Everybody Constructs Their Own Reality Essay

Each person has their own perception of reality, that doesn’t always represent what the world really is. Our reality is a blend of attitudes, perceptions and influences from our environment, which is controlled by ourselves. In Tennessee Williams’s play, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, all characters create their own reality, through their views on their experiences. It is made very clear that each character has a different reality from one another, emphasizing the fact that everyone constructs their own reality. Stanley Kowalski is a very dominating character in the play. In his reality, he is very powerful, which is evident through his passion for fighting, working and sex. Stanley is not one who can be questioned. He gets what he wants, when he wants it, whether it’s from his mates, or his wife Stella. At the beginning of the play, Stanley is very honest with how he feels to the people he is surrounded by, however, when Blanche enters his family home, Stanley’s honesty becomes deceitful. We see him ruin Blanches relationship with Mitch, and Stella, as well as send her away. When Stanley rapes Blanche and lies to Stella about it, it is evident that his reality, is not what we as an audience can see. He is not loyal and honest, he is cruel and shady. At the beginning of the play, Blanche is already seen as a damsel in distress. She has lost her young husband to suicide in earlier years, lost her family fortune and estate, and become a heavy drinker, despite the fact that she attempts to cover that up. It is evident that Blanche is very insecure about her looks, as well as a fragile individual. It is often that Blanche hides herself from an uncovered bulb, in order to hide particular features she is not fond of. Blanche relies on male sexual admiration for a sense of self esteem. When she meets Mitch, Blanche sees an opportunity to escape poverty and her bad reputation. She constructs a new identity for herself, to become more appealing to Mitch. Unfortunately, Mitch is not her prince charming, and Stanley once again, ruins a relationship in Blanches life. He sees through her lies, and makes sure that his mate does not get caught up in them. When Stanley rapes Blanche, she becomes very lost within herself, which the other characters in the play, are unaware of. Stella isn’t feisty like Blanche and Stanley. Her reality is nothing but the one Staley and Blanche have given her. Unfortunately, these two realities are different, tearing her between sister and husband. When Blanche tells Stella that Stanley raped her, Stella choses to believe Stanley, because that is the practical choice out of the two. It is very clear that she is in love with the man Stanley is, when she pleases him. Stella is tolerant of Stanley’s ‘animal-like’ behavior, evident in the scenes where Stanley begins a brawl with his mates and loses his temper quickly. Stella chooses to believe Stanley’s reality over blanches, and therefore sends Blanche, and reality, away to the asylum. From the first time we are introduced to Mitch, we immediately see that he is more sensitive than Stanley and the rest of the men. He is a lot more mature, possibly due to him attending the constant needs of his sick mother. When Mitch meets Blanche, he sees an opportunity to love again. He wants to play prince charming for her, which he does, through kind gestures such as bringing flowers and Bowing like a gentlemen. While he does this however, Stanley brings to attention the fact that Mitch is not being his true self. When Stanley tells Mitch about Blanches false identity, he is heartbroken. In the end, he takes reality over fantasy, and let’s Blanche go. In A Streetcar Names Desire, all characters have a different reality to one another. They build these realities through their views on experiences and influences from their surroundings. The book is an excellent reflection of our world. Everyone constructs their own reality, and choses how they look at the world.

15 Basic Appeals

â€Å"Advertising: 15 Basic Appeals† by Jib Fowles (from â€Å"Mass Advertising As Social Forecast†) 1. Need for sex- surprisingly, Fowles found that only 2 percent of the television ads, he surveyed used this appeal. It may  be too blatant, he concluded, and often detracts from the product. 2. Need for affiliation- the largest number of ads use this approach: you are looking for friendship? Advertisers can also use this negatively, to make you worry that you'll lose friends if you don't use a certain product. 3. Need to nurture- every time you see a puppy or a kitten or a child, the appeal is to your paternal or maternal instincts. . Need for guidance- a father or mother figure can appeal to your desire for someone to care for you, s you won't have to worry. Betty Crocker is a good example. 5. Need to aggress- we all have had a desire to get even, and some ads give you this satisfaction. 6. Need to achieve- the ability to accomplish something difficult and succeed id entifies the product with winning. Sports figures as spokespersons project this image. 7. Need to dominate- the power we lack is what we can look for in a commercial â€Å"master the possibilities. † 8. Need for prominence- we want to be admired and respected; to have high social status.Tasteful china and classic diamonds offer this potential. 9. Need for attention- we want people to notice us; we want to be looked at. Cosmetics are a natural for this approach. 10. Need for autonomy- within a crowded environment, we want to be singled out, to be a â€Å"breed apart. † This can also be used negatively: you may be left out if you don't use a particular product. 11. Need to escape- flight is very appealing; you can imagine adventures you cannot have; the idea of escape is pleasurable. 12. Need to feel safe- to be free from threats, to be secure is the appeal of many insurance and bank ads. 3. Need for aesthetic sensations-beauty attracts us, and classic art or dance makes us feel creative, enhanced. 14. Need to satisfy curiosity-facts support our belief that information is quantifiable and numbers and diagrams make our choices seem scientific. 15. Psychological needs- Fowles defines sex (item no. 1) as a biological need, and so he classifies our need to sleep, eat, and drink in this category. Advertisers for juicy pizza are especially appealing late at night. Source: Media Impact Introduction to Mass Media (4th Ed) Author: Shirley Biagi,   Wadsworth

I couldn’t wait to get there

I couldn't wait to get there, the Cayman Islands this was. On the tiring plane journey there, every soul was asleep apart from mine, dreaming of what the next two weeks was going to be like for me. The crystal-clear cobalt blue seas and the sandy sun-kissed shore. Pure paradise and a path to relaxation! Before I knew it we had touched down in Little Cayman the scenery truly exquisite. All I could see was the suns burning hot rays twinkling off the surface of the calm Caribbean Sea. Before my feet had time to touch the ground I was in the sea with my snorkel admiring the picturesque under water life. Completely unspoiled, blessed with natural treasures and with its fabulous underwater visibility it completely took my breath away. With the healthy reef and exciting marine life, nature lovers would find indigenous wildlife and so did I? I couldn't resist anymore, I took my last breath and prudently swam into a new world under the sea. I felt so powerful, harmlessly eradicating all the different species from my path as I further descended towards the brightly coloured coral. I felt an unusual sensations pass up my body as the plants and coral gently brushed against me. It was getting cold now so my heart sped up dramatically using up my little reserve oxygen I had in me, so I had to get up for some more soon. Just as I pulled away I felt my ankle get clutched together. I panicked, what was it I thought? Coral! As I spun my head round it was in fact a massive octopus. I yanked my foot but he relentlessly held on. I kicked once again, but still to no avail. I was quickly running out of air and the last reserves I had went straight out my mouth and bubbled to the surface. I was thinking unless he lets go I'm going to die. No one will know where I am or what happened to me. This amazing holiday coming to a tragic end. What will my family do? I slowly eased up and my eyes shut. I was slipping in and out of conciseness whilst my lungs filled up with seawater. I was almost dead! Then without no notice he let go my drenched body slowly floated to the surface and popped up like a Boyd. Choking and spluttering, the water soon evacuated my lungs, replaced with well-needed air. I still had no energy and no idea where I was; I certainly didn't have the energy to swim to the shore. I was fighting for my life. I fell unconscious again. Several hours later I was awoke on the shore, my mum trying to wake me up. How I got back to the shore, I will never know but thank God I'm still alive!

Deviant Behavior / The Social Learning Theory Essay

A person would be considered to be acting in a deviant manner within a social setting if they are violating the established social â€Å"norm† within that particular culture. What causes a human being to act in certain ways is a disputed topic among researchers. There are three types of researchers that have tried to answer this question. There is the psychological, biological, and the sociological approach. With all of the studies that have been performed, not one group has provided an exact reason or explanation as to why people behave in a deviant manner. Although sociologists’ theories have not been disproved as often as the psychologists’ and biologists’ theories because their experiments are too hard to define and no one definition for deviance is agreed upon by all experimenters (Pfuhl, 1980, p. 40), the sociological perspective has provided the most information concerning why people exhibit deviance. The definition of deviant behavior is considered to be broad with multiple viewpoints which makes it complicated and difficult to find an accurate answer (Pfuhl, 1980, p. 18). This is why this topic is so important in the study of sociology. Sociologists have more information, and therefore may be closer to finding the best explanation for the major contributing factors in explaining the development of deviant behavior(s) within a certain culture. For this reason, the main focus of this paper is based on the sociological stand point of deviance based upon the Social Learning Theory and social reaction(s) to deviant behavior(s). According to The Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977), one person can learn simply by observing the behavior of another person (DeLamater, 2011, p. 10).  The family is the major link to socialization in one’s environment (Four Categories of Family Functions that Seem to Promote Delinquent Behavior, p. 1). In the family, divorce, conflict within family, neglect, abuse, and deviant parents are the main determinates for the offspring’s actions or behavior. Early researchers first thought parental absence only affected girls and members of the white population. Modern research finds that the lack of supervision or support of the child’s needs is a link to delinquency in any race. It occurs more in single parent homes because they have a more difficult time providing supervision and support. Poverty can be another reason within the family for conflict because it can lead to both family breakups and delinquency. Children need close and supportive relationships with parents. The inability to talk to parents also promotes deviance within the home. The child may feel that they need to obtain attention elsewhere, thus acting in a deviant manner if their parents are not there to provide guidance and support. Parents can prevent this type of behavior by being competent, providing non-aggressive punishment, and by being supportive in order to build the child’s self-confidence. Family conflict has more damaging effects on children than divorce, whereas parental death has less impact than divorce (Four Categories of Family Functions that Seem to Promote Delinquent Behavior, p. 2). When a parent dies a child at least knows that the parent did not want to leave on his own terms and probably did not inflict any abuse to his or her psyche before the parent passes away. Also, if a child still has contact with both parents after a divorce the less likely the child will feel neglected and feel the need to react with deviant behavior. Family size also leaves an adolescent without the necessary attention they need as an individual. Middle children are more likely to exhibit deviant behavior because they go unnoticed more than their younger or older siblings. The legal definition of abuse and neglect varies from state to state but does, in any form, create serious consequences for behavior. This abuse and/or neglect occurs in sustained patterns, which causes stress, poor self-esteem, aggressiveness, lack of empathy, and fewer interactions with peers. Child abuse is defined as any physical or emotional trauma to a child for which no reasonable explanation is found. Neglect refers to the deprivation that children suffer at the hands of parents (Deviance: Behavior that Violates Norms, p. 1). Such components that apply  to these definitions are non-acciden tal physical injury and neglect, emotional abuse or neglect, sexual abuse, and abandonment. Over one million youth in America are subjected to abuse each year. In terms of sexual abuse, one in ten abused are boys, and one in three of them are girls. It is unknown how many cases go unreported in any area of abuse or neglect each year. From 1980 to 1986, the number of reported cases rose sixty percent. The most common reason for parents abusing their children is due to a learned function they acquired from their parents. This tendency to pass down deviant behavior through generations is a cycle of family violence (Lemert, 1972, p. 48). Parents are unable to separate childhood traumas from the relationships they have with their own kids. Another unhealthy thing to learn from a parent is the feeling of isolation from family and friends. This is more common is single parent families and lower socioeconomic classes. If a person is living in a lower class, single-parent environment, that p erson is at a real disadvantage. It may be because they do not feel they are good enough to belong in the realms of society. Delinquency is when a child acts out their hostility towards the parent or abuser in a deviant manner (Lemert, 1972, p. 59). Parents need to provide adequate guidance and punishment to their child when the child exhibits deviant behavior; however, the problem is that some parents do not see or choose not to see the child’s deviant behavior. Other influences outside of the home can cause a person to act in a deviant manner. Peers, media images, and other people in society establish what the â€Å"norm† should be in a given area or culture. What is considered â€Å"normal† can be relatively different in various areas of the world. What is considered deviant can be changed over time once society as a whole feels more comfortable and accepting of the certain type of deviant behavior. For instance, only certain people once obtained tattoos and now it is a current fad to cover the entire body with them. Media portrays models and famous figures with unusual tattoos, piercings, and certain attitudes as â€Å"normal† and acceptable to teenagers in today’s culture. There are more devil-worshipers, or so they portray, in the music business. This implies to children that it is cool to wear the black clothes and act somewhat gothic. This is just one example. It may depend on the person as to how much their  peers and media influence them to go against the â€Å"norms†. Once a person is labeled deviant, they usually continue to respond to society as if they are deviant. This aspect of deviance is called The Labeling Theory. There are sociologists who seek to find why certain acts are defined as criminal, and others are not. They also question how and why certain people become defined as a criminal or deviant. In this realm of study, the acts that they perform are not significant to the criminals, but it is the social reaction to them that is (Becker, p. 1). The response and label from other individuals in society, such as peers, are how the individuals view themselves. When a person performs a deviant act, they are then labeled by society and separated from the â€Å"normal† people. Such labels in today’s society are whore, abuser, loser, etc. These people are then outsiders and associate with other individuals who have been cast out of the societal â€Å"norm†. When more and more people within the â€Å"norm† of society think of these people as deviant, then these people performing deviant behaviors think they are deviant too. The Labeling Theory states that once they feel this way, they will continue to behave in the way society now expects them to behave. The question is, are humans genetically predisposed to deviant behavior, or do the people around them influence them to act in this way? The sociological perspective is the factor that has been the least questioned explanation even though it does not always give the exact justification for the origin of the deviant behavior. Sociologists learn from cultural influences in lieu of biological or psychological biases. Rather than concern with behavior from certain people, sociologists view deviance as a behavior engaged in a person by having a common sociocultural or the same experiences within a culture. Edwin H. Sutherland explains that deviant and non-deviant behaviors are learned in the same ways through his Differential Association Theory. Sutherland demonstrates that criminal behavior is learned from intimate groups by the means of communication. When they learn how to act in a deviant manner, they know what is involved in, and what drives a person to commit a crime. This does vary in people who have different characteristics and learning abilities. However, one group may view certain behavior as deviant, i.e. shopl ifting, while others may view shoplifting as justified because businesses charge too much money. The  viewpoint of each group develops by observing others and imitating their behavior, otherwise known as The Social Learning Theory (DeLamater, 2011, p. 386). Whatever the cause of deviant behavior, it is a major problem within society. The exact determinates that contribute to a person’s deviant behavior are controversial. It may be from inherited traits, behavior learned from society and family, or even a combination of the two. The social interaction certainly leads to The Labeling Theory and how individuals may strive to meet the expectations of their â€Å"labeled† identity. However, The Social Learning Theory seems to best explain the major environmental influences on children by family members and peers which contribute to the development of deviant behavior and society’s reaction to various behaviors that are considered to be deviant. Bibliography Becker, H. S. (n.d.). Overview of Labeling Theories. Retrieved from http://home.ici.net/~ddemelo/crime/labeling.html DeLamater, J. &. (2011). Social Psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Deviance: Behavior that Violates Norms. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.elco.pa.us/Academics/Social_Studies/Care/ITTP_2/Chap.8.html Four Categories of Family Functions that Seem to Promote Delinquent Behavior. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mpcc.cc.ne.us/aseffles/delcrslides/ch.09/tsld012.html Lemert, E. M. (1972). Human Deviance, Social Problems, and Social Control. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Pfuhl, E. H. (1980). The Deviance Process. New York: D. Van Nostrand Company.

Sales Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sales Ethics - Essay Example The problem now lies on our yardstick or the standard that we use in measuring what is acceptable as ethical. Surely, legal measures are not viable in setting an ethical standard. Though, sales conduct is often regulated by government acts like the Clayton Antitrust Act with its associated and Robinson-Patman Amendment Federal Trade Commission Act with its associated Wheeler-Lea Amendment. Often, a lot of sales practices are considered legal yet unethical. An example of this is when a sales rep treats his prospective buyer to lunch and wins the contract by proposing a drink of alcoholic liquor after it. This is tolerable in the basis of legality yet, this is an unethical sales conduct. Sales ethics captures idea of the "golden rule," that is an action is considered ethical if you want somebody to do the same thing that you do to them. This is very reasonable as nobody will allow a salesperson to take advantage of him/her. Of course, all of us would want to be fully informed about the products we are considering to purchase. Next, sales ethics is present a salesperson is willing to publicly inform his conduct to the society. This is logical as anybody would be hesitant in notifying the public of any flaw in his transactions and business dealings with customer. If a salesperson is brave enough to be transparent so as to allow others to know every detail of his actions, then he is undoubtedly ethical. The last component of ethical behavior is examining whether or not it aggravated anyone. If the business dealings of a salesperson harms the customer or the company, his conduct is out of the ethical standard and is morally unacceptable. For me, these three measures fully capture the true essence of sales ethics. Sales ethics is a very crucial factor in the success of any business operation. Increasingly, it is observed that customers base their buying decisions on their perception of the company's ethical background. It was found out that buyers prefer to purchase from firms they consider as ethical (Bucaro 1998). It is also important to note that the market's perception of the company's image is strongly associated to the conduct of its salespersons as they are the firm's direct link to customers. Thus, the sales representative's conduct significantly affects the sales and profitability of a business entity. Question 3. There is a role for transaction-focused traditional selling as well as trust-based relationship selling in personal sales. Do you agree Explain your reasons. Answer: The changes that the business world undergoes call for innovative solutions to provide maximum customer value. Because of this, a lot of marketing strategies have evolved in order to suit the changing needs and preferences of buyers. There is an increasing trend of "moving away" from the traditional practices and innovating a new set of technique to boost sales. Traditional selling is now replaced with newer solutions like collaborative and relationship selling. Traditional selling is the salespersons' conventional way of doing business transaction with customers. This transaction often

Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Stem Cell Research - Essay Example Scientists and researchers have continually been trying to develop ways in order for society to have healthier lives. The use of stem cells may be one of the best answers yet. â€Å"Stem cells hold a lot of promise to cure many nasty diseases.†(Cline) There should be no debate on its application. Indeed, there is an ethical issue to be resolved. Nevertheless, if the stem cells were to be used to further life, I think the ethical issue surrounding this side of stem cell research should easily be resolved. If not, then other scientific approaches to furthering life that are being practiced now such as organ transplant should be paused as well until a decision is made on stem cell research. When a person is in a coma, doctors and family depend on brain activity to determine progress. This goes to show how important the brain is for a person to function well. As such, cures for neurological diseases should be of utmost concern. If stem cell research appears to be the answer, why not

Vascular Ultrasound Technology and Diagnosing Vein Disease Research Paper

Vascular Ultrasound Technology and Diagnosing Vein Disease - Research Paper Example Tremendous changes have occurred in the information technology which has facilitated communication in the provision of health services; other technologies have also been applied in diagnosis of diseases and various severe health conditions (www.modernhealthcare.com). This technological facet is currently known as ultrasound imaging; in some cases it is referred as ultrasound sonography or even scanning. It encompasses the application of a small probe (Transducer) together with an ultrasound gel that enables the health practitioners to expose the body to sound waves conditions characterized by high frequency. Scientists have proved that this technology is safe to human beings and does not involve exposure to painful conditions; it enables the practitioners to have access to pictures of the inside organs and systems of the human body through the sound waves. Specifically, this technology is quite distinct from the x-rays as it does not involve the use of ionizing radiations; it assists the health service providers to view pictures of processes like; blood flow, vessels and the motion of the internal organs (www.radiologyinfo.org). Consequently, other characteristics of the ultrasound technology involve; the aspect of being noninvasive in that it does not involve long procedures of extracting samples of specimen like blood or even excretory products in order to conduct the test. It also involves the use of a Doppler ultrasound technology that majorly assist in the examination of blood movement in various body organs, vessels and other parts of the body like the arms, abdomen and legs. The Doppler ultrasound technology has been applied immensely in different areas of health service provision.Studies have also shown that it is currently replacing the use of x-ray as a method to examine conditions of the internal organs. It enables the effective