Hallucinogen Use Among Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Hallucinogen Use Among Teenagers Essay Kaleidoscope perspective, strange sounds, indescribable feeling of love and admiration towards others, life in slow motion, and the feeling of floating in air outside ones body — these are just some of the things that can be experienced in the world of hallucination, a dream world that is marked by a deep state of unreality or imaginary perceptions. Many people today, most especially the youth, are discovering ways in which they can visit this dreamlike state without the sleeping process: by indulging into a special kind of illicit substance known as hallucinogen (Harmon, 2009). Because of hallucinogens capability to alter an individuals perception, more and more teenagers are becoming hooked into this form of drug without taking into consideration its impact on their health and well-being. Although it has been widely acknowledged that illicit hallucinogen use significantly decreased during the latter parts of 1990s, recent studies showed that teenagers are having a renewed interest in using this form of drug due to its availability, the perception of reduced risk, and higher peer support upon its usage. Various researches even revealed that a teenager as young as 12 years old has easier access obtaining hallucinogenic drug alongside other illicit substances. As such, parents and school administrators alike have a growing concern over the increasing number of teenage hallucinogen users. With the re-emergence of the use of hallucinogen among the youth, it is therefore imperative to take into perspective and analyze the impact of the pertained drug among its users, the factors that contribute to teenagers indulgence in this form of drug, and the drugs level of accessibility among this group. Hallucinogen: An Overview To give depth to the subject being discussed, it is highly important to understand its origin and nature. Hallucinogens, also commonly referred to as â€Å"psychedelics,† are a diversified group of drugs that have the capacity to alter an individuals mood, thoughts, and perception. As they are heterogeneous in nature, hallucinogens are notorious for their varying chemical contents, mechanism of actions, as well as adverse effects on the users. While hallucination is perceived as the instantaneous effect of using such drug, hallucinogens are also known for changing moods and thoughts as they disrupt the normal functioning of a persons serotonin system, which is responsible for controlling pain perceptions, moods, and sleep-wake cycle of humans (Richards, 2006). The proliferation of hallucinogen is not a new phenomenon as it has been used by humans for thousands of years for the purpose of both religious and mystical experiences. In the Hindu holy book, â€Å"Rig Veda,† the use of a substance known as â€Å"soma,† which is said to be capable of inducing high levels of consciousness, has been mentioned. This substance is extracted from the juice of a hallucinogenic mushroom known as Amanita Mascaria. Meanwhile, in the pre-Columbian era Mexico, Aztecs used â€Å"teotlaqualli,† a paste from â€Å"ololiuqui,† a hallucinogenic flower, during their religious ceremonies. Aztec priests and soldiers rub the hallucinogenic substance on their skin as it is believed to reduce fear and induce proper mental state needed while servicing the Aztec gods. Similar to this, aboriginals from Mexico were also noted for their long history of â€Å"peyote† usage, a hallucinogen containing mescaline that is also used for religious ceremonies. In Salem, Massachusetts, it was once believed that hallucinogens are the main cause of unlikely behaviors of the alleged witches during trials (Richards, 2006). Basically, there are two types of hallucinogens: the natural, which can be obtained from raw plants, and the synthetic varieties or man-made. Natural hallucinogens come from plants that grow in the wild or in â€Å"drug farms. † These varieties may include some forms of mushrooms and the cactus plant, peyote. Some flowers such as morning glories are also known for producing hallucinogenic chemicals. Marijuana, which comes from cannabis plants, is also identified as a comparatively weak form of hallucinogen. Technically, all of these are not considered as drugs as they are naturally occurring substances that contain hallucinogenic chemicals (Harmon, 2009). In contrast with natural hallucinogens, synthetic varieties of the said drug are produced in laboratories with variations of other substances to further enhance its effects. The very first form of synthetic hallucinogen is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide 25 (LSD), discovered by Dr.  Albert Hoffman of Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland during 1938. LSD was accidentally discovered while Hoffman was experimenting on drugs that have medical purposes. The doctor did not realize the drugs mind-altering effects until 1943 when he accidentally consumed the drug and experienced hallucination. Interest in LSD did not receive the attention of many until 1960s when Timothy Leary and his colleagues at Harvard University began experimenting the drug to themselves and advocating its use due to the alleged heightened feeling of intra- and interpersonal understanding, spirituality, and increased level of productivity it brings. As such, academics, artists, and students alike were swayed to use LSD. Also included in this group of psychedelics are phencyclidine (PCP) or â€Å"angel dust,† which is considered as the most dangerous form of hallucinogen that can be in powder, tablet, capsule, or beverage form; Foxy Methoxy; Dextromethorpan (DXM) or â€Å"robo,† a cough-suppressing ingredient found in over-the-counter cough and cold medications; and Ecstasy (MDMA) and Special K (ketamine hydrochloride), two other hallucinogenic drugs that are becoming increasingly popular among teenagers, to name a few (Harmon, 2009). Teenage Hallucinogen Use Figures  Abuse of drugs has been a major public concern since the 1960s, and it cannot be denied that it is still an ongoing societal issue. For the most part, teenagers played a significant role in the rise of drug abuse, as they are easily persuaded to engage in such activity. Perhaps, a few other points in history have been strongly related with hallucinogen use other than 1960s. For one, rampant experimentation with hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin, and peyote became an important part of the American pop culture, influencing aspects such as music, clothing, language, and art. Likewise, the said practive also served as a catalyst for the establishment of the counterculture known as the â€Å"hippie era. † Notable in this period of hallucinogen experimentation was the participation of teenagers who tried psychedelic drugs at an unprecedented rate. The first National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) in 1972 reported that 5 percent of Americans, most of whom are under 18 years of age, admittedly used psychedelics at least once. By 1980s, the use of psychedelic drugs dramatically declined due to the introduction of cocaine. However, in the early 1990s, the interest in hallucinogen resurfaced and was distributed even in the most unexpected places such as schools, targeting the student population (Travis, 1997). While a vast number of resources indicated that the figures have dropped during the mid-1990s, recent studies have shown that the illicit use of hallucinogens is once again reemerging. Alarmingly, the rates are much higher compared to the teenage active users during the 1960s and mid-1990s, and worse, these teenage hallucinogen users are much younger than expected. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2007, about 34. 2 million Americans at the age of 12 or older reported that they have tried using hallucinogen at least once in their lifetime, which can be translated to 13. 8% of the said age groups overall population. Similarly, in the 2008 survey carried out by â€Å"Monitoring the future,† it was indicated that â€Å"3. 3% of eight graders, 5. 5% of tenth graders, and 8. 7% of twelfth graders† admitted to a lifetime usage of hallucinogens. These figures are levels higher compared to the 2007 percentages of â€Å"3.  1%, 6. 4%, and 8. 4%† of the respective grades. In this respect, the statistics significantly reported a higher increase in the numbers of teenage hallucinogen users (Monitoring the future, 2008 cited in Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP], 2009). Hallucinogen Drug Sources: The Internet and Club-Drug Scenes With the given figures above, one may wonder how the teenagers manage to gain access to these hallucinogenic drugs. There are various means that can be adopted in order to obtain such forms of illicit drugs that can bypass the traditional channels of doing so. The Internet as well as the urban club scene is identified as two of the major sources where hallucinogenic substances can be obtained. Internet: A New Vast Source of Illicit Drug Information The reemergence of illicit hallucinogen is prevalent among teenagers; it has been identified that this same societal group is also the heavy users of the World Wide Web or Internet. The Internet is known as a powerful tool that can provide unlimited access to various kinds of information. Due to such capability, the Internet is also considered as a breeding ground for the rise of unlawful practices that are within the reach of young individuals. In a 2001 study carried out by John Halpern and Harrison Pope Junior, they have concluded that by using the Internet, potential hallucinogen users can learn in great detail how to obtain hallucinogenic drugs. During the time of their research, Halpern and Pope, through the use of standard Internet search techniques, located 81 hallucinogen-related sites and categorized the information found on the said sources. Some of the sites they have found explain to its users how wild plants containing hallucinogenic substances can be identified. Some provided information where hallucinogenic plants are commercially available, while some sell strains of hallucinogenic plants that can be grown. They have also located sites that provide chemical recipes for synthesizing all of the hallucinogenic substances that are categorized in the Schedule I list and other non-schedule hallucinogen analogs. Additional sites that sell hallucinogenic plant materials were also located. They have also uncovered Internet travel industry that offers tours to countries where hallucinogenic potions can be ingested in the context of traditional rituals. Finally, the researchers also came across myriads of sites that are carrying hallucinogen-related information which include keyword-searchable database that offer information regarding personal hallucinogenic experiences, street pricing, scientific articles, and paper clippings related to hallucinogen drugs. Contrary to the thousands of pages available for underground hallucinogen information, limited linked sites were directed towards government agencies that caution users against the dangers of using hallucinogen drugs. Likewise, only few Internet users visit these federally funded databases which are in deep disparity with the number of visits that underground sites receive (Halpern Pope, 2001). With the constantly evolving nature of the Internet, the sources found by Halpern and Pope (2001) represent only a small margin of the overall hallucinogenic-related sites found over the Internet. However, this study only proves that teenagers, being the frequent users of the World Wide Web, can come across pools of hallucinogen-related information just by typing in keywords at the appropriate prompt. Automatically, links after links of sites that supply detailed information concerning botanical and synthetic hallucinogens can be followed by the teenagers. Most of the information found on these sites are unchecked for accuracy and have yet to be described in present addiction and psychiatry textbooks, clinicians as well as the legislative authorities (Senay, 1998; Miller, 1998; cited in Halpern Pope, 2001). In addition to this, as the Internet can serve as a ground for the perpetration of unlawful practices, phony prescriptions can be used by teenagers in order to avail of prescribed drugs that contain certain amount of hallucinogenic substances. Although many reputable online pharmacies require authentic prescriptions before giving out drugs, it cannot be discounted that with todays experienced online users, the authenticity of such prescriptions can be altered. In some instances, there are Internet sites that are made to look both legal and official when in reality, they are not. These sites provide teens with easy-to-fill-out online questionnaire and ask for money; within days, the teen can already receive the drug that he or she purchased online (Hutchinson, 2006). Club-Drug Scenes Adolescence is the period where young individuals usually go out and meet people of their same age to socialize. Various places have been created in order to cater to their needs, and these are the places where they can usually hang-out together and enjoy their lives away from the sight of their parents. Clubs are the most common hang-out for teenagers and adults; these are the venue where they can release their energy and at the same time meet various people. As the number of teenagers who patronize such environment continuously grows, so is the number of these clubs. Hence, the number of club-drug venues and the use of addictive substances have been notably increasing as well. The term club-drug commonly refers to the specific drugs used by teens or even young adults who frequently visit music or dance clubs that are especially geared for their age group. Hallucinogens are often reported as the most common form of substance used in club-drug venues, specifically LSD, Nexus, Ketamine, and Ecstasy. These hallucinogenic drugs are frequently used in a gathering known as â€Å"rave,† a large-scale party carried out in a temporary location that allows participants to dance in trance-like tunes, experience light shows and other special effects, and take drugs. The attendance and participation in these events serve as the affirmation of the individuals involvement in club drugs (Golub, Johnson, Sifaneck, Chesluk, Parker, 2001). Unlike other social events that use traditional media to advertise their future affairs, the promoters of raves do not use such medium in order to market their events to people. Instead, they use underground and semi-spontaneous advertisements, such as word-of-mouth, recorded phone messages, handbills, and the Internet, that are directed towards their desired clientele. As police intervention serves as a serious threat to this event, one technique used by promoters to avoid issues with the authority is to notify the participants about the date and time of the rave through the Internet, and phone numbers are given out for further information (Golub et al. , 2001). Once inside these venues, participants are then welcomed with a special genre of music that enables participants to release their restrictions. Such trance-like experience is further enhanced through the use of psychedelic drugs, which more often than not combine memories, associations, and hallucinations altogether, making the participant feel a sense of enlightenment (Golub et al. , 2001). Although present-day rave music and activities do not come in parallel with that of the hallucinogenic culture during the 1960s, there are still aspects of that period that manifest itself in the raves of today, such as the emphasis on attaining personal enlightenment and the promotion of non-violence through the use of hallucinogenic drugs (Travis, 1997). In addition to this, raves and other events where hallucinogen drugs can be easily obtained such as trance parties and dance clubs are appealing to teenagers because they often serve as a gateway for escaping the stifling apathy of mainstream society by offering a time-out through illegal yet leisurely activities (Golub et al. , 2001). Teenage Vulnerability to Hallucinogen Use One may wonder what makes these illicit drugs so attractive to teens. There are myriads of reasons that can be derived to address this simple question. First, teenagers are very susceptible to use hallucinogenic drugs due to their inquisitive nature as well as their inclination with experimentation. More often than not, the cycle of addiction begins with a mere curiosity. In order to give in to the call of their curious minds, teenagers would then experiment by taking in small amount of the hallucinogenic drug just enough to get them high. As a hallucinogenic substance gives a short-term psychedelic trip that is initially pleasant or more often euphoric, these sensations provide teenagers the false feelings of worry-free life or nirvana. Over time, they will then need more amount of the hallucinogenic drug in order to acquire the same effect and to get the same high as the ones they felt before, thereby launching the cycle of hallucinogen addiction (Hutchinson, 2006). Another reason for the vulnerability of teenagers to hallucinogen drug intake may be attributed to their perception of reduced risk. Because of the so called â€Å"mind expansion† capability of psychedelics that can be bought at a cheaper price compared to other drug counterparts, teenagers tend to overlook the adverse effects of such drugs. Various evidences showed that more and more teenagers consider both Ecstasy and LSD harmless, which perhaps explains the increase experimentation of young people with the said forms of hallucinogenic drugs. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not seen any therapeutic use for hallucinogenic drugs. Likewise, a variety of studies reported that current available psychedelics posit unpredictable effects and substantial risks that may harm the life of its users (Abraham et al., 1996 cited in Hanson, Venturilli, Fleckenstein, 2005). Similar to this is the fact that little media coverage has been devoted to hallucinogen use, and fewer opportunities exist in order to present the adverse effects of the said drugs, thereby contributing to the â€Å"generational forgetting† of teenagers about hallucinogen to the extent that it has even penetrated the school grounds (Johnston, OMalley, Bachman, 1995, p. 12 cited in Travis, 1997, n. p. ). Peer pressure also plays a significant role in a teenagers indulgence in hallucinogenic substances. As the need for acceptance is very much appealing for a teen who does not feel that he or she fits in and does not have high self-esteem, other teens can introduce the use of hallucinogen as a form of welcoming the other teenager. As such, in order to fit into the â€Å"cool† crowd, the teenager would eventually give in to the temptation so as to feel the belongingness that he or she is looking for. Conclusion Based on the facts and information presented in this paper, it is apparent that the illicit use of hallucinogenic drugs is a reemerging public health problem that could greatly affect teenagers. Because of the relatively inexpensive pricing and noncompetitive network of distribution of the hallucinogenic drug as seen in its availability over the Internet and club venues, more and more teenagers are swayed to take such drugs without taking into consideration its adverse health effects. Other factors that affect the consumption of hallucinogenic drugs among teenagers may be attributed to the perception of reduced risks that these drugs pose as well as peer pressure. While it may be true that the off-shoot in the number of teenagers using hallucinogen may not severely threaten law enforcement at this point, if this trend of hallucinogenic use among teenagers will persist, various issues may arise that could affect not only the individual user but the community as a whole. Concerns for public safety are deeply related to the use of hallucinogen. Such can be perceived with the upsurge of income-generating crimes and crimes of violence. It should also not be overlooked that the continuous existence of hallucinogenic drugs presents a great threat on the health and safety of these young individuals. As such, it is therefore critical to place stricter law enforcement efforts in disrupting the production and distribution of hallucinogens so as to avoid their adverse effects not only on the teenage users but the whole societal system as well.

The Civil Rights Movement :: Equality Segregation Racism Essays

The fight for equality and against segregation has always been a noble fight. But is inflicting your rage onto those who have inflicted theirs upon you keep your nobility or just bring yours down to their level? Especially when there is a great deal of violence being used. This never-ending battle between the blacks and the whites has tormented the U.S. for years and still goes on in some areas. During the 1950’s –1960’s the civil rights movement was at its peek. This was when the African-Americans were growing impatient and could not wait a minute longer before they had their constitutional and God given rights. Many peaceful marches, sit-ins, and boycotts were usually always greeted at the end with police, attack dogs, firemen, and ambulances. African- Americans started their own â€Å"police force† called The Black Panther Party so they can supposedly arm themselves against the white people. While others such as Malcolm X tried to convince black people that the whites were not going to help them and that they have to stand up for their own rights. Many riots were also taking place across the nation destroying many cities. After waiting for 300 years so they can have rights that every human being should naturally have they were angry and angry people are not very reasonable. As a result of getting rid of integration many people come up with peaceful marches, sit-ins, and boycotts as a solution. This was when hundreds or maybe thousands of young and old black people gathered around as a group so they can be heard and seen by everyone. Their goals would always vary but they would never stop until they have reached them, even though it may include violence. A good example would be in Birmingham, Alabama on May 2, 1963. Their goals were to try to stop integration in public facilities and department stores. The leaders were Dr. Martin Luther King and Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. Early on April 12, 1963 they were arrested for marching when the governor told them not to. Directly on their release on April 20 they planned their second march. Their second march included a thousand people and when they barely started marching a block away the police commissioner was waiting for them and brutally arrested 900 people. The next day 25,000 people came out to march including many children. This time instead of arresting them they sprayed water and let loose attack dogs. The Civil Rights Movement :: Equality Segregation Racism Essays The fight for equality and against segregation has always been a noble fight. But is inflicting your rage onto those who have inflicted theirs upon you keep your nobility or just bring yours down to their level? Especially when there is a great deal of violence being used. This never-ending battle between the blacks and the whites has tormented the U.S. for years and still goes on in some areas. During the 1950’s –1960’s the civil rights movement was at its peek. This was when the African-Americans were growing impatient and could not wait a minute longer before they had their constitutional and God given rights. Many peaceful marches, sit-ins, and boycotts were usually always greeted at the end with police, attack dogs, firemen, and ambulances. African- Americans started their own â€Å"police force† called The Black Panther Party so they can supposedly arm themselves against the white people. While others such as Malcolm X tried to convince black people that the whites were not going to help them and that they have to stand up for their own rights. Many riots were also taking place across the nation destroying many cities. After waiting for 300 years so they can have rights that every human being should naturally have they were angry and angry people are not very reasonable. As a result of getting rid of integration many people come up with peaceful marches, sit-ins, and boycotts as a solution. This was when hundreds or maybe thousands of young and old black people gathered around as a group so they can be heard and seen by everyone. Their goals would always vary but they would never stop until they have reached them, even though it may include violence. A good example would be in Birmingham, Alabama on May 2, 1963. Their goals were to try to stop integration in public facilities and department stores. The leaders were Dr. Martin Luther King and Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. Early on April 12, 1963 they were arrested for marching when the governor told them not to. Directly on their release on April 20 they planned their second march. Their second march included a thousand people and when they barely started marching a block away the police commissioner was waiting for them and brutally arrested 900 people. The next day 25,000 people came out to march including many children. This time instead of arresting them they sprayed water and let loose attack dogs.

Human Effect on Climate Change Essay

Very few people doubt that it is normal for there to be climate change. The rotation of the earth on a tilted axis leads to this, as well many natural events, like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and hurricanes. However, human activities are having a much greater impact on climate change. For example, the jump in earths’ population from 1950 through 1985 more than doubled from 2. 5 billion to over 5 billion. (Meyer, 1996: 24) The importance of this growth is a drain on the Earths’ resources causing even more altering. It is not as much the altering of these resources that are causing climate change but the type of human activities which are taking place, and the way in which they are impacting the climate. One major influence is increased waste and pollution as a result of burning more fossil fuels. The introduction of chlorofluorocarbons in the mid-20th century, which were used for refrigerants, solvents, and propellants, cause a reaction in the atmosphere that break down the ozone layer. (Meyer, 176) CFL’s and burning of fossil fuel create an added layer of insulation around the earth. Since the earth is naturally surrounded by gases the added human processes cause a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. This is when these gases change and more heat from the sun is retained than before resulting in planetary temperature rise. Changing of seasons and somewhat consistent weather patterns are a normal occurrence on our planet. However, in the past 30 years there have been many natural disasters that can be attributed to climate change and global warming. Massive earthquakes which subsequently cause tsunamis, hurricanes wreaking havoc in areas they never before touched, volcanoes erupting years before the experts predictions and the melting of ice caps causing sea level rise. It is obvious that our normal weather patterns and temperatures have been and are changing. It wasn’t until 1938 when a Mechanical Engineer named Guy Stewart Callendar challenged the Experts. (Weart, 2) Callendar had confirmed more completely than anyone else that his data proved global warming was occurring. Global warming is not climate change but it is a symptom of climate change. Although, Callendar was not a meteorologist, studying weather patterns was his passion and with every spare minute he analysed all the data he could acquire. He showed through his research that as the industrial era was booming it was doing so while burning fossil fuels. These fuels were emitting millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and subsequently adding to the greenhouse effect and climate change. (Weart, 2) This was the first time in recorded history mankind was able to prove humans were damaging the Earths biosphere. Before the great baby boom of the mid-20th century and prior to the industrial revolution in the eighteenth century carbon dioxide levels were at about 265 ppm and today because of human processes it is about 392 ppm. (Pittock,7) Currently carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing about 2 ppm per year and average world temperature is climbing in step with it. Many experts agree that 400 ppm of carbon dioxide will probably cause a temperature rise of about two to four degrees Fahrenheit. (Gossling and Upham, 3-4) If this occurs so many tipping points will have been crossed, or soon will be crossed, that climate change and global warming will become unstoppable, and the point of no return will have been passed. There are a number of potential sources of human activity that impact climate change. A major consideration is that of cause-and-effect, looking at the type of human activities which take place, and then examining the way in which they may be impacting on the climate in order to create change. Some examples are farming with the fabrication and use of fertilizers and pesticides, manufacturing with burning fossil fuels, deforestation, power stations, cars and other vehicles as well as aircraft. The impact from all of them is similar, with the proof being two points. First a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica, which was discovered in the 1970’s. Second an increase in earths’ temperature of approximately two degree Fahrenheit. (Pittock, 78) There is also a potential for additional erosion of the ozone as a result of the continued use of hydro-fluorocarbons. Therefore, it is the output of this consumption process that is having an impact. The emissions made are also those that are seen to cause longer term damage to the ozone layer. The emissions also have an impact on the climate of the earth either directly or indirectly. Directly this includes the emission of carbon dioxide and indirectly the impact of jet aircraft in the way they emit water vapour in their contrails. (Gossling and Upham,42-43) In the late 1950s Walter Orr Roberts a leading astrophysicist noticed that cirrus clouds were forming daily over Boulder, Co. (Weart, 66) Orr observed that Jet contrails were mixing with the existing cirrus cloud formations to the point of not being able to distinguish between either. This phenomenon was occurring daily my mid-afternoon from the heavy airline traffic. (Weart, 66) The fuels used by aircraft are the main problems. Aviation fuel is made up mostly of kerosene, which originates from fossil fuels. (Gossling and Upham, 311) There are two main problems with the combustion of kerosene by the aircraft; the waste products they produce are major pollutants as well as the carbon dioxide and water vapour. Both of these have a negative impact on the atmosphere. (Weart, 132-133) If we consider the problem of carbon dioxide, it needs to be remembered that aviation fuel is only one source of this pollution, and as such, it is adding to the overall totals that are creating climate change and global warming. The creation of added clouds by water from jet exhaust adds to the global warming effect and climate change by trapping more heat in earths’ atmosphere. The increased amount of particles in the air that help trap the heat from escaping from the earth’s atmosphere are one of the culprits of the greenhouse effect. This has been achieved by pollution put into the atmosphere over the last century, most notably since the industrial revolution (Meyer, 37). Since then there has been a greater and greater amount of waste containing carbon, as well as other gases and chemicals, burned and released into the atmosphere. Also, during this time there has been large scale deforestation and the carbon that was contained in these large areas, locked away in the wood was then released directly into the atmosphere (Meyer, 60). The increase in carbon from the release due to deforestation alone is projected at accounting for 15% of the greenhouse effect between 1990 and 2025 (Meyer, 61). When we then consider the relatively high amounts of carbon in other deposits such as coal that is burned for power we can start to appreciate why the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are increasing. The earth’s atmosphere has always contained several types of gases. It also has a certain percentage of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. (Meyer, 1996: 150) Carbon dioxide lets the short wave length radiation from the sun through and then the rays hit the earth and warm it. The earth re-radiates longer wave length heat radiation but the carbon dioxide won’t let most of this long wave radiation out again. (Pittock, 7) As carbon dioxide levels increase in the atmosphere, the more trapped heat and the hotter the earth gets. However, we need some carbon dioxide in the atmosphere otherwise all the sun’s heat would be lost and temperatures would drop by ninety one degrees Fahrenheit and we would quickly freeze to death. Therefore, the climate is being changed as a result of increasing levels of carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons being placed into the atmosphere, which is helping to retain heat and as a result is having an impact on climate, increasing the temperature of the planet and impacting on natural processes. Under current conditions it is estimated that by the end of the 21st century global sea level temperatures could rise as much as thirty nine degrees Fahrenheit. (Gossling and Upham, 3-4) Obviously, if this happens life will once again recycle on planet earth.

Literature Review of Queer Theory Essay - 3042 Words

Introduction As being developed by poststructuralism, feminism, lesbian amp; gay studies and even American pragmatist theory (Parker,2001; Seidman,1997), queer theory has become one of the most important theories, which contributes to the research of sociology, arts and organizations. On the one hand, queer theory has been used to study the relations between the sexuality, gender and workplace. On the other hand, by utilizing denaturalized, deconstructive and performative methods to queer the presumptions of the taken-for-granted norms, queer theorists question and disprove the traditions which people cherish (Seidman,1995). The purpose of this review is to narrate and provide the details of published academic studies about the†¦show more content†¦For queer theorists, identity has been constructed through performativity, which is based on the opinion of Judith Butler. Butler (1990, p.25) believed that â€Å" there is no gender identity behind the expression of gender; that identity is performatively constituted by the very ‘expressions’ that are said to be its results.† In other words, there is not any factor to produce the identity, but identity creates itself through performativity. One should imitate and repeat the gender expression again and again according to norms, then the identity will be constituted, which also shows that identity is fluid and constructed. Moreover, Jenkins (2000,2004) stated that a dynamic social process generates identity, so identity is not static but fluid and dynamic. Thirdly, queers challenge the categories as well as binaries of sexual and gender by questioning the categories and binaries’ reasonability. Queer theorists concern about how and why the categories of gender and sexuality are shaped, thinking the main reason is to better control people so as to achieve political goals. 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Pascoe begins her book with a literature review on the evolution of feminist and gender studies while illustrating its interconnectedness with queer and critical racial theory. She integrates major theorists such as, Michel Foucault, Eve Sedgwick, and Judith Butler in ways that make it easy for the reader to follow and understand. The literature review also analyzes high schools as an institution that highly ritu alizes and reaffirms genderRead MoreThe Feminist Theory Of Animal Studies924 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussion. Taking this into consideration, animal studies is a new and edgy field, especially in the context of feminist theory. The general findings of this paper include patriarchal establishments, and speciesism as an institution of oppression influencing and interconnected with sexism. However, this literature review will not explore the connections of animal studies within queer theory due to insufficient research, though the connections among homophobia, speciesism, and animality are abundant andRead MoreRelationship Between Platonic And Romantic Relationships1477 Words   |  6 Pagesthat some couples choose to remain in their relationships even when they perceive their relationship to be of poor satisfaction and/or stability (Karney Bradbury, 1995). Interestingly enough, the sexuality of sexual-minority (lesbian, bisexual, queer, unlabeled, questioning, etc.) females who are currently in a committed relationship has received little to no attention within the research community (Christopher Sprecher, 2000), even though it is estimated that approximately 40 to 65% of sexualRead MoreTheory Description And Key Terms2452 Words   |  10 PagesTheory Description and Key Terms Gender identity is one’s personal sense of identity within their own gender, which in most societies consists of membership in two groups: males and females (Carlson Heth, 2009). In Western societies, gender binary exists, classifying gender and sex into the opposite, disconnected structures of masculinity and femininity (Garber, 1997; Rosenblum, 2000). This division of genders creates a barrier, discouraging individuals from crossing society’s idea of normalRead MoreEssay On Diversity Education And Police Violence1037 Words   |  5 Pageshave created a gap in the conversation. To explore more perspectives and build on one of my solutions I also incorporated research from the best seller Blink, that discusses an approach to racism through the psychological theory of rapid cognition. In Blink, Gladwell uses the theory of rapid cognition to explore the case of Diallo, an immigrant murdered by police without reason. The author’s use of Diallo is similar to mi ne as he uses the cases of victims to better demonstrate his case as I did with