Joseph Stalin put it in very realistic way, saying that "One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic". I understand this quote is devoid of most human emotion and morals, but it has some merit. When one person, be it a friend, a family member, or even a public figure or famous person dies, its usually a large emotional deal for the immediate family of those involved and, in the famous person example, the media goes into a frenzy and talks about that person all the time. However, when a global catastrophe occurs, and hundreds of thousands if not millions of people are effected, the news media doesn't ever put names to faces. Instead, they go by the numbers and say how horrible it is. Sure the family of the people who died are going to be upset, but to the world around them who didn't know the names of each individual that died is only going to be concerned with the numbers. How many people died? How many people are wounded? How much money do we need to lend our support? How many troops must we send over to help? We use the statistical data to kind of desensitize ourselves to how grand the issue truly is, and therefore we are better able to cope with it, and handle the situation accordingly. That isn't to say that everyone who dies doesn't deserve the same mourning and emotional response, but the reason we can continue to go on with our lives after a massive wave of death is because we're used to it. Massive global catastrophes have been going on for centuries, and as people, we've become desensitized to large scale tragedy. The only people who can truly say how horrible these events are, are those who have had family or close friends directly involved. Those are the people who's lives will change after a major event. Those are the people who will mourn and have to take time off from their lives to figure out what is going on. Not that its an excuse, but when people die on a massive scale, I'll send money or food to help out those in need, but for me to halt my life when it has not been directly affected, is too much to ask. If everyone in the world were to take every single tragedy to heart and mourn for days or weeks or months, the world would never be able to function properly in the way that we are used to having it function. We need the people who can look past the devastation, look past the horrible calamity, look past the emotion that they are "supposed to be feeling" and actually lend a hand to those in need. If everyone just stopped what they were doing to really appreciate the sacrifice of the people in these tragedies, then the world we know would halt and more problems than anyone could have imagined would arise.

This is a great question in my opinion. Usually no one brings it up, but the discussion is very interesting. I think that most guys do feel compelled to conform to what society has shown is the way to be. That being said, I think most guys like to hide the fact that they do this, which in turn just means they are conforming to what someone mentioned in an earlier post; Men feel the need to be manly and compete with other men. This is where I think the discussion gets good because as much as it is society's norms for men to be this way, it is also biologically ingrained in our heads. Evolution has dictated that women seek mean with resources for the benefit of their young, and men seek out women to spread their seed and ensure the continuation of their lineage. I don't think its so much a conformity to society when men go out of their way to be macho. They are just doing their best to attract females, because they are biologically inclined to do so. That fact is only reinforced by a society that demands and portrays buff actors with lots of money and fame. As much as most men won't want to admit it, they do indeed go out of their way sometimes to conform. I think the only major difference is how much we allow other people to see. Women seem to have little problem showing off their new accessories and makeup and tanlines, whereas, barring a few anomalies with your Gym/Tan/Laundry guys, guys don't need to keep up an appearance as much. Some guys still like to look good, and most people hopefully at least take care of basic hygiene. However, guys aren't nearly as concerned with matching clothing, or keeping their hair in just that perfect way, or wearing the hottest latest brands. Take myself for example. I have no problem going out and buying a pair of jeans at the mall for 20 bucks. I'll wear those jeans anywhere. Most girls talk about going out and getting a sale on a pair of jeans for 40 or 50 bucks. Same basic look, i just care a lot less. I don't mind what name is on the tag of my jeans, I just want a pair that fits. its a small example, but It does demonstrate how some aspects of conformity differ between men and women.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that, in answer to the question, yes men feel compelled to conform to many different aspects of society, but I don't think that overall, men will ever go out of their way as a whole to show it more than women. There is nothing wrong with that, It's just my opinion on the matter.

I think its completely ridiculous for anyone to believe that the Census can ask questions with enough detail or background information to fully, one hundred percent include every single person's race and ethnicity. America is too damn diverse for the Census people to come up with a list of questions to handle that. I can't believe there are people who think that they aren't being properly recorded or their information is not fully representative of them as a person. If the questions were not worded the way they are, many people would be too stupid to answer them correctly, and all of the data would be wasted. The Census people have spent countless man hours and countless dollars investigating and researching the best possible way to present every question on their sheet, including what terms to use and how to word the questions. According to their research, many older black people still use the term negro, and as the article mentioned, they wouldn't recognize a different word, and would thus answer the question incorrectly or not at all. This would skew the data, and in the end, ruin all of the research that the Census people put in. What is even funnier to me is that people get so hung up on what percent they are from which country. "Oh i'm half Irish" or "Oh I'm 12 and a quarter percent apache... where does that make me fit on the list?" Well, if you weren't so stupid, you'd be able to answer the closest related answer that fits you as a person, and hand in your Census form. What's that? You are offended by a word printed on a piece of paper designed to benefit THE ENTIRE COUNTRY? Wow, i suddenly don't give a damn. Its just a word, and as I mentioned before, the word is not on there to offend anyone, or to cause distress to anyone. It is on the paper because some black people still identify with it today. The ones who ARE offended, are generally not the ones who the term was ever used to describe negatively. They get pissed off because they know what it was last used as, without recognizing that they are arguing a moot point. So suck it up, fill out your census to the best of your abilities, hand it in, and help the country out a little bit. Its really NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL.

The day we stop asking questions is the day that we give up what it is that makes us human. Humans are the most inquisitive animals on the planet, we are always trying to explain things or to categorize things, or to come up with new and better ways for things to get done. ever since we are born, we try to explore every area that we can get into, and one of the first things anyone says on a daily basis is "Why?".
However, most Americans today seem to follow along with whatever they are told, milling about and asking no questions at all. They go about their daily tasks, accepting whatever misfortunes come their way with blank expressions and doing exactly what they are instructed to. I think its about time that Americans woke up from this lazy, uninformed stupor they're in and see what life is really all about. Life is full of interesting things to learn, and beautiful things to see and experience. Don't always listen to figures of authority blindly. Sometimes you need to take action on your own terms and question the motives of the people who are supposed to be leading us properly. Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people.

Now, sometimes there is a time and place where certain questions can be asked and certain questions should be kept to yourself. With regards to class the other day, questions about menstruation and the cycle are acceptable but usually kept quiet in a public setting. There is nothing wrong with bringing them up, its just that in a room full of 700 people, telling those people that you like to go look at it in the toilet is just a little too far. There is a difference between getting people to think, and getting people to vomit, and the line that separates them is not fine, it is wide and labeled with signs. so yeah, i think maybe next time, just keep it a little more in line with topics that wont make people sick to their stomachs and everything should be fine.

It seems to me that fate plays a major role in determining the future of any person on the planet. No one can control where they will be born, what country they are from, or who their parents are. All that anyone can do is make the best of the situation they are presented with, and try their best at whatever their passion is. This woman was born in a country where it is hard for any woman to make substantial progress in business, let alone a woman who isn't nearly as well off as most poor americans. If she had been born in the United States she would have much more opportunities than she does now. Even though women in the american workforce are still underpaid compared to men, when compared to women around the world, they can hold some pretty powerful and important business positions. With her skills, she would be able to go pretty far in America.
To actually answer the question posed in the title, as unfair as it is, I would definitely have a better chance at progressing upward in the job ladder than her. Men are still paid more and offered more jobs than women, even though most of the women that I know work harder and seem smarter than most of the men I know. I hope that the near future holds great advancements for women in the workplace because our generation seems to have a higher amount of smarter women than past generations have, at least when compared to the men. From personal experience, most of the guys in college, with a few exceptions, are here to party and get laid. While the same is true for a large percentage of girls, they at least tend to go to class and get their work done on time. Women seem to be more schedule oriented and have better time management skills than most of the guys i know. With these trends, it would seem logical that women should get paid the same and have the same opportunities in the workplace as men, maybe even more.
I just wish that this country would uphold the principles of the constitution a little better and allow everyone, regardless of race or sex, the same kind of freedom. After all, its not like this country is run by just one exclusive people, thats the great part about america. We have people from all over the world, most likely the smartest and most hard working from those other countries too, since they managed to make it here to begin with. With all of them helping to make our country great, it doesn't make sense to me that they shouldnt have the same rights that everyone else has. I hope this current or the next president will pass some laws to make everything a little more equal for everyone.

I'm not really surprised that this is news. The church is probably the best organization out there at hiding the truth, and hearing that the bible contains lewd passages that most people don't know about doesn't surprise me. There are some people out there who follow the book very literally, and yet even those people ignore whatever passages in the bible they don't agree with. It seems to me that over the years, bibles have been printed and reprinted again and again with more ambiguous terms. There are even biblical texts that the vatican has kept from being printed in newer editions of the bible. The truth of the matter, as it appears to me, is that the bible was written to spread love and good will towards others, but over the years, after continuous manipulation from those in charge of the church, the bible has turned into something of a novelty item. Most people that I know these days have never actually picked up and read a bible. Now, I don't believe in organized religion, but I feel that everyone has the right to their own spiritual path. That being said, I think that with the sex saturated media we are all exposed to today, people could stop being less prude about some naughty innuendos in the bible. Ancient religions were chock full of deities and gods that were praised for their fertility and reproductive success. Statues of these gods can still be seen today, most with a more than impressive endowment. All of these different religions from the beginning of spirituality have influenced all religions that followed them, regardless of what people today might say. The fact that the bible talks about genitalia and sex should, if anything, be seen as impressive. This book is the most popular book of all time, and at parts its almost as risque as a Penthouse article. Not only that, but a massive religion is built around this book, which happens to describe Eve as being created from the literal bone of Adam's manhood.
The best part about this entire story is that it is based on interpretation. Some people read the bible and took deep spiritual meaning from it, while others sat around, read the bible, and i guess got turned on by how dirty it was. To each his own i suppose, and whatever message you take from the bible, i recommend taking it with a grain of salt. This book was written thousands of years ago. No one will ever know 100% for sure what the events were that caused the bible to be written and the religion it created to flourish. Nothing should be read literally in every aspect, and that goes for bible as well.

This article brings up an issue that people seem to make a bigger deal about than it really is. I think the fact that the census even asks the person for race is just further perpetuating the stereotypes and the racism in America. The good news is that, at least from this article, the people involved seem to be able to pick whatever race they personally identify with, which, if that person feels strongly about that particular identity, they can be happy that their race is listed. What I don't understand is why it even matters. By labeling everyone in America with a certain race, how on earth can we move beyond skin color and see that we are all one human race, coexisting on one planet? We continue to perpetuate the idea that skin color dictates social status or economic success. Tying this in with the lecture on Thursday, it is impossible to figure out a person's socio-economic status based on physical features. A white person in your class could very well be living in poverty while a black or Asian person right next to him could be rich. However, we tend to base people's income and things of social importance on their skin color without even getting to know the person first. If we could look beyond skin color, like the way we look at other people who appear to be the same "race" as ourselves, we would see that everyone has something to contribute and everyone has a unique view of the world.
Coming back to the article, I think that people should be able to put down whatever race they personally identify with the strongest. Instead of listing several options and asking someone to choose one, they should have a blank space and ask the people to write down whatever race they feel they identify with the strongest. This will give each individual the chance to express themselves. I understand that people will obviously take advantage of the situation or write in things that don't fit the question, but in the end I think that the individuality of expression that would be available would outweigh the negatives.
In the end, race is a social construct that doesn't really exist, so regardless of what anyone picks on the census or whatever someone personally identifies with, it doesn't matter. Skin color has no effect on how good a person is, or how strong or outgoing or hard working a person is. I think if the world would get that through its head and accept everyone as human regardless of what they look like, we'd all have a much better world to live in, and we'd all get along much better.

Chi

I am not a religious person. I do not believe that any religion is accurate or should be followed without a grain of salt. But at the same time, I feel that everyone has the right to believe whatever it is that they want to believe. The underlying teachings of these religions, however, are important to everyone in the world. Peace, love, understanding and acceptance are things that everyone can live by.
That being said, It seems as though America in general still has problems accepting other cultures and other peoples. As a whole, we (America) are very ignorant of the world outside the States. I find it terrible that it takes horrible, unthinkable catastrophes before the world's inhabitants drop the bullshit and begin to come together as one human people. It is the same all throughout history. 9/11 comes and Americans unite as never before. A tsunami decimates southeast Asia and the world responds with care and support. Meanwhile, people everywhere, every day, go without basic necessities of life and yet people do not care. Seems to me that people feel noble and empowered by sending money and aid to people after a natural disaster, but when the disaster leaves the new's stories, they forget about and go back to being their ignorant, intolerant selves. There is nothing wrong with giving aid to those in need after a natural disaster, in fact I completely support that. But when people need a natural disaster as an excuse to feel bad and give money and support to their fellow man, that is disappointing. We are all one people. We all live on planet Earth, and breathe air, drink water, experience love, hate, pain, joy and sorrow. Spread the love to everyone, and help others in need, regardless of where they live.
That being said, even the figurative comparison between the Haitians and Christ is a little far. I do believe, however, that everyone can learn from this event and that something as devastating as this can and should not be taken lightly. These people need all the help they can get, and as one of the leading powers of the world, I think that America should give as much aid as we can. It doesn't matter that we are involved in a war overseas. It doesn't matter that we are working through an economic crisis. All that matters is that our brothers and sisters of the world down in Haiti, who are already much worse off than the average American by a huge margin, need supplies and food to survive. I couldn't even imagine the horrors that the people of Haiti must be experiencing, but understanding that we can help these people is all it takes to lend a hand.