The Conversation and the 1970s America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Conversation and the 1970s America - Essay Example In this movie, Harry Caul has the ability of recording any private conversation between two or more people, and anywhere they are. However, one of surveillance work resulted into the murder of three individuals. This creates a sense of guilt and regret over the work he did. This guilt is also brought about by his strict religious believes in Catholicism (Welsh, Gene and Rodney, 33). On this note, the consequences of his surveillance work that led to the murder of these three individuals greatly affected another contract he got from Martin Stett. This is because of the perceptions that Caul had, in regard to his work, and the use of the information from him. To him, the intention of Martin Stett was to kill the two couples, that is Ann and Mark. On this basis, Caul refused to hand over the buggled information to Martin Stett. However, the perceptions of Caul were wrong, since the intention of Martin Stett was to use the information for purposes of protecting his boss, the Director. A role played by Robert Duvall. His lack of judgment led to the murder of Robert Duvall. This scene directly relates to the political events of the 1974. During this period, the political environment was filled with information emanating from the Watergate scandal. During this scandal, President Nixon was found with tapes that had recordings of private conversation of various people. The FBI were able to prove that the president had a complex recording system that was able to effectively record any conversation involving two. or more individuals, anywhere they are. It is this type of technology that Harry Caul used in recording and blogging into the private conversations of individuals.In fact, the producer of the movie denotes that the film used the same types of surveillance technology and wiretapping equipment’s that the Nixon administration used during the scandal. However, Coppola is quick to point that this is coincidental since the script of the movie was written in the 1960s, before the disclosure of the Watergate scandal. The blogging took place at the political offices of the democrats situated at their Watergate

The Connection Between Homelessness And Social Issues Social Work Essay

The Connection Between Homelessness And Social Issues Social Work Essay Essay Question What is the connection between homelessness, unemployment, drug use and mental illnesses in Australian society today? Unfortunately, in Australian society today, it is assumed that all Australians have access to a safe and secure environment, and are able to seek and gain employment; however this is not always the case for many Australians, with these social detriments being exacerbated by mental health issues and alcohol and drug abuse. However, in saying this not everyone that experiences one or more of these detriments necessarily experiences another. Alternatively, evidence has shown that there is an obvious link between each of these social and health detriments of health, with each intricately leading to another. This essay will discuss the intricate links between homelessness, unemployment, drug use and mental illness in todays society. On any given night in Australia it is estimated that over 100,000 people are homeless and living without essential human rights. (MHCA, 2009. p.5) While the reasons for peoples homelessness are varying, the abuse of alcohol, drugs and other harmful substances can exacerbate the situation and lead to further problems. The use of harmful substances by many homeless people is often seen as functional, this meaning that the use of these substances is helping them cope with their situation, and provide them with a sense of belonging in the Australian street culture. While many of the homeless people may start using soft drugs , this often opens the gateway to harder substances to which they can come completely reliant upon. The prevalence of heroin use in the homeless community is ten times higher than the general Australian community. (Australian National Council on Drugs, 2008) (Johnson Chamberlin, 2008, p.347) Australias homeless population, exhibit higher rates of emotional and physical health issues, anxiety, poor nutrition and difficulties in maintaining relationships (Lady Bowen Trust). 1 in 200 Australians in todays society dont have access to adequate housing and employment. It is estimated that 75 percent of this homeless population is suffering from some kind of mental illness, (MHCA, 2009, p.5) and that at least forty three percent engaged in substance abuse. (Johnson Chamberlin, 2008, p.347) A safe and secure environment is essential to physical and mental health. Mental health symptoms can often be worsened by unstable housing and social isolation. Homelessness significantly affects a persons ability to successfully maintain employment and relationships. When referring to mental illness, generally speaking it is an illness that has some kind of influence and effect on how a person, thinks, feels and acts. (MHCA, 2009, p.10) These can include mental health issues such as depression, anxiety personality disorders, schizophrenia and stress disorders. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness of varying degrees at some point in their lives. (MHCA, 2009, p.10) Although the exact cause of many mental illnesses are unknown, along with biological factors it is believed that environmental factors, stressful and abusing situations, substance or drug abuse and negative thought patterns all contribute to a persons mental health. Domestic violence, mental health, unemployment and substance abuse are among the leading causes of homelessness in Australia, along with critical shortages of affordable housing. However it is important to note that there are many contributing factors to a person becoming homeless such as family breakdown, sexual assault, gambling, mental illness, financial difficulties and social isolisation and broader social processes. (Homelessness Australia, 2010) Having a mental illness reduces a persons quality of life; the symptoms can make it difficult for individuals to cope with the daily demands of work and home life. In some cases this can lead to people becoming socially isolated, and even losing their jobs. This loss of employment often means people are no longer able to afford housing and a lack of social support can mean these people may become homeless. The unemployed are also less likely to receive medical treatment for symptoms of mental illness. If they do seek treatment of these illnesses they then face the problems of being able to pay for expensive prescriptions. (www.informahealthcare.com) The current economic climate has also placed increased stress on individuals and there has been a spike in Medicare claims for mental health consultations due to unemployment (Dragon, 2009). Studies have shown that homeless people have a higher prevalence of mental illness and substance abuse, with a Melbourne study showing 30 percent of homeless people surveyed had mental health issues and 43 percent suffered substance abuse issues. (MHCA, 2009, p.14) Substance abuse is also linked to homelessness, unemployment and mental illness, as substance abuse can take hold and damage a persons quality of life. Substance abuse begins to interfere with a individuals work and social life and this commonly leads to the destruction of relationships and loss of employment. Rather than this slide from positive relationships and employment being instant, many people tend to slide into homelessness as a result of their substance abuse. As they begin to come more dependent on these substances the transition becomes more rapid. ((Johnson Chamberlin, 2008, p.348) Having a mental illness can increase a persons likelihood of abusing drugs, which may in the short term make the symptoms of their mental illness feel better, while other peoples drug use can trigger the symptoms of mental illness. (MHCA, 2009, p.22) The link can also be made in terms of unemployment and homelessness, if a person is unemployed they can experience financial difficulties that can result in being homeless, alternatively if a person is homeless it becomes difficult to gain employment and break the cycle. The relationship between homelessness and substance abuse is well researched and documented; there is debate however on the direction of this relationship, and whether substance abuse is the cause or consequence of an individual becoming homeless. The focus of substance abuse as a consequence of homelessness is the social adaption model. Entering into homelessness often exposes individuals to a subculture where substance abuse is accepted and common place. This model also identifies that many people start to abuse substances as a method of coping with their situation, which can often be very stressful, uncertain and traumatic. (Johnson Chamberlin, 2008, p.343) Johnson and Chamberlain (2008, p.350) report that thirty four percent of individuals have engaged in substance abuse before becoming homeless, while sixty six percent first start abusing substances after becoming homeless.es as they struggle to pay for their addiction. Loss of employment then leads individuals looking for alternative income which can often lead to bad loans and illegal behaviours. (Johnson Chamberlin, 2008, p.p347-350) The social selection approach focuses on substance abuse as a cause of homelessness rather than a consequence. Substance abuse can be a leading factor into homelessness, as when a person becomes addicted to harmful substances they tend to start self damaging behaviours which affect social and work relationships. As their substance abuse increases, this often leads to financial difficulties and destruction of social networks. Psychological trauma and post traumatic stress disorder have been found to be contributing factors for many of the homeless population. There is no specific way in which each of these social detriments of health contributes to each other. For example, mental health issues may contribute or lead to people becoming homeless, while for others their mental health issues may be a result of being homeless or compounded by it. (MHCA, 2009, p.22) The homeless population can face discrimination when trying to find and apply for housing, especially when they have experienced a mental illness. (DHA, 2005) Many landlords are something about having people with a mental illness in their accommodation, due to the negative stigma that is attached with mental illness. Having a mental illness or past substance abuse problem can also follow a person and impact upon their lives even after they have overcome these issues. As in todays society many jobs and housing applications require police, credit and background checks. (MHCA, 2009, p.18) Webster (2007) reports that drug abusers with mental illnesses are likely to experience high rates of employment difficulties. Stating that individuals with mental illnesses have fewer work-related skills, poor interpersonal skills, impulse control and poor time management, therefore having less success in the workforce than individuals without mental illness and substance abuse issues. (Webster et al., 2007) Webster (2007) also reports that employment is a key factor in breaking the cycle of drug abuse, as employment occupies time, increases self esteem, promotes a sense of belonging and responsibility and provides structure. (Webster et al., 2007) In Australian society a quarter of the homeless population are children aged between 12 and 18, as these children age and mature they are at a higher risk of unemployment and being stuck in a vicious cycle of homelessness, unemployment, substance abuse and mental illness. (Graham, 2010, p.24) Children are more likely to face unemployment if they are from low socioeconomic status, left school early leading to low literacy and numeracy skills, are indigenous, live with one or more unemployed person, or live in remote areas. (Graham, 2010, p.20) A longitudinal study of Australian youth with mental health issues found that they did not suffer from mental health issues prior to unemployment. This shows the importance of employment and the effect that unemployment can have. (Graham, 2010, p.23) In 1991, Fischer Breakey developed three pathways into homelessness. The first being social selection which involves a breakdown in the capacity for living independently due to mental illness. The second pathway details socioeconomic adversity in which a person experiences unemployment, low levels of education and declining income. The third pathway described involves the inability to develop socially normative roles and support systems. (Kim Ford, 2010, p.40) The sociological imagination uses a sociological approach to analysing issues such as homelessness, substance abuse, unemployment and mental illness. This approach analyses associations of public issues and personal problems by looking at the Historical, structural, critical and cultural factors which contribute to a person experiencing issues such as homelessness. A better understanding of the causes can be found and thus leading to a better understanding of how to return to normal societal function and reducing the risk of relapse into past behaviours. . (Germov, 2009, p.7). The amount of structure and agency an individual holds in situations of homelessness, drug abuse, unemployment and mental illness is also important to note. The structure agency debate explores the amount of control a individual has over their behaviour and how much influence the social structure to which they belong plays. (Germov, 2009, p.7). Children that have grown up in an environment which is socioeconomically disadvantaged, high levels of drug abuse and unemployment, and poor work ethic, are more likely to follow in this pattern than children that have been brought up in higher socioeconomic conditions and have been instilled with a strong work ethic. Sue is 17 years of age and has been living away from home for two years, having left her family home due to conflict and violence with parents and physical assault between siblings. In the past two years Sue has lived a typically transient lifestyle, residing in crisis accommodation, various boarding arrangements and in an accommodation program to assist young people who are homeless and in need of specialist support. Sue has lived independently in a small unit as well as with a number of friends in their accommodation and in squats. Over the past two years Sue has engaged in self-harming behaviour and been violent and aggressive towards peers, herself and family, which has on occasion resulted in cautions from the legal system. Sue has also engaged in petty theft, auto-theft and break and enters, all resulting in legal cautions. Sue uses alcohol, marijuana and amphetamines and has been diagnosed with depression resulting in anti-depressants being prescribed (Mission Australia, 2005). In December 2008, the Australian Government released a White Paper on Homelessness: The Road Home: A National Approach to Reducing Homelessness. This paper recognises that maintaining the current approach to homelessness will see the homeless population of Australia significantly increase in the coming years. The paper takes a holistic view and aims to find solutions in address the varying needs of the homeless population, for example employment needs, education and training, health and social support. This report has three main initiative areas. They are to ensure that services intervene early to stop people becoming homeless, making services more connected and responsive across a range of areas not limited to housing, such as health and economic and social participation and strategies to assist people who become homeless to move quickly through the crisis system to stable housing, and providing the support they need so that they do not re-enter homelessness. Through the implementat ion on many straggles under these initiatives and 1.2 billion dollars in funding the Australian Government aims to have a fifty percent reduction in homelessness by 2020. (MHCA, 2009, pp.12-13) Todays society has negative stigma and labelling associated with homelessness. Due to this attributes, the skills they poses, their personality, past achievements are often disregarded and overrun by the fact they are homeless. (Mission Australia, 2005) As homelessness is not a social norm, it can be seen is deviant behaviour. With the rise of the medical model of health, importance is placed on the individual receiving treatment in order to restore health and conformity. (Roach Anleu, 2010, pp.242-260) Under the therapeutic model deviant individuals which can include the homeless, mentally ill, drug and alcohol abusers and those experiencing adjustment problems require psychiatric intervention, with little emphasis in the social and environmental conditions that contribute to these issues. (Roach Anleu, 2010, pp.242-260) Homelessness, unemployment, drug use and mental illness are all intricately connected in todays society. These social determinants of health all coexist and can each weigh largely upon another. These linkages can lead to a viscous cycle which can be hard to break. Conclusion What was discussed Reaffirm argument http://www.health.qld.gov.au/research_information/social_determinants.asp

Eating Disorders Essay -- essays research papers

Eating Disorders An eating disorder is a way of using food to work out emotional problems. These illnesses develop because of emotional and/or psychological problems. Eating disorders are the way some people deal with stress. In today’s society, teenagers are pressured into thinking that bring thin is the same thing as being happy. Chemical balances in the brain that may also result in depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, and bi-polar disorders may also cause some eating disorders. Other causes may be emotional events, illnesses, marital or family problems, manic depression, or ending a relationship. Over eight million Americans suffer from eating disorders. Over 80% of girls under age thirteen admit to dieting, one of the main factors linked to eating disorders. Although eating disorders are mainly found in middle- to upper class, highly educated, Caucasian, female adolescents, no culture or age group is immune to them (EDA HP, n.p.). The three major eating disorders are anorexia nervo sa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive over-eating or binge-eating. The most dangerous eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. â€Å"Anorexia nervosa translates to â€Å"nervous loss of hunger†. It is a mental illness involving the irrational fear of gaining weight. Usually, the victim is a perfectionist, although he or she may suffer from a low self-esteem. In general, a member of the opposite sex triggers anorexia. The first disease resembling present-day anorexia is one called â€Å"Anorexia Mirabilis,† or â€Å"Miraculous lack of appetite.† It is described as McCurry 2 a disease of insanity, possibly like cancer, tuberculosis, or diabetes. It was believed to arise from a diseased mental state. Sir William Gull, a physician to England’s royal family, said that these anorexics were suffering from â€Å"a perversion of the will† (Silverson). In 1888, a French psychiatrist, Charles Lasegue viewed anorexia from a social standpoint. He believed it was a way of rebelling. The Children of this time were expected to and forced to clean their plates. They were also accustomed to well-regulated meal times. Another cause of the disease in the Victorian era may have been women’s expectations, such as to remain home after childhood. Their only job was to get married and enhance the family’s social status. No emotional outbursts, such as temper tantrums were permitted. The family life was suffocating, but a y... ...t, as the disorder is often a result in lacking in coping skills. Symptoms of binge eating include: eating more rapidly than usual, eating until uncomfortably full, eating large amounts when not physically hungry, eating alone because of embarrassment of the quantities of food consumed, and not being able to purge after consuming large quantities of food (Dobie 1). Because it is not always recognized as an eating disorder, compulsive over-eating may have the most adverse effects on health. McCurry 6 Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive over-eating are extremely serious illnesses that must be recognized before they can be treated. The media is blamed for so many distorted images of the body. People are beginning to refuse the idea, however, that thinner is better. Body shapes are known to go in and out of style. In the 1800s, plumpness was a sign of wealth and class. Thinness became a sign of beauty in the 1970s with the British super-model Twiggy. There are many treatments for eating disorders today. One of the hopes of many psychologists is that humans will begin to feel happy about the way they are, even if it is a little bigger than the media portrays as ideal.

Examples from placement

Whilst on my placement, there was a girl starting school full time; named Megan. Megan was why and reluctant to Interact with the other children, I noticed this and sat down next to her. To make her feel more secure, I tried talking to her In a calm voice. When listening to her, I was showing Interest In what she was saying, by positive facial expressions I made sure I gave enough time for Megan to think about her answer and if she answered correctly, I praised her to effectively boost her self-esteem and make her feel valued.However, she asked to participate in an activity that wasn't available, I calmly said in a slow voice â€Å"you are not allowed to do that†. When she kept asking, I reinforced my previous statement, to help her understand the boundaries expected of her. After she told me what games she enjoyed, I asked if she wanted to join in with the other children. Whilst asking her, I showed her pictures of the activities. Megan asked toxin the play-doe group, so I se tup an area for her.I introduced Megan to some of the other children, so she would feel more comfortable and welcome within the group.. Throughout the day, I was making sure Mean's needs were being met, for example asking her If she needed the toilet. I felt Like Megan was at an age, where she can Independently ask for the toilet, but to be safe I asked anyway. I needed to make sure that when asking her. I spoke clearly, so she could fully understand what I was asking and she could reply appropriately.I also, needed to make sure that she knew where things were, so she felt confident going herself. So I didn't lower Mean's self-esteem, I spoke to her in an assertive tone, if I had spoken to her in an aggressive manner it would have made her feel uncomfortable talking to me. For example â€Å"Can you please help the other children clean up? During my placement, there was a three year old girl, named Victoria. Victoria and family had just moved from Russia. Her parents could speak lit tle English and Victoria none.Very shy and reluctantly, she sat in the corner, playing by herself. I decided to have 1-1 time with her, and try to build a trusting relationship. I knew she was shy because she turned her body away from me and wouldn't make eye contact with me. Violator was obviously upset leaving her parents and feeling left out from the other children. In order for Victoria to understand me I spoke In basic minting to the picture of the sandpit, because she didn't understand English and it made it easier for her to understand which activities I was saying.When I gain some for her trust, she started using eye contact and more body language. By rubbing her eyes, I sat down with her and slowly and calmly asked what was wrong. She looked at me and said â€Å"tired†. I had to have her explain to me in more detail, so I showed her pictures of a bed and of possible activities she would enjoy. I made sure that I gave her enough time to reply, without interrupting and waiting patiently, or this could sibyl lower her self-confidence.She regained eye contact and pointed to the jigsaw puzzle. I taught Victoria a few basic words in English, by pointing to the object and waiting for her to repeat the word after me in English. When she repeated the word, I made sure I had positive facial expressions and body language, and praised her when she said it correctly. It was important that I used non-verbal communication, because it would affect her emotionally, by boosting her self- confidence and self-esteem and she would comfortable talking to me.If I made no effort to acknowledge she didn't know English, this would lower her self-esteem and make her feel isolated within the setting, because she wouldn't feel comfortable coming to talk to me and make her feel like she couldn't trust me. This means, she would have trouble communicating and interacting with the other children, and she wouldn't be able to tell me any problems she has; because of the lack of trust. To build our relationship further, in return, Victoria can teach me some words/phrases in Russian. This will allow us to have conversations in her language and she can feel more comfortable.

Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty, and Empowerment Essay

1. Should a company be happy or concerned if most customers are satisfied? Satisfaction of the consumer is one of the main goals for a company to achieve. Customer satisfaction is defined as the feeling that results when an offering meets a consumer’s expectations. Companies around the world are doing many surveys, in order to measure the satisfaction of their consumers because the importance of consumer satisfaction is one of the main factors for a company. According to the question, should a company be happy or concerned if most consumers are satisfied, the answer is concerned. The reason of this answer is that if all consumers would be satisfied then it is okay, but in this case not all consumers are satisfied, so there are some consumers who are not satisfied. The company should work hard in order to not leave space for concerns for these people who would be unsatisfied. These unsatisfied consumers would have a big influence on the company because these consumers express t heir concerns to other people and then other people might not want to buy anything from that company. However, one of the main strategies that companies use to achieve their goals of satisfaction is to influence the consumer’s expectations. Customer’s expectations should be very high because if the product or service doesn’t meet their expectations they would be unsatisfied and have a negative perception. Marketers should make their expectations a bit lower so the service or product would exceed their expectations and then customers would be very satisfied. An example of consumer satisfaction would be like this: I usually order pizza at the restaurant called Extreme Pizza so then they deliver it at my home. They always bring it on time so they never are late, and also the food is warm. I am very satisfied with the product and service they provide to me. However, one day I heard my friend complaining about a restaurant service and then I asked him why so, and I realized that he was talking about the same restaurant that I order pizza. He said many bad things about that restaurant, then he told me that delivery is always late so then the food is cold. He also complained that he pays much more money because his house is far away from this restaurant. Therefore, I think that the reason of this problem between my friend and that restaurant is that the location of the house, so it is normal if the delivery is late and the food is cold. However, my house is near the restaurant, so I don’t face these problems. In the end, the difference is that I am very satisfied with their products and service but my friend is not satisfied and told everyone about the bad issue he experienced with that restaurant. To sum up in other words, all companies should be concerned with that percentage of people who are not satisfied even if the number of these people is low because negative things are spread much faster to others and positive ones. 2. Create a loyalty program for AUK with the 4 positive effects in mind Loyalty programs are a type of sales promotions defined as the efforts to reward frequent purchases or consumptions of customers. Anyhow, we have to point out the difference between loyalty and loyalty programs. Loyalty is the attitude of customers for a particular brand. It is divided in two dimensions, behavioral and attitudinal loyalty. Behavioral loyalty is a degree where customer buys the product regularly and does not respond to competitors. Attitudinal loyalty is the degree where customer prefers or likes the brand. There are four positive effects of loyalty programs longevity effect, the blocker effect, spreader effect, and the accelerator effect. Longevity effect is the process of lengthening of the lifetime value of customers by increasing their switching costs. Blocker effect is the process of blocking out marketing communications from competitors. Spreader effect is the willingness of customers to buy related products from a marketer. Accelerator effect is the process where customers speed up to make purchases in order to get to the next level of their loyalty program offers. AUK Loyalty Program The loyalty program tends to encourage customers to buy a product and make customers come again to buy the product. In AUK, students not only can pay for their tuition but also for extra lectures such as cisco, summer program etc. Moreover, AUK could have a loyalty program in a way from those students who come from the same family and town. When a student attends AUK, then he or she will have a 50% discount from the actual price for cisco. Also, summer program is one of them that make a discount for AUK students each summer. Furthermore, AUK provides a 15 % discount of price for a second person from the same family and 30% for the third. Even though, all students of AUK would have the opportunity of 20% reduction in price for work and travel during the summer in the Unites States, with the company called â€Å"Zip Travel†. Therefore, this loyalty program would have 4 positive effects. One of the longevity effects is that AUK attracts students from the same family to join AUK w ith a discount in price. For example, I have a friend who joined AUK last year, which he has a brother here at AUK who is going to graduate next quarter. He told me that, he did not even think to come at AUK but his brother convinced him to make such a decision and attend AUK. Also, he mentioned that AUK offers a 15% discount in price for the second person of the same family. Maybe the discount and quality that AUK provides encouraged my friend to register in. The blocker effect is also included to the loyalty program of AUK because it provides for its customers extra courses such as Cisco located in the Blue Building at AUK. All students of AUK would have 50% discount in price if they want to take those IT classes. Therefore, when students hear about this offer, they do not bother to go somewhere else and take these classes because this offer with a cheaper price is all right. Therefore, this is how AUK loyalty program blocks out marketing communication from competitors. The spreader effect would be also included to the loyalty program of AUK. For example, I know a friend who participates in every summer program that AUK offers. He told me that, he is very satisfied with the lectures and professors of AUK and that AUK offers a discount for its students who want to participate in the summer program. These are the reasons why he enjoys taking every year classes at AUK during the summer season. Therefore, he is loyal to AUK and does not want to take summer courses in other countries as some students do. The accelerator effect is also one of the loyalty programs included at AUK. An example that AUK offers would be that if in AUK are three students that come from the same family, the second would have 15% discount and the third would have 30% discount. By this offer AUK attracts its students to invite its family member attend at AUK because of the price discount they offer to them. If my brother would come next year at AUK, he would get 15% discount in price, but also if in the following year would come my sister then she would have 30% discount which is a very good offer in attracting more people. In other words, the more people of your family, much cheaper it would cost to you.