Counsello

Kenya Association of Professional Counsellors School of Counselling Studies MA IN COUNSELLING STUDIES Please fill in all details and attach to every assignment you complete. Student’s Name:Dorcas Adoyo Mwinda Date of Submission: 30th October 2009 Assignment: (please tick appropriate box)1 2 Module 1‘Exploration in Counselling’ Module 2: ‘Understanding in Counselling’ Module 3: ‘Integration in Counselling’ Module 4: PracticumVideo Evaluation Module 5 ‘Research Methods’ Module 6 ‘Dissertation’ Title of Assignment: The Appropriateness of Person centered Approach in Sub-Saharan Africa Comments: (please tick appropriate box) First Internal Examiner Second External ExaminerSecond Internal Examiner External Examiner Recommended Result:Percentage:Level (MA/PG Dip) Name of Examiner:Elias Gikundi Signed:Date: TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLEPage No. Introduction2 What is person centred Approach3 View of Human nature3 Congruence5 Unconditional Positive Regard6 Empathic Understanding6 Concepts exposed in person- centred Approach7 Values exposed in person centred approach9 Effectiveness of Person Centred Approach in Sub-Saharan Africa11 Conclusion13 References14 INTRODUCTION Counselling has been perceived as an advice in many sub- Saharan African countries and also the fact that there are many counselling approaches which are used; it has even become more confusing for people to understand. But due to different experiences we face in African countries like tribal clashes, culture differences, Poverty, political instability, racism, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and many others counselling was introduced from the western culture to provide healing to the affected and infected people, and thus person centred approach was adopted because it helps deal with individual feelings, which would help the readjust back to the surrounding both literally and psychologically. Person centred approach is one among the other counselling approaches used in sessions which I am sure that it is not well known in sub Saharan African. In this paper, I am going to going to discuss on the relevance of person centred approach in sub- Saharan African and also examining in Kenyan concept. In summing up I shall give my conclusion on what I think or feel about the topic am writing about. WHAT IS PERSON CENTRED APPROACH? Person centred approach championed by Carl Rogers in the 1930s and 1940s. This approach assist clients to listen to their feelings and inner voices and in doing so clients can learn to do better in their own, (Nelson, 2001). Since we are aware what it is all about then the question is ‘how does it view human beings†? VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE Rogers (1961) says that person centred approach view human beings as having the ability to steer the course of their lives, if offered in a relationship the core conditions. Rogers (1967) also states that to be self which one is truly is, is more than an attainable goal of person centred therapy, but a key aspect in the process of becoming a fully functioning person. I do agree with Rogers because, this therapy does not allow a client to talk about others but brings the client to self and dealing with what is affect him or her now. In person centred approach human nature is seen as basically social so that human beings are by nature protective, caring, compassionate and understanding towards each other, (Mearns et al. 1988). He argues that the dependence of human infants and interdepence of adults’ points in the same direction as does the inmate capacity to infer imaginatively the experience of others. According to Bozarth et al. (1986) person centred approach has the belief that all human beings have within them the innate capacity to grow towards their own unique fulfilment (or to move towards self actualisation). I personally feel that despite all cultural impact on us, environmental factors and values that are being imposed on us, we still have the drive towards self actualisation and also discover within ourselves the capacity of growth, and therefore whatever we do, we are the people who knows what is right and wrong for us but not others. Rogers (1951) emphasises that an accurate concept of self is crucial for healthy development, he stated that a long with a realistic self concept goes a realist perception of reality and situation in which the individual finds himself or herself in. ( Kirschenbaum et al, 1989). My contention is that the aim of life as it is called by Rogers â€Å" to be that self which one is truly is† has been on philosophical minds for centuries and to date individuals are still wrestling with the very concept of being true to self. Corey (2001) underscores the same when he says that person centred therapy puts emphasis on concepts of freedom, choice, values, personal responsibility, autonomy, purpose and meaning. Despite this approach emphasizing on individual development, in some sub Saharan African countries (Kenya being one of them) personal development is seen as selfish and importance is cultural value of the common good to individuals. If we are to be more explicit about our culture, which is what we propose, it is important for the therapist to be visible in terms of their value system or â€Å"African view† beliefs and standing in the community. This allows therapists to be clear in and about their relationship with clients and offers the client the safety that the therapist is not a detached remote or mystical figure but an accountable member of the community. Person centred approach is perhaps the only theory to take predominately a good animal view of human nature. For Rogers the actual tendency in humans is positive and it only become negative to the extent that it is blocked and frustrated by environmental factors. While going through the view of human nature by person centred theory I realised that there are core conditions which are necessary in this approach which acts as guidance in counselling session. Like wise Green (2002) suggests that the presence of core conditions in the therapeutic relationship can set in train a directional process towards being more true to one self. So what are these core conditions? Congruence Rogers (1961, pg 61) defined therapist congruence as: by this we mean that the feelings the therapist is experiencing are available to him, available to his awareness and he is able to live these feelings a, be them and able to communicate them if appropriate . awareness involves the therapist awareness of their own culture and themselves in relation to it and indeed to the world. Congruence enables a therapist to come to terms with their position in society and the predicaments of life in relation to culture. It is useful in a session because it brings about trust in a helping relationship. I have come to realise that being trustworthy does not demand that I be rigidly consistent but be dependably real (Rogers 1990a, pg 19). from my experience in counselling I have come to realise that congruence is imperative in a session because it makes it easier for a client to trust you. In Kenya there are forty two tribes with different culture, but still it will not hinder the therapist to be congruent because a client only needs trust and genuineness which makes them feel that they are I the right place and also they can get honest response from a counsellor. Mearns et al. (1988) says that in the person centred approaches, congruence dissolves the mysteriousness of the counsellor , and as with other core conditions it has its roots and equivalence in other cultural traditions as wisdom, mindfulness, active surrender ( Purton, 1994). Unconditional positive regard. Rogers describe this condition variously as unconditional acceptance, prizing, non- possessive, love and warmth. He adds that developmentally as humans, we have a need for unconditional positive regard and to have an internal self guard, (Rogers, 1959). Unconditional positive regard is important because it directly sabotages such conditions of worth; the counsellor values her client irrespective of the client conforming to conditions. I feel it is important for therapist to be clear about their own culture, both their culture of origin and their present culture and to be aware of the positive message about their culture especially if the therapist themselves had problems in growing and developing within their own culture. Villas- Rose Bowen (1984) says that in developing perspectives on unconditional positive regard, then we need to consider regard for self, others and culture itself. Empathic understanding Empathic understandings Rogers mostly referred to it is to sense the clients private world as if it were your own, but without ever losing the â€Å"as if† quality, (Rogers, 1957). In my opinion, the â€Å"as if† condition as Rogers proposes it, in his 1959 definition of empathy must in the first place be understood as the stressing of the necessity of being continuously aware that the experience and feeling that the therapist is trying to live into, do originate in the client and not in the therapist. (Vanderschot,1990 p. 290). personally think that empathy is the ability to stand very close to someone else to appreciate what it is like to be that other person in that other person in that other persons world. This never feels easy because it involves stepping out of your own frame works and trying to appreciate what it is to view ones culture through their eyes rather than your own. Concepts exposed in person centred approach. According to D†™ardenne et al. (1989) effective person centred counsellors are people who demonstrate the essential qualities of genuineness, non-possessiveness, warmth and empathy with the clients. Counsellors treat their clients with non-judgemental respect and hope to introduce practical ways in which this can be achieved across any cultural divide. I do find it rather easy and flowing when all those qualities mentioned above are applied in session and you find that it even makes a client to feel free to share his experience without any fear. Person centred is a means of meshing the symbolised (or symbolising) incongruence of the client with the congruence of the therapist. It is not appropriate process for people who are merely wishing to have education experience. Mearns et al. 2000). With different problems facing many sub- Saharan countries, people feel that they do need education to help them curb their problems, but unlike other counselling approaches as psychodynamic and gestalt which provides education, person centred approach tends to differ. I do agree with Mearns because people do not only need education which they feel will enable them get out of the problems they are facing but person centred emphasis is on working with the person to help him deal with the problem. Rogers, 1959) adds that person centred therapy simply does not work with clients who are experiencing incongruence in their living and wanting to change that incongruence. Person centred approach requires a level of acceptance which enable therapists to sustain themselves when clients attack them. I feel that this is highly vital because due to many problems that affect people in sub- Saharan Africa which in most cases have badly damaged their experience in life, they tend to relieve their anger and stresses, and even feeling to counsellors. The therapist should provide support to the affected clients and therefore the level of acceptance needs to be sufficiently robust to withstand the pain of relating to those who prove to be aggressive, demeaning or even contemptuous and hostile ( Mearns et al. 2000). According to Thorne (19910 person centred approaches start from the assumption that every living organism is driven by an â€Å"actualising tendency† an instinctive reflecting the desire to grow, develop and enhance one capacities to the fullest ( actualisation ). Mearns and Thorne (2000) states that this process of self actualisation is fraught with complexity and anxiety because the organismic self as essentially trustworthy and a unified whole of experiencing conflict within the developing self concept of the individual which distorts or denies experiences into awareness as it is heavily dependent on positive regard fro others. And as Thorne (1991) argues that gradually we learn to see ourselves as others ignoring our own inner experiencing. I personally feel that one cannot get to self actualisation without struggle and taking example of my country Kenya, many people do live below the poverty line and are ready to do anything just to be able to cater his basic needs and therefore instead of focussing in how to get out of the situation, he seeks refuge from others and even try to copy their lifestyle putting at the back of his mind what he is and hence ignoring our inner experience and views ourselves as others. Covey (1989) argues that in African society, we may have gained an incredible degree of outward success but inwardly individuals have divorced themselves from the roots and valuing process in serving the structure of capitalist society. Therefore this approach enables a person to work with the deeper need to actualise rather than depending on others. Rogers was fundamentally an optimist about human potential, arguing that ideally the actualising tendency refers to self actualisation where aspects of self and concepts are synonymous or congruent, ( Mearns and Thorne, 2000), this ideal human conditions is embroiled in the fully functioning persons who as Rogers ( 1959) state: â€Å"†¦ is open to experience , able to live existentially, is trusting in his or her own organism, experience feelings freely, acts independently, is active and lives an enriched life, he is in the process of being and becoming himself†¦. (p 192) Values exposed through person centred approach. The person centred point of view places high value on the experience of the individual human beings and or the importance of his or her subjective reality. It also challenges each person to accept responsibility of his or her own life, (Mearns et al. 1988). Rogers (1961) argues that the basic value in person centred approach is the conviction that personal e xperience is the highest authority. With all the problems and hardships being experienced in sub- Saharan Africa like the tribal clashes, sexual abuse, drought and hunger, poor governance, lack of medical expertise and medicines and many others which leads to introjections of other people’s value in order to gain positive regard. Problems later arise when they view these introjected values as their own. One goal of person centred approach is to reverse this pattern and help the client to select his or her own value (Thorne et al. 998). The coming into consciousness of the African Personality highlighted how African cultural values differed from those that were imposed upon them (Len-Holdstock, 2000). Person centred approach places the therapist in a paradoxical position, in that the therapist will never seek to guide the client to a particular value or gaol but to guide the client towards contact with his or her inner organismic self away from external value. In other word the therapist is actively trying to facilitate the client’s movement from the outer world of the conditions of worth into the inner world of the organismic valuing process. (Van Kalmthout, 1995). The concept of self is also exposed as a value in person centred approach because according to Rogers (1951) an acute concept of self is crucial for healthy development. In addition, Covey, (1989) states that modern society is characterised by pervasive wars, genocide, exploitation and general disenchantment, hence individuals are in battle with an inner craving for growth and development. Markus and Kitayama (1991) argues that psychological merit of attending to the self, appreciation of others difference from others and importance of asserting to self. I do agree with theme in sense that person centred approach brings out the need of self awareness which Rowen (1983) says is a state of consciousness where we are genuinely open to listen on all the levels, thus enabling one to become independent from others and discover and be able to express one’s unique attributes. Sub- Saharan countries people have suffered so much because of lack of awareness. In regard to the post election violence in Kenya two years ago, many got affected because they were not aware of repercussions of the violence to them and that they are used as a tool by our politicians, whom imposed their values on them hence acting on others values forgetting about their own values. Collier ( 1977 argues that Rogers boast of the essential equality of human beings claiming that every individual has the same forward moving humanity and capacity for happiness when one is true to one self. Effectiveness of person centred approach in sub-Saharan Africa Person centred approach mainly focuses on the well being of a person, mainly focussing on his personal feelings and being able to provide core conditions for a helping which in very vital because it encourages independence of a person, which African culture puts so much value in ones social connectedness. The growth of people in the African perspective as Owusun-Bempah and Howitt (2000) put it, is not individual, but it also involves the whole society and the wider aspects of such a society. The two add that the aim of the development of the self is the achievement of a truly social self through, the harmonious relations and the interdependence with others. Person centred approach do emphasise the autonomy of a client which in sub-Saharan Africa have sense of normal development where the individual becomes conscious of his own being, his duties, his privileges and responsible towards himself and toward others. An example is the case of human genocide that happened in Rwanda some years go, where their were ethical clashes between two tribes, but after the incident the citizens later realised that what they were doing was not actual right but out of other people orders hence when truth and reconciliation commissioner was formed they had to be made aware of their actions and also made to take responsibility of their actions as well. Am mazed by the effectiveness of this approach because it actual makes one come into reality of life and be able to see things in a different angle and all these he comes up with them without any education or being told what to do. This approach has enabled change, especially in the urban areas, however this is not to say that African traditional philosophy have been shelved. In essence, change as Shorter (1998) says may be radical but if seldom total. Clearly what we experience in Africa is general and specifically in Kenya is radical transformations but with con tinuities. Conclusion In many ways. I have realised that person centred philosophical roots are useful in sub- Saharan Africa because it echoes and has echoes in many cultural and religious traditions. The concepts, language, practice attitudes of person centred approach are familiar in many ways. The other important things are, i have come to appreciate the effectivessness of the core conditions which are necessary and sufficient in our cultural context. References Bozarth, J. and Temaner Brodley B. (1986). The core conditions and Theory of the person centred. Chicago; Praegers. Corey, G. (2001). Theory and Practice of counselling and Psychotherapy ( 6th Edn). Australia; Brooks/ Cole. Covey, S. R. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. London: WsBook- well. D’ardenne,P. and Mahtani,A. (1989) Transcultural Counselling in Action (2nd edt) (ed) Windy,D, Counselling in Action. London:Sage. Kirschenbaum, H. and Henderson, V. L. (1989). the Carl Rogers’s reader. London; British Library Press. Len Holdstock, T. (2000). Re-examining psychology: Critical Perspective and African Insight. London; Routledge. Markus, H. R. and Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion and Motivation psychological view. Mearns, D. and Thorne, B. (1988). Person centred Counselling in Action (2nd Edn). London; Sage Mearns, D. and Thorne, B. (2000). Person- centred therapy today. London; Sage Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client –centred Therapy: Its Current Practice, Implications and Theory. Boston; Houghton Mifflin. Rogers, C. R. (1967). The condition of change from a client view point. Cited in Buenson and R. Carkhuff (Ed) Sources of gain in counselling and psychotherapy. Newyork; Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Rogers,C. R. 1959). A theory of Therapy, Personality and Interpersonal Relationship as Developed in the client Centred Framework. In S. Koch (Ed) Psychology: A study of science. Newyork; McGraw-Hill Rogers. (1961). On becoming A Person. Boston; Houghton Mifflin. Rowan, J. (1983). The Reality Game: A Gide to Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy (2nd Edn). London; Routledge and Kegan Paul plc. Thorne, B . (1991). Person- Centred Counselling: therapeutic and Spiritual dimensions. London; Whurr. Thorne, B. (2000). Carl Rogers. London; Sage. Thorne, B. and Lambers, E. (1998). Person centred therapy. London; Sage Van Kalmthout, M. (1995). The Religious Dimensions of Rogers Work. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol 12, Part 3. Rogers, C. R. (1990a). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. In H. Kirschenbaum and V. L. Henderson (eds). The Carl Rogers Readers. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press. Purton, C. (1994). The deep structure of the Core conditions: A Buddhist Perspective. Austria; Gmunden. Green, C. D. (2002). Signifant Aspects of Client- Centred Therapy. http//psychalysis. york. ca/Rogers/Therapy. html (accessed 18/02/02). Villas-Rose Bowen, M. 1984). Spirituality and Person Centerd Approach: Interconnectedness in the Universe and Psychotherapy. Mexico; Universal liberoamerican. Vanaerschot, G. (1990). The Process of Empathy: Holding and letting go. In Lietaer, G Rombauts, J. And Van Balen, R. (Eds)Clients- Centerd and Experiental Pstchotherapy in the nineties. Belgium; Leuven University Press. Owusu- Bempah, K and Howitt, D. (2000). Psychology beyond Western Perspectives. Leicester; BPS books ( The British Psychological Society). Shorter, A. (1998). African Culture: An overview. Nairobi; Paulines Publications Africa.

Curleys wife throughout Essay

In 1937, John Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men a novella about friendship during the Great Depression. The novella offers a unique and vivid insight into the lives of all social groups during the horrific collapse of the American economy. We’re given a comprehensive insight into the life of woman; a minority group in the American society. During the novella we only meet two women, Curley’s wife is one of them, a very naive young girl. In the novella, Steinbeck uses status to make us the reader feel compassionate towards Curley’s wife and the minority group of women. Curley’s wife has limited status and to some extent freedom on the ranch because she is a woman, a social minority. â€Å"Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody, I get awful lonely† Steinbeck uses Curley’s wife’s loneliness to make us the reader feel compassionate towards her as no one wants to participate in conversation with her. Candy regards her as â€Å"Jailbait† indicating she is a young female seeking to get men into trouble. Jailbait is slang for a minor who is younger than the legal age of consent for sexual activity, with the implication that an older person might find him or her sexually attractive. â€Å" I never get to talk to anyone† on the ranch there is a strong prejudice towards Curley’s wife, the men of the ranch have some very strong opinions however Candy is rather cruel about her throughout the novella and even when she is dead he verbally abuses her; â€Å"You god damn tramp, he said viciously† throughout the novella we have been aware of a bazaar tension between Curley’s wife and Candy, Candy and Curley’s wife are both regarded as a members of social minority groups. This relationship is perhaps very unequal because Candy is scared of the power Curley’s wife has. Her strength arises from her membership of being a female on the ranch, she has neither mental or physical strength but she has the ability to get Candy or any other ranch occupant lynched or sacked, which is possibly one of the reasons why he hates her. â€Å"Then-it’s all off? Candy said sulkily. † during this tragic time of Curley’s wife’s death, all Candy can think about is his and George’s agreement to buy their own ranch. â€Å"I get awful lonely† Steinbeck makes the reader develop a sympathetic feelings about Curley’s wife as no one wants to talk to her, her own husband doesn’t want to be with her and when he does conversation isn’t on his mind. Curley’s wife urges for attention and status on the ranch. Curley’s wife views herself higher than other people on the ranch, â€Å"they left all the weak ones here† Curley’s wife ironically insults herself by mistake during a dispute in Crook’s bedroom. â€Å"All the weak ones† the irony is that Curley’s wife is in essence calling herself weak. She views herself as an occupant of the ranch with high importance but in reality she is as weak if not weaker than anyone else on the ranch. Her lack of status is because she is a woman and acts in rather provocative way, whilst reading Of Mice and Men it is obvious that she carves attention. The use of the word â€Å"weak† is interesting as it means to lack the power to perform physically demanding tasks; having little physical or mental strength. This is ironic as she is an attention-seeking child. Steinbeck uses foreshadowing to make the book feel more like a piece of readable art. The effect of this in the novella is to make the book interact with emotions and thoughts; in some instances it can appear rather predictable but as enjoyable if not more than any other book. The effect on the reader is that they read on to see if their opinions and thoughts which were sparked by the effect of foreshadowing, are true. In chapter two we meet Curley’s wife for the first time, â€Å"both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in† as the reader this is our first encounter with Curely’s wife, she is presented as a source of danger, but there is a deeper meaning to this. Steinbeck uses light as hope and it enters the bunkhouse until Curley’s wife stands in the doorway and blocks light from entering the bunkhouse. Immediately Curley’s wife is presented as trouble, this scenario is an example of foreshadowing. Curley’s wife dies because of her innocence, when we first meet her in the novella she appears in a rather innocent but provocative manner. â€Å" Her hair hung in little rolled clusters like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps oh which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. † She appears to dress much older than she really is. Steinbeck allowed us to know this by â€Å"A girl was standing there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which indicates that she is quite young but dresses as an older lady which portrays to us the reader that she is really innocent and rather lost in a world she doesn’t quite understand. When we first meet her we see her as a rather flamboyant, confident young woman but towards the end of the novella her persona changes. Before Curley’s wife’s tragic death she confides in Lennie and we see her youth and innocence open up to Lennie. â€Å" He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he gonna write to me about it. † Curley’s wife opens up to Lennie about an experience she had with a man who worked in Hollywood, who promised her a career in the movies. Curley’s wife’s innocence and naivety were her own weapons of disaster. It was her innocence that sneakily leads her to her death but Steinbeck warned us about this cataclysmic event from our first introduction to Curley’s wife.

Environmental Effects on Human Health Essay

With the vast changes in the environment, human health is at an all time risk. Man has created factors over the years that can be controlled with enormous effort on each individual. Environmental risk factors from natural occurrences are not easily controlled, yet have an astounding effect on human health. Dry conditions have created perfect environment for natural wild fires throughout much of the world causing concern for increased air pollution. Radon gas is a radiation that occurs in nature and has been around since the beginning of time; it is the second leading cause of lung cancer, but can be controlled with little effort. Mold spores in the millions grow in most areas of the world affecting people’s respiratory health, skin, and eyes yet can be prevented. Environmental health risks from natural causes are mostly preventable with diligence from everyone. Wildfires are a combination of grasses, trees and possible building materials. This leaves fine particles in the air that can travel for several miles causing health concerns in areas surrounding the fires. Air pollution caused by wildfires not only hurts your eyes but also can irritate the respiratory system causing people suffering from asthma and chronic lung disease to feel the effects. Chronic heart disease is also affected by the harmful air quality. (Center for Disease Control, 2011) Always check the local air quality index to determine if you are safe outdoors; otherwise, remain indoors with the windows and doors closed and the air conditioning running to keep contaminated outdoor air form coming indoors. Take caution to remove yourself from situations that may be unsafe or harmful to your health. Radon gas is a naturally occurring background radiation that has been around since time began. It is found predominantly in soil, but occurs everywhere. Radon gas is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that can seep into our homes through the ground causing serious health problems. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The amount of radon in your house and the amount of time you spend there, determine the risks of getting lung cancer from the gas. Smokers face a much larger risk of getting lung cancer from radon gas than non-smokers. There is a big push by governments across the globe to reduce the risks of lung cancer from radon. There are many myths surrounding radon that the government is working to dispel. Of those myths scientists agree that radon causes thousands of preventable deaths each year from lung cancer, radon testing is easy and can be done by yourself or by a qualified testing company, all homes are affected and homes with dangerously high levels can be easily fixed by professional radon gas mitigators, and every house tests differently. (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2009) Molds are fungi that grow most everywhere and effect people in all health categories. People with respiratory conditions such as asthma, allergies, and sinusitis have the greatest risks of affected. Individuals with a weakened immune system, children and elderly are at risk of being effective as well. Symptoms that may occur are nasal stuffiness, wheezing, eye irritation, and skin irritations. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010) Mold can be found anywhere but prefer places that are warm and moist. A cleaning solution of one cup bleach to one gallon of water may be used to kill existing mold. Keep areas that are prone to moisture clean and ventilated to reduce potential mold hazards. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2006) In summary, human health concerns are at an all time with the vast environmental changes that have occurred. Air quality affected by naturally occurring wildfires has a large impact on people for miles surrounding the fires. Lung cancer caused by naturally occurring radon gases is being addressed by governments across the globe in an attempt to reduce outbreaks. People everywhere are fighting the harmful effects of mold and learning ways to control the infestations. Maintaining good health in a world riddled with natural and manmade environmental concerns requires knowledge, understanding, and effort on every individual.

International services marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International services marketing - Essay Example Marketing services is different from marketing goods. As opposed to good, services are produced and consumed at the same time. This is because services have different characteristics from those associated with goods. Such characteristics include intangibility, inseparability, variability, and their lack of perishability. Therefore, the services are measured in terms of quality. Another difference between goods and services is the inseparability of services. This is because the services production cannot be alienated from the consumption process (Ahmadzadeh, et al., 2012). Services also tend to vary in aspects such as quality. These characteristics make marketing of services different from that of products. Therefore, success in marketing of services depends on relationship building. Service-based business rely on building trust, deliverability, the wants and needs, and the ability to convince customers that you are capable of driveling a service in time. However, marketing products i s different and mainly depends on factors such as price of the product and the quality of the product (Rao 2011). The marketing and trading of services across nations has been growing rapidly over the recent past. Export of services plays a critical role in trade balance, expansion of employment opportunities, and enhancing economic growth. However, the service economy is affected by factors such as export service capacity, limitation of resources required in service delivery. Such resource may include the human as well as financial capacity. Other factors affecting the service economy include behavioral and operative barriers. Moreover, language barrier affects intercultural service delivery due to poor interpretation of information (Fisk 1999). Export of services raises several issues. These issues include the privacy of the service consumers, the national security of the countries to which the services

AppLIED 3000 word Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

AppLIED 3000 word - Essay Example The report also includes a proposed budget for the year 2010-11 which will help to give an idea about the decisions taken by the management to improve the situation. Hard cash or liquid cash is required by any business organization to survive or to run successfully. Normally, most of the companies keep a lump sum amount of cash at their disposal for the daily expenses of the business. It ensures the smooth running of daily business operations. But, the financials of Cyclermate Ltd gives a shocking picture. There is only 675 pounds of hard cash left in the bank. With such a meager amount as its savings the company cannot even run a single day’s operation. The company is on the verge of close down. Mismanaged budget, uncontrolled cost and lack of proper supervision have lead to such a dismal situation. It is clear from the income statements of the last five years that selling price and total sales of the articles have gone down while total costs have shown a steady rise. The financial ratios also bring out the same poor condition of the company. The company’s Acid Ratio which is the relationship between the current assets (stocks not included) and current liabilities is 0.76:1. The Acid Ratio of 0.76:1 shows that the company will not be able to any financial problems nor needs that may rise in the near future (Netmba, 2010). The relationship between revenues and total assets is known as Asset Turnover Ratio. This company has an Asset Turnover Ratio of 2.06:1. The main reason for this ratio to be so high is the poor profit margin. There is also a possibility that the company is following a faulty a pricing strategy for its products. From the income statement of the past five years the return on capital employed is calculated as low as 0.11. The company is getting only a return of 11% on the capital it is employing which is not at all satisfactory. The debtors to the company generally

Santeria Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Santeria - Research Paper Example Perhaps, but it depends on the criteria one uses to measure success. For example, there are not many members of Santeria and it is also quite a geographically and racially limited faith (de la Torre, 12). It probably would not appeal to a broad segment of the world’s population. The practitioners of this faith have also not made much of an impact on contemporary life. But before discussing this issue further, some history about Santeria is important. The Santeria developed largely out of a mix of African tribal religions and new world spirituality that meshed together in the plantations of the Caribbean. During the 16th and 17th century many Africans were kidnapped from their homes on the East Coast of Africa and forcibly transferred to the Caribbean to work on sugarcane plantations as slaves (Eltis, 156-7). Their journey in the Middle Passage was a truly cruel and terrifying one. Although the place they were going to was very religious—mostly Catholic—the people there had no real respect for the Africans’ traditional religions. Many new arrivals to the New World found their religion had been criminalized and that they had to be baptized into a new faith (Eltis, 78). They had the vestiges of their old life stripped from them as they were nothing more than rags. Over time, the old religion and the new religions became one and Santeria was born. Santeria has special gods and special priests and interesting ceremonies that sometimes feature animal sacrifices. Music plays a very important role in the rituals (de la Torre, 121). In these respects it is similar to many of its constituent religions, including Catholicism. All of these reasons establish that Santeria is a fascinating religion; this essay will examine some further points that strengthen this assertion. To many, Santeria is looked at with some suspicion as there have been some unfortunate news stories about it in recent years (McQuiston). People sometimes have the ideas

Comparing self esteem and depression in nursing students Essay

Comparing self esteem and depression in nursing students - Essay Example For instance, in reference to sadness, the number of students who felt sad was six. Out of the other students, the ethnic groups that reportedly felt sad in most instances are the Hispanic, Haitian, as well as the Philipino. It should be noted that in this study, the scores that represent the various variables under study are either one or zero. A notable result from the study is the fact that all of the participating students admittedly cried more often than they used to. This could be related to the levels of depression in the course of pursuing their education. However, there are other factors which could be attributed to the behavioral trait (Tomori & Rus-Makovec, 2000). Self esteem can be related to failure. Those who feel like failures are most cases having low self esteem. Consequently, in the above study, the revelation is that most of the students, actually all, never felt like failures. These levels of self appreciation can also be related to responses to such issues such as what is viewed as failure in the past. Besides, only one student responded that he never enjoyed what was previously perceived to be a source of enjoyment. Pessimism is akin to a variable that can be used to reflect on the levels of self esteem amongst the students. In this case, most of the students were upbeat about their future prospects. In fact, out of those who participated in the study, only two Latinos responded that they were not really upbeat about their futures. The insinuation is that most of the students in the faculty of nursing are really optimistic. When critically analyzed, the optimism comes from the fact that they have a high self esteem (Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996). The feeling of being worthless is an attribute that reflects low self esteem. In reference to the attribute, most of the students scored zero which insinuate that they never felt worthless. Consequently, the insinuation from the study is that the prevalence of depression amongst the students

A Rhetorical Analysis of The Video of The New iPhone 5's Keynotes Essay

A Rhetorical Analysis of The Video of The New iPhone 5's Keynotes - Essay Example I think that the keynote address on iPhone 5 by Phil Schiller attained its objective through proper use visual aids, figures of speech and the speaker’s confidence among other factors. Cooks message was related to Schiller’s which offered a perfect transition for the audience to interconnect the company progress with the new invention. The introduction of the speaker through stating his position was appropriate for the audience to realize that the information being given is first hand, tested and professional. Schiller’s keynote address is a breakdown of three parts namely; the introduction, iPhone demonstration and summary, and conclusion or fade-out. The speaker used various features of language such as rhetoric and comparative analysis to capture the attention of the audience. His prowess in public address is portrayed through the use of rhetoric language. The instances seem to be well organized by a qualified public speaker as indicated by the use of less colloquial language such as â€Å"uhs†. The introduction is dominated by the speaker’s emphasis on the uniqueness and quality of the product through the use of hyperbolic statement s such as;†...it is an absolute jewel.†(00:13:48) and† †¦simply amazing!† (0:14:55). Use of hyperbole is meant to exaggerate the quality of the product in relation to other competitors in the market. What an incredible achievement to the company following the invention (0:12:36). This portrays the magnificence of the new product in reference to its performance in the industry. During the introduction, Schiller uses interrogation, â€Å"†¦and boy, they were right!† (00:12:53), when emphasizing the popularity that the product has gained in the market. This is in reference to the news on the time magazine that indicated that the phone has changed the phones forever. A detailed presentation of the product is ensured through the use of various technological demonstrations with the

Political Views of Martin Luther King and Friedrich A.Hayek Essay

Political Views of Martin Luther King and Friedrich A.Hayek - Essay Example People needed to be actively democratic especially then, since the barriers of racial segregation were being broken down. Desegregation to him was shallow and empty, and integration was the ultimate goal. To him, â€Å"Integration is a genuine intergroup, an interpersonal doing† (King, 118). Therefore, desegregation is a means towards integration. Integration to him was everyone’s right by the nature of him being human. According to Martin, life demanded freedom. Denial of freedom was denial of life itself. This is first the capacity to weigh and deliberate alternatives, make one’s own decisions and be responsible for one’s own action. He argued that a person’s nature of life is altered when he is denied his freedom, because freedom is a basis for a person’s life (King, 121). Martin Luther King Jr. said Americans should realize that the burden placed upon Negro citizens was the inability to vote. According to him, the right to vote was a powe rful tool for change. He suggested that there should be a law allowing all people to vote and that literacy tests should be abolished especially in areas where education was inferior and in a poor state. Purpose, which was the only way to acquire change politically, socially and economically, could only be attained by understanding power properly. He suggested that the solution to fight poverty was to eliminate it directly through guaranteed earnings. This, according to him, can be done through the creation of full time employment and incomes. Additionally, people must be made consumers in one way or another. The belief here is that when poverty is eliminated, other problems like housing will also be eliminated. Friedrich August Von Hayek is also a Nobel Memorial Prize winner, and a renowned... This essay describes main political beliefs of Martin Luther King and Friedrich A. Hayek, whose ideas greatly influenced liberal arts development. Martin Luther King Jr. thought, that Americans should realize that the burden placed upon Negro citizens was the inability to vote. The right to vote was a powerful tool for change. He suggested that there should be a law allowing all people to vote. He suggested that the solution to fight poverty was to eliminate it directly through guaranteed earnings. This, according to him, can be done through the creation of full time employment and incomes. The belief here is that when poverty is eliminated, other problems like housing will also be eliminated. According to Martin, life demanded freedom. Denial of freedom was denial of life itself. This is first the capacity to weigh and deliberate alternatives, make one’s own decisions and be responsible for one’s own action. Friedrich A. Hayek believed, that a free society calls for general rules that predict and constrain coercive powers of individuals and the government. Individuals are also empowered to develop and follow their own life plans.Friedrich examines contemporary policies such as taxation, healthcare, social security, housing, natural resources, urban planning and education in the same light of principles developed in his earlier studies. Friedrich opposes policies that aim at wealth redistribution or social justice, and is very willing for the government to provide an immense range of social services.

Business and social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business and social Responsibility - Essay Example Since, they have to face the end users, their stake is quite critical. Each stakeholder of the company is as important as the other. The management is responsible for the overall strategy and production enhancement of the company. They are also responsible to take care of their workers and their channel partners. At the same time they have a social responsibility to the area where they are operating. Their decision is crucial for the future of the rest of the stakeholders and dependants. They need cooperation from the workers as well as the distributors and stockists, which will help them to increase their productivity and sales. It is up to them how they wish to run the company and what issues and objections they need to overcome. The issues could be varied and may not have direct relation to the company’s primary objective, which is turnover and profitability. Similarly the workers have a huge role to play in the organization, since they are the only source of manpower in the area. It is a coexistent for both the groups. Each of the group is dependant on the other for their existence. They are responsible for the efficient productivity at the plant and their decision is important for the company to survive and grow. But they also need to be aware of their well being and the effect it will have in Teesside. Also, their cooperation and understanding of the company’s requirements is essential, so as to come to a consensus with the management. The same applies for the distributors, who must ensure the availability of the company’s product at their sales point. They are the direct contact point for the company to the end user and they are to ensure a positive image to the customers. Hence, any negative vibe or feelings of the customer needs to communicated to the company. If one considers the ethical issues surrounding Chemdex Chemicals, then we need to understand the difference between ethical and unethical business practice.

How to win the cold war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to win the cold war - Essay Example If there was any doubt in the hearts and minds of the American people as to rather or not they were able to face the struggles ahead those fears were squashed under the triumph of Johnson’s words. Johnson presented what he felt was key to the success of the U.S. in the cold war. He wanted the nation to get back to work and called for the production industries to beef up their rate of production. Johnson felt that the nation needed to be prepared. The preparations that they were to make would serve to ensure that not only America stayed supplied, but any allies. Johnson wanted the nation to be ready to help any allies who happened to run low due to the costs of the war be supplied with the materials they would need to fight the war and win. He said, â€Å"America’s production machine must grow-and grow rapidly† Clearly there was not doubt in Johnson’s mind that American would be successful. President Johnson also had special desires for Texas and the American West. He had confidence in all of the country but he felt that these areas should be delegated special responsibility. Johnson felt that it was in the west that the expansion should take place. He said that it is in the west that America found its strength and that this area, although having become America’s backbone in a sense, has not been fully utilized. There was a great bounty of resources in the west, according to Johnson, that could be used to help America and her allies sustain themselves during the heat of a war. Therefore Johnson encouraged the western Americans to take courage and be prepared to work hard and give of their natural resourced to come to the aid off their country who would need them in the midst of the war. Therefore much of the responsibility of increasing production fell on companies in the west. Some of these surely were glad for the increased business. Johnson was ready to lead the country into a bold victory. He was not going

Skills of Tourism graduates Essay Example for Free

Skills of Tourism graduates Essay The primary objective of this study is to determine the employability skills of Tourism graduates from the year 2005 to 2009 of University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Molino such as Communication Skills, Human Relation Skills, Technical Skills, Management Skills, Research Skills and Leadership Skills. The study is anchored in the theory of Gazier as cited by Weinert who stated that employability is supply and demand. The Descriptive research design was utilized to analyze and delineate the current work abilities of the BST graduates. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine if significant difference exist in the employability skills of Tourism graduates in relation to their year of graduation. The study revealed that there were significant differences in the employability skills of the Tourism graduates when they are grouped according to year graduated. The differences among the batches can be accounted from the variable factors and circumstances during the period of their study. Hence, from the results, the institution can improve the quality of teaching by bringing students outside the classroom setting, hiring faculty who are equipped with background and experience in the tourism industry and related jobs, and the University should extend utmost effort to provide facilities of the tourism college Introduction The University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) – Molino Campus, College of International and Hospitality Management is committed to providing quality education by offering a wide range of theoretical, practical knowledge and skills through various aspects of hospitality management which is necessary to every student in becoming competent individuals of society. The college offers study programs such as Bachelor of Science major in Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM), Associate in Hotel and Restaurant Management (ASHRM) and Bachelor of Science in Tourism (BST). The Bachelor of Science in Tourism is a discipline that provides a wide array of experiences that leads to the understanding of history, customs, traditions, values and culture of different places both here and abroad. Further, the BS Tourism program includes a course on Tour guiding, Foreign language, Tourist destination marketing, Thesis writing, Tourism Planning and Development, Personal Development and Public Relation, Cruise management, Travel Agency Management and Operation, Principles of Tourism with Tourism Laws, Philippine Tourism: Geography and Culture, World Tourism: Geography and Culture, Principles of Management, Front Office Management, and Convention and Recreation Management. These are the courses being taught to the students to gain the employability skills of tou rism such as the Communication skill, Human relation skill, Tour guiding skill, Management Skill, Research Skill and Leadership skill. Student capabilities as used in this study refer to abilities learned in the four corners of the classroom preparing graduates for employment as they step out of the portals of their alma mater. Such skills result in better employability of graduates. According to Hind and Moss (2011), employability is a person’s capability to gain and maintain employment. Further, it depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities possessed by the latter. Employability of graduates therefore depends on the trainings they attended from first year to their graduation. According to Walker (2006), tourism as career is a dynamic, evolving and consumer – driven force it is also the world’s largest industry or collection of industries. When all its interrelated components are placed under one umbrella: tourism, travel, lodging, conventions, expositions, meetings, events; restaurants, managed services: assembly, destination and event management, and recreation. Walker also said that tourism plays a foundational role in framing the various services that hospitality companies perform. In the past five years, the UPHSD – Molino has produced number of graduates that have eventually joined tourism industry works in the tourism industry. Their work is crucial in creating appreciation of the beauty of the world; therefore, these graduates need certain skills and knowledge in order to be considered assets to tourism establishments and maintain employability. The study provides documentary analysis about the employability skills of Bachelor of Science in Tourism graduates batch 2005 – 2009 of UPHSD- Molino Campus to meet the demands of the industry of the new century. Further, responses from graduates concerning various issues related to teaching and learning were also considered. Such information is essential to assist the University in planning and determining factors linked to student learning, curriculum design, and improvement of services provided by UPHSD. Therefore the researchers opted to conduct a study about the employability skills of Bachelor of Science in Tourism graduates batch 2005 – 2009 of UPHSD- Molino Campus. Specifically it aims to determine the capabilities, knowledge, and skills possessed by graduates in finding and maintaining work. The study is anchored in the theory of Gazier as cited by Weinert (2001). According to Gazier, employability attempts to influence the â€Å"supply† side of the labo r market, that is, the workers and their productive capacities and performance, while the â€Å"demand† side is made up of the companies’ requirement. This theory of Gazier as cited by Weinert (2001) guided the researchers in the research because it gives an idea that employability is supply and demand where in the University produces supply to the Tourism industry yet the â€Å"product†; graduates should meet the demand of the Tourism industry. The researchers believe that to be able to market the graduates, the supply must possess communication skills, human relation, tour guiding skills, management skills, research skills and leadership skills. These skills are crucial to meet the demand of the industry to further promote employability. IMPROVEMENT EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS Figure 1. Conceptual Framework Figure 1 shows that employability is dependent variable from graduates’ skills and the improvement of the university in terms of Curriculum design, services offered by the University and hiring faculty. In relation to the study, the graduates should focus on enhancing both students’ skills and their facilities to have a high employment opportunity. To determine the target respondents for the study, the researchers used the list of graduates. The researchers analyzed the aforesaid skills using Mean, Percentage, ANOVA and Frequency Distribution to determine if significant differences exist in the employability skills of Tourism graduates in relation to their civil status, gender, and year of graduation. The study focused on the BS Tourism Graduates of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA- Molino Campus from year 2005-2009. The respondents were only 25 graduates of tourism from 2005-2009 1. Descriptive Research 2. Researcher –made Questionnaire 3. Statistical Treatment * Frequency * Percentage * Mean * ANOVA Improvements of: -Curriculum Design -Services offered by the University -Hiring Faculty 1. Profile of the Respondents * Civil Status * Gender * Year Graduated * Employment Status * Employed * Unemployed * Nature of Work * Airline * Travel Agency * Cruise ship * Front Office (Hotel) * Hospitality Related Jobs ( Tourism Officer, Casino, Event Organizing) * Others 2. Skills * Communication Skills * Human Relation Skills * Technical Skills * Management Skills * Research Skills * Leadership Skills INPUTProcess OUTPUT Figure 2 Operational Framework Figure 2 above shows that the study will use the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of civil status, gender, nature of work, year of graduation, employment status, and employability skills of the graduate of BST from 2005 – 2009. Such data will be the inputs for the study. A questionnaire developed by the researchers will be used as research instrument. Statistical treatment in the form of frequency distribution, percentage, mean, and ANOVA will be applied to process and interpret the collected data. The inputs and process described above will assist the University in planning and determining factors linked to students learning, curriculum design, and improvement of services provided by UPHSD. This study aims to determine the employability skills of Bachelor of Science in Tourism graduates batch 2005 – 2009 of UPHSD- Molino Campus. METHODS The study covered the Graduates of BS-Tourism Students of batch 2005 – 2009 from University of Perpetual Help System – DALTA Molino Campus as respondents of study which is compose of 25 students. To collect/gather the names of the graduates as well as their contact numbers and addresses to get the total population needed for the study, the researchers sought permission from the office of Student Personnel Service. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondent. The researchers used a descriptive quantitative design for this research After the researchers gathered the list needed for the research, they distributed and administered the questionnaires to the respondents through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and email and researchers also reached them with their contact numbers. Further, the researchers also conducted field work (i.e., home visits) to reach the graduate and completed the data gathering for the period of 5 months. Data we re tabulated after the retrieval and brought to a statistician for statistical treatment, after which the researchers interpreted the result to give recommendation. There are more female graduates of tourism. The dominance of female students in the Tourism programme in this study is in line with a previous study on study motivations in Korea, Taiwan, and China (Kim, et al., 2007), indicating the popularity of hospitality and tourism Management among female students in Asian countries. 1.2 Civil Status; Almost all of the respondents are still single, which implies that if not for personal reasons, the quality and the demand of their current job kept them unmarried. In a book entitled â€Å"Introduction to Hospitality Operations† by Walker 2009, the WTO (World Tourism Association) has declared that tourism industry work is very demanding; it is a 24hour-a day, 7-day-week, 52-week-a-year economic driver. 1.3 Year Graduated Most of the respondents are graduates of Batch 2008-2009. Respondents that graduated earlier from the UPHSD-Molino are less accessible than those who graduated recently, which can be attributed to the demands or location of their jobs as those who have graduated earlier tend be more established in their jobs. 1.4 Employment Status? Most of the respondents are already employed. This indicates the high employability of the graduates of UPHSD-Molino. The program BS Tourism offered by the UPHSD- Molino provides many opportunities for graduates to work in various professions in different sectors such as restaurants, resorts, air and cruise lines, theme parks, and casinos. 1.5 Nature of Work It can be gleaned from the table 1.5 that 88% are employed in work aligned with their course. This indicates that he graduates are generally qualified to jobs aligned or closely aligned with their course, while the 8% are employed to other industry such as in business sector. The remaining 4% is a respondent who resigned from her work, which was inclined to tourism industry, and now focusing on her family. As stated above, the tourism program provides many opportunities for employment, which includes land, air and sea-based work. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS College of International and Hospitality Management is committed to providing quality education by offering a wide range of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills through various aspects of hospitality management which is necessary to every student in becoming competent individuals of society. The above discussion has evaluated the skills of tourism students who graduated from the UPHSD -Molino, particularly, their technical, managerial, research, leadership, human relation, and communication skills. The null hypothesis, in which the researchers assumed no significant difference in the employability skills of the respondents, was rejected. The graduates of each batch rated themselves differently on various skills because of the different situations and factors that affected them during their study. According to the summary of data on different employability skills of tourism graduates, the researchers found significant differences in the employability skills of the respondents. In their analysis, the researchers gleaned that Tourism graduates have strong potential for employment as they have acquired the necessary tourism skills. Along with the Tourism skills, the institution can improve the quality of teaching by bringing students outside the classroom setting such as seminars, hotel and airline familiarizations, tour guiding competition and other tourism-related activities for them to fully experience and understand their field. Because the researchers believe that learning never stops in the four walls of the classroom itself instead they need to be exposed. Hiring faculty who are equipped with background and experience in the tourism industry and related jobs, such as those employed in tourism bureaus in government or tourism-related businesses, and those who have experience in organizing events/programs and activities. Certificates of accreditation from the DOT and other organizations such as TESDA on tour guiding, travel management, and so on would help instructors in molding and developing students as better tourism industry professionals with high employability. Faculty with tourism industry experience can share more of their familiarity with the industry that is not purely textbook-dependent. In terms of technical skills, revealed as a weakness among the graduates, the University should extend utmost effort to provide facilities of the tourism college such as ticketing office with systems of Fidelio, Abacus, and Amadeus. Offer different language course in every year for them to be globally competitive. REFERENCES Claire Rees, Peter Forbes and Bianca Kubler Student Employability Profiles: A Guide for Higher Education Practitioners Communication Skills http://www.communicationskills.com.in/definition-of-communication- skills.htm Final pre – proof draft of Harvey, L., 2001, â€Å"Defining and Measuring Employability†, Quality in Higher Education 7 (2), pp. 97 – 110 Lamberton and Minor (2010)http://wiki.answer.com/Q/whatishumanrelations Lomax, R.G. (2007) Statistical Concepts: A Second Course ISBN Management Skills www. buzzle.com/articles/management-skill Planet Philippines by Pepper Marcelo (March 30, 2011)After College, Now What? Planet Philippines Leandro Milan (January 23, 2010) Migration: Oversupply of Unemployable Graduates The Higher Education Academy Graduate Impact, Student Employability and Academic Integrity University of Glasgow: Employer’s Perception of the Employability Skills of New Graduates www. kent.ac.uk/careers/docs/graduate-employability-skills%202011.pdf Weinert, P., Baukens, M., et. Al (2001) Employability: From Theory and Practice, Transaction

Transhumanism: Biotechnology and its Role in the Singularity

Transhumanism: Biotechnology and its Role in the Singularity BY SHAYMA ABUKAR ABSTRACT   Ã‚   Due to rapid advances in technology, our world is slowly progressing to the point where we may surpass human limitations. This report will aim to focus on the developments of biotechnology and its importance in the achieving this post-human state, as well as its role in reaching a hypothetical singularity. It will also follow the goals of transhumanism and the ethics related to genetic engineering. It is clear that if we are to achieve transhumanist goals, through the aid of, not just AI, but also biotechnology, life as we know will be vastly different. All research conducted for this report is secondary and data was retrieved from journals, scientific magazines and online articles[DS1]. INTRODUCTION What is transhumanism? With life becoming more and more efficient through emerging technologies, humanity is struggling to keep up with our rate of progression. Transhumanists belong to a group that believe we will one day enhance ourselves to the point of being post-human. Transhumanism can be defined as the belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology. (Oxford Dictionary 2016). Its a movement that believes that, through genetic engineering, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, etc., humanity will progress to a point of surpassing human limitations such as death, disease and other biological frailties (McNamee and Edwards 2006). The three main goals of transhumanism are achieving super-longevity, super-intelligence, and super-wellbeing. These goals can be achieved through our rapid technological advancements. Super-longevity is becoming more and more likely with our ever advancing medicine and drug development. Through genetic engineering and genome editing, scientists are now able to cure what were once incurable diseases[DS2]. Transhumanists generally fall into two categories: strong and weak. Weak transhumanists believe that technology should be used to simply enhance humanity, whether that be intelligence, appearance, life span, etc. (Strong Transhumanism | Ethical Issues In Health Care 2014). Strong transhumanists on the other hand have the radical belief that technology should be used to develop humans to another species all together. The ideas advocated by weak transhumanists are already accepted by many in todays world, and the development of drugs and nanotechnology to help solve medical issues is already seen as ethical by a majority. Strong transhumanist goals to develop a new species entirely, on the other hand, is met with accusations that its unethical and unlikely to happen. SINGULARITY Transhumanists generally discuss the concept of the singularity, which can be defined in various ways. In the mathematical world, a singularity is the point at which a function takes an infinite value. However, in regards to technological advancement, the singularity is most commonly defined as a hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change (The Best Definition Of Singularity 2016 ). The concept of the singularity is seen as either thrilling or daunting. Whilst techno-optimists believe it is sure to happen in the near future, those skeptical of the singularity and transhumanism believe that it is either impossible, or sure to do more harm than good. In an article on The AI revolution (Urban, T 2015), Tim Urban discusses the concept of DPU (Die Progress Unit). He introduces it as a measure of how far into the future an individual would have to travel before they die of shock due to the vastly developed and technologically advanced environments (relative to their time). Bringing a man from 1750 to 2016 would expose him to technology far beyond comprehensible to someone of his time, thus shocking him to the point of death. His DPU, therefore, is achieved in merely a few hundred years. However, in order for a DPU to be achieved in 1750, the person would have to travel a lot further back, to 12,000 BC. The man from 12,000 BC would then die of shock after experiencing civilisation and the more complex architecture of 1750[DS3]. As Kevin Kelly from Wired magazine stated, all change in the last million years will be superseded by the change in the next 5 minutes. The article suggests that the rate of our advancements are staggering, and as much as AI plays an important role in reaching the singularity, genetic engineering methods and biotechnology have begun to make just as large an impact. Scientists are growing increasingly worried that genome editing is moving too fast for humanity to catch up. Biotechnology plays a key role in achieving this hypothetical event that is so often discussed amongst transhumanists, and development of this technology will allow humans to alter their genome with precision and ease. The more advanced this technology becomes, the easier it will be to effectively surpass human limitations and for life to be transformed beyond recognition. In order for this to be widely accepted, it will need to be used for medical purposes only. GENE EDITING   Ã‚   One of the ways biotechnology is advancing our bodies and developing medical methods is through gene editing or genome editing. Gene editing can be described as the process of inserting, deleting or replacing areas of DNA within an organisms genome. This is done using molecular enzymes that act as molecular scissors (Editing Our DNA With Molecular Scissors | Understanding Genetics). This technology has incredible medical applications and may be used, in the future, to cure a vast number of diseases. Other applications of biotechnology include gene therapy and genetic screening, which both help solve medical issues. DNA is a cells genetic material and consists of a sugar phosphate backbone and nitrogenous bases, and it forms a double helix structure[DS4]. These nitrogenous bases make up nucleotides which carry the genetic data (Whats A Genome?). These nucleotides make up what is known as the genome. An organisms genome contains all of its genetic data thus containing all the information needed to build and maintain that organism. By finding methods and techniques to edit and change parts of our genome, we can effectively cure genetic diseases and medical problems. In 2003, a collaborative group of international scientists completed what is known as the Human Genome Project (What Is A Genome?). Coordinated by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy, the project sought to sequence an entire human genome. By achieving this, it paved the way for new genetic technologies and techniques to be developed[DS5]. Scientists have previously struggled to find a method of genome editing that is safe for human use, however, the development of CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) has proven that it is now possible to genetically engineer our genome without damaging our DNA (Zhang, S 2015[DS6]). CRISPR is a component of a bacterias immune system that recognises and remembers threatening areas of viruses (known as phages) in order to equip itself to defend against them is they were to attack again. It also involves an enzyme called Cas which then precisely cuts the viruss DNA and prevents it from dividing. This intelligent mechanism now allows scientists to accurately and precisely edit and cut out parts of DNA. The specific enzyme used is known as Cas9, and whilst its responsible for snipping parts of the DNA, it works to edit the genome with CRISPR, which is a collection of DNA sequences telling Cas9 where to cut. CRISPR is already being used as a possible treatment for eye diseases in animals and lung cancer in their first human trials (Le Page, M 2016). Scientists are using the technique to remove immune cells from the body, edit their DNA to make the better at killing cancer cells, then put them back. The rate at which gene editing is progressing is far beyond the expectations of many, and will continue to be developed at a staggering rate. As this progresses, the concept of the singularity begins to be more of a reality. Although CRISPRs merits currently lie within its medical applications, scientists are already figuring out ways to use it to understand the human genome and molecular biology as a whole. Another form of genome editing is TALEN (transcription activator-like effector proteins). These proteins, like CRISPR, also come from bacteria and use its adaptive immunity to edit areas of the genome. The first medical application of TALEN was on an 11-month old girl who suffered acute lymphoblastic leukemia which is a form of cancer of white blood cells. The mechanism was used to extract T cells, genetically alter them, then insert them back into the body so they can better fight against the cancerous cells (TALEN-Based Genome Editing | Thermo Fisher Scientific). ETHICAL, FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS Opinions on transhumanism and the use of biotechnology differ between varying groups of people. Some of the concerns regarding transhumanism and its goal of super-longevity is due to the possibility of over population. Whilst many believe that the medical applications of biotechnology and genetic engineering do well to extend our life spans and prevent us succumbing to diseases, there are some who fear that our world would not be able to withstand increasingly large populations of people. It would have social and financial implications. It is seen as unethical once the technology is no longer used solely for medical purposes, but to extend our life span in the absence of disease. Religious groups of people also believe that transhumanism interferes too much with human nature and what God has created. If we were to use our technology to become a new species entirely, as strong transhumanists believe will happen, then it would mean religious beliefs would be compromised, therefore many are against the ideology (Messerly, J 2015). CONCLUSION The faster we develop biotechnology, the more efficient our methods of curing diseases become and therefore, we are able to use genetic engineering methods to achieve a longer life span. As well as achieving super-longevity, biotechnology can also aid us in developing ourselves to the point of becoming post-human, which may then lead to the singularity. Whilst these techniques and developments have positive medical applications, the rate at which we are progressing is so fast, that its difficult to predict the turnout of our actions and advancements. It may lead to unethical consequences and results that favour strong transhumanists, as opposed to weak transhumanists. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Amelia and Nuffield for arranging this placement, and thank you to Dekkel and Andre for supporting and guiding us along the way, and providing up with useful resources. REFERENCES Editing Our DNA With Molecular Scissors | Understanding Genetics. Genetics.thetech.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Messerly, John. Transhumanism And Religion. Ieet.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Strong Transhumanism | Ethical Issues In Health Care. Scholarblogs.emory.edu. N.p., 2014. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. TALEN-Based Genome Editing | Thermo Fisher Scientific. Thermofisher.com. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. The Best Definition Of Singularity. Singularitysymposium.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Urban, Tim. The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 1 Wait But Why. Wait But Why. N.p., 2015. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. What Is A Genome?. Genetics Home Reference. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Whats A Genome?. Genomenewsnetwork.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Zhang, Sarah. Gizmodo.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Le Page, Michael. New Scientist N.p., 2016. Mag. 1 Sep.t 2016. The new genetic lottery. New scientist N.p., 2016. Mag. 1 Sept. 2016. Does Evolution Lead To Singularity?. Singularity Weblog. N.p., 2015. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. Gene Editing. Horizondiscovery.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. [DS1]Good. [DS2]Good points, but need to be support with a reference. [DS3]Good. [DS4]Source needed [DS5]This paragraph is riddled with great points, but referencing sources will give it much more credibility [DS6]Good.

Effect of Violent Video Games on Teenager Behaviour

Effect of Violent Video Games on Teenager Behaviour Maria Alejandra Urroz Gaità ¡n Topic: What Effect Does Playing Violent Video Games Has on Teen’s Behavior Introduction: â€Å"No other sector has experienced the same explosive growth as the computer and video game industry. Our creative publishers and talented workforce continue to accelerate advancement and pioneer new products that push boundaries and unlock entertainment experiences. These innovations in turn drive enhanced player connectivity, fuel demand for products, and encourage the progression of an expanding and diversified consumer base.†[1] (Gallagher, Michael D.; President and CEO, Entertainment Software association) One of the major problems society is facing today is the addiction kids are developing towards electronic devices such as television, computer and video games. Parents complain about their kids getting distracted with those machines, start thinking it’s only their son or daughter, and later realize it’s something that most people at school does. Some see it as normal and now it’s common. Violent video games can lead to, from small changes in behavior to in the worst of all cases, killing someone. How are teenagers reacting to playing video games, and does it affect their behavior even if there’s not an addiction developed. Violent video games can’t be that bad, right? Video games have also proven to have health benefits, and psychological benefits. But what are video games? According to the Oxford Dictionary they are: â€Å"(N.) a game played by electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a monitor or other display†[2 ]. The engaging aspect of video games is that they allow the player to become whatever he wants to be. The player is able to become their fantasy, and to experience a life he doesn’t have. The video games allow the player become what they are not, this also makes them feel powerful. People are able to express who they truly are; meaning they are free to do anything they please, even if it’s not considered correct. â€Å"Hard fun is, of course, the idea that we take pleasure in accomplishing something difficult: the joy in meeting and mastering a challenge. As a result, when someone is doing something that is hard fun, moment by moment it looks more like work than fun, but the net effect is pleasurable overall.†[3](Williamson Shaffer, David). The harder the video game is the more interesting it turns out to be for the public, the greater demand it has. People like what challenges them, what makes them think outside their comfort zone and look for brighter ideas that they portray through their reactions and solutions to the situations they face. Are there reasons to start playing video games? Teenagers are the ones who tend to play video games in extended periods of time due to their feeling of lacking control of situations in their lives, so they use video games as a way of controlling what will happen. This essay focuses on violent video games, because those are most teen’s preferences. Playing violent video games have shown to have more and faster influence on its players than educative video games have; they have turned out to be more engaging. The former have shown to have both, good and bad, effects; external situations are what define as to whether teens reflect either effect. The violence in video games can be categorized in different aspects, as to whether the characters are representing people or are fantasy characters, violent video games also have different context in the plot of the video games. There are violent video games which present a justified type of violence, or if it’s killing just for pl easure. What is the story based in how does it begins and ends; some video games have no context of that at all and merely show a story, only reckless killings. Through the essay external factors which affect the reaction teens have to those games. How Video Games Begin: Teens are generally introduced to the violent video games by their friends; they consider it the cool thing, since the media has promoted the game as such. Then they constantly play when they are bored, or with friends. Generally they tend to choose to play violent video games because they are a way for a teen to have control over something, which is what teens are mostly looking forward. They are also looking for a distraction, or an activity so that they can have fun. They start playing violent video games, not because they are looking forward to becoming serial killers, but because they are appealing a way by which they feel they can release their anger without actually being violent; because they can be stressed because of different reasons such as school, or a discussion with their parents and getting to do something where they are the ones that control the actions, relaxes them. Addiction: Teens begin playing video games as hobbies, which then become habits and in no time they become addiction. What differentiates hobbies with habits is that hobbies might be performed eventually but habits are constant making them harder to change. Habits are behavioral patterns developed by repeating the action constantly, so that eventually the brain does it automatically. Habits can be controlled or modified, they tend to become addictions when the person begins feeling the necessity of performing the action but addiction requires professional help and motivation for a change. Playing video games has become an addiction in many cases. ‘Addiction’ comes from the action of being addicted to something; which is being physically and mentally dependent on a substance or behavior. Addictions affect interactions within the structures of the brain, such as the anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and accumbens[4], such that a person’s motivation switches to those addictive behaviors; it also affects interactions and neurotransmissions between the cortical and hippocampal circuits which are the sides of the brain in which the rewards are stored, and the person begins to constantly perform actions that were normally a reward[5]. In this case video games are played for many hours on a daily bases, instead of being played for fun becomes the main activity in the person’s routine. The addiction causes, behavioral, cognitive and emotional changes. Behavioral changes are the first symptom to be noticeable to others, such as excessive engagement in video games, and narrowing the actions of the day to end up playing. Cognitive changes become obvious to others when the person begins having difficulties because of the addiction, but continues blaming his problems to the addiction. Emotional changes are those such as an increase in anxiety, and increased sensitivity to stress. A person will present certain symptoms when an addiction is being developed such as: preoccupation, time loss, lack of control, making excuses, and defensiveness. The teen starts to show preoccupation as they do daily activities, and he doesn’t enjoy the activities he is doing, he is worried about continuing playing, or thinking about new strategies to use in his game; the teen stops enjoying outdoor, family or any other type of activities, only worrying about his virtual life. Time loss happens when the person has other activities to do but chooses as a priority to continue playing video games, that also shows lack of control and lack of organization; it might be normal for it to happen once or every once in a while but when it happens repeatedly it’s a sign of an addiction. The individual also makes excuses for postponing more important activities, choosing to play video games instead. Making excuses such as those shows the full engagement the teen has with the games and the lack of interest he has with reality; so the teen is becoming less capable of managing his own time, he may be playing ten minutes more, three hours or as long as the teen is able to keep up playing the game. Positive Aspects: â€Å"I find that many professionals simply havent even considered the alternative arguments. They just go with the mainstream studies, or theyre so wrapped up in their own part of the field its not a consideration. I work hard to try to draw comparisons to the things that they love and feel passionate about. We all have those things that are important to us, but stupid to other people. It becomes easier to discuss gaming when I draw those comparisons.[6] Says Dr. Steve Kuniak, he uses violent video games as a way of having a connection with his patients, since he is a player, he understands why they like video games so much. He has found out that video games have the benefit of coping and wellness. Players of video games, especially when they are young, are able to develop their own world and their own personality. Teens also develop the habit of following instructions, and of analyzing situations better. Many psychologists also contradict the theory of teens isolating themselves from the rest of the world; instead they say that teens have the possibility to socialize more through the possibility of interacting with other players that the video games propose. They will also be able to develop coordination and agility skills. Coordination, between hand and eye, in shooting games the character is able to run and shot at once, this requires coordinating the brain’s interpretations and reactions with the player’s movements and thoughts. Research has also shown that players can learn spatial, iconic and visual attention from the skills on video games. In the game the player needs to pay attention to the different situations and the different objects that are on a scene because they might need them later on; the player should be able to notice all those little details as well in the real world. Teens are able to make guesses and test their hypotheses about the different situations presented. They start taking more risks, through those gaining experiences, which in the psychologists’ point of view is good because the consequences they could be having in real life they are experiencing them through a video game. Experiencing the games it’s better than them taking those situations to r eality; it would be dangerous to people. Violent video games also help with team work, especially those online games in which the player is able to create alliances or teams to accomplish a mission. The player learns how to play their role in the team work and how to distribute work. They learn how working as a team can be better than working alone, how it makes things simpler. The player is also able to view situations from a different perspective; they may switch roles and experience harder jobs than theirs. They are realizing how hard accomplishing something, because there are always different obstacles that get in the way. Video games are also a way to release stress, especially for kids who don’t practice sports. It gives them a type to deviate their attention from what could be going wrong in their lives. Video games may have a positive aspect, this also depends on the orientation teens have from parents if parents guide kids in order for them to understand that video games are not reality and that they can’t do all the things they do in video games, like killing someone, teens will react appropriately to violent types of video games because they’ll know to differentiate right from wrong; it may even help them to react to certain situations better. First Changes: The most known change in behavior is an increase in aggressiveness. â€Å"Playing video games may increase aggressive behavior because violent acts are continually repeated throughout the video game. This method of repetition has long been considered an effective teaching method in reinforcing learning patterns.† (Anderson Gentile, 2003) [7] This reaction may not mean that they will be provoking fights, in the weaker of the cases the teen will react harshly to situations, such as a lecture from their parents or an insult from anyone. In a stronger case the teen might react violently to strong situations he or she might be facing. How much is enough? External factors Does it affect the family? Possible solutions Brands which are considered the most addicting Bibliography: American Society of Addiction Medicine. Definition of Addiction. (2014). http://www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction>. Web. (Jan 24, 2014). Goldstein, Jeffrey. Violent Video Games. PDF. (Feb 23, 2014). http://intra.iam.hva.nl/content/1213/propedeuse/maatschappij_en_interactie/lesprogramma/Jeffrey-Goldstein-Violent-Videogames.pdf> Norcia, Andrea. Parents and Teachers: The Impact of Video Games.August (2013). http://www.pamf.org/parenting-teens/general/media-web/videogames.html>. Web. (Dec. 28/2013). Runge, Paul. Video Games Represent The Most Powerful (and Potentially Dangerous) Era in Storytelling. (Oct. 21/2013) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-runge/video-game-violence_b_4067069.html>. Web. (Feb. 23/2014). The Entertainment Sofware Association. Sales and Democratic Usage Data: Essential Facts about Computer and Video Games Industry. (2013). http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2013.pdf>. PDF. (Feb.22, 2014) f) The Oxford Dictionary. Video Game, meaning. Web. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/video-game>. (Feb. 23/2014). g) Violent Video Games: Psychology Expert Finds Numerous Health Benefits in Gaming. (September 24, 2013). http://www.examiner.com/article/violent-video-games-psychology-expert-finds-numerous-health-benefits-gaming>>. Web.(Jan 29, 2014). Jenkins, Henry. How Computer Games Help Children Learn: An Interview With David Williamson Shaffer.. Interview. Web. (Jan 25, 2007).http://henryjenkins.org/2007/01/an_interview_with_david_schaff.html>. (Feb. 23/2014). [1] Entertainment Software Association ®, Essential Facts, 2013 http://www.theesa.com/> [2] The Oxford Dictionary, Video Games [3] Jenkins, Henri. How Computer Games Help Children Learn: An Interview With David Williamson’s Shaffer [4] American Society of Addiction Medicine.http://www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction> [5] American Society of Addiction Medicine.http://www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction> [6] Kuniak, Steve. http://www.examiner.com/article/violent-video-games-psychology-expert-finds-numerous-health-benefits-gaming> [7] Gentile, Anderson. http://www.pamf.org/parenting-teens/general/media-web/videogames.html>.

Essay --

What is a fable? A fable is a short story in which characters within the book are played by animals. All fables carry a moral of some kind. Animal Farm, a novel by George Orwell, is a fable in the sense that it incorporates characteristics of a fable, such as giving animals, human qualities and the inclusion of several morals is accounted for as well. Although Animal Farm’s morals are not merely stated, it bears a significant deal regarding the concept of the story. The main morals are all tied together by some form of power. Power is the driving force behind the animal society, once abused, an indication of collapse will be evident. Through the pigs’ abuse of language to strengthen their dominance on the farm, Orwell conveys the power of manipulation in language. For example, Squealer takes the sheep away to teach them a new chant, â€Å"Four legs good two legs better†. The continuous incantation planted in the animal’s mind signified the start of a change. In many ways, they are governed by the pigs more than before, their ideas suggested and their minds are molded. The distortion of the meaning of language ultimately brainwashed them into forming ideas that compliment what the pigs want them to think. Another incident of the pig’s manipulation occurs after the rumor about the pigs taking the apples and milk for themselves. Squealer claimed that the pigs were doing so for the sake of the animals, he also stated that â€Å"milk and apples†¦ contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig† and â€Å"Jones would come back!† if they â€Å"failed in [their] duty† (42). This form of propaganda/ threat works in the favor of the pigs because the majority would rather comply and accept the current conditions than have Jones back. The pig... ...al gains. They were never honest with their words or actions until they settle into the temptation of power completely. And once they do, corruption will be seen a lot more often. Power is the force that upholds the structure of Animal Farm and when leaders indulge themselves in excessive power, the structure will be ruined, allowing these leaders with absolute force. Animal Farm is an allegory of the Russian Revolution and a cautionary tale warning readers of the pitfalls of revolution. Although, it doesn’t only concern the Russians, it applies to any form of totalitarian government because of the universal structure of power. It all works the same way, power is obtained, greed for power encourages manipulation and intimidation and a totalitarian is formed. In that sense, any hopes of creating a utopian society based on the equality of all animals is eradicated.

Of mice and me :: essays research papers

In the book â€Å"of mice and men† John Steinbeck writes about the idea of loneliness. For men like those at a California ranch, loneliness is about all they have to look forward to and for 3 men names Candy, Crooks, and George. They face loneliness at a higher rate than most. George the easy-going caretaker of lennie looks at loneliness a different way. George has been taking care of lennie ever since lennie’s aunt Clara died a long time ago. Moving from ranch to ranch, George finds himself unable to keep a friendship. Traveling with lennie who is nowhere near the maturity level of an adult George cant hold a reasonable conversation. George finds himself yelling at lennie on a daily bias. â€Å"God a’ mighty if I was alone I could live so easy. I could get a job and work and have no problems.† George is showing loneliness by saying if he wasn’t so lonely dealing with lennie he could maybe be happy. Another lonely person on the ranch is candy. Candy is an old man that really does not have a place there. He does odd-in jobs and can’t play any games with the younger men because of his age. The only thing candy had to call his own was his dog. Candy has had this dog since it was a puppy, and when they shot it because the dog is so old candy had noting to own. Candy says in the book â€Å"You seen what they did to my dog tonight? That says he wasn’t no good to himself nor anyone else. When they can me here I wish they would shot me. But they wouldn’t do anything like that. I won’t have a place to go, and I can’t get another job. By Candy saying this he is trying to say that the dog was all he had left, and that he can’t leave because he won’t be able to get another job. The loneliest of them all is Crooks. Crooks were the stable buck that had his own room and didn’t really talk with anyone. Because of the time period being black and looking for a job was hard. So Crook just had to deal with what ever he got. Of mice and me :: essays research papers In the book â€Å"of mice and men† John Steinbeck writes about the idea of loneliness. For men like those at a California ranch, loneliness is about all they have to look forward to and for 3 men names Candy, Crooks, and George. They face loneliness at a higher rate than most. George the easy-going caretaker of lennie looks at loneliness a different way. George has been taking care of lennie ever since lennie’s aunt Clara died a long time ago. Moving from ranch to ranch, George finds himself unable to keep a friendship. Traveling with lennie who is nowhere near the maturity level of an adult George cant hold a reasonable conversation. George finds himself yelling at lennie on a daily bias. â€Å"God a’ mighty if I was alone I could live so easy. I could get a job and work and have no problems.† George is showing loneliness by saying if he wasn’t so lonely dealing with lennie he could maybe be happy. Another lonely person on the ranch is candy. Candy is an old man that really does not have a place there. He does odd-in jobs and can’t play any games with the younger men because of his age. The only thing candy had to call his own was his dog. Candy has had this dog since it was a puppy, and when they shot it because the dog is so old candy had noting to own. Candy says in the book â€Å"You seen what they did to my dog tonight? That says he wasn’t no good to himself nor anyone else. When they can me here I wish they would shot me. But they wouldn’t do anything like that. I won’t have a place to go, and I can’t get another job. By Candy saying this he is trying to say that the dog was all he had left, and that he can’t leave because he won’t be able to get another job. The loneliest of them all is Crooks. Crooks were the stable buck that had his own room and didn’t really talk with anyone. Because of the time period being black and looking for a job was hard. So Crook just had to deal with what ever he got.