Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology Essay

The day and the life of a teenagers, is consumed with text messages, Face time, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Face book messages. Many of us watch TV, listen to music, and â€Å"live chat† with our friends by way of the â€Å"smart phone†. I’m sure our parents wished for once, we would â€Å"look up† from our phones and have an actual conversation with them, but we can’t. We’re addicted to our phones. And sadly, this is typical living for modern people to â€Å"deal with† this hurried and fast-paced society. Nevertheless, it seems that we have less and less time to face the real world around as â€Å"technology† owns us. Is this new form of communication doing us good or bad? In chapter eight of the book â€Å"Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other,† the author Sherry Turkle, emphasize that people prefer technology over face-to-face communication and therefore, as known as â€Å"cy borgs†. It seems impossible for people to a moment without technological devices such as webcams, cell phones or laptops. We love the ideal of staying connected with others by way of our handheld or lap devices. As stated by the author, â€Å"cyberspace† offer teenagers a place to create and explore identity. Additionally, virtual communities, such as the internet, allow us a chance at forming a â€Å"Second Life†. By creating an avatar, we can edit our lives as we know it by creating a profile that will attract â€Å"followers, friend requests, and likes†. We literally have our relationships in the â€Å"palm† of our hands. But, is this real? Can we sustain these types of relationships? As noted in the chapter, â€Å"Virtual places offers connection with uncertain claims to commitment†¦People talk about digital life as the â€Å"place for hope,† the place where something new will come to them† (Turkle 153). I can admit to checking my phone just about every 5 minutes for a new pictures or messages from my â€Å"friends†. Social media provides instant updates and allow us to stay attune with what’s happening in the world – my world. However, Turkle’s stance remains neutral, yet depicts both the advantages and disadvantages being tethered to the internet gives us. We tend to remove ourselves from society by talking on phones or glancing down at screens of their mobile devices. We â€Å"log out† of the â€Å"real world† and â€Å"log in† the virtual space and therefore, cease the interaction or human connection with people surrounding us. In Chapter 1, Turkle states â€Å"†¦Whether or not our devices are in use, without them we feel  disconnected, adrift. Gradually, we come to see our online life as life itself. †¦ Technology reshapes the landscape of our emotional lives, but is it offering the lives we want to lead?† (16, 17). We’re unable to live without technology. We have conditioned ourselves to never leave home without our devices . Gone are the days of remember important contact information. Our handheld device house all of this information, so should we lose the smart phone, we’re completely lost. Moreover, people feel like their abilities are enhanced and efficiency are increased while multitasking. As noted in chapter 8, â€Å"†¦We have moved from multitasking to multi-lifing.† (160). In fact, we’re unable to perform basic tasks without some form of technological device near us – streaming music, TV, or live chats. It seems that we gain more time from the technological devices than we gain from picking up the phone or having a face-to-face meeting. Turkel, stated, â€Å"The online life may be enjoyable and fulfilling, making one even less satisfied with life at home. Networked, we are together, but so lessened are our expectations of each other that we can feel utterly alone. And there is the risk that we come to see others as objects to be accessed–and only for the parts we find useful, comforting, or amusing.† (154). Our expectations have â€Å"dimmed† due to our reliance on text messages, emails, and other social media outlets. We accept cryptic messages instead of organized, well throughout communications or agenda. Is there such a thing as social media overload? Can we escape from our devices long enough to simply â€Å"breathe†? One of the examples from the book, a museum curator Diane, she can barely keep up with the pace of technology. It’s her goal to remain â€Å"offline† in order to enjoy her life during her scheduled vacation and not feel inclined to response to the â€Å"unread† messages. The author suggests to us that in order to have more time to think, we have to the networked devices away, especially our youth. The author, Sherry Turkle, does not clearly express whether she encourage or discourages the use of networked devices, however, through her words, we can see that she implies that it is important for that we take a break from the virtual world and try to get back to the basics. As for my opinion, I enjoy my smart phone and the access that I have, however, realize after reading this book, I need to develop â€Å"real† friendships and not rely on my â€Å"followers† on the popular social media outlets to bring me instant gratification. However, I agree  with the author, people have a hard time relaxing because we’re always â€Å"on† and in receipt of news, be it good or bad. Yet, I choose the virtual world. Works Cited Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York: Basic Books, 2011. Print.

Carbon Dioxide Reduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Carbon Dioxide Reduction - Essay Example The Government's trend of putting embargo on building industry for less carbon emission is certainly a threat for it and for the people of the country as there will be created serious problems in the housing industry of the country. Britain is now a more diverse society - ethnically and culturally - than ever before. Over the centuries, and more particularly over recent decades, the contributions of those who have come to live here have enriched our country (Community, opportunity, prosperity Annual Report 2007). Now Britain has been planning to promote social justice among people living in it of whichever minority group or faith they belong to. A statistic of 2001 suggests that around one in twelve people were from minority ethnic communities and more than three million people were from minority faith groups. This diversity of multicultural environment has facilitated in bringing real economic and social benefits in Britain. Immigration and continued open relationships with countries around the world have resulted in economic dynamism with more jobs and access to crucial skills, and new ideas, better public services and a richer cultural life. Within this context of increasing diversity, Communities and Local Government is committed to forging cohesive, self-confident and prosperous communities that are at ease with themselves (Community, opportunity, prosperity Annual Report 2007 ). Doubtlessly, this has been possible due to the immense contribution of ethnic people living in Britain and contributing in community development. The country has also achieved a landmark success in effectively challenging social exclusion with homelessness acceptances which has been reduced at the lowest level since 1980s. Most importantly, the achievement of promotion of social justice through coordinated cross government action with less crime and better employment opportunities and educational outcomes is most aspiring, indeed. CO2 Emission and the Prospect of Building Project management The issue of climate change and its potential implications are areas of great concern to the public, industry and policy makers alike. As a result some leading industrialized nations have signed up to the Kyoto Protocol and made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions(Climate & carbon dioxide reduction). Due to the immense necessity of the people and of the society the scale of house building increases. In pursuance of this UK has passed a climate change bill in 26 November, 2008 to reduce carbon emissions. To meet the criteria of a sound and healthy environment the decision of the government has made the future of building industry a nightmare. Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time objective, for example, construct a building or implement a major new computer system(Project Management 2009). Project management includes a series of efforts to accomplish like developing a project plan for giving the ideas and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion. In fact, it is a temporary

Kant's Philosophy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kant's Philosophy - Article Example According to Kant there is a priori, an already existing feeling in each human, which guide his actions. It is not the senses or material or experience which gives the conception of right or wrong, instead, right and wrong is already there in every human being. It is up to the individual to opt to go by that â€Å"right feeling† or against it. This inner scale of gauging right or wrong is the one which gives us the sense of duty. Therefore, our actions should be driven through this sense of duty. This implies, that an action is good or bad not because of its end result but because it was done according to the â€Å"inner embedded moral value†. In short, the actions whether the are morally right or wrong have no effect on the consequences This approach would elevate the morality over self interests i.e. â€Å"Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness†. (Practical Reason : p139)..Havin g agreed on the existence of â€Å"inner feeling† to guide our action Kant proposed that it is our free will which enable us to decide which action to adopt. Utilitarianism is another philosophical thought about morality. It emphasize that the ends must be judged to initiate actions. If a lot of good is coming from an action it is perceived to be justified. In case more of harm is done by some action it should not be carried out. That is, morality is directly proportional to the utility of the action. After the conception of this theory lot has been added to provide it stability in the realistic world. This led to the eruption of many branches of Utilitarianism like Act vs. rule Utilitarianism, Motive Utilitarianism, Two-level Utilitarianism and Negative Utilitarianism. In essence, Utilitarianism is exactly opposite of Kant's moral ethical theory. According to Kant the consequences are of no value and the actions are to be taken by pitching them to "ever existing criteria of morality" which is residing deep within any human being. On the other hand Utilitarianism proponents are of the opinion that consequences are to be assessed before the decision is taken about the correctness or incorrectness of an action. This implies that in Utilitarianism there is no set piece of morality as in the case of Kant's theory. However, despite the above major difference in both the theories there are also two similar grounds. One is that in Kant's moral ethical theory there might be occasions in which ones own interest might be of lesser value in a quest of making ourselves "worthy of happiness". Similarly in Utilitarianism if our good have a consequence of bad for many than we have to forego our good in the interest of better consequences i.e. avoiding bad of many. Conversely if our bad lead to a consequence of good for many than the action to be taken should be the one which is bad for us. Therefore selflessness is what comes out in case of both theories. Another common ground is of free will. In Kant's theory it is your free will to adopt the approach which is in line with the inbuilt morality or go other wise. Similarly in Utilitarianism also after considering the consequences it will be the free will to choose the option of an action which has more good or more bad. In both the theories the actions are not dictated as a predetermined course and totally oppose the fatalistic approach to life. It is always difficult to really give a final verdict about the veracity of such ideas. The moral ethical theories of Kant and Utilitarianism have converging and diverging views at different levels. However, Utilitarianism did try to accommodate a shade of

Changing organizations is as messy as it is exhilarating, as Assignment

Changing organizations is as messy as it is exhilarating, as frustrating as it is satisfying, as muddling-through and creative a process as it is a rational one. (Palmer et al, 2009) - Assignment Example 369-370). The requirement for change can be because of the external factors such as due to change in demand, shifting taste and preferences of the customers, obsolete products or technology, etc. The internal factors include the growth of the company, retired leaders of the organization, or a re-engineering of operational functions of the company. Regardless of the causes and sources of change, all the organizations frequently face the need of transforming certain system, people, or process within. This is a difficult process and many unsuccessful results are seen every day, yet it is considered to be the most significant function in an organization (Flamholtz, and Randle, 2008, p. 5). This study is based on the following definition â€Å"Changing organizations is as messy as it is exhilarating, as frustrating as it is satisfying, as muddling-through and creative a process as it is a rational one† (Palmer, Richard and Akin 2008). Many processes and systems are uprooted during the course of bringing about the change in the organisation. So the different facets of organisational dynamics would be studied, so as to understand the dynamics which lead to strategic changes within the organisation. Also the types of such change would be discussed in order to understand the outcomes of such dynamics on the change management process in the organisation. Apart from this the study would also throw some light on the situations, opportunities, threats, and emerging issues, when change unfurl inside the organisations (Flamholtz, and Randle, 2008, p. 6-7). Even after knowing all the benefits, one thing remains constant that is change is complicated. An organisation faces numerous challenges while planning, and implementing change. So discussion on strategic changes with organisations is incomplete without analysing the challenges associated with the change process. The common challenge is

Legal & Ethical Case Studies - elementary school Study

Legal & Ethical Studies - elementary school - Case Study Example A principal is not allowed by the law to terminate a contract without the evidence of wrong activities that prompted them to terminate the teacher’s contract. These activities include insubordination against educational rules, moral misconduct and insufficiency, and incompetence at work (Manos, 2006). In the case where by the principal and district officers terminate a contract, they should provide a written document detailed with reasons for termination in a period more than six months before the termination date. They should also conduct an impartial hearing before the board and school’s panel. In this case, the teacher was proactive and used advanced teaching methods but the principal dislikes these methods. In accordance to leadership ethics, the termination was not important (Manos, 2006). Question # 2 Conflicts do arise in school premises among students especially in the urban life where alcoholism, sexual harassment, and drugs among other misconducts take place. When a student is badly injured like in a case where a student lost his front teeth with the teacher and classmates witnessing the act, legal measures should take place. The action by the principal in sending the perpetrator out of the school was correct, but it was not enough punishment. The student ought to have been charged with felony violation or fines at the juvenile court. This extended punishment would have acted, as a lesson to other students to adhere to the zero-tolerance policy (Manos, 2006). Question # 3 Discussing question three, I agree with the parents view on the judgment about the teacher’s supervision. The fact that the teacher was in the duty of care for students in the field guarantees the injured student’s parent a right to sue this teacher. The reasons to this according to legal and ethical background for in which the teacher was supposed to supervise instruct and provide safety care to students. However, the court may justify that the injury was not foreseeable; therefore, the teacher would not have to be answerable to the court. In this case, the teacher was students’ favorite but she did not give much attention to her duty as an overseer. The standard of care to the student was not her priority. Nevertheless, her negligence may be objected due to her involvement in students’ tasks of which this has earned a chance to be their favorite teacher (Manos, 2006). Question # 4 Child abuse is a critical issues to those around the victims especially a teacher. Suspicion that a child is a victim of child abuse has to be reported to authorities. Failure to report a case in child abuse is considered misdemeanor or felony case. Serious injuries resulting from maltreatment requires a caregiver or teacher to be keen and to show interest in extracting more information about the life of the child at home. The teacher in this case did not follow the guidelines provided for suspicion of child abuse. Therefore, the teacher sho uld have faced legal liability. The court should assess the situation in an exceptional manner to bring to justice the child abusers who should face a bigger penalty, unlike the teacher. The court should consider the teacher as a third party law violator of which charges are dependent on the substantial evidence that; indeed, the teacher waited for a bigger harm to occur to the child (Manos, 2006). Qu

What is Capital Budgeting Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What is Capital Budgeting - Statistics Project Example The NPV for corporation B is also higher than for corporation A. The difference is not very significant at less than 10%, but in the absence of other information, it would appear that corporation B fetches higher present value. The NPV represents today's value of projected future cash flows. The rate of discounting should approximate the bank rate, and the 10% figure given should be seen in this context. The difference in NPV between the two alternatives would be inadequate to support any decision, given that there would inevitably be some uncertainty in the projections of revenue and cost. The IRR is higher for corporation B than for corporation A. Since the company has limited funds to invest and since each of the alternatives requires equal funding, corporation B is a better choice in terms of IRR. IRR is the most relevant measure in this case since the firm has limited funds and has to make a choice between the two corporations available for acquisition. Again, the difference in IRR between the two corporations is too small to support any decision in real life. The Pay-back period is the same for both corporations, so no difference can be made on this account. Both corporations are equal in terms of the payback period. The payback figure is easy to calculate, but it can be misleading. Acquisition of a corporation should consider risks inherent in its projected earnings and continued revenues (Jean-Jacques, 2002, p55). The pay-back figure would not be an important consideration unless a diversification into a highly risky line of business was to be involved. Future cash flows that have not been discounted do not have much value in a business situation. Profitability Profitability is better in the case of corporation A. This could be because corporation B has secured a bigger market share through price competition, and seems to have a policy of cutting margins in order to retain its market position and business volume. It may be a matter for management intervention after an acquisition, for declining margins are most often difficult to reverse and can affect the long-term financial health of an enterprise. Discounted Payback The discounted payback period is one year more than if we consider nominal values of annual cash flows. This is the case with both corporations. This measure is more meaningful than plain pay-back. The effect of discounting is almost the same for both corporations, delaying pay-back by about a year. The discounted pay-back in the fifth year is not particularly attractive.

Story of Stuff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Story of Stuff - Essay Example Leonard maintains that people are over extracting resources leading to exhaustion of certain resources that include trees and minerals. Globally, during the past decade, 30% of the planet’s resources were consumed. This was mostly done through mining and cutting of trees. To put this point across, Leonard provides statistical data showing how much the U.S is extracting and the problems that America is causing in other regions that have managed to maintain their resources (Leonard, 2007). America has less than 4% of its original forest cover remaining while 40% of their waterways have become undrinkable. Leonard stresses that this is not due to the planet’s incapacity to provide for everyone but the fact that some are using more than their share. The U.S has 5% of the world’s population but it is using at least 30% of the planet’s resources (Leonard, 2007). This implies that it is in turn creating 30% of the total waste in the world. This shows over usage o f resources, which is to blame for the disappearance of 80% of the planet’s forest cover as the developed countries exploit resources in the developing countries after exhausting theirs. In addition, the products that are being manufactured after the over-exploitation of resources are contaminated with toxins. The production stage incorporates usage of power to mix natural resources with toxic chemicals, which leads to the production of toxic products. The modern commerce uses approximately 100,000 synthetic chemicals (Leonard, 2007). However, only few of these chemicals have been tested for health related issues while none has undergone synergetic tests. A good example is the Brominated Flame Retardants, which are known to be very toxic especially to the human brain. As people dip pillows in BFR and then sleep on them for up to eight hours per night, they cannot avoid the health