The Life and Poetry of Amiri Baraka Essay - 905 Words

The Life and Poetry of Amiri Baraka To understand that you are black in a society where black is an extreme liability is one thing, but to understand that it is the society that is lacking and impossibly deformed, and not yourself, isolates you even more (About 3). This is a direct quote from Baraka, and it outlines his beliefs well. History and society have always influenced Amiri Baraka, and this made him feel as though society was isolating the Black community. Throughout his life, Baraka has tried to teach the idea of equality among races and classes by way of his poetry, plays, and speeches. His concept of equality came from his experiences while growing up during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. He held three†¦show more content†¦He then moved to Greenwich Village, and joined with the likes of Allen Ginsburg, Charles Olson, and Frank OHara. These artists, musicians, and writers were known as the Beat Generation (Baraka 1). During this time, Leroy had his works recognized by literary giant, L angston Hughes. He was also given an award for his off-Broadway play, Dutchman. On October 13, 1958, he married Hettie Cohen, a middle-class Jewish woman with whom he co-edited a magazine (Amiri 1). With his new reputation as a writer, he opened the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School (BART/S) on April 30, 1965. The idea was to open a channel between the black artists and the masses. Even though the life of the BART/S was short, the idea spread across the nation (BARTS 1). When his theater failed to stay open, he began to distance himself from white society. In 1965, with the assassination of Malcolm X, this hatred was solidified. From this point, Baraka took Malcolms view of Black Nationalism. It was a view of equality, even through militant means (Young 3). The man who buried Malcolm X gave Leroy the Muslim name, Ameer Baraka, and later Ron Karenga, perhaps one of the strongest voices in the Black Nationalist Movement, changed Ameer to Amiri (Young 3). With his new name , and his new values, Baraka divorced Hettie and abandoned his children, leaving them for Newark. He then married Sylvia Robinson, who changed her name to Amina Baraka (Amiri 1). InShow MoreRelatedEssay about Binaries and Identities in Amiri Barakas Dutchman1242 Words   |  5 PagesIn Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, the binary between black and white people embeds itself into the characters on the subway. Lula, who incorporates her image with control and deception through her white skin, represents one significant driving force. Clay, who faces manipulation from the oppressive white presence of Lula and the others on the train, has to step up and become an opposing force. Throughout these characters transformations from individuals to powers, they express a combination of double consciousnessRead MoreThe Black Of Black Arts Movement Essay2194 Words   |  9 Pagesideology that was developed from many Black Americans who desired self-determination and separation from the white co mmunity. Several of the artists who contributed to the Black Arts Movement included, but is not limited to, Leroi Jones, also known as Amiri Baraka, Larry Neal, Nikki Giovanni, and Sonia Sanchez. They sought to create art that spoke directly to the issues, needs, aspirations and sociopolitical rights of Black Americans. Overall, this movement is one of the most influential movements in regardsRead More The Black Arts Movement Essay1720 Words   |  7 Pagesproliferated through community institutions, theatrical performance, literature, and music. The symbolic birth of the Black Arts Movement is generally dated to 1965 and coincides with a major transformation in the life of its most prominent leader, Amiri Baraka, formally LeRoi Jones. Early in his career LeRoi Jones won notoriety and critical acclaim for his plays, specifically the Dutchmen, while living in Greenwich Village at the heart of the Beat Scene. However, beginning in 1964 heRead MoreAnalysis Of Toni Morrison s Beloved1323 Words   |  6 Pagesin so many varying ideas. One of the lens that doesn’t get discussed enough is the lens of African American empowerment in the 20th century. There are quite a few insights that can be gleaned when reading the book surrounded by authors such as: Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, and Sonia Sanchez. Beloved shows us the harsh truths that were facing the African American people during slavery, the civil war, and also after emancipation into the time of Reconstruction. Showing us these truths makes it easierRead MoreLangston Hughes : Jazz Poetry And Harlem Renaissance1212 Words   |  5 PagesLangston Hughes Jazz Poetry and Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes was an African American poet who was born on 01 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His parents separated and later divorced during his childhood. Subsequently he was raised predominantly by his maternal grandmother. His grandparents were politically active and supporters of the abolition of slavery. They were activists in the movement for voting rights for African Americans. Through their active involvement in his upbringingRead MoreEssay about Language in Amiri Barakas The Dutchman1926 Words   |  8 PagesLanguage in Amiri Barakas The Dutchman The popular saying actions speak louder than words is upended in Amiri Barakas play, The Dutchman, where words, or in this case language, speaks louder than the actions of the characters, Lula and Clay. Language governs the characters and their actions, and is therefore a prominent feature in shaping the identities of Lula and Clay. In the play, Baraka conveys the significance of Lula and Clay being enabled to change their identities by a simple changeRead MoreThe Complicated Relationship Between The Black And White Americans1879 Words   |  8 PagesThe Complicated Relationship between the Black and White Americans Amiri Baraka’s play the â€Å"Dutchman† is a portrayal about the interactions between the two major characters Lula and Clay. The two came from different races, whereas Clay is a twenty year old African American, while Lula on her thirties is a white woman. It all started when Lula had the courage to approach Clay, accusing the latter intent of staring from the window of a train. In their conversation, it demonstrates how Lula was tryingRead MoreAnalysis of Allen Ginsbergs Howl2630 Words   |  11 Pagesway, that social change could be driven by literature, Amiri Baraka and colleagues explain in The American Poetry Review. The poem broke form, and challenged cultural and moral values, and it amounted to †¦more than a collective, thrilling scream (Baraka, 2006, p. 3). In fact it changed and continues to change the potential and vision of the lives and work of its readers, including those of our most distinguished artists and authors (Baraka, 3). Moreover, this poem remains an iconic AmericanRead More Claude McKays If We Must Die Essay1254 Words   |  6 Pagesa novelist, an essayist and a poet. Claude McKay was aware of how to keep his name consistently in mainstream culture by writing for that audience. Although in McKay’s arsenal he possessed powerful poems. The book that included such revolutionary poetry is Harlem Shadows. His 1922 book of poems, Harlem Shadows, Barros acknowledged that this poem was said by many to have inaugurated the Harlem Renaissance. Throughout McKay’s writing career he used a lot of dialect and African American vernacular inRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Essay1341 Words   |  6 Pages In the beginning of the chapter 3, Addison Gayle Jr., says that black critic today about how beautiful poem, melody, play, or novel had made single black man’s life. He also says that American writer an American for black honor attached. The one problem during the Renaissance was they had really short life there was no black people in it other than artists. Harlem Renaissance were first one to criticize black and white. They came to dominate Harlem Renaissance through creativity and culture. Madhubuti’s

Young People in Society Free Essays

Explain how political, economic and social constructs can be used to categories society. Look at how Irish society stratifies according to social class and gender. Sociologists develop theories and concepts to help reveal the structure of social life and they engage in numerous different forms of empirical Investigation to test and develop these theories. We will write a custom essay sample on Young People in Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now They are Interested In how people communicate and create meaning and understanding, but they are also interested in questions of power and inequality. They use a variety of sources such as historical documents, observations, river research to help develop reliable information about how society operates. Define social stratification Social stratification is a system where people are ranked hierarchically which leads to groups of people being classified into layers and strata (class, caste, slavery and estate). Class – social class system Is a system of stratification that results from unequal distribution of wealth, power and prestige. Caste -? this is a fixed arrangement of strata from the most to the least privileged. Estate – this consist three different strata or layers – aristocracy, clergy and commoners. Slavery – this is the oldest and most extreme form of stratification or inequality in which some people are literally owned by others as property. All social stratification systems share four basic principles each reflecting how these systems cause inequalities based on class, gender, ethnicity, age, religious affiliation and consequences at an Individual and at a collective level In society, no one social stratification system Is unique, each system Is a characteristic of the society It relates to and it is not simply a reflection of differences at an individual level, nor is it a new incept as afore mentioned but it is a system that has and will persist over generations and although stratification systems may not be an exact replica In each society, fundamentally stratification systems are universal albeit widely variable, they also incorporate ideological beliefs while also engendering shared identities (Macaroni et a’, 2005). Do all societies stratify? If so, in what way? Virtually all societies have some form of stratification or structured inequalities that are organized and that persist over time. It Is universal but variable and seems to be found everywhere. At the same time, what is unequal and how unequal it is varies from one society to another. For example, I) Social stratification persist over generation – in all societies, parents confer their social positions on their children, so that patterns of inequality stay much the same from generation to generation. (Monoclonal et a’, 2005). II) Some Individuals do also experience social mobility -? It may be downward or upward. Society celebrate the achievements of those who rose to people are regarded as more important than others, more worthy of respect or seen as more useful than others in certain situations. It is also evident that people could move downward as a result of illness, unemployment, economic break-down, business setback etc. However, social standing of most people remain unchanged for a life time – like the Royal Family in England. What system of stratification is in operation in Ireland? Is it an open or close system of stratification? The social stratification in Ireland today is undefined. However, the class system seem to be in operation in Ireland and it is considered a close system. A closed system does not afford a person the same opportunity, and as a result a person’s position in fife is solely determined by the family group they are born into. Identity and belonging dominate the social class in modern Ireland. This can be to the majority of people defined by two categories: the first being wealth (Middle class). If you are wealthy you have a lot more opportunities in education, professionals or higher managerial e. G. Senior government workers, doctors, farmers, company directors etc. And; secondly being poor (Lower class). – these are people in lower scale in the society e. G. School teachers, driver, machine operator, bar-worker waitress, cleaner, call- centre worker etc. The rate of lower class status rocketed since recession. (Hyde et al, 2007:65-66) Describe the system of stratification found in Ireland. How is it broken down? (include tables and diagrams here if relevant) During the Celtic Tiger it was perceived that Ireland as a whole was very wealthy and many people were classed as Wealthy or ‘upper class’. However since the recession hit the social status regarding the wealth of the country has deteriorated. Today, a larger number of the population are working or middle class. The growing unemployment rate has forced many people, including well educated individuals to rely on state benefits. This has been a huge factor in the rapid decrease in the social status of the country. Social mobility in Ireland appears to be going in the wrong direction. Not only is the social stratification in Ireland defined by its economic status, but also by a number of other factors; for example; a person’s religion. In the past the influence the Catholic Church had on people determined the way they lived there life. Catholic priests were understood to be very well respected figures in society and anyone of the catholic religion were accepted as part of the community however individuals of a different faith were viewed as outsiders. Nowadays a person’s faith does not have as big an influence on their social status and many people from different religious backgrounds are accepted in Irish communities. Does class/socio- economic position, impact on your health? Please provide evidence, statistics to There are differences among people in the amount of access they have to the resources of wealth and prestige in most societies. Such differences among people in terms of income and status are usually referred to as social class differences. The categories that people have been assigned to by virtue of their occupation have been marred with patterns of illness in society. The lower your place in the social class scale, the worse is likely to be your health status and visa-versa (Hyde et al, 2007). Although race, gender, age etc have influenced socio-economic status, classification by occupation tends to be more common; hence in Ireland, a person’s social class is measured according to his or her occupation while social class of children is determined by parents’ occupation (Denote and Cannon, 2003). According to Denote and Cannon, there are huge inequalities between the classes in the distribution of wealth in the country. It is estimated that 10 per cent of the population own nearly half the wealth in the country, therefore 90 per cent of the population share the other half, but not equally. Ibid:71 in McDonald B, 2009) Health inequalities are often observed along a social rise. This means that the more favorable your social circumstances such as income or education, the better your chance of enjoying good health and a longer life. Whil e there is a significant gap between the wealthy and the poor, the relationship between social circumstances in health is in fact a graded one. Source of data ‘Inequalities in Mortality 1989-1998’ A series of studies by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (PIP) found that the number of people living with a chronic condition is expected to increase dramatically by 2020 and that disproportionately more of these people will belong to the older population. How to cite Young People in Society, Essays

Benjamin Franklin Physics free essay sample

However, he is probably best known for his work in science, especially in electricity and the physics of electricity. For the areas of science In which he worked, he Is known for his studies In the theory of electricity and his useful inventions. These include the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, the lightning rod, and daylight savings time. One of Franklins greatest claims to fame was his work in electricity. He carried out experiments with the Elided jar, sent a current through water to ignite alcohol, made the first battery, ignited gunpowder, ND much, much more (Bells).He even charged wine glasses so the drinkers would receive shocks! More importantly though, he began to develop the theory of the relationship between lightning and electricity; he brought up the idea of protecting buildings by using Iron rods. In the summer of 1752, he performed the famous kite experiment, where he drew down electricity from the sky by charging a Elided Jar from the key at the end of the string. We will write a custom essay sample on Benjamin Franklin Physics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Franklin stated that electricity is a single electrical fluid' (electrons) that may be transferred between bodies.He said the total quantity of the fluid is always conserved. This is a concept known today as one of the fundamental natural ?the conservation of electrical charge (Timeline 1750-1774). Inspired by Fay (Charles-Franà §ois De Fan best known for the discovery of positive and negative electricity, Franklin found out the amount of fluid (today known as electrons), was responsible for the repelling and attracting of different objects In different situations (Karma 340). Ben]amen Franklin used terminology still used today.An excess of electrical fluid was considered positive while a deficiency of fluid was considered negative. Benjamin Franklin studied the relationship between magnetism and electricity and tried to magnetite an object by using electricity. Today, we know that electricity Is generated by either moving a wire in a magnetic field or moving a magnet in a coil of wire (Generating Electricity). Benjamin Franklin was also known for his many inventions and creations, which were involved in his experiments with electricity and magnetism (Inventions).What fascinated me about Bens inventions was that most of them were created because he had a problem and wanted to fix It. Franklins Inventions remind me of all the cool new technology we see every day on TV or Channel One News. It continues to amaze me how interesting Benjamin Franklin was by studying his inventions alone. Benjamin had weak vision and was always taking off/ putting on his glasses for reading so he created bifocal glasses to be able to see near and fall Franklin suggested using Chinese ship models, where the ship would be divided into watertight compartments.This way, if the ship had a leak, it wouldnt sink the whole invented the Franklin stove so people could warm their homes safer and without using as much wood (Dray 31). Benjamin Franklin may in fact be one of the most well- known Americans of the . He was surely my favorite! He had a major role in the founding of making the United States and independent country. In science, he is remembered for his many studies in the theory of electricity and his many useful inventions. He was a writer, scientist (many areas of science, especially physics), politician, and many more things.

Secrets of Childhood free essay sample

We are asked to consider where children feel they belong and are understood. Though Maria believed that great progress was underway when writing this book, with an increased sensitivity and better healthcare for children, she also believed there was so much more potential, and that it was critical to recognize the need for social reform in regards to children, not just for the sake of children, but for humanity as a whole. Chapter 2: The Accused Maria Montessori implores us to stand accused for the sake of our children. With a spirit of sacrifice and enthusiasm we must go in search like those who travel to foreign lands and tear up mountains in their search for hidden gold. This is what the adult must do who seeks the unknown factor that lies hidden in the depths of the child’s soul. This is a labor in which all must share. since it means the bringing forth of an indispensable element for the moral progress of mankind. We will write a custom essay sample on Secrets of Childhood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † Dr. Montessori claims that our perspective is egocentric, in which adults look upon a child â€Å"as omething empty that is to be filled through the adult’s own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which they (the adult) must do everything, as something lacking an inner guide and in constant need of direction. † Dr. Montessori concludes this false perspective with this warning: â€Å"An adult who acts in this way, even though he may be convinced that he is filled with zeal, love and a spirit of sacrifice on behalf of his child, unconsciously suppresses the development of the child’s own personality. Chapter 3: Biological Interlude I love this chapter it gives us a sneak peek of how a newborn grows into the form and function of an amazing human being. It’s a miracle happening in secret, with the outcome visible to our very own eyes. And as if that alone wasn’t a miracle enough unfolding, this is really just the tip of the iceberg! Just as the physical being is becoming through a hidden code and construct, so too is the physic being unfolding under similar guiding principles an invisible, innate life-force that determine the being’s personality, character, and work that will contribute to the overall harmony of the being and ultimately all of society and the world. Chapter 4: The Newborn Child There is an incongruous relationship between man and child, and it starts immediately at birth, if not sooner in the womb. Though intense feelings of love, awe and joy are certainly possible and present when welcoming a new child into the world, there is also conflicting thoughts that alter our feelings from concern that the child will soil something, be a nuisance, prevent the new parents from acquiring sufficient sleep the parent is perpetually on guard for the inconveniences as well as transgressions of the child, no matter how innocent or intentional. In addition to these conflicting thoughts and feelings, Dr. Montessori speaks up for the needs of the newborn. There is great concern for the mother who has obviously labored long and hard and went through a major hardship. However, the helpless child with no voice is not given at least equal consideration for probably the most traumatic experience of the child’s life being born. â€Å"Too little attention is paid to the newborn child that has just experienced the most difficult of human crises. When he appears in our midst, we hardly know how to receive him, even though he bears within himself a power to create a better world than that which we live ourselves. † Reverence Dr. Montessori urges us to receive him with reverence! Chapter 6: The Spiritual Embryo â€Å"One of the most profound mysteries of Christianity is the Incarnation, when ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. ’ Something analogous to this mystery may be found in the birth of every child, when a spirit enclosed in flesh comes to live in the world. † I love the analogy between the Incarnation of Christ, and the spirit of every child, as it shows the true miracle that takes place from the time a child is born in the flesh, to the time he is spiritually born as a creation of his own making. This chapter also compares the instincts of animals to that of human beings, with humans having innate liberty and freedom which changes the process and differentiates in the final product instead of a mass produced creature, every human being is a highly creative and handmade work of art, capable of becoming anything, and each individual and unique. â€Å"Just as a physical embryo needs its mother’s womb in which to grow, so the spiritual embryo needs to be protected by an external environment that is warm with love and rich in nourishment. When this is finally realized, adults will change their attitude toward children, for the image of a child as a spiritual being becoming incarnate not only stirs us but imposes upon us new responsibility. † Chapter 7: Psychic Development A child possesses an inner instinct that enable him to choose from his complex environment what is suitable and necessary for his growth. These instincts make the child sensitive, and when that sensitivity is aroused, it is like a beam of light shining only on that object or activity necessary to fulfill that inner urge. In this sensitive relationship between a child and his surroundings may be found the means for untangling the raveled skein of mystery that surrounds the spiritual growth of a child in all its wonders. † â€Å"We can no longer remain blind to the psychic development of the child. We must assist him from his earliest moments. Such assistance will not consist in forming the child since this task belongs to nature herself, but in a delicate respect for the outward manifestations of this development. † Chapter 8: Order To the casual observer it may seem like a young child lives entirely in chaos, but a keen observer will discover this is not the case, and in addition to possessing a high need for order, it is also a need that produces a real happiness. â€Å"Order consists in recognizing the place for each object in relation to its environment and in remembering where each thing should be. This implies that one is able to orient one’s self within one’s environment and to dominate in all its detail. Such an environment is necessary for peace and happiness. † Chapter 9: Intelligence The Montessori Method makes a child’s environment the center of instruction and then relies upon the child’s inner sensibilities which guide the child through their sensitive periods enabling the child to gather impressions from the environment to meet specific needs at specific times or sensitive periods. This is a natural, ongoing process, but can be interrupted by unknowing or misguided adults unaware of the child’s needs. â€Å"Adults can hinder this inner toil when they rudely interrupt a child’s reflection or try to distract him. They take the tiny hand of a child, or kiss him, or try to make him go to sleep without taking into account his peculiar psychic development. Through their ignorance adults can thus suppress a child’s primitive desires. † These passage were especially intriguing to me, reminding us how very differently adults and children think and learn. I only have to walk down the aisle of the local big-box toy store to realize just how off course we are with truly appreciating what appeals, engages and enhances a child’s development. Reading these passages make me appreciate all the more the Montessori Method which takes this understanding into full account when conceiving the environment and creating the materials. Only when we truly understand these differences can we bridge with the child to create adequate environments and materials that support effective learning. â€Å"From the beginning of the second year a child is no longer carried away by gaudy objects and brilliant colors with that transparent joy so characteristic of the sensitive periods, but becomes interested in tiny objects that escape our notice. We might even say that he is interested in what is invisible, or at least in what is found on the fringes of consciousness. † â€Å"Adults have taken it for granted that children are sensitive only to gaudy objects, bright colors, and shrill sounds, and they make use of these to attract a child’s attention. We have all noticed how children are attracted by songs, by the tolling of bells, by flags fluttering in the wind, by brilliant lights, and so forth. But these violent attractions are external and transitory, and can be more of a distraction than boom. We might make the comparison with our own way of acting. If we are busy reading an interesting book and suddenly hear a loud bang passing by in the street, we get up and go to the window to see what is happening. If we were to see someone act in this way, we would hardly conclude that men are particularly attracted by loud sounds. And yet we make this conclusion about little children. The fact that a strong, external stimulus catches a child’s attention is merely incidental and has no real relation with the inner life of the child which is responsible for his development. We can perceive evidence of a child’s inner life in the way he immerses himself in the fixed contemplation of minute things that are of no concern to us. But one who is attracted by the smallness of an object and focuses his attention upon it does so, not because it made a striking impression upon him, but simply because his contemplation of it is an expression of an affectionate understanding. † â€Å"A child’s psychic personality is far different from our own, and it is different in kind and not simply in degree. A child who gathers in the smallest details must look upon us with a certain degree of contempt since he is unaware of the mental syntheses with which we are constantly making. He must as a consequence look upon us as being somewhat inefficient, as individuals who do not see well. From a child’s viewpoint we are not very exact. He sees us as dull and indifferent since we are not interested in minute details. If a child could express himself, he would certainly tell us that deep down he has little confidence in us, just as we have little confidence in him, since our separate ways of thinking are so foreign to each other. This is why a child and an adult fail to understand each other. † If an adult is to accept the responsibility to truly understand the child â€Å"he must become a student rather than a thoughtless ruler or tyrannical judge, as he only too often is with respect to a child. † Chapter 10: Obstacles to Growth Because the conflict between child and adult is an unconscious one, it requires great insight and honesty to acknowledge. It is best recognized through Dr. Montessori’s condemning words: This struggle between the love of the parents and the innocence of the child is carried on unconsciously. Even though an adult may truly love a child, there rises up within him a powerful defensive instinct. The two psychic states, that of the growing child and that of the adult, are so much at odds that it becomes practically impossible for the two to live together without making some adjustments. And there should be no difficulty in seeing that these adjustments are made to the disadvantage of the child, whose social status is one of absolute inferiority. A child’s acts, which are not in harmony with an adult environment will inevitably be checked, especially since the adult is not aware of his own defensive attitude but is rather convinced of his generous love and dedication. But this unconscious defense on the part of the adult flourishes only under a mask. An adult’s avarice, which makes him jealously defend whatever he owns, is concealed under â€Å"the duty of properly educating one’s child. † And the fear of having one’s peace disrupted is concealed under â€Å"the need of making a child sleep a great deal to safeguard his health. â€Å"Adults must cease to look upon a child as an object to be lifted and carried about when he is small and which has nothing more to do than obey adults when he is larger. Adults must be convinced that they have a secondary role to play in a child’s development. They must endeavor to understand children so that they can properly assist them. This should be the aim and desire of a child’s mother as well as of all those who have anything to do with his education. A child is naturally much weaker than an adult. If he is to develop his personality, it is necessary that the adult should hold himself in check and follow the lead given by the child. And he should regard it as a privilege that he is able to understand and follow him. † Chapter 11: Walking â€Å"Hardly has a child learned to move about and begun to exult in his own freedom of activity than he is met by a swarm of giants that block his every move. † The comparisons made between poor and upper class families is an interesting one as applied to Montessori’s philosophies. Though some may assume that an upper class family has a greater advantage to meeting their child’s needs, when we truly understand the needs of children we discover this is not always so: â€Å"The ease with which a child from a poor family darts about the streets avoiding traffic and even catching rides on cars and trucks reveals, despite its hazards, a potentiality far removed from the sluggishness of a timid, an ultimately lazy, child of the upper classes. But neither child has been really assisted in his development. The poor child is abandoned to the dangerous adult environment of the streets. The other is hindered by being hedged in by too many things meant to save him from the dangers inherent in these same surroundings. † Chapter 12: The Hand I appreciate the extra emphasis given to the hands of a child and the essential role of the hands which impress upon and inform the child’s intellect. A child’s work is through the hands, and this need to touch and manipulate objects in the environment is a constant source of conflict between the child and adult, as the adult is always telling the child â€Å"DON’T TOUCH! Only when we recognize how essential it is for the child to interact directly with the environment with his/her hands can we adequately meet the needs of the child. â€Å"If a child succeeds in grasping something, he is like a hungry puppy that has found a bone and goes off to a corner to gnaw on it, seeking nourishment from something that cannot provide it and fearful that someone will chase him away. † Chapter 13: Rhythm This c hapter describes a phenomenon that I have felt and fumbled with often, but would not have been able to clearly understand what I was struggling against without the insight provided here. As humans we have a natural rhythm to how we move through space and time, and when we are in a place or with people who match that rhythm we feel a resonating calm and peacefulness, just like hearing a song that soothes our soul. Yet every being has their own unique rhythm, and we must be careful that we are not reacting to a mismatched rhythm with undue pressure, frustration or tyranny in an effort to assert and overpower the other person who is out of synch with our own rhythm. This is especially critical when working with young children as we can unwittingly act with contempt or condemnation toward an innocent child. We are quick to assist them in dressing when they are taking too much time, pick them up and carry them when their pace is an inconvenience or annoyance to our own agenda. Children must have the time and space to independently conquer their world, and it is our responsibility to make the necessary adjustments to our expectations and schedules to assure that this critical need is met. Chapter 15: Movement Some believe that in order to learn, you must be physically still so your mind can be active and thus learning. However, movement plays a critical role in the learning process, and when the movement is purposeful and the child given the freedom to seek out and execute purposeful tasks, the child develops a â€Å"love for exactitude in the carrying out of his actions. His spirit then seems suspended between existence and self-realization. A child is a discoverer. He is an amorphous, splendid being in search of his own proper form. Chapter 16: The Lack of Comprehension We must recognize the purpose of movement and instead of trying to still a child, find ways to guide a child so they acquire the ability to move with confidence and purpose toward their full potential. â€Å"Since adults have no concept of the importance of physical activity for a child, they put a damper on it as a cause of disturbance. † â€Å"It is not easy to gain acceptance for the idea that physical activity is of great importance for man’s moral and intellectual development. If a still growing child fails to use his organs of movement, his development is retarded and he will fall farther short of his goal than if he had been deprived of either sight or hearing. † Chapter 17: The Intelligence of Love I was surprised to find myself at odds with this chapter. I had trouble digesting the explanation of the simple nature of a child’s love: â€Å"A child’s love is by nature simple. He loves in order that he may receive impressions which will furnish him with means of growth. † If this is the nature of love something we do for personal gain, somewhat elfishly, rather than simply for the sake of love then why the condemnation of adults who are only carrying on with the love that they discovered and developed as a child? Dr. Montessori condemns the parent as too busy or too inconvenient to meet the ongoing demands of the child to share their lap at mealtimes, their warm bed at night time, the early dawn at morning time, often much too early for the tired parent. As a parent, I have been the one who yearns for the quiet of the evening after children are in bed; an extra hour of sleep in the morning; a meal without a child on my lap to balance and cater to. I think that both the child and adults needs must be taken into consideration; it is not wrong for the child to wish for closeness with the adult, but it is also not wrong for an adult to wish for some space from the demands of parenting, and in fact I have found it essential at times to my ability to be an effective parent. As long as both needs are taken into consideration and the parent always aware of both needs and willing to find a balance and happy medium, then I think a more realistic idea of love can be experienced a deeper love that reciprocates, sacrifices, and seeks to be a mutual love that benefits all who are willing to share. Chapter 18: The Education of the Child â€Å"We must wake up to the great reality that children have a psychic life whose delicate manifestations escape notice and whose pattern of activity can be unconsciously disrupted by adults. An adult environment is not a suitable environment for children, but rather an aggregate of obstacles that strengthen their defenses, warp their attitudes, and expose them to adult suggestions. † â€Å"To assist a child, we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely. A child is passing through a period of self-realization, and it is enough simply to open up the door for him. † â€Å"In an open environment, one that is suitable to his age, a child’s psychic life should develop naturally and reveal its inner secret. † â€Å"The new education has as its primary aim the discovery and freeing of the child. † â€Å"This new system of education has been widely discussed, particularly with respect to the reversed roles of child and adult the teacher without a desk, without authority, and almost without teaching, and the child, the center of activity, free to move about as he wills and to choose his own ccupations. † Chapter 20: The â€Å"Method† It was really fascinating to read how Dr. Montessori’s Method came to be, and the perspective that it isn’t the Method itself that educates the children, but rather the Method that improves a child’s natural development process as it unfolds, and rath er educates us, the teacher, on how best to enhance the child’s natural development. The Method was not something that was premeditated and put into practice, but rather discovered through a period of time and taught by the children themselves. This alone reminds us that we don’t have a Method to impose upon children, but rather an opportunity to share this approach with young children who teach us how effective we are with Dr. Montessori’s teachings and philosophies. Just as the child learns through incremental progress, we too as teachers can learn how to assess, adjust and reapply the Method incrementally as we discover it ourselves. Critical parts of the Method are a suitable, prepared environment, a humble teacher and materials that met their developmental needs. These conditions honor and protect the child’s potentialities to enable the child to learn and grow into the best version of themselves. Chapter 21: Pampered Children It might be assumed that wealthy children with their advantages and privileges in comparison to less fortunate children would be more civilized and easier to educate, but they often have their own unique challenges due to being over-indulged. A child that has been given in excess have been overstimulated where they no longer can appreciate the beauty that surrounds them; they are flighty as they flit around from object to object with disinterest and dissatisfaction; they don’t care for items in their environment as everything is disposable and replaceable; because of this they are challenging to teach how to use materials with care, let alone settle with a material long enough to benefit from its intended purpose. Hopefully there will be something that will eventually catch the child’s attention that fulfills an inner need and from that will lead to the â€Å"conversion† of the child, a rapid and sometimes instantaneous change that takes place due to an interesting task that concentrates the child’s activities. â€Å"In a child the normal psychic traits can flourish easily. Then all those traits that deviated from the norm disappear, just as with the return of health all the symptoms of the disease vanish. † Chapter 22: The Spiritual Preparation of the Teacher We hide our defects under the guise of noble and impelling duties, just as in time of war offensive weapons are described as means for protecting peace. † This chapter reminds us that we must come to teaching with a humble spirit, an awareness of our own defects and an openness to criticism and guidance to better ourself and our effectiveness as a teacher. I feel this is an ongoing process that requires daily self-reflection, sometimes hourly or even minute to minute when in the thick of it and our patience and competence is being tested. Even when we know we have acted out of frustration with little regard for the child’s needs or spirit, awareness is a powerful tool to help guide us back to a place where pride and anger can be kept in check as we strive for a more balanced, poised, gracious approach to working with challenging yet sensitive young children. â€Å"A child owes respect to his elders, but adults claim the right to judge and even to offend a child. At their own convenience they direct or even suppress a child’s needs, and his protests are regarded as a dangerous and intolerable lack of submission. † Chapter 23: Deviations Just as there is a single specific factor that returns a child to his normal, natural state, there is also a single, specific factor for all his deviations. This chapter discusses the various deviations that a child can experience so that we may better recognize these deviations attachment, possessive, desire for power, inferiority complex, fear and lies. Understanding these deviations includes not only recognizing them, but also being proactive to ensure that we are not ourselves responsible for causing any of these deviations to take root in a child entrusted to our our care. Chapter 25: Conflict Between Adult and Child â€Å"The conflict between adult and child has consequences reaching out almost to infinity, like the waves that are propagated when a stone is thrown into the surface of a tranquil lake. A disturbance is started that spreads out in a circle in all directions. † Chapter 26: The Instinct to Work I think this might be one of the most important chapters of this book, as we must understand, appreciate and support man’s instinct to work starting from a very young age if we are to preserve man’s inner nature and potentialities. Unless we fully grasp this instinct and its implications for mankind, we will not be able to fully meet this need, from preparing an adequate environment to guiding and protecting the child. Dr. Montessori put much emphasis on the instinct to work and its implications for society: â€Å"The most important discovery is that a child returns to a normal state through work. A child’s desire to work represents a vital instinct since he cannot organize his personality without working. A man builds himself by carrying out manual labor in which he uses his hands as the instruments of his personality and as an expression of his intellect and will, helping him to dominate his environment. A child’s instinct for work is a proof that work is instinctive to man and characteristic of the species. † â€Å"This chapter discusses how man’s instinct to work, which should bring great peace and satisfaction, is often a source of contempt. This is because man has lost the proper motives for work instead of working for the sake and joy of the work itself as well as making a positive contribution to society, work has become a means to ends that do not provide lasting satisfaction greed, power and control. † â€Å"Work in its pure state, that flows from an inner impulse and leads to positive, lasting joy and satisfaction, can be witnessed in the toils of an inventor, the discoveries of an explorer and and paintings of an artist. When mankind follows its natural instinct for work, it is through this work that their environment is perfected and becomes more easy and comfortable. Man constructs for himself a new environment and becomes so dependent upon it that he could not live apart from his marvelous creation. As creator, man now depends on man, with all mankind dependent on each individual contributing through his own labors to the transcendent environment all appreciate and rely upon. As master of his own existence and able to direct and dispose of it as he pleases, man is not immediately subject to the vicissitudes of nature, but instead isolated from the whims of nature while fully at the mercy of mankind, his whole life in danger if the personalities of those about him have been warped. â€Å"It would be unreasonable to think that man does not share in the harmony of the universe to which all living beings contribute, each according to the instincts of its particular species. Single corals construct islands and continents by rebuilding the coasts worn away by the ceaseless action of the waves. Insects carry pollen from one blossom to another and thus enable plants to propagate themselves. Vultures and hyenas are scavengers that cleanse the earth of unburied bodies. Some animals rid the world of waste materials and others produce such useful things as honey, wax, silk and so forth. â€Å"Living beings surround the earth almost like the atmosphere, and the individual living things are dependent upon others for preservation of life on earth. Indeed, the life that covers the earth is regarded today as a biosphere. Living creatures do not simply preserve themselves in existence and provide for the preservation of their species, but they all work together in a kind of terrestrial harmony. † Chapter 27: Two Different Kinds of Work The adults work is to build a transcendental environment, while a child’s work is that of producing a man. The child engages in constant labor using the same external environment for his development which the adult uses and transforms. â€Å"The adult is master in one area, the child is master in the other, and the two depend upon each other. Both child and adults are kings, but they are rulers of different realms. † â€Å"A child does not become weary with toil. He grows by working and, as a consequence, his work increases his energy. A child never asks to be relieved of his burdens but simply that he may carry out his mission completely and alone. If adults do not understand this secret they will never understand the work of children, thinking that rest will be of greater assistance to his proper growth. An adult does everything for the child instead of letting the child act as he should. An adult is interested in using the least effort and in saving time. When a child is given a little leeway, he will at once shout, â€Å"I want to do it! † But in our schools, which have an environment adapted to children’s needs, they say, â€Å"Help me do it alone. † And these words reveal their inner needs. †

The Life of Alexandre Dumas, Classic Adventure Writer

The Life of Alexandre Dumas, Classic Adventure Writer French author  Alexandre Dumas (born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie; July 24, 1802 – December 5, 1870) wrote novels that came to epitomize the adventure genre. In works such as  The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas eschewed historical accuracy and literary elegance to craft stories that  delivered non-stop action.   Fast Facts: Alexandre Dumas Born: July 24, 1802 in Soissons, FranceDied: December 5, 1870 in Dieppe, FranceOccupation: WriterNotable Works:  The Count of Monte Cristo,  The Three Musketeers,  The Corsican BrothersLiterary Movements: Historical fiction, Romanticism  Famous Quote: All human wisdom is summed up  in these  two words,- Wait and hope. (The Count of Monte Cristo) Early Years Born in France in 1802, Dumas was the son of famed general Thomas-Alexandre Davy de La Pailleterie and the grandson of Marie Cà ©sette Dumas, an enslaved woman of African descent. His last name, Dumas, was adopted from his grandmother.  Although the family enjoyed some rank and connection due to General Dumas’ lineage and fame, they were not at all wealthy, and their situation worsened in 1806, when General Dumas died of cancer.   Without much money for an education, Dumas managed to educate himself and take advantage of family connections. When the French monarchy was restored after Napoleon’s final defeat, Dumas made his way to Paris in 1822 to make a living, intending initially to work as a lawyer. He found work in the household of the Duke of Orleans, a future king of France. A Revolutionary Playwright   Dumas was not satisfied with his new position in the household of the Duke of Orleans. He  almost immediately began writing plays, collaborating with the actor Franà §ois-Joseph Talma. His plays were instant hits, written in a raucous, energetic style filled with violence and dramatic plot twists. Dumas made enough money from the plays and articles he published in magazines that he was able to become a full-time writer by 1830. When a second revolution seized France, Dumas took up arms. He fought in the streets to dethrone Charles X in favor of his former employer, the Duke of Orleans, who became King Louis-Phillippe. Novelist and Collaborator Dumas began working in the novel format in the late 1830s. Noting that newspapers were publishing serial novels, he reworked one of his existing plays into a novel, Le Capitaine Paul. He soon founded a studio and hired writers to work on ideas and outlines that he generated, thus inventing  a business model still followed by some writers today.   Historians disagree about the  extent of his collaborators contributions, but there is no doubt that Dumas energetically increased his output by relying on other writers to flesh out ideas and sometimes write large portions of his books. This process allowed him to maximize his income and become incredibly prolific as a writer. (The fact that Dumas was frequently paid by the word or line is reflected in the surfeit of dialog in his books.) During the 1840s, Dumas’ major novels were written and published. Those works, which include  The Fencing Master, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Three Musketeers,  exemplify Dumas’ style: explosive opening action, endless excitement, no-frills writing, and a serial format.  The plots are not strictly formed; instead, they meander, resisting typical  narrative structures. The characters  are defined by their actions, rather than an internal monologue or other psychological factors. In all, Dumas published a remarkable amount of material:  more than 100,000 pages of novels, plays, articles, travelogues, and other writings. Personal Life Dumas married  Ida Ferrier in 1840, but historians believe that he had  nearly 40 mistresses and fathered anywhere from four to seven children in his lifetime.  Dumas only acknowledged one son, also named Alexandre Dumas, who became a celebrated author in his own right. Dumas  spent exorbitantly during his lifetime, at one point building a chateau that cost 500,000 gold francs. (At the time, the average laborer earned about 2-3 francs per day.)  As a result of his lifestyle, Dumas ran out of money in later life, despite his many successes. He wrote several poorly-received novels in an effort to drum up more income.   Death and Legacy Dumas died after suffering from a stroke in 1870. It is believed that he may have contracted syphilis at some point in his life, and that the disease may have contributed to his death. Prolific and energetic, Dumas produced historical adventure stories that have endured long after loftier works have faded into obscurity. His focus on action, his disdain for psychological exploration, and his sheer fluidity with language have made several of his novels all-time classics that are still read, taught, and adapted today.   Sources â€Å"David Coward on Alexandre Dumas.† The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Apr. 2003, www.theguardian.com/books/2003/apr/16/alexandredumaspere.Tonkin, Boyd. â€Å"The Role of Race in the Life and Literature of Alexandre Dumas: The Episode That Inspired the Man behind the Musketeers.†Ã‚  The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 16 Jan. 2014,  www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/the-role-of-race-in-the-life-and-literature-of-alexandre-dumas-the-episode-that-inspired-the-man-9065506.html.Università © De Montrà ©al - IForum - Forum Express - Vol 4 No 1 - French Studies - Quebecer Discovers an Unpublished Manuscript by Alexandre Dumas,  www.iforum.umontreal.ca/ForumExpress/Archives/vol4no1en/article02_ang.html.Wallace, Irving. The Intimate Sex Lives of Famous People. Feral House, 2008.

Effective, Efficient, Effectual, and Efficacious

Effective, Efficient, Effectual, and Efficacious Effective, Efficient, Effectual, and Efficacious Effective, Efficient, Effectual, and Efficacious By Maeve Maddox My recent post on cost-effective and cost-efficient garnered a couple of emails from readers who suggested that I might not be aware that effective and efficient have different meanings. Despite the difference between the words effective and efficient when used alone, once the word cost is added to them to produce cost-effective and cost-efficient, the meaning of both compounds appears to be economical or cost-saving. I’d welcome the input of an economist who could provide contexts to show a difference in meaning between the compounds, if one in fact exists. Effective and efficient, on the other hand, belong to a group of adjectives relating to the idea of getting results. Their similarity in meaning is clear in these OED definitions: effective: Powerful in effect; producing a notable effect; effectual. efficient: Productive of effects; effective; adequately operative. effectual: That produces its intended effect, or adequately answers its purpose. efficacious: That produces, or is certain to produce, the intended or appropriate effect; effective. Like the readers who wrote to me, I see a significant difference between effective and efficient. I understand efficient to mean, â€Å"marked by ability to choose and use the most effective and least wasteful means of doing a task or accomplishing a purpose.† For example, burning the house down to get rid of termites would be effective, but not efficient. Here are some examples of suggested usage based on a note in the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus: Use effective to describe something that produces a definite effect or result. Antony proved that he was an effective speaker by rousing the rabble against the men who killed Caesar. Use efficient when the intention is to imply skill and economy of energy in producing the desired result. In less than a year, the new treasurer’s efficient management resulted in the elimination of the organization’s enormous debt. Use effectual to describe something that produces the desired result in a decisive manner. Destroying the bridge proved to be an effectual strategy for stopping the invaders. Use efficacious to describe something that produces the desired effect. Ginger is an efficacious remedy for an upset stomach. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of Language7 Patterns of Sentence StructureShore It Up

An evaluation of the training programme and how it effects performance Literature review

An evaluation of the training programme and how it effects performance at debenhams -westfield - Literature review Example The study relates the concept of performance management and training implementation to Debenhams, in regards to the manner in which it applies the training methods and how it affects the company's competency and performance rate. Performance is defined as being able to finish a task that is measured against certain standards such as completeness, accuracy, speed and cost. In a contractual agreement, performance can be regarded as a completion or fulfillment of an obligation, which unbinds the person from the liabilities within the signed agreement (Torrington, Hall & Taylor, 2008). Most define performance as the act of accomplishing a task and producing an outcome in line with the objective. Others believe that as long as a result is presented, it is an acceptable performance as it is; and if the objectives are not met, the rate of performance is not at par as projected. Performance cannot be evaluated through the outcome alone, as results are triggered by actions that cause it. Asid e from the efforts made to produce a result, other aspects that can affect the outcome can be both external and internal factors (Institutional Management in Higher Education, 2009). Assessing performance by means of the results alone is not appropriate. There are several objectives imposed by the management that can be utilized as constructive means to evaluate the result, but appraising a performance solely on results reflects a company’s poor policy. Other variables that either have an indirect or direct effect towards the result must also be accounted for; as such influences can have severe impacts on the outcome (Torrington, et al, 2008). Performance Management Performance management includes two different kinds of management. One aspect of evaluating performance is through the expert opinion of an analyst, who would be responsible in monitoring the performance of the company as a whole. The other method in which career efficiency can be assessed is through the constant appraisal the managers of its employees in meeting the company’s objectives. This includes assisting employees in reaching goals and expectations, thus ensuring that the company would perform better as a whole (Porter, Bingham & Simmonds, 2008). The organization of the employees’ performance varies per individual. In general, it comprises planning and establishing objectives, and presenting feedbacks and reviews. Proper management also includes commendations through rewards for high performers, and opportunities for one to become skilled at one’s chosen discipline. Management of employee performance is more ideal if the goals are reliable and consistent (Bloisi, 2007). This implies that the management must present a clear way in disseminating information regarding the expected quality of work at present and in the future. Planning the objectives also constitutes classifying the employer’s prospect of his personnel, so as not to seem broadsided during the course of assessing criteria in performance development (Porter, et al, 2008). Planning and setting objectives and goals in a company is one of the critical components of performance management, as it offers an a fair and proper evaluations system in which employees can undergo proper training, workshops and seminars necessitate to increase one’s aptitude and proficiency (Porter, et al, 2008). An ideal performance manag

Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Writing - Essay Example An excellent example is this: there are many stories told about historical events that nobody has ever participated in, and many authors have written about things that happened long time ago. Most people believe that these things are true although they do not have evidence to proof that. This is the intuition. In â€Å"Predictable Irrationality† by Dan Ariely, the author gives an example of his own experience in the hands of nurses. He narrates about a period when he was in a hospital after having suffered 70 percent body burn. He tells of the manner in which nurses would bandage and un-bandage his wounds. He would try to ask them to do it slowly or to give him some time to rest but they could not. According to him, the nurses ought to have ripped the bandages slowly. He thought the nurses were wrong and so he advised them to do it his way, but since the nurses thought they were right, they believed that their way of ripping of the bandages was the best for a patient of Ariely’s kind. This caused him a lot of pain. The experience also led him into researching on how to take off bandages from burn wounds. He bought a carpenter’s vice with which he could crunch people’s fingers at the workshop for short and long periods of time and then test all the different typ es of pain they felt. Upon carrying out numerous experiments with different people and objects, Ariely realized that ripping off bandages from burn wounds at a low intensity and over a long time combined with allowing patients some time in between to rest reduced pain a lot. The facts he got after the research showed that the nurses’ way of doing it was wrong indeed. Although the nurses were wrong, they all along had been thinking that they were right, since they believed their intuition to be correct simply because they had strong but untested beliefs. In most cases, we make a decision through intuition and we believe it to be right. What can be said about the general

The Influence of Jewish Mysticism Essay Example for Free

The Influence of Jewish Mysticism Essay Mystics know and experience God in a very different way than the ordinary believer. Whereas the ordinary believer knows God in an objective, concrete manner as embodied in nature or via sacred scriptures, the mystic knows God by personal, one to one contact between their own spirit (soul) and the spirit of God; heart to heart, or as Augustine called it, â€Å"cor ad cor loquitur.† Because of the one to one, highly individualized nature of this experience, one might think the mystic would exist outside of the domain of the major religions of the world. That, in fact, is not the case. Mystics are most often allied with one of the major world religions, including (but not limited to) the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. The mystic’s conceptions of God do not only come from the small voice speaking to him in the silence of his soul. Instead, the mystic combines these esoteric experiences with the teachings and traditions of their religion. Much has been written on the comparability between the mystics of the differing world religions, noting that the only differences between them stem from the underlying religion itself. The overarching practice of seeking to actually experience what philosophers call the â€Å"Absolute truth†, (what theologians refer to as God), seems to know no theological boundaries. A Christian mystic seeks the same â€Å"beyond human† communion with the Trinity as the Jewish mystic does with YWEH, and the Muslim mystic does with Allah. The theology of Christianity differs from the llm al-Kalam of Islam and the theology of Judaism in the same ways, whether the believer is a mystic or not. Hence, the principal differences that separate the mystics of the world are the same as the differences that separate all believers. My research seeks not to explain, compare, or contrast the mystics of the differing religions, as I mentioned that much has been written on that subject already, but rather to examine how the mystics of one religion (Judaism) influenced the foundation and theoretical framework of another religion (Christianity). 1. Authority Mysticism is not a term that an ancient mystic himself would use to describe his realm of religiosity. In that regard, mysticism as we have come to understand and know it through most primary sources is not emic (or in their own words), and therefore very difficult to accurately investigate using a hermeneutic approach. The Essenes, for example, did not label themselves â€Å"mystics† in ancient Jerusalem. Our account of them as mystics comes from a purely etic (outside observers) viewpoint. In addition, the literature on early Jewish and Christian mysticism is not the possession of a single religious community, or maintained by a single religious community. While there is mounting evidence that the main origins of mystic tradition were in Jewish priestly circles, most of the literature on the subject of mysticism is from a variety of esoteric Jews and Christians over the course of several centuries. Making the matter more difficult is the amount of pseudepigrapha in â€Å"pr imary† Jewish sources. While this problem also exists in Christian sources, is seems to be more of a roadblock to the student of Jewish mysticism, as most scholars agree that the predominant primary source on the topic, The Zohar, is pseudepigraphical. The Zohar is the primary piece of reference for a sect of Jewish mystics called Kabbalaists, refers to historical events of the post-Talmudic period while purporting to be from an earlier time. Because of the difficulty, then f obtaining a primary source detailing what has come to be known as Jewish mysticism, sacred texts such as the Tanakh and the Bible themselves are used frequently as a main source of information. Therefore, primary sources used for my research in the area of Jewish mysticism include The Talmud, including portions of the Midrash and the Tanakh (The Hebrew Bible). Contained within the Talmud is the Torah. Very helpful to my understanding of these texts were writings by Josepus , a first century Jewish hagiographer, theologian and scholar. Christian primary sources include an Interlinear Greek-English New Testament of the Bible with a parallel column in the New Revised Standard Version, as well as excerpts by Origen, and Gregory of Nyssa, both Fathers of the Early Christian Church. A basic framework for my understanding of Jewish and Christian mysticism includes secondary sources by Joshua Abelson and Evelyn Underhill. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic and Mysticism was helpful in clarifying Jewish terms that I was unfamiliar with. 2. Jewish Mysticism History The beginning of Jewish mysticism is usually linked to the Essenes, a sect of the Second Temple Jews. Known by the Greeks as the â€Å"Holy Ones†, these mysterious Jews are now assumed to be the original keepers of the Dead Sea Scroll library. The sect was closed to society, and was dominated by hereditary priests who had to go through multiple rites of purification before being accepted into the sect. According to Josephus, the Essenes were one of three sects among the Jews at the time of Christ who â€Å" †¦Had different opinions concerning human actions; the one was called the sect of the Pharisees, another the sect of the Sadducees, and the other the sect of the Essenes. Now for the Pharisees, they say that some actions, but not all, are the work of fate, and that some of them are in our own power, and that they are liable to fate, but are not caused by fate. But the sect of the Essenes affirms that fate governs all things, and that nothing befalls men but what is according to its determination. And for the Sadducees, they take away fate, and they say there is no such thing, and that the events of human affairs are not at it’s disposal; but they suppose that all of our actions are in our power, so that we ourselves are the cause of what is good, and receive evil from our own folly.† This clearly illustrates marked difference between the three sects. Josephus later stated that the Essenes were interpreters of dreams, and were very diligent in the reading of the sacred books. Philo of Alexandria, who often tried to reconcile Jewish exegesis with Stoic philosophy, wrote this of the Essenes: â€Å"Of natural philosophy, the Essenes only study that which pertains to the existence of God and the beginning of all things, otherwise they devote all their attention to ethics, using as instructors the laws of their fathers, which, without the outpouring of the Divine Spirit, the human mind could not have devised†¦for, following their ancient traditions, they obtain their philosophy by means of allegorical interpretations†¦ Of the love of God they exhibit myriads of examples, inasmuch as they strive for a continued uninterrupted life of purity and holiness; they avoid swearing and falsehood, and they declare God causes only good and no evil whatsoever†¦no one possesses a house absolutely as his own, one which does not at the same time belong to all; for, in addition to living together in companies, their houses are open also to their adherents coming from other quarters. They have a storehouse for all, and the same diet; their garments belong to all in common, and their meals are taken in common.† Clearly, this sect of Judaism combined mystical speculation with an ascetic mode of life.   Merkabah (chariot) mysticism came into being in the early second century. Merkabah mysticism used as its framework a vision of God experienced by Ezekiel, and told in great detail in Ezekiel Chapters 1-5. â€Å"In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was on him. 4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved. 10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they wen t. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. 15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.† For the Jewish mystics of the 1st and 2nd centuries, Ezekiel’s image of YWEH riding upon a chariot of the â€Å"living creatures† was outside the range of the deepest esoteric experiences of all of the other Old Testament personages. The chariot was interpreted as an invitation from the Divine to man to come and experience the secret which he so desperately seeks: the experience of the Absolute, the being of God himself. The idea that God is the first one to initiate a union of man and God, or has â€Å"called† one’s soul to unite with the divine, is important to all mystics. The chariot, then, is a allegorical vehicle to carry one to the unseen. Every mystic wants to be the chariot rider, to be carried to his ultimate union with the divine. However, as Joshua Ableson points out in his commentary on the Merkavah mystics â€Å"it was believed that he could only undertake this Merkavah-ride, who was in possession of all religious knowledge, observed all the commandments and precepts and was almost superhuman in the purity of his life.† While these roots of Merkavah mysticism were planted firmly in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, they did not bloom and flourish until the 7th- 11th centuries. Since that time, much has been speculated about the meaning of the chariot. Was it a true vision or an experiential event? Does the text hold hidden meaning with each description holding significance for the future? Is the text eschatological? Some modern day occult claim the Merkavah was not a chariot but an alien spaceship! It is understandable why this passage, in the midst of literature that is otherwise devoid of dramatic and colorful descriptions would attract such attention and speculation. Although it is outside the scope of the time period this article seeks to examine, a mention must be made to the ultimate expression of Jewish mysticism: Kabbalah. Kabbalah is an esoteric gnostic occult that emerged in medieval Spain in the 12th century. Kabbalistic teachings look to The Zohar as their primary source of inspiration. The Zohar is a commentary of the Torah, (the first five books of the Old Testament). A Spanish Jew by the name of Moses de Leon attributed the book to a 2nd century Rabbi by the name of Shimon bar Yochai, but scholars are now in general agreement that de Leon penned the work himself. The practices and beliefs of 15th century Kabbalists had much influence on Christian mystics and the Humanist movement (as well modern day New-Age Hollywood!) The Kabbalah school of thought attempts to explain the relationship between an unchanging external, mysterious YWEH (known as Ein Sof) and the mortal, finite universe, by seeking to define the nature of the universe and the human being, the nature and purpose of existence, and various other ontological questions. Given, however that this article seeks to examine the influence of the Jewish mystics on the early Christian Church, I will stick to sects of Jewish mysticism that took place between 500 BCE and 400 CE, that is, the Essenes and the Merkavah. 3. Connections It is easy to find the similarities between the three Abrahamic religions. The mere fact that they are categorized together under the same heading within world religions indicates enough of a resemblance to one another, even beyond their homogeneous beginnings. It would not be new or even controversial for me to suggest a sequential, linear progression from Judaism to Christianity to Islam. My research does not aim to reinforce these arguments, but rather to look deeper. What specific aspects of Judaism continue on into the Christian faith? It is here where I draw a distinction in that there are, as mentioned above, fundamental differences between the sects of Judaism at the time of Christ. I argue that the mystic sects of Judaism, (the Essenes and the Merkavah’s), are the factions of Judaism that influenced the formation and practices of early Christianity the most. Specifically, there are three principal dimensions of early Jewish mysticism that are also primary in early Christianity. These dimensions are an incorporation of the speculative, the experiential and the practical. 3a. The Speculative The first dimension of the two religions is speculation, that is, the search for the absolute truth and revealed nature of the identity of God. This speculation also includes a quest for both the cosmogony (origins) and the cosmology (organization) of the universe. This dimension is most realized in the esoteric followers of both religions. The centerpiece of the cosmogony of the identity of God in mystic Judaism is that God has a â€Å"body.† This body is known as the Kavod of YHWH. The esoteric interpretation of the Kavod is that of a vision of a divine form created by the invisible, formless God that is actually visible to the human eye. This body of God can take the forms of light, clouds, angles, or be felt in just its presence, known as the Shekhinah (the Holy Spirit.) The Essenes believed that complete devotion to the sacred texts, abstinence from sex and certain foods, and communal prayer might bring the believer to the ultimate experience of the Kavod (which literally means â€Å"glory.†) The Kavod must be â€Å"experienced† or perceived, as it was believed at the time that no one could look directly at the face of God and live. This is illustrated in Moses’ encounter with God: â€Å"So the Lord said to Moses, â€Å"While my Glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back. But my face shall not be seen.† The concept of Kavod had a profound impact on the formation of the Christologies of the early Christian Church. John was the most prolific of writers in his belief that Jesus was the revealed Kavod descended here on earth. John wrote in Chapter One, 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. and again in Chapter 11, directly quoting Christ immediately following the resurrection of Lazarus, 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 â€Å"Take away the stone,† he said.â€Å" But, Lord,† said Martha, the sister of the dead man, â€Å"by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.† 40 Then Jesus said, â€Å"Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?† In total, John refers to the glory or Kavad of God revealed through Christ seven times in the Book of John. Paul also mentions Christ as the glorified image of God in II Corinthians: 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. And even in a more powerful way in Colossians: 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Clearly, the concept of Kavod was a theologically fundamental principal of the esoteric Essenes that became a foundational key factor in the overall Christian understanding of the nature and identity of Christ. Thereby, the speculation about the identity and nature of God and the search for absolute cosmogony and cosmology of God was carried from the mystics to the early Christians. 3b. The Experiential The quest for a direct encounter with a deity is the experiential dimension of both the mystic Jews and the early Christians. The Jewish mystics sought not only knowledge of God, but also an esoteric experience with him. This is clear in the apocalyptic literature of both religions. Second Temple eschatology relates that the mystical, the belief in the immediate and direct experience of God, is an important part of the last days. This religious experience, an encounter with God that is an act of revelation itself, results in the devotee’s immediate personal transformation and the uncovering of God’s mysteries. According to War of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness, (one of the scrolls found of the Dead Sea Scrolls, or Qumran Scrolls), the Essenes were awaiting the cataclysmic struggle between the Sons of Light (themselves) and the Sons of Darkness (everybody else). This battle was to occur not only between the earthly beings, but also joining them would be the cosmic forces of good and evil, and would signal the end of days. Paul wrote in detail of the faithful who experienced Christ’s spirit. He felt these Christians could start their transformation into the image of God while still on earth but that the complete transformation would only occur after death. Paul states in Romans: 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. This is but one example of many (thousands) of references to the Holy Spirit altering or affecting of the Early Christians. For these mystical Jews and Christians, experiencing a vision of the Kavod, (the Image of the Glory of God), stamped Gods image on the soul. Words used to describe these experiences included glorified, exalted, or angelic. The apocalyptic literatures describe believers clothed in shining white garments, as angels worshiping God before his throne, transformed into beings of fire or light, and enthroned with Gods name or image. This is but one example of many shared concepts between the apocalyptic literatures of the mystics of Judaism (such as The Apocalypse of Abraham and The Testament of Levi) and the book of Revelation in the Christian Canon. Comparisons could also be made between cosmic revelations such as descriptions of heaven, hell and events at the end of time, as well as several symbolic symbols such as hands, bowls, scrolls, angels, or dragons. Once again, we see an important concept of the mystics carried into the essential framework of early Christianity. It is important to note, that in the cases of both religions, this shift of thought to experiencing God in the present may have been due to failed eschatological expectations. Hopes for the long awaited battle between the forces of light and the forces of dark for the mystics, and the imminent return of Christ for the Christians had not gone as previously thought. Moving these hope for the future to actual experiences of the present made the reward of Kavod available to all believers, and a possible reality. 3c. The Practical The most obvious shared dimension between the Jewish mystics and the Early Christians was that of their shared practical application of their experiences in order to effect change. This was illustrated in their communal practices, which served as an avenue for mystical transformation. Examples of these practices include asceticism (denying oneself of worldly pleasures), initiation rites (such as Circumcision for the Jews and Baptism for the Christians), washing (such as foot washing for Christians and purification rituals for the Jews), the anointing of the body and hair with sacramental oil, spirit possession, sexual asceticism, and sacramental ritual behavior, (such as the Passover meal and the Eucharist.) The transformation of the mystical ideals into the sacramental rituals of the early Christian Church and the â€Å"Gnostic† schools is fascinating. The sacraments seem to normalize the mystical, making the presence of God regularly available to believers. Baptism, anointing, and the Eucharist all involve the integration of the Holy Spirit and the Christ into the soul. These rituals were understood as the vehicle that elevates and transports the person into the sacred realm so that he or she can come into the very presence of God. This is the ultimate combination of the speculative theology experienced through the practical; and once again illustrates how the mystics of Judaism influenced the early Christians. While it is clear to me that many practices and beliefs Christians are directly taken from the practices and beliefs of the Jewish mystics, it remains unclear to me if Christianity was a continuum of the Jewish mystic sect of the Essenes, (with the addition of the long-awaited Messiah), or a completely new religion that merely borrowed a few key dimensions from the Essenes. What, if anything did the other non-mystic Jewish sects contribute? How many of the Essenes converted to Christianity in comparison to the other Jewish sects? Was Jesus himself an Essene? All of these remain topics for further research. However, there is arguably no question that the Jewish faith and specifically the mystics of Judaism influenced the theology, framework and Christology of the Christian Church. References ODonnell, James. Augustine’s Confessions: An Electronic Edition. The STOA Consortium. The STOA Consortium, 1992. Web. 03 Mar 2012. http://www.stoa.org/hippo/. Barclay, Joseph. The Talmud. Sacred Texts. London1878. Web. 6 Mar 2012. http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/bar/bar000.htm. Rapaport, Samuel. Tales and Maxims from the Midrash. Sacred Texts. George Routledge Sons Limited, 1907. Web. 10 Mar 2012. http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/tmm/tmm00.htm. Kimball, Christopher V. The Tanach. Sacred Texts. Westminster Hebrew Institute, 20 OCT 2006. Web. 06 Mar 2012. http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/tan/index.htm Whiston, William. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. 5th. 1. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1985. Print. Brown, Robert K., and Phillip W. Comfort. The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament. UBS 4th Edition;Nestle-Aland 26th Edition. Munster/Westphalia: Tyndale, 1990. Print. McGinn, Bernard. The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism: Origen: Commentary on the Song of Songs. New York, New York: Random House, 20006. Print. McGinn, Bernard. The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism: Gregory of Nyssa: the Life of Moses. New York, New York: Random House, 2006. Print. Abelson, Joshua. Jewish Mysticism. First Published in 1913: Forgotten Books, 2008. Print. Underhill, Evelyn. Mysticism. 12th.Lexington, KY: 2011. Print. Dennis, Rabbi Geoffrey. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic and Mysticism. 1st ed. Woodbury. MN: llewellyn Publications, 2011. Print. Whiston, William. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. 5th. 1. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1985. Print. â€Å"Antiquities of the Jews.† pp. 274, Book Xiii, Chapter V, Section 9. Coleson, F.H.. The Contemplative Life. Early Jewish Writings. pp. 53, 206. 2011. Web. 15 Mar 2012. http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text/philo/book34.html. E. Wolfson, Yeridah la-Merkavah: Typology of Ecstasy and Enthronement in Ancient Jewish Mysticism, in R. Herrera (ed.), Mystics of the Book: Themes, Topics, and Typologies (New York: Lang, 1993) pp. 13-44 [ 1 ]. ODonnell, James. Augustine’s Confessions: An Electronic Edition. The STOA Consortium. The STOA Consortium, 1992. Web. 03 Mar 2012. . [ 2 ]. Barclay, Joseph. The Talmud. Sacred Texts. London1878. Web. 6 Mar 2012. . [ 3 ]. Rapaport, Samuel. Tales and Maxims from the Midrash. Sacred Texts. George Routledge Sons Limited, 1907. Web. 10 Mar 2012. . [ 4 ]. Kimball, Christopher V. The Tanach. Sacred Texts. Westminster Hebrew Institute, 20 OCT 2006. Web. 06 Mar 2012.

Plagiarism and the Internet :: Cheating Education Essays

Plagiarism and the Internet The Internet has made plagiarism, taking someone else's ideas or words and using them as one's own without citing the original source, a very common offense. There is so much information on the Internet, available from so many sources, that it is difficult to determine where the information originally came from. The indifference of educators has not helped the problem; many educators feel the problem is too great for them to do anything about, so they choose to do nothing. This leads students to assume that their teachers are either unaware of or condone plagiarism, continuing the cycle. In a survey by the Psychological Record, 36% of undergraduates confessed that they had plagiarized written material. "A national survey published in Education Week found that 54% of students admitted to plagiarizing from the Internet..." (plagiarism.org). Dr. John M. Barrie, of Turnitin.com, a plagiarism detection site, believes that almost one-third of the work submitted to the site is at least partially copied from another source. "When it comes to cheating, at the top of the list is plagiarism, and at the top of that list are students cutting and pasting, mostly from the Internet," says Dr. Barrie (http://tms.physics.lsa.umich.edu/). Why should students attempt to write original papers when they can just as easily copy one from the Internet? It saves them time and energy and may even get them a better grade than they may have gotten on their own. Educators doing nothing about it has not helped the problem... Ronald M. Aaron and Robert T. Georgia performed a study that found that 257 chief student affairs officers across the United States believe that colleges and universities have not properly dealt with the cheating problem. Many educators feel it would take too much time and energy to find if a paper was plagiarized or not, so they choose to ignore the problem. Donald L. McCabe performed a study called Faculty Responses to Academic Dishonesty: The Influence of Honor Codes; it found that 55% of faculty would not report possible cheaters if it required any real effort (plagiarism.org). "'With respect to cheating, I'm just in denial. I just don't want to deal with it because I know it is a

Social media and the elderly

There is much research which indicates that social media makes it easier to interact with there people, to find people with similar interests, and to keep in touch with those whom one already knows. However, there is nearly just as much research which indicates the opposite -? that social media serves to disconnect one from one's friends, that it creates social isolation, and that it causes superficial interactions. Adding to the difficulties in reaching a clear conclusion about this matter is the fact that many, if not most of the studies about the effects of social media on friendships and social interactions have been done on the young.Even for studies about the young, it is not entirely retain if a broader social network encourages adoption of social media, or if adoption of social media encourages a broader social network. Judging from what is known about other differences between older people and young people, it is quite likely that the ways in which they use social media will also significantly differ. Among other things, it is known that older people are usually later adopters of technology than are young people. Other things are known about social media usage regardless Of age.In particular, social media has a very different effect on one's local social networks than it does on those at a regional or national level. Social Media A number of different researchers have found contradictory results about the effects of social media usage on older people. For instance, some studies have found that using Faceable increases weak social ties at the expense of stronger ties, while other studies have found that that does not occur. The studies which found no effect also found a relationship between the quality of in-person friendships and the use of instant messaging on social networking sites.Additionally, other differences were seen among users of social media. For instance, for those adopters of social networking who had high social irises, their number of f riends increased faster than did the number of friends of those who had smaller social circles. Users of social networking sites were also less likely to ask their neighbors for help Social Networking and Mental Health In Older Adults Up to this point, there have not been very many studies of how use of social networking effects the mental and emotional health of older adults.A number of studies have found that large circles of friends is strongly associated with increased cognitive performance in older adults, while depression is strongly connected to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Because of this, there is a good possibility that using social networking can stave off depression because it can give people a greater number of social contacts. There is also some evidence that the use of social networking can help older adults to improve their cognitive performance and overall quality of life. This is because social networking increases social capital.Other studies have confirm ed this and found that social networking in itself does not have any positive or negative effect on older adults. Rather, the way in which social networking is used plays a strong role in determining what effect it will have n an older person's quality of life – some people use social networking as a way to compensate for otherwise-inadequate networks of friends, while other people use it to actively keep in touch with people they know. Making Social Networking Accessible One of the areas which the above studies have neglected is accessibility.Older people often suffer from poorer vision and other problems. Many, if not most, social media websites are designed for young and middle-aged adults. These designs are often not conducive to older people gaining as much as possible from their use of these sites. Chaos, Lair and Lie conducted a duty of how social networking can be made more accessible to older people. They found that many of these sites had been designed without older people in mind and thus did not incorporate several design principles that they found to be important.These principles included using contrasting colors, making sure that interfaces were relatively simple and intuitive, and excluding extraneous information whenever possible. They found, that if these design principles were followed, then it is likely that the satisfaction which elderly people gain from using these sites would increase significantly. Conclusion Currently, there is no consensus on how social media affects the elderly. However, there is a lot of data that suggests two possible conclusions. The first possible conclusion is that using social media either has no effect on older adults or a very mild negative effect.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch

â€Å"There is No Such Thing as Free Lunch,† although is a clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ statement, is true. Nothing comes without a price, although whether the price involves money or not, is still there. Corepower Yoga, off Kipling and C-470, offers one free week of yoga to new time customers. The yoga is unlimited for the week and has no strings attached such as continued membership. Although the ad is labeled as free, and monetary it really is, due to trade-offs, benefit/cost analysis, and comparative benefit/cost analysis the free week of yoga comes with a price. The definition of trade-offs is giving up something to get something. Getting a free week of yoga at Corepower Yoga is great, but what if a different yoga center is better? Corepower Yoga does many hot yoga classes. This means that the room will be heated up to one hundred and five degrees and the humidity turned up to fifty percent. This could create a lot of discomfort and strain to new yoga users that they are not ready for. In addition, there are only about six classes a day, so the timing could not be right, considering there is a gap of classes between the times of twelve and four. These things could be wrong for a customer making the trade-off a costly thing. Another cost would be whether yoga is worthwhile or not. This is called benefit/cost analysis. Going to yoga involves working out and time and these are costs. Yoga creates a healthier body, more flexibility, more balance, and increased stamina. These are all positives, but take hard work to reach and maintain, which just one free week will not get you. To reach the full potential, a membership will be required, which is a monetary cost. If the addition of a membership is not taken at the end of the week, the yoga that has been done would not be very effective. A continuous membership costs about a hundred dollars a week for unlimited yoga. Not all people can afford this. One week of free yoga, although technically free, has the potential to cost more later on. This brings up the thought of if this week is a good deal, is it the best deal? This is called comparative benefit/cost analysis. Working out has benefits, but is yoga the best method? A gym also offers good workout potential. There are many different machines, work out classes, possibly tanning, and a very upbeat environment. Yoga is just one class and a very relaxed environment. Yoga created relaxation about life, and helps to distress the body, whereas working out just focuses on toning the body. The membership costs are about the same, but Corepower Yoga offers a free week to test out all of the things it has to offer. Nothing comes freely. Corepower Yoga's advertisement offers one free week of yoga to all new users. This is false advertisement, because it is not free. It must be taken into consideration the time, location, hard work, and the schedule of Corepower Yoga. All of these things cost something, although it may not deal with money are very important to the decision of taking up the offer or not.