Changing social diversity in the United States Essay Example for Free

Changing social diversity in the United States Essay As USA is a land of opportunities, millions of people of different origin have migrated to the country and settled there, thus changing the social and cultural diversity of the nation. Children at the young age face problem as they get exposed to two sets of language and culture at school and home. A massive increase in Hispanic population has increased the importance of Spanish language and more businesses related to Spanish have come up. But this Hispanic population has no difficulty in accepting English as their main language. The uniqueness of the immigration is that everybody wants to get integrated into American mainstream. Changing diversity in USA 3 Changing social diversity in the United States As United States is known as the land of opportunities for many decades, millions of people had migrated to this country since long time. It has been mentioned in the website http://www. sedl. org/pubs/sedletter/v12n02/2. html that the make up of the US population has changed so much over the last three decades that the definition of diversity has itself got transformed in the process. It has also been stated that for the first time in the US census held in 2000, individuals were allowed to tick on more than one race in the form. Due to this change in diversity, cultural and socioeconomic factors are now becoming increasingly important while interacting in the society. The website http://www. naeyc. org/about/positions/pdf/psdiv98. pdf deals with the problem children faces in schools due to increased linguistic and cultural diversities. To quote from the above mentioned website, â€Å"At younger ages, children are negotiating difficult transitions between their home and educational settings, requiring an adaptation to two or more diverse sets of rules, values, expectations, and behaviors. † If the child forgets his home language, it may cause disruption in family communication methods. Thus families are facing increasingly complex responsibilities. The website http://knowledge. allianz. com/en/globalissues/demographic_change/gender_diversity/hispanics_integration_us. html states that there has been a massive growth in Hispanic population in the USA and most of them have accepted English as their main language. But the importance of Spanish is also growing as many newspapers have come up in Spanish and Hispanic related businesses are growing in the United States. Changing diversity in USA Reference List 1) Responding to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Recommendations for Effective Early Childhood Education; in National Association for the Education of Young Children adopted November 1995; Retrieved on 13th March 2009 from the website http://www.naeyc. org/about/positions/pdf/psdiv98. pdf 2) A Changing Nation: The Impact of Linguistic and Cultural Diversity on Education by Kathleen Trail ; SED letter Volume XII Number 2 December 2000; Retrieved on 13th March 2009 from the website http://www. sedl. org/pubs/sedletter/v12n02/2. html 3) Ethnic Business in a Changing America, Allianz Knowledge Partner site, published on September 11, 2007; Retrieved on 13th March 2009 from the website http://knowledge. allianz. com/en/globalissues/demographic_change/gender_diversity/hispanics_integration_us. html

The It Girl - Clara Bow :: essays research papers

The It Girl – Clara Bow   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Imagine it – all the rules you were raised to follow, all the beliefs and norms, everything conventional, shattered. Now imagine It – Clara Bow, the It Girl. The epitome of the avant-garde woman, the archetype of the flapper, was America’s new, young movie actress of the 1920’s. Modern women of the day took heed to Bow’s fresh style and, in turn, yielded danger to the conventional America. Yet Bow’s contagious and popular attitude came with its weaknesses - dealing with fame and the motion picture industry in the 1920’s. Despite this ultimate downfall, Clara’s flair reformed the youth and motion pictures of her time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dubbed by Fitzgerald as â€Å"the quintessence of what the term ‘flapper’ signifies,† Clara Bow served as the model for all flappers. A flapper was the new woman; attractive, sassy, â€Å"worldly-wise, and briefly clad.† The flapper took on an impish and tomboyish, at lead for their time, attitude. They danced on tables, rendering the recklessness of the new youth. But modern women proved to be a danger for the conventionalism of America. They influenced the change on women’s rights, what was considered moral, and what was considered appropriate for women. These issues had previously been for making a timid woman; upon the coming of the modern woman, these issues made for a modernist female.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clara Bow’s fame did not leave her nature tainted, in a sense. She did not become spoiled or uppity. She remained rather self-less and ignorant to fame and those in its power. Her impudent attitude never faltered; she continued to live as the â€Å"chewing-gum-smacking eight-grade drop-out kid,† unaware of convention. Hey psychological welfare, though, was greatly affected. She was institutionalized, slit her wrists and throat, and eventually became the embodiment of an actress-gone-bad; booze, men, gambling, drugs, and insomnia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clara’s experience with the motion picture industry gives us a picture of what it was like in the 1920’s. It was new and intriguing, enticing and corrupt. The motion picture industry underpaid Bow, which is almost inconceivable today. The environment of Hollywood now pays actors and actresses corpulent amounts of money...but that may be the only change. The â€Å"star-maker† environment is still as enticing and corrupt as yesterday’s.

Adult Influence in the Development of Self-awareness in Children Essay

An individual who has an awareness of who he/she is as a person are said to be happier than those who don’t. Having a strong sense of self enables us to make decisions about how we want to live our lives and pursue our dreams and ambitions. But how does one achieve self-awareness? Self-awareness is a life-long process, it is essentially being able to discover our individuality and come to terms with who we really are. The development of self-awareness is not a one-man show; rather our parents, teachers, peers and the media, constantly influence us. It is my belief that parents and teachers more than any other factor has the greatest influence in the development of our awareness. Thus, parents and teachers help and hinder the development of a child’s self-awareness. Parents and teachers provide the guidance and nurturing that children need to develop their sense of self. On the other hand they can also hinder the child’s quest for awareness if they insist that their child become what they could not be and to expect them to adopt their own worldviews. Read more:  Influences that affect children’s development essay An equal amount of guidance and rootedness will prove to be the best formula for a child to realize who they are as persons. Guiding children in their lives and nurturing their well-being can help children develop their sense of self. When parents and teachers guide children in the decisions they make in their lives it teaches children that they are persons of worth who can make their own decisions. Franeck said that if his parents did not push him to look for a job and live on his own, he might sill be living with his parents and would have become a failure. This shows us that young adults need to be prodded and to be challenged to take that step to live their own lives. Without this gentle prodding they might just stay in the dug-out indefinitely like the so called Importance of adults to a child’s growth to awareness Page#2 â€Å"boomerang kids† who are well-educated young adults and are living at home because they are broke and underemployed (Franeck, ). Teachers also guide children in their own way. They can help children realize who they want to be in the future. Success and achievement contributes to the child’s perception of who he/she is. When teachers tell their students that they are good at what they do, it builds their self-esteem and leads to increased awareness. Malcom X in his autobiography said that his teacher Mr. Ostrowski made him think about his future and what society had to offer him, which led to his awareness of his station in life and the desire to do something about it (The first major, ). Why do parents and teachers’ guidance and nurturance matter? Parents and teachers are the significant adults in every children’s lives thus, children see them as authority figures and what they say or do can leave lasting impressions in a child’s psyche and therefore affects the way he/she thinks of himself/herself. In contrast, when parents become too controlling and expect their children to espouse their own way of life and views without considering their child’s individuality they hinder the development of self-awareness. Likewise, when teachers become judgmental and do not treat his/her students the same way, then he/she hampers self-awareness. Controlling parents are those who impose their own value systems to their children and expect them to behave accordingly. This hampers the development of self-awareness because children are not able to think for themselves, they are not allowed to explore and deal with their individuality. Children become a reflection or a puppet of their parents and they cannot be expected to become mentally healthy and fully functioning individuals. Caroline Hwang (1998) had battled with the anguish of Importance of adults to a child’s growth to awareness Page#3 pleasing her parents and pursuing her dreams because she knew that her parents had sacrificed a lot for her and she was undoubtedly indebted to them, she knew she owed them the fulfillment of her parent’s dreams for her. As an adult, she still has not been able to establish her own identity, is not sure of her future and has not had a real intimate relationship. In the same way, Emilyn Lat’s (1991) experience also portrays how parents can impede a child’s growth of awareness. Lat had parents who did not want her to be Americanized, they dictated what she should and should not do with her social life. She grew alienated from her parents and looked to the government for help, but sadly was frustrated. Her parents threw her out because she refused to be turned into someone she did not want to be. Emilyn realized that society views children as an extension of their parents and not a separate person, thus her growing awareness of her self was painful and traumatic instead of having a healthy sense of awareness of who she is as a person. Teachers who are judgmental also encumber a child’s awareness of himself/herself. Teachers who do not treat their students equally especially if based on prejudice, perpetuate the culture of racial discrimination. To be able to have a sense of self, children should be able to believe in their selves their talents and abilities, when teachers tell them otherwise, it destroys them. Children come to think that they are not good enough, not smart enough to dream and aspire for something in the future. Consequently, when they grow up they become failures because they come to believe what their teachers told them. Then what are the best conditions for a child’s healthy sense of self-awareness? I believe that an equal amount of nurturing, guidance and cultural awareness would be the best provisions Importance of adults to a child’s growth to awareness Page#4 for self-awareness. Children who are guided by their parents, who are acknowledged and given the opportunity to explore their individuality, will grow to have a healthy sense of who they are. In the same way, when children know their roots and their cultural heritage they are more able to become who they want to be. If Emilyn had the same parents like Caroline’s and she had the same tenacity and courage of Emilyn, then both of them would have become the best of what they can be. It is without a doubt that significant adults play a major role in our lives and in developing our sense of self. Parents who are supportive and nurturing communicate the idea that the child is valuable and worthy of such treatment. Parents should be able to raise children by giving them love, the kind of love that helps them develop a positive self-concept and a sense of their worth. Teachers who are responsive to their students also tell children that they are persons who have the capability to achieve their dreams. It is important for each one of us to be able to develop a positive sense of self-awareness for it will help us better understand why we feel what we feel and behave as we behave. This understanding then gives us the opportunity and freedom to change and create the lives that we want. If we do not have the awareness or clarity of our being we will continue to get caught up in our internal dramas, irrational beliefs and negative perceptions of ourselves undermine the way we live our lives. The great Tao Tzu has this to say about self-awareness â€Å"Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment†. References Franek, Mark. Parent’s of twixters are at fault (publication details) Hwang, Caroline. The good daughter. Newsweek September 21, 1998 p16 Lat, Emelyn. Emancipated in American Families: Images and Issues (publication details) pp 244- 246 (year) Malcom X. The first major turning point in Emerging Voices: Readings in the American Experience (Publication details) pp 150-152 (year)

Research on Pro-Anorexia Website Content Essay - 610 Words

The research problem is to explore the relationships between general media content and pro-anorexia website content, peer influence (general as well as specific influence to view pro-anorexia websites) and the drive for thinness in females, and drive for muscularity in males in the college student population. The researchers assume that pro anorexia website content will cause internalization (which is; when a thought becomes a belief that (in this case), woman should always be thin and men should always be muscular and that belief would cause excessive dieting and/or exercise). The population is male and female introductory psychology college students. There were 300 college students that varied from age 18 – 55 years old. About 55.9% were†¦show more content†¦The third survey was an â€Å"Internalization of general media content† survey and would ask questions like â€Å"How often do your friends: Encourage you to view websites that support anorexia† with the same 1-5 scale as above. The final survey was a general friend survey with questions like â€Å"How often do your friends: Encourage you to lose weight, Comment on each other’s weight, and Talk about weight and dieting)†. The findings for men found that; drive for muscularity was increased with the pro-anorexia website with pictures of thin, muscular men. Drive for muscularity and the general media survey also found an increase in the desire to be thin and muscular in men. The friend influence with pro-anorexia websites and the General friend influence surve y did not increase the drive for muscularity in men. The findings for woman found that all 4 surveys (Web site, general media, friend influence with pro-anorexia websites and general friend influence) increased the desire to be thin. Their conclusion suggest that woman may be more susceptible to the influence of pro-anorexia websites then men, as the pro-anorexia web site had more than 3 times the variance then men. The study shows the correlation between friend influences on woman vs. men as woman were more influenced by their friend’s then men. Finally the study shows the harmful effectsShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Influence On Adolescents1273 Words   |  6 Pageslooked specifically at pro-anorexia site influence on adolescents were Pryslopski (2011) (11-18 years) and Custer and Van de Bulck (2009) (13-17 years). Custer and Van de Bulck study found a positive correlation between age and viewership in female participants. They found as female adolescents aged, so did t heir likelihood of viewing pro-anorexia websites, dysfunctional eating, a higher drive for thinness and lower self-evaluation. Explanations for why there is limited research of those under 18 couldRead MoreEating Disorders are a Mental Illness1431 Words   |  6 Pagessuch as Twitter and Instagram.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eating disorders are real, complex and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity and relationships. The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia (Parks 8). Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that makes people lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height. A person with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain, even when they are underweight. They mayRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Is A Serious, Life Threatening Eating Disorder Essay1707 Words   |  7 PagesAnorexia nervosa is a serious, life-threatening eating disorder. Typically this disorder is diagnosed in young females and women, although males can be diagnosed with anorexia as well. Those with anorexia tend to have very low self-esteem because of their perceived body image. These individuals have a unhealthy fear of becoming â€Å"fat.† They will often avoid eating certain foo ds/food groups (carbohydrates, sugars, etc.) and will hardly come close to consuming the recommended daily amount of calorieRead MoreThe Effects Of Technology On Eating Disorders2029 Words   |  9 Pagesfor Healthcare Research Quality conducted a study showing a 24 percent increase in a time frame of 10 years.The three most known disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders — which include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating — are a complex set of illnesses caused by genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological and social factors. These disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Anorexia, in particularRead MoreThe Thin Commandments: A Guide to Anorexia Nervosa1879 Words   |  8 Pagesthe Western culture, idolizes thin body size as the ideal body image. And as a consequence, eating disorders can develop when people take this to the extreme. Scholars have looked at all forms of persuasive tools that can explain the popularity of anorexia nervosa. From language use (Burke, 1966) to the power of culture in terms of presumed knowledge (Dumit, 2003) and its increasing interest in the ideal body image of the Western culture (Vandereycken and van Deth, 1994). Kenneth Burke’s â€Å"TerministicRead MoreThe Internet And Its Effects On The World1716 Words   |  7 Pagesfinding websites that are specifically on body image alone having a massive impact on the browsers as well. In Richards (2015) research study that focused on the impact of social media it was documented that generally browsing accounted for 56.6% of their internet engagement (Richards, Caldwell, and Go). During this time browsers could encounter harmful websites that may affect their mental and physical wellbeing. In Rodgers (2015) study content analyses of these websites reveled contents findingRead MoreNegative Body Image Essay1679 Words   |  7 Pagesexposure to the thin ideal in mass media to body dissatisfaction, internalization of the thin ideal, and disordered eating among women† (NEDA). This shows that the connection between social media and eating disorders is something that needs more research done on, and is but one facet of this monumental problem . Furthermore, the way women are sometimes portrayed in the media is devastating. In fact, â€Å"sexually objectified images of girls and women in advertisements are most likely to appear in men’sRead MoreSocial Media and its Effect on Eating Disorders793 Words   |  3 PagesFeet together, thighs apart, this is called the starving art. Powerful quotes such as these sweep the internet on social media websites, leaving harsh marks on all who read them, especially the extremely impressionable youth of America. Today’s youth is becoming heavily reliant on social media outlets such as Tumblr, Instagram, and Facebook, but it comes with a problematic cost, mental disorders on the rise. Eating disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental disorders are rapidly becomingRead MoreFemale Body Image and the Mass Media Essay2272 Words   |  10 Pagesimages depicted on magazines, television, movies, billboards, advertisements, and the Internet depict the thin body idea l. There are Internet websites that are dedicated to pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia behaviors; they offer information for the progression and maintenance of eating disorders (Borzekowski et al.1526). These websites are easily accessible .Websites dedicated to thin inspiration glorified eating disorders. These sites promote eating disorder by telling the viewers how to lose weight. TheyRead MoreAnalysis of Eating Disorders Essay2697 Words   |  11 Pageshas cause parents to lose sight of these websites harmful attributes that lead to eating disorders and extreme dieting. Michele Foster, author of â€Å"Internet Marketing Through Facebook: Influencing Body Image in Teens and Young Adults†, published October 2008 in Self Help Magazine, argues Facebook has become the leading social network for teens and young adults aging 17 to 25 years of age, and is also the age range that has significant increases in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa in women. Foster accomplishes