en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2437827 Comments by globetrotter91 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment145203493 I think the irony of the United States is absolutely ridiculous. We like to proclaim that we are a nation that embraces its diversity and welcomes people of all nationalities into our midst. Yet in reality, our actions speak so much louder than our boasts of being the world’s melting pot. White men are still the main benefactors of our society, and oppression and discrimination are rampant. (This always makes me wonder about why other nations find the United States so wonderful and free. But then again, our oppression and discrimination and prejudices are far more latent than they are in other societies, and after all, we are still the land of liberty and of the American Dream.) The statue of liberty is almost a joke nowadays, as our society does seem to dislike illegal immigrants. We would rather deport people than embrace them and provide them with asylum. We are fine fighting wars on other people’s turfs, but shirk away the responsibility of caring for other nation’s citizens that seek refuge and a peaceful new life on our turf. Immigrants are generally portrayed by the media as being dirty, lazy “wetbacks,” despite the fact that the people who immigrate are NOT the lazy ones. They are the go-getters of their countries, they are the ones risking everything to begin their lives anew. They are the people who will try everything and do anything to improve the lives of their families and ensure a better future for their children. Meanwhile, the United States’ media and government like to create this dramatic, false image that immigrants are storming our shores and borders and are stealing away jobs that are rightfully ours. The facts are not all provided for the people of the United States, so therefore the public opinion towards immigrants tends to mimic the media’s, and we all, to a certain degree, look down on them. I learned in my Social Problems class last semester that immigrants are NOT destroying our economy or taking jobs that should be saved for Americans. Immigrants are taking the jobs that Americans don’t actually want, and they are actually quite valuable to our economy (that’s why the business world holds such a large stake in the matter). People are also under the false impression that immigrants are dangerous and violent and will ruin our cities with their gangs and slums. Data shows, however, that immigrant enclaves in American cities are significantly less violent than other areas of the inner cities. Immigrant families, especially Hispanic ones, tend to be very close knit; these familial values instill respect and hardworking values. Ever since 9/11, America has developed an over-the-top sense of nationalism. While national pride is generally a good thing, in this case, it is hurtful. It inspires judgments of hardworking individuals before they even have a chance to prove themselves. And, if we let it, it will destroy America’s long-standing values of inclusion and diversity. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:10:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment145203493 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/what-are-your-thoughts-on-everything-we-saw-and-heard-in-lecture-about-native-americans-119-blog/#IDComment142653963 After gaining some perspective and understanding about the terrible conditions the majority of Native Americans in this country live, I honestly felt sick to my stomach. It makes me so sad that for years, well, for basically EVER, the white man has stomped all over people of color who are “in their way.” While I wouldn’t necessarily go so far as to say I am guilty about being white, I would say that I am ashamed of the way we have developed a superiority complex over the other races and ethnicities in this country. Where did our sense of entitlement come from? Why do we trot through our nepotism-ridden lives, pleasantly ignorant to the plights of others? How can we deny the injustices we have done to these innocents, or worse still, how can we acknowledge that wrongs were done, yet still do nothing to remedy the current situation? Seeing the Al Jazeera news report on the Indian reservation here in the United States was a very strange experience. All our news talks about is troubles and wars in the Middle East, yet mentions nothing of the extreme statistics and unfortunate lives of people right in this country. Ironically, it is the Middle Eastern news network that brings the American reservations to public light. We spend all our focus, and, as Sam pointed out in the Christian Invaders lecture, all our judgments, on peoples abroad. Why must the United States attempt to be the babysitter of the entire world, with our billions upon billions of dollars of military power, when we cannot even take care of our own citizens and indigenous people? There is something so horribly messed up about that. We literally seem like the most hypocritical nation EVER! If the United States of America truly stood for diversity and universal acceptance and the endlessly preached “melting pot” philosophy, then we would include Native Americans in that acceptance, right? I recently looked at some old pictures from my friend’s Boy Scout experience, and in them, several of the boys are wearing Indian headdresses. The Boy Scouts kind of stand for conservative, white, middle class values. I went to a summer camp and spent each year in a different age group – each named for a different tribe – and slept in cabins – which also had Indian namesakes (my last year I was in Blackfoot cabin in the Ute village). During my summer camp tenure, I learned the YMCA values – honesty, responsibility, respect, caring – but never learned anything about the way Indians actually live NOW. It’s the same kind of syndrome the American sports teams have – we “appreciate” and glorify the Indian traditions and courage and such in our games and programs, but don’t go further than that. It is absolutely terrible that unemployment rates on reservations are the vast majority of the population, or that the likelihood of a woman getting sexually assaulted skyrockets if she is a Native American. Alcohol accounts for TWELVE percent of deaths?! We white Europeans landed in the new world, introduced “fire water” and our diseases, and then slaughtered and slandered and essentially took over. Completely. And we dare use the term “cowboy killer” to describe these people? Such irony. And ignorance. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 02:14:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/what-are-your-thoughts-on-everything-we-saw-and-heard-in-lecture-about-native-americans-119-blog/#IDComment142653963 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/07/do-you-agree-with-foreign-aids-use-of-pictures-of-children-119-blog/#IDComment141149552 I think the use of images of impoverished children is very strategic. After each natural disaster in recent history, you can guarantee that every human rights organization involved in the recovery process will spam the public with heart wrenching pictures of adorable children suffering through terrible tribulations. Who can look at such a picture and NOT feel something? Watching videos that chronicle the events that come after a disaster are meant to gain the attention of the more developed world. Reading articles and trying to analyze and understand numbers and statistics does nothing for the emotional avenue. And for a relief effort to actually be successful and make an impact, people need to get involved. Why would people get involved in helping fix a situation that they have no emotional attachment to? While it may seem like a sly tactic to essentially use these children for their adorable faces and deep eyes filled with emotion, it is probably one of most effective publicity stunts for fundraising. Yet here is my hang-up with the strategy: do the children get anything in return for having their face plastered across the global media, or do they remain unaffected and continue to live in squalor and grief? What would make the images indisputably humane (as in, they don’t exploit the plight of the children they use), would be if the pictured children got some significant compensation in return for their posing and their soulful stares. It must be especially devastating for the children to see these exotic, foreign photographers and reporters who are momentarily attentive and friendly, suddenly leave and return to their swanky, comfortable lives – leaving them behind. Perhaps something more constructive should be done to physically and effectively help the people, as opposed to simply snapping some pictures, divvying out hand-outs, and then vanishing back to comfort. It seems a bit too close to exploitation to be fully fair. It’s like we are putting them on display. Yes, it’s a good way for us, in the first world, to attempt to understand – no, not understand, just get a distant glimpse – of what life is like in less fortunate areas. But if all the picture does is get us to make a small donation and maybe read a few articles or watch a few videos before returning to ignorance, then perhaps we need something more effective and influential. Ersno’s stories about the Haitian businessmen and women have more sway: we can learn about them as real people, not just 2D images. I am split on this question, I suppose. The faces of children never fail to grab the attention of the masses, but we have to go above and beyond sympathy if we want to make a change. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 02:49:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/07/do-you-agree-with-foreign-aids-use-of-pictures-of-children-119-blog/#IDComment141149552 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139161579 First of all, I think guys probably put effort into how they dress just like we do. I think their effort is a different form, however. In lieu of make up and skimpy clothes that show off curves/cleavage/skin, guys put effort into looking effortless. It’s also a lot tougher for guys to hide skin imperfections with a handy bit of cover up. There is so much pressure on guys to approach girls, ask girls out, face devastating rejection, and to look suave and cool (and effortless) while doing it all. That’s got to be difficult. Granted, when the girls act and look the way a lot of the Penn State ladies do (essentially laying it ALL out there…), that probably takes some risk out of the equation. When girls put on little tiny outfits and high heels that show every movement of their hips, that’s a major “come hither” signal. But, as Laurie was saying, it could very well be one of those mixed signals that frustrate guys so much. I mean, putting myself in their shoes (which are, as we discussed, a whole lot comfier than the ridiculous things we wear), if I were to see a chick all dressed up, of COURSE I would assume she wants attention, or that she wants to “get some.” My god, what a twisted, crazy social world this is, right here in State College. You can say so much by what you wear. Now, for what I wear. Yes, I love for my hair to look good and my skin to look flawless. If I use a straightening iron once in awhile or some make up to help me along, so be it. I honestly feel more confident when I can check myself out in the mirror and be pleased with what I see. As for the clothes, that’s where I tend to let myself slide. I’ve gone out on weekends in sweats and tee shirts, and those nights are generally the most fun. If I’m hanging out with my close friends, my Morale committee, the crew team, etc., then I’m honestly not going to give a crap if I look like crap. If you’re a sorority chick headed out for a night of fratting it up, then yeah, sweats are probably out of the question for you unless you want to be judged for it. Socially, what is worse? Objectification or being ignored? No one wants to be Baby in the corner, and you don’t get put in the corner if you look hot. But for me…it’s different. All of those people have seen me without make up, with my hair looking like a hurricane…so they know what I look like! Make up and a little more effort won’t fool them. (Although it can be enjoyable to conform to society sometimes and shock everyone with how good (the socialized good) you can look when you dress a bit snazzier than usual). But here’s the thing: when I’m in my sweats, or my jeans, and my hair’s in its natural wavy state and then I STILL have solid conversation (or more…heh) with someone who’s interested in me, then I feel more beautiful than I ever could in any too-expensive dress I bought at Metro and a pair of stilettos that give me blisters. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 17:52:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139161579 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139128655 First of all, I think guys probably put effort into how they dress just like we do. I think their effort is a different form, however. In lieu of make up and skimpy clothes that show off curves/cleavage/skin, guys put effort into looking effortless. It’s also a lot tougher for guys to hide skin imperfections with a handy bit of cover up. There is so much pressure on guys to approach girls, ask girls out, face devastating rejection, and to look suave and cool (and effortless) while doing it all. That’s got to be difficult. Granted, when the girls act and look the way a lot of the Penn State ladies do (essentially laying it ALL out there…), that probably takes some risk out of the equation. When girls put on little tiny outfits and high heels that show every movement of their hips, that’s a major “come hither” signal. But, as Laurie was saying, it could very well be one of those mixed signals that frustrate guys so much. I mean, putting myself in their shoes (which are, as we discussed, a whole lot comfier than the ridiculous things we wear), if I were to see a chick all dressed up, of COURSE I would assume she wants attention, or that she wants to “get some.” My god, what a twisted, crazy social world this is, right here in State College. You can say so much by what you wear. Now, for what I wear. Yes, I love for my hair to look good and my skin to look flawless. If I use a straightening iron once in awhile or some make up to help me along, so be it. I honestly feel more confident when I can check myself out in the mirror and be pleased with what I see. As for the clothes, that’s where I tend to let myself slide. I’ve gone out on weekends in sweats and tee shirts, and those nights are generally the most fun. If I’m hanging out with my close friends, my Morale committee, the crew team, etc., then I’m honestly not going to give a crap if I look like crap. If you’re a sorority chick headed out for a night of fratting it up, then yeah, sweats are probably out of the question for you unless you want to be judged for it. Socially, what is worse? Objectification or being ignored? No one wants to be Baby in the corner, and you don’t get put in the corner if you look hot. But for me…it’s different. All of those people have seen me without make up, with my hair looking like a hurricane…so they know what I look like! Make up and a little more effort won’t fool them. (Although it can be enjoyable to conform to society sometimes and shock everyone with how good (the socialized good) you can look when you dress a bit snazzier than usual). But here’s the thing: when I’m in my sweats, or my jeans, and my hair’s in its natural wavy state and then I STILL have solid conversation (or more…heh) with someone who’s interested in me, then I feel more beautiful than I ever could in any too-expensive dress I bought at Metro and a pair of stilettos that give me blisters. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 15:04:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139128655 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139126443 First of all, I think guys probably put effort into how they dress just like we do. I think their effort is a different form, however. In lieu of make up and skimpy clothes that show off curves/cleavage/skin, guys put effort into looking effortless. It’s also a lot tougher for guys to hide skin imperfections with a handy bit of cover up. There is so much pressure on guys to approach girls, ask girls out, face devastating rejection, and to look suave and cool (and effortless) while doing it all. That’s got to be difficult. Granted, when the girls act and look the way a lot of the Penn State ladies do (essentially laying it ALL out there…), that probably takes some risk out of the equation. When girls put on little tiny outfits and high heels that show every movement of their hips, that’s a major “come hither” signal. But, as Laurie was saying, it could very well be one of those mixed signals that frustrate guys so much. I mean, putting myself in their shoes (which are, as we discussed, a whole lot comfier than the ridiculous things we wear), if I were to see a chick all dressed up, of COURSE I would assume she wants attention, or that she wants to “get some.” My god, what a twisted, crazy social world this is, right here in State College. You can say so much by what you wear. Now, for what I wear. Yes, I love for my hair to look good and my skin to look flawless. If I use a straightening iron once in awhile or some make up to help me along, so be it. I honestly feel more confident when I can check myself out in the mirror and be pleased with what I see. As for the clothes, that’s where I tend to let myself slide. I’ve gone out on weekends in sweats and tee shirts, and those nights are generally the most fun. If I’m hanging out with my close friends, my Morale committee, the crew team, etc., then I’m honestly not going to give a crap if I look like crap. If you’re a sorority chick headed out for a night of fratting it up, then yeah, sweats are probably out of the question for you unless you want to be judged for it. Socially, what is worse? Objectification or being ignored? No one wants to be Baby in the corner, and you don’t get put in the corner if you look hot. But for me…it’s different. All of those people have seen me without make up, with my hair looking like a hurricane…so they know what I look like! Make up and a little more effort won’t fool them. (Although it can be enjoyable to conform to society sometimes and shock everyone with how good (the socialized good) you can look when you dress a bit snazzier than usual). But here’s the thing: when I’m in my sweats, or my jeans, and my hair’s in its natural wavy state and then I STILL have solid conversation (or more…heh) with someone who’s interested in me, then I feel more beautiful than I ever could in any too-expensive dress I bought at Metro and a pair of stilettos that give me blisters. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 14:56:11 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139126443 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630088 During my discussion group this week, we had a very interesting and enlightening chat about interracial dating. Now, personally, I would date someone of any race. For me, attraction is based on things that don’t really have to do with the color of someone’s skin. While I have never actually dated someone outside of my race, as in, I have never called someone who is NOT white my “boyfriend,” I am not opposed to the idea. Interestingly enough, however, this does not seem to be the mindset across the spectrum. When the question was presented to the guys of color in my discussion group about their “preference,” none of them said outright that they would only date a girl in their racial group. After all, we all agreed, our nation is getting browner and browner, what with all the mixed race people we have – and the population of mixed couples is growing regularly. So several of the black boys in my class have dated white girls, or Puerto Rican girls, etc. Yet what really fascinated me was the fact that a girl of color in our class mentioned that she believed black guys who date white girls are actually “selling out.” Excuse me? Hearing this statement made me outraged. Simply because particular black guys are following their hearts, not their “racist” eyes, and are dating girls of different races (ie, simply because these fellows are choosing NOT to date HER), she is up in arms against the idea of black guys with white girls. But does she follow this mentality in her own life? Apparently not. This double standard approach to interracial dating surprises me. I’ve dated mixed race guys, and they’ve all seemed fine with dating me – a white girl, as white bread as can be. An interesting point brought up in discussion was that people tend to date people they share friends with. How else do you meet the person and realize you’re attracted to them if you never actually hang out? And, as we discussed, it is commonplace for people at Penn State to flock to people like them. Apparently there are “black parties” in the HUB? Now, I never knew that (seeing as I’ve never been invited…), but perhaps there would be more interracial dating, and people who look upon it with disdain would stop doing so, if parties, if clubs, if close knit groups of friends, all became more diversified. At a school where the vast – VAST – majority of the students are white, it may seem difficult for this diversification to occur. But as Sam says, America is “browning,” and “carmelizing.” So eventually, this, hopefully will not be an issue. I have white friends who romanticize about marrying someone from another race because of how BEAUTIFUL mixed race babies are. While that’s an interesting reason for being attracted to someone, perhaps this lovely mindset can replace the perception that minorities dating people in the majority white population are “sell outs.” Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:58:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630088 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/where-do-the-messages-come-from-119-blog/#IDComment135880469 I think that our society inundates us with messages representing a “color hierarchy” on a fairly constant basis. Watching the video about the dark skinned girls who were ashamed or disappointed with their coloring was sad and frustrating. The girls clearly did not view themselves as beautiful. I know that most girls struggle with body image and self love, especially because of the mainstream ideals of beauty and perfection they consistently try and measure up to, but I cannot imagine growing up in a society that has seared the idea that you will never be beautiful enough simply because of the color of your skin. Even just the fact that products exist to bleach skin is shocking. The fact is that young women of color grow up admiring and idolizing pretty famous white celebrities and then as a result think less of themselves. This message, of white beauty, and of white dominance, is reinforced throughout our society. I grew up with Barbies and American Girl Dolls. I never had a black Barbie, and the only white American Girl Doll that I knew about was the Addie Doll – who was once a slave girl. I’m sure that I am not going out on a limb by assuming that the several white dolls, with the glitzy dresses and outfits and accessories probably were more profitable for the company than Addie was. Barbies were white because there was no demand for black ones. And because what young children see and experience all shape their identities, perspectives, and impressions of themselves, they learn to believe that white is the way to be. They watch TV and see little white children on cartoons and they watch Disney movies and see white princesses getting the “happily ever after.” The characters of character represent the under class, the servants, etc. So what on earth are children supposed to believe? How can we ever expect children of color to grow up feeling equally special and beautiful if they are so underrepresented? Witnessing the young, moldable kids each select the white skinned doll as the “good one” or the one they preferred to play with, was shocking at first, but it honestly makes sense. What we as a society need to do is begin to diversify our media with added vigor. Yes, we sprinkle people of color throughout TV shows, and Disney finally got itself its first black princess, but we need to make it so it is no longer just an exception, but a common trend. White dominance persists because it is what our culture is used to. If you think about it, the world may be changing rapidly, but it has only been a few decades since the Civil Rights Movement (which isn’t exactly over), and only a little over a century since slavery. I would say that people of color are making great strides, but they will forever be behind whites if the next generation continues to view themselves as less than what they are simply because society tells them to. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:24:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/where-do-the-messages-come-from-119-blog/#IDComment135880469 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment132397461 Not only do I feel a bit guilty about the possibility that simply being white has gotten me to the position I am in now, but I also feel frustrated. I hate the idea that my success has occurred not because I am smart, intelligent, or personable, but because I am white. To me, this is ridiculous. I want to “win” or succeed because I am deserving. “Winning” or getting ahead because of the way I look feels like cheating. “Losing” because of one’s race is disgusting and totally uncalled for. When I was watching the Racism video in preparation for the exam, I could not keep from feeling absolutely heartbroken about the way whites have treated other races for the past several hundred years. There is no excuse for such torture and racism. I answered a blog post earlier in the year in which I raved about the advances humans have made. I talked about how amazing our cognitive abilities are and how incredible our achievements have been throughout history. We have to realize, however, that in conjunction with our brilliance is our undeniable treachery. We are the only species that impedes our own survival. We mistreat one another and enslave, murder, and spread hatred. Of our own kind! I’ve never seen elephants turn on one another with such hatred in their hearts. Someone – it may have been Sam – said that guilt is an alright emotion to feel, but it does not inspire action. Guilt breeds ineffective wallowing. So it’s okay for me to initially feel guilty about the perks of white skin, perhaps, but if I cannot apply that guilt into a more productive feeling, then my empathy is wasted. During our discussion section the other week, we talked about benefits of being white, and the black students in my class spoke about the frustration they feel. Sure, I may feel discontented that I have white privilege, but let’s be real. It’s not like any negative effects come from my whiteness! At least none that I have yet perceived. From the statistics we have seen in class, given the choice, who WOULDN’T want to be white? That’s just the facts – less chance of being impoverished, greater life expectancy, higher socio economic status, higher this, wealthier that, better educations, etc. etc. So maybe I feel guilty, but based on the feelings my black peers shared, feeling guilt about the situation means my life is easier than the anger and hopelessness that plague people of color. Does our society imply that blacks need to work twice as hard to lead as effective and successful a life as a white person of equal ability? When we begin our lives, we whites are automatically ten steps ahead. And it seems that no matter what blacks attempt to do, they keep getting pushed more steps back. Now personally, I don’t feel guilty about my own actions, but I think that the way we currently live is shameful. Fri, 4 Mar 2011 15:54:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment132397461 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment128883527 The way we live in the United States is materialistic, individualistic, and very unique from the rest of the world. I think that we Americans put ourselves on a pedestal when we think about our relationship with the less developed countries. After all, we are the wealthiest nation, aren’t we? But that’s only because we Americans consider wealth to be solely based on economic status. If you are uneducated, if you don’t have a chance – at least that’s the way American culture sees it. We like to turn a blind eye to the poverty in our nation because we like to project an image of the American Dream – an idealized image – where everyone who works hard enough finds success and fulfillment. This to me, after looking at our country’s sociological issues, is a total farce. Forty percent of children are born to unwed mothers, twenty percent of the total population is from a low income family, racism and discrimination persist….the stats go on and on. So I think the way we live in America is a bit of an act, really. We like to put on a strong show for the rest of the world, but it is only partially true: we like to hide the whole truth. I’ve been to other countries that aren’t like the United States. They don’t live like we live. I went to Ghana after I graduated high school to work at a school for three weeks. the children – many of whom were orphans – occupied themselves with songs, dances, and games. The boys loved “football,” and when we took them to market, they wanted the basics: they were excited to be given the chance to buy new shoes, new backpacks – and to simply try on various pairs of sunglasses. Their world is so much smaller than ours – that’s what I initially thought, anyway. But they find so much joy in the simple things – the things that we Americans take for granted, and actually forget about because we are so caught up with our iPhones and iPads and the Internet and who has the cooler car and who has the best tan and who wears designer brands and on and on and on. The Ghanaians have a zest for life that seems to be missing from the United States and the way we live here. They care about family and togetherness. We care about ourselves and getting ahead. And boy, is it lonely at the top. I feel like at some point, somehow, someone in the United States misread the definition of success, and our new, warped version is the one that stuck. I think this is unfortunate, because living life for the wrong reasons is hardly a life at all. We may pride ourselves on being ridiculously wealthy and having awesome stuff, and we may even find ourselves pitying the people in less developed countries because they’re the have nots. But from what I’ve seen, they too have a lot of have, and we sure have a lot of have nots. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:58:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment128883527 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/10/how-can-we-make-major-decisions-so-quickly-119-blog/#IDComment127453389 I think that our generation, and really our whole nation, should be very careful about the decisions we make. This exercise from class – about the woman who was jailed for sending her children to the wrong school and whether or not the judicial reaction was a racist one – shows just how easily a large group of people can flip flop. Given a certain set of information, we immediately jump to one conclusion. But when given a new perspective of the situation, we immediately jump ship and cling to another conclusion instead. Upon thinking about this scenario, I get a bit freaked out. This has major implications for how persuasive our media, our politicians, our newsreels can be. If they hold out on certain facts, the whole population will mistakenly believe someone that isn’t fully true. This is an issue! I listened to a podcast recently called No Agenda…in the particular cast I heard, the two guys were talking about how if they could buy a weather channel, they could manipulate the data and reveal it however they wanted to the general public. Now, this may be a strange example (what would compel someone to lie about the weather anyway?), but it can be applied to our contemporary society as a whole! I learned in a Sociology class last semester that the majority of the United States population believes that the immigrants coming into our country – both legally and illegally – are making a negative impact because they cause higher levels of crime and are stealing jobs that should go to us hard-working natives (ha!). Well, the actual data shows this opinion is a total misconception. Most of the immigrants are taking jobs that no Americans will take, which is why the employers are seeking the immigrants in the first place! So really, they’re taking jobs that need to be filled. And studies have shown that first generation immigrants lower crime rates where they live. It’s because of the immigrant enclaves – when people live in areas with people similar to them, with whom they share cultural ideologies and experiences, they are less likely to commit crimes. So why do so many Americans resist the idea of embracing immigrants? Why do so many Americans believe so strongly that immigrants are wreaking havoc on our precious, pristine America? The politicians have SAID that’s what the immigrants are doing! When the public hears the bombastic assertions that our jobs, those outsiders are threatening our cities, our children, of COURSE we’ll make those major snap decisions. It is our duty as people to look beyond the surface to discover what is really real, as opposed to simply embracing whatever assertions come our way simply because they’re delivered in a persuasive package. We need to open our eyes and try not to allow ourselves to be swayed so easily. Because then we’re nothing more than rag dolls for those in power to play with. And that’s not what I want to be. Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:58:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/10/how-can-we-make-major-decisions-so-quickly-119-blog/#IDComment127453389 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/03/why-dont-we-live-like-the-monkeys-119-blog/#IDComment126027771 Although the video with the monkeys made me laugh, it also made me somewhat angry. Yes, we share the majority of our genes with monkeys, so yes, we are similar to monkeys and our behavior resembles theirs. However, we as humans DO have the enhanced ability to actually think for ourselves. We are not monkeys, and I felt as though by showing the video, Sam was implying that a lot of what human society is based on is…pointless. Yes, human society has a great deal of foibles and shortcomings. We deal with wars, petty conflict, racism, sexism, teenage pregnancies, cyber bullying, identity theft, depression, rejection, and a whole host of other negative human interactions that it seems that normal monkeys do not have to think about. Because they cannot think about a vast majority of the stuff we can think about – that includes the good stuff though! We humans can create and innovate. We have art, literature, and intelligent thought. We have senses of humor and love! We question our world and our cultures, and we have a wide range of interests, desires, feelings, and emotions. Why would we want to shortchange ourselves of all these luxuries and experiences we as humans get to have? Yes, there are difficulties that come with our societies and cultures. I have become aware of a frightening variety of social problems that plague even the great United States, which the world likes to think is the hub of innovation and power. Well, we’ve clearly got some issues too. And yes, maybe the world would “be a better place” if we stopped feuding and essentially stopped being human, and instead settled for a more peaceful existence as the monkeys we “are.” But if we just lived to live, what would the point be? Sam carries around his beads that serve as a reminder that he’s going to die. One of the students in class the other day said, “Well, I’m just going to die anyway, right?” What? No. Yes, we’re going to all die eventually, that’s inevitable. But as soon as we get the attitude that we are just living to live until we die, then we stop caring about putting meaning into that life we live. We cannot let the problems of our world and the issues with humanity make us cynical and jaded. Monkeys fight other monkeys too. Conflict is a part of life, but its existence makes times of peace, love, culture, humor, art, etc. that much more special. Life is about the good things, but it is also about discordance and clashes of opinion. It’s about utilizing the huge brains that separate us from the monkeys to think thoughts for ourselves. Sat, 5 Feb 2011 00:11:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/03/why-dont-we-live-like-the-monkeys-119-blog/#IDComment126027771 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/27/what-the-most-beautiful-race-means-to-you-119-blog/#IDComment124456670 What is the most beautiful race? I hardly think that we can make a sweeping declaration that the answer to that question would require. There are beautiful people. Race, to me, does not affect beauty whatsoever. I’ve sexy African men, Turkish men, British men, American men…and they have been every shade imaginable. I’ve been stunned by gorgeous girls I would love to look like: tall ebony girls, pale Irish girls, Indian girls (so jealous of their hair)…my Asian roommate doesn’t agree, but she is definitely beautiful. And even I have my moments, and I’m one of those boring blonde hair blue eyed types of girls. What I mean to say is, I do not have a physical “type,” and I think that people who do are unfairly limiting themselves. All shades and nationalities and ethnicities and cultures and races – and all other ways that we like to divide people – have beautiful people among them. We all have been told at one point or another that judging people based simply on their looks is shallow and vain. Now, I could take this direction that says, “Beauty is not skin-deep,” and I could say that “Everyone is beautiful in his or her own way,” but I know that would be cheating. For the sake of this blog, and in regards to our most recent SOC 119 class sessions, I will pretend beauty does depend solely on appearance. But with that in mind, I cannot come up with what the most “physically attractive” race actually is. Unlike Sam, who said with every confidence that the Ethiopians of this world are by far the most attractive, gorgeous people, I have seen too many individuals from too many racial backgrounds to try and decide upon the “best” one. I love the movie, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” with Sidney Portier and Katherine Hepburn. Two sexy people who shock their parents by loving each other, despite the fact that he is black and she is white. In “Love Actually,” Keira Knightley is married to a black guy (the one star in the movie whose name I don’t know off the top of my head). Colin Firth falls for a Portuguese chick, and thus racial and lingual barriers are shattered. So here we are, in the land of college and dating and hook-ups and crushes and rejections and heartbreaks. I have seen an outrageous number of good-looking people here at Penn State. It seems unavoidable that Asians tend to date Asians, blacks tend to date blacks, and whites generally date whites. Why? I think this springs from the social division between races and cultures: we generally hang out with people like us. This is no different from our desire to watch news channels that reflect our political views (Fox News, anybody? No? How bout Jon Stewart then?), take courses that fit our interests, and wear clothes similar to the ones our friends wear: we are creatures of habit. Sad, but true. So because we spend the most time with people like us (Have you not seen the pods of white kids, separate from black kids, separate from Asian kids, at the HUB?), we end up dating people like us too. This doesn’t mean I’m opposed to dating a culturally diverse dude – he’s just got to approach me first (even if I am amidst a sea of white). Sat, 29 Jan 2011 02:23:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/27/what-the-most-beautiful-race-means-to-you-119-blog/#IDComment124456670 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/14/what-do-you-want-to-know-blog-1/#IDComment122622788 I have always been very interested in relationships between people, and also relationships between separate groups within a single society. As Sam said in class today, humans share 96% of our genetic code with chimps. That means that we must share like, 99.99999% of the same genetic code with other humans. Yet we are all so distinctly different! But are we? I think that Sam was smart to say that there is not a “human race,” but there are many races within the species. But we are all human. So to try and understand the mindset of people who make up excuses for their mistreatment of people of other races is difficult. I recently went to the Holocaust Exhibit in the Imperial War Museum in London, and I saw an especially haunting quote there. A commandant from one of the concentration camps addressed his guards, saying, “We haven’t come here to treat those swine like human beings. In our eyes, they’re not like us.” How can this type of mentality hold up? So many of us write the Holocaust off nowadays, remarking about how far we have come in terms of race relations and general acceptance of one another. I think this is such an ignorant belief. I took SOC 005 last semester – Social Problems. And boy, there are a LOT of social problems even today. What we are learning about – racial stereotypes, hate crimes, discrimination, and prejudice – is happening now. The Civil Rights Movement, as far as I’m concerned, is extremely far from over. So many of the social problems I learned about last semester stem from racism, or from the separation between classes (which, when it comes down to it, is a rich class made up mostly of white people versus a poor class made up mostly of blacks and other minorities). What I want to know is how our society made the switch from blatant to hidden discrimination. Why was it okay a few decades ago to be obviously discriminatory in the work place, in public settings, etc, but now we hypocritically say it’s wrong (while still discriminating!)? Major corporations have been caught in racially discriminatory acts…recently! Why do we think latent discrimination is okay? Will there always be a certain level of racial prejudice? Is its presence in our culture impossible to get rid of? As a white girl – and I mean totally white bread – I do not experience racism directed towards me. I read an article last semester that so much discrimination occurs on such a regular basis towards minorities, that they only make note of the extreme acts of discrimination – this means that so much goes unnoticed. Will the fact that we finally have a black president make any ounce of difference? Changes in an institution take a very VERY long time to take shape, and I am honestly not surprised that racism still exists. I am just disappointed that it does. But with white children growing up in a society where they develop a feeling of entitlement, and with black children growing up with a sense of bitterness about white people and the oppression they feel, we may currently be very stuck in a cycle of racism and mental/economic/social segregation. How will this course help us to see all the perspectives on these issues? Will the 700 of us in this class actually change the way we think? More importantly, will the 700 of us in the class actually do something about it? Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:38:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/14/what-do-you-want-to-know-blog-1/#IDComment122622788