Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Free write: I HATE BLOGGING
I HATE BLOGGING!!!!!!!!! So much so that i will now write a healthy paragraph on its pointlessness and its ability to completely agitate me! WHY?!?!?! i ask do i have to share my thoughts with people whom of which don't give a crap on what i have to say or what i think.....half the time i don't like listening to me. This feeling that people want to know what you think or feel every minute of the day is absurd. Facebook, a blog of sorts, is completely foolish and juvenile. why must i be subjected to the pain of reading what someone is doing every second of the day. The other night i saw where someone said they needed to use the restroom and they would be back soon.........why ? why? i ask why do i care about your bowl movements and why do you think that's OK to tell the world? STOP this madness. That's all i have to say about that.
Research Paper ideas
- Living in Mexico
- Lost Civilizations
- abuse as a world problem
- equal divorce laws for men
- child abuse laws gone too far?
- Egyptian pyramids
- Australian trip
Is one Man’s Aid another Man’s Debt?
Tonight while many lay comfortably in their beds at home while an estimated 3.5 million people will go to sleep in boxes, on sidewalks and in shelters all across the country. Of those homeless people, 1.5 million of them will be a child, that’s one for every five children in the Unites States (“Facts”). In America there are currently 35.9 million people living below the poverty line and that rate grows every day (Siddiqi). With all of these shocking and saddening statistics, one would begin to wonder why it is that our country continues to send millions and millions of dollars in aid to other countries every year. International aid or foreign aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another, given at least partly with the objective of benefiting the recipient country (Google). While these foreign countries are considered to be in need or in the midst of crisis, it is becoming more and more clear that this country is in a crisis of its own.
While our families and our children are sleeping on the streets and starving we are paying for those in other countries to receive shelter, food and other basic necessities. Not to insinuate that we should be cold and callus to those in need but our country needs to take care of itself, before it can help others in an attempt to gain popularity in the international political scene. The tax payers of this country, the ones whose family home was foreclosed on and who are struggling to get by, are the people who are suffering from our country’s over zealousness towards helping other nations in their time of need. We are now in great need of their help to but it seems as though our cries for help have gone unnoticed which is apparent by the staggeringly large amount for money sent just last year to foreign countries.
Emotions aside, the national deficit is at a historical high and growing virtually every second. This can largely be attributed to our country’s overwhelming need to be generous at our expenses. Just last year alone the U.S spent over 16 billion dollars towards aiding foreign nations. While our people are dying every day of various diseases the government is sending almost five billion dollars in an attempt to assist in the AIDS and HIV outbreaks Africa is currently experiencing and 385 million dollars to fight malaria in other Central American countries (Larsen). It has been common practice for America to be more than willing to help those in need. For example many schools in Africa, a third world country, are funded by America. Why is it then that our schools are shutting down, teachers being laid off and our students being cramped in over populated schools because they say there is not enough funding? That would be because the money that would be used to fund our schools is being sent away to other countries to help their cause.
The USA is in what is being called an economic crisis by some and a complete economic breakdown by others. Houses are being foreclosed at an alarming rate. Many of your family, friends, and neighbors are only 30 or so days away from being homeless (‘Facts”). It is sad and depressing to imagine a family member going to bed hungry and contemplating where they will live in only a matter of days when they lose their home. Millions of Americans are losing their jobs because the economy is so damaged; more than 13% of Americans are jobless (‘Bureau’). That’s a rate our country has only seen once before but we still are giving money to fund cleanup efforts and retribution to countries we have been to war with instead of funding and establishing more jobs for our people to thrive and begin anew. We suffer, they prosper…. how is that deemed right? While all of these good deeds are great for publicity and really do help the people of the suffering countries, it’s harming this country tremendously to an irreparable level.
The money, we as tax payers, pay out to fund the war in eastern countries is absurd. While it is different type of international aid, much of the conflict in these countries is between the people of those lands, not the US. Even though we pay for the war we are fighting for them we also have sent billions of dollars to these numerous countries to help them and their people build their country up. Iran received 397 million dollars and Afghanistan received a whopping one billion to name a couple. Mexico for various reasons received 450 million dollars in 2009 (Larsen). Why would America pay so much money to Mexico when they are trying to kick all of the Mexican immigrants out of the country?
As of today, our national deficit is $13,042,652,508,996.03 (Hall). Was this astounding debt what our founding fathers had in mind when they came to this country? The even greater shock is that a large chunk of that debt comes from the U.S having to borrow money in order to help fund international aid efforts. We cannot even afford to fund our own good deeds to these countries, that is sad fact to swallow. This is because after all of the tax the government allots for their “projects”, money our population pays, it’s still not enough for the causes they pursue so they borrow in addition to sending out our tax dollars. It seems as though America is attempting to self destruct. With that amount of debt, how is our government supposed to help us when they are distributing money that could be used to put families back in their homes and fix our schools. That same money could be helping us rebuild our failing economy.
Much of our countries focus lately is our youth and what role they play in our futures. How do we suppose they will prosper and thrive in the intended way when they live on the streets and are not receiving the best education possible because we have still not recovered from our failed economy? What will they have to look forward to in life? Debt and the constant struggle of our economy? How will we explain to our children that the reason that they are living in such despair and moving from house to house is because our government is sending money that could help them to people that they will never know or meet. How will you explain that the people we depend on, our government, to make the right choices for us and for them has failed them in order to gain political popularity and for their own career gains?
As if it couldn’t get any worse President Obama has stated that he intend to double the amount of allotted international aid by the end of his term in office (Larsen). Whatever his plan may be to fund these efforts even it’s surely not going to help our national deficit and our economy, but in fact do the opposite and send our nation further into debt and deeper into economic crisis. This is not to say that we as a country should not offer help to people in other countries because they are all human beings just like us but we cannot effectively help them when we are in the pits of debt, it’s like the blind leading the blind. Here’s the more important question, who will come to our aid when this catches up to us and we need help? Who will pay our way after we have used all of our money to pay theirs? Who will take care of our children and feed them and build their schools? The answer is simple, no one.
While our families and our children are sleeping on the streets and starving we are paying for those in other countries to receive shelter, food and other basic necessities. Not to insinuate that we should be cold and callus to those in need but our country needs to take care of itself, before it can help others in an attempt to gain popularity in the international political scene. The tax payers of this country, the ones whose family home was foreclosed on and who are struggling to get by, are the people who are suffering from our country’s over zealousness towards helping other nations in their time of need. We are now in great need of their help to but it seems as though our cries for help have gone unnoticed which is apparent by the staggeringly large amount for money sent just last year to foreign countries.
Emotions aside, the national deficit is at a historical high and growing virtually every second. This can largely be attributed to our country’s overwhelming need to be generous at our expenses. Just last year alone the U.S spent over 16 billion dollars towards aiding foreign nations. While our people are dying every day of various diseases the government is sending almost five billion dollars in an attempt to assist in the AIDS and HIV outbreaks Africa is currently experiencing and 385 million dollars to fight malaria in other Central American countries (Larsen). It has been common practice for America to be more than willing to help those in need. For example many schools in Africa, a third world country, are funded by America. Why is it then that our schools are shutting down, teachers being laid off and our students being cramped in over populated schools because they say there is not enough funding? That would be because the money that would be used to fund our schools is being sent away to other countries to help their cause.
The USA is in what is being called an economic crisis by some and a complete economic breakdown by others. Houses are being foreclosed at an alarming rate. Many of your family, friends, and neighbors are only 30 or so days away from being homeless (‘Facts”). It is sad and depressing to imagine a family member going to bed hungry and contemplating where they will live in only a matter of days when they lose their home. Millions of Americans are losing their jobs because the economy is so damaged; more than 13% of Americans are jobless (‘Bureau’). That’s a rate our country has only seen once before but we still are giving money to fund cleanup efforts and retribution to countries we have been to war with instead of funding and establishing more jobs for our people to thrive and begin anew. We suffer, they prosper…. how is that deemed right? While all of these good deeds are great for publicity and really do help the people of the suffering countries, it’s harming this country tremendously to an irreparable level.
The money, we as tax payers, pay out to fund the war in eastern countries is absurd. While it is different type of international aid, much of the conflict in these countries is between the people of those lands, not the US. Even though we pay for the war we are fighting for them we also have sent billions of dollars to these numerous countries to help them and their people build their country up. Iran received 397 million dollars and Afghanistan received a whopping one billion to name a couple. Mexico for various reasons received 450 million dollars in 2009 (Larsen). Why would America pay so much money to Mexico when they are trying to kick all of the Mexican immigrants out of the country?
As of today, our national deficit is $13,042,652,508,996.03 (Hall). Was this astounding debt what our founding fathers had in mind when they came to this country? The even greater shock is that a large chunk of that debt comes from the U.S having to borrow money in order to help fund international aid efforts. We cannot even afford to fund our own good deeds to these countries, that is sad fact to swallow. This is because after all of the tax the government allots for their “projects”, money our population pays, it’s still not enough for the causes they pursue so they borrow in addition to sending out our tax dollars. It seems as though America is attempting to self destruct. With that amount of debt, how is our government supposed to help us when they are distributing money that could be used to put families back in their homes and fix our schools. That same money could be helping us rebuild our failing economy.
Much of our countries focus lately is our youth and what role they play in our futures. How do we suppose they will prosper and thrive in the intended way when they live on the streets and are not receiving the best education possible because we have still not recovered from our failed economy? What will they have to look forward to in life? Debt and the constant struggle of our economy? How will we explain to our children that the reason that they are living in such despair and moving from house to house is because our government is sending money that could help them to people that they will never know or meet. How will you explain that the people we depend on, our government, to make the right choices for us and for them has failed them in order to gain political popularity and for their own career gains?
As if it couldn’t get any worse President Obama has stated that he intend to double the amount of allotted international aid by the end of his term in office (Larsen). Whatever his plan may be to fund these efforts even it’s surely not going to help our national deficit and our economy, but in fact do the opposite and send our nation further into debt and deeper into economic crisis. This is not to say that we as a country should not offer help to people in other countries because they are all human beings just like us but we cannot effectively help them when we are in the pits of debt, it’s like the blind leading the blind. Here’s the more important question, who will come to our aid when this catches up to us and we need help? Who will pay our way after we have used all of our money to pay theirs? Who will take care of our children and feed them and build their schools? The answer is simple, no one.
All Good Things Must Come to An end: An Examination of Lost Civilizations in Our World.( Research)
Where one civilization ends another begins. A society in an advanced state of social development is defined as a civilization (Wordnet). From the beginning of humans’ presence on earth, many varied civilizations have been established and many have fallen. While the exact number of lost or fallen civilizations is unknown, it is estimated that somewhere around 7,000 have come and gone with more being found everyday (Stynch). There are many that stick out in the sands of time as the most significant and sophisticated societies prior to ours. Using technology centuries beyond their own and paving the way for many future civilizations, these ancestors of ours discovered many of the basic elements of astrology, mathematics and political structure of the societies in the world today. With all of these great accomplishments and the fact that they were years beyond their own time, one would have to wonder how these great mega societies failed, some never to be seen again. The even bigger question is could these lost civilizations be giving us a basic guide of sorts to survive and learn from their mistakes or, is it just a reminder that all good things must come to an end?
Through many different methods the ruins of these great civilizations, known for shaping cultures in numerous regions of the world, are discovered. Archeologists have dated many of these advanced societies as being around thousands of years ago and existing for thousands of years at a time in some instances. The exact reason for which these societies fail is a vast pool of theories and supporting evidence for most of them but a few tell us exactly what happened to their people. Ranging from famine, war and even illness, these ancient civilizations all succumbed to the same fate of dying off. However, before disappearing completely they left hints as to who they were, how they worked as a community, and the scientific advances of their civilization. However, with all that being said there is still much that is a mystery today leaving a natural curiosity among the people of our current civilizations.
The Harappan Civilization
The Harappan civilization was established at some point during 3000 B.C. and eventually disappeared somewhere around 1500 B.C. (Koeller). Located in what is now known as Pakistan, along the Indus River, this society is considered by many in the scientific community as one of the more mysterious ancient civilizations. The people of this society were the first to establish a way of writing, economic organization, different urban centers and social diversity among its people. It has been estimated that they may have had at one point up to five million inhabitants. This would make it the first mega civilization the world had seen (Stynch).
Unlike many lost civilizations of the world, the cities of the Harappan were not lavish by any means and large buildings were rare in this modest city. The layout of the city was a marvel of its own, showing immense organization of the people who once lived in it. The buildings themselves were constructed of a thick mud formed into bricks, which in the centuries after their existence, causes them to be almost completely wiped from the earth where they once stood (Koeller). The lack of any type of large royal structures such as palaces, or any type of temples indicates that there may have not been any social classes separating the members of the society and there is still no evidence supporting the idea of an authority figure of any sort. Not only did they not have an authoritative figure they also show no evidence of any kind of military at all. This has lead many historians to conclude that they were more than likely a peaceful society characterized by their conservative nature and stable regularity among the people (Koeller).
So how did the Harappan meet their end after existing for 1500 years? There are a few theories as to what happened, but the fact that we are still widely unable to translate the writings of these people makes it immensely unclear. One theory is that an outside force from the western Asia territory invaded and won, as they were considered to be a hostile force. Another is that with all of the flooding of this region life was no longer plausible in the territory as the constant flooding and draining of the water caused desertification of the soil in the land (Koeller).
The Mayan Civilization
Scattered though out much of Central America, are the ruins of a once great and thriving civilization of the Maya. Established in 2600 B.C. Located primarily in the Yucatan peninsula, which consists of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico; their population at its most was an amazing fifteen million (Stynch). The Mayan people would prove to be one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. They would end up leaving their mark, not only in the land with their elaborate pyramids ,but also in the sciences of our everyday life with many astronomical discoveries and even giving us the modern day calendar. Unlike the previously discussed civilization the Maya were an ornately decorated people. They had lavish ceremonial dress and traditions held by the tribe. Their buildings and pyramids are perhaps some of the most recognizable historical structures in the world. Their society itself was a hierarchical system, meaning they were centralized forms of a government ran by a King and separated by different classes within the tribe, including the profession of the tribe member (Crystal).
The Maya were also an immensely intelligent people whom of which made huge advances in language development, 60 of which people still speak, and amazing accomplishments in the field of astronomy. This included the use of observatories where they would study the layout of the sky and stars to predict weather and in some events what they thought to be the future. They were even one of the first societies to include zero while doing their mathematics. In addition to all of the scientific developments, they also mastered in farming and the arts, establishing a rich culture among its people (“The Rise“).
While they were not considered to be a particularly hostile civilization, they were known to shed blood in the name of religion. In the event that they had prisoners from a recent clash with a neighboring tribe, they were known to remove the captives heart in a show of gratitude to the sun, and then cut off the prisoners head as an offering of their blood to the earth (Crystal). Unfortunately, as time went by, many of the Mayans abandoned the glorious cities that once thrived and went back to living in structured villages for reasons still widely unknown. Around 1500 A.D. all of the Mayan cities had been abandoned and the advanced civilization was no more (“The Rise“). While the end of this great civilization is still up for debate, many think it was a violent war that lead to the end of the Maya and others think disease and famine are responsible for the disappearance of this society (Crystal). However it is without a doubt that the burning of all Mayan literature carried out by the Spanish did not help. With only three Mayan books still in existence, it is the reason why many of the questions posed today will remain largely unanswered (Crystal).
Easter Island
Located more than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile in the Pacific Ocean, is an island surrounded by mystery and intrigue and the story of a time long since passed (Gray). As discussed prior, with many lost civilizations there is usually a debate on how exactly the people of these societies eventually failed. However, that is not the case with Easter Island, as it is quite clear as to what lead to their fall. This island can easily be recognized by its famous hand carved stone statues, called moai and ahu, which surround that island (Gray). The people of Easter Island inhabited the lush forested land beginning in 318 A.D. .Some believe that the original inhabitants, 100 or so people of Polynesian decent, arrived in primitive boats and were probably lost when they came to shore. Initially, the large amount of forestry and the large population of birds and fish helped to sustain the people and is what eventually helped them to thrive as a tribe. This civilization was considered to be immensely rich in religion and in the arts. They, just as the Maya, also were thought to be knowledgeable in astronomy and the sciences of predicting weather (Gray).
As the years progressed so did the population, which weighed heavily on the land as they used lumber to build their homes and canoes the forests were being cut down at an alarming rate. At the same time the fish and bird supply was also suffering as it was the main source of food for the people of this island civilization. As their sources began to become depleted the clan initiated wars over the land, however this was not the reason for their fall (Gray). By around 1400 The island had become barren, what used to be lush forested land was now large open territory. The water supply had gone dry, the birds were no longer and because of soil erosion the possibility of farming was completely gone. This led the inhabitants of the island into famine and eventually they became cannibals who were war driven and self destructive. In 1864 all was lost and the civilization was soon to be non-existent (Gray).
The Chachapoya
The Chachapoya was a tribe that, at best, had around 500,000 plus tribe members, emerging sometime in 800 A.D. and surviving through 1540 A.D.(“Andes“) . This civilization was formed high up in the Andes of Northern Peru in what is referred to as the cloud forests earning them the name “Warriors of the clouds” (Stynch). This location gave them the upper hand as far a war went and also the weather. It was known to rain for many days at a time and the elevated location gave them a sort of drainage system while the high position and tall stone wall worked as a mostly effective way of keeping the enemy out. The people of this tribe were that of an intelligent civilization who were also known for the mummification of their people and their advanced skill in the art of war. The textiles produced by the people of this tribe were of such a fine quality that the neighboring Inca tribes saw them to be as valuable as gold (“Andes“). This particular civilization was also known for their worship of their natural surroundings such as streams, mountains, and possibly snakes as a serpent like figure is found often in the carvings done by these people (Caputo).
While they had the height of the wall and location of their territory as an advantage, it was still not long until the Incas over threw the Chachapoya in 1470 A.D. and for fifty years they were under the rule of the invaders (“Andes“). That is, until the Spanish came and single-handedly defeated the Incas freeing the Chachapoya, who would later become enslaved by those same Spaniards and eventually were wiped out by the influenza and small pox epidemic (“Andes“). While this may not be the exact manner in which this civilization fazed out it is the assumption by most archeologists and historians who have studied the Chachapoya.
With as many as 7,000 lost or fallen civilizations these four examples are not even close to what is needed to fully asses why or how these once great societies have failed (Stynch). What we do know is that out of the 7,000 plus civilizations there were only a handful that have impacted us to the extent of involvement in our everyday lives. However, one cannot avoid being curious as to wonder how these great flourishing societies, populated once with immensely innovative and intelligent people, could have possibly not seen their own impending doom encroaching upon them. If these great civilizations fail what does this mean for our civilization and its future existence? Do we learn from the mistakes of our ancestors and thrive, or succumb to the idea that history repeats itself and one day a college student will be writing papers on our great civilization?
Through many different methods the ruins of these great civilizations, known for shaping cultures in numerous regions of the world, are discovered. Archeologists have dated many of these advanced societies as being around thousands of years ago and existing for thousands of years at a time in some instances. The exact reason for which these societies fail is a vast pool of theories and supporting evidence for most of them but a few tell us exactly what happened to their people. Ranging from famine, war and even illness, these ancient civilizations all succumbed to the same fate of dying off. However, before disappearing completely they left hints as to who they were, how they worked as a community, and the scientific advances of their civilization. However, with all that being said there is still much that is a mystery today leaving a natural curiosity among the people of our current civilizations.
The Harappan Civilization
The Harappan civilization was established at some point during 3000 B.C. and eventually disappeared somewhere around 1500 B.C. (Koeller). Located in what is now known as Pakistan, along the Indus River, this society is considered by many in the scientific community as one of the more mysterious ancient civilizations. The people of this society were the first to establish a way of writing, economic organization, different urban centers and social diversity among its people. It has been estimated that they may have had at one point up to five million inhabitants. This would make it the first mega civilization the world had seen (Stynch).
Unlike many lost civilizations of the world, the cities of the Harappan were not lavish by any means and large buildings were rare in this modest city. The layout of the city was a marvel of its own, showing immense organization of the people who once lived in it. The buildings themselves were constructed of a thick mud formed into bricks, which in the centuries after their existence, causes them to be almost completely wiped from the earth where they once stood (Koeller). The lack of any type of large royal structures such as palaces, or any type of temples indicates that there may have not been any social classes separating the members of the society and there is still no evidence supporting the idea of an authority figure of any sort. Not only did they not have an authoritative figure they also show no evidence of any kind of military at all. This has lead many historians to conclude that they were more than likely a peaceful society characterized by their conservative nature and stable regularity among the people (Koeller).
So how did the Harappan meet their end after existing for 1500 years? There are a few theories as to what happened, but the fact that we are still widely unable to translate the writings of these people makes it immensely unclear. One theory is that an outside force from the western Asia territory invaded and won, as they were considered to be a hostile force. Another is that with all of the flooding of this region life was no longer plausible in the territory as the constant flooding and draining of the water caused desertification of the soil in the land (Koeller).
The Mayan Civilization
Scattered though out much of Central America, are the ruins of a once great and thriving civilization of the Maya. Established in 2600 B.C. Located primarily in the Yucatan peninsula, which consists of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico; their population at its most was an amazing fifteen million (Stynch). The Mayan people would prove to be one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. They would end up leaving their mark, not only in the land with their elaborate pyramids ,but also in the sciences of our everyday life with many astronomical discoveries and even giving us the modern day calendar. Unlike the previously discussed civilization the Maya were an ornately decorated people. They had lavish ceremonial dress and traditions held by the tribe. Their buildings and pyramids are perhaps some of the most recognizable historical structures in the world. Their society itself was a hierarchical system, meaning they were centralized forms of a government ran by a King and separated by different classes within the tribe, including the profession of the tribe member (Crystal).
The Maya were also an immensely intelligent people whom of which made huge advances in language development, 60 of which people still speak, and amazing accomplishments in the field of astronomy. This included the use of observatories where they would study the layout of the sky and stars to predict weather and in some events what they thought to be the future. They were even one of the first societies to include zero while doing their mathematics. In addition to all of the scientific developments, they also mastered in farming and the arts, establishing a rich culture among its people (“The Rise“).
While they were not considered to be a particularly hostile civilization, they were known to shed blood in the name of religion. In the event that they had prisoners from a recent clash with a neighboring tribe, they were known to remove the captives heart in a show of gratitude to the sun, and then cut off the prisoners head as an offering of their blood to the earth (Crystal). Unfortunately, as time went by, many of the Mayans abandoned the glorious cities that once thrived and went back to living in structured villages for reasons still widely unknown. Around 1500 A.D. all of the Mayan cities had been abandoned and the advanced civilization was no more (“The Rise“). While the end of this great civilization is still up for debate, many think it was a violent war that lead to the end of the Maya and others think disease and famine are responsible for the disappearance of this society (Crystal). However it is without a doubt that the burning of all Mayan literature carried out by the Spanish did not help. With only three Mayan books still in existence, it is the reason why many of the questions posed today will remain largely unanswered (Crystal).
Easter Island
Located more than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile in the Pacific Ocean, is an island surrounded by mystery and intrigue and the story of a time long since passed (Gray). As discussed prior, with many lost civilizations there is usually a debate on how exactly the people of these societies eventually failed. However, that is not the case with Easter Island, as it is quite clear as to what lead to their fall. This island can easily be recognized by its famous hand carved stone statues, called moai and ahu, which surround that island (Gray). The people of Easter Island inhabited the lush forested land beginning in 318 A.D. .Some believe that the original inhabitants, 100 or so people of Polynesian decent, arrived in primitive boats and were probably lost when they came to shore. Initially, the large amount of forestry and the large population of birds and fish helped to sustain the people and is what eventually helped them to thrive as a tribe. This civilization was considered to be immensely rich in religion and in the arts. They, just as the Maya, also were thought to be knowledgeable in astronomy and the sciences of predicting weather (Gray).
As the years progressed so did the population, which weighed heavily on the land as they used lumber to build their homes and canoes the forests were being cut down at an alarming rate. At the same time the fish and bird supply was also suffering as it was the main source of food for the people of this island civilization. As their sources began to become depleted the clan initiated wars over the land, however this was not the reason for their fall (Gray). By around 1400 The island had become barren, what used to be lush forested land was now large open territory. The water supply had gone dry, the birds were no longer and because of soil erosion the possibility of farming was completely gone. This led the inhabitants of the island into famine and eventually they became cannibals who were war driven and self destructive. In 1864 all was lost and the civilization was soon to be non-existent (Gray).
The Chachapoya
The Chachapoya was a tribe that, at best, had around 500,000 plus tribe members, emerging sometime in 800 A.D. and surviving through 1540 A.D.(“Andes“) . This civilization was formed high up in the Andes of Northern Peru in what is referred to as the cloud forests earning them the name “Warriors of the clouds” (Stynch). This location gave them the upper hand as far a war went and also the weather. It was known to rain for many days at a time and the elevated location gave them a sort of drainage system while the high position and tall stone wall worked as a mostly effective way of keeping the enemy out. The people of this tribe were that of an intelligent civilization who were also known for the mummification of their people and their advanced skill in the art of war. The textiles produced by the people of this tribe were of such a fine quality that the neighboring Inca tribes saw them to be as valuable as gold (“Andes“). This particular civilization was also known for their worship of their natural surroundings such as streams, mountains, and possibly snakes as a serpent like figure is found often in the carvings done by these people (Caputo).
While they had the height of the wall and location of their territory as an advantage, it was still not long until the Incas over threw the Chachapoya in 1470 A.D. and for fifty years they were under the rule of the invaders (“Andes“). That is, until the Spanish came and single-handedly defeated the Incas freeing the Chachapoya, who would later become enslaved by those same Spaniards and eventually were wiped out by the influenza and small pox epidemic (“Andes“). While this may not be the exact manner in which this civilization fazed out it is the assumption by most archeologists and historians who have studied the Chachapoya.
With as many as 7,000 lost or fallen civilizations these four examples are not even close to what is needed to fully asses why or how these once great societies have failed (Stynch). What we do know is that out of the 7,000 plus civilizations there were only a handful that have impacted us to the extent of involvement in our everyday lives. However, one cannot avoid being curious as to wonder how these great flourishing societies, populated once with immensely innovative and intelligent people, could have possibly not seen their own impending doom encroaching upon them. If these great civilizations fail what does this mean for our civilization and its future existence? Do we learn from the mistakes of our ancestors and thrive, or succumb to the idea that history repeats itself and one day a college student will be writing papers on our great civilization?
The (Informative paper) Ultimate Betrayal: Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome
From the beginning of humanity humans have been programmed with the essential instinct to protect and nurture their offspring, mothers especially. But what if that very instinct to protect was taken over by an overwhelming emotional need for attention pushing you to inflict pain and illness on to your child causing in some extreme cases death. Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, or MBPS, is the mental disorder that drives usually a mother or caregiver to injure or kill an innocent child and with around 625 cases in the U.S reported annually it’s caused a need for more swift diagnosis system in place before fatality occurs (Adbulhamid). But is such a disease real and how would someone be able to distinctly identify all the warning signs? How could someone violate the trust and bond a child has with its mother?
According to Dr. Sheslow the name Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome was named after an 18th century general Baron von Munchausen a man well known for the outlandish stories he told. This name definitely holds true to the disease. The rough definition of the disease is a condition in which a caregiver intentionally creates or fabricates an illness or symptoms of an illness for no personal gain except to receive attention from the medial officials involved. It is known as one of the most dangerous forms of child abuse as it is difficult to pin point. In the majority of cases involving MBPS the predator is the mother or primary care giver. Rarely, but in a few instances the father is the offender however it was found that usually he is a stepfather in these cases.
In extreme cases the ending result is the death of the child, which is about 31% of all the cases. The majority of the time the victim is under the age of four (Adbulhamid). Although it has been seen in older children it is rare and usually the child goes along with the mother out of fear and the feeling that they are only loved by their mother when they are sick. The typical complaint made by the parents involves illnesses directly related to the stomach or digestive track such as diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting and a large array of other symptoms which typically only occur while the mother is present. It was found that suffocation is the cause of death in 10% of all cases involving MBPS that were deemed SIDS (“Munchausen“).
In one reported case the predator used their child’s open wound as their complaint and would continuously infect the wound by rubbing oven cleaner on it burning the open flesh preventing it from healing and producing a bizarre rash (Sheslow). Some mothers have admitted to starving their children or even injecting them with household chemicals and even urine to cause infections so they could see a doctor. One mother admitted to poisoning and killing her infant child with a high dose of salt (Adbulhamid). At one hospital where they recorded several mothers under suspicion of having MBPS, they observed blood being placed in urine samples and medication being thrown out or replaced with another .So what does the typical predator look like or act like and what drives them?
The typical predators in these situations have a generally common background. The offender usually has had past experiences with either sexual abuse or physical abuse and in their youth would be described as being consumed with the desire for attention from others around them. Not only does the disorder directly affect the child but in some cases the parent themselves claim to be sick and will inflict harm on themselves in order to receive attention. In one case a women was intentionally ingesting bleach to gain attention from EMS and medical personnel. All of these past situations can be the perfect formula to produce a women desperate enough to harm her child for her own desire for attention and to feel superior because of their ability to lie so convincingly.
How can someone distinguish a woman with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome from a protective concerned mother with a genuinely sick child? Some warning signs have been outlined by Dr. Adbulhamid such as the caregiver will be seen by others as immensely attentive and caring people, usually becoming friends with medical staff involved. They are seen as being masters of deception and very typically have extensive experience or have even worked in the medical field leaving them fascinated by it and equipped with a vast knowledge of the subject. He goes on stating that they will be unhappy with whatever the tests show, usually negative or normal, and will demand another strenuous barrage of testing or will even take the child to multiple doctors who are all unknowingly testing the child repeatedly. Some women have even gone to the extent of out of state doctors so as to not leave a trail.
Along with diagnosis, prevention of further abuse of the child is of the utmost importance in these cases. In order to spot this abuse there are many steps to follow such as many hospitals, upon suspicion of MBPS, have rooms equipped with cameras where they will put the suspected in and observe the interactions between mother and child. When they have any substantial evidence they will then contact child protective services and the child will be removed from the parents care. Another way for a doctor to decide effectively is to do an extensive background review of the child’s medical history with the mother, making sure she doesn’t make any mistakes as some of the history may not be true making it hard for her to lie about a situation she is attempting to reiterate.
A huge question on the mind of people is whether the predator has a mental disorder or if they are acting on free will when they kill their children. According to Dr. Adbulhamid it is rare that a person with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome also has any substantial illness psychologically, however many who have the illness claim to have a multiple personality disorder. As far a diagnosis of the disorder there are a few different sets of guidelines one must follow before accusing anyone of such an unthinkable thing like harming their child. This is in fact why most cases of MBPS go undiagnosed until it’s too late and much of the damage, mentally and physically, has been done to the child, if the child is in fact still alive. Once officially diagnosed which according to Dr. Adbulhamid means they fit all characteristics laid out by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children also known as (APSAC). These require two things to be present, harm to the child from excessive intervention and a care giver who has fabricated the illness. Once the diagnosis has been established the predator can now begin a large amount of therapy and many different avenues for treatment. However unfortunately according to Dr. Sheslow most of the time the problem is resolved when CPS gets involved, the parent moves on to a younger child or the child dies.
No matter what the outcome the cases of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome are on the rise annually and the only form of prevention is for the physician to be immensely attentive to the child and mother and even that is risky to prove all on its own. This is a disease that is beyond our emotional comprehension because it is such a violation of our most basic instinct. It’s hard to imagine a mother intentionally harming a small child who has no voice of their own and in many instances in just a baby. Perhaps further psychological evaluation of the predators in these cases can give us a better look into the mind of a mother who does not love her child and is a cold calculated liar.
According to Dr. Sheslow the name Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome was named after an 18th century general Baron von Munchausen a man well known for the outlandish stories he told. This name definitely holds true to the disease. The rough definition of the disease is a condition in which a caregiver intentionally creates or fabricates an illness or symptoms of an illness for no personal gain except to receive attention from the medial officials involved. It is known as one of the most dangerous forms of child abuse as it is difficult to pin point. In the majority of cases involving MBPS the predator is the mother or primary care giver. Rarely, but in a few instances the father is the offender however it was found that usually he is a stepfather in these cases.
In extreme cases the ending result is the death of the child, which is about 31% of all the cases. The majority of the time the victim is under the age of four (Adbulhamid). Although it has been seen in older children it is rare and usually the child goes along with the mother out of fear and the feeling that they are only loved by their mother when they are sick. The typical complaint made by the parents involves illnesses directly related to the stomach or digestive track such as diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting and a large array of other symptoms which typically only occur while the mother is present. It was found that suffocation is the cause of death in 10% of all cases involving MBPS that were deemed SIDS (“Munchausen“).
In one reported case the predator used their child’s open wound as their complaint and would continuously infect the wound by rubbing oven cleaner on it burning the open flesh preventing it from healing and producing a bizarre rash (Sheslow). Some mothers have admitted to starving their children or even injecting them with household chemicals and even urine to cause infections so they could see a doctor. One mother admitted to poisoning and killing her infant child with a high dose of salt (Adbulhamid). At one hospital where they recorded several mothers under suspicion of having MBPS, they observed blood being placed in urine samples and medication being thrown out or replaced with another .So what does the typical predator look like or act like and what drives them?
The typical predators in these situations have a generally common background. The offender usually has had past experiences with either sexual abuse or physical abuse and in their youth would be described as being consumed with the desire for attention from others around them. Not only does the disorder directly affect the child but in some cases the parent themselves claim to be sick and will inflict harm on themselves in order to receive attention. In one case a women was intentionally ingesting bleach to gain attention from EMS and medical personnel. All of these past situations can be the perfect formula to produce a women desperate enough to harm her child for her own desire for attention and to feel superior because of their ability to lie so convincingly.
How can someone distinguish a woman with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome from a protective concerned mother with a genuinely sick child? Some warning signs have been outlined by Dr. Adbulhamid such as the caregiver will be seen by others as immensely attentive and caring people, usually becoming friends with medical staff involved. They are seen as being masters of deception and very typically have extensive experience or have even worked in the medical field leaving them fascinated by it and equipped with a vast knowledge of the subject. He goes on stating that they will be unhappy with whatever the tests show, usually negative or normal, and will demand another strenuous barrage of testing or will even take the child to multiple doctors who are all unknowingly testing the child repeatedly. Some women have even gone to the extent of out of state doctors so as to not leave a trail.
Along with diagnosis, prevention of further abuse of the child is of the utmost importance in these cases. In order to spot this abuse there are many steps to follow such as many hospitals, upon suspicion of MBPS, have rooms equipped with cameras where they will put the suspected in and observe the interactions between mother and child. When they have any substantial evidence they will then contact child protective services and the child will be removed from the parents care. Another way for a doctor to decide effectively is to do an extensive background review of the child’s medical history with the mother, making sure she doesn’t make any mistakes as some of the history may not be true making it hard for her to lie about a situation she is attempting to reiterate.
A huge question on the mind of people is whether the predator has a mental disorder or if they are acting on free will when they kill their children. According to Dr. Adbulhamid it is rare that a person with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome also has any substantial illness psychologically, however many who have the illness claim to have a multiple personality disorder. As far a diagnosis of the disorder there are a few different sets of guidelines one must follow before accusing anyone of such an unthinkable thing like harming their child. This is in fact why most cases of MBPS go undiagnosed until it’s too late and much of the damage, mentally and physically, has been done to the child, if the child is in fact still alive. Once officially diagnosed which according to Dr. Adbulhamid means they fit all characteristics laid out by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children also known as (APSAC). These require two things to be present, harm to the child from excessive intervention and a care giver who has fabricated the illness. Once the diagnosis has been established the predator can now begin a large amount of therapy and many different avenues for treatment. However unfortunately according to Dr. Sheslow most of the time the problem is resolved when CPS gets involved, the parent moves on to a younger child or the child dies.
No matter what the outcome the cases of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome are on the rise annually and the only form of prevention is for the physician to be immensely attentive to the child and mother and even that is risky to prove all on its own. This is a disease that is beyond our emotional comprehension because it is such a violation of our most basic instinct. It’s hard to imagine a mother intentionally harming a small child who has no voice of their own and in many instances in just a baby. Perhaps further psychological evaluation of the predators in these cases can give us a better look into the mind of a mother who does not love her child and is a cold calculated liar.
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