Genetic Modified Foods Essay -- GMOs, Genetically Modified Crops

Genetic modification of organisms in general is a biotechnological process that forces genes to behave according to certain characteristics. Changing characteristics of organisms is based on changing their DNA (tech deoxyribonucleic acid; the acid which carries genetic information in a cell). It is being used for modifying genes in plants, animals or micro-organisms. It is being also used especially with food in order to improve the nutritious quality, make less use of chemicals such as pesticides, which proved to be extremely harmful, and sometimes to add flavour. Genetically modified food (GMF) is considered one of the modern production improvements and the largest food experiments in the world’s history. However, it is very vital to dispel misconception about the nature of food. GMF is a mixed blessing which has a lot of benefits but at the same time may arouse problems. It has many good aspects, such as making plants ripen faster, improving the specie’s taste and look, and providing Third World countries with healthier and cheaper food. Genetic modification of food has won the admiration of a lot of people, including myself, because of its new and attractive accomplishments, but at the same time we should take into consideration its disadvantages and try to find ways to avoid them. Genetically modified foodstuffs have several disadvantages which I believe are possibly avoidable through research and experiments. Most of the time, the sale of GMFs is being permitted without posing the risks and without informing the public with the possible danger. This of course is a violation of human rights which can Nagi2 easily be avoided by simply informing consumers of the characteristics of the product. When genetic engineers insert new genes into any organism, it can lead to disruption and unpredictable changes in the pattern and structure of the new genetic function. "In fact, the process of inserting genes is quite random and can damage normal genes " (Genetic Engineered Food - A Serious Health Risk 3). Therefore, harmful substances may appear unexpectedly and can possibly create viruses and new dangerous diseases. Therefore, it is the obligation of experts to examine GM products before making them available to the publi... ...d not avoid rice because of that." (Maryanski 3). So, vegetarians should feel safe when eating GMF. The conclusion to be drawn from the above is that GMF in one of the modern production improvements and the largest food experiment in the history of the world. Its appearance has been very sudden. Now, a very rapidly growing number of it is being introduced. Maybe in a few years it may be almost impossible to find natural food. No doubt, any dangerous food production through genetic engineering should be banned until scientifically shown that it is safe for everyone. In the meantime, labelling is required foe any foodstuff that contains genetically engineered ingredients, and any risk that could harm the environment should be banned. It has to be acknowledged that GMF is one of the best production that have emerged in our century. Hopefully, in the future, it will not have any side effects, and be healthier than the current natural food. Containing all the Vitamins and nutrition that we need. We have to put in mind that if people knew all it advantages, they will surely get convinced with the idea of producing GMF.

Game Theory as it Relates to Abortion in Canada Essay -- Politics

Flanagan’s Status Quo In 1988 abortion legislation was abolished by the supreme court of Canada (Flanagan 120). Current law was deemed to violate a women’s â€Å"security of person† under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Wikipedia). Drafting and passing abortion legislation became the responsibility of the current Prime Minister and the House of Commons (Flanagan 121). Attempts by Brian Mulroney to introduce abortion legislation into the House of Commons and senate failed repeatedly (Flanagan 121). ) Despite public opinion favoring moderate legislation, abortion in Canada remains unlegislated (Flanagan 121).Under the circumstances stated why does Canadian abortion law remain in a state of limbo? In Game Theory and Canadian Politics Thomas Flanagan attempts to elucidate this seeming anomaly in Canadian politics. Firstly, the inability to pass new legislation is explained by the tendency for the status quo to prevail when a â€Å"cyclical opinion structure†(Flanagan 121) is present in the legislating body (Flanagan 121). Secondly, Flanagan (121) emphasizes how parliamentary outcomes are influenced by the procedures with which legislation is passed. These two points are illuminated and analyzed using aspects of game theory. Rational choice theory is used to analyze the parliamentary procedure and cyclical opinion structure that caused all possible resolutions and amendments introduced into the House of Commons to fail. Than, the game of chicken and extensive form games are introduced to explicate bill C-43’s majority vote in the House of Commons and subsequent failure in the senate. Although enlightening, Flanagan’s analysis lacks in-depth explanations and pertinent aspects of game theory. He comments on the vote’s failure t... ...the outcome is seen to mirror real life events. Finally, certain aspects of Flanagan’s sequential game model were critiqued and found deficient. Although Flanagan’s case study was enlightening, some aspects may be flawed and an enhanced analysis farther explicates the phenomenon of the â€Å"staying power of the status quo.† Works Cited Abortion in Canada." Wikipedia. 01 Apr.-May 2007 . Brams, Steven J. Rational Politics. Washinton, DC: Congressional Quarterly Inc., 1985. Flanagan, Thomas. Game Theory and Canadian Politics. Toronto: University of Toronoto Press, 1999. Gates, Scott, and Brian D. Humes. Games, Information and Politics. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1997. Green, Donald P., and Ian Shapiro. Pathologies of Rational Choice. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1994.

Sublime Elements in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Essay

     Ã‚   The novel Like Water for Chocolate, published in 1989, was written by Laura Esquivel who is of Spanish heritage. She lives in Mexico, and Like Water for Chocolate was her first novel. I feel that in the story Laura Esquivel gives a lot of magical elements that are treated as real in order to evoke emotions about love, but it also employs many features of sublime literature. In Like Water for Chocolate, a girl named Tita was born. When she was first born, it mentions that she was literally washed into this world on a great tide of tears that spilled over the edge of the table and flooded across the kitchen floor (6). This occurrence appears to be a magical element rather than the sublime. A baby cannot be washed into the world. Therefore, I feel that it is magical. Another magical realist element is that when Tita was born, Nacha swept up the residue the tears had left on the red stone floor. On the floor was enough salt to fill a ten-pound sack that was used for cooking and lasted a long time (7). This element is more magical than sublime because this happening can not occur. However, it is a good example of sublime literature because it illustrates Longinus' notion of accumulation as a feature of sublime language. The salt from Tita's birth definitely dealt with accumulation. In addition, in Like Water for Chocolate, when Tita was making her sister Rosaura's wedding cake a magical element occurred. She was making her sister's wedding cake, and at the same time, she was thinking of Pedro with whom she was in love with and who was marrying her sister. As she was thinking of Pedro, she began to cry. While she was crying, a tear drop went into the cake, and she was afraid that it messed up the meringue. The moment... ...elements. I did not notice many realist elements in the story Like Water for Chocolate. However, the realist elements did not relate to the sublime as well as the magical elements did. That the sublime is not used as much in writing. I feel that the sublime needs to be more fulfilled for people to understand it better. There are many articles that a person can find on the sublime, and it would be a new, enjoyable experience to learn some information on something new in life. Works Cited Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. New York. Doubleday, 1989. Simpkins, Scott. "Sources of Magic Realism/Supplements to Realism in Contemporary Latin American Literature." Magical Realism. Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durkham, N. C: Duke UP, 1995, 150. Longinus. On the Sublime. Cambridge. Harvard UP, 1995.   

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Fourteen

After five years at Belgrave, Grace had become, if not accustomed, then at least aware of just what could be accomplished with a bit of prestige and a great deal of money. Nonetheless, even she was amazed at how quickly their travel plans fell into place. Within three days a private yacht had been reserved to ferry them from Liverpool to Dublin and then wait at the dock – for as long as necessary, apparently – until they were ready to return to England. One of Thomas's secretaries had been dispatched to Ireland to arrange for their stay. Grace had felt nothing but pity for the poor man as he was forced to listen to – and then repeat, twice – the dowager's copious and highly detailed instructions. She herself was used to the dowager's ways, but the secretary, accustomed to dealing with a far more reasonable employer, looked nearly ready to cry. Only the best of inns would do for such a traveling party, and of course they would expect the finest set of rooms in each establishment. If the rooms were already reserved, the innkeepers would have to make arrangements to place the other travelers elsewhere. The dowager told Grace that she liked to send someone ahead in cases like these. It was only polite to give the innkeepers a bit of notice so they could find alternate accommodations for their other guests. Grace thought it would have been more polite not to give the boot to people whose only crime was to reserve a room prior to the dowager, but all she could do was offer the poor secretary a sympathetic smile. The dowager wasn't going to change her ways, and besides, she'd already launched into her next set of instructions, which pertained to cleanliness, food, and the preferred dimensions of hand towels. Grace spent her days dashing about the castle, preparing for the voyage and passing along important messages, since the other three inhabitants seemed determined to avoid one another. The dowager was as surly and rude as ever, but now there was an underlying layer of giddiness that Grace found disconcerting. The dowager was excited about the upcoming journey. It was enough to leave even the most experienced of companions uneasy; the dowager was never excited about anything. Pleased, yes; satisfied, often (although un satisfied was a far more frequent emotion). But excited? Grace had never witnessed it. It was odd, because the dowager did not seem to like Mr. Audley very well, and it was clear that she respected him not at all. And as for Mr. Audley – he returned the sentiment in spades. He was much like Thomas in that regard. It seemed to Grace that the two men might have been fast friends had they not met under such strained circumstances. But while Thomas's dealings with the dowager were frank and direct, Mr. Audley was much more sly. He was always provoking the dowager when in her company, always ready with a comment so subtle that Grace could only be sure of his meaning when she caught his secret smile. There was always a secret smile. And it was always for her. Even now, just thinking about it, she found herself hugging her arms to her body, as if holding it tightly against her heart. When he smiled at her, she felt it – as if it were more than something to be seen. It landed upon her like a kiss, and her body responded in kind – a little flip in her stomach, pink heat on her cheeks. She maintained her composure, because that was what she'd been trained to do, and she even managed her own sort of reply – the tiniest of curves at the corners of her mouth, maybe a change in the way she held her gaze. She knew he saw it, too. He saw everything. He liked to play at being obtuse, but he had the keenest eye for observation she had ever known. And all through this, the dowager pressed forward, single-minded in her determination to wrest the title from Thomas and give it to Mr. Audley. When the dowager spoke of their upcoming journey, it was never if they found proof, it was when they found it. Already she had begun to plan how best to announce the change to the rest of society. Grace had noticed that she was not particularly discreet about it, either. What was it the dowager had said just the other day – right in front of Thomas? Something about having to redraw endless contracts to reflect the proper ducal name. She had even turned to him and asked if he thought that anything he'd signed while duke was legally binding. Grace had thought Thomas a master of restraint for not throttling her on the spot. Indeed, all he said was, â€Å"It will hardly be my problem should that come to pass.† And then, with a mocking bow in the dowager's direction, he left the room. Grace was not sure why she was so surprised that the dowager did not censor herself in front of Thomas; it wasn't as if she'd shown a care for anyone else's feelings before. But surely this qualified as extraordinary circumstances. Surely even Augusta Cavendish could see where it might be hurtful to stand in front of Thomas and talk about how she planned to go about his public humiliation. And as for Thomas – he was not himself. He was drinking too much, and when he wasn't closeted in his study, he stalked about the house like a moody lion. Grace tried to avoid him, partly because he was in such poor temper, but mostly because she felt so guilty about everything, so unconscionably disloyal for liking Mr. Audley so well. Which left him. Mr. Audley. She'd been spending too much time with him. She knew it but could not seem to help herself. And it really wasn't her fault. The dowager kept sending her on errands that put her in his sphere. Liverpool or Holyhead – which port made better sense for their departure? Surely Jack (the dowager still refused to call him Mr. Audley, and he would not respond to anything Cavendish) would know. What might they expect from the weather? Find Jack and ask his opinion. Could one obtain a decent pot of tea in Ireland? What about once they'd left the environs of Dublin? And then, after Grace had reported back with Yes and for God's sake (amended to remove the blasphemy), she was sent on her way again to determine if he even knew how to judge a tea's quality. It was almost embarrassing to ask him this. It should have been, but by that point they were bursting out laughing just at the sight of each other. It was like that all the time now. He would smile. And then she would smile. And she was reminded just how much better she liked herself when she had reason to smile. Just now the dowager had ordered her to find him for a full accounting of their proposed route through Ireland, which Grace found odd, since she would have thought the dowager had worked that out by then. But she was not about to complain, not when the task both removed her from the dowager's presence and placed her in Mr. Audley's. † Jack,† she whispered to herself. He was Jack. His name suited him perfectly, dashing and carefree. John was far too staid, and Mr. Audley too formal. She wanted him to be Jack, even though she had not allowed herself to say it aloud to him, not since their kiss. He had teased her about it – he always teased her about it. He'd prodded and cajoled and told her she must use his given name or he would not respond, but she remained steadfast. Because once she did, she was afraid she could never go back. And she was already so perilously close to losing her heart forever. It could happen. It would happen if she let it. She had only to let go. She could close her eyes and imagine a future†¦with him, and children, and so much laughter. But not here. Not at Belgrave, with him as the duke. She wanted Sillsby back. Not the house, since that could never be, but the feeling of it. The comfortable warmth, the kitchen garden that her mother had never been too important to attend. She wanted the evenings in the sitting room – the sitting room, she reminded herself, the only one. Nothing that had to be described with a color or a fabric or a location within the building. She wanted to read by the fire with her husband, pointing out bits that amused her, and laughing when he did the same. That was what she wanted, and when she had the courage to be honest with herself, she knew that she wanted it with him. But she wasn't often honest with herself. What was the point? He didn't know who he was; how could she know what to dream? She was protecting herself, holding her heart in armor until she had an answer. Because if he was the Duke of Wyndham, then she was a fool. As fine a house as Belgrave was, Jack much preferred to spend time out of doors, and now that his mount had been transferred to the Wyndham stables (where his horse was certainly wallowing in joy over the endless carrots and warm accommodations), he had taken up the habit of a ride each morning. Not that this was so very far from his prior routine; Jack usually found himself on horseback by late morning. The difference was that before he'd been going somewhere, or, on occasion, fleeing from somewhere. Now he was out and about for sport, for constitutional exercise. Strange, the life of a gentleman. Physical exertion was achieved through organized behavior, and not, as the rest of society got it, through an honest day's work. Or a dishonest one, as the case often was. He was returning to the house – it was difficult to call it a castle, even though that's what it was; it always made him want to roll his eyes – on his fourth day at Belgrave, feeling invigorated by the soft bite of the wind over the fields. As he walked up the steps to the main door, he caught himself peering this way and that, hoping for a glimpse of Grace even though it was highly unlikely she'd be out of doors. He was always hoping for a glimpse of Grace, no matter where he was. Just the sight of her made something tickle and fizz within his chest. Half the time she did not even see him, which he did not mind. He rather enjoyed watching her go about her duties. But if he stared long enough – and he always did; there was never any good reason to place his eyes anywhere else – she always sensed him. Eventually, even if he was at an odd angle, or obscured in shadows, she felt his presence, and she'd turn. He always tried to play the seducer then, to gaze at her with smoldering intensity, to see if she'd melt in a pool of whimpering desire. But he never did. Because all he could do, whenever she looked back at him, was smile like a lovesick fool. He would have been disgusted with himself, except that she always smiled in return, which never failed to turn the tickle and fizz into something even more bubbly and carefree. He pushed open the door to Belgrave's front hall, pausing for a moment once he was inside. It took a few seconds to adjust to the abrupt lack of wind, and indeed, his body gave an unprompted little shake, as if to push away the chill. This also gave him time to glance about the hall, and indeed, he was rewarded for his diligence. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh!† he called out, since she was at the far end of the long space, presumably off on another one of the dowager's ridiculous errands. â€Å"Mr. Audley,† she said, smiling as she walked toward him. He shrugged off his coat (presumably purloined from the ducal closet) and handed it to a footman, marveling, as always, at how the servants seemed to materialize from nowhere, always at the exact moment they were needed. Someone had trained them well. He was close enough to his military days to appreciate this. Grace reached his side before he had even pulled off his gloves. â€Å"Have you been out for a ride?† she asked. â€Å"Indeed. It's a perfect day for it.† â€Å"Even with all the wind?† â€Å"It's best with wind.† â€Å"I trust you were reunited with your horse?† â€Å"Indeed. Lucy and I make a fine team.† â€Å"You ride a mare?† â€Å"A gelding.† She blinked with curiosity, but not, strangely, surprise. â€Å"You named your gelding Lucy?† He gave his shrug a bit of dramatic flair. â€Å"It is one of those stories that loses something in the retelling.† In truth, it involved drink, three separate wagers, and a propensity for the contrary that he was not certain he was proud of. â€Å"I am not much of an equestrienne,† she said. It was not an apology, just a statement of fact. â€Å"By choice or circumstance?† â€Å"A bit of both,† she replied, and she looked a bit curious, as if she'd never thought to ask herself that question. â€Å"You shall have to join me sometime.† She smiled ruefully. â€Å"I hardly think that falls within the scope of my duties to the dowager.† Jack rather doubted that. He remained suspicious of the dowager's motives as pertained to Grace; she seemed to thrust Grace in his direction at every possible occasion, like some piece of ripened fruit, dangled before his nose to entice him to stay put. He found it all rather appalling, but wasn't about to deny himself the pleasure of Grace's company just to spite the old bat. â€Å"Bah,† he said. â€Å"All the best companions go riding with the houseguests.† â€Å"Oh.† So dubious. â€Å"Really.† â€Å"Well, they do in my imagination, at least.† Grace shook her head, not even trying not to smile. â€Å"Mr. Audley†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But he was looking this way and that, his manner almost comically surreptitious. â€Å"I think we're alone,† he whispered. Grace leaned in, feeling very sly. â€Å"Which means†¦?† â€Å"You can call me Jack.† She pretended to consider. â€Å"No, I don't think so.† â€Å"I won't tell.† â€Å"Mmmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her nose scrunched, and then a matter-of-fact: â€Å"No.† â€Å"You did it once.† She pressed her lips together, suppressing not a smile, but a full-fledged laugh. â€Å"That was a mistake.† â€Å"Indeed.† Grace gasped and turned. It was Thomas. â€Å"Where the devil did he come from?† Mr. Audley murmured. From the small saloon, Grace thought miserably. The entrance was right behind them. Thomas frequently spent time there, reading or tending to his correspondence. He said he liked the afternoon light. But it wasn't afternoon. And he smelled like brandy. â€Å"A pleasant conversation,† Thomas drawled. â€Å"One of many, I assume.† â€Å"Were you eavesdropping?† Mr. Audley said mildly. â€Å"For shame.† â€Å"Your grace,† Grace began, â€Å"I – â€Å" â€Å"It's Thomas,† he cut in derisively, â€Å"or don't you recall? You've used my name far more than once.† Grace felt her cheeks grow hot. She'd not been sure how much of the conversation Thomas had heard. Apparently, most of it. â€Å"Is that so?† Mr. Audley said. â€Å"In that case, I insist you call me Jack.† He turned to Thomas and shrugged. â€Å"It's only fair.† Thomas made no verbal reply, although his thunderous expression spoke volumes. Mr. Audley turned back to her and said, â€Å"I shall call you Grace.† â€Å"You will not,† Thomas snapped. Mr. Audley remained as calm as ever. â€Å"Does he always make these decisions for you?† â€Å"This is my house,† Thomas returned. â€Å"Possibly not for long,† Mr. Audley murmured. Grace actually lurched forward, so sure was she that Thomas was going to lunge at him. But in the end Thomas only chuckled. He chuckled, but it was an awful sound. â€Å"Just so you know,† he said, looking Mr. Audley in the eye, â€Å"she doesn't come with the house.† Grace looked at him in shock. â€Å"Just what do you mean by that?† Mr. Audley inquired, and his voice was so smooth, so purposefully polite, that it was impossible not to hear the edge of steel underneath. â€Å"I think you know.† â€Å"Thomas,† Grace said, trying to intercede. â€Å"Oh, we're back to Thomas, are we?† â€Å"I think he fancies you, Miss Eversleigh,† Mr. Audley said, his tone almost cheerful. â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† Grace said immediately. Because he didn't. He couldn't. If Thomas had – Well, he'd had years to make it known, not that anything could have come of it. Thomas crossed his arms and gave Mr. Audley a stare – the sort that sent most men scurrying for the corners. Mr. Audley merely smiled. And then he said, â€Å"I wouldn't wish to keep you from your responsibilities.† It was a dismissal, elegantly worded and undeniably rude. Grace could not believe it. No one spoke to Thomas that way. But Thomas smiled back. â€Å"Ah, now they are my responsibilities?† â€Å"While the house is still yours.† â€Å"It's not just a house, Audley.† â€Å"Do you think I don't know that?† No one spoke. Mr. Audley's voice had been a hiss, low and urgent. And scared. â€Å"Excuse me,† Thomas said abruptly, and while Grace watched in silence, he turned and walked back into the small saloon, shutting the door firmly behind him. After what felt like an eternity, just staring at the white paint on the door, Grace turned back to Mr. Audley. â€Å"You should not have provoked him.† â€Å"Oh, I should not have been provoking?† She let out a tense breath. â€Å"Surely you understand what a difficult position he is in.† â€Å"As opposed to mine,† he said, in quite the most awful voice she'd heard him use. â€Å"How I adore being kidnapped and held against my will.† â€Å"No one has a gun to your head.† â€Å"Is that what you think?† His tone was mocking, and his eyes said he could not believe her naivete. â€Å"I don't think you even want it,† Grace said. How was it this had not occurred to her before? How had she not seen it? â€Å"Want what?† he practically snapped. â€Å"The title. You don't, do you?† â€Å"The title,† he said icily, â€Å"doesn't want me.† She could only stare in horror as he turned on his heel and strode off.

Gloria Anzaldua’s Aztlan: the Homeland

In her essay La Frontera, Gloria Anzaldua provides a detailed history of the persecution of the Chicano settlers of the U. S. Southwest at the hands of their Anglo oppressors. Anzaldua refers to the Aztlan, the borderlands between the United States and Mexico encompassing parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, as a â€Å"vague and undetermined place created by the emotional residue of an unnatural boundary†¦the prohibited and forbidden are its inhabitants†¦the squint-eyed, the perverse, the queer, the troublesome†. I find the author’s utilization of the word queer to describe the Aztlan peoples particularly interesting, as it draws a recognizable parallel between the historical struggles of Chicanos with the enduring tribulations of the LGBTQ community in modern America. Anzaldua accuses â€Å"The Gringo†¦the fiction of white superiority† of â€Å"seizing complete power, stripping Indians and Mexicans of their land while their feet were still rooted in it† and even goes so far as to make mention of â€Å"Anglo terrorism†. The author’s characterizations of the oppressive actions of the political-ruling white class towards the Chicano people can just as easily be applied to recent legislation crafted by several right-leaning politicians that serves only to strip LGBTQ individuals of their civil rights and to designate said persons as second class citizens. These statutes include the recently invalidated Proposition 8 here in California as well as the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, which would have forbidden gay couples from enjoying the same marriage benefits as heterosexual spouses, current state laws or constitutional amendments in 35 states that define marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman, and current anti-sodomy laws aimed squarely at gay couples in 13 states that remain on the books despite such laws being outlawed by the US Supreme Court 10 years ago. Such anti-gay legislation is similar in prejudicial and persecutory scope as recent anti-immigration legislation enacted in Arizona and Alabama that seeks to intrude on the civil rights of Latin Americans in those states, who face imprisonment and deportation for non-compliance. As described by Anzaldua, the continuous berating of the Chicano people, â€Å"faceless, nameless, invisible, taunted with hey cucaracho and mojado† is ll too similar to the constant torment faced by members of the LGBTQ community by intolerant members of the oppressive majority, such as being verbally assaulted as â€Å"fags†, â€Å"queers†, â€Å"homos†, and much worse. Gloria Anzaldua eloquently equates the Chicano struggles with their Anglo imperial masters in the Aztlan with the LGBTQ struggle for civil rights in modern American society, and unfortunately, these fights will have to both continue to be waged will into the foreseeable future.

Coping Mechanism Against Defence Mechanisms

Not all situations are this functional. Most families have some degree of dysfunction and In response the children develop some defense mechanisms to counter realities that feel uncomfortable or threatening. If we grew up with any dysfunction, (I. e. An emotionally shaming mother, or a workaholic father) we found ways to help us cope. The situation becomes even more serious when the family-of-origin Is severely dysfunctional, I. e. By being neglectful, or physically, emotionally or sexually abusive.The defense mechanisms that are then employed become a matter of emotional (and sometimes physical) survival. As children we were dependent and defenseless, so hen hurtful things happened, our anxiety became overwhelming. In response we created techniques to help us emotionally avoid our childhood reality, I. e. By allowing us to disassociate from reality, or by believing we had some control. The more unpredictable or hurtful things were, the more we employed these defenses to help us deal with what was unacceptable and frightening.The degree to which we developed these skills determined how emotionally or physically safe we felt. (l encourage you to read a powerful and incredibly well-written memoir, The Glass Castle: a Memoir by Jennet Walls, which illustrates some great examples of holding defenses. ) A child Is totally dependent on their parents for survival, but clearly this is not true once we leave home and become independent adults. However, our childhood experiences still leave an impact on our personality and the choices we make.As an example, if a child is being physically abused by their father, a very helpful defense Is to disassociate – that Is to emotionally â€Å"leave† and pretend to be somewhere else. However If that individual continues to use the same defense mechanism when they are an adult, it will inhibit their ability to function at the highest possible level. For example the child who was physically abused by their father might, in adulthood, continue using this same defense with a male authority figure and In turn hinder the current relationship.Reacting to our adult reality with old child-like patterns of behavior assumes that we feel as vulnerable as a child. We would be seeing the world through the eyes of our â€Å"inner child†. In addition, when we pro-active, mature way. (Except as I teasingly say to some of my clients, that this is a great skill to have when we are sitting in a dentist chair having a cavity filled, and can consciously choose to disassociate. ) 2 As adults it is helpful to convert our childhood defense mechanisms, into mature coping skills.Dysfunctional defense mechanisms allow us to avoid reality, while functional coping skills help us deal with reality. The purpose of this article is to discuss some of the defense mechanisms I encounter most frequently in adults, and then to describe what constitutes healthy, mature coping skills, as well as how to develop them. There are m any â€Å"defense mechanisms† considered basic in human psychology. Depending on which text book is being consulted, there are about twenty-five. A few of these, along with the definition and an example of each are:Denial: A thought, feeling or reality is being totally rejected; for example, â€Å"l am not eating too many sweets†. Projection: Subconscious thoughts or feelings about ourselves that we assign to another; for example, â€Å"l don't like him because he is too materialistic. † Rationalization or intellectualized: Explanations are created to Justify the situation; as in, â€Å"l know he hurt my feelings, but that is only because he is sick. † Regression: Old behaviors as resorted to; for example, â€Å"When I go back home, I never argue with my mother's opinion. Isolation of affect: A feeling is talked about, but either felt, nor seen on the person's face; for example, a woman smiles as she says, â€Å"My husband is always late for dinner, but I don't mind†, even though she is angry. Minimizing: Writing off the feelings as not being important; for example, â€Å"l failed my exam, but it's no big deal. † Perfectionism: Making sure everything is done as perfectly as possible in the eyes of the other; for example, â€Å"l became a straight A student to get on my father's good side, so he wouldn't abuse me like he does my sister. There are some that are not listed in many text books: Control: Trying to maintain authority over n issue, in order to feel safe; as in, â€Å"l do all of the financial planning for our family because I don't trust my wife to adhere to the budget I set. † Co-dependence: Stuffing feelings, thoughts, and needs in order to keep the peace and avoid conflict; as in, â€Å"My husband watches TV every night while I clean the kitchen and get the kids ready for bed, but I don't discuss it with him because he will get angry. † 3 When I work with clients who come from dysfunctional families, they often experience a lot of shame, and fear.In response to these feelings they maintain their old defense mechanisms. I have created this diagram to illustrate what happens when we protect ourselves with dysfunctional defenses: The center circle represents the â€Å"core self† – who we are at birth, our true nature, our essence. When we entered this world we were like pure uncut gems, diamonds in the rough. Then life – our parents, living conditions, culture, emotional/physical traumas, diagram represent the negative influences. As hurtful things happened we formed an emotional barrier protecting us from the onslaught of pain.This protective shield, indicated in the diagram by the black shape, is representative of the â€Å"defense semantics† we built around ourselves, like a sheet of armor. The more dysfunctional, frightening or unsafe our environment, the thicker this barrier became. Eventually our defense mechanisms, I. e. Perfectionism an d control, became a strong part of our personality, and in turn they became a part of our identity. We experience them as a part of our true self. The reality is that these defenses are a part of our â€Å"false self†.For example if we feel defective, and not deserving compared to those around us, we will be vigilant and watch for proof of this belief. We will have been conditioned to look for shaming messages. This protective â€Å"false self† is represented in my illustration by the stripped circles emanating from the core. When our old defenses (and the behaviors associated with them) no longer work for us, we realize that we are projecting a false self. This is scary, because when we become aware that the â€Å"us† we are presenting to the world is 4 not who we really are, we will (deep down inside) feel like a fraud.What if someone finds out who we really are? For example, if we appear to have everything under control and thrive on perfectionism in order to cover over our shame, we will be terrified that we will be found out. At first we may try to shore up our faded by being even more perfect and thus feel more in control. The problem is that eventually we can't keep up the facade. Things begin to collapse. The good new is that when this false self becomes uncomfortable enough, we may decide to change. Let's look at the case of Sandra, who was the youngest child, with an older brother.As a young girl she watched her brother being physically abused by her father and also witnessed her mother vacillate between ignoring and shaming the brother. Sandra was very smart and learned to stay under the radar screen by being the â€Å"good girl†. She achieved excellent grades and was mother's little helper. She never disobeyed nor questioned her parents. As Sandra grew up, she became the â€Å"teacher's pet and always helped her friends as a way to get attention and feel connected. If they needed her she felt safe in the relationship. S he rarely asked for anything for herself.So even if someone hurt her feelings, she kept quiet. Referring to the earlier list of defense mechanisms, she employed denial, minimization, and isolation of affect, perfectionism, control and co-dependence. Sandra married after she obtained her undergraduate degree. She was hired as an elementary school teacher, where she became very successful and held up as an example for other teachers in her department. Sandra was also an excellent wife, effectively employing her ability to look perfect. However she was very co-dependent. Unfortunately her husband also came from a severely dysfunctional family.His primary coping mechanisms were control and narcissism, which he demonstrated by criticizing, shaming and ordering Sandra around. This triggered her subconscious fear that she was defective – not as perfect as she pretended to be. Because of her co-dependence she neither www. Vivaciousness. Com, by Dry. Richard Grossman who writes about becoming voiceless as a defense mechanism. ) As time went on, Sander's professional pressure increased and her emotional stability became shaky. Her faded of perfectionism, and â€Å"having it all together† crumbled.She became exhausted because she couldn't keep up the perfect pace – she couldn't run any faster. Feeling like a fraud, she became very depressed. She was terrified that if she weren't seen as perfect, and didn't do what others wanted, they wouldn't like her. Then they would leave, and she would be alone. An underlying link in the perpetuation of all defense mechanisms is the fear of being emotionally and/or physically abandoned. During therapy Sandra realized that she had been using several defense mechanisms from her childhood that were no longer serving her. They were in 5 fact getting in her way.Her core self had been buried underneath her need to please. These defensive attributes became so familiar that she thought of them as a part of her true self. In fact they were only a mask that she hid behind. Once her mask no longer worked, she saw that the way she had constructed her life was at sis. Sandra needed to develop new coping skills to help her not only survive, but to thrive. Discovering and developing our true Self, requires that we develop new coping skills. Fortunately this is a process that is never complete because as we grow older everything keeps changing.I say fortunately because I think challenge and change make life interesting. We are never bored when we continue the emotional growth process. Yet, Just because we become aware of our old defense mechanisms, it is impossible to instantaneously strip them away and substitute them with new and more functional skills. To do so would make us feel too vulnerable. Sander's task in therapy was to gently and slowly substitute her old behaviors with new ones. She needed to discover new and healthy ways to cope with an unpredictable world.In doing so Sandra also wanted to disc over who she really was at the core of her being – her feelings, needs, interests, truths, and her mission in life. In short, she wanted to uncover the true Self behind that old mask. Remember that while defense mechanisms helped us cope as children, they become dysfunctional when we are adults, because they obscure our inner and outer awareness of reality, and thus impede the development of our true Selves. For example how could we possibly develop an intimate relationship if we use denial, projection and co-dependence as ways to cope? It won't work.Going back to Sandra, her next mission was to develop stronger, more authentic ways of being. She first needed to learn what her truth was – what gave her pleasure, what she needed, believed in, valued, felt, etc. – and then to â€Å"speak her truth† as a way to honor and validate her core self. As it turned out, Sandra was tired of being voiceless and a â€Å"people pleaser†. Over time, she ended up r evamping her entire life. There are many stories illustrating defense mechanisms. For example Neal, who was so spoiled by his quilt-ridden mother that his defense was to become egocentric and felt â€Å"entitled† to anything he wanted.What he wanted was total control. The world was there to serve him. His fantasy of control evaporated blamed the doctors for not â€Å"fixing† him. Over time he mellowed, and learned to be gentler with both others and himself. Another example would be the case of Elizabeth who turned to drugs and disappeared from her family for a number of years. She coped by being in denial about her fearful/angry feelings, â€Å"hiding out† by sing drugs and alcohol, and running from one place to another (a â€Å"geographic cure†). Eventually she became 6 tired of running, admitted herself into an excellent rehab program, and found a Job so she could support herself.Then there was Tim, the latch-key child. Both of his successful profession al parents worked long hours. This left Tim to his own devices after school, but he learned to accumulate friends and be the center of attention by being the â€Å"class clown†. He made everything into a Joke, and as he grew up his Jokes took the form of sarcastic humor. He had no idea how to relate on an adult level. This histrionically behavior kept him from finding a woman who would take him seriously, or who would trust him. Tim eventually craved more and after going though counseling was able to start dating. Many people have no idea who they really are.People who have not learned healthy coping skills can often act honestly for a brief period of time, but they can't hold onto it. Look what happens to people who have affairs. They can â€Å"act as if† they are perfect and hold together a faded because they are not living intimately with the other. Once they do move in together, the dark side of their old defense mechanisms often comes out. For a great read about t he â€Å"shadow side†, I highly recommend The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, by Debbie Ford. ) HEALTHY COPING SKILLS As mature individuals we need coping skills that face reality head-on.So, how do we develop these mature coping skills, especially when life continually slings arrows at us – whether in the form of illness, accidents, betrayals, traumas, or Just the influence of a toxic environment? The older we become, the more we will experience these â€Å"arrows of misfortune†. The good news is that now as independent beings, we have many more options. There are many national ways to cope with the on-slot of hurtful arrows coming at us from all angles, so it is to our benefit to develop as many of these positive coping skills as we can.Just think how freeing it would be to no longer hide behind a mask, but to act in response to our unique truths. There are many positive and empowering coping skills to choose from, which include: developing and trusting our in tuition, employing our creativity, learning to be light on our feet, increasing our ability to surrender, thinking positively, experiencing gratitude, being proactive not reactive, and speaking our truth with compassion. It also helps us to cope when we have defined the meaning and purpose of our lives, and are making conscious choices reflecting this purpose. L have written about some of these in previous â€Å"Pathways† articles. These include: â€Å"Developing Intuition† September 1997, â€Å"Living as a Creative Visionary I & II† â€Å"Surrender! † December 2002, and â€Å"The Control Fantasy' 7 September 2001 . ) There are many functional coping skills that allow us to be our authentic selves, by cutting and shaping that raw, uncut gem of the core self, into the beautiful rare, unique gem of the true Self. However in my mind there is one important coping skill that stands out above others and that is the ability to be self- aware.If we do not have s elfsameness, and thus are unaware of our old, dysfunctional defense mechanisms, then how can we possibly convert them into something new and positive? We cannot and will not. So, how do we develop self- awareness? There are helpful techniques we can use, including meditation (both through the forms of stillness and movement), dream analysis, watching for synchronicity signs, talking with trusted family members and friends, individual and/ r group therapy, or by engaging in spontaneous creative acts of writing, painting, music, and dance.Personally, I love to watch for synchronicity signs, and feel energize when something synchronicity (a simultaneous occurrence with meaning) occurs while I am writing about a particular subject. On this occasion, I was psychoanalytically sent a powerful essay illustrating the use of healthy coping mechanisms. This essay was written by 16 year old Sarah Dubos, about Mackenzie, a 10 year old who has a rare disease that doesn't allow her to keep any foo d down and so she must obtain sustenance through a feeding tube.Sarah, the author who has the same illness, shows us that we do not have to be of any particular age to understand and employ the benefits of positive coping skills. Sarah's insightful essay is printed here, in full, with her permission. Finding Beauty I have found it. What we are eternally searching for, grasping for, in life. I discovered what it means to be truly beautiful. Change your clothes, hair, or make up if you wish, but beauty is not measured by what you see on the surface. Shopping at the best stores with the most expensive clothing does not result in becoming beautiful.Your popularity and your amount of friends reveal only how well you fit into a mold. Beauty does not lie within these things. When afflicted with a severe stomach disease, I met a little girl named Mackenzie in the hospital. With long blonde hair and sharp emerald green eyes her features were small but her personality was so big. In the early stages of my disease, I saw this diminutive spit-fire blonde in the hallway, I was getting yet another test done and she was in the hospital for more extensive work. Two weeks later I was surprised to find her again two doors down from me when we both became inpatients.I found her in the game room, playing connect four with her mom and laughing. I came in and sat down next to her, our 8 matching IV poles side by side. As the minutes passed by we chatted about everything from our stomachs to shopping, I began to like this audacious little girl more and more. Before the hospital discharged us, we exchanged email addresses and the bright blues and pinks on the card she gave me were a welcome contrast from the stark hospital walls. Throughout the next year as our symptoms worsened from the disease we shared, our bond strengthened and I was continually amazed at he strength ands courage of this small girl.Although going through hell, she'd always manage to laugh at the terrible things g oing on and held such maturity and perspective about her illness that was completely unexpected for a girl her age. She entertained me with funny anecdotes about feeding tubes and hospital stays and we gave each other the strength needed to get through our rough times. Every triumph of Genie's became my triumph too, and every setback Just another reason to talk more often. One day I received an email; it was a picture of Junkie, her feeding tube routing from her nose, holding up the furry brown bear I sent her with a huge smile on her face.At that moment it became clear to me what beauty is. The sadness behind her eyes told her story but the smile on her face showed her bravery. My realization was immediate. Beauty is not the color of your skin, nor the outfit you choose to wear. Your beauty can't be determined from a number on the scale, or the color of your hair. It's the smile on your face and the story behind your eyes. The scars of your past and your dreams for the future. To f all into step with a friend as you walk hand in hand, to pretend promises are never broken.Beauty is to find the great in the terrible, it's the tears from our sadness and the laughter from our Joy. In the most unexpected way I discovered a lesson I hadn't intended on learning. No magazine or book could teach me this lesson. But a little 10 year old girl showed me what it meant to be truly beautiful. Sarah and Mackenzie both illustrate – as young and yet very wise individuals – the power of employing healthy coping mechanisms. Their demonstration of self-awareness, coupled with humor, creativity, courage, friendship, honesty and a positive attitude, illustrates the potent effects of healthy popping mechanisms.I believe John Donahue, an Irish priest, poet, and philosopher, who passed away this January, would have appreciated Sarah's essay. Donahue wrote several inspiring books, and among them is Beauty. On his website (which I encourage you to check out) is the essay, à ¢â‚¬Å"Reflection from Contrary†. In it he wrote, â€Å"It takes us so long to see where we are. It takes us even longer to see who 9 we are. This is why the greatest gift you could ever dream is a gift that you can only receive from one person. And that person is yourself. † Life will continue to present read challenges for all of us.

The Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire Essay

The story of Christianity’s rise to prominence is a remarkable one but also blurry one. As far as historical fact about the beginnings of Christianity that is. Many scholars point to the time around 4 BC as the most likely period for Christ’s birth, but that is also uncertain. Likewise the year of his death is not historically accurate or clearly established. It is thought to have taken place sometime around Ad 26 through AD 36. Christianity as a religion faced many years of persecution and punishments, sometimes even death. But, over the course of a few hundred years, despite all of this, the small persecuted religion of Christianity rose to become the dominant religion of the Roman Empire (Adler). Based off of historical texts Jesus of Nazareth was a very easy going laid back religious teacher and later a Jewish leader. Raised the earthly son of a carpenter, he did not come from high class society(Rise). He was just a normal, religious boy from next door to those who knew him growing up. It was only later that the Christians began to believe he was the Messiah, which is the human personification of God. Although there is little historical text about his early life more is known about his later years during his time as Messiah. He was clearly not one of the Jewish zealots who sought to overthrow and push out Roman rule in the land but, the Roman rulers did see him as a threat to security. It is known that Jesus did denounce the priests that Rome had appointed in charge of the religious sites of the Palestine(Lunn). This denouncement could have been perceived as an indirect threat to Roman rule by Jesus. This threat coupled with the fact that he was becoming known as the â€Å"King of the Jews† is why he was condemned and sentenced to death. The Roman leaders saw his death sentence as the closing of a chapter on a minor problem before it became a major nuisance and came back to bite them in the behinds. Therefore, it can be concluded that the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was nothing more than a political decision based on political motivations(Paulgaard). Whatever the importance his death was to the Roman leaders is went hardly noticed by Roman historians. To them his death was no more important than a street beggars. It can be assumed that the Roman leaders who agreed to his crucifixion  thought that his teachings would die along with him or shortly thereafter(Lunn). They must have been furious when his very loyal and determined followers didn’t allow that to happen. One of their own Roman citizens, Paul (known as Saint Paul) proved to be the most effective in caring on spreading the word of God the way Jesus himself did. He was a devout follower of Jesus and believed that if Jesus was willing to die for the sins of mankind and for his beliefs then it all must be true. Saint Paul became well known for his missionary trips that took him from Palestine into the Roman Empire (Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Italy). He carried only his teachings of Jesus new religion with him and spread the word to the non-Jews(Lunn). Up to this point in history Christianity was only known as a small Jewish Sect. It was Paul who took this new religion and the story of Jesus the Messiah to the masses. Most of the biblical scriptures of the new testament were written after the death of Jesus so there would have been very few available to him to use. The actual outlines of his new religion of that day is relatively unknown so Paul’s teachings and preaching would have been on the general ideas of Jesus and his ideas of Christianity such as the firsthand knowledge Jesus said he had of his holy father being the one and only God. It was Christianity’s insistence of one all-knowing and all-powerful God and others teachings like it that led to the Roman’s feeling threatened. Roman authorities waited for quite some time before deciding how to best approach and deal with this new religion. In the mean time, Paul and others like him were picking up so many followers so fast that the Roman leaders began to think of Christianity as a cult(Paulgaard). The Roman Empire had for so long kept it guaranteed religious peace due to the principles of religious toleration most of all Christianity was in direct defiance of the â€Å"official state religion of the empire.† To top it all of Christians refused to perform Caesar worship, which was required of all citizens of the Roman Empire, and this more than anything else proved of the Christians disloyalty to their Roman rulers. Finally, in AD 64 Roman authorities got an answer to the question of what to with the followers of Jesus and Christianity ,when Nero’s bloody repression led to the persecution of the Christians(Rise). This repression ,though rash and short lived, was a significant historical  event. After the repression and upon learning of the Christians refusal to perform Cesar worship, the Roman emperor Domitian sent investigators to Galilee to questions the family of Jesus. They released all they questioned without charging them but just the fact that the Roman Emperor had taken interest in this small Jewish sect proved that Christianity was no longer merely just a small Jewish sect but a force to be reckoned with. It was towards the end of the 1st century that Christians finally severed all ties with Judaism and established themselves as their own religion(World). They were Christians and they were independent of all other religions. After the separation Roman authorities no longer had them on radar. They didn’t know who Christians were independent from Judaism. The fact that Christianity was now unknown to the Roman Empire led to all kinds of rumors about this new sect. There were all kinds of rumors that Christians were performing all kinds of secret rituals such as child sacrifice, incest and even cannibalism. This led to major bad publicity ,so to speak, for Christians. During the 2nd century AD Christians were once again persecuted for their beliefs. The biggest reason this time was because Christianity did not allow their members to give the statutory reverence to the images of the gods and of the emperor. Their gatherings then became considered a civil disobedience and a transgression against the edict of Trajan. The edict of Trajan forbade meetings of secret societies and since the roman authorities considered Christianity a cult, that was a secret society(Lunn). The next serious persecutions were those under the rule of Marcus Aurelius. This period defined the Christians understanding of martyrdom. Following a period of widespread toleration of the Christians by the roman authorities after the persecution by Marcus Aurelis, Diocletian enacted what was to become the greatest persecution of Christians under Roman rule. He and Caesar Galerius launched a purge against the sect. They saw the Christians as becoming far too powerful and so in turn to dangerous. AD 312 marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Christianity under Roman rule. Emperor Constantine had a vision of the sign of Christ in a dream on the eve of a battle with his rival emperor Maxentius. The vision told him that he was to have the symbol inscribed on his helmet so he did.  He also ordered all of his bodyguard to paint in on their shields. After his victory in battle he declared that he owed his victory to the God of Christians. Constantine already had a tolerant attitude of the Christians that he had gotten from his father but before that night he had never indicated that he would be on their side(Paulgaard). His vision changed the fate of Christianity for good. Constantine secured religious toleration towards Christians all over the empire. It was in AD 324 that he defeated his last rival emperor and his final religious restraint disappeared that he became the first Christian emperor that ruled over the entire empire. He saw to the construction of many gr eat churches and great monuments to Christianity. He also became openly hostile toward the pagans and sought out to confiscate their treasures. The items confiscated were later given to the Christian Churches. Citizens of the Roman empire never really were even given time to work into Christianity, they were just kind of shocked into it by Constantine saying I am ruler and what I say goes. Following Constantine as ruler was Julian. When he took the throne he immediately renounced Christianity but could do little to change it as Christianity by then dominated the religious make-up of the empire. After years of trying to establish what was and was not part of the Christian religion in was the emperor Theodosius in AD 380 that took the final step and made Christianity the official religion of the state(Lunn). There were ups and downs for Christianity in the Roman Empire following the decision to make it the official religion, but no matter who argued against it, the fact was that Christianity was there to stay. The road for Christianity from a small Jewish sect to the official religion of the Roman Empire was a long and deadly one paved with the loves of many a Christian, starting with the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus start out with the goal of spreading the news that there was only one God and that he was a loving, forgiving, and faithful God. Roman authorities from first learning of Christianity, sought to destroy it. They wanted no part of a cult that didn’t bend to their will because they could not control them. Many Roman’s thought that by threatening and then following through with killing Christians, they would renounce their faith in their God. But, they didn’t. It took a very long time and many, many deaths and persecutions for one  Roman emperor to stand on the side of the Christians. Had it not been for Constantine and his vision, Chrisitanity may not have gotten to where it is today. It is not only to official Roman Empire’s religion it has beco me the most well known and most practiced religion among the western world to date. And it all leads back to one man who died on the cross for my sins. Bibliography 1. Adler, Philip J., Pouwels, Randall L. World Cvilizations. 6th ed. copyright 2012,2008 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. pgs 138-142 2. The Rise of Christianity. Purdue Online. Purdue.Edu.com April 22,2014 3. Lunn-Rockliffe, Dr. Sophie. Christianity and the Roman Empire. BBC History Ancient History in depth. pub.2011-02-17. Online. April 24,2014. 4. Paulgaard, James. The Expansion of Christianity in the Roman Empire. University of Saskatcewan.1 April 1999. Worldpress.com April 22, 2014.