Saturday, August 31, 2019

Effect of Family History on Workplace Behavior Essay

Family is the very first environment that one person dwells with. This is where we are originated and as the tradition goes with the flow of fast changing society, still, the thought of conjugal connection is still imply nowadays. In any job interview, we are being called with our family name, thus, we always recognize professionally with our surname. In this part we could already see how people look at the origin of our great, great grand parents. In a scenario of a workplace, when one is new into the job, that person has yet to be acquainted with the other workmates. More often than not, the people we might forget to ask where we live, or when do we finish our study, but they do not forget to ask our family. The family name could be a tracing path of our history. We could not deny the fact that some other people, when they know that you came from a well-off family, or in a high profile family, they would tend to socialize with you easily. And also, they could even do you a favor at a time without any hesitations. In this case the family history affects one person positively since people in the job have good treatment towards the person. Further, there are also some cases that other people judge you based on your family. Some job hiring, when they know that one person has this surname, they immediately assume some characteristics that they could use as basis of accepting that person or not. For example, a person who has a family of Maxwell is easily accepted in a job hiring because based on the records of the employer, the family of Maxwell are responsible and hardworking. Both examples show positive remarks of family history towards a person. However, there are also people who are too judgmental in terms of the origin of the family o one person such that they connote one person of not-so-good characteristics and attributions. There are cases in any professional work that because one employee came from a family which has a relative of a convict or law violator, they also assumed that the person is the same with the relative since they believe in blood connection, such that the blood that circulates in their body are the same or one. They attribute it to the behavior of the person that the blood has something to do with the cognitive. In a nutshell, the family history affects the workplace behavior through their judgment or sometimes hasty generalization towards a person.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Book Report on “Fathers and Sons” by Ivan Turgenev Essay

â€Å"Fathers and Sons† is, perhaps, the most interesting book by the Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, which gained international recognition. It has been first published in 1862 and concurred with a complicated period of Russian history, known as the â€Å"Great Reforms†. Abolition of serfdom, reforms of administrational system, industrialization and raise of revolutionary ideas caused profound changes in the Russian society and in the minds of people. Turgenev’s book is devoted t this dramatic mental and psychological break. â€Å"Fathers† are old generation who share conservative views and â€Å"sons† are youth, dreaming of revolution and demonstrating nihilism and disrespect towards traditional values. The narrator of the story – Nikolai Petrovitch Kirsanov, is a son of a general, who has been a hero of Napoleonic wars. His life is rather unremarkable. Being unable to serve in the army because of the childhood trauma, he has married and lived happily with his wife till her early death. After that he devoted all his life to his only son Arcady. The novel opens when the older Kirsanov stands before the door of his dominion waiting for his son returning from the university. Finally the son comes back, but he is not alone, he is accompanied by his new university friend Yevgeny Vasil’evich Bazarov. Soon Nikolai Kirsanov finds out, that his son has completely fallen under influence of Bazarov’s nihilistic and realistic views. He dreams of bloody revolutionary changes and disputes with Kirsanov about the future of Russia: â€Å"Aristocracy, liberalism, progress, principles,† said Bazarov. â€Å"Just think what a lot of foreign . . . and useless words! To a Russian they’re no good for anything! â€Å", says he. Further along the novel Bazarov continues to play a role of a â€Å"revolutionary demon†. He is pretty charismatic, so such miserable people as Sitnikov and Kukushkina fall under his influence. Those two are represent a sort of â€Å"progressive thinkers† whose â€Å"progrogressism† comes to be reduced to absurd. They are ready to admire any new nihilistic ideas being completely unable to think of them critically and add any own reasoning to them. Bazarov openly contemns Sitnikov and flirts with Kushkina to allay his boredom. What is really interesting for Bazarov are his disputes with Pavel Petrovitch Kirsanov, older brother of Nikolai Kirsanov They feel antipathy from the very first moment of their acquaintance. Pavel Kirsanov speaks of Bazarov’s nihilism as of an unfounded doctrine existing in vacuum. Bazarov’s manner of thinking is purely utilitarian: â€Å"We act by virtue of what we recognize as useful,† went on Bazarov. â€Å"At present the most useful thing is denial, so we deny†. Pavel strongly disagrees â€Å"But allow me,† began Nikolai Petrovich. â€Å"You deny everything, or to put it more precisely, you destroy everything . . . But one must construct, too, you know. † [33] But Bazarov remains sure, that to construct something it is first necessary to â€Å"Clean the ground†. Perhaps this dispute between Pavel Kirsanov and Bazarov puts forth the basic idea of the book: conflict of conservatism and revolutionary doctrine. In order to iron out the differences between Pavel Kirsanov and Bazarov Arcady tells Bazarov the story of Pavel’s life. Once Pavel was a luminous officer, but love to a woman, duchess R† ruined his life and left him completely drained. Pavel only retained his sophisticated taste, fair manners and Anglomania. Although she is not present in the novel, duchess R† seems to be one of the characters because even after years she continues to determine Pavel’s actions. He asks for satisfaction from Bazarov, when he sees him kissing Fenichka, but the real reason is not Bazarov’s behavior, but that Fenichka somehow reminds Pavel duchess R†. While men in the story are symbols of social classes and positions, women represent something, what can be called â€Å"normal life†, whether it is duchess R† – a symbol of Russian magnificent nobility, Fenichka – a symbol of common sense, or Mme Odintsov. Mme Odintsov is a very special character. On the one hand she is perfectly educated and progressive woman, on the other she does not in any way share Bazarov’s enthusiasm about social cataclysms. She is sure, that society is to be bettered by bettering of human, but not by reconstruction of it’s formation. She asks Bazarov a question which he is unable to directly answer: â€Å"And you suppose,† said Anna Sergeyevna, â€Å"that when society is reformed there will be no longer any stupid or wicked people? † [56] Bazarov starts explaining that a proper society will make no difference, but inside he feels, that Odintsova is right. Love to a woman is so contrary to Bazarov’s views, that he is unable to accept it, putting cynicism on himself, and then leaving her house. He attempts to find some occupation for himself, flirts, fights at a duel and tries to speak about his ideas with peasants. The peasants are in fact those, who are to be enthusiastic about the revolution, at least as Bazarov thinks. So he is unhappily surprised to find out, that peasants do not want to understand complicated teaching and think of him as of a cheat. Bazarov’s ideas collapse: he finds no support both with educated and common people, so he has to recognize, that revolution is actually unnecessary to anyone and that it is nothing more, than a fashionable game. Pavel Kirsanov is right: doctrines of Bazarov exist in vacuum. It is not clear whether Bazarov’s death was a suicide, but his behavior itself is suicidal, and he accepts the certainty of death calmly. The only thing he wants is to say farewell to Odintsova. At his deathbed he openly confessed, that all his prod ideas went down to the pan. He continues to speak of himself as of a giant, but now the only task he puts for himself is to die with dignity. Six month after his death the two couples married: Nikolai Kirsanov to Fenichka and Arcady to Kate – Odintsova younger sister. The normal life continues even after Bazarov’s death, and Arcady, his former confederate, becomes a wealthy landowner, representing an antithesis to Bazarov’s views. Bazarov’s grave is almost forgotten, and only his parents sometimes come to shed tears over it. Although â€Å"Fathers and Sons† is a novel about pre-revolutionary Russia, it’s lesson is useful for all generations. Sons always rise against their fathers, willing to change this world and create a totally new one for themselves. And Turgenev demonstrates how mental dissoluteness and spiritual weakness can destroy even the most sharp-minded person. The whole revolutionary fervor of Bazarov is destroyed by romantic love – the real motivation of the world. At the end of his life â€Å"the demon† feels lost and betrayed, while conservatism triumphs over his grave. Works cited: Ivan Turgenev (1998) Fathers and Sons. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Material Flow Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Material Flow Accounting - Essay Example These methods have proved popular at national levels following the new Think Green Trend which now seems to have taken over even the fiscal and monetary policy of the public and private sector and has often even been termed a system for integrated environmental and economic accounting. Browne (2005).The EIA and the EMS have proved to be very popular tools of the Environmental Impact Assessment strategies and the trend has so far not been restricted to the USA but many other jurisdictions are now changing their laws (particularly the EU) in order to be better able to reduce the stress on natural sources and the environmental impacts and increase the operating efficiency of certain firms which may otherwise be an environmental hazard. (Durrenberger, G., Hartmann, C.2002).The EIS is fast becoming a tool for An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and such a statement through the use of accounting techniques like the MFA and LCA(discussed down below will be used to give an assessment of the positive and/or negative environmental influences that a project may have on the environment. The statement will then identify and foresee the social and biological impacts ion the environment as a part of good practice and sometimes legal compulsion in many countries today to decide whether the project being undertaken is worth the damage it will have on the environment. ... (Fehily, Timoney & Co. 1999).To facilitate such as analysis two techniques have developed in the yester decades to provide a more technical prediction of the environmental cost and benefit analysis. (Fehily, Timoney & Co. 1999)Firstly there is the Material flow analysis (MFA) which will amalgamate the material flows with in a development transaction and will also calculate indicators and develop strategies and measures for improving material flow systems.Thus academic opinion has endorsed it a credible method of assuring the sustainability of industrial ecology along with the techniques of LCA ( life cycle assessment).The MFA will be used while making decisions in the EMS and EIS by capturing the mass balances in an economy or an upcoming development transaction , where inputs (extractions + imports) equal outputs (consumptions + exports+ accumulation + wastes), and will utilize the laws of Thermodynamics. (Fehily, Timoney & Co. 1999).This method facilitates the decision making proce ss in the Impact Assessment by recognizing that the total amount of matter and energy involved at each and every stage of the economic cycle is required for all economic activities. The pith and substance of the analysis thus becomes the query whether flow of materials is sustainable in terms of the environmental burden it creates. (Fehily, Timoney & Co. 1999). In an EIS statement the MFA will be used to minimize the flow of materials while maximizing the human welfare generated by the flow. This is because the MFA system is involved in the monitoring of wastes that are typically unaccounted for in traditional economic analyses. (Kahn, H., Brown, W., Martel, L. 1976). Similarly then we have the system for the life

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Pancreatic cancer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pancreatic cancer - Research Paper Example Pancreatic cancer is known to be a lethal cancer which accounts for the fourth most renowned cancer which causes death in the United States of America. It starts with lesions in the epitheliums and may later on go to become invasive enough to cause death. This research essay would further revolve around the epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis of the pancreatic cancer. Pancreas is a complex gland having both exocrine and endocrine functions. The organ has a very important role to play in the digestion of substances in the body but as the pancreas has a retroperitoneal location it does not show the progression of diseases in the initial stages. Thus it is very hard to detect diseases of pancreas in the initial stages. The exocrine part of the gland secretes digestive enzymes which help in digesting food particles whereas the endocrine portion secretes only a limited number of enzymes such as insulin and glucagon. The major abnormalities caused by the non-functioning of the endocrine portion of the pancreas are diabetes mellitus and neoplasms. And the major diseases caused by the exocrine portion are related to the inflammation of the pancreas itself (Catalano et al 2009). With latest researches being carried out much has become known about many cancers but the exact cause of pancreatic cancer is yet to be found. Most of the individuals suffering from pancreatic cancer are adults who are above 60 (Gold & Goldin 1998). Many factors have been studied in relation to the pancreatic cancer and it has been found that smoking is one of the foremost external influence which can trigger the cancer (Gold & Goldin 1998). Similarly inflammation of pancreas is also known to be an important factor that may cause the cancer (Lowenfels et al 1997). However some individuals do argue that it is because of the pancreatic cancer that the inflammation of pancreas occurs. As all cancers are related to genetics, pancreatic cancer is also known to be associated with the relative

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Development Of African Historiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Development Of African Historiography - Essay Example The historians, mostly hailing from European nations, who relied on material and tangible discoveries as the only sources of information about the early life of any culture, classified the world into â€Å"civilizations† based on an inappropriate definition of the term referring only to societies that left evidences of complex social and cultural systems with a centralized authority that controlled labor, wealth, military forces and commissioned the construction of cities and towns and other public buildings, as well as works of ‘monumental’ art. (Ehret)This approach led to a distinction between different cultures around the world on the basis of intelligence that was measured mostly from written texts that could be translated and could provide a vision into the life of the early people, dismissing the rest of the world as ‘uncivilized’ and ‘unintelligent’ (Ehret) Such attitudes assisted the slave traders in undermining the humanity of the African people, looking down upon their traditional values as ‘primitive’, their ethnic communities as ‘tribes’, their nation as a ‘race’. (Ehret 4-9)These terms though originally meaning nothing degrading have come to be associated with ideas denoting a distinction from what is considered to be ordinary and accepted in a ‘civilized’ society and consequently such dismissals prevented the historians of that time to investigate events that accounted for African history. Thus the rich cultural life of a huge percentage of the population of the world has been left undiscovered due to the limiting beliefs and predetermined superiority of smaller class. Historians today, however, have understood the implications of such an error and have made efforts to develop unique research methodologies for investigating past events through mainly Oral Tradition and Archeology as well as other interesting sources such as genetics, linguistics, and botany.

Monday, August 26, 2019

GLOBAL CHANGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

GLOBAL CHANGE - Essay Example He argues that some of these skeptics are using a lot of money in their goal to attract scientist to come up with findings that favor their argument. This serves as a precaution on whoever takes these skeptics serious in their arguments on global warming. These skeptics, majority who are non scientist also set up some obscure arguments trying to defend the causes of global warming. They are shamelessly claiming out that the current global warming experienced is usually as a result of increase in the amount of radiation coming from the sun (Dixon& Weaver, 2009). This clearly shows their hidden agendas on why they are opposing the scientific facts on causes of global warming. Facts stand that the sun only warms the earth surface only a third of a watt per square meter. This effect is minimal compared with the impact of the green house gases that human beings have emitted. It is estimated that these green house gases warm the earth about three watts per square meter. This simply means that these green house gases emitted by human beings are three times detrimental to the climate as opposed to the sun effect (Dixon& Weaver, 2009). The arguments brought out by these skeptics in their attempt to counter scientific facts and findings are so vague. So the world should be extremely careful when dealing with the arguments of these skeptics on global warming. Majority of the skeptics are out to cause confusion on the attempt by scientist to address the problem of global warming; thus they should be entirely

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Movie review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Movie Review Example It was considered to be the biggest spill in the history of the United States. Despite of its devastating effects, the media had paid little attention to it and many do not know about the tragedy. The movie caught the attention of the reviewer because of its disturbing content. It was really dangerous to have millions of gallons of water to contain uranium which is an active element. Once exposed to it, mutations and illnesses come upon the organisms and some even die quickly. If it would happen again in other parts of the world, the people in that locality may not be prepared so it is very important to actually have the movie to be disseminated to inform people about the dangers of nuclear energy and its possible leakage. Having documentary films like The River that Harms is necessary to increase the awareness of the public about the importance of safety and environment. After all, once such kind of danger occurs, many will be

Saturday, August 24, 2019

No need for topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

No need for topic - Essay Example The various components of this chapter are highly related with the course content in the sense that Presidential powers might impose significant impact on the entire political system of the nation. In this regard, American constitution provides Presidents with the powers to frame proposals and develop effective strategies (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert 492-534). Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert (492-534) stated that Presidents have the responsibility to safeguard every state against any kind of assault as well as national violence. Thus, it is quite vital to understand the powers of Presidents that have extensive influences on various federal aspects of the US (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert 492-534). Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert (492-534) further stated that although Presidents are somehow unable to introduce any strict legislation and do not possess leading role in making law, they play imperative role in other spheres that include budget creation and dealing with key national problems. However, a President can expand his/her power through performing effective management practices. Going public is also regarded as one of the chief sources of Presidential power. Particularly, in the political system of America, the varied constitutional powers of Presidents have huge role to play in directing the nation towards right path (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert

Friday, August 23, 2019

Islamic credit cards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Islamic credit cards - Essay Example Worthington has defined these cards as â€Å"Pay Later Cardsâ€Å", which facilitates the user to purchase any product or service without paying cash money. Fowler explains the credit cards as any coupon, single credit device, card or plate that can be used to get labor, services, goods or cash on credit. Such a card allows the user to make the required financial transaction without paying any money. The current technological development has given more powers to the buyer for purchasing goods and services on line. However, this requires an instrument that can facilitate payment to the seller at the time of such purchase. The credit card issued by a bank comes handy for this purpose as the buyer pays seller the required money through this card. Credit cards are secure as they replace cash which most of the people do not find safe to carry. In addition, carrying cash requires deep pockets and may create hassles. There are several reasons for the people to use credit cards. These include purchasing of foods and services, making necessary recharges, getting cash advances and enhancing the self-prestige. Credit cards have a long history as they have been in use since several decades. Their use started from United States in 1920s. Ritzer has named these cards as â€Å"American Icon†. During the early 20th century, credit cards were used for the first time in oil, automobile companies and general stores. Many writers have given credit to John Beggins of Flatbush National Bank in New York for inventing the first bank-issued credit card. The Banking Review’s Paper, FDIG informs that the idea of providing cash through a card goes back to 1800s era. However, the use of a bank issued credit card at different merchant outlets started only after 1950s. Bank Americard issued first VISA card in mid 1970s, while created the reputed credit card operation, called â€Å"VISA†. The scope of credit card use has widened now largely as

Ebay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ebay - Essay Example Their CEO has also described eBay as one of the leaders in the consumer-driven goal to ensure that e-commerce is faster and more convenient for the users. They have managed to capitalize on this trend in the knowledge that most people have easy access to the internet through their smartphones which allows them to shop and pay anywhere and anytime (Sage, 2010). Technology is shaping e-commerce and changing the behavior of consumers. These changes are giving new worldwide opportunities for eBay and are driving the next generation of e-commerce users (Sage, 2010). There is an expected change in mobile transactions with almost double their numbers from the inception of PayPal. It is estimated that the mobile industry is set to increase to $4 billion in gross merchandise in the next year (Sage, 2010). eBay was a leader in the internet boom, however, it has since met with major competition from businesses which already offered online options for their products. However, eBay now highlights PayPal’s role in making improvements in its company transactions and in stabilizing marketplaces linking in well with all consumers (Sage, 2010). PayPal is utilized by about 59 percent of the major inline merchants in the US and up to 40 percent in the UK (Sage, 2010). Their revenue is expected to reach $6-7 billion by the end of 2013, representing a growth of about 76 to 105 percent. PayPal revenues also rose by 23 percent from 2009 to 2010 (Sage, 2010). The payments set off on two areas – from the buyers and the sellers; and the number of sellers is set to increase by the year 2013 – almost double the current PayPal traders. The company has become highly aware that mobile products and services can evolve and can actually add value to the company and the best thing for the company to do is to improve the consumer’s execution of its transactions (Sage, 2010). eBay investors are very much concerned about seeing the stability and growth of the company mark etplace. It is important to note however that they are still lagging behind Amazon.com which is still the leader in e-commerce. eBay has managed to increase the trust and safety of its site while also trying to update its e-commerce experts in reference to its outdated search technology (Sage, 2010). Most of their online buyers have now fixed-prices for their products and the company has tried to increase the mobile applications of their products. Consequently, the consumers have been able to use scan technology in order to compare prices on their smartphones while scanning the internet market (Sage, 2010). These improvements have managed to strengthen the company and improve consumer confidence – helping them improve their profits in the past few years. Despite these improvements, issues in the market and in the general economy have kept eBay shares at half their value of their largest gain in 2004 (Sage, 2010). eBay is still valued below other web-based companies at 16.7 ti mes based on 2010 earnings. Google and Yahoo, on the other hand have been valued at 18 and 21.6 times in earnings respectively (Sage, 2010). Social networking has also been considered as one of the major driving factors of eBay. Facebook and other social networking sites have created a market for many consumers and many sellers (Duryee, 2011). Social networking has fast replaced mobile access in its thrust toward consumerism. And still this trend will again see more changes in the next few years. Nevertheless, the point has been

Thursday, August 22, 2019

From the Slums to the Superstar Status Essay Example for Free

From the Slums to the Superstar Status Essay Abstract He was the most leading emissary and practitioner of the reggae music genre. He embodies its spirit and spreads its message to all the ends of the earth. Bob Marley’s exceptional songs incorporate the stylistic range of the contemporary music of Jamaica spanning ska, rock steady, and eventually reggae. He transported this music further as a social force with worldwide appeal. No other musician was able to transform the cultural as well as musical landscape as significantly as the boy from the slums did. Bob Marley: From the Slums to the Superstar Status The man is like a hero in the classic legends of old. He lived at a time when the concept of One World, One Love inspired by the religion he believes in was starting to be felt and heard. He lived a remarkable life. It remains to have an increasing and utterly strong resonance. His was a life that represents several occasions of mystical wilderness, gangland wars, artistic as well as metaphysical insights, and political cruelty. He has reached a wide audience and his influence continues to spread. His apocalyptic truths are life-changing and inspiring as far as his Western audiences are concerned. His influence extends much further in the Third World region. His impact goes beyond the confines of his native country. He has also touched the lives of the people in certain parts of West Africa, the Maoris of New Zealand, in India and Indonesia as well as the Hopi Indians in New Mexico (Moskowitz, 2007). To these people, he was a redeemer. The elements which contributed to his exceptional works are his talent, his understanding, the love he has to give, and the sadness he felt for the society into which he was born. In his demise, he left a great deal of brilliant music from where people have taken inspiration and lessons out of. A man from a country that belongs to the Third World was able to transcend seeming boundaries. His only tools were his philosophical wisdom and natural humility. He is considered to be the most valuable artist of the 20th century (Toynbee, 2007). He has left an evocative and exceptional music to the world. His music has outlived him. Truly, the songs he made are not only universal but timeless too. Robert Nesta Marley became the first and perhaps the only big name to surface from the third world. From his meager roots, he has grown to become a man of major import and impact that his attempted assassination has political motivations. His musical influence is still felt. He became the first reggae artist to release a full-length LP that instantaneously transformed the 30 year old marketing model (Moskowitz, 2007). Apart from its commercial success, his music has a universal quality that is able to surpass language, social status, and nationality. Bob Marley was a boy from the slums of Jamaica. It was where his music drew inspiration from. His life ended too soon. Nonetheless, he is an artist that was well loved the world over. His superstar status continues to rage on. As a biracial son, his was an unhappy childhood. At a young age, he was already exposed to a society that is cruel and racist. Still, together with the bands he has formed and the music he has played, Bob Marley was able to realize success not only in his native country but even across the globe. His background is of particular essence. He was the first to rise to the ranks of superstar status, the first from a Third World country, that is. He was one of the rebellious and charismatic artists of recent history whose music reflects his humble origin. Jamaica’s history of slavery lingers on the memory of its people. Slavery has filtered through the very heart of Bob Marley’s native country, from the mid-nineteenth century plantations to the popular music of recent times. Even though it has been eradicated way back in 1834, the Africans and their offspring started to develop a culture of their own from what is left from their traditional way of life and combining them with other British traditions (Moskowitz, 2007). Precisely, such mixed culture had certain similarities with the rising society of people of color in the United States. Still, Bob Marley’s native country remained to be a rural community that exclusive of the industrialization of its northern neighbor was more strongly attached to its African heritage. Bob Marley was able to leave behind numerous songs even though his life was relatively short-lived. Not like other songwriters, he was took part in all phases of creation of his music. Bob Marley penned the lyrics of his songs, he worked on the instrumental parts, his was found inside the control room while in the process of laying down his tracks (Moskowitz, 2007). Moreover, he also took part in the overdubbing and editing process involved in the creation of his music. His music was essentially reggae that it practically cornered the â€Å"roots reggae† term. Bob’s rhythm section initiated what came to be called as the â€Å"one drop† rhythm. The term refers to the standard roots reggae groove. It can be done by accenting the drum only on beat three of a four beat measure. Normally, in Western Europe’s classical music, the accentuation is placed on beats one and three of a four beat measure. On the other hand, the second and fourth beats of a four beat measure are accentuated in the American rock and roll music (Moskowitz, 2007). The unique rhythm set his apart from the ones he has grown accustomed to. Such rhythm gave his music a distinct Jamaican character. Moreover, the man was likewise a skilled lyricist. He was able to construct expressively powerful chains of words which are apparently pleasant to the ears yet contain serious punches the moment their meanings are explored. Bob Marley was able to extract the sense as well as the emotion out of every word and then skillfully conceal them in laid-back â€Å"island†-sounding music. It was his intention. If Bob Marley’s songs were quite clearly venomous or political, perhaps it could not have crossed over into the airwaves or has gained commercial success. He exhibited a kind of front which manifested itself in the way he carried himself and the way he looked. He was usually seen dressed up in pants, shirts, boots, and stocking hats or â€Å"tams† (Moskowitz, 2007). While performing, Bob Marley usually fell into a trance-like state as he sings his songs. Bob Marley sings with eyes closed as he flails his arms and his dreadlocks swings to the rhythm. This is the character that is distinctly Bob Marley. He became the foremost star from the so-called â€Å"world music† (Stephens, 1999). Born to a biracial family in the year 1945, he was exposed to the extraordinary musical culture of his native country in the 1950s. The American rhythm and blues, the rumba and calypso of the Caribbean, the ballroom dance of Europe, the Protestant Revivalist hymns, and the drumming sounds of African music are the songs he has heard while growing up (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). Attached to the networks which connected Jamaican families to the North American and English communities, part of a local hotel circuit and inter-island club, as far as the popular musicians of Jamaica is concerned, the local was already the global (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). In the year 1962, Bob Marley cut his first records as a singer (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). He was only 17 years old at that time. The following year, he assembled a vocal group which came to be known as the Wailers. Inspired by existing American soul acts like Curtis Mayfield’s Impressions, Bob Marley and his band were used by their producer, Coxsone Dodd, as an in-house vocal group to front whatever was fashionable at that time on the local dance floor. They then covered versions of international soul and pop hits, ska, rocksteady. In 1963 and 1966, they were able to release approximately eighty singles with enough hits to launch the group as Jamaica’s most successful. However, in 1966 the group was reduced to a vocal trio which included Bob Marley, his childhood friend, Bunny Livingstone, and Peter Tosh. The stripped-down vocal group that recruited the Barrett brothers, Carlton and Aston to play the drums and bass, dedicated themselves to Rastafarianism and started working with producer Lee Perry, who added a rhythm section and encouraged them to come up with their unique sound and material (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). The Wailers’ records around this time were instrumental in defining reggae as a music genre. It was also during this time that Bob Marley started to make his mark onto the British pop. A Jamaican music entrepreneur by the name of Chris Blackwell, who was concerned in supplying reggae records to the British Jamaican community through the Trojan label and was developing new rock acts under his Island label, heard the new Wailers sound and came into a realization that his two markets need not be separated from one another (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). He believed that the reggae music of the Wailers can be sold to rock fans. His first Island album entitled Catch a Fire which was released in 1973 serves as a blueprint for international music marketing (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). It can not be denied that the Wailer’s distinction lies not only in the complexity and dynamism of reggae as compared to rock music, but in the exotic quality of Rastafarianism itself. Their songs became recognizable in the production standards, the enhanced guitar accompaniment and of course, the distinct voice of Bob Marley (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). His religion and music as it appears covers an ancient mysticism that is quite suitable for the shanty town of his origin. There is certainly something of the prophet about him which makes him unique from the other popular music stars and allows diverse constituencies to grab him. To a certain degree, it has something to do with Bob Marley’s mission, a passionate drive to create music and in the process, proclaim the truth about the world. Still, to some extent, it can be attributed to the man’s poetic vision, taken in equivalent measure from the King James Bible and patwa, the creole language of Jamaica (Toynbee, 2007). Moreover, it has something to do with the mystery of his life. His mother is black while his father is white. He was born in a colonial island in the Caribbean. Nonetheless, the boy of humble decent became one of the most respectable superstars the world has ever known. Many years have already past since his demise but he remains to be that superstar from the third world to rise to such phenomenal status. Undeniably, all of the aforementioned factors are of the essence. However, the most vital component in the creation of Bob Marley’s Messianic aura lies in the careful and effective repackaging of his music by the culture industry at a time when the legendary artist is already gone. If the measure of celebrity status is based on amount, in the sense that the more people know who a certain person is, the more famous that person is considered to be, it is safe to say therefore that Bob Marley is quite a very famous celebrity (Toynbee, 2007). He has long been gone yet his music lives on. His audience still exists. Perhaps, he is indeed the most popular musical figure of the modern times. Certainly, in the north and west of the global market, figures do give some indication of the man’s celebrity status. There is the existence of cumulative sales, for instance. In the year 2005, Bob Marley’s albums have earned sales amounting to 16. 5 million in the United States alone (Toynbee, 2007). In 2005, he placed twelfth in the Forbes list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities. The list was based on total yearly revenue which takes into account earnings generated not purely from record sales but counting as well those earned from the exploitation of merchandising, licensing deals, and copyright to name a few. It gives a more rounded gauge of celebrity status in comparison to record sales. Such list even reflects worldwide earnings (Toynbee, 2007). However, the global factor of such figures from the cultural industries barely arrives at the man’s status in the marginal regions around the globe. Here, his audiences listen to his music on cassette tapes which are generally copied and spread outside official music industry channels. Statistics are not available for such kind of activity. There is even no way to measure the circulation of images of the man in the form of drawings and posters, or the proliferation of tales about him. There is also no available statistics to tell the number of local musicians playing his songs, or have simply considered him as the inspiration in their respective musical careers. To be considered popular exclusive of buying power, even when it accounts to the millions, has not so much value in the cultural industries in the center of the global system (Toynbee, 2007). To be famous means to have a greater social importance even when measures are not registered commercially. That kind of distinction bucks the system, signifying that there are certain autonomous tendencies working on. In that light, and considering anecdote and some somewhat unreliable verifications it appears to be logical to state that in the international south, Bob Marley is certainly quite famous. Combining such assessments with the available statistics, it can be concluded that the man is a universal superstar of the present day (Toynbee, 2007). The sheer geographical stretch of his achievements is visibly noteworthy. However, it also has an unusual quality. Bob Marley is not only a superstar. He is a third world star who traces his roots from the small Caribbean island of Jamaica, and eventually securing an audience and a particular resonance across the underprivileged citizens from the southern part of the world. Remarkably, he remains to be the only figure of this kind. Certainly, there are other successful artists who hailed from the margins, for instance form what came to be known as â€Å"world music† (Toynbee, 2007). Produced primarily in former colonies beginning in the middle part of the 1980s, world music has been secured an audience from the middle-class market in the highly developed capitalist nations of the world. Nonetheless, it remains to be a small niche, representing only 2 per cent of worldwide recorded music sales (Toynbee, 2007). Bob Marley was ultimately to surface as the first reggae superstar, even though the Wailers’ success created conflicts within the group. Prior to the third album, Natty Dread which was released in 1974, Livingston and Tosh were refusing to go on another exhausting tour of the United States and Britain (Hebdige, 1990). Bob Marley revised the line-up for the 1975 tour. He hired musicians and added a female backing group which came to be known as the I-Threes. He toured Africa, Europe, and North America over the next few years. He even produced a live album called the Wailers Live and three other LPs for Island Records, namely, Rastaman Vibration, Exodus and Kaya. During his final years, he gained the respect of not only his fellow Jamaicans but also of other music critics and audiences the world over (Hebdige, 1990). In the year 1976, the album entitled Rastaman Vibration broke into the hit charts in America (Hebdige, 1990). For most people, the aforementioned album was yet the most obvious display of the man’s beliefs and music. The worldwide success received by this album strengthened the increasing political importance of Bob Marley in his native town wherein his Rastafarian views reverberated clearly among the ghetto youth. As a gesture of thanksgiving to his fellow Jamaicans, he made a decision to stage a free concert at the National Heroes Park in Kingston scheduled on the 5th day of December 1976 (Moskowitz, 2007). The concert was intended to stress the need for peace in the city slums where rival groups have caused murder and chaos. He became a major target for politically motivated violence because of his fame. Shortly following the announcement of the concert, the government declared a December 20th election (Hebdige, 1990). It signaled another ghetto war. Before the scheduled concert, armed men forced an entry into the house of Bob Marley and fired a gun at him. Unfortunately, it was just an attempted assassination. For a while, he thought about whether or not to push through with the concert. Nonetheless, he came out on stage on the scheduled date in defiance of his would-be assassins. Right after the concert, he left his native country for London. He then settled on the English city and recorded another album (Frith, Straw and Street, 2001). His fellow Jamaican artists have taken advantage of the interest in roots reggae which the man has inspired. Groups like the Burning Spear and Culture, the Third World, the Gladiators as well as the Mighty Diamonds have all toured outside of their native country attracted a huge following among young white rock fanatics (Hebdige, 1990). Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh have both gone on to produce successful solo hits, and they have refused to stay at a far distance from their musical roots. On Tosh’s albums entitled Equal Rights and Legalise It, his audience saw a man who is just as angry as he was back in the old Wailers days when he penned the songs such as Get up, Stand up and 400 Years. On the other hand the Blackheart Man album of Bunny Livingston was his tribute to his fellow Rastas. Both Livingston and Tosh’s albums sold well in the United States and Europe. Tosh even conquered his distaste of touring when he visited Britain way back in 1979. Even Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus, whose music is based on conventional Rasta drumming have toured Britain and played before a white audience (Hebdige, 1990). All of the aforementioned achievements are in the end, owed to the larger success of the man himself. However, part of the reason why his music reached soaring heights is that his musical compositions are basically pleasant-sounding. His brand of music is forever sweet sounding although the lyrics contain critical commentaries about the colonial system. Similar to the calypso artists, he knew how to convey his message across behind a lilting refrain. It is the classic Caribbean package of harsh social criticism concealed in a easy-sounding and uplifting rhythm. He was effectively causing the Western world dance to the rhythm of the prophecies of their own fall (Hebdige, 1990). With the kind of violent society that Bob Marley had surfaced from and rose above, his death seems quite a cruel stroke of fate. It was in the year 1977 when the doctors surgically removed a portion of his toe which had been wounded in a soccer game (Moskowitz, 2007). The doctors found a cancerous lump on his toe. In 1980, while jogging at Central Park, he suddenly collapsed. When he was brought to the hospital, the doctors discovered that the cancer has already spread to other parts of his body. In less than a year later, he succumbed to death. He was all of 36 years old at that time. Even though he died young, the heartbeat reggae rhythms of the vast amount of songs he made have endured. The legend of Bob Marley has transcended the years. Furthermore, his music and charismatic persona has effected a transformation to his native country. On the 21st day of May 1981, Bob Marley was laid to his final resting place with full state honors. In a great paradox, considering the loathed position that Rastafarians and their music once has in Jamaica, One Love, the antiwar reggae song of Bob Marley was adapted by the country’s tourist board as a theme song. In the mean time, his music kept on finding its audience. Garnering sales which amounted to over 10 million in the United States alone, the Legend best of covering the Island Records days from 1972 until 1981 is still the best-selling record of a Jamaican artist and the best-selling reggae album of all time (Moskowitz, 2007). This man’s influence in the music scene during his lifetime and even after is certainly extraordinary. Together with his band, he has sold over 21 million starting in 1991 (Moskowitz, 2007). The figures have not been collected until after 10 years has passed since the time of his death. Moreover, he was bestowed with the Jamaican Order of Merit, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, became a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Moskowitz, 2007). Apart from the aforementioned and all the other awards he has received during his lifetime and even after his death, the real measure of his worth is time itself. He was long gone. Nonetheless, his music is still as relevant, remarkable and popular as it was at the time it was initially released in the market. The hypnotic and loping beats of reggae music bear a distinct signature which climbed to the 1970s music scene on the forefront, primarily through the music of Bob Marley and his band under the Tuff and Island recording labels. The songs they made, particularly the ones included in the Rastaman and Natty Dread albums remain to be the landmarks of reggae that served as the voice of the disfranchised and poverty-stricken Jamaicans and, by extension, to the people of the world. Through his music, Bob Marley was able to fill them with dignity and pride of heritage, no matter how sad real life seems to be. Furthermore, his reggae music hits gave rhythmic boost which has what he prefers to call â€Å"positive vibrations† to those who listen to them. No matter how his sound was perceived, be it the dance music with a strong political undertone or political music fit for dancing, the music of Bob Marley is a powerful remedy for difficult times. References Frith, S. , Straw, W. , Street, J. (2001). The Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock. New York: Cambridge University Press. Hebdige, D. (1990). Cut ‘n’ Mix: Culture, Identity, and Caribbean Music. New York: Routledge. Moskowitz, D. V. (2007). Bob Marley: A Biography. California: Greenwood Publishing Group. Stephens, G. (1999). On Racial Frontiers: The New Culture of Frederick Douglas, Ralph Ellison, and Bob Marley. New York: Cambridge University Press. Toynbee, J. (2007). Bob Marley: Herald of a Postcolonial World? Cambridge: Polity.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Physiological Benefits Of Physical Activity Health And Social Care Essay

Physiological Benefits Of Physical Activity Health And Social Care Essay Introduction Over the past 25 years, the UK has seen an increase in individuals aged 65 yrs and over. In 2009, it was reported by the Office of National Statistics (2010) that the population aged 65 and over increased from 15% in 1984 to 16% in 2009, which is an increase of 1.7 million people. They predict that by year 2034 23% of the population is projected to be aged 65 and over compared to 18% aged 16 and under. The fact that people are living longer is associated with healthy active living, over the past 10 years health has steadily improved (ONS, 2004). It is reported that older adults who are physically active report a greater satisfaction in life (Weinberg Gould, 2007) this is due to retaining mobility and keeping their quality of life and independence (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). In 2008, the Department of Health (2010) reported that 39% of men and 29% of women aged 16 and over met the governments recommendations for physical activity, this was compared with 32% of men and 21% of women in 1997. However, evidence suggests that with an increase of age there is a decrease in levels of physical activity regardless of the well publicised benefits of the association with good health and well being (Berger, Der, Mutrie Hannah, 2005). Retirement can be a key time to focus on physical activity and well being. It is a time where people can review many areas of their life, including their health. People make preparations for retirement in different ways but research shows that very little preparations are made for health promoting physical activity (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). As the older adult population is rising, maintaining a healthy life is a growing public concern (Acree, 2006) in year 2002, physical inactivity was reported to cost  £8.2 billion a year (NHS, 2008). A recent study by Chaudhury Shelton (2010) formed the basis of this study, the paper explains the data analysis from the Health Survey for England (HSfE) in 2006 and 2007 which focused on physical activity participation amongst 60 to 69 year olds and knowledge of the physical participation requirement. The study highlighted that older adults had unrealistic views of their perceived activity levels and reported that there was a lack of knowledge regarding the recommended physical activity guidelines. They examined the perceived barriers to physical activity participation and reported that barriers such as work and lack of time prevented them taking part in exercise. From the study they concluded that there needs to be more focus on health promotion and education particularly in the over sixties. In order to promote healthy living firstly, we need to understand why physical activity decreases with age. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes and behaviours towards physic al activity with particular focus on 60- 69 year old. A qualitative study will provide the basis of this study. Qualitative methods offer the opportunity to explore an individuals experiences, perceptions, motives and barriers to physical activity (Thomas, Nelson Silverman, 2005). In addition, this study will review other studies which have been carried out associated with physical activity around retirement. Aim The aim of this study is to explore the attitudes and behaviours towards physical activity in people aged 60 69 years focusing on continuity and change around the time of retirement. Objectives 1. To explore knowledge of physical activity recommendations and attitudes to participation 2. To research continuity and change in levels of physical activity at retirement 3. To describe perceptions of sufficiency of own physical activity behaviour 4. Explore the perceived barriers to meeting governments recommended levels of physical activity, before and after retirement. Analysis from the data obtained from the interviews can be used to provide recommendations towards improving the transition to retirement in terms of achieving health promoting physical activity levels. Limitations There are limitations regarding the sample size and reliability of the information. The sample size was small and levels of activity were what participants perceived as being enough exercise however despite this the literature was consistent with our findings. Literature Review Physiological benefits of Physical Activity According to World Health Organisation (2010) globally, physical inactivity contributes to 1.9 million deaths per year and is currently the fourth leading risk factor for all deaths. It has been well publicised that regular physical activity has a huge influence on promoting good health and psychological well being and is associated with the reduction of risk factors for chronic health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity (Martinez del Castillo et al, 1997; Sjogren Stjernberg, 2010). Physical activity can be defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal level (WHO, 2010) and has a range of health benefits which can be achieved through sport and exercise or activities such as walking, cycling, gardening and housework (Department of Health, 2010). Although the aging process is vulnerable to a wide range of conditions such as hypertension, back pain, osteoporosis and some ca ncers studies have shown that physical activity can reduce these and can increase life expectancy and improve bone and muscle strength (Berger et al, 2005). Stewart et al (2003) examined a group of older sedentary adults and reported that physical activity was evidently associated with a reduction of bodily pain and that small amounts of regular physical activity was associated with better quality of life. King et al, (2000) studied physical activity and physical functioning in 103 adults aged 65 yrs and over using moderate-intensity endurance and strengthening exercises and stretching and flexibility exercises. The study reported significant improvements to quality of life and mobility. Research supports the theory that exercise enhances quality of life (QOL). Berger (2009) explains that QOL is a broad construct that reflects a persons perception of his or her own position in life in relation to personal goals, standards, and expectations within the context of culture and value sys tems in which the individual lives. Therefore the relationship between exercise and QOL may be influenced by an individuals own perceptions and values. Chaudhury and Shelton (2010) explain that by maintaining independent living is the key. Improving balance and co ordination can help prevent injury from trips or falls. Cassell (2002) recommended physical activity to be the best treatment for aging. Psychological Factors and Physical activity Brassington et al (2002) explains that the strongest determinant for physical activity participation for older adults is self efficacy or confidence. If a person enjoys what they are doing they are more likely to participate in it. Physical activity can be encouraged by many factors and older adults tend to look at physical activity as how it is going to benefit them. For example if I exercise I will lose weight or if I exercise and remain fit I will be able to play with the grand children. There are many theories which can be applied to health behaviours which we will look at later on in this paper. Participation is preserved through enjoyment and social support from friends and family. One study (Cooper Thomas, 2002) used ballroom dancing as a way of keeping fit and were physically challenged by using different styles of dancing to suit the persons skills. Dancing encouraged social networks which supported participation across major life events such as loss of a spouse or friend t hrough support from other dancers .Having a social network or living with a partner has found to have a positive influence on physical activity participation (Bruce, 2002). Regular exercise can help preserve independence (Sparling et al, 2000) it can increase feeling of self worth, increase self efficacy and reduce feelings of feeling reliant family members (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). Research suggests that the health benefits of physical activity and exercise are now well established. In 2010 the World Health Organisation reported that by 2020 depression will follow cardiovascular disease as the worlds leading cause of death and disability. Psychological disorders such as depression are commonly treated by medication or by taking part in therapy sessions however, more people are now looking at physical activity as a way of dealing with feelings of depression (Weinberg Gould, 2007). Barriers to Physical Activity The benefit and the barriers to physical activity are significant for behaviour change and its important that in order to increase participation that we understanding the barriers that older adults face. The Health Survey for England (2008) reported that 41% of men and 43% of women reported lack of time as the main barrier to exercise many older people may have caring responsibilities or may be involved in voluntary work and use lack of time for a reason not to exercise (BHF, 2010). Barriers can be classified into two groups these are intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic barriers are based on an individuals belief, previous experience or self efficacy. Brassington et al (2002) explains that the strongest determinant for physical activity participation for older adults is self efficacy or confidence. Many older adults have the fear of not been able to keep up with the class or not wanting to attend the class alone. They may be conscious of their body image and fear for lack of changing f acilities. Extrinsic barriers refer to the environment for example; concerns for safety older adults may be concerned about slippery pool side surfaces, ageism, or skills of teachers (BHF, 2010). Overcoming these barriers is paramount in promoting health and independence and by taking part in regular physical activity will in turn help prevent ill health and disability. Those who understand the benefits to exercise will have fewer barriers than those who are not aware of the benefits to physical activity and those who have several barriers will have low perceived benefits. It is important that people are educated of the benefits to physical activity. Socio-economic status and physical activity Research has looked at how physical activity can be influenced, factors that have been found to be most significant amongst older adults include education, social class, participation earlier in life, social support and opportunity factors (Bird, 2009). Martinez del Castillo et al, (2005) examined the participation rates of physical activity between social classes and reported that there was a positive relationship between social classes. The results found that the percentage of those physically active were Upper class =38.2%, middle class =18.5%, lower class= 9.7%. The relationship was found with their present income; those who had adequate income participated in physical activity and those that didnt did not want to participate. Overall, the lower the social status the less old adult participation in physical activity. Those who had encouragement from a partner or a social network who wanted to take part in physical activity took part. This is not to say that people from lower cla sses would be exempt but local opportunities and encouragement may contribute to leading healthy lifestyle (Martinez del Castillo et al, 2005). Lower classes do not always get the same opportunities, the higher someones socio economic status the greater the opportunities (Berger et al, 2005). Those amongst lower socio economic groups, health has always been an issue and suggests education and health promotion focusing on low income communities (Peterson et al, 2006). The Whitehall study (2004) of British Civil Servants explored the relationship between work, retirement and physical activity. They found that different occupational grades affected health. Those in a lower employment grade had a higher mortality rate compared to those in higher grades. Physical activity was least regular with those working full time compared to those working part time or not at all. This would suggest that those working part time or not at all would have more time to exercise. Interestingly, after reti rement those who worked full time were found not to increase their levels of activity however, those who worked part time or not at all did. The frequency of physical activity amongst the different occupational grades was found to be higher with more sport and gardening done by higher occupational grades (Mein et al, 2005). Sjogren Stjernberg (2010) found that having access to areas for country walks, parks and recreational centres are the most important factors for influencing outdoor activity. Education is an important predictor of older adult physical activity; women with a low level of education compared to women with a higher level, those with a higher level were more likely to take part in physical activity. Mortality rates are lower amongst those who become physically active later in life compared to those who may have been active earlier in life but now have a sedentary lifestyle (Sjogren Stjernberg, 2010). Arguably, Berger et al, (2005) reported that education, car and de privation were not strong predictors of whether someone regularly takes part in physical activity instead other lifestyle factors such as not smoking and healthy diet were strong predictors. Continuity and Change Continuity and change plays an important role in the transition to retirement, whilst retirement is seen as a time of leisure, studies have shown that only a small amount of people make changes to their leisure activities after retirement (Nimrod, 2007). Atchley (1989) explains that the Continuity Theory is considered a key feature of post retirement leisure, the theory holds that, in making adaptive choices, middle-aged and older adults attempt to preserve and maintain existing internal and external structures; and they prefer to accomplish this objective by using strategies tied to their past experiences of themselves and their social world. Change is linked to the persons perceived past, producing continuity in inner psychological characteristics as well as in social behaviour and in social circumstances. Continuity is thus a grand adaptive strategy that is promoted by both individual preference and social approval. In recent study Nimrod (2007), explored the adaptation process to retirement, particularly changes in behaviour and the psychological benefits. The study involved examining four different groups of people (1) expanders-those who report participation in a greater amount of activities at a higher frequency, (2) reducers-those who reported participation in the same or in fewer activities at the same or at a lower frequency, (3) concentrators-those who report participation in the same, or in fewer activities, but at a higher frequency, and (4) diffusers-people who report participation in a larger number of activities but at the same or at a lower frequency. Interviews were carried out using four different questionnaires. Their finding supported the Continuity Theory that people did not tend to engage in any new leisure activities after retirement they simply spent more time participating in the activities they were involved in pre retirement. Participation in activities in early life promotes participation later in life (Martinez del Castillo et al, 2005). Government guidelines and initiatives The recommendation for how much physical activity is required has changed over the years (Berger et al, 2005). The Chief Medical Officer for England set a target that by 2020 70% of the UK population will be reasonably active (Allender, Cowburn Foster, 2006). The current recommendation for physical activity is at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity, 5 days per week to improve health and quality of life, this can be built up in bouts of 10 minutes or more (Berger et al, 2005; Allender et al, 2006; Berger, 2009; WHO, 2010). Moderate intensity could include activities such as gardening, swimming, house work or home improvements, the intensity should correspond to that of a brisk walk (Berger et al, 2005; NHS, 2010). Short bouts of exercise are more tolerable and more enjoyable than long or high intensity exercise (Wilson, Yilla Soloman, 2001). The issue is not being able to get people to exercise it is encouraging people to adhere to exercise (Byrne Byrne, 1993). In a rep ort by the Department of Health (2001) the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended a programme for patients suffering from depression using structured, supervised exercise, three times a week for 45 minutes to 1 hour for 10 to 12 weeks. The programmes were rolled out through exercise referral schemes. In 2006 NICE reviewed the scheme and found that there was insufficient evidence. This was due to patients not maintaining the physical activity they had been prescribed as they found leisure facilities and gyms intimidating and adherence levels dropped. If patients are to adhere to exercise long term it needs to be an activity that they enjoy. National and local policies aim to promote independence and mobility, prevent ill health disease and disability and prevent accidents amongst older people. The following government initiatives are currently available; Free swimming for the over sixties Lets get moving Physical activity care pathway programme. Chief medical officer report at least 5 per day Choosing physical activity an action plan Heidelberg guidelines for promoting physical activity amongst older people Sport England Sport playing its part Policy on sustainable walking Policy on sustainable cycling The government is always looking for ways to promote physical activity. Theories are used in assisting with promoting health behaviours. Transtheoretical Theory and Physical Activity Over the years there has been an increasing need for more theory driven research in health behaviour change. There have been many theories developed to help understand changes to health behaiviour for example The Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1977) and the Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska DiClemente, 1984) which is one of the most widely adopted models in health promotion. The components of the Transtheoretical Model that have been applied to exercise are stage of change, processes of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, and temptation to not exercise. Stage of change refers to a persons readiness to engage in regular exercise. Pre contemplation is the stage where someone does not take part in any physical activity and is not planning to start within the next 6 months. Thee contemplation stage is where someone is considering taking part in physical activity within the next 6 months, someone may stay in the contemplation stage as long as 2 years but may never move from thi s stage. Someone in the preparation stage may have already started to exercise but nothing regular but they have taken the first steps to start. The Action stage describes someone who has been exercing for less than 6 months. This is the most unreliable stage and there is a possibility of relapse. The Maintenance stage describes someone who has been exercising for 6 months or more. It is likely that once reaching this stage that someone will continue to exercise and it becomes part of their daily routine. It is important to identify what stage a person is at before putting strategies in place to promote physical activity (Sparling, 2000). The Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1977) Methodology To meet the aims and objectives of this study, qualitative research methods were used to obtain information. Qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomenon in terms of the meanings people bring to them. It involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical materials (e.g., life story, interviews, etc.) that describe routine and problematic moments and meanings in individuals lives (Denzin Lincoln, 1998). Qualitative methods aim to explore and individuals experiences, perceptions, motives and barriers (Thomas Nelson, 1996). It is inductive which enables a theory to be developed following the collection of the data. There are three different types of interviews Structured; usually with a structured questionnaire, Semi structured; Open ended questions, and un-structured; Questions are based on what the interviewee says (Britten, 1995). For the purpose of this study a face to face semi-structured interview was conducted in November 2011 and took place at the respondents homes situated in the North West England. The study was based 2 female retirees aged between 60yrs and 69yrs who retired during the past five years. Open questions were asked during the interview regarding: Previous occupation(s), leisure time activities, reasons for retirement, knowledge of physical activity and participation in physical activity. Interviews lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. Interviews were arranged by telephone. 15 women were asked if they would consider participating in the study. 2 women volunteered. Interviews were arranged at a time convenient for the participants. They were advised that no costs would be involved and were notified that the benefits for taking part in the study were that they will receive information relating to physical activity and details of the current government recommended guidelines. Sampling Criteria Consideration was applied as to who could be purposively selected for this study. Participants were recruited from a local womens group. The inclusion criteria were they should be aged between 60 69 years, working to retirement or retired within the last 5 years. Exclusion criteria included; history of psychiatric illness including depression, history of neurological illness or history of heart disease. Interviews were arranged by telephone. 15 women were asked if they would consider participating in the study. 2 women volunteered. Interviews were arranged at a time convenient for the participants. They were advised that no costs would be involved and were notified that the benefits for taking part in the study were that they will receive information relating to physical activity and details of the current government recommended guidelines. Ethical Issues Prior to this research commencing ethical approval was obtained by the University. An information sheet and a consent form was prepared and handed to the participants 24 hours prior to the interview. This enabled the participants to ask questions and to give consent prior to the interviews commencing. Participants were advised that interviews would be recorded and that all information from the interview would be kept confidential. They were free to withdraw from the study without reason at any time and that any data would be destroyed. Data Analysis Following the interview the interviews were transcribed Results and Discussion In general, both participants considered themselves to be physically active whilst at work. P1and P2 had occupations within a shop setting where they did alot of lifting and carrying. P1 worked in a florist and P2 in a supermarket both participants explained that they enjoyed their jobs but as they became older they found it difficult to be as active at work as much as they had been. P1 explains; .ill health caused me to say enough is enough because I was working 16 / 17 hours per day because we were so busy. P2 explains; .I did a lot of lifting in my job that is one of the reasons why I came off the job, I had to do a lot of kneeling, it was causing me a lot of pain on my knees. Both participants explained that they still wanted to be active but natural ageing caused them to slow down. P2 expanded on this and went onto say that in the 8 years building up to retirement she helped out in a childrens nursery, helping wash up, answering the door. After retiring from the florist she still felt that she needed to keep busy. Whilst being active in the workplace I how far participants lived away from their work and how they used to get there. P1 explained that although she only lived 5 minutes away she would drive to work. This was because she would start at 4am by attending the markets to buy the flowers for the shop and generally would not finish until 6 or 7 o clock in the evening. Deliveries would also need to be done during the day so she needed the car. P2 also drove to work however she would sometimes walk depending on the time of the shift. P2 explained that if it was evening she would definitely drive. When asked the reasons for walking whether it was to en able her to keep fit. P2 explained that it never crossed her mind that it was exercise and that it was doing good, she did it because she fancied a walk and wanted some fresh air. Their understanding of sport and physical activity was fairly accurate. It was explained that sport was something that you took part in, went out and played. Where physical activity was explained as a hobby something that was pleasurable. Physical activity does not have to be competitive. Many studies only examine leisure activities, its important that if we are to encourage healthy living that Simple housework, home improvements or going for a brisk walk are included in the daily accumulation of physical activity. When asked about what leisure activities they participated in before they retired P1 explained; I cant say I had a lot of time when I came home from the shop, apart from cooking and baking, going for a walk, going to football match, things like that, holidays theyre all classed as activities arent they P2 explained;Leisure time was a non entity, no such thing as leisure time, because I had a home and a family to look after so there wasnt really time for any leisure time, the only time was perhaps later in an evening where you would perhaps sit down and watch the television for a couple of hours before you went to bed at night. This highlights the barriers, lack of time being the primary reason for not exercising this corresponds with the English National survey where lack of time was reported as the main reason and most frequently reported barrier for not taking part in exercise. Women typically find it difficult to find time to exercise due to the demands of a family, household jobs and work, they rarely have time for themselves. Making physical activity part of your daily routine encourages physical participation throughout the life course which enhances both mental and physical well being. Those who participate in physical activity throughout their life are more likely to continue this later on in life (Castillo et al, 2005; Berger et al, 2005).P2 explained that she had never participated in any sport throughout her life as it was just not something that she was interested in. P2 explained Because im just not a sporty type of person im more into delving in history, thats my past time, which does not require much physical exertion.. . As highlighted previously exercise does not need to include sport activities but moderate intensity exercise such as going for a brisk walk, gardening or housework are all types of exercise. P1 explained I am a crown green bowler, I was the president for the North Lancs and Fylde, I was the captain of the county When asked if this was something she had aways taken participated in. P1 explained that her husband who has only just recently passed away was also a bowler this influenced her to participate in this past time together. Castilo et al, (2005); Bruce, (2002) identified that having a social network, including living with a partner encouraged participation. Both participants retired at retirement age because it was the right time, so they could start to sit back and enjoy life. Both participants could afford to retire and decided it was ready to enjoy life. This supports the theory that a persons socio-economic position continues to influence on post-retirement activities (Scherger, Nazroo Higgs, 2010). P1 explainedWhen I turned 60 he said come on lets spend some time together, lifes too short and you dont realise, you think you have years so I said right I will do so I did.. P2 explained It was retirement age and I just felt it was the right time for me to retire, id had enough of working life I just wanted to get out the rat race of working, cause I wasnt really enjoying my job at that time. I can afford to retire so thats what I am going to do and enjoy life a bit.. People make preparations for retirement in different ways but research shows that very little preparations are made for health promoting physical activity (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). When asked about how they would consider keeping fit and healthy in retirement, P1 explained; Never crossed my mind, I knew I would still always be doing, I knew I still did things. I bowl even more now, even in the winter I do indoor bowling P2 explained; No, I knew I would go for walks, I have a garden at home, I have a grandson who id be running round after Participants were asked about their knowledge of the government guidelines for physical activity. Research suggests that very few people know how much exercise is required. P1 and P2 responses correspond with this. P1 replied .Well I wouldnt know what it was but I would imagine there was one P2 replied .no Participation in activities appears to be based on enjoyment and social networks (Allender et al, 2006) I asked P2 the main reasons for participating in bowling now whether it was for the fitness or more the social aspects? P1 replied Both really, meeting people, social side of things Chaudhury Skelton (2010) stated that those not in work reported more physical activity at home or during leisure time compared to when in employment. When asked if they thought they were more active now or before they retired both participants said that they thought they were more active now P1 explained. yes I would say now. P2 explained . I would say I have more now. Berger et al, (2005) outlined that if a person is considerably active during employment that activity is not always replaced after retirement. The study found that people in work were more likely to meet the daily levels of exercise required than in retirement. Physical activity should be measured in other activities to ensure the recommended daily levels of activity are met. P2 added that she also does volunteer work at the local church. Van Willigen (2000) reported that older people who worked as a volunteer experienced positive changes in perceived health and experienced an increase in life satisfaction Both participants were aware of local activities aimed at the over 60s however, both stated that they perceived that took part in enough activities to meet the daily target of 30 minutes per day. People make preparations for retirement in different ways but research shows that very little preparations are made for health promoting physical activity (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). Conclusion The aim of this study was to explore the behaviours and attitudes to physical activity around retirement age. My findings are show that there are clear variations of older adult physical activity from sport related activities to general leisure time. Studies have shown to examine formal activities but there is li

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn was born a peasant in the village of Rohrau, Austria on March 31, 1732. His father, a wagon maker by trade, was musically inclined. He often played the harp while his wife, Haydns mother, sang along. The second child of twelve in a peasant home left Haydn little chance of attending school, however young Franzs early showings of musical ability caused his cousin to take notice and fund his education to be given at St. Stephens (Franz Joseph Haydn Biography, NAXOS). At age eight he was given a choirboy position in a Viennese cathedral. From a very early age Haydn was moving up in the world based on his own merit. Social mobility in his day and age was relatively unheard of, but from the very beginning Franz Joseph Haydn was proving to be exceptional. For several years Haydn remained a choirboy with the cathedral, until one day he found himself out on the streets with little more than the clothes on his back. Puberty had altered the boyish timbre in his voice and he was unfit to remain in the boys choir. Soon, however, Haydn found work as an accompanist to Niccolo Porpora, an Italian composer. Niccolo taught Haydn Italian, voice, and schooled him in musical composition (Franz Joseph Haydn Biography). Haydn and Porpora really began to find success as aristocrats and royalty began to hire them for entertainment at all types of events. Haydn began to find more than just status, he began to generate significant revenue (Halley Tsai). Soon Haydn moved on apart from Porpora and was briefly hired by Baron Karl Josef von Furnberg. It was under this patronage that he composed his earliest string quartets. At 28 Haydn found a more substantial position when he was hired as music director by Count Ferdinand Maximilian von Morzin (Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn). One of the biggest turning points in Haydns life came in 1761 when Prince Pal Antà ¡l Esterhà ¡zy hired him as assistant music director. The following year he was promoted to head director, or Kapellmeister. Haydn served as Kapellmeister under three princes in this household, finding himself with overwhelmingly demanding duties and responsibilities. The second prince, Prince Miklà ³s Jozsef Esterhà ¡zy, was the biggest musical advocate of the three. He spent a fortune building up a musical establishment second to none in his day. Haydn found himself in a very publically demanding position. Haydn worked to not only compose music, but also to teach his music as well as others pieces. He was in turn responsible for performing music, maintaining the library of music, keeping up the instrument collection, coaching singers, and perform the duties of an administrative figure when it came to issues and disputes among musicians and entertainers (Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn). During the time of Haydns patronage by the princes he composed roughly 83 works. Many of these works were string quartets. Haydn wrote many of these quartets in sets that shared common themes and elements. Some of these sets are as follows: The Sun Quartets (1772), The Russian Quartets (1781), The Prussian Quartets (1787), and many, many more. Many of these later quartets were written to feature his third prince and patron Prince Nikolaus Esterhà ¡zy. Nikolaus played a bowed instrument called the baryton. This instrument was also able to be plucked, and was looked at rather critically by later scholars and critics. In addition to the quartets, Haydn also composed a significant amount of pieces for two violins and a cello as well as some 126 baryton trios (Franz Joseph Haydn Biography, NAXOS). Haydn did not always enjoy the seclusion that came with working for the princes of Esterhà ¡za, but he did enjoy the unique privilege of being allowed to market his compositions to publishers and receive commission. Many composers being patronized during the 18th century did not have this luxury (Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn). During the early to mid 1790s Haydn joined forces with an enterprising, young English violinist, Johann Peter Salomon. It was alongside Salomon, in London, that Haydn composed some of his works considered masterpieces. Several of which are commonly known as The London Symphonies. (Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn). His use of crescendo, accents, abrupt dynamic changes, modulation, and other such innovative technique set the precedent for many following composers (Forney, Kristine). While working for the princes Haydn published a total of 125 trios and 19 operas (Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn). The most famous of Haydns symphonies, Symphony No. 94, is often referred to as the â€Å"Surprise Symphony.† It became apparent to Haydn that members in the audience were falling asleep mid-performance. As a remedy for this problem, he composed this symphony utilizing a forceful brass section composed of French horns and trumpets along with tympani percussion. Haydn wrote the beginning to be mild and peaceful. Dynamically the introduction was relatively piano. And then, seemingly without warning, Haydn wrote in an orchestral hit that brought the dynamic level abruptly to forte in an attempt to jar sleeping listeners to wake. Such dynamic change was later reflected in Beethovens works (Forney, Kristine). Although Haydn had passed the age of sixty his output of music showed no signs of slowing. After his work in London, Haydn returned to Austria and began to write oratorio. The Creation and The Seasons were two famous works that portrayed scenes of nature. An avid hunter and nature lover, Haydn often incorporated themes of nature into his music (Franz Joseph Haydn biography, Essortment Articles). Haydn was notably one of the most productive writers of all time, putting out an immense number or musical works throughout his life. Haydn wrote career number 107 symphonies, 68 string quartets, 62 piano sonatas, 43 piano trios as well as the 125 trios written during his work with the princes, and 19 operas(Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn). This level of proficiency in that day was rivaled only by the young composer Mozart, who was actually a good friend of Haydn. Haydn stumbled across Mozart while observing a lesson of Mozarts with another student. Haydn was stunned by the musical genius and quickly befriended him. The two began to become involved in each others music writing and even suggested ideas on occasion that would better each others writing. Haydn even admitted his younger companions superiority in writing opera (Franz Joseph Haydn Biography, NAXOS). Haydn and Mozart remained friends until parted by the death of Mozart. At age 77, Haydn followed his friend in death on May 31, 1809. It was Mozarts last composition A Requiem that was performed at Haydns own funeral (Halley Tsai). Haydns works are not as often performed today as some of his later contemporaries, because they are not complex in nature; however, the originality of his works are without question. Haydn paved the way in style and technique for his future composers. Haydn not only influenced the minds of the composers but also was an instructor to the musicians and performers, both instrumental and vocal, that would play the music. Haydn is often remembered as a self-made man, a true example of â€Å"rags to riches.† He is remembered as an innovator and an instructor totally unique and original in all areas of his life and work. Bibliography Forney, Kristine. The Enjoyment of Music An Introduction to Perceptive Listening. Boston: W. W. Norton Company, 2007. Print Franz Joseph Haydn. Academic Talent Development Program. Halley Tsai, 1999. Web. 30 Sep. 2009. . Franz Joseph Haydn Biography. Listen to Classical Music by Franz Joseph Haydn. Classical Music Streaming Classical Music. NAXOS, 2009. Web. 30 Sep. 2009. Basic Repertoire List F.J. Haydn. Classical Net. 2009. Web. 30 Sep. 2009. . â€Å"Franz Joseph Haydn biography. Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education More.. Elaine Schneider, 2002. Web. 30 Sep. 2009.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Rules to Teamwork :: essays research papers

The Challenges of Teamwork Working on teams can normally prove very challenging, with all of the variations in personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, most of these issues are raised face to face with individuals, and can be resolved by finding a room to sit and talk them out. Working on virtual teams is more challenging, since there are a lot of things missing from the person-to- person contact, such as: †¢Lack of visual cues to understanding context. Many people write email and talk on the telephone in a manner which is completely different than they would talk in person; things that are taken as insults could actually be jokes, or things that are taken as jokes could actually be insults. †¢Lack of a communication mesh. Generally, teams work well when ‘cubicle to cubicle talk’ occurs; when people wander around asking questions. It’s difficult to wander from place to place all the time when your team is scattered all over the world. At the same time, virtual teams have some advantages. For instance, it’s easier to think through your response when writing an email than when talking in a meeting, which is a good and a bad thing. It’s harder to brainstorm when you aren’t willing to just throw out ideas (people are often afraid of saying things that make them look stupid in email, because they think about it before they send it). But it’s easier to have rational discussion when everyone can (not that they always do) let things sit for some time rather than replying in emotion. Several things that came up in our discussion are that virtual teams are also like normal teams in many ways, so many of the normal team rules apply. Web Research Several links came up dealing with virtual teams when searching the Internet.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Review of an Ecological Science Research Article from a Primary Scientific Source :: essays research papers

Powell, K., 2005. Fish farming, Eat your Veg, Nature, 426, 378-379.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article that I chose to review discussed the possibility of maintaining and sustaining aquaculture by changing the diets of the farmed fish. The idea of carnivorous fish turning into vegetarians would help for future sustentation of aquaculture. There were pros and cons to either side of vegetarianism and the maintaining of carnivores. There are issues that would require research and analysis to which the author points out to the reader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aquaculture has increased by 5% over the past 10 years. The wild stock of fish that is caught to feed the fish farms has numbered 11 million tons, which is 12 % of the total fish hauled from the sea each year. Carp and tilapia are the most farmed fish in the industry that already are consisting of a vegetarian type diet. Salmon and trout are the next largest farmed fish. The difference is that the salmon and trout are carnivores. The author reports that the carnivorous fish are more expensive to cultivate and more resources are needed to maintain these types of farmed fish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most farmed fish are fed on a diet that consists greatly of fish oil and fishmeal. Fishmeal is made from a protein rich powder of ground up cheap fish as a source of nutrients and proteins. The problem with using these within the farm diet is that the demand for the fish oil will overpower the supply as aquaculture expands and booms. The author states that the â€Å"demand will outstrip supply of oil by 2010.† (Powell).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feed companies which supply the fish farms with fishmeal and fish oil as a staple to the diet of the carnivorous fish will seek different sources of protein. This protein could possibly come from larger fish such as mackerel, herring, and blue whiting. If this happens it would put more pressure on the natural stock already being harvested for other purposes. Some companies are traveling to the Antarctic to collect krill, which has repercussions for the bottom of the food chain in that the ocean itself is a primordial web of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author boosts that the fish will be able to eat Soya beans, corn, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and wheat gluten if converted to a vegetarian diet. The author also reports that some salmon farms already use these foods as staples in their fish farm diets.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Political Philosophy and Individualism Essay

Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that emphasizes â€Å"the moral worth of the individual†. Individualists promote the exercise of one’s goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance and advocate that interests of the individual should achieve precedence over the state or a social group, while opposing external interference upon one’s own interests by society or institutions such as the government. Individualism makes the individual its focus and so starts â€Å"with the fundamental premise that the human individual is of primary importance in the struggle for liberation. † Individualism thus involves â€Å"the right of the individual to freedom and self-realization†. An individualist enters into society to further his or her own interests, or at least demands the right to serve his or her own interests, without taking the interests of society into consideration. The individualist does not lend credence to any philosophy that requires the sacrifice of the self-interest of the individual for any higher social causes. Jean-Jacques Rousseau would argue, however, that his concept of â€Å"general will† in the â€Å"social contract† is not the simple collection of individual wills and precisely furthers the interests of the individual (the constraint of law itself would be beneficial for the individual, as the lack of respect for the law necessarily entails, in Rousseau’s eyes, a form of ignorance and submission to one’s passions instead of the preferred autonomy of reason). Individualists are chiefly concerned with protecting individual autonomy against obligations imposed by social institutions (such as the state or religious morality). (Encyclopedia Britannica) Individualism, political and social philosophy that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. Individualism once exhibited interesting national variations, but its various meanings have since largely merged. Following the upheaval of the French Revolution, individualisme was used pejoratively in Franceto signify the sources of social dissolution and anarchy and the elevation of individual interests above those of the collective. The term’s negative connotation was employed by French reactionaries, nationalists, conservatives, liberals, and socialists alike, despite their different views of a feasible and desirable social order. In Germany, the ideas of individual uniqueness (Einzigkeit) and self-realization—in sum, the Romantic notion of individuality—contributed to the cult of individual genius and were later transformed into an organic theory of national community. According to this view, state and society are not artificial constructs erected on the basis of a social contract but instead unique and self-sufficient cultural wholes. In England, individualism encompassed religious nonconformity (i. e. , nonconformity with the Church of England) and economic liberalism in its various versions, including both laissez-faire and moderate state-interventionist approaches. In the United States, individualism became part of the core American ideology by the 19th century, incorporating the influences of New England Puritanism, Jeffersonianism, and the philosophy of natural rights. American individualism was universalist and idealist but acquired a harsher edge as it became infused with elements of social Darwinism (i.e. , the survival of the fittest). â€Å"Rugged individualism†Ã¢â‚¬â€extolled by Herbert Hoover during his presidential campaign in 1928—was associated with traditional American values such as personal freedom,capitalism, and limited government. As James Bryce, British ambassador to the United States (1907–13), wrote in The American Commonwealth (1888), â€Å"Individualism, the love of enterprise, and the pride in personal freedom have been deemed by Americans not only their choicest, but [their] peculiar and exclusive possession. † The French aristocratic political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–59) described individualism in terms of a kind of moderate selfishness that disposed humans to be concerned only with their own small circle of family and friends. Observing the workings of the American democratic tradition for Democracy in America (1835–40), Tocqueville wrote that by leading â€Å"each citizen to isolate himself from his fellows and to draw apart with his family and friends,† individualism sapped the â€Å"virtues of public life,† for which civic virtue and association were a suitable remedy. For the Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt (1818–97), individualism signified the cult of privacy, which, combined with the growth of self-assertion, had given â€Å"impulse to the highest individual development† that flowered in the European Renaissance. The French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) identified two types of individualism: the utilitarian egoism of the English sociologist and philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820–1903), who, according to. Durkheim, reduced society to â€Å"nothing more than a vast apparatus of production and exchange,† and the rationalism of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1788), and the French Revolution’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789), which has as â€Å"its primary dogma the autonomy of reason and as its primary rite the doctrine of free enquiry. † The Austrian economist F. A. Hayek (1899–1992), who favoured market processes and was distrustful of state intervention, distinguished what he called â€Å"false† from â€Å"true† individualism. False individualism, which was represented mainly by French and other continental European writers, is characterized by â€Å"an exaggerated belief in the powers of individual reason† and the scope of effective social planning and is â€Å"a source of modern socialism†; in contrast, true individualism, whose adherents included John Locke (1632–1704), Bernard de Mandeville (1670–1733), David Hume (1711–76), Adam Ferguson (1723–1816), Adam Smith (1723–90), and Edmund Burke(1729–97), maintained that the â€Å"spontaneous collaboration of free men often creates things which are greater than their individual minds can ever fully comprehend† and accepted that individuals must submit â€Å"to the anonymous and seemingly irrational forces of society. † Other aspects of individualism pertain to a series of different questions about how to conceive the relation between collectivities and individuals. One such question focuses on how facts about the behaviour of groups, about social processes, and about large-scale historical events are to be explained. According to methodological individualism, a view advocated by Austrian-born British philosopher Karl Popper (1902–94), any explanation of such a fact ultimately must appeal to, or be stated in terms of, facts about individuals—about their beliefs, desires, and actions. A closely related view, sometimes called ontological individualism, is the thesis that social or historical groups, processes, and events are nothing more than complexes of individuals and individual actions. Methodological individualism precludes explanations that appeal to social factors that cannot in turn be individualistically explained. Examples are Durkheim’s classic account of differential suicide rates in terms of degrees of social integration and the account of the incidence of protest movements in terms of the structure of political opportunities. Ontological individualism contrasts with various ways of seeing institutions and collectivities as â€Å"real†Ã¢â‚¬â€e. g. , the view of corporations or states as agents and the view of bureaucratic roles and rules or status groups as independent of individuals, both constraining and enabling individuals’ behaviour. Another question that arises in debates over individualism is how objects of worth or value (i. e. , goods) in moral and political life are to be conceived. Some theorists, known as atomists, argue that no such goods are intrinsically common or communal, maintaining instead that there are only individual goods that accrue to individuals. According to this perspective, morality and politics are merely the instruments through which each individual attempts to secure such goods for himself. One example of this view is the conception of political authority as ultimately derived from or justified by a hypothetical â€Å"contract† between individuals, as in the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679). Another is the idea, typical in economics and in other social sciences influenced by economics, that most social institutions and relationships can best be understood by assuming that individual behaviour is motivated primarily by self-interest. Individualism with its endorsement of private enjoyments and control of one’s personal environment and its neglect of public involvement and communal attachment, has long been lamented and criticized from both the right and the left and from both religious and secular perspectives. Especially notable critiques have been made by advocates of communitarianism, who tend to equate individualism with narcissism and selfishness. Likewise, thinkers in the tradition of â€Å"republican† political thought—according to which power is best controlled by being divided—are disturbed by their perception that individualism deprives the state of the support and active involvement of citizens, thereby impairing democratic institutions. Individualism also has been thought to distinguish modern Western societies from premodern and non-Western ones, such as traditional India and China, where, it is said, the community or the nation is valued above the individual and an individual’s role in the political and economic life of his community is largely determined by his membership in a specific class or caste.