The Chrysanthemum versus the Sword in Suicide: Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio Mishima

ABSTRACT: Within the last few years, two world-famous Japanese writers have committed suicide. Kawabata represents the chrysanthemum aspect of Japanese culture and resignation-despair. Mishima symbolizes the sword aspect and aggression. Kawabata described loneliness-helplessness and Mishima an ecstasy under the threat of imminent death. Their different childhood experiences produced an “orphan” complex in Kawabata and the problem of sexual identity with an inferiority complex in Mishima. The former sublimated his complex in literature, the latter overreacted to it. For both, an immediate cause of suicide was the conflict between their ideal and the postwar reality. For Mishima, there were also occasions that gave vital blows to his extremely narcissistic temperament.     

PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION AS A SOURCE OF GAIN IN COUNSELOR COMMUNICATION

This study investigated the effectiveness of programmed materials in interpersonal relations in improving the facilitation levels of counselor communication. Thirty Employment Service counselors were pre-tested by assessing response levels to representative client stimuli expression. The subjects were then given 10 hours of written, programmed instruction. Post-test scores indicated that statistically significant gains were realized in the communication of empathy and respect.     

In Defence of Backyard Chickens

Suppose that animals have rights. If so, may you go down to your local farm store, buy some chicks, raise them in your backyard, and eat their eggs? You wouldn't think so. But we argue, to the contrary, that you may. Just as there are circumstances in which it's permissible to liberate a slave, even if that means paying into a corrupt system, so there are circumstances in which it's permissible to liberate chickens by buying them. Moreover, we contend that restrictions on freedom of movement can be appropriate for chickens, but not humans, because of the obvious differences between the interests of healthy, adult humans versus those of chickens who have been bred for human use. We also argue that egg consumption is permissible based on the plausible assumption that no one's rights are violated in their consumption, and so while there may sometimes be morally preferable uses for eggs, you do nothing unjust in eating them. If we're right, then the rights view doesn't imply that veganism is obligatory; rather, it implies that the constraints on how we source animal products, though highly demanding, are not so demanding that they can't be met.     

Does anticipation of penalty kicks in soccer transfer across similar and dissimilar sports?

Cognitive Processing - The aim of the present study was to examine whether anticipation skill associated with penalty-kick scenarios is sport-specific, or whether it transfers between sports that...     

Suicide Prevention in Australian Aboriginal Communities: A Review of Past and Present Programs

A review of Aboriginal suicide prevention programs were conducted to highlight promising projects and strategies. A content analysis of gray literature was conducted to identify interventions reported to have an impact in reducing suicidal rates and behaviors. Most programs targeted the whole community and were delivered through workshops, cultural activities, or creative outlets. Curriculums included suicide risk and protective factors, warning signs, and mental health. Many programs were poorly documented and evaluations did not include suicidal outcomes. Most evaluations considered process variables. Results from available outcome evaluations suggest that employing a whole of community approach and focusing on connectedness, belongingness and cultural heritage may be of benefit. Despite the challenges, there is a clear need to evaluate outcomes if prevention is to be progressed.