How To Make Personal Branding Work For You

How To Make Personal Branding Work For You In Houman Harouni’s recent article critiquing the format of TED talks, he brushes lightly on the idea of self-commoditization, and how that was once a distasteful thing. That ought to make some readers squirm; personal branding has become the default setting, it seems, for online existence. Maybe it doesn’t make you squirm. But it makes me squirm. I’ve never been completely comfortable with the idea of a person being their own brand, even if folks like actor Kevin Hart have completely embraced it. Leaked Sony emails prompted a response from Hart in a post on his Instagram account. â€Å"I look at myself as a brand.† How you see yourself, and therefore, the content you create, will dictate how you will handle your online existence. It will determine whether you’ll have multiple social accounts and how you will approach your blog content. Is Personal Branding The Right Path For You? via @JulieNeidlingerWhat Is Personal Branding? The first chapter of Jon Ronson’s excellent book So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed tells the story of his confrontation with three men who had created, in the name of academic study, a fake Jon Ronson Twitter account. The fake account tweeted out random things that appeared mildly nonsensical, and suggested Ronson was a foodie. Ronson finally confronted the men, asking them to take the account down. During this discussion, the issue of personal branding came up. Ronson expressed his annoyance at the situation, claiming that they were stealing his identity even in the face of admitting that no, he wasn’t the only Jon Ronson out there. One of the men, Dan, responded that they were annoyed by Ronson. â€Å"We think there’s already a layer of artifice and it’s your online personality- the brand Jon Ronson- you’re trying to protect. Yeah?† The argument continued as Ronson tried to explain that was not the case. Dan pointed out that Ronson was one of the â€Å"few† people using their real name on Twitter. â€Å"Who does that?† he asked. â€Å"And that’s why I’m suspicious of your motives, Jon. That’s why I say I think you’re using it as brand management.† While the entire discussion is an entertaining read (and yes, the fake account was pulled down with the help of the Internet shaming these men into doing so), Ronson was clearly displeased with the idea that he was mostly upset about the fake account because it could hurt his personal brand. Wikipedia has some interesting language when talking about what personal branding is: Personal branding is the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands. While previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal-branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging. It’s all about how you package yourself up. It’s as much about what you put in as what you leave out (which Ronson also talks about in chapter 11’s discussion on skewing Google search results to bury anything bad about you). In order for personal branding to work, you have to know who it is you want to present yourself to, and how you ought to appear. You can’t package yourself up if you don’t know what kind of package your desired audience prefers. You have to know what your â€Å"brand assets† are, and what â€Å"brand liabilities† might be floating around. You have to know how to control what is associated with you. For personal branding to work, know who you'll chat with, and how you'll appear.This, probably, is what put Ronson off. The idea of wrenching yourself this way and that to fit what people want of you instead of being who you are. Unfortunately, even if you don’t like the idea, your online trail is, by default, creating a personal brand. The things you say, post, create, and participate in are all being gathered into an easily found collection, compliments of the search engine. In some way, Ronson was correct: by messing with a person’s online brand (whether he wanted to call it that or not), you can participate in a kind of identity theft. Your personal brand is your online identity, and it is becoming a bigger and bigger part of your entire identity, including offline, every day. Personal Branding: What’s Your Type? Personal branding isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. No personal brand is ever purely honest in the sense that you live your entire life unvarnished for the world to see. Personal branding is very much â€Å"photoshopped† into fitting the niche we want to belong to and the identity that attracts the largest audience we are aiming for. Some of us are more comfortable with that than others. That’s where types come in. Type 1: Comfortable with personal branding. If you’re a Type 1, you’re a completely open book. You’re open for business 24/7, and anything you do online falls into place with a carefully constructed brand made up of you. You firmly believe that by putting everything out there, and being as real and personal as you can be, people will latch on and become die-hard fans. It’s likely you are right. However, even the most aggressive personal brand supporter understands that you have some elements of personality or interest that don’t fit the brand. You make business and content decisions according to what you feel fit the picture you are painting of yourself. I'm a type 1 personal brand. Check this out to find your personal branding strengths!Structure: The light table. Everything you do online must fit the brand you want to create. That means you must have a kind of â€Å"light table† in which you hold up everything against to see if it matches the brand you’ve outlined. Every comment you make, every piece of content you share, everything you write- it must align with your personal brand. You don’t get to be controversial and share or create contentious content, unless your brand is one of being controversial. Summation: How you want others to see and understand you is at the forefront of every business and content decision you make. Action: Always open, always on. If you’re serious about your personal brand, you’ll protect it at any cost. Its demise will affect your personal life and your very identity, since they are so closely connected. While you are always open and available for discussion, conversation, and engagement, you are also always on. If you’re an introvert, this is going to be tough. All that interaction with other people will drain you. If, however, you love people, this doesn’t seem so bad. Summation: Any person who connects with your personal brand, no matter the time or setting, gets your full attention. Type 2: Not comfortable with personal branding, but wanting to participate in content marketing. If you’re at all a bit like me, you’re not wholly comfortable thinking of yourself as a brand. Other marketers who are won’t understand your reluctance, but I get it. You want to tap into the power of content marketing because you have a product or service to sell online, but you don’t want to feel as if you are selling your soul. The key to making this work is to allow yourself to have a â€Å"multi-faceted† identity without feeling guilty about it. Enthusiastic Type 1’s will never preach a message you understand; they are always going to trumpet authenticity and always being connected to your fans. You must be able to take the things that they can teach you and still maintain an unbranded identity that you protect. Structure: Compartments. You’ll want to compartmentalize, including how you spend your day (e.g. definitive work times and personal time) and the kind of access you allow people online (e.g. personal contact only with people you are personally connected to). For example, I have a rule of no work or work-related conversation after 6 pm. I walk away from the computer, shut my office door, and go do other things. When I’m with family or friends, conversations with followers online cease no matter what time of day. No phone, no computer. This keeps that online brand from bleeding into the life I’m living with the people around me. You might have a blog that you use to create content in your niche, but a personal, unpublicized blog that you use to share vacation photos or rants on. Summation: Branded content stays in one section, personal content stays in another. Action: Defend the inner circle. You’ll want to create a clear separation between your â€Å"real† self and your â€Å"branded† self in how you behave online. This isn’t about being a hypocrite, or an excuse for horrid anonymous behavior. Instead, you’ve merely identified some boundaries and determined under what settings and which people can cross them. I'm a type 2  personal brand. Find your personal branding strengths in this post.It’s similar to compartmentalizing, but a more aggressive and protective approach the the very core of what you think you must protect in order to not feel like you sold out. This means you’ll probably have multiple social accounts, one with your branded name or personality and another that you use for people you connect with outside of the business realm. There are a few ways you can do this: Multiple social accounts. Restrictive privacy settings. Restrictions on over-sharing personal life. I have social accounts with my name, which readers of my content know, but I have other accounts with nicknames that I use with family and friends. The latter is where I spend most of my time and share the links that might not have anything to do with the brand image, instead thinking â€Å"hey, dad would think this is interesting† and using that as a motivation. On Facebook, I only add people I know personally as Friends, and limit conversation and access to many posts to an even smaller list of close friends. I do allow people to follow if they want. I firmly believe that the people I follow and the conversations I listen to can affect me, and not always in good ways. So I set the boundary to be one of people I know care about me as a person and aren’t arguing just because they want to. Summation: Aggressively protect your private life, even from well-meaning and eager fans. Type 3: Not comfortable with personal branding, and unable to participate in traditional content marketing. There are days when I tip toward Type 3, and I can fully see myself, someday, ending up in this category. For those of you who fit this description, that’s OK. You can still enjoy the creative benefits of blogging and creating online. Structure: Invisible cloak. Start by getting off of any social media account you don’t need. And by need, I would say you use it purely to connect to the actual people in your life who you care about. Your entire thinking will have to be, essentially, backwards to how online life is now seen. You can still enjoy many of the apps and sites, but you aren’t going to have an eye for creating images, sharing photos, or writing content that attempts to create a persona. You are unabashedly you, unplanned, unpromoted, unapologetic, unassuming. Summation: You don’t care if people see you, nor how they see you. You take no planned action to control either. Action: Close the gates. If you have any kind of online presence, even an unbranded one, the invading horde will always be clamoring at the gate. It’s the nature of the Internet. Take some practical steps to cut off the entrance. Turn off blog comments. Reduce social media accounts to bare minimum, if any. Use a nickname in forums and discussions, connected to a non-revealing email account. Don’t share your content on social media, or publicize it in any way. Avoid apps and other tools that have a social profile component built in (e.g. Disqus, WordPress’s Gravatar, etc.) In other words, break all the content marketing rules you’ve ever heard, and do it without guilt or expecting the same results you’d get if you followed them. You can do that if you want to. It’s OK. Create content for the joy you get in creating it, whether anyone sees what you create or not. It is more than OK to be indifferent to what people think of you, or if they think of you at all. You might be pretty lonely, and you probably won’t sell unless you have something so amazing that this severe level of exclusivity drives people mad to throw money at you, but you will, at least, avoid the sense of branding yourself. Summation: Avoid or deflect any involvement which seems draining or excessive, taking measures to reduce any opportunity for it to happen. I'm a type 3 personal brand. Read this post to find your personal branding strengths.What Does Your Personal Brand Look Like? Your personal brand can, of course, evolve. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been less inclined to live so publicly online as I was ten or more years ago. I’ve also noticed that when people start out online with the goal to make a living there, they start as a Type 1. As their audience grows and their reputation and renown grow with it, the need for affirmation lessens and they slide toward Type 2. Then, when you become Elvis, you can be Type 3.

Global health issues(focus on AIDS) Literature review

Global health issues(focus on AIDS) - Literature review Example Mondal and Shitan (2013) present a different point of view, proposing that the factors contributing to the rapid spread of AIDS include higher adolescent fertility, which increases the risk of HIV. The factors limiting the spread of the disease include cultural restrictions like those of Muslims and the sufficiency of medical personnel. Coovadia and Hadingham (2005) and Milbank Memorial Fund (2004) point out that the search for solutions to the AIDS pandemic has included the formation of different international funds; the major target of these efforts has been poorer regions, but the mitigation measures seem not to reverse the rapid spread of AIDS. In particular, Milbank Memorial Fund (2004) discussed the efforts of the US towards combating the AIDS pandemic, where it pledged to given USD 15 billion, over the 5-year period that started in 2003. Mondal and Shitan (2013) and Alfsen (2004) point out that, the efforts of combating the crisis have included increasing the numbers of physicians in practice, as well as relying on religious restrictions. Alfsen (2004), Morrison (2001) and WHO (2011) in particular, stated that the national efforts aimed at addressing the problem include the introduction of antiretroviral therapy. In addition to the supply of antiretroviral medication and treatment, the World Health Organizat ion has partnered with national government in preventing the spread, through the initiation of behavior change programs; care delivery, strengthening healthcare systems and increasing the availability of HIV/AIDS information (WHO, 2014). CDC (2012) and Alfsen (2004) point out that, more advanced medical-related efforts of addressing the spread of AIDS have included the funding of research, with the aim of developing virucides and microbicides. The AIDS pandemic has been intensifying globally, despite that some regions are affected more. Lewis,

Acceptance of Homosexuality in the Society Essay - 2

Acceptance of Homosexuality in the Society - Essay Example The above statistics and conclusions clearly point towards genetic factors involved in homosexuality. Even though the percentage has slight differences, both identical twins and fraternal twins shows the tendency of becoming homosexuals if they genetic elements of homosexuality. The possibility of existence of homosexuality gene is widely discussed at present. â€Å"Although biologists are still far from answering this question, scattered evidence for a possible gene influencing sexual orientation has recently encouraged scientists to map out a guide to future research† (Is there a homosexuality gene?). Even though, such a gene has not been discovered yet, many of the biologists are confident of identifying such a gene which will answer all the questions related to the reasons of homosexuality. â€Å"Writing in the scientific journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers from Queen Marys School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm report that genetics and environmental factors are important determinants of homosexual behavior† (Homosexual behavior due to genetics and environmental factors). Homosexuality is common in military. This is not because of genetic factors, but because of the environmental factors. Soldiers are not getting any opportunities for heterosexual activities and they will rely on homosexuality for relieving their sexual energy. Sexual activities are not only a biological need, but also a psychological need. If not relived properly, sexual energy can create immense problems to the living things.

Moving From Colleague To Supervisor

Moving From Colleague To Supervisor 1. Managers can use the wrong type of leadership because each team must use the appropriate strategy for management and leadership, which will create the most favorable conditions of the collective work. I think that in this situation the companies have poor socio-psychological climate. So, the relations with colleges and socio-psychological factors are the most important for the selecting of leadership style. However, exactly this area of management, which is linked to managers relationship with his subordinates, plays a key position in terms of the success of the head as a whole. No matter how talented and hard-working boss is, but if his efforts are not supported by his subordinates a result is unlikely to be particularly successful. It is evident that each manager chooses the style that best suits him for a specific company, and under his personality type. But here are some important tips that can be taken into account: the leader must understand that the company as a single organism. It lives according to certain laws both the general business laws, as well as their own, which exist only inside the company. It is therefore important to feel the unity of the company, and in accordance with this pick a style guide, which will be the most harmonious. In our case of Chery Kahn, Rob Carstons, and Linda McGee, who were promoted into management positions , the leaders must take into account the psychology of people who work with the leaders and remember that first of all people do the business! Any new leader faces with the question: what kind of management style to choose? There are different types of management: soft, hard, democratic or totalitarian. It is vitally important for the manager to choose the appropriate method of leadership in the particular company, taking into consideration the specific of the company and its team of employees. If the manager can not choose the style of company management, it means that he does not possess the necessary knowledge in the field of managing people. Such a person may be the best employee, but does not know the psychology of management and psychology of team leadership. Then the person can not become a member of the team and become its leader. In such a case a person must pass training on the management of company and personal effectiveness. Some assistance can provide the model F. Fiedler, that help to choose the management style. There are different leaders: the head who is task oriented, and the head who is focused on interpersonal relations. Using special tools installed, future manager can decide what type of leader he belongs to. This and other training and techniques can help to select the desired style of management, and follow it. (Bennis, W 1998) 3. Leadership is an art, it requires professionalism, intelligence and specific skills. There are such types as authoritarian style, democratic, passive and individualized. It is clear that each manager chooses the style that best suits him for a specific company, and under your personality type. But here are some important tips that can be taken into account: The leader must understand that the company is as a single organism, it lives according to certain laws both the general business laws, as well as their own, which exist only inside the company. It is therefore important to feel the unity of the company, and in accordance with this pick a style guide, which will be the most harmonious. It is important to remember that nothing stands still, everything is moving and changing. The head also should not stand still, he should grow up, get additional education, constantly learn new things and innovate in the company. Then it will keep pace with rapidly changing times and avoid stagnation. Therefore, the selected style guide should take into account the need for changes in the company. Consider the psychology of people who work with the leader. Remember that business is people first, and only then technology. Therefore, for any manager its important to pick a team that everyone was not only in its place, but also successfully coped with their responsibilities and was able to more effectively reach their potential, because it depends on the success of the company. (Tittemore 2003) So, I must conclude that when selecting the style of leadership, future leaders must take into account the psychological features of the team. Â  In the companies where work Chery Kahn, Rob Carstons, and Linda McGee there is some conspiracy, when people are polite, but there is no sincere relationship, people hide their views. In such a team leader Chery Kahn, Rob Carstons, and Linda McGee does not know how to resolve conflicts, reach consensus not developed loyalty to the staff team and the manager. Teams do not have mutual understanding and trust between employees, which means integrity and honesty with concern for the good of everyone. Therefore, I think that when choosing the leadership style, managers first need to find common goals: To achieve personal understanding;Â   Seek opportunities for regular joint problem-solving; To establish trust between employees and teams. (Adams and Shields, 1994) If to consider the current cases of Chery Kahn, Rob Carstons, and Linda McGee, who were promoted into management positions, I think they need to select a democratic style of governance, which is characterized by the distribution of authority, initiative and responsibility between the manager and deputy, the leader and subordinates. are the main characteristics of the style: manager always seeks the views of staff on important industrial issues, but takes decisions as a body; communication with subordinates is in the form of requests, suggestions, recommendations, advice, rewards for quality and operational work, friendly and polite, if necessary apply orders; the head tries to stimulate a favorable psychological climate in the team, defends the interests of subordinates. (Tittemore 2003) I think that this management style will help managers to improve relations in the team and become good leaders. 4. Promotion of employees to leadership position as well as a new outsider leader can be important news in the company, and always a change in the team. The staff and employees may not always well react on promotions of colleagues. In such a situation it becomes difficult to establish relationships between employees and the new leader. But if the new manager came from another company, it is even harder to become a leader, because he does not know the team, does not know the rules of the company and its climate. He needs to learn everything and adapt to new conditions, and choose a style of leadership. So I believe that promotion within the company is more successful. First of all, the new head already knows his subordinates, he knows the psychological climate of the company. In this situation, head should better choose a democratic style of management, and to remain on friendly terms with the team, but do not become an authoritarian leader, that may spoil relations with the colleges.

”More Than Just the Disease” by Bernard McLaverty Essay

‘More Than Just the Disease’, written by Bernard McLaverty has one major character, Neil. The story is seen through his eyes and illustrates the problems that he has to deal with at this point in his life. Arguably the biggest problem Neil has in the story is his psoriasis, this is also a contributor to another of his problems, which is his huge lack of confidence, and it also contributes in a profound way to his insecurity. McLaverty has written the character of Neil Fry with many quite complex problems one of which is the astonishing influence Mrs Fry – Neil’s mother – has on him. He frequently hears her voice in his head commanding him, telling him how he should act, what he should do in certain situations and how to feel on certain matters. This occurs when Neil is having breakfast with Michael’s family. His mother, without being present, tells him that he should, â€Å"Close his mouth when he is eating† she goes on to say, â€Å"Others have to live with you Neil.† He hears her again when he is unpacking after arriving at Michael’s holiday home. She says â€Å"Be tidy at all times and then no one can surprise you†. I could go on for pages listing more and more instances of this but I won’t get any marks for doing that! I regress. Although Mrs Fry means absolutely no harm, in fact quite the opposite, when implanting these views, ideas and reactions into Neil’s head, she is actually contributing to many of Neil’s problems: such as his lack of confidence, his ignorance and his insecurity. Neil finds, when he goes to stay with Michael on the coast, that his mother is entirely wrong about the middle classes and how they live and behave. He finds contrary to his expectations that they do not fit the stereotype, they are not ‘posh’ but in fact they are reasonably laid back. Neil is very insecure possibly, again, owing to his mother’s domination over him and because â€Å"Neil kept hearing his mother’s voice† A good example of this is him going to the bathroom to put on his pyjamas and buttoning the jacket right up to the neck, whereas Michael while â€Å"bending his arms and flexing his biceps† announces proudly; â€Å"I only wear pyjama bottoms†. This, as well as illustrating Neil’s insecurity, also is a good illustration of Neil’s massive under confidence and Michael’s abundance of it. Neil lives in a very sheltered world and does not know a lot about the world beyond his home and school life. This is evident in one instance in particular; when Neil is making an excuse for not going swimming to hide his psoriasis he says, â€Å"The fact is†¦I’ve got my period.† Mrs Wan helps Neil with his lack of confidence. She is a duchess and owns the house in which Michael and his family stay throughout the summer. While doing this she lives in a dirty caravan at the bottom of the garden with her â€Å"millions† of cats. Mrs Wan proves another one of Mrs Fry’s stereotypes is utter nonsense, she does not dress as expected – not at all glamorously – but does not seem to be interested in her appearance in the slightest. McLaverty describes her as being, â€Å"An old woman in a bottle green cardigan and baggy mouse coloured trousers and†¦a pair of men’s leather gloves.† She is a complete contrast to Mrs Fry who likes to be â€Å"tidy at all times† and â€Å"cannot abide milk bottles at the table†. If, with no background information you were asked to choose the duchess between the two of them it is most likely that Mrs Fry would be the one chosen. Mrs Wan, although only meeting Neil briefly, has a large influence on him, which is rather more positive than that of his mother’s. She listens to his and seems interested in his opinions’ and experiences’. Most importantly, however, she gives him confidence, the confidence to reveal his psoriasis instead of making excuses to get out of going swimming. She shares her experience of lepers with him this also helps him and boosts his confidence in a big way. The end of the story illustrates very well how Mrs Wan’s advice affects Neil. The closing scene could be taken as a symbol for life. Neil because of his under confidence dabbles in the shallows nervously, meanwhile Michael is out in the deep riding the waves and happily accepting all the challenges thrown at him by the sea knowing he will succeed. The story teaches Neil a lot. He is taught to move out with his mother’s domination. Not to worry too much about how other people perceive him and that he should not be at all afraid of revealing his psoriasis, not keeping it hidden. He has nothing to be ashamed of and therefore he should not hide away or dabble in the shadows but be sure of himself, confident enough to do what he thinks best not what his mother – often wrongly – thinks he should do, to be his own person and not a clone of his mother.

Epics: Gilgamesh and Joseph

Archetypes in literature serve as basic models or ideal examples of the human thoughts, feelings, and reactions which underlie and determine a vast variety of human experiences (Kluger, 1991, p. 16). Both, the stories of Gilgamesh and Joseph, are pregnant with rich archetypal imagery. They allow us perspective on the universal human condition, while also providing personally applicable insight and exploration. Gilgamesh Through Gilgamesh’s adventures, timeless themes of heroism, providence, love, friendship, and immortality are presented in a story of character growth. Gilgamesh possesses a potential for greatness that is realized through his friendship with Enkidu and his quests for renown and immortality† (Chastain, 2004, pg. 286). His journey begins in Uruk, where he reigns as a selfish and tyrannical king but ultimately, his journey brings him home to Uruk as a wiser, nobler king. He is an archetype of flawed heroism – undeniably courageous, but also undeniabl y imperfect. Using his famed fighting skills, he exploits the men of his own country and takes their brides at whim. The people of Uruk become so outraged at this indecency that they implore the gods for help. Anu and the goddess Arurur answer their pleas in the form of a man named Enkidu, who is equipped to rival the strength of Gilgamesh. Ironically, what the people and gods fashion for Gilgamesh’s demise, becomes his salvation. The gods are, in fact, successful in checking the king’s unbecoming behavior, but in an unexpected means. This is archetypal providence at work in the divine. Epics 3 Endiku doesn’t rise up and defeat the mighty warrior-king in one fatal swoop, instead he ends up befriending him. Their first meeting typifies their relationship: Gilgamesh intends to enter a bride’s chamber to defile her, Endiku stands at the doorway to refuse his entrance. They wrestle fiercely, equally matched. Endiku manages to derail the king’s unseemly intentions and win his affection in the process. Through their relationship, love typifies itself as a powerful motivator for change. Both characters evolve and mature through their shared friendship. Endiku transitions from a wild man into a noble man, who enjoys royalty and battles bravely. Once, he socialized only with animals, but he soon developed into a devoted man willing to lay his life down for a fellow human being. Gilgamesh slows his lustful pursuit of women and realizes authentic love through friendship. His self-centeredness dissipates as he grieves heartily seven days and seven nights over the loss of his dear friend. The untimely demise of Enkidu causes him to face his own vulnerability. He remembers the horrors of the Underworld as relayed by his friend and suddenly experiences the archetypical fear of death, which leads him to the archetypical quest for immortality. His bereavement turns into a determined expedition for eternal life. After ordering the erection of a statue dedicated to his companion, his mission began. After several failed attempts, the story’s hero is unable to beat death; it is inevitable and approaching. Ultimately, he must learn to content himself with the legacy he’ll leave rather than the escape of an afterlife. However, all is not lost. Although, he does not return to Uruk with everlasting life for himself and his people, he does return as a much improved despot. Each journey he undertook shaped and evolved his character. Epic 4 Joseph Joseph’s story, according to the biblical Old Testament narrative, is powerfully inspiring. It is the record of one man’s ascension from pit to palace. He overcomes obstacles, injustice and hardship with grace and honor. Ultimately, every wrong is compensated with wildly unexpected success and wealth. Through it all, is the unmistakable mark of divine providence. There is a â€Å"behind-the-scenes presence of One whose Hand guides every event, small or large, from beginning to end† (Westermann, 1996, pg. iii). This sense of orchestration and heavenly aid lends insight to a very personally involved Deity. Another striking element in Joseph’s story is the relentless scope of his morality. He endures temptation after temptation with holy resolve. Although he suffers harm for the purity of his integrity, he remains loyal to decency nonetheless. Not only was Joseph moral, apparently, he w as likeable. He won the favor of many throughout his lifetime, beginning with his parents. He was the highly favored son of his father, Jacob, and this bias was not veiled from his brothers. Their jealousy escalated so remarkably that they sought to kill him. They threw him into a pit while callously eating their lunch and plotting his murder. However, through the intervention of an older brother, Reuben, they opted instead to sell him to traveling merchants. Through this cruel betrayal, Joseph landed in Egypt as slave to a wealthy official named Potiphar. He excelled in his environment and advanced quickly. â€Å"Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, Epics 5 nd he entrusted to his care everything he owned† (Genesis 39:4, New International Version). From the moment he was put in charge, God blessed Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. In the midst of favor and excellence, injustice reentered the scene in the form of Potiphar’s wife. Steadfast in his ethical obligation, Joseph refused the wife’s sexual allurement. This infuriated the jilted seductress and caused her to la sh out vindictively. She wrongfully accused Joseph of the very act he refused to commit. Once again, his life changed immediately in the heat of another’s scorn. He was promptly imprisoned. â€Å"But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden† (Genesis 37:19-20). Whether in a pit or in a prison, Joseph remained tethered to the bigger element of destiny. Providence used every scenario to nurture his latent aptitude in preparation for his eventual position of elevated authority. As in the preceding circumstances, Joseph proved himself trustworthy and was given a position of leadership within the prison. He was faithful and successful in all under his care. God blessed his labor. Joseph didn’t remain in the king’s dungeon long before divine purpose began drawing him out of injustice a second time. Trusting God, he interprets the dream of a prisoner under his care. He predicts that the man will soon be freed to return to the King’s palace as chief cupbearer. In return for such good news, Joseph asks that the cupbearer remember him and advocate his plight before the king. In gross negligence, the cupbearer forgets Joseph. It seems that he is the victim of inequality yet once again but two years later, Joseph is remembered. At the cupbearer’s insistence, Joseph is summoned to interpret the King’s dream. Giving God credit for any potential achievement, Joseph begins interpretation – a feat which no other man in Pharaoh’s court could manage. The king was so impressed by Joseph’s answer and demeanor that he immediately bestowed the young thirty-year-old with royal authority: Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you. (Genesis 41:39-40) The cycle of discrimination, favor and blessing had repeated itself once again. The two constants in Joseph’s many surprising adventures were the hand of God and tenacious morality. Even at the pinnacle of his success and power, Joseph chose goodness over vengeful reciprication. A dire famine in the region set the stage for a climatic final confrontation between Joseph and the brothers who betrayed him so long ago. They came to him in Egypt, unknowingly, pleading for rations. Joseph’s position of command allowed him many possible reactions –anger, retaliation, intimidation- but he chose forgiveness and generosity. He reveals himself to his brothers through heavy tears and warm embraces. Their fateful reunion was complete in perfect absolution. Joseph’s journey from the pit to the palace, taught him dependence on God, the trustworthy, omniscient One. He remained dedicated to hope and faith and was not disappointed. In the end, he was able to see purpose in every trial and deific direction in every season. He was able to say: â€Å"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good† (Genesis 50:20, King James Version).

Should We Live Forever - 913 Words

The question of whether or not I would like to live forever is a question that delivers many, many answers, meaning my answer to the question really depends on the day or my mood that day. Most days, my answer to the whether I would like to live for ever question is â€Å"no, I would not like to† Mainly because the whole idea of immortality sounds exhausting, boring and depressing, especially with such limitations, and downsides. This answer is provoked merely on the fact that I would become overly dependent on everything and everyone around me, and also due to the fact that although I have people around me constantly, however, I would still acquire a lonely feeling, due to the fact no one would be of my generation, therefore relating would be made difficult to attain. Living forever seems like a phenomena that some people may want, and would enjoy, once they figure out a loop hole, such as being able to determine what age you would forever relive, for an example, choosing to live life as a 20 year old for the rest of ones life. Living as a 20 year old forever does appear to have its perks if you really think about it because example one, you are young forever and example 2, you are in your prime, but from a psychological standpoint, at one point in life a person would realize Onye-ugo2 that maybe choosing to reincarnate, or live forever and ever as a 20 year old just may not be healthy to ones spirit, or especially their brain development. If you as a person are lingerShow MoreRelatedI Am I Die One Day905 Words   |  4 Pagesknow what it meant to die. Later on, I began to understand that when people died, it meant they were gone forever. It meant that I would never see them again, or meet them if they were already gone. It scared me to think that one day my family and I would die too. Eventually, I came to understand and accept that death and dying are a natural part of life and living. We are born, we live, we die, and life goes on. At the same time, it still does not make the death of a loved one any easier. In theRead MoreHow long do you want to live? It is not surprising that no one gave me the answer: 1000 years, or,900 Words   |  4 PagesHow long do you want to live? It is not surprising that no one gave me the answer: 1000 years, or, forever. Because we all know death is human faith.But today I want to tell you: Immortality can soon be reality.There’s no doubt that we’re living longer than previous generations. 100 years ago, the average human life span was 30 years. Today, we extend it to almost 70 years. So it is reasonable to ask: How much more can human life span increase?Over 4000 years ago, a Sumerian king seeks eternal lifeRead MoreOde On A Grecian Urn1738 Words   |  7 Pagesthe young man doesn’t have bliss because bliss would be catching the girl. The bliss part will only last a short period, and is not as powerful as the emotions right before the catch. Thus the young man should not be sad that he doesn’t have bliss because he will forever love her and she will forever be beautiful. In the human world love ends and people grow old. The scene on the urn will always show love, and the people will never grow old. Thus art has the ability to last; therefore the urn has anRead MoreEssay about Dont Be Afraid to Die in Socrates Phaedo741 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout the course of the Phaedo, Socrates argues that the soul is immortal. Because he believes that his soul w ill live on forever, Socrates claims that he is not afraid to die. Socrates was sentenced to death and due to the fact that he took the poison earlier than when was necessary, many believe that he committed suicide. Contrary to what may be presumed about Socrates’ death, I will argue that he is a martyr and did not commit suicide. Suicide is defined as taking one’s life for the sakeRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of Pharmaceutical Innovation: Can We Live Forever? a Commentary on Schnittker and Karandinos1013 Words   |  5 PagesRhetorical Analysis: Pharmaceutical Innovation In Joel Lexchin’s article â€Å"Pharmaceutical innovation: Can we live forever? A commentary on Schnittker and Karandinos† he addresses the article made by Schnittker and Karandinos about the progression of pharmaceuticals and whether or not we have advanced enough to significantly increase our life expectancy. Lexchin uses a plethora of rhetoric to persuade the reader into believing his argument, mostly relying upon logos, chiefly facts, to appeal toRead MoreArguement Against Shankara’s Ideas of Reality Essay859 Words   |  4 Pageswill argue with Shankara’s idea that something can only be real if it doesn’t change or never stops existing is incorrect, because temporary things are still real. After all nothing in this world ever lasts forever. Also if this world is not considered to be real then there is not a reason to live. Shankara states that â€Å"BRAHMAN- the absolute existence, knowledge and bliss is real. The universe is not real. Brahman and Atman (man’s inner Self) are one.† (Viveka-Chudamani, p.7) Shankara accepts thingsRead More Bao Ninhs Sorrow of War Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesBao Ninhs Sorrow of War When we think of the Vietnam War, we think of all the hell and torture that American soldiers went through with little regard to the Vietnamese and the hardships they endured. Reading the Sorrow of War gave me a clear understanding of the Vietnamese people and the suffering that the war caused them. The Sorrow of War is unique and powerful in the sense that it is written by a Vietnam army veteran and gives the perspective of the war from a Vietnamese soldier. It is oneRead MoreDont Let Stereotypes Influence Your Lives!821 Words   |  3 Pages In that corner there, we have the nerds reading their books with their greasy hair and in that corner we have the preps with shoes more expensive than cars, but with brains the size of peanuts. The preps are cool. The nerds? Not so much. And let’s not forget about the cheerleaders, the Goth’s, the teacher’s pets and all the other losers. I’ve heard about them all my life and called them that too. I also see kids call other people that all the time, so it’s normal†¦ right? Honourable judges, teacherRead MoreComparison Of The Passionate Shepherd To His Love992 Words   |  4 Pagesthinks that love should be viewed completely through the joy of nature and believes in unrealistic activities. The other poet believes that love is unpredictable and that the other poet is not living in reality. Within the poem, â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to his love†, he believes that you can buy love with natural things. He says â€Å"A gown made of the f inest wool, which from our pretty lambs we pull†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . He also fully believes that love should be experienced through nature. He says â€Å"Come live with me and be