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CONSUMER PROTECTION REGULATIONS IN THE UK

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CONSUMER PROTECTION REGULATIONS IN THE UK

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Literature Review

Introduction

Today, different statutory instruments, Acts of parliament, and government institutions effect customer protection in the United Kingdom. These, mechanisms, which ensure fairness and quality of services and goods bought by citizens, did not just emerge from thin air but from processes and jurisdictions in the past. This literature review provides an overview of the evolution of the United Kingdom consumer protection regime and its current status is imperative.

Evolution and Development of Customer Protection

The advent of the United Kingdom customer protection regime is not regarded as a recent phenomenon as the development of customer protection legislation dates back to the late 17th century and mid-18th century during the pre-industrial era. Studies on the genesis and development of the customer protection regime show that since then, numerous jurisdictions have culminated in the development of a plethora of jurisprudence on the liabilities and rights that United Kingdom buyers and sellers have. Research by Muhammad Akbar concentrated on examining the origin and emergence of the customer protection regime. This work confirmed that the current customer protection legislation in the country is an outcome of imperative developments that occurred from the pre-industrial era to the post-industrial revolution. According to Muhammad Akbar, the pre-industrial period was characterised by low consumption levels within a simple social set up and fewer products than it is the case today. Later, the principle of caveat emptor within the English law was developed and incorporated to deal with this situation. This doctrine upheld the philosophy of individualism where customers had to look after themselves as laws to protect consumers were few and those that existed only dealt with measures and weights of basic commodities. With the growth in consumption and the number of services and products available for consumption, the principle of caveat emptor lost its relevance as sellers assumed greater responsibility in sales transactions. This necessitated the enforcement of specific customer protection legislation in the United Kingdom.

During the industrial revolution of the 18th century, urbanisation and manufacturing intensified, augmenting consumption. Sellers and product consumers began bargaining from long distances, with the former recognising the need for product quality to maintain market competitiveness. This furthered the need for a regime to safeguard the trading standards to ensure that they enhanced public health and customer protection, along with protecting honest traders from unfair competitor practices. During the period of the industrial society in the 19th century, more developments in customer protection laws took place in England, including case law revolving around buyer-seller relationships. However, consumer legal rights to safe products and services remained unrecognised. In the 20th century, mass production emerged, causing a consumer revolution as many products and services became available to consumers. During this time, large-scale developments occurred in consumer protection law, litigation, and the laws of negligence. Also, a movement initiated by an NGO stimulated the development of laws to protect consumers against unfair commercial and trade practices and defective services and products. This led to the development of customer protection laws used today, although they continued to undergo reforms to fit contemporary needs. From a critical stance, Muhammad Akbar’s work is valuable because it provides an informative and comprehensive account of the evolution of UK consumer protection, which enables one to grasp the changes that have occurred in consumer protection over the years.

Current Status of UK Customer Protection

Numerous researchers have focused on the current status of customer protection in the United Kingdom from different perspectives. For instance, Cliona examined customer protection from the perspective of the various reforms the regime will undergo within the context of the UK and Ireland considering the ongoing Brexit debate. According to this researcher, momentous regulatory divergences will be witnessed in customer protection before, after, and even without Brexit. Two of the most significant divergences before Brexit will be the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) 2015 and the Consumer Rights Bill 2015. The CRA 2015 was established to overhaul the contractual rights of consumers in the supply of digital content, goods, and services, together with regulating unfair contract terms in the United Kingdom. The CRA also integrated new rules relating to digital content, which the rest of the European Union is now catching up with as suggested by Taylor Wessing. On its part, the Consumer Rights Bill 2015 was published to reflect to consolidate the current customer protection law, along with endorsing new consumer rights and remedies in Ireland and the United Kingdom. As Cliona suggests, one of the divergences likely to be witnessed between Ireland and the United Kingdom as regards these two laws before Brexit include the objectives and scope of the CRA and the Consumer Rights Bill. Other divergences in implementing reforms of consumer law cover the areas of privity of contracts, jurisdiction relating to the supply of services and digital content, unfair contract terms, sale of gift vouchers, and transparency in contracts. The divergences possible after Brexit (if it happens) will include the areas of language and concepts utilised, the structure of consumer protection law, and the interpretation of the domestic provisions of the law in both the UK and Ireland. Finally, the divergences in implementing consumer law if Brexit becomes impossible will encompass the areas of the models of consumer protection adopted and modes of mapping amendments against the existing legal framework, which is the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Cliona’s research is critically valuable because it provides adequate illumination of possible differences in consumer protection likely to be experienced in Ireland and the UK if Brexit becomes effective.

Louise Nahon argued that reforms in consumer protection laws will have a significant impact in the United Kingdom, irrespective of whether Brexit is effected or not. This author suggests that some of the reforms proposed to come into effect in 2022 include the introduction of new digital consumer protection rules, revision of rules that impact digital service supply, and augmented transparency obligations on online endorsements and reviews. Also, this author suggested that changes will occur in the enforcement and penalty regime relating to unfair commercial practices and unfair contract terms within the harmonised framework across the entire EU. Wessing also acknowledges some of these consumer protection reforms that will occur in the wake of the recent Brexit referendum. These include the integration of the digital content directive and changes in consumer contracts associated with the online sales of goods. The works of both Louise and Taylor appreciate that the United Kingdom consumer protection regime is one of the most advanced regimes in Europe, which will augment consumer confidence when the proposed reforms are attained. Even so, the two differ in that while Louise believes what Brexit will have significant impacts on this regime, Taylor feels that Brexit will not cause great changes to the regime.

Malte Kramme investigated consumer protection from the perspective of the ramifications that Brexit would have on the area of consumer protection. This scholar examined Brexit consequences to consumer protection under three scenarios, namely, UK membership to European Economic Area (EEA), relationships administrated by World Trade Organisation’s rules, and relationships directed by mutual recognition rules within a tailor-made agreement. Based on the EEA model, the most favourable Brexit scenario would entail UK membership of the EEA. The eventual consequence of this membership on consumer protection would the application of high consumer protection standards in the UK. However, Brexit provisions for strengthening the sovereignty of the United Kingdom are incompatible with the EEA agreement, which compels member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to adopt EU legislation strictly. This incompatibility will augment the complexity of the UK consumer protection regime if Brexit becomes effective. From a WTO-model outlook, the consequence of Brexit to consumer protection will include difficulties in interpreting EU consumer protection directives within the UK legal context and uncertainties of conflict-of-laws, enforceability, and jurisdiction associated with the applicability of EU consumer protection law in the UK. Lastly, from the tailor-made agreement model, the consequence of Brexit on consumer protection is the failure to achieve harmonisation of standards provided by both the EFTA and EU in all consumer protection areas. While Malte offers vital details of some Brexit consequences on UK consumer protection, his work has one weakness, which is the failure to identify the specific consumer protection laws directly impacted by the consequences addressed under each model.

Survey-based research by Oya Pinar, Ibrahim, and Mylenko addressed consumer protection regulations from the outlook of cross-country analysis. They examined the applicability of consumer protection principles and laws in deposit and loan services in 142 countries, including the United Kingdom. The outcomes of their study were that many countries have consumer protection legislation in place, but these laws fail to address specific issues in financial consumer protection. As regards the United Kingdom, these authors appreciated that the country has comprehensive consumer protection legislation. This is because the UK has consumer protection legislation with explicit references to financial services and consumer protection regulations outlined within the financial section legislations framework, besides having general consumer protection law with no explicit references to financial services and other forms of consumer protection legislation. The work of this scholar is dependable because it adopts a valid research instrument and is informed by a broad gamut of datasets, which reflect its reliability. The only problem with the study is its focuses on consumer protection regulations in only two financial services, which implies that its outcomes cannot be generalised to all financial services, especially in the United Kingdom.

In another research effort, Mark and Vickers furthered research on consumer protection in financial services. Specifically, these scholars explored the relationships between consumer protection and the contingent charges for financial services within the United Kingdom context. These authors established that the failure to regulate contingent charges can breed significant economic inefficiencies that compromise consumer protection. Further, they confirmed that contingent charges in conventional settings with sophisticated consumers are efficiently executed because these types of consumers are well informed about consumer protection and can hence influence prices, compared to settings with naive consumers, who are less informed about consumer protection. They concluded that sophisticated consumers use awareness of consumer protection regulation to protect naïve consumers when it comes to implementing contingent charges in UK financial services. Also, they suggested that markets dominated by sophisticated customers can perform inefficiently because these consumers can adopt socially ineffective approaches to evade the high contingent charges that naïve consumers pay. Their conclusions corroborate the claims by Matthew Hilton that the United Kingdom’s consumer protection regime is based on information, where information is provided to individual economic actors to prevent market failures. For this reason, consumer protection regulation in such a scenario would be vital in offsetting the distributional concerns. This study is important because it provides a new perspective for consumer protection policymakers that can be useful in designing policies for curbing monopoly of pricing in the financial sector in the United Kingdom towards ensuring consumer protection against exploitative contingent charges.

Bibliography

Books

Ardic, Oya P, Ibrahim A. Joyce, and Mylenko N ‘Consumer protection laws and regulations in deposit and loan services: A cross-country analysis with a new data set’ (The World Bank 2011).

Journal Articles

Armstrong, M and Vickers J ‘Consumer protection and contingent charges’ Journal of Economic Literature (2012) 50 (2) 477-93.

Hilton, M ‘Consumer protection in the United Kingdom’ (2006) 47 (1) Economic History Yearbook 45-60.

Kelly, C ‘Consumer reform in Ireland and the UK: Regulatory divergence before, after and without Brexit’ (2018) 47 (1) Common Law World Review 53-76.

Khan, Muhammad A ‘The origin and development of consumer protection laws in united kingdom’ (2017) 3 (3) Journal of Asian and African Social Science and Humanities (ISSN 2413-2748) 38-52.

Kramme, Malte F ‘Consequences of Brexit in the area of consumer protection’ GPR: (2017) 14 (5) Journal of European Union Private Law 210-222.

Electronic Source

Nahon, L ‘Consumer law reforms will impact UK regardless of Brexit’ (15 Nov 2019) Out-Law Analysis Pinsent Masons https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/analysis/consumer-law-reforms-will-impact-uk-regardless-of-brexit.

Wessing T ‘UK Consumer law in the wake of the EU referendum (17 Jul 2016) University of Oxford, Faculty of Law https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/business-law-blog/blog/2016/07/uk-consumer-law-wake-eu-referendum.

New Order in America Post World War II

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New Order in America: Post World War II

When World War 2 was coming to an end, the United States was in a far much better place economically than ever. However, there were still devastating effects that the world war had caused in the lives of Americans. Many Americans including both men and women had joined the military in order to help the country fight and many perished in the war. Industrialization had also kicked off especially industries that manufactured combats and most people had moved near war industries due to high demand of labor. Most of these factories located in the Atlantic, Pacific as well as the Gulf coasts and the migration led to sprouting of towns (Hooks, pg. 303-337). After the World War II it was almost as if America was beginning a new era that would be characterized by growth considering it had just undergone a great depression just a few years back. This paper looks at Americas new order especially between 1940s-1960s.

Building on the economic base just after the war ended was more affluent and easy in America that people could actually not believe it. There were several public policies that were passed that helped Americans especially those who had participated in the war. For example, the GI Bill of rights passed in 1944 was to give the veterans money so that they would be able to attend college, buy farms and also buy homes (Maier, pg. 607-633). The money was a form of compensation to the Americans who had sacrificed their lives in the war front and would help them have a better life. This was where the American Dream was coined, where many Americans were living better lives as they could now even own their homes. After the post war, America was an economical power house and most Americans were actually leaving better lives than Japan and Germany.

The US government had jumped from a great depression to an economic powerhouse as money had been spent during the war. After the war, the war manufacturers tried to convert war materials to consumer goods and the appliance and automobile sector also grew drastically. Many towns had already grown with buildings being constructed and between 1950s and 1960s, some Americans had retreated to live in the suburbs where they could enjoy the consumer economy and also try to search for normalcy. President Lyndon Johnson was also trying to come up with initiatives to help better the society. These initiatives were referred to as Great Society. Aim of these policies were to help reduce crime, end poverty, abolish inequality and help improve the environment. In 1964, during his speech he pointed out that the great society would be one of the largest social reform plan as he was also seeking reelection for a second term (Johnson).

An affluent society was created in America after the WW2 and although many would want to believe almost all American’s lived a good life this was not the case. Many Americans especially the whites had been lifted into the burgeoning middle class but there was also a lot of inequalities that arose. Women were still struggling to attain equal rights and be treated same way as the men (Locke). The poor people who were mostly the black were still struggling to get access to good school, health care as well as better paying jobs. Jim Craw on the other hand was creating laws that were promoting segregation of the colored people. This was another part of America that seemed to have been forgotten while the other part enjoyed the boost of the economy and its fruits.

After the war, the African Americans also became interested in being treated better, they came up with civil rights movements that would advocate for equality and ensure better treatment by the system. After the war many whites had gained employment while the blacks seemed forgotten. Philip Randolph who was the black labor leader threatened to march to Washington unless the blacks too were also given equal employment opportunities. In order to prevent this demonstration, President Roosevelt gave an executive order which prohibited discrimination of the blacks in defense industries. Committee of Fair Employment Practices was also established. They also championed for better treatment of their children especially the fact that schools were also racially segregated. The Brown vs Board was a notable ruling that allowed black children to be able to attend schools that were only meant for the whites. The blacks were also eventually allowed to vote with the clause of one being asked to do an exam before voting being removed (Hall, pg. 1233-1263). The “Journey of Reconciliation” was also created where George Houser led a movement of whites and black leaders on a march which challenged racial segregation in interstate buses.

In 1940-60s, new tension emerged, the cold war, which was a threat between the united states and the Soviet Union. There was political consensus regarding cold war and US received bipartisan support from most foreign US policies. Vietnam war however witnessed in the North of Vietnam led to more tension that would put America in bad light. The USA supported the anti-communist South by sending military guides to instruct and aid the South Vietnamese Army (Feis, pg. 82). The South was at war with the communist party Viet Cong which was established in the South. The fight led to the campaign of assassination spearheaded by the Viet Cong and it received tremendous support from the north in 1959. The Americans were afraid that if the communist party took over Vietnam then it was definitely going to spread to the proximate countries. During this period the cold war was also intensifying in the entire world and the USA toughened its policies against any of the communists and the Soviet Union allies and under the leadership of the then president Dwight D. Eisenhower the United States vowed to aid Ngo Dinh Diem and the anti-communist South.

In conclusion, World War II as a major boost to the American dream. Many Americans were able to leave the lives they wanted which was quite a comfortable life than their economic competitors including German and French. It was also during these period that major changes were initiated to ensure African Americans also felt as Americans. Laws were passed to ensure the racial segregation ended and African Americans too could enjoy the boost the war had impacted to American economy. Vietnam war and cold war was also an eye opener to devastating effects war could have that led to America reevaluating grounds on when they can launch attacks in foreign countries.

Works Cited

Feis, Herbert. From trust to terror: the onset of the cold war, 1945-1950. New York: Norton, 1970.

Hall, J.D., 2005. The Long Civil Rights Movement and the Political Uses of the Past. Journal of American History, 91(4), pp.1233-1263.

Hooks, Gregory, and Leonard E. Bloomquist. “The legacy of World War II for regional growth and decline: The cumulative effects of wartime investments on US manufacturing, 1947–1972.” Social Forces 71.2 (1992): 303-337.

Locke, Joseph L., and Ben Wright, editors. The American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative Open U.S History Textbook, Since. Vol. 2, STANFORD University Press, 2019

Maier, Charles S. “The politics of productivity: foundations of American international economic policy after World War II.” International Organization 31.4 (1977): 607-633.

Nonverbal Communication Observation

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Nonverbal Communication Observation

Non-verbal communication refers to a technique of conveying messages, thoughts, emotions and feeling through actions and expressions rather than words. In our day-to-day lives, verbal and non-verbal forms of communication work together to deliver messages, thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Aspects of non-verbal communication often express our emotions better than words. Non-verbal communication comprises of body language (kinesics), touch (haptic), distance (proxemics), oculesics, their physical attractiveness, vocalics, and chronemics.

While having my coffee at the local Cafe with my friends, I noticed a couple seated next to our table. One could tell from the onset that the two were a couple from their kinesics, haptics, and oculescis. The young man, Caucasian, was about twenty-three years of age, towering at the height of 6ft 1, while his girlfriend, African American, was about 5ft 7. The two, both smartly dressed, seemed to be on a date, as they sat at opposite sides of the table and were constantly smiling at each other. Due to their proximity, I could catch some of their words. The two were talking about a trip they would have next year to Malta. The lady was animatedly counting up the needs she would need from her trip. As she folded her fingers one by one, the guy began to laugh stating that she did not need all that luggage. It was evident from their body language that the two had been dating for a long time. Their body movements were swift and unrestrained showing that the two were open with each other and had, therefore, probably known each other for a while.

The two were so engrossed in their conversation about Malta that they did not see the waiter coming to take their order. The waiter who had been standing over them for more than two, three seconds cleared his throat. An emblem in America and most of the world that calls for attention. From their widening eyes, quick glances at each other, and embarrassed smiles, the two must have been startled by the waiter’s presence. They made quick orders without perusing the menu meaning that they were regulars. After the waiter took the order, the two did not talk until a few minutes later when their food arrived. The young man extended his hand and held the lady lovingly while they looked deep into each other’s eyes and smiled. These two were a sight to see! When their food arrived, they thanked the waiter and did not hurriedly began to eat, but continued to talk! These time, the two were speaking in hushed tones and were quite close to each other. The lady had held her face with her hands and her elbows on the table while she spoke softly to the guy. After they finished their meal, the two walked out together holding hands, while the gentleman carried the lady’s handbag. When they got to the door, he opened the door for her, and the two stepped into the warm sunshine.

Later that afternoon when I went to the library, I saw a group of about five teenagers. From their dressing, I could tell that they all knew each other and enjoyed a hobby together, say Rock and Roll music. From their dressing, I could tell that they were into Rock Roll as they all had dyed their hair black, wore tight jeans and t-shirts. They were all laughing quietly at something one of them had said. The five teenagers, all male, did not seem interested in reading. They kept whispering to each other, that other library users kept staring at them annoyingly. They flipped pages, switched seating positions, shared earphones while watching some videos on their phones. After a little while, the librarian walked in, tapped two of them on the shoulders, and placed her middle finger on her lips, an emblem meaning, ‘observe silence!” After she walked away, the five looked at each other shrugged, and left the library, to the pleasure of everybody.

The other conversation I observed was by two middle-aged gentlemen who were discussing stocks; on the train, on my way home. One of the men was in an ash-gray suit while the other was dressed in an immaculate double-breasted navy-blue suit. I could not see their shoes as their suitcases blocked my view, but I guessed that they must be wearing expensive Italian, leather shoes. The two men sat on adjacent seats but did not seem to share much. From their conversation on stocks, these men obviously worked in the financial industry but were not friends. They must be colleagues in the same firm, different departments, I guessed. The two had little or no eye contact, they had stiff body movement as if they were uncomfortable, and they went on for minutes without talking. After the first man got to his stop, he got up, picked his briefcase, shook hands with his colleague, and left without many pleasantries.

Observing a Scene

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Observing a Scene

The Fonda restaurant is one of my all-time favorite places to eat. Not only do they have the best Mexican food in town, but the ambiance is also great, and the service simply superb. However, I have never taken the time to really look around, and this experience gave me a lot of insight into deliberate observation and just how much people rarely take the time to look about them. I chose to visit the restaurant over the weekend at 11 in the morning, just before the place filled up with the lunchtime crowd. The restaurant is famed for its pizzas and tacos, and many families are regular customers from around the area.

On the outside, the restaurant is surrounded by a lot of bushes and greenery, instantly giving the place a relaxed feel. Some flowers also grow in rustic pots made of wood, steel, and clay, further adding to the ambiance of the outside. For those who like to sit outside in good weather, there are several outdoor tables and chairs made to withstand harsh conditions such as the sun and the rain. The furniture was all painted brown and green, blending in with the surroundings. I saw a friendly waiter attending to a large group with children. The children all had small chairs and were given paper and coloring pencils. Even before the food arrived, they were laughing merrily while comparing their drawings. With such a happy welcoming sight, many diners walked into the equally striking interior of the restaurant.

The first thing that struck me was the simple yet luxurious décor in the inside. The furniture was all made up of base colors such as white, gray, and black. These colors instantly brought a sense of calm and peace to the restaurant. Brightly colored pillows brought bursts of color into the place. Everything was made in simple and straight lines, with no overly intricate pieces of furniture. The floor was made of polished brown wood, adding to the sophistication of the interior. The walls were a pristine white, making the space as bright as possible the French doors opening to the patio brought in a lot of natural light, making the space vibrant and bright. There were also blinds that could be folded when the brightness proved too much for the diners.

There were three separate sitting areas. To the left, there was a large area fitted with couches and coffee tables. A bookshelf stood nearby, showing that people who sat there often read while enjoying their drinks. To the right, space was divided into two with a broad aisle between. One side had comfortable booths where those who wanted a bit more seclusion and quiet could enjoy themselves. On the other side were chairs and tables that could seat four people each. I would approximate that the whole place could sit about fifty people when full.

Fonda is a family business, and the owner is often at hand to welcome guests and chat with them for a little while. I got in at around 11, which was still a quiet time. The kitchen is visible through glass walls as one entered, so it was possible to see all the chefs decked out in white gear hard at work for lunch. At the door, Mark, the owner greeted me warmly. His cheeriness was infectious, and I immediately felt quite at ease. I told him that I would take something cold as I waited for a lunch order. He walked me to the counter to a pleasant young man named Ron, who was happy to discuss options with me as I was unsure. He assured me that it would be ready in a few minutes, and I chose a quiet table by the window to watch.

My drink came looking so lovely that I was afraid to touch it. Several colors were distinguishable inside the frosted glass, and it tasted just as heavenly as it looked. There were few people about the restaurant, and the wait staff took their orders with smiles brighter than their white uniforms. One thing that I always find different in this particular establishment is the extent that the staff goes to make people feel welcome. They walk diners through the menus, helping them decide what to take. I am almost always unsure of what to take, so this is a great help.

After about an hour, the place began to fill up with people. There was a bustle as the previously idyllic mood changed as more people came in. Mark kept his place by the door, welcoming guests, and walking them to their tables. One instance that struck me was when a blind man walked in with his cane. Mark walked out to meet him happily and led him to a table close to mine. The man was a friend of his, and he knew exactly what he wanted. Before the food came, Mark chatted with him and asked after his family. It warmed my heart to see such kindness in one small space.

I appreciate my observation experience at Fonda; it helped me see just how important it is to take a moment out of our busy times to talk to a complete stranger. Every waiter and waitress in Fonda takes time to learn their customer’s name and something small about them. Everyone feels welcome, and the food tops the whole experience. I saw many people come in sad and unhappy, and walk out smiling. The biggest lesson is that it’s the small things that count.

Oedipus Blindness vs Sight

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Oedipus: Blindness vs Sight

Pride is Oedipus most significant flaw, and it leads him to many misfortunes. He presses on with the investigation to find out his father’s killer, leading to the discovery that he is the guilty party. Throughout the Oedipus stories, he refuses to listen to anyone but always tries to prove his point. Despite the negative connotation to Oedipus’ pride, there is also an upside. Oedipus solved the greatest pestilence on the kingdom of Thebes by following his pride blindly. A pestilence had struck Thebes for some time, and the people desperately wanted to find out its cause. Even before they got to him, Oedipus was already determined to find out the cause. He had his bother in law, Creon, consult the oracle and he returned with the news that for the plague to end Laius’ murderer had to be found. Oedipus made it his mission to investigate what happened and find the murderer, not realizing that he was the guilty one.

Oedipus asked Tiresias the prophet for his insight into the murder of the former king, but Tiresias refused to give him a direct answer. Furious, Oedipus would not relent until he got the answers, he found out the painful truth that he had killed his father and married the king’s wife; in essence, he had married his own mother. The situation is a two-faced one; it rid Thebes of its plague, but at the same time, it destroyed Tiresias. Despite Tiresias’ warning that his pursuit of the truth would bring only pain, Oedipus chose to move on Looking at the greater good, Oedipus; pride, in this case, saved the kingdom and its people from further suffering. However, Oedipus’ family was destroyed. He learned the truth of his childhood and the unfortunate prophecy that had come true.

Works Cited

Sophocles, E. A. Oedipus the king. Classic Productions, 1994.

Offensive Humor on Body Image

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Offensive Humor on Body Image

Humor has often been seen as way of bringing people together or rather a form of entertainment. In most major cities standup comedy often happens almost daily. However, there are rumors that often been termed as offensive. When talking about offensive humor, there are people who think sexist or racist jokes can be used in tackling prejudice or breaking down barriers. However, there are people who think that these jokes are really appalling at times it’s not just a joke as many think (Bemiller, 459-479). The topic has often been seen to be a sensitive one as debates such as political correctness, right of speech as well as the moral values will often arise (Hall, 351-373). One of the offensive humors we have seen are often on body image and while some may find it funny, there are certain jokes that really hit hard on some people and should not be really said. This research paper will explore how popular media uses body image as comedy yet this is a sensitive topic to most people.

Popular media has often been one way which stereotypes about certain things have been created this includes Body image jokes whether about skinny or fat people. There has been argument that offensive humor be it racist or sexist can be able to break barriers as well as challenge prejudice. Those who have often used body image as humor have often done so stating that it may help more people embrace who they are and love themselves. Some researchers have pointed out that offensive jokes often have no consequences as they are just jokes but is this really the case. Some researchers have also pointed out that criticizing offensive humor may be seen as political correctness, a movement that tends to encourage censorship threatening freedom of speech and liberty. However, the truth of the matter is that at times this jokes maligns or belittles individuals in this social group.

Comedians over the years are using disparaging humor without really thinking of the consequences or what people in this position may feel. Those that get to enjoy this humor will often tell those offended to stop being too sensitive. But the real question is “are they too sensitive and do they lack a sense of humor? However, this claims may be completely false (Burmeister, pg. 223). At times these humors are often too offensive such as when one uses jokes to body shame a person who is fat. Fat men are often on the receiving end of these jokes when compared to the women probably because in most cases a man is more likely to brush it off or laugh it out although it may heart. However, for women this is different, jokes on fat women are likely to cause a craze with most women online terming this jokes as body shaming and sexist (Graefer, pg.14). An example of a fat joke that is clearly offensive is “Why is it that pubs won’t serve me if I’m drunk but McDonalds continue serving the fat fuckers? It’s hardly fair”. By just reading the joke you can already see the prejudice and the hate from the tweet. It seems offensive that the joker is insinuating that any fast food that sell junk such as McDonalds should stop serving food to “fat” people. This is offensive especially in a society that is always judging fat people for eating take out or junk foods. There are fat people who cannot eat in public because of the gaze they get from people.

It is for a fact that there are fat people joke that may be funny. Whether you will laugh or not, it will often depend on the relationship that you have to the joke and the joker (Smeltzer, 295-304). When somebody jokes are from friends or people who are close to you, one is more likely to take it on a lighter note. However, when it is someone not so close, it is likely that one may be offended by the joke (Beard, pg. 1-17). Jokes on weight are also quite edgy because weight is often a sensitive matter that may stem from complex deep-seated psychological issues. In our heads we have often equated eating too much with being fat but research has showed that being overweight may be due to psychological issues that one may be going through. In such sensitive issues then as a comedian you really need to reflect on the joke before putting it out there (Luellen, pg. 87).

There are movies that have used fat individuals for comedic effect a perfect example is Pitch Perfect. When Pitch Perfect aired on the TV, Fat Amy was a character who stood out as she gave herself that name so that other girls would not call her behind her back. The first installment did not have as much comedic effect as Pitch Perfect 3. In Pitch Perfect 3, Amy belongs to a rock band group and one thing that stands out is her hat that had been written “Make America eat again” and responds “If I joined your group, I could be Obesity.” The movies directors have often pointed out that the movie was not intended at shaming any one or making a joke out of it but rather it was to bring out a character Amy who is “badass” and confident about herself and one who realizes that there is nothing wrong with being fat as the society has made it. Although this is true, it is for a fact that what Amy often portrays on the screen is not always what goes on in the real world. For example, in very rare occasions will you find a fat person calling themselves “fat X” as fat Amy referred to herself. Some people however have applauded the movie as a great way to break barriers in the Hollywood world where most plus size girls and women do not get opportunity to premier on the screens unlike skinny girls.

There has been research that have been conducted on movie film scripts to identify movies that have contributed to offensive body humor images. Bill Murray who is a Hollywood actor has topped highest on the number of body shaming remarks that he has ever made. Weighing in on Movies was research that was conducted on 1223 film scripts and the result was comedy tipped the scale when it came to derogatory remarks on image and body weight. Comedies have most weight related mentions with 23.86 percent remarks. According to Sarah Silverman, most body related jokes made are at times made to overcome pain, most cases a fat kid makes a fat joke first. When people make fat jokes about themselves it is a defensive tactic thus it is sad when comedies and movies use these real scenarios that apply in people’s life for comedic effect. We may want to use political correctness to defend the body shaming humor but making jokes on people’s body is quite unfortunate. The pop culture is widely consumed even by children and young teenagers and the message that they get from the comedies or movies in Hollywood are often quite unrealistic. There are casting agencies that have often been pointed out for the type of body images or casting calls that they advertise out there at times these are roles that need to be played by background actors but if you look at the requirements, a person who may not fit in may feel heavily discouraged.

Although most body image jokes may be directed to fat people slim people are also attacked with certain jokes that may be quite offensive. This is often termed as skinny shaming as the jokes make skinny people uncomfortable in their own body. Skinny people have often wondered why skinny shaming is often given a pass than fat shaming. An example of a skinny joke that I found offensive was “You are so skinny, your mom actually enjoyed child birth”. This joke is wrong in all ways and offensive as it insinuates that the mother to this skinny person most likely did not have any labor pains or simply had it easy during child birth because of how tin he is. We all know child birth or labor pains no matter the weight of the baby when born is so painful. Secondly a person may be skinny as an adult but while young they were not skinny and the mother might have even developed complications during child birth. As stated earlier, an offensive humor will most likely be offensive unless it comes from someone close or someone wo you know are stating the joke but on a lighter one.

Body jokes are sensitive because of self-esteem issues. You may identify a fat or a skinny person who you may think that they are okay or rather confident enough in their body but this may not be the case. Many people struggle to accept how the feel about the way they look and as comedian it is wrong to use body humor and later state that it was only a joke yet it hit a nerve for some individuals. A comedian intention may not to hurt anybody feelings or cause harm, as eventually his goal is to make people laugh but these actions and words may affect a listener emotionally and psychologically leading to a lower self-esteem. In a family setting, at time you may find people teasing each other and these jokes may include body image jokes. The individual who the joke is intended to may laugh along to the joke but deep down may be uncomfortable. When you are around people chances are you may smile or laugh long to a joke even though it may have made you uncomfortable or nervous. It is therefore important to be mindful of the body image humor that we use or how we tend to tease people close to us.

Body jokes image also entail jokes on people’s skin color. Most jokes on skin color have often been seen to be racist (Rosenthal, pg. 126). Kevin art is one of the comedians that have made body jokes that were seen as offensive. In his twitter account, Kevin Hart wrote “Light-skinned women usually have better credit than a dark-skinned woman…Broke ass dark hoes…lol”. Many dark skinned women definitely found the joke to be extremely offensive. Most black women attacked Kevin Hart for this and termed the joke to be offensive. This aspect shows how most people are now standing up against jokes that they think are prejudiced. Trevor Noah is another comedian whose jokes have been found to be misogynistic, fat shaming, anti-Semitism as well as homophobic. He has often been criticized for making this jokes and over time it seems he has dropped them (McKinney).

Tannishtha Chatterjee was angered by the show Comedy Nights Bachao Taza who seemed very obsessed with her skin color. She pointed out that at no point should skin color ever be used as a source of jokes. Tannishtha had gone to the show to promote a movie that she had premiered on and had been told that the show would be like a roast that happens on American shows such as Saturday Night Live. Although she was ready for the roast, the only thing that the host focused on was her skin tone. Tannishtha pointed out that her anger was because skin color and tones is sensitive as we live in a generation where people of certain skin color and tone may not get job opportunities. Often dark skin girls have often felt as if they have been marginalized and thus making fun of ski tones is nowhere close to funny. Jokes that involve skin color may be an offence that someone may not take at a personal level but at a social level because of the many prejudice that is associated with skin color. We live in a society that has constantly pointed out how being dark skin is a short coming and thus it may be difficult to understand why people still want to continue making jokes that seem to mock certain individuals, devaluing their identity.

In conclusion, it is for a fact that there is a thin line between being funny and offensive. AS a comedian it is important to recognize that there are certain jokes may prove a stereotype or prejudice towards a certain group. It is important to keep in mind that there are certain ways that the society is set up and some jokes will be not funny as will be considered a way being used to target a certain group. It is high time we discuss the impact that body humor has without classifying every conversation as political correctness. Although most offensive humor is often not told to create prejudice, then it is most likely to cause a social impact as a releaser of prejudice.

Works Cited

Beard, Fred K. “Advertising and audience offense: The role of intentional humor.” Journal of marketing communications 14.1 (2008): 1-17.

Bemiller, Michelle L., and Rachel Zimmer Schneider. “It’s not just a joke.” Sociological Spectrum 30.4 (2010): 459-479.

Burmeister, Jacob M., and Robert A. Carels. “Weight-related humor in the media: Appreciation, distaste, and anti-fat attitudes.” Psychology of Popular Media Culture 3.4 (2014): 223.

Graefer, Anne, Allaina Kilby, and Inger-Lise Kalviknes Bore. “Unruly Women and Carnivalesque Countercontrol: Offensive Humor in Mediated Social Protest.” Journal of Communication Inquiry (2018): 0196859918800485.

Hall, Jeffrey A., and Ken Sereno. “Offensive jokes: How do they impact long-term relationships?” (2010): 351-373.

Lockyer, Sharon, and Michael Pickering, eds. Beyond a joke: The limits of humor. Springer, 2005.

Luellen, Morgan. “That’s Not Funny.” ENGL 4384: Senior Seminar Student Anthology. 2016.

McKinney, Kelsey. “The Line between Funny and Offensive Is Thin. Trevor Noah Is on the Wrong Side.” Vox.com, Vox Media, 31 Mar. 2015, www.vox.com/2015/3/31/8319065/trevor-noah-twitter-offensive-jokes.

Rosenthal, Angela, and David Bindman, eds. No Laughing Matter: Visual Humor in Ideas of Race, Nationality, and Ethnicity. Dartmouth College Press, 2015.

Smeltzer, Larry R., and Terry L. Leap. “An analysis of individual reactions to potentially offensive jokes in work settings.” Human Relations 41.4 (1988): 295-304.

Online Learning

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Online Learning

With the coronavirus pandemic spreading around the country, the majority of schools have shifted to online learning as a safety measure for both students and teachers. Everyone has been advised to stay home to avoid catching the highly contagious virus. Although many schools around the country have reopened for in-person learning, online classes have become the first choice for most others. The shift from in-person to online learning is both exciting and challenging. Students and teachers can stay safe at home while still catching up on their learning and teaching, but this requires many adjustments. For students, online learning, if not taken seriously, can turn into a web-surfing session where the student does what they want and ignores other requirements. Given the current situation, Ellen Laird’s article titled ‘I’m Your Teacher, Not Your Internet-Service Provider’ in the Chronicle of Higher Education website couldn’t be more relevant. In the article, Laird argues that students treat their online classes as the rest of the internet, expecting absolute freedom to do what they want and immediate responses to their needs.

Laird’s article summarizes some of the critical differences between in-person and online learning. One of these is the non-verbal cues that students and teachers both benefit from during in-person learning in the classroom. Laird says that in class, students can read her bearing; therefore, she does not need to share a lot of personal information. In the online courses, however, students cannot see their teacher face-to-face. Therefore, the instructor has to give detailed information about their availability or lack thereof. Laird also explains that online classes’ diversity can be challenging because students come from different backgrounds and situations, all of which affect their learning process and ability. Additionally, Laird is concerned about the students disregard for deadlines and consideration of reading materials with online learning. With in-person learning, students take things more seriously and will often dedicate enough time to their work, offering explanations for any missteps and challenges. The article is an honest review and analysis of students’ attitudes to online learning compared to in-person learning.

As an online student, I agree with Laird’s points. Taking classes online reduces the sense of urgency and seriousness of the class. For example, students do not have to get up early and show up for their classes. Physical class presence helps students take their work more seriously. Taking an online class also reduces the urgency to complete and submit assignments. Hearing a teacher remind me in person to present my work or inquire about my progress in class is motivation to do all my work in time or explain why I cannot. Laird also points out that online class forums lose their professionalism, and this is because students begin to treat them as a social platform rather than an academic one. Because students spend a lot of time interacting on social media, they forget that online class forums are not just any other webpage. Students tend to become overfamiliar with both each other and their instructor, which takes away from the seriousness of the class.

Laird’s argument that students treat their online class differently from a brick-and-mortar classroom is accurate with regard to deadlines. Laird writes, “Students in my traditional classes certainly miss deadlines. But they generally regard deadlines as real…..Not so with my online students.” (Laird 1) The main reason for this disregard for deadlines is the lack of urgency and seriousness within online classes that students expect to see in in-person learning. Pearl Jacobs carried out a study into the various challenges that come with online learning, and the findings support Laird’s arguments. Jacobs points out that interaction is essential for success in learning (Jacobs 3). Online classes do not have the same interaction level that would allow instructors to remind students of deadlines as in-person classes would. The minimal interaction in online classes creates a sense of laxity, which makes students disregard deadlines.

Students treat online and in-person classes differently with regard to their expectations of feedback. They expect their online instructors to respond to their questions and concerns immediately, just like a Google search would. However, the reality is that instructors need more time to respond to their students. Laird explains, “The speed of Internet transmission seduces them into seeking and expecting speed as an element of the course.” (Laird 1) These expectations from students are normal, given the quick results they are used to from the internet. Whenever one types in a query into their search engine, they get millions of results within seconds. They expect the same from their tutors, which is obviously impossible. Laird writes, “It takes me a long time to respond thoughtfully to students’ work, particularly their writing.” (Laird 1) With in-person learning, students would expect faster feedback. For example, students can ask questions during class time, which can be answered immediately, unlike online learning, where the instructor could find a large number of questions and concerns, which takes time to sort through.

Laird also explains that unlike in-person classes where students remain mostly formal, online classes tend to take on the over-familiarity that students are accustomed to when using the internet. Many students are used to spending a lot of time on social media and other online platforms where they interact informally, which lulls them into thinking that their online classes are a similar space. Laird explains that “The egalitarian atmosphere of the Internet chat room transfers rapidly and inappropriately to the online classroom” (Laird 1). This issue goes back to the idea of interaction that Jacobs analyzed. With in-person learning, Students see their professor’s authority from their interaction. As Laird says, seeing her graying hair and mode of dress would show her students that she is not a peer but an instructor (Laird 1). One-on-one interaction between instructors and students asserts authority, and lack of this interaction with online learning erodes the authority and respect accorded to the teachers.

Students also treat learning materials very differently in online learning compared to in-person classrooms. This applies to materials such as handouts ad textbooks. Online learning avails all the learning materials in electronic form, making it easy for students to click on a button and download what they need. However, many online students do not make use of such resources (De Paepe, et al. 130). As Laird highlights the difference with in-person learning, writing, “In traditional classrooms, students do not pick up or download only the handouts that appeal to them; most do not try to begin the semester’s final project without instruction in the material on which it is based.” (Laird 1) Online students in comparison, only make use of the materials which appeal to them, resulting in shallow learning and inability to complete their assignments as expected.

In conclusion, online learning is very different from the brick-and-mortar classroom. Although students are expected to put the same effort into their learning regardless of the instruction mode, this is rarely the case. Some of the significant differences between online and in-person learning arise with deadlines, learning materials, overfamiliarity, and unrealistic expectations. Before taking up online learning, both students and instructors need to be aware of the challenges that come with different modes of learning so that they can adapt accordingly. Works Cited

De Paepe, Liesbeth, Chang Zhu, and Koen Depryck. “Online language teaching: Teacher perceptions of effective communication tools, required skills and challenges of online teaching.” Journal of Interactive Learning Research 29.1 (2018): 129-142.

Jacobs, Pearl. “The challenges of online courses for the instructor.” Sacred Hear University. (August 2013). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=cj_facLaird, Elle. “I’m Your Teacher, Not Your Internet-Service Provider.” WebCT.3 January 2003. Retrieved from http://celt.cui.edu/celt/webct_for_instructors/Laird_Article.htm

Organ Donation

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Organ Donation

The sale of human organs is illegal across the world. There are many diseases that can be treated or even cured with organ transplants, but these donors need to be donated by willing donors. It is illegal to solicit organ donation using financial incentives for many reasons. There is a high demand for organs to be donated, but disproportionately fewer available donors. For example, in the United States, there are roughly 113 400 organs needed every day, but only 3,300 available donations. This situation creates a higher demand than supply, which promotes a market for organ sales. Many people who donate these organs are poor people, which means that financial incentives would encourage them to donate organs. To regulate the organ donation process, governments across the world have set up policies and laws on how donations are done. For example, most donors remain anonymous to avoid compensation. Parties such as transplant organizations match donors to recipients through an anonymous process. In other cases where donors find matches on their own, there must be proof that there are no incentives given to the donor. The sale of human organs should be illegal because it promotes human trafficking, black markets for organs, and it is also unethical.

Because of the high demand for human organs, legalizing the sale of the organs would encourage human trafficking. Many people who need organ transplants in developed countries travel to developing countries where the implementation of laws against organ sales is more relaxed. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 10000 kidneys are traded illegally from trafficked individuals every year (Caulfield et al 28). The main victims of human trafficking are poor and vulnerable populations that cannot protect themselves from traffickers. Although these numbers may seem few, examining them relative to wait times for organs gives a clearer picture. For example, waiting for a kidney in Canada can take any time between 4 to seven years. Waiting time in the United States averages 3.6 years. This dire situation encourages trafficking of organ donors from developing countries so that their organs can be harvested forcefully. The sale of human organs should be illegal because it puts vulnerable populations at risk of trafficking. Traffickers use various tactics to lure victims such as promises of employment and financial rewards.

The second reason why the sale of human organs should not be legal is that it encourages the creation of a black market for organs. Under laws that prohibit the sale of human organs, recipients have to rely on national transplant lists run by government organizations. If the sale of human organs were to be legalized, a black market for the organs would be created to meet the high demand for organs. Dealers in such organs would find organs through unscrupulous means, and they would find many desperate buyers. In such a market, organs would go to the highest bidder. According to Global Financial Integrity, the black market for human organs generates revenues of up to $1.7 billion annually, but the figures are likely to be much higher (Scheper 117). Faced with the prospect of high returns, organ dealers will have even more incentives to procure organs illegally. Legalizing the sale of human organs would allow these dealers to procure organs and sell them for very high prices.

Crime rates and exploitation of vulnerable people is another reason why the sale of human organs should not be legal. Kidnappings and murders would increase exponentially with the legalization of the sale of human organs. Some organs such as the heart and lungs are in high demand but can only be donated by recently deceased individuals. For this reason, it is challenging to find donors for these organs, and legalizing their sale would encourage illegal harvesting (Cohen 37). It is impossible to harvest a human heart without killing the owner, and such harvest would lead to many murders. Additionally, many vulnerable people would fall victim to forced abductions so that their organs can be harvested. Most donors come from poor and vulnerable backgrounds, and legalizing the sale of human organs would affect such populations disproportionately. Legalizing the sale of organs would offer financial incentives to poor people who need money for various reasons. Corrupt brokers, hospitals and physicians would take advantage of such people and exploit them. These corrupt parties pocket huge profits from the sale of organs while the donors are left with little money. Most of these donors are also gullible and illiterate; thus, they are more susceptible to deception. Those who do not understand the laws and donor contracts can easily be taken advantage of. Legalizing the sale of human organs thus paves the way for exploitation of vulnerable populations, and such situations should be avoided at all costs.

Selling human organs is unethical as it promotes the commercialization of vital organs. Renowned philosopher Immanuel Kant opposed the commercialization of human organs, explaining that people should always act in a manner to promote human dignity. Various ethicists and philosophers convened at a meeting organized by Harvard University to examine the ethics of selling human organs. The main ethical objection brought forward by philosopher Samuel Kerstein is that legalizing the sale of human organs robs donors, especially poor ones of their human dignity (Caulfield 42). This step labels human donors as tools that can be exploited at the right price and denies the inherent worth of a human being. No amount of money can be measured in value to a human organ; thus, the sale of such organs is unethical. Another reason why the sale of human organs should not be permitted ethically is that it inflicts physical and psychological harm on donors. For example, if a person is kidnapped and forced to donate their organs, the whole process could bring serious psychological damage to the person. Additionally, some donors may suffer physical damage as a result of their donations, such as infections from surgery. In case of future health problems, organ donations may prove detrimental to donors. An example of this is a person who donates a kidney, then later suffers from problems in their remaining kidneys.

Those in support of legalizing the sale of human organs argue that it would save many lives. Many people in dire need or organs die every day because they cannot access the organs that they need. In many countries like the United States, donors have to opt in for organ donation, which is a deterrent for many. Donors also have to prove that they do not receive any compensation for the organs they donate. The process of becoming an organ donor may be daunting for potential donors, and they end up not donating at all at the cost of thousands of lives each year. Legalizing the sale of human organs would be a great incentive for many donors as they would see that the process also benefits them (Calandrillo 69). People should be allowed to sell their organs legally because every person owns their body, and they can do whatever they want with their organs. If a person can safely donate their organs and live without them, then they might as well benefit from such a sale.

Another reason why the sale of human organs should be legal is that some other products of the human body such as semen, sperm and eggs are already legal; therefore there should be no discrimination on what a person can and cannot sell. An article appearing on CNN’s website explores the issue of financial compensation for bone marrow tissue. At the end of 2011, a US court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit made it legal for donors to receive payments for their bone marrow tissue, for 3,000 USD (Parker 1). Plaintiffs in the case argued that such financial incentives would increase the supply of life-saving tissue and save the lives of many patients who die needlessly each year. However, this ruling came with some provisions attached. For example, the bone marrow tissue must be extracted through a process called peripheral apheresis, where doctors harvest tissue from the blood rather than from the bone itself. This provision allows for the bone marrow tissue to be treated as fluid, which is legal to sell. This ruling shows that the country should take a similar path when it comes to other organs so that many more lives can be saved.

After examining both sides of the argument, it is clear that the sale of human organs should remain illegal. Legalizing such sales brings many problems and ethical concerns which mostly affect vulnerable donors. Governments should take charge of the organ donation process to maintain human dignity and promote transparency. Government regulation also keeps patients safe because all organs are screened and certified as safe for donation. Donor rights should also be protected as some unscrupulous parties can take advantage of vulnerable donors for their own benefit. Although financial incentives could increase the supply of valuable organs, the potential risks are far greater than the benefits and therefore, it should remain illegal. People should be encouraged to donate organs out of altruism rather than any financial benefits.

Works Cited

Calandrillo, Steve P. “Cash for Kidneys-Utilizing Incentives to End America’s Organ Shortage.” Geo. Mason L. Rev. 13 (2004): 69.

Caulfield, Timothy, et al. “Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal and the ethical and legal obligations of healthcare providers.” Transplantation direct 2.2 (2016).

Cohen, I. Glenn. “Can the government ban organ sale? Recent court challenges and the future of US law on selling human organs and other tissue.” American Journal of Transplantation 12.8 (2012): 1983-1987.

Park, Alice. “Should people be allowed to sell their organs?” CNN. 28 August 2012. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/03/health/allowed-sell-organs-time/index.htmlScheper-Hughes, Nancy. “Illegal organ trade: Global justice and the traffic in human organs.” Living donor organ transplants (2008): 106-21.

Parental Snooping

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Parental Snooping

Social media and digital technology have taken over the world of teenagers today. We live in a world where Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and the internet are the in thing. Anyone can access any information they want on the internet. This has brought a myriad of problems to parenthood. Many parents are baffled by the question of how far is too far when it comes to protecting your child privacy. Where do we draw the line between ensuring that our kids are safe and not crossing the line and invading their privacy?

To start with, parents should understand that there is a direct relationship between the amount of privacy that a child is allowed to have and how consistent, honest and responsible the child is. In order to understand how much privacy should be accorded to any child, parents need to grasp a clear understanding of how kids develop and how much privacy should be accorded at each particular stage of development.

When a child is young, there is a close bond between the child and the parent or the caregiver. Parents will feel the need to be close to their children and vice versa. They will want to cuddle and embrace each other for a better part of the day. Psychology describes this as ‘attachment parenting (Hawk, pg. 443-458). As the child grows and develops, a healthy and natural separation begins to occur. The child will become more sensitive to privacy issues. You will find that a child will start to close the bathroom door and will become embarrassed if someone comes in. The child will now prefer to spend more time with their peers playing and socialising. The line of separation becomes clearer and bolder when the child gets to adolescent.

During adolescents, the kid will feel the need to be recognised as an individual. At this stage kids want to be independent. At this point in life many parents will start to fight with their kids over the issue of independence and privacy. Parents need to know that it is necessary to accord the child the prerequisite amount of privacy but within set boundaries. Allow the kid to have their own room and to close the door when they want. This will allow the kid to have some alone time and learn to do things independently.

The term ‘spying’ comes in when a parent starts to go through the kid’s stuff. You will find some parents going through their kid’s phone, drawer, diary, closet and the backpack. The word spying is used here to denote a term that the modern day parent understands otherwise it has a negative connotation.

When it comes to the issue of protection and privacy, parents need to understand the personality of the kid they are dealing with. If you are dealing with a teenager who is obedient, respectful towards you and other people then accord that child the kind of respect that they deserve but within set boundaries since you are the parent and you don’t want to abandon your primary role of a parent. Caution should be taken since some teenagers are good at faking. They can pretend to be all good but in the real sense they are engaging in fishy business.

The game changes when you know you are dealing with an irresponsible and disobedient child. This is the kind of teenager who does not give you the respect you deserve. If you discover that your child is engaging in suspicious activities or you find anything incriminating against your child then you need to take the necessary action (Kerr, pg. 39-64). At this point, many parents find themselves in a dilemma. Parents often wonder how far is too far when it comes to the child’s right. The term ‘right’ has been overrated in this modern world. I believe that as long as the child is under your roof and you are paying the bills then you need to do your parental duties without hesitation. Instead of referring to the child’s right, it is better to talk about accountability and responsibility (Youn, pg. 362-388). If you have any suspicion as to whether your child is taking drugs or engaging in any risky behaviour, put the term privacy aside and go through anything and everything connected to that child.

Parents need to take the issue of privacy seriously. It is always good to monitor what the kid is doing but at the same time allow them some level of privacy. The required dose of privacy will help them gain independence and develop their characters and personalities as individuals. Parents are encouraged to actively monitor the activities of their child when using computers, phones, emails and messaging apps. Many children have fallen victims of cyber-bullying and other threats because of lack of guidance and online protection from their parents.

Communication is an important key in parenthood. Parents need to constantly communicate with their kids and spend adequate time with them. This will enable them develop a close relationship with their kids and they will get to learn of their behaviour. In case a child develops any queer behaviour then the parent will be able to pick it up and know how to deal with it. Every child has a right to privacy but it should be accorded within set boundaries that gives the child 100% protection and at the same time allows them to develop independence and their personal characters.

Work Cited

Hawk, Skyler T., Andrik Becht, and Susan Branje. ““Snooping” as a Distinct Parental Monitoring Strategy: Comparisons With Overt Solicitation and Control.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 26.3 (2016): 443-458.

Kerr, Margaret, Håkan Stattin, and William J. Burk. “A reinterpretation of parental monitoring in longitudinal perspective.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 20.1 (2010): 39-64.

Youn, Seounmi. “Parental influence and teens’ attitude toward online privacy protection.” Journal of Consumer Affairs 42.3 (2008): 362-388.

Reasons for Joining the Nursing Program

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Reasons for Joining the Nursing Program

I have chosen the nursing career because of the vast fulfillment and the challenge it offers. I regard nursing as a career that offers never-ending training due to the myriad of challenges that arise in the healthcare profession. From my personal and work experience, nursing offers immense fulfillment due to the core values it promotes in its practice: caring for the most vulnerable and for human life. Working at the Tower Health Reading Hospital and the Albright College Gable Health Center has exposed me to various professions in Health Care but I am convinced that Nursing is the career for me since it offers the highest level of human interaction. The nursing career is also one of the few careers that have perks such as providing an opportunity to make a real difference in the world, offers a work-life balance, job security, career diversity, flexibility, provides room to grow, and high salary packages. Therefore, nursing does not only resonate deeply with my own personal interests it also resonates with my career goals.

I believe I make a good fit for this Nursing Program because I am dedicated, hardworking, and passionate in all my endeavors. I also have solid communication and interpersonal skills and I am highly empathetic. I have a keen sense of detail and not to mention, some experience in Public Health. With time and experience, I have learned to work well under stress and pressure and to be flexible. My GPA is also commendable. However, I do not attribute my academic success to grade-fixation or innate intelligence, but to the fact that I believe in hard work and that I enjoy new learning experiences that come my way.