Category: Human Brain

McCandless Awe-inspiring or Foolish

Throughout the book Into, The Wild Chris McCandless is known to be a wacko reckless idiot and is also known to be courageous and heroic. However, does a courageous person go out into the wilderness knowing that the outcome will be fatal? People viewed him from different perspectives and also have a broad range of opinions of this young man. Some deemed him to be incredibly dim-witted or a man that simply just followed his heart. Evidence shows that Chris McCandless is actually a mix of both. The first opinion that described McCandless was brainless, idiotic, and extremely foolish. Many passages from Into The Wild can support this outlook. Chris McCandless is very stubborn and arrogant. 

Chris McCandless fails to see reality and that is one of his tragic flaws this is what ultimately leads to his demise. Chris McCandless doesn’t accept help or advice when given to him. Jim Gallien, a union electrician, gives Chris a ride to Denali National Park. “He wasn’t carrying anywhere near as much food and gear as you’d expect a guy to be carrying for that kind of trip. Gallien also tries to persuade him from going on the expedition because he knows the danger that Chris is blindly trying to walk into. Gallien- an accomplished hunter and woodsman who is experienced in living in the wild is convincing him not to go into the land especially since he is ill-prepared for the expedition. “But he wouldn’t give me an inch. He had an answer for everything I threw at him. 

Chris McCandless is very delusional, this is proven when he runs away from his old life and creates himself a persona (Alexander Supertramp). He bases all his ideologies and gets his notions on how life is supposed to be lived from books, and authors, Chris also lacks common sense. Wayne Westerberg another person meets at Carthage, South Dakota. Westerberg is very fond of the boy but he even said that Chris has his problems. “Sometimes he tried too hard to make sense of the world, to figure out why people were bad to each other so often. A couple of times I tried to tell him it was a mistake to get too deep into that kind of stuff, but Alex got stuck on many things. He always had to know the absolute right answer before he could go on to the next thing. Westerberg tells the reader that Chris is arrogant just by the latter phrase. The passage also tells the reader how much Chris disliked the world and the society he lived in. 

Chris McCandless is also inconsiderate and selfish towards his family. Chris left his family in despair and in worry. Chris decides to go on a road trip that he normally takes during his breaks, only this time he didn’t return to his parents nor did he let them know his whereabouts. This is a very despicable act because his parents trust him so much to let him go out for a road trip and the least he could do is at least call them every now and then instead he divorces them as parents and calls them idiots all because they’re trying to do their jobs as parents.“I’m going to divorce them as my parents once and for all and never speak to either of those idiots again as long as I live, I’ll be through with them once and for all, forever. In conclusion, Chis McCandless was being reckless as he previously stated he knew the consequences of this journey could be fatal but he didn’t take that into consideration and ultimately he died of starvation.

In this essay, I will be discussing the creation of distinct characters and voices in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Jane Austen’s Emma. Both texts explore the ideas of fantasy versus reality, misunderstandings, and escapism. They do so by creating characters who express themselves in unique ways and by using their interactions with one another to illuminate their core essences. The stories also have the potential to challenge the reader’s own perceptions, encouraging reflection and growth.

Emma’s distinct character is written to demonstrate the effects of feeling dissatisfied and projecting one’s fear of wasting their potential onto others. Her frustration with the perception of women is clear when she tells Mr. Knightley in chapter eight how women would be able to progress so much further ‘if your sex, in general, would not think such beauty, and such temper, the highest claims a woman could possess.’ This encapsulates the root of Emma’s issues; her dissatisfaction with only being able to use her talents to set up marriages for her peers. She uses interfering in the lives of others as a means of escapism to cope with the limitations of her situation because she is deemed merely pretty but not someone who could contribute to society simply because of her sex. This quote is merely one example in which she gives a voice to the voiceless, by simultaneously speaking on their behalf and making points to spark thought in the reader. Her perspective as a woman, particularly one who at first has no interest in getting married, is inherently distinct and Austen uses this to make a powerful point about being disillusioned. The confined nature of her existence resonates with the experience of many other women in the early nineteenth century and is even echoed through the claustrophobic nature of the plot structure. Emma’s awareness of, and annoyance with, her lack of autonomy adds to her distinct voice by showing her passionate side and giving her substance as she discusses significant issues.

Similarly, Alice’s voice is distinct for the purpose of giving a voice to the voiceless, namely children. Her remark that ‘It would be so nice if something made sense for a change’ is particularly relevant as it highlights the coming-of-age themes in the story. The quote speaks to the unique lens that childlike wonder offers children which is often overlooked, leaving children without the reassurance that their experiences are shared by others. Carroll takes readers on a journey through Alice’s mind, rather than telling a conventional tale to reflect how exciting and confusing life is to navigate from the perspective of a child with little life experience. Alice tries to be logical and apply reason, but everything from flowers to doors has personalities in her imagination. Carroll can capture the essence of childlike wonder by drawing on his experiences with real-life Alice Liddell. According to rare historical photos, he ‘formed a close bond with the family.’1 Furthermore, according to Brad Witter’s article for Biography regarding the real Alice, in the acrostic poem at the end of Through the Looking-Glass, when read downward and taking the first letter of each line, it spells out Alice Liddell’s full name. This is reminiscent of the acrostic Mr. Weston writes for Emma at the Box Hill party. The poem Carroll wrote has no title in Through the Looking-Glass but is usually referred to by its first line, ‘A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky,’2 referring to where Carroll first produced the story.

The abundance of unique voices and characters causes the reader to share Emma’s delusions, due to the lack of distinction between fantasy and reality. For example, the narrator claims Frank Churchill was ‘more in love with her than Emma had supposed,’ but never clarifies whether this is in fact true. This is to blur the lines between perspectives, as this is Emma’s interpretation of events concealed within the narration. causing the reader to look for clues alongside the characters. Furthermore, Austen makes use of free indirect discourse to support an objective view, while capturing the tone of the story by gauging insight from characters. This allows for a level of clarity and depth that choosing merely one point of view would not provide. It also means that secrets can be more easily kept, from Emma as well as the reader who knows as much as her. In Casey Finch and Peter Bowen’s ‘The Tittle Tattle of Highbury,’ they state that ‘the very force of free indirect style is the force of gossip.’ The term gossip is usually gendered and attributed to women speaking about lifeless topics, but they argue that this is not the case in Emma, where rumors and misunderstandings create conflict and fuel the growth of the characters.

Lewis Carroll also experiments with the idea of creating a fantasy that the audience believes, so he can heighten the story and characters to amplify their distinct nature. Alice’s observation that ‘I knew who I was this morning, but I’ve changed a few times since then,’ exemplifies how she believes in the world she has created. She feels transformed through the knowledge she is gaining from her time in Wonderland and the audience is given glimpses into her world through each fabrication of her imagination. Due to the bizarre nature of the story, it is left ambiguous to the reader whether it is an allegory or a dream, or even a real world. While the story is complex and open to interpretation, Lewis Carroll himself confirmed that it was a dream which he did not want the reader to know of until the end, as confirmed in the article by Robert Douglas Fairhurst for the Guardian where he quotes Carroll saying: ‘the whole thing is a dream,’ to the dramatist Tom Taylor, ‘but that I don’t want to be revealed till the end.’1 A popular theory is that it is a hallucination or a result of dissociation. Mental illness is alluded to at various points in the story and in fact, ‘Alice in Wonderland Syndrome’ was coined to describe rare instances of people experiencing similar symptoms to what is described in the story. Neurology.org describes this as being ‘characterized by distortions of visual perception, the body schema, and the experience of time.’ 3

Similarly, Jane Austen created the voice of Mr. George Knightley to be a self-insert. He often informs Emma of her mistakes and helps her to grow and navigate the world with a less self-centered attitude. It is most effectively seen in the response ‘Better be without sense than misapply it as you do.’ This is an example of a time in which he very neatly and powerfully calls Emma’s actions to light. However, he is respectful in doing so and never insults her or claims she has no sense, suggesting that she is misguided. He can explain the underlying issues in Emma’s more challenging scenarios and serves as a voice of reason. This echoes his sentiments on how men do not want a ‘silly woman,’ since he perceives his ideal woman to be an equal and this further proves their compatibility since she wishes to be seen for who she is. They intellectually complement each other and have similar values, which is why Emma respects and values his opinions. He can also be interpreted to be the voice of Jane Austen herself interjecting to offer guidance to the character she holds dear, despite being aware that many others may not regard Emma as highly. (a heroine whom only myself will much like.’) Her desires often cloud her judgment, hence the need for distinctive voices such as Knightley’s.

Carroll creates a distinct voice by inserting his own wisdom to counteract Alice’s naivete. He does this in the form of the Cheshire Cat who teaches Alice a lesson about black-and-white thinking, saying ‘I’m not crazy. My reality is just different than yours.’ The importance of this rational influence to help Alice to expand her mind is well explained in an article by the Guardian. They say that ‘her sense of self becomes destabilized, leaving her uncertain of her own identity’2 Thus, her distinct voice alone cannot sustain a story which offers many opportunities for Carroll to further develop the cat as a new voice to work in conjunction with Alice to help her to self-actualize. The Guardian article further states that she ‘strives to understand seemingly arbitrary rules, ‘3 which the cat is nonchalant about to reflect Carroll’s own attitude towards life’s complexity and confusion. A large takeaway from Alice’s adventures is that they, much like life itself, are often confusing for needless reasons. He aims to teach that sometimes growing up, a huge theme in the story, is accepting that there is much that you do not understand, and making sense of it can be what is senseless.

Carroll creates a distinct voice in the form of The Queen of Hearts. An example of her idiolect is ‘off with his head,’ demonstrating her callous nature. Her name is one of many examples of wordplay throughout the story as she is the heart of everyone’s fear and of Alice’s struggles. She subverts gender expectations by being domineering towards her husband, the King. She is symbolic of the frivolity of Alice’s experience in the daydream that is Wonderland since she never really executes anyone according to the griffin Alice speaks to, in the same way that the mushroom represents psychedelics or potential sex due to its phallic appearance. The queen is another mere extension of Alice’s subconscious and can also be interpreted as the cruelty of authority figures and the gradual depletion of childhood innocence over time leading to compassion fatigue and adults who misuse their authority to cause harm. She is one of the more significant characters and is almost synonymous with the story, due to the multi-faceted and distinct character Carroll created in the process of creating her. Her exaggerated personality and differing values from other inhabitants of Wonderland (e.g., power over nonsense) are what cause her to stand out as a distinct character.

In stark contrast, Miss Bates is known for her goodwill and compassion, hence her distinct characteristics being positive associations. She is said to boast neither ‘beauty nor cleverness,’ but she was a woman who ‘no one named without goodwill.’ Thus, while she has no specific phrases which form her idiolect, her unique voice is created through her talkative and joyous nature. She serves a double purpose; to serve as comic relief in an intensely dramatic story and to act as a catalyst for Emma’s growth. This is because upon being insulted by Emma who implies she is boring, Mr. Knightley reprimands her and Emma feels awful and ashamed. This brings her closer to Mr. Knightley who had the heart to correct her misdeed and also closer to overcoming her arrogance which her arc was dependent on. Thus, even smaller characters in Emma have distinct voices which can allow them to see faults, such as Emma’s hubris.

In conclusion, both texts explore similar themes of identity and how it is interlinked with the fantasies one creates to escape reality. Carroll and Austen both create characters who are distinct and memorable to the point where they are culturally significant to this day and have left an impact on many. They accomplish this through various means, whether it be by drawing on real-life experiences or simply out of sheer passion for the story.

For the first in many days, I watched a very exciting and pleasant film in that I don’t have to think about the story but I can just feel the movie itself. Fabulous hip-hop music and awesome dancing performances fascinate me and all other audiences in the theater throughout the movie. With the 4 weeks U.S. box office high-ranked renown, ‘Step up’ gives us excitement and a warming heart impression.

The movie takes place in the slums of Baltimore, Maryland. The main character has a poor environment. His father is an alcoholic who watches TV all day long on a couch, and his mother is a stepmother who is so busy making a living that she cannot take care of her own children. He also has two siblings. One is a half-sister and the other younger brother is the only black boy in a white family showing how his family tree is made.

Without a goal in life, Tyler (Channing Tatum) just dances and hangs out with his friends to kill time. One day when he hangs around with companies, he makes a mistake, trespassing at a school. Therefore, he is ordered to do community service at Maryland Art School from a court. In the best art school, MAT, Tyler meets Nora (Jenna Dewan) who needs a dance partner for the senior showcase. Tyler, who is confident with his street hip-hop dancing, asks to be her partner. As they practice together, they get along together and fall in love with each other. However, like a difference in the style of their dancing, their environments and thinking are so different. So the conflicts between them get deeper and deeper.

The lead role of this film is taken part by Channing Tatum (Tyler) and Jenna Dewan (Nora). Tatum is famous for being the model of many trendy casual makers like American Eagle or Emporio Armani. Jenna Dewan was a dancer for Janet Jackson and N-sync. Two stars with excellent appearance are well matched with this movie’s genre (high-teen romance). They act so well as dancers who dream to be professional. Especially, if you consider Tatum to be a model, not a dancer, you can see how he practices dancing so hard to make the main character of this movie.

Cinematography comes to the fore when the dancing scene comes. Long shots and close-up shots are well used with the various camera angles to show the performance’s actuality. The performance part at the end of the movie was so realistic that you could feel the atmosphere of the theater.

With the dance, another outstanding part of this movie that makes it more perfect is the music. With the best hip-hop musicians, 16 songs of O.S.T hit the U.S. box office and make two nameless main actors an icon of the new trend. (Hip-hop and dancing)

The director of the movie is Anne Fletcher who has danced since 12 years of age and was a dance director of ‘Bring it On’. Her background, by itself, can be a certified check of this movie as a good dance genre. The director made great performance scenes and he also hired the very best teachers of a variety of dance genres like classic, modern, hip-hop, jazz, and ballet which makes the movie so perfect with the dance. The directors were so professional in making this kind of movie. Also, she becomes a cameo in her own movie.

However, not like the great music and dance, the casting and storyline are so poor and not well organized. Many supporting actors’ acting is so awkward. Especially Mac (Damaine Radcliff), the best friend of Tyler, acting was very bad as a sidekick. He doesn’t play a humorous character well, nether a supporter job. The storyline is so obvious that everybody can imagine the next scene while they watch. It is like a collage of ‘8 miles’, ‘goodwill hunting’, ’honey’ etc. Tyler’s environment is exactly like Eminem’s in 8 Mile, and his community service job is like Matt Damon’s job, a janitor, in Good Will Hunting, and the whole story is similar to Honey.

There is one more topic that could be a benefit or a weak point. It has a number of contrasts in the story, which are ‘white versus black’, ‘street dance versus classic dance’, ‘the rich versus the poor’. In the storyline, those conflicts are mixed together and make good conditions. For example, white people’s life in the movie is depicted as not well educated and poor. It’s like the stereotype of black people’s lives that we have. On the other hand, many black students that are in the M.A.S. have pretty good economic conditions. I wish that it could be a reality. I mean that combination between them is possible to coexist peacefully and conflicts between them can become smaller. In the second instance, there is a contrast between hip-hop dance and classic dance which represents a problem between a minor culture and a major culture. Eventually, this conflict is also solved by the means of fusion – ‘classic with hip-hop’. Lastly, discord between the poor and the rich will be third. It is easily solved by a person’s endeavor in this story. Tyler qualified to enter the school, and Nora got his job in the end. These three results give us hope and dream for a better society. But the flaw is none of these conflicts are fully described. It just shows us the good side of the problem. So, it doesn’t have a real solution. It is kind of idealistic and superficial. That is the reason why it has a bad valuation on its contents.

The best line I choose is that “I’m fighting for something that’s real for the first in my life ”. When Tyler comes back to Nora at the senior showcase, he said to Nora to get her and to help her. A man who wants something a lot should insist on and fight for it even though the barriers are harsh. To achieve this purpose, the man has to be self-confident all the time.

Even though it doesn’t have a solid storyline or great acting, it gives us the fresh joy of dance and music. Therefore I think this movie doesn’t choose dance for romance. It chooses characters to show us the dance, the most important and exciting factor in the sense of sight. Considering B-boying and hip-hop music is a trends of these days. It can encourage your boring life and give you the sensation of a new trend. Therefore, I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.

In addition, I suggest that you find out what dance genres there are and learn how to dance. After you feel the beat and move, you should try it in a club. Experiences will get you much bigger satisfaction with the film and tone up your life.

The brain is the main Central Nervous system organ and is formed from the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brainstem. The cerebrum makes up most of the brain and is divided into two hemispheres: the right and the left. This part of the brain is responsible for extremely complex functions, including processing the stimuli that come from the sense organs (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell), promoting language, controlling movements and emotions, reasoning, and learning. The cerebellum is located right under the brain, and its tasks include coordination of movements, balance, the ability to maintain an upright position, and attention span. Finally, the brainstem includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla and connects the brain and cerebellum with the spinal cord. It regulates many automatic functions, including breathing, heartbeat, digestion, thermoregulation, circadian rhythms of sleep-wake alternation, and involuntary stimuli including vomiting, sneezing, and yawning (Anatomy.co.uk, 2019).

The surface of the brain is covered by the cerebral cortex, which contains about 70% of the total nerve cells, and has the typical grey color that is used to define the entire organ, i.e., ‘grey matter. Under the cerebral cortex, there are the axons, extensions of the neurons that make up the ‘white matter (The Human Memory, 2020).

The two hemispheres of the brain are connected by the corpus callosum, a bundle of fibers that transmits information from one to the other. Each hemisphere controls the mirror part of the body and not all the functions of the two hemispheres are shared; in fact, the left is considered the ‘rational’ hemisphere because it regulates skills such as language, writing, logical reasoning, and the right is the ‘artistic’ one, which controls creativity, intuition, perception of space, and musical competence (Lumen Introduction to Psychology, n.d.).

Another anatomical characteristic of the brain and its hemispheres is that they are divided into four interconnected lobes, each of which is in turn responsible for controlling several specific functions. The frontal lobe is responsible for essential functions, such as the construction of personality, management of behaviors and emotions, judgment, planning and problem-solving skills, body movements, intellectual skills, self-control, and self-protection. In addition, Broca’s area is dedicated to language and writing skills. The parietal lobe guides functions such as sense of touch, pain and sensory perception of temperature, visual perception of space, ability to interpret the meaning of words, language learning, and processing of signals from the sense organs. The occipital lobe has the function of interpreting visual images, and recognizing colors, proportions, and movements. Furthermore, the temporal lobe is responsible for memory, hearing skills, ability to organize and plan in sequence, and the Wernicke area takes part in understanding languages (Cherry, 2021).

Another fundamental part of the brain is the limbic system, which is located between the brainstem and the cortex. The limbic system has a specific composition that involved the hypothalamus which controls the autonomic nervous system and is responsible for regulating primary sensations such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and sex drive, but also body temperature, blood pressure, and secretion of some hormones. The thalamus instead, allows the transmission of messages between the cerebral hemispheres and the spinal cord. The hippocampus deals with the construction of memories, and the amygdala is the non-rational part of the brain that is an archive of emotions, which are linked to specific events to reactivate automatically to manage similar situations (Cherry, 2021).

In addition to the limbic system, in the inner and deep part of the brain, there are two important endocrine glands, called the pituitary gland and pineal gland or hypophysis. The pituitary gland controls the entire endocrine system in the body and the pineal gland regulates the circadian rhythms of sleep and wakefulness and the production of melatonin (DifferenceBetween.com, 2013).

The nervous system also includes the bundles of nerves enclosed in the vertebral column from which the peripheral nerves also branch off. One part connects directly through the brainstem and the limbic system. But there is also a system of cranial nerves that perform specific functions of the head and neck area, except for the very long vagus nerve, the only one that continues beyond the head and pushes up to the abdomen. Among the functions performed by these nerves are control of hearing, facial movements, and sensations, taste, and smell, eye movements, neck, tongue, and shoulders (Byjus, n.d.).

The last anatomical part of the brain is the meninges. These are three layers of tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord and protect them. From the outermost to the innermost layer, the meninges take the name of dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater (Bailey, 2019).

Some of the important methods of investigating the relationship between the brain and behavior are Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerised Axial Tomography (CAT). These Brain imaging technologies are used in psychology, particularly in neuropsychology, to study and investigate the human brain and evaluate the localization of functions in the active or inactive brain (Health Research Funding, n.d.).

Although they are both diagnostic imaging tests, in fact, CAT and MRI differ in principles of operation, indications, risks, contraindications, and several other aspects. In fact, a CAT scan of the head is a diagnostic technique that uses ionizing radiation (or X-rays) to obtain detailed and allows an accurate assessment of the state of health of the cranial bones, the brain, and the blood vessels that nourish the latter. MRI, on the other hand, is a diagnostic technique that uses magnetic fields produced by a magnet to provide detailed, three-dimensional images of the internal anatomy of the human brain (Rachna, 2017).

CAT scan of the head is fundamental for the diagnosis of benign or malignant neoplasm of the brain, hemorrhages, bone fractures, pathologies, and disorders of the encephalic vascular system such as strokes and aneurysms. Other important diagnosis can be hydrocephalus, encephalitis, encephalopathies, and congenital malformations of one or more bones of the skull or of the encephalic vascular system. Also, with CAT is possible to find the cause of recurrent headaches, dizziness, and changes in behavior, which have not been explained by any other less invasive diagnostic test (Cassoobhoy, 2020). MRI of the brain, instead, is indicated for the identification and investigation of conditions such as stroke and its consequences, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, brain aneurysm, hydrocephalus, brain cysts, encephalitis, cerebral hemorrhages, cerebral hematomas, cerebral edema, and endocrine diseases involving the pituitary or hypothalamus cranial glands. Furthermore, similarly to CAT Scan, an MRI Scan of the brain is used in those diagnostic investigations, which want to definitively clarify the exact nature of suspicious symptoms, such as dizziness, chronic headache, vision problems, epileptic seizures, sudden changes in behavior, and mood swings (Ask Any Difference, n.d.).

MRI scan has several advantages over CAT such as excellent quality images, there is no need for contrast media, and it does not emit radiation.

Also, with this method the blood vessels appear darker and therefore can be easily highlighted, can be diagnosed with brain and spinal cord diseases, and is possible to assess a stroke within hours of the event (Physics of MRI, n.d.).

However, an MRI scan appears to be more expensive than a CAT scan and the magnet of the machine can move metal objects present in the body therefore the procedure is contraindicated in patients with pacemakers, clips of intracranial aneurysms, prostheses of the inner ear, metal fragments in the eyes, or from gunshot wounds in the skull.

Pornography, also known as porn, is the visual illustration of sexuality that hinders a person’s concept of the type of conjugal relations. It can be demonstrated in many methods such as online videos, websites, mobile applications, etc. Since it can be accessed on many platforms, it is believed to alter the sexual behavior and attitudes of any person who engages in it. Pornography can become a major threat to marriage, children, family relationships, one’s happiness, and how one depicts sexuality. It is one of the major causes that undermine social stability. Clinical psychologists, social scientists, and biologists have started to give clarity on some of the psychological and social effects. In recent studies, neurologists as well have started to define the biological mechanisms through which pornography has produced its powerful negative effects. The effects of pornography on the brain are immense as it distorts the perceptions and attitudes about the disposition of sexual intercourse (Shmuley 43) in addition to the physical and biological factors that influence how one expresses his/her sexual desires. The effects on the body and mind can be very severe depending on the content and if usage is prolonged. The extreme usage of pornography can bring about erectile dysfunction, addiction, and deviant behaviors that lead to rape, molestation, pedophilia, etc.

Keywords: pornography, negative, effects, behaviors, erectile dysfunction, sexuality, deviant, pedophilia, rape, molestation.

Introduction

This paper aims to show the negative effects pornography and pornographic material have on the brain. Excessive usage of pornography can bring about physiological and mental issues that hinder one’s decision-making capability. Pornography addiction can alter the way one goes about sexual activity and decides to go about fulfilling their sexual desires. In its excessive usage, it can cause physiological issues such as erectile dysfunction, a decrease in libido or sex drive, engaging in deviant behaviors such as rape, molestation, and/or pedophilia, and an inability to climax.

The effects of pornography on the individual

It is known that pornography alters the habits of the mind as it can easily become habitual. This in turn advances desensitization, distorted views of reality, boredom, and objectification of women. The effects can even be so detrimental that they affect the physical capability of men by causing erectile dysfunction (Landripet 2015). Its extreme use is also known to cause a decreased libido and an inability to reach climax (Landripet 2015). Studies also show that teens who engage in regular use of pornography may result in sexual abuse, become teen parents, and develop unhealthy social behaviors (Kamaruddin, Rahman, & Handiyani, 2018).

Pornography leads to a distorted perception of reality

Pornography gives an exaggerated perception of social reality. Instances such as pervasions of group sex, sadomasochistic activity as well as bestiality are formed in the minds of the viewer and such thoughts become farfetched from reality. Such distortions lead to an acceptance of three beliefs: that men are generally sexually driven, that sexual relationships are a leisure thing, and that women are sex commodities. This belief leads to people internalizing abnormal sexual behavior more readily and is a serious distortion to the social life of a person as they readily accept sexual permissiveness (Armour 18).

Pornography leads to aggression and abuse

Extreme usage of pornography is strongly associated with aggressive behavior. There are major categories of pornography that contains violent content. In men especially, when they get exposed to violent forms of pornography, they are more likely to commit such acts or desire to engage in sexual intercourse that is similar to the violence in the content they have viewed. Also, it increases a man’s willingness to force such acts on their partners. Even “soft” pornography that may involve acts among consenting adults may lead to extremely violent behaviors. The FBI has also reported that soft pornography has led to numerous male suicides, especially among adolescents where an individual suspends themselves on a rope in the hope of achieving an intense orgasm. In other scenarios, young kids have killed their friends following advice in some of the “soft” magazines.

All pornography desensitizes the viewer.

Pornography desensitizes a person and allows that person to become conditioned to violent and nonviolent sexual acts making such behaviors to become an integral part of their behaviors (Cline 54). More than two-thirds of students who watch pornography are willing to force any woman to such acts while a further one-third had the desire to commit rape. In emotionally disturbed persons pornographic materials have desensitized them. More studies have shown that emotionally disturbed people as well as those with a tendency to commit violent acts become desensitized after watching pornography (The forerunner, 3).

Pornography increases Rape incidents

Sex offenders such as rapists are more likely to execute their crimes if they use pornography. For instance, male offenders start to have addictive and compulsive behavior while using porn and soon their system for stress relief becomes related to deviant acts of sex. They then offend more and more. Thousands of persons have been raped, tortured, and murdered as a direct result of pornography. Two sociologists Strauss and Baron (91) pointed out that states that had the highest sales of pornographic magazines, with lax laws regarding pornography, also had the highest numbers of reported rapes.

Pornography directly contributes to Drug and substance abuse

Pornography also promotes drug use and in extreme cases, abuse. Pornography producers have been known to create scenes where it depicts acts with a minor. Thus, encouraging molestation and pedophilia. They have purposely begun to draw a thin line between adult sex and sex involving adults and children. Many people who act in these sexually explicit videos and those who watch it have engaged in drugs and the drugs are sometimes even done in the videos. For example, Playboy magazine has even created a fictional drug use chart that it has published in its magazines. Many people who desire to be like these adult actors engage in drugs to increase their libido as well as have multiple orgasms

Pornography places children at higher risk of pedophile attacks

Since it is established that most violent acts carried out by criminals were preceded by the perpetrator accessing some pornographic material, children are placed at a higher risk of being attacked mostly by older relatives who may take advantage of the trust the child has for them. According to Keating (11), 77 percent of child molesters and 87 percent of girl child molesters admitted to viewing pornography and imitating the sexual acts of the children they abused.

Pornography leads to incest

Viewers of pornography who are socially challenged and afraid of initiating and cultivating relationships with the opposite gender can end up having sexual relations with members of their own family such as cousins, siblings, nieces, and nephews. These relations can either be consensual or forced thus rape.

Viewers of porn are also more likely to engage in bestiality

Because of the various stages of deterioration that take place in the mind of a porn addict, his/her warped perception of reality coupled with the desire for more excitement can lead people to have unnatural sexual relations with farm animals. This happens when the individual attempts to act out what (s) he has seen on TV or the internet. This behavior is considered deviant and since pornography has driven them to such a desire, this develops into something more serious and is deemed socially unacceptable. If they act on this desire, they are at risk of getting caught and being charged with the crime.

Spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Infections for actors/actresses

Unlike other industries that have work ethics and different procedures that are aimed at protecting employees, pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry that is highly unregulated. This means that the welfare of the actors and actresses is not a priority. Most of the time they engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners thus exposing them to a host of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV-AIDS and syphilis among others.

Loss of productivity

Given the fact that a large proportion of formal offices have computers and internet connections, companies lose a lot of man-hours when their employees decide to use this resource to satisfy their urges and fantasies. Male employees are more prone to browse pornographic sites than female ones. According to internet pornography statistics (4), 20 percent of men and 13 percent of women in the United States admitted to visiting pornographic sites from the workplace. This costs the companies millions of dollars because the workers are being paid even for the time they spend on unproductive activities.

In the case of school-aged students, as well as university students, addiction to pornography can really take up so much of their time and this reduces the amount of time spent pursuing other productive activities such as academics or extra-curricular activities such as sports. They become consumed by engaging in viewing pornographic materials. Even so much that the consumption drives them to seek real-life fulfillment of the fantasies they want to experience.

Pornography leads to despair among its addicts

Majority of men who seek pornography as a means of filling a void in their lives quickly find out that rather than helping, it actually worsens their situation. This is because porn addiction begins to overtake them and alter their everyday life. It becomes something they engage in to celebrate, to cheer themselves up, or for any reason they feel the need to. Since men do not seek help when they develop problems, it is worsened because they believe it is not an addiction. This allows them to feel guilt, isolation, and thoughts that impair their ability to make good decisions leading to feeling despair or depression. They will feel as if they cannot control their lives because they have a void they need to fill.

Recent scientific research of teenage brain MRI scans has shown that the brain goes through a transformation consisting of a series of developments within every part of the brain, starting from the rear to the front, with the majority of this change affecting the prefrontal cortex. Looking at a diagram of the brain, you will notice that the prefrontal cortex is located in the very front of the brain and since brain development in teens goes from the back to the front, the prefrontal cortex is one of the last areas of the brain to become fully advanced and is only completely growth during adulthood. This is crucial to why teens lack the ability to formulate clear judgments, because as an article by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry states, the prefrontal cortex controls reasoning and helps us think before we act (“The Teen Brain: Behavior, Problem Solving, and Decision Making” 1). Another factor in lapses in teenage decision-making is the fact that teens are guided more by their amygdala than their prefrontal cortex, making them susceptible to act impulsively based on their emotions, rather than logic, since the amygdala is involved in processing various emotional responses. This phenomenon is a direct result of the prefrontal cortex’s signals functioning too slowly to regulate the amygdala’s emotional processes due to its underdevelopment (Sifferlin 2).

Another biological change that occurs in the brain during adolescence is the formation of countless synaptic connections throughout the brain that links each region to increase the range of communication. During puberty, there is a “growth spurt” of these synapses, but “these connections have been strengthening with experience and maturation, but during adolescence, the connections are not fully developed, so it’s more difficult for a teenager to shut off these emotional systems” (Sifferlin 3). This quote from one of the articles demonstrates how teens act so emotionally since the underdevelopment of the synapses makes it difficult to control parts of the brain that correlate with emotions, like the amygdala.

Besides biological changes within the brain that change the way teens think, the fact that they are still young, inexperienced, and curious about themselves can also explain why teenagers unconsciously put themselves in potentially dangerous environments. One article discusses this topic by saying how teenagers engage in risky situations to discover who there are and gain experience that is necessary for when they are adults (Romer 2). This aspect of learning and exploring new things is very important for teens because their experiences during these years can shape their entire future to come: their career path, relationships, etc.

In the end, learning about how the teenage brain works are extremely valuable because there are many false misconceptions about why teenagers behave the way that they do, so it is important to know the true reasoning behind the teenage brain. For decades, “It was once believed that teens were impulsive due to raging hormones and that they were difficult because they hated authority” (Sifferlin 1), but these are all stereotypes that adults commonly involved in teenagers’ lives–doctors, teachers, parents– created long before technology could debunk these old platitudes with scientific evidence. Learning about the real reason why teens behave the way they do is important also because it explains that regardless of how many differences there are between teenage and adult brains and decision-making, this transformation that teens go through during their adolescence is something completely normal that everyone goes through or has gone through in their life. This is can be seen by how when I interviewed my mom and asked her questions about her teenage life, her experiences were very similar to what I am going through right now.

Article Summary

Sexual fantasies can range from being sexy to insanely weird. Weird meaning, not the norm in society. Most times individuals who experience these weird desires become perverts/rapists or most times addicted to porn. Pornography today is much more diverse and easier to attain than it was 30 years ago. You can find exactly what you are looking for with the click of a mouse. Pornography also called porn, is the representation of sexual behavior in books, pictures, statues, motion pictures, and other media that is intended to cause sexual excitement. (John, 2019)

This literature review is about an article entitled “The brain of porn addicts”. This piece was very enlightening because you wouldn’t actually think that watching something online could cause this much damage to your social life and brain. The article gives insight into why persons may become addicted to porn, how much damage porn can cause to the brain, and mind-blowing records, that show how addicted the world is to porn.

Exactly how and why do people become addicted to porn? The article makes mentions dopamine in the brain and how it causes addiction. When people watch porn it somewhat generates pleasure, dopamine is then released and this is what causes us to want to repeat our actions. You may be asking yourself, “Why do people allow themself to be lured into pornography and cause it to consume them?” Kristi Pikiewicz Ph.D. believes that persons who become addicted to porn may have had a history of sexual abuse, neglect, physical, verbal or emotional abuse; or some unfortunate combination therein, which then causes loneliness, despair, depression, and/or low self-esteem issues, in their lives. Most persons who have been abused have some of these “weird” fantasies, their partners do not support them so they turn to porn and become trapped in the world of cybersex which then leads to addiction and causes them to become lonely. Lonely in the sense that they wish they had someone to do, what they want to be done to them. It is only a make-believe in their head, so after it is all over they then become depressed and sometimes wonder if something is wrong with them and why no one wants to please them in ways they find pleasurable.

“So watching porn all day will damage my brain?” Oh yes, it will. “How?” Many researchers like Dr. Pikiewicz believe that porn can become as harmful to the brain as the use of tobacco, binge eating, and even gambling. Persons who indulge in porn watching, get a feeling of reinforcement from the dopamine that rushes through their brain, this can alter our plasticity and synaptic plasticity. Brain plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity, is a term that refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. (Cherry, 2019) If the brain’s plasticity changes, that means the brain of addicts will have a harder time changing its physical structure, it will take more out of them to learn new things, and will have a hard time transferring damaged functions to undamaged regions. Synaptic plasticity is the change in the strength of synapses in the brain. A synapse is an entire junction between neurons. (Alleydog.com, 2019) If our synapse weakens that means we will not perceive information as quickly as we should, and there would be reduced cognitive function in the brain (it would become lazy).

Approximately 46% of people watch porn, there are over one hundred sites on the internet that are accessible for watching porn. The highest percentage of porn watchers are in the age range of 18 – 26, 87% of young men and 31% of young women. Based on the information in the article, the reasoning behind such a high number of porn users in this age group may be that young adults are trying to understand themself, some may wish to experiment and get a feel of what they like and do not like, (Smith, 2017). Watching porn may be the closest some of these adults may ever get to experiencing sexual fantasies. They become addicted to seeing what they are pleasured by because young adults have such a higher sex drive (especially males, because women reach their sex drive peak around 40 – 50 years old) than mature adults.

Overall, this article was very captivating and mind-blowing all at once. I believe pieces like this should be widely available since it is so popular, people will be shocked by how negatively something so pleasurable can affect them.

Deciding what topic to do this assignment about was somewhat challenging, I wanted to do something that was popular while I was going to high school and still is popular now. I had so many different ideas but then it came out to me by one flashback I had, I remembered when I was in grade 7 and a group of boys would always surround one particular boy. They would give him money and he would give them a slip of paper, one day I went over and asked him what he was selling, and all the boys looked at me a laughed. After he finished dealing with everyone, he came to me and showed me his book, it was full of porn sites, and he was selling the different names of porn sites to the boys. He had over 50 different porn sites in the back of his notebook, so I wondered to myself, if he had so many from six years ago I can only imagine the impact of porn on society today.

Even though I plan to become a clinical psychologist, there is a part of me that yearns to organize a business where I help teenagers especially, to make certain decisions in life so they have an actual plan for the future. Dealing with teenagers and helping them, I know some of them are going to confide in me about certain aspects of their life. I know doing this article review changed my perception and blew my awareness through the roof. I am aware of what porn addiction can do to the brain, so knowing all that I can better assist people by taking porn use into consideration when they may be feeling a certain type of way.

During human skills and strategies class, under the topic of emotional intelligence, we learned about stress. Ways to deal with stress and factors that cause stress. While reading other materials, (Bushell, 2017), to make this article summary diverse in opinions, I came across findings that stated some persons watch porn because they are stressed. At that moment I remembered the discussion among group members that people deal with stress in different ways beneficial to them. They might not be addicted to porn but they take part in cybersex whenever they need to relieve stress.

Not necessarily that I learned something about the profession but, I learned how powerful the chemicals in our brain really are, yes I learned are all different ones but I never knew dopamine would have the power to reinforce an action like watching porn.

I believe more helping professionals should take the time to read the literature of this nature. We might believe a client has a particular problem because of one aspect but we might have never looked at the possibility that pornography might be the problem with some of our depression or anxiety cases. Some clients may not even bring up the fact that they have a porn problem because they see it as pleasuring themself. So people on a whole should be compelled to read and be aware of what they are doing to their bodies.

Article

The Brains of Porn Addicts

Pornography: Helping or Harming Our Brains?

Over the past decade, there has been much debate about the merits and risks of viewing pornography. Anti-porn advocates often argue that viewing erotic images can alter the brain and result in porn addiction. In this article, we take a look at some of the recent research to better understand what the data tells us about pornography, psychology, and the brain.

Statistics on Porn Use

One does not have to go very far to obtain pornography; there are literally millions of websites at an internet user’s fingertips. Estimates of the amount of internet use devoted to pornography range from 4% to 46% (of all internet users), according to the media.

Research on porn paints a more precise picture, including the following statistics:

• 46% of men and 16% of women between the ages of 18 and 39 intentionally view pornography in a given week.
• In a study of people ages 18-26, roughly two-thirds (67%) of young men and one-half (49%) of young women agree that viewing pornography is acceptable.
• In that same study, nearly 9 out of 10 (87%) young men and nearly one-third (31%) of young women reported using pornography.
• Among the elderly, while sexual intercourse decreases, masturbation and the use of pornography increase.

Most people who use porn do not spend that much time on it. Some highlights, derived from the data collected through a survey conducted by the Kinsey Institute, reveal that:

• 66% of porn users view it for 5 hours or less a month.
• Another 16% of porn users view it for less than 15 hours a month.
• 6% use it for more than 26 hours a month and 3% use it for more than 50 hours per month.

One research study identified associations among pornography acceptance/use, emerging adults’ risky sexual attitudes and behaviors, substance use patterns, and non-marital cohabitation values.

Reasons to Use Porn

Why do so many people use porn? To some extent, its availability certainly explains the increased use. A person who might not have been motivated to make a trip out to an adult store to buy a porn magazine, or pursue other avenues of obtaining pleasure and satisfaction, perhaps would be inclined to click a mouse.

As porn use has become more widespread, the reasons for its use have diversified. There are both benefits and risks associated with pornography.

The availability of porn has made it possible for a number of individuals who might have felt insecure or guilty about their sexuality, or sexual desires, to be able to gain familiarity and comfort with practices that are closer to their realm of experience.

Some examples include:

• Monogamous couples seek greater sexual satisfaction in their relationship.
• People living in remote areas are far from meaningful social networks.
• People who seek to satisfy fantasies in which their partners and spouses do not wish to engage; pornography provides a way to mitigate potential frustration while remaining committed to their relationship.

For some users, pornography provides a way to cope with the difficulties they might be facing, such as stress, depression, or loneliness. Problems can ensue when use accompanies impulsivity, or when users do not feel they have control over their use.

Psychological Effects of Porn Use

Whereas porn can be used in ways that are beneficial to sexual health, approximately 9% of viewers indicate that they are unable to refrain from viewing pornography. Problematic internet pornography use can lead to and exacerbate existing psychological issues with which the user may be struggling. There is a fair amount of research that substantiates the idea that problematic pornography use correlates with psychological problems such as depression and anxiety:

• Reduces cognitive functions, more than half of men who use porn have acknowledged that their porn use has caused them problems in life, with the majority experiencing psychological and behavioral repercussions.
• Depression. Compulsive and at-risk cybersex users experience guilt, depression, and anxiety. This may both result from pornography usage and perpetuate further behavior.
• Anxiety, Personal factors such as loneliness, anxiety, depression, or interpersonal stress may contribute to the ease of conditioning to a pleasurable experience like porn as the behavior alters a negative mood.

Additionally, a growing body of research exists that supports the argument for a correlation between internet pornography use and impulsive behaviors. Initial findings suggest that impulsiveness extends to all internet pornography users and not only to problematic use.

Porn’s Effect on the Brain

Recent research has shown that non-drug addictions such as gambling, binge eating, and sexual activities affect brain function in ways similar to alcohol and drug addiction. Many addiction studies focus on what is referred to as the pleasure/reward circuitry and their corresponding neurotransmitters – chemicals that are responsible for the communication between neurons. One of the neurotransmitters frequently identified as central to addiction is dopamine. A behavior or drug that produces pleasure induces a rush of dopamine that ultimately ‘reinforces’ that behavior, making it more likely to occur. The amygdala, basal ganglia, and other reward centers play a role in the reinforcement of the activity that produces pleasure.

Changes in the brain’s neural pathways are referred to as ‘plasticity’; and ‘synaptic plasticity’ refers to changes among neuronal connections

• Research substantiates the idea that porn addiction can alter brain plasticity.
• Non-drug addictions, like internet and pornography use, may lead to changes similar to those reported with long-term drug use.

Additionally, increased pornography use is associated with:

• Smaller volume and less activity in the striatum- a region involved in processing rewards- although it is not yet clear if this is due to greater time spent viewing porn, or if people with reduced striatum volume will tend to watch more porn.
• These individuals also tend to have less connectivity between the striatum and areas of the prefrontal cortex, indicating reduced judgment, decision-making, or control over impulsive behaviors.

Conclusion

As researchers strive to clarify the possible similarities and differences between substance abuse disorders and problematic behavior, such as excessive porn use, clinical evidence increasingly suggests overlap in both predispositions and their impact on psychological issues and brain structure. Whereas most people who view porn do so in a controlled manner that may contribute to greater sexual health, persistent, impulsive, and excessive porn use can begin to look like other addictions.

References

1. Alleydog.com. (2019). Retrieved from Synaptic plasticity: https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Synaptic+Plasticity
2. Bushell, A. (2017, December 17). Quora. Retrieved from Can watching porn reduce stress?: https://www.quora.com/Can-watching-porn-reduce-stress
3. Centers, A. A. (2015). Mentalhelp.net. Retrieved from The Brains of Porn Addiction: https://www.mentalhelp.net/porn/
4. Cherry, K. (2019, September 26). How experiences change brain plasticity. Retrieved from Verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886
5. John, p. J. (2019). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from Pornography: https://www.britannica.com/topic/pornography
6. Pikiewicz, K. (2013, September 9). The hidden wisdom of porn addiction. Retrieved from Psychology today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/meaningful-you/201309/the-hidden-wisdom-porn-addiction
7. Smith, B. (2017, Jan 18). Why do younger teenagers watch pornography? Retrieved from Quora: https://www.quora.com/Why-do-young-teenagers-watch-pornography

In this essay, I would like to present my views on the mind-body problem, taking the stance that mind is reducible to the brain, this is, the physicalist theory.

The physicalist theory says that the mind is reducible to physical matter and gives the argument that all mental states are physical states, and hence mind is reducible to brain. Though I support this theory, I think that the argument is wrong. Given a software to run on a hardware, we can be sure that at any given point of time, the perceived abstract states of the software are the physical states in the hardware. But does that mean the software itself is reducible to hardware? No, because by the definition of reductionism we should be able to understand what the software does by looking at the state of the hardware at present, but in practice we cannot do so. What happens in the hardware has a ‘meaning’ to it imbibed by the software, and the meaning itself is not reducible to ‘hardware’. But we know that software is something that is stored in the hardware, and the meaning of what happens in the hardware after the execution of the command is a ‘function of physical states of the hardware’, and thus I think that mind, when given a physical representation of what it is, would then mean that all mental states are definitely a function of the brain states, and then would be reducible to the brain, and this is what the field of AI’s goal seems to be, to extract meaning from the matter, objectively.

Mind definitely consists of subjectivity of our experiences, decision making, understanding. It is true that this is a very strong statement to assume, and as Thomas Nagel says, since it is impossible to know everything about the brain due to limited capability of the human brain, and that anything that attempts to reduce something we do not know completely about, is refuting the reductionism thus inferred, but nevertheless by the induction of the fact that what we are subjectively can only come from how we were born and what we have experienced since birth, it seems logical that the subjectivity of experience is a function of our genes , our senses and other physical capabilities, and our sense-data since birth.

But is mind just something of a subconscious decision maker? We can, with considerable confidence say no, since there exists something called consciousness where we are aware of what we are doing in the process of making a decision. John Searle stressed on the same thing in his Chinese room thought experiment, wherein he gave the example that just giving the right outputs to the inputs does not guarantee ‘understanding’ or ‘awareness’ or ‘consciousness’ in the making of the decision, that we humans usually have. The existence of ‘consciousness’ in our daily making, can be brightened upon in our brains, as we experience something called intuition or gut feeling, where we do not know why we are inclined towards a specific decision, without being aware of the background thinking that happens in our brains. The experience of not able to feel something can only mean or prove the existence of something that we usually experience in our daily lives, something we called ‘consciousness’ in English. Though the Chinese room experiment is right in its argument that giving right outputs to the corresponding inputs does not guarantee consciousness or understanding that is common place in our human brains, this conclusion does not refute strong AI, because it cannot be proven that understanding and consciousness cannot be achieved using a program. I would like to propose an inductive reason why ‘awareness’ and ‘understanding’ CAN be achieved using a program. The same argument of function of previous sense datum and hormonal systems. Every particular sense datum can be stored and every path taken during a decision using the algorithm can be stored in the (artificial) brain, giving rise to something I call ‘super human consciousness’, where in the machine will be aware and conscious of every single step done for the decision taken and its corresponding meaning and why.

You can see that every argument given here is a possibility for why mind could be reduced to the brain and not a perfect reduction. That is because due to our limited capabilities of the humans, there can and will always be stuff in the world our mind is completely unaware of or cannot comprehend completely, and we cannot perfectly reduce something that is not completely understood. So, I limit my argument to induction, since I believe new possibilities can be explored through induction rather than reduction.

I would like to conclude my essay by saying that though we can never really prove that mind is completely reducible to brain, there is enough inductive evidence and numerous ongoing scientific experiments to realize the same. And that artificial human or superhuman intelligence is definitely possible in the future

Nature has given us many priceless gifts in the form of renewable and non-renewable sources. Renewable sources will never perish from the earth but non-renewable sources need to be preserved otherwise there will be no trace of these sources on this planet. On the other hand, renewable sources also need due care because even if they will not perish from our earth then also if they get polluted then it will be very harmful to the planet.

There are many programs initiated by many businesses like CUTCO to save the environment because saving the environment will surely result in monetary benefits for the business but also provide a healthy atmosphere to future generations. Hence, if organizations like CUTCO take steps like these to save the environment then one can predict a healthier planet in the future. CUTCO saved the environment by saving electricity, paper waste, and another type of pollution were also controlled by CUTCO. These all resulted in a high profit for the company but also sacred the planet which is shared by all flora and fauna. This company also improved the products that needed to be used by consumers to save the atmosphere. They spent their time and effort on this agenda. So, this can be termed greenwashing according to the basic case file.

Going green means adopting practices that result in no harm to the planet and instead result in saving the earth. It is clear no harm is equal to benefit. This is in the favour of future generations. For the going green practice, some companies launch green products for example LED lights which are brought by green customers mean by the people who want to save the planet. So, a single effort results in a lot of benefits to the planet. A customer who prefers to buy green products even if the price is high is a green consumer. Accordingly, they are able to make a profit, also improving a company’s image. For example, green-product account for 79% of the company’s

total increased revenue in 2018 from Unilever on examination. Hence, green means preserving, and washing means hiding. In critique, it can be said that greenwashing means not doing activities to save the planet but pretending to do these favors to the planet. For example, AJM Packaging practiced by using the false symbol of recycling. Many efforts are made to save this beautiful planet but it deserves more. Like in Canada everyone is concerned about the planet.

There are more steps that could be taken to save this planet working from home will result in less travel that could save the non-renewable energy of fuel. The steps like keeping garbage bins in the locality can help to keep the climate clean, public transport should be given priority to save the earth because it will result in less use of fuel as many people could travel by the same vehicle. Many companies keep their computers turned on all the time if they turn off these computers when not in use can save a lot of energy as there are a lot of companies of this kind. In overview, there are so many efforts that could be taken to save the environment. These even do not cost anything.

In the nutshell, going green should be promoted by all businesses instead they should stay away from greenwashing as there are a lot of laws that prevent companies and other businesses to reduce greenwashing but these laws are some kind of thing which is not made familiar to everyone. Efforts are needed to make everyone familiar with these laws including fines and penalties. Going green needs to be popularised in the whole world because this can be a great step to saving this planet. In the future, this could prove to be a more effective way to save the earth if practiced by all businesses. More efforts and means should be introduced to cover this giant leap of going green.

We learned a lot of new things while doing the critique for the CUTCO’s case as this is the best way to learn new things. Many things that were not in our mind while doing this case are present in this case that we critiqued. I hope our case also helped another group to learn new things about saving the environment as this is the major concern of this time. If we came to know about the new ways to save the planet then it is surely going to give a great benefit. We all enjoyed a lot in this activity and learned to work in a group with more efficiency.

In the recent century, we have experienced many suffer to the serial killer culture. Whereas we have questioned whether their life experiences have affected their life choice. Referring to psychology, the brain plays a key role in consciousness, language, thought, perceptual awareness, attention and memory (human-memory, 2019). Life experience is the experience and knowledge gained through living (Merriam-Webster, 2020). It goes through from childhood to adult. As a result, life experiences will inflict deep memory in one’s mind. It may also sharpen one’s personality. Meanwhile, it is worth investigating whether killers have different brains. In this research investigation, ‘the different brains’ refers to different memories and thoughts that contribute to behaviors. Therefore, as exploring the factors for developing abnormal behaviors, it is crucial to explore the life experiences and reasons contributed to act violent behaviors.

Background

What life experience contribute to making a person into a killer? A trauma does. A trauma is a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury (Merriam-Webster, 2020). In other words, an emotional upset. Bad life experiences usually occur in childhood and stains in one mind’s permanently from 10-15 years old (Sissons, C. medicalnewstoday, 2020). This is due to where all the proper ageing begins, and they cannot control how they think properly. Bad life experience includes conflict between parents, sickness, adversity and child abuse (Zimlich. R, RN, BSN. ContemporaryPediatrics, 2019). Some would say it could lead to a more purposeful life, some wouldn’t. Despite this, not everyone would choose the same pathway and that is why killers are created.

Evidence

Clinical psychologist Lisa Firestone has spent her career investigating the making of a murderer and the relationship between a hurt child and a violent adult. Few years back from 2015, working as an author and director of research and education for the Glendon Association. She was creating a violence assessment scale. To do this, she had visited high-security prisons to interview those who committed illegal violent crimes such as murder. As she came across each inmate, the first question she would always ask would be “How did you come to be a violent person?”. It wasn’t a surprise that she received an answer as her prediction would be. Without doubt, every person was to answer with a gruesome trauma is their childhood (Firestone, L. psychologytoday, 2015).

According to a journal of Medical Law by Mehra, Samavati on “A study on mental disorder in serial killers”. A recent experiment was made about the mind and mental disorder in a serial killer. The study was to demonstrate the amount of serial killers who are diagnosed as mentally ill rather than other causes. As a result, 20 out of 31 confessed killers are diagnosed as mentally ill. Out of the 20 confessed killers, 64% of them had suffered from frontal lobe abnormalities. To further analysis their data on the study of the profiles, researchers discovered that many serial killers had suffered severe head injuries from the frontal lobe in the brain when they were just young as a child. With that said, damage to the frontal lobe could be the cause of continuous killing. It is also stated that the frontal lobe is responsible for stabilizing behaviors and social relations. Moreover, it also has the functions of planning, self-control, judgment, the control of individual and social needs and some other effective social functions. Therefore, if one damages their frontal lobe, he or she will prone to develop abnormal personal behavior and negative thinking, this would consequently affect severe deficits to make wrong decision-makings (Mebra & Pirouz, 2012).

A limitation of this evidence is that the population of this survey is comparatively small, which the population size is only 31. The larger number there is in the population, the better the outcome or result can be generalized. Based on the discussion stated previously above, damage to the frontal lobe may lead to change in personality. It will also cause an increase to develop abnormal behaviors and suffers from terrible life experiences. Therefore, negative life experiences are contributed to the mind of a serial killer.

According to a study that stated negative life experiences is not the only reason contributing abnormal behavior, genes are also biological creatures in human being. Genes without experiences develop nothing. As human brain needs a long process of neurodevelopment, the neural system will develop with life experiences creating think, feel and act. Moreover, the neural systems can take response to experience throughout the life cycle. Therefore, the process of creating a human being requires both genes and experiences. Furthermore, the study stated that a survey was done for the neurobiological findings about neglect in early childhood. In this survey, 122 neglected children were divided into 4 groups. The findings suggested that early life neglect will have poor effect on human brain growth. Consequently, this survey reflects that life experiences in childhood may affect sensory input and social interaction that contributed to abnormal behaviors (Perry, 2002).

A limitation of this evidence is that the year of publication is not a recent publication within a five-year range. As a result, the data may not be updated, and the information may not be accurate to reality. Based on the discussion stated previously above, genes development with life experiences may sharpen one’s personality. Childhood experiences play a vital role in shaping the function of the brain. Eventually, negative life experiences with genetic issues may contribute to the mind of a serial killer.

In addition, emotional neglect in early childhood may develop social emotional problems. Maternal-child relationship provides the framework for the child to develop subsequent relationships. A study stated that more than 85% of children having abuse or neglect may increase risk for violent and aggressive behaviors (Carlson et al, 1989 cited in Perry, 2002). A limitation of this evidence is that the data of the survey is not generalized recently. Hence, it may affect the reliability and validity.

Based on the discussion stated previously above, life experiences throughout the life cycle may disturb one’s emotional growth.

Conclusion

Serial killers form a special problem because their motives are less obvious. There are several evidences suggested that life experiences may be related to some kinds of abnormal behaviors. If one damages their frontal lobe, he or she will prone to develop abnormal personal behavior and negative thinking, this would consequently affect severe deficits to make wrong decision-makings. Moreover, genes development with life experiences may sharpen one’s personality. Childhood experiences play a vital role in shaping the function of the brain. Eventually, negative life experiences with genetic issues may contribute to the mind of a serial killer. Furthermore, children having abuse or neglect may increase risk for violent and aggressive behaviors. As a result, these are the conclusions for “Killers have different brains”.

Evaluation

There are several limitations for this study. First, the searching strategy in this research investigation is mainly electronic searching using computer- held databases but limited electronic databases are used. As I am not getting familiar with all the electronic databases, only Google, internet from school library and Google Scholar are used. Since the research question is answered by generalizing the results of selected studies, the limited electronic databases used will narrow the searching process for getting different kind of papers for review. Second, only three studies and six reference sources from internet are identified as research investigation since my arrangement of time frame for the searching process is short. Moreover, the scope of searching areas may be limited as the way of searching literature is not skillful and this will affect my results of literature searching. The limited literature used may affect the reliability and validity of research investigation result. As the first time being a researcher, it is challenging for me to arrange the time to finish the research investigation. As I am getting familiar with the searching method, so the time used in searching the articles is so tight. Therefore, the time arrangement/management is important. Moreover, I understand that the skill of searching strategy will affect the results of searching studies as the quality of selected studies may affect the validity of the research investigation. In addition, when I read the selected studies, it is better to drop down the important points of each study, so it will help to write the summary and more time saving. These are the experiences gained in the process of writing this research investigation. On the other hand, for the improvement to the experiment, it is suggested that more investigations about the relationship between frontal lobe damage, terrible childhood life experiences and the aggressive behavior. Furthermore, it will be more reliable that can increase the size of research population.