Definition—Jeffbezos

Posted on October 12, 2020 by jeffbezos123

Every saturday, many men, women and children nationwide tune their tvs on to college sports. These athletes put on shows with their abilities at such a young age. Most of them freshly out of high school, make it look inhuman the way they play. Little do people think about how these young athletes are putting their lives at more risk during the Covid-19 pandemic, then the professional athletes. Many college schools are pushing these athletes back to work, without having any choice. Many Division one athletes go to these mega powerhouse schools on scholarships. These student-athletes have to play or they could lose it all and be sent home. They have no choice here but to play, unless they want to give up their dreams of making it to the big leagues. Besides losing their dreams, they will lose their education unless they pay the ridiculous fifty thousand dollars tuition. 

Most college athletes have proved to be asymptomatic to Covid-19. This endangers many more people besides themselves. College athletes are in the best shape of their lives. They have strong immune systems, great stamina and god like physiques. These athletes travel the entire country over night in planes, to go play in other states. They come in close contact with every player they play against. Then they return back to campus the next day. With most if not all of them being asymptomatic, what happens when they go to their class at 10am? What happens when they see their friends. It will be widespread before people will have a clue what hit them. This putting more then the athletes life at risk, the everyday college student is. 

A linebacker for Oklahoma State, Amen Ogbongbemiga, tweeted in early June that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Within those two weeks nearly 30 college athletes tested positive for the virus. Without fully functioning testing a player contact tracing, the health of these students will be more at risk. 

When you look at professional sports, such as the NBA and NHL you see that these teams get bubbled. When I say bubbled, they go to a location where there is no contact with anyone besides the athletes. No one can leave or enter until they finish the season. Before entering the bubble you have to quarantine for 2 weeks, then take a covid-19 test weekly when inside this “bubble.” When having no contact with the outside world, there is little chance that you will be in contact with anyone who has Covid. 

With the NBA finals wrapping up yesterday, we found out that there were no cases of Covid 19 in the bubble. This put  them at little to no risk the entire time they were playing. The same happened with the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. Why is it fair that student athletes, who play for the love of the game can have covid, but the professional athlete who is making millions of dollars cant? 

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Visual Rhetoric- runnerd4

Posted on October 12, 2020 by runnerd4

Visual Rhetoric

PROFESSOR NOTE: 
Thank you, Runner, for posting early.
Classmates, please read both Runner’s thoughtful analysis AND your Professor’s Reply to the First Five Seconds before posting your own version.

0:00-0:05

In the first five seconds of this video, we see a man (Keenan Allen) and little girl who I suppose is his daughter. He is spinning around his daughter in the air. The little girl is in a yellow shirt with light blue/grey pants. The man is in a white tee shirt and blue jeans. They are both smiling. I think the creator included this in the video to appeal to pathos. The happiness between the father and daughter adds to whatever argument they are trying to make. I am also thinking that they used Keenan Allen as a way to appeal to ethos through celebrity endorsement.

0:06-0:10

The frame switches to the same man and his son. The son is wearing a navy blue shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. The son is very young, maybe about a year old. They are also dancing together like the man was doing with his daughter. The father is holding his son and dancing around with him. The man is smiling and the son also seems to be pretty content and making happy baby faces. I think the creator included this also to appeal to pathos. The happiness adds to the argument (fatherhood involvement).

0:11-0:13

In this moment, it shows Keenan playing the piano. For his kids? He seems to be a good piano player based on how smoothly his fingers are moving on the keys. I could be wrong though because I have the video muted.

0:14-0:16

The next frame shows Keenan playing for his kids so they can have their own little band. There seems to be another 2 people in the frame to the right, but I cannot figure out who, maybe another daughter and his wife. His daughter is playing on her little drum set. This little scene displays the idea of fatherhood involvement because he is part of their little band, a key part too. This scene is very wholesome and would make the audience smile, appealing to pathos.

0:17-0:19

This frame shows the inner workings of the piano. I believe that the creator used this to compare the beauty and intricacy of how the piano works to the beauty and intricacy of the family working together as one. All of the piano works together to make the beautiful sounds while all of the family comes together to create a beautiful relationship.

0:20-0:26

The daughter and the man were dancing while the film director’s clapperboard comes in to end the film. I think that this whole piece mainly used ethos and pathos to get their point across. They used celebrity endorsement. The celebrity endorsement shows that if even a man so busy could have an active involvement in their children’s lives, so can you. The pathos is from the joy from the interaction of Keenan and his children.

0:27-0:38

The last seconds of the video add to the message that men should be involved in their children’s lives. It displayed in white letters on a black screen “Make a Moment” and “#DanceLikeADad”. It also included a website for more information. These last slides concluded the piece.

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Not a Hypothesis—Goldin92

Posted on October 12, 2020 by goldin92

            There have been many controversies based on animals in the wild, and how humans have been uncharismatic and how they do nothing to help. Sociology doesn’t only contribute to the society of all humans and their populations, but to living creatures and habitats outside from our modernized world. From time to time, people have slaughtered and killed wild animals for food, clothing, and other means such as hunting. A lot of animals currently have been classified “endangered” to extinct, and the world needs to make changes for this not to happen. This is a cause of our auto-segregation towards these animals, viewing them as less intelligent animals, but they are intelligent in their own ways. A German sociologist by the name of Max Weber states, “The fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the disenchantment of the world”. The rationalization and intellectualization stand for inequality and power, giving the us the doomed fate of ignoring other life stranded with us on this planet. Humans have been neglecting wild animals and creatures that aren’t human for years, as it has been getting worse once the country started to become more industrialized. It seems as it has become the social norm for people to understate living things that we judge unintelligent, which ruins the entire ecosystem of all life.

The slaughtering and killing animals process are routine, normative, institutionalized and globalized. Today, people use animals for food, and there are still reasons to continue these processes. Animals are cared for and raised on farms, but some are raised and then slaughtered to be processed and transported to supermarkets and food markets across the globe. This is a way of life, as people need to eat meat and give more food to others but must be done in a safe and controlled expense. Farmers slaughter too many of them, for the sake of making money, not to give food off as much as not everyone eats meat. Professionals manipulate the food market and give off expensive meat and a surplus of it for everyone, and it needs to be reprimanded. Specialist grab data from these supermarkets, factories and farms and lead to the idea of sustainable development, which is implemented in anti-growth and anti-environment outcomes of our society. This relates to the killing of large amounts of animals, limiting plant life and failing to keep the balance of all life by harming environments from industrialization from people today. The killing of animals has concluded that it is not necessary to commit the slaughter of so many animals, even for clothing. There are a lot of animals that can be used to create fur, bamboo, and other materials that is taken off the wild life. Fur can be processed in different ways, as today people have created machines and technologies to create these materials without having to kill unharmful animals. Expansion of territory from humans has caused huge revelation, and in order for civilization to occur, all the wildlife must be depleted from human population, is then industrialized and becomes an only “human ecosystem”. Hunting is a huge issue when it comes to extinction prevention. Butchers sell meat to production companies like other supermarkets, factories, and farms for meat to be compiled, cleaned and processed. There is no say in this, as people need food and meat is a good source of protein throughout the world, as it them becomes an excorporation of our world. 

There is a say in the slaughter of animals worldwide exponentially, and its growing by the minute. Countries in Asia, Europe, and north Africa are the sought-out hunting lands, where a lot of meat is transported to the United States and other countries. There has been a surplus of meat sold throughout the world, and industries are noticing huge cuts in the market prices of meat. People hunt for the pleasure and the sport and should be reprimanded and shut down. This could lead to a sociolical problem that everyone faces, environmental ecology. This stands for the standard rate of living for the average human today, and it states that all humans cause environmental damage within industrialized societies by limiting recourses of other life. Humans share their society with other life, as animals contribute to the environment too. The slow extinction of animals is causing a deuteriation in our resources, creating biodiversity throughout the world. There is no need to kill innocent life for any reason, as there is too much civilization and animals will soon not have many places to live.

What could be done to help nullify and decrease animal killings throughout the world? This is a question that I would ask myself if I was a sociologist, and if I was in the position and the knowledge to research this topic, given all that is affected by the wild life. Animal killings have been occurring for centuries, as people need animals to thrive in their societies for clothing, food, and other essentials. Back then it wasn’t such a mis conformity, as it wasn’t as industrialized and modernized as it is today. With buildings and civilizations all across the world, doesn’t it make people think that lots of land was stolen from these animals? This turns our country into a postindustrial society, which leads to social change beyond industrialized order. This means that if we commit to a change, possibly giving land and cohabitation with animals for future years to come, it will not adapt well with our pivoted society. This will create a cultural divide in the world, and a lot of people won’t be able to live with these rules. That is why I would create barriers between pro modernization and learn to coincide with animals slowly, selling less meat products and putting restrictions on how much can be processed throughout certain times. Also, it can be implemented that a nullification or ban on hunting as a sport or practice can create rules for people to learn to get used to and learn to accept through time. In the textbook, Introduction to Sociology, the author states “A consequence of accelerating industrial and tech-nological development has been the steady spread of human intervention in nature—for example, through urbanization, industrial production and pollution, large-scale agricultural projects, the construction of dams and hydroelectric plants, and nuclear power” (Ferris, Page 568). This is due to plants, animals and all life slowly being depleted from our planet, causing pollutions and modified natural systems causing the balance of nature to go into a different, changed direction. Nuclear power, and other electrical technologies were all manifested after the nature of life, as power is desired from humans and it changes our environment in that way. If other sociologists answered my question and reacted to this inquiry about saving animals, they would want to do it but at a slow cost, as they also don’t have the answers. Sociologist use the term biodiversity to compare these principles to the world, but they would conclude that it would not only take years to stop the killing of animals substantially, it will take convincing and results for a change in the environment, and a change like that isn’t as important in today’s modernized world. 

Altogether, there needs to be prevention created to stop these killings of wild life. People are killing innocent animals for their needs, but they do too much of it, and a lot of people are trying to stop this. Hunters and fishermen are polluting the areas with their techniques and views, killing wild animals for their own food and sometimes for the activity of just shooting animals. In a sociology article published by Erika Cudworth states, “Speciesism is ‘an ideology, a belief system that legitimates and inspires prejudice and discrimination’ which is discursively and materially constituted in cultural processes and institutional arenas through which animals are exploited and oppressed – zoos, the ‘use’ of animals in research, hunting, farming and slaughter”. This is an ideology that our society is constructed into this phenomenon, and it will be very difficult and it’s too big of a change to stop the slaughter of animals. It is part of our society and our globalized market of food and clothing and all the influential animals give. This is not only our planet, it is theirs too. The wildlife outside of our civilized societies is beautiful and priceless, and we are tearing it down bit by bit. There needs to be a prevention to this, and we need to share the world with everyone else. Society is heading into one direction for the past 50 years, showing that possible change into saving the environment wouldn’t do much as the next generations would do the same as technology advances. Soon we would have less life and less animals in the world, if nobody does anything to change the cycle of our future.

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Defintion Categorical Essay – runnerd4

Posted on October 11, 2020 by runnerd4

The Array of Roadways

When considering the topic of speed limits on different types of roadways in the United States, it is important to know the characteristics that make up each type of roadway. Some types of roadways, like local roads, are designed for a relatively low rate of speed for the traffic that travels on them. Other types of roads, especially interstates, are designed for motorists to drive at relatively high rates of speed. Each of these types of roads have characteristics that influence the speed limits.

Let’s first begin with local roads. Local roads would be your average city or rural street. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation in their article “Road Function Classifications,” these local roads “provide limited mobility and are the primary access to residential areas, businesses, farms, and other local areas” and are the majority of roads in the United States. These types of roads are not built to go fast on, because a high rate of speed would put the drivers and pedestrians on and around these type of roads in danger. Also according to the U.S. Department of Transportation in their article “Road Function Classifications,” the fatality rate, at 2.13 fatalities per 100 M VMT (100 million vehicle miles travelled), of these types of roadways from speeding and non-speeding accidents is one of the highest of any type of roadway. It would seem to be pretty illogical to increase the speed limit on this category of roads, as an increase in speed limit would more than likely increase the number of driver and pedestrian fatalities.

The next category of roads is called collectors. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation in their article “Road Function Classifications,” collectors are major and minor roads that connect local roads with arterials such as highways and freeways. These roads have on average a slightly higher speed limit than local roads. These roads have proven to be dangerous, as the U.S. Department of Transportation states that they have the highest overall fatality rate of any type of road, at 2.17 per 100 M VMT. The danger of this type of roadway makes it clear that the speed limit on these types of roads does not need to be increased. An increase in the speed limit on these roads would more than likely result in a spike of the fatality rate. 

These first two categories of roads seem to fit into one big category; roads that the speed limit should never be increased on. These types of roads generally include multiple intersections. According to the National Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, approximately 40% of all accidents in the year 2007 were intersection or intersection-related crashes. This high percentage makes it clear that roads with many intersections should not have the speed limit increased as all it would do is lead to more red lights and stop signs ran, and less vigilance in the intersections. This carelessness would lead to a higher number of accidents. 

The next category of roads is arterial roads such as highways and freeways. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation in their article “Road Function Classifications,” these roads connect major cities and industrial areas at a higher rate of speed than local roads and connectors. These are your average four to eight-lane highways that go through one state, such as New Jersey’s Route 55, connecting route 42 to Philadelphia to route 47 in Maurice River Township. These roads are designed to be traveled on at a higher rate of speed to help drivers get from one major area to another as quickly as possible. The 1999 study in the U.S. D.O.T.’s article “Road Function Classifications,” shows that the fatality rate of arterials has the second-lowest fatality rate of any type of road at 1.48 fatalities per 100 M VMT. Increasing the speed limit on a road like this with an already high rate of speed and a lower fatality rate seems much more reasonable than on the local and connector roads.

The final category of roads is interstates. Interstates are large arterial roads that connect two or more states. An example of an interstate is I-95, stretching from northern Maine to southern Florida. According to the U.S. Departement of Transportation in their article “Road Function Classifications,” an interstate has the “highest level of mobility and the highest speeds over the longest uninterrupted distance”. These highways are generally travelled by people who are going between two or more states. The high level of mobility makes interstates the safest type of roads compared to all other types of roads and allows them to travel at much faster speeds than local roads or collectors. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation in their article “Road Function Classifications,” the fatality rate on interstates is 0.87 fatalities per 100 M VMT. This number is lower than half the rate of collector and local roads. Raising the speed limit on interstate highways also seems pretty reasonable when considering the fatality statistics.

The last two roads discussed also seem to fit into another category, roads that someday could have the speed limit increased on. Highways and interstates generally do not have many intersections and sometimes do not have any at all. This lack of intersections makes travelling at higher speeds safer. Also, arterial roads, especially interstates, have long stretches of straight road. Increasing the speed limit in these areas would more than likely help the traffic to move quicker and more seamlessly. 

The main topic to focus on when considering raising speed limits is if it would be safe to do so. On local and collector roads, the high fatality rate makes it clear that it would not be safe to do so. A few characteristics of these roads such as low mobility and multiple intersections differentiate them from arterials. Unlike local and collector roads, arterials have high mobility and very few to no intersections. On arterial roads, the relatively low fatality rate makes raising the speed limit seem more reasonable.

References

Intersection Safety Issue Briefs. (2009, November). Retrieved October 09, 2020, from https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/other_topics/fhwasa10005/brief_2.cfm

U.S Department of Transportation. (2000, November). Road Function Classifications. Retrieved October 9, 2020, from https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/data_facts/docs/rd_func_class_1_42.pdf

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Definition/Categorical Argument Tcarter101

Posted on October 11, 2020 by tcarter101

Students today are facing many more challenges than ever before. With them having to adapt in order to succeed. However it’s not just the academic challenges the restrictions on the social meetings and gatherings many people are missing the social aspects of college. The lifetime friendships and bonds that you form while meeting new people has been taken away. While college is about furthering your education  it is also about the fun times you have with friends as well as rowing for a person and getting life experience you can only have while meeting new people. The time away from our homes young adults become more independent and develop more life skills to become fully functioning adults.  

Not only are people’s stress levels rising due to the shut down. But their social lives are taking a hit as well. Before the shutdown we could  easily go out and interact with each other and build friendships that last a lifetime. It ‘s crucial for our overall social health. Currently  we don’t get the necessary amount of human interaction that we need in a day. It keeps us regulated and much more healthy mentaly.The everyday social interaction with friends you meet on campus helps you keep stress levels down.Many Sources say that since the pandemic has started that students are their happiest while they are able to  interact within a social network and it helps them improve. 

An article from Ball State University states that colleges are trying to push for more in person classes because they believe that it will lower the levels of stress and confusion from virtual learning. They conducted a survey using the experience sampling method to find out opinions on the virtual learning experience.”The investigators analyzed 963 experience sampling forms from 21 college students.(college student happiness)” This proves many students miss living on campus and goin go to class along with the opportunity to make new friends.

  • The friendships and memories made in college are value to a person’s development 
  • Without the social interaction of college people are missing the true college experience 
  • We need our college experience to have a balance of both social interaction and academics.  
  • In order to having a healthy functioning student body you need have an environment where there’s is not a lot of stress 
  • The social aspect of college holds an equal benefit to the academic 
  • The shutdown robs us of the true college experience.

References 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/how-coronavirus-changed-college-for-over-14-million-students.html

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/colleges-are-using-coronavirus-to-rob-students-of-more-than-just-an-education-harmeet-dhillon

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

https://www.bsu.edu/news/press-center/archives/2020/4/social-interaction-important-for-college-students

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Definition – gooferious

Posted on October 10, 2020 by gooferious

Mental Illness in Today’s Society

Mental illness is a topic that still to this day is not represented/portrayed in the most accurate manner. When the word “mental illness” comes up in conversation, people have mixed thoughts and views on it. The actual definition of a mental illness reads: a disorder that can cause psychological and behavioral disturbances with varying severities. This somewhat wordy definition appears to portray a more conniving image of those who suffer from mental illnesses everywhere. To me, mental illness can be described as: a disorder that causes those effected to act/think differently than those who do not suffer from said disorder. One would think that someone with a mental illness is crazy or not suitable for certain aspects of life, this ludicrous thought is the very reason why many people stay silent about their mental illness and are not as likely to reach out for help/seek treatment.

Whether we like to admit it or not, society definitely plays a huge role in how mental illness is depicted. Many people worldwide suffer from some form of mental illness. It’s definitely not uncommon to know someone or be someone who has a mental illness. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults (aged 18+) in the United States alone. That number would be equal to filling up the city of New York roughly about four times. While this specific disorder is highly treatable, only about 37% of those affected seek help. Other disorders include: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder and the list goes on. How does one develop a mental disorder you might ask, well it varies from a complex set of factors that include: genetics, brain chemistry, personality & life events. Another thing that isn’t discussed is that some people who suffer from a mental illness usually suffer from more than one. Should it be anxiety and depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, depression and bipolar disorder, or even all three! Anxiety can also co-exist with other disorders such as: Eating Disorders, Sleep Disorders and can lead to substance abuse. Theses disorders however do not define a person and most definitely do not limit a person from reaching their highest potential.

James P. McNulty wrote an article titled Commentary: Mental Illness, Society, Stigma, and Research. In said article, McNulty is a middle aged man who suffers from bipolar disorder. McNulty started off his article with a definition of stigma which reads: A mark of disgrace or infamy upon a person or thing. As he grew older, McNulty’s mood swings would worsen. It would eventually lead up to him unable to work, ending his marriage, losing his business and becoming homeless. After a suicide attempt at the age of 38, McNulty decided to reach out for State help for his bipolar disorder. McNulty was suggested to sell his last owning asset, his four-year old car to increase the chance of being the state’s patient. When he asked how he would travel back and forth from work once rehabilitated he was told “Don’t worry about going back to work. People like you don’t go back to work”. This was McNulty’s first experience with stigma regarding his mental illness. Stigma towards people who suffer from mental illnesses have pernicious and deleterious effects. Humiliation is experienced frequently in the public mental health system. McNulty goes on to speak about seeing an article published in the Daily Trentonian which featured an image of a burning psychiatric hospital with the title “Roasted Nuts”. Advocacy communities for mental health awareness and professionals alike did not appreciate the desensitized article. This dehumanizing, sick way of trying to make a joke is a perfect example of how society and the media think of those who are affected by mental illnesses. These largely negative, inaccurate portrayals of mental illnesses in media actually influence individual perceptions. As a society, we are obligated to do better.

While there are many negative effects that come with having a mental illness, staying positive and finding the good from having a mental illness graciously help. Anna Lente published an article titled 12 Benefits of Having a Mental Illness that lists twelve reasons why those with a mental illness should try to find the good and helpfulness that comes with this burden. The twelve benefits are listed below:

  1. The deep friendship/brotherhood with diverse and beautiful warriors of mental illness
  2. Being able to encourage others
  3. Appreciating small acts of kindness
  4. Appreciating the good days
  5. Knowing who your real friends are
  6. Being ready to handle whatever life throws at them
  7. Inspiring creativity
  8. Teaches those to think creatively to solve problems
  9. Makes life more interesting
  10. That sense of brokenness allows others to be real/open with you
  11. The emotional strength and courage gained by managing a mental illness
  12. Being better equipped to be a counselor

This list proves that even though one is at constant battle within themselves, people who have mental illnesses matter and actually do think of those around them. Being able to find a way to help others while sometimes not being able to help yourself is extremely selfless and inspiring. I only hope to one day be able to extend this form of gratitude upon others when needed and to continue for as long as humanly possible.

References

Facts & Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2020, from https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics

Lente, A. (n.d.). 12 Benefits of Having a Mental Illness. Retrieved October 10, 2020, from https://themighty.com/2017/05/benefits-of-having-a-mental-illness/

McNulty, J. P. (n.d.). Commentary: Mental Illness, Society, Stigma, and Research. Retrieved October 10, 2020, from https://bit.ly/2Uybv4w

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Definition- oaktree1234

Posted on October 8, 2020 by oaktree1234

Students in today’s society are facing more challenges than ever before. These challenges, nonetheless, force them to be percervent. Grit is a term that is commonly used to describe a person’s character. It can be used to define men, women, children, ect. This begs the question; what is grit? How do people develop it? Why is it so important? These are questions that do not have one clear answer. They depend heavily on the population in which you are focused on and the context of the situation. For the purpose of this essay, grit in teenage highschoolers will be defined, in an effort to more clearly illustrate how grit directly correlates to the success of a student and success later on in life. Above all, in defining grit, we can understand how overcoming challenges develops this trait in young people. 

“Without grit, talent may be nothing more than unmet potential,” Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD and author of The Grit Guide For Teens explains. “Grit is important because it is a driver of achievement and success, independent of and beyond what talent and intelligence contribute. Grit is a character trait that is acquired rather than learned. The experiences a young person has in their early years are likely to determine whether or not they develop grit. A student exhibiting this trait will not allow predetermined conditions or circumstances to hinder their performance. For example, working long hours, unfavorable studying environment, low household income, and learning disabilities are all factors that may discourage a student without grit. Grit does not diminish over time. In college, the workplace, and for the years to come, this individual will continue to be a diligent hard worker. A student with the type of grit we are analyzing, will overcome any challenges they may face to achieve success in all aspects of life. 

It’s important to mention that grit does not directly correlate to high grades and test scores. Likewise, high grades and test scores do not correlate to grit. In fact, many students who make these academic achievements lack grit the most. Commonly, it’s the average students or those who struggle with their studies who must adapt grit as a mechanism. The naturally gifted and talented students often achieve these high grades without little to any effort being applied. Students with learning disabilities such as ADHD, dyslexia, ect are more likely to fit the mold of having grit, as the result of a more challenging educational career. Overcoming adversities like this as a teen will only make the individual that much more prepared for the future. When defining grit in this context, it is often associated with those who fit the “underdog” role opposed to the gleaming, perfect, straight-a student.

The term grit is most commonly associated with overcoming obstacles and unfortunate circumstances. In reference to students, an individual growing up in a perfectly stable household is less likely to develop grit since they face less adversity. Those who grow up in poverty, broken homes, single parent homes, or abusive homes must expel much more effort just to accomplish what the student from the stable home did. Also, students in these households commonly don’t have access to adequate tutoring, technology, or necessary school supplies. This alone demands the individual to be perseverent. In 2016, many low income schools across the country began installing programs that taught grit to their elementary students.  “Here, though, is the fundamental problem with the notion that the importance of grit has to do with bettering the chances of disadvantaged students. Children raised in poverty display ample amounts of grit every day, and they don’t need more of it in school,” Ethan Ris, doctoral candidate in education at Stanford University expresses. Students from these lower income areas face challenges that many others never will. When these elementary students become young adults, the grit they’ve developed will continue to aid them in the workplace and beyond. Meanwhile, the higher income students most likely won’t have the same crucial experience. Grit, in this sense, is not commonly used to describe someone with an easy past. 

 In addition to challenges at home, many high school students work during the school year. This introduces them to a whole new way of life. The student must now learn how to balance school and work while maintaining other aspects of their life. A survey of students at the Manchester Metropolitan University demonstrated that a larger population of students are working while in school, than ever before. Although these students do believe their grades would be a little higher if they weren’t working, they are being benefited in the long run. “There are adverse effects on study in the form of missed lectures, and students’ perceptions are that coursework grades are lower than they would have been had they not been working. Nevertheless, students highlight the benefits of working, which are not only monetary but include the development of skills, greater understanding of the world of business and an increase in confidence, all of which are advantageous to their studies, both at the present time and in the future,” Susan Curtis  & Najah Shani with the Journal of Further and Higher Education report. Not only will these skills help students develop and integrate grit into their lives, they will be better  prepared for their future work environment. This is a perfect example of grit being applied to the real world. 

As we consider all the possible meanings of a word, it’s evident that context is always important. Grit in athletes vs business professionals will take completely different forms. Likewise, grit instilled in students is very specific. These individuals learn, through their experiences, that the magnitude of their actions and decisions. More specifically, the students that overcome more challenges while pursuing their education are most likely to develop the kind of grit being focused on. Typically, these students will go on to have successful fulfilling lives. By defining what constitutes as “student grit” it’s easier to understand the effects of this phenomenon. 

References

Strauss, Valerie. “The Problem with Teaching ‘Grit’ to Poor Kids? They Already Have It. Here’s What They Really Need.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 18 Apr. 2019, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/10/the-problem-with-teaching-grit-to-poor-kids-they-already-have-it-heres-what-they-really-need/. 

“The Effect of Taking Paid Employment During Term-Time on Students’ Academic Studies.” Taylor & Francis, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03098770220129406?src=recsys. “What Is Grit, and Why Is It Important?” NewHarbinger.com, 3 Oct. 2017, http://www.newharbinger.com/blog/what-grit-and-why-it-important.

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Definition-rowanstudent24

Posted on October 8, 2020 by rowanstudent24

One big question surrounding animal abuse is “What exactly causes it?”. What is the main reason animal abuse is committed? It can be a variety of things but the main reason is a poor home life. Kids see the way their parents handle animals and even other people and learn from that. A poor home life is the main reason for animal abuse because kids see the way their pets are treated and causes them to be uneducated on how to care for an animal.

Violence within families and animal abuse are linked to each other. One reason that an animal is abused within a home is that pets are thought of as family members to families. According to the author of “Animal Abuse, Family Violence, and Child Wellbeing: A Review,” Sarah McPhedran, she states that “Animals may become victims of violence in troubled homes because they are thought of as property.” She also goes on to say that other people believe violence extends to pets because they are thought of as family members. There are two kinds of people that can be doing the abusing, either the ones who think of their pets as property or people who think of them as family members. If they abuse their family members, that automatically could mean the pet as well.

Animal abuse can be caused by another reason as well. By abusing the animal. the abuser believes they are showing dominance and control to intimidate or control other people. It can also be present in relationships as well. According to McPhedran, in the article, “Animal Abuse, Family Violence, and Child Wellbeing: A Review,” she states “That it is common for women in shelters to talk about companion animal abuse , and suggest that women may delay leaving abusive relationships out of fear for the wellbeing of their pets.” This seems that this happens because the woman herself has been abused or she has even seen the man abuse their pet as well and doesn’t want to see it happen to them again. This is all caused by fear and the woman feels like she’s stuck. McPhedran also states in the article that “In the United States, Ascione’s (1998) widely cited research found that 71% of 38 women in a Utah shelter who owned a pet reported that their partner had threatened to, or had actually harmed, that pet.” This proves that in most cases this can be a big cause of abuse on animals.

Animal abuse can be learned from by the abusers’ parents. Children see how their parents treat each other and learn from that. If that relationship is abusive then the children believe that is the way you treat things. That can automatically translate to animal abuse. According to McPhedran in the same article, she states that “In the Utah shelter study, 22 women had children, and 32% (or 7 women) reported that one or more of their children had abused or killed companion animals.” Kids are looking up to their parents and seeing this which causes them abuse or even kill their pets because that’s exactly what they saw at home. It’s causing a whole different generation to abuse animals.

Animal abuse also conveys because there are Veterinarians are failing to report suspected abuse. Some vets report it but some of them don’t. As a vet, you would think they care for animals and never want to see them abused. According to Georgina Mills, who wrote the article, “Reporting cases of animal abuse,” she states that “A study carried out by psychologists at the University of Kent, found that almost a third of the vets had suspected at least one incident of animal abuse in the past year, but only half of those had reported cases to authorities.” Vets don’t get enough training on this and don’t have the confidence and skills to make the police aware of the animal abuse. Even after examining the animals, the vets should really know exactly how these animals got injured. Mills also states in her article that ” Those with self-belief were more likely to report cases of suspected abuse; this self-belief tended to come from training and experience.” Mills also stated that in the United Kingdom, Vets only receive two hours of training on this subject when in school. Vets should receive more training on this subject just because animal abuse happens a lot more than everyone thinks.

Animal Abuse has been linked to other poor behaviors as well. According to Thomas J. Mowen and John H. Boman, they state in their article “Animal Abuse among High-Risk Youth: A Test of Agnew’s Theory,” that “Animal abuse has been tied to other deviant behaviors including interpersonal violence, illegal gun possession, substance use, and antisocial behaviors later on in life.” These are a lot of the more obvious reasons of what causes animal abuse. Most of these behaviors are done by criminals or people that could be a criminal in the future. These are all things that are caused by a poor home life as well which again causes the abuse of animals.

The cause of abuse on animals can be caused by all these different things. Animals are thought of as property and even as family members, animals can get abused because of this in a broken home. The abuser can also be trying to show dominance to frighten others and even children within the home see this. They learn from that and that causes them to abuse when they get older as well because that’s what they think you are supposed to do when you have a pet. The fact that Vets don’t always report animal abuse is another problem why the abuse on animals conveys throughout society. Then the obvious reasons such as interpersonal violence, illegal gun possession and drug abuse. All that within the home of a pet is just a bad mixture. It’s almost like a chain reaction. Animal Abuse is happening more and more throughout our society and it must be prevented.

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Comment, Not a Post—malcolmyarber

Posted on October 8, 2020 by malcolmyarber

I believe this image is used to show the similarities between George Bush and Barack Obama, while still showing the transition of power between the two individuals. This image could also show America going into the right direction and allowing more diverse groups to obtain the power of presidency. The image in the very middle is an exact combination of the two which could represent that they still hold very similar views on different topics and discussions. Overall, I believe this image was a good representation of both President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush and how they compare, contrast, and may share similar viewpoints.

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White Paper- gabythefujoshi

Posted on October 5, 2020 by gabythefujoshi18

Working Hypothesis 1:

“Normalizing mental health and making it mainstream to the youth of today is more detrimental in the process riding the cultural stigma of mental health awareness.”

“We need to stop talking about mental health”

Working Hypothesis 2:

“Proper representation of minority groups amongst mental health advocates would encourage the latin community to be more accepting of their loved ones or people they know having mental health issues”

“White Americans need to stop discussing mental health”

“There should be proper representation of minority groups amongst mental health advocates to encourage the latin community to be more accepting in acknowledging mental illnesses.”

“White Americans need to stop discussing mental health and better representation of minority groups should be provided to rid of the cultural stigma in latin communities.”

“The Americanization of Mental Health”

The enhanced scientific knowledge involving mental health illnesses is beginning to be further globalized across the world. America pushing its new found research of these mental health disorders will help with understanding the biological basis of psychic suffering, which will hopefully decline the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses. For almost half a century, countries outside of the U.S have adapted the biomedical conceptions of mental illnesses and have become more literate in discussing mental disorders.

A great example of America’s influence on international understanding of mental health disorders was in Hong Kong, China in regards to anorexia nervosa. A psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Sing Lee was doing research on anorexia nervosa in the late 80s and 90s, trying to understand the rarity and causes of the illness. In the process of him publishing his research, an anorexic girl collasped and died on a busy street in Hong Kong in late 1994. Suddenly, people’s view of anorexia shifted, especially with news reporters using American diagnoses of anorexia to explain what led to her death. It had been understood that the anorexia disorder of China was the same as in America, so the nature behind the disease, it’s causes and effects, were better understand by researchers like Dr. Sing Lee and the public.

While countries outside of the United States are accepting of the science behind mental disorders, the stigma behind having these disorders is still a prevalent issue in those countries. Yes, there is a better understanding thanks to the advanced technology and research the U.S has provided, and there is more acceptance of mental illnesses as something that needs to be treated like any other physical disease. However, pushing these biomedical/genetic beliefs regarding these disorders actually makes one stigmatize people with mental health disorders even more dangers to society. There is also the issue with the distinct culture views of these countries that may view mental health through a spiritual or religious point of view. The U.S has a bad history of imposing their beliefs and knowledge to other countries that have distinct cultures, and it’s always ended badly; this is no exception. Having the latest mental-health theories isn’t going to solve the cultural stigma of mental health, if anything, it strays away these cultures and further puts mental health into a bad light.

*Argumentative- Compared to centuries ago, where doctors drilled holes in people’s skulls as a way to combat their “evil spirits”, we are in a much better place

Definition Essay- What Exactly is Cultural Stigma? And why is it detrimental to Mental Health?

Cause/Effect Essay- How have White Americans made a contribution to this? How Does Normalizing of Mental Health by Americans Make it less Accessible to Minority Groups?

Rebuttal Essay-

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