Bibliography-saycheese

Posted on April 27, 2023 by saycheese03

Why are Nordic countries so happy and what can we learn from them?

Background: This article attempts to find a reason why Nordic countries consistently rank the highest on the World Happiness Report. It goes into detail about why the reasons may be for this starting with money. It explains that Nordic countries have a high level of income inequality so money shouldn’t be the reason why they are so happy. They also explain that money can’t be the reason because the wealthiest countries on the list ranked decently low on the report. The article goes into detail about the environments that these people live in, and it concludes that the environments have short periods of light and very cold temperatures. Although people adapt to environments this was also not a reason, they were ranked happiest. They explain that government institutions can make citizens feel secure. They also explain it could be due to genetics and being a small homogenous country could be the reason for high happiness levels for these countries.

How I used it: I used this article to be one of the highlights on why money isn’t the reason people are happy. Specifically, I asked and tried to answer the question of why these people were happier than others by listing the causes and trying to define what happiness was. I also used the facts about Saudi Arabia and India being the wealthiest countries in the world but at the same time, they ranked low on the happiness report showing that money and happiness don’t go hand and hand.  

Aristotle: pioneer of happiness

Background: This article delves deep into Aristotle’s theories of happiness and gives a little bit of insight into his background. It begins by giving a long summary of who Aristotle was, being one of the most influential philosophers ever. It goes over some of his theories, institutions, and works specifically going over one of his most influential works the Nicomachean Ethics. This piece of work, it discusses some of Aristotle’s theories about happiness and what happiness truly is. To Aristotle, happiness was the ultimate purpose of a human’s life and someone couldn’t be truly happy until they lived their whole life. He rejected the culture that we live with today being Instant gratification or fading feelings of contempt to be happiness.    

How I used it: I used this article and Aristotle’s theories to come up with my own definition of happiness being fulfilled in the most important parts of life. I highlighted Aristotle’s theory of happiness being the ultimate purpose of our lives. I emphasized that Aristotle’s views are still relevant today by using his Virtue ethics to explain that bettering oneself is a big part of feeling fulfilled in one’s life. Mostly I used this article to show that working towards an end goal and feeling fulfilled is what happiness is.    

Happiness: Defined

Background: In this article, the authors attempt to define what happiness really is. They do this by listing what the causes are for “subjective well-being” They look at a few works and studies that are associated with happiness some explaining that feeling contentment, joy, and feeling fulfilled and that one’s life is meaningful and worthwhile. They also go over the reasons why people try to “practice” happiness and they list a few reasons why it’s better for people to feel happy and try to live happier lives. It concludes that happiness is generally feeling positive about life overall.   

How I used it: I used this article by explaining that just feeling positive isn’t enough to be happy. I explained that we don’t have control over factors such as genetics, environment, social forces, and cultures and that we should strive for better things that we can change to feel happy. I used this article to show that those things don’t really make people happy, and that feeling fulfilled in life is what happiness is.  

Money and Happiness: Income, Wealth and Subjective Well-Being

Background: This article attempts to show the relation between money and happiness by showing data and giving facts about the two. It starts with going over what money really is being income and wealth. They name a relationship between money and happiness that is worth going over.  being period happiness and the other being permanent value. They use empirical data and hypotheses to try to distinguish the relationship between the two.

How I used it: I also used this article to show that working hard for something is a way to maximize happiness. Specifically, I used a quote that showed that when people feel there is little competition or when they see someone having higher wealth and income than them then there is a possibility that they can increase their own wealth. By doing this I showed that the more people work on themselves monetary wise the more fulfilled they would be which could lead to happiness.

Happiness

Background: This article covers all aspects of happiness and the effects it has on our lives. It also discusses different ways one could live their life to live a more meaningful happy life. It starts by giving reasons and causes of why people are happy. It also goes over areas of the world where people are happier and why this might be. Finally, they go over what one must do to live a happy life by explaining what types of lives people can live to be happy the three being the pleasant life, the good life, and the meaningful life all having different meanings.   

How I used it: mostly for this article I used the definitions of the three types of happy lives to help me define what happiness was. I showed that living a meaningful or good life shows that one worked hard towards something they were either good at or working towards helping other people are ways people can feel happier. I also used the article’s example of the King of Bhutan who was a king who thought the best society was the happiest society and he strived to make his people happy proving again that living a happy life requires work.

Speaking of Psychology: The Stress of Money, with Linda Gallo, Ph.D

Background: This excerpt is about the relationship between money and stress. It starts off by giving a little background about the Ph.D. Lunda Gallo who is now a professor of psychology. She has a lot of work, but her main research focuses on the relationship between stress and health. She starts by discussing some side effects of stress and differentiates good stress and bad stress. Good stress is something that can help us avoid danger and face challenges. She then discusses why there is a big gap in stress between those with lower income and higher income.

How I used it: I used this expert to show that one of the biggest causes of stress is. I specifically used it to show that lower-income households have a higher percentage of stress levels than those with higher incomes. This showed that people had long-term effects of stress from financial problems. I used this to show that comparing oneself or not having a high income would place more stress on those who can live comfortably with a higher income.

More Proof That Money Can Buy Happiness (or a Life with Less Stress)

Background: This article also goes over the idea that having a higher income will lead to living a more comfortable life and will help people avoid everyday hassles. It gives specific reasons on why income having more will lead to less stress it also explains how people can buy less stress. It also gives some ideas on how to make people with lower income feel better by taking some structures that we have in our society out. They explain that people with less income may feel shame and that we could take this away from them by making public transportation free.

How I used it: I used a study from this article in my work to show that although people may have more stress from having a lower income, people all deal with distressing situations all the time no matter what their income is. From the study, it stated that there was no significant difference in how people experienced these events. I showed that there is more to feeling happy and feeling not stressed than just money specifically income.

The US bail system punishes the poor and rewards the rich

Background: This article discusses the flaw of the bail system in the US. It starts by giving facts that people who don’t have as much money and are wrongly convicted can’t make bail sometimes. The article mainly discusses the unfairness to poor people when it comes to making bail money and gives many sources and examples of this exact situation. They also give an answer to this problem which is unsecured bonds where people would pay a certain amount only if they fail to appear in court. They also discuss certain states that changed bail laws to help get rid of the unfairness.

How I used it: I used this article to show that money is a gateway out of minor infractions such as speeding tickets, parking tickets, and other minor fines and fees. I also used the main purpose of the article to show that it is unfair for people of different classes to commit the same crime but get treated differently because of the amount of money they have or make.

Mapped the Worlds Happiest Countries in 2023

Background: This article maps out the happiness index of every country in the world showing us which countries are happiest and which are least happy. It shows that Nordic countries like Denmark and Sweden are the happiest countries whereas middle eastern countries like Afghanistan are the east happy. It gives certain reasons why countries may have an increase in their index and what the future of this map could look like. They make the score from 1 being the least happy to 8 being the happiest. Some countries had high 7s whereas some had low 1s

How I used it: I used this article as insight at the beginning of my paper to show that Nordic countries are the happiest. I also used this article to show that wealth doesn’t have much to do with the index since people in wealthy countries also ranked very low on the list. Also, some of the highest-ranking countries weren’t all that wealthy themselves. I also used this to show that happiness is very subjective.

Merely Activating the Concept of Money Changes Personal and Interpersonal Behavior

Background: This final source is another study that shows what happens to a person’s work ethic and just their mood in general when money is just brought up. They show two different results that lead to one conclusion. One result show that people who were reminded of money worked less and didn’t have as much drive as those who were not reminded of money. It also showed that those people liked to work alone rather than together. The other result was that people who were reminded of money took leadership and encouraged others to work harder. In the end, they concluded that money did have a big effect on behavior.

How I used it: I used this article as insight for my paper on how people feel when money is around and what different levels of income could do for people. I attempted to show that having more money could lead to people becoming less interested in the little pleasures of life.  

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Bibliography – Fulcrum

Posted on April 27, 2023 by fulcrum66
  1. Benefits, Needs and Importance of Daily Exercise

Background: This source explains the benefits of physical activity and how it can improve your overall health. It lists the domains you will be improving such as your strength, balance and endurance. The source also explains work out types and intensities one can participate in. They categorize the intensities in three different levels which are light, moderate, and vigorous, respectively after listing them they explain the values of each one. Following this the author lists how an individual is affected mentally from working out. It is explained that the overall mood of the person will be improved as well as self-confidence. In the conclusion of the source the author reiterates the importance of physical activity, and they benefit it has on a person overall health.

How I used it: I never used this source for an in-text citations or paraphrasing. I used this source to gain a better understanding of what exactly the benefits of physical activity are from how it physically and mentally affects you as a person. I also gained a better understanding of what different intensities will look like and reactions to them.

2.Motivation for Exercise and Weight Loss Among African American Women: Focus group results and their contribution towards program development

Background: This is a study that is eager to find out why some women are successful in staying active and what mindsets determine this behavior. The study is conducted on four groups of African American, and are categorized by currently physically active, currently sedentary, successful weight loss for 1 year, and unsuccessful weight loss. Subjects were tested by open ended questions, probes and visual aids to determine the reasons of being active. In conclusion to the result of the tests it was found that the reasons for already active women to exercise was for health concerns, while the sedentary group stated they would find motivation from a social support and enjoyment. For the group that was successful for 1 year off weight loss they were less likely to go on a diet, but on the other hand the group that wasn’t successful said they were likely to go on one and label food as good or bad.

How I used it: I did not use this study for any evidence in my writing, instead I used it to understand some values of what a mindset to achieve a healthy lifestyle was by reviewing the results of the tests.

3. Exercise for Weight Loss: What are the Facts?

Background: I think the material in this article about fat-burning exercises is relevant to my argument. Exercises that burn fat can turn the fat your body utilizes for energy into energy that lasts after your workout.

How I used it: Never used this article in my short arguments or research paper, instead I used this article to understand what the benefits of exercise can create with weight loss.

4. Older Adult Perspectives on Physical Activity and Exercise: Voices from Multiple Cultures

Background: This source shows results of a study that looked at the facilitators and barriers to exercise in older persons of various ethnic backgrounds. The older age group tended to be least physically active in this investigation, so one of the key goals was to determine their physical fitness level.

How I used it: I never used this study in my short arguments for any evidence, but I did review the personal and environmental factors they may cause someone to not peruse fitness.

5.Exploring Affective Responses to Different Exercise Intensities in Low-Active Young Adolescents

Background: This source explains a different experiment done on adolescents who don’t engage in much physical activity to gauge their reactions. The test volunteers reported in their results that they did, in fact, feel energized at the end of the trial.

How I used it: I used the examples and results of the different workout intensities to explain what they may look like for first time exercisers.

6.Group exercise training for balance, functional status, spasticity, fatigue and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial

Background: This was a study done on patients with multiple Sclerosis and subjects were tested on to see the benefits of group exercise. Subjects conducted group exercise together and were asked to report how they felt after the tests. For the conclusion of the test the subjects reported they benefited from the group exercise greatly and their health symptoms did not worsen.

How I used it: I used this study to show how group exercise can be used as a social support system. I thought it was interesting how they used MS patients, and I thought of how they are all dealing with the same problems and that they can help each other achieve fitness goals.

7. Effect of Goal Setting on Motivation and Adherence in a Six‐Week Exercise Program

Background: This is another study that tested if motivation really effected an individual’s workout. Subjects were regular exercisers who had some understanding of the benefits of personal fitness. Before tests were conducted subjects had to go through motivational training and after the tests were completed subjects reported that the motivational training helped.

How I used it: I used this study to demonstrate how intrinsic motivation or self-motivation can be beneficial to your workout.

8. Low Intensity Exercises: Health Benefits and Types

Background: This article contains the benefits of low intensity exercise on your personal health.

How I used it: I used this source when I was explaining the different workout intensities in my short argument. I thought it was important to really explain what basic exercise looks like and the results from it.

9. 15 Advantages and Disadvantages of Extrinsic Motivation

Background: In this article it lists advantages and disadvantages of using extrinsic motivation. Rather than using self-values for motivation, extrinsic motivation is when an individual is influenced by outside factors to achieve goals.

How I used it: I used this source to expose what disadvantages people can face when using extrinsic motivation to achieve goals. I also explained the advantages and how they may seem beneficial but can also be harmful to someone.

10.Motivation and Personality: A Neuropsychological Perspective

Background: This source contains a description of personality types and human ideals. It makes it clearly apparent everyone has a variety of influences and values that define them as unique individuals.

How I used it: I used this source as a basis in my argument to explain how people have different values and personalities, and can use these factors for motivation.

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Research -Fulcrum66

Posted on April 27, 2023 by fulcrum66

Exercise: The Cup of Coffee We Need

People can use the benefits of exercise to improve their lives and can work from different regimes as they choose. When a person selects an intensity to work out in they must understand what they will be working with so they don’t find themselves wanting to drop out of it. It’s important to consider your recovery after your workouts and implement this in your decision. Finding motivation should also come within a person and listening to outside factors can be negative and harmful to a person. As individuals we must understand what it takes to improve our lives and working for goals of self improvement will promote good overall health.

People can become motivated to start exercising for a number of reasons. When a person chooses to go to the gym, they must acknowledge the factors that will affect them in the long run. The level of workout intensity is one of the first things a person should consider. This is the level at which a person will train with and will be the first step in a potential outcome chain which is intensity-effect-adherence. The effect in this chain is the result of your workout and how your body feels and results in after. The chain concludes with the person either continuing the path they are on or dropping out of it. 

The level of intensity will be the first decision a person will make when beginning their exercise. By not considering what intensity will benefit an individual the best, they will want to leave the exercise. To begin a low intensity leveled workout should be something that is below a moderate paced workout. Researchers Kate Stych and G. Parfitt studied effects of different workout intensities on adolescents and they used light aerobic activity to stimulate low intensity movement. The second intensity is a moderate intensity workout that would be considered your average workout. In the Stych and Parfitt study, the individuals were tested on a self-selected intensity, and it states, “Select an intensity that you would be able to do for fifteen minutes and that you would consider doing regularly.” The final intensity, high or above, would be considered pushing yourself to the limits in any physical activity. The individuals in the Stych and Parfitt study experienced a challenging resistance, with the level of resistance being above what the adolescents could regularly due. Choosing the correct intensity will enable a person to want to continue working out and not dropping out of any regime. 

Different intensity will affect your body’s ability to recover after your workout. Author, Liam McAuliffe, who wrote the article, “Low Intensity Exercise: Health Benefits” explains how your body should feel post exercise. McAuliffe explains, “On a physiological level low-intensity exercises increase your aerobic capacity.” With a light workout not only will your body recover faster, but your respiration endurance as well. When we look at the recovery of a moderately intense workout we might see a slower post recovery. This intensity is slightly challenging towards your body and with it being a little harder than a lower intensity there may be some muscle soreness and fatigue. Finally, a high intensity workout will probably leave you with some sort of soreness and fatigue in your muscles. It is important for all levels of exercisers to make sure they fully rest and take post recovery seriously with higher intensity workouts to prevent injuries. When deciding your workout intensity it is very important to know how different ones will affect your body as you recover after exercise.

 Adherence to working out is the final outcome that is determined by the intensity of an exercise. When an individual feels comfortable and is willing to return to working out, they are experiencing a positive adherence to exercise. Mental and physical barriers can affect one’s adherence and motivation to repeat a cycle of daily exercise. Looking back on the intensities, if it’s your first time going to a gym or athletic facility, beginning with a higher intensity instead of slowly advancing is not a good idea. Not only will you be at risk of injury, but it may give a negative mindset to not continue. By starting off with a light intensity workout a person may have a better mindset and understanding so they will be able to repeat a possible workout schedule. Having a good adherence to exercise by forming a proper schedule is the only way you will have the mindset to be committed to self improvement.

A chain is created when a person decides on what intensity will be persistent in their workout. Choosing the correct intensity will determine how long your body needs to recover after a workout. The adherence to exercise will come to a person once they feel comfort with it and want to continue this lifestyle. This is especially important for first timers so they can have the best gym experience possible and what to further their self-improvement. The outcomes of the chains will determine whether or not a person will continue the regime they are on or drop it entirely.

Exercise adherence is the capacity to consistently partake in physical exercise over time. It requires dedication to consistent workout schedules and while also managing a busy lifestyle. An aspect to helping maintain adherence is self motivation and what exactly makes a person maintain their drive to continue and not drop. Motivating yourself to exercise can be a challenge that some people may be experiencing. When confronted with busy schedules, physical discomfort, or other obstacles to exercise, it can be challenging to maintain motivation. In a study conducted by researchers, Kylie Wilson and Darren Brookefield they took a group of individuals with a basic fitness background and tested to see if motivation really affects your workout. Wilson and Darren’s reports explains, “Participants in the process goal group scored significantly higher interest/enjoyment and perceived choice, significantly lower pressure/tension, and had significantly greater adherence compared to the outcome goal and control groups.” Setting specific, measurable objectives is a proven method for keeping motivation high. Realistic, achievable, and customized to each person’s preferences and capabilities are the three aspects of an effective goal. For instance, a regular exerciser might aim to walk for thirty minutes three times per week, whereas a more accomplished athlete might make the goal of finishing a half marathon. Persons can monitor their development and maintain exercise motivation by setting specific goals relevant to their own personal health.

Another aspect that will help adherence is a social support system which is a great way to have a trusted outside source make sure you stay true to your goals. This outside support could come from a friend or family member who cares about your health and wants to see you achieve your greatest desires. Group exercise is also a great approach to a social support system because yourself and the other individuals you are working out with may share the same end goals which will drive everyone to wanting to be successful. Social support is another critical element to exercise adherence. The encouragement, accountability, and motivation that social support can offer to keep up with your exercise routine can come from peers, family, or your exercise partners. According to studies, individuals who work out in groups have a higher likelihood of sticking to their exercise plans than those who work out alone. In a study conducted by Sage Journals, researchers found evidence that shows group activity not only will make individuals adhere to their workout, but also improve balance and functional status. Subjects in the study all contained multiple sclerosis and after the study was conducted the subjects reported that symptoms did not worsen which may lead to those individuals wanting to continue physical activity. It’s critical to find physical activities that you enjoy and can maintain, in addition to establishing goals and looking for social support. Exercise should feel rewarding and enjoyable rather than like a job or a punishment. People are more likely to stick with their exercise routines over time if they can discover activities they enjoy doing and set achievable goals that will benefit their health.

Implementing basic fitness in daily routines will set little challenges for you that will in the long run benefit you as an individual. An example of basic fitness that you can add to your daily routines could be going for a walk or finding time throughout the day to do a mini workout circuit. An individual’s personal health will be the deciding factor for their consistency with fitness. A person’s weight, age and overall bodily health will affect consistency and it is a great idea to consult with a healthcare professional to figure out what plan of action is the best for you. As a result, maintaining a physical activity regimen is crucial for achieving long-term health benefits.  Lastly, it’s crucial to include exercise in everyday routines. This could entail coming up with creative approaches to stay active throughout the day, like using the stairs rather than the elevator or going for a walk during lunch. An active lifestyle can be maintained and healthy habits can be formed by incorporating exercise into daily activities.

 Even though consistent exercise is crucial for long-term health benefits, it’s essential to remember that consistency can vary depending on various factors. Age, gender, bodily health, and personal preferences, for instance, can all affect exercise adherence. It can be challenging to keep regular exercise routines due to obstacles like time restraints, access to exercise facilities, and physical limitations. Working with a healthcare professional or exercise specialist who can offer personalized guidance and support is essential to overcoming these obstacles. Health care professionals can offer advice on how to remove obstacles to exercise, create safe and effective exercise routines with them, and track their development over time. There are a number of other methods that people can use to get past obstacles to exercising consistently, in addition to getting professional advice. For instance, adding mindfulness and relaxation exercises to your exercise regimens can help you feel better and work out more effectively. In conclusion, concentrating on the advantages of exercise, such as enhanced health and wellbeing, can support people in maintaining their motivation and dedication to their exercise regimens.

To conclude, here are a number of other strategies that can assist people in overcoming obstacles to exercise adherence in addition to obtaining professional advice. For instance, creating a source of self-motivation will allow you to get to the goals you want to achieve. A social support system is an outside person who will help you get your goals, and this can come from friends, family members, or the people you work out with. Implementing fitness in your daily routines will allow you to set larger goals throughout the day by achieving the small ones first. Finally, considering your own personal bodily factors and talking with a healthcare professional will allow you to create your health-based fitness goals. Furthermore, concentrating on the advantages of exercise, such as enhanced health and wellbeing, can support people in maintaining their motivation and dedication to their exercise regimens.

A person can find an outlet in their personal life that motivates them to try new things or better themselves as individuals. Their personalities can reflect the goals a person wants to achieve and their willingness to achieve these goals. In a person’s life they may face social challenges and external pressures and it’s important for an individual to not use these aspects in life as your motivation. Motivation should come from within and shouldn’t be affected by negative outside factors such as comments made to put down others or social norms that someone may not be able to meet. You are yourself and you should focus on what you want for yourself and not let other people’s words affect your motivation.To effectively use motivation an individual must understand themselves and personality to find an outlet of motivation rather than using external factors instead.

It is obvious that as humans we are all different in many ways from physical characteristics, to different ideologies and beliefs. Author Phillip J. Core wrote the article, “Motivation and Personality: A Neuropsychological Perspective.” In this article when discussing people’s personalities the author states, “People differ from one another, and this fact is obvious to everyone. It is common to talk about people’s personalities using lexical terms to describe their characteristic ways of thinking, feeling and behaving.” It is important for an individual to reflect upon their personal self and not to be jealous or listen to harmful words from others that may make you want to change who you are. When you change your values to make others agree with them you are not being true to yourself which is something you shouldn’t be motivated to do. Motivation should come from within and reflect your personal values rather than follow other peoples and societies ideas of what you should be.

What opposes a person’s intrinsic motivation, motivation that comes from within a person, is extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is motivation that is affected by external factors. Author Natalie Regoli wrote an article listing the advantages and disadvantages of using extrinsic motivation in a person’s life. In the article some advantages she listed were individual benefits, creating a desire to chase dreams or goals, and it can increase productivity within people. When we look at the advantages they may seem justifiable and ideal points to consider such as a person struggling to find motivation to get employed. A person who is experiencing this struggle in life may be affected by the desire to want to own a home or car, so they will continue to search for employment so one day they will achieve their goal. External factors can put pressure on individuals to make them have the feeling of not being good enough for society or not meeting expectations that people want you to uphold.

 Regoli lists disadvantages for extrinsic motivation that involve the value of external rewards, repressing intrinsic motivation, following a course of diminishing returns, lack of passion, and creating unrealistic expectations. When being presented with the opportunity to achieve something or be rewarded outside of your values there are some questions you must ask yourself before pursuing. 

You must look into the value of the reward and how it made you feel as an individual after. Regoli best describes this when she states, “If you are striving for things that involve money or possessions, then these items are fleeting. It is the memories that you make with your families and friends that become the most-prized elements of life as the years go.” Memories and experiences are what make you as an individual and by focusing on assets outside of these experiences you may miss out on key moments in your life. 

Another disadvantage of extrinsic motivation is the repression of intrinsic motivation that extrinsic creates. If an individual is driven to pursue a career where they are just earning a paycheck and have no real care about the career, they may feel as if the career’s current rewards are worth the sacrifice. By not caring about your own thoughts and just doing something for the money, wouldn’t this be an example of going against your intrinsic values? Sure everyone is their own person so their personalities may make them want to chase careers for money rather than passionate value, but by pursuing something like this may cause your intrinsic motivation to decline. This can also create diminishing returns and unrealistic expectations you may have. By repeating a cycle and gaining the same reward every time, overtime you may find yourself with an outcome lower than your expectations this how extrinsic motivation creates diminishing returns. Instead of this you should look for something that will change in a way that suits your values and what you want as an individual. 

Extrinsic motivation can also present opportunities with outcomes that may seem rewarding, but in fact end with unrealistic outcomes. You must see the value in what you’re motivated to do and see what the path has to offer and if it is worth giving time and energy. When a person becomes motivated to achieve a goal it is important that they do not fall for any external forces pressuring them into doing something and instead look within and use intrinsic motivation to complete goals.

To effectively use motivation an individual must understand themselves and personality to find an outlet of motivation rather than using external factors instead. By using their core values, a person can create a mentality to change themselves by working to achieve greatness. A person shouldn’t be controlled by outside factors such as other people’s judgment on themselves. External factors can affect your mindset and hide what you truly desire with false outcomes that will lead you to nothing. It may be harder for an individual who only listens to what other people have to say rather than an individual who uses self-motivation to become successful in their dreams. Individuals must see value in what they are working for and if it reflects their  personality and beliefs.

As individuals we must understand what it takes to improve our lives and working for goals of self improvement will promote good overall health. We must understand what different intensities will do to our bodies and how they will affect us on an adherence stand point. A person may not see the benefit of working out due to a poor experience which will make them want to drop out of the physical activity they are participating in. Motivation to promote self improvement should come from within and persist to your values and not be influenced by outside voices. A path for self improvement is not always clear and there will be many challenges that an individual will face, but by following values and understanding the basis of your exercise you will improve your life as a overall whole.

References

15 Advantages and Disadvantages of Extrinsic Motivation – ConnectUS. (2019, May 30). ConnectUS. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://connectusfund.org/6-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-extrinsic-motivation.

Home. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved April 17, 2023, http://from https://compass-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.rowan.edu/doi/full/10.1111/spc3.12016

Home. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.rowan.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=e8999fb5-365f-4177-93bc-d0f147723a6f%40redis.

McAuliffe, L. (2022, May 6). Low Intensity Exercises: Health Benefits and Types – Dr. Robert Kiltz. Doctor Kiltz. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.doctorkiltz.com/low-intensity-exercises/.

Home. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269215513481047?journalCode=crea

Rice, D., & Galbraith, M. (2008, November 16).,, – YouTube. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1612197X.2009.9671894.

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Bibliography- PitAndThePendulum

Posted on April 27, 2023 by pitandthependulum22
  1. Clay, Karen (2001) “Prices and Price Dispersion on the Web: Evidence from the Online Book Industry” The Journal Of Industrial Economics. December 2001

Background: This article examines price dispersion comparison and dispersion amongst online booksellers. Prices of books sold by online sellers were proven to be lower than those sold by independent sellers, as large corporations are able to succeed due to their ability to advertise on a massive scale and sell books for less than their wholesale price

How I used it: I used this source to elaborate the growing monopoly of online booksellers and the use of price cuts to deter competition.

2. Chu, Chih-Peng (2012) “On The Competition Between An Online Bookstore and A Physical Bookstore” NETNOMICS. December 6, 2012.

Background: This article gives a deeper insight into the benefits and drawbacks of both physical and online booksellers. While online booksellers can provide customers with lower product prices, they cannot provide them with immediate gratification, something that small bookstores can do, but with the added drawback of charging higher prices for products.

How I used it: As this study indicates the competitiveness between online and physical bookstores, as well as welfare analysis, I used this source to further elaborate upon my argument against online booksellers.

3. Raffaelli, Ryan L. (2020) “Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores” Harvard Business School. January 2020

Background: This study by Harvard Business School examines the vital aspects that a bookstore must possess in order to survive against its online competitors. By tapping into a larger social movement (ie: “shopping small”), Indie booksellers are becoming more resilient.

How I used it: I used this source as a part of my counterintuitive argument to present successful strategies being utilized by Indie bookstores.

4. Wisea, Satria (2022) “The Effect of Sales Promotion and Store Atmosphere Mediated by Positive Emotion on Impulse Buying for Customers in Bookstores” Udyana University, Indonesia. May 17, 2022

Background: This study examines the psychology behind what store environments are favorable and attract costumers and what designs and environments don’t. In order to produce frequency and diversity, stores utilize promotions such as bonuses, shopping vouchers, and discounts: all of which make customers more likely to impulse-buy. Research has shown that a proper store environment (no harsh lighting, non-abrasive smells, etc), can actually increase the likelihood of impulsive purchases.

How I used it: I used this article as yet another source to emphasize how physical bookstores must offer an environment that online bookstores cannot in order to maintain clientele.

5. Ghosh, Iman (2021) “34% of America’s small businesses are still closed due to COVID-19. Here’s why it matters” World Economic Forum. May 5, 2021

Background: This article examines how small businesses suffered during the pandemic, and still continue to suffer as a result. As approximately 99.9% of businesses in the U.S fall under the umbrella of being small businesses, their success plays a huge role in the economy.

How I used it: I used pieces of this article as additional evidence (aside from Amazon and other online booksellers) as to why small bookshops have been a failing industry.

6. O’Brien, Reese (2022) “Indie Bookstores’ COVID Recovery: Leveraging TikTok and BookShop.org” Pulitzer Center. April 22, 2022

Background: This article details how bookstores have successfully learned to adapt to current trends and modern living in an effort to revive business.

How I used it: This article was a personal favorite and honestly a godsend, as it combined many of the ideas I had mentioned in my writings into one source.

Posted in Bibliography, Grade Please, PitAndThePendulum, Portfolio PitAndThePendulum | 1 Comment

Reflective- PitAndThePendulum

Posted on April 27, 2023 by pitandthependulum22

Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

Core Value 1 is crucial to demonstrate that the process of reading and writing are recursive, and must be conducted in multiple stages in order to properly convey information. Keeping a White Paper helped this process, as I was able to keep my readings all in one place and come back to them at different times to add thoughts and notes on them. Using Google Scholar (I source I had never used before this course) proved to be incredibly helpful, since it provided trustworthy academic sources from various databases. I most definitely plan on using this search engine in any and all future academic research projects. Use of this core value is best demonstrated in my White Paper.

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities. 

Core Value 2 is critical, as it shows how one must be able to read critically and glean specific meanings from texts. Counterintuitive thinking was a major part of this course, and it was a concept I really had to concentrate to grasp in the beginning. The Stone Money project was my introduction to the counterintuitive thinking style, and it was an eye-opening experience to thinking outside of the usual metaphorical box. Learning how to absorb information, question its value (and those of its author), and create your own definition and meaning of it proved to be an interesting challenge. Use of this core value is best demonstrated in my Stone Money paper.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

Core Value 3 values rhetorical thinking, a concept which I have only very recently begun to explore. My experience with rhetorical thinking has been enlightening, as it has taught me how to write with purpose, and understand that your work must be concise and clear so that readers have no opportunity to question the concept or idea you are relating to them. Since readers cannot know what you are thinking, you must be illustrative in your writing to give them the closest possible iteration of your thoughts. In completing the Visual Rhetoric assignment, I learned how to clearly and properly convey my personal notions and ideas to readers to lead them to a specific conclusion. Use of this core value is best demonstrated in my Visual Rhetoric.

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

Core Value 4 is the result and culmination of all of my work over the course of the semester. In understanding the concepts and values above, I was able to create my Research Paper, which is the final product of all of my research, reading, and counterintuitive ideas. It was difficult to try and incorporate academic studies into my writing, as their specifics would have proved irrelevant to my overall purpose, but I quickly realized that absorbing their concepts, conveying them in my own specific way, and citing them as a source in my Annotated Bibliography proved to be the best method. Use of this core value is best demonstrated in my Research Paper.

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

Core Value 5 is one that is quite crucial in the experience of the average college student. Academic integrity is an important part of the student contract we enter into when we enroll in University, and requires us to cite our researched sources properly, and not claim others’ ideas for ourselves. The Annotation Bibliography assignment forced me to not only evaluate the works I used for my writing, but to understand the purposes I used it for. Use of this core value is best demonstrate in my Annotated Bibliography.

Posted in Portfolio PitAndThePendulum, You Forgot to Categorize! | 2 Comments

Research- PitAndThePendulum

Posted on April 27, 2023 by pitandthependulum22

The “Novel” Return of the Independent Bookstore

In a shocking twist of economic events, the resurrection of the independent bookshop from the dead has become far more prevalent. The online shopping industry, coupled with the evolution of electronics and societies’ growing dependency on them, created a war zone out of the field of book-selling business. After all, Amazon first began in 1995 as an online bookseller. It launched a brand-new business model, the sale of an enormous variety of books online, and eventually became so grossly popular that it grew into the all-encompassing online shopping community we know today. The small-town bookshop, that has been romanticized by bibliophiles since time immemorial, has reemerged from its almost-extinction by following clever marketing techniques and the wave of indie pop-culture that has been sweeping the nation. Social media has also served to benefit independent bookstores, as it allows consumers to interact with and get a feel of the shop and what it has to offer before venturing out. “Bookstagram” and “Booktok” (two terms to describe the literary subsections of social media, coined by the bibliophile communities of Instagram and TikTok, respectively), are just two examples of this growing craze. These accounts dedicate themselves to showcasing the types of genres and titles, among other products, that their shops have to offer. Typically, the most popular type of media produced by said accounts to gain the most traction and attention on social media are posts that follow current trends in pop-culture.

One major factor that serves detrimental to the independent bookstore is pricing. Books and products sold at these small businesses are more than likely to priced higher than those sold from online sellers, as independent shops have more overhead and are lacking in endless amounts of funding to keep themselves afloat. In many instances, price increases are necessary in these establishments to ensure that not only does the business make the money they put out on the product, but to also gain profit from the sale. This, unfortunately, not only dissuades customers and makes them less likely to purchase from the establishment, but also leads them right into the ready and waiting arms of their online competitors, who offer the same literary products at lower prices. A common occurrence in these business comes when a customer enters, selects a title, and, upon seeing the price, takes a picture on their phone for the purpose of looking for it cheaper from an online seller.

Yet another factor serving to the detriment of independent bookshops is lack of variety. In the case of the online bookselling-giant Amazon, they are essentially are virtual Library of Alexandria. Their literary stock covers titles ranging from academic texts to independently published works. Additionally, their stock is increased by E-books and audio editions, which can easily be purchased downloaded onto any device. In this digital age, online bookshops have found how to market their infinite variety to every type of reader. Independent bookstores suffer the consequences of this, as it is nearly impossible for them to keep up with the near-infinite stock of online sellers and near-infinite amount of published works. Many independent bookstores specialize in one subject, making it easier to obtain titles and create a decent amount of stock, but harder to obtain clients, as consumers in such stores must be interested in the specific niche that the store focuses on.

The third and arguably most important and detrimental factor that online services can provide is that of convenience. It was once argued that online booksellers were hindered by the fact that it took several days to ship out literary products that independent bookstores could provide immediately to customers (Chu, 2012). Much to the independent bookstore’s dismay, services such as Amazon Prime and Same-Day Shipping serve to give online booksellers a leg-up on their smaller competition. Shipping services like these, combined with the fact that consumers can purchase products from their devices from the comfort of their homes, has been incredibly effective. During more recent circumstances, such as the pandemic, online booksellers were able to continue business as usual, and further thrive by gaining additional customers who they may have lost to independent booksellers.

In order to create an independent bookshop that is able to thrive in a world that is dominated by online markets, business owners must sell an experience to their clientele that their online competitors cannot. Raffaeli in his examination, ‘Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores’, refers to this as ‘The Three C’s’. These ‘Three C’s’ (community, curation, and convening), have contributed greatly to the reemergence of the independent bookstore. In a 2015 conference, ABA CEO Oren Teicher opened his address with the statement, “It is a great time for Indie bookstores. Bigger is not always better. We’ve shown its possible to change and adapt. We’ve redefined who we are”. By establishing themselves as a place to gather and a small, community-based business, Indie bookshops have begun to reinvent themselves as pillars of small-town economies. In many past instances, the location of these shops (which includes the town and area of said town) have been gathered as ample evidence of why these types of small businesses fail. Through the growing trend of ‘championing localism’ and supporting and promoting the core values of consumers in their areas, independent bookstores have been able to gain back customers that would have been otherwise lost to their competitors. In addition to selling unique experiences, many booksellers engage in the art of ‘hand selling’, which is an experience that it confined to in-person bookselling. ‘Hand-selling’ occurs when a bookseller, who in considered an expert in the stock and topics of their store, ask a customer a certain amount of questions in order to obtain a profile on their preferred genre or topic. Once they’ve gathered enough information, the bookseller selects a number of books that fit the specific profile and preferences of the customer. For booksellers to serve as ‘matchmakers’ between customers and books, they must be in possible of intimate knowledge of their stock as well as its contents.

The death of the independent bookstore can be attributed to one, well-known factor: Amazon. Since its beginning in 1995 as an online bookseller, it launched a brand-new business model that eventually made it grow into the all-encompassing shopping giant that it is today. As Indie bookstores battle to re-emerge from the annals of time, one must be able to acknowledge how and why they faced extinction in the first place. Such reasons as Amazon’s efficiency, variety, and pricing, as well as marketing tactics and advertising can be attributed to its gross victory over the independent bookseller.

Amazon has been able to succeed and triumph over independent bookstores for various reasons. The first and most popular of these: Convenience. Amazon is open 24-hours, 365 days a years, and can essentially be accessed anywhere there is internet connection. The independent bookstore runs on schedules and times set by its owners (who may close early, on holidays, weekends, Mondays, etc), and requires customers to travel to their set location in order to purchase their product. Though these stores offer the instant gratification Amazon doesn’t, Amazon makes up for it in an equally important field: Pricing. Amazon is able to offer sales and cheaper prices for literature that small bookstores are financially unable to match. A personal study conducted at ‘Inkwood Books’ in Haddonfield, New Jersey proved this point. A copy of the book ‘Queens of the Abyss: Lost Stories from the Women of the Weird” compiled by Mike Ashley was priced at a dismal $24. While Inkwood provides a cozy, quiet atmosphere , as well as involvement with the local school districts and local authors, a quick journey to Amazon shows the book priced at $14.14 (with $5.99). Amazon even offers additional options from other sellers and parties, with some used copies being priced at $12.30, and some new copies priced at $11.76. Even with shipping costs, Amazon still proves the wiser seller to purchase from if one doesn’t want to spend a fortune on mere paperbacks.

Another facet of Amazon that proves to be detrimental to the small bookstore business is E-books. Purchasable on Kindle through Amazon, many of these pieces are self-published, meaning that the variety of books offered by Amazon is much vaster than any brick and mortar establishment’s inventory. An article from News24 boasts the claim the E-book sales have more than doubled in the past three years alone, with Amazon’s involvement and the pandemic most likely offering a fair explanation. E-books offer an additional win for Amazon through their convenience. They are able to be downloaded onto any device or e-reader almost instantly after purchase, giving the instant gratification of an independent bookshop over the internet. In this digital age, online bookshops have found how to market their infinite variety to every type of reader. Independent bookstores suffer the consequences of this, as it is nearly impossible for them to keep up with the near-infinite stock of online sellers and near-infinite amount of published works. Many independent bookstores specialize in one subject, making it easier to obtain titles and create a decent amount of stock, but harder to obtain clients, as consumers in such stores must be interested in the specific niche that the store focuses on.

As the independent bookshop begins its gradual return into the world of retail, Amazon still remains to be the scapegoat for the industry’s gradual collapse. That, however, is an incredibly oversimplified assessment of an issue that stems not only in the economic world, but in the social and psychological sphere as well. The rise of social media giants and their subsequent impact on the attention span, coupled with the pandemic and the economic crisis that followed it, can be factored in as a few alternate reasons for the collapse of the small book business.

In the case of the downfall of small book businesses, one needs to look no further than social media. It comes as no surprise that as social media began to grow, the number of readers began to shrink. As new social media apps began to surface, such as Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc, the world began to turn away from pages and towards screens. Research conducted amongst senior high school students at San Diego State University showed that 60% of seniors reported reading as a hobby in the 1970s. The same study was conducted again in 2016, and the results showed that only 16% of students reported doing so. Overall, it was estimated that only 1 in 3 students in the U.S engage in leisurely reading. Online ‘e-readers’ (those who indulge in online articles that do not qualify as e-books) can be found on hundreds of sites and apps that boast engaging, short-content that can be accessed either on mobile devices or computers (some of these sites include Reddit, The Washington Post, and other sites rife with content). A study conducted by the Wall Street Journal suggests that part of the reason engagement in attention-consuming activities like reading has gone down is due to society’s need for instant gratification.

As of 2021, 34% of American small businesses are still closed as a result of COVID. With approximately 99.9% of small businesses in America identifying as small businesses, and occupying 47.3% of the country’s private workforce, the loss of these businesses have threatened not only the nation’s economy, but the financial stability of many American citizens. Small bookstores make up only a small amount of businesses effected by the pandemic and its subsequent lockdown, and while Indie bookstores have begun to utilize social media in order to boost engagement and revenue, the effect of social media on the average user’s attention span has been drastic. As these stores try to boost their engagement, they can’t guarantee that their viewers will ever engage with them beyond one simple like over the internet.

Sources

Natanson, Hannah (2018) “Yes, teens are texting and using social media instead of reading books, researchers say”, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2018/08/20/for-american-teens-texting-and-social-media-are-replacing-books/

Ghosh, Iman (2021) “34% of America’s small businesses are still closed due to COVID-19. Here’s why it matters”, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/america-united-states-covid-small-businesses-economics/

O’Brien, Reese (2022) “Indie Bookstores’ COVID Recovery: Leveraging TikTok and BookShop.org”, https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/indie-bookstores-covid-recovery-leveraging-tiktok-and-bookshoporg

Chu, CP., Guo, WC. & Lai, FC. On the competition between an online bookstore and a physical bookstore. Netnomics 13, 141–154 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11066-012-9068-y

Raffaeli, R.L, Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores, Harvard School of Business, (January, 2020) https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/20-068_c19963e7-506c-479a-beb4-bb339cd293ee.pdf

News24, “E-books Hurt Traditional Bookstores”, News24, (2011). https://www.news24.com/news24/e-books-hurt-traditional-bookstores-20110208

Posted in PitAndThePendulum, Portfolio PitAndThePendulum, Research | 2 Comments

Reflective- blueee

Posted on April 27, 2023 by blueee04

Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

White paper link- White Paper-blueee

I achieved this goal by working on my white paper throughout the semester. There was times when I couldn’t find that much information on the hypothesis I chose, which was that money can change a persons behavior and cause others to be treated unfair, but I successfully found sources to support my claim and I learned a lot more through the process. I think that my revised arguments are clear and understood. My essay portrays all arguments well and to the readers understanding. I cited most of the sources I discovered and used them to support my hypothesis. I was encouraged by the feedback I got on my argument essays and used it to my advantage to revise my work. I think my writing skills have advanced since the beginning of the semester.

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities. 

Research paper link-Research- blueee

I believe I used Core Value 2 in my research paper because it was a combination of all three arguments. The topic of my essay was the same all throughout the essay but the arguments clearly vary from one another. Before combining all three arguments, it didn’t make sense but I revised it and made some changes so that it could flow to the understanding of the reader. I explained the sources and even added more information to my advantage of supporting my argument. I think I successfully used Core Value 2 because the readers can understand what issue I wanted to get across. I tried my best to not sound repetitive but it was a little difficult due to it being a 3,000 essay about one topic. Although, I hope that I did the assignment the correct way. This was definitely one of the longest essays I’ve wrote but Im proud of my work throughout this semester.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

Visual Rhetoric link- Visual Rewrite- blueee

I used Core Value 2 in my Visual Rhetoric argument. I thought that my skills prior to this assignment were good but then I realized that I needed to work on my skills. When we worked on an example in class it helped me to understand the process more and when doing the assignment, I felt like I did it correctly. After looking it over I realized that I was lacking in explaining thoroughly and could have done better in analyzing and making it understandable to the audience. I was surprised to find out that I did this incorrectly but of course I was encouraged to potentially fix it. Im hoping to make a few changes and revise my work before the whole portfolio is graded.

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

Research paper link- Research- blueee

This was conducted through my research paper. In this course I learned a lot with this assignment, this is probably one of the longest essays I have wrote and it’s interesting how it was just based off of one hypothesis. I tried to the best of my ability to explain all arguments to the understanding of the audience. It was a little difficult because at times it felt like I was repeating myself so I had to make changes and revise my work. I didn’t want the readers to get bored so I used as many sources as I could to defend my argument. In class we usually looked at examples of our assignments before the due date which I believe helped me throughout this process. Our professor helped to explain these core values so we could use them in our assignments. We were shown different materials which I used to my advantage.

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

Bibliography link- Bibliography- blueee

I believe I used this core value in my Bibliography post because I explained the sources I used throughout this course and I cited my sources in the correct format. I only used sources that were helpful to my argument. In my Bibliography post and any of the other assignments I’ve done I cited my evidence correctly and credited any of the authors work. I supported my work with the evidence I found and I made sure to explain the most important parts of the sources such as the experiments that were held to show the change in peoples behavior under different circumstances involving money. I think i’ve learned a lot through the process of researching through this semester. I ended up using some of my sources differently when I read them more.

Posted in Blueee, Portfolio Blueee, Reflective SP23 | Leave a comment

Research- blueee

Posted on April 27, 2023 by blueee04

Money Is the Cause of Our Behavior Problems

Money is a necessity in the world we live in, you need it to survive. It’s just a piece of paper but it has so much value to it. When people get ahold of a lot of money whether it’s inherited, won from a lottery, or earned, they begin to behave differently. Money causes people to become greedy and careless whether it’s the poor or rich. This has always been an issue but of course as the years go by it gets worse. The prices in the market gradually increases making it easier for the poor to struggle while the rich are living no differently. There isn’t many people in the world that are willing to help the ones that are less fortunate. Money has become a dangerous necessity but people are the ones making it dangerous.

We know that money is ‘valuable’ but everyone doesn’t know the history or background of it. Money truly has no value itself, but the power it holds is to be used to purchase goods. Money has taken many forms through the ages. When trading first started it was with gold. In the broadcast by the Planet Money team at NPR, they explain how money began and that money just represents the value of gold but it’s not worth anything. Now with this information it’s confusing how people can be considered ‘wealthy’ because of the number in their bank account. It’s odd how this also causes a change in behavior. Money should not be causing a division in our world. We think money is so superior and we let it affect our lives too much but it’s just something we all use to purchase items.

Anyone could be greedy, whether that’s being wealthy their whole life or if they had their hard times and earned the wealth themself. All anyone cares about is themselves, this could be good but also bad under certain circumstances. If someone has the money or opportunity to help someone, they should but instead they take advantage of what they have. There isn’t enough good in the world, there is too much greed and selfishness. We are divided into classes and it’s normal to us. The lower class gets treated poorly while the higher class gets worshipped. The rich are given more and better opportunities as far as education and jobs. Schools that are known to be more successful with students learning more and absorbing everything, are the most expensive. To have a good paying job it’s more than likely that a college degree is needed. Money is used for everything but not everyone has the money to even try to be successful in life.

People with more money have more opportunities in life, they get advice from other rich people on how to continue having a good flow of funds or maintain it properly. In the article “Behavioral and wealth considerations for seeking professional financial planning help” it states that people with lower income don’t get the same advice but it may be to their fault. The financial planners have tools and expertise lacking in the general population. This article explains that “they find individuals with low financial risk tolerance and low satisfaction with their financial situation are more likely to seek advice from family, friends, and work colleagues, instead of from professional sources.” Although, this is the doing of the individual, the less fortunate don’t have the money to have professional help. They’ll just be spending money to learn from someone else, how they should properly save or how they can build their income. The rich have money to invest for financial advice so they take advantage of it and they take the advice as a compliment.

There are experiments that have been used showing how people’s behavior change in situations. In the article “The rich are easily offended by unfairness” the author explains how studies were held to show if the less wealthy or the more wealthy would accept the unfair offer. “In this game, the proposer gives the responder an unfair offer of CN¥2, but keeps the remaining CN¥8 out of CN¥10. If the responder accepts the offer, each receives the proposed amounts; otherwise both receive nothing. We chose the ¥2/¥8 offer that can elicit roughly 50% rejection rates” this states the basics of the experiments. The three studies were all very similar, showing that more of the poor would accept the unfair offer and the rich would deny it because they took the others into consideration. This shows how money has such a quick effect on ones behavior, the less wealthy are only thinking about how they never had that amount of money and how much it could benefit them. Money is so important in our lives that they don’t think twice in these situations. They become selfish.

Another unfair act is our taxing system. There should be greater acts in taxing the rich more than the poor, they should pay double. It is unfair given that the poor are already struggling as it is and now they are being taxed more than the ones who have enough money to pay. It makes absolutely no sense and is one of the inequalities in our world. Stated in the article “Taxing the Rich”, “Scheve and Stasavage argue that governments don’t tax the rich just because inequality is high or rising—they do it when people believe that such taxes compensate for the state unfairly privileging the wealthy.” This just explains how damaged our government is. It shouldn’t be that hard to make the rich have higher taxes and if not then both classes have equal taxes. Our world is built on inequality and no matter how much things are changed everyone will be treated unequally.

Greed is a problem whether we want to believe it or not. People are greedy with money, when they have a lot or little. It causes people to have behavioral problems. Some people don’t even realize the way it affects them because they are surrounded by people that act the same way. Money makes people feel superior and they abuse it which then leads to being rude but being rude is just the beginning of it. There are much worse situations that have escalated to violence. We should not be letting the amount of money we have in our account be the reason we act a certain way towards others. We are giving money too much power than it already has. Money already revolves around everything we need, there’s no reason to use it as a reason to have a change in behavior.

There is inequality globally with everything. There was an experiment held with University students and nationwide, to show how people act in situations of inequality. In the article “The rich are easily offended by unfairness” the author explains the game and the low income people were likely to take the offer while the more wealthy denied the offer. It’s not surprising given that the money would help them but it shows how important money is in our world. It shows how easily the poor were convinced when money was involved. People have a change in behavior when they have an opportunity to win a lottery. They become careless, but no one would give up the opportunity to get more money then someone else. Money has too much power in our lives. Everything we want or need, we have to use it.

When growing up we learn to act like those around us. We may not be corrected right from wrong when young but as we get older we learn the difference by observing others. We know who we should associate with and who we want to avoid. In the article “Money attitude-an abridgement” the article explains that individuals may have a negative behavior about money differences due to childhood experiences, high financial and social status. These are all accurate to cause a persons change in behavior but it’s just an excuse for them to act mean towards others. Learned behavior could be changed, if we feel like the way we act isn’t appropriate or mature then we should want to change. No one deserves to be mistreated due to the way we grew up. Poor people tend to be mistreated or belittled by people that are richer. The rich feel like their wealth gives them the right to be disrespectful to the poor.

Companies are even losing out on money due to the employees behavior. There is no excuse for an adult to have negative actions towards customers. It’s not hard to be nice but some people never matured enough to know how to act. The source “Rudeness at work: Impulse over restraint” states that this behavior drives customers away and although being rude isn’t an act of violence it could lead to that or worse. Money differences isn’t just causing behavior but behavior also causes the loss of money. People need to learn how to be more respectful because you never know what kind of day someone is having. Everyone wants to be treated with respect and kindness. Just because we are having a bad day it doesn’t mean we have to make someone else’s day bad. When in a working environment we are taught to treat the customers with kindness, it’s not a professional to do other wise.

Many behaviors can be picked up but we shouldn’t let money effect it. Money should not control the way we act or treat others. This has become a problem without anyone noticing, it’s become our normal. However, it’s not normal to have stingy people or unfairness. We should not be against each-other or bullying because of our social status. We have grown in a world that’s known to be rude, selfish, and needy. This doesn’t mean that it needs to continue to be like this. Just because our peers act a certain way it doesn’t make it right for us to. There is no reason to try and fit in with others. Disrespect gets you absolutely no where in life. Being snobby or rude due to your wealth is ridiculous because anyone can lose or gain more money any day. Money doesn’t define the way we are, but the way we act with it does. No one is better because of their social status, everyone has problems in life. A poor person and a rich person can have many similarities and just one difference which is the amount of money they have.

In life it’s common to bump into people that are rude, maybe not daily but it happens. People tend to put their private life situations out on others or even just be rude because of another persons status. A lot of adults lack behavior skills which could be due to the way they grew up, surrounded by wealthy people treating those that aren’t wealthy, disrespectfully. Some even grow the bad behavior over time, thinking they’re better than others and don’t need to give respect out to the less wealthy. Wealthy or not, everyone should be treated equally. Money or social class differences shouldn’t effect our behavior towards one another. Money doesn’t define us, it’s just a piece of paper that is used to purchase needs and wants.

Money even affects the motivation we have to do things. If we are bribed with money to do a task then we’ll want to do it more than if money wasn’t involved which would cause our behavior to be completely different. With no bribe we may drag while getting the task done or procrastinate. In the article “Merely activating the concept of money changes personal and interpersonal behavior” it explains how people can be more helpful when reminded of money, meaning having a reason to do something. This prompts people to work harder on challenging tasks, it leads to a desire to take more work than those not reminded of money. When money isn’t included people prefer solitary activities and less physical intimacy. Money has a big change in a persons behavior, they become more motivated and are likely to finish the task or challenge.

When we think of the poor and rich, we would assume that the poor would be greedy under the circumstances of money because they don’t have much and sometimes this is true but in the article “Are the rich more Unethical and greedy?” it states that the poor are actually kind and generous. The rich have the opportunity to do these things, instead they are the complete opposite. There was a test that was explained in this article, the testers watched as the more wealthy, expensive looking cars went through a crosswalk. The test was to see if the cars would yield for the walking pedestrians or if they would cut them off. While watching they noticed that all of the drivers with the least money yielded. On the other hand, the 46.4% of the wealthy drivers were “significantly more likely to drive through the crosswalk without yielding to the waiting pedestrian.” This shows how the more wealthy think they are better than the less fortunate. They don’t take others into consideration due to their status or visual profile.

The cause of an individuals behavior towards money could be because of many different things such as ones social status, personal values, family, life cycle, age, or educational level. This still doesn’t give them the right to give others negative behavior. People that are wealthy and have grown in a wealthy life style don’t know what the poor go through. Most assume that they are in tough positions because of things they’ve done but it’s not always like that. The same way someone can grow up in wealth is the way someone can grow up in a poor life. They don’t get the same opportunities as the rich do such as knowing successful people and having help with money issues. Money differences shouldn’t be affecting the way we act towards each other. Money has nothing to do with how our personalities are. Both poor and rich people can be rude but the rich tend to take advantage of what they have and use it as an excuse to act the way they do.

We become the ones we surround ourselves with. We pick up the way they act and do things even if it’s rude behavior or no respect for the less fortunate but as we grow older we usually mature. It’s in our power and control to change the way we act. In the article “Workplace bullying: It’s not just about lunch money anymore” it explains how not only are children being bullied at school for money but so are adults at work. Bullying is a problem but it’s not a legal problem so not much can be done. There are few, if any, laws that address the issue or provide the victim with any solution. The ones that are bullying are stuck in an immature life style. In a recent report it was shown that 35% of U.S workers claimed to be bullied while at work. Although this percent isn’t high, it’s still unfortunate that people can’t act properly even at work.

References

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, The rich are easily offended by unfairness: Wealth triggers spiteful rejection of unfair offers Published, 5April 2017

Scheve, Kenneth and Stasavage, David. Taxing the rich , published 2018

Taneja, Rimple. Money attitude-an abridgement Published July 2012

Letkiewicz, Jodi; Robinson, Chris; Domian, Dale; Uborceva, Natallia “Behavioral and wealth considerations for seeking professional financial planning help” SSRN, 30 Sep.2015.

Johnson, Pamela and Indvik Julie, Rudeness at work: Impulse over restraint Published December 2001

Vohs, Kathleen; Mead, Nicole; and Goode, Miranda “Merely activating the concept of money changes personal and interpersonal behavior” Sage journals, 1 June. 2008.

Verschoor, C. Curtis “Are the rich more Unethical and greedy?” Institute of Management Accountants, May.2012.

Davidson, Dan and Harrington, K Vernard “Workplace bullying: It’s not just about lunch money anymore” Southern Journal of Business and Ethics, 2012.

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Reflective — GracchusBabeuf

Posted on April 27, 2023 by gracchusbabeuf

Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

My rebuttal argument and its associated rewrite best demonstrate my use of social and interactive practice to explore a topic and revise my work. Specifically, I discussed some of my idea for a rebuttal argument with my professor during our call focused mostly on my causal argument. Hilariously, my comments that a rebuttal argument would be simple turned out to be entirely false — an inconvenient discovery forced me to completely reaproach the rebuttal. This proved to be an excellent example of exploration, discovery and revision, as I was forced to scrap my argument when presented with information which undermined my faith in it. Combined with skillful editing suggestions from my professor, the revised rebuttal rewrite is a much stronger piece.

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities. 

My submission for the stone money paper effectively illustrates my ability to place texts into conversation with each other. Synthesizing the assigned reading by Milton Friedman, a “this american life” radio program, and Marx’s Capital, I presented a paper which attempts to de-mystify money in a timely manner. My final paragraph, in specific, ties together Marx’s theories on money, Friedman’s observations on the Yap islanders, and the details of the Brazilian monetary miracle. The difference in the “discourse communities”, as the core value puts it, is also quite significant. Milton Friedman is one of the most influential economists of the Chicago school, and is associated most with right-wing “neoliberal” economics. On the other hand, there is Karl Marx. He is one of, if not the most, well-known and often misunderstood (deliberately or otherwise) political economists in history. Utilizing these sources from similar disciplines but disparate “discourse communities” demonstrates my ability to read critically and synthesize ideas.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

The PTSD claims assignment was one of my favorite assignments in the class, and my submission strongly demonstrated an understanding of audience and of rhetorical analysis. Deliberately mimicking the style employed by the professor, I made sure to put the type of claim I was identifying in bold text. Additionally, I frequently used the first person and engage is some excessively pedantic arguments with the text. These shows a knowledge of the audience of the writing, namely, that the assignment was not incredibly formal, and more variation and stylistic flair was both allowed and encouraged. Furthermore, the specificity of each claim section showed a strong engagement with the rhetorical analysis, even at risk of being needlessly pedantic. For instance, in the final paragraph, I refuted a factual claim presented by the author that “you have never seen two people so in love” with the simple contrarian statement, “yes I have”. Both statements are unprovable, but do illustrate a point about the risk of making unverifiable claims.

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

The research paper shows how my work incorporates a plethora of primary and secondary resources to support my own ideas and interpretations. Specifically, I engaged with the scholastic debate surrounding Niccoló Machiavelli, author of the famous political science text The Prince. Drawing from The Prince itself, I present my central claim that Machiavelli can both counsel cruel actions while not actually preferring those actions. With a wealth of historical sources, such as Innocent Gentillet’s Anti-Machiavel, I met the core value’s standards of finding and parsing through evidence to support my ideas. Or, in the case of Gentillet, I identified an argument which runs counter to mine that is substantially and worthy of refutation. Additionally, I used historian Narasingha Prosad Sil to illustrate a key point about Machiavelli’s personal morality and the “reign of virtue”.

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

My annotated bibliography is a testament to my commitment to ethically citing my sources. Ranging from primary sources like The Prince to modern and earl-modern secondary sources, my annotated bibliography has a breadth and depth of information that is properly attributed. The bibliography is particularly noteworthy because it gave me a place to write about the sources which influenced me that I could not or did not include. For example, I credit S.B. Drury’s “The Hidden Meaning of Strauss’s “Thoughts on Machiavelli”” for undermining my planned rebuttal argument, forcing a reorientation of the rebuttal and my term paper as a whole. A source which I did use rather extensively was Innocent Gentillet’s Anti-Machiavel, which I scoured for passages related to his overwhelming hatred of Machiavelli. I did my best to represent Gentillet’s deeply flawed argument fairly and without making a straw-man of him.

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Reflective—QueenRandom

Posted on April 27, 2023 by queenrandom04

Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

I accomplished this goal through the white paper assignment, here is the link to my white paper, https://compclass2021.com/2023/02/07/white-paper-queenrandom/

(opens in a new tab). Some of the stronger work within my categorical argument came from sources I found looking at the sources used to create the articles I was originally using. I really engulfed myself on going on the journey to learn more about slavery and the police. I believe my arguments presented are well thought out and developed it the greatest capacity. My essay has a clear line of logic and research that’s easily understood by large audiences. 

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities. 

Here’s an example of of how I met core value 2, “ The Conservative Case for Criminal Justice Reform, even though they are able to recognize the alarming issue incarceration has created for us as a society. They say, “ Over the course of almost half a century, this war on crime helped to quadruple America’s incarceration rates.” If the government is waging a war on crime, should the goal not be for the crime to cease? In the same article they state,  “363 in the 1960s, then rose further to 548 in the 1970s, then to 663 in the 1980s’ ‘, about violent crime within the United States. They use this statistic to find justification that the creation of the war on crime was justified but I believe it does the opposite. There was crime that existed before the mobilization of the police but in the efforts of depleting the crime that existed it increased.  If the war on crime is not about decreasing crime we can only conclude that its goal and the goal of the police furthermore is to increase incarceration not prevent crime from happening” Within a conservative frame the numbers I presented would be a positive within the support of the police and making theri systems larger but with my rhetoric it makes the audience question if the crime was happening because crime happens or crime was increasing because police presence was increasing.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

Here’s an example of how I met core 3, “ It’s been established that the ideas and expectations the police were created to continue into the modern day. From the National Law Enforcement Officer Fund, “Slave patrols were no less violent in their control of African Americans; they beat and terrorized as well. Their distinction was that they were legally compelled to do so by local authorities. In this sense, it was considered a civic duty—one that in some areas could result in a fine if avoided.” It was not only encouraged but expected of the police to be terrorist to the Black community. Terrorizing normal black people or even our most prominent figures, like Martin Luther King Jr., whose assassination  has been confirmed to have been executed by law enforcement.” Within this I quote someone else and relate it to a completely separate topic that wouldn’t have crossed the audiences mind if I didn’t present the way that I did.

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

My entire portfolio is proof of my ability to find research and make it work in my favor but I’ll highlight the work I did in my rebuttal essay, “According to J. David Hacker at the National Library of Medicine, at the height of slavery the most people ever enslaved was, “approximately 10 million slaves lived in the United States, where they contributed 410 billion hours of labor.” In 2023, not including those experiencing so many different forms of incarceration, like halfway houses or parole, according to the Prison Policy Organization there are 1.9 million people incarcerated. From Alexi Jones at Prison Policy, “4.9 million people are arrested and jailed each year, and at least one in 4 of those individuals are booked into jail more than once during the same year.” If the point of prison is retribution what is the point if once they get out they are all the more likely to return?”

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

My essays are cited correctly within the formatting you taught and presented to during this past semseter. 

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