The two main social issues impacting the rights of older individuals are ageism and financial insecurity. Ageism in healthcare is a common problem that has detrimental consequences on older people’s health (Nemiroff, 2022). The elderly are frequently subjected to abuse and marginalization while seeking assistance from various amenities. Ageism manifests itself in a variety of ways, ranging from “micro” individual problems such as paternalistic treatments to “macro” system challenges such as hurdles to swift and appropriate services (Nemiroff, 2022, p. 118). Role-modeling and the hidden curriculum might unwittingly transfer the mindset of stereotyping in nursing practices. Generally, many outmoded assumptions about senior citizens often arise, contributing to seclusion and marginalization in many areas.
The social issues impacting the aged are exacerbated by their monetary status. Ironically, life expectancy has improved, while the job market and retirement have not progressed at the same rate. Many older people are capable and eager to work beyond the standard set, but the chances are limited. Furthermore, because so much is currently done online or virtually, monitoring day-to-day money and saving for later life can be difficult for older generations. They may be more susceptible to fraud as a result of this. Unfortunately, the issue has been exacerbated even in the care system, where there have been adoption coverages and new health information system that requires the input of money and intellectual.
Ageism can be solved by devising new ways to incorporate older people into society through social events. Intergenerational training, educational initiatives, and strong leadership from organizations to achieve policy and practice reforms are all strategies to combat ageism and offer ethical healthcare (Nemiroff, 2022). In general, policymakers and caregivers can not only assist people in preserving a sense of self-esteem and dignity, but they can equally access the information and expertise they possess, which is critical for society’s progress. Many older persons require extensive care when complete autonomy is no longer possible. Some individuals may find this care to be prohibitively expensive or inaccessible. Therefore, financial insecurity can be addressed by keeping the older generation at work even beyond retirement, enacting health coverage policies and providing benefits or incentives.
Nurses’ participation in the Connecticut Nurses Association’s (CTNA) numerous committees can make a difference in this situation. The majority of nurses are unaware of the common atypical presentations of various illnesses in the elderly (Inouye, 2021). However, nursing staff involvement in the CTNA can help increase their knowledge about age related discriminations and consequences. Carers who influence programs assist in shaping the treatment that is offered today and in the future. The initiatives also have a bearing on how resources are allocated to facilitate healthcare delivery for the elderly. Additionally, it can provide caregivers with the necessary skills and awareness of the regional or statewide ethical principles needed for quality care provision. Teamwork between nursing leaders in CT is one example of working together to solve social issues on a regional level. Enhanced professional training and education in the particular characteristics of diagnosing and treating older adults will aid in the fight against ageism in healthcare (Inouye, 2021). Generally, this is based on a concept that values all individuals holistically and strives to promote individuals’ health irrespective of age, gender, or race throughout their lives. Therefore, nursing staff must consider themselves as experts with the ability and obligation to affect present and emerging healthcare delivery systems if they are to be impactful.
References
Inouye, S. K. (2021). Creating an anti-ageist healthcare system to improve care for our current and future selves. Nature Aging, 1(2), 150-152. Web.
Nemiroff, L. (2022). We can do better: Addressing ageism against older adults in healthcare. Healthcare Management Forum, 35(2), 118-122. Web.
Social welfare is a form of state support directed towards all the neediest sectors of the population in order to overcome inequality. The issue of social welfare has a long history and first appeared in ancient Rome and has existed throughout human history. Today, the concept of social welfare is popular in the world. It is an important part of the so-called welfare states: France, Germany, Canada, and the Scandinavian counties – Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Nowadays, discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of these programs and their necessity take place in the United States and the world in general.
Social welfare policy is very important to social workers. At the legislative level, it changes the lives of people, since the laws corresponding to the progressive social policy make any type of discrimination legally impossible (Segal, 2015, p. 389). However, the change in legislation does not always mean a change in people’s minds. For example, in the United States, homophobia still exists, but the positive attitude towards LGBT people continues to grow. This means that progressive changes in legislation go along with the change in attitudes of the people, but not at the same time.
Unfortunately, the issues of inequality, discrimination, racism, and sexism continue to be important problems on the world’s agenda today. That is why it is very important for social workers and all socially conscious people to promote the ideas of social welfare and make people understand why it matters. This issue can be addressed with the work of advocacy groups because it directly affects the well-being and prosperity of people. The forms of struggle for the expansion of welfare policy are: voting for candidates supporting welfare programs and the promotion of the benefits of welfare policy in the media. Support of welfare programs at the international level is also very important because support for initiatives to distribute benefits from more prosperous states to less prosperous ones is also required.
To conclude, the issue of social welfare is a major issue on the American and world agenda. It is important because it helps to improve the standard of life and distribute wealth from the rich to the poor. Welfare programs also support fighting against various forms of discrimination. They are crucial to social workers, that is why they should study how these programs work and promote their implantation.
Reference
Seagal, E. A. (2015). Empowerment Series: Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs, Enhanced. Cengage Learning.
While the quality of life in first-world countries is significantly better than in developing nations, there is still a large number of social issues that obstruct comfortable living. For instance, the increasing food prices, housing crises, and issues in healthcare remain relevant topics in contemporary societies. There is no single solution to these problems, especially as the world keeps encountering global threats, such as pandemics and wars. However, if governments develop efficient and human-centered policies, it is possible to address a large number of risks. The current paper thoroughly examines some of the most relevant social issues in first-world nations and proposes recommendations on how to mitigate these problems in the long term.
Food Prices
Food is a physical necessity, and first-world nations are generally in a good position since they are not at immediate risk of hunger or starvation. Nevertheless, the recent global threats have caused an international food crisis, and the prices are going to rise around the world. For instance, in the United States, experts have estimated a nearly 11% price increase from 2021 to 2022 (Smith and Bailie). It occurred due to natural inflation and other aggravating factors, and this situation is likely to escalate even further in the future. Furthermore, the climate continually worsens, and experts predict more droughts and natural disasters that will impair agricultural industries globally.
As mentioned before, there is no single solution to increasing food prices because it is a global problem that emerges due to various factors. However, there are several general recommendations that can help mitigate these problems. The first solution concerns the efforts of governments that should cooperate to prevent wars and establish mutually productive communication. In other words, efficient export and import of food are essential to offer a large variety of products at an accessible price (Smith and Bailie). Next, individuals can mitigate the problem by putting effort into climate preservation. For instance, the United Nations recommends people in first-world countries switch to sustainable alternatives in their lives (“The UN Campaign”). Saving energy, no food waste, recycling, and using public transport instead of personal vehicles can have a notable impact on climate change (“The UN Campaign”). As a result, even small contributions from individuals can have a long-term impact on environmental preservation and prevent a food crisis to some extent.
Housing Crisis
The housing crisis is another relevant issue that many first-world countries face in the 2020s. This problem occurs globally, affecting the United States, Canada, and multiple countries in Oceania and Asia. According to the research, the average price for a house in Canada is nearly ten times higher than the average annual household income (Stokel-Walker). Considering other spending, it is almost impossible to buy property without selling a house first, and this crisis affects millions of people across first-world nations.
Experts suggest that affected countries should learn from some of the unique first-world nations that were able to overcome the housing crisis. One such example is Japan, which is continually ranked among the first-world countries with the most accessible housing and the most significant satisfaction levels concerning property (Stokel-Walker). The difference between Japan and most affected nations concerns the regulations on renting and the construction of new houses. Tenants have more rights, and it is relatively easy for companies to build and re-build homes, shifting the supply and demand for housing (Stokel-Walker). However, experts also note that this approach is less profitable for landowners who might obstruct the change process to maintain profits through housing investments.
Healthcare Issues
The third social issue that affects a large number of first-world countries is the quality and accessibility of healthcare. In this discussion, one of the most significant points is the lack of care for low-income families, minorities, and indigenous peoples. For instance, the United Nations reports that the difference in an average lifespan of an indigenous and non-indigenous person in Canada is seventeen years (“Health”). Other first-world countries have similar tendencies for racial minorities and families that struggle with finances. In this sense, socioeconomic factors play a critical role, and many people cannot access healthcare services. One recommendation to resolve this issue is continual improvement in terms of wealth equality, supportive policies for low-income families, and enhancement of healthcare systems. However, it is a highly challenging and acute problem that requires the cooperation of governments, organizations, and individuals. A gradual change is necessary to make a visible positive change in this problem, and it is critical to continue discussing such issues to find new solutions and improve healthcare accessibility in the long term.
Conclusion
The current paper has thoroughly examined three of the most relevant social issues in first-world countries – increasing food prices, the housing crisis, and the insufficient accessibility of healthcare. There is no single solution to these problems, and multiple causes, such as pandemics and wars, are particularly challenging to prevent. However, it is possible to make a gradual positive change through the cooperation of governments and individuals. In summary, government policies, personal efforts to preserve climate, behavior change from consumerism habits, and more attention to issues of vulnerable groups are excellent initiatives that contribute to a better world.
Gattaca is an American science fiction movie that was produced in 1997, focusing on eugenics where reproduction is done by customization of genes in order to produce offsprings with the most favorable characteristics or traits derived from their parents. The movie is directed by Andrew Niccoland the theme revolves around Ethan Hawke who is born with genetic disorders and struggles to overcome genetic discrimination so that he can realize his dream of flying to space (Pope and McRoberts, 2003). This paper will discuss social issues illustrated in the movie including family violence, social class, socialization, and societal conflict.
Family Violence
Family violence is witnessed between two brothers, Vincent and Anton, who were born with different genetic makeup. In the movie, for example, rivalry emerges between the two brothers when playing their favorite game “chicken” where Anton would always emerge as the winner. The reason for this violence is that Vincent was born with natural genetic makeup, where it showed that he possessed high chances of acquiring several disorders and his lifespan would be 30 years. On the other hand, Anton had superior genetic makeup and would always emerge as the favorite in most activities.This kind of violence is a result of differences in performance in various activities, which always result in jealous and bitterness. It always lowers the self-esteem of an individual for he sees himself as inferior (Hughes 2004).
In the movie, another family rivalry is witnessed in the case where Vincent was the main suspect in the killing of an administrator; and when Anton offered to help, Vincent asked him to stay away from his issues. This was due to different achievements in life between the two brothers, where Vincent felt he was more superior to his brother, therefore disregarding his support. Due to the persistent struggle that Vincent underwent to reach where he was, he felt anger that his brother had not undergone the same process but had achieved a lot in life too.
Social Class
Different social classes are witnessed in the movie where a genetic registry database was used to classify people into two groups; those people conceived through natural means and were volatile to genetic disorders, and those conceived through genetic alternation. Here, people who were conceived through genetic alteration performed better than the ones conceived through natural means. In addition, the former were given better jobs and were viewed as professionals unlike their counterparts who were viewed as unable to perform. The disparities in social classes cause people never to realize their dream jobs in life, which causes social vices such as murder, rape, theft and other evil deeds. Others will go any extent to make sure they achieve their dream careers in the societies even if it means dying in the process. This shows how social pressure is pushing people to use genetics in order to enhance their identity and achievements (Bunton and Petersen, 2005).
Socialization
In the movie, various instances of socializations have been witnessed. For instance, Vincent met a co-worker called Irene Cassini in the investigation of the murder of an administrator where he befriended her so that she could help him in the investigation process where he was the main suspect. He later discovered that she had been born through genetic alteration but possessed high chances of acquiring heart attack. Another example is evident where Vincent becomes Jerome’s friend for quite sometime because he wanted samples of genetic makeup from him. This had helped him a lot to achieve his dream by being employed in the company as well as taking part in the mission. However, betrayal in their friendship is witnessed when Jerome promised to give Vincent his DNA sample, but gives him an envelope with only a strand of his hair instead. This illustrates that genuine relationships always lead to successful lives whereas deceptive interactions lead to pain and regret.
Societal conflict
The issue of conflicts in society is portrayed in various parts of the movie. This was illustrated when one ofthe company’s administrators was murdered one week before the scheduled trip. This incident shows conflict as a result of power greed among various employees in the in the company. When employees are in harmony with each other, many issues concerning conflict could be completely eliminated, making the company grow fast.
Another example in the movie involved Jerome who had unsuccessfully tried to kill himself because he had emerged second in a swimming competition. The incident shows how individuals in the society are dissatisfied with their achievements. Individuals should appreciate their own efforts to enable them attain higher goals. Later on, Jerome decides to burn himself up due to depression. The society should be able to provide support and help to people undergoing physical and psychological difficulties so that they can accept the consequences of their actions in life (Perkowitz, 2013).
Conclusion
The movie Gattaca demonstrates the extent to which society goes in trying to enhance its identity and hereditary traits through genetic manipulation. In addition, several social issues are illustrated including social conflict, social class, and family violence.
References
Bunton, Robin and Alan Petersen. 2005. Genetic Governance: Health, Risk and Ethics in a Biotech Era. NY: Routledge.
Hughes, James. 2004. Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future. MA: Westview Press.
Perkowitz, Seiler. 2013. Hollywood Science: Movies, Science, and the End of the World. NY: Columbia University Press.
Pope, Marcia and Richard McRoberts. 2003. Cambridge Wizard Student Guide Gattaca. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Constant movements of people from rural homes to urban centers have been due to several reasons, such as the search for employment and better social services. With the unceasing movema ents of humans to cities, the unrelenting demand for services has pushed up the prices of social amenities and other basic services. For example, purchasing rental houses in large urban areas like Portland, Boulder, and San Francisco is more expensive than in places like Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
Ironically, costly areas like Portland and Santa Barbara have active plans for managing growth, thus maintaining their high status. On the other hand, expansive and less dense regions experience low entry of new occupants. When people can avoid focusing on somea specific cities by ensuring that they live in them, the cost of living in such areas will go down out-rightly. The present generation should be able to meet their needs without compromising on the abilities of the future generation from meeting their own necessities.
In achieving this choice in the United States, for instance, the Federal and State governments should allocate resources according to the development index of the cities in the continent. Cities with low development index should get more funding. The move will ensure that a city like Los Angeles develops its infrastructure and services just like Portland city in Oregon.
With lucrative services and available job opportunities, Los Angeles will be able to tap some populace from the highly expensive cities. In addition, as a way of creating employment for the citizens, the US government should offer subsidies and tax holidays to investors who intend to set up companies in the diverse cities. Such policies will attract many investors to these locations, and in the process pull out large population from the densely populated areas.
In addition to terms of tax holidays for companies, the government can levy low tax rates for a specified period on employees who accept to work in such areas. Notably, the incentives will encourage both investors and citizens to move to these inexpensive locations. One of the reasons for the expensive services in San Francisco is due to the availability of well-paying jobs and numerous opportunities for self-development. Such moves by the government can result in equal development of regions, hence attracting high population.
When people move out of cities like Portland and San Barbara, most of the resources will lack demand, and with the law of demand and supply in economics, the move will push down the cost of houses and other necessities (Chivot and Weterings par. 7).
Promoting sustainability and livability require pooling of knowledge and resources in developing expansive regions (Johnston par. 4). In the US, the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) has planned to build affordable houses in densely populated cities. Moreover, subsidies on government services and social amenities in expensive regions can make life cheaper for families living in such cities.
Opportunities for commercial investment, transportation, and housing are significant requirements for a livable and sustainable city. Therefore, such government approaches will ensure that such services are available in all cities. Since sustainability and livability go hand in hand, launching renewable energy initiatives in expansive places like Phoenix and Los Angeles help in creating cheaper and safer energy supplies (Maddox par. 6).
The cities of the future can only be livable and sustainable if NGOs and government agencies pursue or address the two aspects of all initiatives. Such moves are long-lasting and not compromising on the future as well as providing equity, safety, opportunities, and mobility. If government agencies and NGOs can approach the issue of sustainability and livability in urban centers as demonstrated above, the overall quality of life will improve in all regions, thus making all humans happy irrespective of their location.
Works Cited
Chivot, Elin, and Rob Weterings. Livability and and Sustainability in Large Urban Regions. HCSS Centre for Strategic Studies. N.p., 21 Feb. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
Johnston, Katrina. Livable Portland? A New Plan. RSS. N.p., 23 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
Maddox, David. The Cities We Want: Resilient, Sustainable, and Livable. The Nature of Cities. N.p., 8 May 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
The issue of women in the society is very crucial with women being highly undermined. Their subordinate position in the current world has been strained with women being separated in all life aspects. The idea of low- grading women noticeably denies them their self-esteem and moral value. Women in the society are so far victims of prejudice and discrimination. These can be attributed to the large diversity amongst women in terms of class, traditions, sexual orientation and era.
This paper will discuss three social issues affecting women with consideration based on political representation, family stability/ disintegration and poverty feminization. Based on the three social issues, this paper will discuss on how each affects women, whether it’s possible to find a solution to this social issues and who is held responsible for this. Consequently, the paper will look at what types of strategies are being adopted by nations to curb these issues.
Discussion
Feminization of Poverty
This is a social issue concerning women. It illustrates an occurrence in which women represent unbalanced proportions of worlds poverty. It is the burden of neediness borne by the feminine gender. The term poverty feminization has three different meanings. This include the fact that women have greater frequencies of poverty than men, that poverty in women is more serious than in men and that there is a bigger tendency of poverty amongst women, particularly linked to increasing rates of female- head households.
The concept of poverty feminization is simply not as a result of lack of income alone. It could be attributed to other factors such as dispossession of capacities and gender prejudices present in societies. The rising share of poverty in women is associated with the increasing occurrences of lone mother family units and the increasing level of female involvement in low revenue urban sector jobs.
Poverty feminization is a major social issue among nations due to the increasing number of the feminine gender amongst the poverty -stricken citizens and high number of female headed families amongst the poor families.
The most critical factor leading to poverty feminization is an increase in the number of single- mother households in the present world. These households are at the utmost danger of poverty due to lack of a source of earning and capital.
Research has shown that families led by females have an income of nearly half that of male led households. Single mothers are the most poverty stricken people in society and their offsprings tend to be unfortunate in comparison to their colleagues. Other factors leading to poverty feminization include an increase of male migrant workers, sicknesses and demise of husbands.
Single- mother households are, therefore, directly linked to issue of gender inequality as women are more vulnerable to poverty and run short of necessary life needs in contrast to men. Nations with clear gender distinctions and social classes restrict women access to primary education. In such nations, female education is frequently forgone to allow the male children to attend school (Nolan & Watson, 1999).
To help curb the problem of poverty, factors that lead to the increasing cases of poverty feminization should be dealt with. Since poor health is a major factor in family poverty, improvements in health services are being executed to alleviate feminization of poverty. Women education can generate greater chances for women to raise themselves from poverty and improve their social status.
Attention to the issue of poverty feminization needs to be focused not only on the degree of women’s poverty but also to the increased obligation of having small social liberties, or little access to resources.
Women living in poverty have minimal access to health care hence are at a very high menace of poor health. For instance, in southern India, females living in poverty are particularly more susceptible to sexual harassment and HIV/AIDS risks. Hardships associated with female headed households can be counterbalanced by decreasing the numbers of such households. Exceptional measures for the appointment of women candidates should be implemented.
Women and Political Representation
Women’s minimal involvement at the highest levels of political affairs is a long- term issue in sex stratification. International literature argues that women representation in politics is very low. It is a usual observation that political agents in most nations are obtained from the elite section of the society. Even where political participants are chosen through just and independent elections, it is frequently noted that legislative bodies remain unrepresentative. Specifically, these bodies are under representative of women.
Preceding research across nations has emphasized on three justifications for the discrepancy in women’s political participation. These include social structure, state affairs and beliefs. It has, however, been shown that gender beliefs powerfully affect women number in nationwide legislatures.
It is also theorized that the participation of women in politics relies on the capacity of the government to provide incentives for women promotion. It is necessary that all genders be well represented in the parliament, so that all their feelings and concerns may be better recognized and addressed.
To curb the problem of gender inequality in political representations, electoral sex quotas are today being established in a great number of nations globally. More than 30 nations have developed quotas for appointment into national parliament. Public election quotas are now laid down in key political parties, requiring that a particular number of the contestants must be women.
Modernism in a nation’s political organization is demonstrated with nations being promoted to increase the number of women in their legislatures. Enhancement of women representation in politics can be achieved by putting into consideration institutional, socioeconomic and cultural factors (Duski, 2005).
Women and family Stability/Disintegration
The role of women in family stability and disintegration is another social issue affecting women in society. Every family should have a leader. The stream of leadership moves from a supernatural being, God, to the man, his wife and eventually to their offspring’s. Improper application of leadership can spoil the loveliness of the home life resulting to family unsteadiness and disintegration.
Since family headship entails the practice of influence by one person on others, the value of leadership displayed by the family head is a significant determinant of the stability of women. However, men have lost their marital harmony and mental stability in the present families. These families are deteriorating and breaking down.
Women have been so far considered as the domestic managers and are usually kept under the guidance of the family head. Women are considered as the core managers of stability and security in the family. They have been associated with family disintegration. Their absence and lack of concentration on their families affect the stability of the family.
It has been argued that psychological security and character development among children is the role of mother and father. However, due to modernization, this significant, major role has been left to women and their failure to perform this role properly leads to family disintegration.
The present society also assumes that it is the role of women to generate and make their children strong spiritually. Women are also supposed to teach their children with respect to their social norms and value practices. They are held responsible for family stability. They are expected to direct and offer services for the satisfaction of the physical wants of the family members.
This includes food, provision of clothing and controlling all the home affairs. The woman by fulfilling her husband’s sexual wants brings in family stability. If women ignore their role of staying at home and directing all the interior issues of the family such as children upbringing, then this leads to family disintegration.
It is, therefore, clear that women are the major causes of family disintegrations and instability and that the roles assigned to them are as a result of gender inequality. Measures should be put in place that encourages men to participate in ensuring that their families are stable (Sweetman, 1996).
Conclusion
The research project above was about women and the social issues affecting them in the society. The social issues considered in this project include political representation, family stability/ disintegration and poverty feminization. This paper has discussed on how each of these issues affects women and the strategies adopted by nations to curb these issues. Findings of this research show that women are highly undermined in the current social society.
Research should, therefore, be done to provide an explanation for the reasons contributing to the differences in the role of women across countries. The custom of gender inequality should be broken, and women should be encouraged to work together with men and not separately.
References
Duski, J. L. (2005). State feminism and political representation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nolan, B. & Watson, D. (1999) Women and poverty in Ireland. Dublin: Oak Tree Press in association with Combat Poverty Agency.
Sweetman, C. (1996). Women and the family. Cambridge, MA: Oxfam.
Most people get into relationships without proper knowledge and insight into the factors that make a happy and successful marriage. Choosing a life partner entails a myriad of issues, including the partner’s background. Also, partners make significant impacts on one another. This paper will use two films [When Harry met Sally and Breaking Up] to explore the topic of choosing a life partner. Some people are guided by instincts to get the right life partner.
The first film, When Harry met Sally, uses two characters, viz. Harry and Sally, to present the formation of a relationship in contemporary society. Harry and Sally meet as students at the University of Chicago. They have known each other for a long time, but they do not rush into a relationship until after twelve years of knowing each other. This film presents a real-life situation for two partners who take the time to factor out what they want in a relationship.
Even though life presents many challenges, such partners weather the storms and stick together. The film connects well with the topic of finding a life partner by showing that different people can come on the way as possible partners, but when one takes time to make reasonable choices, s/he will find someone suitable to live with.
The second film, Breaking Up, explores Steve and Monica’s lives as they date for two years and decide to marry despite the existing conflicts between them. The film shows that relationships face many challenges, which call for strong people to survive and by failing to address weaknesses leads to breaking up. If a relationship is sexually oriented, then the basics of finding the right partner are overlooked. This film connects well with the topic since it explores the implications of rushing to get a life partner.
Choosing a life partner
Selecting a life partner is unsophisticated, but people complicate the procedure when they opt for dubious means. This process involves the identification of a friend to determine if potential partners share some aspects in life before the friendship can grow to a relationship and if the relationship works for the partners, it results in marriage.
This process does not entail free-choice mate selection where two people get attracted to each other through instincts and fall in love and get married in the process. Selecting a life partner involves deep understanding and love for each other together with figuring out what partners want in their lives. Some people marry by fate, while others are guided by self-esteem or lust, but they all hope for a good relationship.
In modern life, people end up getting married for the wrong purposes. For instance, one might be compelled by society to marry and avoid the backlash associated with aging without a partner. Society disdains singlehood at age 40 more than it does for a troubled marriage at the same age. The single person might not be far from enjoying a successful marriage, but the troubled couples end up in lifetime chaos or divorce.
Factors to consider when choosing a life partner
Most people get into a relationship and after a short period, they give in the proposal to get married with the belief that they will know each other as the marriage grows. This assumption underscores the genesis of marital problems. Some of the questions to consider at this point include whether one feels free and comfortable with the other party.
Most people can factor how they feel or perceive about their partners, but the challenge arises when partners fall for promissory romance and lust and decide to get into marriage hoping to change their partners later in life. Also, different people have disparate definitions of love.
True love requires understanding and care about each other to the extent where one can anticipate each other’s needs and meet them beforehand. Selecting a partner with whom to share most aspects of life increases the chance of a happy marriage. Love, trust, and voluntarily limiting oneself for the sake of a happy relationship are requisite factors.
The films
The first film, When Harry met Sally, shows the patience that a relationship needs before it can take off. It takes Harry and Sally 12 years to fall in love. They meet at the University of Chicago during their school life. Sally starts a career as a journalist and Harry as a political scientist and both have successful careers. They live separately, but after some years, they meet at LaGuardia airport. Coincidentally, Sally’s boyfriend has left her and Harry’s wife is asking for a divorce.
Therefore, the two know what they want in a relationship from their experiences. They decide to start a relationship, but Harry warns Sally that they should get married and avoid the sexual destruction that might befall their relationship. Finally, Sally agrees and they get married, and even though they have known each other for a long time, their relationship faces numerous conflicts. They develop the perception that marriage is a tough institution and they cannot match the expectations.
This scenario reflects the real life situation when couples fail to air their problems and assume that the relationship is doomed to fail for simple discussions cannot solve their issues.
Their conflicts intensify to the point that Harry apologizes to Sally. At this point, both realize that they love each other and they cannot continue to fight happiness, and thus they choose to enjoy life together. This aspect shows that in life when people choose the right partners in marriage, no matter the trials and tribulations, they can surmount the challenges and lead happy lives in marriage.
The second film, Breaking Up, Steve is in a breaking relationship with Monica. They keep arguing and Monica leaves before she comes back shortly to inform Steve that she is terminating the relationship. After a little while, they reconcile, but the fights persist. The relationship is sexually driven, and thus emotions are high and Steve is convinced that he loves Monica. He asks her to marry him and Monica agrees.
They are overwhelmed and they go out interviewing people by asking them what sustains a marriage. This aspect shows that they are not prepared, since they do not have any clue about marriage life. They keep arguing most of the time, as they cannot agree on simple things, except sex.
They have good sex, appease each emotionally, at times break up, makeup again, and have more sex. With time, the trend turns painful and unbearable. Unfortunately, the relationship is founded on shaky grounds, and thus it gives in and the two part ways. Even though Monica is prepared to look for ways to ameliorate the association, Steve is a horrible lover, and thus the relationship falls apart.
Conclusion
Choosing a life partner involves a careful process, which requires commitment and understanding from the involved parties. Relationships and marriages face challenges, but if partners and spouses know what they want, coupled with how to meet one another’s needs beforehand, happiness and cooperation are achievable. In the first film, Harry and Sally show that it is prudent to take time before partners decide to get married since one can rush into making such a decision, which might hurt in the long term.
Harry and Sally show that individuals may not fully learn about each other before marriage, but if both take time, it is possible to understand and figure out most of the things that lead to a successful and happy marriage. In the second film, Steve and Monica clarify that choosing a lifetime partner is a commitment, which is anchored on simple values that partners share and at times endure together.
However, if a decision is rushed to choose a life partner, marriage becomes a time-to-time reminder that one made the wrong choice. This paper notes that even choosing the right life partner does not mean that life will not have difficulties.
Partners might overlook the simple things such as celebrating each other during good times, and such tendencies may create differences due to lack of appreciation. Also, rushing to select a life partner can result in permanent troubles or divorce. Therefore, individuals should take the time to know each other before getting married.
Nowadays, with the development of modern technologies, people actively watch TV shows and movies, read popular magazines and books and use the internet and social nets. All these activities and components form the so-called “popular culture,” based on information and entertainment. Sociologists give many definitions of popular culture, but “it always links the concepts of entertainment, media, technological developments, and diverse mass audiences across large geographical areas“ (Raine, intro).
Since popular culture is created by the consumption of certain products by a large audience, it is logical to suggest that it has a serious impact on people and high significance for society. Through the media products that create popular culture, the ideas of social and cultural issues are passed to society. A good example of the social relevance of popular culture can be an episode of the British series “Black Mirror” called “Be Right Back.” The story about a young couple reveals the theme of grief and the way how an individual can deal with that. Another idea of the episode that is topical for the society of the 21st century is people’s addiction to virtual lives which are created online. The episode shows that social media and technologies can fill soul emptiness of a man in grief, but it has just a temporary effect.
Summary of the Episode
The story narrates about a young couple, Martha and Ash, who moved to a new house outside the city. Soon Ash died in a car accident, and Martha, heartbroken, decided to use the technology that created artificial intelligence. She uploaded pictures and videos of Ash to the database and started talking to his virtual copy on the phone. Soon Martha forced herself to believe that she was talking to real Ash and shared the news that she was pregnant. Being in fear that she can lose touch with him, she decided to transfer virtual Ash to a synthetic body and transformed it into an android that looked like Ash. However, Martha felt unhappy about this artificial life-form because it did not have the same characteristic features as Ash did. It obeyed her in everything, even when it came to the expression of its emotions. In a few years, Martha still kept artificial Ash in the attic of her house. She allows her daughter seeing it every weekend.
Social Issues Raised in the Episode
As it was mentioned above, there are two main problems of the society that are shown in the episode. First of all, it is a problem of acceptance of a death of loved ones. Martha loved Ash so much and the news about his death shocked her. To relief the pain she felt when she lost him, she created his virtual version. Even at the end of the episode, when it has been more than seven years since Ash passed away, she kept coming back to an artificial android every weekend with her daughter. The episode shows, however, that it did not bring any relief to Martha. She felt unhappy with the android because it was not the person she used to know. In one of the scenes of the episodes, in her conversation with the copy of Ash, she says that the android does not have a history of its life; it is just an image without any feelings and emotions. Therefore, the episodes discusses the questions about dealing with grief and if people should form artificial copies of those who they lose.
The problem of grief is closely linked to the issue of people’s addiction to virtual lives. While some people find there those who passed away, others create something hard to achieve in real life. For example, there are some online games that allow people creating another life, successful and unchallenging, free of troubles and commitments, such as “Second Life” or “Sansar.” Playing these games, people create the best version of themselves. They get married, have kids, achieve success in their career, travel, become champions, and enjoy their lives. Feeling emptiness in their real life, they start playing online games and obtain everything they want. However, when it is time to return to reality, they realize that it is all fake, and feel even worse than before. The same situation happened with Martha, who first shared the news with the android and spent much time with it, but then felt worse realizing that it had nothing to do with her Ash.
Conclusion
Thus, the “Be Right Back” episode narrates a sorrowful story about a woman who wanted to get rid of her grief and emptiness in her soul. Using the latest technologies, she tried to recreate the image of her man but realized that it was impossible. Even though the android looked like Ash, it did not possess any personal traits of the real person. It makes Martha feel even unhappier than she did before because she realized that there are no ways to return Ash.
In general, the episode tries to pay people’s attention to the problem of people’s addiction to modern technologies and virtual life. It criticizes the idea of using it too often, showing that it does not bring happiness in people’s lives and affects mental health of society.
Work Cited
Raine, Susan. Scientology in Popular Culture: Influences and Struggles for Legitimacy. Edited by Stephen A. Kent and Susan Raine, ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2017.
Leisure is a term with unclear meaning, implying that it does not have a universally agreed definition. Leisure is something personal, a state of mind, or quality of emotion (Olson, 2008). People use their leisure time differently, but some terminologies are fundamental, one of them being perceived freedom, which means that an individual ought to be aware of his or her state of being to enjoy the available free time.
This suggests that leisure takes place at an individual’s free time. Whenever an individual engages in an activity, he or she evaluates its effectiveness and value to determine whether to continue doing it or to abandon it altogether. If an activity is satisfying, an individual will continue with it. This implies that people evaluate several activities before deciding on the ones to take part.
Intrinsic motivation implies that something that an individual does is by choice, meaning that he or she is motivated to do it. Each time I participate in any leisure activity, I am motivated to do so, and I aim at achieving satisfaction rather than saving time and resources. Casual leisure implies that an individual should not have special skills to engage in it; hence, it is informal (Olson, 2008).
Each person engages in this type of leisure each day and includes activities such as talking to a friend and watching television. Regarding casual leisure, I participate in it each day, as it does not need any special skills. Serious leisure entails engaging in intense activities that need high levels of skills, including reading and solving a complex problem that cannot be handled by an individual without specialized knowledge.
In school, I am motivated to engage in leisure activities that are beneficial as far as my academic career is concerned. This means that I base my leisure activities on the idea of perceived freedom, and the motivation for these leisure activities is intrinsic. Activities, such as engaging in a group discussion and liaising with the teacher, take the form of casual leisure whereas other activities, including reading and presenting my work in class entail serious leisure.
At work, some form of leisure usually takes place. When I aspire to realize organizational goals, I am intrinsically motivated to do so. As I talk to colleagues, I would be engaged in casual leisure, whereas addressing important issues that touch on the organization and clients entail serious leisure.
Several theories of leisure exist, but the one that best describes my situation is the one formulated by Erickson in 1950 and supported by Piaget in 1962, which states that leisure is a state of mind. Based on this, leisure is a result of intellectual and physical development.
Erickson confirmed through research that leisure activities originate from the mind, and an individual is motivated to engage in it whenever he or she feels that it would be beneficial. It should be noted that no single theory of leisure best explains the reasons why an individual would decide to engage in one activity and abandon the other.
Research shows that several factors encourage an individual to engage in an activity, and several theories ought to be used to explain the exact reasons that motivate people to engage in an activity. Olson (2008) noted that numerous factors that influence our leisure choices to exist.
Reference
Olson, E.G. (2008). Perspectives on Leisure: Toward a Quality Lifestyle. Kendall Hunt Pub Co.
Scientists and scholars try to answer the question of defining people as human and the aspects of this definition during many centuries. That is why the question of what can define people as human remains to be rather controversial and requiring answers developed from several perspectives. Thus, it is possible to focus on being human as the ability to be different from the other animals because of the biological nature and physical qualities.
Moreover, it is possible to differentiate between traits and attributes which make people be the best representatives of the society because of their morality, values, and consciousness. As a result, the most appropriate answer to the question can be found between the mentioned extremes, and it is necessary to pay attention to various biological, mental, and emotional qualities and features which help to define a man as human.
Although the particular features of the people’s skeletal structure and other physical qualities cannot be discussed as determining to speak about persons as human, it is important to focus on differences in the mental and emotional spheres which allow defining people as human because of their consciousness, empathy, and forgiveness.
The physical body of humans has many similar features with the bodies of such animals as apes. Furthermore, many animals are rather smart to perform different activities or to demonstrate their emotions. However, animals are ruled by their instincts, and their emotions are based on the different physical processes and changes in the bodies.
In spite of the fact that physiology plays an important role in determining the nature of a person, such emotions and feelings as consciousness, empathy, forgiveness, and love make people human about the other persons within the society. Those persons who can be defined as a human not only act, think, and develop but also feel and reflect on the world round them.
The aspect of socialization is significant to influence the development of a human person because only within the society an individual can demonstrate his or her qualities as a human person because she or he can feel, empathize, love, forgive, and act morally. From this point, people can become human when they interact with each other and mirror their behavior patterns. Thus, society influences the thoughts and actions of people, and it affects their human nature.
To discuss people as human, it is also necessary to pay attention to their morality with references to following the moral and ethical norms and rules accepted within the definite culture or society.
People’s mental abilities allow the evaluation of the situation from the point of morality and the further choice to act morally, as a human, or immorally. Animals cannot perceive the environment at such a high level. People are human when they choose to act morally and according to the socially accepted norms in all the situations because of their values and ideals.
Thus, people are human because their organisms and mental abilities allow thinking and decision-making in contrast to animals. Moreover, people are human when they use their abilities to feel and empathise while interacting with the other persons within the society because they are ruled by not only instincts and emotions based on the biological aspects but also by strong feelings such as love and forgiveness and by the understanding of principles of morality and value systems.