Mores Utopia Essays - Utopian Novels, Idealism, Utopia,

More's Utopia In Thomas More`s book Utopia, there is a great deal of irony in the way the people of this mystical place live and prosper. Much of what the people of today`s society assume to be universal truths of life are completely opposite from the Utopian perspective of the way things should be done. Some of these differences include the way they protect themselves from other nations, their economy, their system of land rights, and the nature of their relationships and marriages. In all of these areas Utopians differ greatly from the norm of western society. These differences serve as a commentary on the world which westerns take for granted. In the book Utopia, More uses irony to demonstrate some of the positive and negative aspects of western society. In comparison with the ways of the western world where vast amounts of the tax money is spent on the protection of the nations in terms of weapons and training of armies, the Utopians have a much different system of nation protection. Rather than fight themselves, they hire mercenaries to do their battling for them. It is a very strange policy to adopt, and history has shown that this is not the most effective way to protect a nation. Their stand on the issue is that these soldiers are all out for money, and since the gold and silver which they possess in vast amounts is available, they have nothing to worry about. This is truly an ideal way of life, but the reality is that no mercenary will fight as hard as a man who is protection his homeland. Any person would agree that paying someone else to go to war for them would be great, but this is not the way life works, and More is making this observation in his book. Another area where the people of Utopia differ greatly form the way of the western world is the way in which the land rights are controlled. The basic ideas of property ownership are unheard of to the people of Utopia. All of the land is owned jointly, and the entire community works the land in shifts. This prevents any man from having more than his neighbor which supposedly eliminates jealousy and competition between citizens. Even though it is clear that there can be no elimination of the innate competition between people or the human instinct to acquire personal wealth, More is commenting the greedy nature of the people of the western world. More`s description of their methods shows them to be perfect, but the underlying suggestion is that they are far from perfect, and that there is no possible way a system like this could prosper. Another major difference between the European world and the Utopians is the system of relationships, and marriage. There is what seems to be a very cynical view of marriages. It is almost as thought they exist only because of sex, and the idea of love is not even a factor. They suppose few people would join in marital love-with comfinment to a single partner and all the petty annoyances that married life involves-unless they were strictly restrained from promiscuity.?(452) This quote implies that the members of this society would most likely have no desire to commit themselves to one person if they had the freedom to be involved sexually with other people. In other words if not for the conjugal right marriages would not exist. This is a very cynical view of relationships, and much different from that of the western world. There are no strict punishments for adulterers in this society, as in Utopia and people are free to act as they see fit. There is an underlying element of control in this society of Utopia that resembles something close to hell for a person who likes to do his own thinking and decision making. Many people do not want a higher power telling them how to live, and this is the very point that More is making in this book. The most significant difference that More presents in the Utopian society is their economy. These people have absolutely no system of money. They pay their mercenaries with the gold and silver which they have mined strictly for that purpose, and there is an element of disgust for these metals among the citizens the nation. They are living in a communal fashion. They produce an excess of goods in order to trade with their neighbors, and the citizens share all of the necessities of life

Battle of the Falaise Pocket - World War II

Battle of the Falaise Pocket - World War II The Battle of the Falaise Pocket was fought August 12-21, 1944, during World War II (1939-1944). Following the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944 and the subsequent breakout from the beachhead, German forces in the region soon found themselves in nearly encircled in a pocket south of Falaise. Over the course of several days, German troops conducted desperate counterattacks to breakout to the east. While some succeeded in escaping, they often did so at the cost of their heavy equipment. Around 40,000-50,000 Germans were captured by the Allies. With the collapse of the German position in Normandy, Allied forces were able to race east and liberate Paris. Background Landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944, Allied troops fought their way ashore and spent the next several weeks working to consolidate their position and expand the beachhead. This saw the forces of Lieutenant General Omar Bradleys First U.S. Army push west and secure the Cotentin Peninsula and Cherbourg while the British Second and First Canadian Armies engaged in a protracted battle for the city of Caen. It was Field Marshal Bernard Montgomerys, the overall Allied ground commander, hope to draw the bulk of German strength to the eastern end of the beachhead to aid in facilitating a breakout by Bradley. On July 25, American forces launched Operation Cobra which shattered the German lines at St. Lo. Driving south and west, Bradley made rapid gains against increasingly light resistance (Map). Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley (center) with Lt. General George S. Patton (left) and General Sir Bernard Montgomery (right) at 21st Army Group HQ, Normandy, 7 July 1944. Public Domain On August 1, the Third US Army, led by Lieutenant General George Patton, was activated while Bradley ascended to lead the newly-created 12th Army Group. Exploiting the breakthrough, Pattons men swept through Brittany before turning back east. Tasked with rescuing the situation, the commander of Army Group B, Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge, received orders from Adolf Hitler instructing him to mount a counterattack between Mortain and Avranches with the goal of reclaiming the western shore of the Cotentin Peninsula. Though von Kluges commanders warned that their battered formations were incapable of offensive action,Operation Là ¼ttich commenced on August 7 with four divisions attacking near Mortain. Warned by Ultra radio intercepts, Allied forces effectively defeated the German thrust within a day. Battle of the Falaise Pocket Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: August 12-21, 1944Armies and Commanders:AlliesField Marshal Bernard MontgomeryLieutenant General Omar Bradleygrowing to 17 divisionsGermanyField Marshal Gunther von KlugeField Marshal Walter Model14-15 divisions An Opportunity Develops With the Germans failing in the west, the Canadians launched Operation Totalize on August 7/8 which saw them drive south from Caen towards the hills above Falaise. This action increasingly led to von Kluges men being in a salient with the Canadians to the north, British Second Army to the northwest, First U.S. Army to the west, and Patton to the south. Seeing an opportunity, discussions ensued between the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Montgomery, Bradley, and Patton regarding enveloping the Germans. While Montgomery and Patton favored a long envelopment by advancing east, Eisenhower and Bradley supported a shorter plan designed to surround the enemy at Argentan. Assessing the situation, Eisenhower directed that Allied troops pursue the second option. British forces advance during Operation Totalize, 1944.   Public Domain Driving towards Argentan, Pattons men captured Alenà §on on August 12 and disrupted plans for a German counterattack. Pressing on, the lead elements of Third Army reached positions overlooking Argentan the next day but were ordered to withdraw slightly by Bradley who directed them to concentrate for an offensive in a different direction. Though he protested, Patton complied with the order. To the north, the Canadians launched Operation Tractable on August 14 which saw them and the 1st Polish Armored Division slowly advance southeast towards Falaise and Trun. While the former was captured, a breakthrough to the latter was prevented by intense German resistance. On August 16, von Kluge refused another order from Hitler calling for a counterattack and secured permission to withdraw from the closing trap. The next day, Hitler elected to sack von Kluge and replaced him with Field Marshal Walter Model (Map). Closing the Gap Assessing the deteriorating situation, Model ordered the 7th Army and 5th Panzer Army to retreat from the pocket around Falaise while using the remnants of the II SS Panzer Corps and XLVII Panzer Corps to keep the escape route open. On August 18, the Canadians captured Trun while the 1st Polish Armored made a wide sweep southeast to unite with the US 90th Infantry Division (Third Army) and French 2nd Armored Division at Chambois. Though a tenuous linkup was made on the evening of the 19th, the afternoon had seen a German attack from inside the pocket breakthrough the Canadians at St. Lambert and briefly open an escape route east. This was closed at nightfall and elements of the 1st Polish Armored established themselves on Hill 262 (Mount Ormel Ridge) (Map). German troops surrendering near German forces surrendering in Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive on August 21, 1944. Library and Archives Canada On August 20, Model ordered large-scale attacks against the Polish position. Striking through the morning, they succeeded in opening a corridor but could not dislodge the Poles from the Hill 262. Though the Poles directed artillery fire on the corridor, around 10,000 Germans escaped. Subsequent German assaults on the hill failed. The next day saw Model continue to hit at Hill 262 but without success. Later on the 21st, the Poles were reinforced by the Canadian Grenadier Guards. Additional Allied forces arrived and that evening saw the gap closed and the Falaise Pocket sealed. Aftermath Casualty numbers for the Battle of Falaise Pocket are not known with certainty. Most estimate German losses as 10,000–15,000 killed, 40,000–50,000 taken prisoner, and 20,000–50,000 escaped east. Those that succeeded in escaping generally did so without the bulk of their heavy equipment. Re-armed and re-organized, these troops later faced the Allied advances in the Netherlands and Germany. Though a stunning victory for the Allies, debate quickly ensued regarding whether a greater number of Germans should have been trapped. American commanders later blamed Montgomery for failing to move with greater speed to close the gap while Patton insisted that had he been allowed to continue his advance he would have been able to seal the pocket himself. Bradley later commented that had Patton been permitted to continue, he would not have had sufficient forces in place to block a German breakout attempt. Following the battle, Allied forces quickly advanced across France and liberated Paris on August 25. Five days later, the last German troops were pushed back across the Seine. Arriving on September 1, Eisenhower took direct control of the Allied effort in northwest Europe. Shortly thereafter, Montgomery and Bradleys commands were augmented by forces arriving from the Operation Dragoon landings in southern France. Operating on the unified front, Eisenhower moved forward with the final campaigns to defeat Germany.

Proposal Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proposal Argument - Essay Example The family therapist acknowledges that there is a diversity of family forms, such as nuclear, extended, cohabitation and same-sex, to name a few. It is also acknowledged that the different forms a family each have inherent strengths and weaknesses. Hence, the family therapist emphasises interventions that facilitate individuals to form social couples and households, or family groups. It is the aim of the family therapist to assist with relational development within the couple or household, and to support the learning of new ways to problem-solve. As a human service worker professional, the family therapist does not discriminate on grounds of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and religion or health status. To enable effective and efficient intervention, the family therapist needs to adhere to a theory that reflects their personal therapeutic philosophy. The social construction framework is useful to human service workers in the fields of family therapy and psychotherapy in that it allows practitioners to investigate and empower client’s creation of meaningful understandings of themselves and the wider world (Swann, 1999). The framework focuses on the key influences of sociocultural forces and the environmental context of human understanding, learning and accumulation of knowledge. Within family therapy this theory provides the therapist with a powerful ability to draw family members away from blaming each other for their behaviors, and placing these behaviors within a larger sociocultural context. For example, the Western values of independence, competition and profit contributing to the family to place pressure on their son to find gainful employment and to do better in life than what they have. In turn, the son has felt misunderstood, isolated and unable to achieve due to constant â€Å"failures† and has chosen to d rop out of society. Now living

International Organisational Behaviour - What is meant by culture Essay

International Organisational Behaviour - What is meant by culture shock - Essay Example The role of culture is significant as culture is the core values of the individual (McLaren, 1998). Moreover, culture has a significant role in the overall personality and how one acts, behaves, how he is motivated, how he feels about different situations, how capable he is to manage difficult situations, how he or she speaks, how one acts and reacts etc. All these characteristics are highly critical for every individual and these characteristics for the individual in either making him a successful individual or making the individual an unsuccessful person. So it reveals that culture has a significant role in the life of the individual. Moreover, culture varies from one society to another as people live their lives and therefore it is important to understand and analyze the differences among different culture and how different people behave (Bochner, 2001). So this report would discuss such important aspects of humans. The aim of this assignment would be to provide a clear definition of the term cultural shock along with the elements and symptoms of cultural shock. Furthermore, this assignment would highlight the understanding of international organizational behavior with examples from daily life. In addition to all these, some of the ways to bridge the cultural confusion or differences are also mention in the assignment. Cultural Shock Cultural shock or culture shock is a common term that indicates the confusing and nervous feelings of an individual after leaving an environment that he/she was familiar with. The best example that could be observed regarding the cultural shock is the migration of people from one country to another. This migration often leads to psychological distress due to the unfamiliar environment and culture (Bochner, 2001). Culture shock aims to describe the unfamiliarity that an individual may have or face when entering different culture (Paige 1993). In addition, Kalervo Obe rg (1960) indicated that this term was to be applicable only on those people that travel from one place to another into new cultures. According to Adler (1975), cultural shock is a combination of emotional reactions when an individual is provided with a new culture which has no or little meaning and can lead to misunderstanding of new culture and experiences. The definition provided by Weaver (1968) indicates the concept of cultural shock in daily life. According to Weaver (1968), cultural shock is much like common cold as there is no particular way or approach to prevent it as a person may catch it over and over again. Each time a person tries to adjust or readjust his culture according to the place and environment, he/she go through cultural shock. Cultural shock is referred as a distress experience of a person as a result of unfamiliarity with the culture. Losing of all those factors that made the person a part of the society and community is one of the major reasons of cultural shock (Oberg, 1960). Furthermore, six aspects of cultural shock were identified by Oberg (1960) that includes i. Psychological adjustments that leads to strain ii. Sense of loss and unfamiliarity which leads to deprivation iii. Lack of social recognition iv. Confusion in terms of role and loss of self-identity v. Awareness regarding cultural differences followed by surprise and anxiety vi. Low morale as the person might not be able to cope with the new

Studing is what matters Essay Example for Free

Studing is what matters Essay Brain drain is also known as â€Å"The human capital flight†. It can be simply defined as the mass emigration of technically skilled people from one country to another country. Brain-drain can have many reasons, for example-political instability of a nation, lack of opportunities, health risks, personal conflicts etc. Brain-drain can also be named as â€Å"human capital flight† because it resembles the case of capital flight, in which mass migration of financial capital is involved. For the balance of power and for the staggered development of the world, it is very important to stop the phenomena of brain-drain. This will help a particular country to use all local skilled citizens for development and proliferation. But to hold these skilled workers at their native places, it is also important to provide them enough work opportunities and living facilities. For this purpose, developed nations should help developing countries with necessary money and resources. So that each and every human of this planet can have good standard of living and each and every nation can introduce itself as a developed nation. **** Brain drain (or human capital flight), is the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge. The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries and individuals. In terms of countries, the reasons may be social environment (in source countries: lack of opportunities, political instability or oppression, economic depression, health risks, etc. ; in host countries: rich opportunities, political stability and freedom, developed economy, better living conditions, etc. ). In terms of individual reasons, there are family influence (overseas relatives), and personal preference: preference for exploring, ambition for an improved career, etc. Although the term originally referred to technology workers leaving a nation, the meaning has broadened into: the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field for another, usually for better pay or living conditions. [1] Brain drain is usually regarded as an economic cost, since emigrants usually take with them the fraction of value of their training sponsored by the government or other organizations. It is a parallel of capital flight, which refers to the same movement of financial capital. Brain drain is often associated with de-skilling of emigrants in their country of destination, while their country of emigration experiences the draining of skilled individuals. The term brain drain was coined by the Royal Society to describe the emigration of scientists and technologists to North America from post-war Europe. [2] Another source indicates that this term was first used in the United Kingdom to describe the influx of Indian scientist and engineers. [3] The converse phenomenon is brain gain, which occurs when there is a large-scale immigration of technically qualified persons. There are also relevant phrases called brain circulation and brain waste. Brain drain is common among developing nations, such as the former colonies of Africa,[4] the island nations of the Caribbean,[5] and particularly in centralized economies such as former East Germany and the Soviet Union, where marketable skills were not financially rewarded #theme :technologiE introduction: throught history technological innovations have helped humankind improve their standards of living,begining ¬ with the simple invention of bonetools of prehistorie times,continuin ¬g on to and beyond modern air conditioners,au ¬tomobilies and super computers. nowad ¬ays,when the rapideness of development and research is so imprssive ,its easy to think about the advantages of modern technology. .Nevertheless,t ¬echnology can save lives and give us a lot of comfort provided that it doesn’t fall in the wrong hands. Yet,it’s blatantly conspicuous that the deleterious effects of technology out wrigh its benefits. Teach ¬ children self confidence+lear ¬n them how to deal with certains obstacles ,how to defend him self+teach children how ti use their ineligence+faci ¬lities researches communicatin+th ¬e computer games are the best alternative to keep children safe at home ery good job also you can add this:To live, learn and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information-ric ¬h society, students must use technology to Innovate, Collaborate, Investigate and Think Critically. Benefits*techno ¬logy can save peoples lives*it shortens distances*it solves the problem of many childless parents*technol ¬ogy improves other fields*the  internet is a source on valuable information*tv makes the world look like a small village Understand that modern technology has benefited human beings by increasing production of goods and services, reducing the amount of labor needed to produce these goods and services, and providing higher living standards. Understand that technology has al so had negative effects on society—environ ¬mental pollution,deple ¬tion of natural resources, unemployment, and the creation of ethical dilemmas, among others. Disadvantages*i ¬t can teach violence*it can harm the eyes*it can cause pollution*cloni ¬ng is perceived as smoothing immoral*childre ¬n can be addicted to it*nuclear power and weapons destroy our world*machines can replace men at work characteristics of inventor ,, everyone dreams of being famous and remembered forever. some are known for their skills in inventing and designing new things to facilate humans life. in fact there ara many caracteristics required to be a seccessful inventor .  first an inventor imagines , disigns and refers many times to previous results to build on tham, second inventors are determined to work intensively and at many time to earch a result. morever an inventor is commited to his work that is he dedicates his time , his mony as well as his effort to creating a useful appliance medicament or even an item of clothes ,, in this context ,, i may mention the work of alfred nobel who devoted his wealth to sponsoring students only to show that his inve ntion was for the benifit of humanity. all in all we should encourag all the inventors and support tham. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Advantages and disadvantages of living in the country and in the city. There is a tendency in the modern society to abandon the country and to migrate to the city. More and more people, especially young and well educated, decide to live in large metropolises rather than in small towns or villages. The main factor that influences their decision is unemployment problem which is very acute in the country. The city offers many opportunities to young people. First of all, they can attend there the best universities and use the best learning resources which will allow them to develop their knowledge and skills. Good educational background increases their chances to find employment in good companies which will offer them lucrative posts. People who are ambitious and want to be successful and pursue their careers find in the city many possibilities to realize their potential and to gain the best professional experience. Besides, large modern metropolises provide their inhabitants with limitless sources of entertainment. Young people can socialize in cafes, pubs, clubs or discos or take part in various cultural events, like for example concerts, art exhibitions or spectacles in the theatre. Moreover, they can enjoy shopping in large shopping centres or department stores. All these charms and attractions of the city are appealing to young people, however when they start their own families they usually start missing peacefulness and tranquillity of country life. As they become older, people are tired with the hectic and stressful city life and often decide to move outside the city. However, country life, although more quiet and peaceful, has also disadvantages. ***Where shall we live? Some may choose to live in big cities, while other like the natural and quiet surroundings in the countryside. As far as I am concerned, I would like to live in a big city because living in a big city has more advantages than living in the countryside. To begin with, the city is the symbol of human civilization and there are a many facilities for living, recreation and health care. Therefore, living there is more convenient than living in the countryside. Living in such a big city has a lot of advantages. There is a big offer how to spend free time. There are always plenty of social activities, sports events, concerts and other ways of entertainment. There are more recreational places in big cities, such as opera houses, movie theatres, clubs, and swimming pools. You will have many kinds of entertainment in big cities, and meet many people. In countryside, however, the life may be dull and quite, and you may only have a few neighbors. In a big city, people can take the chances to study and work best. There are many good University choosing in a big city. There you can express your ability to study what you like. Moreover, when you graduate, you also find it easier to find chances to get a good job with good salary, that is quite difficult in small citiesor countrysides. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of living in a big city. Cities are very crowded. Everywhere there are crowds: on the pavements and in the buses. What is more, the traffic is heavy and citys car parks are always very full. Sometimes it is very difficult to get from a given place to another. It may take hours! And it follows to that, that the air in the city is more polluted, than in the countryside. People in the city are like ants. They are always in hurry, busy and out of time.

Children and Nurture Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Children and Nurture I grew up in an environment that allowed me to accept almost everything that was told to me without any questions. My parents and teachers never told me anything that didn’t feel right, so I was under the impression that anyone with authority would always tell me the truth and that was that. My bubble burst about a year ago. That was the first time that I came across something that the â€Å"experts† had to say, that did not jive with my feelings on a matter; and I was not willing to just accept what they had to say. I came across then and continue to come across articles that say in essence, that it doesn’t matter if children are cared for by their mothers or day-care and in fact that sometimes day-care is better for the child. Some go on to say that parents don’t matter at all. This could not be, after-all, doesn’t the proclamation say that, â€Å"mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.†? The proclamation refers to this as a sacred responsibility. If it is a sacred responsibility for mothers to nurture their children, then that must be what is best for the child, right? Some research tends to indicate that mothers are the best nurturers for their children. I set out to find some of this research. Baydar and Brooks-Gunn (1991), found in a study of maternal employment and its effects on children that those children who were left in the care of someone other than their mother for many hours each day had lower cognitive scores as well as more behavioral problems. In another study by Baydar and Brooks-Gunn (1991), they found that the effects of a mother working out-side of the home and leaving their baby boy in someone else’s care was especially de... ... Speech given at the world congress of families II. Ezra Taft Benson (1987). To the mothers in Zion. An address given at a fireside for parents. Gordon B. Hinckley (1997). Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book. Gordon B. Hinckley (1996, November) Ensign (p69). Hawkins, A.J., Spangler D.L., Hudson, V., Dollahite D.C., Klien S. R., Rugh, S. S., Fronk C. A., Draper R. D., Sorensen A. D. Wardle L. D., & Hill E. J. (2000). Equal partnership and the sacred responsibilities of mothers and fathers. In Dollahite D.C.(Eds.), Strengthening our families: An in-depth look at the proclamation on the family (pp.63-82). Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft. Top, B.L. & Chadwick, B.A. (1998). Raising righteous children in a wicked world. Brigham Young Magazine. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University.

Later Adulthood Essay

Aging in our society can be a very stressful time regarding our elderly. They are going through tremendous changes not only physically, emotionally, but also socially. It is in our best interest to help them make the proper adjustments during what can be a difficult time for some. Retirement is not always the best thing for our senior citizens. It can be a trying time as they no longer feel useful. We need to insure they remain productive by maintaining relationships with friends and family, volunteering, finding a hobby, and most important maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Because our society is so obsessed with youth, many of our senior citizens feel left out. In Japan, they treat their elders with the utmost respect. (Maslow, Kirst 2010). It is our turn to treat our senior citizens with the same respect instead of shunning them from society. At times their living accommodations are not suitable and the amount of healthcare they may need can cause stress in their lives. Their relationships with their spouses, children, friends, and coworkers change dramatically. It can be a difficult transition and is up to us to make sure they can ease into later adulthood with positive attitudes and a foundation of hope for their future. In their later adulthood years, the elderly experience changes in their roles and social position. Upon retirement, many aging individuals may withdraw from their social network circle. This may happen when the individual is not ready to retire and resents being forced to retire. They begin to feel unwanted and feel they no longer have anything in common with their friends. Our society does not incorporate the elderly desires of remaining productive which may cause them to disengage in socializing with their peers. Their social status changes from teacher, pharmacist, and store manager to perhaps a regular Joe in the neighborhood. This can impact their mentality and their ability to maintain a positive attitude during retirement. One of the best ways for the elderly to continue to feel worthy during their later years is perhaps volunteering and influencing our youth with their knowledge and wisdom. Determining the best suited living accommodations for the elderly can be a daunting task for their loved ones. Many elderly are determined to stay in their homes living independently and if they are not ill than that option may work for them. There are many  factors that determine if they can stay in their home. Do they have transportation? Are they close to stores and medical care? If their loved one has health issues and requires medical attention around the clock than a nursing home would be their best option. Another option would be a retirement community, senior apartments or senior homes. Trying to find the best living accommodation for the elderly to spend their days living productive lives is very important. They also need access to affordable healthcare. Many elderly are plagued with health issues and cannot afford prescriptions or doctor visits. They do benefit from senior citizen discounts but it is not enough to cover all their medical expenses. Our society needs to find a better solution in terms of our aging population and health care needs. Kim & Moen stated† On the one hand, the retirement experience may promote a sense of well-being, as workers move out of demanding and/or stressful career jobs. On the other hand, the retirement passage itself may lead to diminished well-being, as individuals lose their occupational attachments, their social network of coworkers, and a major anchor for their identities.† (Headnote, para 2). Regarding our aging population, the most difficult time for them can be transitioning from working all their life to retirement. Our society has stressed the importance of youth and our elderly start to feel useless. Going into to retirement can cause more burdens on the elderly. By living on a fixed income and not being able to spend on eating out, movies, or even vacationing can takes its toll on the elderly. They can become depressed, which can then lead to suicidal thoughts. Another factor of going into retirement is the elderly may lose contact with coworkers since they no longer have work to discuss, they start to avoid contact with friends. Many elderly couples may not get along during retirement, they are not accustomed to being around their loved ones all day and this can cause problems in their marriage. Our society needs to encourage our elderly to remain productive after retirement so they can feel needed and participate in volunteer programs offered in their communities. If they are able to work and can continue to contribute to society, it will be a positive situation for everyone including our economy. There are many factors that can contribute to our elderly populations marital, family and peer relationships. During retirement, an elderly couple may experience more  marital strife as they are attempting to get used to being home all day. Their health also plays a part on their marital relationship. If one partner is ill, than the other partner has to care for the ill partner and this will cause stress. As couples, our elderly may not have the bond the once had at a younger age. They need to maintain a close relationship and focus on their positive aspects of their relationship. Regarding their own children, some elderly attempt to withdraw and not maintain close relationships with their children or grandchildren. Some will engage more and try to interfere in raising their grandchildren, which will cause problems with their own children. In their peer relationships, they may withdraw also. It does depend on the individual and their circumstances on how they handle the important relationships in their lives. Bookwala and Franks (2005) found that having a successful marriage will enhance the physical wellbeing of elderly couples as they progress into their golden years. There are many social policies impacting our aging population. Many of these social policies were designed to assist our elderly during their retirement years. â€Å"One out of ten older people live in poverty.† (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, para. Financial Problems of Older People). This information demonstrates the dire situation our elderly are experiencing. How are they able to make ends meet if they have no savings and living entirely on Social Security benefits? Another factor is the cost of healthcare that many aging individuals have to deal with. If they are in poor health and are in need of constant doctor supervision and medicine, they are relying on the governments Medicaid program and at times this can cause added stress in their lives. If their health is deteriorating, it makes sense that we need to implement new strategies to assist the elderly with aging. We should also encourage them to work if they are physically fit and able instead of discriminating against them based on their age. Our focus should be campaigning for them to engage in exercise, eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle throughout their lives to delay the effects of aging. In order for our elderly to continue progressing in later adulthood, our society needs to change our way thinking. We should encourage elderly people to work and be productive. A national campaign for our elders should address the benefits of physical fitness, eating right, and  maintaining close relationships with their loved ones. We should make them feel wanted and treat them with the utmost respect. They have lived life, have wisdom and experience to share with everyone. By incorporating those into volunteer programs will also be highly beneficial for everyone involved. Making sure they are happy and living in acceptable conditions should also be our concern. Now is the time, to turn the tables around and ensure that we are doing our best to take care for our aging population. Works Cited Bookwala, J., & Franks, M.M. (2005). Moderating role of marital quality in older adults depressed affect: Beyond the main-effects model. The Journal of Gerontology, 60B (6), p.338-p.341. Kim, J.E., & Moen, P. (2002). Retirement transitions, gender, and psychological well-being: a life course, ecological model. The Journal of Gerontology, 57B (3), p.212-p.222. Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K.K. (2010). Understanding Human Behavior & the Social Environment (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database