Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Stress - Essay Example Stress can be explained as bodily reaction of certain agents. Stress is a response state and that its induction depends on the mediation of some appraising, perceiving, or interpreting mechanism. Also stress is defined as "a psychological and physiological response to events that upset our personal balance in some way. These events or demands are known as stressors" (Stress Management 2007). Certain universally adequate stimuli may be expected to lead to stress more rapidly than others, as, for example, cutting off the air supply. The main types of stress are physiological, psychological, and social. Also, it is possible to mention acute and episodic acute stress, chronic and traumatic types of stress (Stress Management 2007). This should lead to a stress state in all persons, with little variation in the rate of its development. However, any less severe stimulation, and particularly where the effectiveness of the stimulation is dependent on prior conditioning (as in the case of social stimuli), will give rise to response patterns that vary greatly from person to person and may induce anxiety or stress much more rapidly in one person than another. The main symptoms of stress are frustration, conflicts, pressure, emotional disorders, aggressiveness or passivity, memory problems and loss of objectivity, anxiety and depression, etc. The main causes of stress are health-related problems such as temperature and heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, tautological disorders and illnesses, headaches and inc reasing alcohol use, etc. In other words, there may be specific as well as general causes of distinct stress-related disease patterns. Systemic stress is concerned primarily with the disturbances of tissue systems, psychological stress with cognitive factors leading to the evaluation of threat, and social stress with the disruption of a social unit or system (Davis et al 72). While many believe the three types of stress are related, the nature of this relationship is far from clear. Critics admit that: 'the nature and severity of the stress disorder could depend on at least three factors: (1) the formal characteristics of the environmental demands, (2) the quality of the emotional response generated by the demands, and (3) the processes of coping mobilized by the stressful commerce. (Davis 127). The kind of situation which arouses a stress response in a particular individual must be related to significant events in that person's life (Stress Management 2007). Stress reduction techniques involve humor and self talk, crying and diet. The best techniques to cope with stress are rest and psychical exercises, effective anger management and analysis of the problems. In severe cases, psychologists use tranquilising drugs to treat stress and reduce its negative effects. Treatment may be viewed in these terms as assistance in the effort to reestablish the optimal level of integration which had to be sacrificed for a more tenable level of maintenance. Stress has a negative and harmful impact on human life and performance, and for this reason it is important for an individual to foresee and reduce the amount and impact of stress-related factors on our life. Works Cited Stress management. (n.d.). Davis, M.,

Homicide Investigation Essay Example for Free

Homicide Investigation Essay More work goes into a homicide investigation than what the media alludes to. Television shows like Law and Order, and CSI show an over glorified series of basic investigations as well as highly dramatic interrogation in which each homicide case is solved within a one-hour episode. In reality, a homicide investigation is 20 times more complex than what is aired on prime time television. Cases can take years to solve, and a large number remain open indefinitely. From start to finish, a homicide investigation begins when the first responder arrives on the scene, and ends when the perpetrator is placed behind bars. The goals of an investigation are to see if the death of a person was caused by a criminal act of another individual, as well as determining the person responsible for causing the death. The earlier an investigator arrives on the scene of the crime, the more likely the case is to be solved. â€Å"Medically, death is determined by the cessation of three vital functions: heartbeat, respiration and brain activity. (Hess and Orthmann ) Normally, the first sign of death is when the person has stopped breathing. If a person dies shortly before, or in the presence of an officer, the officer should always try to revive the victim. The person’s pulse should be checked for after breathing has ceased since certain drug over doses cause extremely shallow breathing, and can give the allusion that a person is deceased. The two most important pieces of physical evidence in a homicide investigation are the murder weapon and the victim’s body. Videotaping, photographing, and sketching the crime scene, as well as taking notes are crucial actions in an investigation as well. The evidence that is found must be properly handled and packaged. Physical evidence can be found in an abundance of different places, such as: on the victim, on the suspect, or at the scene of the crime. If the victim is still living, and brought to the hospital, the hospital then becomes a separate crime scene. Discovering the body of the victim, as well as identifying it can help the police tremendously. In some cases, the body of the victim is not found. The perpetrator could have performed any number of disposal techniques such as, dissolving the body in a vat of acid, cutting up the body, burying the body, or burning the body. In cases where the body is buried under ground, the police can use a few different technologies in order to locate it. Magnetometers, metal detectors, ground-penetrating radar, and infrared thermography are the newest technological advances in the police arsenal. Also, cadaver dogs are highly useful since they are specially trained to locate a body by identifying the scent of decomposing human flesh. Once the body has been located, police must identify it. Multiple identification of the deceased victim made by family, friends, or co-workers is ideal since human error is much more likely when under stress. If the victim is disfigured beyond recognition, police examine fingerprints or DNA, which are the two most reliable forms of identification. Fingerprints do not always have available matches in the IAFIS, which is a â€Å"national fingerprint and criminal history system that responds to requests 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help our local, state, and federal partners—and our own investigators—solve and prevent crime and catch criminals and terrorists. (FBI. gov) DNA analysis allows investigators to rule out that the victim is not a specific person in the event that fingerprints cannot be matched. Investigators must estimate the time of death, or TOD, of a victim in order to acquire an accurate time frame in which the homicide occurred. This estimation is important since it could prove that the suspect could have b een at the scene during the estimated time frame, as well as to the victim’s family for Social Security, and insurance purposes. The post mortem interval (PMI) is the time between when the victim’s death, and when the corpse was discovered. â€Å"Understanding the processes that occur in a body during the PMI can help investigators estimate a time of death. † There are many methods in which forensic scientists can estimate the TOD, but none of them are fool proof. As a result, pathologist can usually find a good estimation of the victims TOD within a few hours of the actual event. When a person first dies, their body stays limp until Rigor Mortis sets in nywhere from ten minutes to several hours afterwards, depending on environmental conditions. Rigor Mortis (Latin for â€Å"stiffness of death†) causes the joints of the body to stiffen as a result of partial contraction in skeletal muscles. The smaller muscles, like those found in the face, are usually affected first. Maximum rigor is normally reached within 12 to 24 hours, and can keep the body rigid for around three days until the muscles begin to decompose. In some cases, usually when the victim is holding something at the TOD, the victim’s hand will tightly close around the object. This is called a cadaveric spasm, and while associated with rigor mortis, the condition is only found in specific muscle groups instead of the entire body. A cadaveric spasm can sometimes help investigators determine if the death was a result of a suicide or a homicide. If a victim is found with a gun in his hand, and the gunshot wound was not inflicted from his own weapon, it is more likely he was trying to defend himself against an armed assailant. Knowing if a person is alive or dead is a very important part of the first responding officer’s job. If the victim is pronounced dead, investigators must find the murder weapon in order to have solid proof that they were killed by someone else. If a body is discovered after a homicide has been committed, investigators must identify it, and determine the time of death, which can be estimated by looking at a number of signs. With all of this work for investigators to do, how can one homicide case be completely solved within a one hour time slot on television?

SQL to Firebase A Metamorphosis

SQL to Firebase A Metamorphosis Abstract Firebase is being extensively used in cross-platform apps for various functionalities, one of them being Realtime Databases. This paper highlights how an RDBMS based database such as MySQL can be converted to a JSON based Firebase Realtime Database for easier readability, multi-device data access and manipulation, and cloud storage for a centralized database. Although MySQL follows a schema for the data and stores information in the form of tables and relations, Firebase stores information in a JSON tree. Conversion of data from the former to the latter depends on how the application queries the database. The paper covers the three basic queries Insertion, Retrieval and Deletion of data. Keywords-Firebase; JSON Objects; MySQL; Realtime Database; With the app market booming and proving to be lucrative, many products and platforms are being launched to make the process of developing and maintaining these apps simple. Firebase, which is one such example, is a cloud based platform for mobile and web application development. It provides backend as a service [1] that includes analytics, real time database, remote configuration for apps, push notifications, multiple authentication types, hosting platform and Admob-which allows developers to monetize their apps by displaying advertisements to name a few. Notably, Firebase is expanding to become a unified app platform for android and iOS. Firebase allows developers to build high quality apps and mix and match the features available to meet their requirements. It is owned by Google and a host of new features were introduced recently in May 2016. [2] The real-time database (a NoSQL database) provided by Firebase is what forms the basis of this paper. Data is stored as JSON (Java Script Object Notation) objects and synchronized in real time to every connected client and remains available even when the app goes offline. [3] It is designed in such a way that only operations that can be executed quickly are allowed which enables a great real time experience. The firebase storage is built for app developers who need to store and serve user generated content, and is backed up by google cloud storage, a powerful, simple and cost effective object storage service. We now turn to relational databases, arguably the most popular kind of database, even today. Data is stored in tables (combination of rows and columns). The concept of schemas is implemented in relational databases. [4] Schema is the blueprint that defines how data is organized. SQL databases are strict to ensure integrity but lack flexibility. It can be difficult when initially developing because one might be unaware of the schema. Once the schema is decided, the developer needs to code accordingly. This can be tedious as designers are strictly bound by the schema. A NoSQL database, like the firebase database is schema-less which in turn provides a lot of flexibility. In summary, relational databases are inflexible but they provide data integrity whereas NoSQL databases are flexible but the data integrity is left to the developer. The Firebase database stores data in the form of a tree. The root node can be compared to the database in case of RDBMS. The root node can have multiple child nodes as shown in figure 1. Figure 1: Structure of a Firebase Database The child nodes in turn can have multiple child nodes and so on. Data, as mentioned before is stored as a key value pair. To access a value, this tree needs to be traversed. [5] Neelima Kuderu in her paper proposed Schema-Migration and Mapping Framework to support developers for automatically migrating relational databases to NoSQL while preserving the semantics of the original database [6]A B M Moniruzzaman in his paper provides classification, characteristics and evaluation of NoSQL databases in Big Data Analytics. The study also provides an independent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various NoSQL database approaches to supporting applications that process huge volumes of data; as well as to provide a global overview of this non-relational NoSQL databases. [7]Siim Plangi describes what Backend as a Service is, its advantages, disadvantages. Analysis of one such platform was performed with respect to an Android application and it is concluded that using such platforms is a great way to reduce development time and resources. [8]Ryan Thompson in his paper attempts to determine the sustainability of cloud storage We also get an overview of ev olution of cloud storage moving into the future, and attempt to determine whether integrations into cloud storage can be relied upon to transport vital information.ÂÂ   [9]Navdeep Singh in his paper introduces everyone with Google firebase API and its features. [10]Mital Potey in his paper discusses the study revealing that database management becomes considerably scalable, flexible and efficient when traditional relational databases are complimented by a specifically designed set of alternative databases such as NoSQL, NewSQL based systems. [11]Keith W. HareKeith W. Hare in his paper reviews the features common to the NoSQL databases and compares those features to the features and capabilities of SQL databases. [12] This section highlights the characteristics of Firebase that are not existent in MySQL. Real-time Multi-user Access The application is designed such that multiple people are able to access a centralized database simultaneously. The challenges that arise with maintaining a consistent state are taken care of. There are protocols in place in the event of a conflict. Rollback functions are implicitly called in the event of connection loss or drop to the database. [13] B. Cloud Access Data in all of its forms such as text and images are capable of being stored on the cloud. Since the cloud is the point of access, the database is readily available everywhere, provided the user has the right permissions. In the event that the application is offline, the last synchronized copy of the database is used by the application, hence aiding responsiveness. Once access is regained, the database synchronizes again with the main online database. Cross-Platform API Firebase can be integrated into various platforms that the application is built upon. Hence if one user records in the database, the updates are conveyed to all other uses, be those users are on an iOS, Website or Android platform. The APIs are bundled onto a single SDK hence the enabling the developer to focus less on the infrastructure and more on the customers needs. [14] Online Storage Firebase takes care of storage hence the data is hosted by them. This saves the developer from high investments on hardware for storage and the physical space occupied by it. In some scenarios, this is a vulnerability since the user does not have real custody over the data stored online. In most data-insensitive cases, this fact is overlooked by the user. Firebase, like any other form of service has its fair share of shortcomings. Various application developers have spoken out elucidating the specific issues they have faced while incorporating it. Here are a few common complications: A. High pricing with scalability Firebase charges a fee for the services it provides based on the number of simultaneous connections, size of the data stored, bandwidth per month and automatic backups [15]. Free of charge services are limited up to fifty connections and a hundred megabytes of storage. B. You dont own your data The data that is stored on the database is not owned by you. The bane being that actions such as exporting of the complete database cannot be performed by the user alone. Although this is possible by contacting the Firebase team to do it for you. [16] The boon is highlighted in section III (D). C. Relations are proven to be tedious Due to the structure of Firebase Realtime-Database, formation of relations has proven to be a nightmare to most developers. This is evident and problematic only when the amount of data is scaled multi-folds. Despite all these limitations, Firebase continues to be used extensively to build Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and first working prototypes at Hackathons and large scale integration by major application enterprises. The section provides an insight as to the conversion of SQL queries to Firebase code. Since Firebase is a multi-platform supported tool, the code is expressed in terms of the logic and algorithm for easy transitioning into the respective programming languages. A. Data Insertion In MySQL, an entry into the database1 takes place with a query such as: -> INSERT into EMPLOYEES -> (UID, Name, Department, Salary) -> VALUES -> (25412, Ajay Patel, Marketing, 45000); Figure 2: A single entry into a SQL Database This exact tuple can be represented in Firebase by administering the following algorithm: An instance of the database is retrieved by first initializing an object of the Database reference. The instance stores a location (usually in the form of a URL pointing to the online reference of the Database) returned by methods of a Firebase object. Now an instance is required to reference the immediate child of the database. Another object of the Database Reference is initialized to the location of the child. The child is uniquely identified by the name (key)given to it. In this case, the first immediate child is the table we are querying, i.e.- Employees. The location is returned by the method of the instance created to reference the database earlier. Once an instance of the table is created and initialized, multiple instances are required to query the attributes of this table. One reference each is initialized using the name to identify each attribute of the child. The location of each of them is returned by the method of the instance created in step 2 for the table we are querying. Finally, each of these references are used to set the desired value required by the user. A methodunder each of these references are called and the desired value is passed as a parameter to the method. A visual representation of the Firebase structure in figure 3 is a tree with Employees as the parent that represent the table and the tuple as a child with the unique reference (in this case, the value 25412). UID is a primary key constraint in the MySQL database. Along the same lines, Firebase uses a key value (in this case UID = 25412) to uniquely identify a child of the parent Employees. As depicted, MySQL stores the data in the form of rows and columns, whereas Firebase employs a JSON tree format. Figure 3: Firebase representation of a single entry. In the case of multiple entries, MySQL uses the query aforementioned, multiple times to enter the data. The resulting table is shown in figure 4. Each call counts to a single tuple containing the information required to query it. Figure 4: Multiple tuples in a MySQL Database Similarly, multiple children are entered into the Firebase database one tuple at a time. Each tuple is encapsulated in the form of a single JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) object.ÂÂ   This is similar to the insertion query in MySQL except the tuple is a single object passed to the database reference. Conversion of tuple data to a JSON object is done using a concept in OOPs (Object Oriented Programming System) called POJO (Plain Old Java Object) class [17]. The data is passed to the getter methods of the object created for that class, each of which is defined for the attributes. Once the values of the object are set, the object is passed to the reference defined earlier and the database is updated. Note that each object holds only the attributes of a single tuple. Figure 5: Multiple children in Firebase Structure. B. Data Retrieval In MySQL, data can be retrieved using the select statement. Constraints can be defined in the statement to show only a certain tuple(s). The following query displays an output as shown in Figure 6. ->SELECT * from EMPLOYEES WHERE UID=32121; Figure 6: Retrieval of a tuple based on condition in MySQL. Firebase provides the functionality of triggering a certain list of methods that notifies the application when data is modified. The method used for this feature takes the location of the child to be monitored and is termed as a listener. The sequence of data retrieval is as follows: The listener is defined from the Firebase reference created previously. The listener has various methods available that enable the developer to employ them for other functionalities. Under the method that is implicitly called whenever a child is added, one of the parameters is the data snapshot that is downloaded from the cloud. Using this data snapshot, the children are identified using their unique IDs and subsequently stored onto variables such as Strings and Integer values. Figure 7: Retrieval of child node with UID = 32121. C. Data Deletion MySQL makes use of DELETE FROM along with a where clause to determine the entry to be deleted. The following query results in a database as depicted in Figure 8. ->DELETE FROM EMPLOYEES WHERE UID=63212; Figure 8: Resultant database after the query is performed. The equivalent of the function in Firebase is as follows. The Firebase reference of the child that needs to be deleted is determined beforehand by identity of the unique ID. Using this reference, a method used to delete the complete child and its reference is called. All the attributes and children under this reference are removed. Figure 9: Firebase database after the entry is deleted. Firebase continues to be the leading BaaS for cross-platform applications that require a real-time database hosted on the cloud. Features and updates are continuously being introduced by Google to overcome the few flaws exhibited by it. Applications built on relational databases that are looking to move to the cloud now have the ability to do so. Firebase has a growing support on various mobile platforms such as iOS and JavaScript based web applications. According to the official Google Blog [18], a few of the future goals of the platform include- lower and simpler pricing, Android and iOS SDKs (Software Development Kits) receive constant offline support and a much-improved UI (User Interface). Overall, Firebase will hopefully continue to provide developers with the tools and support required to radically change how app development is done. Acknowledgment (Heading 5) We would firstly like to thank Prof. H D Phaneendra, Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, NIE, Mysore for giving us support and opportunity to work on this paper. We would also like to thank Prof. M.J. Yogesh, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, NIE for his vital insights and guidance. We also extend our warm regards to all the faculty members of the department for their constant encouragement and invaluable advice.

Discussion in terms of Fayol’s Managerial Functions Essay -- Business

Discussion in terms of Fayol’s Managerial Functions Henri Fayol proposed that all managers perform five management functions. 1- Planning, 2- Organizing, 3- Commanding, 4- Coordinating, 5- Controlling. Most management books still continue to be organized around the management functions, Although they have been condensed down to basic and very important functions. 1- Planning The planning functions involves the process of defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving these goals, and developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities. Our instructor also defines or goals which is standard education and successfulness in the exams, according to this concern he establish the ways and strategies that how can we perform well in our exams. 2- Organizing Managers are also responsible for arranging work to accomplish the organization’s goals. This function is called Organizing. It involves the process of determining what tasks are to be done, who is to do, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whome, and where decisions are to be made. 3- Leading When managers motivate subordinates, influence individuals or teams as they work, select the most effective communication channel, or deal in any way with employee behavior issues, the are leading.. Our instructor leading us by motivating through his moral support, he use best channels to teach us, he polish our attitude by using his good behavioral skills. 4- Controlling Management function that involves monitoring actual performance, comparing actual to standard, and taking action, if necessary. Our instructor controlling his class by monitoring the students, he maintain discipline, even threats students if necessary. Discussion in terms of Mintizberg’s Managerial roles Henry Mintzberg, a prominent management researcher says that what managers do can best be described by looking at the roles the play at works. Mintzberg Developed a categorization scheme for defining what managers do. He concluded that managers perform ten (10) different but highly interrelated roles. The managerial Roles. 1- Interpersonal 1- Figurehead 2- Leader 3- Liaison Provide information 2- Informational 1. Monitor 2. Disseminator 3. spokesperson Process information 3- Decisional 1. Entrepreneur 2. Disturbance handler 3. Resource... ... they seldom actually say it, and they never write it down. And the main employment of numbties world-wide is in creating project specifications. You must know this - and protect your team accordingly. 9. Becoming a Great Manager. The first steps to becoming a really great manager are simply common sense; but common sense is not very common. This article suggests some common-sense ideas on the subject of great management. Skills changes according to Management Level The extent to which managers perform the functions of management - planning, organizing, directing, and controlling - varies by level in the management hierarchy. A manager is someone skilled in knowing how to analyze and improve the ability of an organization to survive and grow in a complex and changing world. This means that managers have a set of tools that enable them to grasp the complexity of the organization's environment. 1- Most of the first line manager’s time is allocated to the functions of directing and controlling. 2- Middle management implements top management goals 3- In contrast, top managers spend most of their time on the functions of planning and organizing.

Religious Believers Understand More Essay

To discuss this statement first we must look at the definition of understanding. Religious believers and scientists would probably differ in their definitions and therefore disagree from the beginning. A religious person would perhaps say that understanding the world means knowing how to be a good person, how to live a good life and fulfill God’s plan. A scientist would probably disagree, saying that understanding the world is having a wide knowledge and good comprehension of how the world works including theories like evolution and understanding why and how things occur. Another slight problem with this statement is its implication that one cannot be a religious believer and a scientist when in fact there are many religious scientists who seem to have science and religion existing harmoniously in their lives. If we are defining understanding as understanding how to live a good life, then I believe that the Bible and Religious Believers do understand more about the world than Scientists do. Religious Believers have a better understanding of how the universe and mans place in it was set up, but it’s hard for people to understand correctly because it’s not in scientific terms, it’s in myths and metaphors. You can’t see it with our available scientific instruments, it’s something you experience. Religious Believers have direct guidance from their Holy texts, e.g. for the Jewish faith, the Torah on how to live their life. They are taught, by the Ten Commandments, that they are not to steal, not to commit adultery and not to murder. One criticism of scientists is that a number of assumption are made to give parameters to an experiment. Also perception can be fallible, as we expect to see things, so we see them. We don’t expect to see them, so we miss them out. In response to this, in the parable the invisible gardener; where the religious believer trusts that the gardener came but couldn’t be seen and the other (scientist) believing that there couldn’t be a gardener because there was no empirical evidence of this. This shows that even though there was no evidence of the gardener or God they still hold a belief, whereas the scientist had to be proven. Some claim that believers only want hope. Religious Believers hope for the return of their â€Å"invisible gardener†, while New Atheists (Richard Dawkins and his followers) have no expectations of a new life after death, thereforelive their lives without fear of an almighty God smiting them down. In this situation, one could argue that the Religious Believer is playing it safe, however they still understand the world better, in many cases they see it as an almighty being’s creation. In conclusion, I believe that, although Scientists have proof of the age of the earth, and that they have proven many facts of the Earth, They do not have as good guidance as Religious Believers do on understanding life.

Free Essays on A Marxist Deconstruction Of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby

A Marxist Deconstruction of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s renowned masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, creates an artificial world where money is the essence of everyone’s desire. The characters, the setting, and the plot are deeply submerged in a Capitalism that vows to shatter all hope for the American Dream. Fitzgerald’s criticism of Capitalism can be seen as a move to subtly promote Socialism, an ideology (belief system) in which value is placed on the inherent value of an object rather than its market value (Tyson 54). Marxism is a specific branch of Socialist theory and Fitzgerald makes Gatsby a novel that is not innately Marxist or even Socialist, but one that is filled with Marxist theory. He initiates this by presenting the basics of the Capitalist society where nonhumanitarianism (not promoting the welfare of humanity), reification (treating a living thing as an object), and market value are common place. Fitzgerald implies that the Capitalist system is flawed because at the conclusion of the novel, all of the characters that represent typical American Capitalism fall from grace to a world of utter despair. Fitzgerald’s criticisms work to warn 1920’s Americans of their behavior and how destructive it can be. Marxists believe very firmly in humanitarianism; they believe that as humans, we should look out for each other and care for each other, because we are all essentially on the same level. All of the characters in Gatsby nullify this idea, because they all exploit each other. For instance, Gatsby uses Nick to set up a meeting between he and Daisy. The characters also place very little value on individual human beings or on humanity as a whole. Each character is too wrapped up in him/herself that he/she does not take the time to care for others. Class levels are prominent – the rich are drastically separated from the poor, and the rich wish to keep it that way. This is a Capitalist idea... Free Essays on A Marxist Deconstruction Of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby Free Essays on A Marxist Deconstruction Of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby A Marxist Deconstruction of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s renowned masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, creates an artificial world where money is the essence of everyone’s desire. The characters, the setting, and the plot are deeply submerged in a Capitalism that vows to shatter all hope for the American Dream. Fitzgerald’s criticism of Capitalism can be seen as a move to subtly promote Socialism, an ideology (belief system) in which value is placed on the inherent value of an object rather than its market value (Tyson 54). Marxism is a specific branch of Socialist theory and Fitzgerald makes Gatsby a novel that is not innately Marxist or even Socialist, but one that is filled with Marxist theory. He initiates this by presenting the basics of the Capitalist society where nonhumanitarianism (not promoting the welfare of humanity), reification (treating a living thing as an object), and market value are common place. Fitzgerald implies that the Capitalist system is flawed because at the conclusion of the novel, all of the characters that represent typical American Capitalism fall from grace to a world of utter despair. Fitzgerald’s criticisms work to warn 1920’s Americans of their behavior and how destructive it can be. Marxists believe very firmly in humanitarianism; they believe that as humans, we should look out for each other and care for each other, because we are all essentially on the same level. All of the characters in Gatsby nullify this idea, because they all exploit each other. For instance, Gatsby uses Nick to set up a meeting between he and Daisy. The characters also place very little value on individual human beings or on humanity as a whole. Each character is too wrapped up in him/herself that he/she does not take the time to care for others. Class levels are prominent – the rich are drastically separated from the poor, and the rich wish to keep it that way. This is a Capitalist idea...

Free Essays on Afrocentrism

Afrocentrism is many things to many people, from the insistent claims of Leonard Jeffries to the commercialism of the mainstream media. In the last five years it has pushed its way into the American consciousness, both as an academic movement and as an attitude. Several years ago I watched Eddy Murphy as Akenaton, Iman as Nfertiti, and Michael Jackson as a Trickster Imhotep in the music video "Remember the Time." MTV had met Afrocentrism? At any rate, it was an ambitious fantasy set in ancient Egypt for the delectation of Black Americans and, perhaps, the consternation of Whites. Afrocentrists argue that Blacks must see themselves through Black eyes, as agents of history, rather than as simply subjects of investigation. Their view must proceed from an "inside place." Most emphasize the civilizations of northeastern Africa, namely Kemet (Egypt), Nubia, Axum, and Meroe. Early on it was truly a "Black Thing," involving as it did its own conferences, publishing and networks. By 1978 Jay Carruthers' Kemetic Institute was established in Chicago. A year later a similar thematic course was taken by the Institute of Pan-African Studies in Los Angeles. A meeting in that city in 1984, the First Annual Ancient Egyptian Studies resulted in the organization of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations. In the same year Ivan Van Sertima's Nile Valley Civilization group held a major conference. His Journal of African Civilization became a major diffusion point in the burgeoning corpus of Afrocentric literature. In spite of criticism (or maybe because of it), Afrocentrism (or Afrocentricity) was and is spreading. Elementary schools in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, as well as other locales, have initiated new curricula, impelled largely by the demands of parents and students. The African American Baseline Essays, created for the Portland, Oregon, school system, have had a wide impact. Covering a number of disciplines,... Free Essays on Afrocentrism Free Essays on Afrocentrism Afrocentrism is many things to many people, from the insistent claims of Leonard Jeffries to the commercialism of the mainstream media. In the last five years it has pushed its way into the American consciousness, both as an academic movement and as an attitude. Several years ago I watched Eddy Murphy as Akenaton, Iman as Nfertiti, and Michael Jackson as a Trickster Imhotep in the music video "Remember the Time." MTV had met Afrocentrism? At any rate, it was an ambitious fantasy set in ancient Egypt for the delectation of Black Americans and, perhaps, the consternation of Whites. Afrocentrists argue that Blacks must see themselves through Black eyes, as agents of history, rather than as simply subjects of investigation. Their view must proceed from an "inside place." Most emphasize the civilizations of northeastern Africa, namely Kemet (Egypt), Nubia, Axum, and Meroe. Early on it was truly a "Black Thing," involving as it did its own conferences, publishing and networks. By 1978 Jay Carruthers' Kemetic Institute was established in Chicago. A year later a similar thematic course was taken by the Institute of Pan-African Studies in Los Angeles. A meeting in that city in 1984, the First Annual Ancient Egyptian Studies resulted in the organization of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations. In the same year Ivan Van Sertima's Nile Valley Civilization group held a major conference. His Journal of African Civilization became a major diffusion point in the burgeoning corpus of Afrocentric literature. In spite of criticism (or maybe because of it), Afrocentrism (or Afrocentricity) was and is spreading. Elementary schools in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, as well as other locales, have initiated new curricula, impelled largely by the demands of parents and students. The African American Baseline Essays, created for the Portland, Oregon, school system, have had a wide impact. Covering a number of disciplines,...