The Summary and Response of "Breakdown"

“Breakdown” is a Hollywood’s thrilling, and action movie starring Kurt Russell, released in 1997. The film is about a married couple of Jeff (Kurt Russell) and his wife Amy, on the way to San Diego, California caught up in a taking hostage situation. The plot is not new to movie fans these days, but it was fresh taste back in the 90s. Their car suddenly breaks down. Amy takes a lift from a truck to get to the Belle’s Dinner to make a call, while Jeff stays trying to fix his car. Unfortunately, it turns out that the truck driver is a gang's boss and the mastermind behind the criminal group, targeting long-journey travelers on the road. They abduct Amy and extort money (90,000 USD) from Jeff. Not having enough money, Jeff is desperate to save his wife alone.

Unlike other typical Hollywood’s 90s action films in which the main characters are supposed to be strong, muscular, and cold, Kurt Russell’s role as Jeff in “breakdown” is completely different. He is just a normal guy trying to start a new life with his wife Amy in California. No fancy cars, no special skills, no guns, and hot chicks accompanying side by side, Kurt Russell’s character stumbles and struggles in desperation to get his wife back. From my perspective, the film’s direction is not bad. The director knows how to guide the storyline in his own ways, so as to create the thrilling, intense, and suspend atmosphere for the film. Moreover, the scenes in which Jeff goes to the bank to get the money, are the ones that I like the most. Thanks to the excellent acting of Kurt Russell combining with the cinematography, I can feel the tension is being escalated up on another level. Finally, the climax of the film once again is on the pinnacle with the saving Amy of Jeff and the car chase scenes at the end of the movie. If you are sick and tired of action-packed movies these days, trying to seek for some Hollywood classical action ones, “Breakdown” is worth to give it a shot.

Money Can Buy Happiness

Money Can Buy Happiness

Some thinkers believe that money does not make one happy; others consider that money can be used to purchase almost everything even happiness. While many people disagree with the former, in the current economic-driven society, money can bring happiness to people because it satisfies human beings’ needs, solves most of people’s problems, protects one’s life, and even helps one aid another with itself.

Everyone needs money to satisfy their necessity. Foods, clothing, accommodation are among human’s basic needs that people hardly afford them without money. People spend a large proportion of their money on eating and drinking, clothing, and housing. Besides material needs, men and women need money to satisfy their mental needs such as knowledge learning, recreation, and entertainment. Based on the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2014, it is shown that an American spent an average of about 4 thousands US dollars for education, entertainment, and recreation (cnbc.com). From material to mental needs, money plays a significant role in helping consumers acquire them.

Money maybe is not an almighty thing, but it is an effective solution for most of humankind’s troubles and issues. Nowadays, many groups and companies use the incentive money to encourage their employees to work harder; the more employees work enthusiastically, the more profit the companies make. What’s more, money is also used to promote health care and improve living standards. 6.5 trillion USD was spent on health care worldwide according to WHO, based the 2010 data. In the last 20 years, the living conditions of people in the world have been improved positively: the extremely poor population has been reduced to a half; a half of child death under the age of five has been cut off; life expectancy has increased 5.2 years around the world estimated in 2014; more children, especially girls have had the chance to go to school (unfpa.org). Without or less money, those achievements are barely to succeed. By utilizing money reasonably, human beings may solve their problems quickly and effectively.

Having strong financial support shall guarantee ones’ life and keep them safe from external and sudden impacts. Life is unpredictable that one never knows what will happen; it is the reason why people coming up with the precautions against the worst situation which can occur anytime. In fact, the life insurance program is invented with the money that people save in case of an emergency relating to health or even life and death. According to the Swiss Re Institution’s research, people paid USD 4892 billion for the life insurance premium worldwide (swissre.com). Furthermore, possessing enough money makes ones do not worry about it. Indeed, the awareness of the money gives a person the assurance and the feeling of safety not only for himself or herself but also toward their loved ones. As a result, they shall be content and felicitous.

Giving away makes people happy. The feeling of aiding the disadvantaged ones satisfies the givers’ conscience and moral. Morally speaking, providing financial support is the obligatory act of human beings. Many philanthropists such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Jack Ma has been donating part of their wealth to help people in need because they are aware of the responsibility of redistribution. In addition, the joy of giving away money tends to be more powerful than spending it for personal purposes. Liz Dunn, a social psychologist, and her partners had conducted a survey involved over 600 Americans and had found out that people were apt to feel happier when they gave away their money to the others than spending for themselves (psychologytoday.com). The main point here, generally speaking, is how humankind cultivates and nurtures happiness through money’s values.

In conclusion, money can create or “buy” such an abstract thing as happiness. It ensures a comfortable life for human beings, fixes problems, keeps people safe from unexpected harms, and can be used to help the ones in need. It is irreplaceable.   

Work Cited

Kathleen Elkins, “Here’s how much Americans are spending on housing, food, and alcohol every year.” cnbc.com. May 31, 2017.

Rebecca Zerzan, “How Has the World Changed in the Last 20 years?” unfpa.org. 7 April 2014.

Swiss Re Institute. Sigma No 3/2018 “the global insurance sector.” Swissre.com.

Allen R McConnell Ph.D. “Giving really is better than receiving.” Psychologytoday.com. Dec 25, 1010

The Summary and Response to "Third Culture Kids," Revision.

Third Culture Kids Are Not Ideal Citizens

Bilal Ahmed says in his article “Third Culture Kids” that third culture kids (TCKs) including himself are different from immigrants and cross-culturally-experienced persons in terms of social status and the market-drive-economic world where we are living. As a matter of fact, he claims that TCKs come from prestigious and wealthy families which distinctively make them different from the immigrants and others. Although I agree with his points to some degrees, I doubt that all TCKs are wealthier than the immigrants, and I believe that there are also prestigious and well-educated immigrants. What’s more, I disagree with the author’s claim that TCKs are the ideal citizens in the world.

The author begins his publication by mentioning two definitions of “Third Culture Kids” defined by anthropologist Ruth Hill Useem and sociologist David C. Pollock respectively. Then, he introduces himself as a TCK who has been nurtured under the influences of many cultures such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, the United States, and Britain. Next, Bilal Ahmed starts to address and explain the differences between TCKs and immigrants. He lists several factors such as social backgrounds, financial support, and adaptability. Furthermore, the TCK-author emphasizes how important they are to the modern world given the current situation of globalization. Also, Bilal Ahmed argues that TCKs have difficulties to resolve and challenges to overcome. He says that TCKs deeply depend on their families and that they tend to lose themselves or misbehave without families’ support and guidance. In the end, the author concludes that only accept their special identities do they find happiness.

In response to the author’s ideas, there are several points which I would like to address. First, Bilal Ahmed says that TCKs don’t have a financial dilemma compared with the immigrants. Personally, I don’t think so. TCKs are those who live and grow up in foreign countries such as foreign-service and expatriate children, those who I assume that they have strong financial support from their families. However, TCKs also include military brats and missionary kids that I find hard to agree that all of them are rich kids. Second, Bilal Ahmed implies that TCKs come from a higher social background than the immigrants and refugees do. I think this is his weak argument because there are no statistical figures or evidence to prove his claim. Indeed, there are thousands of immigrants and refugees who are well-educated coming from middle social class or even higher. According to pewresearch.org, research in 2016 shows that 44 million immigrants coming from Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, are very well educated before they move to the United States.

Thanks to two advantages being mentioning above, the TCK-author claims that TCKs are the best citizens in the world.  From my own perspective, he has a point for TCKs who are likely to possess almost what this globalizing modern world needs. They have multicultural backgrounds, come from prestigious families, and they have no financial worries, even if not all of them are wealthy. They are good at adaption, prefer flexibility to predictability, and are fans of shifting. All of these advantages and features help them fit in and survive in any situation, and offer them more professional opportunities than the others. Still, TCKs are not the ideal citizens in the world, because I think that there is no such “ideal citizen” conception at all. I believe that people have their own advantages and weaknesses. Besides, this is just the subjective, one-sided opinion of Bilal Ahmed, a TCK. From the TCKs’ point of view, he observes things around him according to their own conditions and standards. Therefore, his arguments are not concrete enough to convince me.

Bilal Ahmed asserts that TCKs are the most-desired citizens in the world because of their multicultural backgrounds and financial support matching with globalization. In contrast, I don’t believe that. Ideal citizens belong to an ideal and perfect world, but our world is not.

The Summary and Response to "Third Culture Kids."

Third Culture Kids Are Not Ideal Citizens

Bilal Ahmed says in his article “Third Culture Kids” that third culture kids (TCKs) including himself are different with immigrants and cross-culturally-experienced persons in term of social status and the market-drive-economic world where we are living. As a matter of fact, he claims that TCKs come from prestige and wealthy families which distinctively differs them from the immigrants and others. Although I agree with his points to some degrees, I doubt that all TCKs are wealthier than the immigrants, and I believe that there are also prestige and well-educated immigrants. What’s more, I disagree with the author’s claim that TCKs are the ideal citizens in the world.

The author begins his publication by mentioning two definitions of “Third Culture Kids” defining by anthropologist Ruth Hill Useem and sociologist David C. Pollock respectively. Then, he introduces himself as a TCK who has been nurtured in the influences of many cultures such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, the United States, and Britain. Next, Bilal Ahmed starts to address and explain the differences between TCKs and the immigrants. He lists several factors such as social backgrounds, financial support, adaptability. Furthermore, the TCK-author emphasizes how important they are to the modern world given the current situation of globalization. Also, Bilal Ahmed argues that TCKs have difficulties to resolve and challenges to overcome, too. He says that TCKs deeply depend on their families and that they tend to lose themselves or misbehave without families’ support and guidance. In the end, the author concludes that only accept their special identities do they find happiness.

In response to the author’s ideas, there are several points which I would like to address. First, Bilal Ahmed says that TCKs don’t have financial dilemma comparing with the immigrants. Personally, I don’t think so. TCKs are those who live and grow up in foreign countries such as foreign-service and expatriate children, those who I assume that they have strong financial support from their families. However, TCKs also include military brats and missionary kids that I find hard to agree that all of them are rich kids. Second, Bilal Ahmed implies that TCKs come from a higher social background than the immigrants and refugees do. I think this is his weak argument because there are no statistical figures or evidence to prove his claim. Indeed, there are thousands of immigrants and refugees who are well educated coming from middle social class or even higher. According to pewresearch.org, research in 2016 shows that 44 million immigrants coming from Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, are very well educated before they emigrate into the United States.

Thanks to two advantages being mentioning above, the TCK-author claims that TCKs are the best-suited citizens for the world.  From my own perspective, he has a point for TCKs likely possess almost what this globalizing modern world needs. They have multicultural backgrounds, come from prestige families, and they have no financial worries, even if not all of them are wealthy. They are good at adaption, prefer the flexibility to predictability, are fans of shifting, or at least Bilal Ahmed says so. All of these advantages and features help them fit in and survive in any situation, and offer them more professional opportunities than the others. Still, TCKs are not the ideal citizens in the world, because I think that there is no such “ideal citizen” conception at all. I believe that people have their own advantages and weaknesses which imperfect them. Besides, this is just the subjective, one-sided opinion of Bilal Ahmed, a TCK. Standing from the TCKs’ point of view, he observes things around him according to their own conditions and standards. Therefore, his arguments are not concrete enough to convince me.

Bilal Ahmed asserts that TCKs are the most-desired citizens in the world because of their multicultural backgrounds, financial supports matching with globalization. In contrast, I don’t believe in that. Ideal citizens belong to an ideal and perfect world, but our world is not.

The Response to "More Than Job Satisfaction"

Kirsten Weir’s statement about the significance of work to most adults is right on point, and I agree with it. To me, labor shall give the humankind the feeling of existence, and plays an important role in our lives. Thus, the author indicates that people should create meaning in work as much as possible.

Weir points out several ways to find the meaning in work which I find useful such as taking pride of one’s job, thinking of the families, the obligation, and the relationships with one’s partners. From my own perspective, I think the thinking of family is the most significant way through which one can find the meaning in work.

The author says, “The people who are the most content are those who believe their work has a higher calling,” to some degree, her point of view is true. As long as ones believe that their jobs are meaningful to society, they shall devote more to their works just like the story of the bricklayers or the example of the zookeeper. However, ones cannot put all their heart onto the work with little return. Therefore, sustainable financial support shall encourage laborers in their jobs. That is why I say that what Weir claims above is just partially right.

Specifically, Kirsten Weir mentions about a few ways to practice “job crafting” through which workers may find meaning in their work such as prioritizing on favorite tasks, spending more time on positive relationships, and thinking of one’s work from a different angle. I, personally, find these methods acceptable, although I think it is not easy to practice them at work places. Firstly, one cannot just favor one task to another one due to the requirements of work, which are the pressure from one’s superior officers and from the expected results. Secondly, it’s hard for one to change his/her perspective on something, especially on work. Most adults tend to avoid changing their routines, habits, and even their ways of thinking.

In conclusion, Kirsten Weir’s ideas in the article are substantial that I find them reasonable and pragmatical. 

Summary

Summary of “More Than Job Satisfaction”

Kirsten Weir, the author of “More Than Job Satisfaction,” begins the article with a fact that the adults spend most of their time to work, and that the works are considered to be their identity. However, according to a 2013 report of Gallup Inc. the author points out that two-third of American workers are not devoted to their jobs, and she calls it “disengagement” which costs U.S. companies hundreds of billions every year. She implies that one of the causes to the problem is how great the meaning that the American workers find in their jobs.

The author claims that there are ways to increase meaning and improve the life quality through work. She mentions about Michael G. Pratt, Boston College’s professor who uses a story of the bricklayers to strengthen his ideas that every job has its own meaning, and that there are various ways to create or seek for the meaning in work. Additionally, she brings up the study of Douglas Lepisto and Camille Pradies in their book “Purpose and Meaning in the workplace,” that employees can find the meaning of work through their prides, responsibilities to family, duties to fulfill, and even the relationship among the colleagues. Weir says that those who believe in what they are doing is good to humankind, are the most content people. And she gives example of the work of the zookeepers who, even though, earns not so much, they still love their job. The author explains that because the bond between the job and the zookeepers, which encourages them to do their best. Next, she mentions about “job crafting,” which is the term used by Jane E. Dutton, PhD, a professor at the University of Michigan indicating the way to create meaning through work. The author, then, lists out several ways to create meaning which are prioritizing to the tasks that ones are interested in, concentrating on positive relationships, and actively thinking about one’s work from different angles. At the end, Weir warns that the enterprises might use job crafting to exploit their employees. She concludes that the enterprises and companies should help their workers to find meaning in works which is good for both sides.

Cause and Effects - Final Draft

The Effects of Internet

The Internet is one of the most important inventions in the history of humankind. Since the early 2000s, the Internet has developed and become the indispensable factor in the modern world. It has completely changed our world and societies in many aspects in both positive and negative ways. The Internet not only connects people all around the world, creates new types of professions, changes the communication and trading methods in the past, makes our lives more comfortable and convenient, but also causes negative effects to societies.

Internet connects and brings people all over the world closer. By the births of a number of interactive social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, people now can easily interact and contact each other just by some simple clicks. According to statista.com, there were 2.46 billion social network users worldwide in 2017. Indeed, the Internet has eradicated the distance between peoples all around the world. What’s more, the Internet saves its users a lot of time and expense involving searching information and communication compared to those of the past.

With the birth of the Internet, a variety of new professions is born along with it. That is e-commerce, web site designing, blogging, vlogging and so on. These types of professions create more jobs and contribute to reduce the unemployment rate. In addition, the Internet is also a digital market in the world. It offers a platform for users to trade and do business quickly and easily.

The Internet is replacing the traditional trading and communicating methods in the past. Traditionally, if you want to purchase something at some certain places, you have to physically go there to get it, or if you want to pay your phone bill which is overdue quite a long time, you must go to the phone company to pay by yourself. Now, those nuisances can be easily swept away just by a simple click. With online shopping, you can check and buy literally everything you want on countless of online shopping sites such as Amazon, Alibaba, Walmart, etc. As for bill paying, many banks, nowadays, offer online bill paying service to their customers; besides, the internet users may pay their bills by using their smartphones that are connected to the internet. Indisputably, the Internet has been utilized to make a revolution of trading methods, so as to communication methods. Before the popularity of the internet, the majority of communication is “offline.” For example, it took days or even weeks for senders to send a letter to the recipients in the past, but now, the task is just a piece of cake by using e-mail. Besides e-mail, video calling through the Internet is the most forceful proof for the importance of the internet. Internet users can face to face talk to others regardless of where they are.                  

Undoubtedly, the Internet is changing the living standard of its users. It makes the majority of people’s lives more comfortable and convenient. Internet users may search and acquire a huge amount of information and data for academic, recreational, and business purposes in an amazingly short of time compared to the past. How convenient the internet is that its users can literally do anything they like at home, without moving their feet an inch.

In spite of the positive effects of the internet, there are, inevitably, negative ones. First, the Internet can make people addicted to it. In 2014, a study from the University of Hong Kong revealed that about 420 million people around the world are addicted to the internet. The statistical figure indicates the seriousness of internet addiction that is getting worse. The Internet addiction not only negatively affect mental and physical health, but also the behaviors of those who are addicted to it. As a result, the online addicts get trouble in balancing their lives between the digital world and the real one; they cannot focus on their works or studying; they lack the need to socialize with other people; their physical health is getting worse. What’s more, the majority of addicts are youths who are the most important human resources, the key factor to the futuristic development of the world. Side by side with internet addiction, hackers are also a threat to internet users. The bad hackers use their skills of programming and knowledge of the internet to steal, extort, damage, etc. Therefore, the internet world is not a completely safe place as people may think.

Despite several negative effects, the internet, indeed, has brought into our world too many advantages, and benefits. From education to the economy, the internet has played an important role in their developments. It connects peoples around the world, changing the traditional communication and trading method, satisfying our needs, and taking the civilization of humanity to a new level. To conclude, the internet has changed our world.