ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The “Arab Spring” brought to the world the new concept of internet-inspired political revolutions, which challenged, and in some cases, toppled formerly stable autocracies. The revolutions in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia not only sparked similar uprisings in the MENA region but also helped revolutionaries all over the world to realize how they could use the internet to reach their followers. Shervin Pishevar, the owner of the Social Gaming Network (SGN), even suggested the need to have an online platform through which freedom-seeking people could link up without the possibility of interference by their governments (Berrett et al. 2015). Also, President Obama’s re-election campaign made use of the internet to secure his second term at the White House. This new approach to campaigning led him to be termed as the first social media president. However, two recent events, namely, Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as the US president, revealed the true power of internet-mediated collective action. This paper will critically evaluate how the internet shaped both events, resulting in outcomes that were not only unexpected but also shocking. Brexit Social media swayed the outcome of Brexit, as many people were mobilized and motivated to vote for Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU). The former British prime minister once stated that the internet had the power to ‘excite the attention of hundreds, thousands, millions of people and stirs them to action’ (Graham & Dutton 2014, p.197). These words were realized during the Brexit debate when the masses voted for leaving the EU, despite the elite class being in favor of staying. The mainstream media was for Britain to remain in the EU, citing potential economic harms of the exit. However, the leaders of the populist agenda such as Boris Johnson resorted to social media to spread their agenda. For months before the Brexit referendum, the ‘leave camp’ was engaged in establishing momentum online through various slogans that became popular over time. Through emotional appeal and a deep understanding of its target population, the ‘leave camp’ was able to secure victory against the London establishment. Brexit portrayed the internet as a tool for political revolution by the masses that otherwise lack the resources to organize a traditional campaign. Although the ‘stay camp’ led by Prime Minister David Cameron used vast resources to advance its agenda, it failed in terms of reaching the people. This observation is a demonstration that the internet can bring together like-minded people without necessarily requiring huge resources. Indeed, all that is needed is an internet-enabled smartphone and a powerful online message. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were used to reach the masses without the traditional expenses that are typical of political campaigns. Such cell phone-driven technology enabled the ‘leave camp’ to reach many undecided supporters who did not connect with the message being passed by the ‘stay camp’ via traditional media outlets. In the e
I discovered the documentary “Moyers and Company: It’s Time to Face Reality About Climate Change” quite intriguing. David Suzuki made numerous valid arguments throughout the presentation. One of the legitimate reasons he gave was that he felt there was an issue with climate change. The parties involved are at odds, and they need to establish a common foundation when addressing the climate crisis. David cited the logging business as one illustration by stating that operators are concerned with their urgent needs to sustain their families. He considers that the forest’s preservation is vital, as it is the wellspring of our human well-being. The government is a significant contributor to climatic change. As such, the legislature can pass policies that would contribute to safeguarding our nation’s well-being, but they do not. Our government has much architecture, including nuclear power facilities, on which firms have invested billions of dollars. For instance, the majority of businesses and the government will not just lose money. Mr. Suzuki thinks that abandoned assets contribute to our demise. One critical point is that the United States of America excels at manufacturing but does not consider the long-term consequences. Therefore, the application of scientific innovations would have made countless advancements by now. For instance, it would be fantastic to keep pests off harvests, but we don’t consider the long-term consequences as a society. Mr. Suzuki believes that it will take a cataclysmic disaster, a big meltdown, for humanity to recognize this and take action. I would have to concur with Mr. Suzuki in part. Since I am not a researcher, I have no clue how dangerous it is, but I notice that climate changes have shifted significantly in my lifetime.
Salvador Minuchin pioneered the structural family therapy (SFT), a psychotherapy that is used to address family problems. Therapists operate by joining the family to understand how it functions. They observe the familial operations to understand the relationships among members. This way, therapists can identify disruptions in the relationships. The ultimate aim is to stabilize these relationships. Minuchin believes that pathology rests within the family system as opposed to the individual. Therefore, identifying the core of the problem is more effective compared to focusing on the symptoms of the victim. Minuchin family therapy has been applied in various aspects of family-related problems. This paper will examine how this therapy can be applied in correcting eating disorders in adolescents. Statistical Research Eating disorders, particularly, anorexia nervosa, is a serious psychiatric problem with a considerable prevalence among adolescents. Touchette et al. (2011) estimate that between 0.48% and 0.7% adolescents aged 15 to 19 years have an eating disorder. This figure shows a high prevalence. Hence, psychiatrists have been engaged in attempts to control this problem. Additionally, people with anorexia tend to have a high likelihood of developing comorbid psychological conditions. Touchette et al. (2011) also found that nearly 60% of adolescents with eating disorders tend to have a lifetime anxiety or affective mayhem. Eating disorders are a major cause of concern since they contribute to suicide. According to Forcano et al. (2011), suicide cases associated with eating disorders are higher compared to any other psychiatric disarray. Anorexia nervosa may also result in death because of physical complications in victims. Anorexia is demonstrated through various ways. The diagnostic criteria observe particular behaviors in the victim. The common form in which anorexia is demonstrated is refusing to maintain body weight or only maintaining a body weight that is slightly above the normal levels based on the adolescents’ BMI (Hurst, Read, & Wallis, 2012). In addition, the adolescent may demonstrate an intense fear of gaining weight while he or she is in fact underweight. Thirdly, the victim may be incessantly obsessed with how other people view his or her body shape. Anorexic adolescents also actively deny that they have a low weight issue. In girls, amenorrhea may be experienced, lasting up to three menstrual cycles (Hurst et al., 2012). According to Hurst et al. (2012), two types of anorexia exist. Restricting anorexia occurs when the victim has strictly avoided binge eating. On the other hand, binge-eating anorexia occurs where the victim has been engaged in purging (Hurst et al., 2012). Anorexia occurs because of multifactorial causes. However, genetic predisposition is the most common risk factor (Hurst et al., 2012). Hurst et al. (2012) found that personality traits such as perfectionism and practicing dieting at an early age could contribute greatly to anorexia incidence. It is important to observe that ano
Introduction This essay addresses the fundamental concepts of the field of industrial or organizational psychology. Spector notes that the area of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology started during the period of psychology (Spector, 2012). Initially, I/O psychology focused on industrial activities, especially business management and human resource, rather than organizational aspects of improving workplace environments. Over the years, I/O psychology has grown to include other elements of organizational and industrial psychology. Generally, I/O psychology is an applied discipline that uses scientific principles to study workplace environments (Spector, 2012). Hence, Barnes-Holmes, Barnes-Holmes, Bond, Hayes, and Stewart (2006) note that I/O psychology aims to enhance working conditions and behaviors of employees and their effectiveness and efficiency. The evolution of the field of industrial/organizational psychology Spector observes that I/O psychology emanated in the 1800s because of attempts by some psychologists to apply the discipline in organizations (Spector, 2012). Proponents of I/O psychology focused on employee selection and related activities in their earlier works. Fredrick Winslow Taylor introduced the concept of scientific management in 1911. This marked the application of scientific principles in human resources. Later, scholars introduced technological aspects into I/O psychology through the theory of human factors in which the development of technology for human use played a critical role. Both WW I and II were responsible for further developments in the field as understanding the mental abilities of personnel became important for placement during recruitment. APA also facilitated the development of I/O psychology as it focused on its practical applications. Today, I/O psychology includes work conditions and satisfaction as organizational elements with theoretical and empirical studies. Kanfer notes that modern practices and explanations that entail individual perspectives and self-regulatory practices focus on integrated elements, employees, social environments, and other environmental elements within a given framework (Kanfer, 2005). Currently, the study and application of I/O psychology take place in laboratories and in industrial environments in order to understand emerging issues and challenges within organizations and business environments. I/O psychology as science with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics in research Two critical elements, which are research and practice, are present in I/O psychology (Spector, 2012). In practice, I/O psychology relies on psychology frameworks in organizations, workplace, business structures, human resource practices, and organizational behaviors. Conversely, the research area of I/O psychology focuses on testing and developing scientific frameworks for application field practices (Spector, 2012). Descriptive and inferential stati
What is political homophobia? Political homophobia refers to ways used by government figures, religions, institutions, and business organizations to discriminate against individuals systematically basing on their sexual orientation. Homophobic people develop negative feelings and perceptions towards sexual minorities such as lesbians, gay people, bisexuals, and the transgender (LGBT) people among others. According to the lecture notes by Bosia (presentation October 3, 2009), state homophobia is the summation of tools and strategies in policies and mobilizations used to invoke sexual minorities as persecution targets, and opprobrium objects by the state’s top authoritative figures (Bosia 70). The topic about homosexuality has been, and is still of interest globally. Many nations across the globe have embraced policies and language about homophobia. In his presentation Bosia (October 3, 2009) strongly believes that other than personal beliefs, past traditions, and the emergence of LGBT demands, there are other reasons that make the state actors adopt homophobic policies and language (Bosia 77). Why do some countries adopt homophobic policies and language? There are several reasons that make countries adopt homophobic policies and language. The lecture notes discuss three reasons namely domestic challenges in a country, pressure from foreign countries or competitors, and economic dislocation or downturn (Bosia 70). Some countries for instance, those dominated by Christians and Muslims are against homosexual practices, and hence face a lot of domestic challenges (Whitaker par. 3-6). Many cases of people stoned to death are common in countries dominated by homophobic people. This has led to protests from the anti-homophobic and homophobic groups. The anti-homophobic groups demand that the rights of the sexual minorities be respected, and the homophobic groups protest against homosexual practices. This leads to conflicts between the two groups. Considering that the sexual minorities are few in all countries across the world, they get punished both emotionally and physically by the homophobic people. Some stone them to death, as was the case of the 3 Yemen men in Paris, France. The three Yemen Men got punished because of having homosexual intimacy practices. To avoid such cases of brutality and violence, governments intervene to avoid further conflicts. This is one of the fundamental reasons why countries adopt homophobic policies and language to affirm their authority. Pressure from competitors or allies is also instrumental for countries to adopt homophobic policies and language. Considering that some countries depend on foreign aid or support from their allies (homophobic countries), the state actors can be forced to adopt homophobic policies and language in their countries. Failure to adopt such policies may lead to termination of good relations and support when in need. Most of the underdeveloped countries for instance, African countries face such challenges considering that they need support to improve the living standards of their citizens (Awondo, Pe
Insomnia is a prevalent mental disorder affecting a significant portion of the population. It manifests as a difficulty in sleeping and can become chronic after a certain period. Despite its prominence, the mechanisms behind insomnia’s causes are still not fully explored. The same applies to the disorder’s potential outcomes, the research into which is ongoing. However, some facts are well-established, which allows healthcare specialists to treat insomniac patients and predict/prevent the associated diseases. The essay will highlight what is known about insomnia’s epidemiology and its effects as far as a person’s health is concerned, although it also affects other aspects of one’s life. Insomnia can have many precursors, some of which will lead to other conditions. For instance, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is said to cause the disorder if it experiences dysregulations (Javeheri & Redline, 2017). The consequences include the elevated activity of the sympathetic nervous system and hormonal imbalance (Javeheri & Redline, 2017). As a result, a person begins experiencing insomnia, which can manifest as a short sleep duration (Javeheri & Redline, 2017). The latter is directly associated with such cardiovascular conditions as hypertension, heart failure (HF), and coronary heart disease (Javeheri & Redline, 2017). They are mostly responsible for mortality cases in insomniac patients as the disorder itself is not lethal, but its consequences may endanger one’s life (Javeheri & Redline, 2017). On the other hand, HF is one of insomnia’s causes, which creates a cycle when one cardiovascular disease leads to insomnia, and it subsequently increases the incidence risk of similar outcomes (Javeheri & Redline, 2017). Thus, insomnia is a result of the dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and, in turn, induces heart conditions with severe effects on one’s well-being, although a cardiovascular disease may also trigger insomnia. Another prominent cause of insomnia is rooted in genetics, which
Somalia Situation The Somali society consists of homogenous ethnic and cultural groups. However, this relatively small country, also known as the Horn of Africa, is fragmented along economic, territorial, and clan projections. Somali gained independence in 1960; unfortunately, in 1969, the founding president was assassinated. Mr. Siad Barre took over, as the president, until 1991 when he was also assassinated. By this time, Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, was in a crisis of war, which caused widespread instability in the country. After the fall of the government following the death of Siad Barre, a state of lawlessness ensued, and brought about an uprising of different factions claiming authority. These factions include the Government of Somaliland, the Government of Puntland, and the Transitional Federal Government. Contemporarily, Somalia is rife with cases of human rights oppression. The establishment of a transitional government has faced stiff resistance from the domestic militia groups. The resistance has sparked humanitarian injustices like rape, torture, murder, and forceful eviction of Somalis. This paper seeks to analyze the situation of piracy in Somalia using a societal framework. The three forms of governments are severely weakened to legislate and implement prudent policies. The official government structures are extremely weak to counter the extremely powerful informal systems of governance, due to lack of qualified human expatriates and financial resources. The inability of the Federal Government to recapture Mogadishu fully, from militants, has profoundly affected the establishment of law and order in Somalia. Dilapidated and improper infrastructure networks affect the ability of the legitimate authorities to provide public service to the Somalis. The cultural organization of the Somali society vastly isolates women from political responsibilities. Further, due to lawlessness in Somalia, there is rampant unemployment amon
Introduction Persuasion is a social process in which one party guides or systematically influences another party or group to adopt certain ideas or attitude by a rational or sober means. Persuasion can also be defined as an art of winning over someone by rational tactic. It is a communication function and can take either face-to-face approach or mass communication (Austen 23). The main intension of persuasion is to influence change to one’s school of thought or idea. Persuasion is also a skill that needs constant practice and training for its perfection. This skill enables one to exhibit superior leadership in an organization and enables one to be motivated and influence actions and processes within an organization. Process of persuasion Persuasion is a process that has several stages such as these stated below: Issue awareness Comprehension of the issue Acceptance of the idea Integration into the view point. Issue awareness involves the introduction of the idea that a manager will need to be adopted into the organization. The manager will have to utilize the proper communication channel that will effectively reach the intended audience and convey the message. After the message has been communicated, the subject to the message will need to comprehend and understand the implication of the message. At this point, the manager has to convince his subject the need to adopt the intended idea through rational means. Employees would then integrate the idea into the organization after its acceptance. Importance of persuasion Persuasion enables a manager to get things done faster in an organization through the employees. This is because employees feel that they are not coerced to perform but instead see the rationale to perform better in their chores. This skill enables managers to command respect and support not only from the employees but also from colleagues and their seniors in management. Effective persuasion enables a manager to address challenges facing the organization and find acceptable solutions in the organization. This is achieved when managers convince employees through negotiation on the best way to approach the challenges that face the firm. Persuasion fosters good employee relation in an organization (Larson 56). It plays an important role in conflict resolution within a firm. Persuasion skills enable managers to convince employees adopt a peaceful means when conflict such as industrial unrest arises in the company. Managers with effective persuasion skills will be able to convince their fellow managers in the management team to buy their ideas especially during strategic planning of an organization. Persuasion skill by a manager creates a leadership quality that enables him or her influence his superiors to see sense in his or her idea and adopt it. The manager needs to present his idea in a rational and logical manner so that everyone is convinced that the idea is good for the organization. This only possible if the manager utilizes the persuasion skill to convince the rest of the group. Persuasion is
Introduction The main aim of this assignment was to interact with individual with disabilities. To achieve this goal, I volunteered at the St. Johns Home of the Handicapped. St. Johns mainly deals with helping individuals who have physical disabilities to live their lives on a positive note. Like in many other help centers, this is achieved through their interaction with the officials of the center, volunteers and visitors who help (Falvo, 2009). To give them the moral support that they need, there is always sharing of chores between disabled individuals and those people who are physically fit. While at the center, I worked with an old colleague of mine, Jim who suffered from multiple sclerosis. His muscles were extremely weak, complained of muscle spasm and at times, he had difficulty in movement. A description of the activity During my time at the center, my main duty was to conduct clerical work. Under this docket, it was my duty to receive donations of all kinds, take their records and ensure that they are stored safely. The main task for this day was to ensure that these boxes were well stored at the storage facility while working as a team. Attitude towards the Even Volunteering to work for community-based organization has always been one of my main hobbies. In the process of working with such organization, one always gets the chance of helping the entire community through their efforts, an essential factor in ensuring community sustainability. As a result of this, my feeling towards this work was positive. Events of the Day My interaction with people at the community center was easier than I expected. The ease of interaction with the people at the community center dispelled the fear that I had towards new relations. I thought that I would do most of the work since the person that I was assigned to work with (Jim) was disabled. However, my opinion changed as the day progressed. He was brilliant at whatever task came his way. Despite his disability, Jim was able to carry some of the lighter boxes to the store. His work rate and personality were equally amazing. Interaction and Expectations While at the center, I was able to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds. I was also able to interact and understand individuals with disabilities. From my experience at the center, I came to realize that indeed, these individuals are able to accomplish a lot if they are given the chance. In addition, I also realized that interacting with “new” people is simple especially when you are working to achieve a specific goal. Finally, I learned a lot about multiple sclerosis and how it affected the patient. Feelings about the Activity following the Event After the brief stint as a volunteer, I learned that it is true that disability does not limit the ability of individuals. Every individual in the community center had his or her own unique personality and talent (Falvo, 2009). Moreover, I felt more confident about my future interactions with other people. This is because the ease of interaction w