Category: American Values

In America we have values, a person’s principles or standards of belief or what a person finds important in life. Throughout history, we have acquired values that are still present to this day. In A Narrative of the Captivity, Rowlandson loses her child and has to continue working to be able to survive. During that time period, work was not stable, she had to find people to do favors for to be able to earn money for food and water to be able to survive, whilst mourning her lost child. In Into the Wild, Christopher McCandless takes a life changing adventure to Alaska. McCandless encounters obstacles that teach him many lessons and strengthen his values. Throughout his journey he learns how to survive, while secluded from the outside world, and how to work hard for money to travel and obtain food. From Mary Rowlandson’s A Narrative of the Captivity to Into the Wild novel by Jon Krakauer, America holds onto these values of work and survival that appear throughout history and literature, although they evolved throughout time.

One of the founding values of America regarding survival is the need to live despite difficult circumstances. In A Narrative of the Captivity, Mary Rowlandson continues to strive through life despite the accident with her child and the difficult circumstances she is placed in. The mother is “fain to go and look after something to satisfy her hunger…”. She is desperate to indulge in food, for she had not eaten in days. After not eating in days and mourning over her lost child, she was enthusiastic to be able to obtain food. She was very thankful that she could have food and thanked the Lord several times for the good He had done for her. The narratives Into the Wild and A Narrative of the Captivity are similar in the aspect that Chris and Mary both have to survive. Chris, the protagonist of Into the Wild displays the struggle like so: “It was slow going. In order to feed himself he had to devote a large portion of each day to stalking animals”. Chris McCandless survives alone in Alaska for just over 4 months. Chris had to kill animals on his own, obtain plants that are safe to eat, and learn how to entertain himself. He prepares for his trek to Alaska by surviving on limited materials,

“subsisting on nothing but five pounds of rice and what marine life he could pull from the sea, an experience that would later convince him he could survive on similarly meager rations in the Alaska bush”. Chris McCandless travels to Santa Clara and changes from this experience because he learns that he could live off of almost nothing. He goes more than twenty days without human interaction and barely any food. This gives Chris more confidence to live in the wild, which influences his decision to go to Alaska. These two pieces of literature show that the will to live is very important, although it has changed slightly because the human ability to survive has developed and become easier over time and as history has occurred, people have learned different ways to live.

Another foundational value leading to the upbringing of our country is work. Work is necessary for the essential purpose of obtaining money or supplies. In A Narrative of the Captivity, Rowlandson displays her struggle to do jobs for others and earn items to help her survive. Rowlandson explains, “There was a squaw who spoke to me to make a shirt for her sannup, for which she gave me a piece of bear. Another asked me to knit a pair of stockings, for which she gave me a quart of peas…”. Some people even had her do work for them and did not give her anything in return. Mary Rowlandson did her very best to endure through her tough times and continued to earn what was given to her. In this time period it was common to do favors or trades and that’s exactly what she did. In Into the Wild, Chris McCandless was a very hard worker. While working in Carthage, “McCandless worked hard, doing dirty, tedious jobs that nobody else wanted to tackle: mucking out warehouses, exterminating vermin, painting, scything weeds”. Chris was determined to do his best and earn his money.

Throughout his life, he worked at McDonalds, a grain elevator, and as a child enjoyed selling items around the neighborhood. In all of theses positions he demonstrated determination and hard-work. Chris was determined to earn his money and not just have it handed to him. Throughout history the value of work has developed and changed; work has become more specific for different people, it now has a generous array of options, and there are more rules and safety regarding it now. As history continues, the value of work will continue to evolve, and we will continue to see this change through literature.

Although time has evolved the values of America’s stances on enduring inconveniences and labor are presented in these pieces of literature. Early America had to strive more to preserve these values, they were not as blessed with what America has now developed to have. These differences are apparent aspects of Into the Wild and A Narrative of the Captivity. Chris traveled willingly, while Mary was just trying to survive; Chris had more stable jobs, in comparison to Mary, doing favors for items. As Americans mature as a country these values will become simpler to obtain. We as Americans have held onto these values. However, we will continue to watch these values evolve and expand.

How is a ‘real’ American defined? A recent study revealed that a large amount of the American population could not show the location of Iowa on a map of the United States, so how Americans define patriotism could be very equivocal. The definition of patriotism according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary reads: “a feeling of love for his or her country and supports its authority and interests”. However, more recently it has become more evident that patriotism in America is coming under attack. No matter where the lines are drawn from a political, economic, racial or from another standpoint, it is seen that there is a bigger divide growing in the United States than any ideas of uniting together for the greater good of the country. We must remember why patriotism is important.

“Patriotism in the United States involves a cultural attachment to the United States. Although there are multiple diverse ethnic backgrounds in America, taking pride in being an American is a very common thing among most American citizens”, or so it was. According to the New York Post, patriotism in the United States is at a “record low”. This year, only 45% of Americans said that they were extremely proud to be an American compared to 2004 when 70% of Americans answered in a survey that were extremely proud to be an American. The United States is fracturing, with more fissures visible every day in the nation.

A consequence of the post-Cold War globalist ideas, the deconstruction of the United States has been assisted by the increase of a neo-Marxist movement, that is now becoming dominant at big American media outlets as well as American colleges and universities. It is also strengthened by an immigration system which has now failed due to there being no more demand to the acculturation of new people. The national aim of American culture is now being separated into divided stories, with the loss in confidence in oneself that had historically inspired Americans to share a dedication to independent freedom and national identity. As a result, American cultural and historical DNA is not being passed down onto generations to come. America has stopped teaching civics in our own schools essentially, and consequently, it is not an uncommon thing today to find an American freshman in college with an indistinct knowledge with the work of the United States government and American national history.

“The third type of remembrance encompasses the emergence of groups”. Due to the progressive politicization in American academics, particularly in humanities, has brought down the rich and complex heritage of modern America to stories created from the color of a person’s skin or gender. This recompilation of national identity in America is illustrated the term ‘people of color’, seen with abandon from the evenly large term of ‘whites’ surrounded by constant accusations of racism and discrimination towards people of color. In our daily lives where we conduct business, use media, follow education and take part in our government, Americans are demonstrated with a system where ethic, gender, and racial categories have an impact with things like access to education, jobs, and more. All of this being in a country who went to war in order to put an end to two totalitarian regimes who believed that an individual’s identity racially is supposed to define their place in society.

As the concept behind American culture loses its definition, the support for it becoming lost as well. In a poll recorded by Gallup recently, from all Americans, only 47% stated that they were extremely proud to be an American, the lowest percentage recorded since the 18 years that the poll has been conveyed in which less than half of the participants showed those levels of pride in being American. Fifteen years prior, not even more than one generation, the percentage of participants from the survey was at 70%. As shown by the poll, the decrease in national pride was mainly apparent from self-identifying Democrats (32%, compared to 43%in 2017, and 56% in 2013) as well as self-identifying independents (42%, compared to 48% in 2017 and 50% in 2013). More than double the participants who self-identify as Republican answered “yes” to being extremely proud of being an American with a percentage of 74% in 2018 with it being 76% in 2017. The lowest percentage of American pride was shown among younger Americans, ages 18-29 (33%, compared to 55% in 2013). The people who had the most national pride was that of ages ranging from 50-64 with 58% stating they are extremely proud to be an American. College graduates have the least national pride in America with them only having 39% being proud of being American in contrast with those who do not hold a college level education with 52% being proud.

The present breakage of America into separate groups is a poor sign for the future. National unity as well as the mutuality of responsibilities are necessary to America’s national security. People split from inner conflicts as well as a loss of their pride in their own nation are at risk of being without the resilience that can be brought from a united nation in a time of war or national crisis. While the attack on exceptionalism in America in public begins moving faster, a restricted selection of choices is offered with the occurrences in the collective national memory that are allowed to be conserved and condemned shows the unity tearing apart. “Collective remembrance, the process of public recollection, is the act of groups of people who gather bits and pieces of the past and join them together for a public that will express and consume the constructed memory. What such groups create is not merely a cluster of individual memories: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts”.

Patriotism to former United States President Theodore Roosevelt was nothing more than ‘Americanism’, carrying “the spirit and purpose” of being an American citizen. While speaking during a campaign in 1912, Roosevelt gave meaning to Americanism as following a patriotic commitment to the American nation with an individual’s dedication to America as the important worth of a citizen. Roosevelt saw without the immanent quality of being an American citizen that equality under the law would become a political thing and eventually turn into relativism. In a letter written by Roosevelt in 1919 to the American Defense Society, Roosevelt was straightforward about the vital importance of Patriotism as a moral for an American. “There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all”.

To talk about America in the 21st century means not to take any part in ethnonationalism, but for America to bring back as well as push forward an idea of extended networks of people which then lets citizens participate in a sense of solidarity as well as communion with the American people. For decades, people who have been brought up with a postmodernist ideology has spread the idea that nationalism is a bad thing that must be censored, essentially giving off an idea that patriotic national pride is combined with bad totalitarian thoughts of fascism. Ultimately, patriotic national pride is absolutely necessary for a functional polity, as well as extended networks with common values and a shared language and a proper preservation of a large general agreement on the American historical narrative are the needed things that encourages the feeling of mutual responsibility that is essential for a functional public society that will be able to create a compromise on politics a mutual general good.

Unfortunately, the media takes a large amount of responsibility for the roughness of American communication as well as a decline in general morals, summoning a race for ratings, what Daniel Patrick Moynihan has said “defining deviancy down”, meaning that what was once something seen as not accepted has become normal and the things that were at one time acceptable have now began to fade from our public spaces. To encourage this problem, it has become more prevalent in our digital areas with some of the biggest digital media programs being barely usable through the use of insults, arguments and even images with the intent to offend and cause argument. Ultimately digital media, although definitely making the very bad parts of us come out, is a clear reflection of what we’ve become. In order to fix it, we must first fix ourselves.

The people of America are currently at a time of inflection. In order to halt and drive back this deconstruction of what the founding fathers intended to be a people of freedom who share national values as well as democratic principles which go beyond an individual’s national birthplace will take a full-on determined attempt. Ultimately, this is a question about protecting against the abandonment of ideals and values that stand beneath the United States.

NBA Betting Strategies

Being one of the four major sports in the United States, it is of no surprise that basketball continues to cause ever so many devotees to throng in front of their TV screens. Therefore, it stands to reason that wagering on the NBA is all the rage among a good deal of gambling enthusiasts. The popularity of the sport can be ascribed to the fact that punters find it much easier to make correct predictions.

It is safe to say that when you are wagering on NBA, you stand a good chance to sweep a yield, provided that you know the ropes of how you can avail yourself of this amazing gambling landscape. One of the best things you can do so as to improve your chances of staying profitable is to learn more about some of the most common NBA betting strategies. No matter whether you are a prospective basketball bettor or you already boast some experience in the field, our guide might turn out to be the best tool that will help you develop your acumen.

The Importance of NBA Betting Strategies

Since the National Basketball League is one of the most followed competitions on a global scale, it is anything but surprising that so many gamblers go out of their way in order to win some serious cash. Unlike some of the other sports which also attract overwhelming betting action, wagering on basketball is rather undemanding. Still, if you wish to make sure that you will enjoy a profitable basketball betting session over the long term, you should know that gambling without sticking to any kind of strategy is ill-advised. It is essential to remember that utilizing a basketball betting strategy will help you a lot when wagering on the NBA as it will give you a tightly defined set of rules you should stick to so as to attain the goals you have. The reason why you should consider utilizing a betting strategy is that it will improve your overall experience by giving your betting session a better structure, thus rendering you less likely to be in the wrong when it comes to your assessments.

In the beginning, utilizing a strategy might seem to you rather formidable, especially if you do not know your way around it. That is the reason why we have endeavored to provide you with some of the most common and most effective NBA betting strategies that are available out there. Best of all, even if you are a total rookie at sports betting at the moment, once you gain some experience in the field, you will be able to use these strategies to lay the groundwork for your own NBA betting strategy.

Of course, if you wish to rest easy that wagering on basketball will turn into a successful pursuit for you, the first thing you should do is to make sure that you possess a good command of the sport itself. It goes without saying that you will be less likely to get it right about your predictions if you do not know all the intricacies of the sport, the league, and the teams. That is the reason why prior to making use of any basketball betting strategy, you should make sure that you will hammer away at all the important details.

Prior to getting started with employing a basketball betting strategy, you should also come up with a staking plan. By this, we mean that gambling enthusiasts should have a clear idea about the total amount they will earn for their sports betting session. Other than that, they should also decide on the ceiling of their individual stakes before they have got started. This is undoubtedly worth reasoning due to the fact that otherwise, gambling aficionados will be more likely to make some irrational decisions that can eat up their bankroll in the twinkling of an eye.

It is important to note that we have endeavored to provide you with NBA betting strategies that will match your level of expertise. That is the reason why in the next sections, you will find basic, as well as advanced betting strategies which are suitable for total rookies and old hands alike.

Basic NBA Betting Strategies

As it turns out, many punters tend to blink at strategies that are labeled basic, with the most obvious reason being that they are prone to overestimating their expertise. As far as NBA betting is concerned, gambling aficionados should remember that such strategies will lay the foundations they will need so as to have the chance to take their betting session to the next level when they gain enough experience in the field. Once you have gained enough knowledge of the rather basic strategies, you will be able to build on your achievements.

Heavy Home Underdogs Strategy

Making use of a solid NBA betting strategy during your gambling adventure is all-important, especially if you wish to make sure that you will be able to increase your winning potential. One of the ways in which you can attain this goal is by paying special attention to basketball teams which are considered underdogs during games on their home ground.

It goes without saying that when it comes to the NBA, the teams will go to great strengths so as to make sure that they will not dash the hopes of their fans. Thus, quite often, you might stumble upon teams that have managed to cover the point spread, regardless of the fact that they were said to be less likely to win the game. Therefore, it might be a smart move to check for such games as heavy underdogs are more likely to go all out so as to score a win over, whereas favorites will be more likely to ease off.

Big Losses Strategy

Although the NBA betting strategies are aplenty, many gambling enthusiasts tend to look for big favorites who were handed a heavy loss in the previous game. As it turns out, this is an extremely well-liked basketball betting strategy due to the fact that such teams will be much more motivated to prove that this time, they will not disappoint their fans.

Therefore, gambling aficionados should always keep their eyes wide open for big favorites who have sustained a blowout loss during their previous game. Specifically, we recommend looking for teams that have lost the match by at least 15 points due to the fact that more often than not, such teams will achieve some striking results.

Track Down Altering Lines

One of the best ways to increase your earnings during your NBA betting session is to look for moving lines. It is important to note that in most cases, this will come about when a good deal of the punters have decided to back one of the contending teams. The main reason why this happens is that above all, gambling aficionados are fans of the sport. In other words, this renders them more vulnerable when they are making up their mind due to the fact that they will be more likely to follow their inside gut, instead of giving an ear to sound logic.

Let’s assume that the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers are contending, and the Warriors are considered big favorites. If it has hit you that the experts have started setting great store by Indiana Pacers, you can be sure that this will affect the manner in which gamblers will make their picks which have to do with the match. Therefore, the line will also show you that Indiana Pacers is enjoying a bigger betting action simply because many punters have decided to lean upon their sentiment, rather than relying on evidence.

Therefore, as long as you have managed to track down games in which you think that punters are guided by their emotions when making their decisions, it might be a good idea to take your stake in the other direction. Still, NBA bettors need to know that in some cases, it might be a clever move to wait as long as you see that the line has started going even further due to the fact that thus, your returns will be more alluring. On the downside, you should also ensure that you will not miss your chance as the line might correct as well. In other words, basketball lovers should also be able to recognize the right time when they should cast their bets.

Yet, punters should keep in mind that even if the line alters, this does not mean that they should make a stake in it at any cost. Therefore, if you are not confident in your expertise or you simply think that such a stake will not bring you good value, it might be a good idea to abstain from it.

In other words, basketball fans should ensure that they are aware of the reason why the line is altering. Other than that, punters should make sure that they find the right time to make their stake, and that such making such a wagger will be a clever move.

Be Careful with Your Favorite Teams

As was already stated, many punters are inclined to rely on their gut feeling and their emotions in the decision-making rather than relying on their sound reasoning, thus lessening their chances of getting it right about their picks. That is the reason why gambling enthusiasts should be cautious when they are determined to wager on their favorite team due to the fact that they might find themselves in the same boat as inexperienced gamblers who tend to make rushed decisions when it comes to the teams they go in for watching.

There is nothing wrong with having a favorite team, but you should make sure that your judgment will not be clouded by your desire to see this team score a win. The best thing you can do in order to deal with your inside gut is to base your decisions and assessments on statistics and reliable information.

As you can probably guess, investing too much emotion during your NBA betting session will not be the best approach due to the fact that you will be more likely to think that an event is more likely to come about than it is in practice. If you are only a basketball fan, such an approach might turn the game into an endless source of entertainment for you. Every knowledgeable basketball bettor will tell you that such behavior can have a lasting effect on your overall profit.

You might not be fully satisfied with what we will say as it would be best if you abstain from punting on your favorite team. Of course, as long as you are convinced that such a stake will bring you positive value and that your picks stand a good chance of turning out to be correct, you should not hesitate to plunge in.

As we already touched upon this, NBA bettors should be cautious when they are singling out the source of information they will be using. It goes without saying that the manner in which you look at the information matters as well. One of the most essential things you should not forget is that you should make sure that your decisions will not be affected by the hype surrounding one of the teams. In essence, this is precisely what distinguishes seasoned NBA bettors apart from newbies.

NBA Value Gambling

We will not stop reiterating that enjoying a lucrative NBA betting session does not only involve getting right about all your picks. As it turns out, many gambling enthusiasts are not aware of the fact that a winning betting record might not necessarily mean that they have got some large returns. According to this strategy, the only way to increase your earning potential is to endeavor to track down bets that offer good value.

Of course, oddsmakers will endeavor to ensure that the value of the odds will be spot on so as to make sure that they will need to hand out an amount of money that corresponds with the prize of the stake itself. This explains why many basketball lovers find it hard to track down bets that offer good value. Then again, it might be a good idea if you check markets in which a lot of games are taking place. Alternatively, a clever move might be to track down games that do not attract such an overwhelming betting action due to the fact that sometimes, such games might bring you the desired results as well.

Thus, as long as this NBA betting strategy is your cup of tea, one of the best ways to improve your performance is to endeavor to decide on the prices before you have checked the odds the bookie has come up with. As long as in your view a match offers a good value, you should contemplate casting a bet on it.

Advanced NBA Betting Strategies

It goes without saying that the most obvious difference between the basic and the advanced NBA betting strategies stems from the fact that the latter requires much more expertise. In other words, so as to make sure that you will be able to apply these strategies properly, you should make sure that you have added to your knowledge about the NBA. Best of all, thanks to these strategies, you will be able to make better picks much easier, and also to recognize bets which will bring you the desired profit.

NBA Early Season Betting

Gambling aficionados who are chasing some more substantial losses should consider trying the early season betting for size. If you already boast some experience at NBA betting, perhaps, it has hit you that the value of the odds is not set in stone, especially before the outset of the season. This rings true, especially when it comes to basketball teams which have seen certain changes recently.

The reason why we recommend this basketball betting system is that gambling enthusiasts are more likely to see more substantial variations in the value of the odds during the early stages of the competition. Other than that, punters should also make sure that they are not in the dark when it comes to the fact that such changes tend to occur more frequently precisely during this part of the season. Of course, we do not want to leave you under the impression that oddsmakers will not know what they are about. The most important thing you should remember about this strategy is that the odds you will be presented with at the start of the season are less likely to be as sharp as they will be once the competition starts panning out.

NBA Total Betting

NBA total betting is yet another strategy that you should not gloss over, especially if you want to earn some serious cash. One of the most essential things avid basketball should commit to their mind is that as far as totals are concerned, the betting limits you will be presented with will be dramatically lower when compared to the limits of points spread betting. Perhaps, you are already aware of the fact that when it comes to total bets, gamblers are compelled to decide whether the number of the points in the game will be over or under the value, established by the bookie.

Since this basketball betting strategy revolves around the total number of points that will be scored throughout the game, it is only natural that gambling enthusiasts should pay special attention to the possessions. The reason why you should do so is that the pace at which the match will pan out to a large extent will be determined by these values.

Therefore, since the style of play of one of the teams is defensive, it will end up scoring a smaller number of points and vice versa, if a team is rather aggressive, it will score more points. In other words, punters will stand a better chance to get it right about their predictions right as long as they take into account the pace at which the teams tend to play or their scoring capacity. Frankly speaking, going for total betting might bring you the desired results much easier in comparison with going for money line or points spread NBA betting, meaning that this strategy might give you the wanted leg-up during your gambling adventure.

The Fatigue

Since the NBA season consists of 82 games in total, it is only natural that each of the matches will have an impact on the overall condition of the players. Although the basketball teams are made up of some of the very best athletes, gambling enthusiasts should make sure that they will underrate the role fatigue plays.

It goes without saying that a team that has played 3 matches in four nights will be less likely to cope with one’s task in comparison with a team that is rested. That is the reason why basketball lovers should make sure that they have gone through the schedules of the teams prior to casting their bets. In this way, they will stand a better chance to assess the chance of each of the teams to score a win over more accurately and therefore, to enjoy larger wins.

Which Option to Go for

Once you have gone through all the sections, perhaps, you are wondering which one of the strategies you should give a shot. While making up your mind about the strategy which will best work for you, we recommend taking into account your expertise, the goals you wish to attain, as well as the amount of money you have set aside for gambling purposes.

It is essential to remember that these strategies are not a guarantee of success. In other words, gamblers should have realistic expectations about their NBA betting session, meaning that they should not pin their hopes solely on the strategies we elaborated on simply because they are not a guarantee of success. Of course, they will help you enhance your chances to make a profit, but you should also make sure that you will keep on improving your skills and knowledge.

As long as you are a total greenhorn at NBA betting, it is advised to make use of the basic betting strategies. In essence, they will undoubtedly help you lay the groundwork for a successful betting session, especially if you apply them properly. In the event that you have some experience in the field, picking one of the above-mentioned strategies will be much easier for you as you will be able to discern the option that will work best for you so that you can realize the profit you would like to.

Conclusion

Perhaps, now you have figured out that implementing an NBA betting strategy is not as simple as it might sound. Just like wagering on many of the other sports that attract a large betting action, NBA betting also takes good expertise. Other than that, punters should also make sure that they will keep abreast of all the changes that come about in order to ensure that the decisions they will make will be sound. We hope that you have come to the conclusion that applying an NBA betting strategy might turn out to be quite demanding. Still, this does not mean that you should steer clear of them as they might help you get some really bountiful rewards.          

Introduction:

In the past decades, parental separation has become common in all countries, especially Western countries. In Western cultures, more than 90 percent of people marry by the age of 50. However, about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce. Some divorces in the Western world decreased, but only Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Slovak Republic, and Sweden have seen crude marriage rates increase since 1995 (Calot G., n.d.). In addition, all parents may have many worries on their minds—from the future of their living situation to the uncertainty of the custody arrangement—they may worry most about how the children will deal with the divorce. Some studies have been done to explore the relationship between experiencing a parental divorce in childhood and externalizing problem behavior (EPB) in adulthood (Sacha Sillekens, 2020). As examined, individual, family, and peer influences for those growing up in a broken home have enduring consequences for EPB. A wealth of research also points to factors mediating the association, including less effective parenting, inter-parental conflict, economic struggles, and limited contact with one parent, typically the father.

The main aim of this report is to explore how parental separation affects young adult relationships between divorce and parent-adult satisfaction and individual distress such as depression, anxiety, and stress.

Divorce within the United States:

Within us, divorce has always been communal since half of all marriages end in divorce or perpetual separation. Assurance is a transparent aspect of why some couples stick together. Sometimes divorce is important, but those in other occurrences often later suggest they want they might have given themselves another chance before divorcing. Many factors place a few at high-level risk for divorce. In 2020, the us features a total of 331,002,651 occupants, for every 1,000, there are about 2.5 split-ups. Over the years, researchers have dogged undeniable factors that put people at greater risk for divorce: espousing at a young age, inadequate education, and income.

At a young age: marriage at a young age increases the likelihood of divorce, especially within the early years of marriage.

Less education: research shows that those with a minimum of some college education (vs. high school or not finishing high school) have a lesser risk of separation.

Less income: having an unexceptional salary can help couples dodge anxiety which will cause divorce.

According to children, divorce has an impression on them, it’s going to escalate the danger of spiritual health problems. Unceremoniously aged, gender, and culture, children of divorced parents experience increased psychological problems.

Divorce in Russia:

Apart from the Western world, Russia features a substantial number of divorces because Russians lean to marry younger than their Western patricians. Notwithstanding the cause for concern, experts say that family values endure integral. In 2016, the ratio of divorces to new marriages in Russia was 1 to 1.6, meaning that Russians divorce more regularly than they marry. In 2020, Russia features a total of 145,934,462 occupants, for every 1,000, there are approximately 4.7 divorces.

Furthermore, in current eras over 60 percent of marriages in

Russia terminated in approved separation (Shevchenko, 2018) Some people accuse childish puerility and demanding life circumstances, experts say these influence divorce. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: Russia may be a country where every second marriage ends in divorce, making it an intercontinental groundbreaker during this classification. “It would be wrong to match the number of divorces in Russia and other countries because divorce procedures, which have an enormous impact on statistics, vary greatly from country to country,” said Sergei V. Zakharov, deputy director at the Upper School of Economics’ Institute of Demography. additionally, some undesirable disputes can cause divorce which are: a tough life, immature newlyweds, and liberal laws.

Tough life: life in Russia is difficult in general: salaries are truncated, work is hard; people basically cannot possess life with such exhaustive complaints.

Immature newlyweds and liberal laws: This extraordinary number of divorces is thanks to the negligence and recklessness of children before they marry. They still play their childish games and may scarcely visualize what anticipate after a marriage. For instance, “My wife and I met one another once we both were young. When children get older it often happens that their views on life change. This is often what happened to us,” said Alexander Pirogov, who divorced when he was 32.

Children from divorced families do not always accomplish education. However, a study published in 2019 advocated kids from divorced families were inclined to possess misfortune with the school if the divorce was unforeseen, however, children from families where the divorce was expected didn’t have the matching consequence.

Divorce in Turkey:

Turkey may be a country where, between Eastern and Western cultures, recent divorce rates are accumulative. Couples marry with the will to sustain a lifelong relationship; many marriages culminate in divorce in the present day for various reasons. Divorce is described as a sophisticated crisis and a staged transition process, whereby couples end their marriages through a legal decision (Jafar Bolhari, 2012). In 2020, Turkey featured a total of 84,339,067 inhabitants, for every 1,000, about 1.6 divorces happened. The explanations for divorce are variable. They are also associated with a country’s socioeconomic status and cultural structure. the tutorial and developmental level of a rustic, changes in family roles, women’s place in work life, and therefore the society’s perception of divorced individuals. It is further contemplated that individuals, who witnessed negative parent relationships or divorcing parents during their childhood, have a better probability of getting divorced. To continue with, there are too many valid reasons for divorces, but most significantly are the following:

No religious affiliation: Researchers have estimated those with a spiritual affiliation compared to those who belong to no religious group are less likely to divorce.

Premarital childbearing and pregnancy: childbearing and pregnancy before marriage significantly increase the likelihood of future divorce.

Addiction: addiction might be available in many forms, like alcohol, drugs, gambling, or pornography. This increases the danger of badly permanent separation.

Also, research has suggested divorce can affect children socially. Children whose family goes through a divorce may have a harder time concerning others and tend to possess fewer social contacts. Sometimes children feel insecure and wonder if their family is the only family that has gotten divorced.

National perspective:

This paper tackles the idea of divorce in Egypt, as it is my home country. In Egypt, the Personal Status Law, which addresses divorce, is generally administered according to an individual’s religion (US, 2013). As of right now, about 200,000 married couples get a divorce every year, according to President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. Moreover, research indicates that within the bounds first five years, 40 percent of marriages end (Reda, 2019). According to recent statements by the Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali, the Egyptian government is finalizing the development of a comprehensive program that aims to deal with the issue of high divorce rates in Egypt, with a particular focus on cities, as they have higher divorce rates. Apart from the factors influencing the rising divorce rates, in the Middle East is the change brought about by urbanization. This shift has led to a change in expectations of marriage from the more traditional family values and gender roles. Today, “incompatibility” is reason enough for divorce. Research conducted over the last three decades has supported evidence-based practice guidelines for addressing family members’ needs for information, clinical guidance, and ongoing support. One of the findings is that altering key types of negative interaction, while meeting the needs of family members, dramatically improves patient outcomes and family well-being in order not to have any mental or psychological problems.

Local perspective:

Doing my research, I interviewed a few people around my neighborhood who had and had not been through this situation. My question was: Do you think many children have psychological issues because of parental separation? One of the interviewees said, “Yes definitely because other than the fact that they experience a lot of emotional trauma, seeing other kids with their parents in healthy relationships would affect them without them even noticing.” Also, another one said that if they had been through this situation, they would have tried to reunite with their parents again in order not to experience bad mental performance, abusive behavior, etc.

Contrasting perspective:

According to the perspectives, the national perspective claims that Egypt helps all children with divorced parents however the local perspective does not support so. I interviewed people who had been in this situation before and experienced some mental issues throughout their lives and some state that they developed without their parents better because they like to show that they are better than others and have no deficiencies. Moreover, it depends on the child’s age, personality, and the circumstances of the separation and divorce process. Getting through a divorce is painful, but for some children, it might be better in the end because the child might have experienced abuse, lack of support, lack of trust, etc. However, children who had not been through parental separation support the local perspective more. Sometimes, in the end, some couples stay together because they overthink about their children’s mental health.

Problems and causes of action:

Most couples divorce because of a serious problem. One of the main reasons why people get divorced is money. Different spending habits, opposite financial goals, and a lack of money can produce great strain on a marriage. If the couple has children, money becomes even more vital to the sustainability of the relationship because nowadays children compare each other according to their family’s standards. In general, parenting experts agree that children should not be kept in a family where there is continuing abuse of any kind. Divorce should result if a child is living with a parent who is abusing them sexually, physically, or emotionally. While it is clear that abusive behavior can be changed and corrected, it is also clear that such changes are infrequent. One of the most important things after divorce is how do parents cope with their child and their roles. Each parent tries to be their child’s teacher, they try their best to provide encouragement, support, and access to activities that enable the child to master key development tasks. In addition, school roles are also important, and they take place in almost all schools. Teachers help students by having private conversations, asking if they are ok, being good listeners, letting children express their feelings which helps in creating a safe, friendly environment where children can feel free to talk, and providing reassurance.

Personal perspective:

In my opinion, couples should think about their child/children before getting a divorce as many negative aspects might put the child in a difficult situation such as depression, anxiety, etc. I’m totally against it because it affects the child greatly, especially at a young age. Having to keep moving between two houses and not being able to spend a lot of time with one or two of their parents. In conclusion, it’s a huge hassle and not worth dealing with courts and confusing the child, especially at a young age.

Bibliography

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The Impact Of Castro

Fidel Castro’s role has had an incredible impact on the culture of Miami. The city has gone from a retirement area for businessmen, to an area used as a refuge or people fleeing Cuba. The culture is now predominantly Latin. When Castro ascended into rule, he became a catalyst that led many to flee Cuba, no matter the risk. People would come over by very perilous means, just to escape. As they planted roots in south Florida, they influenced culture there through opening shops, restaurants and by buying houses. Most neighborhoods in Miami are predominantly Hispanic, and mostly Cuban. When Castro died, the streets of Miami erupted with spontaneous celebrations. The man who had caused so much pain and suffering to these people, his rule was finally over. Many people in Miami had parents who sent them to America in hopes that they could have a life free from his tyrannical rule. A lot of these immigrants had parents, friends, or family members that died at the hand’s of Fidel Castro, either inadvertently through starvation or through literal murder.

Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, also known as Fidel Castro, was born on August 13, 1926 in southeastern Cuba. Fidel was one of seven children to his parents Angel Castro and Lina Ruz Gonzalez. Fidel grew up with the last name Ruz until his father married his mother, and then he began using the last name Castro. Growing up Fidel went to a Roman Catholic boarding school in Santiago Cuba and then a Catholic high school in Havana. During those years Castro had shown major talent and interest in baseball. After high school in 1945 Fidel enrolled into the School of Law of the University of Havana where he mainly focused on politics. During Castro’s adult years he had gotten married to two separate women and conceived many children with both of them. Not much information is publicly known about Castro’s wives and children.

Throughout his life, Castro has done many things relating to being in control. From 1959-2008 he was the political leader of Cuba. During his time as political leader he turned Cuba into the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere. Castro then became known as the prime minister until 1976 which then lead him to becoming president of the Council of Ministers and the Council of State. In July 2006 Fidel Castro gave up his power and position in the government because of health issues which lead to February 2008 where he gave up his presidency.

Why Does This Matter? Opinion column

America is a country of immigrants, the country was founded by Europeans. This is what makes America so great. Our American culture is a blend of other world ideas, languages, personalities, and peoples. These Cubans were fleeing a murderous dictator, and the U.S.A needs to be able to accept the refugees. Not only should we accept them, we should welcome them because these people are hard workers who have created a better economy for Miami, and the United States as a whole. As long as the people coming here come through legally and don’t sneak in, they should be welcomed. If the people get proper documentation, and they’re being good citizens once they get here,

Consideration of the facts, records, and the first-rate massive of Mcdonald’s- with a product that is carefully associated with American culture- makes Mcdonald’s a form of illustration of ‘American cultural imperialism’ on the rest of the world. The essay considers one of the views about the issue; for example, McDonald’s as a world organization, its justification for the prices made through social activists, and consumers’ appreciation of the commercial enterprise corporation commercial enterprise business enterprise image.

The essay in addition integrates the consideration of the terrible influences of McDonald’s on great way of life or nations, the financial implication for global places or communities in which it operates, and blended reactions of purchasers to the American cultural imperialism that is mirrored by using way of McDonalds. Due to the controversies and tricky nature of constituent phrases of the thought ‘Cultural imperialism’, most try to define it furnish up up growing summary complexities in the title of definition (Tomlinson, 1991; Barnett, 1997). However, to apprehend American cultural imperialism with the useful resource of McDonalds it is quintessential to outline cultural imperialism.

Schiller, (1976) described cultural imperialism as a ‘Sum of the manner through the way of the utilization of which a society is introduced into a modern world computing gadget and how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, compelled and on in shape even bribed into shaping social companies to correspond to or even promote, the values and constructions of the dominating center of the system. ‘ (Tomlinson,1991:9) . It is particularly surely virtually well worth noting that in the context of cultural imperialism Watson, (1997) has taken ‘culture’ to suggest as accepted music, television, film, video, pulp, fiction, comic, advertisement, fashion, home design, and mass-produced food.

John Tomlinson, (1991) argues that the phrase ‘imperialism’ has a connotation of some shape of domination linking it to empire, that’s why cultural imperialism in ‘third world’ elements to the hyperlink between present-day cultural domination and colonial past. Said, 1997 has, in addition, emphasized the ride of domination that underlies modernist manufacturing that is represented by the useful resource of the utilization of world giants like McDonald’s (Laura Chrisman, 2003). McDonald’s is one of the crucial features in America in the twentieth century that has influenced the world (Ritzer, 1996).

In 1955 the first franchise McDonalds used to be once as soon as opened, with the recommended aid of 1991 the quantity had reached to 12,000 retail outlets with the resource of out the world (Boje et al, 2006). Rigg (1994) states that McDonald’s whole income in 1993 had reached 23. 6 billion, conducting an income of 1. 1 billion. The total sales of the regular US McDonald’s outlet is 1. 6 million every 12 months (cited in Ritzer, 1996). By the provide up of 2006 the organization had 31,000 consuming areas all over the world that generated profits of $ 21. 6 Billion (Mcdonald’s Annual Report, 2006).

These days McDonald Corporation is going for walks and eating places even in locations like Mecca in Saudi Arabia the neighborhood of a product that is related to modernity and pop subculture is hard to imagine. The impact of McDonald’s has reached some distance previous confines of the United States and the elements employer (Schlosser, 2002). In a survey of school teenagers, it used positioned that 96% of the college college college students can moreover pick to come to be conscious of Ronald McDonaldsMcDonalde out out focal point which is 2nd to Santa Claus (Greenhouse, 1986).

Because of its extremely excellent success, there are eating places all by the use of the world which copy McDonald’s such as the rapid aspects croissanteries in Paris, the chains of hastily ingredients consuming places like Nirula’s that sells mutton burgers and the locations like Juicy Burger in Beirut (Ritzer, 1996). The impact of McDonald’s on the way we live these days is so deep-rooted that the Golden Arches are universally increased recounted than the Christian go (Schlosser, 2001). On the opening of the McDonald’s in Moscow a scholar used to be located to exclaim that it used to be a true peace of America (Ritzer, 1996). Mcdonald’s has a central vicinity in a well-known subculture (Fishwick, 1983).

According to Smart (1999) producer names like McDonald’s represent immoderate profile symbols that are overloaded with a variety of difficult cultural affiliations and their continual developing presence in almost all worldwide areas and its enchantment serve as proof of its deep-rooted existence, electrical power, and success of American industrial organization and cultural imperialism. Eric Schlosser (2002), takes the point that science in the preceding American embassies and oil organizations had been the typical desires of distant places demonstration in opposition to ‘American imperialism’ however these days rapidly food places mainly McDonald’s have assumed that symbolic role.

Even the media portrays McDonalds as the American culture. For example, movement pics such as Coming to America, Falling, Moscow on the Hudson, Time After Time, Sleeper, and Ten Men, have symbolized the American subculture with the aid of way of McDonald’s (Ritzer, 1996). Kellner (1999) elements out the cultural dimension of the McDonald’s commercial enterprise employer business business enterprise by way of advertising and advertising and marketing and advertising and advertising and marketing campaigns and promotional stunts, making an strive to create an experience of fun, household togetherness, and of Americanisation associated with the McDonalds experience.

Introduction

The period between 1890 and 1920 marked a significant transformation in American foreign policy. As the United States emerged as a global power, it adopted a more assertive approach to international affairs. This informative essay will explore the key elements and shifts in American foreign policy during this period, examining the motivations, strategies, and outcomes that shaped the nation’s interactions with the world.

Expansionism and Imperialism

The late 19th century witnessed a surge of expansionist ambitions as the United States sought to increase its global influence. This period, known as the era of American imperialism, saw the acquisition of territories such as Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. These territorial gains were driven by a mix of economic, strategic, and ideological motivations. The United States sought to establish itself as a global power and secure access to new markets, resources, and naval bases.

Open Door Policy and Economic Interests

One key aspect of American foreign policy during this period was the Open Door Policy, which aimed to ensure equal access to trade and investment opportunities in China. The policy, advocated by Secretary of State John Hay, sought to prevent the colonization of China and safeguard American commercial interests in the region. The Open Door Policy reflected the growing importance of economic considerations in shaping foreign policy decisions.

Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy

President Theodore Roosevelt played a pivotal role in shaping American foreign policy during his presidency from 1901 to 1909. Known for his “speak softly and carry a big stick” approach, Roosevelt pursued an assertive and interventionist foreign policy. His focus on building a strong military and using it as a deterrent demonstrated America’s willingness to enforce its interests in the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt’s corollary to the Monroe Doctrine asserted the United States’ right to intervene in Latin America to maintain stability and protect its economic interests.

World War I and Wilsonian Idealism

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 posed significant challenges to American foreign policy. Initially adopting a policy of neutrality, the United States faced increasing pressures and eventually entered the war in 1917. President Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy vision was grounded in idealism and the belief in promoting democracy and self-determination. Wilson’s Fourteen Points outlined a vision for a new world order based on principles such as national self-determination and collective security through the establishment of the League of Nations.

Conclusion

The period from 1890 to 1920 witnessed a profound evolution in American foreign policy. The United States emerged as a global power, asserting its influence through territorial expansion, economic interests, and military strength. From the era of American imperialism and the acquisition of overseas territories to the pursuit of economic opportunities through the Open Door Policy, American foreign policy reflected the nation’s desire to secure its economic and strategic interests. The assertiveness of President Theodore Roosevelt’s big stick diplomacy and the idealism of President Woodrow Wilson’s vision during World War I further shaped American interactions with the world. By examining the motivations and strategies of American foreign policy during this period, we gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shaped the nation’s role on the international stage and laid the foundation for future foreign policy endeavors.

In our system of government, we are bound to have collective action problems. Firstly, a collective action problem is where individuals can succeed in a situation if they work together on a common goal. But ultimately fails because of conflict or disagreement between other individuals in the group that discourages how they want to work the situation out, resulting in an even worse outcome for their common goal. Some examples of the different types of collective action problems we have are the Tragedy of the Commons and the Prisoner’s Dilemma. To start, the Tragedy of the Commons is where an individual overconsumes a shared resource system for their self-interest. This results in the common good being overused and spoiled for an individual’s collective action. One very real example of this in our world is sustainability. But some other problems it faces is the overuse of water, fishing, and non-renewable resources such as oil and coal. Because of the overuse of our resources, our planet is unable to run properly which could result in killing our planet as a whole. However, the government overcomes these types of challenges with simple solutions like having property rights. Property rights are one of the more common solutions that allow property owner to do what they want with their resources. Having property rights can benefit the planet by saving endangered species or resources that are scarce. But most property rights come from ideas, and by having an idea, it can be put to good use. Allowing people to have property rights for their ideas, results in individuals putting more time and effort into new medicines or technology that can benefit society. However, property rights are costly because it also takes time and effort to enforce these property rights like settling disputes or violations. These are what we call transaction costs and conformity costs. To continue, the Prisoner’s Dilemma happens whenever individual members of a large organization can enjoy the benefits brought by others whether or not that individual has contributed to the cause. But this doesn’t happen if there is coercion which makes an individual act in their common interest. For successful bargaining to be easy, the two parties have to come to a common agreement and have to rely on keeping their word. This connects back to the prisoner’s dilemma where for every individual to benefit, they must agree on a common interest for the bargain to be successful. But it can be difficult if the other individual doesn’t follow through on their side of the agreement for self-interests. An example of the Prisoner’s Dilemma and successful bargaining is when two individuals are being put in prison for robbery, but they have two options. The individuals are given a choice of either to confess or do the crime which results in one being set free and the other being thrown in prison for 10 years, and vice-versa. But if they both say nothing, they will both get less time in prison. But if they both say something, then they both will do double the amount of years. This is what is called the Prisoner’s Dilemma but to avoid a situation like this, the two criminals must agree to not say anything, in which they will both benefit from the situation and keep their word. But it can be difficult if one of the other individuals lies about their word and rats on the other to be free, resulting in making a successful bargain difficult.

The Constitution had a lot of principles within it that still shape this nation today. The constitution consisted of seven main principles. The first was popular sovereignty which deals with the government getting its power from its citizens. The people were the ones voting and agreeing on what they wanted in the nation and what they wanted to enforce. The second was limited government which deals with having the government not control their citizens’ lives for the government to not have extreme power. This ties in with popular sovereignty on how giving the power to the people can give a successful nation. The third is the Separation of Powers. Our government is split into three branches, the Legislative branch which makes all the laws from Congress to the House of Representatives. The Executive branch is where all the laws are either enforced or passed. And the Judicial branch is for the people who break the law. We split these branches to not give anyone too much power in a branch. Not only does it break down the power from each branch, but the branches also have what is called Checks and Balances, this is the fourth principle. They do this by either stopping laws they are trying to pass or stopping any idea they dislike coming from the other branches. Judicial Review is the fifth principle that connects back to Checks and Balances. The Judicial Review allows the Judicial branch to stop any kind of corrupt law that doesn’t fit the rules from passing in the Constitution. The sixth principle is Republicanism. Republicanism is mainly a political ideology that believes the people have the power in government and don’t let the government overthrow them. And the seventh principle is Federalism. Federalism is what the United States is today. It is having the states and government banded together to pass laws and spread power equality, despite sometimes having the government overrule the decisions of the state. While the founding fathers were constructing the Constitution, they ran into some issues. One of the main issues they faced was how much power should be given to the government. The second was how states should be represented in the government and legislation. And third, was the representing equality among everyone in the United States. But once the constitution was finished, the United States built this as the baseline for the nation which consisted of the principles of democracy. These principles of democracy were known as having a political system that involves fair elections in the government, active participation from their citizens in the world of politics, human rights in which the government can grant protection for their citizens, and finally the rule of law where each law is enforced and applied to every citizen equally. After taking a closer look at the Constitution and what it consists of, the only thing I would change to be more democratic is probably the Second Amendment where we have the right to bear arms. With the current media climate and recent news of shootings and deaths, I would change into having no right to bear arms since it’s only meant to hurt people.

The United States Constitution provides power to both the national and state governments but over time, the federal government grew in power over the states, leaving the states at a bit of a disadvantage. Both national and state governments have powers like regulating commerce internal to each state. But because of the Constitution, they give a bit more power to the national government where they handle legislative, executive, and judicial powers from those three branches. The only kind of power the states have is the power to create schools and/or local governments. As you can see, there is not much of a balance with both the national and state governments. But another main reason why the national government grew more than the states was the involvement of Federalism in the Constitution. As we know, the Consitution had lots of articles that involved giving power to the national and state governments. However, most of the articles were for the national government, especially Article 1, section 8. These sections consisted of the supremacy clause, expressed power, Implied power, powers denied to the states and commerce clause. The two that mainly affected the power of the states were the powers denied to them in Article 1, section 10, and the commerce clause. Section 10 is self-explanatory as to what states can’t do like ally with another country. However, the commerce clause acted as a barrier by the Supreme Court to limit the federal government’s powers. It soon shifted when the great depression happened, giving total power to the national government and putting more people in the Supreme Court. But because of the great depression, helped increase federal actions like grants-in-aid and the New Deal. Grants-in-aid are the funds provided by the federal government to a state or local government for a specific purpose like categorical and formal grants. The New Deal expanded on grants-in-aid which now includes social programs. However, federalism changed over time in the United States. Before when the government first started, we had what was called Dual Federalism where the national government and state government were kept on their level. This kind of federalism was seen as a “layer cake” where each section is its own section. But over time, Dual Federalism became Cooperative Federalism where national federalism and state federalism cooperate on some policies together. This kind of federalism is seen as “marble cake”.

Congress can represent the American people in a lot of ways. One thing we have to remember is that Congress does not pass laws by itself. They need the vote and opinion of the American people to pass the law or not, the elected a president or a person to the government. This is one way Congress represents the American people. Another way is through the Senate and House where they are divided between Democrats and Republicans. This works in the sense that the American people are also either Democrats or Republicans. But the American people seem to not like Congress too much because of how gridlock it is. This means that it’s difficult to pass any sort of law because it doesn’t satisfy the people’s opinions. This only happens when the political parties can’t agree with one another in the house or the different branches. So when the party control has slim margins of control, it’s ultimately going to equal gridlock once again. Another reason the American people have a low opinion of Congress is party polarization. This is where a person will only agree or disagree on an issue, policy, or law because of the political party they’re in. It’s already known to us that in Congress, Democrats will always side with Democrats and Republicans will always side with Republicans. If there’s party polarization, then there’s gridlock, which means that not many laws are being passed in Congress. The whole people are to give power to the American people since they are the ones deciding which laws they want to enforce or agree on. We know that to have a successful government, it needs to come with compromise and agreement from the other parties to avoid gridlock or any type of disagreement. But we rarely get to this point in Congress because of the Prisoner’s Dilemma and collective action problems. The people will always have their own opinions they side with rather than siding with a compromise that will benefit both parties. Another way to put it is that Congress is filled with self-interested people. Of course, some want to make a change in the laws and policies they pass but the people who have more self-interest are the ones affecting those of change because it doesn’t fit in their political view. In conclusion, we can easily come to a compromise with everything that is brought up in Congress and have a better Government for that matter. But the people in Congress choose not to because it affects their party and self-interest if they do so, which in my opinion is quite sad since we won’t ever get to our full potential as a government and as a nation.

Following the devastation of the Civil War period and the unrest of the Reconstruction era, the United States saw a span of societal prosperity and monumental economic progress called “The Gilded Age”. Specifically, the Gilded Age offered a solution to the prevalent issue faced during the Reconstruction era; the nation needed a new labor system to replace the horrific slavery arrangement. Streamlined by the railroad industry and the rise of massive businesses, the United States transitioned from a predominantly agrarian culture to one characterized by heavy urbanization and seemingly infinite wealth. However, because the control over this wealth was in the hands of a very select number of people, monopolies emerged and the Gilded Age revealed itself as a time of economic inequality and vast corruption. In an attempt to resolve the Gilded Age’s internal hardships, a momentous political movement called Progressivism introduced reforms that restructured America’s economy to better represent the more equality-oriented interests of the common man. It is important to note that Progressivism itself was both split into and competing with other various economic and political “perspectives” (including Social Darwinism, Populism, and Protestantism), ultimately resulting in a nationwide debate to finally determine.

There is no doubt that the revolution of Gilded Age industrialization drastically changed the American lifestyle, but was it for the better? At first glance, the explosion of the railroad, steel, and factory industries painted a picture of ultimate success for corporate capitalism. But to meet the growing demand for industrial workers in commercial cities, the United States experienced a vast population surge between 1870-90. To add to the already present social tension, immigrants were harshly discriminated against and placed in inhumane living conditions. Eventually, they assimilated into the new working culture, shifting the general American population’s hatred towards the large business owners that financed the country’s capitalistic ventures, namely Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, and JD Rockefeller. Propaganda in the form of cartoon editorials emerged as a public attempt to villainize the “robber barons”. Perhaps the most widely known cartoon depicted the industry owners as obese men donned in clothes labeled “trusts”, indicating their complete control over the monopolies of business. Furthermore, they are seen blocking the entrance to the Senate indicating that the wealthy had vast control over America’s political scheme. Eventually, the population’s disenchantment with corporate capitalism is what allowed the influence of the aforementioned “alternative parties” like Social Darwinism, Populism, and Protestantism to reign free and strive to settle the volatility of American society. But because disregarding corporate capitalism meant rejecting its expansive benefits, each perspective’s ideology maintained what they believed to be capitalism’s best traits, all while contending 4 of its foundational principles: perspectives on big business, political orientation, distribution of wealth, and government involvement.

Perhaps the earliest and most well-founded perspective regarding capitalism was of a religious standpoint. The Protestant population, boosted by the influx of Irish immigrants, emphasized the values of individualistic honest work and prudence over brute, animalistic labor, Often, one of the only ways to gain political momentum against the capitalists in the 1870s was to adopt a religious tone [9.4,9.5,9.6 yellow]. The more individualistic Protestant beliefs played hand in hand with the non-interventionist beliefs of laissez-faire economics, which asserted that “The business should decide what wages to pay, the conditions of their factories, what prices to charge, and what labeling to put on their products” (Source 9.19b). However, the laissez-faire system became subject to interpretation and transformed into an argument for “the virtue of self-interest”, called Social Darwinism, which served as an adaptation of Darwin’s “survival of the fittest ” ideology. At the helm of Social Darwinism was Andrew Carnegie himself, who sought justification for the excessive wealth produced by Carnegie Steel, claiming that “the right of the laborer to his hundred dollars in the savings bank, and equally the legal right of the millionaire to his millions” (9.1 Carnegie wealth). Although it may seem that Social Darwinism directly contends the moral foundations of Protestantism, it encourages philanthropy as well, but only because the Social Darwinists felt it was a social obligation to donate some of their wealth to the “inferior” poor. Although Protestantism and Social Darwinism both inserted large sums of wealth into the American economy, there was little done to address problems relating to workers’ jobs.

The Social Darwinist principles set by the “robber barons” in the 1870s and 1880s largely suppressed the voices of populist groups that existed before the Gilded Age, like the Knights of Labor. Despite the Civil War ending several decades before, the life of the working man was not too dissimilar from the objectifying, inhumane slavery system. But unlike the buildup to the abolition movement, anger over working and living conditions were voiced relatively immediately, in the form of the Populist Party. The party that “had emerged out of the cooperative crusade organized by the Farmer’s Alliance in the 1880s”.

The penny has served the American public faithfully for over 230 years. Do we really want to destroy this time-honored legacy in an attempt to lessen problems that will always plague our society? Besides its cultural value after being used by millions of people daily for hundreds of years, the penny also serves commemorative and economic purposes that cannot be easily replaced. I say we shouldn’t abolish the penny — it does more for us than we give it credit for.

Firstly, the established monetary system is difficult to conceptualize without the penny. It would simply be unnatural for most Americans, consumers and businesses alike, to follow U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe’s plan of rounding every transaction up or down to the nearest nickel. (Source A) The so-called menu costs of changing prices on every good currently listed for $0.99, $1.99, $2.99… would be enormous — and unnecessary. Our consumer culture is based on age-old tricks like enticing buyers through to illusion of $1.99 being a much cheaper price than $2.00. Abolishing the penny is not only unnatural, but also removes room for nuance in items’ prices — fundamentally violating the spirit of free markets in a capitalist society like the U.S.

While proponents of abolishing the penny claim it no longer serves a standalone purpose — as William Safire of the New York Times writes, “you can’t buy anything with a penny any more,” citing the “penny candy” and “penny ante poker” of bygone days — inflation should have no bearing on whether certain monetary denominations should be kept or banned. (Source C) If we establish a dangerous historical precedent by removing coins deemed no longer useful at will, what will happen in fifty years? Will the nickel be banned, and then the dime? What about the dollar? The American economy has grown steadily at an inflation rate of around 3% per year, meaning that by penny-abolishers’ logic, we would have to rid ourselves of other coins soon, too. Abolishing the penny would only be a misguided step towards a never-ending and unnecessary cycle of confusion.

In a similar vein, some naysayers state that pennies merely end up dropping out of circulation — in the New York Times article, Safire cites John Tierney as saying that pennies end up behind “chair cushions or at the back of sock drawers.” (Source C) But pennies should not be singularly blamed for the common faults of all coinage. Regardless of how Safire would have you believe that pennies are the root of loose change evil, “tear[ing] holes in pockets and set[ting] off alarms at every frisking-place, the unique importance of pennies to our history and economy should not go unnoticed.”

As a White House press release noted in 2005, according to Michael Bishop, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, “the penny is perhaps the most visible and tangible reminder of Lincoln’s presence in American history.” (source F) The coin itself was the first currency authorized by the United States (source B). Where some see “outdated”ness (source C), I see a rich cultural and historical symbol that reminds Americans of the great legacy of our founding fathers on an accessible and frequently used tool of trade.

That’s not all of the contribution the penny has made to the American economy. It has also allowed our Tennessean zinc mines to flourish. (Source A) While greedy lawmakers such as Kolbe attempt to gain more market share for copper based coins, which largely source copper from his home state of Arizona, we should remember that pennies literally fuel economies in the South and should not be banned or discouraged just so wealth can be concentrated in a few greedy states: it is diversity and diversification, of our coinage and our funded minerals, that make this country great.

America is first and foremost a country by the people, for the people. We take great pride in our rich history and in commemorating our heroes of the past, including Abraham Lincoln. We take pride in our free markets and our consumerism. So when the people showed their majority opinion against abolishing the penny in a Harris poll (source E), I think we should listen to them. The penny’s huge cultural significance as a symbol of the American spirit cannot go ignored just to appease the select few who use the faulty arguments of inflation or lack of circulation to oppose the coin. After all, with the weight of our forefathers on our shoulders, we cannot afford to cave to greed. The penny should live to see another day, whether in cash registers or tip jars, pants pockets or sock drawers. We owe at least that much to our celebration of America.