This video opened my eyes to the harsh realities of war and how it affects those not involved. The speaker has a great argument in how war is viewed not just here in America but globally as it affects individuals’ lives. It is crazy how we bomb far lands and not see what happens when that bomb hits, the destruction and chaos it brings and the people and families ruined. The fight for peace would bring equality among ethnicities and genders. There are women fighting for their rights while the leading men of war nations bomb and fight over oil and territories. We in the United States have no idea what it is like to be woken up by a bomb dropping near our homes or finding out a friends or family member was blown up by a stream of explosives.

The male dominated world we live in just ignores the damages caused and disregards the causalities lost without remorse. I understand war is necessary in the violent and tyrannous world we live in. Not always women and some “radical male thinkers” to be involved in the war decisions yet have to deal with the consequences of the war brings into their backyards. The speaker is right in saying causalities just become a number in statistic and goes under heard. But it is a work in progress to change the world in preventing war and equality among women. When she speaks about the rapping and mistreatment of women in war tore countries; that is something that can’t be changed as long as war in present. The speaker says how people on the home front of war still run regular lives even though war is raging around them. Women stay home with their children and tell them why there are bombs raining from the sky while their father and other men fight and continue this wave of destruction. Should it be okay to be used to bombs and missiles ripping through your neighborhood? How would it be to have war in the United States, bombs exploding and lighting up the sky as we stumble downtown to a bar? Peace is the key in preventing unnecessary violence and death to those not involved.

The videos on TED are always informative and provoke thought and discussion about real issues. I hope for peace one day where we can live without war and hatred toward our fellow human-beings.

This article is interesting in how religions seem to be on the decline. I was raised Catholic received communion but as I got older I stopped going to church as much. Especially going away to college away from my family I barely go, only during Christmas and Easter. I believe in God and an afterlife but I also understand the idea of just being apart of the Earth and when you die you may just decay into the Earth and that’s it. It’s just the religion of those around you being imposed onto you. As a child you have no say in what is taught to you and what to believe. All religions have the basic creation story so who is to say which one is right or wrong. People feel the need to make their own lives and being “spiritual”.

Claiming a religion basically depends on the influences of those around you and if that fits you personally. Not affiliated indicates just no interest for a religious group tat fits them at that time. Since all religions again are alike with their teachings an individual would want to explore different aspects of the same thing. The idea of a religion is to have as many followers and I feel this generation and times people want to be individuals and not be “sheeple”, monkey see monkey do. Does someone really need religion to guide their lives, I understand there are those who do and that there are those who don’t and that group is growing. Its how an individual was raised and how strict the religious views were instilled in them. When a person has the freedom to choice more or less I feel they would be unaffiliated since there are some many religions the only question is which one is right for me and right in its views and teachings. The variety of religious options is what makes it difficult for people to really choice on their own with all the influences around them, but over time it seems that people are no longer doing that or is it they are just following the majority that just falling out of faith. The need for humans to be apart of something whether it being to follow a religion or to follow not following a religion, it is the concept following the majority but slowly religions are serving less a purpose. Is religion the glue that keeps society going and staying organized, without it would there be no order since its been around since the dawn of time?

This guy Zach is an excellent speaker, presenting his position very well and providing personal testimony on the matter. He makes a great point in how being raised by a lesbian couple has had no obvious negative influence on his character and upbringing. The concept of nature versus nurture shows how this guy was able to be raised by what society deemed as immoral and taboo. If anything his views are made stronger and unbiased because he was raised by two women and as a male can see the flip side and still not be effected by society and what they believe is right and how a family should be. It shouldn’t matter who someone is raised by just as long as that person is being cared for, loved and brought up with good moral character.

The government makes being homosexual seem so wrong and as if these people are bad and are not moral lacking the ability to care for and love a child. The argument of same sex couples aren’t fit to be parents is shameful just because a man and women have a child doesn’t not automatically make them a parent. A parent is a person who loves and truly cares for the well-being of that child whether it be a biological parent, aunt or uncle, grandparents, family friend, but has truly nothing to do with sexual orientation. Sexual orientation can not be persuaded into a child’s mind, if its there its there if not its not matter who the child is raised by but ignorance and prejudice can be instilled in a child to hate those different. Same sex marriage isn’t trying to take over what most feel is the proper form of marriage which is between a man and a woman; it is simply allowing someone to marry another whom they love no matter their gender.

Our society has been built on the idea of fearing the unknown and trying to control and contain what is different. We have come a long what from slavery, women’s rights and now we must conquer inequality among all. Everyone has the right and obligation to fight for whom they love and feel they should be with and the government has no right to get in between that just to please ignorant people afraid of change. Treating those who are different like a second class citizens based on their sexuality is ridiculous, the freedoms, opportunities and rights given to straight families should be bestowed to same sex families without judgment or ridicule. Those who are so used to the old fashion way need to wake up and see that it isn’t 1857 anymore and that this a new time and a new generation which is open to all ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations.

Once the video began I understood how he would be considered to be a “typical white guy” since the video was about a gun holster. I feel society has a set view for certain people in this video he is seen as a typical white All American. Most minorities could care less about a gun holster especially one located near your crouch. Spending an extra 50 bucks on a holster that I feel would be more of a bother and cause discomfort than a state of the art gun holder. But when he describes the location it seems fine to him, not hinting at the fact it is pointing down at his crouch and says “waist line” which most minorities with guns their waist line is non-existent or well below making this product targeted toward those with belts not baggy pants. The importance and joy that this holster has brought this guy promotes the idea that white people are hunters, love guns and deal with these kinds of products for sport. When he goes into detail of the holster he speaks very generically and as though his audience is familiar with products of this nature which most would be white people interested in guns and hunting and a fan of the NRA. The best part though is when he says “look at someone’s zipper” and kind of leans in and the silent pause is awkward enough to make someone think honestly is this holster that good and when demonstrates pulling the gun out he lays down the line “Boom, there it is” making it a little more corny than it is. What also makes this guy “white” is his presentation, very stiff and has a monotone feel kind of making it very boring and uninteresting even though he is fully invested in this product and has had fulfillment from it. I wouldn’t say that all white people act this way about guns and look like this guy but he fits the media stereotype of a white guy like a thug for a black guy, a nerd for asian guy, and a janitor for a hispanic. What would make him less “white” would be to possibly wear something else because he seems like an average guy talking about gun holster but if he were a cop/military personnel demonstrating it’d be less lame and more authentic. But I feel it is more of his appearance with his wrangler blue jeans, tucked in polo shirt and crew cut haircut, I see him like an average guy but again the media instilled an image of different ethnicities into us thus labeling him as a white guy.

I feel winning the lottery would be more of an issue and burden than a gracious gift. Of course having won money I would be happy but on the flip side my family and friends would feel obligated to control and want my money. The unnecessary pressures that come with winning that money isn’t worth it, people you thought were friends soon turn on you to better themselves due to jealousy and envy that our capitalist society has embedded in people.

The lottery is already a difficult and random way of winning money and the aftermath brings on more anxiety, difficulty and stress in a person’s life than before winning the lottery. But like the article stated there are those who have won and their personal lives weren’t affected in a negative way. This can be due to the fact some people have debt owed to people and this newly acquired money brings the attention of those wanting to be paid back. For those who have greedy people in their lives winning the lottery would be an issue of safety and security of the money but for those without that they are free to indulge in their winnings. With winning people have been robbed, murdered, and forced to relocate because of individual’s lust for money and supremacy.

Does money really buy happiness but at what cost, the cost of your friends and family, place of residence, and personal safety. To some the lottery is a blessing by helping them get out of poverty, support their family, and invest in their future but at the same time can be a curse burdening people with the constant badgering from those with self-interest in their lottery winnings. With the taxes that are taken out of the lottery winnings people sometimes can barely do what they planned to do with the money and on top of people with their hands digging in your pockets. What comes with winning the lottery besides more money is the sense of being pulled in different directions by your family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and investors directing where their money should go. Overall it is the greed and envy of others that drives them to force themselves onto people’s lottery winnings feeling they deserve a part of it just because of association or they feel cheated thinking “Why them and not me?”.

This video was very creative in showing the complexity of the education system and how it has evolved over time. The way our education system is structured is around repetitious memorization of information that honestly we have no clue about. All standardized and build on an ideal of how things study be taught and what to should be learned and not learned in schools. The restrictions and expectations of how students should learn is how students are considered better than other based on a fictitious scale used to separate the valued and non-valued. With how our institutions are run students feel that a degree is essential to obtain a job but today college is such a norm that it isn’t a guarantee anymore when in the past it was. A higher education doesn’t just mean college but graduate school and reaching masters and doctorates.

We are breed not how the think but what to think about through our school system and the evolution of technology and the media have influenced students opinions and judgment toward things. I believe a homeschooled student learns better since they can work at their own pace and have the freedom to express and explore different types of learning styles and curriculum. Students are definitely products of what society and government wants out in the workforce to promote good morals and work ethics and efficient productivity. We are forced to accept capitalist views and mindset which makes it our sole goal in life to get rich and that money is all important and the key to happiness. Today’s students are so consumed with social activities, technology and a plethora of outside distraction then ever before.

The government deems these distractions as symptoms of ADHD but it could just be there are more interesting things than school able now then before. So they prescribe these drugs like Ritalin and adderall to help stimulate learning and concentration basically forcing students to pay attention and accept the information being presented. Thus causing drug abuse by those who may not have ADHD or were falsely prescribed them in order to meet the standards and make the all important grade to prove success and understanding. What is truly going on is students are being subjected to information others in the past felt to be important and work well with hoe society runs but in the process stripping some of their creativity and individuality. Instead of separating the smart from the non-smart through testing and age the collaboration of these different students to help one another understand different views and come to a group consensus on what may be right or wrong not just the generic version of an answer told to all students nationwide.

I feel this promotion is a positive and negative use of tax payers’ money. On the pro-side breast-feeding is a predominant way most mothers nurse their children, I was breast feed along with all my siblings. By providing information and services to women trying to breast feed would increase awareness and understanding since some social issues like obesity isn’t an issue to all and shouldn’t be the only option. Yet it seems as though the government is forcing ideals and values upon people on how to feed their children or what to feed them. The government should be involved in a way to just show the public alternatives to certain thing such as breast feeding and obesity prevention but leave it to the citizens to decide what they feel they should do. Having government regulations on foods and providing nutrition information is understandable because in the end the decision solely lives with the individual. The government my feel compelled to direct the American people in the direct they feel best but what the government deems best my not be what is best for all. The government is already using tax money on military expenses, foreign aid, and international interests yet focusing little funds on education and health care, there are more dire issues that could use those funds. Providing meaningful aid and service to Americans is understandable but to impose a structure and way of life onto people paid with citizens’ tax money is unjust. I respect the promotion that is being addressed but not at the cost of people’s freedoms and money. Being a free state Americans can indulged in unhealthy food options and make their own lifestyle decisions but as long as the government made an effort to promote wellness. The government needs to realize the boundaries between presenting helpful alternatives to possible lifestyle issues and being authoritative and putting restrictions on people’s free will and right to choose.

This video is hilarious. It shows how our society shapes our behavior whether directly or indirectly. Unknowingly people conform to what others around them are doing, even when they knew what the correct way was. The idea of conforming in our society is what makes leaders and followers, some who are willing to conform and easily influenced (3rd subject) and those who are more reluctant (1st subject). Being on an elevator and everyone is doing something but you, a person would feel compelled to join in not wanting to be the odd one out. In our society people want to be accepted and feel apart of something not out casted and judged for being different. Its interesting how people in the video are so willing to loss their individuality and perform to what is going on around them. To avoid confrontation and being ridiculed for not following along resulting in feeling alone and standing out people try to blend in a fade into the background. Everyday you see people wearing the same brands and conforming to society’s image of what is in and fashionable. In class we talked about the invisible strings, they definitely come into play when dealing with being accepted and following the leader. Our society has created the notion that different and unknown is bad and how important it is to be as one not as an individual. Humans are naturally social creatures wanting to be apart and interact correctly with others. This experiment is good in figuring out how our society works and how it influences people.

From this incident we learn that in our society we do play the “blame game”. I understand that someone is responsible for the gun and that it was a danger to the child and others around but figuring out how it happened shouldn’t affect a five year old child. Suspending from school is extending the issue more than necessary. The gun were seen as a toy to the child possessing it seemed normal, not implying threats or having prior issues at the school. For a random unfortunate event this gun could have gone off in the pre-kindergarten school seriously hurting or killing someone. The fact of the matter is the gun was in the possession of a five year old minor, the responsibility lives in the parents but should not solely be on them. Maybe the gun was illegally obtained by the child’s parent then responsibility falls on the stepfather but if it were a legal gun having a license would the fault be on the license issuer not following protocol and requirements and providing a license to someone irresponsible and unworthy to have one. There are so many to blame for the gun entering a school by a five year old but blaming a child so young on a violation he may know even understand just due to the negligence of a parent, gun issuer, faculty, and/or teachers because everyone involved in or around this child may have an effect on the gun being in the school. But just because it happened to the child and none of those who had an effect on it happening he has to deal with the results of neglect and irresponsibility. The child shouldn’t have been suspended dealing with police and faculty questioning him would be enough for a young child to deal with nonetheless being accused of possessing a loaded firearm. Police say the investigation would last from weeks to months, a child is supposed to miss that much school and be separated from his peers over an unfortunate situation for that long? That would be unfair to the child and led to him being shunned and treated differently due to a parental mistake. The stepfather should be the one to deal with the questioning and repercussion of the event not a five year old.

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