Our Societys Indifference to Violence Essay Example for Free

Our Societys Indifference to Violence Essay Last year, while sitting in my car with a friend at the beach, I witnessed a terrible situation in which almost no one helped the woman in trouble. Although I was scared, it never occurred to me to not offer my assistance. Looking back at the situation now, I cant help but wonder if I wasnt there how differently the night may have turned out for an innocent girl. This one night, changed my life and probably saved hers. On this night, we sat in the car talking about the days events and enjoyed the calmness of the ocean and the peacefulness of the night. Although it was already dark, many other cars lined the boardwalk and several people were sitting out watching the waves crash on the nearby beach. For a late evening, the beach was unusually busy. We sat and talked for few minutes before noticing a commotion off in the distance. At first, it appeared to be a prank, or a fight. Initially I didnt think it was serious and went back to enjoying the sound of the waves and the company of my friend. Soon, the distraction appeared to take on a more desperate tone, so I focused ahead on what was happening. In the distance I could see a young woman frantically running from vehicle to vehicle. I had no idea what was going on, and although I wanted to ignore it, something told me not to. I strained my eyes to see what she was doing, and to my surprise no one else seemed to notice how frantic she was. As she ran around, shouting and what looked like crying, people walked away, rolled up their windows and ignored her. She was making her way down the line of parked cars in a hurried fashion, but I still had no idea how severe the situation was. In no time, she was standing at the drivers side window screaming. Her words were difficult to make out and my first thought was that she was drunk or on drugs. I quickly dismissed this idea when I noticed her shirt. It was covered, in what appeared to be blood. She was crying, and talking so fast I couldnt make out what she was saying. What was clear was that she was asking, in fact, begging for help. We quickly told her to get into the backseat, away from the danger that had caused her this horrible reaction. She was trembling, and bleeding and crying. We did our best to comfort her and quickly called 911 from our cell phone. Luckily the police were nearby and responded very quickly. As we sat, and waited for the police to question us, we couldnt help but wonder why no one had helped her. She had asked at least ten people for help, and all of them had ignored her. The situation was obviously dire and had we not called the police immediately whos to say what would have happened to her. We waited for what seemed like an eternity until finally the police explained the situation. It seemed the girl was making her way back to the road from the beach when a man jumped out from behind the bushes and attacked her. She had been stabbed, but managed to get away before he was able to do more harm to her. Unfortunately, the unidentified man was also able to get away. After being attacked, and stabbed, she ran for help. She was obviously hurt and bleeding but no one, except us, helped her. She was quickly whisked away in an ambulance and the police assured us that her wound was minor and she would be okay. We sat for at least another hour as the helicopters, police and search dogs looked for the assailant. We learned later, on the news that the man was never found. It was so disturbing to see someone in obvious need asking for help and everyone turning their back to her. It was as if they couldnt be bothered, or they thought she was joking. So many people were so quick to dismiss it as not serious just to justify their time of peace that it nearly cost someone their life. I would like to think that if the people who did not help, knew that the girl was injured they would have offered to help, but I am not sure. They were all so quick to make a judgment about the situation and assume that it was serious that this girl, who had just been stabbed, couldnt convince them that she was hurt. Our culture is becoming one of not only increasing violence, but one of desensitization to that violence. Had we not been there to help, I cant help but wonder if anyone would have thought to call the police, or an ambulance, or offer even basic comfort to someone in obvious need. The people that did not help that night were completely indifferent to her and were more considered with their own enjoyment that they failed to help a young girl in need. In so doing, their lack of assistance may have provided the attacker the time needed to get away. In this case, indifference led to injustice for not only this one girl, but to everyone else this man may have attacked in months and years to come. Well never know just how many people this lack of compassion affected. Our society has become numb to violence and that numbness has not only caused an increase of violent acts it has caused a greater degree of indifference for the victims of horrible crimes like the one I witnessed. The people on the beach that night justified their lack of action by saying they thought she was acting, or drunk. Sadly, it should never have mattered why she was screaming, bleeding and asking for help. Help should have been offered without question and without prejudice. If we dont change this behavior, as a society, violence and indifference will only continue to grow as it has for the past several decades.

Franco Zefferellis Romeo and Juliet and Baz Luhrmanns Romeo and Julie

The astounding perils of young love has been eloquently captured in the story of Romeo and Juliet. Franco Zefferelli and Baz Luhrmann are the creators of the two most renowned film adaptations of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Zefferelli, the more traditional director, created his Oscar winning version in 1968. Baz Luhrmann put an abstract, modern twist on Shakespeare's classic and created the 1996 version that raised millions of dollars in box office sales. Being that these two films are so different, I have chosen to compare them to one another, using the famed balcony scene as my focus. In the Franco Zefferelli adaptation, proceeding the extravagant Capulet party, Romeo walks down a dark stone path alone with his very boisterous friends trailing closely behind him. They sound drunken and unruly so Romeo seeks refuge from them by climbing rocks into a nearby forest. He pauses in the darkness to listen to his confidants joke about how fantastic a lover Romeo is, and he smiles in amusement at the contents of their commotion. Traveling deeper into the foliage, Romeo sees the light pouring from Juliet's window and continues towards it in curiosity. He walks slowly in the darkness until he clearly sees the illuminated palace in which Juliet resides, finding his love leaning on the balcony wall. Juliet wear a white gown which makes her appear very angelic and virginal. Her hair is soft, her eyes sparkle, and her innocence is undeniable. Romeo moves slowly and quietly through the bushes trying to get a better look at her, and, doubting his presence there at that time, he pa uses and leans his head against a tree, trying to remain anonymous. Juliet rests her cheek in her hand as the moon shines down on her young face a... ...ndured, yet I'm sure that few have viewed both of these phenomenal films. Each director, in their own right, is a creative genius. They pushed themselves to create the best interpretation of Romeo and Juliet that they knew how, not knowing what Shakespeare's true directorial intentions were. Whether life is seen through a traditional viewpoint or a contemporary viewpoint, Shakespeare will always remain Shakespeare--a creative genius in the truest sense of the word. If Shakespeare himself were given the opportunity to view Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zefferelli's interpretations of his play, I believe he would be proud. Works Cited Herndon, L. (1997). 1968's Romeo and Juliet [internet] Location: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/9521/rj1968.html Luhrmann, B. (1996). William Shakespeare's Romeo+Juliet [Film] Zefferelli, F. (1968). Romeo and Juliet [Film]

Independent Learning Essay

Why it is important that I understand what independent learning is? Independent learning is a learning method that can be used as a tool by students to help achieve their final goal. It is important for students to understand what independent learning is particularly when planning on pursuing higher education as they will be expected to use their own initiatives while learning a wide range of materials. However, while this essay is to argue the importance of independent learning, it is also important to note that working and sharing learning methods with and from peers also contributes to success. Independent learning can also be described as a method where students acquire a wide range of knowledge. Factors that contribute to this can be self-motivation, keen interest in specific subjects and ability to recognise the importance of success in life. This type of learning could also give students a chance to self-discover themselves and their individual needs as well as their potential s, strengths and weaknesses. Self-discovery is important in a student life specially while attending higher education as it will put things in perspective for the student and helps to set objectives towards improvements that need to be made. The idea of Independent learning should be encouraged more in schools as it could potentially save teachers time as well as give students flexible and more time to catch up on other work activities. In contrast, Independent learning shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a student just working in his/her own at all times (The Higher education academy, 2013). It should be made possible where a situation of group learning is put in place while at the same time individual goals can be reached independently by the students. Typically this way of learning can help students develop a trustful relationship with their mentor. It could also be a way to let the instructor know that his/her student is able to follow the agreed guidance or the type of help the student may require. This is also a complementary way for students to learn how to conduct a research on a specific topic and present their outcome. As a result, students can gain more depth of knowledge in the area of their interest as well as improve in their written and communication skills. Independent learning is also important in developing as well as improving organizational skills. As students are able to self-direct themselves while learning, they should also be able to plot their own path and value their own work in order to compare  themselves to their peers that are on the same level as them (Michie, 2013). Independent learning could also be seen as a way of preparing in advance for lectures or seminars. This as a result could benefit students. For example, it will allow them to focus on any extra or new materials that are covered in sessions as well as gives them the opportunity to ask questions on what they may not be clear about. Some students may argue that Independent learning don†™t work for them. However, it is up to their teachers or mentors to set some guidance to help students understand the importance. Teachers must be able to meet their students half way. It is important to look into their students’ needs and expectation. They should also allow students to perhaps have a trial session of independent study before expecting them to make a direct transition (The Higher education academy, 2013). Developing the habit of Independent learning early on is vital and becomes handy post-higher education. Many employers like to be assured that potential candidates are able to take their own initiatives in completing tasks and confident in working individually without much supervision. From personal experience, I found that Independent learning has been a great tool towards self-discovery and furthermore helped me challenge myself and continue to do so in day to day life; it gave me self-confidence because I found independent learning as a way and guide that puts new experienc e and learning materials into a more transparent setting. It is fair to say that the obvious life skills such as reading, listening, speaking, viewing and presenting are possible to achieve through Independent learning. However it is also possible to gain other personal skills that we could benefit from on day-to-day basis. For instance our social skills, thinking skills and information presenting skills that are vital in our world today. Most of us are able to use our social skills in order to work with others and contribute to our communities in a positive ways. Valuing the way we think is also very important to help us gain understanding and making good judgment and decisions in life. Finally, as an Independent learner it is easily discovered that information skills gained help us in various ways such as the ability to recognise information when needed, ability to ask relevant questions as well as reflect and evaluate our own learning skills. Independent learning simply deduced is learning that is self-directed. In most higher education institutions particularly at university, independent  learning is presumed to be the driving force behind the teaching-learning process (Moore, 1973, pp. 661–679). Students would be expected to dedicate more time studying on their own to get the most out of their learning experience. Furthermore, exemplifying this belief is the growth and success of institutions solely based on independent learning such as the Open University and other distance learning institutions. Thus it is very important to understand and consider this type of approach towards learning when pursuing higher education. Independent learning is also a great option for adult students who may find it difficult to go back to higher education. In today’s world where online courses are available to suite their flexibility and level makes it easier for them to achieve their goal in their own pace (Ictnz.com, 2013). Independent learning is not just limited to pre-lecture preparations or simply being ahead of one’s peers. Learning via this method could potentially help achieve greater academic and social as well as personal successes. These achievements could be in the forms of new research findings or just improving our personal skills while pursuing our passions at a greater level. Reference Ictnz.com. 2013. What are the sklls of an independent learner? [Online] Available at: http://ictnz.com/Inquiry%20Learning/independent%20learning%20skills.htm [Accessed: 25 Sep 2013]. Michie, J. 2013. What is Independent Learning? [Online] Available at: http://jamesmichie.com/blog/2011/10/what-is-independent-learning/ [Accessed: 24 Sep 2013]. Moore, M. 1973. Toward a theory of independent learning and teaching. The Journal of Higher Education, pp. 661–679. The Higher education academy. 2013. Untitled. [Online] Available at: (http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/internationalisation/isl_independent_learning [Accessed: 26 Sep 2013].

Brittle Stars and Basket Stars

Theres no question as to how these creatures got their common names brittle stars and basket stars. Brittle stars have very fragile-looking, worm-like arms and basket stars have a series of branching arms resembling a basket. Both are echinoderms that belong to the Class Ophiuroidea, which contains thousands of species. Due to this classification, these animals are sometimes referred to as ophiuroids. The mouthful of a name Ophiuroidea comes from the Greek words ophis for snake and oura, meaning  tail - words that presumably refer to the animals snake-like arms. There are thought to be over 2,000 species of Ophiuroids.   A brittle star was the first deep-sea animal to be discovered. This occurred in 1818  when Sir John Ross dredged up a brittle star from Baffin Bay off Greenland.   Description These marine invertebrates are not true sea stars, but have a similar body plan, with 5 or more arms arranged around a central disc. The central disk of brittle stars and basket stars is very obvious, since the arms attach to the disc, rather than joining to each other at the base like they do in true sea stars. Brittle stars usually have 5, but may have up to 10 arms.   Basket stars have 5 arms that branch into many slender, highly mobile arms. The arms are covered with calcite plates or thick skin. The central disk of brittle stars and basket stars is usually relatively small, under one inch, and the whole organism itself may be under an inch in size. The arms of some species can be quite long, though, with some basket stars measuring over 3 feet across when their arms are extended. These very flexible animals can curl themselves into a tight ball when they are threatened or disturbed. The mouth is located on the animals underside (oral side).   These animals have a relatively simple digestive system that is made up of a short esophagus and a sac-like stomach.   Ophiuroids do not have an anus, so waste is eliminated through their mouth. Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Echinodermata Class: Ophiuroidea Feeding Depending on the species, basket stars and brittle stars may be predators, actively feeding on small organisms, or may filter-feed by filtering organisms from the ocean water. They may feed on detritus and small oceanic organisms such as plankton and small mollusks. To move around, ophiuroids wriggle using their arms, rather than using the controlled movement of tube feet like true sea stars. Although ophiuroids have tube feet, the feet dont have suction cups. They are used more for smelling or sticking to small prey, than for locomotion.   Reproduction In most ophiuroid species, animals are separate sexes, although some species are hermaphroditic.   Brittle stars and basket stars reproduce sexually, by releasing eggs and sperm into the water, or asexually, through division and regeneration. A brittle star may purposely release an arm if it is being threatened by a predator - as long as a portion of the brittle stars central disc remains, it can regenerate a new arm fairly quickly. The stars gonads are located in the central disk in most species, but in some, they are located near the base of the arms.   Habitat and Distribution Ophiuroids occupy a wide range of habitats, from shallow  tide pools  to the  deep sea.  Many ophiuroids live on the ocean bottom or buried in mud. They may also live in crevices and holes or on host species such as corals, sea urchins, crinoids, sponges or even jellyfish. They are even found at hydrothermal vents.   Wherever they are, there are usually a lot of them, as they can live in dense concentrations.   They can be found in most oceans, even in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.   However, in terms of numbers of species, the Indo-Pacific region has the highest, with over 800 species. The Western Atlantic was second-highest, with over 300 species.   References and Further Information: Dubinsky, Z. and N. Stambler. 2010. Coral Reefs: An Ecosystem in Transition. Springer Science Business Media. 552pp.Mah, C. 2009.   The Basics: How to Tell Sea Stars (Asteroids) from Brittle Stars (Ophiuroids).   The Echinoblog. Accessed April 28, 2016.Paterson, G.L.J. 1985. The deep-sea Ophiuroidea of the North Atlantic Ocean. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 49(1): 1-162.Stà ¶hr, S., O’Hara, T. Thuy, B. (Eds) 2016.  World Ophiuroidea Database. Accessed April 26, 2016.Stà ¶hr, S, OHara T.D.,, Thuy, B. 2012. Global Diversity of Brittle Stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea). PLoS ONE 7(3): e31940. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031940University of California Museum of Paleontology.   Introduction to the Ophiuroidea. Accessed April 28, 2016.