Social Institutions and the Effects on Technology Essay

Social Institutions Effect of Technology Effects of Technology on the Education System CS300 Technology in Global Society Park University October 28, 2010 Outline 1. Introduction 2. History 3. Applications a. Distance learning b. Tutorials c. Books and other Materials 4. Benefits a. Affordability b. Accessibility c. New skills learned 5. Setbacks a. Privacy Issues b. Quality of Education 6. New Behaviors a. Social Networks b. Classroom hours 7. Stages of Technology Integration a. Entry Stage b. Adaptation Stage c. Transformation Stage 8.†¦show more content†¦Students are also much more actively engaged and motivated in the classroom, due to the familiarity of what young kids due for fun which is play video games. The accessibility of learning with technology has also extended pass the confines of a classroom and made itself available to deployed members of the armed services while stationed in a war-zone. Technology has allowed us to adapt education to our lives and made limitless educational options for students’. While there are many positives to technology’s increasing role in education, there are a few things that are seen as a setbacks rather than improvements. The appropriate time for teachers to start using technology is still questioned (Cardelle-Elawar, Wetzel, 1995). While a number of students report that teachers use technology inappropriately and speed through complex material when students should be given more time or taught in a different manner. As students learn with technology teachers are still learning to teach with it. The lack of physical social interaction which is something that is naturally taught and learned in a classroom cannot be incorporated via electronic interaction. Some students even report that teachers are distancing themselves from students, by not being involved in teaching it but merely showing what the work should look like or how it got that way (1). Even though today’s classroom looksShow MoreRelatedImpact Of Technology On Development Of Society1723 Words   |  7 Pages1. How has technology impacted development, both negatively and positively? One of the most interesting factors of social transformations in the modern post- industrial society is the widespread influence of modern information technologies on society. There is no precise opinion about positive or negative effects of technologies on the development of society. It mostly depends on the people, who use them, and what purposes they pursue. Information technologies have radically changed the workRead MoreThe Ethics Of Academic Integrity1149 Words   |  5 Pageseducational institutions to address these ethical issues by setting policies in place to combat academic dishonesty. 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Practices that accompany these projects, postulating the existenceRead MoreImpact Of Globalisation On Higher Education1388 Words   |  6 PagesGlobalisation is the evolution of society whi ch affect human life, education is one of those, especially in postgraduate degrees which receive the most influence from globalisation. The development in technologies and communication have produced a shift in learning system which affect cultures and national economic growth. Higher education systems has been transformed by globalisation, which is â€Å"the widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness† (Held et al., 1999, p.14). When

The Short Story Cycle Interpreter Of Maladies By Jhumpa...

Throughout the world, various groups of people value a wide variety of different things. In the short story cycle Interpreter of Maladies, the author Jhumpa Lahiri explores the importance of food and meals in Indian culture. This is illustrated through the connections her characters form with cultures, places, or even other people as a result of food. In certain cultures, such as that of India, food is an essential element of life. This is illustrated in the story â€Å"When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine†, in which Mr. Pirzada shares many meals with Lilia’s family. Upon meeting Mr. Pirzada, Lilia assumes he is Indian, because he â€Å"ate pickled mangoes with [his] meals,† and â€Å"ate rice every night for supper with [his] hands† (Lahiri 25), which are both†¦show more content†¦For Mrs. Sen, cooking and eating fresh fish creates an association to India, which for her, is where â€Å"everything is† (Lahiri 113). Mrs. Sen also associates cutting food with her blade to her life in India. One of the most prominent and detailed descriptions of where she is from occurs when she is discussing the blade with Eliot, of which in India, there is â€Å"at least one in every household† (Lahiri 115). Mrs. Sen fondly describes to Eliot how when she lived in India, on the occasion of a big event, th e neighbourhood women would gather, â€Å"laughing and gossiping and slicing fifty kilos of vegetables through the night† (Lahiri 115). The idea that food can create an association to a specific location is also demonstrated in â€Å"A Temporary Matter.† Shoba recounts her experience in India with power outages, and eating with the lights off, comparing it to the meals she shares with Shukumar. The thought of dining in this fashion, without the luxury of electric light reminds her of her home, where â€Å"during power failures at [her] grandmother’s house, [they] all had to say something† (Lahiri 12). This tradition from her home is what causes her to suggest that she and Shukumar do the same. The two texts emphasize that both the type of food that is eaten, as well as the way it is eaten, can work to create a connection between aShow MoreRelatedHow Does Life Affect Our Lives?2504 Words   |  11 Pagespeople to their limit allowing them to be vulnerable to a deep depression due to the amount of impact that it brings to their lives. However, everyone reacts differently to these types of situations. Not everyone falls in depression, some do but for a short period of time, and others end up seeking for help due to the major impact that this can cause in their lives. It is not easy to remain strong as a rock when the wind hits you hard as a tornado. Everyone has faced this obstacles at least once in their

The Rise Of Communism In Russia (2269 words) Essay Example For Students

The Rise Of Communism In Russia (2269 words) Essay The Rise of Communism in Russia Unless we accept the claim that Lenins coup that gavebirth to an entirely new state, and indeed to a new era in thehistory of mankind, we must recognize in todays Soviet Unionthe old empire of the Russians the only empire that survivedinto the mid 1980s (Luttwak, 1). In their Communist Manifesto of 1848, Karl Marx andFriedrich Engels applied the term communism to a final stage ofsocialism in which all class differences would disappear andhumankind would live in harmony. Marx and Engels claimed to havediscovered a scientific approach to socialism based on the lawsof history. They declared that the course of history wasdetermined by the clash of opposing forces rooted in the economicsystem and the ownership of property. Just as the feudal systemhad given way to capitalism, so in time capitalism would give wayto socialism. The class struggle of the future would be betweenthe bourgeoisie, who were the capitalist employers, and theproletariat, who were the workers. The struggle would end,according to Marx, in the socialist revolution and theattainment of full communism (Groilers Encyclopedia). Socialism, of which Marxism-Leninism is a takeoff,originated in the West. Designed in France and Germany, it wasbrought into Russia in the middle of the nineteenth century andpromptly attracted support among the countrys educated, public-minded elite, who at that time were called intelligentsia (Pipes,21). After Revolution broke out over Europe in 1848 the modernworking class appeared on the scene as a major historical force. However, Russia remained out of the changes that Europe wasexperiencing. As a socialist movement and inclination, theRussian Social-Democratic Party continued the traditions of allthe Russian Revolutions of the past, with the goal of conqueringpolitical freedom (Daniels 7). As early as 1894, when he was twenty-four, Lenin hadbecome a revolutionary agitator and a convinced Marxist. Heexhibited his new faith and his polemical talents in a diatribeof that year against the peasant-oriented socialism of thePopulists led by N.K. Mikhiaiovsky (Wren, 3). While Marxism had been winning adherents among theRussian revolutionary intelligentsia for more than a decadepreviously, a claimed Marxist party was bit organized until1898. In that year a congress of nine men met at Minsk toproclaim the establishment of the Russian Social DemocraticWorkers Party. The Manifesto issued in the name of the congressafter the police broke it up was drawn up by the economist PeterStruve, a member of the moderate Legal Marxist group who soonafterward left the Marxist movement altogether. The manifesto isindicative of the way Marxism was applied to Russian conditions,and of the special role for the proletariat (Pipes, 11). The first true congress of the Russian Social Democraticworkers Party was the Second. It convened in Brussels in thesummer of 1903, but was forced by the interference of theBelgian authorities to move to London, where the proceedings wereconcluded. The Second Congress was the occasion for bitterwrangling among the representatives of various Russian MarxistFactions, and ended in a deep split that was mainly caused byLenin his personality, his drive for power in the movement,and his hard philosophy of the disciplined party organization. At the close of the congress Lenin commanded a temporarymajority for his faction and seized upon the label 0Bolshevik(Russian for Majority), while his opponents who inclined to thesoft or more democratic position became known as the Mensheviksor minority(Daniels, 19). Though born only in 1879, Trotsky had gained a leadingplace among the Russian Social-Democrats by the time of theSecond party Congress in 1903. He represented ultra-radicalsentiment that could not reconcile itself to Lenins stress onthe party organization. Trotsky stayed with the Menshevikfaction until he joined Lenin in 1917. From that point on, heaccommodated himself in large measure to Lenins philosophy ofparty dictatorship, but his reservations came to the surfaceagain in the years after his fall from power (Stoessinger, 13). In the months after the Second Congress of the SocialDemocratic Party Lenin lost his majority and began organizing arebellious group of Bolsheviks. This was to be in opposition ofthe new majority of the congress, the Menshiviks, led byTrotsky. Twenty-two Bolsheviks, including Lenin, met in Genevain August of 1904 to promote the idea of the highly disciplinedparty and to urge the reorganization of the whole Social-Democratic movement on Leninist lines (Stoessinger, 33). The differences between Lenin and the Bogdanov group ofrevolutionary romantics came to its peak in 1909. Lenindenounced the otzovists, also known as the recallists, whowanted to recall the Bolshevik deputies in the Duma, and theultimatists who demanded that the deputies take a more radicalstand both for their philosophical vagaries which he rejectedas idealism, and for the utopian purism of their refusal to taketactical advantage of the Duma. The real issue was Leninscontrol of the faction and the enforcement of his brand ofMarxist orthodoxy. Lenin demonstrated his grip of the Bolshevikfaction at a meeting in Paris of the editors of the Bolsheviksfactional paper, which had become the headquarters of thefaction. Bogdanov and his followers were expelled from theBolshevik faction, though they remained within the Social-Democratic fold (Wren, 95). The Civil Rights Movement Essay The Eastern Front had been relatively quiet during 1917,and shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution a temporary armisticewas agreed upon. Peace negotiations were then begun at thePolish town of Brest-Litovsk, behind the German lines. Inagreement with their earlier anti-imperialist line, the Bolsheviknegotiators, headed by Trotsky, used the talks as a discussionfor revolutionary propaganda, while most of the party expectedthe eventual return of war in the name of revolution. Leninstartled his followers in January of 1918 by explicitlydemanding that the Soviet republic meet the German conditionsand conclude a formal peace in order to win what he regarded asan indispensable breathing spell, instead of shallowly riskingthe future of the revolution (Daniels, 135). Trotsky resigned as Foreign Commissar during the Brest-Litovsk crisis, but he was immediately appointed Commissar ofMilitary Affairs and entrusted with the creation of a new RedArmy to replace the old Russian army which had dissolved duringthe revolution. Many Communists wanted to new military force tobe built up on strictly revolutionary principles, with guerrillatactics, the election of officers, and the abolition oftraditional discipline. Trotsky set himself emphatically againstthis attitude and demanded an army organized in the conventionalway and employing military specialists experienced officersfrom the old army. Hostilities between the Communists and the Whites, whowere the groups opposed to the Bolsheviks, reached a decisiveclimax in 1919.Intervention by the allied powers on the sideof the Whites almost brought them victory. Facing the mostserious White threat led by General Denikin in Southern Russia,Lenin appealed to his followers for a supreme effort, andthreatened ruthless repression of any opposition behind thelines. By early 1920 the principal White forces were defeated(Wren, 151). For three years the rivalry went on with theWhites capturing areas and killing anyone suspected of Communistpractices. Even though the Whites had more soldiers in theirarmy, they were not nearly as organized nor as efficient as theReds, and therefore were unable to rise up (Farah, 582). Police action by the Bolsheviks to combat politicalopposition commenced with the creation of the Cheka. Under thedirection of Felix Dzerzhinsky, the Cheka became the prototypeof totalitarian secret police systems, enjoying at criticaltimes the right the right of unlimited arrest and summaryexecution of suspects and hostages. The principle of suchpolice surveillance over the political leanings of the Sovietpopulation has remained in effect ever since, despite the varyingintensity of repression and the organizational changes of thepolice from Cheka to GPU (The State Political Administration)to NKVD (peoples Commissariat of Internal Affairs) to MVD(Ministry of Internal Affairs) to the now well-known KGB(Committee for State Security) (Pipes, 140). Lenin used his secret police in his plans to use terrorto achieve his goals and as a political weapon against hisenemies. Anyone opposed to the communist state was arrested. Many socialists who had backed Lenins revolution at first nowhad second thoughts. To escape punishment, they fled. By 1921Lenin had strengthened his control and the White armies andtheir allies had been defeated (Farah, 582). Communism had now been established and Russia had becomea socialist country. Russia was also given a new name: The Unionof Soviet Socialist Republics. This in theory meant that themeans of production was in the hands of the state. The state,in turn, would build the future, classless society. But still,the power was in the hands of the party (Farah, 583). The nextdecade was ruled by a collective dictatorship of the top partyleaders. At the top level individuals still spoke forthemselves, and considerable freedom for factional controversyremained despite the principles of unity laid down in 1921. Works CitedDaniels, Robert V., A Documentary History of Communism. New York: Random House Publishing, 1960. Farah, Mounir, The Human Experience. Columbus: Bell Howess Co., 1990. Luttwak, Edward N., The Grand Strategy of the Soviet Union. New York: St. Martins Press, 1983. Pipes, Richard, Survival is Not Enough. New York: SS Publishing, 1975. Stoessinger, John G., Nations in Darkness. Boston: Howard Books, 1985. Wren, Christopher S., The End of the Line. San Francisco: Blackhawk Publishing, 1988.

Transactional Analysis Essay Example

Transactional Analysis Paper TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS: A REVIEW OF THEORY Running Head: TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS: A REVIEW OF THEORY Transactional Analysis: A Review of Theory Robin K. Walters-Powell Wayne State University SW 9220 Spring, 2010 Abstract Eric Berne, M. D. during the 1940’s as an alternative to psychoanalysis, created Transactional Analysis theory. Although influenced by the likes of Freud, Kahn, Federn, and Erikson, it was a transition to the optimistic side of human nature. It lends itself to the values of social work as it focuses on both the empowerment and value of human beings. This theory is evaluated through exploration of its historical origins, evolutionary development, key concepts, assumptions, usefulness and major contributions to the profession of social work. Ethical issues are discussed as well as the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. Historical origins and evolutionary development Born during the psychoanalytic movement, Transactional Analysis was the brain child of Eric Berne, M. D. He began constructing this theory in the early 1940s during his training as a Freudian psychoanalyst and psychiatrist (Corey, 2008). At that time there were many others also contributing to the field of psychoanalysis, including: Dr. Eugene Kahn, Dr. Paul Federn, Erick Erikson, and Sigmund Freud (as previously mentioned), all of which had a direct influence on Eric Berne (Turner, 1986). Transactional Analysis Theory evolved due to Berne’s dissatisfaction with the success of traditional psychoanalytical therapy, this included the slowness of psychoanalysis in helping people to solve their problems. Berne’s objections also included the fact that it was a time consuming method, very complex, and it was often poorly communicated to clients (Corey, 2008). During the 1940’s time period, social work was searching for a new focus on treating clients. The search turned inward and from this, psychodynamic theorists began to look for explanations that could assist in describing the conflict between internal and external forces. Freud had been the leading influence in this area, and from his work and experience, other theorists took liberty in creating their own way of looking at clients. We will write a custom essay sample on Transactional Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Transactional Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Transactional Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer His idea about human personality being multi-faceted was particularly influential on Berne. This idea that regardless of what the particular areas of personality are labeled, each person â€Å"possesses factions that frequently collide with each other. It is these collisions and interactions between these personality factions that manifest themselves as an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. † (The International Transactional Analysis Association, 1999). Through Freudian theory, these would be understood as the id, ego, and superego. Dr. Berne felt that Freud’s proposed structures were more â€Å"concepts and not phenomenological realities:†(Berne D. E. , 2001). Although influenced by Freud, his approach took on a different method altogether. Freud believed that the three aspects of personality (Id, Ego, and Superego) needed to be well balanced in order to achieve a good state of mental health. Berne created a theory that considered a different approach, one that was based on the original idea of Freud that personalities are multi-faceted(Berne D. E. , 2001). Berne took the alternative approach to therapy and instead of asking the client about it directly, it seemed that a problem was easier understood by observing the communication (verbal and nonverbal) in a transaction. Therefore, instead of interviewing the client directly, he took a different route and would observe the client in the group setting, noting all of the transactions that occurred between both the patient and the individuals involved in therapy. Also attractive to Berne was Federn’s work on analysis, structure, and the multiple aspects of the ego that resulted in human transactions (Turner, 1986). This also represents the split from the Freudian mainstream between the psychodynamic theorists and the ego psychologists. Probably most notable is Erik Erikson, whose life-span theory focused more on the ego as a separate structure, rather than a derivative of the id. Dr. Berne studied under Erik Erickson for two years prior to striking out on his own. Erickson’s view on the importance of developmental life stages was the springboard for Transactional Analysis, as demonstrated by the key concepts of this theory. Berne believed that the personality was structured into three different ego states: Parent, Adult, and Child. He moved from believing these were mere â€Å"theoretical concepts† to the idea that these were directly observable in his patients. Instead of making assumptions based on prior Freudian teaching, Berne would ask the question directly to the patient, asking which state was currently speaking(Prochaska, 2010). Biologically speaking, there is evidence that helped to also support the development of Transactional Analysis. Dr. Wilder Penfield, a neurosurgeon from McGill University in Montreal, Canada was experimenting with the effects of applying electrical currents to specific regions of the brain(Berne D. E. , 2001). From this he found that by stimulating certain areas, it brought forth meaningful memories, which helped to reveal a person’s past, accompanied with feelings and emotions that went with these forgotten memories. The direct influence on Berne as a result of these experiments was as follows: -the human brain acts in many ways like a camcorder, vividly recording events. While that event may not necessarily be able to be consciously retrieved by the owner, the event always exists in the brain. -both the event and the feelings experienced during that event are stored in the brain. The event and the feelings are locked together, and neither one can be recalled without the other. -when an individual replays his or her experiences, he or she can replay them in such a vivid form that the individual experiences again the same emotions he or she felt during the actual experience (Berne D. E. , 2001). Individuals are able to exist in two states simultaneously. Individuals replaying certain events are able to experience the emotions associated with those events, but they are able to objectively talk about the events (Berne D. E. , 2001). This would explain how a client could identify which â€Å"state† from where the discussion or feelings are coming from. Berne worked to assist the patient in identifying the emotions, feelings, and this became the point from which the progress in therapy could begin. It was in 1958 that Berne started the San Francisco Psychiatry Seminars, a small group of professionals that met to discuss their interest in social treatment. Turner, 1986). It was during these sessions that many different approaches to psychotherapy were discussed. The idea of these seminars took off and soon professionals interested in this type of discussion were traveling from everywhere to attend. His theory became a method of therapy, through which standards, training, and certification were developed. Key Concepts/Central Propos itions The framework of this approach is based on a transaction, which Berne considered the fundamental unit of social intercourse. He also used the terminology of â€Å"strokes†, which he defined as â€Å"units of social recognition† (Turner, 1986) He drew on the work of Rene Spitz, who looked at why infants suffered from failure to thrive. Spitz did studies on children in orphanages and the devastating effects of lack of touching and nurturing of the child. It was through these studies that Berne developed the concept of the importance of stroking, and how he felt it crucial for human survival. He expanded on this idea of the physical touch and attention to include that of verbal transactions as well. He defined a stroke as â€Å"the fundamental unit of social action† (Berne D. E. , 2001). Berne’s theory of Transactional Analysis explored this idea of stroking, based on the assumption that people spend their lives seeking strokes (Turner, 1986). These strokes can be negative, positive, conditional, and unconditional and can be given verbally, nonverbally, and physically. It is by knowing your own and your client’s â€Å"stroke economy†, it helps develop information on how you can problem-solve (Witkin, 1988) together (Turner, 1986). Berne also developed the idea of three ego states; this is in addition to the analysis of the interactions between individuals. He defined the ego state as â€Å"a consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behavior (Berne D. E. , 2001). Berne noticed as he worked with his clients that they had different displays of behavior that constantly changed during his counseling sessions. He would notice that the individual had different â€Å"states of being†, which he began to refer to as the â€Å"adult, child, and parent†. Not at all imitating the id, ego, and superego; these concepts stood on their own as phenomenological realities. He was able to confirm these ego states with observable behaviors that could be measured, thus creating a justifiable place in the scientific community. Berne created unique definitions for the three ego states, Parent, Child, and Adult, all of which were the underlying fabric for his theory. He felt that child were widely influenced by their parents, thus the first few years of life were spent collecting and recording what as experienced and modeled to them. This includes the values, morals, and beliefs taught by the parents. When a patient was in this stage, they would react in a way that they feel their parents would react. Berne referred to this as a time â€Å"when children have no way of filtering the data, therefore these events are â€Å"imposed† on the child†(Berne D. E. , 2001). There are two aspects of this Parent ego state which need to be address ed, those being the Nurturing Parent (NP) and the Controlling Parent (CP), both of which have positive and negative aspects (Corey, 2008). The positive consists of nurturing the Child stage and moving from the parental influence to more of how the child actually perceives events. Exploration was done in the area of feelings and emotions that were experienced during this stage. The final ego state in this theory is Adult, this is the time when a child starts to experience some independence (thus, the start of the Adult in the small child). This is exhibited by gross motor activity within the child. Different than what the child observed (Parent) and felt (Child), the Adult provides the platform for evaluating and validating the Child and Parental data. A simplification of Transactional Analysis would be to describe the Parent as the taught concept, the Child as the felt concept, and the Adult as the learned concept(Berne D. E. , 2001). Yet another important concept in Transactional Analysis is what Berne considered Time Structuring(The International Transactional Analysis Association, 1999). Looking at how humans use their time can indicate whether or not they are socially healthy. With each distinction of time usage (withdrawal, ritual, pastimes, activities, games, and intimacy) there are both social advantages and disadvantages. It is through this analysis that one can be determined to be in â€Å"control† of their time spent. This theory encourages time spent for creative, spontaneous work and play, which is indicative of a healthy person. In his book, The Games People Play, Berne states that the â€Å"eternal problem of the human being is how to structure his waking hours† (pg. 5). Time-structuring is also known as â€Å"programming† and consists of three aspects: material, social, and individual. The material programming provides opportunities for â€Å"stroking† that arise through activities where social exchange must occur in order to progress to the intended goal. These activities offer a matrix for â€Å"stroking†, recognition, and other more complex forms of social intercourse(Berne E. , 1964). The social aspect of â€Å"programming† is the criteria provided by both the parents and the culture in which a child is raised. These are the cues to what types of behavior are acceptable, which are reinforced through structure and reinforcements. This guidance is provided for the individual through unspoken rules and regulations, however, eventually the individual programming will take over. Individual programming takes over and the person may choose to act against the norm- this is known as â€Å"the game†(Berne E. , 1964). This individual programming attempts to explain abnormal, dysfunctional behavior, which Berne describes as â€Å"games†(The International Transactional Analysis Association, 1999). As related to the concept of needing strokes, whether positive or negative, dysfunctional behavior is a result of attempting to get these strokes. Often times, this need for strokes tends to reinforce negative feelings and self-concepts, which in turn, tends to help hide the real thoughts and emotions of people. Thus, the negative behavior of the individual continues. Berne described this cycle as a result of â€Å"self-limiting behaviors†- these are actions that were learned during childhood that were used as a means of survival. This is what is known in Transactional Analysis as the â€Å"life script†, or the pre-conscious life plan that governs the way life is lived out (The International Transactional Analysis Association, 1999). The purpose behind Transactional Analysis is changing this â€Å"life script† through a mutual contracting for change. It acknowledges that clients have the ability to decide what they need for their lives and work in a positive manner to make the changes needed to move towards reaching these goals. Assumptions Transactional analysis is based on the assumption that individuals have the ability to become aware of decisions that govern behavior. These individuals are assumed to have the capacity to make new decisions that will alter the life course in a beneficial manner(Corey, 2008). Another core assumption of this theory is that a life position is chosen early in life, based on early experiences. Children make a precocious decision about how they are in life compared to others around them. This â€Å"life position† has four possibilities: â€Å"I’m OK- you’re OK, I’m OK- you’re not OK, I’m not OK- you’re OK, or I’m not OK- you’re not OK† (Prochaska, 2010). Berne believed that generally, all children are born with the notion that they are â€Å"OK†, it is the programming that occurs that may change how the child views themselves and the world around them. This theory also assumed that people experiencing social or emotional difficulty are intelligent and capable of understanding their stress. People are responsible for their own healing process. He also felt that all social and emotional difficulties are curable, given adequate knowledge and a proper approach. Berne demonstrated through Transactional Analysis theory the belief that anything that has learned can be relearned(Corey, 2008). There are some instances where we have not discovered how to approach specific populations of people that are diagnosed with things such as schizophrenics, alcoholism, etc. Berne felt that these populations of people were â€Å"good† and capable of leading satisfying lives that do not interfere with others. Using the foundation of theory evaluation criteria provided by Witkin and Gottschalk(1988), the first condition is that the theory should be explicitly critical; including an examination of its historical, political, and cultural implications. This theory is substantive in that it collects content based on the three ego states(Berne D. E. , 2001). Through this procedure, it provides a methodology of steps needed in therapy, information that is important to obtain, and ways to evaluate and analyze information collected. It takes into account the aspects of social constructivism, which is an attempt to develop a meaningful science of human behavior(Witkin, 1988). Social contructionism, as defined by Witkin and Gottschalk(1988), consists of assumptions based on common understandings of the world as a function of cultural and historical contexts. This understanding occurs through a process of social interaction and the understanding is based on social processes- these descriptions and explanations of social phenomena constrain certain patterns and reinforce others(Witkin, 1988). Transactional Analysis theory parallels social contructionism through the life scripting that occurs early in childhood, based on the transactions and reinforcements that occur through programming, particularly the social aspect. By utilizing the client as the resource for gaining the information, whether it is through observing interactions both verbal and nonverbal, it will provide a better comprehension of the meaning behind the client’s communication. Witkin and Gottshcalk(1988) also consider the idea the theory should recognize that humans are active agents, meaning people act according to their intentions nd can surmount obstacles and transform them. Based on this concept, Transactional Analysis fits this criteria perfectly. It is a theory based on the idea that it is essential for people to be involved in their own treatment process. Berne had an implicit viewpoint that humans understand their stress more than any other and they also realize that the change process is v ital to their happiness. Witkin and Gottschalk(1988) also evaluate theory on the aspect that it should account for the life experiences of the client. By looking at the three ego states of Transactional Analysis; the Child, the Parent, and the Adult, it takes into consideration the specific influences, both internal and external that each person has experienced in their life. This is the basis for the predicated movement towards change for the client. The social justice aspect would be present in allowing the opportunity for each individual to feel their experiences were valid, and beneficial to the therapeutic process (Witkin, 1988). Viewing this theory through another analytic framework provided by Fischer(1973), there are five areas of theories that may be considered for analysis to determine effectiveness. The structural characteristics of Transactional Analysis are proscriptive in nature, meaning there is an explanation and tools to use in therapy. Unlike Freudian concepts that are descriptive, Berne was able to create measurable terminology that was used to determine findings in a consistent manner. The measure of an effective theory, according to Fischer(1973), is that the theory is testable. Through Transactional Analysis theory, there are clearly defined terms, such as strokes (both positive and negative), ego states, and transactions. Berne gave solid, measurable definitions of these terms and provided the ability to test this theory in a scientific, measurable manner(Berne D. E. , 2001). By following the process of script analysis, Transactional Analysis provides the individual with the awareness of how they acquired their life script and allows them to see more clearly their life role. This realization assists the individual in opening up possibilities for making changes and contracting provides the roadmap. Fisher (1973) also provides criteria that the theory should be comprehensive in nature, which Transactional Analysis seems to comply. It allows the client to explore both learning externally (the Parent) and internally (the Child), with the client analyzing these interactions through an exploration of how one affects the other (the Adult). This would appear to be a useful theory, as it is provides techniques for therapeutic intervention. Transactional Analysis is able to explain normal behavior, although it is not clear on abnormal behavior such as schizophrenia or criminal behavior. It does not account for those clients that do not have a positive viewpoint or willingness to change their â€Å"life script†. When utilizing Fischer’s method of analyzing theory, one must consider the assumptions made about human nature. This theory views people in a very optimistic, positive manner. It promotes creativity, relaxation, and the ability to recognize what changes need to be made(Berne D. E. , 2001). It emphasizes a positive worker/client relationship that promotes good rapport, trust, and the willingness to create a plan for change(Clary, 1980). It appears to be in line with the core values of social work, including self-determination and respect for client rights, individualism, and dignity(NASW, 2008). This is demonstrated by allowing the client to recognize instances of how the â€Å"life script† developed and thus clients are increasing empowered to choose their ego state at any particular time(Prochaska, 2010). Transactional analysis provides the opportunity for the therapist to relate as an equal to the client. The clients are able to progress in therapy at their own pace, further demonstrating the value of self-determination. This theory encourages the volitional powers of patient right from the onset of treatment by making it a contractual arrangement(Prochaska, 2010). According to the analytical framework provided by Fischer, this would appear to be a very useful, valid theory for use in practice (Fischer, 1973). Using the theory in the social work profession Transactional Analysis still is utilized today in the field of social work. In fact, there still exists training and certification in this very area of specialization. Berne was interested in more than just the client progressing slowly, he wanted to provide a method of coping that would assist individuals on an immediate, daily basis. In general, social workers also strive for immediate relief for clients, groups, and communities. It is important to establish an immediate rapport with clients in order to make progress towards meeting goals. Transactional analysis describes this very concept through â€Å"stroking â€Å", which requires a social worker to understand both their need and ability to provide this type of reinforcement (Berne D. E. , 2001). In practice social workers must be able to model positive stroke giving as an important part of effective practice. In theory, the process of learning to give and receive strokes will help alleviate feelings of depression and loneliness and increase personal intimate relationships. Using the three identified ego states allows for the therapist to make assessments regarding the client in the areas of thinking, feeling, and learning. Berne provides four ways to identify or diagnose ego states; behavioral, social phenomenological, and historical(Berne D. E. , 2001). Behavioral diagnosis would consist of gesture, voice, and vocabulary that are typical in each ego state. A social diagnosis would consist of how people react to the client; a phenomenological diagnosis is experiencing in the present old feelings from the past, and a and historical diagnosis would be looking at the past reflected in the present. All of these consist of the process of deciding how one wants to be socially with others, social work theory and practice support methods to gain autonomy (Turner, 1986). Providing an atmosphere for change is another way in which this theory is used in social work practice. The Child ego state wants comfort and warmth, time for exploration and activity. This is provided for the client using this theory by giving them a comfortable atmosphere in which to do therapy. This helps to develop a caring position for developing the rapport needed for the client to be able to problem solve and work towards changing their behavior. To be effective, transactional analysts must be genuine in therapy, they must believe in relating as equals with clients(Prochaska, 2010). Another form of social treatment using the Transactional Analysis method for social workers is the initial use of positive stroking. In this field the recognition of asking for help is a sign that the client is trying to cope and it is an indicator of client autonomy. Therefore, it is essential in the initial stages that the practice of positive stroking occurs, this builds rapport and provides and effective, therapeutic environment(Napper, 2009). The social worker also is able to provide a provision of protection for the client, in both an individual and group therapy situation(Corey, 2008). A client is encouraged to participate in self-analysis, this type of therapy provides them with a safe, nurturing environment in which to do so. Group therapy is preferred in Transactional Analysis, in part because it allows a greater number of transactions, including more troubled transactions, than might ordinarily occur with an individual therapist relating primarily as an Adult(Prochaska, 2010). Regardless of the venue, providing clear rules about the session and what to expect will allow the client to feel safe to reveal themselves, thus allowing the opportunity for a trusting relationship with those involved in the therapeutic process. Patients are not the only potential game players in transactional analysis. Therapists using this method must be ever vigilant in enacting their own scripts at their clients’ expense(Prochaska, 2010). Self-awareness of the social work practitioner assists in eliminating this phenomena It would also be essential that the therapist seek strokes away outside of the workplace so as not to utilize the client in this manner. This is beneficial not only to the client/therapist relationship but to the basic premise behind the theory of Transactional Analysis. Major Contributions One of the major criticisms of the science or lack thereof behind psychotherapy is based on the fact that there is often no unit of measurement for study. Berne was able to create a measurable concept by defining the transaction of stroking, thus providing a measure that was able to give some credibility to this theory in the world of science. In the book Games People Play (1964 ), Berne defined transactions as a unit of social intercourse: â€Å"If two or more people encounter each other†¦sooner or later one of them will speak, or give some other indication of acknowledging the presence of the others. This is called transactional stimulus. Another person will then say or do something, which is in some way related to the stimulus, and that is called transactional response. â€Å"(Berne, 1964) Transactional Analysis is a versatile theory that can be used in group, couples, family, and individual therapy (Corey, 2008). This theory focuses on establishing intimacy and joy in interaction and communication, which is effective in creating positive outcomes for group and family members. By acknowledging ego states and the programming that has occurred, this can assist clients in becoming more self-aware and confident in their communication and interactions. It is through this realization that self-actualization can occur, thus providing a platform for success in changing behavior (Sills, 2007). Transactional analysis makes extensive use of the interpersonal interactions between therapist and client within sessions (Prochaska, 2010). This theory is still utilized currently still in therapy, there is a certification one can obtain in this theory that consists of training in the areas of psychotherapy, educational, organizational, and counseling arenas (The International Transactional Analysis Association, 1999). This movement continues today and has a worldwide list of members that both practice and belong to the International Transactional Analysis Association, thus supporting the idea that this is an effective theory that can be used in current practice. Ethical Issues/Consistency with social work values and ethics/Diverse Populations Transactional Analysis provides the foundation for self-determination (NASW, 2008). It recognizes client autonomy and the importance of allowing the client to guide their own decision making process (Corey, 2008). It embraces the ethics of preserving the value of human beings, equality (social justice), and self-responsibility(NASW, 2008). By observing the client’s interactions and behaviors (verbal and nonverbal), this honors the client as the expert and would require the therapist to have competence when working with various cultures. This would encourage and promote education on the differences of social constructionism when working with clients of diverse populations. The user-friendly nature of Transactional Analysis transcends cultural barriers, along with the educational approach to personal development (Corey, 2008). The idea of â€Å"life scripts† encompassed in this theory help to break through assumptions when it comes to our clients, whether it is with personality, culture, or other dramatic scripts that may include drug addiction or mental illness. These types of scripts, particularly those of cultural can affect whole populations in a harmful way. This violates our ethical principles of self-determination and by working through these situations using Transactional Analysis, it would serve to enhance the core values of social work. This type of theory is useful in working with women due to the use of contracts, equal relationships between client and practitioner, and empowerment of individuals (Corey, 2008). The feminist perspective is also celebrated by allowing the client to become empowered, and giving the opportunity to challenge the therapist’s ideas, allowing them to compare their reality with that of other women (Corey, 2008). Requisite skills for the practitioner Transactional Analysis would require a practitioner to have excellent observation skills and special training. The Berne Institute offers this training to those wishing to excel in the area of psychotherapy using the Transactional Analysis Techniques (The International Transactional Analysis Association, 1999). Practitioners would need to be familiar with the strengths perspective and have the ability to identify their own ego states. It would require maturity and the ability to recognize how their own external and internal experiences have affected them. By recognizing this it will allow the practitioner to remove biases and act in a professional manner when helping clients. The practitioner would need to be able to engage clients in a positive style and create rapport through the stroking method as proscribed through this theory (Berne D. E. , 2001). Strengths/Weaknesses of the theory Noted strengths of this theory are that it is positively focused and client centered. The client leads the sessions, and the identification of the ego states allows insight into the coping power of clients (Berne D. E. , 2001). Transactional analysis is a contractual and decisional model for change on the part of the client. It connects that mind and body, moving the transactional analysts to take a more holistic approach. These contracts may lead to new behaviors and give the client a sense of control. Therapy interventions are more likely to succeed and produce enduring change when involving the emotional and behavioral approaches (Corey, 2008). This theory would appear to be flexible and its concepts easily applied to individual, couples, families, groups, and community interventions. Also noted by Corey (2008) is that the concepts in this theory are congruent with a gender-sensitive approach to group work. Many clients are often unaware of how gender plays a role in their lives, this theory applied is helpful in realizing the role of importance it has and the effect is has on the client. It is often used in evaluating organizations, thus proving that it is a versatile theory with the ability to go from the micro to the macro in application (Clary, 1980). The emerging conclusions are that Transactional Analysis with adults has been proven more effective than no treatment, it roduces outcomes at best comparable to other forms of insight-oriented psychotherapy (Prochaska, 2010). Some notable limitations to the approach are that it has not been adequately subjected to empirical validation (Corey, 2008). Some of Berne’s concepts were stated in a manner that it would be impossible to design a research study to test them. Although there are measurable items in place (i. e. contract builds and supports accountability), the main determinate of success is based on feeling and observations (Corey, 2008). There is also the danger of losing the client to the jargon or structure of the theory- this structure can be used to avoid person-to-person interactions and focus on labeling ego states. Clients may be replacing old processes with new terms, and in doing so, preventing themselves from reaching self-actualization (Corey, 2008). Other Limitations with regards to Transactional Analysis are not openly apparent, with perhaps the exception of the cognitive aspects of reviewing the ego states (Berne D. E. , 2001). If a client is not mentally capable of identifying situations of learning and past experiences, or if they are limited in their capabilities for emotion, this may inhibit the effectiveness of this theory. Perhaps there may be a flaw in thinking that we can experience the past as it actually occurred, when in fact we are in the present. There needs to be some consideration as to how the present influences our thinking and assumptions. Based on where we are today, our morals, values, and experiences, it would be difficult not to be biased in some way when discussing our Child/Parent experiences and filtering it through the Adult ego state. Overall, the optimistic quality of this therapy seems to be a positive indicator, along with a positive client/therapist relationship that is encouraged by stroking and identifying the ego states essential to creating a contract for success.. References Berne, D. E. (2001 Feb). Transactional Analysis- As Originated by Dr. Eric Berne. Retrieved 2010 10-March from from Detailed History and Description of Transactional Analysis: www. ericberne. com/transactional_analysis_description. htm Berne, E. (1964). Games People Play- Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis . New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Clary, T. C. (1980). Transactional Analysis. Training and Development Journal , 48-54. Corey, G. (2008). Theory and practice of group counseling. 7th Ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Eagly, A. H. -S. (2003). Tranformational, Transactional, and Laissez-Faire Leadership Styles: A Meta- Analysis Comparing Women and Men. Pscyhogical Bulletin , 129 (4), 569-591. Fischer, J. (1973). A Framework for the Anlaysis and Comparison of Clinical Theories of Induced Change. In J. Fisher, Interpersonal Helping (pp. 110-130). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Napper, R. (2009). Positive Psychology and Transactional Analysis. Transactional Analysis Journal , 39, 61-75. National Association of Social Workers (2008). Code of Ethics. Retrieved 2010, 4 May from National Association of Social Workers. http://www. socialworkers. org/pubs/Code/code. asp Nichols, M. P. (2008). Family Therapy Concepts and Methods (Eighth Edition ed. ). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc. Prochaska, J. O. (2010). Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis (7th Edition ed. ). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Sills, C. (2007). Transactional Analysis- a relational psychotherapy. Therapy Today , 18 (1), 15-17. The International Transactional Analysis Association. 1999). Retrieved 2010 10-March from Key Ideas in Transactional Analysis: www. itaa-net. org/ta/CoreConcepts/index. htm Tudor, K. (2009). In the Manner of: Transactional Analysis Teaching of Transactional Analysis. Transactional Analysis Journal , 39 (4), 276-292. Turner, F. J. (Ed. ). (1986). Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theorectical Approaches. New York, NY: The Free Press. Walsh, J. (2006). Theories for Direct Social Work Practice (2nd Edition ed. ). Belmont , CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Witkin, S. . (1988). Alternative criteria for theory evaluation. Social Service Review , 62, 211-224.

Figuring Out the Best Freelance Jobs for Writers

Are you interested in becoming a writer? Or, a freelancer? Whether you want to be an online writer, copywriter, editor, graphic designer, or social media marketer, you need some freelance jobs! But, with so many writing jobs online, how do you figure out which freelance job is the best for you? What is the onboarding process to land a freelance job? When I first started as a web writer, I made a ton of mistakes, and I know that I probably lost jobs and money because of that. I dont want that happening to you. Lets dive into the best job boards you can use, what your job is as a content writer, what type of projects you will do and how to submit your pieces so you can get paid for your writing (or social media posts or editing). Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers Since my knowledge is in online writing, I will share with you the information you need to land some freelance jobs just for writers. These are content writing jobs that you do for businesses online. Lets look at the best freelance job boards to find writing gigs. 1. Contena Contena is a job board that curates online writing jobs from other job boards, social media, and from career/job pages for businesses. Its one of the quickest ways to land writing jobs because you only need this job board to find gigs. As well, this job board also has educational training material, coaching, and alerts so you dont miss out on freelance jobs. Finally, Contena uses Pro rates which shows you rates in different industries. As a new freelance writer, you can see if the niche you choose has the best rates. If youre interested in using Contena,use my special 10% discount code elna10. You get10% off any optionor10% off each payment if you choose the payment route. ANDif you pay in full you receive a 20% discount PLUS your coupon will stack on top of that! 2. Problogger Problogger is a popular free freelance job board with some great entry-level freelance jobs for newbies. The only downside to using a free job board is that everyone else knows about this place too! So, there is a lot of competition when using these free job boards, but thats not to say you cant land some great gigs. You just need a strong pitching process when using these job sites. Make sure to visit this site twice a day and try to be the first to reply to these gigs to stand out. 3. Freelance Writing Freelance Writing is another free job board that curates writing gigs from many sources like Craigslist, Indeed, and more. I was able to land my first real writing job using his job board. So, make sure to check this site often and apply to any freelance job that is remotely interesting to you! 4. Writers Work Writers Work is one of the new job boards Im using. What I like about this site is that it has a modern user platform and its easy to see what new freelance jobs are available quickly. I also like that they have some educational training videos to help improve your writing skills. Writers Work can also act as a project management tool where: You can set goals You can track your writing output words typed and the time it took You can write out your documents and use their Grammar editing tool You can also create a profile and can use that profile link to share in your pitches or marketing strategies. If you are bootstrapping it and cant have a writer website, using something like Wirters Work might be a good option for you. Writers Work is budget-friendly, at $15/month or a one-time fee of $47, and its great tool for anyone new to freelance writing. Freelance Jobs The Contact Person So, who wants a content writer or freelance editor or even a social media manager? There are many types of businesses that require a writer. Lets look at four of them. 1. Start Ups Start ups can be a great way to enter into online writing. When I first started, I picked up a health writing gig for a start up meal planning site. The pay wasnt high, but since this was a new freelance job for me, I took it and Im glad. It was bylined showed that I wrote it and it showed the type of projects I like blog writing. I was able to use those blog posts for my portfolio to pick up more health gigs (if I wanted more health gigs, but as it turned out, I leaned towards digital marketing as my freelance writing niche). When looking at start ups for a freelance job, know that they have a very limited budget for content marketing. They are using their budget for paid ads, lead generation tools, social media marketing, and more. Content marketing is a small portion of their marketing strategy. But, as a beginner freelancer, this might be perfect for you. You get to gain writing samples, which can help you pick up more writing gigs and this beats writing for free when you guest blog. 2. Brands Brands are the complete opposite of start ups. Brands can be the big guys in the marketing world. Think Walmart, Pampers, American Express, etc.. Brands can also be newer businesses that are growing and becoming popular. Typically, brands have the budget for their content marketing strategy and will pay writers what they are worth for content. Picking up a brand gig is more challenging than a start up gig, but it can be a goal for you (as it was for me!). 3. Small Businesses Small businesses are my ideal clients, and there is no shortage of freelance jobs if all you ever have are small business clients. Rates for small business content marketing vary depending on the niche and how large their business is. Since I write for mostly digital marketing clients, my rates are high because of the caliber of writing they require long-form industry-specific content. 4. Magazines Finally, another type of client you may have are magazine clients. Magazines usually pay $1 per word and can be very high paying. Personally, I never wanted to write for magazines because getting paid can take weeks or months. With small businesses, I get paid after each project, at the end of the week or the end of the month. Magazines also require citation using APA, MLA or Chicago styles. For me, I like the conversational nature that blog writing has and the ease of formatting blog content than I would have to do for a magazine article. Okay So we got to see some types of clients that you will run into as a freelance writer, but who are the people you pitch to or email? When you start outreach and contacting these businesses, who do you usually connect with? Here is a short list of contact people: Editor Content manager Owner Blog manager For most of my projects, the content manager or owner is my contact person. Out of all the types of contact people, editors might be more stringent on revisions and edits. Ive worked with a couple of editors and found it a challenge for me. But thats okay. When you work as a freelancer, you can pick and choose which clients you want to work with! Win-win! Freelance Jobs Project Scope When figuring out the best freelance jobs for you, you will probably focus the most on the type of project thats being advertised. As you start looking at job boards, you will see a lot of titles for a content writer. Lets look at six typical projects you will see on job boards or that businesses need for their content plan 1. Blog Writing I believe all businesses online need a blog. A blog is typically the first step in a lead generation strategy for businesses. They may use social media to attract a lead, and the lead will click over to their blog. But, its the WRITING on their site the blog post that can convert a lead into a client or subscriber or customer. And, since many business owners arent the best writers or dont have the time to dedicate to writing they look to us as the professional writer to help them create some awesome content for their blog. Blog writing jobs are also recurring and can really stop the roller-coaster income some freelancers have. 2. White Papers White papers are more formal in nature than a blog post. White papers are used as a lead magnet to help grow a businesss email list. While many types of white papers are technical and business-related, as a freelance writer, you can balance the tech jargon with some natural writing that is easy to read. These papers are also longer than a blog post but much shorter than a book. Think around 10-18 pages. Because of the type of information and length of white papers, they can be a very lucrative freelance job. 3. Email Copy The money is in the list. For practically every successful business and blog online, they use email as their main marketing efforts. Email marketing is still a powerful tool to gain leads, and income, and business owners know this. They would likely hire out copywriters or online writers for their email marketing copy. From sales funnels to promotional campaigns, businesses need this type of content to help them grow. Rates for this type of freelance job is high, but you do need a proven track record to land these types of gigs. Starting your own email list can help with those metrics as well as doing some free work in exchange for a testimonial can help you gain that information. 4. Ghostwriting Ghostwriting is another highly lucrative project for content writers. As a ghostwriter, your name is nowhere on the content you produce for your clients. You write in the voice of your clients, and the client receives credit for your content. Because of this setup, ghostwriters are usually compensated heavily for this. As the writer, you cant market your ghostwritten work or tell anyone about it (unless the company says you can). Thats why authors, actors, influencers, and more hire ghostwriters for their eBooks, emails, or other types of content. Tip: be careful of finding ghostwriting gigs on sites like Upwork or even on some job boards. These types of ghostwriting projects are usually in bulk and very low paying. Do not take these types of freelance jobs! 5. Copywriting Copywriting is a service your can offer as a writer. Think of copywriting as persuasive writing to help move a person from point A to point B. Your words have to sell the reader on what you are writing about. Typically, copywriters are used for sales pages, landing page copy and other promotional materials. Through the use of story-telling, copywriting principles, and effective copy, you can pick up some high-paying writing gigs as a fairly new writer. Within my first year of online writing, I landed a website copywriting gig for an influencer. I wrote mini sales pages and product descriptions for her so that she can use that to promote her products. 6. Article Writing Personally, article writing is similar to blog writing in that the type of information and format is similar. However, articles can be more comprehensive with up-to-date stats, case studies, and interviews. They are also published on magazines or online magazines. For example, Carrie Madormo writes articles for Readers Digest. What Makes a Good or Bad Freelance Job? When trying to decide what is the best freelance job for you, look at the content plan for each gig you have. Businesses want content either: Daily Weekly Bi-weekly two times a week Monthly Ad-hoc basis whenever the client needs content. You have to see if that freelance job can fit your schedule. Remember, you need more than one writing job to make a living as a writer. I wouldnt bank on one or even two freelance jobs for your monthly income. One business or both may go under or reduce their content projects. Also, you may learn later that one of the clients is a horrible client or a scope creeper. Because of this, pick up a few different types of projects. As a new content writer, I picked up two weekly blogging gigs, and two ad-hoc blogging gigs and helped me make a living writing. I also didnt work 50 hours a week to fulfill those projects. My weekly blogging gigs were easy for me and the ad-hoc gigs had long deadlines (30+ days). Another thing to look at when figuring the best freelance job for you is the entire scope of the project. Many freelance writing job ads will just list out the content writing responsibilities and may casually mention they have more work for you if they hire you. This can be a red flag! Many businesses are looking for an all-in-one person to do not only blog posts, but also: Social media posting Email copy Social media automation Editing I personally wouldnt take these freelance jobs because it looks like youre chained to a job for an employer! No way! As a freelancer, you pick and choose your work and its better to work with a variety of clients doing small projects. Its okay to pick up a big project here and there, but dont be sucked into the bait-and-switch when applying to freelance jobs on job boards. Freelance Jobs Requirements Okay Youve got your list of the best job boards and the types of projects you can do as a freelance writer. Now, lets look at the requirements many of these job ads want for their writer. 1. Resume Look Im all for you landing your first freelance job, but remember this you are no longer an employer; youre a freelancer, a collaborator. When a company asks for your resume, they are in the wrong mindset. They are looking at you as an employer. So, when the job ad asks for the resume, you can politely direct them to your writer website and portfolio page or your LinkedIn profile. Of course, its okay if you do have a resume for your online writing. There is no shame in providing that, but just remember why you decided to freelance! 2. Cover Letter Many freelance jobs will ask for a cover letter. Again, Im not one to provide a company with a cover letter, but if you have to, then go ahead. A cover letter is like your pitch, so its easy to write up since you email your pitch already. 3. Writing Samples All freelance jobs will ask you for your samples. Your writing samples can help businesses decide if your writing is up to their standards, how engaging your writing is and your credibility in your writing niche topic. So, before finding that perfect freelance job, figure out your writing niche and write some samples in those niche topics. For example, lets say you want to be a parenting writer. Here are some potential writing samples that show your credibility as a writer in this niche: How to Get Baby to Sleep Through the Night Surprising Advice from the Experts How Using this Simple Approach Can Relive the Stress During the Kindergarten Drop-off What 45 Moms Say About Breastfeeding in Public 4. Portfolio For many online writers, they link their portfolio in their pitch email. Your portfolio is a page on your website or a page online like my Contently portfolio where you list all your writing samples. A portfolio on your writer website is a great way to hook a potential client into a paying client. Not only do they see your samples, but they can click around on your writer website to get to know you better. And this can help them decide if youre the writer for them much faster than if you linked to a few writing samples from various blogs. Here is my portfolio page on my writer website. Freelance Jobs Submitting Your Work There are generally three ways you can submit your writing work to your clients. Make sure that before you start your project, you know the preferred method for providing your work to your client. 1. Email By far, the most popular method for many businesses is to have their freelancers submit their work via email. As the content writer you can add your article from either MS Word to your email. Or, if you wrote your article in Google Docs, you can email that to your client directly or grab the sharable link and use that link in your email. I would title your email the name of your project and include your author bio with a headshot. As well, I always mention in my email to let me know how they liked my client piece. I dont usually do revisions since none of my clients ask for revisions, but if they do, I gladly revise parts of my post for them. Other writers, however, tell businesses they will do up to two-three revisions before they start charging. 2. Backend of WordPress (Or Similar Content Management System) Another popular method businesses and brands have writers submit their work is to upload their article to the backend of their WordPress site. Ive had several clients give me access to their site so I can upload my content and images. With these types of freelance jobs you may also have to: Add your images Set the meta description Create the feature image Set the social media description Schedule the post 3. HTML Format A less popular way to submit your work as a freelancer is to submit your piece in HTML format. Technical content blogs for example may want your content in this format. It makes it easier to upload to their WordPress site. I have never had to submit my content this way, but I do often submit my author bio as HTML to make it easier for the client. Freelance Jobs Payment So, how do writers get paid online? The most popular and preferred method for online businesses is to use a Paypal Business account. While there are other online merchant services you can use, it may be a challenge for your clients to use that type of payment system. So, if possible, get a Paypal account for your writing business. You can generate your own invoice statement if you want I do or use a free invoice generator: Free Invoice Generators Free invoice template Invoice Simple Zoho Free Invoice Generator After you receive feedback (for new clients only or depending on each client), submit your invoice and ask for a testimonial if you already dont have a testimonial from that client. Get Your Writing On! Figuring out your best job as a writer should take some time. You need to figure out the job boards you will use, the type of projects you want to write, your writing sample topics, job requirements, and more before you land your first gig. So grab a coffee, bookmark this post and get your writing on! Over to you Is freelance writing something youre interested in doing? Let me know the comments! And, if you found this post helpful, I would sincerely love it if you shared it and or linked to it to help others learn more about this business!

Virtue Ethics Example

Virtue Ethics Example Virtue Ethics – Coursework Example Virtue Ethics The lecture attempts to explain the intricacies that revolve around the philosophical yet moral component of virtue ethics. It is important to understand the history of virtue ethics to disseminate the facets that make up the topic. The lecture makes it evident that virtue ethics stemmed from the Greeks’ perspective to the modern day philosophers who view virtue ethics as a moral obligation among humanity. The video illustrates the transition of virtue ethics from the Greeks who viewed it as a source of good living. The rise of Judaism and Christianity broadened the scope of virtue ethics and termed it as divine commands. Finally, due to continued secularism, the scope shifted to a subject of moral law terming virtue ethics as the most appropriate thing to do. The video continues to explain the modern day view of virtue ethics as propelled by philosophers such as John Stuart Mill (utilitarianism) and Emmanuel Kant (Absolutism). According to the theory of utilitar ianism, virtue ethics entail maximizing the good for the greatest population. On the other hand, the theory of absolutism entails accepting and following a set of beliefs as an obligation. However, the lecture creates a point of deviation from the theoretical point of view to a simplified perspective of virtue ethics as described by Aristotle. The video points out that Aristotle based his perspective of virtue ethics as the good of man. In addition, a comparison of such perspective with that of the Bible indicates that humanity ought to love without conditions or a set of beliefs. The explanation derived from the video indicates that virtue ethics is a balance between two extremes; that of deficiency and excess. As such, virtue ethics is about morality. In addition, Aristotle’s perspective, as per the video, indicates that such a balance entails what humanity consider as good rather than a set of guidelines and beliefs as that of absolutism.Work CitedLecture Notes. Retrieved from http://bbcourse.oc.edu/Professional_Studies/BUSA-3713_Simmons/Virtue%20Ethics%20%28video%29.m4v

TV Journal Entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

TV Journal Entry - Essay Example As the discussion declares the author's hard work and determination can be seen in the course of my academic journey. One of his proudest milestones was to graduate with honors in high school despite his language limitations and to gain acceptance to the University of Minnesota. While attending the University of Minnesota, he was honored by belonging to the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. he was recognized by the National Name Exchange Program based on my demonstrated academic merit. He has been honored by the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence. During my undergraduate studies, the author has worked extensively with Dr. LaDora Thompson. This paper stresses that the author has volunteered in Vietnam over the summer. He worked in the internal medicine department at the pharmacy clinic where my relatives work. His duties included helping patients walk after a surgery and assisting them to the bathroom. He has worked at the Snyder Drug Emporium. He was able to assist my aunts while they counseled their patients about the side effects of the drugs. His direct contact with patients, pharmacists, doctors and nurses enabled me to gain valuable experience. The influences of the author's childhood, academic background, volunteer and research experience have combined to instill in him a passion for my decision to become a doctor of pharmacy. He feels that his background has made me mentally and emotionally prepared to commit to the pharmacy profession. If he is admitted to your school it will be another step in carrying out the author's dream.

Jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jazz - Essay Example Wild is a unique woman who exhibits several literary features of a character known as Beloved in a previous novel. The similarity in the features of the two character is a strategy that the author uses to provide solutions to the problems he leaves unresolved in the previous novel as discussed in the essay below. Suspense is an artistic style employed by authors to sustain readership. It refers to a manner of developing a conflict and leaving it unresolved with a promise to resolve it in the next episode. Most authors address numerous conflicts in their storyline. They introduce multiple conflicts in a single chapter and leave them unresolved. The desire to determine the solution to the conflicts motivates the audience to continue reading to the next chapters. Morrison employs the strategy on a different scale as he uses the technique to join two separate novels. He uses hypothetical features of the character in the first novel, Beloved is an equally unique woman with most of her features such as the weird color of her skin resembling the color of Wild in the Jazz. Morrison refers to Wild’s skin color as coal black’ (Morrison 171]), this provides an outright connection with the first novel in which a female character entitled Beloved exists and performs mystical roles. The mystic nature of Beloved is similar to the nature of Wild in Jazz. The name Wild is appropriate since the woman disappears to the wild soon after giving birth to her son. She is therefore a wild woman whom the rest of the characters in the novel do not understand. Beloved was a spirit in the previous novel, she was equally unknown to the rest of the characters in the novel with most of the characters interacting with her only in their dreams. The similarity in their roles and features is a means the author uses to provide some of the soliloquies that audience may hold while reading the first novel. By portraying Wild as an actual character in Jazz, the author provides the audience

Benefits of Mobile Business Intelligence Research Paper

Benefits of Mobile Business Intelligence - Research Paper Example From the report it is clear that Mobile BI should be considered because it enables data that is captured by the mobile devices to be integrated on- the -fly hence enabling the mobile workers to get current reports and make important decisions on time.According to the discussion findings the Mobile BI should be considered because many individuals have the access of the tablet devices and Smart phones that are simple, affordable, and practical and provide strong analytics and features with functionality of forecasting algorithms in intuitive, user-friendly and browser environments that are customizable to many users and provide views that are meaningful. The new Mobile BI should be considered because it is cost effective and can be accessed anywhere so long as individuals have mobile phones. The technology improves knowledge sharing that supports organizational cohesion and collaboration. The business value for Mobile BI is that it enhances the organization’s customer satisfacti on and productivity and enables the business to succeed by adapting to the market, customers, and the competitive changes quickly. Mobile BI enables information technology organizations and businesses to evaluate business intelligence using mobile devices and examining software vendors’ offerings hence enabling the customers to assess products based on deeper understanding of how the new technology addresses their own business requirements.

Relationship Between Consumption And The Self Essay

Relationship Between Consumption And The Self Essay Consumption has always been an important aspect of human society, in different ways at different times and in different places (Clarke 2003). The consumer revolution, the birth of which is a subject of debates (McKendrick claims to have discovered it in the eighteenth century England, Williams- in nineteenth century France, and Mukerji- in fifteenth and sixteenth century England), represents not just a change in tastes, preferences, and purchasing habits but a fundamental shift in the culture of the early modern and modern world. (McCracken 1988) The consumer revolution is seen to have changed Western concept of time, space, society, the individual, and the state. Western culture gradually became increasingly dependent on and integrated with the new consumer goods and practices, which appeared from the sixteenth century onwards; culture and consumption began to fashion their present relationship of deeply complicated mutuality.(McCracken 1988) In such a consumer culture, consumption has an important significance to the meaningful practices of peoples everyday life. That is, they not only make their consumption choices from the products utilities but also from their symbolic meanings. Basically, consumption is employed not only to create and sustain self but to locate people in society as well. However, from a critical point of view, seeking to create the self through symbolic consumption can also contribute to the enslavement of individuals in the deceptive world of consumption. The following paper seeks to explore the theoretical approaches regarding the relationship between consumption and the self. {In the postmodern world} Our Identity is moulded as consumers. (Sarup 1996, p.120) Living life to the full became increasingly synonymous with consumption. (Gabriel and Lang 1995, p.7) The construction of self in modern society is considered to be invariably linked to consumption. The modern society undoubtedly represents a consumer culture, where peoples life functions in the scope of consumption. (Firat and Venkatesh 1995) It is, peoples social arrangement in which the relation between lived culture and social resources, between meaningful ways of life and the symbolic and material resources on which they depend, is mediated trough markets .(Slater 1997, p.8) Hence consumption is of great importance to the allusive practice of individuals everyday life. Along with the creation and maintenance of the self, consumption is also employed in order to locate different individuals in society (Elliott 1994a). The various material goods that people buy, the ideals and beliefs they held show who they actually are and whom they identify with. Indeed, people consume various things not only for satisfaction of personal needs but also for creation of their self-creation projec ts (i.e. for sense of significance in their pursuit of being ), which may be achieved symbolically through mundane consumption. The validity of this is confirmed by a considerable amount of literature. Lang and Gabriel argue that whether one is looking for happiness, identity, beauty, love , et cetera, there is a commodity somewhere which guarantees to prove it. In McCracken point of view, different products embody qualities that reach beyond their attributes or commercial value, which means, they are capable of carrying and accommodating cultural meanings. Symbolically, people use these meanings in order to create cultural idea of the self, to obtain and maintain lifestyles, to represent social connections and to promote changes in society and the self. (McCracken 1988) In other words, people consume these cultural ideas in order to exist in this culturally composing world. McCracken (1988a, p. Xi) confirms the latter point: without consumer goods, certain acts of self-definition a nd collective definition in this culture would be impossible. Shopping is not merely the acquisition of things: it is the buying of identity. (Clammer 1992, p. 223) Sartre (1998) argues that The bond of possessions is an internal bond of being. (p. 588) He emphasizes on the idea that people come to know who they are trough what they possess. By actually observing their material possessions they structure and sustain a notion of existential self. The idea of seeing is of vital importance, because as Sartre states to see it is already to possess it. In itself it is already apprehended by sight as a symbol of being . Thus, when see a superb landscape, people are capable of obtaining a notion of possessing the given landscape, and then associating it with their sense of being . This idea illustrates how people acquire a feeling of existing trough window shopping alone. To have is to be concept is also asserted by Belk (1988) and Dittmar (1992). Dittmar (1992, p. 204-06) argues: Material possessions have socially constructed meanings this symbolic dimension of material objects plays an important role for the owner s identity. This suggests that material social reality in an integral, pervasive aspect of everyday social life, of constructing ourselves and others. Belk (1988) in his examination of the connection between having and being , states that it is a two-fold process working in both directions respectively. Not only do people place their self-identities into their possession but they also integrate the latter into their identities; that is mirrored in the so called self-extensions process (i.e. the extended self). As extension of the self, peoples possessions not only enable them to find their actual characters but to achieve or adjust their sense of continuity from the past. Thus, material possessions act as a capacity to manage individual s life in its current course. As stated above to have is to be but to have also means to belong . Richins (1994, p. 523) states, Possessions are part of the social communication system and are sometimes actively used to communicate aspects of the self. Undoubtedly, when obtain personal possession that expresses peoples individual sense of identity and their sense of belonging to a group and collective identity. Material things encompass symbolic meanings, trough which a bridging of the self to others in society is possible. Dittmar (1992, p. 11) states: The notion that we express our identity trough our material possessions, and make inferences about the identity of others, on the basis of what they possess, means that there must be socially material objects as symbolic manifestation of identity. Nowadays, people are able to use consumption symbolically in order to gain a considerable sense of belonging to various imagined communities (Anderson 1983) or different neo-tribes (Maffesoli 1988). Thus, people consume different products that add to the symbolic means of identification of the self, trough which they associate themselves emotionally with those sharing their lifestyles. (Gabriel and Lang 1995) Consumption, as it has been stated in the above paragraphs, provides people with symbolic meanings to construct their self and identity, but it also can imprison them to the superficial sense of self and the enduring consumption. Therefore, from a critical perspective, to have means to be enslaved. If I am what I have and if what I have is lost, who then am I? (Fromm 1976, p. 76) According to Fromm, seeking to obtain a sense of being trough having hides a risk of losing it since having may not stay permanently. Contrary, he raises the idea that people realize the self by giving and sharing practices, et cetera. To have contributes to peoples enslavement of their own possessions. (Fromm 1976) People become slaves (i.e. commodities) in the realm of goods (Giddens 1991). Faurschou (1987, p. 82) argues: {Postmodernity is} no longer an age in which bodies produce commodities, but where commodities produce bodies: bodies for aerobic, bodies for sport cars, bodies for vacations, bodies for Pepsi, for Coke, and of course bodies for fashion total bodies-a total look. The colonization of the body as its own production/consumption machine in late capitalism is a fundamental theme of contemporary civilization. The belief that people are capable of exercising their freedom through certain choices seems unrealistic. Actually, we all not only follow lifestyles, but in an important sense are forced to do so-we have no choice but to choose (Gidddens 1991, p. 8). Also, Elliot (1994b) states that the pleasure, more specifically the immediate one derived from numerous consumption practices may imprison people in the scope of addictive consumption. Gergen (1991, p. 74-5) shows some apprehension over freedom of consumption: Yet this same freedom ironically leads to a form of enslavement. Each new desire places its demands and reduces one s liberties. Liberation becomes a swirling vertigo of demands. Daily life has become a sea of drowning demands, and there is no shore in sigh. The will and eagerness to be more, to grow more, to accumulate more and more, and more results in suffering and self-destruction of the individual. The only possible way of letting go this degenerated cycle is to accept the idea that to be is merely an illusion. Consequently, people should let go of their will to be , leave alone the desire to have . Considering all that has been stated above in the current paper about relationship between self and consumption strongly confirms their cooperative coexisting within and in developed societies of the contemporary world. The consumer is seen as caught in a cultural project (McCracken 1988), which main purpose is to achieve a full completion of the self. The consumer machine provides individuals with the necessary cultural materials in order to rationalise their varying ideas about themselves and their social roles in society. All of their cultural notions are embodied in the symbolic nature of goods, and it is through their possession and practices that individual understands the meaning in his own life. As Kavanaugh states, individuals in a society create themselves or define themselves culturally through the objectification of {a culture s} conceptual models in centrally prescribed phenomenal forms (McCracken 1988). It is through the systematic endowing of the meaningful properties of objects/goods that individual satisfied the opportunity and responsibility of self-definition. The logic and directions of this process of self and world construction through the nature of goods has been increasingly understudied and since recently it has been drawn accurate exploration. But which still needs further examination.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury :: Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451

Shortage of Books †I’ve always said poetry and tears, poetry and suicide and crying and awful feelings, poetry and sickness; all that mush!† exclaimed Mrs. Bowles to Montag in Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451 (103). Mrs. Bowles thinks written words can make an individual really gloomy and disconsolate. Because the goal of this society is to always be satisfied, and to stay satisfied people watch TV, made up stories, which never makes them think or wonder, that is why Mrs. Bowles is convinced that poems are nasty. How does banning of books affect a whole community? Does the human civilization really differ without them? According to Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury assembles a civilization that is affected in three ways from having a lack of books: more brutality is among people, preternatural relationships cultivate, and intelligent capabilities decrease. First, cognitive ability degenerated because of the banning of books. Visiting Faber, he said to Montag â€Å"That was the year I came to class at the start of the new semester and found only one student to sign up for Drama from Aeschylus to O’Neill† (91). Faber told Montag a memory of how books were like a beautiful statue of ice, melting in the sun. He later realized that books had no meaning to people because people stopped thinking. If the lack of books has caused people to stop thinking, then people act on impulse, rather than taking the time to consider the effect of what they are doing. Therefore, the decrease of knowledge obviously caused ignorance which in turn leads to the unawareness of ones self being taken advantage of or enslaved. In greater meaning if an individual deprives a society of individual rights or slowly outlaws educational sources (such as books in this case) and do not let people make their own choices for themselves, then they begin to lose interest in things they enjoy and "fall into the crowd" becoming (though unaware) toys of the leaders of that society, who lead that crowd of people like a flock of lambs, and thus controlling everyone. In addition to unawareness, abnormal relationships develop in the society because without books one couple may struggle in communication. After Beatty’s visit Mildred concluded Montag’s question â€Å"My ‘family’ is people. They tell me things: I laugh, they laugh! And the colors!†(75). Mildred feels her family is just people as if she thought people were just objects roaming around the earth.

Violent Video Games and Kids

Keep the Violent Vids away from Kids Violent video games and their effects on children is a growing debate in today’s society. The controversial problem is: are violent video games a negative effect on children or not? It is my personal opinion that violent video games are a bad influence on children. These young children learn from what they see. It is not a good thing when what they see is violence. It is also not a good thing when they are in control of the character that is doing the violence.Some children may be too young to know right from wrong yet and should not be exposed to these games. They may see something and get the wrong idea. Stricter laws should be made and enforced on violent video games. Children should not be allowed to have these games unless they are at least 15 years of age for the following reasons: Most research illustrates violent video games as a negative effect on children, video games content teaches children the wrong lessons, and violent video g ame use has been linked to delinquent crime.The debate originally began with violence on television and in movies. With the new advancements in technology, it eventually escalated into the debate of violent video games. Craig A. Anderson, a well renowned psychologist and professor at Iowa State, explains it like this: After 40+ years of research, one might think that debate about media violence effects would be over. An historical examination of the research reveals that debate concerning whether such exposure is a significant risk factor for aggressive and violent behavior should have been over years ago (Bushman & Anderson, 2001).Four types of media violence studies provide converging evidence of such effects: laboratory experiments, field experiments, cross-sectional correlation studies, and longitudinal studies (Anderson & Bushman, 2002a; Bushman & Huesmann, 2000). But the development of a new genre-electronic video games-reinvigorated the debate. Two sides of this issue exist. Many parents, researchers, and public policy makers believe violent video games are a bad influence on children.On the other hand, many public policy makers and video game developers believe violent video games can be educational to children and not a bad influence. In order to gain new knowledge and answer some of the questions of this growing debate, scientists all over the world have been doing research on this issue. Most of this research illustrates that violent video games have a negative effect on children. Many studies have found that violent video games cause an increased level of aggression in children.One such study was explained in an MSNBC popular news article written by Kristin Kalning called: â€Å"Does game violence make teens aggressive? † The article was written about an experiment done at the Indiana University Medical School. The experiment consisted of children having brain scans done while playing a violent video game and while playing a non-violent vide o game. The following results were gathered: â€Å"the brain scans of kids who played a violent video game showed an increase in emotional arousal – and a corresponding decrease in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition and attention.The kids who played the non-violent games did not have the same effect. † Another study done by three scientists named Hanneke Polman, Bram Orobio de Castro, and Marcel A. G. van Aken called â€Å"Experimental Study of the Different Effects of Playing Versus Watching Violent Video Games on Children’s Aggressive Behavior† yielded similar results. It was a study that was done by examining fifty-seven children ages 10-13 who either played violent video games or watched violent video games. The scientists examined their behaviors in free play session at school.The results were as follows: â€Å"After the active participation of actually playing the violent video game, boys behaved more aggressively than did the boys in the passive game condition. For girls, game condition was not related to aggression. These ? ndings indicate that, speci? cally for boys, playing a violent video game should lead to more aggression than watching television violence. † Although it may not be known how much violent video games effect children, these studies illustrate that they do indeed affect children in a negative way.They illustrate that psychologically something is going on in the brain that is not normal while playing. Providing evidence that children of a young age should not have access to these violent video games. Not only does research done on violent video games demonstrate that better age restrictions should be enforced on violent video games, but also the fact that the content of violent video games teaches children the wrong lessons. The graphics in video games these days are so real that they make players feel as if they are in the game. Violent video games often present unethical ideas and less ons to children.Craig A. Anderson explains these lessons very well: â€Å"Recent video games reward players for killing innocent bystanders, police, and prostitutes, using a wide range of weapons including guns, knives, flame throwers, swords, baseball bats, cars, hands, and feet. Some include cut scenes (i. e. , brief movie clips supposedly designed to move the story forward) of strippers. In some, the player assumes the role of hero, whereas in others the player is a criminal. † These ideas and lessons should not first be presented to children in video games.They instead should be discussed before hand with children’s parents. Children should not be able to play these games. Only teens that know their right from wrong and understand that the ideas perceived in these games are completely unethical should be allowed to play them. Another reason violent video games should be kept away from children is violent video game use has been linked to bad behavior among children and even delinquent crime. Children who play violent video games are more likely to bully or start a fight at school. Patrick McCormick, a writer for the U.S. Catholic, in an article titled â€Å"Moral Kombat† references Craig A. Anderson and says this: â€Å"Surveying a gigabyte of studies done over the past 50 years, Anderson found â€Å"unequivocal evidence that media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior in both immediate and long-term contexts. † Children who played video games were more likely to bully and fight with others and less likely to exhibit self-control or empathy. † Violent video games should not be available to children if these are the effects that they invoke in children.What’s worse is there is worse behavior that is linked to violent video games. Violent video games have been linked to delinquent crime, most specifically school shootings. â€Å"In the last decade numerous headlines have made the connection betwee n gaming and violent crimes. Stories have identified the perpetrators in school shootings and other multiple homicides as adolescents who spent a good deal of time playing violent video games, and FBI reports have suggested that fascination with this sort of media violence could be a arning sign identifying possible shooters†(McCormick). The Columbine shooting in Colorado is historical evidence providing proof that violent video games are bad influences on children. The shooters played a violent video game and make a reference to it in a video. Guy Porter and Vladan Starcevic wrote an article called â€Å"Are violent video games harmful? † and say this: â€Å"The 1993 game ‘Doom’†¦was played by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold before they went on a shooting Rampage at Columbine High School in 1999, killing 12 fellow students and one teacher, before committing suicide.The two killers had mentioned the game in a video they made before the massacre, stating it would be â€Å"just like Doom†. † This type of behavior should not be accepted in today’s society. Violent video games should not be responsible for fueling children like this to do heinous crimes. Stricter laws should be enforced and parents should be more educated about the violent video games that are available to their teens. Many critics say violent video games are not a bad influence on children and instead are educational and helpful to children.Peter McCormick writes: â€Å"complex and challenging video games engage our children, helping them to learn useful information and master necessary skills. † Kristin Kalning illustrates the same idea in her article on MSNBC when she speaks of the ESA website. She says: the ESA has done â€Å"several studies pointing to games’ potential benefits for developing decision-making skills or bettering reaction time. † Any video game can be made to be complex and challenging without being violent. Violent video games may teach you better reaction time and how to make decisions quickly, however; they also usually teach children the wrong lesson. Video games in general take away extra time children can be spending outside doing physical activities and studying. Violent Video games should not be sold to children who are under the age of sixteen. Children who are too young do not have a mind developed enough to understand the violence.