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Introduction (13)

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Introduction

Since its emergence in October 2018, the novel coronavirus pandemic has brought sweeping disruptions and changes in nearly all aspects of daily life. People are overwhelmed with anxiety following the mandates and guidelines that keep changing from time to time. Empathy is described as an act of being aware of, understanding, and being sensitive to other people’s experiences, feelings, and thoughts without their direct communication (Dolamore, 10). As such, we need to practice empathy at this time, not only because of our sakes but also for the sake of the people around us. Depending on the nature of the disease at hand, how empathy is employed differs for each illness. Undoubtedly, the empathetical behavior of human beings has significantly changed in the face of covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of this essay is to explore how empathy has impacted our response to covid-19 pandemic.

Staying Connected

Observing empathetical behavior in the wake of the highly contagious covid-19 is necessary as it helps the patients feel less lonely and more connected. Moreover, it increases the possibility of people reaching out to others whenever they need help. During this time, people must take measures that include self-isolation, quarantine, and social distancing to reduce community spread. While these measures encourage people to focus solely on themselves and turn inward and focus on their family, research suggests that caring for other people is one of the best strategies for fighting feelings of isolation. Showing empathy and partaking in actions to help other people, whether it is writing a note to a friend who is in isolation or giving them donations, can go a long way in increasing our social connectedness. As such, however much we may be striving to keep physical distance from other people to curb the spread of the virus, it does not necessarily mean we have to be emotionally distant. Showing concern to the people one cares about and staying connected to them is equally important.

Maintaining Normalcy for Ailing Patients.

Covid-19 pandemic brought feelings of anger, frustration, fear, panic and confusion and ailing patients within hospitals have encountered these emotions in addition to the pain of the disease. Our lives have been changed in a way we have never imagined or anticipated. Putting ourselves in the shoes of patients and imagining their emotional and physical needs helps us manage the situation better. Nurses and medical practitioners can show empathy to patients by merely showing up to serve them whenever they need help. The pandemic has left many people hospitalized and in need of urgent treatment for pre-existing conditions while others are in dire need of oxygen (Gambin, 29). By simply showing up to serve them in their hour of need, nurses ease their fears and provide a sense of normalcy. As much as life was disrupted, supporting the patients provides them with a sense of stability. Notably, acknowledging the emotions of patients does not necessarily entail matching their emotions. When we greet patients who are angry and frustrated with a warm smile or a saying hello helps lift their spirits. Social distancing does not necessarily have to translate to emotional disconnection.

Moreover, people have begun to understand that the current circumstances do not limit our ability to become better at what we do. We must and should continue being aware of our surroundings. Nurses and doctors who are at the frontline of battling this pandemic should be able to see the waiting rooms through their patients’ eyes. They should ask themselves if the rooms are welcoming and clean as little details are bound to make a huge difference. Additionally, the hospital environment should be distracting enough to enable the patients to switch their mindsets to something more positive. The elderly who remain to be most vulnerable in the face of the pandemic feel lonely and isolated. As such, there is a need to keep reassuring them about taking care of themselves and lending them a listening year. This makes a lot of difference. We always meet patients while they are at their most vulnerable point and the best way of preparing for their physical and emotional needs is by adopting a proactive approach. This requires asking for resources needed by patients and being their hero and courageous advocate.

Self-Care

Worth noting, we must recognize that being a hero is a very exhausting task that strains a person mentally, physically and emotionally. It is for this reason that self-care is extremely important. By taking care of ourselves, we are better placed to take care of the people around us, including families, friends, and co-workers. When a person is not at their best, providing people with exceptional experience can be extremely difficult. As such, it is important to take time to practice self-awareness. One can do so by taking breaks and stepping away from social media and news. Unplugging is vital for a person as it allows them time to emotionally recharge and resting their mind. Self acre makes a person more aware of their surroundings. This way, they remember to keep the people around them safe by wearing masks, especially around vulnerable groups who are the elderly.

Helping Others

Amid the current pandemic, how different people observe empathy has changed. The pandemic has taught us that we might be of different race, religion, economic status nut when it comes to the vulnerability to the disease, everybody is susceptible (Rauhaus, Deborah and Andrew 670). Additionally, we have learned about the interconnectedness of the healthcare systems in various regions across the world. In the midst of everything, we can observe empathy by simply helping others. Everybody is overwhelmed, and being helpful to other people can make all the difference as it provides a sense of empowerment and control. One way people have been employing empathy is by simply staying home and observing the World Health Organization guidelines. Additionally, avoiding gatherings, wearing masks and practicing social distance has become a norm. Notably, people who are in good financial positions should look for ways to support the people who might be struggling. Another strategy would be offering to help neighbours who cannot leave home to get grocery supplies, household items or pick up their online deliveries. Empathy can also be employed by donating non-perishable goods and avoiding panic buying to allow other people to access what they need. Putting together rescue packages for elderly neighbours, healthcare workers at the frontline in the fight against the pandemic and people who lost their jobs can also go a long way in the response against covid-19.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, the covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the lives of many people across the world since its emergence. It left many people without jobs and economies were affected in equal measure. In response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, guidelines from health experts require people to stay home as much as possible, wear protective gear whenever they go outside and practice social distance. Empathy is all about putting yourself in the shoes of a patient battling the disease without them having to ask. By being empathetical, the management of the impact of the disease has been made easier. By merely engaging patients with a smile on our faces and being there when they need her, we give them hope for normalcy for the future. We can also employ empathy by taking care of ourselves so that we can also take care of other people in the best way we know how to.

References

Dolamore, Stephanie, et al. “The role of empathy in organizational communication during times of crisis.” Administrative Theory & Praxis (2020): 1-10.

Gambin, Małgorzata, et al. “Factors related to positive experiences in parent-child relationship during the COVID-19 lockdown. The role of empathy, emotion regulation, parenting self-efficacy and social support.” (2020).

Rauhaus, Beth M., Deborah Sibila, and Andrew F. Johnson. “Addressing the increase of domestic violence and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic: A need for empathy, care, and social equity in collaborative planning and responses.” The American Review of Public Administration 50.6-7 (2020): 668-674.

Vaping Juul Related Illness

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Vaping: Juul Related Illness

In today’s day and age, teens around the world are more hooked than ever on nicotine. The reasons for this, are either because kids are trying to fit in with classmates in the popular demand for a flavored buzz, or because you fell for the false advertising of Jull’s slogan “safe alternative to smoking”, either way healthy people in their teens are getting sick and/or dying because of lung failure. The community has often for years preached on how smoking is harmful especially to the lung, but there is a new wave of smoking, one that uses vapes and nicotine that are flavored. People believe that vapes may be more harmful than the cigarettes but fail to look at the bigger picture which is that vapes too contain nicotine. The problem of Juul related illnesses will be solved by educating students in school, raising the tax on nicotine, having better parental guidance, or by having stricter regulations through the FDA.   

There has been a surge on the number of people who have ended up hospitalized due to lung related problems. Medical officers have raised concern that the high number of death is because of the increase in the number of people who are using vapes. When e-cigarettes were introduced into the market, the manufacturers dabbed them as a safer option as compared to the cigarettes which had tobacco (Andrews). Juul Labs created a USB-size vaporizer and became a leading manufacturer as well as distributor of the e-cigarettes. The result of this creation was an increase in the number of teenagers who previously had used fewer tobacco products. In 2016, FDA made a rule to regulate the e-cigarettes as part of tobacco products creating a question on how safe vapes really were.

2019 was the year that real discussions on the effect of vapes took place. On November 22, 2019 president Trump held a discussion with relevant stakeholders on the increase in number of vape related cases as it was at 47. CDC has also pointed out that there have been 2290 cases of lung related damage by the vapes. With the national death toll rising the CDC is very quick to make an announcement stating that if you are afraid of these health repercussions then you should refrain from using any electronic cigarettes until further notice. Unsurprisingly, the news of these deaths has spread at startling speed, and people are scared (Carlos, pg. 13-14). A “mystery illness” is killing vapes, striking down young, otherwise-healthy people who see a rapid decline in their health, difficulty breathing, coughing, chest pain and more, with 6 of the 380-plus cases so resulting in death. This calls need to identify solutions that will help in tackling the issue of vape related illness as outlined below

Educating students through school could prevent addiction to the Juul, and the illnesses that can come with it. Schools have a responsibility to teach children healthy habits. The average kid spends 7.17 hours a day in school. During this time period, kids are taking every opportunity to Juul. The habit has become so bad that schools are having to add vape detectors and are going as far as taking off restroom doors in hopes of preventing the use of vapes in schools. With young teens who are under the impression that they have to fit in, it would be easy to be peer pressured into something that seems so harmless, and enjoyable without being educated about the long term effects (Barlie). Juul strives to appeal the younger generation so that they become lifelong loyal customers. They do this by using peer pressure tactics, like using the cool kid and colorful ads. One ad “features youthful models wearing crop tops and ripped jeans, flirting with the camera as they flaunted their Juul’s” to persuade teens that even the cool models are doing it. With kids spending the bulk of their day at school, this time could be used to educate kids on the effects of Juul, so that they don’t fall for the misleading advertisements that their peers are falling for. This being said, educating students through school, could prevent future addiction that could lead to illness, by informing kids before they are peer pressured by classmates.   

  

Raising the tax on nicotine could put a stop to a rising health problem for the future generation. Most teens wouldn’t be able to pay for the devices if the prices went up. “The tax policies that work in Sweden – raise taxes on the killer product while lowering them on the harm reduction products”. This could lead to not doing it all or just switching to a nicotine patch so that it would be easier to kick the Juul. Raising the tax on nicotine will discourage buyers because they will realize it is not worth the money. “Some young people have resorted to stealing from their parents or selling Juul paraphernalia to support their habits, addiction treatment specialists said”. Some pediatrician has even reported seeing “teens who behave less like tobaccos users and more like patients with substance-abuse disorders”. Although raising the tax on nicotine won’t put a stop to Juul related illnesses, it will slow down the epidemic and save a lot of young teen’s lives (Manolis, pg. 67-70).     

Having better parental guidance could install better judgment into kids so that they never get hooked.  Although the Juul is so new to society, many parents are not provided information about Juul and the health risk they bring. For instance, “one Juul pod delivers the same amount of nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes”. This being said if you vape one pod a day for a week, like four million American teens said they did then you would be smoking 140 cigarettes a week. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day carries a 40 to 50 percent of the risk for coronary heart disease or a stroke. Another reason would be because parents have a big role in teaching the kids right from wrong. If parents get ahead of the epidemic they could save their kid’s lungs. It would even be more effective if as a parent they aren’t previous smokers because their kids are less likely to turn to Juul and this will keep them from catching Diseases. In conclusion, as more and more teens are getting sick from the Juul it only seems right that there should be more parental guidance so that these teens are guided in the right direction and not down the road of regrets.  

Having harder regulations through the FDA could fix the mass numbers of juul related illnesses that are growing and growing every day. Most teens believe Juul are a safe alternative to smoking because that’s what they were told. Although “Vaping – linked illnesses have put healthy people in the hospital with serious lung diseases; The latest federal data shows that they’re more than 2000 cases across every state but Alaska connected to the jewel. With over 2000 open cases over every state with Alaska, they should push the FDA to put an end to this before it’s too late for the future generation. Juul should also be banned for not following FDA regulations. One student testified before Congress in July that Angel representative visited his ninth-grade classroom in 2017 and told the students that the Juul didn’t want them as customers it’s product was totally safe and harmless. These false claims should be taken very seriously by the FDA for this being the reason they’re young teens that should be at the healthiest point in their lives there now getting double lung replacements (Farrimond, pg. 81-90).

There should also be more research done on the products being used in creation of the vapes. CDC recently reported that the vitamin E acetate being used in the vapes may likely to have contributed to the lung related issues. According to a test conducted on the lung fluid that was obtained from 29 patients, it was evident that vitamin E acetate was present. Vitamin E acetate is an addictive component as some THC products have it. The lack of evidence on what is really contained in these vapes that is really causing the illnesses has remained a mystery. Department of Health as well as the Liquor and Cannabis boards as asked the processing companies not to sell products with vitamin E acetate until a conclusive agreement is arrived at. New York attorney general Letitia James has also sued Juul Labs for using deceptive methods in marketing their products to minors yet the product is not completely safe for use. By glamourizing vaping through its marketing, Juul Labs is attracting more customers to use their products that are not completely safe.

In conclusion, the FDA should penalize or even band for all the false advertising has lied to over 2000 nationwide Juul related illnesses in almost every state. It is crystal clear that vaping s no longer a safer option to use as compared to nicotine smoking. Although measures should be taken to ban the use of e-cigarettes, it is for a fact that more research needs to be done on what is really causing this mystery illness as many do not seem to understand it.

Works Cited

Andrews, Travis. “CDC: Roughly Tenfold Increase in Use of e-Cigarettes by Teens in Just 4 Years.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 30 Apr. 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/15/cdc-report-roughly-tenfold-increase-in-use-of-e-cigarettes-by-high-school-and-middle-school-students-in-just-4-years/.

Barlie, Nancy M. “How to Deal with Kids Vaping and the E-Cigarette Epidemic.” Hey Teach!, 6 Nov. 2018, https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/how-deal-kids-vaping-and-e-cigarette-epidemic1811.html.

Carlos, W. Graham, et al. “Vaping-associated pulmonary illness (VAPI).” American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 200.7 (2019): P13-P14.

Farrimond, Hannah. “A typology of vaping: Identifying differing beliefs, motivations for use, identity and political interest amongst e-cigarette users.” International Journal of Drug Policy 48 (2017): 81-90.

Manolis, Antonis S., and Theodora A. Manolis. “Vaping and Puffing: Know your Risks/Your Life is in Danger.” Rhythmos 14.4 (2019): 67-70.

Theories of public administration

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Theories of public administration

The chapters from the textbook Theories of public administration has over the development of editions been able to advance the pivotal themes offering significant enhancements and additions to the public administration. They help us get insights into the mapping of approaches to public administration through how one can acquire knowledge, the different approaches that can be applied and constraints associated. The book also shows the intellectual heritage whose contents are developed and influenced by great socialists.

(a)Why is Dwight Waldo appraisal of the importance of public organizations in our daily lives even more relevant today than it was written over fifty years ago? (P.1)

In 1955, Waldo was particularly an influencer of public administration as his ideologies helped in shaping the politics and public administration. With a focus on the first decades of his writings on the field of public administration, waldo mentioned of how the welfare, happiness and lives of people significantly rested on the performance of administrative mechanisms that surrounded and supported the people. Appraisal of public organizations is important according to waldo as the administration is everyone’s concern and those who would wish to survive, would be intelligent about it. On the years of development and his writings, the administration was not that broad and few people were in control making the basic administration decisions with purity mechanisms in place. The appraisal is more relevant in our contemporary life as there is population growth with the federal government employing over 20 million people. Different state departments need the administration of purity control mechanisms as our lives to depend on the wisdom of the officials in these government departments, from security, health to food sustainability. The administration is everyone’s responsibility, Waldo’s appraisal for public organizations to develop a purity mechanism as people’s welfare, happiness and lives depend on decisions made in these organizations was a future reflection of government components becoming a great interpreter. The reflecti0on on past and future public administrative prospects, Waldos ideas, concepts and questions may be instructive and relevant as his approaches to public administration ensured the understanding of many relevant questions and in ways devised solutions for them. In matters of governing the current structure of government, we better be intelligent about it. It is often the decisions of the head of state that may spark a war or the ethical mechanisms of organizations that will ensure production of good medicines for the better health of the people.

(b)What does Chester Barnard point out in terms of the importance of public organizations? (P.1)

Chester Barnard in terms of the importance of public organizations points out the essence of maintaining quality organizational life. Even though organizations and bureaucracy are viewed as impersonal mechanisms, Barnard views them as actions of individuals that constitute these organizations and their developed mechanisms. He points out that public organizations are important since they represent a series of human events referring to these organization being formed by informal groups. Thus, rather than being viewed as impersonal mechanisms they are very much personal. Public bureaucracy is important in public organizations as behind these mechanisms are a chain of human events with the understanding that shapes the everyday behavior of humans. Public organizations help in shaping the personal world of individuals with roles such as shaping behaviour as these organizations are products of human actions. The quality of organizational life helps in viewing public organizations in different perspectives. The understanding of public organization is essential as contrary to many people believe, despite the perspective that bureaucracy is routine to appear uncaring or even cruel many Americans have a low opinion on bureaucracy. Understanding bureaucracy and people in it one will learn that it is a very personal space such that the people in it experience pain, disappointments and joy. Despite it being considered as another government job, the players actually seek to deal with complex issues they face and make ends. Public organizations employees should consider it as a chance to participate in solving the difficult problems the public faces. People should view the public servants as full humans rather than instruments of developing policies. Thus, ensuring that the common goal of the organization is achieved and everyone is made aware of the organizational purpose.

(c)How does Chester Barnard define organization (P.17)

Chester Barnard believed that organizations were made from informal groups that embraced the notion of an organization to work on their objectives and goals timely and effectively. In regard to the public administration theorists who have focused on large and complex organizations structures, the definition of an organization has been based around the traditional bureaucracy structures thus the general definition whereby organizations are considered to be a group of people who often come together in an effort to accomplish a similar goal. Chester Barnard, however, defines an organization as “a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces of two or more persons”. This definition by Chester suggests that people should not focus on the formal mechanisms of organizations but rather emphasize on coordinated activities with similar objects to accomplish.

(d) What did Max Weber argue about Ideal Bureaucracy and what three” pure types” of legitimate authority did Weber identify? (P.31-32)

Max Weber a sociologist who was interested in how interacting subjects had constituted structures of meaning guiding future action. In an effort of seeking to understand aspects that seem ordinary in our lives developing a theoretical framework to understand what’s unique. This notion created the ideal type of way that Weber argues as a way of formulating social understanding. According to him an analysis of the impact of social events on humans is necessary. According to him the ideal type should not be the normal sense that is desirable hence should be pursued but rather it should be an abstraction and elaboration of certain elements whose combination had a special cultural significance. The types of legitimate accepted power that weber identified were;

1.The legal authority that is based on the belief that authority is made legitimate by laws, rules and regulations whereby power is vested through a system rather than a person who implements it. 2. The traditional authority that was based on beliefs and convictions of how important it is to endure traditions and those who rule within such traditions. It is accepted as legitimate since it has been in existence for a very long time 3. The charismatic authority that is based on emotions and attachments towards a specific person. This kind of power is accepted since it is attributed to a leader’s personal qualities.

Video Games

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Why Video Games are Beneficial

Introduction

The debate about whether playing video games are beneficial or detrimental has been there for a long time since the days of Space Invaders and Pong. It is rather unfortunate that most people assume that video games are behind many physical and mental problems despite lacking scientific evidence to back the claims. As some people say, it is human nature to put blame on something whenever a problem arises, and video games are an easy target. As technology continues advancing, game developers have started creating more fresh content and every day, there seem to be new video games emerging. The positive effects associated with playing video games are numerous and they encourage people to keep playing video games. On the contrary, people who do not enjoy playing video games argue that they make people lazy and ruin their social lives. This essay delves into the benefits of video games, including improved vision, better problem-solving skills, improved mood, improved manual dexterity, and enhanced physical fitness.

Improved Vision

One of the reasons why playing video games is beneficial is that it helps in boosting vision. As long as a person does not sit two feet away from the screen for a prolonged time, like 10 hours, playing video games actually helps in improving vision (Gupta, 9). In a recent study, ten male students who were not gamers and ten male gamers were trained in first-person action games for 30 hours, and results compared. The outcome was that students that played video games were better placed to view objects in cluttered spaces more clearly than those who were not gamers. The student gamers had better spatial resolution. The explanation is that student gamers managed to train their brain cells to see even the smallest details because the details turned out to be important for completing each game.

Better Problem-Solving Skills

Another benefit of video games is that they contribute to better problem-solving skills. Mission-based, multi-level, and open-world games are developed to look like complex puzzles, which at times take hours to solve. Sometimes, the solution is based on the person’s actions playing the game. The experience makes players learn how to think on their feet and come up with strategies in a fast-paced environment. Such skills can be beneficial if translated into real-life situations. According to a 2013 long-term study, children that play strategy-based video games tend to show improvements in skills relating to solving problems which makes them score better games in their academics (Halbrook, Aisling, O’Donnell, & Rachel, 1097). As such, parents should encourage their children to play video games to help them become better problem solvers.

Improved Manual Dexterity

Another benefit of video games is that they boost a person’s ability to complete tasks with their hands. Particularly computer-based games are helpful when it comes to improving the dexterity of the hands. According to research involving a group of surgeons, those who played video games were found to perform advanced procedures faster than surgeons who did not. Further, the research found that the doctors who played video games committed fewer mistakes by 37% than those who did not. Special video games are also used during physical therapy to assist victims in gaining control of their wrists and hands.

Improved Mood

Playing video games helps in boosting mood. Video games are a good way to unwind and relax. According to a 2013 study conducted by the American Psychological Association, simple and short video games such as angry birds helps make people feel happier and boost their mood (Kyriazis and Elisavet, 23). Video games are deeply immersive and complex and can be rather therapeutic for the layers. When playing video games, the player tends to be fully riveted in digital work. For a moment, they do not have to worry about life pressures such as paying bills or going to work. Playing video games is an ideal way of giving the brain a break from usual the stress and anxiety of day-to-day life.

Physical Fitness

Video games also contribute to the physical fitness of the player. While the positive effect has little to do with the brain, it is an important benefit that is worth mentioning. With the surfacing of various fitness games, working out is getting easy while at the same time one is playing a video game. Video games such as Dance Revolution and Wiifit need the participant to get up and stay active. Such video games are of benefit to the players’ health and are a good way of breaking a sweat without necessarily going to the gym. The most dominant significance of video games that are exercise-focused is that they change how people think about staying active. Such fitness games are a fun way of exercising, and they provide an easy way of staying in shape.

Counterargument and Refutation

Video Games Make People Lazy and Impact Social Life

People who oppose playing video games say that they make people lazy and negatively impact their social lives. This issue has been debated widely, and naysayers insist that they lead to isolation and poor social skills. While it is true that excessive playing of video games may lead to negative social impacts, playing video games moderately helps in reducing anxiety and improving social skills. Players tend to take on imaginary personas, albeit in a virtual setting, when playing video games. They are free to try out social interactions that teach them excellent social behavior skills. Video gamers who struggle with anxiety in social settings are free and comfortable to practice social interactions when playing video games without worrying about the consequences in real life. Such video players are confident when they interact with other people in the actual world. Essentially, video games provide the perfect social settings for gamers. Moreover, 70% of people that play video games often play them with a friend. Moreover, the video game community is huge. With the presence of modern technology, video players have a way to interact with millions of people across the world simultaneously (Wang, Laramie, and Qiusi, 4075). Being part of virtual worlds for players encourages cooperation and communication, translating into real-life interactions. As such, playing video games is not as detrimental as most people paint it to be.

Conclusion

In closing, playing video games is beneficial as it contributes to improved vision and better problem-solving skills. Playing video games also boosts the players’ manual dexterity, improves their mood, and boosts physical fitness. While naysayers posit that excessive playing of video games renders them lazy and negatively impacts their social life, playing video games in moderation has been found to reduce anxiety and improve social skills. Considering the various benefits of playing video games, it is only right that parents encourage their children to play video games but in moderation. Parents should monitor the number of hours their children spend playing video games to ensure that it does not interfere with their productivity or social Life.

Works Cited

Gupta, Arnav, et al. “Can video games enhance surgical skills acquisition for medical students? A systematic review.” Surgery (2021).

Halbrook, Yemaya J., Aisling T. O’Donnell, and Rachel M. Msetfi. “When and how video games can be good: A review of the positive effects of video games on well-being.” Perspectives on Psychological Science 14.6 (2019): 1096-1104.

Kyriazis, Marios, and Elisavet Kiourti. “Video games and other online activities may improve health in ageing.” Frontiers in medicine 5 (2018): 8.

Wang, Bingqing, Laramie Taylor, and Qiusi Sun. “Families that play together stay together: Investigating family bonding through video games.” New Media & Society 20.11 (2018): 4074-4094.

Snow by Julia Alvarez

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Week 2-Snow by Julia Alvarez

Snow by Julia Alvarez

The main idea of Snow by Julia Alvarez is that human beings tend to easily get caught up in the issues that are going on in society that they forget about the little things that matter the most. The story is about a young girl who has immigrated to New York. In school, the teachers are always teaching them about the way set to take place against communists. The first time Yolanda sees snow, she thinks it is a bomb. The audience of this article is teachers, parents, and young children. The text aims to show that children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood and that irrespective of background, everybody is equal and unique. The article indicates that there is a possibility that Julia went through similar experiences as Yolanda growing up. She was probably misunderstood because of her background and, as a result, treated unequally. Education plays an important role in language because children learn new things if they are taught by other people or as a result of interactions with new knowledge. Language is the means by which people acquire new knowledge and, by extension, get educated.

Comparing Mother Tongue and Snow

From the articles Snow and Mother Tongue, I have gathered that both authors encountered differential treatment because of their background and the languages they spoke. Both authors are non-English native speakers and immigrated to a new environment at a young age. They struggled to get acceptance in their societies because they could not speak English properly because of mother-tongue interference. Their families were also instrumental in shaping their languages. Education helps improve language because as one gets educated, their vocabulary gets better (Tongue, 291). It is rare to find an educated person speaking broken English. In most cases, educated people have a great mastery of the English language. Although they might have an accent, it does not hinder them from communicating effectively.

About Julia Alvares’ and my Tan’s Professional Work

Born in 1950 in New York, Julia Alvarez’s parents went back to their native country, the Dominican Republic, shortly after her birth. However after ten years, they went back to the United States. Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American essayist, poet, and novelist. She rose to fame with the novels Yo (1997), In the Time of Butterflies (1994), and How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents (1991). Alvarez has authored other novels, including Saving the World, The Other side, Homecoming and nonfiction books like A Wedding in Haiti and Something to Declare. Alvarez has won numerous awards include the National Medal of Arts from President Obama in 2013, the Hispanic Heritage Award, and the Pura Belpre awards. Amy Tan is a Chinese American novelist and writer. She has published a collection of children’s stories known as The Moon Lady (1992), The Opposite of Fate (2004) and The Chinese Siamese Cat (1994), which has since been converted to a television series. Any Tan has won many awards, including the Commonwealth Gold Award and nominated for the International Orange Award and the National Book Award.

Quotations

Quote 1: Alvarez writes, “As the only immigrant in my class, I was put in a special seat in the first row by the window, apart from the other children so that Sister Zoe could tutor me without disturbing them”( Alvarez, 21).

Paraphrase: Alvarez explained that being the only immigrant in the class, Sister Zoe strategically positioned her in the first row by the window so that she could tutor her separately without disturbing the rest of the class

Explanation: Here, Alvarez is trying to show the unequal treatment she received in school. Because she could not speak in proper English, the teachers took extra time with her to tutor her and help her improve her language, including pronunciation.

Quote 2: Alvarez writes, “But then Sister Zoe’s shocked look faded. ‘Why, Yolanda dear, that’s snow!’ she laughed.”

Paraphrase: The author explained that Sister Zoe was amused when she saw that Yolanda was referring to snow as a bomb

Explanation: Alvarez tries to show how as a child, Yolanda has been socialized to only think about the war from what Sister Zoe had taught them in class. As an immigrant, it was the first time Yolanda saw snow, and she thought it was a bomb. This shows the extent to which Yolanda was not aware of her immediate environment.

Works Cited

Alvarez, Julia. “Snow.” Northwest Review 22.1 (1984): 21.

Tongue, Mother. “Amy Tan.” The World is a Text: Writing, Reading, and Thinking about Culture and Its Contexts (2003): 291.

Visualizing the $94 Trillion World Economy in One Chart

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Visualizing the $94 Trillion World Economy in One Chart

The article notes that only four countries, including the U.S., Japan, Germany and China make up more than half of the global economic output through gross domestic product using nominal terms. As a matter of fact, USA’s gross domestic product alone is more than that of 170 countries combined. The article notes that GDP functions as a broad indicator of the economic output for a given country. It evaluates the total market value for final services and products that are produced in a given time frame, such as a year or quarter. The article notes that when the DGP of a given country increases, it indicates greater economic activity which benefits businesses and workers.

The article notes that the United States GDP accounts for more than 25% of the global economy, which has changed drastically over the past 60 years. The insurance, real estate, and finance sectors add the most to the US economy, followed by business and professional services and government. China which has the second largest GDP of around $17 trillion remains to be the biggest manufacturer globally according to output on extensive production of electronics, steel and robotics. Germany is the biggest economy in Europe and export about 20% of global motor cars. The article also mentions the smallest economies by GDP in the world including island and developing nations. Tuvalu, with a $70 million GDP, is the smallest in the world. It is located between Australia and Hawaii. Additionally, Tuvalu earns considerable revenue from its web domain “.tv”. Tuvalu earned $5 million annually between 2011 and 2019 from companies including Twitch which Amazon owns in licensing Twitch.tv domain name, which accounts for equivalently 7% of the GDP. The article also talks about countries with the fastest-growing economies, including Libya, Macao, Guyana, Ireland, Maldives, Panama, Peru, Chile, Aruba, and the Dominican Republic. Libya is at the top of the list, with a projected economy of 123%.

Culture, Race and Ethnicity

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Culture, Race and Ethnicity

Introduction

Diversity at the work place is an emerging social ideology that has various implications on organizational management. Recent trends ascertain that the US population is increasingly becoming diversified along racial, ethnic and cultural domains. The inherent differences have a wide range of benefits as well as challenges. If incorporated in a workplace, ethnic, racial and cultural diversity enable the respective organization to address the relative challenges with ease. In order to enhance executive functioning, public agencies such as the police department are being challenged to make this aspect a mainstream factor.

This would enable them to identify relative challenges and address the same accordingly. This is critical for empowering them to attain their fundamental goals and objectives of maintaining law and order, protecting the populations and enforcing justice. It is against this background that this paper provides an intrinsic analysis of three challenges that these personnel experience when executing duties to diverse populations. Moreover, it underscores possible solutions that are instrumental in curbing the challenges.

The US census bureau cites that there are thirteen racial classifications in America. Within these, there are various cultures or social groups that share common beliefs, traits as well as values. Further, they have different ethnicities that constitute subgroups of the various cultures. Adams (2006) indicates that the law enforcement agencies recently employed numerous personnel to deal with the unique needs of these populations. Nevertheless, the police continue to face various challenges that compromise their ability to deal with the inherent concerns effectively.

The first challenge that the police continue to grapple with is the inability to incorporate diversity at the work place. In this respect, Hess and Christine (2009) assert that a significant percentage of the police departments across the nation do not have sufficient representation of the persons from diverse populations. Just like other professions, the police department has a predominant White workforce. This has been particularly challenging for the departments that are located in states that have a high representation of diverse populations.

The inability to reflect the racial, cultural and ethnic diversity of the population has culminated in feelings of discrimination, distrust and isolation by the locals. At this juncture, it should be appreciated that communities are important in assisting the police with investigations. Thus this has undermined the ability of the police to carry out operations effectively. To counter this, the respective authorities need to hire personnel from diverse populations and empower them accordingly through training and promotions.

Language barrier is another challenge that the police struggle with during the execution of duties in diverse populations. The inability to understand the language of the natives makes it difficult for the police to carry out investigations in an effective and timely manner. In this regard, Shusta, Deena and Herbert (2007) argue that this affects the accuracy of the information as the police officers are forced to seek for interpreters. In addition, it compromises the safety of the officers as the offenders can easily plot to harm them or and escape in their presence and without their knowledge.

Of great concern is the fact that failure to understand the language of the population has the capacity to exacerbate the conditions of the crime. The most viable counter measure in this respect is to incorporate multicultural studies and bilingualism in police training. This would enable them to deal with the diverse populations effectively and without infringing on their cultural and ethnic rights. Short term solution to this includes hiring of a staff that is competent in multilingualism.

Further complexities stem from the sensitive issue of racial profiling. Shusta et al (2007) cites that even when used unconsciously, racial profiling triggers feelings of distrust in the operations of the police as it is considered a form of discrimination. Practical strategies that have been adopted to address this include the banning of racially generated information in profiling. In addition, Adams (2006) asserts that use of dialogues in problem resolution as opposed to use of argument can be rewarding. Social studies also posit that the police should partner with civil society organizations as well as other non profit oriented organizations to address racial profiling. This would be instrumental in enhancing objectivity when dealing with diverse populations.

Conclusion

The increase in the racial, ethnic and cultural diversity in the work place has generated various challenges to respective organizations. Public and private organizations are expected to address these issues in order for them to be able to operate in an executive manner. Failure to mainstream these concerns culminates in social conflicts that threaten the harmonic living. Indeed, it can not be disputed that the inability to incorporate diversity at the work place, language problems and racial profiling undermine effective functioning of the police. Effective counter measures include hiring of multilingual staff, incorporation of cultural studies during training and banning of racial profiling. Employment of independent bodies such as the civil society and the non profit making organizations when dealing with racial issues is also desirable.

References

Adams, F. (2006). Police Field Operations. USA: Prentice Hall.

Hess, M. & Christine, H. (2009). Criminal Investigation. USA: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Shusta, F., Deena, L. & Herbert, Z. (2007). Multicultural Law Enforcement. USA: Prentice Hall.

Culture, Clothing, Immigration, Emigration, and Migration

Culture, Clothing, Immigration, Emigration, and Migration

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Culture, Clothing, Immigration, Emigration, and Migration

Tracht is a local term in Germany used to refer to the country’s traditional cloths, hairstyles, beards and accessories. It is a common term among the Germans and a tradition related to this country. Leather knee-length trousers commonly identify tracht among men in German. Alternatively, they can wear short pants made from the same material together with wool socks along with rustic shoes. Women also have their attire under the same group of traditional clothing. Tracht among women includes the dirndl, which is a huge full-length skirt of dress (Gordeeva, 2012). This is worn alongside a bodice, which is a closefitting attire and an apron to complete the women’s tracht. Hats are also a common part of the complete tracht outfit.

Traditionally, the tracht was common among all Germans, but times have altered the dress code in most parts of the country. Currently, the tracht is associated with people residing in the southern part of Germany. For example, people from Bavaria and Munich still value this dress code as a prestigious wear. As such, the tracht is not an everyday costume for people to wear, but rather a ceremonial dress. It commands respect and value for tradition among its wearers. For example, people attending wedding ceremonies often find it fit to wear the tracht (Tiffany, 2012).

Tracht is a costume associated with traditions and not religion. Back in the days, everyone wore a tracht from men to women and children. However, it was highly associated with various characteristics in the society. In earlier times, it was a tradition kept with the aim of identifying the various social and legal groups in society. For example, married people could be identified with the way they dressed, and so could the single people in the community. Law enforcers in the society and judges were also identified by the tracht they wore whilst among other citizens.

The reason behind the wear during the olden days was keeping up with traditions. People had to have a distinct way of identifying each other in the society. For example, single individuals, married and divorced people were social statuses that were distinctively determined by way of dressing. Currently, modernization has revolutionized the way people dress and the tracht are among the least worn cloths in Germany. People wear the tracht in ceremonies for modesty purposes. Its significance as a traditional symbol is still thriving among the German people. Visitors to the country often identify the tracht among the dress codes they would expect to see many people upholding. Conversely, it is more of a common practice among people in the south of Germany than in the urban areas (Munich Found, 2004).

The tracht as aforementioned is a dress code that roots its source to the traditional days. During this time, German’s citizens considered it as a crucial wear that spoke volumes about their cultural practices and had identification among the people. Although the dress code was overridden by modern ways of dressing, it is still a vital part of German traditional practices (Tiffany, 2012).

In order for an individual to be properly assimilated into a new culture, she should reject the traditions and culture of her previous country and concentrate on those of the new country. Wearing items that identify an individual with a culture outside his or her adoptive country slows down the assimilation process, or worse, alienates the individual from his or her adoptive society. The statement is in reference to a case where one migrates to a new country or region, and the culture is different. I partially agree with this statement since one has the capability of accommodating new cultures while at the same time retaining previous ones. For example, in my case, I would want to retain a culture of wearing cloths bearing my country’s name. It is significant for me to preserve this culture to avoid losing my cultural roots. Indeed, if I were denied this opportunity, I would be disappointed since I would be losing an integral part of me.

References

Gordeeva, T. (2012. A glimpse from the past: Native German clothing (Dirndl and Tracht). German Culture. Retrieved on 14 Oct. 2013 from http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/weekly/aa073100a.htm

Munich Found. (2004). Back on Tracht. Retrieved on 14 Oct. 2013 from http://www.munichfound.com/archives/id/96/article/1865/

Tiffany. (2012). Debunking myths about Germany: Trachten. No Ordinary Homestead. Retrieved on 14 Oct. 2013 from http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/debunking-myths-about-germany/

Culture Presentation

Culture Presentation

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Culture Presentation

In this paper, I would like to give an in-depth discussion on the effects of intercultural communication on the Emiratis business community. I believe we all know that Vietnam is a multiethnic nation with a total of 54 tribes. This makes it a dynamic and culturally rich society. As Confucian followers, the Vietnamese are really devoted people who deeply observe the stringent Confucius ethical standards Jahn, GC. (2006).

For the Emiratis to succeed in their business activities in this country, they must learn the various aspects of Vietnamese culture. If they understand their cultural different, they will be in a better position to fit in without any problem (Herring, G.C., 2007). Some of the major aspects of the Vietnamese cultural practices that directly influence business include the following:

The Emiratis should begin their operations by establishing personal relationships with the Vietnamese. It is a communication norm to begin any transaction after building a very strong rapport (Murray, G., 1997).

All the business communications should be formal. The Vietnamese are so suspicious about foreigners. So, for the Emiratis to ensure that they are fully endorsed, they must ensure that all their deals are formalized.

It is the culture of Vietnamese to maintain loyalty and trust in their business operations. Therefore, when making communications, the involved parties must be truthful and fulfill all their pledges. Otherwise, they will contravene the Confucius doctrine of responsibility, obligation and benevolence.

When carrying out international communications, the Emiratis must ensure that they show regard to the elderly. This means that the decision of the old people should not be questioned. People should be respected not based on their education or experience, but based on their age (Peter C. P., 2005).

In conclusion, I would like to agree with the fact that Vietnam has lots of business opportunities that should be exploited. However, the foreign investors such as the Emirs must be well conversant with aspects of their culture. if they act this way, they will succeed in their business activities.

References

Herring, G.C.(2007) America’s Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950–1975.

Jahn, GC. (2006). The dream is not yet over. In: P. Fredenburg P, Hill B, editors. Sharing rice for peace and

prosperity in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Victoria, Australia: Sid Harta Publishers.

Murray, G. (1997). Vietnam: Dawn of a New Market. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Peter C. P. (2005). Vietnamese-American Catholics. Ethnic American pastoral spirituality series.

Paulist Press.

culture of UAE

Introduction

UAE is the most globalized nation in the Middle East in light of the fact that Abu Dhabi, emirates with enormous oil riches and Dubai with entrepreneurial aptitudes was opened as business center point not long after in the wake of picking up autonomy from British. Much sooner than UAE had begun opening up to unhindered commerce, free development of work and joint business wanders then alternate nations in Middle East. One Mr. James is planning to invest in the country. Therefore, this paper will address the most important business customs that he should know.

Interview Questions

How does religion influence business here?

Are family and tribal connection related to business activities? How are social structure covered towards business success?

Are the people hospitable? What are the factors that make them or do not make them so?

What is considered as the normal working days?

Do people have extension in meetings if held officially?

What is the attitude of the people towards time? Are they time managers or not?

Does demographics such as age affect business in this country?

How does the status of the people affect business? How can one win both poor and affluent status of the people towards business success?

What are the business practices affected by culture?

What are the consequences of failing business cultures?

Meals Culture

The people of united Arab Emirate are known to have a culture of meals that is different from the others in the world. There have different styles asking for meals as well as those for turning meals. It is evident that the people always have a certain culture to ask for meals, though this is changing over time. For example, it is very easy to know if a person from Dubai is there for a meal or note. For those who want a mean and are really in need they always have a rush behavior when asking for the meal, but they do not want the mean they on the other hand tarnish the meal. However, this has changed over the years whereby the people of UAE are very hospital and this is a national culture intended to increase tourism in the country. The people of today, have a catchy behavior when asking for meals at homes and even in the hotels or restaurants. For the sake of this paper, the behavior will be analyzed based on those in business places. Today, they humbly ask for meals, at hotels. The other culture is when the people enjoy the means. When the people enjoy means them behavior differently. For example, the male will ask for more of the food, while the women will thank the management as ask to purchase take away meals for their kids if they were not with them. In addition, the people come back to the restaurant when they enjoy the meals. For a business case, the people just leave the business if they do not want east meals or make several excuses.

Body Language

The culture of UAE has various communications patterns embedded in one on one communication between individuals and between groups. Use of gesture is one of the communication patterns used by the people of UAE. However, there are several gesture and behaviors that are considered offensive to the people. Pointing at some with your hand is one of the gestures that is not accepted by the people of Dubai and UAE at large. In business, it is always not right for the businesspersons to look down while taking to the customers. In addition, shouting at some is a behavior not acceptable by the people of Dubai. In a meal, it is clear to the people of UAE that taking meals and talking is not permitted and is considered a taboo to the people. Sneezing while in a group of people without covering the nose is also considered as unethical behavior amid the people of UAE hence considered offensive. Women are not allowed to shake their body in front of the public in UAE. This is considered as against the culture of the people. Spitting carelessly in the public is a behavior note permitted by the people of UAE hence considered as an offensive behavior.

Gender

There are two different scenarios when it comes to gender issue in business in the UAE. The customers of UAE are in two groups the elderly and the youth or the generation Y. To the elderly, it is evident without doubt that the elderly are not for that men and women have the same right when it come to business issues. They considered the women a subordinates. For this reason, it is advisable that such clients are treated based on this culture in order to retain them as your clients. In such as case a male clients of that age should be handle with a male staff and so does a female client of that elderly age.

On the other hand, the generation Y, are not there discriminating gender. They consider male and female as equal when it comes to business. This is so because, even the current arms of government are there supporting women right hence taking part in business equally to men is one of the rights. Therefore, the existence of the mixed culture on male and women take in business demands the entrepreneur to differentiate the two groups when making business in order to maximize sales.

Conclusion

The UAE culture is known for its casual, great way and loose conduct and has solid vertical progression. Middle Easterners are reliable by nature and are firmly impacted by the estimations of their culture which they actualized in their associations. The administration and workers are relied upon to take after the institutionalized structure and arrangements of associations that are impacted by the Emirati culture and consequently, the Emirati culture has solid effect keeping in mind the end goal to actualize International business culture

Reference

Ahmed, M. M., Chung, K. Y., & Eichenseher, J. W. (2003). Business students’ perception of ethics and moral judgment: a cross-cultural study. Journal of Business Ethics, 43(1-2), 89-102.

Williams, J. (1998). Don’t they know it’s Friday: cross cultural considerations for business and life in the Gulf. Motivate.