The argument regarding guns Essay Example for Free

The argument regarding guns Essay The argument regarding guns on campus has been a hot topic ever since the widely covered tragedies at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech University. Since those and other shootings have taken place, some states have decided to make provisions to gun carrying laws on campuses allowing students and faculty to arm themselves. However, not all states have been able to pass changes on such a polarizing issue, and are met by heavy opposition from anti-gun groups. The debate is one with deeply rooted emotions for some, as family members and friends have been directly affected by campus violence. No matter which side of the debate you stand on, one has to admit it is interesting to look at how past events may have been altered with different gun laws, as well as the possible risks and prevention that provisions could cause in the future. On April 16, 2007, a single gunman killed 32 people and injured 17 others before taking his own life on the campus of Virginia Tech. Armed with a backpack full of ammunition, Seung-Hui Cho went from classroom to classroom murdering students and teachers before the campus police finally broke down the barricade to the building he was in, and he turned the gun on himself. Although there is not a way to be sure of how something so random could have been prevented, there is also no doubt in the minds of some that it could have been stopped sooner and more innocent lives saved had there been permission to carrying handguns into the classroom. The response in regards to gun laws following the events in Virginia included â€Å"politicians in at least 25 states have considered new laws or policies designed to protect college students† (Lewis 1) within three months of the attacks. The Virginia Tech Massacre opened old wounds and created new ones, all while sparking nationwide interest and debate on how campuses deal with gun restrictions. In 2008, Arizona Senator Karen S. Johnson, following a shooting on the campus of Northern Illinois University, said that â€Å"the police, [Johnson] said, respond too slowly to such incidents and, beside, who better than the people staring down the barrel to take action? † (Archibold 1) Had there been a student or professor armed during the VTech massacre, there is a chance that the gunman could have been taken down much sooner, saving maybe even dozens of lives and preventing multiple injuries sustained during the attacks. Further supporting from 2008 were the figures on violent crimes on college campuses for the year. â€Å"There were 3,287 rapes, 60 killings, 5,026 assaults and 4,562 robberies across college campuses just in 2008†¦experts tell us campus crime is underreported. † (Burnett 1) Those numbers support the thinking that many self defense advocates use in believing they are at a higher risk of attack knowing that most likely someone walking around a college campus will not be armed. Also following the shooting at VTech, the â€Å"Students for Concealed Carry† was formed. Within 6 months of forming the group had chapters at 60 colleges across the nation, and today now has over 350 chapters in 46 states. In 2010 a Colorado court ruled in favor of the SCC claiming there were inconsistencies between laws enforced by the state and by campuses regarding the right to self defense. (Colorado Court of Appeals 3) Those opposed to the notion of allowing firearms on campus often hang onto the risks that such enactments could possibly result in. Eliminating gun-free campuses nationwide could, in a sense, create very tense and hostile environments in schools and brings up several questions such as, â€Å"Will students feel safer knowing that the student sitting next to them could be ’packing’? † (Siebel 1) The atmosphere created by the chance that there are people armed with guns sitting in close proximity to one another could spoil the integrity of academic debate (Rogers 1) in some if not most college campus settings, much pride is invested into the ability to share differing and sometimes controversial ideas on what could be an emotion stirring topic. [School] is a place where we depend on being able to speak our minds and offer sometimes controversial opinions in a free and open place, she said. The feeling among a percentage of faculty is that this will create a climate of fear and intimidation. (Frosch) The prospect of having guns in the classroom makes many people nervous or fearful for understandable reasons, and would likely lead to less focus on actual instruction and academic participation. This immediate effect could also hold larger ramifications as time goes on with the possibility of affected grades, graduation rates, and possibly even lower enrollment rate from state to state depending on the campus gun laws. However, contrary to this belief shared by anti-gun groups, there does not seem to be any major spike in crime on those campuses that do allow concealed weapons to be carried, â€Å"71 campuses in three states already allow licensed concealed carry on campus†¦done so for years without a single resulting incident. †(Burnett) This leads some to believe that the idea that allowing guns campus would turn them into potential warzones may be greatly exaggerated. Another major criticism gun carrying provisions say that the amount of issues that could arise from it outweigh the prevention possibilities suggested by supporters and would cause more gun related incidents to occur as a result. â€Å"[Critics] argue that the guns would make it easier for people barely out of adolescence, or perhaps emotionally troubled, to respond lethally to typical campus frustrations like poor grades or failed romances. † (Archibold 2) That mode of thinking was supported in 2002 when University of Arizona student Robert Flores Jr. shot and killed 3 of his professors then himself after reportedly being barred from taking an exam by one of his professors. It was determined to be premeditated and likely emotion driven as â€Å"police said [he] specifically targeted the instructors, killing one in her office on the second floor and shooting the others in a fourth-floor classroom as students dove for cover. † (Holguin) Of course in the same respect one could say that had the professors been armed some, if not all, lives could have been saved. One will almost never be able to definitively determine the emotions and motives behind someone going off on a rampage through a university, however it is not farfetched to predict that someone willing to take innocent lives would not be as likely to follow the laws concerning guns whether it was legal to carry or not. Opposition to the pro-gun stance in this issue claim that the chances of catastrophic events such as the VTech Massacre are â€Å"rare† and usually â€Å"either last long enough for armed campus security to respond, or are over before anyone can react. † (USA Today) While the likelihood of an attack occurring is admittedly not very high, it would be interesting to hear a Senator explain those odds to the family of someone killed in one of the many tragedies taken place across the country. Also needed to take into account is the fact that some reports on violent crime â€Å"excludes incidents in which only one person was killed or injured, as well as incidents in which a student started shooting, but no one died. † (CLAJ 291) Therefore leaving some reports skewed to the notion that an attack is not likely. The amounts of varying factors weighed in the decision whether or not to permit guns on campuses, causes a major divide between stances in the issue. Such a polarizing issue as gun control can never come to complete compromise. Those uneasy about the idea of having live firearms in a classroom are unlikely to ever feel completely comfortable, and those who feel their right to self defense is being violated will continue to do so. Whether or not more states decide to adopt changes to gun laws, there will continue to be close attention paid to the measures campuses and states take to ensure the safety of students and staff. We can always speculate what could have been prevented, however much can be taken from tragedies in the past in an effort to deter any future attacks and prevent any more senseless acts of violence.

Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening

Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Cystic fibrosis is a common autosomal recessive genetic disorder1. This means that to have cystic fibrosis, a person must have inherited a defective gene from each of his or her parents2. This gene is located on chromosome seven2. Absence or mutation in this particular gene results in worse performance or absence of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator2. This is most commonly found in Europe, North America, and Australia1. This gene manages anion transport and mucociliary clearance in the airways1. With the failure of this function, the results are mucus retention and chronic infection in the lungs1. Nowadays, modern technology provides aid for patients with their diseases and gives them a longer and more active life. Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis is a modern technological advance which is designed to detect early signs of cystic fibrosis. Several methods under the name of the Newborn Screening are used to detect whether a newborn has cystic fibrosis or not1. These methods include immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) testing combined with DNA mutation analysis and the sweat chloride test1. IRT stands for Immunoreactive Trypsinogen Test. The procedure of this test is a chemical reaction. Trypsinogen is made from the pancreas, and it normally transmits to the intestines where it is activated to a form of an enzyme called trypsin. In a patient who has cystic fibrosis, the thick mucus covers the pancreatic ducts1. Therefore, trypsinogen wont reach the intestines, and the amount of trypsinogen goes up. This test runs with a blood sample, and if the results come out with a normal level of trypsinogen, then this test is reliable, but if there is a high level of trypsinogen, then more tests need to be run to find out whether the patient has cystic fibrosis or not. A sweat chloride test is the amount of chloride in patients sweat. In a patient that has Cystic Fibrosis, the sweat chloride test will result in significantly higher levels of chloride in sweat than a person that does not have cystic fibrosis due to the restricted movement of chloride. The gene mutation test is a DNA sequencing test to locate a defective gene in the chromosome. There are many different types of mutations that can cause a deficiency in the production of the CFTR protein. More than 2000 CFTR variants have been discovered1. About 15% of the identified gene variants are not associated with CF1. CFTR mutations can be classified into six classes according to their effects on protein function1. Classification is helpful because it relates to the molecular and cellular processes in gene translation and protein processing and has some useful clinical relations1. Class I, II, and III mutations are associated with no residual CFTR function and patients with these mutations on average have a severe phenotype, whereas individuals with class IV, V, and VI mutations have some residual function of CFTR protein and have a mild lung phenotype and pancreatic deficiency1. Today, different laboratories use a wide variety of panels depending on the patients need, like t he twenty-three panel or panel of seventy. The following is an example of a molecular CF test. Lab Corporation of America published a procedure for a Cystic Fibrosis molecular diagnostic3; The coding sequence of CFTR is amplified by polymerase chain reaction and each PCR product (amplicon) then sequenced bi-directionally, using Sanger sequencing methodology. CFTR Chr7(q31,2) Nucleotide Change Amino Acid Change Consequencing Zygosity Relation to Cystic Fibrosis c.1327G>T p.Asp443Tyr missense mutation homozygous recessive, associated 1. Prof J Stuart Elbom, Cystic Fibrosis, Lancet, 19-25 November 2016, Volume 388, Issue 10059, page 2519-2531 2. The Clinical and Functional Translation of CFTR(CFTR2) at Copyright 2011 US CF Foundation, John Hopkins University The Hospital for Sick Children; available at https://cftr2.org. 3. Corporation of America Published Documents   2014   available @ http://oneworld.labcorp.com/Billing/TestMaster/Resource Center/Sample Reports/C-4/Cystic Fibrosis (CF) CFTR 252763.pdf

Prevalence of Inappropriate Behavior With Schizophrenia

Prevalence of Inappropriate Behavior With Schizophrenia Sexuality is basic human need. This need is present at every developmental stage and as age increases, it become more dominant. According to Freud if person fixated at one stage or its needs repressed then in later life it comes in his behavior (Townsend, 2006). According to Muslim Public Affairs Council (1996) sex and sexuality are consider taboo subjects in Pakistan. Our culture also doesn’t allow talking about these issues openly before marriage and consider legal to satisfy sexual desire only after marriage. Religion also doesn’t support to discuss these matters openly. It is important to discuss on this topic in mental health because if we don’t discuss on sexuality, the patient may start expressing his thoughts in unacceptable manner which is against our norms of society and it is called as â€Å"sexual disinhibition†. The study uncovered that 26.7% of persistent schizophrenic patients had huge obsessive enthusiastic indications, with a high prevalence in the age set underneath 35 years. Obsessive habitual side effects were more serious in patients with term of sickness more than 5 years. The obsessive impulsive indications were more common around paranoid schizophrenics (Hemrom et al, 2009). A 33 yr. old female admitted in Karwan-e-Hayat with complain of schizophrenia. On assessment I found her depressed and prepared to give teaching on coping mechanism. While giving teaching to her on coping strategies she suddenly started telling her sexual thoughts, desire and feelings to have a sexual intercourse. Even she was ready to have an intercourse with his divorced husband and wanted to get married. When she was telling this I was quiet, anxious, uncomfortable, and not confident to discuss. Once I thought that I was not able to assess her problem for which she needed help. In schizophrenia obsessive compulsive symptoms that of being contamination, sexual, and aggressive thoughts is the positive sign. In a research it has been found that 10% of schizophrenic patient had these obsession symptoms (Hemrom et al, 2009). Sexual obsession is common in schizophrenic patients and relates the DSM-IV criteria of schizophrenia and OC (Bancroft, 2008). Who encounter such a sort of unadulterated fixations (i.e., fixations that are regularly portrayed by the absence of unmistakable impulses) assess unpleasant considerations as unsafe and excessively significant and, hence, fight to control their beliefs (Dell’Osso et al, 2012). The patient was suffering from schizophrenia so having sexual obsession could be the part of her disease process as Turkcan et al. (2007) reported that 16% of patient had obsessive compulsive symptoms with schizophrenia. According to Freud (1961), psychoanalytic theory describes formation of personality through five stages of psychosexual development. Fixation of libido (sexual drive or instinct) at any stage of development certainly results in psychopathology (Townsend, 2006) and fixation at any stage will also influence the behavior of person in later life (McLeod, 2008). As in case of my patient, she was divorced due to which her sexual desires were repressed and unable to fulfill them. It results in fixation of sexual needs due to which her sexual needs are at extreme level that, she have intense feeling to have intercourse and have sexual thoughts, which may change into behavior at any time. On the other hand, literature shows that some antipsychotic drugs induce sexual disinhibition which includes risperidone and quntipien (Lam et al, 2007). Risperidone side effect is that it increases sex drive and also decreases sexual function in some cases. Some cases have been reported which shows the effect of risperidone in increasing the sexual obsession compulsive thoughts (Basil et al, 2002). So, my patient was also taking risperidone it may be one of the factor for having compulsive thought. Whereas, there is also literature support for medication that decreases sexual desires such as one of the late study evaluate that second generation antipsychotic i.e. risperidone, olanzapine, quntipien, and haloperidol is the biggest study to date to assess sexual dysfunction and reproductive side effects (Kelly Conley, 2004). Therefore, it is important to take alternative medications to treat these symptoms. Whereas various late medicine studies and narrative case reports have indicated an adjunctive particular serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) may be a convincing medications to treat OC in schizophrenia. Patients getting clozapine and other atypical antipsychotics as their support medicine ought to be thoroughly screened for new onset or compounding of prior OC indications (Hwang et al, 2006). Although my patient had intense thoughts and desires to have intercourse, so with the pharmacological management it is important to do cognitive therapy because patient only have thoughts, but her thoughts can be change into behavior. It is important to change her thoughts through cognitive therapy. There are different strategies through which inappropriate behavior of patient can be change and these are discussing below. Cognitive therapy helps dependent upon perception, and all the more particularly, the particular judgment evaluation by a single person of an occasion, and the feelings or practices that come about because of that examination. Cognitive techniques include identifying and modifying repeated thoughts (thinking errors) and schemas interior values (Townsend, 2006). The goal of cognitive therapy is to change irrelevant beliefs, faulty way of thinking, and negative self- statements that cause behavioral problems (Stuart, 2013). Cognitive therapy focuses on controlling and reducing obsessive compulsive behaviors by behavioral strategies for managing symptoms, thoughts, beliefs and feelings are perused and examine for relevance and validity. Behavior modification system is dependent upon the precise examination and requisition of fortification. Support is the procedure by which new reactions are obtained and existing ones are fortified (Jessor, 2013). Moreover, motivational interventions can be done to develop patient’s motivation to change. By asking open-ended question can help to identify patient agenda. Affirming, reinforcing positive statements, and hopeful can emphasize that change is possible and it will also increase the self esteem of patient which will help him and motivate to change (Stuart, 2013). Role modeling can be done to teach the behavior. Lifestyle change to help an individual identify high-risk situations, change cognitive distortions or faulty thinking, and cope with stressful or high-risk situations that may trigger relapse (Townsend, 2006) Furthermore, nurse role is important in recognizing these issues in mental health. As, in my patient scenario it was my lacking that I was unable to recognize patient needs correctly so as nurse it is important to asses patient needs rightly and to do interventions accordingly. For this nurse should be competent in communication skills, confident to talk on this sensitive topic. She should have complete knowledge about the topic, positive approach and effective communication style can greatly improve the interaction. An approach that rises strengthening and self-governance ought to be utilized and the suitable health-advancement messages through consultation for individual client (Gott et al, 2004). All in all, prevalence of inappropriate behavior with schizophrenia is high; therefore as nurse it is important to asses patient needs and play the role of counselor, advocator, and as a care giver in giving awareness to families about patient disease process. Family and health care support also helps patient to cope his situation. In mental health it is important to modify the behavior of client according to needs through required techniques.

Elasticity of Demand for Lottery Tickets Essay -- Economics Economy Fi

Elasticity of Demand for Lottery Tickets Elasticity is the responsiveness of demand or supply to the changes in prices or income. There are various formulas and guidelines to follow when trying to calculate these responses. For instance, when the percentage of change of the quantity demanded is greater then the percentage change in price, the demand is known to be price elastic. On the other hand, if the percentage change in demand is less than then the percentage change in price; Like that of demand, supply works in a similar way. When the percentage change of quantity supplied is greater than the percentage change in price, supply is know to be elastic. When the percentage change of quantity supplied is less then the percentage change in price, then the supply then demand is known to be price inelastic. The following text is real world examples of these economic principles. They have been provided to build a bridge between current economic situations and economic principles of elasticity. The Demand for Lotto: The Role of Conscious Selection In this article is a discussion about the elasticity of demand for lottery tickets. Time series data was used in a way in which the expected value of the lottery ticket would vary due to rollovers (Farrel 1). It was found that there are far more rollovers than expected given the lottery design (Farrel 1). There was also some strong evidence found that supported that individuals did not pick their numbers in a uniform matter. The inverse supply function was found by using estimates that enabled them to identify the demand elasticity (Farrel 1). This analysis was based on the U.K. National Lottery that came about November 1994. With this in mind we realize that because game designs are similar throughout the world, these findings are more widely relevant (Farrel 1). The price elasticity of demand for lottery tickets shows that demand varies depending on the expected return from a winning ticket (Farrel 1). From this we deduce that this elasticity is relevant to the design of the lottery (Farrel 1). The way that the demand elasticity is derived is by comparing the rollover weeks with the non-rollover weeks. By doing this, the normal demand is recorded during the non-rollover weeks to see what level the demand is usually at. Then from there they can see how the demand increases as the lott... ...ing how some studies and economic research has been taking place and where. I found some of the studies to be trivial. This meaning that the authors used creative techniques to figure and estimate some of the elasticities. I also found it interesting how I could relate to the real life situations such as the Lottery. For example, when the lottery starts rolling over it creates a hype, and the demand goes up. I was always aware of this phenomenon but never realized what it actually was. Bibliography: Work Cited Farrell, Lisa; Hartley, Roger; Lanot, Gauthier; Walker, Ian The Demand for Lotto: The Role of Conscious Selection, Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Apr2000, Vol. 18 Issue 2. Mason, Paul M.; Steagall, Jeffrey W., The elasticity of demand for lotto tickets and the corresponding welfare effects., Public Finance Review, Sep97, Vol. 25, Issue 5. Rashid, Muhammad; Mitra, Devashis, Price Elasticity of Demand and an Optimal Cash Discount Rate in Credit Policy, Financial Review, Aug99, Vol. 34 Issue. Montgomery, Alan L.; Rossi, Peter E., Estimating Price Elasticities with Theory-Based Priors, Journal of Marketing Research, Nov99, Vol. 36 Issue 4.

Characteristics and Types of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) :: ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The Characteristics and Types of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Missing Works Cited According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one-half of 1.6 million elementary school-aged children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have also been diagnosed with a learning disability (LD) (Brown University Child and Adolescence Behavior Letter, 2001). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (1997) stated that ADHD affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, and boys are three times more likely to be affected by the disorder than girls. The cause of ADHD is unknown, and the disorder and its symptoms are chronic and pervasive (www.asha.org). In the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ADHD is categorized into three subtypes which are ADHD Predominantly Inattention Type, ADHD Predominantly Hyperactivity-Impulsive Type, and ADHD Combined Type. The criteria for the ADHD predominantly inattention type include at least six of the following: Makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities, often does not seem to listen when spoke to directly, often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities, often avoids, dislikes, or engages in tasks that require sustained mental effort, is often easily distracted by external stimuli, and is often forgetful in daily activities. The criteria for ADHD predominantly hyperactivity-impulsive type includes a minimum of six or more of the following: Often fidgets with hands or feet and squirms in seat, often leaves seat in classroom, often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate, often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly, is often on the go, often talks excessively, often blurts out answers before the question have been completed, often has difficulty awaiting turn,and often interrupts others. The ADHD combined type demonstrates characterisitics from both subtypes (Camarata & Gibson, 1999). Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity have their effects on speech and language. McGee, Share, Moffitt, Williams, and Silva (1998) research suggested that the presence of a disruptive behavioral disorder is the most common long-term association with reading difficulties (Pisecco, Baker, Silva, & Brooke, 2001). The research examined by Ricco and Jemison (1998) stated that children with both reading disabilities and ADHD may have phonological processing deficits and linguistic deficiencies that are predictive of reading disabilities (Maynard, Tyler, & Arnold, 1999). The same study (1998) by Ricco and Jemison concluded that acquisition and the development of reading skills are affected by language and verbal abilities rather than the presence of an attention deficit.

Borders and Walls in Humanity :: History Barriers Society Philosophy Essays

Borders and Walls in Humanity When a wall is encountered literally and physically, there are many different ways in which a person can react to the situation. One group of people would generally just find a way over or around the obstacle. While some other people might pursue a way directly through the wall. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but they both exist as outcomes to the same dilemma. The basic wall has been around with humans for as long as the discovery of masonry has been around. Robert Frost’s poem Mending Wall is one such example of how a wall can have conflicting properties of human interaction. The neighbor in the poem says that â€Å"fences make good neighbors† and that the two neighbors involved with the wall rebuild it each spring and they enjoy fixing the wall with each other. The poem just helps illustrate that walls are an important factor in human activities. Walls are not limited to any specific culture or region and still they continue to be built over t ime. Yet the general application of the wall has been used primarily to either wall something out, or to keep something walled in. The earliest walls were made with a human skill called stone masonry which is the skilled stacking of stones to form a cohesive structure. Walls as just a singular structure and not to be considered as part of an enclosed building with a roof, is a general subject that changes details from area to area. Walls the keep things in have generally been used as a way to border up local activities within a certain amount of space. Some more obvious examples of walls as barriers to keep things within the walls include; prisons, walled-in private communities, farm fences, and other examples where people want to maintain their own private space. Walls that can do the exact opposite of keeping substance inside are meant to be obstructions that keep other things outside from a space. National and private borders are an example of walling out unwanted factors . Security fences, walls as defensive locations, and walls simply placed for the sole purpose of obstruction are effective obstacles that humans have been building for centuries. Early building materials for a wall would be limited to the natural resources in the local area that the builders would want to build the wall in.

“High Fidelity”- Character anaysis Essay

Rob is a morose person who needs this excuse to always complain. He’s a very pessimistic person, who can’t seem to find a positive outlook in anything. Rob is also a very self-conscious person who is not content with himself. He believes that he lacks in the areas he views as important in his life. He depends on his woman to keep him happy, and judges his life according to the woman he’s with. He simply can’t manage to be happy without one. His unhappiness drives him to be very critical and judgmental to the world around him. He makes a jerky remark to everything he notices. All and all Rob has a weak character which depends on other things rather than himself to be happy. Rob seems to be a very pessimistic person. He sees everything in a negative fashion because he is not content with his life, and assumes it is impossible for things to improve. Once Rob returns home after seeing Marie sing with another man, he feels depressed and turns to his records for some sort of reassuring escape: Is it so wrong, wanting to be home with your record collection? It’s not like collecting records is like collecting stamps, or beermats, or antique thimbles. There’s a whole world in here, a nicer, dirtier, more violent, more peaceful, more colorful, sleazier, more dangerous, more loving world than the world I live in; there is history, and geography, and poetry, and countless other things I should have studied at school, including music. (Hornby, 83) Rob seems to feel as though his records are the only thing he can rely on. Everyone has some sort dependence on certain sentimental things, be it a pet, friend or family member. In Rob’s case, his music is the only constant that will never let him down. He sees a whole different world inside his music, one which doesn’t value the real world’s standards or values. It brings him somewhere else for a bit, somewhere which doesn’t remind him of the depressing things in his life. It seems to me that with those discouraging thoughts it drives him to be very pessimistic. Without even  talking to Marie he assumed right off the bat that she was going to hook up with the man she was singing with. He didn’t even try to show he cared in the least. His pessimism led him to give up on Marie very quickly, without even looking at the possible positive side. These actions show he has a very pessimistic outlook on life which is driven by his low self-esteem. Rob also seems unsatisfied with himself. Too inadequate to be happy in a world where he feels he doesn’t belong. I’m here , in this stupid little flat, on my own, and I’m thirty-five years old, and I own a tiny failing business, and my friends don’t seem to be friends at all but people whose phone numbers I haven’t lost. And if I went back to sleep and slept for forty years and woke up without any teeth to the sound of Melody Radio in an old people’s home, I wouldn’t worry that much, because the worst of life, i.e., the rest of it, would be over. And I wouldn’t even have had to kill myself. (74) Rob looks at every aspect of his life and feels so insufficient that he doesn’t even see the reason for living. He feels like he has no substance in his life. From having no true friends, to a failing job. All the characteristics that he values to be a person worth living, have failed him. I think his mother plays an important role in Rob’s low self -esteem as she even degrades him and offers him no support. She doesn’t even comfort him after the break-up with Laura, yet just criticizes and tells him that she â€Å"would have left [him] to get on with it years ago.† (48) She demeans his job, and adds to his low self-confidence. Parents are supposed to be supportive in times of unhappiness. Parents are the people who are supposed to love unconditionally, but in Rob’s case it seems that they only regard the negative aspects of his life which definitely cannot improve his situation. He feels so inadequate because he has no one to turn to or depend on. He wants to â€Å"run [himself] down, feel sorry for [himself], celebrate [his] inadequacies†. (72) Rob depends on a woman to keep him happy. He believes his woman defines him as a person, and each time he is without one he is miserable. Sometimes it seems as though the only way a man can judge his own niceness, his own decency, is by looking at his relationships with women- or rather, with prospective or current sexual partners. (68) He judges himself according to the woman he’s affiliated with. He doesn’t see himself as a full person without a woman. He believes that â€Å"women are going to save [him], lead [him] through to a better life, that they can change and redeem [him].† (63) Rob is basically willing to be whatever his woman wants of him. Even his relationship with Sarah Kendrew was one of convenience because he had no one else, and wanted to feel equal to his companion. Charlie had made him feel inadequate and less of a person than her, so his relationship with Sarah was one where he had someone to lean on through his time of getting over her. Sarah made it easier for him because she was going through the same situation. They were just staying together to have someone to lean on, and not be alone. He was her moment just as Charlie was mine, and when they split, Sarah had sworn off men for a while, just as I had sworn off women. It made sense to swear off together, to pool our loathing of the opposite sex and get to share a bed with someone at the same time. Our friends were all paired off, our careers seemed to have hardened into permanence, we were frightened of being left alone for the rest of our lives. (29) Rob just couldn’t handle being alone. It was easy for him to make the relationship with Sarah work because she felt the same, and had the same problems he did. His weak character leads him to depend on woman to keep him happy and satisfied. Rob was also a very judgmental and critical person. His views on music could not be challenged, as he also evaluated woman according to their musical interests and favorite movies. His views were a little harsh sometimes, and he believed he was quite educated in certain areas, which therefore lead to his many judgments. I’d say there were millions like me, but there aren’t, really: lots of blokes have impeccable music taste but don’t read, lots of blokes read but are really fat, lots of blokes are sympathetic to feminism but have stupid beards, lots of blokes have a Woody Allen sense of humor but look like Woody Allen. Lots of blokes drink too much, lots of blokes behave stupidly when they drive cars, lots of blokes get into fights, or show off about money, or take drugs. I don’t do any of these things really; if I do OK with women, it’s not because of the virtues I have, but because of the shadows I don’t have. (28) Rob makes a comment on every possible singer, songwriter, actress/actor he can. His critical attitude makes him look like a jerk. He acts above the people he criticizes to make him feel better about himself. He has a judgment on everything. Besides being critical to himself, he’s critical to the world around him because he is miserable. He sees the negative in everything which makes him as opinionated as he is. His frustration makes him angry at everything and everyone around him. All and all, Rob’s depressive, dependent, self-conscious and critical attitudes demonstrate that he has a weak character. His pessimism leads to his depression, as his low self-esteem leads to his criticisms. He has a very miserable life because he doesn’t even live up to his own standards. He depends on a woman to make him happy, which is completely unrealistic. Rob will never manage to be happy because he always manages to criticize and demean everything that’s going on around him.