ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Adolescence is characterized by biological, mental, and social changes in every human life. Admittedly, the teenage age range consists of people from 10 to 19 years old. The large-scale process of socialization inherent in this biological period includes risky behaviors such as substance use and abuse. Ollendick, White, and White (2018) note, “26% of eight graders in the United States have tried alcohol, 16% have tried marijuana, 13% have tried cigarettes, and other 21% have tried other illicit drugs” (p. 445). These figures increase several times when studying 12th-grade students (Ollendick et al., 2018). And while overall statistics show a decrease in the number of unique and persistent cases of substance abuse in Western countries in general and in the US in particular, this problem is still extremely urgent. This harmful practice leads to mental addictions and physical dependences that are significant drivers of a large number of severe mental and physical illnesses. This work will examine the causes, types, symptoms, consequences, and diagnosis and treatment methods of substance abuse, as well as correlations between substance addiction and mental disorders. Substance Abuse among Adolescents The term substance implies both legal and illegal chemical compounds. According to Pagliaro and Pagliaro (2019), substances of abuse are “the abusable psychotropics are represented by three classes of psychotropics – psychodepressants, psychostimulants, and psychedelics” (p. 10). They are mainly presented in the form of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and narcotic or stimulant substances. With a large dosage and constant use, these substances cause an irreversible degenerative change in the human
Touching upon the issues of the Unconscious and contemporary theory of dreams, Inception , a recently released film by Christopher Nolan, can be considered a flow of fresh air into the sci-fi genre. It was a long time since I enjoyed a movie which was truly original in its concept and at the same time was interesting to watch. The film has a brilliant cast, headed by such actors as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and others. It can be stated that besides incredible acting talent, it was the original script that gave the room for the acting abilities of the performers to flourish. Being impressed by the development of the actions, intriguing themes and non-linear structure of the movie, the viewers find and interpret the moral message conveyed by Nolan realizing the importance of distinguishing between dreams and reality With the movie being single-viewed, I can state that the identification of its theme might be a challenging task. The one that can be identified right away is the theme of dreams and the thin, if any, distinguishing line with reality. The interrelation of dreams’ different levels makes it difficult for the viewers to differentiate between dreams and reality, which can be assumed to be one of the motifs of the film. Additionally, the connection between the present and past, with past haunting the present, is another interesting motif that could be identified. The film’s emotional effect can be identified through the mood of the audience in the theater. In that regard, although the genre was identified as scientific fiction, the mood in the theater might lead to the film being considered as a psychological thriller category. Thus, for me Inception is an ideal balance between a great original and challenging idea of intentional influencing the sphere of person’s Unconscious, with a perfect technical realization by combining elements of sci-fi and thriller genres and intriguing the audience up to the last moment of the film (Nolan & Thomas, 2010). What the film means to me can be explained through the statement that this motion picture was the ideal form to realize the ideas conveyed in the script, which could not be a book. However, if these ideas were originally in a book, it could not have been transferred into a movie better than Nolan did it, making dreams really close to the way I personally perceive them. The plot of the movie is original, telling the story of a group of experts in stealing ideas from people’s dreams. The exposition of the film might make the audience frustrated at once, with fast introduction of new characters, time, place, and ideas, which are hard to follow. Nevertheless, the exposition ends with a dialogue which answers
Introduction The current economy is facing an economic recession, most of the businesses that depend on mass for sale have been curtailed since the onset of COVID-19. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the main drivers of economic growth, and most of them have been negatively impacted by the economy’s recession (Lee and Bowdler 102118). Federal reserve need to implement the following action; Lowering Interest Rates Firstly, the demand for products and services is reduced, and this complicates the supply chain. To enhance economic expansion and liquidity in the market, the federal reserve needs to lower the interest rates. This will gear investors to invest in the market through loans knowing that the output will be high because of the availability of cheap credit (Raveh 613). SMEs on the verge of collapsing will take this policy to their advantage and take credit to expand their businesses, which will enhance liquidity in the market as the supply chain is opened (Roevekamp 102266). Productivity will increase, thereby creating jobs and innovation that will lead to an economic upturn. Open Market Operations (OMO) Secondly, open market operations (OMO) such as bonds will help increase liquidity. The federal reserve can buy bonds, leading to the injection of liquidity into the financial market, opening the economy. OMO help in raising money supply and reducing the interest rates, thereby opening the economy for investments from both local and foreign (Younsi and Nafla 260). Lowering Reserve Requirements Lastly, the federal reserve can increase liquidity by lowering the reserve requirements. Lowering the reserve requirements helps the banks to circulate the cash as they can loan the many SMEs in the country, thereby enhancing economic growth (Younsi and Nafla 260). When liquidity in the market is increased, businesses grow as well as the economy. Conclusion These crucial actions need to be taken to ensure the welfare of the economy as COVID-19 continues to impact people’s health, and businesses are shutting down. Millions of people have lost their jobs since the onset of the pandemic. Works Cited Lee, Seungyoon, and Christopher Bowd
Value of University Education as to Students’ Impressions Research aim The research seeks to establish value of university education in the student’s context by considering impressions that can be attributed from it. Research objective The following objective is proposed by the researcher as aiding in achieving the above stated aim:   *        + To study the students impressions of the value of university education. Research Question How does student’s impression inform the value of university education? Literature Review Students have various impressions on the value of university education. According to Tony and Neil (2011), these impressions pertain to a wide variety of aspects that relate to life of an individual. For instance, Holman (2009) affirms that university education is a panacea of an increased earning in life as he postulates that people with a first university degree earn more than the high school graduates while those individuals with graduate education earn more than their counterparts with bachelors degree. Therefore, students’ impression is that university education is seen as an economic value since future earnings of an individual is directly related to the level of education one has and since university is the highest institution of higher learning, those who attain university education are considered to have higher earnings than those without (Fonagy, 2001). Moreover, according to Balzer (2008), it is believed that students have the impression that the university education has societal value in respect to the workforce. These higher learning institutions release to the society highly qualified human capital. For that
Culture is a broad subject that represents a person’s way of life and is influenced by several factors. It is composed of beliefs, values, language, traditions, and customs, to mention just a few. Major groups and divisions of culture are inclusive but not limited to high culture, popular culture, and personal culture (Valsiner, 2000). The later stands out among other divisions since it is found in all groups. Unique culture generally refers to a set of beliefs, values, or generally the way of life of an individual irrespective of the way of life of people in the larger society. Although people influence each other greatly, each person has got his or her unique way of life. Nonetheless, it is important to mention that personal culture is influence by the family a person comes from, geographical location, and mainly the people that a person interacts with daily. People are able to develop a personal culture by selecting a variety of beliefs, values, and attitudes that suits them best. Personal culture is also determined by sexual orientation, age, and ethnicity. For instance, the personal culture of heterosexuals is different from the personal culture of homosexuals. Similarly, the personal culture of the youth is different from the personal culture of the old members of the community. There is much about personal culture since, as mentioned earlier, culture is a broad topic. Bent on that, this essay shall compare and contrast my personal culture as a heterosexual with the personal culture of a homosexual. The issue of homosexuals has remained to be the subject of discussion for quite some time now. Nevertheless, as much as they have been stigmatized, various researches indicate that they are normal people just like heterosexuals, and that is why the American Psychiatric Association does not classify them as people suffering from various mental disorders (American Psychological Association, 2010). Personally, I have been curious about the life of homosexuals, and as a result, I had to interview one person by the name of John in order to search for some of their attributes. My main focus was to understand more about their personal culture. John is a young man of twenty-eight years and works as a civil servant. He went through normal schooling and graduated from university as a social scientist. Contrary to what I had thought initially, John proved to be a man of sound mind and had chosen his way of life freely without being forced by anyone. He is a normal person, and no one would think he is a homosexual before talki
Significance M*A*S*H , a popular comedy-drama, released on CBS in the years 1972-1983, should be discussed as a part of the course for several reasons. Becoming one of the most popular shows on CBS, M*A*S*H presented a different outlook on comedy and appealed to a more socially aware audience with its dark humor and political subtext (Hilmes 252). This TV series was set in early 1950s Korea during the Korean War and depicted the lives of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH). While the unit that was shown in the series was fictitious and the story was focused not on the war itself but the individuals working in the MASH, the portrayal of war events also contributed to the series’ influence on the history of television. Although the setting of the series was not familiar to the audience’s culture and experience, its poignant discussion of the issues surrounding the US in the 1970s and 1980s attracted viewers with different political and social views. M*A*S*H examined problems and concerns of the nation that were relevant at that time, often focusing on such matters as the public’s knowledge of the Vietnam War, its unstable relationship with the government following the Watergate Scandal, and its thoughts about various rising social activist movements (Harvey). The discussion of various war sentiments, including patriotism and eagerness to participate in military actions was also present in the series, being sarcastically viewed by some characters. Moreover, the series did not attempt to address these issues in a serious tone, using dark comedy and dramedy instead. While the show had started as a situational comedy, it gained a more moralistic tone near the middle of the series’ seasons, using comedy as a way to teach the audience about serious and pressing issues. Themes This TV series corresponds to the theme of social commentary present in many shows of the same period. In the context of the audience’s interest in people’s rights and the growing influence of the feminist movement, M*A*S*H could be seen as a way to present the viewers with some questions and open them for a discussion. While shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Maude offered a case for equality and women’s rights and the sitcom Good Times dealt with racial issues, M*A*S*H focused on political, military, and civilian conflicts. It may be assumed that such an approach also revealed M*A*S*H as having anti-war sentiments, with the series’ refusal to portray wars less frighteningly and seriously (Freeman). Therefore, the concepts of the series directly correspond to the theme of social movements and issues being presented to the audience in the comic form to
Introduction The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided river valley in Colorado. It has an uplifted Paleozoic and Proterozoic strata (Cart 4). For centuries, the area has been inhabited by the Native Americans. The inhabitants of the Grand Canyon consider the place to be sacred. Over the past few decades, the area has gained extensive popularity in the world. It has become one of the most popular tourist attraction sites in the globe. To this end, it is noted that the Grand Canyon National Park attracts an estimated five million visitors annually. People from the United States make up the largest group of sightseers in the park. They account for 83% of the tourists visiting the region (Crawford 5). Tourists from the rest of the world make up 17% of the total visitor’s amount (Cart 3). The southern part of the park is accessible all-the-year-round. On its part, the northern part is open for about five months in a year. A utilitarian view of the proposed development in the park reveals that it has more disadvantages than benefits. In light of this, the projects should be halted. In this paper, the author argues against the commencement of the controversial commercial development of Tusayan, Arizona, which is one of the projects proposed by investors in this region. To achieve this objective, the writer will adopt the utilitarian normative approach to investments. The Proposed Commercial Development of Tusayan, Arizona In the recent past, no major private or government investments have been made in the Grand Canyon. However, a number of developers and investors have expressed their desire to put up multimillion-dollar projects in the area. One of the proposed investments is the commercial development of Tusayan. Currently, the town has approximately 500 inhabitants. If it is implemented, the housing project will increase this number to 5000 (Morales 2). The proposal has attracted mixed reviews from both the locals and international parties. Some people support the development plans, while others oppose the move. A Review of the Utilitarian Normative Theory The utilitarian normative theory is a supposition used by analysts in the field of community development. The theoretical framework argues that the best cause of action is the one that maximizes utility. For example, the number of stakeholders who stand to benefit from the Tusayan project should involve a wider range of participants and not solely those who would be adversely affected (Cart 2). Efficacy is defined in a number of ways. However, the initial definition, which is commonly used by scholars, was coined by Jeremy Bentham. The philosopher is considered to be the pioneer of utilitarianism. According to him, utility entails pleasure and happiness. In other words, it is the absence of pain. Over the decades, various scholars have focused on this concept in their studies. The researchers have come up with different perceptions of utility. John Stuart Mill,
Introduction Industrial revolution which occurred in the 19 th century was birthed by the need of the society to improve their living standards as well as an opportunity to obtain an extra income. This was a period when man had gained a lot of knowledge in various fields. This period marked a new beginning for the women where by they became actively involved in economic activities. Previously most women engaged in household chores and mostly depended on their husbands who would go out hunting and gathering for food. Due to the availability of facilities for them to work outside their homes, and the need for them to supplement on the family income, they took up roles to work in industries that were established during this period (Fiero, 253). Despite the positive impact that was felt in the economy due to the participation of women, it had diverse effects on them considering the other home responsibilities that they were to perform. Their participation in the building of the economy by working in the industries did not relieve them of the home responsibilities. They were still expected to take care of their households as they involved in industrial work. The working environment The working environment that they were exposed to also had impacts on their health. Some of them were to work in mines and risky industrial environments. They were made to carry heavy loads which generally impacted on their reproductive health. This was also a season when there was a general exploitation on women who had to live up to the demands of the men. Men were generally in charge of such industrial establishments and hence served as bosses to the women. They supervised them and made them work without any rest. The work they did was not in proportion to what they earned considering that they were juniors (Fiero, 253). The women had to wake up earlier than their husbands and perform some household chores before they embarked on their daily industrial chores. They were expected to report to their work places early and also leave late in the evening. These women did not hence have adequate time to rest. Despite the hard work that they were given, they had minimum breaks for lunch, some industries that were kind enough would provide them with some food inform of lunch which was not balanced. Some of them were forced to carry their young lactating children to their places of work as there was nobody at home to take care of them. The working environment posed a great threat for them and their children yet they had no alternative. Their children who had attained the age of five years were also to participate in these activities but their wages were slightly lower than those of the women. Some industries required that the children be taken away from their parents and work in mines and other establishments. The women would hence stay for quite sometime before seeing their children (Lupri, 68). It was a season that saw the children being separated from their parents. They were expected to work as per the demands of their bosses who are mainly the men. They would only break from work when they had to give birth even though most
Art refers to a means of purposefully putting things in a particular manner so as to influence the mind, senses as well as the emotions. It constitutes of various creations, human activities and several methods of expression of human ideas through paintings, music, sculpture, literature, filming and photography (Creative Intelligence 4). Beauty on the other hand refers to the characteristics bestowed in an individual that leads to a perceived understanding of satisfaction and pleasure. It emanates from aesthetic. Ideal beauty thus refers to that which attracts admiration in a given culture leading to perfection. Thus art has been broadly explored in aesthetic so as to bring out its correlation to generations and mankind. This essay therefore, uses the concepts from semiotics to discuss art and aesthetics in relation to California Disney Hall as a piece of art in public. Semiotic concepts include signs and making meaning out of the signs identified in a particular piece of art whether performing art, sculptural or modeling art. They mainly encampass creation of meaning out of a given sign accorded to artwork. The interpretation of a given piece of art work is based on the denoted meaning identified such as the identification of visible signs as well as the actual cultural relationship that comes along with such identifications. Therefore, the main aim of semiotic artist is to derive methods of navigation coupled with interpretation of connoted meaning (Bann 128). This seeks to unfold the coded meaning and meaning unfolded in a given object of aesthetic value by determining its relationship to collective consciousness. Concepts of semiotics have been identified in the history of art for instance, in the works of Panofsky and Riegl (Creative Intelligence 5) including the very important texts by Meyer bringing out visual semiotics.