Periodontal Therapy And Glycemic Control Health And Social Care Essay

What affects 25.8 million people of all ages and 8.3 % of the U.S population? Diabetes. It is estimated there are 18.8 million people diagnosed with another 7 million undiagnosed. 1 The effects of diabetes can be mitigated with rigorous control and high conformity with medical regimen, be it tradition insulin replacing for type I diabetics or peripheral moving drugs that suppress glucose production by the liver or aid to increase insulin production which are most common in Type II diabetic patients. The difference in the two types of diabetes and their direction is beyond the range of this treatment. Suffice it to state that with uncontrolled diabetes patients are at really high hazard of microvascular disease ; including but non limited to: neuropathies, nephritic disease, and sightlessness. In add-on an increased hazard of MI, stroke, possible demand for limb amputations, and periodontic disease. Dental research workers have proposed that IL-1I? , IL-6, and CRP from periodontic inf ection might lend to the entire inflammatory load. ( 2 as cited in4 ) It is from this thought that a two manner relationship between diabetes and periodontic disease stems. So direction ends in respect to diabetes is to keep glycemic control as near to normal as possible to avoid inauspicious effects and maintain overall wellness. With about 1 in 10 people enduring from diabetes it is of import as a wellness professionals and clinicians to acknowledge these wellness hazards in our dental patients and work in concert with their primary attention supplier to advance glycemic control in order to assist keep overall wellness, in add-on to unwritten wellness. There is great chance in garnering a thorough medical history from patients to place possible symptoms: frequent micturition, utmost hungriness and thirst, weariness, weight loss, alterations in vision, prickling or numbness in custodies and pess, frequent infections ; and refer patients who we suspect as possible undiagnosed diabetic patients. Although medical physicians are the lone 1 ‘s qualified to name and handle diabetic patients. The intent of this literature reappraisal is to look at a possible chance that tooth doctors may hold to assist in glycemic control and thereby aid patients to hold better overall general wellness. Patients Presentation Patient M, a 39 Indian male presented to clinic 2CDB on July 2, 2012 with a main ailment of shed blooding gums and a loose tooth. Critical marks were BP1 135/90 BP2 126/90 with a pulse rate of 83. He is 5'11 † and 180lbs. A thorough medical history was undertaken and the patient reported history of high blood pressure, thorax strivings, diabetes, and occasional pyrosis. Patient unclear/uncertain of timeline and stated he had been having medical intervention for a few old ages and was uncertain of his current medicines or doses and reported to seldom supervising blood glucose. Patient studies smoking history of 7 battalion old ages and quit 15 old ages ago. Patient denies intoxicant ingestion and studies his dental history as exigency visits, coppices more than one time day-to-day and ne'er flosses. Patient studies trouble masticating nutrient due to shed blooding gums. During a reappraisal of systems the patient studies frequent hungriness and abdominal hurting. IOE/EOE ( aside from teething ) was within normal bounds. A medical consult was sent for a more thorough history including: history of disease, current medicines, HgbA1c, and specific recommendations for intervention. An assignment was scheduled for two hebdomads with the patient informed for demand of returning with medical consult prior to intervention. The patient cancelled the assignment due to failure to have the medical consult and stated he would return to the clinic or put an assignment when he had it completed. The patient returned to the clinic on November 11, 2012 and was seen by another pupil tooth doctor and once more was sent with a medical consult to obtain complete history including: medicines and HgbA1c. The patient returned on December 12, 2012 with the completed consult. His doctor reported a history of high blood pressure, lipemia, and type II DM. His diabetic medicines included: Metformin 1000mg BID, and Prandin 2mg TID before repasts. HTN controlled with Lisinopril 20mg daily, Simvastatin 10mg for lipemia, and Omeprazole 20mg daily for reflux. CBC values of note were: WBC 11,400 cells/mcL ( marginal normal to high ) , hemoglobin 11.8 g/dL ( somewhat low ) , and an HgbA1c of 10.3 ( highly uncontrolled ) . In perspective normal HgbA1c degrees for non-diabetics autumn below 5.7 % and diabetic control is considered at or below 6.5-7 % . So 10.3 % is highly uncontrolled and puts the patient at hazard for diabetic complications discussed earlier including periodontic disease. Intra-oral test found shed blooding on light force per unit area at fringy gum, history of injury of 8, and 9 which had been splinted to 10,11 antecedently with a semi stiff wire and acrylic which contributed to plaque keeping and trouble keeping country clean. Mobility was found on the undermentioned dentition: 12,13,14,25,26 ( category 3 mobility ) , 3, 18,23, 32 ( category 2 mobility ) , and 4,7,8,15,17,20,27 ( category I mobility ) . 6,7,8,9,10,11 were hard to measure due to splinting of the dentition. Probing deepnesss showed terrible periodontic disease with deepnesss making 10+mm but in most countries 5-8mm examining deepnesss with category II and category III forking engagement. So presently the patient is considered chronic terrible periodontic disease and high hazard for uncontrolled diabetes ( which is a lending hazard factor for periodontic disease ) . Literature Review A clinical inquiry that is presently a popular country of research is if non-surgical periodontic intervention can assist in glycemic control? The PICO formulated is as follows: P- Diabetic Patients with periodontic disease I- Diabetic patients with perio disease having non-surgical grading and root planing C- Diabetic patients with perio disease having no therapy O- Glycemic control measured by HgbA1c A hunt was conducted through the NYU research portal via Medline/PubMed utilizing keywords of diabetes and grading and root planing. Merely free full text articles were included in the consequences, which limited the consequences down to merely 4 hits. So the hunt was revised to the keywords periodontic intervention and diabetes to which 106 articles came back. Titles were assessed and 3 articles were selected for the literature reappraisal.Article I: Decrease in HbA1c degrees following non-surgical periodontic therapy in type-2 diabetic patients with chronic gerneralized periodontal disease: A periodontist ‘s role.3Published in the Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology in 2012, Hungund and Panseriya looked at both clinical parametric quantities of non-surgical therapy along with metabolic parametric quantities as measured by HgbA1c both at baseline, and at three and six months. The purpose of the survey was to utilize HgbA1c measurings in respects to effectual periodonti c intervention on glycemic control. The survey was a prospective instance control clinical survey comparison and experimental group of 15 type II diabetics and control group of 15 non-diabetics. In order to be included in the survey ( experimental group ) done by Hungund the patients had to: be between 30-70 old ages of age, and have presence of type II DM with HgbA1c a†°?6.0 % , FBG a†°?126mg/dl, and random blood glucose a†°?200mg/dl. In add-on to the confirmed diabetes diagnosis the patients had to hold clinical diagnosing of moderate generalized chronic periodontal disease ( ALOSS 4-6mm in all quarter-circles ) and radiographic bone loss of 30-50 % . All patients had to hold a†°?10 dentitions per arch no to include the 3rd grinders, no anterior perio intervention. Besides patients had to consent and commit to followup and could non have or hold any medicine alterations for two months before or during the survey. Patients to be excluded were: any presence of systemic disease that would act upon the patients periodontic disease or haemoglobin degrees in the blood, any disposal of anti-inflammatory antibiotics for four hebdomads prior to the survey, curre nt tobacco users or holding smoked within the last five old ages and pregnant adult females or adult females who intended to be pregnant during the six months of the survey. In looking at the inclusion criteria it was used really efficaciously to insulate the independent variable of non-surgical intervention. In the diabetic patients it was important to hold no medicine changes straight predating or during the survey because that could hold greatly confounded the consequences. In add-on anyone with disease that would/could modulate a patient ‘s periodontic disease were excluded, as were tobacco users a confounding hazard factor for periodontic disease. After the standards were applied they had an experimental group of merely 15 patients with a control ( non-diabetic ) of 15 patients. Although the control in this instance was non-diabetic patients alternatively of diabetics non having periodontic therapy it still efficaciously isolates periodontic therapy in diabetic patients as a possible causative agent to cut down glycemic burden. The job is that it introduces prejudices due to effect-modification. It may over-estimate the glycemic consequence be cause it fails to look at diabetic patients non having periodontic therapy. All of those patients prior to having non-surgical therapy were given unwritten hygiene direction, information on periodontic disease and supra-gingival prophylaxis, followed by scaling and root planing during a subsequent visit.The consequences of the survey found statistical significance for decrease of the followers: plaque index, shed blooding index, and gingival index. Probing depth decreases were important in both groups from baseline to three months and baseline to six months, but non important from three to six months. The PD were: 3.16 A ± 0.65 at baseline to 2.72 A ± 0.39 and 1.67 A ± 0.43 at three and six months. HgbA1c degrees were merely found to be statistically important from baseline to six months. The values at baseline were 8.18 A ± 1.56, and 7.20 A ± 1.37 and 6.73 A ±1.07 at three and six months in the diabetic group.In decision, the survey found important decrease in both exam ining deepnesss and glycated haemoglobin ( HgbA1c ) in diabetic patients. From baseline to six months the survey found a decrease of 18.5 % in the HgbA1c degrees. The article concludes that being as it seems a bipartisan relationship between both uncontrolled diabetes and periodontic disease and improved periodontic disease with improved control of diabetes it is clinically of import to work in coordination with the patients physician as a squad to accomplish better metabolic control of diabetes.3The surveies chief failing was the highly little sample size. With an experimental and control group of merely 15 people each ; the survey decidedly can non be generalized to the population as a whole, besides due to geographic/ethnic restrictions of intervention groups. It besides is of import to observe that all survey participants were seeking either diabetic intervention or periodontic intervention, so it can non needfully be considered a random sampling of diabetic or periodontic patie nts. But the decisions of the survey if implemented would make no injury to the patients.Article II: Does Periodontal Treatment Improve Glycemic Control in Diabetic Patients? A Meta-analysis of Intervention Studies4The 2nd article reviewed authored by Janket, Wightman, and Baird was a meta-analysis that looked at intercession surveies to see if periodontic intervention improves glycemic control in diabetic patients. To happen possible surveies they did a hunt utilizing Medline, Cochrane, and Medicine Reviews by the American College of Physicians Journal Club for articles published in English with hunt footings geared toward diabetes, periodontic disease, glycemic control, and HgbA1c. To be included the survey had to be an original intercession where causal illation could be made, the survey had to be a least 2 months, either the primary or secondary result had to be step of glycemic control by HgbA1c, and autumn within the day of the month scope of 1980 and Jan. of 2005 in English.T en surveies were included and all had non-surgical periodontic therapy as intercession with some of the surveies besides including rinses or systemic antibiotics, which could hold perchance confounded the consequences. A statistical trial for heterogeneousness was ran and the included surveies were deemed to be rather homogeneous. The 10 surveies combined to include 456 type I and type II diabetics and came up with non-significant difference in HgbA1c of 0.38 % average decrease. When dividing up type I and type II patients it appeared that type II diabetics consequences generated stronger effects of periodontic intervention on glycemic control but still was non-significant statistical mean decrease of 0.71 % ( limited to type 2 diabetics ) , so the meta-analysis could non reject the void hypothesis that periodontic intervention does non impact glycemic controlThe treatment suggested that future surveies be done to specifically aim type 2 diabetic patients, and that due to multi-fact orial nature of both periodontic disease and diabetes that other lending factors such as smoke, BMI, and diet be adjusted to accomplish a more balanced randomisation. The meta-analysis station hoc showed that a sample size of at least 246 patients were needed to detect a 10 % lessening in HgbA1c. Since HgbA1c reflects long term glycemic control survey continuances should at least be 2 months if non longer. In add-on and most significantly that the periodontic intercession should ensue in clear periodontic betterment because an uneffective intercession may be no different that non-intervention. 4This survey although neglecting to happen a statistical significance did a good occupation at proposing possibilities for future surveies.Article III: Consequence of Periodontal Treatment on Glycemic Control of Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis5 In 2010 Wijnand, Victor, and Bruno performed a systematic reappraisal and meta-analysis on the consequence of periodontic intervention on glycemic control in diabetic patients. The intent of the survey was to make a systematic reappraisal of intercession surveies and see if periodontic intervention affects the wellness of diabetic patients through bettering their blood sugar control compared with diabetic patients enduring from periodontic disease but non having intervention and holding at least a 3 month follow up. The writers searched Medline and Cochrane utilizing keywords runing from periodontic disease or periodontal disease or periodontic infection and diabetes or diabetic or diabetic patient. To be selected for inclusion in the reappraisal the surveies had to run into the undermentioned standards: original probe, intercession surveies with diabetic patients with periodontal disease split into intercession group to have therapy and control group to have no therapy, continuance of 3 months or more with results related to metabolic control in worlds topics. The original hunt found 639 eligible articles, which were finally narrowed down to five surveies to be included in the reappraisal and have informations extracted to be analyzed. From the surveies selected the chief characteristics of participants was extracted: features of the population, type of diabetes and its control and continuance, periodontic diagnosing, and intercession. Through assorted statistical trials the meta-analysis was performed. After rating the survey found that HgbA1c can be reduced in type 2 diabetic patients on mean by 0.40 % average decrease with CI of [ -0.77, -0.04 ] through periodontic therapy when compared to command topics. The writers advise cautiousness of the consequences for the undermentioned grounds: deficiency of heterogeneousness in surveies non generalizable to the full population, the little figure of surveies ( N=5 ) , study design defects due to selection prejudice by puting those avoiders of intervention in a control group, and besides 2 surveies used metabolically controlled patients which could perchance decrease the consequence. Besides many of the surveies concomitantly used systemic or local antibiotics, which could act upon the result and confound existent consequences of merely non-surgical therapy. The survey suggests the demand for farther intercession surveies and asserts that the intervention of more terrible signifiers of periodontal disease could be more good in footings of HgbA1c due to an increased inflammatory load and what I would name more room for betterment. Further suggestions for future surveies include: a big individual blind RCT of diabetics with moderate to severe periodontal disease, a follow up period of 6 months or longer, a sample size big plenty to analyse and distinguish between moderate to severe periodontal disease. 5SynthesisSo through the reappraisal of the anterior the little intercession survey by Hungund found a important difference of glycemic control betterment of 18 % reduction3 when compared to the two meta-analysis surveies, which found differences of average HgbA1c decrease 0.70 % 4 ( non-significant ) and a average HgbA1c decrease of 0.40 % 5 ( important ) after follow up. That is a prodigious difference in decrease, which could hold been du e to the fact that in article 1 with a intercession group of 15 topics which is excessively few patients to hold sufficient power and the non-diabetic control which introduces consequence alteration.All three surveies stress the importance of continued surveies in the country of diabetics and periodontic therapy in respects to glycemic control. So it rests upon us as tooth doctors to do a clinical judgement. In all world those patients who have the most to derive and better are those that are least controlled which absolutely describes Patient M.Conclusion & A ; Recommendation for TreatmentWhen trying to use the literature reappraisal to Patient M described antecedently there are a few troubles unique to the patient state of affairs. Patient M is presently a hack driver who is really busy and often naturals or disappoints antecedently scheduled assignments. In add-on in talking to the patient on his nutrition and nutrient consumption he states that many times due to his occupation h e has to run and catch fast-food which many times he admits is non the healthiest option. Besides in taking his medicines and eating his repasts they are fickle and at different times each twenty-four hours doing glycemic control that much more hard. At last interview he seldom if of all time checks his blood sugar. At his current degree of 10.3 ( HgbA1c ) he has the most to perchance derive in respects to betterment of glycemic control due to periodontic therapy. But, even using the possible betterment from the reviewed articles at best 18 % decrease would go forth him at approximately 9.0 and at a average decrease of 0.5-0.7 % that was found in the two meta-analysis surveies ( one being non-significant ) still besides leaves him extremely uncontrolled at around 9.5. In add-on everything we are presently taught in the course of study is that any HgbA1c over ~8.5 should merely have exigency attention until under control due to possible infections and delayed lesion healing.The troub le in comparing the literature reviewed to the patient is that every bit stated before he may be on the high terminal of uncontrolled and have a more terrible periodontic position. Which harmonizing to Teeuw et Al that intervention of generalized terrible periodontal disease could be more good in footings of glycemic control of diabetic patients.5 At this clip the most of import thing along with expeditious intervention of terrible periodontic status following initial glycemic control, including extractions of dentitions with poor/hopeless forecast and non-surgical therapy to diminish bacterial burden and inflammatory procedure. The tooth doctor should work closely with the primary attention supplier and patient, along with a dietician to assist Patient M. achieve glycemic control through diet and exercising and a healthy life style. Until that clip patient instruction is necessary where he is pre-contemplative phase and non presently desiring to alter.To this point, as stated in th e patient ‘s dental history, he merely sees the tooth doctors for what he considers to be exigency visits. Attempts to hold the patient return to clinic for clinical exposures, followup on glycemic control with physician, intervention planning, has been near to impossible. The patient when contacted has stated he is excessively busy to come in and will name when he has a opportunity. So every bit far as long-run forecast for both glycemic and periodontic control it is highly guarded to hapless at this point due to low conformity of patient.

Discussion of Literature Set in Dystopian Societies Essay

This paper takes a look at three renowned dystopian authors; George Orwell, Anthony Burgess and Aldous Huxley and compares the dystopian societies that are described in their respective novels 1984, A Clockwork Orange and Brave New World. The ways in which the rights and freedoms of the citizens in each of their novels are suppressed and controlled is described with particular reference to the use of propaganda, language, sexual relationships and violence. The paper will progress to consider the ways in which the protagonists attempt to rebel from their situation and overcome cruel and unfair laws in order to escape the society. In discussing the ability of characters to overcome the unjust constraints of their society, it is worthwhile considering in some detail what a dystopian society is and how it is manifested. The concept of dystopia is inextricably related to the idea of Utopia, a theory that was developed originally by Plato in Republic and further explored by St Thomas More in Utopia. Whereas Utopia is envisaged as a perfect society where subjects live peacefully side-by-side, dystopia is the antithesis of this; â€Å"dystopia was invented to denote a bad place. Utopia expresses desire, dystopia fear† (Aldridge, 53). Quite often a dystopian society is one that is believed to have formed as a direct result of unsavory actions that were taken in order to achieve a utopian society; the methods used to solve problems and assert control lead to undesirable outcomes. In literature a dystopian society often has a number of distinct characteristics. One of which is the manipulation of one group of people by another. A Clockwork Orange, 1984 and Brave New World (BNW) are all examples of novels that depict such a society. In all three novels a minority group of people have acquired the power to control the citizens and they utilize this to command and dictate every element of their subject’s lives. Psychological oppression is in evidence in all three novels and the characters are limited in their thoughts and expressions. In both 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, the dystopian society is represented by violent and disturbing images. Fear and hate is utilized as a means of controlling the population and, as described by O’Brien in 1984, a strong correlation is formed between mental and physical being, â€Å"We control matter because we control the mind. Reality is inside the skull† (Orwell, 331). The prime emotion that is encouraged in the population is that of fear and the threat of brutality and torture the protagonists face entail that they are able to suspend even their own thoughts in order to evade punishment. Winston permits himself to think only of those subjects and issues that he has permission to think of, whereas Alex specifically avoids thoughts of violence in order to eliminate the chance he will become violently ill as a result of the side effects of the Ludivico he experienced at the government’s hands. In both cases the protagonists are no longer able to freely express themselves, their fear psychologically controls them and their entire mental thought processes altered as a direct result of this. Whilst A Brave New World, also describes a society where people’s thought processes and actions are controlled, this control is achieved in a very different way; through drugs and sex. Immediately form birth, the citizens are physically, chemically and psychologically encouraged to be happy and content. Where, in 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, the characters are punished for rebelling against the constraints of the society in which they are placed, in A Brave New World the people are provided with rewards for following the doctrines of their leaders. In this novel the subjects are conditioned from an early age to accept the values of the ten world leaders and they are indoctrinated to a value system that is based on superficial pleasures. The leaders thus control their society by limiting their aspirations and desires; the people accept simple things and are thus unlikely to rebel against their leaders. In all three novels, the ways in which the dystopian society is controlled is physically and visually represented by the use of propaganda. In 1984 the government literature, videos and advertisements are aimed at enforcing the state of fear that they have created. Reality is purposely altered in order to inspire feelings in the nation, feelings that can ultimately be used by the government to assert control and prevent rebellion. Clearly the propaganda utilized in 1984 is very effective and stirs strong emotions in Winston and the people in his social group and he describes the effects as they watch a film and experience, â€Å"a desire to kill, to smash faces in with a sledgehammer seemed to flow through the whole group of people,† (Orwell, 16). In A Clockwork Orange propaganda is also of immense significance and is utilized to control the feelings and emotions of the subjects. In this novel, two main forms of propaganda exist. The Ludivico Technique represents an outright propaganda, where the subject takes drugs and observes negative images in order to form associations with such images. In Alex’s case watching the repetition of violent images causes him to feel physical pain at the thought of violence and thus the propaganda serves to stem his aggression. Mass media is also utilized, as in 1984, and subliminal messages are utilized to encourage the populace to obey the state. Propaganda is observed in the posters in Alex’s home and the effectiveness of this is evidenced by impact that the images have upon him both prior to, and post, his Ludivico treatment at the state’s hands. Prior to his experience he seems unable to associate with the graffiti ridden images in the poster and he cannot recognize the significance of the visuals. However, after his treatment the poster appears clean and renewed and is able to fully recognize their message. A Brave New World also features the use of propaganda as a means of controlling the emotions and free will of the citizens. Fordisms are used to assert the supremacy of their leader and the inhabitants of society are fed subliminal messages as they sleep. They have no free will and thus become dehumanized. A further means by which the dystopian society engendered and controlled within the three novels in through the encouragement, or discouragement, of social interaction. In 1984 the subjects of society are sexually repressed and sex is permitted for procreation purposes only, â€Å"to beget children for the service of the Party† (Orwell, 69). Sex is no longer associated as being pleasurable and natural but instead becomes an unemotional procedure. In A Clockwork Orange Alex is unable to accommodate thoughts of sexual pleasure as his treatment entails that he now associates this with violence and thus experiences pain at the thought of partaking in a sexual act. His inability to behave as a normal man transpose him into the â€Å"clockwork orange† (Burgess, 96), he is a machine incapable of experiencing and fulfilling his natural urges. In both 1984 and A Clockwork Orange the mechanical, unemotional feelings attributed to sex and lust serve to dehumanize the characters and thus prevent them from feelings and emotions that could place the rule of the governments at risk. In Brave New World the government openly encourages sex as it is recognized as a means by which sexual desire can conquer and eliminate all other emotions. In this novel babies are artificially created in laboratories and sex therefore serves the purpose of pleasure alone. Family units cannot be formed as babies are without parents and thus the subjects do not form bonds and have become promiscuous. Although the use of sex as a control mechanism is different, like 1984 and A Clockwork Orange the intention is the same, to remove emotions from the subjects. A crucial characteristic of the regimes in place within the dystopian societies concerns language and communication. Language, as a means of communicating and forming relationships with others in society, is suppressed and with it is the extent of human interaction. The limit on language in all three books serves to limit free thought. In 1984 Newspeak is utilized as a means of brainwashing members of society and forcing them to think in a predetermined manner. In both Brave New World and 1984 the government’s intention to diminish the vocabulary reflects their plans to further diminish the thoughts of their public; without the words to communicate they are unable the commit thought crime, â€Å"In the end we shall make thought crime literally impossible (†¦) there will be no words in which to express it†. (Orwell, 200-201). In A Clockwork Orange Alex’s use of language acts as a means by which he can rebel from society. Nadsat allows him to communicate with the members of his gang and thus achieve the human interaction that the government attempts to suppress. In addition to this it serves as a means by which the unwelcome behaviors exhibited by Alex can be separated from the rest of the society, who, as with 1984, do not have a vocabulary capable of expressing such words. A further commonality between all three novels is that of rebellion, with the main characters in all three books actively rebelling against the system into which they have been indoctrinated. Winston, Alex and John all begin to question the merits of their society and, in all three cases they utilize a past reference as a means against which they can assess their current situation. For Winston this is his diary (which allows him to record the past and therefore have a term of reference), for Alex it is his meeting with Pete and for John it is Shakespeare’s Othello that acts as a significant prompt. Winston’s rebellion is manifested in three main ways. He commits the crime of keeping a diary, he partakes in a sexual affair and he joins a brotherhood. His actions reveal that he has realized the ills of the society and is trying to actively prevent himself from being fully indoctrinated. However, his efforts are not entirely successful. Through his capture and punishment in room 101 he is ultimately forced to love Big Brother and he rejoins the society as a fully integrated member. John too is not entirely successful in his rebellion against the repressive society in which he has been born. He attempts to rebel by refusing to partake in sexual contact, discourages the use of the drug soma and eventually causes a riot. The violence his actions engender causes a frenzied orgy which he himself takes part in. Such an orgy is a manifestation of the very society against which he is trying to rebel and he takes the only action that he feels remains, he kills himself. Finally, in the case of Alex, the effects of his treatment entail that he is forever changed and his attempts at violent behavior and rebellion are put to an immediate halt. However, unlike Winston, there are indications at the end of the novel that he is beginning to free himself and his ability to think and behave as an individual is being renewed. His reaction to the appearance of his friend Pete alert Alex to the changes he needs to make in his own life. However, his use of the Nadsat when speaking of his hope for the future, â€Å"Tomorrow is all like sweet flowers and the turning vonny earth and the stars and the old Luna up there† (Burgess 191), indicates that he is beginning to break from his control. Whilst rebellion against doctrine is present in all three of these novels, so is the reality that the rebellion has failed. In every case there is no real evidence that the dystopian society has been changed as a result of the protagonist’s actions and the characters appear to have been largely isolated in their ability to recognize the ill merits of the way in which they are being ruled. The efforts to overcome the cruel society are short-lived and the message portrayed is that members of a society cannot overturn their conditions alone; to truly escape the unfair laws citizens need to act as a collective whole. Works Referenced: Aldridge, Alan. Consumption (Key Concepts). University Park, PA: Polity, 2003. Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1986. More, Thomas. Utopia (Penguin Classics). London: Penguin Classics, 2003. Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. New York: Plume, 2003. Plato. Plato: The Republic (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought). New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Please read instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Please read instructions - Essay Example Additionally, I learned the way students use the social media as a medium to look for networking for jobs. Most students use the social media by completing their profile for the entire site they join and posting their diverse content online. Here my marketing plan will involve completing my profile for each site that I access. I will also post diverse content on my sire like quotes, recommendation, and things I observed. Another marketing plan is subscribing to follow industry leaders and companies in finance. Subsequently, I will stay posted on the privacy setting and new features on finance (Waldman,  6). Increasingly, I learned the fundamentals and basic of how one needs to use the LinkedIn. LinkedIn site is used in managing the professional identity of a person. The site is a first search result, important to update and use, and quite different from the normal Facebook in terms of their connection and profile management. My marketing plan on this case will involve building my profile and locate internship and entry-level finance jobs on the site. First, I will start networking with my friends and family, and search for common grounds in

Continents Trading compare (The United State and Taiwan) Essay

Continents Trading compare (The United State and Taiwan) - Essay Example Technology has enabled people living in US to be able to access products that are manufactured in different countries. To get a product in a foreign country, a person will only check the relevant website selling the product, see the price and purchase through online banking. The product will be delivered to the place of resident through different means such as air mail or shipping. After reading Jared Diamond’s statement, the â€Å"Cargo hypothesis†, I came to understand what is meant by the geography and the development of one country. In his statement, he gave an example about why European countries develop better than many other countries, and according to his understanding it is as a result of geographical location. At first, I dint agree with her statement that development rate differs because of geographical location. At first, I thought the geographical position of all the European countries is not different from countries such as the American and Asian. European countries are rich and they have capability of investing in different fields in order to improve on their technology: for instant, Chinese government always try to improve the country economy by all means. Some people think that the country is poor but according to my own opinion they are not poor, it is only that they do not understand how to increase the country economic and lif e style level. This reminds me of the statement that Diamond gave concerning understanding and knowledge. He argued that knowledge is very important since it help a country develop: the more people to get educated, the more development in that country. In many Western countries such as England, France, and U.S., people can easily access education unlike in countries like China. This is a big issue which has caused different rate of the development in different regions. In this project, I will be focusing on Asian continent, Taiwan, which is a well-developed

What is Needed to become an excellent Entrepreneur Essay

What is Needed to become an excellent Entrepreneur - Essay Example 5- Be Confident: Confidence is a key to success. Confidence holds a vital importance in becoming a successful person, entrepreneur and a good salesperson. Confidence gives a person the art of speaking confidently without any fear. Therefore, it is important to understand that a salesperson should be confident enough to persuade his customers. 6- Make Observations: It is important for a salesperson or a marketer to develop thorough observations regarding the personal choice or the interests of the buyers. Observations add to a person’s experience and understanding of even the minute details. 7- Know the Market: One should know about his market and products. Without the knowledge of market and products, a salesperson cannot convey proper information to the customers or the buyers. Four valuable elements: 1- The Spin Selling Skills: The spin selling skills revolve around the classic selling techniques that can help a salesperson to boost his business. The spin selling skills incl uding analysis of the situation collecting observations and developing the understanding of the problems .Spin selling skill also include asking the questions related to the situation of the problem ,how to implement the hurt and rescue approach that may drive the buyer towards your business and the products. It is also important for a skilled salesperson to understand demands and needs of his buyer which makes them realize that ‘buyer is important his salesperson’. 2- Farmers and Hunters Theory: In this theory it has been described that a salesperson should know and act according to his role either he is acting as a hunter who is trying to generate leads for the business or he is performing the role of a farmer which generates his business opportunities from existing...Seven things that I have learnt in class: My learning during my course of studies will help me to become an excellent entrepreneur, a good marketer or an experienced salesperson in the future. I cannot u ndermine the value of the most important things that I have learnt during the class and from the course books that I have read. This would not only develop a better understanding of how and what I should do but it will also help me to develop and implement better business strategies in future. These are: 1.Situation and Problem Analysis 2.Develop Reasoning and Question 3.Add value and experience to your product 4.Be Persuasive 5.Be Confident 6.Make Observations 7.Know the Market Three Important Items to Use as Basic Skills: 1.To know the needs of a buyer 2.To Develop Reasoning and Questioning with the Client 3.To be confident It is important for a salesperson to develop all the necessary skills that may help him to be good and effective salesman in order to expand his business and to develop a strong relation with his clients. These skills and my learning during studies will help me to develop a better understanding of how to analyze the situation, how to overcome problems, how to develop reasoning with logic and conscience and how to implement the better strategies to gain better results. These few things are essential for every salesperson and a marketer to know in order to expand his business and to gain success over his competitors without any hassles or fear.

Cultural influence in Architecture. A casestudy of HSBC HEadquarter Dissertation

Cultural influence in Architecture. A casestudy of HSBC HEadquarter building, Hong Kong Norman Foster) - Dissertation Example The study will be focusing on the headquarter building of HSBC Bank (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) which is located in Hong Kong. Designed by Sir Norman Foster, the building emerges from the obscurity of the night time beneath to a dynamic new lighting scheme. HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations with its branches all over the world. Its headquarter building is one of the most significant architecture building of the world. It recently illuminated the building in what is a colorful dress of dynamic lights. This was launched in January 2004 and called as the HSBC illumination which became the integral part of the Victoria Harbour Lighting Plan. As part of the plan the permanent lighting and the special effects makes the building to be one of the most prominent planned building of the country. The HSBC headquarter building is built to preserve the values of the past. The place at which it is constructed is preserved to mak e sure that the land is still treated as the HSBC property. The structure of the building has been modified to modern terms but the initial roots of the structure were maintained keeping in mind the cultural values of HSBC and Hong Kong at the same time. History The first HSBC building in Hong Kong was Wardley House which was used as the office from 1865 to 1882. It was then demolished in 1886 before it was rebuilt in the same year. The main feature of the constructed building was the division of the structure into two separate buildings. The building which was on the Queen’s Road Central was in the Victorian style with a verandah and an octagonal dome. The arcade which was harmonized with the adjacent buildings was then constructed on the Des Voeux Road. The early settlers in the Hong Kong that came from Britain had a lot of interest in Feng Shui. This is the reason that most of the buildings that were created in Hong Kong at that time were on the philosophies that were ther e in the concept of Feng Shui. This made the British and the Chinese believe that the ones who had a direct view of the water, whether it is a river, a sea or an ocean, are more likely to prosper compared to the ones that are not build with keeping Feng Shui in mind which is directly linked to the wealth associated with water and what it can add to the construction of the buildings. Keeping this in perspective, the HSBC building was constructed in the area which was wide open view in front of it. It was made sure that there is no other building which blocks the HSBC building’s view of the Victoria Harbour. This benefited the traditionally followed concept of Feng Shui which had the country’s cultural belief associated with it. Thus, the HSBC building is consider having a good Feng Shui. The HSBC building illuminated Hong Kong’s capacity to stun the people who visit the country. Even though it is not the largest skyscraper in the country, or to be more precise, t he city, but it is considered to be the most extraordinary building of the country. The location of the building has remained the same at present to where it was initially constructed in 1965, but it has expanded itself in area with the passage of time taking over the space that could be occupied by four more buildings in the surrounding area. Design The design of the building was given by English Architect Norman Foster. Along with stamping the visible symbol of stability and power on the fabric of the urban city, the new HSBC

Palestinian Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Palestinian Conflict - Essay Example The reason attributed towards such behavior has been the 'glorification of raw power, blind subservience to authority, and a frightening hatred of others' (Juetten, 2004). Ethnocentrism was mainly responsible towards the political failure of the Middle East region, and the human rights atrocities committed by the extremist forces of Israel and Palestine aggravated the situation. The terminology of a nation was well-defined, and the ethnocentrism affiliated with the Palestinian population in particular, and the people of Middle East, in general, we're focused and highlighted. Said is considered to be the 'major force in the emerging discourse on the post-colonial', and the principles of the states were rephrased. It was observed that Said reflected a conviction towards 'literary criticism' (Juetten, 2004), and integrated the historical and social circumstances for the characterization in constructive and evident manner, to avoid assertion. The concept of ethnocentrism was carried soon after Said was exiled, and it is believed that the exile was an opportunity for Edward to 'overcoming narrow-mindedness and taking an outside view on the familiar while, at the same time, never being an end in itself and rather always connected with a desire for the return and normalization of the affairs' (Juetten, 2004). The common understanding between the analysts of the Middle East affairs and the critics of Edward Said is that he reflected he dwelled in the pluralistic world, and therefore reflected 'ethical cosmopolitanism, which takes common humanity as its goal'. Said insisted and rephrased that the development of universalism and state governing principles are based on 'continual taking of another's place' (Juetten, 2004), and refuted the concept which linked the development of the universalism with the abstraction. Edward Said was previously considered to be an outstanding Palestinian academic, who emerged as 'Palestinians' most famous and revered spokesman' (Juetten, 20 04). The analysts are of the opinion that the Palestinian situation deeply influenced his 'intellectual capabilities', and then this is to be considered as the core of the 'idea of dispossession', where the direct reference is being towards the 'actual dispossession of Palestinians or the intellectual dispossession of the colonized', where the grieved party was subjected to severe conditions and were traumatized, and their agenda was ignored, which was finally presented through 'prism of oriental-ism' (Juetten, 2004). Said is considered to be the spokesman for the Palestinian Diaspora, but after 1992 his affiliation towards the occupied territories and East Jerusalem was more concentrated, and therefore he introduced different proposals for the settlement of the issuers, but the proposals were not centered on pivotal stand, rather the motive of the proposal with reference to the solution of the affairs of the disputed state was to achieve peace through reconciliation, and sacrificia l spirit rather than geographic and demographic repositioning.

Management Decision Making Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Decision Making - Coursework Example What are some of the drawbacks of having biases? Could there be any advantages to having biases? Explain. What are the implications for decision making? A. Biases may lead to self assumed and irrational analysis of situations thereby resulting into superstitious decisions. When identified and understood, biases may help managers analyse and select various inputs from individuals/groups. Biases tend to limit the thought process of managers thus jeopardising their decision-making skills. A. I would call myself an intuitive thinker. Systematic decision-making approach results in more robust solutions. Whereas, results based on pure intuitions might save on time but can be misleading. Latter approach may, however, prove more creative. Organisations need both A. In today’s world of technological advancements where business has gone borderless and complex, it is humanly not possible to adhere to the conventional model. It is, therefore, economical to simplify the situation using bounded rational model and then follow the steps of rational model for making decisions which can give fine solutions, if not optimal. A. Good managers make bad decisions when they let their personal biases uncontrolled or restrict their decision making skills because of organisation’s culture. Identifying and controlling biases, staying focused on objectives, overcoming inertia against change, and staying on guard against ‘Yes Man’ trap are few ways to improve decision making

The Baltic states of of Estonia Essay Example for Free

The Baltic states of of Estonia Essay The Baltic states of of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, apart from perhaps being regarded as the geographical center of Europe, is also to be recognized for its lush expanse of forests and greenery. Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians take enormous and unfaltering pride and love for their forests and the magnificent trees which comprise them. But more than being cherished for its aesthetic values, the Baltic forests served as a refuge and sanctuary for Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians in the years when the Baltic states were under war and upheaval. The Lithuanian poet Antanas Baranauskas wrote an ode to the forests of Anykscia, in which he expresses his sentiments for the once beautiful and magnificent forest which served as a momentary sanctuary for the Lithuanian people under a repressed era. â€Å"The Anykscai Grove†(1859) begins by ennumerating bitter remembrances of a once lush and rich country of a forest where pines, white-wood, burrows, moss, the humming of birds, sun-kissed earth and foliage, as well as forest scents and hums constitute a seeming paradise, which at present, ceases to remain as such. Baranauskas looks back to how his people took refuge in the woods, when the apparent evils of mankind were more than evident and palpable in the towns, cities and villages of Lithuania, men, women and children took to the woods, to a place such as the Anyksciai grove, where peace and tranquility was afforded to them. At the time it appeared as though it was all they needed, but it grew increasingly apparent that there was something else that needed nourishing, that needed to be made complete. People were dying of hunger, of cold, and cutting down trees for firewood, and extracting everything remotely edible from a mushroom or flower down to a trees very bark seemed to be the apt response. The Lithuanian forests said to have cried, not for the woes which fell on every tree and foliage in the forest, but for the woes which fell of the Lithuanian folk at the time, which was unfortunately commuted to their forests (Baranauskas). Under these unfortunate, but perhaps signficantly fortunate circumstances as well, the Baltic states and its people, or perhaps the Lithuanians, specifically, hold every tree, forest and foliage in Lithuania in a more than aesthetic, but also visceral regard, including, the Anyksciai Grove . References â€Å"The Anyksciai Grove.† Baranauskas, Antanas. Retrieved 28 January 2007 from http://www.balticsworldwide.com/news/features/lith_poem.htm

Humor within Leadership Theory Essay Example for Free

Humor within Leadership Theory Essay The key to the success of any venture is strong leadership (Howe 1994). Courage, vision, and humor are key ingredients in the formula for success. Service to the community or communities also plays a critical role in the development of leadership potential. The importance of humor in this model is fundamental. Every leader has some selfdoubt, but using humor and spiritual authenticity to overcome self-doubt will lead to success and prosperity. And what is said for leaders also can be said for those who are led. Muslim humor is famous all over the Western world. There is an almost endless number of collections, anthologies, and treasuries of Muslim humor, bulging with tens of thousands of Muslim jokes and anecdotes. That the humor of every ethnic group mirrors its conditions of life, its economic, political, and social circumstances, its position vis-a-vis other population groups, is so self-evident that it needs but passing mention. What is perhaps not so apparent is that the jokes, the anecdotes, and the other manifestations of humor are keys to understanding the life of the people in question and can serve as peepholes through which we can look into otherwise hidden corners of existence. As far as muslim communities are concerned, treasuries of Muslim humor can and should be used, and humor should be applied to make the West more likable and admired by the young muslim communities of the world. The techniques and strategies of humor are equally relevant at several levels of living systems, as well as between levels. Thus, the study of humor in multicultural society is interdisciplinary and is becoming a discipline in its own right. The current work is toward methods of negotiation with humor in which the objectives are to obtain a more cooperative long-term relationship and a more rewarding substantive outcome for young muslim communities. Muslim humor is second to no other product of the Muslim mind in revealing the mental state of the Muslims in any given place and at any given time. Whether it contains selfcriticism, directing its barbs at a Muslim group from which the humorist wishes to distance himself, or whether it compares the Muslims and the Gentiles, most often to the latters detriment, the Muslim joke is a manifestation of Muslim thinking and feeling about the in-group and various categories of out-groups. For example, the actor Sasha Cohen in the movie Borat makes young muslims laugh by making fun of Israel, despite him being Muslim himself. It would be ridiculous to pretend that none of the people who found Sasha Cohen funny were laughing at him for the wrong reasons. Some would have been laughing at what they took to be his imitation, others at one further remove, were probably laughing at the black parts of his monstrous hybrid. They laughed louder and longer because he revealed it to be alien, eccentric, and absurd in its snobbery, stupidity, and perverse attachment to numerous forms of destructive hierarchy-class, race, religion. Those dismal qualities were not being exposed from the outside by a stranger but explored from the inside in a daring act of patriotic love. That laughter does not intersperse loathing and self-hatred with manic elation. It helps instead to cultivate the everyday, ordinary virtue involved in managing healthier relationships with otherness that are not deformed by fear, anxiety, and violence. The most powerful weapon for creative mind stretching and therefore for reconstruction is humor, especially when it is self-directed rather than outward bound. Humor directed at another serves to break the lifelong habits of a sickly (symbiotic) relationship between people. Self-directed humor is a real mind healer: By flooding the anxious mind with grotesquely exaggerated fears, it banishes phobias and obsessions. In general, it drastically corrects in the mind and in behavior habitual neurotic (self-sabotaging and destructive) patterns. Humor is a technique involves any action one take to cause the proposals, ideas, or values of another to be rejected in favor of own by getting group members to laugh at, ridicule, or scorn the other persons proposals (Duncan, 1990). Rationalization is founded on trust and respect, and if respect is lost, so too is much of power. While power may abhor a vacuum, it equally abhors scorn. Without respect, dominance cannot be maintained. Getting others to laugh at or denigrate in any way the proposals of others that one oppose is another way to exercise power in the organization. Perhaps the ultimate in withdrawal of consent is laughter. Nyberg (1981) proposes that laughter, not revolution, is more common in overthrowing a regime. Authority fears rejection more than any other threat to its legitimacy. Especially in informal organizations, if the leader loses the respect of the fellows he or she is incapable of securing their compliance in even nominal organizational transactions. Humor is a motivated process of communication between living systems with the goal of reaching agreement about certain joint or reciprocal acts. These acts may involve management of conflict, exchange of resources, or cooperation on actions directed at the mutual environment. Behavior within a system is normally regulated by the template of that system. Internal conflict may indicate a need to amend the template. Humor can be used to modify the template so as to remove the source of conflict. For instance, when negotiation occurs between components or subsystems of a system, as in talks to manage conflict between two divisions of a corporation, the resulting humor may modify the template with respect to the roles and required behavior of the divisions. Three general stances facilitate reflexive humor: not-knowing, curious, and collaborative. They provide a way for individuals to explore, express, and share the views and meanings of situations that, otherwise, can drive them apart. Let us examine each in turn. Not-knowing Stance This stance involves taking the nonexpert position of not knowing. Taking this stance encourages humor by levelling the hierarchies of position and knowledge. While hierarchies exist in all organizations, emphasizing them discourages humor; deemphasizing them encourages humor. Reflexive humor emphasizes equal participation rather than hierarchical power, thereby bringing about a shift from hierarchy to collaboration. Humor is characterized by content and relationship aspects. We all are aware of the content aspect of communication the information that a message is intended to convey. The egalitarian ethic of reflexive humor eliminates the positions of hierarchy and power in the humor. A not-knowing stance conveys the message that everyone is equally qualified to generate ideas, opinions, and perspectives about a situation or a problem. This means that the manager enters into the dialogue without any preconceived notions or ideas. The not-knowing stance also encourages listeners to attend to both the â€Å"outer† humor of others as well as to their own â€Å"inner† humor. This egalitarian approach encourages each participant to contribute to the mutual exploration of ideas. Curious Stance The curious stance simply means that one expresses ones ideas in a funny manner. A dogmatic or assertive expression of ideas often hinders the creative process, but a comic mode of expression encourages others to take, leave, or develop ideas at will without vesting or territoriality. This climate encourages the free exchange of ideas on their own merit and without threat of penalty. Taking this stance helps to multiply varying perspectives on a problem and, naturally, leads to an evolved solution. A final advantage is that emergent solutions are usually not only the best thought-out and most fitting but also explored and designed by the individuals who will implement them. Collaborative Stance This stance is the result of the two preceding stances. The shared perspectives, ideas, and meanings contributed by the conversants evolve into common knowledge. This process filters many levels of perceptions and triggers deep involvement among participants making possible the co-construction of a jointly-owned outcome. They bring about better understanding among individuals whose culture and gender may create varying perceptions of the same reality. There is nothing simple about dealing with diversity. Diversity is one of the most complex and refracted areas of management because it involves the intimacy of the self with the impersonality. The first step in implementing reflexive humor in university setting is to form small, voluntary, diverse groups. Participants can come from either the same class or a variety of divisions. There are only two rules for membership in the group commitment and confidentiality. One quickly comes to realize that the premises and stances of reflexive humor are not part of normal communication repertoire. People have learned to function in the hierarchical worlds of home, school, and, the university. In these settings they do not always relate to one another on an egalitarian basis. Much less accepted is the practice of communicating with others, whether colleagues or superiors, from a curious or not-knowing stance. Furthermore, assuming a collaborative stance in their dealings with one another is not an everyday occurrence either. One achieves competence in reflexive humor through learnable skills that require practice. One trains individuals in reflexive humor by introducing each premise and stance and allowing time for practice. The individual being trained acquires the command of one skill before moving on to the next. It may be difficult to begin the training by talking about diversity issues. To create a conducive climate, groups might begin by discussing study-related or other relatively neutral matters because such topics are more familiar and potentially less explosive. Reflexive humor is a general theory that lends itself to any communication context. Therefore, in any setting or on any topic, the process of reflexive humor will evoke multiple points of view and generate mutual self-awareness for the participants. Jointly concentrating on common tasks is an excellent way to begin diversity training. With practice, the process of reflexive humor will engender a sense of trust among its participants. The structure of reflexive humor creates an environment wherein participants can freely exchange their views and, eventually, communicate with one another on deeper and more meaningful levels. Trust and synergy. †¢ Trust reduces the amount of time and energy wasted in suspicion and politics. This time and effort can therefore be better deployed on added-value activities that help to deliver the purpose and vision. †¢ When trust, competence and alignment come together we can achieve synergy, and unlock high performance. †¢ To develop into an attuned team the members of the group have to be able to trust each other. Reflexive humor is a new approach to face-to-face communication. It offers a process by which one can access the uniqueness of each individual as well as each individuals cultural paradigm. Through this approach, individuals can better generate information and co-construct those mutual realities that lead to enhanced problem solving. Reflexive humor is particularly useful to individuals from different cultures who wish to establish a common ground for mutual understanding and action. Humor is not just joking, and management is not just the bloodless supervision of humans in the machine-like achievement of goals. Human emotions and feelings are involved in many issues, especially in culturally diverse settings. The reflection of feeling captures the emotional aspect of human nature. The purpose of this microskill is to identify and make explicit emotions that are often concealed allowing the listener to tune into the speakers emotional experience. While nothing seems more ordinary than to empathize with another, the reflection of feeling has a specific structure. The reflection of feeling informs the speaker that you are aware of his or her emotions. This in turn encourages the speaker to clarify further the issue at hand. The listener needs to be cautious about inaccurately labelling feelings. Adequate time and care must be given to identify the precise feeling correctly. Mislabelling an emotion is a sure sign of misunderstanding the speaker. The reflection of meaning may be the microskill that is most relevant to the diverse workplace. It has to do with how different racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural groups organize life and experiences as well as the meaning they draw from those experiences. This microskill may appear to be very much like the preceding ones of the paraphrase (which restates thoughts) or the reflection of feeling (which reflects emotions). Indeed, the reflection of meaning combines thoughts and meanings. One should remember that both reflecting skills of humor deal with profound issues emotions, values, meanings, and the particular sense each one of us makes of the world. Neither skill should be used insincerely or manipulatively. Inappropriate use can cause as much anger and distrust, on the one hand, as understanding and trust, on the other. However, used ethically, with a sincere attitude, no microskill is more useful, what joke one may make of situation, what values may motivate seemingly culturally different behaviors, or why an action or word that is unimportant (or important) to you may be important (or unimportant) to a colleague. Patterns of eye contact and gaze also play an underestimated role in sense of humor. White males have their own, unique, eye contact patterns. When speaking, a white male looks away from the listener most of the time, making eye contact with the listener to emphasize significant points. While listening, a white male looks at the speaker most of the time. Eye contact indicates that the listener is paying attention to what is being said. Another pattern of eye contact signals the moment when turn-taking occurs for speaker and listener. Generally, when the speaker is nearing the end of a statement, he briefly looks away from the listener. Then, upon finishing the utterance, he reestablishes eye contact to signal that it is the turn of the other person to speak. Major humor problems can result if eye contact patterns are not in synchrony. Without either conversant being consciously aware of it, at appropriate times in the white male style a trustworthy person looks in the eye, while an untrustworthy person does not. If both parties share this pattern, conversation flows smoothly. If the patterns are at odds, one may call the other shifty, while the other may feel uncomfortable. In such a situation, the humor becomes strained, and the participants are conscious of that fact. White males do not seem to employ or recognize the value of nonverbal communication, in general, or of eye contact, in particular. Yet, it is evident that eye contact patterns play a significant role in effective humor. The general white male pattern is for speakers to gaze less at listeners and for listeners to gaze more at speakers. This is how white male listeners demonstrate their intentional listening or attending behavior. One of the most significant characteristics of the Muslim verbal communication style is its oral tradition. Muslims were forcibly transported from traditional societies that were oral. The heritage of orality may be most evident in two areas of the Muslim verbal communication style: the mode of listening, and the importance of expressing feeling during interpersonal interaction. Comparative studies have found that Muslims and whites have different verbal communication styles. Whites tend to make more use of the attending or listening skills in their face-to-face communication by using a forward lean of the upper body or asking open-ended questions. Muslims tend to be more directive by giving advice or confronting. An earlier discussion of microskills noted that open questions are less direct and invite a conversational partner to provide more information on a topic while closed questions tend to retrieve specific pieces of information and limit dialogue. Depending upon the circumstances, each type of question is equally valid. However, a dialogue with predominantly closed questions can take on the tone of an interrogation. Similarly, humor replete with open questions lends a less tenuous tone by giving respondents more room to provide information at their own pace. Therefore, the type of question sets the tone of a conversation. The Muslims expression of feeling may also contrast with white expression of feeling. Whereas emotions may be more openly expressed according to the Muslim humor paradigm, they are more repressed by the mainstream white paradigm. According to the Muslim humor paradigm, one is more congruent when one expresses emotions. According to the norm of the white male humor paradigm, one expresses ones reason and logic dispassionately. For many Muslims, the expression of feeling is crucial to genuine humor between individuals. Therefore, in the Muslim paradigm one is credible when one expresses emotions; one is more credible when emotions are expressed resolutely. Thomas Kochman, scholar of linguistics, holds that one achieves ultimate credibility when logic and affect harmoniously intertwine. Only then can there be congruence between ones thoughts and verbal communication. When one represses thoughts and feelings and expresses only logical thoughts, the discrepancy is likely to emerge through nonverbal behavior, such as moving away or breaking eye contact. The meanings that may be attributed to such incongruencies according to the Muslim communication paradigm may range from deceit or hypocrisy to weakness. The Muslim style of greater and more open expression of feeling can result in behaviors that may seem overly assertive and even confrontational to many whites. In conflictual situations, Muslim nonverbals tend to include loud tones of voice, intense eye contact, and sweeping gestures. Verbally, Muslims may freely express their emotions and, according to Kochman, directly challenge not only facts or ideas but also the individuals who present them. Many may interpret such behaviors as not only confrontational but also preludes to aggression. However, for Muslims the expression of ones mind and spirit only mean being true to oneself. Whether one stands close together or far apart can make people feel more or less comfortable in dealing with one another. Some research indicates that, while conversing, Muslim children tend to stand closer together (Baxter 1973). In her analysis of research on proxemics, Halberstadt found that Muslims tend to stand closer to one another when young but farther apart when older – Muslim primary school children stand closer together than Muslim junior high or high school students. Distances increased still more for Muslim adults. Additional research indicates that Muslim adults tend to greet each other and stand somewhat further apart than other ethnic groups. Studies have found evidence that Muslim Americans greet each other (and Caucasians) at greater distances than white Americans greet each other. A comparative study showed that Muslim Americans interact at the greatest distances, Mexican Americans interact at the closest distances, and white Americans interact at intermediate distances (Baxter 1973). Another study concluded that during interviews whites tend to sit farther away from Muslims than they do from other whites. Humor is particularly significant to Muslims. The heritage of humanism and person-oriented behavior as well as the tendency to express emotions freely inclines some Muslims to be more reliant upon humor. On the basis of her review of the literature, educator Janice Hale-Benson states that Muslims are more proficient than are whites in expressing and detecting emotions. Any sign of understanding what another person has told encourages him or her to say more. Paraphrasing more powerfully encourages continuing the humor and elaborating thoughts resulting in more details about concerns and issues. One paraphrases by restating, in ones own words, the essence of what a colleague has said. Paraphrasing has three specific components: beginning stem; restatement; and concluding, checking stem. Mens body postures tend to convey messages of gender power and dominance rather than of affiliation. Often such kinesic behavior discourages rather than invites humor. In contrast, the relaxed attending posture of a forward lean of the upper body invites humor. Such attending nonverbal humor reflects an individuals openness and willingness to listen and enter into a friendly humor. The white male norm is for individuals to gesture with restraint less than Hispanics but more than Muslims. Wrists and hands are used much more than arms to gesture. Except at times of great joy or sorrow, elbows generally are not raised above shoulder level. Those who gesture more than this norm may be considered flamboyant; individuals who gesture less than this norm may be considered uptight or cold fish. A new approach to managing diversity is necessary. Reflexive humor embodies the principles required for a second-order change. Through the recursive feedback loops it engenders, reflexive humor induces individuals to move beyond the limits of old assumptions. Furthermore, by flattening the hierarchy, its egalitarianism encourages the participation that unfolds to find new and creative solutions. This new approach to humor delineates how individuals can come together to work on constructing mutual realities. The process of reflexive humor establishes commonalities rather than magnifying differences. It provides individuals with the opportunity to come to know one another through a continuous process of mutual interchange. Such an approach inclines to modify subjective meanings and to create the common grounds that are the bases for common understanding. The reflexive process of sharing information creates the recursive loops by which one clarifies and reduces the uncertainties that all have about each other. Therefore, the nature of this change is both organic and evolutionary. The second-order change induced by reflexive humor is not the result of external injunctions by trainers to change ones assumptions about groups, as may have been true of some previous training approaches. Rather, the change produced by humor is the result of a volitional, egalitarian, and mutually-induced process. The continuous interchange of humor creates the fertile ground where individuals studying together co-create solutions of a second-order change. This change emanates from newly-developed assumptions based on newly-generated realities. In effect, humor induces greater convergence in the thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, and meanings of the individuals who engage in it. As Johns Hopkins linguist Lawrence Kincaid puts it, an effective humor logically leads to the â€Å"state of greater uniformity, or the successive reduction of diversity† (Lawrence 1988). Thus, applying humor in the diverse society can lead to a place where the construction of new realities is possible. This is where cultural issues and cultural differences meld, and a new reality ensues as a result of the information-sharing process. Hence, myths about differences begin to diminish and common realities begin to evolve. From these emerge the common ground, the convergence that is essential for the shared understanding that common action requires. Humor is the missing link of diversity training. It is the second-order process by which individuals can mutually change themselves and each other according to their own pace and direction. Humor is perhaps the least tangible aspect of organizational life, but it seems to have very powerful and tangible effects on people from different cultures. In a high energy atmosphere one can sense peoples excitement just by watching the way they move, the way they interact and go about their business, and even the expressions on their faces. When one walks out of a very positive atmosphere, one wants to go back. If the atmosphere is stifling, unwelcoming, filled with tension, and not much fun, then one does not want to return. If the place happens to be ones workplace, the effect can be very powerful. The microskills are specific tools that enhance the humor process. They are relatively easy to learn. The skills are best learned oneat-a-time. Following the presentation and discussion, practice provides a hands-on approach to the mastery of each skill. As one gains proficiency in one skill, another is added and practiced simultaneously. Thus, each remaining skill is added until the complete set of microskills has been acquired. The key to proficiency with the microskills is practice. While these skills are easy to comprehend and implement individually, making them part of students’ everyday behavior may not be as easy. Only through continued conscious effort in using and practicing the skills can we successfully make them part of our behavioral repertoire. They are skills that can be applied to any life setting to enhance understanding of one another and, hence, relationships. References Baxter C. ( 1973). â€Å"Interpersonal spacing in two-person cross-cultural interactions†. Man-Environment Systems, 3. D. Lawrence Kincaid. (1988). The convergence theory and intercultural communication. In Young Yun Kim William B. Gundykunst (Eds. ), Theories in intercultural communication. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Howe, Susan E. S. (1994). â€Å"Exploring New Leadership Styles. † Pennsylvania CPA Journal 65, no. 1. Nyberg, David. (1981). Power Over Power. Ithaca, N. Y. : Cornell University Press. Thomas Kochman. (1981). Black and white styles in conflict. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.