Discrimination

Introduction

Discrimination is the unjust treatment of certain categories of people. This can be based on a group, class or a certain category that they may be perceived to belong. Characteristics of these groups include race, age, gender or sexual orientation. Discrimination could also be experienced in terms of nationality, employment, housing, political views, and disability among others.

According to the National Academic Press (2004), discrimination is an origin of fear and misunderstanding. It involves more than direct behavior towards a person whereby a person may be denied employment or a housing opportunity. It can come in the form of being isolated and avoided, verbal and non-verbal hostility, physical attack and being avoided by a certain group of people or races. All these types of discrimination can lead to an environment that is not hospitable. Discrimination causes members of disadvantaged groups to be isolated and could also lead to lower positions in the workplace regardless of their level of education leading to low wages for them. Isolation could lead to a lack of resources for the disadvantaged groups, for example, lack of equal education, healthcare, and housing opportunities. Avoiding another person because of their race, gender or any other characteristic can lead to problems in the social networks, for example, getting employment opportunities or getting a promotion.

HG Legal Resources (2020), states that discrimination in the workplace is based on different factors which include, age, disability, and gender. In terms of age, it occurs when employees are treated unfairly because of their age. The older employees tend to be given priorities in some companies even when it comes to job applications due to their experience. In some companies, older employees are fired to replace them with younger employees. Disabled employees experience discrimination when they are treated badly by their co-workers, managers or supervisors. Not everyone is willing to accommodate the disabled or even work with them because of their special needs and this leads to them being isolated. In terms of gender, discrimination is experienced when people of the female gender are treated differently from the male gender. Women tend to be given low position jobs while the men get the top positions. Women get lower pay compared to men even when the woman has a high level of education than the man. When women get pregnant, they are discriminated against because of their condition and sometimes get fired.

 According to HG Legal Resources (2020), national origin discrimination in the workplace could be experienced if the person has a different accent, appearance, and culture. They may be victims of low wages, lack of promotion, job assignments, and sometimes they will not get employment opportunities. Religious discrimination occurs when someone is treated unfairly because of their beliefs and faith. For example, a Muslim may be discriminated against for wearing a headscarf in the workplace.  Another one is when a company’s rules require people to dress in a certain way meaning they cannot wear anything regarded as part of their beliefs. Verbal attacks against someone’s religion or their dressing is a type of physical attack discrimination. This type occurs when people talk about you because they dislike you, your nationality or your religion.

Conclusion

Discrimination is the unfair treatment of people and different positions. It has a big impact on people and can make them develop low self-esteem or even health problems. Discrimination makes people feel out of place and cannot even give your opinion on anything. It leads to loneliness due to isolation.

References

 Disability and Rehabilitation

Introduction

Disability is any condition that limits a person to perform certain activities. These conditions could be physical, mental or developmental. Rehabilitation is several interventions required when a person is experiencing limitations in functioning properly. This could be caused by health conditions, aging, and trauma among others. Rehabilitation helps people to return and maintain their daily activities and live healthy lives.

According to Rajiv S., Ayşe A. K., Klemen G. & Alan Gray (2018), the role of a rehabilitation specialist is to help patients with physical and mental disabilities to learn how to live independently. They offer assistance in reducing an individual’s condition from worsening. The specialist helps the individual to execute a task that they have difficulty in executing. They also help an individual to participate in situations that are difficult for them. They help in making an individual’s goals and objectives that the patient should try and meet. 

Rajiv S., Ayşe A. K., Klemen G. & Alan Gray (2018) explain that the specialists come up with a treatment plan for the patients having consulted other professionals such as psychologists and therapists. They make the staff know and understand the needs and capabilities of their patients and the laws that affect people living with disabilities. They follow the patient’s progress and adjust treatment and the rehabilitation plan. They recommend for the rights of people living with disabilities to be given employment opportunities.

The types of disabilities seen in the facility include physical disability which is a limitation of a person’s mobility, functioning physically or not able to control the motion of a certain body part. Visual impairment is the lack of the ability to see and sometimes causes total blindness. Hearing impairments can range from mild to a person being completely deaf. Intellectual disability is experienced when a person is not able to remember or process information normally leading to limitations to acquire skills needed to live independently. Mental disorder is a condition that affects the brain and affects the way a person thinks, concentrates and acts. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects how a person communicates and interacts socially making it difficult. According to Disability Rehabilitation and Hospitals Information (2019), rehabilitation and physical medication are used to restore function capabilities to the people with disabilities. Physical therapy is used for strength and mobility purposes. Occupational therapy is used in patients with their daily activities. Speech therapy is used to help in speaking, writing, reading, and communicating. 

When a patient makes progress through the therapies, they always want to learn more and the staff in the rehabilitation work well with them by praising and motivating them. Disability Rehabilitation and Hospitals Information (2019) states that the care programs in the rehabilitation work towards the ability of a person living quality and productive life even after they are discharged. They are given psychological support by the staff and the specialists through being talked to and being supported emotionally. Being accommodative to the patients gives more hope and encourages them to keep pushing. Psychological support for the patients is shown through loving them, encouraging them, helping them improve their self-esteem and understand their emotions. A patient has a right to privacy and freedom which is protected by the staff. When it comes to making decisions regarding the patient, it is the right of the patient and the family to be given enough information to make them a part of the process.

The rehabilitation facility is an inpatient facility where different therapies and treatments are offered. The staff in the facility are well trained to handle the different patients and each one of them has a different set of skills. Rajiv S., Ayşe A. K., Klemen G. & Alan Gray (2018) state that when the staff work as a team they provide the best results and give the best rehabilitation results to their patients and their families. The different specific skills that each staff has enables the team to be strong leading to well thought off decisions in terms of diagnosis, evaluation of a condition and treatment of a patient. 

The supervisor of the facility says that teamwork in a rehabilitation facility works perfectly and is highly encouraged. According to Disability Rehabilitation and Hospitals Information (2019), the benefit of the in-patient facility is that it works towards helping a person function independently. A person is restored physically and psychologically and socially and gain their independence. The progress of a patient is observed well in the facility and the specialists can know what the patient needs and at what particular time. A patient can receive all the attention and this makes them motivated and responds to therapies and treatments positively.

Conclusion

Rehabilitation for people living with disabilities is essential because it enables people to restore their normalcy. It works towards helping people improve on how they live and depend on themselves. It enables people and their families to get attached and improves their social interactions. Through the different types of therapies, a person gets to a point where they can seek employment and support themselves. They learn how important they are in the community and how they can positively make an impact.

References

Disability Rehabilitation and Hospitals Information (2019) Disability Rehabilitation:

https://www.disabled-world.com

Rajiv S., Ayşe A. K., Klemen G. & Alan Gray (2018) The role of interdisciplinary teams in

physical and rehabilitation medicine: Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 50 (8)

Foster positive literacy development of young children

 Literacy learning benefits young children in reading, writing, grammar, and language development.  Adults and teachers play a big in the literacy development of young children through talking with, playing with, and other activities that nurture positive relationships.  Children can develop literacy in various ways such as writing tools, books, papers, art materials, sharing messages, and other daily activities (Kucirkova, 2018).  Some websites can also help children develop literacy, and this paper will review two websites and how they might be used while working with preschool children.

 National Children's Literacy Website- this website is designed to foster literacy development in young children who are in childcare and home settings.  In this website, there are resources that children can use to develop literacy skills.  This website helps childcare provider, a parent, and teachers to provide pre-school children with literacy skills. One can find literacy tips, story-time tips, and other educational activities that may help foster positive literacy development (Kucirkova, 2018). First, I understand that literacy development entails reading and writing.  For that reason, I can use this website to teach pre-school children sounds, reading, pronunciation, and comprehensive strategies that would help them understand what is read and become active readers.  Since the website is created by a non-profit organization, I would join this organization and work together in visiting children in home settings. In addition to reading and writing, I would introduce other enjoyable activities to foster more positive connections (Kucirkova, 2018). I understand that enjoyable activities like a play would promote children's emotional and cognitive development.  An important point is that home setting can be creative in that both children from poor families and well-up families mingle in this setting, and this means that this program has large effect. This is the best place to spend time with children, to have a one-on-one conversation, read books, create playful activities and participate in other literacy activities.

 StoryPlace- This is a website that offers a digital library including free online books, and other online activities for preschool students. While working with preschool children, I would download the app to view the exciting features, and search stories, and other creative content that would promote interaction (Young & Watts, 2007).  In this app, it is easier to identify digital books and choose the best titles to foster literacy development.  I would also take advantage of this app and introduce children to stories in different languages.  In specific, I would help children develop focus and maintain attention through reading stories, voice listening, and additional practices that would help the children remain focused.  The StoryPlace also allows the children to identify the children's tale and other interactive stories. I believe that this website will foster literacy development in that children will share real-life stories, listen to fiction stories, share their experiences, among other things (Young & Watts, 2007). Note that as a child care provider, my goal is to foster literacy development and I ensure that the children gain basic skills not only through reading and writing but also through gaining online experience. The Storyplace can be very helpful in that the storybooks will help children find individual titles and classic stories. More important, this site can promote literacy development in that children have the freedom to read aloud the story and in the end, the children will gain a fascinating experience.  Learning will also be enjoyable since the site will allow children to see memories, and do analysis.

References

Kucirkova, N. (2018). How and why to read and create children's digital books: A guide for

primary practitioners. UCL Press

Young, P., & Watts, A. B. (2007). Early literacy. Clifton, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning.

HUMANITIES AND CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

Introduction

Humanities are the academic rules that study the characteristics of human society and culture. Contemporary culture refers to the culture of a specific society in the modern world and times. It also includes the present trends and practices, beliefs and values in the society.

According to Sengupta (2019), digital transformation in society has become very effective for humanity. New innovations have made an impact on people’s lives making work easier and adding information and knowledge. The innovations in technology are helping cultures to develop and get into the digital space. This has helped them to obtain information and interact with people in the digital space making people become more social. Digital transformation has helped people in the business world, sharing products and information about them digitally has helped them get a high customer base. Businesses have made partners digitally to help them market and improve their business. Digital transformation has created jobs for a lot of people. Most marketing jobs in the modern world are done through digital platforms.

Sengupta (2019) states that digital transformation has enabled people to be more creative. Books and articles are written every day due to access to the digital space. People have become more creative even in terms of presenting their work. The main value of the creative expression for contemporary culture is the way it has given us opportunities and a platform to interact with one another. This has led to the creation of job opportunities and competition in the business world. Creative expression has made people keep in contact with each other and even interact with people they have never met. It has helped people who have different beliefs and backgrounds share a common platform.

Conclusion

Contemporary culture has been appreciated by people since it has enabled us to learn new and exciting things in the digital world. It has helped to bring different people together and share their views and ideas. It has enabled people to come up with new innovations and thrive in them.

References

 Sengupta S. (2019) Contemporary Culture and IP: Establishing the Conceptual Framework: www.esyacentre.org

Income Inequality, Poverty and Discrimination.

Part One

The three major aspects to consider whenever discussing Microeconomics are Income equality, poverty and discrimination in the economy of a state.  Economy is a key factor to consider in any organization, society and state as it affects the social status of the persons in those areas. Income equality, poverty and discrimination are demerits that face the economy in any setting. Income inequality is the degree to which earnings are unequally distributed to individuals while poverty is situation in which individuals, family, institution and organization lack a way of meeting their day to day needs. Employment discrimination is where the employee decides to quit employment or rather the employer decides to lay off the employee at any point since there is no documented agreement showing the length of the working condition before termination. The three factors will be discussed in this paper in length.

Causes of income equality include; ability, discrimination, preferences and choices, education and training, connections, misfortune, market power and finally unequal distribution of wealth or rather assets. This factors has led to an increase in income equality more so in the twenty first century making it difficult for the developing states to achieve their economic goals. Rising income equality results into lowest quintile making less relative percentage of income than the one experienced before. On the other side, high quintile makes greater relative percentage of income than before (McConnell, 96). Greater income equality comes at the opportunity cost of reduced production and incomes while greater production has opportunity cost of less equal incomes. It is at this point that the aspect of equality-efficiency trade-off comes in.

Poverty is a situation in where individuals, family, institution and organization lack means to meet their basic needs that include food, clothing, shelter and transportation (McConnell, 102). Globally, 148% of the whole population were person’s living in poverty after the United Nations had really tried to reduce the number by giving out loans to the subjects of poverty to at least upgrade their lives. This was made possible through the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Those persons were able to receive the loans and funds through the entitlement programs where all the eligible persons are legally entitled to receive their benefits.  Poverty has also been tried to be reduced by partially replacing earnings that have been lost due to retirement, disability and temporary unemployment by creation of special programs.

Employment discrimination practically means employment relationship whereby the employee may be discharged at any time because no documented agreement shows the length of employment and on the other hand the employee might quit the job at any time without liability for breach of contract. In this case not then employee or the employer can go to a court of law filling a case the other party. Court cases between the employee and the employer based on termination of contract are based on whatever the contract in dictates and since in this case we do not have a contract, then there is no case (McConnell, 112). An employment contract is an agreement signed by both the employee and the employer after the employee have read and agreed with the conditions and terms set by the employer and the latter should be in line with the rule of law more so the chapter talking of the employee- employer relationship.

 The labor courts came up with an affirmative action plan to remedy past discrimination by bringing the percentages of minorities and women in the workforce up to their corresponding percentages in the pool of quality applicants. ADA is an aspect that hinders employers from engaging in unjustified discrimination against persons based on their disabilities. This can be supported by the fact been disabled does not mean one cannot take part in a job, those persons are just abled in a different and special manner (McConnell, 115) Ones an employee avoids the employment discrimination, the employer may decide to reward him/her through a bona fide seniority system due to the employees long length of employment besides the appreciation for the job well done. A business necessity plays a major role in discrimination in employment as a defense to a treatment employment discrimination case in which an employer’s actions were to advance the business on top of creating discrimination with no facts. Another key factor to consider is disparate impact where the employer decides to treat the other employees in favor forgetting the members of a protected class less leading to elimination of the protected class from the job.

Part 2, Income Inequality

Income inequality also known as income disparity is the intensity to which all earnings are unequally shared in a large group of people. In most situations, great abundance goes to a small percentage of those who are somehow financially stable. In most states people with white collar jobs and good income are often called the ‘one percent’ showing that they represent a small percentage of the entire population whilst owning a large percentage of the country’s wellbeing (Duncan, et al., np). Most people confuse the income inequality wealth inequality. Though both have similar concepts, they have major deviations. Income is how much one earns in a particular financial year both from employment and the annual returns on his/her investments. On the other hand, wealth is one’/s total net worth. Before the coming of World war 11, income disparity greatly rose from wealth disparity since well up families had tangible deals that led to investments which resulted in to great returns at the end of a financial year. In twenty first century things have changed since earnings from labor have taken a great part in matters concerning income disparity.

Income inequality is brought forward by a couple of factors which include; structural, economic and demographic forces. It is important to note that income disparity has really risen at a higher rate over the last half century unlike there before (Taylor et.al., np). Digging deep down to the three factors mentioned above, here are the specific factors that drives income inequality: Tax policy, unemployment, increased automation, globalization, and decline of unions, salary gaps and Race / gender disparities.

Tax policy is a key aspect to consider when looking into a country’s economy with tax structures that increase the economic growth in the short term while supporting increased government revenue in the long term connected to the lowest instances of income inequality (Engen, et.al., np). Second, globalization is another factor that means sourcing of employers from other states based on education and experience instead of employing persons with low levels of education and experience in the name of them been citizens of that particular state. A good example of a country that has practiced globalization is the United State of America. Third, Unemployment is another great factor which plays a major role in increasing income inequality since it lowers the inclusivity of the task of labor. Economists reason that inequality results also from the increased price of house units and lack of ability of employers to relocate to towns and cities with high job growth rate. Fourth, increased automation as a result of the fast-growing technology resulting in to laying off of some members of the blue-collar jobs.

Increased automation even leads to decline the wages and in some states holding the wages stagnant for a long period of time. Fifth, talking race/ gender disparities, women and persons of color get to discriminated in employment. In a country like the United States you find that males get to earn 68 percent more than their female colleagues were also a large percentage of these men are the white men. Sixth, Salary gaps is factor that has also greatly contributed to the income inequality (Engen, et.al., np). In most cases college educated workers and those at the top executives have experienced their salaries being doubled and other even tripled while those of the high school and diploma have seen little growth or no growth at all in their salaries. It is from these wide pay gaps that income disparity results from.

Part 3

Income disparity has also resulted into effects more so economic related effects. These effects include; political polarization, decreased social mobility and stymied economic growth (Henderson, et.al., np). Political polarization gets to rise as inequality rise. Second, stymied economic growth tend to reduce the economic growth due to the fact most persons make less money resulting to them spare less money to spend. Third, those in lower income get to be subjects of decreased social mobility whenever there is an income inequality. According to the report by OECD, the major route through which disparity affects development rate is by taking lightly education chances for the less aged in the poor socioeconomic societies, thus lowering social mobility and hindering skills and talents development.

A good example of the interrelation between income disparity and fall in economy is the Great Recession of 2008 showing how income inequality has a big effect to a state. In America, in the early 2000s both the working and the middle class became stagnant resulting to a rise in need of credit (Bugajewski, et.al., np). This led to bank regulations being altered leading to the development of the wealth class by two percent creating a very weak state making the economy to deteriorate forcing America into the Great Recession. From my look into this Great Recession, it is crystal clear that it concentrated in the housing market making the middle class to be left with nothing valuable other than their homes. This Recession hit the middle class harder than any other class. This was a messy tackle to middle class since up to date they have never recovered from the mess despite the initiative of the federal reserve to cut interest rates and creating many other channels for the Americans to access loans and funds.

At a personal level, income inequality has affected both my family and the people around me and from this I have gathered that income inequality is a factor that largely impacts the economy of a nation. Most of my friends are educated to the level of an undergraduate, the government is finding it better to source out professionals from other states since those foreigners have gone a notch higher in their education level, example; postgraduates’ foreigners. This has left most of my friends jobless, thus having to endure income inequality.  Economist have tried to come up with possible ways both theoretically and practically to solve this menace of income inequality. This had to begin with the realization that income disparity is key to a country’s economy and social state (Taylor, et al., np).   Some of the solutions include; introducing mechanisms to enhance an increase in the minimum salary so as to in return to increase the national average income. Second, restructure taxes such as by redistributing the taxes accordingly. Third, strengthen unions for reasons such as wage compression thus reducing inequality. Fourth, improve state and federal initiatives hence social safety agencies like those of security and medical carrying the burden of most employers.

In conclusion, in order to lower or rather do away with income disparity, Universal health care and nutrition assistance are aspects to be considered in improving the lives of poor children thus reducing disparity. More so, fiscal policies meant to reduce gaps can also lead to everlasting equality.

Works Cited

Bugajewski, Dariusz, and Piotr Maćkowiak. "On knife-edge conditions with unbounded growth."             Journal of Macroeconomics 45 (2015): 274-283.

Duncan, Greg J., and Richard J. Murnane. "Growing income inequality threatens American          education." Phi Delta Kappan 95.6 (2014): 8-14.

Engen, Eric M., and Jonathan Skinner. Taxation and economic growth. No. w5826. National        Bureau of Economic Research, 1996.    

Henderson, Daniel J., Junhui Qian, and Le Wang. "The inequality–growth plateau." Economics   Letters 128 (2015): 17-20. volume 128, 2015, pp. 18

McConnell, Campbell R, Stanley L. Brue, and Sean M. Flynn. Microeconomics: Principles,        

            Problems, and Policies. , 2015. Print.

Taylor, Lance, et al. "Wage increases, transfers, and the socially determined income distribution in the USA." Review of Keynesian Economics 5.2 (2017): 259-275.

The social organization of Black communities

Theme: Freedom

 In American society, black and white societies lived separately and each culture had distinctive features. The Black community had social organizations that created a network of relationships and helped the black members stay connected and maintain a sense of community. Before the 1960s, African Americans created communities and organizations which played a significant role as they improved the political, economic, and social status of Blacks. Black communities were characterized by pyramid shape; the people in the upper class were very few, people in the middle class were few, and people in the lower class were many. On the other, the white community had a diamond structure; people in the lower class were few, people in the middle class were many and a small upper class.  Many African Americas lived below the poverty level and by 1960, only 13% of black workers had professional jobs. However, African Americans created social and support networks that developed a sense of community.  In other words, Black communities created social organizations that gave blacks identity.  Even though social organizations did not have the power to control the local governments, the communities allowed Blacks to express their culture and social conditions through visual arts, drama, music, and poetry. The Black parallel society allowed African Americans to overcome white exclusiveness, and racial discrimination. In general, social organizations of Black communities brought changes in socioeconomic status, and increased black participation.

Hunter & Robinson (57) states that in search of freedom, Blacks created villages, both small and big.  For example, The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 allowed the free slave to move to places such as Nova Scotia, Sierra Leone, North Buxton, Ontario, and rural South among other places to search for freedom (Hunter & Robinson, 57).  Freedom and racial survival influenced urbanization and migration. Due to the high African American population, Blacks formed interconnected chocolate cities, homes, and communities. However, the municipal and state government forced the Blacks to move out cities and for this reason, Blacks moved to rural, South and created homes in this region (Hunter & Robinson, 58). In these regions, activist groups established a movement to express their grievances toward police brutality and reinvestment. The many villages created chocolate cities which empowered the Blacks to navigate their way and keep moving despite the different sets of constrictions. With direct collaboration, Black people were able to achieve employment, family reunion, and community connections (Hunter & Robinson, 58). They had the power to protest against oppression, racism, residential segregation, white domination, marginalization, poverty, and violence. In chocolate cities or rather in their new homes, Blacks achieved freedom through bringing regional customs and cultures traditions, and more importantly, they relieved themselves from White domination (Hunter & Robinson, 59).  Through creating villages and valuing their traditions, they were able to achieve political, social and political power.

 Nash (38) asserts that the social organizations for Black communities made the African Americans establish their own American Revolution, and ultimately led to the creation of the largest free black community.  For example, in Philadelphia, African Americas protested against the Stamp Act, corrupt colonial master, monarchical tyranny, among other negative experiences.  In 1775, Blacks entered a resistance movement and formed the antislavery group.  The slaves were aware that some masters gave the slaves freedom and for this reason, they continued to demand freedom (Nash, 38).  By 1780s, the Black community had gradually decreased due to deaths.  However, during the Revolution period, many slaves including Moses Johnson and other Southern slaves escaped and formed religious organizations such as Black Methodist.  However, they could not maintain religious sensibility and therefore they established the Free African Society in 1787 (Nash, 44). This was a Black organization which also known as a black mutual aid organization.  The purpose of the social organization (created by escaped slaves) was to organize social life, gather strength, select leaders, find their racial identity, and live an independent life.  The article for the Free African Society stated that "We, the free Africans and their descendants, of the city of Philadelphia" (Nash, 97). The members of the social group were Moses Johnson, Cato Freeman, Richard Allen, and others.  The members could hold a meeting every month and they also welcomed recruits.  In the meeting, they discussed the abolition of slavery and freedom. 

Focusing on the theme of freedom, it is important to note that social organizations in Black communities played a significant role in helping the Blacks gain freedom. The social organization did not only allow the Black to build chocolate cities where they enjoyed their customs and cultural traditions  but they also  allowed the slaves to form a free black community or in other words a  free black life in Philadelphia (Nash, 97). The slaves believed that one day they would come out of slavery and build a biracial society that declared that all men are equal and have inalienable rights. During the 18th century, whites believed that African Americans were inferior and unfit for freedom.  However, the free Black citizens were able to form independent organizations and these organizations helped them develop a sense of being and self-support. They recognized the obstacles and boundaries and used their limited resources to triumph.  Haggard (29) adds that The Free African Society of Philadelphia included all people apart from immoral people. Widows and children benefit from education, death benefits, connectedness, and other benefits. 

 In the search for freedom, African Americans created benevolent societies which were designed to help Blacks in times of natural disaster or white harassment.  Free Black men provided the members with the necessary assistance to the poor people, and it as also focused on the abolition of slavery, and Christianity (Haggard, 29). This was a wise strategy that made whites to fear attacking Black. They could not attack an organization that offered support to the widows.  In 1790, another organization known as the Brown Fellowship Society was formed and its purpose was to show the white society that Blacks and Whited had mixed blood. Not all Blacks were members of these groups but the main figures were from Spanish and French occupation.

Lesson Learned/ Key takeaway

 Focusing on the theme of freedom, the key takeaway is that   Black organizations that led to the creation of Black communities gave Blacks the power to challenge white racism and seek self-determination. Through the organizations, Blacks did not only remove the barriers but they also demanded black representation.  These organizations were aggressive or in other words, they were not quite but they held meetings, made demands, initiated protests, and other tactics to support the Black Power Movement. I believe that if it were not for these organizations, Blacks could not have the power to express themselves. Note that the movement such as the Panther Party stated that "What We Want, What We Believe” (Bell, 53). This tells that the purpose of the organizations was to communicate that they wanted freedom, power, full employment, decent housing, education, freedom, justice, peace, land, and end the police brutality (Bell, 53). Focusing on the theme of freedom, these are some of the things that the Black community wanted and they believed that if all these things were fulfilled, then freedom would be achieved. I understand that the only way the Blacks could say what they needed is through social organizations. The latter allowed them to express their concerns and social problems.

 Another important lesson that I have learned is the power of ethnic-racial socialization.  For Blacks to say that they want freedom, employment, justice, peace, education, among other things, there must be ethnic-racial specialization.  Focusing on the life experiences of African Americans, I have realized that racial discrimination affected their everyday life.  However, they were able to recover from the difficulties in other words, they were able to achieve resilience through ethnic-racial socialization (Burt et al, 648). This means that African Americans had socialization practices such as establishing chocolate cities and coming up with social organizations, and many initiatives.  Socialization means that African Americans were able to identify problems, their social conditions, and came up with solutions (Burt et al, 650).  For example, Blacks suffered from employment, low incomes, poverty, lack of housing, among other problems. However, despite these unfavorable conditions, Blacks strongly believed that one day they would achieve greater freedom (Burt et al, 665). They had enduring confidence in transforming society and achieve freedom. I have learned that they were able to gain a sense of social stability through the power of ethnic-racial socialization.

 The third key takeaway is that focusing on the various forms of racism, African Americans suffered from structural racism. This is because, over centuries, Whites have been the dominant group and it has enjoyed wealth, homeownership, and other political, social and economic benefits (Better, 28). On the other hand, people of color have been deprived of power or they have been restricted in accessing power, and opportunities. This suggests that although African Americans struggled to achieve freedom during the Civil Rights Movement, they did not achieve their goals (Better, 28). Today, African Americans continue to face racial disparities especially in access to social services.  They still struggle for equality under the white power structure. I believe that to achieve racial justice, the African community should focus on police initiative and cultural awareness. They should address the issue by putting a racial justice lens and this will allow the Black community to dismantle the racialization and promote equality.

 Conclusion

 For many years, Blacks have experienced racial injustice. They struggled for freedom and expressed their needs through mass demonstrations and the creation of the social organization. The paper has shown that social organizations enabled the Black communities to support each other, reduce fear, and gain the strength to move forward.  The social organizations which enabled the Black to achieve freedom reveal that Blacks were able to develop social values, moral values, religious values, political values, and economic values.  These made the Black communities different from white and the difference gave the Black community a uniqueness. The entire paper suggests that even though racialization still exists today, African Americans were able to achieve freedom through networks and organizations.  This enabled them to protect their rights and gain hope and strength. Today, African American communities should come together and address the interpersonal, internalized, institutional, and structural racism in modern American.

 Work cited

Hunter, Marcus A, and Zandria F. Robinson. Chocolate Cities: The Black Map Of American Life. , 2018.

Internet resource.

Nash, Gary B. Forging Freedom: The Formation of Philadelphia's Black Community, 1720-1840.

Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1988. Print.

Haggard, Dixie R. African Americans in the Nineteenth Century: People and Perspectives. Santa Barbara,

Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print.

Bell, Joyce M. The Black Power Movement and American Social Work. Columbia University Press, n.d..

Print.

Burt, Callie Harbin, Ronald L. Simons, and Frederick X. Gibbons. "Racial discrimination, ethnic-racial

socialization, and crime: A micro-sociological model of risk and resilience." American sociological

review 77.4 (2012): 648-677.

Better, Shirley J. Institutional Racism: A Primer on Theory and Strategies for Social Change. Lanham, Md.

[u.a.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008. Print.

 Assessment on Substance Abuse

Introduction

Person abuse substances, for example, whiskey, tobacco, and different medications for varied and confusing motives, yet our general public pay an enormous expenditure. The cost for this maltreatment may be established in our hospitals and crisis workplaces both over straight damage to comfort by drug waste and its association with bodily damage. Correctional amenities and detainment facilities amount every day the hard connotation amongst misconduct and prescription dependence and misappropriation. Despite the point that utilization of certain medications, for instance, cocaine has weakened lately, the use of diverse medicines, for instance, heroin, precious stone methamphetamine, and "club pills" have prolonged. Being a new social worker at the Norfolk State University in the department of Substance Abuse Treatment Center for College Students, I am requested to assess Janet's substance abuse case. This paper intends to develop an assessment following Janet's interview. For a clear coherent of this paper, various strategies will be utilized including TWEAK screen, ASI, and finally referring to the Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment.

Based on Janet's case, I realized it is significant to perform a brief TWEAK screen since it helps in analyzing and reporting her answers as well as calculating the total score from the test. TWEAK being a five-item scale, in most cases was developed originally for screening drinking risks during pregnancy. Utilizing the TWEAK screen in Janet's case is significant as it will assist in discovering the rate by which she uses drugs based on the habit. TWEAK analyses individuals cases based on five questions represented by, tolerance, worries, eye-opener, amnesia, and cut down. Based on these five elements below is a belief TWEAK screen for Janet's case.

TWEAK  

The general purpose of the screening was to determine whether Janet requires an assessment. Following the score from the screening, it will be necessary to conduct an assessment to gather more details that will be helpful during treatment. With a clear screening score, the assessment becomes easier hence better treatment plan is enhanced. The main aim of conducting screening was to test and find out the extent by which Janet has been involved in drug abuse and whether there was any complication she might be experiencing form the usage of different drugs and substances. The researchers have discovered that it is hard to identify a developed substance abuse complication in women than in ladies; thus screening is always the best way that assists in discovering the development of problems as a result of substance abuse. Nevertheless, for women problems caused as a consequence of drug usage are manifested in a short time of period than in men. With the screening, I was able to discover that Janet is having a medical problem and she needs a doctor's attention and care.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) provides the typical linguistic by which nurses, experts, and overall well-being establishments in the United States express about the psychological issues (Week 15, slide 10). The current form of the DSM, the fifth update (DSM-5) 1, was disseminated in May 2013, meaning the chief important upgrade of affectionate standards and arrangement meanwhile the DSM-IV in 1994 (Pandiyan, Chandrasekhar & Madhusudhan, 2012). Bearing in mind those Janet surfers from the opioid disorder due to excessive use of substance abuse, there is a need to generate a DSM 5 which will assist the doctor during her check-up.

Regardless of the way that the DSM is a US arrangement framework for the analysis of the mental issue, related to the utilization of authority ICD factual code numbers, worldwide enthusiasm for the physical has thrived meanwhile the DSM-III was distributed in 1980 (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). The DSM-5 is contingent on unequivocal subject standards, which engaged composed establish an "organization" of the cerebral subject, together with a comprehensive logical book that is explained deprived of example for the electric variant of this DSM (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). Even though there is a progressively restricted ICD-10 arrangement of standards for a look into, the momentum WHO proposition for ICD-11 will be to give increasingly broad scientific portrayals and rules without the selection of isolated investigation standards (Week 3-4, slide 60) The plan of joint APA and WHO community-oriented endeavors to time have remained to build up a typical investigation dishonorable for the correction of both DSM-5 and ICD-11, over the NIH bolstered gathering gatherings and a progression of "harmonization gatherings" (Regier, Kuhl & Kupfer, 2013). The engineers of the DSM-5 looked to keep up and, wherever conceivable, upgrade the constancy of DSM and ICD updates for medical direction – a difficult errand gave that correction to what was not so much simultaneous (Regier, Kuhl & Kupfer, 2013). Nonetheless, a DSM-ICD harmonization planning bunch was sorted out from the get-go in the advancement procedure, under the course of Steven Hyman, the seat of the WHO's Worldwide Optional Assembly for the Amendment of ICD-10 Cerebral and Behavioral Complaints and a DSM-5 Task Force part. The gathering assembled by video chat and at a few in-individual gatherings to encourage the distribution of data on advancement forms for every production and decrease inconsistencies among the dual. Of note, a few of the seats or individuals from the ICD amendment Employed Collections were likewise DSM-5 Labor Group individuals.

ASI is a semi-organized meeting intended to discourse seven possible matter zones in drug-mishandling patients: curative position, work what's more, sustenance, tranquilize use, whiskey use, and legal prominence, household or social location, and psychological prominence (De Luca et al, 2019). In 60 minutes, a talented questioner can accumulate data on later (recent days) and life issues in the entirety of the issue zones (De Luca et al, 2019). The ASI gives a review of issues identified with substance, instead of concentrating on any single zone. The ASI can be used viably to examine matters confidential in any grown-up meeting of individuals who shot material mistreatment as their serious matter. It has stayed used with spiritually tasteless, penniless, expectant, and prisoner publics, conversely, its important use has been with grown-ups observing for management for material misuse subjects.

Janet's life has always been involved with a lot of challenges despite her being a substance addict. Janet being a 19 years old middle class in the African American college has experienced a lot of life challenges since her childhood. From her interview, Janet claimed that the reason why she got involved in the usage of drugs was due to rape she experienced form her brother. Even after reporting the matter to their mother, her mother never believed and this caused Janet to live a very hopeless life. Since everyone at home never believed in her, Janet decided better to go and live with her grandmother who always warned her of the dangers of substance use. When her grandmother died she was left poor and hence she made drugs her friend as she claims. The use of drugs was as well triggered by the extent to which no one was there for her in the time of need when she needed them but instead, everyone was always busy.

Form Janet's case, we have discovered that she was engaged in the usage of heroin and cocaine. Every drug person's abuse has its effects on the body. Heroin tries to and enacts explicit receptors in the cerebrum called mu-narcotic receptors (MORs) (Lander, Howsare & Byrne, 2013). When MORs is introduced in the prize principal opinion of the mind, they refresh the entrance of the synapse dopamine, producing a fortification of medicine fronting behavior (Lander, Howsare & Byrne, 2013). The results of endorsing narcotic receptors with distantly managed narcotics, for instance, heroin depend on a collection of mechanisms: what quantity is used, wherein the cognizance or figure it tries, how firmly it draws and for to what degree, how quickly it reaches, and what occurs a small period earlier.

When heroin enters the cerebrum, it is altered above to morphine and binds rapidly to narcotic receptors (Rosa, Ghitza & Tai, 2012). People who use heroin normally crash. With heroin, the flow is characteristically combined by a deep reddening of the skin, thirsty mouth, and an overwhelming feeling in the furthest points (Van Voorhis., et al, 2010). Sickness, retching, and solemn prickly might similarly come to pass. Afterward, the fundamental influences, customers, for the greatest share, will be sluggish for an insufficient time; cerebral volume is blurry; core effort eases back, and inhalation is moreover extremely eased back, once in a though sufficient to be dangerous (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2009). Eased back conscious can similarly speedy nothingness and unchanging attention harm.

Cocaine is a profoundly addictive medication that ups your degrees of sharpness, consideration, and vitality (Wells, Smyth & Brown, 2012). You may hear it called an energizer. It's produced using the coca plant, which is local to South America. It reaches in a pair of numerous edifices (Hallucinogenics, slide 14). The greatest extensively documented is well, snowy dust. It can similarly be prepared into a robust stone precious stone. Most cocaine clients grunt the white powder into their nose (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). Some rub it onto their gums or disintegrate it in water and infuse it with a needle. Others heat the stone gem and inhale the smoke into their lungs.

The medicine directs elevated heights of dopamine, a typical compound representative in your figure, into the smithereens of your cerebrum that switch joy (Pandiyan, Chandrasekhar & Madhusudhan, 2012). This growth affects extraordinary opinions of energy and acuity named a great. You may have solid longings for the medication and the high it brings. Be that as it may, the more you use cocaine, the more your cerebrum will adjust to it (Rosa, Ghitza & Tai, 2012). You'll require a more grounded portion to feel a similar high. This can prompt a risky fixation or overdose. More grounded, increasingly visit dosages can likewise cause long haul changes in your mind's science (Week 3-4, slide 34). Your body and mind start to depend on the medication (Rosa, Ghitza & Tai, 2012). This can make it harder for you to think, rest, and review things from memory. Your response time might be slower. Also, you're in danger of more heart, stomach, and lung issues.

Advising and different sorts of treatment are the most widely recognized medicines for cocaine habit (Van Voorhis., et al, 2010). You may need to remain in a restoration focus (or recovery). Sessions with a prepared advisor can assist you in making changes to your conduct and manners of thinking (Week 15, slide 12). Therapeutic detox focuses can enable your body to change by treatment; however, you'll most likely need to pay for them out of your pocket (Van Voorhis., et al, 2010). Most back up plans don't cover hospitalization for withdrawal any longer. No meds are endorsed to treat cocaine compulsion.

            Anybody with enthusiasm for or battle with, compulsion will be interested in how somebody winds up with a dependence on liquor, medications, sex, or nourishment (Van Voorhis., et al, 2010). Is it brought about by something inside an individual like hereditary qualities, or something outside like how an individual is raised or who they spend time with? Are there profound factors or is it a consequence of youth injury? Truly, there's nobody recognizable reason for dependence (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2009). With progressions in mental and organic research, it's turning out to be clear that the well-established discussion of nature versus support isn't as obvious as we were recently persuaded.

            I accept that nature and sustain, just as different factors, for example, otherworldliness and injury (which could be viewed as a component of support AND science) additionally impact the improvement of a dependence (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2009). I've discussed these and the organic components in past articles, however here I'd prefer to concentrate on the ecological variables that add to dependence. In The Abstinence Myth, I allude to this as the "preservationists and social researcher’s camp," and in this camp, scholars, and specialists firmly accept those outside elements direct our conduct (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2009). A key conviction here is that pressure is instigated by upsetting situations, which thusly influences individuals and their conduct. Moreover, the standards and models set in a given society make the meaning of what is typical and what isn't, prompting the naming of some as a freak (for this situation, "addicts") (Wells, Smyth & Brown, 2012). From this perspective, habit is both made and kept up by factors outer to the person. The examination additionally underpins this (Wells, Smyth & Brown, 2012). People who partner with other people who misuse liquor or medications are bound to participate in that conduct as well. What's more, as the utilization around an individual back and forth movements in amount and assortment, so does their conduct (Van Voorhis., et al, 2010). Be that as it may, there are various extra ecological impacts past companions. Parental impact, social standards, media portrayal, and scholarly physical affiliations are additionally natural factors that add to dependence.

            One of the most grounded outside variables that appeared to impact addictive conduct is early educational encounters (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). Family collaborations, child-rearing styles, and levels of supervision assume a crucial job in the improvement of later emotional wellness troubles, including substance use. In our initial long stretches of life, we create methodologies to adapt to pressure (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). At the point when these systems are maladaptive, they can prompt dangerous or foolish practices. This implies in youthfulness or adulthood, these interior triggers are initiated by outside components (Rosa, Ghitza & Tai, 2012). Tyrant and avoidant child-rearing, presentation to physical/passionate/sexual maltreatment, and separation have all been related to an improved probability of substance use issues sometime down the road.

            At the point when a person's social cooperation’s depend vigorously on the partner with people who show potential liquor or medication issues, at that point, it tends to be hard to exorcize yourself from also showing such dangerous practices (Wells, Smyth & Brown, 2012). The feeling of having a place and feeling associated with like-disapproved of individuals is a solid factor in the support of a compulsion. This is one of the primary instruments that influenced my substance use and that of huge numbers of the people I see. The propensities and standards of conduct of companions will constantly influence that of everybody in the gathering as they experience peer pressure (Rosa, Ghitza & Tai, 2012). Research has indicated that people with increasingly tolerant and less basic perspectives on medicate use are bound to take part in such use (clearly) and that previous use and introduction are ordinarily connected with a greater probability of later issues.

            While internet-based life has numerous social advantages, there are likewise numerous social ruins (Rosa, Ghitza & Tai, 2012). At the point when an individual battling with passionate issues see others online who seem, by all accounts, to be cheerful, appealing and getting a charge out of life, it can make them feel further socially detached, harm their confidence, and compound sentiments of disgrace (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). There is developing proof that expanded online life use can worsen the emotional well-being battles of those effectively vulnerable to them (Hagos, Asfeha & Berihu, 2016). Tragically, it is far-fetched that this pattern will move sooner rather than later albeit various gatherings and influencers are starting to raise that put their flaws and challenges upfront in endeavors to battle disgrace and disgrace.

Applications of Cognitive approach have been utilized in treatment of psychological conditions. In this treatment it emphasizes on the role of thought in maintenance and development of unhelpful or distressing patterns of emotional behaviors. In Janet’s case, there is importance of applying this approach to understand her development in the substance abuse. The table below demonstrates the cognitive therapy developed in the case. The table shows Janet’s response, my response and the technique of CBT utilized.

References

Chen, C. Y., Storr, C. L., & Anthony, J. C. (2009). Early-onset drug use and risk for drug             dependence problems. Addictive behaviors, 34(3), 319-322.

De Luca, M. T., Montanari, C., Meringolo, M., Contu, L., Celentano, M., & Badiani, A. (2019). Heroin versus cocaine: opposite choice as a function of context but not of drug history in  the rat. Psychopharmacology, 236(2), 787–798. doi:10.1007/s00213-018-5115-1.

Hagos, E. G., Asfeha, G. G., & Berihu, B. A. (2016). Prevalence of substance abuse among          regular degree health science students in Sheba University College in Mekelle Town,        Tigray-Ethiopia. Journal of neurosciences in rural practice, 7(2), 200.

Lander, L., Howsare, J., & Byrne, M. (2013). The impact of substance use disorders on families and children: from theory to practice. Social work in public health, 28(3-4), 194–205.             doi:10.1080/19371918.2013.759005.

Pandiyan, K., Chandrasekhar, H., & Madhusudhan, S. (2012). Psychological morbidity among     female commercial sex workers with alcohol and drug abuse. Indian journal of     psychiatry, 54(4), 349.

Regier, D. A., Kuhl, E. A., & Kupfer, D. J. (2013). The DSM-5: Classification and criteria            changes. World psychiatry: official journal of the World Psychiatric Association   (WPA), 12(2), 92–98. doi:10.1002/wps.20050.

Rosa, C., Ghitza, U., & Tai, B. (2012). Selection and utilization of assessment instruments in       substance abuse treatment trials: the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network experience. Substance abuse and rehabilitation, 3, 81.

Van Voorhis, P., Wright, E. M., Salisbury, E., & Bauman, A. (2010). Women’s risk factors and   their contributions to existing risk/needs assessment: The current status of a gender-      responsive supplement. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 37(3), 261-288.

Wells, S. A., Smyth, T., & Brown, T. G. (2012). Patient attitudes towards change in adapted        motivational interviewing for substance abuse: a systematic review. Substance abuse and          rehabilitation, 3, 61.

My Procrastination

Procrastination can best be described as that action of avoiding doing a certain duty by always postponing the time allocated for the duty. I have an issue with procrastination, especially when it comes to folding my clothes and arranging my wardrobe. I hate having dirty clothes and so I am always cleaning my clothes, the problem comes in after the clothes are all clean and dry. Another task that I always procrastinate is reading books, I have a couple of books that I am supposed to read but I can’t seem to get past the first chapter. Any time I decide to read the books, I always find something else to do.  My procrastination issue has negative consequences in my life, not folding and organizing my clothes always cause my lateness to important events because I always have to go through the pile of clothes before finding what I want and then I will be forced to iron. My procrastination with reading books affects my grades in school because most of the times I find that by the time we have class discussions on a certain book; I have not finished reading the book yet.

There are many reasons why people procrastinate and one of them inability to manage negative moods that surround various tasks (Lieberman, p 2). The reason why people postpone certain activities and prioritize others is because some activities are boring, frustrating and others are fun and exciting. There are those other activities that are perceived to be difficult and so people get anxious and insecure about doing them because they are always afraid of the results (Lieberman, p 2). In my case, I find folding and arrangement of clothes boring and I would rather watch a movie or engage in another fun activity in its place. Reading books is just as boring for me and sometimes the books I have to read are always complicated and understanding them is not easy, which cause me to be anxious about reading them for fear that I will not understand their concepts.

Procrastination has negative effects on an individual, the things that people avoid doing because they are not fun end up causing them to be stressed and it affects their psychological wellbeing (Lieberman, p 3). In my case for instance, I always avoid reading or folding clothes because they are boring activities. However seeing the pile of clean clothes on my couch always cause me to be stressed, the unfolded clothes always haunt me making me feel like am not good enough. The same applies to my procrastination with reading books; I am always stressed when going to class when I have not read a certain book that I was supposed to read.  The feeling of stress and lack of self-satisfaction is worsened when I interact with my friends who are always ahead when it comes to reading various assigned texts and those who always have their clothes and rooms organized.

My procrastination has negative effects on my social lives, it is a common occurrence to find me avoiding having friends come over to my room or to find me engaging in class group discussions. I believe that one of the ways that I can try and reduce my procrastination is through applying the concept of self-compassion. This is where I remind myself how I feel when my room is organized, or when I have read a text and can confidently take part in class discussions without feeling inferior. I will change my attitude towards organizing my clothes by ensuring that every time I clean my clothes I fold them immediately. This will help to avoid piling more clothes that motivate more negative feelings about folding them. When it comes to reading books, I will try read a chapter every day and I can look for a partner who will help motivate me to be a better reader.

Procrastination is something that can be dealt with and I believe that I can deal with my procrastination of reading books and organizing my clothes. This is something that I have been dealing with for a while and I realize that it is affecting my social as well as academic life. The fact that I have already accepted my issue is the beginning of solving my procrastination problem. I will practice organizing my clothes every time that I do some cleaning and dedicate a certain time every day for reading. I will look for a mentor, a friend that can motivate me and help me deal with my issue of procrastination so that I can improve my life for the better.

Works Cited

Lieberman, Charlotte. “Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control).”

The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Mar. 2019,

Why abortion should be taught in high school

 Introduction

 In teaching settings, educators do not address controversial topics such as abortion due to moral and ethical issues.  First, it is crucial to understand that adolescents are victims of health issues due to unsafe abortion.  For example, in Africa, 25% of adolescents aged 15-19 have unsafe abortion.  In developing nations, 70% of adolescents aged 10-19 lack sexuality education.  In general, high school students do not have full access to sexuality education and abortion services. There are no policies and programs that offer sexuality education, and this has contributed to adolescents'' pregnancies and abortions. An important point to note is that information is power, but it is difficult for teachers to provide abortion information at school.    Opponents of abortion education argue that abortion should not be included sexual education in high school and in medical schools. They say that abortion is a sensitive topic, and they believe that it will cause harm, and it not the right time for high school young girls to have a baby.  Also, many students, especially in Catholic schools, have pro-choice views that are against teaching on abortion and other complicated topics.  Teachers are very cautious when teaching sexual education, and there are obligated to protect the students from inappropriate and counterproductive information. Pro-Life activists argue that parents are not taking their children to school to be taught about abortion. They add that abortion teaching will damage the adolescents' chance of having a pregnancy in the future. However, supporters argue that adolescents in high schools should be taught sex and health education, which include abortion and safe abortion services, and allow them to have pregnancies choice. 

 Opponents of abortion argue that the word 'abortion' should not be mentioned in the classroom due to social-cultural issues. Societies with oppressive anti-abortion norms pay little attention to abortion education.  Despite the fact that some researchers say that abortion education is important and it should be included in reproductive health education, some countries such as Northern Ireland resist abortion education  on the basis of values, law and norms ideologies (Fiona, et al, 712). Religious institutions, political parties, and anti-abortion movement silence abortion discussion. These organizations have power relations that are connected to social practices.  They hold a conservative position that values dominant norms. Their argument is rooted in Catholic and Protestant values and patriarchal norms (Fiona, et al, 712).  Women in Northern Ireland do not have control over their bodies.  Abortion is not allowed in Northern Ireland unless under serious circumstances. In the education system, teachers adhere to moral conservationism and religiosity. If they offer sexual education, they only talk about anti-abortion and absistence as a way of reducing unintended pregnancies (Fiona, et al, 713).  Educators are advised that they should only teach something related to morality and religion.  Proponents of abortion education go beyond these norms and argue that there should be sexual education. The community, as well as the education system, should resist the oppressive power and the constructed social norms.

 Recent research and studies have found that young women have an abortion due to many reasons.  A recent study found that 40% of young women have an abortion due to financial struggle, 36% have an abortion because they feel the pregnancy was unintended, and 20% have an abortion because they believe that the baby will hinder them from achieving their future goals (Upadhyay et al, 1).  All these reasons encourage young women to have an abortion so that they fulfill their future personal goals.  For this reason, several scholars have supported the implementation of abortions and reproductive education. Two longitudinal studies found that young women who have abortion gain the opportunity to continue with education. Abortion also allowed young women aged less than 21 years to gain the education, economic, and social advantages (Upadhyay et al, 2). The study also found that young women who had unintended pregnancies and committed abortion continued with education than young women who did not have an abortion. These findings recommend that young women or in other words, adolescents should have abortion education and pregnancy decisions for them to achieve personal goals (Upadhyay et al, 3). Abortion education, as well as abortion services, will allow them to gain life satisfaction, happiness, and life stability.

 Fergusson et al. (6) add that young women seek abortion due to reasons such as education, finances, and more.  In a certain study, 75% of women young than 25 reported they want abortion so that they can continue with their education, while 50% said they wanted abortion due to relationship problems (Fergusson et al, 6).  This suggests that abortion has possible benefits, and therefore education system should provide abortion education to mitigate educational disadvantages. Adolescents should be given greater freedom to have an abortion and to pursue educational goals (Fergusson et al, 8). The freedom to have an abortion need to be accompanied by sexuality education so that adolescents can learn about safe abortion to prevent physical and mental harm. Note that abortion contributes to maternal death, and therefore, it is important for the education system to create and implement reproductive health services.

Conclusion

 Schools are the main settings where students can reduce sexual education. Teachers are the source of knowledge, and the school has the best environment that allows students and teachers to discuss complicated topics, including abortion. Sex education in school is important as it prevents young people from engaging in risky behaviors, which reduces unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and more importantly, education allows young people to make informed decisions. Some people hold a conservative position and argue that women are home keepers, their bodies are religious, and they should not commit abortion unless under serious condition. Education systems in countries that are against abortion do not include abortion in the lesson.  Such countries adhere to cultural values and beliefs that are against abortion. They believe that abortion promotes promiscuity and it is an immoral issue that is against traditional values. However, proponents argue that it is the high to break the silence and resist the power relations and patriarchal norms.  In addition, teachers have the responsibility to protect the well-being of young people by providing them with sexual education.

Work cited

Upadhyay, Ushma D., M. Antonia Biggs, and Diana Greene Foster. "The effect of abortion on having and

achieving aspirational one-year plans." BMC women's health 15.1 (2015): 102.

Fergusson, David M., Joseph M. Boden, and L. John Horwood. "Abortion among young women and

subsequent life outcomes." Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health39.1 (2007): 6-12.

Bloomer, Fiona K., et al. “Breaking the Silence on Abortion: The Role of Adult Community Abortion

Education in Fostering Resistance to Norms.” Culture, Health & Sexuality, vol. 19, no. 7, July

2017, pp. 709–722. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/13691058.2016.1257740.

Breaking the silence on abortion: the role of adult community abortion education in fostering resistance to norms

The effect of abortion on having and achieving aspirational one-year plans

The society today is Too Busy for Real face to face Interactions

The internet has become the new interaction platform for many people.  This is where many people spend most of their time chatting with their perceived online ‘friend’. People have neglected real life associations and connections with the people around them all because they do not see term them as convenient for their busy lifestyles. What most people however fail to understand is that online friendships cannot really be compared to real life friendships. The internet has negative psychological impacts on people as it leaves them with no social lives causing them to live depressive lone lives.

In his article ‘Facebook in a Crowd’, Niedzviecki experiences the true nature of online friendships. He was happy about having 700 Facebook friends and felt like his life was perfect. For him, having so many friends was an accomplishment and this is what happens with many people in the society today. People manage to have so many online friends that are available any time of the day to chat with, that they see this as an accomplishment and neglect the real life friends that they have. Niedzviecki illustrates in his story that he no longer had friends to hang out with because they had grown apart due to work, family and even social media that took up most of his free time.

With the tough economy, people in contemporary society are always busy working trying to make ends meet. It is a common occurrence for an individual to choose work over going out with friends and their families. These are people that decide to even carry their work back home to work on it at night and still wake up very early the next day to go to work. Such an individual has no free time for themselves or for the people around them because all they do is work. This affects their social lives causing them to live lonely lives and it destruct their relationships with the people that are close to them. The people that have families are even more affected when it comes to social interactions because the free time that they have after work is used up on family. Someone that is working and have children has very limited time for social life if any, this individual have dual responsibility of going to work and finding time for his or her children. A bridge is hence created between them especially if the friends are people who have no families and hence would never understand the importance of family time.

People that do not have real friendships mean that they have poor social skills and they fear face to face interactions. A good illustration of this is with Niedzviecki’s story where he decides to make the online friendship a reality by creating a Facebook event, where he invited all his 700 friends on Facebook to meet up for a chat and drinks. He was all excited about the event because for him, this was an opportunity to have a real chat with his new friends. It was however a surprise for him to see that only fifteen people that confirmed their attendance. What was even more surprising is the fact that only one member attended the event, an illustration of the fear that people in the modern ‘Facebook’ world have of face to face interactions.

Social media has changed the concept of communication and interactions among people. Social media is being used as a shield where people can take up any personality that they want, something that they are not able to do in real life. There are those people that are very good at chatting and they are not scared to speak their minds while behind their social media accounts. People presume that other people cannot judge them as long as they do not know them and so social media is the perfect life for them.

An illustration of how social media has affected people’s social skills is with the case of Niedzviecki and his interaction with Paula. He was tense and did not know how to be himself, something that made their interaction to be awkward. The behaviour of Niedzviecki is just an illustration of how people have lost their social interaction skills because of social media. People in the modern society tend to be more focused on impressing others and are always conscious about the concept of being judged.

The society no longer believes in people having different unique personalities, everyone is expected to behave in a certain way.  If a person behaves otherwise, then they are given labels and this is what has motivated the increased growth of online friendships as opposed to face to face interactions. In social media, one can be who they want to be, without always looking over their shoulder at what the society is saying about them. Social media has become the trusted platform for making friendships even though these are friendships that do not have any significant effects on an individual’s life.

Human Diversity

 Introduction

Personally and professionally, I believe in accepting people irrespective of their differences. Prior to this Human Diversity class, I held the belief that people from the same cultures tend to share similar beliefs and characters. However, learning about human diversity has been a wonderful and yet enlightening experience on the need for cultural competence. It is now clear that cultures make people different and it is, therefore, imperative to recognize, accept and respect such differences that exist amongst people. As a personal trainer dealing with diversity challenges is a common experience since people exercise differently and others require setting working boundaries. Before taking this class I thought that it is an issue that has no solution and accepted it as a common challenge in my field of work. However, I have learned that with diversity competence, it is my job as a personal trainer to maintain an open mindset and healthy respect for peoples’ diverse ways of thoughts and doing things. Awareness creation and familiarity helps in eliminating misconceptions about diversity and encourages inclusivity.

Analysis

According to Chao, Takeuchi & Farh (2017), every culture dictates its unique standards when it comes to thinking and acting. In the personal training field, a new client from a different background might find my practices and the training environment intimidating. Exercising practices differ from one culture to another. The main challenge is that it might take time to learn what the client perceives as appropriate and this adversely affects the ability to positive and interactive relationships with individuals from different cultures especially those that are highly conservative. Time focused cultural norms at times create challenges for both the trainer and clients. For instance, Arab clients prefer exercises that are centered on strength building and gymnastics. However, for them, fitting exercising clothes are not an alternative. In this case, some exercises that might have been selected and incorporated into the training program to suit the needs of the client might call for adjustment due to long and loose garments. Faith-based challenges also affect training since religion creates certain limitations when it comes to training which must be considered when designing personal training programs. Designing individualized training is a major challenge despite the fact that I accept and respect human diversity.

Cultural Autobiography

In my cultural identity, nationality, religion, and education are the aspects that make me inclined to the perception of diversity as a challenge thus the need for cultural competence as a necessity. The individualized American culture dictates people tend to focus on their own wellness rather than that of the general population (Patrick & Kumar, 2012). On the other hand, my religion has shaped my cultural identity as a person that accepts the differences of others as a moral thing. The educational experience has set the mentality that respect promotes positive engagement with other people irrespective of their differences. I have learned based on my professional and academic experience that peoples’ cultural identity differs even if they are from the same background since other aspects such as religion and socio-economic factors determine their responsiveness.

In conclusion, following this class’s learning, it is good to accept and acknowledge peoples’ differences. When dealing with people from different cultures I tend to take my time and learn more about their beliefs. The curiosity helps in building confidence, trust and encourages them to interact more. In turn, this eliminates the negative attitude of being judged and enhances my knowledge of human diversity and how it shapes lives. In eliminating issues of diversity in the personal training field awareness creation would be helpful to increase cultural competence and encourage inclusivity. 

References

Chao, M. M., Takeuchi, R., & Farh, J. L. (2017). Enhancing cultural intelligence: The roles of implicit culture beliefs and adjustment. Personnel Psychology, 70(1), 257-292.

Patrick, H. A., & Kumar, V. R. (2012). Managing workplace diversity: Issues and challenges. Sage Open, 2(2), 2158244012444615.

Satisfactory Moral theory

Introduction

 On the topic ‘Would a Satisfactory Moral Theory Be Like?’ the author argues that  people should maximize the general welfare and achieve a satisfactory morality by applying multiple-strategies utilitarianism.  This means that in promoting the general welfare, people need to use diverse strategies.  First, she introduces the 'reason for doing' and argues that people consider reason when acting.  Therefore, morality means that people should apply reason in all occasions.  In other words, reason demands impartiality.  Another argument is that people have the freedom to make choices.  Those who choose to treat others well should receive the same treatment and vice versa.  Another thing that should help people achieve satisfactory morality is motives.  People are driven by different motives when promoting the interest of others.  Thus, people should use self-interested motives and rather than relying on moral goods alone, people should use  non-moral goods such as knowledge, love, and friendship.  In general, satisfactory moral theory is promoting the interest of people impartiality.  However, people should apply multiple strategies to promote general welfare to all people.  To maximize the general welfare, people should use the process of self-realization, use different motives, intentions, actions, and other elements and criteria with the ultimate goal of promoting the general welfare.

 My first argument is that to promote the welfare of other people, we should apply multiple-strategies utilitarianism; that is, move beyond the criteria of rightness to apply other motives.  On that note, the 'other motives' should be based on the utilitarian principle or the overall aim should be to maximize welfare (Parfit, 2007).  The importance of applying other motives is to maximize the personal happiness and welfare of other people.  The rule utilitarianism supports the argument of giving people what they deserve by stating that people should maximize general welfare but should adhere to fairness and justice rules.  Note that motives will allow people to assess other people's respect and gratitude and decide what to give them in return.  This also means that when we apply fairness and justice, we will treat people differently (Parfit, 2007).  Fairness and justice mean that people who treat others badly will receive the same treatment and people who treat others well will be treated well.  Focusing on satisfactory moral theory, the rule-utilitarianism achieves fairness and justice and ultimately leads to satisfactory.  This is because; the rule-utilitarianism allows one to assess the rightness or wrongness of the action (Simões, 2009).  In general, rule-utilitarianism supports utilitarianism itself, which focuses on the consequences of the actions but not the nature of the actions.  Thus, an individual whose actions are morally right will lead to positive results and therefore such people deserve better treatment.  People will move beyond the moral obligation and treat other people as rational beings who should control their actions (Simões, 2009).  In other words, individuals whose actions are morally wrong will lead to negative consequences and therefore such people deserve harsh treatment.

 My second argument is that satisfactory morality is also achieved through respect for persons.  This means that the virtue of respect should govern people's interaction.  Therefore, people should have the virtue of respect in that respect is important in everyday life (Kriegel & Timmons, n.d).  Thus, satisfactory moral theory requires people to treat others with respect.  Note that a conscious rational being can recognize things and  respond to them.  The principle of morality regarding the virtue of respect states that people should treat humanity as an end.  This means that people should respect others as ends.  Therefore, those who show others respect also deserve respect and those who do not  show respect or value other people should not be respected. 

My third argument is that I agree with the author's position that satisfactory morality is achieved by expanding the morality of virtue ethics and apply intellectual virtues.  It is also important to note that intellectual virtues contribute to morality and more importantly, promote satisfactory morality (Mitchell, 2015).  People should move beyond general duties and apply other familiar virtues to ensure that other people have good lives.  This is where the term 'best plan' applies that a person needs to consider their personalities and talents and use them to promote the general welfare.  People can relate with others differently and this means that people can apply different virtues as long as the result is to promote the interest of other people (Mitchell, 2015).  I believe that people have unique characters, which makes them different from others.  From a moral perspective, people can show goodness in different ways.  In other words, people have different knowledge of the good and therefore when acting morally, people will act according to how they define goodness (Mitchell, 2015).  In other, people will respond to the knowledge of reality.  Therefore, I agree that satisfactory morality will be achieved when a person is allowed to exercise the knowledge of reality and choose the true good.  The freedom to choose the goodwill brings fulfillment and perfection because the person has chosen the good for himself and the good for other person.  This means that satisfactory morality is achieved when one enters in the process of self-determination and becomes responsible for own character (Mitchell, 2015).  However, it is important to apply the principle of utilitarianism and remember that even though one has the freedom to choose the good action, he or she must ensure that the actions lead to good consequences.  It is important to put utilitarianism into consideration in that some people may do good through evil means.

Conclusion

 The article talks about moral impartiality, which states that people should use objective criteria in making moral decisions.  I understand that to achieve a satisfactory morality, people should consider these elements.  One, people should consider the consequences of the act and the use ovirtues.  I believe that to achieve satisfactory morality, people need to promote others' interests or rather apply the virtue of respect.  Second, concerning utilitarianism, moral actions should bring the greatest happiness.  Thus, if a person does not maximize general welfare, she does not deserve better treatment.  Finally, people should apply different motives and virtues to promote their interests, other people.  Note that people have different actions and characters and therefore the virtues should be distinct as long as their goal is to maximize happiness.  I have learned that satisfactory morality  is achieved by  applying multiple-strategies utilitarianism.  This means that one should act concerning his or her best plan to achieve a satisfactory morality.  Therefore, satisfactory morality is the utilization of the knowledge of good, use of virtues, and chooses good actions.  This will promote the general welfare and promote the interest of others impartially.

References                   

Parfit, D. (2007).  What Would a Satisfactory Moral Theory Be Like? Reasons and persons. Oxford:

Clarendon Press.

Simões, M. C. (2009). Rule-utilitarianism. ethic@-An international Journal for Moral Philosophy, 8(3),

47-61.

Kriegel, U., & Timmons, M. (n.d). The Phenomenology of Kantian Respect for Persons.

Mitchell, L. A. (2015). Integrity and virtue: The forming of good character. The Linacre Quarterly, 82(2),

149-169.