The Psychology of Conversion - Literature Essay Samples

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is, if nothing else, a record of the psychological journeys of Stephen Dedalus as he progresses from child to adult, unlearned rural boy to intellectual student, sinner to saint to artist. Stephens level of devotion and intensity, regardless of the object of these feelings, seems to increase following each transformation, culminating in his desire to press in my arms the loveliness which has not yet come into the world (273). William James, the early 20th Century American psychologist, examined real-life experiences similar to those of Stephen Dedalus conversions, religious transformations, saintliness in his classic book on the psychology of religion, The Varieties of Religious Experience. James provides insight into Stephens motivations, approaches, and actions by using philosophy and psychology to analyze religion, especially Christianity, and its effect on the human psyche. Of particular interest are Jamess discussion of conversions, especi ally when viewed in the light of Stephens move from the depths of sin to the height of fanatical asceticism, following by his full embracing of art and beauty as the true object of his desire. A careful analysis of Jamess works will illustrate whether Stephens religious awakening was a true spiritual experience or simply a response to the pressures of his environment.From an early age, Stephen Dedalus shows a strong devotion to systems or orders that are imposed from without, be it by family, church, or country. As he grows older, Stephen begins to shed these constricting social bonds one at a time, undergoing a number of conversions that change his direction in life, of which the most important are his sudden change into a fanatically religious ascetic and his final transformation into the Artist. Stephens religious epiphany occurs after hearing a lecture on hell from Father Arnall at the Universitys retreat honoring St. Francis Xavier. Realizing that his soul is festering in sin, Stephen turns to God, and weeps for the innocence he had lost (150). After confessing each and every last sin, Stephen finally feels the weight of guilt lifted from his shoulders and rededicates his life to God. He becomes a strict ascetic, denying himself any pleasures of the flesh or mind and constantly praying. However, after being asked to become a priest, Stephen discovers that his true goal in life is Art, and deserts his ascetic and religious lifestyle.William James undertakes to study the extraordinary phenomenon of conversion, by which a self hitherto divided, and consciously wrong inferior and unhappy, becomes unified and consciously right superior and happy, in consequence of its firmer hold upon religious realities (Lecture Nine). He relates the studies of Professor Starbuck of Stanford, who undertook a statistical analysis to determine the causes of conversion. Starbuck concludes that, Conversion is in its essence a normal adolescent phenomenon, incidental to the passag e from the childs small universe to the wider intellectual and spiritual life of maturity (Lecture Nine), adding that the normal age for such experiences ranges from fourteen to seventeen. Commonplace in these conversions are sense of incompleteness and imperfection; brooding, depression, morbid introspection, and sense of sin; anxiety about the hereafter; distress over doubts, and the like.James then writes of Professor Leuba, who focuses on the moral aspect of conversion rather than the theological. Religion, Leuba states, is merely a word that has come to mean the conglomerate of desires and emotions springing from the sense of sin and its release, that is, a mans religion has no effect on his spiritual conversions. He uses several cases of the conversions of drunkards that were obviously not doctrinal, simply situations in which one has an absolute need of help from God and receives it. This moment of salvation need not be connected to an institutional religion to be valid.So, h ow do these theories provide insight into Stephens conversions? His first conversion, into a devout Catholic, fits neatly with the theories of Starbuck. Stephen is 16, falling in the range of 14 to 17. While sinning, Stephen is aware of his wrongdoing He had sinned mortally not once but many times and he knew that, while he stood in danger of eternal damnation for the first sin alone, by every succeeding sin he multiplied his guilt and his punishment (110), showing a recognition of sin, and doubt of the hereafter. A cold lucid indifference reigned in his soul (110), as Stephen undergoes periods of brooding, depression and morbid introspection. Starbuck remarks that the results in every adolescent conversion are the same, a happy relief and objectivity, and following his sudden conversion, Stephen exclaims, Another life! A life of grace and virtue and happiness!the past was past (158). Seeing Stephens conversion adhering almost exactly to Starbucks previous experiences, it seems natu ral that Starbucks conclusion, that is, conversion is a normal adolescent phenomenon that may or may not have long-term effects, applies to Stephens situation as well, and this is supported by Stephens later behavior.Stephens second conversion, from devout ascetic to passionate artist, takes place after he is offered a place in the order. Stephen has a vision of a winged form flying above the waves and realizes that his future lies not with the Church, but in his ability to create from within himself. This conversion follows more closely with the theories of Leuba than those of Starbuck. Stephens first conversion, to ascetic Catholic, is almost entirely driven by a sense of sin, corresponding to Leubas feeling of unwholeness. Leuba considers these types of conversions invalid, as they are driven by a sense of doctrinarian and control by the church, whereas true conversions are free of such doctrinal theology. Stephens conversion to artist is completely free of church influence, driv en solely by his innermost feelings and desires. At the moment that he needs guidance from God the most, he is overcome by a feeling of ecstasy that leads him to his true fate to create proudly out of the freedom and power of his soul, as the great artificer whose name he bore (184). Leuba states that a conversion starts with the absolute need of a higher helper, and ends with the sense that he has helped us, succinctly describing Stephens experience. This conversion, unlike his last, is truly driven by Stephens true feelings and desires.The final differences in the two conversions lie in their origin, or type. Following his writings on Starbuck and Leuba, James discusses the two different types of conversion: Volitional, in which the convert actively seeks to change, and Self-surrender, in which the change comes into effect in and of itself. While both types of conversion are valid, James finds Self-surrender to be more effective in the long term, because Volitional conversion emph asizes the imperfect self, while Self-surrender conversion is lead by the subliminal forces of the better self in posse.While visiting the prostitutes, Stephen is aware of the depths of sin he had fallen in to, and the destructive effect his constant sinning is having on his life. When he hears the topic for the retreat, Stephens heart had withered up like a flower of the desert that feels the simoom coming from afar (116). Following the lectures, he goes to his room, prays to God for forgiveness, and goes to confession. In other words, he actively seeks to change his life, which shows the Volitional nature of his religious conversion. In contrast, Stephen is content with his life as he enters his second conversion. He is simply strolling along a beach, contemplating life, when the ecstatic vision of the winged creature comes upon him and changes the course of his life. This artistic transformation was in the realm of Self-surrender, because the circumstances of the conversion were beyond Stephens control.As a doctrinal-based, Volitional conversion, Stephens change into a devout and ascetic Catholic was bound to falter, as most adolescent conversions do. His second conversion, however, has a greater chance of truly changing Stephens life because it is solely based his subconscious desires, his better self. This dedication to art is revealed in Stephens next to last diary entry, as he writes, Welcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race (276). Stephen has realized that to truly experience life he must embrace the desires of his better self by casting off all the constraints forced upon him by society and himself.

Essay on The effect of the macro-economy - 1035 Words

External Influences The Macro-economy The production and exchange process of the whole economy as opposed to individual markets within the economy. Businesses are affected by changes in the macro-economy and by government processes towards the macro-economy. Government economic policies change a lot. (E.g. labour made bank of England independent on their first day in office.) Instead of dividing the economy into different sectors (e.g. retail, cars etc) we look at the economy of the country as a whole. Government Macro-economic objectives: †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Control of inflation – 2.5% †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Maintain full employment-all who want a job can get one. †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Control of†¦show more content†¦Providing a service to other countries, e.g. leasing out ships to other countries, tourism) The bigger the gap between imports and exports the worse. Ideally exports should be higher than imports, but as Britain doesn’t make a great deal of things to export it could result in trouble. China will make more and more to export. Full Employment †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Full Employment- Used to be a job for all, now a job for all those who want one. Affected by economy-if economy is good, more jobs, if you are going through a recession then that is not the case. If you are over 21 the minimum wage is  £4.85 for over 21’s, for under 18’s just  £3. †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The EU convention of Human rights, Article 23 states that everyone has the legal right to work. This means that if the person doees not have a job through no fault of their own, they must be compensated for. This is why must governments have a state system to provide for them. †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In U.K there is a period of time where you get unemployment benefit linked to housing and family sizes. After an unemployment of 6 months, if you want to keep unemployment benefits you must sign up for training or education. †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Full Employment differs from what it used to mean, it used to mean everyone should work but now it means what it says above. †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The ‘Poverty Trap’ is where you get benefits,Show MoreRelatedOpec Oil Embargos Effects on the Macro Economy2031 Words   |  9 Pages Economic Effects In October of 1973, OPEC announced that it would increase the price of oil by 70% by cutting production by 25% and a production cut of 5% each month after (Yurgin). At the time, oil was selling for $3. This shock caused the price to increase to $5.12 (Reid). Two days after this initial shock, the price increased again to $11.65. This would cause a new aggregate supply curve left of the original supply curve (decrease in supply). 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Ethical Lens Inventory free essay sample

Your personal preferred lens is: Reputation Lens You listen to your intuition (sensibility) to determine what character traits and virtues will best serve the community (equality). Your Core Values: Equality and sensibility You prioritize the value of equality over autonomy. Your primary concern is the well-being of the whole community and you believe that assuring the community’s well-being is the best way to assure that individuals are treated fairly. You prioritize the value of sensibility over rationality. You believe the best results are achieved by examining each situation in its own context rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions. Your Classical Values: Fortitude You demonstrate courage and steadiness in the face of obstacles. You tend to avoid rash actions while at the same time charting an untested course. You value connections and friendship, appreciating those who work with you as you. Your Key Phrase: â€Å"I make virtuous choices. † Because you value equality and sensibility, you tend to assume that everyone lives out the positive character traits required by their role. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Lens Inventory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Your Definition of ethical behavior: Living out Role Responsibilities You define an ethical person as one with sound character traits and habits of thoughtful reflection. For you, those who demonstrate strong leadership in their roles and who encourage others to do the same exemplify ethical behavior. Your Tools for analyzing problems: Tradition You like to gather information about what others in your role or a similar situation have done, as you carefully assess a problem. Even as you consider what others you respect have done in similar situations, you will remain attentive to the unique needs of the community in this case. Your Gift: Compassion Because you value equality, when you are at your best, you demonstrate compassion for others. You care about the community as a whole and about its individual members. While living into the requirements of the role you have assumed, you are able to â€Å"tell the story† of each member of your community. Your Blind spot: Unrealistic Role Expectations Because you rely so strongly on the virtues associated with various roles, you run the risk of developing unrealistic role expectations. You will tend to rely too much on the virtues associated with a particular role, forgetting that individuals are fallible regardless of their role. Even those who live fully into the virtues required in their role may not be able to resolve all problems. Your Risk: Self-Righteousness When you lack compassion for others, you run the risk of believing that the perks and privileges of your role belong to you because you are better than others. This can make you susceptible to insincere flattery and immune to constructive critiques preventing you from doing your job effectively. Your Temptation: Entitlement If you are not paying attention, your temptation will be to believe that you are entitled to special privileges, because you have not accurately assessed yourself or the situation. You will forget that you are not the same as your role and will persuade yourself that your role gives you rights inconsistent with good character. Your Vice: Hardness of Heart Without compassion, you tend toward hard-heartedness, unwilling to consider the needs of individuals. Clergy, judges, elected officials – and others with responsibility to the whole community – are particularly prone to thinking they know what the problem is without listening to the individual case and to applying capricious and inappropriate solutions. Your Crisis: Confusion Unless you develop the practice of mindfulness and reflection, at some point you will confront the loss of your center, especially if you lose the role with which you have become identified. You run the risk of being misunderstood and losing your personal authenticity unless you remember that you are not your role. Your Seeing Clearly: Use your head To see more clearly, check to see whether your gut and your head agree. To find balance, explore the gifts of the other lenses – consistency and concern for the individual. As you consider the character traits necessary for a healthy community, remember to temper your actions with concern for individuals. Look for ways to balance the rights of individuals with the well-being of the community and remember that consistency is not the same as uniformity. As you learn to consider other perspectives in your decision making process, you will live out the best of your ideals with compassion and care for others.