Salt Sugar Fat dialectical journal Essay Example for Free

Salt Sugar Fat dialectical journal Essay Responses (interact with the text through analysis, predictions, evaluation, and connections, but don’t just summarize) 1. â€Å"On this count, most of the men in the room could rest easy. They had personal trainers, gym memberships, and enough nutritional awareness to avoid diets that were heavy in the foods they manufactured† (11). This just confirms a horrible truth: the food companies are very much aware of the lack of nutritional value in their products, yet they continue to sell them to the less informed public. While Moss says the business men are able to â€Å"rest easy† when it comes to their weight, I find it difficult to believe that all the people in the room can â€Å"rest easy† morally. Do they realize that they are taking advantage of people who do not know any better than to eat what is placed in front of them at their local grocery stores? How can the middle and lower classes possibly resist the delicacies wrapped so artfully in packaging specifically designed to grab their attention? It’s like taking candy from a baby. Only in this scenario, the food giants are feeding the baby candy. The baby would represent the denizens of America, although I’m sure there are literal babies out there who are being affected by the obesity crisis. I find it upsetting to think that while America is being diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer (just to name a few illnesses caused by a poor diet) the individuals responsible are out with t heir personal trainers, rewarded for the increase of diseases by receiving an increase in their income. 2. â€Å"Even gout, an exceedingly painful and rare form of arthritis once dubbed ‘the rich man’s disease’ for its associations with gluttony now afflicted eight million Americans† (18). I was intrigued by this disease because of its dubbed name. Food was a resource that was not necessarily easy to come by until this past century. To get a lot of food you needed to have a lot of money. That is why gluttony and wealth went hand in hand, meaning you had to be pretty well off to get gout. Now food is not scarce. The typical American has some kind of grocery store or supermarket within a few miles of their home. That, and the addition of fast food, has made obesity a much easier feat then it was back when people actually hunted for their meat. In my freshman year, I took AP human geography. One of the units we spent a lot of time on was food. I learned that in today’s American society the lower classes are actually becoming more overweight than the  up per class because of the highly processed fatty foods being made available for extremely low prices. When a pound of apples costs about two dollars and barely fills you up whereas McDonald’s boasts a dollar menu with actual meals, it is easy to see why gout isn’t associated with just the affluent anymore. People will sacrifice their health for the least expensive option. 3. â€Å"With limited funds from the government, the center had begun soliciting monies from food companies, keeping them apprised of research that would interest them† (41). What I took from this quote is that the research centers are corrupt. They are basically taking bribes from the food giants to conduct specific studies that will give sugar and other ingredients some positive publicity. This is the food industry trying to keep consumers in the dark about what they are really eating so that they continue to buy. I had assumed food companies went to great lengths to keep the true nature of their ingredients and processes hidden, but I never would have guessed that they could sway a research center. I guess money really does control the world. 4. â€Å"The most recent data, from 2006 to 2008, shows that obesity among kids aged six to eleven jumped from 15 to 20 percent† (46). I have an eight-year-old brother who is overweight. It’s easy to look at the statistics for obesity until it affects someone you know—especially a child. You think it would be easy to prevent that from happening. Just make him run outside with his friends more or don’t let him eat so much right? It isn’t that simple. The playdate dynamic has shifted from making forts and riding scooters up and down the street to sitting indoors playing games on various devices. The rise in technology correlates with the rise in obesity. In a society where it is considered normal for elementary school students to own an iPad, it is easy to see how the rates jumped up from 15 to 20 percent in a two year span. How can childhood obesity be controlled? The way I see it, it can’t. The last thing any parent wants to do is strip their child of their innocence by making them conscious of their weight. You can’t simply take away one kid’s Nintendo either because then he is left out of the group. Adults must choose the path for their offspring. Which is the worst option, a physically unfit child or an alienated one? 5. â€Å"Its most rabid devotees proudly call themselves Peppers, belong to a club called the 10-2-4—so named for one of the early advertising campaigns, which encouraged people to drink three Dr Peppers a day, at ten, two, and four o’clock—and  make pilgrimages to Waco, Texas, where a pharmacist at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store invented the drink in 1885† (48). After reading this I couldn’t help but draw parallels between Peppers and Muslims. Both groups were built around the worship of one element. For the 10-2-4 this item is Dr Pepper, while Muslims worship their god Allah. Islam and the 10-2-4 also both have a destination where followers are encouraged or required to make a pilgrimage to. Peppers are invited to visit Waco, Texas where their beloved soft drink was first created, and Muslims must complete the Hajj as one of their five pillars of faith. Another similarity between the assemblages is their daily rituals. In the Islamic re ligion people must pray five times a day (Salat). The Peppers try to enjoy their favorite soda three times a day at specific times of the day. I find it interesting that a fan club made for a carbonated beverage could have anything in common with a religion that has been practiced for over millennia. The power of sugar does not cease to amaze me. 6. â€Å"†¦a mega-brand that epitomized the American culture, but one that was also in grave danger of falling behind: Jell-O pudding† (68). Moss makes a bold statement when he says that Jell-O â€Å"epitomized the American culture†. How exactly does Jell-O, one food brand among millions, embody the land of the free? Jell-O has never been anything special to me. It is interesting in structure but overall very artificial. Perhaps that is exactly what Moss is trying to convey about the ways of this country. Americans celebrate the superficial. We worship movie stars, models, and other glamorous aspects of life. While it looks appealing, in reality there is no real substance to it. It is a synthetic snack that still leaves you feeling empty inside. 7. â€Å"And when he went to see his boss, the section head of desserts, Clausi was told that the rules have been changed, public fears be dammed† (70). What prompted this sudden shift of opinion on chemical additives? One minute artificial ingredients are bad, and now it is suddenly okay for food to be made of unpronounceable components. Despite the public’s wariness of synthetic concoctions, the food industry decides to barrel ahead anyway. The risk paid off though, that is the depressing part. Instead of fighting against this artificial snack, America embraced it. And if the consumers are consuming, it is no wonder the food companies didn’t stop there. This quote signifies the beginning of the end of natural foods.

Comparing the American Dream of the Transcendentalists with that of The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Comparing the American Dream of 19th Century Transcendentalists with that of The Great Gatsby The American Dream remains viewed as the success which one obtains. The American Dream has had a great impact on literature as well as an impact on the changing of time periods. The 19th century Transcendentalists’ idea of the American Dream focuses on reaching one’s goals by honest, hard work. On the other hand, Gatsby’s idea of the American Dream in the 20th century centers on becoming successful by way of illegal money that was not acquired through working. Ultimately, the Transcendental and Gatsby’s beliefs reveal a great deal of contrast. The American Dream of the Transcendentalists centers on being all that one is meant to be. First of all, the ideas of the Transcendentalists did not revolve around society and materialistic possessions. Transcendentalists felt that â€Å"society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of everyone of its members†(from Self-Reliance 194). Also, Transcendentalists believed that â€Å"The nation itself, with all its so-called internal improvements, which, by the way, are all external and superficial, is just such an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense† (from Where I Lived and What I Lived For 212) and for which the only cure is simplicity. In addition, Transcendentalists believed that man should live life to the fullest by seeking to reach their potential. Thoreau â€Å"did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world, for there I [Thoreau] could best see the moonlight amid the mountains† (from Conclusion 217). Seeking to reach one’s potential means that one must â€Å"Absolve you to yourself, and you should have the suffrage of the world† (from Self-Reliance 194). Furthermore, the Transcendentalists sought self-knowledge through the study of nature. â€Å"Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood† (from Nature 191). â€Å"The life in us is like the water in the river† (from Conclusion 217) because some days one rises like the river and drowns out all of ones problems. Most importantly, the ideas of nonconformity and individualism illustrate the Transcendentalist beliefs. â€Å"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist† (from Self-Reliance 194) shows that every man should have a unique quality that separates him from other men.

Cognitive approach Essay

The cognitive approach focuses on the way information is processed by humans. It looks at how we as individuals treat information and how it leads to responses. Cognitive psychologists study internal processes such as attention, language, memory, thinking and perception. The main assumption of this approach is that in when information is received it is then processed by the brain and this processing directs how we as individuals behave or justify why we behave the way we do. With the cognitive approach it is hard to view its constructions, though, some say that it is an example of theoretical constructs. This means that we cannot directly see processes such as thinking but we can infer what a person is thinking based on simply the way they act. Cognitive psychologists mainly focus on internal mental processes such as memory. Attention is put on how individuals learn to solve problem and the mental processes that are present between stimulus and response. This approach has been influenced by developments in computer science, such that the ideas are very similar. It gets its idea from how a computer works and how we process information. Based on the computer analogy, cognitive psychology is interested in how the brain inputs, stores and outputs information. Loftus and Palmers (1974) study of an eyewitness testimony demonstrates how the cognitive process of a person’s memory can be misled by other information provided after an event. This highlights that memory is a dynamic process which can be influenced by many events such as leading questions. The study also shows that memory is a dynamic process and changes to make sense of certain experiences. When individuals behave in a certain way towards another individual, it is likely that we challenge to understand how the other is thinking and feeling. Baron-Cohen’s (1997) study of behaviour and how it can be influenced by a cognitive process identifies a ‘theory of mind ’. This theory enables an individual to acknowledge grow understanding and respect for the fact that people have thoughts and beliefs that are different from their own. His study challenges to demonstrate that the main inefficiency of autism is a failure to completely develop the cognitive process of a ‘theory of mind’. This approach is different from other approaches in different ways. One way is that it adopts the use of scientific and experimental methods to measure mental processes. Another  difference is that the approach is the supporter of importance of mental processes such as beliefs and desires in determining behaviour unlike the behaviourist approach. One strength of the cognitive approach is that it uses a scientific approach through the use of laboratory experiments. These experiments are beneficial as they are extremely high in control, thus enabling researchers to recognise the cause and effect. In terms of being able to control, when Loftus and Palmers conducted their study they were able to control the ages of the participants and the location of the experiment. Every participant was asked the same questions. Furthermore, experiments such as the one discussed is easy to test for reliability. However, many cognitive studies that are carried out in laboratory settings/environment ca n lack environmental validity. It may be difficult to generalise the results/findings to everyday life if the cognitive process such as memory and theory of mind are studied in artificial situations. A further asset of this approach is the useful contributions that have risen from this approach. Understanding cognitive process allows us to help improve the way in which people execute their cognitive process such as memory or language. The Baron-Choen’s study on behaviour and how it is influential enables us to understand the behaviour of people with mental conditions. Similarly, Loftus and Palmer’s study highlights the limitations of an eyewitness testimony. Though the approach has many strengths, it also has some weakness’, one being that the cognitive approach relates to the validity of measuring cognitive processes. The approach relies heavily on a self-report and observation, meaning, we can only gather/interpret what someone is thinking. http://www.revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/psychology/themes-issues-and-debates/nature-nurture-debate/approaches-stance-nature-nurture http://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html Humanism Humanistic psychology is a perspective that highlights the study of a person as a whole, this is referred to as ‘holism’. Humanistic psychologists look at human behaviour not only through the eye of the observer but through the eyes of the person doing the behave. Humanistic psychologists believes that an individual’s behaviour is linked to their inner feelings and self-image. The approach centres on the view that each person is different and unique, and each individual has free will to change at any time in their lives. The perspective suggest that we as indivduals are responsible for our own happiness and well-being. As humans with have an inborn capaticy for self –actualization which is our desire to achieve our highest potential as people. The humanists regarded scientific methods as inappropriate for studying behaviour beacause of the focus on the person and their personal experiences and perception of the world. There are two very influential theorist s in humanistic psychology. These are Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Psychodynamic perspective Who hasn’t heard of Sigmund Freud? So many expressions from our daily life come from Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis – subconscious, denial, repression and anal personality to name only a few. Freud believes that events in our childhood can have a significant impact on our behavior as adults. He also believed that people have little free will to make choices in life. Instead our behavior is determined by the unconscious mind and childhood experiences. Freud’s psychoanalysis is both a theory and a therapy. It is the original psychodynamic theory and inspired psychologists such as Jung and Erikson to develop their own psychodynamic theories. Freud’s work is vast and he has contributed greatly to psychology as a discipline. Freud, the founder of Psychoanalysis, explained the human mind as like an iceberg, with only a small amount of it being visible, that is our observable behavior, but it is the unconscious, submerged mind that has the most, underl ying influence on our behavior. Freud used three main methods of accessing the unconscious mind: free association, dream analysis and slips of the tongue. He believed that the unconscious mind consisted of three components: the ‘id’ the ‘ego’ and the ‘superego’. The ‘id’ contains  two main instincts: ‘Eros’, which is the life instinct, which involves self-preservation and sex which is fuelled by the ‘libido’ energy force. ‘Thanatos’ is the death instinct, whose energies, because they are less powerful than those of ‘Eros’ are channeled away from ourselves and into aggression towards others. The ‘id’ and the ‘superego’ are constantly in conflict with each other, and the ‘ego’ tries to resolve the discord. If this conflict is not resolved, we tend to use defense mechanisms to reduce our anxieties. Psychoanalysis attempts to help patients resolve their inner conflicts. An asp ect of psychoanalysis is Freud’s theory of psychosexual development. It shows how early experiences affect adult personality. Stimulation of different areas of the body is important as the child progresses through the important developmental stages. Too much or too little can have bad consequences later. The most important stage is the phallic stage where the focus of the libido is on the genitals. During this stage little boys experience the ‘Oedipus complex’, and little girls experience the ‘Electra complex’. These complexes result in children identifying with their same-sex parent, which enables them to learn sex-appropriate behavior and a morale code of conduct. However it has been criticized in the way that it over emphasizes of importance of sexuality and under emphasizes of role of social relationships. The theory is not scientific, and can’t be proved as it is circular. The sample was biased, consisting of middle-class, middle-aged neurotic women. Never the less psychoanalysis has been greatly contributory to psychology in that it has encouraged many modern theorists to modify it for the better, using its basic principles, but eliminating its major flaws. Perspectives Conclusion To conclude, there are many different perspectives to psychology in explaining different types of behaviour and give different judgments. The fact that there are many perspectives shows that human behave is in fact a very complex thing to analyse. A scientific approach, such as cognitive psychology or behaviourism, often tends to ignore the personal experiences that people have. Though, the humanistic perspective does in fact recognise human experience. The psychodynamic perspective concentrates  largely on the unconscious mind and childhood. The biological perspective reduces humans to a group of mechanisms and physical structures that are essential and very important, such as genes. However, the biological perspective fails to account for consciousness and influences of the environment and behaviour.

Comparing Christina Rosettis Approach to the Subject of...

Comparing Christina Rosettis Approach to the Subject of Death in After Death, Remember, Song and Dream Death was a favourite theme of the Victorian writers. Before antibiotics and a National Health Service it was common to die early in life from common illnesses such as tuberculosis and during childbirth. 50% of children died before the age of six in Hanworth, the Bronte sisters village. The Victorians held expensive funerals that were showy and intrigued by the processes of decay, change and growth. Themes such as these are explored in novels such as Dracula and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Many Victorians believed in life after death and also hoped for this. In 1851 a religious census found out†¦show more content†¦These were poorly paid jobs. All girls were barred from sitting public examinations until 1863, and even then The Lancet (the professional journal if doctors) proclaimed: Higher Education will produce flat chested women unable to suckle their babies. In the Victorian period only one in four women married as a huge number of women lived on the streets, begging and pr ostituting themselves. Because of this male Victorian writers had two conflicting images of women. One was the pure, dutiful helpmate and the other was the exciting but dangerous sex object. As time passed on the lives of some women changed due to growth of industry, as this created jobs for them. These jobs were difficult and also poorly paid, but they gave women a taste of life outside of the home. Victorian writers began to explore the real lives of working women, but it wasnt until the end of the Victorian period that womans rights began to develop. In the Victorian society motherhood was greatly admired. A mothers love was considered very important for children as the ideal woman dedicated her life to her family. A lot of women died during childbirth as it was a hazard in reality, sometimes because complications in the delivery but mostly because of puerperal fever. This is an infection we can now avoid by antibiotics. There was no effective contraception in the Victorian period; due to this