Application of Ethics and Morality Theory in Healthcare - 550 Words

Application of Ethics and Morality Theory in Healthcare (Essay Sample) Content: Application of Ethics and Morality Theory in HealthcareNameAuthorCollege affiliationDateApplication of Ethics and Morality Theory in HealthcareJohn Stuart Mill theory on ethics and ethical decisionsJohn Stuart Mill developed the utilitarianism theory, which states that the actions a person takes are correct as long as the actions geared towards promoting general happiness or pleasure among the greatest number of people and the actions are considered to be wrong if they make a great number of people unhappy. This theory focuses mostly on the consequences of actions rather than the rights or ethical sentiments. According to the theory, actions taken by individuals should be guided by a desire for sympathy for fellow human beings, thus the goal of utilitarianism is to maximize the happiness of others. Morality comes before the rules. For example, if there is a person who kills and makes a society unhappy, it is morally right to kill that person if killing the person will make the society happy (Mill, 2018).Lawrence Kohlberg theory of personal ethics and moral developmentUnder Kohlberg theory, the morality of a person develops either negatively or positively depending on how that individual accomplishes the various tasks before him or her during various stages of moral development in an entire lifespan. He grouped the moral development into pre-conventional morality stage, conventional morality stage, and post-conventional moralitystage (Walrath, 2011).In pre-conventional morality stage, use of punishment is important in determining the moral value of a person. People do what is right for fear of being punished. For example, people obey laws and rules for fear of being jailed. Also under this stage, people judge morality based on how it satisfies the individual's need (Walrath, 2011).In conventional stage, a person moral morality judgment is based on the roles they play in the society and social expectations of the society. Finally, under the post-c onventional stage, a person makes moral decisions by relating them to the universal principles. They collect opinions and views from other persons before making a decision. A person also will consider universally agreed ethical principals in making a decision. The judgment is usually innate and there is a very high probability that they might violate the set rules and laws if they are convinced that their actions are right (Walrath, 2011).Comparison of John Stuart mill and Kohlberg theories on morality and ethicsMill's theory focuses on the good of every person and his view of the moral action is premised on what the person thinks is the best actions for a majority of the persons while Kohlberg believes that what a person did through various developmental stages determines their moral actions. Mill's theory depicts that a moral action is dictated by circumstances in which a person finds himself or herself while Kohlberg believes that it is innate and developed throughout the entire lifetime. However, both theories agree that people act morally for the good of the others and in line with society expectations. Rules and laws should not be the basis for moral judgment rather actions that are for the good of others in moral decision ma...

Alcoholism A Common Co Occurring Disorder - 1628 Words

Alcoholism Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in the United States. Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that results in failure to fulfill responsibilities at work, school, or home; drinking in dangerous situations; having recurring alcohol-related legal problems; and continued use despite having medical, social, family, or interpersonal problems caused by or worsened by drinking (APA, 1994). Approximately fourteen percent of people experience alcohol dependence at some point during their lives (Kessler et al., 1997). Alcohol dependence refers to a more serious kind of alcohol use disorder and involves three or more of the following: tolerance, withdrawal, drinking more over a longer period of time, inability to cut down or stop, spending a great deal of time drinking, and giving up important social, recreational or occupational activities (Cunha, 2014). Co-occurring Disorder Bipolar disorder and alcoholism is a common co-occurring disorder. The combination of both of these diseases is dangerous. Many people with bipolar disorder use alcohol to treat their symptoms of bipolar. Alcohol and other drugs can have a negative effect on those suffering from bipolar disorders. It can trigger or prolong bipolar symptoms. It may increase the risk of mood swings, depression, and suicide. Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by an extreme fluctuation in mood from a very joyful attitude to severe depression. It is a form ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on Pharmacotherapy in Drug Addiction1382 Words   |  6 Pagesremoves the craving an individual has for a cigarette. A few common side effects are weight loss, nausea, and headaches. A more sever side effect is suicidal thoughts and seizures (Healthwise, 2009). Bupropion is a good use to help curb the appetite of a smoker. However when used in correlation with nicotine replacement therapy the pharmacotherapy success is much higher. Bupropion has also been used in treatment for the co-occurring disorder of depression and in children with ADHD. One of the old schoolRead MoreAlcohol Abuse Essay 171300 Words   |  6 Pagessharing a drink together. However, because drinking is so common in our society, realizing you or a loved one has a drinking problem can be a challenge.   The consequences of alcohol abuse are serious. Alcohol abuse causes extensive damage to your health, your loved ones, and society. It results in thousands of innocent deaths each year, and exacerbates situations involving violent crimes and domestic violence. Social drinking is common and popular is many cultures all over the world. In severalRead MoreRelationship Between Mental Health And Addiction1470 Words   |  6 Pagessomeone you love is seeking treatment for a substance abuse related disorder in addition to a psychiatric disorder, you will come across two terms in your research: co-occurring disorders and dual diagnosis. Right off you may be more concerned about simply getting help for your addiction. Maybe it has caused you to lose your job and your family is in tatters. It s important to note that when substance abuse and mental illness co-occur specialized treatment is needed. First, however, you must understandRead MoreFactors That Can Be Addressed As An Addiction Counselor854 Words   |  4 PagesWhen assessing individuals for co-occurring disorders there are two cross-cutting issues that must be addressed as an addiction counselor. The first most important cross-cutting issue to identify is suicidality. It is considered mo re a behavior that is high risk, than a mental health disorder. Suicidality has shown through research that those who commit suicide have substance abuse or co-occurring disorders which can be diagnosed early. Most common among clients is serious depression (U.S. PublicRead MoreThe Effects Of Comorbid Alcohol And Depression And Four Solely On Depression1492 Words   |  6 Pagestreating co-occurring disorder. Despite its common clinical use, long-term trials that have been conducted to examine the efficacy of CBT are limited and often lack appropriate comparison (Watkins et al., 2012). Though it is evidently an effective treatment for Depression and AD, it reaches only a fraction of those who might benefit. Yet, guidelines endorse psychotherapeutic practices such as CBT, as a first-line treatment for outpatients, and surveys of people with this co-occurring disorder haveRead MoreParanoid Personality Disorder and Substance Use Disorder: Co-Occurring1709 Words   |  7 PagesParanoid Personality Disorder and Substance Use Disorder: Co-occurring Personality disorders affect 10-15% of the adult US population. A personality disorder is a very rigid pattern of inner experience and outward behavior. According to SAMHSA over 8.9 million persons have co-occurring disorders; that is that they have both mental and substance use disorders. Only 7.4% receive treatment and 55.8% receive no treatment at all. The National Survey on Drug use and Health states that there were 45Read MoreAlcoholism And Dependency Of Alcoholism924 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussing about the disorder, which also includes, scholarly reference executed through research studies. The study was conducted through online and offline sources. The research study that will be the main focus of this paper will be on alcoholism and topics discussed on the dependency of alcoholism. One will come across with articles having different discuss on the effects, use of and dependency of alcoholism. The introduction section will include a brief definition of alcoholism. Overall the paperRead MoreTypes Of Alcoholism : Which One Are You?2125 Words   |  9 Pagesrehabcenter.net - guide - Types of Alcoholism – Which One Are You? If you suffer from an addiction to alcohol, you may be surprised at how different your experience was than what you were expecting. Television, movies, literature, and various other forms of entertainment have bred a clichà © version of alcoholism that rarely, if ever, matches up with reality. Everybody s addiction is different and they can t be treated in the same way across the board. However, alcoholism has been broken down into fiveRead MoreThe Use Of Recreational Drugs And Its Effects On Mental Health2286 Words   |  10 PagesThe use of recreational drugs has been common among humans ever since their psychoactive effects and ability to alter consciousness was discovered. A downside to this is that according to research, substance use has been linked to the development and expression of latent mental illness (a mental disorder that a person may carry the genes for but not express). My main research focus is the question of how drug use, especially hallucinogenic drugs, mediates and effects mental health, and whether itRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd )1165 Words   |  5 PagesObsessive compulsive disorder, abbreviated as OCD, is defined by irrational thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). It is possible to have only obsessions or only compulsions and still have OCD. Obsessions are thoughts that int rude repeatedly into awareness and are experienced as irrational, unwanted, and difficult to control or stop. Common obsessive thoughts can include: fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt, fear of causing harm to yourself

An Assesment of Indomie Noodles Tv Commercials on School...

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study The assessment of Indomie noodles TV commercials among children is diverse and it has attracted or resulted to this research. Television as a means of communication is widely believed to be the most persuasive and effective medium. This is facilitated by the unique features of television which is the combination of sight, sound and motion. These features account for the diverse viewer ship. Robert Reed (2007) defines television according to the federal communications commissions as the synchronous transmission of visual and aural signals. The picture phase is accomplished by sending or rapid succession of electronic impulses which the receiver transforms into scenes and images.†¦show more content†¦It will enable the organizers of the TV commercials to know how children of Ansarudeen Nur/Pry School see Indomie Noodles commercials, and also help them to know if their aims of organizing the commercial are met. Students, the media, researchers, scholars, audience, Indo foods , and the society at large stand to benefit a lot from the finding, of this study. 1.5 Research Questions Nwaorgu (1991), research questions are these questions posed by the researcher, seeking answers to which would lead to the solution of the problem. Research questions have to provide focus and direct attention to the major issues in the study. This study is therefore, guided by the following research questions. ïÆ'Ëœ Do Indomie noodles TV commercials have any impact on children of Ansarudeen Nur/Pry School? ïÆ'Ëœ Do the children of Ansarudeen Nur/Pry School find the programme educating? ïÆ'Ëœ Do children Ansarudeen Nur/Pry School believe what they see on the Indomie TV commercials? ïÆ'Ëœ How often do children of Ansarudeen Nur/Pry School watch Indomie TV commercials? 1.6 Scope/Delimitation of the Study Nwaorgu (1991) said that the scope of study refers to all those aspects of the study the researcher deliberately eliminated off the study due to certain reasons. It has to do with the content areas coverage of the study, not the geographical areas coverage. This researcher set out to make an assessment of Indomie Noodles TV

Write About the Ways the Difficulties of Love Are Explored...

Charlotte Bronte’s novel, â€Å"Jane Eyre† and William Shakespeare’s play, â€Å"Much Ado about Nothing†, both focus on the themes of love; â€Å"Jane Eyre† was written in 1851, the Victorian era whereas â€Å"Much Ado about Nothing† was written in 1599, the Elizabethan era. Although there may be over hundreds of years between them, both texts exhibit the ways the difficulties of love can be explored. Both texts imply that there will be difficulties as the relationships are established. Charlotte Bronte presents a flourishing relationship between Jane and Mr Rochester; this is evident when Mr Rochester says ‘â€Å"My cherished preserver good night!† Strange energy was in his voice. Strange fire in his look.’ Charlotte Bronte uses passionate language to†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady ever I looked on.† Again this really highlights the attraction Claudio has for Hero is purely the result of, first, physical beauty and, second, the desire to marry a noble and virtuous woman. While Claudio can’t be faulted for desiring such qualities in a wife, it is telling that he is ready to marry her after only this first meeting and that he goes to Leonato, not Hero herself, to purpose marriage. This makes the audience doubt the relationship between Claudio and Hero as it’s based only on attraction. Similarly between both texts they both introduce antagonistic characters that pose problems and difficulties to the development of the relationships. Charlotte Bronte develops Jane and Mr Rochester’s relationship slowly, which may make readers doubt the relationship, foreshadowing the trouble ahead. Bronte uses the technique of pathetic fallacy to highlight trouble unravelling further on in the novel. â€Å"The great horse-chestnut at the bottom of the orchard had been struck by lightning in the night, and half of it split away†. This quote ends the chapter of Jane and Mr Rochester’s proposal. Bronte used nature several times in the novel to underline the approval or disapproval of a situation. In this scene, as soon as Jane accepts Mr Rochester’s proposal, a bolt of lightning strikes the chestnut tree causing it to split in half, representing the trouble that lies ahead

Positive Impact Of Nelson Mandela - 1254 Words

Haseeb Sial Ms. Poll Global Studies Honors December 11, 2017 Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela was a great leader of South Africa. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in South Africa on July 18, 1918. He was an anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist, who was the first black and democratically elected President. Before Mandela was elected president, South Africa was a country with a white supremacist government, ruled by apartheid. There were racial tensions between whites and blacks, both races hated each other. Blacks were uneducated and most of them were poor and had little food. Nelson Mandela had a positive impact towards South Africa because he ended apartheid, unified South Africa and helped those less†¦show more content†¦In 1964, he was found guilty of sabotage and treason and spent three decades in the Robben Island Prison. Mandela turned the prison experience into an ANC school, teaching other blacks about politics and other freedom fighters like Gandhi (Lockard 959). Nelson Mandela fought against apa rtheid for years with protests/strikes and by leading the ANC. Nelson Mandela unified South Africa by using sports and the Truth Reconciliation Committee. Through sports like rugby, Mandela brought South Africa together. Rugby was mainly seen as a white game. Even today, it attracts mainly white supporters, and most of the players are white. In 1995, there were still fears about the policies the government would adopt in regards to the treatment of white people. Mandela showed white South Africans that there was no cause for worry and that they would be included in the new South Africa. The Springboks (the name of the national rugby team) were hated by the blacks, he used this opportunity to unify the blacks and whites. At a rally he put on a Springboks hat, he supported the team every step of the way and encouraged South Africans of all races to get behind the Springboks (Bartleby.com). The Rugby World Cup was held in South Africa in 1955 and South Africa won so the whole countryShow MoreRelatedThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela893 Words   |  4 Pagesas a unified population. Nelson Mandela was a key figure of someone who wanted equal rights and would do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. The South African people initially did not have any decision on politics, where they lived, occupation, and etc. Nelson Mandela, who was a part of this South African population, followed his beliefs to eventually change these laws for his people. Even Nelson did not have the full rights as a human, but that never stopped him. Nelson and his people wanted theRead MoreNelson Mandela s Influence On Human Rights945 Words   |  4 PagesNelson Mandela is a world renowned activist that was imprisoned for twenty seven years in a South African prison, because of a system of racism known as â€Å"apartheid† which discriminated against blacks living in South Africa at the time. Since his release from prison, apartheid has since been abolished in South Africa and he was elected President of that country. Nelson Mandela had a positive impact on human rights by standing up against racism in his country as well as many others around the worldRead MoreBiography of Nelson Mandela 1355 Words   |  6 Pageslive in a way that responds and enhances the freedom of others† says Nelson Mandela. (cite) Mandela lived by these words and showed it in many ways. Nelson Mandela changed the world by ending apartheid, positively influencing others, and creating and supporting multiple charities. (add more information) Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, which is now known as Nelson Mandela day. By being the son of a tribal councilor, Mandela mastered the art of listening; this helped him become a successful leaderRead MoreThe Beliefs And Achievements Of Nelson Mandela And Mohandas Gandhi853 Words   |  4 Pagesachievements of Nelson Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi have made positive impacts on society throughout global history. They both helped people fight the restrictions against them in order to earn what they deserved; freedom. Mandela never stopped helping people achieve equal rights. Gandhi saw people were being mistreated so he took action by boycotting. Both men fought hard to earn the rights that people sill currently have today. In the 1960s, one of Sharpeville’s leaders, Nelson Mandela was put in prisonRead MoreNelson Mandela: The Living Legend1089 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Speech 101 5 November 2013 Informative Speech: Nelson Mandela: The Living Legend Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about Nelson Mandela and his achievement and positive impact on Africa and the world. Central Idea: Nelson Mandela’s struggle and achievement in South Africa and around the world. Introduction: Attention Getter: Take a moment and think this situation. You are young and ambitious. Your dream is to free your people and your country. You decided to protest anyway againstRead More`` Tree Shaker : The Life Of Nelson Mandela, By Bill Keller1143 Words   |  5 Pagescentury Nelson Mandela, was anti-apartheid activist and was the first South African president to be elected in a completely representative democratic election. However, Mandela’s journey to that point is really what would define him. Nelson Mandela would devote the majority of his life constantly challenging the systems of his country in order to reach the Africa he had in mind. His legacy has inspired millions and has left a major impact on society. The book â€Å"Tree Shaker: The Life of Nelson MandelaRead Morenelson mandela is my hero1351 Words   |  6 PagesNelson Mandela Nelson Mandela, a true hero in this controversial world or just another politician? Was his 27 years of imprisonment for standing up against his nations government, which did not support human rights, equality and world poverty, something the country of Africa should be proud about? As disappointing as it might seem, the answer is a straight and simple, no. Nelson Mandela, my hero, the man that everyone knows, that conquered black domination in Africa, that healed his countriesRead More How Nelson Mandela used Rugby to unify South Africa Essay1543 Words   |  7 Pagesspending twenty-seven years in prison, Nelson Mandela was released from prison on February 11, 1990. In 1991, Nelson Mandela was chosen to become president of the African National Congress. In 1993, Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk announced an agreement that the African National Congress and the National Party form a transitional government, effectively ending apartheid and opening the political proce ss to all South Africans (Williamson). Mandela was elected President of South AfricaRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1134 Words   |  5 Pagestempted to conclude that events in history have always evolved around human rights race relationships and power. In this paper, I will focus on the themes of racism, human rights, and power and how history makers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi (just to name these few) helped to redress them to an extent and how theirs efforts shape contemporary events. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on 15 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia and is one of the most remembered Human RightsRead MoreThe Transformational Leader1099 Words   |  5 Pagesperformance. Transformational leaders have to believe they can have a positive impact on others and use their actions to convince others that they can be leaders too. Nelson Mandela died this week at age ninety-five and he left a legacy as one of the most important leaders in modern history.Throughout Nelson Mandela’s life, â€Å"many of his defining moments involved acts of compromise, pragmatism and reconciliation† (Myre, 2013). Nelson Mandela used different opportunities to reach out to people who were not

Against Animal Cloning - 1063 Words

Against Animal Cloning The welfare of animals should be considered when thinking about cloning and artificially creating new animals, but those who want to clone animals disregard any repercussions that would arise from any harmful effects on the animals. In this case, a primary animal could go literally extinct because of how humans are either invading their environment or even killing them. Animals are less likely to survive as clones. Animals should not be cloned because there is no guarantee of having a perfect clone, there might be an extinction of the primary animal, and there is a similarity in humans and animals. Cloning involves extracting DNA from a living animal and placing it into surrogate mothers who will carry the clone pregnancy. This is unnatural, and can lead to complications to the mother because of this process. There is always a high risk when cloning animals, abnormalities can occur, deformations are possible, and there is no guarantee that both the surrogate and the clone will live a healthy life or provide as healthy and hearty livestock. Cloning reduces the chances of an animal living a longer and healthier life like a natural-born animal. So many things could go wrong when it comes to cloning. We have seen examples of this in movies such as Jurassic Park. In the film of Jurassic Park, they though it would be a great idea to bring back dinosaurs that are harmless so they could benefit science and we could learn about our past. Once the dinosaursShow MoreRelatedCloning Right or Wrong? Essay1336 Words   |  6 PagesCloning Right or Wrong? Have you ever heard of cloning before? Well it has a lot of ups and its downs, many people are against it and many are for it? In my paper you will hear and of the good things and the bad things that happen in cloning and you can decide if you think it is right or wrong. History When I looked up the definition for cloning on www.m-w .com it stated that cloning is to propagate a clone from or to make a copy of. A book on cloning that I read stated that cloning is geneticallyRead MoreThe Cloning Of Cloning For Medical Services1586 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ethicality of Cloning Cloning the latest process that could change the way we look at our environment, and the step to take us to lose what makes us unique and unparalleled. Cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical individual to the original. There are three types of cloning: gene cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. The disadvantages of cloning is that there had been many attempts at cloning and the results have been numerous deformations and abnormalitiesRead MoreThe Ethics of Cloning Essay1504 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Richard Dawkins â€Å"Cloning may be good and it may be bad. Probably its a bit of both. The question must not be greeted with reflex hysteria but decided quietly, soberly and on its own merits. We need less emotion and more thought† (Dawkins, 2011). Cloning is a general term used to describe the replication of biological material (Cloning Fact Sheet, 2009). Throughout this paper the reasoning behind why cloning is an acceptable an d potentially life changing science will be examinedRead MoreThe Ethical Implications Of Cloning1265 Words   |  6 PagesCloning is the process of making copies of individuals that occur in nature such as bacteria, insects, plants, invertebrates or vertebrates. The copy is called clones. Clones are genetically identical to their original parent. Development of cloned animals, which have been genetically engineered to produce valuable proteins in their milk. These have uses in medicine, cloning can also save animals from extinction. Cloning would open doors to even more powerful technologies of human genetic informationRead MoreCloning, The, And False Interpretations Of Cloning1424 Words   |  6 PagesCloning, an ethical issue that has been pressed across the globe, has become a substantial debate throughout a majority of nations. The incorporation of a new type of reproduction in the United States has a plentiful amount of benefits for certain animals and objects, but duplicates of humans is hard to comprehend for many people across America. Currently, cloning is an interesting topic that could become a new way to improve reproduction of animals and humans, prevent diseases, and increase theRead MoreThe Cloning Of The Sheep1749 Words   |  7 PagesName: Lanster Yang Teacher: Mrs. DeGregorio Course: English III Date: 8 May 2015 Human Cloning Cloning of Dolly the Sheep was a first on many fronts. First, it represented the first mammal ever to be cloned from a somatic cell. It also sets a benchmark on which to evaluate other animal cloning experiments going forward. Secondly, her cloning was the start of controversy and panic in regards to animal cloning, as it raised the question of whether scientists would seek to clone humans too, and theRead MoreThe Cloning Of The Medical Field Essay1712 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of cloning used to be considered science fiction, that was until dolly was made. In the late 90’s Scottish scientist, Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell along with colleagues from the Roslin Institute accomplished the first cloning in history -Cloning is basically creating a copy of something, but in genetic cloning means creating an identical copy of existing DNA (of an organism)-. The final object was named Dolly, born on July 5, 1996 she was the first clone to be produced from a mammal cellRead MoreA nimal Cloning Debate Essay1045 Words   |  5 PagesAnimal Cloning Debate A clone is a genetic copy of another living organism –animal, plant or human. Animal cloning is a widely discussed issue in our society today. The question now is whether the Australian government should ban animal cloning. Many opinions are generated from this subject, such as the justifiability of cloning, and how far it should go. Religious views are prevalent, so too are numerous ethical concerns. The issue of whether or not the government shouldRead MoreThe Cloning Of Human Cloning1006 Words   |  5 Pageswhat is cloning? Cloning is the process of making a genetically identical organism through the use of a DNA sample. There are three different types of artificial cloning: gene cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Dolly, the sheep, was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell. There is a specific procedure that has to be followed for a clone to be made. Over the course of time, scientists have been able to clone many different types of animals. There areRead MoreCloning as Solution to Food Shortages and Needs for New Medicine1436 Words   |  6 Pagesthat there could ever be a solution to these issues. Cloning could be one of the many solutions to the problems that are afflicting the world as we know it. But that has many people wondering what exactly cloning is, and, more importantly why people do it. Knowing what cloning i s, why people do it, and other opinions and feelings about cloning could help us solve these issues. To clone means to create a genetic copy of another organism. Cloning depends on there being two cells, one of a female’s

Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 free essay sample

Classical music has taken over my life. Not a day of the week goes by without some sort of required activity involving classical music. I think that this exposure has been rubbing off on my personal life, since if you look on my iPod, youll find more Chopin than Taylor Swift. You can then imagine that when my dad told me he had two box seat tickets to see the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, I was absolutely ecstatic. There was, however, a minor detail. My father didn’t tell me, nor did I ask, what was being performed, until it was too late. When I did ask, he did not know, so I logged on to the Kimmel Center website and began scrolling through the different performance dates. My eyes lit up as I saw names like Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Holst, and I became more excited about the performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Then, I reached the date of our concert. My heart sank. Shostakovich, Symphony #4. I immediately recalled that my music teacher hates Shostakovich’s compositions, but I pulled up a recording of this mystery piece anyway hoping that my music teacher and I had a difference of opinion. As the xylophone rang out to announce the beginning, quickly followed by a muddled horn reply, I had to turn it off and my enthusiasm for this excursion faded. This composition was complete and utter atonal chaos. My first trip to the Kimmel Center was going to be an absolute horror. Eventually, the day of the concert came and while the novelty of this trip did restore some of my initial excitement, Shostakovich remained a dark cloud hanging over the whole event. On the other hand, I did not want to spoil this father-daughter outing, so I didnt let my aversion toward the music show. We arrived at the Kimmel Center early, so while waiting for the doors to open, I read the playbill cover to cover. I paid special attention to the section about the dreade d symphony, about which I learned many things in that small span of time. First, the symphony was over an hour long. I also read that it was bold. I’ve gathered that in the musical world, this is a way of saying that it does not fit the usual definition of melodic. I think that in the regular world, this means it is just weird. Even Josef Stalin walked out of a performance of one of Shostakovichs earlier works, which he criticized as being Muddle instead of Music.† When I read this I very nearly suggested to my Dad that we just leave the Kimmel and get cheese steaks in South Philadelphia. Instead, I held a carefully neutral expression as my Dad and I entered the hall. An hour and a half later, we emerged. I wish I could say that I suddenly had a revelation in hearing it live which magically changed my opinion, but honestly I still disliked the symphony. While the classical music I love has clear themes and strong melodies, I have absolutely no idea what Shostakovich meant to do. On the other hand, sitting through that marathon of a piece allowed me to appreciate what Shostakovich did. I may have hated the dissonances themselves, but the way that each instrument in the orchestra passed the moving line from one to another was interesting to follow from one side of the concert hall to the other. The bombastic chords played by the massive orchestra in full punctuated a playful dance between horns and winds. I then recalled the playbill and the history which served as the context for this composition and I could imagine the struggle of the citizens of the Soviet Union as they faced an uncertain future under the fierce rule of Josef Stalin. On the way home, my Dad and I discussed the hour long musical epic. I did not think it was the type of thing he would like. He did not like it, but he reflected on how the music sounded inside the concert hall and how he was impressed with the way the music felt in the floor and in the seats. For him, being there with the performers made all the difference. The quality of their presentation, the beauty of the space, and the historical background took music that I know we both hated and elevated it to an experience we could both admire. As we got closer to home, I decided that this ‘horror’ and ‘chaos’ was only considered so because of my preconceived and limiting notions of good music. While remaining completely out of my area of interest, and certainly not on any of my playlists, I learned to give Shostakovich my appreciation and respect.