Group Thinking or Group Mind by Doris Lessing Free Essay Example, 500 words

ï » ¿Group Thinking or Group Mind by Doris Lessing 1. Examine the theme in the context of the essay. What does the writer say about the theme? Clearly explain the point the writer makes; what purpose does it serve? The theme of the essay is group thinking or group mind. Doris Lessing argues that group mind is disadvantageous, sometimes to the point of being lethal, when people lose their ability to think critically against their group and to act individually to do what is right. She wants people to examine their lives and to determine if they truly are free people, or they are mere sheep who mindlessly follow their groups. Her primary goals are for people to criticize their groups, so that they will not be automatically obeying them, and for them to assert their free will. People should learn to leave their group box behind and to find a reasonable â€Å"thinking† distance, where they can detach their emotions and thoughts from the group and fully think as free, rational individuals. Lessing understands that to do is not easy and it can make people uneasy. We will write a custom essay sample on Group Thinking or Group Mind by Doris Lessing or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now But if they want to take advantage of their liberal norms and infrastructures, the more that they should apply it- the idea of being an individual, despite being part of a group. 2. Draw upon sources outside the essay to further discuss the theme: Discuss and reflect upon that theme with reference to your personal experience, other written or visual texts (such as films), or events in the world at large. Many people have forgotten to think and to question their beliefs that come from their groups. They have stopped criticizing the status quo because their groups are part of it and might even be benefitting from it. But what if the status quo is not the best of human reality? What if we can do better, if only we analyzed and criticized our group norms and conduct? Lessing mentions the Milgram experiment as one of the key examples of groupthink. I also offer the Stanford experiment and people who follow religious dogma or believe in politicians witho ut criticizing the latter’s beliefs and behaviors. These experiments demonstrate the flaws of group thinking, which are the loss of free will and independence in thoughts and actions and inability to question prevailing group norms for fear of being ostracized. Indeed, most people are social animals. They want to belong to a group. They want a group to accept them. Group acceptance and its maintenance can have its repercussions. People should learn to question their groups too, but they cannot do that if their groups oppose criticism and changes. 3. Engage critically with the writer's ideas. Agree/disagree with the writer with reasons and examples. I agree with Lessing that group think is dangerous because it can lead to prejudice, discrimination and preservation of unethical norms and conduct, but I believe that one kind of group thinking is actually helpful, the group mind of critical thinkers who are open to self and group criticism. Group thinking is part of human behavior and not something peculiar to Nazi Germans only. But as with the Nazis and the Milgram experiment, group minds can be dangerous. Having one mind can be fatal when it results to discrimination and genocide. This is an extreme case, which we read from the news, especially in countries, such as in Africa, where genocide persists, as one dominating ethnic group persecute, displace, and slaughter minority groups. Some of groupthink’s consequences are not so directly lethal, but can still be considered nationally and individually fatal. An example i s gay hate that comes from traditional religious groups. I witnessed a number of â€Å"religious† teens beat up a gay boy. I reported the incident, but up to now, I feel like sheep for not saying anything during that time. Group mind can be a poisonous process, which can preserve unethical norms and conduct. Corporate fraud, for instance, shows â€Å"groupthink, † when numerous executives and employees believe that it is right to misstate financial accounts because it is acceptable to their group. Their thinking deceived so many stakeholders, without them considering that what they are doing as unethical and illegal. Nevertheless, one groupthink can have positive results. For instance, the group mind of critical thinkers who are open to self and group criticism can be promoted across sectors and industries. Their norms must be openness, creativity, flexibility, and criticism. This way, they will not see change as anti-group and criticism as death-for-the-group. They can use their thinking as individuals to enhance their individual and group identities. Work Cited Lessing, Doris. â€Å"Group Minds. † Class Material.

Speech On Sleep Deprivation And College Students - 1305 Words

Dilan Behrle Topic: Sleep Deprivation Organization: Topically Specific Purpose: Sleep and college students usually don’t tend to get along very well. Sleep and college life often bump heads due to stress, coursework and social activities. This speech will give the students useful information about dangers of not getting enough sleep and also hints on how to get a better nights sleep. INTRODUCTION A. Attention Getter: Did you know 40% of Americans or (100 million people) are moderately to severely sleep-deprived? Students in college are among the most sleep deprived out of them all. According to the (National Sleep Foundation 2011) 60% of college students are not rested during the day and 30% fall asleep in class at least once a week. The National Sleep Foundation also implies that adults 18 and older are supposed to sleep on average 7-9 hours each night. B. Relevance: Sleep and college life often seem to bump heads. With pulling All-nighters, stress and socializing it makes it difficult when a college student has the freedom to sleep whenever they want but the work that goes along with college makes it difficult to have the best of both worlds. C. Credibility Statement: All of this info written is well researched, from reputable experts on the matter like National Sleep Foundation, The Better Sleep Council, Journal of Sleep and the Research American of Sleep Medicine. D. Central Idea: Many college students have struggles with sleep and sleep deprivation. AndShow MoreRelatedSleep Deprivation Persuasive Speech1577 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Persuasive Speech for Students’ Chronic Sleep Deprivation Introduction: A. Attention Getting Opening: Over the past ten to twenty years, academic demands placed upon college students have increased significantly, this has lead to an increase in workload and amount of time needed to study for a specific course. Today, college students represent the most sleep-deprived division of the population in the U.S. (Sleep and Memory). According to Gayla Martindale, 63% percent of the students who attendRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children974 Words   |  4 PagesII. Beginning of Speech Introduction 1. My opening/attention getting material is as follows: Sleep deprivation was a factor in some of the biggest disasters for example the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the massive Exxon oil spill, and the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl. 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Results have found sleep deprivation can cause lack of attention, inability to concentrate, auditory dysfunctionRead MoreSleep Deprivation And Sleep Deficiency1774 Words   |  8 PagesKevin Touch Ms. Acosta-Mata English 4 AP 6 Oct. 2015 Sleep Deprivation: A Bane to Men, Women and Children alike It was 12:30 am in the morning and Israel Joubert and his family was driving home after a family reunion. Joubert had hoped to get to his workplace on time at 8 am in the town of Fort Worth. However in the midst of his driving, Joubert fell asleep at the wheel resulting in a crash of the family’s Chevy Suburban into the rear of a parked 18-wheeler. Although one of his sons and he hadRead MoreStress Student959 Words   |  4 PagesOutline for informative speech Purpose:   To inform the audience about student stress.   Thesis:   Today I will discuss about sources and effects of student stress and efficient ways to manage this emotional and physical strain. Organizational Pattern:   I. Introduction    A. Attention Getter   According to the Student Living Report 2002, an ongoing survey of student experiences carried out by MORI for the UNITE Group, more than half of students (53%) said they had become more

Personal Goals and Mission Free Essays

PERSONAL GOALS AND MISSION 1 –~———————— †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. PERSONAL GOALS AND MISSION 2 Everyone wants to be Successful in life, and I believe a key success factor is the ability to set and achieve goals. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Goals and Mission or any similar topic only for you Order Now I have learned that long term goals are best achieved when I break them into shorter goals. I live my life by three terms Believe, Achieve, and Succeed. I am destined for great things if I stay focused on what is important to me in order to excel in my future. I have noticed organization plays a major role in setting goals, and in life. I prioritize my goals, long term first they give me a sense of direction and purpose. I then create short term goals to relate to my long term. I was a person that second guessed me at times. I was unsure of where I was headed in life until I asked myself a few questions. What are some things I’m passionate about? Where do I see myself in the next five years? What is the process of accomplishing it? After answering these questions I began to set goals for myself. My three long term goals are operating and owning my very own Salon and Spa, Buy my first home, and start a family. These goals I intend to achieve in the next five to ten years. My short term goals are save money, succeed academically, and stay committed to my significant other. I’m aware that these goals will take time, and there are many obstacles that I will have to face during the process. My first long term goal is to own a Salon and Spa. Since I was a young girl I have always had a passion for doing hair, and make-up. My creativity allowed me to try different styles on people. I began to do hair out of my house, and I noticed the number of clients I had doubled. Research and networking with different Salon owners motivated me to want to own a Salon. There is hard work that is invested into owning a business. I have to first educate myself on how to begin the process of owning a Salon. This is the main reason why I enrolled into the Business Management Course at Cardinal Stritch. I plan to succeed academically, in order to accomplish this long term goal. I know I will have to stay focused at home and school. I will spend less time watching TV, and hanging out with friends. There will be more time dedicated to completing all PERSONAL GOALS AND MISSION 3 my assignments, and participate in each and every class. I plan to ask for additional help from my instructors on work that is a challenge for me. There will be times where I think this course is a bit too much, but I have decided that no matter how hard the process gets I will stay focused. I work full time to support myself, and now school I can honestly say my plate is full with important responsibilities. Time management is a skill I must work on. I always say to myself I wish there were more hours in a day. That statement proves I lack time management. Planning my day and following through with it, will allow me to get more task accomplished. Life happens and random things may occur where I might get side tracked. Ifl try my best to stay on track I know this plan will never fail. Buying my first home is my second long term goal. I believe this decision is one of the most important choices you can make in life. You have to plan accordingly, and save money. Achieving this goal may take ten years or even longer. Before I begin the home buying process I  ·first have to work through essential considerations, like my objectives. I would consider accommodating my family members, right size square footage and cost ofliving space to my budget and lifestyle. Establishing my financial foundation is a short term goal during this process. I must boost my credit score first, by paying off old debts, boosting my income, and pay all my bills on time. This may be done if I manage my money correctly, and limit my spending on unnecessary things. Making this major decision will inquire some assistance, so I will definitely need to find a great Realtor. That person would guide me through the steps to buying my dream home. My last long term goal is to start a family. I am extremely close to my siblings and parents. Our relationships are very important to me. I was raised in a home with three sisters and one brother. There seemed to always be some activities occurring in the house. We enjoyed PERSONAL GOALS AND MISSION 4 discussing our days, doing homework together and even being silly around one another. I had several friends who were born to broken families, so they spent most of their free time at my house. I believe my parents did an amazing job raising me. I value life and appreciate everything they have done for me. The same morals and values my parents taught me I want to teach my children one day. Marriage is a must before I have a baby. I am currently in a relationship with my best friend. We complement each other in every way possible. He is my number one supporter, and I see myself spending the rest of my life with him. This relationship is important because we have to want to the same things as far as children before we say â€Å"I do. † I feel it is important to be financially stable and prepared before a family is started. I expect different obstacles to stand in my way, which you can never be ready for each and every one. Being a critical thinker and great problem solver will allow me to find solutions to these road blocks. I have an incredible partner who strategizes with me to solve issues we are faced with. I chose to wait until my late twenties to start conceiving children. I feel I’m much more mature, and have a solid plan for the future. I believe long term goals are major accomplishments you hope to achieve in your life. There may be trials and tribulations I may endure before reaching the finish line, living by my personal Mission I am guaranteed to succeed. I have prioritized my goals from the most important to least. Short term goals have been established to support them, and I am confident in my plans. How to cite Personal Goals and Mission, Papers