Acculturation of the Minorities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Acculturation of the Minorities - Essay Example As per Robert Jensen1, the west is a society dominated by ‘White’ people who enjoy privileges often just because of their being white. Their flaws are easily forgiven and are often preferred to other races as they seem ‘less threatening’. These basic assumptions seem to have opened a Pandora box of secrets of ideologies and policies that govern the west. The ‘affirmative actions’ taken by the administration to endorse the policy of equal opportunity looks as if it was issued to emphasize that the ‘whites’ are not afraid of the merits of other races and not as a gesture of belief in general. They have underlined the fact that the superiority complex that the whites seem to have nurtured through the ages might be in the process of disintegrating. The intangible threats from the people who are not white seem to strengthen the bond among the whites. It also seriously questions the integrity of the whites and whether they truly deserve their successes under the given circumstances. Richard Dyer2 goes a step further by stating that racial imagery is central to the organization of the modern world. It is the projection of people and their characteristics, which includes their culture, religion, food habits, nationality, the color of skin etc. that defines racism. Through the decades, Whites have projected themselves as powers that speak and think about other people. They have successfully defined races and nonwhite people. As per Dyer, whites are beyond races and as such, they think themselves as above the rest of the humanity. It is most evident when they address other people as blacks, Chinese, Asians etc. Dyer argues that the biggest challenge the whites are facing today is the authenticity of the whites.  

Weighted Average Cost of Capital and Wide Hurdle Rate Essay Example for Free

Weighted Average Cost of Capital and Wide Hurdle Rate Essay

Video game addiction

Video game addiction Video Games; is it really an Addiction? There are many addictions out there among us in the world and each addiction has been known to cause problems. The definition of addiction can be many things, but in this particular research paper I am going to discuss Video game Addictions. Specifically World of Warcraft gaming addictions and what this addiction does to the gamers life. Such as not socializing outside of the game and also people who let this addiction get so bad that it interferes with relationships and even their marriages. Video game addiction is an excessive use of computer video games in which one lets the addiction interfere with normal daily life. In this research paper I will use my own experiences along with facts of this addiction and what the effects on real life of a World of Warcraft player. I will also have a one on one interview with someone I believe to be a World of Warcraft addict. The Culprit WOW (World of Warcraft) is a (MMORPG) or Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. Millions of people from all over the world play together and create groups and quest thru the game to get the best gear and to just be the best in game. This game is setup with monthly subscription fees whether you play or not you get billed. WOW also has a game card system which allows gamers to buy time in advance. The only downfall to this is you pay you play otherwise money is being wasted when youre not playing Many gamers continually play and play to keep up with their online friends and when I say keep up I am referring to levels of ones character or achievements in-game. The dazzling effects of the water look so real and graphical details of terrain and characters are magnificent. Gamers do not want to be left behind; I know I never wanted to be left behind. I played for hours on end trying to keep up with everyone and eventually I realized this has to end. Problems were on the horizon and I seen them coming. I can write even more about why people are drawn to play WOW for hours on end but I want to know how this addiction is affecting their lives outside of WOW. Who is Addicted? I have read many articles on this particular topic and find that this is not only common with young youth but also with adults. Gender is also not an issue. Do people realize they are spending too much time involved in a fantasy world? Do people who play see no problems at all? Its all about self control and setting priorities first, but unfortunately gamers usually do not have anything prioritized. While over time this excessive misuse can lead to bigger problems down the road. Also keep in mind that World of Warcraft has 11,000,000 million monthly subscribers that pay to play this game as much as they can. Most people believe that its normal for kids to play video games, but not all day every day. Excessive gaming in kids can lead to many social problems from disobedience with parents to kids actually withdrawing themselves with the real world to play in a fantasy one. Adults are also addicts when it comes to video games. Their ages range from 18-50 years old who actively play this game on a daily basis, while older players keep their video gaming a secret from others. Why do people get addicted? There are many, many articles and journals on this particular topic that talk about WOW addicts and there consequences. What I fail to see in my research are questions such as: Why are people addicted to these games? Is it really an addiction? Is it because real life is somewhat stressful and playing this game places one in a fantasy world free of stress? Or do people play to just pass the time? When I played, I did feel less stressful in-game. I sometimes felt like I was a completely different person, someone who I wanted to be fictitiously. Maybe there are others out there that feel the same way as I once did. Many will agree that its the thrill of the game or the next big raid where forty online players will battle a boss all at the same time with strategic force. One theory of addictions says Turner (2008) is that people become addicted to things/activities that are either positively reinforcing (receive rewards) or negatively reinforcing (escape from something aversive). Video games offer the potential for both. Woods (2008) study said people identified as having a video game addiction often use the games to cope with stress. However, using games to relax and escape from reality is not necessarily a problem. If people choose to play video games instead of dealing with problems or responsibilities, this is a symptom of their problems, not a cause. There are many other reasons why people reach for the fantasy world. Children and teens that play excessively have social problems and cannot seem to communicate with their peers. Some even get bullied in school. So in turn go home and play this game where no one bullies them and makes socializing easier when its not face to face communication. This may not be true for most youth but the ones that are addicted use it as an escape. Maybe people get addicted just because they want to play. The consequences of this addiction Adults also have been known to become addicted to WOW with serious consequences. Yes the game is fun to play but the fact of the matter is adults have responsibilities such as work, their relationship with their spouse and kids. People spend up to 16 hours a day if not more playing this online game knowing that there is school or work tomorrow. There also was a kid that played 36 hours straight and collapsed from dehydration that I read awhile back online. Marriages have ended due to this addiction. Spouses who devote their entire extra spare time playing WOW in the mean time the other spouse is feeling neglected. The WOW player is so involved within the game that he/she does not realize how bad this addiction is getting. Why does it come down to this? Are video game addictions like another form of narcotics such as crack? Can one be rehabilitated and be able to live a normal life in the real world instead of a fantasy one. Addiction rehabilitation There are many self help programs out there for people who feel that they cannot control this obsessive behavior over video games. Sven Rollenhagen (2009) said There is no known medical diagnosis of conditions brought on by excessive game-playing, but it is clear they have a very powerful addictive hold over many people who use them. Many psychologists do not believe that video game addictions are real but then again some do. There need to be more studies done on this topic. Griffiths (2008) said the fact that several studies overestimate the prevalence of video game addiction does not mean that it does not exist. There are also groups of psychologist willing to go as far as playing WOW to see its addictive traits first hand to get a better grasp on the matter. This means they become the gamer who is addicted to understand more fully what goes on in the minds of addicts. Interview with a gamer I setup an interview with an associate of mine to get a few answers and opinions on his addiction to World of Warcraft. His name is Matt and works everyday as head chef for a fine Restaurant. Matt said I play World of Warcraft whenever I am not working, it is something to do. I mentioned to him that many people spend hours playing the game to be the best knowing that there are priorities to be done. How do you handle these priorities? Matt said without hesitation, What priorities? I work and I play need I do anymore? Then I went on to ask what about relationships, dating of the sort. Matt declined to answer my question other than to say She left me a long time ago and I am happy without her (M. Walzcak, personal communication, November 11, 2009). These are the things happening to many people around the world not just Matt. The game takes over in their minds speaking for them, not knowing that this may affect things later on. Just small signs of whats to come for Matt. Or maybe he will realize that priorities and relationships whether their your friends or spouse should come first and foremost considering the game will still be there and your friends may not. We find out that there may be many different reasons why these games can be addictive. Some would play to pass time while others play it because it is all they think about, even though there excessive play time is ruining marriages, relationships and friendships along with their jobs. Is there hope for an video game addict, many say yes while others disagree entirely saying it is not a mental disorder in need of treatment. Wood (2008) said it is concluded that the most likely reasons that people play video games excessively are due to either ineffective time management skills, or as a symptomatic response to other underlying problems that they are escaping from, rather than any inherent addictive properties of the actual games. In conclusion, I feel this answers most of the questions we have been pondering on throughout this paper. I may have not got all the info needed to perform an in-depth analysis but this is definitely a great start. The more I research the more I figure out why I am sometimes addicted to the newest game out there and so to for others. References Griffiths, M. (2008). Video game addiction: Further thoughts and observations. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction, 6, 182 185. R, Sven. (2009, February 27). World of Warcraft more addictive then cocaine. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/4863325/World-of-Warcraft-more-addictive-than-cocaine.html Turner, N. (2008). A comment on Problems with the concept of video game addiction: Some case study examples. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction, 6, 186 190. Wood, R. (2008). Problems with the concept of video game addiction: Some case study examples. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction, 6, 169 178.

Operant condition Essay -- essays research papers

Several years ago, I was the marketing Manager for a new line of perfume, which had to be promoted, introduced to the consumer, and allow for succession in the market. By marketing the product the sales would either be high or low depending on the market responses. One way to ensure successfully marketing to the right consumers is through the use of Operant Conditioning. Operant Conditioning, also known as Instrumental learning is defined as a â€Å"learning process by which the consequences of an operant response affects the likelihood that the response will occur in the future†(Kozak, pg 22). Basically, Operant Conditioning is a stimulus response pattern that when reinforced will condition the individual response to a desired behavior. Our behaviors are altered to be desirable or undesirable through reinforcements, punishment and extinction. Overall, Operant conditioning is a voluntary response that precedes the stimulus and the reinforcement. According to Dr.Komisar Behavioral therapist at Long Island Jewish Hospital, says Operant Condition has been applied in many situations, such as teaching, clinical settings, and advertising, which have been proven successful in clinical trails. B.F Skinner and Edward Thorndike have developed two famous stream of research in this area. BF Skinner felt that the â€Å"term reinforcement was more desirable than the word reward†(Darcy, pg 215). â€Å"Reinforcement is any stimuli that strengthen the desired response† (Darcy, pg 223). For example, sometim...

Soldier X Summary

Summary: Soldier X Erik Brandt is a 16 year old half Russian half German boy. He is in a program called Jungend which is also known as Hitler's Children Army. It is like Boy Scouts for German Kids. They boys in the Jungend are also enlisted soldiers who have to fight when it is needed. One day Erik is sent to fight in the war. He is shipped to the eastern front where the Germans have to fight Russia on Russian soil. Erik is uncomfortable because he is half Russian and German.He was aware of the things Germans were doing to Jews but he was convinced it was right and that Jews were preventing Germany's world domination. While traveling to Russia he becomes acquainted with some other boys in his platoon named Oskar, Jakob, and Fassnacht. They get attacks by aircraft and very few of the Germans die but the boys are pretty scared. When they reach their destination they go into the trenches and prepare to fight.Their commander explains the plan and teaches them how to use certain equipment like mines and grenades. When the first waves of Russians attack it is mainly infantry foot soldiers. The Germans win and Erik thinks it’s over and he is exhausted and tired. Then their commander says that was the easy one and tells them to prepare for tanks to start progressing. In the second wave the Germans start to drop and German hope looks lost. Erik is hit by a grenade and he is hurt. He is lying in pain in the bottom of a trench.With many dead bodies around him, he sees that playing dead won’t help because the Russians are stabbing every body they find with a bayonet. He knew he was running out of time. To his luck a tank broke down over him. He now has to think fast. He sees a dead Russian boy and puts on him uniform to disguise himself. He leaves the trench disguised as a Russian. As he is going he get shot by a surviving German in the side. He passes out and wakes up in hospital. When the soldiers he meets asks his name he says he has amnesia.He meets a you ng nurse in the hospital named Tamara. They talk a lot and get to know each other very well. They eventually fall in love. The hospital is bombed one day and they must escape. They make a plan to go all the way to the United States. They are able to escape Russia and make it to America. While sneaking through Germany Erik loses his left arm when he gets shot. The American soldiers take care of him. He gets to America with Tamara and they start a family and live their lives there where Erik becomes a history teacher.

Free Essays on The Beaches Are Moving

The North Carolina barrier islands are a major part of the North Carolina coast. Here, the only constant is change. Dunes get blown around, beaches shrink and grow, and islands move landward. The recreational beach is like the â€Å"tip of an iceberg† stretching from the first dunes to an ocean depth of about 30 feet. That’s about one mile out to sea. The weather plays a huge role in the way sand gets moved and distributed. In fair weather the net movement of sand is onshore. Underwater sandbars work their way up the incline towards the recreational beach and sand is deposited there. In stormy weather the net movement of sand is offshore. Battering waves erode sand and bring it out to sea, flattening the beach. Sand cliffs and beach scarps are a sure sign of erosion. This beach/storm response is a mechanism for survival. â€Å"A way to bend without breaking,† said host and geologist Orrin H. Pilkey. Ocean waves strike the beach at an angle. This is called long shore movement. The net flow of sand by the long shore movement in North Carolina is north to south and it transports about 100,000 cubic yards of sand per year. This plays a vital role in shaping the barrier islands. Inlets are waterways that separate barrier islands and are important for the storage and transport of sand. Tides capture the long shore current sands and store them in two web-shaped deltas: The flood delta on the sound side, and the ebb delta on the ocean side. These deltas are constantly shifting. 15,000 years ago glaciers were beginning to melt and the sea-level rose. Before this there were maritime forests that extended forty miles out to the continental shelf. As the sea level rose islands formed and as sea level rose more the islands began rolling over themselves to keep up with the receding mainland. Barrier islands still do this today, that is how sound dwelling oyster shells thousands of years old are found on the ocean side of i... Free Essays on The Beaches Are Moving Free Essays on The Beaches Are Moving The North Carolina barrier islands are a major part of the North Carolina coast. Here, the only constant is change. Dunes get blown around, beaches shrink and grow, and islands move landward. The recreational beach is like the â€Å"tip of an iceberg† stretching from the first dunes to an ocean depth of about 30 feet. That’s about one mile out to sea. The weather plays a huge role in the way sand gets moved and distributed. In fair weather the net movement of sand is onshore. Underwater sandbars work their way up the incline towards the recreational beach and sand is deposited there. In stormy weather the net movement of sand is offshore. Battering waves erode sand and bring it out to sea, flattening the beach. Sand cliffs and beach scarps are a sure sign of erosion. This beach/storm response is a mechanism for survival. â€Å"A way to bend without breaking,† said host and geologist Orrin H. Pilkey. Ocean waves strike the beach at an angle. This is called long shore movement. The net flow of sand by the long shore movement in North Carolina is north to south and it transports about 100,000 cubic yards of sand per year. This plays a vital role in shaping the barrier islands. Inlets are waterways that separate barrier islands and are important for the storage and transport of sand. Tides capture the long shore current sands and store them in two web-shaped deltas: The flood delta on the sound side, and the ebb delta on the ocean side. These deltas are constantly shifting. 15,000 years ago glaciers were beginning to melt and the sea-level rose. Before this there were maritime forests that extended forty miles out to the continental shelf. As the sea level rose islands formed and as sea level rose more the islands began rolling over themselves to keep up with the receding mainland. Barrier islands still do this today, that is how sound dwelling oyster shells thousands of years old are found on the ocean side of i...