Western heritage Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Western heritage - Assignment Example The ideal person is defined as one who is responsible, law abiding and reasonable, he does what is right throughout his life and is considered a valuable member of the human race. In Cliffs Notes on Homer’s The Iliad entitled, â€Å"The Hero and Homeric Culture,† the Homeric hero is one who abides by social and cultural norms of the community and has to preserve the social and religious rites of the society (Mathews and Platt 45). This hero accepts no responsibility for his actions as he is deemed to be controlled by the gods. This belief leads to him not acting in an ideal way. The hero is seen as a proud and angry person who sees his personal honor as the most valuable thing. The ideal person is selfless and upholds other people’s wellbeing. In Cliffs Notes on Virgil’s The Aeneid Aeneas, the hero must possess characteristics such as tolerance, obedience to the will of the gods, and reverence for ancestors as seen through Aeneas. The true representation of an ideal character is, therefore, one who acts, not for his own good, but for the good of society as a whole. He is humble, righteous according to the morals laid down by the community and takes responsibility for his actions regardless of the consequences. The ideal person looks, for friendly ways to resolve conflict without resulting to war. Joseph Campbell’s book entitled â€Å"The Hero with a Thousand Faces†, examines the mono myth theory as â€Å"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day, into a region of supernatural wonder. Forces are there encountered, and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man†. Campbell describes the stages in mono myth: the hero starts the journey in the ordinary world he is then called into the extraordinary land where he undergoes tests and trials where he discovers his hidden abilities, he then chooses whether to return to the ordinary world to use

The Ethicacy of Providing Health Coverage for Inmates While The Essay

The Ethicacy of Providing Health Coverage for Inmates While The General Populace Is Offered None - Essay Example In making a judgment and ethical decision concerning this issue, two prominent ethical standards can appropriately address them: the utilitarian approach and the rights approach. These two can collectively define and explain ethical elements in the subject and could fill the weaknesses posed by each other. Utilitarian approach is fundamental in expressing the view of the common good and in reaching the best possible compromise so that questions from both sides of the ethics divide can be effectively and justly resolved. Meanwhile, the rights approach is important in arguing for and against healthcare for prisoners because the discussion is, after all, about the satisfaction of human/individual rights. This is significant because acts that respect rights are often universally accepted as ethical. The Ethical Issues The health care within the American prison system is not uniform because each of the federal and state prisons has its own health care delivery system. However, this does n ot dispel the fact that medical and health options are available to all prisoners regardless of the system of the prison health care system they belong. Many people raise the point that healthcare for prisoners is unethical because it is expensive and takes a lot from the taxpayers’ money just so criminals can live a healthy life. To digress a little, this question effectively highlights the stakeholders involved in the debate – the prisoners, the authority, the general populace and the health care practitioner. But the argument is that they do not deserve such a care because they are serving their punishment in the first place. Here, bias is supposedly a given since convicted criminals are being deprived of certain rights as part of their penalty and rehabilitation. This point is, of course, valid. Beginning in the 1980s, the rising population in the prisons has significantly claimed a significant share of many states’ budgets. According to a study by Maddow (2 001), the US health care prison cost have dramatically risen at a faster rate than the rest of the correctional costs and that today prison officials are beset by rising numbers of expensive illnesses such as HIV/AIDS as well as the ever-present threat of Eighth Amendment lawsuits. (p. 191) Two points are being emphasized by critics: one, criminals do not deserve healthcare; and, secondly, they are not paying for the care services. These points sometimes also cloud the health care providers’ judgments. There are instances wherein bias sets in and appropriate and sufficient medical services are withheld. But this is not entirely surprising. One, for instance, can consider the case cited by Gaines and Miller (2010) summarized below: A prisoner, who was convicted for fourteen years because of robbery, has been hospitalized due to his heart ailment. The doctors declared that if the patient did not undergo heart transplant, he would die. Now, the state’s Department of Corre ctions have to deal with not only with spending more than $1 million in order to pay for the medical expenses but that it also had to muscle its way in having the prisoner prioritized from among the 4,100 names that are in the national waiting list for a new heart. (p. 499) The above case underscored the

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Starbucks is a premium coffee wholesaler which has strayed from its original service of coffee. The advent of newer technology has diminished the Starbucks experience. Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairmen, sent a memo on February 14, 2007 addressing this problem to the president and chief executive officer of Starbucks, Jim Donald. In the memo, Schultz voiced his opinion on how the rapid expansion of Starbucks is causing him to revaluate the company’s values between how it operated when it began and where it is heading in the future. Starbucks isn’t the same neighborhood store as it was when it was established and no longer shows the passion for coffee that they had in the beginning. â€Å"I have said for 20 years that our success is not an entitlement and now its proving to be a reality. Lets be smarter about how we are spending our time, money and resources. Lets get back to the core† (Schultz). Along with its expansion, Starbucks has been trying to utilize new technologies to improve the product they sell to consumers. Starbucks changed their espresso machines from manual to automatic to speed up service and efficiency. These machines â€Å"blocked the visual sight line the customer previously had to watch the drink being made, and for the intimate experience with the barista† (Schultz). People no longer have that intimate connection with the people making their coffee, or to the finished product. The employees are also more disassociated from their work because of these new machines that speed up production. Starbucks also incorporated flavor-locked packaging to supply the demand for fresh roasted coffee. This is a great service to the customer because it keeps coffee grounds or beans fresher longer, yet the effectiveness of the flavor-locked bags contributed to the loss of aroma, â€Å"perhaps the most powerful non-verbal signal†, in Starbucks (Schultz). The romance of Starbucks is lost with these improvements and the unforgettable scent is lessened along with its heritage. Starbucks is still a coffee-loving company, and consumers are still receiving the coffee delicacies they want, but at what cost to tradition. https://sites. google. com/site/hollymadalyn/writing/Starbucks-Research-paper SYNOPSIS Starbucks Corporation, originally founded in 1971, but purchased by Howard Schultz in 1987, is the market leader in selling gourmet coffee (Starbucks, 2008). Starbucks main objective is to establish itself as the most respected and recognized coffee brand in the world (Fact Sheet, 2008). Starbucks has accomplished this objective and experienced much success through their competitive strategy of clustering several stores within the same community and through their distinctive competencies of roasting and selling the quality coffee while providing high quality customer service. The question is, can Starbucks continue their market share growth with rising competitors? Should they focus more on their international operations? Can they continually reinvent themselves to maintain their strong brand image in the long run? PROBLEMS. †¢ Overall economic downturn can affect Starbucks’ market share if management neglects to address competitors’ strategies with lower priced offerings as consumers are becoming more conservative in spending their discretionary income. †¢ Loss of identity and authenticity focused upon the foundational Starbucks experience, which, if unaddressed by management, can result in dissatisfied customers, loss of sales, and decreased market share. †¢ Considering the economy and increasing domestic competition within the U. S. , Starbucks must address their less profitable international operations. SWOT ANALYSIS[1] INDUSTRY EVALUATION In the past two decades, the coffee industry has experienced a significant increase in the demand for premium coffee. Today, about one in five Americans drinks some type of espresso-based coffee drink each day. The average yearly coffee consumption per capita in the U. S. is around 4. 4Kg. Among these coffee drinkers, the average consumption is 3. 1 cups of coffee per day, with men drinking approximately 1. 9 cups per day, and women drinking an average of 1. 4 cups per day (Coffee Research [continues].

Mental Health Of Older People Social Work Essay

Mental Health Of Older People Social Work Essay Promoting the mental health of older people is becoming an activity of increasing importance. In the incoming decades, there will be an increasing the number of older people. There will be fewer young people and young adults. In the year 2050, 30 percent of the people will be older than 65 years of age, while 11 percent of the people will be 80 years old and above. The word old age has no agreed upon definition. In most countries, people retire at an age of 60 to 65 years. This is considered the age when one becomes an older person. According to the European commission, there are three age groups that older people can be divided into. The first group is older workers from the age of 55 to 64. The second group is older people from the age of 65 to 79 years while the third group is 80 years and above. These older age groups are the most diverse in terms of education, attitudes, family background, social background, hobbies, preferences and political attachments. Mental health in later life models and issues There are six main factors that influence mental health. These are financial security, life span experiences, structural factors such as housing, employment, social support and individual coping skills. The mental health of older people as well as their well-being issues in older people are unique and have a greater relevance to them. Retirement is an issue that has great relevance to people who are 60 to 80 years age. As much as it means relief from responsibilities, retirement also mean a loss of status, less social relationships and a reduced role in life. This age group also suffers from health and physical deterioration, changing the environment from moving their home, loss of financial stability and a loss of sense of belonging. People who are 80 years and above increasingly lose their friends, family members and spouses. They use their sense of purpose in life and their functional ability deteriorates. These people constantly deal with bereavement, death and the fact that their own life is ending. Not all of those older people are the same. They have different values, life experiences, health, economic status and culture. When planning the promotion of the mental health for older people, all of these factors should be put into consideration. Continuity through the life course A persons continuity through life gives them a positive history filled with experiences. This continuity gives a person a set of values that guides their behaviour. When working with older people who have mental health needs, the strategies used should have a psychosocial and sociological perspective that can support the older people during their transition. Much of the work with older people relies on the continuity through their life. Every person has an internal and external self. In order for one to have a happy and successful old age, one needs to be supported in managing their life with a certain general framework. When it comes to the internal self, people should be allowed to make decisions like they have always done it, maintain their integrity and their self esteem. In the external self, people need to reciprocal relationships, continue in positive roles, preserve social support and compensate for mental and physical losses. Disruption of the internal and external elements is likely to heighten the unhappiness and poor self images of people. Having links in the past, being meaningfully active, feeling embedded within society and having the ability to continue living a life that coincides with ones personal beliefs can all contribute to living a successful and happy old age. No underestimation should be made when it comes to the significance of having social relationships and maintaining good mental health for the older people. Important factors that can prevent the risk of depression and social isolation in older people are intimate relationships, reciprocal relationships, quality of ties and the presence of a confidante. These factors should be available both at the community and in care homes. Ageism In society today, there exists a negative and depreciating attitude towards older people. While ageism affects all age groups, it is found to be more profound with older people. Ageism exists in politics, consumerism, media, voluntary life, crime, design, civic life and many other area of life. Age discrimination is an abuse of human rights that causes personal hardship and suffering and economic and cultural problems. It is therefore necessary for politicians to ensure that a change in human rights is implemented for the sake of older people. There must be no tolerance whatsoever to any kind of discrimination. In promoting mental health, it is especially important to ensure that age equality is promoted. Older people have the right to fully participate in the political, social, economic and cultural decision making processes of their societies. To promote respect and understanding between the young and older people, intergenerational activities can be used. Employees who serve the p ublic should also be trained and educated on how to respect and value the older people that they have direct contact with. In a recent survey carried out by (reference), it was found that 29 percent of people had suffered age discrimination when compared to other kinds of discrimination. This survey also found that by the age of 55 years, age discrimination was twice as likely to have been experiences as opposed to other forms of discrimination. Moreover, it is believed by 30 percent of people that there is more age discrimination today than there was five years ago, and this trend is likely to get worse. This survey also found out that the demographic shift towards a society with older people than younger people will make life worse in terms of education, security, health, living standards and jobs. In fact, one of the respondents from this surveys said that they viewed those who were 70 years old and above to be incapable and incompetent. On 1st October, 2006, a new law that was enforced by the Employment Equality Regulations came into effect in England, Scotland and Wales. This law protects people from age discrimination in employment, adult employment and training for people from all age groups. However, this new regulation does not provide protection from age discrimination in health care. It is therefore important for carers and social workers to describe their beliefs and values clearly and on a concise manner. Knowing ones values is an important guide while caring for the older people. To create a common shared vision between the carers and the social workers, it is important that an exercise to clarify their values be carried out. This practice will give the carers and social workers a shared vision and purpose. Promoting mental health and well being what might be involved in practice When working with older people, promoting their mental health should be seen as a part of everyday work and not as a special project. Since the older person might stay in the residential facility for a relatively short time, the activities dome to promote mental health should be both short term and long term. There are seven principles in promoting the mental health of oder people. The first principal is that the target group should be defined and how, when and where they can be reached is identified. The second principal is that the older people should be involved in developing a plan, implementing and evaluating the programmes and opportunities. The third principal is that the health and social needs for the older people should be addressed. The fourth principle is that the older people should be empowered and motivated to take initiatives to ensure their own health and wellbeing. The fifth principle is that barriers that affect the capacity of older people to participate in societ y should be identified. These barriers are social, economic and political in nature. After identifying these barriers, interventions should be done to overcome them. The sixth principle is that respect should be given to the independence and autonomy of older people. The last principle is that holistic and multi-faced interventions should be made to consider the mental, social and physical needs of older people. The relationship between these needs should also be considered. Several opportunities for involvement in activities that are meaningful for older people should be provided. Creative activities that older people can participate in are museums, arts, performances, libraries and other cultural events. The personal and social realisation of the older people can be fostered by lifelong learning programmes. Volunteering and community development initiative that older people can participate in can offer an additional form of beneficial participation. This participation will increase the mental health of the older person who is volunteering as well as the people receiving the services. Healthy lifestyle choices among older people should also be promoted. To have a good quality life, one must have good health. Having good physical health depends on a variety of factors. These factors include lifestyle, genetic makeup, choices, environmental factors and socioeconomic factors. Despite their daily activities being restricted by having a limiting long term illness, many older people consider themselves to be in good health. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can prevent or delay many of the chronic conditions that are found to affect people in their old age. A healthy lifestyle can be adopted by exercise, reducing alcohol intake, eating a balanced healthy diet and avoiding smoking. Aids and adaptations can be provided to help people keep mobile. Positive mental health can be promoted by providing encouragement, information and opportunities for older people to make healthy choices in their lifestyle. Physical actuivity and exercising opportunities should be provided. By exercising, a person has better physical health, increased psychological benefits, increased mental wellbeing and better functional ability. By engaging in different types of exercise, a person has different benefits to their mood, stress, self-esteem, sleep and alleviating or preventing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Safe and healthy outdoor and indoor environments should be adopted for older peoples participation. An important measure in supporting the mental health in older people is enhancing their participation in the community. Older people should be enabled in engaging in the social activities at the wider community or at their residences. Ensuring the social participation of older people can be done by providing them with opportunities for participating in lifelong learning and political, cultural and economic decision making of their community. Secure and positive relationships that older people have with their relatives, friends or neighbours should be strengthened. These relationships are important because they contribute to good mental health of older people. The wellbeing of an older person can also be positively influenced by having a pet. Access to activities such as spiritual belief and faith communities should be ensured and recognised as important. The good mental health of older people is also ensured by having a satisfying sexual life. Poor mental health is risked when older people are isolated from society. For some older people, it is a positive experience for them to live alone because it means autonomy, self-support and independence for them. However, other people might find living alone to be a lonely experience especially if getting out of their home is difficult. Therefore, the community should organise befriending programmes that help older people in their everyday lives. Feelings of isolation and lonelin ess can be avoided by different kinds of clubs, social networks and recreation centres. Isolation can further be avoided by recognising the knowledge and skills contributed by older people and the provision of opportunities where the older people can share their skills with people from other age groups. Independent and safe living opportunities should be provided. Many older people want to live in their own homes for as long as they can because it provides them with feelings of autonomy band independence. These feelings can be enhanced by providing equipment that can facilitate mobility and communication in the support of smart home establishment solutions. Independent living can be enabled by providing domiciliary services such as home help, home adaptation assistance and providing adequate amenities through assistance with home improvements. Older people who have been victims of violence should be supported and any violence or abuse that affects older people should be tackled. In supporting them, the older people will be able to cope with the resulting psychological and physical ill effects. Appropriate social and health services should be provided. It is evident among older people that general health and mental health are strongly interrelated. Mental ill health is risked by poverty and poor physical health. It is therefore important that a social and health care system be provided. This care system will give easy access to psychiatric help, high quality primary and specialty health services, necessary social services, transport services and other benefits. To afford decent housing, travel, heating, occasional treats and social activities, older people want to have enough money. These activities help older people to fully participate in their families and communities. To maintain an increase in their income, older people should join individual retirement schemes that allows them to continue working even later in life. Mental well-being and carers Traditionally, it has been the role of some family members to provide care for older people at home. However, in this day and age, the social framework all over the world is changing. Caring for an older person, a person with disabilities and for a child in the family is a usual way of life even in the most developed information society-type society. In the European Union, millions of people are seen taking care of their partners or relatives. It is common to find that an elderly person is in charge of taking care of a frail older person. Nowadays, frail wives are taken care of by their husbands and vice versa. The experience of taking care of a spouse, child or a close friend is rewarding and mentally positive. The carer finds that their life has purpose and is more meaningful. On the other hand, being a care giver has psychological, financial, physical and social strains that may lead to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Cares are at a high risk of developing psychological and physical ill health that shows that the carers need opportunities for respite and more effective social, financial and practical support. Those carers taking care of older people with dementia are likely to be burdened and have high levels of stress, depression and fatigue. Family caregivers should also be targeted when promoting mental health activities for older people to ensure that the carers needs are met as well. Conclusion We are all affected by wellbeing and mental health in later life. The reasons why we should pay attention to issues surrounding mental health in old age are economic, social and humanitarian in nature. Each one of us benefits from good mental health and wellbeing in later life because we are ensured that we will be able to lead long healthy lives that are fulfilling and enjoyable. Good mental health promotion for older people is a means by which we can maximise older peoples valuable contribution to economy and society. The costs that arise from poor mental health care are minimised at the same time. Social workers have been working for a long time with older people in promoting mental health. The mental social work profession is founded on the skills of mental social work. The work of social workers has been to stop disintegrating forces in families, individuals and social groups. Society needs the work done by social workers to continue because these disintegrating forces are still around us. A social worker is able to take up the challenge and help in promoting mental health in older people.

The American Media and the Exploitation of Men :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument

The American Media and the Exploitation of Men Men’s rights in the media are deliberately ignored today on TV and in the newspapers. Men have a social obligation to get married, have children, and support the family by going to work eight hours a day. Not many people think that men don’t have these obligations in life. Warren Farrell it talks about how men’s expectations are unfair in the world today in the article â€Å"Men as Success Objects† by (page 185). Intentions for marriage have changed over the last millennium. From personal fulfillment, relationship, to love both men and women have their reasons for getting married. But with marriage there’s sometimes a divorce that comes with it, which has increased during the years. Because media focus on the women’s rights, most people don’t understand the sexism directed against men. The idea â€Å"men are jerks† is thought by women which have dominated the media. Along with fighting the degrading advertisements on the TV, men also have to live up to the obligation of bringing home a salary. Women marry men who are successful or have â€Å"potential† to make money in the world today. There are only a small percentage of men who will marry a woman because of her â€Å"potential†. More people need to recognize the unequal treatment men get these days. In the article â€Å"Marriage, Horror, and Susan Reimer,† the author expresses his disgust for the idea of marriage and having children. The woman Susan Reimer represents every American woman who thinks that no one is good enough for her. Every â€Å"Susan† says that they despise men, yet they want to get married and have babies. These kinds of women will rape men in divorce courts, which should convince men to avoid them. Marriage can also do permanent financial damage to men, which is why being single is not a bad idea in these times. Men should always think twice about having children. From bad schooling to divorce can have permanent damage on a child. Despite what women say, having children should not be a priority. Because of the women’s attitudes towards men today in America, it is recommended to find a wife somewhere overseas. Both of the texts have a strong point on men’s rights, and the perception on what women really want out of men. The authors would probably agree that men are being treated unfairly compared to women these days.

Exposing Pain in The Enormous Radio Essay examples -- Enormous Radio E

Exposing Pain in The Enormous Radio  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In John Cheever’s short story, "The Enormous Radio," Jim and Irene Westcott are presented as average, middle-class Americans with hopes and dreams just like everyone else. They are described as "the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability" (Cheever 817). Jim and Irene thought they were the epitome of the perfect American family that was free from trouble and worry. The only way that they differed from their friends and neighbors was a deep passion for serious music. This passion, through the enormous radio, brought to their attention the realization that they had just as many problems as the next family. Their reaction to the radio argues the fact that they were not perfect and did not have a worry-free life. The first sign that the radio was going to cause a problem was its physical appearance. Irene abhorred the radio: "She was struck at once with the physical ugliness of the large gumwood cabinet" (Cheever 817). The radio stuck out like a sore thumb in Irene’s perfectly arranged living room. The radio’s appearance resembled what it would eventually do, "bring a new ugliness into the perfectly arranged lives of the Westcotts" (Giordano 56). When the Westcotts first realize that they had possession of an eavesdropping machine, Irene becomes extremely paranoid about whether or not they are being overheard too, like they have something to hide. Irene quickly becomes obsessed with listening to others’ conversations, as Nathan Giordano points out "it was like tuning into a soap opera on television" (56). The Westcotts would stay up late at night to listen to others’ conversations; some nights they went to bed "weak wit... ...indeed have problems and that turning a blind eye to her problems doesn’t help solve them" (Smith 59). The enormous radio was a reality check for Irene. It was a lesson that all she can do is be the best person she can and that denial only represses guilt for a short time. Whether Irene understands this is uncertain, but the reader finally realizes that even the "average American family" may have problems that must be worked through, not forgotten. Works Cited Cheever, John. "The Enormous Radio." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 817-824. Giordano, Nathan. "Illusions, Delusions." Ode to Friendship & Other Essays. Ed. Connie Bellamy Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1996. 55-58. Smith, TaVeta. "The Perfect Facade." Ode to Friendship & Other Essays. Ed. Connie Bellamy Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1996. 58-59.      

Grief and Rosaldo’s Rage Essay

She had not suffered much. Her death came and went quickly. Michelle was dead, gone forever at the blink of an eye. As her husband looked over her body at the bottom of a 65 foot sheer precipice, many ideas and emotions fluttered in his mind. Renato Rosaldo describes his experience at the site of the fatal accident, overlooking the body of his lifeless wife, Michelle Rosaldo: â€Å"I felt like in a nightmare, the whole world around me expanding and contracting, visually and viscerally heaving (476).† Although at the time of the tragedy and many months after, Renato Rosaldo found himself in an almost delusional state of grief, the calamity helped Rosaldo reach a state of enlightenment with his study of the Ilongot tribe. Michelle and Renato Rosaldo had studied the Ilongot tribe in the northern part of the Philippines as anthropologists. Renato Rosaldo’s past attempts at understand the Ilongot’s reason for head hunting, â€Å"rage, born of grief,† had failed using his method of hermeneutics. The conclusions Rosaldo drew from this explanation were, at best, educated guesses. Trying to be objective to his study of the Ilongot tribe, Rosaldo could not understand the driving factor behind killing a fellow human as a way of dealing with the loss of someone close to you. What he later started to understand was that the ritual was something that could not easily and readily be described. It was not until the time of his wife’s death that he could comprehend the force of anger possible in bereavement. The force was so strong within him that drawing parallels with the ways Rosaldo’s own culture had molded him into dealing with bereavement started to overlap with the Ilongot way. This emotional force became the key in helping Rosaldo unlock the mystery of this rage via bereavement, and unfortunately, it could only come at the price of Michelle Rosaldo. Renato Rosaldo’s explanation of why the Ilongot used head hunting as a way of dealing with bereavement is compelling due to his understanding of emotional force through his own personal experience. After the loss of his brother, then four years later, the loss of his colleague, friend, and wife Michelle Rosaldo, Rosaldo experienced  bereavement and the emotional force that accompanies it first hand. Spending months grieving, Rosaldo’s insights on the topic of head hunting had changed dramatically. Shortly after his wife’s death, an excerpt from his journal concurs with the change of perception of the Ilongot people. My journal went on to reflect more broadly on death, rage, and headhunting by speaking of my ‘wish for the Ilongot solution; they are much more in touch with reality than Christians. So, I need a place to carry my anger – and can we say a solution of the imagination is better than theirs? And can we condemn them when we napalm villages? Is our rationale so much sounder than theirs (478)? Rosaldo’s experience with personal bereavement left him with a sense of what despair and rage could conjure up in the human being. Wishing for the Ilongot solution himself, Rosaldo finally realized that the Ilongot were not as different as he had originally thought. The emotional force Rosaldo had felt has the same core as the force that pushed the older tribesman into a headhunting raid. Rosaldo’s comparison of his solution of the imagination and the ritualistic headhunting had rage as the common seed. Rosaldo’s initial attempts to find what drives the older Ilongot men to headhunt using traditional ethnographic methods failed. Renato and Michelle Rosaldo played a tape of a headhunting celebration five years prior, evoking great emotion from the crowd of Ilongot because the celebrator on the tape had already been deceased and headhunting was now forbidden. â€Å"The song pulls at us, drags our hearts, it makes us think of our dead uncle†¦Leave off now, isn’t that enough? Even I, a woman, cannot stand the way it feels inside my heart†¦At the time I could only feel apprehensive and diffusely sense the force of the emotions experienced†¦(473-474).† Rosaldo’s emotional detachment from the man speaking on the tape recorder prevents him with identifying with the Ilongot tribesmen. This lack of emotional connection is understandable, as Rosaldo himself was obviously not as close to the man practicing the ceremony as his family. This understanding of the rage and sorrow that the Ilongot members had felt during the listening is a crucial element of how the dynamic between bereavement and sorrow function. Rosaldo understood that his analysis could easily be brought under fire due to the tying in of personal experiences during his ethnography of the Ilongot culture. Rosaldo concurs that there is potential for risk by saying, â€Å"Introducing myself into this account requires a certain hesitation both because of the discipline’s taboo and because of its increasingly frequent violation by essays laced with trendy amalgams of continental philosophy and autobiographical snippets (475).† The possibility for an anthropologist who brings personal experience into an analysis of a foreign culture to become too self absorbed is always possible. Rosaldo avoids this frequent ethnographic infringement by separating self righteousness from applying personal experiences for comparison in anthropology. Rosaldo claims that his and all interpretations are provisional, stating that â€Å"they are made by positioned subjects who are prepared to know certain things and not others (476),† which presents that he only began to fathom the force of what the Ilongot’s had been describing as the anger held because of bereavement. Although some would argue that the risks with mixing emotion during anthropological study are too great, total objectivity can not always provide a complete analysis. Although being objective and getting the factual aspects of rituals and cultural symbols provides great insight of a culture and its formal procedures, it does not necessarily give the ethnographer the true experience of the event; let it be bereavement or something else. The true meaning behind many events and cultural symbols that are looked at objectively are really quite open to interpretation. Who is to say that what the ethnographer interprets as being one thing, in turn, does not represent something totally different for the subject actually being studied? Although it is not true for all cases, bereavement and the emotional forces that are its byproduct can only be successfully analyzed and interpreted when the observer’s experience overlaps or parallels that of the subject’s. Rosaldo later found his own experience overlapping that of the Ilongot’s. After suffering through not only the loss of his young brother’s life, but the loss of his wife’s, Renato Rosaldo’s view of headhunting had drastically  changed. Although Rosaldo had spent fourteen years attempting to conclude the actual drive behind the Ilongot murderous ritual using current anthropological methodology, in one swift moment, he had felt the drive within himself. This emotional force had left him seeking for the Ilongot solution. Realizing that this rage within him had pieced together the ethnographic puzzle of the Ilongot headhunting, Rosaldo masterfully avoided becoming too self absorbed while giving his account of the Ilongot ritualistic beheading. Rosaldo posed the question, â€Å"Do people always in fact describe most thickly what matters most to them (470)?† After review of Rosaldo’s essay, one will most likely conclude that the answer is no. Works Cited Rosaldo, Renato. â€Å"Grief and a Headhunter’s Rage.† Literacies. Ed. Terence Brunk Suzanne Diamond Priscilla Perkins Ken Smith New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 1997. 469-487