Biopsychosocial dimension

The biopsychosocial dimension of human behavior is an incorporation of the biological psychological and social factors that explain human behavior. Starting with the biological dimensions; scientists assert that human behavior can be explained through genetics and heredity. In this case genetics is primarily determined by DNA (a special type of compound found in the cells). The latter compound is primarily responsible for an individual’s behavioral outcome. There are three main sections under which one can understand the biological aspect of human behavior. The first is through intelligence. Biological scientists assert that one’s intelligence is partly determined by their genes. This assertion is verified by the strong correlation between the IQ intelligence traits of twins. Similarly, certain depictions of intelligence are common in closely related family members. (Kimble and Colman, 1995)

The biological approach also explains certain peculiar behavior through heredity and genetics. For instance, schizophrenia; A study conducted upon two closely related subjects such as brothers who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia found that a large percentage of these individuals actually had genetic component that were similar in nature. These scientists however warned that the presence of a certain genetic component need not mean that persons will behave in a certain way. Instead other aspects have to be considered too.

The third component of the biological explanation of human behavior is related to certain uncontrollable actions that are common to all individuals. They explain this through the nervous system. For instance when one has been subjected to extreme hunger, their brain tells them to look for food. In cases where a human being is subjected to extreme conditions for instance when they are situated in a place with no conventional food; they may be forced to look for anything edible e.g. fruits, roots and herbs. Eating roots from the bush may not be a common occurrence in day to day lives; however, it is plausible in certain conditions. Taking another example of sleep; through the genetic approach, it is possible to understand why certain human beings tend to sleep more than others. Biochemists assert that there is a certain part of the brain responsible for controlling ones sleep known as  the medulla oblongata. Consequently, when there is a malfunction in ones medulla oblongata or when it is working excessively, then an individual will tend to sleep more or be less alert in meetings than others. Through these examples, it is possible to understand why the human being behaves the way he does in certain instances. (Barrett, 2004)

The biopsychosocial explanation also entails psychological aspects. Through this approach, one can understand human behavior through cognitive development. In this approach most human beings are able to deduce meaning from occurrences through the relationships which they develop in their minds about that particular item. As the mind develops and gets accustomed to certain ideas, then it begins reacting towards them in certain way and this brings about different reactions. There are numerous psychologists who contributed towards psychological theories of behavior and some of them include;

• Maslow
• Freud
• Erikson

These psychologists all had their various explanations about human behavior. However, these will not be examined in detail here. Nonetheless, certain emerging issues come out of the work that these psychologists did. They tended to agree with the notion that humans are largely effected by their surroundings and that most of them may adopt behavior subconsciously.

Psychological analyses of the human mind also allow one to understand the reason behind certain emotions. They also provide a platform against which one can understand why certain human beings may react emotionally to a certain issue while others may be unaffected by it. For instance, the issue of temperance differs from person to person. This is largely shaped by the role that the mind has on that specific individual. (Barrett, 2004)

The last aspect of the biopsychosocial explanations of human behavior is the social aspect. Here, one must consider the influences that family and culture have on human behavior. When trying to understand the effect of culture and family on human behavior, it can be very difficult to do so since the influences are complicated. It should be noted that in social analysis, there is a difference between ideal behavior, actual behavior and believed behavior. For instance, when one visits another culture to find out things about them, it is likely that those persons may put on ‘a show’ to impress the visitor. If it is a family, then that person may want to portray his family in positive light thus asking his children and wife to tidy up and wear their best outfit. Consequently, in order to understand the influence of culture or family on foreign persons, it would be favorable to get them in their natural setting either when they are unaware or when the observer is far away from them.

The concept of believed behavior is also important in analyzing cultural influences on behavior because one can understand why certain things occur the way they do. For example, a study asking men in North America whether they assist their wives in household chores, it was found that a majority of them felt that housework was split fifty-fifty between the wife and the husband. However, when the researchers themselves sought to find out what actually proceeds in most households, it was found that a large percentage of the men actually did not assist their spouses with housework but in their minds, they honestly thought that this was the case. This sort of behavior can be classified as believed behavior.               When it comes to cultural influences, one must also consider ideal behavior. For instance, in China, the role of woman was strictly defined in the home. Most of them were thought as second class members of their families. However, with the introduction of the one child per family polices, more families preferred male children or females. Consequently, those who were pregnant with girls ended up terminating their pregnancies (although it was outlawed). This eventually created a generation in which the ratio of women to men was so very low. Men realized that in order to get a wife, they had to be educated, rich and maybe even willing to let them control the house. Consequently, the ideal behavior for a woman in Chinese society would have been to act subordinately to the man, however, because of the changes in demographics. Women had more leverage or bargaining power and could therefore choose no to do certain things. (Ashfor et al, 2007)

Culture has an intense effect on human behavior because it determines how people react to others, how they express their feelings among others. A study comparing American children with Japanese children found that there were substantial differences between these two groups. When American children were asked whether they would beat a child if they were punched, a large majority of them claimed that they would do so. When the Japanese children were asked whether they would hit back when actually hit, it was found that a larger number of them claimed that they would not. An actual analysis found that more Japanese children actually hit their counterparts than the Americans; its just that they did not articulate this. In other words, one can deduce the fact that in the American culture, children are more expressive and may even make assertions that they will not adhere to. However, in the Asian culture, children are taught to be subservient or to be less expressive in their words.

Culture also influences one’s understanding of the goings on in a particular area. For example, when a village woman from the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa is taken to a North American wedding, she might not understand what is going. She would wonder why a bride is dressed in white and why she is actually surrounded by other persons wearing closely related outfits. Perhaps the stranger from Africa might deduce that this is actually an ongoing ceremony but may not understand the intricacies surrounding that ceremony. She would also wonder why some people are holding flowers while others are not. Through this example, it is possible to understand why certain behaviors would occur the way they do.

Spiritual dimension

The latter biopsychosocial model of human behavior incorporates three parameters, yet there is another component to human behavior that may not be fully accounted for by the latter mentioned approaches. This is the spiritual dimension. The spiritual dimension is that element in the human being that some people call the inner psyche. In other words, it the aspect of a human being that decides between what is moral and what is immoral. It creates a conscious within us and it also allows an individual to exert more control of their lives. Through the spiritual dimension, it is possible for one to understand why human beings love one another. It is also possible to understand certain ‘abstract’ concepts such as freedom. The spiritual dimension is that inner voice of authority within any human beings that allows them to either control or act upon their instincts. (Ilham, 2000)

Without the spiritual opinions, human beings would be no different from the rest of the animal kingdom because they would let their feelings control them rather than vice versa. (it should be noted that feelings in this case refer to instincts). Many psychologists have claimed that there is a higher dimension in life. In other words, it is that aspect of the human being that prevents one from being impulsive. They strive to be better or for perfection and this is what sets human being apart from their counterparts in the animal kingdom.

Critical life event

An example of a critical life event that would affect all the three dimensions is living in a step family. In the event that a child is subjected to a painful loss of a parent, and then expected to cope with  step family, then chances are that that issue may affect them in all the three realms. For instance, a child who has grown up in a step family may be affected psychologically. This is because certain psychological needs may not be met. For instance, such a person is likely to develop sleep disorders, depressive disorders or even other more intense issues such a drug abuse. The psychological reasons behind this are that human beings require certain things at various stages of development in their lifespan. When one fails to access those things, then they are likely to carry forward that aspect into their lives. This is the reason why certain ladies tend to be promiscuous simply because they grew up without a father.

The critical event of loosing a parent can also affect a subject socially. In other words, one may be perceived by others s subordinate and this could result into feelings of low self esteem. Such a person may not be able to interact with his or her peers and may develop isolationist tendencies. It should be noted that these reactions will be affected by one’s cultural background. For instance, in certain cultures, it is normal to grow up with step families because polygamy is common. Consequently, such an individual will turn out very differently. (Ilham, 2000)

One’s heredity can also come into play when trying to understand the effects of step families. Certain individuals have greater temperaments and may depict their anger in more aggressive ways such as through antisocial behavior. Scientists assert that certain people have a greater tendency to exhibit antisocial behavior because of their biological makeup.

Conclusion

The biopsychosocial model is quite useful in understanding behavior because it explains some of the things that human beings cannot control and some of the things that they can. However, there is a limit to this approach because it does not account for the moral aspect of the human nature. In the model, issues such as love, freedom etc cannot be explained.

Science is the study of the physical world, but it is not just a field of interest. It is a discipline—a system of inquiry that adheres to a specific methodology. That methodology is known as the scientific method. It consists of seven steps: 1) observation; 2) statement of a problem or question; 3) formulation of a hypothesis, or a possible answer to the problem or question; 4) testing of the hypothesis with an experiment; 5) analysis of the experiment’s results; 6) interpretation of the data and formulation of a conclusion; and 7) publication of the findings. One can study nature without adhering to the scientific method, of course. The result, however, is not science.

Many people throughout history have studied nature without the scientific method. Some of the best-known people to do so were the ancient Greeks. Scholars such as Aristotle attempted to explain natural phenomena, but they did not test their ideas with experiments. They based their findings on logic. As a result, they often erred. These mistakes were later discovered by scholars using the scientific method.

In 1589, for example, Galileo Galilei devised a series of experiments to test Aristotle’s ideas about falling bodies. He found Aristotle’s claim that heavy bodies fall at a faster rate than light bodies to be false. Galileo was not the first person to conduct experiments or to follow the scientific method, however. European scholars had been conducting experiments for three hundred years, ever since a Franciscan monk named Roger Bacon advocated experimentation in the thirteenth century. One of Bacon’s books, Perspectiva (Optics) challenges ancient Greek ideas about vision and includes several experiments with light that include all seven steps of the scientific method.

Bacon’s Perspectiva is not an original work, however. It is a summary of a longer work entitled De aspectibus (The Optics). Perspectiva follows the organization of De aspectibus and repeats its experiments step by step. But De aspectibus is not an original work, either. It is the Latin translation of a book written in Arabic entitled Kit?b al-Man?zir (Book of Optics). Written around 1021, Kit?b al-Man?zir predates Roger Bacon’s summary of it by 250 years. The author of this groundbreaking book was a Muslim scholar named Ab? ‘Al? al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham.

Born in Basra (located in what is now Iraq) in 965, Ibn al-Haytham—known in the West as Alhazen or Alhacen—wrote more than 200 books and treatises on a wide range of subjects. He was the first person to apply algebra to geometry, founding the branch mathematics known as analytic geometry.

Ibn al-Haytham’s use of experimentation was an outgrowth of his skeptical nature and his Muslim faith. He believed that human beings are flawed and only God is perfect. To discover the truth about nature, he reasoned, one had to allow the universe to speak for itself. “The seeker after truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them,” Ibn al-Haytham wrote in Doubts Concerning Ptolemy, “but rather the one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration.”

To test his hypothesis that “lights and colors do not blend in the air,” for example, Ibn al-Haytham devised the world’s first camera obscura, observed what happened when light rays intersected at its aperture, and recorded the results. This is just one of dozens of “true demonstrations,” or experiments, contained in Kit?b al-Man?zir.

By insisting on the use of verifiable experiments to test hypotheses, Ibn al-Haytham established a new system of inquiry—the scientific method—and earned a place in history as the first scientist.

Even though the fascination with the identity of the Antichrist has been a major aspect of bible prophecy for hundreds of years, the twentieth and twenty first century has witnessed more focus on the end time Antichrist debate more than any other time primarily because the rise of the internet has created more exposure and access to information related to the development of the new world order than at any other time in history.

The “New World Order” whilst a political term used by the likes of Barack Obama, Henry Kissinger and George Bush Senior, is a term with a more sinister meaning which at the heart involves the creation of a final socialist world government system that will full the biblical prophecy of a final world empire dictatorship that will enslave mankind into a demonic economic system called the Mark of the Beast.

Whilst there are literally countless interpretations of Daniel and Revelation’s end time prophecies there are 5 major categories of belief which have had a significant influence over biblical eschatology.

1. A EUROPEAN SUPER STATE

The traditional and classical view is that this final world empire will be a european super state, arising out of the European Union. Some of the world’s greatest prophecy scholars such as Dave Hunt, David Breese and the late John F Walvoord and Dwight Pentecost believed that this final empire would be a Revived Roman Empire according to the prophecies of Daniel.

David Breese one of the most respected end time researchers in decades comments on Europe’s plans to protect her interests. He says “Europe will immediately realise the necessity of developing a strong military establishment, an all European army to guard their overflowing coffers……The second mission of a European military establishment must also be to protect the energy routes from the Middle East. A high percentage..nearly 100%…of the oil that heats and energises Europe comes from the oil rich lands of the countries surrounding the Persian Gulf. Should these supplies be threatened, all other considerations would need to be set aside in favour of guaranteeing the uninterrupted flow of Mid East oil. Without this, homes would become cold, automobiles would be parked by the curb, and the airplanes would no longer fly. The pipeline from the Middle East must always be held as a major consideration by the planners of Europe’s future.”. It is thus interesting to see that in July 2008, French president, Nicholas Sarkozy led the inauguration of the Mediterranean Union; an economic and trade union between the southern hemisphere nations of the European Union and the nations of North Africa and the Western side of the Middle East basin.

2. THE CLUB OF ROME MODEL

The modernist viewpoint is that the final world empire will consist of 10 bio regions (known as the Club of Rome model) in that the earth has been divided into blocs where the idea is that the national sovereignty of nations will be subject to a regional union. The 10 bioregions governed by 10 political leaders would then report to a supreme world leader as alluded to in Revelation 17:12-13.

Some of these regions it is believed already have been formed such as the European Union, the South American Union, the African Union and the Arab League. There is also presently recent controversy regarding the North American Union which is a supposed planned union between the United States, Canada and Mexico which will surpass the previous NAFTA agreements. Reports even suggest that there are plans to create a centralised currency across these 3 countries called the Amero which will replace all 3 national currencies.

3. AMERICA: GUARDIAN OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER

An alternative modernist view point is that America is the final world empire. Adherents of this viewpoint believe that the traditional view which places Europe as the primary power in the last days, has significant failings. They believe that the power of Freemasonry migrated from England to the United States and that the symbology on the American Dollar bill justifies this. Much of this view is also tied in with the interpretation of Revelation 18 description of a last days end time commercial Babylon which bears the hallmarks of the United States because of its military, political and commercial strength on the world stage.

Jack Van Impe, Stan Deyo, Tim Mchyde and others have championed this view that the last days commercial Babylon is not applicable to a literal rebuilding of the ancient city in Iraq as championed by Dr Charles Dwyer or the seven hilled city of Rome as mentioned by Dave Hunt in his book “A Woman Rides the Beast”, but symbolic of the world greatest super power, the United States.

4. AN ISLAMIC ECONOMIC AND MILITARY ALLIANCE

A more recent view which is enjoying a significant amount of coverage is the belief that the Antichrist and his empire will be a confederation of Islamic nations led by the long awaited Islamic Madhi. This view championed by Rodrigo Silva and Joel Richardson author of “Antichrist: Islam’s Awaited Messiah” is based on reviewing Islamic prophetical teachings known as “hadith” which refer to the final coming of the Al-Madhi (a return of Jesus Christ) to overthrow the Al-Dajaal (a Syrian/Jewish Antichrist) and establish a new world Islamic order. Scholars who hold to the islamic view believe that the biblical final world empire will be an Islamic confederation which will use its significant oil reserves as a secret weapon to bring the world economy crashing down under Islamic domination.

5. THE VATICAN AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Finally, there is the traditional medieval view that the Antichrist is linked to the Roman Catholic Church and Jesuit order. This view which was born out of the persecution of the early reformers by Rome even today has significant appeal. Malachi Martins book the “The Keys to this Blood” is one of the best documented insights into the Vatican’s struggle for world supremacy and the internal state of the Roman Catholic Church with a specific split amongst high ranking clergy between those holding onto the historical teachings of the apostles and the early church fathers, and those who wish for many of the church’s teachings to be changed under new liberal new age philosophies which encompass a universalist religion unification ideal.

The discussion over the Antichrist identity is even more heated with the outright bizarre of beliefs to the most sophisticated. History has seen many labelled the Antichrist such as Roman Emperor Nero, Charlemagne King of the Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and within in recent times, Henry Kissinger, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Saddam Hussein, Vladimir Putin, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Karl Von Habsburg of the Habsburg Dynasty, Javier Solana of the European Union, Prince Charles of Wales and more recently and controversially, Barack Obama.

Does the Bible as well as the secular New World Order publications shed any light on who the Antichrist will be? What will be his lineage? European, Muslim, Jewish, Merovingian stock etc.

The understanding and interpretation of prophecy can be be enhanced with the analysis of secular documentation such as the new age bible “The Keys of Enoch” and other heavy weight illuminati inspired epistles such as Alice Bailey’s “Externalisation of the Hierarchy” and the Masonic writings of Albert Pike in “Morals and Dogma” .

It is within these materials that the true nature of the coming final world empire will be revealed which will provide significant clarity to the debate.

Watch the video related to Socialist Scholar

University of Iceland on the Tyranny of the Status Quo. He participated in a lively television debate on August 31, 1984 with leading socialist intellectuals, including President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson. When they complained that a fee was charged for attending his lecture at the University and that hitherto, lectures by visiting scholars had been free-of-charge, Friedman replied that previous lectures had not been free-of-charge in a meaningful sense: Lectures always have related costs. …

Help answer the question about Socialist Scholar

Radical and Socialist Influences:

Saul Alinsky
Bill Ayers
Carl Davidson
Frank Marshall Davis
Democratic Socialists of America
Bernardine Dohrn
Gamaliel Foundation
New Party
Socialist Scholars Conference

Political Allies and Advisors:

Ali Abunimah
Mohamed Salim Al-Churbaji
David Axelrod
Gregg Craig
Jim Johnson
Marilyn Katz
Anthony Lake
Robert Malley
Alice Palmer
Eli Pariser
George Soros
Cass Sunstein
Dorothy Tillman
Joyce Wheeler
Tim Wheeler

Religious Affiliations:

Louis Farrakan
Rev. Joseph Lowery
James Meeks
Rev. Otis Moss
Rev. Michael Pfleger
Rev. Al Sharpton
Jim Wallis
Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Organizational Affiliations:

ACORN
Arab American Action Network
Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C.
International Crisis Group
MoveOn
National Council of La Raza
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Project Vote
Sojourners

Academic Affiliations:

Rashid Khalidi
Edward Said
Cornel West

Foundations:

Joyce Foundation
Woods Fund of Chicago

Money Scandals:

Nadhmi Auchi
Robert Blackwell, Jr.
Tony Rezko

Family:

Michelle Obama
Raila Odinga
mr_cj_jr: Wow ruffle your feathers? All of those on the list support and endorse Obama, does the truth hurt?
Mr. CJ: "Edit: No you didn't. But, you made yourself look foolish by turning my question into something negative." So you are finally admitting that those names on the list are negative, thanks for agreeing

About Author

Reece Woodstock was one of the main researchers who contributed to the release of the Antichrist Identity Report in 2008. http://www.theantichristidentity.com

The date is July 25, 1890. My name is Nils Hoffmann, born December 7th, 1870 in Berlin. I have recently returned to my parent’s home after attending school in Potsdam. I am hoping to hear back from a friend’s father who manages a chemical laboratory, for he had offered me a job upon my graduation.

However business has been stagnant for him of late, so in the meantime I have been under hire of a baugesellschaften. My father has worked for this same building society since he entered the work force. There has been plenty of work for him in this flourishing city. This company and ones similar have extended the city to the point that it has devoured its sister communities and made them one.

My parents, along with my sisters ages 15 and 5, live In a decent two bedroom apartment in Kruezburg, a few blocks down from the river. Our first dwelling, which we lived in before the youngest Mitzi was born, was located in the suburb of Charlottenburg. Though my parent’s first rent was modest, it was a lovely place, located in a clean and peaceful neighborhood. As the rapid growth approached our little Charlottenburg, it became decreasingly desirable. We were lucky enough to get out before our neighborhood had been completely surrounded by the rental barracks, and before the rent in the city became too high.

Our current home is a typical three story stone building, with ten apartments per floor. My parents took pride in this little home. Though I have noticed that it has been cluttered with useless decorations since I first moved away.

I awoke from my couch in the front room. I was the first up in my family, which was pleasing, for I enjoy a few minutes to myself in the morning. I flipped on the lamp to enhance visual abilities, and headed toward the adjacent kitchen. I searched through the refrigerator, and chose two hard-boiled eggs and some leftover chicken schnitzel. I chopped the chicken and sandwiched it between two slices of weizenbrot.

My breakfasts are usually more ambitious than the usual Hoffmann family breakfast. Truthfully, Mitzi and I are the only two that eat anything near a decent breakfast. My father usually just has a cup of coffee, and my mother and sister either skip it, or have a slice of a Baguette French roll. When this unmotivated family does feel inspired, they will also have salami, sliced meat and orange juice.

My middle sister, Jutta woke next. She is a tall, strong, intelligent girl. She dreams of going away to study, to become engineer. It is not beyond her capabilities, I am sure of it. The difficulty is that area of study is not available for girl, especially not a middle class girl. The cost alone would be too much for my family. Not to mention they have expressed behind her back that they would not support her further than secondary school.

I really feel horrible for the girl; she has all the potential in the world, but has grown up in such an nonsupporting environment, and will not likely be given many opportunities to thrive. The rest of the family soon awoke, and the small house was jammed with creatures, including the dog and cat. My mother preoccupied with rambunctious Mitzi, and my father gathering his equipment.

It was off to work for my father and I. It was a decent morning, the air was cool and thick. The ground was damp from the evening dew. We headed down the road to catch the tram. We had a job up at Schoenberg on the south side. The region was becoming notorious for filth and poverty. Plain five story apartments stretched for many blocks, and were multiplying out toward the countryside. The apartments filled blocks in a honeycomb shape, with an open-air courtyard in the center.

A few of my friends lived on this side of town. All families of the house shared the kitchens. I never liked to spend the night over there; the rooms were closed off from any sunlight. The whole place always smelled of rotting garbage. My last stay overnight at my old pal Bruno’s, I found several rats in my blanket when I woke in the morning. I was terribly sick for several weeks afterwards. My parents would not let me over there from then on, for good reason. But I can recall there was a strong livelihood about the courtyard. Bruno and I spent many afternoons interacting with the interesting characters of the neighborhood.

As the tram slowly made its way across town, factories passed in a seemingly endless blur. This city had become an industrial power within my lifetime. Berlin was founded in 1244. At the turn of the century, the city was home to about 200,000, and most were employed by small manufacturing businesses. It also served important military functions. Around the time of my birth and German unification, the city held 900,000 inhabitants. Today the city is home to 1.9 million, and continuing to grow. City officials are making efforts to accommodate for the growth by widening streets and incorporating traffic systems. Many of the main streets are now lined with lights.

We jumped off the tram a few blocks from the construction site at Schoneburg farms and walked the remaining distance. This area was once filled with potato farms. Those fortunate to have owned one of those farms became instant millionaires once the developers purchased the land.

We were in the process of pouring a concrete foundation for an apartment complex. Our Baugesellschaften picked up large-scale residential projects. We finished a project in Hasquietrel a few weeks back. That area used to be a bog, unsuitable for building. However several boatloads of sand were transported up the river and spread over the marshy terrain.

The motto of this company is quantity over quality. The company gets paid a flat rate per project. Therefore the faster we throw these buildings up, no matter the sloppiness of the work, the more money the company and therefore workers can make. It is possible, if we do not work with haste, for us to loose money for working. Though that is rarely the case, the system seems counter intuitive. I believe that if we were given more time, the quality of our product would increase, and we could therefore charge more for our services. Nonetheless this line of work has been busy all summer, and it pays better than most other jobs.

The day grew warm as I methodically mixed concrete. When you perform the same task for hours on end, you learn to keep yourself busy with your own thoughts. My mind was still centered on the city, which seemed to have grown overnight. The origin of this rapid growth can be traced to the industrial boom. Germany and Berlin especially had become world power in steel production. Chemical labs were also popping up all over the city. The development of industrial uses for chemicals was helping us catch the British.

Germany was a big business economy. Only the very wealthy could finance a steel mill or chemical lab operation. These capitalists raised money by organizing corporations, and selling stock. The wealthy executives would run these corporations. Beneath them, individuals would be hired specifically for managing sales, production and finances. My grandfather worked for I.G. Farben chemical cartel, which now dominates the industry in Germany. Some other industries in Germany included coal, glass, potash and cement.

The state of the German economy is currently unstable. The net national product is on the decline. Twenty percent of recently founded corporations have gone bankrupt. American and Russian grain products have flooded into the German market, which has proven the main contributing factor to our slumping economy.

In the distance, I saw one of the job sight managers yelling at one of the Polish workers. The very sight of him put a bitter taste in my mouth. Most of these men wake up every morning, put on the same cloths, and going to work for this same company, performing the same tasks day in and day out. They have to hear it from this asshole, which I have found is no more talented than many of the workers. It makes it worse that I feel there are more efficient ways to perform these tasks, but our foreman is resistant to any new methods, apparently it isn’t broke, so he isn’t going to fix it. My father and I are of equal value to this company as any foreman or job site managers as far as how productive we are in a given time frame. The difference is that we receive a much smaller percentage of the cream. This company is basically screwing us. The ones at the top make the majority of the income, yet do similar amounts of work.

Unfortunately, nobody will stand up for himself because we all realize our expendability at this point. Labor unions among unskilled workers have grown in popularity, however. The socialists have recently formed the Second International labor union. Socialists have been able to unify, and now have the ability to spread their cause more effectively.

The concrete mixing continued, and I overheard old Camper talking to another man about imperialism. Four years ago, the Berlin Conference was held. It set the ground rules for claiming territory on the African continent. Basically, a country needed enough fortitude and manpower to control and develop there. The native Africans were to be treated humanely. “It’s an exciting time. This is our chance to flex our muscle and show the rest of the world that Germany is a dominant force.” Camper said.

I had to admit that seeing my country colors spread across the globe did incite a sense of pride. “If a country decides not to participate in the emancipation of Bavarian lands, I’m afraid they too may one day loose their lands. If I were in one of those passive countries, I would be scared out of my wits. Here comes the big German machine.” he proudly roared. With the sun directly overhead, lunch was upon us. I cleaned up my work area and headed off.

Lunch is traditionally the largest meal of the day. I had made arrangements to meet at my girlfriend’s house this afternoon. Usually I would go home, but I was near East Elbia, and her pantry was usually much fuller, and her parents much more interesting and attentive than mine. East Elbia is one of the classier neighborhoods in the city.

Mr. Thalberg managed a department store, but he had a large sum of inherited wealth. Now days he was active in local politics as a member of the currently favored Junker party. I worked for him a few summers back. He and I often chatted, and he liked me enough to introduce me to his middle daughter, Petra. We began seeing each other two years ago, but seem to be growing apart. I have a feeling that she doesn’t care much for me, but her family adores me so we have stayed together. Often times I come to the Thalbergs just to drink beer and converse with Marko and Therese (her parents).

I was whole heartily welcomed by Therese at the door. The apartment was roomy and well decorated. Marko was enthusiastically speaking into the telephone. Nobody else I knew owned one. I always wondered whom he was talking to.

The maid, Irmgard already had lunch prepared, and quite a spread it was. The plethora consisted of baked Kartoffel, Curry-wurst, bratwurst, and a marinated beef pot roast dish served with red cabbage and dumplings called sauerbraten. I chose a sampling off all options, but omitted the torts and pastries.
I realized that Petra was downstairs. Though I hate playing mind games with her, I found myself making a conscious effort to avoid going down to see her. If she wanted to see me, she could come upstairs. Besides, Marko’s conversation was usually more interesting.

“I just got off the phone with a lobbyist proposing a bill to give women the vote” he said. He then began to chuckle. “‘Not any time soon, my friend’ I told him. Besides, you know, the very nature of being a women would be tarnished if they are given political power.” I realized immediately this statement was flawed. Being a woman and lacking political power were not directly correlated, for women were not defined by lacking political power. To me it was simple, why was it so difficult for this man to see? If he weren’t kind enough to let me hold his daughters’ hand, I would have told him how I felt.

“No, you see, men really prize women’s value. Really. There must be someone to tend to the house. Home is where the heart is. If the heart is tattered, then the family mechanism will not work. The family dynamic will be thrown off if women are forced out into the working world, and forced to make the types of decisions we have to make. When I see women working, it is a sign that their husband is not doing his job as the provider of resources.”

As he was speaking, i remembered reading an essay by Clara Zetkin. She argued that women would only receive fair treatment when all workers are released from the oppressions of the economic and social world. It instantly came into the light. This man had never seen poverty. Maybe he didn’t understand it. For most commoners, it is impossible to gain any ground financially, for they were working as many hours as humanly possible just to pay off debts. That is if there is even enough work for him. With women of the family unable to participate in money earning, some families become trapped. The issues of rights for women and workers are intertwined, and workers and peasants drew the heaviest burden.

I finished my meal, gave Marko a handshake, Irmgard a hug, and Petra a cheep goodbye. I walked lazily back to work, full of food.

At this point the sky was very warm. Feeling uninspired to churn concrete, I again tried to shift my focus inward, and again thought about the city. In 1871, Berlin was named the capitol. Many were upset with this decision. Others viewed Berlin as a rough place, and Berliners themselves were thought to be unruly and rebellious. Improvements were made to the city including street improvements and a sewage system. However, Berlin has never really fit the mold of a capitol. It is not considered modern, and Bismarck provided our city with little financial support. Bismarck rarely came into the city. He usually holds conference in Potsdam, which has long been the preferred stay of the Kings. In 1881, Berlin became a city-state separate from Brandenburg. The city looks much different today then it did when I was a kid. It is still struggling to adjust to its new title.

At last, we were released from our duties. I cleaned up my workstation and headed home to wash. I remembered I was to have dinner at my uncles this evening, so I hustled along.
I arrived at my uncles as the sun was descending towards the trees. I was the first of my family to arrive, which was uncomfortable, for my aunt and cousins are socially awkward people. My aunt was running the vacuum cleaner, and my uncle was preparing a fire.

My three younger cousins were reluctantly practicing their violins. I wish I would have an opportunity to learn an instrument. Over the past few years I have grown to truly appreciate music. Some of my favorite artists include Gustav Mahler, Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner and Arnold Schonberg. I noticed the kids were attempting to rehearse a Beethoven piece.

Dinner at my uncles meant a heated political discussion was inevitable. I made sure to think of some topics for discussion before coming over. The elections to replace Chancellor Bismarck were approaching. Otto von Bismarck was named Chancellor twenty years ago. He had long supported universal male suffrage. He believed the influence of liberal bourgeois classes would be eliminated. He also believed his conservative policies would have the support of the workers and peasants.

Bismarck was able to unify the German states and people under Prussia. He brought all law codes, currencies, and military forces to the lesser states into conformity with those of Prussia. Laws were passed asserting states rights to restrict religious orders, and require civil marriage. He succeeded in bringing all education under state control, including catholic ran schools. The clergy resisted and authorities arrested hundreds of priests and six bishops. However many of these measures backfired and actually made the Roman Catholic Center Party stronger. Several years after the initial attack, Bismarck repealed the most severe anti-Catholic laws.

At that point in time, his focus had shifted to fighting democratically minded and radical socialists. Socialists attacked the autocratic nature of Germany’s government. As the Social Democratic party began gaining popularity, Bismarck reacted by outlawing their publications. The repressive tactics failed. Bismarck again switched his focus. He attempted to eliminate the causes for socialism, and to tarnish the Social Democrats appeal to the working class. Over the last few years, Bismarck implemented social insurance reforms providing accident, sickness and old age benefits. Last year Kaiser Wilhelm died, and his son took over the title. A few months ago Wilhelm II dismissed Bismarck.

The members of my family began to trickle in the house. My mother, father, sisters and grandparents were gathered in the small living room saying hellos.

As usual, the men eventually found themselves at one end of the room, and the women at the other end fussing with the children. They would likely continue to fuss throughout the evening. I would have liked for them to participate in our discussions. However they would not be welcome by my uncle and grandpa, nor would they have the will to talk politics. In general, adult women lack social skills. It troubles me, for the girls I went to primary school were no less capable than any of the boys. It’s as if they never develop. Why does this happen? Could at be that because they are not allowed to participate in many activities that they’re social growth stunts? I sure hope that doesn’t happen to Jutta.

As I had expected, we began discussing possibilities for the upcoming elections. To the far right of the political spectrum are the Prussian Junkers. Since they are typically elitists, and therefore few, they often side with other more conservative groups.

One such conservative party is the Free Conservatives, the party that my uncle claims. They are the businessmen and industrialists who oppose high tariffs to promote free trade.

Next are the National Liberals, who are for a constitutional monarchy. They promote political reform to make the government more representatives. This is a popular group throughout Germany.

To the far left are the feared and growing Social Democrats. These are typically workers who wish for a socialist government.

My family tended to lean conservative, especially my grandfather. “Those peasants scare the heck out of me. Those unruly rummies will burn the damn city down and murder their brother, they don’t know any better. That’s why you’ve got to stay away from all these democratic reforms, they’ll allow the peasants to run the city.”

My uncle had a pessimistic view on the situation. “We aren’t going to have much influence on anything. The members of the upper house are appointed for life by the king. They have the power to pass their seat to heirs. Though we are over represented in Berlin, Prussia holds 26 of the 56 deputies. They have the one third needed to block anything they don’t like coming for Berlin. Since they fear this city, they are not likely to side with us on many issues.”

The discussion was relocated to the kitchen, where the family servant Elsa called us for dinner in her usual pushy manner. Dinner was typically a light meal. This evenings options included French bread slices, cheeses, sliced salami and turkey, and salad with pickled cucumbers. I chose a serving of each.

The discussion had morphed. “Will power is what enables people to survive. The strongest living people are the ones that come into power. Its talent; strength, will and intelligence; that is what makes leaders.” stated my father. “Just like anything else, if you show that you’re gentle, modest and compassionate, your showing your weaknesses. Say what you will about Bismarck’s policies, but he has the fortitude to lead this country.”

Knowing my father is a proponent of democracy, i could help but to state “Ya, but Bismarck gave up on democracy years ago. He took more and more control of economic policies as his tenure went on. With the current policies, it is impossible for our nation to grow any further economically. Right now we are in the doldrums. Not only that, but since their are so many economic questions mounting, reforms will surely be put on the back burner.”

“Eh, there was nothing wrong with the way it used to be. They’re always trying to change this, and improve that. The city was a peaceful place before Bismarck. Now days, I walk down the streets and get lost, in my own damn city.” There was no point in arguing with my grandfather. He was not going to open up to anything new at the wily age of 76.

I finished up dinner and said my good-byes. I was off to the tavern to celebrate the birthday of my buddy Dolf.

The pub life. Without question, Berlin does beer, and in large quantities. Since the weather here is a bit too harsh for grape growth, beer has long been a staple of German culture. Even tribal Germans were known to have had beer-drinking bouts. Dolf had a favorite tavern, which was fittingly quite seedy.

I entered into the carnival like setting, and found my group at an end table. At first sight, I could tell that the boys had already been at it for an hour or so. Dorf and I exchanged our usual obnoxious greeting. I ordered a pint of Pauliner for myself, and a Lowenbrau for deer old Dorf. He is originally from Bavaria, the home of the world’s first breuerie, and Germany’s most notorious drinkers. Dorf fit the stereotype perfectly. He was loud, proud, and a regular alcoholic. I really loved the man, he was a true friend. Unfortunately, he was not a scholar by any means.

“You wouldn’t believe it, Annette is selling herself around the corner,” Dorf announced. She was an old playmate of ours from childhood. The poor girl had a terrible upbringing. “I think I’ll buy her tonight.” he chuckled. “You sure would you ball of filth.”

Tavern life was not a glorious one. I did not like to go out often, for it was a rather depressing scene. Germany is not known for great leisure activities. I guess the creativeness gets drawn out of people after a long day at work. And that was it, Berlin was a hustle and bustle town. There was little time for self-reflection. In fact, emotions were not to be expressed, especially by men. I for one enjoy taking walks in the countryside to relax. The majority of my country mates, however, stick to traditional methods of stress release. The lower classes are especially susceptible to falling into the drunken trap. Many peasants’ sole drive was to live to drink another beer.

Taverns always seemed to bring out the pride in people, or maybe more precisely, the boo’s bring out the pride. Two of my friends were having an irrelevant argument with a French man over which country was stronger. The poor, ignorant fellow was better off just agreeing, for my stubborn friends would be willing to go on for hours about German supremacy. If they couldn’t find an outside countryman, they would find a willing opponent to fight over who was more German.

In need of a more insightful conversation, I heard my friend Darrin, an intelligent Scott preaching his liberal viewpoints. “It is competitive individualism and a lack of collective values that are wrecking ties that connect people to one another.” I had to admit that I had felt that way. Though we were all proud Germans, we had to compete everyday. “Money is nothing more than a new form of slavery.” He was a strong proponent of many socialist ideas. “Our party understands that a revolution is inevitable. In the meantime it is important for us to cooperate with the capitalist classes. We have the same short-term goal. Once the common goal is reached, we can then begin to gradually implement socialist aspects.”

Though his views were gaining popularity, the view on the other end of the spectrum was prominent in the tavern on this particular night. The nationalist minds were becoming increasingly anti-Semitic. Berlin had a decent sized Jewish population. Most came within the last 25 years, for their talents were in high demand when the city began to develop. I can recall my younger years, when Germany was not a hostile place for Jews. However, as the years have gone on, a sense of envy is brewing into hatred from non-Jews.

“It was the Jews that murdered Christ,” Dorf belched out. “That’s not the point. We Germans belong to a special race, you know. We have higher qualities physically and mentally.” Explained a tavern regular named Oswin. Here was a man that was very charismatic, and never hesitated to voice his strong nationalistic views. “You see, it is because of these natural differences that Jews and Germans cannot coexist. Jews are the cause of most of the misery in Europe. They find ways to scam you out of your money and then keep it all to themselves. It is because of this hoarding that democracy and socialism cannot work. Not to mention the fact that they are all assholes,” he continued.

Darrin leaned to my ear. “I find that many Germans are mistaken if they think they are superior, especially when it comes to attaining and managing wealth. Jews are quite simply dominant in the financial world. It frightens me to think what would happen if these Ultra nationalists were to gain political power.”
The night was growing late, and the crowd was thinning, but growing rowdy with intoxication. I decided to head home. I left without saying goodbye. I avoid farewells because my friends make me feel guilty for leaving. “It’s my birthday, don’t you want to stay out all night? Who cares if you work in the morning,” he would say.

As I walked past the shabby neighborhoods, I watched my step. Bands of drunk, unemployed individuals lurked in the darkness. I began to think back to my readings of Darwin and Newton’s theories. I realized that knowledge was spreading. Soon, even the members of this unfortunate community would become cognitive to these ideas. It inspired me to think of that possibility, for once our people have the power of knowledge, we will no longer stand for oppression. With more liberated society members, there will be a higher likelihood that talent will surface. With more talent, the future generations will more likely be able to answer the questions that plague our minds as human beings.

Works Cited

Bernstein, Eckhard. “Culture And Customs of Germany.” Daily Life Premium. 2006. Daily Life Online.

17 Mar. 2008

dle.jsp?k=4&bc=DBWC3333&x=GR2203&p=GR2203-266>. Path: Food, Wine, Beer, and Fashion, Beer.

- – -. “‘Germany: Music’ from Culture and Customs of Germany.” Greenwood Publishing Group. 19 Mar.

2008. Daily Life Online: Exploring Everyday Life Past and Present. 19 Mar. 2008

. Path: Culture and

Customs of Germany, Performing Arts: Theater, Music, Opera, Dance, and Cabaret, Music.

Buse, Dieter K. “‘Regions of Germany: Berlin’ from the Regions of Germany.” Daily Life Online. Ed.

Greenwood Publishing Group. Mar. 2006. Exploring Everyday Life past and Present. 19 Mar. 2008

. Path: The Regions of

Germany, Berlin, SPECIAL ASPECTS.

History of Berlin. 27 Mar. 2008 . Path:

germany/ berlin/ history of berlin.

Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury. The West in the World. 2001. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004.

Turk, Eleanor L. “‘Germany: The Second German Empire, 1871-1914′ from the History of Germany.”

Greenwood Publishing Group. Daily Life Online: Exploring Everyday Life Past and Present. 19

Mar. 2008 . Path:

history.

Watch the video related to Socialist Scholar

The program includes brief interview with participants of the Socialist Scholars Conference of 1995. Involved are Daniel Singer of the Nation Magizine, Dr. Seymour Melman of Columbia University, Al Lewis the Actor, Rod Carroll an educator and Professor Lynn Chancer of Hunter College. There is also a brief part of another “Conversation” with Dr. Bertrand Chatel Former Science advisor to the United Nations.

Help answer the question about Socialist Scholar

About Author

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – A Day in the Life: Berlin 1890

What is art? There exists not one but hundreds of definitions of art offered by renowned artists, scholars, and philosophers throughout the ages. Considered literally, art refers to any specialized skill, or human activities encompassing a wide range of fields like literature, music, painting, or sculpting. It’s the end but not the means that constitutes the success of art. A lot many artists believe in the cult of art for art’s sake. However, this function of art has been subjected to severe criticism by some of the noted scholars of the late 19th century who believed in the instructional quality of art. To them, art existed not just for aesthetic pleasure but was also associated with the purpose of converting the mind into a particular trend of thought.

Theories abound as to the true purpose of art. Whether didactic or aesthetic, there is no denying that art casts its influence on the observer’s mind. Times have changed and with it, artistry has undergone multiple changes too. If Romanticism and Classicism influenced art works of yester years, it is Realism, Impressionism, Fauvism, Dadaism, and Surrealism that have laid their impact on contemporary art. No wonder, contemporary art is distinctly different from the art works of earlier generations.

The fields encompassing contemporary art remains the same even today but its essence has been infused with modernity. As in earlier times, contemporary art too covers the fields of music, painting, sculpting, literature, to name a few. New styles along with an eagerness for experimentation have found greater expression in contemporary art works. However in case of paintings, there often crops up a dilemma as to symbols represented on the canvas. Contemporary paintings often appear complex to the common eye, a fact often relished by some of the distinguished artists.

Nevertheless, the revival of some of the Asian art forms of China and Vietnam has breathed a fresh lease of life into the contemporary art scenario. Contemporary art exhibitions featuring some of the masterpieces of Oriental art are being widely appreciated by art connoisseurs across the world. The impact of Socialist Realism and the New Culture Movement is pretty evident in the oil paintings by Chinese artists. Not just China, but Vietnam too, has soaked up the western influence of Impressionism into its cultural fabric. A lot many of Vietnamese paintings depict the daily, simple world of the villages as observed through the human eye. The Vietnamese painter, Nguyen Thanh Binh, is renowned for using human element in all his canvases. Nonetheless, the influence of the Romantics does not lag behind. Paintings portraying the beauty of autumn, the green fields, the lotus pool abound.

Notwithstanding the influence of Oriental art on its western counterpart, there can be no denying the impact of the latter on the former. In fact, both these diverse art forms have imbibed features of each other. The French Impressionist and Viennese art nouveau have been chiefly influenced by Japanese prints. The history of Japan post 19th century, has cast an impression not only on visual arts but on European ceramics as well.

This intermingling of existing art traditions has thus given way to further innovations in the contemporary art scenario. Herein crops up avenues for the birth of new art genres with fresh appeal. This would certainly not deter people from admiring the older art forms. As a matter of fact, contemporary art has been and will be constantly inspired by their masters.

Watch the video related to Socialist Scholar

University of Iceland on the Tyranny of the Status Quo. He participated in a lively television debate on August 31, 1984 with leading socialist intellectuals, including President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson. When they complained that a fee was charged for attending his lecture at the University and that hitherto, lectures by visiting scholars had been free-of-charge, Friedman replied that previous lectures had not been free-of-charge in a meaningful sense: Lectures always have related costs. …

Help answer the question about Socialist Scholar

Radical and Socialist Influences:

Saul Alinsky
Bill Ayers
Carl Davidson
Frank Marshall Davis
Democratic Socialists of America
Bernardine Dohrn
Gamaliel Foundation
New Party
Socialist Scholars Conference

Political Allies and Advisors:

Ali Abunimah
Mohamed Salim Al-Churbaji
David Axelrod
Gregg Craig
Jim Johnson
Marilyn Katz
Anthony Lake
Robert Malley
Alice Palmer
Eli Pariser
George Soros
Cass Sunstein
Dorothy Tillman
Joyce Wheeler
Tim Wheeler

Religious Affiliations:

Louis Farrakan
Rev. Joseph Lowery
James Meeks
Rev. Otis Moss
Rev. Michael Pfleger
Rev. Al Sharpton
Jim Wallis
Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Organizational Affiliations:

ACORN
Arab American Action Network
Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C.
International Crisis Group
MoveOn
National Council of La Raza
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Project Vote
Sojourners

Academic Affiliations:

Rashid Khalidi
Edward Said
Cornel West

Foundations:

Joyce Foundation
Woods Fund of Chicago

Money Scandals:

Nadhmi Auchi
Robert Blackwell, Jr.
Tony Rezko

Proof???

GOOGLE +Obama [any of the above]

I know it's the internet, and there are a lot of toolbag bloggers out there. But open your eyes! This guy is Mr Socialist to a T! Throw in some racism and anti-Americanism and pro-terrorism and it is a bad combination.

No wonder Bush won twice with the losers the Dems come up with!
I predict this question will not last a day before the Lib censors get it pulled to protect their chosen one.

About Author

Suzanne Macguire is an Internet marketing professional with keen interest in contemporary art and the role of the renowned Vietnam artist Do Duy Tuan in the field of Vietnamese painting.