en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3546146 Comments by RandomThoughtss http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-83/#IDComment231198972 Honestly, I'm not really sure if my view on war changed. I think it’s mostly because war hasn’t been a subject I think or talk much about. As bad as that sounds, it’s just something that doesn’t affect me directly so I don’t show as much attention to it as I probably should. Sam’s lecture actually did give me something to think about. Initially I had no real interest in the conversation, but after noticing Sam’s enthusiasm, I figured this was something I needed to pay attention to. If everything Sam said in lecture was true, the U.S is more fucked up than I ever imagined. This whole time I’ve been thinking the war was solely based on the terrorists’ attacks on the U.S, but now I’m hearing something else. It’s just eye opening. The fact that we all as U.S citizens are so noticeably judgmental and selfish is mind blowing, especially since it was never so noticeable until someone else had to bring it to my attention. Things like that just make me feel bad because the way I criticize others, they can be criticizing me just the same. I must admit though, now that I’m viewing all these things and learning to take them in in a different light, I realize why I may have become a part of the selfishness and judgmental acts of the rest of the U.S citizens. Media doesn’t help the portrayals we harbor. In fact, the media enhances them if anything else. It’s pretty much a huge cycle of falsified and close-minded information going around. I don’t feel as guilty as others may feel for even having the thoughts and attitudes that I do because ultimately, no matter how much one says they have full control over their mind, there are too many outside factors that actually influence our thoughts. Just watching one news program can make us see things in a whole different light, and who are we to go against what we see when we automatically assume the news people won’t steer us wrong? And what if we do become more wary of what we see on the television? That just means our negative thoughts will spread to our own people rather than to just the people we are currently at war with. I do feel bad, however, that so many innocent people have to suffer the selfishness of the U.S. I just think of it as, what if the tables were turned and this was us? Who knows? There is still possibility that one day the tables can turn. These are the thoughts brought about after this class. It makes me more wary about the war, and hopefully it’ll soon come to an end. Thu, 1 Dec 2011 18:32:27 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-83/#IDComment231198972 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223643933 What have I learned? I think the better question would be what haven't I learned from this whole "scandal." First and foremost, I've learned that no matter who you are as an individual, people will always classify you as the group or organization you are associated with. People are so close minded these days, and they believe everything they think is what is, with no room for outside opinion. Because of that, I've also learned that this whole situation will in fact never be forgotten, although many people felt as though by now it wouldn't still be so talked about. There are going to be plenty of people in the future who still use this whole thing against the students and faculty who come from Penn State. I've come to learn though, that there are better ways to speak out and defend ourselves besides rioting and damaging property. I see that instead of dwelling on what has already become of our university, we need to work on rebuilding our name on different grounds and focusing on other aspects of what make our university great. Sometimes it's not repairing what's broken that makes a difference, but just knocking everything down and starting from scratch. After everything that has taken place here, it's so clear that all we can do now is start over from the beginning with a brand new attitude. I think the most important lesson I've learned is that even the most prestigious people make the most stupidest mistakes. There's no say that the better your reputation is, the less people will hate you. I come to find that it is actually the complete opposite. There is so much focus on only one individual that this lesson I've picked up is one I think everyone should have picked up on as well. It just angers and saddens me all at the same time that there are so many people who will remain uneducated about this situation, and in turn will be completely ignorant to the facts. This is where the cycle of nasty comments and rioting behavior began. We all as Penn State students have to learn to see above all the ignorance. I think that's a lesson we're all still in the process of learning. There are plenty of lessons to be learned behind this, but the ones that stand out are the ones that protect what is left of our good name, and the ones in which educate us about what really took place here and what is actually important and what’s not. I think that’s the biggest problem. Too many people aren’t realizing what is actually going on here at this university, and that is what needs to be learned. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:16:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223643933 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220590580 I think it's just devastating at how people are going to view me being as though I am a Penn State student because of the negative events that have gone on these last few days. I can't even entirely blame the outside parties for their speculations of our rowdiness since there were countless individuals who took it upon themselves to participate in a riot. The behavior that night definitely constitutes outsiders to view us as "crazy" or "out of control." The sad part about that though is that it couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, there were students who did things that were inexcusable, but there was anger and revenge in the hearts of those students and that's pretty much what drove them to engage in those activities. By any means, I'm not trying to justify what took place, It just saddens me that the act of a few will forever tarnish the name of so many other students who actually had nothing to do with the riot in the first place. What's even worth is it isn't even the current students who go here that will be affected, but also any future student as well. This event has changed Penn State forever, and although there is nothing anyone can do about it, I feel as though punishing all students isn't an action that needs to take place. Current Penn State students' futures are now at stake. We have to be cautious of who feels strongly about the events that have taken place here because those same individuals may be our future employers. It may seem wrong or unlikely that anybody will be less qualified for a job after all this, but you'd be surprised at the way everyone gets associated with the actions of one individual. What Penn State has always been known and loved for, is now being used against us. Our unity, integrity and pride for our school is now being tarnished in a way to say that we support wild, crazy behavior, and that we support the criminal who was previously employed here. It seems as though now the media is saying we in deed are supporting the negative actions that have taken place here because of how we love to stick together. In fact we remain strong and supporting of the school because the students are not who were wrong. Instead of judging us for our actions, everyone needs to understand WHY the actions took place in the first place. Like I previously said, I won’t ever condone the riot that took place a few nights ago. I think the riot itself is the only event that took place that should make people look at us negatively. Other than that, everything is just unacceptable Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:52:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220590580 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216381149 This is kind of a complex question, only because no matter how I answer it, I could be leaving something out. And if I don't leave anything out, I'll be considered a hypocrite, but whatever I'm gonna answer it. If someone were to speak another language around me, I think my first response is to definitely feel uncomfortable. It's not because of any racist thoughts or anything like that, but it's just that feeling of being an outsider. I like to relate to the people I'm surrounded with if it comes to a point where we are around each other for longer than casually standing next to each other on a bus or another public area. Them speaking another language just makes me feel like even if I tried to become close to them, it may never happen as thoroughly as I want because who's to say they'll even understand everything I say to them? I use a lot of slang and different phrases that usually one would have to have english as their first language to understand. I only say this because I think of the conversations I have with my friends. I think another reason for the uncomfortable feeling is the insecurity involved. Someone speaking another language around me sometimes makes me think I'm being talked about. I can't tell them "hey stop speaking your language" but I definitely want to sometimes. I remember getting my nails done and thinking the korean lady who was doing them was talking about my nails and fingers to her coworker. I probably was totally wrong, but that's just a feeling I get. It would just be much easier if they spoke english. I know this is so hypocritical though. Like I said, I use a lot of slang and not everyone understands what I'm talking about, but I don't want them to assume anything negative about it for that reason. I kind of think there's a difference, but not really all that big, which is why I get pulled in two different directions when trying to answer this question. Of course I would like to say I have no problem at all with people speaking other languages around me, but there is that part of me that can't agree. At least when I use my slang, there are words that people understand and can determine if there is any negative connotation along with it, but in the case of another language, you have no idea. You can look at facial expressions, but how creepy is that to stare so intently at someone who isn’t even talking to you? I don’t know. Overall, I feel uncomfortable because the language just isn’t something I’m used to. Thu, 3 Nov 2011 17:32:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216381149 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-58/#IDComment213573331 If it is true that white people will become the minority, I definitely think that would be an interesting sight to see. There are a lot of reasons I believe this, and it is more than a racist standpoint, as many people would probably only think of hearing that statement coming from someone black. One reason is that it is just a different experience that I would like to be around to see. As a child until now I was so used to white people being the ones getting the most opportunities and being given so many different options when it came to being influential leaders in the world. Most television shows and other media always portrayed whites as the ones on top, while the minorities just lagged behind. It would be nice to see a shift, giving everyone a chance to feel that importance. Also, I would love to see how white people would react to becoming a minority. I would love to see how their attitudes change knowing they aren't at the top as they have been. I believe that the reason many white people are as comfortable as they are is because they feel as though since the media and world portrays them as those who are on top, then that is the role they have to play. In other words, it's not that white people are actually on top. The media made this stereotype so it's now believed worldwide. Once that stereotype has died and white people become the minority, I just want to see how they will began to act. I know there will be people who go overboard and make a huge deal of everything, but me personally just loves to see change. I also would like to see if things change in the workplace. I don't think much will change in terms of white people being able to work wherever they want, but I wouldn't be able to say if more or less white people will be working in certain job fields. I wonder if white people becoming the minority will cause people to look at them as less beneficial, the way many people see minorities now. I guess that's all I really am interested in. I really would like to see if minority even will mean the same thing once white people become it. Like, will it change it's whole definition and actually not be much different than the majority the way it is so different now. Now that I think about it, I can actually see that happen. However, now that raises more thoughts for me. I wonder what the new majority will feel seeing the white minority not playing their new "role." I just can't wait to see the outcome. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:36:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-58/#IDComment213573331 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-42/#IDComment209743150 I honestly can't even say why we use race groups even though they aren't necessary, because I actually believe they are. Although some may say using race groups is another way of being racist, I think it’s something other than that. Using race groups don’t always have to be used in negative ways. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be classified differently than others around you. I know equality is the mission, but being looked at the same and being treated the same are two different things. I actually believe if people can acknowledge that everyone is different and still treat them all the same, that is a much bigger step toward equality than just being fair because the next person looks like you. I, personally, use race groups all the time, all though I’m sure I’m incorrectly using them sometimes. I can even admit that I don’t always use them in the nicest ways, but I’m sure there are many people who can agree with that. There were times that I used race groups to make negative jokes, or I just wanted to set myself aside from a group who may have done something wrong in order to not be classified as someone like them. We all know that is true. The stereotypes we learn about different races never ends with just one person, neighborhood, or city. It’s like, if the black men in Philadelphia are dangerous, all other black men in the world are classified as the same. I think this is one of the less negative reasons why race groups are used. Who wants to be seen as the same as the next person, when the next person is always viewed negatively. This causes a need for one’s own identity, whether it’s as a specific race or more specific than that. Another thing is people like to feel inferior to others. While this may seem unfair, I believe it’s just a natural reaction and want of everybody in the world. Whether its blacks saying they are better than whites for a specific reason, or vice versa, the fact that they use these race groups makes their arguments stronger, whatever their argument might be. If there were no use of race groups, how would that argument stand? If everyone were looked at the same, how could anyone help themselves believe they are more than what society says of them? I know it may seem like that’s the point right there, that no one should believe they are better than the next person, but sometimes it really is necessary. Even within race groups, people want to be looked at better than the next person. I see nothing wrong with that. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:24:14 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-42/#IDComment209743150 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment207022863 This was probably the most interesting article I've read all semester. The reason being is because happiness is such a complex idea, and it causes a lot of questions to be asked, but nobody has yet to be able to define it in a way that everybody agrees on. I, myself, am always wondering what it takes to be happy. I've been struggling with that since I was about 17 years old. Everybody has those times in their lives where they feel like nothing is fulfilling and they can't seem to understand why. This is especially hard for the most achieved individuals, because on the outside looking in, anyone would assume that the richest and most talented person will be happiest. The part of the article "Money can buy happiness...sort of" definitely stood out to me. I always figured money wouldn't be the only thing that makes someone happy. My idea is that people bring out other people's happiness because of the relationships and bonds they form. Actually, that point was made in the article. Instead of people being so focused on "happiness," they should focus on the relationships they have with others. The part of the article that stood out the most for me was about freedom of choices not always being a source of happiness. I was just saying this to somebody earlier who told me they would kill to be in my shoes because of all my opportunities. All I could say back was that its not as great as it seems. After I said that though, I started thinking about why that might be. I mean, anybody would argue that when faced with a lot of great opportunities, one should feel proud of oneself, and in turn, be happy. That sounds all well in good, but actually its not that simple. As said in the article, that anxiety is damaging, wondering which opportunity is actually the best one, and hoping that in the wrong run you haven't made the wrong choice. It causes more stress than anything else. Of course, ideally, everyone wants the opportunity to make choices based on their personal preference instead of just what is right in front of them; but what needs to be remembered is that too much of a good thing can easily turn bad. I'm really happy I decided to read this article. The idea of happiness and how you achieve it has been a debate constantly going on in my head for a few years now. I have yet to really research it, but I always keep my eyes open for things I can read that either boost one of my ideas more than the other, or even change my perspective altogether. In the case of this article, it just reaffirmed my ideas, which I can always appreciate. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:51:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment207022863 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-38/#IDComment204103427 I automatically looked at this question as something really interesting to discuss, but it actually took me a while to consider what I thought the answer would be to this question. After thinking about it though, I came to the idea that the black community would actually be more accepting than the white. As I was thinking aloud about this, my friend asked me why do I believe that, and she immediately disagreed, but I have many reasons for my beliefs. First I started considering all the gay friends that I have, and whether or not they were out to their families. In fact, everyone that I'm close with that is gay told their families and although they were taken aback, they were accepting. My first year of college I remember my roommate told me out of her 10 closest friends, she believed at least 6 were gay, but would never openly admit it. When I asked her why, she said "because their families wouldn't want to deal with that." That really surprised me only because I assumed that that wouldn't be the case at all, especially since I don't personally know anybody whose family said they wouldn't deal with their sexuality. I feel like the explanation to this is because whites feel superior, and homosexuality is considered being the minority, so why would any white person accept or succumb to that? It's like they strive so hard to be the best in everything, so why be a part of something that seems to be associated with "bad" vibes? With blacks, I believe it's a different story. We already have so much to prove within ourselves, being such an overly stereotyped race, that it seems menial to really put much focus on sexuality than people as a whole. Personality and socioeconomic status seems much more important in the black community than anything else. I guess I have a bias standpoint because of where I was raised, but even asking my roommate that question and hearing her response pretty much rectified my opinion. She's from somewhere completely opposite than myself, and it shows. Where I'm from there are more and more gay people coming out than you would normally see, but they are all treated fairly equal, whatever you define as equal where I'm from. Although there may be the occasional name calling, it's just as likely as a straight person to be equally bullied. The problems I see most frequently in the black community is respect or lack of it, whether its coming from someone gay or straight. I see no difference at all, even in households. I even have a handful of friends who told me they actually became closer to their parents as a result of them coming out. I just wonder how many white people could say that. Thu, 6 Oct 2011 22:59:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-38/#IDComment204103427 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197654946 I looked at 3 entrepreneurs and I was amazed. Just thinking of how average people can achieve and create such great things is what makes me amazed. Not too many people are able to meet or even speak to the people who design their clothes, but here I am so close to meeting numerous people who design clothing and more. I feel like this whole organization and project is a great idea. It's basically helping people who are helping other people, and I can't think of something better to use my time with. Plus, this is something I've never experienced, so this would be something new to try. What really gets to me be so engaged is the success that these people have already gained. I look at it like, if they did all this already, imagine what they can do when they have extra help. Me being a part of this project will give me the satisfaction that I help something great become greater. Also, I just love that these people are using their talents for something positive, instead of letting it go to waste. It's so many people who have amazing talents but let them go to waste because of their surroundings or lack of resources. It seems as though these entrepreneurs didn't let much stop them. Motivation just makes someone much more pleasurable in insisting, in my opinion. However, I'm definitely gonna need more clarification on what we're supposed to be doing in the project exactly, but from my general understanding, and from everything I've read, I'm pretty much positive that this is something I'm extremely interested in. For all I know, this may inspire me to do a project along these lines. I know it definitely gives me a drive to complete things I really enjoy and believe in, even if I don't have everything I need to succeed to the fullest extent right away. Everything great comes with time, patience, and perseverance, and I think that's exactly what this project is trying to show. I think it's also an experience to talk and work with different types of people than we do on a day to day basis. We can find out about other cultures and the way they operate. I'm hoping to get a more inside look of how the clothing and sandals and hair products are created. That would be really cool to see. With my major being public relations, this is the perfect type of project that I can always mention as something I did in relation to becoming more involved in public affairs or something along that line. I'm not really sure of what it's called, but I know this would definitely be something great to mention with what I'm studying. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:29:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197654946 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-7/#IDComment193943119 I'm so happy this became a topic on the blog because this is a question so frequently asked, and it seems as though it's never fully answered. It's a lot of reasons for why white people can't use the word "nigger", but the most important reason is because it just isn't something meant for them to say. Okay, that may sound wrong, but let me explain. The word "nigger" was originally created as an extremely disrespectful term directed towards blacks in an effort to openly display the amount of hate whites had for them. Yes, times have changed, but that doesn't change the fact that the word has the origins that it does. Although slavery is no more, there are still plenty of racists white people in the world who still consider blacks as "niggers", and for that reason, if certain white people shouldn't say it out of respect, none should. I feel like that's just something that everyone should know and not refute. And yeah, okay, white people always bring up that excuse that black people call other black people niggas, but that's a huge difference. Blacks won't take offense to it when called by another black the way they would if a white person called them that. Even if blacks have close white friends, its that barrier that shouldn't be broken. I'm pretty sure if blacks called white "crackers", there would be some issues raised. Even if there is a close friendship, those words coming from an opposite race can constitute a little hate behind it, even if its a subconscious feeling. Another thought of mine, which many people might not agree with, is that for the most part white people enjoy being white. They enjoy their lifestyles, their opportunities, and their overall power over other races. I'm pretty sure many people can agree to that. With that being said, I don't see why white people would even want to use the word "nigger." The word itself has become a bonding mechanism between blacks in their community, a way to express themselves comfortably and freely without worrying about outsiders judging them or trying to conform to them, in my opinion. If whites are so comfortable in their skin color and love their lifestyle, why are they trying to say the things that make blacks become comfortable about being black? Some things just belong in a black only culture, and the word "nigga" is one of those things. It may seem unfair, but I really feel as though it's something everyone should respect. Just like there are some things that whites do, that if blacks did people would talk about them and have negative things to say. I'm not at all saying this is necessarily "right", but it is the way the world works and has worked for years, so why not abide by it? I don't think something like this is something that needs to be stood up for and protested. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:16:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-7/#IDComment193943119 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/07/questions-from-the-classroom-2/#IDComment191338789 How do I classify myself? Omggg that's probably one of the most complex questions someone could ever ask me. I honestly dont even think any response I give would be sufficient enough to really describe who I am. First and foremost I would classify myself as a individual, someone who people can imitate, but could never measure up to. I wouldn't even consider myself "normal." I feel like if it wasn't for music, I wouldn't be anybody worth getting to know. Therefore, I would classify myself as a musical being. If I had to classify myself as something else, I would say a Penn State student of course. I'm a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, and a niece. I am a female. I would say that I care about things many people never pay too much attention to. I can honestly say I'm a difficult individual, or very complex. There's not many things you could say about me and accurately describe who I am to someone else. I would classify myself as a hard worker, someone who is determined and focused on what interests her. As what interests me, that's harder to classify. I feel like I'm a different type of person from one day to the day, so my interests always vary. Sometimes I like to be a social butterfly, and other times I like to sit by myself and stay antisocial. I'm a moody person. I can be either really cheerful, or really bland and boring. I'm an open minded person, always thinking about how things can get better instead of giving up and settling for less than what I know I deserve. I'm a strong believer that everything I strive for, I'll receive one day. I'm extremely goal-oriented. I'm shy, but then again I'm outgoing. I'm just so complicated. I consider myself more than just my skin color or whatever can be seen only on the surface. However if you're interested in race, I'd classify myself as a black woman. Even saying that causes questions though, because of my light skin. If I wanted to, I could probably classify myself as something else that I really am not. I'm an artist. I express myself through my poems and sporadic little thoughts I share on twitter. I'm an intellectual. I'm employed. I'm a nerd. I'm not a drinker or a smoker. I'm the friend who remains sober and makes sure everybody arrives home safely after a crazy party. Most of my friends would call me the "mom" of the group. According to my mom, I'm lazy, goofy, silly Fri, 9 Sep 2011 04:40:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/07/questions-from-the-classroom-2/#IDComment191338789 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/08/26/what-do-you-want-to-know-before-its-all-over/#IDComment188550391 What do I want to know before it's all over? That's such a hard question to answer because I feel like the number of answers I could give is infinite. Race and ethnicity was always such a complex topic for me because there's so much to learn, with so many different people teaching it and all their different opinions. I guess what I really want to know is why it all matters in the first place. If we're all here as people, why does race and ethnicity matter at all? I also can't wait to go deeper into the different ethnicities that make up all of us, because I'm sure there will be people who will be so surprised to learn that they come from something they had no idea they came from. I'm really excited to hear other people's opinions of what race and ethnicity is and what it means to them. To be honest, if I wasn't in Sam's class, I probably wouldn't care about race and ethnicity as a topic to learn about because as soon as you hear the words, so many negative ideas come to mind and it's such a controversial topic. However, Sam's point of view interests me because not only is he trying to teach us something, he's always communicating to us in ways that make us want to open our mind more and expand on thoughts we may have usually never been thinking about. I want to learn how to use my thoughts and opinions about this topic as a more useful tool, instead of keeping a lot to myself because of fear of nobody wanting to hear or fear of people disagreeing with me. I want to know why slavery is over, and everyone is supposed to be equal, but race is still always coming up in too many serious situations. I want to know why it seems like all black people are never proud with just being black. They always have to be mixed with some other ethnicity. I want to know why after everything black people have done in the past, it seems like it's still somehow "bad" to be black. Even here at Penn State you can clearly tell that people feel the need to stick to what they know, as if hanging out with different races is wrong. Not saying that there are no whites, asians, etc., that hang with other races, but for the most part, you see blacks hanging with blacks, whites hanging with whites, and so on. I feel like a lot of the stuff I want to know will never be fully answered because they're those types of questions that have no definite answer. At least being in this class will open up my mind and reveal thoughts I probably never realized I could have. There are so many different etnicites in class, I have the chance to hear their opinions on things. As much as I hate to admit it, I feel like I have a one-track mind, and that's because I've always only been exposed to one race. Being in an environment with so many people who are different from me can give me a chance to think differently. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:31:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/08/26/what-do-you-want-to-know-before-its-all-over/#IDComment188550391