The collision of the two vehicles startled me. I swerved to the side of the road to ensure that I did not become a victim. My husband jumped out of the car before it had even stopped and rushed towards one of the cars that had been involved in the accident. Instinctively, I rushed towards the other car in an attempt to try and save the victim. From inside it, I heard the voice of a woman, calling faintly for assistance, someone help me& my back! My hips! I cant breathe, please help me! carefully, I pulled at the door. Immediately, it flung open. The woman was trapped between the drivers seat and the steering wheel. She was trying to pull herself from the entrapment but her attempts were all in vain because she did not move an inch. Slowly, I tagged at the seat and unfastened the seat belt. Luckily, there were no more complications and to our great relief, she was finally free! Pulling her from the smashed car, I carefully stretched her on a blanket offered to me by my husband, from my memory of first aid that I received in senior school, I covered her hastily to prevent the incidence of shock and waited for the arrival of the ambulance. This incident was stamped in my memory and it has never faded in my mind. It could be as a result of how much I received than I got. The assistance I gave this stranger gave me peace, inner satisfaction, and calm. Above all, it gave me one of lifes greatest lessons; giving unconditionally is a virtue that should be put to use because all kind of giving without other intentions helps to elevate human suffering and makes life more bearable.
One of the benefits of being helpful to people is the fact that all manner of kindness has the tendency to spread. This means that it may just start with you helping a couple of people that you dont even know and probably they will never get the opportunity to know you and soon, the number grows and you realize that a dozen more people have joined in to help, the number continues to increase to up to a hundred and even thousands. These people do not know each other but kindness still has a positive influence on the receivers and just like ripples of water in a lake, there will be a whole sea of people with happy faces across the country who are just gaining happiness from a mere action of help. This just serves to show that helping makes life bearable to both the sufferers and the helping parties (Lowe, par. 20; LArmand & Pepitone 193)
Good deeds rarely go unrewarded. There are three ways in which helping can be rewarding, one of them being that the probability of one receiving help later on in the future is high when they help other people. Another reward that can be obtained from helping is the fact that the person who is helped is relieved from the personal distress they were going through before they received help and finally, the last reward that can be obtained from helping others is that people can be able to gain approval from the society and thus increasing their self-worth (Burnstein 775).
Another good thing about helping is that help emanates purely from peoples hearts. Pure altruism comes by when someone experiences empathy towards an individual who is in need. This means that pure giving comes in when one is able to put themselves into the shoes of the people who are suffering and personally feel the emotional torment that the person is undergoing. When we are empathetic with someones troubling situation then we are willing to go through any options to attempt for purely altruistic reasons and this is done irrespective of what rewards one is likely to acquire through the help accorded (Darley 105)
Works Cited
Burnstein, Eric, Crandall, Earnest, & Kitayama, Evans. Some Neo-Darwinian decision rules for altruism: Weighing cues for inclusive fitness as a function of the biological importance of the decision. Journal of Personal Social Psychology74.6 (1994): 773-789.
Darley, Johnson & Batson, Cole. From Jerusalem to Jericho: A study of situational and dispositional variables in helping behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 27.3 (1973): 100-108.
LArmand, Katrina, & Pepitone, Arwin. Helping to reward another person: A cross-cultural analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 31.7(1975): 189-198.
Lowe, Richard. Being helpful. Online mind, 2009. Web.
The article The articles of 21st-century faith by Julian Baggini is the authors attempt to reimagine the definition of religion to fit realistic expectations set by a society that is increasingly atheistic.
Updating the Religion
The article is a proposition that the author makes for religious people. It consists of four concepts that Baggini describes as the way to make religion less outdated (Baggini, 2011). These articles show that religions have a particular set of values, do not require the belief in the supernatural, should avoid contradicting scientific communities, and admit that they are man-made (Baggini, 2011). Believers might not agree with them, but they can help in discussions.
Commentary
The article presents a refreshing look at a long-standing debate between atheists and religious communities. The author clearly shows that there are biases from atheists that may prevent fruitful discussions from occurring and addresses common points of conflict in his articles (Baggini, 2011). These four points are stated in a clear and concise manner to be easily understandable and non-vague to avoid further arguments. First and foremost, their goal is to bring order into an otherwise highly diverse range of worldviews.
Bagginis articles can be seen as threatening to some, yet, under additional scrutiny, the reasoning behind their formulation reveals the need to implement something akin to these four concepts for faith to remain actual. The discussion sparks a new way of viewing faith: the author shows that its purpose is to become a common ground for people with particular values and personalities to converge and cooperate (Baggini, 2011). It appears that the author hopes that it could be difficult to argue with the core concept.
The value of the articles needs to be analyzed as well. This suggestion was sent to both atheists and religious people so that the author would gain the most objective data possible regarding an otherwise controversial topic. Through such a conversation, Baggini attempts to create a link between atheist critics and believers. Articles are on-point with their definitions of how beliefs form communities, although other points may appear to be imposing. Three out of four points composed by Baggini call for the abandonment of the past postulates, on which some faiths were based in their entirety. Despite this radical move, such an attempt has a positive intention that has place to be.
The author imposes a challenging task upon himself and his proposition. Due to this complexity, Baggini does have to turn to a two-sided view on the issue of the definition of religion. Although Baggini (2011) first writes that atheists want every believer to be two-dimensional, he himself concedes to the necessity of clearly stated opposite views. These are the necessary simplifications that need to be made in order to create a concise arguing point.
Asking for a refusal of the claims opposite to those proposed by the author may appear offensive to some believers. The author outlines what it means when some religious people reject the proposed claims, which may appear to lack faith for some. As the author shows, the implied rejection of the articles opposite to those proposed by him also means that believers would admit that atheists were right at least partially (Baggini, 2011). It may set a dangerous precedent and cause a degradation of faith and its foundations.
Undoubtedly, these articles possess a degree of controversy since they may be understood as the call for dismantling the history of religion. However, Baggini (2011) clearly states that these articles may not capture what is most important for any given individual. They are not imposing new, updated views but propose a different look at the agreeable definition that is adequately limited to the real world (Baggini, 2011). In the end, it is up to each person to define what their belief means to themselves and what God or Gods they choose to pray to in what way.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the articles presented in Bagginis paper present a topic worth discussing among religious communities, as their acceptance would be beneficial for the image of modern-day faith. Despite the potential controversies that can stem from such a modernization, the core concept of religion ones values and way of life remains a centerpiece of the proposed claims. Although such articles can appear as imposing onto others beliefs, many faith practitioners can find them as a viable definition that would suffice modern-day expectations of societies with a growing number of atheists.
The four points for updating the concept of religion by Baggini have a foundation linked to the discussions of faith with non-believers. However, such a discourse may vary in its nature depending on the religious views of the involved sides. It is undeniable that the author wrote his article in an attempt to establish a conversation between believers and non-believers, yet these points may be too controversial for some people to accept. It can be argued that some religions are based on traditions that may be dismantled with the introduction of these articles.
Reference
Baggini, J. (2011). The articles of 21st-century faith. The Guardian. Web.
The book The Future of Faith, authored by Harvey Cox, presents an interesting insight into the historical changes taking place in religion, specifically spirituality. The reader can make a quick observation that the entire essence of the book is to distinguish between faith and belief, especially when Cox (2009) states that It is true that for many people faith and belief are just two words for the same thing (p. 5). The author has depicted faith as praxis-oriented and open to the future, while belief is usually focused on dogma and often characterized by literalism and narrowness. Most importantly, faith and belief present two periods in the history of religion that have passed and are replaced by spirituality. In other words, modern Christianity goes beyond the church hierarchy and institutional religion. The purpose of this essay is to examine Coxs argument and to present a critique of the book. The main argument is that Cox has succinctly summarized the critical shifts in religion that society has experienced.
New Age of Spirituality
The new age of spirituality is gradually materializing, which can be perceived as an evolution from previous periods. According to Cox (2009, p. 8), Christianity has shifted from the age of faith to the age of belief and then to the age of spirituality. The age of faith is associated with the first three centuries of the church, which ended in 325 BC when Constantine, a Roman emperor, gathered 318 bishops of the Catholic Church at the Nicene Council to settle the Arian controversy. The end of this era saw the dawn of the age of belief, which is characterized by hierarchies formed alongside the development of the church. Cox states that the official version of Christianity froze into a system comprising mandatory precepts codified into creeds and strictly enforced imperial decrees and a powerful hierarchy. The age of spirituality emerged as a result of people who described themselves as religious did not want to be associated with the doctrinal or hierarchical demarcations of the conventional religion. In other terms, these people describe themselves as spiritual (Cox, 2009, p. 10). These changes can be observed in modern trends in Christianity.
The arguments of the author are compelling since they make the same observations as many scholars of theology. Additionally, the changes often take place across all religions, which means that people should expect that the future of faith will be different from what it is now. The argument by Cox (2009, p. 10) can be summarized by quoting an article by Paul-Choudhury (2019, para 3), which appeared on BBC Future. The statement is that We take it for granted that religions are born, grow, and die but we are also oddly blind to that reality (Paul-Choudhury, 2019, para. 3). In simpler terms, even the dominant religions of today have continually evolved throughout history. New religions often begin as cults, faith associated with them is recognized, and the teaching and traditions are perceived as timeless. Similarly, dead religions are treated as myths and the claims to sacred truth expire. This is a perfect summary of what Cox (2009) is trying to explain in his book. Early Christianity may have taught people faith and hope, but modern practices are more oriented towards spirituality.
To understand Coxs argument, it is important to explore the illustrations and explanations that show the shift from doctrine and hierarchy towards a more generalized spirituality. First, it is important to acknowledge that Cox (2009, p. 8) did not create the term age of spirituality since he attributes it to a 13th-century Calabrian monk and mystic, Joachim Fiore. This monk taught the doctrine of the Trinity, which comprised the Father, the Son, and was about to enter the age of the spirit. The ages of the father and son are associated with the Old Testament and the church respectively, both of which represented formal hierarchies to be observed in Christianity. However, Joachim believed that people lived in direct contact with God, which eliminates the need for these religious hierarchies. Therefore, Coxs first evidence and illustration of the age of spirit comes from the teaching of an ancient monk, who could be considered among the first prominent religious figures to observe the dying roles of hierarchies.
Another illustration used in the book is the Christian movement dubbed the way, which began with Jesus and his disciples. Cox (2019) argues that Jesus was perceived s the one who preached the way of God in truth (p. 77). Therefore, the early Christians had an affirmation that Jesus was is Lord as opposed to a set of beliefs. As this movement grew, Christians were bound together by their common participation and sharing in bread, wine, and prayer. There were no dogmas to follow, which means that a wide variety of theological views emerged and thrived. In this case, the movement prioritized the ties that the individuals felt with Jesus and God and not the rules that were taught in the church and their leaders. In other words, this movement serves as another illustration of how believers sought direct links to God and not religious institutions.
A key idea expressed above is the rise of many theological views of Christianity, which resulted in the freedom perceived after the shift from dogmas, doctrines, and hierarchies. The emergence of many theological views implies that there would come an era of heterogeneity in the Christian teachings, which would be followed by religious practices and beliefs. Cox (2019, p. 85) illustrates this shift towards spirituality in Chapter 6 using the 1991 assembly of the World Council of Churches in Canberra, Australia. There were over four thousand delegates in the meeting, who were all shocked when a Korean female theologian came accompanied by nineteen dancers bearing bells, gongs, and clapsticks. In addition, this band was led by two Aboriginal dancers covered with body paint and wearing loincloths. At this moment, Cox states that all delegates came to learn that the future of Christianity would also be racially and culturally heterogeneous. Today, Christians across the world display an outstanding level of diversity racially, ethnically, and culturally. Additionally, it is possible to find communities that have mixed Christianity with their traditions. This observation is one of the key indicators of the age of spirituality.
Chapter 15 of the book offers some of the most compelling arguments regarding the dying of dogma and the rise of generalized spirituality. Cox (2019, p. 215) argues that new dimensions of communal, spiritual, and justice-seeking dimension have effectively replaced doctrines. Most interestingly, Cox (2019, p. 214) finds the same trends to be taking place across other religions. This observation summarizes the earlier arguments by Paul-Choudhury (2019, para. 3) regarding the emergence and death of religion as a common lifecycle experienced in all religions. Cox (2009, p. 214) mentions Buddhism and Islam as good examples of this evolution. Islam is the second-largest religion with more than a billion followers across the planet. In the past century, Islam has undergone a renaissance that has been facilitated by growing levels of education, employment opportunities, and the failures of such market structures as capitalism and socialism. Regardless of the cause of the change, the main idea is that the rapid changes in modern life create an identity crisis where traditional religions no longer address all problems faced by modern societies.
The illustrations and evidence used by Cox are all convincing, especially since they are observable by any individuals keen enough to examine the current state of Christianity and other religions in comparison to earlier periods. In this case, many people debate and disagree with the idea of following the laws of the Old Testament. Mildred (2018, para. 6) uses a CBS sitcom called Living Biblically to show that there are no Christians in the whole world who believe in the need to observe every command in the Bible. It can be argued that the main difference between the Old and New Testaments is the emphasis on law, which simply illustrates the idea of Cox (2009, p. 8) regarding dogmas, institutions, and hierarchies. The New Testament focuses majorly on the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, which coincides with what Cox (2009, p. 19) terms as a new Christian movement called the way. The fact that the media is full of news and other posts indicating defiance or opposition to the traditional Christian teaching of the Old Testament means that Cox has convincingly summarized observable shifts in religion.
Critique
In as much as Cox convincingly presents his arguments and illustrations, there are certain areas I believe could be critiqued and others that need to be explored beyond the book. First, the idea of heterogeneity has only been hinted at without adequate emphasis on how it influences evolution and the ultimate entry into the new age of spirituality. The Canberra assembly should be the first hint that theologists of the modern era have to deal with communities that do not want to fully dismiss their traditions, which have to be embedded in Christianity. The spread of Christianity across the world has had to encounter with other religions and communities who still practiced their traditions. For some, ditching their traditions for the new religion was possible in its entirety, while the opposite has also been true. Most interestingly, there is also a category of people who prefer to practice both religions and try to integrate them. Therefore, the question that Cox does not address is how this will affect spirituality.
Heterogeneity can play a critical role in shaping spirituality or even deterring its progress. Since Cox mentions Australian aboriginals, this community can be used as an example of the essence of heterogeneity. According to Korff (2020, para. 6), many Aboriginal people mix Christian concepts and beliefs with some traditions and try to reconcile two different viewpoints. To some religious leaders in the community, Christianity is seen as an adaptation or innovation into the Aboriginal traditional society. It can be expected that the evolution of religion is caused by changes in society and its practices. It is about a society that has historically practiced religion and lived in its faith. An interesting question is how does this evolution take place for a society to whom the religion is new? Do such people subscribe to the traditional beliefs and align themselves with the practices of the secular society with their defiance to the rules, dogmas, and institutions? Additionally, it would be prudent to explore the place of these traditions and norms of these newcomers to modern Christianity and the age of spirituality.
An area that can be considered underdeveloped is how hope changes with the evolution of religion from faith to belief to spirituality. From a theological perspective, hope comprises a confident expectation grounded on the promises of God. Hope is central to salvation as expressed by Apostle Paul in the New Testament (Newheiser, 2019, p. 7). In this case, Christians believe in an invisible God with whom they relate and expect to save. The question that Cox (2009, p. 42) fails to address is what the age of spirituality means for Christian hope. Cox (2009, p. 125) hints at modern unbelief associated with secularization. The age of belief is the second period in evolution, which modern society is still living in as they transit into the age of spirituality. It can be argued that believing in something may create hope for it. in this case, people who believe in salvation hope that they will be saved as they enter heaven. If the secular Christians are no longer believers, does this mean that their hope has died?
The ideas of the age of spirituality have rhymed with most of the changes that can be observed in modern society. Most importantly, secularization can be seen as an even sharper shift from doctrines, something that Cox (2009, p. 125) also notices. A main point of critique would be the idea that spirituality and the secular can be more permeable. The criticism comes from the observation made earlier that the secular society is associated with unbelief. If these opinions are to be held as valid, it can be argued that the secular society is increasingly moving away from religion. The future of faith and the age of spirituality can only materialize if the core principles of religion are upheld. Even without the belief, it can be argued that hope will remain a necessity since spirituality might not mean much hope is lost. This is at least the case for Christians whose entire religion is built on the foundations of hope.
Conclusion
Cox has successfully and convincingly illustrated his arguments on the emergence of the age of spirituality. The primary focus has been on the gradual shift from doctrines and institutions, a movement observed since the teachings of Jesus. The age of spirituality has also been observed by multiple religious figures, including a 13th-century monk who stated that the direct link between believers and God eliminates the need for the church and the doctrines and hierarchies associated with it. However, some areas have remained underdeveloped, some of which are at the ore of religion. Examples include the heterogeneity of the modern Christian and the concept of hope. There is a question of where new Christians fit within the whole evolution process and how spirituality relates with or affects hope. Overall, the ideas are all validated by the fact that the change is visible to everyone.
References
Cox, H. (2009). The future of faith. HarperOne.
Korff, J. (2020). Aboriginal Christians & Christianity. Creative Spirit. Web.
The problem of faith is a rather controversial one. Different people have different views on what faith is. Some consider it to be a code of moral principles without which one cannot exist; others find faith a humans failure to explain the life around. As long as humanity goes on as long there will exist both those who believe in some power and those who refuse to put their trust into it.
Literature as a reflection of a humans attitude to life comprises a lot of works that are concerned with the problem of faith. Kafkas parable Before the Law and Nietzsches parable The Madman are those of the kind. Though the main themes of these allegorical readings are Law and God, their revealing goes along with the problem of faith that the characters are tested by.
Kafkas parable Before the Law
For days and years, Kafkas character sits before the Law and waits for the gatekeeper to enter it for him. Various attempts he makes to let in and requests that he addresses the gatekeeper does not help. But the man does not lose his faith in the Law and desires to reach it. The reader is free to interpret the law in various ways: it may either be a society or humans fear or humans most cherished dream. But what Kafka stresses is not the very object of his characters longing for, but on the feelings that fill the mans heart during the poignant years of waiting. This is faith that helps the man to come every day to the gatekeeper. Maybe he is unconscious of it, but it is the driving force that makes him insist on his wish to enter the Law.
Kafkas parable is the mirror image of present-day life: day by day every person sets some goals and tries to achieve them. No matter, whether he or she sees the aims and ways of achieving them, the faith, even if it contradicts his or her will, leads the person to success. We are not sure that Kafkas character had a clear assumption of what he was going to reach, but, at least, he had some goal and wanted to achieve it. In this context, faith is equal to the goal that one has to attain.
If the law in Kafkas work is interpreted literary, faith in such a case is the mans belief in justice and the last resort he can appeal to. The same may apply to the present-day law system, only the plaintiffs faith in the equity and firmness of law inspires him or her to seek justice in the court.
Nietzsches parable The Madman
If we consider Nietzsches work, here, on the contrary, the question of the absence of faith prevails. The madman appears to be accusing the villagers of being nonbelievers, or, being incapable of defining what faith is. The villagers are believed not to have the courage to face up to the truth that they do believe in God but under a different name. The madman claims that God is dead and these are people who killed him:
I mean to tell you!& We have killed him, you and I! We are all his murderers! But how have we done it? How we were able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the whole horizon? What did we do when we loosened this earth from its sun?
By saying this, the man does not mean that God is physically dead, it stands for the fact that the idea of God does not longer exist as a code of moral principles the humanity is ruled by. Nietzsche speaks about the crisis that will appear after the ruin of moral considerations. Primarily, the madman addresses the atheists he admits the necessity of retaining a system of values in the absence of God. Also, the madman goes to the churches, where he reminds that the death of God is a part of the Christian creed that cannot be forgotten and neglected by Christians, he claims that the experience of Gods absence is crucial for Christian existence.
Saying that God is dead, Nietzsche implies that people are no longer able to believe in any cosmic power as they fail to recognize it. The absence of cosmic order, according to Nietzsches conception, will lead to the rejection of a belief of this order, and a rejection of absolute values themselves as well. Humans will no more believe in an objective and universal law that unites individuals, nihilism will become the main principle of their life.
Similarities and differences
Thus, the two works under consideration differ in the very essence of the characters assumption of faith. If in the case of the man who spends years in front of the Law, he lives on faith, in the second parable the absence of faith is the braking force that threatens humanity.
The man from Before the Law may see the law as truth, perception, grace, and happiness, i.e. everything that humans from the second parable will lose if they do not believe in the divine power. Contrary to Kafkas character who is persistent in his attempts to reach the Law, people from Nietzsches work seem to be reluctant even to admit the depth of the problem they are about to face. Therefore, while reading the first parable, one is more optimistic about the characters destiny, whereas, the second work under analysis leaves a touch of bitterness in his or her heart. The man who is persistent in his attempts and believes in something has more chances to survive in this world than the people who resist understanding the importance of faith in their life.
We cannot but admit that there is a certain similarity in the two works discussed: the two parables seem to flow one from another. The man from Before the Law at the end of the parable cannot lift his stiffening body, his sense of hearing diminishes, he is almost dying as he cannot get what he wants. These tortures seem to become a just punishment for those who fail to believe in God. Sooner or later, the humans from Nietzsches parable will face the same problems as the man had.
Conclusion
Though being rather different in their approaches to the themes of religion, Kafka and Nietzsche made one more attempt to solve the mysteries of religion and its impact on humans life. Reading the parables, one is given a wonderful opportunity to think over ones attitude to religion and appreciate its significance in his or her life.
Socrates was a Greek Philosopher who has been credited with founding Western Philosophy. He exists in history as a mysterious figure that is only known through the accounts of other people. There are no philosophical texts written by Socrates himself. His life, knowledge, and philosophy are found in the writings of his students and colleagues. Todays impression of him is largely created in Platos dialogues but works by Aristotle, Aristophanes and Xenophon also give significant insight into him. From Platos dialogues, we have known Socrates to be a person who contributed greatly to the field of ethics and the Socratic Critical Method of Inquiry for seeking the truth (Bruell, 1999, pp 12-13).
Platos Apology gives the apology of Socrates given in form of a speech in his defense when he was charged with corrupting the mind of the young, creating new deities, and his refusal to worship the gods (Compton and Todd, 1990, p 332). In this apology, Plato reveals the belief Socrates had in pursuit of truth. This has always been an area of great debate and represents a type of pedagogy where questions are asked with an intention to gain insight into the issue under discussion and not just getting answers. The critical method of inquiry involved asking questions in a give-and-take manner that eventually led to the truth. This method is widely applied in the examination of important moral concepts such as truth and justice. The beliefs of Socrates are difficult to discern from Platos Apology. The length of the theories given by Plato in the apology has made some scholars think that they were Platos.
Analyzing the beliefs of Socrates is a difficult task since he was notorious for asking questions but never answering them (Vlastos & Gregory, 1991, p 23). He claimed that he had no knowledge of the issues he questioned others. From Platos Apology, we can generally identify Socrates beliefs. He was always at odds with his fellow citizens in moral, intellectual, and political arenas. When he was tried for deviation and corruption of the young peoples minds he used his Critical Method of inquiry to show the member of the jury that their moral values were wrong and that their stand was morally unacceptable. He gave them the reasons they were so much anxious about their families, political responsibilities, careers, and businesses when they were supposed to be concerned with the welfare of their souls. Socrates believed in the integrity of the soul. He was convinced beyond doubt that the gods had chosen him as a divine representative of the heavens that would provoke, rebuke, or annoy the people until they seek the morality of their souls. He doubted the Sophistic Doctrine that virtues can be acquired. He did not believe that a person who has no virtues can be taught to have them. Some observations concerning this interested him and he loved to study and gain insight into them. For example, he studied great men like the famous military leader Pericles and he found out that he did not raise sons who lived up to his quality (Compton and Todd, 1990, p 342). This was evidence that leadership as a virtue cannot be taught. He believed that for a child to excel morally there must be divine intervention and not just the efforts of the parents. Moral excellence is a gift from the gods, thats what Socrates believed. It is believed that this belief made Socrates no to be concerned about the future of his children.
More often than not, Socrates always declared that his thoughts were not his own, but his educators (Vlastos & Gregory, 1991, p 45). He said that he was influenced by Anaxagoras the scientist and Prodicus the rhetor. His beliefs were also greatly influenced by two women apart from his own mother: Diotima a priestess and a witch who taught him all about love; the other was the mistress of Pericles, Aspasia, who taught him the art of orations recited in the funerals (Bruell, 1999, p 34). Platos apology lays out the beliefs of Socrates in such a distinct manner that it has drawn many readers to his side for the last two millenniums but that did not win him the acquittal. He was killed by being forced to drink hemlock. However, his beliefs still stand and many people still stand by them.
Reference List
Bruell, C. (1999). On the Socratic Education: An Introduction to the Shorter Platonic Dialogues, Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
Compton and Todd. (1990. The Trial of the Satirist: Poetic Vitae as Background for Platos Apology , The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 111, No. 3 pp. 330-347, The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Vlastos and Gregory. (1991). Socrates, Ironist, and Moral Philosopher. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
The real-life situation relating to faith and leadership
Decision-making and different ethical thinking, problem-solving, human relations and values
Nurses focus on the physiological, psychosocial, as well as spiritual aspects of persons during times of illness and in good health. Nurses fall in Grossman and Valigas (2009) definition of leaders for they play critical roles in peoples lives. They assist in maximizing health and quality of life with a caring approach while treating the person holistically. In nursing, ethical codes serve as guidelines for nursing actions by setting standards and moral obligations that nurses must follow while measuring their own personal values. By these guidelines, nurses are held accountable to the codes of ethics within the nursing practice.
The ethical principle of beneficence addresses the moral obligation to act towards the common good of others by providing the best care to those who entrust their lives to us as nurses. Another ethical principle is fidelity, which refers to faithfulness, particularly the duty to honor commitments made to others (Wheat, 2009, p.1063). Nurses begin their career with a promise to themselves, the profession of nursing, and more specifically to those in their care regardless of the planned specialty. By choosing the practice of nursing, one must promise to abide by the professional code of conduct otherwise; s/he stands a chance of practicing unethically.
As a certified school nurse working in the third-largest public school in the nation, my major responsibility in the first six weeks of a given school year is to ensure that students are up-to-date on immunizations and physical exams. Therefore, I verify immunization and Physical Exams (PE) records and enter them in the database to bring the district to compliance as mandated by the state law. In order to receive funding from the state, public schools must meet at least 80 percent medical compliance by 15 October of every school year. Another major responsibility of school nurses is to collaborate with parents for signed consents for medical treatment and organize a care van with the neighboring health clinics to provide medical services on the school grounds. Once all medical records are entered into the districts database, students that are still missing immunizations are excluded from school until parents provide a proof before the aforementioned deadline. The 80 percent medical compliance does not seem like a difficult task in many communities; however, in certain parts of the city, especially those with low socio-economic rates, getting parents to comply with the law is not always as easy as it may sound. Nevertheless, regardless of the pressure to meet the 80 percent compliance in a bid to secure funding, I usually ensure that I observe all ethical obligations and remain on course without engaging in illegal or unethical activities to garner the required percentage, as Maxwell (2005) requires of leaders. Therefore, this task calls for leadership skills rooted in ones faith as highlighted in this paper.
The situation, implications of faith, and key aspects of leadership
Vision, Values, and developing people
In one school year, without entering the PEs and immunizations and physical exams in the districts database, my assigned schools were showing over 80 percent medical compliance. I contacted my colleagues and was amazed that they too could not identify why their schools were medically compliant without data input. I further contacted my nurse manager in the central office and she did not seem to know who was behind the high numbers of medical compliance either. Initially, she thought it was a computer glitch and once data entry was complete, the problem would be rectified. Several months passed and the district nurses had no answer to who falsified the medical records until our first district nurses meeting where it was revealed that district administration hired laypersons to falsify immunization and PE dates to increase our districts compliance rates to ensure state funding. This was contrary to my faith and ethics and after several hours of discussions, a committee was formed to investigate further the mastermind behind the altering and falsifying of students medical records. After the final report confirmed our initial knowledge, several senior staff members lost their jobs and the district superintendent promised us that such a scenario would never happen again.
Analysis and presentation of the agencys decision-making process
The decision to falsify students records by altering them transcended my understanding and capabilities. Falsifying medical documents for any reason is not only unethical but also illegal. Medical records are legal documents that can be used in a court of law; therefore, there are several ethical and legal issues involved in the safekeeping of medical records (Mercer & Tino, 2011, p. 43). The persons who decided to falsify the documents showed irresponsibility and acted callously without consulting district nurses to establish a better plan. According to Beeler et al. (2011), the incidence of unethical conduct in academia and the sciences is prevalent. Several reasons underscore why persons may choose to ignore ethical decision-making such as the aforementioned case; for instance, the primary reason the central administrators chose to falsify medical documents was due to monetary gains. They did not envision losing their job by the actions they chose. Beeler et al. (2011) suggest that a persons understanding of ethical decisions might not promote the growth of ethical expertise (p. 110), even within competent leaders unless it interferes with their personal values.
What aspects would you change today after reflecting on the experience?
The outstanding change that I would effect today after reflecting on the experience is to hire more nurses in the district school. The aforementioned case would not have occurred if the district had more nurses. In previous years when my school was struggling to get 80 percent medical compliance, I partnered with neighborhood public health clinics to set up a clinic at the school site to provide necessary immunizations and PEs to the students out of compliance. Planning and getting the necessary services takes the majority of my time away from writing individualized education plans (IEPs). The district is required to hire more school nurses; instead, it decided to hire non-nurses to falsify documents. If the district nurses remained silent, it would have meant that we condoned what upper management did, and thus as a nurse advocate, I stood up for what was right rather than remaining silent. Given my faith and ethics coupled with my leadership skills, I could not condone falsified information
School nurses are leaders that bring significant health services within the educational setting. They have a pivotal role in promoting primary health services. As the only health care expert in a school building, they provide clinical knowledge to school administrators, staff, students as well as parents. That said, given an opportunity to bring our school districts medical compliance up to par, I would partner with community healthcare providers, collaborate with school staff, and communicate with parents to meet our districts medical compliance. As a leader, I will help develop a plan that addresses strategies for our goal of meeting medical compliance.
References
Beeler, K., Antes, A., Wang, X., Caugron, J., Thiel, E., & Mum, M. D. (2010). Assessing ethical problem solving by reasoning rather than decision-making. Ethics Behavior, 20(2), 110-127.
Grossman, S. C., & Valiga, T. M. (2009). New leadership challenges: Creating the future of nursing (3rd. ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.
Maxwell, J. (2005). Developing the leader within you. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing.
Mercer, S. E., & Tino, A. (2011). Falsifying medical records: A systems approach investigation. Journal of Nursing Regulation Online, 2(3), 41-43.
Wheat, K. (2009). Applying ethical principles. British Journal of Nursing, 18(17), 1062-1063.
Terrorism acts are generally considered inhumane atrocities that ought to be condemned. However, different discourses emerge when terrorists are viewed from a religious perspective. The observers, victims, and extremists all think of acts of terrorism in light of God. For example, the suicide bombers may state that they are martyrs doing the work of God by destroying the rebels. The three main religions that have been major influencers by either rebuking, explaining, or advocating for terrorism include Christianity, Islamic, and Jewish groups.
Three writings representing the sentiments of people from these religions are of interest to the current essay. Firstly, Chapter 3 of Mark Juergensmeyers book, Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence, presents the perspectives of different extremists in the course of the assassination of Israels Prime minister, terrorism, and peace talks with Palestinians. The first three Chapters of Milestones explains the introduction, spread, way of life, and commitment to the Quranic teachings. The other book that will be used is Bruce Lincolns Holy Terrors: Thinking About Religion After September 11, mainly focusing on the comments of Jerry Falwell. Thus, although there are varied discourses regarding the role of God and religion in terrorism, there are a few similarities in what Falwell (a conservative Christian), the Jewish extremists, and Sayyid Qutb believe.
Comparison of Discourses
The first theme that emerges across the three personalities is that there is some justification for terrorism. For instance, the extremist groups justified the 1995 assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and the 1994 attack on the Patriarchs Tomb (Juergensmeyer 44). Their rationale was that such terrorist acts were right according to Jewish theology, biblical examples, and historical precedents. These extremist groups were not necessarily interested in defending the political entities at the time but in retaining the vision of protecting the ancient roots of Jewish Society.
Similarly, Falwell appears to justify September 11 attack by stating that God was angry with the moral degradation in the United States. Specifically, Falwell said that people who have secularized America, including the abortionist, pagans, gays, and feminists make God mad so that he allows terror as a punishment (Lincoln 36). In other words, Falwell was comfortable blaming Americans for the atrocity. Although his remarks have been dabbed notorious, and some people also think it is an opportunistic act of getting back at his enemies, Falwell stated what he believed. He justified terrorism as a needful act in light of a society that was fast straying away from the laws of God.
The teachings of Sayyid Qutb start by stating that the people who lived (especially the students) during the era of the prophet Muhammad were distinct from the consecutive generations. After their conversion, those pupils were completely surrendered to the Quranic teachings (Qutb and Almehri 30). They demonstrate high levels of commitment to living as their teachers taught them. Moreover, they devised a strategy of memorizing ten Quran verses and practicing before moving to the next. Sayyid also believed that Islam was the only true religion and Allah the only God to be worshiped. Notably, he was strongly against the Egyptian government and advocated for a change to the Islamic state. Although he was accused of terrorism, Sayyed never relented from speaking about what he believed.
The other similarity is that all the discourses provide standards for an acceptable character in the sight of God and intolerance to people that believe otherwise. Extremists such as Yoel Lerner, the Jewish Rabi, believed in Messianic Zionism (Juergensmeyer 46). He believed that the bible points out the temple rituals that the Jews should follow because they are the chosen tribe of God. His problem was that it would be impossible to observe all the teachings outlined to them by God without a temple. Lerner believed that the whole world could only be redeemed if and when the Jews create the necessary conditions for the fulfilment of the messianic salvation.
In his consecutive interview with Robertson, Falwell stated that the secularization and sin of the people in the United States made God to withdraw His protection, making it easy for the enemies to attack (Lincoln 37). Although Falwell made an apology to the marginalized groups such as the lesbians and gays after mounting pressure from his detractors, he maintained that his points were true based on the biblical scriptures. His remarks show the high level of intolerance towards individuals that were not Christians who he thought were the reason for God allowing the attack. Thus, there are specific values and behaviors that are necessary for the people to have if they want to continue enjoying Gods favor.
Likewise, Sayyed states that God gave his prophet Mohammed the Quran in bits so that the people can memorize and do what it says before receiving the consecutive instructions. Notably, the focus is that after embracing Islam, a person is expected to completely cut themselves off from Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and step into a new life (Qutb and al-Mehri 33). He praises the first unique group because they turned to Quran not to increase knowledge or to get entertainment but because the wanted to establish what Allah prescribes for them. Once a person is converted, they should get transformation by completely leaving their former ways and adopting a new set of practices that are pleasing to God. Failure to integrate the transformation is seen as ridicule to Allah, which is punishable by being isolated and left out in everything.
Differences in the Discourses
The three do not agree on the concept of Holy war, that fighting and killing each other for the sake of spreading and enforcing Gods law. The extremists are ready and willing to commit all forms of atrocities in the name of pursuing what their biblical teachings demand. For example, after his investigations, Lerner concluded that the temple was located besides the Dome and in between the al-Aqsa mosque and the shrine. The implication is that Lerner wanted the complete demolition of the mosque (Juergensmeyer 43). Furthermore, the extremist championed the assassination of the prime minister and was completely against the peace talks with the Palestinians. The extremist believed that, according to the bible, they were the chosen tribe with some accorded benefits that the non-Jews should not share. They were ready to continue pursuing war rather than make any reconciliation with the neighboring communities. Their assumption was that they were justified in killing the leaders who were ready to work with the non-Jews because they felt betrayed.
Conversely, Falwell believes that terrorism is wrong as it amounts to breaking Gods law. Falwell regards the terrorists as the enemies of the United States whose primary intentions are to destroy innocent people (Lincoln 36). He did not endorse terrorism as a way of dealing with social deviance. In his opinion, Christians must desist from any acts of physical violence. The message of the gospel is that the best way of defeating the terrorist is repentance and turning away from sin so that God can return the veil of protection that has been removed.
The teachings of Sayyid Qutb also demonstrate intolerance to non-Muslims and the need to have all people worship Allah. Although not categorically stated in the first chapters, he sets the grounds for discussing Jihad. For example, he states that it is necessary for those in the Islamic movement to remove themselves from the Jahiliyyahh, which offers them life benefits (Qutb and al-Mehri 34). The focus is to return to the original source that is pure. He further remarks that the Muslims should be ready to establish the Quran as the constitutional and legal system in the world (Qutb and al-Mehri 34). The sentiments may appear innocent, but they set the ground for eradicating the people with a converse belief should they face resistance in implementing what they believe to be Allahs mandate.
The other difference between the discourses is that the deity they refer to and the requirements of the believers are distinct. The extremist believes in God, who has favor on the Jews and promises to help them out of the hands of their enemy. For instance, on February 24, 1994, the Purim celebrations are said to deliver the Jews from the hands of their oppressors so that they do not get extinct (Juergensmeyer 49). In essence, the Jewish extremist have faith that they are the chosen tribe of the almighty God who love and think of them as special. However, the people of other nations are jealous of their position. Therefore, they are enemies to many and must observe everything that God commands so that they can have deliverance and victory against their pursuers.
Falwells notion of God is distinct from that of the Jewish extremist and Sayyid Qutb. He is a Christian who believes that God came as a mortal man to save mankind. For instance, while justifying his sentiments for United States suffering as a consequence of disobedience, he remarks that America was founded on the relationship with Christ (Lincoln 37). His faith is that Jesus should be the foundation of everything, and if people embrace secularization, they incur Gods displeasure. Therefore, Falwell believes in the deity of Jesus Christ, the incarnate God who continues to save mankind only if they believe in him.
Qutbs idea of God is distinct as he thinks that there is only one deity that is to be worshiped by all mankind. To show man the pathways that he wants them to follow, Allah revealed his word through the prophet, who then taught his students to memorize the word and be sure to practice its teachings as their ways of life. As the Islamic believers continue to be transformed into the people that Allah wants them to become, they discover more. Specifically, the converts are expected to discover the Qurans artistic beauty, intuitive logic, and the day of judgment (Qutb and al-Mehri 34). Allah does not condone disobedience and ridicule from his creation, and Muslims should also not contend with the non-converts. Thus, the ultimate goal in life is to become perfect in following the Precepts of Allah.
Conclusion
There is a wide range of religious discourses that are directly linked to the issue of terrorism. The Jewish extremist believes that terrorism may be necessary when pursuing the interest of God and his chosen nation. They justify the assassination of their prime minister and frown when there is an introduction of peace talks with their neighboring Palestinians. Likewise, the conservative Christians, represented by Falwell, believe that terrorism is justified because of the secularization and sin of Americans. Qutb also has similar sentiment in that sometimes elimination of people who are not following the way of life stipulated by the Quran should die. The three discourses are also similar in regards to standard characters that is acceptable to God. However, there are some distinctions on belief about who the true God is and acceptability of believers getting directly involved in terrorism.
Works Cited
Juergensmeyer, Mark. Chapter 3: Zion Betrayed. Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence, University of California Press, 2003
Lincoln, Bruce. Holy Terrors: Thinking About Religion After September 11. University of Chicago Press, 2003
Qumb, Sayyid. Milestones. Edited by A. B. al-Mehri, Maktaba Book Sellers and publishers, 2006
A cyber-attack is a threat source that uses an exploit to take advantage of an existing vulnerability. It causes unintended or unanticipated behavior to occur in a computer system or network (Rehman, 2013). Cyber-attacks affect the integrity and availability of systems. The end is beneficial to the threat source and detrimental to other users. People assume they are anonymous online, as long as they do not use their names.
Anonymity remains an assumption, even in company intranets and particular databases. Scientists can easily deanonymize people by following the anonymity process backwards. However, they need appropriate tools. Unfortunately, the scientists’ intention cannot always be good (Harris, 2013).
Reasons, motivations, and beliefs for cyber attacks
Digital infrastructures of governments and institutions are increasingly becoming open for clandestine and malicious activities. Intruders can be organized or act individually when they attack a digital system. Employees and other insiders are also capable of making unauthorized intrusions into their networks and cause similar harm that external attackers would (Han & Dongre, 2014).
According to Rehman (2013), the Internet is now a domain for internal politics. Its structure that spans beyond country boundaries makes many national governments vulnerable. International cyberspace security infrastructure is becoming more certain, as governments work together to limit their exposure to criminal acts online. Regarding the Internet, being the most common communication tool in the 21st century contributes to its targeting by cyber attackers.
In addition, the ease of assuming an identity of the Internet is also a motivating factor. It contributes to criminal activity online. Politically motivated hackers, cyber intruders, and terrorists create an economic espionage, theft of sensitive data, manipulation of systems, and revelation of secret information.
In fact, activities of cyber attackers make the Internet both a blessing and a curse. Law enforcing authorities use legalized means to make cyber-attacks and gather evidence about criminal activities. Such an accomplishment would be impossible if cyberspace was not prone to penetration. Cyberspace refers to the Internet and other networks within companies, homes, and institutions. It also relates to electronic devices with computational power linked to any sort of network. Within cyberspace, there are software and protocols that allow management and transfer of information in connected computers or devices. When talking about cyberspace infrastructure, a person could also be referring to hardware that powers the network, such as telecommunications and operating systems (Han & Dongre, 2014).
Knowing the existing threat to cyber security is fundamental to understanding the motivations for cyber attackers. First, the intentions of an attack in cyberspace depend on the desired result. An aim to cause economic impacts will have differing reasons for attack than one that is politically inclined. Categorizing cyber attackers, as done by Han and Dongre (2014), eases an understanding of common motivations. The researchers explain that attackers can be outsiders or insiders. Outsiders are organized attackers, hackers, and amateurs. Insiders are disgruntled employees, thieves, and unintentional actors (Harris, 2013).
Han and Dongre (2014) explain that organized attack groups like terrorists, nation states, and criminal gangs seek to make political statements, gain competitive advantage, steal technical knowhow, or create fear. For hacktivists, the end justifies the means; a cyber-intrusion would be justified, as long as the target population gets the political message. On the other hand, nation state attackers simply keep collecting information about other states. The attackers have the back up of prominent personalities and institutions, who give them financial and technological support needed to carry out the attacks.
They work according to goals set by their leadership. Criminals too can have sufficient technologies and run complex ecosystems. Despite the potency of the above group of attackers, the hackers receive the most publicity because of their decentralization and the motivation to attack the widest variety of computer systems and networks (Han & Dongre, 2014). They can be explorers, intruders, computer trespassers, or thieves. Amateurs are people still learning intrusion methods and using inferior tools. Their motivation is simply to demonstrate their capabilities and earn recognition.
Three main categories emerge as motivations for any kind of cyber-attack. These are political motivations, economic motivation, and socio-cultural motivations, which can play independently or collectively to influence cyber-attack activity. Depending on the underlying motivation, a certain category of hackers will have a high chance of carrying out an attack (Han & Dongre, 2014).
Minei and Matusitz (2011) explain that new media enhances the motives of cyber terrorism, which is to frighten and coerce. For such groups, sending the appropriate message could be accomplished by defacing official law authority websites to show they are capable of doing so and to attract media attention, which advances their cause for fear propagation. In this case, the Internet serves as the main media for propaganda, allowing attackers to gain prominence by vocalizing their activities in internet related opportunities for communication. For propaganda terrorism, Minei and Matusitz (2011) say that the attacks are carefully choreographed. The inspiring factor for such attackers is the need to remain memorable; therefore, all activities revolve around theatrics.
In their research on criminal profiling and insider cybercrime, Nykodym, Taylor and Vilela (2005) show that cybercrime escalated around the world because of existing legislative compatibility gaps. For companies, insiders are the biggest threat and the best way of dealing with the problem is to have an accurate profile of the insider cybercriminal. By showing how profiling is a critical measure for dealing with cyber criminals, the researchers suggest that the lack or inadequate profiling ability or practice is a key inspiration for cyber-criminal activity for insiders (Bayuk, 2012).
While profiling is used mainly for solving crimes, it can also be a tool used by criminal gangs to come up with potential targets for attack. For criminals, profiling considers the vulnerability of a target, its risk and reward ratio, and the overall cost of conducting an attack.
According to Amoroso (2011), the fundamental institutions of government or commerce are the main targets of cyber attackers. The stock market can be a victim because of its potential to make an individual rich quick. However, probable reasons for attacking the stock market would be to destabilize a country’s financial structure. In such an attack, criminals face a number of challenges, which can also explain why elaborate attacks have not yet taken place in global stock markets.
Criminals have to engineer the needed effect, evade prosecution, and have the confidence to execute their plan. These are not easy to achieve, unless the criminals are a group of terrorists or political extremists whose actions are justified by their desire to see changes. Economic rivals at the nation level can have the necessary defense against retaliations by the victim nation and use that as a motivation for cyber war that centers on the crippling of financial institutions. At the same time, military campaigns can motivate the attack (Amoroso, 2011).
There is a growing underground market for data that is fueling increased attacks on networks. Criminals are attacking just for the sake of gaining information that they believe may have financial worth. Therefore, networks with highly valuable data for criminals become the most targeted (“US warns of increased cyber-attacks by Iran”, 2013).
Yunos and Suid (2010) explained that cyber attackers must use information systems and other electronic means when they are making attacks. What differentiates them from typical cyber criminals are their actions and motivations. Thus, it is possible to find out the underlying motivations for their actions by looking at the differences in actions by attackers and criminals. Yunos and Suid (2010) narrow down the motivations of cyber attackers to the availability of technical competency by the attacker, which puts them in an advantaged position of taking on emerging vulnerabilities caused by dynamic cyber environments.
The slow catch-up of law enforcement and defense authorities, as well as company security departments also yield additional reasons for attackers to pounce. Another motivation is the conventional nature of legislation that is inadequate in addressing Internet issues and international cyber-attack events. Moreover, there are international laws that can cater for criminal activities happening beyond borders, but the laws still depend on physical definitions of boundaries (“Alleged MPAA DDoS attacks spark retaliatory cyber attacks”, 2010).
The victims of attacks can also help to explain motivations. As earlier alluded, an attack to a stock exchange market can be fueled by a need to make a political statement, cause fear and, to a lesser extent, acquire illegal wealth. The last option is unlikely because it is easier for attackers to go directly to a company, rather than attack an entire market for such gains. Thus, if there was a breach in a defense contractor, then the most likely perpetrator of the cyber-attack would be another nation. Even when attackers are individual or organized groups, their motivations and supporters would likely be nations keen on gaining intelligence about defense activities and technologies.
Attacking retail companies can be a target for organized criminals looking at valuable customer information for subsequent trading in the underground market. Attacks can be highly targeted at a specific institution or they can be widespread to a particular industry (Rehman, 2014).
Conclusion
The increased interconnection of big computer networks and the existence of cloud computing is making cyber-attacks more lucrative for criminal groups and individual hackers. The potentials of getting substantial information are high when the target is a big network. Unfortunately, cyber spies, cyber criminals, and military campaign attacks can use similar features to execute an attack. Therefore, looking at the method of attack yields little to explain motivations behind the attacks. Based on the review of literature so far, it seems that the best ways to understand the motivating factors of attacks is by taking one or a combination of the following steps.
Categorization of the attacker is one of the steps, while the categorization of potential motivations is another. It is possible to tell the likely targets by looking at the attacker. For example, cyber terrorists will have different targets than typical hackers in most cases. However, the cyber terrorists may use hacking techniques to attack. Profiling of the attacks and the known motivations is also a useful step for explaining the motivation for other attacks done or anticipated in the future.
Amoroso, E. 2011. Cyber attacks: awareness. Network Security, 2011(1): 10-16.
Bayuk, J. 2012. Cyber attacks. Computers & Security, 31(2): 251.
Han, C. & Dongre, R. 2014. Q&A what motivates cyber-attackers? Technology Innovation Management Review, 4(10): 40-42.
Harris, A. 2013. The invisible [cyber attacks on critical infrastructure]. Engineering & Technology, 8(10): 40-42.
Minei, E. & Matusitz, J. 2011. Cyberterrorist messages and their effects on targets: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 21(8): 995-1019.
Nykodym, N., Taylor, R. & Vilela, J. 2005. Criminal profiling and insider cyber crime. Digital Investigation, 2: 261-267.
Rehman, A.U. 2014. Understanding the significance of cyber security threats. VFAST Transactions on Educational and Social Sciences, 4(2): 21-26.
“US warns of increased cyber-attacks by Iran”. 2013. Network Security, 2013(6): 19-20.
Yunos, Z. & Suid, S.H. 2010. Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) against cyber terrorism: Development of strategy and policy framework. 2010 International Conference on Intelligence and Security Informatics, IEEE.
The modern age poses numerous threats to young people. The blistering evolution of society combined with the appearance of new opportunities resulted in the significant deterioration of moral and values which determine the nature of human actions. For this reason, the youth faces numerous challenges that could be considered ethical questions that appeared due to the reconsideration of the traditional values. Moral, faith, dignity, and other crucial concerns become less significant and impact the behavior of young people no more. The lack of spirituality results in an increase in the level of violence and undermines the basis of our society. That is why it is vital to take several steps to find an efficient solution to the existing problem.
As mentioned above, faith is one of the significant concerns that has always been an integral part of society. Traditionally, faith and religion have been contributing to the increase in the importance of moral values and highlighting the necessity of adherence to them. However, at the moment, these institutions are not so significant, and they are not able to compete with such phenomena as the Internet, or television. On the contrary, there is a tendency to correlate the faith actor with various risk behaviors (Eklin & Roehlkepartain, 2005). It results from the lack of understanding of the nature of faith and the wrong priorities. The youth attending Church remains at the risk group as the institution does not take advantage of their potential and do not address the essential young peoples needs (Eklin & Roehlkepartain, 2005).
The scale of the problem is so significant that the necessity of the initiation of the change process becomes obvious. Such social institutions as family, school, church, etc. should participate and make certain steps to create the environment beneficial for the development of personal qualities of young people. First, it is vital to building the value base which could serve as the background for further alterations. The lack of principles and appreciated qualities impacts the behavior of children and triggers the increase in the level of violence. In this regard, the family should promote humanistic values for a child to acquire a moral basis for his/her actions.
Furthermore, it is crucial to reduce risky behavior and shift the priority towards the actions that promote happiness and satisfaction. For instance, the level of at-risk behaviors of church-going youth is significantly lower than among the rest of young people (Eklin & Roehlkepartain, 2005). The Churchs contribution to the promotion of moral values could hardly be overestimated. Yet, the existence of numerous problems indicates the necessity of an increase in its efficiency. For this reason, the Church and school have to initiate the public awareness campaign aimed at the reconsideration of the modern approach to traditional values and human actions.
To summarize, humanity has entered the period characterized by despiritualization and the lack of moral landmarks. Only the combined efforts of the most significant social institutions could help to improve the situation and save our society.
Reference
Eklin, C., & Roehlkepartain, C. (2005). The Faith Factor: What Role Can Churches Play In At-Risk Prevention?. Web.
As the purpose of the project consists in analyzing various belief systems pursued by Generation X and Millennials (Generation Y), it is purposeful to represent photos, statistics, and graphs uncovering the percentage characteristics in terms of the population sample attitude toward marriage, parenthood, education, and habits. The first visual reveals the clothing style and appearance of the identified groups, which allows understanding their affiliation with traditions. In this respect, Generation X representatives prefer wearing classic clothing whereas Millennials choose a casual style, which is more preferable for their lifestyle. The conservative and liberal views, therefore, are expressed not only through their clothing but also through their attitudes to life. Therefore, appearance reveals important information about these two groups. The psychological portrait of this group is also possible to define by looking at the photo.
The second visual allows the audience to understand the timeframes to which both generations belong. In particular, the presented timeline allows to predict future generations’ tastes and habits and provide the target audience with a better idea of age categories of both groups under consideration. The last three visuals represent statistics and charts related to the habits, attitudes, and beliefs of Generation X and Millennials. Specific attention has been given to their outlooks on marriage, education eating habits, parenthood, and use of technological devices. Interestingly, the pie chart representing the percentage ratio of generations that obtain higher education demonstrates that generations’ engagement in gaining degrees is nearly equal. However, the statistics also show that Generation Z is still less interested in such values as marriage and parenthood.
Intended Audience
The target audience can involve the age category from 18 to 30 years. The type of generation highlights the differences that exist between their generation and the previous one. In such a way, this project aims to define strategies, recommendations, and approaches to fill in the gap between the two age groups, as well as predict what problems can occur to them. The information, however, will also be useful for Generation X to learn new facts about Millennials and find out what could be done to improve communication. For instance, the last chart demonstrates that Millennials are less committed to old-fashioned devices because they are in constant pursuit of innovative technologies. In contrast, Generation X representatives are more attached to old traditions and, therefore, quality is of primary importance for them.
Expected Results
The visuals represent pathos, ethos, and logos and, therefore, they will provide a multifaceted vision of the two generations. In particular, visual information, or pathos, can present the audience with the impression and emotional filling of the representatives of both groups whereas statistical data and timeline refers to logos and allow the audience to gain a better understanding of how both generations could be treated in terms of their attitude to ethical, practical, and spiritual values.
Such an approach to representing the main characteristics of the two generations introduces a wider picture of their beliefs, spirituality, and attitude to life. Focus on concrete details, therefore, permits forming generalized assumptions and predict further changes in generations’ thinking. More importantly, it will allow defining similar features that create the bridge between Millennials and their predecessors.
Visual 1: Distinguishing between Gen X and Gen Y Representatives.Visual 2: Timeline of Generation.
