Early Childhood Education: Impact on Cognitive and Social Development Essay

Abstract There has been a great deal of research conducted in the subject matter of early childhood education. During the preschool years, the human brain is growing rapidly and extremely sensitive to new information. Researchers have conducted studies in an effort to show a correlation between enrollment in early education and cognitive and social development. This paper will provide a brief overview of the results from the following: the Head Start program studies, the High/Scope Perry Preschool study, and the Child Parent Center in Chicago. This paper will also discuss the impact of childcare facilities on child development. The vast amount of research provided by these studies effectively shows an increase in cognitive development in the preschoolers that were enrolled and found that negative social behaviors were reduced as a result of early education intervention. The research indicates that all children exhibited signs of cognitive and social growth, but that underprivileged children were impacted the most. Child- care facilities were not as productive furthering childhood development. This paper will conclude by addressing the need of well-developed preschool programs and the need for well-educated teachers in the preschool environment. Keywords: early childhood education, preschool, cognitive and social development Early Childhood Education: Impact on Cognitive and Social Development Preschool is a term that defines early childhood education for children ranging from ages two through four years old. Preschool programs normally consist of federally funded programs, state and local preschools, and child care facilities. Preschool enrollment has increased dramatically over the last few decades. Approximately 75% of four year olds and 50% of three year olds are enrolled in a preschool center, which is a statistically significant contrast from 10% in the 1960’s (Barnett, 2008). Not only has there been an increase of children enrolled in public preschools, but also in private preschools (Barnett, 2008). This increase may be attributed to the need for childcare as the work force shifted from a single income to dual income household or the desire to equip children with the necessary skills to help them in their educational career (Barnett & Yarosz, 2007). Winter and Kelley (2008) reported that many early childhood teachers found that nearly one-third of their students were deficient in certain areas that were sure to hinder their educational success (p.260). There have been many studies conducted to try and define the impact of preschool on a child’s development. Researchers have studied Head Start programs across the country, the High/Scope Perry Preschool, the Child Parent Center in Chicago among others, and child care facilities. Early Childhood Education research has shown that preschool has an impact on a child’s cognitive and social development, with the greatest impact on minority and disadvantaged children. Developing Brain. Most parents and educators know that a child’s brain, from birth to approximately five years of age, is exceptionally vulnerable to the learning of new skills and concepts. Winter and Kelley (2008) state that the â€Å"neural connections or ‘synapses’ develop at a phenomenal rate during this time† which aids in developing a â€Å"foundation for later skill acquisition† (p. 263). Due to the brains extreme susceptibility during the preschool years, not only do preschoolers develop cognitive skills they need, but also socio-emotional skills. Mai, Tardif, Doan, Liu, Gehring, and Luo (2011) conducted a study of positive and negative feedback in preschoolers, which showed that preschoolers are â€Å"more responsive to positive feedback than to negative feedback† (p. 5). They concluded that the importance of the amount of positive feedback was significant enough that it may stimulate preschoolers desire to learn (Mai, et al, 2011). Researchers have found that during this early period of childhood development, children are able to boost gross motor skills and acquire language (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 262). Due to the unique nature of the brain during preschool years, experiences or lack of can impede child development (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 263). In a study conducted by Burger (2012), a toddler’s working memory can positively impact a child’s behavior and has a positive influence over a child’s math and reading ability (p. 210). A young child’s brain, if stimulated inappropriately, can have an adverse impact on cognitive and social development. A child’s cognitive development is connected to their social development. Willis and Schiller (2011) propose that â€Å"positive early experiences promote optimum brain development, which impacts all areas of development (para. 1). Impact of Government Preschool Programs In 1965, the Head Start program was created in an effort to provide â€Å"an array of social, health, and educational services for young children and their families† (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 261). This program is federally funded and targets underprivileged children. Underprivileged children are more susceptible to fall behind or to not complete their education due to lack of early education intervention. There is documentation that shows that minorities and poor children struggle with â€Å"language, literacy, social, and other skills needed† (Child Trends & Center for Child Health Research, 2004; Early et al, 2007), than children who are not underprivileged (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 260). Burger (2009) reports that a majority of children from low socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to: experience grade repetition, to require additional educational assistance throughout their school career, or ultimately become high school dropouts (p. 142). Ludwig and Phillips (2007) reported the findings of an evaluation completed by Garces, Thomas, and Currie (2002) that compared siblings, either attending or not attending the Head Start Program (p. 4). They wrote that the sibling that attended Head Start were 22% more likely to graduate and 19% more likely to seek higher education (p. 4). The National Impact Study (NIS) is one of the most in depth study on the Head Start program, and involves a random compilation of children enrolled in Head Start throughout the country between the ages of three and four years old (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009, p.  59). This study showed that there was minor cognitive and social growth over a nine month period. Barnett (2008) reported an increase of 0. 20 standard deviations on cognitive development and a decrease of 0. 05 standard deviations in negative social behavior, such as hyperactivity for three year olds (p. 6). However, upon completing a follow up on the study, the cognitive benefits gained by the children were no longer observed at the end of their kindergarten school year (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009, p.  59). Parents reported positive changes in their child’s dental and physical health and the research indicates an increase of 0. 12 standard deviations (Barnett, 2008, p. 6). There was a case of four year olds that experienced greater cognitive development. This was illustrated by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, which had an increase of 0. 20-0. 27 standard deviations (Barnett, 2008, p. 7). The Tulsa Head Start program was designed with a vision to help children develop skills for school readiness. This preschool program is funded by the state and is a part of the Tulsa Public School system; therefore, teachers must possess a Bachelor of Art degree and have a certification in early childhood education (Gormley, Phillips, & Gayer, 2008). The Tulsa Head Start program study compared the Tulsa Public School (TSP) pre-kindergarten against the Tulsa Head Start program. The study showed that the TSP pre-kindergarteners showed vast improvement in letter-word identification, spelling, and applied problems, whereas the Tulsa Head Start preschoolers’ results were deemed notable (Gormley, Phillips, & Gayer, 2008). While Head Start programs are supposed to adhere to a â€Å"national standard† (Pianta, et al, 2009), many do not have the same requirements (p. 55). Pianta and his colleagues (2009) explain that most teachers working for Head Start programs make less than $26,000 per year, with the exception of Tulsa Head Start whose teachers earn a regular teacher salary (p. 55). This may explain why the results of the Tulsa Head Start studies are not typical compared to other Head Start studies (Barnett, 2008, p. 7). Teacher qualifications of the Head Start employees may have an impact on the low levels of development observed of children in the program. Before 2011 Head Start teachers (excluding the Tulsa Head Start teachers) were not required to obtain an associate degree and directors did not have to possess a bachelor degree (Pianta, et al, 2009). However, Pianta and his colleagues (2009) report that by the year 2013, at least half of all Head Start teachers will be required to obtain a bachelor’s degree (p. 55). Because the Head Start studies were conducted in varying locations and on a variety of children, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact impact of cognitive and social development for each child. The rate of attendance also varies on location. Some Head Start programs have fewer than five days of scheduled class per week, while others attend the program five days a week during an entire school year (Pianta, et al, 2009, p. 54). Major successes of the Head Start programs appear to be achieving higher educational levels and improved health for children. The Head Start program reduced the mortality rate of children between the ages of five and nine years old (Barnett, 2008, p. 8) and provided a cognitive advantage in school achievement (Reynolds & Ou, 2011, p. 556). There were no extraordinary impacts on children’s social development throughout the Head Start studies. The program, however, has received conflicting reviews. Williams (2010) explains that because there is no orderly way to measure the effects of this program, there have been reports of positive â€Å"short-term gains in cognitive functioning† (p. 4) and the program has received criticism for only producing short term benefits (Williams, 2010, p. 4). Impact of Public Preschool Another option for children is a public preschool program. There are public preschools that function similar to the Head Start program, in which they target children from low income families. The teaching credentials of preschool teachers differ from other educators in the public school system and vary throughout different states. The requirements for public preschool teachers range from possessing a Child Development Associate (CDA) to a bachelor’s degree (Pianta, et al, 2009, p. 55). Public preschool programs tend to be successful in the area of cognitive and social development due to the increase of attention from the teacher (Barnett, 2008, p.8). The topic of teacher quality in preschools is of a major concern and can have a direct impact on childhood development. Winter and Kelley (2008) explain that the development of a child’s social behavior correlates with the quality of the teacher (p. 263). The most significant research on public preschools stems from the High/Scope Perry Preschool study. In this study that lasted for two years, approximately 130 children, minority and underprivileged, were either enrolled in a half-day preschool or assigned to a control group (Barnett, 2008, p. 9). These participants were chosen by the following criteria: â€Å"low levels of parent education, socioeconomic status, and low intellectual performance† (Williams, 2010, p. 4). The results were astounding. Barnett (2008) reported that language and basic cognitive skills increased by approximately 0. 90 standard deviations (p. 9). The cognitive advantage was short-lived as children from the control group were caught up during kindergarten (Barnett, 2008, p. 9); however, Reynolds and Ou (2011) determined that there was an advantage on educational attainment (p. 556). The Perry study also showed evidence of social development in later years. The students demonstrated appropriate classroom etiquette, had lower levels of delinquency, and a higher rate of commencement (Barnett, 2008, p. 9). Burger (2009) explained that the Perry study is unique in nature due to the environment of the classroom (para. 5. 2). He added that preschools similar to the Perry preschool have â€Å"low child-to-staff ratios† (Burger, 2009, para. 5. 2), so teachers are able to be readily available to their students. Another influential study on preschool impact is the Child Parent Center (CPC) study on a preschool in Chicago. This program was directed more for children from the ages of three to nine years old (Williams, 2010, p. 5). This preschool is tailored to low-income families that includes â€Å"a half-day preschool, kindergarten, and a follow-on elementary school component† (Barnett, 2008, p. 11). The results of all CPC studies were positive for impact on children’s cognitive development (Barnett, 2008, p. 12). The CPC study showed that participating preschoolers had higher test scores up until eighth grade, a reduction of delinquency, and observed an increase in the percentage of high school graduates (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009,p. 62). Reynolds and Ou (2011) also evaluated the CPC study and found that former students tend to have less risk of experiencing depression and generally have higher occupational stature (p. 558). The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) reports that the Abbott Preschool Program has had a tremendous effect on child development as measured in 2005 and 2006 with the Abbot Preschool Program Longitudinal Study (APPLES) (Study of Abbott, 2007). The Abbott Preschool was opened in 1999 and was put in place to serve the â€Å"highest-poverty school districts† (Study of Abbott, 2007) in the state of New Jersey (Study of Abbott, 2007). This preschool program showed positive cognitive growth in their students through their kindergarten year. The students enrolled showed significant achievements in English, reading, and mathematics (Study of Abbott, 2007). This program not only measured student progress, but also took into account the quality of the classroom. The study found a significant increase in â€Å"child learning, language and reasoning, activities and interactions, and program structure† (Study of Abbott, 2007). Other studies of public preschools provided results depicting social development and school preparedness (Barnett, 2008, p.10). Pickens (2009) explains that public preschool programs â€Å"show a positive impact on children’s behavior outcomes, especially for children living in poverty† (Barnett, 1995; Peterson & Zill, 1986). In the preschool setting, children are exposed to other children from different backgrounds, different personalities and different ethnicities. During this time in childhood development, children begin to learn social behavior. Pickens (2009) explains that these social behaviors are influenced by their teachers and classmates (p. 263). Participation in the preschool setting allows children to learn how to interact with classmates and encounter situations that can mold their cognitive development (Willis & Schiller, 2011). Attending a preschool class helps to enable a child to learn to regulate their emotions, communicate effectively with others, cooperate with others, and to follow directions (Pickens, 2009, p. 263). Children model what they see. Pickens (2009) urges educators and parents to assist children in developing healthy behaviors in an effort to avoid a negative path of behavioral and academic issues (p. 264). Impact of Child Care Facilities Child care facilities can consist of home-based child care or child development centers (with some centers offering half-day preschool programs). These facilities are normally center-based and care for infants from six weeks old to three year olds (Pickens, 2009, p. 262). Child care facilities were â€Å"found to have the smallest initial effects on children’s learning and development† (Barnett, 2008), while home-based daycare had no effect on building cognitive skills (p. 5). This is not to say that all home-based daycares are not able to provide some cognitive benefit to children. If a home-based child care program is well-developed and provides a â€Å"high-quality† (Winter & Kelley, 2008), then children are more likely to benefit cognitively (p. 263). This high-quality can also make a difference in child care centers. The National Institute of Child Health (NICHD) and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) showed that â€Å"higher quality care†(Belsky, Burchinal, McCartney, Vandell, Clarke-Stewart, & Tresch Owen, 2007) had a positive impact on children’s vocabulary skills (p. 681). The NICHD SECCYD conducted future evaluations and found that some effects wore off at four and a half years old, while when evaluated in third grade the children had â€Å"higher scores on standardized tests of math, memory, and vocabulary skills† (Belsky, et al, 2007). The cognitive long-term benefits of attending child care may result in an increase in household income caused by working mothers; however, working mothers tend to spend less time with their children (Barnett, 2008). Just like preschool, child care can benefit underprivileged children. Belsky et al (2007) stated that â€Å"child care can serve as an effective intervention for low-income children† (Hart & Risley, 1995) that live in a household lacking in literary skills (p. 697). Barnett (2008) mentioned that some studies show an actual regression of social development as children were more prone to be aggressive (p. 6). Winter and Kelley (2008) also report that the amount of time a child spends in child care has an impact of negative behaviors when they reach elementary school (p. 263). Others believe that a child’s negative behavior is may correlate with the amount of time spent in day care. Pianta and his colleagues (2009) found that children who spent the least amount of hours in day care had less troublesome behavior (p. 58). Just as the quality of the Head Start and preschool teacher had an impact on the child, so does the caregiver at a child care center. The lack of academic qualifications of child care workers or lack of academically challenging curriculum can attribute to the small cognitive development observed in children who attend child care versus a more academically centered program. Meyers (2007) reports that the approximately two and a half million child care teachers are some of the lowest paid, only earning approximately $18,000 annually (para. 1). This is significantly lower than other early education teachers. The cognitive and social impacts on children are strongly related to child-to-teacher ratio, total number of children in a room, and the teacher’s qualifications (Clothier & Poppe, 2007). However, it has been noted that the amount of attention the caregiver offers to the child can have an impact on their social and cognitive development (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009, p. 58). Conclusion There are noticeable short-term and long-term impacts on a child’s development, cognitively and socially, with the aid of early childhood education programs. Because the brain is vulnerable at this age it is in these years that children experience â€Å"dramatic improvements† (Mai, et al, 2011) in their cognitive and social abilities. The government funded program, Head Start, has indicated that while children do show immediate, moderate growth in cognitive development, social benefits were not as prominent. This program has proven to be beneficial to children from low- income families, as it has resulted in improved literacy, language skills and an increased rate of commencement. Preschool studies have also shown an increase in reading and mathematics ability and in some cases extending into elementary school years. The social benefits of a preschool education have had an even longer impact on a child’s future behavioral issues. There is a vast amount of research that shows that â€Å"the early years of a child’s  development can influence future success† (Winter & Kelley, 2008), so federal and state â€Å"policy makers should not depart from preschool education models that have proven highly effective† (Barnett, 2008). It is important that in order for preschool programs, government-funded and public, to continue to be effective in child development, the need for well-designed programs is a must (Barnett, 2008). These well-designed programs must demand a high caliber of teachers that have formal post-secondary education in the area of early childhood development. Preschools should be prepared meet the needs of the variety of students from different backgrounds and be able to give children in need more of a priority (Barnett, 2008). More research on the impact of early childhood education is needed, due to the varying types of programs that are currently in place. References Barnett, W. S. (2008). Preschool education and its lasting effects: Research and policy implications. Boulder and Tempe: Education and the Public Interest Center & Education Policy Research Unit. Retrieved September 12, 2012 from http://epicpolicy. org/publication/preschooleducation Barnett, W. S., & Yarosz, D. J. (2007). Who goes to preschool and why does it matter? Preschool Policy Brief, 15, p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2012 from http://nieer. org/resources/policybriefs/15. pdf Belsky, J. , Vandell, D. L. , Burchinal, M. , Clarke-Stewart, K. A. , McCartney, K. , Owen, M. T. , & the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2007). Are there long-term effects of early child care? Child Development, 78, p. 681–701. Burger, K. (2010). How does early childhood care and education affect cognitive development? An international review of the effects of early interventions for children from different social backgrounds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 25, 140-165. doi: 10. 1016/j. ecresq. 2009. 11. 001 Gormley, W. T. , Phillips, D. , & Gayer, T. (2008). The early years: Preschool programs can boost school readiness. Science. 320(5884), p. 1723-1724. doi:10. 1126/science. 1156019 Ludwig, J. , & Phillips, D. (2007). The benefits and cost of head start. Society for Research on Child Development, Social Policy Report. 21(3), p. 3-19 Mai, X. , Tardif, T. , Doan, S. N. , Lui, C. , Gehring, W. J. , & Luo, Y. (2011). Brain activity elicited by positive and negative feedback in preschool-aged children. PLoS ONE. 6(4), e18774. doi: 10. 1371/journal. pone. 0018774 Meyers, M. K. (2007). Child-care pay, child-care quality: Decent early childhood education requires well-trained and compensated educators. The American Prospect 18(12), A18. Pianta, R. C. , Barnett, S. W. , Burchinal, M. , Thornburg, K. R. (2009). The effects of preschool education: What we know, how public policy is or is not aligned with the evidence base, and what we need to know. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 10(2), p. 49-88. doi: 10. 1177/1529100610381908 Pickens, J. (2009). Socio-emotional programme promotes positive behaviour in preschoolers. Child Care in Practice. 15(4), p. 261-278. doi: 10. 1080/13575270903149323 Reynolds, A. J. , & Ou, S. (2011). Paths of effects from preschool to adult well-being: A confirmatory analysis of the child-parent center program. Child Development. 82(2). p. 555-582. doi:10. 1111/j. 1467-8624. 2010. 01562. x Study of abbott preschool program finds positive effects. (2007, August/September). Preschool Matters. Retrieved September 28, 2010 from http://nieer. org/publications/preschool-matters-newsletters/volume-5-number-4 Williams, J.(2010). Assessment of quality preschool programming (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved September 28, 2012 from ProQuest. (UMI:3413253) Willis, C. A. , & Schiller, P. (2011). Preschoolers’ social skills steer life success. YC Young Children, 66(1), 42-49. Retrieved September 24, 2012 from http://search. proquest. com/docview/874155104? accountid=12085 Winter, S. M. , & Kelley, M. F. (2008). Forty years of school readiness research. Childhood Education, 84(5), 260-260. Retrieved September 12, 2012 from http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/docview/210412708/fulltextPDF? accountid=12085.

Korea Nuclear Weapons And the six party talks

Just recently, North Korean President King Jong Il proudly proclaimed the success of his government’s underground testing of their first-ever nuclear weapon in the barren hinterlands of the his reclusive country. Western countries, led by the United States, quickly condemned the move as an imminent threat to the security of the Korean peninsula and the international political system in general, especially in the light of the withdrawal of North Korea from the six-party talks negotiating the shutdown of North Korea’s nuclear facilities.On the other hand, the nuclear testing was hailed overwhelmingly by anti-imperialist states around the globe, led by Venezuela and Cuba, and anti-imperialist movements comprising mostly of Marxist parties of every sort, such as the Communist Party of the Philippines and the Communist Party of India-Maoist. It was seen as a triumph of the Korean people against the intense political pressure by US imperialism to bring the North Korean govern ment to its knees on all fronts – militarily and economically.Nonetheless, while the North Korean government was euphoric over its success, it earned the ire of the general international community through the United Nations that sweeping economic sanctions were imposed such as strict inspection of cargo shipments entering North Korean territory, notwithstanding the long-standing implied trade embargo by scores of countries around the world. Actually, the Korean peninsula has been the perennial site of unending geopolitical tensions in the East Asian region since the Korean War in the fifties. This paper will examine the nature of the six-party talks and North Korean brinksmanship in the context of North Korea’s acquisition of nuclear weapons.The Six-Party TalksThe Six-Party Talks include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea’s official name), South Korea, United States, Russia, Japan, and the People’s Republic of China, whose essential goal has been the peaceful and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The talks were launched primarily due to the refusal of the United States to foster bilateral talks with the DPRK due to the latter’s breach of a 1994 Framework Agreement. Moreover, it contained economic commitments by the member states to the DPRK, in terms aiding its energy requirements for as long as the DPRK abandons its nuclear program, particularly its pursuit of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, the United States and its allies formally assured the DPRK that it shall not result to acts of aggression against the reclusive country and seek alternative ways in resolving the diplomatic issues with the DPRK.According to Dr. Edberto Villegas (personal communication, 2007), a political economist of the University of the Philippines specializing of socialist politics, the Six-Party talks was formed not only to stabilize the threat of the DPRK against the United States and South Kor ea, but to secure the geopolitical interests of the member states as well. Japanese participation in the talks is very important as the DPRK has time and again threatened Japan, due to historic tensions since the Japanese invasion of the Korean peninsula a century ago and continues even up to the present, especially as Japan is now seen as a reliable ally of the United States in enforcing its foreign policies in the region. China is also interested in the talks as it is within its national interest that the Korean peninsula is stable to prevent the undocumented and illegal migration of North Koreans to Chinese territories. (globalsecurity.org, 2007)North Korean BrinksmanshipIn international politics, the DPRK and its leader, Kim Jong Il, has been adjudged the master of nuclear brinksmanship in securing economic and military concessions from world powers, including the United States. As the DPRK knows fully well its geopolitical handicap, it continually breaches international agreeme nts in supposed pursuit and assertion of its national interest and sovereignty, especially when it deliberately withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and insisted on producing nuclear weapons for its defense against perceptions of a conspiracy by the United States forcibly overthrow the Kim Jong Il regime by force.According Villegas (personal communication, 2007), the DPRK fully believes that only by building up its military capability, particularly nuclear power, can the DPRK secure substantial concessions from world powers, consistent with the Maoist maxim of political power emerging from the barrel of a gun. These concessions, however, are not entirely of a military or diplomatic character, but usually in terms of economic aid, as the DPRK continues to battle years of infertile agricultural lands and famine that has led to the deaths and exodus of thousands of North Koreans.As can be seen from the recent nuclear testing in the hinterlands of North Korea, the world, w hile united in its condemnation of the act, has acceded, to a certain extent, to the demands of the North Korean government such as the release of its $25 million frozen assets in Macau and the delivery of more economic aid from developed nations. Nonetheless, it can be surmised that the actuations of the DPRK and the flaunting of its military might are not exactly aimed at threatening the world, especially South Korea, Japan and the United States, but only to secure adequate leverage for political and economic agreements which would not have been possible if the DPRK acted otherwise. More so, the DPRK are not that ignorant of the military history of the world to foolishly start military aggressions against perceived enemy states, knowing fully well the superior military power of the United States and its allies. (personal communication, 2007)However, in order to fully understand the North Korean nuclear question, the DPRK strategy of Songun politics must be examined. According to H an of the Unification Institute in New York, the DPRK views the relationship of the DPRK and the United States not as co-equal states in international law but as opposing and antagonistic entities representing the conflict between imperialism and socialism, in which peaceful coexistence is never possible.King Jong Il believes that all of these are part of the efforts of the DPRK to foist an ideological confrontation against the United States and secure the socialist gains in the Korean peninsula (Han, 2003) More so, the Songun politics of the DPRK involves the building of a strong revolutionary army to save the North Korean socialist system from collapse, over and above the necessity of putting adequate food on the tables of the Korean people. Such an utterly militarist mindset is a big departure from the classical Marxist theory of empowering the working class and the withering away of the state, leading foreign policy experts to believe that King Jong Il’s brinksmanship is merely to ensure the survival of his family’s hold on the entire North Korean political system. (globalsecurity.org) Nonetheless, the military outcome of policies like these has been very effective in forcing the international community to stand at attention and listen to the demands, even blackmail, of the DPRK.Conclusion: The World and the Way ForwardThe Korean nuclear question has given the United States and the international community a terrible political headache which all must continually confront until the threat of the DPRK has been conclusively neutralized.   While it is true that independent nations such as the DPRK must assert its national sovereignty at all times against external threats, particularly imperialist countries, the manner by which the reclusive regime of King Jong Il has been conducting the defense of its homeland and revolution borders on a subjective revolutionary hysteria which the rulers of the DPRK are exploiting to the prejudice of the welfare of its people.There are many other ways to confront modern imperialism which are no less revolutionary, such as the strides achieved by the Venezuelan and Cuban governments in their experiment with socialism without adversely affecting the lives of their people. As such, it is clearly the responsibility of the international community to diplomatically convince the DPRK to gradually embrace the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and cease using military blackmail as a ruse to secure concessions from world powers. An outright denuclearization policy as suggested by the United States and Japan might be totally unrealistic at present, and might even provoke the DPRK further. The path to a lasting peace in the Korean peninsula is an arduous one which can only be confronted if the world itself is prepared to build confidence with the DPRK that aggression against the communist country is none of the options considered to resolve the long-standing diplomatic dispute on nuclear weapon s.Works Cited:Han, Ho-sok. Songun Politics of North Korea & the Situation on the Korean   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Peninsula. Songun Politics Study Group. Sept. 8, 2003. Retrieved from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.geocities.com/songunpoliticsstudygroup/Songuninterview.htm  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   l on April 17, 2007. Six-Party Talks. GlobalSecurity.Org. Retrieved from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/6-party.htm on April 16, 2007. Villegas, Edberto. Email Interview. April 14, 2007.

John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men Essay - 1660 Words

In a fantastical adventure involving flying monkeys, apple-hurling trees, and the classic yellow brick road, The Wizard of Oz movie tells the tale of a young girl overcoming zany obstacles to return home to Kansas. She eventually realizes that there s no place like home after finding herself not belonging to the world of fantasies. Likewise, John Steinbeck s Of Mice and Men depicts two young men, George and Lennie, trying to find their own Kansas during the recovery period from the Great Depression. It becomes clear that they have one goal in mind: to live on their own farm. Lennie is oblivious to his surroundings and conditions, and George is constantly there to remind him of the dream and foster the illusion that everything will be okay. Because it restrains them, slowly feeding them the reality and doubt if there is somewhere to belong at all, this eventually causes problems to arise not only to George and Lennie, but to others chasing after this fantasy as well. The resilient bel ief in the American Dream and poisonous reality of current times eventually clash, creating conflict internally and externally for the characters caught in the crossfire. Among the numerous laborers and workers dumbstruck by this idyllic life, Candy is one of the most affected by this dream. Thus, the character of Candy highlights a central conflict during the Great Depression era: identity, or where one stands between the reality and fantasies, versus the harsh setting. The setting of theShow MoreRelatedJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1248 Words   |  5 PagesIn Steinbeck s novel Of Mice and Men, He uses imagery many times to create a realistic setting and plot. Steinbeck’s depiction of migrant workers and their daily complications during the depression are objectively precise due to his use of imagery with idioms, dreams, nature, loneliness and animal imagery. The main theme of the book transpires to be loneliness and fate. While George and Lennie, the main characters have a synergetic relationship, fate steps in and does away with their dreams, whichRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men897 Words   |  4 Pagesthat we possess. Many people feel certain emotions based on events that have taken place in their lifetime or how they were raised throughout their childhood. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, he portrays the feelings of isolation and loneliness in three different characters. George’s isolation is illustrated in Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men. George expresses many hard feelings towards Lennie at the opening of this story. â€Å"‘...you’re a lot of trouble,’ said George. ‘I could get along so easy and soRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1243 Words   |  5 Pagesis what John Steinbeck achieves by portraying this through the characters in his novella Of Mice and Men. The main characters are affected by loneliness in their own different way throughout the novella. rf The loneliness is maintained by the challenges that the characters have to face, and they sustain those challenges of being inhumane towards each other. Crook, a figure in the story who experiences discrimination encounters the challenge of race, due to the book’s setting in the 1930’s duringRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1080 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"I want you to stay with me Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself.† The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck shows the relationship between two migrant workers in the 1930s, George and Lennie, along with the other members on the new ranch that they began working on. Georgie and Lennie dreamed of following the American Dream and owning their own patch of land and the novel revolves around the dream and the obstacles that stand in their way. Lennie, a strongRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1286 Words   |  6 PagesThe realistic fiction novella O f Mice And Men by John Steinbeck explains the journey of two migrant farm workers. Lennie and George are forced to overcome the Dust Bowl and The Great Depression around 1938. This makes jobs even harder to come by because everyone wanted one. Lennie and George were kicked out of Weed and they now work at a ranch in Soledad. At the new farm the friendship between Lennie and George becomes harder to maintain. The people on the farm are all different shapes, sizes, andRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men2167 Words   |  9 Pagesjobs. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie Small wander through California in search of a new job that would help them make enough money to live their American dream on â€Å"the fatta the lan’†(Steinbeck 14). George and Lennie’s hard work and determination is not enough for them to live their dream. Lennie has a mental disability that slows the two friends down from living their dream; they have to ru n from job to job because of Lennie’s unintentional actions. Steinbeck incorporatesRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1360 Words   |  6 Pagesfeeling, thinking and acting in everyday life. In the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a duo of farmers, George and Lennie, search for work wherever they can. Their dream of having a farm of their own is coming into reach, while George has to wield Lennie away from the temptation of Curley’s wife and the reality of what Lennie can do. John Steinbeck uses characterization to illustrate the nature of human existence. Steinbeck portrays George as a man who tries to help, and helps others soRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1448 Words   |  6 Pages In the novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck discusses the idea of loneliness and how people who work at the ranch have no family and no future in lives. He indicates that all people at the ranch are lonely, but he specifically uses a few characters to highlight their state of being lonely and more miserable than the others. He emphasizes the loneliness of ranch life during the Great Depression, and shows how people are willing to try and find friendship in order to escape from the state ofRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1205 Words   |  5 Pagesand the time period of John Steinbeck s novella, Of Mice and Men, exemplifies the idea that people from minorities are held back from achieving their version of the ‘American Dream’. This goes to prove not everyone will overcome the overbearing tidal waves of their hardship s, which makes the American Dream nothing more than a dream to them. Crooks, the black stable hand, faces discrimination due to his skin color as this unfortunately was common in the 1930’s. John Steinbeck uses Crooks’ situationRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men968 Words   |  4 PagesSolidifying the theme of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the protagonist George expresses his significant loneliness despite a strong kinship with his friend Lennie, â€Å"’I ain’t got no people†¦ I seen the guys that go around the ranches alone. That ain’t no good’† (41). Published in 1937, amidst the horrific turmoil of the Great Depression, Steinbeck’s novella struck a sensitive chord with readers. Set in the heart of California’s Central Valley, this story follows two men, George and Lennie, as they

The 5-Minute Rule for How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples

The 5-Minute Rule for How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples You have not just to compose an essay except to read an original literary piece many times, analyze it, research, make notes and so forth. There's an endless number of different essay topics which can be analyzed. Sometimes authors, generally, write for publication. Asking questions such as, what is the objective of a literary analysis essay can help you to create the basis of your essay. How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples - Is it a Scam? If you need assistance with your literary essay, Digital Photography homework help or 3D Art homework assistance, you can always tackle the services which will gladly give you a hand. Now you're ready to begin your work and meet all your professor's requirements! You are going to be pleased to find help in university assignments from the expert essayist at reasonable price tag. One of the most frequent kinds of analysis that college and higher school students perform . Now you prepared to get started writing your analysis. Second, you must compose a literary analysis essay outline. Note the way that it's achieved in a sample literary analysis essay provided at our website. When you understand how to compose an impressive literary analysis essay, you can express your ideas and make an analysis of any bit of literature which you've read. How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples: No Longer a Mystery Analysis essays are known to be among the hardest to write. An analysis essay is a type of persuasive essay. An analytical essay isn't a summary! To start with, it's important to define the textual analysis essays to learn how to do the writing. Bridget's essay is quite strong, but there continue to be a couple little things that could be made better. The introduction is a significant part of an essay. Whispered How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples Secrets So, for instance, if you're writing about historic events or a social issue you don't only describe it. All literary works are challenging and confusing since they are similar yet different in a lot of ways. In the story, there are many sorts of literary approaches that are evident. Mind that downloading two or three literary analysis essay examples is an excellent idea. The Most Popular How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples Don't hesitate to browse the webpage and click on any individual download hyperlink button below a sample which you like. In case you're still puzzled how to compose an outline for your literary analysis paper, you might find examples online. Now you can begin writing the very first lines of your paper in line with the outline. Since you can see in a sample book file, the fashion of your essay should be quite formal. Choosing Good How to Do a Literary Analysis Essay Samples Now, when you know everything about an analytical essay, it is the proper time to find acquainted with a couple examples and to understand what is good and what's bad about every one of them! Then there are textbooks with a more challenging reading level and have a tendency to cover very complex suggestions and information. Analyzing a literary work doesn't always start out with a procedure for understanding the aim of the author. The tradition of writing essays also develops critical thinking that is highly needed in any upcoming job. Only literary critics think about the influence of the literary text on the reader. Suddenly the reader is made to analyze the narrator's own journey. Therefore, an analytical essay is a bit of writing that supplies an informative observation about the particular topic or idea. After grasping t he meaning of what's a literary analysis essay, you need to read the bit of literature in question many times.

Using Stricter Background Checks Can Reduce The Amount Of...

According to a report by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey, the United States has about 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns and has less than 5 percent of the world’s population. With no restriction and so much freedom, firearms can be distributed throughout the United States illegally and obtained as easy as buying it from a person, disregarding all gun laws. Implementing stricter background checks can help reduce the amount of crime relating to gun violence. It can also keep firearms away from those who shouldn’t have possession of them. The issue of gun control begins with the careless distribution of firearms and how easy they are to obtain. In the United States, many mass killings by gunmen in civilian settings set†¦show more content†¦However, other places are more lenient on the firearm laws. As seen in Israel, â€Å"The entire population has indirect access to an assault weapon by either being a soldier or a reservist or a rel ative of one.†(Masters). Their government believes that with relatively less strict gun regulations, the civilians can happily own firearms with small requirements to register ownership for guns. Israel believes that restricting the people’s firearm laws can cause more issues. As a result of their laid-back laws, they have a low gun-related homicide rate. Many laws, regulations, and government programs directly impact the issue of gun control as well. The Federal Government is in charge of the gun control laws and pass the majority of them. However, sometimes the laws they create do not succeed as they expect them to. For example, gun buy-back programs were created to reduce the number of firearms owned by civilians and to provide a process where people can sell firearms without the risk of prosecution. Phillips et al. stated, â€Å"Cities in the USA continue to use the programme in response to high-profile incidents, such as the shooting in Newtown, CT, despite a lack of evidence that the programme will succeed in reducing violent crime†(249). As gun buy-backs were an important step to reducing the amount of firearms, many illegal weapons stillShow MoreRelatedShould Stricter Gun Laws Be Banned?1690 Words   |  7 Pagesterrible event. It is hard to ever put yourself in the position of someone has experienced loss from a shooting until you have actually experienced it. As I think of the boy I mentored and all the victim’s families that were affected, I wonder if stricter gun laws would have stopped the shooting that day? Or would the gunman still have been able to commit such an unspeakable act? We often see too much gun related violence in today’s news. Throughout the years we have seen a large increase of shootingsRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1342 Words   |  6 PagesThe Amendments were placed in order to serve as a standing point to which laws are placed so that the United States of America is a Democracy and not that of Communistic behaviors. Adding gun regulations does not decrease gun violence, nor do background checks ensure the safety that all gun antagonists so dearly wish for. Violence is the overall term and gun violence is merely the umbrella term for which it falls underneath. Violence will always be prevalent regardless of what weapon or kind of violenceRead MorePersuasive Essay On Gun Control1745 Words   |  7 Pagesof. The average American in the right mindset should not want to own anything more than one handgun or rifle for hunting or protecting their household. Gun control reform that limits gun ownership, enforces mandatory background checks, and bans the sale of certain weapons will reduce the number of gun related death in the United States. There needs to be law about how many guns a person should own. The only two reasons for owning a gun are for hunting or defense of household from intruders. PeopleRead MoreGun Control And The Amendment Of The Us Constitution1439 Words   |  6 Pagesenvironment, or whether guns and gun availability correlate with increasing violent crime. Violent crime in the United States has been steadily declining for over the past two decades. However, most serious violent crime in the United States is perpetrated with guns and statistics have indicated a sharp increase in 2015. By proposing a gun crime prevention strategy to reduce such serious violent crime, violent crime will dramatically decrease. Problems surface with the increase of gun availability/useRead MorePersuasive Essay On Gun Control1424 Words   |  6 Pagesgunpowder in the 9th century which lead to the creation of guns. A repeating firearm is a firearm that holds more that one cartridge and can be fired more than once between chargings. Gun control should be enforced more because it will help prevent violence, it can help stop crime, and although some people may argue that gun control should not be enforced because guns can help save people’s lives but they are wrong because people misuse guns. Gun control should be enforced more because it willRead MoreGun Violence And Mass Shootings1349 Words   |  6 PagesGun violence, and solutions to decrease the amount of gun violence and mass shootings, has always been an issue in Presidential elections, and 2016 is no exception. In a country where there have been, according to a study by the CDC and reported by CNN, there have been over 406,000 American gun deaths from 2001 to 2015, compared to the number of Americans killed by terrorist attacks, slightly over 3,000 in that same timeframe (Bower and Jones). Every candidate running for the Presidency has theirRead MoreEssay on Gun Control1399 Words   |  6 Pageskilled. Almost as many civilians are killed with guns in the U.S every month,† (Ruben, Alan). It nearly sounds impossible how 2,555 days of war amounts to 30 days of a living environment in America. Guns should only be able to be purchased in stores and not locally because they cannot be given to irresponsibl e or dangerous people, easier to enforce background checks, and this would be a great substitute instead of banning guns. Guns should only be able to be purchased in stores and not locally becauseRead MoreEssay about A Stricter Gun Control Policy in America823 Words   |  4 Pagesthat the killer couldnt get the guns, but in the other hand, if the teacher has guns, they could probably stop the killing. For this problem, we need a stricter gun control policy. We should do more background check and have a very hard test on gun usage. So everyone who uses the gun knows their responsibility, and I believe this will greatly reduce the gun violence in the U.S. Gun control is necessary because there are too many people who are killed by gun. According to the Brady Campaign, â€Å"EveryRead MoreThe Discussion Of Gun Control3088 Words   |  13 Pagesbenefit on society. One one hand, gun regulation proponents believe that stricter regulations restricting the types of firearms and ammunition that can be purchased will reduce the amounts of crimes and make society safer. One the other hand, gun regulation opponents argue that stricter regulations infringe on the rights of citizens and only endanger society more. So what is the answer to the question? Should there be stricter regulations on gun control or not? The gun debate is an issue that has beenRead MoreArgumentative Essay : Gun Control Essay1000 Words   |  4 Pagespossible restrictions and regulations. Gun talks are discussed with the question, â€Å"Will controlling guns cut back on violent crime rates?† Although many guns are open to be sold to the public over 18, there are traditional gun laws that limit who can own them. These laws include sell restrictions to the mentally disabled, the age in which you can obtain a gun, background checks, and dishonorably discharged military personnel. Gun control laws could have a positive effect in America by reducing homicide

Black Footed Ferret Essay Example For Students

Black Footed Ferret Essay In the past three decades very few endangered species have been restored toviable populations. The black footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) was believed tobe the most endangered mammal in the united states. It is a small mink sizedcarnivore of the Great plains and intermountain basins The ferrets appear to beobligatory predators on the prairie dogs and once occupied a range essentiallyidentical to that of the prairie dogs. They prey on them and also use theirburrows for shelter and nesting. The prairie dogs are considered agriculturalpests and competitors with livestock since white settlement first began in theAmerican west. Large scale rodent control programs were implemented by the stateand federal governments. They drastically reduced the population of prairie dogs(and other species related to the prairie dog ecosystem) through trapping,gassing and poisoning. These poisoning programs were considered a major cause ofthe ferrets demise. But, the main cause was the loss of the ferrets preybase and appropriate habitat. Their remaining habitat was fragmented thusleaving the ferret population vulnerable to extinction from various causesincluding inability to find mates, inbreeding depression, environmental events,and disease of ferrets and their prey. The ferrets were believed to be extinctin 1974, but in 1981 a ferret was discovered in Meeteetsee, Wyoming when a ranchdog killed an unusual animal eating from its food dish and the rancher took thecarcass to a knowledgeable taxidermist. This was viewed as a rare chance torecover the species. In 1985, a catastrophic disease struck the small ferretpopulation, and most remaining animals were taken into captivity. Captivebreeding was initiated, and reintroduction into the wild from the captivepopulation began in 1991. The ferret is just one of more than 900 species listedunder the Endangered Species act as either threatened or endangered. Over threethousand more species wait on a list of candidates for such status, but in the1980s over thirty-four species went extinct while on the waiting list (Cohn,1993). Is the ferret program representative of the national effort to recoverspecies? Main body: United States policy on endangered species, including theferret and hundreds of other plants and animals, is codified in the 1973Endangered Species act (ESA ,as amended, U.S. Congress 1983, Bean 1991) . Thispiece of legislation sets a national goal the prevention of any furtherextinction and the restoration of species currently threatened with extinction. The ESA is a highly popular piece of legislature because no one would advocatethe killing of an entire species. But the simple goal of saving a species cloaksa complicated process. The ferret case is a good illustration of how the ESA isactually outfitted, how and state officials and others tackle the complex workof restoring species, and how problems come about in nearly all recovery plans. In short, the ferret rescue is a measure of how the ESA really works. Afterfinding the small population in Wyoming, in 1981, one might expect a well ledand smoothly coordinated recovery effort to have been quickly organized to savea species that had been recognized as Americas most endangered mammal. Manyuniversities, conservation organizations, state and federal agencies, and localpeople were willing to help. Collectively they command substantial resources,not only in terms of money: national and international expertise on populationgenetics and small population management, experienced field researchers, testedbreeding facilities, and support staffs from major zoos. All that was needed forthe ferrets to be restored swiftly, professionally, and efficiently was a meansto bring the talent together in a productive well organized program. Under theESA, the task of organizing recovery efforts is the responsibility of thefederal government acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and theU.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. Federal officials had numerous optionsopen to them at the start of the ferret program, one of which was to functionlike administrators of a large hospital, pulling together a world-classprofessional team, supporting the necessary work with adequate funding,equipment and facilities, and relying on the teams judgment to bring aboutthe patients recovery. But this model was not selected. The ferret programwas organized and operated very differently. Section 6 of the ESA requires thatstates be involved to the maximum extent practicable. Early in 1982,the federal government turned the main responsibility for ferret restorationover to the state of Wyoming. Almost immediately, problems began to emerge. 5 Most Influential People In American History EssayBibliographyAmerican Society of Mammologists. 1986. Recovery andrestoration of the black footed ferret. Journal of mammology 67:786. Bean,M.J.1983. The evolution of national wildlife law. Prager, New York. Cohn,J.P.1993. Defenders of biodiversity. Government executive national journal,April:18-22 General accounting office. 1988. Endangered species: Managementimprovements could enhance recovery programs. GAO/RCED 89-5. GPO, Washington. Holden, C.1990. Ecology hero in the interior department. Science 250:620-621. Miller, B.J., R. Reading, C. Conway, J.A. Jackson, M.A. Hutchins, N. Snyder, S. Forest, J. Frazier, and S. Derricson. 1994. Improving endangered speciesprograms: Avoiding organizational pitfalls, tapping the resources, and addingaccountability. Environmental Management 18:637-645. Reffault, W. 1991. Theendangered species lists: Chronicles of extinction? P.77-75. Island Press,Washington.

The 3 common misconceptions signs of the manipulative consciousness. Essay Example

The 3 common misconceptions signs of the manipulative consciousness. Essay When people say that you have complete control of your life, and that there is no fate, and that you alone decide what happens and so on.they get horribly confused in what is meant by that. A very large portion of people. Just like a large group of people seem to have no idea what is meant by equality and what is meant by we are all equal. In conclusion, you have all these people raving and flaring about how everyone is equal and there is no discrimination or segregation and all this other horribly far-fetched nonsense. When it is said that we are all equal, it is meant that in this particular country, we all technically have equal rights and opportunities. This by far, does not make anyone equal genetically, mentally, physically, or on any other level. When it is said that you have complete control of your life, it is meant that you have complete control of your life in relevance to what it is, or in relevance to how it was granted to you. If you were at the wheel of a 3-wheeled car, and you have access to the pedals, gas, break, wheel to turn the carthen yes, you are in complete control of the carwhich has 3 wheels. Regardless of how hard you may try to steer it accurately, you will only be able to reach the limit of what a 3 wheeled car grants you concerning mobility. It does not matter how much effort you put into it. When you are given the task to build a lego house out of blocks, you have complete control of how you build it, what you make of it, and how many and what blocks you use.out of the 10 blocks given to you, of 2 types of blocks, 5 of each type. What you do with those blocks, and how you do it, is up to you, it doesnt matter; but there is a severe limit on what your outcome will be. If you are born with no legs.yes, y ou have complete control of your life in relevance to the life youve been granted. You may want to choose to enter running in the Olympics all you want, but it wont happen, regardless of what you want or what you choose or how much effort you put into it. We will write a custom essay sample on The 3 common misconceptions signs of the manipulative consciousness. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The 3 common misconceptions signs of the manipulative consciousness. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The 3 common misconceptions signs of the manipulative consciousness. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Fate? Luck? Predestination? Call it what you wish. The result is nevertheless the same, therefore never be fooled into thinking you have no limits in your life, or that you have completely unconditional control of your life or where it is heading. Every now and then I find people claiming that I try to act or make myself godly, and all this other hogwash which I personally do not strive towards, nor do I show any signs from which this conclusion could be accurately made. But, instead, I do have an alternative proposition. First of all, relative superiority/inferiority exist; that is something humans condemned themselves towards a long time ago. Many [most] people in our society currently enjoy believing that superiority and inferiority dont exist. While technically they dont universally, in our society it once more couldnt be further from the truth. Our society creates favorable conditions for superiority and inferiority to exist, by setting a standard/norm, which automatically sets the ground zero target point from which to derive all its conclusions and relevance concerning everything that does not fall into the norm. Maybe if our society was a bit more individualistic, rather, housed more individuals than the homogenized mass it currently harbors, then there wouldnt be so much room for norm and standard, due to the extreme diversificationbut that is not the case. But, since our society cant get itself out of its damn mess, whats the next best thing it does? Tries to bring down and condemn any superiority. There are countless methods it uses in accomplishing this task. One sly manner in which it does this, has to do with personality and mental [disorders]. While I must admit many of these [disorders] do indeed hinder ones life and/or daily activities, as the terms would imply they do, on the other hand there are many which actually allow for ones growth to exceed that of those who do not have these [disorders]. The other day someone showed me a personality disorder result from a test, telling me it matched me. It was a narcissistic personality disorder; and although for the most part it failed to provide legitimate characteristics that I hold, it did get me to think about these [disorders], the role many of them play, and one that I myself do indeed harbor [Obsessive compulsive personality disorder, not to be confused with obsessive compulsive disorder]. To a natural animal, including most human beings, the concept of superiority is an attack; a beings primary natural purpose is to grow, gain and evolve at any expense, and the more superior an animal is in relevance to another animal, the more chances there are of its accomplishment of this task, even/especially in a case where it is an either/or scenario of the survival of either that animal, or its inferior rival. (Normally, all other animals are rivals, since it is technically an every man for himself style world out there, not considering many/most humans which are exceptions. [Or shall I say, conceal this truth often in very manipulative manners to justify their consciousness]). Having said that, of course our consciousness would feel threatened by this idea, and will be in an emotional distress, and our mind too will come to the logical deduction that for its survival it is necessary to either become superior, or remove all superiority around it. This is where some came up with ways to denounce those who are granted relative superiority in our society through certain anomalistic deviations from the standard mindset. This essentially is competent of fueling their [the people with these deviations from the standard mindset] perception, ambition, mindset, and awareness (as well as other concepts) beyond the norm/standards, which ultimately can grant one the capability to supersede the rest [or majority] into a state which can be considered a relative superiority. They [the people who denounce those who may have reached such a state] do this by calling these particular mental deviations [disorders], which is a negative implication, and negative often tends to trigger and coexist with the word inferiority, which essentially accomplishes this task. An example of a [disorder] such as this would be the obsessive compulsive personality disorder [OCPD]. It is very easy for me to elaborate extensively concerning this [disorder], since I am afflicted by it, and have been a good portion of my life, and am aware of what it has granted me. While it would be inaccurate to say that I have solely benefited from this [disorder], I will say that the benefits derived from it far outweigh the negative aspects. In short, OCPD tends to cause one to be perfectionist [to their relative standards of perfection of course], precise, neat, orderly, ambitious, and other minor details. Im sure everyone who is afflicted by it has their own unique variation of the [disorder]. In my case, it has caused me to be a strong perfectionist, which causes me to create very high standards and expectations for completion of my tasks. It has also granted me very fierce senses of ambition, pride, confidence, and other minor details, which Ive used to manifest a strong amount of individuality within myself. Ive always felt like I could accomplish something as well or better than anyone else, regardless of what it is; it has allowed me to dwell into mindsets and thought patterns which most of the homogenized society never dream of entering; it has granted me the fierce motivation to realize my self and my grand goals, standards, and views of things. Motivation is a key aspect here. Lets take an example. Suppose, there are two twins. Both twins are identical physically, have the same intelligence, yet one has this disorder, and another doesnt. The twin with the disorder will be granted this strong motivation to live up to all these expectations and accomplish all these tasks, and further progress him/herself, while the other will simply choose to go with the flow, and attempt nothing extra ordinary. Ultimately, the twin with the disorder will become superior to the other twin, in relevance to the society around them. This is an undisputable sequence of logic. Society is like a big consciousness (Read part 2 about mind vs consciousness); which subconsciously/indirectly manipulates its own self for its own benefit. Just like consciousness manipulates itself by fabricating a multitude of denial scenarios and other sly ways to alleviate emotional stress, society too does the same in its own degrees respectively. When people label these mental deviations as disorders, the rest of the norm society accepts it without question; for why wouldnt they, when this is like allying with another faction to battle a common foe [superiority]. Therefore, this allows for a strong psychological hype to exist against questioning the legitimacy of these negative labels, since such an overwhelming majority accepts them, people take for granted that there must be good enough reason for it therefore. Well thenwhy do so many people misunderstand what is implied within these 3 statements You have complete control of your life; there is no fate, We are all equal, and Superiority/Inferiority dont exist? Very simple. It is because the misunderstandings sound much more favorable to emotional reasoning, than their more disturbing truthful sides. What do I mean by emotional reasoning? Thats coming up next. Part 2 Mind vs. Consciousness; are they not the same? There are those in this world [a large portion of the population], which believe that their conscious thoughts are the unrefined product of their minds deductive/assessment processes. Couldnt be further from the truth. The mind and consciousness happen to be to very distinct aspects of ones self. Your mind is the natural, un-tampered, deductive mechanism which houses your instincts, intuition, assessment and rational contemplation processes, logical perception, as well as certain other concepts which all work together to allow one to survive and evolve, as an animal. Your consciousness, on the other hand, is a manifestation of sorts, from the humans flawed cerebral cortex within the brain; an evolutionary error, so to say. Your consciousness is what gives you your emotions, awareness, as well as your ability to affectionately/emotionally reason, as I call it, beyond your natural deductive mechanisms. In other words, it allows you to live with your feelings as some say, rather than through logic and thought. For those who need further elaboration, a natural deduction can be witnessed with any animal; if an animal steps on something which gives it pain, it will refrain from doing it again: Stepping on something = pain, therefore: Animal stepping on something = no pain. Affectionate reason, on the other hand, is what a human would do it would ponder as in why the action resulted in pain, how to avoid it next time by stepping there again, how the whole situation may be alleviated and so forth. The existence of this consciousness condemns us to being sensitive to emotions, as I have mentioned, which allows for a favorable environment where one can be unhappy, as well as happy. The existence of the consciousness also further allows for one to reason as to which events would cause one to be happy, and which would cause one to be unhappy, and therefore takes charge over influencing one concerning which events are experienced, and which arent, which thoughts/deductions are accepted and which arent, so as to refine life and the thought process into an unnatural [as well as often untruthful], clouded, refined static[non-dynamic] outcome. This can have many outcomes. A primary one is the fact that most people are hurled into overwhelming ignorance through this device, which hinders their perception and makes room for friction when associating with others, especially those capable of perceiving the truth behind this ignorant refinement. Allow me to explain. Suppose your mind, the natural deductive mechanism which does reach truth, and logically accurate conclusions through logic, comes up with a particular outcome concerning something. Now, the mind has accepted this to be truth. Butyour consciousness is what is awareand what can be called youtherefore, until that outcome the mind has come up with goes through your consciousness and is accepted thereit is irrelevant to you; in fact, you probably wont even be aware of the outcomes existence. Nowsuppose this outcome goes from the mind to the consciousness, and the consciousness, prone to emotional damage, does not accept this outcome, not because it is not true or accura te, but because it would cause emotional damagethen that outcome will simply be obsolete. Lets use an example. Suppose through rational/logical deduction, your mind reaches the conclusion that you are overweight, in relevance to your body height, age, and so on. This is often emotional harm, for the consciousness, therefore upon reaching the consciousness, and being assessed by the consciousness..the outcome is filtered, and made justifiable in relevance to your emotionally acceptable subjective perspective standards. This can be many things; suppose you drink a lot, and your mind is aware of that, and that you may be addicted or an alcoholic, but once that idea gets to your consciousness, your consciousness will filter that idea with emotions, and will influence you not to finish the bottles you drink, and leave a little left and put it back into the refrigerator. Afterwards, if the idea sent by the mind strikes your consciousness again, that you drink too much, your consciousness will make the deliberately false deduction that due to the non-decreasing amount of bottles in the refrigerator, there is no blunt sign that you have this drinking problem, therefore leaving the emotional environment unharmed, as well as temporarily pacifying any friction between itself and the mind. So then, back to the question in part 1 Why do people claim I try to act godly or superior and so forth? Very simple that is the result of their consciousness refinement of the truth that their mind concluded to. Lets take an example. Suppose I was superior in relevance to someone else in regards to diction or vocabulary, that persons mind would come to the truthful deduction that I am indeed superior to him/her regarding vocabulary or diction. Upon sending that conclusion to the consciousness, the consciousness would find that to be an emotionally disturbing factor, therefore it will distort the variables from Aha, so this person has better vocabulary and diction than me, into This person is trying to sound and act smart, because that would automatically justify the minds rational claims, as well as appeal to the emotional consciousness. Of course, it would be foolish to say that the person is usually aware of this whole process; on the contrary, many have no idea that this is wha t actually happens. Simply a conclusion Ive come to after a few incidents of this You try to act godly scenario, which I formerly had no answer to (Since I had no intentions of acting godly or superior, that could not have been an answer). An unfortunate paradox this is, which causes one to experience an internal struggle between mind and consciousness all their life; another reason why this evolution is a flaw. And this appears all throughout life ones instincts [mind] tell one to strive for self gain and nothing but self gain, yet the emotional aspect of our society [consciousness] teaches us that self gain [or inconsiderate self gain, which practically all beings yearn for as a survival instinct, whether your consciousness allows you to accept it or not] is to be considered negative; therefore how can we abominations live? When the pinnacle of our existence rests among the scales of two opposing forces the mind and the consciousness. We are simply evolutionary heretics. The human being is a living dichotomy; a damnation onto itself and those around it. Oh well..I suppose even nature is susceptible to allowing a flaw or two to slip from its grasp every few million years. There will be two general types of audiences exposed to these writings those with sufficient perception and awareness to accept the revelations written here as the truths they are, and the truths that their minds accept them for, and those who are incompetent of dealing with emotional stress, whose consciousness overpowers the logical mind, and will manipulatively distort these words into incoherence, beyond the victims ability to overpower. Therefore, be you of audience A or audience B, ultimately your conclusions concerning what is written here will merely underline your current competence regarding the acknowledgement of truths, whether they be pleasant truths, or not.