Frankl †the Meaning of Life Essay

Frankl does not use the word â€Å"meaning† in the general broad sense such as in â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † but rather in a more specific way of â€Å"what is the meaning of your life†. In Frankl’s words, asking the meaning of life is akin to asking the chess champion: â€Å"Tell me, Master, what is the best move in the world? † (pg 131) There is no â€Å"correct† answer to this question, as the best move is dependent on your opponent, the moves already made, and the moves to be made†¦. Much the same as saying there is no correct answer to the question â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † as the meaning of life changes from person to person and from moment to moment. Frankl demonstrates how his meaning of life changed as noted that one morning as he marched to work he came to a sudden realization that â€Å"The salvation of man is through love and in love. † (pg 57) I think that Frankl’s realization is meant to illustrate how even in the darkest of times, meaning can be found in suffering and that â€Å"†¦ everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. † (pg 86) Frankl chose to focus on his love – his love for his wife, his love for life which brought meaning to the torture he was enduring. Frankl does not preach what he believes the meaning of life is, but instead tries to help us to see the truth for ourselves through his illustrations of human suffering and triumph. The analogy of the Painter vs. the Ophthalmologist on page 132 reflects Frankl’s core discipline. â€Å"A painter tries to convey to us a picture of the world as he sees it; and ophthalmologist tries to enable us to see the world as it really is. † Frankl tries to help us to see with our own eyes; he cannot show us the truth but can only try and help us discover it for ourselves. In Frankl’s own case, he was able to find his purpose which was to document what he had learned about mankind while suffering in a concentration camp. He did so as to help others understand their responsibility in defining their life; and how by being responsible, we can define life’s meaning every day. Frankl illustrates man taking responsibility for his own life in his account of fellow inmates. â€Å"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. † (pg 86)These men chose to give meaning to their life by improving the lives of those around them, even in the face of certain death if discovered. They chose even while surrounded by unimaginable horror to place the wellbeing of their fellow inmates above their own. Frankl defines this behavior as â€Å"The self-transcendence of human existence†. (pg 133) It means that being human is about going beyond you own self needs. He says â€Å"The more one forgets himself – by giving himself to a cause to serve, or another person to love – the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. â€Å"(pg 133) His illustrations of the inmates who gave the last of their bread or tried to comfort those around him are surely examples of self-transcendence. I can relate to this line of thinking as I reflect on those people in my life I most respect; they are those friends and family whom I consider selfless – individuals who give of themselves. This philosophy can even be translated to business. The most successful business men I know are individual who learned at an early stage that giving of themselves, through writing, speaking, or being involved in their community ultimately reaped the greatest rewards, closed the most business, etc†¦ While these individual have an agenda (vs. being truly selfless), I still believe they are practicing self-transcendence. They are, as Frankl states, discovering that â€Å"The true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche, as though it were a closed system. † (pg 133) They choose to interact with the people and the world around them rather than retreat into themselves. Frankl compares a closed system to an open system as a way of explaining how human interaction leads to self-transcendence, while self-actualization is a false way of finding meaning. A closed system cannot change or grow; it by definition must maintain equilibrium. An open system on the other hand exists such that we interact with each other and the outside world. Through our interactions with one another, growth is stimulated within ourselves and those around us. In a closed system we would retreat from the world and isolate ourselves. While doing this might bring a certain amount of inner peace, it does not stimulate growth. We cannot improve ourselves and the world around us in this way because it is too self-serving. That’s not to say that self reflection is a bad thing, but rather that self-reflection loses its meaning unless you have something to reflect against – another philosophy, the meaning of an event in your life, etc†¦ Self-reflection for the sake of self-reflection would produce no personal growth in Frankl’s view. In conclusion, I think that Frankl’s life experiences helped shape someone who at his core was a realist. You cannot always change the situation, so if you want a different outcome, you must change your reaction. Sometimes horrible things happen to a person; that is life. How you choose to respond to the circumstances surrounding you is your most basic privilege as an intelligent human being. I love the fact that Frankl offers no real answers, just a framework for figuring it out for yourself. I hope to learn more about Frankl and try to apply more of his â€Å"take responsibility† attitude to my everyday life. I have already started by going back to school to finish my degree.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Prevention in Children and Adolescents essayEssay Writing Service

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Prevention in Children and Adolescents essayEssay Writing Service Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2: Prevention in Children and Adolescents essay Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2: Prevention in Children and Adolescents essayThe publication is formulated not in the traditional article form but rather represents an evidence-based care sheet containing key facts about diabetes mellitus, type 2 and the recommendations regarding the prevention of this disease among adolescents. The authors cite the relevant statistics of the disease and specifically emphasize the growing prevalence of diabetes mellitus among young people. The article also lists key factors correlating with type 2 diabetes such as obesity, dietary imbalances, physical inactivity, and outlines the states preceding the development of type 2 diabetes. Caple and March (2014) also provide a detailed list of barriers to lifestyle and behavioral changes among adolescents and children.The authors note that many of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes are preventable and call to address these risks among children and adolescents using educational programs and behavioral in terventions. The article contains a set of recommendations to practitioners aimed at stimulating parents of young people to prevent diabetes type 2 in their children. Such measures as monitoring weight and body fat, assessing insulin and glucose reactions, encouraging involvement in long-term programs addressing risk factors for diabetes type 2 and initiating lifestyle changes.Supporting children and young people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in school.The author explores the risks of type 2 diabetes among young people and focuses on obesity in particular. According to Bacon (2013), type 2 diabetes is often accompanied by obesity and cardiovascular disease, so it is important to address the health of young people at risk of type 2 diabetes in school. The author starts with exploring the background of type 2 diabetes, considers the prevalence of this disease, key risk factors, and pathophysiology. A lot of attention Bacon (2013) pays to identifying the roles and responsibilities of healthcare practitioners in educational settings (particularly, in school). Bacon (2013) clearly describes the procedures of early identification of diabetes type 2 and diagnostic criteria. An important part of the article is case study in which the author illustrates the practitioners actions aimed at addressing type 2 diabetes. In particular, the author mentions diabetes education and collaborative work of healthcare practitioners. The author recommends practitioners in educational settings to provide psychosocial support, life style corrections and preventive measures to young people in the high-risk group.Exploring risk, prevention and educational approaches for the non-diabetic offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes a qualitative study.The article is devoted to researching the knowledge of individual risks associated with type 2 diabetes among the offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes. The authors explore the background of the disease, relevant risk factors and preval ence, and emphasize that offspring of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have higher risks of type 2 diabetes compared with other individuals. The purpose of the study was to identify whether the target population had a reasonable perception of own health risks related to type 2, diabetes. The research was implemented in the form of a qualitative study and data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted in person. The results of analyzing the data using a structured framework approach indicated that although the participants were aware of healthy behaviors, they had insufficient understanding of their health risks and long-term effects of their lifestyle. The authors recommended developing strategies aimed at improving awareness and noted that fear-based strategies were likely to be most effective.

Current World Population and Future Projections

Current World Population and Future Projections The world population has grown tremendously over the past 2,000 years. In 1999, the world population passed the six-billion mark. By March of 2018, the official world population had jumped over the seven-billion mark to an estimated  7.46 billion. World Population Growth Humans had been around for tens of thousands of years by the year 1 A.D. when the Earths population was an estimated 200 million. It hit the billion mark in 1804 and doubled by 1927. It doubled again in less than 50 years to four  billion in 1975. Year Population 1 200 million 1000 275 million 1500 450 million 1650 500 million 1750 700 million 1804 1 billion 1850 1.2 billion 1900 1.6 billion 1927 2 billion 1950 2.55 billion 1955 2.8 billion 1960 3 billion 1965 3.3 billion 1970 3.7 billion 1975 4 billion 1980 4.5 billion 1985 4.85 billion 1990 5.3 billion 1995 5.7 billion 1999 6 billion 2006 6.5 billion 2009 6.8 billion 2011 7 billion 2025 8 billion 2043 9 billion 2083 10 billion Concerns for an Increasing Number of People While the Earth can only support a limited number of people, the issue is not so much about space as it is a matter of resources like food and water. According to author and population expert  David Satterthwaite, the concern is about the number of consumers and the scale and nature of their consumption. Thus, the human population can generally meet its basic needs as it grows, but not at the scale of consumption that some lifestyles and cultures currently support. While data is collected on population growth, it is difficult for even sustainability professionals to understand what will happen on a global scale when the worlds population reaches 10 or 15 billion people. Overpopulation is not the biggest concern, as enough land exists. The focus would primarily be on making use of uninhabited or underpopulated land. Regardless, birth rates have been falling around the world, which may slow down population growth in the future.  As of 2017, the total fertility rate for the world was 2.5, down from 2.8 in 2002 and 5.0 in 1965, but still at a rate that allows population growth. Growth Rates Highest in Poorest Countries According to World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, most of the worlds population growth is in poor countries. The 47 least developed countries are expected to see their collective population nearly double from 2017s one billion to 1.9 billion by 2050. Thats thanks to a fertility rate of 4.3 per woman. Some countries continue to see their populations explode, such as Niger with a 2017 fertility rate of 6.49, Angola at 6.16, and Mali at 6.01. In contrast, the fertility rate in many developed countries was below replacement value (more loss of people than those born to replace them). As of 2017, the fertility rate in the United States was 1.87. Others include Singapore at 0.83, Macau at 0.95,  Lithuania at 1.59, the Czech Republic at 1.45, Japan at 1.41, and Canada at 1.6. According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the worlds population has been rising at a rate of roughly 83 million people  every year, and the trend is expected to continue, even though fertility rates have been dropping in almost all regions of the world. Thats because the worlds overall fertility rate still exceeds the rate of zero population growth. The population-neutral fertility rate is estimated at 2.1 births per woman.

Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Article Critique - Essay Example tains that his goal is to find â€Å"meaningful and relevant connections between what students† learn at school and ultimately what skills are required in the years ahead. (Waters, 2008) To this end, technology is obviously the most relevant connection. Similarly, Ohlone’s computer networking and emerging technology professor, Richard Grotegut is convinced that community college provides the strongest link between high school and a postsecondary education. The difficulty however, is that high school education is not by any means a specific skills institution. As Johns maintains, the trick is to integrate technology with the high school curriculum. To accomplish this task, Irvington partnered with Ohlone College, a community college which focuses on Information and Communication Technology. (ICT) The ICT program is calculated to provide high school students with courses that â€Å"prepare them to enrol in a community college† with the goal of transferring to a four year institution that focuses on â€Å"computer science or engineering.† (Waters, 2008) The partnership is based on the theory that the acquisition of standardized technology skills early on provides a smoother transition into college and onto the job market. This approach is realistic, given the increasing global reliance on modern technology and the manner in which modern technology drives international and domestic commercial transaction. Even so, according to Ameetha Palanki, chief academic officer at Edgenuity, a company that manufactures â€Å"educational software solutions†, these kinds of partnerships are not common at all. (Waters, 2008) Current connections typically focus on confining technology to the â€Å"advanced placement online courses.† (Waters, 2008) There is little or no emphasis on high school technologies that could aid students in their pursuit of a post secondary education. The Ohlone-Irivington partnership addresses this gap by offering three ICT programs collectively

Social Security's role in our society and public administration Essay

Social Security's role in our society and public administration - Essay Example This Civil War Pension program provided benefits to war veterans with disabilities, in addition, widows and orphans could receive pensions equal to the amount paid to veterans. Starting with the year 1906 old age has become the main qualification for the benefits payment. Thus, by the year 1960 the following groups of people were receiving benefits: Civil War veterans, survivors with disabilities, and the old-aged. Later, these programs would become known as Social Security. In particular, four major demographic changes led to the emergence of Social Security in the early 1930s: the Industrial Revolution, the urbanization of America, the disappearance of the extended family and the market increase in life expectancy. Also, as a result of an Agricultural Revolution the majority of self-employed workers were transformed into industrial working class. When primary income comes from wages, economic security is threatened by recessions, layoffs and business failures, factors that employees have no control over. Industrialization has led to city growth and by 1930 half of the population was living in cities. The trend towards urbanization resulted in the disappearance of the extended family. This was due to large families living in the same residence. The major advantage of an extended family was that when one member became too old too work, the other members assumed responsibility for his well-being. Urbanization limited this kind of support and many old peo ple appeared behind the line of poverty. Finally, due to improved healthcare and sanitation Americans began to live significantly longer. The net result from these demographic changes was that Americans were older, more industrial and fewer people lived in extended families. The existing provisions of economic security were becoming increasingly fragile. The Social Security programs adopted in late 1935 relied on the concept of social insurance common in Europe at that time. The initial aim of the Social Security system was to shift the responsibility for economic security to the governmental institutions. In the late 19th century several European and Latin American states already had some form of the social insurance campaigns. The major points of the American Social Security included old age assistance, unemployment insurance, aid to dependent children and grants to the states to provide medical care (Tanner, 2004). The section on old-age benefits is what people think about Social Security today. Although the American social insurance program has been initiated much later, it was relatively successful compared to the other systems. For example, in the book "Relief and Social Security" Meriam notes the following: " . . . social insurance and the allied services, as they exist today, are conducted by a complex of disconnected adminis trative organs, proceeding on different principles, doing invaluable service but at a cost in money and trouble and anomalous treatment of identical problems for which there is no justification. In a system of social security better on the whole than can be found in almost any other country there are serious deficiencies which call for remedy" (Meriam, 1946, p. 2). Meriam talks about the American Social Security Act of 1935 as one of the most successful. Particularly, she outlines four major benefits this act has offered (Meriam, 1946, p. 16-19): The creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps by the national government

Imagining the west Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Imagining the west - Thesis Example The proclaimed ideological objective of Early American expansionists was to secure living space in the entire American West for the whites agricultural settlement by cleansing the new space for â€Å"whites† through the displacement of the Native Americans (Carroll 8). The ‘American West† involved racial-imperialist continental territorial expansion incorporating ‘taking’ indigenous’ land by force (Carroll 43). In 1893, Jackson Frederick Turner, a historian of the American West, expressed that frontier and westbound expansion served numerous purposes. The frontier acted like the â€Å"safety valve† reducing overpopulation by allowing Americans to free land. Moreover, the frontier exhibited new financial or economic opportunities as people searched for resources and land to exploit with the goal to guarantee prosperity (Koetzing 4). Turner’s Frontier Thesis accounts factors in the course of American imperialism since it crystallizes many of the desires and hopes that Americans had in the last decades of the nineteenth century (Koetzing 5). According to Turner, the frontier was "the gathering, meeting, point in the middle of civilization2 and savagery". Turners idea of the frontier enveloped ideas of progress, conquest, and individual accomplishment or achievement. Turners concept resonates with the definition of what it is to be an American today: he believed that the advancements of American settlements westwards with the conquest or triumph of landscape clarified American development (Koetzing 6) Turners frontier myth, the "gathering, meeting, point between of civilization and savagery", characterized the American’s relationship with the natural world found and misused for the name of advancement. The West availed the free land on which democracy and equality based system could thrive. The present of a continuously growing frontier was to account for remarkable American qualities: "the presence of a zone of free land, its consistent

Reasons for Delay in Insulin Therapy

Reasons for Delay in Insulin Therapy Although the reasons for poor glucose control amongst diabetics is complex, one concerning issue remains the reluctance of physicians and patients to begin insulin therapy. This has been widely documented, despite awareness amongst both caregivers and Type 2 diabetics of the increased health risks caused by inadequate glucose control. Diabetes, and the complications caused by poor management of the disease, are rapidly becoming a health concern of epidemic proportion in Europe and the United States. According to Celafu (2004), normal glucose levels are seldom maintained over time in Type 2 diabetics. â€Å"Even with early intervention and education, many patients with type 2 diabetes are unable to achieve treatment goals through lifestyle changes alone† (Anon 2005, 4). Oral antidiabetic drugs, the initial treatment for Type 2, â€Å"eventually fail to provide adequate glycemic control† (Anon 2005, 4). Targets are missed both due to the progressive nature of the disease and to a reluctance to initiate insulin therapy (Davies 2004). Davies (2004, S15), citing an unpublished study by the British Diabetic Association, reports that â€Å"in the UK a large dataset of over 600, 000 from across the country in the year 2000 reported a mean HbA1c of 8.6 in type I patients and 7.8 in type II patients.† This is significantly above the 6.5 recommended (Davies 2004). Funnell and Kruger (2004) similarly report that over half the Type 2 diabetics in the United States regularly exceed recommended glycemic goals, such as an A1C of less than 7%. However, they cite three large independent trials which all show significant A1C improvement with the introduction of insulin therapy (Funnell and Kruger 2004). Results from the 1998 UK Prospective Diabetes Study suggests that even a 1% Hb reduction can lead to a 21% reduction in diabetes-related death (Stratton et al 2000). Similar reductions also result in a 14% reduction in myocardial infarction, and up to a 37% reduction in microvascular complications (Stratton et al 2000). Reductions in peripheral vascular disease by over 40% are also cited (Stratton et al 2000). According to Davies (2004, S14), a number of studies show â€Å"unequivocally that reducing hyperglycemia reduces both the incident risk and progression of diabetic complications, with no threshold level of HbA1c beneath which further prognostic advantage cannot be achieved.† â€Å"Given the scope of the problem, clinicians need to identify type 2 diabetes early and initiate aggressive intervention to positively influence patients at risk for the disease and help prevent disease progression and associated complications† (Anon 2005, 3). â€Å"In order to achieve the suggested targets for glycemic control necessary to reduce the incidence of diabetic complications, it has been established that a more intensive insulin regimen† and earlier use of insulin is often called for (Cefalu 2004, 1149). Unfortunately, such early insulin use is uncommon (Cefalu 2004). Literature reviewed cites a number of barriers responsible for the slow introduction of insulin regimens to Type 2 diabetic treatment. Barriers on the part of patients typically include fear of injections, feelings of failure, misconceptions regarding the effects of insulin, and concern that the disease is worsening. Cefalu (2004) found that fear of pain and inconvenience of having to inject insulin greatly increases patient anxiety regarding initiating insulin. He concludes â€Å"a major limitation for advancing to intensive insulin therapy is that the only viable way to administer insulin is through injection† (Cefalu 2004, 1149). Davies (2004, S18) similarly found that in Type 2 diabetics, â€Å"needle phobia presents as a common additional barrier to good control.† Patients may also view moving to an insulin regimen as a indicator they have failed at other therapies, such as lifestyle management (Cefalu 2004). This can produce guilt over even minor incompliance in previous treatment, and cause the patient to want to â€Å"try harder† on their existing treatment plan rather than move to insulin (Cefalu 2004). In a recent survey, nearly forty percent of patients agreed that ‘Starting insulin would mean that I have not followed my treatment recommendations properly’ (Davies 2004, S16). Kuritzky and Nelson (2004, S11) additionally found that â€Å"well-intended practitioners may have inadvertently set the stage for patient nonreceptivity by portraying insulin as appropriate therapy for patients who have failed with oral agents.† Davies (2004) goes further, offering anecdotal evidence of practitioners who attempt to coerce non-compliant Type 2 diabetics into lifestyle and oral medication compliance by the threat of beginning insulin therapy. This can result in strong patient resistance to insulin when it is eventually called for (Davies 2004). This can even lead to belief that insulin indicates inevitable complications or death to the patient. â€Å"The perception is that use of insulin signifies progression to a more serious phase of their disease; some patients view insulin use as a ‘prelude to death’ (Cefalu 2004, 1152). Some patients also â€Å"mistakenly believe that insulin intensifies insulin resistance† (Kuritzky and Nelson 2004, S11). Others claim considerations of weight gain outweigh their desire for tight glucose control (Anon 2005). Physicians and caregivers more often cite hypoglycemia, obesity, and patients lack of coping skills as reasons to delay insulin initiation. Davies (2004, S16) found â€Å"concerns about causing hypoglycemic episodes or increasing patients’ obesity means that physicians may permit poor control to continue unduly by delaying the initiation or intensification of insulin therapy† and â€Å"regard insulin as treatment of last resort.† Instead, Kuritzky and Nelson (2004, S11) recommend â€Å"patients should be taught that insulin therapy is appropriate at any time during the course of diabetes to achieve glycemic goals.† Finally, those diabetics on insulin therapy are often on less than optimal dosages. Mayfield and White (2004, 489) conclude from their study of Type 2 diabetics that â€Å"statistics suggest that suboptimal insulin therapy is too common.† Nearly thirty percent of Type 2 diabetics use insulin therapy, â€Å"but less than one half achieve the recommended A1C level of 7 percent or less† because even physicians who are willing to intiate insulin therapy are hesitant to aggressively use insulin (Mayfield and White 2004, 489). REFERENCES Anon 2005. The Role of Basal Insulin in Type 2 Diabetes Management. Supplement to The Journal of Family Practice, October 2005, 2-8. Cefalu, W. 2004. Evolving Strategies for Insulin Delivery and Therapy. Drugs 2004, 64(11): 1149-1161. Davies, M. 2004. The reality of glycaemic control in insulin treated diabetes: defining the clinical challenges. International Journal of Obesity, 28(Suppl 2): S14–S22. Funnell, M. and Kruger, D. 2004. Type 2 Diabetes: Treat to Target. The Nurse Practitioner , January 2004, 29(1):11-23. Kuritzky, L. and Nelson, S. 2004. Insulin therapy in primary care: Practical issues for clinicians. Supplement to The Journal of Family Practice, June 2005, S10-S11. Mayfield, J. and White, R. 2004. Insulin Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: Rescue, Augmentation, and Replacement of Beta-Cell Function. American Family Physician, August 1, 2004, 70(3): 489-500. Rizvi, A. 2004. Type 2 Diabetes: Epidemiologic Trends,Evolving Pathogenic Concepts, and Recent Changes in Therapeutic Approach. Southern Medical Journal, November 2004, 97(11): 1079-1087. Stratton et al 2000. Association of glycaemia with macrovascular and microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes. British Medical Journal, 321: 405–412. UKPDS 1998. UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) Group: Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Lancet 1998, 352: 837-853.