Why the War on Drugs persists Essay Example for Free

Why the War on Drugs persists Essay Clearly the unstated aim of the federal government of the United States of America is the attainment of total control of the Earth, including all its material resources and peoples, by economic, political and military means. The achievement of this requires the expenditure of vast amounts of money over several decades. A major part of this money comes from covert U. S. government trafficking in illegal drugs, primarily the addictive drugs cocaine and heroin. U. S. -sponsored world-wide drug prohibition, a. k. a.the War on Drugs, is primarily a tactic to keep street prices high and profits astronomical, regardless of the huge social and personal damage done. U. S. -sponsored drug prohibition will continue until either the U. S. attains its aim of complete military and political domination of the Earth (which is still some time away, if it ever happens) or the junta which rules the U. S. and which aims at total control is removed from power. Only an alliance of anti-fascist nations, and sustained resistance by people who value their freedom, can prevent the subjugation of the Earth to those intent on controlling and exploiting it. Repeal of the laws, and of the U. S. -imposed international treaties, prohibiting possession and sale of drugs which are presently illegal would remove the enormous profits derived from wholesale illegal drug trafficking and cut off a major source of the money required by the U. S. for the achievement of its aim of total world domination. Obviously the U. S. will never repeal these laws and treaties, so it is up to the other countries of the world to do so, if they value their sovereignty, freedom and cultural tradition. Covert government by defense contractor means corrupt wars of conquest, government by dope dealer. When the worlds traditional inebriative herbs become illegal commodities, they become worth as much as precious metal, precious metal that can be farmed. Illegal drugs, solely because of the artificial value given them by Prohibition, have become the basis of military power anywhere they can be grown and delivered in quantity. To this day American defense contractors are the biggest drug-money launderers in the world. — Drug War: Covert Money, Power and Policy, p. 318. And, of course, the tactics used by one player in the game can be used by others. Not all the poppy fields are funded by the CIA. To some it will seem that with enough money one can buy control of the entire planet. This is no doubt an idea which occurred to some people long ago. But it takes time to achieve such an ambitious goal. Ethical considerations, of course, do not enter into the calculations. Any means may be used to attain the end. One useful means is the exploitation of the urge humans have to modify their consciousness by eating, drinking, smoking or snorting substances found to produce desirable effects. Humans have done it for ages. Bring in a capitalist socio-economic system and you have a sure way to make a lot of money. Especially if consumer prices can be jacked way up. And the way to do that is to make the possession and use of these substances illegal. Then suppliers become criminals and run the risk of punishment, and so must be financially compensated for the risks they take. The higher the risk, the higher the street price. So make it all very illegal and (try to) corner the market in mind-altering substances, especially the addictive ones (a captive market, so to speak) and voila! The greatest money-making scam in the entire history of the planet! Sufficiently lucrative that with the profits one can buy everyone who needs to be bought: police, judges, customs officers and politicians. Total control! The wet-dream of every fascist dictator — now within the grasp of any sufficiently large, sufficiently well-run, sufficiently immoral organization, such as a government of a country whose wealth has been acquired by war and ruthless exploitation of natural resources and which maintains a military-industrial economy larger and more threatening than that of any other. How long has there been a War on Drugs? Seems forever. (It was announced by Richard Nixon in 1971, but goes back millennia, as we saw above. ) And year after year, it just gets crazier and crazier, ruins more and more lives, and drives the U. S. further into the pit of social disaster. How is it possible that this insanity persists (even though intelligent and rational people have been pointing out for many years how crazy and evil it is)? Read this page (and page two) for an understanding of what lies behind this monstrosity. America, with less than 5 percent of the world population, has a quarter of the worlds prisoners. There are six times as many Americans behind bars as are imprisoned in the 12 countries that make up the entire European Union, even though those countries have 100 million more citizens than the United States. Our jails and prisons have become the 51st state, with a greater combined population than Alaska, North Dakota and South Dakota. — Editorial, San Jose Mercury News, 1999-12-31. In August [2000], the U. S. Department of Justice revealed that the number of men and women behind bars in the U. S. at the end of 1999 exceeded two million and the rate of incarceration had reached 690 inmates per 100,000 residents — a rate Human Rights Watch believed to be the highest in the world (with the exception of Rwanda). The unrelenting war on drugs continued to pull hundreds of thousands of drug offenders into the criminal justice system: 1,559,100 people were arrested on drug charges in 1998; approximately 450,000 drug offenders were confined in jails and prisons. According to the Department of Justice, 107,000 people were sent to state prison on drug charges in 1998, representing 30. 8 percent of all new state admissions. Drug offenders constituted 57. 8 percent of all federal inmates. — Human Rights Watch World Report 2001: United States At this time the Gulag Archipelago, the scattered islands of prisons in which hundreds of thousands of non-violent people are locked away for half their lives for their opposition to the disgraceful and immoral policies of a tyrannical and dictatorial state, is not in Russia, rather it is in the United States of America. This is a crime against humanity by which the government of the United States, which trumpets itself as a defender of liberty and democracy, makes itself into an object of contempt in the eyes of the world. The real problem with drugs in the modern world is that they are illegal. Put simply, the Drug War exists primarily to support — financially and otherwise — the maintenance of the criminal status of the possession of (certain) drugs so that those (mostly on the payroll of the U.S. federal government). Who profit big — directly or indirectly — from the supply of prohibited drugs can continue to do so, at the expense of everyone else, and especially at the expense of the hundreds of thousands of people imprisoned for victimless crimes. This is a scandal and a disgrace of the first magnitude. It will become for the United States of America a source of enduring shame and infamy just as the Third Reich became for Germany.

Many Lives, Many Masters Essay -- essays research papers

Many Lives Many Masters Many Lives, Many Masters is a book about a psychologist Brian L. Weiss, who by helping his patient he helps himself as well. Through Catherine he learned that his conventional approach through the scientific method and medication was not the proper way to heal his patients. Catherine comes in with anxiety, panic attacks and phobias and wants a way out of it all. Dr. Weiss approaches the situation in a scientific manner as he does with all of his patients, he doesn’t get very far until he decided to use hypnosis. He would have liked to use medication but her fear of swallowing pills prevented that. During hypnosis she begins to remember her childhood but not this childhood her past life. At first Dr. Weiss is very skeptical I mean there is no scientific explanation for this but he decides to continue. In her past lives he begins to discover why she has so many of the fears and phobias that she has. As well, during hypnosis she begins to identify others in her life now as some f rom her past lives. During one of these hypnosis after her death a different voice begins to speak. This voice knows things about Dr. Weiss’ past that no one else would and could know because he never shared the details with Catherine about his personal life. This Masters begins to tell him about his meaning in life, a message. One that through his religious beliefs as well as through his scientific methods he could not understand. The Masters spoke of many plains that were reached throughout your past lives. You could only reach these plains if you solved the problem you had in your life. For example, if you leave a life and never learn to trust in your next life, you must learn to trust. If this is achieved you would be able to reach to the next plain and receive more knowledge. He began to believe and listen. Through this listening, he began to have new meaning in his life and learned how to help Catherine through hers. He than began to try to reach the end of Catherineâ⠂¬â„¢s lives to get to the end in the hope that the Masters would relay another message through Catherine. The masters did not appear every time that Catherine remembered a death in her past life only when they decided to relay this message. These messages then stopped and Catherine was cured. Then years later Dr. Weiss believed it was time for him to pass this message to others through his b... ... was a phase in my life, which I had to learn from as difficult as it was for me it made me a much stronger person. They chose before they were born what they were to accomplish and when they should leave. The full meaning to why they passed away so young I don’t think I’ll fully be able to understand now but in time I will. Time should not be of so much importance to me. The idea of forever I think is the hardest for me to understand. I think even Marlo in Mutant Message didn’t fully understand the definition brought about by the â€Å"Real People.† It is also something, which in time we will be able to understand. I have to forget the past and worry about now and not that I won’t have time to do everything I want to do. I have a meaning and that is what I should focus on what I came to this life to do and learn. Only then will I be able to focus more clearly on what is important and not clutter my mind with everything that is going around me. I do think though that my meaning or at least on is to help people to be the alternative to medication as Dr. Brian Weiss believes now. I believe that through music therapy I will be able to help others and teach them to help themselves as well.

Hard Work

Hard work  will not guarantee you success. Let me explain – the hardest working athletes are not the ones making the most money. The most talented ones in any sport are not often described as being â€Å"hard working† The person who is putting in 12 hour days, sweating and plodding along? Getting the job done and earning very little reward? Do people get promoted within the organization on work ethic alone? Isn’t usually because they know someone, have a natural knack for something, have more â€Å"education†, or were just in the right place at the right time?I’m not saying that  hard work  goes unnoticed. Coaches, managers, leaders – they often go out of their way to acknowledge and praise hard-workers. They are held up as examples to the others and given momentary spotlights, but in the end, it’s not the attribute that brings success. I have seen a lot of hard-working people get treated unfairly over my career in all avenues of life. The person that quietly goes about their business and bothers no one is rarely acknowledged. The person who has a knack for doing a lot of things well is â€Å"too valuable† to move to higher positions of authority.Hard working people are often not vocal enough to â€Å"too their own horn† and get noticed, so they are not noticed (they believe their work speaks for itself). How many people do you know that are the fall guy to get stuff done? If no one else wants to do it, we know the guy or gal we can count on to get ‘er done, right? Am I wrong? So what value is â€Å"working hard†, and why should we work hard, or expect those we lead work hard as well if there isn’t a visible payoff? Well, there’s 2 things here I want to say.Number 1 – as a leader, if you have people in your organization that work hard – make sure you acknowledge them and take a deep, accurate look at how you treat them. Are you taking advantage of them? More importantly – you, the hard-worker. Why should you work hard? Do you work hard for a reward (pay, promotion, or prestige)? Should you work hard for these things? What about for self-pride? I’m talking ego – I’m talking good pride. I’m talking about sleeping well at night, knowing that whether you work for someone else, or work for yourself, you can take pride in putting forth an ffort today that made you, your oganization, and others you served better. I think there’s much value in hard work, and I believe that kind of pride in working hard reflects our creator. But be careful, don’t try and equate hard work and being busy as one thing. I’ve seen plenty of people that are masters at being busy doing nothing, appearing to work hard, and leveraging that to try and get ahead. That shows very little self-pride as well. So work hard, get satisfaction from doing a good job. Take pride in what you do.Just don’t ask your w ork to be the catalyst for pushing you to higher levels of success – that is asking too much of something so simple. Thoughts on hard work? Hard Work CAN Kill You Hard work never killed anyone. (Proverbial) Overworking can be seriously damaging to your health. Stress and long hours heart problems, increased susceptibility to infection, fatigue disorders like CFS/ME†¦ and even suicide. We live in a world where we often feel pushed to  do  more. You might be under pressure from your peers, your parents, or society in general.You might well have internalized these influences – and you may believe that to be â€Å"successful†, you need to have a high-flying career or a huge salary. Ultimately, though, you won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of your hard work if you ruin your health in the process. Working hard isn’t always a good thing. It can actually end up being selfish and destructive, if: * Your long hours cause problems for your family * Y ou’re short-tempered with colleagues or employees * You make mistakes because you’ve been working too hard You lose your sense of perspective, and let work take over your life How to Keep Work in Perspective Recognize the importance of other things – like friends, family, hobbies, sufficient rest and relaxation†¦ If you’re working hard in the hopes of retiring early, ease up on work and enjoy your  whole life a little more – instead of hoping for a few golden years at the end of it. If you’re working hard to buy more things for your kids, ask yourself whether it’s really more money that they need – or your presence. If you’re working hard because you feel that you â€Å"should† – then remember that this is  your life, and it’s up to you to decide how to live it. * *

Walmart 2012

Introduction Walmart has more than 10,020 retail units which is spread across 28 countries and operates under 60 banners. It sells both by brick and mortar (traditional stores) and Brick and click (e-commerce) formats. The average size of each Walmart store is more than a 1, 00,000 (1lac) square feet. Its store operations are categorized into following. 1. Walmart discount stores 2. Walmart super centers 3. Walmart neighborhood markets Walmart express stores Marketing Mix: Product and branding strategies (appropriate service strategy if the company has a consumer orientation).Walmart is a multinational retailer; in short it has every product or a brand which a person could see in his day to day life. The broad range of product categories include movies, crafts, gifts, college essentials, Electronic items, home appliance, jewellery, photo centre,   toys, outdoor living, funeral, grocery, video games etc Pricing strategies. Walmart business model doesn’t include manufacturing of any product; it procures products across the globe in large quantities in order to enjoy benefits of economies of scale. This makes price of Walmart to offer products at 15% lower price than other retailers.Walmart uses different pricing concepts to get focus of the customers and compel a purchasing behaviour through discount strategies. Sam Walton coined the term â€Å"Always lows prices† and â€Å"Everyday low prices†; according to this each product is offered at different discount prices based on the time and demand of the hour. The consumer electronics are offered at a very low price compared to other retailers. Supply chain strategies (how they place the product in the market). Walmart has been able to assume market leadership position primarily due to its efficient integration of suppliers, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution to stores.Its supply chain strategy has four key components: vendor partnerships, cross docking and distribution management, te chnology, and integration. Walmart’s supply chain begins with strategic sourcing to find products at the best price from suppliers who are in a position to ensure they can meet demand. Walmart establishes strategic partnerships with most of their vendors, offering them the potential for long-term and high volume purchases in exchange for the lowest possible prices. Suppliers then ship product to Walmart’s distribution centers where the product is cross docked and then delivered to Walmart stores.Cross docking, distribution management, and transportation management keep inventory and transportation costs down, reducing transportation time and eliminating inefficiencies. Technology plays a key role in Walmart’s supply chain, serving as the foundation of their supply chain. Walmart has the largest information technology infrastructure of any private company in the world. Its state-of-the-art technology and network design allow Walmart to accurately forecast demand, track and predict inventory levels, create highly efficient transportation routes, and manage customer relationships and service response logistics.Wal-Mart’s supply chain management strategy has provided the company with several sustainable competitive advantages, including lower product costs, reduced inventory carrying costs, improved in-store variety and selection, and highly competitive pricing for the consumer. This strategy has helped Walmart become a dominant force in a competitive global market. As technology evolves, Walmart continues to focus on innovative processes and systems to improve its supply chain and achieve greater efficiency. Integrated marketing communications.Walmart's Integrated marketing communication is their   approach to achieving the objectives of a Marketing campaign , through a well coordinated use of different promotional methods that are intended to reinforce each other. Integrated marketing includes discipline communications advertising, public relations personal selling   and sales promotion. These methods help the corporation bring a better understanding to the consumer   this way they we will know which products best fits the consumers needs. Walmart usually does this through the tv commercials,online website,and weekly circular.Their tv commercials usually show items that are popular and are at a cheaper price then their competition this helps them to get better sales. http://stylesmar100-blog. blogspot. com/2011/11/chap-16-integrated-marketing. html Promotional strategy. Walmart has its own in-store promotional activities which includes sales promotions through product bundling and its pricing strategies. The online store of Walmart earns major revenues from through customers placing online gifts. The pricing strategies adopted by Walmart like â€Å"Everyday low prices†, â€Å"value of the day† increases the sales turnover.The online store uses strategies to pull customer by attractive slogans like ‘Grab it before it’s done’ which pushes customer to take a purchase decision immediately before the deals get expired. The company's presence in domestic and international markets. Walmart operates stores in 27 countries under 69 different banners. Learn more below about our store formats around the world. Walmart began building Supercenters in 1988 – a decision that led us to become the nation’s largest grocer. Today, there are more than 3,000 Supercenters in the U. S. Each store is about 182,000 square feet and employs bout 300 associates. Today, we operate more than 600 discount stores. There are now about 200 Neighborhood Markets in the U. S. The company's vision and execution of strategy that set its direction. Wal-Mart's advertised mission statement and its advertising slogan are the same: â€Å"We save people money so they can live better. † â€Å"If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone†¦weâ €™ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life. † The company's plans for growing and servicing its customer base.In order to fulfill its mission, Wal-Mart has developed some unique, policies, principles, rules, processes and procedures, the sum total of which form the Wal-Mart stores corporate culture: 4. Open Door Policy – Managers' doors are open to employees at all levels 5. Sundown Rule – Answering employee, customer, and supplier questions on the same day the questions are received 6. Grass Roots Process – Capturing suggestions and ideas from the sales floor and front lines 7. 3 Basic Beliefs & Values – Respect for the Individual, Service to our Customers, Striving for Excellence 8. 0-Foot Rule – Making eye contact, greeting, and offering help to customers who come within 10 feet 9. Servant Leadership – Leaders are in service to their team Wal-Mart Cheer – An actual struc tured chant that was created by founder Sam Walton to lift morale every morning http://www. usanfranonline. com/wal-mart-successful-supply-chain-management/ http://www. marketing91. com/marketing-mix-walmart/ http://retailindustry. about. com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Wal-Mart-Mission-Statement. htm

French Architecture Not to Be Missed

French Architecture Not to Be Missed Touring France is like time traveling through the history of western Civilization. You wont be able to see all the architectural wonders  on your first visit, so youll want to return again and again. Follow this guide for an overview of the most significant buildings in France and a look at historic architecture you wont want to miss.   French Architecture and Its Importance From medieval times to modern days, France has been at the forefront of architectural innovation.  In Medieval times, Romanesque designs signaled pilgrimage churches, and the radical new Gothic style found its beginnings in France. During the Renaissance, the French borrowed from Italian ideas to create lavish Chateaux. In the 1600s, the French brought exuberance to the elaborate Baroque style. Neoclassism was popular in France until about 1840, followed by a revival of Gothic ideas. The Neoclassical architecture of public buildings in Washington, D.C. and throughout capital cities across the U.S. is in large part because of Thomas Jefferson in France. After the American Revolution, Jefferson served as Minister to France from 1784 to 1789, a time when he studied French and Roman architecture and brought them back to the new American nation. From 1885 until about 1820, the hot new French trend was Beaux Arts - an elaborate, highly decorated fashion inspired by many ideas from the past. Art Nouveau originated in France in the 1880s. Art Deco was born in Paris in 1925 before the style moved to Rockefeller Center in New York City. Then came the various modern movements, with France solidly in the lead. France is a Disney World of Western architecture. For centuries, students of architecture have made a point of traveling to France to learn historic design and construction techniques. Even today, the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris is considered the best architecture school in the world. But French architecture began even before France. Prehistoric Cave paintings have been stumbled upon throughout the world, and France is no exception. One of the most popular sites is Caverne du Pont d’Arc, a replica of the Chauvet Cave in the southern France area known as Vallon-Pont-dArc. The real cave is off limits to the casual traveler, but Caverne du Pont dArc is open for business. Also in southwestern France is the Và ©zà ¨re valley, a UNESCO Heritage area containing over 20 prehistoric painted caves. The most famous is the Grotte de Lascaux near Montignac, France. Roman Remains The Western Roman Empire in the 4th Century A.D. included what we now call France. Any countrys rulers will leave their architecture behind, and so did the Romans after its collapse. Most of the ancient Roman structures are, indeed, ruins, but some are not to be missed. Nà ®mes, on the southern coast of France, was called Nemausus thousands of years ago when Romans lived there. It was an important and well-known Roman city, and, so, many of the Roman ruins have been maintained, such as the Maison Carrà ©e and Les Arà ¨nes, The Amphitheater of Nà ®mes built around 70 A.D. The most spectacular example of Roman architecture, however, is the Pont du Gard, near Nimes. The famous aqueduct carried springwater to the city from the mountains about 20 miles away. Within two degrees latitude of  Nà ®mes is Vienne near Lyons and another area rich in Roman ruins. In addition to the 15 B.C. Grand Roman Theatre of Lyon, the Roman theater in Vienne is just one of many Roman ruins in a city once occupied by Julius Caesar. The Temple d’Auguste et de Livie and the Roman Pyramide in Vienne have been more recently joined by the newly discovered little Pompei a couple of miles across the Rhone River. As excavation for new housing was underway, intact mosaic floors were unearthed, which The Guardian described as remarkably preserved remains of luxury homes and public buildings. Of all the Roman ruins that remain, the amphitheatre may be the most prolific. The Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre Antique in Orange is particularly well-preserved in southern France. And, of all the French villages that have so much to offer, the cities of Vaison-la-Romaine in southern France and  Saintes or Mà ©diolanum Santonum on the west coast will lead you through time from Roman ruins to Medieval walls. The cities themselves are architectural destinations. In and Around Paris La Ville-Lumià ¨re or the City of Light has long influenced the world, as a center of the Enlightenment and a canvas for western art and architecture. One of the most famous triumphal arches anywhere in the world is the Arc de Triomphe de lÉtoile. The 19th century Neoclassical structure is one of the largest Roman-inspired arches in the world. The spiral of streets emanating from this famous rotary is the Avenue des Champs-Élysà ©es, the road that leads to one of the most magnificent museums in the world, The Louvre, and the 1989 Louvre Pyramid designed by Pritzker Laureate I.M. Pei. Outside but near Paris is Versailles, whose popular garden and chateau are rich in history and architecture. Also just outside Paris is the Basilica Cathedral of Saint Denis, the church that moved Medieval architecture to something more Gothic. Further afield is Chartres Cathedral, also called Cathà ©drale Notre-Dame, that takes Gothic sacred architecture to new heights. The cathedral in Chartres, a day trip from Paris, should not be confused with the Notre Dame Cathedral in downtown Paris. The Eiffel Tower, a New Seven Wonders of the World finalist, can be seen down the river from the gargoyles of Notre Dame. Paris is filled with modern architecture, too. The Center Pompidou designed by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano revolutionized museum design in the 1970s. Quai Branly Museum by Jean Nouvel and Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum by Frank Gehry continued the modernization of Paris. Paris is also known for its theaters, most notably the Paris Opà ©ra by Charles Garnier. Integrated within the Beaux-Arts-Baroque-Revival  Palais Garnier is LOpà ©ra Restaurant by the modern French architect Odile Decq. Pilgrimage Churches of France A pilgrimage church can be a destination in itself, such as the pilgrimage church of Wieskirche in Bavaria and Tournus Abbey in France, or it can be a church along the route pilgrims take. After the Edict of Milan legitimized Christianity, the most popular pilgrimage for European Christians was to a place in northern Spain. The Camino de Santiago, also called the Way of St. James, is the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, where the remains of Saint James, Apostle of Jesus Christ, is said to be. For European Christians who could not travel to Jerusalem during the Middle Ages, Galicia was wildly popular. To get to Spain, however, most travelers had to move through France. Camino Francà ©s or the French Way are the four pathways through France that lead to the final Spanish route to Santiago de Compostela. The Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France are historic, with historic architecture created to accommodate the REAL Middle Age tourist! These routes became part of the   UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998. Look for preserved, historic buildings and monuments along these routes. The symbolic use of the shell (an item given to pilgrims who completed the journey to Spains coast)   will be found everywhere. The architecture along these routes does not attract the large crowds of modern tourists, yet much of the historic significance is similar to more touristy structures.. Architecture Beyond Paris France has not stopped growing. Ancient Roman structures may stand near 21st century modern architecture. France may be for lovers, but the country also is for time travelers. Sarlat-la-Canà ©da en Dordogne, La Cite, the castle city of Carcassonne, Popes Palace in Avignon, Chà ¢teau du Clos Lucà ©, near Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last days - all have stories to tell. The work of 21st century architects abound throughout up-and-coming French cities: Lille Grand Palais (Congrexpo), Rem Koolhaas in Lille; Maison Bordeaux, Rem Koolhaas in Bordeaux; Millau Viaduct, Norman Foster in Southern France; FRAC Bretagne, Odile Decq in Rennes; and Pierres Vives, Zaha Hadid in Montpellier. Famous French Architects The writings of Eugà ¨ne Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) are well-known to the student of architecture, but his restoration of Medieval buildings throughout France  - most notably Notre Dame in Paris  - are better known to the tourist. Other architects with French roots include Charles Garnier (1825-1898); Le Corbusier (Swiss born in 1887, but educated in Paris, died in France 1965); Jean Nouvel; Odile Decq; Christian de Portzamparc; Dominique Perrault; and Gustave Eiffel. Sources France: archaeologists uncover little Pompeii south of Lyon, The Guardian, August 1, 2017,  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/02/france-archaeologists-uncover-little-pompeii-south-of-lyon [accessed October 29, 2017]

10 Vital Reasons a Study in Psychology Can Come in Handy in Everyday Life

10 Vital Reasons a Study in Psychology Can Come in Handy in Everyday Life 10 Vital Reasons a Study in Psychology Can Come in Handy in Everyday Life Do you think that the study in psychology is all about boring research and textbooks? You couldn’t be more wrong. Psychology is the study of human behavior. It’s the foundation of our relationships, our motivations, our conflicts, and our obstacles. On a basic level, psychology is really everything, and we use it every day without even knowing it. Here are all the ways that studying psychology can help you. Motivation. Studying psychology helps you understand the reasons why you want something, whether it’s good grades, a new job, or to go to a certain school. When you know the reason you want something, you will set clear goals and work much harder. Decision making. Whether it’s choosing a career or deciding what to eat for breakfast, psychology gives you the tools to analyze a decision from multiple perspectives to make the right choice. You will learn about the â€Å"six hats† of effective decision-making: the rational, the emotional, the intuitive, the creative, the positive, and the negative. Finances. Often our emotions lead us to make poor choices where money is concerned. You may put off saving for things like graduate school or even retirement. Or you may buy something you don’t really want that much because all your friends are buying it. Psychology makes you more aware of these emotions so that you will save more and spend less. Health. Learning about psychology gives you insights that empower you to have a healthier lifestyle. For example, if you tend to eat too much, psychology will help you understand the reasons for the overeating so you can address them. Understanding and empathy for others. Psychology builds your emotional intelligence. That means you understand your own emotions and those of others, an ability that some believe more predictive of success than traditional intelligence. Relationships. Psychology can help you avoid suffering from one failed relationship after another. It’s much easier to live with another person if you understand their behavior. It also helps you tell whether or not a potential friend or partner is compatible, eliminating heartbreak later. Communication. The ability to communicate involves not just speaking, but listening. It also means reading non-verbal cues. Understanding nonverbal communication helps you get your own message across more clearly because it keeps you and the other party on â€Å"the same page.† Leadership. You may not be the CEO of a company, but leadership is still a skill that you’re going to need in life. Studying psychology teaches you the skills to empower others to be their best selves, whether it’s a youth sports team you’re coaching or a subgroup at the office that you’re chairing. Persuasion. Why is it that some advertisements are so effective? Because their creators understand psychology. It’s a valuable tool to persuade others to your point-of-view. And who doesn’t want that? Self-confidence. Psychology helps you to know yourself better and to work on your weaknesses. You can be confident in the knowledge that you have strengths and that you are always improving. And other people will notice that confidence and respond positively to it. As you can see, psychology doesn’t just live at the pages of lab reports and research studies! It’s in the world all around you. So dive right in and learn how it affects you. We promise you’ll be glad you did.

Human Brain and Computer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Brain and Computer - Essay Example Possibly, it can be said that the brain is better at doing some specific jobs and the computer is good at doing other jobs. This paper is intended to analyze the benefits and limitations of the metaphor "the brain is often compared to a computer" which is commonly used by many. Before getting into the details it is important to understand why such a comparison was made. Theoretically the brain is a machine just as the heart and kidney. It can be said that the brain is a computer (processor) with neural connections, programmed responses, and a data bank. It has sensors in the body that input information into the computer. It has an output to devices that perform actions, and the brain communicates with these devices through electrical and chemical channels. The comparison of the brain and the computer is a metaphor. In general metaphors are just used to help us better understand things. Or in other words metaphors are used to convey the idea that one thing is similar to another thing. They are useful for helping us understand things, such as mind/body interaction. Metaphors do not mean that both the things compared are one and the same neither is one thing is a substitute for the other. Since several processes in the brain are similar to the computer, it is commonly compared with each other. For instance, both brain and computers use electrical signals to transmit information. Both have a memory which tends to grow over time. With proper instructions given, both brain and computers can learn. Both work based on the energy present. Brain and computers are able to think logically and do math. There are also differences between brain and the computers. For instance, brain uses chemicals such as calcium and sodium to transmit information where as the computer uses electricity. Electrical signals generated in the brain travels much slower when compared to computers. A computer uses switches that are either on or off and works on the binary system, where as the brains do not have such a system. Memory of the brain generally grows by stronger synaptic connections but in a computer it is only possible by adding additional memory chips. The brain needs essential nutrients such as oxygen and sugar for working where as the computer only require electricity or a battery to keep working (faculty.washington.edu, N.D.). Though till date the technology had not grown to replace the brain with a computer, there have been several advantages with the development of this technology. For instance, today it is possible to use computer inputs as substitutes for other sensory inputs, and for outputs to limbs or devices to create movement of neurologically damaged limbs, control the environment by sensing the brain's electrical impulses, and even create limited forms of sight. Besides, great steps are being made in bionics, including artificial hearts that work for longer periods. In recent years study is under progress for replacements for muscle made from specialized ceramic or polymer materials that contract like muscles, which can be triggered by a computer. With this trend of advancement in technology, perhaps one day we could also replace computers with brain (Cole, 2003). A person can do many things which a computer cannot even attempt to do it. A brain beyond doubt has one thing that a computer doesn't and this is a major difference. A brain communicates with itself and the body