en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3078001 Comments by tel1031 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/30/week-8-%e2%80%93-lesson-14-affirmative-action/#IDComment170151274 I really liked the Oprah video too. I went to a great high school, yet did not appreciate all the things that I could have done during my time there. There were so many different classes and clubs that were all free and available for me to take and learn more things about the world. My school did not have a cool swimming pool, but it had a gym and so many activities that I regret not taking advantage of today. The Oprah video made me regret my high school years as well. As for affirmative action, I am right with you. It annoys me when I work my butt off at a minimum wage job and people who never work during the school year just receive some awesome internship that pays triple what I get. I feel like because of this we will always be unequal. I am with you on this whole blog! Wed, 6 Jul 2011 03:00:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/30/week-8-%e2%80%93-lesson-14-affirmative-action/#IDComment170151274 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/30/week-8-%e2%80%93-lesson-14-affirmative-action/#IDComment170150418 Being Asian-American, I’ve always had in the back of mind a feeling of getting less in life or receiving less benefits and opportunities than other people. I did however, realize how lucky I was to be a woman. I always knew that white people had more beneficiaries and it was not a huge surprise to me when I heard that white women receive the most benefits. As for affirmative action, I did not know what to expect from the lecture. I know times have changed and everyone is trying to NOT be racist or stereotypical. I thought it was really interesting how we all really do think we are not being racist, and are being a lot more open minded than we are. Thinking is so different than making a stand and saying things out loud and acting the way we think. I love how all of Sam’s lectures helps us realize facts like this and helps us really open up our minds about different problems we have in society today. Is affirmative action egging on our racism and inequality? Or is it a step to diminish inequality? Because of the fact that white women are actually the most benefitted from this idea makes me feel as though it is attempting to help society, even though society already does have it’s own prejudices. If everyone were to think like Obama (if he actually truly acts his wishes; for his children to not benefit from affirmative action because of their already laid out opportunities), I think affirmative action may be more effective. Right now it is just a guideline, and a rule. People view it so differently, as I did before hearing the lecture. There are so many people that are doing just fine in our country and affirmative action should benefit those who need it the most and are living unequal, struggling lives. It sucks that there are so many rules and biases around this idea though. I feel like for nepotism, I really do agree that people can get amazing opportunities through the people they know. I personally know people who have gotten incredible internships and jobs lined up for them after college, just because of their parents or family friends. This is to me, a bit unfair, but I am happy for my friends who have this privilege. My family is the first to live here in America and our social network is not as big as those who have been living here longer. I can not hold that against those who “easily” get great hook ups and such, but I do believe things happen for a reason, and people who have experienced nepotism do qualify for these opportunities and may actually work even harder than people think they do. I liked this lecture because it helped me think differently about my position in this country and in my world. Wed, 6 Jul 2011 02:55:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/30/week-8-%e2%80%93-lesson-14-affirmative-action/#IDComment170150418 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-13-immigration/#IDComment168213455 I am annoyed as well when people say that foreigners need to speak English. These people don’t know these immigrants lives! It’s crazy how people, like how Sam said, think they do not need to learn a different language (even if they’re living there) yet get worked up about how foreigners can’t speak English. It is really complicated to learn a language completely. I feel like even fluent multilingual people even have trouble with some of the words, idioms, phrases, etc. I understand both sides have good and bad points, but people need to be more open about these minute issues. Everyone is just trying to live their life. Just because people can not learn English perfectly or speak it in the United States does nto mean that they don’t want to or mean to. Thu, 30 Jun 2011 06:22:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-13-immigration/#IDComment168213455 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-13-immigration/#IDComment168058071 I have thought about immigration a lot during my life, especially because my parents are from Korea and immigrated to the United States about 30 years ago. They have struggled with many things during their years here, and even today, they still face problems of being first generation. I’m really glad that we covered immigration in lecture. I feel as though immigration/minority issues are quite recent. The immigration acts were only passed in the 60’s/70’s; that is only half of someone’s life!! I can not imagine how my parents experienced this time period or how people treated them. My parents just wanted a better job and life in America, and I feel as though anti-immigration people made their experience a lot more difficult than they thought it would be. Sam brought up an issue I’ve been introduced to before. I know a lot of people do not like immigrants because they “don’t want to learn English” or are “taking over jobs that they could be getting”, especially due to the recent strive for diversity in the work place. Many immigrants come from places were they make a fraction of what they make here, no matter what job they perform. Yes, immigrants may be willing to perform jobs that “we” do not want to (such as laborious jobs), but they can not help it. They do not have the criteria that people who grew up here have. They don’t have the same education, culture, background and maybe even skills to get higher paying jobs, even if they want to. The immigrants that work at my workplace are remarkable. They do anything and everything job related and pick up skills extremely quickly. Because I come from a family where my parents do not speak English perfectly, I do not agree with the fact that immigrants and foreigners that live in America should be forced to speak English. I believe that they should attempt to learn English in order to communicate better with others and obtain more opportunities, but it’s not as easy as people think. My parents have lived in America for decades and they still have problems with English grammar and saying correct sentences. It’s not that immigrants do not want to learn the language, it’s the fact that it is extremely difficult to learn a language completely. Idioms and words are so different in every language; how are you supposed to learn a language completely when there are so many different twists and differences in languages? Everyone just wants to make a living, have a better life, and survive our world. We basically have the same motives, so I wish people would stop being so blind about immigrants. Don’t you think they WANT to try to fit in the America culture? Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:57:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-13-immigration/#IDComment168058071 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt/#IDComment167618103 I found all the statistics about multiculturalism fascinating as well. This is a topic I do not think about on a daily basis because it is just not around me. I’ve always thought my neighborhood was not very diverse, because I am one of several Asians in my community. Race doesn’t always equal diversity however. Raised by first generation Korean parents, I know how hard it is for immigrants to start a new life here in America and adjust to all the drastically different cultures here. Even so, I agree that immigrants should attempt to open up and absorb the customs of the place they are now living in. I feel as though it is part of survival and may solve some of the racial tension we have today. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:39:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt/#IDComment167618103 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt/#IDComment167617317 I’ve always wondered how children (adopted or biologically related) of homosexual couples turn out to be. I’m ignorant on this topic because I’ve never encountered (except on reality shows on TV, which I really try not to absorb into my beliefs of how our society is) a gay couple with a child. I support gay rights; I believe that one should live their live the way they think is appropriate and that will fulfill their life and make them happy and successful. People are so afraid of what is different and even more afraid of changes, such as accepting gay people or not putting race as a factor of many judgments. I feel as though if a gay couple wants to have a child and are putting the constant effort to try and have a child just proves that they will provide a loving, caring home for the child. Yes, there may be struggles with the child when it grows older, but that is due to the fact that our society is so quick to judge and assume and are so used to the “norms” of our society; go to school, get married (to the opposite sex), get a job, have children, blah blah. I think with time, these issues that we have today with our differences will slowly change for the better, or maybe even for the worse. It is a shame and sad to me that we can not immediately change the views of the majority of the people of this world. It is so hard to see another way when you have been brought up in an environment that “everyone” lives the same way and follows the same social rules. Like, what is the definition of being normal? I believe there is a majority that lives the same way and thinks the same way and lives the same kind of life, but to those individuals that choose to live in a different lifestyle; what is so wrong about that? Yes sure, it creates issues, but only because people choose it to make it an issue. All the strikes and picketing for anti-gay rights are so unnecessary in my mind. It’s a waste of time. Those actions aren’t going to stop anyone from not being who they are. There are hundreds of unfit parents out in our world. My friends parents are worse and more uncaring than those gay couple that strive to have a child and love it unconditionally. These couples are not stupid. They know and have thought about all the hardships their child will face, but because the adoption system is hard and gay couples already have faced more hardships than many of us have, I feel like they have proven to be driven, caring, passionate people, thus, can be great parents and role models. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:36:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/26/week-7-%e2%80%93-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt/#IDComment167617317 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/22/week-6-%e2%80%93-lesson-10-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-people-of-color-stages-1-4/#IDComment165905104 I am Korean and definitely defined myself as white when I was growing up. I thought the same fact was extremely intriguing. During high school, I felt like I lived a double life because I was trying to fit in with my predominantly white high school, and fulfill the wishes of my traditional Korean parents. The amphibian analogy was indeed awesome. I feel like that is how I felt some of my life. I was moved by the doll movie as well. The few most momentous race moments I’ve had were when I was a child, and it is really sad to see how much society effects and shapes our views on different races as well as how racial groups act. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:36:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/22/week-6-%e2%80%93-lesson-10-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-people-of-color-stages-1-4/#IDComment165905104 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/22/week-6-%e2%80%93-lesson-10-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-people-of-color-stages-1-4/#IDComment165903900 I was very surprised and interested at the fact that adopted children of different races than their adoptee families are better off in the long run. I think that makes sense, because I know a Korean girl who was adopted into a white family and two white boys who were adopted by a white family. The Korean girl has very little problems and their family is very normal in my community whereas the two boys seem to have had drug and behavioral problems. I never really thought about this fact until the lecture brought it up. I also thought the Racial Identity Stages were interesting and felt myself connecting with each stage. I remember when I was in Stage Two, the Awakening stage. That stage was actually very impactful on my life; I still remember when I realized that I was different than the majority of my peers. I grew up in a predominantly white area and never realized the impact of my race until I was in elementary school. When we are young children, I feel as though we are all treated well, if not, pretty well. This treatment definitely started to change as I grew older and people started cracking race jokes and pointing out my differences. I am really glad I am at the stage I am now with my race, because I really do not care what people think of my heritage and I appreciate my culture a lot more than I did when I was younger. My experiences when I was a child reminded me of this lecture. I was somewhat relieved to hear that some racial groups think they are white and identify themselves as white when they grow up in a white environment. I have definitely experienced this fact first hand and am glad others have been impacted the same way. I thought the doll video was crazy. It really is sad to see how much impact society has on young children and on everyone! When I was younger, I sometimes wished that I was white, just to be like my peers. Thinking back on those days, I definitely would have chosen a white doll if I was given that experiment; I just thought that was normal when I was younger. Race and racism are huge part of some people’s lives. I know I have experienced many racial experiences during my life; they are still very vivid memories. I noticed in my Voice Thread group that many stories are childhood stories. It is sad that we are exposed to these matters so early on in life. These attitudes and ideas learned are what keeps our society the way it is; sometimes very prejudiced. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:32:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/22/week-6-%e2%80%93-lesson-10-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-people-of-color-stages-1-4/#IDComment165903900 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-3-4/#IDComment164469696 I agree that guild was an important part of these lectures. White people will definitely feel guilt if they have a conscience. White people are the main group that have caused troubles to many minorties and other groups. It’s very cool to see the different treatments and ways of different countries. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:00:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-3-4/#IDComment164469696 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-3-4/#IDComment164468369 It is very interesting to see how different races interact all differently in a conversation. It is also interesting that in some context, different racist remarks are okay to say but in other contexts, it is very inappropriate. All in our society, we are conditioned to learn different viewpoints and stereotypes. It’s sad that this happens at a very young age. Children mimic so many things that adults do and say. This is why there are so many acceptable situations that should not be okay. I’ve never thought about white guilt. As a Korean-American, I just assumed that white people thought they were superior and looked down at other people of other ethnicities. Guilt is a good thing in relation to racism. Everyone should feel guilty about the actions they do that are or are not racist. I felt guilty about being Asian sometimes. Just because I did not appreciate my heritage. Throughout my years at school, I eventually became more open about my race and would have many conversations with my friends on race. I wish people were more comfortable and open about the race topic. I feel as though we only have societal’s views on different races and thus we have many stereotyping problems. We all need to be more open about races and stop judging so much. Our world would be so much of a better place. Open conversations about racism will help our world become a less stereotyping, judgmental place. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:55:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-3-4/#IDComment164468369 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-1-2/#IDComment163040932 This lecture topic grabbed my attention too. It was interesting to read Katie’s response as a white person, because I’m a minority. Media, movies, TV shows and so much more influence the public so much. It is very sad how these portrayals influence so many people’s views on different types of people and races. I agree with Katie that it is truly messed up how all of us go through each day and overlook many things that should be changed. I like how Dr. Richard’s lectures make me think about things that I would probably never think about in depth. Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:28:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-1-2/#IDComment163040932 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-1-2/#IDComment163033940 I thought it was interesting how Dr. Richards said how white people don’t really talk about being white. I never really thought about how white people are really not talked about. I am Korean-American so I can not really reflect on how it means/feels to be ‘white’. Because white people are the majority, I thought this lecture was very intriguing. I would identify myself as a young adult, Korean-American, that is very influenced by my family and also cultured by my family. My parents are very religious and lived most their lives in Korea. I grew up practicing the same customs and traditions they did in Korea. I also grew up with strict rules and good grades was very important even when I was in elementary school. When I was younger, I identified myself with my Korean race. My family friends and friends were mostly Korean but when I moved in second grade, I became more “white-washed”. The way I identify myself is influenced by so many factors in my life and it was really eye-opening to really think about the views of different people, dependent on your race and ethnicity. Identity really does affect who you are, how you treat people, how you react to situations and so much more. Right now, I would identify my attitudes as white. I am culturally knowledgeable of Korean practices and customs but the way I dress, talk, and many of my morals and attitudes are very ‘white’. The way I look definitely affects the way I feel sometimes in certain situations and the way people treat me. I definitely get stereotyped. I do have my own stereotypes of different races and people. And they definitely slightly different than the stereotypes of ‘white’ people with different races. The different stages of racial awareness and the differences revealed were really fascinating. I definitely believe I am more racial aware than some or most of my friends. I used to not like my Asian heritage because of some hardships that it brought me. Today, I really feel blessed that I have gone through experiences many people will never go through. I feel very cultured and more knowledgeable about ou rworld than some people. It makes me extremely depressed to think of all the racism, judgment and inequality that is still out all over our world. I hope that racism will diminish eventually, but I feel as though it is a normal part of our society that will take a lot of time to fix. Is judging the different a human instinct? If not, I hope that over the years, the unnecessary negative events that are caused by racism. All human beings are built the same and are all striving to do the same basic thing; why must skin color get in the way? Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:58:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/07/week-5-%e2%80%93-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-%e2%80%93-white-people-stages-1-2/#IDComment163033940 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/02/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality/#IDComment160718449 I agree that it was very interesting when Dr. Richards asked Avery to scratch his balls. Dr. Richards brought up a great point that our society just made it abnormal for us to not scratch our private parts but normal to scratch our head. It is really crazy to think about all the things I do throughout the day that everyone else does and doesn’t do. Who made up these rules? Are they just natural rules in the human nature? Everyone’s idea of working hard and being successful is at least slightly different than one another. Even so, I do believe that everyone can be influenced by many things that prevent you from being able to achieve what you want to do. Knowing people and having those skills is very important to being the American dream type of successful. Wed, 8 Jun 2011 19:16:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/02/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality/#IDComment160718449 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/02/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality/#IDComment160716953 It is truly sad to think about all the statistics and lifestyles of many people in our world. People have resorted to many negative lifestyles just to survive or just because that is the only life they know. I’m frustrated that money is the basis of survival in our society. It should be about what we accomplish and how we help each other. It’s also frustrating to see the wrong people with all the money and power, while there are millions of great people doing great things that are not rewarded for their deeds. I believe that the criminals in jail deserve another chance. We all make mistakes, some bigger than others. We are all human and should be able to learn from our mistakes and learn and build a better life. I know not everyone learns from their mistakes, but seeing the worst of people turn their lives around and become amazing people… I really believe that we are wasting a lot of money in prisons by housing lifers. I do believe that other services besides imprisonment can assist troubled people. People in prison I feel like may get more bitter about their situation ant not become better people. I’m sad we can’t personalize different people’s needs. On the topic of poor people. I think it’s strange how high laboring jobs pay less than desk jobs and other jobs that require less physical work. Yes the mind is a great, powerful tool, but our economy and nation can not survive without all the different jobs we have in our world. My mother works ridiculous hours at the post office and is in low health because of her mixed up schedules and long hours. She is one of the hardest working people I know, but her monetary rewards barely match up with her efforts. I agree with Dr. Richards that we all have so many invisible strings that make us who we are and influence the decisions and lifestyle we make and live every day. Yes there are things we can ultimately choose on our own, but these choices even are shaped by these strings we have. I see many people ashamed of their race or skin color. This is due to stereotypes and just how people treat people of their race/skin color. This image can be so distorted and I’m disheartened to see our society still hold on to racism and treat many people with inequality. Yes I’m sure that in some or most situations, most stereotyping can help a cause, such as with a police officer. But it’s sad that they use that tactic to target minorities and people of other ethnicities. Statistics that we have definitely do not help this cause either. How did the ‘norms’ of our world become what they are? Wed, 8 Jun 2011 19:10:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/06/02/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality/#IDComment160716953 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality/#IDComment158872895 I think different races are just stuck in communities or lifestyles that prevent them from moving to different median incomes or wealth categories. Of course white people are the ‘all-powerful’ race because they took over the land of the Natives and have many countries where they can be supported from. I agree that socioeconomic statuses effect how one views education. Certain people are surrounded by more opportunities. As people say, connections and who you know CAN be everything. Grouping different race’s wealth and other statistics definitely helps egg on our stereotypes. There are definitely many exceptions that fall out of the norm for different races and so I feel like one can not depend greatly on graphs and data. Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:48:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality/#IDComment158872895 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality/#IDComment158872081 I was surprised after I watched the lecture on inequality. The median income for different races surprised me. What I would have thought it to be is different than I thought it was. I also did not realize how many people lived in poverty in the U.S. I always wondered what different factors caused poverty. Is it because of the lack of jobs in our nation? Is it because the requirements for higher paying jobs are too hard to obtain for immigrants or uneducated citizens? I was shocked at many of the numbers and statistics throughout the lecture. It’s very interesting to see the gaps between the races. Is this due to the stereotype that some of those races think they need to fulfill? I was raised by 1st generation Korean parents. My dad got his Ph.D years after he wanted to, and so my mom struggled to help our family’s finances while my dad went to school. Both of my parents want all of my siblings and I to succeed and do well in school so we don’t have to struggle with money like they did. Despite our financial struggles, I do believe that we are wealthier and better off than many people in this world. I have a home, food, a lot of clothes, and spending money. It’s hard sometimes to stop and really appreciate all the things that you have. We, as students at Penn State, are wealthier than so many people in this world. I thought it was interesting how different races are known, or better, at different sports and different tasks. It was interesting to think about why these qualities develop within different races. Is it really because basketball is free that Africans are better at that sport? I know that I could not play ice hockey when I was in high school because the cost of the equipment was not really worth it to me; I would have only played during high school and I barely knew how to ice skate. I definitely gained new perspectives and ideas from these lectures. I like how Dr. Richards helps us constantly think about topics that we would not normally think of on our own. There are so many factors that influence how we are and how different races act and achieve. I wonder what different kinds of factors can be change and altered in order to change these stereotypes and to help different races become more equal to one another; close the gap. Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:44:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality/#IDComment158872081 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism/#IDComment158309240 I was drawn to this post, because I have watched “The Color of Friendship” and thought it was a very interesting, great movie. I did not know, however, that this movie was based on a true story. I agree that people should be more like the weaver bird. We all, as humans, are connected to each other in more ways than we think. It’s sad that we accept animals more willingly than people of other races. I never heard the theory that we were created from outer space beings. There are so many ideas and theories, and people should really embrace the fact that there really may not be the “right” or “wrong” way regarding any matter. Wed, 1 Jun 2011 20:55:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism/#IDComment158309240 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism/#IDComment158308324 Dr. Richards brought up so many interesting ideas during his lectures. Factory farmed meat and different death penalties was a couple topics that he brought up that was really interesting to listen in to. I can’t believe how many people would never kill an animal, but would eat meat. I feel like a few years ago, I would be in the same place, but I recently started dating someone who hunts every year and he told me about all the different rules that each animal has during it’s hunting season. Yes, I do agree that going on a killing spree for just the skin of an animal is a bit too much, but hunting has tactics, skill and sport involved, just like any other sport. There are limits to how many animals hunters can kill and the commission is very strict about certain aspects of hunting. I think many of the students in lecture that raised their hand with this question did so ignorantly. The things that happen in meat factory’s are, in my opinion at least, more terrible than hunting. Hunters aim for a quick kill with animals that have, up to that point, been living a peaceful, natural life. Animals in factories have to endure terrible conditions and don’t get to live a ‘normal’ life. I believe that there should be consequences for actions that cause harm to people and that are immoral, such as murder, stealing, etc. Stoning and the death penalty, in my opinion is a little excessive. Life in prison, yes is terrible but I feel like the death penalty exists in order to get these hardened criminals out of death row, because it is expensive to keep lifetime inmates in jail. It’s crazy that every country and government has their own ‘inhumane’ way to deal with criminals. We all agree that there should be a punishment for those who break the moral code or law; but are some punishments too harsh and unnecessary? Being stoned to death seems very brutal, but I suppose in a society where you KNOW that that will happen to you if so and so happens, it would be completely ok. I still believe though, people make mistakes and should be given a second chance at the very least. We all learn from our mistakes. I could not believe that it takes 30 people for the U.S. to not drop the bomb somewhere. Even bombing two civilians would wreck two whole family’s lives. It’s really sad that the military has to think this way; civilians are numbers, not people. I do realize that they have to do their job, and without our military, things could go out of control in the U.S., but it’s so sad to see how the different leaders in our world control so much of what our ideas are. Wed, 1 Jun 2011 20:52:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/25/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism/#IDComment158308324 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/22/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race/#IDComment155686825 I have always wondered what other people’s take on race was. I am Korean-American, and so I have been forced to be more culturally open than some of my friends. I’m glad Sara was just as shocked as I was about the Lummean classification. I agree with this post that the white man would be lazy in contrast to the black slaves. I thought Sara brought up a great point on how our society is brought up to think that dark skin is associated with negative traits, but many Caucasian girls strive to be tan all year long. The last paragraph of this blog was interesting as well. No one really thinks about evolution and what causes racial differences. Tue, 24 May 2011 17:14:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/22/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race/#IDComment155686825 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/22/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race/#IDComment155684472 I was wondering what the term “race” really meant. I like how Dr. Richards clarified that at the beginning of the lecture. I think it’s very interesting that Europeans ‘created’ race. I think this makes our perceptions extremely skewed. I can only imagine what our world would be like if another race dominated our world today. The slide that categorized different races according to Carolus Linneaus was sad to read because I believe we still have stereotypes similar to this, due to society’s beliefs about these characteristics. It is also sad to think about how none of us are actively trying to make changes to the many issues we have in our world, such as slavery. It was fascinating to see how no one even Googled about anything related to slavery. I believe that I can’t make a huge difference by doing anything with our big issues in our world today. As much as I want to help the homeless, the poor, the slaves and other people in need, I don’t think me as one person can make a huge difference. I know I can make a difference, but I just do not know how significant. I think many people think this way and like Dr. Richards said, this is why the many social issues we have today still have lived for hundreds of years. The different diagrams showed on the powerpoints throughout the lecture are so skewed in my opinion. These ways of thinking is what is going to shape our world today and I can’t believe people truly believe these diagrams that they create. As an Asian-American, I’ve heard countless of times that all Asians look alike. I’m pretty skilled at telling different types of Asian people and believe that each different Asian races have different characteristics and customs. It is very offensive sometimes when people disregard these differences and just assume that all Asians are the same. Even Caucasian individuals have a mix of heritage in them, and I find majority of people proud of their different heritages and ethnicities. I think technically, all white people can look similar, as do all Asians, Latinos, etc. Yes different races have similar skin color, eye colors and body structure, but everyone is human. It’s frustrating to think that we still judge people by their looks and race. The way we were brought up, raised, and the different customs and families we come from make us who we are. Asians, Latinos and other minorities for the most part accept Caucasian for their looks, practices and pretty much everything; why can’t that reciprocate? So many negative ideas have been planted in many of our minds and I hope the future of the human race improves! Tue, 24 May 2011 17:04:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/05/22/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race/#IDComment155684472