ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
What elements of a life course perspective are discussed in the article? We can only surmise how marriage is related to health, but those who have been through a lot of problems and hassles as a result of bad marriages, literally know what marriage can bring to their health. More astounding facts and results of a study conducted by Hawkins and Booth (2005) came to the fore that could bring recommendations of further studies and bring to everybody’s attention the effects of marriage on people’s health. There are good and bad effects. According to the newspaper article by Lerner (2002), a good marriage can bring these benefits:  1. Married people are generally less likely to have surgery and to die from all causes, including pneumonia and accidents.  2. Marriage is a cure for loneliness.  3. A good marriage can give a person a reason to stay alive. Now, what about a bad marriage or a strained relationship, what does it bring? Lerner says unhappy relationships can bring:  1. Ill health and sickness; women are more vulnerable, and suffer the most; there’s a stronger association between marital discord and death among women.  2. Depression  3. Ulcers in the stomach and intestine  4. More gum disease and cavities  5. Severe sickness The worst happens to people who don’t marry:  1. High blood pressure and heart rate  2. Changes in the endocrine and immune system, and  3. Early death Emotions affect our health. That is Freudian. Although the studies and the facts enumerated in the article seem to be something new, the phenomenon is not new at all. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis theory points to the facts provided in the article: that our health is always affected by the way we think and feel, and interact with the people around us. “The tensions and arguments of marriage can often lead to depression.” Those who are susceptible to high blood pressure surely will have their blood soaring up once they are in a strained and unhappy marriage. The old adage says, “Take good care of your heart.” That seems to be self-explanatory. Though it mostly refers to the kind of diet and the lifestyles that we have, this also points to “who or with whom” we deal with, or in company with. If your partner can give you headaches all day long and throughout your married life, then what is good in marriage? But
The enormous significance of the nullification controversy and its ramifications on the United States politics in the first half of the nineteenth century is no secret. The conflict emerged between the American federal government and South California when the latter attempted to declare Tariff laws of 1828 and 1832 null and void within its borders. While primarily manifesting itself through protests, the crisis illustrated a deep divide in interests, attitudes, and values between the South and the North of the country. Tariff law of 1828 was deemed controversial from the beginning; hence, its common alias is “Tariff of Abominations.” This law, which raised nullification rates for manufactured goods to 50 percent, was not sufficiently revised in 1832 to satisfy Southern lawmakers and the public. At the time, the crisis exposed the underlying disagreements concerning the limits of power of the federal government and conflicting readings of the Constitution (Park 509). Even Andrew Jackson and his vice-president John Calhoun could not agree on the matter, with Calhoun believing that a state should be allowed to overrun the federal law’s authority. After failing to address Southern Californians’ concerns, Jackson utilized the “carrot and stick” approach to resolve the crisis. Alternating between promises of tariff reform and threats of military force, he combined conciliation and coercion to suppress the protests. As a result of the nullification crisis, it became apparent that the American governmental structure, for better or for worse, could function without a unified national culture (Park 508). The social and economic interests of the different parts of the country contradicted each other too strongly for the expanding empire to avoid serious internal conflicts from 1830s onwards. Work Cited Park, Benjamin. “The Angel of Nullification: Imagining Disunion in an Era Before Secession.” Journal of the Early Republic , vol. 37, no. 3, 2017, pp. 507–536. Web.
Why Don’t We Listen Better? Communicating & Connecting in Relationships, is a chef-d’oeuvre treatise on listening and talking by James C. Petersen. The author shares communication and listening skills that people practice in their day-to-day interactions with other individuals whether at work, home, school, or anywhere else where human relations are involved. The book is divided into five sections with each addressing a different issue concerning the topic of communication. In the first section, the author talks about communication options before developing a pragmatic approach to listening and talking in the second section. The third part highlights the various communication traps together with listening techniques that could be employed in everyday human interactions. In the fourth section, the author discusses how the talker-listener methodology could be integrated into group facilitation and concludes with the basic philosophical maxims of communication. In part one, “Options in Communicating”, Petersen (2015) develops what he calls the Flat-Brain Theory – a theory of emotions that involves the head, heart, and stomach. In this case, the head is associated with thoughts, the stomach embodies emotions, and the heart carries personal responsibility. The author argues that the Flat-Brain theory explains how “our emotions, thinking, and relating abilities work and how what goes on inside us comes out in the ways we communicate and act” (Petersen, 2015, p. 8). For instance, when the emotional stomach is bloated, it leads t
Humans spend approximately one-third of their life for sleeping. However, the full role of this process remains unknown. It was determined that sleep is essential for cell division, body growth and reparation, memory formation and unnecessary memory files removal, protein synthesis, immunocompetence maintenance, and metabolism regulation (Silber et al. 8). Thus, it could be stated that sleeping disorders can lead to serious health problems. Insomnia and narcolepsy are two different types of sleeping disorders. Insomnia is characterized by the reduction of quantity or quality of sleep, while narcolepsy means excessive daily sleepiness. Insomnia According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, insomnia could be defined as “a nightly complaint of an insufficient amount of sleep or not feeling rested after the habitual sleep episode” (23). The definition also includes adverse daytime consequences of the sleeping disorder (Sateia and Buysse 3). The problem with the definition is that there are no accepted objective criteria that could be used for the disorder diagnosis. The level of distress and, therefore, the severity of insomnia depend on the individual characteristics of a patient. Besides, it was established that people with insomnia are inclined to overestimate the negative effect of sleeping disorder and underestimate the total time of sleep. Despite all the difficulties, nowadays, the clinical diagnosis of insomnia is based on the patient’s complaints and description (Sateia and Buysse 3-5). It was stated that insomnia affected up to 30% of American citizens (Silber et al. 184). Reasons for insomnia could be various: environmental factors that prevent healthy sleep, the irregular sleep-wake cycle and unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle, stress, a wide range of physiological, neurological, and psychiatric diseases, and others (Silber et al. 185-194). It is important to determine the cause of the sleeping disorder to provide efficient therapy. For the insomnia treatment, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical approaches are used. It is required to optimize the sleep environment and regime. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is also considered to be an effective method to overcome insomnia. For pharmaceutical therapy, sedative, and hypnotic medications such as benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine-receptors agonists, melatonin agonists, and antidepressants are used in clinical practice (Silber et al. 200-206). Narcolepsy Narcolepsy could be defined as “excessive sleepiness that typically is associated with cataplexy and other REM-sleep phenomena, such as
In his chef-d’oeuvre play, A Streetcar named Desire, Tennessee Williams explores how reality works to counter the escapist illusions that people create and use to dodge the harsh realities of life. The majority of people resort to fantasy after life becomes unbearable; unfortunately, such illusions only lead to self-destruction as laws govern the universe as opposed to chance and luck. Blanche DuBois’ illusions and her unrelenting quest to escape the reality as espoused by Stanley leads her to insanity. Williams uses this opportunity to show that fantasy cannot overcome the reality irrespective of how one tries. Williams’ view towards the ideas of illusion and reality works to highlight the fact that reality will always overcome fantasy and the two cannot coexist peacefully, and while we cannot completely admire Stanley in his totally honest and brutal state, we can align ourselves with Blanche and her web of manipulations and lies. After Blanche loses everything in her life, she resorts to fantasy as an escapist attempt to avoid confronting the harsh realities of her new status. Just like Blanche, people resort to fantasies when faced with seemingly insurmountable situations. Busch posits, “The fear that good objects have been destroyed leads to a fantasy of being alone with bad objects, adding to depressive feelings” (272). Similarly, Blanche responds to her crisis in the same manner. After losing her husband and Belle Reve, she does not have anything left in her life, and thus she resorts to fantasies as a way of dealing with her loss (Berkman 251). In scene nine she admits, “I don’t want realism, I want magic” (Williams 117). Magic in this context can only be actualized through a fantasy, which explains why and how Blanche survives. Throughout the human history, people yearn to live in a world of plenty, free of pain, and full of bliss coupled with happiness. Unfortunately, Williams sends an awakening call to humanity that inasmuch as people want to live in a world of their creation, they have to wake up from their dreams and face the vagaries of the real world (Hawkins 27). Unfortunately, people do not accept this fact and in most cases, they resort to self-justification. In scene two Blanche consoles herself by noting, “I know I fib a good deal. After all, a woman’s charm is fifty percent illusion” (Williams 41). When individuals cannot realize their full potential, they settle for mediocrity. Gilbert adds that due to laziness and lack of proper tools, individuals settle for the ‘available’ instead of striving to get the best, thus spiraling into mediocrity (84). Williams understood this aspect perfectly, which explains why he designs Blanche in this manner. In most cases, the deluded person cannot understand the reality and thus s/he chides
The history of the United States is complex because it is not limited to the War for Independence and the Civil War but includes Native American’s opposition to white people. One of the most violent resistance of Apache nations to American settlers was in the southwest. Geronimo, known for his raids in Mexican lands, was the most prominent leader of these armed conflicts with the American Army. Although the initial encounter between Geronimo and white land explorers was friendly, the later violent acts of gold miners against Chiricahua people resulted in aggression (“We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 21:10-24:21). Indeed, Cochise, the chief of one of the Chiricahua tribes, known for his excellent leadership and diplomatic skills, rightfully called on revenge that was led by Geronimo (We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 24:34-24:50). They attacked each other and expressed their anger by murdering civilians. However, since the forces were not equal, Indians were forced into reservations or prisons. Thousands of non-military and military people lost their lives during these armed conflicts that ended with the imprisonment of the leaders and participants of the resistance who were never allowed to return to their homeland. Although Geronimo might be a hero for some Apache warriors, he was a criminal for Americans and Mexicans. Indeed, “the Mexican government passed laws offering cash payment for Apache scalps” because they could not tolerate Indian raids and theft of their property (We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 10:12-10:17). Since attacks were considered usual practice for Apaches, they could not understand Mexicans violence against them. The line of war was drawn when the hunters killed Geronimo’s entire family, leaving the warrior in despair and rage. Americans became furious with all Indians in the 1960s because of the continuous armed resistance of the Apaches (We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 26:35-27:13). The U.S. government had to send armed forces to the region to resolve this issue. However, Geronimo and his supporters repelled the idea of being sent to reservations. For the U.S. Army, he certainly was “a vicious killer capable of murdering without mercy” when he ruthlessly stabbed the farmer and his family who hosted Geronimo’s troop (We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 55:33-55:35). Unfortunately, this resistance transformed into brutal murders of peaceful white settlers and Indians who refused to fight against Americans by Geronimo. Geronimo was described in Apache’s stories as a fearless warrior, but many Indians do not consider him a heroic person. He was the last Chiricahua Apache who fought American settlers in the southwest, which made him the symbol of Indian resistance in North America (We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 1:02:13-1:02:24). Still, Apache suffered because of his actions; thus, many Indian tribes were angry with him and did not “look at him as a hero” (We Shall Remain: Geronimo,” 1:13:07-1:13:16). Geronimo is a complex historical figure who had a long and arduous journey from the war with white settlers to leading President Roosevelt’s inaugural procession, becoming popular among Americans and an antagonist for the Apaches
Introduction The project’s purpose is to start the online dating business that will help people to get in touch, acquire new acquaintances, and arrange offline meetings. Since online dating implies the meeting of unfamiliar people, safety measures are the priority. For this reason, along with the function of social networking, our Online Dating App will incorporate a good security system. By focusing on the safety of our customers, we will create an additional customer value that will presumably increase the success of the marketing strategy. According to recent statistical data, about 84 percent of singles around the world used online dating sites and applications at least once in life (“Online Dating Statistics and Facts” par. 3). In the USA alone, the industry is currently on the rise – about 41 million adult Americans reported using the apps for dating (Davies par. 1). Although online websites and apps provide a convenient space for the search of potential mates, their use is associated with some safety issues. Researchers observe that about 20 percent of users registered in online dating websites are scammers or offenders (Mizzi 14). Since there is a large number of fake user profiles in online dating apps and sites, it is essential to provide customers with the system that would ensure both their security and confidentiality. The app will utilize the secure email and messaging systems, introduce the policy of voluntary background check-ups, and coordinate the security efforts with the local police department. The trustworthiness and credibility of the product are pivotal for companies and consumers. Consumers will never commit their time or financial resources to services that do not seem credible to them and, for a firm, the lack of credibility substantially interferes with its growth potential. Since security and privacy are two of the main drivers of trust (Wendel and Frandsen 30), by integrating an efficient security system in our Online Dating App, we will be able to provide users with safety guarantees and, at the same time, increase brand strength and create the positive reputation. Organizational Structure Online Dating App firm will be a C Corporation in New York with a linear management structure. We chose the given type of business because it is associated with reduced financial risks and better access to the sources of financial support; it protects the company owners from responsibilities for losses and failure. At the same time, the linear structure of the organizat
Introduction Organizational behavior refers to the “understanding, prediction, and management of human behavior and how it affects the performance of the organization”. Generally, managing organizational behavior focuses on influencing the actions of employees by aligning them to the goals and objects of the organization. Concisely, effective management of organizational behavior involves nurturing the actions and attitudes that enable employees to increase their productivity and the overall performance of the organization. This paper will focus on analyzing the organizational behavior of Walmart. In particular, it will analyze the company’s culture, modes of communication, nature of authority, motivational techniques, as well as, the firm’s approach to emotional intelligence, and virtual organization. The analysis will highlight the positive and negative effects of these aspects of organizational behavior on the company. The thesis statement that will underpin the analysis is that effective management of organizational behavior leads to high performance. Walmart Walmart is a leading international retailer that operates in over 27 countries. It operates under 69 different brands in different regions. The company employs more than two million people in different parts of the world. In 2012, it recorded a sales turnover of $444 billion (Walmart, 2013). Generally, the company has achieved organic growth over the years, thereby becoming the largest retailer in the world. This success has been achieved, in part, due to the company’s core values, which include “service to customers, respect for individuals and striving for excellence” (Walmart, 2013). Moreover, high growth has been enhanced by the firm’s culture, which promotes honesty, fairness, and objectivity. The organizational behavior of the firm affects its performance as follows. Type of Culture The management of Walmart is based on pluralism. The rationale of adopting a pluralist culture is that the company has a multicultural workforce and it operates in different cultures. Consequently, its organizational culture must focuses on promoting diversity and respect for individuals. This has led to the adoption of a pluralist culture that is characterized with diffuse power, knowledge-based work, as well as, divergent objectives. The benefits of this culture to the company include the following. Using diffuse power enables the company to empower its managers and employees to make decisions that are relevant to their departments. This improves efficiency in decision-making processes. Additionally, the employees feel that their efforts are recognized because their opinions are taken into account by the management. This improves their commitment to the firm. Knowledge-based work enables the employees to work independe
The Coca-Cola Company is one of the world’s most recognizable brands. For more than a hundred years, the company has managed to hold the dominant position in the market of non-alcoholic beverages. Also, Coca-Cola is an example of successful market diversification, as its products are currently present in over 200 countries worldwide. The current paper aims at identifying the elements responsible for the success of the company, such as leadership, motivation, and teamwork of the employees, and identifying their impact on the organizational behavior, as well as analyzing the benefits of the said strategies for the organization as well as the community. Leadership Leadership is often recognized as one of the defining components of organizational behavior. Successful and well-organized leadership defines the acts and attitudes of the employees as members of the team rather than individuals and facilitates the commitment to the goals and values of the company. While its definitions and requirements vary depending on the leadership style and other factors, the dominant consensus is the presence of such factors as vision and mission. The transformational leadership model suggests that a leader can conceive the vision and mission of the organization and project it at his followers, successfully transforming their view rather than forcing them to follow it as mandatory (Kumar & Meenakshi, 2009). Such is the case with Coca-Cola’s 2020 Vision. Conceived by Scott Figura, Global Director of Productivity and Operational Excellence, the 2020 Vision comprises the creation of inspiring and friendly workplace, the production of quality beverage brands, the orientation toward market diversification by forming international partnerships, constantly improve quality standards of production, and work towards profit maximization. It is also worth noting that the 2020 Vision includes a separate part that tackles the environmental issues, stating the readiness to decrease the possible adverse effects of its activity and be a responsible Earth citizen (The Coca-Cola Company, 2012). While the profit maximization is an obvious solution for a business entity, the environmental aspect is used to boost the commitment and belief in corporate values. The research has previously shown that employees exhibit stronger affiliation with the organization if they generally perceive its activities as benevolent and contributing to the well-being of humankind (McAlister & Ferrell, 2002). As a result, a survey conducted among the Coca-Cola employees showed that the majority feel that being affiliated with the company makes them feel empowered and make a difference, which results in increased productivity (Hill, Stephens, & Smith, 2003). Teamwork Teamwork is another important element that defines organizational behavior. The whole idea of a successful organization is to make their employees work as