en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2414380 Comments by snewman345 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/would-you-respond-similarly-to-basum-when-learning-about-the-ratio-why-or-why-not-119-blog/#IDComment145284289 If i was in his place I feel I would be outraged that any country would consider killing civilians acceptable, especially, such a large number for one person they want to kill, who is still just a person. I find war to be horrible and even killing other soldiers is not good, because they are people with families too.Killing a civilian is so much worse though because these people do not expect to die and are not prepared to die. They are not trying to kill our soldiers and they are not causing them harm. I understand that accidents happen and civilians will die. However, justifying their deaths with an arbitrary number, making them an expenses of an already brutal war, is disgusting. The policy should be to kill less people, not more, and accidental shooting of civilians should only be occurring if it is a complete accident or if the soldiers or his teams lives are in danger. I don’t mean a danger that they put themselves in and can retreat from at anytime either. I am pissed at my own country for this policy. If a great army were on my soil fighting a war and said they could kill 29 civilians for every soldier, I would be pissed. I sure as hell wouldn’t be a civilian anymore. Lives are not something to be bargained with. War may be necessary, which is debatable, but the death of an innocent can never, and should never, be justified. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:35:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/would-you-respond-similarly-to-basum-when-learning-about-the-ratio-why-or-why-not-119-blog/#IDComment145284289 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/would-you-respond-similarly-to-basum-when-learning-about-the-ratio-why-or-why-not-119-blog/#IDComment145284213 I, too, was surprised with how calmly he received the knowledge that our military deems it acceptable to kill 29 people for every 1 “bad guy.” When I first heard that statistic I feel like I was more outraged than he was. This is surprising considering am not even apart of a country where innocent people are dying based on this statistic like he is. I am not sure how well he understood what we told him though considering that later he did not know what we meant by the ratio when we asked a second question related to it. However, assuming he fully understood, I can’t fathom how he was so calm. I try to rationalize it by believing he was just putting up a front, because he was speaking to a room full of Americans. Or, that he just expects bad things of Americans, so a ratio of so many innocents for one bad guy does not surprise him at this point, like it does myself. If the later is true, I feel very sad for him and sad that our country can develop such low expectations in others, even those who do not deny American as being a good place. If none of these are true though, I am simply shocked at how peaceful a man he is. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:35:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/would-you-respond-similarly-to-basum-when-learning-about-the-ratio-why-or-why-not-119-blog/#IDComment145284213 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment143146283 . Actually, career fairs feel pretty fake too. I feel like there is a lot of things not based on a person’s quality, aside from nepotism, that are included into hiring decision. Things like how one dresses or how friendly you come off. People shouldn’t have to am to be something they aren’t for a job. Not everyone is nice to people they are meeting for the first time, and why should they be. But everyone is nice when they go into an interview for the first time. They aren’t themselves, yet these are some of the reasons they are hired. Life isn’t fair, Take what you can get. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:54:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment143146283 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment143146203 The world will never be equal when your parents or school or whoever you know is the reason your hired rather than your skill. I am particularly not fond of the idea of nepotism because my parents are middle class so they don’t know many people, and I am horrible at networking. You read correctly, I dislike nepotism because I recognize it as unfair, but also because I cannot really benefit from it like many others can. I recognize it as unfair, but it’s even more unfair to me because I do not have much access to it. If I was presented with the opportunity to use nepotism in my favor would I? Probably. In fact, I have. I was hired at my job because my Dad knew the manager. I actually have more animosity against the idea of nepotism through networking than by knowing people who are respected by others enough to hire a client for them. I think this is because of my most likely distorted perception of networking. I see networking as sucking up to others to receive a benefit. The atmosphere just feels so fake when I go to the alumni networking events. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:54:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment143146203 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment143146123 Nepotism is something that I believe is a strong part of our American culture. “It’s about who you know,” “Network, network, network.” These are the main things I have heard since the beginning of college. “Talk to your alumni, get to know your teachers, Penn State takes care of Penn State and you will find us all over the world.” The main selling point of Penn State was networking. Yes, networking is not just for nepotism; however, that is a huge part of it. We network to meet people so when they have opportunities they might present them to us rather than someone else, not necessarily because we are most qualified, but because we know them. I think nepotism is horrible, but extremely prevalent. It is unfair already that children of wealthy and respected individuals gain many advantages over everyone else based on their parent’s resources alone. Add in that these people know many people who are also very powerful and will do them favors like give their kids jobs and we have an unbalance of power that is in complete disagreement with our American ideal of competition and the most qualified succeeding. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:53:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment143146123 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141131292 I could commiserate with the people in the video because if I was put into their situation and my children and family were being threatened along with my way of life, I would also take up arms and fight back. I was also able to commiserate with them when I saw their natural resources being plundered, as oil, while they were dirt poor. This is really unfair. After being abused in this manner, I can understand the need to fight back against an oppressor. However attacking civilians at the Twin Towers is morally wrong and not conducive to their cause. However the shock value of the attack exposes the situation of their people so even though they had good intentions, civilians should not have been compromised. After being forced to the extremes, I can understand the need for extreme measures after feeling voiceless and helpless about life in my own country. The war our country is engaged in is also extreme and further adds to their hate. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 01:07:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141131292 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141131201 Personally, I have had a class before about deviance that already explained the perspective of terrorism. However, I never really had anger towards terrorism. I think killing people is awful and I thought they were horrible people for attacking the Twin Towers. I don’t think that has changed. I understand them better now though. If I was in their shoes I would not be happy. What the United States is doing is not right. Oil or not, they are using their power to oppress the people. They are controlling what they do, and converting them to their ways. Even if they have good intentions I do not believe their method is through anything but fear. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 01:06:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141131201 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment139195192 However, at the same time, we have so much technology that can translate for us; do we need a neutral language? Also, having a neutral language, as we already seem to be progressing towards, I think, will and do diminish many different cultures. Languages are beautiful. Even within English individual accents are beautiful. This is something I don’t want to see our world lose for the sake of convenience and a global economy. However, it is strange that when someone is speaking, like for a presentation, accents are often looked down upon in we can’t understand every word or have to struggle to do so. I know when I grade presentation, my understanding based on how clearly they speak always comes in as a negative on their grading, yet can that really be helped? Also, when I have teachers who speak poor English I also think negatively. Maybe that is not about the fact that they speak another language, but that they are in a situation where they choose to be, and that requires them to speak English, so doing so poorly is a negative. I think we need to find a way to continue and easy globalization through better understanding, but without losing different languages. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:51:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment139195192 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment139195132 Every time I have encountered someone who spoke another language, be it girlfriend or friend, I usually ask them to teach me some of the language, occasionally I have even asked them to teach me all of the language, although this never actually happened. So, if someone came up to me speaking another language, I would work with them and try to communicate, just like I would try to help anyone who was asking for my help. However, I do think everyone knowing the same language would make things much easier. Which language is used the most? I would like to think English, but I feel that is a false conclusion of socialization. Maybe Chinese is the most used language? However, it seems like English is becoming the language of globalization. Maybe, that is socialization again. Either way, I think that one of these would make great neutral languages to make communication easier. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:51:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment139195132 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment139195059 When two or more people around me are speaking another language, one that I cannot understand, I feel uncomfortable. This is hard to admit. I am a pretty open guy. It is not like I am crazy uncomfortable and I have to walk away or try and force them to speak English or that I even want them to not speak their language. It is the fact that I don’t know what they are saying that bothers me. I am paranoid about what people are saying as it is. I am not sure why. So when I am around people speaking and I do not understand what is being said, especially when it is close enough for me to hear, I feel uncomfortable. I wonder what they are talking about and if they are talking about me. When they laugh I think might be laughing at my expense. However, if someone was trying to speak to me in another language I don’t think I would feel uncomfortable. I might feel confused, but it doesn’t bother me that someone is not speaking English. In fact, I like many languages. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:51:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment139195059 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630198 , and often become true in many cases, in different ways, there are many exceptions to this stereotype. Also, I feel the stereotype has often only made a lot of black women to present themselves this way to others because it is expected or how they believe they should act, but this could be just as scary. Maybe it is just the stereotype itself that causes reluctance. I mean I am a white guy who has some belief in the stereotype and I have even dated a black woman who was not like this stereotype. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:59:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630198 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630114 This is not just about attraction though. Even though I believe many white guys are attracted to black women, there is still some reluctance. I do not necessarily believe the reluctance is just from the guy though. However, there is that whole social perception that the guy is supposed to be more forward than the women, so reluctance from the guy is probably much more noticeable. I feel a part of this reluctance is due to some line that we are supposed to date in our own race. Also, specifically with black women, there is the stereotype that they are very opinionated, aggressive, and strong willed. This is a trait in women that I think many men of all races are reluctant to pursue. Personally, as a shy guy, it has in fact made me reluctant to pursue a black girl very recently even. Although I believe stereotypes often perpetuate themselves Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:58:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630114 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630073 There is what? 10 percent black and 80 percent white people in PA. That is 8 times more white women than black women. Therefore, maybe it is just an illusion that I am less attracted to black women because there are less of them to be attracted to. Although, I have heard of theories that we are more attracted to people who look similar to us. At the same time, I have heard of something called the green beard effect, which is that we are less attracted to those who are similar looking to us. Something like they share more genes with us than others. But theories are just ideas and that is an idea for both sides of the argument. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:58:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630073 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630003 Why are white guys reluctant to date black women? As a white guy, I can address this question personally, as well as theoretically. First, I feel like this is not an uncommon phenomenon. I think many races are reluctant to date outside of their race and I feel this effect increases with an increase in how dramatically different the two races are in appearance. I always used to be under the impression that I was just very rarely attracted to other races. Black women for example, it is not often that I find myself attracted to them. However, thinking about this subject in more depth and perspective while at college, I wasn’t sure if this was just an effect of numbers. I am most definitely attracted to some black women and I have approached them the same way as I would any female (which might be my mistake?). I am just attracted to many more white women. However, there are many more white women in America. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:58:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/would-you-date-someone-like-me-119-blog/#IDComment137630003 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment134337459 Take a look at the sun’s reflection over water if you don’t believe me. I sometimes get stuck in the idea that my life has to be so much better, like this or that person. I think it is a part of American culture. However, I have tried to alter my thinking. Slavery is awful, yet I do not feel guilty that I am not a slave and they are because I appreciate what I have, although I wish I appreciated it as much as they would. If I feel any guilt it is that I am not helping others be happy and learning to appreciate what they have more often. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 01:55:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment134337459 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment134337428 Again, do I feel guilty that I was born in America and someone else was born as a slave? No. I feel privileged about my position in life. I could be pretty much lower class and live a pretty great life. Yet, I am at college with good financial standing and a huge, loving social support behind me. I feel grateful for my life. This is something I feel many people are missing, especially in America, but perhaps that is just an assumption. I feel people are always looking for more; they are looking up the social economic ladder and wanting only to climb rather than enjoying the view from where they are. People need to appreciate that their life is amazing, as is. Goals are great, but they shouldn’t define our life, because we tend to only see forward and not with their peripheral. I think this only sets people up for disappointment, because not all goals will be reached, and depression, because we are never satisfied. It is not the fact that we know our lives are better than others that should make us feel good, it is that we don’t have to fight for survival, and even if you do, you are fighting in a world full of joys. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 01:55:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment134337428 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment134337355 I do not feel guilty about my position in life now that I am aware that there are slaves around the world. When Sam gave us the chocolate I suspected something was up, but I ate the chocolate anyway. After seeing the video I felt like I was supposed to feel guilty that I could enjoy the sweet taste of chocolate, which these slaves work hard to produce, yet never enjoy. However, I did not feel guilty. The chocolate was already produced and unpackaged, and if I don’t eat it, it was probably going to end up in the trash. I wonder for those who did not eat the chocolate, what became of their chocolate. If it did end up in the trash, how does that make them feel better about the fact that slaves made that chocolate? Nothing changes, except you wasted good chocolate instead of enjoying it. What would the slave who has never tasted chocolate do in your position? I think the slave, who understands his fellow slaves better than anyone else, would savor that chocolate even though he knew it was made by other slaves. I believe the one slave compared chocolate to his blood and that was what people were eating, but what is more respectful, enjoying or throwing out his hard work? Sat, 12 Mar 2011 01:54:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/do-people-feel-guilt-about-their-current-positions-when-knowing-about-the-disadvantages-of-the-freed-slaves-119-blog/#IDComment134337355 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/how-do-you-feel-about-the-poor-white-society-and-who-are-you-more-likely-to-help-119-blog/#IDComment130753830 Why would we ever judge him for his decision to drink, I honestly can’t say I know what I would be doing in his shoes, but I bet it wouldn’t be much different, and I bet the same is true for many of the people who look upon him with disgust. In the video the women did not seem overall unhappy about her situation. Maybe she was unhappy, but when she explained the reason she was unhappy she only cited other people who judge her as the reason for her sadness. I think that is the most tragic thing of all. Poor people have to struggle considerably more than others and have fewer access to the pleasures of life. The fact that a person who can be happy despite being poor is a great thing, yet as a society we drag them down and take away that happiness, and for what? Because we think we are encouraging them to better themselves by being malicious? Because they are different than us? Why is it so easy to be mean to those who aren’t as well off by society’s standards, don’t they have it bad enough? Poor, criminal, obese; an excuse to be mean? Does it seem right? Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:21:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/how-do-you-feel-about-the-poor-white-society-and-who-are-you-more-likely-to-help-119-blog/#IDComment130753830 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/how-do-you-feel-about-the-poor-white-society-and-who-are-you-more-likely-to-help-119-blog/#IDComment130753768 Why would we ever judge him for his decision to drink, I honestly can’t say I know what I would be doing in his shoes, but I bet it wouldn’t be much different, and I bet the same is true for many of the people who look upon him with disgust. In the video the women did not seem overall unhappy about her situation. Maybe she was unhappy, but when she explained the reason she was unhappy she only cited other people who judge her as the reason for her sadness. I think that is the most tragic thing of all. Poor people have to struggle considerably more than others and have fewer access to the pleasures of life. The fact that a person who can be happy despite being poor is a great thing, yet as a society we drag them down and take away that happiness, and for what? Because we think we are encouraging them to better themselves by being malicious? Because they are different than us? Why is it so easy to be mean to those who aren’t as well off by society’s standards, don’t they have it bad enough? Poor, criminal, obese; an excuse to be mean? Does it seem right? Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:20:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/how-do-you-feel-about-the-poor-white-society-and-who-are-you-more-likely-to-help-119-blog/#IDComment130753768 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/how-do-you-feel-about-the-poor-white-society-and-who-are-you-more-likely-to-help-119-blog/#IDComment130753554 He is depressed. If anyone, ANYONE, looked at this man in the bar now they would immediately blame his situation on his own actions. I mean who wouldn’t, he is an alcoholic. I am sure he could make his life better if he didn’t drink every night, waste his money, and do nothing to make his situation better. However, people won’t know or take into consideration how he got into the hole he is in and what a toll that has on a person’s emotions. Many of us know what it is like to be depressed, but very few of us show considerable sympathy to those who are depressed. There is a belief that you must pull yourself up by the bootstraps and be fully functional no matter what your emotions are doing. Sad or happy, the world doesn’t stop, you have to keep pushing and it’s your own fault if you don’t keep pushing and fall by the wayside. This man once knew what it was like to be rich, now he has almost nothing, including the lack of a social support. Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:19:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/how-do-you-feel-about-the-poor-white-society-and-who-are-you-more-likely-to-help-119-blog/#IDComment130753554