Friendships are unique relationships because we choose to enter them. When we make a person feel he or she is wanted, their entire attitude changes. The processes of socialization contain an essential contradiction. Although socialization serves to perpetuate the existing society—its ideology, roles, norms, and values—socialization also contains seeds for change. Many people think a friend is a person who is willing to take us the way we are. However, if we leave a person the way they are, we are something less than a real friend. There seems to be a misunderstanding on the part of what it means to be a friend. Just as individuals may become differently socialized because of differences in the past experiences, motivations and capacities, so may they become differently socialized because of differences in the structure of the social settings in which they interact. Identifications with the socializer or the socializing group makes one more receptive to their influences and motivated to be socialized in accordance with their standards. It is in the interest of socializing agents and agencies to encourage the socializees’ identification with their socializers, and in the process, to develop identities appropriate to the group’s purpose and goals. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
Our friends are important to our happiness. Situations that are occasions for socialization vary in scope and duration, from relatively trivial and fleeting encounters to totally absorbing and enduring experiences. Acts of a friend should result in self-improvement, better attitudes, self-reliance, comfort, consolation, self-respect, and better well-being. Although friendships tend to change as we age, we want consistency from them. However, not all friendships last forever. The word friend is certainly misused if it is identified with a person who contributes to our delinquency, misery, deficiency, and heartaches. If our actions and attitudes result in improvement and independence, our friendship will be recognizable. It takes courage to be a real friend. The changes that individuals undergo as a result of social influences is relevant in organized social relationships. In this sense, there is a membership component to a sociological conception of socialization. To be socialized is to belong. All friendships should enhance our lives and teach of ways of showing people the love of God. Even if these friendships do not last forever, it is important to learn how to leave people better off for having spent time forming an emotional and psychological attachment with you. Friends are people we can talk to, enjoy, depend on, and trust. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
It takes courage to be a real friend. A process of unlearning is frequently a necessary step in the re-socialization process. That is, old identities, beliefs, and values may have to be abandoned in the process of creating a new self-concept and World view. Some of us endanger the valued classification of friend because of our unwillingness to be one under all circumstances. What is learned is not always what is taught. Fear can deprive us of friendship. The two most important elements of the internal structure of socialization contexts are the role system and the power distribution. The role system refers to the configuration of social statuses, along with the behavioral expectations, rights, and responsibilities, operating in a group. Some of us identify our closest friends are those with the courage to remain and share themselves with us under all circumstances, and everyone has a different level or power and a different position. Nonetheless, a friend is a person who will suggest and render the best for us regardless of the immediate consequences. We should also have time to devote to our friends. Sophisticated adults usually spend between 10 to 25 hours a week with friends. Because of busy life schedules, career demands, and family responsibilities, some people may or may not be able to spend that much time with their friends, even if they would like to. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
Roles are part of the social fabric in peer groups and they can be relaxed, amorphous, and emergent. Roles provide one of the main contents of socialization in because they encompass specific identities, behaviors, values, and beliefs. However, even more important, roles provide a major link between the social system and the individual. Two characteristics of roles are relevant in this regard: their reciprocity and their embeddedness. Our friends have these exuberant and profound importance in helping us figure out who we are, and they sometimes help us make decisions that shape us into the people we are. We are embedded in these interpersonal relationships that become sources of our personal identity, values, and beliefs. We become committed to these roles we play with our friends because we invest so much time with them. Friends improve our daily lives by their willingness to reprimand, admonish, love, encourage, protect, and guide our needs. Our friends treat us with a noble sense, are inspirational, and courageous. They take us the way we are and leave us improved. When it comes to friends, we prioritize events that will create experiences, which will make us happiest in the moment. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
Friends are relationships that we earn. After tests and trials, it is nice when we meet people who are faithful and true in all things. Some people do manage to stay friends for life, or at least a huge portion of their lives. Communication tends to be an importation aspect of the socioemotional part of friends. Hanging out with a set of good friends can be fun because you all have your own language, inside jokes, and references that only the group understands, which can be a bonding factor. As you know, communication skills and mutual understand also helps friends successfully transition through life changes that may be difficult. As we fully strive to comprehend the significance of friendship, we also try to keep our lives unspotted from the sins of the World. It is also a worthy daily goal to be a true friend to one’s self as well. And remember, if our life is of no value to our friends, it is of no value to us. That means we should only socialize with people who care about our lives and really love us and want to make sure that we stay safe. A friend in the true sense is not a person who passively nods approval. A friend is a person who cares. No greater reward can come to any of us as we serve than a sincere, “Thank you for being my friend.” #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
Friends are people we want to be able to trust with our secrets, house, kids, and family. When we are weak, we are made stronger through our friendships. Friendship is real. If we can be judged by our friends, we can also be measured by their heights. A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one’s heart, knowing that the gentlest hands will be there to uplift and set us right. May God help us to be friends. We need God’s friendship. He pleads for ours. God lives. He is near. God is available. God, thank you for our friends, you create beautiful friendships. Our friends are such a blessing in our lives. God, we are excited about the incredible things you are doing for us and through us each day. Thank you for shaping us, preparing us, and positioning us to fulfill our destinies. God, we pray that you will give our friends peace that surpasses comprehension and that in you will uplift each of our friends at work. God, help us to demonstrate your grace and friendliness towards the people in our lives and that we construct ourselves in Godly ways and friendly manners towards each and every one. Please strengthen our hearts, and calm the fears of all concerned, with the blessings, and your healing touch. Your Grace is sufficient for all our needs and your love for each of us the best thing in the World. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
A young father was taking a journey to Emigrant Lake, which was aptly named for the majestic pine covered mountains. The sky was blue, filled with puffy cumulus clouds, emanating beauty and serenity. As the blue light was scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth’s atmosphere, he noticed the little brown song sparrows singing a very sweet song in the early morning. The song sounded as if set to the lyrics, “Beautiful Day! Beautiful Day! Would you like to come and play! Beautiful Day! Beautiful Day!” As the young man was enjoying the panoramic views, lush greenery, running streams, and mild temperature, there was a loud rush of the wind through the branches. He gazed at the impression rock formations, and mountain meadows. When he looked up, he noticed peaks surrounding Emigrant Lake, including Melissa Coray Peak, which was named for a Pioneer woman who walked 2,000 miles to reach the west, he also noticed Covered Wagon Peak that still held patches of snow. He took a good rest, and took some time to think about how modern industrial society is so complex, differentiated, and rapidly changing, compared to the tall pine trees and glistening lake sparkling and shining with light. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
The glistening surface of the lake was especially beautiful in the morning. The father thought to himself that he wanted his children to experience the rustic country atmosphere, as it had a refined elegance, and sweet air. He thought about how when his children grow up they will have to understand and perform many more roles than people in less complex societies. And he wanted them to develop a love for the natural World beyond. Respectable scientists—doctors, psychiatrists, educationalists, sociologist—suggest that when kids stop going out into the natural World to play, it can affect not just their development as individuals, but society as a whole. He thought about how he used to take his kids to Robert’s Park in Oakland, California to hike, climb trees, build dens, collect birds’ eggs, identify frogs, and take a gander at deer. The kids were thrilled, but also a little intimidated because it was not the concrete jungle that they were used to. The father thought about how individuals simply cannot become prepared in childhood for all the tasks and roles they will encounter as adults, but he was also concerned about the role definitions, how they are in flux, and about how new roles emerge frequently. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
As you know, role acquisition is tied to role conflict and role transition. In most situations, but particularly conflicting ones, internal as well as external stimuli affect the way persons learn presented roles. The demand of self may be as important, if not more so, than demands of other persons or society. Sometimes an incessant stream of self-reference flows through our thoughts concerning which we usually have no inkling. It may seem as if we are forced to compare with our own person all that we hear about strangers, as if our personal complexes become stirred up by associations from without. It seems impossible that this should be an individual peculiarity of our own person; it must, on the contrary, point to the way we grasp outside matters in general. We have reasons to assume that other individuals meet with experiences quite similar to ours. There may be small but incremental shifts from time to time in what an individual asks of oneself, and the resultant day-to-day alterations in one’s behavior, rewarded by oneself, lead to a cumulative change which over the years makes one much different from what one was when one was younger…until one day the individual finds how the change occurred. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
One outcome of such self-initiated processes of change is that an individual may redefine a role in a unique way. For instance, I admire my grandfather, he was very professional, obeyed the law, was organized, peaceful, responsible, private, clean, neat, not very social, kind, firm, and successful. He was not loud, nor emotional, did not drink nor swear and his house was always spotless and fresh. He did not like a lot of people around and did not want many children. And that is how I want my life to be as well. I want to live in a community of professionals, where people are respectful and quiet and obey the laws. There are several stages in role acquisition: anticipatory socialization, formal socialization, informal socialization, and personal role expectations. After the role incumbent has anticipated and experienced the role, then he or she may begin to redefine it and develop personally tailored role expectations. Thus, role demands that culminate in changes in the self may emanate from within the self, from others encountered in face-to-face situations, or from socially defined norms. While it is likely that demands from these different sources may be related, they are often incongruent. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
Since role change continues throughout the course of the life cycle, the acquisition of new roles and loss of old ones has been a theoretical concern. The discontinuity involved in major role transition may be psychologically stressful. At times we may feel as if we are drowning in life. We live in a World full of hustle and bustle, and if we are not careful, the things of this World can drown out the things of the Spirit. The level of stress depends on the nature of the role abandoned or acquired. There are also institutionalized rites of passage that smooth the transition to new roles. An answer comes when we recognize the divine source of strength. It is a source often underestimated, yet it can be used daily to lighten our load and guide our precious children. That source is the guiding gift of the Holy Ghost. We learn about and make a covenant with God. Those we love support us and we pray and come out feeling of great joy. And the gift of God will guide us constantly as we live for that blessing. However, role discontinuity can be stressful. Role conflict implies conflicting demands at one point in time, whereas role discontinuity role discontinuity refers to a contradiction between demands of a new and an old role. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
It is this contradiction in role demands that is presumed to be problematic for the individual, both in terms of confronting him or her with a potentially traumatic situation and in terms of rendering the task of learning and adjusting to new roles more difficulty. Children have a natural desire to do good and to be good. We can sense their innocence, their purity. They also have a great sensitivity. We should teach our children spiritual education in the home, where spiritual principles can form the basis for daily living. Feeling and recognizing the Spirit will being spiritual capacity into our children’s lives, and the voice they come to know will become crystal clear. As we gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, our confidence in the impressions we feel can become more certain than our dependence on what we see or hear. We must live for the guiding gift of the Spirit. This gift will continue to lighten the weight we carry and lead us back to our Heavenly home,as long as we live for and follow God’s prompting. Immersing ourselves and families in the Spirit will keep our hearts and our children’s hearts open to God’s influence, love, compassion, and understanding. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
The environmental influences the individual and the individual affects the environment as well. Humans are sensitive to their surroundings to survive, and because of that we have an innate awareness of our environment and seek out atmospheres with certain qualities. We have a strong need for safety and security and look for those attributes in our homes and community. It is good to have friends, to experience pleasure, to be healthy to be honored, and to have such virtues as courage at least to some degree. When we are in a place that feels safe, we are able to pursue our dreams and flourish. We affect the environment by how we take care of it, the structures we create, our attempts to beautify the World, and create peace. We are unified by our appreciation of the loveliness of our waterways, forests and the diversity of plants, bird, and animals. The exquisiteness of our landscapes is significant, and they bring us economic benefits. The environment is the natural foundation on which our economy is built. It creates thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars. National parks, in 2016 had 331 million park visitors, they spent an estimated $18.4 billion. The national parks also create 318.1 thousand jobs, with $12 billion in labor income, and a total economic impact of $35 billion. #RandolphHarris 1 of 7
The humanness of each person is the product of a socialization process that begins very early in life; some of the most important aspects of personality develop even before the school years. The new born human today is no different is no different from what he or she would have been if one had been born thousands of years ago in a Stone Age culture. However, infants immediately confront their 21st century parents, or nurse, and is subjected by them a process of acculturation that inhibits some of his or her potentialities and lets others become fully expressed. The infant is thus shaped according to our socially accepted norms and adapts more or less successfully to our World. The concept of development stresses an interaction between individual behavior and the environment and views a behavioral repertoire as the outcome of developmental processes, the concept of socialization generally refers to the ways in which individuals learn skills, knowledge, values, motives, and roles appropriate to their position in a group or society. We must recognize our own requirements for self-expression, uniqueness, novelty, and creative experiences, even when these conflict with the society’s needs as some seem them. #RandolphHarris 2 of 7
Culture, as it is acquired with the growth of the personality, becomes the medium of that personality. You cannot swim without water, and water is the medium of swimming; you cannot paint a picture without paint, and the paint becomes the medium for expressing the message of the picture. The differences between culture and personality is the same as the difference between medium and the content of a picture. Human conduct takes place within situations that are defined by participants who act toward one another, the situations themselves, and the objects they contain on the basis of their definitions. When an actor enters an interaction situation one takes note of the various social and physical cues that are present and on the basis of one’s previous experience assigns meaning to them. And this will help an individual in the defining of an identity for self and for other, a definition of actor’s and other’s goals, and of course role definition for actor and other. It seems that if we are going to live sanely, then we must respect and be sensitive to differences, realizing that no two individuals are alike, and that is we really understand someone, we understand how he or she differs from us. #RandolphHarris 3 of 7
Significant individual change continues through the lifetime of an individual because of reaction to socialization experiences, and upon entrance into adulthood. The reflexive self evolves as the individual take the role of others and understand how the various social roles encountered are interrelated to each other. The self evolves throughout a lifetime because the cognitive structures and process is continuing the transformation of the self. Since the reflexive self is inherently changeable through social interaction, it appears plausible to suggest that as the individual takes on new roles and encounters new situation, the self will continue to evolve and change. Cognitive structures and cognitive process that are developed through social interaction and that could conceivably lead to continuing change in the self over the life course. For instance, men who are married with young children might tend to be more attractive than single me because there is a perception that a married man with children is mature, a provider, monogamous, stable, and has good social and mental hygiene. Whereas single women without children might be considered more attractive because they have more free time, and might be viewed as happier because they do not have attachments. Of course, these are just generalizations. #RandolphHarris 4 of 7
In the stages of development corresponding to notable life transitions, there appears to be a presumption that each stage must be resolved in a particular way or the individual may experience mental health problems. The stages are generally between childhood and adulthood. The child actively assimilates and organizes new information according to her or his existing cognitive structures. If new information cannot be integrated, then the child accommodates her or his cognitive structure. The rational part of a teenager’s brain is not fully developed and will not be until she or her is twenty five years old or so. And research indicates that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala, which is the emotional part. No matter how smart a teen is, good judgment is not necessarily something they excel in because the connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision-making center is still developing. So, teens are more likely to respond to things based on feelings. #RandolphHarris 5 of 7
Cognitive-developmental stages through assimilation and accommodation produce the cognitive reorganization that constitutes various stages of development. Movement through these stages (broadly: sensorimotor, concrete operations, formal operations) represents, in part, a shift from being ego-centered to decentered, and from understanding concrete objects or pairs of objects to comprehending complex relationships (forms rather than concrete substances) as totalities. By ages twelve to fourteen, the individual is capable of deducing propositions about objects she or he has never seen and is able to grasp possible transformations of social and physical reality without every seeing them. This change is viewed as crucial because it allows for notions of morality; it makes possible the concern with decisions about the future, notably career choices; and it enables the individual to have affective relationships in which she/he not only realizes that others may have different perspectives from her or his own as well. The latter ability is central in role-taking and in a number of other social interaction skills as well. #RandolphHarris 6 of 7
Without some kind of optimistic outlook, our lives would tend to stagnate. When I was a kid, a friend of mine was a member at the country club, we used to sneak in and play tennis. One time we got away with playing three rounds without getting caught. And, individuals who are members of different generations undergo different socialization experiences. The idea that cultural arrangements may help or hinder adjustment of life transitions has been quite influential, particularly in the study of adolescent socialization, aging, and life crises. Thus, culture of a given society can affect the character and outcomes of life transitions, even though such transitions may be in part maturational processes. Parents are the most important role model children have, and the way an adult behaves and fulfills their responsibilities will have a profound and long-lasting impact on their children. God, we are all your children and run to you for protection. Do not disappoint us. You do what is right, so come to our rescue. Listen to our prayers and keep us safe. And may the Lord Bless your soul, and receive you at the last say into his kingdom, to sit down in peace. #RandolphHarris 7 of 7
It is not polite to be too attentive to other people’s business, under some circumstances the members of actor’s group may define too great an interest in the behavior of out-group members as a form of treason. The Bible explains that we should not meddle in other people’s business, but we should worry about our own affairs. Do not put your input into matters that do not concern you, it only creates more problems. Many people want to know your business not to help, but just to know it and have something to gossip about. However, when are minds are set on God, we do not have time to meddle in another person’s situations. “Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before,” 1 Thessalonians 4.11. We can never truly be inside of the mind of another person, nor understand what they are experiencing. Even in the interactive form there may be a reason to deceive—to protect secrets and self-image, for example. There may be things about an individual that they personally have a hard time accepting and they would rather not have their business spread all around town like the 5 O’clock news. This may cause difficulty when an individual moves into a new situation. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
Not only that, when you disclose highly sensitive information about a person, they may be embarrassed to face people from their past and it could leave them vulnerable to abuse and extortion. Not only that, the information disclosed may be less than complete and “accurate” because others do not really know what they are disclosing. Privacy has been under assault for years. Far from just minding our own business, privacy is central to virtually every liberty we tend to take for granted, not the least of which is freedom. The rights in relation to a person’s seclusion and private affairs is the foundation upon which our rights exit. It is not legal nor ethical to intrude upon a person’s seclusion or solitude, or into his or her person affairs. Nor is it lawful to publicly disclose embarrassing private facts about an individual, nor publicity placing one in a false light in the public eye. Violating one’s right to privacy is not only illegal, but it is dangerous. Privacy is more than just about who is reading your electronic mail; privacy is about who controls your life. Everything we consider personal and intimate concerns, from doctor-patient confidentiality to discussions with our spouse are functions of privacy. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
Erosion of privacy affects not only what information is available to self-interested parties, but the decisions one can make without the coercive influence of those same parties. People will sometimes shamelessly hijack one’s personal information, and these self-declared advocates just into someone’s personal life only in part for their concern, not for one’s well being, but more to satisfy their own personal convictions. During the vilification, slander, and violation of personal information the target may get attacked, receive death threats because of the sheering willing of these parties and of the government to set aside the constitution in pursuit of their own agendas. At stake is not only the right to be left alone, but the right to make fundamental decisions that have a bearing on the quality of life without interference or intrusion. At issue as well is the point at which decision may be arbitrarily made for the “common good” and whose interests are being served. And it is abundantly clear that experimenting on someone and exposing them to things you know are poisonous is torture. Not only that, but enforcing the beliefs of special interest groups over an individual is stripping that individual of their humanity, and is called oppression—the very thing countries have one to war over on numerous occasions. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
Embedded within American society is the belief that independence and individualism are virtues. There is a high value places in the right to privacy and a fear that, be invading the privacy of others, our own converted privacy is lost. However, our unwillingness to speak out and become involved has covered up scandals and illegal and unethical behavior by individuals and organizations. Our silence allowed these offenses to continue unimpeded, and people have suffered as a result. There is no justice in silence, for justice cannot be served until the silence is broken. Social pressure also works against speaking out and breaking the conspiracy. Those who speak out risk being resented and derided by the people who resent having the status quo disturbed, their lives interrupted, or the need to change, even if it is for their own good, People with the courage and conviction to speak out are often not well thought of by society. However, when the conspiracy is uncovered people might be criticized for not speaking out and could also face legal consequences. If it is related to any crimes or violence, the authorities will have to take action. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
Social ills, personal crises, and even petty annoyances cannot be attended to or corrected until someone stops the conspiracy of silence that enables them to continue and allows us to redirect out thoughts and actions to a more beneficial course. It is almost a tenet of faith that behavior is motivated by a desire for social approval. If deviant behavior is what is desired for social approval, the actor will play this role when it is a reference group the actor is trying to please. The sad state of ethics and virtues is not a new development. The chain of silence can only be broken if people are able to reach consensus and agree to abide by and enforce a strong moral tradition. It takes courage to stand up for one’s values and ethics. However, some people do not speak out because they relish the perceived control, power, and excitement of being able to keep someone else’s deep, dark secrets. Many people have a certain craving for the titillating and juicy stories of someone else’s pain and suffering. If others assume that the attitudes and behaviors actor uses in one role represent the essence of the person, they will expect him or her to use those attitudes and behaviors in many other instances, and actor will develop a preference for this pattern because he or she is rewarded for doing so. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
Abuse is the treatment of others or self in a way that causes injury or offense. It harms the mind and the spirit and often injures the body as well. It can cause confusion, doubt, mistrust, and fear. It is a violation of the law of society and is in total opposition to the teachings of God. The Lord condemns abusive behavior. In cases like these, if people expect actor to behave in a somewhat unusual manner, actors should try to meet those expectations, if they wish reinforcement. The use of the same behaviors for many roles may result in self-reinforcement. A role merger often saves effort when many roles are to be played, it gives actor an improved basis for predicting how others will react to him or her, it permits him or her to use a set of behaviors that are particularly satisfying more frequently than would otherwise be the case, and so forth. It is designed to provide high rewards, and if there were any alternative that were particularly profitable, there would have been no innovation to begin with. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
We cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. No one is born acting responsible. It is a character that is formed over time. Responsible people act the way they should whether or not anyone is watching. They do so because it is right and we have the courage and self-control to act decently, even when tempted to do otherwise. We learn to think, feel, and act with respect for ourselves and for other people. It is a time when we pursue our own well-being, while also being considerate of the needs of others. The development of personal and social responsibility helps us to make choices, even when doing so is hard and the material rewards are few. We hold deeply to our moral and religious convictions as the foundation for ethical behavior. Fairness, respect, courage, honesty, and compassion become acquired habit and character traits that we rely on. As mature adults, we take pleasure in thinking and behaving well, as this is the best chance to lead good lives as individuals and as citizens in the community. Not only that, but there is also a concern with eternal life and we want to be the best people that we can be and have a clear conscience. #RandolphHarris 1 of 7
People with integrity of heart are people to be trusted—because trust is built on integrity. Leaving together depends on trust. In times like the present, people should utter nothing for which they will not willingly be responsible through time and eternity. Honesty means telling the truth. It means not misleading others for our own benefit. It also means trying to make decisions, especially important ones, on the basis of evidence rather than prejudice. Honesty includes dealing with people and being honest with ourselves. Without honesty, trusting each other becomes impossible. It is also our responsibility to learn from our errors and do our best to correct them, not to dwell on them. With this honor devolves upon us also a corresponding responsibility. As the country herein trusts us, so under God it will sustain us. Earning God’s trust is a blessing based on obedience to God’s laws. Earning the Lord’s trust comes as a result of being true to the covenants we have made. Attentive observation is sufficient for the acquisition of a new response, but if these responses are to have any long-range effects on behavior they must be retained over time and attentive observation may not be sufficient for long-term retention. When we keep our promises to God, his trust grows in us. #RandolphHarris 2 of 7
Being a person of integrity means our intentions, as well as our actions, are pure and righteous in all aspects of our lives, both public and private. Courage is taking a position and doing what is right, even at the risk of some loss. With each decision we make, we either merit more of God’s trust or diminish his trust. Honoring God means being neither reckless nor cowardly, but faring up to our duties. It includes physical courage, intellectual integrity to make decisions on the basis of evidence, and moral tenacity to stand up for our principles. However, being courageous does not mean never being afraid. As we grow, we learn to overcome our fears, but some trepidation is good because it keeps us from going into danger without any discernment for our well-being. The key to eliminating incidences focus on safe behavior and pay attention to our surroundings. An observed pattern is likely to be retained if it is coded in images. Then when the stimulus cue occurs later, actor finds that one can dredge up a vivid visual image of what the model did in the past. Verbal coding is even more important, particularly when the behaviors are complicated. Thus, rather than trying to retain mental pictures of the turns required to get our destination we tell ourselves to make a left, then a right, then a left, and we find when we are trying to recall what has to be done. As God lives, we live, we will go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord has commanded us. #RandolphHarris 3 of 7
The acquisition of new behaviors can occur through direct experience involving trial and error and the selection of effective responses, human beings get most of their ideas by observing the actions of others who serve as models. We then learn largely by visual observations of overt responses by others. Effective contact with a pattern of behavior is necessary for its acquisition, and effective contact is attentive observation. Reward is not necessary for acquisition. The people with whom one regularly associates delimits the type of behavior that one will repeatedly observe. Self-control is the ability to resist inappropriate behavior in order to act responsibly. Beyond noting that we tend to associate with people who are attractive to us and who display functional behavior. It involves persistence and sticking to long-term commitments. It also includes dealing effectively with emotions, such as anger, and developing patience. We tend to be attentive to others when we expect that they will be rewarded (vicarious reinforcement); when they are similar to us; when they give responses that seem to have functional value; when we expect to be rewarded for our attentiveness; and so forth. #RandolphHarris 4 of 7
In addition, intense responses are more likely to be observed, training in attentiveness can increase it, and novel responses are more attention-getting. People with self-respect take satisfaction in appropriate behavior and hard-won accomplishments. We do not need to be condescending toward others, nor have a lot of money to respect ourselves. People who respect themselves also view selfishness, loss of self-control, recklessness, cowardice, and dishonesty as wrong and unworthy of them. As we mature, we have learned the lessons of responsibility, and developed a good conscience to guide us. Rehearsal is another assistant to retention. The value of overt practice for the mastering of complex behavioral patterns need hardly be defended to anyone who has attempted to learn a manual skill or memorize material, but overt repetition of the desired responses is not the only way to rehearse. Humans are capable of engaging in covert rehearsal; they can run through the behavior in their imaginations, and by this means set in their memories. This procedure is quite effective and our ability to do this is important, for many significant human actions cannot easily be practiced overtly. #RandolphHarris 5 of 7
Respecting our healthy and safety is similarly import. Our character should be fortified enough, and we should have enough for our minds to develop, so we are not easily manipulated by others. Patience or tolerance does not mean allowing others to mistreat us. And even with these high stands, it is imperative to that there will be hardships and failures at times, but being successful means trying again and doing our best. Rehearsal will take place when the level of actor’s self-esteem, the level of other’s interest, the degree of attraction between actor and other, the novelty of the behavior, and the extent to which actor can obtain privacy. Having trust in someone is similar to having faith in someone. Without that trust and faith, there is fear and doubt. Trust brings peace, love, and an environment where that love can grow. The essential point is that people will choose those behaviors that are tied to reinforcement. It occurs because human minds make the connection—awareness is an important element in this view of learning. Humans can learn the lessons contained in the reinforcement received by others (vicarious reinforcement), they can provide their own rewards (self-reinforcement), and they can anticipate the future—they can plan their actions in terms of their expectations as to what will follow from their behaviors. #RandolphHarris 6 of 7
It is our prayer that we might all place our trust in the Lord, and then, through the integrity of our hearts, earn the trust of our family, friends, and community. As we understand and apply this sacred principle of trust built on integrity, we will be true to our sacred principle of trust built on integrity, we will be true to our sacred covenants. Actors can be creative and create opportunities for themselves, and to some degree they determine what they will be taught. And human beings engage in abstract modeling. They can extract the abstract principles underlying an observed pattern of behavior, and apply those rules to new situations. Essentially, they can develop a conception of a generalized role from the observation of concrete cases. The sociological concept of role-taking suggests that people can put themselves in the place of others through the use of their imaginations and by this means see the situation from other’s perspective. We will also succeed in presiding in our families with love and righteousness, providing the necessities of life, and protecting our families from the evils of the World. #RandolphHarris 7 of 7
There is no more beautiful sight than a person who glows with the light of the Spirit, who is confident and courageous because he or she is virtuous. One determinant of reference group selection might be termed a normative prescription—the stipulation by a superordinate reference group, or by more general reference norms, that certain individuals, groups, or categories are to be accepted as authoritative in a given situation. For example, some 500 women students in a small, private, liberal arts college in Oakland, California who were asked of eight adults, who were most important to them in making decisions in academic, leisure, and financial areas. Well, fathers were chosen most of the time for academic matters, and mothers for social matters, and this is no surprise because most people are conditioned with gender roles. However, as society changes, more women are often running household and working in high ranking positions, so as more people are exposed to the real World, their views about business and social matters will change. They will see that they can go to either a man or a woman for advice, but when it is more specific information that they need for their gender, then they will go to a man or a woman. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
The definitions may vary for different statuses within the society, and they may further vary from one subgroup to another. For instance, a man would go to his father to get advice on things that relate to manhood and a woman would go to her mother to get advice a women’s concerns, but business and social are more neutral ground for both genders in the real World. In a study of spontaneous references to ethnic group memberships as component of the self-concept, it is predicted that ethnicity is usually more salient to a person who is in the minority; and it usually becomes more salient as the ethnic heterogeneity of a group increases; and it will become more salient as the proportion of an ethnic subgroup in the larger group decreases. It means that people usually become more aware of how they are different from the majority as their socialization group decreases, and no matter at what level, they value the group that they are affiliated with and it becomes more important when their members are removed. It has also been discovered that when people are in segregated situations, they sometimes have high self-esteem, but as situations are desegregated, their self-esteem declines because they have different types of people to compete with and compare themselves too. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
The Lord has blessed us with a very clear understanding of who we are and why we are here on Earth at this time. The Lord loves us, and we love God. It shows in our countenance, in our modesty, in our desire to choose the right, and in our commitment to remain virtuous and pure. We have been warmed by the light of faith. And our hearts remain virtuous. We know that ego may feel much or little emotional commitment to a given norm. Many individuals in our own society do not feel strongly committed to various important norms. Thus, the fact that they must violate internalized norms does not necessarily cause difficulties for people because their commitment to the norms they are breaking may not be very strong. And if the breaking of the norm does come some stress, the gains to be had may represent more than adequate compensation. Generally, social structures increase the likelihood that the actors will be able to solve sociological ambivalence by providing rules for ordering priorities; creating differences in power and interest between the interactants; setting up conditions that permit actors to be insulated from observations by others, which may lead to a moderation of their demands; creating opportunities for actor to form alliances; providing opportunities for actor to form alliances; providing opportunities for actors to leave difficult situations. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
Our visions remain the same. It is to be worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple. The key point is that it is based upon the idea that human beings evaluate various course of action and choose those that they believe will maximize their gain. However, there is complexity and disorderliness in social life. Human behavior is in constant flux. Roles are made anew each time people assemble and orient their conduct toward one another. With the tendency to create and modify conceptions of self- and other- roles as the orienting process in interactive behavior, the impression one gets is that new roles emerge out of each interaction. While many suspect that people’s personalities are fixed in childhood, we now know personalities evolve throughout our lives. For instance, when someone gets involved with a career in law enforcement, their personality changes. They become more autorotative and protective. That behavior is not only a part of their career, but it becomes their pervasive norm as a human being. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
Teenagers change as they age because not only is their brain developing, but they also become more accepting of themselves and all that goes along with that. The changes people undergo also has to do with what is going on in a person’s life. As a result of this gradual change, personality can appear relatively stable over short intervals—increasingly throughout adulthood. Adults know they have to mature and cannot be so emotional and as they age they may find certain traits more attractive than others, and so if you assume you know a person, you actually may not. Teens are becoming educated and learning new roles as they become an adult, so they have adopted new characteristics. People are embedded in a social system that affects what occurs in their interactions. Actors behavior is purposive, and the goal is the maximization of their profits. They try to create a situation whose anticipated rewards will exceed the anticipate costs by as much as possible. Actors may set their sights lower than the heights because they believe that the costs associated with the higher reward will be so great as to wipe out additional profits or because they are willing to settle for a lower, but more certain or quicker, payoff. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
It should be sufficient to assert that a cogent analysis of structural effects requires a precise conception of the details of the interaction process. How can one delineate effects without knowledge of the nature of the thing being affected? People come to interaction situations with previously learned role repertories, and they choose particular roles for the encounter, and these roles serve as guides for their actions. We will continue to do all we can to help each other stand in holy places and receive, recognize, and rely on the Holy Ghost. The future is full of noble and birthright. Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither dismayed, for God is with us everywhere we go. We are people of great faith. We brought our faith with us when we came to the Earth. We have fought with our faith and testimony to defend the plan that God presented us with. Dear God in Heaven, please help us accomplish all that needs to be done each day and to find rest. As we work, help us to be productive and peaceful. A we love others, help us to be calm and encouraging. We need your peace in every area of our lives today and always. Thank you. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
Life does not always turn out the way we planned it. Do you know anyone who would not like to change something about themselves or their circumstances? Self – (and social) evaluation is when people compare themselves to others as sort of a marker of how well they are doing. Most usually compare and contrast things like intellectual ability, socioeconomic status, body types, facial features, and hair. People may have multiple reference groups, and on occasions their demands may conflict. Sometimes it is not a realistic appraisal because of one’s rank. Individuals may not always compare themselves with someone who is similar in order to enhance their status, self-esteem, and satisfaction. As when they compare someone with a person who is truly on their levels, they are more likely to experience status depreciation. However, in some cases, people are motivated to make comparisons unfavorable to themselves, selecting as a point of reference others who are better, or better off. These are people we tend to be drawn to, inspired by, and even strengthened by their examples. Such comparisons, and the resulting assessment can act as a lever for change (of job, for example) or lead to demands for change (for example, in pay). #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
Because of the emphasis on statuses and roles, sociologist have explicitly recognized the fact that individuals may resemble others with respect to certain characteristics and qualities, but differ from them with respect to others. Under these circumstances, one wants to know which of several possible bases of comparison is selected as crucial by an individual. In order to evaluate the correctness of one’s political opinions, for example, will one choose for comparison someone close in opinions but dissimilar, in say, educational and occupational status, or will one rather choose someone close in occupational and educational status but dissimilar in opinion? Even more to the point, in most naturally occurring situations, similarity with respect to one or more statuses may be used as a clue to probable similarity in opinion, attitude, ability, or values. This reminds us of who we really are and why we do the things we do. When self-esteem is threatened, people try to satisfy the motive of self-enhancement rather than that of (accurate) self-evaluation. It is more important to take a close look at ourselves, home, family, and people enrichment and find ways to build spiritual strength, develop personal skills, strengthen home and family, and provide gospel services. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
By enriching our spirituality, first in our lives, and focusing on being righteous and helping others, we will become less preoccupied with our problems and more dependent on God. Nevertheless, it remains true that even in the form of social comparison, sometimes people compare themselves to others for such processes as interpersonal attraction and affiliation with groups for social process. Because comparisons are generally made along a single dimension, which is implicitly assumed to be under the individual’s control, issues of equity, justice, or relative deprivation do not ordinarily arise. Unity of purpose, thought, and feeling are exalting qualities. When we can put aside our differences and value each others’ strengths, great things happen. Do not be limited in your views with regard to your neighbor’s virtue. We must enlarge our souls towards each other. Such generosity of spirit invites greater unity. As the kingdom of God rolls forth, we must unite our efforts in saving souls. No matter our circumstances, who of us can afford to waste our life in front of the mirrors of self-pity and discouragement? We all need to examine ourselves from time to time. We all need to repent, to recognize weaknesses, and more fully become Godlike. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
Judgments of consonance and dissonance are likely to have implications for self-esteem as well. We may have to sell our looking glass in order to cross the plains of pain, sorrow, and discouragement. And as we do, we will discover God-given strengths that we may not have otherwise known. The fact of earning less than someone else does not necessarily have negative implications of the discrepancy is congruent with differences in training or experience (or, perhaps, in needs). There are sometimes lower correlations between self-esteem and social status among people of different ages. The social psychological consequences of conditions like Spina bifida might weigh much more heavily on younger people than an older patient, since the social environment of the latter group generally includes many more people whose health and activity have declined. It is hard for a young person who looks healthy to explain why they cannot do certain activities or why they may have to schedule times to go to the bathroom. It might also be hard for a young person to explain why they have more health issues and need more types of treatments, compared with someone their age. Whereas, most of us know the elderly are typically delicate. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
One of the greatest problems facing many people is Narcissistic Entitlement Syndrome. Individuals who are afflicted believe they should have whatever they want regardless of the feelings of others, and continually inflate themselves while being condescending towards others. They are generally preoccupied with fantasies of limitless brilliance, power, and success. Advancement and achievement are extremely important to them and they envision the environment around them as one where they should be the center of all others’. It is not uncommon that they have an exaggerated sense of self-importance that is not commensurate with their actual level of achievement and they expect to be recognized as superior to others without a corresponding level of achievement. With feelings of entitlement, the absence of personal responsibility for not having a good or service is usually met with feelings of dissatisfaction aroused and will take the form of anger towards others, rather than being directed toward the self. The examination of a large number of studies, both in the laboratory and the field, indicates that for the most part the postulated components, examined one at a time, are related in the predicted direction to expression of anger. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
With all my heart, I know that God can make weak things become strong, and each of us can mirror the Savior by the way we choose to live in our lives. We should be grateful in our lives to have the truth and knowledge of God, and not to personally know someone else’s struggles, that we do not have to experience what they are going through, but can be a source of encouragement and strength for them. Justice depends on expectations, and expectations in the long run on actualities. What is, is always becoming what ought to be. God, provide us with strength, energy, and motivation. Thank you, God, for being the joy of our lives and the heart of our souls. Thank you for healing our minds, bodies, and souls. Thank you for allowing us to endure the pressures of life and giving us the courage to press on. Please help your children build their faith, and find more strength in a safe, secret place of yours. God directs people to ponder his words and pray for understanding—he heals the sick. May you all have the strength and knowledge of five hundred souls. The Lord has made bare his holy arms in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the Earth shall see the salvation of God. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
One basic the basic concepts of forgiveness is that one must be truly repentant, having satisfied justice before forgiveness can take place. There should be no license for sin. God is merciful, but he is also just. An eternal aspect of justice has been decreed by divine law, that God is not mocked: for whatever a person does, is what they shall get back in return. History is made by strong individuals who issue commands to the masses about how to play the game; these leaders fit into the World. This is not the way spiritual history is made; it is made by exceptional people who do not fit into the World, who have a conception of the World other than that given in the games people play. What these people do not realize is that, even with the self-sacrifice of their lives, the most they can achieve is a small change in the rules by which these communal games of humankind are played. Self – (or social) evaluation can come about through a process of comparison with others. An individual’s judgment of how well he or she is doing is formed not only directly, on the basis of appraisals by others, but also indirectly, as a result of comparing his or her situation with that of others. #RandolphHarris 1 of 8
Even in self-evaluations resulting from social comparison, however, normative factors come into play. In the first place, such factors mat specify the group with which the comparison must be made. And second, the comparison has consequences for self-evaluation only to that extent that the standard against which an opinion, performance, or situation is compared has normative force—that is, constitutes an expectation level that carries with it the implication of ought or should. It can be horribly mortifying when we experience the prospect of becoming hopelessly trapped in someone else’s story. And if one can find any way out of our culture, then that is a trap too. Just wanting to get out of the trap reinforces the trap. Many of the classic investigations of reference group behavior have concerned themselves with the consequences of conformity to the perceived prescriptions of some valued group for attitude stability or change. However, what is one to do when they do not want to conform to the group, are not accepted by the group, and the group is like a pervasive cancer, acting as a source of oppression at every move one makes to advance oneself. #RandolphHarris 2 of 8
Sometimes hardworking people with a lot of promise and determination get stuck in awful places. However, what one may consider awful, others might consider a paradise. And it may seem no matter how hard we try to upgrade our lives, nothing seems to work out. One might have thought that years ago, they would be in a better situation. Then they look and are still in the same place and trying even hard to keep a roof over one’s head and advance. Another year rolls around, and they think to themselves, within six months from now, I know I will be in a better place, I cannot see being in this same situation any longer than that. Yet, three more years pass, and they are still in the same place. The influence of a reference group on attitudes or behaviors is a factor that should be considered. The salience of a reference group can increase a subject’s resistance to the propaganda directed against the group or increase the frequency of responses conforming to the norms of that group. That is why some people choose to join church, it helps them to be thankful for the everything in their lives, and they realize that at some point, through an increase in faith, that their hard work and determination will pay off. #RandolphHarris 3 of 8
Still, there is also an account for the ability to maintain a deviant perspective by its anchorage in a significant reference group or individual or have demonstrated that adoption of new reference figures (as through the development of close friendships) is associated with adoption of a new, at times deviant, perspective. For example, the fact that adolescents who use drugs are more likely to report drug use among their friends does not necessarily mean that such use is a consequence of selecting a particular reference group; the choice of reference group may be contingent on drug-taking behavior, or both may be consequences of particular combinations of residential, social, and other statuses. That is why parents who have lived in bad neighborhoods and low-income communities work hard to send their children to school, so they can provide a better environment for them so they do not have to be in a community with gang activity, crimes, and drugs. However, some people are jealous of people who are good, no matter what their situation is, and what do whatever they can to see that person fail. It brings them joy to see someone they do not like struggle and suffer. #RandolphHarris 4 of 8
And then the cycle continues where the good person has to figure a way out of an oppressive situation that they were never meant to experience. As you can see, there are consequences of reference orientations. Yet, love changes everything. Medical studies about young children report that nurturing and supportive parenting can lead to improved physical health and possibly greater intelligence later in life. Kids need love, care, and people to teach them things. The effect of nurturing could be even stronger the younger the child is because it is possible that the brain is more sensitive to change earlier. People who have families are generally more happier and satisfied, and the motivation helps them to live a healthier life. People with families are motivated to eat healthier, exercise more, drink less alcohol, and put themselves in dangerous situations less often. In turn, this suggests that attitudinal similarity may be a potent factor in the formations of groups, which subsequently function as powerful references groups in inducing further attitude change. #RandolphHarris 5 of 8
You have all you need to stand strong and firm and true because you have the Lord on your side. Notwithstanding the afflictions about us, notwithstanding the sordid things we see almost everywhere, notwithstanding the conflict that sweeps across the World, we can be better. I do not know what we did in the preexistence to merit the wonderful blessings we enjoy. We have come to Earth in this great season in the long history of humankind. It is a marvelous age, the best of all. As we reflect on the plodding course of humankind, from the time of our first parents, we cannot help feeling grateful. We promise to love the Lord, to honor him all the time—daytime and nighttime, Summer and Winter, good times and bad times—love the Lord and let that love show by the way we live. We also take time to thank God, take time to ask for help, take time to seek guidance, and then take time to listen. Take time for that still, small voice which will whisper to us, help us, and give us courage. Both laboratory experiments involving the choice of partners for limited kinds of interactions and investigations of friendship choices in the real World have pointed to some sort of similarity as one principle underlying the selection and acceptance of groups that function as normative referents. However, the question immediately arises, similarity with respect to what? #RandolphHarris 6 of 8
Social psychologists tend to emphasize similarity with respect to individual values, attitudes, and other personality characteristics. Another factor is the social structure, which may make one group (individual, category, status, and so forth), more salient than another, in terms of its appropriateness or in terms of its power to confer rewards; the other is normative structure, which may be define one group (individual, category, status, and so forth) a more appropriate or more rewarding. Our Heavenly Father does bless us when we show our love for him in all things. We will stand witness in all places—both public and private, in secret, in dark or in light places; in church, school, home, or cars; in mountain places, or beach places; on the street or in the park. The potency of physical structure is dramatically demonstrated in a field of experiment in which the functional distance between apartments turned out to be a powerful determinant of friendship formation among persons who are similar to one another on a variety of social characteristics. Structural factors also come into play in those situations in which individuals adopt as a point of reference group whose values are quite dissimilar from their own. #RandolphHarris 7 of 8
It is given unto you to judge that you may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain that you make know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. Stand as an example of a worthy child of God in all places. Heavenly Father, we come to you asking that you come into our lives and heart. As we are learning to discern the prompting of the Spirit, there are so many distractions. It is experience that helps us know good from evil. It is experience that helps us recognize the promptings of the Spirit. Experience can also help us recognize when good feelings are lacking. Dear Father God, we thank you for this wonderful free gift of Salvation and the knowledge that there is nothing left for us to do except to believe in you as our Savior. Thank you for your perfect righteousness and for giving us eternal life, which a special place reserved with us in Heaven, for all eternity. There are no words that can express our love and gratitude for this amazing free gift of grace—thank you. You Father God, are amazing and loving and graceful. #RandolphHarris 8 of 8
Kindness is how Godlike people treat others and should permeate all our words, education, works, and actions. The temporal aspects of exchange relations allow the development of emergent aspects of the relations, such as trust, commitment, solidarity, investments, concerns about justice and equity, and contractual agreements. The most important single feature of the exchange process is the tendency for actors to become—through exchange—drawn into patterns of more or less lasting mutual dependency. However, if one person is more powerful and uses that power advantage to gain benefits, that individual or organization becomes more dependent and the advantage is lost. That is why reciprocity is important is business and intimate relationships. Reciprocity is developed and woven into good enough relationships, sometimes without participants knowing what they are doing. If a relationship is important enough to them, partners will be emotionally invested in it enough to work at building and maintaining it. Business reciprocity as a strategy has huge advantages. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. When you give first, without expecting anything in return, it goes a long way in helping to build the like and trust factor. #RandolphHarris 1 of 9
What is your business giving away? What product, service, bit of knowledge, or piece of information could you charge for, but should probably give away instead? When you give away valuable information or goods and services for free, your business has greatly increased its credibility and likelihood of picking up new customers through this strategy. When someone foes you a solid favor, you feel compelled to return the favor. The same goes for your customers. No good deed goes unpunished. It is completely counterintuitive, but without fail, when you give first (without expecting anything in return), you will get back much more than you initially gave. Competitors may use you, possibly. However, whose credibility and reputation just went up, your business who is providing enormous value for free, or your competitor, who is now trying to sell what you are giving away for free? (Believe this, your competitors will not try to repay a good deed, and if they are stealing your material, they will not understand how or why the law of reciprocity works.) Some of the benefits include search engine optimization, increased brand recognition, and customer loyalty. A charity enduring long, and is kind, and fair, and is not ostentatious, is not easily provoked. #RandolphHarris 2 of 9
Judging from the frequent occurrence of such words as power, influence, dominance, and submission, status, and authority, the importance of power is widely recognized. When I was in college and studying for my final examines, my grandmother asked me did I pray to God to help me on my exams. Even though I was raised in the church, I did not understand, at that time, how God could help me with my education. I did not yet see spirituality as a holistic concept. Nevertheless, I prayed to God and that semester in college I got a 3.83 grade point average, and the next semester God helped me earn a 4.0 grade point average and I was accepted into an honors program to attend college overseas. Each student had to have a 4.0 grade point average to be accepted. Power relations are frequently intransitive. The scriptures teach us that the righteous exercise of our ability is dependent upon our living the principles of kindness, charity, and love. By kindness, and pure knowledge, we shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile. Social structure is created, maintained, and changed through symbolic interaction, and once created is a constraining interaction. #RandolphHarris 4 of 9
If people do something anyway, there is no need to have a norm prescribing it. The norm is redundant. It is a waste of time prescribing things that people are going to do even if they are not prescribed. Let us examine our lives and determine to follow the Savior’s example by being kind, loving, and charitable. And as we do so, we will be in a better position to call down the powers of Heaven for ourselves, for our families, and for our fellow travelers in this sometimes difficult journey back to our Heavenly home. We have a deep tendency to create social ties through exchange of gifts. Exchange theory offers a soft interpretation of power. Exchange theory emphasizes mutually beneficial exchange rather than coercion. Therefore, power inequalities are seen to result from asymmetric or unilateral exchange. Stated differently, power inequality stems from unequal dependence. However, a person does not necessarily require a Church calling, an invitation to help someone, or even good healthy to become an instrument in God’s hands. Domination is usually found in institutionalized forms of power called authority, embedded in or deriving from a legitimate social order. Both weak and the strong party can gain through the yielding act of a weak person. #RandolphHarris 5 of 9
Power, like exchange, can be symmetrical and even equal. Domination can take purely coercive forms, but taken by itself, coercive rule is unstable and costly. Stable and enduring forms of domination are based upon claims of and beliefs in the legitimacy of domination (including the right to use coercive force). When legitimized, domination is called authority. Different bases for legitimacy generate qualitatively different systems of authority. Three pure types of authority can be analytically distinguished, deriving their legitimacy from rational-legal, charismatic, and traditional sources. Concrete empirical systems approximate those types in varying degree. However, none of the forms of domination can be conceptualized properly on the basis of exchange. Charity and love are the greatest principles in existence. If we can lend a helping hand to the oppressed, if we can assist those who are despondent and in sorrow, if we can uplift and ameliorate the condition of humankind, it is our mission to do it, it is an essential part of our religion to do it. When we feel love for God’s children, we are given opportunities to help them in their journey back to his presence. #RandolphHarris 6 of 9
Power and influence are based upon exchange processes, but domination and authority are not. There are two diametrically contrasting types of domination. Domination by virtue of constellation of interests (in particular: by virtue of a position of monopoly), and domination by virtue of authority. The purest type of the former is monopolistic domination in the World; of the latter, patriarchal, magisterial, or princely power. God has asked us to journey, go on missions, accept callings, invite someone to church, or help someone in need. The Lord will grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with the, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, others to the knowledge of truth. Do we really want to be instruments in God’s hands? If so, our desire will permeate our prayers and be for focus of our reality. It may be conformity with respect to a belief, an attitude, a value, a behavior; it may be conceptualized as deviance from one set of norms, that than adherence to another; it may be thought of as conformity to the norms of a group to which the individual aspires to belong rather than to those of one in which he or she currently hold membership. #RandolphHarris 7 of 9
What do all of these have in common in shaping of behavior, feeling, or thought in accordance with that of a referent, and to the extent that such attitudes and behaviors are organized around a particular social status (student, mother, father, teacher), the consequence of normative reference orientation is socialization or anticipatory socialization. It illuminates social mobility, acculturation, attitude change. May our minds be enlightened and the cloud of darkness lifted from us. Let us see with our spiritual eyes. Financial difficulty is a reality faced by millions of people. There is precious little money for the essentials—things like food, mortgage, rent, car repairs, and luxuries like dining out and going to the opera or theater. That is a reality in many households. However, fear not. God is there and he has already given you the key to prosperity: prayer. It is not just a matter of asking for money, there is more to it than that. God, we come to you with thanksgiving for all you have given us, and how you have blessed and sustained us for all this time. We lift up to you our finances and that you for your words and promises that you will supply all of our needs. #RandolphHarris 8 of 9
We pray that you will bless us with your provision now. Open the storehouse of Heaven and pour financial blessings up us. Give us wisdom as to how to handle all finances, and keep us from making any foolish decisions. Bless our work with success. Reveal to us how we can earn more and handle our finances more efficiently. Show us where we have spent unwisely and how we can reduce our debt and expenses. Show us if we are doing what you want us to do, or if you have other work for us. Open our eyes to see where we are not ling your way with regard to our finances. Teach us how to spend, save, invest and better organize our money and resources such a land, estates, travel, and other forms of capital. We know that our true treasure is found in you. Forgive us for any times when we have not fully loved out that truth. We choose to seek you, God, and your kingdom first and foremost in our lives, trusting that you will provide all we require. It is our glory that we may be an instrument in the hands of God, to bring some soul to repentance; and this is our joy. May our confidence in God increase. God treasures those who help his children (grown and youthful). Kindness is key to a celestial life. #RandolpHarris 9 of 9
