Category: Personal Beliefs

Since the advent of social media, the landscape of our day-to-day conversations has been alternated tremendously. Social media became a platform for us to easily keep in touch with our friends and family, or meet new friends online while speeding up our communication as they are only one text away. However, a study published in 1998 looking into the phenomenon of social media contributing to social isolation, following 169 people during the first two years of their Internet use, found that greater use of the Internet was associated with the decline of participants’ communication with friends and family while increasing their loneliness. Hence, social isolation has been one of the impairments of social media as social media lowers an individual’s self-esteem, causing dependency on social media and replacing face-to-face interactions.

According to the Harris Poll conducted between late March and early May, between 46% and 51% of adults in the United States have been using social media more since the outbreak of Coronavirus began. One of the implications of increased social media use is low self-esteem, leading to social isolation. As an elucidation, individuals are exposed to unrealistic or distorted portrayals, which is deemed a fallacy of how life is considered perfect based on an idealized picture. Individuals bombarded by the perfect selfies and lifestyles are devoted to scrutinizing the perfect image of other people and making comparisons with themselves, which are then portrayed in a negative light if they are unable to comprehend how the photoshopped and heavily edited photos are not true reflections of real life. Besides, social media websites took advantage of the human psyche and its rewards system, creating a dopamine-driven feedback loop to condition users to stay online, keeping them on social media which eventually leads to them feeling socially isolated. This also forces users to follow beauty standards as the dopamine-driven feedback loops promoting short bursts of happiness trick them into posting ‘perfect’ images. Therefore, unrealistic beauty standards and the dopamine-driven feedback loop have impacted the self-esteem of individuals, making communication daunting for them in real life.

The dependency on social media during any form of interaction has brought a decreased depth of interaction while creating a more superficial social exchange. The more engaging and easily accessed world of social media has been our coping mechanism to escape any awkward social situation. Instead of coping with the inevitable awkwardness, one should be gregarious and try to initiate a conversation with other people, as social awkwardness are sometimes a catalyst for making new acquaintances. Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology by Elizabeth Dunn and Ryan Rwyer from the University of British Columbia in Canada found that those who were on their phones during a face-to-face interaction enjoyed the interaction lesser than those who put down their phones as they texted the subjects of the research for more than 5 times a day for a week to ask about their emotions and their recent activities. Therefore, I advocate that society nowadays is more detached from society nowadays as they are more devoted to staring at their smartphone screens than socializing.

Introduction

As we all know, a voting age is the minimum age established by law that a person must attain before they become eligible to vote in a public election. Today, the most common voting age is 18 years; however, voting ages as low as 16 and as high as 25 currently exist. Most countries have set a minimum voting age, often set in their constitution. In a number of countries voting is compulsory for those eligible to vote, while in most it is optional.

When the right to vote was being established in democracies, the voting age was generally set at 21 or higher. In the 1970s many countries reduced the voting age to 18. The debate is ongoing in a number of countries on proposals to reduce the voting age to or below 18. Arguments against lowering the voting age to sixteen include a lack of political maturity. Also, one of the major arguments for lowering the voting age to 16 is that at this age in most countries a person has reached the legal working age for most jobs and is liable to pay taxes and therefore should not have to pay taxes without the right to political representation.

Eighteen is the most common voting age, with a small minority of countries differing from this rule. Those with a national minimum age of 17 include East Timor, Greece, Indonesia, North Korea, South Sudan, and Sudan. The minimum age is 16 in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey (three self-governing British Crown Dependencies). People aged 16–18 can vote in Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro if employed. The highest minimum voting age is 21 in several nations. Some countries have variable provisions for the minimum voting age, whereby a lower age is set for eligibility to vote in state, regional, or municipal elections. The only known maximum voting age is in the Holy See, where the franchise for electing a new Pope is restricted to Cardinals under the age of 80.

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Jerald Joseph once said that eighteen-year-olds nowadays are given the right to apply for driving licenses and continue their education and some even have begun their working life. They are already adults capable of thinking and choosing who to vote for. He had much confidence in young adults’ ability to reflect on arguments by political parties as the youths are very well-informed, thanks to the internet. In addition to that, he added that youths are already exposed to some form of voting and campaigning in schools in the form of voting for head prefects(New Straits Times, 19th September 2018).

In another news, the Youth and Sports Minister, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has said that Malaysians can exercise their right to vote even if they are aged 18 in the next election. He added that young Malaysians know their aspirations and he had held informal discussions with the opposition leaders and they too are keen on this matter. He also mentioned that UMNO had lowered its membership age from 18 to 16, and this reflected the party’s acknowledgment of the importance of exposing the young to politics. He said to prepare youths for this responsibility, his ministry would propose programs on cadre ship, leadership, and politics(The Star, 20th September 2018). Under the country’s laws, 18 is the legal age of adulthood and is considered the age to take full responsibility for one’s actions, such as being eligible for a driving test, getting married, or signing contracts. In countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia, India, Iran, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia, the voting age has been lowered to 18. However, only Malaysia and Singapore still retain it at 21.

In an unprecedented victory, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition also known as the Alliance of Hope, which had been the country’s federal Opposition prior to the election, won a simple majority in the Dewan Rakyat together with the Sabah Heritage Party (WARISAN), with PH and WARISAN cumulatively securing 121 seats. The election heralded the first regime change in Malaysia’s history, as the erstwhile ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which had enjoyed an uninterrupted reign over the country since Malaya’s independence in 1957, was voted out of power. The PH’s leader, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, was sworn in as Malaysia’s 7th Prime Minister on 10 May, a day after the election at 93 years of age.

Following the victory, it can be said that the principle of democracy is mature and preserved in this country and this proved that Malaysians especially the youths are ready to cast their vote. Why is this so? As we all know, youths also have the freedom to express their right to choose political parties just like adults do. Teenagers nowadays are more mature than adults compared to the past. Today’s young adults are much better educated than their grandparents, as the share of young adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher has steadily climbed since 1968 so this shows that they would have been smoking less and drinking less. As mentioned above, Malaysians are allowed to vote at the age of 18 in the future. However, those below 18 should also be given the right to vote for the country’s representative, this will definitely be a new move or fresh start for Malaysians in order to build a better nation.

First and foremost, being able to vote at the young age of 16( mainly the secondary school Form Four students), will promote civic-mindedness in teens. Younger children are influenced by their home environment when learning at school. For teens, it’s a different story. A majority of their academic achievements tie directly to the personal experiences they have in life. If we were to lower the voting age to 16, we would begin the foundation of a healthy habit of civic responsibility at a time in life when they are most influenced by what happens to them. A habit of social engagement can also be developed. Many of the habits that people develop during the ages of 16 and 17 become a routine part of their adult life. Just 10% of a teen’s academic achievement can be directly associated with the quality of their home life. It is the experiences that teens choose that make it easier for them to develop healthy habits in the future. By encouraging voting at a younger age, the habit of being engaged with society forms earlier, creating a better chance that the teen voter will become a regular adult voter.

Next, new voices to the political debate could also be offered. Teens at the age of 16 have a unique experience to share with the rest of the world. Some hold jobs, most go to school full-time, and many have family responsibilities to share. They play sports, volunteer in their community, and contribute in many other ways. By adding their perspectives to the political debates, these young people could shift the structure of polarization that has crept into global politics. When one has more voices and ideas available to the other as a society, then one has more access to innovation.

Also, it could improve voter turnout rates. Lowering the voting age could improve the voter turnout rates for the General Election. The Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah has announced that the final voter turnout was 82.32%. He added that the number of voters who voted in GE14 was 82.32% or 12,299,514 out of the total number of 14,940,624 registered voters in a press conference dated 11th May 2018. I believe the Malaysian government/authorities would be bringing in more people who would potentially be willing to cast a ballot by allowing teenagers aged 16 and above to vote to reach a 100% voter turnout rate in the 15th General Election due in the year 2023. Parents do play a part in this context. They tend to vote more often when they want to set an example for their children. Spikes in parental voting involvement occur when their children reach voting age. If the voting age is lowered, parents would still probably follow this trend.

Thirdly, teens do make rational choices. Although teens tend to have trouble with elements of emotional regulation and impulse control, their ability to make logical, rational decisions is already developed. Their thinking process is similar to that of an adult during periods of calm. That means teens have the ability to weigh the pros and cons of each issue being discussed in an election and reason logically about what actions they should support.

Moreover, lowering the voting age to sixteen year old will improve the lives of youth, in other words, helps to create lifelong voters. By assuring that young people can vote while still in school, the act will become a habit. Indeed, in Austria, where the minimum age to vote is 16, average voter turnout is 72 percent. Lowering the voting age to 16 in Malaysia could increase the voting rate for the entire country, improving our democracy in the process. Young people have a right to be heard and to have their interests taken seriously. However, by disenfranchising young people society tells us that we do not have anything of value to add to the political conversations in our society. It also gives politicians permission to ignore our interests as people under 18 have no way to hold their representatives accountable. This is especially concerning since there are certain issues, such as environmental degradation, public education policy, long-term government debt, corporal punishment laws, and poverty that impinged young people more than anyone else. Younger people may also be better in tune with modern issues around internet privacy and social media use. But if young people are underrepresented in politics, the issues affecting us will be underrepresented as well.

In addition to this, as Malaysians, we all came from different walks of life, and we should be clear that knowledge and experience are not criteria for voting eligibility in this century. Even though young people can be as politically informed as older people, there is no requirement that either group have any political knowledge at all. In fact, whenever tests have been used to register voters, it has always been about preventing certain groups of people from having political power rather than making sure the electorate is as informed as possible.

Furthermore, it is better to begin voting at age sixteen than at age eighteen. At the age of sixteen, young people are embedded in their communities of origin, where they know and care about local issues. Sixteen-year-olds are enrolled in school and have lived with family members who are voters. They have the chance to have classroom and dinner table conversations that support informed voting choices. By comparison, eighteen-year-old is a year of intense transitions for most young people, making it a challenging time to establish new voting habits. As a result, many young people currently do not begin voting until their late twenties.

Not to forget, if the youth(the sixteen-year-olds)don’t vote, then he or she will lose his or her right to complain. If one doesn’t vote, then we could end up with a “potted plant” elected Prime Minister. If one chooses not to vote, one automatically waives the right to complain. Voting demonstrates a good faith attempt to get the political outcome we desire and gives us every right to complain if things don’t go our way on a key ballot measure.

We must also bear in mind that youths, the ones aged sixteens are the more educated voters and also the most important ones. In the tech-connected world of millennials, there really isn’t any excuse for youths to not take an informed interest when social media like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are the top platforms used by politicians to connect with voters. Young people are the reason our leaders fought so hard for the country’s future. The youths nowadays are educated and bright. One should be able to determine the wrong from the right! We are the generation inheriting the country and its future and all of us have this right to democracy. It is our due diligence to research all the election elements. Make our votes count, examine what is promised and what will be at stake, then go ahead and cast our vote.

Lastly, it also follows a legal precedent set in Malaysia. When a child commits certain crimes in the country., the law permits them to be charged as an adult. The Age of Consent in Malaysia is 16 years old. The age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity. Individuals aged 15 or younger in Malaysia are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape or the equivalent local law. However, Malaysia’s statutory rape law is violated when an individual has consensual sexual contact with a person under the age of 16. In other words, if a 16-year-old can be charged as an adult, they should be able to vote.

Conclusion:

As said by The Youth and Sports Minister, Mr. Syed Saddiq – “Reducing the voting age will help break the ‘youth glass ceiling’ and encourage young people to be more active in political organizations. Voting age should be lowered to 16 to give the vote to people who have roots in a community, have an appreciation for local issues, and will be more concerned about voting than those just two years older. Youth have comfortable surroundings, school, parents, and stable friends, they feel connected to their community; all of these factors will increase their desire and need to vote. Lower the voting age, and youth will vote.

In a nutshell, there are arguments along the lines that youths aged 18 and below are not ‘mature’ enough to vote. However, maturity is not a requirement to participate in elections. Political maturity is vital in order to ensure that the best people are elected, but it should be a condition to vote. In countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia, India, and Iran, the voting age is 18. In South-East Asia, a voter who is 18 may vote in Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. We are well behind in this regard.

Therefore, it is time for the Government to take the initiatives to amend Article 119(1) of the Federal Constitution to lower the voting age to 16 just like the United States Of America. The Opposition parties should also support any move by the Government to introduce such changes. In this new Malaysia, there is no good reason why a teenager should be denied the chance to participate in the political and democratic process of elections. So why wait? Let’s do our part, make each vote counts!

Bibliography:

1. Syahredzan Johan has described Lowering The Voting Age To 18 as “A Humble Submission” (The Star, 25 June 2018)
2. Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has stated that “Constitutional change to drop voting age at next Parliament meeting” (Malay Mail 01 April 2019)
3. Ronald D. Lankford, (2007). Should the Voting Age Be Lowered? Greenhaven Press.
4. Sylvia Engdah, (2010). Amendment XXVI: Lowering the Voting Age. The United States Of America: Greenhaven Press.

What is the meaning of work? For many people it’s just a source of money, for others, a distraction, or it could even be a hobby for some. Some people are lucky enough to make a living doing what they love, others are not lucky enough and still, they have to work because, how else will they bring food to the table? But the truth is that work is a reflection of the person performing it, it can improve whoever is doing the work, knowing our personality is very important in order to be effective in the workplace and regardless of what it is, work is honorable.

Work Is Your Reflection

Work is a reflection of who we are, a reflection of what we have inside of us, and also how we value ourselves, for example, if we don’t like our jobs, or the person managing us in the job and we do it as best as we can, that says a lot about our values, it is important to always try our best. According to the book ‘My work, My Self’ by Al Gini, work is not just about making a living, it’s not just about receiving money in exchange for a service. For Gini, work is one of the most important factors of inner life and evolution, that we “create ourselves in our work”. Also, Gini thinks that because working keeps our lives occupied, as the central focus of our time, it not only gives us an income, it also names and identify us and others. In his book, Al Gini talks about Everett C. Hughes’s article, from which the author understands that even when we are not happy with the work that we do, our choice of occupation labels us, and we cannot understand people unless we understand the work that they do and how they deal with it. To back up his claim, Al Gini cites the theologian Gregory Baum, who stated that “Labor is the axis of human Self-making”. Gini also claims that we establish and recognize ourselves in our work. That work allows us to know what we can do and what we can’t do, it also chapes how we are seen by others and how we see ourselves. He states that in work, we discover our boundaries and limits as well as our capacity for success.

Work Improves Us

Working is one of the ways that we can improve. Working, we learn new skills, meet new people, and if we perform good in the workplace, we become valuable to people. According to an article, working, whether paid or unpaid is good for our health and wellbeing. It affects or happiness, helps us boost our confidence, and it compensates us financially. According to an article, working and returning to work have a good impact on our health, for example, our physical and mental health is improved through work. Also, we recover from sickness quicker and are at a lower risk of long-term sickness and insufficiency. Because of these benefits, sick and disabled people are encouraged to start working or remain in work if their health condition allows it.

On the other hand, not working can bring a negative impact to our lives, according to the same article, people who are unemployed have a higher rate of physical and mental health problems. Those that are unemployed usually take more medication and use medical services more often, and have a lower life expectancy. Also, this article tells us that returning to work after an unemployment period results in important mental and physical health improvement, overturning the negative health effects of unemployment. To show evidence, the Department for Work and Pensions released an article that reviews the evidence supporting the relationship between work and effects in health, and tell us that “there are economic, social and moral arguments that work is the most effective way to improve the well-being of individuals, their families and their community”.

Personality Is Important to Be Effective

Work also reflects our personality, knowing ourselves can help us in the workplace. According to the author David Little, “Being aware of an individual’s personality confines them with a rigid box that limit development and growth”. But in fact, knowing our personality allows us to find our strengths and weaknesses, and that also lets us know how we interact with one another and how we care for ourselves. For example, Little’s idea of ‘restorative niches’ tells us that in order to understand when we need time away from a group as an introvert, or knowing when it is okay to be in the group and be effective as an extrovert, we need to first know what our personality type is. Without knowing what traits push us, we cannot understand how to be out of our comfort zones.

Moreover, personality not only affects the normal employees, it also affects the leaders in the workplace. Communication and flexibility are important aspects of being a leader, understanding the personality of the followers can help the leader improve both. In the workplace, leaders have to adapt to different situations, that will allow the leader to succeed, but only if his/her personality is strong enough to adapt to different problems. Understanding our personality as a leader, our co-workers’ personalities and our employee personalities is an important part of being a good manager, teammate, and a good human being. It will also help us reduce stressors in our environments, develop a healthy lifestyle, and work environment.

Working Is Honorable

There is always a way to make work honorable, the simple act of working, and giving your best is honorable. According to an article from strictdirectory.com, “Any job is an honorable job”. If we see our jobs as honorable, this would add meaning and harmony to our lives. Also, if we see our job as sacred and honorable, we feel good about who we are becoming, and this transfers to your family, and all of those who you interact with daily. It is important to state that all work is honorable, but sometimes not every job offers honor, honor survives in doing the job, what might not be honorable is what the job is, for example, jobs that imply crimes will never be honorable, neither is being unethical in the workplace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the meaning of work is more than a source of money. It has many meanings. Work, is a reflection of the person performing it, like Al Gini said, “We create ourselves in our work”, that is why it is important to choose our profession wisely. Also, work can improve us, it helps us both in the health and economic factors, if we work, our physical and mental health is improved, and we have the benefit of being financially rewarded. Moreover, to be effective and efficient in the workplace we need to know and understand the personality of ourselves, and those around us. For example, we need to know our personality type in order to know how effective we can be out of our comfort zone, and when to come out of it. Finally, all work is honorable, if we see that what we do is honorable, we increase our self-esteem, and bring harmony in our lives. But we can’t forget that even though working is honorable, the way of doing not always is.

Nowadays, people have their very very own philosophy in lifestyles, and now they additionally targeted businesses, job searches, games, gadgets, etc. till they get their dreams. In this essay, I will current the philosophy of my life.

My philosophy in existence is that understanding myself is better than no longer appreciating myself it is losing my mind. My philosophy in existence tells that I constantly have to be myself and listen to my coronary heart and additionally hear the phrases of God as much as I pay attention to my concept and play alongside the voice of my conscience.

Having buddies is important to me due to the truth they are the extent ones I depended on and assist me and additionally provide me advice when I have a problem. My gold in existence is my family. I was once raised by my mother and father to be an accurate daughter and as a mannequin to my siblings and others. I used to be born into this world to assist when someone is in want and I desire to share my journey in life. My mother and father are both farmers, they did not graduate for many reasons. Because of this, I follow the whole lot they say for me and any other is I go to church every Sunday. For me, poverty in lifestyles is not a barrier to learning, because if you choose to study there are many approaches to do. My idea in life is my parents, I study challenges for them and due to the fact of resilience, self-control, and belief in God and now I am in my first yr College. simply trust your self and your dream will come true.

However, the most essential and valuable factor for me is my family and others also. I consider Benjamin Franklin as soon as said, ‘Lost time is by no means located again’ as a way of convincing anyone now not to wait to take action. Time is a very essential thing, due to the fact I can without difficulty lose it and I can never return it. That’s why I have to suppose a lot earlier than doing something in order no longer to feel sorry about it later. No, remember how difficult it can show up to be, I should use all my time for my family, friends, and different and additionally I ought to use all my time to attain my purpose in life.

In this essay, I will explain the role played by norms and values within Parsons’ theory of the cultural system, universalism, and polity subsystem. Furthermore, I will use Scott’s ‘Talcott Parsons: Where it All Began’, Ellis’ ‘The Hobbesian Problem of Order: A Critical Appraisal of the Normative Solution’, Parsons’ ‘Pattern Variables Revisited: A Response to Robin Dubin’, Robertson’s ‘Talcott Parsons: Theorist of Modernity’, Craib’s ‘Modern Social Theory from Parsons to Habermas’ and Jacobs’ ‘Aspect of the Political Sociology of Talcott Parsons’ in support of this essay. Furthermore, I will explain why Parsons’ theory of the cultural system, universalism, and polity subsystem remain satisfactory as they highlight how norms and values are shaped through culture, systematic structures as well and universalistic values in which they secure social order within modern Western society.

Firstly, Parsons’ theory of the cultural system remains satisfactory because he highlights that the role of the cultural system is to exchange information and ideas that inform social actors of the cultural norms and values of modern Western society, helping to secure social order. According to Parsons (1997, p.36), ‘this means and ends of action are never simply ‘given’ or environmentally determined, they are always chosen by the actors in relation to cultural norms and values’. Furthermore, Parsons identifies the cultural system as one of the four action systems. Supplementarily, Parsons’ agenda was to identify the cultural system is in the state of a ‘moving equilibrium’, whereby he promotes social order. As his writings were at the time of post-World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, he had a bias to promote social order rather than social change, maintaining the Western bureaucratic agenda of the time. Therefore, his concept of the ‘moving equilibrium’ highlights how social order is maintained through transitions. For instance, the transition of cultural norms and values based on family structures in which the most desired family type in agricultural society was the extended family as opposed to the nuclear family in industrial society. Whereas Durkheim was not interested in the ‘problems of origin or transition’ as argued by Parsons but ‘the emergence of new types of interaction patterns and solidarity feelings’ (Ellis, 1971, p.694). Concerning the previous example of the family, Durkheim implies that ‘solidarity feelings’ help sustain important meanings based on hierarchies in which social actors come to a value consensus. However, one limitation for both Parsons and Durkheim includes their lack of focus on cultural norms and values and social solidarity within oriental societies or developing countries per se. Overall, Parsons’ theory remains satisfactory in that the role of cultural norms and values in the cultural system sustains social order.

Secondly, Parsons’ theory of universalism is adequate because it highlights how systematic norms and values are maintained through institutionalization which helps to sustain social order within modern occidental societies. According to Parsons (1960, p.468), within ‘universalistic modalities, the basis of an object’s meaning lies in its universalistically defined properties’. Furthermore, Parsons identifies universalism as one of the five pattern variables which are the types of values underlining the instrumental role of social institutions. Additionally, Parsons’ agenda was to highlight how universalism was used as a criterion of diagnosis for social order within the institutions of modern America. Therefore, the performance of social actors is largely influenced by universalistic values and systems within social institutions that adhere to social order. Besides this, Parsons’ agenda was to promote the modern value-pattern ‘instrumental activism’ which is a persistent theme’ in his work and a variation on Weber’s treatment of world mastery (Robertson, 1991, p.181). Furthermore, Weber emphasizes that one of the main characteristics of modern society is rationalization which he pinpoints in his theory of rational-instrumental social action. For instance, such institutions that emphasize instrumental-rational social action are education and the workplace in which actors are encouraged to achieve a goal due to an output of effort. Moreover, education is highly valued in modern Western societies, this may differ in developing societies which may place a huge emphasis on the family for example. Additionally, Weber would critique Parsons’ work on universalism as he is more concerned with social actions which are actions of individuals directed towards each other, rather than universalistic values benefitting wider society. Further, Norms and values are not only universal and institutionalized, but they are rationalized by social actors. However, one limitation of Parsons and Weber’s work is that they have not focused on the subjectivity of instrumental activism and differentiation of universalistic values within oriental societies as opposed to modern occidental societies. Overall, Parsons’ theory of universalism is adequate as it outlines that universalistic values benefit wider society as well as individuals, sustaining social order.

Thirdly, Parsons’ theory of the polity subsystem is sufficient because it outlines how norms and values are shaped in which they influence social actors’ goals as well as their means, of maintaining social order. According to Craib (1992, pp.40-41), ‘most important of all, the environment includes generally accepted norms and values and other ideas which influence our choice of goals and means’. Parsons establishes polity as one of the subsystems that is developed from goal attainment which is one of the four functional prerequisites within his AGIL social system. As Craib emphasized the notion of ‘other ideas’, can include polity which focuses on the mobilization of resources as well as goal attainment. Further, the American political system is a two-party system, which requires the ‘centralization of power, and mobilization of support from different sources’ (Jacobs, 1969, p.60). In other words, such methods like voting allow social actors to mobilize their resources, especially within modern Western democracies allowing social order to be maintained. Concerning this, Parsons would critique Hobbes’s ‘utilitarian-coercive solution’ (Ellis, 1971, p.693) to securing social order. Hobbes critiques that the threat of coercion alters the rational calculations that individuals make in which he fails to recognize the opportunity to mobilize resources and attain goals, especially within Western democracies. Furthermore, Hobbes identifies the normative order that is emphasized by Parsons, Hobbes failed to recognize that norms and values are rationalized between individuals as well as the state due to polity which also consists of the formation of political identity. Although both Parsons and Hobbes have acknowledged the importance of sovereign power, they have not recognized the role that systematic norms and values play in maintaining the rules of the criminal justice system. Besides, Parsons’ normative order that is expressed within his theory of polity remains sufficient because it highlights how goals maintain norms and values.

It is undeniable that Parsons’ theory of the cultural system, universalism, and the polity subsystem have highlighted the roles played by norms and values which are defined on a systematic, cultural, and universalistic basis. Parsons’ theories, as outlined previously, are highly satisfactory and are extremely applicable to modern Western societies and the dynamic Western culture per se. Additionally, his theories give an insight into how there are multiple functional prerequisites and factors in which the normative order can be achieved that also help in securing social order, not just a single factor for instance Hobbes’ utilitarian-coercive solution which dismisses the normative order and how social actors’ can mobilize resources through polity in which they are not solely constrained through coercion of the state. As Parsons’ theories are aligned with modern Western ideology, he was able to highlight this within his analysis of the cultural system that is responsible for exchanging information and securing cultural norms and values. Moreover, Parsons highlights that universalistic values play a key role in shaping norms and values that influence institutionalization. These universalistic values emphasize instrumental activism which individuals are encouraged to achieve their goals and means; this secures social order as social actors are encouraged to conform to society through value consensus. Therefore, I believe that instrumental activism is a practice by social actors that is encouraged in social institutions, as previously outlined for instance the education system and the workplace. However, one limitation of this essay is that it has not acknowledged social change in depth, in an attempt to critique Parsons’ homeostatic view of social institutions in support of his normative solution. Although Parsons is not able to examine or empirically test his theories within present modern society, his theories which emphasize the normative order, are important at large as they outline how social order is maintained throughout modern Western society.

Philosophy comes from two Greek words, Philo, which suggests the means ‘love,’ and sophy, which implies ‘wisdom.’ Therefore, philosophy means ‘love of wisdom’ (Mark, 2016). Every individual features a different outlook on life, values, learning, and past experiences that reinforce their beliefs and enlighten them. Some argue that beliefs don’t directly influence teaching. I strongly disagree. I believe that one’s beliefs and values influence the way we live, work, and interact with others. I believe our teaching and learning methods reflect this.

My philosophy is more student-oriented, as I use reconstructionism and progressivism mainly. However, I do return to the teaching philosophy of essentialism. Especially at the beginning of the year when I have a brand-new class, one could say I ‘go back to basics’, and as they grow so does my student-oriented teaching style. I feel that children are individuals and bring a distinct value to the group. It’s a matter of finding and unlocking each child’s potential and learning style. The curriculum that I teach considers different learning styles and focuses on engaging students and supplying content that is relevant to their lives and the real world, as much as possible. (El-Sabagh, 2021) I like to incorporate hands-on learning, cooperative learning, projects, games, and individual work that engages and activates students’ learning.

My values, belief systems, and principles undoubtedly have a big hand in my personal educators’ philosophies. Some of the values and beliefs that I feel influence my role as an educator are:

Building trust with my colleagues and students, to cultivate a community and sense of Ubuntu through respect and tolerance. I consider myself a ‘mother bear’ Creating a bond of trust is key as it not only creates a safe and nurturing environment but also allows the learners to understand that you do as you say.

Honesty Try and answer all questions or get someone to answer them even if it’s slightly out of their curriculum level. To encourage honesty from students through effective listening skills, and referrals if needed.

Engaging – to get the learners involved, action learning to get the learners actively involved in learning. With the use of projects, games, the use of technology in the classroom and outside of the classroom.

Empower – Not only to get the learners to empower themselves academically in class as well as at home, but also to empower themselves personally as well. Supplying access to an online library and online learning tools, such as the hangman game, to learn their spelling words. The aim is to get them to help themselves.

Active aims to get all children to become active learners by engaging them in games, quizzes, and challenges. Positive reinforcement using different themes for each term. By focusing on teaching the learner, not the content.

Create a learning environment that encourages the learner to be creative, by being a creative teacher. Using technology, mind maps, content-related acronyms, and songs are some ways to engage learners in the learning process instead of just reading a textbook.

My approach is to assess learners and content as I teach and share information with others. However, I always find myself moving back to creative-based learning (reconstructionism and progressivism). I find it a helpful way to recap and recall information while engaging learners and having fun. However, I am hampered by what resources as a teacher are available to me. For example, access to Wi-Fi and computers.

I strongly feel that to become the most effective educators, we must understand how philosophy and education are interconnected. To realize this, one must understand their own beliefs as well as have compassion for others. To grow as a teacher, you should develop your educational philosophy. One should focus on teaching the learner, not just the content. Therefore, you should continually adapt your teaching style.

When the author reflects on her experiences in various school settings, it is evident that there has been progression and development from the author’s first partnered placement to the most recent 12-week extended placement. The author has seen progression in not only her teaching but in her favoured strategies and methodologies to use. Similarly, her confidence to attempt something different in her pedagogical approaches in the classroom has also improved.

On reflection of the authors, reflective portfolios from previous school placements her classroom management skills have improved significantly throughout the course of the three professional placements. This has always been an aspect that has been of great importance as from day one of her first placement the author was conscious of its importance. The author is aware of the many components of classroom management and how it differs from class to class. The author has gained confidence in her ability and this has improved her classroom management skill profoundly. It can be remarked that in SP2 that the tutor highlighted the importance of waiting for complete silence before giving instruction. In SP3 both tutors remarked on the author’s present in the classroom and how the management of the class was one of her key strengths. Similarly, the author has always had a keen interest in the development of a positive classroom environment which she has also being remarked that her rapport with the children.

One area of practice in which the author feels they have developed but could still develop further ensuring the conclusion of all lessons. This was important advice from my first inspection in extended teaching placement. This is something the author ensured she worked on over her teaching block one and it was improvement was remarked by the float. However, when the author started teaching block two and until she found her feet in infants the same issue was arising. This is something that the author will continue to work on and as she has definitely understands the importance of the consolidation of the learning and checking if objectives the lesson objectives were achieved.

Personal Philosophy of Education

The Professional Masters of Education program in Mary Immaculate College has given the author the opportunity to engage and contribute in the education of several primary school children. This program has provided experiences that has shaped the motivations and values of the author concerning the purpose of education for all children.

The establishment of a positive classroom environment is a vital motivator and a key element the author values as an educator. The aspect of the classroom environment was explored through many modules in the PME programme. (Education Methodology, Special needs education, and Child pedagogy and development) and observed throughout school placements. A positive classroom environment is the most valuable asset in the formation of a supportive learning environment of all learners. (Kyriacou 2007) Students’ learning is better when they regard their learning environment as positive and supportive. (Aldridge et al. 2006). A supportive environment is one in which the child feel they are accepted, trust others and feel they can ask a question and take on a challenge knowing they might not succeed the first time around. (Bucholz et al. 2009). Equally a supportive environment displays children work and indicates you share in their pride of what they have achieved it also creates a sense of motivation when they are constantly reminded by looking around at the amount they can accomplish. (Kyriacou 2007) This has always been a pivotal goal of the author’s philosophy of education. As the author reflects on different assignments undertaken the incorporation of a positive classroom environment has always been a fundamental component in the authors philosophy which has been influenced by the observation of teachers through placement, through the development of the authors own positive classroom environment on placement and through the modules mentioned above.

Similarly, the promotion of inclusion in the classroom is a key-value the author philosophy of education. During the third semester of the PME programme the author was given the opportunity to study inclusion further through the Special education needs module. This module had a profound impact on the author’s philosophy of teaching. It changed the authors perception of teaching significantly. The author recalls a talk given by Mitchell in which he discussed UDL (Universal design for learning) meaning multiple means of representation (differentiating content), Multiple means of engagement (differentiating process), and Multiple means to express their learning (differentiating product). He discussed the 4 r’s of teaching real relevant realistic rationale. He emphasised the importance of good teaching for all, which means good representation for all. (Michell, 2018) The stuck with the author especially on her extended placement and she ensured she was catering for differentiation in the room. Not just between classes as the author was in a multi-grade setting but giving choice to the pupils in the ways they completed their work, but also ensuring the use of visual, kinaesthetic and audio content to support learning styles.

Finally, one prime value as an educator that the author will bring with her into her own teaching career, is to encourage pupils and provide them with the skills necessary to become active agents of their own learning. As William Butler Yeats wrote ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire’ (Yeats n.d) During the SESE modules the author discovered the importance of providing the pupils with opportunities in which they could become actively involved in their own learning rather than passively receiving the information. (Grey) (Olusegun 2015) The ideologies of this teaching philosophy are that pupils can only require new information using the information that they already have required. It is regarded that cognition is the result of ‘mental construction”. (Olusegun 2015) This learning process is active; learners build meaning by joining their new information with existing knowledge. (Naylor et al. 1999) As one of the author key values, the author ensured to implement this teaching philosophy on extended placement. The curricular focus was one of the many ways the author allowed the pupils to become active agents of their own learning. The children were invited to engage in a task in which the finished product would be the creation of their own lighthouses. This was developed over four different sessions. The pupils completed the circuit, designed a plan for their lighthouse, created a working lighthouse and presented their finished working lighthouse. The teacher acted a facilitator and offered support, but the pupils were in full control of their own learning. This was a very positive experience that created a challenge and a great sense of achievement for the pupils.

My parents throughout my childhood were exceedingly religious. It began when I was a child, attending church every Sunday but hastily becoming exceptionally important for my family. Charles Brent was an inspiration for my mother and father. My parents thought of Brent as being a significant public speaker for Christian Unity in America. They were devoted to Brent and his selection of Christianity. A phrase that they deeply admired from Charles Brent was “a divided Church was a fundamental disloyalty to Christ.” Indoctrination rapidly began in both my parents and myself. As our family was a member of the church, my parents were brought into the religion by other church members with the intent to apprise the recognition of god being our savior.

The adolescent years I experienced were as I see now, imprisoned. My parents believed certain children’s toys were in no way appropriate and were against the bible discarding me of previously owned items once they joined Christianity. Trick-or-treating was forbidden in our household because of the thought that it was the devil’s holiday. The music I had fallen into was torn right out of my hands when we joined Christianity. Only Christian music was allowed but on special occasions, I could listen to some of the songs I enjoyed. All and everything associated with occultism was prohibited which involved most of my toys and games that were later thrown away.

It is only now that I can vividly see the egocentric lifestyle that I was brought up with without a voice. The reminiscing events I experienced declared the hypocrisy of the religion I was told to follow, Christianity. This means Christianity often never takes the blame for anything bad that happens in your life but takes all the good things that happen in your life. Christianity proclaims inclusive faith and love but as an atheist, you are more educated on the reality and science of the topic.

Throughout all of humankind, there has been religion praising some sort of figure that has more power over you and your life. Christianity is just one religion of many others around the world putting all your faith and time into what may seem good with the consequences that you receive afterward. People are in return giving away their real lives which they cannot take back. An example of this is in Christianity, followers pray and have faith in a god in return for an eternal afterlife but give away the life they are living at the time.

The narrator in the story is one of many who are imprisoned by a religion. Because of all the rules and guidelines for which the family underwent to be a dedicated Christian, the price was high for a price which may not be worth it in some eyes. Giving away your own life and opportunities within that life for something you may not agree with or fully understand could have many inadequate outcomes.

While pursuing a religion may be in some people’s favor. The narrator of the story realizes his choice as he gets older. Recounting the events that happened in his childhood from his family and religion, Christianity, gave the narrator an epiphany towards his choice. Being an atheist towards religion was the narrator’s epiphany as he reached adulthood. The narrator took into consideration the science and reality of the topic rather than the faith of the topic.

Throughout the years of living, we find, hear, and are told to be different and to stand out, and no matter what happens, there isn’t anything wrong with being different. The term “overrated” is highly evaluated or assessed as it is commonly used in conversation to diminish roles, places, and concepts. As time passes, being different can blossom into something unique. However, there are people who try hard to be different and to become something they aren’t to the point where it becomes overrated.

Based on my experience, growing up differently was never easy. The amount of judgment and glances I get for being different. Every day I keep telling myself that it’s going to be okay and it’s okay to be different. One day, I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to become someone I wasn’t. I showed every ounce of happiness and a smile every day just to fit in until I realized that this wasn’t me. I saw that I didn’t need to change to impress anyone nor did I need to fit in, I needed to be my true self, embracing who I am and being proud of it. Nowadays, wherever I go, there is always someone who’d do anything to fit in. Many feel as if it is a need to be different to the point where they’re brainwashed into believing that they are someone they aren’t just because they feel it’s their duty to do it. They grow up to be a pretentious person and believe that they know more than every other person to the point where they would start denying themselves because it’s something everyone else is doing. The opinion is what is overrated these days.

Furthermore, this has been seen in everyday life, mainly in trends. Though it’s mainly fashion, makeup, music, and more. However, on a daily basis, fashion, makeup, and more are always in style on a daily basis, I see people wear clothes that they swore they would never wear again. This goes for makeup as well, where people say they won’t do makeup and it’s a waste of time, but despite these feelings, they do it anyway, same for music, they’d listen and judge and won’t listen to it again, but soon resume to what they were originally listening to. I have friends who judge me for what I do, for what I wear, and for what I listen to, and then later they do what I was previously judged on. There are people who grow to a liking of uniqueness. Though, certain trends become overrated because of the number of people that are out there who make it overrated, when it really isn’t.

There will always be a time when people think it’s a trend to be different. The majority of people will always find a way to be different in order to fit in and make themselves feel or look better. This shows how much the world is changing into something that isn’t. However, the book “Harry Potter” by J.K. Rowling, captured moments where each character is different in their own ways. Luna Lovegood taught and showed that being different, strange, and weird is a strength and not a weakness. Hermione Granger was often looked down upon due to begin different compared to the other wizards, but her intelligence proved that there isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Lastly, Harry Potter stood out with a lightning bolt scar with amounts of differences from everyone else. This just shows how much these characters can make people relate to them, because deep down inside, we’re all different from each other. Embracing our unique qualities, and forgetting about fitting in or being different, we all learn and start to love ourselves for who we are. In the “Harry Potter” series, none of the characters are “normal,” have fun and enjoy every little part. Being different isn’t bad, just don’t change into something different from the true self.

Finally, people being different in order to fit in to make themselves feel and look better shows that it is overrated due to the fact that almost everyone does this nowadays due to the point where it’s nonstop. Overall, everything can be overrated, but here it applies especially because trying and changing ruined everything in being unique to the point where we all try too hard. We grow up to be who we are, so we should never change the truth.

I was diagnosed with a genetic disease known as Cystic Fibrosis when I was 18 years old. It has now been nearly 5 years since I was diagnosed with the disease. I was in my senior year of High School when I was diagnosed; most people with Cystic Fibrosis are diagnosed when they are born or shortly after. I remember being very sick for a few months leading up to my diagnosis. I was in and out of the hospital once a month for pneumonia and was on various oral antibiotics every two weeks for months before being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. The day that I finally found out what was wrong with me my entire life was a relief, but at the same time, I was afraid for my future.

I had been experiencing symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis for my entire life. Most of my symptoms were passed off as either severe allergies or asthma by any doctor that I saw. By the time I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, I had sustained a lot of irreversible scarring to my lungs. Since being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, I receive all of my treatment at the University of Michigan hospitals. I have multiple doctors in various specialties. Between each of these doctors, I usually have an appointment once a month on average for something related to my Cystic Fibrosis. Every day, I have to do an airway clearance vest for 20 minutes minimum twice a day. This is when I am not sick with pneumonia, if I am sick it goes up to around 3 or 4 times a day. I also do a nebulizer along with my vest to inhale three different medications to help me clear the thick mucus from my lungs. This is an attempt to help me not get pneumonia as often. Those of us who have Cystic Fibrosis always grow various types of bacteria in our lungs because the thick, sticky mucus is the perfect breeding ground for bad bacteria to flourish. I also take many medications every day and do a supplemental feeding tube at night while I sleep just to help me gain and maintain my weight. This is because I can’t eat enough during the day to do so on my own. Many people with Cystic Fibrosis end up needing a lung transplant by the time they are 35 years old; however, this prognosis is changing. There are new medications that are being released that have changed the course of the diseases and altered the lives of those of us with Cystic Fibrosis drastically.

I believe that regardless of the medical condition you have, or any hardships in your life that you may face, you can do what you desire in your life. I used to feel as though I would never be able to achieve anything in my life because of the toll that the disease takes on me every day. But with all of these new medical advancements, my life has changed for the better. I know many other people with Cystic Fibrosis who are angry because they have the disease and they will take it out on others who also have Cystic Fibrosis. The online Cystic Fibrosis community can be very toxic, but it doesn’t need to be that way. They will sit there and harass each other for everything, almost as if they are jealous when someone isn’t as sick as they are. Two people with Cystic Fibrosis are not allowed to meet because we risk spreading the bacteria in our lungs to each other. This could potentially make each other very sick. Therefore, the only way we can communicate is through online groups and chatrooms. Despite the toxicity in the Cystic Fibrosis community, there are many of us with the disease that is excelling in life. This is despite all of the hardships that come with having a progressive, terminal illness. The ones who are successful in their lives are inspirational to me because they show me that despite having a progressive, terminal illness, it is possible to do what I want in my lifetime. As long as I put the effort in that is required to do so and continue taking care of myself. They don’t dwell on the fact that they probably won’t live as long as the average person. I believe anyone, especially those who have a chronic illness, should have someone to look up to who inspires them to achieve all of their goals. Everyone in the world needs to make the best of the time that they get to be alive.