Religion and New Age Movements Free Essays

Using material from item A and elsewhere, assess the view that most people today see spirituality and religious belief as purely private and personal matters. In society today religion can be seen in two different ways, as a private and personal matter or something to share with your community. Some sociologists would argue that religion and spirituality is a private matter because of televangelism, which is where people watch their religions services on television or go on online churches in the comfort and privacy of their own home when we have free time but other sociologists argue that this does not mean that religion and spirituality is a private matter, but that we have to use televangelism due to the fact we live in a postmodern society which means society is constantly changing and causes us to lead hectic lifestyles. We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and New Age Movements or any similar topic only for you Order Now This also links in with vicarious religion, which is where a small group of people practice for the wider community. Another reason why sociologists would argue that religion and spirituality is a private matter is that there has been a large increase in new age movements, such as; horoscopes, tarot cards and Wicca. Which focus on individualistic beliefs and self-healing, increasing amounts of these springing up indicates that because we live in a postmodern society we are starting to focus on ourselves more meaning that our beliefs are becoming privatised. Other sociologists would argue against this by saying that they are not a true picture of our religious beliefs, and are in fact, just fads, which we can pick and choose whether, we believe in them and don’t necessarily believe in them throughout our whole lives. This is linked to spiritual shopping, which is where we pick and choose which parts of different religions we believe in. Our beliefs are not a set structure and we have personal choice in what we believe. Also, another reason why religion may have become privatised is because of industrialisation, which caused us to no longer live in small tightknit communities. Before industrialisation churches and other religious organisations were often the centre of small tightknit communities and also, there was social stigma attached to not going to church before industrialisation. Industrialisation caused people to go from living in extended families to living in small nuclear families so that they could move round and find work where it was available, This lead to more hectic lifestyles and less time for people to go to churches meaning that they had to practise privately. Because of this, industrialisation also therefore decreased the amount of social stigma around not attending church allowing people to choose whether they actually wanted to go or not. You could argue that this means that religion is now more pure because we chose what we believe and don’t just ‘believe’ so that we fit into the rest of society. On the other hand, other sociologists argue that there are still other religious people about that still live in tightknit communities such as Muslims. Muslims tend to use their religion as a form of cultural defence to protect their identity from scrutiny from outsiders of their religion. But other sociologists would argue that this is a Eurocentric argument because Muslims do not use their religion as a form of cultural defence outside of Europe, and the reason they do it here is because of how they are represented in the media and because people connect them with fundamentalist attacks that happen causing ‘islamaphobia,’ Which is the irrational fear of Islam. Structural differentiation has meant that religion has become more privitised because we now live in a multi-cultural society we now have more choice in what we believe in allowing us to ‘spiritual shop’ Lyon did a study called ‘Jesus in Disneyland’ believes that we have become religious consumers, meaning that me pick and choose what we believe from all the different religions in the world. This has been made possible because of globalisation creating stronger links between different countries and allowing us to have access to multiple types of religions with all different norms and values. This gives us greater choice between what we believe in and what we don’t. There are many methodological problems with measuring whether religion has become privatized, on of these problems is that ‘ how do you measure how many religious organisations there are? ’ this is a problem because it is near impossible to count every single religious organisation in the world because of the amount of cults and sects that exist that not everybody may now about. Sociologists argue that there has been a decrease on the number of religious organisations, and therefore religious belief is decreasing, but they do not take into account that it may not be religious belief that is declining, but that lack of funding has meant that the religious beliefs could not remain forcing people into practise privately, Also, how do you define what a religious organisation is. Another problem with measuring whether religion has become privatised is that you can’t know what people are thinking, just because they don’t visit a religious organisation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not religious, they may just not have the time to visit the organisation so instead use things like televangelism to practise at home. Also, just because people don’t attend religious organisations often, Stark and Bainbridge believe that the decline in traditional religions has created a demand for newer religions, this includes new age movements that focus on private practice. They believe this is due to people being naturally religious and needing religion as a compensator during times of crisis. They think that people still turn to religion for rites of passage and in times of life crisis, so, when people feel their life is unstable and they need something to make them feel better. How to cite Religion and New Age Movements, Papers

Once Upon a Psychological Theory Essay Example For Students

Once Upon a Psychological Theory Essay Many parents read fairy tales to their children. Young people are able to use their imaginations while listening to these fantastical stories. Filled with dragons, witches, damsels in distress, and heroes, these tales stay in the mind children for years to come. However, these young listeners are getting much more than a happy ending. Fairy tales such as The Goose Girl, The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, and Snow White one can find theories of psychology. Erik Eriksons theories of social development as well as Sigmund Freuds theory of the map of the mind and his controversial Oedipal complex can be found in many fairy tales. Within every fairy tale there lies a hidden lesson in psychology. In 1963, psychoanalyst Erik Erikson developed one of the most comprehensive theories of social development. The theory centers around eight stages of psychological development. One of the stages, autonomy versus shame and doubt, occurs between the ages of one and a half and three years old. In this stage toddlers develop independence if freedom and exploration are encouraged. Autonomy itself means having control over oneself. At any given moment, our behavior, including this sense autonomy, is influenced by the outer environment and our inner psychological state (Restak 268). If they are overly restricted and protected they develop shame. Shame is the estrangement of being exposed and conscious of being looked at disapprovingly, of wishing to bury ones face or sink into the ground. (Blake 115). The key to developing autonomy over shame and doubt lies in the amount of control. If parents control their children too much the children will not be able to develop their own sense of contro l in the environment around them. However, if the parents provide too little control the children will become overly demanding. Gaining autonomy from ones parents is the topic of a once famous Brothers Grimm story, The Goose Girl. The story is of a beautiful princess who is to be married to a prince chosen by her mother. The girl along with her maid was sent to the castle of the prince. On the way the princess gave her maid a golden cup and asked for a drink. The maid took the cup and told the princess she would no longer be her servant. Again this happened and this time the maid realized her power over the princes and forced her to switch horses and dresses and to tell no one. Upon arrival at the castle the maid was married while the true princess was forced to tend to the geese in a pasture. In the pasture while tending geese with a boy she let her pure gold hair down. The boy wished to grab it. However, the princess summoned the winds and would not allow the boy to touch her hair . The boy calls the king to witness this daily event. This reveals the truth and the maid is killed. The true princess marries her prince and they rule their kingdom in peace. This tale shows the consequences of a childish dependence clung to for a long time. The princess trusts her mother who then sends her off to get married. Because she was protected as a child she did not develop autonomy. She was very dependent on her parents. Her dependence is then shifted to her maid who robs her of her title. The princess fears the maid and goes along with her lies. When the princess is in the pasture herding geese her partner wishes to touch her hair. She stands up for herself and will not allow this. The boy degrading her is the turning point in her life. The happy solution came about by the girl asserting herself and her dignity in not allowing the boy to touch her hair. The Goose girl learned that it is much harder to be truly oneself, but that this alone will gain her true autonomy and change her fate. One of Sigmund Freuds theories centers on the map of the mind. He divided the mind into three parts. The three parts are the id, the ego, and the super ego. The id is known as the pleasure principal. He believed Our entire physical activity is bent upon procuring pleasure and avoiding pain. (Restak 110). The id only wants to seek pleasure. It is mainly concerned with discharging built up energy. The second part is the super ego. The super ego keeps control over the id by causing guilt for being bad and pride for doing good. The third part is the ego. The ego is also known as the reality principal. It regulates the interactions of the person with their environment. The ego allows us to express the desires of the id in a socially acceptable way and within the boundaries of the super ego. Freud believed these three things were in all minds and were in constant interaction. The fairy tale of the Three Little Pigs centers around three pigs who are told they must live on their own. The fir st two pigs make week homes and then celebrate until the wolf blows their house down. They travel to the oldest pigs home, which is made of sturdy bricks. There they live in peace. This tale deals directly with the ongoing battle between the id and the super ego. The pigs must choose between the pleasure principal and the reality principal. The two pigs that built weak homes chose to side with the pleasure principal and seek gratification. They were not thinking of the dangers of reality. The oldest pig learned to behave in agreement with the reality principal or the super ego. Instead of acting out of desire he acts on his ability to predict what may occur in the future. Thus, Freuds theory of the map of the mind deals directly with the three little pigs. Do Computers Think? EssayWe should never accept the fact that we have grasped the entire and ultimate meaning of these narrations.(Heuscher 395). To read a fairy tale and relate it to any psychological theory is not an easy task. Many people have different opinions on the topic. Some people feel fairy tales should be left alone and not picked a part. Others feel everything must have a hidden meaning. Heinrich Zimmer once said, We can never exhaust the depths of myths and fairy tales- of that we may be certain; but then neither can anyone else. (Heuscher vii). Fairy tales can mean many different things to many different people. Children may like fairy tales because good triumphs over evil. Adults may favor them because they trigger childhood memories. And a psychologist may prefer fairy tales because every tale presents a theory. In the end everything boils down to the fact that, fairy tales were written to be enjoyed. Bibliography:BibliographyBettelhem, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment. New York: Vintage, 1976. Blake, Toni. Enduring Issues in Psychology. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1995. Feldman, Robert. Understanding Psychology. New York: McGraw Hill, 1990. Heuscher, Julius. A Psychiatric Study of Myths and Fairy Tales. Springfield: Thomas, 1974. Lang, Andrew. Fifty Favorite Fairy Tales. New York: Nonesuch Press, 1964. Lthe, Max. Once Upon a Time on the Nature of Fairy Tales. New York: Ungar, 1970. Miller, Geroge. Psychology: The Science of Mental Life. New York: Bann, 1962. Restak, Richard. The Mind. New York: Holt Company, 1988. Velikovsky, Immanuel. Oedipus and Akhnation. Garden City: Buccaneer, 1960.

Research Paper on Video Games Violence Essay Example

Research Paper on Video Games Violence Essay Many people believe video games violence to be a cause of aggression in adolescents. Many sociological and socio-psychological studies on the effect of violence on television on the level of aggressiveness irrefutably prove that after watching such scenes aggression increases in 3-15% of adults. The children are more susceptible than adults, especially when playing, they are not passive spectators, and become active participators in the act of violence. Recently, the public growing concern is violence in video games, which is becoming more and more realistic and sadistic. The main plot of these games is war or fighting. War is an ancient form of human activity. In short periods of peace, people played war and those war games are countless. Among them Olympic Games in ancient Greece, chivalry tournaments, and finally, the modern military exercises and maneuvers. Video games, gaining an amazing degree of realism, has long found application in the military sector. Simulations of combat and other military equipment in general were created specifically for the needs of the military and have been used and are used as simulators. A strategic war games have become an indispensable element of training commanders and staffs at all levels of military academies. Recent studies have found that video games in which there are scenes of violence may affect the brain of adolescents. Researchers at Indiana University have used method of magnetic resonance imaging to see how computer games affect the brain. It was found that the brain of the children, who play video games with violence, changed parts of the brain responsible for cognitive function and emotional control. Doctors attribute this to the fact that our social behavior is caused by our personal experiences. If the child becomes accustomed to violence, drugs, and violence in games, theoretically, this experience can shape his behavior as an adult. Virtual reality is becoming increasingly complex, three-dimensional, and realistic. This brings the players to lose sense of difference between what is real and what is not. The doctors recommend parents should control the video games their children play and to make sure that the age limit set by many of the games, is observed. The study was pub lished shortly after the announcement that the pathological dependence on the Internet and video games, perhaps in the very near future will be officially considered a mental health disorder. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Video Games Violence specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Video Games Violence specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Video Games Violence specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer If you are about to write a research paper on video game violence topic, it would be helpful to look through free example research proposal on the subject. These free samples, written by experienced professionals, can show you an example of a first-rate research paper. They will help you to outline your thesis statement, stress the most significant parts of your work, and teach you how to draw a conclusion. CAUTION! As far as you know all free research paper samples and research proposal examples about Video Games are 100% plagiarized!!! At EssayLib.com writing service you can order a custom research paper on Video Games Violence topics. Your research paper will be written from scratch. We hire top-rated Ph.D. and Master’s writers only to provide students with professional research paper assistance at affordable rates. Each customer will get a non-plagiarized paper with timely delivery. Just visit our website and fill in the order form with all research paper details: Enjoy our professional research paper writing service!

Historical Inacuraccys In The 1954 Film ALexander The Great

Historical Inacuraccys In The 1954 Film ALexander The Great Historical Inacuraccys In The 1954 Film ALexander The Great The 1954 Film Alexander the Great was written, directed and produced by Robert Rosser a well renowned director for his time. Rosser employed a cast of first-rank British and American actors, and was backed by United Artist who put a lot of money in to the film. He was aiming for a masterpiece, but failed honorably . His depiction of Alexander's early life is relatively historically correct. The second half however, which deals with Alexander's crusades, was both chronologically and geographically erratic and incorrect, hurrying through the battles scenes and missing out important historical facts and even inventing its own. Yet we have to understand that Rosser used many unhistorical elements from Alexander fiction which existed throughout the middle age. Rosser certainly had limitations in telling his story, if he had a larger budget, the technology of today and less (at the time) conventional restriction in telling this story we may have been able to expect a better and more accura te portrayal of Alexander the Greats life .Battle of the Granicus

Graphics and Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Graphics and Games - Essay Example However it has a merit in that the processes involved in generating images are flexible. It is more or less like a graphics assembly language whereby there is the possibility of combining the pieces of the software’s functionality as building blocks to create innovative graphics. Another aspect of the software is that its specifications are not pixel exact. There are high possibilities of two OpenGL unlikely rendering the same graphics. As a result, the software can be implemented in a range of hardware platforms. Exact specifications would limit hardware acceleration, and further its standard applicability. In the single implementation, lack of pixel exactness persists. The divergent paths through implementation generate different fragments. Despite this, the specifications do not allow for a set of invariance rules guarantee repeatable actions in various circumstances. Features in OpenGL Features existing in OpenGL are Lighting, Shading, Material and Texture Mapping. This pa per will limit its discussion to Lighting and Shading in the programming perspective. Lighting Since light is a science and an art, there are many techniques of creating magnificent light in computer graphics. Through the design of OpenGL software, the lighting system approximates light behavior in a simple and efficient fashion. It fits best for computer games since it is possible to render light in real-time. Its lighting does not calculate reflections and scattering of light. At the same time, no shadows are produced. Lighting effects are achieved through textures, shadow mapping and shaders. Practically, light is present everywhere as objects too, react differently in the presence of light. Since light works with materials and has impact when a surface reflects it, OpenGL optimizes on this. Through its functions, it can define the characteristics of surfaces. The definitions focus on; what is the color of the surface now? And how much or little light does the surface reflect? Th ese material properties describe surface. The software applies default material values until the programmer specifies his or her own settings. The following are the lighting effects supported by OpenGL; directional, Spot, Ambient lights and attenuation. Lighting in OpenGL is defined by the Lighting and Shading models. Before any setting is done, lighting mode is enabled since it requires enabling of the depth buffer. The glEnable is a function that enables several features in OpenGL and one of the features is lighting. This feature becomes the input parameter but still light will be required. Since the software has a direct support for approximately 8 lights, a light has to be enabled through a call. A disabling function is also available to disable unwanted light functions during programming. During programming, there are two types of light properties to be considered; one that describes a light source and the other that describes light reflected by the material of an objectâ€℠¢s surface. This is specified by the function glLightfv. The light attenuation feature is responsible for reducing light intensity in relation to distance. It states the real-world policy that light intensity decreases with distance. During the operation, the position of the source of light must be specified (Ahmed, 2009 pp.1-2). Shading In the shading model, the function call glShadeModel

Managing Personal Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managing Personal - Case Study Example Effective communication is an important tool that has wide ranging influence in the smooth functioning of corporate bodies. It is significant in the administration of the organization and projection of organization's aims and objectives in the eyes of the public and stakeholders and also promotes better understanding of cross cultural values and help resolve conflicts. The change greatly facilitated in creating congenial work atmosphere that motivated and inspired others to improve their performance and achieve organization's goals with more enthusiasm, vigor and creativity. The third important change that he brought into the organization was in the regular performance appraisal that was linked to the compensation. The various offices, located at different geographical locations had wide disparity in the performance appraisal systems that were considerably influenced by the individual and regional interests. The uniform appraisal system ensured that employees across the world had equal opportunity for personal and professional growth. Indeed, the changes were designed to inculcate better ethical imperatives to provide competitive edge in the fast changing global business with long term benefits. The time bound implementation of its strategic goals had hugely improved the overall image and credibility of the organization. Answer 1(b) When Prince had made wide ranging changes in the strategic goals and administrative processes of Citigroup due to falling credibility of its ethical and regulatory control, he had the option of using different change model that could have expedited the solution of its immediate problems. Instead of adopting an integrated approach he might have solely focused on was strong appraisal system and stringent regulation and control system. Answer 1(c) Prince could have followed these model of change primarily because the focused approach would have given him and the organization to overcome the difficult phases of MTS in Europe and Japan fiasco which had greatly affected the credibility of the organization. The effective appraisal system would have ensured early detection of mismanagement so as to avert another Japan like event to corrode organizational image. Stringent regulation and control would have ensured adherence to company's guidelines and values. Most importantly, the process would have expedited the process of getting a clean chit from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board that had barred the company from making any 'significant acquisitions before getting its house in order'. These changes would have resulted in short term gain. Answer 2(a) When Prince took over the stewardship of Citigroup, it was under tremendous pressure from the Federal Regulation Authority and had huge demoralizing repercussions from the event of Japan and MTS. Under his leadership, he created visions and goals and inspired the workforce to work towards achieving them. In the fast changing equation of global business environment, he needed to introduce changes that would inculcate strong organizational culture which would be truly global in essence and encompass values that would cut across cultural divide and local interest. To make a significant difference to the work place, it is important the leaders and managers need to develop and enhance cross cultural relationship that must go beyond the officialdom in order to win the trust of the

Hospitality Management With Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hospitality Management With Tourism - Essay Example Client preferences and status also play a crucial role in fostering diversity within the hospitality industry, since products and services cannot be standardized. This paper provides insight into the UK hospitality industry by comparing two hospitality outlets, that is, a hotel and a restaurant, on the basis of diverse operational factors. Aim To examine the diverse operation factors implicated in provision of food, beverage and accommodation in the UK hospitality industry. Background Development of the UK hospitality industry can primarily be attributed to the growth and advancement of other economic sectors. For instance, the growth of manufacturing industries meant that individuals needed to leave cities for holidays. Advancement of the transportation sector, through improvement of railways, roads and air travel also means that there are easier, cheaper and faster ways for people to move from one point to another nationally or internationally. Other than the diverse economic and t ransport industries, hospitality is also linked to travelling for leisure or tourism. This is because; with increased per capita income, individuals have more disposable money and free time to travel for leisure. This has led to a significant rise in demand for accommodation, as well as, eating and drinking facilities. Hotels and restaurants are two of the most common hospitality outlets in the UK. The hotel sector is actually considered to be the largest in the UK and it comprised of a broad range of establishments. Hotels are categorized on the basis of their luxury, with the highest being five-star establishments, followed by lower class hotels, lodges or motels and finally, guest houses or bed and breakfast (B&B) places. Most hotels do not only offer accommodation, but food and beverages as well. In contrast, restaurants specialize in provision of food and beverages to customers. Just like hotels, eating establishments or restaurants can also be classified into several categorie s, including takeaway joints, fast-food eateries, popular catering outlets like coffee shops, mainstream catering and fine dining restaurants (Seba 65-70). The hotel under scrutiny in this case is The Halcyon, located in London’s Holland Park Avenue. The five-star hotel is compared to the Berners Tavern, a fine dining restaurant also Located in London, along Berners Street. Berners Tavern Company Background Berners Tavern was launched on 12th September 2013. Just like other new restaurants the eatery has drawn a lot of attention, especially because it was founded by Jason Atherton, a prominent chef behind other renowned restaurants in London. Berners Tavern was named after a hotel that was originally built on its site in the year 1908. The restaurant is located in Soho, a city  district of central London, which is currently famous for its nightclubs, restaurants and other entertainment establishments. This implies that the restaurant is strategically located since London re sidents, as well as, outsiders come to the place in search for fine dining, yet affordable eateries. Even though it has not been operational for a long period of time, Berners Tavern attracts a lot of clients and reservations are not easily secured. The restaurant is relatively big, capable of housing close to a hundred