I'm sure that everyone has heard about the idea of going back in the past and having a butterfly land on a surface. Then suddenly our whole current world is completely different. Every little thing that happens in this world will eventually effect everything else. We aren't changing the world by doing what we do, we're making it. Think about four degrees of separation; I'm connected to every human being on this earth somehow. So although I may not know these 300,000 people who have died, they have somehow in some way, made my life the way it is now. Not changed it, made it. Where would I be had those people not died? My life could be completely different right now; but I feel no sorrow, and I feel no thanks. My life just is what it is. That's pathetic. On september 11, 2001, I cried. I barely understand what was going on, but I was terrified. I wasn't related to a single person working in the World Trade Center that day, but the attack brought so much sadness on my family and I. Within a week, we were all fine. Under the rubble, we could only go up from there. Others today are probably still grieving from the deaths that occurred that day. Although I don't know the people that died from this tragedy, or the thousands of people who die each and every day, I need to start being more aware. These people have an affect on me that I don't even realize. On all of us.

This is extremely touching. I can't imagine what it would be like to live behind bars for the rest of my life. I would probably become psychotic; I don't know how I could ever live with myself. And though it is true that the men are in prison because they have done something so terribly wrong in their life, I understand that they are not all bad people. There is no such thing as a bad person; because like this man has repeatedly said, compassion exists even within the jail cell. It is in our biological nature to feel distressed or provide comfort when we see another in pain or suffering. It's like a mother when they hear a baby cry. It doesn't have to be their baby, just hearing any baby cry can irritate another mother and urge them to sooth the upset infant. Just like it doesn't have to be their baby, a suffering man doesn't just get sympathy from those who love him. Two men could hate each other, but compassion is something that will bring them, and all of us, together in the end. It's a beautiful thing.

I feel like many people, including myself, are afraid to admit how they truly feel about this matter. People can say 'we're all equal, we're all just people.' But secretly we may think to ourselves how much more superior we are to others, and take hidden pride in that. On New year's eve of this past year, I ended up in a horrible situation, surrounded by people in a ghetto. With weapons in their pockets, and arms pulling me in various directions, I began screaming, more to myself, 'you're just people, you're just people,' over and over again. While these words were echoing throughout the neighborhood, inside I was thinking, this would never happen in my town, in my college town, in racial territory that of my own. That's racism. Although these people had complete control over what was going to happen to me that night, I still had an internal feeling of superiority. I’m better than you. I tried convincing myself that they were people, just like myself. But the more I said it, the more I felt it wasn't true, and the more they were insulted. I hope I never end up in a situation like that again, and I realize how lucky I am to have escaped scar-free. Physically at least.
As for people around the world, I know they are in dire need of help, and I would love to do anything I could to help them. Thinking about people all over the world, I don't consider myself bigger, better, wiser, prettier. However, I have also never been face-to-face with these people. And to be honest, I don't know how I would feel if I was. On new years eve, I was being attacked, and that led to my feeling of superiority. Now I have feelings of fear, and don't have any interest in returning there. But as far as people who are just simply desperate for my help, I would be disgusted with myself if I ever considered myself 'better.' I most definitely realize how lucky I am compared to most of the world though.
Ever since I was a child I’ve always wanted to help those less fortunate than myself. I saw myself growing up, making a family, and adopting children, even families. I wanted to share with them my world; my world that is not necessarily 'better,' but a healthier fit to their needs. I still want to do this when I begin to raise my own family.
I know that I've lived a very good life so far, and I am extremely lucky to be born into the majority society. With the power that I do have because of this lucky privilege, I want to help someone else. Not someone better or someone worse, just someone who wants my help.

It really is all the same. We're all just people with beating hearts. Geography separates our beliefs, cultures, customs, but on the inside we're exactly the same. Osama bin Laden did a horrible thing and then ran away to hide from it all. Unfortunately, Americans now point the blame at all the people who happen to be of his race and ethnicity. One bad apple spoils the bunch. People are always going to judge. We judge individuals, and we judge groups of populations based off of first impressions by these individuals. Americans may look at the Islam culture with fear and resentment, but they are doing the same thing back to us. Ethnocentrism is bringing us one step closer to peace among our races, among people no different on the inside.

Today's lecture was insane. I can honestly say that I've never really held resentment towards Arabs; I don't judge a Muslim when I see them with a headscarf, I don't consider them a terrorist. After playing the Jihad video, shivers went down my body. I felt disgust and fear of all Arab people and I really didn't see how Sam could convince me otherwise. What do you know. I have truly experienced ethnocentrism today. Although I never felt any hatred towards individual Arab peoples, I never felt any sympathy for them either. It's crazy how America makes us look so innocent; I would definitely fight for my country if I were Muslim. These are just people; people like me, my family, my friends. We need to get out of there. We need to stop being such hypocrites. It's their oil. We don't belong there, and we're lucky they haven't yet brought the war over here.

Women care to conform to a much greater degree than most men. For the majority of girls, other peoples’ opinions matter. In order to avoid any negative attention, they put a lot of effort into being normal, and being what other people want them to be. The media tells people around the U.S. that the normal, well perfect rather, girl is skinny, tan, wears a lot of makeup: beautiful. This is what most of us strive to be in order to be normal, be cool, and fit in.
I also find that men are more judgmental about girls than girls are about guys. I used to work with a guy who would constantly make comments such as 'check out the ass on that ugly girl.' I’ve also heard comments from random guys using sarcasm when associating a larger girl and attractiveness. Being surrounded by this on a day-to-day basis, I begin to feel more self-conscious about myself; realizing that if guys are judging random girls passing by, then I'm being regularly judged as well. I've never been in a situation where I, nor any of my friends, gave such a back handed compliment or rudely whispered among my friends, pointing out physically unattractive people. For the most part, we'd say something along the lines of, 'he's cute... check him out...etc.' By pointing out a specific guy and giving him positive attention, we’re boosting self-esteem, not crushing it.
After puberty girls’ body image becomes extremely important because we are finally growing into ourselves and weight often fluctuates for the first several years. It's an uncomfortable stage for many girls. However boys don't have to deal with the ups and downs of body image. Biologically, they have more muscle than fat, and tend to be overall satisfied with their changing appearance during puberty.
Media has portrayed more physically attractive women than physically attractive men over the past several decades, but recently, we see many more men on the cover of magazines. A certain ideal body shape is being presented through the media for guys, making them increasingly susceptible to conformity and causing them to care more about their body image.
It's almost pathetic, but I have to admit that my boyfriend and I talk on webcam and complain to one another about our bodies. 'I need to tighten my stomach' 'I need to put on 10 pounds.' Back and forth, we continue to nag because of the pressures we experience from our society today. We are all trying to conform and be this perfect superficial being, which in reality, doesn’t even exist. I think it’s cool that boys are beginning to experience the feeling though, now they can understand how hard it is for girls to deal with all of this pressure. Hopefully, people like the guy I worked with will quit being so immature and realize they’re no where near perfect themself.

It makes sense that this game would be created as a reflection of actual society. And rape does not appear to be a social problem in many countries other than the United States. That being so, it may not be that offensive of a game across seas. However, here, Americans find rape to be a crime, and an extremely violent one at that. It is frowned upon in our society; so for a game such as this one to be available to us on the internet (us including young children who learn from games like these) is so horrible. It's showing us that this kind of behavior is acceptable in places around the world, and could therefore be acceptable here as well.

Well this is extremely disturbing. I'm wondering how graphic this game could actually be. The sound effects are sickening. I don't understand how anyone could enjoy a game like this. I don't know how men value women in their culture, obviously they are big on video games though. Wherever you go in this world, you are going to find sexual crime, but to display this behavior in a game is so wrong. It is unfathomable to me how a person could enjoy this. And I feel as those many boys and men who aren't rapists have played/enjoyed this game. Pigs.

On the very first day of class I remember Sam saying "for all you religious people.. how did 30 million species fit on Noah's Arc." This absolutely intrigued me. I actually went back to my dorm and included this comment in my facebook status lol. I was never really a huge religious person but I would say that before this class began I was still somewhat of a Christian. I grew up in a family that was completely atheist. This compelled me to discover religion on my own. I went to church on my own, joined a youth group and attended religious services. I dedicated a lot of time reading the bible and talking with my born-again aunts who had me inspired by God and Christianity. Since July of 2006 I have called myself a born-again christian. My parents were extremely disappointed, and often mocked me about my views, but their judgments didn't mean much to me.
When I got to college, my opinion on religion went up in the air again. I was beginning to question faith, religion, God, all of that.
On that first day in Sam's class, that comment just made everything click. I realized that the bible is full of these stories that are completely unrealistic. Walking on water, bringing people back to life, fitting 60 million species on Noah's arc! (had to bring two of each of course). They're all just stories made up to diminish that uneasy feeling of death. The bible provides us with an answer, and so far, the only answer that can actually provide comfort. No one wants to believe science, though it makes sense, because what does that mean? When we die we're just put under the ground and that's it? The cycle of life. That's an extremely scary thought and just typing it out urges me to say a prayer and want to believe in something so magical, and so unreal. But I can't.
That comment about Noah's Arc got me so enthused I couldn't even begin to describe. Just hearing another person say it, especially someone like Sam, made everything connect for me. I think that being in school for a while, and taking astronomy classes was leading me more towards the whole evolutionary perspective; however, I can't say I've found myself to believe in a God since this class has started. And I think that's a good thing.
It's great to have faith in something, and religion isn't necessarily a bad thing. It gives people hope, and brings people together in peace and harmony. But I feel relieved that I can comfort myself without relying on some greater figure that no one has proof of existence. God's eyes always watching me. I believed that for too long, and while it made me feel secure at times, it was a disturbing feeling at others.
I can say that I am officially on my family's page. But I'm glad I formed a spiritual ideology on my own.

I like to find answers to things as well. I can't stand the itch I get when I can't figure something out. So, like every human being, I just let some problems pass; I don't have an answer, so I move on. It is what it is. Everyone must feel this way about something. I think there are many people who have stepped out of their box and understand that there's many things we don't have an answer to, and they're up for judgment and opinion. But yes, there are a few that live in their own secluded world, denying things that could cause potential questioning and frustration. Of these matters, I don't find bleeding to be one. I think that in a smaller class if the same topic was brought up, a conversation could presume.