en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2402476 Comments by sometimesy http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment144970372 part 3. I worked at a restaurant with about a dozen illegal immigrants, and they were lucky if they got one day off a week and they would work from opening till closing every time they were on shift. So illegal immigrants are not coming over to the states to be lazy. They are here to make money. The one thing that I think citizens do have a right to be hostile about is that the illegal immigrants do not have to pay taxes, but if their kids go to public school... the citizens are the one paying for that childs education. This is unfair, but I do not believe that illegal immigrants came over here with the intention of puposely getting their children free education. Citizens need to realize that the reason immigrants are coming over here is because they understand that this is an amazing place to live. They are not trying to strip us of our rights, they are trying to become a part of them. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:33:56 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment144970372 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment144970356 part 2. You always hear big business people and politicians talking about how illegal immigrants are the reason for job shortages, but that is completely false. The only jobs that illegal immigrants are taking are those of teenagers who are not afraid to do some manual labor (and even then, that is a small number). Not many illegal immigrants are coming to the United States and are taking a corporate job. So that is one reason why Americans dislike illegal immigrants, even though it is not a good one. Illegal immigrants are also usually portrayed as bad people in general by American citizens. People feel that illegal immigrants are trying to take a shortcut by not having to pay taxes or get a green card or citizenship. They see them as lazy people who are just trying to get by as easily as they can. But once again, I don not believe that this is the situation. The illegal immigrants are the ones busting their asses doing all the manual labor. They work extremely long hours and do not get many days off. They are not treated as equally as workers who are citizens, and I have some personal experience with that. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:33:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment144970356 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment144970294 part 1. The majority of our society as a whole probably does not like the number of illegal immigrants in the United States. People are always talking bad about illegal immigrants for many different reasons. I think one of the main reasons why the majority of people from our country dislike illegal immigrants is because illegal immigrants will do the same amount of work as an American, but for less pay. So people view this as illegal immigrants "taking our jobs." I, however, do not think that is true. Yeah, illegal immigrants are coming over here and getting jobs... but they are jobs that no one else would take. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:33:25 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/why-does-society-dislike-immigrants-and-why-are-they-portrayed-badly-119-blog/#IDComment144970294 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/why-did-the-white-students-tell-the-story-differently-than-the-mixed-or-black-students-119-blog/#IDComment143173141 3. You also have to take in the fact that people from different areas tend to use different dialects. Like that one kid called the exchanging of harsh words a "scuffle." I'm sure that some people in the class have never even heard of that word. But to the student that used it, it meant the same thing as the characters in the story getting into a verbal confrontation. Between language barries, comfort levels, and the actually difficult of the game telephone, I believe that the reasons as to why the story was so changed was not due to white student's trying to "sugar coat." There are many reasons as to why the story got lost in translation, but I think that the reason the story changed so often was due more to the fact of comfort level and dialect than the white students just "sugar coating" the story. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:54:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/why-did-the-white-students-tell-the-story-differently-than-the-mixed-or-black-students-119-blog/#IDComment143173141 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/why-did-the-white-students-tell-the-story-differently-than-the-mixed-or-black-students-119-blog/#IDComment143173117 2. I do not believe that any "sugar coating" was done too intentionally. Yes, it's possible that the students did not feel comfortable enough to stand in front of six hundred other students and tell another student a story about how a black student got called the "n word." That would cause anyone to feel uneasy and to maybe alter the story slightly just to make it easier to tell in front of so many people. I do not believe that the color of the students skin had anything to do with the way the story was "sugar coated." It was simply just an affect of the way telephone is played and the comfort level of the students who participated. I know that personally, as a little white girl, I would not feel comfortable standing in front of a giant lecture hall and mentioning anything about the "n word." I keep only bringing up that part of the story because I feel like that was the part that was most altered. Other than that part of the story, I think all the other changes were simply due to the fact that the story was very long and easy to forget the order of events. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:54:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/why-did-the-white-students-tell-the-story-differently-than-the-mixed-or-black-students-119-blog/#IDComment143173117 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/why-did-the-white-students-tell-the-story-differently-than-the-mixed-or-black-students-119-blog/#IDComment143173045 1. To be completely honest, I do not believe that there was much of a difference between the way white students told the story and the way black students told the story. In any typical game of telephone, the whole entire story will never remain perfectly intact. Whether the message being sent around during telephone is something silly or if the message is a long, serious story, the words and phrases are always going to get distorted. That's kind of the reason why "telephone" is a game. It's funny for children to play and it was actually pretty funny to hear the different versions of the story as being told from one student to the next. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:54:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/why-did-the-white-students-tell-the-story-differently-than-the-mixed-or-black-students-119-blog/#IDComment143173045 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140543753 3. I'm sure there will be that one guy at the party that will put all of the shorts and t-shirt wearing guys to shame. You can even look at it as that women have the upper hand (in a twisted way). We have the ability to choose whether or not to dress up on the weekends. If someone threw a party and all the girls showed up in sweatpants, then maybe the guys would have to dig a little deeper to find a girl that they actually like, rather than some girl that they would just like to sleep with. So I guess in that situation, women slightly do have the power. I’m aware that in many other situations, we never really do have the upper hand (which is wrong) but I believe it’s something that will be overcome in time. Maybe as we age the power flips. At least that’s what I’m going to tell myself. Once you start to hit older ages you have more power over the man in your life and the relationship as a whole. And I’m sure when we are older we’re not going to have to worry about wearing high heels and tight dresses. Wed, 6 Apr 2011 19:10:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140543753 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140543724 2. This is probably the way that majority of women feel and this attributes to why there is not going to be change any time soon. To be honest, I think women embrace that we get all dressed up for weekend occasions. Personally, I love it. You feel powerful, confident and sexy. I realize that the only reason we feel this way is because we do live a male centered world and men see heels and a tight dress as sexy, but why not embrace it? Do it for yourself, not for them. If wearing something makes you feel a certain way about yourself, then flaunt it. This lecture might have given me new insight to the power that men have, but at the same time, it didn't make me want to change anything about myself. If a guy wants to go out looking like a bum, then let him. Wed, 6 Apr 2011 19:09:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140543724 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140543575 1. To be completely honest with you, I left "The Needy Penis" lecture a very angry person. I mean it's pretty obvious that we live in a male centered world, but this lecture really just put it into perspective for me. Everything that Sam and Laurie were saying was absolutely true, and that is just SO unfair. We are not in the 1400s anymore, men should no longer have the upper hand. However, even though I left that lecture so angry, I knew nothing was going to change in the world or with myself. No matter how much I realize how unfairly male centered our world is, I am not going to change the way I act or dress. Wed, 6 Apr 2011 19:09:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140543575 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138646712 We never went back to that salon due to that interaction. So beside the possible uncomfortable situation you might feel if you suspect people are speaking about you in a different language, I don't see why two people having a conversation around you in a different language would be a problem. It would be like an American traveling to another language speaking country and us talking in English. I don't think people would feel uncomfortable, necessarily, maybe just curious. If anything, people speaking a different language should be intriguing to people, not an uncomfortable situation. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:05:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138646712 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138646691 On the other hand, I have had a very uncomfortable situation with two ladies speaking a different language around my sister and me. We were actually getting a pedicure together and just having a normal conversation. When our conversation slowed down, we realized that the two ladies giving our pedicures were chatting in another language, looking at us, and laughing to themselves. When my sister and I realized what was going on, we looked at each other and starting laughing. Then, worried, one of the ladies looked up at us and nervously said "You speak Korean??" When we replied no, they returned to laughing and chatting and which could only be assumed as trash talking my sister and me. Obviously people would argue that we did not know for sure that they were talking about us, but if you were in my situation you would agree that that's what it really seemed like. And even if that wasn't the case, they made their customers feel very awkward. This situation made me feel very uncomfortable, mostly because I couldn't get out of it. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:05:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138646691 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138646645 Feeling uncomfortable because of people speaking a different language would definitely have to depend on the situation. Just walking around campus you are constantly hearing people having conversations in a different language. As a passerby, you probably do not even notice or maybe pause for a second to try to figure out what language it is that they are speaking out of curiousity. This type of interaction obviously does not make me feel uncomfortable because it is absolutely inevitable. No matter where you live or are traveling to, you are always going to find people speaking a different language. And why should that bother you if you are simply just walking by them or sitting near them during a class. Language barriers are an every day obstacle that, when in the real world, you will have to deal with on a daily basis. People, including myself, have to learn to really embrace diversity and stop being so narrow minded. The world is much bigger than just English speaking people in the United States; open your eyes. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:05:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138646645 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/for-the-white-females-would-you-ever-date-a-black-guy-119-blog/#IDComment137376628 (part 3) The color of someone’s skin should never assist you in answering the question of “will you go out with me?” Dating in general is hard enough as it is. I am not going to try to make it even harder for myself by never dating a black guy. I am going to be honest though and say that I have never actually dated a black guy. Maybe that’s because, according to a point brought up in class, black guys have a hard time figuring out if white girls are attracted to them. Well here are some words of wisdom. Just try to talk to her! That is the only real way to find out if she is actually interested. And to be honest, I think more white girls than you think are interested or at least curious about dating a black guy. Just go for it, you got nothing to lose. And for the girls that think they would never date a black guy… open your damn eyes. A black guy could probably give you all the ups and downs of a relationship that any boring white boyfriend could give you. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:40:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/for-the-white-females-would-you-ever-date-a-black-guy-119-blog/#IDComment137376628 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/for-the-white-females-would-you-ever-date-a-black-guy-119-blog/#IDComment137376595 (part 2) Dating is supposed to be an experience, and it is called an experience for a reason. You need to get out there and try different things. How boring would your dating life be if you kept going out with the same type "x" guy over and over again. The only way you learn what you like is if you go out and try everything. You should never rule out certain groups of people. Besides the fact that that’s just plan wrong… you are really making yourself miss out on people that could have possibly touched your life. I really believe in giving anyone a chance, and I would never let a racial barrier keep me from dating someone who could turn out to be mister right. The fact that this question even has to be asked at all is terrible. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:40:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/for-the-white-females-would-you-ever-date-a-black-guy-119-blog/#IDComment137376595 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/for-the-white-females-would-you-ever-date-a-black-guy-119-blog/#IDComment137376538 (part 1) Would I ever date a black guy? I do not see why not. When I decide if I want to date a guy or not I base my decision on whether I could actually see myself liking the guy. So does color play a role in that? For me, I honestly do not think so. If any guy, no matter the race, can hold a decent conversation with me that keeps me interested, why would I care if he was black or any other race? To me, a guy is a guy. If I find them attractive, interesting, and maybe funny, then the rest does not matter. As long as the guy respects me and treats me the way that I expect to be treated by any person that I decide to date, then race is not a problem. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:39:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/for-the-white-females-would-you-ever-date-a-black-guy-119-blog/#IDComment137376538 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/is-it-hard-to-relearn-racial-ideas-119-blog/#IDComment135958935 (part 3) This was interesting to know as I held a stereotype that there would be nothing American in Japan. Moreover, I believe that if I did not have this experience then my racial ideas wouldn’t have changed. Many people don’t get to have experiences such as becoming close to somebody that they had a racial stereotype towards. Without an experience like the one that I had, it is very rare for somebody to be able to change their racial ideas. This is why I believe that it is difficult for racial ideas to change. They’re so deeply embedded into our brain that we don’t even realize that they are there. How could your ideas change that you barely even realize are there? Unless you’re confronted daily with your racial ideas, then there’s a pretty small chance that your ideas will be altered. People could go through their whole lives not even knowing that they have racial ideas and will never be confronted with their ideas because they subconsciously avoid certain races. There are so many things that prevent people from changing their racial ideas and it’s truly not fair. I wish that everyone could have the experience that I did so that their views have an opportunity to change. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:13:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/is-it-hard-to-relearn-racial-ideas-119-blog/#IDComment135958935 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/is-it-hard-to-relearn-racial-ideas-119-blog/#IDComment135958913 (part 2) This drastically changed as I became close to my friend, Seung Won on my dorm floor who is Korean yet lived in Japan most of her life. In the beginning of our friendship, I could have never guessed in a million years that we would become as close as I would be to my other friends at Penn State. However, as we spent more lunches and movie nights together, I not only got to know her but where she was from and how she was brought up. Although she is not a complete “Asian” as she usually hung out with Americans because she went to an international school, she provided experiences from her home that I would have never imagined. She told me about how Tokyo is a very westernized city with American restaurants such as McDonalds, Burger King, TGI Friday’s and many more. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:13:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/is-it-hard-to-relearn-racial-ideas-119-blog/#IDComment135958913 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/is-it-hard-to-relearn-racial-ideas-119-blog/#IDComment135958850 (part 1) I think once you have an opinion or position on something, it's very difficult to change it. It's possible, but difficult. Unless you are exposed to the race that you have a set idea on daily, then it is difficult for your opinion to change. Although this may be shunned upon as it would be considered a stereotype against races, it's something that is inevitable. To be honest, I held some stereotypical assumptions on Asians. Despite the fact that this may sound ignorant, I didn't and couldn't know the difference between different types of Asians such as Chinese, Korean, Japanese and etc. However, I categorized them just as same and didn't really try to know their different cultures and cuisines. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:12:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/is-it-hard-to-relearn-racial-ideas-119-blog/#IDComment135958850 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment132273821 (part 3) It is possible that a family's religious beliefs prevent them from using protection or from wanting to reduce the amount of children that they have. Some religious beliefs consist of producing as much offspring as you can. It could also mean that mothers would be responsible, which is almost opposite of selfish for what she has done. In these situations I think it is clear to say that these families are not being selfish. They are just following their religious beliefs. There is a line between selfish in having too many children while in poverty and following your beliefs. The line is pretty thin and can easily be crossed... but it remains there. Fri, 4 Mar 2011 03:54:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment132273821 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment132273795 (part 2)The situation leading up to the pregnancy is what determines whether the mother is being selfish or not. You should not bring a child into the world if you can't support him/her by providing necessary food and shelter. You should take proactive measures like protection or, dare I say it, abstinence to prevent a hostile environment for a child that you bring into the world. I also want to point out that I believe that if a mother in poverty does get pregnant and cannot support her child, that that is no excuse to get an abortion. Anybody has the power to put their children up for adoption. I believe that abortion would be more selfish rather than raising too many children in poverty. Although this may seem unfair for the baby if the conditions that he or she is put in would not progress over the years, I believe that every child should be given the chance to live. A life in poverty is better than no life at all. On the other hand, it is possible that a family in poverty has a lot of children for reasons other than being selfish. Believe it or not, there are a lot of very religious people out there. Some of them are even in this poverty population that we are discussing. Fri, 4 Mar 2011 03:54:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment132273795