Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart versus Fasting and Feasting by Anita Dasai :: essays research papers

From the title of the story â€Å" Things Fall Apart † and from the name of the author Chinua Achebe ,who is one of the most eminent post-colonial writers, readers can predict what this novel is going to talk about. This book is mostly concerned with the coming of imperialism to a tribe called â€Å" Igbo† in Africa and its social complexity. When I first read this book , I see a lot of similarities and differences in comparison to â€Å"Fasting , Feasting†, which particularly focuses on life in India after the period of colonialism. Anita Dasai , the author, is also a remarkable post-colonial writer so I decided to discuss about the similarities and differences of both books. This paper is going to point out 2 major subjects which these novels share the similarities and differences.The first is the attitudes of native towards the colonizer including the outcomes of cultural clash and second, life of women in both societies. Both Africa and India were invaded by the English Empire during the period of imperialism but the attitudes of the native towards the colonizer are different considering in the books. In Things Fall Apart , the native tribe of Africa or â€Å" Igbo†, which is separated into many villages seems to be violently opposed to the coming of the colonizer and the colonizer too reacts violently.Foe example,when English government had known that his missionary was killed in Abame village,They massacred the village â€Å" †¦until the market was full and they began to shoot. Everybody was killed †or Okonkwo, who was a leader of the African Igbo community of Umuofia couldn’t stand the coming of the Christian religion so he suggested Mbanta , the village of his mother to fight against the Whites â€Å" Let us not reason like cowards†¦If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor,what do I do?Do I shut my eyes? No! I take a stick and break his head.† And the situation that was most severe was when Okonkwo killed the head messenger who was sent by English to stop the congregation of Igbo. After that he hanged himself because he knew that the District Commissioners wouldn’t let this pass and they would dishonor him as they had done when they caught him and his friend for destroying a church by whipping him and shaving his head. At first English came with Christian religion and many villagers converted to Christian and forgot their old pagan gods like Amadiora, the god of thunder.

The Devil Wears Prada

Office-Politics lessons from â€Å"The Devil Wears Prada† Think you have the world’s worst boss? How does your boss measure up against the Boss-from-Hell? By Franke James, MFA The Devil Wears Prada will no doubt fuel some hot, haute water-cooler chat. Based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger, the film is a wickedly funny tale about working for a boss who is a tyrant (rumor has it that the book was inspired by Weisberger's stint at Vogue Magazine working for Anna Wintour). Meryl Streep stars as Miranda Priestly, Editor-in-Chief of Runway Magazine. Think Cruella de Ville with Medusa eyes. While the movie is an entertaining romp about the travails of working for a tyrannical boss, it raises some important questions: If you work for a Boss-from-Hell how do you cope? Is your boss a Boss-from-Hell? Is your boss bullying you or simply delivering a tough-love message? Are you a victim or just paying your dues? Does your boss thrive on chaos? Does your boss make impossible demands? Does your boss play the office politics game 1. Is your boss a Boss-from-Hell? Miranda quickly established her role as the ‘Master’ over her ‘Slave’ employees. She lived, ate, and breathed her career. Work and life had merged into one unified and indivisible whole. She expected everyone to have the same devotion to Runway Magazine. Employees time with family and friends was an expendable commodity, a frill. Miranda refused to address her new assistant Andy (Anne Hathaway) by her proper name, and substituted the name of her other assistant. She demanded that Andy be on call 24/7 (without adequate compensation) She gave a long list of demands without allowing any questions and expected employees to know the details of each task, but did not provide any training. She sent Andy on multiple errands, without clear instructions, and an impossibly short time-frame under threat of being fired if she did not deliver. She insulted her intelligence and mocked her style of dress, publicly and privately She forbade any employees from riding in the elevator with her, which further underlined a Master/Slave relationship. While some of these incidents, if taken alone, could be dismissed as ‘minor irritations’, collectively they amounted to psychological warfare. All of these ‘power-plays’ shared one thing in common: a lack of respect by the boss for the employee. How to cope: Stand up for yourself You have to stand up for yourself to get what you want with a Boss-from-Hell. Remember that they are more concerned about themselves than you. They are the ‘center of the universe'. So don’t take it personally that your boss can’t remember your name, or won’t take the time to delegate tasks properly. Your best strategy is to be quietly persistent and firm. Repeat back what tasks have been requested, and the expected timeline. If the boss is too impatient to listen, then send them a summary email or memo, before and after the task. Document everything. 2. Is your boss bullying you or simply delivering a tough-love message? No one likes to be ‘dressed-down’, especially in public. Miranda routinely demeaned Andy in front of the other employees by calling her insulting names, mocking her style of dress, her level of intelligence, and her ability to handle the job. The funny thing was that there was a grain of truth to Miranda’s criticisms. You can’t expect to work for a fashion magazine if you don’t know the product. The belligerent delivery was inexcusable but the underlying truth was that Andy was ignorant of fashion and she would not survive without changing, learning and growing. Miranda’s criticisms (but not her bullying tactics) could be viewed positively as a tough-love approach. How to cope: Share the company values (or exit) Miranda was setting up a challenge to Andy and every employee: conform to my standards or you are fired! This is not as unreasonable or evil as it appears at first glance. It raises a question that every employee should ask themselves. Am I not fitting in because I don’t share the company values? An extreme example: if you wanted to join the Hell’s Angels, you know that you’d have an easier time being accepted if you rode a motorcycle, dressed in leather, adorned your body with multiple tattoos, drank a two-four daily, and (perhaps) had some illegal activities on your record. Clearly if you are working in the fashion field then it is a safe assumption that you share the value that fashion is important. Andy rejected that value. She did not fit in because she did not wear the uniform. She knew it, but she didn’t care. She thought her brains were what really counted, not the surface decoration. Showing up for work in outfits that look like she rescued them from a thrift store was akin to waving a red flag in front of a bull. Unkempt hair, shapeless argyle blend polyester sweaters, frumpy plaid skirts, and clumpy clogs labeled Andy as an ignoramus of the fashion world. Andy needed to embrace the fashion culture in order to survive, and ultimately to be accepted. Not knowing that a Manolo Blahnik is a brand of shoe is like a carpenter not knowing what a hammer is. Dumb, dumb, dumb. But it does make for good comedy in the film. (Just don’t make the same mistake in your career. ) Since the product in this case was fashion, it was elementary logic that Andy should show respect by following the dress code. She was part of the Runway brand, as surely as the clothes-hanger models and glossy pages of their magazine. Andy’s career turned around in the second half of the movie after a fashion makeover. She finally accepted that she needed to ‘be the brand’ in order to excel at her job. She accepted the ‘shared value’. Miranda won a battle that should never have been an issue. If you don’t accept the shared values of a company then that company is not the right place for you. 3. Are you a victim or just paying your dues? In the movie Andy frequently told her boyfriend (whose birthday party she missed), that she had no choice. She whined constantly, â€Å"But I had no choice! Miranda called! † You don't have to be a tyrannical boss to want to wallop Andy with a big designer purse and yell, â€Å"Don’t answer the phone! Turn it off. † Andy was a willing victim. She chose to put her boss’ needs (and her career) ahead of her boyfriend. She decided that to climb the ladder she needed to work 24/7. Was that wrong? Not necessarily (besides the boyfriend is about as exciting as a heap of half-eaten mashed potatoes). But for Andy, whose true dream was to be a ‘serious’ journalist, the pain was not worth the gain. How to cope: Decide if it is a reasonable price To cope with a tyrannical boss, the most basic question you should ask yourself is whether the price in aggravation and stress in exchange for your weekly paycheque is worth it. If it’s not worth it, then you have two choices. #1. Create an action plan that will change the aspects of your job you find most difficult. #2. Ask yourself what better job you could move to — and what skills you need to acquire before you make the leap. 4. Does your boss thrive on chaos? Miranda did not have a well-oiled system. Things were constantly springing leaks. Tyrannical bosses need help — and not just psychiatric. At Miranda's company there was a crisis every hour. Employees were running around in a frenzied panic. Sadly, Miranda demanded perfection but was unwilling to develop a system to train her employees. Although many people admired her ability to run a fashion magazine, she was a poor manager of people. At the end of the movie she expressed relief that she would still be at the helm — saying under her breath that no one else could handle the job. Which was probably very true. She was irreplaceable because she ran the business on fear and chaos, and it would have imploded on her exit. How to cope: Create a well-ordered system To cope with the Boss-from-Hell, realize their shortcomings and compensate accordingly. In Miranda's case, the company lurched from mini-crisis to mini-crisis. A smart employee could have created systems to help run the place efficiently, smoothly and to minimize crisis. And then that employee would have been highly valued, and very marketable. 5. Does your boss make impossible demands? Miranda was forever making impossible demands of her employees. One hilarious example was when Miranda’s plane was grounded by a hurricane. Andy’s dinner with her out-of-town Dad was interrupted, while Andy tried valiantly to schedule another flight. Of course, the only thing that flew that night was the s–t hitting the fan when Miranda’s request for a flight was not met. How to Cope: Can you think two steps ahead of the boss? Putting aside the truly impossible demands, how do you stay two steps ahead of the boss? Anticipate what the boss will need, before they've even thought of it. That was the key to Andy's turnaround success. When Miranda asked for the impossible, a copy of an unpublished Harry Potter manuscript, Andy pulled strings to get it. But she proved herself to be a proactive thinker by getting the manuscript duplicated and bound (just in time for Miranda's twin daughters to read it on the train-ride to Grandma's). The coping strategy in this is not to take your boss' requests at face value. Think further down the road to what the next logical step is going to be. That devil-boss will be eating out of your hand. 6. Does your boss play the office politics game? Miranda is an expert office politics player. The climax of the movie occurs when Miranda becomes aware of an imminent coup that threatens to topple her (the magazine owner wants to give Miranda’s job to his sexy new mistress). But Miranda checkmates the move very effectively by threatening to steal ‘her’ high-profile fashion designers away to a rival publication. The owner grudgingly allows her to keep her Editor-in-Chief job, and offers his mistress an alternate, if largely titular, job. An unlucky pawn caught in the crossfire is Nigel, Miranda’s loyal design assistant. His ambitions get decimated, prompting Andy to virtuously claim that she could never backstab someone like that. Miranda corrects her and says, â€Å"Oh, but you already have. You did it to Emily. † This uncomfortable truth forced Andy to look in the mirror and make a decision as to what she wanted out of life, and how far she was willing to go to get it. How to Cope: Learn to play the office politics game To cope with the Boss-from-Hell, employees need to learn how to play office politics, whether they want to or not. Burying your head in the sand will not make it disappear. It is in your best interests to be aware of the shifting agendas, imbalances of power, hidden motives, and swift-moving unseen forces that are shaping your workplace. You need to become a student of human nature, which is ultimately what office politics is all about. Oh yeah, and to survive the Boss-from-Hell, document everything†¦ You never know when you may be able to turn it into a best-selling book or a hit movie starring an Oscar-winning actress. About the author: Franke James, MFA is the site founder of Office-Politics. com, and inventor of the Office-Politics Game. Office-Politics lessons from â€Å"The Devil Wears Prada†  © copyright 2006 Franke James. First publication: July 2006 ICFAI University Press, Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India. All photographs: The Devil Wears Prada – 2006 copyright 20th Century Fox. The Devil Wears Prada starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Emily Blunt. Directed by David Frankel. Based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger. The Devil Wears Prada The novel â€Å"The Devil Wears Prada† by Weisberger is about a girl named Andrea moved to New York and found a job as a junior assistant of a fashion magazine editor. However, Andrea has a hard time on her job. Furthermore, her relationships with her family and friends get very bad because she is too hard-working. However, at the end of this novel Andrea makes her own way out by her careful and wisdom. After reading the novel, I found myself and the protagonist of the novel, Andrea are both too hard-working and careful. Andrea and I are both so hard working that we forgot our families and friends. In the novel, Andrea is working very hard that she put all her time and energy into her job, so Andrea does not have any time for her family and friends. For example, in the novel Andrea promise to call her boyfriend at three o’clock, but she was very busy at her work that she never gets to call her boyfriend the whole day. I was very busy at work once, and I totally forgot to tell my mother that I will be getting off from work one hour later than usual. My mother was waiting for me at the supermarket one hour. Furthermore, I found myself and Andrea are both very careful that we notice or remember small things that others do not. Andrea finally made her boss approve with her ability because Andrea is very careful and she notices and remembers things that her boss does not. For instance, Andrea and her boss went to a big fashion party in Paris, and there were so many famous fashion designers. Many people came and greet to Andrea’s boss, but her boss does not recognize any of them. However, Andrea memorizes all guests name by flipping through guests list. After that her boss was very impress on Andrea’s careful. I found myself is very similar to Andrea. I always remember to check the address of the place we are going to, when all of my friends forgot to check. I enjoy reading this book very much because I have the same personality characteristic, too hard-working and careful, with the protagonist, Andrea. I will recommend this novel to English-second language readers because the novel is easy to understand and interesting.

Research Paper What Is a Flat Plate Solar Collector

Research Paper: What Is a Flat Plate Solar Collector? As people become more aware of the environmental problems, they try to reconsider their way of living and make their households both environmentally-friendly and more economical. They start to equip their houses with new technological gadgets that take advantage of natural energy, such as, for instance, solar power. One of the most successful representatives of ‘green’ technology is a flat plate solar collector. It exploits the ability of sunlight to produce heat and has a lot of potential for the effective use in our households. In most cases the flat plate solar collector is used to provide hot water. When installed in a proper place, it is capable of generating large amounts of heat within short periods of time and reducing your expenses on energy. One of the disadvantages of all solar power gadgets and flat plate solar collectors in particular is their inability to produce power without sunlight. Luckily, this problem can be addressed in two possible ways. You can use a combined heating system at your household, which is mostly dependent on solar power, but switches to ordinary power supply when there is a lack of sunlight. Alternatively, you can install a special system that accumulates the heat, collected during the day. Despite these obvious benefits of solar collectors, many people are discouraged from purchasing them by the costly price. However, it has been estimated that a flat pl ate solar collector saves up about 80% of your energy bill and pays for itself within 4 years. As you can see, in the long run it offers whopping advantages to the household owners. All in all, a flat plate solar collector is a good alternative or supplement to your conventional power system and is worth giving a try.

Jeffrey Dahmer Serial Killer - 2695 Words

Jeffrey Dahmer is considered to be one of the top serial killers of all time. Jeffrey is believed to be a top serial killer for several reasons, as he would drug and strangle his victims to death, he would also do a ritual to most of his victims over and over again. He had a necrophilia problem and would torcher his victims. In this research paper I will explain why it was believe that Jeffrey did what he did to his victims. I will tell about Jeffrey’s life as a child to his life as killer and finally leading to his death. To begin, Jeffrey Dahmer was known for being a huge serial killer, born on May 21, 1960 and died on November 28, 1994. His life as a child was extremely different compared to other people. Jeff was considered to be a weird kid. No one would talk to Jeffrey. In a book called The Killers among Us, tells us the different stories of different serial killers in history. It tells us their stories and victims. The main section of the book that I read was in chapter 12, talks about the serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. The book tells us not only who he kills but how he would kill them. The chapter started off telling us his life as a child and his family. Jeffrey had a tough childhood he wasn’t liked by the other kids in his school, Jeffrey was looked at as being a weird kid. It eventually goes into his later life as being a killer then to his death in prison. Jeffrey would gruesomely kill his victims. There was a total of 17 men that he had killed. As a kid,Show MoreRelatedThe Serial Killers : Jeffrey Dahmer Essay1806 Words   |  8 PagesSerial killers have fascinated the imaginations of people for a long time. One of the most notorious serial killers is Jeffrey Dahmer whose gruesome murders shocked the nation. Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer also known as Milwaukee monster was a notorious American serial killer and sexual offender in the 1980s and early 1990s. Between 1978 and 1991 Dahmer had murdered 17 men. His victims were usually raped, to rtured, dismembered, and cannibalism was also involved. Jeffrey was a troubled child psychologicallyRead MoreJeffrey Dahmer : An American Serial Killer912 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), a Serial Murder is defined as â€Å"The unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events.† Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, who is well known as an American serial killer and sex offender who was born on May 21, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is known for his murders committed in his teenage years between the years of 1978 and 1991; Jeffrey Dahmer murdered 17 males. He not only murdered 17 men, but horrifically disposedRead MoreEssay on Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer1950 Words   |  8 PagesJeffrey Dahmer was born in Milwaukee on the 21st of May, 1960, to Lionel and Joyce Dahmer. From a very young age Jeffrey was a normal young boy who showed no signs of any mental problems. At a very young age Jeffrey began to develop an interest in dead animals when his father found a number of dead animal bones while sweeping under the house. This didn’t affect the way he behaved until when he started going to preschool. Whilst attending preschool Jeffrey was seen as a very shy boy, at the sameRead MoreLife of a Serial Killer, Jeffrey Dahmer774 Words   |  3 Pagesunsuccessful and they divorced. Jeffrey graduated from high school in May of 1978 and a few weeks before he graduated, one of his teachers noticed him near the parking lot drinking multiple cans of beer. After the teacher threatened to expose the matter, he claimed that he was experiencing many difficulties at home and the counselor at the school knew it. His mother was awarded custody of his brother David, and moved out to live with her family. At this time Jeffrey had turned 18, and was legallyRead MoreSummary And Analysis Of Jeffrey Dahmer : Serial Killer Documentary845 Words   |  4 Pagesdocumentary, Jeffrey Dahmer: Serial Killer Documentary, the audience is able to see some footage of Dahmer’s childhood. But the documentary only showed to â€Å"happy†, â€Å"normal† times of Dahmer’s childhood, they did not show the more darker/gruesome things that he did. Although, it shows the testimony of Dahmer’s father, Lionel Dahmer, as he recalls the events that happened during Dahmer’s childhood. Throughout the interview with Dahmer is able to explain the events that could have led to Dahmer turning outRead MoreSerial Killers And The Serial Killer1101 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The serial killer ‘is an entirely different criminal,’ †The term serial killer is misleading on the ground that each murder is intended to be the last.† We see them as a figure of â€Å"the dark side of human potential,† but they believe they’re â€Å"on a heroic quest for the biggest score possible† They believe they are â€Å"the archetypal figur e of impurity, the representative of a world which needs cleansing.† However, society knows that serial killers are not heroes, and they’re not cleansing the worldRead More Jeffrey Dahmer Essay example1398 Words   |  6 Pages Biography On: Jeffrey Dahmer Section I: Introduction: Jeffrey Dahmer was one of the most well known serial killers ever. Dahmer was no ordinary serial killer. He was a killer, necropheliac, and a cannibal. The purpose of this report is to learn more about this serial killer. Section II: Overview †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Jeffrey Dahmer was born May 21, 1960, at Evangelical Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin† (Blakey). †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Jeffrey Dahmer was found beaten by fellowRead MoreJeffrey Dahmer : An Strange Boy1646 Words   |  7 Pages1 CP Period 9 20 January 2015 Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Dahmer was born on May 21, 1960 in Milwaukee Wisconsin to Joyce and Lionel Dahmer. Jeffrey Dahmer grew up a very joyful, outgoing, happy kid. Dahmer was like this until his brother was born. After the birth of his brother, he seemed lonely as if he was seeking love and attention. Around the age of 6, Dahmer had a double hernia operation. Joyce and Lionel Dahmer soon realized that their son had really changed. Dahmer was shy and kept to himself,Read MoreSerial Murders Are Not Indigenous, Nor Are They A New Phenomenon1157 Words   |  5 PagesWhat can cause someone to go on a ravenous murder spree? Serial murders are not indigenous, nor are they a new phenomenon. Ted Bundy and The Zodiac Killer are well-known individuals that are often mentioned when speaking about infamous serial killers. Conventional characteristics such as quantity, time, and place are all put into consideration when classifying a murderer as a serial killer (FBI). The Federal Bureau of Investigation defini tion states that three or more murders must take place at differentRead MoreEssay about Serial Killers Modus Operandi1702 Words   |  7 PagesSerial Killers Modus Operandi A plethora of serial killers, dead and undead, have been most horrifying in their methods. There are several types of serial killers, some have been caught while others continue to haunt their surroundings. There are several approaches in categorizing serial killers. One method requires examination of the crime scene, the other requires counseling with the serial killer. In profiling a serial killer, law enforcers realize that serial killers are not unlike regular

What Makes People Behave From The Way They Do - 2049 Words

â€Å"What makes people behave in the way they do?† A question that has intrigued philosophers for millennia, and helps philosophy departments all over the world to continue to receive their limited budgets. Answer to this question are wide ranging, and have changed throughout time. Religions point to their gods and doctrines to find an answer. Ancient thinkers varied this religious answer somewhat by referring to some immaterial spirit that is found in human nature that makes us different from other animals that inhabit the Earth. Over time the answer to this eternal question came to result in lines of thinking that a person’s race or economic class determined their behavior and thus this lead to Nazism and Communism. The death tolls were horrifically catastrophic in both cases. Also in the twentieth century social scientists began to believe that all human behavior was the result of the environment a person grew up in, and through social engineering the ills of society, such as violence, greed, etc, could all be cured. These cures remain elusive. As technology and understanding of the human brain advanced, theories were put forth that genetics, or DNA determined how a person behaved. Ultimately, however, the answer to the question of human behavior probably lies somewhere between several different schools of thought. The theory I put forth is that the average mentally healthy person across all societies hold certain beliefs that are written in genetic stone.Show MoreRelatedAre People Inherently Honest?1063 Words   |  5 PagesAre people inherently honest? Justin Gilman Submitted May 1, 2012 for Prof. Dr. Roberto Weber and Dr. Suzann-Viola Renninger BOEC0308 – Business Ethics and Social Science There are numerous theories that attempt to explain the motivation behind people acting in certain ways. This paper will address three of these theories, apply these theories to how people choose to behave honestly or dishonestly, and will attempt to determine whether or not people are inherently honest. Before looking intoRead MoreThe Relationship between Mind and Body1005 Words   |  4 Pagesrelationship between mind and body seems like an important key to understand more about whether a person has a mental state or not. Many philosophers have developed many branches of philosophy to study the nature of mind and its relationship to body. From the conversation, the doctors’ positions actually represent one of the branches when they are discussing the mental states of the patient. Each branch has their own defenses. In the following paragraphs, I will argue that it is more reasonable to thinkRead MoreEthics : The Inner Guiding Moral Principles, Values, And Beliefs790 Words   |  4 Pagesthen decide what is the right or appropriate way to behave† . In other words, ethics represent the way people should act. When a person behaves ethnically, they follow rules of conduct that respects the rights of a particular group or individual, distinguishing between right and wrong. In regards to business, ethics has a say in the decisions managers make since these decision will affect the overall success of the organization. It is important for management and companies to behave ethically. â€Å"WhenRead MoreModel Tok Presentation1673 Words   |  7 Pagescould be approached from different perspectives? Tips: Ââ€"ï‚â€"†¯ Without a focus on a Knowledge Issue presentations cannot deserve high marks on criteria Ââ€"ï‚â€"†¯ The topic should be grounded in real people and real life, not just a theoretical issue Ââ€"ï‚â€"†¯ Don’t just mention TOK concepts and vocabulary: Analyze them! Ââ€"ï‚â€"†¯ Have notes for your presentation. Practice it. Ââ€"ï‚â€"†¯ In groups, make sure each member participates evenly and critically in the presentation Ââ€"ï‚â€"†¯ Approach the KI from different viewpointsRead More Behavioral Differences in Humans Essay example1391 Words   |  6 Pages How do people behave? What makes us act the way we do? There are as many different answers as there are people. Each person is a unique makeup of individual characteristics which blend together to form the personality, the behavior of the person. We can identify certain broad characteristics of groups of people and apply them to individuals to get an idea of how they will behave in a given situation. This is called stereotyping and, when taken too far, will give a distorted picture of what to expectRead MoreAmerican Exceptionalism And The United States Of America Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s world, many people consider our country, The United States of America, to be outstanding and a great country. Others do not think the same. This concept is known as American exceptionalism. This concept has been debated for many years, and to this day it still is. Although American exceptionalism can be hard to define, there are many ways to define it. Some say that we are ex ceptional because we are superior to everybody else and are better. Others say that God has given us the power toRead MoreDiversity Paper1400 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity Paper James Poteet II How do people behave? What makes us act the way we do? There are as many different answers as there are people. Each person is a unique makeup of individual characteristics which blend together to form the personality, the behavior of the person. We can identify certain broad characteristics of groups of people and apply them to individuals to get an idea of how they will behave in a given situation. This is called stereotyping and, when taken too far, willRead MoreA Good, Effective Leader1189 Words   |  5 PagesIn order to be a good, effective leader, as I strive to be, one needs to understand the reasons why their subordinates act the way they do. This is what Dr. Clawson conveys through his article. He starts off by discussing how in the beginning of human life, humans are dependent and take everything from the mother in the womb. The first three to six months outside of the mother is when a human begins to become aware that they are an individual and not part of another h uman being. Clawson believesRead MorePsychology : Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Psychology, And Psychology1181 Words   |  5 Pagespsychodynamic, humanistic, social psychology, behaviouristic and cognitive. These are described below: Psychodynamic: The psychodynamic approach has been developed from the work of Sigmund Freud. Freud was born on the 6th May 1856 and was an Austrian neurologist. He was also the founder of a therapy called psychoanalysis. This therapy helps people identify the causes of the psychological problems they have. It also gives advi ce on how to overcome and solve those problems. Freud’s three levels of mindRead MoreGender, Social Class, And Slut Discourse On Campus1312 Words   |  6 Pagesis that women participate in slut shaming as a way for them to distance or separate themselves from other women. The reason they separate themselves is a way for women to categorize other women into different statuses and a way for themselves to maintain their own status. The status classes women are categorized in are linked to the social class they are a part of. Slut shaming among women is not necessarily based on their sexual acts, but of the way they act as a woman. The theory also states that

Sociology and Social Science The Helping/Counseling Process

Question: Discuss about theSociology and Social Science for the Helping/Counseling Process. Answer: Introduction The counselling process can be defined as a planned and structured dialogue that takes place between the client and the counsellor. Trained and professional experts whose work is to help the individuals in identifying the sources of difficulty or the issues concerning that person carry out the process of counselling. In the opinion of Lane, (2016), a cooperative process includes dealing with the stressful or emotional feelings of the client. For a successful counselling, confidentiality is necessary. However, the process is different from psychotherapy as counselling is a helping approach that lays its focus on the emotion and intellectual feelings of the clients. In this study, the process of counselling is discussed along with the communication skills at each stage of the process. The barriers to communication are highlighted to understand the influence of the barriers in the process. Moreover, the measures that help to address the issues are also studied in this particular project. Stages of the Helping /Counselling Process The counsellors follow the three-stage counselling approach considers the three stages of the process to be very vital. The three stages of the counselling process are building the relationship, exploring and identifying the concerns of the client and offering suggestions and guidance to the clients (DeKay, 2012). In the very first stage of the counselling process, the relationship between the client and the counsellor is established. In this stage, the counsellor introduces himself to the client in order to make the client feel free and comfortable. It is important for the counsellor to make conversation with the client so that the individual obtains some information about the background and the perspective of the counsellor. With the healthy establishment of the relationship between the client and the counsellor, the second stage of the counselling process begins. In the second stage, the client starts to open up and reveals the issues faced by them in front of the counsellor. In order to understand the areas of concern of the individuals, the counsellor asks a number of questions. After the client is able to make the counsellor understand the issues and the concern, the third stage of the process begins. The counsellor tries to analyse the issues of the clients based on which, advice and suggestions are offered to the individual. Accordingto Ross Nilsen, (2013), the counselling process is effective only when the process is supported from both the sides. The effectiveness of the process not only depends upon the ability of the counsellor but also on the trust of the clients in following the recommendation of the counsellor. Thus, it can be stated that the stage one is a crucial stage as the effectiveness of the whole process depends upon the strength of the relationship that has been established (Myers, 2015). The Communication Skills at each Stage of the Helping/Counselling Process Since the process of counselling involves conversation between the client and the counsellor, there is a need for effective communication skill in order to facilitate the changes taking place in the process. In order to achieve effective counselling, it is necessary to have certain basic communication skills. The basic communication skills include attending, listening, basic empathy, questioning, summarising and integrating the communication skills (Geldard, Geldard Foo, 2013). Attending: The attending skills of the counsellor refer to the way in which the counsellor is able to be with the clients both physically as well as psychologically. This helps the clients to feel the counsellor is with them and thereby the clients are able to share their issues in a better manner. The SOLER is used to express the attitudes, respect and the genuineness towards the client. SOLER indicates squarely facing the clients, open posture, leaning towards the client, eye contacts and relaxing with the clients (Ahmed, 2016). Listening:The messages can either be delivered verbally or nonverbally. Active listening includes four other skills such as listening and understanding the verbal message of the clients. Listening, analysing and then interpreting the nonverbal messages of the client, listening to the client and understanding them in context and listening with empathy to the client (McMahon Palmer, 2014). Basic empathy: The basic empathy is a skill that helps the counsellor to understand the concerns in such a way that the effective outcome is reached. The counsellor temporarily forgets about their personal frame of reference and visualises the clients situation from the viewpoint of the client (Cooper Dryden, 2015). Questioning: Probing is the process of incorporating statements and questions that help the client to explore more relevant issues experienced by the clients in their daily lives. The probing or questioning helps to encourage reluctant clients to share their individual stories and remain focused towards the issues that are more important. Furthermore, this helps the client to take a step forward towards the helping process. Summarising: It is useful for the counsellors to summarise everything that happened and discussed in the session in order to remain focused. The summarization is a part of the communicating skill that helps the counsellor to support the client in moving forward at times when the client is stuck (Dykes et al., 2014). Integrating communication skills: In the counselling process, it is important to integrate the communicating skills in a natural way. In order to help the clients to achieve a grip of the problems the skilled and experienced counsellors often attends and listens carefully and uses a combination of empathy and probes. The type of client, their needs and the problems or situation of the clients determines the type of the communication skills used by the counsellor (Nelson-Jones, 2015). Identify Barriers to Communication that Impact the Helping Process There are many barriers to communication and they occur in the various stages of the process. The barriers lead to the occurrence of distortion, risk, wasting of money and time and further leading to confusion and misunderstanding. In order to make the communication better, the barriers are to be overcome to convey a clear concise message. The common barriers to effective communication in the counselling process are use of jargons that is using overcomplicated, unfamiliar and technical terms while conversing with the clients or the counsellor. There are also emotional barriers and taboos since individuals find it difficult to express their emotions to someone unknown. In addition to that, lack of attention, interest or irrelevance to the receiver is also disadvantageous. Differences in the languages and problems in understanding the unfamiliar accent cause barriers in the communication in the counselling process (Kwong, 2014). These barriers reduce the effectiveness of the process as either the counsellor is unable to identify the areas of concern properly or the client is unable to follow the recommendations. Measures to Overcome the Barriers of Communication As there are a number of barriers in the process of counselling, it needs to be removed in order to achieve effective results. In order to minimise or remove the hindrances in the communication, it is important to clarify the ideas between the client and counsellor before communication. The objectives of the session need to be determined and things are to be arranged accordingly. Furthermore, Silverman, Kurtz Draper, (2016) added that the communication needs to be done according to the need of the client. This will help to understand the environment of the client as well. Both the counsellor and the clients should be aware of the language, the tone and the content of the message. The tone of the conversation should not hurt the feelings of the individual in the conversation. Use of excessive information needs to be avoided in order to keep the conversation simple yet effective. In order to carry out effective conversation, it is necessary to carry out conversation that helps the client to solve the issues faced by the client. The needs and the interest of the clients are to be given highest priority by the counsellor so that the communication becomes more effective. The counsellor further needs to ensure that the clients give proper feedback as it will help to understand and analyse the problems in a better manner. The effectiveness of the communication can be further increased by keeping a constant check on the weakness of the communicating system. This can be done by focusing on the communication style. The counsellor needs to understand the nature of the client and accordingly use formal or informal communication. Conclusion From the above project, it can be stated that the counselling process is a process that is completely based on the communication. The effective communication is the main factor that ensures the success of the process. The three stages approach supports the counsellor to carry out the activity in a structured and systematic manner. The communicating skills and its influences further play a crucial part in the process of making the counselling session worthy. However, since there are barriers to communication that are capable of degrading the quality of the process, it is important to adopt appropriate strategies that help to overcome the issues in communication and offer the best possible outcomes for the clients to address their issues. References Ahmed, S. (2016). Counselling Skills and Social Work Practice. Cooper, M., Dryden, W. (Eds.). (2015).The Handbook of Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy. SAGE. DeKay, S. H. (2012). Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace: A Largely Unexplored Region.Business Communication Quarterly,75(4), 449-452. Dykes, F. B., Kopp, B., Postings, T., Crouch, A. (2014).Counselling Skills and Studies. SAGE. Geldard, K., Geldard, D., Foo, R. Y. (2013).Counselling children: A practical introduction. Sage. Kwong, W. M. (2014). Counselling as' Conversational Art': Development of a language-based Approach to Counselling and Laboratory Training of Counselling Skills. Lane, S. D. (2016).Interpersonal communication: Competence and contexts. Routledge. McMahon, G., Palmer, S. (2014).Handbook of counselling. Routledge. Myers, B. (2015). Counselling in practice: Counselling patients on antipsychotic medicines.Australian Pharmacist,34(6), 42. Nelson-Jones, R. (2015).Basic counselling skills: a helper's manual. Sage. Ross, C. S., Nilsen, K. (2013).Communicating professionally: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians. American Library Association. Silverman, J., Kurtz, S., Draper, J. (2016).Skills for communicating with patients. CRC Press.

PTSD free essay sample

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a very important topic because it can affect many people now, and with todays’ society, can be a very touchy but interesting topic. One out of every three troops has been diagnosed with PTSD and less than 40% have found or looked for help. 1 out of 5 active duty soldiers try to commit suicide every day (PTSD Foundation of America). In the mid 1970’s the term was added to the DSM III (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). It was not until 1980 that the term PTSD was formally recognized. In 1987, a revised edition (DSM III-R) was released with a new diagnostic criteria which made a huge impact for our veterans and their diagnosis (Unknown). In 2007, PTSD was at its highest for diagnosis in the military. Experts think that PTSD occurs in about 11-20 veterans out of 100 who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). We will write a custom essay sample on PTSD or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs). PTSD is a very misunderstood and ignored condition that affects many military veterans returning from war and causes very stressful situations for their families and the people around them who need to be provided with more education and services to help them with the healing process after returning home. Post- traumatic stress disorder is caused by an exposure to very stressful events or series of events. These events are usually very harmful to one or others and are normally very sudden causing the person not to have time to prep themselves for it (Shiraldi Ph. D. ). The symptoms almost make complete sense once you get an understanding of it. Some signs of PTSD can be easily seen by bystanders others are more overlooked. A simple sign of post- traumatic stress disorder is an increased anxiety level. It is a typical stress response for many people. Also a way to notice PTSD is abuse. Abuse comes in many forms. Physical abuse is trying hurt oneself or others on purpose or not on purpose. There is also alcohol abuse and narcotic abuse. This is the abuse of alcoholic drinks, drugs, and prescription medication. There is also mental abuse. This abuse is very different because the person is mentally putting themselves down with the â€Å"what if’s† and negative thoughts and that’s what can hurt the most. A very noticeable sign is being triggered by something. These triggers could be sights, sounds, smells, tastes, pain, significant dates or seasons, stress, events, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, out of the blue events, or a combination of things (Shiraldi Ph. D. ). These triggers could set them off and make them stress or have certain flashbacks that could severely affect them. A silent symptom of post- traumatic stress disorder is depression. People can get into this down streak and not be able to get out of it. The signs and symptoms of PTSD are very similar. They can lead them down a very dark road for the person experiencing them. Anxiety is another symptom of PTSD; it may show as excessive worry to tension. Impulsive behaviors would be noticeable by loved ones or co-workers, examples would be shopping sprees, sudden vacations. Other symptoms that might be noticeable are chronic pain (headaches, painful joints), hypertension, skin problems, heavy limbs, fainting and tingling body parts. The most difficult symptom for most is a complete change in personality. When these symptoms are recognized early, it is helpful in the diagnosis and recovery (Fischer). The diagnosis of PTSD is very hard because it can sometimes be misunderstood for something else. It helps to a diagnosis of PTSD when one knows of the trauma that took place. The person may have been exposed to a stressor, had their life disrupted or had a re-experiencing of a traumatic event. Awareness is the key because you should always be aware of what is happening around you and to know when to get help. The criterion for diagnosing PTSD has changed over the years. Recent changes have included PTSD as an anxiety disorder. The diagnosis for PTSD is essential in receiving the proper treatment and education as soon as possible to begin the healing process. The treatment of PTSD is sometimes very difficult and sometimes almost seeming impossible for someone experiencing the symptoms of PTSD. All people have different signs and symptom of PTSD and that can cause fear of people not knowing they are suffering from PTSD and may look at them as crazy. They have an enormous fear sometimes of people not knowing their thoughts or being able to understand them. In treatment there are many trained therapists and counselors that can help. Veterans are also taught to keep themself in control and learn to trust again in order to heal. They also need to be willing to get treatment and be willing to let it all go. There are many forms of treatment; they can get both mental health and therapeutic help. There are also survivor groups to help with them with their situation. There are also self- help treatment plans that involve them managing their PTSD on their own with little guidance. During their treatment they will need support. The veteran will need a strong support system surrounding them during their recovery. Their support system may include friends, family, therapists, doctors and anyone important to them. These people are going to be important in cheering them on to get better and showing them the positives to life instead of the negatives. The self- healing portion is very important also because it involves the veteran as a person finding themselves again. In self- healing they learn to recover and get better on their own. It is very important to do this because it is all about them and their recovery. There are seven (7) principles of healing that will greatly impact ones healing process (Shiraldi Ph.D. ). In self-healing there are approaches in helping with transforming the feelings a person might have (Shiraldi Ph. D. ). Self-healing can be done with family or alone. Some self-healing may be experienced by practicing yoga, meditation and exercise (Paulson). Some veterans have chosen to take on old hobbies, find old friends and connect with other veterans. Positive outlook into self- healing, self-love and self-care can also be practical and sensible in the process of recovery from PTSD. The process of PTSD is sometimes very long for some, others it is a quick process. The process starts at the traumatic event. For our veterans these events are very stressful and harmful. Then after the event they have a spiral downfall into PTSD. Once they have a diagnosis of PTSD, the ups and downs of healing are tough on all involved. The treatment and self-healing will lead them into recovery, some sooner than others. In the recovery, there may be a few struggles and after that they have nothing but growth. It all depends on the type of person you are and the experience you went through, but the process is very important for everyone with PTSD. The early diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder goes back to the civil war. It was not called PTSD then but it had similar symptoms as it does today. There were many men that struggled to get a diagnosis because of the people being unaware of it. During the WWI, it was known as combat neurosis or shell shock. During the WWII, it was known as battle fatigue or operational fatigue. Some other names for it were war neurosis, irritable heart and soldiers’ heart. Many people told these soldiers with this condition to â€Å"Go home and get over it†. It was very tough being a soldier or combat soldier back then (Paulson). They were faced with traumatic stressors everyday but in training they were trained to face those and move on without feeling anything. Well, one can only do that until they break. That break can be very hard for them and sometimes they do not have anyone to support them back then. About one of 4 individuals exposed to a stressor back then got PTSD. In 2005, the U. S. national center for PTSD reported that about 30% of combat veterans have suffered from PTSD (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs). The past treatment of PTSD is very different from now. Back then things were more strict and hidden and less open. So when a soldier came out about the problem it was not handled delicately. He was normally just ignored and was expected to recover on his own. There was very little help occasionally when they were home they could get therapeutic help but sometimes that was not offered or they did not have the money. There were medications to help but they were quite costly for that time period. Family is very important in the healing process and it is very hard to go through without a family that supports you. In the family they also may struggle with secondary PTSD (Stocker). Secondary PTSD is felt by the witness or bystander. The most common thing felt from secondary PTSD is anxiety. Anxiety is completely understandable to go through. Having to watch someone go through a traumatic event is awful. They also may experience depression during this time. Depression is also very common in secondary PTSD. The most common treatment for secondary PTSD is medications to control the symptoms. Also, seeing a therapist help to relive it may be helpful for some. Secondary PTSD is just as important as regular PTSD and needs to be diagnosed and treated. They both have the same signs and symptoms; it just depends on the person. The support from the family is very important in recovery. The family needs to be supporting them at all times. Even the littlest things mean the most to the person struggling. It will be hard for the family also at times to see their loved one go through this but they have to be strong for them. The support is one of the most necessary things a person needs to get better. The need to be shown the brightness in their lives and how it good it is now and that it is ok to let go of the past. The support of a family might be physical or emotional but always must remain positive. A positive support system is needed for both the family and the PTSD sufferer to help them survive the struggles of recovery. The family also might struggle through the different ways of handling the pain. The family might be put at risk, as the person suffering might be abusive, dangerous, or just not good to be around. Sometimes it is easy for the family to support them through this but sometimes it may not be due to the risk of it. They might not be able to handle the pressure and stress from the recovery process. There may become a moment when the family is forced to make this decision of staying around them or leaving. It might be to the point the ailing person may have put the family at risk of harm or have put too much on them emotionally and mentally. Some people cannot take this and are forced to leave. This is the best choice for them but sometimes not for the person suffering. It is one of the hardest decisions to make especially when you have exhausted all your resources and have nothing left to do and nothing seems to ever get better. The family could also develop depression or other symptoms from being involved with a person with PTSD. The ailing person may have proposed harm to his or her family and have forced them out. Sometimes people are forced to do what is best for themselves and their children. It is a very tricky situation to be put in. You may also have to leave because you may be starting to get down and have thoughts of hurting themselves or others. A parent must also put their children first, if there are children to be considered, is this type of environment the best for them. The harm and pain of PTSD is felt everywhere in the victim and the family. Some of the symptoms of PTSD may not have been diagnosed properly and those may be hurting the family the most. Many of the symptoms and signs of PTSD are overlooked because of our society today. When veterans come back from war sometimes the symptoms are not as noticeable. The symptoms of PTSD may not be seen until the veteran is in a social environment away from the military environment. The symptoms of PTSD are misdiagnosed and over-looked due to lack of knowledge about the trauma or the symptoms are not severe. The diagnosis criterion has been changed several times over the years which also have contributed to the symptoms of PTSD being over-looked in our veterans. In years to come the symptoms and criteria are being re-evaluated for our veterans and the name might be changed to an injury. When the name changes the veterans are hopeful they will acquire more services. There are services available to the veterans to help them over-come PTSD. The veteran’s hospitals offer cognitive therapy, physical therapy and out-patient therapy programs. There are programs starting up across the U. S. offering service dogs for veterans with PTSD, ex. Soldiers Best Friend. There are a number of privately funded resources that are available to soldiers upon their return. There are some governmental and non-governmental resources for veterans and their families that have informational brochures on PTSD. Many resources that provide services can help a veteran obtain education information for the families (Paulson). PTSD is a very misunderstood and ignored condition that affects many military veterans returning from war and causes very stressful situations for their families and the people around them who need to be provided with more education and services to help them with the healing process after returning home. Educating the family of someone with PTSD is important. The family and/or support of the patient suffering PTSD need the education to help in the recovery of PTSD. There are several educational resources at your local veteran’s office. The government website for veteran affairs offers many educational points. Many religious groups such as, Coming Home Collaborative or the American Legion, are always helpful in providing education with veterans (Paulson). Do you know a veteran recovering from PTSD? Works Cited: Andreasen, Nancy. Brainline. 2011. Weta. . Fischer, Hannah. Corporate Research Service.