Psychological and Sociological Aspects :: essays papers

Psychological and Sociological Aspects In the beginning of my freshman semester in college I decided to major in secondary education with a minor in psychology. I made the decision just recently to change my major to sociology for many reasons that relate to research during this course. I am currently enrolled in an educational psychology course as well as an introduction to sociology class. As the semester has progressed, I have gotten deeper into my research for this project. One of the main things that I have taken note of is that much of what I am learning in this course through research is being enhanced by studies we discuss in sociology. The topic â€Å"Students at Risk† is a very broad topic. In psychology class we study the behavioral and mental aspects of dealing with students who have difficulty performing in a structured classroom setting. However, in my sociology class, we touch more upon the environmental and societal effects that are common influences amongst students at risk. I have found th at sociological theories are the basis for labeling those students who have been set up for failure. The study of sociology as it relates to this topic is that environmental and societal negativities can be credited for student failure. With psychology, you are attempting to find reasons within one-self that have caused a delay in ones academic success. It becomes a main issue when dealing with these types of situations to find someone or something to blame for the student’s level of progression. Through research I have found that instead of directing our attention to the cause of the problem, we must exert more energy to finding a solution. â€Å"Learning Disabled?† or â€Å"Slow Learner?† When first approaching this subject I began to explore different behavioral disorders and learning disabilities that would cause a student to be considered â€Å"at risk†. However, before beginning to explore these sub topics in detail I thought it would be helpful to find some information on determining the difference between someone who is just a slow learner, verses someone who has trouble learning because of disability. I came across an article by author Margaret Shepherd that is titled â€Å"Learning Disabled or Slow Learner†? This article details the differences between the learning disabled child and the slow learner, and it is also a plea for caution in the use of the diagnostic term learning disabilities.

Bob Dylans Social Commentary Essay

During an interview with the Los Angeles Free Press in 1965, Bob Dylan said, â€Å"All I can do is be me, whoever that is,† (Dylan) which perfectly describes the sentiment you get from his works. During his music career, he has changed many aspects of his image, music style and religion, going so far as to legally change his name from Robert Zimmerman to Bob Dylan. Living during a very fast changing society, his works reflect on the Civil Rights movement and other historically significant events. He is seen as a spokesperson for his generation through his deep and meaningful songs. Bob Dylan uses his pieces to comment on life and humanity, sparking social reforms. Bob Dylan was born named Robert Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota on May 24, 1941. He grew up in a supportive, Jewish household, and began writing poems at the age of 10. When he was 14, he taught himself to play guitar, and played in a couple different bands in high school. In college, he read an autobiography of Woody Guthrie which had a tremendous impact on his music career. Bob Dylan performed his versions of the Woody Guthrie’s songs at local coffee houses. Soon, he left college and hitchhiked to New York to visit his sick idol. After his death, Bob Dylan told Rock 100, â€Å"Guthrie was my last idol. My future idols will be myself.† This confidence contributed to his success as a musician. Bob Dylan got his break with a talent scout John Hammond. He released his self-titled first album in March 1962, which was filled with interpretations of old folk songs two original songs. A second LP came out soon after that was only original compositions. Bob Dylan released two more folk LP’s before his big transition into a more electric rock type of music. In 1965 he released a half acoustic half electric album that received a lot of criticism from fans of his folk music. One of his most popular albums, Blond on Blonde, released in 1966 featured many famous rock songs, and received much praise from critics. This album contains many protest songs including â€Å"A Hard Rains a Gonna Fall,† and â€Å"Masters of War.† These songs are thought to have been protesting the arms race during the Cold War, and exemplify how Bob Dylan used songs to comment on humanity and life. After this album, Bob Dylan broke his neck in a motorcycle accident and spent the next couple of years in recovery. After releasing many more successful albums, he went through a major transition from Judaism to Christianity. His next three albums reflected that transition, which confused much of his fan base. Bob Dylan continued to record and toured with a couple different  bands during the 80’s. In 2001, he received a Golden Globe for the best original song in a movie for â€Å"Things Have Changed†. Bob Dylan is still alive and continues to make public appe arances and occasionally perform. Bob Dylan’s songs use symbolism and imagery to reflect his views on life in a different way. The song Blowin’ in the Wind is one of his most famous works. This song uses the phrase â€Å"blowin’ in the wind† to answer multiple questions about humanity that it puts forth. The song also has war themes, shown when it asks the question, â€Å"How many times must the cannonballs fly before they’re forever banned?†(5). The lyrics exemplify his distaste for violence. The whole poem reflects his view that humanity will never learn from their mistakes. Bob Dylan also has some less political and more love themed pieces. In the song Watered down Love, he talks about how pure love will only hurt you so you need to look for a â€Å"watered down love†. The repetitious phrase, â€Å"You don’t want a love that’s pure, you want a drown love, you want a watered down love† (12). The song â€Å"Love is just a Four Letter Word† further continues the theme of true love being impossible. The song begins with him hearing others saying that love doesn’t mean anything, but in the end of the song he believes that himself. This is shown when it says â€Å"Though I never knew just what you meant when you were speaking to your man, I could only think in terms of me and now I understand,† (28). The songs are examples of how Bob Dylan uses his writing to comment on parts of life such as love and war. Bob Dylan’s writing does not go without criticism. His frequent changes in music style and image cause distaste from many critics. Jann Wenner in Rolling Stone Magazine said, â€Å"Dylan created so many images and expectations that he narrowed his room for maneuverability and finally became unsure of his own instincts,†(Wenner,†The Rolling Interview: Bob Dylan.†) There are also arguments of Bob Dylan’s role as an artist. Some believe that his songs do not qualify him as an artist and should not be read and studied as poetry. Others, such as Christopher Rooks, believe that his songs, even if they are not written in a traditional poetic way, are still art because of the â€Å"what they mean and what they can tell us about the human condition, about the nature of reality as it concerns man, which is the  very definition of art,† (Karwowski, â€Å"Is Bob Dylan an Artist?†). In another critical essay, Ellen Willis points out in Cheetah Magazine that although he may be seen as a poet, his poetry ha s â€Å"horrendous grammar, tangled phrases,  silly metaphors, embarrassing clichà ©s, muddled thought; at times he seems to believe one good image deserves five others, and he relies too much on rhyme.†(Willis, â€Å"Dylan†). Although his songs receive a lot of criticism for his changing images and whether he should be seen as an artist, no one can deny the unique way Bob Dylan portrays humanity and his role as a spokesperson for his generation. Bob Dylan is considered to be the greatest influence on popular culture of all time. His surroundings inspired him to write about important historical moments such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy’s assassination, the Civil Rights movement. Many of his songs are directly written about these events, most notably, â€Å"The Death of Emmett Till.†, which was written about the murder of 15 year old Emmett Till, a black boy who was accused of flirting with a white girl. Other songs such as â€Å"Blowin in the Wind,† â€Å"The Times they are A Changing,† and â€Å"A Hard Rains a Gonna Fall† all have political and social meaning behind them. He said that â€Å"the folk songs showed me†¦that songs can say something human.† (Dylan, 86) about his social commentary pieces. Bob Dylan was also a major player in the anti-war protests, sparked by the Vietnam War. His anti-war songs influenced activists, mostly college students who listened to his music. No other artist has had such a profound effect on the cultural evolution in America. He had an incredible influence on social reforms in this generation, as well as inspiring many other famous bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. No one can deny that he was a factor in the revolution of hundreds of thousands of people. Bob Dylan uses his songs as a way to comment on life, humanity, sparking social reforms. His childhood during the time period he lived in influenced his writing greatly through watching major historical event occur such as the Civil Rights Movement, World War Two, the Vietnam War and the assassination of President Kennedy. A famous song, Blowin in the Wind talks about society’s inability to change their views, and can be translated to be an antiwar anthem or a Civil Rights commentary. Bob Dylan is criticized mainly on whether his songs can be called poetry and if he can be considered an artist. Also, the politics brought into his writing are very controversial. All in all, Bob Dylan’s songs had a considerable impact on society because of his commentary on humanity. Works Cited â€Å"Bob Dylan.† Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Student Resources in Context. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Karwowski, Michael. â€Å"Is Bob Dylan an Artist?† Contemporary Review 1 June 2004: n. pag. Print. Wenner, Jann S. â€Å"The Rolling Stone Interview: Bob Dylan.† Rolling Stone 29 Nov. 1969: 32-35. Rolling Stone. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Wenke, Joseph. â€Å"Bob Dylan.† The Beats: Literary Bohemians in Postwar America. Ed. Ann Charters. Detroit. Gale Research, 1983. Dictionary of Litereary Biograhy Vol 16. Literature Resource Center. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. Yaffe, David. Bob Dylan: Like a Complete Unknown. New Haven [Conn.: Yale UP, 2011. Print.

Value the Intangible in Everyday Use by Alice Walker

â€Å"Everyday Use† is a short story by Alice Walker, which emphasizes the importance of understanding and cherishing your heritage and the inheritance that may come along with it. Knowing who is truly entitled to the inheritance, and what their heritage meant was the central conflict in the story, when the two main characters Dee and Maggie, both wanted the two hand stitched quilts. Rather than looking at the physical aspect of the quilts the author wants the reader to know that the meaning is much deeper. The quilts are used to depict the struggle, triumphs, oppression, joy, pain, and love of each hand that helped to create the prized works of art. The quilts needed to be put to everyday use, rather than a mere decoration on the wall. Through the quilts Walker was able to show what each character valued: Dee valued the materials things, Maggie, valued things she could attach herself to, and Mama valued the acceptance of her daughter Dee. Dee is the afro-centric, ego- centric and eccentric pseudo-intellect. She values her culture in a more materialistic aspect. She respects the artifacts of her history rather than the usefulness. Dee’s earthly-mindedness sets the stage for conflict throughout the entire story, from her arrival until the central conflict when there is a battle amongst the other two main characters Mama and Maggie, about who is truly entitled to the hand-stitched quilts. The quilts were works of art that have been passed down throughoutShow MoreRelatedTourism and Indigenous People8720 Words   |  35 Pagestwo decades tourism impacts have been defined under three main headings – economic, environmental and socio-cultural. Within the context of tourism, this report will deal with indigenous people through issues they come to deal with during their everyday lives. From positive impacts which can come in the form of monetary benefits for them through tourism activities and an increased sense of pride for their culture, to more pressing issues, which include exploitation of their traditional knowledgeRead MoreThe Walt Disney Company Report15335 Words   |  62 Pagesheadquartered in the United State Burbank. At the beginning of the Disney, Walt Disney was a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company and a film producer. * In early 1923, Kansas City, Missouri animator Walt Disney created a short film entitled Alice s Wonderland under a company named Laugh-O-Gram Films which went busted * In January 1926 with the completion of the Disney studio on Hyperion Street in Hollywood , the Disney Brothers Studio s name is changed to the Walt Disney Studio. Read MoreStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 PagesSECTION TWO .............................................................. 93 The Human Resource Environment........................... 94 TECHNOLOGY AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ............................................................ 96 WORKER VALUES AND ATTITUDINAL TRENDS ........ 109 MANAGEMENT TRENDS ......................................... 116 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS ........................................ 143 TRENDS IN THE UTILIZATION OF HUMAN RESOURCES......................................Read MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagespermission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permi ssion(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers