Sociology

Economist discussion on economic development now has focused on geography and institution in addition to policies as factors influencing economic development. These factors have a share in ensuring economic development. These paper discuses the economist views on this matter of concern

Summary and ideas.
The article discusses the contribution of institutions, trade and the geography as factors that determine income distribution in the world. The article asserts that, it is the quality of the institutions that triumph over everything i.e. geography and policies encompassing trade. According to this article, geography has weak effects on income but has great indirect effect on institution quality. On the other hand, the article asserts that, institutions have great influence on policies encompassing trade and other economic activities. To add on this, this article claims that policies affects institution quality.

The ideas and summary of the article on root of development
This article postulates that, some economists claim that, it is through the long lived institutions which are conducive for growth such as property rights political stability, legal stability and so on, that economic development will be achieved.

To other economists, more weight is emphasized on geography especially the climate which greatly determines incidence of diseases, agricultural opportunities and applicability of some technologies. The access to the sea which affects the international integration scope is also emphasized as part of geography.

The relationship of two articles
The emphasis of institution as a factor influencing economic development is discussed in both articles. The interdependence of three factors influencing economic development i.e. geography, institutions and policies is also discussed in both articles.

The postulation that, the institutions maters a lot as compared with the geography and policies is apparent in both articles. A country with good institutions may certainly do well even amidst unfavorable geography and bad policies while a country with bad institutions tend to do badly regardless of good geography and policies.

The societies in which we live in have got institutions and organizations where people have different ranks through which they offer services to others. The ranking of people in any organization brings the idea of leadership where somebody has to direct and support one another in the way to manage and handle tasks leading to sound decisions, and achievement of goals set for the particular task. Generally, the task of leading others to attain a given goal is not an easy task as many people think. There is complexity in leadership and several associated challenges which have led to have leaders with different leadership styles, so as to succeed in their profession (Burns, 1985). Leaders portray autocratic or democratic transformational or even laissez-faire leadership style depending on the qualities of the leader. It is believed that transformational leadership is the best style to be embraced in organizations that want to be among the top competitors in any particular industry. Thus, the understanding of its key features qualities that led to its effectiveness in the operation and management are thus of paramount importance, especially when operation environments are seen to fluctuate forcing a change in organizations.

Normally, a good leader should be honest, loyal and committed to the goals of the organization he intends to lead. A good leader should not have a desire for wrongful gains or hidden agendas. Some leaders have a self plan and pursue them rather than acting in the interests of the organization. National leaders and particularly the freedom fighters of several nations had steadfast qualities and determination in them, which helped them carry on and ultimately succeed. A good leader is perhaps a good follower. Similarly a good leader should also emphasize such qualities among his followers and make them accountable too. Simplicity is a mark of identity for any leader and projecting himself as a role model. A leader indeed should have uncommon qualities to successfully lead his organization (Palmer, 2004).

Change is a permanent reality across time. The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, as never before witnessed. This has posed a great challenge to the leaders in the managing change in organizations (Peters, 2000). Change in an organization, group or any set up involves altering its structure, processes, the behaviour of its management and staff, its strategy, environment etc. The structure of an organization is one of the most common targets of change. Some processes which are altered as a result of change implementation are communication processes, management processes and learning process. Periodic reviews of its goals and progress are vital for any organization or team to stay aligned with its objectives and expectations. This means the application of the power to manipulate the objects knowledge rather than augmentation of the self-interest knowledge (Palmer, 2004). I understand the need and consequences of change, which an organization undertakes according to the demands placed on it. Ongoing communication can motivate managers and employees and help them to overcome resistance to an initiative, keep them prepared for the ups and downs of change
Organizations are managed by several forms of leadership based on the exertion of authority within the organization. Two main, but interconnected types of leadership in organizations are the transformational leadership and the transactional leadership, both having strong philosophical and ethical foundations Transformational leadership gives followers the opportunity to assess the leaders view, to seek explanations and provide solutions, while transactional leadership is more based on imposition, where followers are driven by the praise, promise or reward of the leader. Transformational leadership has become more popular in the last three decades primarily due to the changing global economy.

Transformational leadership promotes equality, justice and human rights through loyalty and fairness. Recent findings suggest that team performance and communication are improved under transformational leadership (Palmer, 2004). Authentic transformational leaders are sometimes transactional too. The leader may present his opinion, plans and exhort agreement on them, which however may be in the mutual interest of all involved.

The embracing of the transformational leadership entails the mutual interaction between the leaders and the followers for the good of the individuals and the organizations. The key focus is on implementation of organizations projects that have motivational impacts to the employees. It thus integrates the vision and goals of the organization to those of the workers. Consequently, there is an overall realization of growth of individuals and the organization as whole. It works parallel to the practices of engaging an organization vision to the works without consideration of the workers visions. According to Burn (1985) leaders have an array of responsibilities which include empowering, elevating and leading the junior group in times of crises and conflicts. They have to trigger their consciousness and make rise above personal interest for the sake group success.

Being a transformational leader means that, one has to find the motivating factors of the others, as they are vital component associated with productivity at the workplace. The key gist of adapting to the transformational leadership is not to tame the power of leadership, but its aimed at making each individual transcend the barriers being experienced at the present position held. Burn (1985) argues that people unite together in transformational leadership such that they have motivation and moral uplifting to the higher levels. Subsequently, this eliminates most of the impediments which might be encountered in times of instilling a change in an organization. It is through the empowering and elevation of followers that leaders set the way right of winning the hearts and minds of the followers with ease. In reality, productivity at work places is reduced when injustices, unfairness, and suchlike other practices are made habitual in an organization. The effect of the practices is disuniting the workers soul with the work, and thus a decrease in production is realized (Palmer, 2004). 

Suitable theories and principles of individual motivation are applied with basic logic to address the psyche of people who are to be motivated. Each transformational leader must be in tune with their respective organizations and prevailing circumstances. It would be surprising to know that things like job security, money etc. cannot help in motivating people. A transformational leader sometimes can easily motivate by setting an example and not forcing people to follow them. By so doing, the leaders epitomizes to be a servant leader rather than an oppressor and subsequently this remove the doubts and thoughts of tyranny in the followers (Burn, 1985).     
                   
Finally, the practice of transformational leadership in an organization has significance impact to the individuals and the organization as whole. First and foremost, it may used as strategy of augmenting the unity among workers in the leadership level and the subordinate employees at all levels work. The main Transformational leadership approach is to embrace of the fusion of the organization needs with the needs of the employees. This, it endeavors to diffuse the boundary lines between the leadership positions and those of the subordinates. This eradication the possible existence of separation of the organization management goals and sets straight the favorable working environment where the main body and the souls are incorporation. This drives to the conclusion that transformational leadership encompasses the employment of virtues as key to winning the souls of workers and healing the negative effects that results from change initiation and implementation.

1. i) In mangershelpers households, the mother plans all the childcare and housework while the father assists in doing some of the chores that are traditionally viewed as a mans responsibility. This would include repair and maintenance, taking out the trash or mowing the lawn.  Fathers tend to be prodded into action to do the tasks expected of them rather than them taking the initiative to complete the job.

Where couples shared tasks more equally, either partner would ensure that housework and childcare were completed in a timely manner. Gender differences are more blurred as either parent would do any of the pending tasks. Children in such households treat both parents as equals since there are no defining gender characteristics. In the manager and helper situations, children would approach the parent tasked with childcare duties and seek the assistance of the father when it came to fixing things.

ii) In the manager and helper group, the mother played the role of nurturer while the father was more of a provider. Division of labor in these households created gender differences which became apparent to the children and determined their relationship with either parent. In most cases children were closer to their mothers since they performed a greater percentage of the childcare and nurturing tasks.  Mothers in this category found difficulty sharing authority for managing the household and preferred the men left the task to them

Where couples share the tasks more equally, gender differences were less pronounced and children are emotionally connected to both parents. Either parent would be comfortable doing tasks that need to be accomplished without undue stress or constant reminding. Such couples would have a keen sense of duty which ensures that either one would take the initiative to do housework or attend to childcare matters.  Shared responsibility for managing the home is another characteristic of this setup. Both parents contribute towards making sure childcare duties and housework are attended to.

iii) According to Coltrane, shared responsibilities, especially with respect to childcare, creates emotional bonds between the parent and child. The childs emotional trust of the father increase which augurs well for proper upbringing.  Fathers were able to relate well with their children as opposed to those who performed childcare and housework as helpers. As fathers develop maternal instincts, gender differences are reduced and the number of shared duties increases. This has the effect of making both parents more competent in their parenting roles.

2. Changing roles of the sexes and the need to increase incomes means that most households will have dual wage earners. Top management positions  previously the reserve of men are now open to both sexes and women managers are spending more time at work than at home. For men with less demanding occupations, this development will contribute to them performing most of the childcare and housework duties. 

Traditional views concerning the roles of men and women are changing as the benefits of shared parenting in child upbringing and marriage relations become more apparent. Furthermore, the generation that held conservative attitudes and patriarchal mindsets are fast approaching their twilight years. Their influence on their offspring is diminishing and their views on such issues as female providers for the home are being discarded as old fashioned.

Married couples are awakening to the fact that mothers need help in taking care of the children and doing the housework. With the cost of domestic help beyond the reach of most families, it becomes imperative that both parents share in these duties. The added advantage of improved marital relations and emotional bonding with the child makes it an attractive option to the men. As a result more Canadian families will end up sharing the housework and childcare duties in the immediate future.
I expect that when I get married and start a family, housework and childcare will be a shared responsibility. I have a natural aptitude for cooking and will be very comfortable in the kitchen preparing any meal be it breakfast, lunch or supper. I have little experience in childcare and expect my spouse to train me in this field especially when it comes to taking care of infants. With work-life balance becoming a favored policy towards paid employment I intend to seek employment with a firm that allows me to work from home. This will provide me with ample opportunity to do my share of the housework and bond with my children.

My desire to bring up well balanced children will contribute to my decision to spend not just quality time with them but quantity time as well. I expect them to share their fears, dreams and experiences with me because of the emotional trust that would have been built up over the years. I envisage that sharing the tasks with my spouse will create a certain bond between us and improve our marital relations. In my ideal setup, the only gender differences I see are those brought about by physiological differences rather than those determined by duties.

The history of racial discrimination started very early and has been persistent over the years. Racial Discrimination is common in America despite the move by human right activists and interest groups to stop the vice in the society. In the US, the Hispanics encounter several problems such as poverty, unemployment, and other forms of racial discrimination. The paper will focus on the racial discrimination against the Hispanics both present and past and their brief history. It will specifically discuss racial discrimination in education sector, economic and employment sector in past and present America. The paper will also talk on the racial injustice in general and the position the Hispanics hold in social stratification in the modern day America.

The term Hispanic was initiated by the federal government of 1970, to refer to people who were born or originated from Spanish territories. They had different pigments with the whites and therefore could not be generalized to be Negros or Hispanics. They represent a wide variety of countries and ethnic groups of different political, social and emotional experiences. The reason why the Hispanics are segregated in the modern day America is because most of them see themselves as Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans. Most whites have taken advantage of their identity to discriminate them and to treat them as unequal members of the society this has been portrayed in many different forms and places in the modern day America. However, discrimination originated long ago and the current victims of the vice are just but emulating the old generation. (Tomlinson, 2008).

Population of the Hispanics
There has been a tremendous increase in population among the Hispanics in the modern day America. According Tomlinson (2008), the available data of the census carried out in the year 2000 on the total number of Hispanic, shows that the population has increased by 12 from 4 in 1917. Despite their increase in population, they still face a lot of racial discrimination especially in education, economic and in employment in the modern day America.

Origin of Racial discrimination in the education
According to Tomlinson (2008), racial discrimination in the education system has been in existence since the introduction of education in the US. The early education system offered education to the slaves who were Hispanics but today, Hispanics are facing a lot of racial discrimination. They were educated by the missionaries to convert them to Christianity. The missionaries established several schools for the Hispanics.

According to Tomlinson (2008) there was a lot of discrimination in selection of students and most Hispanics never attended the same schools with the whites. Many whites were opposed to the education of the Hispanics because they wanted to use them as slaves this was the reason why the Puerto Ricans were denied citizenship since the whites were not willing to interact with them as they were taken to be bad omen in the society and were regarded as slaves (Smitherman, 2000). There was a low level of registration among the Hispanics in the education systems.

According to Smitherman (2000) by the year 1950s, the education system still divided the Hispanics and the whites. Hispanics and the whites were segregated and could not use the same academic institution. Smitherman (2000) argued that the reason why there was a feeling of hatred between the two groups was because the Supreme Court of the US advocated for the segregation of whites and the Hispanics. As a result of segregation, the Hispanics were offered inferior education as compared to the whites and most of them according to Fossett (1997) never performed well as compared to the whites. This was because the government reduced the funding for Hispanic public schools and heavily funded the white schools (Fossett, 1997). Fossett (1997) further argued that, teachers working in the public schools where most Hispanics were learning were paid less than those working in urban areas where most whites were learning. Facilities in white schools were better and adequate as compared to those of the black schools.

The Supreme Court declined racial discrimination in the public schools and removed all the discriminative Acts in the constitution of the country. There was large scale resistance by many whites upon this ruling and some schools continued to practice the segregation of the Hispanics. The federal courts had made tremendous efforts by 1980. Most of the schools had adopted a fairer system
According to Tomlinson (2008), most of the Americans and financially stable African Americans migrated to the rural areas. The poor Hispanics were left in the central places of the city. The migration separated most of the Hispanics and the whites. In the 1960s, most activists led by Martin Luther King Jr, increased the campaign against racial discrimination. The students encountered fierce opposition from the school administration. Some were suspended from school while others were jailed. Most African American students joined the campaigns to stop the increasing gap between the whites and the Hispanics. The students formed organizations within the schools to fight for equality (Smitherman, 2000). Students increased their involvement in the national politics to fight for equality. Demonstrations were held and they also used nonviolent means of achieving justice.

After the federal government gave into the fight against discrimination, most schools were not ready to accept the ruling. However, the education system slowly adopted the new rules. Up to date, some traces of racial discrimination can be seen in the education systems. They are more likely to be placed in remedial classes. Berkowitz (1998) argued that Hispanics have a low probability of being placed in accelerated classes or securing better grades especially if the teacher was a white, he further argued that most Hispanics were discouraged by the performance and dropped out of schools prematurely hence could not compete favorably in the job market with the white graduates.

Institutional Discrimination in Academics
Academic institutions are proud of being associated with the whites and they admit more whites than Hispanics. For example, Sonoma State University in California (SSU) received the status of being the whitest and having the richest student population. This indicates that the Hispanics are still segregated in the admission into institutions of higher education. The university offers its products at a higher price such that the low income earning Hispanics cannot access the resources (Berkowitz, 1998).

However by the year 1994, discrimination was still evident since the school had more than three quarters of the whites students and the Hispanics were the minority groups in the learning institutions (Smitherman, 2000). Smitherman (2000) further argued that the school had the policy of targeting the rich white students from high school and most of the workers in the school were whites. Moreover, Hispanics were not allowed to work in the senior management of the schools. According to Berkowitz (1998), Berkeley High School has a history of increasing discrimination despite the efforts to eradicate the vice by the legal systems in the country. The admission is biased and gives more opportunities to the whites than to the Hispanics. Most of the employees are whites.

Discrimination in Hiring
Affirmative action programs, reverse discrimination, and criteria of comparable worth are appropriate forms of remedy to discrimination in hiring Hispanics and minorities. Discrimination violates the provisions in the Title VI of the Civil rights Act. The Act prohibits any form of discrimination to employees either according to their sex, color, race, and national background. Many organizations have adhered to these affirmative actions since a lot of campaign has been done to ensure equal employment opportunities to all people (Smitherman, 2000).

According to Smitherman (2000), the laws that were set to prevent discrimination against any group of people in employment have been amended continuously to accommodate the changing workplace environment. Employees, employers, trade unions and all other stakeholders in the job market have embraced these laws and success has been achieved in their implementation.

The Hispanics have a higher probability of being unemployed. This has created a huge gap between the income levels between the Hispanics and the whites. According to Fossett (1997), social classes exist in the economy because the Hispanics have been denied access to academic institutions to increase their skills and secure better jobs. All the systems of the economy discriminate against the Hispanics and they are given lower positions in the government as compared to the whites. The campaign by president Obama, has achieved a lot and the difference between the Hispanics and the whites is continuously shrinking. Despite the great effort placed upon the systems of the government to reduce discrimination, there remain some aspects of racial differences which have created a lot of concern in the modern America (Fossett, 1997).

Authority abuses in workplaces are common in America and have affected most Hispanics than most people may think. Abuse of power in the work place refers to any act that interferes with or undermines an employees capability performing task and it includes all forms of harassment, coercion, threats and discrimination amongst other things. Authority abuse in workplaces occurs when an individuals uses the powers bestowed on him improperly to intimidate, threaten or harass the employees. However, due to economic status of the Hispanics as well as fear of victimization, employees are always afraid of reporting cases of authority abuse even when it directly affects them. This has resulted in most cases of abuse passing on unreported as employees continue to suffer silently in their workplaces (Smitherman, 2000).

Racial injustice
As a result of discrimination in social sectors such as interaction, sports and labor, most Hispanics migrated to other regions since they could not compete favorably in the job market. According Smitherman (2000), discrimination has led to inequality and increased the chances of hatred hence can result to conflict.

Racial discrimination has resulted to numerous social injustices in most sectors and organization in America. This is as a result of the Super Ego of the whites, who believes that color determines knowledge, position, possession and power. Most of the Hispanics rights are therefore being violated by the Whites in silence due to fear and their social classificationstratification in the society (Fossett, 1997).

Conclusion
It is therefore true to say that Hispanics has faced a lot of problems in numerous sectors such as education, economic and in social sectors hence their rights and freedom are violated by the whites who think they are not equal to them due to color difference. All human beings were created equal and should be treated equally and with respect. The fundamental rights of a person should be respected by all people. Employees should be allowed to participate in making decisions that concern the policies of the organization. People should be given equal opportunities in the organization. All human beings should be treated equally and none should be discriminated against. Policies on economic, education and recruitment should accommodate the interests of all groups. Hispanics are equal and have fundamental rights which should be protected. The minority groups within the society should be considered when making decisions that affect them.

Death and dying have been some of the key themes dominating most of the American media literature. American mysteries, true crimes books and war novels are very popular to many readers. Dying and death have been featured even in childrens story books. Print media has regularly published events on death and dying on their cover pages especially those on notorious killers (Bryant  Shoemaker 1977). Reports of dying and deathhave been popular in the daily news-papers with the deaths of ordinary people being reported in brief while those of prominent personalities including celebrities receiving large coverage (Walter et al.1995)

Dying and death has at all times been a conflicting issue to comprehend let alone interpret. Every individual has had his or her personal opinion on death and dying. Nevertheless, the society being the major influencer has had a big impact on peoples belief of death (Tony, 2009) .For hundreds of years print media has been used to spread information and news to many people. Academic research on dying, bereavement and death can be dated back to 1960s in United Kingdom and United States this is because research on death is a new field. Glennys Howarth (2007) contributes to the new field of mortality studies by assessing the societal construction of death, bereavement and dying in modern, contemporary and traditional times. She notes peoples experiences of death and dying as resulting from the crosscutting of individual agency and social structure, subjectivity and objectivity, individuality and collectivity. The most important question to note has been how communities and societies handle the issue of mortality when confronted with it (Berger Luckmann, 2006).

An article by Tony Walter (2009) analyses the degree of, and response to coverages in the print media of Jade Goody, a media celebrity based in Britain. A few sociologists have despised death as being in sequestration with the body thus the sociological importance behind the high and intense coverage of Jades profile in the later weeks. More so the exaggerated disturbing photos from the press for instance those which enhanced her baldness are some of the issues which elicited controversies among sociologists. Jades photographs brought different reactions accompanied alongside disapproval of dying in public On the other hand, media shadowing of private and public death have created innovative ways of publicizing personal, emotional and bodily understanding of death (Glennys, 2007).

Disaster, bereavement and death have received publications from both down-market and up -market mass media. An increased percentage of pictures and stories on the British newspapers fore front pages have been concerned with death as stated by Walter et al (1995), while it remains pervasive on American television dramas. The death is hence not detached from readers and viewers daily routines of communicating, breakfasting and other duties Death is very visible in public media but technically avoided in private conversations (Tony, 2009). Death as portrayed by the media is rarely experienced by the audience. Individuals in the countryside news face death through accidents, murder, war and disaster and the exceptions have however been in print media articles on the general life threatening ailments. There are a number of first person publications on dying, illnesses and loss in form of news paper columns and books. Pathographies by individuals facing death can be dated as far as 1970 and most of them have been written by persons suffering from cancer (Bingley et al, 2006). Cancer has been one of the conditions that the dying individuals have written about compared to other conditions .Despite the fears associated with this condition readers never seem to get tired of the cancer pathographies. Questions have been posed to state the relationship between family experience with cancer and media presentation of cancer. Pathographies on the other hand tend to lean on the disturbing issue of diagnosis and hope for therapeutic treatment than the wee days of the dying. The uniqueness of some of the deaths in print media has been the methods in which people have received diagnostic results of their deadly ailments and have been expected to live up with them till death for instance when Jade was given her cancer diagnosis results over a reality Television show (Berger Luckmann, 2006 The Times, 2009).

Trends on dying and death in print media have been changing over time. News papers and magazines have continuously published articles on the dying individuals. The audience also still enjoys its ontological security after even having read the articles. Numerous publications on the dying persons have currently dominated the print media for instance the photographs of a dying British television celebrity, Jade Goody who was a victim of cancer. Wendy Richards an EastErenders actress who died of cancer was purported to have send Jade a message of hope after reading from the papers about her condition. Prior to these events there were photographs of George Best, a footballer gasping for breath. Photographs of Terri Schiavo have also been widely observed in her permanent vegetative state. Terri was the high profile focal person on euthanasia arguments (Glennys, 2007).

A column writer for The Times (London) in one of Jades columns has incorporated the fate of Terry Pratchett, an Alzheimers patient and John Suchet a dementia patient in his column. The media has gone ahead in defending the increasing media attraction to Jades fate via columnist for the Guardian who has stated that death is inevitable, despite the fact that current society has been highly blurred by that reality. By writing on the dying people print media, the columnist has been forging towards correcting the societies self rejection of death. For instance, Justine Picardie a columnist for The Sunday Times stated that her sisters public display during her fight with cancer 10 years ago was an avenue to bringing death in to reality of life. On the other hand affirming and creating of value in the life of humans, is totally different from displaying the chronically ill before the cameras as well as in newsprint headlines.

Sociologists Berger Luckmann (2006) in their book social construction of reality also have assessed the effect of the predetermined time and the anxiety about worldly nature of peoples existence. The two have noted that death and dying have been turned into valuables with words such as choice, dignity and rights all over media hence shadowing the fear that comes with death. Of late the call for euthanasia has dominated the public sphere with extensive media broadcast and news print on dying (Berger Luckmann, 2006).

Going by the current trends, dying and death in print media has greatly affected the social make up of the Americans and this has instituted access to social problems for many audiences  not only in the United States but also in other parts of the world. Print media has been criticized by a number of sociologists on violence, racism, and homophobia and war all of which results to death. Social problems associated with media have revolved around dangerous influence on youths and young children, degradation of sexuality and women, and advertising manipulation .The effect of war and violent media on adolescents and children has raised a lot of questions on the advent of print media and it this has resulted in to a complicated interaction of politics, commercial interest and policies (Tony, 2009). The United States federal agencies and congress, stimulated by child advocacy bodies and professional organizations, have asserted that violence in print media has had a negative influence on children (Macmillan encyclopedia of death and dying, 2003). Another social implication is on culture whereby print media has been faced with criticisms concerning publications of death and dying. For instance, Americans complained bitterly on the wall -to- wall reporting following the death of Princess Diana (Jack, 1999). Street posters were heavily criticized for exposing death to public. Many people complained of the increasing personal memorials and street shrines that get away with cemetery bounds. This was said to have lead to social degradation of the culture. Class wars have also resulted from death and dying publication on print media (The Times, 2009). Taking a look at Jades Pathography, some readers and journalists have agued at her lack of talent and education and have not concurred on the fact that someone so incapacitated in education would prosper in contemporary Britain. With erosion of religion and community as well as social fragmentation, persons have been left in isolation when mourning. In a culture which strongly puts emphasis on expression of ones emotions, much is required on talking therapy however this has led to the development of social therapy as another implication of dying and death in media (Glennys, 2007).

In conclusion, television programs, commentaries, newspapers, magazines and books have regularly informed the society the fact that death is real, it is painful and every one of them may soon or later meet with this reality. There has been a particular interest with the decaying and fading away of bodies. With the given examples of Jade, Terri and John Suchet on their dying bodies, it is paramount that the society cannot get away with mortality. Instead of collective and healthy discussion on how to grant life meaning, and celebrate its fading away, the society has expansively developed a morbid fascination on the physical process of dying (The Times, 2009). Some have gone ahead to look for implications in the dying process as opposed to death itself while the main aim of media has been diversionary and for entertainment. However, media coverage on the dying especially in the last days brings confrontation to the readers and viewers with cases such as the death of which Becker (1973) notes as societys most call for diversion. Allusion to painful prolonged fading away in obituaries, traditional documentaries or news media has an important history, to commentate on the same issue in a form of series for several months or weeks in a way of diversionary entertainment (Walter).The celebrity culture together with the associated media should not pose a challenge to conventional daily distinction between the private and public. Watching exhibitions of death, bereavement and dying has enthralled audiences because it overruns within the formal procedure in the media industry. The ignominy and thrill of reality television has been supported by the fact that whilst privacy remains a norm, pleasurably it can be violated via exhibitions and voyeurism as individuals clamor to show and see it all. In the meantime, those outside the media have continued to die of chronic conditions and have remained marginalized in communities and social life.

In the simplest of terms, defining social perspective can begin with the study of ones idea on anything that he senses or perceives. These ideas are not just created by an individuals imagination.  At birth, ones mind is virtually a tabula rasa. Knowledge is not inherently implanted inside it.  Instead, it is developed along with the development of the individuals senses.  As a child grows, he begins to learn many things not just by observation but also by instruction initially by his parents and, later on, by his teachers in school.  He starts education not just with the use of his senses on things and events but by the explanations of what these things or events are.  However, children in different societies and cultures grow with dissimilar perceptions on things that they may have in common.  This is because their assumption and analysis of reality depend on the social influences that surround them, which is otherwise called as culture.  An example for this is ethics and morals.  Every society, from the most advanced to the most primitive, has moral or ethical standards.  Nevertheless, these may differ to great extent, which is why some people of one culture would mistakenly reach a conclusion that those of another are entirely immoral.  Since social perspective varies according to the society it is held, judgment for immorality or being unethical can only be applied in one social condition.  What can be right for a predominantly Buddhist society may be utterly wrong for one that is predominantly Christian.  However, the people living in a Christian society are not supposed to criticize those who belong in a Buddhist society because their parameters for morality are different.  A Buddhist who violates the mores of his own culture and society may be considered deviant though.  This is because he is expected to have assumed the same social perspective, being a product of the same cultural and religious education training as those with others in his society. 

Mans line of thought is a product of material objects.  His brain, of course, is material but it also processes information gathered by sensual observation of material evidences.  From his earliest years as a child, he is already taught on how he should behave as a member of the family, in front of his friends, and in the school.  The process of learning about how he should behave is actually a course in which he is also taught what society expects of him.  Therefore, all through out his school years and even as he joins the productive force, his mind is filled with the social principles distinct to his society.  He absorbs the social perspective so much that he eventually makes it a part of his own identity.  Ultimately, his own thoughts do not only bear the hallmarks of such perspective but actually is actually a product of it.  As he carries the mode of thinking taught to him and expected of him by society, he himself becomes instrumental in upholding a social perspective and in influencing others with it.

It is very important for sociologists to be able to grasp comprehensively the social perspective of any given society or social group.  By doing so, they will be able to deduce all information gathered from social research and individual observation into conclusions falling under one specific collective mode of thinking and behavior.  A study on social perspective can lead to the possibility of easily identifying the impressions of a social group from a scenario or from an object that has an impact on them collectively.  For policymakers in the government, disregarding social perspective is a recipe for disaster.  The results of such disregard can be policies that are so unpopular that the citizens or a particular social group can go up in massive protests against the government.  Effectively integrating with the populace in order to find out about their wants and needs is one way of discerning the social perspective.  If government takes pains in doing so before creating any sweeping policies that will affect citizens or just a social group, it manages to avoid unpopularity and heavy criticism.  If it is responsible enough to send out social researchers and have the services of sociologists to analyze the information gathered, it can anticipate the possible reactions of the people for every policy or decision it formulates.

Social perspective has a bearing in how social groups interact with each other.  If a person is brought up in a family that teaches hatred for other races, he may find himself socializing only with those whom he shares the same skin color and even political and racial beliefs.  Although he belongs to a society, that admits to uphold equality regardless of race and religion, he begins to create or be involved in a sub-group that shares the same racist views.  Although society may not subscribe to such ideas, he and his group may just interpret some ambiguous policies, actions, and laws to be in favor of what they believe.  This is how they justify their principles and the movements related to it.  Certainly, they will be considered by others as a bunch of racists.  However, they may not be affected at all by the labeling and the criticisms.  Their collective reality is different. They believe in the righteousness of their cause.

The study of social perspective can lead into the better appreciation of the conflicts and the harmonious relationships that exist in a society.  Conflicts between social groups or classes can be attributed to the contradicting perspectives that they have.  In a capitalist society for example, the workers may at first see their class as having a specific function for the survival and development of society.  In some cases, especially in very conservative social conditions, they may be taught that labor is their contribution while for a select few, capital is.  However, even if they are educated in such away, their actual experience in the factory may awaken them into another interpretation of reality.  They will soon realize that the capital contributed by the wealthy few for developing society comes from their own labor.  Since they work collectively in a factory setting, they begin to realize that it is their class that creates wealth in the first place.  Therefore, the capitalists may just be appropriating a huge portion of their labors products.  They will come to conclude that society can be developed without the existence of the capitalist class.  In fact, such society will be even more equal and just.  This social perspective breeds the will to change society.

It is clear that social perspective may be taught to members of a society so that they will be factors in maintaining the existing state of affairs.  In a society where the political, economic, and cultural powers are controlled by a minority, it is necessary that the majority are constantly educated with principles that serve the status quo.  Otherwise, the majority will interpret reality from the viewpoint of the powerless and will seek to introduce change in their favor.  The education and training that favor the status quo is expected to subjugate the majority.  However, as mentioned earlier, social perspective is not just created by what is taught or by multimedia means of mind control.  It relies more on the material conditions perceived by the senses rather than the ideas infused to the mind through various cultural forms and processes.  Simple questions based from observations such as why are we poor while a few are rich or why people of color have less job opportunities than whites will lead to the formation of a new collective consciousness, a social perspective different or even opposing the social perspective taught before and which once was thought as real.

Social perspective cannot be observed from just one individual sample.  Although the individual carries with him the ideas that he are influenced by things, events, and people surrounding him, he alone will not be sufficient to provide the observer a conclusion regarding society.  Aristotle said that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts and this is true when it comes to the study of social perspective.  The individual thought may not totally reflect the thought of his organization or his society.  The sum of such thoughts from different individuals living same social condition may indeed reflect the social mode of thinking.  However, reflection is the most that it can do.  It does not absolutely represent the social perspective.  This is because the whole is not just the sum of its parts.  According to the book Principles of Gestalt Psychology, it is more correct to say that the whole is something else than the sum of its parts, because summing up is a meaningless procedure, whereas the whole-part relationship is meaningful. (Koffka p.176)  This means that in order to learn about the social perspective in a particular society or social group, it may be necessary to analyze the individual but what is more conclusive would be the findings provided by a social research.  Such social researches should concentrate more on the behavioral patterns of groups based on nationality, religion, race, class, age, gender or any other subdivision among the members of society.  Sociologists do not make conclusions about society by relying on information collected from the study of an individual.  They understand society deeply by learning about the behavior of the groups of people present in it.

Once social perspective is handed down to younger generations through educational processes and once it is taught through formal and informal ways, such as academic institutions and mass media respectively, it becomes institutionalized.  The definition or meaning of a certain thing, event, or personal character becomes very much an integral part of society.  Because of this social reality is constructed.  Social perspective, therefore, is at the very core of social reality.  It is the mode of thinking that the members of a particular society have in common and, thus, becomes the basis of agreement over issues that they are confronted with.  The social construction of reality is not a product of a common social perspective only at one single instance.  It is the result of modes of thinking being handed down from one generation to another.  It is the psyche behind the many cultural forms, which have been instrumental in preserving society for long periods of time.  It is, therefore, obvious that deconstruction of a social reality may take a very long process.  It will take a counter-culture to do it, one that provides an alternative but acceptable interpretation of objective conditions in society.  However, for as long as the material conditions that molded the perceptions of society remain present, there is no possibility for a perspective devoid of objective basis to take shape.  The development of social perspective does not precede the material conditions that shape it.  Instead, structural changes in society can prompt the social perspective to change.

There has been a growing debate over the perceived danger of using cellular phones while driving. Advocates of banning this practice have pointed out scientific research findings that indicate drivers get dangerously distracted while doing such activity. Meanwhile, their opponents has pointed out new gadgets, such as hands-free cellular phones, which are less distracting than the traditional handheld models, and are therefore less likely to cause automobile accidents. Pitting both sides arguments against each other, we realize that advocates of prohibiting driving while using cellular phones have more sound reasons than their opponents. The amount of research findings and statistics that indicate the danger of such practice also underline the need to enact legislation that bans it immediately.

Drivers of automobiles should be prohibited from using cellular phones while driving because there is sufficient scientific research to back up claims that such practice leads to traffic accidents. In light of this knowledge, the government must interfere and protect not only the lives of drivers, but also the lives of other people and property in our roads and streets. While hands-free phones are improving in terms of design and functionality, they still do not change the fact that talking on the phone is different from talking to a passenger and the former causes too much distraction to the driver, leading to traffic accidents. Therefore, the only way to completely protect everyone and the property in our roads and streets is to enact legislation that bans everyone from using cellular phones while driving automobiles.

According to scientific research, drivers speaking on cellular phones have much slower reaction times in braking tests as compared to non-users. Even more startling is that these drivers have worse reaction times than drunk drivers (Trapp, 2009, p. 44). If society punishes drunk drivers, then why doesnt it punish drivers using cellular phones if it is true that their reaction times are worse than drunk drivers The next reason for banning the use of cellular phones, while driving, is purely common sense and rational. When a person talks to a cellular phone, he removes one hand from the cars controls, increasing the likelihood of driving mistakes and car accidents. Dialing is even more dangerous because it requires the person to divert his attention away from driving.

Recent features of cellular phones, particularly text messaging, also pose significant danger to drivers. According to a 2006 study by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety and Students against Destructive Decisions (SADD), sending text messages through cellular phones is the biggest distraction for teens that drive automobiles. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed claimed that text messaging was extremely or very distracting (Pittman, 2009, p. 71). Therefore, if the government puts a stop to the biggest cause of distraction among young drivers, at the very least, it would already have removed a big cause of traffic accidents.

Proponents of using cellular phones while driving would often point to hands-free cellular phone devices as the solution to the debate. They say that these gadgets allow drivers to talk over the phone while driving safely. Scientific evidence contradicts this claim however, since research shows that there is little difference between using a handheld unit and a hands-free unit in terms of slower reaction times and impaired concentration in braking tests (Trapp, 2009, p. 44). Apparently, the human brain treats a phone conversation differently from talking to a passenger. It is hypothesized that this may be due to the fact that the passenger is more aware of possible road hazards than a person on the other end of a phone conversation. A passenger also can stop talking when the driver needs to concentrate on his driving.

Voice-activated gadgets also do not help since they havent reached the level where they are 100 reliable. Drivers lose concentration while trying to operate them because they get frustrated with using these gadgets. It would also be unfair for the government to ban one kind of cellular phone while allowing the use of others, since this would be inconsistent. Because hands-free gadgets also have the same effect as handheld gadgets, both types should be banned.

It is becoming more and more crucial to enact legislation against using cellular phones while driving because of the increasing usage of such gadgets, and therefore of cellular-phone-induced distraction. This trend has been evident ever since 2000, as a study during this period showed. Seventy drivers were unobtrusively videotaped and high rates of cell-phone-related distraction were found (Olariu  Weigle, p. 14-3). If this is true then, imagine the scale of drivers distraction nowadays that cellular phones are more in use than ever before.

There are existing laws that punish drivers for driving without due care and attention. The problem with these laws is that they are very limited and the charge can be difficult to prove. What is needed is the introduction of a specific offense for drivers who create potentially dangerous situations when they use their cellular phones while driving. A new law addressing this specific offense is completely enforceable because billing records would indicate when exactly a phone was used. Since there are also many cameras in our streets today, it is easier to detect drivers who break the law by using cellular phones while driving.

Using cellular phones, while driving, is also not a necessity. People did without such a practice 10 years ago, and there hasnt been a significant change in peoples driving practices and lifestyles to make this recent practice indispensable. This means that arguments that bring up any loss of personal liberty have no real basis. Drivers can always pull over and use their cellular phones while their car is safely parked. Banning this practice also further protects drivers lives because they do not have to answer their bosses who call them while they are on the road, eliminating the need for an employee to risk his life for the company he works for. Banning cell phone use, while driving, is even more crucial if we consider the results of a 2007 survey, which found out that most people who talk on the phone while driving are young drivers. Out of 1,200 drivers, 73 percent talked on their cellular phones, and most of them were young people (Carroll  Buchholtz, 2008, p. 372). The government cannot let the young generation be in danger of this recent practice, and therefore must intervene to stop it.

Perhaps the greatest reason for banning cellular phone use while driving is the governments role of protecting its citizens.  Drunk driving and breaking speed limits are banned for a reason they endanger the lives of drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Therefore, the government has the responsibility to protect the innocent as well as the property along our streets and roads. Turning a blind eye to these dangers is equal to neglecting such responsibility.