The novel Farewell, My Lovely Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The novel Farewell, My Lovely - Essay Example From the very beginning, the main character, Philip Marlowe does to Los Angeles. His journey leads him from the bottom to the top class of Los Angeles society, whose problems he denounces in sharp tones. Marlowe visits the home of a Southern California "psychic consultant" and a private house that is really a hideout for criminals. Marlowe disrespects himself as he is forced to do offensive things in the line of duty. One day, he has to make dead drunk an alcoholic widow to know more information from her, and at another case "he had picked a poor man's pocket," when he is discovered by a Mr. Grayle just as he is about to kiss the elderly gentleman's wife. He takes care of Marriott and tries to protect her from the outside world. One day, he investigates that Velma and Mrs. Grayle is the same person. Marlowe investigates that this woman killed Marriott. At the end of the story, she kills Malloy and commits suicide to avoid punishment. Chandler creates a strong and sympathetic character of Marlowe able to protect himself and fund truth. A detective element is particularly effective in the way that it resonates with the text's overall treatment of issues. The society recognizes that individual preferences can vary widely, and all behavior is openly tolerated as long as it is consensual for all participants. Plurality is again the keynote. If the dramatic context of the crime -cycle provided the essential clue for the interpretation of evil and suffering, the solidity and permanence of that context was responsible for the unshakeable conventions which governed the expression of suffering and evil. "I stood there and thought that if I lived in the house, I would sooner or later have to climb up there and help him. He didn't seem to be really trying" (Chandler 87). Chandler's vision of social problems is a place of diversity and change and is specifically presented as a preferable alternative to the consolation of pro blems. The specific tone of this selfconsciousness, along with the book's indeterminate message, also identifies The strain of lyric lament, however, is not a characteristic of the speeches given to evil figures, whose mode of suffering is wrathful or desperate, but it does characterize the innocent sufferers. The character of Marlowe can be seen as a moral center of the novel. Within its transparently didactic framework, the personifications of vices and virtues contend for the allegiance of the central figure or figures that represent man. The characteristic plot is a contest, and its characteristic movement is from the seduction of mankind by vice to the salvation of mankind by virtue and repentance. The fundamental issue of morality is thus always the same, and it is by definition a highly serious one; the fundamental evil involved, sin in one or another of its particular forms, is also always the same, and just as serious. But the dramaturgical expression of the issue and the evil, drawing from the heritage of the crime novel, combined both moral gravity and comic effect; the comedy of evil persisted along with the allegory of evil; like the allegory, it found its support and basis in the doctrinal and homiletic formulation which was responsible for the morality tradition The crime scene of the story is a complex one which consists of several sub-scenes. The first sub-scene reveals true identity of Velma and Mrs. Grayle, the second one depicts that she kills

Concepts for Environmental Sustainability

Concepts for Environmental Sustainability A Perspective on environmental sustainability? Environmental Sustainability The Commissioner acts as an independent voice that advocates, audits and reports on environmental sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning of environmental sustainability. The community needs a definition of environmental sustainability that is easily understood, is logical, and is helpful in facilitating understanding, communication and effective action by all key players (government, community, business, innovators, academia, communicators, etc.). The paper also explores the meaning of related terms and definitions eg. sustainability and related words in common usage ecologically sustainable development (as defined by the Commissioners enabling legislation) sustainable development (the Brundtland definition) triple bottom line. A preferred definition of environmental sustainability Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain things or qualities that are valued in the physical environment This is the simplest and most fundamental way to express the concept.But people using the term environmental sustainability can specify or elaborate the term further to add extra meaning or to apply the concept to more specialised contexts. What is the physical environment? This is the physical surrounds to something.For example, the land, waters and atmosphere, physical resources and thebuildings and roadsand other physical elements go to make up the urban environment.Rural environments are made up of the farms and living areas of people andthe land and waters and atmosphere and biological elements (species utilised by agriculture, pest species, and native species, and ecological communities both human induced and natural).Natural environments are those where the influence of wild species (indigenous and naturalised) is dominant or very strong.Physical resources, of all sorts, including mineral resources, can be considered to be part of the environment. Physical environments can be considered on all scales from the micro to the local, global and even larger scales. There is no sharp distinction between the environmental and other domains (eg. social and economic) in fact the content of each domain overlaps other domains massively. The key to understan ding doesnt lie in trying to set non-overlappingboundaries between the domains but lies in being clear about the focus of different domains. (Link to) Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Act 00 The physical environment includes the natural and biological environments. What makes an issue a sustainability issue? A sustainability issue arises whenever a valued system, object, process or attribute is under threat.The existence of the valued system, object, process or attribute could be threatened or its quality could be threatened with serious decline. In other words there is a sustainability issue whenever there is something that is valued that faces the risk of not being maintained. Whenever there is a strong sense of urgency, there is always a sustainability issue involved.This urgency couldrelate to something thatalready existsortoan understood potential.For example biodiversity might be threatened with extinction or the chance to realise the potential of a human being might be threatened, for example, if they remain in poverty or their lives are threatened by violence or disease.(The latter would usually be thought of as being social sustainability issues.) What exactly are we trying to maintain in the physical environment and who decides? There is no automatic, fixed agenda built into the term environmental sustainability. We have to look to the context to see what might be sustained.And many people and organisations already have well developedideas about what aspects of the total environment should be sustained when environmental sustainability is pursued. In a place like Victoria, with our culture, political processes and physical environment, there is strong public pressure to maintain (sustain) things like: ecosystem services (eg. nutrient cycling, the water cycle, natural water purification, climate moderation, soil protection high quality urban environments areas of natural beauty other species and ecological communities the user value flowing from physical resources (eg. minerals, energy, renewableresources, water) What motivates us to want to sustain something in the physical environment? We might want to sustain something in the physical environment because it is useful to us: e.g. the quality of local urban environments. Or we might want to do it because we care about the wellbeing of other people or other species for their sake, not ours. That is we can be motivated by utilitarian concerns and/or altruism. Sometimes we maintain something in the environmental domain in order to make it possible to achieve another goal in another domain.For example, we might sustain marine habitats in order to support the livelihood of coastal townships.Or we might sustain renewable resources so that we can support economic development or genuine progress Genuine progress is development that creates new benefits without undermining or destroying old benefits that are still valued in the community.In recent years a lot of work has been done on ‘genuine progress indicators as alternatives to GDP measures .) How long should we try to sustain something? This question can only be answered after deciding specifically what needs to be sustained and why. For example, ecosystems services for clean air would need to be sustained as long as there are living things (including people) that need to breatheclean air.For all practical purposes that means forever . Living species seem to last on average a few million years before becoming extinct though some may evolve into new species.So if we maintained a natural extinction rate for species it is so low that for practical purposes we would need to manage in the here and now as if we wanted all species to survive, effectively forever. Sustaining the recycling of certain materials may only need to continue for as long as those material types are needed technologically, and depending on the pace of technical change this could be for centuries or for decades.It is risky to assume that resources are only needed for a short time however as society might find new uses for materials as technology, lifestyles and environmental awareness develop. When it comes to trying to sustain habitat on a site-s pecific basis, very specific localised habitat or ecological community patches might need to persist for anywhere between thousands of years and just a few years depending on the ecological system involved provided all of the dependent species can access these habitat or ecological community typessomewhere consistently and at adequate scale within their local ranges forever. Is there any connection betweenenvironmental sustainability and social or economic sustainability? Since humans depend in countless ways on the physical environment (both natural and human constructed) sustaining desired environmental conditions directly contributes to the sustaining of people and human societies, that is, to social sustainability.The viability of theeconomy clearly depends on environmental resources and service flows so economicsustainability depends on environmental sustainability. More generally it can be seen that sustainability in one domain can be necessary for sustainability in another.Sustainability requirements can be mapped to show complex dependencies across domains.We classify sustainability issues into separate domains, not because the sustainabilityissues are unrelated, but for reasons of convenience and tradition, for example, to allow specialisations to develop in RD and administration, to break up complex whole into mentally manageable chunks, to reflect historical connections, etc. Can the idea of environmental sustainability drive commitments to specific action? While the idea ofenvironmental sustainability is very broad in its possible scope, concerns for environmental sustainability can be translated in specific practical goals and these can and should drive action programs.See the section How to use the definition of environmental sustainability to facilitate effective action. on page . Is restoration part of an environmental sustainability program? In a world where life-support systems and other conditions required for sustainability have been run down,environmental sustainability can only be achieved through a combination of both preventive and restorative actions.So restoration is a key part of what needs to be done to achieve sustainability.In most instances it is better to avoid destroying environmental values in the first place rather than relying on restoration as the primary strategy.However, where damage has been done that could prevent valued elements of the physical environment being sustained, restoration should not be overlooked. If we pursue an environmental sustainability program how much should we try tosustain? The physical environment is powerfully affected by and is made up of evolving systems ecological systems, societies and economies.These evolving systems will create changes in some aspects of the physical environment and will prevent or resist changes in other aspects.So anenvironmental sustainability program could never aim to sustain or maintain absolutely every component and attribute of the entire physical environment.Anyenvironmental sustainability program must start out by being clear about what it is hoped will be maintained in the physical environment and what can be allowed to change or what will be made to change.Precisely what people set out to sustain within the physical environment will depend on their value judgements, needs, skills and technology and available resources to support the action program and the current state and the dynamics of the physical environment.We cannot assume that we automatically know what should be sustained (and what should not) in the physic al environment just because there is an environmental sustainability program operating.We need to work the answer out explicitly. The origin of the core word sustain and its main derivatives The word sustain has been in the language for thousands of years.It comes from the Latin sustenare meaning to hold up ie. to support.From there it evolved long ago to mean to keep something going or extend its duration, with an overtone of providing the support or necessities that made the extended duration possible eg. a sustaining meal.These days, for commonest non-specialised use of the word the closest synonym is maintain. Sustain and its derivatives (eg. sustainability, sustainable, sustaining) were first used in a micro or personal context.However several hundreds of years ago the Swiss and Germans invented a form of forestry designed to keep the forest going as productive systems over the very long term and this was called, in the English speaking world, sustainable forestry.The idea was then extended to sustainable fisheries. From there it was not such a big step for the term to be applied, during the 0s and 0s, in the macro context of environmental issues where there was a need to sustain the whole environment and human society.This usage was established by the time of the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm. The drifts in meaning Having reached a macro level of application sustainability was most often talked about in terms of sustainable development.The 0 World Conservation Strategy produced by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN or World Conservation Union) put forward the concept of sustainable development meaning development that would allow ecosystem services and biodiversity to be sustained.The Brundtland Report shifted the meaning of sustainable development to mean â€Å"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generationsto meet their own needs†. Then the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio set in train processes such as Agenda and Local Agenda that resulted in many people coming to the view that sustainability equals the integration or balancing of environmental, social and economic issues or simultaneous progress in the environmental, social and economic domains, often in t he context of strong programs of consultation and participation. Many people however felt uneasy with the notion of development as it is often associated with the destruction of environmental and social attributes that they value, so they felt better talking about sustainability rather than sustainable development. So, over time sustainability and sustainable development came to be treated by many people as synonyms.This trend was reinforced because some people found the term sustainable development to be a bit of a mouthful and they used sustainability as a convenient (if inaccurate) shorthand. As the scale of the taskof achieving a sustainable environment and society has become apparent many people have tried to insulate themselves from the enormity of the challenge by retreating into small incremental changes.So some people have started to say that sustainability is a process of change and not an end state, and that its the journey that counts, not the destination. As the terms sustainability and sustainable development have been used more and more in government and corporate circles, because of increasing discussion of environment and development, the business world has started using the terms more and more for its own purposes.Curiouslyin this context sustainable has quickly reverted to its earlier simple meaning of able to be maintained.So sustainable profits, or sustainable competitive advantage mean profits or competitive advantage that can be maintained for the longer term.The straightforward use of sustain and its derivatives within the domain of business is understandable because businesses face competition and hence the risk of decline and extinction every day of the week.This experience of threat leads business people to reproduce meanings of the terms that are the same as those in long-term common usage or those in the area of biological conservation. The benefits of definitional clarity and a strong relationship to core meanings The important benefit of definitional clarity is that it makes it easier to avoid logical problems and makes effective action more likely. A search on the web reveals hundreds of definitions of sustainability and sustainable development Although this diversity is a little overwhelmingit is not really. surprising given that there are many diverse people involved in the sustainability debate and there are legitimate complexities involved.However, a careful review of these definitions reveals that they fall into four basic categories only one of which (type ) is a normal dictionary-style definition.The other types are referred to in this paper as contextual definitions because they create a greater understanding of the context of a term rather than defining its essence.The four types of definitions are: Type : definitions based on the essence: x is/means y eg. sustainability is/means the ability to sustain something; sustainable development is development that can be maintained; sustaining development is development that sustains something Type : contextual definitions based onstrategies for achieving the thing being defined: the achievement of x requires y eg. the achievement of sustainability requires, for example, the integration of environmental, social and economic issues Type : contextual definitions based on the outcomes of the thing being defined: x results in y; eg. sustainable development results inthe meeting of needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations Type : contextual definitions based on what amovement with that label tries to achieve or is interested in: x is what the X movement strives for eg. sustainability is what the Sustainability movement strives for ie. Sustainability encompasses the protection of the environment and people, peace, and end to poverty, the meeting of human needs, enhancement of human wellbeing, promotion of happiness, etc., etc., etc. Furthermore any of these types of definitions can be framed in a more general or a narrower context eg. applied to whole systems eg. society and the environment or just to specific contexts eg. the environment of a particular species, or to specific human communities or a particular economy. The last three types of definition can be useful as they are carefully expressed so it is  clear what sort of context they are creating.But if they are written using words that See Susan Murcotts list of definitions of sustainable development in the Reference section. Where sustaining is used as an adjective (not as a verb). suggest that they are type , or dictionary-style, definitions then these types of definitions usually cause significant confusion. For example, the type definition the achievement of sustainability requires, for example, the integration of environmental, social and economic issues is usually presented as if it were a type definition ie. sustainability is the integration of environmental, social and economic issues.This produces the absurd implication that if we simply consider environmental, social and economic issues together that this somehow generates a sustainability outcome.Often the opposite is true because the issues are traded off against each other and one or more of the objectives are not adequately fulfilled leading to a decline (unsustainability) in the domains traded off. So in this case, a lack of clarity in the expression of the definition leads to a substitution of means for ends and the outcome is unsustainability. The much-used Brundtland definition of sustainable development is a type definition, that is, it describes what theoutcome will be of pursuing sustainable development.The wording that is universally used is â€Å"sustainable developmentis development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†.But this is in fact a not-careful-enough paraphrasing of the original in the Brundtland report which read: â€Å"Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† (definition quoted from p. of the Brun dtland Report).The Brundtland statement should have been paraphrased along the followinglines: â€Å"sustainable development can under the right circumstances result in the needs of the present being met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. This formulation then focuses peoples attention on what is to be sustained, what needs are to be met in different generations and what strategies are to be applied to get the desired outcomes. Not only is definitional clarity important but so is maintaining a strong relationship between the core meaning of words and their various derived forms.For example, the terms sustainability and sustainable development are now used interchangeably by many people.For some, the motivation fordoing this is to find a shorter term to substitute for sustainable development.Others prefer to use the term sustainability as a synonym for sustainable development because they dont like talking about development since in their experience it has negative connotations either for themselves or for others.  But the end result is that two terms that originally had distinctly different meanings which served practical communication purposes are now blurred into each other thus losing the distinction of meaning. Or sustainable development. Sustainability is about continuity and development is about change. There are manythings about life that we want to sustain (maintain) and many that we want to change.So it makes sense to create the notion of sustainable development that combinesdesired change and desired continuity -for example we might change exploitation,unhappiness, poverty, destructiveness, etc.and sustain the rest of nature, trust, tolerance, honesty, happiness, health, etc.Treated in this waysustainable development doesnt have to be an oxymoron (a combination of conflicting terms). While theory says that sustainable development does not have to be an oxymoron, it can sometimes take quite a bit of negotiation before a whole society can be comfortable with a shared definition of what should be maintained and what should be changed. Developing a preferred definition of environmental sustainability The meanings of words gain their legitimacy from shared use, so in the final analysis there are no independently correct meanings, just meanings that are well understood by many people But words also help to shape our understandings and then our. actions, so the key question is not what is the correct definition? but what do we want environmental sustainability to mean, what would be most desirable? How we choose to answer this questiondepends critically on our preference for treating environmental sustainability as either a practical goal or a utopian concept. The historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee wrote in A study of history () that: The twentieth century will be chiefly remembered by future generations not as an era of political conflicts or technical inventions, but as an age in which human society dared to think of the welfare of the whole human race as a practical objective. Sometimes the meaning of words can evolve into almost their opposite.For example terrific used to mean to c ause extreme terror now it most often means extraordinarily good.The linking meaning was probably exciting eg. the roller coaster ride was terrific†. The quote by English historian Arnold J. Toynbee was used in Lester B. Pearsons Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in . (Pearson won for introducing the concept of peacekeeping through the United Nations.)From: http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates//pearson-lecture.html This could be extended so that we think of our present era as being distinguished as the age in which human society dared to think of the welfare of both the whole human race and the whole planet as a practical objective. If this is so then we can perhaps put aside the idea of seeingenvironmental sustainability as a utopian concept and, instead, opt for seeing it as a practical objective, that is, something to be both aspired to and achieved. But we should be doubly practical. We want to be able to use a definition of environmental sustainability that: makes it easier for us to get things done (the first practicality) and we want the definition to help us focus our minds on getting the most important or relevant things done (the second practicality). To help in getting things done a definition of environmental sustainability will need to: facilitate communication between all the people who need to be involved in the issue make it easier to identify actions that need to be taken in order to achieve environmental sustainability Before exploring how thechoice of definition ofenvironmental sustainabilitycan help us be doubly practical we need to identify some definitional choices that we can apply our choice-criteria to. Some of the basic types of definitions of environmental and sustainability that are used currently are: environmental. referring to just the biological environment referring to all possible environments(contexts) eg. social, economic, physical,intellectual referring to the physical environment including thebiological, the geomorphological environment and theconstructed and cultural physical environments sustainability.. meaning the integration or balancing of social, environmental and economic issues,or programs or actions based on stakeholder or community consultation meaning sustainable development or making people better off in an ethically sound way meaning the ability to sustain something. How should we select among these options if we want to facilitate communication? There is really no sectorof the economy or group of people in the community that should be uninvolved in efforts to achieveenvironmental sustainability.Soifitis possible to use simple definitions that are in common usage throughout the whole community there is a good chance that most people will be able to understand each0 other.Also definitions that are widely spread in the community are likely to be more stable because drifts in meaning that emerge in small groups are not likely to be taken up by the whole population. The compound-concept ofenvironmental sustainability is not widely used in the community, nor is the word sustainability.But the core concept to sustain is widely used, and the term environmentor environmental is widely used.In common usage to sustain means tokeep something going or maintain something.Environment means, incommon usage, either the context or surroundings of something, or itmeans, more specifically, the physical environment.Clearly the Parliament of Victoria, when it passed the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Act 00, was using the word environment in the sense of the physical environment rather than more universal meaning of the context for anything. How can our choice of definition make it easier to identify actions to take to achieve environmental sustainability? Having an action focus, especially where the aim is actually to achieve desired outcomes, means that it is not helpful touse definitions that are fuzzy or based on logical confusion.So treating sustainability and sustainable development as synonyms (ie. as having the same meaning) is not likely to be a good idea.Adding the word sustainable to development must change the type of development we are talking about otherwise why would we bother talking about sustainable development if we could more conveniently just use the word development?So if we say that sustainability has the same meaning as sustainable development what we saying in logical terms is: Concept A= Concept A + Concept B In other words it doesnt make any logical sense at all! This sort of definitional fuzziness and confusion can only persist where people are not trying to be clear about what they are talking about.And indeed some people argue that sustainability is anunattainable goal so they are not greatly fussed about the details of the definition that they use. (That is, they treat environmental sustainability as a Utopian concept rather than a practical goal.) However, if we want to use a definition ofenvironmental sustainability that makes action easier then we should avoid confusions like defining sustainability as sustainable development. How can our choice of definition help us focus our minds on gettingthe most important or relevant things done? We can only answer this by going back to what motivated societys interest in environmental sustainability in the first place.The historical record makes it clear that people became concerned aboutenvironmental sustainability when they discovered tha t aspects of the environment that they loved or depended on for survival or quality of life were threatened with extinction or serious degradation.There was an urgent concern about loss that made people think about sustainability.Were they originally thinking about integrating environmental, social and economic issues?Not at all.They were worrying about maintaining or keeping going something that they valued.How then did the ‘integration or ‘balance definition emerge?After some years of trying to achieve environmental sustainability people realised that unless they also dealt with the interacting social and economic issues they would simply not succeed in achieving their environmental goals.But did this practical/pragmatic (and perhaps ethical) realisation, change peoples environmental goals? Not really. So why did some people then change the definition of environmental sustainability to mean the integration of environmental, socialand economic issues? It was most likely because their practical focus of attention had shifted to the integration issue and they inadvertently made a classic mistake of confusing means with ends (ie. methods with goals) There is another issue that bears on thequestion of getting the most important or relevant things done.Andthat is, in what way does environmental qualify the notion of sustainability when they are compounded?Doesenvironmental sustainabilityimply the sustainability of thewhole physical environment?Or just parts of it?From a practical point of view the physical environment is so inclusive that no real-lifeenvironmental sustainabilityprogram would everset out to sustain and maintain every aspect.If we tried to do that we would, for example, freeze in place or maintain the distribution and abundance of pest plants and animals, the reduced distribution and abundance of native species, coal-fired power stations and an excessive allocation of land and resourcesto road-based transport, dangerous and resource inef ficient buildings, over-built flood plains, etc. Societys are always selective about what they want to sustain even if the agenda for action is still a huge one (eg. maintaining life support systems, maintaining quality of life, keeping native species going, maintaining the resource-base for the economy, etc.). Finally, if we are concerned to get the most important or relevant things done, what definitions should we rule out? Definitions of sustainability such as the integration or balancing of social, environmental and economic issues, or programs or actions based on stakeholder or community consultation no longer seem appropriate and definingenvironmental sustainability as applying to absolutely everything in the physical environment no longer seems useful. Pulling all these issues together, it is now possible to propose a preferred definition for environmental sustainability as follows: environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain things or qualities that arevalued in the physical environment . This happens because people have a way of expressing themselves that goes like this: environmental sustainability is all about .(insert the practical action or implication of their choice).Then people forget that this is not a definitional statement and they go on to treat it as one. A compatible suite of sustainability terms This suite of words has been developed to distinguish: between what is doing the sustaining and what it is being sustained ie. between means and ends the scope of what is being sustained Word (form) Meaning Suggested usage Incompatible usage sustain (verb) means to maintain something through time; to keep it going; to extend its duration eg. communities are working to sustain ecosystem services, or quality of life or other species sustainability (noun) means the ability or capability to sustain (maintain) something eg. will this community ach ieve sustainability for the things that it wants to persist through time (adjective) means related to or having to do with sustainability eg. a sustainability action plan is an action plan about sustainability not an action plan that can be kept in operation over an extended period sustainable (adjective) means able to be sustained, durable or able to be maintained (note: in this meaning the noun that the word is attached to is the thing that is sustained) eg. a sustainable policy is a policy that is kept in force over an extended period not a policy about sustainability sustaining (adjective) means having the propensity or tend Concepts for Environmental Sustainability Concepts for Environmental Sustainability A Perspective on environmental sustainability? Environmental Sustainability The Commissioner acts as an independent voice that advocates, audits and reports on environmental sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning of environmental sustainability. The community needs a definition of environmental sustainability that is easily understood, is logical, and is helpful in facilitating understanding, communication and effective action by all key players (government, community, business, innovators, academia, communicators, etc.). The paper also explores the meaning of related terms and definitions eg. sustainability and related words in common usage ecologically sustainable development (as defined by the Commissioners enabling legislation) sustainable development (the Brundtland definition) triple bottom line. A preferred definition of environmental sustainability Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain things or qualities that are valued in the physical environment This is the simplest and most fundamental way to express the concept.But people using the term environmental sustainability can specify or elaborate the term further to add extra meaning or to apply the concept to more specialised contexts. What is the physical environment? This is the physical surrounds to something.For example, the land, waters and atmosphere, physical resources and thebuildings and roadsand other physical elements go to make up the urban environment.Rural environments are made up of the farms and living areas of people andthe land and waters and atmosphere and biological elements (species utilised by agriculture, pest species, and native species, and ecological communities both human induced and natural).Natural environments are those where the influence of wild species (indigenous and naturalised) is dominant or very strong.Physical resources, of all sorts, including mineral resources, can be considered to be part of the environment. Physical environments can be considered on all scales from the micro to the local, global and even larger scales. There is no sharp distinction between the environmental and other domains (eg. social and economic) in fact the content of each domain overlaps other domains massively. The key to understan ding doesnt lie in trying to set non-overlappingboundaries between the domains but lies in being clear about the focus of different domains. (Link to) Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Act 00 The physical environment includes the natural and biological environments. What makes an issue a sustainability issue? A sustainability issue arises whenever a valued system, object, process or attribute is under threat.The existence of the valued system, object, process or attribute could be threatened or its quality could be threatened with serious decline. In other words there is a sustainability issue whenever there is something that is valued that faces the risk of not being maintained. Whenever there is a strong sense of urgency, there is always a sustainability issue involved.This urgency couldrelate to something thatalready existsortoan understood potential.For example biodiversity might be threatened with extinction or the chance to realise the potential of a human being might be threatened, for example, if they remain in poverty or their lives are threatened by violence or disease.(The latter would usually be thought of as being social sustainability issues.) What exactly are we trying to maintain in the physical environment and who decides? There is no automatic, fixed agenda built into the term environmental sustainability. We have to look to the context to see what might be sustained.And many people and organisations already have well developedideas about what aspects of the total environment should be sustained when environmental sustainability is pursued. In a place like Victoria, with our culture, political processes and physical environment, there is strong public pressure to maintain (sustain) things like: ecosystem services (eg. nutrient cycling, the water cycle, natural water purification, climate moderation, soil protection high quality urban environments areas of natural beauty other species and ecological communities the user value flowing from physical resources (eg. minerals, energy, renewableresources, water) What motivates us to want to sustain something in the physical environment? We might want to sustain something in the physical environment because it is useful to us: e.g. the quality of local urban environments. Or we might want to do it because we care about the wellbeing of other people or other species for their sake, not ours. That is we can be motivated by utilitarian concerns and/or altruism. Sometimes we maintain something in the environmental domain in order to make it possible to achieve another goal in another domain.For example, we might sustain marine habitats in order to support the livelihood of coastal townships.Or we might sustain renewable resources so that we can support economic development or genuine progress Genuine progress is development that creates new benefits without undermining or destroying old benefits that are still valued in the community.In recent years a lot of work has been done on ‘genuine progress indicators as alternatives to GDP measures .) How long should we try to sustain something? This question can only be answered after deciding specifically what needs to be sustained and why. For example, ecosystems services for clean air would need to be sustained as long as there are living things (including people) that need to breatheclean air.For all practical purposes that means forever . Living species seem to last on average a few million years before becoming extinct though some may evolve into new species.So if we maintained a natural extinction rate for species it is so low that for practical purposes we would need to manage in the here and now as if we wanted all species to survive, effectively forever. Sustaining the recycling of certain materials may only need to continue for as long as those material types are needed technologically, and depending on the pace of technical change this could be for centuries or for decades.It is risky to assume that resources are only needed for a short time however as society might find new uses for materials as technology, lifestyles and environmental awareness develop. When it comes to trying to sustain habitat on a site-s pecific basis, very specific localised habitat or ecological community patches might need to persist for anywhere between thousands of years and just a few years depending on the ecological system involved provided all of the dependent species can access these habitat or ecological community typessomewhere consistently and at adequate scale within their local ranges forever. Is there any connection betweenenvironmental sustainability and social or economic sustainability? Since humans depend in countless ways on the physical environment (both natural and human constructed) sustaining desired environmental conditions directly contributes to the sustaining of people and human societies, that is, to social sustainability.The viability of theeconomy clearly depends on environmental resources and service flows so economicsustainability depends on environmental sustainability. More generally it can be seen that sustainability in one domain can be necessary for sustainability in another.Sustainability requirements can be mapped to show complex dependencies across domains.We classify sustainability issues into separate domains, not because the sustainabilityissues are unrelated, but for reasons of convenience and tradition, for example, to allow specialisations to develop in RD and administration, to break up complex whole into mentally manageable chunks, to reflect historical connections, etc. Can the idea of environmental sustainability drive commitments to specific action? While the idea ofenvironmental sustainability is very broad in its possible scope, concerns for environmental sustainability can be translated in specific practical goals and these can and should drive action programs.See the section How to use the definition of environmental sustainability to facilitate effective action. on page . Is restoration part of an environmental sustainability program? In a world where life-support systems and other conditions required for sustainability have been run down,environmental sustainability can only be achieved through a combination of both preventive and restorative actions.So restoration is a key part of what needs to be done to achieve sustainability.In most instances it is better to avoid destroying environmental values in the first place rather than relying on restoration as the primary strategy.However, where damage has been done that could prevent valued elements of the physical environment being sustained, restoration should not be overlooked. If we pursue an environmental sustainability program how much should we try tosustain? The physical environment is powerfully affected by and is made up of evolving systems ecological systems, societies and economies.These evolving systems will create changes in some aspects of the physical environment and will prevent or resist changes in other aspects.So anenvironmental sustainability program could never aim to sustain or maintain absolutely every component and attribute of the entire physical environment.Anyenvironmental sustainability program must start out by being clear about what it is hoped will be maintained in the physical environment and what can be allowed to change or what will be made to change.Precisely what people set out to sustain within the physical environment will depend on their value judgements, needs, skills and technology and available resources to support the action program and the current state and the dynamics of the physical environment.We cannot assume that we automatically know what should be sustained (and what should not) in the physic al environment just because there is an environmental sustainability program operating.We need to work the answer out explicitly. The origin of the core word sustain and its main derivatives The word sustain has been in the language for thousands of years.It comes from the Latin sustenare meaning to hold up ie. to support.From there it evolved long ago to mean to keep something going or extend its duration, with an overtone of providing the support or necessities that made the extended duration possible eg. a sustaining meal.These days, for commonest non-specialised use of the word the closest synonym is maintain. Sustain and its derivatives (eg. sustainability, sustainable, sustaining) were first used in a micro or personal context.However several hundreds of years ago the Swiss and Germans invented a form of forestry designed to keep the forest going as productive systems over the very long term and this was called, in the English speaking world, sustainable forestry.The idea was then extended to sustainable fisheries. From there it was not such a big step for the term to be applied, during the 0s and 0s, in the macro context of environmental issues where there was a need to sustain the whole environment and human society.This usage was established by the time of the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm. The drifts in meaning Having reached a macro level of application sustainability was most often talked about in terms of sustainable development.The 0 World Conservation Strategy produced by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN or World Conservation Union) put forward the concept of sustainable development meaning development that would allow ecosystem services and biodiversity to be sustained.The Brundtland Report shifted the meaning of sustainable development to mean â€Å"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generationsto meet their own needs†. Then the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio set in train processes such as Agenda and Local Agenda that resulted in many people coming to the view that sustainability equals the integration or balancing of environmental, social and economic issues or simultaneous progress in the environmental, social and economic domains, often in t he context of strong programs of consultation and participation. Many people however felt uneasy with the notion of development as it is often associated with the destruction of environmental and social attributes that they value, so they felt better talking about sustainability rather than sustainable development. So, over time sustainability and sustainable development came to be treated by many people as synonyms.This trend was reinforced because some people found the term sustainable development to be a bit of a mouthful and they used sustainability as a convenient (if inaccurate) shorthand. As the scale of the taskof achieving a sustainable environment and society has become apparent many people have tried to insulate themselves from the enormity of the challenge by retreating into small incremental changes.So some people have started to say that sustainability is a process of change and not an end state, and that its the journey that counts, not the destination. As the terms sustainability and sustainable development have been used more and more in government and corporate circles, because of increasing discussion of environment and development, the business world has started using the terms more and more for its own purposes.Curiouslyin this context sustainable has quickly reverted to its earlier simple meaning of able to be maintained.So sustainable profits, or sustainable competitive advantage mean profits or competitive advantage that can be maintained for the longer term.The straightforward use of sustain and its derivatives within the domain of business is understandable because businesses face competition and hence the risk of decline and extinction every day of the week.This experience of threat leads business people to reproduce meanings of the terms that are the same as those in long-term common usage or those in the area of biological conservation. The benefits of definitional clarity and a strong relationship to core meanings The important benefit of definitional clarity is that it makes it easier to avoid logical problems and makes effective action more likely. A search on the web reveals hundreds of definitions of sustainability and sustainable development Although this diversity is a little overwhelmingit is not really. surprising given that there are many diverse people involved in the sustainability debate and there are legitimate complexities involved.However, a careful review of these definitions reveals that they fall into four basic categories only one of which (type ) is a normal dictionary-style definition.The other types are referred to in this paper as contextual definitions because they create a greater understanding of the context of a term rather than defining its essence.The four types of definitions are: Type : definitions based on the essence: x is/means y eg. sustainability is/means the ability to sustain something; sustainable development is development that can be maintained; sustaining development is development that sustains something Type : contextual definitions based onstrategies for achieving the thing being defined: the achievement of x requires y eg. the achievement of sustainability requires, for example, the integration of environmental, social and economic issues Type : contextual definitions based on the outcomes of the thing being defined: x results in y; eg. sustainable development results inthe meeting of needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations Type : contextual definitions based on what amovement with that label tries to achieve or is interested in: x is what the X movement strives for eg. sustainability is what the Sustainability movement strives for ie. Sustainability encompasses the protection of the environment and people, peace, and end to poverty, the meeting of human needs, enhancement of human wellbeing, promotion of happiness, etc., etc., etc. Furthermore any of these types of definitions can be framed in a more general or a narrower context eg. applied to whole systems eg. society and the environment or just to specific contexts eg. the environment of a particular species, or to specific human communities or a particular economy. The last three types of definition can be useful as they are carefully expressed so it is  clear what sort of context they are creating.But if they are written using words that See Susan Murcotts list of definitions of sustainable development in the Reference section. Where sustaining is used as an adjective (not as a verb). suggest that they are type , or dictionary-style, definitions then these types of definitions usually cause significant confusion. For example, the type definition the achievement of sustainability requires, for example, the integration of environmental, social and economic issues is usually presented as if it were a type definition ie. sustainability is the integration of environmental, social and economic issues.This produces the absurd implication that if we simply consider environmental, social and economic issues together that this somehow generates a sustainability outcome.Often the opposite is true because the issues are traded off against each other and one or more of the objectives are not adequately fulfilled leading to a decline (unsustainability) in the domains traded off. So in this case, a lack of clarity in the expression of the definition leads to a substitution of means for ends and the outcome is unsustainability. The much-used Brundtland definition of sustainable development is a type definition, that is, it describes what theoutcome will be of pursuing sustainable development.The wording that is universally used is â€Å"sustainable developmentis development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†.But this is in fact a not-careful-enough paraphrasing of the original in the Brundtland report which read: â€Å"Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† (definition quoted from p. of the Brun dtland Report).The Brundtland statement should have been paraphrased along the followinglines: â€Å"sustainable development can under the right circumstances result in the needs of the present being met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. This formulation then focuses peoples attention on what is to be sustained, what needs are to be met in different generations and what strategies are to be applied to get the desired outcomes. Not only is definitional clarity important but so is maintaining a strong relationship between the core meaning of words and their various derived forms.For example, the terms sustainability and sustainable development are now used interchangeably by many people.For some, the motivation fordoing this is to find a shorter term to substitute for sustainable development.Others prefer to use the term sustainability as a synonym for sustainable development because they dont like talking about development since in their experience it has negative connotations either for themselves or for others.  But the end result is that two terms that originally had distinctly different meanings which served practical communication purposes are now blurred into each other thus losing the distinction of meaning. Or sustainable development. Sustainability is about continuity and development is about change. There are manythings about life that we want to sustain (maintain) and many that we want to change.So it makes sense to create the notion of sustainable development that combinesdesired change and desired continuity -for example we might change exploitation,unhappiness, poverty, destructiveness, etc.and sustain the rest of nature, trust, tolerance, honesty, happiness, health, etc.Treated in this waysustainable development doesnt have to be an oxymoron (a combination of conflicting terms). While theory says that sustainable development does not have to be an oxymoron, it can sometimes take quite a bit of negotiation before a whole society can be comfortable with a shared definition of what should be maintained and what should be changed. Developing a preferred definition of environmental sustainability The meanings of words gain their legitimacy from shared use, so in the final analysis there are no independently correct meanings, just meanings that are well understood by many people But words also help to shape our understandings and then our. actions, so the key question is not what is the correct definition? but what do we want environmental sustainability to mean, what would be most desirable? How we choose to answer this questiondepends critically on our preference for treating environmental sustainability as either a practical goal or a utopian concept. The historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee wrote in A study of history () that: The twentieth century will be chiefly remembered by future generations not as an era of political conflicts or technical inventions, but as an age in which human society dared to think of the welfare of the whole human race as a practical objective. Sometimes the meaning of words can evolve into almost their opposite.For example terrific used to mean to c ause extreme terror now it most often means extraordinarily good.The linking meaning was probably exciting eg. the roller coaster ride was terrific†. The quote by English historian Arnold J. Toynbee was used in Lester B. Pearsons Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in . (Pearson won for introducing the concept of peacekeeping through the United Nations.)From: http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates//pearson-lecture.html This could be extended so that we think of our present era as being distinguished as the age in which human society dared to think of the welfare of both the whole human race and the whole planet as a practical objective. If this is so then we can perhaps put aside the idea of seeingenvironmental sustainability as a utopian concept and, instead, opt for seeing it as a practical objective, that is, something to be both aspired to and achieved. But we should be doubly practical. We want to be able to use a definition of environmental sustainability that: makes it easier for us to get things done (the first practicality) and we want the definition to help us focus our minds on getting the most important or relevant things done (the second practicality). To help in getting things done a definition of environmental sustainability will need to: facilitate communication between all the people who need to be involved in the issue make it easier to identify actions that need to be taken in order to achieve environmental sustainability Before exploring how thechoice of definition ofenvironmental sustainabilitycan help us be doubly practical we need to identify some definitional choices that we can apply our choice-criteria to. Some of the basic types of definitions of environmental and sustainability that are used currently are: environmental. referring to just the biological environment referring to all possible environments(contexts) eg. social, economic, physical,intellectual referring to the physical environment including thebiological, the geomorphological environment and theconstructed and cultural physical environments sustainability.. meaning the integration or balancing of social, environmental and economic issues,or programs or actions based on stakeholder or community consultation meaning sustainable development or making people better off in an ethically sound way meaning the ability to sustain something. How should we select among these options if we want to facilitate communication? There is really no sectorof the economy or group of people in the community that should be uninvolved in efforts to achieveenvironmental sustainability.Soifitis possible to use simple definitions that are in common usage throughout the whole community there is a good chance that most people will be able to understand each0 other.Also definitions that are widely spread in the community are likely to be more stable because drifts in meaning that emerge in small groups are not likely to be taken up by the whole population. The compound-concept ofenvironmental sustainability is not widely used in the community, nor is the word sustainability.But the core concept to sustain is widely used, and the term environmentor environmental is widely used.In common usage to sustain means tokeep something going or maintain something.Environment means, incommon usage, either the context or surroundings of something, or itmeans, more specifically, the physical environment.Clearly the Parliament of Victoria, when it passed the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Act 00, was using the word environment in the sense of the physical environment rather than more universal meaning of the context for anything. How can our choice of definition make it easier to identify actions to take to achieve environmental sustainability? Having an action focus, especially where the aim is actually to achieve desired outcomes, means that it is not helpful touse definitions that are fuzzy or based on logical confusion.So treating sustainability and sustainable development as synonyms (ie. as having the same meaning) is not likely to be a good idea.Adding the word sustainable to development must change the type of development we are talking about otherwise why would we bother talking about sustainable development if we could more conveniently just use the word development?So if we say that sustainability has the same meaning as sustainable development what we saying in logical terms is: Concept A= Concept A + Concept B In other words it doesnt make any logical sense at all! This sort of definitional fuzziness and confusion can only persist where people are not trying to be clear about what they are talking about.And indeed some people argue that sustainability is anunattainable goal so they are not greatly fussed about the details of the definition that they use. (That is, they treat environmental sustainability as a Utopian concept rather than a practical goal.) However, if we want to use a definition ofenvironmental sustainability that makes action easier then we should avoid confusions like defining sustainability as sustainable development. How can our choice of definition help us focus our minds on gettingthe most important or relevant things done? We can only answer this by going back to what motivated societys interest in environmental sustainability in the first place.The historical record makes it clear that people became concerned aboutenvironmental sustainability when they discovered tha t aspects of the environment that they loved or depended on for survival or quality of life were threatened with extinction or serious degradation.There was an urgent concern about loss that made people think about sustainability.Were they originally thinking about integrating environmental, social and economic issues?Not at all.They were worrying about maintaining or keeping going something that they valued.How then did the ‘integration or ‘balance definition emerge?After some years of trying to achieve environmental sustainability people realised that unless they also dealt with the interacting social and economic issues they would simply not succeed in achieving their environmental goals.But did this practical/pragmatic (and perhaps ethical) realisation, change peoples environmental goals? Not really. So why did some people then change the definition of environmental sustainability to mean the integration of environmental, socialand economic issues? It was most likely because their practical focus of attention had shifted to the integration issue and they inadvertently made a classic mistake of confusing means with ends (ie. methods with goals) There is another issue that bears on thequestion of getting the most important or relevant things done.Andthat is, in what way does environmental qualify the notion of sustainability when they are compounded?Doesenvironmental sustainabilityimply the sustainability of thewhole physical environment?Or just parts of it?From a practical point of view the physical environment is so inclusive that no real-lifeenvironmental sustainabilityprogram would everset out to sustain and maintain every aspect.If we tried to do that we would, for example, freeze in place or maintain the distribution and abundance of pest plants and animals, the reduced distribution and abundance of native species, coal-fired power stations and an excessive allocation of land and resourcesto road-based transport, dangerous and resource inef ficient buildings, over-built flood plains, etc. Societys are always selective about what they want to sustain even if the agenda for action is still a huge one (eg. maintaining life support systems, maintaining quality of life, keeping native species going, maintaining the resource-base for the economy, etc.). Finally, if we are concerned to get the most important or relevant things done, what definitions should we rule out? Definitions of sustainability such as the integration or balancing of social, environmental and economic issues, or programs or actions based on stakeholder or community consultation no longer seem appropriate and definingenvironmental sustainability as applying to absolutely everything in the physical environment no longer seems useful. Pulling all these issues together, it is now possible to propose a preferred definition for environmental sustainability as follows: environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain things or qualities that arevalued in the physical environment . This happens because people have a way of expressing themselves that goes like this: environmental sustainability is all about .(insert the practical action or implication of their choice).Then people forget that this is not a definitional statement and they go on to treat it as one. A compatible suite of sustainability terms This suite of words has been developed to distinguish: between what is doing the sustaining and what it is being sustained ie. between means and ends the scope of what is being sustained Word (form) Meaning Suggested usage Incompatible usage sustain (verb) means to maintain something through time; to keep it going; to extend its duration eg. communities are working to sustain ecosystem services, or quality of life or other species sustainability (noun) means the ability or capability to sustain (maintain) something eg. will this community ach ieve sustainability for the things that it wants to persist through time (adjective) means related to or having to do with sustainability eg. a sustainability action plan is an action plan about sustainability not an action plan that can be kept in operation over an extended period sustainable (adjective) means able to be sustained, durable or able to be maintained (note: in this meaning the noun that the word is attached to is the thing that is sustained) eg. a sustainable policy is a policy that is kept in force over an extended period not a policy about sustainability sustaining (adjective) means having the propensity or tend

Loyalty in Julius Caesar :: Julius Caesar Essays

A Question of Loyalty in Julius Caesar Loyalty defined means faithfulness to one's friends, country, ideals, etc. What should one do when these loyalties conflict with one another? One would have to choose. A choice that can make or break a man, which I believe broke many men in the play Julius Caesar. One did not know who was friend or foe. One's dearest friends actually your foes? Not possible, is it? Yes, it is. That is the story of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar, a great, noble man. A man for his country. A man loved by many and respected by all. Even respected by the men that cursed him with death. Why would men that loved and respected one kill them? Loyalty is the answer. A feeling of loyalty for your country that surpassed the loyalty of righteous virtues. Perhaps if loyalty had not been involved, the country of Rome would not have been torn apart. Or perhaps if loyalty to all and everything had been involved a great ruler named Caesar would have reigned for years. If the people of Rome would have remained loyal to Caesar perhaps a war would not have occurred, in fact, it most certainly would not have. After the death, the angry mob should have put the conspirators to death, not let them toy with their minds as they would a five year old. The mob, like a great many people, believe what is easiest to hear. In the mob of people did loyalty exist? Doubtful, little if any. What coexisted in the crowd with that little loyalty was ignorance, and much of it. I believe that Brutus showed the greatest amount of loyalty to his country. He just went about showing it in a corrupt manner. He sacrificed a great friend for what he thought would better Rome. Perhaps Brutus was one of the most noble in the play, but he was also the most misled. He was noble for assassinating not for selfish needs, but for the needs of the country. However, I believe he was weak. Weak for believing that Caesar was "ambitious". Brutus believed the one side of things that he heard, and that was from Cassius. Brutus is a prime example of people believing what

Body Art and Ornamentation Essay

There is no culture in which people do not, or did not paint, pierce, tattoo, reshape, or simply adorn their bodies (Schildkrout, 2001). Throughout history, body art and ornamentation has become a worldwide phenomenon and has played a key role in our lives, yet there is a social stigma which we cannot seem to rid ourselves of. It is most commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted which can be attributed to the fact that the symbolism and significance of the body art and/or ornamentation doesn’t always translate the same among the cultures. Although Western culture views body art and ornamentation as being associated with mischief and rebellion, Japanese and African cultures use it as a way of expressing spirituality as well as cultural expression. The existence of body art and ornamentation can be traced all the way back thirty thousand years or more back to when cavemen drew pictures on the cave walls. According to Kuhn & Stiner (n.d.), the alteration and enhancement of oneâ⠂¬â„¢s body originated from the Kapthurin formation in Kenya. Anthropologists even believe that body art and ornamentation was present during the Middle Pleistocene in both Eurasia and Africa. Expression and art are two factors that play a fundamental part in African culture. According to Clarke (2006), many African societies symbolically view body art and ornamentation as a special role in guiding one’s destiny and success, mediating between world of the living as well as the spiritual world, expressing community ideals, defining power and leadership, protecting and healing, and celebrating or commemorating the cycles of life, human and agricultural. African culture uses a variety of ways to display their body art and ornamentation depending on which society they live in. These ways include: incorporating shells, teeth, or claws into their clothing or jewelry, wearing colored body paint, exaggerating human features (i.e. elongation of the neck), gauging piercings in the ears and/or lip, scarification, and tattooing. Looking from another culture’s perspective, the various forms of African body art and ornamentation are seen as being weird, out of the ordinary, and we don’t understand the importance they hold within these African cultures. On the other hand, there are other cultures such as the Japanese, who instead of outwardly portraying their body art and ornamentation will instead conceal it so it won’t be visible at all. The first signs of body art and ornamentation which appear in the Japanese culture were first noted as originating all the way back to AD 297 (Rapp, 2010). Back then, tattoos would signify which occupational group certain men belonged to and men, both young and old, would get tattoos all over their bodies including their faces. Men would even go as far as getting full body tattoos which could be found on laborers, firemen, and gangsters (Hopkins-Tanne, 2000). The Chinese considered all Japanese tattoos an act of barbarism and was perceived as being extremely negative. The body art and ornamentation that exists and has existed within the Japanese culture spreads beyond just tattooing and there are a few other methods that they used. First, many married Japanese women or courtesan in the 10th through 19th centuries would apply a paste to their teeth which would blacken them (Schildkrout, 2001). This was considered as being beautiful as well as sexually appealing to where as we would vi ew that as abnormal and ugly. Secondly, they would bind the women’s feet in order to make them smaller and the process was extremely excruciating, but again, it was considered as being beautiful. The pain that was felt and the blood that was shed served as an offering to the gods, ancestors, and spirits (2001). On the other end of the spectrum, culture within the United States has a split view regarding body art and ornamentation. In the United States, forms of body art and ornamentation can include: tattoos, piercings, branding, corseting, scarification, gauging the earlobe, make-up, plastic surgery, and dental implants (Schwarz, 2006). We live in a society where we idolize and preach the importance of physical attractiveness. In doing so, there is the separation of individuals into five different groups that exist within the social structure. The five groups include: the conformist group, the innovators, ritualists, retreatists, and the rebellion group (Rapp, 2010). The conformist group consists of individuals who understand and accept the emphasis on the beauty of the body in its natural state and the only type of body art or ornamentation that’s used is superficial . On the other hand, the individuals who are classified as innovators accept the whole concept of the beauty of the natural body, but go to the extremes to achieve this. The individuals who refuse to conform to what society has deemed as beautiful yet maintains a natural body and stays within certain bounds regarding body art and ornamentation. Retreatists include individuals who don’t abide by the guidelines of proper hygiene as well as body art and ornamentation and won’t acknowledge the beauty of the natural body. Lastly, there are individuals who are set out to change the social structure and bring about a new phase of body art and ornamentation and they make up the rebellion group (2010). Nowadays, in American culture we see body art and ornamentation, such as tattoos and piercings, as being acceptable as well as fashionable. It’s not uncommon to see people have a variety of body art, ornamentation, and body modification performed. The majority of people go and get tattoos when they experience a pivotal point in their lives as well as trying to create a sense of identity for themselves. Everyone tries to be original in their own way, but the end result is the creation and growth of conformity. By this, I mean that everyone is going out and getting tattoos, piercings, or plastic surgery and they’re trying to be â€Å"original†, but when all is said and done, they begin to blend in with one another. No matter what people say or do, a stigma has remained attached to all the various kinds of body art and ornamentation. According to Schwarz (2006), tattoos continue to not be entirely accepted and are a barrier to the economic success which is central to the â€Å"American dream†. For example, most employers have rules for their employees stating that they cannot have any visible tattoos and/or piercings that are visible to the public. This could be partly because there are individuals that could be offended and businesses could suffer from a loss of customers and sales. In the American culture, tattoos are not acceptable in a number of situations esp ecially when it has to do with the general public (2006). The highest percentage of the American culture that has body art and ornamentation can be found in the younger generations. Many teens go through a period in their lives where they feel the need to rebel against the social norm especially to spite their parents. Their choices of body art and ornamentation are indicative of their attitudes and values (Crapo, 2013). Attitudes are statements of one’s preferences while values are what we consider good or bad (2013). This plays into why certain individuals look down upon body art and ornamentation and end up enforcing the negative stigma. In conclusion, the implementation of body art and ornamentation is a designated way of indicating the various cultural differences that exist within cultures worldwide. The main reason there has been the rise in the popularity of body art and ornamentation is a result of cultural commercialism. Despite how hard we try to eliminate the soci al stigma of body art and ornamentation, it will never completely be gone. Unfortunately, we can’t have everyone’s personal opinion be the same as one another, but there is one thing that we can do. We can make the effort to educate the various cultures on one another so that we are able to comprehend the vocabulary that is used, the meaning of symbols, myths and legends, and social values. People in different cultures continue focusing on the negative aspects of body art and ornamentation, but if we were able to understand one another, the idea of peace on earth isn’t that far out of reach. References Clarke, C. (2006). The art of africa: A response for educators. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved from Ebscohost database Crapo, R.H. (2013). Cultural anthropology. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education Hopkins-Tanne, J. (2000). Body art: Marks of identity. British Medical Journal. doi: 320(7226):64 Kappeler, P., Stahl, J., & Wohlrab, S. (2006). Modifying the body: Motivations for getting tattooed and pierced. Science Direct: Body Image 4, 87-95. Retrieved from http://www.sociodep.hku.hk/bbf/BBF%20Readings%20W12/W12%20Modifying_the_Body.pdf Kuhn, S.L. & Stiner, M.C. (n.d.) Body ornamentation as information technology: Towards an understanding of the significance of early beads. Retrieved from http://courses.washington.edu.archyaec/archy401/readings/kuhn-beads.pdf

Enlarging My Conversation Essay

Abstract The purpose of this essay is to ascertain what needs to be done concerning my personality that will aid in my efforts to become a better-rounded contributing member of society. I will explore several aspects of this journey and lay them out for you, the reader, in order to give you a clear understanding of what is involved in trying to adapt to your surroundings. For example, when I took the DISC test I learned I have an I/C personality. As I read what that means I could not argue the findings because so many of them described me very well. In the body of the following text, I unfold the highlights of what I am expecting to experience, e.g. defining the enlargement of my conversation, how my background and behavioral blend influences my conversation, bring to light potential barriers, develop some solutions for the noise pollution which interferes with my goal, putting together a plan of action to improve myself, and finally, I will map out the procedures needed in order for me to control a better me. Enlarging My Conversation A workable definition of the Title An acronym was created by using a term Dr. Carbonell used in the title of his book Extreme personality makeover: How to develop a winning Christ like personality to improve your effectiveness, using the term makeover. By following the principles of this acronym, I hope to render a definition for the title for the phrase: Enlarging My Conversation. Make the decision to have a makeover Accept the â€Å"way† God made your personality Know your strengths and â€Å"uniquenesses.† Emulate the good traits of all the personality types. Overcome your doubts and obstacles. Visualize what you can become! Expect challenges to your makeover Renew your commitment daily (www.uniquelyyou.com).   I soon discovered that defining my personality was a little more complex than anticipated, and even then the information didn’t fully register. It took a little thought on my part, but I would define the enlarging of my conversation as the action needed to build a better me. However, this is a difficult task at best. How does one go about changing the personality that was developed over a long period of time? Are there sequential steps to follow? Is there a book that can be purchased or read that will set your feet on the path of enlightenment? These are the questions I found myself facing for which I did not have an answer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To try to find these answers I searched the Internet for literature that would express a similar journey someone else had already taken, and I also asked people I know. The answers I received were interesting yet I wondered how they would apply to my journey. I considered the possibility of asking the wrong questions and actually sat down and tried to make a list from which to choose questions that would supple pertinent information, but I could not come up with a generic set. This still leaves that area open and my hope is that it will become clear to me what I need to do to get the answers to alleviate the struggle for enlightenment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The DISC test played a huge role in my determination to discover ways to change from who I am now into who God wants me to be. The letters that form the word DISC are an acronym and stand for personality traits:   † D † – Dominant/ Driver; † I † – Influencing/ Inspiring; † S † – Stable/ Steady; and † C † – Compliant/ Correct. My combination of these is I/C which means my personality is best defined as a person who is influential and inspiring and at the same time is compliant and correct. I do find that I fit into this personality trait, and also believe it is the one thing that hinders me from enlarging my conversation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To me, enlarging my conversation entails a deliberate acceptance of others’ view point whether I agree with it or not. It is the idea that I can live with people and have healthy relationships even though my view on life itself contradicts everything they hold as truth. An expert in behavioral sciences, Dr. Mels Carbonell translates the DISC personality assessment in an understandable and useful form. He masterfully explains the links between our unique personalities and spiritual gifts, even showing possible challenges (uniquelyyou.com). If I was as knowledgeable as he is, this might not be such a hazardous journey for me. I am sure, though, that he writes from his experiences in life, and since mine are totally different than his, I will have to approach this from a different angle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I suppose putting a definition on paper might help in the thought processes required to change a person’s personality, yet rarely can we relegate life down to a science. It is the very nature of life itself that makes it so adventurous and difficult to predict. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that my definition for enlarging my conversation is the ability to hear the conversation of others and allow it to affect the paradigm that controls me and bring about a positive result. Behavioral Blend Affects Conversation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"I/C Types are inspiring, yet cautious. They size up situations and comply with the rules in order to look good. They are good at figuring out ways to do things better through a lot of people. They can be too persuasive and too concerned about winning. They are often impatient and critical. They need to be more sensitive to individual feelings. They are often more concerned about what others think. They do not like breaking the rules; neither do they enjoy taking risks. They need to try new things and sometimes go against the crowd. They are careful communicators who think things through† (Carbonell, M. (2005) Extreme Personality makeover. Blue Ridge. Uniquely You Resources.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To say that things of this nature do not affect people’s lifestyle would be considered naà ¯ve. I understand the task before me, and believe that this understanding affects my present behavior I will be essential in equipping me to make the change a lasting one. So, being the cautious, yet inspirational person I am, I will march forward in search of my holy grail with anticipation and exhilaration. I expect to run into some road blocks and barriers, but this is what it takes if I am to change the way my behavioral blend affects me and those around me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the disadvantages of I/C blend is I tend to be overly cautious. Even in the face of tremendous encouragement from others, I still find myself lagging behind where they think I should be. Given what I know about Christianity, and the potential for change that is a result of studying the lifestyle closely related to Christianity, I am encouraged in my efforts. My experience as a soldier in the military has afforded me the discipline needed to make a change which enables me to find the means whereby this can actually happen. I have noticed how quickly I am to reject something new. This must be due to the way I was raised, yet after experiencing military life I thought it would not be so difficult.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The things I learned as a soldier have definitely had a strong impact on my personality, but I always considered that a good thing. The influence that impacted me to be a disciplined soldier, however, is different from what I need to change so I can better serve the Lord and others. Since being a servant is a priority for me, I am hoping that the journey from who I am to who I can become will be moderately pain free. Given my tendencies to remain like I am, I do anticipate some sort of struggle but I hope my tenacity is steady enough to overcome this barrier.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the positive side of my behavioral blend is the inspirational me. I have noticed how this has helped others in the past and hope that the change I make will allow me to keep this particular trait. I really don’t know what to expect, neither can I positively define what my goal looks like, but I do know I am experiencing the need for a change. I also feel like I will know what it looks like before I get there, but at this point I think the definition and expression are some representation of what I now know. Of course, all of this will change as I continue the journey into the unknown me. Interpersonal Barriers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Barriers are only barriers until we notice them and are ready to remove or overcome them. The highest priority given to interpersonal barriers is to the barrier of listening. Madeline Burley-Allen wrote a book on the subject, Listening, the forgotten skill: A self-teaching guide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A proven program for turning effective listening into a powerful business tool Managers and other employees spend more than 40 percent of their time listening to other people but often do it so poorly that the result is misunderstood instructions, misdirected projects, and erroneous actions— millions of dollars‛ worth of mistakes just because most people don‛ t know how to listen. In this new edition of her classic guide to the art of effective listening, Madelyn Burley-Allen shows you how to acquire active, productive listening skills and put them to work for you— professionally, socially, and personally (Publisher’s comments). This is a barrier we are taught to deal with at a very young age. For me it is the replacement of the ‘filter’ in my mind through which all information travels. By the time my brain has decoded the incoming message, if I am not careful; I will only hear what I want to hear and nothing else. Allen demonstrates how this affects our lives and gives practical advice to help us cut through our own listening bias, or the changing of the filter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   [active listening] is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding and trust. It is an essential skill for third parties and disputants alike, as it enables the listener to receive and accurately interpret the speaker’s message, and then provide an appropriate response. The response is an integral part of the listening process and can be critical to the success of a negotiation or mediation (Richard Salem, Empathic listening).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Listening means better grades,† according to Allen. â€Å"Better grades mean our self- concept will move up a notch or two† (pg 8). This is a very inspiring statement. If I have the opportunity to look at the change I need to make as a positive thing, then statements like the one Allen makes is sure to give me a boost when I’m not sure how to proceed. I hope to be able to say as the quote Allen used on page two says, â€Å"I am more honest with myself now.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I find difficulty arises when I try to picture myself as someone I am not. This is a common role-playing thought pattern that most, who will admit it, play on a daily basis. We are taught from childhood to emulate others’ actions or to refrain from doing the same. The only caution sign I can see in this behavior is the disappointment it can lead to when the desired goal is unattainable. Effective listening involves not only tuning into others, but tuning in to ourselves (pg 6). This remark is profound and life changing, but only as I adhere to the philosophy it represents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The road to adventure in life is laden with people who have interesting things to say. If we are guilty of rushing our lives to meet some goal we face the possibility of missing out on some things that could enrich our experience and help us in the future. Listening is a huge barrier for all of us to overcome, and the first step in doing so is recognizing that the barrier exists and is hindering our progress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Listening is not the only barrier I face. I also have difficulty with pride. This is not to say I think I am better than the next man, but it does keep me from experiencing something different because I have already built a paradigm that rejects some particular life experience as judges it as no good. I liked what Cloud had to say about realizing the need for a change and the difficulty in trying to discover how to implement that change. On page five of his book, Nine things you simply must do to succeed in love and life: A psychologist probes the mystery of why some lives really work and others don’t, there is a revelation sandwiched between to double line bars that reads â€Å"People who found what they were looking for in life seemed to do a certain set of things in common† (pg 5). Again, I am approached with the idea that there must be some sort of formula I can follow to reach my still indescribable goal of change. A Solution to Noise Pollution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It can be quite daunting to face obstacles with a clear mind and set goals, however, if there is outside interference then the job becomes nearly impossible to do. When I think of all the efforts of people who lived before I did, and compare to mine the ordeals they encountered by reading their stories, I find myself wanting to write my journey down so others might gain some insight. People will surprise you; we even surprise ourselves from time to time. I can think of a few times in my past when I was trying to make a major decision and there seemed to be too much information to wade through in order for me to make a sensible choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Outside, external barriers include such overwhelming information. This can be quite debilitating if you happen to be the person who loves research and tends to overdo the research end of writing. Finding a balance between reading and writing brings a wonderful feeling of satisfaction. However, when trying to determine which pieces of data to use in the document needed it can get frustrating. External ‘noise pollution’ unbalances the healthy breakdown of communication as described by Allen. The only means I have discovered to this point that helps me overcome external noise pollution is brainstorming my data on paper. I do this by writing everything that comes to mind around a central topic. From that I choose which pieces of information to include in my document and then I can formulate a useable outline to create my document.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inside conflict is ‘noise’ within itself that is able to trap your thoughts into a loop where you end up ‘spinning your wheels’ and ultimately never make a choice. Allen breaks down the time we spend in communication into four divisions. They are Listening, Talking, Reading, and Writing. These are the four main avenues of communication. Forty percent is the allotment given to listening. In a world where it seems people really love the sound of their own voice, I’m wondering how we survive as long as we do. Allen precedes these percentages by stating that we spend nearly seventy percent of our waking hours communicating (pg 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This leaves us with a dilemma: If it takes more listening for us to be better rounded individuals and we are prone to do more speaking how can we find a balance? What’s more; are we searching for a balance? As I stated a few sentences before, people love the sound of their own voice. There are psychiatrists that will tell you the only thing they did to help some of their patients is to just let them talk. I find that when I am in anguish or stressed out the best therapy for me is to talk it out. Some people talk to themselves for this very reason. They do it to remove the noise pollution in their minds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If there is noise pollution in the thoughts we think, where does it come from? It seems to me that if we can discover what triggers the noise pollution maybe we can take some preventative measures and avoid it all together. Unfortunately, I have not found the individual who can lead me into this level of discipline, so I struggle with this facet of changing my conversation until I come to the point of revelation that explains what to do about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This leaves an empty space that continually gets filled with junk and emptied when I prove it to be of no value. I realize there is a way to reduce, and in some cases remove noise pollution but it seems that just as soon as the noise is removed it immediately gets replaced by something else. I have come to the conclusion that this facet of my conversation will constantly need my attention, which I suppose, would keep me on my toes in regards to bad information. Plan of Action   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Devising a plan of action to help me enlarge my conversation means I will have to endure some needed changes until I am comfortable using the new methods in such a way that enables the needed change. The old clichà © â€Å"Change can be a good thing† rings true in the effort to enlarge my conversation. Changing something that is as complicated as your set paradigms takes a great deal of self-effort. This doesn’t come easy, of course, and all the expert help we can get will not replace the role we must play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My plan of action is to try to be more open-minded about things on a personal level. I believe when I really ‘hear’ the different viewpoints on a given topic and make a rational judgment concerning the same, I will have the beginning of a new paradigm; one that will enlarge my conversation. This is probably the most difficult thing for a human to do because we are all raised in different homes and all have different paradigms upon which we build everything that develops our conversation. I have heard people say that if they had the chance to just sit and listen to others they could tell you what sort of person they are. If this is true, then our words, and the way we use them, are tell-tale signs of who we really are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, for us to develop a plan for change, we will have to discipline ourselves to accept things we would not normally accept; even if these things are contradictory to what we describe as truth or real. The healthy change will not include merely accepting new input as much as it is the possibility that we would at least examine it. Before I can establish a plan of action I must accept my new role in accepting new input. I find a little consolation in the fact that I do not have to accept input simply due to it being something I have never done before; I am actually given the opportunity to explore it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exploration was the founding principle of the United States, or any other country. If not for this facet of life there would be no technology to boast about, and life, as we know it, would not exist. This begs the question, â€Å"Why is it so difficult for us to accept change?† If exploration has brought us to where we are socially, it stands to reason that it will be exploration of the world around me that helps enlarge my conversation. Challenges of this nature are the very reason why people do not change. It is a matter of personal involvement and most are just too comfortable in their present state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact that I am achieving a higher education means that I am willing to accept new things as long as they apply to my priorities. If I can use the same thought pattern that makes me accept this, I stand a better chance of enlarging my conversation with a minimal amount of pain. So, I have set out to devise a plan of action that I will describe in the next section as I map out the procedures I believe it will take to initiate this plan. Mapping it Out   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To achieve my current level of education I had to lay out a map. To reach my ultimate goal in education I must follow the map I have laid out. If I deviate from it will it will affect more than just not going to that class. It will affect what I learn and when I learn it which means I may have a difficult time in a subject that could have been avoided by following the map.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The same is true for enlarging my conversation. As hard as it may be, I must lay out a map defining the steps needed and in what order they need to be taken. As I see it, and as I mentioned earlier, the first destination on my map is listening. The effort I must make in this endeavor is to open myself to new ideas. As this becomes more common place it will be easier for me to figure out how to productively use that new data. Some of it will not be worth much, but it still adds to the data base from which I draw my logic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After accepting new data I must analyze it. This will help me determine the usefulness of the data. Once this is done I can store that away in the corners of my mind to pull out when it is needed. Although our brains are very complicated, we can still compare this process to the computers we use every day. The only information you can get off of the hard drive is what has been stored there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As people grow older I hear the common complaint of not being able to remember things from their past. I am amazed that they can recall as much as they do given all they have learned and the time frame that is involved. The size of the computer that would store the information of just one human in their life-span would be enormous. It is absolutely mind boggling to think about the many millions of pieces of information stored in a human’s brain over the course of seventy years. Life spans are growing larger all the time, so the technology it would take to record all that information would also need to increase in complexity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On my journey to enlarge my conversation I have already encountered some struggles, and I expect there to be more. However, if I do not start I will never finish. Mapping out a game plan will aid in my attempt. Accepting more information, filing it away properly, and recalling it when needed is just the beginning stage of it. After all this takes place I have to interpret the information in a manner that is conducive to my goal. For example, I can learn how many shots of whiskey it takes for me to get drunk, but that data would not provide much in the way of enlarging my conversation. Getting drunk may cause me to talk a lot, but it will not enlarge my capacity to engage in healthy conversation with a contradictory view.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My over all goal from this lesson is to become a better person. If I can achieve that before my life is over I will be able to lay my head on my pillow, pull my feet up in the bed and say â€Å"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness†¦ (2 Timothy 4:7,8). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, I have come to the end of the road, as it were, and I am ready to depart on this journey of a life time. I realize that no matter how long I live this journey will continue. It is one of the most encouraging things about life. There is always a new adventure around the corner, and there is always a mind-blowing piece of information awaiting an open mind. There is the endless possibility of changing into the person we actually want to become. There are all the people we want to meet, and those we do not expect to, both with anecdotes that encourage us to live life to the fullest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I have discovered the definition of enlarging my conversation as it applies to my personal variables in life. I have explored the behavioral blend of my personality that describes me fairly well; I recognize the barriers impeding my progress and what I need to do to overcome them; I have learned what noise pollution is and what to do to remove or reduce it; I have explained my course of action that invites others to render input; and I have also laid out a map to follow to help keep me on this path of change. With these areas of my conversation being covered so well, I believe there will be no way to stop my conversation from enlarging. In fact, I will admit to looking forward to not only enlarging it, but also to record how it gets done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enlarging my conversation places me on a new plateau from which I can launch into the unknown; the mysterious; the vastness of person-hood that has yet to be explored. From the launching pad of fervor, intellect, idealism, and curiosity I will rocket into new ideas, personality traits, and positions in life other wise unattainable. I welcome the journey. References Extreme Personality Makeover. (n.d.) How to develop a winning Christ-like personality to improve your effectiveness. Retrieved January 25, 2007 from,   http://www.uniquelyyou.com/newsite/pdf/Cat0306/pg8.pdf. Carbonell, M. (2005) Extreme Personality makeover. Blue Ridge. Uniquely You Resources. Salem, Richard. (July 2003).  Empathic Listening.  Retrieved January 25, 2007, from   http://www.psywww.com/psyrelig/psyrelpr.htm Allen, Madelene Burley. (1995). Listening, the Forgotten Skill:: A Self-Teaching Guide. 2nd edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1995. Cloud, H. (2004). Nine things you simply must do to succeed in love and life: A psychologist probes the mystery of why some lives really work and others don’t. Nashville, TN:Integrity Publishers. Holy Bible. (1611). II Timothy 4:7,8. Cambridge University Press. London, England.