Friday, September 6, 2019

Epicurean Ethics Essay Example for Free

Epicurean Ethics Essay Upon understanding the brief and general philosophy of how to live a good life from an Epicurean’s viewpoint, I too thought that his philosophy centered around the self, how to achieve pleasure for the self, how to avoid pain to protect the self, all of which did seem very egoistic. However, throughout reading some of his theories and ideas, analyzing them, as well as reading other philosophers’ interpretations, I was able to see how this can be misunderstood if not given careful thought. This common misconception of his philosophy was widely misunderstood because although his philosophy centered around gaining pleasure for the self and avoiding pain, it also focused on not acting upon greed when on the search of pleasure, and only satisfying needs that are natural and absolutely necessary for the survival of an individual, rather than on the kind of pleasure that is achieved by eating luxurious foods, drinking fancy wines, having a high social status and indulging in materialistic things. Aside from having pleasure as the primary goal in life, Epicurus focused a good deal on how to avoid pain as well. In fact, Epicurus defines and measures pleasure not by how much happiness it may bring to the soul and body, but by the absence of pain which is the only way to achieve pleasure. He categorizes pleasure into three different parts which will be discussed later in this paper, as well as how one can have a peaceful and tranquil mind. To achieve the state of mind that Epicurus believes will bring pleasure to an individual’s life, one must eliminate all fears and anxieties over the unknown such as the power of God and how much of one’s life is dependent on the higher being. To ease these frightening thoughts and anxieties, Epicurus believed it was necessary to explain all of the unknown factors of the supernatural such as the fact that Gods have no interest in human affairs and live in their own society. He also thought that much of the stress and anxiety came from not knowing what happens to the body and the soul after death. Being a naturalist, he thought it was best to explain his theory in scientific terms that are more clear and concise rather than something that was mythical and could have been made up. Although he used the atomist theory to inspire his own, he made significant changes to it explaining exactly what does happen to the soul and the body and how there should be nothing to fear and be anxious over. Epicurus was a naturalist and adapted the concept of the atomist theory to his own beliefs. As briefly stated before, he believed that fear and anxiety comes from not knowing the unknown, such as supernatural occurrences, the concept of God, and life after death. Therefore, by explaining how the divine and all powerful works and advising one not to fear the Gods, as well as using the atomist theory to come up with his own theory so that one knows exactly what will happen to the body and soul after death, he believes that there would be much less anxiety and fear in the mind of an Epicurean. According to the atomist theory, the universe is composed of only two things which are infinite shapes and sizes of atoms, and an infinite void. The atoms of which our universe is composed of are infinite in number, unchangeable, and are unable to be cut or divided. It also states that our senses originate from atoms being cut off by objects Epicurus however, believed that our senses originate from our judgments and perceptions of these atoms rather than atoms being cut off by objects. Although Epicurus adapted this theory, he also made significant changes to it in support of his teachings on living a life of a tranquil mind. He emphasized it’s importance to prove that people shouldn’t have fear of life after death because if death means the loss of all consciousness in the mind and the dissolution of the body into atoms, then we have nothing to fear. Our perceptions, judgments and experiences of the world are no longer in our consciousness, because death is the lack of all these things, therefore once death comes there would be nothing to fear or feel such as pain because our consciousness which gives life to all these things would be completely gone. Epicurus encourages his students to live a life free from the stress and anxiety of the unknown life after death, giving them a tranquil and peaceful state of mind. This in turn contributes to his theory that to live a complete and happy life of pleasures, one must be free of all worries and anxieties, as well as avoiding bodily pain. Epicurus also believed that the source of trouble in our consciousness and what causes stress and anxiety in the mind is the fear of the divine and all powerful God. Although Epicurus is not an Atheist and was like most others during his time a polytheistic believing in many Gods, his views on religion and the all powerful God varied greatly from the rest. Epicurus never denied the existence of Gods but held a belief that Gods and human beings had no relation to one another. He believed that Gods were not concerned with human affairs and rejected the widely held belief that Gods gave us reason to live in peace and harmony so that we can be happy and live a good life. He also rejected the idea that Gods held complete control of the path of our lives and worried over us and our conflicts greatly and instead, believed that Gods had their own separate lives and affairs and were always in the highest state of happiness. According to Panichas’ essay in Epicurus on â€Å"Theology†, it is believed that Epicurus never fully justified why he believes that Gods are always happy but says that his belief in Gods came from the idea that we are all born with an innate knowledge of Gods existence. This means that newborn children don’t need to be given the knowledge of the existence of divine power, but are already born with that idea implanted in them. His supporting argument for the existence of Gods is that since everyone is born with the innate idea of their existence, and everyone already has an established opinion of the Gods, then they must exist. Epicurus’ argument against the popular belief of Gods having extreme concern of human affairs and conflicts was that Gods didn’t care for human affairs because they were extremely happy living their own separate lives. Therefore, if Gods were concerned with human conflicts and troubles then they wouldn’t be happy but rather stressed, worried and anxious, which would then make them unhappy. Epicurus’ goal in presenting his arguments using physics and atomism, against religion and its superstitious beliefs, was a way of assuring his students that they shouldn’t disturb the mind because of worries and anxieties over the belief that happiness, misery, and life after death are completely dependent upon the Gods because this in turn comes in conflict with the primary goal of life on earth which is happiness. Instead, he emphasized the importance of attaining courage through meditation on the purpose of life so that human beings can master the fear of death and the gods. A life of happiness and pleasure in Epicurean terms is defined as having a calm and peaceful mind, free of anxieties and worries, as well as a body free of pain. By teaching his students the idea of atomism which frees people from the stress and anxieties of life after death, and the belief that the Gods are not in complete control of our lives and are merely part of their own separate society, Epicurus is able to liberate their anxious and unhappy minds and allows them to live a conscious free life from disturbances and stresses of the unknown world. Epicurus most likely felt the need to fully explain the aspects of supernatural causes which society at the time thought to be controlled by God, as well as other natural phenomena such as how things came about on earth, so that people had a clear understanding of things they had not known before, and in turn no longer fearing them. Popular belief of mass society during the Hellenistic period was that any supernatural occurrences of the world such as the creation of the universe, the existence of human beings, or the world having just enough resources for human beings to be able to survive were all of Gods creations. However, Lucretius who was an Epicurean student stated that the world could not have been created by the Gods because it is imperfect and such perfect beings could not have created something so imperfect as the universe. He proves this idea in support of his argument, by stating that the world in itself which is full of imperfections, giving an example of the large amount of land that is completely useless to mankind but is inhabited by wild animals, or death that stalks every minute of our lives, could have been the creations of the divine and all powerful because if they were, then that would mean that Gods themselves are the sources of all pain and evil. Lucretius also states that an Epicurean must accept the fact that the natural world is mortal, which means it can that it can be diseased with corruption, war, and greed and follows a cycle of creation and destruction within itself. He elaborates on this statement saying the world must be thought of as a mortal body with a beginning, and an end. As stated before, Epicureanism holds the belief that like everything else, Gods are composed of atoms, but atoms that are different than those of human beings. These atoms in On the Nature of the Universe are described as very flimsy atoms that are ethereal, and can be barely perceived by the mind, therefore they cannot be touched. It also says that they exist somewhere among their own nature, which means that they do not exist anywhere near the society of human beings. In explaining this theory to his followers, he did so to prove that there is no reason to live in fear of Gods because they live in a society that is completely separate and different from ours, and as stated before, they are engaged in their own affairs and have no concern for the welfare of human beings. He stressed the importance of this because Epicurus believed that all fear arises from the unknown. The unknown as being what happens to the soul, body, and life after death, and the fear and anxiety over Gods’ declaration punishments or rewards towards human beings. By explaining all the unanswered questions of life, rejecting the idea of Gods being in complete control in the affair of our lives, in simple and naturalistic terms that can be proven through metaphysics, rather than relying on retold myths that cannot be proven, seen, or sensed, he is able to direct their minds towards a positive light in which they can achieve a state of mind that is at peace, allowing them to live their lives in pleasure and happiness. Epicurus’ view on the soul and what happens to it after death greatly varied from the Platonic and Homeric view of the soul. Unlike Plato who believed that the soul became part of a heavenly pilgrimage, and the Homeric view that the soul descends into the darkness of the kingdom of the dead, Epicurus believed that the Soul merely dissolves upon death, which is without sensation. This means that since something that dissolves upon death is free of sensing and feeling, then there is no pain, and therefore there is nothing to fear. Although Epicurus agreed with both the Platonic and Homeric view that an individual is composed of the body and the soul, and that upon death, the soul leaves the body, he disagreed on their views of what happens to the soul after death. Epicurus believes that the soul is corporeal, which means that what happens to the body and the soul is a physical occurrence, and once the body starts dissolving, the soul along with the body begins undergoing a physical transformation in which it also dissolves, the process therefore being void of the sensation or perception of what is happening. The soul according to Epicurus was mainly made of breath, heat, and air which he considered to be made of a material substance. These three elements were used by Epicureans to explain the differences in characters and moods of feeling in both humans as well as animals. Aetios sums up the functions of these elements saying that the element of breath gives the soul the power to move, the air gives it tranquility and calmness, and the heat produces the perception of warmth from the body. Epicurus also believed that the soul was made of an unknown element as well, that is much more advanced in structure and its function in the soul which allows it to feel in harmony with the rest of the elements as well as the body. Lucretius further elaborated on this hidden fourth element by stating that it is a crucial part of the soul because it provides the soul with sensation. Although the soul is the major cause of sensation, it cannot sense without the body. This then means that the soul cannot sense without the body, and the body cannot sense without the soul. Lucretius states that the soul and the body must be united for a human being to have full access to sensation, therefore one cannot survive without the other . This theory is used in support of their argument of what happens to the soul after it is released from the body, which is that since the soul which brings sensation, reason, and perception of the outside world to the body, is released from the body, the body can no longer feel or come up with reason or judgment of what is occurring. The soul however, has a more significant role in the making of an individual than the body does because if a part of the body is lost, such as a leg or an arm, the soul is able to remain in the body and still give an individual sensation, whereas the part that was lost such as a leg or an arm although still exists, it can no longer have the soul be a part of it or retain any sensation. In general, the body can be viewed as the home and protection of the soul, and if the body is destroyed, then it can no longer protect nor shelter the soul, and as a result, the soul scatters into tiny separate creative energies. All of Epicurus’ teachings and doctrines can be traced back to, and are in relation to attaining pleasure which is the main goal in life. Epicurus defines pleasure as not having certain sensations of happiness, but rather as the absence of bodily pain and mental disturbance. He also believed that pleasure and pain are the main driving forces of a human being, saying that desire is driven by pleasure, and avoidance is driven by pain. Although many view Epicureanism as a form of egoism in which all actions are taken for the benefit of the self, and although this is true, Epicurus’ theory on attaining pleasure and happiness can be seen as something that is able to balance out, and in turn, become a life of virtue. A balanced life of happiness and virtue according to Epicurus can be attained by being prudent and having a sense of discernment when it comes to pleasure. Therefore, someone who is able to do this by acting carefully when it came to the desires and the indulgences in life, and being virtuous to this belief isn’t necessarily set and done on his/her quest for pleasure, but on the right path to attain it. Epicurus believes that without the ability to sense things such as the sight of beauty, the taste of food, the sound of music, or the feel of an object, true pleasures and happiness cannot be achieved. Therefore, the act of sensation is of extreme importance to an Epicurean because without sensation, the good life is unattainable. Epicurus also states that there is nothing more truthful than sensation. This means that the act of sensing doesn’t need to be proven because we sense things exactly for what they are. Sensations are also not voluntary and are received through direct contact with an object or thing through the five sense organs which are sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell. These five senses, in turn are then perceived in the mind and can be enlarged or diminished in the mind. He then considers arguments against his theory that say that just because we sense things and then perceive them in the mind that does not always make them true. A classic example he gives is an octagonal tower seen from a far distance is in actuality cylindrical, or a tall building from a far distance may look small through the sense of sight, but in reality the building only appears to be small because it is seen from a far distance. To support his argument, Epicurus states that it is then up to the individual to use reason, logic, and our past experiences to determine whether this observation is true or not. Sensation therefore, is the basic foundation of knowledge according to Epicurus. Although sensation is of extreme importance in Epicurean philosophy, the concept of sensation still goes back to the main idea of Epicurus’ teachings which is pleasure and happiness. According to Epicurus, pleasure is the goal of all things. However, to argue against those who say his teachings are egoistic, Epicurus emphasized on the right kind of pleasure. For example, in Epicurus’ â€Å"Letter to Menoceus† he explains that indulging in the pleasures and luxuries of life is not what makes a good life, but the choices we make when in search of pleasure and avoidance of physical or mental pain: â€Å"For it is not continuous drinkings and revellings, nor the satisfaction of lusts, nor the enjoyment of fish, and other luxuries of the wealthy table, which produce a pleasant life, but sober reason, searching, out the motives for all choice and avoidance, and banishing mere opinions, to which are due the greatest disturbances of the spirit. This quote explains that Epicurus is not concerned with the quality of material things such as fine foods and other luxuries, but rather whether these things are enough to eliminate pain so that we can have pleasure. Epicurus believes that the more we can limit our pleasures and desires, especially the ones that are most necessary and natural such as food and water to survive and avoid bodi ly pain, the more we are likely to attain a happy and pleasurable life. To further understand the concept of limiting pleasures and desires, Epicurus states that when one removes all physical and mental pain, for example eating to avoid hunger, or overcoming fear and anxiety to be free of mental pain, is when pleasure can be achieved. However, it is up to the individual to not become engaged in fulfilling â€Å"natural but unnecessary† pleasures, such as eating more than needed, or having luxurious food instead of normal food. Epicurus believes that this is where we must use our judgment and good reason to pick and choose what will best fulfill our needs without being overly self-indulgent. He divides pleasures and desires into three separate categories. The first one is natural and necessary which as stated before, are daily survival necessities like food and water. The second form of pleasure is natural but unnecessary which is a pleasure that is natural such as food, but not necessary such as having extravagant food rather than regular food that would eliminate hunger. Lastly, the third type of pleasure is neither natural nor necessary which refers to fame, having a high status among peers in society, or the desire to be accepted by others. The ability of fully understanding these categories and practicing them religiously on a daily basis will direct one to a life that is free of bodily pain and mental disturbance. Epicurus defines the good life not by the presence of pleasure but by the absence of mental and physical pain. Once the main goal of avoiding pain and fear are achieved, the individual won’t be on the search for something that is missing because all pain is gone, thus, the desire to eliminate it is gone as well leaving the mind and body free of pain and anxiety. Epicurus’ definition of the wise man is one who is free from most troubles. Although peace of the mind is of extreme importance in Epicureanism, one cannot achieve it without being self-sufficient. A wise man, in Epicurean standards is one who does not depend on others. Therefore high held positions such as having political power, or even something as common as marrying and having a family creates too much stress because your life becomes strained with anxiety over the actions of others which are completely out of your control. Epicurus believes that the outside world creates too much pressure that can lead to anxiety because most of the things dealing with the outside world are outside of your control. A life of simplicity and freedom from anxiety and pain are a way of life for a wise man. When one gains complete control over these things, as well as overcoming the fears of the outside world, then one can live a happy and pleasurable life because there is no desire for things which one cannot find him/herself. A free life according to Epicurus also means not having too many possessions because owning too many materialistic things results in robberies which only lead to more consequences and trouble all of which can be avoided. However, what a wise man should do when he is in the possession of many things is donating it and distributing them to those that are less fortunate and those in need. Epicurus says that gaining gratitude from your neighbors is more important than indulging in unnecessary things. This thus proves that an Epicurean life isn’t egoistic as most critics seem to think but rather a way of life in which an individual can live freely without worry. Although the main idea of Epicurus’ philosophy is pleasure as the main goal, the word pleasure has a different meaning than the one we are used to. The word â€Å"pleasure† in epicurean terms means the absence of pain which is why a good amount of Epicurean philosophy discusses ways in which one can avoid pain and eliminate worries, anxieties and fears. Pleasure according to Epicurus has nothing to do with being in the possession of luxurious items because that is not what brings pleasure to the individual but rather a peaceful mental state or being: It is better for you to be free of fear lying upon a pallet, than to have a golden couch and rich table and be full of trouble . † Although Epicurus does not believe in a wise man having a family and advises that one should avoid conforming to society and the pressures of the outside world, he emphasizes the value of a strong friendship and believes it to be the second most important thing in a noble man after wisdom . Even more surprising than this is the fact that Epicurus welcomed women into his school and considered them as potential friends despite the time period and social standards of Ancient Greece at the time. Epicurus welcomed all kinds of people into his school and didn’t look at gender, wealth, age, or social class to determine a person’s worth of attending. Aside from not picking student and friends based on external factors, Epicurus believed that all friendships arise from self-interest: â€Å"Every friendship in itself is to be desired; but the first cause of friendship was a man’s needs . However, friendships can’t always be seen as a relationship between two people that’s driven solely on one’s own self-interests and benefits, they should be much more and beyond that. Throughout time, Epicurus believes that a friendship that once started only as an act of self-satisfaction to benefit the self can become much more intimate and grow beyond the desire to be friends just to gain needs driven by sole self-interest. He also advised that friendships shouldn’t be pushed to their extremes when on the pursuit of benefits and should not be pushed to the extreme if it’s completely void of all benefits because then, the individual would have no desire to keep the friendship alive at all. Once two friends can overcome that stage of self-interest and gain intimacy then all expectations of each other and what is needed for the benefit of the self is gone. The mere fact of just knowing and having a friend and his/her company should bring enough pleasure to the individual to not care about other things that would only benefit the self. Epicurus did not believe that sexual love was of any benefit to an individual and although it can be associated with bringing pleasure, it causes much more disturbances in the mind that far outweigh the pleasures it may bring: â€Å"No pleasure is a bad thing in itself, but the means which produce some pleasures bring with them disturbances many times greater than the pleasures. Epicurus believes that fulfilling sexual desires are unnecessary for the survival of an individual and can be dealt without, considering how much mental disturbance it may bring afterwards. Epicurus categorizes this pleasure as the â€Å"natural and unnecessary† which means that although the desire for attaining sexual pleasure may be completely natural for the individual, it isn’t necessary for survival, therefore it is not an absolute necessity. This thus makes the act of fulfilling sexual pleasure to be vain and selfish, as well as bringing disturbance to the mind. The reason Epicurus advises the wise man not to engage in sexual encounters is because the pleasure that comes from sex can be too intense for the individual to handle. When something so intense yet so pleasurable becomes a much needed desire, it is sure to bring disturbance to the mind. Another way sexual desire can be seen as creating disturbances in the mind is considering how before sexual pleasures can be fulfilled, one must pursue the person of the opposite sex and develop an intimate level of friendship or relationship. With that relationship comes fear and anxiety over losing your partner and concerns of what the future might bring. After a relationship has been developed, child bearing is the next step which creates even more disturbances to the mind, because with children come more external and outside powers that are out of your control which result in fears, frustrations, hopes anxieties and pain all of which can be avoided if one does not become involved in an intimate sexual relationship. How does one avoid mental disturbances to achieve peace in the mind? Epicurus believes that pleasure can still be attained without fulfilling sexual desires by simply forming strong friendships and developing a level of intimacy that would allow the friendship to survive solely on that level of intimacy and not self-interested benefits and needs. Once a deep enough level of intimacy has been developed, things such as trust, loyalty, and pleasure will surely ensue afterwards. Whereas a relationship driven by sexual pleasures will result in jealousy, hate, possessiveness, anger, and bittersweet memories that could last a lifetime. Therefore, to avoid having to go through these struggles in life and living a life of simplicity and freedom, Epicurus advises one to seek friendships that doesn’t require too much of one’s time, energy, and physical or mental strength. Living the life of an Epicurean means living a life of simplicity, avoiding anything that is too dangerous for one’s well being even if it is the norm in society such as getting married, and being on a life long pursuit for pleasure. As stated before, from a quick glance at Epicurus’ philosophy, one can conclude that his teachings were all self centered, however, upon further reading into his doctrines, as well as how other philosophers were able to interpret and justify some of his teachings, his true meaning of a virtuous and good life can be more clearly understood. His philosophies on how to be a wise man and achieve the good life prove how non egoistic Epicureanism is. Although it does always focus on gaining pleasure for the self, it does so only to a certain extent in which one attains enough pleasure to eliminate the pain. Once that has been achieved, going on a pursuit for more pleasure is considered vain, and as I have discussed before, Epicurus categorizes this pleasure as the â€Å"natural and unnecessary† or â€Å"unnatural and unnecessary. † Therefore he advises one not to seek these kinds of pleasures because that can create more disturbances in the mind. His thorough explanation and solution on how to achieve a tranquil mind by giving insight on the Gods and what happens to the soul and body after death are also a huge part of his philosophy. Overall, Epicureanism was a very modern school of philosophy compared to the time period, and the location of where it had been originated. Epicurus’ way of not discriminating against minorities such as women or the lower class, and not religiously worshiping supernatural beings even though that had been the norm in society, is very much like the life he preaches one should live in which one doesn’t conform to the standards of the masses but pursues a path of his own, where a peaceful mind and a body free of pain can be found.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Sports Essays Eating Disorders Athletes

Sports Essays Eating Disorders Athletes Eating disorders can be common among athletes. This may be due to the pressure of the sporting background that commonly precipitates the beginning of these problems. In this day and age certain obsessive behaviour such as extreme exercise and also erratic eating habits have become a normal part of society. Williamson et al suggests that (â€Å"Concern about an athletes body size and shape has become greater than ever before due to the pressure for thinness from coaches and also from athletic performance, and negative self appraisal of athletic achievement†) It has been suggested that the majority of successful athletes are strong minded, and set almost impossible targets for themselves and work long hard hours to achieve these targets. However these factors can bring on eating disorders that can often be found in anorexia and bulimic patients. Disordered eating is possibly found in most sporting activities. The athletes most at risk from developing or indeed having an eating disorder are those who engage in sports that require certain characteristics. For instance gymnasts and also figure skaters are under extreme and constant pressure to preserve a chid like body. Chaotic eating disorders are prevalent in girl athletes but not so much in boy athletes. In 1992 the NCCA conducted a survey of athletes. The NCCA stated (â€Å"93% of the programs reporting eating disorders were in womens sports) (Dying to win 1994 suggests that † Some male athletes do use extreme methods for losing weight, but an important difference exists between these and the self-starvation strategies of anorexics)† For instance, a weight lifters view of his body is not warped. When the weight lifter is not in competition he can regain the weight easily. This suggests that it is possible for the body to return to normal when the athletes sport ing career comes to an end. But unfortunately this is not the case in females. Eating disorders often happen to young girls who become obsessed with avoiding the progression of becoming a woman. These girls will go to extreme measures to keep a child like physique. This is what gymnastics are told they must do in order to stay in gymnasts competition. Because of this it is a gymnastics biggest fear of developing a womanly shape that might obstruct their performance. Sundgot-Borgen 1994 states that † This could provoke a conflict in which an athlete struggles to prevent or counter the natural physical changes precipitated by growth and maturity† many gymnasts have been training since early childhood. In taking part in such specific training before the body reaches maturity these girls risk losing out in a which another sport that they could do in adult hood when their gymnastic career ends. The leading UK charity for people with eating disorders is called B-eat. This stands for beating eating disorders. Beat surveyed 600 young people who suffer from an eating disorders-eat results were: Only 1 percent of children felt they could talk to their parents about their eating related concerns. 9 percent of children felt they might be able to talk to someone at school. 17 percent of children felt they might be able to talk to a doctor or nurse 92 percent of children felt they couldnt tell anyone. B-eat states that† currently the number of people receiving treatment for anorexia or bulimia to be near 90, 000, while many more people have eating disorders undiagnosed†. So of these 92%, the 17% who felt they might be able to talk to a doctor or nurse. So might benefit from the programme. If 92 percent of children feel that they could not tell anyone that they had an eating disorder then it is obvious that there is a need for young people to be educated about the dangers of eating disorders. There is also a need for counsellors or something similar to the Samaritans. So that children have the opportunity to talk about eating disorders to people who will not judge them. The will just listen and give advice if it is asked for. Gymnasts are only too aware about how their slender body shape can mean winning or losing a competition. This one of the main reasons why gymnasts are more at risk from developing an eating disorder. The qualities that make a good gymnast such as high expectations, being compulsive and also striving to be the best are all key characteristics connected to eating disorders. These statistics suggest that there is a need for a well being programme targeting female gymnasts of secondary school age. In beats survey 92% of children felt that they could not tell anyone that they have an eating disorder.17% said they might be able to talk to a doctor or nurse about it. In order to combat this discussion groups could take place on a monthly basis, as part of the gymnastic curriculum in local clubs such as the YMCA (The YMCA is part of the voluntary sector that rely mainly on good will donations and also club membership. It is a non-profit organisation). However conducting a programme surrounding eating disorders should be done with caution and awareness that the people most vulnerable will take any comment or criticism to heart. For example taking a persons weight and vital statistics is not a good way to try and combat eating disorders. This will only make the person mare aware abut body issues even more so if others in the group are thinner or have a smaller body mass index. For this reason, YMCA volunteers should receive training on how to approach and discuss the subject. In 1992 Claire Vickery founded the Butterfly Foundation. In Australia. The Foundation offers support to those people who suffer from an eating disorder and also poor or negative self body image. Claire was said to have discovered â€Å"gaps† in the† public health system† for the people who are and continue to suffer from eating disorders. The Butterfly Foundation suggests that† there is more pressure than ever before on young people who are exposed to highly stylized unrealistic images in the media at an alarming rate every day† This in turn can lead to thoughts of failure unsafe expectations, resulting in little confidence negative thoughts about body image. The Butterfly Foundation can offer support to educational establishments and also local community groups in the structure of workshops presentations to aid youngsters to develop their body image, self-esteem media understanding. The Eating Difficulties Education Network is another organisation that deals with eating disorders. EDEN is community service, which is based in Auckland New Zealand. The organisation is run by a group of women who can provide information and also assistance for those individuals who suffer from eating disorders, and also support their family and close ones. Eden can provide counselling and also workshops for Health professional, the community and also educational establishments. Edens main focus is for the promotion of â€Å"body satisfaction† and takes the approach that you can be happy whatever your size may be. It may be that girls will respond better to women speakers and counsellors. EDEN works in two main areas. These being, working with the people who have eating problems and also working towards the prevention of eating disorders among young people. . EDEN states that† dieting is ineffective and potentially leads to weight and body image difficulties in all their forms. Aiming to work with individuals to develop body satisfaction and seek to create environments that are accepting of size diversity and which support body trust†. At present in the United Kingdom there is little support for vulnerable children including athletes in relation to eating disorders. Only B-eat tries to help combat eating disorders-eat is relatively unheard of and is not well publicized. If the Butterfly Foundation in Australia has been in operation since 1992 then this would suggest that the foundation is working well in helping combat eating disorders. The United Kingdom would profit to follow a similar programme. The programme could include areas such as: Workshops, which are interactive, group discussions activities on Self Esteem Body Image: group discussions are a good way to get people to open up and discuss their ideas/feeling on the relevant subject. Open-ended questions tend to get the best response from people. Open-ended questions ask specific questions which cannot be answered with a simple yes/no or a specific piece of information. In extreme cases, referal to a mental health practitioner. Using a series of cards with different statements is a good way to help children open up and discuss their feeling. It is also a good way of getting children involved in self-esteem group activities. Media literacy uses an â€Å"inquiry based instruction model† This model helps motivate people into asking questions in relation to what they see in the media whether they watch it or read it. Media literacy provides different means of assessment tools to help people look at the media and to help people become aware of one sided views in the media. Media Literacy can help provide people with greater perceptive of understanding the role of mass media and bias media in blocking views of reality. Presentations are a good way of getting important information across to the audience 15mins or 20mins presentations could be used, as the audience will be young teenagers and/or children and may not have a long attention span that an adult would have. These presentations would include questions to/from the audience, but do not involve activities. For this reason they can be delivered to large numbers of students for example up to 50 at a time. The following topics could be used in presentations: Self Esteem Body perception and Image: Body image and perception is how a person feels and views their physical appearance. A lot of young people, mainly in their early teens, suffer from low self -esteem this is because as children develop into adolescents, they become aware about how others see and perceive them. Media Influences: recently, in the past few years it has become† politically correct† for the media to make some attempt to fight eating disorders. Magazines and TV shows and adverts featuring the misfortune of anorexia and bulimia, but this hard work is proving to be unsuccessful when they are presented in the usual perspective. For instance, how can one think that a teenage magazine is actually motivated to beat eating disorders when the stories relating to that area are covered by advertisements featuring childlike looking role models. People often feel that the do not â€Å"measure up† this is attributable to the anxiety of trying to live up to unhealthy† cultural expectations† of physical body perfection. BUPA suggests â€Å"Children and young people need to do 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day. This needs to include at least two weekly activities that produce high physical stress on bones, such as dancing, jumping or aerobics to aid development†. (Muscat, 2002). Suggests† Another method that coaches, parents (family) and athletes may use to help prevent disordered eating in sport is to avoid making derogatory comments about the female body.† Research shows that female athletes who report critical comments, compared with those who do not, also report greater disordered eating. Such athletes clearly suffer from body-image anxiety. Findings indicate that critical comments related to disordered eating behaviours are from multiple sources (Rieves Cash, 1996) rather than limited to coaches and peers (Beals, Manore, 1994; Berry Howe, 2000; Sundgot-Boren, 1994; Williamson et al., 1995). In addition to comments from coaches and peers, female athletes reported critical comments from parents, grandparents, medical professionals, siblings, and teachers (Muscat, 2002) Therefore this makes the task of altering their self-image extremely complex. Evaluation of the programme could be in the form of anonymous post cards that would be posted in a box. The cards would allow for comments and feedback both positive and negative, which will be essential to the success of the programme and will allow for changes to be made if needed. So the foregoing is the proposed programme. The media is partly to blame for placing a huge importance on what a person looks like and also what size they are. The television and also glossy magazines continually flood our brains with images of body perfection and images of attractive perfect looking people. These messages, which are specifically targeted at females, motivate people into believing that in order to be successful you have to be good looking and slim. This media stereotyping is thought to be the causes why of only ten percent of men have eating disorders, while 90 percent are women. Eating disorders are said to stem from addictive and compulsive behaviours.Other people who have the same or similar traits may turn to alchol,be drug users,self abuse or gamble.People who suffer from eating disorders also suffer from low self esteem,and also a lack of direction in life.This may be a reason why gymnasts are prone to eating disorders.They realise their careers will be over when they reach their mid 20s and do not know what their life will hold from them beyond then. McPherson et al. (1989) states, â€Å"Deviant Behaviour is a product of numerous interacting social and cultural forces. These include an inadequate socialisation process; lack of, or failure of social controls; perceived inequities in a situation; the individuals definition of the situation; and the labelling of individuals who engage in deviance. More specifically, one learns deviant behaviour by directly and indirectly acquiring opportunities†. Over conformity is a behavioral characteristic commonly found in sport. Overcomformity goes way beyond normally accepted rules or regulations that it interferes with the persons health and well-being. Over conformity is behavior grounded in a naive acceptance of rules and regulations. According to Coakley p.166† deviance grounded in overconformilty is often identified as an indication of commitment and dedication, even though it may be dangerous and have serious consequences for the health and well being of self and others†. According to Dying to win 1994 â€Å" a large percentage of gymnastic coaches are constantly instructing the girls on how to count calories, how to act, what to wear, and what to say in public† Because of this these girls feel that the only part of their lives that they are able to control is the food and drink that they consume. Because these coaches are authority figures to these gymnasts any remark made will have deep impact and be taken to heart. One of the main reasons that these girls embark on such drastic diets is because their coach suggests that they need to lose some weight in order from them to look their best. These girls are young and vulnerable to such comments and remarks that they be seen as a basis for enhanced routines. Athletes can be under the illusion that to be a real athlete they must make sacrifices whether it is to your own body or to others and pay the price to increase skills in order to stay in the industry as long as they can. Judging gymnasts ability is not objective. Each of the Judges makes a score according to what they believe makes a good routine. The look of the gymnast may control their perceptions and in doing so affect their final verdict. This reinforces the idea that in order to be at the top of their game a gymnast has to maintain a childlike body. This encourages deviant behaviour, as these girls will do anything to be a winner including going way beyond the norms of society. A terrible example of when a judges decision helped destroy a girls life is an event with gymnast Christy Henrich who was a top contestant in gymnastics in the latter part of the 1980s. She died of a multiple organ failure due to her fight with anorexia and associated eating disorders. At a meeting in Budapest, an American. Judge stated that† Henrich would have to lose weight if she wanted to make the Olympic team.† When Henrich returned to America her mum remembers the first words out of her daughters mouth:† she was fat and she would have to lose weightthat was the only way she would reach her dreams†. Because of these judges tough rules coakley p174 suggests that the roots of deviance go deeper than the individual desire to win or make money. These roots are grounded in the very values promoted through the sport ethic itself. Therefore, much of the deviance in sports is most accurately identified as a social issue rather than just a personal problem of indi vidual athletes. Eitzen, 1988, States that† Within sport, deviance involves violating the rules of a game or organisation, going beyond commonly accepted definitions of fair- play and sportsmanship, and intentionally using illegal means to intimidate or injure an opponent† This means athletes are willing to do anything to get to the top of their game e.g. drug use for weight control and/or stimulants for endurance. No matter how bad the end consequence is. Christy Enrich died as a result of her deviant behaviour spiralling out- with her control. The increase of commercialism in sports has lead to more rules and more pressure to win and be at the top of the game. This in turn has lead to deviance becoming widespread due to the fact that the top judges are reluctant or powerless to punish all acts of deviance. Due to government intervention and equal rights in athletes participation in sports female participation has increased. The first law in America to disallow sex discrimination in any shape or form among people of educational establishment was named† title X†This law was enforced to allow greater gender equality. This means that no one can be discriminated against in relation to gender. Under the â€Å"Title X law both men and women must be treated the same and fairly without judgment. †Title X† covers all areas of government policy including recruitment, housing, insurance and athletics. In the United Kingdom similar law to â€Å"Title X† this law is called â€Å"The Brighton Decleration.†The main aim of the declaration is to â€Å"develop a sporting culture which enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of life†. When sport is practiced equally and also fairly it can help make society a better place and also encourage equality. A good example of this is the Olympic games. Sport is a cultural activity, which, practiced fairly and equitably, enriches society and encourages friendship between nations. â€Å"Sport is an activity which offers the individual the opportunity of self-knowledge, self-expression and fulfillment; personal achievement, skill acquisition and demonstration of ability; social interaction, enjoyment, good health and well-being†. (The Brighton declaration) In society, sport plays a part in the culture of every nation. Sport participation in women varies vastly between nations. Females make up more than half of the worlds population. However in sport participation is still predominately male. In recent years despite growing participation of women in sporting activities and also improved opportunities due to laws being past on equal opportunities such as â€Å"Title X† and â€Å"The Brighton Declaration† women in high positions within sport has not followed. Females continue to be undermined and miss- represented in relation to management roles within sport especially at the top ranks. Equal opportunities will continue not to exist and be achieved within sport because of the lack of these role models. For example, women aducation and their ensuring comments might persuade young female athletes away from deviant behavior in relation to body weight and image. In conclusion, eating disorders can happen to anybody. It seems to be most prevalent in young teenage girls. Gymnasts, more than any other athletes are more at risk from eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. This may be due to the fact that gymnasts, especially the females, are put under regular stress to keep to a very low body weight for visual presentation to the judges. Many judges award points for small body size alone. Because of this there is a need to educate young teenage girls to the dangers of having an eating disorder. As Coakley states â€Å"deviance grounded in overconformilty is often identified as an indication of commitment and dedication, even though it may be dangerous and have serious consequences for the health and well being of self and others†. These gymnasts believe that the have to be the thinnest to be at the top of their game. Their coaches reinforce this idea. According to (Dying to win 1994) a large percentage of gymnastic coaches are constantly instructing the girls on how to count calories, how to act, what to wear. Because of this these girls feel that the only part of their lives that they are able to control is the food and drink that they consume. Because these coaches are role models to these gymnasts any remark made will have deep impact and be taken to heart. One of the main reasons that these girls embark on such drastic diets is because their coach suggests that they need to lose some weight in order from them to look their best. These girls are young and vulnerable to such comments and remarks that may be seen as a basis for enhanced routines. And so if there were more females in positions of authority, e.g. judges, they could counteract this perspective. According to Health magazine, April 2002,†32% of female TV network characters are underweight, while only 5% of females in the U.S. audience are underweight†. In contrast, actors who are older, frumpier, scruffy, perhaps physically challenged, represent evil and also stupid people. The majority seem to be heavy. Once more according to Health magazine,† only 3% of female TV network characters are obese, while 25% of U.S. women fall into that category† This shows that the media is partly to blame for eating disorders in young people. No one wants to be known as heavy, overweight or scruffy. We need more realism for example the normal size for a woman is more like Opra Winfery. According to B—eats survey of 600 young people with eating disorders 92% of children felt that they could not tell anybody that the had an eating disorder. This suggests that there are a large number of children that need help and also someone to talk to and discuss their feelings in relation to eating disorders. However, of these 92%, 17% would seem amenable to help. The Butterfly Foundation in Australia and also EDEN in Auckland, New Zealand are both for non-profit which help young girls combat eating disorders. Both organisations offer support and counselling. Though different means of evaluation such as presentations to schools on the dangers of eating disorders. By following a programme similar to both the Butterfly Foundation and also Eden Britain can begin to tackle the growing problem of eating disorders. In which takes a multidisciplinary approach in schools, the voluntary sector, sports establishments and also G.P, mental health referrals. Government funding could be ring-fenced money for programme funding. More women of authority and also approachable councillors and training may require women instead of men. References About eating disorders/what is an eating disorder. Beat [internet]. Available from: [Accessed on 07 April 2008]. Berger, John. (1972) Ways of Seeing. London: BBC/Harmondsworth: Penguin. Body image. Hms Harvard. [Internet]. Available from:www.hms.harvard.edu [Accessed 18April 2008] Coakley, J (2007) Sports in Society: Issues Controversies. International edition. 9th edition. McGraw Hill, New York. Coakley, J. and Dunning, E. (2002) Handbook of Sports Studies, London, Sage. Eating disorder statistics. [Internet]. Available from: [Accessed 03 May 2008]. Eitzen, D.S. (1988). Ethical problems in American sportJournal of Sport and Social Issues. Garner DM, Garfinkel PE. (1980) Socio-cultural factors in the development of anorexia nervosa. Psychol Med. Hargreaves, J. (1994) Sporting Females, London: Routledge. Hargreaves, J. (1986) Sport, Power Culture, Cambridge: Polity. Holt, R. (1989) Sport the British: A Modern History, Oxford, University Press. Horne, J, et al., (1999) Understanding Sport: An Introduction to the Sociological and Cultural Analysis of Sport, London, EFN Spon. McPherson, B.D.; Curtis, J.E.; and Loy, J.W.; (1989), The Social Significance Of Sport, Human Kinetics Books Illinois. The Butterfly Foundation. [Internet]. Available from,http://www.thebutterflyfoundation.org/ [Accessed 12 May 2008] Ideal weight varies across cultures, but body image dissatisfaction pervades [Internet] Available from, http://www.physorg.com/news [Accessed 12 May 2008]

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

The Influence Of Postmodern Dance Essay

The Influence Of Postmodern Dance Essay Postmodernism was a late 20th century movement that opposed the Modernist preoccupation with purity of form and technique, and aimed to eradicate the divisions between art, popular culture, and the media. Postmodern artists employed influences from an array of past movements, applying them to modern forms. Postmodernists embraced diversity and rejected the distinction between high and low art. Ignoring genre boundaries, the movement encourages the mix of ideas, medias, and forms to promote parody, humor, and irony. -started 1960s in a church -the word postmodern after modern techniques Graham n Isadora -influced by Cunningham n cage -timely, moving on today Where Modernists tended to believe in the future and reject the past, Postmodernists are more pessimistic and do not see the world necessarily improving in the future. 1960-1970s even though it was short time Postmodernist music includes Philip Glasss minimalist works and John Cages collaborative performances in which he involved the audience. genres like ballet and modernism and develop new styles. The most famous of these pioneers was probably Anna Halprin, who based her choreography on real experiences, not classical works. Her group, the Dancers Workshop, usually avoided traditional technique and often performed outdoors instead of on a conventional stage. Another modern dance pioneer, Robert Dunn, believed that the process of art was more significant than the end product. Merce Cunningham experimented with the relationship between dance and music and created choreography that was unrelated to the music it was accompanied by. What Followed Postmodernism? Postmodern dance was a relatively short-lived movement, but it was a stepping stone to other artistic endeavors. Performance art, a movement featuring theatrical events realized through loosely structured combinations of events, grew out of the collaboration between dance and other art forms. Dancers like Twyla Tharp put their own stamp on postmodern theory and began a return to more structured choreography, making way for the contemporary dance genre of today. Postmodern dance is a 20th century concert dance form. A reaction to the compositional and presentation constraints of modern dance, postmodern dance hailed the use of everyday movement as valid performance art and advocated novel methods of dance composition. Claiming that any movement was dance, and any person was a dancer (with or without training) early postmodern dance was more closely aligned with ideology of modernism rather than the architectural, literary and design movements of postmodernism. However, the postmodern dance movement rapidly developed to embrace the ideology of postmodernism which was reflected in the wide variety of dance works emerging from Judson Dance Theater, the home of postmodern dance.[citation needed] Lasting from the 1960s to the 1970s the main thrust of Postmodern dance was relatively short lived but its legacy lives on in contemporary dance (a blend of modernism and postmodernism) and the rise of postmodernist choreographic processes that have produced a wide range of dance works in varying styles. Postmodern art is a term used to describe an art movement which was thought to be in contradiction to some aspect of modernism, or to have emerged or developed in its aftermath. In general, movements such as Intermedia, Installation art, Conceptual Art and Multimedia, particularly involving video are described as postmodern. The traits associated with the use of the term postmodern in art include bricolage, use of words prominently as the central artistic element, collage, simplification, appropriation, depiction of consumer or popular culture and Performance art.

Essay --

â€Å"Courage is fire and bullying is smoke.†--Benjamin Disraeli. Bullying is more connected to smoke than just as aftermath. Bullying, compared to smoke, is widespread and causes destruction in every life it touches. The tormentor envelopes their victim in fear and a sense of uneasiness that cannot be divided into categories--such as some websites claim--but instead, one because all the bully can do is connected to his or her victim in one way or another. Bullying touches many people in close proximity to one another . In fact, recent surveys have found that approximately 60 percent of students enrolled in middle school have been bullied in some form (Statistics: Is Bullying). The facts show that once started, bullying is incredibly difficult to stop, and wreaks havoc in every life it touches. Bullying affects middle school students in numerous ways. Some of the most common being physically, emotionally, and academically. Bullying, such as smoke, can cause serious health problems to students in middle school. Many bullies choose to physically harm their victims in a form of bullying called physical bullying. â€Å"Physical bullying involves real bodily contact between a bully and his or her victim for the express purpose of intimidation or control over the victim† (What Is Physical). This interaction develops into a feeling of satisfaction for the bully because their have done what they intended to accomplish--establish anxiety into the life of the suffer. However, the pain does not end there for some students. Many students suffer from imperfections in their bodies due to the physical contact. Some of which includes bruises, cuts, and scars, leaving a constant reminder of middle school for the rest of their lives. Physical bullyi... ... who are repeatedly bullied receive poorer grades and participate less in class discussions. Some students may get labeled as low achievers because they do not want to speak up in class for fear of getting bullied. Teachers can misinterpret their silence, thinking that these students are not motivated to learn† (Wolpert). Without doing well in school, many students are hurting their chances to be successful in life. Bullying causes a students to feel like they do not have fulfillment in their lives. Because of bullying, many students suffer. Because of bullying, many middle school students suffer in more than one area, just as smoke can affect a persons health in more than one area. It affect student’s body, mind, and school work. To help correct this, peers need to step up if they see someone being bullied, for the health of the bully, victim, and community.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

What Hemingway Leaves Out :: essays research papers

Earnest Hemingway is known for leaving things out in his writing. He believed that if you knew something well enough, you could leave it out and still get your point across. In the short story "The End of something", he leaves a few things out. Some things he doesn't say at all and others the reader knows something before he says it. He must have know what he was writing about because he the reader can infer certain things. In this particular story, the reader knows some things about nicks past. Hemingway doesn't say it, but Nick is an experienced fisher. This is shown by nicks actions. In the boat, Nick knows that even though the trout are feeding, they won't strike. When the trout broke the surface of the water, Nike instinctively pulled hard on one oar to turn the bait towards them. He also tells Marge not to take the ventral fin out of the perch. These things are the actions of a truly great fisherman. Another thing Hemingway leaves out is the entirety of nick and Marge's relationship. The reader gets nothing but the final scenes of a long relationship. Marjorie calls the deteriorating mill "our old ruin". This shows that they had done this trip many times. The mill belonged to neither nick nor Marge. It was their ruin because it had grown on them. Hemingway says that Marge loved to fish with Nick. This was a bond that had developed between the to of them. These two have obviously had a deep relationship. The reader can also infer what is going to happen. Nick's actions show that they are going to break up. During the entire boat ride Nick doesn't say anything but short replies to Marge.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Hackers Blackmail Mahanta, Spandan Section B Statement of the Problem

Hackers Blackmail Mahanta, Spandan Section B Statement of the Problem: Implementation of EMR (Electronic Medical Records) to replace paper records in Sunnylake hospital was a visionary idea. However a major area in implementation of technology i. e. Network Security was overlooked by the organisation. Moreover there was limited or no risk assessment done leaving Sunnylake’s IT team ill equipped to handle a possible intrusion into their network.The result was that the organisation was forced into a situation where they were on the verge of getting into myriad of legal problems including lawsuits amounting to millions. But more than the monetary damages, human lives were at stake which made it even more important for the Sunnylake team to arrive at an early and effective solution to the problem in hand. Analysis: Paul Layman had come to Sunny lake Hospital with the vision to transform the small hospital from a Community Care Centre to a role model for all small hospitals.To turn his vision into reality Paul Layman, the CEO decided to use state of the art technology to replace paper records with Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Accordingly a plan was formulated leading to formation of an IT team in the organisation under the leadership of a young IT Director Jacob Dale. Both Paul and Jacob gave in their best to implement a system which was initially not widely accepted by majority of the Doctors in the hospital. However with time, as the efficiency of the EMR’s showed up the resistance became minimal.For good three years Paul was basking under the glory of his successful implementation of EMR’s but was naive enough to overlook the technology security advancement and did not keep its security up to date and updated. Sunnylake Hospital was almost at a dead end mainly due to human and technological errors. The intrusion into their network was due to someone in the staff mistaking the threat to be an antivirus download or updation of an existing application. This can be a termed as a human error. But more importantly lack of an updated or upgraded security system hich is a major technology flaw was the major contributor to network invasion of the Sunnylake hospital network. The result of these mistakes resulted in Sunnylake hospital on the verge of losing millions in lawsuits, losing the reputation it had built up over the years of service to the community and most importantly a large number of human lives were at stake. Keeping in mind the repercussions of their mistakes, which were quite serious in nature the most immediate solution that I feel would be appropriate would be to pay the ransom amount to hackers thus securing the safety of the affected patients.Having done this we can look at the future course of actions which should include stringent security/access policies, stronger network administration and safety and last but not the least educating the staffs of the network safety measures that needs to be taken care of while using or accessing the organisations network. While we are discussing about all these prominent problem statements, Paul Layman CEO of Sunnylake also has to deal with another long term effect of the fiasco. He had implemented a system for which he had received resistance from many quarters.However with the passage of time as the EMR’s proved to be efficient, these resistances subsided. Now that the EMR’s failed after 3 years of efficient work, the people who had opposed the very implementation of technology including the chief of staff George Knudsen would have a free say to justify their resistance at the first place. And Paul has to see to it that the crisis is solved immediately as he is at a risk of not being able to convince the staff to trust the system or more importantly trust him. Recommendations:In reference to the analysis of the problem above, the following solutions in order of priority along with recommendations are mentioned below. First and for emost Paul Newman will have to pay the ransom to the hackers in order to secure the lives of the affected patients as well as get back access to their network. However he should not overlook the adversities that may crop up later and I would recommend engagement of professionals with expertise in dealing with such situations including law enforcement agencies.Once access to the network is gained, the organisations IT team should immediately put into place network safety policies. For this I would recommend that the IT team implement stricter security policies, access should be limited for the users as per the roles delivered, commonly known dangerous websites be blocked, training the staff on the security measures and finally up gradation of their systems to be able to avert such instances in future. Hackers Blackmail Mahanta, Spandan Section B Statement of the Problem Hackers Blackmail Mahanta, Spandan Section B Statement of the Problem: Implementation of EMR (Electronic Medical Records) to replace paper records in Sunnylake hospital was a visionary idea. However a major area in implementation of technology i. e. Network Security was overlooked by the organisation. Moreover there was limited or no risk assessment done leaving Sunnylake’s IT team ill equipped to handle a possible intrusion into their network.The result was that the organisation was forced into a situation where they were on the verge of getting into myriad of legal problems including lawsuits amounting to millions. But more than the monetary damages, human lives were at stake which made it even more important for the Sunnylake team to arrive at an early and effective solution to the problem in hand. Analysis: Paul Layman had come to Sunny lake Hospital with the vision to transform the small hospital from a Community Care Centre to a role model for all small hospitals.To turn his vision into reality Paul Layman, the CEO decided to use state of the art technology to replace paper records with Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Accordingly a plan was formulated leading to formation of an IT team in the organisation under the leadership of a young IT Director Jacob Dale. Both Paul and Jacob gave in their best to implement a system which was initially not widely accepted by majority of the Doctors in the hospital. However with time, as the efficiency of the EMR’s showed up the resistance became minimal.For good three years Paul was basking under the glory of his successful implementation of EMR’s but was naive enough to overlook the technology security advancement and did not keep its security up to date and updated. Sunnylake Hospital was almost at a dead end mainly due to human and technological errors. The intrusion into their network was due to someone in the staff mistaking the threat to be an antivirus download or updation of an existing application. This can be a termed as a human error. But more importantly lack of an updated or upgraded security system hich is a major technology flaw was the major contributor to network invasion of the Sunnylake hospital network. The result of these mistakes resulted in Sunnylake hospital on the verge of losing millions in lawsuits, losing the reputation it had built up over the years of service to the community and most importantly a large number of human lives were at stake. Keeping in mind the repercussions of their mistakes, which were quite serious in nature the most immediate solution that I feel would be appropriate would be to pay the ransom amount to hackers thus securing the safety of the affected patients.Having done this we can look at the future course of actions which should include stringent security/access policies, stronger network administration and safety and last but not the least educating the staffs of the network safety measures that needs to be taken care of while using or accessing the organisations network. While we are discussing about all these prominent problem statements, Paul Layman CEO of Sunnylake also has to deal with another long term effect of the fiasco. He had implemented a system for which he had received resistance from many quarters.However with the passage of time as the EMR’s proved to be efficient, these resistances subsided. Now that the EMR’s failed after 3 years of efficient work, the people who had opposed the very implementation of technology including the chief of staff George Knudsen would have a free say to justify their resistance at the first place. And Paul has to see to it that the crisis is solved immediately as he is at a risk of not being able to convince the staff to trust the system or more importantly trust him. Recommendations:In reference to the analysis of the problem above, the following solutions in order of priority along with recommendations are mentioned below. First and for emost Paul Newman will have to pay the ransom to the hackers in order to secure the lives of the affected patients as well as get back access to their network. However he should not overlook the adversities that may crop up later and I would recommend engagement of professionals with expertise in dealing with such situations including law enforcement agencies.Once access to the network is gained, the organisations IT team should immediately put into place network safety policies. For this I would recommend that the IT team implement stricter security policies, access should be limited for the users as per the roles delivered, commonly known dangerous websites be blocked, training the staff on the security measures and finally up gradation of their systems to be able to avert such instances in future.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

With Close Reference to their recent releases, compare how Britney Spears and Sum 41 are marketed

Like all artists, Britney Spears and Sum 41 belong to a record company. Here 3 departments look after them: the Artist and Repertoire, Marketing and Production. The Artist and Repertoire( a+r) are responsible for signing the artist. The marketing department are responsible for advertising the artist. The production company are responsible for organizing recording and songs for release. Possible ways the Marketing department can use the Media for advertising include television, radio, posters. They also use a subtle way of using the artist themselves. Britney belongs to Zomba Records and Sum 41 belong to Britney has matured as artist over the years. At the beginning, she was a schoolgirl. This was reflected in her video â€Å"Hit Me Baby One More Time† She was dressed in school uniform. Although attracting pre teens as her primary audience, she was attracting young men (15-20). She has maintained her primary audience throughout her career and as my analysis will tell you, incre ased her secondary audience. Following a break from her career to make a film â€Å"Crossroads†, she re-launched her career as an adult, moving away from school uniform. Her album release â€Å"Britney† opened new doors for Britney and new fans. Her album cover featured her sitting on a stool, crouching forward. With the low cut top she was wearing, this position revealed quite a lot of Britney's chest area. She held wrists facing the camera. This suggests she was flirting with men. She was wearing a crucifix necklace, which suggests she is trying to maintain her virginal reputation that she previously had. Heavy Eye-Makeup is worn, similar to that of Brigitte Bardot, a 60's icon. This attracts men as she is shown to take pride in her appearance. Her hair is tousled over her chest, hinting that she isn't as clean cut as previously thought. The back cover is featuring Britney's face repeatedly reflected over the cover. This gives the effect that she is everywhere. The eye makeup is still worn. Yello w lights are shown, possibly to reflect attention on to Britney. Previously, Britney modelled for Sketchers Footwear Company. She featured in a poster that was completely opposite to the image given in the album cover. Her she appeared normal, down to earth. As this was an appeal to young girls, she worn clothes they could relate to, jacket, jeans and the trainers she was advertising. She still wore makeup but not as much as she wore in the album cover shoot. Sum 41's image is completely different to Britney's. Their album features a more personal touch with what appears to be handwritten track lists and Polaroid photos. This makes the audience feel as though the album has been made for them personally. Dark colours are used, this reflects the bands image of a â€Å"hard† rock band. Sum 41's image has not changed as much as Britney's. In conclusion, Britney is marketed more two audiences where Sum 41 appear to be marketed for the same type which is skaters and rock fans. Britney appears to be more interested in her fans, while Sum 41 aren't really bothered what anyone thinks and are more concerned making music and having fun. Finally, record companies are responsible for the artists image. Record companies use media for advertising and will have too as the public opinion of artists change when the media portrayal of them changes.