Interview Paper Essay

One day forty four years ago, a baby was born in Texas. He was growing up healthily in the warm Texas wind and heat year after year. His name is James Cambell, a man who never stopped chasing his dream with great zest although he is now forty four years old. Spring has always rightly been identified with youth, and the sorrows of youth are poignant and unrepeatable, but he never thinks it is too late to achieve something, a dream or a goal, could be very large or very tiny. When James was young, he had always had a dream that he could travel across the country and now he still has it. Ever since high school James loved jogging and fishing. In the 1980s, a lot of electrical equipment and electronic devices came into this world. At this time, many experts and scientists were predicting the 21th century would be the internet age. As he was a boy, no one could stop James Cambell to be attracted to these electronic devices. So, he started playing and learning about these devices. After he finished his schooling, he got a job in electronics. Many years later, he fell in love with a girl who later became his wife. Everything is impermanent and can be changed. Marriage or divorce and its many ups and downs, still exercised a powerful hold over newspapers, magazines, and the airwaves. Unfortunately, James Cambell was one of them. However, divorce is not always a bad thing. It could be a good in that you as an individual get less stressed and more free time in life. Today, he’s still working in the electrical field and he thinks it is an appropriate time to get more knowledge about electrical technology. Consequently, he’s at HCC now studying Electrical Engineering. In our youth, everyone makes mistakes, and wondered what the world had in stock for them. They too might have had confusion about the future. Brian Mosley was born in Houston. Without exception, he made a so-called mistake when he was young. Life can sure throw a curve ball when you least expect it. A newborn entered his life at age eighteen and had to find work to support him and his new family. When I asked him, â€Å"have you ever had any regrets about what happened?† He said he never thought it was a mistake because he looked at the situation through optimist eyes. If there was only half a cup of water left, an optimistic person may cheer for it because they still have the half. Obviously, Brian was an optimistic person that  never felt unhappy or sorrowful. There is no denying that, most optimists have a high happiness index, which can hardly be experienced by pessimists. His attitude had moved his wife and parents strongly so they too can view life in the same perspective. As a result, the atmosphere of optimism and happiness had been naturally set up and his mom aided to him to take care of the baby. Fourteen years later, Brian’s second boy was expectably born when he was thirty two years old. Today, he is a thirty nine years old man with less pressure and more freedom. His work schedule allows him to attend HCC to continue receiving a higher education to later support his family even further. Now he’s studying physical therapy for his interest. He hopes he can travel with his family on road trips across the whole country in the upcoming years. There is always a lot of fun in an extended family. Sometimes people may squabble but never take it to heart. Twenty seven years ago, Michael was born in Houston and he had two brothers and three sisters. Unfortunately, he was oldest child had to take care of them and forgive their mistakes. In other words he had to start learning more than his brothers and sisters such as doing housework. In such a situation, he had been independent earlier than others. Every time when Michael was awake dead at night he always felt lonely and so he would ask himself what is needed of him. Sometimes, he still felt lonely, but is loneliness a terrible thing? Obviously, the answer is no, because loneliness also could bring something good to him. Because of lacking help from others, he became prone to dealing with all kinds of situations by himself. Thus, he would be more independent in life and he can endure more setbacks and pressure. Now Michael likes watching comedy and shopping with his friends. He has a three years old daughter. And he’s studying business in HCC to get a more interesting and better job.

Describe Dispositional and Situational Factors in Explaining Behavior Essay

Describe the role of situational and dispositional factors in explaining behavior Both situation and dispositional factors play a significant role in people explaining behavior. (in that they guide the judgment on both our actions and people’s actions. ) Attribution theory, known as how people interpret and explain behavior in the social world, is closely related to these two factors. People tend to attribute behavior depending on their roles as actors or observers, known as the actor-observer effect. Milgram’s study (1963) investigated the role of situation and dispositional factors in participants explaining their own behavior. Nine out of twelve participants completed the task under the researcher’s authoritative guidance. The participants considered the task unethical so they attributed their negative behavior to the researcher’s guidance instead of the dispositional factor, such as their personality. When people explain their own behavior, they tend to attribute it to situation factors such as the interference from the authority. Zimbardo et al (1973) conducted an experiment in Stanford’s prison to investigate the role of actor-observer effect. Participants were assigned with either the role of prisoners or the role of guards. In the experiment, both the guards and prisoners were very dedicated into their acting roles. Most of the prisoners obeyed the guards because the guards imposed violent behavior to the prisoners. It is found that the prisoners believed and attributed the guard’s violent behavior to the guard’s dispositional factor. When people observe other’s behavior, they usually attribute it to dispositional factor such as personality. Therefore, with the knowledge of the prison as a simulation, the prisoners still obeyed the guards like they were real guards who always acted violently. People usually attribute their behavior to situational factors when they perform the behavior. Whereas, people attribute others’ behavior to dispositional factor when they are the observers.

Believe in Yourself

You are beautiful when your strength and determination shines as you follow your path – when you aren’t ruled by the obstacles along the way†¦ You are unstoppable when you let your mistakes educate you, as your confidence builds from experiences†¦ When you know you can fall down, pick yourself up, and move forward†¦. Stop judging, and appreciate the beauty within you, judging yourself is not the same as being honest with yourself†¦. The only challenge greater than learning to walk a mile in some else’s shoes, is learning to walk a lifetime comfortably in your own†¦ In every smile there is beauty.In every heart there is love. In every mind there is wisdom. In every human being there is a soul, there is life, and there is the ability to see all these things in everyone, including one’s self†¦ Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you, accept yourself! Insecurity is what’s ugly, not you. Be you, just the way you are, in the beautiful way only you know how†¦ The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will either.And whenever you are truly comfortable in your own skin, not everyone will like you, but you won’t care about it one bit†¦ Be aware that you will always appear a little less than some people prefer you to be, most people are unaware that you are so much more than what they see. You are good enough just the way you are, you have nothing to prove to anyone else†¦ Care less about who you are to others and more about who you are to yourself. KNOW YOUR WORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

General Marx's Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

General Marx's Theories - Essay Example Marx gives reasons as for the need for such assessment. Value is social because it is determined by the total result of the fluctuating efforts of each individual producer; objective because it is given, upon the completion of the production of a given commodity, and becomes independent from personal or collective valuations of customers on the marketplace; it is historically relative because it is linked to each important change, progress or otherwise, of the average productivity of labor in a given segment of output, including transportation and agriculture.   This does not, however, mean that Marx’s concept of value is detached from consumption. He only distinguishes between the living labor and dead labor, like tools and raw materials. But he says values determine prices only basically and in the medium-term sense of the word. Marx respects the operation of market laws, also of a law of supply and demand, in determining the short-term fluctuations. The Communist Manifesto declares, â€Å"The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations and has left no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Communist Manifesto) Marx does treat labor as a commodity but one can not say that his value theory is unscientific and wrong. His observation should not be read in isolation. Karl Korsch points out, â€Å"It was never the intention of Marx to descend from the general idea of value as expounded in the first volume of Capital, by means of ever closer determinants to a direct determination of the price of commodities.

The Jacket By Gary Soto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Jacket By Gary Soto - Essay Example There were some kids who would call me names like geek and make fun of my eyeglasses all the time. The unsolicited public attention and other people’s opinion made a significant impact over the way I felt about myself. There were times when I felt really angry for being different from other children. Other times I pitied myself for being left out of the crowd. All I ever wanted was to be accepted by other people for who I am. After spending some time coming up with reasons for why other people thought of me differently, I realized that the lenses of my old pair of eyeglasses were even thicker than the glass of our aquarium at home. I decided to convince my mother to buy me another pair of eyeglasses made of thinner glass and black colored frames. While I was growing up, receiving a new pair of fashionable eyeglasses was always on my wish-list. As my father passed away while I was in elementary school, our income was not sufficient to financially support the daily needs of my family members. Aside from me being the eldest, I also had six other siblings my mother was taking care of. Because of financial limitations, I had no other choice but to understand my mother’s situation. For almost five years, I wore my old pair of eyeglasses everywhere I went. Due to a lack of other options, I had to face the humiliation of wearing my old pair of eyeglasses to school. During the five years I forced myself to wear my old pair of eyeglasses, I managed to accept the fact that I needed to feel comfortable in them even though they had made me look down on myself for some time. Because of my desire for acceptance, I pretended as if nothing really bothered me. By cleaning my old pair of eyeglasses without even looking through the lenses, I acted as if I was wearing cool and unique eyeglasses. When I reached the eighth grade, my large blue rounded eyeglasses started to blur

The development of art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The development of art - Research Paper Example Synagogues, cities and university buildings also utilized these styles. Their differences were seen in terms of the radiating chapels, arch type, vault, elevation, exterior, sculptural decoration, and mood (Fitchen 1981). Gothic architecture was characterized by ribbed vaults while that of Romanesque used groin vaults. In gothic there were pointed arches in arcades, windows, and doors whereas in Romanesque they were rounded ones. Flying buttresses were seen in gothic buildings while in Romanesque buttresses were shallowly projected. Built during the Romanesque period, the building is outstanding and famous in the world. It has the likeness of other Basilica churches consisting of double aisles, and timber roof. The columns are joined by stacked arches, with red and white marble on the bands outside. Its aesthetics are the general proportions and delicate ornamental features. The Vaults mainly chatracterised the Romanesque era as they were developed through innovation so as to replace wooden roofs which were prone to catching fire. Gothic Architecture was concerned with sculpture, architecture, manuscripts and music. The two main structural concerns are pointed arches and ribbed vaults. One such innovation is the Rayyonant style which concentrated on decoration. Other characteristics are heavy colorings of the glasses, carvings and paintings as seen in Saint Chapelle building. Tall and large buildings were built to complicate their plans. Tall buildings were accompanied by thin walls, as seen in Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican church formerly called the cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was constructed in the early English Gothic style. Its uniqueness is the towering central spire in the UK and world oldest functioning clock. It was built with highly sophisticated design under the guidance of Richard Poore, the Bishop of Salisbury. Sainte Chapelle was constructed under the commission of King Louis IX

Letter with a salutation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter with a salutation - Essay Example This entails the amount of output per worker or output per an hour worked (Jorgenson 56). If labour fails to achieve its desired object, then it is considered as unproductive. Productivity can also be defined in terms of total factor productivity which measures output in terms of the contribution of all other factors of production except labour and capital. Productivity can be determined by the level of managerial skill, innovation and teamwork within an organisation. Productivity increases with the increase in the level of managerial skills, innovation, technology and teamwork. Labour and human capital utilizes other factors of production such as physical capital, technology and land to increase the productivity of an organisation. The productivity of an organisation can therefore be measured in terms of the overall performance of the organisation in utilising its resources. The concept of productivity has been used in economics for a long time. It came from the Medieval Latin word Productivus which means product. Therefore, the term has been common ever since the medieval era. However, it became measurable and applicable in organisations during industrial revolution. The concept is still used to determine the profitability of organisations and economic growth of countries. A productive company follows specific processes of production in order to transform an input of less value into an output of greater value. For instance, in the production of clothes raw cotton is transformed in textile industries into clothe through manufacturing process. Similarly, wheat grains are transformed in a bakery into bread. These are all production processes. Productivity in these cases refers to the amount of output which results from a single unit of input, e.g. the number of clothes produced by a single unit of cotton. When I start working for your organisation productivity will be an important aspect of my contribution as I think about

College application - please read the order instructions its all on it Essay

College application - please read the order instructions its all on it - Essay Example Critical thinking also requires approaching a problem rationally. This implies analyzing all that is known about a particular problem and making a judgment based on the evidence received after analysis rather than relying on non-factual opinions or emotions. In addition, critical thinking requires recognizing and avoiding unfairness in order to have a fresh and goal-oriented approach to a problem. Finally, critical thinking requires an individual to view the external environment as a whole and not focusing on the self. This requires empathy in which one puts himself or herself in another’s situation (Arp and Watson 2). Personally, I have encountered a number of situations in life that called for critical thinking. Firstly, critical thinking was demanded when I was choosing the right college to attend. In this case, I found myself in a dilemma on which college to attend since I had a number of options to choose from. However, since colleges differ in terms of quality and other aspects, I had to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of each before settling on one. In this case, I used my critical thinking ability to analyze all the aspects I was looking for in each of the schools such as quality of education, distance from my place of residence, the tuition fees, scholarships available, my programs of interest, extra-curricular activities and ethical standards. It is after evaluating all these aspects that I arrived at a college that best suits what I was looking for.

Medication errors and prevention in nursing Research Paper

Medication errors and prevention in nursing - Research Paper Example ional practice, health care products, procedures, and systems, including prescribing; order communication; product labeling, packaging, and nomenclature; compounding; dispensing; distribution; administration; education; monitoring; and use. The greatest cause of the errors in medication is significantly associated to limited technology in most healthcare facilities among other personal factors like social stress, fatigue and incompetence. Research findings have established that modern technology can be applied with relatively high effectiveness in terms of precision and accuracy of medical related services delivery (Aspden & Institute of Medicine, 2006). The best known way for hospitals to protect patients from errors is by adopting technology called computerized physician order entry (CPOE). The physician or any other authorized prescriber enters orders for a patient on a computer that contains patient information such as key lab values, clinical condition, allergies, etc. The computer checks the safety and appropriateness of the order and sends it electronically to the pharmacy (Aspden & Institute of Medicine, 2006). In the Colchicine example, a good CPOE system would alert the physician to the misplaced decimal in the order, and the best systems would prevent the order from being written in the first place. In my mind, one of the greatest advances of CPOE is that it eliminates the need for pharmacists to decipher physician handwriting. I’ve often wondered how they do that. Increased awareness creation through periodic seminars would also address personal issues that contribute to such mistakes by

The New Classical and Keynesian's Theory of Monetary Policy Coursework

The New Classical and Keynesian's Theory of Monetary Policy - Coursework Example The Curve supported the view that a high rate of unemployment went parallel with the low inflation rate. The notion was that when the demands for goods are high, companies would hire more workforce, leading to lower unemployment rates and would subsequently raise demand. Stagflation is characterized by both an increasing inflation as well as the unemployment rate. When stagflation occurred in the 1970s and the 1980s, there was a shift in the Phillip curve, and the Keynesians reassessed their theory. The Keynesians argued that the discrepancy in the results predicted by Phillips curve was because the curve was shifting in a north-easterly direction. The reason for the shift in the curve was considered to be because of the cut in wages and an increase in the costs of the businesses as a result of inflation. The idea was rejected by Keynesians in the start but has been incorporated into their theory over time. According to the Keynesian’s theory, the answer to the problem of stagflation was to refurbish the supply of materials. According to the theory, the way to make up for physical scarcity was to either to find a substitute for the resources that were scarce or to enhance the productivity and the efficiency in order to produce more output from the inputs. For instance, the challenge of oil scarcity of the late 1970s and the early 1980s was met by increasing the worldwide production of oil and by improving the efficiency of the processes so that more energy is conserved. Ultimately, the concept of NAIRU introduced to deal with the problem. The New Classical view supported the notion that monetary policy could not impact real output and employment. It was of the outlook that only nominal quantities can influence nominal variables like inflation. Since according to the view, unemployment and inflation are not related, its followers attribute inefficient government policies for lower rates of unemployment.  

The Malaysian Culture Essay Example for Free

The Malaysian Culture Essay Being a Muslim country, Malaysians are generally more conservative. Therefore, it is important that travellers take note of the various factors. (Do note that there are more factors but I felt that the ones below are more applicable to the business context for the Australian members.) 1. Dress appropriately – Ensure that your body is covered especially your chest, arms and legs to avoid unwanted attention and as a form of respect 2. Meeting and greeting – Don’t offer to shake hands unless you know the opposite party is fairly westernized. Even so, let them offer the hand shake first. Never shake hands with a woman unless they offer to do so first. 3. It is not recommended to show public displays of affection as it is considered inappropriate behaviour, especially with someone of the opposite sex. 4. Always use the right hand to pass or accept anything as the left is traditionally â€Å"dirty† because of its washroom connections. 5. As a form of respect, avoid alcohol and pork. Ensure that food items are â€Å"Halal† (meaning permissible for Muslims). It is acceptable to eat with your fingers (right hand only) 6. It is important that you respect your elders. In order to show a sign of respect when passing by an older person, younger people are expected to bow their heads.

Climate change Essay Example for Free

Climate change Essay There is nothing that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change Nowadays climate change is a growing threat not only to some countries but to the whole world environment. We have to become aware of this issue and do something to avoid it from getting worse. Personally I disagree with this title because I think that in fact there are a lot of things that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change. Firstly, everything we do in our routine lives emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That means that even making small changes in what we do, can have a positive impact in the prevention of climate change. So, as a first step, we should replace the use of cars by public transport which is much less polluting. Secondly, we should turn off appliances, machines and lights off when weve finished using them, it is very helpful to save energy and it costs nothing. In addition, another simple way to save energy and water is to take shorter showers. So, as you will use less hot water, the water heater will save a big amount of energy. Finally, in my opinion, we need to work together as a community to achieve success; otherwise the effort that some people could make would be ruined by the ones who keep polluting the atmosphere. So, it is important to run campaigns to make everyone know how we are endangering our planet and that there are many really simple things that we can do to protect it. In conclusion, I believe that there is a lot that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change, now we have to put it in practice.

Article Analysis: Foreign Bank Penetration to Nordic Market

Article Analysis: Foreign Bank Penetration to Nordic Market ABDULAZEEZ OLUWAFUNMIKE ASMAU ASSIGNMENT: Journals of international financial markets, institutions and money, vol.11 (1); 53-63 by Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl (2001)‘foreign bank penetration to the newly opened market in the Nordic countries. To explain the aims of the research and how the researcher carried out theses aims. Critically analyse the article from a methodology perspective. (1000 WORDS) Abstract This work is based on the research articles of Lars Engwall, Rolf Marquardt, Torben Pedersen, Adrian E Tschoegl (2001). The authors research is to determine the impact of foreign bank in the newly opened market in some Nordic countries which includes Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The opening of foreign bank in these Nordic country provides them with the opportunity to study the analysis of the foreign bank sector in the case where the sector had a specific start date. Three hypothesis were examined and the result leads to how parent market and the difficulty facing the domestic competition is fully in agreement in the situations of Denmark, for Finland and Norway it’s mixed and indeterminate, and fully disagree in the situation of Sweden. The result were consistently with the Stiglits – Weiss argument that the foreign banks bought entry by accepting worse lending risks. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Introduction This research focuses on how foreign bank gain access to the newly opened market in some Nordic countries. Denmark in 1971 was the first to deregulate its domestic banking markets and the entry of foreign banks. Just one foreign bank entered initially and the number of foreign banks grew slowly over time. Finland opened next (1978) but no foreign banks entered until four years later when further deregulation made entry attractive. Norway (1984) and Sweden (1985) opened after Denmark in more than a decade and a number of banks all entered at once. After falling from its peaks, the number of foreign banks and their share of each countrys banking system assets are recovering. (Lars Engwall, Rolf Marquardt, Torben Pedersen, Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Foreign bank was developed with the evolution of an economy or a technology in the Nordic countries not until the government removed the barriers. Opening up to foreign bank in Nordic countries exist to the process of deregulation which leads to competitive turbulence. Foreign banking was welcome by the authorities for the competition and also new capabilities which they establish to the domestic market. However, the effect of the entrant on monetary policy, credit control and soundness of the existing domestic banks are the concerns of the authorities. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl 1999). The objective state to examine the determinant of the evolution of the foreigner market share of the asset of the banking system as a whole, not the survival and success of the individual banks. The three hypotheses related to the determinant of foreign bank sectors was formulated, which they relates the foreign banks’ market share to a time trend, to each host countrys trade balance, and to the banking systems loan loss experience. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A,. E,Tschoegl 2001). The first variable captures learning and selection, the second proxies for access to business related to the foreign banks’ access to their home markets. And the last captures the effect of a possible crisis-induced lack of competitiveness of the host-country banks. The result shows that in Denmark it is fully in agreement, for Finland and Norway it’s mixed and indeterminate, and fully disagree in the case of Sweden.(Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Literature reviews Foreign direct investment in banking has drawn substantial theoretical and empirical attention over the last two decade and empirical attention. Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl(2001), Williams (1997) provides a comprehensive survey of the theoretical literature. However, the literature on the market share of the foreign banks is sparse and almost entirely cross-sectional in nature. Some other authors like Walter (1992) argue that bank-oriented financial systems are hostile to new entry, whether that of banks or markets. In line with Walter’s argument, Steinherr and Huveneers (1994) provide evidence that foreign bank penetration of loan markets is lower in countries where a small number of domestic banks dominate the banking sector. Yafeh and Yosha (1995) propose a model in which domestic banks respond to foreign bank entry by increasing the resources that the domestic banks devote to the formation of ties with firms. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E, Tschoegl 2001). Hypotheses The literature reviewed provides the basis for the three hypotheses about the influences of learning, access to parent-country related business, and the effect of impediments to the competitiveness of host-country banks. The foreign banks can be subject both to selection and evolutionary learning (Baldwin and Rafiquzzaman 1995). (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). Firstly, the time trend captures a second effect that has a debateable implication for the sign of the variable. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). H1: The longer foreign banks have been present, the larger their market share. Second, they expect the foreign banks’ market share of banking system assets in a country to correlate positively with imports to the country and negatively with exports (Heinkel and Levi 1992). (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001) H2: The market share of foreign banks should wax with a trade deficit and wane with a trade surplus. Lastly, financial crises should correlate positively with an expanded role for the foreign banks. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). H3: The foreign banks’ market share should wax when domestic banks are facing loan losses and wane when the domestic banks are less burdened. Methodology and Result OLS regression was use to examine the three hypotheses with time trend, trade balance losses and the financial crisis) the three hypotheses served has an independence variances. Their results shows that in Demark all three independent variables had the correct sign and all were statistically significant at the 5% level and beta coefficients from the regression on the standardized variables shows TIME as the most important variable and TRADE BALANCE having a larger effect than LOSSES. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). In Finland country, TIME had the correct sign, but the other two variables had perverse signs. All three variables had a large impact in the sense that a one standard deviation change in the independent variable. As for Norway, TIME was the only important factor. For Sweden, TIME had a negative effect but was not an important factor. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Conclusion In all four Nordic countries, the survival rate among the initial foreign entrants appears low. Absent acquisitions of domestic banks, the foreign banks have not carved out a large role in any of the four Nordic countries. The result is consistent with what they would expect from theory based on the role of relationships in banking and from Steinherr and Huveneer’s (1994) argument and empirical results. The difference is congruent with differences in the elapsed time since opening; to recapitulate, the order of opening to foreign banks was Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). Word count; 1007 Bibliography Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl (2001) ‘foreign bank penetration to the newly opened market in the Nordic countries, ’Journals of international financial markets, institutions and money, vol.11 (1); 53-63. Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl (March, 1999) ‘foreign bank penetration to the newly opened market in the Nordic countries. pg. (1-38) 1 Does the EU Suffer From a Democratic Deficit? | Essay Does the EU Suffer From a Democratic Deficit? | Essay The overall goal of EU integration has been to create an ever closer union in which decision are taken as closely as possible to the citizen (Cini, Michele, Borragan, 2010). However, still the most enthusiastic backers of the EU must accept that it has been more a progression commencing and sustained by elites, than by a popular front for change. The claim that the standard European citizen has virtually no possibility of directly affecting the work of the EU, along with the negative impact of integration on popular support for the EU, has given rise to the term the democratic deficit. Although there is no one single definition, the concept behind the notion of the democratic deficit is that decisions in the EU are insufficiently representative of, or accountable to, the nations and the people of Europe (Lord, C, 2001, p165). It is not merely an additional layer of governance, further removed from the peoples of Europe but as a result of such an organisation, each Member State can n o longer claim to be the source of its own legitimacy (Eriksen, Fossum, 2002, p401). It is important to make a distinction between two different types of theories behind the democratic deficit. The institutional perspective focuses on the institutional power sharing and on institutional reform as a solution to the perceived problems of EU level democracy (Cini, 2010, p378). The socio-psychological viewpoint, however, places much emphasis on the lack of a European civic identity and the absence of a European demos. The classical argument, through a socio-psychological point of view, of cases where it can be said that the EU suffers from a democratic deficit is that the nonexistence of representative and direct democracy within the EU. The set up of the EU results in policy-making being dominated at the European level by executive actors, state based ministers in the Council, and government appointments in the Commission. This does not inevitably lead to democratic deficit; unless, as happens, the decisions taken by the executive departments at the European stage are outside the authority of domestic parliaments. Even with the creation of European Affairs Committees in every national parliament, ministers when conversing and voting in the Council, national representatives when constructing policies in The Council and bureaucrats in the Commission when drafting or implementing legislation, are much more isolated from national parliamentary scrutiny and control than are national cabinet ministers or bureaucrats in the domestic policy-making process (Follesdal, Andreas, Hix, Simon, 2005, p2). As a consequence, governments are able to successfully disregard their parliaments when deciding upon policies at the European level. Therefore, European integration has resulted in a reduction of the influence of national parliaments and an enhancement to the authority of executives. Perhaps the institution to come in for the heaviest criticism from the Eurosceptics is the Commission which is seen as an archetypal undemocratic institution, in that it is a civil service composed of appointed members (Cini 2010, p381), who contain extensive policy-making powers. In spite of its authority over initiating and developing new European laws, the Commission is subject to little direct or even indirect public accountability (McCormick, John, 2008, p124). Appointments have to be accepted by Parliament, but apart from that they are made lacking reference to the electorate. The President of the Commission is selected as an outcome of behind the scenes bargaining and conciliations directed by the leaders of the member states. The commission also stands for the views of the EU in numerous international forums devoid of a mandate from the citizens. Moreover, there are very modest openings for people to take part in or contribute to the deliberations of the Commission and only l imited occasions for the EP to hold it accountable for its decisions; although this has increased, being seen most clearly by the parliaments new powers under the Lisbon Treaty. Secondly and associated to the first aspect, the majority of commentators on the democratic deficit claim that the European Parliament authority is insufficient. The movement of legislative powers from national parliaments to the EU institutions has not been matched by an equivalent degree of democratic accountability and legislative input on the part of the European Parliament (EP) (Cini 2010, p380), the solitary directly elected body at EU level. In the 1980s, many analysts argued that there was a direct trade-off between the powers of the European Parliament and the powers of national parliaments (Follesdal, Hix, p 4), where any addition to the authority of the European Parliament would result in a concomitant decrease in the powers of national parliaments (Holland, 1980). However, by the 1990s, such an argument had departed as academics began to understand European integration as a decline in the authority of parliaments at the national level relative to executive powers. The ans wer, most claimed, was to increase the power of the European Parliament relative to the governments in the Council and the Commission (Williams, S. (1991). One of the key the arguments against the claim that authority has moved to the executive, is that national governments are the most directly accountable politicians in Europe. As Moravcsik claims The democratically elected governments of the Member States, dominate the still largely territorial and intergovernmental structure of the EU (Moravcsik Andre, 2002, p112). According to this argument, the EU is still principally an intergovernmental institution; where the verdicts at the European Council and the Council of Ministers are as accountable to EU general public as the policies of national cabinets. Furthermore the New Lisbon Treaty has increased the national parliaments capacity to contribute along with the European institutions in the work of the EU. A new clause clearly sets out the rights and duties of the national parliaments within the EU. It deals with their right to information, the way they monitor subsidiarity, and for reforming the treaties.The EU can be seen to strength en the state, challenging arguments of a democratic deficit, as the democratically elected national executives play an increasingly dominant role in the EU. Against the claims that the executives are outside the power of elected institutions, the most noteworthy institutional progress in the EU from the 1980s, has been the enlarged influence of the EP in the legislative progression and in the appointment of the Commission. The EP now has veto-power over the choice of the Commission and is progressively more prepared to employ its muscle against heavy lobbying from national governments, as was seen with the Parliaments veto of the first proposed line-up of the Barroso Commission in October 2004 (Follesdal, Hix, p 20). Also, the alterations in the use of the co-decision procedure which started under the Maastricht Treaty of 1996 and has only been increased by the last three treaties, has developed from the idea of merely cooperation first commencing under the SEA in 1986, legislation cannot be passed under the co-decision procedure without majority support in both the Council and the European Parliament (Follesdal, Hix, p 22). The extensio n of the co-decision procedure can be seen in the areas including legal immigration, penal judicial cooperation (Eurojust, crime prevention, alignment of prison standards, offences and penalties), police cooperation (Europol) and some aspects of trade policy and agriculture. It can therefore be argued that the EU has addressed the democratic deficit by significantly increasing the powers of the EP and in giving it a role in almost all lawmaking, in turn weakening the powers of the less representative institutions. Despite the extension of the co-decision procedure under The Lisbon Treaty it remains true that the EP does not possess several of the powers of a real legislature. For one it is unable to increase revenues or initiate novel laws and has a highly restricted ability to keep the Commission accountable for its judgments. While the EP may have the ability to veto national governments selection for the Commission President and the group of the Commissioners, the governments rem ain the agenda-setters with regards to the appointments of the Commission and in any new policy implemented in the EU. The trouble with the institutional approaches to the democratic deficit is that they ignore the equally significant socio-psychological viewpoints of this uncharted occurrence. The bigger dilemma is the connection, or lack of it, between the rising democratic politics inside the EU institutions and the opinions of the public. In spite of the rising influence of the EP, there are no European elections, largely as a result of there being no European demos. EU citizens vote for their governments, who represent them in the Council and nominate Commissioners. EU citizens also elect the EP. Nevertheless, none of the domestic elections neither the EP elections are actually European; elections: they are not fought over the personalities and parties at the European level or the direction of the EU policy agenda (Follesdal, Hix, p 4). State based elections are about national as opposed to European concerns, as parties collude to keep the issue of Europe off the domestic agenda (Hix, S, 1999, p 78). EP elections also tend to be decided on issues unrelated to Europe, as parties and the media treat them as mid-term national contests (Follesdal, Hix, p7), this can be shown recently by the success of many radical fringe parties in the 2009 election as a sign of discontent with the political elite and the failures of many government parties, notably the Labour party in the UK. Protest votes as a way of voicing displeasure with parties in government and increasingly failing turnout at European elections signify that as described of the first EP elections as second-order national contests (Reif K, Schmitt H, 1980, p44), is increasingly relevant. Although many national states have also endured their own form of democratic deficit, the perception remains that the trouble is considerably stronger in the EU, which has given way to a disturbing detachment between the EU institutions and its citizens. Psychologically, the EU is so unlike the national democratic bodies that citizens struggle to identify with it. As a result the institutions often appear distant and mysterious, meaning it is certainly not unexpected that anti-European media are capable of engendering public suspicion and resentment towards the EU. The Lisbon Treaty has attempted to give a more influential voice to its citizens; thanks to the Citizens Initiative, one million citizens from a number of Member States have the possibility to call on the Commission to bring forward new policy proposals. Only time will tell if this policy has the desire effect, but if it would have to be an unexpectedly successful policy for it to make any real impact with regards to voter enthusiasm for the EU. In conclusion, whether there is a democratic deficit depends partly on how the EU is understood. If it viewed as a Federation, or has a desire to turn into one, in that case the necessary links between citizens and the EU institutions are indeed weak. But if it is viewed as a confederation, then the links are unusually strong (McCormick, 2008, p126). indispensable links connecting citizens and EU institutions are certainly too frail; however, if understood as a confederation then the links are remarkably tight; where they are only expected to be indirect with national governments representing their citizens at the central authority. There may well be a persuasive case claim that the EU is not deficient with regards to democratic practices or formal legitimacy, but a question mark does linger over the unions social capacity. Democratic or not, the EU doesnt yet seem to have won over the hearts and minds of its citizens'(Smith, Julia, 2003, p3); meaning that no new constitution will on its own solve the problem of a democratic deficit within the EU. Why Was Marie Antoinette So Hated? Why Was Marie Antoinette So Hated? Assess the arguments raised by Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop, Amand as to why Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure? The following will assess and discuss the arguments raised by Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop and Amand as to why Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure in France before, during and after the revolution of 1789. The arguments of these historians will raise common and different factors that contributed to the unpopularity of Louis XVI’s Austrian born wife. The arguments raised by Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop and Amand could also be used to assess the hatred aimed towards Marie Antoinette and the effect this had upon the stability of the Ancien Regime in France. The factors and arguments that these historians have raised about Marie Antoinette are based around her personal qualities and faults, as well as upon political, social, and economic factors that were arguably outside her direct control. The assessment of the arguments raised will go into greater detail than whether Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure in France just because she was an Austrian and she had advis ed her poorer subjects to eat cakes when they did not have any bread. Above all else the arguments that are assessed will demonstrate whether her position as a hated figure was based upon justifiable reasons, fact or misplaced perceptions of her influence on events and her role within the monarchy. Marie Antoinette’s marriage to Louis XVI had been a diplomatic and dynastic match that had been intended to maintain peace between France and the Habsburg Empire, political motives came ahead of popularity amongst the French people. Like all royal families during the 18th century, the Bourbon dynasty in France did not believe its future depended on its public popularity or whether its Queen was a hated figure. Stefan Zweig argued that the reasons behind Marie Antoinette being a hated figure in France were due to her personal faults, her perceived arrogance and lavishness, combined with a dislike of her husband and declining respect for the monarchy itself. Zweig argued that Marie Antoinette’s emergence as a figure of hatred was strongly related to her being Austrian. As already noted she had been married to Louis XVI to seal the alliance between France and Austria. France had been the enemy of Austria for the best part of three hundred years; a great deal of hatred towards the Habsburgs still persisted in France. It was only natural that hatred should be directed towards Marie Antoinette once she married Louis XVI. Louis XVI himself was not believed to like Austria or Austrians with the exception of his wife. The Queen’s popularity was not helped by the failure to have children at the early stages of her marriage, although that was due to the King’s medical condition, rather than disliking his wife. Throughout her time in France though her Austrian birth did not help her popularity (Zweig, 1932 p.21). Zweig argued that Marie Antoinette inadvertently made herself a hated figure by influencing royal and therefore government policy. Here was a case in which the public perception of her influence was greater than her actual influence. Although that was because previous Queens had virtually influence at all. Louis XVI was more prone to influence from his wife than previous French Kings’ had been by their wives. Interfering in state affairs did not endear the Queen to her subjects, especially those that wanted reform. Marie Antoinette’s interference in politics may have been carried out with good intentions, yet it proved disastrous for the French monarchy. From the start many suspected that Marie Antoinette would only interfere to serve her selfish interests or those of Austria. As opposition to the monarchy increased, the number of people that were prepared to believe that Marie Antoinette’s interventions in government were either inept or directly contrary to Fre nch interests also increased. Marie Antoinette did not intervene in politics as frequently or as successfully as her opponents believed or stated she did. At the end of the day once her children had been born she wished to concentrate on her role as a mother, although her position as Queen meant that she was not able to do so (Zweig, 1932 p. 144). Zweig argued that Marie Antoinette helped to make herself a hated figure due to the lavish lifestyle she led. The Queen enjoyed a luxurious standard of living and liked to appear very wealthy. Marie Antoinette was regarded as being frivolous, fun loving and even uncaring. People grew to hate the displays of wealth and believed she knew little and cared even less about the harsh conditions that the poor had to endure. The Queen did her popularity no favours with allegations and rumours concerning her love life. Respect for her and the monarchy was weakened by such rumours. Her relationship with Fersen was far from discreet with questions raised about the paternity of her children. There were also rumours about affairs with other men including an Archbishop (Zweig, 1932 p. 144). The Queen’s reputation was severely damaged by the ‘Diamond Necklace Affair’, although she did not do anything wrong the verdicts and testimonies heard at the Paris Parlement were disastrous (Zweig, 1932 p. 170). Zweig argued that the faults of Marie Antoinette and the well-publicised rumours or the intrigues of those that disliked her made her hated. However, these factors would not have proved catastrophic if circumstances had been different. Unfortunately for the Queen all circumstances conspired against her. Poor harvests, the failure to reform the economy combined with government insolvency, the return of veterans from the American War of Independence, and finally a weak King proved a recipe for revolution. Zweig contends that these events and factors were critical in turning Marie Antoinette from being unpopular with some of the people into a woman hated by a majority of the people (Zweig, 1932 p. 156). Antonia Fraser put forward the arguments that Marie Antoinette’s decline from popularity to been a figure of hatred were due partly to how she was perceived by the French public and also due to circumstances beyond her control. Fraser argues that the French disliking foreign-born princesses and Queens had been customary before Marie Antoinette married the future Louis XVI. Previous princesses and Queens though had the advantage of maintaining a lower profile than Marie Antoinette did, whilst Louis XIV and Louis XV were more forceful than the indecisive Louis XVI was. The flamboyant Marie Antoinette stood out from her reserved husband; from her arrival in France she attracted both admirers and detractors. Unfortunately for her the ridicule and dislike that some regarded her with turned into being hated by the masses (Fraser, 2001 p. 44). Fraser points out that Marie Antoinette should have taken her mother’s advice to behave impeccably, obey her husband, and give no cause for scandal or rumours. Marie Theresa believed that avoiding scandal was the best way for her daughter to remain popular and not become a hated figure. The Empress also believed that Marie Antoinette could serve Habsburg interests more effectively if she was a popular Queen. The future Queen was also advised not to get too close to her future subjects, least they lose respect for her and the French monarchy. Whilst Marie Antoinette could keep away from her subjects, her knack of getting embroiled in scandal or upsetting people without intending to do so contributed to her becoming a hated figure. Fraser does note that Marie Theresa was partly to blame for some of her daughter’s faults. Marie Antoinette’s ability to be a good and successful Queen was hampered by a lack of education. She did not always know how to act like a Queen should, neither could she deal with complicated political issues. When she arrived in France she was naà ¯ve in many respects about politics and courtly intrigues (Fraser, 2001 p. 46). Marie Antoinette did not keep herself free of scandal and rumour. Such court rumours and tabloid pamphlets turned her innocent activities at court into orgies that never took place and the widespread circulation of them could not be prevented. Pamphlets that originally contained unfounded gossip would later prove more damaging in making her a hated figure. Louis XVI attempted to have such publications banned, although censorship was bypassed by using Dutch and British presses (Fraser, 2001, pp. 134-35). For a time after the birth of her eldest son, Marie Antoinette seemed to have achieved a measure of popularity amongst her subjects. The pamphleteers continued to try to undermine her popularity by spreading rumours about the child’s paternity and later the paternity of her other children. The motives of pamphleteers would change from making profits to attacking the monarchy and making the Queen hated (Fraser, 2001, pp.178-79). The Queen did not help matters by buying the palace at Saint Cloud for the royal family to live in; this showed insensitivity during a time when people were suffering from worsening economic conditions. People were shocked about how much was spent on the palace, the actual amounts spent was high enough yet rumours about its costs dented the Queen’s popularity further. Those that knew how precarious the royal finances were regarded it as unjustified expenses. Others regarded it as being another sign of Marie Antoinette’s power over the King and her pretensions to hold power in her own right. The Queen simply believed that the purchase was needed for her expanding family (Fraser, 2001, p.203). Fraser argues that Marie Antoinette’s reputation never recovered from the Diamond Necklace Affair, in which Cardinal de Rohan had been tricked into buying a necklace supposedly for the Queen. The Parlement in Paris reached verdicts that punished the conspirators, yet their testimonies tarnished Marie Antoinette’s reputation, even though she was cleared of any wrong doing (Fraser, 2001, p.225). Marie Antoinette became a hated figure amongst the nobility due to her being blamed for the monarchy’s financial deficits. Fraser however, argues that the Queen was not to blame for the spending cuts and the reduction in the number of prestigious court positions (Fraser, 2001, p.236). Fraser mentions that a factor that made Marie Antoinette a hated figure was that people had no qualms about expressing their hatred for the Queen, whilst they still felt unable to say things about the King (Fraser, 2001, p.251). The dislike of Marie Antoinette would further increase after Austria, Prussia, and Britain went to war against France. The Queen was still disliked for being foreign, which was coupled with the fear that the armies of Austria and Prussia could restore the monarchy which meant that the republican regime wished to execute her (Fraser, 2001, p.383). Marie Antoinette was executed following a show trial in which the charges against her were almost entirely false. She acquitted herself well; her spirited denials that she had never abused her son met approval in the court, although she had no hope of being acquitted in such a biased trial. Her execution was meant to symbolise that the monarchy would never return (Fraser, 2001, p.425). Evelyne Lever presents Marie Antoinette in largely favourable terms, particularly when putting forward the arguments as to why the Queen became such a hated figure in France. Lever argues that Marie Antoinette inadvertently began the process of being a hated figure by not realising how to behave at the Court of Versailles. Whilst Louis XV was still alive the future Queen had attempted to snub his mistress Madame Du Barry, only to be told by her mother to stop, in order to influence the King. She also set powerful noble families against her by not paying them enough respect (Lever, 2000, pp. 42-43). Lever notes that Marie Antoinette was popular in Paris before she became Queen, for her beauty and her good -humoured nature (Lever, 2000, p.52). Lever argued that a cause of Marie Antoinette becoming a hated figure was that Louis XVI did not have mistresses. In previous reigns the King’s mistresses were frequently detested and blamed for unpopular government decisions. Mistresses were usually scapegoats for the King, if Louis XVI had a mistress then perhaps she would have become hated instead of the Queen. Marie Antoinette was instead detested and used as a scapegoat for her husband’s faults and policies as well as her own actions (Lever, 2000, p.64). Marie Antoinette’s busy social life in the early years of her husband’s reign attracted much attention and criticism. The Queen gave a great deal of scope for gossip and those that wished to spread more malicious rumours had ample opportunities to do so (Lever, 2000, pp.110-11). Marie Antoinette lost respect and gave people cause to hate with her behaviour and attitudes. For instance: gambling was a frequent event, especially in the early years of her being Queen (Lever, 2000, p. 119). Marie Antoinette became a hated figure, especially amongst the poor, due to the amount of money she spent. Lever cites the cost of changing the Trianon Gardens, the expense of dances and fetes, as well as the provision of royal pensions to her closest friends and other hangers on (Lever, 2000, p.121). Marie Antoinette did not choose her friends wisely, nor try to limit the dangers of ignoring powerful families or stopping the spreading of rumours. The Queen did not use her patronage sensibly, for instance: the Comtesse de Polignac’s friends and family were given honours and pensions for doing services to the Queen of France yet doing nothing good for their country (Lever, 2000, p.160). Ian Dunlop presents a more sympathetic view of Marie Antoinette than most historians including the other four whose arguments are assessed here. Dunlop stresses that Marie Antoinette’s faults usually receive more attention than her attributes have done, that she was in fact more capable than her contemporaries often admitted, or historians have given her credit for. Dunlop comments upon the initial popularity of Marie Antoinette in France, particularly in Paris. She was originally regarded as having the qualities that a Queen needed. She was beautiful, loyal to the King and she looked the part. Her expensive clothes and lifestyle were not viewed with horror at that point (Dunlop, 1993, p.146). However, Marie Antoinette’s initial popularity declined for various reasons. Along with Louis XVI, the aristocracy and the higher clergy, Marie Antoinette lived in luxury, whilst many French people faced poverty and harsh living conditions. Although the Queen’s extravagance had not been widely resented at the start of her husband’s reign, it contributed to a growing hatred of Marie Antoinette as economic conditions went from bad to worse to disastrous. Opposition to the monarchy had the chance to be heard with the first gathering of the States General since 1614 in 1789. For the Queen it also coincided with the death of her eldest son. Such was the desperation of the political situation that the royal family gained no sympathy for the loss and faced increasing hostility (Dunlop, 1993 p.254). The monarchy and the French State headed towards bankruptcy due to the failure to achieve economic reforms and the costs of supporting the American War of Independence. The monarchy’s near bankruptcy was coupled with a series of bad harvests, which meant that more French people found it harder to survive. Marie Antoinette still appeared to be excessively privileged and wealthy to the poor that could not afford to feed themselves. The Queen became a h ated figure due to the fact she could still eat as much as she wished. Poverty and jealousy fuelled hatred, not only of Marie Antoinette but also the King, the aristocracy and the higher clergy. The claim that she said the poor should eat cake if they could not afford bread appears to have been made up. However the believe that she said it maximised the number of people that hated her (Dunlop 1993 p.258). Dunlop argues that the belief that Marie Antoinette interfered with how France was ruled contributed to her becoming such a hated figure. Dunlop argues that Marie Antoinette had tried to keep out of politics and concentrate solely on being the Queen consort. When she did become involved it was to protect her family’s interests and in her view those of France. To supporters and detractors of the monarchy the Queen was seen as more capable than her weak and indecisive husband was. Opponents of the crown targeted the Queen, their propaganda greatly contributed to her growth as a hated figure. The desperate poor, especially in Paris, readily accepted that their Austrian Queen was misguiding the King to feather her own nest at their expense. The fact that Marie Antoinette was Austrian reinforced their perceptions that she was an enemy of France and to blame for their plight. After the revolution radicals promoted campaigns against the Queen, they saw her as a danger to change. Her links to the Habsburgs meant that if she lived she could attempt to restore the monarchy with foreign help (Dunlop 1993 p. 385). Amand’s arguments concerning the unpopularity and hatred of Marie Antoinette can be regarded as being more traditional in stance than the others assessed simply because his book first appeared in 1891. Amand’s biography also differs from the other historians mentioned above as he was only writing about the events of 1792 and 1793. Amand argued that the hatred of Marie Antoinette was a significant factor in the fall of the French monarchy as she was hated more than the King. That hatred had been fuelled by years of negative rumours and propaganda against the Queen. The Queen’s weaknesses had contributed to some of those rumours whilst elements of the revolutionary movement were highly skilled in turning the population against her. This was the period in which the hatred of the French masses towards their Queen reached its fatal conclusion. The facts that France was at war with Marie Antoinette’s native Austria further antagonised the revolutionary elements of the French population against her. She was widely regarded as being a traitor, which further intensified her being a hated figure. Marie Antoinette could be stripped of her crown, her wealth, and all her titles, yet she would always remain an Austrian (Amand, 1891). Amand argued that Marie Antoinette became a hated figure due to the wealth and extravagance that she had formally displayed. Revolutionary propaganda portrayed her as been rich, selfish, and uncaring. Her unpopularity was promoted by jealousy and poverty. Hearsay and rumours were more important than fact in making her a hated figure. The Queen arguably made herself a hated figure by attempting to persuade the King to take decisive action. Radicals believed Marie Antoinette alongside her brother-in-laws bore the main responsibility for Louis XVI trying to resist revolutionary change. However the King’s indecisiveness meant that consistent and successful counter-revolutionary policies were never fully implemented. The Queen’s position as a hated figure was increased whenever the King had tried to reverse the revolution. Perhaps the one act that sealed the fate of the monarchy was the attempt to escape France that resulted in the royal family’s capture at Varennes. That failure to escape meant the revolutionary government could accuse the King and Queen of treachery. Hating the Queen was therefore a revolutionary and patriotic duty (Amand, 1891). There are some convincing arguments as to why Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure in France. Her Austrian origins were always going to be a potential banana skin. France and the Habsburgs had a long history of war and rivalry; therefore it was not surprising that members of the royal family, the nobility and the French people did not always trust her. Mistrust of the Queen’s intentions and loyalty to France were frequently played upon by opponents of the monarchy in general as a means of targeting Marie Antoinette to increase her unpopularity. She was an unpopular and later a hated figure as it was believed she was serving Austria’s best interests rather than those of France. Although Marie Antoinette did try to influence French foreign policy to suit the Habsburgs interests, she was as the frequent complaints from Vienna attest, particularly ineffective at doing so. Of course, once the revolutionary France was at war with Austria, it further increased hate towa rds the Queen. Radical elements successfully took advantage of the fear that Marie Antoinette would use her family connections to reverse the revolution. The royal family’s unsuccessful escape bid meant that they were hated even more. Accusations of treachery and duplicity certainly made the Queen a detested figure. Opponents of the monarchy regarded Marie Antoinette as a figure to be hated, as they believed she was a threat to their ambitions of reform or revolution. They used propaganda, such as pamphlets to discredit her. Her private life allowed them to spread many rumours, although with the exception of Fersen these would appear to be unfounded. Perhaps the most damaging rumour was that she said ‘let them eat cake’ when grain was scarce and the cost of bread was too high for the poor. France’s severe financial problems certainly made a contribution to Marie Antoinette becoming a hated figure. Much more than that, these factors acted as a catalyst for revolution. The Queen could not be blamed for the bankruptcy of the Crown or food shortages, but all the factors noted already meant that a majority of the French population saw her as a scapegoat who needed to be punished before their lives would get any better. Her apparent greed, adultery, conservative political outlook, and the belief that she was looking after Austrian interests all combined to make her hated. In Marie Antoinette’s defence it has to be mentioned that she was not the cause of France’s long-term problems and that there was little she could have done to solve them. Louis XVI was a weak and indecisive man, completely unsuited to be a King. The cost of the Seven Years War and the American War of Independence were the main cause of the Crown’s crippling debts and not the Que en’s expenditure. The government was certainly unable to deal with food shortages, yet that was mainly due to the scale of the problem than deliberate neglect. As Queen, Marie Antoinette performed her main duties of being the King’s consort and producing heirs to the throne. After the revolution she attempted to protect her family’s position and later their lives. She acted in a way that the majority of her royal contemporaries did. She was hated as much for what she represented, as opposed to who she was. To conclude, Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop, and Amand present common and different arguments as to why Marie Antoinette became a hated figure. They all point out the Queen’s personal faults as important causes of her unpopularity. Zweig attempts to explain those faults by the argument that Marie Antoinette was just an ordinary woman that through the accidents of birth and marriage became the Queen of France in a period in which its monarchy faced many problems. Fraser, Dunlop, and Lever attempt to account for the Queen’s failings by pointing out that she was inadequately educated for her roles. Dunlop is sympathetic to Marie Antoinette in that he argues that circumstances conspired against her. Fraser, Lever, and Zweig are more critical of her shortcomings, although also sympathetic to her position. As Amand concentrated on the years 1792-1793 he argued that hatred of Marie Antoinette was promoted by the war against Austria, Prussia, and Britain. She was hated for trying to prevent the revolution destroying her family, even if she could not prevent the end of the monarchy. All the historians argued that Marie Antoinette was hated due to the rumours and propaganda that was spread against her. Before the revolution the government had tried to censor such publications. After the revolution, particularly once the monarchy was abolished, the revolutionary government targeted Marie Antoinette. Ironically enough, Marie Antoinette was a bigger political threat after Louis XVI was executed. Her trial featured all the crimes or errors she had committed since arriving in France, greed, immorality, treachery and being of foreign birth. Bibliography Dunlop I, (1993) Marie Antoinette, Sinclair Stevenson, London Fraser A (2001) Marie Antoinette, Weidenfeld Nicholson, London Lever E (2000) Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of France Saint- Amand I (1891) Marie Antoinette and the Downfall of Royalty Zweig S, (1933) Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman

Media Violence and the Captive Audience :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The media, including television programming, cartoons, film, the news, as well as literature and magazines, is a very powerful and pervasive medium for expression. It can reach a large number of people and convey ideas, cultural norms, stereotypic roles, power relationships, ethics, and values. Through these messages, the mass media may have a strong influence on individual behavior, views, and values, as well as in shaping national character and culture. Although there is a great potential for the media to have a positive and affirming effect on the public and society at large, there may be important negative consequences when the messages conveyed are harmful, destructive, or violent. Many psychologists have studied the effect of the media on an individual’s behavior and beliefs about the world. There have been over 1000 studies which confirm the link that violence portrayed through the media can influence the level of aggression in the behavioral patterns of children and adults (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001). The observed effects include, increased aggressiveness and anti-social behavior towards others, an increased fear of becoming a victim or target of aggressive behavior, becoming less sensitive to violence and victims of violent acts, and concurrently desiring to watch more violence on television and in real-life (A.A.P. 2001). According to John Murray of Kansas State University, there are three main avenues of effects: direct effects, desensitization, and the Mean World Syndrome (Murray, 1995, p. 10). The direct effects of observing violence on television include an increase in an individual’s level of aggressive behavior, and a tendenc y to develop favorable attitudes and values about using violence to solve conflicts and to get one’s way. As a result of exposure to violence in the media, the audience may become desensitized to violence, pain, and suffering both on television and in the world. The individual may also come to tolerate higher levels of aggression in society, in personal behavior, or in interpersonal interactions. The third effect is known as the Mean World Syndrome, which theorizes that as a result of the amount of violence seen on television and also the context and social perspective portrayed through the media, certain individuals develop a belief that the world is a bad and dangerous place, and begin to fear violence and victimization in real life (A.A.P. 2001). The effect of the media on young children is especially salient. Young children often learn how to act and behave from what they observe at home, from the adults and older peers they come in contact with, and from what they see on television.

Violence On Television: Violence Is Everywhere Essay -- essays researc

Violence on Television: Violence is Everywhere " I never learned which party was victorious, nor the cause of the war, But I felt for the rest of that day, as if I had had my feelings excited and harrowed by witnessing the struggle..." (Henry David Thoreau) These days our whole life seems to revolve around violence. There are so many channels on TV that advocate violence on a daily basis. Sports that we see every Sunday stir up aggressiveness and bring anger to a high level. Around school conflicts seem to occur frequently. We get excited whenever we come across these situations and sometimes don't know what caused the ordeal in the first place but nevertheless it grabs us and we become involved, mentally and/or physically. The television set is a virtual fire hose of violenc...

Panama :: Essays Papers

Panama The official name of Panama is the Republic of Panama or (Repà ºblica de Panamà ¡). Panama is located on the narrowest and lowest part of the Isthmus of Panama that links North America and South America. This part of the isthmus is situated between 7 ° and 10 ° north latitude and 77 ° and 83 ° west longitude. Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina, approximately 77,082 square kilometers. The country’s two coastlines are referred to as the Caribbean and Pacific, rather than the north and south coasts. To the east is Colombia and to the west Costa Rica. Pacific. Dominant features of their landform is highlands forming the continental divide. The higher elevations near borders with Costa Rica and Colombia. The highest point in the country is the Volcà ¡n Barà º which rises to almost 3,500 meters. The lowest elevation is in the middle of the country where it is crossed by the Panama Canal. Most of the population is on the Pacific side of the divide. The population of the country is around 2.8 million with a growth rate of 1.5%. The racial and ethnic groups are 65% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish descent, 10% Indian. The religion is 85% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, and 5% Islamic. Spanish is the official language, though United States influence and the canal zone reinforce the use of English as a second language. Panama's arts show its ethnic mix. Indian tribes, West Indian groups, mestizos, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Swiss, Yugoslav and North American immigrants have all offer contributed ingredients to the culture. Traditional arts are woodcarving, weaving, ceramics and mask-making. The capital city is Panama City with major cities of Colon, Bocas del Toro, Potobelo, El porvenir, Santiago, Tocumen, La Palma, David, Balboa, and el Dorado. Political culture traditionally characterized by personalism, the tendency to give one's political loyalties to an individual rather than to a party. Politics from 1968 until his death in 1981 dominated by General Omar Torrijos Herrera, Their form of government is Executive under provisions of their 1972 Constitution, as amended in 1978 and 1983. The chief executive is president of the republic, he is assisted by two vice presidents, all elected by popular vote for five-year terms. The unit of currency is the Balboa which is equal to the United States dollar. Balboas are available only in coins.

The Pattern Of Development In The First Three Years Of Life

From birth to the age of 3 children progress greatly, considering they are born with only simple reflexes and are helpless and dependent on adults to feed and care for them. At birth babies are born with many actions that are done without thinking, these are called reflexes, and many of these reflexes are carried out in order to survive. To ensure a baby can feed they have a swallowing and sucking reflex. To help a baby find food they move their head to look for a nipple or teat if their cheek or mouth is touched this is called rooting.Babies have a grasping reflex by where they will automatically grab whatever is placed in their hand if it touches their palm. If there is a loud sound or bright light babies will perform their startle reflex, they will raise their arms and clench their fists. If a baby is held with their feet touching a hard surface they will perform the walking and standing reflex by making stepping movements. At 1 month babies change a great deal, they begin to sett le into a pattern and still sleep a lot of the time but they will gradually begin to stay awake for longer periods.They cry to communicate their needs and may vary their cry dependant on a particular need. At this age babies are also learning about their parents or carers and may stop when they hear their voice, they coo when they are content. They can focus at a distance of around 20 -30 cm but try to focus on the face of who is holding them. While asleep they smile fleetingly, this is usually done when they are content. At 3 months they have grown a lot in both height and weight. Some babies may now know the difference between day and night and are able to sleep through the night.They are now able to lift and turn their head and begin to notice mobiles and other objects that are around them. They are now more alert and sleep less during the day. They now know their parents voice and smile quite a lot, especially when they see a smiling face. At 6 months babies have learnt many new skills. They are very alert and will move their head to see what is happening around them. When playing with their parent or carer they will smile and squeal to express their enjoyment. They can now focus on objects and toys and explore them by using their mouth and fingers.Babies start to show that they understand a little of what is been said to them and lift arms to show that they want to be picked up. They are beginning to try and feed themselves by grabbing the spoon and should be enjoying their food. Teeth are now beginning to come through which can be painful at times. By this age babies are getting stronger and should be able to sit with support and should be able to roll over form their back to their fronts. They should now be settled into a routine and will nap and play throughout the day.At 9 months babies should now be crawling or finding other ways of getting around, they will sit and spend a lot of time playing and exploring their surroundings, babies can now pick up and handle things and begin to feed using their fingers. Their language should now be developing; their babbling is now more tuneful and long strings of sounds are put together. They can now understand some simple words such as drink or bath and may get excited when they hear them. At around 8 months they may cry when they are left with a stranger and will try their hardest to be with their parents.Around this age babies will now understand that objects and people around them do not disappear but continue to exist when they can no longer see them. This development is important and explains why at around his age babies protest and become distressed about their parents leaving the room, as they now know they are still around and are desperate to be with them, unlike before when they thought they disappeared once out of sight. At 1 year babies have developed a great deal and are now mobile, if they are not already walking they may be on the verge of learning to walk.They can stand hold ing onto furniture and may walk holding onto things around them. They can now crawl very fast and their eyesight has developed to that of an adult. Objects can now be held, touched and moved, they enjoy putting things in and out of containers as well as dropping things to see what happens to them, they will enjoy doing things like this over and over again. By now babies should be able to sit unsupported and should be able to feed themselves with their fingers and should now know what foods they like and dislike so will only eat what they like.Babies now understand more of what is being said to them and long strings of babbling is still how babies of this age communicate but now they are beginning to try and say their first words. At 18 months they can now walk and are usually referred to as a toddler, they enjoy playing with adults but are still fascinated by other children, they take an interest in what older siblings are doing too. At this age they begin to want some independence, they start to develop a mind of their own , they cry and have temper tantrums if they cannot have their own way or what they want.They may now be able to use a few words but can understand most of what adults say to them, but this does not mean that they understand the meaning of sharing and how to wait for things. Toddlers can change their mood very quickly and fidgety, which can be tiring for parents, they get upset if they are left in unfamiliar surroundings or with people they don’t know. At 2 years toddlers are now showing their individuality, they know what they want and what they want to do.They can now walk confidently as well as run and climb, they are able to pick things up. They like to be independent and get annoyed or frustrated if they cannot or are not allowed to do things for themselves, these outbursts are known as the terrible twos. They can now say around 200 words and are beginning to enjoy pretend play such as giving a teddy a pretend drink, they will pl ay with building blocks and simple jigsaw puzzles. At 2Â ½ years children are still happy to be independent and still find it hard to wait for things.Their communication skills are improving greatly and they can now put two words together, such as daddy gone, they may even manage short sentences. Their physical development is progressing and they are now determined to get things they want which could mean they put themselves in dangerous situations, such as climbing on chairs or standing on tables. They now begin to play more with other children rather than just alongside them. Pretend play and small world toys are now popular, as well as riding tricycles and climbing frames.Adult attention is still important and still enjoys cuddles and helping an adult, such as throwing paper in the rubbish bin. Been away from parents is still upsetting, unless they know who they are going to be with. At this age potty training may begin and may only take a few days to be out of nappies during th e day, for some children. At 3 years children are making a big jump in development which is linked to their language skills, instead of them showing that they are upset they are able to tell us and temper tantrums begin to happen less often.They begin to understand more of what is happening around them and understand the needs of others. They are now able to play with other children and are able to share toys with ease, other children begin to be important to them and will look forward to going to nursery. Children of this age are now generally happy to be away from parents as they now understand that they will return and are able to talk to staff who are looking after them.

Mini Trial

Incredibly, there are currently over â€Å"3,000 asses of Mesopotamia annually' in the US and more than â€Å"1 0,000 cases† globally (â€Å"The Mesopotamia Center†, 2014). Asbestos lawsuits are continuously prevalent and can be identified by simply turning on a television set any given time of the day. More than likely there will be an asbestos lawsuit commercial on several channels. Since the sass's, Maryland has had its fair share of these lawsuits because of its asbestos production and inherent health risk posed to the surrounding communities.In 1 993, Baltimore had more than â€Å"200,000 cases† pending against the state of Maryland and the courts had become inundated with an insurmountable mountain of lawsuits (Ogden, 1 993, pig. 38). Attempting to manage all of these cases put a serious strain on the court systems and jeopardized the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the state's judicial infrastructure. The question for legal professionals was how t o handle such a large surge in caseloads. The answer came in the form of an Alternate Dispute Resolution (TAR) known as a Mini-Trial.This TAR process created a means for legal professionals to process large groups of disputants through a dispute resolution process in minimal time. Asbestos mini-trial proceedings in Baltimore were conducted in ropes and series so that the most severe cases could be handled first. The unprecedented decision to utilize mini;trials in this capacity yielded quicker results than normal bench-trial cases could and paved the way for the continued use of this form of 3 TAR. The unique style in how the mini-trials were applied to the Baltimore asbestos cases is what really stood out.Case Study As the amount of plaintiffs grew against multiple companies involved in asbestos manufacturing, Judge Marshall A. Levin of Baltimore's Circuit Court, ordered the majority of the cases to be performed as mini-trials (Person, 1993). This process would alleviate Some of th e limiting factors being experienced in regards to litigation saturation. With literally thousands of affected citizens, Judge Levin felt that a series of mini-trials would clear up a large portion of the individual claims bogging down Baltimore's court system.The first thing he ordered was for the trials to be conducted in groups. Within these groups, legal professionals to include the judge; would select the most important cases first. His first grouped involved over 600 cases in which patients were already sick or dying from asbestos related illnesses (Person, 993). It was important to process these cases quickly so that any damages awarded could be used for healthcare immediately. Another group involved a series of plaintiffs that were seeking damages from either being exposed to asbestos or not being properly informed of the dangers of asbestos.Even though these were of lesser importance, the process of the mini-trial still afforded the plaintiffs quick resolution. Because ther e were so many people involved in all of these cases, the judge would also only allow a select few to present testimony. By doing this, Levin prevented the same testimony from Ewing heard by thousands of plaintiffs with the same argument. This â€Å"abbreviated version† of a full court trial proved his theory that mini-trials were beneficial in lieu of (Colors, 2009, pig. 203). Time was not the only thing gained by these trials however.Judge Eleven's first mini-trial only took four weeks and caught the attention of several other judges. During the second set of 4 trial series, three judges from Baltimore joined him in hearing six more major asbestos cases. Those mini-trials yielded more than SSL 1 million in restitution for three out of the six cases (Person, 1993). Knowing that the number of asbestos cases would increasingly rise, Judge Levin created the â€Å"New Discovery Rule† that would supersede any statute of limitation Maryland had in regards to asbestos relate d lawsuits (Ogden, 1993).Applying additional gateways offset the non-binding agreement mini-trials and other forms of TAR normally have. Discussion The overall goal in hearing asbestos cases quickly and clearing the courts of hemorrhaging lawsuits was ultimately a success. Eleven's progressive approach to dispute resolution proved that alternate methods can be fair and equal. Properly categorizing claims that were more severe against claims that were to was paramount in choosing first to appear cases. The quick action of the mini-trial afforded victims in need compensation necessary to the treatment of their illnesses.By grouping the trials into series, the mini-trials also protected the asbestos manufactures of frivolous law suits and false claims of lung cancer due to smoking and not asbestos exposure. One of the biggest conclusions that can be drawn from this case is that the mini-trial is adoptable and long lasting. As recently as 2013, exactly 20 years after Baltimore's first a sbestos min-trial, Maryland is still using the TAR practice ND is a â€Å"major forum for asbestos litigation† (Richard, 2014). Baltimore's use of the mini-trial not only relieved the strain of over tasked court system, it proved that different forms of TAR could save time.

A Tribe Apart

A Tribe Apart To believe that no one in this world understands what you are going through on any given day. To feel that you are the only person out of the almost seven billion people that populate this universe who can experience the feelings of desire, hurt, pain, happiness, sadness, confusion, emptiness and joy. Sometimes all at the same time can these feelings be amongst you. This is how, in my own words that I would define the meaning of Personal Fable.To be the center of attention when there is good and bad happening and the feeling you have thereafter depends on what you think that others think of you. They are always watching you as you imagine. They are the judge of your every move. You have to be cool, act cool, look cool. To me this is the definition of the Imaginary Audience. To have a constant judgment of your behavior can lead to a phobia or paranoia. It can be positive or negative. For most it becomes a result of your character and leads to you to being self-conscious of your ever move.It’s all about me and only me! I am the center of attention. It is my way or the highway. No one else matters. There is no particular interest in what you think, believe, feel or say. I am selfish. I am self-centered. I am the definition of Egocentrism. According to the Cognitive Development topic these processes, Personal Fable, Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism all require formal operation thought. They all work together and sheds plenty of light on how and why we think the way we do. In A Tribe Apart, Brendon is a good example of Personal Fable.Brendon comes from a good family; he has four siblings in which he is the youngest. He feels compelled to compete with his older brothers because they are good students and all around good people in general. Brendon’s family were displaced from Reston to Houston since his father lost his job and then later lost his job in Reston whereas his mother became the ‘bread winner’ of the family. The fa mily appears to be the All-American, traditional family whom eat together and pray together, however this model family is said to be ‘distorted by the pain of economic loss’.Brendon takes on risky behavior and becomes and example of Personal Fable as he uses escaping as a way of not to care or feel his feelings. He to, becomes a product of Imaginary Audience, because he had previously dealt with embarrassment and has decided to shut himself off from that part of the world since his optimism and excitement have since vanished. In A Tribe Apart, Brendon turns to alcohol consumption and drug use as a pacifier to make him feel ‘warm and alive’.His substance abuse leads him to believe that it is like â€Å"relaxation, and escape from everybody to make yourself happy. † Brendon is said to have tried many modes from classroom clowning, truancy, dope, booze and art as an act of anger and therefore has led to aggression towards his siblings than his parents. Brendon often feels alone when it comes to his feelings, although his friend Tad is around he feels let down and disappointed by people and has chosen to shelter himself instead of reaching out to those who may feel the same way he does.Because Brendon has a ‘doesn’t care’ attitude he has removed himself from the social setting of school all because of a role he played in the talent show that has him feeling embarrassed. Brendon is dealing with, not only believing that he is the only adolescent in this world experiencing issues (Personal Fable) but also feeling self-conscious, like he is being watch or evaluated (Imaginary Audience). He continues on his path of destruction although he really doesn’t want to be that ‘guy’. His though process is that the good in him is no good and in order to feel good about himself he has to do badly.Brendon follows this streak throughout the book and doesn’t change much. Brendon, as bright, talented, an d creative as he is said to be deals with darkness, loss and mental turmoil and focuses on his regrets and bitterness due to his family experience. On the other hand, there is Charles Sutter who enters A Tribe Apart as the unnoticed freshman who is from a home of professional parents and a sibling who ‘look to the world, like proof the American Dream works for all’. The Sutter family is black. Being black makes it twice as hard to prove yourself.Black adolescents are often labeled as ‘Trouble’ and ‘Ghetto’. Even though Charles is in gifted and talented classes, plays several sports and serves as the class leader he is considered a ‘tightly wound young man acutely aware of the restraints and responsibilities his race imposes’. Charles never seems to be at ease because he is constantly dealing with not feeling free of the burden of proving himself. He is ‘Mr. Perfect Black’. He is the rare face of the class. He is the bl ack sheep of the group who wants, solely to fit in despite the color of his skin.Charles displays the acts of Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism both. Because Charles is the ‘rare black face’ he feels like he is never good enough nor as smart as them. His attitude becomes that if he has ‘to perform, he will perform’ and proves that he is better than them if he is tried. Once he beat up another student just to prove that he is capable of protecting and defending himself as well as established some credibility within himself so the other boys in the school would know. Both Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism capture attention in Charles case.When Charles is doing something worth being watch, which is almost always being that he is an A+ student, he has a sense of not only ‘Who is watching me’ but ‘I want you to watch me’. It’s as if, he knows that being a black male automatically draws attention especially when there is some go od involved. People are interested in how this ‘black’ boy can be so smart, can dress presentable, can hold a decent conversation, is financial stable that he doesn’t have to sell drugs to make ends meet. As explained in A Tribe Apart, Charles dilemma ‘represents the world of striving black middle-class adolescents.It is life lived on the defensive, a constant tightrope to be navigated between two cultures: a white culture that never fully embraces them, and a black peer group that disdains black achievers’. Charles overcomes his humiliation after several different issues and strives throughout the book. Remaining an achiever throughout. In his case having the Imaginary Audience and the Egocentrism concepts paved the way. Although it seems a bit much when a person is egocentric but when it come to proving yourself and becoming an achiever then it should be looked at as being positive.Then there is the ‘supposedly audience’ you want to wa tch you as that can be the proof to make you remain positive so that you can continue to achieve. Moshing Is a Way to Belong. This is the story of Joan. Joan’s mother left her when she was ten years old and never returned until two years later. Joan being the only female in the household along side her brother and father was having difficulty getting used to the fact that she now was the woman of the house. She was expected to take on all the duties of being a mother, a wife, all the while she was a young adolescent.Her world as she had known it was crumbling right before her eyes. As the chapter talks about Joan it mentioned how she had went from being spoiled to becoming the woman of the house. Joan had become isolated and lonely. She was in fear of her father and the control her had over her. She was not allowed to have friends. As mentioned, ‘she craved recognition and respect. She was too scared to ask for love. ’ She felt as if no one cared about the little girl that was devastated by her loss. No one knew what she was dealing with and over time Joan took upon herself to fight back for ‘whatever life dished out’.She started hanging out with kids that were lovers of the hard core rock music. With this music comes Moshing (def. , activity in which audience members at live music performances aggressively pushes or slams into each other. Moshing is frequently accompanied by stage diving, crowd surfing, microphone swinging, instrument smashing, and head banging. ) Joan feels like this is a great way to fit in and be a part of something. According to her she ‘feels, uninhibited, part of the action, and especially part of the group of peers, something she longs for.Joan also began thinking that being a tough person, fighting all the time was the way to earn respect. She would start fights if she thought someone was taking about her. Nothing bad could happen to Joan, which is what she thought. She continued the pose in high school with a bad attitude and the behavior to follow. Popping lockers and shoplifting was something she did on a regular. This insert fits as an example of Personal Fable & Egocentrism. Joan felt that no one else could possibly understand what she was going through. That she was the only lonely and isolated kid that surfaces this world.She turned to anger and resentment and felt that whatever rules existed did not apply to her and that nothing bad could happen to her. Joan craving recognition and respect demonstrates Egocentrism. It was all about her and what she thought. Joan’s way of thinking was that anyone around her had to be thinking about her since that was all she was doing. Joan began to question herself and felt that it was time for change. She wasn’t happy with what she had turned out to be. She gradually changed her ways for the better which led to more positive friendships and happier outcomes.Joan mentions that by ‘being tough, however, she learne d to be smart for today’s world. Each example listed throughout illustrates the concepts, Personal Fable, Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism. The one thing that caught my attention that explains a lot about the adolescents in A Tribe Apart as well as the kids today and even when I was a young adolescent is that ‘whatever behavior is common to a group of kids feels normal to them, whether it be doing drugs or doing homework. Whether the adult world sees the lifestyles as positive or negative is not the standard the kids are using’. We live. We learn and hopefully we grow.