Dynamic Universe 1 Journal Essay Example for Free

Dynamic Universe 1 Journal Essay From the very beginning, the studying for the universe has been accompanied with numerous misconceptions and myths: from flat structure of the earth and earth-centered model of the universe to contemporary astrology and horoscopes. From the critical perspective, if the early explanations about the universe and our place in it could be explained due to known technological limitations of the ancients, modern astrology does not have any viable explanations. As Phil Plait argues on his website Badastronomy. com, modern astrology cannot be considered a science a priori and there are many reasons to make us support this statement. Unlike astronomy, which is based on universally developed methodologies, derived primarily from physics, chemistry, and mathematics, astronomy does not use any of them. The latter lacks even universally agreed method, as Phil Plait explains, some astrologists claim that â€Å"the moment of birth is important, others say its the month, etc†¦ but they all operate under a very broad working assumption: there is some sort of force from the heavens that influences us here on Earth. † Although during the development of the astronomy there have been various differences in theories and ideas, for instance Big Bang model, all of them were developed on the thorough scientific analysis of data and mathematical models coupled with specific methodologies. With some deviations, astrology can be compared to Sun worship practices during the ancient times. Naturally, Sun worship originated in agricultural areas due to the people’s heavy dependence of the sun light for the crop. If assessed critically, Sun worship has been a dominated religious practice. Wikipedia online encyclopedia indicates that Sun worship has been characteristic for Egyptian, Japanese and Nordic mythologies. Ancient Greeks also worshiped Helios, God of the Sun. Simultaneously, the list of solar deities provides even more evidence about the dominance of Sun worship during the early periods of ancient civilizations. Surprisingly, Smithbrad traces important connections of Sun worship and astronomical basis to the Christian religion, indicating both historical and scriptural evidence. For observers from the earth, the Sun and the Moon represent two most bright objects on the sky. However, from the critical perspective, these objects are not unique, not only by their form but also by the characteristics of their light. Practically, the story of star formation is a study in contradictions. It starts with atoms, molecules, and dust particles floating aimlessly in the dark and frigid depths of interstellar space. Out of the cold and empty expanses, gravity brings these scattered particles together to form stars. Over hundreds of millions of years, these gas and dust particles congregate into enormous clouds that can span hundreds of light-years. The two lightest elements hydrogen and helium dominate these clouds, accounting for about 92 percent and eight percent of the atoms, respectively (NASA, 2005). Dust grains account for about one percent of a clouds total mass. Astronomers call these clouds giant molecular clouds because they also contain trace amounts of molecules such as water, alcohol, ammonia, and various carbon-based organic compounds, which represent raw components of life. All in all, the clouds contain enough material to form tens of thousands of new stars. Magnetic fields and the random motions of gas molecules prevent the cloud from collapsing under its own weight. The various gas and dust particles jostle about, but eventually, enough mass congregates in one region to initiate gravitational collapse in a small portion of the cloud. Astronomers once thought that cloud collapse was usually triggered by external disturbances, such as supernova shock waves or stellar winds. Nowadays, however, most astronomers think that cloud collapse usually happens on its own, although triggering mechanisms can still play an important role (NASA,2005). Over the course of several millennia, a collapsing gas cloud fragments into tens to thousands of relatively dense, rotating clumps of gas that will ultimately form newborn stars. Emission and reflection nebulae are abundant in the universe, though not observed with the naked eye. Practically, emission nebulae, â€Å"cloud of gas and dust floating in space,† emit their own light, due to the presence of ultraviolet radiation coming from the hot star or star clusters stars (Nebulae, 2005). The very hot star emits highly energetic radiation of the invisible part of the electro-magnetic spectrum, and the emission nebula re-emits the radiation in the visible light (M42, 2005). Unlike the reflection nebulae, in the emission nebulae the atoms of the dust are energized by the radiation (ultraviolet) and start emitting (not reflecting) their own radiation as atoms fall back into lower energy states. This process of the radiation emission can be compared to the Sun, with the only deviation that the latter emits radiation and light due to the processes which occur in the Sun’s core without any impact from the outside object. Simultaneously, reflection nebulae reflect the light coming from the star or star cluster. This process can be compared to the Moon, as it also reflects the light coming from the Sun, not emitting its own radiation. From its own origin when being formulated by LemaÐ ¾tre and proved by Hubble, the Big Bang theory evidenced many contributions, objections and simplifications. The Hubble Law states that galaxies in every direction are distancing away from us with speeds proportional to their distance. The major contribution to the Big Bang theory has been made with the data obtained from satellites COBE and WMAP, and the Hubble Space Telescope. The data allowed scientists to formulate the statement that the universe has been formed 14 billion years ago in a hot, dense, event known as the â€Å"Big Bang. † Practically, what the theory of â€Å"Big Bang† provides is the explanation of nature and major characteristics of the universe. There is no edge or boundaries in the universe. The expansion of the universe is occurring at all points simultaneously. Therefore, as Richard Powell explains the most of 350 billion galaxies which contains the universe are moving away from one another. However, it does not necessarily mean that the Earth or our galaxy is moving. As it is known, galaxies are distributed not universally. The systems similar to our Solar System and the Milky Way are formed from under the gravity and thus are restrained from moving apart. However, 350 billion galaxies and 3. 5 trillion dwarf galaxies in the universe are collected into vast sheets, clusters and superclusters of galaxies surrounding large voids. Bibliography Phil Plait. Astrology, available at http://www. badastronomy. com/bad/misc/astrology. html Accessed Oct 3, 2005 The resource is dedicated to various misconceptions in the astronomy, including numerous myths and beliefs, like astrology, pseudoscience and science portrayal in contemporary movie industry. Wikipedia Encyclopedia. â€Å"Solar Deity† available http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Solar_deity Accessed Oct 3, 2005 World Largest Open Encyclopedia, which offers explanations on various issues, including the astronomy and related subjects. Though not cited, this resource http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Big_Bang#Hubble. 27s_law_expansion became very useful for the journal preparation. Smithbrad â€Å"Sun Worship† Available http://smithbrad. nventure. com/sunworship. htm Accessed Oct 3, 2005 Resource aims to provide connections between Christian faith and practices with the Sun worship tradition as the most ancient tradition among all religions. The resource provides both scientific and scriptural evidence for its statements. â€Å"Nebulae† Available http://www. seasky. org/cosmic/sky7a05. html Accessed Oct 3, 2005 Web resource is dedicated primarily for concise and practical explanations of astronomical terms and phenomena. It offers graphic and photo illustrations to explains various issues in the astronomical science. NASA. â€Å"Imagine the Universe† Available http://imagine. gsfc. nasa. gov This resource provides information for star life cycle patterns, which was useful for conducting the journal, particularly on the questions on emission and reflection nebulae. â€Å"M42† Available http://www. seds. org/messier/m/m042. html Accessed Oct 3, 2005 The resource is a part of the Messier Catalog. It became useful for the journal discussion on reflection and emission nebulae, offering photo illustrations and discovery history of Orion Nebula, also known as M42 Richard Powell â€Å"Atlas of the Universe† Available http://anzwers. org/free/universe Accessed Oct 3, 2005 It is the most useful resource for general explanation of the Big Bang theory, providing graphical illustrations of its major concepts and problematic moments. Maps compiled by Mr. Powell has been used for journal explanations and references.

Human Factors in System Design

Human Factors in System Design This assignment highlights the human factors that are important to be considered in system design of a website. A justification, why the client would pay the mentioned amount is highlighted in this assignment. An evaluation of the usability specification of the chosen website www.best-electronics-ca.com has been discussed in details. Moreover, a critical evaluation of the site is also evaluated. The physical as well as the psychological factors are also addressed. Justification of the cost incurred The cost incurred for the evaluation of the website is  £650 per day. In order to evaluate the website, the easy of navigation needs to be evaluated. Moreover, the attractiveness of the design needs to be considered. The ease of use as well as the efficiency of the interface is also to be measured. The attractiveness of the interface has to be evaluated as well. Thus the cost estimated is justified (Ashraf and Thongpapanl 2015). Moreover, the usability goals of the website have to be measured along with the planning of the website. Thus, the usability specification needs to be evaluated using high or low fidelity prototyping techniques such as storyboard. The interface design principles are to be evaluated. Hence the incurred cost is well justified. Moreover, the website needs to be reconsidered and the design and ease of use needs to be revised. Hence, this project is an essential one (Bilgihan and Bujisic 2015). The maintenance cost and the labor costs are also considered. This w ould increase the productivity of the company and in the long run would reduce the maintenance cost and save time, with the ease of use. Critical analysis and evaluation of the website The given website is evaluated against the various aspects of an ideal website. These are as follows: Navigation: The navigation of a website is an important factor. In the chosen website, the navigation is very poor (Ashraf and Thongpapanl 2015). The contents of the website overcrowd the navigation buttons and the user would find it difficult to navigate easily from one functionality to the other. Attractiveness of the design: The design of the website is very poor and low graded. The website is not visually soothing to the user, as there are not images or pictorial representations. The design is not at all attractive, since the users do not find it easy to use the website (Bilgihan and Bujisic 2015). Ease of use: The ease of use of the website is not good, since the users would get confused with the contents and the navigations. Moreover, the navigation buttons are lost inside the contents of the website. Thus, the ease of use is very poor. Efficiency of the interface: The interface is not at all easy to use. There is no specific panel for the navigation buttons. Moreover, no pictorial representation and no user assistance button is available. Clarity of the interface: The interface is not clear. The text is not formatted well, and hence is not visually appealing. Moreover the interface lacks clarity. Users would take a lot of time to locate the navigation buttons, among the contents of the website. Content: The content is relevant and useful. However, the font size and style are not consistent. Call to action: Call to action refers to the words or set of words that helps the visitors to take immediate actions. This feature is unavailable in the evaluated website. The users do not have any scope to opt for the call to action (Ashraf and Thongpapanl 2015). Usability goals These include the expectations of a user while using a website. The specifications of the usability goals are as follows: Accessibility: This refers to the evaluation of a website on the basis of how well the navigation options are separated from the content of the website. Moreover, the structural setting of the website also determines the accessibility of the website (Hood et al. 2015). This website is not easily assessable, since the navigation options are not separated from the contents of the website. Security: The security of the website is an essential feature. The security of the website is not strong since it could be easily hacked. Now level: With the wide use of mobile phones, the websites require to be easily accessible using mobile phones. Since, the website itself is very clumsy in the desktop version; hence, using its mobile site would be clumber some for the users (Johnson 2013). The planned and minimum levels of acceptance: The minimum level of acceptance is quiet low for the evaluated website. Other conditions to be taken into account: The users need to be well versed in the computer since the website is not easy to use and the users need to be an expert in order to use the website. Evaluation of the website Specifications Expected Outcome Actual Outcome Navigation Easily navigable Not easily navigable Design Appealing to the user Notappealing to the user User interface Good and efficient Poor and inefficient Distinct Yes No Consistent Yes No Interactive Highly interactive to the users responses Not at all interactive Structured Well structured Not well structured Clickable Easily redirected to the desirable pages, on click Not easily redirected to the desired pages, on click Visual effects Attractive visual effects No visual effects at all Key human factors essential for website design While designing a website, there are various human factors that needs to be considered are as follows: 1. Recognition not recall: The human brain is made to recognize various icons and features of a website and not recall. Hence, the website needs to be designed in a way that the human brain recognizes (Hood et al. 2015). The icons used in the website needs to be familiar, hence easily recognized. In the chosen website, the icons used are not easily recognized. 2. 7 seconds: It has been researched that a human brain needs seven seconds to see and make choices. Hence, the website should not provide a huge number of choices. This is fulfilled by the website, as there is hardly any choice available for the user. 3. Brain like patterns: There are certain kinds of patterns that helps the brain to work faster and response faster. Hence the website needs to be designed considering that (Hood et al. 2015). However, the chosen website is very clumsy and the user finds it difficult to recognize and respond (Bilgihan and Bujisic 2015). 4. Sounds or audio recognition: This is essential element of a website. Inclusion of sounds in a website might assist the user that he was unable to understand by simply reading the instructions (Lopatovska 2015). 5. Visual effects: Human brain tends to retain facts they see, for a longer time, than things they read. Hence, the navigation of the website and the users assistance could be provided using visual effects (Singh et al. 2016). These are some of the physical and psychological factors of human beings that need to be considered while designing a website. However, none of the above mentioned features have been included in the considered website. A storyboard is a graphic organizer that includes illustrations and images in a website. This is used for the purpose of pre-visualizing and motion pictures. This could be used efficiently by the website in order to incorporate visual effects in the website. It is recommended that the website needs to be redesigned following the guidelines of an ideal website. The navigation buttons needs to be placed in such a way that they are easily traceable and identified by the user (Ashraf and Thongpapanl 2015). Moreover, the font of the content needs to be structured and formatted, in order to enhance the quality of the website. It is also recommended that the website includes visual assistance and attractive user interface. The contents need to be arranged in a systematic way such that the users find it easy to read the contents (Ashraf and Thongpapanl 2015). The clarity of facts and consistent of the contents have to be incorporated as well. The overall presentation of the website needs to be improved, along with enhancement of the technical consistency of the website. The ease of use of the website has to be considered as well. The key human factors those are essential for a good website has to be incorporated. Finally, the security issues nee ds to be incorporated such that the details of the users are kept confidential. Thus, to conclude it might be stated that, the chosen website needs a lot of improvements such that it is easily used by the users. The ease of use of the website would improve the cost per click as well. The addition of motion pictures using the storyboard is also recommended. This would definitely enhance the quality of the website and become appealing to the users. References Ashraf, A. and Thongpapanl, N.T., 2015. Is More Information Content Always Good? Investigating the Impact of Website Interface Features on E-Retailers Sales Performance. In Marketing Dynamism Sustainability: Things Change, Things Stay the Sameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (pp. 560-563). Springer International Publishing. Bilgihan, A. and Bujisic, M., 2015. The effect of website features in online relationship marketing: A case of online hotel booking. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 14(4), pp.222-232. Hood, K.M., Shanahan, K.J., Hopkins, C.D. and Lindsey, K.K., 2015. The influence of interactivity on visit and purchase frequency: the moderating role of website informational features. Journal of Internet Commerce, 14(3), pp.294-315. Johnson, J., 2013. Designing with the mind in mind: simple guide to understanding user interface design guidelines. Elsevier. Lopatovska, I., 2015. Museum website features, aesthetics, and visitors impressions: a case study of four museums. Museum Management and Curatorship, 30(3), pp.191-207. Singh, T., Malik, S. and Sarkar, D., 2016, April. E-commerce website quality assessment based on usability. In Computing, Communication and Automation (ICCCA), 2016 International Conference on (pp. 101-105). IEEE.

three :: essays research papers

The Macquire Pocket Dictionary states that the word â€Å"revolution† is â€Å"a complete or marked change in something†, this is exactly what happened during the Chinese Communist Party’s rise to power and ousting of the Guomindang. The CCP overthrew the GMD and took over control. One of the main reasons the CCP won was because they had the Peasants on their side. During the GMD rule, the Chinese peasants were poor and slow at their work. When the CCP formed, they offered to help the peasants with their crops and farm, this gained the trust of the peasants and they joined the CCP. The communists said that in their rule, everyone would be equal and that everyone was on the same level of society. The CCP managed to get the peasants to fight with them in their army to overthrow the Guomindang. The loyalty the leader of the CCP had to the people is shown in this quote, â€Å"The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.† There were many quotes just like this one and they gained the peasants trust even more. The CCP, were a small minority that favored the peasants of China. They wanted to give the Chinese peasants more power and more rights, instead of being overlooked the peasants actually mattered to the CCP, as shown in this quote, â€Å"people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.† This is why the Red Army that eventually rose to crush the GMD was mainly made up of peasants. The CCP did not believe that one person should own all the wealth or own all the land; they believed that everyone should have the same opportunity. This was a total contrast to the GMD and its policies, and this is why the CCP appealed so widely to the common worker, they promised immediate changes. The GMD favored the rich population of China, this only made up around 5% of the total two billion.

Physics of Water Waves :: Lab Report

All waves possess the properties of reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference. These phenomena's were observed with the use of a ripple tank. A ripple tank consists of a large rectangular tray with a transparent bottom. Water is placed in this tan to a depth of approximately one centimeter. A light source is then placed above the tray of water. When the water is disturbed it can be seen on a white surface positioned under the tray. The first phenomenon observed was reflection. It was found that water waves also follow the law of reflection. As straight waves strike a hard straight surface they are reflected at an angle equal to the angle of incidence. After reflection the wave has the same speed, frequency and wavelength as it did prior to the collision. This is similar to the reflection of circular waves off a straight barrier. The reflected waves are also circular, however they have a centre point that is position behind the barrier. This point is known as the "image" of the source. Reflection of a parabolic or concave barrier can be closely compared to that of light waves off a concave mirror. If the incident wave was straight, the reflected waves are curved, and they converge at a fixed focal point. After passing through the focus, the radius of the curves increase. The opposite is so when circular waves strike a concave barrier. The reflected waves are then straight. The next phenomenon observed was the refraction of water waves. The refraction was demonstrated in the ripple tank by dividing the tank into a deep and shallow region. This was achieved by placing a rectangular object into one end of the tank. When straight waves travel from a deep region of water into a shallow region, it is found that the speed of the waves is slower in the shallower region. Since the frequency of the wave stages the same, it is obvious that there must be a corresponding decrease in wavelength. If the waves pass from deep to shallow water at an angle other than

manager should be a leader Essay -- essays research papers

manager should be a leader What is leadership? How is it different from being a manager? How can leaders keep their finger on the pulse of what's happening, inspire others to high achievement, guide their team members through difficult decisions, and still have time to actually finish a cup of coffee while it's still warm? The solution is disarmingly simple: Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Ask some more questions. Give good answers to questions asked by others. Easier said than done.The Relationship of Leadership and Management In general, the middle of the road viewpoints hold that: 1) although there are many overlaps, leadership and management are different things, involving differing skills, behaviors, and viewpoints; 2) those who use only leadership skills, behaviors, and viewpoints are ineffective in organizations that have significant administrative components; 3) those who use only management skills, behaviors, and viewpoints are ineffective in organizations that have significant human components; and 4) in organizations having both administrative and human components, only those who use an appropriate balance of management and leadership skills, behaviors, and viewpoints can be effective. As an example, William Wallace (who most of us Anglos know as "Braveheart") would have been completely ineffective leading the Scots to victory over the English if he were to have used only management skills. Conversely, the proprietor of a financial management business would probably relate to her clients well but wouldn't make much money for them if she were to use only leadership skills. Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, wrote that leadership is a facet of management. He wrote, "Leadership is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. Care must be taken in distinguishing between the two concepts. The main aim of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. To achieve this, managers must undertake the following functions: †¢ organization †¢ planning †¢ staffing †¢ directing †¢ controlling Leadership is just one important component of the directing function." If effective management requires us to practice good management skills and effective leadership requires us to practice good leadership skills, and both are needed to do our jobs as SGLs well; then first we need an ... ...t;Leaders don't inflict pain. They bear pain." - Max DePree Ah well! I am their leader, I really ought to follow them! - Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin When the effective leader is finished with his work, the people say it happened naturally. - Lao Tse I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers - Ralph Nader Lead and inspire people. Don't try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead. - Ross Perot The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. - Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald's The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. - Henry Kissinger Think of managing change as an adventure. It tests your skills and abilities. It brings forth talent that may have been dormant. Change is also a training ground for leadership. When we think of leaders, we remember times of change, innovation and conflict. Leadership is often about shaping a new way of life. To do that, you must advance change, take risks and accept responsibility for making change happen. - Charles E. Rice, CEO of Barnett Bank

Mathur Devo Bhava

In our Hindu culture from childhood we are taught to respect and obey parents. We believe in MATRU DEVO BHAVA, PITRU DEVO BHAVA, ACHARYA DEVO BHAVA. Answering parents, disobeying them or talking loud at them are considered to be not acceptable in particular with traditional families. Now things have changed and children are taught to talk freely anything to every thing to parents or teachers and question them too if they do not feel happy with what they say. It is a scientific way of bringing up and giving space to children and giving them an opportunity to learn things with reasoning power.But this freedom has been proving in most of the cases being misused and children are becoming over confident and arrogant. If a child is praised for his intelligence in front of him, our elders used to avoid it he is getting a feeling that he is on top of the world. I have seen a 9 years old girl who used to stand first in class did not get good marks in Mathematics and lost her rank to another k id in the class. Her mother was questioning her and meanwhile her dad said â€Å"Sarayu, you have to put more focus on Maths†. Suddenly he was snapped by the little daughter â€Å"Dad, I know very well that you were never first in your class.So, don’t tell me how to study†. Immediately mother took a long lesson to the daughter saying that she should never talk like that and Dad is not to be questioned. She explained the kid in what kind of stressful circumstances he was grown up and still he made his life successful so that today his daughter is studying in prestigious public school with all luxuries at home and outside. The girl offcourse learnt the lesson and realised her mistake. Similarly, today when we see children and youngsters least respecting their parents and teachers offcourse, our heart wreathes in pain.We see young boys calling their Dads â€Å"Hey stupid guy, you don’t understand that† or calling names their mothers and insulting them is something very terrible. In my opinion, if that youngster may be a Noble Prize winner or a highly paid executive in a Blue chip company, but he is just a Zero in his character as he does not have basic values. To remind one and all the importance of parents, herewith I am sending a nice message which I came across recently. If this changes even slightly the behaviour of spoilt kids and youngsters, I feel that I have done a good job.It is never too late to realise our mistakes in life. MOTHER : This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece please read this at a slow pace, digesting every word and in leisure†¦ do not hurry†¦. this is a treasure†¦ For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mother, this is beautiful. For those of us who aren't, this is even more beautiful. For those who are Mother, they will love this. The young mother set her foot on the path of life. ‘Is this the long way? ‘ she asked. And the guide said: ‘Yes, and the way is hard. And you wi ll be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning. But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, ‘Nothing will ever be lovelier than this. ‘ Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, ‘Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come. And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, ‘A little patience and we are there. ‘ So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, ‘Mother, we would not have d one it without you. ‘ And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, ‘This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I've given them strength. ‘And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: ‘Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, ‘This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God. ‘ And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage.And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, ‘I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them. ‘ And the children said, ‘You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates. ‘ And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: ‘We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory.She is a living presence†¦ ‘ Your Mother is always with you†¦. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space†¦ not even death! MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED†¦ WHAT A WONDERFUL MESSAGE

A personal opinion in favor of the trophy culture system of rewarding children regardless of performance Essay

Should kids receive an award just for participating? This question has become one of great debate in recent years following the rise of â€Å"Trophy Culture†, a system where children receive awards regardless of performance and get applauded for simply showing up.   Many parents argue that giving children awards even if they do not perform well promotes entitlement and teaches them to not try.   My thoughts on the matter were a little mixed before I did any research on the subject. As someone who has participated in track and cross-country for years, I have been a witness to Trophy Culture in many of the races I’ve competed in.   When I was a beginner runner, I rarely if ever placed in races, and was often still given a medal just for completing the course. Anyone who has taken part in a large-scale public race like â€Å"Race for the Cure† or the â€Å"Disneyland Marathon† knows what I am talking about, basically if you get across the finish line ev en if you’re hours behind the first place runner there will still be someone there putting a medal around your neck at the end.   When I was younger and slower, getting that medal was extremely exciting because I felt like even finishing 3 miles of running as an overweight 7th grader was a big accomplishment. And the girls who finished in the top 20 of the races typically got another medal on top of the participation one, meaning I still had something to strive towards, so lack of motivation was not a problem.   And as I’ve grown and improved in my running skills, the Trophy Culture that is extremely prevalent in the sport of running still does not bother me.   I could argue that getting up at 6:00 AM every morning over the summer and training my hardest, only to win a half marathon then get the exact same medal as the woman who finished last almost 2 hours after I am disheartening.   However, I believe that the â€Å"trophies† we get for accomplishing t hings like this are essentially meaningless, and the true reward is the feeling of triumph one gets when finishing something truly challenging. This feeling relates to the existence of â€Å"self-esteem†, or one’s overall evaluation of their worth as a person. Doing a difficult task well like performing excellently in a soccer game or acing a test are ways we can improve our self-esteem and feel better about ourselves.   This plays into our sense of self-efficacy, our belief inability to perform and succeed in tasks presented to us.   Some parents think that trophy culture is artificially inflating their children’s self-esteem and self-efficacy, making children think they are performing better than they actually are and allowing for them to almost â€Å"get stuck† in a mediocre performance because they have no reason to believe their performance is less than ideal. On the other side of the argument, there are parents who think that if we award children for completing sports seasons or specific events, we are teaching them â€Å"that it is worth keeping a commitment, that we value this† (Heffernan, 2015). A recent report from Real Sports With Bryant Gumble on HBO explored this problem. In the trailer for the show, he is seen interviewing a woman who says that giving trophies to everyone regardless of performance â€Å"sets the bar pretty low†, and she also makes the argument that she â€Å"wants kids to improve and be engaged in the process of improvement†, and she thinks without incentive this will never happen.   This perspective on the topic is one that made headline news when NFL linebacker James Harrison â€Å"took to Instagram announcing he would be sending back the trophies his sons, 6 and 8, received ‘until they earn a real trophy’†(Wallace, 2015).   In an article analyzing the different sides of the debate, Kelly Wallace from CNN points out that many experts side with those saying, â€Å"if you tell a kid they’re wonderful and they believe you, that’s not about healthy self-esteem, that’s about narcissism†. Lisa Heffernan, a contributor to NBC News TODAY, disagrees with this mindset. According to her, participation trophies â€Å"remind kids that they are part of something, and may help build enthusiasm to return for another season†. Another point she brings up is that â€Å"at a time when parents complain of escalating competition in youth sports, [trophies] remind kids that we value their effort, regardless of ability or results†.   Her words echo those of a writer by the name of John Kass, whose article in the Chicago Tribune includes a segment from his son who claims â€Å"What’s wrong with a participation trophy for kids? It makes them happy. They’re just 6 years old. Isn’t it good to be a kid, and happy, playing the game? They’re just kids.† Kass then goes on to explain that this conversation with his son made him realize participation trophies aren’t as bad as some people want us to believe, and â€Å"getting a participat ion trophy as a child didn’t make [his son] any less competitive†. After reading articles with opinions from both sides of the argument, I have come to the conclusion that my initial view of the topic has not changed: I still believe that Trophy Culture is not detrimental to the development of children’s self-esteem and people fighting to end a system that allows awards for participation are wasting their time.   Children need encouragement and support from their parent’s, coaches, and others to succeed and stay motivated in everything from sports to academics.   Trying to get rid of participation awards could very likely result in discouraged children.   Like John Kass’s son said in his discussion with his father, â€Å"What’s wrong with a participation trophy for kids? It makes them happy.† If giving participation trophies make kids happy and doesn’t harm anyone else, then the clear choice is to allow participation awards to continue in our society.    Works Cited Heffernan, Lisa. â€Å"In Defense of Participation Trophies: What They Taught My Son.† TODAY.com. N.p., 21 Aug. 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Kass, John. â€Å"Is Our ‘Trophy Culture’ Making Happy Losers?† Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Wallace, Kelly. â€Å"Debate: Does Sports Participation Deserve a Trophy?† CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.