Saturday, November 23, 2019
Make Case Study Writing Manageable
Make Case Study Writing Manageable Make Case Study Writing Manageable Case studies are one of the most difficult things to write. There are very specific formats to be followed. Sometimes they can be complicated for people that have never attempted this type of writing. Research needs to be documented so it can be confirmed by someone else at a later date (if necessary). All graphics need to be checked for potential typographical errors and consistency. Writing even a small case study can be challenging, and why so many new writers can benefit from the help of an academic writing service. Writing a case study has several steps. First, gather all relevant information, sift and organize it to make a convincing case. In a pre-digital era information could be spread out over a huge physical area with note cards, books, reports, and folders. One advantage of using laptops and desktops is that all that information can be scanned in and kept in a single thumb drive or in the cloud. Not only can you work on a case study wherever you wish, it keeps your workspace organized. The next step is to start organizing in a clear and coherent way. This can be facilitated by a renaming and sorting files, or dividing resources into a few physical piles. By classifying sources into different categories, a better narrative can be developed. Better yet, your directories and files can later be digitally shared with others, giving them easy access to the information. Once this has been done the writing itself can take place. Using an academic writing assistance service can be a huge help in this endeavour. A professional writing service can teach you how to create any necessary graphics, adding a little extra panache to the study and better organizing information that may have been merely input into a plain-looking table. They can also check for typographical and factual errors. This makes the effort much easier for any person in charge of a case study. All told, a academic writing assistance service can save a lot of stress and time, making it well worth the investment. For those looking to make an impression on readers, this service is well worth the investment. For those more concerned with the research, help with writing is a welcome relief. Contact Masterââ¬â¢s Essay today to get started.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Children killers Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Children killers - Annotated Bibliography Example hs Prophetâ⬠, the author, Sina illustrates that Kony Joseph proclaimed himself as one of the spokespersons of God before ruling over the Ugandan people. After gaining the trust of the people, Kony Joseph then takes advantage of the children and orders them to become soldiers and participate in child-sex activities. The act makes the Uganda people to hate Kony since he misleads the young children into activity that they dislike. Twesigye, Emmanuel, the author of the book, ââ¬Å"Religion, Politics, and Cults in East Africa: Gods Warriors and Marys Saintsâ⬠argue that Kony Joseph was a spiritual leader before being brutal to his own people. The author identifies that at first all the Ugandan citizens promoted the works done by the Lordââ¬â¢s Resistance Army movement since it was fighting for the human rights. However, the movement later begun rejecting own people and participated in brutal family murders. In the book, ââ¬Å"Unarmed and in Harms Way, My Obsession with Ending Violenceâ⬠the author, Hoffman Ben mentions that Joseph is responsible for numerous deaths in the entire east African society. Hoffman later identifies in the book that Kony has contributed to numerous wars in diverse nations such as Southern Sudan, Central African Republic and Congo. For reasons of contributing to the wars, the international criminal court is charging Kony as a criminal. In the book, ââ¬Å"Living with Bad Surroundings: War, History, and Everyday Moments in Northern Ugandaâ⬠, the author, Finnstrom, identifies that most of the children in Uganda have turned into participating into criminal activity. Since the LRA has recruited almost all the young children into soldiers, the children are forced to participate into wars. Finnstrom identifies that the children that deny the offer of the job are killed or the ears, lips and the nose are cut off. The author of the book, ââ¬Å"Social Torture: The Case of Northern Uganda, 1986-2006â⬠, Dolan identifies that Kony was a raised up Christian by the
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Perspectives on Changes in Adulthood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Perspectives on Changes in Adulthood - Essay Example With this, I believe that in order for me to live a good life, I must refrain from abusing others or causing them unnecessary hurt. This means that I should be mindful of relationship with people such that I give utmost consideration to how they feel. When dealing with the people I care most about like my family, friends or colleagues and even strangers, I try to be firm but at the same time gentle and understanding. Exploring the other side of the coin, the same rule may also be interpreted as to do unto others what we want them to do unto us. Hence, since I desire respect and love from the people who matter to me, I should also be generous in giving the respect and love that I yearn from them. This principle of reciprocity also extends to finding ways and means to be of service to people. I try to share with others as much as I could. I impart to them my material blessings, quality time and God-given talents. I have been blessed with myriad gifts and abilities. As such, I should maximize these blessings my putting them into use that is mutually beneficial for my fellowmen and me. In this regard, it is not only I who becomes the better person but they as well. However, I am cautious of people who attempt to exploit the kindness and generosity I willingly offer. I also protect myself from being taken advantage of. With regard to my personal concerns, I reckon that to ensure success in life I should always give my best in everything I do. Thus, in all my undertakings, I exert my best effort. Although the outcome may not be as expected, what is essential is that I tried my best.Perception on Changes in Activities, Relationships, Health and Mental Outlook As I crossed over from early to full-bloom adulthood, my perception and action on various matters have substantially changed. During early stages of adulthood, I have this typical carefree attitude that one normally displays in youth. To widen my horizon, I savored attending social gatherings and parties where I met a lot of people and made new friends or contacts. When I was younger, I loved exploring new things, thus, I was open to trying activities or things that I have never encountered. When it comes to my relationship with others, I was more passionate, intense and irrational with no complete regard as to what effects such emotions or actions would have on me. Bordering on the immature side, the relationships I had built then tended to be unstable as I somehow had a narrow and selfish viewpoint. With regard to my health, this aspect was not really a primary concern then. Albeit I was fully aware of apparent health hazards relative to having vices or driving too fast or consuming too much junk and fatty foods, it never dawned on me that these might have adverse effects on me. I was not totally appreciative to the good health I enjoyed with the perception that such condition would last a lifetime. As a young adult, my mental outlook by and large lies alongside childishness or immaturity. With this, I was aggressive so I had the tendency to always act before actually thinking of the whole circumstance or the consequences of my actions. This attitude brought about a number of regrettable results.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Mandatory HIV Testing Essay Example for Free
Mandatory HIV Testing Essay Imagine Las Vegas disappearing overnight and leaving nothing behind but empty stages and barren casinos, becoming nothing short of a ghost town. If all the people that have died from HIV/AIDS in the United States since the beginning of the epidemic were taken out of one geographical region, Las Vegas could easily be erased. The three most common ways to contract HIV are: unprotected sex with an infected partner, injecting drugs using an unsterilized needle that has been used by someone who is infected or during pregnancy, labor or delivery or breastfeeding where the mother transmitted the virus to her child. If an infected woman, not seeking treatment, becomes pregnant, the chance of her transmitting the infection to her child ranges from 15-45%. An infant, who has not even had the chance to speak, walk, or enjoy life, has such a high risk of contracting a deadly infection because the mother did not consult with her doctor and seek the appropriate treatment during her pregnancy. Did she not seek treatment because she did not know that she was infected, did she know but was too ashamed to relay the information, was she afraid she could not afford treatment? If routine HIV tests were conducted along with all the other blood tests throughout a pregnancy, infections would be indentified, treated with precaution and it would allow doctors to dramatically reduce the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission. With effective interference, the chances would be reduced to below 5%. With this knowledge, HIV screening must be made mandatory for those seeking any form of prenatal care. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1,148,200 people (13 years and older) in the United States are living with HIV; 18% of those people are unaware they are infected. The infection rate has stabilized over the last few years to roughly 50,000 new infections each yearââ¬âthat means that someone in the US is infected with HIV every 9 minutes. HIV and AIDS are not the same. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This strand cannot stand as a virus alone and reproduce; it needs to infect the cells of a living organism. Normally, the immune system fights off unwanted viruses but this particular virus attacks the immune system directly, preventing it from destroying the unwanted virus and repairing damaged cells. AIDS is a condition that is caused by the irreparable immune system. When the immune system is damaged this badly, it is incapable ofà fighting off any infection. If left untreated, it takes, on average, ten years for someone to develop AIDS from the date of infection. This average takes in to account a healthy diet and lifestyleââ¬ânot someone who may be suffering from malnourishment or other unrelated illnesses. Women are more susceptible to being infected with HIV through heterosexual sex and infected needles than men. The number of HIV positive women in the US, of child-bearing years, is still growing at a rapid rate. They account for roughly 23-25% (11,000-12,500) of new infections each year. In a recent study conducted by the CDC, only one in five women between the ages of 18 and 64 report that they have been tested for HIV in the last twelve months. Among those women who are HIV positive, 31% of them were diagnosed in the later stages of HIV, resulting in an AIDS diagnosis within one year. Women who are HIV positive have the possibility of transmitting the virus to their child during labor or post labor, during breast feeding. There are approximately 2000 babies being born with HIV each year and more become infected as a result of breastfeeding. This is by far the smallest group of people infected per year, but this number could be reduced to almost zero, if proper interventions were mandatory. When women think or realize that they are pregnant, they seek out a gynecologist or other medical professional to aid them throughout their pregnancy. They are put through numerous blood tests to ensure they have the appropriate vitamin and glucose levels. They even undergo a STD test that tests for a variety of sexual transmitted diseases, excluding HIV. Some professionals offer the test and try to convince their patient that it is important, but some still refuse. Implementing mandatory HIV tests for pregnant women ensure that more people get tested, educate on the effects of HIV, are able to get treatment, and dramatically reduce the chance of their child contracting the virus. The test should be performed with the routine STD test at the beginning of the pregnancy and then once again before labor, because it can take up to six months for the virus to show up during a screening. The woman would know whether she has contracted HIV and have the ability to discuss the options with the doctor. Treatment should accompany the pregnancy, if needed, at no cost. The treatment for the baby after delivery would also incur no cost. A major, non-political, concern aboutà mandatory testing is the cost associated with treatment. It does not seem logical, but HIV treatments are extremely expensive. It costs thousands of dollars each year for medications and regular doctorââ¬â¢s visits. For people who have full coverage insurance, the cost for the medication is almost completely covered but they still have to pay the co-pays to visit the doctor. There are also federally funded programs to assist with HIV costs, and though they might regulate which medications patients can take, most doctors would prefer that a patient be taking some sort of medication rather than none at all. And finally, there are other programs such as Medicare and Medicaid that assist those who are HIV positive. Although some states will not grant acceptance in the Medicaid program unless the diagnosis is AIDS, many states will cover the costs with a positive HIV status. All of these options must be presented after the baby is born and doctors should work with their patients to find the best option. Another concern, brought up on the political floor, is that mandatory testing violates the Constitution. If a mother knows the status of her or her child, involuntarily, that violates her right of privacy and subjects her to discrimination; she could lose her job, insurance, face discrimination in society or physical abuse at home (McMillion). Making sure that no infant is involuntarily infected with HIV should be the first priority, of not only health care providers but by mothers themselves. The American Medical Association (AMA) was originally against mandatory testing because there was little a doctor could do to help treat the pregnant mother and unborn child. With new discovery of AZT, the treatment used to reduce the rate of transmission, the AMA has reversed their opinion (Schuyler). The mandatory testing will not allow women to forever remain ignorant about their status. It forces women to face the disease much earlier in their lives and presents them with a choice, a choice that replaces the one that was taken awayââ¬âlet the HIV take its course but help reduce her babyââ¬â¢s chance, seek treatment for her and the baby or do neither of them and take the risk of exposing her child.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Fate In Macbeth :: essays research papers
In Macbeth, Shakespeare shows how the witches’ prophecies, Lady Macbeth’s desire for power, and Macbeth’s yearning to be king, affect the fate of the play. In Act I, the witches’ chant show how Shakespeare gives the fate of Macbeth, “Thane of Glamis';, ';Thane of Cawdor';, “that shalt be King hereafter';.( Act 1 scene 3, lines 48-50) He has no other choice, but to believe them because there first two predictions were true. They call him the Thane of Glamis, which he is at the present time. Then they call him Thane of Cawdor, which he finds out shortly after that he is the new Thane of Cawdor. Lastly they call him King hereafter, which he realizes is his fate. Macbeth sees this fate in his eyes to be very unlikely and almost impossible because of the current circumstances. His reaction to the witches is “stands not within the prospect of belief';( Act 1 scene 3, line 74), which tells the reader that the witches’ prophecies are a far reach from reality. Macbeth begins to think if he ever had the chance to become king that it would be a great honor that he would accept, “If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me';.(Act 1 scene 3, line 143) The prophecy of Banquo’s son having power in the future effects the actions of Macbeth later in the play too. The thought that Banquo’s child might take over the thrown from Macbeth makes him feel the need to get rid of him. Fleance, Banquo’s son, gets scared as his father is being killed and flees, “Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!';.( Act3 scene 3, line 18) After his talk with the witches Macbeth starts to think about their predictions, and how he will have to kill the king. This frightens Macbeth to think about killing his great king, so he decides to let fate lead him into the future. Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Lady Macbeth actions play a huge role in the fate of play by pushing him into killing the king. The instant she reads the letter from her husband that explains the prophecies Lady Macbeth wants to make her husband kill the king, “to catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great';(Act 1 scene 5, line 13). This shows the evil ways of Lady Macbeth and her selfishness. She does not care if her husband would be in danger when trying to kill Duncan, but what she would be able to do if she were queen.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Fatherhood Essay
Homer Simpson from The Simpsons, Peter Griffin from Family Guy, and Jerry from Wizards of Waverly Place, are just a few of the many youth television shows that present a dangerously distorted male figure. Or The Sweet Life of Zack and Cody, who run rampant throughout the hotel that they live in with their mother who was left to raise her children due to a dead beat father who left the family when the kids were young. Whether there is a Dad or there is not a Dad; they are presented as weak, childish, and brainless. These men are, at best, the whipping post for the strong-willed mothers who apparently have the real power and are the ones that essentially keep the home and the children from falling apart. It is clear that the role of Fatherhood has been distorted and watered down in the current century. Because of this, many modern day fathers fail to accomplish their duties towards their family, duties defined in Scripture, not because they do not want to but because they do not understand how crucial they are to their family, because society tells them that they are not really needed, and simply that they do not even know where to start. The task of being a father is of critical importance, and it has never been more so than in this day and age. A childââ¬â¢s relationship with Dad is a decisive factor in that young man or womanââ¬â¢s health, development and happiness. Stephen K. Baskerville, an American scholar of political science as well as a leading authority on divorce, child custody and the family court system, wrote, ââ¬Å"A generation of fatherhood advocates has emerged who insist that fatherlessness is the most critical social issue of our time. In Fatherless America, David Blankenhorn calls the crisis of fatherless children ââ¬Å"the most destructive trend of our generationâ⬠(1995, 1). Their case is powerful. Virtually every major social pathology issue has been linked to fatherless children: violent crime, drug and alcohol abuse, truancy, unwed pregnancy, suicide, and psychological disordersââ¬âall correlating more strongly with fatherlessness than with any other single factor, surpassing even race and poverty. The majority of prisoners, juvenile detention inmates, high school dropouts, pregnant teenagers, adolescent murderers, and rapists come from fatherless homes (Daniels 1998, passim). Children from affluent but broken families are much more likely to get into trouble than children from poor but intact ones, and white children from separated families are at higher risk than black children in intact families (McLanahan 1998, 88). The connection between single-parent households and crime is so strong that controlling for this factor erases the relationship between race and crime as well as between low income and crime (Kamarck and Galston 1990, 14)â⬠(Baskerville, independent. org). These statistics bring forth something vastly different than what is seen in pop cultureââ¬â¢s most-watched TV shows. Despite these staggering statistics, no attempt is being made to change this very prominent issue that American society faces every day. Instead of the government focusing on getting rid of poverty through public school systems, go to the true source of the issue which would involve eliminating one-parent families and teaching every young man the importance of fatherhood and should be preparing them to step up when that day comes. History also plays a key role in the downfall of Male leaders in the home. The Industrial Revolution came upon the world with great force. Women began entering the workforce and started becoming more and more independent. Feminists rose from this age and helped fuel the beginnings of what we see today: that being, more and more single family homes, often being run by the mother and not the father. Women think they can do it on their own but this is not always the case. There are some women out there who have been able to raise successful children but this is not the case for many other single family homes. The bible is very vocal when it comes to fatherhood. The concept of fatherhood begins with the one who created the universe. Derek Prince, an international Bible teacher, says that ââ¬Å"The fact behind all other facts is that God created the universe as father. He left his imprint on every aspect of creationâ⬠(Prince, 57). God is indeed, the perfect father whom every earthly father should model themselves after and give their all to be the best father they can be. Proverbs 22:6-11 reads, ââ¬Å"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from itâ⬠(English Standard Version). The father is the initial instructor of his children and therefore sets the path for how they are going to live their lives. Ephesians 6:4 is a summary of instruction to parents, represented by the father, in a negative and positive way which states, ââ¬Å"and now a word to you fathers, donââ¬â¢t make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lordâ⬠(English Standard Version). This is where the issue of discipline comes into play. The father should not discipline with the intention of frustrating their child or making their child feel less of themselves. Wanda L. Ball, an author, speaker, and teacher, writes, ââ¬Å"A wise parent wants to make obedience desirable through love and gentleness. Christian discipline is needed to prevent children from growing up without reverence for God, respect for their parentââ¬â¢s authority, knowledge of Christian standards and self-control. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, ââ¬ËAll scripture is given of God and is profitable for teaching, reproving, correcting and instruction in righteousness; that the man (or woman) of God may be completely equipped for all good works. ââ¬â¢ This is what the Bible says about being a fatherâ⬠(Ball-publications. com). With this being said, a solid framework for how a father should be is established. The tricky part is how to carry this all out. God is indeed the model father. As Josh McDowell writes in his book, The Father Connection, ââ¬Å"He is a tender Father who invites us to address Him as ââ¬ËAbbaââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ ¦He is a listening Father who bids us to approach him boldly as ââ¬Ëour father in heavenââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ ¦ He is a loving Father who freely and forcefully demonstrated his Father-love at the baptism of his Son, Jesus with a voice like thunder that said, ââ¬ËThis is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. ââ¬â¢ He is a giving Father who gives good gifts to his children. He is the Father of all, the very definition of father-hood, the fount of everything that is good, moral, and worthy of imitationâ⬠(McDowell, 18). If this is not how a father would want to be then something is very wrong. Every man should be humble enough to model themselves to be like their Heavenly father who gave them the opportunity to even be a father. God is a wondrous God who is more to us than just a Creator. What follows will lay out all that a father should be towards his son, his daughter, as well as his wife. These will all be discussed separately and then related back to each-other in the end. For his son, a father must create an early bond with him, must be able to discipline his son, and lastly, must be a consistent example for his son in every aspect of life. For his daughter, a father must recognize that he is the first man in her life, must constantly encourage her, must exercise leadership and display perseverance, and needs to be there for his daughter by comforting her, being compassionate, and by supporting her. Lastly for a father, is his relationship with his wife, who is the source of his father-hood. How a husband treats his wife is crucial in raising children. A husband must be able to take input from his wife and be able to make decisions from that input, must love and cherish his wife at all time, and must also be able to give praise to his wife. A fatherââ¬â¢s children watch him constantly and one of the main ways children learn from their father is by observing how he treats their mother. The modern day man fails to accomplish his duties towards his son: to teach and guide him towards manhood. Fatherhood is not something to fool around with and take lightly. A father has the responsibility of properly raising members of the future generations. The job of a father is not just doing well in business but rather raising their son. A fatherââ¬â¢s main goal in raising his son should be to train the young boy throughout his early life how to be a man and to teach him what it means to be a man. Fatherhood is complex and requires hard work and commitment, as well as love. To start, manhood needs to be defined. Rick Johnson, a best-selling Christian author and speaker focusing on parenting, marriage, fathering, personal growth, character development, and masculinity, says that ââ¬Å"authentic manhood is living for a cause bigger than yourselfâ⬠(Johnson, 18-19). This means that one should not simply live for themselves but live for the benefit of others. A man needs to be a servant to others which includes, first and foremost, his wife and children; to be the protector and leader. When it comes to the son, he needs to be able to look at his father in a similar way to the way he looks at superheroes like superman and spider-man. In other words, his father needs to be able to look at his father and say, ââ¬Å"I want to be like my dad when I grow up. â⬠For a father, this type of respect must be earned. Relationships are hard work and take effort and care. As it says in Proverbs, ââ¬Å"train a child in the way he should go, and when he is older he will not turn from itâ⬠(English Standard Version, Proverbs 22:6). A father needs to focus on his character because that is the best way to gain a young boys respect. A father could be courageous, compassionate, loving, strong, understanding, and so on. A son will notice this and seek to emulate it. To start out, a father must begin to bond with his son in his sons early years. This is much harder to do now than it did in the past. Before the Industrial Revolution, the father and son were with each other almost every moment of every day. The father would work the land at home and would train his son at an early age to do the same. Fathers did not have to take time out of there day to have ââ¬Å"bonding timeâ⬠with their son. It just happened because thatââ¬â¢s how the times were (Johnson). Unfortunately, after the Industrial revolution, the men started to work outside of the home for hours and hours on end and were not home nearly as much. In current culture it becomes more and more difficult for fathers to bond with their sons in the early stages of life. Cheryl Erwin, a licensed marriage and family therapist who provides parent coaching, parent education, and professional training to help you develop both wisdom and skill wrote, ââ¬Å"A fatherââ¬â¢s role in the raising of his children has changed dramatically over the past century or two. In generations past, sons expected to follow in their fathersââ¬â¢ footsteps, apprenticing in their work and in their approach to life. During the nineteenth century, however, fathers began to go out to work, and the measure of a manââ¬â¢s success slowly changed. Rather than the closeness of his family and the strength of his family business, a manââ¬â¢s worth could be measured in his income, the value of his house, and the size of his car. Parenting became ââ¬Å"womenââ¬â¢s workâ⬠; fathers were just too busy earning a living. And generations of boys grew up hungering for closeness with a father they barely knew, someone who came home only to eat dinner, look over omework, hear about the dayââ¬â¢s misbehavior, and watch a little televisionâ⬠(Erwin, life. familyeducation. com) Sons yearn for their fathers. In Proverbs it says, ââ¬Å"The glory of sons is their fathersâ⬠(English Standard Version, Proverbs 17:6). Just as Godââ¬â¢s people seek to worship him, a son seeks to worship his father. Itââ¬â¢s clear that young boys seek to be like their father. They try to walk the same way, talk the same way, dress the same way. It is a part of our genetic makeup. Rick Johnson writes, ââ¬Å"Our sonsââ¬â¢ eyes are watching us constantly. They observe how we react to the many justices and injustices of the worldâ⬠(Johnson, 20). They need to see a manââ¬â¢s ability to recover from mistakes and stay strong in tough times. A boy relies on his father to be there through all of what life brings forth. Next, a father needs to be able to discipline his son. Many men misunderstand the concept of discipline. They think that discipline should be used to instill fear in their children for what he might do to punish them for their wrongful actions. This however, is exactly the opposite of what disciplining is. Discipline is to be done in love and not anger. One does not discipline because he is angry that his child has overstepped his bounds. Instead, he should be committed to teaching the child what to do and what not to do; to know what is right and what is wrong. Dr. Lawrence Balter, a child psychologist and parenting expert wrote that ââ¬Å"discipline is not just punishing, forcing compliance or stamping out bad behavior. Rather, discipline has to do with teaching proper deportment, caring about others, controlling oneself and putting someone elseââ¬â¢ wishes before oneââ¬â¢s own when the occasion calls for it. When disciplining, the focus needs to be on teaching and not on punishing. Over time, as a father bonds with his son and develops a deeper relationship with him, the son should not have to fear the wrath that is about to come but should instead fear disappointing him due to the deep respect the son has for the father. Lastly, possibly the most difficult of all, is the father being a constant example to his son. In order for the son to accept things that he is corrected about, he must see that the Father does those things that he is constantly instilling in his son. The most important of which is being respectful to everyone. In order for oneââ¬â¢s son to respect him, they must see that the father respects everyone in all situations including his son. In order to get respect you must first give it . Respect is earned. In relation to having respect for others, the father must display self-respect. A boy must see confidence in his father. The father must know that no matter what people think of him his son will always think highly of him. This goes a long with the fact that boys yearn for their fathers love. Included in being an example is having respect for women. Chivalry, something that has been around for hundreds of years is becoming less and less implemented in young men by their fathers. One of the simplest ways a father can do this is by opening doors for women. This shows a young boy that we are willing servants of women in that we do the ââ¬Å"dirty work. â⬠A woman is delicate and should be treated as such. Chivalry is only the half of it. A father needs to be an example for his son by how he treats his wife. The bible calls men to be considerate of their wives and to treat them with respect. If a son sees his father disrespecting his wife he will more than likely treat women in a similar fashion and vice versa. In the end, the father plays the most crucial role in the development of a young man. It is easy for a man to become distracted with all of the things life throws at him and forget about how important he is to his son. A man needs to set his priorities straight from the moment he gets married and has children. In all things, God is first, family is second, and work is third. A man needs to, above all else, instill biblical principles in the family life. He needs to be the anchor of the family in Christ. He is the natural leader and needs to act as such. His job is to raise a son with the same values. Moving on to daughters, Meg Meeker, a Pediatrician, wrote, ââ¬Å"Fathers, more than anyone else, set the course for a daughterââ¬â¢s lifeâ⬠(Meeker 1). Whether a father wants to believe it, he is the most important person in a young girlââ¬â¢s life, not the mother. The problem today is that fathers assume they do not have much of an influence on their daughters. A father automatically thinks that the mother has the bigger responsibility over the daughter because she can better relate to a girlââ¬â¢s problems. In media, it is very common for the father to cause their daughter to cry over an unimportant issue and then would send the mother after her to comfort her. Unfortunately, this is how it is in many homes. Fathers are becoming more and more distant from their daughters and are unaware of how detrimental this can be as they become more and more uninvolved in their daughterââ¬â¢s life. The modern day father fails to accomplish his duties towards his daughter and to realize how important he is to his daughter, not because he does not want to but because he does not know what to do or even where to start. A father needs to recognize that he is the first man in his daughterââ¬â¢s life, needs to be encouraging of his daughter, must display leadership and perseverance, and must be able to be compassionate and understanding towards his daughterââ¬â¢s emotions and problems.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Rock ‘N’ Hip, Hop ‘N’ Roll, and the Integration of Music
From bell bottoms to Barbies, every generation has its own distinct trends. While various fads have cropped up in each era, music has always been a key element of culture. Starting in the 1950ââ¬â¢s, music became integrated within the American culture as the favored form of expression. The popular types of music found on the Top 100 lists today however, have changed dramatically since then. What has promoted this obvious change in music choice? While rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll still holds its own in the music billboards of 2010, the general public now prefers the mechanical sounds of hip hop and pop. So which trends in music and in thought made the rebellious rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll such a craze in the 1950ââ¬â¢s, but not now? Each era has had specific trends, schools of thought and attitudes that have veered them into a specific genre of music. Rockinââ¬â¢ Out Before 1950, the American culture held firm social expectations. Males were expected to enroll into the military or work, and women were expected to stay in the kitchen. America was pulling out of the depression, and wealth and prosperity was not considered a necessity. As the United States prevailed in World War II however, America started to change startlingly. While many people were focused on conforming with their neighbors, the social structure was revolutionized. Soldiers returned, many experiencing traumatic psychological and physical problems. Women who had integrated themselves into the work force now found themselves replaced by returning soldiers. Most importantly, families started experiencing a great deal of economic independence. This increasing affluence gave teenagers a chance to break away from their parentsââ¬â¢ lifestyles. Teens started creating their own clothing trends, dance fads, and hairstyles (Cox). As these new fads and styles starting breaking away from social norms, rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll became the sound of change. Conservative parents viewed rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll, and the hip gyrations that came with it, as a gift from the devil. Despite their parents protestations however, teenagers idolized musicians like Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis. So what made rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll the epitome of 1950 culture? Four recording companies-Decca, R. C. A. , Columbia and Capital-had a virtual monopoly over the popular music field in the early 1950ââ¬â¢s. This control made rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll wildly popular, simply because there was no competition (Lewis 47). As the 1950ââ¬â¢s went on, their control weakened, yet rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll still prevailed as the dominant music genre. A contributing factor to its increasing popularity was the lack of musicians being schooled in theory, technique and composition. Rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll paved a golden road for a small, charismatic group of people. They provided music rapidly to the American public, without having to compose masterpieces rivaling the music of Bach, Liszt and Debussy. Rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll also created an easy and fun way to express complex emotions through beating rhythms and twisting ostinato patterns. Simon Anderson explains, ââ¬Å"The amplified bass seems to produce a kind of second-level rumble, a subsidiary moaning and groaning, an incantation of the adolescent subculture, where no one really knows or cares how they feel about life. â⬠This ââ¬Å"incantation of the adolescent subcultureâ⬠spoke to the class, gender and racial conflicts tearing through America at the time. Rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll introduced the American white culture to black music. Teenagers soon became addicted to the rhythm and blues and rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll, all of which was black-inspired. The crossing of racial culture helped the disintegration of the color line. Appreciation of black music helped increase recognition of blacks in popular culture (Bertrand). Though the rhythms and beat of rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll spoke to the carefree teenager life, often the lyrics promoted conventional values and strength in relationships. 83. 4% of songs in 1955 were love ballads in the conversational mode (Carey 723). Most songs told of lovers, yearning for each other in some type of sense. This theme reflects the attitudes of teenagers in the 1950ââ¬â¢s, as this was the first generation people were allowed to marry for love. Women had more freedom to travel into the workplace and finally be on equal grounds with their husbands. Husbands did not have to leave their wives for war. Children had more autonomy as parents no longer dictated who and when they were going to love. However, as this freedom was increasingly integrated into American culture over time, the amount of love related songs dramatically dropped. In 1966, only 69. 5% of produced songs were about love and courtship (Carey 723). Rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll provided the perfect form of expression in the 1950ââ¬â¢s. It combined lyrical ties to radical social changes and catchy rhythms unique to its generation. Whatââ¬â¢s Hip Now? The change tearing through America in the 1950ââ¬â¢s persists to this day. 2010 has brought a busier, more materialistic, culture than ever before. The trends of women working outside of the home and increasing teenage autonomy persists. American teenagers are given more discretionary time than ever before in history. Reed Larson studied this continuing trend and explains, ââ¬Å"If we look back over the past 200 years, the most striking historic change in young peopleââ¬â¢s use of time is that youths spend much less time on labor activities today than they did in Americaââ¬â¢s agrarian pastâ⬠(160). Some teenagers use this newfound source of time dedicated to structured voluntary activities such as sports, theatre, work, etc. others dedicate escalating amounts of time to mind-numbing entertainment. And with hundreds of new forms of mass media, it is hard to not get caught up in the technology tornado sweeping through the nation. The endless barrage of t. v. , facebook, internet sites, music, iPhoneââ¬â¢s and iPodââ¬â¢s, video and computer games can easily overwhelm the distracted teenager. Mass media however, is not promoting enlightening or uplifting ideas or values. Instead, popular music now screams lyrics advocating ridiculous displays of wealth, substance abuse and the need for physical love. Top rated songs like ââ¬Å"Billionaire,â⬠ââ¬Å"Raise Your Glass,â⬠and ââ¬Å"Lowâ⬠are all examples of this. Misogynistic rap lyrics have become a dominant feature in the work of several artists. Often in hip-hop and pop music, ââ¬Å"women serve as mindless props or accessories to be doused with expensive champagne or to shake their half-naked bodies to repetitive beats and sexist lyricsâ⬠(Murry 6). In Eminemââ¬â¢s recent hit to ââ¬Å"I Love the Way You Lie,â⬠his last verse reads, ââ¬Å"I'm tired of the games/ I just want her back/ I know I'm a liar/ If she ever tries to f***ing leave again/ I'mma tie her to the bed/ And set the house on fire. Songs like this expressing control over women physically, sexually and emotionally predominate popular culture. How did songs depicting such unrealistic and immoral ideals become the rage in American teenage culture? Perhaps it is hip-hopââ¬â¢s diligent presence in pop culture. For the last two decades, hip-hop has ââ¬Å"prided itself on being misunderstood; it lacks sentimentality and is not easily thwarted by moralizing effortsâ⬠(Murray 8). And for the last two decades, American teenagers have prided themselves on being misunderstood, and have not been easily thwarted by moralizing efforts. A mass culture trend has changed communication from the sincerity of face to face conversation to the simplicity of texting and Facebook. This has lead to a decrease in sentimentality and an increase in misunderstandings between people. Moral beliefs practiced by preceding generations have also disappeared. Ethics such as chastity, honesty and virtue have become unfashionable and undesirable. The change in lyrics from conventional love ballads in the 1950ââ¬â¢s to the focus on money and sexual prizes reflects the changes in behavior and schools of thought throughout the generations. Lyrical Art The lyrics found in any genre of music influences the emotions of the listener (Krumhans 45). Martina McBrideââ¬â¢s pop hit ââ¬Å"Concrete Angelâ⬠is a fantastic example of emotion correlating with song lyrics. The heart-wrenching song tells the story of an little girl who is killed because of physical abuse in her home. The chorus reads, ââ¬Å"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone/ In a world that she canââ¬â¢t rise above/ But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place/ Where sheââ¬â¢s loved/ Concrete Angel. Though the melody, key, tension or dynamics help create an emotional state throughout this song, the lyrics were what made this song so emotionally powerful. ââ¬Å"Concrete Angelâ⬠acquires its emotional meaning through the association of events that the general audience can relate too. Though the majority of the listeners will not have experienced physical abuse first hand, they can sympathize because they are aware o f the emotional, physical and mental damage violence incurs. Musicians know of the power lyrics hold. Lyrics can tell stories that make hearts melt, enlighten schools of thought never explored before, or create strong physical reactions. But lyrics that the majority of the public can relate to, sell better. This is the reason why the general themes songs have expressed have changed so dramatically over the last sixty years. The teenagers in 1950 were just starting to experience economic prosperity and free love. To listen to music completely revolving around money and sex would be crossing a line they hadnââ¬â¢t invented yet. And the youth in 2010 will not easily relate to ballads focused around falling in love with that one person because most are not looking for one person to love. Both the love-bound lyrics of the 1950ââ¬â¢s and the materialistic lyrics of pop songs today accurately reflect the culture they predominate. Rhythm ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ Blues Several other factors influence what makes cultural music popular. Lyrics must be in a proper combination of rhythm, harmony, key, dissonance, tension and dynamics for a song to reach itââ¬â¢s full potential. Even the untrained ear can distinguish feelings associated with the mode of the piece. Major, fast paced songs are associated with happy feelings while minor, slow, soft songs are correlated with sad feelings. Dissonant, unstable, tense songs often invoke feelings of fear. These feelings can all be present without powerful lyrics. Much of the worldââ¬â¢s music is instrumental, and most of these create powerful emotion in the listener (Krumahns 48). So which musical factors specifically influenced popular music in the 1950ââ¬â¢s and today? The drumming beats found in most rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll pieces created a powerful sound teenagers revolved around. The harsh rhythms, instability of sound and rockinââ¬â¢ dance moves associated with rock ââ¬Ënââ¬â¢ roll all helped increase its popularity. Popular music today features fast paced songs with mechanical sounds in the background. Songs incorporate an inordinate amount of words per second, often leaving the listener wondering what they just heard. In the new hit single ââ¬Å"Love Like Woe,â⬠the listener hears, ââ¬Å"Cause I got some intuition/ Or maybe Iââ¬â¢m superstitious/ But I think youââ¬â¢re a pretty sweet pill that Iââ¬â¢m swallowing down/ To counter this addiction/ Youââ¬â¢ve got me on a mission/ Tell me darling, can I get a break somehow? Could I say no? ,â⬠all in a mere ten seconds. The fast pace of songs are easily correlated with the fast pace of teenagers lives today. Teenagers are expected to excel in school, extracurriculars, athletics, music, and family life all at the same time. Pop music is branching away from traditional instruments to a more machine based background. The popular song ââ¬Å"Like a g6â⬠even goes as far as making the chorus voices sound computerized. Classical music appreciation has severely declined and sounds symbolizing a mechanical, over the top life, have taken control of the musical industry. The Ensemble Musical preference is very much behavioral. In the words of Simon V. Anderson, ââ¬Å"If music educators did not believe that musical preference is socially conditioned. . . They would not work in the public classrooms at all, but rather, they would spend their time and energy in the science laboratories searching for the virus . . . that impairs musical judgmentâ⬠(39). Popular music preference has much to do with the language, values and beliefs of the teenagers perspective of popular culture. Trendy music will be the music that teenagers can relate to and create for them the feelings they desire. Music choice however also reflects how the music makes one feel while listening to it. Popular songs in 1950 and 2010 reflect the culture they predominate through the general theme of lyrics and background noises. In each culture, music has been a favored form of expression and creates emotion based on what the culture wants. As even now, popular culture changes from liking bell bottoms to skinny jeans and back again, pop music changes with it to accurately reflect the culture it has been rooted upon.
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