Dexway English Magazine: B2 – Edition 5
Hierarchy of Needs
REACH THE TOP
The Hierarchy of Needs first appeared in 1943 in a paper written by Abraham Maslow called “A theory of Human Motivation”. I studied Maslow in the first year of my teaching course and his work has stayed with me, because it is so simple. Maslow tells us that humans are motivated by various elements.
At the most basic levels are elements such as breathing, food and water. He called these Physiological needs, once we have met these physiological needs we can move to the next level; security, which includes personal security, financial security, health and safety nets built from savings and insurance policies. When we have this security, we can move to the next level; love and belonging. We know from studies on integration and inclusion that to be correctly motivated we need to feel part of a team or a family and have close friendships. So important is this need, that it´s actually possible to by-pass the first two stages if we have this close connection. After all, two heads are better than one.
Finally, we arrive to acceptance and self-esteem, and as humans we need to feel accepted and valued in our lives, in the workplace and in our community. We must first respect ourselves and then respect others before we can hope to gain their respect. When we have respect and self-esteem, we have finally reached the summit and can begin to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be. We can finally reach our full potential. If we get stuck or stall at any stage within the pyramid then we risk psychological states such as an inferiority complex, depression and social anxiety.
IT ISN’T NORMAL TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT. IT IS A RARE AND DIFFICULT PSYCHOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT.
ABRAHAM MASLOW
MAKING SPACE FOOD
SPACEMAN ICECREAM!
Over the past year, the intriguing development of a 3D printer has really pushed the limits of what people are printing. Everything is being made with plastic or metal from new product prototypes, sculptures, false teeth, and even auto parts. But…. 3D printers for food? NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has recently given a grant to a technology development company in Texas to see how viable it would be to use 3D printers to take raw materials and combine them in different ways, with very little waste.
Earlier this month, senior engineer Anjan Contractor from Systems and Materials Research Corporation in Texas said at the Humans 2 Mars summit, that it would be ideal for feeding the space crew during their 9 month journey from Earth to Mars. He believes that on a broader scale, 3D printers could make food production more efficient.
He says food printed with protein from algae or insects can be hidden and made into something familiar like a pizza. It is all hypothetical at this point in time… but the potential is there.
OFFICE TEMPERATURE
In a recent survey of 129 people 42% said their office was too hot and 56% said their office was too cold! In it turns out that getting this wrong can make workers, slow, fat or even sick while getting the temp right can increase job satisfaction, productivity and collaboration!
But the question that cannot be answered is what temperature is the right temperature. Many investigations have been carried out to try and find out, including one that measured typing errors, at 25°C the typists made few errors, 10% in total but at 20°C the typists made twice the number of errors meaning that with a 5 degree drop the typists became half as productive.
Another study showed that we find it harder to make complex decisions in warm room so cooler is better. As a general rule, warm is better for creative thinking and cool for staying awake.
Digital music changing the industry
MUSIC TO MY EARS
Over the years, recorded music has gone through many different forms. It began as a wax cylinder, but now it can be contained on the smallest of microchips. Many of the early forms of music were difficult to reproduce – sometimes a musical group would need to play the same song 100 times in order to make 1000 records!
Today, anyone with a computer or mp3 player can copy a song in a few seconds without the need for expensive equipment. This (and many other recording advancements) have led to a strong growth in the small independent musician.
Many music groups can record and release their album without the need for an expensive production or distribution company to loan them money. The rise of this kind of music is called “indie” which is short for “independent.”
Not all of the change is good, though. Because of the convenience that comes with easier music production, many music groups left their bigger distribution companies and used their own homes to make, record, and distribute their music. Many people would say that this would be a good thing because the large companies would often take advantage of small bands by giving them unfair deals and contracts. Since big companies made less records and CDs, the stores that sold these forms of music quickly went out of business.
As you can see, there are many advantages and disadvantages that come with the changes happening in the music industry. Many musicians were happy with changes, while many big record companies lost money.
The Tower of London
HISTORY AND CULTURE
Sentry: “Halt, who comes there?”
Warder: “The keys”
Sentry: “Whose keys?”
Warder: Queen Elizabeth´s keys.”
Sentry: “Pass Queen Elizabeth´s keys. All is well.”
Musicologists in many cultures
Over the years, many people have devoted their lives to the study of one kind of music – called a genre. These people (often called musicologists or ethno-musicologists) take great care in trying to preserve the music of a particular culture. It is very easy to forget that many kinds of music existed long before people had the convenience of quick mp3s (digital or electronic songs) or even basic recording equipment.
Many of the older styles of music started long before anyone could record or write down what was being played. Many of the instruments used were made from delicate wooden materials that did not last over the years. So how would someone be able to remember the songs of their country or their childhood if no one had the ability to record?
Many songs from older cultures had to be sung or played from one generation to the next. The musicologist now has the ability to record some older songs that might have been forgotten otherwise. With their help, people can now study and experience the music of their ancestors and how that music helped shape the country that they live in. Some people find many similarities between the early music of many cultures. For example, the “pentatonic” scale (using 5 basic notes) can be heard in music from early Asian cultures to early Native American cultures. Sometimes, what is considered “music” in one culture would be very different in another culture. A monk’s prayer chant would be a meditation and a profession, but to another person it would sound like regular singing.
It is difficult to find a culture that does not have music influence a large part of their lives. Even from the moment of birth, a mother will sing songs to soothe and relax a crying baby. Many cultures will sing while they work in order to make their profession less stressful. Most of the film entertainment we view is full of music that is meant to guide our emotions when watching a particular scene.
A musicologist will view these relationships and attempt to study the reasons we use music in such ways. They will ask questions like “Why does a mother naturally sing to a baby to soothe it?” or “Why does a particular type of composition make our heart beat faster when we view a scary or thrilling movie?” They will look into the biology of how we perceive sound as well as study the oldest known music in an attempt to understand these reactions. A musicologist has the difficult job of placing music into the history books and scientific studies. As new music spreads across the internet and introduces people to various musical cultures, hopefully more people will attempt to preserve the unique genres that cover the globe.
