The Thread of History

The Thread of History Any society can be compared to a living organism that gets born, grows and changes according to the time, environment and processes that go on internally. Any group of people has their own beliefs and regulations which are backed up by history, traditions and culture.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Thread of History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In any society there are people who get their opinion widely known and they are sometimes called visionaries. For the past twenty years, society has experienced many rapid changes, and thinkers and writers often offered their opinions, as to what is going on under the surface and where the present world is going to be in the future. All societies have intricate traditions and structures with work and leisure time. One of the oldest activities that people are engaged in is sports or any kind of physical games. Steve Craig, in his book titled â€Å"Sports and Games of the Ancients† looks at how societies view games and how they are comprehended personally and socially. One of the important points is that each society has a form of games that are played publicly, for people’s entertainment. Socially, it says several things, as the population is very multifaceted. Primarily, it is that people need a form of entertainment that can be watched live. People are interested in seeing other fellow human beings in action and the key feature of the sport which is its unpredictability makes the viewing even more exciting and desired. The unique nature of games is very original because it cannot be fully predicted and people are drawn to that (Craig 1). Comparing to the television, where people are playing out formed scripts, games are much different. Even though previously, in the early days, there were games and the need for them, people’s interest and commercialization have grown immensely at the onset of television and other m ass media. This led to people wanting more and expecting sights that were non-existent before. It begs a question of why do people really need entertainment and what would happen without it. It is a part of human soul and emotional existence, as without it, people would have work and duties that are a part of the routine and not feelings. A close connection to the pleasures of life is explored by Deborah Blum in her book â€Å"Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection†. Just as people need mass and public entertainment, they need affection and love. This is one of the starting points in life and it very much sets up the rest of a person’s development. It is interesting that the way a person will feel about themselves, others, their ability to be in public places, feel confidence and connection to people; all these things get influenced by how the infant and child are treated.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More She mentions Harry Harlow who did experiments with monkeys and was rather successful. The experiments proved that baby monkey sometimes needed affection and â€Å"warmth† of their mother more than food. This and other experiments, as well as the views of Deborah Blum reiterate the fact that people need love and any society must have healthy and loving individuals for the whole nation or country to prosper (Blum 15). In a work titled â€Å"The Pyrotechnic Insanitarium: American Culture on the Brink†, Mark Dery describes a new age of life and society. The twenty first century has brought many changes and the focus can be seen on the rapid development of entertainment but also, on the negatives and short backs of society. The conspiracy theory is mentioned, and people start to realize that in the fast moving world there are things that could be unseen and under the surface. It is somewhat re bated by saying that in reality, there are no conspiracies and the politics are very much openly viewed but it does not seem convincing. The entertainment and pleasures of people are going hand in hand with the horrors that human mind offers. With the increasing crime rates and technological advancement, people are receiving more information and problems to deal with. The heights of human brain power are allowing predicting that the future will bring even more challenges and people will face something that has never been seen before (Dery 30). It is very true that human mind is still a mystery and it is quite difficult to see what people are capable of. Alfred Lubrano discuses another part of the changing world in a book titled â€Å"Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams†. He especially points to the division between people socially and personally. For as long as there has been humanity, people have had different duties according to own views but also to the world aro und them. The division between the working and the middle class is what Alfred Lubrano talks about. He describes the qualities of people who are born to be a part of the middle class and that there is no way of becoming anything else. It touches upon the moral issue of a person desiring what they want to do in their life but at the same time, creating opportunities to achieve whatever it is they strive to reach. Education is mentioned as an important part of the process in becoming successful and this reflects in the scope of bigger things in society. This is becoming very true in any part of the world, as the evolution of technologies and workforce is delving into a different sphere, uncommon to the previous century. The world is becoming business oriented and there are many individuals who consider it their life’s calling to become a part of it (Lubrano 10).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Thread of History specifically for you for o nly $16.05 $11/page Learn More Vivian Sobchack takes a look at the modern society and examines the future in the work titled â€Å"Carnal Thoughts: Embodiment and Moving Image Culture†. The world is acquiring so many angles and perspectives that it is becoming harder to keep track of. She refers to â€Å"Hansel and Gretel† in relation to the fact that without the â€Å"breadcrumbs† people might become lost (Sobchack 13). This representation is meant to show that people need guidance. The future world has many mysteries and people need organization and each other’s help to find the way. The world is becoming divided into spaces that are foreign and sometimes, unequal. Even though this is an age of knowledge and people’s rights, there is still much to learn, especially in the relationship between people and different groups. Vivian Sobchack qualifies people as being lost in the world, not knowing what to do and how to adjust to the fa st moving pace. There starts to evolve a sort of separation between the world and the masses, and an individual is not aware of what is expected of them regarding themselves and society. People start to create false realities and whatever they think is right, eventually becomes empty space and people are forced to re-think their goals and dreams. Another look at the modern world and the way it is being run is taken by Linda Seger in a book â€Å"Jesus Rode a Donkey: Why Republicans Dont Have the Corner on Christ†. The author compares people’s religious beliefs to the political system and what is expects and required of people (Seger 7). Many are faced with sacrifices that have to be made for the system to prosper. But there is also a different side of the coin, where others get rich at the expense of people who are fulfilling their duty to be a good citizen. Linda Seger reinforces that in order for people to go into the future, they must be understanding and kind to ea ch other. The simplicity of their actions and straightforward manner will create best conditions of life for all human beings. The new age has given people power to vote for their leaders and enjoy the rights and freedoms that are naturally given but is unclear what these freedoms can sometimes bring. All the writers and thinkers have a very common theme that centers on people which is their needs and the evolving society. People want to be happy and keep finding ways of how to enjoy the life. Even though the majority bases their existence on goodness, there are those who want to use the population and gain more than is needed. This leads to an important question of the changing world and the expectancies that people have towards it. It must be just and equal to all and this should be the motto of the future. Blum, Deborah. Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection. New York, United States: Basic Books, 2011. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Craig, Steve. Sports and Games of The Ancients. Westport, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. Print. Dery, Mark. The Pyrotechnic Insanitarium: American Culture on the Brink. New York, United States: Grove Press, 2000. Print. Lubrano, Alfred. Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams. Hoboken, United States: John Wiley Sons, 2010. Print. Seger, Linda. Jesus Rode A Donkey: Why Republicans Dont Have the Corner on Christ. Avon, United States: Adams Media, 2010. Print. Sobchack, Vivian. Carnal Thoughts: Embodiment and Moving Image Culture. Los Angeles, United States: University of California Press, 2004. Print.

Can rejecting a job offer actually elevate your career

Can rejecting a job offer actually elevate your career Imagine going through the grueling process of creating your resume, optimizing your LinkedIn profile, applying to dozens of jobs, and going on a handful of interviews to finally be offered the job – only to turn it down! Are you insane? Why would anyone ever decline a job offer after going through all this? Maybe the salary wasn’t up to par. Perhaps the vacation time didn’t start for a year after you began. You may have found during the lengthy interview process that you just weren’t feeling the company’s culture. You may have even accepted a better job offer. But is it bad to decline offers? Will this hurt your career? Not necessarily. Rejecting a job offer may actually help elevate your career. Sharpens your negotiation skillsOne of the main reasons candidates turn down job offers is due to salary discrepancies. Unfortunately, you really can’t discuss how much you’ll be paid during your first interview before any job offer was extend ed. You may have only seen a salary range from the job description or perhaps no salary was listed at all.You went on the company’s multiple interview process expecting to make a certain amount but ended up being offered much less. Now is the perfect opportunity to negotiate your salary! Negotiating your salary is something that can improve your career and forces you to know what you’re worth in your industry. Knowing how to negotiate your salary during the interview will benefit you when you’re up for a promotion and want to negotiate your raise.Improves your interview skillsTurning down a job offer opens you up to interview at other places. Regardless of the rapid expansion of technology today, interviewing is a skill that isn’t going away anytime soon. Knowing how to effectively speak with different types of employers, who all have their own unique methods, will significantly increase your confidence and make you comfortable with the process. As a bonu s, the more interviewing you do will not only make you a better interviewee with other companies but will make you a better interviewer if you’re a manager and need to recruit new talent.Leaves the door open for better opportunitiesIn today’s digital world with companies and job boards regularly posting positions online, there are always opportunities out there, even during recessions. It’s not uncommon for professionals and executives to routinely go on interviews just to get a feel for what’s out there. They may initially have no intention of accepting the job offer if extended, but just seeking better opportunities and feeling the pulse of the current job market in their industry is invaluable.Makes you a more attractive candidateThe Chronicle of Higher Education published an article that showed interest from one company can serve as a leverage point or negotiation for another company. This is especially true when you’re in a specialized field w ith a select number of qualified candidates. I once worked as an executive recruiter where there was a frenzy in search of plastic injection molding engineers. These specialists were very difficult to find, and many companies were competing with one another to try and hire them. The plastic injection molding engineers would routinely decline offers, which only made them more appealing. Talk about a specialized field with a small talent pool!Teaches you how to say â€Å"no†Learning how to say no is an often-underrated but invaluable skill. Many CEO’s and top-level executives attend leadership training sessions to learn how to strategically say â€Å"no,† which has shown to enhance their abilities to work more efficiently since they’re constantly bombarded with proposals.One thing that’s essential when declining a job offer and saying â€Å"no† is to respond quickly to the job offer and be honest and polite. People will respect your honesty be cause it requires a lot of courage and takes responsibility. Learning to say no will sharpen your focus and keep you from making unnecessary mistakes because you may have been too polite to just say â€Å"no.†In the end, if you have any doubts about a position, then it clearly wasn’t meant to be. You’ll feel better knowing you made the right decision and that your gut was telling you the offer just wasn’t right. This newfound attitude will allow you to go after the job you’ve always wanted and push you to elevate your career goals. Being decisive and not regretting your decisions are characteristics of success. Trust your judgment, and you just might be surprised where your career path will take you.About the Author: Maria Gold is currently a Content Manager/Writer for Empire Resume. She is dedicated to helping educate people with the latest career articles and job search advice. When Maria is not working, she enjoys reading and spending quality ti me with her family.