Rebuttal Practice

Posted on November 11, 2021 by davidbdale

A Price Too High

Is Nuclear Power Worth the Risk?

Link to the Text without the New York Times’ interference! 🙂

Bob Herbert asks the question in the Opinion pages of the New York Times. It’s pretty clear from the evidence he cites that he thinks the answer is No, it’s not worth the risk (or Yes, the price is too high, if that’s how you phrase the question).

Since he’s willing (sort of) to go on the record with his objections, let’s examine his essay as an opportunity for rebuttal, the better to understand what rebuttal means when it comes time to craft your own essays, days from now.

Insufficient Evidence Rebuttal
WHAT ISN’T: It’s not an effective rebuttal to request more evidence from the author. If the author offers insufficient evidence, or no evidence at all, one good piece of evidence of your own for an opposing point of view can easily refute it.
WHAT IS: Providing that good evidence is an effective rebuttal.

Irrelevant Evidence Rebuttal
WHAT ISN’T: It’s not an effective rebuttal to complain that you really don’t see what the evidence provided has to do with the argument. If the author offers irrelevant evidence, logic should tell you what the evidence does prove, or could prove.
WHAT IS: Pointing out that the evidence supports a different conclusion than the author’s is an effective rebuttal.

Inconclusive Evidence Rebuttal
WHAT ISN’T: It’s not an effective rebuttal to say that the evidence provided doesn’t quite add up to a proof. If the author offers substantial evidence that doesn’t actually support the argument though, as Bob Herbert does in A Price Too High?, you should be able to identify the logical fallacy at fault.
WHAT IS: Demonstrating how a correct interpretation of the evidence proves something other than the author’s argument is an effective rebuttal. In rebuttal of Bob Herbert’s four-paragraph description of cost overruns, for example, you could say: Herbert makes a good case for unanticipated costs of building nuclear power plants, but offers nothing to indicate that the higher costs are unsustainable. Is the electricity generated by nuclear plants more expensive per kilowatt-hour than coal-fired juice? If it is, he should have said so; probably would have said so. If in fact nuclear power is as affordable as traditional electricity, his fretting about cost overruns is a fruitless complaint without real substance.

Stacking the Deck Rebuttal
WHAT ISN’T: It’s not an effective rebuttal to say that the author is unfair to your “side” of the argument and should offer evidence to support your position. But if the author clearly (but usually stealthily) “stacks the deck” by suppressing evidence, as Rob Herbert does in A Price Too High?, you should be able to call him on it easily.
WHAT IS: You could say, for instance: Bob Herbert acts as if the only benefit we obtain from nuclear power is reduced greenhouse gas emissions. If that were the case, the price might truly be too high. But he neglects to mention nuclear power replaces unsustainable fossil fuels; makes us less dependent on foreign oil imports; eliminates the mercury, sulfur, and countless other emissions from burning coal, and improves our national security by making us less beholden to Middle East dictators.

False Analogy Rebuttal
TRUE ANALOGY / FALSE ANALOGY Analogy is prediction based on close comparisons. If I’m planning to release The Matrix Revolutions shortly after the outrageous success of The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded, I point out that the new film shares the same writing and directing team, an almost identical cast, and the same subject matter as the first two films, and should therefore be a huge success too. What one difference made that analogy false? The new actress who played the Oracle? Or the fact that the script was anticlimactic and the audience was already saturated with better material?
WHAT ISN’T: When Bob Herbert compares the nuclear disaster at Fukushima with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, he emphasizes that they were both almost unimaginable: nobody could have predicted them, he says. He uses that similarity to prove that a similar nuclear catastrophe could happen here. But surely the fact that Fukushima was unpredictable didn’t cause it to occur. It’s not an effective rebuttal to say that Herbert “uses false analogy” when comparing Fukushima to nuclear plants in the US. But it’s a start.
WHAT IS: An effective rebuttal of a false analogy is one that points out the essential difference that keeps the third Matrix from repeating the first two movies, or in this case, the essential difference between Japanese nuclear plants and US plants. If none are positioned as precariously as Fukushima—on massive, active earthquake-prone fault lines just hundreds of feet from the ocean—he’s got no business saying that the failure of one predicts the failure of the other.

False Choice Rebuttal
FALSE CHOICE Once a false analogy has been made, almost certainly a false choice will follow. Should we put money into getting people jobs, or should we slash government budgets, putting more people out of work? Neither alone may be the real answer, but debates are often framed between two such false choices. The third choice, that we should slash the parts of the budget that reduce employment and spend the savings putting people to work, never gets a hearing.
WHAT ISN’T: When Bob Herbert frames his second question: “whether it makes sense to follow through on plans to increase our reliance on nuclear power, thus heightening the risk of a terrible problem occurring here in the United States,” he’s offering a false choice based on the assumption that more nuclear power necessarily increases risk. It’s not an effective rebuttal to say that Herbert “offers a false choice” when asking us to choose energy futures, but it’s a start.
WHAT IS: An effective rebuttal of a false choice is one that points out the unnamed third choice, in this case, that every new nuclear plant either be built to address all known risks or not be built at all. Another would be to point to countries like France that, unlike Japan, have relied on nuclear power for almost all their energy needs for decades without serious incidents. Do we have to choose between Japan and no nukes? Or could we choose safe nukes?

In-Class Exercise

I’ve taken you through this survey of Rebuttal Techniques BEFORE asking you to read Bob Herbert’s Op-Ed about nuclear energy. Now that you have some background to help you evaluate his arguments, evaluate his persuasiveness in a Reply below. In particular, mention any arguments you think might be refutable, and on what basis.

Posted in Rebuttal Practice FA21 | Leave a comment

Robust Verbs-toastedflatbread

Posted on November 8, 2021 by toastedflatbread22

Original:

There is a huge problem in Vancouver with heroin addicts committing crimes to support their habits. The “free heroin for addicts” program is doing everything they can to stop the addicts. The problem is that there is a large crime rate due to the addicts. It is obvious that addicts have a hard time getting through their day to day lives. Daily activities such as jobs, interactions, and relationships are hard to maintain because of the fact that they are using. By heroin users being addicted, they will do whatever they have to do to get their hands on the drug. The types of crimes committed are those of breaking and entering as well as stealing. There are no limits to where they will go to retrieve this drug so that they can feed their addiction. The problem with this program is that it won’t help to ween these addicts off using heroin. It is only trying to save the city from rising crime rates that they’re up to. By providing the drug, these addicts will be off the streets, which in turn will prevent them from committing minor street crimes. This will also keep the heroin users out of the hospital. It is pointless that the hospitals have to deal with people that want to use bad drugs or unsanitary needles and find themselves being unable to afford hospital bills and hard to cope without the drug. This program gives people free heroin in the cleanest way possible. This will in turn fix the city  but not the addiction that these people face.

Revised:

Heroin addicts in Vancouver are committing crimes that only support their habits. Despite the “free heroin for addicts” program, which should help the issue, crime rates are still profound. Heroin addicts struggle in their day-to-day lives, with activities such as work, interaction, and relationships.. However, addicts are only concerned with acquiring heroin and will reach far and wide to get their hands on it. This obsession leads to a life of crime, including breaking and entering and stealing. Anti-addiction programs are proving to be little help to the issue, only concerning themselves with the crime rates, rather than the root of the problem-addiction. The goal of the programs is to provide the drug in sterile, safe ways and get addicts off the streets, where they are exposed to unsafe and illegal conditions. This may seem like a good idea at first, but does not tackle the looming issue of heroin addiction, instead it fosters it for selfish reasons.

Posted in Robust Verbs | Leave a comment

robust verbs- chickennuget444

Posted on November 8, 2021 by chickennugget444

There is a huge problem in Vancouver with heroin addicts committing crimes to support their habits. The “free heroin for addicts” program is doing everything they can to stop the addicts. The problem is that there is a large crime rate due to the addicts. It is obvious that addicts have a hard time getting through their day to day lives. Daily activities such as jobs, interactions, and relationships are hard to maintain because of the fact that they are using. By heroin users being addicted, they will do whatever they have to do to get their hands on the drug. The types of crimes committed are those of breaking and entering as well as stealing. There are no limits to where they will go to retrieve this drug so that they can feed their addiction. The problem with this program is that it won’t help to ween these addicts off using heroin. It is only trying to save the city from rising crime rates that they’re up to. By providing the drug, these addicts will be off the streets, which in turn will prevent them from committing minor street crimes. This will also keep the heroin users out of the hospital. It is pointless that the hospitals have to deal with people that want to use bad drugs or unsanitary needles and find themselves being unable to afford hospital bills and hard to cope without the drug. This program gives people free heroin in the cleanest way possible. This will in turn fix the city  but not the addiction that these people face.

The city of Vancouver is experiencing a huge problem with heroin addicts committing crimes to support their habits. Addicts have difficulty getting through daily tasks. Jobs, interactions, and relationships become difficult to maintain due to their addiction to heroin. Since they will do whatever is necessary to get their hands on the drug, many addicts partake in crimes such as breaking and entering as well as stealing. However, the “free heroin for addicts” program is doing their best to stop the addicts despite the large crime rate. The problem with this program is that its focus seems to be more on saving the city from rising crime rates, rather than weening the addicts off heroin. Providing heroin in the cleanest way possible to the addicts gets them off the streets which prevents them from committing minor street crimes, but will not help the addiction that these people face.

Posted in Robust Verbs | Leave a comment

Robust Verbs-

Posted on November 8, 2021 by neferpitou626

The vast problem in Vancouver are the heroin addicts committing crimes to support their habits. The “free heroin for addicts” program is doing everything they can to stop the addicts. The point of concern is that there is a tremendous crime rate due to the addicts. The most present issue is that addicts have a hard time journeying through their day to day lives– Regular activities such as jobs, interactions, and relationships are daunting to maintain considering the fact that they are using. As a result of heroin users being addicted they do anything to get their hands on the substance. The most common crimes committed are those of breaking and entering as well as stealing. There are no constraints to what they are disposed to in order to retrieve this substance so to feed their addiction. The predicament with this program is that it will not be efficient to help ween the addicts from using heroin. This programs main agenda is to lower the current crime rate by making the substance more available simply to stop the rising rate of the petty crimes and not truly help the addicts. The solution gives people free heroin in the cleanest way possible to reduce the amount of them in hospitals only temporarily fixing the city and not the addiction that these people face by themselves.

Posted in You Forgot to Categorize! | 1 Comment

Causal Rewrite-Levixvice

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Philip Ebenezer

The spotted lanternflies belong to a group of plant-hoppers that eat a variety of tree nutrients, including cherry, maple, and black gum trees, which serve as both a nesting and feeding place for their young. The Lanternfly-Killing Wasp (Dryinus browni) is a parasitic wasp that brainwashes the host through stringer insertion in order to protect its babies, which will be eaten by their young. While native to four Asian continents (China, India, South Korea, and North Korea), they have been imported to the United States by firewood exports in 2014. Their influence over nine states in the United States, including New Jersey, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Delaware, has caused native insects and animals to change their diets to this new arrival, with chickens, praying mantis, and green frogs eating these insects to reduce their population in balance.

The basic goal of host trees is to provide a safe haven for migratory insects from other continents. In this case, the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), a Chinese invasive plant, provides a safe haven for Spotted Lanternflies to hide from predators while also nurturing the next generation of Spotted Lanternflies. Trees being infested by these Spotted Lanternflies would result in tree mold and trunk wounds resulting it death creating an effect of the ecosystem’s dependency on trees. Their diet must be of plants and trees that have nutrient sap in the trunk, stem, and leaf parts of the tree indiscriminately. However, they may also consume apples, grapes (including the vines), and peaches that the Spotted Lanternfly would eat vegetables; not only do Spotted Lanternflies consume fruit and vegetables. But they also scour the land for orchards and gardens to feed on, which will become a shortage of fruit and vegetables for supermarkets into scarcity for people.

Such strategy allows Spotted Lanternflies to anticipate their direction without falling to the ground, which most lanternflies have tried and failed to do. This gives rise to the idea of how Spotted Lanternflies easily migrated across the North American continent, flying from tree to tree and populating their kind to become an unstoppable force. Their average ground speed is 2.65 m/s as they take off at the 10 second mark in their bout towards the upwind by 4.64 m/s from the adult Spotted Lanternflies. This tactic was discovered through anemotactic measurements, which charted the Spotted Lanternfly’s movements in relation to the direction of the wind, allowing anyone to learn about their behavioral patterns.

Proposals for managing these (including capturing and returning them to their source or eliminating them on sight near agricultural areas, as well as monitoring any lanternflies in the area) are both expensive and extremely complicated. The method of using traps and lures to capture Spotted Lanternflies requires patience and caution in determining the best hiding spot for these insects, which can be found in trees or other nearby objects. Such traps using sticky bands on tree trunks are made to stop them in their track through the use of insect attractant (methyl salicylate), or the Pecan Weevil trap makes use of insecticide stripes that kills the Spotted Lanternfly and drops towards a jar attached and stapled by Velcro strips, glue, and stapler onto the tree. Other methods include using chemicals to trap (fluon solution) and kill (propylene glycol) both young and adult Spotted Lanternflies being that are strained into a plastic bag, as well as building brown prisms out of cables and pipes with sticky bands wrapped around them. Using insecticides all over the trees is an extreme method of protecting both orchard and forest trees from extinction. These are not only lethal to bugs, but they can also be extremely toxic to humans and animals if they eat or smell them for both omnivore and herbivore alike.

The climate arises as a defense against adult Spotted Lanternflies in the winter season, when the freezing temperatures cause the adult population to die off, but their eggs, which are inside a host tree, will survive until spring, when they can flourish. The new generation of Spotted Lanternflies, lay about 30-50 of the egg masses produced by the female Spotted Lanternfly and will automatically die after laying 2 or 3 egg masses. Spotted lanternflies have a tendency to plan to survive through adapting in a different country with the advantages and disadvantages that they would encounter with Americans becoming more aware of how these insects will be curbed again. Traps were used to capture and eliminate them, and they were reintroduced by native animals and insects in America, as well as their motivations and behavioral instincts.

Posted in Causal Rewrite | Leave a comment

Causal Rewrite – krackintheneck

Posted on November 6, 2021 by krackintheneck

The Ultimate Goal

GMOs are genetically modified organisms that have the ability to change the world. A more in depth definition used in the scientific field can be described as, “organisms whose genetic material has been modified in a way that doesn’t occur in nature under natural conditions of cross-breeding or natural recombination,” according to the article, Genetically Modified Organisms. GMOs have gained a bad reputation towards the majority of the public, when they can provide positive results. GMOs should be allowed in food production because they are cost efficient, require less pesticides, and have the possibility of ending world hunger. These factors are beneficial to the public in more ways that they could be harmful. GMOs are proven to be non-harmful, illustrating another reason why genetically engineered foods can provide essential changes for the world.

One reason GMOs are beneficial to food production is because they are cost efficient.  According to the National Academy of Science, the World Health Organization, and many other major worldwide science organizations, genetically modified organisms have no evidence that they can be harmful to humans, stated by MedlinePlus. Genetic engineering provides a more cost efficient way to provide food for the public. Starting by having a longer shelf life. This is beneficial because consumers will not have to worry about their food going bad. This shows that consumers will not need to buy more food, or spend more money. “Farmers will lower herbicides used,” Borie Theis Nielsen said in the article Genetically Modified Organisms and World Hunger.  This could save money for the economy allowing money to be used in more needed areas. The preservation of food would cause a trickle down effect. If grocery stores make less shipments, they would not have to pay for as many shipments. Drivers would make less trips leading to saving more money. There would not be as much gas used or paid for leading to less usage of fossil fuels. Not only would the economy be saving money, but they would also be saving limited resources. Using this scientific advancement, GMOs can save money without any unwanted consequences. 

Along with being cost efficient, GMOs do not require the use of pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals that are used on foods to prevent insects, fungi, and weeds from destroying crops, (Stephenson, 2006).  Although this seems like a good idea, it truly is the opposite. Pesticides are toxic to humans and the environment. Side effects may include cancer and damage the human’s reproductive immune and nervous systems. Ingesting these toxins at high amounts can be lethal. Pesticides can ultimately pollute the environment by contaminating the soil, water, and even the air. Too many pesticides can harm humans, wildlife, and neighboring lands. There are older pesticides that have been banned around the world. However, these remains linger in the soils and water for many years. Instead of using pesticides to increase yields, scientists can use GMOs to safely protect crops for these pests. Developing countries are already experiencing deaths from pesticides. They are one of the leading causes of death. If counties continue to use pesticides they have the ability to end the human race. 

Solving world hunger may seem like an unattainable goal, but GMOs have the potential to end this catastrophe. People that suffer from hunger also face malnutrition. Malnutrition directly correlates with Vitamin-A deficiency. Currently, there are 140 million children that are deficient in Vitamin-A. A portion of these children become blind and die within 12 months of losing their sight, stated by Jamil Kaiser. In order to solve this problem, scientists have begun using biotechnology to create Genetically Modified rice. Also known as Golden Rice. These biotechnicians have inserted 3 new genes into rice that help it produce pro Vitamin-A. Kaiser believes that golden rice has the potential to save many lives including these children.

A common fallacy associated with GMOs is that they have less nutrients than the normal food. This viewpoint argues that GMOs create larger foods resulting in less vitamins and minerals. However, genetically modified organisms have not been proven to have less nutrients. Instead, specific foods are designed to contain extra nutrients. According to research done by Kennedy, “a modified form of  African corn contains 169 times more beta-carotene than traditional crops”. Along with this benefit, the African corn has 6 times the amount of Vitamin C than staple foods. This example shows how much of an impact GMOs have on nutrition. Inserting more nutrients into foods may allow for people suffering from hunger to get more vitamins and minerals with a smaller portion. These nutritional benefits may help people suffering from deficiencies around the world. Adding these extra nutrients can allow crops in underdeveloped countries to provide the essential qualities they may not get from the foods they grow nearby. 

GMOs are a cost efficient way to reduce the use of pesticides, and can potentially end world hunger. This is a huge benefit to society, and can change the world. Using GMOs would allow for less expensive labor in production and pesticide dispersion. Not only do these modifications cost less money, but they also provide food for people in need. Genetically modified organisms open a ton of doors into the future, which can better food production as a whole. GMOs should be allowed in food production because they are cost efficient, use less pesticides, and have the possibility of ending world hunger.

References

A.D.A.M. “Genetically Engineered Foods.” MedlinePlus (2021).

UDRISTE, Anca Amalia, and Liliana BADULESCU. “Genetically modified organisms.” Research Journal of Agricultural Science 49.4 (2017).

Borie, Colin, Hugo Hello, and Thomas Theis Nielsen. “Genetically Modified Organisms and World Hunger.”

Jamil, Kaiser. “Biotechnology – A Solution to Hunger?” United Nations, United Nations, 2019, http://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/biotechnology-solution-hunger

M. Kennedy. “Evidence-based pros and cons of GMO Foods.” Insider Health (2020). 

Stephenson, Gerald R., et al. “Glossary of terms relating to pesticides (IUPAC Recommendations 2006).” Pure and Applied Chemistry 78.11 (2006).

Posted in Causal Rewrite Archives | Leave a comment

Causal – krackintheneck

Posted on November 6, 2021 by krackintheneck

The Ultimate Goal

GMOs are genetically modified organisms that have the ability to change the world. A more in depth definition used in the scientific field can be described as, “organisms whose genetic material has been modified in a way that doesn’t occur in nature under natural conditions of cross-breeding or natural recombination,” according to the article, Genetically Modified Organisms. GMOs have gained a bad reputation towards the majority of the public, when they can provide positive results. GMOs should be allowed in food production because they are cost efficient, require less pesticides, and have the possibility of ending world hunger. These factors are beneficial to the public in more ways that they could be harmful. GMOs are proven to be non-harmful, illustrating another reason why genetically engineered foods can provide essential changes for the world.

One reason GMOs are beneficial to food production is because they are cost efficient.  According to the National Academy of Science, the World Health Organization, and many other major worldwide science organizations, genetically modified organisms have no evidence that they can be harmful to humans, stated by MedlinePlus. Genetic engineering provides a more cost efficient way to provide food for the public. Starting by having a longer shelf life. This is beneficial because consumers will not have to worry about their food going bad. This shows that consumers will not need to buy more food, or spend more money. “Farmers will lower herbicides used,” Borie Theis Nielsen said in the article Genetically Modified Organisms and World Hunger.  This could save money for the economy allowing money to be used in more needed areas. The preservation of food would cause a trickle down effect. If grocery stores make less shipments, they would not have to pay for as many shipments. Drivers would make less trips leading to saving more money. There would not be as much gas used or paid for leading to less usage of fossil fuels. Not only would the economy be saving money, but they would also be saving limited resources. Using this scientific advancement, GMOs can save money without any unwanted consequences. 

Along with being cost efficient, GMOs do not require the use of pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals that are used on foods to prevent insects, fungi, and weeds from destroying crops, (Stephenson, 2006).  Although this seems like a good idea, it truly is the opposite. Pesticides are toxic to humans and the environment. Side effects may include cancer and damage the human’s reproductive immune and nervous systems. Ingesting these toxins at high amounts can be lethal. Pesticides can ultimately pollute the environment by contaminating the soil, water, and even the air. Too many pesticides can harm humans, wildlife, and neighboring lands. There are older pesticides that have been banned around the world. However, these remains linger in the soils and water for many years. Instead of using pesticides to increase yields, scientists can use GMOs to safely protect crops for these pests. Developing countries are already experiencing deaths from pesticides. They are one of the leading causes of death. If counties continue to use pesticides they have the ability to end the human race. 

Solving world hunger may seem like an unattainable goal, but GMOs have the potential to end this catastrophe. People that suffer from hunger also face malnutrition. Malnutrition directly correlates with Vitamin-A deficiency. Currently, there are 140 million children that are deficient in Vitamin-A. A portion of these children become blind and die within 12 months of losing their sight, stated by Jamil Kaiser. In order to solve this problem, scientists have begun using biotechnology to create Genetically Modified rice. Also known as Golden Rice. These biotechnicians have inserted 3 new genes into rice that help it produce pro Vitamin-A. Kaiser believes that golden rice has the potential to save many lives including these children.

A common fallacy associated with GMOs is that they have less nutrients than the normal food. This viewpoint argues that GMOs create larger foods resulting in less vitamins and minerals. However, genetically modified organisms have not been proven to have less nutrients. Instead, specific foods are designed to contain extra nutrients. According to research done by Kennedy, “a modified form of  African corn contains 169 times more beta-carotene than traditional crops”. Along with this benefit, the African corn has 6 times the amount of Vitamin C than staple foods. This example shows how much of an impact GMOs have on nutrition. Inserting more nutrients into foods may allow for people suffering from hunger to get more vitamins and minerals with a smaller portion. These nutritional benefits may help people suffering from deficiencies around the world. Adding these extra nutrients can allow crops in underdeveloped countries to provide the essential qualities they may not get from the foods they grow nearby. 

GMOs are a cost efficient way to reduce the use of pesticides, and can potentially end world hunger. This is a huge benefit to society, and can change the world. Using GMOs would allow for less expensive labor in production and pesticide dispersion. Not only do these modifications cost less money, but they also provide food for people in need. Genetically modified organisms open a ton of doors into the future, which can better food production as a whole. GMOs should be allowed in food production because they are cost efficient, use less pesticides, and have the possibility of ending world hunger.

References

A.D.A.M. “Genetically Engineered Foods.” MedlinePlus (2021).

UDRISTE, Anca Amalia, and Liliana BADULESCU. “Genetically modified organisms.” Research Journal of Agricultural Science 49.4 (2017).

Borie, Colin, Hugo Hello, and Thomas Theis Nielsen. “Genetically Modified Organisms and World Hunger.”

Jamil, Kaiser. “Biotechnology – A Solution to Hunger?” United Nations, United Nations, 2019, http://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/biotechnology-solution-hunger

M. Kennedy. “Evidence-based pros and cons of GMO Foods.” Insider Health (2020). 

Stephenson, Gerald R., et al. “Glossary of terms relating to pesticides (IUPAC Recommendations 2006).” Pure and Applied Chemistry 78.11 (2006).

Posted in Causal Archives, Causal Rewrite Archives | Leave a comment

Causal Rewrite – Lily4Pres

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Lily4Pres

Stress Dictates Performance

Stress and anxiety are prevalent in every human being’s daily life. Terms like stress and anxiety’s use can be varied based on the metrics they are given. The definition of stress we are going to use, noted by Miguel Humara, is “a state that results from the demands that are placed on the individual which require that person to engage in some coping behavior.” Also by Humara, anxiety is defined “as results when the individual doubts his or her ability to cope with the situation that causes him or her stress.” Stress and anxiety stem from uncertainties, deadlines, emotions of frustration, and much more. Having feelings of anxiousness result in pressure on the beholder. Depending on the emotional intelligence of the beholder, the pressure can force production or nothing at all. Stress and anxiety are found to hinder the ability to finish daily tasks with efficiency or even finish these tasks at all.

In order to grasp the damage that stress and anxiety cause, an assessment of where stress and anxiety comes from must come prior. Hans Selye, the father of stress research, proposed that stress was present in any situation that an individual was exposed to a demand. A proposal like this, leaves us with an interesting thought. Everything that imposes a demand, will result in stress. Worry will bring upon stress. A change in scenery will bring upon stress, this could be the change from a household to a classroom. Although it is something that everyone has gone through thousands of times, there is a different expectation in the classroom than the household. This change in expectation puts unseen pressure that results in a rise in stress. We run into these situations every single day. The change from the ramp into the highway to merging onto the interstate. Although we go through it thousands of times, during that moment of merging, there is no doubt a rise in blood pressure as we try to fit into the fast-paced interstate to keep up with the pack. The tension and demand that we endure during events of pressure brings on stress as we know it.

If any situation where an individual is exposed to a demand results in stress, that means positive and negative association both result in stress. Yet there is a massive negative connotation around the word stress. With this notion, we must delve deeper into types of stress. The most common type of stress that every individual encounters is known as acute stress. Acute stress, according to MayoClinic.org, is the body’s immediate response to a perceived challenge or threat. Examples of acute stress would be the preparation for a job interview, receiving a speeding ticket, or having financial problems. Acute stress will cause inconvenience and potential serious damage if not treated by a healthy mind and high emotional intelligence. If this acute stress persists, it has the ability to transform and evolve into chronic stress. Chronic stress is a repetitive sensation that is seemingly never ending. Chronic stress is seen as a result of traumatic experiences. The umbrella term of traumatic experiences could be years of beratement one may receive from loved ones and/or guardians. The traumatic experience could also be a soldier’s missions in Afghanistan where they saw countless unnecessary circumstances resulting in bloodshed. These traumatic experiences leave a deep cut that will leave long-lasting, problematic issues. The damage that comes along with chronic stress will result in losing the ability to consistently finish daily tasks, some find it difficult to get out of their own bed. The single positive stress we encounter is known as eustress. Eustress is typically associated with adrenaline based situations such as scares and competitive activities. Eustress can be noticed in the thrill of being lost in a carnival maze, or experiencing a roller coaster. Eustress is stress that an individual can benefit from.

Anxiety is a relative to stress. The two are of the same blood. Anxiety results from negative types of stress like acute stress and chronic stress. Anxiety is a feeling of restlessness that is very intense. Typically not experienced from present moments, but rather a moment in anticipation, as noted by K. W. Estes and F. B. Skinner. Anxiety is a normal feeling that majority of people encounter. Anxiety becomes a true issue when it does not relent, this is when disorders and further issues are brought onto the stage. An emotional state is a massive dictator on how strong anxiety will stay relevant.

Stress and anxiety directly effect performance in every scenario, especially on-the-ball activities like athletics. The capability of coping with stress and anxiety separates elites from the rest. Athletes are influenced by stressful situations and anxiety in every match that they compete in. Competitive anxiety is higher for individual sport athletes than team athletes. A major reason for this is that individual sport athletes do not have the reliance on others for assistance. As well as knowing that only one person can be of blame for a bad performance, this results in more weight on the athlete’s shoulders. Through numerous studies, there is proof that cognitive anxiety holds a strong influence on one’s performance. In Humara’s analysis, he notes that athletes who are aware of their anxiety and stress, not only score higher on self-confidence tests, but also perform at a higher efficiency in these stressful situations. The athletes who could not properly control their stress saw worse performances by some margin. Showing that clearly, the worse stress and anxiety is seen, the worse the performance will be. These performances were noted at varying skill levels as well. However, there seems to be a different understanding of anxiety in athletes, some believe it to be debilitative while others see it as facilitative. Those who choose the latter see less anxiety in their sports compared to those who choose the former. The athletes that have control over their emotions have their stress perceived as eustress in comparison to those who could not cope with the situation, interpreting their stress as acute stress.

Stress and anxiety are felt in every individual’s life constantly. The way we manage and cope with these two factors dictate every decision we make. In the topic of athletics, the way athletes control and cope with these factors translate directly to their performance. An athlete, no matter the skill level, if they cannot cope well with the inevitable, they will not be able to perform at their peak. The stress and anxiety that athletes will undoubtedly face will dictate their final performance, whether for the better or for the worse.

References

Elizabeth Scott, P. D. (2020, August 3). How is stress affecting my health? Verywell Mind.

Estes, W. K., & Skinner, B. F. Some quantitative properties of anxiety. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 29(5), 390–400.

Humara, Miguel The Relationship Between Anxiety and Performance: A Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective Athletic Insight.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, July 29). Identify your stress triggers. Mayo Clinic.

Tan, S. Y., & Yip, A. (2018, April). Hans Selye (1907-1982): Founder of the stress theory. Singapore medical journal.

Posted in Causal Rewrite | 8 Comments

Causal – Lily4Pres

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Lily4Pres

Stress and anxiety are prevalent in every human beings daily life. Since terms like stress and anxiety can be used varied on the metrics they are given. The definition of stress we are going to use is noted by Miguel Humara to be “a state that results form the demands that are placed on the individual which require that person to engage in some coping behavior.” Also by Humara, anxiety is defined “as results when the individual doubts his or her ability to cope with the situation that causes him or her stress.” Stress and anxiety stems from uncertainties, deadlines, emotions of frustration, and much more. Having these feelings of anxiousness and having the weight of the world on your shoulders typically result in negative outcomes. These negative outcomes hinder the ability we as humans have to finish our daily tasks with efficiency or even finish these tasks at all.

In order to grasp the damage that stress and anxiety can cause, we must first assess where stress and anxiety comes from. Hans Selye, the father of stress research, proposed that stress was present in any situation that an individual was exposed to a demand. A proposal like this, leaves us with an interesting thought. Everything causes stress. Worry will bring upon stress, a change in scenery will bring upon stress, the thought of a change in scenery will bring upon stress. The tension that we feel during events of pressure brings on stress as we know it.

With this notion, we have to delve a little deeper into types of stress. If any situation where an individual is exposed to a demand results in stress, that means positive association as well as negative association both result in stress although there is a massive negative connotation around the word stress. The most common type of stress that every individual encounters is known as acute stress. Acute stress, according to VerywellMind.com, is a short-term reaction after an event occurs that may be considered overwhelming. If this acute stress does not leave and rather persists, the stress will not only translate to a chronic variety of stress which happens to be the next type of stress, but also will certainly bring along stress’ strongest companion, anxiety. Chronic stress is a repetitive sensation that is seemingly never ending. Chronic stress is seen commonly as a result of very traumatic experiences. Chronic stress can transpire from childhood trauma and prolonged stressful situations, resulting in the most serious type of stress. All these negative issues over and over, but stress is not always negative. The positive stress we all feel is known as eustress. Eustress is typically associated with adrenaline based situations such as sports and competitive activities.

Anxiety is a relative to stress. And by relative, I mean sibling. Anxiety results from typical negative types of stress like acute stress and chronic stress. Anxiety is a feeling of restlessness that is very intense. Typically not experienced from present moments, but rather a moment in anticipation, as noted by K. W. Estes and F. B. Skinner. Anxiety is a normal feeling that majority of people encounter. Anxiety becomes a true issue when it does not relent, this is when disorders and further issues are brought onto the stage. An emotional state is a massive dictator on how strong anxiety will stay relevant.

Stress and anxiety directly effect performance in any scenario, especially on-the-ball activities like athletics. These situations are where true athletes separate themselves from the average player. Athletes are influenced by stressful situations and anxiety in every match that they compete in. Competitive anxiety is higher for individual sport athletes than team athletes. Individual sport athletes do not have the ability to rely on others for assistance in their job. As well as knowing that only one person can be of blame for a bad performance, this only results in more weight on the athlete’s shoulders. Through numerous studies, there is proof that cognitive anxiety holds a strong influence on one’s performance. In Humara’s analysis, he notes that athletes who are aware of their anxiety and stress, not only score higher on self-confidence tests, but also perform at a higher efficiency in these stressful situations. The athletes who could not properly control their stress saw worse performances by some margin. Showing that clearly, the worse stress and anxiety is seen, the worse the performance will be. These performances were noted at varying skill levels as well. However, there seems to be a different understanding of anxiety in athletes, some believe it to be debilitative while others see it as facilitative. Those who choose the latter see less anxiety in their sports compared to the other. The athletes that have control over their emotions may have the stress perceived as eustress in comparison to those who could not cope with the situation as acute stress.

Stress and anxiety are felt in every individual’s life constantly. The way we manage and cope with these two factors dictate every decision we make. In the topic of athletics, the way athletes control and cope with these factors translate directly to their performance. An athlete, no matter the skill level, if they cannot cope well with the inevitable, they will not be able to perform at their peak. The stress and anxiety that athletes will undoubtedly face will dictate their final performance, whether for the better or for the worse.

References

Elizabeth Scott, P. D. (2020, August 3). How is stress affecting my health? Verywell Mind.

Estes, W. K., & Skinner, B. F. Some quantitative properties of anxiety. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 29(5), 390–400.

Humara, Miguel The Relationship Between Anxiety and Performance: A Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective Athletic Insight.

Tan, S. Y., & Yip, A. (2018, April). Hans Selye (1907-1982): Founder of the stress theory. Singapore medical journal.

Posted in Causal Argument | Leave a comment

Causal-SunshineGirl

Posted on November 5, 2021 by sunshinegirl457

Prisoners are spiritual people. While they may not be peace-sign flashing, gong-ringing, John Lennon sunglass-wearing individuals, they do contain a spiritual side. Every human on this planet is spiritual, in a sense, because our energy is recycled (at least according to Albert Einstein) and we are all part of the Earth, even if some people have not discovered their connection yet. Prisoners are no exception, and with a little time and effort, they have the ability to experience peace and tranquility, regardless of their past. Over the last few decades, yoga, an ancient practice of poses, breath control, and meditation, has been implemented into many penitentiaries as a form of rehabilitation. The evidence that yoga stabilizes the inmates’ stress levels and tempers, as well as reduces the likelihood of reincarcerations, is very prominent. However, since these programs are unconventional, there is a stigma behind it, and the practice is seen as “strange” and “useless” in its context. Many institutions refuse to reap the benefits of yoga in prisons because of this, which leaves the future a mystery. Although, with more explanation and promotion of these studies, the right people will be persuaded and yoga will be used as a diversionary method in many prisons in the years to come.

To properly advocate for the discredited practice one must first overcome the stigma surrounding it. In her article “Beyond Narcissism: Towards an Analysis of the Public, Political and Collective Forms of Contemporary Spirituality”, author Anna Clot-Garrell describes how the “stereotypical portraits of holistic spirituality have usually depicted its followers as narcissistic individuals” (Clot-Garrel, 2019). To combat this stereotype, she, with the help of others, put together an experiment consisting of yoga classes at three different Catalan prison locations from 2013 to 2015. Different methods of data collection were used including peer observation, surveys, and in-depth interviews to understand the inmates’ true judgements of yoga before and after the programs (Clott-Garrel, 2019).

The idea was to minimize the scrutiny by bringing yoga off it’s pedestal of narcissism, and create a public, communal environment of bettering oneself. These researchers determined that when brought out of the private sphere yoga is encased in, the participants’ opinions changed drastically and the classes were collectively sought after by the population of the experiment. Clot-Garrel concluded that “nowadays” (many years after the experiment), “almost all penitentiary institutions in Catalonia offer yoga classes for inmates, in addition to other spiritual practices such as meditation or reiki. This provision is not exclusive to Catalan prisons but represents a general trend identifiable in several countries ranging from Switzerland, to the United States, Mexico and India” (Clot-Garrel). This demonstrates how, if given a chance, yoga can be an effective medium to diminish the stigmatization of spirituality, and create a desire for self-improvement and tranquility, even for prison inmates.

While these findings are a significant milestone for the yoga in prisons movement, it’s difficult to foresee the future on a national scale. The problems of practicality like cost and time restraints are still hindering the spread of this rehabilitation device. In order to promote yoga in prisons and spark change in the legal system, word must get out about how simple and cost-effective it is to establish these programs in penitentiaries. There are several nonprofit organizations helping to advertise these practices such as PrisonYogaProject, YogaBehindBars, PrisonYogaAndMeditation, and WorldPrem. PrisonYogaProject alone has provided over 75 different prison locations across the United States with yoga courses, and has sent over 33,000 complimentary copies of their book “Yoga: a Path for Healing and Recovery” to incarcerated persons (PrisonYogaProject). This organization is an example of the potential popularity of the yoga in prisons initiative.

Furthermore, inmate M.V. of the RJ Donovan State Prison in San Diego, CA, can attest to the healing and transcendental properties of yoga. He/she is an active participant in yoga classes and told PrisonYogaProject officials that “being a lifer at times becomes a bit rough… yoga gives me a mirror that I can see my reflection in all day, every day, to feel and live. I cleanse myself, I heal myself. I put myself together to become whole. It’s different from the ego…The renewal is exactly what yoga seeks, evolution, knowing that change is possible in a way that is organic” (PrisonYogaProject). While M.V. is a ’lifer’ and therefore cannot be included as an example of reduction of recidivism, he/she demonstrates how these programs can have an everlasting effect on an inmate of any sentence or situation, no matter how useless it may seem at first glance. More so, these nonprofits show how yoga programs do not need to take an economical toll on the legal system, and these concerns are obsolete.

Another feared complication of functionality for yoga in prisons is the time requirement. Most prisons around the world are already dead set on a strict schedule of roll-call, meal time, telephone calls, and retiring/sleeping time, which may convey the impression that yoga simply won’t fit into the lives of the inmates. A document outlining the standard recreational time policies prisons are to adhere to, “Correctional Recreation: An Overview” by author Michael Ryan Alexander, refutes this idea. Alexander emphasizes the importance of recreational time for prisoners, and states that the rulings of the U.S. legal system have “resulted in a general standard that inmates are entitled to five hours of recreation per week” (Alexander, 2017). This is required in every prison in the United States. It may not seem like a big time frame, but if the stigma around yoga vanishes altogether, most prisoners would opt to spend their time relaxing and healing instead of lollygagging around the prison doing their usual activities.

Overall, the future of yoga in prisons is straightforward and the implementation of more programs is achievable. The only obstacles to overcome are the judgements of prison officials; to combat the preconceived notion that yoga is only for eccentric, bohemian people to practice in their private lives. Studies show that yoga does in fact reduce recidivism at impressive rates, it’s just a matter of wardens and officials understanding and complying with the data. It’s unrealistic to predict yoga will be used in every prison institution worldwide, but as for the United States, the facts are all laid out and it’s up to them to make the next move to better their institutions. If this is achieved, yoga will have a substantial effect on not only the prisoners themselves, but the penitentiaries in general by lowering rates of recidivism and, by correlation, helping the country stay safe.

References

Clot-Garrell, A., & Griera, M. (2019, October 16). Beyond narcissism: Towards an analysis of the public, political and collective forms of contemporary spirituality. MDPI. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/10/10/579. 

Prison yoga project. Prison Yoga Project. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://prisonyoga.org/.

Alexander, M. R. (2017). Correctional Recreation: An Overview. DigitalCommons.MurrayState.Edu. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=bis437. 

Posted in Causal Argument | Leave a comment