en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3549578 Comments by mmt5096 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-87/#IDComment231930900 Yes, after taking this class I have had a completely new perspective to races and ethnicities. It was an eye-opening experience and I learned so much information about the trials and tribulations that other races still face to this day. Although I was aware that discrimination is still very much a part of our society, I never knew that races face disadvantages in regards to the workplace. After this class I am more aware of my surroundings and I view situations differently because of it. I think one of the best lectures was the class about the Racial Identity Stages. Before this class I believe that I was in the Awakening stage but I had the tendency to avoid racial issues. This class has made me question a lot of things so now I believe that I am still in the Awakening stage but I am attempting to seek a deeper understanding of race issues so I can eventually move to the next stage. I also enjoyed our group discussions because I was able to learn and gain a better understanding of the perspectives and opinions of other people. The discussions were interesting and helped me view where other people are coming from. I was always scared before this class to speak about a person’s race or try and guess what the race of an individual is. For some reason I thought that if I guessed someone’s race and it was wrong then I would be seen as ignorant or rude. After this class I feel like I will be more willing to asking questions to try to understand the reason for the way things are in regards to race. I feel that this class has not only changed my views but has made me less quick to judge other people. I always try not to stereotype people but I have learned that it is a natural process and that the best way to combat stereotypes is to understand why there are assumptions and stereotypes in society and decipher what is right from wrong. I learned that most of the stereotypes in our society are wrong through the poll questions that we answered in class. Overall, I found this class to be very interesting and informative and I feel that I have a lot more knowledge on the subject of race and ethnicity. Sat, 3 Dec 2011 01:57:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-87/#IDComment231930900 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/09/voices-from-the-classroom-32/#IDComment219565520 I believe that the amount of money you have can affect how happy you are to a certain extent. Money plays a huge role in our society because so much emphasis is placed on someone’s income and status. People with a lot of money also have more power and influence on our society, which could be factors that determine happiness. I wish I could say that you would be just as happy if you didn’t have a lot of money, but for most people that isn’t the case. Earning a lot of money will give you more opportunities and options than those who are not wealthy. For example, a person cannot run for President if they do not come from a wealthy family because they have to spend a certain amount of dollars on their campaign, promotional items/events, sponsors, staff, etc. If you have a lot of money you can choose where you go to school, what profession you want to be in, where you live, what you eat, what you wear, etc. Those without a lot of money do not have the luxury of making these choices; therefore they may not reap certain benefits that are associated with wealth. One reason that money may affect your happiness is the ability to spend on possessions. People with high-paying jobs will be able to afford more material possessions, which could increase their happiness. Many people believe that material possessions will make you happy, which they do, but only for a short amount of time. This statement reminds me of the article, “5 Scientific Reasons Your Idea of Happiness Is Wrong” by Kimmy Dee. In the section titled, “Money Can Buy Happiness…Sort Of,” a study found that materialism could have a negative effect on your happiness. Even though our society basically revolves around the newest gadgets and products, “science says that endless pursuit of stuff leads to decreased life satisfaction, decreased happiness, depression, paranoia and narcissism.” Material possessions can only make a person happy for so long, until a new and improved product comes out or you break or ruin that product. To answer this question I think you also have to consider what exactly makes a person happy. If I had to make a list of all of the things that made me happy it would probably include: spending time with my family and friends, traveling, going to college, shopping, having a job, and making my own money. Five out of the six things that make me happy deal with money. I do not think my happiness stems from spending money, but my happiness comes from being able to make choices based on my financial independence. Everything costs money, therefore if you have a lot of it you will be able to enjoy and take advantage of experiences that life has to offer. It also goes without saying that people who make less money will most likely have a harder life. They may have to work at an entry-level job (or not have a job at all), have bills to pay, cannot take vacations, worry about sending their children to school, and may not be able to afford food and other necessities. For example, in the video about welfare, a mother had to work at Burger King to support her children. She was not able to afford college so now she is forced to work a low-paying job. Her financial state makes it difficult for her children to attend college, therefore the cycle of poverty continues. In the video her children said that they would be happier if they could afford clothes that the other kids have, if they had a car, and if they had a nicer house. I am not saying that people who make less money are not happy people, but they are faced with more challenges and obstacles on a day-to-day basis than rich people. Their level of happiness could be affected by worries about money, like where each paycheck is going to and how much of it they can spend on certain things. They may not ever be able to take a vacation with their family and therefore miss out on certain experiences. It is difficult to measure happiness based on money because it varies by each person and each situation. One thing that is true is that having money can make your life easier and more enjoyable. Since our world revolves around money, most people grow up wanting to make a lot of it so that they will be able to provide for themselves and their families. Although money doesn’t necessarily equal happiness, it does give people more opportunities. Opportunities are a central part to our society because we focus on attaining the American Dream, which is the belief in freedom that allows all citizens and residents of the United States of America to achieve their goals in life through hard work. The American Dream is about prosperity and success and for many people success and happiness is achieved through money. Wed, 9 Nov 2011 23:42:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/09/voices-from-the-classroom-32/#IDComment219565520 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216964677 If people are speaking a different language around you does that make you feel uncomfortable? In certain situations yes it does make me uncomfortable when people are speaking a different language around me. For example, I get my nails done at this place that is owned by a Chinese family. They speak English to their customers but they speak Chinese to each other while they are doing people’s nails. A lot of the times I sit there wondering what they are talking about and even though I know it is not necessarily true, I always assume that they are talking about me or other customers. For some reason I think that they speak Chinese so that they can say whatever they want and we won’t understand them. However, I never really considered that they speak Chinese because it is their native language and that is what they are comfortable with. Another time I was uncomfortable when people were speaking another language was in my workplace. I work at the TJ Maxx in State College and it has a very diverse staff. While we we are processing clothes, two of the associates always speak Chinese to each other. Although it makes me uncomfortable because I do not know what they are saying, it makes me more curious and annoyed than anything. I am curious because I want to know what they are saying and I am annoyed because I think it is rude since they speak fluent English but they choose to speak Chinese. I always think that it would relieve a lot of tension at work if they chose to speak English because then they could interact with the other associates working around them. Even though I know my opinions and views are narrow-minded about this topic, I am trying to become more understanding and open to the decisions that certain people make and try to place myself in their shoes and see it from their perspectives. Last semester I studied abroad in London, England and I was very thankful that their primary language is English. I am from State College, which I consider a small town, so moving to a giant city like London was a huge cultural shock for me. I was very grateful that everyone spoke English because it was difficult navigating my way around the city, learning the conversion rates of their currency, figuring out how to use the tube system (underground subway system), and learning specific words for different things. Even though they spoke English their accent and unusual names for certain things took some time to get used to. I always had an interesting time grocery shopping because they had unique terms for different products. For example, I spent around 20 minutes trying to find oatmeal in a grocery store, only to find out that they call oatmeal porridge. Some other terms I had to learn were loo (bathroom), que (waiting in lines), bits (pulp in orange juice) and many more. I also travelled to different countries while I was abroad and I must admit it was frustrating when I went to places where they didn’t speak English such as Paris, France, Seville, Spain, and Prague, Czech Republic. When I was around people speaking another language I felt out of my comfort zone. For some reason it made me self-conscious because I was upset that I wasn’t able to understand them. It also made it extremely difficult to communicate which is important for figuring out directions, ordering food, and talking to the locals. Communication is so vital in our everyday life that facing the language barriers proved to be one of the most challenging things about studying abroad. I was mad at myself because a lot of the people I met were fluent in other languages. I felt like I was a failure and lazy for not taking the time to other languages or pursue further education in taking French courses. Being around different languages also made me feel more vulnerable. For example, I visited my boyfriend in Seville, Spain and it is a less commercialized city than Barcelona and Madrid, where many of the tourists typically travel to. Most of the people there do not speak any English, so I had to rely on my boyfriend to speak Spanish to order my food, tell directions to the taxi driver, and inform me on what different signs said. In conclusion, I guess I am uncomfortable around people when they speak another language, mostly because I am frustrated that I cannot understand them and speak to them. In the future I plan on learning Spanish and continuing to learn French because I think it is important since I plan on traveling to different countries for my job. I am a Communications major and an International Studies and Sociology minor so I think it is imperative that I learn the basics of other languages so that I am able to have basic communication with clients and people that I will come into contact with through my job and travels. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 20:46:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216964677 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216945786 If people are speaking a different language around you does that make you feel uncomfortable? In certain situations yes it does make me uncomfortable when people are speaking a different language around me. For example, I get my nails done at this place that is owned by a Chinese family. They speak English to their customers but they speak Chinese to each other while they are doing people’s nails. A lot of the times I sit there wondering what they are talking about and even though I know it is not necessarily true, I always assume that they are talking about me or other customers. For some reason I think that they speak Chinese so that they can say whatever they want and we won’t understand them. However, I never really considered that they speak Chinese because it is their native language and that is what they are comfortable with. Another time I was uncomfortable when people were speaking another language was in my workplace. I work at the TJ Maxx in State College and it has a very diverse staff. While we we are processing clothes, two of the associates always speak Chinese to each other. Although it makes me uncomfortable because I do not know what they are saying, it makes me more curious and annoyed than anything. I am curious because I want to know what they are saying and I am annoyed because I think it is rude since they speak fluent English but they choose to speak Chinese. I always think that it would relieve a lot of tension at work if they chose to speak English because then they could interact with the other associates working around them. Even though I know my opinions and views are narrow-minded about this topic, I am trying to become more understanding and open to the decisions that certain people make and try to place myself in their shoes and see it from their perspectives. Last semester I studied abroad in London, England and I was very thankful that their primary language is English. I am from State College, which I consider a small town, so moving to a giant city like London was a huge cultural shock for me. I was very grateful that everyone spoke English because it was difficult navigating my way around the city, learning the conversion rates of their currency, figuring out how to use the tube system (underground subway system), and learning specific words for different things. Even though they spoke English their accent and unusual names for certain things took some time to get used to. I always had an interesting time grocery shopping because they had unique terms for different products. For example, I spent around 20 minutes trying to find oatmeal in a grocery store, only to find out that they call oatmeal porridge. Some other terms I had to learn were loo (bathroom), que (waiting in lines), bits (pulp in orange juice) and many more. I also travelled to different countries while I was abroad and I must admit it was frustrating when I went to places where they didn’t speak English such as Paris, France, Seville, Spain, and Prague, Czech Republic. When I was around people speaking another language I felt out of my comfort zone. For some reason it made me self-conscious because I was upset that I wasn’t able to understand them. It also made it extremely difficult to communicate which is important for figuring out directions, ordering food, and talking to the locals. Communication is so vital in our everyday life that facing the language barriers proved to be one of the most challenging things about studying abroad. I was mad at myself because a lot of the people I met were fluent in other languages. I felt like I was a failure and lazy for not taking the time to other languages or pursue further education in taking French courses. Being around different languages also made me feel more vulnerable. For example, I visited my boyfriend in Seville, Spain and it is a less commercialized city than Barcelona and Madrid, where many of the tourists typically travel to. Most of the people there do not speak any English, so I had to rely on my boyfriend to speak Spanish to order my food, tell directions to the taxi driver, and inform me on what different signs said. In conclusion, I guess I am uncomfortable around people when they speak another language, mostly because I am frustrated that I cannot understand them and speak to them. In the future I plan on learning Spanish and continuing to learn French because I think it is important since I plan on traveling to different countries for my job. I am a Communications major and an International Studies and Sociology minor so I think it is imperative that I learn the basics of other languages so that I am able to have basic communication with clients and people that I will come into contact with through my job and travels. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 20:08:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment216945786 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-58/#IDComment213591626 To answer the question about how I would feel once whites become the minority in the U.S., I think I would have to wait and see how I would feel when it happens. I don’t think I can discuss my feelings until I see the changes that come about when whites are the minority. I went to Los Angeles, California last summer and while I was there I felt that the majority of the people were Hispanic. Although I didn’t think anything of it at the time, I do think it would be a completely different world once we become the minority. I believe that the U.S. is currently very white centered with white politicians, celebrities; CEO’s of companies and many of the key figures in our society are white. I do not think that it is anything to be scared of, however there is a history where white people have been racist, which could result in some backlash from other races once we are the minority. Since we currently have a black president I do not think the government would run very differently, but I do think that it will cause several changes in society. The changes that may occur I’m not quite sure of yet, but I do not think it is something that whites need to be scared of. I just had to discuss racial identity and the importance of it in my SOC 119 class. I said that it wasn’t very important to me because my race doesn’t affect me as much as it affects a black or Hispanic person. I think once we become the minority that my racial identity will be more important to me since whites will be treated differently in certain situations and our society will no longer be centered around whites. As of right now since we are the majority everything in society comes very easy to us and whites don’t really have to question or think much about their race. However, when we are the minority I think that we will evaluate our race or at least think about it more on a day-to-day basis. As far as my feelings about being the minority, in a way it makes me more curious than scared. I am curious to see what different changes will occur in society and if we are treated differently, how will we be treated. I am interested to see what race the majority of people are going to be and how it is going to change the world that we live in. I also wonder how my children and grandchildren will be raised, growing up as the minority. All in all I am only scared because I never want them to be treated the way that the minorities have been treated in the past and are still sometimes treated today. I hope that we will only grow from the past and become more welcoming to all races in the future. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:20:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-58/#IDComment213591626 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-50/#IDComment210692872 I am a white female and I would say that I am in stage 2, Awakening. I would consider myself to be in stage 2 because I am aware of race around me and I notice the divide between “us” and “them”. I think out of the three paths that I could be on in the awakening stage, I am most likely option C, which is seeking a deeper understanding of race issues and trying to lay the foundation to move forward to the next stage. One of the reasons that I took this class was because I feel like I do not know the language of race communication. Like the student in class who was used for this example, I get awkward and uncomfortable when I have to speak about someone’s race but I want to learn and understand what is the proper way to use racial and ethnic signifiers. I often wonder why different races choose to hang out with each other and the reason for the divide. I would say that I first entered the Awakening stage in high school. Although I had a pretty diverse elementary school and middle school, I didn’t really notice race and either did most of the other kids. Once I entered high school though race became very apparent, especially in the lunchroom. Our cafeteria looked like the cafeteria set up in the movie Mean Girls, with different races sitting at different tables. I still try to comprehend the reason for this but I feel like I am learning more and more in this class. Also I am becoming less scared of using racial signifiers after hearing Sam discuss it so openly, I feel like I can discuss it more openly. As far as my family goes, I believe that we are all in different stages. My brother is a junior in high school and I believe that he is entering the same stage as I am because he is noticing the racial divide. My sister is older than me but she went to a very diverse college so I believe she is at the stage 5, Pseudo-Communitarian because she attempts to seek approval from people of color. My dad would probably be at the stage 6, Humanitarian because he grew up in Cleveland, Ohio so he was exposed to many different races and has always instilled in me to accept and embrace all cultures. I would have to say that my mom is at a stage 4, the Reversal stage. I believe my mom is at this stage because her parents were racist. She also never went to college so the only exposure or opinions she has formed about other races has come from her parents. She would never say that she is racist but I know that people of other races causes her discomfort because it is not what she is used to. Since she was so sheltered her whole life, I believe that she has preconceived notions about how people are going to act before they do. I try to teach her messages that we have learned in class and I hope one day that she (and I) will be able to reach stage 6. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:30:22 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-50/#IDComment210692872 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940383 This article really opened my eyes and made me realize that I cannot be happy all the time and that once I stop placing importance on being happy, everything will all fall into place. I think the perfect quote to explain how we should approach happiness is, “Still we're trying one more time. Maybe we're just trying too hard. When really it's closer than it is too far.” Like the article said, our view of happiness is so screwed up that most of us wouldn’t recognize the real thing if we saw it. I believe, if we stopped worrying about being happy and instead focused on developing social bonds with other people, following our instincts on making decisions, and sought out the little things in life that put a smile on our face (playing with puppies- not material goods), we will be the closest to achieving the feeling of “happiness”. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:54:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940383 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940352 For example, it is much easier for someone to say, “I am unhappy because I don’t have a boyfriend and I don’t have a boyfriend because I chose the wrong college to go to,” than saying, “I am unhappy because I don’t have a boyfriend and I don’t have a boyfriend because I put a guard up.” Instead of blaming ourselves for our unhappiness, we take the easier road by making excuses for ourselves so that we are not held accountable for being unhappy. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:54:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940352 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940283 It is a constant struggle, because if I choose something and I am happy as a result, I just decide that it was the right decision. However, if I choose something and it doesn’t make me happy, I automatically assume that the other choice would have resulted in happiness. I look at our society as a group of people who always believe that the grass is greener on the other side. Has anyone ever wondered if it’s the exact same color and that there is no perfect decision or path? I try to not let my decisions rule my happiness but it is difficult not to associate my choices with happiness because otherwise I wouldn’t have anything to blame for my unhappiness. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:54:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940283 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940201 It is because these possessions can only provide celebrities with happiness for a short period of time, until their new record bombs or they fail to make a hit blockbuster. Another myth that I can relate to is the myth that “Freedom of choice will make you happier.” Sometimes I wish that I grew up in an earlier time period where I didn’t have so many options to choose from because it would be easier and less stressful. I am in a constant debate with myself that I picked X because I thought it would make me happy, but I’m not happy (at the moment), so I probably should have picked Y instead! My regrets and doubt affect me with every decision I make whether it be what college should I go to? or should I wear rain boots or sneakers? Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:53:54 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206940201 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206939962 The part in the article where the author says that, “the new computer gets slower every day you own it. And, before long, somebody you know will buy a nicer one that makes yours look like a sad, computer-shaped turd and then all of your new-gadget happiness is released into the atmosphere in a black cloud of euphoria emissions,” is so true it’s not even funny. We are a materialistic society that is driven upon new inventions, like which of your friends has the newest iPhone model. We put so much emphasis on material goods and possessions that when we watch shows like MTV’s “Cribs” or VH1’s “The Fabulous Life Of…”, we automatically believe we’re not happy because we do not have these expensive goods or lifestyles. Not only do we believe we aren’t happy because we do not have them, but our happiness turns to resentment and jealousy of those who do, furthering our dissatisfaction of our lives. If money should equate to happiness then why do so many celebrities have drug problems, mental breakdowns, or even worse, commit suicide? Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:53:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206939962 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206939904 What do I believe will help make me happy? Shopping…and shopping alone. In the article it said that a research group studied lottery winners, regular people and those who had suffered severe injuries and found that all of them reported a similar number of good and bad days. I found this very interesting because when I am upset I attempt to fill the void by compulsive shopping. In my mind, I think the act of buying something will result in a good mood. The thought that money can buy you happiness is a complete myth because even when I make a lot of money in tips after a shift, my feelings of happiness only remain until the next time I experience a bad day. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:52:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206939904 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206939700 I thoroughly enjoyed the article, “5 Scientific Reasons Your Idea of Happiness Is Wrong” by Kimmy Dee and found it to be very true. The myths that resonated most with me were 2. Freedom of Choice doesn’t always make you happier and 3. Money can buy you happiness…sort of. Even though the article states that nobody actually has happiness and it cannot be defined, I would say that I am usually an upbeat, happy person (by our society’s definition anyways). I try to enjoy life to the fullest and attempt to look at the glass half full in most situations. I guess you could say that I am extremely optimistic when the going gets tough, but that is not to say that I don’t have my bad days. During these bad days, I will admit that I am the first person to attempt to achieve happiness as a way of getting me out of my bad mood Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:52:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/11/blog-about-happiness-for-soc-119-and-learn-something-useful/#IDComment206939700 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-40/#IDComment204528792 I think that saying women wear uncomfortable clothes while going out is a generalization because it doesn’t apply to everyone. For those women who do wear uncomfortable clothes, I believe that every girl have different reasons for why they wear short/tight dresses and skirts. I think for some of them they wear these clothes to impress guys and get attention from them. I think that focusing on “fashion”, helps put the attention on their clothing rather than their own body insecurities. Some girls choose to wear provocative clothing to bring out what they think is their best assets. For example, if a girl wants to emphasize her chest, she will probably opt to wear a tighter or more revealing shirt because it will make her feel more confident. Since women have become accustomed to the “male view”, I believe that they dress accordingly to what they think that men are looking for or what they think men will find attractive. Some girls will wear uncomfortable clothes not only to impress guys, but other girls as well. There seems to be a standard for what girls should wear while they are going out, especially in college. I believe at this age girls are very impressionable and want to fit in with the norm and what everyone else is wearing, therefore if their friends are wearing shorts skirts/dresses, they may feel obligated to wear them as well to “fit in”. As far as guys wearing comfortable clothes when they go out, I do not think it is because they don’t care about how they look. I think that it has more to do with the fact that most guys are less concerned with fashion and more concerned with comfort. I think guys put less emphasize on what is “in style” and fashion fads, therefore they choose what is most comfortable and what their friends are wearing at the moment. Since most of the guys at Penn State choose to wear t-shirts and jeans when going out, I think that another guy would feel weird wearing a suit out. Although it seems like it is a double standard, it really is the decision of each girl about what she wants to wear out. There is no rule that says she has to wear uncomfortable clothes out to fit in, feel confident, or look pretty, yet some girls still choose to do this. I think that this topic is one of the many reasons that girls get defensive too. Some girls get frustrated because they feel like guys don't put enough effort into what they wear and they feel like girls have to try so hard to impress. This refers back to the "male view" and how society has made girls feel that dressing up will "get them the guy" or will make them more attractive. I can say that for myself I do not feel the need to wear uncomfortable clothing out but I do like to wear clothes that accentuate the parts of my body that I like. I dress for myself and I do not see these clothes as uncomfortable. Although I like to keep up with the fashion trends, I do not in any way feel obligated to dress up for guys. I believe that girls should dress in a way that works for them and if wearing uncomfortable clothing gives them high self-esteem then let them wear whatever they want! Fri, 7 Oct 2011 21:57:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-40/#IDComment204528792 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-22/#IDComment201070000 I believe that race plays a huge role in how we see criminals because of the way that media portrays race in our society and stereotypes that we are implanted in us. After reading this question I thought of Jay-z’s lyrics in the song “99 Problems”. Jay-z raps about racial inequality in regards to the law and claims that the Justice System treats African Americans differently. In the music video a white cop pulls him over and says, “Son do you know why I’m stopping you for?” Jay-z then raps, “Cause I’m young and I’m black and my hat’s real low.” The cop says the reason is because, “he was doing 55 in a 54.” This lyric indicates that Jay-z is being pulled over without committing a crime but solely based on his appearance. In the verse of the song the cop continues to interrogate Jay-z by making him step out of the car, questioning if he has a weapon, and then asking him if he can look around the car. The cop asks Jay-z, “Are you carrying a weapon, I know a lot of you are.” By saying you the cop is stereotyping all African Americans claiming that all of them are carrying around weapons. This example shows racial profiling and how some cops base their arrests on stereotypes rather than guilt. Another example of the way the media shapes our opinions on race and criminals is the show, “What Would You Do?” on ABC News. The show uses hidden cameras and sets up elaborate realistic scenarios with actors testing real controversial subjects to see what ordinary people would do when pushed to act, or if they act at all. The show focuses on subjects such as racism, parenting, homosexuality, etc. One video shows a scenario where a white man is stealing a bike versus a black man stealing a bike and how individuals react differently to the race of the men. The results were that the majority of people didn’t get involved when the white man was stealing the bike. Out of 100 people only one couple attempted to stop the white guy from stealing the bike. When they interviewed the individuals who didn’t do anything many of them said that they were scared to get involved. One woman who was African American said that she didn’t do anything because, “young white men don’t usually carry burglar tools.” Another black lady says that she thought that the white man worked for the park and said “my thoughts were if he had been black or a person of color that the police would have been called immediately.” Once they switched the white guy for the black guy within a couple of seconds the black guy was confronted for stealing the bike. People converged into a group and began asking others to call the police. Citizens took pictures for evidence, yelled to other people, and one man even stole his tools so that he couldn’t steal the bike. All of the participants who confronted the black guy insisted that justice is color blocked and that their race had nothing to do with their interference. This example shows that racial stereotypes are infused in all of us whether you are black or white. This shows that race does affect our opinions of criminals because people associate crime with blacks and non-crime with whites. The media perpetuates this stereotype that people of a different race are more likely to commit crimes. Since we are most likely to believe that blacks will commit crimes, when people saw a black guy near a bike they assumed he was stealing it. When they saw the white man near the bike people of all races made assumptions or excuses for him. I believe that the media also portrays black men to be poor, live in urban areas or “ghettos”, and therefore they are more likely to commit crimes like steal, sell drugs, join gangs etc. Racial stereotypes are almost impossible to break especially when our society and media characterizes young, black men as deviants. We learn these stereotypes at a very young age. For example, we watched a video in class where a picture of a white man and a black man with the same expression were shown to young kids. They said that the black man was the one who was meaner and more likely to be a criminal, even though the white man was the actual murderer. Learning these racial stereotypes at a young age makes it very difficult to break free from once we are older. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:10:19 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-22/#IDComment201070000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197581737 The entrepreneurs Clorene and Anaes Blaise mostly motivated me because I am very interested in working in Fashion once I graduate from college. I was amazed at the determination and passion that these women have in creating clothing and bags. I watched all of the videos about the making of the bags and what they look like and I have come up with some ideas to help market their bags and get a micro loan so that they can buy their raw materials from the U.S. instead of Asia. Before they begin marketing to people in the U.S. I think that Clorene and Anaes need to create a universal design so that when people buy their products they know where it is coming from. For example, most people buy products because of their brands. Many people buy North Face jackets for their quality, but there are a lot of quality fleeces out there. Most people buy North Face jackets simply for the North Face logo on the fleece. If Clorene and Anaes want their business to expand they need to create a logo for their brand. As cute as the sunflower bag is people can buy a bag like that everywhere. Also if people are buying a bag from Haiti to help them out they want others to see that, not just a sunflower bag. I think that the best way to do this would be to come up with a logo or tag line. I was thinking that they could still use their designs but have somewhere on the bag “Help Haiti” or “Project Haiti” so that when people see the bag they know that it is in an attempt to help Haiti. I loved the bags with the paint on them because they are unique and you cannot find them anywhere else. People will purchase the bag simply for the artwork and the fact that it came from Haiti. On the painted bags there was Haiti written on it so I think if we put the paint on the bag and added underneath or around the design “Help Haiti” or “Project Haiti” that it would boost the sales and create a brand name for Clorene and Anae’s business. I believe that the same should go for the shirts, instead of having random silk screening words on it that it should have their brand on it so that people can associate the brand with helping Haiti. This tactic has been successful for other relief efforts such as Project Red and the Feed Foundation. As far as getting money for the raw materials, embroidery machine, and silk screening machine I think we need to create a website to market their business. We could set up a website where people can view videos like the ones we just watched. We are a visual-driven society so if people can watch these videos and see the conditions under which these workers are working and put a name to a face, they will be compelled to help out. Along with the videos we can post her products and how you can buy them or help donate to her business. We can put facts and statistics on the website so people can gage how much it costs for her to create her products. I think with each bag or clothing that she sells to the U.S. that they should come with a card that explains a little bit about her business and where the bag came from, how it was made, and the impact that it can have on her business. I believe that the best way to get her the money for the raw materials is to try to get corporations involved and sponsor her business. Since I believe that the paint products are the most profitable and unique, I think we should try to get a company like Sherwin Williams to give a percentage to her project for every paint can that they sell. Project Red had iconic brands such as Gap, Nike, Starbucks etc. giving 50% of their profits to invest in Project Red. On top of getting sponsors, I believe that every relief effort becomes popular if a celebrity is involved. If we help spread the word through getting celebrities to inform people about their business, then there will be an influx of consumers. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:04:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197581737 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/15/voices-from-the-classroom-15/#IDComment193885475 Do you think determinism or free will shapes peoples lives and why? Before class today I believed that outside factors and forces had more of an influence on the outcomes of our lives and circumstances than free will. However, after listening to today's lecture I agree with Sam that both free will and determinism play equal roles in affecting our outcomes in life. Sam gave an example that if you lost your job and the economy was bad that you couldn't find another job and you would not have enough money for survival. I looked at it that it was the fault of an outside factor, the economy. However, he said that free will came into play as well because you could have made decisions and choices that could have prepared you if you were laid off such as saving money, not going out to dinner as much, only buying things that were necessary etc. This example showed me that in almost every situation your choices that you make as well as forces outside of our control affect what circumstances we will be put in. Although to some people it may seem that determinism and outside forces play a bigger role than free will, its not true. In class today we watched a clip from Oprah about a school in the suburbs and about a school in the city. Towards the end of the clip they showed a girl from the less fortunate school in the city and she said that she passed trigonometry at her school but that math problems at the school in the suburbs were nearly impossible. Although it may seem like inequality would come from the socioeconomic differences presented to these students, they still have free will to make choices that can bring them better outcomes. Although she faced factors that she had no control over such as where she grew up, how much money her parents make, the choices that her parents made etc., she can still change her life by making different choices for herself. Instead of dwelling on the factors that she cannot change, she can study hard, apply for scholarships, take out students loans, go to college, and build a better life for herself even under the circumstances. Determinism and free will both affect what will become of our lives but like Sam said I believe that it is important that we try to maintain a middle ground and not diverge down either path. Sam did not lie when he said that class today would affect us for the rest of our lives. Today was an eye opening experience for me because it made me re-evaluate some of the decisions I make in life and prompted me to think about choices I will make in the future. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:13:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/15/voices-from-the-classroom-15/#IDComment193885475 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/06/voices-from-the-classroom-2/#IDComment191261691 When I first thought about this question my first reaction was to think that no, we cannot choose our gender or our sexual orientation. After attending my Sociology of Deviance class (SOC 406) today, I realized that we can choose our gender. My Professor Eric Silver played a clip from This American Life, which is a weekly public radio show broadcast. The clip was the second part of a clip called Somewhere Out There, titled "Tom Girls". The clip was about two girls named Lilly and Thomasina who were 8 years old and originally born boys. Before today I have only heard about transgenders who had realized they were born the wrong sex when they are older. In the case of Thomasina, she realized at the young age of 2 that she was supposed to be a girl and that she did not feel like she was a boy. She began playing with dolls and enjoyed dressing up in girls clothes. Her parents believed that she was simply going through a phase but she insisted that he felt like he was a girl and asked his parents to call him a "she". Although many of us believe that we cannot change our gender, we are able to adjust as much of it as we would like. Gender is defined as a range of characteristics between male and female, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Boys and girls can choose how masculine or feminine they want to be so although they may not choose their sex, they are still able to choose their gender. For instance the title of the clip is called Tom Girls, which made me start thinking of the term "tomboy", which is defined as a girl that is boyish or masculine in behavior or manner. Everyday we make decisions that can affect our gender identity, such as the way we dress, the way we behave, our hobbies, and our interests. In society we are taught at a very young age that boys should like blue and girls should like pink. Our parents and society greatly influence our gender and the way that we should behave, so even though we can choose our gender freely, most of us behave according to the gender that our parents raised us as. As far as sexual orientation goes, I do not believe you can choose who you love or who you are attracted to. I do not believe that a person decides to be attracted to the person of the same sex or not. I think that a person's sexual orientation is based on their genetics, environmental, and social influences. Just like Lilly and Thomasina, most people who realize their sexual orientation at a young age. I think people say you cannot choose your gender because they automatically believe that you are born a boy or a girl. If the question was can you choose your sex then the answer would be no, not unless you get cosmetic surgery or begin taking hormone pills. Gender is completely dependent on the person and one can choose to act as another gender if they want to. I believe that sexual orientation is a more complicated issue than changing how masculine or feminine you are. There is a lot of gray area in terms of sexual orientation because people can classify themselves as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or asexual and many of these sexual preferences can overlap each other. Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:51:14 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/06/voices-from-the-classroom-2/#IDComment191261691 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/how-do-you-feel-about-interracial-dating/#IDComment189092827 I believe that you can't help who you fall in love with, regardless of their race. I have absolutely no problem with interracial dating, and I have a lot of friends who have dated outside their race. I would never judge or look at a person differently for dating a person from another race. I believe that my generation is a lot more open in regards to interracial dating and I hope that our acceptance just grows and continues with time. As far as past generations go I wish I could say that interracial dating was more acceptable but then again I feel like it has a lot to do with the time period in which you grew up. Personally, I would not feel awkward dating outside of my race, even though I have not. I find black guys attractive and I would be open to dating them if it weren't for my family's opinion. My father has never voiced his opinions about me dating outside of my race but my mother has. Ever since I was little she has told me that I shouldn't marry someone of a different race because it just "never works out." I knew even at a young age that what she was telling me was wrong and racist of her. I know that her family had a large impact on the way she is today. Both of her parents were immigrants from the Czech Republic and were very strict when it came to dating. I think as much as we attempt to change and evolve from our parents, the way we were brought up greatly affects how we act when we are older. I think that may be the reason why I still have not dated outside of my race because my mother's beliefs are always in the back of my mind. I am not opposed to it, I just seek my family's approval and care a lot about their opinions. One thing that I find it interesting is that almost everyone has a friend from another race yet when it comes to interracial dating it is a controversial subject and often frowned upon by society. One of my best friends and former roommate is Vietnamese and my mom loved her, yet I know she wouldn't approve of me dating someone who is Vietnamese. It makes me question why it is acceptable to have a friend from another race but not acceptable to date someone outside your race? Although I care about how my mother feels, I don't want to pass down her intolerance of interracial dating down to my own children. If I do happen to fall in love with someone from another race in the future then so be it. I would hope that my parents would support me no matter what decisions I make and who I choose to love. Fri, 2 Sep 2011 18:19:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/how-do-you-feel-about-interracial-dating/#IDComment189092827