As far as the video with the little kids choosing the white doll 15 out of 21 times it really makes you wonder what kind of society we are growing up in these days. I know that in that video is wasn't asked as to why they picked the doll in specific instances but I would have been interested in hearing what the kids had to say. What was their reasoning for picking up the "good" doll or "bad" doll besides being white or black. I wish the video got more in depth that way just to get into the mind of a child. They are so brutally honest at that age with no real barriers in speech that I'm sure the answers would have been enlightening. What stuck out to me with that as well was how quickly they chose or made they decision. It was almost immediate. Once the question was asked each child's eyes fixed on their answer. There was not thought process needed for them. No "acceptable" answer went through their mind.
As far as the racial diversity at PSU when I was there it was a tad bit more white. I saw the percentages but did not really notice it too much in my day to day because I was an athlete and we took many other classes with other athletes so my classrooms for the most part were diverse. But this could also bring up another question. How much would the percentages change if PSU did not have athletics? Maybe not much but it would change for sure. 800+ student-athletes attend UP. Take them all away from the equation and percentages will change a bit.

I'm on the same page. Just because something like math is a "universal language" it seems to not matter who teaches the subject from a university's standpoint. But there is a lesson plan that involves communication from a professor to students that needs to be understood so that the students can learn the material. Would PSU be opposed to having a foreign professor with a thick accent teach Sam's class? Would they immediately shoot it down as compared to a math course? I believe it is something that the university can get away with for a math class but would not even consider for most other subjects. So is PSU saving boatloads of money in that department?

I agree. We need to lay everything out on the table if we want to move forward with the race issue. Nothing is easy especially at first. The first person to do something was never successful the initial time they tried so with this we need to have the mindset that with time and effort something positive will come of it. Just ignoring the issue or trying not to hurt feelings will keep us at a stand still. It is a matter of taking that first step though with the thought that eventually the race table issues will be understood and we can live with a bit more harmony.

First off I just feel bad for the two little white girls. I know that they don't feel bad yet in their life and maybe they never will but it is heartbreaking listening to them and their parents views. They are obviously sheltered and when you see the woman conducting the interview get a bit fired up and ask about the Holocaust the girls faces are blank and they immediately go on the offense. "Well I don't think that there were that many Jews around back then in the first place." "I don't think" makes me crazy. What research have these girls done? None officially. They listen to their parents and that's what makes them the way they are. Sad.

As far as the furniture commercial either those guys are very stupid or very smart. As far as a sales tactic I think it is a bonehead move but maybe their brilliance lies in their stupidity. That was a commercial from North Carolina and it made it's way to the PSU classroom and into an online lecture. I see commercials all the time that I think are the dumbest things ever but you know what I still do? Finish watching them and then talk about it after. Just the fact that I am posting about it shows that it stays with you. If I were a local there I may not shop there but when I see the commercial or drive by the store I will maybe shake my head or give a little chuckle. All I am saying is that it is a commercial you will remember whether you are for them or against or don't care at all.

I find this to ring true even outside of race. When I was at PSU in the late 90s and would be out at bars or wherever there were lots of people who didn't know you but wanted to start something. They didn't know you but for some reason they didn't like you. I have noticed in my life that many people that I have judged negatively before knowing them have turned out to be more like me and end up being good friends. Why the preconceived notion that just because someone is different they are an enemy? I agree with the "get to know someone" without judging tactic. We are all different but when we group people together before knowing them we judge negatively.

Wow, my answer for who I am would have been normal. I don't know if that is a cop out or what but that was seriously my answer. Joe Schmoe everyday guy I would say. Throughout the lecture then I opened up to the fact that normal is different for everyone. Normal for a person of color is a way different definition for them than it is for me. And to make matters even worse I couldn't really give you a straight definition for normal for me. Is that out of touch with who I am? Maybe I haven't thought it through all the way or maybe my experiences haven't molded me into something more specific. I guess also that I really don't look at other people and think of what it is like to be them. Listening to Sam each and every lecture is opening up my mind and views on our world and how I think and view people and myself. I had spinal meningitis when I was 15 years old and that was the closest to death and major disability that I have experienced. For a week I couldn't walk and was almost totally blind. All of the sudden I had obstacles in my way and people having to do things for me. I felt helpless. I felt people feeling pity for me. I felt held back. That immediately popped into my head when he mentioned knowing someone who was paralyzed. We don't really think about their issues. This was now my favorite lecture, looking forward to the next one. Cheers.

I fully agree as well. There are areas in our country that are known as "bad areas". White people stay away because of a cluster of crime etc. Police work the same way. They know where there is a condensed area of crime or illegal activity. There are super rich white kids who get away with something like drugs because there isn't a thought of looking there. Authorities aren't going to try and find each and every little drug tip off that they get. They go where it is prevalent and stay there. Can people move out of those areas? Of course but it goes back to the "equal chance" thing. There are unfair rules and they hold people back and down.

I'm not sure if I would want to cut my strings because then I would have no idea where I would be at in life. With that said I know that the strings that have molded my life have been ones of positivity and promise. Opportunity has definitely been involved as well. I do believe that we either act on those string or we don't. Sure we have no control over most of our strings but in my opinion at the end of the day we can choose to oblige them or not. I also realize that all of our strings are different so when I know that i have been given opportunity there are other people at the other end of the spectrum that have no opportunity. I don't believe that I am ignorant to that but I surely can say that I don't understand many problems of less fortunate people. I see restrictions in life for certain others and see how unfair that is for them. I go back to the last lecture where Sam wants us in the middle. I think that with some of the strings we are given we are closer to one side over the other. Some of us have little control over what happens to us and others get to live with choices. The people with choices are most likely the ones with strings that have given them status while the ones closer to the other side have to fight for a goal or where they want to be. The issue of freedom hits different levels for all of us. If it is a legal matter there is obviously a choice to break the law or not but I understand that authorities place themselves in specific areas looking for it while other, more wealthy areas, most likely get away with more illegal activity because of status.

There are lots of obstacles to overcome for most of us. The fact of the matter is that we can get through just about anything if we want to. It is the easy road to blame others or make excuses. i guess it all boils down to belief. And more importantly, self-belief. When we are young teachers and parents tell us that we can be anything we want to be. I think that we actually can. It never matters what someone else tells you that you can or can't do something. When people tell you that you can't do something it is most likely because they cannot do it themselves. Push on and believe in yourself.

So I thought these lectures were brilliant. It especially hit home with me. I attended University Park back in the day and did not complete my degree. My priorities were not in order at all. I was an athlete (can't use the term student-athlete because that wasn't a priority). I went out a bunch. I chose not to go to class or do my work and I thought all the time that I will somehow get it done. As far as "road blocks", at the time I thought there were many. I thought people were trying to hold me back. I never wanted to admit that it was all on me. So for my personal instance I have to say that the free will idea was the one that I was leaning towards. I was getting bad grades as I saw my peers and teammates succeeding. Why was this all happening to me? I definitely could not admit to myself that it was all on me. My parents provided what I needed to succeed but it was my decision to live the "college life" and be as social as possible and think that my athlete status would get me out of tight spots. I saw other friends who were taking out loans and working jobs during school excelling. I didn't understand why they didn't attend the last party on Saturday or come hang out for a few hours with friends. So I am 30 now. It has taken me that many years to figure out that I am the one who has to get my own shit together. I have a family now. I was a selfish as I could be back in the day but now certain factors have guided me in the right direction. Am I doing this to make my parents proud? Am I doing this to prove to people that I have finally applied my potential? Is this for my family? No. It's for me. I need it, I want it. Is that selfish? Not to me.