en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2396735 Comments by jyoo0318 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-86/#IDComment231921090 From my discussions with friends and peers regarding affirmative action, the general opinion of these people, as well as my own, is that we have a negative position regarding affirmative action. I believe that part of the reason why white people dislike affirmative action is because they do not truly know how much they benefit from all of the elements that technically are considered affirmative action. When regarding affirmative action, most people probably think of college admissions and job placement; they think that people of a minority race have better chances and are more likely to receive admission or a job with equal or even lesser credentials. This is why they resent this process, because they feel, justifiably in my opinion, that college admissions, job placement, etc. should be based solely on the credentials of the candidate rather than their race. These competitions should focus on the academics, athletic, extracurricular, and other components of the person that truly show how qualified they would be to assume the position that they are applying for. In class, however, I feel like the general consensus of what is affected by affirmative action was expanded. Professor Richards stated that all of the benefits from knowing somebody in some position was also considered affirmative action. This may be slightly confusing to those of us that mainly considered affirmative action beneficial to underrepresented individuals, also noting that this does not apply to just minorities of race. This may be confusing because any person of any race and sex can have a connection or know somebody that can help them win an award, receive a job, or win a contest. The reason why white people benefit the most from affirmative action, including the definitions stated by Professor Richards, is because there are a disproportionate number of white people in higher positions able to subject other friends, who are also most likely white and in a position of power, to positive effects of affirmative action. However, I, and many other of my peers and the general population, do not consider this form of favoritism as affirmative action, but as having connections and a result of the powerful wanting to remain powerful. I must admit that I, myself, disregarded affirmative action as some socially-warranted requirement of establishments to avoid the occurrence, or at least possible labeling, of racism. However, I also thought that this meant that those that worked hard to gain higher grades and were more involved would suffer as a result. After hearing Dr. Richards’ lecture, however, my opinions have changed somewhat. It seems that there is a less direct consequence on the candidates’ chances of acceptance, for jobs or college or anything, from affirmative action, but there also must be some effects still. In general, however, my new viewpoint rests on the basis that there is a system in place by people in power who want to remain in power, or want like-citizens to remain in power. Whether these people are asian, black, white, or Hispanic, this trend occurs internationally, and there must be a shift in power in order to disrupt this disproportionate flow of power and wealth. Sat, 3 Dec 2011 01:24:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-86/#IDComment231921090 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment224483624 Living in Happy Valley, it is easy to forget how unstable life can be. Living in a town and community where we are all united by a single identity that is Penn State, we sometimes forget that there are bigger things than grades and football. As we learned in the aftermath of the crisis that occurred at Penn State, small actions, or inaction, can have large implications on the lives of many, not only the people of the community, but especially the victims of the crimes committed. Although some of the lessons that I’ve taken from this situation are a few that I’ve heard before multiple times in my life, there has never been a time in which these lessons have seemed so important. One of the most important lessons from this situation is that although you may not be lying, taking proactive steps to right a wrong is more important than lying. By avoiding the truth, you are pretending that wrong-doing is not occurring. You are practically allowing the crime to occur. Previously in my life, I did not think too much of an issue when someone would do something wrong and the wrong doing was reported. Thinking to follow up and see that the wrong doing was actually punished or accounted for was seemingly unnecessary; however, for certain events, for certain occasions, there must be some accountability for those who do the crime as well as those who witnessed it. From this lesson, I will be able to better handle myself in situations in which I find myself at work. Especially working for large corporations, there may be large implications for actions both taken and not taken. I will have to evaluate any situation I find myself in. Taking the first steps to find out how to rectify the situation is largely important in being able to do the right thing morally and in terms of the law. Knowing that someone could get hurt or worse in a situation where I could have stopped this damage, I would have to push myself to do the right thing. Even though it may be easier to do the simplest thing, to merely file a report or ignore the situation, it is only right to make sure the event has been made right. I also have learned that in times of difficulties, standing by what you believe and with those that are in your community will help you to stay strong in times of adversity. By reinforcing the beliefs you have, you can stand strong and realize that your actions and morals are not affected by the actions of a single person or group. You can stand strong and proud of who you are. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:53:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment224483624 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220718013 In my opinion, the riots definitely would not have been as far spread and large in size if we were not in the midst of a major change in the format of social media and communication. That said, I think the volatility that was shown at the riots would not have changed even though I think that there would have been less people. Through Twitter and Facebook, news that there was going to be a riot, where the riot was taking place, and what was happening during the riot were all available instantly. Without these news sources uniting the student body against a certain cause, there most certainly would not have been as many people that were aware or willing to take part of the riots that occurred both Tuesday and Wednesday night. By spreading the news of facebook and twitter, friends saw that their friends were going out and protesting the happenings on this campus, and they were given confidence that if they went out to do this as well, that they would be met with other students united in that cause. Like Dr. Richards stated in class, the group-think phenomenon is very powerful and widespread. The fact that not only other students here, but that the majority of students here were going to protest the events that occurred definitely persuaded others that were on the fence to riot or not to riot those two nights. In regards to the volatility of the riots themselves, I do not think that this factor would have changed if Twitter and Facebook were not broadcasting the events of the riots in real time. The reason why I think that this is true is because those that were truly angry or upset would have rioted and would have gone to those extreme measures no matter what. Also, those that got drunk very irresponsibly, in my opinion, would have gotten drunk no matter what happened. Those that decided to vandalize downtown State College were going to be filled with frustration no matter if the news were broadcasted through facebook and twitter, or through television and radio, or if the news were delivered to them by person. Of course, this would probably change if the number of people rioting decreased by magnitudes of order, but I do not think the quantity of rioters would change that drastically. All in all, I think that facebook and twitter were a positive force during these riots. This is not because they united students in these efforts; our student body would be united simply because we are proud to be Penn State students. This is also not because it increased the number of students to the riots; this may have actually contributed to the destruction that eventually occurred. No, facebook and twitter were a positive force because they allowed students and alumni all over the world to share in the pain, tragedy, and anger that was felt during these recent times. These platforms of social media allowed us to grieve with each other and console each other during one of the hardest, if not the hardest, moments in Penn State history. And together, with the help of these platforms of social media, we will stay united in the effort to show the world that we are still Penn State. Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:53:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220718013 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216573090 When other groups of people speak another language around me it doesn’t really bother me. At Penn State, a place where there are large amounts of diverse groups from countries around the world, there are many times when I’ve passed by people talking in another language, and times where groups were speaking different languages around me. I don’t really notice when this occurs, and this may be because I, myself, speak another language. So, I may be used to various languages being spoken around me. I think one of the things that bothers people the most when they hear others speaking a different language is the possibility that they might be talking about them. It’s definitely a possibility, but in my opinion, there is no reason to worry about that situation, especially for such a transient moment. Another thing that may bother people when other people speak different languages is that they feel that American English should be spoken in America, but personally, I think that viewpoint is ignorant and close-minded. As we discussed in class, if we were to imagine ourselves in another country, we would initially speak English just because that is the language that we have spoken our entire lives. Of course, to make our lives easier, we would try to learn the language of the country; however, we would probably keep speaking English to each other since it is the language we are the most comfortable with. By putting ourselves into the shoes of the immigrants we are talking about, we can begin to try to understand the situation that they are in by coming to a new country. Also, if we were to go to another country and continue to speak English, the hosts of the country would almost certainly react with the same feelings that we would react with given the same situation. So, maybe this reaction is something that is natural to feel in this situation; however, that does not make it the right reaction to have. Although it should be expected that people attempt to assimilate into the country, there should be some understanding that those people want to hold onto their culture since that is who they are and that is where their family originated from. Expecting people to give up their customs, cultures, and lifestyles could be considered as naïve as entering a country without realizing that you have to assimilate to that country to a certain degree. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 01:34:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216573090 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-47/#IDComment212615643 Our world would obviously be radically different if we lived in a world centered on the black race. Today, our world and society are both white-centered and it is actually pretty surprising to me when I see other countries in different continents with societies similar to our white-centered society. For example, I see countries in the Asian continent whose trends in society resemble those made in our white-centered world. In our class, we discussed one of these trends in the skin-whitening make up that is so popular in parts of the Asian continent. In a black-centered world, I would think that the countries of the world would strive to resemble the trends of the black-centered societies. The darker the skin, the more attractive on would be. Also, black celebrities would be praised much more and be much more popular. Also, the foods and cultural patterns of black cultures would be replicated around the world. An interesting thought that I have is how the structure of social class would be affected and how this restructuring would affect our society and culture. If black people made up the majority of executives and had the highest average family income, would white people necessarily take the place that those black people previously held? Would they take certain roles of these people? Would the genre of rap and hip-hop be composed of mostly white people or would it still be comprised of mostly black artists. Would country music still be dominated by white singers and songwriters or would this genre become populated by black singers and songwriters? In my opinion, I think that we would see an almost complete role reversal in race and society. Big businesses would be headed by mostly black executives; the induction of the first white president of the United States would be an historic event. Food with roots from the continent of Africa would be common. Although food invented in the United States would still be the most popular types of food, those foods would also be influenced by African culture. Black celebrities would be much more popular. Although, there doesn’t seem to be a large disparity between the popularity of black and white celebrities in a lot of fields of entertainment. However, there would definitely be some discernible differences with the change in culture from a white-centered to a black-centered society. It would definitely be interesting to live in a world that is centered on black people and cultures. I would think that the world would be almost an opposite view of the world today, and it would be shocking to enter it from the world we live in currently; however, it would also be a great learning experience to see how much society is affected by race. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:00:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-47/#IDComment212615643 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment210547908 In my opinion, spending your time and hanging out with people of different races does not make you a poser. It simply means that you have friends that are of another race. There are several reasons why you began to and continued to hang out with these certain people, but I feel like it is not the race that brings the group together, it is other factors that happen to bring people of any combination of races together as friends. For example, people on a sports team in high school will most likely make friendships and hang out with each other outside of the sport because they spend so much time together during practice and games. The team may be composed primarily of black people, or white people, or any combination of races. So, a player on this team who is of the minority would not be considered a poser in many people’s opinion for simply being friends with the people he plays sports with and has common ties with. Another example of how easily a person can begin to hang out with people outside his/her race is if he/she grew up in an environment where the majority of kids were not his/her race. If someone that is black, Asian, or Hispanic grew up in a community with mostly white children, he wouldn’t abstain from playing with those kids just because of race. I think the opposite would actually occur; the kids would play together disregarding race completely, because it has such little precedence in your mind at that age. Then, growing up, this person will most likely continue to build his friendship with these people of a different race and think nothing of it until it was pointed out to him/her that he/she was of a different race. So, the intention of the child of the minority race, would not be to act like the majority race or try to blend in; the intention of the child would be to hang out with his/her true friends that he/she has had since growing up as a young child. In my experience, I grew up in a community with mostly white kids, and I, being of a different race, did not even realize that was apparent until middle school. I didn’t realize this fact because it had such little relevance to our group; race didn’t matter as much as if we had fun together or if we could rally up good games of basketball or football. Then, growing up and getting to high school and college, I was not going to leave my friends that I had hung out with my entire life, so my core group of friends remained white and I remained the minority. So in my opinion, being a minority in a group of friends does not automatically make you a poser. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:29:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment210547908 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/02/voices-from-the-classroom-28/#IDComment203266851 If my roommate told me on the first day of living together that he was gay, I would be shocked, only because my roommate has been my friend since we were in kindergarten. If I roomed with someone random, however, I think that I would first not know what to think. Of course I would not have a problem with his sexuality, but of course there would be some things that would make me uncomfortable. I have a few friends that are openly homosexual, but I do not have any close friends that are gay. So being placed into an environment in which I would be living with someone that is homosexual would make me initially nervous and anxious about the situation. I would wonder what behavior would change and how my life could be affected by these changes. After thinking about these things though, I think that I would realize that other than our sexual preference, we would not be too different. After getting to know the people that I do know that are homosexual I seem to never remember their sexual orientation until the subject comes up. Hopefully, if I learned that my roommate were gay, I would eventually just want to get to know him just as I would want to get to know any other new roommate. If my roommate had told me through the middle of the year, I would have much more initial shock, but it would be much easier for me to realize how little differences there would be since I were living with him for the first half of the year. If my current roommate had told me he were gay, however, I would be very shocked. Having known him for basically my entire life, it would take much longer for me to get used to the idea he were gay. It would also be a very large sign to me that there are such little differences in those that have different sexual preferences that I do. However, I have to be careful in making sure that I do not make generalizations that all people that are homosexual act a certain way. I think that in the end, I have to actually get to know people that are homosexual in order to gain a perspective into their lives. With this realization in mind, I can more answer the question of the video more confidently. I would have to say that I would definitely be shocked if my roommate told me he was gay, but I would be excited to have the opportunity to get to know someone who has such a different perspective on life. This would be a great way for me to widen my own perspectives and gain insight on life. Wed, 5 Oct 2011 04:12:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/02/voices-from-the-classroom-28/#IDComment203266851 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-23/#IDComment201573208 I would like to think that I would still abstain from using illicit drugs if I were a different race; however, I know that may not be the case. From the traditional psychological viewpoint, there are very large influences on one’s life by both the environment, that are nurtured, and the genes you inherit, that are from nature. I think that in this case, the choice of using illicit drugs is mainly influenced by the environment in which the person is raised rather than your race. I was raised in the suburbs, and I went to a very large, nice school. The opportunities for me to even try drugs were very small in number. I was never offered any type of drug other than alcohol and marijuana, and after refusing marijuana, I was never offered the drug again, until college. So the environment in which I was raised definitely affected the likelihood of my taking illicit drugs. My race, on the other hand, did not affect me. However, I can understand why one may think that race does affect statistics regarding drug use. Hispanics and black people who live in poorer, urban areas may be more likely to do drugs statistically, but I do not think that is a result of their race. Instead, it is because of their environment. The nature of these urban areas tends towards higher drug usage and crime no matter what race would compose these areas. So, it is not because people are black or Hispanic or any specific race that they are more likely to use drugs, but it is because they are exposed to these drugs more and has more opportunities to use them. Likewise, white people who live in rural areas may be more likely to use drugs as well due to their environment. Although I am unsure of the actual data, I would think that apart from marijuana, white people who live in suburban areas are much less likely to use illicit drugs compared to white people who live in rural or urban areas. If race were truly a factor in determining drug use, then all of these people would have much more similar amounts of drug usage. Also, as we discussed in class, black people are actually much less likely to use drugs than white people, but that may be a result of many factors other than race. Things such as the culture in which the person was raised, the values instilled in that person, the area in which they live, the friends they have, the attention they receive from older figures. There are many more environmental factors that must be compared before we can correlate drug usage and race. Now, to answer the question of whether I think my decision to use drugs would change if my race changed, I would have to answer no as long as I were raised in the same environment and especially the same culture and core beliefs. Sat, 1 Oct 2011 02:37:22 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-23/#IDComment201573208 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197764285 The determination and work ethic that these entrepreneurs have shown is outstanding. After reading a little about the background of Haiti, and the destitute living conditions the country was is even before the earthquake, the acts of these people who are trying not only to survive but to thrive in these conditions is remarkable. The story of people like Suze Fleuriza who started their own business and sacrifice so much to keep it going are extremely inspirational. From the background nformation written about Ms. Fleuriza, the fact that she spends an entire day at the market just to gather the material she needs to keep her business going is something that I think most Americans take for granted. We merely order our materials and needs and have them delivered to us. What is even more impressive about the fact that she gathers her materials every three days is that is was also noted that she has no form of transportation other than a form of a taxi. The limited transportation and amount of effort and time she has to put into her business is great, but she does not give up, she just pushes on and tries to expand. Another exceptionally inspirational entrepreneur that I read about was Clorence Blaise. Ms. Blaise and her team of eight others make various types of clothing from printed shirts to hand bags made from used jeans to baby bonnets and blankets. What I found surprising concerning Ms. Blaise’s situation was that what was hindering her was that she was too successful and that she actually needed money not to give her business a jump start, but to meet demands from customers. She really shows what hard work and determination can produce even in the most difficult times and in an environment void of resources. Being able to teach all eight employees to make a shirt from start to finish was also an impressive feat. Having the ability to teach well especially to people who probably do not have a high level of education is impressive in itself, but teaching these people and creating a cohesive team that can be productive is even more impressive. The companies that were described are also very impressive. ERNESA, a company that makes solar-powered street lights which also contain outlets for charging cell phones, has a great idea and definitely fits into the demographic of Haiti, where cell phones are extremely prevalent. Ideas like these and the drive that it takes to make a company like this into reality is what will bring Haiti and Haitians back into a state where people can live more comfortably. I think that with the ideas and drive that these entrepreneurs have, that their success is only limited by one thing, and that thing is money. By having the resources to fill their needs, the possibilities of these groups are only limited by their desires and determinations, and to me, it seems as though their determination and drive are very present. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:06:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197764285 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-9/#IDComment193334130 I agree that there is clearly a correlation between family income and SAT scores; however, I do not agree that this disproves, in any way, that SAT scores are also affected by the race of the test taker. SAT scores are likely to rise as family income rises because of many reasons. Money will afford you the opportunity to take SAT prep courses, it will allow you to attend better school districts with better teachers and courses, and it will allow you to hire tutors or learning materials. It is clear that those who have money have a clear advantage over those who do not. The assertion that race plays only a small role, or none at all, however, is incorrect in my opinion. The direct relationship that is seen in the statistics regarding family income vs. SAT scores does indicate that as the amount of money you have increases, SAT scores are likely to increase, but we can also look at data that shows that the racial groups who have the highest family income are of certain races, specifically white and asian. If, SAT scores were not influenced by race, the SAT scores of every race would eventually converge, leading these races to attain similar jobs, leading to the convergence of family income as well. Instead, white and asian races clearly do have a slight advantage, somehow, when taking the SAT’s. This leads them to get into better colleges and then attain better jobs, which, as a result, leads to the increase of their average family income, starting the cycle over again with their children. So, although family income is directly related to SAT score, race has a correlation with family income. Obviously, this means that race will have an effect on SAT scores as well. Of course, there are many other factors that are much more important that the race of the test taker. These factors could include the intrinsic motivation of a student, the determination to do well on the test, the drive to study, the innate ability, and many others. I also want to make it clear that I am not stating that if one white or asian student takes the SAT’s that a black or native american student will always do worse. I am stating, however, that you cannot discount race from being one of the factors of SAT score results. It is clear that there is a relationship between the two. Whether it is the upbringing of the child, the environment he is raised in, or the style of teaching he is subjected to, there is some component of race and/or culture that affects test takers of the SAT’s compared to other races and cultures. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:45:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-9/#IDComment193334130 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/why-do-you-follow-any-religion-at-all/#IDComment190788911 I think that for the majority of citizens in America, religion is not initially chosen, but rather inherited from our parents or guardians. Even for those whose parents or guardians are atheists or agnostics, the idea of religion and a belief system is likely conferred and inherited as a child from your parents or guardians. As you grow up, a couple of different paths can be taken regarding your stance on religion. You can have your faith or belief in your religion reaffirmed and strengthened throughout your life so that you stay within that culture as an adult. In contrast, you could be influenced by some outside factor or force or you could simply stop believing in the beliefs that you once held when you were a child. Then, you could either move on to another religion or be without a religion until another decision is made. You could also just stop caring for some reason and discount all belief systems as a whole. There are most likely several other paths that you can take, but, to me, those are the main routes that I think people would take to come to their ultimate religious beliefs. Underneath all of these different paths, however, there are many common underlying principles that I think pushes those who have a religion towards that religion. The desire or need to feel as a part of a family and the desire to not be alone when everything is over is a great driving force for people to gather and reaffirm each other’s beliefs. These beliefs, for certain religions, would allow these believers to have faith that once their time on this earth ends, their soul will somehow continue on. The avoidance of fear that you will either be alone or non-existent may push many people towards some religious beliefs. Another reason that people may choose a religion is out of practice. What I mean by “out of practice” is that religious beliefs may have been ingrained in a person so deeply as a child that he may continue to live with those beliefs because it feels natural to him. People do not want to face difficult questions or traverse bumpy roads; they want smooth lives without troubles, so they just do what they are told to do. Of course, I have to mention a third reason for choosing a religion and that is because you really do have faith in what you believe in. For whatever reason that you believe, I think that it is definitely possible to truly have faith in something. Whether it was an out-of-body experience, a day at church, a seemingly impossible event, or even your life in general, I respect that there are people who genuinely believe in their religion. Wed, 7 Sep 2011 18:55:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/why-do-you-follow-any-religion-at-all/#IDComment190788911 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/08/26/what-do-you-want-to-know-before-its-all-over/#IDComment188891566 The question I’d like the answer to is why people exhibit racism in such a modern time. As a follow up to the previous question, I also want to know how to handle a situation in which someone is showing malice to someone of a different race or culture. The reason why I want to know the answer to this question is because it is really interesting, and sad, that there are people in this modern era that have racist and prejudiced views during a time where cultural and racial diversity are higher than ever before. I am not just referring to the white majority that occupies America, this view of racism is applicable to all races because I have observed racism given and taken from and to all sorts of races and cultures. It may possibly be that racism is inherent in any culture/race just because humans want to be superior, but that is such a pessimistic view on life. Is it not possible for humans to coexist without racism present? Or, at least, is this possible for a group of people as small as Penn State? Are people trying to be funny, smart, badass, or are they trying to make themselves feel better about some underlying issue? Maybe they’re just being who they are, and it’s as simple as that. Whatever the case is, I would consider my expectations a little lofty if I wanted the world to live together peacefully, but I’m sure that a university can manage a day or two without malcontent towards another person for no other reason than the color of their skin or the shape of their face. The second question I want answered is how to handle a situation in which you are being subjected to racism or any type of prejudice. Whether you are a victim of racism, sexism … that’s all the types of prejudice that I know that end with –ism, but no matter what type of prejudice you are a victim of, it is all essentially the same. You are being singled out for being different in some way. If you are not a white male, you are the minority in this country, and as a minority, you are always subject to being called out as what you are. You can be the proudest African American, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American person there is, but it won’t change the views of the person with the racist views. The best solution to this problem may be to ignore their statements of prejudice, but that is not possible for everyone to do. So what would the best solution be? These are all the questions that I would like answered during Soc 119. Fri, 2 Sep 2011 03:42:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/08/26/what-do-you-want-to-know-before-its-all-over/#IDComment188891566 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145024232 Upon watching this video, memories of the fear that gripped Americans after the September 11th attacks come to mind. Fear to fly, fear of being attacked, and fear of merely losing your life at any given instant were all present at those times. The video demonstrates the stereotypical thoughts and fears that are intensified with media regarding the terrorist movements in the recent past, and I think that it sums up the rash judgments that many people make on people of that ethnic/religious group based off of fear and/or ignorance. I am really curious as to how other countries view these terrorist groups, especially the ones that have been subject to violence from them. England and Spain were two of the most recently attacked countries; I would like to learn about the countries’ feelings regarding not only these terrorists but also the religion that they supposedly attempt to represent and the ethnic group that they originate from. Do they hold the same bias, fear and anger that we Americans once held against them? Are they more forgiving, or even more put off? I would think that they would have the same thoughts, and initially, they would hold the same fears and grudges against anyone who could resemble a member of the group called Jihad. Like Americans, I think that the English and Spanish would have a hard time being able to trust the safety of the trains that were attacked or the public areas that were subject to such great violence. Ultimately, however, we have to realize that this group of terrorists is the minority of a group of peaceful, like-minded people that are not so different from any American or English person. We should not let our guards down though; to protect our citizens is the main goal of the government and it should be maintained. As we have discussed in class, rather than starting a war or participating in a war in order to gain access to resources, America should be concerned with trying to isolate and capture these terrorists so that no other country, no other person for that matter, should endure the violence they have already put many through. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 06:10:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145024232 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2010/04/14/what-about-the-men/#IDComment141122725 I believe that men absolutely feel the same pressures to conform to both society and their peers’ norms and expectations; however, I think that the main difference between men and women pertaining to this issue is the form of the pressure and society’s reaction. The social norms that I believe are present for men in our society involve being independent, courageous, active, tall, and full of testosterone. Although there are general perceptions of men, I also think that these expectations change with age. As a teen, for example, boys are supposed to be active in sports and to enjoy playing in the dirt. As a college student, males are supposed to love beer, be dirty, and be very laid back. As an adult, men are supposed to be slightly more sophisticated, yet they still love beer, and they are supposed to be independent and successful. At least, this is what I believe society has pictured for these age groups. As a male college student, I have experienced the pressure from my peers to love beer, be independent, and to have a rough exterior. When these expectations are not met, there is usually a social stigma associated with that guy, as though he was more of a girl or a wimp for not being as manly as the secret agents portrayed in movies. Compared to women, however, I do believe that men have slightly less pressure to conform to standards than women. Since the social norms set on women are much more based on physical appearance rather than their personality or decorum. Influences such as Victoria Secret fashion shows and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazines only put more pressure on girls and women to live up to that ideal specimen that they believe every guy desires. So, even though men do experience pressures to fit into society and to not stand out, I do not think they feel the same types of pressure from society. Since men are also praised for being independent, they may be praised for being an individual or a popular term today, they are a “badass.” Women, however, would most certainly be cast out for being overweight or having a peculiar sense of fashion. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 00:14:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2010/04/14/what-about-the-men/#IDComment141122725 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment139226330 Initially reading this inmate’s letter, I became slightly nostalgic of my home and my family. To me, my family has always consisted of my immediate family. My dad, mom, and my brother who have all been there for me throughout my life are the closest to me. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are still family to me; however, the bond I have with them isn’t even comparable to that of my mom, dad, or brother. I couldn’t imagine having to write them letters and wait a week or two in order to receive a response in order to communicate with them. The mere knowledge that any one of my family is just a phone call away is reassuring. Putting myself into the inmate’s shoes, however, I can see how he has become even closer with those around him, the other inmates who have dealt with the struggles and troubles that he had to go through previously. These inmates, bound together sociologically, have connected with each other and have become sources of support and encouragement, filling the void that came about after they lost communication with their loved ones. I, personally, can relate to the feeling of bonding with those in a similar situation as you are in. My peers at Penn State are going through the same routine consisting of class, homework, exams, and living on campus at University Park. Even more similar, those that are also majoring in Chemical Engineering, we have to go through the same assignments, the same classes and professors. As we go through these successes and failures, we can emphasize with each other and bond over the fact that we have shared the experience, and that we will hopefully grow and become better because of the experience. So, although the last thing I would want to do is to imagine a life without the support and love from each of my family members and close friends, the inmate’s letter leaves me in a more relaxed state of mind. Although I will inevitably lose someone close to me, I know that my friends and family will be there helping and supporting me. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 23:36:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment139226330 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment139225398 Initially reading this inmate’s letter, I became slightly nostalgic of my home and my family. To me, my family has always consisted of my immediate family. My dad, mom, and my brother who have all been there for me throughout my life are the closest to me. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are still family to me; however, the bond I have with them isn’t even comparable to that of my mom, dad, or brother. I couldn’t imagine having to write them letters and wait a week or two in order to receive a response in order to communicate with them. The mere knowledge that any one of my family is just a phone call away is reassuring. Putting myself into the inmate’s shoes, however, I can see how he has become even closer with those around him, the other inmates who have dealt with the struggles and troubles that he had to go through previously. These inmates, bound together sociologically, have connected with each other and have become sources of support and encouragement, filling the void that came about after they lost communication with their loved ones. I, personally, can relate to the feeling of bonding with those in a similar situation as you are in. My peers at Penn State are going through the same routine consisting of class, homework, exams, and living on campus at University Park. Even more similar, those that are also majoring in Chemical Engineering, we have to go through the same assignments, the same classes and professors. As we go through these successes and failures, we can emphasize with each other and bond over the fact that we have shared the experience, and that we will hopefully grow and become better because of the experience. So, although the last thing I would want to do is to imagine a life without the support and love from each of my family members and close friends, the inmate’s letter leaves me in a more relaxed state of mind. Although I will inevitably lose someone close to me, I know that my friends and family will be there helping and supporting me. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 23:33:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment139225398 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137579448 As we discussed in class, individuals are continuously placed in positions in which the easiest plan of action is to do nothing, while allowing others to act on your behalf. We can even see this phenomenon occurring currently; as the governor of Pennsylvania proposed a budget cut of over half the appropriations for Penn State and other public universities in Pennsylvania, I observed thousands of people ranting and calling for action on networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter; however, although hundreds of my friends and even I, myself, joined these groups, none of us made any physical attempt, other than typing on our laptops, to reverse this plan of action. In order to effectively influence people to act rather than observe, I believe several factors are necessary. Reciting some of the examples in class, creating an emotional connection to the individual and the cause is essential in provoking action in that specific individual. Also, stressing the impact that the cause would have on one’s life or daily routine is also important. If somebody didn’t have any impetus or immediate cause to prevent or reverse an action, he would be reluctant to act. Also, creating the feeling of urgency is important. Especially as a college student, I am well aware of the art of procrastination. No matter how important a task may be, if the deadline is far enough away, it is very likely that I will not begin the task until I feel it is absolutely necessary. Although we may know how to increase the number of people who will act on these causes, it is much more difficult to effectively put these actions into place. This is because, no matter what, people always believe that somebody else will hear the message and that they will act, decreasing the necessity for they, themselves, to do anything. Possibly by stressing the necessity of a certain number or percentage of people for effectiveness, we may be able to spur more people to act because they will realize that for that number to be reached, they cannot stand by, and that they are needed for the cause. Ultimately, making the problem or cause a personal and meaningful event in a person’s mind as well as stressing the need for everyone to participate will most likely persuade individuals to act on their own behalfs. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:01:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137579448 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment134342539 I feel as though when certain people are labeled as “really ‘a certain race’,” it is because they fit into a certain stereotype that society has produced for that race or group. I believe that these stereotypes are produced mainly to highlight seemingly common, negative attributes of a race possibly done out of annoyance, jealousy, anger, or ignorance. Some people may claim that a lot of stereotypes that they think of aren’t all negative. For instance, Asian people are supposedly very smart and hardworking, right? Well, if taken as a compliment, that statement would be a very positive attribute to Asian people; however, that stereotype is often coupled with jokes stating that kids in Asia live and breathe schoolwork. The stereotype is also occasionally used as a reasoning as to why Asians are successful in school, diminishing their accomplishments. Another example of this type of stereotype is that black people are innately athletic. Once again, if a black athlete was evaluated as being naturally gifted athletically by a recruit, he’d be ecstatic; yet, if used in the wrong context, the stereotype would be undermining the hard work and determination the athlete had to put in so that he could be where he is. In the case of the video of this “really white” guy, we again face a common stereotype of white people, specifically the rural white person. This stereotype encompasses the rural white person, usually a southerner, as a gun-loving, homophobic, straight-edge man, at least that’s what I think of when I’m reminded of this stereotype. After watching the video of the “smart carry,” all of my classifications of the usual white guy were fulfilled; he actually reminded me of Hank Hill from the show, “King of the Hill.” The reason why I thought of a white person like I did, and therefore why I thought of the guy in the video as “really white,” was because of reinforcements just like King of the Hill which highlight the slight eccentricities of the specific culture in a way that mocks it slightly. In the case of the show, it uses these stereotypes in order to gain laughs. Comedians may use these stereotypes for the same reason, and even those who don’t like rural white people may use these stereotypes to disparage them. However, this is why we think of a guy as “really Asian” when we see an Asian student with thick glasses buried in a book, or when we think of a person as “really black” when we see a black adolescent wearing Nikes and Jordan shorts dunking on the local basketball hoop, and this is why we think of the guy in the video as “really white.” Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:27:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment134342539 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment128995794 I definitely believe that traveling and experiencing the world is an essential part of living and maturing as you grow older; however, many people do not have that opportunity. Of course, anybody could stop everything they’re doing and just fly to Australia or Japan, but most people are tied down to the intercontinental United States by invisible strings and other factors. Some of these “strings” could originate from the expectations of modern society that if you want to succeed in life, you have to work hard and that if you’re taking a break, someone else out there is working and getting ahead of you. Like the CNN article states, our society has made it much more difficult to take a vacation, especially one overseas. For instance, my brother was currently promoted at his place of work, yet he still only has about seven vacation days for the entire year. This number, which some may expect to rise quickly or to a more significant figure later in his career, will increase by one week every five years. So it will take him fifteen years to gain one month of vacation time. To me, those figures are ridiculous. It seems as though our society expects us to graduate high school and maybe after one or two years of college, give up any vacation time and to work nonstop for forty or fifty years. We are so used to having two and a half months of summer to relax and enjoy life, but as soon as we enter into higher education, all this time is expected to be used for studying, working, and preparing yourself for the life ahead. Then, once you enter into this life which you’ve worked so hard to attain, you have to work even harder to keep it. Ultimately, our society has made it much more difficult to travel abroad. The other perspectives listed in the CNN article definitely contribute to making it more difficult for citizens in the U.S. to travel, but the I just discussed resonates much more to me since I’m a college student, and this upcoming summer will be the first of many whose entirety will be spent working. With work now scheduled for the summer and school work that takes over my time during the academic years, I can’t see myself in the near future going on any vacations. Hopefully, at one point, our society will ease the decision to take an extended vacation, allowing us to expand our cultural horizons and experience things that should be experienced in our twenties, in my opinion. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:22:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/04/the-not-so-invisible-structure-that-shapes-us/#IDComment128995794 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/09/4092/#IDComment127445371 This inmate’s essay was interesting to me in that his initial thoughts made me wonder if, unlike the other inmates’ essays I have read, he felt as though he was completely trapped without freedom. He made me wonder if his perspective on being sentenced to life in jail was radically different than what I have seen in the other inmates and from what we have discussed in class. He lists all the aspects of life that he is unable to take part in that seem so simple, yet take on a new degree of importance and meaning once they are taken away from you. He did not mention the freedom to think, meditate, enjoy peace, but he did mention the loss of contact from what seemed like every person that he knew, other than his mom. His reference to the crime he committed also made me think that his during his whole sentence he has been reminded daily of what he did. Up to this point in his essay I began to doubt the possibility that you could feel “free” in any sense when some of the most important aspects of freedom are taken from you. Wouldn’t the constant knowledge of your lack of freedom keep you from immersing yourself in the small, yet still significant, freedoms you still have? This was what I was thinking until I read the inmate’s last sentence, “that while men cannot forgive me … a mighty and all-powerful GOD has.” Going through some minor periods of stress, compared to those in truly dire situations, I can appreciate the comfort that a true loved one that provide when I’m in a depressed state, and being somewhat religious, I can also understand how much peace and relief can come with knowing that there is someone who will be there no matter what the circumstances and no matter what you have done. I’m glad that this inmate was able to draw upon this idea, because it can give others some inspiration and hope when they’re in some bad situation. Knowing that there is always someone who will be there for you unconditionally is one of the best sources of strength that I could imagine. So, if this person could realize that even in his situation and the things he has had taken away from him, that there will always be that one source of strength, then I have no doubt that when I’m in trouble there will be some person I could look to whether that person is one of my parents, my brother, or some almighty figure. Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:07:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/09/4092/#IDComment127445371