Has Capitalism Lost its Puritan Spirit? What do Recent WVS Data Say about Religiosity and Work Values?

This paper tests the arguments of social theorists about the changing spirit of capitalism in countries with different levels of economic development using the recent World Values Survey (WVS). Max Weber claimed that the Protestant Ethic was the spirit of capitalism for salvation and improved economic development in Europe. During the last 40 years, sociologists, such as Bell and Bauman, have claimed that capitalism has started to lose its puritan spirit and a new secular/hedonist personality type has emerged as the new characteristic of post-industrial/ consumer capitalism. The data show that religiosity and work values decline but leisure and self-expression values increase in knowledge economy-based post-industrial societies and late consumer capitalism has a new spirit which is the polar opposite of the Protestant ethic. However, the puritan spirit has not totally disappeared from the world but has migrated to newly industrializing societies

Protestantische Arbeitsethik und Hedonismus unter kirgisischen, türkischen und australischen Studierenden

This paper is based on a cross-cultural research study comparing the Protestant work ethic (PWE) values of three groups of university students from post- -industrialized Australia, newly industrialized Turkey and relatively under-developed pre-industrial Kyrgyzstan. The outcomes of this research indicate that PWE endorsement is higher in less developed countries such as Kyrgyzstan followed by relatively developed countries like Turkey and then post-industrial Australia. Additionally, this research shows that the influence of leisure oriented-hedonist culture increases in highly developed societies like Australia. At the same time the PWE is increasingly evident in developing countries like Turkey and especially Kyrgyzstan through an extension of modern/industrial civilization as a form of moral justification for their current social-economic conditions.Ovaj rad temelji se na međukulturnom istraživanju koje uspoređuje vrijednosti protestantske radne etike (PWE) među trima skupinama sveučilišnih studenata iz postindustrijalizirane Australije, novoindustrijalizirane Turske i razmjerno slabo razvijenoga predindustrijskog Kirgistana. Nalazi istraživanja pokazuju da je protestantska radna etika (PWE) bolje prihvaćena u manje razvijenim zemljama, poput Kirgistana, a za njom slijede razvijenije zemlje, primjerice Turska, i na kraju postindustrijska Australija. Ovo istraživanje pokazuje i da je utjecaj na dokolicu usmjerene hedonističke kulture veći u visokorazvijenim društvima kao što je Australija. Istodobno, protestantska radna etika (PWE) sve je prisutnija u zemljama u razvoju, kojima pripada i Turska, a posebno Kirgistan, i to proširenjem moderne/industrijske civilizacije kao oblika moralnog opravdanja za društveno-gospodarske uvjete u kojima se te zemlje danas nalaze.Die vorliegende Arbeit basiert auf einer interkulturalen Untersuchung zum Vergleich von Werten protestantischer Arbeitsethik innerhalb dreier Grupen von Studierenden: einer Studentengruppe aus dem postindustrialisierten Australien, einer zweiten Gruppe aus der neuindustrialisierten Türkei und einer dritten Gruppe aus dem relativ schwach entwickelten, vorindustriellen Kirgisistan. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen, dass die protestantische Arbeitsethik in weniger entwickelten Ländern wie Kirgisistan besser aufgenommen wird; an zweiter Stelle stehen entwickeltere Länder wie die Türkei, und erst an dritter kommt das postindustrielle Australien. Des Weiteren zeigt sich, dass der Einfluss auf die hedonistische Vergnügungskultur in hochentwickelten Industriestaaten wie Australien größer ist. Zugleich jedoch greifen die Werte protestantischer Arbeitsethik immer mehr auch in Entwicklungsstaaten, zu denen auch die Türkei, besonders aber Kirgisistan gehören. Der Grund dafür liegt in der Ausbreitung der modernen Industriezivilisation, und die protestantische Arbeitsethik dient als eine Form der Rechtfertigung für die gesellschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen Verhältnisse, in denen sich diese Länder heute befinden

The Societal Impacts of Covid-19: a transnational perspective

[Extract] The COVID-19 Pandemic, started in China and has since spread all over the world in a short time, deeply affecting all countries.. Most countries have declared a partial or complete lockdown to limit the spread of the virus. A significant portion of employees have been unable to work in traditional ways and have had to adapt to what has become known as the “new normal”. In essence we have gone beyond the norms we used to know and have had to construct new ways of living in the times of COVID-19. The way we know how to work and live has changed. Middle and upper classes, whose jobs are suitable for digitalization, started working online. Every extraordinary period has its winners and losers. The winners of the coronavirus pandemic period were mainly hygiene materials manufacturers, gaming companies, electronic commerce, high technology, and pharmaceutical companies etc. On the other hand, economies all over the world have shrunk. The hardest hit in the pandemic have been the areas of tourism, hospitality and entertainment etc. resulting in high rates of unemployment or underemployment within these sectors. Unemployment and existential anxiety have peaked during 2020 with increased fears posed by the new risks associated with becoming infected. With the loss of loved ones and separation from friends and family. Psycho-social problems have also increased due to the effects of prolonged uncertainty imposed by the pandemic across all facets of everyday life In all life satisfaction has declined across in all social groups with the vulnerable most at risk due to the long lasting effects on the pandemi

Protestantische Arbeitsethik und Hedonismus unter kirgisischen, türkischen und australischen Studierenden

This paper is based on a cross-cultural research study comparing the Protestant work ethic (PWE) values of three groups of university students from post- -industrialized Australia, newly industrialized Turkey and relatively under-developed pre-industrial Kyrgyzstan. The outcomes of this research indicate that PWE endorsement is higher in less developed countries such as Kyrgyzstan followed by relatively developed countries like Turkey and then post-industrial Australia. Additionally, this research shows that the influence of leisure oriented-hedonist culture increases in highly developed societies like Australia. At the same time the PWE is increasingly evident in developing countries like Turkey and especially Kyrgyzstan through an extension of modern/industrial civilization as a form of moral justification for their current social-economic conditions.Ovaj rad temelji se na međukulturnom istraživanju koje uspoređuje vrijednosti protestantske radne etike (PWE) među trima skupinama sveučilišnih studenata iz postindustrijalizirane Australije, novoindustrijalizirane Turske i razmjerno slabo razvijenoga predindustrijskog Kirgistana. Nalazi istraživanja pokazuju da je protestantska radna etika (PWE) bolje prihvaćena u manje razvijenim zemljama, poput Kirgistana, a za njom slijede razvijenije zemlje, primjerice Turska, i na kraju postindustrijska Australija. Ovo istraživanje pokazuje i da je utjecaj na dokolicu usmjerene hedonističke kulture veći u visokorazvijenim društvima kao što je Australija. Istodobno, protestantska radna etika (PWE) sve je prisutnija u zemljama u razvoju, kojima pripada i Turska, a posebno Kirgistan, i to proširenjem moderne/industrijske civilizacije kao oblika moralnog opravdanja za društveno-gospodarske uvjete u kojima se te zemlje danas nalaze.Die vorliegende Arbeit basiert auf einer interkulturalen Untersuchung zum Vergleich von Werten protestantischer Arbeitsethik innerhalb dreier Grupen von Studierenden: einer Studentengruppe aus dem postindustrialisierten Australien, einer zweiten Gruppe aus der neuindustrialisierten Türkei und einer dritten Gruppe aus dem relativ schwach entwickelten, vorindustriellen Kirgisistan. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen, dass die protestantische Arbeitsethik in weniger entwickelten Ländern wie Kirgisistan besser aufgenommen wird; an zweiter Stelle stehen entwickeltere Länder wie die Türkei, und erst an dritter kommt das postindustrielle Australien. Des Weiteren zeigt sich, dass der Einfluss auf die hedonistische Vergnügungskultur in hochentwickelten Industriestaaten wie Australien größer ist. Zugleich jedoch greifen die Werte protestantischer Arbeitsethik immer mehr auch in Entwicklungsstaaten, zu denen auch die Türkei, besonders aber Kirgisistan gehören. Der Grund dafür liegt in der Ausbreitung der modernen Industriezivilisation, und die protestantische Arbeitsethik dient als eine Form der Rechtfertigung für die gesellschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen Verhältnisse, in denen sich diese Länder heute befinden

Hypothyroidism Due to Hepatic Hemangioendothelioma: A Case Report

Although hemangioendothelioma (HHE) is a commonly encountered hepatic tumor during infancy, HHE−related hypothyroidism is rare. We present a patient who developed HHE−related hypothyroidism during the neonatal period and showed marked improvement in hypothyroidism by regression of HHE. A 28−day−old boy with TSH level of 77 mIU/mL on neonatal screening and diagnosed as congenital hypothyroidism was started on L−thyroxine (L−T4) (11 μg/kg/day) therapy on the 21th day of life. On physical examination, the liver was palpable 5 cm below the right costal margin, and the thyroid gland was nonpalpable. Thyroid ultrasonography was normal. Although L−T4 dose was increased to 15 μg/kg/day, TSH was not suppressed and free T3 level remained low. HHE in both lobes of the liver was detected by abdominal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment was started with prednisolone 2 mg/kg/day and alpha−interferon 3 million U/m2/3 times per week. Thyroid dysfunction was thought to be due to type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase activity expressed by HHE. L−T4 therapy was changed to Bitiron® tablet, which includes both T4 and T3, and euthyroidism was attained within 1 month. Thyroid hormone requirement was reduced and treatment was discontinued after regression of the HHE. At the most recent visit, the patient was 21 months old and off treatment. His growth and neurological development were normal for age and he was euthyroid. HHE should be considered in cases with severe hypothyroidism resistant to high−dose thyroid hormone replacement. The treatment of HHE in combination with T4 and T3 therapy results in euthyroidism

Normal Anatomical Features and Variations of the Vertebrobasilar Circulation and Its Branches: An Analysis with 64-Detector Row CT and 3T MR Angiographies

Purpose. To determine the normal anatomical features and variations of the vertebrobasilar circulation and its branches in patients who underwent multidetector computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) angiographies of the brain. Methods. 135 patients (male, 83 and female, 52; mean age, 50.1 years) who underwent CT or MR angiographies of the vertebrobasilar vasculature for various reasons were analyzed retrospectively. The right and left distal vertebral arteries (VAs), posterior inferior cerebellar arteries (PICAs), anterior inferior cerebellar arteries (AICAs), superior cerebellar arteries (SCAs), posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs), and posterior communicating arteries (PCoAs) were analyzed individually. Results. In 24.4% of the cases (33/135) right PICA, in 19.3% of the cases (26/135) left PICA, in 17.8% of the cases (24/135) right AICA, and in 18.5% of the cases (25/135) left AICA were absent. In cases without PICA or AICA, there was a statistically significant, moderately or well-developed AICA or PICA on the same side, respectively . The most common variation was isolated absence of right PICA and was seen in 17.8% of the cases. Conclusions. The anatomic features of the branches of the vertebrobasilar circulation may be different from well-known normal anatomy. CT and MR angiographies allow a precise and detailed evaluation of vertebrobasilar circulation