Popular Culture Essay Essay Example for Free

Popular Culture Essay EssayAlthough there ar some parts of normal culture that make it into high culture, popular culture is transient it describes the way of life, attitudes, and passions of well-nighly younger people. These views usually change as they age and gain sincere life experience. This essay will cover culture, popular culture, three major trends in popular American culture and how popular American culture affects individualised ending making. Culture is the united design of social understanding, faith, and conduct that hinges on the ability to search for knowledge and spread it to future generations. It is also the ordinary principles, bodied customs, and measurable qualities of ethnic, religious, or a community. (Oxford English Dictionary, 2012) The soul takes nothing with her to the next world but her education and her culture. (Plato, 2012) Popular cultural is the understanding and actions of a crabby set of people in a particular era.It is also television shows (like Reality TV) or marketable goods (like sagging pants, oversized shirts, hats designed to be listless backward, etc.) made for, or targeted at particular set of people. (Oxford English Dictionary, 2012) In this students opinion popular culture comes and goes and only defines an era not its people. Three major trends in todays society are a digital society, sexual explicitness, and a general wish of personal indebtedness. Americans expect in a digital society that relies on technology more than personal relationships. We do a great deal of shopping and purchasing online and accept become a society where the sexier it is the better. Almost everything on television, in magazines, and even our music have become permeated with sexual overtones and innuendos.Finally, we have a dilemma with the lack of personal responsibility in our country recently there have been several lawsuits against fast food restaurants for making people fat. Americans need to accept responsibility for our own actions it was not the fast food restaurants that made us fat, rather it was our decision to eat there that did. Popular American culture affects personal decision making various ways, whether it is the type of food we buy, the music we listen to, electronics we purchase, and even the people we date. In this students opinion the Internet is the single most influential popular culture influencer of our time.We use it for everything from dating, shopping, exploring, studying, traveling, relaxing, and so much more. Popular cultureaffects us in almost every decision we make. Although there are some parts of popular culture that makes it into high culture, popular culture is transient. This essay covered culture, popular culture, three major trends in popular American culture and how popular American culture affects personal decision making. Culture is made of everything that enables man to maintain, enhance or transform without weakening it, the ideal human body of himself that it has inherited. (Malraux, 2001)ReferencesMalraux, A. (2001, May 2). UCL Discours recteur Marcel Crochet. Retrieved from http//sites.uclouvain.be/actualites/dhc2001/drecteur.html Oxford English Dictionary. (2012, June). Retrieved from http//www.oed.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/view/Entry/45746?rskey=BftxmAresult=1isAdvanced=falseeid Plato. (2012, June 4). Here, There, and Everywhere. Retrieved from http//www.psychologytoday.com/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201206/whats-after-30-quotes-the-afterlife

Plato, Crito Essay Example for Free

Plato, Crito EssayIn the Dialogue Crito, Socrates employs his Elenchus to examine the notion of dependableice and ones obligation to justness. In the setting of the dialogue, Socrates has been condemned to die, and Crito serves with both the hopes and the means for Socrates to escape from prison. When Socrates insists that they should examine whether he should escape or not, the central question turns into whether if it is cheating(prenominal) to dis copy laws.Socrates ultimate answer is that it is unjust he makes his argument by first showing that its wrong to penalise in legal expert, then arguing that he has made an agreement with the citys law for its benefits, and finally reasoning that he should keep to that agreement and accept its consequences. However, the examination in Crito was incompletely and its logic flawed in making this decision, Socrates has forsaken his liveliness for his ideal of justice.The examination was done in the elenchus, which has the structur e that Socrates will start with an assumption and find contradictions to eliminate possible answers the assumption here is that there be good reasons why Socrates should escape from prison. Socrates starts his argument by first eliminating the public opinion as a reason why he should escape.Socrates observes that concerning a persons health, only a doctors opinion would payoff instead of the public opinion he then draws a parallel of that proportion to justice, that We should not give so much thought to what the volume of people will say about us, but think instead of what the person who understands just and unjust things will say (Crito 48b) While the public opinion would certainly urge Socrates to preserve his livelihood, Socrates discredits it as a reason for his escape.Next Socrates assumes that since only a good life is worth living, and that living a good life is the same as living a just life (Crito 48b), Socrates should escape for his life only if it is just for him t o do so. Effectively, Socrates has reduced the question to whether if it is just to dis go after the law (by escaping prison and execution) to decide if he should escape. To this question, first Socrates says that he should not revenge injustice. Because doing injustice is bad in any circumstances (Crito 49b), to return injustice just because of having injustice done onto himself would bad also (Crito 49c).Therefore Socrates should not set up injustice just to get even with Athens. Injustice is bad because it harms, and disobedience to the law would harm the city (Crito 50b) so it seems that to disobey the law would be an injustice. b arely why should Socrates obey the law of the city? Socrates reasons that since the city has done him great benefactions, such(prenominal) as giving birth to his life, taking care of his physical nurture and his education, and granting him long years of benefits from the legal system (Crito 50e 51c), Socrates owns the state a strong duty of gratitu de just as a child would own to his father.One of those duties is to obey the state (like how a child obeys his parents), which always has included the possibility of death such as in times of war (Crito 51b). Socrates should obey the city because he has made an agreement to do so. This agreement is the social contract that he has implicitly accepted and lived under for 70 years.This contract is legitimate because Socrates had a total understanding of the legal system (Crito 51e 52a), he did not leave the city when he was given the fair chance all his life (Crito 51 c-e), and that he even has consciously benefited legally from this implicit agreement with law all his life. Therefore it is evident that Socrates has made such a social contract with Athens, which he has been satisfied with so far. It is just for one to keep the agreement he has made, therefore Socrates should keep the agreement made with Athens and thus he should obey the state and its laws (Crito 53c).Furthermore, S ocrates has been given the chance to convince Athens not sentence him to death, and he even couldve proposed to be exiled that would have the same consequences as if he escapes straight off if Socrates had the chance to accomplish thise with legal means when he did not, he would not be justified to do so now illegally (Crito 52c). Following this reasoning, Socrates concludes that he should not escape from prison and his eventual execution. Although Socrates commitment to his ideals is admirable, his reasoning is critically flawed. Socrates lacks the definition of justice throughout the discussion of justice.Socrates certainly thinks of justice as some(a)thing indispensable and absolute, instead of simply laws imposed by the state this is evident when he refused to arrest Leon of Salamis by the order of the 30 tyrants (which is an act of disobedience) on the grounds of justice (Apology 32c). Clearly he believes that justice is higher than rulings of sovereignty. But Socrates never made clear what is this virtue that makes justice just instead, he only vaguely calls some actions just, such as when one keeps an agreement, or behaves well towards ones parents.It is because of this lack of definition Socrates ends up contradicting himself. For instance, Socrates makes the proposition that one should seek expert association instead of following majority opinion when it comes to justice this would imply that the justice is not related to the opinion of the majority, as well as that the majority are no expert in justice. If the social contract in the democratic Athens is assumed to be an agreement made between by the majority of the society, then justice is certainly independent from that social contract.But later Socrates argues that he has to obey the states laws and keep the agreement made to the state, which implies that justice is to keep the social contract (contraposition of not keeping to the contract is unjust). Furthermore, Socrates assumes that disobeyin g laws and agreements is unjust. But what is the state? It is no more than a collective of Athenians. Where do these laws come from? The majority opinion of the Athenians (in the case of the tyrants Socrates wouldnt obey the laws anyways) and the agreements theyve made.If indeed the laws and agreements the majority of Athenians, it seems that they determine whats just without knowing whats just (or else their opinion would matter ), which would be unacceptable for Socrates. Furthermore, Socrates gratitude and duty towards the state does not equate obeying the state in-fact, if killing Socrates is an injustice that would do Athens harm, then Socrates ought to do whatever that is in his power to prevent being executed by escaping to fulfill his duty of benefiting the city. There is another more fundamental flaw in Socrates argument.If he considers justice to be morally independent of laws, then some laws would be just and other unjust. There could be unjust laws, or just laws abused. Socrates never considered these cases of whether he indeed justly deserves the death sentence or not. Therefore to simply obey laws may not necessarily lead to justice. This argument would destroy the unanimous purpose of obeying laws and not escape from prison. We may speculate, if we have presented these arguments to Socrates, would he be convinced to escape prison?Perhaps not, as Socrates is already 70 and was pass judgment to die soon anyways (the average life span for male was around 40). Dying in the name of justice, instead of old age in a distant place, is definitely more romantic and held more appeal. Furthermore, to live in exile would have no positive effect on his children, it would tarnish his reputation, and such a life in exile will not be enjoyable (Crito 53d 54d). Therefore, it would be possible that Socrates will still choose to die as a martyr to justice and philosophy.

Impact of the Black Death on Art in Europe

Impact of the unforgiving terminal on Art in EuropeHow significant was the Black oddment for photograph in Siena, Florence andPadua in the second half of the 14th century?From 1280 until the advent of the Black Death, Florence, Siena and Padua had been growing in wealth and size, unless the outbreak of disease in 1348 and the age sideline led to the deaths of between a half and two thirds of their populations (Norman, 1995, II, 8). This catastrophic fall led to the culmination of many building projects, notably the construction of the Duomo Nuovo in Siena (Norman, 1995, II, 135), but the significance of the Black Death with respect to painting is disputed.Since the publication of Meisss cipher, Painting in Florence and Siena After the Black Death (1951), the connection between the Black Death and a miscellanea in art during the second half of the fourteenth century has been the subject of discussion among art historians. Henk Van Os, for example, argues that Meiss was not t he first to set this trend, but that he was the first to attribute it to the accessible and religious upheaval which accompanied the Black Death (Van Os, 1981, 238).There has been more discussion as to whether the Black Death could be seen as quite the decisive event that Meiss alleged. The debate foc utilizes on three crucial areas of thought firstly, whether the works that Meiss cites are correctly date (i.e. whether they can with certainty be placed before or after 1348) secondly, whether the Black Death was actually a causative factor in the comprehend change in style and, thirdly, whether in that respect was one shift or several in the artistic course of the fourteenth century. In view of these disputes, we must(prenominal) beware of taking too simplistic an approach.For an example of the first element of this debate, we can look to the Triumph of Death in the Camposanto at Pisa and Barna da Sierras frescoes in the Collegiata of San Gimignano, both cited by Meiss as being typical of artistic production after the Black Death. Subsequent scholarship has cast doubt on Meisss theory because the ruleer work is now believed to have been produced in the 1330s (Smart, 1978) and the latter is now dated before 1348 (Van Os, 1981, 240). We must also consider that just about of the qualities most characteristic of late Trecento painting are already present, as Meiss himself was the first to recognise, in the frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi in the Baroncelli Chapel (Smart, 1978, 108). As this chapel was painted during the years 1328-34, it demonstrates an early change in style which also undermines Meisss thesis.The second element of the debate concerns the change in religious thought that occurred as a result of the devastation of the Black Death. Norman comments on the popularity of altarpieces depicting Saint Sebastian and the overt association of his sufferings with those of the victims of plague (Norman, 1995, I, 187-195), but thither is also a subtler change i n style represented by the Strozzi Altarpiece (1357). Meiss argued that painting typical of the early fourteenth century dwelt on familiar and universal human sustain (Meiss, 1951, 28) and that it had been succeeded by a greater emphasis upon the hierarchical and dogmatic expressions of religious life, an elevation of the church and a mystification of the deity. Giotto had pioneered an artistic style that was marked by its realistic depiction of three-dimensional space, true use of colour and the creation of a sympathetic response in the viewer. These features came to be characteristic of early fourteenth painting, yet the Strozzi Altarpiece rejects the depiction of concrete space, the figures hover and show a lack of exact spatial placement, the colours are disjointed and aflutter and the painting creates a distancing sense of awe and mystery, which Cole describes as strange, eerie, stern and unforgiving and aloof (Cole, 1976, 134-6). Meiss argued that this style was a conscious drop dead to the Byzantine influenced art of the previous century (Meiss, 1951, 10) and that it is a reflection of the religious emphasis upon guilt and atonement that was a reaction to the Black Death. We may also notice an interest in the symbolic rather than realistic representation of figures in the St John the Baptist Altarpiece (1370/80) by Giovanni del Biondo, where John tramples his enemy, Herod, underfoot. John has the same serious look and there is the same sense of psychological withdrawal that has been observed in the face of Christ in the Strozzi Altarpiece.However, in Padua it is difficult to discover some(prenominal) evidence for the rejection of realism in artistic style during the second part of the century. Altichieros decoration of Lupis funerary chapel in the Santo, far from attempting to distance the viewer, uses space and form to draw the spectator in. His use of landscape reminds us of Lorenzetti and his figures are clearly inspired by Giotto, especially t he women who gather near the foot of the cross and compass in a manner reminiscent of Joachim and Anna and the angels who have the substance and expression of those we see in the Arena Chapel. The scale, proportion and design of this fresco suggest that this characterization is being played out just beyond the walls of the church and that we are viewing it as though through the arches of a loggia. The colours are harmonious and subdued and there is an impression of nearness and reality. Altichieros style is more developed and detailed than earlier works, but its underlying intent and spirit owes much to his legacy from the earlier fourteenth century.In Siena we also find more contradictory interpretations of the changes that occurred in the mid-century. Henk Van Os has described the way in which social upheavals following the Black Death led to profound changes in patronage the wealthy elite lost much of their political power and a layer of nouveau riche sprang up who had less in terest in artistic commissioning. Much of the art became imitative and conservative and was more often commissioned in the provinces surrounding Siena. In the city itself, only the wealthy body of the Ospedale of Santa Maria della Scala, which had received many bequests from victims of the Black Death, continued commissioning new altarpieces, one of which, by Bartolommeo Bulgarini, included the boldness of the Virgin, a painting which Van Os believes to exhibit very full, monumental figures, entirely in the tradition of Pietro Lorenzetti (Van Os, 1981, 245). He argues that this painting does not show signs of the flat, hierarchical, dark design which Meiss attributed to it, but that it suffers the form of a plastically realistic version of the Assumption and so stands within the earlier traditions of Sienese painting (Van Os, 1981, 245). Certainly, the treatment of the Virgin and the use of elaborate gold effects reflect the Sienese craftsmanship established by Duccio and Simone Martini. Van Os concludes that changes in artistic production after the Black Death were principally due to different sites of patronage rather than changes in religious thought .The third aspect of the debate concerns the question of whether Meiss was right to propose that there was a single significant shift around 1348. Smart and Norman, for example, argue that the Strozzi Altarpiece was not such a significant departure as Meiss had argued because the cause for such a depiction of Christ had been set in the Stefaneschi Altarpiece, painted by one of Giottos associates and dated late 1320s early 1330s (Smart, 1978, 122 and Norman, 1995, I, 184). Although many critics couple that the middle years of the fourteenth century can be described as a period of reassessment in the history of Tuscan painting (Smart, 1978, 107), there are significant arguments that that the evolution of artistic style went through a number of phases, not just one sudden change cerebrate to the Black Death . John White discusses two stylistic changes in the second half of the fourteenth century the first more conservative and less dauntless and the second in which exploration and experiment again came to the fore (White, 1993, 542). Cole also argues that, as well as the change in the middle of the century, there was another change in style around 1375 and a renewed interest in both the form and content of Giottos art (Cole, 1976, 140).It is clear that, since Meisss original theory was proposed, much work has been done by other art historians to challenge his ideas. Although the production of art in Florence in this period did take on different forms from earlier ones and the theory that this was due to the religious reaction provoked by the Black Death can be given some credence, there is less evidence of this trend in Padua and Siena. It is therefore my conclusion that the middle part of the century saw a brief set-back in artistic endeavour, which was due to the devastation caused by the Black Death, but that the fourteenth century was mostly a period of successive developments building on the work of the earlier masters.1500 wordsBibliographyCole, Bruce (1976), Giotto and Florentine Painting 1280-1375, New York.Meiss, Millard (1951), Painting in Florence and Siena After the Black Death, Princeton.Norman, Diana, ed., (1995), Siena, Florence and Padua Art Society and Religion 1280-1400. Volume I interpretative Essays, London.Norman, Diana, ed., (1995), Siena, Florence and Padua Art .Society ad Religion 1280-1400. Volume II Case Studies, London.Van Os, HenkThe Black Death and Sienese Painting a Problem of Interpretation, Art History, 4,1981, pp. 237-49.Smart, Alastair, 1978, The Dawn of Italian Painting 1250-1400, Oxford.White, John, 1993, Art and Architecture in Italy 1250-1400, London.

Three categories to Aging

Three categories to Aging1. Introduction What is grizzly? What is senescent?thither be three categories for unmatchable-time(a) adults ages, young old, old old and oldest old (Papalia et al., 2009). Young old is suggested as the age from 65 to 74 old old is suggested as the age from 75 to 84 whereas oldest old is suggested as the age of 85 and the above.Ageing is a natural motion in which it tush be described in ii dimensions. unproblematic ripening is the gradual, inevitable pay heed well of ageing. It is unavoidable. It occurs through extinct years even with efforts/ technology which ar utilize to help to slow the ageing process d avouch. The secondary aging is avoidable, as it results from disease, abuse. For instance, having a healthy lifestyle faculty help to reduce the risks of immersion secondary ageing or delay the entering.In a quick developing society like Hong Kong, race seem to avoid talking about aging and thought ageing as a negative process rather th an a natural process. Therefore, agism reverses one of the affectionate problems in Hong Kong. Traxler has given the definition that if a person or a group of people who are subordinated because of the age by either means (e.g. action, attitude or by an institution) it would be classified as ageism. Ageing situation in Hong Kong concord to the U.S. Census Bureau, International Database, the Hong Kong community pyramids 2010 has predicted that the dominant age group would be the 45-49 year-old people in which it would be close to 400 000 among the whole existence in Hong Kong. The population of opposite age groups, 40-44 and 50-54 would be similar and close to the 45-49 group. By 2050, the leading age group would be the 80+ where the female 80+ population would bum close to 700 000 while other age groups would remain similar and stay under 300 000 (National Master, 2003). The longevity is one of the possible reasons of the change of the population pyramids with the kick upst airsment on medical technologies, the better prevention or prediction of diseases, the higher standard of living and so on. Ageing is unavoidable and it is an inevitable process for life. Because of this reason, I turn over it is important to take care ageing in terms of theories and from that to develop possible solutions to tackle the problem or to smoothen the adaptation of the demographic changes in Hong Kong. ObjectivesThe objectives of this wallpaper are(1) To overview aging and ageism in terms of different theories,(2) To offer several(prenominal) possible solutions to promote positive images of ageing2. a priori Perspectives Disengagement TheoryThis is a psychosocial concept to state that fourth-year adults will gradually disengage in a society (The Medical Dictionary, 2009). They are express to be inactive and being uninterested towards their possible participation in the society. This scheme has bias towards ageism and has given people the negative point of view of aging.Work/ job related disengagementWhen virtuallytime(a) adults retire, the primarily disengagement is caused by their functions in society. Some of them stop working when they retire and are express to be non-functional towards the working field. Some would continue their work (part time or full time). However, some aged adults that wish to continue their work always hold out in difficult job-seeking process. Employability for them seems to be low or debase in Hong Kong. It might be possible that some of them run through accumulated much birth and in return the current wages would not be satisfied for them. It would end up that retirement would become a transition for them with a step-down in their incomes. In contrast, some less educated elder adults might not be able to compete with younger jobseekers. much(prenominal) two various(a) reasons could use to explain why the employability for elderly adults is low.Family consanguinity related disengagementOne of the re asons of the demographic changes would be the delay of marriage and it could possibly delay the life-transitions (Harper, 2004). For example, entering late adulthood later than the expected age, there are people confusing about the term place age in which they believe that middle age could mean people that are 65+ in age (Papalia et al., 2009)) Because of that reason, there is potential that sometime(a) adults control disengagement with their children who leave home.Alternatively, disengagement theory assumes that older adults create a tendency to get involve with people with similar ages forming a so called homogenous group (The Medical Dictionary, 2009). In my own point of view, I would believe that older adults are disengaging and from that new engagement is take aimed. While engaging with new people in which they are of similar ages with the older adults, they create or regain something that is meaningful or of value to them. There seems to be a contradiction surrounded by the assumption of the theory and its pessimistic rendering of ageing. In addition, there is also criticism for disengagement theory as it provides a negative point of view of ageing it tends to reinforce the stereotypes of older adults. For instances, older adults are useless, inactive, withdrawn, etc (Palmore, 1999). Clinical FrameworksThese are represented by medical, biological and naturalist theories. The main emphasize would be that the physical changes on the older adults. The physical changes are referred in term of biological perspectives. The nature of the framework seems not to be focused on the sociological perspective. However, the frameworks highlight a present change or sometimes viewed as an issue by people the higher life expectancies. Dozois has stated that the advancement of medicine have led to greater longevity. When people have noticed the change in proportion of older adults over the population in the last century, ageism is worsen (2006). People raise conce rns and accentuate that older adults are non-productive. Non-productive in this case claims that older adults consume lots of resources but in return they do not contribute toward what they have consumed. The large cast of non-productive people might affect the society (mainly the economic side) in which the vast majority people would consider as a concern (Dozois, 2006)Relating such frameworks to Hong Kong, some people believe that the political sympathies would quest to pay more attention to the aging society. As a result, the public assistance system in Hong Kong might experience a high demand situation in the coming next 10 years onward while the Hong Kong population is changing. Simultaneously, when Hong Kong is facing so more different economic crises, the rapidly evolving economic relationships with China and other countries, ageing would serve as a factor that affects the Hong Kong economy. In the future, the government might need to increase tax rate when dealing with the large population of older adults who are eligible to applying the old age allowance (OAA) in Hong Kong as one of the social welfare go. Consequently, the society might put forward a more negative image for the older adults in Hong Kong. It is like a greenback causality to boost ageism. Activity TheoryIn my opinion, activity theory is the opposite of the disengagement theory as it describe ageing in a much more positive viewpoint. It basically says that how a person is being constructed in two major focused sources, (1) What they do and (2) The roles they have in their lives (Roy and Russel, 2005).standardized to disengagement theory, activity theory claimed that people give up or force to give up roles as they age. When they retire from work, when they lose their partners, drop out of professional, clubs, unions and so on. Those are the parts that holding a person together as w whole. The sudden changes cause by the retirement might become the cue of why older adults would red uce their sense of identity. According to the humanistic theory, there are two selves, the actual self-importance-importance and the ideal self (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 2009). The actual self is referred as how people understand one person in which the person recognize himself or herself from his/her surrounding and some personal perspectives. The ideal self is what the person wants himself or herself to be. The reduced sense of identity might be caused by the changing or losing of roles enlarge the discrepancy between the actual self and the ideal self. Roy and Russel suggest that activity theory should come to place that older adult should engage in activities (E.g. joining clubs or developing new hobbies). aged adults could develop new roles to substitute or replace those old and force-to-be-given-up roles. The theory has concluded the importance of late life activities in which to restore, maintain or enhance the well-being of the older adults (2005).Rather than pinpointing the negative impact of ageing like disengagement theory, the activity theory could be served as evidence on why there is a need to promote the community participation for older adults Exchange TheoryThe exchange theory simply states that people should end the relationship with another person if nothing can be gained or exchanged from that person. This theory has shown its capitalistic point of view. The assumption of the theory is that people operate in lodge to gain material or non-material rewards and also people would try to keep the gained benefits (Moberg, 2001).There are many a(prenominal) exchanges in which that could affect ones 3Ps (3Ps are referred as power, prestige and possessions). The 3Ps are the three element derived from the social stratification. Social goods might not be concrete like material possessions, but also including other abstract items like psychological satisfaction and experiential pleasure (Moberg, 2001).Older adults that could afford their own living co uld have relatives that would want to rely on them and lay the relatives or family in a dependent situation. Accordingly, those older adults seem to keep their personal power in which they could influence on others as well as controlling their own activities with their affordability such as financial wealth. They provide e.g. financial support to the relatives in return to keep their power.Older adults that could not provide worth(predicate) things to their family or relatives might gain only little power within or outside the family. As they lose the power because of being a lower class, when they retire, they would find fulfilling the 3Ps as a hard process for them in which they are said to be oppressed because of social stratification. They would have nothing to exchange. Some inexplicable older adults in Hong Kong could well be a case of losing the 3Ps.3. Possible Solutions to tackle the current situation Extend the retirement ages Providing chances according to the demograp hic changesThere is no statutory retirement age in Hong Kong but people that turning to their middle age would find it hard to seek for a job, so do the older adults. To provide more changes and focus on promoting job opportunities for older adults could reduce chances for older adults to suffer in poverty and financial difficulties. Moreover, it can also extend the older adults engagement with the society and rejecting the clinical framework that older adults could not contribute to the society. Hopefully, it could help to change the biased perception of ageing and it might help Hong Kong to adapt the demographic changes. Information technology (IT) for older adults Getting older adults to involvePossible work could be done in IT with older adults that could serve as a diversification as it is society oriented or situational.With the support from the activity theory, there is a need to get the older adults to be involved. However, with the changing society, it has become a heavily technology-based society. Isolating the older adults might not be the best solution and it has also deteriorated ageism in Hong Kong. As a result, IT should be considered and be served as a tool to help the older adults to regain their identity in the society.Lets start with introducing two existing technologiesa. Personal Emergency LinkOne of the popular technologies that are related to older adults in Hong Kong would be the Personal Emergency Link (PE link). Such technology has been used since 1996. The service operates by connecting the PE link users through a so-called advanced communication system to a 24-hour PE link centre. By urgent the portable remote trigger, the PE link users would be connected and be able to talk to someone in the PE link call centre. In addition, the medical account of the user would be saved within the PE link organisation database and would send to the hospital when there is an emergency.However, such service can only be used at home and only benefi t to those that can afford or can apply for funding. This service is not universal and might act as a burden for older adults in Hong Kong. If such service could not cover the vast majority of older adults in Hong Kong, how do we evaluate the effectuality of such service? Furthermore, as the PE link could only use at home, it cannot help when the older adults go out. It also requires the pressing action in order to help notifying the people in the PE link call centre.b. Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning System (GPS) is well-known among the mobile users as GPS is corporate into the mobile phone for ease of search different locations. Recently, there is investigation of GPS in Hong Kong. Assisted Global Positioning System based (AGPS-based) Elderly track system is being implemented in Hong Kong in an experimental level (Wong et al., 2009). Such system utilizes the mature technology GPS in order to track and do a person in outdoor environment. In this experimental stage, the tested older individual needs to carry the device out with them in which some of the participants would find it awkward. Further development of such technology is needed with possible integration of AGPS-based elderly tracking system within the mobile phone. In addition, there is a need to improve its usability in indoor settings (Wong et al., 2009).Both systems have shown how technology could help to improve older adults lives and there are many different assistive technologies to help improving older adults lives. But how we could make older adults participate in the IT-based communication society that is one of the dimensions that social actor should need to consider.It seems that the two technologies have their advantages and disadvantages however they alert the society, the government or the people that it is very important to have careful planning when dealing with older adults. Whats more, sometimes, it is essential to change older adults perception towards ageing as well as the general public. To compete with the fast growing technology, the perception shaping towards IT for older adults would need to be studies to allow useful means of intervention. However, it takes time for the society to be reshaped.With the possible increasing uses of internet in the future, social security for older adults could become a concern. Older adults might become a target for crimes in which they might expose their personal information. A long-term approach of applying IT for older adults might be more suitable with proper education with any safety issues. There is always difficult to have a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of technology.IT for older adults might become a future trend in Hong Kong with the ageing society and the need of the evolving information society. However, the cooperation between the government, social workers, older adults and any other stakeholders would be challenging. It is important to understand and to update the knowledge while implementing programmes as well as developing some unique technologies for older adults in Hong Kong. Last but not least, to assess the possible issues or problems that could cause by the advancement of IT.Social workers should try to intervene in different levels and understand their responsibilities in helping older adults to establish social networks or their view in the information society. Referred to the social stratifications, the three elements are crucial and one of them would be the status. The status that would be established in the information society might have an important effect in confirming older adults social status in the society. Consequently, to redefine older adults as worthies as other people in different age group and to reduce the possible status declining situation. little levelCounselling online, in which internet would become a platform for older adults to express their opinions and to find social worker to talk to. There is no doubt that some old er adults tend not to seek for help from social workers as sometimes they believe that social workers are working for those that are in poverty or disables. Some older adults do not understand the nature of social work profession. By using IT, social workers might be able to develop a more diverse social function in the society.Mezzo levelIT programmes for older adults could allow older adults to have access to computers and also to build up social networks through the use of computers as well as being involved in the classes satisfying the commentary of activity theory. In addition, older adults who join the IT programmes would exchange something of valuable to them, for example new relationship (friendships).Macro levelSocial worker might need to consider and assess the accessibility of IT to older adults. Because of that, social workers would need to understand and equip themselves with the up-to-dated technologies. In addition, there is a need for better communication between s ocial workers and the Hong Kong government, because when the society is changing and developing into an information society, there is a need for the government to consider evolving the welfare. By developing welfare services with IT for the older adults, social workers might need to raise the importance of this new concept. Social Movement and Social Campaign Changing the stereotyped perceptionsFollowing the preliminary part the macro level intervention for IT, social workers should act as a helping professional to help organising social movement to fight for the welfare for older adults. At the same time, they should highlight the importance of such movement or campaign to the government and the general public. It is not only the responsibility of the government to provide adequate resources to the older adults it is also the responsibility for the society. The Hong Kong society seems to neglect the special needs of older adults with the limited facilities that the society has p rovided for older adults. I believe by changing the perceptions and consolidate the understanding of demographic change and ageing to the general public, the awareness could be raised. Social movement and social campaign could serve as a form of community education and a catalyst to influence policy development in Hong Kong.4. ConclusionTheories help to explain ageism however they could also be served as an emphasis of ageism and providing the negative image of ageing. Social workers should always equip themselves with related theories to understand such contrariety in a long term perspective. Furthermore, social workers should also have up-to-date information on such social phenomenon which allows them to integrate theories with current situations. Consequently, social workers would provide precise or related intervention.For this paper, one of the main conclusions is that social workers in Hong Kong should try to change the present negative perception of ageing for twain the old er adults and the general public as a primary step to solve ageism. Providing job opportunities for older adults, integrating older adults with IT as well as organising social movement and campaign could be some possible area in which social worker could work on cooperating with theories.5. ReferencesCurrey, R. (2008). agism in health care Time for a change. Aging Well, 1(1), 16.Dozois, E. (2006). Ageism A review of the literature . Alberta Word on the Street Consulting Ltd..Harper, S. (2004), Families in Ageing Societies A Multi-Disciplinary Approach. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 4th declination 2009 from http//dx.doi.org/10.1093/0199251169.001.0001Moberg, D. (2001). Aging and spirituality Spiritual dimensions of aging theory, research, practice, and policy. Binghamton, New York Haworth Pastoral Press.National Master (2003). Hong Kong Population Pyramid 1990 2050. Retrieved 1st December, 2009 from http//www.nationmaster.com/country/hk-hong-kong/Age-_distributionNolen-Hoek sema, S., Fredrickson, B.L., Loftus, G.R., Wagenaar, W.A., (2009) Atkinson and Hilgards Introduction to Psychology (15th ed.). Thomson Wadsworth.Palmore, E. . (1999). Ageism Negative Positive. Springer Publishing Company.Papalia, D.E., Olds, S.W., Feldman, R.D. Gross, D. (2009). Human Development (11th ed.). McGrawHill, BostonRoy, H., Russel, C. (2005). The encyclopedia of aging and the elderly. MedRounds Publications.The Medical Dictionary. (2009). Disengagement Theory. Retrieved October 22, 2009 from http//medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/disengagement+theory.Traxler, A. J. (1980). Lets get gerontologized Developing a sensibility to aging. The multi-purpose senior center concept A training manual for practitioners working with the aging. Springfield, IL Illinois Department of Aging.Wolf, L. (1998). Ageism An introduction. Retrieved 30th October, 2009 from http//www.webster.edu/woolflm/ageism.htmlWong, A. K. S., Woo, T. K., Lee, A. T., Xiao, X., Luk, V. W., (2009). An A GPS-Based Elderly Tracking System. Retrieved 1st December, 2009 from http//www.ece.ust.hk/vincentl/paper/3-agps-elderly-icufn.pdfYouth Rights Network. (2007). Ageism. Retrieved 30th October, 2009 from http//www.youthrights.net/index.php?title=Ageism

Attitudes Towards Implementation of Evidence Based Practice

Attitudes Towards Implementation of tell Based PracticeIntroductionThe term of conclusion found answer (EBP) was firstly used in medicine as evidence based medicine, after that the term developed and being used in nursing with advise of take up scientific database to meliorate nursing as science (Colyer and Kamath, 1999). Evidence based practice was passed through three bes in which the EBP was appeared in Old go away which was the first form and appearance of EBP after that the EBP was developed in different form in middle ages, in which the period of time of middle ages was considered a stage of renaissance of the EBP which characterized by beliefs-related methods of treatment the third stage of EBP was the modern stage, in which the modern stage considered the last rendering of EBP that began at 1972 in which the modern version of EBP was the EBP that wholly-embracingly known form among highly educated and schoolmaster harbors (Claridge and Fabian, 2005).The Bibl e was the oldest known source in EBP documentation, in which the Bible contains a story that was delineated as an interventional research that progress for ten-spot days (Weingarten, 2003) the story in the Bible said Then Daniel said to the guard whom the master of the eunuchs had put in charge of Hananiah, Miscael and Azariah and himself .Submet us lo this rest for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink then compare our looks with those of the young men who go for lived on the food assigned by the king and be guided in your treatment of us by what you see. The guard listened to what they said and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days they looked healthier and were better nourished than all the young men (Claridge and Fabian, 2005, P. 548).During the second stage of EBP (1700s-1900s), the EBP was restricted to believes-related methods of treatment in which Blood-letting was the main treatment for m whatsoever diseases in middle age period (Klar a nd Donner, 2002). Physicians and priests were used Blood-letting in which Physicians and priests were believed that diseases caused by wicked souls in which the diseased patients should be hurt to expel the wicked souls with blood outside of patients bodies (Klar and Donner, 2002).During the last four decades, the EBP was featured in a modern form in which the borderline for modern period of EBP was began in 1972 by Archie Cochrane (Klar and Donner, 2002). Cochrane (1972) published a paper with title of Effectiveness and efficiency random reflections on health services in which the paper was establish and measure out the meat of randomization (the randomization was regard to patients and regard to intervention) on the outcomes of the patients health. The Cochranes paper was the first paper reflects the importance of randomized clinical trials in which Cochrane was make that the randomization of the seek and intervention will exhibit evidence with high quality which improve the quality of health deal out leave behindd and improve health outcomes of the patients (Cochrane, 1972).Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2005) be EBP as a cognition-based conflict-resolving strategy that performed by adapting best available evidence to provide best possible care for patients and their families. Furthermore, Evidence Based Practice is a process of integration of research-based results which contribute to achieve best practice (Institute of Medicine, 2001). In addition, Sackett, Rosenberg, Gray (1996) estimated that evidence based practice is synchronous combination of professional nursing experience and research with high level of evidence under patients believes and values consideration. Besides that, Ingersoll (2000) record that evidence based practice is meticulous, unambiguous, and well-judged theoretical data and undeviating research-findings to provide yieldive closes about patients care regard to patients and organizational needs (P. 152). Furthermore, evid ence based practice defined as Explicit and judicious decision making about health care delivery for individuals or groups of patients based on the consensus of the most relevant and supported evidence derived from theory-derived research and data-based information to respond to consumers preferences and societal expectations (Driever, 2002, p. 593).Evidence based practice is considered as a magical solution for complicated health problems (Institute of Medicine, 2001). Furthermore, evidence based practice considered wide discipline term used as a solution to clinical-related problems which began to provide findings and basics of clinical decision on best reliable and evident researches with purpose of improving health care provided (Sackett, Strauss, Richardson, Rosenberg, and Haynes, 2000). The Institute of Medicine (2001) was illustrated that EBP process provide intensive care to patients, use effective recent researches to achieve desired outcomes, and provide cost effective st andard care. In addition, a nonher use up found that EBP enhance nurses professions by improving nurses knowledge and skills to analyze, understand and develop research (Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt, 2005). Evidence Based Practice improves nurses ability to be excellence profession in states of practice, and improves patients health outcomes by providing high qualified nurses (Institute of Medicine, 2001).Evidence based practice improve patients outcomes inside four dimensions clinical dimension (improve signs and symptoms of patients diseases), life quality dimension (improve patient satisfaction upon to life), functional dimension (improve patients ability to achieve daily maintenance activity), and economic dimension (using EBP was prove ensure of cost effectiveness for patient and hospital) (Weaver, Warren, and Delaney, 2005). In addition, Newhouse, Dearholt, Poe, Pugh, and White (2005) demonstrated that the evidence based practice improve aptitude of health care provided to achieve pleasurable patients outcomes, save patients/nurse time, and use of EBP considered cost effective for patients, families, and hospitals.Melnyk, Fineout-Overholt, Sadler, and Green-Hernandez (2008) documented that implementation of evidence based practice potful be achieved by improving nurses knowledge and skills about research and evidence based practice, improve and strengthening nurses beliefs to reinforce nurses to be integrated within evidence based practice environment. Evidence based practice education allow nurses to formulate and answer any research question raised from clinical area by recent and reliable researches, allow nurses to critique and evaluate any research tally to level of evidence, allow nurses to conduct researches according to patients needs family nurse and hospital needs, and allow nurses to share research findings as journal club activity (Melnyk, Fineout-Overholt, Sadler, and Green-Hernandez, 2008).Another study conducted by Wolf and Greenhouse (2007) documented that using of EBP is significantly needed in clinical practice, in which EBP pleasured to achieve improvement in patientfamilynurse education regard to condition and treatment, improve quality of health care provided by nurse and hospital, improve using new technology in clinical setting as computers, and build nurses community prepared with recent scientific information.Most of health care provided by nurses nowadays is based on traditional practice with observable lacking in evidence-based practice (Mariano, Caley, Eschberger, Woloszyn, Volker, Leonard, et, al. 2009). Furthermore, an Iranian study was conducted to identify the Iranian nurses perception toward EBP, the Iranian study was conducted by using restroom sample distribution of 21 nurses who undergone within qualitative research design in which the Iranian study was documented that 21 participants from nurses did not listen about the concept of evidence based practice before and they did not implement EBP in clinical area (Adib-Hajbaghery, 2009).American and Netherlandic studies conducted at 1998 and 2001 respectively was estimated that about 35% of hospitalized patients do not receive evidence based care (the nurses treat patients according to traditional care that was not based on researches) (Schuster, McGlynn and Brook, 1998 Grol, 2001) in which Estrada (2009) conducted a descriptive study to assess nurses knowledge and attitudes toward EBP, in which the Estradas study was founded that 25% of sample did not hear about EBP previously. Moreover, Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2007) was conducted a study to develop two scales attitude toward EBP scale and implementation of EBP scale, in which Melnyks and Fineout-Overholts study was estimated that 40% of collected sample did not listen and dealt with the concept of EBP previously. Evidence based practice improve patients outcome in contrast, lack of nurses prepared evidence based practice will affect patients outcomes negatively (I nstitution of Medicine, 2001) in which, about 25% of health care provided was not sufficient to meet patients needs and the health care provided was not expert for hospitalized patients (Schuster, McGlynn and Brook, 1998 Grol, 2001). Furthermore, Pravikoff, Pierce, and Tanner (2005) conducted a study to evaluate nurses perception to integrate within EBP which conducted by random sample of 1,097 nurses, the researchers were found that more than half of the sample did not listened about EBP previously, more than half of the sample had a negative attitudes toward EBP and those nurses was not integrated within EBP activities, 73% of the nurses had not ability to use electronic database, and all 1,097 nurses had not sufficient information about choosing best researches.The problems that impede of EBP for nursing and medical societies has been reported by Institution of Medicine (2001) in which around 45% of patient did not received professional health care the implementation of new disc overed evidence needs about two decades at to the lowest degree to let the recent of evident researches to be handled and public with nurses and medical stuff worldwide, and health care providers were not adequately prepared to translate recent researches in clinical practice.Hunt (1996) concluded that there is a wide whole mingled with using the findings of researches and clinical practice in which an interventional study was conducted to evaluate the effect of educational intervention on nurses knowledge and attitudes toward EBP, the pre- test of these educational study was showed that 50% of 49 convenience sample of nurses did not listen about EBP and professional health care provided previously (Varnell, Haas, Duke, and Hudson, 2007). In addition, Melnyk (2006) concluded that the implementation of evidence based practice was little in nursing that explained by Hunt (1996) who documented that there are several factors prevent evidence based practice implementation as disorienta tion toward research, lack of beliefs (attitudes) exhibited toward using research, and lack of understanding of research elements.There are some roadblocks to EBP were appeared these barriers limit nurses engagement within evidence based practice (Weaver and Sorrells-Jones, 1999). Funk, Champagne, Wiese, and Tornquist (1991) estimated that these barriers had been originated from different sources and organized within four categorical origins indication of the nurse, characteristic of setting, characteristic of research and characteristic of presentation of research. Furthermore, Funk, Champagne, Wiese, and Tornquist (1991) documented that nurse can be considered as a barrier to implement EBP in which nurses were unmindful(predicate) about principles of research and research process, and nurses had not sufficient time to implement EBP . Moreover, Funk, Champagne, Wiese, and Tornquist (1991) concluded that practice setting can be considered as a barrier to implement EBP in which hos pitals were not provided sufficient facilitation to implement EBP activity within clinical setting, and nurses had not ability to change patient-care procedure without getting permission from hospitals billet to change guidelines. Indeed, Funk, Champagne, Wiese, and Tornquist (1991) documented that research and research presentation can be considered as barrier to implement EBP in which nurses were believed that research elements as introduction, literature review, methodology, statistical analysis, and conclusion were not understandable clearly within articles.Melnyk (2006) concluded that nurses need applicable teaching strategies to provide nurses with adequate evidence based practice knowledge and skills and provide nurses with positive beliefs (attitudes) toward integration within evidence based practice activity. Di Leonardi (2007) documented that lecture presentation for educational intervention was considered most effective and allow for teaching strategy lectures were wide ly-spread and known perfectly to all universitiescolleges-certificated persons. In addition, Hart, Eaton, Buckner, Morrow, Barrett, Fraser, et, al. (2008) were conducted an educational intervention to teach nurses about nursing research and evidence based practice by using computer-based modules strategy in which the result was exhibit that the educational intervention improve nurses knowledge and skills about using research and evidence based practice, and improve nurses attitude toward evidence based practice.Lacey (1996) was evaluated 870 courses of the English National Board which contain materials enable student nurses to understand research and evidence based practice, with convenience sample of 30 nurses student 65% of the students were demonstrated that knowledge, skills about research and evidence based practice were significantly improved after the educational intervention. Furthermore, Hundley, Milne, Leighton-Beck, Graham, Fitzmaurice (2000) compared between long term re search course (six months) and short term research course (one month) the study conducted by convenience sample of 481 nurses and midwives the result showed that nurses who integrated within long term research course were exhibited more knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward evidence based practice than respondent received short term research course.The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effect of educational intervention about evidence based practice and nursing research lectures on the beliefs toward using evidence based practice, to evaluate the effect of educational intervention about evidence based practice and nursing research lectures on the frequency of the implementation of evidence based practice, to determine any differences between two groups (experimental and control group) regard to variables (age, gender, level of education, the experience in clinical area, and the effect of educational intervention that will be implemented), to investigate the variation amo ng socio-demographic variables in response to evidence based practice beliefs and frequency of evidence based practice implementation, and to fixing first block in building EBP aggroup in King Abdulla University Hospital.

The Absurdity of Scientific Creationism Essay -- Science Religion Essa

The Absurdity of Scientific Creationism We humans drive home always suasion of ourselves as being unique, whether by divine sanction or by a self-established belief in superiority. For some, this understanding is intimately tied to the traditional tenets that have long been held as fact, having only recently been challenged. For modern Christians, the literal interpretation of the Bible=s account of creation has come under attack by the development and widespread acceptance of Darwinian growth. To some, undermining the credibility of Biblical creation directly calls into question the Bible=s authority on its moral teachings. As Ken Ham, from the WGBH Boston Video Evolution Series What About God? states, AYwhat it the Bible says is what it meansYit relates to the authority of scripture and the gospelsYso, if the Bible got it wrong in astronomyYgeologyY biological scienceYthen why should I confide the Bible when it talks about morality and salvation? i It is no wonder with sen timents like these that the backlash against evolution has been so strong and extending nonetheless, it has not been until the last few decades that such a debate has moved from the pulpit to the laboratory. With a more educated and well-informed army of Christians, who believe in creationism, the scientific render for evolution has now come under assault. With creationists and intelligent design advocates like Henry M. Morris and Michael J. Behe respectively, the attack on Darwin is no longer argued as religion versus evolution per se, but rather one Alegitimate scientific theory against another.Here, we examine some of the scientific arguments presented by Henry M. Morris in his various publications. As a biology major, I find Morris= writings fascin... ...nd John D. Morris. The Modern Creation Trilogy attainment & Creation. Vol. 2. Green Forest, AR Master Books, 1997.xvi http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/ Date Accessed Saturday, February 1, 2003xvii http//www.ncbi.nlm.ni h.gov/BLAST/tutorial/Altschul-1.html Date Accessed Saturday, February 1, 2003xviii http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/tutorial/Altschul-1.html Date Accessed Saturday, February 1, 2003xix Morris, Henry H. Scientific Creationism. Appleman 557-564.xx Morris, Henry M., and John D. Morris. The Modern Creation Trilogy Science & Creation. Vol. 2. Green Forest, AR Master Books, 1997.xxi Morris, Henry M., and John D. Morris. The Modern Creation Trilogy Science & Creation. Vol. 2. Green Forest, AR Master Books, 1997.xxii Evolution What About God? Videocassette. WGBH Boston Video, 2001. 60 min.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Essa

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American hard workerThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave was written by Frederick Douglass himself. He was born into slavery in Tuckahoe, doctor in approximately 1817. He has, no accurate knowledge of my age, never having soak upn each authentic record containing it (47). He became known as an eloquent speaker for the cause of the abolitionists. Having himself been kept as a slave until he escaped from Maryland in 1838, he was able to deliver very impassi bingled speeches about the role of the slave holders and the slaves. Many compass northerners tried to discredit his tales, but no one was ever able to disprove his statements. Frederick Douglass does offer a biased review of slavery, as he was born into it, yet even in his bias he is able to detect and detail the differences in the slave holders cruelty and that to which he was subjected. From being whipped and humiliated daily, a very severe whi pping for being muggy (101), to being able to find his own work and save some money, I was able to command the highest wages given to the most experienced calkers (134), he is able to give the reader a more true picture of slavery. His poignant speeches raised the ire of many Northerners, yet many still matt-up the slaves deserved their position in life. Douglass, for his own safety, was urged to travel to England where he stayed and spoke until 1847 when he returned to the U.S. to buy his freedom. At that point, he began to write and distribute an anti-slavery newspaper called The North Star. Not only did he present news to the slaves, but it was also highly regarded as a good source of information for those contrasted to slavery. During the Civil war, Doug... ...thony (49). The slave holder was not above satisfying his sexual urges by the usage of black slaves. The book was easily digested and powerful yet Douglass thudding the tone by not becoming graphic when he had every ri ght to do so. This was the first publication of the book and it would be interesting to see how much gentler he was by the third rewrite. Published by the Anti Slavery Committee, it was definitely biased against the slave holder but Douglass seemed to write more or less of his experiences especially since he was able to relate both good and bad experiences with his slave owners. Douglass words sum it up the best, You have seen how a man was make a slave you shall see how a slave was made a man. (107)Work CitedDouglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. New York Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003.