en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3552132 Comments by coexist91 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment232782618 Sam’s advice to sacrifice State Patty’s Day to me is the best piece of advice he could have given. Through all that has happen, there is a dark cloud or stigma that still hangs over our heads as Penn State students. In class, there were so many students who did not understand that though we personally did not support or take part in the horrific acts that Sandusky committed, we still are associated with the university that served to hide his acts for so many years. Top that off with the fact that we rioted and destroyed our own property because of anger over the firing of Joe Pa, the rest of the world has condemned us in their minds for the next few months. Though we don’t realize it, we are officially under a microscope for the rest of the world which is just waiting to see what sort of mischief Penn State students will drum up next. State Patty’s is exactly the sort of mischief that they are waiting for. It is known to everyone that this student created holiday generates plenty of news for the local papers. Arrests, public drunkenness, hospital visits, fights, etc are just a few of the incidences that will make their way into papers across State College. The weekend is devoted to nothing but debauchery and will catch the eye of the media who, in turn, will once again have news to show the craziness of Penn State students. This ultimately will solidify the image around the world that Penn State students are crazy and unfit. However, if we were to give up the holiday for just one year by not looking like a bunch of crazy, drunk, insensitive idiots, it would go a long way to restoring our image as a university. What students were not understanding in class was that yes, if we do not partake in the holiday we won’t be recognized in the media for sacrificing the holiday. That’s not the point. The point is we simply cannot afford to have more negative attention drawn towards us and State Patty’s will do just that which is exactly why if we do not partake in the holiday for one year, time will heal many wounds, and we can go about our business the following year. Even though this idea is a smart one, the probability to get Penn State students on board unfortunately will most likely never happen. After seeing the already negative reaction among my peers this past Thursday in a classroom of 700, I can already sense that getting the rest of the 40,000 undergrads to try and accept this idea is close to impossible. All I know is that if people simply tried to understand, and would sacrifice the holiday just this one year it really would go a long way in restoring our image. Sun, 4 Dec 2011 21:32:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment232782618 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment227867306 What I have learned from this scandal is that people need to speak out if they know something wrong is going on despite the repercussions that may occur. There are a million different accounts and versions of what went on with Sandusky, who knew what he was doing, who reported it, who reported it to whom, etc. The moral of the story is that essentially whether it was Joe Pa, Spanier, or someone else; one of them should have spoken up to the actual police. Because a certain few influential people at Penn State decided to keep this horrific act under wraps, basically, it has now come back to bite everyone “in the ass.” If Sandusky had been reported back in the beginning when everything came to light, things would have been different for the better in the long run. Yes there would have been a great scandal even then, but I’m fairly positive it would not have been to the magnitude we saw unfold before our eyes two weeks ago. There would not have been a student uproar resulting in a turned over media van, broken streetlights, and other various destructions that took place. This incident, to me, brings to light a perfect example of the bystander effect. It’s as if everyone who knew about Sandusky saw this horrific “accident” taking place but yet the chose to simply watch with a sort of stunned fascination rather than actually doing something productive. It amazes me that at the time, the thought of remaining quiet was more acceptable, because this is no ordinary accident. It involved the lives of children and should have been dealt with more swiftly and surely. Now that I’ve touched base on the Sandusky accident, I can now answer the original question much more in a specific manner. This incident not only has taught me to speak up but more importantly to speak in a timely manner. I know rather then shut my eyes and turn away in hopes that whatever wrongdoing I’m witnessing will stop; I need to speak out immediately, not a week, month, or year later. Nothing good can come from waiting particularly in such a sensitive and serious situation. Another thing I have learned is to choose an appropriate time to release any sort of negative news. I will never call up my superior at 10:00 at night and give news that I know will rock the world of so many people (particularly college students). Instead, I would wait for a time when people are busy and not sitting idly in their homes. The last thing this incident has taught me is to always think rationally. Whether we like it or not, we are growing old and cannot simply react to our raw emotions at any given time. Instead of running around and causing destruction, I know the best thing to do is to sit down, think and then decide how to best handle a situation. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 02:18:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment227867306 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment221400641 I think recent events have made people look at me as one of those “crazy students” who go to Penn State. I, unlike other students, and am not quick to say that the media is solely responsible for making us look crazy. We are also responsible for making ourselves look crazy to the entire world. At the riot Wednesday night, some select Penn State students went with the intention to cause destruction by knocking down lamp posts, overturning cars, and smashing windows. None of that was necessary whatsoever. Yes, I understand students were upset about the firing of Joe Pa. However, that doesn’t mean that you go and cause destruction in the very place that you yourself attend school and where so many of our fellow college students and other State College community members live. Over the past few days, I have had countless friends from back home and around the country text me asking, “What in the world is going on at your school?” So many people outside of Penn State think we’re absolutely insane for rioting over the firing of Joe Pa. In their eyes, he was just as guilty as Spanier. I agree with these statements no matter how much I love Jo Pa. I love what he means to this university and all that he’s done. However, when presented the facts, if Spanier was fired then rightfully it was necessary for him to be fired as well. By going to Penn State and living in State College, we live in this bubble in which nothing from the outside world can penetrate. We live in a world where Jo Pa is an iconic figurehead and football reigns supreme. For this fact, I can’t blame the students for being upset over the firing of Joe Pa. Ultimately, he is an enormous part of this school and the loss of him is indeed upsetting. However, the manner in which they chose to show the degree to which they were upset was utterly terrible. People now look at the news and see a bunch of crazy students who caused nothing but destruction to their own campus and living area. They see people supporting a man who essentially was responsible for the continuation of sexual abuse towards so many innocent children. They see students who care for nothing but themselves and who are forgetting the most important issue above all: the children. On Wednesday, I was not proud to identify myself as a Penn State student. However, after the vigil held Friday night and the calm support shown at the game Saturday despite our loss. I am once again proud to identify myself as a Penn State student, and think the world once again is beginning to see us in a positive light. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:08:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment221400641 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment218412672 When I first read this question, my automatic thought was “Oh of course I don’t feel uncomfortable when people speak another language.” I based this largely based off of the fact that I myself am bilingual. At any point in time, I can switch over to speaking Urdu (native language to Pakistan/India) and can converse fluently with another person. I often find myself doing such a thing particularly when I don’t want someone to understand what I’m saying. It’s nice to have that security blanket, but I’ve never really thought about how others might feel when I do such a thing. Then I began thinking well how do I really feel when people are speaking another language around? I think it’s a common psychological effect that we as humans have a tendency to think others are always talking about us. It doesn’t help when people are giggling and especially when they sometimes happen to be looking in our general direction. What I’m getting at is, often times when people around me are speaking in another language, my mind automatically jumps to “Oh they’re totally talking about me.” When I’m in a room and I can’t understand what people are saying (like in a manicure salon), I become self-conscious. I don’t know if they’re joking about me, making fun of me, and most importantly, I can’t contribute to the conversation automatically making me feel like an outsider. All of these feelings combined make for an uncomfortable situation. For girls, it’s basically equivalent to when you go to get a manicure done, you know for a fact that the ladies are talking about you, and it makes you feel weird. Coming to this realization of my feelings, I think it’s fairly safe to say that most people probably unintentionally get uncomfortable when I jump back and forth between languages especially when I randomly go from speaking completely in English to all of a sudden busting out in Urdu. I guess I never realized that its fairly obvious that when I do do that, I clearly don’t want people to know what I am saying and usually it’s because I’m talking about someone or something that’s I don’t want everyone to know about. Though now as I think about it, it’s funny that people (including myself) feel this way because we live in a “melting pot.” America is comprised of all sorts of different people from different countries all over the world. Technically we don’t even have an official language (though it’s accepted that English is the main language that is spoken here). In principle, because of our melting pot status, it should come as no surprise if you suddenly find yourself in a situation where people are speaking a language that you don’t understand. Tue, 8 Nov 2011 01:33:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment218412672 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-55/#IDComment213513715 Then there are people like my Dad who come here in the hopes of escaping a third world country and making a life for him, his wife and future children. He came here as a grad student, with $25 in his pocket, and worked to support himself as he obtained his master’s degree. He worked his way up in life and now lives very comfortably and is able to provide for and support his family just as he had hoped. Immigrants will always be a part of America, whether they are illegal or not, and it’s something that this country needs to come to terms with. As time has progressed, I think we have forgotten that this country was intended to allow people to come and practice their own lifestyles. I’ve noticed that a lot of people have begun to shun immigrants because of issues such as fear of over population, negative attitudes developing towards certain groups and races, or loss of job opportunities. These are all valid reasons to be concerned, but we shouldn’t harbor ill will towards immigrants especially if they are legal. If the U. S. has given them permission to come and live here, who are we to get angry? We are the giant melting pot and will always be. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:56:50 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-55/#IDComment213513715 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-55/#IDComment213513663 How do I feel about immigrants living in America? Well considering my parents emigrated here from Pakistan (making me first generation American), I think it’s a wonderful that immigrants come from all over the world hoping to make something of themselves and live the American dream. America in itself was founded as a land that people emigrated to whether they were escaping from religious persecution or hoped to make a fortune for themselves. Every single family living in America (aside from Native Americans) had family members that arrived from some other country. America is the land of immigrants and always will be associated as such. People come here from all over the world to this day to better their lives. I realize that not everyone comes and finds the success they are looking for. Many people arrive “fresh off the boat” or in modern times “off the plane” in hopes that they can provide a better life for their family. They come with the thought that maybe one day they can own a large house, nice car, etc. but often are faced with the harsh reality that without a proper education, it is very difficult to maneuver ahead in this country. They find themselves living a life that may not be as grand as they had envisioned for themselves back in their native country but still they are content to live here. For these people, whose life is still harsh according to the normal definition of American comfort, it’s still their own version of the American Dream. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:56:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-55/#IDComment213513663 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment210164511 When I came to college, race became something that I was even more aware of. Being a premed major, the competition between students and even friends is fierce. For the first time in my life, I began hearing people say things such as “Oh she’s Black” or “She’s Hispanic, so they’ll obviously get into medical school without even having to try.” I even heard things such as “Because we’re Asian, we have to basically have a 4.0 for medical schools to even glance at our application.” I can honestly say I’d never heard such things before and was shocked when I actually heard people say this stuff out loud because I would never say such things even if I thought them myself. So to wrap up I’ll reiterate by saying that race does not shape my every day functioning in the world. I do not consciously think about how my being South Asian may make me advantaged or disadvantaged. However, I am well aware of the differences in treatment and misconceptions, and I hope one day that this problem can be fixed. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:48:22 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment210164511 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment210164461 It wasn’t until I got to the end of high school that I began to notice subtle differences in treatment of different races. This particularly was because I went to an almost all White/Asian high school until towards the end of my junior year we began to have inner city kids brought in to attend our school. As you might already suspect, the majority of these kids were Black. Now to give some context, I grew up in the upper class, quaint town named Farragut located in Knoxville, Tennessee. From this, I think you can kind of grasp the fact that there were very few Blacks or Hispanics in my area of town. So when these new inner city kids were brought in, you can only begin to imagine the uproar in my high school. Parents that I had known all of my life (who had no problem with me) were livid over the fact that these Black kids were coming in because they could potentially corrupt their obviously “innocent minded” children. I began to notice subtle things such as teachers often called on the “noisy black kid” rather than the White (or Asian) girl who wouldn’t shut up even though she was sitting in the front of the room. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:48:11 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment210164461 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment210164284 For me, race is something that does not shape my everyday life. I don’t walk around thinking “Well someone said something to me or treated me a certain way because I’m Asian (specifically South Asian).” I talk to everyone and am open to everyone. However, this doesn’t mean that I’m unaware of the differences in the world when you view the treatment of Whites, Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to see the ways these groups can be treated so differently. When I was younger, race was definitely something I was unaware of. I never really thought about the fact that I’m brown skinned and a lot of my friends were white. I never discriminated and was always open to meeting new people. Race was not anything I needed to worry about and throughout elementary and middle school there was never even a hint of racial issues in my mind. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:47:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-45/#IDComment210164284 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-42/#IDComment207275149 Why do we use racial labels? That is a very good question. When I started thinking about it, I really don’t have any reason for using racial labels. But, I still use them all the time. I never hesitate to say, “Oh did you see the Asian kid driving like crazy?” or “That black girl is so loud.” I really don’t need to specify the race of the people in these scenarios, but I make it a point to anyways. And this is not to say that I’m the only on who does this. I know plenty of people who do the exact same thing. But the question is why? I think we tend to use racial labels because we ultimately are a product of what we are raised as. What I mean by this is we are often raised to be a certain way. For example, I identify as Pakistani and Muslim because that’s what I was always taught growing up. So, when I meet someone who doesn’t fit those criteria, I need to specify what race they are because they are so radically different from me because they don’t fit into what I consider as “normal.” When I hang out with other kids who are just Muslim or Pakistani and Muslim both, I never feel the need to say “Oh well my Arab friend did something” because I don’t see their race since basically they match the definition of a person who fits into my everyday scheme of things. However, when I see an Asian kid or a white kid who does something worth noting in my day, without even consciously thinking about it, I always make a point to specify their race because they don’t fit into my everyday norm. So yes, this does in fact mean if I saw a Pakistani kid doing something I felt was worth mentioning to someone in conversation, I wouldn’t even think to specify his race since (as mentioned above) to me he/she falls under the “norm.” Are racial labels necessary? Of course not. But the simple answer is that until race is a part of our world, they will always be used. We as human beings often need to identify ourselves with a certain race, culture, religion, etc. We need to belong to a bigger group and by doing this we automatically seclude ourselves into a bubble with people who are similar to us. By doing this, we then feel the need to use racial labels to describe the people who don’t fit into our bubble. It isn’t right, but unfortunately its something that will probably continue to happen as long as race is an issue we take into consideration when making decisions in our lives. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 05:01:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-42/#IDComment207275149 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-21/#IDComment201483382 Women are seen as more innocent as men for many different reasons though there are two in particular I’d like to address. The biggest reason is the distinct body types. The average woman’s body is not threatening or imposing like the male body type. Women typically have softer features and curves that help accentuate the sense of innocence people feel when seeing a woman. Men, on the other hand, are naturally built with bulkier frames which helps them in giving off a “dangerous edge” that most people do not want the pleasure of having to encounter. The second reason is that when a woman looks like the girl in the video: tall, thin, physically fit, and attractive then she most definitely will be seen as innocent. The human mind cannot fathom that woman as good looking as the blond girl in the video could possible take part in a crime such as stealing a bike. There is a certain image we have of the girl next door which we like to elude ourselves with. This is clearly seen when plenty of men even went so far as to help her saw off the chain or lift the bike from the pole it was attached to. These men were duped by the “girl next door” look illusion and instead aided her in stealing a bike. As for races, there are plenty of stereotypes about certain races that help in making them seem less innocent than others. We as humans have a tendency to have preconceived notions about a certain race already implanted in our minds. We all know that when we think of an average White or Asian family we think of upper middle class families that are normally comprised of college educated parents (or at least one college educated parent). They live in nice houses, have nice cars, and live a nice life overall. However, when we think of Spanish or African American families, we tend to think of working class people who are not very educated. These stereotypes play a huge role as to why we often think Asian or White people are more “innocent. The video also helped in confirming this fact with the distinct difference in treatment with the Black and White kid. We tend to see black and Spanish kids as “less innocent” because we tend to view them as working class which in itself creates a mental image of people who are struggling in life and would resort to thievery if necessary. However, when we think of a White or Asian family we automatically think of more well off people who would never “stoop” to stealing because they can afford most things. Once again, the video did a great job in demonstrating that white people are usually considered more innocent when is plainly evident that people were quick to accuse the black kid of stealing but were quick to turn an eye when the white kid was stealing the bike. Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:48:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-21/#IDComment201483382 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197097014 When I watched the videos on Aenaes and Yvros, the main thing that had a major impact on me was the fact that these women not only had about 5 employees each but that they were doing almost everything by hand. What little machines they did have to help their work were old, outdated, and on the verge of breaking down any second. Living in a productive society such as America, we have a tendency to forget that others do not have it as easy as we do. These two women put so much time and effort into making dresses, shoes, and bags and they barely make any profit in turn. They struggle to maintain their businesses and all it would take would be to buy a new machine for Yvros that costs about $500 which one family alone in America could easily donate. Aeneas’s hand bags cost only about $50 which is chump change compared to the amount of money people drop on designer hand bags such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry. It really hit me that even if every family in America donated $5 that would go so far in helping Haiti rise from the devastation that occurred from the earthquake. Not only that but it could go even go so far as to helping them rise from a third world country status. I know that sounds very ideological especially in light of the fact that there are so many other countries suffering from the after effects of natural disasters that are also third world countries but since we’re on the topic of Haiti that is why I’m focusing solely on them. I really think that it is important to keep Haiti in mind, and I look forward to being able to work on this Haiti project because I know that I definitely now am more motivated to understand the problems and work with my group members to find a solution to help Haiti. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:06:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197097014 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment196971564 When I watched the videos on Aenaes and Yvros, the main thing that had a major impact on me was the fact that these women not only had about 5 employees each but that they were doing almost everything by hand. What little machines they did have to help their work were old, outdated, and on the verge of breaking down any second. Living in a productive society such as America, we have a tendency to forget that others do not have it as easy as we do. These two women put so much time and effort into making dresses, shoes, and bags and they barely make any profit in turn. They struggle to maintain their businesses and all it would take would be to buy a new machine for Yvros that costs about $500 which one family alone in America could easily donate. Aeneas’s hand bags cost only about $50 which is chump change compared to the amount of money people drop on designer hand bags such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry. It really hit me that even if every family in America donated $5 that would go so far in helping Haiti rise from the devastation that occurred from the earthquake. Not only that but it could go even go so far as to helping them rise from a third world country status. I know that sounds very ideological especially in light of the fact that there are so many other countries suffering from the after effects of natural disasters that are also third world countries but since we’re on the topic of Haiti that is why I’m focusing solely on them. I really think that it is important to keep Haiti in mind, and I look forward to being able to work on this Haiti project because I know that I definitely now am more motivated to understand the problems and work with my group members to find a solution to help Haiti. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:28:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment196971564 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment196970879 When I watched the videos on Aenaes and Yvros, the main thing that had a major impact on me was the fact that these women not only had about 5 employees each but that they were doing almost everything by hand. What little machines they did have to help their work were old, outdated, and on the verge of breaking down any second. Living in a productive society such as America, we have a tendency to forget that others do not have it as easy as we do. These two women put so much time and effort into making dresses, shoes, and bags and they barely make any profit in turn. They struggle to maintain their businesses and all it would take would be to buy a new machine for Yvros that costs about $500 which one family alone in America could easily donate. Aeneas’s hand bags cost only about $50 which is chump change compared to the amount of money people drop on designer hand bags such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry. It really hit me that even if every family in America donated $5 that would go so far in helping Haiti rise from the devastation that occurred from the earthquake. Not only that but it could go even go so far as to helping them rise from a third world country status. I know that sounds very ideological especially in light of the fact that there are so many other countries suffering from the after effects of natural disasters that are also third world countries but since we’re on the topic of Haiti that is why I’m focusing solely on them. I really think that it is important to keep Haiti in mind, and I look forward to being able to work on this Haiti project because I know that I definitely now am more motivated to understand the problems and work with my group members to find a solution to help Haiti. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:27:14 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment196970879 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment196967632 Watching some of the entrepreneurs in Haiti gave me an eye-opening experience into how bad the conditions are over there even after a year has passed since the devastating earthquake. We all remember the day when the earthquake first occurred. We remember as we sat and watched with horror the images shown on the news. We remember the endless amount of rubble, the despair pasted on the faces of Haitians as they sat around and looked at their life literally scattered into pieces around them. Rescue efforts and mission trips were endless, and it seemed like the people of Haiti would be helped to stand on their own two feet. With this sense of security in mind, most people moved on and have long forgotten about the people of Haiti. I can honestly say I most definitely did. As I watched the videos on two of the entrepreneurs, Aenaes and Yvros, I realized how long Haiti still has to go before they can once again stand on their own two feet. It never occurred to me that though in the beginning so many trips were made to help Haiti it was more of an effort to provide immediate relief. So many of us tend to forget that rebuilding a life after any disaster, natural or something else, takes time and a lot of effort. Basically what I mean to say is that more people need to take time and realize that we need to make a conscious effort to keep countries like Haiti alive in our mind so we can help them rebuild their lives. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:20:52 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment196967632 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-10/#IDComment193759632 I think people find accents attractive based on a certain level of exoticness and understandability. Most people can agree with me that British accents are above all one of the most “sexy” accents in the world. But why? I guess when I think about it it’s just the certain style and tone they use when speaking. Not only does their wording sound proper but it also this sort of haughty edge to it that outwardly makes a person annoyed but secretly you love hearing it. This is not to say people like to be talked down to because I know for a fact that I am not one to sit back and be spoken down. I think it’s rather that the “haughty” tone resembles a sort of confidence that our fellow Brits have that we admire. Because British people have such a clear and confident accent it further makes them stars in most American’s eyes because we can understand them so well. I can honestly say that I almost never find the accents of students actually from China, Japan, or any East Asian country attractive because I cannot get past the fact that I can barely understand them. This probably is highly indicative of the fact that humans feel the need to be able to easily communicate with those that hold any sort of significance in our life. Whenever I try and talk to a student from East Asia, I often find myself walking away scratching my head trying for the life of me to understand what in the world we just talked about. Note, this doesn’t mean that I sit through the whole conversation zoning out but rather I actually pay even more attention in an extra effort to try and make sure I’m following the conversation. However, because I have always struggled understanding East Asian accents I end up having to make the poor person (unfortunate enough to have to speak with me) repeat his sentence about 5 times before I can finally figure out what he/she is saying to me. The combination of being flustered and having sentences repeated ultimately leads me to walking away scratching my head as mentioned above. This lack of understandability automatically labels East Asian accents as unattractive to me. Essentially, I feel that the attractiveness of an accent depends on the” flow” of the language and linguistics which provide the exoticness and understandability that we desire. Most people that have a Chinese and Indian accent tend to have choppy English because of the choppy nature of the language itself. However, when you look at the more “romantic” languages, (such as Spanish, Italian, and French) they sound aesthetically pleasing to our American ears because we already have this preconceived notion in our heads that people with these accents are “sexy” and surely they also have to be the most romantic people ever. This idea probably can be used to further delve into the nature of human construct that shows that we humans basically can be fickle creatures in that we tend to judge based on what pleases us rather than actual character of a person. I know I’m guilty of it. What about you? Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:13:25 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-10/#IDComment193759632 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/08/voices-from-the-classroom-4/#IDComment191766945 In my opinion, Judaism is both a religion and culture though I do feel it is first and foremost a religion. Judaism is formally defined as one of three monotheistic and Abrahamic religions along with Islam and Christianity. It is intended to be a way of life for its disciples to follow. The religion has a book, the Torah, which is equivalent to the Bible in Christianity and the Quran in Islam as well as the synagogue which is the center of worship. Over the years, however, it has morphed into becoming a culture. Many Jewish people think of their Jewishness as ethnicity. When thinking of Judaism, often the things considered are the food, Yiddish language, or some special occasion such as Passover. Jewish people have a tendency to marry within their religion and maintain the customs that were passed down to them. I have heard of plenty of Talmudic schools and Hebrew school that are now available for kids to go and learn about Judaism in the hopes that they learn more about their culture and can pass it on to their future children. Jewish people in general tend to feel a connection to one another making it a complex thread of religion and culture. I think a large part for this fact is because of their stronghold in Israel. Israel is an equal and main identifier for all Jews since it is basically a home base that is available for all Jews to go to no matter what sect they may identify with. Essentially, what I’m trying to get at is that they are a religion and culture because of the sense of “togetherness” that they feel. Not often do you hear about fighting among the different sects of Jewish people because overall they all collectively identify with one another since the religious beliefs align with the overall culture. For example, in Islam, there are actually a lot of different sects each with their own set of beliefs. You already hear in the news that the two major sects, Sunni’s and Shia’s cannot get along because there is no uniformity not only in the beliefs but also the cultures. It is a known fact that the Shia people often originate from Iraq or Iran whereas Sunni people dominate in most other countries including North America. This makes for a major clash of culture which also contributes to the different views on how Islam should be practiced. With Judaism, however, it seems that it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew in Africa, Europe, North America, or even Asia. Overall, the beliefs are relatively the same world wide which makes it easier for both culture and religion to be considered as identifiers for the term “Jewish.” Sat, 10 Sep 2011 03:24:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/08/voices-from-the-classroom-4/#IDComment191766945 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/why-do-you-follow-any-religion-at-all/#IDComment188903881 I choose to follow my own personal religion because of two main reasons: faith and because essentially it’s what I know. When I say, “it’s what I know,” what I mean is I was raised to be Muslim and taught about Islam my whole life. To me, there was never any doubt in my mind or any need to question why I identify with Islam. My entire family is Muslim; many of my friends are Muslim, so basically why should I have any problem being Muslim? As I became older and began to understand more things about Islam itself and as well as other religions, it turned into faith. I began to see that I agree with the teachings and saw it as the right choice for me. The way Islam encourages me to live life is one that I can see no fault with. Among many things, it teaches me patience, acceptance, tolerance, and most importantly restraint. It has shaped who I am today. Now I’m sure most people would want to know “Don’t you feel its necessary to question your beliefs?” I’m going to be honest and say there have been a few times when I have questioned my beliefs and wondered to myself why I still continue to choose Islam when other religions may not be as staunch. However, even at these “weak moments,” as I choose to view them as, I realize in my heart I truly cannot imagine myself as anything else. This is not to say I’m a religious fanatic and follow the teachings of Islam exactly as they should be carried out. I don’t pray five times a day, I don’t attend our special prayer on Fridays, and I’ll even eat food that may have touched pork (eating pork is a huge no-no). However, it does play a major role in the daily decisions I make in life. Among those many decisions, it’s the reason why I choose not to drink, avoid dating, and will not have sex until I’m married. About religion in general, I need to have religion (no matter what it may be) in my life because it gives me a sense of purpose, something to turn to in times of struggle. Knowing that God is always on my side gives me hope that everything will be okay even when it seems like the world is against me, and I’ll never catch a break. It also plays a role in allowing me to have answers to the dreaded “unknown.” When it comes to these dreaded “unknown,” or questions that are tough to answer, I am able to know that for whatever reason God deemed it necessary and that is why it is in existence. I’m sure many people may see this as a cop out view, which very well may be true, but ultimately it’s what gives me comfort. Fri, 2 Sep 2011 04:50:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/why-do-you-follow-any-religion-at-all/#IDComment188903881