Social Construct Of Mental Illness Stigmatization Sociology Essay

Social Construct Of Mental Illness Stigmatization Sociology Essay In order to begin this essay it is worth outlining some of the meanings behind the terms mental illness and stigma. Mental illness is a conceptually problematic term as there as different ways of speaking about normal and abnormal behaviour (Pilgrim and Rogers, 1999). It can broadly be described as a type of health problem which affects an individuals thoughts, feelings and the way they interact around other people. It also has a cognitive dimension as it can affect anybody at any time and may be temporary or permanent (Pilgrim, 2005). Scheff (1984) discusses the medicalisation of mental illness, he argues that residual deviance (pg. 36) can refer to the variety of conditions which are held under the umbrella term of mental illness simply because they do not come under any other category, such as criminal. Essentially, any form of unacceptable or deviant behaviour which is not classed in other ways, becomes a form of mental illness. Scheffs approach uses labelling theory to discuss m ental health; this is something I will turn to later. Surveys have revealed that the majority of us are acquainted with mental illness and are familiar with it damaging effects either through a friend or relative etc. 15% of us have had a mental health problem ourselves (Layard, 2005). Stigma can be defined as the social consequences of negative attributions about a person based upon stereotype. In the case of people with mental health problems, it is presumed that they lack intelligibility and social competence and that they are dangerous (Pilgrim, 2005, pg 157). Goffman (1963) argued that stigma spoils a persons social identity, it creates a gap between a typical, ordinary social identity which we expect others to have and our real social identity. It disrupts everyday social interaction because normal individuals do not know how to behave with stigmatized individuals and vice versa (pg. 15). Goffman identified three types of stigma, stigma deriving from physical defects or abnorm alities, stigma of race and religion and finally perceived blemishes of individual character this includes such things as sexuality, political beliefs and mental health (Goffman, 1963, pg. 14). Goffmans work is very important in discussing the complexities of stigma and discrimination and I plan to use his work throughout this essay. Skinner et al (1995) argue that a hierarchy of stigma exists in which inferior social statuses such as prostitute and alcoholic are ranked. They identified mental illness as being at the bottom of the hierarchy. The stigma of mental illness is different from others because it involves changes in behaviour which attracts negative judgment by others. It makes people wander about an individuals stability and whether they pose a risk to themselves or others (Bury, 2005). In order to better understand the stigma of mental illness it is necessary to conduct research into the lay views held amongst the public, this includes accounts from people with mental health problems (MHP) who discuss their experiences, and also the views of those without MHP (Pilgrim, 2005). A qualitative study by Dinos et al (2004) which researched the experiences of 46 people with a mental illness revealed that stigma was a major concern to most of the participants. Stigma defines individuals in terms of their mental illness and has the potential to impact on all aspects of life. Goffman (1963) formulated stigma into a double perspective, the first is obvious to others and cannot be hidden. He referred to this as discrediting. The second type is discreditable and is not necessarily noticeable to others (pg. 14). With this form the problem is managing personal information, whether this means hiding the fact that they have a mental illness, or hiding the nature and extent of the c ondition. Dinos et al (2004) found that the management of information was a major problem and a potent source of stress, anxiety and further feelings of stigma even in the absence of any direct discrimination (pg. 176). Some of the patients chose to downplay their illness by telling others it was another type, such as depression. Experiences of stigma were also dependent on the nature of the illness, those with depression and anxiety were more likely to feel stigmatized. While those with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder were more likely to experience physical and verbal attacks. The effects of stigma can be extremely damaging, individuals may feel depersonalized, rejected and disempowered (Pilgrim, 2005, pg 158). This can lead to isolation and an acceptance of the treatment received as justified. This in turn can cause a further decline in their health (Dinos, et al, 2004). In terms of lay views of mental health held amongst the public, these are usually ones of distrust and sometimes hostility. Many people hold stereotypical views of mentally ill people in which psychotic behaviour is expected (Pilgrim, 2005). The influence of the media is important here and is something I will turn to later. Attribution theory (Corrigan et al, 2000 and Bury, 2005) can be used to explain stigma and discriminatory practices. It consists of two aspects, controllability and stability the former refers to the extent to which individuals are responsible for their own mental illness and stability refers to whether the illness can improve over time and to what extent. Studies which use attribution theory reveal that many believe that individuals with MHP are to blame for their illness and do not deserve any sympathy. They believe them to be potentially dangerous and should be avoided. Also, they show no optimism about people reaching recovery (Corrigan, et al, 2000). An examp le of such a study comes from Weiner and colleagues (cited in Corrigan, 2000), they asked 59 students to rate various disability groups according to aspects of controllability and stability, the results revealed that they viewed mental illness much more severely than other illnesses. The widespread stigmatization of mental illness is rooted historically in fear of the unknown, our tendency to attack ridicule or laugh at what we dont understand (Lalani and London, 2006). Since the deinstitutionalization of mental illness and the introduction of care in the community initiatives, this fear of the other has become much more significant as the boundaries between the sane and insane have become blurred. We have a strong need to distance ourselves from things that we fear, therefore the stigma of mental illness is one of panic and hostility. Having discussed the stigma of mental illness and the perceptions held amongst the population in a little more depth, this leaves the question of how it is culturally constructed. Thoits (1985) discusses how we learn to act and feel through repeated social interaction. Our emotions are governed by the norms of society which we internalize from an early age. We know how we should feel in a variety of circumstances e.g. sad at a funeral lively at a party, happy at a wedding, proud on success, angry at an insult and so on. (pg. 224). Equally, we recognize when our behaviour may be viewed as inappropriate to others and learn to control it. For example, big boys dont cry and keep a stiff upper lip (pg. 224). We have a shared awareness of how we ought to behave in the social world, therefore anybody who breaks these norms is subject to ridicule. Thoits develops a theory which contrasts with Scheff (1984). She argues that self-labelling processes are significant in mental health, as people assess their own behaviour and seek professional help voluntarily. Scheff on the other hand focuses on the involuntary nature of mental health treatment and how people come to be defined as mentally ill; his concern lies with the institutionalization of mental illness. The perceptions of people with mental illness held by wider society are ones of devaluation and discrimination (Link cited in Gaebel et al, 2006). When a person is labelled as mentally ill, these conceptions become part of his or her sense of self. Labelling theory is useful in understanding the stigma of mental illness. We react to mental illness is a similar way to crime and the criminal. This approach to deviance focuses on the reaction of others in maintaining and amplifying rule breaking or secondary deviance (Marsh et al, 2000). The labelling process can have a detrimental effect on a persons status and identity. Their old identity is discarded and a new master status label takes its place. In the case of the mentally ill individual, his or her condition comes to define who they are, regardless of the other roles they may have (such as parenthood or their job). Their stigmatized role of mentally ill dominates their existence (Marsh et al, 2000 and Pilgrim, 2005). The negative e ffects of labelling are very clear, research has suggested that employers are less likely to offer jobs to those who have been labelled mentally ill. They are also less likely to be given housing and more likely to have charges made against them for violent crimes. Some studies however, have indicated that labelling has had positive benefits for the individual (Pilgrim, 2005). The main source of information for the general public about mental illness comes from the mass media. The media have come to represent the beliefs and perceptions of wider society and frequently exaggerate events and portray inaccurate stereotypes of people with MHP. There is an unquestioning acceptance in the media of the rising toll of killings as a result of community care (Dunn, 2002). For example, in the Daily Mail (21 February, 2003) the headline 400 care in the community patients living by murder park was printed after a woman was found dead in East London. After discovering that a large number of care in the community patients lived near the park, the police and the media assumed she was murdered by a deranged psychiatric patient living in the community. Headlines like this are not uncommon and newspapers consistently present the image of the dangerous, unstable, incurable mental patient (Lalani and London, 2006). Other examples of hard-hitting headlines include violent, mad. So docs set him free. New community care scandal (The Sun, 26 February 2005) and Bonkers Bruno locked up (The Sun, 22 September 2003). Philo (1996) found that two thirds of news coverage made associations between mental illness and violence, but media depictions are not consistent with the facts about mental health and violence. Home office statistics indicate that there is little or no correlation between violence and mental illness. In reality, people with MHP are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators (Dunn, 2002). There is a lot of empirical evidence to suggest that the media informs us about mental illness and that their depictions are characteristically inaccurate and unfavourable (Wahl, 1992, pg. 351). Wahl and Roth (cited in Wahl, 1992) found that mentally ill characters in prime time TV shows lacked a social identity. They were usually single, unemployed and described negatively with adjectives like aggressive confused and unpredictable (pg. 345). Man y other studies have produced similar results, with dangerousness and violence being the most common traits of people with MHP. Wahl argues that these portrayals must have an effect on our behaviour and attitudes towards mental illness. Many studies have demonstrated that repeated exposure to media stereotypes in general influences conceptions of social reality (pg. 346). He cites research that demonstrates that heavy viewers of television tend to relate the real world to televisions distorted representations. One study asked students to complete a questionnaire about mental health before and after a viewing of One flew over the cuckoos nest those who saw the film had a less positive view of mental illness than those who hadnt seen it (Wahl, 1992). It is clear then that the overall relationship between the media and the mentally ill is not in dispute: it is one of sensationalism, exaggeration and fear mongering (Lalani and London, 2006). It is important however to mention that not a ll aspects of the media perpetuate negative stereotypes and it can be a useful tool in tackling discrimination and stigma. For many people living with a mental illness, the cultural attitudes of fear, hostility and ignorance has contributed to experiences of isolation and social exclusion. A report by the Citizens advice Bureau (CAB, 2003) revealed that most people with a MHP are unemployed and that those who did have jobs end up leaving because their employers convince them that they are unable to cope. Jo, a mental health service user discussed her experiences at work in a report to the mind inquiry (Dunn, 2002 pg. 11) when she informed her boss that she had to see a psychiatrist his reaction said it all, as soon as mental illness is mentioned people literally back away from you. Pilgrim (2005) highlights that people with MHP are three time as likely to be unemployed than those with physical disabilities. This is mainly because of the attitudes of employers and not because of a lack of willingness on the part of the individual (CAB, 2003). There also exists a disincentive to work for those who are in r eceipt of welfare benefits. For many, their income upon finding work would only increase at a small rate, if it all, and they would lose out on any supplementary benefits such as housing benefits. Further to this is the difficulty in having their benefits reinstated should the job not work out (CAB, 2003). Social exclusion is a complicated and often cyclical process. It can affect a persons access to education, social services and health care. Such limited access to one service can have a knock on effect on others. For example, restricted use of education and training opportunities can sustain unemployment further which in turn contributes to the benefit trap and can of course deepen a persons exclusion and cause a further decline in their health (Dunn, 2002). It is clear then that the social exclusion of people with MHP denies them the basic levels of citizenship, happiness and wealth available to everybody else (Pilgrim, 2005). To conclude, the stigma of mental illness is based on generalizations about insanity. These stereotypes are constructed through feelings of fear and anxiety over things we do not understand and struggle to relate to. There is no doubt that our views of mental illness are completely ungrounded and are transmitted repeatedly through the mass media, thus reinforcing a distorted image in our collective psyche. Stigma is used to identify and expose something abnormal about an individual (Goffman, 1963). However some are critical of the stigma framework and argue that it is too individualistic. If we study the collective discriminatory practices which cause exclusion for many people with mental illness, such as poverty and labour market disadvantage, then strategies for change may be easier to develop (Pilgrim, 2005). Layard (2005) identified mental health as our biggest social problem. It is not just a major health concern, it is a political issue. With such high numbers of people affecte d my mental illness, the costs to the economy are significant. Tackling stigmatization is an essential step in improving the lives of those affected. This involves inclusion of groups themselves, as only those with the knowledge and experience cans suggest what is right for them.

David Henry Hwangs M Butterfly Essay example -- David Henry Hwang M B

David Henry Hwang's M Butterfly "I've played out the events of my life night after night, always searching for a new ending to my story, one where I will leave this cell and return forever to my Butterfly's arms." (Hwang 3.3.1-4) With these words of David Henry Hwang's play M Butterfly, we realize that we have just been staring directly into the memories of Rene Gallimard. The fact that Rene Gallimard serves as the narrator of his memories in the play M Butterfly delivers an impression of the character behind Gallimard than could ever be achieved by the viewing of the screenplay. The existence of Marc in the play as seen from Gallimard's perspective, the fact that Gallimard serves as the main organizer of ideas in the play, and the differing roles of Helga in the two works all lead to very different impressions and interpretations by the reader or viewer. Gallimard's narration seems to be the most obvious difference between the movie and the play. While reading the play, the audience has an opportunity to get to know the personality of Rene Gallimard, as well as his feelings about certain topics. Such insight can be very crucial in the impression that a character makes on an audience. Gallimard's persona is very evident in the opening lines of the play. He remarks initially about the dimensions of the cell, the atmosphere, and the living conditions. Immediately, this paints a picture for the reader that is very accurate physically, and the reader sees that Gallimard is straightforward, and says what he means without very much preamble. As the opening scenes develop, we also see the side of Gallimard that is the dreamer. Rene definitely has visions of perfection, and they are demonstrated when he remarks RAlone in this cell, I sit night after night, watching our story play through my head, always searching for a new ending, one which redeems my honor , where she returns at last to my arms.S (1.3.7-11) Gallimard can be classified as a dreamer, and not only because he is confined to a prison cell for many years. He has a vision of how life is supposed to be, and feels rewarded when he conforms to a stereotype. For example, he says RI knew this little flower was waiting for me to call, and, as I wickedly refused to do so, I felt the first time that rush of power -- the absolute power of a man.... ... creation necessary to construct the story of the play while the movie simply feeds the audience with information. In conclusion, the audienceUs perception of Rene Gallimard is much different in the play M Butterfly than in the movie of the same title. Although David Henry Hwang wrote both the play and the screenplay, the character development is far greater in the play. The reader must create a picture of Gallimard by his impressions, reactions, and interactions with characters from his past that simply do not exist in the movie. Marc, Gallimard's best friend from school, does not exist in the movie, but is the voice inside GallimardUs head throughout the play. Helga, who exists in both works, has much more bearing in the book, again shaping the readerUs impression of the kind of man that Gallimard really is. The fact that the play employs a narrator and the movie does not leads the reader down a different path, especially when the narrator is Rene Gallimard himself. The human mind is one that is capable of creating its own world. When viewing the movie, one sees a sense of Rene GallimardUs world. When reading the play, one understands his world.

Wendell berry, “that distant land”

In Wendell Berry’s short story â€Å"That Distant Land,† the narrator returns to his rural childhood home to help tend his dying grandfather and gets back in touch not only with the land, but with the work of tobacco farming. The story conveys not only a love for the land, but also insights to how farming as a vocation attests to farmers’ special qualities. Though the narrator has lived and worked in an unnamed city for years, he returns to take care of his elderly grandfather and assist with running his tobacco farm.Though forced to return to the country, he speaks of it with reverence and without seeming to miss city life; there is clearly no sense of the city’s superiority, and he never looks down on farmers as ignorant, backward, or any other derogatory trait. Much of the story focuses on the tobacco harvest, in which neighboring farmers help each other cut and load the year’s crops. Here, Berry gives clear insights on the vocation of farming an d sees it as rather noble in its own way, and very distinct from white-collar careers. First, he sees his neighbors’ work as a craft, even an art: â€Å". . .[They] worked well, as smoothly and precisely as dancers. To see them moving side by side against the standing crop . . . was momentous and beautiful, and touchingly, touchingly mortal† (315). They also approach the work seriously but without formality or decorum; the men are free to be themselves yet are valued for their hard work and skill. Often, they sing or tell stories as they go, working steadily but without a sense of pressure or dislike for their labor. They seem at one with the land and each other, and while they could make it competitive, they refrain from this, which shows a degree of respect for the older, slower-moving men.In this capacity, even elderly Jarrat is valued; as he says of himself, â€Å"I’m old and wore out and not worth a damn. But every row I cut is a cut row† (314), mean ing that while he can no longer compete, he can still contribute, and he is respected for this. A strong sense of community guides this, allowing anyone who can contribute to do so and declaring no one redundant if they can work. The narrator finds that while his presence is welcomed, he is also kept in his place by older men, who subtly remind him that he lacks not only his grandfather’s age, but also the wisdom and experience that accompany it.When he wears a pair of his grandfather’s shoes to the fields one day, an older neighbor sidles up in a friendly manner and tells him, â€Å"making the truth plain and bearable to us both: ‘You can wear ‘em, honey. But you can’t fill ‘em’† (316). Here, he realizes that, despite his education and former white-collar career, he is not his grandfather’s equal, since his grandfather’s lifelong success as a farmer speaks volumes about the differences between the two men. In farmin g, skill and longevity matter most.When the narrator’s grandfather dies, it reveals not only his neighbors’ affection for him, but also attests to the kind of leadership that exists among farmers. Age is the key to the hierarchy, not education or other non-essential attributes, since longevity at the vocation attests to one’s success. The grandfather had been the town’s oldest male; upon his death, the mantle of leadership passed to the oldest survivor without any discussion. The narrator describes the moment when they learn of his grandfather’s passing: â€Å"We were, I realized, waiting on Jarrat.It was Elton’s farm, but Jarrat was now the oldest man, and we were waiting on him† (318). They seem to instinctively equate age with experience and authority. The story shows farming not as drudgery, but as a strongly communal activity, almost as an art. It bonds people to the land and each other in a non-competitive way and respects age a nd experience as much as hard work, and it gives those engaged in it a sense of perspective and where they belong within their community. Berry, Wendell. That Distant Land. Washington DC: Shoemaker Hoard, 2004.

Classic British and American Essays and Speeches

From the works and musings of Walt  Witman to those of Virginia Woolf, some of the cultural heroes and prolific artists of prose are listed below--along with some of the worlds greatest essays and speeches  ever composed by these British and American literary treasures. George Ade (1866-1944) George Ade was an America playwright, newspaper columnist and humorist whose greatest recognition was Fables in Slang (1899), a satire that explored the colloquial vernacular of America. Ade eventually succeeded in doing what he set out to do: Make America laugh. The Difference Between Learning and Learning How:In due time the Faculty gave the Degree of M.A. to what was left of Otis and still his Ambition was not satisfied.Luxuries: About sixty-five per cent of all the people in the world think they are getting along great when they are not starving to death.Vacations: The planet you are now visiting may be the only one you ever see. Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) American activist Susan B. Anthony crusaded for the womens suffrage movement, making way for the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, giving women the right to vote. Anthony is principally known for the six-volume History of Woman Suffrage.   On Womens Right to Vote: The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? Robert Benchley (1889-1945) The writings of American humorist, actor and drama critic Robert Benchley are considered his best achievement. His socially awkward, slightly confused persona allowed him to write about the inanity of the world to great effect. Advice to Writers: A terrible plague of insufferably artificial and affected authorsBusiness Letters: As it stands now things are pretty black for the boy.Christmas Afternoon: Done in the Manner, If Not in the Spirit of DickensDo Insects Think?: It really was more like a child of our own than a wasp, except that it looked more like a wasp than a child of our own.The Most Popular Book of the Month: In practice, the book is not flawless. There are five hundred thousand names, each with a corresponding telephone number. Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) British novelist and short-story writer Joseph Conrad rendered about the tragedy of loneliness at sea and became known for his colorful, rich descriptions about the sea and other exotic places. He is regarded as one of the greatest English novelists of all time. Outside Literature: A sea voyage would have done him good. But it was I who went to sea--this time bound to Calcutta. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) American Frederick Douglass great oratory and literary skills helped him to  become the first African-American citizen to hold high office in the US government. He was one of the 19th centurys most prominent human rights activist, and his autobiography, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1882), became an American literary classic. The Destiny of Colored Americans:  Slavery is the peculiar weakness of America, as well as its peculiar crime.A Glorious Resurrection: My long-crushed spirit rose. W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) W.E.B. Du Bois was an American scholar and human rights activist, a respected author and historian of literature. His literature and studies analyzed the unreachable depths of American racism. Du Bois seminal work is a collection of 14 essays titled The Souls of Black Folk (1903).   Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others: Mr. Washington represents in Negro thought the old attitude of adjustment and submission.Of the Passing of the First-Born: He knew no color-line, poor dear--and the Veil, though it shadowed him, had not yet darkened half his sun. F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) Known foremost for his novel The Great Gatsby, American novelist and short-story writer F. Scott Fitzgerald was also a renown playboy and had a tumultuous life compounded by alcoholism and depression. Only after his death did he become known as a preeminent American literary author.   What I Think and Feel at 25: The main thing is to be your own kind of a darn fool. Ben Hecht  (1894-1964) American novelist, short-story writer and playwright Ben Hecht is remembered as one of Hollywoods greatest screenplay writers and may best be remembered for Scarface, Wuthering Heights and Guys and Dolls. Fog Patterns: Yes, we are all lost and wandering in the thick mists. We have no destinations.Letters: You would see a procession of mysterious figures flitting through the streets, an unending swarm of dim ones, queer ones. Ernest Hemingway  (1899-1961) American novelist Ernest Hemingway won the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature for his mastery of the art of narrative ... and for the influence he has exerted on contemporary style as demonstrated in his brilliant novel The Old Man and the Sea. American Bohemians in Paris: The scum of Greenwich Village, New York, has been skimmed off and deposited in large  ladles  on that section of Paris adjacent to the Cafà © Rotonde.Camping Out: Any man of average office intelligence can make at least as good a pie as his wife. Martin Luther King Jr.  (1929-1968) Civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Jr., winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, may be best known for I Have A Dream, in which he wrote about love, peace, nonviolent activism and equality between all races. I Have a Dream: Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Gods children.Reading Quiz on I Have a DreamTen Things You Should Know About Dr. Kings I Have a Dream Speech Jack London  (1876-1916) Nineteenth-century American author and journalist Jack London is best known for his adventures White Fang and The Call of the Wild. London published more than 50 books over the last 16 years of his life, including John Barleycorn, which was somewhat of a memoir about his lifelong battle with alcohol. The Somnambulists: [T]his archdeceiver believes all that they tell him. He reads only the newspapers and magazines that tell him what he wants to be told.The Story of an Eyewitness: The San Francisco Earthquake: Not in history has a modern imperial city been so completely destroyed.Reading Quiz on The San Francisco EarthquakeWhat Life Means to Me: I accepted that up above me was all that was fine and noble and gracious, all that gave decency and dignity to life. H.L. Mencken  (1880-1956) American journalist, activist and editor H.L. Mencken was also a very influential literary critic. His columns were popular not only for their literary criticism, but also for their questioning of popular political, social and cultural views. The Hills of Zion: Dayton was having a roaring time. It was better than the circus.The Libido for the Ugly: Out of the melting pot emerges a race which hates beauty.Literature and the  Schoolmam: The essence of a sound style is that it cannot be reduced to rules.The Lower Depths: The worst idiots, even among pedagogues, are the teachers of English.Portrait of an Ideal World: All the great villainies of history have been perpetrated by sober men, and chiefly by teetotalers. Christopher Morley  (1890-1957) American writer Christopher Morley was popular for his literary columns in the New York Evening Post, among other literary magazines. His many collections of essays and columns were lighthearted, vigorous displays of the English language.    1100 Words: Let us be brief, crisp, packed with thought.The Art of Walking: Sometimes it seems as though literature were a co-product of legs and head.A Morning in Marathon: [W]e flashed onto the Hackensack marshes and into the fully minted gold of superb morning.On Going to Bed: The happier creatures ... take the tide of sleep at the flood and are borne calmly and with gracious gentleness out to great waters of nothingness. George Orwell  (1903-1950) This British novelist, essayist and critic is best known for his novels 1984 and Animal Farm. George Orwells disdain for imperialism (he considered himself an anarchist) guided him in his life as well as through some of his writings. A Hanging: We all began laughing again. ... The dead man was a hundred yards away.Why Are Beggars Despised?: A beggar, looked at realistically, is simply a businessman, getting his living. Dorothy Parker  (1893-1967) Witty American poet and short-story writer Dorothy Parker began as an editorial assistant at Vogue and eventually became the book reviewer known as the Constant Reader for The New Yorker. Among her hundreds of works, Parker won the 1929 O. Henry Award for her short story Big Blond. Good Souls: They are fated to go through life, congenial pariahs. They live out their little lives, mingling with the world, yet never a part of it.Mrs. Post Enlarges on Etiquette: As one delves deeper and deeper into  Etiquette, disquieting thoughts come. Bertrand Russell  (1872-1970) British philosopher and social reformer Bertrand Russell won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought. Russell was one of the foremost philosophers of the 20th century. In Praise of Idleness: The road to happiness and prosperity lies in an organized diminution of work. Margaret Sanger  (1879-1966) American activist Margaret Sanger was a sex educator, nurse and womens rights advocate. She began the first feminist publication, The Woman Rebel, in 1914.    The Turbid Ebb and Flow of Misery: My own cozy and comfortable family existence  was  becoming a reproach to me. George Bernard Shaw  (1856-1950) An Irish dramatist and critic, George Bernard Shaw was also a socialist propagandist and winner of the 1925 Nobel Prize in Literature (which he didnt receive until 1926) for his work which is marked by both idealism and beauty. Shaw wrote more than 60 plays during his lifetime. Preface to  Pygmalion: It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him.She Would Have Enjoyed It: Why does a funeral always sharpen ones sense of humor?Why Law Is Indispensable: Laws deaden the conscience of individuals by relieving them of responsibility.The Art of Political Lying: Considering that natural disposition in many men to lie, and in multitudes to believe, I have been perplexed what to do with that maxim so frequent in everybodys mouth, that truth will at last prevail.Hints Toward an Essay on Conversation: This degeneracy of conversation ... hath been owing, among other causes, to the custom arisen, for sometime past, of excluding women from any share in our society.A Meditation Upon a Broomstick: But a broomstick is an emblem of a tree standing on its head. Henry David Thoreau  (1817-1862) American essayist, poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau is most known for his masterful work, Walden, about living a life close to nature. He was a dedicated abolitionist and a strong practitioner of civil disobedience. The Battle of the Ants: I never learned which party was victorious, nor the cause of the war.The Landlord: If we do not look up to the Landlord, we look round for him on all emergencies, for he is a man of infinite experience, who unites hands with wit.The Last Days of John Brown: [T]he one great rule of composition--and if I were a professor of rhetoric I should insist on this--is, to  speak the truth. James Thurber  (1894-1961) American author and illustrator James Thurber is best known for his contributions to The New Yorker. Via his contributions to the magazine, his cartoons became some of the most popular in the United States. The Subjunctive Mood: Husbands are suspicious of all subjunctives. Wives should avoid them.Which: Never monkey with which. Anthony Trollope  (1815-1882) British author Anthony Trollope is best known for his writing in the Victorian Era--some of his work includes a series of novels known as The Chronicles of Barsetshire. Trollope also wrote on political, social and gender issues. The Plumber: The plumber is doubtless aware that he is odious. He feels himself, like Dickenss turnpike-man, to be the enemy of mankind. Mark Twain  (1835-1910) Mark Twain was an American humorist, journalist, lecturer and novelist best known for his classic American novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. With his wit and grand telling of tales, Twain is nothing short of an American national treasure.   Advice to Youth: Always obey your parents, when they are present.Corn-Pone Opinions: Tell me whar a man gits his  corn pone, en Ill tell you what his pinions  is.The Danger of Lying in Bed: The danger isnt in traveling by rail, but in trusting to those deadly beds.A Fable: You can find in a text whatever you bring.Fenimore Coopers Literary Offences: Deerslayer  is just simply a literary delirium tremens.The Lowest Animal: [W]e have descended and degenerated ... till we have reached the bottom stage of development.On the Decay of the Art of Lying: Lying is universal: we all do it; we all must do it.Two Ways of Seeing a River: All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic river!Unconscious Plagiarism: [P]ride protects a man from deliberately stealing other peoples ideas. H.G. Wells  (1866-1944) British author and historian H.G. Wells is best known for his works of science fiction, including The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon and The War of the Worlds. Wells wrote an astounding 161 full-length books.   For Freedom of Spelling: The Discovery of an Art: Why should correct spelling be the one absolutely essential literary merit?Of Conversation: An Apology: I am no blowfly to buzz my way through the universe.The Pleasure of Quarrelling: Without  quarreling  you have not fully appreciated your fellow-man.The Possible Collapse of Civilisation: Modern warfare is an insanity, not a sane business proposition.The Writing of Essays: The art of the essayist ... may be learnt in a brief ten minutes or so. Walt Whitman  (1819-1892) American poet and journalist Walt Whitmans verse collection Leaves of Grass is an American literature landmark. Ralph Waldo Emerson praised the collection as the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom America had yet contributed. A Glimpse of Wars Hell Scenes: There was no exultation, very little said, almost nothing, yet every man there contributed his shot.Slang in America: Language in the largest sense ... is really the greatest of studies.Street Yarn: Come and walk in New York streets. Virginia Woolf  (1882-1941) British author Virginia Woolf  may be best known for her modernist classics Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. But she also produced feminist texts such as A Room of Ones Own and Three Guineas and wrote pioneering essays on the politics of power, artistic theory and literary history. The Decay of Essay Writing: Under the decent veil of print one can indulge ones egoism to the full.The Modern Essay: The essay must lap us about and draw its curtain across the world.The Patron and the Crocus: Be sure you choose your patron wisely.Street Haunting: A London Adventure: Into each of these lives one could penetrate a little way.Writing for My Eye Only: I can trace some increase of ease in my professional writing which I attribute to my casual half hours after tea.