Decline of the Muslim Empires: Safavid, Ottoman, and Mughal Essay

Decline of the Muslim Empires: Safavid, Ottoman, and Mughal Since the beginning, all empires have faced change in many ways, declining and rising in status. Many empires have collapsed, only to start again under a different name. Like all empires, the three Muslim Empires, the Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals have faced this inevitable state. Although each individual empire is different, they each have similarities in their reasons for decline. Whether it is social, religious, economic, or political reasons, the empires, like many others, have fallen. The Ottoman Empire, founded by Osman, had started in the northwestern corner of the Anatolian Peninsula. The empire expanded rapidly, only to weaken again. The first visible decline was the loss of territory at the Battle of Carlowitz in 1699. Many of their reasons of success have deteriorated over the years and actually caused the decline as well. The Ottoman's military was very strong, especially the members of the Janissaries corps. Boys were recruited from the local Christian population to serve as guards but only the best ones became Janissaries. Soon, though, the position became hereditary, so there was no longer a need to be excellent to occupy a position. Also, the training of officials declined, and the elite formed a privileged group seeking wealth and power. Although the Ottoman system was religiously tolerant, non-Muslims were forced to pay a head tax because of their exemption from military service and were divided by religious faith into a number of "nations" that had i ts own leader and laws. Also, before the decline, the position of the sultan was hereditary and a son always succeeded his father. The heir to the throne gained experience by being assigned a... ...itish control. Although all three of the empires had reached their highest point and were considered to be three great Muslim empires, all of them had started the process of decline. Aurangzeb's actions can illustrate some of the reasons for decline. Without religious tolerance, the empire started having a number of revolts against the imperial authority. By forbidding customs of other religions and everything he considered evil, rebellious groups reasserted local authority, reducing the emperor's power. After causing the weakness of his empire, Delhi was reduced to ashes by the Persians. During and after his rule, everything started to fall apart. This comes to show that one lousy ruler can be the reason for decline in any empire because in order for the empire to be successful, it must have a good ruler, wealth, a strong military, and religious tolerance.

The Media Should NOT Define our Self-Image Essays -- Adverts, Advertis

Do we choose to define ourselves? Everyday we turn on the television; we are subjected to advertisements about what we are supposed to be, what we are supposed to wear, and even what we are supposed to drive. Ultimately we choose the vehicles we drive, but the media has a huge influence on us. Three television advertisements reveal the vehicles women and men are believed to drive. The Honda Odyssey is shown in advertisements with a woman driving around kids to their daily functions. The Ford F150 and the Chevy Silverado are shown with men four wheeling through the hills. Advertisements tell us what roles we are â€Å"supposed† to play in society. In reality men and women’s roles in society have greatly changed from the past, but television advertisements do not represent these changes. Vans are depicted as â€Å"mom vehicles† and trucks are â€Å"dad or man vehicles.† When a vehicle manufacturer comes out with a new model of van they usually depict a women driving around, with a vehicle full of kids. She drops the kids off and picks them up, she then proceeds to move around all of the seats illustrating to the consumer all that this new van has to offer. It is all work and no play for moms in the working world. When a new model of the Ford F150 or the Chevy Silverado comes out, advertisements usually depict a man four-wheeling through the hills demonstrating the durability and power of the vehicle. Ford’s motto is â€Å"Built Ford Tough† and Chevy’s motto is â€Å"Like a Rock.† Thes...

Book Report on Nickled and Dimed

Victoria Conrardy Mrs. Lord A. P. English 11 February 21, 2013 AP Book Project Part One Introduction 1. Title-Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is significant because Ehrenreich does explain how many do â€Å"survive† off of minimum wage which really is not much. 2. Author-Barbara Ehrenreich is seventy-one years of age and is a widely-read and award-winning  columnist  and  essayist, and author of 21 books which include: Blood Rites; The Worst Years of Our Lives; and Fear of Falling. 3.Persona- Ehrenreich persona is described as credible because she displays her story through real events because she admits to have mildly conquered her challenge of testing to see how complex it is for the working class. She proves her theory by stating â€Å"[Someone ought to do the old-fashioned kind of journalism-you know, go out there and try it for themselves. ]† in the Introduction section. 4. Passage- Ehrenreich, Barbara. †Serving in Florida. â€Å"Nicke l and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2001. 11-49. Print 5.Prompt Selection- Prompt One-Read the chapter you selected and then write an essay analyzing the rhetorical techniques the author uses to convey his or her attitude toward the subject. Part Two: Passage Analysis How you ever wondered why your parent’s always made you clean the house â€Å"the right way† or why they keep nagging you to clean up the simplest messes? They just wanted you to appreciate what they have provided for you and the family because their jobs take a huge toll on their life, usually doesn’t pay well and could be gone within seconds.Barbara Ehrenreich of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America takes on the challenge to prove how tough adults actually work to keep all the nice things through imagery, diction, and tone. Barbara Ehrenreich a common wealthy lad starts off the challenge in Key West, Florida where she actually lives and uses imagery to describe her expressions. She feels anxious about the idea and fears that someone will recognize her in â€Å"disguise† but she attempts to find a place to live.She estimates that if she makes $7 an hour she could afford a $500 rent and ends up living in a â€Å"cabin† in the â€Å"swampy backyard† where her landlord lives with his girlfriend. Her next step is to look for applications fit for her ideal job which involves â€Å"†¦certain supermarket jobs, such as deli clerk, or housekeeping in the hotels and guest houses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which uses a strong detailed diction. She then gets dolled up and within 3-4 days of no calls, decides to try out to be a waitress and immediately interviews her, ending with â€Å"When can you work? and informing her about the uniform for Hearthside which was just a matter of â€Å"being in the right time at the right time†. While entering Hearthside, she hears â€Å"Fuck this Shit! † and Gail, a co-work who trains Barbara, comes to her rescue and explains, â€Å"That’s just Billy†, â€Å"[He’s on the rag again]-a condition occasioned, in this instance, by the fact that the cook on the morning shift had forgotten to thaw out the steaks. †, and gets back to â€Å"running-around† and taking orders. Hearthside only pays $2. 3 an hour plus tips and the employee service isn’t the best but she still manages to hang in there for quite a while. Within a couple of weeks, Barbara realizes that she doesn’t have enough money to pay for the next rent and decides looking for a second job. She gets hired at â€Å"Jerry’s† which she describes by using a sarcastic tone, â€Å"Picture a fat person’s Hell, and I don’t mean a place with no food. †, but what she really means is a gross, sticky place forcing the employers to walk â€Å"like Susan McDougal in leg irons. , with absolutely no time to be sitting un less in the bathroom, with a rude management â€Å"†¦whose contribution is to stand by the kitchen counter and yell†¦ †. Barbara quits Hearthside and becomes a part-time employee at Jerry’s due to the better pay. Finally she quit Jerry’s because she couldn’t handle all the raucous being held and moved on to land her â€Å"dream job† as a housekeeper. Barbara implies that getting your â€Å"dream-life† that you’ve planned out since you were in high school doesn’t always work out.You might have to quit a job to focus more on school or an activity or might have to find a second job to keep up with the rent. So now that you some-what understand how tough the â€Å"real-world† is hopefully you’ll become more appreciative towards things. Part Three: Book Review I really enjoyed reading this book because I felt it really applied to me and my future. It helped me unlock new thoughts about jobs I might want to co nsider due to whom will pay better, working environments, and physical effects.She does mention different jobs she did take and the struggles she heard/learned about from her fellow co-workers Annette and Tina, as mentioned on page 26, â€Å"Annette, a twenty-year-old server who is six months pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend, lives with her mother, a postal clerk. † and â€Å"Tina, another server, and her husband are paying $60 a night for a room in the Days Inn. This is because they have no car†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . I also really enjoyed the fact that Ehrenreich went out and tried to live a â€Å"normal† working class life because it will soon apply to me and gives me a better deal of how to balance and handle jobs.

Young Adulthood

OT121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II University of the Philippines Manila | College of Allied Medical Professions Department of Occupational Therapy | Block 21 – Occupational Therapy SS 2012 – 2013 Young Adulthood Ms. Faith Deanne Mari B. Caube 16 January 2013 YOUNG ADULTHOOD ? ?Age Range: 20 – 40 years old Difference of development o Changes due more to personal, social, cultural events rather than chronological or biological changes o Hallmark of maturity – adapt and change in accordance to new conditions o More gradual changes –> does not fit neatly into a stage development theory o The primary meaning of adult is social (Rice, 1995). ? Changes are attributed to social factors and relationships o Marked by culturally defined milestones, and by roles and relationships that are part of cycles of family and career (Craig, 1996) ? The relationships that you will build during this stage are relatively permanent. The Age Clock ? Used to define or judge behaviors, expectations, and pressures of adulthood ? Motherhood ? Physically- dependent jobs ? They may consider themselves old because they are no longer fit to do previous easy tasks. Definitions of Age o Biological age – life expectancy o Psychological age – adaptation to environmental demands o Social age – in comparison to cultural norms Maturity o Needs a certain social and biological factors o More dependent on psychological factors ? Physical and social independence and autonomy ? Independent decision making ? Stability ? Wisdom ? Reliability ?Integrity ? Compassion o Maturity is the psychological ability to work and to love (Freud). PHYSICAL CHANGES ? Physical status o Peak of vitality, health, strength, energy, and endurance ? 25 years old is the prime in terms of strength. All motor systems are at peak during this age. ? Dispatch the young to do battle. OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood ? ? ? Peak of sensorimoto r skills ? 25 – 30: peak of physical conditioning, strength, motor skills, organ functioning ? 20 -40: peak of visual acuity ? 20 -45: peak of taste, smell, temperature, and pain sensation ?Gradual hearing loss (more apparent after 25; particularly with high pitched sounds) o Most physical decline occurs after 30s (10% loss until 60s) Fitness and health o Generally healthy age period o Health patterns established in young adulthood are generally resistant to change ? Adolescence is a storming period of change but when one enters young adulthood, it is expected that one? s biological systems are already stabilized. Common Illnesses due to occupational hazards o Chronic back pain – by overworking selves and the effect of stress o Respiratory illnesses o Premenstrual syndrome o Sexually transmitted diseases ?Highest among young adults and adolescence ? Due to poverty, drug use and risky sexual activity o HIV – 40 million people infected worldwide, 95% from developi ng world ? Males – lead cause of death ? Females – 4th cause of death Common Causes of Death o 3 causes that account for 72% in the early 20s and 51% among 25 – 34 year olds ? Accidents ? Homicide ? Suicide o AIDS – single leading cause of death in males aged 25-44 o YA has the lowest death rate among adult groups However, in the entire adult lifespan, young adults have the lowest death rate. oMORBIDITY o Defined as the occurrence of illness o Symptoms often appear in YA ? Genetically-determined diseases (diabetes, sickle cell anemia) (hypertension, ulcers, ? Stress-linked depression) Page 1 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON ? Factors Linked to Health Status o Genetic factors ? However, if purely genetics, it should be seen early (right after birth) ? Multi-factorial diseases (genetics and environmental) ? Diabetes ? Atherosclerosis (narrowing of vessels due to fat planks) ? Obesity ? Cancer health conditions ? Mental predisposed to come out during YA s uch as schizophrenia o Health threatening behaviors ?Nutrition and cholesterol ? You are what you eat ? Carotenoid-rich diet – lesser chance of heart disease ? Plant-based diet – reduction of cancer risk ? High-fat diet ? Colon and prostate cancer ? Increased cardiovascular risks ? Obesity ? Measured using body mass index 2 ? BMI: Kg/m If BMI >25, overweight If BMI>30, obese ? World-wide epidemic (WHO, 2001) ? Why? – Fast food culture – Labor saving technology – Genetic tendency: leptin response insufficiency – Leptin tells the brain that one is already full – Some clinically obese may not respond to leptin anymore ?May lead to emotional problems and other diseases ? Physical activity ? Sedentary lifestyle is one of world's 10 leading causes of death and disability ? Smoking ? Leading preventable cause of death in US ? Smoking and cancer ? Alcohol ? College is prime time and place for drinking (Papalia, et al. , 2004) cause poor acade mic ? Can performance ? Can increase other risks for other diseases ? Alcohol in moderation can decrease the risk of heart diseases in the long run (i. e. red wine). ? Drug use ? Peak at 18 to 20 years old ?Decreases as adults increase in maturity, settle down and take responsibility o Marijuana and cocaine use can lead to memory loss, attention deficits, cognitive deficits, and in some cases death Indirect influences on health status ? Socioeconomic status ? Income ? Education ? Higher socio-economic status and education generally lead to less exposure to health hazards ? Gender ? Relationship ? Social ties ? Emotional support ? Marriage ? Strong social environment leads to less risks in psychological illnesses. ? ? ?Healthy Habits o Sleeping regularly for 7-8 hours each night o Eating regular meals o Not snacking o Eating and exercising moderately o Not smoking o Drinking in moderation Preventive Measures o Regular screening test o Self examination o Proper body mechanics o Ergono mics SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHANGES ? Theories on Social and Emotional Issues of Young Adults o Normative-stage model Erikson: personality changes ? Erik throughout life ? Development follows basic sequence of age-related social and emotional changes ? Normative events – happens to all people of certain age ?Changes are attributed to age/biology alone o Timing of events model ? Development depends on the occurrence of certain events ? Events that happens off-time (losing a job, unplanned pregnancy) ? Events that do not occur (singlehood, inability to have a child) ? If on time – smooth development ? If not – stress would occur ? Factors affecting response on events ? Anticipation and preparation ? Cognitive understanding ? Health ? Personality ? Life history ? Support systems ? Personality, support system and understanding play a big role on how one deals with unexpected events o Erik Erikson's Stages th ?Intimacy versus Isolation: 6 stage Page 2 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood o o Deep personal commitments to others ? If one does not reach intimacy, one may become selfabsorbed. ? Isolation for self-reflection ? Sacrifice and compromise are needed in a relationship ? YA with strong sense of self are: ? Ready to fuse their identity with another ? â€Å"True Genitality† – mutual orgasm in a loving heterosexual relationship ? Resolution of this stage = LOVE ? The perils of not fulfilling the natural procreative urge. The notion that singles are dysfunctional. George Vaillant's Adaptation Theory ? Persons change and develop through their lives ? Persons? lives are influenced by quality of relationships with others and not by isolated traumatic events ? The level of mental health influences adaptation to life situations ? Typical pattern ? Men in 20s – dominated by parents ? Men in 20s and 30s – age of establishment; autonomy, marriage, children, deepen ed friendship ? Men in 23-35s- age of consolidation; doing what needs to be done ? Men in 40s – age of transition, questioning commitments, soulsearching or midlife crisis ?Four Adaptive Mechanisms ? Mature – humor, helping others, being altruistic psyschosomatic ? Immature symptoms (i. e. no physical reason but feels pain) ? Psychotic – distorting or denying reality ? Neurotic – developing irrational fears (i. e. developing anxiety) Daniel Levinson? s Life Structure Theory ? Evolving life structure ? Underlying pattern or design of a person at a given time ? Phases with tasks and accomplishments ? Has transitional phases for reflection in between ? 17-33: Entry Phase of YA ? Build first provisional life structure and emotional ? Financial independence ?Dream of future achievement ? Age 30 Transition ? Reevaluate entry life structure ? 30 onwards : Culminating Phase ? Settles down ? Set goals that are time bound ? ? ? Anchors life Transition ? Period of p reparation to enter the adult world ? Disequilibrium comes due to many choices an adult has to make ? Periods of stability and instability ? Response depends on self-definition ? Awareness of strengths and weaknesses ? Purpose ? From adolescent to adult ? Taking responsibility for one's self ? Making own decisions ? Redefining relationships with parents negotiation of ? Complete autonomy ?Independence ? Emotional Independence free from parental dependence, one can make decisions on their own ? Attitudinal Independence hold own beliefs, depends on strength of personality ? Functional Independence support self ? Conflictual Independence guiltless feeling about separation with parents ? From student to worker ? Works defines daily schedule, social contacts and opportunities for personal development ? During YA, work defines who you are. relationship ? Reciprocal between substantive complexity of work to a person's flexibility in coping with cognitive demands ?From living with parents t o living alone (culture bound) ? Moving from family of origin to family of procreation ? Taking over day to day problems and financial support ? Relationships ? Seek emotional and physical intimacy ? Erikson: crucial task of adulthood ? Important to do Self-disclosure – revealing important information about oneself to another ? Skills needed: ? Self-awareness ? Empathy ? Ability to communicate emotions ? Sexual decision-making ? Conflict resolution ? Ability to sustain commitments OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood Page 3 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON The nature of intimacy ? May not include sexual contact ? Invokes a sense of belonging, emotional connection ? The need to form strong, stable, close caring relationship is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Papalia, et al. , 2004) ? The strongest emotions are invoked by intimate relationships. (Both good and bad: you bring out the best [and worst] in me) ? Need responsiveness to each other 's needs, mutual acceptance, and respect ? Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love ? INTIMACY, PASSION, COMMITMENT – these 3 elements need to be present to form a real consummate relationship ?When you a love someone, you have to keep a PIC ? INTIMACY – Emotional element – Self disclosure –> connection, warmth and trust ? PASSION – Motivational element – Inner drive ? physiological arousal into desire. Cannot be controlled as it is a response of sensory physiological functions ? COMMITMENT – Cognitive element – Decision to love and to stay with the beloved  ¦ Patterns of Loving TYPE I P C Nonlove (interpersonal relationships) Liking  ¦ Infatuation („love at first  ¦ sight†) Empty Love (long term  ¦ relationship that lost intimacy and passion/arranged marriages)Romantic Love  ¦  ¦ Companionate Love (long  ¦  ¦ term, committed friendship in marriage with diminished physical attraction) Fatuous Love (whir lwind  ¦  ¦ courtship) Consumate Love  ¦  ¦  ¦ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dating Practices of Filipino YA o Can start as early as 12 years of age (Medina, 1991) o Non-traditional practices: ? Speed dating ? Females paying for own share ? Open relationships ? Internet/other virtual context Gay relationship o Seeking love, companionship and sexual fulfillment through a relationship with a person of same sex Lesbians are more likely to have stable monoganous relationships than gay men. Gay and lesbian partners living together tend to be committed as married couples o Issues with custody, adoption, taxation, insurance and societal acceptance still exist Filipinos and Gay Relationship o Christian values and social norms view it as a â€Å"sin† (unnatural or immoral) to engage in a gay relationship o Greater scorn in low-middle classes o May never have complete â€Å"coming out† due to pressure from society and family Marriage o ‘best way† to ensure orderly raising a children o Provides intimacy, commitment, friendship, affection sexual fulfillment, companionship, emotional growth, and new sources of identity and self-esteem Adjusting to Becoming a Spouse or Partner o Making joint decisions o Pooling of income o Living together ? Tests the relationships as the little that may annoy the partner are revealed. o Adjusting to each other's families o Taking on roles as husband and wife o Meeting each other's expectations Role of Extended Family among Married Filipino YAs o Serve as support systems o Older relatives as advisers o Younger relatives as companions (if couples are not yet going to have children) Divorce and Separation o In the Philippines, annulment -> legal separation, but one is not allowed to get married in the church again. It takes a long time before annulment is granted. Cohabitation before marriage, having divorced parents, bearing a child before marriage, having no child or having stepchildren are predictive whether a couple wil l end up separated or not o Reasons for divorce ? Incompatibility ? Lack of emotional support ? lack of career support ? Spousal abuse ? Mismatch of expectations o Effects of Divorce ? Income (no support, source of stress) ? Problems with identity and loneliness ? Anger and hostility ? Depression, alcoholism, sleep disorders, breakdown of immune system ? For the father, divorce can mean fewer rights to children, decline of income (support), less emotional support, negative impact on career o Divorce and Children ? Effects of divorce depend on ? Age ? Sex ? Nature of relationship with custodial parent Page 4 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON oOT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood ? ? ? ? Divorce in the Philippines ? Divorce is not acknowledged in the Philippines ? Cultural and religious influences affect acceptance of the practice ? Legal separation and annulment legal (Family Code of the Philippines, Executive Order 209) but costly and frowned upon ? House bill 1799, â€Å"An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines† filed July 27, 2010 The single life o Social pressure to marry o More freedom to take risks in life and make choices o Haven? t found the „right one? o Advantages ? Decisions about self o Disadvantages ? Loneliness and solitude ? Social risks ? Economic risks – no work, no money ?Physical risks – depression, breakdown of immune system Cohabitation o Unmarried couple in a sexual relationship in a consensual or informal union (living together) o Substitute for marriage/trial marriage o Partners may miss out on economic, psychological, and health benefits of marriage which has ? Long term commitment and security ? Greater sharing of resources ? Stronger community connection o Advantages ? Getting to know each other ? Understanding intimate relationships ? Clarifying what you want earlier o Disadvantages ? Social stigma ? Over involvement (isolation from friends) ? Sexual risks ? Perceived loss o f identity ? Over dependence ? Discomfort on ambiguity of situation ? Distance from friends o Cohabitation in Philippines ? 2. million Filipinos cohabiting (NSO, 2000), 18% of which between 20-24 years old ? 35% agree that live in arrangements are acceptable for couples intending to marry, 20% for couples do not ? 36% decide to cohabit because of economic reasons, 23% because of pregnancy, 15% as a â€Å"dry run,† 13% too young to marry, 3% not allowed to be married by parents, 2% lacking necessary documents Expression of sexuality o Decision to lead lifestyle o To marry and have a child o Engage in premarital sex o Showing who you are and how you relate to others in a manner of dress, roles fulfilled and preference for partner Sex, Homosexuality and Bisexuality in Philippines o Cultural and religious values still a major influence o ? ? ? ?Increasing tolerance compared to previous years, though limited to certain groups o â€Å"Private† practices in order to avoid dis crimination from society o Continued use of derogatory terms Parenthood o Change from traditional family in western industrial families o Trend to have less children and bear them later in life ? Increased maturity and commitment ? Decreased economic advantage of having large family ? Overpopulation and hunger in developing countries o Becoming parents ? Changes in identity and inner life ? Shifts in roles and relationships within marriage ? Changing roles and relationships outside of family (female and work) ? New parenting roles and relationships ? Shifting in previous mindset that fathers are breadwinners and mothers the primary caregivers ? Having a baby can affect marital satisfaction ?Less satisfaction when pregnancy is planned involvement means ? Increased increased satisfaction ? Low self-rating as parents decreased satisfaction o Stages of Parenting ? Image-making Stage (conception to birth) – creating images of self as parents ? Nurturing Stage (birth to 2 years) ) attachment of baby, balancing needs of child with emotional commitment and time spent with significant others ? Authority Stage (2 to 5 years) – examining type of parent one has become and will be ? Interpretative Stage (6 to 11 years) – reexamining and testing long-held theories ? Interdependence Stage (12 to 18 years) – re-asserting self as authority, competing and comparing self with children ?Departure Stage (leaving home) – taking stock of performance as a parent Having Children o marriage? s ultimate fulfillment (Papalia & Olds, 1995) o children give companionship, love and happiness o provide emotional and financial support in later years o psychological value for success to parents o give meaning to life Remaining Childless o Financial burden of raising a child o Fears if becoming less attractive or changing relationship with spouse o Enjoying freedom to travel and make decisions o Concentrating on careers or causes o Worries on being a parent Sin gle parenthood o Exhausting, continual struggle Page 5 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON o OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood o o o o oOnly one of the two parents is present, may include spouses of OFWs Less financially secure than when with a partner Difficulty coping with demands and making decisions Balancing work and raising a child Extended families provide invaluable support ? ? Adult Friendships o Single young adults have more friends than of middle-aged and older adults o YA seek friendships for social stimulation and new info; later on in life will value friendships that are long-lasting and equitable o Socio-emotional selectivity theory ? Greater emphasis on fulfilling own emotional needs ? â€Å"Limited time left to live† o Center on work, parenting activities, and sharing of confidence and advice o Varying quality of friendships ? Intimate and supportive ? Frequent conlfict ? Common interests ? Lifelong or fleeting COGNITIVE CHANGES o Piaget's Cognitive Stage ? Formal operational thinking ? Introspection ?Abstract thinking ? Logical thinking ? Hypothetical thinking o Information Pocessing Skills ? Vocabulary: declines after 59; related more to educational level rather than age ? Sentence comprehension: deteriorates at 60 but may be attributed to hearing acuity ? Prose comprehension: young better than old ? Better at understanding short prose passages ? Better at remembering short prose passages ? Indication of capacity of working memory Memory ? ? Primary (short term/working memory) ? Secondary) ? Episodic (events, how things happened) ? Semantic (facts) (left when amnesia strikes in) ? Procedural (how-to) Creativity ? ? Break from procedural thinking ?Problem solving that produces novel solutions ? Increase steeply from 20s to late 30s to early 40s before gradually declining ? Historians/scholars: peak in the 60s and decline after ? Scientists: peak in 40s, decline in 70s ? Artists: peak in 30s to 40s and decli ne steeply after ? Differences within fields: poets before novelists, mathematicians before scientists o Trends in cognitive capacities ? Information processing at its peak OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood o o Better education suggests better chance of further increasing IQ in adulthood ? Type of course/interest/expertise can affect which skills are honed ? Skills frequently used are maintained ?Judgment and reasoning continue to develop throughout life Beyond Formal Operation Thought Draws on intuition and emotion and logic Experience and nuanced thinking Capacity to deal with uncertainty, inconsistency, contradiction, and compromise Born of experience and years of dealing with different situations Postformal thought Problem Finding Stage ? Raising questions from problems ? Involves dialectical thinking (accepting contradictions, exposure to both sides of problem) and wisdom (pragmatic knowledge acquired through time) ? Seeing shades of gray ? Transcen d a single logical system ? Reconcile conflicting ideas Post Formal Thought ? ? Shifting gears – â€Å"this might work on paper but not in real life† ? Multiple causality, multiple solutions – â€Å"let? s try it your way; if it doesn? t work, let? s try it my way† ? Compromise, there are more than 1 solution most of the time ? Pragmatism – â€Å"if you want the most practical solution, do this; the fastest, do that† ?Awareness of paradox – â€Å"doing this will give him what he wants, but it will only make him unhappy in the end† ? Know the consequences of the actions and the eventual implications that may be opposite to what was expected would happen Schaie's Stages of Adult Cognitive Development Achieving stage (late teens to early 20s-30s) ? ? Knowledge for independence and competence ? Using what one knows to pursue goals (career, family) Responsible stage (late 30s to early 60s) ? ? Using what one knows to solve practical problems associated with responsibilities to others (family members, employees) ? For long-range goals Sternberg's Triarchich Theory of Intelligence o Componential (analytic) ? How efficiently one processes information ?Knowledge on how to solve problems, monitor solutions, evaluate results o Experiential (insightful/creative) ? How people approach novel or familiar tasks ? Knowledge on how to compare new information with old and integrate this information in the palanner o Contextual /Practical ? How people deal with the environment Page 6 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON ? ? ? Knowledge on how to look at a situation and decide how to look to move forward/get over with it. Involves tacit knowledge (inside information) Self-management Management of task Management of others Studies imply that componential intelligence grow until midlife. ? MORAL CHANGES Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development ? o Postconventional Morality ?Stage 5: Morality of Contract, Individual Rights, and Dem ocratically Accepted Law ? Stage 6: Morality of Individual Principles of Conscience ? â€Å"What is right is what gives justice and is right for all individuals† Morality in YA ? o Cognitive awareness if principles comes in adolescence but commitment happens in adulthood o Growth influenced by: ? Encountering conflicting values away from home ? Being responsible for others Moral reasoning ? Stage 5 ? o Social contract where rules must be obtained through democratic consensus for will or majority and maximizing social welfare o Understanding of underlying purpose of law o Calls for change in a law that compromises basic rights Stage 6 ? Defines right and wrong on basis of selfgenerated principles that are broad and universal in application o Moral musical chairs as it depends on every situation, every context o Discovers through reflection Stage 7 ? o â€Å"Why be moral? † o Post-Kohlberg theorists o Equated to concept of self-transcendence o Achievement of cosmic persp ective (i. e. nirvana) Sample Situation: There was a woman who had very bad cancer, and there was no treatment known to medicine that would save her. Her doctor, Dr. Jefferson knew that she only had 6 months to live. She was in terrible pain, but she was so weak that a good dose of pain killer like ether or morphine would make her die sooner. She was delirious and almost crazy with pain, and in her calm periods, she would ask Dr. Jefferson to give her ether to kill her.She said she couldn? t stand the pain and she was going to die in a few months anyway. Although he knows mercy killing is against the law, the doctor thinks about granting her request. ? Stage 5: Yes, give her the drug o Although most of our laws have a sound basis in moral principle, laws against mercy killing do not. The doctor? s act is morally justified because it relieves the suffering of OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood ? ? the woman without harming other people. Yet he still must b e held legally accountable because society would be damaged if everyone simply ignored laws they do not agree with. Stage 5: No don? give her the drug o The laws against mercy killing protect citizens from harm at the hands of unscrupulous doctors and selfish relatives and should be upheld because they serve a positive function for society. If laws were to be changed through the democratic process, that might be another thing. But right now the doctor can do the most good for society by adhering to them. Stage 6: Yes, give her the drug o We must consider the effects of this act on everyone concerned – the doctor, the dying woman, other terminally ill people and all people everywhere. Basic moral principle dictates that all moral people have a right to dignity and self-determination as long as others are not harmed by their decisions. Assuming no one else will be hurt, she has a right to live or die as she chooses.The doctor may be doing right if he respects her integrity as a person and saves her, her family, and all of society from needless suffering. Stage 6: No, don? t give her the drug o If we truly adhere to the principle that human life should be valued above all else and all lives should be valued equally, it is morally wrong to â€Å"play God† and decide that some lives are worth living and others are not. Before long, we would have a world in which life has no value. CAREER CHANGES Selection of career path ? o Depends on: ? Interests, abilities, and personality ? Responsibilities ? Educational level ? Gender ? Social class ? Proximity to workplace ? Luck ? Parental attitudes o Continues from an adolescent's search for vocal identity, influenced by increasing realism ?YA gives you a perspective of what you can achieve, the only question is how to achieve it o Taking on increasing responsibilities o Entering college/getting specialized education o Getting work experience Entering the workforce ? o Reality shock ? Expectations clashing with reality ? Source of frustration and anger o Growth of competence and autonomy ? Positive role of mentors ? Independence and surpassing mentors o Growth of loyalty and commitment ? Maintaining excitement and commitment essential to mature satisfaction Page 7 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON ? ? ? ? ? Identifying with occupation, employer, industry Gender-Based Adjustment o Males ? Roles they want to play ? Use of their abilities and training ?Authority ? Pay raises ? Job transfers o Female ? Use of their abilities, expectation, training ? Feeling of being in a dead end job because more opportunities for promotion are given to males ? Being stereotyped Factors that Affect career decisions o Work options/types o Changes in work skill demands (technology) o Flexibility of working time (home responsibilities) o Preparation for a specific job o Sexual stereotypes o Labeling of occupations o Security (permanent vs seasonal jobs) o Career goals o Personal values and expectations Job Sat isfaction o Intrinsic factors ? Work challenge (bored or challenged? ) ? Interest ? Work competence ? AchievementIntrinsic factors are the concern of ? YA. o Extrinsic factors ? Salary ? Status/position ? Comfort of environment ? Work hours ? Supervision and employment practices ? Attitudes and support of colleagues ? Opportunities for advancement -; concern form late YA and MA Other issues o Stress from work o Personal needs o Stimulation from work o Security o Actual work conditions Occupational Hazards o Depends on type of work o Stress ? Excessive work demands -; subjective ? Little to no control of work method/areas o Danger of dissatisfaction which leads to low motivation, trouble-making behaviors and hostility ? Which may lead to unemployment ? ? ? Degree of marital satisfaction ? Materialism ? Physical competitiveness ? o Mid30s to 40s (â€Å"midlife†) ? Affected by prominent physiologic changes ? Restricted activities Common Leisure Activities o Outdoor recreation o Parties/social activities o Sports and hobbies o Watching television o Arts and culture o Travel Factors that affect choice of leisure o Work o Finances o Health and mobility o Family and friends o Time o Community o Exercise Benefits of Leisure to YA o Dealing with stress o Providing social outlet o Maintaining health and wellness o Self-development -; not be confined with work LEISURE CHANGES o 20s ? ? ? ? o 30s ? ?New interests New acquaintances Strong physical component Intensive social mixing Affected by the decline of: Social life FILIPINO CUSTOMS, BELIEFS, and EXPECTATIONS o Use of â€Å"tabo†/ dipper o Filipino value system/pamantayan ? Halaga (evaluative): right or wrong ? Diwa (spiritual): sacred or profane, strong or weak ? Asal (expressive): good or bad o Ideal behavior for Filipinos would revolve around ? Industriousness ? Perseverance ? Patience ? Self-control o Kinship ? Child is central in linking people together Status as parent when child is born to ? them S tatus as grandparent when their ? children bear offspring ? Results in deep emotional attachment to parents, particularly mothers ?Marriage brings together two sets of kin and is sacred, special relationship ? Adoption as means of helping less fortunate relatives, and fulfillment of moral responsibility of married couples o Good reputation ? Emphasis on puri (personal honor or chastity) ? Clash of traditional values with Western values and practices ? Premarital and extramarital sex ? Emphasis on taking care of family's name o Ideal spouses ? Husband Good provider ? Good-natured ? Not cruel ? Hard and dedicated worker ? Page 8 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood o Not a drunkard Wife Good housekeeper ? Not quarrelsome ? Frugal and efficient manager ? Not lazy ? Sexually faithful ?Courtship in the Philippines ? Traditions include the following: Visiting the female at her home ? Having a chaperon at all times ? Serenading ? Serving in the house of the female ? ? ? o ? More freedom in current times Marriage Customs and Beliefs ? Siblings must not get married within the same year as it brings misfortune and difficulties ? Necessary to postpone wedding after a death in the family ? Ceremonies in nuptial mass Wedding paraphernalia which ? falls/touches the floor is bad luck Significance of lighting candle, veil, ? and cord OT 121: Lifespan Development and Occupation II Young Adulthood Page 9 BLANCO | MARIANO | QUEMADO | VILLON

Normative ethical subjectivism Essay

Normative ethical subjectivism is an ethical stance that attempts to specify circumstances under which an action is morally right or wrong using four distinct arguments that try to prove this claim. Normative ethical subjectivism claims that an act is morally right if, and only if, the person judging the action approves of it. Stemming form this view on ethics a normative ethical theory has been made. An ethical theory is a theory of what is right and wrong. This stance on ethics is the opposite of another ethical stance called methethical antirealism. Methethical antirealism is centered on the idea that because there is no right and wrong actions, just personal preferences there is no such thing as morality. It also states that morals are just a personal preference. Normative ethical subjectivism makes its claim in four different arguments witch are democracy, tolerance, disagreement and atheism. The democracy argument makes the premise that if everyone has an equal right to have and voice moral opinions then everyone’s moral opinions are equally plausible. The next premise states that everyone does have an equal right to have and voice moral opinions. These two premises lead to the conclusion that everyone’s moral opinions are equally plausible. The first premise of the argument creates a problem because not everyone’s moral opinions are equally valid and plausible. I have lots of opinions like the location of LSU, how far away the moon is and, the speed limit on College Drive. My opinion is LSU is located in Arizona, the moon is 100 miles away and the speed limit on College Drive is 75 miles per hour. My opinions are all incorrect showing that the plausibility of an opinion really has nothing to do with one’s right to hold it. Having a right to an opinion is one thing, the truth of that opinion quite another. This undermines the first premise of the argument causing me to reject a crucial part of the democracy argument. Consequently making the argument for democracy unstable and not a good foundation for supporting normative ethical subjectivism. The next argument for normative ethical subjectivism is the argument of disagreement. The first premise states that if there is a constant disagreement among educated, open-minded and, good-willed people about some subject matter, then that subject matter does not admit to an objective  truth. Followed by the premise there is persistent disagreement about ethical issues among educated, open-minded and, good-willed people. These two statements lead to the conclusion that there are no objective ethical truths. There is persistent disagreement among educated, open-minded and, good-willed physicists and mathematicians. We assume that their work is aimed at discovering objective facts. Physicists continue to disagree about that started the universe. But this is not evidence that their views are subjective, it is evidence that the facts they arrive at are merely expressions of personal opinion about some fact. This shows that a professions may deal in objective truths even if it’s open minded and educated deeply disagree with one another. In rebuttal to this, normative ethical subjectivist would state that objective truths don’t exist, but for a finding to be true someone has to believe in it. Thus proving that the first premise of the argument of disagreement if false giving no support for normative ethical subjectivism. The tolerance argument of normative ethical subjectivism has two premises. The first premise states if normative subjectivism is true, then no one’s deepest opinions are more plausible than anyone else’s. The next premise states if no one’s deepest opinions are more plausible than anyone else’s, then we have to respect and tolerate the opinions of all others. Generating the conclusion that if normative subjectivism is true, then we have to respect and tolerate the opinions of all others. Tolerance is defined as â€Å"the capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others (Webster’s Dictionary).† In the normative ethical subjectivism argument tolerance is good thus making it good for others to respect the actions and beliefs of that other people. The tolerance argument is still not a persuasive argument for normative ethical subjectivism. The problem with tolerance argument is that we all have to be tolerance of people’s opinions if they truly believe in them, making their opinion morally right. If a person truly believes in intolerance and that intolerant behavior is acceptable then according to normative ethical subjectivism it is morally right. According to the tolerance argument if a racist feels that be does not what to be tolerant of other races and goes around killing them off but truly feels that that he is doing is right then to a normative  ethical subjectivist we must be tolerant of opinion. The tolerance argument does not seem to be helping persuade a person towards normal ethical subjectivism view. The final argument for normative ethical subjectivism is the atheism argument. The atheism argument’s premise states if ethics are objective, then God must exist. Followed by the premise that God does not exist. Structuring the conclusion ethics is not objective. Since it cannot be proven through science and nature that God does exist, it validates the atheist argument. But lets suppose God does exist and he does issue commands on that is morally right and wrong. This brings up the euthyphro question, which asks are actions good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good? The first part of the question, actions good because God commands them, makes God’s commands arbitrary and so if God commands us to throw our children into volcanoes, to rape, or to murder, then these actions would be good actions according to God. And for the next part of the question, God command them because they are good, seems to imply that there is a standard of goo dness over God. It also leaves open the question who is the commander behind moral commands? These arguments against the euthyphro question create doubt in the atheism argument. The arguments for normal ethical subjectivism are not very strong and could deter persons away form relativism. The above arguments against normal ethical subjectivism are few in numbers. For the majority of moral values and situations, actions are not complete but are relative to the persons or groups holding them. Lets say there is an objective moral fact that lying was wrong for all cases and should never be done. Avery close friend of yours is on the edge and suicidal. He asks you if he is an attractive person. You are this person’s only friend and every thing you tell him he takes very literally. He could be the most hideous person you have ever seen, but if you tell him he is ugly he will without doubt kill him self. According to the objective moral fact about lying that I have just made, you have to tell him the truth, that he is revolting. Or you could have a relativism stance and tell him he is an attractive person and stop him form killing him self. In this situation it would be ideal to save the persons  life and prevent the mental problems stemming for know you killed someone. Although normal ethical subjectivism and metaethical antirealism are different but there is a relationship between them. Both of these views on ethics are subjective and both have its problems convincing people to follow them. Facts are mentioned as not important in their arguments. In the atheist argument of normal ethical subjectivism, God’s commands are not to be taken as facts but as suggestions. A big part of metaethical antirealism is that moral facts don’t exist but facts are just part of the role in making decisions. Normative ethical subjectivism is an ethical stance that attempts to establish the situations under which an action is morally right or wrong. It states an act is morally right if the person judging the act approves of it. Normative ethical subjectivism uses the arguments of democracy, tolerance, disagreement and atheism to try proving this claim. Methethical antirealism is an ethical stance that claims there are no right or wrong views or stances on ethical options. Methethical antirealism goes on to state that morals do not exist at all. Even thought normative ethical subjectivism failed make its calm a person can still be a relativist, but I still feel that every moral case must be taken on a base to base cineraria. Works Cited â€Å"Tolerance.† The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary. Revised and Expanded edition 1981.

Chris Peterson at DSS Consulting Essay

Presentation of the Facts Surrounding the Case The case examines a dispute between Meg Cooke, DSS’s COO and Chris Peterson, newly appointed Southwest Region’s team leader. Cooke appointed Peterson a leadership role for one of the newly structured cross-functional teams designated to create a new integrated budget and planning system. The cross functional teams were tasked with building relationships with existing school districts in their regions and provide them a full range of DSS services and to develop new consulting offerings in response to the district’s needs. (Case 2010) Theses goals were created to facilitate a transition to servicing larger districts rather than the smaller districts, which DSS based it past structure around. Peterson was responsible for creating a successful and efficient team within DSS’s reorganization. The team was responsible for designing and creating an integrated budget and planning system with in a time frame of six months. Cooke was updated of the status and objecti ves of the project periodically. The meeting were short and not effective for either party. After the six month deadline was reached Peterson met with Cooke to provide an update on the status of the project her group had been working on. Cooke decided that Peterson’s project would be discontinued, her team would be reorganized and would not be involved in futures product development. Peterson was convinced that her team and project were excellent. Further examination of the case reveals that there may be significant problems related to the company’s transition and Cooke role as COO. Cooke has several deficiencies in the area of leadership, management style, communication, and teamwork and change management. Regarding Peterson, her exemplary team management and teamwork resulted in group-think, causing her team to lose the ability to make unbiased decisions and effectively evaluate possible risks and alternatives. Identification of the Key Issue(s) Many issued are related to the substantial strategic and organizational changes taking place at DSS. Peterson and Cooke have varied perspectives relating to leadership, management style, communication, teamwork, organizational culture, and change management. Cooke’s leadership is characterized by low regard for creating systems for getting the job done  and for creating a satisfying and motivating work environment. The outcome of such leadership style is disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony. Collected evidence suggest that Cooke provided very little leadership to Peterson. Peterson and other associates felt anxious for the uncertainty on how the new organizational strategy would unfold. Cooke was only interested in the outcome of what Peterson and her team were working on at the end of the six month period. Cooke did not pose any questions and did not ask for any status updates throughout the projects duration. When Peterson asked for support for her group and the task they were working on, Cooke did not provide any direct action. Other DSS associates felt that Cooke was playing favorites. Cooke did not involve her employs to feel involved and understand the organizations new purpose and determine the production needs. When employees are committed to and have an interest in the organization success, production and moral typically coincide with positive outcomes. This leads to the organization successfully meeting the designated goals. The ability to have employees buy in to desired goals are promoted by an organizational environment based on trust and respect, which leads to high satisfaction and motivation and, as a consequence, high production. ( MindTools). Cooke gave Peterson the ability to choose her own team members, projects, and location of operations. Cooke did so in a passive manner. In the following follow-up meeting Cooke never expressed any objections to Peterson actions and plans, but when she did present a problem concerning the assistance she required form management and other supporting operations, Cooke dismissed her claims by stating that she would provide the needed help at a later time. Peterson’s behavior and management style influenced her team’s performance, while Cooke’s absence of communication and guidance lead to wasted time and resources on a system that did not meet DSS goals. Listing Alternative Courses of Action That Could Be Taken Better communication needs to be created between mid and upper management. Proper communication will lead to a better understanding of the goals desired. Feedback is provided by upward communication, which makes employees feel involved and can help managers to get employees to understand their concerns (Thrilwall, 2012). Cooke and Peterson communicated scarcely and poorly. No regular meeting were scheduled. When the two did communicate  there was no clear and actionable dialogue. Communication is only successful when both the sender and receiver understand the same information as a result of communication ( MindTools, n.d.) Both Cooke and Peterson should establish regular structured communication. This can be accomplished by setting periodic meetings, written updates via e-mail or memos. These meeting will provide downward communication that will allow information to be dispensed to the team working on the projects in question. These meeting will make Peterson and her team feel mor e involved in the direction of the project and it will also keep Cooke abreast of the attitudes and values of her employees. Cooke can defuse any potential problems before they have a negative impact on the group and the project. Cooke’s could adjust her management style. Her methods when dealing with Peterson and her team lead to confusion. Her managerial control and direction were minimal, due the delegation of direction to Peterson, which allowed her to act with maximum freedom. Peterson was allowed to develop a specific product for a small district regardless of the new DSS strategy to refocus its resources on acquiring larger school districts. Cooke needs to focus on redirecting Peterson and her team to achieving the newly desired mission the organization has set in place. That includes providing a direction and strategy which will integrate the individual and the organization ( Thirlwall, 2012). Peterson displayed her ability to effectively act independently. If Cooke would have provided more control pertaining to the direction Peterson and her group were heading the negative outcome could hav e been avoided. Evaluation of Alternative Courses of Action Better communication needs to be created between mid and upper management. Establishing better communication can provide several benefits for DSS. The first, which would be a necessity for any future DSS strategy to be successful would be team building. Team building can transition an organizations culture from cooperation to collaboration. By establishing team environment employees will feel they are a part of something. The feeling of being involved in something increases the effort employees will place in projects and designated task. Better communication also creates a culture of transparency. When companies encourage employees to communicate honestly without fear of repercussions, transparency will transform from an  ideal to a reality. An environment of honesty promotes respect amongst employees. An increase in communication and honesty can cause increased revenue and innovation. Cooke could adjust her management style. Cooke must be willing to make the needed adjustments to improve her management style. She first needs to understand herself. She has to recognize her flaws, not just in the situation with Peterson but her role in DSS organization. She also has to recognize her strengths. Her ability to identify her strengths and weakness will allow her to build a stronger relationship with her employees. The bonds that she can build with her employees and peers will be reflective of her interpersonal communication skills. This reflection will provide insight into areas in the organization and within herself that require improvement. Cooke will need to continually re-evaluate her management style. Being able to realize what works and what doesn’t is key to being an effective manager ( WordPress, 2009) Recommendation of the Best Course of Action The best course of action is for DSS to create a standard outline for communication prior to and during the lifespan of a project. These guidelines should include timing and require length of meetings, scheduled times for updates via e-mail or in person meetings. Also they should provide the specification for any information that needs to be provided to all person involved in the project in question. The information should be pertinent to the status of the project and personal. Also the supply of information should allow as a segue to any questions or concerns by either party. An open dialogue should be the basis of all communication throughout the projects duration. References MindTools, n.d. Blake Mouton Managerial Grid. Retrieved July 20, 2014 from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_73.htm [Accessed 16 June 2012 MindTools, n.d. Introduction to Communication Skills. Retrieved July 20, 2014 from http://mindtools.com/CommSkll/CommunicationIntro.htm [Accessed 18 June 2012] Organizational Behavior and HRM. Unpublished ed. Emirates Aviation College.Thirlwall, A., 2012. Ineffective leadership in Business, Retrieved from July 22, 2014 btrostle.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/adjusting-your-management-style/

3 Doors Down The Search For The

3 Doors Down ; The Search For The Better Life Essay, Research Paper 3 DOORS DOWN: THE QUEST FOR THE BETTER LIFE We spend our lives seeking for that something or person that can make full the nothingness and makes life # 8217 ; s tests endurable. The motive for the freshers album from 3 Doors Down trades with this thought of happening # 8220 ; The Better Life. # 8221 ; Tracks 1, 3, and 5, titled # 8220 ; Kryptonite, # 8221 ; # 8220 ; Duck and Run, # 8221 ; and # 8220 ; Be Like That, # 8221 ; utilize the thought of the quest for the better life to explicate the motive contained throughout the album. The three paths discuss three different thoughts of accomplishing the better life ; happen your true love, calculating out how to acquire someplace in this universe, and our desire to walk in person else # 8217 ; s places. # 8220 ; Kryptonite, # 8221 ; the album # 8217 ; s first path, is about a adult male who is seeking to happen person to be at that place for him through midst and thin. It focuses on the thought that in this universe no 1 will stand by your side unless you are # 8220 ; superman. # 8221 ; The wordss discuss a relationship in which he is chew overing whether she # 8217 ; ll be at that place for him even in the tough times: # 8220 ; If I go brainsick so will you still name me Superman? If I # 8217 ; m alive and good, will you be at that place keeping my hand. # 8221 ; He unluckily discovers that though he is altruistic in giving, she will non be the one to stand by his side during the tough times: # 8220 ; You took for granted all the times I neer let you down. # 8221 ; The vocal ends with his realisation that he must go on on his quest to happen that person that will assist him happen his # 8220 ; Better Life. # 8221 ; The 3rd path on the album, # 8220 ; Duck and Run, # 8221 ; embodies the thought that the universe is non a nice topographic point and things are non ever merely and just. The set discusses their thoughts that it is difficult to acquire anyplace in this universe ; the thought that the harder you work, the less you see from it. He says: # 8220 ; All my work and eternal steps neer seem to acquire me really far. Walk a stat mi merely to travel an inch now, even though I # 8217 ; m seeking so bloody difficult, I # 8217 ; m seeking so hard.† This path ends on an optimistic note, saying that he will non allow the universe bring him down: â€Å"And I won’t duck and run, do I’m non built that way.† â€Å"Duck and Run† leaves us with the impression that no affair how difficult life get, you can non give up because Oklahoman or subsequently you will see the benefits of your difficult work. # 8220 ; Be Like That, # 8221 ; the 5th path on the album trades with the manner we all want to hold person else # 8217 ; s life. As the clich? goes, the grass is greener on the other side. The opening poetry of the song trades with one adult male # 8217 ; s dream of one twenty-four hours accomplishing the Hollywood life: # 8220 ; He spends his darks in California, watching the stars on the large screen. Then he lies awake and admirations, why can # 8217 ; t that be me? Cause in his life he # 8217 ; s filled with all these good intentions. # 8221 ; Though he has all these good purposes in his life, it seems nil of all time turns out the manner he wants it to. The 2nd poetry negotiations about a miss who watches people walk by, and wishes that her life could be every bit perfect as theirs appear to be. She wants person that will be at that place by her side: # 8220 ; She spends her yearss up in the North park, watching the people as they pass # 8230 ; all she wants is merely that something to keep onto, that # 8217 ; s all she needs. # 8221 ; # 8220 ; Be Like That # 8221 ; embraces the thought that we all want what person else has, or in most instances what person else merely appears to hold. In analyzing these three paths from # 8220 ; The Better Life, # 8221 ; the first album from 3 Doors Down, we find that the motive of the album is the treatment of the thought that in some signifier or another we are all looking for a better life. Some of us want a better occupation, some wish to happen their true love, and some want merely to be able to walk in person else # 8217 ; s places that we think has achieved the better life. The album leaves you with a rejuvenated spirit and a sense that possibly someday in the close hereafter you will happen that something or person to give you # 8220 ; The Better Life. # 8221 ;