Personal Philosophy Reflection Paper - 1203 Words

For the past six weeks, I learned how philosophy has influenced the world globally. Learning that when human beings voice their thoughts with others, they receive a chance to change the world, especially if one person speaks one on one, one personage can change the world of one body. My belief in the power of language is strengthened by philosophy. This philosophy course has encouraged me to share my opinions that are not influenced by other peers or older adults, but to deeply reflect and research my beliefs and opinions. Looking at how philosophy has shaped the United States, I grant my thankfulness towards the Constitution, and the democracy and freedom we now have, compared to other countries. My views of electronics have changed,†¦show more content†¦Before philosophy my views would have leaned a little bit more towards a socialist country, but now I gratitude freedom in hard work, education, speech, etc. From my readings to research from Edutopia to literature courses, I have gained a deeper appreciation for language. In order to understand what one is speaking, a person needs to spend time listening to one’s language and before responding must reflect and analyze what the other said and how to respond. If a person wants to love another person they have to listen to their language in order to speak their language, and the core part of learning another language is by listening. According to Joan Blaska, author of The Power of Language: Speak and Write Using â€Å"Person First† the language people use shows one’s bias and prejudices. Beliefs and another’s performance fall under the influence of language. Blaska claimed â€Å" the degree to which children are able to perceive themselves as competent and worthy, or the opposite, is heavily influenced by the verbalizations used by their teachers...Studies have found that labeling of students does affect teach er expectations which in turn affects student progress†. People have heavy influence with their words, because of this, our language must be intentional in a way, that breaks down negative stereotypes and helps one gain empathy as well as seeing others capabilities. Communicating and reading others comments and inquiring others has helped me to acceptShow MoreRelatedPersonal Philosophy Reflection Paper1388 Words   |  6 Pageshave parent workshops on positive discipline and promote parent community involvement and positive public relations. Building relationships and partnerships with the community are something that I need to work on and is one of my goals. 4. 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This paper describesRead MoreEthics Reflection Paper Str 581 Week 11312 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: WEEK 1; ETHICS REFLECTIONS PAPER Assignment: Week 1; Ethics Reflections Paper By Judith Judson STR 591 – Phoenix Campus University of Phoenix Facilitator: Dr. Mark Kolesinsky Week 1, July 18, 2012 Ethics Reflection Paper In the last decade, ethics in corporate America has become highly publicized following the discovery of unethical and fraudulent business practices in major corporations. Practices at Tyco, Enron, Arthur Anderson, and WorldCom, among others,Read MoreMy Personal Philosophy Of Nursing1407 Words   |  6 PagesPersonal Philosophy of Nursing The journey to development of my personal philosophy of nursing quite possibly began in my preteen and teenage years. It was brought about from experiences I had when I was doing missions work in Mexico. While these missions left quite an impact upon me, it did not end there. Time, age, experience and education also played critical roles in development of my personal nursing philosophy. These factors have helped my nursing philosophy grow and has allowed me to refineRead MoreComparison Of Grand Theorists According To Types Identified By Meleis915 Words   |  4 Pages Nurses over the years have studied diligently various papers especially different theories that would affect and dictate how they will manage their clients. In order for one to be more familiar with these theories, I will compare 4 grand theorists as to types identified by Afaf Ibrahim Meleis. Dr. Meleis is a professor of Nursing and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and has published numerous scholarly papers and books that dealt with nursing theories. She has established fourRead MoreTheology And Pastoral Leadership : Theology Essay1506 Words   |  7 Pagesout in the article that pastoral leadership is a metaphor for all of the church s leadership which includes the laity. 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Succubus on Top CHAPTER 12 Free Essays

â€Å"Thetis,† he said after several more moments of silence, â€Å"talk to me here.† I looked up sharply. â€Å"What do you want me to say? You already know the answer. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus on Top CHAPTER 12 or any similar topic only for you Order Now They wouldn’t lie. Well, actually, they lie all the time but not about something like that.† He nodded and set the bowl and spoon on the coffee table. Slouching back on the couch, he didn’t look at me, instead staring off across the room in thought. I could guess what was going through his mind. He knew what I was and what I did. But it was one thing to have a superficial knowledge of it and another to suddenly know there was tangible evidence each time I had sex. He would recognize the glow now and know that I had just come from someone else’s bed, that not so long ago I’d been in someone else’s arms doing the most intimate things two people could do. Things I couldn’t do with him. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I said, not knowing what else I could say. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"For†¦this. For doing what I do.† â€Å"Why? It is what you do. It’s what you have to do, right? There’s no need to apologize for your own†¦uh, nature.† â€Å"So†¦what? You’re okay with that? Knowing what I’m doing with other guys? Or rather, when I’m doing it?† â€Å"‘Okay’ is a funny word, but yeah, I guess. What I’m not okay with is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, as always considering his words before speaking. â€Å"What I’m not okay with is you being afraid to tell me about this. You must have seen how†¦entranced†¦I was. But you never brought it up or explained it to me.† â€Å"What was I supposed to say? ‘Thanks for noticing how pretty I am. It’s because I just went down on some stranger in a sleazy club.'† Seth flinched, and I immediately regretted my example. â€Å"Maybe†¦maybe it could be phrased a bit more, uh, tactfully than that, but yeah. I guess essentially that’s what you could tell me.† I poked at the melted remains of my ice cream. â€Å"It’s not that easy, and you know it. It’s got to be hard enough for you to accept that I’m sleeping around on you, so to speak, without real evidence to confirm each time it happens.† â€Å"Why don’t you let me decide what I can or can’t accept.† He didn’t sound angry exactly, but I’d never heard him so sharp and assertive. The arrogant part of me didn’t like being spoken to like that, but I knew he was justified in the comment. And, I had to admit, that confidence was kind of a turn-on. Alpha males. Yum. â€Å"I know what you are,† he continued, â€Å"and I know what you do. I had to acknowledge that from the beginning of the relationship. It bothers me, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go on with the knowledge.† He laid his hand over mine, his fingertips absentmindedly stroking my skin. â€Å"But you can’t be afraid to tell me the truth. Not ever. Even if it’s ugly. What we have isn’t about sex – like that wasn’t already perfectly obvious. But if we don’t have honesty either, then there’s nothing left.† I forced my eyes up to him and smiled. â€Å"How can you be so young and so wise at the same time?† â€Å"I’m not that wise,† he said, pulling me to him so I leaned against his shoulder. He didn’t challenge the â€Å"young† comment. Looking at our ages objectively, one could practically accuse me of cradle robbing. I sighed and snuggled into him. â€Å"It means nothing, you know. All that stuff I do. I don’t even remember their names.† â€Å"I know. You’ve told me. Although†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sometimes that’s not exactly comforting. Sex isn’t supposed to be about ‘nothing.’ I don’t really like the idea of you being with guys you don’t want to be with. Even if you’re technically my girlfriend†¦I’d rather you at least liked what was going on. â€Å" â€Å"Well†¦in the ultimate heat of it, I sort of do like it. The energy I get from sex†¦well, you can’t really understand it. But it†¦it’s literally what I live for. So even if I don’t want to be with someone before and after the deed, there’s still that one moment, no matter how brief, when I want them.† I tried to give him a reassuring smile. â€Å"Besides, don’t feel too bad for me. Things are a lot better than they used to be. I have more of a choice about who I’m with now, which makes a big difference. It’s not like I just take whoever comes along.† â€Å"What do you mean you have a choice now} Haven’t you always?† I laughed uneasily. â€Å"Oh, come on, Seth. You know women didn’t start getting any real rights until about a century ago. Men haven’t always been kind or considerate in their relations with the fair sex – especially those in the lower classes.† He stared at me, shocked, and pulled back a little. I loved how expressive those eyes were, even if their current emotion wasn’t exactly positive. â€Å"You’re talking about†¦it†¦it sounds an awful lot like rape.† I shrugged, immediately realizing we needed to steer out of these waters. â€Å"It’s hard to rape a succubus. In the ultimate climax, the succubus is the conqueror – especially if the guy ends up blacking out.† â€Å"You aren’t really answering my question.† â€Å"And you aren’t really asking it.† We lapsed into silence. A moment later Seth took me back into a tight embrace, burying his face in my shoulder this time. â€Å"Hey, now. Don’t let it bother you. Don’t judge the past by the standards of today. It won’t work. They’re incompatible.† â€Å"I don’t like the idea of you doing things you don’t want to do,† he said gruffly. â€Å"I wish I could do something†¦wish I could, I don’t know, protect you.† â€Å"You can’t,† I whispered, kissing the crown of his head. â€Å"You can’t, and you have to accept that.† We went to bed together after that, the first time since the kissing incident. Seth held me tightly all night, even in his sleep, clinging as though I might slip away if he let go. Again, I marveled at his understanding. And again, I questioned whether I was in love yet. How would I know? What was love anyway? I ticked off a list as my hands held tightly to his back. Affection. Connection. Understanding. Acceptance. All these things he gave me. Those were parts of love. All these things he offered freely, no matter how terrible each new discovery about me was. I wondered whether I returned as much as I received. Did I have any right to be in this relationship? Somehow I doubted it, yet it made me want him all the more. When we drove to the bookstore the next morning, he held my hand with a thrilling possessiveness. He didn’t let go until we actually cleared the bookstore’s door. â€Å"Did Doug come in today?† I asked Beth after I’d made a sweep of the store. â€Å"Yeah. He was here earlier. I think he’s in your office.† I walked to the back. The office was dark. When I turned on the light, I found him hunched in a corner, his body curled up in a tight ball. I immediately dropped down beside him. â€Å"What’s wrong?† After several seconds, he lifted his eyes up to mine. They were dark and troubled. â€Å"Nothing.† To contradict him seemed both obvious and pointless. â€Å"What can I do to help?† He laughed bitterly, a terrible sound. â€Å"Don’t you get it, Kincaid? Nothing helps, that’s the problem. There’s no point to any of this. You know that as well as I do.† â€Å"Do I?† He gave me a cynical smile. â€Å"You’re one of the most depressed people I know. Even when you’re smiling and flirting and all of that. I know you hate this life. This world. I know you think it’s all stupid. â€Å" â€Å"Not true. There’s good in the bad. There’s always hope. What’s gotten into you?† â€Å"Just reality, that’s all. Just woke up and realized how stupid it all is. Dunno why I even bother.† I touched his arm. â€Å"Hey, you’re kind of freaking me out here. Did you get any sleep? Do you need something to eat?† He leaned back against the wall, face still bleak and full of snide humor. â€Å"Kincaid, I need so many fucking things, it’s not even funny. But you know what? We don’t get them. That’s how it is. What’s that saying? Life is brutish and short?† â€Å"Er†¦close enough.† I sat there with him for a long time, listening to him go on. His words were an outpouring of bitter anger and black despair. A frightening combination. I’d never heard him like this. Not upbeat Doug, always ready with a joke. Doug, the guy who never took anything seriously. His bleak face reminded me of Casey’s when I’d found her in the caf? ¦, but she hadn’t been this down. As the clock ticked, I wondered what I should do. He certainly couldn’t work today, yet I feared sending him home. Who knew what he might do in this mood? Previously, I would never have worried about him hurting himself, but all bets seemed to be off now. â€Å"I want you to stay here,† I finally said, standing up and straightening the kinks out of my legs. â€Å"I’ve got to get back out there, but I’m going to check on you later, okay? Promise you’ll find me if you need me. We’ll eat lunch later on. I’ll get us some falafels from that place you like.† He only gave me a twisted half-smile, face stormy and mocking. I left, taking the letter opener with me. His mood didn’t change as the day wore on; even the falafels did no good. Once more, I wondered desperately what I should do. He had no family in the city I could call. I knew the hospitals had psych emergency services; should I contact one of them? Shortly after lunch, Alec showed up. He avoided Casey’s pleading eyes and gave me a smile that tried too hard. â€Å"Hey Georgina, is Doug around?† I hesitated. I didn’t like Alec, but he was sort of Doug’s friend. Maybe that would help. I led the drummer to the back. When Doug saw him, he leapt up with an astounding burst of energy, his face both desperate and rapt. â€Å"Jesus Christ, man! Where have you been?† â€Å"Sorry,† said Alec. â€Å"I got held up.† They huddled together, then looked uneasily over at me. Sensing I was unwanted, I backed out of the office but not before I saw Alec reaching into his coat and Doug looking very eager. It was Alec, I realized. Alec was feeding Doug whatever drug he was addicted to. The realization made me want to go in there and throttle him, wipe that stupid grin off his face. Yet, when the two emerged a half hour later, the change in Doug was so marked that I couldn’t bring myself to act. A swagger had returned to his step, the normal cheery grin back on his face. Janice passed by, and he made some playful remark that caused her to laugh. Seeing me, he pranced up and saluted. â€Å"Ready for duty, boss. What do you have for me?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared stupidly, which only made him smile more. â€Å"Rein it in, Kincaid,† he said with mock severity. â€Å"I know that as a good groupie, you’re ready to take me anytime, anywhere. But, as literary professionals, we’ve got to control our passion until after hours.† I was still staring. â€Å"Um†¦why don’t you, uh, grab a register?† He saluted again and clicked his heels together, military style. â€Å"Can do.† He turned to Alec. â€Å"I’ll see you at the rehearsal tonight?† â€Å"Yup.† Doug flashed both of us a grin, then sauntered off. I stood there alone with Alec. He waited expectantly, like I was supposed to say something. The words â€Å"fuck off† seemed appropriate, but I changed my mind. I smiled at him. It was a slow, sweeping smile that started with my lips and then shone in my eyes, the kind of smile that said I’d just noticed something I’d never seen before. Something I suddenly liked – and wanted. Alec’s own smile faltered. I think hitting on me had become so automatic, he didn’t expect a response anymore. He swallowed and then turned his own grin back on. â€Å"A rehearsal, huh?† I said. â€Å"You guys got another show coming up?† â€Å"Next weekend. You going to come?† â€Å"I’ll try. Are you going to have another party after?† â€Å"Probably. Wyatt’s having one tomorrow if you wanna go to that.† â€Å"Are you going to be there?† I asked silkily, catching his eye meaningfully. â€Å"You bet.† â€Å"Then I’ll be there.† I turned to go, still giving him the hypnotic smile. â€Å"See you then.† As soon I was out of his sight, my smile lapsed into a grimace. Ack. I hadn’t thought it was possible to loathe that guy anymore, but I’d been proven wrong once again. Still, flirting with him, I’d realized, might be the best way to figure out what was going on with Doug. I felt pretty sure Alec had tried to push whatever he had on Casey. If I appeared to fall prey to his so-called charm too, he might let me share in the goods. Doug, as I soon discovered, certainly wasn’t going to provide any help in the matter. â€Å"You’ve got something,† I teased later when he and I ran into each other in the fantasy books. I gave him the lethal smile. He returned it. â€Å"Magnetism? Sex appeal? Intelligence? Babe, I’ve got it all.† I stepped forward and pulled playfully on his shirt, looking up into his face. â€Å"That’s not what I mean. You’ve got something good, something you aren’t sharing.† He stayed close to me and tugged on a lock of my hair in return. â€Å"Don’t know what you’re talking about.† â€Å"The hell you don’t. Do you know how many hours I’ve been working for you and Paige lately? Good lord. It’s driving me crazy. Grey Goose only goes so far. If you’ve got some stash, you need to spread the love.† â€Å"Hey, I’ll spread as much love as you want. Name the time and place.† â€Å"I thought we were friends.† I pushed lightly on his chest and stepped back with a pout. â€Å"You’re holding out on me. No way could you have perked up so quickly. Not after how you were this morning. You took something. â€Å" â€Å"Bah, mood swing. You’re a woman; you understand. Just woke up grumpy, that’s all. A little falafel and some Kincaid charm, and now I’m good to go. Great even.† He took a step back toward me, apparently hoping I’d renew the flirtation. Heat burned in his eyes, something a little darker and more intense than our typical bantering called for. â€Å"In fact, I’m downright unstoppable now. A god, babe. Come on back to the office, and I’ll show you.† I walked away, giving him a taunting look over my shoulder, still playing it light. â€Å"Not my religion, babe.† He laughed as I left him. We’d been flirting for years, and I knew he’d probably take no offense at my teasing or baiting. I, on the other hand, was pissed. Bad enough this shit of Alec’s could push Doug into over-the-top exuberance and inappropriate behavior at work. Dragging him into the pits of despair, however, was an entirely different matter. I was going to find out what was going on and put an end to it – even if it meant cozying up to that sleaze, Alec. Remembering one of the other complications in my life right now, I called Bastien later that night for a status check. â€Å"Don’t even ask, Fleur .The clouds of failure are gathering.† â€Å"What the hell is it with you depressed guys today? Why do I have to be everyone’s goddamned cheering-up committee?† I ordered him to drive to Queen Anne immediately. When he arrived, he was still whining. â€Å"Dana’s being really nice to me,† he conceded, â€Å"but nothing intimate. She can’t ever come over alone either. She’s always got Jody with her or some other CPFV freak. My odds are probably better at getting her sidekicks into bed as a group than ever nailing her. They’re all trying to get me to join their cult. I suppose making the gesture can’t hurt, but I think I’ll see more of her if I pretend to be a hesitant convert. You know, she also asks about you a lot.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Random stuff. Last time she wanted to know how the clothes you bought were working out. What’s that about?† â€Å"Not a clue,† I lied. It was ironic, really, because just then Bastien noticed the Victoria’s Secret bag still sitting on my counter. My privacy apparently not a concern, he emptied it out and looked through the lingerie with approval. â€Å"You want to try something on?† I asked wryly, noting his scrutiny. â€Å"You always did have good taste.† He held up the black mesh bra and peered at me through it, as though imagining how it would look on. â€Å"Although I still don’t know why you buy this stuff. Just shape-shift it.† â€Å"I have a respect for ‘intellectual property.’ Whoever designed this deserves their pay.† â€Å"Even if it was constructed by third-world labor?† I made a face. â€Å"Come on, let’s get out of here.† â€Å"Where to?† â€Å"A piano bar.† Surprise put his malaise on hold. â€Å"Are those still around?† â€Å"Yup. There’s actually a couple of them in Seattle.† In fact, one was even nearby, less than a fifteen-minute walk away. As we went, however, Bastien wouldn’t stop worrying about the Dana thing. It drove me crazy. I hated her too, believe me, but I couldn’t figure out what was making this such a maniacal obsession for him. Fortunately, the piano bar was just wacky enough to distract him – as I’d hoped it would be. We ate yummy bar food and drank froofy drinks like Midori martinis and Sex on the Beach. Meanwhile, dueling pianists sang everything from Eminem to Barry Manilow. As the evening passed, getting a request played cost more and more money. However, the patrons grew drunker and drunker, so they didn’t mind putting the cash down. Knowing this in advance, I had brought a stack of bills, and Bastien and I took great amusement in seeing just how well the piano players could keep up with our increasingly older and more obscure requests. Bastien and I sang along beautifully. Shape-shifting, in addition to so many other benefits, could modify one’s voice and vocal cords. The piano players had an astounding knowledge of our requests, and we were so impressed – and drunk – by the end of the night that we gave them a hefty tip. Before we could leave, however, Bastien made me wait to hear one more request. â€Å"I slapped a fifty down with it,† he said. â€Å"They’ve got to play it soon. I picked it just for you.† â€Å"If it’s ‘Superfreak,’ I walk,† I warned. He laughed. â€Å"You’ll know it when you hear it. It reminded me of you and your writer. â€Å" Sure enough, I immediately knew which song his silly sense of humor had led him to. The smile cracking his face was sort of a giveaway too. Pulling half of me onto his lap, he sang along loudly with Fiona Apple’s lyrics: â€Å"I’ve been a bad, bad girl I’ve been careless With a delicate man And it’s a sad, sad world When a girl will break a boy Just because she can. â€Å" â€Å"You’re truly a creature of hell,† I told him, trying to wiggle away. â€Å"You know that, don’t you?† â€Å"I just tell it like it is.† He held onto me and kept singing. â€Å"Heaven help me For the way I am Save me from These evil deeds Before I get them done†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When we finally left the bar, both of us laughing and humming, we passed a group of girls even more drunk than us. A few of them gave Bastien open looks of invitation, and I glanced at him expectantly. He shook his head. â€Å"Too easy. Besides, I’d rather go home with you. So to speak.† He walked me back toward my apartment, holding my arm as he had once done when social mores dictated it for anyone of good breeding. The pavement was slick from earlier rain, and a moist chill hung in the air. Not far away, the Space Needle gleamed watchfully above the nearby buildings; it would have Christmas lights on it soon. Bastien tightened his hold on my arm and turned his gaze absentmindedly toward the cloudy sky for a while before looking over at me. † Fleur ,do you want to know why I’m so gung-ho about this Dana business?† I willed myself to sober up, suspecting something big was about to come. â€Å"You mean other than your righteous fury at her?† He smiled gently and looked down at the pavement, watching our feet. â€Å"I’m in trouble. Big trouble.† He sighed. â€Å"You ever heard of a demon named Barton?† â€Å"No. Should I have?† â€Å"Maybe. He works in Chicago. Very high up. Very powerful. He’s one of those who expects ‘favors’ from his staff.† I nodded in understanding. It was one of the occupational hazards succubi and incubi faced, and probably something else Seth would be happier not knowing about. As workers in the sex industry, so to speak, our demonic supervisors often thought we wouldn’t mind one more â€Å"customer.† Many saw it as our duty. Whatever his other failings, Jerome at least had never demanded anything of that nature from me. â€Å"So†¦anyway, Barton has this succubus named Alessandra. Relatively new. You know, a century or so. Beautiful. She has as good an eye for exquisite physical detail as you. And she’s bright. Wicked sense of humor. Outgoing.† I stared at him in astonishment. â€Å"Are you in love, Bastien?† â€Å"No, but I was – am – very attracted to her. Hard not to be. We got to know each other, and well, one thing sort of led to another†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"As it often does with you.† â€Å"Yes,† he admitted ruefully. â€Å"But let me tell you, it was amazing. That woman†¦wow.† â€Å"So how are you in trouble?† â€Å"Well, the thing is, Barton’s kind of possessive about his people. He expected Alessandra’s body to be exclusively for his use – mortal business aside, of course.† â€Å"And he found out?† â€Å"Yes. He turned unbelievably jealous.† Contempt filled Bastien’s voice. â€Å"Stupid emotion for our kind. Of course, demon or no, I suppose he might have had reason to feel insecure knowing his girlfriend had been with a sex-master like myself. I mean, once you go Bastien†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Keep telling the story, ego-master. What happened?† â€Å"Well†¦to say he was pissed off would be an understatement. Honestly, I don’t think I’d be enjoying your lovely company today if Janelle hadn’t done some serious intervening.† Janelle was Bastien’s archdemoness in Detroit. â€Å"But mostly she just protected me from physical torture. Everything else is a mess. My career is in shambles. Barton has powerful friends, and Janelle’s made it clear she’s not going to cover my ass anymore.† We had reached my building and stood outside it now. He ran a hand through his dark curls, face suddenly weary. â€Å"I’m on everyone’s shit list all of a sudden. Plans are already in motion to transfer me somewhere else, and I know it’s going to be horrific. Like Guam. Or Omaha. That’s why I need this Dana thing. A big hit like this – a public humiliation for the other side. It’ll put me on top again. They won’t be able to punish me, not if I’ve got a takedown like that on my record.† I started to understand his obsession with the radio host. â€Å"But the takedown isn’t exactly taking.† â€Å"I don’t know what else to do. I’ve tried all the old tricks, all the textbook moves plus a few exclusive Bastien moves. None of it’s working.† I reached out to him. â€Å"You might have to accept that she’s got a strong will,Bas.It happens.† â€Å"I know.† He sounded so miserable, it broke my heart. â€Å"Hey, come on. Don’t give up the fight yet. I taught you everything you know, remember? We’ll find a way out of this. We’ll get that wench wet yet.† He laughed and brushed a finger against my cheek. â€Å"You always make me feel better when I’m around you, you know that? It’s one of the wonderful things about you. That and – if the rumors are true – your mouth. â€Å" â€Å"The rumors are true, and I’m going to help you with this, you’ll see. Besides, nothing else works on her, there’s always hard liquor, right?† â€Å"Ah yes, the old standby.† He hugged me tightly and kissed each cheek. â€Å"Good night, my sweet. Thanks for a lovely evening.† I kissed him back. â€Å"Anytime.† I had my hand on the door handle when I thought of something. â€Å"Hey, Bastien?† He turned from where he’d been walking away down the sidewalk. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Why’d you do it?† â€Å"Do what?† â€Å"Alessandra. You must have known how Barton felt about her, right?† â€Å"I did.† â€Å"So why risk it?† He looked at me like he could scarcely believe I had to ask. â€Å"Because I could. Because she was beautiful and wonderful and I wanted her.† I knew better than to argue with that. It was textbook incubus logic. Smiling, I went inside. How to cite Succubus on Top CHAPTER 12, Essay examples

My Environmental Worldview free essay sample

My Environmental Worldview. Now at the turn of the two centuries the mankind comes to grips with the sharpest global problems of the modern world menacing to the existence of a civilization and even of the life on our planet. Inability to foresee and to prevent negative consequences of scientific and technical revolution threatens to cause to fall the mankind into thermonuclear, ecological or a social disaster. In many cities and rural areas the present state of the environment can be called as an ecological disaster. And the number of these cities and rural areas is still being increased. We are almost on a threshold of the close global catastrophe. If the mankind doesnt give a priority to the problems of ecology and multiply efforts on preservation and restoration of the natural environment in its activity, probably it will soon collide with irreversible processes not only in the nature, but also in the evolution of the human being as a part of the nature. We will write a custom essay sample on My Environmental Worldview or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Everyone should know the problems facing to the mankind: Human population growth, waste management, sustainable development, energy, depleting forests, mineral, water, soil resources etc. Exactly the Earth topsoil represents the major component of the Earth biosphere. The significant value of the soil consists in accumulation of organic matter, various chemical elements, and also energy. The topsoil performs functions of a biological absorber, the destroyer and neutralizer of different contaminations. If this link of the biosphere gets damaged, the fully developed functioning of biosphere will be irreversibly disturbed. For this reason, studying of the global biochemical value of the topsoil, its present condition and change under the influence of an anthropogenous activity is extremely important. Almost all polluting substances which have originally got to the atmosphere finally appear on a surface of the land and water. Soil becomes polluted by various chemical matter, pesticides, and waste products of agriculture, industry and household enterprises. Chemical compounds getting to the ground accumulate and lead to its gradual alteration of chemical and physical properties, reduce number of living organisms, worsen its fertility. I think protection of the topsoil is one of the major mankind problems, as any harmful compounds placed in soil, sooner or later get to our organism. First, there is a onstant washing away of the pollution to open reservoirs and subsoil waters which can be used by people for drinking and other needs. Second, pollution from the soil moisture, subsoil waters and open reservoirs gets to the organisms of animals and the plants using this water, and however on a food chains gets to the human organism. But it isnt a unique problem connected to the soil. In the world there is a process of reduction of the cultivable lands in agriculture. One of major concerns is desert invasion. Deserts of South-West Asia, Northern and Southern America, Sahara are growing. I think that the first step in the decision of this problem is to protect the soil against erosion and the second one is increasing of its fertility. Land improvement (amelioration)  is a set of measures to improve soil and to raise its long term fertility. It includes: irrigation, draining, erosion control, a flooding, and fertilization. Land improvement must be carefully considered otherwise it can bring more harm, than advantage. Draining works should be carried out very cautiously; differently the shallowing of the rivers and lakes that receive nourishment from bogs can take place. The dry woods can be lost. It is necessary to observe norms and a mode of applying fertilizers both mineral, and chemical, differently there will be an intoxication of the soil with mineral salts surplus, washout of salts to reservoirs, blooming of reservoirs, fish kill. But there will be excessive harmful nitrates content to the human in cultural plants. Water is a basis of a life. Its main function is life support. Fresh water consists only 3 % from the total amount of hydrosphere on the planet and it is also distributed irregularly. Not only Africa suffers from the lack of fresh water, but also large cities of Europe, America and Asia. Water used by the human finally comes back to the natural environment. Thus there is a pollution of fresh water reservoirs rivers, lakes, land and coastal sites of the seas. According to the calculations of scientists, 25 thousand km3 of fresh water, or practically all accessible resources of such drain can be demanded for the dilution of these waste waters! For this reason and not because of the growth of a direct water intake this is the main reason of an aggravation of a problem of fresh water. Now many rivers belong to a number of strongly polluted: Rhine, Danube, Seine, Ohio, Volga, Dnepr, Dnestr, etc. Pollution of the World Ocean grows. And here not only pollution by runoff plays the essential role, but also a plenty of mineral oil penetration to seas and oceans. In whole, the most polluted inland seas are Mediterranean, Northern, Baltic, and also the Bay of Biscay, the Persian and Mexican gulfs. There are three kinds of water pollution biological, chemical and physical. In my opinion, resources of fresh waters can be increased by use of the closed circulating water supply at the enterprises. It is a blasphemously to use drinking water for the industrial purposes. Scientists suggest the desalination of sea water, runoff of river, gathering rain and thawed water in underground storehouses. I’m sure that closed in time water tap can bring its contribution to the struggle for preservation of water resources. In my opinion huge advantage in struggle for the water purification, can do nanotechnologies. For example, Petersburg scientist Petrik suggests using the absorbent created in his laboratory for clearing reservoirs of various kinds of pollution right up to radiation. In Petersburg tests of this substance at clearing waters of the river Neva from oil and fuel spots have passed. Productivity of this absorbent was the best. There is a natural resource which is necessary for the human as a land and water it is an air. But there is no, perhaps, such resource, except air, which absence would become an insoluble problem for the human less than in minute after its disappearance. It is known, that pollution of the atmosphere occurs basically as a result of the industrial, transport and other activity, which annually throws out in air more than billion solid and gaseous particles. Nowadays the basic polluters of atmospheres are carbon oxide and sulfur dioxide gas. But, certainly, it is impossible to forget about chlorofluorocarbon (Freon). The majority of scientists believe they are the reason of the formation of so-called ozone gaps in the atmosphere. Just due to the decreasing of ozone contents in the top layers of the atmosphere Physicians explain growth of a quantity of skin cancer. Fertile drops of a rain one more gift of heavens always pleased the human. But in some areas of the Globe rains have turned to a serious danger. Difficult and complicated in its decision problem of acid rains which perniciously affects on the nature of reservoirs, damages silva and agricultural crops. All these substances represent a certain danger to the human life. The main chemical pollutant of the atmosphere – is the sulfur dioxide gas isolated at burning of coal, slates, oil, at the melt of iron, copper, manufacturing of a sulfuric acid, etc. Sulfur dioxide is the reason of acid rains. The poisonous fog sharply worsening conditions of human life appears in industrial regions at the high concentration of sulfur dioxide, dust, and smoke in wet calm weather. This problem is of my personal concern. I live in a small town where there are 3 huge plants: cement, asbestos and brick-making. During a manufacturing process these plants throw out to the atmosphere the huge amount of harmful substances. More and more people in our town become ill with the diseases of lungs, allergy. In my opinion, modernization of the old plants by new equipment meeting the ecological requirements of manufacturing in the greater degree can solve a problem of air pollution. Transport occupies the second place after the enterprises polluting the air environment. Carbonic oxide and oxides of nitrogen are the principal causes of headaches, weariness, unmotivated irritation, low work capacity. In big cities diseases of blood circulation and breath, heart attacks, a hypertension and cancer are widely spread. Automobiles also add heavy metals and other harmful substances to the soil and air. Developers of machines work on the creation of an alternative fuel for transport. Solar batteries, electric machine and etc, completely harmless to the environment are proposed. I like the offer of the mayor of Paris who has proposed to use bicycles which anybody can rent for a small payment for the movement around the historical city centre. Forests play the major role in a normal function of the natural ecosystems. They absorb atmospheric pollution of an anthropogenous origin, protect the soil from erosion, adjust a normal surface runoff, interfere a decrease subsoil waters level and flood of the rivers, channels and water basins. Woods are â€Å"the lungs of the planets â€Å", and reduction of forests areas breaks the process of carbon cycle in biosphere. In spite of the fact that catastrophic consequences of deforestation are already widely known, it still continues. Deforestation entails the destruction of the richest flora and fauna. The human deplete the appearance of his planet. There are other global problems which can begin in connection with deforestation: desertification, soil erosion, â€Å"greenhouse effect â€Å". In my opinion the correct solution of this problem could be possible, if the mass deforestation is reduced, works on artificial forestation are carried out thus establishing balance of the carbon cycle. I think deforestation on big areas will increase the reflecting ability of the Earth. It will change wind current, air circulation. In the issue, in equatorial zones the amount of precipitations will be reduced, that finally will result to the desertification. The attitudes of the human to woodland of our planet need to change quickly. Deforestation is one of the reasons for the climate change. Global warming is the most serious ecological threat of the XXI century. The atmospheric emissions caused by a human activity, leads to essential increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Higher concentration of these gases increases the greenhouse effect, resulting in additional heating of the earth surface and lead to a global warming. I consider the main measure on the prevention of the global warming can be formulated this way: we should find a new kind of fuel or to change technology of the present kinds of fuel use. It means, it is necessary: To reduce the consumption of fossil fuel. To use filters for removal of emissions from chimneys of power stations, and also automobile exhausts; To demand, that more effective systems of heating and cooling were placed in new houses; To increase using of solar and wind energy; To reduce deforestation; To expand the areas of reserves and parks; To create the laws providing the prevention of global warming; identifying reasons of the global warming, monitoring and elimination of consequences. An important problem facing the modern world is population growth. Therefore experts of all worlds ecologists, sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists carry out a plenty of the researches concerning problems of the planet population, and the results are horrified. The popul ation of the Earth will increase on conditions that excess of death rates by the rates of birth. Now it occurs like this. The annual population growth varying from 1 up to 3 % seems small, but such parameters mean huge increasing of the population for the centenary period. Now the real way of an overpopulation problem decision is a regulation of the population. Governments of most developing countries try to cut down birth rate both by economic and family planning. Along with the population growth scientists mark a growth of number of a pension age people that is especially actual for the countries of Europe. One more remarkable problem connected to the population, is an urbanization and growth of cities. Plenty of people use automobiles more and more that demands large areas for roads and parking lots that lead to pollution of the environment and energetically inefficient use of the ground. So, these are the basic problems of the population at the present stage of development of our civilization on the Earth. They demand the fast solving, differently our life can become much worse. The more people are on the planet the more power resources they consume. Ecological well-being considerably depends on the reasonable development of power engineering of the Earth, because the half of all gases causing â€Å"greenhouse effect† is created there. The fuel and energy balance of a planet consists basically from pollutant oil, coal, gas. I think that in these conditions only the nuclear power engineering can be a solution, as it is capable in short terms to reduce the greenhouse effect. Replacement of coal, oil and gas by the nuclear power engineering has already given some abatement in emissions of Ð ¡ÃÅ¾2 and other greenhouse gases . The population grows affects the increase of the amount of waste products. Today per capita production of raw materials on the planet is about 20 tons a year which are processed using 800 t of water and 2. kW of power into products while 90 98 % go to waste. The domestic waste per person does not exceed 0. 3-0. 6 t a year. The rest is an industrial waste. As I see it the most acceptable variant of the decision of this problem to learn to recycle waste and to develop a new branch of industry. Here there are some ways of the decision: 1. It is necessary to change the practice of the general gath ering of refuse collection and to carry out its sorting in collection points. 2. It is necessary to create the enterprises for processing of sorted waste products and manufacturing the goods necessary for a society. 3. By the legislative way it is necessary to determine enterprises tax producing single use production, because they cause increasing of waste products volume. Sustainability is one of the major parameters of any systems, including ecological. It determines the ability of a system to maintain itself at the changes of an environment. In the context of this definition we can consider stability as a synonym of the term vitality. In other words the mankind must learn to â€Å"live within its means†, to utilize natural resources without undermining them, to invest money to insurance funding programs aimed at preventing catastrophic consequences of its own activity. This conception is based the fact , that if three fourth of the population of the Earth, nowadays living in poorly advanced countries, goes the same way of development as in advanced countries, the planet obviously would not stand such powerful consumption of its resources and pollution and inevitable ecological catastrophe will burst. At the same time I think it is impossible to blame developing countries for their desire to improve living standards of their fast growing population. I think that the one who pollutes the environment, basically, should bear expenses of eliminating the consequences. The assessment of a state of environment should be effected for reduction of the risk of damaging before a beginning of realization of the projects which can have undesirable consequences. Governments must cut or cancel subsidizing of that projects which do not conform to the purposes and sustainable development problems. The state of sustainable of a world ecosystem depends on as far as the mankind can solve global problems of the present and to prevent the occurrence of new ones. Nature protection is a concern of our century, the concern that has become social. Again and again we hear about the danger threatening to environment, but still many of us consider their unpleasant, but imminent product of a civilization and believe, that we still will have time to cope with all come to light difficulties. However influence of the human on the environment has accepted threatening scales. We need purposeful and carefully planned actions to radically improve the situation. About some possible ways of the decision of problems of environment I have already written. But has not mentioned in my opinion an important point necessities of attraction as much as possible number of people to struggle for preservation of nature. It is necessary to enhance work on informing of the population by mass media about concerns of a world scale what we have. The person must know what exactly he can do to prevent irreversible processes on the Earth. Introduction of ecological education in education of schoolboys and students of the higher school is necessarily. Everyone: the seller, the accountant, the driver, the politician must realize the responsibility for influence of the person on the nature. I consider, that an ecological concern one of the most important problems of mankind. The future of all planets depends on the decision of this problem. And already now people should understand and take an active part in struggle for world preservation. Each person should realize that Mankind on the verge of destruction, and our survival depends upon each of us.