Annotated Bibliography Report
By (Lala Nuss)
Fall
2002÷Generation 17
Dr. Leon James , Instructor
Instructions for this report can be accessed here
Introduction:
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ For my first research topic, Spirituality, I wanted to collect a range of different information related to the subject of Spirituality.Ê Because this topic is so general and broad, it was actually quite easy to look at it from very different aspects.Ê The search itself brought hundreds of different approaches.Ê I chose to discuss, in detail a few that I found to be unique in understanding this vast idea of Spirituality.Ê The subtopics will inform you about ideas of Spirituality which are not talked about much or not as popular to the general public.Ê I wound all my information from the internet in a variety of different forms.Ê My hope is to give you a little insight into a topic that is very well known in some aspects and almost completely unknown in others.Ê
A. SUMMARY
I found this site while searching google.Ê The site is dedicated to informing people more specifically about this type of belief system.Ê The site begins by giving the reader the definition of atheism and goes on to divide that definition into two distinct categories.Ê The first, and more general definition is that atheism is not believing in any gods and that there are no claims or denials made about that.Ê The site describes an atheist as simply not being a person who is a theist.Ê This definition is understood to be the weak or implicit atheist.Ê
A narrower version of this idea is considered to be the strong or explicit atheist.Ê This definition states that atheism is the strong disbelief in the existence of any god.Ê This latter type holds strong claims that would require support.Ê But with both definitions the atheist can go on to completely deny a particular god and have a lack of belief in another.Ê The site goes on to talk about the misconceptions and stereotypes that society has given to this type of belief system.Ê The general conception is that all atheist donât believe in any kind of god.Ê But the truth is one can have doubt or totally not believe in a particular god.Ê But because the theist feel that since the atheists deny their god that they must deny all gods.Ê Which is simply untrue.Ê Atheists tend to approach different gods in different ways.Ê
The concept ofÊ ãgodä is another aspect of misunderstanding that goes with the concept of atheism.Ê The site states that until the word god is clearly defined by the theist, the atheist can't make a proper statement about that ãgodä until it is better specified.Ê Until that happens, the misunderstanding between theist and atheist will continue to be a problem.ÊÊÊ
B. REACTION
This site caught my attention because I am Catholic and have learned about other belief systems, but never really understood the beliefs of atheism.Ê I found it interesting that there was so much information about it on the Internet and how they decided to educate the reader about their belief system.Ê I never really agreed or liked the idea of someone not believing in god.Ê I found it to be disrespectful and unappreciative to life in general.Ê My thought process was that denying god meant denying that there is something more powerful and greater than us out there.Ê
I always had this picture in my head of an atheist as being someone that either worshiped satin or was a hard nosed, uptight, unhappy capitalist that had no heart.Ê It is hard to understand something that goes against every thing you have been taught growing up and has been ingrained into your thought process.Ê I thought this would be a good topic to talk about and do research on to better open my eyes and mind to a totally different type of thought process that involves denying something that is held so preciously by others.
C. FINAL OPINION
After reading through the web site and a number of different articles that talks about Atheism within that web site, I had a better understanding for what they stand for and where they are coming from.Ê Although I take a different approach to understanding different gods, I do agree that one can take some aspects of a particular god and deny other aspects or teachings.Ê But I definitely donât agree with the total denial of there being something bigger and greater than us.Ê I donât think it is right to think that there is only us and what we see with our eyes.Ê We have proven this idea wrong in many aspects of science and exploration.
I do think this web site is useful in helping the general population better understand and may be have less stereotypical ideas about the atheist belief system.Ê It is a good idea to have this available to others in order for this practice to easier to be accepted or at least understood.Ê Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I was not totally cleansed of my prejudice towards atheist, but I did take away a better understanding and even a little more respect for this type of belief system.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
When I first started looking into the topic of spirituality, I came across a site that had many different topics relating to spirituality and religion, www.about.com/religion.Ê The first major topic was dealing with atheism and what it was all about.Ê I knew I wanted to choose a topic that was a little different and less discussed in general and atheism is something I didnât know much about but would like to know more.Ê The search itself was not that hard.Ê In finding accredited, substantial information was a little more of a task.Ê
A. SUMMARY
The next idea I had in researching spirituality was finding a belief system not well known.Ê The web site I found was a look into a belief system called Greenspirit.Ê This practice is similar to creation spirituality that originated from the Judeo-Christian traditions.Ê This practice is based on the creation of the cosmos according to God and is inspired by the religions of indigenous people. Which regard our dependence on earth as being an everlasting connected circle.Ê GreenSpirit links people of all different traditions and those who have none with the common belief that the earth is sacred and that we are the source of its maintenance and health.
This belief system incorporates many different aspects including spirituality, science, environment, and creativity.Ê GreenSpirit involves these concepts as being interlinked and that one canât exist without the other.Ê It looks at each of them as parts of a system that helps in the everlasting circle of life and the link between humans and earth.Ê According to this web site, we human beings are suppose to be humbled to the idea that we are to care and take every step for the goodness of earth and everything in it.ÊÊÊ
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B. REACTION
I was interested in finding something that I new little or nothing about.ÊÊ This site immediately caught my attention partly because the name itself stuck out for me among the other topics that were listed.Ê As I read through the page, it became more and more interesting.Ê To find such an unusual practice, yet having very familiar aspects and beliefs.Ê The way in which the web site incorporated all the aspects that I listed above in describing the mind set behind the practice was intriguing to me.
I liked the way the system holds the sacredness of the earth and the practices of indigenous people so strongly.Ê I could definitely relate to and understand the concepts behind the belief system.Ê It seems like it incorporated ideas and beliefs from many different religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, native practices (like the Native-American or Hawaiian) and of course Christianity.ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
C. FINAL OPINION
This search topic turned out to be quite rewarding and a unique learning experience.Ê I think this web site is a wonderful tool for learning new and a bit different aspects of the concept of spirituality.Ê The practice of GreenSpirit made me realize how complex the world is and how people can interpret their surroundings in so many different ways.Ê This practice is a wonderful example in explaining why religion and spirituality are so important in the survival of life.Ê I agreed with and could relate to many of the concepts that this practice brought forth.Ê Unfortunately, I donât think the majority of America and the world for that matter take this type of practice very seriously.
I do believe that a lot of us agree with and even think that many of the beliefs held by the GreenSpirit are of great importance, but we definitely donât live by them.Ê We are so consumed with ourselves and our happiness, that we tend to take for granted the basic essentials that we have been blessed with in order to just exist.Ê GreenSpirit holds these essentials to the greatest degree of importance.Ê In this day and age of industrialism and capitalism we need to be reminded just how delicate nature and life are and do everything in our power to give back at least a little of what we take.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
In this search process I started with the google search engine again.Ê I came across a web site called www.creationspirituality.com.Ê When I went to the web site, there was a list of different topics relating to spirituality with the basic relationship between creation spirituality.Ê I came across the practice of GreenSpirit and I automatically clicked on it.Ê It proved to be worth it.Ê The site contained the background information and history of the practice.Ê I was immediately taken by the whole concept.Ê The search was a lot more clear and easier in finding beneficial information than the previous topic.Ê
A. SUMMARY
This next topic was found in an on-line discussion.Ê The information found was in response to an on-line question presented by one of the readers.Ê The question was as following:Ê Do spiritual practices that are most often associated with eastern religions have a place in the lives of Christianity?Ê The reply proved to be very interesting.Ê It talked about how at times it is hard to be able to explore other types of religious practices because the doctrine of Christianity has taught us that it is wrong to practice in any other way.Ê But this article has a different approach.Ê It says that in order to fully experience and achieve the overall goal of being one with God, sometimes looking at and even practicing other aspects of different religions can be very beneficial.Ê
The article goes on to uncover how you can incorporate other religious practices into your own.Ê For example the practice of praying with prayer beads that is custom to the Islamic religion can be incorporated in the practice of praying with the Christian rosary.Ê The overall message that I got out of this article is that the one thing every single human being has in common, no matter what color or creed, is the concept of God or a higher power.Ê You could go into the deserts of Saudi Arabia or the jungles of Africa and they will know about God.Ê He is what connects all of us together in some way.Ê The article makes it clear that itâs more important to do some sort of spiritual practice than it is to do the ãrightä or ãacceptableä practice as defined by our place the world.Ê No matter how different our religions may be, they all have a common goal of bringing you more and more in union with God and all that is good.
B. REACTION
I found this little question and answer on-line discussion to be quite inspirational.Ê I almost overlooked it.Ê But on the site there was a section for questions and I saw that particular question and decided to look into it.Ê I wanted to see what kind of response there would be.Ê I felt that this issue of practicing other religious practices was always something that would help you understand God and ones own spirituality better, but always hesitated because I was brought up Catholic and was taught that that was wrong to do.Ê But this article hit the center of what I have always held to be true.
C. FINAL OPINION
I gained a lot from this article.Ê It reassured me that what I believed wasnât wrong and was actually healthy and even helpful in understanding yourself in relation to God.Ê I believe it is true that by looking at other practices and even incorporating some of those traditions into your own worship can enhance your belief and relationship with God.Ê The article shows the importance of having an open mind and being non-judgmental towards things that may be unfamiliar or foreign to us.Ê Just because you take into consideration other new ideas and concepts into your own doesnât mean you are loosing your original self.Ê In fact it means just the opposite.Ê You are actually expanding and adding on to what you already had.
All of us could use a little more faith, spirituality and guidance in our lives.Ê I donât see how adding on to what you already have could hurt especially when it is in your belief in God.Ê I always found it contradicting how my religion taught me to only practice what they taught me in order to be closer to God.Ê But God and Jesus were looked at to never discriminate or punish those who were different than they, as long as those people were good and holy.Ê So why is it unholy to learn and practice other ways of worship?Ê Now thatâs a question Iâd like to ask God personally.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
I found this time around doing my search was a little harder. ÊI wasnât really sure of what I was looking for this time.Ê I just started looking at anything that talked about spirituality or religion to maybe get some good ideas about what to use.Ê I came across this one web site called www.explorefaith.org/eastern. ÊIt sounded kind of interesting so I decided to go ahead and take a look.Ê
It turned out to be exactly what I was looking for.Ê The site itself had a lot of information about the site and what they were about.Ê After going through all that information I went to a little subsection off to the left that had questions that had responses.Ê That question caught my eye.Ê It was something that I have always wanted to know more about and is significant to current world events in the topic of going to war in the Middle East.Ê Maybe the President should incorporate some the advise given to the person who asked the question on the web site.
A. SUMMARY
This article is a paper done by a student on the topic of religion verses science.Ê The paper discusses the contradictions between the two categories.Ê The student that wrote it specifies how a religion is part of your thought process dealing with truths, morals and values.Ê These are ideas and teachings ingrained into your head when you are quite young and still developing into an independent, self-thinking individual.Ê Once you become fully developed, you start thinking for yourself and questioning what you know to be true or not.Ê Science can be considered the other side of that.Ê Once you start learning new and different ideas that are not natural to you, but make sense, one begins to make connections and contrasts between the two.Ê
The paper goes on to talk about choosing between religion and science.Ê It is something that the majority of us struggle with.Ê Between what we have believed our whole lives and what we have learned to be true.Ê It is difficult at times to choose one over the other because one is based on fact and the other is built on faith and hope.Ê The article defines faith as believing in something when common sense tells you not to.Ê When it comes down to it, only you can decide for yourself, which one is true for you.Ê Maybe instead of choosing between the two, you can come to some sort of halfway point.Ê Both can explain the world in different ways, one sometimes works better than the other.
B. INITIAL REACTION
When I was thinking of the next topic I wanted to do research on, I thought about the big debate between science and religion.Ê I thought it would be a good topic to include in the research study. So I went ahead and typed in the phrase religion verses science in to my trusty old google search.Ê It immediately showed me a number of interesting sites to look at.Ê
This site caught my eye because it was very relevant to what I was researching.Ê Student papers on all sorts of subjects could be viewed from this site.Ê I automatically went to this specific site to look at what they had to offer.Ê After reading this particular students paper about religion and science, I knew it would be perfect for my research bibliography.Ê I enjoyed reading another students work.Ê Getting a personal account from another pier can be unbelievably rewarding.Ê
C. FINAL OPINION
After reading this students report, I found myself asking myself some of the same questions that were brought up throughout the paper.Ê I can definitely relate to what they were talking about.Ê For instance, we both were brought up in the Catholic religion and both went to private, Catholic schools.Ê I had the same experience of having being ingrained with this certain idea of truths and later on in life learning contradicting, impressive truths.Ê
With all the information that is available to us now, and the overwhelming truth of hard evidence science, it can be very easy to become confused, even to forget the earlier truths that you grew up to know so well.Ê I liked how the student concluded that it is okay and even healthy to incorporate both of these teachings about the world and life.Ê For there are still many things out there that we cannot explain with science and that may never be explained.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
This search was the easiest yet.Ê I found it to be one of the easiest and most pleasant search experiences yet.Ê I had a good idea about what I wanted my next topic to be.Ê I thought it to be very appropriate to do a little research in regards to the relationship between science and religion since psychology is a science and one of my topics is spirituality.Ê
I went once again to my best friend, Mr. Google and typed in the words science and religion.Ê The site where I found my source was one of the first options that were presented to me.Ê When I read ãstudent papersä, I immediately clicked on it. www.allfreeessays.com was the web site.Ê I started reading a few of the papers that were related to my topic.Ê The third paper really caught my attention.Ê It discussed something that, I think, many of us can relate to.
A. SUMMARY
Throughout all my previous items, I wanted to display a unique way in understanding and learning about the idea of Spirituality.Ê To take you out of the normal, familiar aspects and let you know a little about some that are not so popular.Ê My 5th item discusses an idea that, I know every one of us will have an interest in.Ê I found this web site that features interesting information related to religion and spirituality.Ê This particular site gave the reader the option of looking at religion from a psychological or sociological point of view since it is one if not the biggest system to come out of human behavior and thought.Ê
The article gives you a perspective of religion from a number of psychologist and sociologistâs theories.Ê Including E.B. Tyler, James Frazer, Sigmund Freud, Emile Durkheim, Mircea Eliade, and Karl Marx.Ê Each have their own theory as to why religion exists and became such an important role in society.Ê Theories for the existence of religion included it being an explanation for what we donât understand; as a psychological reaction to our lives and surroundings; as an expression of social needs; as a tool for status to keep some people in power and others without; as a focus upon supernatural and ã sacredä aspects of our lives; and as an evolutionary strategy for survival.Ê
This source was one of the most interesting and educational for me in my quest to see things from a psychological point of view.Ê This article gives you a peak into some of the psychological studies related to understanding religion.
B. INITIAL REACTION
For my 5th item, I knew it needed to be something that kind of summed everything together. I had a related idea in mind, but didnât have a specific topic.Ê When I found this article, I knew it was just what I was looking for.Ê It had just what I was looking for.Ê A topic that everyone in class would be interested in reading and looking into (at least I hope so).Ê
I didnât really know much about psychological research based on religion.Ê But I knew there had to be studies out there somewhere.Ê I had no idea that names so commonly heard throughout psychological studies would have their works in researching religion such as Marx and Freud.Ê I thought the article gave a specific and brief look at what studies have concluded about religion in relation to behavior and society.
C. FINAL OPINION
Reading this article made me look at religion in a different light.Ê I never really thought about understanding religion in a psychological perspective.Ê I just assumed thatâs the way it was.Ê What I liked about this article is that it really made me think how religion came about and how it has survived for so long.Ê Wherever you go in the world, there is some type of form of religion. And a lot of them came about without knowledge or influence of the other.Ê I am a great believer of religion and believing in a creator.Ê This article gave me a new way of looking at such an awesome and mysterious aspect of human behavior.Ê
D. SEARCH PROCESS
I found this search to be a little more challenging than the previous topics.Ê Partly because there was a lot of insignificant material to dig through and also because I had a specific idea in mind for this topic.Ê I used the UH Manoa library catalog in this research process.Ê I found a lot of different sources to choose from.Ê Which took a lot of time to read.Ê I finally found the article I wanted to use that would be beneficial to what I am researching.Ê The article itself took me about 45 minutes to find.Ê But in the end it was all worth it.
A. SUMMARY
This source was chosen to give a little insight into what a woman experiences throughout life, how she perceives it, and how she deals with it.Ê The source is a book called Womenâs Reality and focuses on the life of women through their eyes.Ê The author is a psychological therapist and did a research study through case reports, interviews, and workshops over twenty years.Ê I decided to title this topic the same as the book because it fits the topic so well.
The book goes through different aspects of womenâs lives pertaining to their inferior roll in the general population or according to the ãWhite Male Systemä as the author puts it.Ê
The information given in the book begins by first understanding the idea and reality of the position of women.Ê It goes on to discuss how these outside conditions affect the way women live and theorizes how these aspects have an impact on the way women behave.Ê This book is a unique way of looking at some of the theoretical causes related to the way women handle and behave in relationships.Ê Because the author bases her work on the idea that men are the dominant and more powerful species in relation to superiority, the book goes into depth in regards to the complex topic of how men and women are so different in dealing with relationships.
B. INITIAL REACTION
When first got the book I wasnât sure what kind of information would come out of it.Ê My first reaction to the book was a little negative.Ê It came across as quite liberal and feministic.Ê Not that I am not all for womenâs equality.Ê There was a lot of worthwhile information once you got over the strong sense of womenâs lib.Ê Most of the information related to the relationship aspect between men and women in a variety of different situations including love as well as professional.Ê
The first 3 or 4 chapters deal with informative information derived from a collection of self-reports, workshop sessions, and interviews.Ê The last 2 or 3 chapters go into conclusions and alternatives that can help women deal with the situations in life that are unique to this particular group of people.Ê The book gives reasons and helpful information that can be useful in understanding this aspect of society.Ê The author also includes some interesting ideas related to the way some therapeutic practices can benefit and even negatively affect the way women try to deal with their situations.
C. FINAL OPINION
After reading this book and reevaluating the context of it, I understood it a little better and even understood the ideas behind it better.Ê This book gives men and women insight into what it means to be a woman today and gives women affirmation to what they have had to deal with throughout their lives.Ê Being a woman and reading this book has let me know a little more about myself and gives me a better understanding to some of my behaviors and some of the experiences in my life that I never really understood.Ê I would recommend this book to anyone interested in human behavior and how it can be affected by todayâs society.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
This source didnât require a lot of searching.Ê I didnât even have to search the Internet to find it.Ê I actually came across this book through a sociology professor about a year ago.Ê This book was one of her recommendations that dealt with women, society, and behavior.Ê I checked out the book about a month later from the Sinclair Library.Ê The book itself is not that long, about 270 pages.Ê And the unique look at society and behavior from a ãtrueä womanâs perspective is actually quite interesting.Ê The book is easy to read and is very upfront with its information.
A. SUMMARY
This source comes from a web site that deals with the conflicts in relationships between men and women.Ê Which is something that has been looked at and studied for centuries.Ê The site gives information pertaining to some of the theoretical reasons behind unhappy relationships.Ê It also characterizes what is involved in creating a healthy relationship.Ê Which includes open and honest communication, reasonable expectations or demands of each partner in the relationship, and the concern for each otherâs well being.Ê This site goes into depth in understanding the core behaviors and emotional constructs that affect a relationship.Ê
The source gives information from both healthy and unhealthy relationships.Ê The main message that this site tries to get across is how understanding first our own selves and what we are all about and then understanding the differences we have between us will make us more aware of what we can do to build and maintain a good relationship and what kind of relationship is right for us.
B. INITIAL REACTION
I found this source to be very informative and I was eager to read and take away some interesting ideas from it.Ê As I started to read the article it started with the points of behavior and mindsets that are characteristic to negative relationships.Ê The next portion of the article gave the opposite information and talked about some aspects that can make up a healthy relationship.Ê I found this type of set up to be helpful in contrasting the two very different aspects.Ê
Relationships are of interest to everyone.Ê Everyone experiences them throughout their lives and are affected by them in tremendous ways.Ê I was looking forward to finding information that can be specific and informative in understanding why there is so much conflict stigmatized on the way men and women go through relationships.Ê
C. FINAL OPINION
After reading through this article, I have a better understanding as to what works and what doesnât in relationships between men and women.Ê By looking at oneâs self and understanding and getting to know yourself, one can better control what type of relationship they would be involved in.Ê The article uncovered a lot of the over all, surface distractions and allowed you to more clearly see and understand the complex and confusing aspects of relationships between the sexes.Ê
I found myself actually remembering situations in my relationships that were almost exactly like those described in the article.Ê This site is a good source to look at in understanding the basic aspects of what makes up different kinds of relationships.ÊÊ
D. SEARCH PROCESS
This source took me some time to find.Ê Searching on the web for informative, sufficient material pertaining to relationships was a little harder to obtain.Ê I had to dig through a lot of ãgarbageä that was not really relevant to what I was looking for.Ê I used the UH library catalog and the google search method in this search.Ê
This site was found after going through quite a few other sites that had this one as a part of it.Ê This particular site was referenced a couple of times on other sites.Ê What made me use this one was that it kept appearing here and there and it was recommended over and over as a informative, worthwhile source.Ê It proved to be very useful in my research process.
A. SUMMARY
I wanted to take a look at specifically relationships related my generation or Gen X and Gen Y.Ê I wanted to see how we compare with previous generations relationships and some unique aspects that characterize the way our relationships work.Ê I found this book called The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony.Ê This book takes a look into what types of relationships are character to todayâs generation and how we differ from other generations.Ê The book focuses on what seems to be a very big practice in matrimony today called Starter Marriages.Ê A lot of 20-somethings and 30-somethings are marrying and divorcing with in the 1st five years of their marriage and most of them start and end without bearing any children.Ê
The book goes into depth about the reasons and causes as to why our generation canât seem to get it together when it comes to a committed relationships.Ê The book includes many factors in this process including the media, past generation influences, personal desires, how the mentality of todayâs generation deeply affects a relationship, and our own unrealistic expectations of what marriage is really about.Ê This book is a wonderful guide in helping our generation to understand and deal with the way we handle and get involved in relationships.Ê It reveals the basic and most critical causes as to how relationships today are affected by so many different influences.
B. INITIAL REACTION
When I first obtained the book I wasnât really enthused by the title and the thick text.Ê The book is pretty long and I didnât care for the title.Ê It just seemed like another one of the hundreds of relationship books out there that claim to be a useful tool in obtaining the perfect relationship.Ê It first reminded me of that book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.Ê As began to read the book, it became more and more clear to me how this book was actually very realistic and informative in itâs attempt to give the reader factual, real material that one can relate to.
The book started helping me understand some of my own characteristics that can lead to a bad relationship.Ê The author first focuses of individual aspects, then social aspects, and finally looks directly at marriage to sort out what works and what doesnât.Ê I found myself relating to many of the key ideas that were presented in the book.
C. FINAL OPINION
After reading this book, which took some time but was worth it, I have a better, much more open understanding as to why I look for the things I do in a relationship and what are some things I can do in order to make my relationships work.Ê I did have a hard time dealing with the idea of commitment and compromise.Ê Which is something that I donât like to deal with in my own relationship.
But when I was finished with the book I felt like I could actually make an attempt to incorporate some of the things I learned from the book to my own real life relationship.Ê Everyone wants to find the mysterious key that unlocks the chest to an everlasting, happy relationship.Ê But unfortunately thatâs just not how it goes.Ê A relationship, like anything else in life takes a lot of hard work from both sides.Ê This is a great book to look at for anyone trying to better his or her own relationships.Ê I think everyone should read this before they get married.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
Since this was a book, it didnât take hours for me to search for on the Internet.Ê I actually heard about it through word of mouth.Ê My Human Sexuality Professor told me it was a good book to read in relation to understanding relationships in our generation.Ê It wasnât till the following summer that I came across it at Boarders.Ê I was looking through some relationship books and came across the title.Ê I immediately remembered that particular book was recommended to me by my professor. It took about a couple of weeks for me to finish.Ê I could barely put it down.Ê I felt very familiar with what the author had to say even though I never really thought about a lot of that stuff until I read the book.
A. SUMMARY
I decided to do one of my topics specifically on the differences between men and women because that is what this main topic is really about.Ê I wanted to find something that really reflected the obvious and not so obvious differences that divides us as human beings.Ê I found this site that had a lot of information about men and women and their differences and thought it would be perfect for this item.Ê The site uncovers the differences by first explaining how men and women think.Ê It is almost as if we are complete opposites when it comes to this perspective.Ê The site characterizes the way men behave and think and then goes into detail about women.Ê
The next major section the site talks about is the way men and women perceive each other.Ê These perceptions are vital to the conflicts we come across between each other.Ê The characteristics that are given by the opposite sex can be seen as one of the big problems in the struggle of relationships.Ê The site also mentions how we are each individually different and that we canât expect others to think, act, and demonstrate behavior in the same way we do.Ê The siteâs focus on differences helps the reader better understand the perspective from the opposite sex.
B. INITIAL REACTION
When I first came across this site I didnât think it would be what I was looking for.Ê I wanted to really display a side of relationships that focuses on the differences between men and women.Ê After I started to read it, I realized the site was talking about what I was looking for.ÊÊ I was interested in how the site displayed the sex differences in thought process and behavior involving relationships.Ê
As I read on, the site went into more detail pertaining to individual differences.Ê Which helped me get obtain a better understanding for the subject of differences between the sexes.Ê I really related to the idea that each of us perceives the world and our experiences in different way and therefore we handle situations differently.Ê That is where the conflict begins.Ê If we could only somehow have a complete awareness of differences, it would make being in a relationship a lot less difficult.
C. FINAL OPINION
I liked this sites view on why men and women seem to have so much conflict when it comes to being in a relationship with one another.Ê This site covered in depth the reasons why we donât seem to be able to make it work and the causes as to why it is so difficult to have a successful relationship.Ê Looking at the differences that separate us from one another allows us to put ourselves in the others shoes in a way that can be beneficial to pursuing a healthy relationship.
I thought this site in particular was very well written because it made the reader look at various different sides that are involved in a relationship.Ê By understanding your partners side of it a little more can help you to not totally write them off as incompatible.Ê Cooperation and understanding seem to be key factors that help a person get through rough times in a relationship.
D. SEARCH PROCESS
Finding a site that was very specific in what I wanted to discuss was again a little more difficult than just doing a general search.Ê I had to really go through a lot of material that discussed some of the areas I was looking for, but didnât hit the target head on.Ê After about an hour of reading and searching, I finally came across the site that I used for this topic.Ê
I used google, larkfarm, and the UH catalog in trying to find the perfect article to obtain my information from.Ê This site was actually quite large and had a lot of other material pertaining to relationships that I found interesting as well.Ê But what caught my attention was the portion of the article that focused on the differences between men and women in relationships.
A. SUMMARY
I wanted this topic to be a sort of overall look at relationships, a sort of good ending to such a stressful subject.Ê I wanted to find information on a topic that uncovers the real reasons and characteristics of having a happy and healthy relationship.Ê Which is something all of us want to obtain one day.Ê Is it possible though?Ê Well, I found a web site that discusses those possibilities.Ê The site talks about what makes up a good relationship and some of the overwhelming things we as individuals need to do in order to obtain it.Ê
The site is very realistic and pushes all the fantasies aside that can be stigmatized in relation to relationships.Ê The site clearly states how by incorporating reality into a relationship, one can begin to cut away at some of the factors that prevents us from having a truly healthy relationship.Ê It also mentions the need to change for the sake of the relationship itself.Ê The goal and ideal in mind has to be for the betterment of the relationship, not for individual satisfaction.Ê Each partner needs to take responsibility for his or her commitment and hold true to that.Ê I really enjoyed the material that was presented in this site.Ê I would recommend it to others who would like to know more about what helps and what hurts a relationship.
B. INITIAL RACTION
When I first found the site, I wasnât sure it was what I was looking for.Ê I started to read on and began to be engulfed into the literature itself.Ê Everything that was said was remarkably easy to understand and seemed so easy to do.Ê It was something about the way the author wrote the material that made the reader understand everything that was being said.Ê I knew immediately that this site would be the one I use for my final topic.
C. FINAL OPINION
I agreed with and recommend a lot of the material in this site to anyone trying to figure out how it all works.Ê After reading this article, I can definitely say that I have a much better idea of what it takes as an individual and as a couple to make each other happy and the relationship healthy.Ê By looking at the relationship itself as an individual entity, allows for the partners in it to focus on what is most important in keeping that entity as healthy and successful as possible.Ê I article did make it clear that having and maintaining a relationship like that takes a lot of work and giving of ones self.
I think I understand a little better now as to why so many of todayâs relationships donât seem to be healthy ones.Ê I think it is because of the selfishness and individualistic ideals of many of us today that are so determined to be individually happy that we forget that by making others happy, we can reach that goal in other unselfish ways.Ê
D. SEARCH PROCESS
I found this search to be on average not so bad.Ê Surprisingly, it didnât take me long to find what I was looking for.Ê I used Mr. Google for the last time and it proved to be a success.Ê After sifting through the normal garbage that you tend to come across on the internet, I came to a site that didnât seem to have the specific information I was Looking for, but I went ahead and gave it a look anyway.Ê
After reading the first paragraph, I knew this was the site I was looking for. I found the literature to be very catching and the material very sincere and nurturing.Ê The site was worth all the trouble I went through to find it.Ê It really talked about what I was trying to portray in my research topic.Ê It was one of the better experiences searching the web that I have experienced.
Conclusion:
Throughout both of my research topic searches, I had the main goal in mind of finding material and topics that would be beneficial to not only me, but to the rest of you.Ê I wanted to find information that would help and educate those who read my report.Ê I found it to be challenging and at times even enjoyable.Ê I chose to research Spirituality and Relationships because I think it is one of the biggest roles that affects our lives.Ê Two of the most ancient practices that still lives on today can hold an enormous amount of knowledge that can be derived form them.Ê By looking more closely into these interesting and mysterious aspects of human behavior, we can maybe begin to understand ourselves and the rest of the world a little better.Ê I hope that this research report will be beneficial to someone who is just trying to understand what they see and experience in life.
References:
www.crreationsspirituality.com, Sept. 22, 2002
www.religioustolerance.org/newage, Sept. 22,2002
www.spiritweb.org, Sept. 24, 2002
www.about.com/religion, Sept. 29, 2002
www.alt.spirituality.circle, Sept. 29, 2002
www.eclecticspirituality.com, Sept. 29,2002
www.dir.yahoo.com/society_and_culture/relationships, Sept. 21, 2002
www.mentalhelp.net/psyhelp, Sept. 29, 2002
www.crisiscounceling,com/relationships/differencesmenwomen, Oct. 2, 2002
Anne Wilson Schaefer, Womenâs Reality, third edition, 1992
Pamela Paul, The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony, 2002
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