Homeless Women Demographics and Interventions Essay Example

Homeless Women: Demographics and Interventions Essay Homeless Women: Demographics and Interventions Introduction Typically I only see men on the streets begging; however the number of homeless women is increasing, especially homeless women with children. In this paper I will focus on homeless women by defining this issue and discussing the demographics of the women. I will address the types of interventions that have been implemented to help homeless women. Then I will discuss what research still needs to be done concerning homeless women. Finally, I will suggest which social services and social policies should be considered for further intervention and how these suggestions support the core social work values. Characteristics and Demographics Homelessness can be defined as a person without a home. One cause of homelessness among women is domestic violence. Domestic violence within low income households has been reported as a primary cause of homelessness in women. Often times, women in low income housing who are a victim of domestic violence and find themselves with no where to go, do not have appropriate education or job skills to find employment. Other causes of homelessness can include mental illnesses, depression, and poor health (Chambers, 1999). These can lead to homelessness among women and restrict women in finding proper, affordable housing. The population of homeless women is made up of all ages, races, and ethnicities. Generally, most of the women come from low income households before they become homeless. An average homeless woman is about 35 years old with at least two children (Chambers, 1999). Living in shelters or on the street is hard enough alone, but when you have to take care of children at the same time it can make it even harder. We will write a custom essay sample on Homeless Women: Demographics and Interventions specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Homeless Women: Demographics and Interventions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Homeless Women: Demographics and Interventions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Almost 58 percent of all homeless people are African American and 29 percent are Caucasian (Chambers, 1999). With the majority of homeless people being African American most homeless women are oppressed based on their race and gender. This does not help these women advance toward being able to afford appropriate housing because they are discriminated against. â€Å"[I]n the greater gender inequalities in wages in rural areas, where women workers make only 50% of men’s wages for comparable work† (Cummins, 1998). Females and minority races have been known to earn lesser wages than those of white males, which is discrimination and helps eep women in poverty and homeless. In a study comparing urban homeless women and rural homeless women, there were several similarities. A majority of the women had been involved in domestic assaults or family conflicts (Cummins, 1998). However, there were also differences. Urban homeless women were more likely to be substance abusers and th ey had more cases of mental illnesses. Rural homeless women had more cases of economic causes for becoming homeless (Cummins, 1998). Prevalence and Incidence The best estimate of how many homeless people there are comes from the United States Census Bureau. This number is 1,300,311, or 16. 7 percent of the total population. Out of this number, 597,038 of all homeless people are women (United States Census Bureau, 2000). It is hard to estimate the number of new cases every year because that number changes everyday. Women can go in and out of periods of homelessness through out the year, so it is hard to maintain a good estimate of who is actually homeless and who is not (United States Census Bureau, 2000). Private Troubles For homeless women there are several private troubles that they may experience. Private troubles, what the individual goes through while experiencing problems (Longres, 2000), for homeless women can include several things. Homelessness among women subjects them to dangers on the streets or can lead to habits such as prostitution and drugs. Having to care for children would be another private trouble that homeless women would experience. Not being able to provide the basic necessities for ones children and ones self can lead to depression and hopelessness. Public Issues Public issues, or how the society experiences problems (Longres, 2000), include various types of issues. One issue concerning the society is the amount of tax dollars going to programs to help the poor and homeless. Society would also be concerned with drug addictions that the homeless may have and worried about that bringing more drugs into the community. Also certain communities, typically major cities, would be worried about the stigma and reputation that homeless people create by sitting with signs at intersections or sleeping next to buildings. Transactional Perspective The transactional perspective suggests that people are embedded in their social context or environment (Longres, 2000). This can relate to homeless women by looking at how their private issues can be caused by their environment. If a woman’s environment consists of an abusive relationship, low income housing; only a high school education and no job skills she is at higher risk to becoming homeless. All of these things can lead to depression and other illnesses and eventually can help lead to homelessness. If a woman lives in such an environment, it more than likely can lead to a variety of negative private issues including homelessness. Interventions There have been several suggestions, organizations, policies and programs developed to help the homeless. However the most common strategies, which include shelters and government assistance, appear to only be short term or temporary and do not solve the issue. Although being temporary, shelters have been important in certain ways besides just being a place to sleep. Staff workers at shelters also helped the women with raising their self esteem and helped them to better deal with their emotions (Toohey, 2004). The workers at shelters helped the women’s emotional state at a critical time in their lives when they have no one else. Multiple-family groups (MFGs) were developed to help families who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The participating families were recommended to the MFG’s by their shelter case workers to attend weekly meetings. These groups also attended weekend retreats to help strengthen families and to encourage families to have fun together. The majority of families, 57 percent, were African American and 77 percent of the families consisted of single mothers with children. The staff of the retreat included several social workers. The weekend retreat had four areas that they concentrated on. These areas were, building trust, effective communication, managing stress, and decision making responsibilities. Overall, â€Å"[t]he weekend retreat appears to provide the necessary conditions from which social support can be built and an opportunity for families to reduce their feelings of isolation, anxiety, and helplessness† (Davey, 2004). This retreat helps families realize that they are not alone in their situation. It gives them hope and reassurance that they will be alright. Several of the families involved did not complete the full eight weeks of this program because they had found proper and affordable housing and moved (Davey, 2004). Another type of intervention or prevention that has been suggested is for women to use their social networks, which consist of family members and friends. It is suggested that the women should move in with friends and family members when they are struggling to prevent becoming homeless. However, in most cases, women who are poor and on the verge of homelessness do not have strong social networks to depend on. The most problematic difference between women who are homeless and housed may actually be that women who are homeless, and their network members, lack access to adequate and affordable housing. † (Toohey, 2004, p. 12). This states that if low economic statuses occur within one member of the network there is a large possibility that other members will not be able to help with housing because they do not have pro per shelter themselves. Further Research and Intervention Suggestions Eliminating the issue of homelessness throughout the world would be a good thing as would be eliminating every other problem. However, this feels impossible. I believe that the first step to solving any social problem is public awareness and knowing the facts. While trying to research the issue of homeless women, I found a very limited amount of information. Several journals claimed that homeless women are an increasing population, but there still has been little research concerning it. I believe that there should be more research about what is being done to help assist single homeless women, especially those with children. There are several laws and policies in place today that deal with homelessness. The government keeps saying that they want to help the poor, yet they keep taking away from funds that help assist the poor. There have been laws made against begging and sleeping on the streets (Lynch, 2002). If they have no home and all of the shelters are full, homeless people have no place to go to sleep except for a park or other public area. My suggestion would be for the government and the society as a whole to come together and help not only the homeless, but also everyone who is below or near the poverty line. We should come together to help make housing and food affordable to those who can not afford it. Without more affordable housing there will always be homeless people. We should have more programs to get the homeless employment and housing and empower them to do well for themselves and their families. We need to reach out as a community to help in any way that we can. We need to make poverty more visible, because it does exist whether we acknowledge it or not and many of our neighbors suffer everyday. Social Work Values These suggestions support social work values in the sense that they are interested in helping others. Two values that these suggestions relate to directly are service and social justice. The service value addresses helping people who face problems and the social justice value is concerned with social change concerning oppressed groups (Longres, 2000). Social work values concentrate on helping people in need at critical times in their lives, just like the suggestions I have made above. Conclusion The growing population of homeless women is becoming a concern among researchers. Defining the characteristics of a homeless woman can vary among all races and ages. Main reasons why homeless women exist consist of domestic violence, mental illnesses, and eviction. There are some interventions in place that help prevent and end homelessness among women, but there is still work to be done. There also needs to be more research invested into this social problem and stronger interventions. Finally, social work values go in hand with how we need to treat the homeless population as a whole and individually. References Chambers, S.. (1999). How any person on the street can help a street person. [Electronic Version] The Humanist, 59, 21-26. Retrieved November 5th, 2005, from InfoTrac OneFile database. Cummins, L. K. , First R. J. , and Toomey B. G.. (1998). Comparisons of rural and urban homeless women. Electronic Version] Affilia Journal of Women and Social Work, 13, 435-450. Retrieved November 15th, 2005, from InfoTrac OneFile database. Davey, T. L. (2004). A multiple-family group intervention for homeless families: the weekend retreat. (practice forum). [Electronic Version] Health and Social Work, 29, 326-330. Retrieved November 17th, 2005, from Inf oTrac OneFile database. Longres, J. F. (2000). Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Itasca, Illinois: F. E. Peacock Publishers, Inc. Lynch, P. (2002). Begging for change: homelessness and the law. [Electronic Version], Melbourne University Law Review, 26, 690-707. Retrieved October 31st, 2005, from InfoTrac OneFile database. Toohey, S. M. , Shinn M. , Weitzman B. C. (2004). Social networks and homelessness among women heads of household.. [Electronic Version] American Journal of Community Psychology, 33, 7-21. Retrieved November 5th, 2005, from InfoTrac OneFile database. United States Census Bureau, (2000). Qt-p12. Group Quarters Population by Sex, Age, and Type of Group Quarters:2000. Retrieved November 13th, 2005, from U. S. Census Bureau: American Fact Finder Web site: http://factfinder. census. gov. Retrieved November 14th, 2005.

Psychological Human Behavior essays

Psychological Human Behavior essays Psychology is the very important perspective for human nature. It is very much important for the individual environment. Psychology is very much a product of the Western tradition. Whereas a new psychology of the year 2000 contains both the eastern as well as the Western tradition (Frey, 04/06). Psychologist self-concept attitudes. Its related to Psyche means call a persons self concepts it includes what a person perceives from the persons the integrate part of human mind motion connected to those with bodily concepts. It however reflects true relationship with the mind-body concept. ATTITUDES AND SOCIAL COGNITION addresses those domains of social behavior in which cognition plays a major role, including the interface of cognition with overt behavior, affect, and motivation. (Primis, 119). Major perspectives in Now, whats the concept of psychoanalysis is also a psychology at this point includes psychoanalysis, humanism and sociobiology. very important perspective. As a therapy, psychoanalysis is based on observation that individuals are often unaware of many of the factors that determine their emotions and behavior. (Frey, 04/06). It is, in addition, a method for learning about the mind, and also a theory, a way of understanding the processes of normal everyday mental functioning and the stages of normal development from infancy to old age. (psychology.com). Furthermore, since psychoanalysis seeks to explain how the human mind works, it contributes insight into whatever the human mind produces.(apa.org) Sigmund Freud was the first psychoanalyst. Many of his insights into the human mind, which seemed so revolutionary at the turn of the century, are now widely accepted by most schools of psychological thought. Although others before and during his time had begun to recognize the role of unconscious mental understanding its importance. Although his ideas met with antagonism and resistance, Freud believed ...

Comair's information systems and information technology Essay

Comair's information systems and information technology - Essay Example In this section I will present a brief overview of the Comair. This company is a regional airline carrier based in the US. This is very well reputable Air Line Company that consists of nearly 7000 airline professionals who, collectively, manage and operate more than 1100 daily flights carrying 30000 passengers. Throughout its history, Comair has been an award winning leader in the regional carrier industry (Case Study). Conair is running the AirCrews operations and scheduling throughout a legacy system. This system is just about 2 decades old. There are lots of predicaments linked with this system on the subject of management of the on the whole organizational operations. Comair has an expected implementation of the new SABRE software package in the end of the 2005, but currently Comair was still using the SBS legacy system, now divided into two modules so that pilot schedule changes and flight attendant schedule changes each have monthly limit of 32,000. Comair is also monitoring the volume of transactions more carefully (Case Study).. The main problem is regarding the handling of this system. This system is developed in FORTRAN in 1950s. As a result the basic working of this system is console based. There are also problems regarding the better user interface and working facilities of this system. Next main problem that has emerged is SBS legacy system capacity of the transaction handling. This system is developed to handle pilot schedule changes and flight attendant schedule changes to a monthly limit of 32,000. The business of the Comair is emerging day by day. The need and capacity of the transaction handling of the Comair requires more effective a big capacity system of the handling of future enlargements. This system was fully crashed on 25th due to overall processing of the changes. This problem happened due to the 32,768 changes in a month. This problem has really affected the organizational overall profit and lot of flights has canceled (Case

Western Civilizations History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Western Civilizations History - Research Paper Example Einstein explained the probability of sustained nuclear reaction which could have been made with the end result being a possible powerful bomb. Einstein went ahead to explain that these bombs, after their manufacture and when they are ready for use could be transported by ships even with a remote possibility that they could possibly be transported by planes. From the same understanding, Einstein made it clear that it was possible that Germany had already thought of this possibility and were probably thinking about starting production. This idea that Germany could be in production stage was arrived at after it was observed that they had suspended the uranium export that they had previously engaged in so as to use it to manufacture atomic bombs1. This kind of warning was taken seriously by the Roosevelt administration such that within one month, a research committee was constituted. A nuclear program was then introduced by the US under the guidance of Army Corps in the year 1942. This was in a bid to build a weapon before either Japan or Germany had the idea materialized into something lethal before America had their own systems of attack ready. In May of the same year, the president signed the authorization to develop a secret project that would bring about the development of a nuclear weapon. This project was said to be one of the largest projects ever carried out by the United States government. The engineers that were responsible for its construction were given a name that would not suggest the real agenda behind their secret discovery. They were therefore named the Manhattan Engineering District which was later to be referred to as the Manhattan Project. There was a corresponding British company that had the same agenda and they were called the Tube Alloys and it was incorporated to facilitate the development of this new discovery2. The discovery went on underground and the first major development was the manufacture of an atomic bomb in Los Alamos in New Me xico. The site was chiefly disguised as a school and the site produced two bombs whereby one was used to detonate plutonium and the other one was a weapon that resembled a gun in its features. Then there came the relevant search for a test site that would not draw much attention to the enemies. The site chosen was that which had scarce population in Alamogordo and it was given the code name trinity. July 16 of the year 1945 was when the detonation was carried out of the first ever atomic bomb. There was a crater created by the explosion that was more or less equivalent to nearly an amount of TNT close to 20, 000 tons. The Manhattan project managed to facilitate the production of three major bombs. The first one was given the name Gadget, still to avoid landing on the ears of the spies from the enemy countries. The Gadget was also used for test purposes but due to large expenses observed in further testing as the expenses would firmly reduce the rates of production; there were no fur ther unnecessary tests to be done. The two remaining atomic bombs were packed and made ready for Hiroshima and Nagasaki3. A plane that was specifically designed to carry one huge bomb left the Tinian air base on the sixth day of August in the year 1945 at around 2: 45 am. The bomb that was carried in this plane was set to change the course of history for decades to come. The simple plane that carried one simple cargo piece was bound for Hiroshima to facilitate a retaliatory attack and was set to drop the cargo in just about five hours from the departure time. Enola Gay, which was the name of the plane, carried the first bomb of this kind to be used in an area of such magnitude and population. The second such bomb was dropped about five days later. This one was majorly

Services and Relationship Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Services and Relationship Marketing - Essay Example Additionally, services could be seen as peripheral activities designed to boost the delivery of a core product, for instance, provision of a courtesy car. Service as an organization involves the entire business or not-for- profit structure that resides within the service sector (Buttle 1996). The Origin of Service Marketing Service marketing was founded upon the basic concepts of marketing. Its advancement over the years has been associated with the philosophy of customer orientation. A marketing orientation is bound to position the customer at the middle of the purposes and activity. Numerous organizations and companies have manifested philosophy, which argue that customers are the kings and that everything that is done in organizations or companies is inclusive of customers’ preference (Machtynger et al 200). Essentially, philosophy in marketing orientation concentrates more on ensuring that customers are well looked after, and that they are fully satisfied in the context of competitive assistance whereas at the same time ensuring that the assistance remains money-making. Customer reaching philosophy has dictated marketing activity throughout its history (Egan 2008). Concept Relationship Marketing Relationship marketing is the process in which relational exchanges are acknowledged, developed, sustained and terminated with the purpose of boosting performance. Relationship marketing has been perceived as a new phenomenon in the province of marketing (Baron et al 2010). The initiation of mass marketing and mass production has surrounded the idea of Relationship Marketing for a period of time. There has been stern competition, erosion of brand loyalty, unethical wars on prices in various organizations and companies. Moreover, relationship marketing has...Relationship marketing primarily aims at building closer relationships with customers in order to overcome challenges such as obtaining global competitive advantage, dealing with rapid changes in technolog y and reducing time to market new products. Relationship marketing is vital in accordance to the pros and cons involved in the engagement and sustainability of exchange relationships. Through relationship marketing, there are more returns for companies or organizations that engage themselves with existing customers and increase the loyalty of the customers than it is to make an effort of attracting new customers. Hence, relationship marketing emphasize that exchange relationships are ongoing over the lifetime of the relationship. Relationship marketing has been used by competitive marketing as a functional way of enlarging business performance. According to Gilmore 2003, relationship marketing is characterized as the identification, establishment, maintenance, and enlargement, modification, and execution of relationships with customers, a situation that results to value for customers and profit for the organization by various relational exchanges that have both past and the future.

The Effects And Importance Of Work

The Effects And Importance Of Work Work is at the root of a meaningful life, the path to individual independence, and a necessity for human survival and flourishing. It is also the distinctive means by which men concretize their identity as rational, goal-directed beings. Edward W. Younkins. Discuss. Work has a common human practice since the beginning of civilizations. It is the secret behind social progress and the defining characteristic of man. Work as we see it, is a virtue and a necessity. In times of uncertainty, interdependence and market economy, the individual has to rely on his work to ensure his own well-being. Work provides the individual with the ability to be independent, to flourish, to develop, and most importantly, to find a meaning to life. Definition of work This paper is centered on Edward W. Younkins definition of work. An individuals work creates private property and a person owns himself and therefore has property in the free use of his time, abilities, and efforts. Work requires the expenditure of time and energy. Man is in control of his time and energy when he voluntarily and constructively works. Control of ones time and energy both reflects the meaning of freedom and constitutes the means by which a person exercises his freedom. A little girl in one of the corners of the world who goes to the kindergarten and learns how to count, draw, sing or write, is working. An adult, who goes to his/her job every day from 8 to 4 oclock and gets remunerated for that, is working. Work has different dimensions such as work for making a living and work for developing ones talent and potential. Thus what the little girl does is one dimension of work, because instead of staying home to only eat and sleep, she is actually doing activities which are improving her as an individual. On the other hand, the man who has a job and devotes a lot of time and energy towards is a concretization of work for pay. Through his work, he is producing wealth which he can later use to pursue his goals. Thus, based on the age, circumstances, needs and desires of individuals, work takes different shapes. It is important for the individual to see work as a mean towards achieving ones goals. Work provides individuals with the medium to realize most of their aspirations. Therefore, it is an important tool for forming the individual and the community as a whole, since we are all interconnected with each other. We produce and benefit from our work and that of another individual whose work might have an influence upon us. For instance a farmer who works his land does so by using a tractor which was produced in a fabric thanks to the work of other people. Work as part of a meaningful life Work is an essential tool through which individuals can achieve their goals, flourish and have a meaningful life. It is not at the root of a meaningful life but is an inseparable part of it. According to Younkins meaningful life is interconnected with reason, productive work, goal achievement, human flourishing and happiness. Since productiveness is one of the most important elements of a meaningful life an individual should work in order to be productive. Productive work on the other hand is the process by which we can control our existence by acquiring knowledge and translating our ideas and values into physical form. Thus, it is through work that we can actualize our abilities and desires, and give meaning to our existence. Work is important because it helps us shape our personal identity. It is also the building brick of the community. In order to lead a meaningful life, we have to be rational human-beings who choose work as an undisputable way of flourishing our lives. For insta nce, if we take into consideration the labor market and the people who get paid for their work, we can say that they can sustain themselves, their families and maybe have enough wealth left to spend on entertainment. These people give meaning to their existence and shape their life based on the work they do. Work organizes your life, gives you a reason to wake up in the morning and makes you understand the importance of other things in your life. It will be mentioned later that work is a central purpose in peoples life but not the only one. You can get tired and frustrated from your work, but at the moment when you gather around the Christmas tree you will have been able to afford a present for your children and can cherish upon a glass of wine with your wife. Work gives you the freedom to chose, freedom to have the things you need and desire. Work as a path to individual independence Independence means to actualize your existence by your own means. Work provides individuals with the necessary means to sustain themselves both economically and socially, provides the freedom to be part of a society. It is through work that we establish ourselves as a woman or a man. If you work, you produce wealth which only you have possession of and nobody else does. People live through their choices. Everyone by natural law has the liberty to do whatever he or she wants as long as it does not interfere with the others liberty. For instance, Tom might chose to spend a quiet and peaceful summer at home or go on vacation. At the same time, Anna decides to do to a work and travel program and spend the same amount of time working. In the beginning of the next academic year, Tom has to ask his family to provide the money for everything whereas Anna can do so on his own. At this point, the Anna has developed as an independent individual who can pursue her goals through her own means. She actualizes her own existence by her own work. To work is to spend time and energy in producing something, instead of lying on the beach and enjoying the sun. According to Younkins It is in work that we can find the foundations of profit, property and corporations all can be justified in terms of the perfection of the human being. Therefore, through work we produce material values which we have possession of and can use it according to our aspirations. When you are a capable grown up person and by free will you choose not to work, then somebody else will have to produce wealth for you. At this point it is not you who own the wealth but the person who gives it to you, who indirectly owns and controls your desires and needs as well. For instance, it is Annas choice whether she can buy an expensive concert ticket, but it depends on Toms parents to decide whether to give him money to do so. Eventually, work smoothes the path towards individual independency. Work as a necessity for human survival and flourishing Flourishing is a synthesis of personal development and change towards perfection. These two factors require effort and persistence. Therefore, work is a necessity towards human flourishing because it contributes to our self formation, development and to the creation of material values. Through work we can be productive and create material values. The material values you need to survive and flourish must be produced. If you are not producing these values, then you can only attempt to survive and flourish by passing this responsibility onto someone else. When we work we produce material values which help us survive and flourish. We should be the ones working and creating the material values in order to flourish because if someone else does is not us flourishing but them. It is true that the society we live in today has created the possibility of a division-of-labor which means that everyone is being productive in a different and specialized way. The individuals, who distort this balance of producing and enjoying the benefits, by profiting without working, do not flourish. If an individual does not contribute to the production process, he is like a parasite which just profits from others without doing anything. Moreover, what if the society does not provide us with what we need? What if we want to develop as special and unique people, should we still rely on the outside world and wait? Through different stages of the human society, human beings have discovered and developed numerous facilities which make our life easier than ever. If you need to travel somewhere far, your solution is only a click away. Buying a ticket, reserving a hotel room, setting an appointment are all easy things you can do as long as you can afford them. However, if you wish to become a pianist, there is no professor who can teach you play beautifully if you do not spend time practicing every day. They can teach you the theoretical background, but not the skills. Work is an inseparable part of the human experience and people are what they do for a living. Your profession is part of your identity, whether you are a doctor, a journalist or a professor. All these terms are used to identify people of certain occupations, interests and lifestyle. When you are a baby, your parents are supposed to work and provide you with the necessary things. At the moment when you become capable of supporting yourself, you should do so by working. Work as a virtue of rationality According to Younkins, rationality is a primary virtue and it involves full focus, commitment to reality, and the constant expansion of ones knowledge. Rationality is one of the most important attributes of human beings, which distinguishes us from other species. Therefore, by choosing to work as a way to pursue our goals, we are actualizing the principle of rationality. Professor White explains that rationality is a virtue based on two elements: free will and reason. While free will is the deliberate choice of the individual to persist with rationality, reason is the solution the humans have in order to overcome physical and natural limitations. Therefore, rationality is important only if it is concretized. Going back to the element of reason we should stress on the fact that most of the things we are using today are product of reason. For instance heaters, fridges, vacuum cleaners and hundreds of other examples are products of reason which improve and ease our existence. In this re gard, work is the only viable tool to concretize rationality. For instance, a reasonable person would choose to work today and use the accumulated wealth to entertain oneself later. An unreasonable person might prefer to lie on the beach and enjoy the present. It sounds fun in the short-term, but it is impossible in the long one, since the resources at your disposal are limited and one day you will eventually have to work to generate some income in order to afford your expenditures. Moreover, the dynamics of the business world we live in accentuate the unquestionable need for work. Other aspects of work Up to now we have discussed work as a virtue and its importance. As a matter of fact, one should also take into consideration the way people approach work. Human beings differ in terms of many characteristics such as intelligence, talents, academic levels etc. Therefore, depending on human potential and the specific working environment, work can be equally beneficial to the human flourishing or demeaning. For instance, prostitution, gambling, and drug dealing constitute work as you get a kind of numeration for the service you provide and in a way you can pursue your goals. The money you get out of these kinds of work can help you afford your daily activities. Still, this money becomes useless at the moment when it neither contributes to the human flourishing, nor is the basis of a meaningful life. Work should be the key to human survival and flourishing, and not to the degradation of the individual and his moral values. If you sell your body to make money, you do not own it anymore. It becomes an asset for other people to use. Somebody who gambles plays with the risk of having nothing at the end, puts all his/her effort on luck rather than reason and work. When you base your human survival on drug dealing, you risk being caught up in a hierarchy of influences you cannot control, since the business is illegal. There is no basis for safety. Money and habits are the factors that decide on your life. On the other hand, no matter how honest, working from dawn to sunset does not help much for your life flourishing either. Workaholics, the people whose only purpose in life is work, impinge themselves from other activities. Work should be a central purpose in your life but not the only one, because you risk missing the numerous opportunities of flourishing as a human being. A central purpose should not be ones only purpose in life. A central purpose brings order to ones values, however it must be exercised in a way consistent with ones other values. Productive work is not an end-in-itself, but a means to flourishing. If one pursues productive work to the exclusion of everything else in ones life, so that it becomes ones only purpose in life, this will undermine ones flourishing. If we further elaborate on the concept of work and all its elements we might say that even decent work, such as an accounting job in a consulting company might turn out not contributive to the human flourishing. If you happen to hate your job, dont let it make your life miserable, but try improving your work environment or find more ways to make it more creative and interesting. The bottom line of work is to provide for the necessary means to the human flourishing and not to make it miserable. However, the fast pace business world we live in today is full of opportunities on one hand and on the other hand sometimes we dont have much of a choice. Therefore, if you can not find another job from which you can get satisfaction you should try to give a purpose to your actual job and find satisfaction in what you are doing. At the end of the day if we dont try to meliorate our life, no one will.

Gertrude Stein Essay -- Biography Essays

Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein is one of the most celebrated authors and patrons of the arts. She encouraged, influenced and aided many literary and artistic figures through her support, investment and writings. Stein was born on February 3, 1874 into upper middle class surroundings in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. When she was 3 years old the family moved to Vienna and then on to Paris before returning to America in late 1878. Gertrude and her brother Leo became very close although he was two years her senior. They found like interests and became devoted allies through much of their early lives. Stein was eight years old when she made her first attempt at writing. Reading became an obsession for her beginning with Shakespeare and books on natural history.[2] In school she was fascinated with the structuring of sentences. She once said, â€Å""I suppose other things may be more exciting to others...I like the feeling the everlasting feeling of sentences as they diagram themselves.[3]" In 1904 she moved in with her brother Leo at 27 Rue de Fleurus which would become the meeting place of many writers, artists, critics and people drawn by her reputation. Her brother and she also began collecting paintings by Renoir, Gaughain, Picasso (who later painted her portrait), Cezanne, Baraque, Matisse and others[4]. The â€Å"Salon,† as their home came to be called, had paintings literally covering every wall. They had dinner parties every Saturday night and the â€Å"Salon† became a sanctuary for artists and writers. It became so popular that Stein had to begin writing late at night after all the other guests had departed. Her literary and artistic judgments were revered, and her chance remarks could make or destroy reputations.[5] A... ...bdominal pains which would be diagnosed as colon cancer a few months later. She was rushed to the hospital on July 19, 1946 and made her will on the 23rd leaving the bulk of her estate to Alice. On the 27th before being wheeled into emergency surgery her last words were spoken to Alice. "What is the answer? ...without a reply, "In that case...what is the question[11]?" [1] Gertrude Stein-brief biography, http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/stein-bio.html 2 The World of Gertrude Stein, http://ellensplace.net/gstein5.html [3] Ibid [4] Ibid [5] Gertrude Stein-brief biography, http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/stein-bio.html [6] The World of Gertrude Stein, http://ellensplace.net/gstein5. [7] Ibid [8] Ibid [9] Ibid [10] Gertrude Stein-brief biography, http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/stein-bio.html [11] Ibid