en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2437624 Comments by Joepaterno1 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220553897 As I write this today I am finishing up what has been one of the most difficult, tumultuous weeks of my entire life. I am the child of two Penn State graduates and thus I spent much of my young life growing up rooting for the Nittany Lions and learning the incredible meaning of "Penn State Pride". As a result, the question has very deep meaning to me. In many ways Penn State is in facct such a large part of my identity. To take mattters even further, it is the football program in specific. I can honestly say that throughout my life, there is nothing I have loved more than football, and in particular, Penn State football. As a little kid I always dreamed of playing football at Penn State and when I got to the point in life that I realized this wasn't possible, I was very devastated. Despite this, I still maintained that there was no place I'd rather spend my college years. There is such a special quality which surrounds this university and Happy Valley in general. I would best describe it as a strong passion for life in general. Penn State people are just a special brand. Everything we do, we seem to do with such greeat enthusiasm and to the best of our ability. Happy Valley as a setting could not be better either. Unlike the city hustle and bustle of many colleges, we are lucky enough to have our very own "utopia" in which we exist independent from the outside world. We have also always been unique because of the character and honor which has accompanied all of our successes. We may be the number 1 party school, but right along with that we band together as students and conduct the largest student run philanthropy organization in the world. In the corporate world, there is no one recruiters would rather hire as their employees, according to the Wall Street Journal. Our football program has always been acclaimed as one of the nations' premeir, yet we have avoided NCAA violatons and our players consistently graduate at a high rate. When prospective students visit our school we scream out "WE ARE!" to which they respond "PENN STATE!" and they instantly feel the pride. This can carry on to anywhere in the world. Until this week, our world was as close to perfect as it can get in the real world. Today we find ourselves in the middle of one of the most notorious college scandals of our nations' history. Jerry Sandusyky acteed commited haineous acts which are unforgiveable and must receive his justice. Pending investigation, it may become evident that a few seemingly good people made bad decisions in a tough situation. This situation which ultimately involved only a few people has now been projected onto our entire university. The 99.99 % of us who had absolutely zero to do with this now feel we are a part of it. This is what makes us feel so very bad. The rug has been pulled out beneath us. Yet any logical person would realize that 99.99 is much greater than .01%. As a result, I know that we will heal from this . It will take nothing more than doing what we have always done. Over time we will reccover and WE WIll ALWAYS BE PENN STATE. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:59:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220553897 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/03/voices-from-the-classroom-63/#IDComment216904381 This statistic actually really surprises me. It's actually kind of alarming. I am white and I know personally that I feel very strongly that I will do better than my parents....and my parents are Penn State graduates who have good jobs. I say that not to be a knock on them, but rather to highlight how great my opportunities are. My parents grew up in Coal Region, PA and essentially looked at going to college as a means to getting a job. I, on the flipside am one of the most optimistic people around. I'm the type that feels very strongly that I'm gonnna go out and change the world. My argument for that is based around the priciple of concerted cultivation. Concerted cultivation is a principle outlined by Malcom Gladwell in his bestselling book "Outliers" . Outliers is a book which discusses the topic of how ttwo people can have the exact same intelligence and talent set yet one becomes successful while the other does not. It has a very deep sociological rootb. Concerted cultivation means investing a great deal into a child and encouraging their development. I feel that my life has been largely characterized by concerted cultivaiton. I grew up in a good home with two college graduates, I attended private schools, I do not have to pay for my college tuition, my parents pay for a lot of things I do. At first glance, I may just appear spoiled. But with careful consideration of all of the opportunities I have been afforded, you have to realize that it has caused me to go through life with this very spirit that I'm gonna change the world. In a lot of ways this is a trait of many in my generation. We have more opportunities than ever before. This is where I get to the point of explaining why I think only 12% believe they will not do as well as their parents. Most American young people are lazy and they know it! Concerted cultivation has been twisted into a spirit of being handed everything which in turn has crippled the work ethic of many. It's been interesting hearing some things in class lately. I was shocked and had no idea how large of group of intelligent and innovative minds we have here that are actually foreign. If they chose to leave our economy truly would crumble. This is something we all really neede to take seroiulsy. I have now heard in multiple classes that my generation is indeed screwed for the future, as a result of both our own doing and the mistakes of those who came before us. Our only choice is for a masssive cultural revolution to change us. We must all stop wasting our time on dumb MTV shows and petty thigns and focus on what actually matters or someday we may not even have a choice. Circele the wagons American, it's time for a revolution of mindset. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 18:42:54 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/03/voices-from-the-classroom-63/#IDComment216904381 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment210604046 This is a question deeply rooted in sociologial theory related to racial identity. Not considering the physical color of someone's skin, what is it about that person which makes us associate them with a certain racial "group"? If they hold all the same traits and background of someone of this different race are they really different in any sense? This question is so mind bogglign to address. For example what if a white kid was adopted at birth by a black family, grew up in a black community and has hung out with black people his whole life. Is he really that different? Well, the truth is probably yes. The reason being is because he has experienced the world with people perceiving him as a white person so despite his internal makeup being composed the same as black people due to his upbringing. So we arrive at the fact that no matter how close your upbringin is to the that of a minority, you will always be different as a result of your interactions with the outside world. So should we be satisfied and accept these lines drawn in the sand?...or should we instead encourage "posers" in groups. I say encourage this diversity. The thought of calling someone who interacts with a group outside of their race a poser is in my mind extremely childish and unacceptable. Truth be told, none of us knows what the hell this world is really all about. Therefore none of us can really claim superiority in the realms of anything. The same goes for racial groups. In the grand scheme of things their formation is really pretty arbitrary and insignificant. I understand that human beings have an inherent need to feel secure and this is especially present in the way we form groups but with that comes the negative trait of barricading ourselves off from others who are different because we somehow perceive them as a threat or unworthy. I believe that the key to unlocking society's absolute potential will be somehow tearing down these walls so there can be open dialogue and acceptance among all people. This may very well be something that it is impossible, but should at least be aspired to. Obviously so much progress has been made in America over the last few decades but there is still such a long road to go in that realm. I can't even imagine the impact if everyone in the world were to take our soc 119 class. What I like so much about it is not so much an accumulation of knowledge as it is the way it challenges my thinking. Twenty years from now as I look back at my time spent at Penn State, most of the physical knowledge accumulated will be lost. However, what will stay with me for life will be the methodology I have accumulated for the way I think, assess, and process information, viewpoints, and worldly issues. All of this has really reinforced in me the value of education. As a young person you always hear older people say how important it is to get an education and you wonder what's so important about learning all of this seemingly useless information. But as you get older and start to realize the way it has shaped you into an informed individual and strong thinker it starts to really sink in. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:09:27 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment210604046 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/12/consider-the-issue-of-freedom-vs-determinism/#IDComment207562951 This is really such an unbelievable article in my mind. I think that what it really does is it provides a physical example of determinism in the freedom v. determinism debate. Often times these 'invisible strings' can be hard to see around us, which is why we fail to acknowledge them. In Brittany and Abigail's scenario some of these strings are not at all invisible. It is very clear to anyone coming in contact with them that the choices they will make throughout their life will be very shaped by the situation they are presented with. It is pretty overwhelming to try and think about all the challenges they must face on a daily basis. They will never be able to truly live a 'normal' They may have different interests but in most cases they can only truly focus their attention on one thing at a time. I think it's pretty interesting that they are licensed individtually to drive even though they can only do it working together, There are so many other issues which come up as well. For example when they take tests in school, can't one cheat off the other. I did some research after watching this video and found out that they are actually both in college now. Obviously they had no choice but to choose the same college. But what if one had not wanted to go? Also, it can probably be assumed that the both are enrolled in the same classes. If not, then one of them has no choice but to sit through classes they are not enrolled in. All of this then carries through to the topic of internships and jobs. Together are they capable of performing one job or two and how will compensation work? Additionally, matters regarding relationships could get very dicy. The truth is they are two separate people who share a body. So if they each were dating a different guy, would he the two of them then, be "sharing" the body of their girlfriend? This also leads to the question of marriage. Being married to two separate men would be incredibly difficult. And obviously another factor to consider in this issue is who would want to date a girl in a situation like this? There really aren't people like them out there so it would really take someone stepping out of their comfort zone. Their dating options are severely limited by their circumstance. I have just described so many different scenarios where factors and forces outside of their control will ultimately shape the decisions they make throughout life. The same goes for every single one of us as well. We may not be shaped by something so physical and visible, but these same types of constructs limit us in more invisible ways. Sociology is such an amazing field to me and I think that it's ashame some people think of it as useless babble because if everyone were to gain sociological knowledge there would be so much less conflict in the world and people would have such an easier time living life as they understand the world better. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:40:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/12/consider-the-issue-of-freedom-vs-determinism/#IDComment207562951 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-36/#IDComment204462358 This question is so thoroughly rooted in all that is sociology. Gender is one of the most profound examples of th invisible strings shaping us beyond our control. I think it's very intriguing when Sam brings up the point that he could easily walk into class one day wearing a dress but no one would ever believe that someone would be crazy enough to do that. Technically, he is able to physically put on a dress and walk around in it. However, there are these factors and forces outside our control which shape the way we act. From the moment we are born, the entire world begins shaping us to the prototype of what a man a woman should look like and how we should act and think. Shifting the conversation specifically to girls is reallly an in-depth concept. I personally believe that women are even much more shaped than men. My reason for saying this is reinforced by the concept of a male centered world. Along with what we learned in class, I really do believe that we live in a world which is subject to the will, desires and preferences of men. The next question is why are men the ones in charge, Well this is no simple concept to explain. There is definitely some basis in the fact that men are simply the physically dominant gender. Relating specifically to sex, we are the penetrator and the aggressive side. This nature naturaly places us in the driver's seat. This essentially leads us to the fact that throughout history, women have always served as a mere 'sidekick' to the ego of men. They carry the children, make the meals, clean the house receive our sexual advances, act in a subordinate manner and in general serve the egos of men. The way women dress is a part of this. As sexual aggressors, we can often view women as our 'prey'. What better way to spot the best prey than by keeping it as naked as possible? So why do women accept this? Well, as sociology works they dont have much of a free "choice". Throughout their lives they have been socialized to accept this subordinate relationship to men. They may understand that they are being objectified but their worth has been lowered to the fact that it's almost as if they have an inherent "need" to serve men in order to gain a feeling of self-worth. This extends outward from their dress to the way they act. Laurie brought up a good point about how alcohol may be a method that some girls use to accept a situation in which it may seem as if they are being 'used' to satisfy the desires of men. So are girls free to buck these trends? Well, I believe they are to a certain extent. Some girls do a great job by breaking away from that shell and showing their independence, However, they are often ostracized or considered a "dyke". To a certain extent, big or small, I believe that all women are shaped by gender steretypes. Fri, 7 Oct 2011 18:29:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-36/#IDComment204462358 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197809853 Enter text right here!I found this week’s lectures to be very eye-opening. It’spretty interesting that all of this has been going on in Haiti and other countries yet the majority of Americans are not even aware. I think that social benefitting entrepurship can be a great asset when used properly. When people competeto come up with new and great inventions to benefit a society it can have awesome results. On the flip side, I believe that venture capitalism methods of exploiting underprivelaged nations such as Haiti are very il-formed and wrong. In terms of the united States stance with poor coutries I have mixed feelings. I have typically felt like in times of desperation we are always the first to help others. The stats posed in class were a bit striking though. To see how low we were on the rankings of non-military aid was rather discouraging. Being positive though, this social entrepenurial project is very exciting and not of thes ill nature. The recruitment of any resources directed towards Haiti is definitely beneficial. Personally I am not the handiest of people. I practically failed art as a child, I am about as far away from having an ‘engineering mind’ and I’m not the most creative. What I am good at, however is coaching. I currently work as a high school football coach and it is something I really enjoy. Now I understand that at face value this may not seem like a very useful skill in a country faced with dire settings and much more serioius issues but I wiolld like it to be considered differently. As I believe to be the most useful entertainment source sports can do wonders for human beings. They teach us to work together and unite in the face of battle. They can also serve as an escape route from what can sometimes be a difficult life. So how exactly might I plan to go about using my skills? I would conider conducting some type of clinic for Haitin youth the intent of starting up a flag football league in mind. Flag football would be ideal over regular football because it is cheaper and simpler to learn and play.. The biggest and most obvious obstacle to me doing this are the obvious challenges of time and money. However, I have big aspirations with my coaching career and if I ever were to arrive at the ‘bigtime’ this is the type of thing I would consider dedicating my skills too. Learning all about underprivelaged countries really helps us understand ourselves better. Realizing that our perspective in this world is not the only one and noticing how ‘good’ we appear to have it in terms of living comfortbably is very nice. Despite this I will be the first to say that even though we have a higher ‘quality of life’ this does not necessarily translate to being happier. The world of excess which we live in often provides us with fake sources of of sensory which do nothing to truly address happiness. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:35:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197809853 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/08/30/why-your-religion/#IDComment188724141 My religion is Christian Catholicism. Like most people I was born into my religion and did not "choose" it as a child. I was raised attending church and being put in CCD classes. My parents were both Catholic people but I really wouldn't consider them all that spiritual of people. To them church and religion was more of a formality. That's not to say that they only practiced their Catholic faith out of some sense of obligation, but rather it was just something that felt good and right for them to do and to raise their children in accordance with. Like most young children, religion seemed more of a formality to me growing up as well. It was just another part of the day, like eating, sleeping, and going to school. As I grew towards my middle-school years, however, I really started to develop an interest in religion and felt like I needed to gain some sort of spirtitual connection. Being raised a Catholic, naturally I devoted my interests towards Catholicism. The truth is though, while I had all the best intentions at that time, I really didn't know exactly why I chose to believe what I did, other than what it's what I had been told. Entering high school, I transferred from my public school to a private Catholic school. CCD education gives you a very basic outline of Catholic teachings, really just enough to justify giving one the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. But entering a full-time Catholic school gave me a new opportunity to really engulf my self in my faith and learn more than ever considering that I had a religion class everyday. What I also had going for me is that I was new to everyday Catholic education and came in with a fresh mindset, unlike many "victims" of lifelong Catholic schooling who had grown sick of hearing the same sentiments "drilled into their heads". Through my high school career, I grew a lot in my faith, and came to realize that as a whole, the vast majority of the Catholic faith made great sense, showed great consistency, and while it had had its trials and tribulations, its primary teachings, lessons, and virtues had sustained 2000 years. This is when I really affirmed my belief in the Catholic faith. Graduating high school, I felt I had established a very strong religious core which I would hold for the rest of my life. As expected, college presented me with a whole new world of challenges which would challenge my beliefs in both academic and ways of daily livings. Whereas in high school, where most of my teachers were so set in their beliefs, college brought on professors who challenged so much of what I had learned and really sought critical thinking in all avenues. Socially, I was faced with situations in which I felt I could completely justify acting contrary to Catholic teachings. And I can honestly say that for these challenges I have faced I have only grown stronger in my faith, and this is one thing I can truly thank Sam Richards for. The man teaches you the gift of removing yourself from a situation and picking it apart in as critical a way as possible. The only way a person can become better and justify the strong convictions he or she has is by learning more and challenging themselves everyday. So, I am a Catholic because it is what I have learned to be a true and consistent guide for how to live my life. That is true for me personally, and I don't wish to impose my beliefs unwillingly upon others. Above all, though, I seek everyday to learn more and challenge myself, for that is the only way to become stronger. Thu, 1 Sep 2011 14:46:58 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/08/30/why-your-religion/#IDComment188724141 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/16/the-kill-team-tragedy-in-the-middle-east-001-blog/#IDComment145286371 It takes little empathy to realize just how sickening these events are. These soldiers did nothing more than execute an innocent civilian for no legitimate reason. These are the types of things we expect to hear about historical figures such as the Nazi's or Al-Quaida. But the scary part is that even members of these group were typically just following orders when they carried out meaningless executions. This incident was not just one person but rather a group of soldiers. No one spoke out and commented that this was completely wrong/unethical. The entire concept of war in my mind has changed a great deal lately as a result taking this sociology course. Like most Americans, I saw war as something we Americans only enter to protect ourselves and that we truly are valiant heroes who seek only to provide aid and spread democracy throughout the world. I also believed that our soldiers were there solely out of a heroic desire to protect their homeland. Unfortunately the last few weeks have been somewhat of a "Santa Claus isn't real" feeling for me. I've come to realize that America is an empire of war. We go to war for very unnoble, unnecessary reasons. Often times we don't even know the true reasons becasue they are discussed behind the scenes by those in power. And perhaps worst of all, those sacrificing their lives on the front lines typically are not doing so by choice, but rather out of need for fincancial stability. So to sum it up, we are the most war-hawking country in the word which sends are lower class members to the front lines of other countries which we are in for unethical causes, to which it was decided by the elites of society....and making it all the worse when stories like these arise. Can we at least start to understand why some around the world have a feeling of distaste for Americans? To hear a story like this makes one feel both troubled and helpless. Troubled to see just how messed up things are, and helpless upon realizing how little one single person can do to counter them in the grand scheme of things. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:50:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/16/the-kill-team-tragedy-in-the-middle-east-001-blog/#IDComment145286371 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/the-cost-of-empire-soc-001-blog/#IDComment143268491 After watching this video, I literally came down with a "sick" type of feeling. With all of the people hungry and in need of help just to stay alive in this world we spend THIS much to kill. These astronomical numbers are something I have a hard time justifying. With this being said, I must also note that I have typically considered myself as "conservative" throughout my life and I did believe that we needed to go into Afghanistan and Iraq respectively when we did. However, when you closely examine everything that goes into fighting a war and maintaining a strong military presence around the world, one can't help but question his or her own country. Are we indeed a "war country". I believe that all the data points straight toward that exact conclusion, It so easy to be drawn into the whole "American pride" allure because that is how we are raised and socialized to think. We grow up hearing that America is the "greatest country in the world" and is capable of only doing great things. When we are able to show some empathy, however. things become much more gloomy. We make up nearly half of the world's military spending! If this were anyone else we would consider that country some type of "evil empire". Now I would like to go to the flip-side and consider that maybe its not as bad as it seems. The hegemonic theory states that the existence of one militaristic superpower may actually best for maintaining the competitive equilibrium of our world. I think this definitely makes some valid point. I am confident in saying that our many interventions throughout history have had to prevent some tragedies. The question now lingers, "Why do we have to be the ones to play big brother?" This is a question to which I do not know the answer. I like to be positive and think that accompanied with all of this military presence we are doing some good for these people, but I can't be too confident in that anymore. as I have become more educated as of late thanks to Dr. Richards' class. Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:14:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/the-cost-of-empire-soc-001-blog/#IDComment143268491 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment140248795 This post is almost somewhat exciting to read. As a male these are things that I have always believed in when it comes to girls, yet it's always seemed like most guys aren't quite on the same page. To hear someone who has essentially been to "hell and back" reinforce my beliefs is very reassuring. I have always thought that women should be cherished. Unfortunately in today's world, it is often the case that they are neglected, used, and viewed merely as objects. A lot of this goes back to the video we watched in Dr. Richards' class. It showed how women are often portrayed in music videos and other forms of media as helpless, permissive people only be used for the pleasure of men. Unfortunately this is the message that has spread to the youth of today. At such a young age anymore, the ideal of adolescent boys is to go out, find girls, and "get some". It could even be said that a young man who uses and disrespects girls is thought of as "cool" and "macho". In an age of increasing sexual assault, pornography, and abusive/dysfunctional relationships, it is clear that our culture is in dire need of a change in attitude. But how could we possibly go about this? I honestly don't know. The brand of thinking in popularity right now is what gets viewers and makes money. Selfishness has become such a rule among our culture. We have been socialized to focus on instant gratification, consumption, and lives of excess. Young men have been taught that it is okay to treat girls this way, and many young women have accepted this role for themselves. For this man, the only way for him to reach his present understanding was a trip to prison. I wonder what it would take for most people in society to come to the realization of what a healthy relationship consists of. Chivalry is not something that is necessarily dead, but it is indeed increasingly rare. I believe it is time for all men to take responsibility and show that they are true men. And as far as women go, I believe it is time for them to accept nothing less. For every man who goes out and mistreats a female, there is a woman who continues to accept it. I think it's a two way street. If women show that they will only accept gentlemanly actions in every regard, and men only show this, everyone would be happier and better off. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 20:32:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment140248795 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment137527102 This article brings up an interesting proposition that I likely would not have come up with otherwise. I often do think that we live in an increasing secular world but the thought that religion could completely vanish in the not so distant future is one which completely challenges modern senses of "normal". While it is true that many people are constantly abandoning "religion" in today's sense, I do not think a day will ever come in which it will become scarce. Religion serves as a tool for people to justify the world around them, and I don't think this will ever change. Instead, what I do agree, is that "religions" could end up carrying out a massive overhaul and revolution. In many senses they have become outdated, rigid buearacracies which have strayed from their true purpose. In my opinion, the reason people are abandoning religion is because they are "atheist" in a sense, instead it is merely because today's churches are lacking the spiritual connection which is expected and desire by all human beings. These people feel that they can find this connection through other avenues. What I believe will happen is elimination of the large church, etc. type institutions and the creation of more small informal sects of religious groups which better address the spiritual meetings of people. Today's world is more educated and cogniscent than at any other time in history. Unlike the past, we are now prepared more than ever to think for ourselves and consider all sides of an issue. This gives us much more power in the face of our sociological influences to seek out a truth in any situation. I must admit that my personal religious identification is Catholicism., aka the most widely attacked religion. While being a devout Catholic, I am not blind enough to just accept everything I learned from my Catholic School education. What i do believe is that it is my duty to educate and challenge my beliefs as much as possible. Taking a class like Sociology is something which has certainly done that. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:07:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment137527102 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/m-s-story/#IDComment135945984 After reading his description of the crime, the biggest thing which struck me was the lack of conscience he showed throughout the entire ordeal. Crying after the murder occurred strikes me as a very typical reaction I think most people would have in that type of situation. However, the rest of the events do not rationally follow that action. The fact that this young man was able to continue functioning normally while not cooperating with police shows a strong distinction compared to how most members of society would act. The average human being has a conscience which says that murdering fellow man is wrong and in a situation like this it should scream loudly. I am not sure if this man would agree with me saying this, but I believe that at that time in his life prison may have been the best thing that could have happened to him. Despite that being said, that does not mean I believe he should be serving a life sentence without parole. My reason for saying that prison was a good thing for this man at the time is because he clearly was living a selfish, severely misdirected life at the time of this crime. No one will ever know if he could have gotten himself on track by his own power, but I will say this after reading his entry….prison seems to accomplished just that. He now thinks in a much more rational way and fully comprehends a lot more about life than he did on that terrible night. Stated quite simply, people in prison have a lot of time on their hands. More specifically, they have a lot of time to think and ponder life. I see this in an optimistic light as an opportunity. Very often what appears to happen is that all this thinking and pondering of life has positive outcomes. When we are able to eliminate all of the distractions and hinderances in our everyday life, we can discover a lot. We can really get to the marrow of life and find certain universal truths. The unfortunate thing for prisoners is that it takes being incarcerated to gain this insight. I believe situations like these should serve as a lesson to us all that sometimes we need to withdrawal from our everyday life and take some time in solitude to ponder things and evaluate the way we are living our lives. I realize that this man has said he does not want sympathy but what I will give him is respect. I respect the journey which has led him to where he now stands today. Big or small, everyone makes mistakes and faces adversity in their life. What matters most is the person you are in the present, because no one can ever change the past. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:47:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/m-s-story/#IDComment135945984 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/07/who-am-i/#IDComment134351004 This entry brings up the idea that while we are all so different, at our very depth we are very much the same. In terms of culture we are all brought up with a certain set of values, norms and expectations to meet life with. These elements evolve to shape the way we live our lives and the way we approach given situations. Regardless of the culture one grows up in, he or she is bound to develop a variety of prejudices. When one is actually able to delve deeper into things, however, you realize that at our very essence, the human being population is not all that different. As evidenced in this entry, we all share a common set of ideals. In general, we all seek to please other people, we seek to relate to others, and we seek to gain acceptance. Unfortunately, I think this is a lesson it takes most people a lifetime to learn. The only way to expediate this process is through education. Education expands the mind and allows us to view things in different ways and from multiple standpoints. The ability to overcome our difficulties is i believe what has made America so special. I still recall the one class when someone asked Dr. Richards "What do you think it means to be American", and he simply replied, "to possess the ability to overcome any obstacle". While i agree that in the long run this may ultimately be our downfall, I also thing this is what has lead to our success as a nation. As a melting pot of so many cultures we managed to harnesss the talents and ideas of all to develop the world power we live in today. This is a lesson which does not only apply to cultures but I believe can apply to individual people. When we discount other people from any conversation or group for any reason, we are only doing ourselves an injustice in the long run. The most beneficial thing each of us can ever do is to be accepting and willing to listen to the views of others. The truth to the long-run is that we all are not so different. We all seek the nearly the same things out of life and if everyone could acknowledge this, many of the world's problems could instantly be alleviated. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 03:24:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/07/who-am-i/#IDComment134351004 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/rethinking-education/#IDComment130727013 I thought this video was a real eye-opener in terms of how we perceive the modern education system. Throughout our lives we are always taught to seek out the one correct solution to a problem. I never really doubted this concept until watching this video. I was amazed that by being educated in this way, we are actually losing a large amount of our divergent thinking capabilities. I also thought that the concept of seeing people as "academic" or "non-academic" was interesting. I have always noticed that there are certain people who are undoubtedly brilliant in their own unique way, however when put in a school setting they performed terribly on tests. We often hear stories about these people who go on to become millionaires or do other great things. This largely has to do with the fact that they refused to conform themselves to modern education. One example of this is British millionaire Richard Branson. Branson dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to start his own magazine. This would ultimately become the first of many successful business ventures for Mr. Branson. His creative mind simply did not fit into the framework of tests in school. The general statement could almost be made that our school system is non-conducive to entrepeunurial spirit. The fact that Kindergarteners have so much higher divergent thinking abilities than older people is an immediate red flag. After watching this video, I am sort of tempted to go out and try to find ways to practice my divergent thinking abilities. Despite all the negative aspects of the modern school system, I still believe that it does many positive services. One, for example, is the concept of working very hard to become proficient and master a given topic. This is a lesson we learn over and over again through our education. While tests are often looked at as 'evil', the truth is that they are a necessary way for us to measure how proficient we are on a topic. I believe the ideal type of school would be one which maximizes group work and projects and encourages divergent thinking, but at the same time has high expectations and grades accordingly to results. Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:18:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/rethinking-education/#IDComment130727013 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/whats-the-sociological-message-here/#IDComment128873816 I thought this was a pretty funny video and definitely thought it was cool that the artist managed to lightly bring up some legitimate issues about romance where in a different setting such discussion would have been observed negatively and regarded the man as a mere 'cynic'. The essential essence of the song brings up the concept of this: Our lives are impacted by so many forces and influences outside of our control; do we really have the power to choose, decide, and find that one person who is our 'soul mate'? Or do we just find a random person who seems to meet the description of our expectations as closely as possible and then decide that they are the one? The artist of the song dabbles around the issue, half-joking that if it wasn't for his mate he would probably be able to find someone as good or equivalent. People see it as almost a personal 'burden' hanging over theme to seek out and find their chosen mate. The concept that this song brings up is that we won't be the ones freely making that decision. Exterior forces will decide for us just as much. So what are my personal beliefs about this idea? Well, my beliefs about this issue get away from sociology a bit and go along somewhat of a 'fate'-oriented perspective. I consider myself a very 'fate'-oriented person. I believe that while we all have the ability to make personal decisions in given situations and mold our own lives to a certain degree, overwhelmingly there is some type of plan laid out for us by a higher power. This is such that I have the optimistic belief that these exterior forces will ultimately align to pair us up with this person who is best for us. I realize this logic may seem a bit flawed at first glance. Why do divorces happen you might ask. Well I think that inefficient and bad relationships happen because of a lack of freedom people possess when choosing a mate. Often they are held back from finding the true qualities they seek in a perfect mate. While someone may truly think that the person they choose to be their 'soul mate' is someone they truly love, they are instead burdened by hidden or unhidden desires to find someone based on sexual appeal, status, money or other unsustainable traits. The only way to create a truly sustainable relationship is to try and free ourselves from these hinderances and seek out the things that really matter. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:23:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/whats-the-sociological-message-here/#IDComment128873816 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/09/4092/#IDComment127223243 Upon reading this entry, I could not help but be struck by how logical and normal this man sounds. Internally, he sounds no different in his emotions than I would be reflecting on past mistakes. While I have never made mistakes to this degree, I have certainly done things which have hurt people and I wish I could have taken back. Given plenty of time to think away from the outside world, this man seems to have arrived at an internal conscience no different than any other person in society. It is especially notable that he even has developed a strong faith in God. The nature of this man's internal composition despite being a lifer strongly backs up the notion that it is the external forces around us which largely put us in certain predispositions. Being a college aged person in it's own right creates certain strings which largely impact the way we act in every regard. While it may seem a bit ridiculous seeing that I have never met this person, I am confident that they are a good person. They were victim to many strings which put them in a bad decision, and ultimately figuratively "pulled the trigger". The decision to murder ultimately has to be placed on their shoulders, however there are obviously a large number of 'strings' which cornered them in this situation. Since this terrible incident, it is obvious that this man has become more free within. He has cut ties with many of the strings which previously imprisoned his mind, all the while in the setting of a physical prison. I sincerely believe that people like these should be teachers to all of us. They have been to "hell and back" and have a strong grasp on what it truly means to be free of the mind versus a "prisoner" to the societal strings which hold us back. The fact that so many of these Lifers seem to have completely transformed their lives brings up an interesting point. Should our criminal justice system be easier or more discretionary. It is hard to tell if it would even be possible or logical to change things. Despite this, I think the most important thing is the inner journey that these lifers go through to become truly free. I believe that if a prisoner has spent life in prison but has used it to better himself and become free, he has lived a more accomplished life than a man outside of prison who has spent his life a prisoner pulled every which way by all kinds of external forces. Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:09:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/09/4092/#IDComment127223243 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/the-other-side-of-life/#IDComment126042620 One of the biggest mistakes that we as human beings make on a daily basis is our tendency to form concrete judgments based on a person's background. We see an overweight person and we say "They should eat less". We see a homeless person begging for money and say "Why don't they get a job?". We see a 'lifer' in prison and assume them to be a heartless waste of life. What sociology teaches us is that there are some major external causes which lead to each of these situations. The concept that we cannot control everything that happens to us is a fact of life. The truth of the matter is that deep down, human beings are not all that different from one another. Every single one of us has flaws and every single one of us has talents. Additionally, we all grow in many ways throughout our lifetime. The mistakes we make in life ultimately should teach us lessons, and often times these lessons are ones which we may never have learned had we not made them in the first place. I believe that life as a whole is a journey and that what matters most is not our low points but the person we ultimately become. While the 'strings' of society ultimately place us with certain dispositions, ultimately the human conscience should be the strongest influence in our lives and lead us toward our personal potential. This man's obvious low point came at the ripe age of 15 years old. This is an extremely unfortunate thing because at 15 years old the average person has such a warped and incomplete view of the world. This man was never given the chance in the outside world to grow and personally develop. He made a grave mistake which he has paid for greatly. However, I believe that all he has accomplished within himself behind bars is equally accomplished to anything he could have done in the outside world. This past sentence may seem absurd at first glance but allow me to explain. Had this man lived in the outside world his whole live he would have had much more things and experienced a greater variety of experiences. Despite this, he would be stuck in the same personal battle we all face....figuring out the world and what is important in life. Many people in the outside world never find the answer, this man has found it behind bars. In the words of scripture, "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need not to repent". Sat, 5 Feb 2011 01:07:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/the-other-side-of-life/#IDComment126042620 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122913135 Freedom of the mind and freedom of the body possess somewhat of an inverse relationship in my opinion. A man who is free by worldly terms is often handicapped by schackles of the mind. When given the opportunity to experience all the pleasures and experiences the free world has to offer, these things often turn into constraints and, barriers in our minds. One example is the concept of money. In the normal world, wealth is something so sought after people will often do anything to attain more of it. It becomes the end goal to journeys. It becomes the "string" that limits the way we carry out our life. If money were not an issue in life, most people would act very differently. To a prisoner, however, money means very little. More money has little effect when you are in prison. As a result, a prisoner becomes free of this mental "string". All of this is not to say that we would all be better off living in prison. Perhaps it instead indicates that a "simple life" would be the best way for all of us to live, going along with the studies of Henry David Thoreau's time spent at Walden Pond. Living simply has the ability to get rid of all of the worldly things which handicap our minds. We are constantly inundated with sublime messages which cause us to act in certain ways. When comparing freedom of the mind and freedom of the body, I strongly believe that freedom of the mind is the more important of the two. Numerous statistics indicate that wealth is a strong predictor of suicide. That is, the richer people are the more likely they are to take their own lives. I believe this is because they have lost their mental freedom. Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:01:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122913135 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cs%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment122766317 Soc 001 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:07:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cs%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment122766317