Drinks That Cause Tooth Decay Health Essay

Drinks That Cause Tooth Decay Health Essay The content in the drinks that causes tooth decay is the acidic content in our food and beverages. In general, drinks with a pH below 5.0 5.7 have been known to trigger dental erosion. Previous scientific research findings have helped to warn consumers that the pH level in beverages could lead to tooth erosion, the breakdown of tooth structure caused by the acid and leads to tooth decay. The acidity level in popular beverages that we consume everyday contributes to the erosion of enamel. Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of a tooth due to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacterial origin. There is generally widespread ignorance of the damaging effects of acid erosion; this is particularly the case with erosion due to fruit juices, because they tend to be seen as healthy. Erosion is found initially in the enamel and if unchecked, may proceed to the underlying structure of a tooth. Numerous clinical and laboratory reports link erosion to excessive consumption of drinks, frui t juices such as orange juice (which contain citric acid) and carbonated drinks (citric and phosphoric acid). This essay examines scientific research of the issue to determine if, in fact, acidic drinks do cause tooth decay. As part of my research, I conducted my own experiment, using human teeth and different types of drinks. After considering the results I obtained, as well as other research, I conclude that acid contain in the drinks is the cause of tooth decay. The acid content will slowly dissolve the enamel of the teeth. It dissolves the calcium molecules from the teeth surface, thus the teeth will erode. This essay will examine the validity of acid content in the drinks as the real culprit to tooth decay, evaluate the extend of the damage and recommendations for proper tooth care. Introduction Tooth decay is the loss of enamel from the tooth surface. When sugary drinks are consumed by bacteria in the mouth, it turns the sugar into acids. These acids corrode the enamel of the teeth, which leads to cavities. Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of a tooth to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacteria origin. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease for children aged 5 17 although it is only recently that it is recognized as a dental health problem. There is generally widespread ignorance of the damaging effects of acid erosion, this particularly due to fruit juices, because they are perceived to be healthy. Erosion is initially found in the enamel and if left unchecked, may proceed to the underlying structure of a tooth. Numerous clinical and laboratory reports linked erosion to excessive consumption of sweet drinks, carbonated drinks and fruit juices. Previous scientific research findings have help to warn consumers that the pH (potential of hydrogen) level bel ow pH 5.0 5.7 may initiate dental erosion. The consumption behaviour plays a major role in oral health. However, public awareness on dental erosion is not high. Sources of acids can be endogenous or exogenous, and erosive intensity is modified by quality and quantity of saliva. Acidic beverages are the most common extrinsic factors that cause dental erosion (tooth decay). Because of these identified factors, I am interested to do this research to clear my curiosity. Basically this experiment is done to support my hypothesis. The experiment consists of gathering extracted human teeth of various shapes and sizes, disinfection and the submission in the selected beverages. Duration of 5 months is needed to complete the whole experiment. With the findings, I will be convinced and able to convince that acidic beverages cause tooth decay. Review of Literature Lemon Juice The juice extracted from fresh lemon is used as refreshing beverage. People go for lemon juice because they are able to cool down our body temperature. This is why when people are sick, they are advised to drink more citric juices so that the body system can be cooled down and recover the patients. Besides that, lemon juice also has high content of Vitamin C which is essential to our body immune system. 2.2 Coke Coke is a very famous carbonated drink. Despite the fizzy feeling and sweet tasting of the drink, it is actually one of the main contributors to tooth decay. Coke is a very sweet beverage making it able to promote the growth of oral bacteria, which is known as Streptococcus mutan  [1]  as the sugar contained in coke can feed the bacteria. Coke contains phosphoric acid and has the ability to corrode the tooth enamel. Plus, coke can stain the teeth and forms caries on the surface of the teeth  [2]  . 2.3 Coffee Coffee causes calcium loss in our bone mass, which leads to the excretion of calcium from our bones, doesnt matter which part of our body it is. This causes the thinning of the teeth which in turn, causes the teeth to become weak and is vulnerable to corrosion or break. Furthermore, coffee is also mostly acidic, which also causes tooth erosion, then leads to tooth decay  [3]  . 2.4 Energy Drink Energy drinks can also cause tooth decay. The pH level of the drink can lead to tooth erosion and hypersensitivity. It causes the breakdown of the tooth structure. In energy drinks, it is not the acidity of the drink that cause tooth erosion, but it is the buffering capacity of the drink that corrodes the tooth. Buffering capacity is the ability to neutralize acid  [4]  . Energy drinks have high buffering capacity, making them to have the strongest potential to cause tooth erosion. 2.5 Sugar Solution Sugar is scientifically known as sucrose, a sweet tasting organic compound, derived from glucose and fructose. Streptococcus mutans which live in our oral cavity will react with the sugar and form lactic acid which will also causes tooth erosion. Sucrose will be converted into dextran which favors the bacteria to be attracted to the teeth. Dextran is the food for the oral bacteria and lactic acid is their waste product  [5]  . Therefore, those bacteria will just stick to the teeth. This will make it difficult to remove those bacteria  [6]  . 2.6 Tap Water Tap water will not cause tooth decay as it does not have any effects on our teeth. Tap water is fluoride-enhanced, and it serves the purpose of making the teeth stronger and protects the teeth, making it an important teeth-protecting agent. Therefore, tap water will not stand the possibility of causing tooth decay. 2.7 Tooth Anatomy As the function of the teeth is to bite and chew food, hence, they are the first step in the digestion of food. The long, sharp canine teeth tear up food. The wide, flat molars grind and mash up food. Teeth also help us say certain sounds. Human have two sets of teeth in their lives, the primary teeth (also called the baby, milk or deciduous teeth) and the permanent teeth. Children have 20 primary teeth; they are replaced by the permanent teeth by about age 13. Adult have 32 permanent teeth. 7 Diagram of a tooth anatomy 3.0 Hypothesis Acid in drinks is the cause of tooth decay. Acidic drinks such as orange juice and lemon juice, the acid content will slowly dissolve the calcium in the teeth, corroding the enamel. The process starts from the surface of the teeth, towards the inner structure of the teeth. Method Development Planning In order to carry out this research successfully, materials have been carefully chosen to give a more promising and accurate result. Materials were carefully studied through several researches and readings from various useful sources. For my research, I have studied and researched on drinks such as lemon juice, coke, coffee, energy drink (100-Plus), sugar solution and tap water. The choice of tap water in my experiment is because of the neutral pH and fluoride enhancement. I have been studying about the compositions of the drinks and how they actually contributed to tooth decay. This experiment was carried out in the Health Laboratory of a Government Health Clinic in Sibu. All the research work was done during each of my college holidays. I was fortunate because I was consented to use the apparatus like digital weighing scale, microscope and more. All the extracted human teeth were supplied by the dental clinic with consent granted by the dental officer. I was also being taught the proper way of disinfecting the teeth with a proper disinfectant by the health staff in the laboratory. The main reason I chose to do my experiment here is because of the proper equipment available. Besides, I can also handle the teeth in a correct way to prevent myself from the bacteria. During the planning stage, Ive done a thorough research in choosing the appropriate drinks to be tested in my experiment. I chose only those drinks is because they are some of the popular drinks and are consumed the most nowadays. Besides that, these drinks are easily available in the market, regardless whether it is in the urban or rural area. And since I am studying of the effects of these drinks on human, so children can be a good subject for me because these drinks are mostly consumed by children. These drinks are also very affordable, so there wont be any financial problem in carrying out this experiment. As for the teeth, various types of teeth were used in this experiment. However, no specific tooth is being used due to the unavailability. These teeth range from Incisors, Canine, premolar to molar. Tooth that is with minimal erosion noted is selected for this experiment as no perfect human tooth is being extracted and readily available for such an experiment. 30 human teeth are used in this experiment. Only 30 teeth are used because it is quite difficult to get human teeth as human teeth are really dirty and dentists usually dispose them off immediately due to hygienic reason. Besides that, as for the solutions, 200ml of each solution is used. The same amount of solutions are also used each and everytime when I change the solutions in each beaker, once a week. This experiment takes approximately 5 months in order to obtain a more significant and accurate result. Initially the duration of the experiment was only 10 weeks as planned; however no significant change can be seen. Therefore, the duration of the experiment was extended to 5 months instead because the teeth required a longer period of time to witness a significant change in the structure of every tooth. The experiment was carried out at room temperature, which is approximately at. This is because oral bacteria can function well at such temperature, which may contribute to a more accurate result. The experiment was done, with permission, for using the equipment at a Clinic laboratory of a Healthcare facility in Sibu. All the extracted teeth for this study were taken from the Dental Clinic of that facility with each tooth weighs between 0.510 gram and 2.280 gram depending on various types of teeth (molar, premolar, canine and incisor) extracted and the weight of these extracted teeth. After being thoroughly washed and disinfected (to prevent any possible infections during the process of this experiment), specimens (extracted teeth) were alternately immersed, 5s, in each different types of drinks place in a labelled beaker ranging from A to F as follows: Beaker A Lemon juice Beaker B Coke Beaker C Coffee Beaker D 100 Plus Beaker E Sugar Solution Beaker F Tap Water This study was done for duration of 5 months. This is to enable me to note significant changes. This is necessary in order for me to chart and document accurately the gradually changes to these teeth. A shorter duration will not show any significant changes which could be documented. The first reading will only be done after 1 month post immersion in each of the marked beaker filled with the experimented drinks. These readings include the documentation of the colour, contour (mass) and the weight of each tooth after which at the end of my study I would be able to determine which of the 6 beakers show significant changes in the tooth mass. The inspection of each beaker will be done monthly for the next subsequent 5 months. Beaker A (lemon juice) Beaker B (Coke) Beaker C (coffee) Beaker D (100 Plus) Beaker E (sugar water) Beaker F (tap water) In the meantime, a clean 200ml beaker was used to measure 200ml of lemon juice and the beaker is labelled accordingly. The pH of each drink is being measured to determine their acidity level. pH Chart from the journal of dental hygiene is being used as a guideline for my experiment. The diagram below show the various pH levels of frequently consumed foods and drinks below pH 5.0 5.7 which may initiate dental erosion. This step was repeated to measure out the same amount (200ml) of Coke, coffee, 100 Plus, sugar water and tap water. In the experiment, tap water acts as a control. After that, 30 teeth of almost the same size were cleaned and disinfected thoroughly with antiseptic disinfectant. The teeth must be clean and are without plague in order to detect new changes to the mass and contour of the teeth. Then, the teeth were dried with a hair dryer to ascertain that the teeth are totally dry and no residual water detected. This is done to make sure that the result will not be temper ed. The initial mass of each tooth was also weighted and the measurements were recorded. After the measuring processes, each of the teeth was immersed into their respective beakers ranging from beaker A to beaker F, 5 teeth per solution per beaker due to the limited amount of human teeth available. Those teeth must be immersed completely in their respective solution. After that, those 6 beakers were left in the laboratory under standard room temperature and humidity. After a month, every tooth in the 6 beakers was individually checked and the changes which had taken place on the surface of the teeth were observed and documented with each of the tooth mass measured. Then these teeth are re-immersed with fresh drinks (to ensure the potency of these drinks does not decline) for the subsequent month documentation. This process will be carried out at a monthly interval with fresh solution to detect any changes occurring to the mass and contour of the teeth, be it acute or gradual. At the end of the experiment which lasted for 5 months, the teeth were removed from each of the solutions and they were cleaned. After cleaning process, the teeth were dried using a hair dryer until each of them was totally dry. The final mass of each tooth was weighted and all the measurements were recorded as shown in the table below. At last, the data collected, which is the final mass (quantitative data) and the observation on the teeth (qualitative data) were tabulated for analysis. 8 Diagram of the pH level of frequently consumed food and drinks below pH 5.0-5.7 may initiate dental erosion. 5.0 Materials and Procedure 5.1 Materials Materials Quantity Extracted tooth 30 Lemon juice 200ml Coke 200ml Coffee 200ml 100 Plus 200ml Sugar solution 200ml Tap Water 200ml 5.2 Apparatus Apparatus Quantity 200ml beaker 6 Forceps 1 Electronic balance 1 Magnifying glass 1 Hair dryer 1 Microscope 1 5.3 Variables Variables Independent variable Different types of drinks (lemon juice, coke, coffee, 100 plus, sugar water, tap water) Dependent variable Condition of the teeth Constant variable Volume of drinks used Type of teeth used Temperature of the drinks Duration of the experiment Number of teeth used 5.4 Methodology Prepare 6 clean and empty beakers. Label all the 6 beakers with alphabets, ranging from A to F. Beaker A Lemon juice Beaker B Coke Beaker C Coffee Beaker D 100 Plus Beaker E Sugar solution Beaker F Distilled water In the mean time, use a clean 200ml beaker, measure 200ml of lemon juice. Repeat step (3) with coke, coffee, 100 Plus, sugar water and distilled water. The distilled water acts as the control experiment. Then, clean 30 teeth of the same size thoroughly. Make sure that there is no plaque on them. Dry the teeth with a hair dryer. Weight the initial mass of the teeth. Record the measurements. Immerse the each of the teeth into respective beakers. Label the teeth with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for easy recognition. Make sure that the tooth is completely immersed in their respective solution. Leave the 6 beakers in the laboratory with a standard surrounding temperature. After 24 hours, check on the tooth in the 6 beakers and observe the changes which are taken place on the surface of the teeth. Remove the teeth from the solutions and clean them. Dry the teeth with a hair dryer and make sure that they are totally dry. Weight the final mass of the teeth. Record the measurement. Tabulate the data. Data Collection 6.1 Quantitative Data Drinks pH Value Lemon Juice 2.10 Coke 2.30 Coffee 4.95 100 Plus 3.78 Sugar Solution 7.00 Tap Water 7.00 The table shows the pH level of each drink for this study. Type of Drinks pH Value () Month Mass of Teeth/mg () Tooth 1 Tooth 2 Tooth 3 Tooth 4 Tooth 5 Lemon Juice 2.10 1 2.37 2.68 1.80 2.22 1.05 2 2.37 2.67 1.79 2.21 1.04 3 2.35 2.65 1.78 2.20 1.03 4 2.33 2.63 1.75 2.18 1.01 5 2.29 2.60 1.72 2.14 0.98 Coke 2.30 1 1.82 2.33 2.06 1.80 2.46 2 1.81 2.32 2.06 1.80 2.44 3 1.79 2.30 2.04 1.78 2.43 4 1.75 2.28 2.01 1.76 2.41 5 1.75 2.26 1.98 1.74 2.39 Coffee 4.95 1 1.55 1.74 2.34 2.26 1.37 2 1.55 1.73 2.33 2.26 1.36 3 1.54 1.73 2.32 2.25 1.36 4 1.52 1.71 2.31 2.25 1.35 5 1.50 1.69 2.29 2.24 1.33 100 Plus 3.78 1 2.67 2.64 2.75 1.30 2.14 2 2.66 2.63 2.75 1.30 2.12 3 2.64 2.61 2.73 1.28 2.10 4 2.62 2.60 2.71 1.25 2.08 5 2.60 2.58 2.69 1.23 2.06 Sugar Solution 7.00 1 1.37 1.46 2.06 1.47 2.33 2 1.37 1.45 2.04 1.46 2.32 3 1.35 1.45 2.03 1.44 2.30 4 1.34 1.44 2.01 1.43 2.29 5 1.33 1.43 2.00 1.42 2.28 Tap Water 7.00 1 2.65 2.43 2.86 1.43 2.63 2 2.65 2.43 2.86 1.43 2.63 3 2.65 2.43 2.86 1.43 2.62 4 2.64 2.43 2.85 1.43 2.62 5 2.63 2.42 2.84 1.43 2.61 The table shows the mass of the teeth throughout the experiment. 6.2 Qualitative Data Type of Drinks Month Colour Contour Mass Lemon Juice 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish Microscopic flaking and softening of enamel Slight decrease 4 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Coke 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish No change Slight decrease 4 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Coffee 1 No change No change No change 2 Yellowish No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish brown Microscopic flaking and softening of enamel Slight decrease 4 Brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease 100 Plus 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish Microscopic flaking and softening of enamel Slight decrease 4 Yellowish Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Sugar Solution 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change No change 3 Yellowish No change Slight decrease 4 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Tap Water 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change No change 3 No change No change Slight decrease 4 No change No change Slight decrease 5 Yellowish No change Slight decrease The table shows the observations obtained throughout the experiment. 7.0 Data Processing Analysis 7.1 Data Processing 7.1.1 Calculation for the difference in mass of the teeth. Formula: Difference in mass =Mass in month 1- Mass in month 5 Example, The 5th month (lemon juice), tooth 1: Difference = = *Same calculation applied to others. Type of Drinks Difference in mass/mg () Tooth 1 Tooth 2 Tooth 3 Tooth 4 Tooth 5 Lemon Juice 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.07 Coke 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.06 0.07 Coffee 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.04 100 Plus 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.08 Sugar solution 0.04 0.03 0.06 0.05 0.05 Tap water 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.02 The table shows the difference in mass of each tooth throughout the 5 months for each drink. 7.1.2 Calculation for the uncertainties of difference in mass Formula: Uncertainty of the initial mass + uncertainty of the final mass Example, Therefore, difference in mass for tooth 1 in lemon juice: Difference = *Same calculation applied to others. 7.1.3 Calculation for the average difference. Formula: Example, For lemon juice: *Same calculation applied to others. Type of Drinks Average difference in mass/mg Lemon juice 0.08 Coke 0.07 Coffee 0.05 100 Plus 0.07 Sugar solution 0.05 Tap water 0.01 The table shows the average difference in mass of the teeth in each drink. 7.1.4 Calculations for the Standard deviation of the average difference in mass. Due to the complexity of the calculation, the standard deviation is calculated by using the Graphic Display Calculator (GDC). Steps: Press the STAT button. Press the ENTER button. List the data (the average difference in mass of the 5 teeth per solution) in one of the column. Press the STAT button. Press > button so that the CALC image on the screen is highlighted. Press the ENTER button. Beside the 1 Var Stats words on the screen, type the 2ND button and the name of the column that contains the data (name of the column used in step 3). Press the ENTER button. The standard deviation is equal to. The above steps are repeated to calculate the standard deviation for the teeth in the rest of the drinks. Example, For lemon juice, Key in the difference in mass of the 5 teeth in the 1st column. Based on the steps above, the GDC automatically calculated the standard deviation, which is,. *Same calculation applied to others. Type of Drinks Average Difference in Mass/mgStandard Deviation Lemon juice 0.080.004 Coke 0.070.007 Coffee 0.050.007 100 Plus 0.070.008 Sugar Solution 0.050.011 Tap water 0.010.009 The table shows the average difference in mass of the teeth with the standard deviation. 7.1.5 Calculation of the rate of reaction between the teeth and the drinks. Formula: Calculations: Lemon Juice Rate of Reaction = = Coke Rate of Reaction = = Coffee Rate of Reaction = = 100 Plus Rate of Reaction = = Sugar Solution Rate of Reaction = = Tap Water Rate of Reaction = = 7.1.6 Calculation for the standard error of the rate of reaction. Formula: Where, = uncertainty of the mass = rate of reaction Example: Lemon juice Coke Coffee 100 Plus Sugar Solution Tap Water Type of Drinks pH Value Duration of Experiment/ months Average Difference in Mass/ mg Rate of Reaction/ mg/day Lemon juice 2.10 5 0.080.004 Coke 2.30 5 0.070.007 Coffee 4.95 5 0.050.007 100 Plus 3.78 5 0.070.008 Sugar solution 7.00 5 0.050.011 Tap water 7.00 5 0.010.009 The table shows the summary of the calculations in the experiment. 7.2 Data Presentation 7.3 Statistical Analysis 7.3.1 T-test lemon juice and sugar solution. 1st Month: t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means Variable 1 Variable 2 Mean 2.024 1.738 Variance 0.39683 0.18467 Observations 5 5 Pearson Correlation -0.933627334 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0.286 df 4 t Stat 2.38114E-16 P(T 0.5 t Critical one-tail 2.131846786 P(T 1 t Critical two-tail 2.776445105 To do a T-test, I came up with two hypotheses, which are as followed: The difference between the average mass of the teeth in lemon juice and sugar solution for the 1st month is not significant. The difference between the average mass of the teeth in lemon juice and sugar solution for the 1st month is significant. From the result of T-test generated by Microsoft Excel 2010, the value of is and the value of is. Thus, . Therefore, is accepted and is rejected. This means that from the T-test, the difference between the average mass of the teeth in lemon juice and sugar solution for the 1st month is not significant. This is because all the teeth used in this experiment have an average mass initially. 7.3.2 T-test between lemon juice and sugar solution 2nd Month: t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means Variable 1 Variable 2 Mean 2.016 1.728 Variance 0.39858 0.18127 Observations 5 5 Pearson Correlation -0.938299713 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0.288 df 4

Writing For Design :: Personal Narrative Papers

Writing For Design I was born in Salem, Oregon, which is a fantastic place to leave. It’s one of those places that people appreciate more not having ever been there. They may have some vague idea that it’s the capital of the most underrated state in the country, but they are astonished that people actually come from it. Well, we do. Not a lot of writers, though. I think this is the case because to be a writer you can stay where you are, and that contradicts the basic drive of everyone born in Salem. However, before I left, I wrote things for me to say. You see, I shy away from the term â€Å"perform† because, in actuality, it was just me talking for the sake of talking. Which is why my first calling was acting. The first thing I ever wrote was a play about Zorro, with whom I was in the throes of a passionate love affair. It was legitimate, we had been secretly married, after all, but we could not be public about it because of his persona as a romantic super hero. It would have been devastating to his following, you understand. Like a Backstreet Boy. I talked the story out to my babysitter and she transcribed it for me. Every line was mine, every plot twist was mine, including the show stopper where Zorro discovers that the masked man stealing the pies off the window sill is in fact – shock – the obese sheriff. A little bit Scooby Doo, a little bit Bernstein Bears and Brother’s Problem With Kleptomania. I wish I could say that I had some cool Hawking-esque paralysis that prevented me from writing it myself, but the truth is I just couldn’t write. I was three and a half. Later, after my parents seemed utterly bored with Zorro and the Missing Pies after only three hundred performances, I began writing on my own. What, one might ask? Well, I am an only child†¦ I invented siblings. There were four of them: two older, two younger, two boys, two girls. With me in the middle. I like balance and symmetry. We were like the Box Car Child ren or those orphans in Homecoming, but with really cool, undead parents. In addition to my chronicle-writing duties, I had to take care of these characters I had created. I made them soup when they were sick.

Ten Little Indians

Fritz Perls once said â€Å"I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine. † In the short story The Search Engine, by Sherman Alexie, the Native American culture is trying to live up to the expectations of the white world. The main character Corliss, a Spokane Indian, is expected to do well in college so she can move back to the reservation to help her tribe. There is also a cultural difference between our world and that of the Spokane when it comes to the roles of gender.Corliss is a very bright individual who has plans beyond the Spokane reservation. When Corliss was younger she was ridiculed for her love of reading. Even though her passion for reading is part of the reason she was able to attend college, the men in her tribe still disagree with reading about nineteenth century white people. Despite the disagreements they are all very proud that she is pursuing a higher education. Corliss’s parents boast about how Corliss will one day come back to fix everything that is wrong with the tribe.In reality they are ignorant to Corliss’s real dreams and ambitions. Gender roles can be defined as the behaviors and attitudes expected of male and female members of a society by that society. In the Spokane tribe the women made more money and held better jobs than the men. In our society, even with more equality for women today, men earn a substantial amount more than women do. For the Spokane men to just sit around and brag about their spouses’ accomplishments seems unreal to our culture.Native American culture is very different from that of American culture. Rather than the Spokane tribesmen trying to better the tribe themselves, they are counting on Corliss to graduate law school and fix the problems of the tribe. The men of the tribe are not fully applying themselves to employment, the tribe, or each other. The values, goals, and practices of the Spokane tribe make their culture foreign to the average American.

Emma Watson and bell hooks Discuss Feminism

Emma Watson and bell hooks Discuss Feminism If you imagine who British actor Emma Watson is hanging out with on any given day, feminist icon bell hooks probably doesnt come to mine. But it turns out that Watson, the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, and hooks, a leading feminist theorist and cultural critic, have mutual girl crushes on each other. Watson began reading hookss work after her appointment to the UN, and hooks is a fan of Emmas for her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the  Harry Potter  film series. Paper Magazine got them together to talk about their crushes and the essence of thema shared passion for feminism. These are the most insightful and inspiring takeaways from it. The Struggle to be Cool Watson and hooks reflected on how girls and women often struggle to actualize their authentic, empowered selves because of internalized expectations of who we are supposed to be and how we are supposed to act. Watson recounted how when she first began playing Hermione Granger, she felt pressure to distance herself from the character while giving interviews out of a fear that it was not cool for girls to behave like Hermione. She remembers asking herself, What do young girls talk about? What do they say?, and coming up with, I like going shopping and I have a crush on Brad Pitt, even though what she really liked at that time was school, and had no idea who Brad Pitt was.   This story resonated with hooks as an example of how girls go through periods of trying on acceptable images of femininity, which serves to illustrate that as a society, we need to broaden and diversify those acceptable images so that girls and women can feel comfortable being who they really are. The Importance of Self-Love and Not Trying to Please Everybody When hooks asked Watson what power means to her in the context of feminism, Watson explained that what has been most empowering for her as she has studied feminism through reading is how it has enabled her to let go of self-criticism, and instead, to practice self-love. hooks added that, especially in the digital age, when people can so easily take your words and actions out of context and vilify you for them, it is important for women and girls to get over any kind of attachment to perfectionism, or to being liked by everybody all the time, or understood by everybody all the time. Girls and women, far more than boys and men, are socialized to please others, and it is truly hard to shake off this expectation, but the truth is, it is not our job to make everyone happy and like us. And this is truly a liberating realization. Feminists Can Be and Are Fun and Funny! Both Watson and hooks acknowledge that feminism gets a bad rap because of stereotypes of feminists as humorless killjoys, and this is a serious problem for the movement. In contrast, Watson explained that part of what she loves about hooks is how funny she is when she speaks about feminism. hooks then pointed out, Humor is essential to working with difficult subjects: race, gender, class, sexuality. If you cant laugh at yourself and be with others in laughter, you really cannot create meaningful social change. Feminists Must Be Allowed to Be Whole, Complex, and Balanced People Related to the fact that feminists can be and are funny,  hooks discussed the larger problem of women not being represented as whole and complex people as they age. Instead, in popular culture and in the popular imaginary, they lose their sexuality, their empowerment, and the essence of what makes them cool- something that hooks fears happened to Hermione in the film version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. hooks admitted that as she has aged, she has felt constrained by expectations that she must be the activist version of herself at all times, but that there is more to who she is than the person who fights racism and sexism. She explained that she is genuinely interested in fashion and beauty too, and she counseled Watson to keep fun and leisure in her new life of activism, saying, Everyone needs to have a balanced life. Being balanced is crucial, because it helps us not to over-extend or to try to live up to other peoples expectations in ways that leave you feeling empty . Feminism is Listening and Learning hooks applauded Watson for working hard to learn about feminism and issues that affect women and girls by reading widely and by engaging broadly with a diverse group of people. Watson said of taking a year off from acting, I want to do a lot of listening, which is an important aspect of the feminist worldview and practice: listening to others and learning from them. We Must Bravely Breach Boundaries The meetings- theyve had a few now- and conversations between Watson and hooks have crossed boundaries of age, race, class, nationality, profession, and that between academia and the public sphere. This kind of meeting and talking across boundaries, with respect for difference and an interest in learning from it, is crucial to the liberatory work of feminism. Of their newfound bond and shared commitment to feminism, hooks remarked, I feel like part of creating a world that is just and diverse is pushing against those boundaries that close us off from one another. Im glad that Im not closed off from you, and that were going to have more fun conversations in the days ahead. Anyone who fancies themselves a feminist, or a person committed to equality for all, can learn a lot from these two.

Education in the 1800s essays

Education in the 1800s essays Education had an emphasis on many different aspects during the time prior to the Civil War. There was a certain irony that set the mode of this time making things that were said irrelevant to the actions that were taken. The paradoxes of education in Pre civil war America, are evidenced in subject matter, gender, class and race, as well as purpose. American education developed from European intellectual traditions and institutions transplanted to the new world and modified by contact among different colonial groups and between new settlers and indigenous peoples. The English majority had the most influence on education. In New England, also including the 13 colonies, the English language, laws, and customs had become the complete basis in colonial educational practice. (Cremin313). Education for Americans had been a problem ever since its beginning. Many people agreed with James Madison that All people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. Many people felt that school was good and necessary, but were concerned about the cost. (Wright, Fowler 187). English Protestantism became the leading aspect for colonial education aspirations. Piety combined with devotion to vocation became the aim of education for the individual, and social perfectionism combined with an aggressive evangelism became the aim of education for the community. (Cremin 313-314). The necessity of being able to read the bible was one of the great motivations for schooling among protestant people. The key to salvation, Protestants believed, was to be found in the individuals reading of the scriptures, and in order to do this, everyone had to have enough knowledge to read the bible. (Wright 133-134) Family, above all, was the most important institution in both socialization and education. Families of the new world had a great organization in relationships in education and scriptural readings. Fathers ...

Budgettting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Budgettting - Assignment Example That is; the key members involved in the project did estimate the costs related to materials, equipments, utilities, and resources needed to perform the required to complete the Germantown tree planting activity. The cost estimates of this project was done basing on a vendor bid analysis, where the receptive bids from skilled and qualified vendors provided the baseline cost estimate for every particular component integrated with the budget. Nevertheless, these costs estimate will be refined during the course of the project to include any additional details as it becomes available. The direct costs include the costs that are related to the project. These costs include cost incurred while buying tree seedling, supplies such as fertilizers and planting shovels. These costs account to more than a half of the budget spending. Indirect costs include costs that enable successful completion of the project. For instance, the personnel will require utilities such as water during the event. The tree planting exercise will call upon the outsiders and they will be given refreshments hence adding to the cost of the project. The cost associated with the promotion and advertising will be indirect costs to the project. In the variable costs changes with the level of activity being undertaken, one of the variable costs is the cost of the personnel. The more personnel turn for the activity, the higher the costs that will be incurred during the event. Similarly, the more the costs of food will tend to be higher hence making the cost of the budget to be higher. In such a program, the theme touches on a global phenomenal: Climate change. If the organization applied for grants, the application has a higher chance of being successful. Some of the organization that provides likelihood for sponsoring the project includes, United Nations Environmental Program, World Forest Service, Food and Agriculture

Gender identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Gender identity - Essay Example According to Devor, in all social categories, gender is the most transparent. The acquisition of gender roles come early in life making it hard to relate them to lessons taught and learned. He states that gender has nothing to do with socialization but, everything to do with nature. He further suggests that our ideas of being male or female are socially related. He clearly states that gender identity is a lifelong process. A story of my body: By Judith Ortiz Cofer. Cofer believes that the body plays a major role in different cultures and contexts. She goes on to reflect on how different societies have interpreted her appearances. To an extent, the story of her life is intertwined in this story. Her story brings out interesting comments on cross-cultural perception and gender. The thesis of this paper is generalized as gender identity. It tries to establish what comprises and defines gender identity. The two authors mentioned above have different perceptions about gender identity but all come to social factors. For instance, according to Devor, gender is determined by the roles one plays while on the other hand, Cofer perceives gender identity to be determined by the cultural standards. All these converge to the society which means that gender is identified by interacting with the society. Devor on Gender identity and generalized and significant others The generalized others acts as a kind of measuring or monitoring device through which people in a society judge their actions in reference to the generalized conceptions on how society members are expected to carry out their actions. In that way, individuals monitor their behavior in reference to what the society considers to be right or wrong. Therefore, these people have standards that censor their behaviors which may be either approved or disapproved by the society. Hence, the tension gives rise to the definition of self (Devor, pp 6) Although all others do play a significant figure in people’s lives, an d not everyone is of equal effect on self-development. Any individual is entitled to be part and parcel of the generalized others, but some people, by the sense of time volume spent in interacting with someone, or through particular interactions, would be more vital in the shaping of individuals’ values. The significant others are more influential in the creation of an individual’s self-image, goals, and one’s ideals. In that way, they weigh disproportionately on an individual’s generalized other. Hence, the individualistic impulses of children are outlined into a form that is socially acceptable by specific people and general pressure to adaption exerted by society members. Gender identity is, therefore, a focal point in the development of self-sense (Devor, pp 6) Cofer on generalized and significant others In contrary to Devor’s opinion on generalized others and its effect on one’s gender identity, Cofer argues in a completely different wa y. Coffer perceives one’s identity to be influenced by various aspects the body by different communities. He argues that different communities in their cultures define gender identity differently. For instance, Coffer, while she was in America skin color, had a diverse opinion depending on where one was. The Italian (butcher) at the supermarket discriminated her as she was darker compared to them while on the other hand, the Latinos considered her to be colored.