It is pretty much common sense that it is much harder for a girl to orgasm than it is for a boy. Having said that, as a female, I think the reason girls stop themselves from saying that she was fully satisfied is fairly simple. I honestly just think it is a matter of not wanting to hurts his feelings or deal with the awkwardness of saying “Oh….yeah, I didn’t orgasm.” It may hurt the boy’s confidence and it would probably just make for an awkward situation that could be otherwise easily avoided if she tells a white lie and said she had more fun than she actually did.
However, I also think it makes a BIG difference if the two people in question are in a committed relationship or if the hookup was a one-night stand. If the two people who hooked up are in a committed relationship and are comfortable enough with each other, the girl would probably be more inclined or likely to tell the truth if she did or did not finish. People who are just hooking up once probably do not care enough to know, much less to ask. If the girl says no, it almost becomes like an insult for the guy. Like I said, it just becomes awkward and what’s the point in having that conversation if the hookup isn’t going to happen again?
Also, if they are not in a committed relationship, he probably would not care if she climaxed or not. As long as he did, that is really all that matters to him. While I believe this to be true, I do not really know how I feel about it. It seems unfair that the girl’s needs aren’t met, but if they are not in a relationship, why is he obligated to care? Girls also tend to be more emotionally attached than boys, so putting themselves out there and saying they did not have an orgasm is a really hard thing to do! And if she doesn’t even know the guy, she would be even more inclined to keep that to herself.
Anyway, personally I have never and will never have sex with anyone whom I am not in a relationship. You never know where they have been or who they have been with; it is just sketchy to me and not something I would want to deal with. Having said that, I consider myself quite an honest person so I am always up front with the boy about whether or not I finished. I will straight up tell the guy if it was good or not and expect that it should not matter because we are comfortable enough with each other and that it is not the biggest issue for the time being.

So apparently, according to the Global Internet Porn habits, countries with the most oppression of homosexuals, and places where people can’t really be openly gay also have the highest searches of gay/lesbian porn. This makes a lot of sense to me. It makes sense that people who are not allowed to be openly gay would have to resort to more private outlets like the internet and internet porn.
The high number of gay porn searches could also have something to do with curiosity. If it is a super taboo topic, then people will not talk about it and those who are not gay or lesbian won’t know much about the nature of homosexuality, which could possibly lead to these people searching for gay porn on the internet—so much that gay porn becomes more popular than heterosexual porn.
Even though homosexuality is bound to still be taboo in much of the world, there is something very sad about the fact that many of these countries have the highest searches for gay porn as well. It basically proves that there are people who wish they could be more open about their sexuality because they are resorting to more private outlets for such desires.
Related to this, some of the highest searches in the southern United States revolved around the word “ebony”, implying black people. I find it extremely fascinating that an area of the country with a history of rampant slavery has such high searches for “ebony” related porn. Taking it even further, the states that were arguably the MOST racist—such as Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, the Carolinas, are the states where “ebony” is the MOST searched porn related word. This is the exact same phenomenon observed with homosexual porn. There is so much to be said about that sociologically.
At the end of the day, I think a lot of it has to do with the saying “you always want what you can’t have.” We tend to have inner desires for things we should not or can’t have. They become more desirable or we simply become more curious about them. And because we shouldn’t have these things, someone people need to fulfill these wants so they turn to the internet where what you do is (mostly) for yourself.
Personally, I think this website is fascinating. I remember people were laughing all over the place when Sam brought it up on the overhead and started talking about how much he loved it but in all honesty, even though it made us giggle, I can understand where he is coming from. There is much to be said about the porn searches people make in different areas of the world—weird as that sounds. The trends with homosexuality and ebony are just the beginning.

Although a lot of what Jasiri X was saying was “controversial” and contained some pretty strong opinions, I don’t believe that was his purpose for coming. He said a lot about dialogue and conversation. He was not saying the things he was saying to convince us to take on his positions as well or convince us that they were the right ones or the only way to think about an issue, it was to encourage conversation and dialogue—to get people to start talking about these issues and not feel like certain topics are off limits or taboo.
I believe in the power of conversation. By talking about problems, we become more aware of the world around us, and thereby who we are as individuals. Above all, I believe in honesty. Talking about issues and engaging in conversation only means that you are not holding anything back and you will probably learn about yourself in the process. We must be open to new ideas as well as hear other people’s thoughts.

There are so many reasons why people wear skin whitening creams all over the world. I am Indian, and I would say I have a good amount of insider knowledge on how and why people wear them, especially since the most popular beauty product in the entire world is an Indian skin whitening cream called Fair and Lovely. I have even worn it myself! I have heard people say they’re weirded out by the fact that skin whitening products exist. You could almost hear the collective inhale as we started talking about it in class. Sam was saying that to some extent, the existence of skin whitening creams means that these people who buy them want to be “white,” in a cultural sense too. But I wholehearted disagree. Just because people want their skin to be white doesn’t mean they want to drop everything they’ve grown up with and be a white person too. In reality, effects of Fair and Lovely are not even really that noticeable. I would say more than anything, it evens your skin tone. For people living in such a sunny climate, maybe they’re tired of their skin becoming so dark every day after being outside for so long and Fair and Lovely probably brings it back to a more natural shade. It’s common in Indian culture to spend a lot of time outside, not just people so “work in the fields” or things like that. There is no doubt, though, that it is more desirable and considered “attractive” in India to have lighter that white skin. Maybe they think lighter brown skin looks better with black hair. Even with these common skin-whitening beauty products, these people probably will still not be as physically white as a normal Caucasian.
One of the first things I wanted to ask Sam about was about the millions of lighter skinned people who want to be tan??? The tanning industry in this country is a multi-million dollar business. Honestly, how is it any different? Maybe it is not as widespread of a phenomenon, but I would say that it is basically the same idea. I was surprised when Sam said that he had never thought about skin tanners in this way before. It just seems so obvious of a comparison. I would even say that it is considered more desirable and “attractive” for white people to be tan. I have been around people who (jokingly, in good humor) get made fun of for being “so white.” Admittedly, I too find tanner boys more attractive (even though that may be because I come from a tanner group of people).
So at the end of the day, if white people want to be tanner, and darker people want to be lighter, maybe we all want to be somewhere in the middle and none of us are really ever satisfied with what we were born with! That is probably the real problem.
These are all the thoughts that were going through my heads as Sam talked about these skin-whitening products in class. There could be aspects to this discussion that I never considered, but as an Indian who has had lots of experience seeing people use skin-whitening beauty products, this is how I see it.

I would definitely agree that there seems to be more negativity towards Muslims than other groups. The truth is that Islam is as peaceful of a religion as any other but some extremist groups ruin the reputation for all Muslims. These extremist groups are the ones who were responsible for the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Following these attacks were a lot of changes for the United States and around the globe—security and airline travel would never be the same. George W. Bush even added another cabinet department—the Department of Homeland Security, otherwise known as the DHS. Little did people realize that Muslims, especially those who wear traditional garb, would never be looked at the same ever again (at least by some people). It was a secondary effect of these attacks that had shaken the United States to its core.
Personally, I think it is a bit ridiculous to have a fear like that, but I can understand why people are apprehensive. Those who are blinded by the attacks and do not take the time to think through the context of who actually committed the heinous acts will probably say, “Oh they’re all like that, those Muslims. Why should I trust them when some of them act like this?” Do I agree with it or think it is right? Absolutely not. When it comes down to it, it is irrational to be afraid of one of the largest groups of people on the planet because of the actions of a few of them.
It is also interesting to think about the negativity towards Muslims from other groups of people, like Hindus for instance. For those who are not aware, which is probably most of you who read this, there is a hell of a lot of tension between Hindus and Muslims—the two groups have had a very rocky history. In the past, Muslims have destroyed a whole host of some of the most sacred Hindu temples and places of pilgrimage and built mosques in the place of most of them. This has happened time and time again and in many cities. Truthfully, I do not know why they do these things or their side of the story, but I can’t think of anything that would justify those actions. I heard this from my parents (who are obviously also Hindu) but I know they would have told me if there was a reason because my dad is someone who looks at all sides of a situation before assessing it (he’s a lawyer and very used to this). The resentment between these two groups is so strong that you will RARELY see a marriage between a Hindu and a Muslim. And if you do, I can almost guarantee that there will be at least some people on both sides of the marriage who aren’t okay with it. It’s a very sticky issue and hard to deal with.
As far as things we can do to change issues like this, the most important thing to remember is that you have to take each person on a case by case basis, just as you would any other person, and not judge a Muslim right off the bat just because he/she is a Muslim. It may be easier for Americans to do this because the uneasiness around them is a relatively recent phenomenon and also definitely not as widespread as the resentment between Hindus and Muslims which will take hundreds of years to properly resolve, if it ever does.

While most people would not peg me for the type to join the military, I have indeed considered it before. Would I actually go through with the decision? Probably not. I do not think I could handle it—emotionally. I am an emotional person by nature, and anything related to the military or military families or anything of the like affects me very deeply. My life goal is to be a doctor of some variety, and while it would be one of the most rewarding jobs to be a military doctor, I am just not sure I could handle the emotional nature of the job. Being a doctor requires a certain level of “stoic-ness”, if you will, add that with the fact that you’d be treating soldiers, and you have one extremely tough and emotional job. I simply don’t know if I would be able to handle it.
I have the utmost respect for those who are in the military. I think it takes an INSANE amount of courage and character to put yourself in that position. Being in the military is one of the most patriotic things you can do for your country, also one of the most difficult because not only are you giving yourself mentally to your job, but you are also giving yourself emotionally and physically to your job. In addition, men and women serving in the military, especially those on the battlefield, tend to be younger, with brand new families and children, making the job even tougher if anything were to happen.
Seeing these things affects me instantaneously too—like I’ll start crying. Last May, my family and I went to Hawaii (everyone should try to go sometime in their life, by the way). At the airport the day we were leaving, it looked like some military personal were leaving for somewhere, after being stationed at the base in Honolulu, I assumed. And they were leaving their families, with very young children. One father was leaving his wife and two very young daughters—one was a baby and the other could not have been more than five years old—and the older one was saying, “Daddy, don’t go!’” and she started crying. And that just about did it for me. I started to tear up as well. I did not know where he was going, for all I know it could have been somewhere else in the US, in which case it would not have been as sad I suppose, but it got to me anyway. For all I know he could have been leaving for Afghanistan too. I had no idea. But it had an effect on me. And I could not keep myself together.
Like I said, it’s one of those jobs I WISH to God I could handle. But I just can’t. Perhaps me and my emotional nature could get used to the emotional nature of the job enough to be a regular doctor, but I don’t know if I could take it a step further and be in the military (as a doctor). It’s too much for me.

Interracial dating and intimacy can be difficult at times, and maybe isn’t as prevalent as dating within the same race. The question was asked referring to only black and white people, but the “issue” absolutely expands beyond just black and white. It includes Asians, Hispanic, and any other race as well. There are many reasons why we don’t see as many multiracial couples.
A lot of times, dating within your own race is easier. If you happen to be one of those people who tend to hang out with people of your own race more than other races, it may simply be easier for you to meet people of the same race. If you live in an area of the where there are a lot of people of your own race, this will especially apply to you. And of course, there are many many reasons why people choose to date within their own race, and people of their own race catch their eyes more often.
I have actually talked about this in a previous blog. Once again, people like to be with people they know. People they are comfortable with. People they can identify with. Oftentimes when you have two people from the same race, their respective families will have similar values, raised with similar morals and traditions, and maybe even religion. Their mannerisms and culture will have a lot in common, especially if they come from first generation families with immigrant parents. The culture is still so rich that they are magnetically drawn to any sign of that culture.
I identify myself as Indian and personally, I am attracted to people of all different races and walks of life. But at the end of the day, I’m not sure I could see myself marrying someone who wasn’t Indian—unless he was willing to convert to my religion (Hinduism), granted he wasn’t giving up any of his own beliefs. I have witnessed the marriages of many Indian and non-Indians, which were absolutely beautiful and all those couples have remained together to this day, so I’m not saying that it can’t work because it can and I have seen it myself. Not only have those couples worked out, but they have passed with flying colors. I could only hope to have a relationship like those someday. That being said, I am just not positive if things will work out that way. The people that I tend to connect with faster and at a deeper level are Indians, for reasons I have mentioned above. But if that’s how my life works out and I do end up with a non-Indian, then I would be just as over-the-moon about it.
The science of attraction is a very hard thing to predict. It’s relatively easy to say that people tend to pursue people with whom they have more similarities, but even that is a hard statement to make because there will always be a million exceptions to the rule. One of my closest friends is a great example of this: she’s a Korean American and for the life of her is not attracted to anyone Korean or even remotely East Asian. I guess it’s okay to say that you’re more attracted to some races than others but problems arise when people start to write them off as people because of their race. That’s where you run into trouble. But as long as you’re honest with yourself about your reasons for being attracted or not attracted to someone and are a good human being, you will be fine.

I would agree that it is a belief to be atheist. When you look at stats on world religion, Atheism is generally an included category. It takes a certain amount of thought and reason to decide that you do not believe in a higher power. But the fact that atheism is or is not a belief is not what makes people hesitant to agree to have their children marry one.
For someone to be religious means that he or she believes in a higher power. Religion is automatically a very deep and personal belief that someone holds. People use religion and the teachings of their religion to help guide them through the darkest times of their life and smile at in times of happiness. If two people in a relationship are both religious but of different religions, there is at least the acknowledgement that some sort of higher power exists. Even though not everyone will agree with this, aren’t we all praying to the same gods and goddesses at the end of the day anyway? That would mean that there is some sort of core belief that both have in common. People of two different religions can be in relationships with each other, and it can work. I have seen it happen multiple times myself, and it is a beautiful thing. But when one person is an atheist and the other believes in a supreme being, it seems to me like religions becomes a non-negotiable—in other words, a quality that cannot be debated. If one person in the relationship is atheist, it almost seems like he or she is discounting what the other person believes. This is how it seems to me personally, anyway. I also could not see myself with an atheist, much less marrying one. Religion has always been a huge part of what I grew up with and it doesn’t seem like a compromise I see myself making.
Obviously, this is not to say that an atheist and a non-atheist can have a successful relationship. It is possible and it really is hard to make rules when it comes to religion and love, cheesy as that sounds. If two people really and truly understand each other, it may not be an issue for that couple. That stark difference in their two belief systems may be what makes them a strong couple.

At the end of the day, I think it boils down to the fact that it is easier for people to do what they are used to, unless you are really one of those people who craves and lives for the adventure and the new. Someone who prefers the new to the routine. As Sam mentioned in the video, even something as seemingly simple as trying a new meal may be something to which not everyone is open because they are simply afraid that they will not like the food. This could even be extended into the way people interact with people of the same race. When people immigrate to a country, there is a pattern where they tend to try to live in the neighborhoods where there are people of their own race, because those are the people they feel most comfortable around. Chinatowns, little Italys, the high concentration of Asians in areas like California, New Jersey, and urban Texas, are all great examples of this phenomenon. Is that a bad thing? No, not necessarily. When you already live in a country where a majority of the people you will see and interact with are of a different ethnicity, it can be comforting to come home to people you are more familiar with. For people who are “fresh of the boat” so to speak, this is even truer due to the possible language barrier.
In fact, I stand as a beautiful case study on how people like to stay inside the boxes that (in this case) are people of the same race. I will readily admit that I tend to get closer to fellow Indians faster than I do to non-Indians. Even though some of my nearest and dearest friends are non-Indian, my very best friends are all Indian—all three of them. Coming to Penn State, the first group of friends I made were all wonderful non-Indian and totally wonderful, but the group of friends I associate the most with now are all Indian and I am closer with them now than I ever was with the other group—even though I have known this new group for less time. Why is this so? Like I said, at the end of the day, we have more in common. It goes deeper than skin color and food, though. Because we’re all of Indian origin, our families tend to have similar values, so we are also raised in a similar environment.
Most people tend to stay inside their boxes because it’s the natural instinct, unless you are like Sam and your natural instinct is to chase the unfamiliar. It’s not that people don’t want to try new things. It will come, after some hesitation.