en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2419372 Comments by Nibbles604 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/16/the-kill-team-tragedy-in-the-middle-east-001-blog/#IDComment145281901 This article was absolutely horrible. I can't believe that these human beings can be so sick. Its so sad that innocent civilians lost their lives to blood thirsty ass wholes who are trigger happy. I think that they shouldn't even be attacked if they're armed. I mean America comes to their country and kills their family members and friends, and expect these people not to fight back? This in my opinion is what we have to thank our government for, when you take young men and put them in the horrible position that our troops have been thrust into for three or four tours they only learn on thing, killing! As Horrific as this may seem they are not in thier right frame of mind. Men who would never harm a living thing at one point in thier lives are turned into monsters! The root of this problelm is the government. They are sent into these regions one person and come back a totally different human being. PTSD seems to effect a persons ability to think rationally, when you are thrust into a war and spend long periods of time with your head down and not knowing who to trust then you tend to start seeing everyone as a potential enemy! I in no way am excusing this type of behavior, let me make myself clear, I just feel that if we are to stop this kind of behavior in our military we have to start at the very top. This is one of the most heart wrenching stories I have ever read and my heart goes out to everyone this story has directly affected. This is not the way most Americans would act and it is not what we stand for! Not in America and we will not allow it to continue. Racist psychopaths. The pleasure they take in cruelty is the very definition of pure evil. I am physically sick from reading this, but we need to know the truth. Thank you, Rolling Stone, for your courage to show us what we don't want to look at--but really NEED to see. I am in total disgust!!! Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:19:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/16/the-kill-team-tragedy-in-the-middle-east-001-blog/#IDComment145281901 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/transgendered-complications/#IDComment143173131 I think it’s horrible that this man is going through all this trouble for a job that only pays $10/hr. It just goes to show how a small amount of money can affect someone’s entire life. He claims he is hurt by their response but he also says he needs the money. To be honest, I wouldn’t even bother going back because if he wins the case and is given his job back, they probably will make it mentally complicated for him to do his job when he returns. Close-minded individuals like so are so stuck in this traditional idea that there is only a man and women. In one of the assigned readings there was an article about the 5 sexes that exist but are not acknowledged. Prior to reading the article, I watched a show about intersexual people on The Tyra Banks show. The segment alone blew my mind but the actual stories were touching and helped me understand their life styles. This man probably went through a difficult mental process as he made his transition due to the fact that growing up we are all told that we a born with a permanent sex. Being intersexual proves that theory wrong. All in all I think that the employer was wrong because he judged the man on ‘who is doing the job’ rather than ‘how the job is getting done’, which is clearly discrimination. Many people need to really put themselves in his shoes and ask themselves how would they feel if that was them. The article said the employer was a female, so she needs to really think to herself… how would she feel if she was stripped of her position because she has a vagina? I’m sick and tired of discrimination period but sometimes that’s just how people need to identify one another. I have many gay friends, and one is intersexual. He first told me he was intersexual 4 weeks ago. I didn’t believe him but he showed me pictures of him when he was younger and pictures of him now. He used to be a girl but now he is a boy. He said growing up he was attracted to girls but his father wanted him to lean towards his feminine side. As soon as he turned 10 he transitioned and never looked back since. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:54:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/transgendered-complications/#IDComment143173131 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/women-and-war/#IDComment140626635 I am an individual who very seldom uses the word perfect but this woman’s talk was just that. She offered information that left me in shock and disgust. It bothers me when people discuss the amount of equality between men and women, and really think we (women) are “almost” on the same level. Although she was giving stats about the UN, I’m sure the US is not that far off, if not worse? Internationally, women have this motherly image, which for the most part is very accurate because for the most part they will be a mother one day if they aren’t already one. During the industrial revolution women were known as the “angel in the house”, because they offered a sense of comfort and ease to the household and I believe they still display these qualities today. Unfortunately, this is the very same reason women are excluded from the “frontline”. I’d never thought I’d grow up to learn that being kind hearted or caring would be a disadvantage. Hate and violence isn’t the only way to resolve most conflicts but this is the approach the frontline takes. The woman in this video spoke about a Palestinian woman who said “…During war, I feel like I die ten times and it’s not fair because there is only one life, so there should only be one death” This is the strongest statement I’ve ever heard. Although I haven’t witnessed a natural disaster or war up front I can only begin to imagine the impact it leaves on anyone who faces death as often as many third world countries do. Women are the go-to people for assurance of sanity during any time of trouble or disaster, but this doesn’t mean we cannot be utilized as the muscle as well, just as men can be that assurance. Knowledge is not limited for an individual sex, test scores do not judge you on your sex, so why aren’t women acknowledged for their intelligence and involved at the negotiation table? I want to believe that one day we will be equal but first we need to at least begin to make an increase on the scale of equality one percentage at a time. Thu, 7 Apr 2011 02:42:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/women-and-war/#IDComment140626635 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137609962 After reading this article it’s hard to say how rescue teams should react or plan ahead. In both scenarios no one could reek from the benefits. I believe natural disasters that call for relief define more than what it is. The world operates in this same manner. There is always a winner and a loser. Unfortunately, when natural disasters occur no one wants to be the one to lose their home, their loved ones, or even their own lives but its going to happen. If you make a public announcement everyone is going to flee to be sure they aren’t the ones that lose. In this society its always about me, me, me, rather than us, us, us. The case where the governor had a deal with a private company for the county to relieve the senior citizens and the hospital patients failed because the company thought about themselves when they made a deal with another county. Its really sad but we live in an unfair world. Money makes the world go round and the people that have the big bucks make all the calls. Sam brought up a great point about how our government is ran. People that helped government officials get into office through heavy donations expect these government officials to offer favors in their best interest. This is Legal bribery. Its so sad because this means the under dog, which makes up roughly 90% of the population. Although there is no way to completely get around this, I feel as though many people could possibly make their own decisions that would work around or even with the law ahead of time. In life you need to think about yourself, especially when the odds are always. You would think being in 90% would make you the majority but they are actually the minority. The 10% that donate their millions to campaigns make up the majority and so they have a greater voice in the decisions that run 100% of the population. Sounds morally wrong but it is theoretically correct. I wish things worked differently but unfortunately they don’t, and I think they won’t ever change especially in my lifetime. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:26:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137609962 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135413060 After watching this video I cant help but to think how ignorant human beings truly are. We use many words so loosely without even understanding the greater meaning or even the actual meaning of the word. All we know is that they are used as a derogatory term. The word retard, origins from the European world meaning late, or delay. Americans first seen this word when Italian immigrant children came to New York for schooling and were a year behind due to the language barrier. They were all considered retarded. As time went on people began to use it to define someone who doesn’t catch on as quickly as others. However, it is also used in the medical word as a form a diagnosis. Mental retardation, is someone who’s brain has delayed responses in comparison to the average individual. With all that being said, you have to ask yourself is it wrong? YES. Although there was a group formed to help put a stop to this ignorance, I don’t think its ever going to stop because many people just don’t see how it affects those individuals who feel insulted. Take the N-word, so many black people refer to each other as the N-word, but if an Asian or white person were to say it they are wrong. I’m black and I don’t believe anyone should say it because it was once an insult. The middle finger is an offensive gesture, but what does it really mean? The French and English used to cut off the middle fingers of the archers during time of battle and would shout to each other ‘pluck you’ as an insult because they wouldn’t have a finger to pluck the arrow. Almost every form of insult that is used daily can be traced back into history but people remain ignorant or uneducated because its commonly used by everyone. It’s extremely sad that it happens but we live in a world where our actions and judgments are formed by how others will react and judge us. So if the crowd thinks it’s right, it’s right… but it’s not correct. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:47:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment135413060 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment131966298 I used to be a very active individual, playing sports and such. I joined cheerleading, played soccer and basketball during the fall season. During the spring season I was involved in track and softball. I never knew how much being involved prevented me from being affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) until I became inactive. In high school, I had broken my nose in the middle of the basketball season. My mother thought it would be a good idea that I didn’t attend the practices because my passion would lead me to participate, although I was prohibited to. I spent my days in front of the television, using all of my minutes on my cell phone, eating and sleeping. I gained so much weight that year. My mother just thought I was purposely being lazy because I was a teenager in high school with nothing to do. Little did she know, I was suffering from SAD. The symptoms are difficulty waking up in the morning, morning sickness, tendency to oversleep as well as to overeat, a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating on completing tasks, and withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities. I know many people that fit the descriptions of the symptoms, but then again some of these same people act like so all year long. Sociologically speaking, I feel like the strings attack inner city kids more than suburban kids in the US, because we are less socially involved rather more technologically connected. With that being said, I know I would go insane if I lived Helsinki, Finland. The things they have to do, such as set up artificial lights in cafes and decorative lights around the city, wouldn’t be enough for me. It’s nice, but it’s not the real thing. Most of them have adapted to this type of setting because they have no choice, so they may just travel outside of the country for a week once a year or play sports and become active to a point where it may not even bother them. When you become adapted to a certain routine, you tend not to notice the little things that may affect you, whether it is positive or negative. That’s sociology. Wed, 2 Mar 2011 23:45:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment131966298 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130342824 After reading this article and hearing the lecture that touched on this topic, I’m still in shock and I’m sure many other people are stunned at the risk results as well. All my life I was taught not to talk to strangers as were my parents and their parents, they came out perfectly fine but it makes me wonder, if they had spoken to a stranger their lives could have possibly been different… better. Of course people would rather play it safe and tell their kids to take precautions after seeing this video, hell I would too, at least until the psycho is captured. On another note, I know as a child I was very talkative and would speak to every stranger that made eye contact with me. My mother taught me that if you show fear, you’re asking for trouble. However, she also said giving a smile and a simple hello could brighten someone’s day, so if the eye contact is there, I have the green light. If a child is lost, it would make sense that they ask the first person for help because if they are truly lost then they will eventually need to ask for help, why delay the time and cause panic and anxiety to build? In the lecture, Sam pointed out some great scenarios if the child did wait for someone who looked more helpful. While searching for their saint, the child may stray further away from where their caregiver may actually be, get hit by a car, fall in a pot hole, and even give an on looking kidnapper time to make a move. I think people only feel this way because the news just fill our minds with negative thoughts. If you were to actually sit down and count the amount of positive versus negative segments, the negative segments are in the lead by about ten. The news intimidates everyone to the point where no one is able to appreciate the great things and opportunities because they are too busy trying to prevent the negative things. As a child and even an adult you make friends by acknowledging a stranger, but I’m sure you passed up a few friendships because of your distorted judgment. Sure, you can live life in fear… but you really wouldn’t be living. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:14:22 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130342824 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/whats-the-sociological-message-here/#IDComment128965177 This video is hilarious. Me and my friends actually had a discussion about this. I know that I’ve been in more than one relationship and each time I was in one, HE was “the one.” As soon as the next guy came along I thought I found one of a kind once again. How can you find “the one”, if there are so many options and you don‘t even know your type? The man in the video makes a great point by saying that everyone understands that no one is perfect and love is about growing together, so finding the one is simply an exaggeration. We are all suckers to the routine ways of society. We do have the freedom to settle and build an amount of satisfaction with someone, but you can do that with typically anyone. Its all a matter on who is willing to take that chance at the same moment you are. This doesn’t mean you find someone else along the way that will be as compatible if not more, but then again that’s what divorce is for. All your life you are told so many things about romance and love, and you formulate thoughts. You would think that your thoughts are, what they are…yours, but they are not. Your thoughts are structured by your sociology. We only want to fall in love because everyone else is in love. I believe it is possible to fall in love but the definition is so vague that you can’t help but question it. Take Valentine’s day for instance. Why does it take one day a year for lovers to show appreciation for their love. Does everyone in the world see February 14 as a true act of love or a conditioned act of society. I am a strong believer in love and relationships, but I also believe that with time you will find someone who is your type but it doesn’t mean that they are necessarily the only one who could have satisfied your needs. My mother always told me that there are plenty fish in the sea and I believe that statement goes along with what I said. There are many other things in the sea such as seaweed, and rocks but the fish are your type, its ultimately up to you to choose one. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:30:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/13/whats-the-sociological-message-here/#IDComment128965177 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127454891 Looking over the numbers its pretty sad to think that everyone is so scared. The media puts fear in the eyes of Americans when it comes to other countries. Yes, they have bombings and people get shot, but so do we. I think America is worse because we sit down and watch the news and read the paper about how Egypt’s government is failing the people but last time I checked our government isn’t so perfect neither. Needless to say, I have an idea of who I am and what I want. I’m someone who thinks for myself and wants to travel, but all of that is ultimately determined by my sociology. (3/3) Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:09:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127454891 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127454793 This idea can easily be traced back to the elevator blog. We often trust the word of another before our own word. Why can’t we think for ourselves? I personally have an interest in traveling because my parents are from Eritrea, located in east Africa, and I would love to experience the lifestyle they had growing up. At home we embrace our culture and traditions but I know it’s not the same. I speak the native language with my parents but I know my pronunciations aren’t perfected because I was raised in America. If I could I would study abroad but before I make any decisions like so, I need to declare a major first. America has this work, work, work mentality that fit’s the ideal lifestyle and because I am an American, I think like this. I want the opportunity to educate myself with the knowledge of other great minds around the world. Sometimes knowledge can not be gained through text books and manuals but rather self experience. (2/3) Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:09:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127454793 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127454743 I just think as a whole Americans are so ignorant. We are indeed too comfortable with our own environment and too easily convinced by everyone else. I don’t think being too comfortable is such a bad thing sometimes. The diversity this country maintains gives us an idea of how the different cultures operate. Although the Chinatowns planted across this country can’t compare to Beijing, they do enlighten us. However, the option of travel should still be considered. It seems as if we have lost the value of self thought. (1/3) Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:08:42 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment127454743 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment125476934 I watched the video about three times because I just found it amazing how weak we are and it was also funny. I noticed that age plays a role on the individuals’ reaction. The older man was more hesitant and took his time making the transition. On the other hand, the younger man mad the transitions almost right away, he even went as far as adjusting his hat when the other men in the elevator did so. Younger people are more prone to play follow the leader whereas older people are not, because they are adults and have their own mind, right? Completely false! Adults are just as bad because they need to have the newest cars and the thinnest flat screens, not for themselves but for show. It’s sad because we can try to fight this feeling of wanting to be accepted but it’s almost part of our natural instinct to compare and compete. Our sociology makes is followers and victims of this horrible cycle, but there is nothing we can do. It’s life, and it clearly sucks. (2/2) Wed, 2 Feb 2011 18:13:56 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment125476934 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment125476882 I think this video is beyond hilarious. We shamefully live in this ‘monkey see, monkey do’ society. People only react this way because they do not want to feel left out or seem uninformed or uneducated to others. I’m so certain that everyone commits the crime of conformity everyday! It’s just worse in America. The American dream consist of a uniform lifestyle, which of course can not be mastered but everyone still attempts to fulfill this dream. After high school, it is ideal for everyone to go to some type of institution of higher learning in hopes of earning a degree which would satisfy their choice of a career, but that would only happen in a perfect world. A friend of mine once said, “There is a million ways to make a million dollars, but not everyone will make a million dollars because their stuck on one path.” Although I’m in college and intend on fulfilling this dream, I know plenty people will drop out and discover that college isn’t for them. Unfortunately, most of these people will suffer from some type of depression because they won’t know what to do with their lives since they can not fulfill the dream. (1/2) Wed, 2 Feb 2011 18:13:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment125476882 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/23/how-free-are-these-90-students/#IDComment124171907 In other words, cheating is successful when you don’t get caught and receive good grades. This can also translate to say cheating is necessary in order to compare to the other 49% that believe cheating is morally incorrect or fear getting caught. This just goes to show how ‘what your peers think of you’ is very relevant. Having unprotected sex and being pregnant used to be such a bad thing, but now it’s easily accepted. It’s like a system. As long as you don’t get caught or receive good feedback you’re good to go. How effective will installing these parent prevention programs be if you have students that are already pregnant or parents prove that they have so much support. It’s a good thing that they are receiving support but almost as if the other 89% of the school that aren’t parents have nothing to fear. Being a parent doesn’t seem so hard if they are receiving more support than a child who is struggling with their grades. Teen pregnancy became acceptable when Federal laws were made to “help” and when producers created MTVs: 16 & PREGNANT. In the same moment it became acceptable it also became inevitable by the power of the strings. Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:01:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/23/how-free-are-these-90-students/#IDComment124171907 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/23/how-free-are-these-90-students/#IDComment124171839 This is what I believe sociology is all about. The student population of the school is about 800, and 90 of them are pregnant or had given birth in the past year. So how did they become pregnant? I believe it is completely in their control to have sex, but it’s a matter of practicing safe sex that is the issue. How many people reported the using a condom or being on birth control?__ ___I lot of girls are under the influence of their peers, especially in high school. When it comes to sex and school, everyone goes under the popular routine of ‘Monkey see monkey do’. Let’s take cheating for instance, many students create a system. After you master the do’s and do not’s, you’re all set… right? ____According to surveys in U.S. News and World Report: ___“95% of cheating high school students said that they had not been detected.”___“Almost 85% of college students said cheating was necessary to get ahead.”___“51% of high school students did not believe cheating was wrong." Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:01:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/23/how-free-are-these-90-students/#IDComment124171839 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cg%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment123522434 Soc 001 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:46:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cg%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment123522434 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/blog-1-freedom-and-toddlers-in-tiaras/#IDComment122628284 As a human being we are all led to believe we have the free will to make our own decisions and judgment, but in fact we do not. The teens or young adults that participate in these pageants are all victims of society, as we all are. The same reason they prance around stage with “pancake faces” (makeup piled on as thick as a pancake), is the same reason teens and young adult girls, can’t leave the house without eyeliner and mascara applied; attention. The only thing that may vary is the direction of the attention. These little girls participate in these shows because their mothers convince them that it would be fun and beneficially by bribing them; say with a new puppy or a new Barbie. If successful their parents are hooked to the attention because now they are ‘the mother of the prettiest baby’ and the awards; fame and fortune. The child wants to continue because they also enjoy the crowd but the effort and time the mother spends on pampering and training their child increases. If they are not fortunate enough to win, both the child and mother are now hungry for success, power and attention. In my opinion, everyone has the right to say who they think is beautiful because it is their own perspective. However, I don’t believe everyone has the right to say an individual is unattractive or ugly, because if you take away the makeup, pushup bras, and spray on tans you have a less attractive female. Society puts celebrities on a petal stool because they are beautiful and talented individuals. After a month of entering the lime light the media attack these once “beautiful” people and criticize them from head to toe. Celebrities spend thousands on cosmetic surgery to maintain their beauty and become victims as well. So, are they really beautiful or are they just beautifully fake? Although I believe it is wrong, these mothers are only trying to keep up with the rest of the social world. These babies have the rest of their lives to worry about makeup and marriage, why flood their minds now? It’s a natural reaction because it is everywhere. Adult clothing stores now have children sections and catalogs, with items a thirty year old woman should be wearing. It’s wrong but it’s our world. Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:15:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/blog-1-freedom-and-toddlers-in-tiaras/#IDComment122628284