Essay on American Dream Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On American Dream - Essay Example But it was not until the end of 20th century that this dream acquired its complete glory. Today America has developed into a prominent juggernaut with anchors deep rooted in the philosophy of American Dream. The autonomy of an individual in choosing the way of life has opened gates for many possibilities. They believe that they can become whatever they want to be, a trait which is obsolete in many other nations where many factors drives them in specific directions. An American can even dream to be a president of his country. The main driving force behind such state of mind is the suitable environment which makes it possible for them to fulfill any dream. They are provided with proper opportunities and guidance toward their goal. An achievement gives personal satisfaction and happiness which in turns gives a prosperous society. (Powers 2000). But that’s only one side of the coin. Although many cherish America’s strong economy others criticize the statistic that 13.7% pop ulation still lives under poverty level. Hence, a question can be asked here that why despite this economical boost and propagation of American dream about 36.5 million Americans are poor. For many this has been a topic of debate and the answer is still to come. (Chamberlain 1997). What is your dream? As it is impossible to contain a ripple of water, it is impossible to contain the horizon of your dreams. But in a nutshell, my dream is to have a prosperous life in a society where my potentials are fully recognized and appreciated where basic necessities of life such as infrastructure, healthcare, law and order are of highest standard. The more I think about American dream the more it fascinates me and incline me to be part of a system that influenced many nations around the world. My dream is to obtain higher studies in an American institute and become a successful medical physician. However, the key will be learning all the essential ingredients that make up this utopian society an d bringing the recipe back home. In this 21st century, world has become a global village and we all are inevitably linked to each other. So any amendment in one part will definitely have a positive impact on the whole. I believe it’s a responsibility of every individual to identify and embrace valuable factors and joins them with the fundamentals of their own society to make this world a better place. Is it accessible? Answer to this question can be quite subjective. There are two schools of thought on this; one believes that it can be achieved by certain group of people in the society while the other believes that it is within the reach of those who wish to follow the basic principles on which it stand. (Harris et al 2007). In my opinion it is a coalescence of both. It is difficult for a foreigner like me to get a job in the United States but it’s not impossible. In their present society a foreigner has to be more than excellent in his skills to obtain the same positi on that an American achieve even with average skills. So in this context it does seem like there is a partiality, but in reality it is just a way to make sure that society sustains itself. As I mentioned before it is vicious cycle, fulfilling the dream of an individual so that happiness prevails and it positive feedbacks in making a prosperous society. This is one way of looking at it. The other way is by simplifying the definition of American Dream. If

The European Expansion and Its Impact on Indigenous People Essay Example for Free

The European Expansion and Its Impact on Indigenous People Essay 15th and 16th century European conquest in Africa and Latin America was significant for global expansion. Important areas such as the West African coast and Mexico were explored, making this period of time momentous. However, what was even more noteworthy were the similar methods that the Europeans used while intruding upon both the foreign lands. The Europeans showed little respect towards African and Native American people and their values; they resorted to inhumane tactics such as a creating a slave trade through Africa and committing a massacre to decolonize the indigenous people of Mexico. The exchange of slaves from Africa quickly became an essential part of commercial trade between Europe, Africa, and the European colonies. The new colonies had a large economical void that could easily be filled through slave labor. The buying and selling of slaves was an inhumane process; not only were slaves taken from their families and forced to work away from their homelands, they were treated extremely cruelly and sold like mere objects in trade. A prime example of how little the traders cared for the well-being of slaves comes from Phillips’ excerpt, where he describes how slaves would often â€Å"[leap] out of the canoes, boat and ship, and [were] kept under water till they were drowned† (Thomas Phillips, â€Å"Buying Slaves in 1693,† 625), and the traders would move about their business like nothing had happened at all. The slave trade was essential to the growth of European colonies, but it is also remembered for the cruel treatment of the slaves involv ed. The exploration of Mexico can be characterized as a brutal and bloody journey, especially for the indigenous people. At first, the encounters between the Spaniards and Aztecs were respectful and friendly. According to Diaz, Hernan Cortes implied to Montezuma when they first met â€Å"that [they were] his friends† and that â€Å"there is nothing to fear†¦we love him well and that our hearts are contented† (Bernal Diaz, â€Å"The Conquest of New Spain,† 609). However, the excerpt later reveals the greed that would overtake the Spaniards and force them to commit inhumane acts to the Aztecs. Upon being introduced to the city’s gold and Montezuma’s treasures, the Spanish â€Å"seized those treasures as if they were their own, as if this plunder were merely a stroke of good luck† (Bernal Diaz, â€Å"The Conquest of New Spain†, 610). Because they finally confirmed the city had a cesspool of riches and gold, the Spaniards decided they wanted to overtake it. They planned to attack the Aztecs while they were celebrating the fiesta of Huitzilopochtli. The excerpt reveals just how cruel and inhumane this massacre as the Spaniards began the slaughter by targeting a drummer and â€Å"[cutting] off his arms. Then they cut off his head†¦.attacked all the celebrants, stabbing them, spearing them, striking them†¦split their heads to pieces† (Bernal Diaz, â€Å"The Conquest of New Spain†, 613). The Spaniards then â€Å"ran everywhere and searched everywhere; they invaded every room, hunting and killing† (Bernal Diaz, â€Å"The Conquest of New Spain†, 614). Their greed had morphed them into savages. As one can see, European explorers committed inhumane and cruel acts to both the Africans and the Mexican Aztecs. A slave trade was set up through Africa, and the indigenous people there were considered to be uncivilized. The traders treated the Africans as mere objects to be sold. The explorers thought the same of the Aztecs; intruding upon their territory, raiding their treasures, and proceeding to massacre the indigenous people after their greed for gold prompted their desire to rule the city. The Spaniards had no respect for the values and traditions of the Aztecs and proceeded to start their own agenda to drive the people out of their homeland. Much like the African slaves, they considered the Native Americans to be inferior human beings. In conclusion, European explorers in the 15th and 16th century had no respect for indigenous people and their values. The Africans were forced to be products of a slave trade set up by Europeans, while the Spaniards intruded upon Aztec soil, proceeding to raid their treasures and massacre their people. Because the Europeans considered the Africans and Aztecs to be uncivilized and unworthy, they felt they had the power to decolonize them and claim the land as their own. The treatment of these indigenous people by the Europeans had a lasting influence for hundreds of years. Native American people and their values continued to be considered inferior by explorers while slavery continued to prosper into the 19th century.

Sociology of Crime and Punishment

Sociology of Crime and Punishment Figuring out why people commit crime has always been the underlying question in criminology. Over the years, a lot of sociologists have developed theories has to why people may commit crimes. Does society have anything to do with why someone commits a crime? Does having a mental diseases has any factor as to why people commit crime? Or could it just simply be because they wanted to? All of the questions run through a sociologists mind when trying to come to one concise answer. Unfortunately, there isnt just one answer to this question, rather there are multiple factors that weigh into why someone may commit a crime. Elijah Anderson, Robert Merton and Walter Reckless, have all developed theories from their own personal research as to why people commit crime. In this paper I will talk about their theory and whether I agree or disagree with their theory. In Elijah Anderson, Code of the Street theory, code referring to a set of informal rules that influences someones public behavior, he categorizes people who live in the street and the decent families, to formulate a sense of inner-city life. The decent families are hard working, has mainstream values and instill them into their children, unlike the street families that are dysfunctional, and seems to have no interest in the childs life. Decent families, seems to be more civil, whereas the street families are angry and are aggressive with their children. These are the children that often use the term come up hard when referring to their childhood. This then leads to the point that people who grew up in a street family home are more likely to commit crimes simply because their parents were not involved in their life. They are also usually the child that hang out on the streets and stay out late. Whereas with decent families, children are taught to stay out of trouble and has a curfew. Many of the children that grew up in street families, value respect and loyalty from others within the streets, and if they were to ever be tested they will retaliate with violence. Robert Mertons strain theory, believes that society place a big part in a person becoming deviant. His theory stated that society places a big emphasis on the American Dream and that we all have to attain it. This then places pressure on an individual in society to conform. Some people choose whether to work hard to achieve those goals or become deviant in order to achieve those goals. Merton felt as though equal opportunity within society to achieve the American Dream was nonexistent, so resolve those strains, people adapt, or in other words Modes of Adaptation. According to Merton there are five modes of adaptation, conformity, innovation, ritualism, and rebellion. Lastly, Walter Recklesss theory believed that there were forces that propel people to commit deviant activities. Such forces are pushes and pulls. Pushes would be psychological or social conditions and pulls are following fellow delinquents. These would be considered two types of containment, outer and inner. Inner refers to self control, a sense of right or wrong and moral or religious beliefs. Outer refers to influential individuals, such as teachers and families as well as authorities. This then leads to the point of, the more likely someone is to conform to societys norms, the less likely they are to participate in deviant behaviors. Out of these three theories, the two main theories that were interesting were Elijah Andersons code of the street theory andÂÂ   Robert Mertons strain theory. In Andersons theory, he mentions that there are two types of families, which I agree with, but what I disagree with is that I dont believe that just because someone grew up in a street family home that they are more likely to commit crimes. For instance, I have heard of stories where the parents are well grounded and are well involved in their childs life, but yet the child becomes a criminal. Other factors such as the child wanting to fit in with a specific crowd that they may consider cool, can have an influence on whether the child develop deviant behaviors to fit in within that group. And on the other hand, I have heard stories of children that grew up into a street family home and they chose a different path in life. They were motivated by their struggling situations, to work hard and pull themselves up by their boot straps, so that they can achieve greater things and become positive forces in society. Now Mertons theory, I seem to agree with completely. Societys emphasis on the American Dream and wealth, can become very strenuous on an individual. Especially because not all individuals can obtain it. People try so hard to conform to societys norms, that they sometimes dont rationalize that their way of conforming may be right or wrong, especially for the poor. This is why many of them resort to stealing and selling drugs. As like many other research, they can sometimes be biases. For example, both Merton and Anderson only looked at children or juvenile delinquents. Like I mentioned before, children are easily persuaded, they often do things to fit in. My question now is, if they were to take all other factors that children have to go through would their theory remain the same?

Cloning :: essays research papers fc

This article, â€Å"Cloning Noah’s Ark,† is about the cloning of endangered species to prevent some animals from disappearing from the planet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three authors of this article were Robert P. Lanza, Betsy L. Dresser and Philip Damiani. According to Scientific American, they all share an interest in reproductive biology and animals. Lanza, the vice president of medical and scientific development at Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) in Worcester, Massachusetts, founded the South Meadow Pond and Wildlife Association in Worcester County. Dresser is senior vice president for research at the Audubon Institute and director of the Audubon Institute Center for Research of Endangered Species and the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center. Damiani, a research scientist at ACT, is also a member of the International Embryo Transfer Society’s committee on cryopreservation. II. Explain the major concepts and points made.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research done, results, his/her conclusions III. Your Summation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From this article, I learned a number of different things. I learned how the actual cloning process occurs. I also became aware of many different Endangered Species and other animals that have already become extinct. I also learned that a clone could have been born from an animal other than their own species. For example, a regular house cat gave birth to a cloned tiger. I learned that cloning is very difficult and a long process.....   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that the cloning of Endangered Species could be a excellent idea. Human beings have carelessly killed off many innocent living creatures on this planet by hunting them and by creating pollution that end their lives. If the we could prevent the extinction of healthy, harmless animals, we should do it. Cloning is a way to prevent the extinction

Krakauer’s life Essay

In April of 1992 a young man named Chris McCandless, from a prosperous and loving family, hitchhiked across the country to Alaska. He gave $25,000 of his savings to charity, left his car and nearly all of his possessions. He burned all the cash he had in his wallet, and created a new life. Four months later, his body was found in an abandoned bus. Jon Krakauer constructed a journalistic account of McCandless’s story. Bordering on obsession, Krakauer looks for the clues to the mystery that is Chris McCandless. What he finds is the intense pull of the wilderness on our imagination, the appeal of high-risk activities to young men. When McCandless’s mistakes turn out to be fatal he is dismissed for his naivetà ©. He was said by some to have a death wish, but wanting to die and wanting to see what one is capable of are too very different things. I began to ask myself if Chris really wasn’t as crazy as some people thought. Then I realized it was quite possible that the reason people thought he was crazy was because he had died trying to fulfill his dream. If he had walked away from his adventure like Krakauer, people would have praised him rather than ridicule. So I asked the question, â€Å"How does Krakauer’s life parallel Chris McCandlesses?† Chris and Jon’s life have many parallels and contrasts at the same time. Both gave up most of their possessions to go after a dream they had. Ones dream was to live off the land in the remote regions of Alaska, the other too climb the Devils Thumb, a mountain peak that had never been scaled by man. Each man was aware of the risks, but were they equally prepared when each began their own adventure? I feel that Chris McCandless was at a disadvantage when he first started off. Raised by a wealthy family and just graduating from Emory University I feel he wasn’t as prepared as he could have been. Fortunately his father had taken him on hiking trips so he was at least somewhat familiar with the wilderness but in no way was he prepared at all for the severity of the Alaskan wilderness. I think it would have been quite a feat just for Chris to have been able to live off the land in a local forest. To be fair to Chris I’m sure Krakauer didn’t start off by just one day deciding he would climb the Devils Thumb after he was inspired by making it up the climbing wall at the local county fair. Both men had to gradually work their way up to accomplishing their goals. Jon did this by  many other smaller climbs and Chris worked his way up by studying nature books and roaming across the U.S. So in this way Jon and Chris were alike even though their goals were different. Another way the two were similar was the fact that they both had family problems. Though his parents and sister loved him Chris secretly despised his parents for covering up the fact that his father had been raising two separate families. Just like Chris’s father Lewis Krakauer had already begun to prepare him for a career that he didn’t want to be any part of. I think both sons were consumed by a sort of blind rage when they found out that their fathers were less than perfect. This anger fueled them to rebel and go against their fathers wishes to make their own futures. The biggest (and most obvious) difference between Jon and Chris is that one died living out his dream and the other lived to walk away from it. Most people would say that Chris failed because his goal was to survive in the wilderness. Others would say that Jon succeeded because he made it too the top and lived to tell his tale. However were the incidents really that different? Chris lived in the Alaskan wilderness almost a hundred days before his fateful mistake that cost him his life. Jon also had a few fateful mistakes that could have cost him his life but didn’t, like the time he caught his tent on fire or when his supply plane couldn’t come because of bad weather. Most people wouldn’t even dream of doing either of these feats. When the risks are as high as either of these men faced, even the most simple of mistakes can prove fatal. I think that if Chris was seen as a failure then so should Jon. I think this because Jon’s original goal was to climb the unclimbed section of The Devils Thumb. When Jon could not accomplish this he backtracked and found an easier, already climbed path. However I think that both men were successful in their own ways. Chris survived for an extended period of time without the help of civilization but due to the poisonous potato seeds he ate he was too weak to hike back to civilization. Jon realized his limitations and knew he was forced to lower his goal or face death. If anyone was a failure it was Jon because he backed down from his initial goal. Ever since I was a small boy I have been an outdoorsman. I love to go camping and go on hikes. At summer camp I would climb the rock piles and go exploring. I can relate to both Jon and Chris’s need for adventure. Even here at college I continue to love the outdoors. I use the climbing tower at the ARC, go snowboarding on the sledding hill, and go running on ROTC trails (during warm weather). But even though I love the outdoors I still don’t have what it takes to do what either of these men tried to do. I know my limitations and wouldn’t want to risk my life foolishly. I know its possible that I could learn how to but unfortunately all my life I have been taught that someday I’ll go to college, get a good job, get married, have kids and live a happy, uneventful life. Which is why I admire Jon and Chris, both had the courage to go against the norm of society and just go do what they felt like. Don’t get me wrong I love my life but some days I wish I could do what they did, just throw away all my possessions and worries and just do what I really want to do. Bob Marshal put it best when he said â€Å"For me, and for thousands with similar inclinations, the most important passion of life is the overpowering desire to escape periodically from the clutches of a mechanistic civilization. To us the enjoyment of solitude, complete independence, and the beauty of undefiled panoramas is absolutely essential to happiness† (Outdoorclub). Ever since man began to explore we have had a desire to conquer and know the unknown. In the days of the Wild West young men would move their families westward in search of adventure and opportunity â€Å"the wild ones, the men of the wild frontier† (Wayne 1). This drive, this manifest destiny, â€Å"the great pressure of people moving always to new frontiers, in search of new lands, new power, the full freedom of a virgin world, has ruled our course and formed our polices lake a Fate,† (Weinberg 1) is what compelled Jon and Chris to go against the grain of society and follow their dreams. With fewer and fewer â€Å"New Frontiers† these two were forced to resort to one of the last unconquered regions of the world, Alaska. It was there that they faced their fears and overcame hardships to succeed. In conclusion I think that one of the reasons Krakauer decided to write about Chris McCandless is the fact that he found so many disturbing coincidences  about his own life that he felt obligated to tell Chris’s story. I think it is quite possible Jon feels guilty about having survived when Chris died. Either way, I think both men were success full even though they both had very different goals and outcomes. Works Cited Outdoorclub. 01 Mar. 2005 . Wayne, Bennett. Men of the Wild Frontier. Champaign: Garrard Publishing Company, 1968. Weinberg, Albert. manifest Destiny. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1935.

High School is Fun, Changes, and Learning

High School is Fun, Changes, and Learning Depending on our circumstances in life, most of us typically went to high school at age 12 and graduated at age 17. This age group according to child growth and development chart are the early and middle-late stages of adolescent life. These stages are Early (12-14 years), Middle (15-17 years), and Late (18-20 years). Adolescence or puberty is a biological event, an episode in our life when we as a growing child experienced changes in physical appearance, psychological orientation, and sociological construct similar to that of a young adult. For instance, changes in the way we perceive ourselves, the way we think, acquire knowledge, solve problems, etc., the way we value our autonomy and identity, and the way we see the opposite sex. REMEMBERING OUR FIRST STAGE OF EDUCATION In the Early and Middle stages of adolescence, we developed self-esteem and individuality, and learn key thinking and conceptual skills, math and  reading competencies in school. Most of us during this stage were already capable of acquiring the  information we need, solve problems on our own, deal with almost any situation, and contemplate our ability to succeed Later in the middle stage, most of us were already sociable and able to accept different points of views. We also spent more time with friends and extracurricular activities than with our family. Moreover, those were the days when we start taking our studies seriously, improved our social skills further, decide on our own, and became more conscious with our personality. Finally, it was the first that we became concern about our future and the career that we cherished today. First Is Not Always Best but Unforgettable The years we had in high school are special and indeed memorable. It was when we first experienced adulthood, learned to value others, saw the need to think, decide, and solve problems on our own. It was during those happy years that we start developing our self-esteem, attempt self-sufficiency, and care for the opposite sex. We were novices, we know so little about the world but it was fun. We jumped for joy whenever solved our math problems. Smile when learned something of value. We were in bliss whenever we worked hard and passed the test. We laughed at almost anything including our own mistake and stupidity. The valuable academic skills and competencies provided by our high school teachers helped us reached our goals and become productive members of our society today. We must never forget that. Moreover, the good thing about high school memories is not about the hilarious experiences we had but the embarrassment in class that taught us to focus more on our studies and endeavors in later life.

What are some of the main difficulties faced by women lawyers in

What are some of the main difficulties faced by women lawyers in What are some of the main difficulties faced by women lawyers in Canada, and what can be done to make it easier for women lawyers to succeed – Essay Example Main Difficulties Faced by Women Lawyers in Canada, and What Can be Done to Make it Easier for Women Lawyers to Succeed Main Difficulties Faced by Women Lawyers in Canada, and What Can be Done to Make it Easier for Women Lawyers to SucceedIntroduction Conceivably the highly dramatic change occurring in the labor market for lawyers over the past twenty years or so is the fast increase of the number of women in the profession. However, their numerical increase has not resulted to a corresponding increase in power, income and status from the profession. Women lawyers in Canada have faced and indeed continue to encounter various challenges in their professional endeavors as discussed hereunder.Main Difficulties Faced By Women Lawyers in CanadaThe issue of motherhood and marriage life is one challenge facing women in the legal profession. This is because it has led to women receiving less amount of pay compared to men under same conditions of work. This is based on the discrimination of w omen as it is assumed that they work less as they are tied to family issues according to Kaye and Reddy (2008). It is argued that mothers and married women work for fewer hours as lawyers, and in most cases do not work on fulltime bases hence the discrimination in terms of payment. Secondly, women lawyers face difficulties in their profession due to pregnancy. Women lawyers have faced the difficulty of getting recruited in law firms due to gender discrimination based on pregnancy. When women get pregnant, they experience bodily changes both physically and psychologically, and this is likely to interfere with their profession activities. In this respect, when they get pregnant, they are required to take a break from work. As a result they end up having little to do for their profession at this time of their life, and this is a challenge to the law firms they work for.Thirdly, women lawyers face difficulties by being proportionally underrepresented in private sector practice and overr epresented in government, public defender, corporate/private industry and legal aid work. Despite this, in organizations within which women are presented, they are usually concentrated in the bottom positions in terms of status and income. In private practice, women are underrepresented in the ranks of supervisor, partner and general counsel.Yet again, women in the legal profession face denial of the rights and are in most cases loaded with responsibilities on gender basis. Women lawyers are not being given equal opportunities for growth compared to their male counterparts. Women, as a result, tend to be given office work and are denied the chance engage in the real practice of their profession. This is because they are regarded as weak and highly emotional compared to men.Finally, another difficulty facing women lawyers in Canada is the issue of sexual harassment and humiliation during court proceedings as suggested by Morton (2002). Sometimes the women lawyers are threatened of se xual harassment even by their clients and even by fellow lawyers. This has led to less women engaging in this profession.What Can Be Done To Make It Easier For Women Lawyers to SucceedThe establishment of women rights organizations which fight for the rights of women lawyers against discrimination may be a step toward winning the war for women in the legal profession. These organizations should enact provisions which will help in protecting women in this profession. Moreover, such existing firms should adopt more provocative measures to ensue that women who face these difficulties do not leave the profession but are given appropriate support. Women’s organizations such as the Women’s Law Association have emerged in order to help women counter these difficulties according to Abel and Lewis (1995). Another way to counter the difficulties faced by female lawyers is by establishing counseling and mentorship programs in their favor. Through these programs, women lawyers sho uld be encouraged to face such difficulties with determination since some of them like family issues are hard to avoid. Women lawyers should be counseled on how to balance their family life and work life in order to succeed.Women also need to adopt social networks which will enable them understand how to handle their clients and fellow lawyers. In such a case, women lawyers will be able to fight against sexual harassment and other humiliating behaviors in court proceedings. This is because the social networks help women lawyers in establishing and maintaining important relationships with fellow lawyers and clients.The government should enact provisions which are against the discrimination of women in legal firms. This will ensure that women recruited in the law firms are treated similarly with men. This will lead women toward high motivation at work in the legal field leading to a successful career.ConclusionIn conclusion women lawyers in Canada have been facing difficulties in thei r profession and this is mostly due to the factors outlined above. This has led to a situation whereby women are losing interest in the profession and many who study law do not end up working as legal experts. ReferencesKaye,J.S. & Reddy, A.C. (2008). The Progress of women lawyers at big firms: steadied or simply studied? Fordham law Review. Vol74,issue 4, 1942-1974Abel, R.L. & Lewis. P.C. (1995). Lawyers in Society: An Overview. California: University of California Press.Morton,F.L. (2002). Law, Politics and the Judicial Process in Canada. Calgary: University of Calgary Press.