Exploring Another Ethnicity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Exploring Another Ethnicity - Essay Example The distinct ethnic groups have diverse attitudes, rituals, actions, religious traits, and cultural beliefs. As such, ethnicity plays a big role in the American society although the American society rarely defines people according to their ethnic groups (O'Neil Web). My Ethnicity is both Arab and Hispanic. This paper seeks to address another ethnic group that I do not belong. In this case, I will address the Indian American ethnic group as part of the America society. To achieve this, I will describe rituals, actions, religious aspects, cultures, and morals of an Indian American wedding that I attended. Indeed, it was my first time to attend an Indian American wedding and the entire event was culturally strange, informing, and somehow entertaining to me. Notably, most Indian American is Hindus and as such, the wedding ceremony was in a Hindu setting unlike my normal Muslim setting. My Feelings in an Indian American Wedding Ceremony Actually, the whole setting was completely new to me and although I had previously heard of the uniqueness of the Indian weddings, I have never been a witness. As such, I had much anxiety that derived mixed feelings as the reality of the wedding came to me. To some extent, I had expectations that any wedding must derive a lot of fun but was equally aware that the difference in cultures would deny me such fun, as it would be challenging to follow the proceedings of the ceremony. The different rituals and cultural dimensions that the wedding to me. More so, the Hindu religion aspects and even the language in application created loneliness and a feeling of isolation during the wedding. Indeed, everybody was in a joyous mood and I equally tried to adapt to the celebratory mood but I could rarely understand the various procedures adopted in the ceremony. However, with the help of my Indian friend, I would manage to glimpse and understand some happenings in the Indian American wedding. My Feelings in an Indian and an African American Event This situation was somehow similar to an African American wedding ceremony that I attended in a Christian setting. Indeed, the feeling of isolation of the real time happenings was still eminent in that Christian setting. Indeed, the Christian and the Hindu religion are quite new to me as I profess the Muslim religion. Moreover, the Indian and the black American traditions, rituals, and traditions are different from the Hispanic and Arabic. As such, my earlier situation was significantly similar to the reference situation where I attended the wedding ceremony in an Indian cultural setting. In both instances, I would struggle to understand the language in application, the rituals, and the cultures as seen in their dressing and code of conduct. Influence of Group Membership, Race, and Personality in Interpretation My group membership, race, and personal attributes are however fundamental in interpreting the situation. Actually, the members in our group include people from different et hnic groups and hence I have lived to embrace cultural diversity. As such, I can interpret that any wedding creates a source of joy and is of cultural importance to any ethnic group. Therefore, I interpret that the wedding ceremony in the Indian America setting is important to their culture. On the other hand, my race accommodates cultural diversity and respects other cultures and their traditions. Hence, my race helps me to deduce the importance of such a wedding

Prettie Brianna Essay Example for Free

Prettie Brianna Essay Name_______________________________________________Date_____________________________ 1. Show the social classes in ancient China from most important (top) to least important (bottom). 2. Why did the amount of land owned by each aristocrat decrease over time? Each aristocrat divided his land among his sons so each generation owned a smaller fraction of the original land 3. How did farmers in ancient China increase the amount of productive farmland? They built terraces into the mountain slopes 4. What three (3) farming methods helped farmers in ancient China grow more food? a. Terrace farming b. irrigation c. pest control 5. How do you write the number 328 using the Chinese numbering system? ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. What is the English number for ? ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Which philosophy encourages followers to concentrate on duty and humanity? Confucianism 8. Which of ancient Chinese philosophers do you think would be most popular in the world today? Explain why you chose this philosopher. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Why did Hanfeizi believe that people needed laws and punishments? To force them to do their duty 10. Describe the concept of filial piety? Family members placed the needs of the head of the family above their own 11. Why did many aristocrats favor the philosophy of Legalism? It emphasized force and power and did not require leaders to show kindness or understanding to their subjects 12. Compare the three main classes of Chinese society Chinese Society| Aristocrats| Farmers| Merchants| Land owners and nobles| Paid aristocrats for their land use | Provided goods and services to landowners| Upper class| Middle class | Lowest class| 13. How did Daoism differ from Confucianism? Confucianism encouraged people to work hard to improve the world while Daoism taught that people should give up their concerns about the world and seek inner peace Supposed you could interview Confucius about his concept of duty. Write five questions (Q) you might ask him about the subject. Also include how he might answer (A) 14. Q__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ballad of Birmingham by Dudley Randall Essay -- Analysis Ballad Birmin

Ballad of Birmingham by Dudley Randall In 'Ballad of Birmingham,' Dudley Randall illustrates a conflict between a child who wishes to march for civil rights and a mother who wishes only to protect her child. Much of this poem is read as dialogue between a mother and a child, a style which gives it an intimate tone and provides insight to the feelings of the characters. Throughout the poem the child is eager to go into Birmingham and march for freedom with the people there. The mother, on the other hand, is very adamant that the child should not go because it is dangerous. It is obvious that the child is concerned about the events surrounding the march and wants to be part of the movement. The child expresses these feelings in a way the appears mature and cognizant of the surrounding world, expressing a desire to support the civil rights movement rather than to ?go out and play.? The desire to no longer be seen as a child and have her voice heard by those being marched against and by her mother (who can also be seen as an oppressive form of authority in this poem) is expressed by the first few lines. The opinion of the child is much like that of all young people who want to fight for their freedom. The mother, however, refuses to acknowledge the child as anything but a child is a major conflict in this poem. Because she refers to her as ?child? and calls her ?baby,? it is clear that the mother does not take the child?s pleas seriously. The mother is certain that she kn...

Thoughts on Love Dating and Marriage

There are many different thoughts about dating, love and marriage. I had the pleasure of interviewing six co-workers from different lifestyle regarding their views on these matters. I will compare their thoughts with the theories of love and attachment. The social science theories that help us understand the components and processes of love include attachment theory, Reiss’s wheel theory of love, Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, Lee’s research on the styles of loving, and exchange theories. Many people perceive marriage as an important occasion in their lives, while others take marriage for granted and not that serious. Do people just hate each other after a while? What happens when the vows are in place, do people get too relax into their real selves? Or is it just unrealistic today? Dan a Gay Caucasian 43 yr. old male feels that marriage is fading away. He doesn’t know if people understand what they are entering into, rather it is love or lust. Dan feels that these idealistic dreams often sweep people off of their feet and then in a few years or less – Reality Hits – Ouch! Marriage is no longer a bringing together of a family, business or wealth. † It is actually based on this strange concept called love and with the concept of family to some people. Families are not the stable, strong and the dominant group that is shaping the young. â€Å"Families are unstable and weak however bonds are weaker. † As far as Gay marriages goes Dan fee ls that it should be legal and that it should not be called or treated and different than a marriage. Even though the church doesn’t rule the populace anymore Dan feels that marriage should be a legal coupling and not a religious coupling. Then he yelled â€Å"WHY DON’T PEOPLE STOP SAYING MARRIAGE IS SOME SACRED INSTITUTION THAT CANNOT BE DARKENED BY THE EVIL GAYS. WITH THE DIVORCE RATE THAT WE HAVE, the agreement that marriage is some sacred institution just rings hollow. Dan feels that an arranged marriage seems to last longer than marriage of choice and that people seem to grow to love each other that are put together by religion or family. However he will never support the mandating of an arranged marriage. Dan was heartbroken over premarital sex due to people not being responsible and protecting themselves. It saddened him to think about the many unwanted babies and the quantity of single mothers that we have in the economy today. These children and mothers are really being robbed of the American Dream. Dan believes that some people can find love on the internet the same way that his mom found her soul mate there. He believes that everyone should be happy. Next I interviewed three Caucasian women, Marcie a29yr old woman divorced once and remarried again with one child by the second marriage. Nikki, divorce twice and she is single mother of two with one child that diagnosed as being autistic. Then there is Kaitlyn a 22yr old white bisexual lady. Even though these women came from different beliefs and lifestyles their opinions on these issues were pretty much the same. They believe that choosing a lover, a husband and a partner is based on one’s personality and the way that they were raised. All three believes that people should live together before getting married. Nikki and Marcie do not believe in open marriages and feels that an open marriage allows each other to cheat and be with someone else. Kaitlyn on the other hand feel that an individual can love more than one person. She is all for open marriages. It’s funny, but all three women have found their recent husband or lover on the internet. They seem to be happy and would recommend internet dating to their friends. Marcie and Kaitlyn believe in premarital sex while Nikki is still deep-rooted by some of her family beliefs which are not to have sex until married. As you can see love is beyond constraints in these women lives. Last but not least there is Craig and Shon. Craig is a 52yr old Caucasian male and Shon is a 40year old African American. Both men were married and are now divorce with children in their twenties. Soon these men will be moving in with their girlfriend of three years. Even though open marriages are not for them, Craig believes in â€Å"What floats your boat. † While Shon showed a little jealously about the situation. He feels that people should not play with emotions because when he is with someone he is with that person. In these men lives, they believe that marriage is the act of a physical union. They have free choice over arranged marriages even if cultural differences play a role in certain marriages. They support two people who have a bond to be able to have their marriage recognized by the state and church. In their eyes Gay marriages is a civil rights movement and have no complaints about a person who wants to stay single. It’s your choice and whatever floats your boat. Just live life and be happy. Even though I have not talked about the theories one on one in this report one can see that all theories applied to every person that was interviewed. However I will explain each theory the way that our text clarified it. Attachment theory proposes that our primary motivation in life is to be connected with other people because this is the only true security we will ever have. The Attachment theory comes in three different styles. * Secure style: I find it easy to get close to others and am comfortable depending on them and having them depends on me. I don’t often worry about being abandoned or about someone get-ting too close to me. * Avoidant style: I am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others; I find it difficult to trust them completely and to depend on them. I am nervous when anyone gets too close and when lovers want me to be more intimate than I feel comfortable being. Anxious/ ambivalent style: Others are reluctant to get as close as I would like. I often worry that my partner doesn’t really love me or won’t want to stay with me. I want to merge completely with another person, and this desire sometimes scares people away. Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love According to Sternberg, the mix of intimacy, passion, and commitment can vary from one relation-ship to another. Relationships thus range from nonlove, in which all three components are absent, to consummate love, in which all the elements are present. Intimacy encompasses feelings of closeness, connectedness, and bonding. * Passion leads to romance, physical attraction, and sexual consummation. * Decision/ commitment have a short- and a long-term dimension. In the short term, partners make a decision to love each other; in the long term, they make a commitment to maintain that love over time. Lee’s Styles of Loving According to Lee, there are six basic styles of loving: Eros, mania, ludus, storge, agape, and pragma, all of which overlap and may vary in intensity * Eros means love of beauty. Because it is also characterized by powerful physical attraction, eros epitomizes â€Å"love at first sight. † This is the kind of love, often described in romance novels, in which the lovers experience palpitations, light-headedness, and intense emotional desire. Erotic lovers want to know everything about each other— what she or he dreamed about last night and what happened on the way to work today. They often like to wear matching T- shirts and matching colors, to order the same foods when dining out, and to be identified with each other as totally as possible. MANIA Characterized by obsessiveness, jealousy, possessiveness, and intense dependency, mania may be expressed as anxiety, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite, headaches, and even suicide because of real or imagined rejection by the desired person. Manic lovers are consumed by thoughts of their beloved and have an insatiable need for attention and signs of affection. Mania is often associated with low self- es teem and a poor self- concept. As a result, manic people typically are not attractive to individuals who have a strong self- concept and high self- esteem. LUDUS is carefree and casual love that is considered â€Å"fun and games. † Ludic lovers often have several partners at one time and are not possessive or jealous, primarily because they don’t want their lovers to become dependent on them. Ludic lovers have sex for fun, not emotional rapport. In their sexual encounters, they are typically self- centered and may be exploitative because they do not want commitment, which they consider â€Å"scary. † * STORGE is a slow-burning, peaceful, and affectionate love that comes with the passage of time and the enjoyment of shared activities. Storgic relationships lack the ecstatic highs and lows that characterize some other styles. Sociologist Ira Reiss and his associates proposed a â€Å"wheel theory† of love that generated much research for several decades. Reiss described four stages of love: rapport, self- revelation, mutual dependency, and personality need fulfillment. In the first stage, partners establish rapport based on cultural backgrounds with similar upbringing, social class, religion, and educational level. Without this rapport, according to Reiss, would- be lovers do not have enough in common to establish an initial interest. In the second stage, self- revelation brings the couple closer together. Because each person feels more at ease in the relationship, she or he is more likely to discuss hopes, desires, fears, and ambitions and to engage in sexual activities. In the third stage, as the couple becomes more intimate, the partners’ mutual dependency in-creases: They exchange ideas, jokes, and sexual desires. In the fourth and final stage, the couple experiences personality need fulfillment. The partners confide in each other, make mutual decisions, support each other’s ambitions, and bolster each other’s self- confidence. Like spokes on a wheel, these stages can turn many times that is, they can be repeated. For example, partners build some rapport, and then reveal bits of them, then build more rapport, then begin to exchange ideas, and so on. The spokes may keep turning to produce a deep and lasting relationship. Or, during a fleeting romance, the wheel may stop after a few turns. Information taken from Marriages & Families: Changes, Choices, and Constraints, Seventh Edition by Nijole V. Benokraitis My personal interviews with Nikki, Dan, Craig, Shon, Marcie and Kaitlyn.

The Importance of Medical Marijuana

Individual Project # 3 Erricka Mayfield Colorado Technical University ENGL126-1204A-03: Sound Writing October 29th, 2012 Professor: David Mulvihill Introduction: The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial issue since it has been suggested as a method for use as medication. Despite its dissention, it comes by patient recommendation and Doctors prescribe it to their patients based on its medical benefits.Marijuana has been classified as a Controlled Substance and there have been statements that it is a â€Å"gateway drug,† in spite of the accusations against it, patients who use medical marijuana opinions differ greatly. Although documented studies exist weighing the benefits or non-benefits of medical marijuana, it is heartfelt that it should be legalized on the basis that it helps those who are critically ill to cope with various side effects of the diseases like AIDS, Cancer, and Multiple Sclerosis by alleviating pain, vomiting, and nausea.While many patients are a fflicted with side effects from the medications that are used to treat their diseases, the United States Government approved marijuana in pill form called â€Å"marinol† which is available as a prescription and has been proven to not be as effective due to the synthetic ingredient known as delta-9-THC.Whereas, marijuana derived directly from the plant has the original ingredient of delta-9-THC which works with the body’s natural endorphins by working in direct correlation of the body’s opioids receptor system and creating benefits to the patients who use it be restoring ailing patients to some quality of life, while battling these life altering diseases. Body: In 1997, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy asked the Institute of Medicine to â€Å"review the scientific evidence on the potential health benefits and risks of marijuana† as a gateway drug.To the White House’s surprise and to the benefits of those who desperately need me dical marijuana, the Institute of Medicine proclaimed â€Å"that marijuana usually precedes rather that follows initiation of other illicit drug use. † The Institute of Medicine also states that â€Å"most users of illicit drugs had already used alcohol and nicotine while underage, before the use of marijuana. † In the opinion of the Institute of Medicine they feel that â€Å"because underage smoking and alcohol use typically precede marijuana use, marijuana is not the most common and rarely the first â€Å"gateway† to illicit drug use. In the studies completed by the Institute of Medicine they â€Å"found no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the direct abuse of other illicit drugs. † The American College of Physicians also â€Å"urges the review of marijuana as a Schedule I Controlled Substance and its reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidence concerning marijuanaâ€℠¢s safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions. In simpler terms the Institute of Medicine found no linkable evidence to â€Å"marijuana† being a gateway drug as most have claimed, stating that â€Å"most users of illicit drugs began using either alcohol or nicotine even before the legal age limit,† therefore stating that â€Å"they would not consider marijuana as a gateway drug. † Maybe the Institute of Medicine reaffirms some of the findings, studies, perceptions, and or opinions of others who agree that medical marijuana has some positive benefits.According to Medical Doctor and Former United States Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders asserts that â€Å"the evidence is overwhelming how marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, and AIDS or by the harsh drugs used to treat the diseases. † Dr. Elders firmly states â€Å"that marijuana can safely alleviate such symptoms in chronically ill patients and that marijuana is less toxic than many of the medications that Physicians prescribe their patients. The Institute of Medicine contributed information upon a study they completed called â€Å"The Efficacy of Cannabinoid Drugs† which is a study completed on the effects of cannabinoids on a range of symptoms in multiple patients who used medical marijuana. Their findings revealed that the cannabinoids were â€Å"effective in anxiety reduction, appetite stimulation, nausea reduction, and pain relief. † The Institute of Medicine strongly suggested that â€Å"cannabinoids would be well suited for particular conditions like chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and in the AIDS wasting syndrome.A study completed at the University of California at San Francisco â€Å"found that smoked marijuana was more effective at relieving extreme pain in a debilitating condition known as peripheral neuropathy, as well as those patients who have diabetes and multiple sclerosis. To gain a better understanding of how cannabinoids work, they work with specific endo- cannabinoids and are produced by the body and also interact with the body’s natural pain receptors. Based upon the opinion of Doctor Gregory T. Carter, who is Co-Director at the University of Washington Medical Center Muscular Dystrophy Association says that there are really no other medications that have the same mechanisms of actions as marijuana, although â€Å"Marinol† is available by prescription but lacks the advantages by containing only a synthetic ingredient of delta-9-THC, which is only one of many therapeutically beneficial cannabinoids found in the natural marijuana plant. † An advocate for the medical use of marijuana named Rudolph J. Gerber cited a number of independent studies that coincide with the therapeutic uses of marijuana in symptoms affiliated with AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Tourette’s syndrome and even anxiety.In Mr. Gerber’s citing he found that marijuana’s health benefits were greater opposed to those found in Marinol like â€Å"the onset of relief from the capsule which takes an hour or more, as with the effects of smoking marijuana are only within minutes. † Marinol which is oral form of marijuana and contains delt-9-THC which is metabolized through the liver and neutralizes more than 90 percent of the chemical, while smoked marijuana contains the direct ingredient of delta-9-THC providing the ingredient direct delivery to the bloodstream. Lastly, â€Å"an oral dose of Marinol lasts up to six unpredictable hours, with variable effects, while smoked marijuana lasts a more manageable and predictable hour or two. Conclusion: Overall the benefits of patient using medical marijuana personally out way the recourse of prescription drugs and all of its side effects. Consider this if you know someone personally who is battling a critically illness and regular pres cribed Medications do not suffice, and the patient has to deal with the adverse side effects of the prescribed medications would medical marijuana be an alternative to consider?Would you advocate for the use of medical marijuana to help provide relief to a loved one from crippling side effects of prescribed medication? If so, I urge you today to consider the medical benefits of medical marijuana. Consider how medical marijuana can alleviate pain, and stop vomiting, and relieve nausea by creating relief to a patient who is battling a life altering disease. Just consider the option of medical marijuana! References: http://medicalmarijuana. procon. org/view. resource. php? resourceID Retrieved from www. procons. org Gerber, Rudolph J. Beneficial Effects of Marijuana as a Medical Prescription. † Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004. Rpt. in Marijuana. Ed. Joseph Tardiff. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Contemporary Issues Companion. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. Retrieved from http://ic. galegroup. com. proxy. cecybrary. com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/Viewpoints Grinspoon, Lester. â€Å"Medical Marijuana Is an Effective Medicine. † Medicine. Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"Marijuana