Health Literacy in the USA

Health Literacy in the USA Social Determinants of Health Constantin Vintilescu Health Literacy Predicting future trends in any profession cautions careful review of present and past trends. Over the last two decades, health care in the United States has undergone major changes due to simultaneous advances in the fields of health information and information technology. Advances in health care and life expectancy also have created dramatic changes. Subsequent gains in life expectancy have surpassed the gains achieved, between the years 1940 and 1964 with the advent of antibiotics. In fact, recent gains have exceeded that of any other time this century. The life expectancy projections for the rest of this century may turn out to be even more significant. The educations of the public about health literacy issues and the rights of the elderly have become another dimension of advancement, along with the â€Å"rights† of patients and minority groups including the physically handicapped. In the United States, the term literacy is generally defined as the ability to read and speak English (Andrus, 2002). In the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), the U.S. Department of Education (1993) defined literacy as: â€Å"the ability to use printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential.† Although no precise point defines the difference between literacy and illiteracy, the commonly accepted working definition of what is meant to be literate is the ability to write and to read, understand, and interpret information written at the eight-grade level or above. Health literacy refers to how well an individual can read, interpret, and comprehend the health information for maintaining an optimal level of wellness. It is an essential aspect for access to health care and health-related services. Limited health literacy leads to poor health outcomes. In fact, literacy skills are â€Å"a stronger predictor of an individual’s health status than age, income, employment status, education level, and racial or ethnic group† (Weiss, 2003). Health literacy is also important for people’s maintenance of health and wellness. Health literacy is very important because requires peoples to have a more active role in health decision and their management. Based on available statistics over the past twenty years, it is evident that the United States has significant health literacy problems. Health literacy has been termed the â€Å"silent epidemic,† the â€Å"silent barrier,† the â€Å"silent disability,† and â€Å"the dirty little secret† (Conlin Schumann, 2002). In fact, the United States only ranked among the middle of other industrialized nations in most measures of adult literacy; and yet many of our educators, elected representatives, and social advocates have remained blind on this significant problem (Kogut, 2004). Over the past two decades, the literacy of the American population has been the subject of increasing interest and concern by educators as well as by government officials, employers, and the media. Health literacy continues to be a major problem in the United States despite public efforts to address the issue and developing health literacy training programs. In our society, many people do not possess the basic literacy to navigate the increasingly complex health care field. Some people have difficulty in reading and comprehending information well enough to be able to fill out job and insurance applications, tax forms, or apply for a driver’s license. In the early 1980s, President Reagan launched the National Adult Literacy Initiative, which was followed by the United Nation’s declaration of 1990 as the International Literacy year (Belton, 1991). In light of the relatively recent attention given to health literacy in the last twenty years, we must acknowledge the efforts of two organizations Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc., and Lauback Literacy International – that served for many years as advocates for the most marginalized adult populations in United States and around the globe. Of particular concern to the health care industry are the numbers of consumers who are illiterate, functionally illiterate, or marginally literate. People with poor reading and comprehension skills have disproportionately higher medical costs, increased number of hospitalizations, readmissions, and more perceived physical and psychosocial problems than do literae persons (Baker, 1998). Today the health care literacy problem has grave consequences, because patients are expected to assume responsibility for their self-care and health promotion. If people with low literacy abilities cannot fully benefit from given information, then they ca nnot be expected to maintain their health independently. Computer literacy is also an increasingly popular concern of health literacy. Many health care providers and consumers are relying on computers as educational tools. â€Å"Those clients who are well educated and career oriented are already likely to own a computer and be computer literate, but those with limited resources, literacy skills, and technological know-how are being left behind† (Zarcadoolas et al., 2006). Health care providers relied for many years on printed education brochures as a cost-effective way to communicate health instructions with people. For many years, nurses and doctors thought that written materials given to the patients were sufficient to ensure informed consent for different test or procedures. This way they promoted compliance with treatment regimens and discharge instructions. Kessels (2003) pointed out that 40-80% of medical information provided by health professionals is forgotten immediately, because not only medical terminology is too difficult to understand, but also because too much information contributes to poor recall. He also noted that half of the information remembered is incorrect. Recently the health care providers have begun to realize that if the scientific and technical terminology in education materials are not written at a level and style appropriate for their intended audiences, people cannot be expected to be able or willing to accept responsibility for self-care. In improving written health materials and in implementing health education it is important to know the literacy skills of the patients in the community and their families. Nurses play an important role in assessing patient’s literacy skills because nurses interact more with the patients and their families than the physicians do. The nurses can evaluate the ability of the healthcare client to understand printed health information by assessing the patients’ comprehension and reading skill level. There are specific guidelines for writing effective health education materials and teaching strategies for patients and their families. An individual‘s functional health literacy is likely to be significantly worse than his or her general literacy skills, because of the more complicated language used by health care providers. Now that manage care insurance companies are requiring subscribers to take more responsibility for their self-care, poor health literacy can increasingly lead to negative consequences and escalated morbidity, and mortality. People with low health literacy don’t have knowledge or are misinformed about the body and the causes of illnesses. Because they do not have the proper knowledge, they don’t understand the relationship between lifestyle factors, like diet and exercise, and wellness .Those people with limited knowledge may not know how to seek care. Health literacy tactics that improve written health materials may include: Written health materials should have plain language for better understanding and ease of sharing with people. Written health materials should be scientifically accurate and culturally appropriate. If the client does not fluently speaks English, provide the written health information in his/hers native language. If such information is unavailable, and a translator must be employed, it is critical to assess the client’s understanding of the written material. Written health information should include pictures for better understanding. Personal electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, palm pilots, and talking kiosks can be a new method for sending health information to the patients. Before health providers make a health education brochure, they should also consider alternate methods such as individual, group, organizational, community and mass media. Use a short brochure that presents â€Å"bottom line† information, systematic instructions, and uses pictures with visual cues that highlight most important information to be absorbed. Health brochures should align health information with recommendations to services, resources, and other available support. Removing the barrier to communication between individuals and health care providers is a good opportunity for nurses to function as facilitators and work in collaboration with other health care professionals for improvement of quality of care. As Advanced Practice Nurses, it is our mandated responsibility to teach in non-complicated terms so our patients can understand an fully benefit from our nursing interventions. References Andrus, M.R., Roth, M.T. (2002). Health literacy: A review. Pharmacotherapy, 22(3), 282- 302. Baker, D. W., Parker,R. M., Williams , M. V, Clark , W. S. (1998). Health literacy and the risk of hospital admission. Journal of Internal Medicine, 13, 791-798. Belton, A. B. (1991).Reading levels of patients in a general hospital. Beta Release, 15 (1), 21-24.California HealthCare Foundation. 2005. Consumers in Health Care: The Burden of Choice. Available at http://www.chcf.org Conlin, K. K., Schumann, L. (2002). Literacy in the health care system: A study on open heart surgery patients. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 14 (1), 38-42. Institute of Medicine. 2004. Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion. National Academies Press: Washington, DC. Kessels, R.P.C. (2003). Patients’ memory for medical information. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 96,219-22. Kogut, B.(2004).Why adult literacy matters. Pbi Kappa Pbi Forum, 26-28. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Making Health Communication Programs Work. National Cancer Institute: Washington, DC. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2003. Communicating Health: Priorities and Strategies for Progress. Washington, DC. Weiss, B. D. (2003). Health literacy: A manual for clinicians. Chicago: American Medical Association and American Medical Association Foundation. Zarcadoolas. C., Pleasant, A. F., Greer, D. J. (2006). Advancing health literacy: A framework for understanding and action. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Competition :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two best friends are torn apart. A man meticulously plots revenge on the person who got the job he was dying for. A nation is full of rage and fear because another country beat them in the race to walk on the moon. Sadly, all of these situations were caused by one thing, competition. In Alfie Kohn’s essay, â€Å"Competition Is Destructive†, he describes competition as having a â€Å"toxic effect on our relationships†(11). Although competition has many positive effects in this world, when talking specifically about relationships, whether it be between best friends, two strangers, or even entire nations, it fuels negative feelings and attitudes that transform people into monsters. Close relationships often have their ups and downs. When one spends enough time with a person it is inevitable that they will have an argument. Best friends, for example, share everything with each other. They laugh together, cry together and trust one another completely. Yet throw a boy that they are both interested in into the picture and they are lying and backstabbing their way into his arms. Or perhaps they are both dying to play Juliet. Suddenly they view each other as enemies who will stop at nothing for the part. One might spread rumors about the other or sabotage her audition. Even something as innocent as grades can turn into a knockdown, drag-out, fight to the finish. They resort to cheating, or anything that will give them a leg up from the other. These crazy situations are just a few of the many examples that show how competition can create feelings of resentment, bitterness and even hatred between people who at one point were inseparable. Competition between good friends is not the only instance in which negative feelings can occur. Surprisingly, the exact same feelings of resentment and hostility can happen between two perfect strangers. With no valid reason, children and adults alike can work up an enormous grudge against a person that they have never spoken to, or possibly never even seen. Take for instance a boy on a high school football team. Off the field he is a respectable student who is always considerate of others. Yet the second he steps on that field he transforms into a monster who is out to â€Å"get† the other team, to â€Å"show them who’s boss.† He has never met these people before and has no reason to feel such anger towards them other than the fact that they are standing in the way of his team winning the game.

Different reasons people communicate Essay

In general, human beings like to live with other human beings. Most of us are sociable creatures who want to reach out to other people around us. Very few humans lead completely solitary lives. People also communicate for specific reasons; in order to express Emotions such as: †¢ Fear †¢ Anger †¢ Pain †¢ Joy †¢ Love. People want to get views, wishes and information across to others for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes this can be essential – even life saving in the case of a warning. It can be vital to make a person’s quality of life Better if they are communicating that they are in pain or it can be to make Emotional contact with others to express feelings. People live and communicate within a range of different groups and Communities, including: †¢ Families †¢ Neighborhoods †¢ Workplaces †¢ Schools and colleges. The nature of communication is very different dependent on the Circumstances. Some communications are personal and very intimate; these are usually with people to whom we are very close. Other communications are for a wider audience and are aimed at groups of people. Communication can be formal, such as in a courtroom setting, or informal, such as friends chatting. 2†¦ Explain how communication affects relationships in the work setting. Effective communication is a two-way process – sending the right message that is also being correctly received and understood by the other person/s. It is essential that there is good and effective communication taking place within the work setting. Daily tasks will only be successful with smooth transfers of information. In order for me to develop within my role, there must be effective communication between the children and myself. This will help keep positive morale and improve the quality of work. People that do not feel as if they have good communication with their carers may not be as efficient with their work. Effective communication skills are also needed to encourage staff and myself to talk about what we are feeling, to say what we think or to express our needs, concerns, wishes or preferences. Positive verbal and non-verbal communication skills, such as being friendly, smiling and shaking hands when greeting parents and staff, are required on a daily basis. Effective communication can help promote and create a positive working environment. Without communication the world would be a lonely place and communication is particularly important in the work setting as it can affect the relationships you build. Team communication is important as it is important to keep everyone in the group knowledgeable about what is going on within that group. As I would be communicating with parents, colleagues, children and other professionals (i.e. health visitors, speech and language therapists, social workers, other schools, Police and other governing bodies) it is important that everybody is provided the information they need. Communication is vital to establishing effective relationships in the work setting. It would allow you to expect support from your colleagues and to provide them with the necessary support in times of stress and difficulty.re and am there to support the children. 3†¦ describe the factors to consider when promoting effective communication. Verbal communication: Tone and pitch of your voice, does it suit the situation or topic? A louder more direct communication maybe required if trying to get the attention of a group of children to come back inside. However this would not be suitable in a situation whereby a child is upset say for example if they have wet themselves and are embarrassed, this would need a quieter and understanding tone to reassure them. Use of language is important, when talking to children you need to keep things simpler than if you were talking to an adult, however if you talking to an adult using very simple instructions this may be deemed as patronizing. So it is important to choose your language carefully. The speed in which you talk is also key. When talking to children I tend to get down to their level and talk to them at a relatively slow speed, this way they are more likely to understand me more than if I was walking round above them talking as though I would talk to adults. Non-verbal communication: Facial and hand gestures, again this needs to be tailored to the situation or topic. In the example above, a smile and perhaps a hand on their shoulder is sufficient to the situation. Whereby frowning and waving arms as if annoyed would be detrimental to the feelings of the child. Eye contact is an important factor as this engages the audience, keeping them focused on what you are discussing. By making eye contact you are directing your conversation at that specific person, demonstrating that you are devoting your time and are not able to be distracted as if you would by looking around. Body language plays an important part, for example folded arms can indicate you are being defensive or not open to suggestions, whereas slouching, hands on hips, rolling of eyes and huffing can seem rude and disrespectful. 4†¦ Be able to overcome barriers to communication. Identifying communication needs: use of personal histories; involvement of the individual; involvement of family, friends and carers Barriers to communication: environmental eg: seating, lighting, external noise, situation of the setting; emotional issues eg: shyness, low self-esteem; social; psychological eg: mental ill health, results of abuse, neglect; sensory, hearing and sight impairment; speech and language barriers following strokes; cerebral palsy; cultural eg: related to gender, inappropriate use of gestures; English as an additional language. Promotion of communication: use of preferred language including British Sign Language; use of human aids, interpreters, translators; use of technological aids, hearing aids, induction loops, Braille software; cultural awareness; active listening skills; the need to give individuals time to respond; speech and language therapy Language proficiency affects every aspect of a person’s life. Lack of fluency in English has a major impact on people’s ability to get information. A social hierarchy exists in most cultures, which can create issues in workplace communications. For instance, men from some cultural backgrounds may not adapt easily to working equally with women. Understanding the relationship between the sexes and the roles assigned in various cultures will give you an insight into how customers from particular cultural groups might respond in an Australian environment. Differences in non-verbal behavior Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviors are a common source of misunderstandings and conflict in the workplace. For instance, many westerners like to make eye contact, interpreting it as an indication of interest and honesty. They also show friendliness through relaxed body language. If these behaviors do not happen, it can be interpreted as shiftiness, coldness and disinterest. However, in some cultures, averted eyes and non-demonstrable behavior are. a sign of courtesy and respect. Being aware of these Nuances will help you to reduce negative impressions in inter-cultural communications among co-workers and customers. Personal space People from different cultural backgrounds may have different ‘comfort zones’ — some Like more distance between themselves and others, some like to be closer. Responses to authority Attitudes to authority vary markedly between cultures and exert a distinct effect on workplace behaviors. Religion In many cultures, religion dominates life in a way that for strongly secular workplaces may be difficult to understand. These differences need to be respected and the needs associated with religious commitments understood and sensitively negotiated within the workplace. Clear communication on both sides about these issues is to be encouraged. Personal appearance Grooming, dietary and eating habits and dress varies in different cultures. Some people within their community may choose to wear their national dress or religious garments. Keep in mind that attitudes and communicative behaviors are not neutral but strongly conditioned by cultural values. As a simple example, if you say to a customer, ‘Please sign here’, you expect them to know that you want them to pick up the pen and sign exactly where you have indicated. But, if you think about it, you are assuming that the person: _ can hear you _ speaks the English language _ knows how to use a pen _ knows where they need to sign _ knew what a signature was _ understands what they are signing for _ If the person didn’t hear you, didn’t speak English, did not have a signature, didn’t know how to use the pen, did not understand where they needed to sign, or did not know what they were signing for the communication will not be successful. 1. Explain how people from different backgrounds may use and/ or interpret communication methods in different ways Language proficiency affects every aspect of a person’s life. Lack of fluency in English has a major impact on people’s ability to get information. Therefore communication skills training is a critical career development to help the children/ young people understand. Roles and status A social hierarchy exists in most cultures, which can create issues in workplace communications. For instance, men from some cultural backgrounds may not adapt easily to working equally with women. Understanding the relationship between the sexes and the roles assigned in various cultures will give you an insight into how customers from particular cultural groups might respond in an Australian environment. Differences in non-verbal behavior Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviors are a common source of misunderstandings and conflict in the workplace. For instance, many westerners like to make eye contact, interpreting it as an indication of interest and honesty. They also show friendliness through relaxed body language. If these behaviors do not happen, it can be interpreted as shiftiness, coldness and disinterest. However, in some cultures, averted eyes and non-demonstrable behavior are a sign of courtesy and respect. Being aware of these Nuances will help you to reduce negative impressions in inter-cultural communications among co-workers and customers. Personal space People from different cultural backgrounds may have different ‘comfort zones’ — some Like more distance between themselves and others, some like to be closer. Responses to authority Attitudes to authority vary markedly between cultures and exert a distinct effect on workplace behaviors.Religion in many cultures, religion dominates life in a way that for strongly secular workplaces may be difficult to understand. These differences need to be respected and the needs associated with religious commitments understood and sensitively negotiated within the workplace. Clear communication on both sides about these issues is to be encouraged. Personal appearance Grooming, dietary and eating habits and dress varies in different cultures. Some people within the Australian community may choose to wear their national dress or religious garments. Keep in mind that attitudes and communicative behaviors are not neutral but strongly conditioned by cultural values. As a simple example, if you say to a customer, ‘Please sign here’, you expect them to know that you want them to pick up the pen and sign exactly where you have indicated. But, if you think about it, you are assuming that the person: can hear you, speaks the English language, knows how to use a pen, knows where they need to sign, knew what a signature was, understands what they are signing for If the person didn’t hear you, didn’t speak English, did not have a signature, didn’t know how to use the pen, did not understand where they needed to sign, or did not know what they were signing for the communication will not be successful. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between â€Å"listening† and â€Å"hearing†. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.   Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication. ï‚ · Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively. A solution to the barriers is emotional intelligence which can be mastered and lead to better relationships. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand others and work with them. There are five characteristics of emotional intelligence. Being self-aware is the most important. It is the ability to distance oneself from their emotions so that they can look at the emotion without becoming overwhelmed or reacting to it too quickly. This piece of intelligence would help a person who is struggling with stereotyping. If the person knows that every time they see and African American person they become nervous because they believe they are all aggressive, they can take a step back and look at where that emotion came from. Once they have identified the source, they may be able to isolate the emotion and try to move past is by realizing that it is an irrational fear. There is an equal chance that a Caucasian or African American person is aggressive. The second characteristic is the ability to manage emotions which means expressing them in a way that is appropriate for the setting). Once a person has become aware of the emotion, they can come up with a way to handle the emotion. The person who gets nervous around African Americans may be able to look at where they are. If they are at a dinner party at a friend’s house and the African American friend of the friend shows up, there is a good chance they are not agg ressive. The person who is nervous may be able to walk away for a minute to collect themselves and then act as they should through a dinner party. In a setting where a young looking mother is out with her parents, the person might take the time to ask how old she was and what her situation was. The person may find that the young mother is responsible and owned up to her mistakes or that the mother is older than they thought and did not make a mistake. The third characteristic is the ability to motivate oneself which is setting a goal and reaching it. For the person who is nervous around African Americans, the goal may be to sit at the table and hold normal conversation with the dinner guests. They would then have to try to reach that goal by managing their emotions and following through with the dinner. For a person who looks down on teen mothers, the goal may be to accept all mothers as if they are the socially accepted age for parenting unless there is a clear reason why this mother is inad equate. The might reach that goal by always asking questions when they feel that a mother is inadequate because they are young. The fourth intelligence is recognizing emotions in others, which is called empathy. The best way to do this is to listen to what people are really saying and trying to understand it by observing their body language along with their actual language. In genders this can be difficult. Men tend to want to solve a problem where women want a sounding board, someone who understands them. If they can listen to each other and try to understand what the other wants and how they are feeling, the relationship will go better. For men, they often do not try to understand why a woman is upset when her friend says she should lose a pants size. He does not put himself in her shoes and does not easily relate to the problem. Instead, he might try to solve the problem by complimenting her or getting her a gym membership. This is not effective communication. The woman was not looking for a way to lose a pant size, but rather a person that would understand why she was the size she was and how bad it feels to be told she is too big. Body language plays a part in improving a person’s emotional intelligence. A person who is first starting out with improving their emotional intelligence, they may come across difficulties in the first four characteristics because what they are saying does not match up to their body language. A person might ask the teen mother her age, but still have a posture that shows they do not approve of this mother having a child. A person who fears African Americans may be able to sit through a dinner and talk nice, but might look as though they are ready to run out of the room if a butter knife is picked up the wrong way. The fifth characteristic is the ability to handle relationships. The person needs to recognize their own needs as well as the needs of the other person. They need to find a balance where both sets of needs, is met as fully as possible. If the person is always bending to meet all the needs of another person and neglecting their own needs, they are not going to be satisfied with the relationship for long. On the other hand, if the person ignores the other person’s needs and only fulfills their own needs, the other person is not going to be satisfied for long. With an understanding of how barriers, culture, gender, and emotional intelligence effect communication, a person is more able to communicate effectively and have fulfilling relationships. If these things are ignored, communication breaks down and a person can become isolated. 4†¦. Be able to apply principles and practices relating to confidentiality.

Battles and wars

Battles and wars Battles and wars are an inseparable part of the human nature and one of the most deadly ones was WWI. After the War, the seeming picture was that countries had democratic governments but this was only a topical view. There were many factors that were internal and unique to each country involved. One reason for the collapse of democracies was that the historical period was the beginning of a new era, technology was developing and countries and their governments wanted to dominate more land. A nation that wants to take over other people cannot be guided by democratic standards, as it is tyrannical in nature. After World War I, several European nations were competing for power in the region and were focused only on own interests. The major parties in the war were Germany, England and Russia, and there was much political conflict that was unresolved. A democratic solution was meant to offer everyone a fair chance and the decision that was targeted by the governments would be lost.Adverti sing We will write a custom essay sample on Battles and wars specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A democratic vote would divide and reinstate lands and colonies according to the highest moral principles, giving them back to the original owners, but the for dominance and wealth was much more powerful than democracy, it was greed. There was much spying and counter actions by several nations, even a race for the dominance of outer space. Satellites were placed into orbit to spy on enemy bases. German u-boats were common place in neutral and off shore waters of several nations, adding to the provocations. For some time, large and small European countries have been trying to work out a deal in a peaceful way but that brought no results. Democracy became outdated and could not bring a solution. As democracy is based on the ruling of masses- majority of nation’s population, it would not represent the selfish urges of a few members of th e government. In a democratic nation, the leader is appointed by the people through a fair vote, the public is considered to be the center of the government and the common goals and interests are based on the greater good. The rights of a person, equality and freedom cannot go together with a world domination, war and overpowering of other nations. Historically, Germany is cited as the â€Å"most evil† country that started the war and was the only one to blame. In reality, the surrounding countries did not mind the war and felt it was needed for the division of European lands. If democracy was the regime in place, the majority of people would decide against the minority and the change of government would have to peaceful. Democracy looked good on paper but it could not be practically applied because of people’s greedy nature. It is clear that the basis of democracy lie in morality and absence of division. In all instances, European countries failed to reach a unified d ecision and democracy between the nations failed. Each country wanted more than fairness would allow, thus the only choice to resolve the matter was an open conflict. From the very start, democracy had little chance to change the future and prevent another violent outbreak, as is evident from the regimes that took over and another World War.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The victims of the Great Terror were people of several countries and nations who were politically repressed by the government. This sort of occurrence took place in many countries, but it was particularly horrific for the people of USSR, from 1937 to 1938. The company of mass terror was organized by Joseph Stalin who was the ruler and absolute leader. Even though people were brainwashed to believe that he was a proper tyrant, what went on beneath the surface was terrible. At the time of Stalin’s death , the nation was in mourning and people were unaware of what was really taking place. This proves how secret and cruel the actions of the government really were. One of the reasons for the Great Terror was Stalin’s paranoia, which led him to believe that he was being followed and someone wanted to kill him. It is possible that it was true, but he gave a preposterous order to catch a specific amount of â€Å"public enemies† within a specific amount of time. There was a â€Å"quota† of people who had to be killed in the name of public and national safety. The constitutional rights of people were never taken into consideration and there was never a proper investigation. It is known that any form of evidence was taken to be true, even if it was as small as an anonymous letter scribbled on a piece of paper with child’s handwriting. People were arrested, tortured and killed. There is much evidence that consists of documents written by Stalin himself, stating th at more and more people must be murdered. In some cases, numbers of people to be executed without a reason, at a single time, were in hundreds and even thousands. There were lists that were given to Stalin and he was using only his own judgment to decide people’s fate. Some people he would choose to torture for longer periods of time, others were ordered to be executed by the firing squad. Another sad fact is that people who were instrumental in catching innocent public were later killed themselves, so their trials or any form of justice became impossible. This sort of treatment of the nation had a major effect on the well being of the USSR. By some counts, more than one million people were killed within a year. There were also numerous concentration camps where people spent years working and dying in the process. Even the families of those politically repressed were considered â€Å"public enemies†, without exception of women or little children. Such families had no c hoice but to move from place to place, without any legal work, education or a place to live. The organization that was carrying out Stalin’s orders was called NKVD which was an underground uniform system not unlike KGB. It had a full authority over the lives of people and connections in all institutions. Stalin was so possessed with his idea to kill off as many intelligent and â€Å"dangerous† to his own shortcomings people as he could, that even those within NKVD were victims of the regime.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Battles and wars specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A large part of the world is unaware that Stalin was much worse than Hitler and other tyrants, as he was killing people in his own nation, in great numbers and for the most immoral reasons. Later, after the regime changed and Stalin was gone, there were many archives that were still kept secret. KGB came into being and some form of si milar activity was still taking place. National Socialism is a form of a public system or regime which united socialism with significant amount of nationalism and racism. It is built on an ideology that it is the only true order and should be supported at all cost. One of the examples of National Socialism is the Third Reich where it was the major and official ideology. Internally, there were several divisions, such as socialism, nationalism, racism, Fascism and anti-Semitism. The major goal of National Socialism was to create and ensure that a large territory of a nation was cleaned out of all people who were not of Arian race. National Socialism is often thought to be one of the versions of totalitarianism which would exist for long periods of time. Adolf Hitler was the one who started the movement of National Socialism which later evolved into Nazism. The reason why Hitler was able to gain support from so many people was because he offered unity and strength to the nation. He mad e the public feel as if Germany was being mistreated by the rest of the world and the population must rise against such unfair treatment. When National Socialism appeared, it was closely connected to communism. In the end, the two regimes were both part of a two-poled system of the development of human society. It was a capitalist world where the collective common good of society was trying to reach a similar end- to build a utopian world. Communism was promising to make all people on the planet equal and destroy all differences between classes and the powerful, whereas National Socialism would only create utopia for the selected ones, according to the race and at the price of the lives of others. Fascism is a unified term that entails most right wing political movements and ideologies. It is characterized by a dictator-like type of ruling where nationalism, militarism and totalitarianism are its major directions. It originated in Italy with Mussolini who wanted to unite the nation using violence.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fascism does not accept any form of thinking or morality different from that, reflected in its own ideologies. Fascism was Hitler’s way of ruling and became the moving force in the Second World War and the Holocaust. His idea was not to reinforce and better the nation but to create it all over again from scratch. One of the reasons for Fascism is the economical crisis, which is used by the person in power to unite the masses with a seemingly noble cause. The military and orderly nature of Fascism gave it even more strength, as well as a sense of belonging. This led much of the young population of Germany to want to be a part of a large movement, united by the â€Å"honorable† cause. The difference between National Socialism and Fascism is that Fascism uses extremely militant and violent ways, and it does not accept any socialism or capitalism, basing everything on one ideology. The similarity is based on the dominance of one race and the totality of the regime. Unfortu nately, National Socialism leads to Nazism which eventually, leads to Fascism, so the connection is obvious. In all instances, people’s and nation’s critical state is used to unify public masses against all other nations and even the whole world.

Their eyes were watching god Essays

Their eyes were watching god Essays Their eyes were watching god Paper Their eyes were watching god Paper Essay Topic: Their Eyes Were Watching God Hurst has a happy ending Weldon describes. Jeanie in the end reconciliations and reassess herself spiritually. When Janis?s final husband of this book dies she really gets love. All of what shes been through has really taught her what love really is. She says, Love is lack De sea. Its uh moving thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from De here it meets, and its different with every 191). Not that the ending is joyful and ecstatic but the ending is enlightening to Jeanie. An enlightening ending is an ending that may not leave you happy for the main character but it doesnt leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. Genies enlightenment about love and her life is something she will carry on for the rest of her life. Genies quest for true love satisfies her by the end of the book. There isnt any point in trying to search for true love because she already found it and it dies with Teacake. Genies hunger for love stretches across three long marriages. This can be compared to a super bowl team after they win the super bowl. The super bowl team is already the best in the world so whats the point in trying again? Jeanie has come through a huge moral development since the beginning. This is also one of the parts in Welders happy ending. At the beginning Jeanie believes that true love will appear after marriage and that it doesnt happen fore (thanks to her grandmother). Her second marriage was a different moral development, one that strengthened her to find a good man. The last marriage developed her into what true love is really about. This entire book boils down into a Weldon happy ending. It involves moral development, spiritual reassessment, and reconciliation.

Alba Madonna - Raphael Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Alba Madonna - Raphael - Essay Example Raphael's Alba Madonna, painted circa 1510 and measuring 37.5 inches in diameter, is one of the most well known examples of biblical themed Renaissance art. One of the work's key compositional features is the artist's selection of a circular framework to surround his depiction of the biblical triad of Mary, the child St John and a baby Jesus. The circle, with its theoretical and symbolic links to notions of eternity is invested with significance in the Judeo-Christian belief system. Conversely, in ancient mythology the circle often represented a serpent from head to tail - tying in with the serpentine satanic figure of Christianity's Garden of Eden. Surrounded by the circle, as the baby Jesus was encased in her womb before birth, Mary is surrounded by a miasma of potent symbolic associations - including those of creation, rebirth and destruction. The foreground scenery of the piece is relatively barren, in contrast to the reproductive success of the virgin mother. In biblical ideolog y, it was a tragedy for a woman to be seen as barren - as traditional gender roles determined reproduction to be a woman's primary function. Conversely, a fertile woman was seen to be blessed by God. The emphasis on a barren landscape heightens the associations of fertility connected to the Madonna, and the barren scene is broken by the appearance of two flowers - symbolising qualities of purity in their whiteness and similarly reflecting the virginal purity of Christ's mother.

Can Kuwait save the GCC Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Can Kuwait save the GCC - Assignment Example The states that make up the GCC feel that Qatar is not honoring its part of the agreement in relation to regional security. In response to this, Bahrain, the UAF and Saudi Arabia have opted to withdraw their ambassadors from the country (2). The GCC member states are calling on Qatar to honor the November 2013 accord that calls for severing ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, greatly restrict the movement of Iranian operatives within the zone, and stop all privileges enjoyed by Sheikh Yusef al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian Scholar, to make public broadcasts (2). In this respect, the GCC member states are requesting Qatar to disallow Sheikh Yusef from making broadcasts, severe ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, and stop facilitating the movement of those considered to be Iranian operatives within the GCC zone. While the GCC countries feel that Qatar is interfering in the zone’s security matters that are enshrined in their accord and uniting agreements, Qatar feels that the move to withdraw ambassadors by other GCC states from Doha has no relation to do with the stability, security and interests of nationals of the GCC (3). Instead it was linked to a difference opinions regarding issues that are external to the GCC (3). By allowing Iranian operatives into the GCC zone, the U.S. and its affiliates will find cause to severe ties with GCC member states on the premise that they are supporting Iran’s aggressive activities and stance toward developing nuclear weapons.