Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Essay

The short passage written by Joseph Conrad expressed through narration his impression of Africa. The narrator in the story was Marlow. In one part of the story, Marlow recounts his experiences as he was journeying up the Congo River. The images used in the story depict a downbeat mood. The Congo River reminded him of the prehistoric times when nature thrived the earth. It was situated in close proximity to deep and eerie forests, where dangerous creatures lurked. The forests were unwelcoming and the waters flowed in no particular direction. Marlow though the place to be disconnected from the real world saying, â€Å"†¦you thought yourself bewitched and cut off forever from everything you had known once. † These images imply differences between the worldview of European and African culture, because of how they see Africa. The African people see the forests as their home and their land. It is their most priceless possession from where their culture is deep-rooted. It is their way of life. The European views African lands as undeveloped. There is a need for civilization, and there is a need to eliminate the â€Å"barbaric† way of life. Conrad sees no ecstasy in the wealth of the African people. There is no pleasure, he says, in the unscathed forests and streams. There is nothing precious about it. However, the African people see their ancestral land as a jewel where they can be free observing their culture and their preferred way of life. It is not uninvolved with the world, but it is one with the earth because its people enjoy its native and inborn fruitfulness as it is. The African people obtain their food from hunting in the forest, and they hide in the forest to protect themselves from the enemy. The stream is their source of life. Metaphorically speaking, the images illustrated in the passage also criticize the culture of the African people as dark and untamed. Marlow reminisced, â€Å"†¦it came in the shape of an unrestful and noisy dream, remembered with wonder amongst the overwhelming realities of this strange world of plants, and water, and silence. † However, in the eyes of the African people, their culture identifies who they are as individuals and who they are as a group of people. The two images aforementioned clearly define a line that divides the worldviews of the European people and the African people.

Case Study: Anxiety

Instructions: Read the following case study about a woman, Allison, who is suffering from anxiety. After you have read the case study, diagnose Allison and present some methods of treatment by answering the questions. Presenting Complaint Allison, a 33-year-old white woman, knew that it was finally time for her to seek psychological services. She had always been an anxious person and, for years, had managed to keep it under control. But, this time she felt as though she was fighting a losing battle and worried that it was going to result in her being fired from her job. Allison worked as a flight attendant for a major airline and loved interacting with the passengers. She was particularly proud of her extensive knowledge of aircraft safety regulations and had confidence in her ability to properly manage a crisis situation should it arise. However, over the past year she had missed a significant amount of work because of her extreme anxiety about flying and staying in hotels in different cities. She had wanted to believe that her worry about her career was justified, but she knew deep down that she worried about everything, not just work. She worried about other things that most people would see as trivial: whether she would be caught in the rain without an umbrella, if she was going to remember to pay her bills on time, or if the bus she was riding would break down and leave her stranded. Allison recalled that she noticed a change in her thinking after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She repeatedly thought, â€Å"That could have been me in that plane. What would I have done? This is just one more sign that the world has become a very dangerous place. Allison finds that she can’t relax on her days off because she spends the entire time worrying about taking her next flight. â€Å"I worry all the time—about everything. She worries that she will miss the bus to the airport and be late for work. She worried that she will have a panic attack on the airplane and the pilots will have to make an emergency landing. She also worries about the hotel that she is scheduled to stay in and whether or no t they will still have her reservation when she arrives. Furthermore, Allison worries about the danger of being out at night in a strange town. She explains, â€Å"It’s just not safe for a single woman to be out at night. Some cities have a high rate of crime and are extremely dangerous. † Allison finds that she worries about all of these things simultaneously, which leaves her exhausted and overwhelmed. However, when she tries to sleep, she cannot shut her mind off. She lays awake for hours thinking about all of the things that could happen. Therefore, Allison is often sleep deprived which leaves her stressed, tense, and irritable. Allison has experienced a few panic attacks in her life, but has not had a panic attack in more than two years. But she still carries Xanax with her everywhere she goes, just in case she needs it. Ever since she was 7 years old, she has worried about random issues. Allison remembers walking through her house at 7 years old, checking on all of the appliances to make sure that they were all unplugged before everyone fell asleep in fear that a fire would break out and burn the house down. Allison was also worried as a 3rd grader about her mother dying any day from cancer, since her mother was a smoker. When Allison was 16, she had great difficulty with learning how to drive in fear that she would be involved in a car accident. Indeed, Allison was involved in 2 car accidents, none of which were her fault. Regardless, Allison quit driving and has taken public transportation ever since. Allison has had difficulty with seeking treatment because she is afraid to give up her worrying. She believes that some of her anxiety has been helpful because it has kept her safe. And by worrying, Allison believes that is able to help prevent the negative event from occurring. For example, because of Allison’s worrying, her mother quit smoking and is cancer-free today. In fact, Allison is considering removing herself from treatment because she is afraid that the psychologist will tell her that she has a serious problem that is beyond help. If she cannot get help, then what will she do? Social and Family History Allison is the youngest of 6 children, 4 of which are boys. She was raised by both parents and considers herself the â€Å"black sheep† of the family. Allison felt very different from her brothers because of gender and the way that they treated her with a paternalistic manner. Allison felt inadequate around her sister, who seemed to be successful in everything she did. Allison feels like her sister looks down on Allison because of the anxiety. Allison’s father never understood her, either. He was very distant and did not seem to want much to do with the children. He worked long hours and spent much time taking Allison’s mother on long errands since Allison’s mother was afraid to go out alone. Allison tried really hard to do well in school to get her father’s attention, but it never seemed to be quite enough. Allison often had to rely on her older siblings to take care of her since their mother was always â€Å"sick†. Her mother rarely left the house and would spend hours locked in her room. Allison thought that her mother suffered from agoraphobia and remembers conversations with her mother about how dangerous the world is. Because of her mother’s beliefs about the dangerousness of the world, Allison was not allowed to play outside with friends unless a parent was supervising at all times. Therefore, Allison did not make many friends. Instead, she played in the neighbor’s garden since her mother could see Allison from the window. One day, Allison’s neighbor, Jack, was helping Allison in the garden and offered her some cookies and milk. Allison had to go inside with Jack to get the cookies and milk, but she thought that it would not be a problem since mom was right next door. Once inside Jack’s home, he sexually abused Allison. She never told anyone since she believed it was her fault for going inside and not staying in her mother’s line of sight. Allison has been unable to stay in a long-term relationship. Just after Allison moved away from her home town for the first time in her life, her boyfriend broke up with her. He was supposed to move in with Allison, but a week after Allison bought a home and moved her belongings in, he ended the relationship. That was the last time Allison had a severe panic attack. She was hospitalized and has been terrified of living alone ever since. Diagnosis Refer to the DSM-IV-TR checklist for generalized anxiety disorder. Which of Allison’s symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria? Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria. * Based on your review of Allison’s symptoms and the diagnostic criteria, could Allison be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder or would she be better diagnosed with a phobia or obsessive –compulsive disorder*? Does Allison appear to have a comorbid* panic disorder? Refer to the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia and determine if she warrants this diagnosis, too. *How would the sociocultural* perspective explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder? How would the current** psychodynamic perspective explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder? How would the cognitive perspective explain Allisonâ€⠄¢s generalized anxiety disorder? What are the second-generation cognitive explanations for generalized anxiety disorder and how do the activities associated with each theory serve to maintain the worry? Describe a biological explanation for why Allison developed generalized anxiety disorder. Treatment Which theoretical perspectives offer treatments for generalized anxiety disorder that have been more than modestly **supported by the research literature? Discuss the cognitive therapy technique of focusing on worry**. What are some of the nondrug biological treatments used to treat generalized anxiety disorder ?

Drug Abuse Essay

DRUG ADDICTION Drug addiction is a problem that has been increasing immensely among our society today. Drug addictions can only hinder or restrain us from accomplishing goals or dreams in life. People sometimes feel they are too bright, too powerful, too much in control to become addictive. Addiction can trap anyone. It can lead to harming ones body, causing problems in family structure, and contribute to the delinquency in society. The sooner people seek help for drug addiction problems, the more chances they have of gaining control of their life once again. However, abstinence is the safest way to  live a longer and healthier life. We are greatly influenced by the people around us. Today one of the number one reasons of teenage drug usage is peer pressure. Peer pressure represents social influences that affect us. It can have a positive or a negative effect, depending on what path one follows. There is direct and indirect pressure that might influence a person’s decision i n using drugs. Direct pressure might be when a person is offered to try drugs. Indirect pressure might be when a person is around people using drugs and sees that there is nothing wrong with using drugs. Adolescents who use drugs seek out peers who also use and, in turn, are influenced by those peers (Berndt, 1992). A person might also try drugs just to fit in a social group, even if the person had no intentions of using drugs. Adolescents can try out different roles and observe the reactions of their friends to their behavior and their appearance (Berndt, 1992). One might do it just to be considered â€Å"cool† by the group. There are also other reasons why people might turn to using drugs. Emotional distress, such as personal or family problems, having low self-esteem, like loosing a close one, loosing a job, or having no friends, and environmental stress are all possible factors to causing one to use drugs.

The Canterbury Television (CTV) Building-Case Analysis Assignment

The Canterbury Television (CTV) Building-Case Analysis - Assignment Example Most of the earthquakes witnessed in recent times have had devastating effects. Therefore, architects are advised to ensure that modern buildings meet the building standards capable of withstanding seismic waves of reasonably high magnitude. New Zealand is one of the European countries that have suffered from a series of earthquakes in the recent past. One such earthquake occurred on 22 February 2011 in Christchurch killing 184 individuals. Investigations conducted after the incident showed that the building collapsed due to poor design and construction. In addition, a number of players and stakeholders were associated with the incident, a number of them culpable. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 4 2. Key Role-players and Stakeholders 4 3. Management and Organizational Factors Associated with the Incident 9 4. Summary and Conclusions 10 5. Recommendations 10 References 11 The Canterbury Television (CTV) Building-Case Analysis 1. Introduction Natural disasters such as earthquakes hav e become a common occurrence in recent times. Earthquakes have particularly been common in Southern Asia and parts of Europe. Most of the earthquakes witnessed in recent times have had devastating effects. In New Zealand, the Canterbury Television (CTV) Building was the most affected by the earthquake that hit Christchurch on 22 February 2011, according to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (2012) report. The building collapsed to the ground leading to the death of 115 of the 184 people who perished in Christchurch. The collapse of Canterbury Television (CTV) Building in Christchurch on 22 February 2011 was one of a kind. Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (2012) indicates that the building collapsed when an earthquake, 6.1 in magnitude, hit Christchurch in New Zealand. However, it took many by surprise to learn that only the CTV Building collapsed due to the earthquake, leading to the death of 115 people (Wright & Greenhill, 2012). This hinted to the fact that there was something amiss in the design of the building. It was argued that there was no reason for the building to be the only one affected whereas there were many other buildings adjacent to it. Investigations have identified a number of key role players who were responsible in one way or another for the collapse of the building. Most of the role players in the incident double up as stakeholders. This report seeks to identify the key role-players and stakeholders linked to the CTV Building and its consequences. In addition, the paper will provide an analysis and evaluation of the key management and organizational factors linked to the incident, both prior to and after the incident. 2. Key Role-players and Stakeholders 2.1 David Harding David Harding, the architect who designed CTV building, is the first role-player blamed for the collapse of the building. According to Wright and Greenhill (2012), the building did not meet standards when it was built in 1986. Investigations showed that Harding worked beyond his level of competence since his structural plans had several flaws that an experienced designer would otherwise not have committed. Vervaeck and Daniell (2012) also indicated that Harding, the designer of the CTV building, had no tangible experience in designing multistory buildings like CTV. According to Vervaeck and Daniell (2012), the building had poorly designed joints between the columns and beams. As a result, the reinforcement holding the beam and columns together were too weak and did not comply with building standards set in 1986. The concrete used in making the columns also had inadequate steel reinforcements, making them brittle and too weak to withstand high tension such as that of produced by an

Information Technology for Managers Research Paper

Information Technology for Managers - Research Paper Example It must be noted that there are three possible choices for employees and people who would actually be working on the projects and they are ‘the own staff’, ‘consultants’, and the ‘outsource firms’. The above figure shows the mapping for three areas of acquiring custom designs, application package and carrying out the ongoing operations. The ‘own staff’ model has a typical structure of a project manager, developers, testers and so on and is best suited for areas such as infrastructure maintenance, help desk support, back up and so on. In his article on team management, written for the Sloan’s Management Review, Lucas (2006) speaks of the composition, role, and function of the IT team. According to the author, the IT industry does not have too many Generalists but rather specialists who would be looking after specific aspects of the business. Typically, the top and the middle rungs of the team structure would have different roles such as manager, CIO, process manager, the project manager, and the technical staff. Each of these roles would have certain responsibilities and functions and while there is a certain amount of pyramid structure and hierarchy, all roles have to coordinate their efforts for the project to be successful. Wiseman (2004) points out that small project or organizations that may not have large IT initiatives would have a smaller and focussed IT team. Large organizations, on the other hand, would have a full-fledged department that looks at IT as the driver for change management and to bri ng inefficiencies and improvements in the firm. For such organizations, the author has suggested a multi-layers organization as illustrated in the following figure.e, Lucas (2007, p. 171) points out that in some cases, the IT team has to be viewed in context with the model of development that the organization has adopted and the model could be in-house development, outsourcing or offshoring.

Contemporary British Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contemporary British Drama - Essay Example In terms of productivity and impact, we can say that since Shakespeare's time, no other historical period has produced more controversial, brilliant and self-reflected plays as the drama in the last century. Changes in British society affected, influenced and are reflected in the tendencies in the theater. As intellectuals, playwrights react to the social changes, political and economic conditions, to internal governmental conflicts and depict them in their plays. In this paper, I will attempt to demonstrate that British identity seen through the eyes of contemporary drama has become unconventional. In the plays "Feel Good" by Alistair Beaton and "In - Yer - Face Theatre" by Alek Sierz Britishness is explored to its minute details in shocking and unexpected revelations. The idea about Britain and British identity that I found most significant and which is conveyed through the above plays is the total and absolute honesty, which at times borders with our own innermost moral principles. The other idea that strikes me is that even though, the plays that I choose are comedies, they dwell on current reality and biting social and political issues feed both the dramatist and audiences imaginati on. The tendency of the British modern drama is to transform and modify essential theatrical elements like dialogue, set and characterization to extremes of parody, satire, exaggerations and deconstructions. Contemporary British drama is essential, because it is part of the cultural dialogue between intellectuals and the whole nation. Plays deliver ideas, not only about the British identity, but also about its self-presentation to the rest of the world. Modern, British playwrights investigate the subtle changes in the kingdom and its socio-political quests. The contemporary British drama is wittily celebrating the class changes and recent class identifications and the formation of a different elite class. The modern age gives the opportunity for playwrights to probe into the existential social anxieties and torment the British nation. The stage is like a mirror for the nation's identity and writers use their verbal and visual resources to describe what matters for their fellow-citizens. Many of the dramatics that successfully presented their plays in the 1970s and 1980s, still continue to actively produce remarkable intellectual masterpieces. Alistair Beaton is Scottish journalist with left wing political convictions. In the last two decades besides his media presentations he succeeded as a very productive novelist and playwright. In his play "Feel Good" Beaton creates an unprecedented political farce. This play is a comic revenge on New Labour spin and the government's grimness. Alistair Beaton's play is about the clandestine panic that underlies Labour's preoccupation with spin. In short, it is about money, though behind the play lurks a deeper point that the author wants to make. Although, it was made to be a comedy, this play is best understood through its current political reality. This is something that Beaton was aiming for. The play is set in a seaside hotel on the eve

REITS Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

REITS - Case Study Example In addition to that, it will access the SWOT analysis, as well as the PSTEL analysis. It will evaluate the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats under the SWOT analysis. On the other hand, it will access the political, social, technological and economical analysis of the Coca-Cola Company. The Company has been the most complex part of many countries' culture over a century. The recognizable branding of coca cola products is one of the company's greatest strengths; the image of its products is displayed on other goods like T-shirts and hats. In addition to that the bottling system is also strength; it allows them to conduct business on global scale and at the same time it maintains a local approach. The bottling partners are owned and operated by the independent business parties who are authorized to sell the products of the company. The coke does not have the outright ownership of its bottling network; its main source of profits is the sale of concentrate to its bottlers (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington 2008, p.208). The labour relations practices for the coca-cola company are among the best worldwide and are in a continuous motion to improve them. Coca-cola structure is one of the most greatly unionized multinational companies in the world with over thirty percent of workers belonging to unions. Its environmental practices are among the best in the planet yet they are still working to improve on them. The Coca- cola quality structure is a worldwide program involving all aspects of their business; every employee of Coca-Cola is empowered and anticipated to maintain the high standards of value in their products, relationships and processes. The company's quality system mandates in self-assessment throughout its operations, by all the business units (www.cocacola.com). This enhances the high standards of quality production of their goods. The company performs ingredient evaluation in their laboratories for example, precise analysis of fruit juices and all other ingredients sent by suppliers to the company's factory. Moreover, their processes undergo regular inspection in order to safeguard the water they are using in their production and packaging. Weaknesses: The coca cola company has recently reported some declines in unit case volumes in some countries like Indonesia and Thailand. This is due to the reduced consumer purchasing power. According to Cole (2006, p. 88), Japan is suppose to contribute to three times as much to profits. South East Asia, Latin America and Japan generate around 5% of the coke's volume but none, of them are performing to the expectation. Coca cola products have effects on the teeth, which is a significant health care issue. In addition to that, the sugar present in the coca

Business Law, Aunty Ems Catering School Ltd Case Study

Business Law, Aunty Ems Catering School Ltd - Case Study Example With reference to the first letter received by Emilia, a former student of the college has claimed compensation arising from the theft of her purse and bag from her assigned locker, while attending a one-day course at the college. However, the company’s managing director has straightforwardly denied that the Aunty Em’s Catering School Ltd is liable for this loss and thus defend her statement by pinpointing the exclusion clause â€Å"Aunty Em’s Catering School Ltd is not liable for any loss, theft or damage to valuables left in storage lockers.† Correspondingly, the subsequent discussion aims at investigating the rules relative to formulation of exclusion clauses to determine whether this clause excludes the company in respect of this loss. Besides, the discussion will assess whether it can be constructed to exclude liability in this situation assuming that exclusion clause is incorporated into the student’s contract. â€Å"Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977† can be apparently observed to have radical influence on the application of exclusion clause. According to this Act, exclusion clause is defined as a clause, which governs to exclude or limit liability for breach of contract and violation of implied terms or misrepresentation (Crown, 2014). On further note, it is determined that a contracting party who desires to include exclusion clause in a contract and resort upon it is ought to understand the following three requirements: Notably, the case law of Olley v Marlborough Court Hotel (1949) can be taken into concern for discussion in order to examine and acquire substantial understanding regarding the liability of the company. In this case, a hotel room was booked by the claimant Mrs Olley. A contract was made at the reception desk where an exclusion clause was not mentioned. At the back of the door, a notice displaying exclusion clause excluding hotel owners for any lost, theft or damaged property was illustrated. It was observed that a fur coat of