gdp's Comments

World In Conversation : Why does society dislike immigrants and why are they portrayed badly?- 119 Blog

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:40:19 +0000

I think the reason why immigrants are portrayed badly is a combination of factors, one of which is convenience. Americans lead very rushed and fast-paced lives, and even the smallest of interruptions to that pace are cause for frustration and impatience. A perfect example of this is the decision by Geno's (a famous cheesesteak establishment in South Philadelphia) to adopt a policy that requires all customers to order in English. This is clearly an indication that customers who do not speak English (at least well enough to fully communicate their order) are a hassle to the other customers waiting to order and to the employees trying to understand them. This is prevalent everywhere, and I think American people are very unwilling (as a whole) to take the time to help teach immigrants how to communicate, instead choosing to simply ignore them and maintain an attitude thatbthey should learn on their own and cannot be a part of our society until they do so. I also believe fear is a major reason why immigrants are outcast in American society. I have seen this occur in my own community, where an "Asian invasion" has come with the explosion in development in the past decade. Many of the Asian students who entered my middle school and high school immediately outperformed a healthy amount of the student body, and this was cause for concern among some students and parents who were unhappy with that type of competition. I know even my own mother has made comments to this effect, and somehow still has yet to come to grips with the fact that so many (non-Asian) students who used to be considered among the smartest were not getting into elite colleges presumably due to an influx of smarter (Asian) students. This type of fear is also very prevalent in the job market, especially in recent years where it has become even more competitive due to the economy. As we discussed in class, immigrant workers (illegal or otherwise) allow businesses to pay lower wages, which flies in the face of the values of union workers. Perhaps the most general reason I feel immigrants are looked upon negatively by American society is simply that they are different from us. It can be as simple as what someone brings to school for lunch or what they wear on the street or even what they smell like. I even find myself thinking this way sometimes, though after taking Soc 119 I think I am starting to break that mentality. I know I've heard people make fun of Indian people because they "smell like curry". Why does this matter? And yet it is seen as a negative and an easy way to put someone down for a very trivial reason.

World In Conversation : Do you think you would actively try to not benefit from nepotism if the situation presented itself?-

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:27:45 +0000

While I certainly would like to say that I would do what I would consider to be an honorable thing by actively avoiding nepotism if I could, ultimately I really don't see myself going through with it. A perfect example is the extensive internship search that myself and my friends have been going through for the past few months. Out of the four places I have interviewed with for a summer internship, three of them have been referred to me by friends or family. While I don't think that this will have much of an effect on whether I get two of those three, it also provided me an advantage in finding internships (and, more importantly, knowing who to talk to about them) that others without my set of resources do not have. As for the third, I am confident that the connection I have from a good friend who interned at this place last year will probably give me an advantage when it comes to getting the position, and that is something I don't believe I would try to avoid even if I could. The bottom line is I am a competitive person and have learned, as Sam mentioned in class on Tuesday, that it truly is "all about who you know" in this world. I am not sure I could justify to myself the concept of not fully taking advantage of the network I have because then I would not be tapping into my full set of resources. While there are many, many people who are not as fortunate as me, I think that most (if not all) of them would say the same thing. Similarly, I do not feel as though those I am competing against for an internship position would be willing to give up their connections and resources, and by doing so I would be putting myself at a disadvantage. And, while we're "all going to die anyway", I plan on maximizing my years on Earth, and part of that is definitely doing anything and everything possible to put myself in a position to succeed. Part of this could be self-justification, as no matter what I'm sure I will convince myself that I am fit for whatever position I am given, but regardless it is how I feel. It could be because I have been a beneficiary of nepotism, but ultimately I feel that "the end justifies the means" when it comes to this concept. I do not foresee many, if any, situations where I would put myself at a disadvantage so that I could maybe make the process fair. So, from now on, I will consider myself a beneficiary of affirmative action and will consider others to keep nepotism in mind when they criticize it.

World In Conversation : We need help with the logo- 119 Blog

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 21:58:31 +0000

This is a fantastic question and I think could address something that would make this project really take off if done properly. What I feel would be most effective for this logo would be some combination of the Penn State "chipmunk logo" (seen here: http://www.personal.psu.edu/blw5189/1283847097_65... and the Haitian flag (seen here: http://www.mapsofworld.com/images/world-countries... to incorporate both main parties in a simple way. I feel that incorporating Penn State's logo into this logo will be crucial, as it will give the students and faculty involved with the project a feeling of personal connection and will also make it very recognizable and familiar to those people. This would make the project a bigger part of the Penn State community, which is already is thanks to Sam. Also, Ernso's children are Nittany Lions too, so there is obviously that personal connection that I feel he would be very interested in supporting as well. I feel that the bright colors of the Haitian flag would give the chipmunk logo a bright and inspirational feel compared to the usual dark blue and would "make it pop" a little more. Penn State students, faculty, families, and fans all have plenty of plain blue and white Penn State apparel, so something brighter and different would be a fresh new look. In addition, bright colors are extremely popular right now especially among college students, so it would be a good seller. As we've seen the with the shape of this logo, it works very well on shirts, hats, and any other type of apparel you might use to either promote the project with or actually put on the goods themselves to sell. If we wanted to go in a less conservative design, we could also add the outline of Haiti to the left side of the chipmunk logo (since Haiti's coastline is on the left when looking at a map) and the right would remain the ovular shape. The Nittany Lion outline inside the logo would remain, but it would give the logo an interesting look and would incorporate more of the Haitian aspect to it as well. I am not sure if this would be an improvement over my original suggestion, but certainly one to look into when deciding which logo design to pursue. No matter what the logo becomes, I feel that it should equally incorporate elements of Haiti and Penn State in order to make the project feel like part of the community for both parties involved. This will ensure that the Penn State community will purchase goods made with the logo on it as well, as everyone with a connection to Penn State loves wearing their school's gear proudly. I'm excited to see what comes out of this post!

World In Conversation : What was more enlightening, the information on your own sex or the opposite sex and why?- 119 Blog

Fri, 1 Apr 2011 03:36:37 +0000

I learned a great deal from the "needy penis" lecture today about both my own sex and the opposite sex, so this is a tough question for me to really answer. However, if I had to pick, I'd say that I learned more about the opposite sex and definitely became more aware of what girls have to go through and why they act the way they do. I am far from a typical college guy just trying to go out and score, but I still am just as much of a pain in the ass for my (longtime) girlfriend when it comes to us being at different places with how we see sex. However, I learned a lot more about her point of view by learning about the way girls in general think and feel about sex and I think that this knowledge will help me a lot moving forward. While I know my own sex drive is certainly in high gear all the time, I now realize that the reason her's isn't has nothing to do with how she feels about me, but rather just how girls are made up and how they operate (for lack of a better term, I don't want to make girls seem like robots or something). I feel like I've always kind of known this, but to have it spelled out to me in that manner really helped a lot and will continue to help me moving forward. Additionally, I was very intrigued to listen to the pressures and standards that girls have to deal with regarding sex, and I was mostly kind of disgusted that they exist. For example, I always like reading my girlfriend's Cosmo magazines because they talk about a lot of things involving sex. Today, I really was astonished to come to the realization that Cosmo is basically trying to get women to behave in accordance with the male sexual standard instead of encouraging them to accept their bodies and who they are as women. Articles about how to "drive your guy crazy" as a guy seem really awesome because that's obviously what I want, but why should a girl be concerned with that? Also, hearing Sam discuss the absurdity of girls trekking across campus or downtown in barely any clothes, alot of makeup, and high-heeled shoes in the cold of January was eye-opening. I've always shaken my head at these girls, but I've never really thought about how they convince themselves that they actually enjoy doing it. There's no possible way that's true besides the fact that they share the experience of freezing their butts off with their friends. I really enjoyed this lecture and felt that it was the most relevant to my life as a guy in his early 20's, and I feel that the knowledge I've gained about the opposite sex will help me in keeping a healthy relationship with my current girlfriend as well as ensure a better future for myself.

World In Conversation : What do you think about interracial relationships?- 119 Blog

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:22:19 +0000

My stance on interracial relationships is the same as my stance on homosexual relationships, which is one that encourages and celebrates any sort of love. I really cannot understand people who feel offended in some way by seeing a mixed-race couple together. As much as I'm a dork for admitting it, I do like the movie "Save The Last Dance", which details the story of a white girl who moves into a predominantly black part of Chicago and her up-and-down relationship with a black guy. There was a specific scene where they were displaying PDA on the subway while an older white woman looked with disgust. While I understand that older generations were raised a different way than mine was, I also believe that people can change if they just open their eyes. I legitimately have no problem with any type of interracial relationship, especially since it has absolutely zero effect on my own personal life. If I walk past a black girl and an Asian guy holding hands, I really don't see anything odd at all about that, let alone offensive.Fortunately, I believe that the majority of my generation would probably agree with this point of view, and hopefully this will help to teach tolerance in the future. Personally, I feel that I could definitely be in an interracial relationship. I am a pretty stereotypical "white boy" (can't dance, kind of awkward sometimes) but what is to say I wouldn't find myself attracted to a stereotypical Indian girl? Or black girl? Or Native American? If I found myself attracted to a girl of another race, why wouldn't I pursue the chance to date her? That's the way I look at things when it comes to interracial relationships and I believe it makes a good deal of sense. "Follow your heart" is what we're always told, but in this case sometimes parents, the media, our friends, and whoever else say it but only mean it if they're comfortable with the outcome. That's bullshit. We decide our own lives. If I fell in love with an Asian girl tomorrow, I wouldn't care what anyone else had to say about it. Would the reaction of others bother me sometimes? Sure, but not to the extent that I would give up someone that makes me happy. Overall, I feel that anything below acceptance of interracial relationships is simply ignorant and misguided. My main frustration is that seeing an interractial couple walking down the street has no effect on the life of the stranger passing them, yet sometimes the stranger disapproves or displays disgust. We can only hope that future generations can continue the trend of making love about love rather than about misguided tradition or beliefs.

World In Conversation : What stage are you in?- 119 Blog

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:40:27 +0000

This is a great question and one that I debated with my friends last night. I believe I am transitioning between the second and third stages after having been stuck in the second stage for quite some time. However, there are elements of the fourth stage that I also noticed today. The reason I felt a little angry about the double-standard that I feel exists within the "racism" argument came from Twitter, where today #whitepeoplestink was trending. While I'm sure many of these responses were humor-filled and just for fun, I can't even imagine the response if that trending topic referred to black people, Hispanic people, Asian people, or any other racial group. The fact that I not only noticed this but also was somewhat offended by this revealed that I may be experiencing some of the feelings that come with being in the fourth stage. Still, I feel that overall I am probably still making my way towards the third stage. I find myself getting extremely angry about the injustices suffered by other races in the United States, such as black people being enslaved and "Japanese" people being put in camps during World War II. The other night, I saw a car with a confederate flag on the top of it and wanted to break a mirror off of it just because of what that flag represents. I get extremely frustrated with the way some white people look at race as well as the way stuff like the confederate flag is celebrated. In addition, reading about the troubles that other races have had to go through as recently as 9/11 (the passages we had to read for the last test) makes me upset and frustrated that I am lumped in with other white people who are so judgmental and ignorant. I find it amazing the difference in how I feel about race from the beginning of the semester (when I felt I was stuck in the second stage) to now, when I am transitioning into the third stage and feeling parts of the fourth stage. I find the place I'm at interesting because people who I consider my friends now are not diverse at all in terms of race, yet I am becoming more and more rejective of my own race. Obviously a lot of Soc 119's influence is the cause of this, but I am still confused as to where I fit in (which I suppose is a characteristic of transitioning between stages as I currently am). I hope to someday arrive at the final stage, as I feel it will enrich my life and put my in a place to help racial relations in whatever situation I find myself in.

World In Conversation : Do people feel guilt about their current positions when knowing about the disadvantages of the freed

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:15:05 +0000

This is a question I've been wrestling with for some time since the beginning of this semester. While I am a fourth or fifth generation American and really have no connection to slavery in American that I am aware of, I still cannot escape feelings of guilt about my own situation compared to that of others. I think a lot of this stems from the fact that I realize where and when I was born is simply a matter of luck, and I question why I ended up here and now and not somewhere else less fortunate. The area where I've noticed this most is in my purchasing decisions. For example, today I bought a hat for $22, and I thought about how many other hats I have of various colors and styles. How many people in the world would love to just have one hat? I can't imagine how poor freed slaves were, which is the topic of this question, and yet unlike me they had few or no resources. I cannot help but feel guilty about the fact that I can afford to just buy a hat when so many cannot afford food, healthcare, and things so much more important in life. However, a reason not to feel bad was mentioned in a blog on Page 1 of these responses and also correlates with my comments about being lucky. The chances of one of those freed slaves, or someone extremely poor in this world, could have been me are just as good as the chances that got me to where I am. I try to utilize my advantages to help people less fortunate than me, but I often feel like I should be doing more. This also contributes to my guilt, as I feel like it is my responsibility as someone who have been given advantages to use them in a way that helps those less-fortunate than myself. Perhaps this could be considered "white guilt" in the racial sense, but I feel that it is more appropriate to make it "rich guilt", for lack of a better term. It really has nothing to do with race for me and everything to do with class standing. I don't feel bad that freed slaves were stuck in poverty because they were black, I feel bad because they were people stuck in poverty. I feel just as bad for the poor white people of the time. Overall, I feel that my guilt is fairly justified, and I will continue to strive to find ways to alleviate it by helping others less fortunate than myself. Again, I feel this has nothing to do with race, and I'm not sure why people make it that way.

World In Conversation : Why are white people so reluctant to admit to having discriminations?- 119 Blog

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:11:47 +0000

The answer to this question is very complex, and yet also very simple. While discrimination in every form has existed throughout human history, it seems the one at the forefront of the minds of many Americans is relations between white people and non-white people. I'm white, and I feel terrible about what non-white people have had to go through in this country in the past (and present, actually). Thinking about living in a segregated country makes me sick and disturbed, and yet it was not that long ago when my country was that country. While things have clearly gotten better with race relations in the US, it's also clear that we still have a long way to go. So, why are white people so hesitant to admit their discrimination? The answer, in my opinion, is shame. I personally feel very ashamed that I probably have, at some point in my life, practiced some degree of discrimination. It obviously was not intentional, but I'm going to assume it has probably happened. And, given the history of how white people have treated non-white people in this country, it's obviously behavior that should bring someone to feel shame. Non-white people deserve better in their own country. I also think there is a stigma towards white people given the past, and that stigma is attached to anyone who outwardly expresses their discriminatory behavior or feelings. I believe that most, if not all, white people fear being labeled a racist today. I sure do. So the best way to avoid that is simply avoiding discussing discrimination at all regardless of whether we harbor feelings of prejudice or not. Ultimately, I feel that this type of attitude is counter-productive, yet I feel it will continue. The easiest way to solve an issue is to talk about it, and yet white people seem so much more hesitant to discuss issues of race. I say this because I felt this way before taking Soc 119, yet I find myself slowly becoming more open to it as I continue to make myself open to the idea of discussing race. It seems like such a taboo subject in America, and yet it doesn't have to be. White people seem to get uncomfortable when race is brought up because they automatically feel guilty, even when they have no reason to. In closing, I feel that white people struggle to address their own prejudice and discrimination out of shame. They do not want to be labeled as racist and would rather not discuss race as a result. This is detrimental to race relations, and if more white people would open up then I feel that race relations would continue to improve at a greater rate.

World In Conversation : Do arrests of different races occur more due to racism or more police in urban areas?- 119 Blog

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:42:44 +0000

Being from a rich, white area outside of Philadelphia, I am completely unable to answer this question with a truly informed opinion. However, I'll give it my best shot in hopes that I can maybe sound intelligent. I believe that the answer to this question is more a matter of population density than it is any other factor, though I certainly believe that racism is a factor somewhere in the equation. As Sam said in class, it's simply easier for police to enforce laws and make arrests in areas where the population density is very high, and this coincides with urban neighborhoods. As we discussed in class, it makes no sense to devote time, energy, and money trying to make arrests where houses are spread out and larger than in areas with smaller housing and more people around. It's simply a matter of numbers. Many of these neighborhoods seem (I say seem because I really don't know firsthand) to have a good amount of non-white people, and as a result the numbers of arrests are disproportionate to the population breakdown of the entire country because more non-white people are being arrested than probably should be according to the projections. Though I'm sure some could argue this shows obvious racism, I'm not sure this is the way to go about proving it. If you put all of the white people who live in my area in an area that is highly dense, you might find the numbers to be similar. It is not so much a product of race, but of the fact that the urban areas being targeted by police happen to have a disproportionate amount of non-white people in them. While this does not at all justify the numbers we saw in class, which were shocking, it can definitely contribute to them and at least prove that racism is not the primary cause. Along the same lines, it is not a coincidence that more cops are in cities than in areas like my hometown, and this provides more chances for arrests and for illegal activity to be seen and acted upon. As the post by tms5235 discusses, the extra police is needed in cities like Philadelphia. This is not racism, this is simply a numbers game. There is more crime in cities, and I don't think that has anything to do with race, but rather with culture. Race doesn't make people commit crimes, but their upbringing and the culture that surrounds them might. Despite this, I strongly believe that racism exists within the system, as it is impossible not to when given the numbers that we have seen in class. However, it is definitely not the primary cause of the disproportionate arrest numbers for non-white people.

World In Conversation : What is the Difference Between a Colored and White Comedian?- 119 Blog

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 04:19:12 +0000

This is a very intriguing question and definitely one worth looking into. I am reminded of the scene in the movie "Guess Who" (which can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djGLBzR4FDg) when Ashton Kutcher, sitting at the dinner table with his black girlfriend and her family, is encouraged to share a few "black jokes" that he knows. After a few jokes and a positive response from the table, Kutcher keeps telling them and eventually crosses the line with one joke, causing a major fight. I think the main source of tension in a situation where a white comedian could possibly "cross the line" when making fun of something involving black people and culture comes from prevailing attitudes from previous generations. In the above example, it was his girlfriend's grandfather who was most offended, a black man who had experienced the era of segregation in the U.S. And, putting myself in the shoes of a black person a generation or two ago, I absolutely cannot disagree with that sort of reaction. Although our generation did not go through that type of segregation, the attitudes that it created among black and white people have been passed down and are definitely present today. Whether it is accurate or not, the perception of a white man making jokes about a black man can sometimes trace back to the centuries of oppression that black people faced due to white people. As a result, their comments will obviously seem smug and condescending, which they almost certainly are not. In addition to the past, the present is also something to take into consideration when looking at why comments made by a white person making fun of a black person could be inflammatory. As we discussed today in class, white Americans are substantially better off than black Americans in pretty much every statistical category regarding education and wealth. While it is certainly not true that all white people are well off and all black people are not, the idea of a white guy making fun of a black guy can also have a condescending message because of the current issues facing black Americans. Finally, the specific situation has a lot to do with possible hostility. For example, if the audience was primarily black, chances are they could actually feel more comfortable with what the white comedian was saying, but it could also make the hostility worse. In a room filled with primarily white people, the hostility could be replaced by awkwardness due to the political correctness factor. In that case, the reaction would probably just be a room full of white people unsure whether to laugh or not while they instinctively look at the nearest black person to see how they reacted to the joke.

World In Conversation : Why Do We Associate With People of The Same Race and Ethnicity as Ourselves?- 119 Blog

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:22:28 +0000

I've had very few friends of other races in my life. Why? For me personally, it boils down to the demographics I've been surrounded by. The racial makeup of my high school is very similar to that of Penn State, with an overwhelming percentage being white kids with Asian, black, and kids of other races mixed in. I only had a few friends growing up who were of a different race, and none that I would consider close friends by any means. This has a lot to due with the fact that there just wasn't many kids of a different race for me to choose from. Out of the 30 seniors I played football with, just two were non-white, and no one from my baseball team was of a different race. Considering that both of these teams were like family to me during their respective seasons due to the amount of time we spent together, a lot of those guys were among my closest friends. Overall, I feel as though this is reflective of why races do not interact more often. Lack of exposure to other races is definitely a problem, especially for many kids at Penn State who have grown up in similar situations as myself. For international students at PSU, however, the situation seems to be reversed. Students from around the world are thrown into a massive and overwhelmingly white student body that has grown up a completely different way. As a result, it is easier for them to gravitate towards other international students because they are going through the same experience together. Often times, this means Asian kids will gravitate towards other Asian kids, for example, and I can't blame them. When people of different ethnicities from Europe were immigrating to the United States earlier last century, many of them moved into neighborhoods made up of the same ethnicity. As Sam said in class, New York City used to have dozens of different daily newspapers in different languages, and evidence of this can also be found in the names of places like Germantown (PA) and the "Chinatown" that seems to exist in a lot of major cities. People gravitate towards what is comfortable for them when they are placed in an unfamiliar experience, and looking or talking like those around you can help bring that comfort. This is the same reason that in high school I always saw one table of mostly black kids in a lunchroom full of tables with all non-black kids. People want to be surrounded by those who make them feel comfortable, and often times that includes how they look. So, in conclusion, I don't think that this indicates that our society has not moved forward with race, but rather that people gravitate towards their own race and ethnicity because they want to feel comfortable.

World In Conversation : Last Name “T” – Intense Debate

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:31:08 +0000

Soc 119

World In Conversation : Why Do We Still Have Stereotypes? - 119 Blog

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 02:48:01 +0000

Stereotypes exist everywhere and every day, and will continue to do so in my opinion. It is an unfortunate consequence of a combination of factors The stereotypes that someone believes are a product of the environment they were brought up in and certain, but not all, experiences that they've had. A perfect example is the stereotype that all Asian students are much smarter and more serious about school than non-Asian students, especially in subjects like math and science. While we proved this stereotype to be far from the truth on class, this stereotype is still extremely widespread and will continue to be. I am guilty of it myself, as I think back to the handful of Asian students I knew in high school and immediately think to one who graduated near the top of our class and is now at UNC-Chapel Hill rather than the others. To me, she sticks out because of her success in school rather than the fact that she dated a friend of mine, which shows that I buy into the stereotype. Another crucial factor when considering stereotypes is, quite simply, how easy they can be to make into a joke. Three of my roommates are Jewish, and we all make constant jokes about their money (they are all very wealthy), or how when you mention them all in a sentence, it sounds like you're talking about a law firm. That's funny stuff, and they laugh about it and make jokes about it as much as or more than I do, but it still contributes to the overall stereotype about Jewish men. I also saw this evident when Sam made a joke about black men to the black women in class, which was very well received judging by the laughter in the room. Jokes about stereotypes can be hilarious because, accurate or not, most people seem to buy into them and can share a laugh about them. Most importantly, I believe stereotypes exist and thrive due to lack of education and awareness. Before Soc 119, I barely paid attention to stereotypes but never truly realized how prevalent they are in my daily life and how inaccurate most of them are. Perhaps some students at Penn State have friends of other races, but personally I have very, very few, and I'm willing to bet that most Penn State students are probably in the same situation. As a result, we cannot educate ourselves and are forced to look to stereotypes, assumptions, and sometimes simply guessing when it comes what makes people different from us. It is tough to say for sure whether stereotypes are going away or simply being brushed under the carpet of political correctness. Ultimately, though, I never see them disappearing completely due to the aforementioned factors. I can say with certainty, though, that I will be much more aware of them and conscious of the ones that I believe from now on.