Sociology

Introduction

Chapter 6, “Social Networking,” in Bucher’s (2015) Diversity Consciousness: Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities presents the discussion of social networking while focusing on the idea of diversity in this context. The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of Chapter 6, discuss associated challenges, and relate the content of the chapter to the primary text. It is also important to provide thoughts regarding the discussed aspects from personal and professional perspectives.

Provide a Clear, Detailed Summary of Your Assigned Chapter

In Chapter 6, Bucher (2015) discussed the following concepts: the notion of social networking, differences between online and face-to-face networking, the specific social context of networking, social dynamics associated with networking, diversity consciousness in the context of online networking, diversity issues, ways to expand diversity, and benefits of social networks. According to Bucher (2015), social networking is a process of making functional connections with other people, and a social network is a specific set of ties to find a job or contact friends.

In this network, persons are viewed as nodes, and connections are their ties. The difference between online and face-to-face networking is in a channel used to build connections. Using modern technologies, people can develop connections and social networks with many diverse individuals despite geographic, cultural, or economic barriers.

The specific social context of networking is associated with the environment in which individuals live and interact, but in online networking, people can develop both strong and weak ties with persons whom they know and contact regularly and persons who are just followers in social media. The author also referred to social dynamics related to networking and their recent changes (Bucher, 2015). Today, technologies allow more people to participate in social networking than it was a decade ago. There are also digital natives or young persons who know how to use technologies since their childhood.

The next important point discussed by Bucher (2015) is diversity consciousness in the context of online social networking. According to the author, using profiles in social media, a person can become more aware of oneself and understand diversity about his or her social contacts. People pay much attention to online identity management in social networks to influence other people’s perceptions and visions. Using social media, people also develop their skills regarding diversity consciousness. Thus, they learn how to communicate, negotiate, and cooperate with diverse individuals. According to Bucher (2015), developing their diversity consciousness with the help of social networking, people also learn how to assume diversity, seek out diversity, and leverage it.

In this chapter, the author also described approaches to expanding the diversity of social networks while making social media more powerful, maximizing social capital, and bridging and bonding while communicating with more diverse strangers. Still, there are also some issues associated with diversity-related to networking. They include digital divides, identity tourism, online microaggressions, and cyberbullying, and they can be associated with such issues as prejudice and discrimination (Bucher, 2015).

Finally, the author listed the benefits of diverse online networks associated with collaboration, the wisdom of crowds, specific diversity discussions, resource sharing, collective action, and personal empowerment. As a result, diverse social networking enables people to discuss and realize their ideas, cooperate, and use resources more effectively despite possible geographic, cultural, or social barriers.

What Challenge(s) Did the Author or Subject of the Chapter Face?

Analyzing diversity issues associated with social networks, Bucher (2015) focused on the following challenges related to the topic: the impossibility to overcome the digital divide at national and global levels within a short period, the impossibility to control identity tourism, limited access to social networks for people with disabilities, cyberbullying, and default whiteness. Thus, despite the spread of technologies, many people in the world cannot use social media and build online networks because of a range of factors: access to the Internet at regional, national, and global levels, the development of computer skills, age, and gender.

These factors are known as the digital divide. One more challenge is identity tourism that allows users of social networks to develop any identity they want while fabricating data. As a result, such situations create possibilities for bias, offenses, cyberbullying, and discrimination.

Another challenge is related to disabilities. The problem is that many individuals with disabilities are limited in their access to online networks because of their income and employment status. Still, according to Bucher (2015), these people’s specific disabilities do not prevent them from using the Internet in the majority of cases. However, the lack of information presented in different forms on websites can also become a challenge for individuals with some physical impairment.

Cyberbullying is one more issue to discuss. The problem is that cyberbullying is anonymous, and victims can be reached almost anywhere. To avoid significant psychological traumas and social consequences, this issue should be addressed at the national level. One more challenge to diversity mentioned by the author is default whiteness that is an assumption that all people have views, values, and interests typical of white people.

What Aspects (List at least 2) of Our Primary Text (Diversity Consciousness) Relate to Your Assigned Chapter. Provide a Clear Link to the Text and Reference Here

The topic of social networking discussed in Chapter 6 is related to aspects described in other chapters of Bucher’s (2015) book, such as electronic communication and microaggressions analyzed in Chapter 5. Electronic communication allows people to interact while using different devices and technologies. Individuals can share knowledge, resources, messages, and ideas without being limited by any borders. In this context, social networking is only one of the ways to promote electronic communication. The exchange of resources and messages is possible on different social websites that can address diverse people’s needs.

One more aspect to focus on is microaggressions. In the real world, microaggressions are described as individuals’ statements that can negatively affect diverse persons despite the positive intentions of a speaker. These unintentional biases are also typical for electronic communication. Moreover, microaggressions are also characteristic of online social networking when users of social media can be affected by utilizing pull-down menus or other functions categorized depending on race or gender factors, for example. Microaggressions can also be found in online posts and messages because anonymous users can ignore diverse people’s identities while posting racial or biased information and commentaries.

Provide Your Thoughts on How We Should Honor Disability Without Dishonoring the Individual? Provide a Personal and Professional Perspective

While referring to social networking, people can honor disability and diversity without affecting persons when they post unbiased facts and opinions and do not write offensive comments. From a personal perspective, it is important not to make assumptions regarding experiences, abilities, or barriers faced by people with disabilities to avoid the impact of one’s identity and visions on individuals with disabilities. In this situation, communication using social networks will become more comfortable and unbiased.

From a professional perspective, people with disabilities should use social networks to avoid their social isolation or exclusion. Thus, it is possible to promote communication in social network groups that unite people with disabilities. However, the focus should be not on uniting people who are excluded because of their disability but on uniting people who can share similar experiences and important information to build strong connections.

Conclusion

This paper has presented a detailed summary of Chapter 6. Challenges associated with the chapter content have been discussed. The information presented in the chapter is related to the primary text. Finally, personal thoughts regarding the chapter have been provided.

Reference

Bucher, R. D. (2015). Diversity consciousness: Opening our minds to people, cultures, and opportunities (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Whether or not a person should be considered to be a hero is a difficult question to answer. One of the principal issues of such categorization is the broad definition of heroism (Gonçalves 11). However, this paper intends to discuss this subject in order to overview various possible explanations of heroism within the context of socio-historical examples, literature, and personal experience.

What is a hero?

It is important to notice that the concept of heroism has been the subject of many changes in the course of history. Throughout various historical periods, people have interpreted the idea of heroism differently, applying it to many aspects of life.

How do others define the concept of hero?

To begin with, it is possible to observe that one of the first definitions of heroism originated in the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome. These societies created numerous myths and legends, notably including the Hercules myth cycle and Homer’s Odyssey, which represented a hero as a man who is able to compete with gods and go against his fate. This concept partially translated to the Medieval ideal of a hero, which was represented by the idea of a noble knight, one who is willing to fight against any iniquity, vice, or evil. In addition, it should be mentioned that the concept of heroism is connected to the discourse of many revolutions. Of course, two world wars also shaped the image of heroic behavior in the minds of people. In the contemporary world, the ancient representation of a hero reinvented itself in the form of superheroes from comics.

What is my definition of a hero?

This section is devoted to my perception of heroism. First of all, this concept is defined by the outstanding personal characteristics of a heroic person. It includes such traits as resoluteness, higher moral standards, and bravery. However, the application of these characteristics is not limited to extreme situations such as war, prevention of crime, or the saving of people’s lives by firefighters and doctors. It is essential to understand that many individuals who are considered to be ordinary or who just do not fit into the common definition of a hero are in fact incredibly heroic. Therefore, it can be argued that the principal trait of a hero is the sense of duty. Different people have varying circumstances, which means that they have dissimilar responsibilities, burdens, and obligations. It is important for every person to follow their moral standards without giving regard to the temptation of choosing an easier path, because this is the core of heroism.

Real people as heroes

As was discussed in the previous section, any person could be a hero if they choose to pursue higher moral standards demanded by their duty. There are personal examples of people who fit the definition of a hero. First of all, there is the example of a friend of mine, who was able to provide for his family after his father died. He managed to work and study at the same time, though this was a very stressful period of life for him. Despite this, he did not surrender because he had a higher goal of supporting his family. Secondly, my father’s friend deserves a mention. He created a public discussion club to which he invited teenagers from low-class families in order to prevent them from street criminality and deviant behavior.

Characters from the reading selections

This section aims to discuss the examples which have been provided in the form of reading selections in the textbook.

Bodega Dreams

In the short excerpt from Bodega Dreams, the author describes the incident between his school friend Sapo and their English teacher Mr. Blessington. Another teacher, named Tapia, is also mentioned in this reading selection. It can be argued that the only person who approaches the definition of a hero is Tapia, since he tries to encourage his students in the belief that they can succeed in life by being honest and hard-working. On the contrary, Mr. Blessington could be labeled an anti-hero because he is complacent about his work (even though it does not offer many contributions to education), in addition to his suggestions that all his students will end up in jail (James 121).

Crazy Courage

This poem by Alma Luz Villanueva touches upon a very delicate theme of gender identity and courage to be yourself. She vividly describes the bravery and dignity of her friend, Michael, who decided to express himself through both masculinity and femininity. One could argue that such decision is an example of the concept of a hero since Michael to do what he considered to be a real expression of himself, despite the fact that he could be misunderstood, mocked, or even killed (James 149). This mindset relates to the idea of heroism due to the person’s willingness to stay loyal to their ethical standards and beliefs.

The Train from Hate

In this short essay, the author tells a story which happened to him when he was 7. He was heading to another city with his family to buy some supplies. When they boarded the train, they did not realize that they entered the coach which was reserved for white people. Later, the conductor stopped the train and commanded them to leave the train. While they were walking back home, the author asked his mother why that conductor was so mean to them. His mother gave him a lesson, which he considers to be one of the most important in his life: under no circumstances, should a person be distressed because someone intends to demean them (James 150). This advice is the result of great dignity, which is an inherent quality of any hero.

How does a hero relate to society?

This question is also of particular importance, and it is possible to provide two primary characteristics of such a relationship. It is also important that both of them could be described by two University Core Values. The first characteristic is integrity: a hero should be committed to society by being an honest person who is consistent in his or her words and deeds. Secondly, excellence is essential since it is the path to becoming a morally responsible leader. These two characteristics should shape the relationship between hero and society.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is possible to observe that the definition of heroism is still too broad to be univocally formulated. However, this paper provides many examples and ideas of what it means to be a hero. Finally, every individual should honestly and without bias decide what moral and ethical standards they will pursue in this life.

Works Cited

Gonçalves, João Miguel Correia. Dialectics of the Hero: Representing Subjectivities. On the Possibilities of Contemporary Figurative Sculpture. Dissertation, University of London, 2015.

James, Missy et al. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. 6th ed., Pearson, 2016.

Abortion is basically an act of removing the embryo from womb and terminating a pregnancy (Johnston 2-5). The issue of abortion is not new, it has been in the public domain and subjected to discourse for many years. It is still an emotive issue. This paper mainly discusses the issue of abortion and the importance of life. In detail, the paper will explore the views of those who oppose abortion as well as those who support it.

Opponents of abortion

Opponents argue that it is morally wrong to procure an abortion. When explicating their grounds, they usually base their arguments on a number of claims. For instance, they hold that it is wrong to kill people who are innocent. In this case, they assume that life begins at conception. This means that an embryo should be considered a person with a soul, thus, killing it or terminating a pregnancy is like killing an innocent child (Klemke 2-7). Thus, according to them, it is wrong to procure an abortion. Furthermore, destroying potential human life is morally wrong. In this case, their argument is based on the concept that an unborn child is a potential person (Klemke 3-5). Therefore, the destruction of a fetus, according to them, is like the destruction of a human being, which is morally wrong. Therefore, procuring abortion is very wrong from both the moral and even the legal side.

Moreover, the opponents of abortion hold that it is wrong to increase tolerance for killing people. By this, they mean that allowing abortion is another way of legalizing killing. They also base their argument on the fact that abortion degrades human dignity and respect (Metz 4-6). Therefore, according to them, procuring abortion is very wrong.

Proponents of abortion

According to the proponents, a fetus is actually not a human or a ‘person’ that necessarily has the right to live. As per their arguments, it is not right to insinuate that just because an unborn child is part of the human body, it has the right to live (Johnston 1-4). What they mean, according to the critics, is that even amputating any part of the body would be like killing. Furthermore, a fetus is only regarded as a person when it has reached a particular developmental stage that makes it a person who possesses particular attributes that make it an individual or a man.

Proponents of abortion hold that it is not wrong to terminate the life of those who are deemed innocent (Klemke 32-35). Their argument is based on the fact that, at some point in life, there are cases where a choice has to be made regarding who is to live or who is not supposed to live. An example given is that of conjoined twins. In this case, if the operation is carried out, one of the twins may die.

They also hold the view that a woman who is pregnant has certain moral rights, which the opponents usually overlook, too decide whether to give birth to the child or not. Here, they hold that under certain conditions, the right of the mother may supersede the rights of the fetus to live (Metz 10-14). The moral rights include to own one’s body or not to be born as the opponents hold. In this case, the mother has an absolute right to make a decision in life and is not supposed to be infringed. With this, the mother has the moral right to procure an abortion if her pregnancy is likely to put her life at risk.

The proponents also argue that abortion should be allowed in case where the child is likely to be born with some disabilities either mental or physical or abnormalities (Johnston 2-3). This is based on the premise that the child is likely to suffer from some physical or even mental condition in a way that will affect the quality of his or her life or even result in his/her death. This also applies to a situation, such as unintentional pregnancy. Unintentional, in this case, means the pregnancy that has resulted from rape.

Proponents also hold that abortion should be allowed if pregnancy has undesirable lifestyle consequences. A lifestyle consequence in this case is the degree of achievement that the mother would lose if she is not allowed to procure abortion (Johnston 37-39). Furthermore, if the mother is not able to look after her baby and/or have an extra child, it would definitely lower the standard of living of a family. In addition, proponents hold that if having another child would generally lead to criminal claims against the parent (Metz 27-34). A good example may be seen in China where the law allows parents to only have only one child. If a parent unintentionally gets pregnant; she may chose to be on the safer side by procuring an abortion.

The aspect of Right to life

A good number of philosophers hold that the phrase ‘right to life’ is generally vague. According to them, the phrase is made up of two different ideas: first, an absolute right of not to be in any way subjected to pain or killed discriminatorily, and second, a right to have all the things needed to fully sustain someone’s life (Metz 3-8).

Difficult cases

Many people usually understand the issue of abortion from the perspective of cost, related consequences, safety and availability of other alternatives. For them, abortion would be of great benefit (Metz 3-6). In the case of costs and related consequences, the mother may have been through situations, such as the pregnancy poses a severe medical issue, where the life of the mother is endangered by the pregnancy, and there are many fetus in the mother’s womb. In these situations, it many result in the deformities of the children leading to challenging life for both the family and the baby as a result.

Conclusion

As it has been established, life begins at conception. At this point, the opponents of abortion hold that it is wrong to kill for selfish interests. The proponents of abortion hold that according to the law, inflicting pain on a fetus is also wrong unless an operation or an intervention needed is to be carried out. In Local Universities, scholars usually ague that if the deformed child is allowed to be born, it will definitely suffer from some physical and mental abnormality. In addition, that if such pregnancies are not prevented, they can easily lead to changed life quality. In this case, the public is split over whether the issue of abortion can unanimously be considered or treated as something that is morally wrong or morally acceptable.

Works Cited

Johnston, George. Abortion from the religious and moral perspective: an annotated bibliography. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Pub. , 2003. Print.

Klemke, Elmer. The meaning of life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.

Metz, Thaddeus. Meaning in life: an analytic study. Oxford : UK: Oxford University Press, 2013. Print.

Importance of Sexuality

Human sexuality is a social construct expressed primarily through behaviors, attitudes, experiences, and beliefs that change constantly with time. Sexuality defines one’s personality in terms of sexual behaviors or attitudes. Thus, everyone is a sexual being regardless of his/her sexual orientation. According to Sprecher (1198), sexual orientation does not satisfactorily define sexuality because feelings, activities, beliefs, and attitudes are cultural factors that shape sexuality (p.119).

Thus, it implies that societal or cultural factors significantly influence the perception of sexuality in various social environments. Given that societal or cultural factors influence perception of sexuality, different cultures use sexuality to discriminate against other people socially, politically, and economically. This phenomenon makes gender descriptions, in terms of masculinity and femininity, to vary from one society to another. Moreover, the emergence of aberrant sexual orientations, such as homosexuals and bisexuals, changes the definition of sexuality and elicits a new form of discrimination. Therefore, since sexuality is a social issue that changes significantly with time, this essay defines societal definition of sexuality and explores trends of sexual perception with the view of giving recommendations that need evaluation via sociological methods.

Society and Sexuality

The society defines sexuality in terms of gender. Sexuality and gender are critical issues in society as they influence how people participate in collective, financial and opinionated activities of development. Consequences of sexuality relate to social, political and economic discrimination or marginalization of women because society depicts them as a weaker gender relative to men. One way that sexuality influences society is through gender. Sprecher (1998) argues that, gender entails societal expectations of male or female in terms of identity and role (p.124). From this perspective, the society expects men and women to conform to their respective gendered roles or identities as either male or female. Concerning identities, society depicts male as having strong personality and women as a having weak personality; thus, women do not have any influence on matters that relate to marriage, sexual expression, and relationships.

The society also defines sexuality in terms of roles, for it influences roles that women play in society. Ideologies surrounding sexuality normally aim at controlling women and girls with regard to their participation in social, political and economic activities. According to Hyde and DeLamater (2006), socio-cultural norms pertaining to sexuality restrict women’s mobility and dictate actions over their bodies (p.147). In particular, female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriages deny women or girls education, which limit their economic participation. Hyde and DeLamater (2006) add that, women who are advocating for gender equity sometimes face stigma because society labels them as promiscuous or lesbians (p.149). Therefore, societal perception of sexuality discriminates against women for they cannot participate fully in social, economic, and political spheres of society.

Sexuality also determines the distribution of wealth in society because it defines what constitutes marriage and inheritance of property from one generation to another. Society defines marriage as union of a man and a woman to form a family, which is a basic unit of society. Hence, the society recognizes man as the head of the family having the capacity to own, inherit and dispose property. In some societies, women have no capacity to own, inherit, or even dispose any property that belongs to the family; thus, society discriminates against them. According to Sprecher (1998), if women do not marry, they will not obtain privileges of owning land, inheriting property, and interacting effectively in various social networks of society (p.125).

Additionally, even though women marry, unequal resource distribution subjects women to poverty or economic disadvantage compared to men. Since society does not recognize the existence of same-sex marriage due to aberrant sexual orientations, it subjects lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transsexuals (LGBT) to discrimination in terms of property ownership and inheritance. Moreover, LGBT experiences discrimination in social, political, and economic spheres, which denies them equal opportunities of participation and subjects them to poverty, for society perceives them as perverts who do not deserve any recognition, but condemnation.

Society also perceives sexuality from the health point of view. Poor sexuality is associated with reproductive health problems such as FGM, HIV/AIDS, and maternal ill health. Hyde and Delamater (2006) assert that, maternal complications that occur during pregnancy and childbirth or unsafe abortions are serious issues of health that women grapple with in society (p.154). FGM has adverse health consequences because it causes physical and psychological complications, which aggravate maternal complications and predispose women to death. Moreover, pervasive sexual behaviors such as fornication attract severe punishment to women in many societies. Likewise, since society depicts LGBT as perverts, they experience discrimination and persecution that threaten their existence in society.

Trends of Perception of Sexuality

For a long period, societal perception of sexuality has been changing gradually since women have changed their sexual identities, their gendered roles and become active participants in social, economic and political spheres of society. Hoffert (1990) argues that, in the past, gender stereotypes significantly determined gender identity, roles, and sexuality expression (p.127). However, in the recent times, adults and adolescents in cities and towns have overcome stereotypes by making different choices regarding sexual expression. Currently, one can choose to remain single throughout one’s life without the fear of discrimination or social exclusion.

Casual relationships and premarital sex are common especially among teens while in the past expression of sexual behavior took place within the context of marriage. Moreover, due to gender stereotypes, boys were likely to exhibit sexual activity at a younger age than girls were, but change in cultural norms regarding female sexuality has made girls more sexually active than boys at the age of 17.

In the past, women had limited roles in the society since their responsibilities only lied within the context of family. Society had gendered roles that restricted women from playing roles that do not lie within their arena. For instance, during 19th century, women did not have any right to join political parties and vote because society perceived that political and economic leaderships befit men only. However, during 20th century many women achieved education, which empowered them to advocate for their rights, thus expanding their roles into social, political and economic aspects of society. Siegel (1997) admits that, transition of economy from agricultural to commercial, corporate and industrial economies significantly changed roles of women in society during 20th century (p.10). Thus, women roles have gradually changed from family roles into national roles that lie in areas such as social, political and economic aspects.

Moreover, the perception of marriage has significantly changed in modern society due to influence of technology and transformation of cultures. Modern society is more tolerant to LGBT, unlike ancient society that depicted them as sexual perverts and outcast them. Moreover, modern society is also formulating legislations that recognize same-sex marriages as heterosexual marriages. Currently, the society also recognizes existence of aberrant sexual orientations and advocates for acceptance of LGBT as a minority group that needs protection from mainstream society. Hence, recognition and acceptance of GBT as a minority group through legislation has significantly changed perception and definition of marriage in modern society.

Recommendations and Evaluation

Since the perception of sexuality depends on societal factors, the first recommendation is that sex education regarding gender, reproduction and existence of aberrant sexual orientations is imperative to enable modern society to embrace sexuality in a positive manner. If modern society embraces gender equity, becomes concerned about reproductive health and recognizes the rights of LBGT, then, discrimination or marginalization based on sexuality will not occur. Sex education will increase awareness of sexuality among members of society and dispel attitudes, beliefs and norms that lead to discrimination against women and LGBT.

The second recommendation is a creation of social groups and networks where discriminated groups like women and LGBT can interact effectively through internet given that mainstream society seems to exclude them from participating in social, economic, and political arenas. Use of information technology in creating social groups and networks will provide a platform for women or LGBT to interact as they influence society by advocating for their rights. Thus, internet is powerful social tool that can transform perception of sexuality in modern society.

To evaluate the impact of sex education on perception of sexuality by society, appropriate methodology for sociological research is participant observation. Researchers need to interact with members of society of various ages at various social environments. After conducting a comprehensive education, researchers should establish if societal members have changed their perception on sexuality, in terms of gender roles, identity, and acceptance of LGBT with a view of assessing levels of discrimination.

In the evaluation of how social groups and networks created via the Internet have enabled women and LGBT to interact effectively, conducting the survey by use of questionnaires is appropriate because it targets women and LGBT, for societal perception of sexuality influences them negatively. Questionnaires will gather relevant data that is essential in analyzing the importance of social groups and networks in enhancing socialization among women and LGBT.

References

Hoffert, S. (1990). Trends in Adolescent Sexual Activity, Contraception, and Pregnancy In The United States. New York: Oxford University Press. Web.

Hyde, J., & Delamater, J. (2006). Understanding Human Sexuality. Boston, MA: Mcgraw-Hill. Web.

Siegel, J. (1997). The Changing Roles of Women in the United States. U.S. Society In addition, Values, 2(2), 1-36. Web.

Sprecher, S. (1998). Social Exchange Theories and Sexuality. Journal of Sex Research, 35(1), 118-124. Web.

How and in what ways do cultures communicate differently?

Cultures communicate differently basing on what is preferred or done in one culture to the others that are not done but preferred to other cultures. culture pluralism comes forth as a result of sticking to the original norms that have coexisted in that culture therefore changing this aspect may become very difficult. Cultures generally have an internal variation and they are usually subjected to change.

What is usually perceived by one culture as a beneficial aspect or fact might vary significantly different from what is perceived in the same way by another different culture. These diverse differences are always seen as threatening and irrational by sources that are not of the same culture. Communication by various cultures varies depending on the sexual aspects gender age racial groups religion and nationality. In all this setup, there is a small similarity in their discernment of ideas but expressed differently by all of them. In a normal occurrence, the aspects that pave the way to the difference in the communication of various cultures are clearly distinctive (Tanner, D. 1990).

Does it make a difference in the workplace?

Cultural diversity plays a very major role in the allied workplace in that communication from one party to the next will only be entailed if there is a true depiction of the responses from the sender to the receiver basing on the relevance of the information. Alienation may arise in a situation where one’s culture is seen as having some lapses therefore workers may find it difficult to communicate with the implicated person.

In the workplace, there must exist a section which deals with the notion that there is a time and place for all languages. This will result in the appreciation of every employee’s cultural diversities and the same case upgrading the validity and understanding of the employees. In addition, the school must provide examples of strong male images that can alternately speak the school’s language or the vernacular language, as necessary (Ramirez, M. and Castenada, 1974).

What are ways in which possible situations can be ameliorated?

Since most cultures are based on internal variations understanding the pitfalls and success will actually contribute to effective communication within various cross-cultural settings. The cultural identity of a person is not evident until one comes across another culture. Through this aspect, effective communication across these cultural settings can be clearly enhanced breaking the barriers that arise.

According to Penalosa (1981), the understanding of various cultures is a continuous process and needs patience and through this, effective communication will be attained. Effective communication in various cross cultures will only arise when similarities within the cultures are not overlooked. This is so because the most focused factor about the cross-culture relationships is usually on the differences without emphasizing the similarities which give a firm foundation that guarantees effective communication is adhered to( Ramirez, M., and Castenada1974).

By stressing on the similarity aspect, positive attitudes can be entailed about other people’s cultures and in so doing no one will be able to undermine the cultures of the other and through this, a firm basis of communication will be attained. Resulting to The differences that arise within the cultural setting should not be seen as threatening but as a basis of focus to the understanding within the cultures (Tanner, D. 1990).

In the workplace, the introduction of incentives and returns usually to the promoters of those who can understand the difficulties of fellow workmates with cultures that are slightly considered as profound should be encouraged such that when one considers communication, culture will not be an issue.

References

Penalosa, F, (1981). An Introduction to the Sociology of Language. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

Ramirez, M & Castenada, (1974). A. Cultural Democracy, Development, and Education. New York: Academic Press.

Tanner, D. (1990). You just don’t understand: Women and men in conversation. New York: Ballantine Books.

Introduction

People usually don’t think that taking prescription medication, which is prescribed by a doctor, can create a drug problem that could affect their lives for years to come. Prescription drug abuse is an ever growing problem in the United States because many people are addicted to prescription drugs without even knowing how or why they are addicted. The number of people addicted to prescription drugs has risen substantially throughout the years. “About 6.2 million Americans, including disproportionately high numbers of young people and the elderly, abuse prescription drugs, according to government data released in September. More than 14.5 million people report they’ve taken such drug for non-medical purposes during the past year” (Murray, 110-17). With these numbers consistently on the rise, it is predicted that many more Americans will be addicted to prescription drugs in the years to follow.

Main Problem

Prescription drug abuse affects much type of people in the United States. Teenagers all the way to senior citizens are the type of people that are addicted to prescription drugs. Teenagers often get addicted to prescription drugs when they take a medication that makes them feel good. “At colleges across the country, students taking pills they’ve sneaked from home, tossing them into bowls and swallowing handfuls with a chug of beer or a sip of a margarita. It’s called pharming for the pharmaceuticals ingested” (Murray, 110-17). Without even realizing that their fun actions may cause a lethal drug interaction in their bodies these college students are thinking of their good time before their lives. “The 2002 National Survey on dug use and health is conducted by the subsistence abuse and mental health services administration. This year, its findings include that current illicit drug use among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 is the highest, with over 20% of this group using drugs” (Murray, 110-17).

Many teenagers believe that prescription drugs are not illegal so the use of them can not be even if it is abuse. People under 18 have shown the same signs of addiction to prescription drugs. According to the same study “the group between the ages of 12 and 17 also showed significant use, with 11.6% of that population currently using illicit drugs” (Henderson, 58-60). Teenagers often get addicted to prescription drugs because of the access to them in their homes; often a parent is using the prescription for a medical reason. Senior citizens are often addicted to prescription drugs due to the need for the older generation to rely on powerful pain killers and other prescription drugs. “Researchers found that single woman age 35 and older are at increasing risk of abusing narcotic analgesics, their finding were published in the American Journal of Public Health” (Starr, 41). With this information Prescription drug abusers are diverse in their age and race.

Celebrities have also brought a lot of attention to the world of prescription drug abuse. “Rush Limbaugh turned a spotlight on the epidemic this month when he admitted being hooked on prescription painkillers and told his radio audience he intended to get help” (Murray, 110-17). By admitting his addiction to the world on his radio show he made people realize that the most conservative of celebrities can also become addicted to prescription drugs. Many other celebrities have admitted to their on going prescription drug use, Such as Mathew Perry, “was his usually breezy, delightfully flip self, much like Chandler Bing, the role he plays on Friends” (Starr, 41).

Prescription drug abuse has no discrimination; abuse affects many people no matter the social class. People often think only the upper class have an addiction to prescription drugs, due to the high costs of the drugs themselves. Well, that is not the case many prescription drug users are lower class in rural areas. Prescription drug abuse was “initially a problem in rural states, it is now a concern for urban and suburban localities as well” (Murray, 110-17). Oxycontin a power prescription pain killer has “been called “hillbilly heroin” because its abuse has appeared in areas such as rural Maine and Kentucky” (Murray, 110-17). Often people associate any type of drug abuse with the lower uneducated class. However, “Tranquilizers are more likely to be abused by woman, whites, people with at least a high-school education, those in poor health and those who drink alcohol daily” (Henderson, 58-60). The outbreak of prescription drug abuse has gone from rural areas to urban areas has changed the target type and the stereotype of the prescription drug abuser.

Many people feel that prescription drug abuse is not a serious drug problem. Because prescriptions have to be prescribed by a licensed doctor people do not realize this to be abuse. Often times doctors over prescribe medications to people that may develop a dependence on the prescription drug itself. Patients often feel that “doctors are up there on a pedestal, even if what they prescribe is beyond the manufacture’s guidelines” (Peterson, A3). A patient usually doesn’t question a doctor on the dosages of the medication that they are receiving; the doctor should know what’s best right? Doctors often feel pressure from their patient, when a person comes to them in great pain the doctors want nothing more than to help the person. But often times the powerful pain killers that might alleviate the patients pain can send then into abuse.

Many prescription drugs that people are addicted to can stop the heart and cause an overdose that may cause death. Prescription drugs can cause death when not taken in the doses that they were intended to. “Prescription and over the-counter drugs that are misused can have serious physical and psychological effects including tremors, hallucinations, depression, false euphoria, heat palpitations, and even death” (Starr, 41). Every year hospitals and morgues are bombarded with people that have intentionally or accidentally overdosed on prescription drugs. Though many people do not intend to overdose they often do by building up immunity to the drug and needing high dosages. When a drug that is meant for a time release administration is introduced to the brain so quickly it can become fatal in just once dose. “The intravenous use of barbiturates common in the drug subcultures often led to abscesses, destruction of tissue around the injection site and even death, since the margin between the desired effect and overdose is very narrow” (Starr, 41). With this in mind people that are addicted to prescription drugs often can not function without their daily dose of medicine, and often overdose because of that reason.

Prescription drugs are getting easier and easier to get and become addicted to. Internet sales of prescription drugs don’t often require any doctor verification to purchase the drugs which can be sent to the home. Karen Tandy, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said in a news conference “thousands of web sites pop up regularly offering narcotic medications, often without a prescription or a visit to a doctor” (Peterson, A3). When people that are addicted to prescription drugs see this it temps them, and they realize that the drugs are a lot easier to get.

By not needing a doctor’s approval addicts often can get these prescription drugs delivered right to there door with no obligation to follow up with a doctor. A study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University “identified 495 web sites advertising controlled prescription drugs during a one week analysis. Of those 157 were sites that sold opiod-based drugs such as Oxycontin, Percocet, and Darvon. Only six percent of the sites selling drugs required a prescription, the study found, and none took steps to prevent the sale of drugs to children” (Murray, 110-17). Since many of these web sites are untraceable it is hard for law enforcement to crack down on these types of prescription drug sales.

Doctors often prescribe these drugs to patients that are addicted to them without asking any background information. Since doctors are not asking their patients the appropriate questions many of the doctors prescribe medication to addictive personality patients. “A good rapport between doctor and patient can make it easier to discuss problems that come up, and health-care professionals should carefully monitor patients who take potentially addictive medication” (Peterson, A3). Good rapport would help patient’s feel more comfortable with talking to their doctor about their potentially dangerous abuse habit. This could cause many patients to be misdiagnosed with their abuse problem and could not speak freely about it in a comfortable manner. “Physician supervision and appropriate use is critical for all prescription drugs. Doctors consider a patient’s diagnosis and whether non-addictive treatments should be considered first” (Starr, 41). For many this would be an affective way for people with a potentially addictive personality to avoid the hardships of being addicted to prescription drugs.

Many abusers of prescription drugs find it easy access by purchasing them on the street or finding other ways to get them. There are many ways that prescription drug abusers are getting prescription drugs. Patients often fool doctors into thinking they have a painful condition that would require them to prescribe a powerful pain reliever. “In some cases “patients” concurrently receive prescriptions from multiple doctors a practice known as “doctor shopping” (Henderson, 58-60). With addicts “doctor shopping” it is hard for professionals to tell just how many doctors one person might have. Hospitals and clinics don’t usually share patient’s charts when they are not connected in some way. There is also no way to tell if a person has gone to another doctor and received a prescription for an addictive substance.

Sleeping pills can also be a powerful prescription drug that many become addicted to. Sleeping pills also known as tranquilizers can have an addicted affect on the people that are using them. Many celebrities are addicted to sleeping pills; when a person can not sleep they often take a pill to help them fall asleep. When the body starts to build up some resistance to the medication the dosage is often upped not by a doctor but the patient themselves. This causes them to take more pills and an addiction is started. A simple prescription to help a person get a good night sleep can turn into an addiction that is out of control.

Many people think that they con not function unless they have the drug that they are addicted to. “Physical dependence , which is sometimes unavoidable develops when an individual is exposed to a drug at a high enough dose for long enough that the body adapts and develops a tolerance for the drug” (Starr, 41).Since the addiction is so extensive many people will go through great lengths to get the drug that they think they can’t live without. Many people will risk getting into trouble with the law and trying to fool pharmacies into giving them a prescribed drug. People often ask the pharmacies “not to bill their insurance companies, saying that they just want to pay cash for them” (Starr, 41).

Companies that make additive pain killers and other addictive drugs are trying to help with the problem of prescription drug abuse. The makers of Oxycontin, Purdue Pharma, are trying to help with the prescription drug addiction in America. “To improve education about Oxycontin Purdue Pharma conducts seminars and teleconferences for physicians and stated a pilot program in several states that provides a prescription drug curriculum in high schools” (Henderson, 58-60). Since the company makes one of the most abuses prescription drugs on there on the market today, it is only fair that they contribute to the education of not misusing their product. “Purdue Pharma agreed to pay $2 million to develop the software after a year long probe into the companies marketing of the drug which has been linked to nationwide reports of abuse, addiction, and overdose deaths” (Peterson, A3).

Many feel that this is just a ploy by the companies to relinquish the responsibility of their part with prescription drug abuse. Not only have some companies donated software and other items to help with the education of prescription drug abuse. Purdue Pharma has also been helping doctors and patients with abuse, “the company also provides tamper-proof prescription pads to some 3000 physicians to prevent forgeries” (Henderson, 58-60). With this the company is showing that they know that their product can cause addiction and by helping the public whether through education or donations will help everyone on the long run with the problem of prescription drug abuse. Pharmacies have enough knowledge of what they are handing out to know when a person is a “regular” and has several prescriptions from different doctors. Unfortunately that is why many addicts are getting what they need through the internet.

Works Cited

Henderson, E.C., (2000) Understanding Addiction. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 58-60.

Murray N.D., Michael T. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: how you can benefit from diet, vitamins, minerals, herbs, exercise, and other natural methods. Rocklin, California: Prima Health, a Division of Prima Publishing. 2004: 110-17.

Peterson, M. and Meier, B., “Few States Track Prescriptions.” New York Times, NY; 2001. A3.

Starr, C., “Sensible Strategies for Controlled Substances.” Patient Care, 1998, v32 n10 p 41.

Introduction

Drugs are substances that when absorbed in the bloodstream alter or modify the bodily functions. They manifest in the form of loss of control over the mind, which is the most common and most immediate effect upon consumption.

There are numerous drugs easily available in the market and can be obtained without any restrictions examples of which are alcohol and tobacco. There are other drugs too which are not as easily available in the market, and there may be some regulations upon acquiring them examples of which include cocaine, marijuana and heroin. No matter how mild or heavy the drug may be, all drugs produce certain negative changes in the normal physical and mental functions of the body.

As soon as the drugs are consumed, there is instant visible change in the behavior of the person. Substance abuse is a prevalent evil of society and initiates numerous problems. Drug addicts or drug users fail to comprehend the disastrous ill effects of drugs not only on their physical but also their mental health. There are several drugs available in society and accessible to the children and youth. The essay attempts to highlight some of the most common but also the most devastating negative consequences on health due to substance abuse.

Main text

There are numerous drugs found easily in the market. The most common of them is alcohol. The consumption of alcohol immediately alters the state of the consumer, resulting in total loss of self-control. The short-term effects of alcohol include hangovers in the form of headaches, nausea, and a highly depressed immune system. The loss of control over the person’s mind can result in several crimes under the influence of the drug.

Apart from these immediate effects, repeated use of alcohol results in severe health problems such as kidney failure and mental diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. High blood pressure is a commonly occurring side-effect of alcohol which directly results in heart disease.

Besides alcohol, another drug which causes severe health problems is cocaine. Upon being inhaled, cocaine elevates the pulse rate and can result in fatal heart failures among first time users. The constant snorting action to inhale the drug can result in a hole in the nose lining, over a period of time. As soon as cocaine is consumed, there is an instant elevation in the heart rate and the rate of breathing resulting in an instant rise in the blood pressure which can lead to immediate loss of life.

Cocaine is also known to raise the temperature of the human body, following its use, and may prove fatal even in cases of first-time drug abuse. It is a highly addictive drug where one-time experimentation could result in a severe craving for the drug, failing which, the user could experience physical and psychological convulsions. Cocaine is a substance, the prolonged abuse of which can result in several problems such as seizures and psychosis and even heart failures.

Drugs such as marijuana also cause detrimental health effects especially mental problems. Prolonged use of the drug can lead to damage the memory functioning of the brain leading to complete loss of memory and disease of the brain such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Infertility can also be a side effect in prolonged users along with damaged lungs.

Summary

Heroin is a narcotic drug that immediately results in dizziness and constipation and depression among the users. I case of drug overdose, there are increased chances of seizures and in many cases even death.

Drugs have been associated with several cases of impairment and devastation among those who are addicts and even initial use of drugs must be avoided at all times.