Racial Discrimination

        During this unit on race I realized that sometimes I have implicit bias. After watching Angry Eye and Crash  I noticed that I had some of the superstitions and made the same assumptions as the characters. The first time I watched Crash during the scene of the young white policeman and african american car stealer, I assumed that the african american car stealer had a gun in his hand.
       But, I feel like I redeemed myself of these thoughts because I agreed with everything Jane Elliot was saying in Angry Eye. People think its the end of the world when someone talks behind their back or they get a C on a paper, but people of color go through racial discrimination every day. They cannot walk away from their problems like the white girl did during the activity. She knew it was part of a lecture and that she would receive college credit for it, but she acted like it was killing her.
      Also, I learned never to tell a person of color that you see don't see their color. That is removing a part of their culture and identity. The world is not black and white, and people need to acknowledge the differences between each other in a positive way for racial discrimination to disappear.

Video/Social Class Reaction

After watching this video I realized that bread can actually determine social class. I've never thought about it before so it's weird thinking about it now. My mom buys wonder bread and my dad buys all the whole grain/different types of bread and I thought this was funny because my moms strict about money but my dads a shopaholic.

I now have a different view about the upper class. The stereotype of the social class is stuck up and arrogant, but I never thought they were ACTUALLY like that until I heard the "WASP" talk about himself so highly. He thought that the people he associated with were all beautiful and clean and sweet while the poor are unintelligent and not fit for his group. It was so annoying to hear him talk about himself and look down upon others.

Also, I think it's annoying that black upper class and black middle class is different from white upper class and white middle class. The upper class blacks are just as uppity as the white middle class, they should not be isolated because they are "not like other blacks".

The 99% and Sociological Imagination

"I am 42 years old, with a graduate degree. I am one of the lucky ones. I work three jobs. I am a teacher, an interpretr, and a braille processor. I work as much as I can because I am the sole support of my household, and I am the only one with health insurance. We live paycheck to paycheck. I am lucky, but I too am part of the 99%"

Why desire for economic security is not being met- She works 3 jobs and has a graduate degree, yet still lives paycheck to paycheck.

More fair situation- Improved health care plans and even taxing (between the 99% and the 1%).

Relates to social class- This woman most likely used to think that hard work and degrees would make her successful in the world, but even 3 jobs and a graduate degree is not enough for her to provide for her family.

Chose this image- I chose this image because its scary to think that people as successful as this woman struggle in the world.

"My name is Abby. I am a highschool student, turning 18 in seven months. Never before have I been more ashamed or frightened to be an American. We need to change this before we all crash and burn. Do your part, occupy EVERYWHERE."

Why desire for economic security is not being met- Frightened to be an American adult because the economy is so shaky.

More fair situation- Occupying will help demand economic rights like equal taxing between the rich and the poor.

Relates to social class- Students think that with proper education and hard work, they will do okay in the real world. But, this is hardly the case.

Chose this image- I chose this image because it shows how scared students are to become an adult enter the real world. This girl is ASHAMED to be an American, all because of the economy.

Why desire for economic security is not being met- She cannot pay off her student loans and does not feel like she is providing the best life for her sons.

More fair situation- Improved child support benefits (benefitting the many, not the few), improved student loan systems.

Relates to social class- This mom also thought that hard work and education would make her successful. Now she realizes that one unexpected expense can push her off the edge and force her to live paycheck to paycheck.

Chose this image- I chose this image because I think it shows that the American Dream is not achievable for many people. Even if people try incredibly hard to receive education, it still may not be enough.

Positive Deviance

       Deviant behavior is different than the norm. Positive deviance means violating the norms of society by doing something positive. Random acts of kindness are the most common examples of positive deviance. It's doing something nice when you don't necessarily have to, or it is unexpected. Diaz's response to the mugger was an act of positive deviance because not only was he breaking a social norm, but he was doing it in a positive way. The last thing the mugger probably expected was a random act of kindness from the person he was mugging. Even though the mugger was doing a horrible thing to Diaz, Diaz was so generous in return. He looked past the social norm and looked out for the teen.

      My act of positive deviance was buying Jamba Juice for a cute elderly couple behind me. This qualifies as an act of positive deviance because it is unusual for a person to spend money on people they've never met before. Personally, I have never seen this happen. I expected whoever was behind me would feel awkward, but would appreciate it in the end.

     After paying for my Razzmatazz, I didn't move over to wait for my drink to be ready. I turned around and motioned for the elderly couple to come closer. My friends had no idea what I was doing, and stared at me with a weird look. The couple smiled awkwardly and asked if I needed anything, but I told them to order whatever they wanted and it would be on me. The elderly lady smiled awkwardly and her husband kindly denied my offer. But, I insisted. After 30 seconds of awkwardness the couple finally ordered a small mango-a-go-go and strawberries wild (small size because they probably felt bad for me paying for it). I paid for their drinks and while we were waiting for the drinks to be ready, the couple asked me why I did what I did. I told them that I was feeling generous that day, and a random act of kindness would do me good. After I left Jamba Juice my friends told me that what I did was so random, but nice. This assignment made me feel awkward at first but when the elderly couple smiled back at me it made it all worth while. People in this generation don't expect random acts of kindness, so when they happen it seems like a bigger deal than it should be. Spending about 5 extra dollars on strangers shouldn't be unusual.

Gender

3) I agree with Goffmans statement. I didn't notice anything big about the ad's in the movie until Jhally pointed out the postures and gestures and everything. Nothing seemed strange to me. It's not until I looked closely and started to think about the specifics that I realized how strange gender displays are. Also, I thought it was interesting when we looked at pictures of girls doing feminine poses and then guys doing feminine poses and I immediately thought the men were gay...even though the poses were the exact same. Women's gender displays are so different than mens.

5) Until we watched this movie I never payed attention to the different body positions shown in magazines. Now I realize that women are almost always shown lying down, tilting their heads up, knees bend, or holding up a foot off balance. These positions make it seem like women are defenseless, powerless, submissive, de-centered, and ungrounded. In contrast, men are always photographed with their heads straight or titled town, standing up, eyes piercing like an animal stalking prey. Also with hands, women are not ever holding the object, it's floating in their hand or they are barely touching it. Men grasp the object firmly.

8) Charlie's angels did not break the code. Although they appear confident, empowered, in charge, and controlling the action, they are shown sexily throughout the rest of the movie, and in ads. Specifically, there is the scene where Cameron Diaz is dancing in her room in her underwear. She is supposed to be this tough action fighter, but underneath the surface she is still feminine.

Agents of Socialization

                    Although I am affected by my religion, school, neighborhood and media, my friends and family have the greatest impact on me. I am with my friends and family 24/7, so everything they say and do sticks in my brain. I hang out with my friends every weekend so we do the same activities, and go to the same places. Since I am around my friends and family so much, their bad habits and points of view influence mine. When I see them doing something repetitively, I take after them. For example, I had never tried ice coffee before I met my group of friends. After all of our Starbucks runs, I finally tried it and liked it. I wouldn't have tried ice coffee if it weren't for my friends. My families specific traditions have shaped who I am today. We have family dinners every Sunday, family gatherings every month, and celebrate the same holidays each year. I would be a totally different person if I was born into a different family, in a different town, and had different friends.

Family Socialization

Interview with Mom & Dad:

a. My parents expected me to be a beautiful, healthy, smiling baby. When I would be born, they expected me to be the love of their lives and fulfill their dream of having a girl. Also, they wanted me to be a loving sister to my brother, and create a wonderful, close family. I was expected to be a softball player, but that didn't work out.

b. My parents wanted me to learn my manners right away, saying please and thank you as well as treating others the way you want to be treated. They tried hard to get me to always share with others and be respectful. Also, they tried hard to not let me turn into a selfish or greedy human being. My parents would read me current events and watch the new with me to make sure I understood other cultures and heritages.

c. It is very important to my Mom that I carry on the Jewish religion my whole life and teach/pass it on to my kids, and my grandkids. She wants the rest my generation and future Fliegel family generations to celebrate Judaism. My Dad on the other hand hopes that I pass on some Christian holiday celebrations as well as Jewish ones. He wants my future family to respect Christianity as well.

d. My parents struggled with disciplining me as a kid because I would always talk back and not pay attention to what they would say to me. Now, my parents say that I have gotten a lot easier to handle. I am now a mature young woman that they are very proud of.

e. Taking after my Dad, I chew on the inside of my cheek when I'm deep in thought or nervous. My parents think I have the same exact personality and interests as my Dad. We are basically on the same team with arguments, and disagree with almost everything my Mom says. My Mom gets aggravated often with how similar we are, because she feels she can never win.

f. It didn't surprise me that my family wants me to pass on both Jewish and Christian traditions, but I think that this will be hard considering that I don't know what my future family will look like. The biggest surprise was that they wanted me to be a softball player. I played for 3 years but didn't like it. I learned that my parents didn't expect a lot from me before I was born, but they wanted me to surprise them with my characteristics (and I did).

Material and Symbolic Culture

       Material culture involves material objects that distinguish a group of people. Some examples are jewelry, art, tools, clothes, and eating utensils. An example from God Grew Tired of Us is how the Lost Boys ate. In their culture, they used their hands to eat -- and that was normal for them. But, Americans use utensils like forks, spoons, and knives to eat. The way we eat and the things we use to eat differentiate Americans from the Lost Boys.

       Symbolic culture is nonmaterial culture whose central components are symbols. This includes gestures and language. Obviously the Lost Boys and Americans speak a different language. Also, although in America nodding ones head means yes and shaking ones head means no, it is the opposite in other countries. In America we shake hands, but Asian people usually bow. These symbols demonstrate central components in our unique cultures.

       Both material culture and symbolic culture distinguish groups of people. Hand gestures, language, clothing style, and even toilets show the differences between cultures. In class we saw picture of different toilets around the world. Not only did the toilets (material culture) look different, but also the way  people go to the bathroom in different countries (symbolic culture) is different. Some squat, some stand, some sit, some let the fish eat their remains. Whichever way it is done, it symbolizes difference.

Ethnocentrism

•   This week in class I had an ethnocentric moment. Yardin shared in class that her family does not let her eat everything off of her plate, because it signifies that their family is poor. Without realizing what I was thinking, a bunch of thoughts ran through my head. For example, that I thought that that custom was weird and unnecessary. In my house, we are expected to only take as much food as we think we can eat. It is considered rude if you don't finish what is on your plate. I tend to jump to conclusions a lot, but I was disappointed in myself for thinking that just because my family doesn't do it, it's strange.

Unit One Targets

1. C. Wright Mills's Sociological Imagination:
        Mills defines sociological imagination as "the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society." In simpler words, sociological imagination is understanding that things in society leads to certain outcomes. Everything we do and say are shaped by previous experiences, and situations we are currently in. Also, our sociological imagination is affected by the way people act around us, and our values. An example is that I strive to have perfect skin and have the perfect body. These characteristics often stress me out. This relates to the American image of a models perfect skin complexion and body type - thin with clear, flawless skin. Centuries ago, thin wasn't considered beautiful. An example that relates to the lives of others is the economy. Kids worry about personal problems like not having summer jobs or jobs to get quick cash during the school year. This relates to the public issue of the economy in the United States.


2. Peter Berger's Social Construction of Reality:
       The concept of the social construction of reality is that groups play certain roles interacting in a social system influencing other groups. Social construction of reality creatively shapes reality through social interaction.  Social reality is socially constructed. Signs and language play important roles. A prime example throughout the world is High School. In that social institution, the nerds are the losers and the jocks/cheerleaders have superiority over them. Kids place importance on things that should not be relevant in the real world.


3. Michael Schwalbe's Sociological Mindfulness
      Schwalbe says that sociological mindfulness "is especially important for helping us see that the consequences of our words and deeds often escape our intentions". In simpler words, people need to take a step back and realize how every single thing we do or say has an affect on other people, even if we don't intend to have meaning behind it. Our actions have consequences. In order to be sociologically mindful, people must be compassionate of others. One should do community service to be sociologically mindful of others. In return for saying something that you didn't mean to be hurtful, make up for it by being mindful of someone else by helping them.
 

Class

         Class this week has been very interesting. Sociology class goes more in depth than I thought it would. The discussions we have make me look deeper into myself then I ever knew I could. Learning about Sociological Imagination made me realize that society changes rapidly. I never thought about how by the time 5 year olds grow up, they won't have the childhood memories I had. Each generation leaves things behind.

       The thing I found most interesting this week was the activity with the boat. Watching everyone scramble to kick others off, I realized what a selfish society we live in. Each boat member didn't really care about anyone else, they just wanted to stay on the boat. As the members were strategizing, I noticed that the disabled ones and the elderly were the first ones to get kicked off. Also, the ones that didn't really make a difference were kicked off. Is this common sense, or judging that just because a person is missing a body part or older they are less capable of everyone else? I thought it was interesting that the Physics guy got to stay, but the Literary award winner got kicked off. I think it's because not many value the arts anymore.
      

Do Nothing Assignment Blog

           Yesterday, during 6th period lunch I attempted to sit at the table doing nothing for 10 minutes. My friends didn't notice until about 2 minutes into the experiment. They thought that since I was being silent and staring into space, something was upsetting me. After realizing that nothing they said or did could make me respond to them, they gave up for a couple minutes. No one else payed attention to me besides the people at my lunch table. Everyone else was carrying on with their lives. My appearance didn't seem to matter. I still didn't contribute to anyones conversation, so then my friends thought that I was mad at them. After listening to what the people at my table were talking about, I noticed that I was playing with my hands, and then with a water bottle. Two of my friends were having a staring contest (I inspired this by my silence) and I accidentally blurted out, "How do you keep your eyes op..." and stopped once I realized what I was doing. Once I broke the silence, I found it extremely hard to keep it going.

          I didn't think my friends would react the way that they did. I thought that they would realize that I was keeping silent, respect it, and continue on with lunch. But they constantly kept badgering me about what was upsetting me. Also, I thought that other people would notice that as my friends were all laughing, eating and talking, I was sitting doing nothing. Nobody walked by and looked at me weirdly, they just got up, got their food, and sat back down.

          This experience made me realize that people in our generation don't know how to handle silence. Going along with the 15 minutes of silence that happened the first day of class, people interpret silence in different ways. Some think it's awkward, calming, or rude. Some think it happens because of staring off into space, and some think it happens when people are mad at each other. Maybe it is because our generation is obsessed with being social at every moment in time. Personally, I think silence is awkward, but also kind of calming at the same time. There are many times that I have felt frustrated with myself for not knowing what to say to people, and people not knowing how to keep a conversation. I wonder how people from different time periods dealt with silence.