ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Motivation is an essential part of human life. All people act in accordance with some specific theories of motivation without being aware of the fact that all their actions may be explained by the theories. All people need motivation for their actions. After an action is completed it is possible to get to now the reasons why this or that action has been done. Dwelling upon the theories of motivation, it should be stated that most people are guided by these theories of motivation without thinking about them. Watching TV comedy series 3rd Rock from the Sun , the 7 th episode from the 5 th season “Sex and the Sally”, there is a scene where the alien High Commander has a dinner in a restaurant with his girlfriend Mary Albright. The situation when Mary gives tips to the waiter frustrates the alien as he cannot understand why people give money for nothing. The next time when he comes to the restaurant he invents his own way of tipping. This is a good example of the motivational theories and it is possible to describe several of them. Expectancy theory and equity theory are two theories which perfectly explain Dick Solomon’s attempts to motivate the waitress. The main argument in favor of the expectancy theory in this situation is that this theory is characterized by the awareness of those who are going to perform the task about the outcome in case the task is completed in a quality way and about the outcome when the task is completed in a poor way. The waiter was offered a sum of money as tips, however, these tips could either increase or decreased depending on the way the waitress served a man. Therefore, a waitress was motivated by the expected positive outcome in case of her good serving. Waiting for extrinsic outcome, a waitress tried to perform her task as better as she could as the outcome (the sum of tips) depended directly on her performance (Dick’s satisfaction). Dick used equity theory to increase the success in motivating the waiter. Applying to this specific theory, Dick motivated the waitress by means of the following, the better service (outcome) he had from the meal at that restaurant, the higher tips the waitress got. Dick offered his money and the waitress offered her experience and service. Therefore, having put equal efforts (input) the participants of the activity expected to get the same outputs, money for a waitress and pleasure from service to Dick. Dick did all possible to make these outcomes equal. Therefore, referring to this theory, Dick increased the motivation of the waiter making her income (tips) depend on the satisfaction she could offer to the man. Equity theory is based on the equal spending of two sides and equal results. Taking money as Dick’s expense
Introduction Conservation efforts and the utilization of energy sources that are environmental friendly have continued to gain popularity globally (Blowers & Leroy 223). Countries have formulated policies on the kind of energy systems that are efficient and environment friendly; these systems are meant to resolve the conflicts of social, technical, economic and environmental balance (Eyre 89). These factors are considered crucial for the development as well as economic growth of any nation; however, there is always a clash when it comes to maintaining a quality environment. A nation should also consider the issue of human safety when formulating policies on energy systems and resources to be utilized (Hall 305). The priority given to the human safety, environmental protection, economic growth and development, however, depends on a nation’s needs, objectives as well as values. The usage of nuclear energy has caused controversies on human health as well as environmental crisis. This is because of the effects of its waste materials and radiation emanating from mines, safety of the material during transportation, effects of explosives made from this materials and waste management (Cramer 67). This paper will explore the effects of using nuclear materials on the environment and the society. Mining of uranium The chain of all nuclear activities begin with the mining of uranium materials from underground, therefore, it is the genesis of all the trouble associated with nuclear material use. This is because before mining of nuclear materials, there are no nuclear power systems, weapons and problems of managing nuclear waste (Bertell, 45). Many people have been against mining of these materials, which has led to the reduction in its exploitation. Many nations look at mining of uranium as an act that compromises the quality of the environment, also, the public is not sure of the effectiveness of the measures put in place to prevent the leakage from nuclear industries and from the usage of nuclear weapons; this has led to the public opposition to mining of nuclear material (International Atomic Energy Agency 98). However, opposition has led to the understanding of the effects of radioactive material, both to the environment and society (Hall 306). Australia has a large reserve of uranium, however, it exports only a tenth of the production worldwide; this shows that the world has developed a resistance towards the deadly mineral. Uranium mining begins from exploration and ends when the mines closes down, and during the whole period of mining, negative environmental impacts are experienced. There are problems associated with exploration of nuclear materials, and these problems include displacement of people living within the area of exploration. During mining, there are also harmful substances, which need to be handled carefully or isolated. If these substances are not carefully handled, they can dissolve in underground water leading to water co
The habit of biting one’s nails is common in many people of different ages. This kind of habit can be caused by many things but the main cause is stress or anxiety. Different people find different ways to deal with daily life stress. Some prefer to shop, others eat comfort foods like chocolates and ice cream and others will find themselves biting their nails. There are so many ways one can use to stop the nail biting habit some of them being using substances that have bitter tastes, using hypnosis or just taking good care of your nails such that you will feel a loss if you bite them. The successful stopping of biting fingernails is possible and the person who is successful will not only ensure healthy fingernails but they will have succeeded in kicking off a very bad habit. In addition to that, the person will feel encouraged to keep their nails in a better state and will feel more confident with their nails in the case of those that are embarrassed by them. The following is a program I came up with to help myself and others who have the same habit of nail biting to stop this destructive behavior. Step I. Find out the root cause of the habit : The first step one has to do in order to stop biting their nails is to find the root cause of the problem. This is because such behaviors are normally as a result of oral fixation mainly brought about by stress, anxiety, boredom, nervousness or even hunger. Step II. Find an alternative way to relieve your stress: try to look for something else to do when you are feeling stressed. This could be pressing a stress ball or doing one of your hobbies like drawing or playing games. Whichever activity you choose to replace nail biting with, make sure it is not another self destructing one. Step III. Set records for yourself and beat them: you can start by setting a target of not biting your nails for a day or not biting a certain fingernail for a day. Once you succeed in doing this you can extend it for two days and so on. Progressively, you will find yourself not biting your nails for a week, then a month and finally never doing it again. Step IV. Trim your nails: keeping your nails short and regularly filing them could help you to stop biting them since there will not be much surface to bite. Whenever you find yourself starting to bite your nails, stop and trim them then file the ragged parts away neatly and you will find yourself stopping the habit soon enough. Step V. Go for regular manicures: manicuring your nails will ensure that your nails look neat and pretty. Manicurists always make sure that they cut all the dead skin on the cuticles away. They then apply nail polish which is most of the time bitter to taste and you might not like biting nails with such polish. These kinds of nail polish act as reminders not to bite your nails especially when you find yourself doing it unconsci
Stories are an integral part of people’s lives. Whether told in person or read in books, stories help an individual shape their opinion about the world as much as communication with other people does. Reading stories can be viewed as a form of one-sided communication. Since most stories are intended to get a specific moral or message across, stories play inspirational roles in people’s personal lives by providing them with experience and serving as cautionary tales about specific dangers. The actual role of stories, in general, is quite hard to nail down due to the lack of homogeneity in the array of narrations that people hear or read daily. However, a closer look at the structure of most stories, i.e., the introduction, the list of the key points and the ending with a possible denouement, will show that, traditionally, stories are supposed to teach a valuable lesson or get a specific message across. Some stories do so in a subtle manner, while some hammer they’re moral in a rather obnoxious way; however, each is designed to bear some significance for the interpersonal communication process, for the personal evolution of an individual or for the location of the role that the individual in question plays in the society. The latter purpose of stories, in fact, should be listed among the most controversial ones. On the one hand, people need to locate their role in the society, and stories may help them understand the way, in which the world works, therefore, empowering them to choose a way to
The subject for the present review is the book Powers that Be by Walter Wink published in 1999. The topic of the book is spiritual and religious; it is the continuation of previous works of the author on the exploration of the powers that guide human lives, and the way they may provide a positive or a negative impact on people (Wink, 1999, p. 13). Wink (1999) also speculates on the philosophy of redemptive power of violence nurtured in Christianity and offers a new concept of active non-violence that can substitute both violence and passiveness in oppression (p. 42, 112). The main themes of the book circle around the ways Christians react to oppression, and the challenges in the way of Christians to react to violence conducted over them. The concept of “Jesus’ Third Way” is introduced as an alternative standpoint regarding both violence and perception thereof that should be nurtured by genuine Christians as a way to the peaceful future. Speaking about the evaluation of the book and the critical review of the author’s goals, one should first of all note that the author seems to have coped with the established goals quite well, which can be seen from the comprehensive outlook at the history of religion, history of violence and non-violence, and the delineation of objectives for the future action for all Christians to reform their lives. Wink offers a deep insight into what non-violence represents, and how it has been successfully introduced in many countries’ practices. One of the examples he provides is one of treating Nazis after all evil they have done to Jews and other nations: “the churches as a whole were too docile or anti-Semitic, and too ignorant of the nonviolent message of the gospel, to act effectively against the Nazis. Because the churches had failed to train members in the nonviolent resistance, no alternative to violence was available” (Wink, 1999, p. 153). However, the most remarkable part is that Wink (1999) offers a deep and thoughtful, historically based reconsideration of the modern Christian perception of their religion’s history and main postulates. This way, Wink (1999) deconstructs the notion of violent response to the threats to religion, believers, etc. However, the author does not offer Christians to sit and patiently wait while they are abuse, discriminated, and neglected (p. 128). Wink (1999) has something alternative to offer instead of violence, and the way he proves violence is not a way out for the genuine Christian. It is through a detaile
Screenology and its engagement with screen culture Modern arts experiences ongoing changes due to the technological advances. People’s natural craving the beautiful has managed to convert even scientific inventions into modern artistic movements. This is why modern culture is characterized by a cultural fusion where nature interacts with artificial details. An enormous accent has been made of media screen-based culture where modern artists and designers are striving to contribute to the development of screen art and screenology, a science studying different environments where films and video programs are made. Screenology refers to evaluation of different types of screens within cultural, social, and ideological frames. This modern science also studies some marginal relations with other cultural and artistic forms. In the context of media and visual culture, screens displaying different pictures serve as the indicator of zeitgeist and as a “hermeneutic vehicle” for alternative descriptions of the surrounding reality (Balkema and Slager 10). Sceenology is also involved in the study of the essence of screens and the reasons of their fast-growing proliferation. Before defining the mains functions and essence of the disciplines, it is first necessary to address to the definition of “screen”. Various dictionaries provide diverse explanations of the notion where the part of each one seems to partially cover its definition. Hence the Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia provide compare screens with “covered framework…upon which images may be cast by a magic lantern; in general, and shelter of means of concealment” (Whitney and Smith1292). Relying on this explanation of the notion in the beginning of the past century, it is possible to track the similarities with the modern definition of the meaning and functions of screens. One cannot but admit that current society has been encountering a growing number of screens both big and small, radiating and projecting the light. There are a sort of screens that can be observed at a distance and the ones that can be interacted with. The development and appearance of screens in historical context is also studied by screenology. However, they are not analyzed as isolated objects but in their interaction with each other. For instance, Siegfried Zielinski who examined the interaction between television conducted an outstanding research and cinema thus revealing one aspect of screens studies. Based on historical de
The Main Idea The novel “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson, is a simple story of four characters: Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. Sniff and Scurry are ordinary mice; Hem and Haw are little people. They all lived in the maze and they led a contented life altogether. The four of them had only one goal – that is, to find cheese. In this novel, cheese represents the most important thing in one’s life, something which can be equated with happiness. The two mice looked at life in an uncomplicated way – they maximized the use of their instincts to find cheese. Conversely, Hem and Haw had more complex brains and thus looked at things in a more complicated manner, including the methods of finding cheese. One day, all four characters were able to find Station C, which contained a room full of cheese to last them a long time. Every day, it would become their routine to go to this station to have their fill of cheese, and then they would all go home afterward. Hem and Haw somehow did not notice that the supply of cheese was slowly dwindling, until one day, when they arrived at Station C, they found out that all the cheese was gone. Sniff and Scurry had been to the station earlier and found that out sooner, but they did not stay long. They just went ahead into the maze in search of new cheese. Hem and Haw fretted and fussed and blamed each other for having lost their cheese. The book states that “the little people’s behavior was not very attractive or productive, but understandable” (Johnson, 1998). They did the same routine over and over until Haw realized that what they were doing wasn’t achieving anything beneficial to both of them. Haw then tried to convince Hem that they should go out of station C to look for new cheese, but Hem declined. Hem had become too attached to station C that he had begun to fear the world outside of it. He no longer wanted to get out of his comfort zone for fear of getting lost, imagined danger, false hopes, etc. Hence, Haw gathered up his wits, started his scribbling on the walls, and ventured out alone into the maze. Little by little, with every passing day, Haw gained confidence, until not long after, he was able to find station N. Here was another roomful of cheese which was even more than what they found in station C. Haw thought of going back for Hem but thought otherwise because, in retrospect, he had already tried to convince him before but was unwilling. Haw realized that for Hem’s outlook to be modified, the change had to come from within. The main idea of the story is about dealing with change and how the characters would react when “faced with unexpected change” (Johnson, 1998). The concept of change is inevitable in almost all aspects of human life, hence, each individual should be open to change or at least willing to arrive at a compromise. The world is dynamic, ever-changing, and always evolving, much like life itself. It’s either one should try to keep up or he’ll get lost. It is also better to assume a pro-active stance when dealing with life because this denotes being in control or holding the reins of one
The article The Median Isn’t the Message written by Stephen Gould highlights the idea that statistical information can be very misleading to people who have not been trained to analyze it. The author shows how individuals can jump to conclusions because they do not understand the meaning the meaning of data. Furthermore, he shows that people often tend to form intuitive judgments while analyzing information and forget about their logic and reasoning. This article has taught me that interpretation of statistical data requires attention and training; otherwise, a person is likely to make significant mistakes. Most importantly, these mistakes can shape his or her choices and perceptions of different situations. This is why they have to be avoided. The author recounts his struggles with cancer and the discouraging prognosis which was given in medical books. In particular, it was said that median mortality after mesothelioma was eight months (Gould, 1985, p 2). The writer explains that such a prognosis may easily drive a person into despair especially if he or she does not know that the term median can not tell everything about the outcome of the treatment. It is quite possible that this individual will fall into despair and yield to the disease. The thing is that the term median does not tell that there are left and right tails and that one of them can be skewed (Gould, 1985, p 3). In other words, a person may not necessarily die in eight months after surgery, and there are many people who lived for many more years. Moreover, median mortality is only an indicator, but it is not a factor that influences a person’s recovery. Among such factors, one can single out the stage when disease was detected or the age of the patient (Gould, 1985, p 3). However, an amateur reader can assume that his or her chances of survival are minimal. This is the conclusion an individual will come to. The formulation of the prognosis could mislead even an experienced practitioner of statistics such as Stephen Gould. The author’s central position seems to be rather obvious. Thus, he points out the importance of sound judgment in practical matters. The measures of an “average” should not be understood sensu stricto . On the contrary, it is necessary to analyze information carefully. It must be noted that various data of different sciences, including statistics, contain certain errors. In other words, there are relative errors, which give us an
The Vietnam War was the bloodiest conflict that the United States participated in since World War II. It changed how the country looked at military operations for years to come, and it is hard to overstate how important the outcome of this war was to the American state and society. Widely considered to be the United States’ most shameful and embarrassing campaign, the war led to the reformation of the U.S. military – after Vietnam, conscription was abolished, and professional soldiers stepped in to replace drafted conscripts. The war also traumatized many of the soldiers who participated in it; those who returned alive were crippled both physically and psychologically. Many were and continue to be diagnosed with PTSD and other mental disorders caused by days and nights of fighting in a jungle against a deadly and elusive foe. To make a tragic situation worse, the veterans of the Vietnam War were stigmatized by the nation. Unlike the esteemed veterans of World War II, those who fought in Vietnam were considered to be dishonorable and dangerous, and many of them suffer even today. Although numerous books and articles contain memories of those who lived to tell the tale, the best way to learn about the Vietnam War—and to understand how war changes people—is to talk to the veterans who participated in it. This paper is dedicated to analyzing and comparing the experiences of John Gutierrez and Carl Ferguson, two veterans of the Vietnam War. John Gutierrez’s Story In the video, John Gutierrez appears as a tall man in glasses. He looks a little shaken, and he does not exude confidence. His story about the Vietnam War is filled with recollections of the many horrors he faced in battle. His experiences seem to have a very deep emotional impact on him still; he requests the audience to read the article about an ambush for him because it is difficult for him to do so on his own. He shares certain details that did not find their way into history books – for example, he describes how some of his fellow soldiers kept count of their kills by cutting off the ears of their fallen foes (Solheim, “John Gutierrez; Carl Ferguson”). It seems unbelievable that someone could act like this in the 21st century, yet there is no reason to doubt his words – some of the crimes committed by American troops in Vietnam were far worse than a mere desecration of the dead. As he tells his story, he switches back and forth between the past and the present. He recalls the depression he experienced and the difficulties he had fitting in because his family did not want him when he returned home. He had no job, and the nightmares kept plaguing him (Solheim, “John Gutierrez; Carl Ferguson”). John’s war with himself is still not over – some of the issues he brought home with him from Vietnam may follow him to his grave. Carl Ferguson’s story Carl Ferguson presents himself as a relatively cheerful and upbeat man. Despi