but I believe that at present, I am complemented with certain level of intellectual skills. Losada and Heaphy (2004) and Vance et al. (2007) stressed on the fact that modern managers use non-linear dynamic pattern of intellectual thinking in order to solve complex business problems. Hence, it is evident from the discussion that developing intellectual skill plays vital role for a modern day managers. In such context, auditing my intellectual skill set will definitely help me to judge whether I am competent enough to handle corporate world challenge or not? Intellectual (thinking) skills Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly D isagree 1. I am a creative person who can adapt my thinking to circumstances 2. I am able to organise my thoughts, analyse, synthesise and critically appraise situations 3. I can identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately The first skill set is identifying my capability of being flexible and creative enough to adapt to the situational demand. I believe that my instinct works in well balance manner when it comes to being creative or develop new thinking. For example, during my MSc program in Management from University of Glamorgan, I got the opportunity to showcase my creative when it comes to preparing project with team members or solving a business case study

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Judaism - Essay Example Jerusalem is their holy city. Oneness of God is the most important principles of Judaism. They believe that God loves his people but also, gives heavy punishment to those who deviate from his path. Another very essential belief is of repentance. Unlike Christians, Jews believe that "Messiah" was yet to be born and most awaited by them. They believe that only the advent of "Messiah" would save the people from sins. Judaism has three main sects Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism. Voni (2007) says that, "The Orthodox believes that there are 613 laws that were given to Moses from God the Father and follow those laws." As the name indicates, they follow the strictest rules and are the most conservative form of Judaism. They believe and thrive to observe their religion in its original form and get inspired by each word written in their sacred texts. This is the oldest, most conservative, and most diverse form of Judaism. Modern Orthodox, Chasidim and Ultra Orthodox share a basic belief in the derivation of Jewish law, even as they hold very different outlooks on life. They attempt to follow the original form of Judaism as they view it to be. They look upon every word in their sacred texts as being divinely inspired. Reform Judaism mo

Carl Jung Theory Essay Example for Free

Carl Jung Theory Essay Jungs theory divides the psyche into three parts. The first is the ego, which Jung identifies with the conscious mind. Closely related is the personal unconscious, which includes anything that is not presently conscious, but can be. The personal unconscious is like most peoples understanding of the unconscious in that it includes both memories that are easily brought to mind and those that have been suppressed for some reason. But it does not include the instincts that Freud would have it include. But then Jung adds the part of the psyche that makes his theory stand out from all others: the collective unconscious. You could call it your psychic inheritance. It is the reservoir of our experiences as a species, a kind of knowledge we are all born with. And yet we can never be directly conscious of it. It influences all of our experiences and behaviors, most especially the emotional ones, but we only know about it indirectly, by looking at those influences. There are some experiences that show the effects of the collective unconscious more clearly than others: The experiences of love at first sight, of deja vu (the feeling that youve been here before), and the immediate recognition of certain symbols and the meanings of certain myths, could all be understood as the sudden conjunction of our outer reality and the inner reality of the collective unconscious. Grander examples are the creative experiences shared by artists and musicians all over the world and in all times, or the spiritual experiences of mystics of all religions, or the parallels in dreams, fantasies, mythologies, fairy tales, and literature. A nice example that has been greatly discussed recently is the near-death experience. It seems that many people, of many different cultural backgrounds, find that they have very similar recollections when they are brought back from a close encounter with death. They speak of leaving their bodies, seeing their bodies and the events surrounding them clearly, of being pulled through a long tunnel towards a bright light, of seeing deceased relatives or religious figures waiting for them, and of their disappointment at having to leave this happy scene to return to their bodies. Perhaps we are all built to experience death in this fashion. Archetypes The contents of the collective unconscious are called archetypes. Jung also called them dominants, imagos, mythological or primordial images, and a few other names, but archetypes seem to have won out over these. An archetype is an unlearned tendency to experience things in a certain way. The archetype has no form of its own, but it acts as an organizing principle on the things we see or do. It works the way that instincts work in Freuds theory: At first, the baby just wants something to eat, without knowing what it wants. It has a rather indefinite yearning, which, nevertheless, can be satisfied by some things and not by others. Later, with experience, the child begins to yearn for something more specific when it is hungry a bottle, a cookie, a broiled lobster, a slice of New York style pizza. The archetype is like a black hole in space: You only know its there by how it draws matter and light to itself. The mother archetype The mother archetype is a particularly good example. All of our ancestors had mothers. We have evolved in an environment that included a mother or mother-substitute. We would never have survived without our connection with a nurturing-one during our times as helpless infants. It stands to reason that we are built in a way that reflects that evolutionary environment: We come into this world ready to want mother, to seek her, to recognize her, to deal with her. So the mother archetype is our built-in ability to recognize a certain relationship, that of mothering. Jung says that this is rather abstract, and we are likely to project the archetype out into the world and onto a particular person, usually our own mothers. Even when an archetype doesnt have a particular real person available, we tend to personify the archetype, that is, turn it into a mythological story-book character. This character symbolizes the archetype. The mother archetype is symbolized by the primordial mother or earth mother of mythology, by Eve and Mary in western traditions, and by less personal symbols such as the church, the nation, a forest, or the ocean. According to Jung, someone whose own mother failed to satisfy the demands of the archetype may well be one that spends his or her life seeking comfort in the church, or in identification with the motherland, or in meditating upon the figure of Mary, or in a life at sea. Mana You must understand that these archetypes are not really biological things, like Freuds instincts. They are more spiritual demands. For example, if you dreamt about long things, Freud might suggest these things represent the phallus and ultimately sex. But Jung might have a very different interpretation. Even dreaming quite specifically about a penis might not have much to do with some unfulfilled need for sex. It is curious that in primitive societies, phallic symbols do not usually refer to sex at all. They usually symbolize mana, or spiritual power. These symbols would be displayed on occasions when the spirits are being called upon to increase the yield of corn, or fish, or to heal someone. The connection between the penis and strength, between semen and seed, between fertilization and fertility are understood by most cultures. The shadow Sex and the life instincts in general are, of course, represented somewhere in Jungs system. They are a part of an archetype called the shadow. It derives from our prehuman, animal past, when our concerns were limited to survival and reproduction, and when we werent self-conscious. It is the dark side of the ego, and the evil that we are capable of is often stored there. Actually, the shadow is amoral neither good nor bad, just like animals. An animal is capable of tender care for its young and vicious killing for food, but it doesnt choose to do either. It just does what it does. It is innocent. But from our human perspective, the animal world looks rather brutal, inhuman, so the shadow becomes something of a garbage can for the parts of ourselves that we cant quite admit to. Symbols of the shadow include the snake (as in the garden of Eden), the dragon, monsters, and demons. It often guards the entrance to a cave or a pool of water, which is the collective unconscious. Next time you dream about wrestling with the devil, it may only be yourself you are wrestling with! The persona The persona represents your public image. The word is, obviously, related to the word person and personality, and comes from a Latin word for mask. So the persona is the mask you put on before you show yourself to the outside world. Although it begins as an archetype, by the time we are finished realizing it, it is the part of us most distant from the collective unconscious. At its best, it is just the good impression we all wish to present as we fill the roles society requires of us. But, of course, it can also be the false impression we use to manipulate peoples opinions and behaviors. And, at its worst, it can be mistaken, even by ourselves, for our true nature: Sometimes we believe we really are what we pretend to be! Anima and animus A part of our persona is the role of male or female we must play. For most people that role is determined by their physical gender. But Jung, like Freud and Adler and others, felt that we are all really bisexual in nature. When we begin our lives as fetuses, we have undifferentiated sex organs that only gradually, under the influence of hormones, become male or female. Likewise, when we begin our social lives as infants, we are neither male nor female in the social sense. Almost immediately as soon as those pink or blue booties go on we come under the influence of society, which gradually molds us into men and women. In all societies, the expectations placed on men and women differ, usually based on our different roles in reproduction, but often involving many details that are purely traditional. In our society today, we still have many remnants of these traditional expectations. Women are still expected to be more nurturant and less aggressive; men are still expected to be strong and to ignore the emotional side of life. But Jung felt these expectations meant that we had developed only half of our potential. The anima is the female aspect present in the collective unconscious of men, and the animus is the male aspect present in the collective unconscious of women. Together, they are referred to as syzygy. The anima may be personified as a young girl, very spontaneous and intuitive, or as a witch, or as the earth mother. It is likely to be associated with deep emotionality and the force of life itself. The animus may be personified as a wise old man, a sorcerer, or often a number of males, and tends to be logical, often rationalistic, and even argumentative. The anima or animus is the archetype through which you communicate with the collective unconscious generally, and it is important to get into touch with it. It is also the archetype that is responsible for much of our love life: We are, as an ancient Greek myth suggests, always looking for our other  half, the half that the Gods took from us, in members of the opposite sex. When we fall in love at first sight, then we have found someone that fills our anima or animus archetype particularly well! Other archetypes Jung said that there is no fixed number of archetypes that we could simply list and memorize. They overlap and easily melt into each other as needed, and their logic is not the usual kind. But here are some he mentions: Besides mother, their are other family archetypes. Obviously, there is father, who is often symbolized by a guide or an authority figure. There is also the archetype family, which represents the idea of blood relationship and ties that run deeper than those based on conscious reasons. There is also the child, represented in mythology and art by children, infants most especially, as well as other small creatures. The Christ child celebrated at Christmas is a manifestation of the child archetype, and represents the future, becoming, rebirth, and salvation. Curiously, Christmas falls during the winter solstice, which in northern primitive cultures also represents the future and rebirth. People used to light bonfires and perform ceremonies to encourage the suns return to them. The child archetype often blends with other archetypes to form the child-god, or the child-hero. Many archetypes are story characters. The hero is one of the main ones. He is the mana personality and the defeater of evil dragons. Basically, he represents the ego we do tend to identify with the hero of the story and is often engaged in fighting the shadow, in the form of dragons and other monsters. The hero is, however, often dumb as a post. He is, after all, ignorant of the ways of the collective unconscious. Luke Skywalker, in the Star Wars films, is the perfect example of a hero. The hero is often out to rescue the maiden. She represents purity, innocence, and, in all likelihood, naivete. In the beginning of the Star Wars story, Princess Leia is the maiden. But, as the story progresses, she becomes the anima, discovering the powers of the force the collective unconscious and becoming an equal partner with Luke, who turns out to be her brother. The wise old man guides the hero. He is a form of the animus, and reveals to the hero the nature of the collective unconscious. In Star Wars, he is played by Obi Wan Kenobi and, later, Yoda. Notice that they teach Luke about the force and, as Luke matures, they die and become a part of him. You might be curious as to the archetype represented by Darth Vader, the dark father. He is the shadow and the master of the dark side of the force. He also turns out to be Luke and Leias father. When he dies, he becomes one of the wise old men. There is also an animal archetype, representing humanitys relationships with the animal world. The heros faithful horse would be an example. Snakes are often symbolic of the animal archetype, and are thought to be particularly wise. Animals, after all, are more in touch with their natures than we are. Perhaps loyal little robots and reliable old spaceships the Falcon are also symbols of animal. And there is the trickster, often represented by a clown or a magician. The tricksters role is to hamper the heros progress and to generally make trouble. In Norse mythology, many of the gods adventures originate in some trick or another played on their majesties by the half-god Loki. There are other archetypes that are a little more difficult to talk about. One is the original man, represented in western religion by Adam. Another is the God archetype, representing our need to comprehend the universe, to give a meaning to all that happens, to see it all as having some purpose and direction. The hermaphrodite, both male and female, represents the union of opposites, an important idea in Jungs theory. In some religious art, Jesus is presented as a rather feminine man. Likewise, in China, the character Kuan Yin began as a male saint (the bodhisattva Avalokiteshwara), but was portrayed in such a feminine manner that he is more often thought of as the female goddess of compassion! The most important archetype of all is the self. The self is the ultimate unity of the personality and is symbolized by the circle, the cross, and the mandala figures that Jung was fond of painting. A mandala is a drawing that is used in meditation because it tends to draw your focus back to the center, and it can be as simple as a geometric figure or as complicated as a stained glass window. The personifications that best represent self are Christ and Buddha, two people who many believe achieved perfection. But Jung felt that perfection of the personality is only truly achieved in death.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Effects of Sexualisation of Culture on the Media

Effects of Sexualisation of Culture on the Media â€Å"Raunch culture isn’t about opening our minds to the possibilities and mysteries of sexuality. It’s about endlessly reiterating one particular – and particularly commercial – shorthand for sexiness† (Levy 2006: 30). With reference to your own examples, discuss the sexualisation of culture and its effects on media production. When we look at examples of how the sexualisation of culture, in particular women, has risen over the past decade we turn to things such as ‘raunch’ culture. It is all tied to the discourses of consumerism, empowerment and individualism. The significance of sex in culture has been brought more into light of late as an interest in the mainstreaming of sex or ‘striptease’ culture has risen. Mainstream sexualisation has become a way of describing how sex has become a bigger part and more visible part of contemporary western cultures. As things such as pornography and other explicit materials become easier to access by more people, many just being a click away. In many ways the pornographic industry has entered the mainstream world as porn stars are becoming celebrities and the pornographic ‘style ‘is becoming a commonplace in many industries, including advertising, Television, film and music videos. It is normal now to see scantily clad women in ice cream adverts and rap videos, but it is not only in the media that this is normal now, it is also common to see such things on the streets. Ariel Levy’s book on ‘Raunch’ culture describes sexualisation as ‘a desperate stab at free-wheeling eroticism in a time and place characterised by intense anxiety’ (Levy, 2005: 199) suggesting that the increase of sexualisation in the mainstrea m media does more harm than it does good. Britain in particular has a longstanding culture of sexual explicitness of women in the mainstream media mostly starting at the turn of the millennium. However this is no longer passive, a contemporary image of femininity is now likely to be enunciated as being ‘active, recreational, material, independent [and] consumerist’ (Evans, 1993: 41). Contemporary British culture has been sexualised in part by a neo-liberal bombast of choice and self-determination, which in turn has created a femininity with and ‘up for it’ and active personality. The shift in public discourse from a heterosexual female who is passive and has less sexual prowess than her male counterpart to an active female has been created by this mainstreaming of the explicit material. But it is not only in women we see this cultural shift as men have also been given an image that the must conform to in order to be the ideal heterosexual man. For both sexes it is clear that the change in sexuality in modern culture has had an effect on what it means to be desirable. If we look at Film as an example of how much sexual propriety has changed. â€Å"It’s a Wonderful Life† is an excellent example of how innocence and passivity were coveted in the 1940s, when the film was released. Donna Reed who plays Mary Hatch is the ideal image of youthful innocence, she is well spoken, young, beautiful and most of all quite passive and naà ¯ve in her sexuality. All we have to do it look at the original Disney princesses and the ones we have now to see how much the ideal passive love struck woman has changed into one of independent mind and sexuality. Where in the past we can see clearly that women were objects to be desired but not to desire themselves, whereas now there are many examples of sexually aware and advanced women in film. ‘Friends with Benefits’, a comedy starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, is about two friends who engage in sex without being married or in a relationship. This film in itself can show how sexuality ha s become less of something to happen in private, as it would have in older films, where the camera would usually fade into the distance or look away, and more something to be broadcasted. Mila Kunis in the film embodies what it means to be a free thinking, sexually independent, heterosexual women, she is beautiful and fierce. Radner (1999: 15) states, ‘the task of the Single Girl is to embody heterosexuality through the disciplined use of makeup, clothing, exercise, and cosmetic surgery, linking femininity, consumer culture and heterosexuality’. His statement shows us how the sexualisation of culture is having a profound effect on the media, where there was once naivety and innocence there is now cleavage and sex. Showing the â€Å"shift from sexual objectification to sexual subjectification† (Gill: 2008, 41). Concerns have been raised over this shift in discourse as not only raises the sexual subjectivity of women but it also excludes many people who do not fit the narrow, homogenised quota of what is means to be feminine and beautiful – young, heterosexual, Caucasian. (Gill, 2009; McRobbie, 2009, Orchbach, 2009) Though some see this as a negative, it can also be seen as an opportunity for which women can now be free to express their sexuality without distain or outrage. If we look at female icons like Lady Gaga or Katy Perry we can see how they use their own sexuality to empower themselves and inspire others. Though there is a fine line between sexual empowerment and sexism. It can be both sexist and empowering to show cleavage, where on one hand it is the women showing she is sexually independent, it can also be seen as sexist because she has to use her sexuality to get the places instead of using other means. If we look at the cultural changes in youth culture we can see how much sexualisation has changed over time and how it has affected the media. Shows like ‘Toddles in Tiaras’ and those like it show how the shift in sexuality has changed how we view the young. It has become almost normal for children to dress sexually, in short skirts and tank tops and covered in make-up. ‘Toddles in Tiaras’ is an example of just how extreme the change in the sexualisation of children has been. In it there a children as young as 4 dressed like they are 30 dancing around the stage. Gill (2007a: 72) contends that ‘[f]or young women today in postfeminist cultures, the display of a certain kind of sexual knowledge, sexual practice and sexual agency has become normative – indeed, a ‘technology of sexiness’ has replaced ‘innocence’ or ‘virtue’’ (p. 72). Even advertising has changed to mirror this new sexualisation of childre n. Toy companies and even lingerie companies have started releasing more sexual merchandise aimed toward the young. Jours Aprà ¨s Lunes launched a Loungerie Line for young girls, the advertising for it consisted of pre-teens dressed in their underwear. The shift in cultural sexualisation has made it a social norm to see young girls flaunting their sexuality. 10-year-old French model Thylane Loubry Blondeau ended up making news headlines when she appeared on the cover of Vogue France in a high-fashion pose many though was too mature and sexual for her age, yet images like this continue to be shown. This is due to the endless bombardment of sexual imagery that is shown to children making them want to look like adults and to look sexy in order to be women. More of print and advertising has become sexualised as we can see when we analyse the covers of the magazine Cosmopolitan. If we look at the cover for the 1894 edition, there isn’t actually an image for the consumer to look at, instead just text detailing what will be in the magazine, much of which is informative and formal. As we move up to 1896 we start to see women being present on the cover, she is dressed formally and again the text shown is not explicit or suggestive in any way. Yet as we move into the 1940s we start to see more idolised images of women, on the cover of 1941 is a beautiful blonde woman with a small amount of shoulder showing, though this can be seen as sexual it is not sexual in a sense that she is showing sexual prowess. The model looks more innocent with baby blue eyes and rosy cheeks inferring innocence, as was desired prior to this decade. Now into the 70s the images and style of the magazine have changed completely, sexual culture has started to shi ft more towards objectification of sexuality as opposed to innocence. Moreover the language on the cover has changed a lot to what it once was, the words are more suggestive of sexuality. The images are becoming â€Å"Less regulated, more commercialized, and more pluralistic sexual culture† (McNair 2002: 11). What we see when we reach the current decade is a clear and obvious indicator as to how much the ideas of what is considered sexual and sexualisation of culture has changed over time and its profound effect on the media. The images are of beautiful women flaunting their beauty while showing off a lot of skin, moreover the text around the images is much blunter and to the point about being sexual. The work ‘Sexy’ is capitalised across the cover of the December 2012 edition and on the March 2013 edition the words ‘your best sex ever’ are captioned along the top. As we can see through the progression of these covers the effect that the change in th e sexualisation of culture has actually had on the media. The constant advertising of this one type of image as the ideal sexually confident woman can be seen ‘as consumers in pursuit of their own pleasures’ (Juffer, 1998:147). Overall we can see that culture, generally, has always been quite sexual in the sense that we have always coveted sex in an intimate way. Yet it has not always been so open and obvious, especially in the media. What we can say is that sexuality has always been present in our society in one form or another whether it be beautiful innocence in the movies or picturesque models on magazines. The major change that we have seen is that instead of it being about sexuality, it has become more about sex itself. With the help of the media sex and sexual behaviour has become a norm in society where once it was a private act. We see it more in the movies and on the covers or magazine and it has become even easier to access online. Our culture is no longer looking for just the image of sexuality in men and women but about the act itself. Magazines and movies are no longer selling the sexy looking models and actors, they are selling sex, and be it in advice columns, perfume adverts or sex scenes i n the movies. Sex sells and the media knows it. Despite the regulations in place to stop the endless flow of sexual images reaching the public, it has become a social norm to be a sexualised person and that is mostly due to the media jumping on the band wagon that is the cultural change in what it means to be sexual and sexy. Bibliography Ariel Levy, Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture, Free Press, 2005 Cosmopolitan March 1894: Cover. Print. Cosmopolitan May 1896: Cover. Print. Cosmopolitan November 1941: Cover. Print. Cosmopolitan February 1970: Cover. Print. Cosmopolitan December 2012: Cover. Print. Cosmopolitan March 2013: Cover. Print. Evans, D.T. (1993) Sexual Citizenship: The Material Construction of Sexualities. London: Routledge. Gill, R. (2007a) ‘Critical Respect: The Difficulties and Dilemmas of Agency and â€Å"Choice† for Feminism: A Reply to Duits and van Zoonen’, European Journal of Women’s Studies 14(1): 69–80. Gill, Rosalind. (2008). Empowerment/Sexism: Figuring Female Sexual Agency in Contemporary Advertising. Feminine and Psychology. 18 (35), 41. Gill, R. (2009) ‘Beyond the â€Å"Sexualisation of Culture† Thesis: An Intersectional Analysis of â€Å"Six-packs†, â€Å"Midriffs† and â€Å"Hot Lesbians† in Advertising’, Sexualities 12(2): 137– 60 Juffer, Jane (1998) At Home with Pornography: Women, Sex and Everyday Life. New York London: New York University Press. McNair, B, 2002. Striptease Culture: Sex, Media and the Democratization of Desire. 11: Routledge. McRobbie, A. (2009) the Aftermath of Feminism: Gender, Culture and Social Change. London: Sage. Orbach, S. (2009) Bodies. London: Profile Books Radner, H. (1999) ‘Introduction: Queering the Girl’, in H. Radner and M. Luckett (Eds) Swinging Single: Representing Sexuality in the 1960s. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Banning Prayer in Public Schools :: Religion in Public Schools

Banning Prayer in Public Schools The courts have ruled against prayer in school. Many agree with decision; yet many disagree including myself. Prayer should be allowed in public school because it is already practiced, it prevents immoral acts, and it enhances the learning environment. The issue of prayer in school has been debated in the U.S. since the North West Treaty (1787and 1789) which states: " Religion, morality, and the knowledge being necessary for good government and the happiness of man kind, schools and the means of learning shall forever be engorged." Thus, religion, which includes prayer, was deemed to be necessary. Many people believe that prayer is not allowed in the public schools. In fact prayer is allowed in the school system on buses, at the flagpole, in student religious groups, and in the cafeteria. However, prayer is not permitted in the classroom itself when class is in session. Prayer in class would violate the principles of church- state separation, which is defined by court interpretations of the First Amendment. This requires that public school teachers, principals, and boards to be religiously neutral. The reason for this is to prevent any arguments among students and teachers about their specific religion. Public schools had prayer for nearly two hundred years before the supreme court ruled that state- mandated class prayers were unconstitutional (Engle, 1962) The fact that prayer was practiced for nearly two-hundred years established it by precedent as a beneficial practice in our schools. Since the court outlawed prayer, the nation has been in steady moral decline. Former secretary of education William Bennett revealed in his cultured indexes that between 1960 and1990 there was a steady moral decline. During this period divorce doubled, teenage pregnancy went up 200%, teen suicide increased 300%, child abuse reached an all time high, violent crime went up 500% and abortion increased 1000% . Morals must be taught and they can not be taught properly without religi on, because most of the strong moral beliefs stem from religion such as the Ten Commandments. There is a strong correlation between the expulsion of prayer from our schools and the decline in morality. The third argument is prayer enhances the learning environment at public schools. Prayer enhances the learning environment because when there is a test coming up or a paper due, you think to yourself, " How am I going to do all of this, and do well?

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Gus germs and steel Essay -- English Literature

Gus germs and steel 1. Yali asks Diamond, â€Å"Why is it that you white people developed sp much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own.† 2. Jared Diamond’s thesis seems to be that external factors such as geography can affect the fate of human societies. In other words, what separates the winners from the losers is geography. Chapter 1 1. â€Å"The Great Leap Forward† is when human history developed about 50,000 years ago. 2. The giant moas in New Zealand and the giant lemurs in Madagascar were exterminated by humans. 3. 15,000 years ago the American West looked like Africa’s Serengeti Plains. It was filled with elephants, giraffes, zebras, and other African animals. All of these animals living in the American West were either killed off by Clovis hunters or died due to drought. 4. All of the giant animals residing in Africa were able to survive because there were no extreme weather conditions and there were not nearly as many deadly hunters in Africa as there were in America. Chapter 3 1. Pizzaro’s capture of Atahuallpa â€Å"offers a broad window onto modern history† because it has happened many times since then. 2. Technology, or the guns and the steel, was used in exterminating the Incas. The germs that the Spaniards brought over on their horses produced small pox. 3. Diamond refers to the battle at Cajamarca a collision because two of the greatest empires â€Å"collided† in a huge fight. Chapter 4 1. Societies with successful food production would grow because there was enough food for everyone. The greatest food producers became the world conquerors because they were a big society with big ideas for technology. 2. The development of diseas... ...teel, I would have to say that the most decisive factor would be the germs. A good example is Smallpox; the virus alone killed more people than either guns or steel. 4. The East lost its enormous lead to the West (Europe) because Europe developed a merchant system, capitalism, and patent protection for invertors. Europe also did not have a dictatorship like China, so inventors in Europe were worry free. 5. China lost its technological lead to Europe because they were a dictatorship and had high taxations. 6. China’s connectedness became a disadvantage for them because their fertile crescent had no other geographical advantages other than domesticating wild plants and animals. China also had an absolute despot that was controlling the country. 7. The histories of the Fertile Crescent and China hold important lessons for the modern world including.

Baby Boom as a defining moment in Canadian History

The Baby Boom was a massive increase of Canada's population from 1946 to 1965. The Baby Boom was considered a defining moment in Canadian history for economical, educational, and environmental factors. Economically speaking, Canada had an Increase In employment and the economy started to improve financially. Jobs were set up, and new projects were financed. (Pain, peg. 217). Consumer demand also rose, as lots of new people were born. In search for a better quality of life, many Canadians would demand massive, stylish engages to cult the large kitchens of suburban bungalows.High performance, and ease In use and cleaning were other popular attributes, and all these factors led manufacturers to offer a variety of models that would be purchased by consumers to enhance both lifestyle and social status. (The Collection, 2014). Canada Improved economically due to the baby boom since consumerism exploded. Demands of services and products rose massively. Educationally Speaking, children had b etter opportunities with school since the overspent funded in creating more schools due to high demand.There became a high demand for schools, first starting with elementary, and as the children aged high schools and universities were built up. (Elena, 2008). An average student only spent six years attending school due to farming duties and only one in ten students graduated from High School. (Elena, 2008). Since the baby boom occurred, students had an opportunity to finish school up until their post secondary education. Environmentally speaking, families moved to suburbs to start fresh with a family. During the sass, 1. Million housing units were set up in suburbia. (Annie, ND). Highways were built for transportation and so it would be convenient for people to get to places. (Annie, ND). Environment was a factor during the Baby Boom, since it reflected the arbitration of suburbs in the sass. Common reasons why suburbs became quite popular include: a large variety of land, and to es cape crime. The Baby Boom affected Canada in a positive way as it was a defining moment In history for economical, educational, and environmental purposes.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Beer Advertising Values Essay

Stephan Dahl Cultural Values in Beer Advertising in the UK, the Netherlands and Germany Presented at the Research Day, Intercultural Discourse Group, University of Luton , UK– July 2000 Available Online: http://dahl. at/ Introduction Is it possible to persuade consumers in different markets with the same advertising message? Will they respond favourably? Or should the advertising message be customised to reflect local culture? This question is one of the most fundamental decisions when planning an advertising campaign in different cultural areas, and, not surprisingly, one of the most frequently discussed issues in advertising today. One fraction in this debate emphasises that the world is growing ever closer, and that the world can be treated as one large market, with only superficial differences in values (Levitt, 1983). In their view, advertising and marketing can be standardised across cultures, and the same values can be used to persuade customers to buy or consume the product. Another fraction is content with the fact that the basic needs may well be the same around the world, however the way in which these needs are met and satisfied differs from culture to culture. Any marketing (and advertising) campaign should, in their view, reflect the local habits, lifestyles and economical conditions in order to be effective. In 1985, Woods et al. concluded in a study of consumer purpose in purchase in the US, Quebec and Korea, that â€Å"important differences are found in the reasons why they [the consumers] purchase products familiar to all three countries†. Central to this debate, are two issues: The product position and usage within the culture of the market, and the decoding of the advertising message. Both are, obviously, linked to some extend. An advertising message encoded in one culture has to be decoded in another culture in the case of standardised marketing. This process may be subject to severe distortions, as the receiver will decode the message in his/her own cultural context. A standardised approach could hence run into the danger, that the message will be unconvincing, as it does not meet the psychological â€Å"triggers† required to evoke a purchase decision with the consumer. Given Woods et al. research , this appears to be a problem that marketers should be clearly aware of. In order to understand the decoding process in the target market, it will be essential to study the product perceptions and reasons for purchase, as well as the product’s place in the target culture. An example of this would include wine, perceived as a relative â€Å"special occasion† drink in most northern European countries, however understood as an every day drink in most Southern European countries, where it is seen similar to the beer’s perception in Northern Europe. To market a table wine as † add a touch of luxury to every day† (German advertising) would undoubtedly appear strange and possibly confusing to Southern European consumers. Conversly, when advertising washing powder, consumers in both northern as well as southern European markets may expect information on the effectiveness of the product to dominate the commercial. As an increasing number of researchers has pointed out (Caillat & Mueller, 1996), that it is important not only to study advertising in general, but to concentrate on differences in product categories in order to find prevailing differences in advertising style and values. Caillat & Mueller (1996) themselves published a comparison for beer advertising in the UK and the US, concluding that the â€Å"differences between British and American advertising were significant, indicating that consumers of the two countries are currently exposed to distinct styles of commercial messages based on different cultural values†. Equally, Cheng & Schweitzer (1996), after examining Chinese and US television commercials, concluded: â€Å"We also found that cultural values depicted in Chinese television commercials have much to do with product categories†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This paper focuses, like the Caillat & Mueller study, on the values portrayed in beer advertising. The countries studied are the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, all of which posses a long tradition in brewing and the consumption of beer. Equally, in all three countries, beer is similar in market positioning, i. e. it is viewed as an every-day drink, consumed dominantly by males. No assumptions were made which values were to be expected in any one country to be dominantly displayed in beer commercials, but all commercials were studied a priori empirically to identify dominant themes. Additionally, the use of humour and the occasion for product usage were recorded in all three countries. The Market for Beer Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in all three countries, and the per capita consumption is higher than the European average of around 70 l /p. a. p. c.. In 1998, the per capita beer consumption was the highest in Germany, with 127. 4 l, followed by the UK, with 99. 4 l and the Netherlands, with 84. 2 l (World Drink Trends, 1999). The beer consumption in all three countries has declined steadily over the last years. This development has put additional pressure for effective marketing communications on the breweries. Table 1: Evolution of beer consumption per capita in selected countries Rank Country 1995 1996 1997 1998 1 Czech Republic 156. 9 157. 3 161. 4 161. 8 2 Republic of Ireland 138. 6 145. 4 152. 0 150. 5 3 Germany 135. 9 131. 9 131. 2 127. 4 7 United Kingdom 100. 9 101. 9 103. 6 99. 4 12 Netherlands 85. 8 85. 5 86. 3 84. 2 13 US 83. 6 83. 5 83. 2 82. 0 39 Italy 25. 4 24. 0 25. 4 26. 9 Litres p. c. / Source: World Drink Trends, 1999 Advertising regulation Advertising for alcoholic beverages is heavily regulated in all three markets. In the UK, advertising of alcoholic beverages is regulated by a self-imposed code of conduct of the Advertising Association, as well as the regulations of the Independent Television Commission (for television). In Germany, the Zentralverband der deutschen Werbewirstchaft and the Deutscher Werberat have published similar rules governing the advertising on television. In the Netherlands, the Stichting Stuurgroep Reclame and the Vereniging van Communicatieadviesbureaus has also published appropriate guidelines. An overview of the legal environment, and the restrictions imposed by these guidelines, is given in the table below. Methodology The primary objective of this study is to determine weather or not the same advertising themes and appeals are used in all three countries to persuade customers to buy (or consume) beer, and to identify the dominant appeals used. In order to achieve that objective, television commercials for beer have been collected in all three countries. In order to minimise distortion, only advertising for beers originating from the country have been selected. The commercials were recorded during March/April 2000 from the following television channels: 2 Table 3: Channels used for collection of television commercials Country UK Netherlands Germany Channels ITV-Carlton Channel 4 Channel 5 Sky One Granada Plus Nederland 1/2/3 RTL 4 RTL 5 Veronica SBS 6 Net 5 ARD ZDF RTL Plus Sat 1 Pro 7 Kabel 1 During this time, a total of 25 unique television commercials were recorded: 9 for the UK, 6 for the Netherlands and 10 for Germany. Although the population in this study is fairly small, it is hoped that the results are sufficient to establish an exploratory overview of advertising appeals used. The commercials were then qualitatively content analysed to establish the dominant appeal used in each commercial. In order to be as open minded as possible, no list of expected appeals or themes were identified prior to the analysis. Once the dominant appeal used in each commercial had been identified, these appeals were combined to form five categories of dominant appeals: friendship, sex, sport, tradition and relaxation. The category friendship included all commercials that focused around drinking beer in a group of friends, or with a friend, where the consumption of beer was depicted overwhelmingly as a social activity, or implied as such. A commercial was judged to use â€Å"sex appeal†, if it depicted members of the opposite sex making advances towards the main character, if they spoke seductively or were dressed in a manner that may be interpreted as erotic. Sport includes all commercials that make a clear reference to sports of all forms, show main characters involved in sporting activities or after sports. Commercials focusing on the tradition of the brewery or the product, showed historic buildings or images or were set in a historical background were judged to have â€Å"tradition† as the dominant appeal. Finally, commercials showing the main character in a clearly relaxing situation, where the main character consumed beer primarily as a way to unwind and relax ( mostly alone), were judged to use â€Å"relaxation† as the dominant appeal. Mueller (1996) reported a large number of British commercials used humour to advertise beer. In order to see if this was equally true for Dutch and German commercials the use of humour was equally coded as present or not present. Alcohol commercials, particularly in Britain, have often been criticised that they imply that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may enhance sexual attractiveness. In order to establish if this appeal is used, special attention was given to the role of characters of the opposite sex to the main character(s) in the commercials. This appeal is especially 3 complicated to establish, particularly as the UK-code of conduct rules this appeal out, and an open display of this appeal would lead to the suspension of the commercial. However, as anecdotal evidence of this theme was evident, it was included in the study. If these characters appeared to display any form of erotic symbol or gesture to the main character after or during consumption of beer, or if their dress was found to be explicitly erotic in nature, the appeal was judged to be present. This was particularly upheld if these characters were shown full screen. If they appeared merely as present, alongside other secondary characters, this appeal was judged not to be present. The occasion for product usage was also recorded. As Mueller (1996) described a significant difference between the usage of beer in US- and British commercials, the product usage was coded using Mueller’s coding procedure. This involved to scan the commercials for either regular (or every-day type) usage, special occasion usage or usage not shown in the commercial. Each commercial was analysed by a resident native of the country, and by the researcher, who is fluent in all three languages. Each coder coded the respective commercials independently, and later conferred with the researcher. All differences in coding were discussed, and finally resolved. Results Humour Humour was analysed by trying to identify a joke or some funny twist in the commercials, and was classified as either present, or absent. Typical examples of humorous advertising include where the commercial tells a funny story, uses irony or makes fun of typical situations. Humour dominated British commercials, whereas it was more sparingly used in German or Dutch commercials. Table 4: The use of humour UK NL D Used 88% 33% 10% Not Used 12% 66% 90% Occasion for Product Usage The occasion for drinking beer was analysed by either being an everyday event, a special occasion or not shown/inconclusive. An everyday-event included drinking beer in a pub, in a bar, while being with friends or while watching television. A special occasion included drinking as a special reward or celebration. A commercial was coded as â€Å"Not shown/inconclusive† if none of the characters consumed (or was about to consume) beer, or no characters were shown at all. Everyday-usage dominated the British commercials to a large extend, and also was dominant in Dutch advertising, whereas it was relatively infrequently used in German advertising. Table 5: Occasion for product usage UK NL D Everyday 77% 50% 20% Special Event 11% 33% 40% Not shown 11% 16% 40% Dominant Themes Each commercial was coded for one dominant theme, and those themes were then grouped into a list of 5possible themes: friendship, sex, sport, tradition and relaxation. Friendship and affiliation were the most dominant themes in both German and Dutch beer commercials. Whereas 55% of British commercials were found to have some sexual appeal, none of the Dutch or German commercials were found to use this appeal for the promotion of beer. 4 The link between sport and beer was highlighted only in the Netherlands and in the UK, it was however not used in any German commercial. A trend of advertising beer using the history and tradition of the beer or brewery was observed exclusively in Germany, whereas beer was presented as a drink for relaxation in both the UK and the Netherlands. Table 6: Dominant Themes UK NL D Friendship – 50% 60% Sex 55% – Sport 22% 16% Tradition – – 40% Relaxation 22% 33% Discussion The results clearly support the argument, that different values are used to promote the same product in the three markets, and that different associations and techniques are used to convey the advertising message. In the UK, the use of humour in advertising is a long standing tradition, and is also dominant in beer advertising, with 88% using this feature. This result supports Mueller’s claim, that the majority of British beer advertising uses humour to sell its product. In Germany, beer is not directly associated with humorous advertising, and only 10% of the sample used humour. In the Netherlands humour was more frequent, however it was less dominant (33%). Equally in support of Mueller’s study is the result for the occasion for product usage. The every-day drink, as beer is portrayed in British advertising, is clearly dominant, however it is less frequent in the Netherlands (50%), and even in the minority in Germany. Although the portrayed product usage has little in common with the real-life product usage, it demonstrates a desire to position the product differently in the various markets. In the German market, beer consumption is depicted as a social phenomena. It goes hand in hand with meeting friends, going out for the day or having a picnic, a day at the sea etc. , where the reunification of the friends is celebrated with a beer. Alternatively, beer is positioned to be a high quality product with a long tradition. This appeal is unique to the German market, and can not be found in either Dutch or British advertising. There may, however, be some explanation in the abolition of the Reinheitsgebot, an antique law ensuring the purity of the beer, by the EU in the late 1980s. Although this is certainly not the only possible explanation for the use of this particular appeal, consumers will understand, that the beer in question is brewed in line with the regulation of the Reinheitsgebot. This theory is supported by the fact that 3 out of the 4 commercials using this type of appeal state that they brew according to the Reinheitsgebot. In the Netherlands, the friendship appeal equally dominates the beer advertising. Beer is consumed with friends – however much more in an everyday situation than in Germany. Equally, beer can be consumed at home, even alone to relax – a depiction that is not at all used in German advertising. Another link found in the Netherlands, and not used in Germany, is the link between beer and sport events, where beer is consumed accompanying the activity of watching a game of football. This appeal is however somewhat different from the sports-appeal used in the UK, where beer is positively connected with either achievement in sports or as a â€Å"creator† of sport. Another appeal used in both the UK and the Netherlands is display of beer consumption as a relaxing activity. However most dominant in the UK is the use of female characters in beer commercials. A majority of beer commercials has at least one female â€Å"main supporting character† (i. e. not actually the main, beer consuming, character – however someone with a key role). Whereas there are virtually no female characters to be found in Dutch or German beer advertising, or if so, they are depicted as just another person with no major impact on the 5 advertising as a whole, the female characters play a relatively dominant role in a majority of British commercials. Nearly all female characters are lightly dressed or are depicted wearing tight dresses, and a majority of them seems to be(come) attracted to the main character. The results of this study have very clear limitations, particularly as the amount of data is extremely small. Equally, only one dominant appeal per commercial was coded – whereas many commercials display a number of appeals. Although some more clarification of the appeals is given above, the variety and different flavour of certain appeals used should not be underestimated. However, the results suggest, that anecdotal difference in advertising strategies is not merely a myth, and clearly demonstrates that different values are used to promote the same product in three geographically close countries. Clearly, such a clear difference may not be observed in all commercials for all product categories, as beer is a culture bound product. However, differences in persuasion techniques and advertising appeals are to be expected in a variety of product categories, whereas in others, there may be little or no variation in appeals used. Further research is required to identify these categories, and more clearly establish the appeals used. References: Albers-Miller, N. D. (1996). â€Å"Designing cross-cultural advertising research: a closer look at paired comparisons. † International Marketing Review 13(5): 59-75. Alden, D. L. , W. D. Hoyer, et al. (1993). â€Å"Identifying Global and Culture-Specific Dimensions in Humor in Advertising: A Multinational Analysis. † Journal of Marketing 57(2): 64-75. Caillat, Z. and B. Mueller (1996). â€Å"The Influence of Culture on American and British Advertising. † Journal of Advertising Reserach(May/June): 79-88. Levitt, T. (1983). â€Å"The Globalization of Markets. † Harvard Business Review 61(May/June): 92-102.

What is Child Poverty, its Key Causes and Impacts?

As a result of the economic crisis, the amount of children in risk of poverty is growing. Poverty is considered to be lack of access to financial resources, services and chances for the young people to develop, become successful, confident and flourish. Children in poverty are those ones living in families in low income and who can't meet the adequate standard of life. The failure to protect young people from deprivation is one of the significant mistakes which one society could admit.The highest price is paid by the children, but the society is facing a cost as well: less people with good qualification, lower productivity, poor health education, high risk of unemployment and dependence to social benefits, and loss of community connection. This is the reason why the Government and many independent organisations, like CPAG, Barnardos, JRF, Save the Children, e.g., make a strong attempt to find the solution and end the children poverty, obtaining an efficient resolution required to ana lyse the problem in his dept. To understand what stands behind the meaning we have to examine the factors included in Child Poverty measurement, what causes it and the impacts.It's difficult to clarify the definition of child poverty and to observe the number of young people living in it. To specify the problem, the Government has generated a â€Å"multidimensional measure of child poverty†. The elements in this measurement are created on researches of what's causing the privation and how it impacts on children's lives. The first element is the â€Å"Income†. It's holding the leader position in the adolescent's life, for example, the parents on low income cannot afford to buy accurate clothes and healthy food.The Government is taking into account the â€Å"Material Deprivation† as well. This measure includes factors like the frequency of enjoyable activities and social gatherings families can perform like birthday celebrations, friend's visits and community meet ings.Another component is the â€Å"Poor housing†. Poor housing is an unheated home, congested, overloaded or in unsafe area. Living in that environment can have an instant impact on children's health, comfort and self-esteem.â€Å"Access to Quality Education† is another important component. Attending a school with satisfying facilities and outstanding teachers can emancipate the achievement in children, where the opposite – attending a falling school, could put a stop on a child's motivation and future success. That's why the Government registered it as an important part of the child poverty measurement.Another main point is â€Å"Family Stability†. Children growing in aggressive surroundings, with violent parents and children witnessing divorcement are more likely to develop mental and physical illnesses and behaviour.The last element, â€Å"Parental Health†, has a remarkable effect upon young people. Looking after their ill parents can put a bar rier children’s progress.Multiple factors could cause child poverty, but some of them are very difficult to be identified. That's why we will look at most remarkable ones.â€Å"Workless† is a significant component. This can cause depressive conditions, alcoholism and loss of confidentiality in some parents. It has a negative interference in children’s wellbeing as well, expressed in an inadequate behaviour, lack of interests in future realization and less independence.Additional cause is â€Å"Unmanageable Debt.† The inaccurate financial management can leave parents with less or no money to cover the primary needs of their children. Furthermore, consumer research published in Relate Argument Survey (1998) have found that the â€Å"money issues are the main cause of arguments within couples,† expanding the dangers of family breakdown and stress in youngsters.Working doesn’t always mean that people are far from poverty. There are two  more i mportant factors to be mentioned here: the â€Å"Parental Skill Level† and â€Å"Low Paid Work†. The lack of good qualifications increases the chances of unemployment or low payment. The results are low-income and deprivation. Many circumstances within the family life can cause child poverty, including ineffective beneficial system, disability, e.g., lone parents’ households.Growing up in indigent background has irreversible consequences among children’s welfare, their personality, emotional development and future potential. The poverty affects children’s physical, emotional and psychological health. Injuries and death in youngsters are closely linked to livelihood in poor housings and unsafe areas where the risks factors, like main busy roads and crime, are higher.A range of chronic conditions, like asthma, diabetes and dental caries, iron deficiency anaemia, cerebral palsy, low birth weight and preterm birth are associated with the social depriva tion. Acute illness, pneumonia and tubercular infection are greater among children in social disadvantage. Poor behaviour and emotional problems in children are socially patterned. The crime offences in children, underage pregnancies and teenage motherhood are more common in deprived and disadvantaged communities.Infants born in poor families often develop delay in speech and understanding, and , according to Social Mobility: Narrowing Social Class Educational Attainment Gaps, DfES, (2006)† This gap grows over time, with many poor children failing two years behind by the age of 14.† Many children living in poverty leave school early or without qualification. This has long-lasting impact on their lives because as adults they are facing unemployment, low-income and emotional discomforts.Economic, social and political development of the UK, to some extent, depends on whether children grow up happy, healthy, well educated, protected and confident in themselves. Childhood is short, but it has strong imprint on human life. Children that don’t go to school or have lower qualifications and children that don’t receive good health care may become the marginal part of society for the rest of their lives.By investing in children, the Government can help them break the cycle of poverty which they inherit from their parents. Ending the child poverty can result in an overall reduction of deprivation in the society, preventing the new generation from misery and isolation.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Nurse Practitioner Schooling How Long Is It What Do You Learn

Nurse Practitioner Schooling How Long Is It What Do You Learn SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner? It can be a great way to make more money and have more responsibility at your job.But what options are there for nurse practitioner schooling? How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? How do you apply, and what do you do once you begin a nurse practitioner program? In this guide, we answer those questions and give you all the information you need to know about nurse practitioner school. What Are Nurse Practitioner Schools? To become a nurse practitioner, you’ll need to get one of two graduate degrees: a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).In this section we analyze both of the degrees and give advice on which program you should pursue. Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree The MSN is a master’s program, and the coursework will often be similar to the coursework required to become an RN, although more specialized and at a higher level. You’ll learn the skills needed for patient care and case management so that you’re prepared to handle patients on your own and prescribe medication (if the state you live in allows NPs to write prescriptions). There are MSN programs for all the main nurse practitioner specializations, such as neonatal, family, psychiatric, and women’s health nurse practitioner specializations, among others.The coursework is a mixture of core classes all nurse practitioners take, courses in your field of specialization, and clinical practicum hours. Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree The DNP program covers all the information and skills you’ll learn in an MSN program, but you’ll take additional courses that teach you more about leadership, health care policy, and using evidence-based care in clinical practice, among other areas. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), all DNP programs must have courses that prepare students in the following eight core areas: Scientific underpinnings for practice Organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking Clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care Health care policy for advocacy in health care Interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health Advanced nursing practice DNP students must also complete an original scholarly work, often known as the DNP project, that shows they can apply the knowledge they learned to an actual issue affecting nursing. The DNP is a doctorate and a terminal degree, and it provides a broader area of skills than an MSN degree. In addition to learning the skills needed to be an effective nurse practitioner, those who graduate from a DNP program also are better prepared for leadership positions because they have more background in health care policy and better understand how hospitals and other healthcare facilities are run. Which Nurse Practitioner Program Should You Do? Both programs will qualify you to be a nurse practitioner, so you can really do either. Additionally, there isn’t much of a salary difference between nurse practitioners who have their MSN versus those with their DNP (the average annual salary of nurse practitioners across the country is just over $100,000.) MSN programs are shorter and are typically offered by more schools, including more online programs, which can make balancing school and other commitments easier.However, if you’re looking to achieve the top level of nursing education and/or learn more leadership and management skills, a DNP is the better option.Additionally, the AACN recommends that nurses hoping to become nurse practitioners get their DNP instead of their MSN, but they accept both as proper qualification. The choice depends on which program you think works better for your schedule and career plans. Also, you get your MSN, you can later go back and get your DNP in a two-year program if you later decide that’s what you want. How Long Do Nurse Practitioners Go to School? How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? This answer depends both on your background and which NP degree you want to get, though you can become a nurse practitioner in as little as two years. The length of the two NP programs are as follows: Master’s of Science in Nursing: 2 (sometimes 3) years Doctor of Nursing Practice: 3-4 years However, you need to be a registered nurse (RN) to begin nurse practitioner school. If you already have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) and have worked for several years as an RN, then you can go directly into either of the graduate programs. If, on the other hand, you don’t have a background in nursing, nurse practitioner schooling will take significantly longer.A BSN degree can take four years, although if you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, there are often shorter programs that only take about two to three years, while an Associate’s Degree in Nursing usually takes two years to complete. This means it could take you up to eight years to become a nurse practitioner, depending on which combination of degrees you get. There are also a few programs that combine either a BSN or an ADN with a nurse practitioner program (often known as â€Å"bridge programs†), which will take less time to complete. These are often about five years, although the exact length of each program will vary based on the school. How Do You Get Into Nurse Practitioner Schools? As mentioned above, to apply to nurse practitioner schools, you need to be an RN with either a BSN or (sometimes) an ADN degree.There are a few nurse practitioner schools that accept students without a nursing background and offer a combined BSN and NP program, but these are uncommon and will take significantly longer than standard nurse practitioner schooling. If you don’t have a background in nursing, you will likely have to complete prerequisites in several course areas before you can begin a joint BS/RN program. Prerequisites will often be in the following areas: Biology Biochemistry Chemistry Human biology Microbiology Nutrition Psychology Statistics If you are an RN, you will also need to have passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) (which you’d need to pass anyway to work as an RN). Most nurse practitioner programs also require you to have some experience working as a nurse before you start your nurse practitioner degree. One to two years of experience is generally the minimum amount required, but, on average, nurses have ten years of experience before they go to school to become nurse practitioners. You’ll need solid grades, but they don’t need to be as high as they would be if you were applying to med school. Generally, a college GPA of 3.0 or higher is enough to get you into many nurse practitioner programs. Your grades in human biology/anatomy and other classes related to nursing will be the most important. Applying to nurse practitioner school is like a combination of applying to college and applying to a job. Similar to applying to other schools, you'll need to submit transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE test scores, and personal statements. However, like a job, you'll also need to provide a resume and contact information for references, and you'll likely have at least one interview per school during which you'll discuss your employment history. What Do You Do at a Nurse Practitioner School? Many nurse practitioners describe nurse practitioner school as similar to getting their RN, but faster-paced and with less hand-holding than you may have experienced in undergrad.You’ll generally divide your time between three areas: core classes, classes that focus on the specialtyyou’ve chosen, and clinicals. The core classes will typically focus on issues all nurse practitioners face or need to know how to deal with, such as using evidence-based practices, advanced nursing practices, statistics, pharmacology, and community health. Specialized classes will vary depending on which area you choose to focus in. There are many specialties nurse practitioner students can choose, including acute care, family medicine, neonatal care, oncology, psychiatry, and women’s health.You’ll also typically have to complete 500-800 clinical hours to graduate. Your class grades will usually be based on your scores on both papers and tests, although you’ll likely write more papers in grad school than you did in undergrad.Online nurse practitioner programs as well as hybrid online/in-person programs are also growing in popularity, and more students are choosing this option since it allows for greater flexibility when studying and completing coursework. License requirements for nurse practitioners vary by state but, in general, once you’ve completed your classes, you can then sit for the nurse practitioner exam and, after passing, begin work as a nurse practitioner. Summary: Nurse Practitioner Schooling A nurse practitioner degree allows nurses to make more money and have more responsibilities.In order to become a nurse practitioner, you need to get one of two degrees: a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).Both qualify you to become a nurse practitioner, but the DNP is a terminal degree and makes you more qualified for leadership positions. How long does it take to become a nurse practitioner? If you already have your BSN, getting your nurse practitioner degree will take about two to four years, depending on which degree you get.If you don’t have your BSN, it’ll often take longer, up to eight years, to become a nurse practitioner. The application process for nurse practitioner schooling is similar to when you applied for college, although you’ll need to provide more information, such as a resume and references from past employers.Once you start the nurse practitioner program, most students find it similar to nursing school, but faster-paced and with more papers. After you’ve completed nurse practitioner school, you’re able to take your certification test, and, once you pass, you can begin working as a nurse practitioner. What's Next? Are you studying clouds in your science class? Get help identifying the different types of clouds with our expert guide. Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. Have trouble understanding what dynamic equilibrium is?We break this sometimes tricky concept down so it's easy to understand in our complete guide to dynamic equilibrium. (coming soon)