Alcohol Peer Pressure in College Essay Example for Free

Alcohol Peer Pressure in College Essay In the article â€Å"Above the Influence,† the main idea focuses on how alcohol in college has clinched onto society and is now considered a norm. The goal of this study was to explore how non drinking college students negotiated communication about a potentially stigmatized behavior abstinence from alcohol (675). The concept of the paper goes into depth on how students who dont drink alcohol are usually an outcast or fall into peer pressure to fit in. In order to support the claims, researchers conducted an experiment to prove their hypothesis. They used both strict non drinkers and drinkers and placed the participants on a party school campus where alcohol is greatly abused. The actions of the kids varied on whether they would keep their non drinking low key or allow others to know about their situation. The research allowed the experimenters to see the variation of how the abstinent drinkers used communication to still fit in. The claims I most agreed with was allowing different non drinkers with various backgrounds to be put in similar situations. The diversity gave a better out look on how they would try to still be social even without the alcohol consumption. When the students used their different tactics to party without upsetting the other drinkers, I believe the empty cup was the best plan (679). When youre communicating and trying to avoid any issues or quarrels, it is best to please the opposite party. Although some of the students did not drink, holding a cup would allow them to socialize without being hounded. Drinking has become a normality in both college and adult culture. It can even be seen as disrespectful to some to refuse the offer or abstain from it. The empty cup allows positive face to take place without questioning or disturbance from drunken or concerned peers. Participant Kristen stated that the cup gave her â€Å"control† of the situation and did give any negative vibes toward others. She was able to fit in the crowd with no problem. The non alcoholic cup could also allow the student to assimilate with new friends without feeling awkward or left out. It can give power to those who feel uncomfortable and out of place when faced with alcohol. Being a minority can always be harsh but the cup trick allowed a path into the majority without losing morals and beliefs. The claims that I did not agree with the most was blatantly telling fellow party goers that they were not drinkers. Choosing to abstain from alcohol should be kept as a private matter and does not need to be show boated or announced. A non drinker who states their lifestyle can be seen as a prude or over responsible. Their actions can belittle a social drinker and even stir up an argument (678). As shown in the article, participant Andy was caught in an argument with a girl after declaring his abstinence. He could have hurt his relationship if the issue had gotten out of hand. His honesty without privacy has caused an uneasy feeling among others. Some of the students could have tried to please themselves and their peers by using a prop to get out of pressure. College students already know how hard it is to assimilate without adding alcohol to the mix and should try to avoid any persecution. In many cases it is great to own up to a positive lifestyle, but dealing with young adults is in another spectrum. The brutality and insults given by peers can damage a person both emotionally and mentally. The bashing can also cause one to change their outlook or mentality about drinking. By being unaccepted into the norm, a person can try to change their selves to fit in. Not only can denying drinking be an issue to the victim, but also a fellow peer. Alcohol is not always the center of a party or get together, but it is shown that when someone refuses a drink, the offered can feel offended, as if he or she were being dismissed as a person (677). Looking to keep the best interest of both parties is not to inform others about personal decisions. The experiment overall did allow many questions to be debunked, but I dont agree with using a college as a normal situation. In college, students are given a great amount of freedom which causes curiosity and experimenting. Whether it is with drugs or alcohol, college students use foreign or illegal items excessive when they are accessible. Most students are able to kick the negative habits when they are thrown into the real world and given real problems. The experiment should have been used in both college and adult life to give a feel on how being a non drinker is abnormal. I believe that a non drinker would be more accepted in a real world situation because being responsible is admirable when older. When put into a college realm, people tend to be very judgmental due to the level of maturity. Peer pressure never disappears but it does subside when the level of maturity develops fully. Adults do not force or ridicule others when they are giving off a positive action. Although non drinkers can fall into stereotypical types such as a recovering alcoholic (676), it is easy to kick the labels when older. Therefore I do believe this article and research met the goal of different communication skills when dealing with abnormal choices in society. The experiment allowed to explore the responses of people when deciding on how they deal with abstaining from alcohol. Some of the feedback gave positive and accepting results while other communication methods created tension and unwanted stress. Although some forms of communication worked better in social situations rather than others, having an array of different attitudes helped determined which faces worked best in college. The positive face allowed participants to have both a good time and maintain their safety. The other participants who chose their own route did have a hard time being accepted by others. Both methods created different paths, but allowed their abstinence of alcohol to be accepted in either a positive or negative light.

Identity in Maya Angelous Graduation :: Maya Angelou The Graduation

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The inquiry of identity is both a philosophical and a psychological question. Identity is not only comprised of the characteristics that make individuals unique, but also includes external perceptions that classify groups of people together. It gives individuals a unique sense of self, and also lends itself to the application of labels and stereotypes. I believe identity is an integral part of human existence. It creates societies and distinguishes culture. It gives individuals a sense of community and self-worth. I have an identity that no one else can own. It is a reflection of my past and the foundation for my future. Every decision I make becomes a part of my identity. But like all humans, I tend to change my mind frequently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My identity is dynamic. I think this is common for all humans. I believe that all people undergo changes and shifts in identity. I once knew a Navy SEAL that would tell stories of the missions that he carried out while in the service. He often commented on the fact of how easily he and his comrades could joke and carry normal conversation merely minutes after having killed other soldiers. The dramatic change from a stalking killing machine to a â€Å"good ol’ drinking buddy† was astonishing. Maya Angelou describes in her essay â€Å"Graduation† an abrupt shift in identity that she experienced. During her 8th grade commencement ceremony, she became painfully aware of the prejudice and stereotypes that haunt her race. She also realized the history of this behavior and the obstacles that she faces when she heard the words to the Negro National Anthem â€Å"for the first time† (Angelou 38). I think it is common to experience mo ments in life that significantly change identity. I believe the most common shift in identity is the maturation process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I’ve always been fairly levelheaded, but within the last four years I have matured significantly and adapted my identity appropriately. My priorities have shifted and my attitudes have changed. I am essentially a different person. This change happened when I decided to return to school to finish my bachelor’s degree. I was holding down a full-time position, but in reality I was trying to perform the job of two people.

Explain Arisotles Virtue Ethics

Dominance is a state of action as opposed to inaction and an individual must work hard in order to achieve it. To reach Dominance you must reason and be a thinker as this is unique to humans, it is the final cause for humanity as it is the most fulfilling position to be in. Reaching such a superior end goal requires hard work and effort: â€Å"man is a political and social animal† – the greatest good for a person is for them to actively participate in the politics of society and to interact with other humans, morality can only arise once these activities have been performed.A riotous life is an ongoing task and can only be achieved through practice and education. â€Å"Dominance is an end in itself' and is merely pursued for its own virtues rather than as a means to an end. A virtue, for Aristotle, is a trait that contributes to a person functioning well as a human being such as bravery and generosity. A virtue is not doing one action on one given occasion such as givi ng to charity once and then never again, it is not ‘feeling virtuous as you are not brave if you feel brave and do not act upon it and it is also not a natural inclination as someone who has been born that way has not worked to become virtuous.Aristotle concludes that a virtue is a learned nature/tendency to reason and act in a certain way. We are each responsible for the choices that we make based on personal vice and virtue, how virtuous a person may be is entirely dependent on how they will intend to act in any given situation. The doctrine of the mean/the golden mean is a central concept in Aristotle virtue ethics. According to the doctrine of the mean, a virtue is a mean state between two extremes: one of excess and one of deficiency.To be virtuous, one virtue must connect with another. Virtues will only fully develop in a minority of people and the doctrine of the mean can be used to guide you; however you must be educated to use this. And so, an element of elitism can b e seen here. For example: it is good to be courageous, however you can have too much or, even, too little courage. Aristotle did not explicitly declare what the midpoint was, and so it is clearly not of numerical value and so it must be more about acting at the right time.Although virtue ethics does not give you a clear answer to an ethical dilemma, it allows each individual to respond to each different situation they face. Aristotle believed that there were 4 different groups of people. There are vicious people who are those that do not attempt to be virtuous. There are incontinent people who face moral conflict but usually choose a vice. Continent people do the virtuous thing most of the time but still have to overcome a moral dilemma, and virtuous people enjoy doing good actions, and so they face no moral dilemmas in life.Choices are important as every human has an aim in life. Such aims are then split into either superior or subordinate aims and, according to Aristotle; the supe rior aim of an individual is Dominance as this is the final purpose of a human. In society, some people re hedonists and seek pleasure, some serve the community and seek honor (politicians) and some are philosophers and live in a state of contemplation. Aristotle believes philosophers to be the best as they possess the ability to exercise key intellectual virtues which allow them to steer themselves towards Dominance.Virtues are either moral or intellectual in which there are 5 intellectual virtues according to Aristotle: prudence/practical wisdom, intuitive intelligence, wisdom, scientific knowledge and craft/art. Of the 5 virtues, Aristotle considers practical wisdom to be the most important in Virtue Ethics as it imply describes moral behavior, and does not require people to do something different to what they already do.You may do a string of good actions, but unless you know the direction you are to go then you may end up on the wrong path. Since people act differently in every situation there are no inherently bad actions. Anyone who is virtuous should, theoretically, always make the correct decision. Aristotle Virtue Ethics is person rather than action based; it looks at the moral character of the person carrying out an action. Good character traits must be cultivated and developed in order for people to truly achieve Dominance.

Abraham Lincoln’s use of Veto power Essay - 1432 Words

Abraham Lincoln born in 1809 was the President of United States before he was assassination in 1865.Many scholars refer him to as the greatest president the United State has ever had in history. One among his major achievements was the successful lead of the American country during the great internal crisis. He sealed the Union of the country and fought slavery to the end. Lincoln was a lawyer, after which he became a legislator representing the Illinois state. He was a member in the House of Representatives through an election. In family matters Lincoln was said to as loving, kind, a husband and a father of four. Donald 2001 pp.69). Background information Today the word presidential veto does not come out in the United States†¦show more content†¦(Belz, 1998). Lincoln went by the presidency Whig theory which gave Congress the sole responsibility to write the laws and at the same time ensure that the Executive enforced them. During his presidency term Lincoln ensured that four bills were vetoed and passed by Congress namely; the Wade Davis Bill which was a harsh program of reconstructing the states by seeking to reunite the country by a policy of generous reconciliation (Donald 2001 p.137). He signed the Homestead Act in 1862, where millions of acres of government held land in the West available for purchase at very low cost (p138). The Morrill Land Grant Colleges Act, also signed in 1862, provided the government of the day grants for agricultural colleges in each particular state (Donald 1996 p. 36). The Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864 granted federal Government support for the construction of the United States, First Transcontinental Railroad, to completed in 1869 ( Donald 2001p 256). Passing the Homestead Act and the Pacific Railwa y Acts was made possible through the absence of Southern congressmen and senators who had opposed the measures in 1850s (2 Donald 2001p 55). Other important legislation made involved measures aimed at raising Federal government revenue, through tariffs and income tax revenue. Lincoln in 1861 signed the Morrill Tariff acts, the first having become law under James Buchanan tenure. In 1861, Lincoln signed yet another bill the Revenue Act that createdShow MoreRelatedThe Civil War ( 1861-1865 )1154 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Union through a process called Reconstruction. However, this process was not easy as there were conflicting plans between Congress, Abraham Lincoln, and his soon to be successor, Andrew Johnson. During the Civil War, plans for Reconstruction were being sought out by Lincoln. 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