Book review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Book review - Essay Example Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. Don Tapscott’s Grown Up Digital (2009) examines the life of people who have grown up in the digital age. Tapscott’s idea for the book initially arose in the 1990s after viewing the rise of internet technology within his own family. He realized that the current generation is demonstrating proficiency with the internet and digital technology which the past generations can’t keep up with and this is making them notably different from these past generations. As a strategic business analyst he realized that it would be important to gain an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon, so he commissioned a large scale study to investigate the issue; the book is comprised from information the study found and personal insights from the author. One of the foundational assumptions of the book is that the defining characteristic of the post-Generation X generation is the overwhelming influence the world-wide-web has had on their lives. In characterizing this influence, the author deems this generation the Net Generation (refusing to settle on the often used Generation Y moniker because it ignores the highly individual characteristics of this new generation). According to Tapscott, the Net Generation spans from 1977 to 1997, including even more births than the Baby Boomers. Indeed, they have been deemed the Echo Generation in response to the Baby Boomers’ initial post-war explosion. One of the major tenants of the research is that because of the current explosion of the internet, the world has become a much more integrated place. Since globalization has progressed to this degree the research necessarily focused on international elements as well as those within the United States. John Geraci, the project manager of the research, stated, â€Å"For the first time ever, we can speak of a worldwide youth generation† (Tapscott, pg. 23). As a result, the research included twelve countries,

Logistics---answer the 6 questions within similar words count Essay

Logistics---answer the 6 questions within similar words count - Essay Example The services of supply chain and logistic ensure customer’s expectations fulfilled. Total quality management; therefore, ensures that supply chain and logistic supply quality products and services to the final consumers. Through total quality management, services of supply chain and logistics are of high quality. In addition, the employees of an organization are able to cooperate with the supply chain and logistic organization through the total quality management. Total quality management improves the quality of products. This is because through total quality management defects reduced, employees become ware of their functions in an organization and they work towards achieving organizational goals of maintaining high quality. Problem solving also become easier because employees work together towards achieving organizational goals, through total quality management techniques, customers get satisfaction from the products produced. Production costs also reduced because employees avoid defects and waste; therefore, there is no room for mistakes during production. Quality circles are organizational groups of employees and supervisors who gather to recognize, assess and find solutions to process and quality problems. Quality circles have the advantage of promoting teamwork in an organization. The idea of team spirit enhanced, and organizational conflicts eliminated. Quality circles employee also work with a positive attitude; therefore, improving the quality. In addition, personality advancement also enhanced. This is because though the circle employees get to learn new skills and the hidden abilities of employees revealed. The working environment also enhanced; employees included in the decision making of the organization in all stages. Productivity enhanced; quality products produced, as a result in addition costs also reduced. In a company such as Kentucky Fried

Safeguarding the Welfare and Innocence of a Child

Safeguarding the Welfare and Innocence of a Child Childhood experiences differ from person to person in many ways. One’s personal experience of childhood is likely to affect their understanding of childhood and their ideal vision of childhood. When I reminisce about childhood, the ideal vision of children frolicking around the park, having fun and carefree days comes to mind. As described by Rousseau, childhood is a brief period of sanctuary before encountering the perils and hardships of adulthood. This line by Rousseau: Why fill with bitterness the fleeting early days of childhood, days which will no more return for them than for you? encapsulates my ideal vision of childhood, a time of pure innocence that will never be recaptured and should be the best time of our lives (Hutchison Charlesworth 2000; Wood 2003). Brought up in Singapore as the youngest child in a family of four, my childhood experience was built upon an â€Å"Asian construction of childhood† with beliefs and ideas of Asian cultural influence. However , being the youngest child made me the perpetual â€Å"baby† of the family, with constant protection and showering of care. Coupled with the media’s constant representation of the innocent child through various movies and images, my view of childhood is inevitably skewed towards this image. The image of innocence recognizes a child’s vulnerability and immaturity, reflecting the need to provide care and protection in order to preserve the physical and spiritual purity of the child. James Prout (1990) recognized that while childhood innocence is a socially constructed phenomenon, biological immaturity is a fact of childhood. Therefore in this image, childhood is viewed separately from adulthood, with the responsibility of the young and innocent firmly in the hands of adults. It is further supported by the code of ethics in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), where adults are in a position of power, with the expectation of making decisions in the best interests of the child due to their innocence and perceived incapability of making the right decisions. In my experience of childhood, my brother and I were kept on constant adult supervision without the need or option to make any decisions. Everything was taken care of by Linda, our domestic worker fr om the Philippines and she was tasked to follow instructions and daily routines set out for us by my parents. Rousseau noted that children are born into an original natural state of essential goodness. However, their closeness with nature and natural goodness is being threatened or degraded by culture. In my infant years, protecting us from the ‘corruption’ of society was exactly what my parents wanted by limiting our exposure to sources of corruption such as violence in music, television and games. Postman (1983) highlighted a shift away from child innocence due to the myriad of media universally available to children. In recent years, the proliferation of technology and wider exposure to the Internet further deepened my view of the need to protect a child’s innocence. With more children playing games on internet-ready devices like the iPads, the ‘corruption’ of society slowly creeping into a child’s environment even without stepping out of h ome. While the image of innocence seem ideal at the infant stage to protect their innocence, upon further consideration, critics highlighted that continual treatment of a child in this view may hamper their development. . This is where I feel the limiting of experience and of opportunity may be critical and damaging for the child. As highlighted by Woodrow (1999), maintaining this focus as a child matures will deny them agency and inhibits the potential development of skills required to handle challenges in the future. With adults perceived as having power and responsibility over and for children, this raises another debatable point of whether they are always acting in the best interest of the child. In this construct of childhood innocence, Hutchison and Charlesworth (2000) argue that childhood becomes sentimentalized, while Docket (1998) feels that this nostalgic view stops us taking children seriously. Upon reflecting on my initial understanding and experience of the image of innocence, perhaps childhood consists of transitional phases consisting of multiple definitional perspectives. A transition into the frame of child development is a solution to progressively give a child more agency and Piaget’s view on childhood encapsulates it. Piaget noted the conception of childhood as certain transition stages of their lives at about 18 months, 7 years and 11 or 12 years, where a child will develop from immaturity to rationality, increasing their ability to understand their surroundings and have new capabilities to undertake certain tasks. The child is now viewed in the image of an embryo adult, seen as ‘human becomings’ rather than ‘human beings’ in preparation for the future (Hutchison Charlesworth 2000). At the early stages, as the child is positioned as less knowing, it is the responsibility of parents to use their own knowledge or resources to groom and nurture the abilities of their children at home. Upon attending school, the child is subjected to a politically influenced curriculum designed by teachers, which pushes them to achieve results and judged on standardized tests (Woodrow 1999). In relating my childhood experience in this perspective, grooming a child to undertake certain tasks is a challenge and very much depends on whether the agentic child is willing to accept it. At the age of 7, I was enrolled for swimming lessons but strongly refused to do so due to my immaturity and lack of understanding about it. However, after carefully explaining to me the importance of swimming as a life skill 2 years later, the increase in rationality and readiness led me to acquire new capabilities. In other instances, I was coerced to accompany my older brother in attending other courses beyond my will, and such scenarios depict images of a tyrannical adult as opposed to loving guides. Therefore, the adult must take special considerat ion when faced with such situations, as it may result in the poor emotional connection between children and adults as noted by Hoffman (2000) within this construct of childhood. In addition to this, the adult will have to constantly ensure a child’s needs for emotional stability, security, confidence, self-esteem are met. These images are never stable or unitary and their meanings are contestable. It is easy to over-simplify and homogenize the idea of childhood, and the children who go through that phase of life, ignoring cultural influence that children experience which differentially produce conceptions of childhood (Woodrow 1999). Everyone’s childhood is a unique phase of life. The only commonality is how one’s childhood is a determining factor of how their life shapes out to be, and the way it will influence childhood for their kids. To a child, what matters most is parents, as they will learn everything from them. The underlying idea of childhood is complex, and the role that adults play is rather confusing. The UN CRC states that all children have a right to speak freely and to be listened to by adults over decisions that affect them. While we recognize that a child has the right to be heard, and that they should have a say in their plans for the future, just to how much extent should they be given that freedom? By putting power and responsibility in the hands of children, does this confuse the role of adults and their responsibilities of shaping childhood? How will this affect an adult’s role in making decisions in the best interest of the child? On the topic of best interest of a child, an adult should act in the best interest of the child, but what’s best for the child may not exactly be in the same view in the eyes of the child. Also, an adult may not always act in the best interest of the child but rather, the most convenient option. How then are we going to police what’s right and what’s wrong. There can be guidelines in place but whether it’s enforced in the compounds of a home is something beyond our control. At the end of the day, there’s no single correct way of raising a child, as there are way too many variables to consider. Each child is different, each parents has their own views on how to raise a child. We are unclear who is in charge of childhood: teachers, parents, politicians, or children themselves? Alongside listening to children, the real question we need to be asking, as parents, educators, employers and politicians, is: have we created a society that has destroyed the childhood we want for our children?

Human Resource Management Essay -- Gender Roles, Work Place

This essay will discuss the roles of men and women in the workplace. As roles of men and women have changed in today's context, unlike the past, it was caused by cultural and sociological. According to (free dictionary) Roles can be defined as the characteristic and expected social behaviour of an individual. For example when you see a car commercial for a mechanic most of the time the mechanic is a man. But when you see a commercial about cleaning products for the house normally a woman is the face you see. In other words, the media can help break the barriers on how gender roles are portrayed in society. This essay will focus on, the roles of men and women at work, education, pay gap between them, vertical and horizontal segregation, part time job, afterwards before going to conclusion will explain the reason of the difference between men and women, within context of biological, socialisation and structure, and finalising with conclusion. Many companies at present express desire of promoting diversity within organisations. For many years, the dominant group in the workforce always were men. According to (statistic) show that the employment rates for men have been rising since the second quarter of 1971, levelling off in more recent years. ( ??????) Stated that this culturally-installed male dominance can be explained in many ways and from a variety of perspectives. The statistic shows that, in second quarter of 2008 the employment rate was 79 per cent for men and 70 per cent for women, unchanged since 1999; this show the clear evidence of the men was the group dominant. (Hearn and Parkin, 1987) stated that 'Organisation' and 'sexuality' occur simultaneously, in a way that reinforces patriarchal power of men over women." W... ...ease of the women at education and workforce, in some of the men workforce dominant, women who are in that position to retain they have to behave like men. Givens does not want to blame women, but rather make them change their thinking to achieve their aims. The law is not much use for woman in power as there is so many males above them in any company. The usefulness of the law can be seen however in the fact ofprecedent' where any previous case of a woman taking a company to court for sexual discrimination or equal pay and winning may be considered in a similar court case. The glass ceiling is a major obstacle preventing woman from achieving high status professions. However since the law has been in power I believe that the glass ceiling is cracking but it's going to take a lot more years to see any kind of noticeable improvements in woman's careers.

Exploring Adolescent Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances

Exploring Adolescent Use of Anabolic Steroids Since the introduction of anabolic steroids, the main objective of using them has been widely abused. The use of these substances has steadily increased throughout the years. As popularity of anabolic steroids escalated, so has its demand. With the inception of anabolic steroids in the world of professional sports, the acceptance of doping amongst athletes was positive. During the 1970s, there were no repercussions for taking anabolic steroids, and so athletes, especially football players and weight-lifters, were trying to get that physical advantage over their competitors.Many professional baseball and football players of this most recent generation have used anabolic steroids. In football there was the great Lawrence Taylor, Bill Romanowski, and Shawne Merriman. In baseball, a steroid scandal involved the great Barry Bonds, and numerous baseball prodigies who juiced up such as Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, a nd Manny Ramirez. Not only have baseball and football players used anabolic steroids, but other types of athletes, such as power-lifters, as well. In track and field, Tim Montgomery was cited for doping.In recent years, female track and field athletes such as Marion Jones were busted for using anabolic steroids. With the accessibility of anabolic steroids increasing at an alarming rate, a person has to wonder what kind of effect anabolic steroids could have on adolescents? If doping really is becoming accepted amongst professional athletes, what kind of influence will it have on the adolescents? This research analysis essay will be exploring the physical and mental risks and consequences for adolescents using anabolic steroids as well as their motivation for doping.Steroids were originally developed to administer to hypogonadism in the 1930s (Volkow 1). Through experimenting, scientists discovered that the use of anabolic steroids could generate muscle growth. This discovery led to the abuse of anabolic steroids in the sporting world. Technological experimentation and advances over time enabled researchers to identify many types of anabolic steroids. In researching the effects of anabolic steroids, scientists also detected many side effects from using anabolic steroids, although much is still unknown regarding their long-term side ffects (Kusserow 9). There are two ways of taking anabolic steroids, one way is to take them orally or by injection. In taking anabolic steroids with these two methods, an adolescent can severely damage the endocrine system, musculoskeletal system, circulatory system, the hepatic system, and the skin (Volkow 5). A major health defect of taking anabolic steroids is that it affects the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a gland system that is responsible for the discharge of hormones that assist in regulating certain bodily processes, such as metabolism, growth, and development.One of the important factors that the endocrine sys tem controls is the mood of a person. The human body already secretes certain hormones into the body to keep bodily processes functioning the way they were supposed to. By taking anabolic steroids, an adolescent is disrupting the natural production of hormones (Volkow 4). The endocrine system only secretes a certain amount of hormones a day to prevent imbalance. If the endocrine system secretes too many hormones into the human body, there will be a hormonal imbalance which could lead to disease or abnormal development.Taking anabolic steroids can cause reversible changes, which include sperm count deduction, infertility of sperm, and testicle shrinkage (Volkow 4). In males, irreversible changes may occur by taking anabolic steroids such as feminization and male-pattern baldness (Volkow 4). Although anabolic steroids may physically enhance a person’s appearance, the damage caused by anabolic steroids is something many adolescents are overlooking. The human body normally releas es testosterone and other hormones that causes growth, and stops the release of hormones as well.However, taking anabolic steroids as an adolescent results in the synthetic release of hormones. This leads to a surplus of sex hormone levels that can prematurely signal the bones to stop growing (Volkow 4). Anabolic steroid use may cause more frequent tendon injuries due to â€Å"skeletal muscle adaptations taking place rather rapidly in comparison to connective tissue† (Hoffman 186). Also, anabolic steroid use causes severe acne based on research done by the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (Hoffman 184). Not only can steroids stunt your growth as an adolescent, it can cause severe damage to the circulatory and hepatic systems.The circulatory system is responsible for the circulation of blood throughout the body. Other responsibilities include the removal of bodily wastes and the transference of nutrients to the cells. By taking anabolic steroids, an adolescent is increas ing the risk of sustaining a heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (Volkow 4; Hoffman 184-185). According to Kusserow, physicians conducting a study/research involving former steroid users noticed â€Å"links, without consensus on degree, to cardiovascular disease† and anabolic steroids (Kusserow 12).The clotting of blood in the blood vessels keeps blood from flowing to the heart, which may cause heart damage. An adolescent can experience a stroke from having a blood flow disruption to the brain. Anabolic steroids elevate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, which is the main factor in having a disruption to the body’s blood flow (Hoffman 185). The hepatic system is the liver. The liver’s main responsibility is detoxifying the human body. At this point in time, living without a liver is impossible.So, if the liver were to have a blood flow disruption, the liver would fail, resulting in potential deat h. Using anabolic steroids may â€Å"increase risk of liver tumors and liver damage† (Hoffman 184). Internal bleeding may occur from the rupture of a liver tumor (Volkow 5). Two of the most alarming consequences of taking anabolic steroids are the change in behavior/mood and how it affects a person’s mental status. Anabolic steroid use causes violent, aggressive behavior and irritability; approximately 60% of anabolic steroid users experience this change in behavior (Hoffman 187).Tony Mandarich, once proclaimed to be the â€Å"greatest offensive lineman prospect ever,â€Å" said that his steroid use caused his aggression to skyrocket on and off the field. â€Å"The Incredible Bulk† punched an Ohio State player for no reason before the football game even started and told him he â€Å"was going to die today† (Kozak). Anabolic steroid use also affected his thinking. Mandarich’s past steroid use caused him to say things that he would never say were h e not on steroids. â€Å"Some of the stuff I said, when I look back now, is just embarrassing,† says Tony Mandarich (Kozak).Although elevated aggressiveness may be beneficial for athletes, that is not the case with your ordinary citizen. With these behavioral changes, an anabolic steroid user is much more likely to fight with other people. This is especially dangerous due to the fact that the steroid user is most likely bigger in size and strength than their opponent. A person may experience a psychotic episode where the steroid user will be in a blind rage, thus disabling their ability to control their emotions. In this event, an adolescent on anabolic steroids could injure many of his peers at school, possibly even kill them.According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), â€Å"a recent study suggests that the mood and behavioral effects seen during anabolic-androgenic steroid abuse may result from secondary hormonal changes† (Volkow 4). This is especially true with Heidi Krieger. In females, masculinity may occur both physically and mentally with long-term use of anabolic steroids (Volkow 4). With Heidi Krieger, now known as Andreas Krieger, her long-term anabolic steroid use caused her to become masculine. Not only was she physically changing, the anabolic steroids caused her to believe that she was a man.In an interview with former European women’s shot put champion, she was asked about her past anabolic steroid use and how it caused her to physically and mentally change genders. She said, â€Å"I felt much more attracted to women and just felt like a man. But I knew I was not lesbian† (Cnn. com). One of the many questions researchers ask is â€Å"why†? Many wonder what are the motivational factors in a person’s choice to use anabolic steroids. One of the main factors to this question would be appearance (Kusserow 6). Throughout magazines are pictures displaying a person with rock-hard abs and bulging bi ceps.On television, an adolescent may see a commercial of a man who is extremely big and strong. 57% of adolescents participating in a survey pointed to magazines and 7% pointed to entertainment as sources of influence (Kusserow 8). Nowadays, society’s perception of the prototypical male is being big and strong. Due to pop culture, male adolescents have this newfound belief that they must improve their appearance to match the appearance of the prototypical male (Kusserow 6). Also, in today’s society peer approval is a must amongst most high school adolescents.Teenagers see their friends getting â€Å"jacked† by using anabolic steroids so they try and imitate those actions since it looks easy. With the correct training regimen, adolescents may accomplish their goals in getting big with great success. According to Richard P. Kusserow, 89% of anabolic steroid users reported that they were satisfied with the results they were hoping for when they first started using anabolic steroids (Kusserow 7). Due to the successful use of anabolic steroids, 97% of users â€Å"agree that the physical effects encouraged them to continue using steroids (Kusserow 7).For example, Tony Mandarich was influenced by his brother to use anabolic steroids so that he could increase size, strength, and athletic performance. His anabolic steroid use allowed him to be able to bench press 225 pounds an incredible 39 times while being able to maintain a 4. 69 40-yard dash. That is a godly feat for a man that is 6 foot 6 and 315 pounds. When asked about his past anabolic steroid use, Mandarich said,†You're not supposed to be as strong as I am. You're not supposed to be as fast as I am. You're not supposed to be as good as I am† (Kozak).Apparently, without anabolic steroid use, Tony Mandarich would never have become the college football player that he was. Another motive adolescents have for using anabolic steroids is the pursuit for the improvement of athletic p erformance (Adolescent Steroid Abuse). Through the use of anabolic steroids, an adolescent can increase muscle mass, strength, and training capacity (Kusserow 7). According to Kusserow, many adolescents first use anabolic steroids at the age of 16 and that 85% of the users started by age 17 (Kusserow 5).Much of this thought process has to do with famous role model athletes. â€Å"Users believe that many high-level athletes have used steroids, and 42 percent say this influenced them to start using† (Kusserow 8). An adolescent varsity football player trying to obtain a football scholarship from a prestigious NCAA Division I football powerhouse may see an NFL football player that they admire, and look up to, using anabolic steroids. The adolescent could potentially try and imitate the NFL player’s actions due to this belief.With football scholarships from prestigious Division I football colleges being limited and competition amongst football players across the United Stat es being extensive, adolescents will do all that they can to achieve their goal. Additionally, adolescents may view the benefits in using anabolic steroids as more positive than negative. If using anabolic steroids can help these adolescents get to a great school such as the University of Southern California or the University of Texas, the side effects of using anabolic steroids could be something they are willing to risk.Another motive that could cause an adolescent in using anabolic steroids in improving athletic performance is the pressure they receive from adults, including their own parents (Kusserow 8). 55% of adolescent anabolic steroid users claim that their parents know about their use of anabolic steroids and that the parents do not care (Kusserow 7). â€Å"People may give a certain amount of slack to football players because there's this unspoken sense that in order to play the game well, you need an edge,† says Todd Boyd (Klosterman).If an adolescent can play well enough in sports to generate interest from college scouts, there is a good chance that the adolescent can get an athletic scholarship to help support their parents financially. Nowadays, college tuition is skyrocketing. It costs approximately $22,000 annually to attend the University of New Hampshire for an in-state student, and roughly $12,000 extra if you are out of state. With the recent economic downturn, many families do not have many financial options. Financial aid can only get you so far and the ability to take out a loan has become increasingly hard in this economy.Assuming an 18 year old adolescent is out of state and going to be attending the University of New Hampshire for four years, the adolescent would be saving $136,000 if he were able to get a full-boat scholarship. This is not even taking into account the annual increase in tuition that occurs after every school year and money for miscellaneous things. Although an adolescent’s parents may not be telling the m directly to use anabolic steroids, the parents could be indirectly encouraging them to â€Å"juice upâ€Å" by placing tons of pressure on their kids.Adults, whether it is the parents or the coaches, place immense pressure on their kids to compete and win, while conveying mixed messages of what are acceptable ways to achieve that goal (Kusserow 7). Adolescents may interpret those messages as, â€Å"It’s okay to use steroids as long as you succeed and do not get caught† or, â€Å"Do what must be done to achieve your goal†. If this is the universal belief amongst adolescents across the United States, how long will it be before adolescents begin to interpret other topics, such as violence or drug dealing, in the same manner. Works Cited Adolescent Steroid Abuse. † Adolescent Steroid Abuse. Case Western Reserve University. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . Hoffman, Jay R. , and Nicholas A. Ratamess. â€Å"Medical Issues Associated with Anabolic Steroid Use: Are They E xaggerated? † Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 01 June 2006. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. Klosterman, Chuck. â€Å"Why We Look the Other Way. † ESPN. com. ESPN Internet Ventures, 21 Mar. 2007. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . Kozak, Kory. â€Å"Steroids Fueled Spectacular Rise and Fall. † ESPN. com. ESPN Internet Ventures, 17 Apr. 2009. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . Pleitgen, Frederik. Athlete Says Sports Steroids Changed Him from Woman to man. † CNN. com. Cable News Network, 11 Aug. 2008. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . United States of America. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General. Adolescent Steroid Use. Richard P. Kusserow. Department of Health and Human Services, 1991. Print. United States of America. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute of Health. Anabolic Steroid Abuse. Nora D. Volkow. National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2001. National Institute of Drug Abuse Research Report Series. Exploring Adolescent Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances Exploring Adolescent Use of Anabolic Steroids Since the introduction of anabolic steroids, the main objective of using them has been widely abused. The use of these substances has steadily increased throughout the years. As popularity of anabolic steroids escalated, so has its demand. With the inception of anabolic steroids in the world of professional sports, the acceptance of doping amongst athletes was positive. During the 1970s, there were no repercussions for taking anabolic steroids, and so athletes, especially football players and weight-lifters, were trying to get that physical advantage over their competitors.Many professional baseball and football players of this most recent generation have used anabolic steroids. In football there was the great Lawrence Taylor, Bill Romanowski, and Shawne Merriman. In baseball, a steroid scandal involved the great Barry Bonds, and numerous baseball prodigies who juiced up such as Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, a nd Manny Ramirez. Not only have baseball and football players used anabolic steroids, but other types of athletes, such as power-lifters, as well. In track and field, Tim Montgomery was cited for doping.In recent years, female track and field athletes such as Marion Jones were busted for using anabolic steroids. With the accessibility of anabolic steroids increasing at an alarming rate, a person has to wonder what kind of effect anabolic steroids could have on adolescents? If doping really is becoming accepted amongst professional athletes, what kind of influence will it have on the adolescents? This research analysis essay will be exploring the physical and mental risks and consequences for adolescents using anabolic steroids as well as their motivation for doping.Steroids were originally developed to administer to hypogonadism in the 1930s (Volkow 1). Through experimenting, scientists discovered that the use of anabolic steroids could generate muscle growth. This discovery led to the abuse of anabolic steroids in the sporting world. Technological experimentation and advances over time enabled researchers to identify many types of anabolic steroids. In researching the effects of anabolic steroids, scientists also detected many side effects from using anabolic steroids, although much is still unknown regarding their long-term side ffects (Kusserow 9). There are two ways of taking anabolic steroids, one way is to take them orally or by injection. In taking anabolic steroids with these two methods, an adolescent can severely damage the endocrine system, musculoskeletal system, circulatory system, the hepatic system, and the skin (Volkow 5). A major health defect of taking anabolic steroids is that it affects the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a gland system that is responsible for the discharge of hormones that assist in regulating certain bodily processes, such as metabolism, growth, and development.One of the important factors that the endocrine sys tem controls is the mood of a person. The human body already secretes certain hormones into the body to keep bodily processes functioning the way they were supposed to. By taking anabolic steroids, an adolescent is disrupting the natural production of hormones (Volkow 4). The endocrine system only secretes a certain amount of hormones a day to prevent imbalance. If the endocrine system secretes too many hormones into the human body, there will be a hormonal imbalance which could lead to disease or abnormal development.Taking anabolic steroids can cause reversible changes, which include sperm count deduction, infertility of sperm, and testicle shrinkage (Volkow 4). In males, irreversible changes may occur by taking anabolic steroids such as feminization and male-pattern baldness (Volkow 4). Although anabolic steroids may physically enhance a person’s appearance, the damage caused by anabolic steroids is something many adolescents are overlooking. The human body normally releas es testosterone and other hormones that causes growth, and stops the release of hormones as well.However, taking anabolic steroids as an adolescent results in the synthetic release of hormones. This leads to a surplus of sex hormone levels that can prematurely signal the bones to stop growing (Volkow 4). Anabolic steroid use may cause more frequent tendon injuries due to â€Å"skeletal muscle adaptations taking place rather rapidly in comparison to connective tissue† (Hoffman 186). Also, anabolic steroid use causes severe acne based on research done by the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (Hoffman 184). Not only can steroids stunt your growth as an adolescent, it can cause severe damage to the circulatory and hepatic systems.The circulatory system is responsible for the circulation of blood throughout the body. Other responsibilities include the removal of bodily wastes and the transference of nutrients to the cells. By taking anabolic steroids, an adolescent is increas ing the risk of sustaining a heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (Volkow 4; Hoffman 184-185). According to Kusserow, physicians conducting a study/research involving former steroid users noticed â€Å"links, without consensus on degree, to cardiovascular disease† and anabolic steroids (Kusserow 12).The clotting of blood in the blood vessels keeps blood from flowing to the heart, which may cause heart damage. An adolescent can experience a stroke from having a blood flow disruption to the brain. Anabolic steroids elevate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, which is the main factor in having a disruption to the body’s blood flow (Hoffman 185). The hepatic system is the liver. The liver’s main responsibility is detoxifying the human body. At this point in time, living without a liver is impossible.So, if the liver were to have a blood flow disruption, the liver would fail, resulting in potential deat h. Using anabolic steroids may â€Å"increase risk of liver tumors and liver damage† (Hoffman 184). Internal bleeding may occur from the rupture of a liver tumor (Volkow 5). Two of the most alarming consequences of taking anabolic steroids are the change in behavior/mood and how it affects a person’s mental status. Anabolic steroid use causes violent, aggressive behavior and irritability; approximately 60% of anabolic steroid users experience this change in behavior (Hoffman 187).Tony Mandarich, once proclaimed to be the â€Å"greatest offensive lineman prospect ever,â€Å" said that his steroid use caused his aggression to skyrocket on and off the field. â€Å"The Incredible Bulk† punched an Ohio State player for no reason before the football game even started and told him he â€Å"was going to die today† (Kozak). Anabolic steroid use also affected his thinking. Mandarich’s past steroid use caused him to say things that he would never say were h e not on steroids. â€Å"Some of the stuff I said, when I look back now, is just embarrassing,† says Tony Mandarich (Kozak).Although elevated aggressiveness may be beneficial for athletes, that is not the case with your ordinary citizen. With these behavioral changes, an anabolic steroid user is much more likely to fight with other people. This is especially dangerous due to the fact that the steroid user is most likely bigger in size and strength than their opponent. A person may experience a psychotic episode where the steroid user will be in a blind rage, thus disabling their ability to control their emotions. In this event, an adolescent on anabolic steroids could injure many of his peers at school, possibly even kill them.According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), â€Å"a recent study suggests that the mood and behavioral effects seen during anabolic-androgenic steroid abuse may result from secondary hormonal changes† (Volkow 4). This is especially true with Heidi Krieger. In females, masculinity may occur both physically and mentally with long-term use of anabolic steroids (Volkow 4). With Heidi Krieger, now known as Andreas Krieger, her long-term anabolic steroid use caused her to become masculine. Not only was she physically changing, the anabolic steroids caused her to believe that she was a man.In an interview with former European women’s shot put champion, she was asked about her past anabolic steroid use and how it caused her to physically and mentally change genders. She said, â€Å"I felt much more attracted to women and just felt like a man. But I knew I was not lesbian† (Cnn. com). One of the many questions researchers ask is â€Å"why†? Many wonder what are the motivational factors in a person’s choice to use anabolic steroids. One of the main factors to this question would be appearance (Kusserow 6). Throughout magazines are pictures displaying a person with rock-hard abs and bulging bi ceps.On television, an adolescent may see a commercial of a man who is extremely big and strong. 57% of adolescents participating in a survey pointed to magazines and 7% pointed to entertainment as sources of influence (Kusserow 8). Nowadays, society’s perception of the prototypical male is being big and strong. Due to pop culture, male adolescents have this newfound belief that they must improve their appearance to match the appearance of the prototypical male (Kusserow 6). Also, in today’s society peer approval is a must amongst most high school adolescents.Teenagers see their friends getting â€Å"jacked† by using anabolic steroids so they try and imitate those actions since it looks easy. With the correct training regimen, adolescents may accomplish their goals in getting big with great success. According to Richard P. Kusserow, 89% of anabolic steroid users reported that they were satisfied with the results they were hoping for when they first started using anabolic steroids (Kusserow 7). Due to the successful use of anabolic steroids, 97% of users â€Å"agree that the physical effects encouraged them to continue using steroids (Kusserow 7).For example, Tony Mandarich was influenced by his brother to use anabolic steroids so that he could increase size, strength, and athletic performance. His anabolic steroid use allowed him to be able to bench press 225 pounds an incredible 39 times while being able to maintain a 4. 69 40-yard dash. That is a godly feat for a man that is 6 foot 6 and 315 pounds. When asked about his past anabolic steroid use, Mandarich said,†You're not supposed to be as strong as I am. You're not supposed to be as fast as I am. You're not supposed to be as good as I am† (Kozak).Apparently, without anabolic steroid use, Tony Mandarich would never have become the college football player that he was. Another motive adolescents have for using anabolic steroids is the pursuit for the improvement of athletic p erformance (Adolescent Steroid Abuse). Through the use of anabolic steroids, an adolescent can increase muscle mass, strength, and training capacity (Kusserow 7). According to Kusserow, many adolescents first use anabolic steroids at the age of 16 and that 85% of the users started by age 17 (Kusserow 5).Much of this thought process has to do with famous role model athletes. â€Å"Users believe that many high-level athletes have used steroids, and 42 percent say this influenced them to start using† (Kusserow 8). An adolescent varsity football player trying to obtain a football scholarship from a prestigious NCAA Division I football powerhouse may see an NFL football player that they admire, and look up to, using anabolic steroids. The adolescent could potentially try and imitate the NFL player’s actions due to this belief.With football scholarships from prestigious Division I football colleges being limited and competition amongst football players across the United Stat es being extensive, adolescents will do all that they can to achieve their goal. Additionally, adolescents may view the benefits in using anabolic steroids as more positive than negative. If using anabolic steroids can help these adolescents get to a great school such as the University of Southern California or the University of Texas, the side effects of using anabolic steroids could be something they are willing to risk.Another motive that could cause an adolescent in using anabolic steroids in improving athletic performance is the pressure they receive from adults, including their own parents (Kusserow 8). 55% of adolescent anabolic steroid users claim that their parents know about their use of anabolic steroids and that the parents do not care (Kusserow 7). â€Å"People may give a certain amount of slack to football players because there's this unspoken sense that in order to play the game well, you need an edge,† says Todd Boyd (Klosterman).If an adolescent can play well enough in sports to generate interest from college scouts, there is a good chance that the adolescent can get an athletic scholarship to help support their parents financially. Nowadays, college tuition is skyrocketing. It costs approximately $22,000 annually to attend the University of New Hampshire for an in-state student, and roughly $12,000 extra if you are out of state. With the recent economic downturn, many families do not have many financial options. Financial aid can only get you so far and the ability to take out a loan has become increasingly hard in this economy.Assuming an 18 year old adolescent is out of state and going to be attending the University of New Hampshire for four years, the adolescent would be saving $136,000 if he were able to get a full-boat scholarship. This is not even taking into account the annual increase in tuition that occurs after every school year and money for miscellaneous things. Although an adolescent’s parents may not be telling the m directly to use anabolic steroids, the parents could be indirectly encouraging them to â€Å"juice upâ€Å" by placing tons of pressure on their kids.Adults, whether it is the parents or the coaches, place immense pressure on their kids to compete and win, while conveying mixed messages of what are acceptable ways to achieve that goal (Kusserow 7). Adolescents may interpret those messages as, â€Å"It’s okay to use steroids as long as you succeed and do not get caught† or, â€Å"Do what must be done to achieve your goal†. If this is the universal belief amongst adolescents across the United States, how long will it be before adolescents begin to interpret other topics, such as violence or drug dealing, in the same manner. Works Cited Adolescent Steroid Abuse. † Adolescent Steroid Abuse. Case Western Reserve University. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . Hoffman, Jay R. , and Nicholas A. Ratamess. â€Å"Medical Issues Associated with Anabolic Steroid Use: Are They E xaggerated? † Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 01 June 2006. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. Klosterman, Chuck. â€Å"Why We Look the Other Way. † ESPN. com. ESPN Internet Ventures, 21 Mar. 2007. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . Kozak, Kory. â€Å"Steroids Fueled Spectacular Rise and Fall. † ESPN. com. ESPN Internet Ventures, 17 Apr. 2009. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . Pleitgen, Frederik. Athlete Says Sports Steroids Changed Him from Woman to man. † CNN. com. Cable News Network, 11 Aug. 2008. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. . United States of America. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General. Adolescent Steroid Use. Richard P. Kusserow. Department of Health and Human Services, 1991. Print. United States of America. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute of Health. Anabolic Steroid Abuse. Nora D. Volkow. National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2001. National Institute of Drug Abuse Research Report Series.

Why Have Nuclear Weapons Not Been Used in Conflict Since 1945?

Why have nuclear weapons not been used in conflict since 1945? Nuclear weapons have only ever been used once in human history, and that was during World War II when The United States deployed missiles on Japanese territory, in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. At the time of bombing in 1945 only the USA had developed nuclear weapons, whilst today the pool of states consisting of nuclear weapons is still extremely small, with only nine states laying claim to nuclear technology and weaponry. This nuclear proliferation is explained by Darryl Howlett who explains this as the worldwide spread of nuclear weapons.For Howlett states are nuclear driven because of the ‘strategic, political and prestige benefits’ attached to nuclear weapons[1]. In the modern world the mass media are often critical about nuclear weapons and the threats they pose for society, but this begs the question; why have nuclear weapons not been used in conflict since 1945? To answer this question the issues of taboo a nd deterrence and the arrival of virtual nuclear arsenals must be called into question, as well as theoretical ideas such as rationality from proliferation optimists and proliferation pessimists.I will also look at whether we currently live in a non-proliferation regime, and look at the alternatives for peace and nuclear non-usage. The first area of nuclear non-usage I will look at will be the arguments brought forward by proliferation pessimists and optimists. Kennitz Waltz, a proliferation optimist argues on one hand we cannot stop the spread of nuclear weapons. It’s inevitable because states seek power through nuclear weapons; even smaller, less powerful states align themselves with nuclear wielding states for protection and security.But on the other hand, Waltz argues states are rational actors, and believes nuclear weapons will be used responsibly, which is why nuclear weapons have not been used. For Waltz, more states who have nuclear weapons, the better. Waltz writes, â€Å"A blatant offensive is madness. Nuclear weapons and states that acquire them will reduce the chances of war and lower the intensity of war. †[2] For Waltz this provides deterrence from the threat of nuclear weapons. If this is the case, it would explain why nuclear weapons were used in the first place; there simply was no deterrence against the United States in Japan.Arguing against the optimists, Proliferation pessimists have another answer for the non-usage of nuclear weapons. Scott D. Sagen, proliferation pessimist has contradictory views of the state, believing states could be irrational, especially when militaristic figures take over decision making. Sagen argues all military have â€Å"organisational behaviour†[3] where by military figures are more likely to resort to nuclear warfare, and for a few who dare to venture, there is always an issue with miscalculation.Sagen argues the only reason nuclear weapons haven’t been used is because there hasnâ₠¬â„¢t been a war worth using them in. For Sagen disarmament is a means of ending the possibility of a nuclear threat. Furthermore, my next point explores the idea and theory surrounding the concept of taboo as a reason why nuclear weapons haven’t been used since 1945. Taboo is a concept coined by Nina Tanenwald, and it means the ‘tradition of non-use’, in this case nuclear weapons have become stigmatised[4].For Tanenwald deterrence alone doesn’t explain why nuclear weapons haven’t been used; Deterrence works though in Tanenwald’s view, but only when working side by side with taboo. With nuclear weapons there are moral, ethical and political costs attached, with Tanenwald stating that a â€Å"â€Å"moral norm† proscribing the use of nuclear weapons developed during the decades after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks†[5] when talking about the moral issues of nuclear weapons. World opinion is also the biggest political constraint , with many people feeling politically and ethically united against the usage of nuclear attacks.In addition the norms and values of a society wielding nuclear weapons also matters, with South Africa an example of nuclear disarmament because of social and ethical efforts made by their people. Possibly the biggest example of taboo was during the nineteen year Vietnam War. Nina Tanenwald argues that nuclear were not used, which is obviously true, but using nuclear artillery was heavily discussed by United States forces. Three American presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, all in power during the Vietnam War chose not to use nuclear force.Tanenwald believes it is the moral, ethical and political factors, the taboo effect which proves non-use of nuclear weapons. Furthermore the concept of taboo and deterrence working together comes from theorist Henry Kissinger who was the Secretary of State under the Richard Nixon administration during the Vietnam War and pl ayed a huge roll in United States foreign policy. In his book ‘Diplomacy’, Kissinger writes, â€Å"Never have the military gap between the superpower and non-nuclear state been greater. Never was it best likely to be invoked. [6] Tanenwald would suggest Taboo was working in the concept of Deterrence with Kissinger’s words, possibly signalling the importance of taboo as a reason for nuclear non-use since 1945. The third argument for the absence of nuclear weapons since 1945 is through the concept of deterrence. Deterrence is the measures taken by a state or an alliance of multiple states to prevent hostile action by another, in this case through nuclear weapons. Colin Gray is one theorist who believes because of deterrence nuclear weapons are not used because they are not rational.According to Gray, taboo holds no truth, so argues against the ideas of Nina Tanenwald fiercely, with Gray going on to say that â€Å"it’s too clever†[7] to retaliate from a nuclear missile, so states are deterred from doing so in the first place. Gray and deterrence supporters are worried that if people begin believing in the truth of taboo, states might feel obliged to disarm nuclear artillery, which could prove even more fatal as it will disrupt the balance of power, especially between larger nations.With less nuclear capable states, there is a fear amongst deterrence supporters one state could use nuclear weapons to enhance their position as an international actor, and cause more war in doing so[8]. In this case, weapons are used as the ultimate form of deterrence, one which maintains the balance of power and eliminates the threat of nuclear strikes. The next area of discussion is the arrival of virtual nuclear arsenals (VNA’s). According to Michael Mazaar virtual nuclear arsenals are where you store and reconstruct nuclear weapons[9].When looking at why these have helped prolong the nuclear non-use, virtual nuclear arsenals are important because they eliminate the threat of miscalculation or an accidental bombing. Secondly by having deconstructed weapons, you can store each individual part separately, which means your weapons are harder to steal as they are stored in unknown locations. Mazaar argues that nuclear weapons haven’t been used because VNA’s act as a deterrent from attack. No one will strike your territory with a nuclear missile it they know at some point down the line there will be a retaliation from a VNA[10].This means the advantages of having nuclear missiles is weakened because state and military actors are deterred from using nuclear weapons. Ashley J. Tellis backs up this argument brought forward by Mazaar, stating that because of VNA’s, India and Pakistan, two countries with a war-torn history have been deterred from ‘employing nuclear destruction upon one another and mankind’[11], because each state uses VNA’s, showing that virtual nuclear arsenals have suc cessfully helped stop the use of nuclear weapons since 1945.The debate of virtual nuclear arsenals is continued and furthered by theorist John Schell, who looks at how weaponless deterrence limits nuclear action. For Schell no nuclear strikes have occurred because by constructing a nuclear weapon deterrence would persist, and VNA’s could be built to counter nuclear missiles. Schell famously quotes â€Å"Missile deters missile, bomber deters bomber, submarine deters submarine†¦ Factory deters factory, blueprint deters blueprint, equation deters equation. [12] In this sense, weaponless deterrence acts as a good strategic form of defence from nuclear attacks, and further explains why nuclear weapons haven’t been used in conflict since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many would now argue that we live in times of a nuclear non-proliferation regime, which is the limitation of nuclear activity, brought forward by the ‘Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’ (NPT). As man y states oppose nuclear weapons, even states with these weapons are often opposed, the NPT, a treaty with 189 state members acts as a treaty to stop the spread and possible use of nuclear weapons.The treaty was adopted in 1970 and is considered a three pillar system, focusing on non-proliferation, disarmament and the right to peacefully use nuclear technology, and every five years the treaty is reviewed. It’s worth noting that five nuclear states (The USA, Russia, France, The United Kingdom and China), who collectively make up the permanent members UN security council are all signed up to this treaty. The argument could be made that because of the current NPT regime nuclear eapons pose little and limited threat, and instead of owning nuclear technology for possible war and destruction, rather the emphasis of war has been slowed down to focus on technological improvements with nuclear technology, which could explain why nuclear weapons have not been used since 1945. In conclus ion nuclear weapons do pose a serious threat to humanity, but as I’ve outlined because of taboo, and deterrence there are too much political and ethical issues attached. Virtual nuclear arsenals now mean nuclear weapons have a secure hiding place, and the possibility of an unexpected VNA strike is deterring people from using weapons.Others such as Waltz argue that humans and states as are rational and nuclear weapons will be used responsibly, which is the case with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but others such as Sagen argue that we can’t trust states with nuclear decision making and our future is going to be compromised by the elite few who will one day exterminate the human race. But with each day that passes, do nuclear weapons still scare people? Maybe the only war nuclear weapons will become prominent once more and the real issue and effects of nuclear weapons will only become important if one is used.The alternatives for peace are already here. No, we can not eliminate nuclear weapons, but with VNA’s the concept of deterrence and taboo, as well as people becoming more rational and aware of the disaster nuclear weapons potentially bring, the safest option, is to hold on to what we have, which is the reminder in Nagasaki and Hiroshima of the damage and destruction that is caused and keep these weapons as a learning tool for the future. Word count: 2079 BIBLIOGRAPHY Gray, C. S. , (2005) ‘Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare’ (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson)Howlett, Darryl ‘Nuclear Proliferation’ in John Baylis and Steve Smith, The Globalisation of World Politics (Oxford: OUP, 2001, second edition) Kissinger, H. (1994) â€Å"Diplomacy† (New York: Simon & Schuster) Mazarr, Michael J. , (1995) ‘Virtual nuclear arsenals’, Survival 37:3, pp. 7-26 Sagan, S. D. , (1994) ‘The perils of proliferation: organisation, theory, deterrence theory and the spread of nuclear weapons’, Int ernational Security 18(4): 66-107 (E-Journal). Schell, J. , (1984) The Abolition (London: Pan Books) Tannenwald, N. (1999) ‘The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Normative Basis of Nuclear Non-use’ International Organization 53(3): 433-48 Tellis, A. J (2001) India's Emerging Nuclear Posture (Santa Monica: RAND) Waltz, K. N. (1981) ‘The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Better’ Adelphi Papers, 171. Available at: http://www. mtholyoke. edu/acad/intrel/waltz1. htm ———————– [1] Howlett, Darryl ‘Nuclear Proliferation’ in John Baylis and Steve Smith, The Globalisation of World Politics (Oxford: OUP, 2001, second edition) [2] Waltz, K. N. (1981) ‘The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Better’ Adelphi Papers, 171.Available at: http://www. mtholyoke. edu/acad/intrel/waltz1. htm [3] Sagan, S. D. , (1994) ‘The perils of proliferation: organisation, theory, deterrence theo ry and the spread of nuclear weapons’, International Security 18(4): 66-107 (E-Journal). [4] Tannenwald, N. , (1999) ‘The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Normative Basis of Nuclear Non-use’ International Organization 53(3): 433-48 [5] Tannenwald, N. , (1999) ‘The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Normative Basis of Nuclear Non-use’ International Organization [6] Kissinger, H. 1994) â€Å"Diplomacy† (New York: Simon & Schuster) [7] Gray, C. S. , (2005) ‘Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare’ (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson) [8] Gray, C. S. , (2005) ‘Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare’ (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson) [9] Mazarr, Michael J. , (1995) ‘Virtual nuclear arsenals’, Survival 37:3, pp. 7-26 [10] Mazarr, Michael J. , (1995) ‘Virtual nuclear arsenals’, Survival 37:3, pp. 29-92 [11] Tellis, A. J (2001) India's Emerging Nuclear Posture (Santa Monica: RAND) [12] Schell, J. , (1984) The Abolition (London: Pan Books)