What Makes Us Love Essays - Emotions, Love, Cupid,

What Makes Us Love? What makes us love? This question has been studied for centuries by philosophers, scientists, and even writers in search of a sensible answer. Shakespeare, for one, explored many ideas to justify love. In his play, "A Midsummer's Night Dream", he lists various thoughts on what he thinks causes people to love. Some are overwhelmingly ridiculous, while others make some sense. One of his far-fetched answers as to how people fall in love was Cupid. He believed Cupid would shoot his arrows of love into individuals, and they would magically fall for the next person they saw. "Cupid all armed. A certain aim he took/At a fair vestal throned by the west,/ and loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow (2.1.163-65)." After the shot, the person wouldn't know what hit them. He intertwines this thought with the concept that one falls in love after looking in another's eyes. After missing a shot, one of Cupid's arrows hit a flower, tainting it with his powers to make people fall in love. When placed in a person's eyes, they will be infatuated with the next thing they see. For example, after being placed in his Lysander's eyes, his immense love for Hermia grows weak with just one look into Helena's eyes. Shakespeare's thought here is that eyes have all the power over who we fall for. Do not misunderstand him, though. His usage of this enchanting juice is not to be taken seriously. He is trying to make a point, and at that, a good one. Looking into someone's eyes had a certain power over one's feelings. You just get a strong feeling in your heart. It is uncontrollable, and sometimes, it truly is one of the main reasons we fall in love. However, he contradicts himself in act one when Helena says, "Love looks not with the eye, but with the mind (1.1.240)." He now states that the mind is what the person falls in love with, and not the eyes. It is true, however; you have to love a person's thoughts and ideas before you can feel that special passion for them. That is the key to true love. Although he had extremely different thoughts on the reasons we fall in love, they all made some sense. By contradicting his explanations, he, in my opinion, is making a point. He's pointing out the fact that he, too, doesn't really know the answer to the question of what makes us love. And he knows that no one ever will.

The irrationality of human existence within the The Outsider by Albert Camus and A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Example

The irrationality of human existence within the The Outsider by Albert Camus and A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Example The irrationality of human existence within the The Outsider by Albert Camus and A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Paper The irrationality of human existence within the The Outsider by Albert Camus and A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Paper Essay Topic: Literature The Outsider reflects Camus philosophical theory, referred to as the theory of the absurd, that there is no rational meaning in human existence. He believes that humanity is unable to accept this truth and so search for meaning where, in actual fact, none exists. This idea is explored implicitly through the character of Meursault, the narrator and protagonist of the novel. Moreover, aspects of Camus theory can be identified within Ibsens play, A Dolls House. The play illustrates humanitys search for meaning of which Camus suggests, although Ibsens intention was merely to portray the oppression of nineteenth century marriages. In the novel The Outsider, the protagonist, Meursault, is depicted as a man who does not possess any rational meaning in his thoughts or actions. When put in a room with several other prisoners, most of them Arabs1 and is asked what he had done unlawful, Meursault simply replies that he killed an Arab1. Then, he carries on recounting other aspects of the occasion such as his sleeping mat and how he could just see the sea2 through the tiny window. This scene demonstrates how Meursault is not concerned with judgment as he does not ponder over what should or should not be said in order to conform to the accepted morals of society. His candid reply exhibits his irrational nature, both in thought and action, seeing as he does not think any further of the incident or have an explanation for what had happened. In addition, he carries on noticing the physical matters surrounding him despite their insignificance to the situation. Camus creates such a character to exemplify the true nature of human beings, according to him. He does not make it so that Meursault is a supporter of societys customs in order to clarify the characters status as an outsider. Meursault is perceived as an outsider to society because of his acceptance that there is no rational meaning in human existence. Furthermore, his way of thinking and the way he acts show no basis on reason, but more so, on irrationality. This proves that, for Meursault, rational meaning is nonexistent. Camus emphasizes this through the simple language used throughout the novel. He writes in first person perspective and without the use of adjectives and metaphors to reflect Meursaults straightforward nature and how his interest lies in physical truth rather than interpretations. An illustration is when Meursault receives a telegram from the home. It announces: Mother passed away3. Meursault only states that it could have happened today or yesterday but that he do esnt know. This reveals his concern for the physical truth and his lack of response to the situation. He does not continue on to expressing his sentiment which also illustrates his indifference to humanity. In contrast to Meursaults character, Ibsen creates his protagonist as one who does base thoughts and actions on the basis of rationality. When asked if it ever occurred to Nora Helmer, the protagonist of Ibsens play A Dolls House, that she was committing fraud by forging a signature on an official paper, she replies that it didnt mean anything to her because, at the time, her husband was in a critical state4. She then reasons for the fraud by saying she couldnt stand4 the man she made the deal with as he went through all those cold-blooded formalities4 knowing the difficult situation she was in. Unlike Meursault, Nora seems to be concerned with judgment as she attempts to justify her misdeed with an explanation. This is a representation of what Camus mentions in his theory as Nora searches for a rational meaning in order to conform to the social and moral standards set by society. Initially, Nora is conveyed as a complete adherent to the conventions of society. She did not question nineteenth century marriage norms and accepted her status as a wife and mother. Her husband, Torvald, addressed her as a little sky-lark5, a little squirrel6 as well as a little singing bird7. The recurrence of the word little suggests Noras insignificance and expresses Torvalds condescending attitude towards her. Further, these pet names signify her as purely a plaything. Nora is also symbolized as a plaything by the Christmas tree mentioned at the beginning of the play. She is comparable to a Christmas tree as it possesses a physical beauty about it and can also evoke feelings of warmth as a mother does. However, both the tree and Nora seem to be simple household decorations to Torvald as opposed to anything with genuine worth. As the play progresses, Nora finds herself being more and more oppressed by her marriage and decides to leave behind her family in search of an identity independent from her own as a wife and mother. Her rebellion against her family, and especially her husband, is foreshadowed at the very start of the play as she takes a bag of macaroons out of her pocket and eats one or two5 against her husbands favor. When asked of the matter, she lies directly to him and states that she would never dream of doing anything8 that he didnt want her to. This remark contrasts to Meursaults frank nature as Noras deceitful personality is revealed. Additionally, Noras departure explores Camus theory in the way which she attempts to find meaning in her own existence. By leaving behind her family, she believes she will discover her true identity as somebody more than just a wife and mother. Ibsen uses irony to present this situation by symbolizing Nora as the singing bird which her husband regularly addressed her as. He tells her that she mustnt go dropping her wings7 but, in reality, she does quite the opposite she flies away. The bird is a symbol for her freedom as it is able to fly freely without the limitations of its cage, in Noras case, without the limitations of being a wife and mother. In The Outsider, humanitys search for meaning is also communicated, however, through the other characters rather than the protagonist. Camus uses the motif of observations to exemplify how endless this search for meaning is. In the courtroom of Meursaults trail, the judge observes a witness for a rational answer to either convict or discharge Meursault for the murder previously committed. In response, the witness again repeated9 a futile statement that results in him being asked to sit back down. This scene demonstrates how people attempt to give rational explanations to irrational actions. As the prosecutor is unable to find a rational meaning behind the murder, Meursault is condemned to death for being a menace, or merely an outsider, to the customs of society. His trail beforehand is incorporated to encapsulate humanitys attempt to find rational meaning. It is an illustration of the theory of the absurd because, in the end, there is no rational meaning, and so, this scene successf ully depicts Camus belief that to find rationality in an irrational world is prone to be a failure. This motif of observation also communicates Meursaults emotional detachment, mentioned earlier, as he describes things only as they are, without any interpretation or judgment of it. This detachment is significant as it verifies Meursaults status as an outsider to humanity. He does not do as the majority of people would: form opinions. An illustration of this is when Meursault observes the peculiar little woman10 dining at Celestes. He notices all the physical details such as how she took out a blue pencil11 to write with and the magazine which gave the radio programmes for the week11. He notices these details of color and subject without thinking any deeper about them and, within moments, he forgets about her. This is ironic as she is very similar to Meursault himself yet he regards her as peculiar. Both Camus and Ibsen also explore how appearances can disguise reality. Ibsen displays this through Noras drastic change in character from a seemingly unintelligent and simpleminded woman to someone of strong will and independence, whilst Camus shows that Meursaults appearance as a menacing person is all along masked by societys perception of him as an outsider. In conclusion, both protagonists accept their reality and experience what freedom is to them. For Meursault, he accepts the reality that he is truly an outsider to society whereas for Nora, she accepts the reality that she is not fitted as a wife or mother. For that reason, she decides leave, against the conventions of her time, in order to pursue her own aspirations. However, if Camus philosophy were to be applied to Ibsens play, then Noras search for meaning would ultimately be a failure as no meaning would exist in the first place.

Social media impact on public relations practice Research Paper

Social media impact on public relations practice - Research Paper Example Public relations experts were the first individuals to embrace the supremacy of social media. Consequently, social media alters the face of this industry (Folkens, 2011). Public relations experts can take advantage of social media by utilizing it to communicate with their clients. This is a significant opportunity for industries to gain direct responses from their clients. This interaction permits for constant refinement and advancement to create a deep relationship with their clients. Human relations made possible by listening and responding via social media bring the clients closer to a brand. The rapidity of information distribution is extremely fast. Public relations experts can now access a wealth of information that is shared with clients seeking resolutions to a quandary. Social media has the potential to develop constructive interactions between institutions and their clients. There are various ways in which social media has an influence on proficiencies, information and work performances of present and future public relations experts. This is in the manner new media is put into use including the influence that connected expectations and deme anor of clients has on the public relations industry (Melanie, 2007). Another proposal is that public relations industries need to develop comprehensive policies on the utilization of social media for their own advantage. Each professional has a significant role to play in depicting the company he or she works for in constructive radiance in social media. This will, consequently, expand the responsibility of every worker in the industry. There is also the need for institutions to put strategies in place on how social media can be utilized as part of the public relations techniques. This is crucial in adding a competitive advantage to the institutions and enhancing their communication channels with their clients. However, there is the proposal to introduce appropriate measures with regard to

CA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

CA - Essay Example Mr. Wilkins annoyance is innocent based on the interpretation that made most sense to him even when he did not inquire the usage of the automatic system, the agent is amused and laughs through the conversation. She is so amused she promises to record the speech and fails to understand how the man came up with his interpretation of night mode, day mode and race mode on a single key gearbox as he refers to it. Even though the agent cannot help but laugh herself with her partner off, she remains polite and attends to the customer effectively. We have utilized explanations for the behavior portrayed by Wilkin in his conversation along with that of the agent. The difference in these two people in their manner of understanding matters creates the content of the analysis. The responses given by the customer, Wilkin make it clear that the conversation was a natural one and random. My partner and I have also described the content of conversation

Is the War on Drugs Effective Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Is the War on Drugs Effective - Research Paper Example In the mid-eighties the social and economic costs of drug abuse became a major social welfare issue and precipitated an anti-drug social welfare policy (Mosher and Atkins 2007, p. 202). Acknowledging that there is a substantial link between drug abuse and deviant/criminal conduct and that drug rehabilitation services were not satisfactorily reducing drug abuse, the US government developed a policy characterized as a â€Å"war on drugs† in the 1980s (Ax and Fagan 2007, p. 338). The war of drugs is centered around a prohibitive policy which is reminiscent of previous anti-war policies but with increased emphasis on the interdiction of drugs at or destined for US borders. The US anti-drug policy targets production, consumption and distribution of illicit drugs with the aim of increasing the cost of drug production and use. The costs for both users and producers are economic and abstract in that the criminal justice system in involved (Harris, Tamas and Lind 2008, p. 118). Since the most implementation of the social welfare policy initiatives encapsulated under the declaration of war on drugs in the mid-eighties, the criminal justice system has played an increasingly significant role. Drug related arrests, sentencing and imprisonment have increased â€Å"substantially† (Mosher and Atkins 2007, p. 202). Despite â€Å"hundreds of billions of dollars† spent in the criminal justice system pursuant to these policies, there are serious doubts as to whether or not the policies falling under the war on drugs are effective. Mendoza (2010) reporting for the Associated Press notes that the war on drugs has cost the US â€Å"US$1 trillion and hundreds of thousands of live† and yet, â€Å"drug use is rampant and violence even more brutal and widespread†.

Sociology Essays Code Street Life

Sociology Essays Code Street Life Code Street Life Interpreting The Code of the Street â€Å"Gangster life† is often portrayed as exiting and glamorous, while the news often stereotypes the urban slums as being corrupt by violent criminals. Elijah Anderson thoroughly explains in his book â€Å"Code of the Street† that life in poor minority communities are not always portrayed correctly in the media. The author offers a unique way of researching for this topic; by living in the area he studies he is able to share information only known by experience. He intends to expose and clarify the life of the inner city streets. The first chapter, â€Å"Decent and Street Families†, explains several issues many families face when raiding a â€Å"decent† child. The lifestyles of of these minority communities are, in reality, very complex and intricate. The book explains how the â€Å"Code†, or lifestyle, varies for many groups within the culture. The difference between street and decent families and the way they interact with each other, the difference of communities, and the significance of respect are all main ideas explained within the first two chapters. The violent surroundings and unfair circumstances are the origin of each individual’s lifestyle. The author uses the term â€Å"structural circumstances† to define the position one becomes involved in as a results of their place in society. One example the author used in his novel is the life of a â€Å"decent† single mother, where the term â€Å"decent’ is used to describe the individuals that do not give in to society’s negative influences. Though one common theme among decent families that is currently on the rise is grandmothers raising grandchildren â€Å"particularly the increasing number of grandmothers raising grandchildren, often see their see their difficult situation as a test from God and derive great support from their faith and church community† (Anderson 38). Single mothers and grandparents have a much more difficult time swaying their children from the negative influences of the â€Å"street†. One common trait of the â€Å"decent† child is the ability to â€Å"code switch†. A decent child is often mocked and teased by peers as well as family members as explained in Yvette’s Story, which is the reason for code-switching. One of the first stories titled â€Å"The Decent Single Mother† Explains the many hardships of having to raise a child in a dent manner without the support of a fatherly figure. The ability to code-switch permits a child to use crude and vulgar language and act in a different manner while in the streets, thus giving a child a way to survive certain situations. The author insists that this trait is taught by the parents, thought I believe it is learned thorough experience. In the â€Å"street† manhood is defied as how well one can defend him or herself in a fight. And at the same time, being able to fight and not let anyone else talk oneself down raises respect among the peers. The author claims â€Å"Respect becomes critical for stating out of harms way† (Anderson 66). There is a problem that might arise after a fight though, revenge. Revenge can become very dangerous depending on the person who was offended by being beaten. Examples vary form returning with a group of friends or even family members to intimidate others (An example taken from Marge’s story) to returning with a weapon where the outcome can result in serious injury or even death. This â€Å"Campaign for Respect† arises when the people feel as if they are abandoned and will not receive help from authorities, feeling as if they are on their own. The author writes: â€Å"[M]any of those residing in such communities feel that they are on their own, that especially in matters of personal defense, they must assume the primary responsibility† (Anderson 66). The film that portrays the best idea as to how the streets of the Bronx might have been like is the film â€Å"Boys N the Hood†. There are several scenes in the film that relate to the book. For example, in the beginning of the film the main character, a troublemaker, is sent to live with his father to learn how to â€Å"be a man†. There is a whole chapter dedicated to the campaign for respect; a section of which is titled â€Å"Manhood and Nerve†. Here the author claims â€Å"For many inner-city youths, manhood and respect are two sides of the same coin [†¦] both require a sense of control, of being in charge† (Anderson 91). Loosing control over a situation can result in disastrous effects. The author does not give any specific examples however since the film closely relates to the topic of the book, bringing an example from the film is appropriate. A scene from the film involves â€Å"Doughboy†, one of the main characters in the movie, and his attempt to recover his brother’s stolen football from a group of much bigger and stronger boys. He stands up to the group of boys who are pushing him around. He gets in the face of one boy in particular and kicks him in the leg. The bigger boy retaliates by slapping Doughboy down and kicking him in the stomach. Doughboy criticizes his brother for being â€Å"stupid† and bringing the ball in the first place. Doughboy is has been humiliated in front of his brother and at that time is also feeling embarrassed and places the blame toward his brother. Doughboy’s attempt to retrieve his brother’s football and the resulting assault has everything to do with â€Å"juice† and the cultural adaptations Doughboy has had to make as the street kid in his decent family. As a street kid he needs to be aggressive and assert himself physically. Therefore, when his brother’s ball is stolen he reacts violently as this is the language of street life. The older boy, not to be shown up by a small, lesser boy, beats Doughboy up, most likely in order to maintain his reputation as a tough street kid. Also, just like a street kid, drugs and alcohol become a major part of his life later on as he is always seen drinking a forty. As â€Å"objects play an important and complicated role in establishing self-image† (Anderson, 73) his car also becomes a source of juice as it has expensive features and is very well maintained. The main goal for the decent family is to give the younger generation, usually their offspring, a chance to develop and grow out of the raging violence of the streets. Instilling good morals in a child’s early years is often emphasized: â€Å"In decent families there is almost always a real concern with and a certain amount of hope for the future. Such attitudes are often in a drive to work †¦ ‘to build a good life,’ while at the same time trying to ‘make due with what you have’† (Anderson 37). Instilling these morals into the children is important if that child is to make the right decisions while in the street. Even though this task is daunting on its own, it becomes especially daunting when there is a single parent. A household maintained under the supervision of a father figure creates a more stable environment for the child. Sure both parents may work double shifts and may work late night after night, but this only serves as another reason for the children to perform well. A passage from the book shares this idea: â€Å"The children nodded attentively. After the adults left, the children seemed to relax, talking more freely and playing with one another. When the parents returned, the kids straightened up again [†¦] displaying quiet and gracious manners all the while† (Anderson 39). In this patriarchal family the head of the household, usually the father, the children remain obedient out of fear of disappointing their parents. The decent children in this passage have a slightly higher chance at success than their fellow peers solely because neither they nor their parents have given in to the street life. Respect, or â€Å"Juice†, is highly valued in the streets. It is something everyone should earn in order to live without being constantly picked on or harassed. Juice can be earned in multiple ways however the most common way is through fights. In the book, Anderson claims â€Å"[T]here are always people around looking for a fight in order to increase their share of respect† (73). The alternative to engaging in random fights is intimidation through physical appearance. The way a person is viewed depends on physical their appearance where factors such as the more jewelry one has, the most expensive clothing, and even the way one grooms oneself determines the amount of respect they have. In the last example Doughboy seeks revenge for his brother’s murder and, in the process the characters act out Anderson’s ideas about reasons for revenge and Tre’s decent kid dilemma. Ricky was a much loved and valued member of the group of boys featured in the film. By murdering Ricky, the group of other males has greatly disrespected Doughboy’s position in the streets. Doughboy, as Anderson would predict, does not appear to fear death as he will face Ricky’s murderers with his gun and kill them, knowing, as he discusses the next day with Tre, that he will most likely â€Å"get smoked†, meaning shot to death. â€Å"True nerve expresses a lack of fear of death† and this proves manhood, which is very closely related to respect (Anderson, 92). Like Tyree in Anderson’s book, Doughboy feels an obligation to hurt those that hurt his brother and gains power from hurting others in the most severe form (Anderson, 84). Doughboy is purely a street kid. In short, Anderson’s book, â€Å"Code of the Street† discusses ideas of decent and street families as well as the crucial concept of respect in a way that is in agreement with the film â€Å"Boyz N the Hood†. The actions of Tre and his father mirror those of a decent family living in poor minority community and Doughboy’s actions are characteristic of Anderson’s ideas about street individuals. Their lives warrant examination in order to determine causes of crime as well as reasons why not all individuals in these violent communities are criminals. It is clear that opportunities need to be afforded to the individuals in these communities so that they can have hope for the future and not end up with the mindset of Doughboy that it doesn’t matter if he’s shot because everyone has to die sometime. The people must be allowed access to the resources necessary to become decent families which include alternative avenues to gaining â€Å"juice.† As opposed to achieving respect through violence and drug dealing, other standards and means to reach those standards need to be instilled in the community. Education and job training should be stressed and drug problems should be treated. Violence in the community should also be controlled so that individuals feel safe and decent kids can listen to music and study as opposed to the popping sounds of gunshots.

Diabetes Mellitus Essay -- Health, Diseases

Diabetes refers to a set of several different diseases. It is a serious health problem throughout the world and fourth leading cause of death by disease in the country. All types of diabetes result in too much sugar, or glucos in the blood. To understand why this happens it would helpful if we understand how the body usually works. When we eat, our body breaks down the food into simpler forms such as glucose. The glucose goes into the bloodstream, where it then travels to all the cells in your body. The cells use the glucose for energy. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps move the glucose from bloodstream to the cells. The pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus further explains the concept on how this disease works. Pancreas plays an important role of the metabolism of glucose by means of secreting the hormones insulin and glucagon. These hormones where then secreted by Islets of Langerhans directly to the blood. Inadequate secretion of insulin results on impaired metabol ism of glucose, carbohydrates, proteins and fats which then result to hyperglycemia and glycosuria. Hyperglycemia is the most frequently observed sign of diabetes and is considered the etiologic source of diabetic complications both in the body and in the eye. On the other hand, glucagon is the hormone that opposes the act of insulin. It is secreted when blood glucose levels fall. There are two types of diabetes. The type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is referred to as dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), or juvenile onset diabetes mellitus. The pancreas undergo an autoimmune attack by the body itself, and is rendered incapable of making insulin. It is in type 1 diabetes where abnormal antibodies are normally found. Antibodies are proteins in... ...e importance of taking nutritious foods and multivitamins, try to stop drinking coffee for two or three days. Eating regular well balanced meals. Avoid fast-food lifestyle that can cause great fluctuation in blood sugar. Lastly, the patient will be able to describe the benefits of regular exercise and how regular exercise can improve blood glucose control. They should know the importance of relaxation and exercises, deep breathing which are popular ways to relieve stress and to avoid strenuous physical activity. Meditations, yoga are good ways of relieving stress. Therefore, learning about the concept of diabetes in general is very important to prevent further complications of other critical diseases. It is best to understand and to stress out the importance of good nutrition, exercise, diet, healthy active lifestyle to the improvement for someone’s well being.