en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3589992 Comments by Rondell Jordan http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-85/#IDComment231939463 More often than not we are told that as long as we work hard the sky is the limit in terms of how far we can progress socioeconomically. Nothing could be more far from the truth then this. We live in a country that would like us to buy into this American dream in order to ensure that we remain on the hamster wheel that continues to pump out money for those that are truly benefiting from the labor that us hamsters are putting out. The American dream is hardly ever more than that; it is just a dream. Or in the case of us hamsters it is more like the carrot that is constantly dangled in front of us as we run exhaustingly on our wheels. It is always within our grasps but never actually able to be obtained. And those on the top of the mountain would like it to remain that way. The most powerful thing that you can give or take from a person is hope. The American dream provides hope for the vast majority of people that will never amass the riches of the select few on the top of the mountain. The paradox of this is that the few of the mountain know this and do whatever they can to not only ensure that they stay on top of the mountain bur also to ensure that these people hold on to the fallacy laden American dream. For if theses hamsters were to ever stop running after that unobtainable carrot, those people at the top would fall of their mountains. The American dream is a fanatical fairy tale that is told to most Americans almost as early as we can understand money and that those who have more can do more. We are told our entire lives from movies, media, our friends, and family members that we can achieve anything that we want so long as we work hard for it. This system of disillusion has reinforced itself for long before any of us were ever even thought about. This system will continue long after we are all gone too. See the thing about the people at the top is that they do an amazing job at securing their positions. But hey I am just a small hamster in a cage waiting for my opportunity to grasp the unobtainable carrot. I feel that as long as these people at the top continue to wield hope in front of our noses without allowing us to obtain it they will continue to be the true profiteers of the American dream. Sat, 3 Dec 2011 02:25:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-85/#IDComment231939463 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/09/voices-from-the-classroom-69/#IDComment220510913 The struggles that lie ahead are both disturbing and discouraging. I pray every day for not only this generation but for the next one. This may sound a bit cliché but with the advent of social media has come much power and even greater responsibility. Sam and Laurie raised an interesting discussion last class. Just the previous night I had been having the same conversation with my girlfriend. I was a part of the twenty-percent that didn’t feel Joe Paterno had been treated unfairly. I do not consider Joe Paterno to be that much a part of my identity. This may be because I have never attended a single game during my entire collegiate career. Whatever the reason I still felt a great deal stronger for the true victims: the children. I do not believe that this incident in anyway should discredit any of the myriad of accomplishments that Joe Paterno achieved during his tenure at Penn State. However, I do believe that his actions or inactions rather were inexcusable. As a person who has come to be the face of our prestigious university and nothing short of a deity on our campus he bore much more of the burden and responsibility because of the enormous amount of power that we have all entrusted with him. I really believe that to feel that he was in anyway used as a “scapegoat” or that he was treated unfairly is tantamount to insanity. Firstly, he is not the victim in this entire scandal at all. His inaction revealed a flaw in the god that is Paterno. It revealed a chip in the crown of the man that we had come to call “King”. Granted there are many individuals that failed these children by downplaying and downright covering up these accusations, none held more power and pure ability to bring about a resolve than Paterno. The leads I to question an even greater threat to the well being of our children and us moving forward: us. How can we create a hierarchy and value system within our society that places the heroes of sports and competition above the marginalized and helpless? These children and their struggles have become almost a back story to travesty that is the firing of our beloved Joe Pa. I think that we as individuals moving forward should really began to question why we think and act in the way we do. I think Sam was on to something when he was referring to those so called “invisible strings” that affect both our acting and our thinking. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:02:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/09/voices-from-the-classroom-69/#IDComment220510913 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-57/#IDComment213225908 Giving the indigenous people back their stolen land would be the moral and ethical thing to do in a utopian world. Unfortunately, we do not reside on a utopian world. There are no living individuals in the United States for which we could try or prosecute for the horrendous offenses (not limited to land theft) that the European settlers committed. So it isn’t as if we can go after the people responsible for these original crimes. Although the crimes were unjust I believe that it would be just as unjust if we forced the ancestors of the offenders to bear the burden of the crimes. To propose that descendants be responsible for the actions of ancestors is ludicrous. This has often been the same argument that has been used by advocates of reparations for slavery. If we were to say decide to give all Native Americans back the land that we now refer to as the United States, how would we divvy it up? Who would be eligible for the land? Those who have any Native American ancestry? That means a white man with some distant native relative would be eligible to receive these lands. Even if we only limited the reparations to those that were one hundred percent Native American, how would we exactly transfer the land to these people whilst taking it away from millions of people who had nothing to do with the initial injustice? These are just a few of the myriad of irresolvable questions that we would face if we as a people entertained the idea of giving back land to the indigenous peoples. We all know that what was done and what is continued to be done to these people is horrible. But there is no feasible way that we could possibly begin to repair the damage done to these people. Much like there is no feasible way that America can pay back African Americans for the horrors of slavery. Affirmative action makes an attempt but still doesn’t even brush the surface. I believe that the only way that we can really begin to move towards some repair for these crimes is to help to redevelop the current socioeconomic systems that indigenous people currently are suffering from. The video that was showed earlier in class outlined some key issues. The people living on the reservation were unable to find work. Maybe by attempting to bring job opportunities to these people could be a start. I know that this may seem like a small thing but I am sure that the people living in these impoverished conditions would beg to differ. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:05:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-57/#IDComment213225908 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-52/#IDComment210783590 This is a very interesting question that my classmate has posed. I was actually just speaking with a friend of mine about this. In some ways I agree with this statement but in other ways I do not. I feel that a person’s deciding to express racism is determined by the type of person that they are not the race. Yes there are African Americans who are blatantly racist. Yes there are White people who exhibit latent racism. However, just as there are Africans Americans who are blatantly racist there are white people who are blatantly racist. And just as there are White people who exhibit latent racism there are African Americans who exhibit blatant racism. I feel that there are some White people who exhibit latent racism. I feel that some White people are more likely to do this because they know the history of racism and in some way understand how sensitive of a subject it can be for black people. However I feel that some white people almost can’t help but be slightly racist because of what they are taught or raised around. I believe that white people are sometimes hesitant to exhibit racism because they are afraid of the consequences of that behavior. No white person with a conscious or heart wants to be labeled as a racist because they know and understand how wrong and hurtful it can be to African American people and people of the races in general. I feel that African Americans are more likely to be blatantly racist only because at some point it was done to their ancestors. It is almost like they are trying to prove a point and help white people to understand the feeling of being the minority. African Americans are more likely to express their racist beliefs while white people will tiptoe around the feelings of black people. On the other hand there people who are not African American blatantly racist. Just as well there are White people who are more likely to be blatantly racist. I feel like again it has to do with a person’s background. If a person of a certain race is taught to be racist then they are more than likely to be openly racist. As an African American man I do not feel that is appropriate for people of any race to be openly racist. African Americans are not entitled to make white people feel inferior or badly about their race regardless of the history of racism. If anything I feel that we as African American should work to not have any person of any race have to deal with inequality as we had to. At the end of the day racism is wrong and we all were created equally. None of us are perfect therefore with every human being having flaws no one is inferior. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:37:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-52/#IDComment210783590 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment207618009 Black men are considered to be at the bottom of what it means to be masculine in this male centered world. We are slandered and typecast as lazy, dangerous, volatile, promiscuous, stupid, able to be easily manipulated, or as the “exception”. The “exception” is the black man who manages to somehow not fall into any of these characteristics traits that are apparently inherent in all black men. I will be the first to admit that there are actually black men like this. There are also white men like this; Asian men like this; Indian men like this; Hispanic men like this. I say this to say that being a black man has allowed me to be able to identify all of these ridiculous stereotypes and also develop a great sense of pride in working to prove each and every one of them false. Being black has not only shaped my world view but it is my world view. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:34:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment207618009 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment207617932 This statement may sound remedial but it is highly important to me for several reasons. From a biological standpoint, difference and more specifically variety is encouraged, cherished, and valued. In this regard, being born a white person would have granted me the privilege of being unique to the perceived “normal race”. The peoples of the world (especially white people) are undeniably attracted to black people. Whether that attraction is manifested as utter desire or utmost detest it is still attraction. I for one am very grateful and flattered by these infatuations. Being a black male more specifically has allowed for me to witness firsthand the prejudices that have been fueled by fear and misinformation. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:33:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment207617932 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment207617721 My race has not only shaped the way that I view the world but it has also defined the world that I am able to view. Being a black person in this world is inexplicably difficult. Being born black in a world where the people perceived as your inherent “opposite” are also the perceived as the inherent “dominant race” places an extreme burden on all people of color. Although being black has had its obvious disadvantages, it has also allowed me other intangible privileges. Firstly, being born a marginalized individual allows for me to see the world in a more realistic way. White people often walk around with an invisible veil over their eyes that doesn’t allow for them to see the inherent advantage that they have benefit from. Fortunately, I do not suffer from this horrible case of naivety. Also being black allows me to be different. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:33:25 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment207617721 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-40/#IDComment204569948 I recently had a pretty intense conversation with my girlfriend about this very same issue. I asked her “why do you wear provocative clothing that attracts men if you’re already in a relationship?” Her response was expected but I thought it was a very poor reason. She replied: “I wear sexy clothing because it makes me feel sexy.” For fear of escalating our conversation into an argument I refrained from probing her more as to why she felt what she wore defined how sexy she was. My girlfriend’s response reinforced what I already believed about people and what defined their sexuality. Earlier in the semester we had discussed beliefs about what led to the outcomes of individual’s lives. We distinguished that every individual’s life was influenced by one of two things: free will or determinism. I realized that my girlfriend’s decision to wear what she feels makes her “sexy” is not actually her own. Her decision, like every other individual, was based off a mix of free will and determinism and had been made for her many years before she was born. Clothing that women her age define as sexually appealing is defined by the men who manufacture, produce, develop, and promote this ideal “sexy” look. Men, fortunately, don’t have to bear this burden because we live in a male- centered world. This is the primary reason that men can essentially wear nearly whatever they want to wear and still be able to be considered attractive. This does not mean that men don’t adhere to these same predetermined decisions. Men to an extremely lesser extent can be sometimes forced into these same defined ideals. These situations are probably most prominently expressed when it comes to fashion trends. We all have at least one time or another succumbed to fashion trends. Determinism isn’t necessarily a negative thing. Fashion trends allow for people with differences to identify with one another based off of what they’re wearing. This can allow for people who, under normal circumstances would not have interacted with each other. I personally believe that whatever a woman “chooses” to wear to make herself feel sexy is alright by me so long as it is truly her decision. When it comes down to it, women will continue to adhere to all of the fantasies that the powerful decision making men decide to promote. She’ll probably kill me for saying this but, in the case of my girlfriend, I wanted to tell her that I think that she looks amazing in whatever she has on and equally as amazing in whatever she doesn’t have on. Sat, 8 Oct 2011 00:07:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-40/#IDComment204569948 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-26/#IDComment201548754 Where I feel that stereotypes cross the moral line is when they begin to infringe on the rights or opportunities of other people. This is when a stereotype becomes negative. This is the case when stereotypes are negatively activated in the form of lost job opportunities or in more extreme cases blatant discrimination because of preconceived beliefs about an individual. I feel that we as human beings are inherently good beings. Everyone is born with the ability to recognize difference. If we as a species mature to the point where although we notice difference, we fail to assign superficial rankings of better or lesser when it comes to other human beings. This maturation I speak of may only exist in a fantastic utopia. In conclusion, stereotypes provide people with life’s “easy button” in terms of learning about the other individuals in our world. Sat, 1 Oct 2011 01:14:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-26/#IDComment201548754 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-26/#IDComment201548718 . I have come to realize that they reason that I adhere to these obviously fallacious beliefs is because they allow me to not have to put much thought into other people. If I don’t interact with any of the many people that I see on a daily basis I can enjoy the comfort of not having to thoroughly investigate their differences or even get to know them for who they are. I can simply mentally write them off as being “just that Asian girl” or “just that white baby” and so on and so forth. It’s like another one of our brain’s autopilot functions. We don’t have to process or put much thought into who this new person actually is. I believe that this thought process (or lack of thought process) is a good thing in the sense that we don’t have to actually get to learn or know something about each individual person in the world to assess if they are a threat or non-hostile. Sat, 1 Oct 2011 01:13:56 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-26/#IDComment201548718 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-26/#IDComment201548634 Stereotypes have for too long been used as tools for people to both actively and passively oppress people. Stereotypes are impossibly to correctly make sense when it comes to people. Everyone is DIFFERENT! Therefore, there are no generalizations that can be made to accurately describe a group of people, especially when referring to a person’s race or ethnicity. Racial stereotyping, typecasting, pigeon-holing, or whatever you want to call it allows for other negative beliefs (most notably racism) to continue festering as a sore in the side of humanity’s rear end. I feel that most people don’t even know the origin of most stereotypes. They just continue to believe these erroneous beliefs because “that’s the way that it’s always been” or because that’s all they know. I will be the first to admit that I am guilty myself of falling victim to these fallacious beliefs. Sat, 1 Oct 2011 01:13:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-26/#IDComment201548634 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197762093 I really admire the efforts made by project Haiti to shed light on the forgotten peoples of Haiti. I believe that once people begin to recognize that these people are facing serious problems they will begin to realize that throwing money at these problems will not provide resolve. Finally, I feel that if nothing else these people will be immediately benefitted by this project just by knowing that there is a group of individuals thousands of miles away that are hearing their silent cries for help. I believe that that in itself is a great accomplishment. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:01:11 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197762093 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197762020 I believe that the international community all too often ignores the problems that the people of Haiti face. I find this very ironic seeing how these issues are not only isolated within Haiti’s borders. Here in America, the most common solution utilized to resolve any foreign problem is to provide financial aid. As almost any Penn State student could tell you, financial aid is never enough. As discussed in our previous lecture, the aid that the United States often commits abroad is never totally invested into the local economies of these nations. This aid then in turn acts as a band- aid for a problem that requires stiches. I really agree with what the most recent guest lecturer was saying about using causality to find viable solutions to problems. The problems that these individuals face are not merely associated with their outdated machinery. These problems are more deeply rooted into the fabric of the Haitian cultural, political, and economic structure. And it is precisely because of this that there is no “Magic Bullet” fix to these problems. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:00:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197762020 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197761902 I was both inspired and impressed after seeing these videos. I believe that the Haiti Project raises awareness to key issues that require immediate action. Issues that I am sure affect not only Haiti but most of the developing world. I believe that finding a more cost effective way for these business owners to produce their products would work miracles for them. In addition to lowering the costs of their raw materials I believe that providing them a trainer to assist in educating them in modernized manufacturing techniques and practices would be extremely beneficial to them. As they currently stand, I doubt that many of the manufacturers would be able to successfully market and sell their products in the United States. I really appreciate the fact that Sam does not shy away from properly critiquing and criticizing the craftsmanship of the lesser products. I believe that the project thoroughly promotes a prosperous atmosphere for the entrepreneurs. If these individuals were equipped with the proper resources they could move towards becoming more competitive within the global market. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:00:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197761902 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/15/voices-from-the-classroom-15/#IDComment196033280 I believe that our lives are shaped by a combination of free will and determinism. We are all born with certain physical traits that will act as both disadvantages and advantages that will ultimately affect our lives. These inherited traits are completely out of our control and will dictate and shape a huge portion of our lives. Traits including but not limited to: race, gender, height, physical strength, mental capacity, and even eye color will dictate how our lives pan out. In my case, being born a black male has allowed for my life to be shaped in a particular way that I would be unable to alter no matter how hard I tried. However, I do not believe that these predetermined traits completely shape our lives. I believe that people born into almost any condition have the ability to alter or shape their lives to their liking. In America the most commonly sold packaged good is the “American Dream”. From the time we are able to understand having something and no having it, we are told that if we work hard enough we can obtain anything that we desire. I believe that we can all agree that for the most part this is a fallacy. Most people in America that work hard for their entire lives will go on to never actually obtain everything that they desire. For instance, if a person is born into a low socioeconomic status then they probably will not have access to foods that are best suited for their learning and developmental stages as a baby. Also they probably will not have access to the best educational resources. This is turn may lead them to not be able to have the same working skills as their counterparts. Then this same individual may in turn not get a good job and thus the cycle of a being in a low socioeconomic status will perpetuate. This anecdote illustrates an all too common event that occurs as a result of determinism. On the other hand, this same individual could have chosen to study diligently in school and earned top honors. This in turn could have lead to them being accepted into a great college and in turn they could have landed themselves a lucrative employment opportunity. In that particular scenario a person’s free will could have allowed for them to overcome their inherited disadvantages. In conclusion, no person’s life is shaped entirely by their free will or entirely by determinism. I personally prefer to have a little more control over my life and abstain from allowing any of my inherited disadvantages to limit my life in any way. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:07:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/15/voices-from-the-classroom-15/#IDComment196033280 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-7/#IDComment194333033 The simplest answer to this question is that the word “Nigger” is a derogatory term that has been used throughout American history (by white people) to subject black people to harsh racism and bigotry. And to now allow that same group of people to use the word yet again under a false cloud of desensitization is a metaphorical slap in the face to all black people. One of the most common arguments utilized by white people as to why it should be acceptable for them to use the “N-word” is that they’re not using it in the same sense as their predecessors. I believe that this argument is a complete fallacy. To suggest that the term, which is considered the most offensive word for a white person to call an African- American, is in anyway “harmless” is ridiculous. The only reason that the usage of the term by anyone is up for debate is because the urban African-American community (most specifically the hip-hop culture) has managed to desensitize that word and literally change its meaning to come to represent a term of endearment. As the hip-hop culture’s popularity has skyrocketed, its lexicon has as well. Hip-Hop artists use the word loosely in their music which reaches millions of impressionable fans of all races. I feel that this is something that we as African Americans have to accept is just as inappropriate as white people wishing to desensitize the word “Nigger.” How can us as a race that claims to have progressed feel that is appropriate to address ourselves as the word that our ancestors were called and fought so hard to prove the negative stereotypes of the word wrong. To me this is ridiculous. As an African Americans we should be working to also lose the stereotypes of word “Nigger.” I feel that in someways us referring to ourselves as “Niggers” or “Niggas” is almost proving the white man right about our accusations of being ignorant and insubordinate. It is almost as if we are saying the white raise that “yes, you were correct about us.” If our ancestors were disgraced by and unwilling to be identified as “Niggers” then so should we. In the end we cannot be completely agree with white people referring to us as “Niggers” if we choose to refer to ourselves as such. In regards to white people using the term “Nigger” I feel that one must be mature and understand how this could be offensive if used in reference to African Americans because of the history and meaning of the word. I don’t believe that any white person would desire to be called a “cracker” or “white trash.” Thus in that same sense they should understand why African Americans are sensitive to them using the term. But in the same sense we as African American need to lead by example and if we refer to ourselves as “Niggers” then we cannot fully become angry with whites who are eager to do the same because we do. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:04:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-7/#IDComment194333033 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/why-does-the-one-drop-rule-work-only-one-way/#IDComment188852781 John I've often found myself puzzled at this weird paradox as well. Judging by mocha complexion, I think it's safe for me to assume that I have at least a minimal amount of Caucasian in my genes. But you will never hear anyone ever refer to me or any of my lighter skinned brethren as "White". This so called one drop rule has been used as yet another form of social control to maintain and reinforce the dominancy of the Caucasoid peoples. This issue has received probably even more national attention with the election of the nation's first "Black" president. As well all know, President Obama is just as much of a white man as he is black man, however, the vast majority of people tend to refer to him as the nation's first "black" president. They do not refer to him as the first half-white and half- black president, nor do they refer to him as the first interracial president. He is referred to as the "Black" president. Perhaps in the case of the President Obama the fact that he is of African ancestry is much more significant. I guess it could be argued that the fact that he is the partially black president of a nation that just is a few decades removed from not allowing blacks and whites to share the same classroom. With not even 150 years removed, this nation's tongue is still tinged with the bitterness of slavery. With this being said, maybe the one drop rule is more appropriate and applicable in the case of Obama. In this particular case, Obama qualifying as black per the one drop rule allows for his presidency to be all the more exceptional. As we all know, Obama’s presidency represents the immense progress that has been made since the end of the evils of segregation and slavery. I doubt that the one drop rule will ever be removed from the American ideology. But I do believe that it is possible to be removed. I also believe that we as individuals can hopefully further progress in order to ensure the extinction of the rule. As a society we should be able to progress to the point where we don’t refer to others as the “White doctor” or the “Black teacher” or the “Asian student”. A possible solution to eradicate these identifying demographic terms is to try to find other physical traits in an individual other than their race to identify them. Instead of referring to the president as the “Black president” maybe we as a society should try and focus more on the president’s huge ears which are often exaggerated in political cartoons. Maybe we should start calling him the “president with the enormous ears”. That’s just a suggestion. Fri, 2 Sep 2011 00:37:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/why-does-the-one-drop-rule-work-only-one-way/#IDComment188852781