Didion
The seemingly elusive quality of self-respect is the subject of Joan Didion's article, "On Self-espect." Beginning with a background anecdote about how she recovered emotionally from not making it into Phi Betta Kappa, Didion proceeds to show how she salvaged her sense of self-worth by meditating on the core components of self-respect. Basing her self-worth on tests, external measures, and memberships to clubs was like a spiritual and psychological poison. Didion concludes that one cannot build a solid core of self-respect by external measures or the judgments of others. For Joan Didion, self-respect is "that sense of one's intrinsic self-worth," which confers on the individual the power to take control over one's emotional and behavioral responses to life. Life will always be filled with uncertainties and threats. Self-respect allows the person to navigate through the tricky waters of cowardice, on the one hand, and recklessness on the other. Didion claims…...

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Reference

Didion, J. (2010). On Self-Respect. Published online:  http://profacero.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/joan-didion-on-self-respect/

Self-Directed Assessment
Self-Assessment Research

Finding a career path that is both financial rewarding and personally satisfying can be a trying process. hile many workers find positions that are either financial rewarding, or personally satisfying, ultimately the two goals are subtly linked. hen a person settles for a career path that is financial rewarding, but exists outside the scope of their personal values or talents, the career can produce feelings of unhappiness in the individual, and lead to the 40-40-40 syndrome. A person works forty hours per week, for roughly 40 years, and tops out at a 40K per year salary. On the other hand, a person who finds the career he or she loves can spend a lifetime building personal accomplishments, which will quite often lead to expanded opportunity and expanded earning potential. Finding the ideal path for the career minded individual is a function of matching the person's desires and their…...

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Works Cited

The Self-Directed Search Assessment. (2003) Self-directed-search.com. Accessed 22 Oct. 2003.  http://www.self-directed-search.com/aboutsds.html .

Self-Directed Search-What is the Self-Directed Search? (2003) Career Counseling Ready minds.com. Accessed 22 Oct 2003) http://www.readyminds.com/cc/program/sds.html.

Reardon, Robert, and PAR Staff General. (2001) The Self-Directed Search Interpretive Report.

Gottfredson, G.D., Holland J.L., & Ogawa, D. K (1982). Dictionary of Holland occupational codes. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

Self and Other
George Herbert Mead is one of the pioneers of American philosophy as well as among the founders of Pragmatism. His work was published in several papers during his lifetime and even after his death. After his death, his students published four books in his name from his unpublished work. Mead's work has significantly influenced the 20th century social sciences. His theory of the emergence of mind and self is considered as a milestone in social philosophy. His contributions were not limited to social philosophy but his work also contributed in other areas of philosophy such as philosophy of nature or philosophical anthropology. Because of his significant contributions, he was being considered one of the greatest thinkers of his time.

The Self According to Mead:

According to the theories presented by Mead, self is characteristically different from physiological organism. Self is not present in an individual by birth but it develops…...

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References

George Herbert Mead & Charles W. Morris: Mind Self and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist: Chicago: University of Chicago: 1934.

George Herbert Mead: The Social Self: The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods: 10, 374-380: 1913

George Herbert Mead: The Mechanisms of Social Consciousness: The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods

George Herbert Mead: A Behavioristic Account of the significant symbol: Journal of Philosophy: 1922

Ellis' belief was that individual who could take charge of their emotions would be rational thinkers and thus would approach conflicts confidently, working towards compromises, minimalizing risks and willingness to sacrifice immediate needs for the more important long-term benefits.
Skinner also provides insight into the issue of individual self-confidence. According to Skinner, individual's act in accordance to their heredity and environment. In other words, underlying all behavior is the assumption that individual behavior is predetermined by learning and reinforcement. In order to acquire new skills, one has to be taught. Thus, individuals can be taught self-confidence through positive reinforcement. For example, if an individual's action results in a positive outcome, they will be more likely to continue to repeat this behavior because it builds confidence. On the other hand, if the outcome is negative, self-confidence is decreased and that individual is less likely to repeat the behavior.

According to Skinner, proper…...

Within months after Winfrey took over, the show went from last place in the ratings to overtaking Donahue as the highest rated talk show in Chicago. It was renamed the Oprah Winfrey Show. And the rest is history.
Considering her past, childhood and experiences and positive outlook in life, she didn't let anything deter her from reaching her goal and becoming successful. In fact, she uses them to inspire and reach out to others.

Conclusion

Self-confidence is an attitude which allows individuals to have positive yet realistic views of themselves and their situations. Self-confident people trust their own abilities, have a general sense of control in their lives, and believe that, within reason, they will be able to do what they wish, plan, and expect.

Surprisingly, lack of self-confidence is not necessarily related to lack of ability. Instead it is often the result of focusing too much on the unrealistic expectations or standards…...

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Bibliography

Self-Confidence. Retrieved April 27, 2007 from http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/New_Site/defaultwinter.html

Dr. C. George Boeree. (2006). B.F. Skinner, Personality Theories. Retrieved May 5, 2007 from  http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.html 

Oprah Winfrey. (2007). Retrieved May 5, 2007 from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey 

Alfred Adler, Core of Personality. Retrieved April 26, 2007 from http://psych.eiu.edu/spencer/Adler.html

He does his share of complaining but he does little else to remedy the situation. The truth of the matter is that Gregor did not enjoy much of his life away from work. He never expresses a desire to have more in his life nor does he express any regret, until he is a bug. In "A Hunger Artist," our hunger artist chooses to live a considerable amount of his life behind bars being a public spectacle. hile he can communicate with onlookers, he is separated from them by the bars and the setting in which he finds himself only forces him to interact with individuals for a short amount of time. Once they have become satisfied with his spectacle, they move on and leave the artist to his own thoughts. Our hunger artist is aware of the world that exists around him but it does not seem to…...

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Works Cited

Freed, Donna. The Metamorphosis and Other Stories. New York: Barnes and Nobel Books. 1996.

Goldfarb, Sheldon. "The Metamorphosis." Short Stories for Students. 2001. Gale Resource Database. 1963. Site Accessed November 22, 2008.  http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com 

Kafka, Franz. "A Hunger Artist." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction R.V. Cassill, ed. New York W.W. Norton and Company. 1981. pp. 779-86.

Kafka, Franz. "The Metamorphosis." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction R.V. Cassill, ed. New York W.W. Norton and Company. 1981. pp. 740-78.

Still, Mason indicates that the opposite is often true in public education settings, where educators, parents and institutions collectively overlook the implications of research and demands imposed by law. Indeed, "despite the IDEA requirements, research results, teacher perceptions, and strong encouragement from disabilities rights advocate, many youth have been left out of IEP and self-determination activities. For example, 31% of the teaches in a 1998 survey reported that they wrote no self-determination goals, and 41% indicated they did not have sufficient training or information on teaching self-determination." (Mason et al., 442)
This is a troubling finding, and one which implicates the needed paradigm shift discussed already in the research endeavor. Clearly, as the matter is framed by Mason et al., educators and researchers have already acknowledged the value in the strategies addressed here. By contrast, institutional change has been hard won, with schools and administrators balking at making broad-based alterations…...

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Works Cited:

Beresford, B. (2004). On the Road to Nowhere? Young Disabled People and Transition. Child: Care, Health and Development, 30(6).

Department of Education (DOE). (2007). Guide to the Individualized Education Program. United States Department of Education. Online at  http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html .

Katsiyannis, A.; deFur, S. & Conderman, G. (1998). Transition Services -- Systems Change for Youth with Disabilities? A Review of State Practices? The Journal of Special Education, 32(2), 55-61.

Mason, C.; Field, S. & Sawilowsky, S. (2004). Implementation of self-determination activities and student participation in IEPs. Council for Exceptional Children, 70(4), 441-451.

Self-Defense
One of the fundamental concepts of any free, democratic society is the idea of the individual's right to self-defense -- that one may use any means at one's disposal to protect one's person or property from assault from another. However, there are important stipulations and limitations that define the allowable limits an individual may approach -- and crossing over these limits can make the difference between being a justified victim and an outright criminal.

According to the legal definition of self-defense, the use of force is allowed when an individual "reasonable believes that it is necessary for the defense of oneself or another against the immediate use of unlawful force. However, a person must use no more force than appears reasonably necessary in the circumstances." This means that one can only employ enough force to remove the present threat. For example, one may only use lethal force in self-defense (firearms, weapons,…...

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Bibliography

Kopel, David B. (2000) "The self-defense cases: Howe the United States Supreme Court confronted a hanging judge in the nineteenth century and taught some lessons for jurisprudence in the twenty-first." American Journal of Criminal Law. Summer, 293.

Lectric Law Library. 2002. "Self-Defense." Web Site. Retrieved from Web site on March 31, 2004  http://www.lectlaw.com/def/d030.htm 

Starr v. United States 153 U.S. 614 (1894).

Wallace v. United States.162 U.S. 466 (1896).

Cindy said she could see herself managing a fashion boutique, makeup studio, or retail store. This would use her flair for design, knowledge of business, and also her astute knowledge of people. Although she might need some additional education in beginning her own business, this would not be as extensive as going back to school, which Cindy feared she would have to do, to remain competitive in the working world.
Application of data to client

Cindy is a 'people person' at heart. Hopefully, this forced career change will be the proverbial blessing in disguise and allow her to explore previously hidden internal aspects of her vocational self. Although Cindy was frequently called upon to show leadership of other administrative personnel, she was often relegated to a supportive capacity at her previous place of employment. At the helm of her own business, in an occupation she loved, this would not be the…...

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References

Bolles, Richard. (2009). What color is your parachute? Ten Speed Press.

Keirsey, David. (1987). Portraits of Temperament. Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.

Shavik, Andrea. (2002). Passing synchometric tests. How to books.

Straker, David (2008). . Changing minds: In detail. Syque Press.

" Young children are more likely to benefit from tasks and activities that offer a real challenge than from those that are merely frivolous or fun." (Katz) Children can help prepare meals, care for pets, and do other projects that are productive. The child will be able to translate that the parent trusts him or her with a truly important task -- not just a make-believe one -- into a sense of being trustworthy, useful, and able to accomplish things. When children show interest in a parent's activities, if that parent includes him or her in that activity and takes that interest seriously, it can be a strong self-esteem boost. Encouragement is vital, and it is important to acknowledge progress as well as rewarding achievement.
Parents also show trust in the child to accomplish things by setting a few reasonable rules for even toddlers to follow; "Knowing that certain family…...

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Bibliography

Hart, Louise. "Self-Esteem: The Best Gift You Can Give Your Child -- and Yourself." Mothering Magazine. Spring, 1989.  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_n51/ai_7512259 

Henry, Sarah. "Ten Ways to Build Your Child's Self-Esteem." ParentCenter Medical Advisory Board.  http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/refcap/preschooler/pdevelopment/65569.html 

Katz, Lilian. "How Can We Strengthen Children's Self-Esteem?" ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Summer, 1995. http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/strengthen_children_self.html

Childhood Obesity and Its Affects on Self-Esteem, Learning and Development
Childhood obesity has reached alarming proportions in developed nations of the world and its prevalence is continuously rising from 1971. In the Scandinavian countries, childhood obesity is less than compared to the Mediterranean countries; yet, the amount of obese children is increasing in both cases. Even though the highest rates of childhood obesity have been seen in developed countries, and at the same time, obesity is increasing in developing countries as well. Childhood obesity is at increased levels in the Middle East and Central and Eastern Europe as well. As an example, in 1998, The World Health Organization project assessing of cardiovascular diseases had showed that Iran was one among the seven countries, which had the highest rates of childhood obesity. (Dehghan; Akhtar-Danesh; Merchant, 2005, p. 1485)

In UK, observations state that there has been a noticeable enhancement in obesity levels, and…...

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References

Abell, Steven C; Richards, Maryse H. 1996. The relationship between body shape satisfaction and self-esteem: an investigation of gender and class differences. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Vol: 25; No: 1; pp: 61-64

Boyles, Salynn; Smith, Michael. 2003. Mental Illness Common in Childhood Obesity; Defiance, Depression Cited in Study. April, 7. WebMD Medical News. Retrieved October 17, 2005, from the World Wide Web:

 http://my.webmd.com/content/article/63/71937.htm?z=1728_00000_1000_ln_03 

Bullying and Overweight and Obese Children. Retrieved October 18, 2005, from the World Wide Web:  http://kidshealth.org/research/bullying_overweight.html

bad about yourself! Self-Esteem may not be all it has been reputed to be!
Baumeister, Roy & Jennifer D. Campbell, Jochim I. Kurger and Kathleen D. Vohs. (20 December 2004) "Exploding the Self-Esteem Myth." Scientific American. Article retrievable in full text on the World Wide Web at http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=000CB565-F330-11BE-AD0683414B7F0000

According to the popular science periodical Scientific American, a number of long-standing scientific studies on the correlation between high or low self-esteem and positive or negative forms of social behaviors shows that there is little indication that low self-esteem is at the root of individual and societal problems and dysfunctions. his flies in the face of a 1989 study whose results appeared in a volume entitled he Social Importance of Self-Esteem. his previous, influential study stated that "many, if not most, of the major problems plaguing society have roots in the low self-esteem of many of the people who make up society." hus,…...

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The authors of the study stressed that they were mindful to avoid the assumption that a correlation between self-esteem and some desired behavior establishes causality, in contrast to studies of the past. For example, high self-esteem may seem to bring about certain positive outcomes, such as vocational success. But correlations between self-esteem and success may mean simply that a positive self-image is a result of success or good behavior. (Baumeister et.al, 2004, p.2) In fact, in a literature review by the authors, self-esteem and high self-perception could not show that a link between good self-image leads to occupational success in terms of causality, and even hinted artificially boosting self-esteem may lower subsequent performance. In terms of relationships, the only positive correlation was that individuals with high self-esteem were more likely to leave relationships they found unfulfilling or did not reinforce their perceptions of themselves as competent. (Baumeister et.al, 2004, p.3)

Even correlations between low esteem and drug use are inconclusive. Of course, on all of these measures "people with a healthy sense of self-respect" may be "lumped with those feigning higher self-esteem." Thus it is not surprising the results of studies of self-esteem investigations may always produce "weak or contradictory findings." (Baumeister et.al, 2004, p.4) The only statistically significant correlation found by the researchers was that "and high self-esteem emerged as the strongest factor in overall life satisfaction," but again it is "even possible that happiness, in the sense of a temperament or disposition to feel good, induces high self-esteem." (Baumeister et.al, 2004, p.5)

"We have found," write the authors little evidence to indicate that "indiscriminately promoting self-esteem in today's children or adults, just for being themselves, offers society any compensatory benefits beyond the seductive pleasure it brings to those engaged in the exercise." (Baumeister et.al, 2004, p.5) Yes, students enjoy self-esteem building exercises, but they do not necessarily benefit in the concrete, measurable terms that were once claimed for such programs, and an overall fostering of competence, rather than high self-esteem in the abstract may be equally as effective as the promotion of the value in the first place.

Okonkwo is a typical tribesman living and adapting to his surroundings. He is actually no different from anyone else in that he acts according to his heart. He truly believes he is doing the right thing and that is what matters.
Okonkwo is not a bad man; he simply makes mistakes and this makes him human. He does not set out to do evil. Upon hearing about Ezeudu's death, Okonkwo is saddened along with the rest of the tribe. Ezeudu was a noble man in the clan and he was also the oldest tribesman. At the funeral ritual, Okonkwo's gun explodes, killing Ezeudu's son. This is a shocking event because nothing like this had happened before. Okonkwo had to obey tribal law and leave the clan because it was a "crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman's son" (124). The law of the land dictated Okonkwo could return…...

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Work Cited

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books. 1959. Print.

Individuality and Community
Ethics

How Self is Integrated into the Global Whole as an Ethical Entity

The ethics of social justice is wrapped in the ideas of how individuals within a society are trained as ethical beings, and how they regard other outside of their immediate society (Jackson, 2005). Appiah uses the final two chapters of his book The Ethics of Identity to discuss how individuals are given an ethical soul and also how people are members of something larger than either their nations or themselves. This paper is designed to give the reader an understanding of one person's understanding of the four concepts of social justice, soul making and rooted cosmopolitanism, and how all of those concepts tie into one another.

Four Conceptions of Social Justice

Like most other concepts, social justice is not the purview of a single theoretician or set of ideas. Many people, beginning in ancient writings such as the Bible,…...

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References

Akhtar, S. (2011). Liberal recognition for identity? Only for particularized ones. Politics, Philosophy, Economics, 10(1), 66-87.

Appiah, K.A. (2005). The ethics of identity. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Clark, A. (1995). Hobbes' theory of human nature: A warning to libertarians. Philosophical Notes, 35, 1-2.

Freedman, J. (2005, June 12). 'The Ethics of Identity': A rooted cosmopolitanism. The New York Times. Retrieved from   d=allhttp://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/books/review/12FREEDMA.html?pagewante 

self-Love.
Not only is the phrase self-love used as synonymous with the desire of happiness, but it is often confounded with the word selfishness, which certainly, in strict propriety, denotes a very different disposition of mind." --Slewart. [Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary]

The novel "Things Fall part," by Chinua chebe, is a shocking account of the life and extinction of an frican tribe called the Ibo. The light is mainly on the main character, Okonkwo, who begins his search for self-perfection at a very young age. He was highly unimpressed with his father and vowed to never to be like him. Okonkwo and his family suffered through trying times but he eventually beat the odds and was very successful as the leader of the tribe. However, on beating his wives, he disobeyed the gods by refusing to offer animal sacrifice. The gods gave him a severe punishment. He was extremely selfish and…...

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A movie based on the theme of self-love is the animated comedy called Shrek, about an ugly green ogre who's on a quest to rescue a princess for the egocentric lord who simply wants her because he feels she is perfect for his kingdom. However, Shrek sees the inner beauty in the princess and they develop mutual respect and also fall in love. Although, this movie is based on the concept of self-love, it also deals with the importance of couples accepting each other as they regardless of the faults they have in each other.

As for myself, I always willingly acknowledge my own self as the principal cause of every good and of every evil which may befall me; therefore I have always found myself capable of being my own pupil, and ready to love my teacher.

Giacomo Casonova. [Quotes on self-love, available at http://www.freedomsnest.com/cgi-bin/q.cgi?subject=self-love]