The Life of Andrea Pia Yates free essay sample

She was consequently committed by the court to the North Texas State Hospital, Typically, a woman has a believably tragic story to go along with her deed, although some like Mary Beth Tinning, Susan Smith, and Marie Noe turned out to have killed for reasons other than their initial excuses. Thus, excuses become suspicious. And sometimes an act is so overwhelming that no mental condition seems to count as a reasonable explanation. However, although juries tend to punish the killing of strangers harshly, they often are more lenient with mothers as it is evident in this particular case. It appears that juries have a difficult time in America sending a mother to lethal injection or the electric chair. While postpartum depression occurs in up to twenty percent of women who have children, psychotic manifestations are much rarer, and thus much less understood. Only one in five hundred births result in the mothers postpartum psychosis, says forensic psychiatrist Michael Welner (Ramsland). We will write a custom essay sample on The Life of Andrea Pia Yates or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A psychiatric examination was ordered for Andrea. The psychiatrist asked Andrea what she thought would happen to the children now. She indicated that she believed God would take them up. Â   He reversed the question and asked what might have happened if she had not taken their lives. Andrea said, I guess they would have continued stumbling, which meant, They would have gone to hell. The doctors testifying for Yates made the claim. She did what she thought was right in the world she perceived through her psychotic eyes at the time, said psychiatrist Phillip Resnick. In other words, even if she seemed to understand the difference between right and wrong, she did not know what she was doing (Ramsland). Although the prosecutors did not dispute the fact that Yates was mentally ill, they did argue that she knew her actions were wrong. How these two sides lined up on different poles of interpretation illustrates the great divide between the concepts of mental illness and legal insanity in the U. S. This case made it clear that its time for courts to better address the gap. Yates defense team proved her history of delusional depression, use of anti-psychotic drugs, and suicide attempts, and theres documentation that postpartum mood swings can sometimes evoke psychosis. Yet no matter how many doctors testified to Yates mental decline, the legal issue hinged on only her mental state at the time of the offense. As Yates drowned her children one by one, even chasing down the seven-year-old to drag him to the tub, did she really have any awareness that what she was doing was wrong? In her cell when Yates was interviewed by one of the rebuttal psychiatrist, Andrea admitted that it had been a bad decision to kill the children, and said, I shouldnt have done it. Â   She thought the devil had left after she committed the crime. He destroys and then leaves. Since she was claiming that she did indeed know that it was wrong, the attorneys needed experts who could prove that her manner of processing this information was in itself rooted in psychosis. Not only did they have to meet one of the most restrictive standards in the country for insanity, they had to educate the jury in ideas about mental illness that were rife among the public with stereotypes and m isperception and to help them get beyond the literal interpretation of right and wrong. During Yates trial, psychiatrist Park Dietz who was never Yates psychiatrist testified that she was not mentally ill, but had cleverly patterned her childrens killings after an episode of Law and Order, where a woman drowned her children but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. There was just one problem with Dietz testimony: Law and Order had never filmed a storyline even vaguely like the episode Dietz described. On the basis of Dietz misleading testimony, Yates was granted a re-trial in 2006. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and transferred from prison (where she had spent four years) to a state mental hospital for treatment. Betsy Schwartz, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston, said the verdict brought justice to a woman whose severe mental illness was never in question. Dietz, the psychiatrist who said his false testimony was an honest mistake, was never indicted for perjury (Ramsland). Conclusively, it is evident that Andrea’s mental illness journey began shortly after the birth of her first born child. Andrea began to have violent visions: she saw someone being stabbed. She thought she heard Satan speak to her. However, she and her husband had idealistic, Bible-inspired notions about family and motherhood, so she kept her tormenting secrets to herself. She didnt realize how much mental illness there was in her own family, from depression to bipolar disorder—which can contribute to postpartum psychosis.

Chocolate essays

Chocolate essays If we were all to rebel against what weve always known to be accepted, if we were to completely ignore the teachings of our elders and do the things weve been taught to be evil and sinister, what would happen? This situation is what occurs in a small and tranquil French town in the movie Chocolat. This was a town which had its own rituals, its own ways of dealing with conflicts, and its own way of dealing with other people. This was the only way the people of this town had ever known to live their lives. So you can imagine the spectacle that arose when an outsider named Vien, and her daughter Anouk, moved themselves into this quiet little town, and turned it upside down. Vien shows this tranquil town something theyve never seen, nor wanted to see before. She shows them the powers of chocolate. The way in which Vien goes about bringing this sin into the lives of the townspeople is what makes separates this movie from the usual blockbusters of today that feel like they require s ex, drugs, and violence in order to create a good film. Chocolat is a classic example of how rebellious acts should be done and how rebellious people should handle adversity. Almost every blockbuster hit that is seen advertised today has some type of violence, bad language, or sexual scenes. Im not saying I dont like some of these movies, but they always manage to overshadow the quality films, like Chocolat, that actually send a productive message to its audience. Although this film makes a big deal out of something as little as chocolate, the point behind it all is that something different, something rebellious is being presented into a world of normality and repetitiveness. Lets focus for a moment on the popular movies today that are scene as the rebellious type, and compare them to Chocolat. ...

Advantages Of Bathtub Refinishing

Advantages Of Bathtub Refinishing There are so many ways that we can refurnish our bathtub, as it’s good for our health and our potency. First, it has a lower price than reinstatement. If you would like to buy an entire new bath, it will not only be the acquisition price. You need to think about the cost of the plumber and the restoration of the encompassing environment which requires all the costly, shiny, expensive components. Imagine if you asked someone to design your bathroom, and there is not only designing costs, you will need to pay the plumber as well as the material costs! It might not be a wise choice to dump it so much money to build a new tub when you have other costs to adhere to, furthermore, you should just refurnish it so that it looks brand new and your whole family can enjoy your glamorous new tub! Furthermore, it saves time. The refurbished look can last up to 10 years, if done properly. One might feel the temptation to save money and just take up the whole project by doing it all be yourself. A finishing kit can be obtained in the grocery or hardware shop. If you’re not ready for this, don’t do it, as it requires a lot of preparatory work. The chemical used for refurbishing your bathroom smells and could be detrimental to your health. If you’re not ready for the job, don’t do it. Reconsider your options and use a respirator mask and make sure the room is properly ventilated. Next, you can give new life to your bathroom. There is no need to let dirty fixtures damage your bathroom. You can fix the sink and make it shiny like brand new! If your refurbish your sink and bathtub, you will be able to make your bathroom beautiful again. Once you get a new renovation for your bathroom essentials, it will generally look like a brand new bathroom again! Your whole family will be happy to enjoy sleeping in a bathtub full of roses! It also looks good when your neighbors or family members and friends pop in to visit your place and decided to take a piss. They will definitely be pleasantly surprised at your newly refurbished bathroom. Moreover, it saves time to refurbish your bathtub. It is rather conducive as it only takes you about two days to turn your bathroom looks into a new one. It would definitely be a plus point than replacing your whole bathroom into a new one, as the plumbing costs and the designing costs are also takes a lot of time and you may need to refurbish more than one bathroom. It will take a lot of time if you want to turn every one of your bathroom into a new one. Technically, it will definitely be a hassle if you had to prepare the designs of all the bathrooms in your house! It takes time to talk to discuss with the contractors as well! Lastly, you don’t have to hire a constructor or a plumber to get the job done. The technician can just use chemical cleaner or an industrial spray to apply the top coating of the bathroom and get a whole new look on the primary surface. The chemical smell will disappear in a day, and you’re done! After looking at all the benefits of refurnishing your bathroom, would you rather refurnish it or obtain a new one? Do some research and do not make lofty decisions! Always remember that there is a second option and always make sure that you weigh options before making the final decision.

The Positive Benefits and Negative Drawbacks of the Dawn of the Facebo Assignment

The Positive Benefits and Negative Drawbacks of the Dawn of the Facebook and Twitter Era - Assignment Example As such, this brief analysis will make a short inventory of but a few of the most relevant positive and negative attributes that these forms of social networking engender. There has doubtless been an overall decrease in actual inter-personal networking skills as people are more and more prone to spending massive amounts of time online; interfacing with virtual friends, playing mindless and time wasting games, reading trivial newsfeeds that detail in exhaustive form the mundane daily activities of multiple friends etc. In this way, rather than spending the evening going for a walk, eating at a cafà ©, or engaging in some form of physical activity, social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook have become the new and enhanced version of what the TV was to the generation before ours. Furthermore, the introduction of advanced mobile phone technology has greatly enhanced the ability of individuals to use these forms of social media sites at all times and in all places. Tangentially, sites such as Facebook and Twitter are closing individuals to many real-world experiences they might otherwise have if they would simply shut down the computer and step outside to interact with real people in the real world. One cannot count the number of people during lunch, while on the bus, in a metro, on vacation etc that have their eyes downcast on their mobile device while the entire world seems to pass them by. This, therefore, comes full circle from a mere time wasting issue to one of sheer and total addiction. There exist support groups and books as well as counsellors that work to help individuals with varying degrees of social networking addiction, dependence, and separation anxiety. The fact that groups that support people in letting go of their addiction in the same ways that AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) does are but part and parcel of the problem that is social networking.  Ã‚  

Masculnity, Consuerism & Death Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Masculnity, Consuerism & Death - Essay Example With the continual threat to the position of Men in the society men are increasingly being forced to reassert their masculinity through violence and this only results in more tension in the society. According to the film fight club, the modern man is feeling that his masculinity is at risk and his dominant role as the stronger sex is also waning. There are several instances in the movie where men are employed to serve other men and women in higher positions of power. Most of the men holding such jobs as waiters are increasingly developing a feeling that their sense of masculinity is under attack and have consequently come together under the fight club to fight and regain their lost position in the society (Connell, 15). All these clearly indicate how far some men may be ready to go in their bid to regain their masculinity and lost glory in the contemporary society. For example Jack is evidently dissatisfied by both his job and the vents taking place in his life. In his attempts to fi ght the resulting depression Jack fills his life with a number consumer goods most of which he considers to be meaningless. It is only after meeting Tyler Durden who also shared the same view that Jack was able to reflect on his masculinity. After listening to Tyler, Jack realizes that he is a slave of the â€Å"white collar† and they both attempt to free themselves from the ills of the current consumer culture by forming the fight club. This paper critically analyses the movie Fight club to highlight some of the relationships between masculinity, consumerism and death. Relationship between consumerism, Masculinity and Death One important character that has been effectively used in the movie to highlight the conflict between the current consumer culture and masculinity is the character â€Å"Jack†. In the movie, Fight club, Jack is depicted as a cynical young man who has significantly been affected by the adverse effects capitalism and consumerism in our contemporary s ociety. Being a white heterosexual male who often associate themselves with power, Jack is frustrated and subdued by his waning sense of masculinity and has grown violent and aggressive. On the other hand, the connection between these frustrations and death has been depicted in the movie in many forms. For example, frustrations of the male members of the society have often been associated with literal deaths resulting from suicides, homicides and murders. Additionally death can also be in figurative forms such as the death of masculinity, economic death as well as the loss of happiness among the affected members of the society Our ideas of masculinity are usually shaped by the media, movies, literature as well as the society. As a result of such influences, men often grow with the full knowledge of what is expected of them in the society. For instance men are expected to be tough, confident successful, self reliant and aggressive. On the other hand, the society has also conditioned men to believe that certain behaviors, jobs or responsibilities are not masculine in nature. Generally men are not expected to serve as waiters, cooks and other positions considered low in the society. With the changing roles brought about by the effects of corporate capitalism, feminism and the current consumer culture, masculinity is facing a slow death as our society is gradually being feminized by the shifting gender roles. In the movie â€Å"fight club† Jack and Tayler are depicted as having gone to the

Group Dynamics Essay Example for Free

Group Dynamics Essay What is â€Å"group dynamics†? Perhaps it will be most useful to start by looking at the derivation of the word â€Å"dynamics†. It comes from a Greek word meaning force. In careful usage the phrase, â€Å"group dynamics† refers to the forces operating in groups. The investigation of group dynamics, then, consists of a study of these forces: what gives rise to them, what conditions modify them, what consequences they have, etc. The practical application of group dynamics (or the technology of group dynamics) consists of the utilization of knowledge about these forces for the achievement of some purpose. In keeping with this definition, is not particularly novel, nor is it the exclusive property of any person or institution. It goes back at least to the outstanding work of men like Simmel, Freud, and Cooley. Although interest in groups has a long and respectable history, the past fifteen years have witnessed a new flowering of activity in this field. Today, research centers in several countries are carrying out substantial programmes of research designed to reveal the nature of groups and of their functioning. The phrase â€Å"group dynamics† had come into common usage during this time and intense efforts have been devoted to the development of the field, both as a branch of social science and as a form of social technology. In this development the name of Kurt Lewin had been outstanding. As a consequence of his work in the field of individual psychology and from his analysis of the nature of pressing problems of the contemporary world, Lewin became convinced of society’s urgent need for a scientific approach to the understanding of the dynamics of groups. In 1945 he established the Research Center for Group Dynamics to meet this need. Since that date the Centre has been devoting its efforts to improving our scientific understanding of groups through laboratory experimentation, field studies, and the use of techniques of action research. It has also attempted in various ways to help get the findings of social science more widely used by social management. Much of what I have to say in this paper is drawn from the experiences of this Center in its brief existence of a little more than five years. We hear all around us today the assertion that the problems of the twentieth century are problems of human relations. The survival of civilization, it is said, will depend upon man’s ability to create social interventions capable of harnessing, for society’s constructive use, the vast physical energies now at man’s disposal. Or, to put the matter more simply, we must learn how to change the way in which people behave toward one another. In broad outline, the specifications for a good society are clear, but a serious technical problem remains: How can we change people so that they neither restrict the freedom nor limit the potentialities for growth of others; so that they accept and respect people of different religion, nationality, colour, or political opinion; so that nations can exist in a world without war, and s that the fruits of our technological advances can bring economic well-being and freedom from disease to all people of the world? Although few people would disagree with these objectives when stated abstractly, when we become more specific, differences of opinion quickly arise. These questions permit no ready answers. How is change to be produced? Who is to do it? Who is to be changed? Before we consider in detail these questions of social technology, let us clear away some semantic obstacles. The word â€Å"change† produces emotional reactions. It is not a neutral word. To many people it is threatening. It conjures up visions of a revolutionary, a dissatisfied idealist, a trouble-maker, a malcontent. Nicer words referring to the process of changing people are education, training, orientation, guidance, indoctrination, therapy. We are more ready to have others â€Å"educate† us than have them â€Å"change† us. We, ourselves feel less guilty in â€Å"training† others than in â€Å"changing† them. Why this emotional response? What makes the two kinds of words have such different meanings? I believe that a large part of the difference lies in the fact that the safer words (like education and therapy) carry implicit assurance that the only changes produced will be good ones, acceptable within a currently held value system. The cold, unmodified word â€Å"change†, on the contrary, promises no respect for values; it might even tamper with values themselves. perhaps for this very reason it will foster straight thinking if we use the word â€Å"change† and thus force ourselves to struggle directly and self-consciously with the problems of value that are involved. Words like education, training, or therapy, by the very fact that they are not so disturbing, may close our eyes to the fact that they too inevitably involve values. How can we change people so that they neither restrict the freedom nor limit the potentialities for growth of others; so that they accept and respect people of different religion, nationality, colour, or political opinion; so that nations can exist in a world without war, and so that the fruits of our technological advances can bring economic wellbeing and freedom from disease to all people of the world? The proposal that social technology may be employed to solve the problems of society suggests that social science may be applied in ways not different from those used in the physical sciences. Does social science, in fact, have any practically useful knowledge which may be brought to bear significantly on society’s most urgent problems? What scientifically based principles are there for guiding programmes of social change: In this paper we shall restrict our considerations to certain parts of a relatively new branch of social science known as â€Å"group dynamics†. We shall examine some of the implications for social action which stem from research in this field of scientific investigation. Consider first some matters having to do with the mental health of an individual. We can all agree, I believe, that an important mark of a healthy personality is that the individual’s self-esteem has not been undermined. But on what does self-esteem depend? From research on this problem we have discovered that, among other things, repeated experiences of failure or traumatic failures on matters of central importance serve to undermine one’s self-esteem. We also know that whether a person experiences success or failure as a result of some undertaking depends upon the level of aspiration which he has set for himself. Now, if we try to discover how the level of aspiration gets set, we are immediately involved in the person’s relationships to groups. The groups to which he belongs set standards for his behaviour which he must accept if he is to remain in the group. If his capacities do not allow him to reach these standards, he experiences failure, he withdraws or is rejected by the group and his self-esteem suffers a shock. Consider a second example. A teacher finds that in her class she has a number of trouble-makers, full of aggression. She wants to know why these children are so aggressive and what can be done about it. A foreman in a factory has the same kind of problem with some of his workers. He wants the same kind of help. The solution most tempting to both the teacher and the foreman often is to transfer the worst trouble-makers to someone else, or if facilities are available, to refer them for counselling. But is the problem really of such a nature that it can be solved by removing the trouble-maker from the situation or by working on his individual motivations and emotional life? What leads does research give us? The evidence indicates, of course, that there are many causes of aggressiveness in people, but one aspect of the problem has become increasingly clear in recent years. If we observe carefully the amount of aggressive behaviour and the number of trouble-makers to be found in a large collection of groups, we find that these characteristics can vary tremendously from group to group even when the different groups are composed essentially of the same kinds of people. In the now classic experiments of Lewin, Lippitt and White (1939) on the effects of different styles of leadership, it was found that the same group of children displayed markedly different levels of aggressive behaviour when under different styles of leadership. Moreover, when individual children were transferred from one group to another, their levels of aggressiveness shifted to conform to the atmosphere of the new group. Efforts to account for one child’s aggressiveness under one style of leadership merely in terms of his personality traits could hardly succeed under these conditions. This is not to say that a person’s behaviour is entirely to be accounted for by the atmosphere and structure of the immediate group, but it is remarkable to what an extent a strong, cohesive group can control aspects of a member’s behaviour traditionally thought to be expressive of enduring personality traits. Recognition of this fact rephrases the problem of how to change such behaviour. It directs us to a study of the sources of the influence of the group on its members. Within very recent years some research data have been accumulating which may give us a clue to the solution of our problem. In one series of experiments directed by Lewin, it was found that a method of group decision, in which the group as a whole made a decision to have its members change their behaviour, was from two to ten times more effective in producing actual change as was a lecture presenting exhortation to change (Lewin, 1951). We have yet to learn precisely what produces these differences of effectiveness, but it is clear that by introducing group forces into the situation a whole new level of influence has been achieved. The experience has been essentially the same when people have attempted to increase the productivity of individuals in work settings. Traditional conceptions of how to increase the output of workers have stressed the individual: * Select the right man for the job * Simplify the job for him * Train him in the skills required * Motivate him by economic incentives * Make it clear to whom he reports * Keep the lines of authority and responsibility simple and straight. But even when all of these conditions are fully met we find that productivity is far below full potential. There is even good reason to conclude that this individualistic conception of the determinants of productivity actually fosters negative consequences. The individual, now isolated and subjected to the demands of the organization through the commands of his boss, finds that he must create with his fellow employees informal groups, not shown on any table of organization, in order to protect himself from arbitrary control of his life, from the boredom produced by the endless repetition of mechanically sanitary and routine operations, and from the impoverishment of his emotional and social life brought about by the frustration of his basic needs for social interaction, participation, and acceptance in a stable group. Recent experiments have demonstrated clearly that the productivity of work groups can be greatly increased by methods of work organization and supervision which give more responsibility to work groups, which allow for fuller participation in important decisions, and which make stable groups the firm basis for support of the individual’s social needs (Coch French, 1948). It is points out future research will also demonstrate that people working under such conditions become more mature and creative individuals in their homes, in community life, and as citizens. A few years ago the Research Center for Group Dynamics undertook to shed light on this problem by investigating the operation of a workshop for training leaders in intercultural relations (Lippitt, 1949). In a project, directed by Lippitt, they set out to compare systemically the different effects of the workshop upon trainees who came as isolated individuals in contrast to those who came as teams. Six months after the workshop, however, those who had been trained as isolates were only slightly more active than before the workshop whereas those who had been members of strong training teams were now much more active. They do not have clear evidence on the point, but they are quite certain that the maintenance of heightened activity over a long period of time would also be much better for members of teams. For the isolates the effect of the workshop had the characteristic of a â€Å"shot in the arm† while for the team member it produced a more enduring change because the team provided continuous support and reinforcement for its members. What conclusions may we draw from these examples? What principles of achieving change in people can we see emerging? To begin with the most general position, we may state that the behaviour, attitudes, beliefs, and values of the individual are all firmly grounded in the groups to which he belongs. How aggressive or cooperative a person is, how much self-respect and self-confidence he has, how energetic and productive his work is, what he aspires to, what he believes to be true and good, whom he loves or hates, and what beliefs and prejudices he holds—all these characteristics are highly determined by the individual’s group memberships. In a real sense, they are properties of groups and of the relationships between people. Whether they change or resist change will, therefore, be greatly influenced by the nature of these groups. Attempts to change them must be concerned with the dynamics of groups. In examining more specifically how groups enter into the process of change, we find it useful to view groups in at least three different ways. In the first view, the group is seen as a source of influence over its members. Efforts to change behaviour can be supported or blocked by pressures on members stemming from the group. To make constructive use of these pressures the group must be used as a medium of change. In the second view, the group itself becomes the target of change. To change the behaviour of individuals it may be necessary to change the standards of the group, its style of leadership, its emotional atmosphere, or its stratification into cliques and hierarchies. Even though the goal may be to change the behaviour of individuals, the target of change becomes the group. In the third view, it is recognized that many changes of behaviour can be brought about only by the organization efforts of groups as agents of change. A committee to combat intolerance, a labour union, and employers association, a citizens group to increase the pay of teachers—any action group will be more or less effective depending upon the way it is organized, the satisfactions it provides to its members, the degree to which its goals are clear, and a host of other properties of the group.

How Normal Has Changed Since September 11 Essay -- September 11 Terror

     Ã‚  Ã‚  The terrorist attacks on September 11th affected more than the lives of those in the targeted cities. Nearly every American has felt the rippling effect in both subtle and obvious ways. Everything from what people are eating to the toys that are in demand has been altered because people's perceptions have changed. Though this country has always been considered a patriotic nation, its true colors had not shown in recent history until this tragedy. Now it is apparent that its colors are red, white, and blue. Despite the many negative aspects of the terrorist attacks, some of the changes that have happened in America have been for the better. How ironic for our enemies it would be if their acts meant for evil resulted in an overall improvement in our country. Soon after the attacks, President Bush urged the public to return to normalcy. However, I echo the feelings behind a slogan for the WordsCanHeal campaign: "Why go back to normal when you can be better than normal?" ("Priorities").    Fear is a powerful motivator. Threats of more attacks, anthrax, presumed unsafe flying, and a slipping economy have been keeping people home more than in recent years. Across the nation, business travel has decreased by nearly 30% since this time last year (Guzman and Higgins 1). In result, more parents are at home with their families this season. When they are together, quality communication is more likely, and uniting together as a family can begin. As I believe that the strength of a nation lies in the strength of its families, situations that encourage family communication may benefit the nation as a whole, far above what the traveling industry may suffer. However, the transition of having Mom or Dad at home more often has not bee... ...urselves through our apathy and refusal to think. Works Cited Agins, Teri. "Markdown Malaise." The Wall Street Journal 7 Dec. 2001: B1+. Bhatia, Pooja. "Big Hit in Toyland: Shrinky Dinks, a '70s Throwback." The Wall Street Journal 21 Nov. 2001: B1+. Boodman, Sandra G. "In Troubled Times, Kids Go for the Feary Tales." Washington Post. 3 Dec. 2001. Erickson, Amy K. "There's a War On-Have an Oreo." Washington Post 20 Nov. 2001: HE03. Goodstein, Laurie. "As Attacks' Impact Recedes, a Return to Religion as Usual." New York Times 26 Nov. 2001. Guzman, Rafer, and Michelle Higgins. "Stay-at-Home Stress." The Wall Street Journal 30 Nov. 2001: W1+. Levere, Jane L. "Survey Offers Insights on College Students' Mood Since Sept. 11." New York Times 27 Nov. 2001. "Priorities Changing After Sept. 11." New York Times 3 Dec. 2001.