Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Devoid of the will.

Day 1.
«Healthy Living - cool!». Another headline the next section. Negligent way, I lost a piece of news-sheets and scored a shoal. Thick white smoke quickly filled the small room.
Consciousness was subjected to a brutal attack heady dope. Usual shape of the walls of distorted, become blurred bright spots.
Flickering fingers firmly until the edges have shrunk filled glass. Transparent liquid burned his throat. By serene colorful hallucinations added dizziness and trembling in the limbs. I hardly managed to finish writing these lines.
Nothing. Grass habit is ...

Day 2.
The morning the next day I met fulgurating head pain and evert the stomach. In this state, go to the University of vanity.
All day I provalyalsya in bed, tormented by demonic pain. Several times the mind is sinking into troubled sleep. Remains of marijuana in his blood paint the horrific hallucinations.
But the worst was constantly rolling in the head with the idea - I want more.

Day 3.
I again missed classes. Motivation: nothing special in the calendar, you can relax. But again upivshis Narcotic smoke, I realized the true reason. I do not want to leave this room, I do not want to something to strive, to seek to make themselves better. I spit on girlfriends and friends, at school and work. I want to dive into the world of visions and dreams. Narcotic dreams ...

Day 4.
Grass over, vodka, too. I feel like something strange. Residual weak vision, and consciousness, only slightly odernuto few whitish mist.
I want to return. No, not in world realities. But green friends are no longer agents of the country illusions. They do not want to open the door to a universe devoid of issues and concerns.

Day 5.
Phoned the girl, asked where I was lost. Send it to hell. Why this foolish love, suffering and joy. I have my own world. In it, I king and god, fate vershitel and ruler of all things. Mighty, but lonely. Only. One among the silent desert of bright images, and euphoria.
I live in a fictional reality, but when the effect of heroin is taking place, before I encountered opostylevshie gray walls of a tiny apartment.
Oblivayas then, I reach for a new dose. For a new ticket to dreamland. Suppose I have one, but bespechen and free. Injection - and mutnovataya liquid spreads on the veins. The flow of blood has durmanyaschuyu poison directly to the brain. Consciousness mutneet, euphoria breaks minds.
I am not free. I depend on the damned white powder.

The last chapter ...
I completely lost record time. I do not know how many days have passed since the last entry.
I have sold almost all the valuable things to get tickets to the country of dreams. But the money ran out, and how to get funding for a new dose, I do not know.
I am greatly mistaken. My imaginary paradise turned to hell dreams. Hell breaks my body into pieces with sharp claws hot. I turn, frenzied convulsions do not rest. I know I still have short-lived. Coming soon to a small apartment with plain walls are found mutilated corpse brittle madman, escapee from the real world. Along with him will find this diary.
By bringing a little of the past, I will until the end of the narration. Read it carefully and never in my way. Better a thousand problems than cursed dur, deprives will be selected at life.
Fingers nemeyut, I hardly hold a pencil in their hands. My days are numbered. Soon consciousness muddy, and I will slowly die, enveloped in a hell of torment.
This is my last line. Remember: healthy living - healthy ...

German folk tale about Cinderella and Dyuymovochku

Cinderella got to the ball, they met with Prince, but at midnight she had to flee as the fairy told. A Fleeing lost it crystal shoe. Became Prince of search favorite girl - who may try on shoes from the court ladies - all small. He then published the decree: to marry a girl whose shoe on foot nalezet. Signed: Prince. But he has not had to send messengers to the country as of next burdock vylezla Dyuymovochka. Her shoes are not something that the leg nalezla it and go head fit. Doing nothing, had to marry the prince as promised. And he lived a long time and unfortunately because Dyuymovochka was so angry cat, and in marital relations with them were the problem. The moral of a fairy tale is simple: it is necessary to refer to official documents, that there was no confusion.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Business gifts or how to please loved ones.

Business Gift
Gifts of particular interest to Economists, as the economy is only half the gift was a "market". For manufacturers and retailers is extremely important to know the rules and habits of those who make gifts: the most modern of gifts bought at the store. How much money people spend on average gifts? Representatives of any socio-demographic groups make more gifts? In what cases and who often make gifts to people of different countries? All these issues are studying the economics of gifts. How much money people spend on gifts?

Studies conducted in different years in different western countries have shown that most people spend on gifts to 4-5% of its budget. According to British researchers (Davis, 1972), the gifts are spent 4,3% family budget, not counting the charity to which Britons spend an additional 1% of their money. The Americans were slightly less generous: in a survey, which was attended by more than 4 thousand American families, in 1990 they spent on gifts, on average, 3.7% of the annual budget (Garner & Wagner, 1991), which ranged from $ 730 to $ 1800 . And three-quarters of the total sum was spent on Christmas gifts, and the rest - for gifts to the birthday, for the wedding and on other occasions. In other cultures on gifts spent much most of the family budget: for example, in Mexico - more than 10%.

Who gives more gifts?

The generosity of the donor depends on four main factors.

1. Revenue. Wealthier people do not just spend on gifts larger amounts, but they spend most of their income. The ability to make gifts - is a luxury that can afford only provided human beings.

2. Education. Regardless of income, better-educated people give more gifts. Perhaps this is because they have a wider network of social contacts.

3. Floor. Women give more gifts than men, but men's gifts - more expensive. According to a U.S. study (Caplow, 1982), 84% of Christmas gifts do women (alone or jointly with men). In the latter case, a woman chooses a gift and a man - pays. Only 16% of men make their own gifts, without hints (or pressure) women. Moreover, women do most of the preparations for Christmas, including the dinner, cooking meals, guests, etc.

4. Age. Most of the gifts are implementing a middle-aged people who have already raised their children and who has time and money to please others.

Who gets gifts?

Most of the gifts people give to members of his own family. In the first place - the husband or wife, at the second - the children, then - brothers, sisters and other relatives, and finally friends. According to the American study, children are 7 times more gifts from their parents than the parents - of children (Caplow, 1982). The Americans also often give gifts to teachers, doctors, support staff and subordinates at work, but these gifts - a much more modest price than gifts to family members.

Table 1. The cost of Christmas gifts in the U.S. (Source: Caplow, 1982).

Gifts Dream (up to $ 5) modest ($ 5-25) Large (more than $ 25)
Members of the family 19% 56% 26%
Close relatives 28% 59% 13%
Far relatives 49% 56% 3%
Friends 69% 25% 6%

In what cases give gifts

In Western countries often give gifts for Christmas and birthday. But these gifts - not the most expensive. According to a study conducted by Canadian researchers (Cheal, 1988), the most expensive gifts to give to the wedding and anniversary. Typically, wedding gifts are practical in nature: it is either necessary in the household items or money for the construction of life newlyweds. Gifts for Easter and Valentine's Day are usually symbolic, as gifts for Christmas and birthday can be both symbolic and practical.

Each country has its customs deliver Christmas presents. For example, in England the night Santa Claus brings gifts to children who hang for the stockings over the fireplace or over the bed. In Germany, Christmas gifts to put under the Christmas tree in a room where children are not allowed to enter until prozvenit Christmas bell. In France, Italy and Spain children put their shoes outside the threshold of that night filled with gifts. Fantastic character, who gives gifts to children - not necessarily familiar to us Santa Claus in Shuba and beard. In Sweden this Christmas elf who lives in the basement and watching the whole year for children's behavior. In Italy, this fairy Befana, and in Spain - the three biblical wise men who saw Christmas star on the road to Bethlehem.

The strength of these rules and conventions over the centuries is so enduring that completely contradicts the ideology of spontaneity and voluntarism as a gift to the free expression of affection or love. As in the archaic tribes, which presents a mandatory part of the ritual, but still pretend that make them voluntarily, and in modern Western society gifts for the wedding, birthday and Christmas are more forced than spontaneous.

Table. 2. The cost of gifts for various occasions (Source: Cheal, 1988)

Occasion Average price ($)
Easter 9
Valentine's Day 9
Friendly gift 15
Farewell gift 18
Christmas Day 21
Invitations to guests 22
Christening 23
Birthday 27
Party 29
Jubilee 86
Wedding 117
Another 49

The exchange of gifts

According to the research of British and American sociologists, more than half the gifts that people give each other throughout the year, are reciprocal (Cheal, 1988). The most common gifts exchanged by their equal social status of people: friends, brothers and sisters. Especially this exchange takes place at Christmas. In doing so, as Christmas gifts people give one another at the same time, the choice of gift is usually based on a prediction of what a gift prepared himself donor. This choice may also be dictated by unwritten rules about who to whom a gift to give, and the "price scale." Common also an exchange of gifts between friends and relatives on birthdays.

For weddings case where more difficult because they occur far less frequently, but here has its own internal accounting department: the duty to make a wedding gift to the person who gave you something, the duty to invite to the wedding of relatives and friends. Wedding ceremony, in contrast to the celebration of the birth, has a very deep historical roots. In the folklore of most European countries is subject evil fairies, which forgot to invite to the wedding or at the christening. It avenge that gives a dangerous gift, Jonah. Unfortunately, according to people's beliefs, and waiting for someone who refused the invitation to the feast poor cousin (orphans) or pobrezgoval proposed a modest gift. This motif is repeated too often in Asian and European fairy tales.

Among the neighbors is more common to exchange services, which can be viewed as a form of a gift. Free help in the repair of household appliances or cars, care for children or borrowing money and things are preferable forms of relations between the neighbors than employment or other purely market relations (Webley, 1983).

According to some socio-psychological theories, if a person is unable to answer appropriate gift for a gift, he feels indebted to those who showed him generosity, and is because of this discomfort and humiliation. So many avoid receiving gifts or services, knowing that would not be able to repay them. For example, people who lost their jobs and facing financial difficulties, often avoid going to visit, because nothing can not donate to your friends. As a result, their social isolation even more increases. Politicians and bureaucrats also apply to gifts with suspicion, because the obligation to repay daritelyu may conflict with their duties and be seen as a bribe.

The deep-rooted belief in the person of the need to respond to good good service, pay for a service often used by the advertising and professional canvasser. Meeting on the streets man, they are "selfless" and "a pure heart" give him some small change: a flower, a pen or a calendar, and in return asked to only a small service: buy their juicer, or donate money for the "Society for Krishna Consciousness ". If a person is caught by surprise, it awkward to refuse to someone who has just made him a gift. Spreads in recent decades in Western countries, the rule that a woman invited a man in a restaurant pays for itself, is the result of awareness of situations in which people fall, has accepted a gift. According to observations of psychologists, a woman much more difficult to reject male courtship, even if it unpleasant when he had paid for dinner, or did it any other favor (Argyle, 1991).

Along with the mutual exchange of gifts among equals, there are relationships, not to response gifts. For example, parents give children is seven times more gifts than receive from the children. The same ratio remains between the grandmothers, grandfathers and grandchildren, tetyami, uncles and nephews, that is, between those who have family status "survivors" and those who are in need of care. Researchers distinguish between two types of social relations: mutual exchange, in which people expect that their assistance or services will be rewarded, and altruistic attitude, in which they are targeted to the needs of others (Clark & Reis, 1988). Relations with children and other relatives are altruistic and do not require reimbursement, except hope for assistance from children in old age or sickness.

Indeed, 70% of older people in the world totally dependent on his family, while the developed countries, children have their parents far less support than in the developing world. According to Canadian researchers, daughter often taking care of their elderly parents than sons, and, in general, women are more altruistic in its relations with friends than men (Offer, 1998).

There is another type of relationship, not requiring the response of gifts: the gifts to teachers, doctors, subordinates and support staff. However, these gifts are not an expression of altruism, and gratitude for past services, ie, are part of a relationship of mutual exchange.

(continued)

AB Fenko, Faculty of psychological counseling MGPPI. Especially for the Academy gift.