en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2409643 Comments by wheninrome http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment145272007 I personally think that the lecture Sam gave this week on illegal immigration was one of the best lectures he has given this semester. Overall, I do not think that my opinion on illegal immigration has changed that much since before the lecture and after the lecture. I have never really had an in depth conversation about illegal immigration and what I thought about it. I have never had a problem with immigrants or illegal immigration. I have heard all of the talk about how illegal immigrants are hurting the economy (like taking our jobs, for example) but I never really bought into it. I have always understood that the United States is one of the best (if not the best) nations in the world. It totally makes sense that people from other countries would want to come here in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Everyone has heard stories of the “American Dream.” And since the United States is supposed to be a welcoming and accepting nation, I would assume that anyone looking for a better life would be welcomed with open arms. But unfortunately, that is not the case. Like Sam said in class, immigrants are only really let into the country when American corporations need people to work for little pay. I wish that were possible for people to come into this country and be able to make a living easily. But, especially now, it is hard for even Americans to make a living here. We also watched a video where a guy ranted about illegal immigrants and how they are breaking the law and also how anyone that is allowing illegal immigrants to live with them is harboring a criminal. While it was funny to watch this guy get so worked up and yell into the camera, I do not agree with his statement that illegal immigrants are “criminals.” I know they are here against the law, but to lump them into the same category as convicted felons is just wrong. One thing I would say I realized through this lecture is how strongly some people feel about this topic. We are supposed to be the most diverse country in the world, yet we make immigrants jump through hoops in order to live in our country. We force them to assimilate to our specific culture and learn our language. And if they don’t, we kick them out. I know our government and many of our citizens are greatly concerned about money. In this world, we need money to live and to provide for our families. That’s totally understandable. But there has to be some way that it can be made possible for all immigrants to have a fighting chance to come and try to make a living in this country, just like everyone else here. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 02:19:52 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment145272007 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/what-are-your-thoughts-on-everything-we-saw-and-heard-in-lecture-about-native-americans-119-blog/#IDComment143179111 In class, Sam talked about the lives of present day Native Americans and how the people that originally inhabited this land that we now call home were forced to leave their own homes and either died or lived in poverty. While I have not been oblivious to the fact that the only reason we live on this land is because the Native Americans were forced off of it, I was still surprised to see the extreme poverty that many modern day Native Americans live in today. Now, I am sure that not every Native American lives in poverty, but the statistics showed that a good amount actually does. It was also surprising to see that out of all of the crimes committed against Native Americans, white people were the majority offender. Knowing that my ancestors did not come to this country until after the Native Americans were forced off of their land, I find a little comfort in knowing that they were not a part of the atrocity and genocide that happened here many years ago. But it still disturbing to me knowing that the land that my ancestors settled on and the land that we all currently live on was obtained through murder and hatred. This does not mean that I am so appalled that I am going to move to another country or anything, but I just think that more people should be aware that this land that we take for granted every day is, like Sam said, “red land.” Most likely, people were treated horribly and killed right on the same grounds that we live, sleep, and go to school on. I definitely agree with Sam when he said that we need to talk about this more. More people need to be aware not only of what has been done to the Native Americans, but what they still continue to endure today. Back then, I know that technically no on legally “owned” this land. But the Native Americans were the first people to inhabit it and the Europeans that came over here had no right to force them off of it. I still think, maybe naively, that there could have been some other way where the Europeans and Native Americans could have worked out a way to peacefully coincide on the same land. The image that we have of the pilgrims and Indians celebrating the first Thanksgiving is not really what went down. I wish it was. I just hope that people all over the world today realize by now that no one has the right to force people out of their homes. We all share this earth together and we can coincide peacefully together on it if we really want to. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:21:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/what-are-your-thoughts-on-everything-we-saw-and-heard-in-lecture-about-native-americans-119-blog/#IDComment143179111 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/would-you-be-willing-to-learn-a-new-language-for-a-job-119-blog/#IDComment139287073 Whether the economy is doing terrible or if it is doing great, I would always be 100% willing to learn a new language for a job. This is because I have always had a great interest in different cultures, languages, and people. If it were up to me, I would know every single language and dialect known to man. But as that feat is probably literally impossible, I will stick to learning one or two new languages at a time. Since I was in the 4th grade, I have always been in a Spanish class at school. My dad is also a part time Spanish teacher so I have always had at least some interest in Spanish. Even after 9 years of taking Spanish classes, I am still not in any position to consider myself fluent in Spanish. In high school, I had the option to take other languages such as French and Latin. Even coming into college, there were tons of different languages that I could take. But because I want to be able to really call myself bilingual, I had continues to take Spanish classes here at Penn State. I also think that it is wise to get as close to fluency as possible before I am out of college because being fluent in another language would look better on a resume than just knowing a little about two different languages. I think this is especially true because I am leaning towards some major dealing with international communications. I am hoping to study abroad somewhere in Spain in my junior year. By completely immersing myself in a foreign country with a foreign language, I hope to be able to speak and think coherently in Spanish by the time I leave there. Being an outgoing person, I like talking to people. I think it would be great if I encountered someone who only spoke a different language and I would be able to easily talk with them. Before I went on a high school history trip to Egypt, I spent weeks teaching myself useful words and phrases that I might have to use there. Obviously since I already want to learn new languages, I would be more than willing to learn a new language for a job. I also think that most Americans would be willing to learn a new language as well. Especially with the current economy and how hard it is to even find a job. Most people would do whatever it takes just to be working. I believe that our current culture is embracing this because I know many people (especially students from Penn State) that are taking a language or even minoring in a different language in order to beef up their appeal and usefulness to employers. Of course, with Spanish becoming “America’s second language,” most people are learning Spanish because it is dubbed as the most useful. Sat, 2 Apr 2011 03:55:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/would-you-be-willing-to-learn-a-new-language-for-a-job-119-blog/#IDComment139287073 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment139286961 I personally believe that there is nothing wrong with interracial relationships. I think it is perfectly natural for a person of one race to be attracted to a person of another race. I am not a racist person at all and it seems stupid to me for someone to think that just because you are of a different race, you can not be together. I know there are people out there that are totally against interracial relationships. But I just can not see how we are all so different. Granted, I do believe that there are certain attributes and characteristics (physically and personality-wise) that each person is “taught” to be attracted to. We may also be “taught” that being in a relationship with someone of the same race as you is more acceptable than being with someone of a different race. It is true that for a long time, same race relationships have been the majority of relationships that people have been in. And growing up in that kind of world just teaches us that that is what we should be attracted to and that is what is acceptable. It is usually not until we are older that we truly realize that being in a relationship with someone of a different race is not that discouraged, or unusual. As Sam announced in class, interracial relationships are now the majority of relationships that people are in. This shows that being in an interracial relationship is definitely becoming more and more accepted. Like I said, there are certain characteristics and attributes that we tend to look for in partners because we see that that is what other people of the same race like. But we also all have innate feelings that we are just naturally born with. There are billions of people in this world and while many people do share similar characteristics, we are all different in some way. And we are all attracted to different things. It’s natural. So to not want to be in a relationship or disapprove of a relationship because it is between two people of differing races is just ridiculous. I have personally been in multiple relationships with girls of different races, as well as my own, and I saw nothing wrong with it then and I still do not now. Besides a comment or two such as, “Once you go black, you never go back,” my friends have been fine with the fact that I have been in interracial relationships. Any comments that were made about it were just in a joking manner and never had any cruel intentions. I will admit though that I am not totally sure how my family would think if I brought a girl of a different race home. I know for a fact that they would not freak out or anything crazy like that. They would accept it easily and move on. But I’m not sure if some suppressed thoughts wouldn’t roam through some of their minds. But then again, many of us have thoughts like that too. Sat, 2 Apr 2011 03:54:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment139286961 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/#IDComment135952291 When Sam talked about the disadvantages of the freed slaves in American history compared to the situations for white people, I do not think that many people were too shocked by the information he gave out. I think most of us are aware that life was tough for slaves, even after they were freed. I am sure that there are still people in class that would say that black people are still treated unfairly. And in some ways, they could be right. Back in the times of American slavery, slaves that were freed were still left with no money and nowhere to go. And almost no where would actually hire and pay them to work for them, especially if they already had slaves that would do it for free. Having known this, I am sure that many white people feel sorry or even guilty for African Americans when they think about how their ancestors were enslaved and treated so poorly. Of course anyone would feel sorry about it. Slavery is a terrible thing. And I also think that there are probably even some African Americans out there that still hold a grudge against the Caucasian race for the injustices inflicted upon their ancestors. I, for one, do not exactly feel guilty. I mean, I feel very sorry for the people that were enslaved and their families that were affected by slavery. It is a terrible, terrible thing and no one should ever be treated that way. The fact that there are still slaves in the world today is a sickening thought. If I could help free slaves and improve the quality of life that they lead, I would do it in a heartbeat. I am also aware of the fact that I am better off than a vast majority of the rest of the people in the world. I wish that everyone could be happy and healthy, living a prosperous life, but sadly that is not the case. I myself am Irish and Italian. My great, great, grandfather on my Dad’s side is from Italy and my great, great, great, grandmother on my Mom’s side is from Ireland. Since many of the first immigrants to come from Ireland and Italy were also made slaves or at least paid very little, I do not think that my ancestors had any slaves. But if I found out that my ancestors once owned slaves, I still do not think I would feel extreme guilt. I do not at all condone the practice of slavery and would not even if my family was doing it. But I know I cannot be blamed for their actions. Times were very different back then and the people of that age were not aware of all the similarities that we share with other ethnicities. We are all humans. I am not at all trying to make excuses for their actions, but I do not beat myself up when I think about the possibility of my ancestors once owning slaves. Especially since that possibility is very small for me. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:28:57 +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/#IDComment135952291 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment135951996 While watching the video of the white man showcasing a “SmartCarry” holster that can easily conceal a gun, I could not help but laugh. The thought of someone going to these lengths to conceal a weapon is ridiculous. The whole time, I was wondering what reasons he could possibly have for concealing this weapon. Usually, when someone is trying to hide a weapon, it is because they want to be able to take it places where it is not allowed or at least where it makes other people feel uncomfortable. After watching the video, I realize that this particular man carries this weapon around near his crotch all the time. It seems he just does this just because he can or to be prepared. For what? I do not know. I for one would never carry a weapon around with me all of the time unless it was required of me, like for a job. And I would especially not ever, ever, EVER, put any kind of weapon near my “prized possessions” like this man does. Not a risk I am willing to take. The question is, “What makes this man the ‘quintessential white guy?’” I have to say, if it were a black man that was doing this video instead, I would not believe it as much. I think that many people may picture a black man with a gun as holding in the waistband of their baggy pants. Meanwhile, the image of a white man walking around with a gun might be of a redneck walking around with a shotgun resting on his shoulder. I think the calm attitude the man in this video has about walking around with a gun attributes to the redneck stereotype of white people. Obviously, his speech and the way he talks is like that of a normal American Caucasian male. He also is wearing a polo that is tucked into his jeans which is definitely something more white people wear than black people. The man seems very enthused about how easy it is for him to not only hide a gun on his body comfortably, but his ability to retrieve the gun quickly if he should need it. While trying to demonstrate how flexible and comfortable the concealment holster is, the man mentions that “you can do anything with this holster…you can jog or run with it…..you can even wrestle with your kids in the living room with this holster on.” This is definitely something that could be attributed to the redneck stereotype. Someone that is comfortable playing with his kids while he has a loaded, deadly, weapon on him clearly sees some things differently than most people. He even carries an extra clip in his pocket with him at all times. Any person of color would see this man and his calm attitude towards carrying a weapon as more than a little weird. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:27:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/what-would-make-this-guy-less-white/#IDComment135951996 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-does-the-statement-in-the-video-from-class-make-you-feel-119-blog/#IDComment130710250 In class, Sam Richards showed us a video clip of a news report where a reporter and a camera man actually went to a place where there exist modern day slaves. The job of these slaves was to work on a cocoa plantation and harvest cocoa beans that are used to make the chocolate that people all over the world, including us, eat. Except, it is not a job for these men, some of which are as old as I am. They were promised to be paid for their work and services. They left their families and homes to go to a foreign land where they were told they would earn money to keep their families stable with food to eat, clothes on their back, and a roof over their heads. Unfortunately, all of these men were lied to. They were never paid a cent for their hard, grueling work and could not quit or leave because they were stranded in an unknown world and their boss, or really, “owner,” would have them beaten if they tried to escape. Fortunately, a boy was able to escape and alert others of what was happening on that plantation. The rest of the workers there were freed and we all were lucky enough to hear their stories. I vaguely remember seeing something like this years ago so I was not completely shocked to see that we still had slaves in our modern day. But I definitely did not see this exact report before and was still very put off to see this major injustice happening. I also noticed the looks on a lot of people’s faces as they watched. Some appeared blindsided by this report and were shocked to learn that the chocolate they eat was most likely a product of slavery. I think everyone truly felt the gravity of the news when the one freed slave responded to a question the reporter asked by saying that people that eat the chocolate that he and the other slaves helped make are basically “eating [his] flesh.” Obviously, the thought of eating another person’s flesh is not appetizing to most people. But everyone definitely understood he point he was making and the point that Sam was making with the two pieces of chocolate. When we finished watching the video and he told us to eat the second piece of chocolate, I did not. Now, this could have partially been because it had melted by then but I can honestly say I had no interest in eating it after seeing that video. I do understand how some of those slaves could agree with that man but I also think that there might be some that do not want their hard labor to go to waste. Also, like Sam said, not buying chocolate would just make things worse for the workers. I can not say that I will not eat another piece of chocolate again. It is almost impossible to go through life not using something that is a product of slavery. But I am definitely more aware of the injustices that are still happening around the world and will always chose a product that is “slave free” if I have the option. I also want to somehow become involved with helping modern day slaves get freed. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:15:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-does-the-statement-in-the-video-from-class-make-you-feel-119-blog/#IDComment130710250 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/why-with-more-education-do-people-believe-that-success-is-mostly-a-result-of-hard-work-119-blog/#IDComment130709988 Throughout the years, I have discussed and even wrote about the topic of hard work versus luck or natural ability many times. When some of the world’s most successful people are observed, some people say that they are just “naturally smart” or “naturally talented” or just “well connected.” They believe that whatever brains or talents that these people possess come naturally to them, and not to others. All of their success is chalked up to something that they have no control over. American philosopher and motivational speaker Thomas V. Morris once wrote that “the biggest difference between people who succeed at any difficult undertaking and those who do not is not ability but persistence” (True Success: A New Philosophy of Excellence). Those who persevere in their endeavors tend to find more success. Operatic soprano Beverly Sills once said, “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” If there is something that a person really wants, that something can truly be obtained through hard work and never giving up. Yes, it is true that a certain person may be more skilled at something than someone else may. They may have more money and resources than other people which helps them to become “successful.” But then again, our perceptions of what success really is may differ from one another. But with having things come so easy to them, they are not used to fighting through obstacles, and may crumble when they arise. I think that many of us can think of some personal story or a story we know about someone else where hard work paid off. In my experience as a cross country and track runner, natural ability is not everything. I started running my freshmen year after not making the basketball team. When I started track, I would barely be able to finish the grueling eight to ten mile runs in the freezing cold. I wondered to myself, “Why did I do this?” None of the answers I came up with made the practices less arduous, so I decided that I would tough it out through the rest of the season and finish what I started. As painful as it was, I did not give in. In the last meet of the season, I ran my fastest time ever in the eight-hundred meter run, improving a total of ten seconds since the beginning of the season. My coach pulled me over after the race and said, “You worked hard this season and look how much it paid off.” Then, I joined the track team the following spring. That season, I improved another sixteen seconds. By the time I graduated, I went on to be a State and National Championship qualifier. I have been running ever since I started. That is how I realized the importance of persistence. So maybe it’s just me, but I am a firm believer that if you truly want something, you can’t achieve it by relying solely on “natural ability” or determinism. You have work hard and keep trying to reach your goal no matter how many times you fail. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:14:14 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/why-with-more-education-do-people-believe-that-success-is-mostly-a-result-of-hard-work-119-blog/#IDComment130709988 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-does-the-statement-in-the-video-from-class-make-you-feel-119-blog/#IDComment129048833 In class, Sam spent a lot of time talking about whether or not our social circumstances was acredited to our own free will and the choices we make or determinism. He put the clicker question up multiple times and kept asking us how we felt about it. Every time the question was asked, I answered that our social circumstances have to do with a mixture of both free will and determinism. I definitely think that the environment you grow up in has a lot to do with who you are and in some cases, what your social circumstances are. As we saw in that video clip from Oprah, the kids from the run down school clearly did not have the same resources and therefore the same opportunities as the kids from the wealthy school. I don't think the fact that one school was primarily black and the other was white really made much of a difference. The sad fact is, if you are born into a poor family, most people would say that the chances of you succeeding in life are less than those of someone who is born into a wealthy family. While parts of this may be true, I agree with Sam that it up to the individual to do something for themselves and strive to be successful. We have all heard countless stories about people who grew up in poverty or some other adversity and still managed to become successful. Although our individual circumstances might be different and could make some things harder for some than others, I believe that we all are capable of having the will power and ability to make something of ourselves, or atleast try our hardest to. Personally, I can not honestly say that I haven't been given great opportunites from my parents. They have both saved up enough money to send me to the best grade school, high school, and now, the best college. Although I am taking out loans for my tuition, my parents are still helping to pay for the other costs that I need to go to school and get the best education possible. Since I have been getting older, I have been trying more and more to pay for my own things. Over summers, I have been working two jobs to save up for school and just to pay for normal day-to-day expenses. Having been lucky enough to have been sent to good schools, I believe determinism did play a role in me being accepted to a great school like Penn State. But I also firmly believe that the work I put in while I was in high school and the effort I put into my applications is attributed to my personal free will. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 05:01:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-does-the-statement-in-the-video-from-class-make-you-feel-119-blog/#IDComment129048833 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/how-have-the-choices-youve-made-and-determinism-affected-your-life-119-blog/#IDComment127466115 In class, Sam spent a lot of time talking about whether or not our social circumstances was acredited to our own free will and the choices we make or determinism. He put the clicker question up multiple times and kept asking us how we felt about it. Every time the question was asked, I answered that our social circumstances have to do with a mixture of both free will and determinism. I definitely think that the environment you grow up in has a lot to do with who you are and in some cases, what your social circumstances are. As we saw in that video clip from Oprah, the kids from the run down school clearly did not have the same resources and therefore the same opportunities as the kids from the wealthy school. I don't think the fact that one school was primarily black and the other was white really made much of a difference. The sad fact is, if you are born into a poor family, most people would say that the chances of you succeeding in life are less than those of someone who is born into a wealthy family. While parts of this may be true, I agree with Sam that it up to the individual to do something for themselves and strive to be successful. We have all heard countless stories about people who grew up in poverty or some other adversity and still managed to become successful. Although our individual circumstances might be different and could make some things harder for some than others, I believe that we all are capable of having the will power and ability to make something of ourselves, or atleast try our hardest to. Personally, I can not honestly say that I haven't been given great opportunites from my parents. They have both saved up enough money to send me to the best grade school, high school, and now, the best college. Although I am taking out loans for my tuition, my parents are still helping to pay for the other costs that I need to go to school and get the best education possible. Since I have been getting older, I have been trying more and more to pay for my own things. Over summers, I have been working two jobs to save up for school and just to pay for normal day-to-day expenses. Having been lucky enough to have been sent to good schools, I believe determinism did play a role in me being accepted to a great school like Penn State. But I also firmly believe that the work I put in while I was in high school and the effort I put into my applications is attributed to my personal free will. Sat, 12 Feb 2011 03:34:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/how-have-the-choices-youve-made-and-determinism-affected-your-life-119-blog/#IDComment127466115 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/01/what-is-the-difference-between-a-colored-and-white-comedian-119-blog/#IDComment126076865 Near the end of class, we watched a clip of an Iranian (Persian) comedian who made jokes about other races such as Arabics. We also watched a clip of another comedian who was Indian. This comedian made jokes about Asian people. Not only that, he also made fun of his own race. While I am sure that out of a class of seven hundred people that not every single person was laughing at these jokes, I think it is safe to say that a majority of us found these clips at least mildly funny and entertaining. Now, the posted questions asks why a majority of us laugh at these stereotypical jokes when someone of a different race is making them but tense up when that comedian is a white person instead. I believe this happens for multiple reasons. For one, I think that people of other races (besides white people) find it more comfortable to laugh about racial stereotypical jokes when someone of their own race is making them. I think this is especially true when the jokes are about their own race. People feel comfortable making fun of themselves and having others like them make fun, but when someone different from them makes fun of them it seems to be a different story. I myself have no trouble making fun of myself. I believe that you should never take yourself too seriously. I also do not have many problems making fun of my friends. I also only joke around like this with people I know people that I know well and know will not take offence to the jokes I make, especially since they make jokes back at me. But I also do not really make racist jokes. Rarely, I will participate with my black friends with my black friends when they make black racist jokes. For instance, after having dinner with a bunch of my friends, we all split up and went our different ways. Going back to our dorms was my three black friends and I. As we all realized that everyone else left us, one of my black friends said, “Now the white kid is outnumbered” and started to pretend to try to mug me. We all were laughing and even I pretended to be “the scared little white kid” and tried to run away. By the time we got back to the dorm, we all were laughing hysterically. I also only do this because they also make jokes about white people and we all are so comfortable with each other that we do not get offended by each other. Now, we do not do this many times but we do make these jokes. Basically, I believe that we accept racial jokes when they come from people that we recognize ourselves with but when they come from someone we consider different from us, we take it differently. I think this is especially when white people are making the jokes because a majority of our class might be white. So in the back of our minds, we think that people of other races will take offence when we make jokes about them so when we see other white people making these jokes we feel awkward. Being someone that loves to joke around and does not judge or look down at other people because of race, I honestly cannot wait until the day where we all can make any kind of jokes, even stereotypical ones, about each other and laugh. Sat, 5 Feb 2011 04:55:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/01/what-is-the-difference-between-a-colored-and-white-comedian-119-blog/#IDComment126076865 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/how-do-you-classify-yourself-119-blog/#IDComment124477961 But who does determine what we classify ourselves as? As Sam showed us in class, the U.S. Census has changed their categories of race many times throughout the years to include more and more ethnic groups, but it still can not possibly represent all the races in the entire world. Only we can say how we would classify ourselves. The only way to figure out where someone is really from is to ask them themselves. As to ethnic background, where our ancestors were from determines it. So how do I classify myself? I am an eighteen year old Caucasian male student from Levittown, Pennsylvania, that has an Irish and Italian background. You can only find some of this out from looking at me. As to the rest, you would just have to ask me to find out. (Part 3) Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:57:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/how-do-you-classify-yourself-119-blog/#IDComment124477961 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/how-do-you-classify-yourself-119-blog/#IDComment124477907 I guess how people classify themselves is how we end up in certain “groups.” It is also how people classify other people that we end up in these “groups.” For example, judging from my complexion and origin, I would be considered white or Caucasian. I myself would consider myself the same thing. I would also consider myself an American. But like Sam said in class, people from South America can say they are American as well. As I was born and raised here in the United States, I feel like my appearance, language, and accent give away where I am from. But as we saw in that exercise we did in class awhile ago, we can not tell what someone’s background or origin is just by their appearance. (Part 2) Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:57:29 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/how-do-you-classify-yourself-119-blog/#IDComment124477907 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/how-do-you-classify-yourself-119-blog/#IDComment124477741 When asked, “What would I classify myself as?” many thoughts came to mind. I did not know whether to classify myself by race, ethnic background, gender, age, or social status. Does classify mean how old am I? It is easy to say that I am eighteen years old. Or is it my current social status? I am a student in college. Is it where I’m from? I was born and raised in Levittown, Pennsylvania, which is in Bucks County and located twenty minutes north of Philadelphia. Or does it mean what’s my background? As far as I know, I am mostly Irish and Italian. My great, great, great grandfather on my mother’s side was from Ireland. My great, great, grandfather on my father’s side came off the boat from Italy. Something I just recently found out from other relatives was that I am actually more Irish than I am Italian. Since my last name is very Irish, I always told people I was Italian before I even thought about mentioning being Irish. Either way, it is safe to say I take pride in my background. (Part 1) Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:56:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/how-do-you-classify-yourself-119-blog/#IDComment124477741 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/18/what-do-you-think-blog-2/#IDComment124177675 After watching the experiment conducted in class where certain students placed other students in groups according to what race they thought they were, I was genuinely excited for the rest of the Soc 119 classes this semester. I’ve never been in a class where anything like that’s been done. It totally breaks the “normal” classroom setting that most kids are used to in America and at least for me, made the class so much more interesting and enjoyable. More importantly, the fact that we can talk openly about these types of issues in such a large, educational environment is great. Most people are afraid to even bring up issues of race for fear of not being “politically correct.” I’m sure the students who were in charge of placing the other students into race groups even felt awkward because they didn’t want to be wrong and offend somebody. I feel like it is very important to be aware of what you say and other’s feelings, but not to the point where you can’t even talk about such important issues like race or religion. As to the experiment itself, I understand the point Sam was trying to make and think it was important for him to make that point in a class that will be studying race. Our basic instincts are to stereotype people into certain groups by certain physical characteristics. It’s been that way since the beginning of race. In reality, it is almost impossible for us to correctly guess someone else’s complete background. Many of us don’t even know our own background so guessing someone else’s based solely on their physical appearance is unfair. It just goes with the classic saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” You truly can’t know much about someone without getting to know them. I think this experiment helped us all realize how we naturally place people into a limited number of groups when it comes to race but when in reality, there are more races in the world than we even know. And like I mentioned earlier, it helped us to open up a little more about these issues and understand that the only way to ever understand how you or someone else thinks is to talk about it. I also think that it was a good idea to do this experiment early on in the course because it shows us the kind of topics we’ll be discussing this semester and that for it to really take hold, we need to stop worrying about being “politically correct” and just talk about how we feel about the subject. If we do is and have more experiments like this one throughout the rest of the semester, I can see this class being very enjoyable, interesting, and eye-opening overall. Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:37:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/18/what-do-you-think-blog-2/#IDComment124177675 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cp%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment121171936 soc 119 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:52:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cp%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment121171936