Secret River Context Essay Essay Example for Free

Secret River Context Essay Essay â€Å"There is some good in the worst of us, and some bad in the best of us. When we discover this, we become less prone to hating our enemies† once deliberated Martin Luther King jr, a key figure in the American Civil rights movement, and a man that constantly strived for equality in racial-fuelled disputes, a key aspect of that being understanding when to and when not to engage in such dissension. His teaching can be instilled into the majority of conflicts faced in day-to-day life, and how crucial the choice can be when deciding whether or not to interfere. Many people adopt the ‘avoid conflict at all costs’ stance, removing themselves from any discord no matter how large the consequences may be. Admirable as it may be to some, to completely avoid confronting conflict without first evaluating the seriousness of it is simply cowardice, and a complete disregard for the ingrained ethical code branded into humans. Some disputes are so significant, perhaps proving to be seminal for the development of history that neglecting involvement in them could be detrimental for, depending on the scale, mankind or as narrow as personal failure. Like many countries penetrated by colonial influences, Australia’s history has been marred by its handling the indigenous, the rightful owners of the land, and the failure to engage in the dispute by major governmental figures left a stain on the development of a nation that preaches equality and liberty. Sometimes, engaging in conflict doesn’t even mean expressing despotic actions on others as it is so often associated with, but instead could be as simple as confronting a home truth that was growing in significance as time went by, as is seen in the story of Vincent Lingiarri, member of the Aborigine tribe the Gurundji. As portrayed in Paul Kelly’s ballad â€Å"From Little things, Big things Grow†, Lingiarri and fellow members of his tribe worked on Wave Hill cattle station for an â€Å"English lord Vestey†. Yet the false claiming of sacred Aboriginal land propelled Vincent to lead a workers strike at â€Å"Wattie Creek† in August 1966, where the song depicts Lingiarri defiantly declaring to the English â€Å"We’re sitting right here/ Til we get our land†. Despite the valid plea to remove the terra ullis or ‘land of no-one’ brand from the country and return portions of it back to the original inhabitants, the Australian government refused to involve themselves, and looked the other way, hoping the issue would sort itself out. â€Å"Eight long years of waiting† transpired of defiant protest from the Gurundji, and despite Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s attempt at reconciliation, in which the iconic image of the white man passing the vibrant red earth into the leathery, black palm of Lingiarri was taken, it wasn’t until the Mabo decision of 1992 that the land was returned to the rightful owners. This gap of 26 years of pure ignorance and callousness has permanently stained the history of the proud country, due to the inability of the supposed leaders of the country to reconcile, and engage in conflict that they preferred to leave alone. Yet dispute between the Aborigines and the settlers have always been present, as seen in Kate Grenville’s didactic novel â€Å"The Secret River†, as she loosely explores the brutal perforation of English Colonists in the later 18th century. In her historical fiction, Grenville explores protagonist William Thornhill escape from a brutal, industrialized London to seek a new life in the apparently greener pastures of Australia’s east coast. Yet upon arrival, Thornhill discovers tension to be nigh in the desolate land, and a fear of the unknown permeates the frightened arrivees, as he admits that despite owning a hundred acre property, it â€Å"no longer felt quite his own†. His inner drive to provide unconditional safety for his wife and children ultimately pushes his into a state of immorality, as he complies with the group mentality and participates in the massacre of the Aborigines, failing to heed Blackwood’s thought that to coexist with the natives, one must â€Å"give a little, take a little†. While William does engage in conflict, it is the greater of two evils. Had he strayed from the norm, resisted the urge to keep all that he wanted and sided with Blackwood to protect the Aborigines, it would be the desired outcome for his inner being. Yet he conforms, aids in the mobs mass murders and the fate of his character is set to be defeated, his avoidance of the larger conflict at hand leaving him with the misunderstanding â€Å"why it did not feel like triumph†, and the loss of his youngest son Dick who â€Å"would not† look him in the eye anymore. As Thornhill discovers, the easy option to take, the one that only benefits a minority will prove to be the one that renders people worthless, yet it is the harder option, the one that will pave the way for others that will prove the strength of the mettle in one’s being. In the face of dissension, how one performs offers insight into their moral code, and should they resist the ill-fated temptations of easiness and self-satisfaction, they will end out on top. In conflict, the old adage â€Å"the pen is mightier than the sword† often proves to be true. Gao Xingjian, a Nobel Prize winner for Literature operated in a tense Chinese climate polluted by Communism, which he described as â€Å"question of survival†¦ The atmosphere was so poisoned. People even in your own family could turn you in†. His statement proved to be truthful, as when writing allegorical accounts of the toxic environment he lived in, he was forced to burn a suitcase of manuscripts during the ironically titled Cultural Revolution out of fear of prosecution, as art was seen to be a threat to the Communist concept. The sane thing to do, the simple thing to do was to stop his controversial pieces, yet he opposed this, and continues to wage his dispute with his own country and fled to France to continue writing stories of brave heroes fighting against a prejudicial and ignorant political system that still subjugates 2 billion people. Thus his courageous dedication to the occupation he loves, feeling obligated to provide the world with information on the oppressive times as he believed â€Å"under the mask of fiction the truth can be told†, a belief that Grenville acutely followed. The admiration of the one that stands up against the burning tension of conflict is magnified, especially in the case of Bant Singh, a man whose courage, trepidation and loyalty should be shared with everyone to display true morality. Singh, an Indian farmer from the Dalit tribe, commonly looked upon as less than dirt to the hierarchal social system of India, fought against forces seemingly unstoppable for familial love, demonstrating how conflict must be addressed in some circumstances. When his 14 year old daughter was raped by two wealthy landlords, Bant did not do as many Dalit’s before him would have done, accepted the monstrosity and moved on. Yet he did stand up, and went for legal action against the two men. They quickly offered him a bribe that would secure the financial future of the family, yet he refused, advocating e would â€Å"not put a price on [his] daughter’s honor†. Days later, Bant was set upon by men with axes and steel rods, who attempted to beat him to death. Yet he made it to hospital, where gangrene took both of his legs and left arm. Sing saw the two men responsible go to jail for life; his war waged proving successful as justice was restored and the social separation in the country is beginning to wane. Singh’s battle is testament to the fact that not every fight can be ignored; some are so imminent that they must be addressed or the results will linger and effect future circumstances. Conflict, the consuming beast will continue to claim the souls of those who cannot persevere its burning glare. Yet those who oppose it, confront it with the correct intentions will be exposed as true heroes of human society, as Bant Singh will forever be. As legendary war general Napoleon Bonaparte once promoted â€Å"The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know†, summising that those who avoid dissension that must be addressed will never be respected.

A Model of Driving Tests Battery Validation

A Model of Driving Tests Battery Validation MARKUS SOMMER, GERNOT SCHUHFRIEDâˆâ€", MIHAI ANIÃ…Â ¢EI, MIHAELA CHRAIFâˆâ€"âˆâ€" Abstract Designing a driving test battery is the most secure way to predict the driver behavior before  obtaining driver license. The objective is to design a psychological test battery to predict the driving  behavior of the potential drivers. The participants were 106 persons, both male and female, age  between 18 and 45 years old (M=34.4, 4; S.D. =1.32), different levels of education. The validity  criterion has been selected according the driving tasks during driving on the road. Thus, the value of  the test reveals the fact that the model has a strong predictive value for the chosen criteria. Key words: criteria, predictors, tachitoscopic test, determination test. 1. INTRODUCTION First studies in simulated task environments have shown that quite a large  part of the participants do not notice information that is not in accordance with  their expectations or when they do notice the information responses are delayed  (Martens, 2004; Martens Fox, 2003). This negative side of getting familiar with  a certain task environment might be the result of not spending enough time fixating  the objects in the task environment. But this decrease in fixation times to objects in  the task environment once people get familiar with the environment has only been  shown in computer-simulated environments. Drivers should question any driving skills test that does not include all the  test components as described in the appropriate study guide. In Table 1 can be seen  the required driving skills test components and the approximate time needed to  complete each. Thus the times are estimates based on an average length driving  route, good weather conditions, light traffic and a well-prepared driver. Furthermore  the same authors underline that skills tests must include all the segments listed in   Table 1. In this way a test may take more time than shown in this table, but should Also the guide underline the procedures of taking curves, entering into the  crossroads and others. These represents for the psychologists criteria in validation  of the driving tests baterry. Underlining the importance of visual functions in driving, such as acuity,  field, contrast, color and night vision can be measured as part of an eye  examination. Functional vision includes performance of daily living skills, reading  ability, mobility skills and driving skills. In this way the measurement of visual  functions is often used as a substitute from which to estimate functional vision.   According to the visual standards (Colenbrander, A. De Laey, J.J., 2006), the  visual acuity is measured often, visual field sometimes and contrast sensitivity  rarely. The authors underline that estimating predicted driving performance on the  basis of a few parameters, many other factors, such as training, experience and  familiarity with the driving environment can affect the prediction. In this way the  authors present in Figure 1 particularities of vision related functioning. As it can be observed in Figure 1, the authors undeline that the driving tests  included into the tests battery has to predict the driving performances in traffic. In  this way, they highlite that the driving safety does not depend so much on what is  seen, but rather on how quickly and how adequately drivers respond to what is  seen. So, is the moment when the time reaction tests has to be included into a  driving tests baterry. When human observers look at an optic flow stimulus their eye movements  show a regular alternation of gaze shifts and slow tracking movements at a  frequency of about 2 Hz (Niemann, Lappe, Buscher Hoffmann, 1999; Lappe   Hoffmann, 2000).Many perceptual experiments have shown that heading can be perceived  from optic flow (J.E. Cutting, P.M. Vishton, M. Flà ¼ckinger, B. Baumberger, and  J.D. Gerndt, 1997; Turano and X. Wang, 1994; Warren, D.R. Mestre, A.W.   Blackwell, and M.W. Morris, 1991; Stone and J.A. Perrone; 1997). They have  identified important requirements for accurate analysis as well as sources of error. A particular concern are eye movements which are induced by optic flow and  which, by distorting the structure of the flow field projected in the eye, compromise  heading detection. 2. THE OBJECTIVES, HYPOTHESYS, PARTICIPANTS The objective is focused to design a psychological test battery to predict the  driving behavior of the potential drivers in the way of decreasing the accident risk. The independent variables of the tests baterry are predictors for the driving  performances in traffic. The participants were 106 persons, both male and female, age between  18 and 45 years old (M = 34.4, 4; S.D. = 1.32), different levels of education. Also,  the participants were driving school students tested at two driving schools from  Bucharest. Organ structure Organ function Skills and abilities Societal consequenc. THE ORGAN THE PERSON Examples: Injury Degeneration Visual acuity Visual field Reading Mobility Employment Quality of Life ICIDH: Disorder Impairment Disability Handicap ICF: Body structure Body function Activities and Participation Barriers and Facilitators Vision: Visual Functions How the eye functions Functional Vision How the person functions DRIVING Acuity test Field test Contrast Driving ability test Driving in actual trafic Traffic conditions 246 Markus Sommer et al. 4 3. THE METHOD 3.1. THE INSTRUMENTS – RT – Reaction Test (Schuhfried, 2007). With the RT is it possible to  measure reaction time as both a simple choice and a multiple-choice reaction. Yellow light stimulus modalities are available in the test battery, so that different  stimulus constellations for the measurement of reaction time can be created. These  can range from individual stimuli to simultaneous or sequentially presented  stimulus combinations. The use of a rest key and a reaction key makes it possible  to distinguish between reaction and motor time. – Determination test (Schuhfried, 2007). The test is used to measure reactive  stress tolerance and the associated ability to react and requires the respondent to  use his cognitive skills to distinguish different colors and sounds, to memorize the  relevant characteristics of stimulus configurations, response buttons and assignment  rules, and to select the relevant responses according to the assignment rules laid  down in the instructions and/or learned in the course of the test. The difficulty of  the DT arises from the need to sustain continuous, rapid and varying responses to  rapidly changing stimuli. – Tachitoscopic test (Schuhfried, 2007). The ATAVT tests observational  ability by briefly presenting pictures of traffic situations. The items are constructed  using an explicit, theory-led rationale which is based on detailed analysis of the  cognitive processes involved in working the test. The design of the ATAVT is  based on the principles used in the well-established TAVTMB test but builds on  these by taking account of recent research findings relating to the perception of  scenes and objects. – Visiotest-Stereoscopy. The Visiotest-Campitest with 6 visual acuity tests  and the extension of the peripheral visual field. For the research, only the  stereoscopic visual test was used. The test consist in a table with letters (A, B, C)  which for a person with stereoscopic vision appears at different distances.The correlation matrix from Table 3 reveal the statistically significant  correlations between the criterias and the predictors. Thus, the criteria right curve,  cross road correlate statistically significant and positive with the following  predictors: tahitoscop corect (34**), DT corect (.27**), reaction time (.41**),  motor time (.32**). The same criteria correlate statistically significant and negative  (p Taking in consideration the criteria stop to the pedestrian crossing from the  same Table 3, can be observed a statistically significant and positive correlation  between this criteria and the following predictors: DT corrrect (.38**), motor time  reaction (.19*) and S.D. motor time (.17*). The same criteria correlate statistically  significant and negative with the following predictors: Viziotest-stereoscopy  (–.42**), DT omitted (–.41**) and tahito incorrect (–.18*).Analizing the correlation between the criteria total performances in driving  and the predictors can be observed a statistically significant and positive  correlation with the following predictors: tahitoscop correct (.46**), DT correct  (.53**), reaction time (.38**), motor time (.42**), S.D. reaction time (.31**) and  S.D. motor time (.27**). The same criteria correlate statistically significant and  negative with the predictors: Viziotest-stereoscopy (–.51**), DT omitte d (–.27**)  and tahito incorrect (–.32**). Applying the regression model for the criteria total performances in driving  the following regresssion model had been obtained (5). Table 4 Summary Model R R Square Adjusted R square 1 0.742 0.550 0.526 a) Predictors: (Constant), tahitoscop correct, tahitoscop incorrect, DT correct, DT incorrect, DT  omitted, TR motor time, S.D. reaction time, S.D. motor time, viziotest-stereoscopy;  b) Dependent variable: total performances in driving. Table 4 underlines an error reduction of the model with 55% and a strong  correlation between the independent variables and the criteria (0.742). Calculating the F value (23.29) the regression model have a strong predictive  value for the criteria total performances in driving (p Continued driver training in the form of guided lifelong self-improvement activities  is essential for acquiring new skills (Sommer, Herle, Hausler, 2007). These new  skills are required as driving gets more complex with technology: car audio  devices, reading maps on screens, using computers, note taking, talking on phone  or radio, GPS device. The Standard Quality Driving Curriculum needs to be kept  up-dated continuously and the latest additions are to be made available. These updates  are to focus on new developments that technology brings to vehicles and roads, all of which require the acquisition of new skills by drivers. The research finding reveal that designing psychological test batteries comes  in the help of safety traffic and minimizing the accident probability to occur only  taking in consideration the criteria validity.

Aneroxia Nervosa Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa is a mental illness in which a person has an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of their weight and body shape. People with this illness believe themselves to be fat even when their weight is so low that their health is in danger† (Encarta). Eating disorders, such as Anorexia, are a major issue in society today due to society’s stereotypical view of women and young teenage girls, in, but many cases men are affected too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anorexia Nervosa has been believed to be an illness that is primarily based in the mind, or an illness of psychological origin. â€Å"Young women diagnosed with anorexia nervosa literally waste away as they lament their bodies’ perceived fatness† (Bower 1). Most people who have anorexia nervosa have similar personality traits being: â€Å"perfectionism, introversion, low self-esteem, difficulty expressing emotions, and a need for control. As the disorder develops, they may experience depression, irritability, sleep problems, lack of sexual interest, and they may withdraw from friends and family† (Encarta).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anorexia is developed by society. An eating disorder is an illness that affects several of the United States population because society has driven many people to be self-conscience about their appearance. Many women and teenage girls are affected because many are afraid of becoming fat and â€Å"unacceptable† to society’s view on women in general. The illness is often star...

Diversity Essay -- essays research papers

Diversity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  America’s workforce is continuously changing. Businesses today hire and retain culturally diverse employees to compete in the globalize market. Companies are developing ways to tap into and capitalize upon the talents of their workforces. They are discovering how to value the diversity of their workforces and the potential that diversity brings in flexibility, ingenuity and problem solving are helping them achieve their goals. Diversity can be differences in age, gender, ethnicity, and religion. Having such a diverse workforce can be very challenging. (1) Today’s workforce is very diverse in respect to age. Before, corporate America consisted of workers ranging from twenty one up to late thirties to early forties. Now, we see people in their mid to late fifties going back to work. This trend has both advantages and disadvantages. One advantage of an older employee over a younger employee is his ability to use his years of experience in situations where a younger employee lacks experience. Another advantage for an older employee is his built relationship with existing customers. The disadvantage of an older employee over a younger employee is his inability to quickly adapt to his changing environment. Younger employees are more â€Å"hungry† compared to their older counter parts. Their hunger is fired by their goal to quickly move up the corporate ladder. (2) Gender also poses a challenge in the work force. Today, more and more women are entering the workforce. As such, the working environment has greatly changed. Companies make sure that sexual harassment does not happen. Men are expected to carefully say things without offending the opposite sex. The same rule also applies to women. Sexual harassment includes requests for sexual favors, sexual advances or other sexual conduct when (a) submission is either explicitly or implicitly a condition affecting academic or employment decisions; or (b) the behavior is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to create an intimidating, hostile or repugnant environment; or (c) the behavior persists despite objection by the person to whom the conduct is directed. Companies considers such behavior, whether physical or verbal, to be a breach of its standards of conduct. It will seek to prevent such incidents and will investigate and take corrective actions for violations of this policy. There are two types of... ...Filipina, he had spent some time in the Philippines a few years back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (4) Religion plays an important part on an individual’s behavior. Being part of the same religious group can mean belongingness. For example, in a work place environment, if the four out of the six team members were Jewish, they would be closer to each other since they were all of the same faith. This closeness will result in openness among the four members which would improve productivity. However, such action could also have a negative effect. The other two members would feel excluded. They would also not be likely included in the other four members’ decisions which would mean that communication would not flow across the whole group, but only with in sub-groups. It would also lead to misunderstanding and poor performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In summary, most workplaces are becoming increasingly diverse as people from different genders, races, cultures, ethnic origins, and lifestyles find themselves working together. The key to making diversity work is management. Knowing what they are and understanding what effects (positive or negative) they have on the organization is very important to the success of the company.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I stand before you tonight because of love — love that was given to me and displayed in its purest, sacrificial form. This evening, I would like to share with you how that love has changed my life. When my parents enrolled me at Milkins Academy 13 years ago, they recognized the fact that the value of a Christian education is far greater than a new house or car. The material possessions that they have forfeited through the years have allowed me to remain in an environment in which I can see Christ lived out every day. For the sacrificial love that my parents have displayed, together with the parents of all my class members, I am exceedingly grateful. The teachers here at Milkins display love to us students as well. Whether in getting a little extra math help before a test or receiving a needed hug after English class, we experience the love our teachers have for us. Thank you, teachers — all of you. We know that you constantly pray for us, encourage us and reprimand us when we need it. Your love, humility and desire to know Christ have been a brilliant example of what you long to see demonstrated in our lives. God is at work in you, and we pray that everyone here is able to see Christ in us as well. However, although the love of our parents and teachers has greatly influenced our lives, their love is insignificant compared to the love of the One who first loved us. He is the source of all true love and is the ultimate example of sacrifice. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Romans 5:1-8, which states, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in th... ...blameless died, And through it all was tested, shunned, and tried. His life on earth, as all, was but a breath, Yet lived he true until his awful death And after, for although he was but man, He was held in God’s almighty plan, And was truly God in human form; By his death the temple veil was torn. And he calls us all to follow him, Turning from a life of vile sin To perfection by a God all pure; His grace is that of which we can be sure. Blameless Jesus lived and blameless died, And he can be forevermore our Guide. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Thank you all for coming tonight, and have a lovely evening.

Out of the Ashes: Schizophrenia

Nowadays, society sees schizophrenia seems like an outdated topic. A topic not many seem to care about. A topic that is not even taboo, because many do not even know about it. However, this topic is affecting so many on a day to day basis. Worldwide, about one percent of people are diagnosed with this mental illness. That is 1.5 million people. Even worse, sixty percent of everyone that suffers from schizophrenia makes at least one attempt to commit suicide (WebMD).That is 900,000 people. That is three cruise ships filled with people (Mental Health Schizophrenia). That is one full football stadium. Some may ask themselves, what is schizophrenia? Well according to the National Institute of Mental Illnesses â€Å"schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.† (NIMH). Schizophrenia is caused by genetics, biology and sometimes even viral infections. Schizophrenia has been misunderstood throughout the years; It is characterized by a shift in perception, disturbed sense of self and psychotic manifestations.A shift in perception can not only affect the patient's emotions, but it can also greatly impact their physical life. Schizophrenics suffer from various shifts in perceptions that makes them change the way they act, not only physically but also mentally. When you suffer from schizophrenia you develop many symptoms. Meanwhile, many were not discovered until the mid-1990s. However, Schizophrenia was discovered back in 1887 by Doctor Emile Kraepelin. Before Kraepelin however, many believed people with psychotic disorders were possessed. This caused the treatment to be electric shock therapy, exorcisms, lobotomy and even drilling a hole in the patient's eye socket which left patients with worse mental health than what they started with. This type of treatment started to be popularized with schizophrenia patients in the middle ages until the late 1880s. Schizophrenia and its treatments are one of the main reasons why society now know mental asylums as dark and scary places. When The Priory of Saint Mary of Bethlehem was founded to try to treat ‘mad men'. They believed this illness came from supernatural forces such as demons. By the patients seeing hallucinations and delusions was basically proof of a demonic possession. They were treated so badly, most of the ‘mad men' that attended the mental asylum ended up dying, either by experiments, failed treatments or suicide. Today Kraepelin was the first to differentiate between what he called dementia praecox and manic depression. According to Psychology Today â€Å"The oldest available description of an illness closely resembling schizophrenia can be found in the Ebers papyrus, which dates back to the Egypt of 1550 BC. And archaeological discoveries of Stone Age skulls with burr holes drilled into them (presumably to release ‘evil spirits') have led to speculation that schizophrenia is as old as mankind itself† (Burton, M.D.). The first doctor to coin the term Schizophrenia and notice the patients shift in perception was Swiss psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler back in 1911. Schizophrenia comes from Greek roots schizo (split) and phrene (mind) as a reference to showing how the patient's brain works. Schizophrenia brings you to a point where the patient has a disturbed sense of self. This has happened to not only to unknown patients but many well-known people and celebrities have suffered through forgetting who they are and why they are here. This list includes many people, for example, the ex-singer and founder of Pink Floyd. Syd Barrett's real name was Roger Barrett, and he used his real name for much of his life, which started in 1946 and ended in 2006 by pancreatic cancer. He was an English songwriter, singer and guitarist best known as a founding member and songwriter of the rock band Pink Floyd. Barrett's partnership with the band finished after failure to perform during concerts various times. These were speculated to be caused by delusions and hallucinations, two very common schizophrenia symptoms. He had been the main songwriter which greatly affected how the band worked after his resignation. Barrett withdrew from the public after that, but released two solo albums in 1970 called â€Å"The Madcap Laughs† and â€Å"Barrett† Pink Floyd went on to become massively popular and successful, their style evolving towards progressive rock since their songwriter left. Syd/Roger Barrett lived a simple and solitary life, receiving royalty payments from his ex-band. His access to spending money had been controlled by his family (Willis 143). There has been much speculation about why Barrett ceased to be a member of Pink Floyd, withdrew from the public eye, shunned his own fans, left behind the nickname that he had never himself used or liked. Syd/Roger was diagnosed with the mental illness after an apparent heavy usage of LSD. According to his family and close friends, he did LSD nearly every day for years. After his resignation of Pink Floyd, he did not just start having atrocious hallucinations daily but also he fell into clinical depression. This leads to another story of a maybe one of the most famous artists of all time. Vincent Van Gogh. He had an eccentric personality and unstable moods suffered from recurrent psychotic episodes during the last two years of his extraordinary life and committed suicide at the age of thirty-seven by a gunshot. (Blumer) According to PsychiatryOnline.org â€Å"One of Van Gogh's psychiatrists recognized the crucial role of alcohol in the manifestation of Van Gogh's major psychiatric symptoms. By his own confession, Van Gogh required â€Å"a glass too much† to numb his inner storms when they became too intense. The artist was not known to become intoxicated and may not have been drinking more than many of his contemporaries, but he was particularly vulnerable to the epileptogenic properties of absinthe, the favourite drink of the French artists of his time† (Blumer). The well-known part of Schizophrenia is the symptom of psychotic manifestations. According to Healthline.com â€Å"Psychosis is characterized by an impaired relationship with reality. And it is a symptom of serious mental disorders. People who are psychotic may have either hallucinations or delusions† (Carey, P.H.D.). Hallucinations are sensory manifestations, they occur mostly visually or auditory. For example, someone might hear someone yelling when nobody is there. Or maybe they see someone or something that isn't actually there. These for the patient seem real. They also experience delusions, which is for the person to have a contrary thought to actual evidence. For example, the patient thinking a stranger they just met wants to kill them. These symptoms are powerful and dangerous. Strangely, these symptoms are the most attacked by society. Many believe these delusions and hallucinations are made up and make up false beliefs about this. Some false ideas are: Schizophrenics have multiple personalities, them being possessed, the patients are faking it and even that it's not an illness. The first one is made up because as clearly stated before, the symptoms of schizophrenia have nothing to do with that. The illness in which the patient have multiple personalities is a psychiatric phenomenon called DID, which stands for dissociative identity disorder, which involves the patient has multiple personalities which each have their own voice, manners and characteristics. This illness can be seen perfectly in the movie Split (2016) by M. Night Shyamalan. This is not schizophrenia. Schizophrenics might hear voices but they only have one personality. The second hoax is the possession myth. This myth is mostly believed by Catholics. This myth comes back from middle ages as mentioned before.In conclusion, many schizophrenics are seen ever since the beginning of mental illnesses, many are affected by it and almost all society says about it is fake. All in all, if you or someone you know is suffering from schizophrenia, please get help immediately and know that no matter your illness â€Å"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.† (Philippians 4:13). Help is always there and never forget Jesus loves you. Schizophrenia has been underestimated to a point where society only knows it's characterized by a change in view, confused sense of self and psychotic ideals. Works Citedâ€Å"A Brief History of Schizophrenia.† Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201209/brief-history-schizophrenia.â€Å"Biological Basis of Schizophrenia.† Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/behavior/psychological-disorders/v/biological-basis-of-schizophrenia.â€Å"Divine Madness – a History of Schizophrenia.† History Cooperative, 19 Sept. 2016, historycooperative.org/divine-madness-a-history-of-schizophrenia/.â€Å"Famous People with Schizophrenia: 6 Schizophrenic Celebrities.† WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/ss/slideshow-schizophrenia-famous-names.Marlene, Lili. â€Å"Incorrect Pleasures.† The Interesting Case of Syd Barrett, 1 Jan. 1970, incorrectpleasures.blogspot.com.co/2009/11/interesting-case-of-syd-barrett-for.html.â€Å"Psychosis: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors.† Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/psychosis.Schiller, Lori, and Amanda Bennett. The Quiet Room: a Journey out of the Torment of Madness. Grand Central Publishing, 2011.†Schizophrenia.† Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/behavior/psychological-disorders/v/schizophrenia.â€Å"Schizophrenia.† Mental Health America, 29 Mar. 2017, http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/schizophrenia#symptoms.â€Å"Schizophrenia.† Mental Health America, 29 Mar. 2017, www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/schizophrenia.â€Å"Schizophrenia.† National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/.â€Å"Schizophrenia.† Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/schizophrenia.â€Å"Schizophrenia and Suicide.† WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-and-suicide.â€Å"Schizophrenia Symptoms, Patterns And Statistics And Patterns.† Mental Help Schizophrenia Symptoms Patterns and Statistics and Patterns Comments, https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/schizophrenia-symptoms-patterns-and-statistics-and-patterns/â€Å"The Illness of Vincent Van Gogh.† American Journal of Psychiatry, ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.4.519.The History of Schizophrenia, schizophrenia.com/history.htm#.Willis, Tim. 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Dove’s campaign for real beauty Essay

Introduction and Problem Statement Unilever, with annual revenues of approximately $50 billion and a staff of 250,000, ranks among the world’s largest companies in consumer products. One of its most famous labels is the personal care brand Dove. In an attempt to reposition the brand and rid it from its â€Å"conservative† image, in 2004, Dove launched its radically new â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty†. In-house consumer research had revealed major insecurities among women concerning their physical appearance. Hardly any female considered herself to keep up with the standards depicted in regular beauty advertising. Based on these findings, Dove redefined beauty in a way that had been ignored by other players before. Targeting women aged 30 to 39, the campaign’s purpose was to show real female beauty, reflected in different shapes, sizes and ages. The core message was â€Å"No models – but firm curves.† The campaign received enormous attention; sales of Dove-branded products nearly quadrupled and market share increased significantly in various core markets. (for further information please refer to 5.1). Nevertheless, after this great success and image shift, Dove’s major brand management challenge for the upcoming year is how to continue the promotional campaign. The problem can thus be formulated a follows: What should Dove do to prepare for the re-launch of Dove beauty products to the next level and successfully keeping this competitive advantage for global use over time? Alternatives 1. Alternative A: Reap the benefits of brand awareness One possibility for Dove is to seize the opportunity of high brand awareness to extend the brand and enter new target markets while largely continuing  with the women’s marketing mix. A beauty care line for middle-aged men would be introduced, as this segment is not well explored by competitors yet and, age-wise, goes in line with the current female target. Products would connect the moisturizing and mild benefit with attributes like â€Å"energetic† and â€Å"self confident†. Regarding advertisement, this would be communicated using â€Å"normal, average† males and thus stay with the â€Å"Real Beauty† paradigm. However, it is assumed that men are less prone to be self-conscious about their looks. Therefore, perceptions would be assessed in further studies and advertising messages focused on the issues regarded as most critical. 2. Alternative B: Continue to evolve With the current success of the campaign, it might also be reasonable not to introduce significant changes. The idea would thus be to simply extend the brand communication and promotion for two aspects: To give consumers some new insights and keep them excited, advertisements would not merely depict happy, normal women. They would now also include storytelling, showing how average women’s self-confidence helps them in different situations (such as job interviews or dates). Additionally, Dove products would be featured more prominently in these advertisements. Their connection to â€Å"Real Beauty† and self-esteem would be communicated more clearly by showing the women use Dove products prior to making a self-confident experience. 3. Alternative C: It’s all in the product Seeing how the prevalent image in the beauty industry is still one of perfection, Dove might be well-advised to provide for the possibility that identifying with â€Å"imperfect† women loses its appeal to the customer base. Without returning to classic beauty models, the brand could hence decide on detaching the products from body images altogether. The self-esteem topic would still be key, but the main focus lies on the product. For example, women would no longer be shown in campaigns, but merely close-ups of skin and the products – packaging as well as ingredients – themselves. Issues 4. How easy is it for competitors to imitate the strategy? With Dove’s focus on â€Å"Real beauty† seeing such great success, it is likely for  competitors to try and get their piece of the cake by imitating Dove’s strategy. When utilizing a more product-focused strategy, communication will rather be on brand attributes than on the brand image that has successfully been established. As attributes are easier to copy and, consequently, convey, alternative C runs at a respectively higher risk of being imitated. For alternative A, as there will be a new target group to win over, competition is likely to be dangerous from beauty brands that already enjoy a high standing among the relevant consumers (e.g. Gillette). Alternative B builds the most on the current communication strategy, where Dove is well-established and simply needs to keep consumers interested in order to reap its â€Å"first-mover† benefits. 5. In how far are current brand associations held up? As Dove’s â€Å"Real Beauty† campaign was exclusively focused on women, it might be hard to stretch the brand associations to fit the new consumer segment targeted by the portfolio extension (i.e. men). As a consequence, prospective customers could experience difficulty identifying with the brand, whereas current customers could perceive brand values as somewhat diluted by the new attributes. Alternative B will clearly remain the most consistent with the current image; alternative C, on the other hand, runs at a risk of not diluting but rather reducing the brand image by taking away its â€Å"human† dimension. On top of this goes the fact that it is harder to convey brand values when they are not placed in a reference frame (e.g. that of curvy women enjoying themselves). While the core message and self-esteem concern will still be pursued, losing the edge of directly opposing competitive clichà © images might harm the brand’s credibility. 6. Will consumers in the long run withstand the attraction of idealized advertising? Although the move away from idealized models has brought Dove high brand awareness and appealed to many women, it is questionable whether consumers will not fall back into their â€Å"learned† habits of trying to become more perfect. The consequence would be that they are again attracted by competitors. As explained above, alternative C would somewhat prepare for that backward shift. Alternative A, with going into a new target, still has some room for maneuver to introduce slight changes back towards higher  idealization. Alternative B, however, is completely tied to alternative beauty models and thus most exposed to the risk of backward-changing consumer preferences. Conclusion The brand management faces a constrained budget, which makes conducting a combination of these alternatives unfeasible, at least in the short and medium run. The task is hence to select the one most promising alternative. Addressing the issue of sustaining a unique positioning first, it is clear that alternative C provides the least protection against copycat behavior of competitors as it even partly abandons the original concept and thus leaves more space for the rivals to also associate their brands with attributes such as genuineness or sincerity. Similarly, alternative A opens a window for imitation even though it is, arguably, not likely to happen, as the market for men’s personal care is not as profitable as to allow rivals to simply establish themselves as followers in this way. Under alternative B, Dove further elaborates on its positioning which is deeply ingrained in the minds of customers, thus rendering imitation by competitors especially hard and therefore unlikely. As already mentioned, the question of compatibility of the current brand with men’s mindset is questionable. Even though, option A does not have to necessarily alienate the current target group, provided the advertising message is adapted seamlessly and promotes the idea that real beauty comes regardless of sex as it comes regardless of age, ethnicity or shape. Alternative B stays close to the message and does not pose a threat in this regard. Alternative C, however, moves away from the concept, producing incongruity within the brand image. This fact, together with the previous issue, makes alternative C seriously undermine the strategy that Dove has been following and we hence drop it from subsequent discussion. Regarding the risk that people regress to their old habits of following an idealized concept of beauty, alternative B fares better than alternative A. While not reverting to the standard approach to fashion advertising, the  storytelling technique expands the consumers’ understanding of the issues and leads them to process the brand’s benefits more consciously. This should, in turn, inhibit the customers’ inclination towards idealized images in advertising. In this regard, Dove might be worse off under alternative A, as a positioning for two partly distinct target groups can reduce the degree to which each of them associates themselves with the brand. Also alternative B is a mere evolution of the current campaign. From an economic point of view, the fact that the target segment remains the same, the future returns are severely limited. Albeit option A is associated with a higher risk, it has to be concluded that a successful implementation would also enable Dove to unlock a whole new market, making this choice more appealing. The final decision between the two options is difficult. While being somewhat weaker on the side of economic potential, alternative B ultimately outperforms alternative A in regard to other issues. Higher revenues can still be made by expanding geographically, while the image needs to be adapted to fully resonate with the customers. Yet, these alternatives are mutually exclusive only to the extent of the disposable funds. Alternative A might hence very well be the logical extension of Dove’s efforts and the natural next step for a â€Å"phase 3† of its brand relaunch. Additionally, several other factors should be taken into account, such as a possible conflict with other Unilever brands, such as Axe/Lynx. These inconsistencies should be countered with a clear positioning in non-overlapping segments and appropriate PR measures. Also the global dimension of the decision should be kept in mind and the campaign continuously adapted to local circumstances in order to display a high level of fidelity, which is completely crucial if the brand is to sustain its image. Provided Dove manages to avoid pitfalls as these, the brand is best off by evolving its brand communication to further curb female insecurities about themselves while strengthening the link between the image the brand evokes and the products. (For further detail pleas refer to 5). Appendix 7. The company and campaign Dove was originally developed in the United States as a non-irritating skin cleaner for pre-treatment use on burns and wounds during WWII. Nowadays, Dove products are available in more than 35 countries, generating revenues of $3 billion. The Dove product line includes body washes, beauty bars, deodorants, hair and facial care products and lotions. Before Dove set up the marketing strategy, they wanted to understand the relationship of women to beauty, without a special focus on any beauty care products. Therefore the company charged a global research firm, StrategyOne to conduct a research study. Hence, StrategyOne surveyed 3,200 women from around the world. The result of the survey showed a wide disparity between the ideal of beauty pictured in the media and the perception by women themselves. Based on this report, the company redefined beauty in a way that all competitors have ignored. To launch a new campaign Dove used a new and unconventional ideal of beauty, thus they differ si gnificantly from their main competitors. To strengthen the emotional ties to Dove’s target group, the brand and not the single products should be in the foreground. The campaign was launched to increase also revenues and to re-brand Dove. Therefore the advertising budget approximately accounted for $ 27 million in Europe alone. The â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty† began in September 2004, when a website for beauty debates was established. The main target group was 30- to 30-year-old women who could identify with the new brand mission statement â€Å"to make more women feel beautiful every day, by widening today’s stereotypical view of beauty and inspiring women to take great care of themselves†. To transmit the core message Dove’s ads contained no models, but firm curves. The promotion also showed a group of women of different ages, shapes and racial backgrounds that were just having a good time in bras and knickers. Therefore the models were chosen in a â€Å"street casting† to achieve a great acceptance among the observers. Traditional television and magazine advertising was supported by outdoor ads, such as billboards, posters and signs. The results were dramatic, because the advertisement gained a massive media coverage. The brand had a sophisticated image shift and is now described by adjectives like â€Å"open†, â€Å"active† and â€Å"self-confident†. The  turnaround was really striking. [1] 2. PEST Analysis [pic] Figure 7: PEST Analysis Political factors: As Unilever and therefore also Dove are globally acting brands, there are several political and legal factors that could influence the performance of the company. For example the political stability in different countries is not as stable as in Europe. Therefore a quick change in laws can occur, like the employment laws, health and safety laws, consumer laws etc. It is also possible that new import tariffs are introduced. Hence, regarding those  changes the costs for Dove could increase and the demand for the products could be reduced. Economic factors: Economic factors can have major impact on business and future decisions. Those factors include an economic downturn, volatile exchange rates and inflation rates in the operating countries. It is possible that Dove has to increase prices due to different circumstances like increased ingredients price and therefore the demand for the products could decrease. Social factors: Social factors as lifestyle and cultural values vary from region to region. As Dove launched the unique campaign they have to be careful that they adapt it to the different cultural environments and lifestyles around the globe. But also brands have a great impact on peoples’ lifestyle and can change it. Technological factors: Technology is also necessary for Dove’s success and competitive advantage. This includes for example research and development activities and information technologies (with their interactive website). To maintain the competitive advantage being a moisturizing product, Dove has to rely on the technological progress and has to be a first mover. 3. Porter’s five forces [pic] Figure 8: Porter’s five forces Threat of new entrants: As Dove had great success with their â€Å"real beauty campaign† there is a potential risk for new entrants. But Dove is one of the best brands over the world and competitors have to face that. They have an outstanding marketing strategy and high quality products. But barriers to enter the market are low threat of new entrants can therefore be rated as medium. Bargaining power of suppliers: Dove is a sub-brand of Unilever that as lots of suppliers over the world. Therefore Unilever as the parent company has power to influence the suppliers and switch them easily. So Dove has also a sort of pressure on their suppliers and can cut down prices and establish tight relationships with suppliers. Hence, bargaining power of suppliers is low. Bargaining power of buyers: As there are many competitors within the industry, Dove’s customers can easily switch to another label. But the Dove brand stands for high-quality products and promotes real beauty in their campaigns so they rely on loyal consumers. However, you cannot only trust in the sustainability of the campaign in the long run, the bargaining power of buyer has to be rated high. Competitive rivalry within the industry: The main competitors of Unilever are Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive, because their sub-brands are quite similar to Dove. In the beauty industry there is verly little product differentiation and similar product offerings, as well as little trade secrets. This leaves little room for competitive advantage, but Dove has always remained at number one, because of their loyal consumers and their moisturizing skin quality products. However, it is easily to switch to other high-end products and also to private label brands, therefore competitive rivalry is high in the operated industry. Threat of substitute products: There is a treat of replacing Dove products by competitors’ products, but people will always need toiletries and therefore cannot easily substitute the line. They can only switch within the existing industry, but as people love Dove and their campaign there is just medium threat of its replacement with present products. 9. Alternative/Issue weight |Issues |Alternative A |Alternative B |Alternative C | |Threat of imitation 50 % |- |+ |- | |Brand consistency 30 % |~ |+ |- | |Ideals 20 % |~ |- |+ | Table 2: Alternative/Issue Weight As you can see from the alternative/issue weight table above, the threat of imitation is the most serious one. As only alternative B is to be forearmed against this risk it is the most desirable one. Also in line with brand consistency alternative B scores highest, followed by alternative A that would try to win over a new target group, but with the same values. Alternative C is the most promising one if it comes to society’s ideals. As markers want to sell hope, this alternative would fight against the society’s upcoming doubts about â€Å"average, normal† models. All in all, you can see that alternative B is due to our table the most promising one. References †¢ Hips feel good† – Dove’s campaign for real beauty, Richard Ivey School of Business, Northeastern University, College of Business Administration, Canada, 2009 ———————– [1] Adapted from â€Å"Hips feel good† – Dove’s campaign for real beauty, Richard Ivey School of Business, 2009, p. 3ff ———————– Figure 1: Unilever logo, source: http://www.greenerpackage.com/certifications/unilever_adopts_paper-sourcing_policy_meet_sustainability_goals Figure 2: Dove logo, source: http://quizbazaar.blogspot.co.at/2010/07/animal-logos-trivia-series-3.html, Figure 3: Hips feel good, source: http://greatness-with-gumption.blogspot.co.at/2010/10/beauty-in-bottle-why-dove-can-kiss-my.html Figure 4: The campaign, source: http://www.adverbox.com/ads/dove/ Figure 6: The campaign, source: http://www.adverbox.com/ads/dove/ Figure 5: The campaign, source: http://www.adverbox.com/ads/dove/