Race

This week we discussed race and learned that race is, infact, not a biological thing. Race is something that our society has created. We've been born and raised to learn what classifies someone as African American, Asian, Indian, Hispanic and so on. There's nothing different about these people biologically compared to White people. But what is different, is their skin color and the way that they look, which is why society has created names for these various groups of people and has classified them by their traits, etc. Growing up, most African American or Hispanic people that I heard of were not good people. I was sort of trained to think that they were the criminals of society and that they were the people to fear. Nobody trained me to think this way, but from movies and the media, it's something that I realized our society thought of them so I didn't know any better. These people were highly associated with crime. If you saw dark skin, your immediate reaction was supposed to be oh, he or she is bad so be careful. While it is true that many dark skinned people make up the population of people in poverty and crime related incidents, it's not fair for society to make such generalizations. I work at Kona Grill and I'm a hostess there. Since I began, I've met many of the hispanics that work in the kitchen and bus tables. When I would walk through the kitchen, I would unconsciously walk at a rapid pace because I was suspicious of them. I never realized that I was doing this until they started whistling at me and I realized I was scared of them. As time went on, I started to get to know them and learned that they are harmless. Many of them have families and work full time jobs to support them. They are really good people that don't deserve to be discriminated against. This opened my eyes to how society has made me think about people that aren't white and how it's not right to judge them. The hispanics are no different than me. They just happen to have darker skin and different looking features. A bit crazy to think about, but they're really no different biologically.

Monopobility

As we've been studying and as it's pretty obvious, the social class of our family is bound to determine the social class that we grow into. My grandparents were both part of the upper middle class. My grandfather was a lawyer and my grandma was a stay at home mother that watched over her four boys. My other grandfather was a business man and my grandma worked full time. My dad never went to college to earn a professional degree but he became lucky enough to start several of his own businesses and become successful at quite a young age. My mom on the other hand became an R.N. and went to Loyola University. So both of my parents that came from the upper middle class, moved on to attain their upper middle class status's. Because my parents had these resources available to them and had many opportunities in their childhoods to make something of themselves, they did. If my parents grew up in poverty, I can be sure that they wouldn't have become what they have today. My dad may have but otherwise my mom wouldn't have had the money to attend nursing school and college. And this cycle continues on to me and my siblings. We've all grown up in the northern suburbs where very little poverty exists. We've never had to worry about if we were going to be able to eat dinner or have heat in our home. We've all had our own bedrooms and have been very fortunate to live in the house that we do. My sister has gone on to graduate from the University of Illinois and now she's going to graduate school to become a Psychologist. While my brother is undecided with his life, he's still managing to get by. And me, I'm going to the University of Iowa to major in pre-med and then fulfill my dreams of becoming a doctor. The social class in my family has remained the same throughout the generations and I see myself passing this same social class on to my family in the future. This analysis of social class within my family has proved to me that social class has a lot to do with one's ancestors.

Social Class

For the past week, we've been discussing social class. And we've become aware of what types of things divide social class such as aquired tastes for clothes, foods, etc. One thing that came to mind for me while thinking about an example of this is the fact that people with low-incomes tend to eat at fast food restaraunts much more often than people with higher incomes. People with higher incomes can afford a nicer dinner than McDonald's so they typically don't crave that greasy food for dinner because they know they have many more options. Also, from the video, we became aware that once you've adapted to ways of a certain social class, nothing you do can or will change that. For instance that woman that got a make-over to attract wealthy older men. She still didn't know how to act and she just didn't seem right trying to be something that she clearly wasn't. Social class doesn't only become a way of dividing the rich from the poor, but it goes much deeper than that. It separates peoples actions and many specific things about their lifestyles.

Deviance/ 30 Days

Today in class we watched the show 30 days. Also, we learned about the shocking facts that America has the most amount of people locked up. This fact kind of scares me. While watching the show though, and taking into account that all of the men that were in the prison were there because of drug related crimes or because they were being "deviant" in other ways, I formed a strong opinion. I think that depending on what the crime was, by locking those guys up and resulting to prison, isn't helping them to better themselves. By making them suffer, that's not doing anything to help their problem.If anything, I think it's making matters worse. For those with drug problems and addictions, when they are put in prison, that's like adding oil to the fire. They are going through terrible withdrawal and when they get out and can finally get their fix again, they may turn into an ever bigger drug addict because they are so withdrawn. While it is important to crack down on people for drugs because of the drug epidemic and the severity of drugs, I think we should be more concerned about bringing these problematic people to rehab facilities where they can actually get help instead of throwing them behind bars. Even though people won't change unless they really want to, it could at least be a more effective approach to the problem of putting these people in a prison where they don't belong. They belong either in rehab or an institution.

Teenagers & Socialization

This past week in class we've been discussing socialization and the role of teenagers in our society today. We, teenagers, aren't really defined as adults. We are looked upon solely as "children" going through a change in life, or one may say we are trying to find out who we really are. We are looked down upon and characterized as irresponsible and disobedient. I think I'm a really good example of a girl who could be called an adult, and not be generalized as a teenager. I matured at a very young age because my dad didn't force me, but taught me quite early on the essential responsibilities I would eventually need to have. At just 8 years old, I was doing my own laundry and cleaning the house. He didn't care that I was just a 3rd grader, he cared that it would be of my benefit later on so who cares about the age. My dad never had to tell me to do anything because I would just do it. The typical teenager, as we are generalized, is always being told to clean their rooms or when asked to do their laundry, they may reply with a "I'll do it later" or " I don't know how" and so they consistently put it off, thus resulting in them never really learning how to do their laundry. People look at us as kids that don't know what the real life is like. But like Mr.Sal said in class, then what is this? A fake life? No. It's not. While I can understand the generalizations made about teenagers, I believe there are many exceptions like myself. I don't think we are really given a chance to prove to society what we are capable of because they look down at us like we aren't able to be like adults.

How do we define Masculinity?

As we've been discussing, guys have been shaped to meet the standards of what makes them masculine. I interpret a masculine man as being a big, strong, protective, insensitive human being that works hard and provides for himself. The idea of men needing to meet this standard has led them to prove it through unnecessary actions such as violence. For example, guys often will say to a girl " if he hurts you, I'll kill him" and this is definitely related to the idea that a man believes that by hurting another man they are showing who is more dominant and that feeds their confidence. Also, touching upon the insensitivity aspect, we think of guys as much less emotional than girls. When a guy cries, they're called a big baby or a sissy or something along those lines. Guys tend to hide their emotions because they believe that it will only undermine their masculine identity. For instance, I look at my dad as a real man. He provides for his family, works hard, takes care of all the things men should, he's protective and all that stuff. And his response whenever I play fight with him is " you can't hurt steel" or something toolish like that. Also, I've never seen my dad cry besides for a few instances that were death related. These things tie into the fact that my dad is an example of a man which displays what masculinity means.

Vulnerability of teenagers

In class we've discussed the effect of the media on teenagers, specifically girls. The media has prompted many teenage girls to view the ideal woman as skinny, sexy, and beautiful. Some believe this has caused a significant amount of girls to have low self-esteems and overlook the beauty that lies within themselves. I can relate to this with some of my own personal insight. I read magazines such as Seventeen and so on and I watch shows like America's Next Top Model, etc., where I see images of perfect women. While I know in magazines it's all about the photo shopping aspect and what not, I still think to myself, well I wanna look like that. But at the same time I think about what makes me who I am and I don't want to try to be something I'm not. My dad has told me since I've been maturing that he likes when my hair is natural and not straightened. He says that he likes when I look natural and don't wear make-up. My mom always used to ask me "how does it feel to be such a pretty natural girl?" My parents have made subtle but strong efforts to make sure that I would love myself for who I am and not what I would like to be. Also, my ex-boyfriend would tell me that he likes when I don't wear make-up too because it's a more pure look. Many girls believe they need make-up to look good but in reality that shouldn't matter. When we put make-up on, it's like we're trying to hide ourselves. It helps us feel more confident but we shouldn't need make-up to feel confident.

Another thing I'd like to mention is my dad was in Los Angeles the week before school began. He would call me everyday telling me what celebrities he saw and how he ate lunch next to Jamie Spears and her mom, and how he saw Jessica Simpson crossing the street. His point was that they looked so different in person because they weren't touched up by professionals in every way possible. He saw them how they really are and not how the media shows them to us.

Agents of Socialization

As we read in the article Agents of Socialization, family was the largest aspect to help shape us as individuals and form our personalities. I can relate to this and corroborate this finding as it has completely applied to my life. My family and the experiences in which I have gone through with my family have caused me to attain certain beliefs and values. For example, my parents divorce taught me the strength I need to have in order to get through the roughest times in life. It taught me that life isn't fair and that as long as I keep my head up and take on the challenges I'm faced with, I will get through it. It taught me independence and responsibility because I needed to do a lot for myself at an early age. There are many more values that I've picked up from my childhood that I will forever carry with me through life. Another example of an agent of socialization that has affected me is the workplace. I'm currently a hostess at Kona Grill and when people ask me if I have a job or what I do on the weekends, I may reply with "I'm a hostess at Kona." The workplace is also a chance for me to meet new people and widen my horizons farther than my family and friends. I have work friends. I've formed close bonds with some of my work friends and I enjoy their presence. Also, I'm a girl with a great work ethic so the fact that I have a job helps to bring out that trait in me.

Socialization- Growing Man Metaphor

In class today we discussed the growing man metaphor. As many other things we've discussed have been of interest to me and have opened my eyes, this is another thing to add to the list. We don't usually stop to think about how we have evolved over the years and what factors have shaped who we are. We start out as little babies born into the world with no abilities other than breathing, crying, and going to the bathroom. We're simply helpless, as Mr.Salituro put it. But then, over time we get older and begin to learn new things and become less dependent on our parents. We learn to be self-sufficient and we begin to walk and talk. We become aware of our surroundings and see what it is we need to do in order to survive. Everything around us in one way or another influences us. For example, I grew up in a separated family. That alone has influenced me in many ways. For one, I've inherited the womanly role in the household so I've been doing my own laundry and cleaning since I've been in 3rd grade. I've been forced to mature and grow up a lot quicker than many other kids. I learned what it meant to be responsible and take care of myself. I can almost guarantee that if my parents hadn't gotten divorced, I wouldn't be half as independent and self-sufficient as I am now. The experiences that we go through and the challenges that we face throughout life define who we are. We are affected by everything around us and it's really fascinating how everything comes together.

The Guest Speaker

When Mr.Salituro's former student came in to class and talked about her experience in Kenya, Africa, it really got me wanting to do something like that in the future. Since we've been studying culture for the past couple weeks, it seems like it would be such a cool experience to be able to live in another culture for a good period of time. She talked about how she had to research for a while before her trip to learn about the culture in Africa so that she wouldn't offend them or anything of that sort. Because I want to go into medicine, I think it would be so rewarding for me to go some place like Africa or somewhere extremely different than America. I would be able to help the underprivileged and give to them what I've been so lucky to get my whole life. While I appreciate everything I have been given and while I've learned to not take things for granted, I feel like I'll never truly appreciate the life I've been living until I step outside of our culture and explore one much different. I want to do something that I can learn a lot from and get a sense of what it's like to not be an American for once.

America- How do you see it?

In class we've been examining American culture. We've touched upon what our norms are and how they differentiate from other countries'. I think that it's been some food for thought since most of us have probably never tried to look at our nation from an outsiders point of view. Everything that we've grown accustomed to is normal to us. But from a foreigners point of view, what we do is not normal. For example, in the article we had to read called "Bemused in America", there are scenarios about the norms of our American culture and how one from a different culture may perceive them. We, as Americans, have adapted to the lives that we've been provided with. From advanced technology to designer clothing, we've evolved into a materialistic country. Keeping in mind the "Affluenza" reading, our culture circulates around money. We have become a fast paced, greedy society. Whether that's good or bad is a personal opinion, but it's quite interesting examining our culture and the reputation we have earned.

Affluenza

The article we read about "affluenza" was quite an eye opener to me. I never exactly thought about how America revolves around material items and how inclined we feel to constantly spend our money. It was interesting to see the habit of spending compared to the flu. I think that it's terrible how shopping can become like a sickness or addiction. We've become so accustomed to receiving gifts that it's become normal for us to get presents. It may depend on the person whether they appreciate what they get, but for the most part, we expect to get things on our birthdays or during the holidays and I feel like my generation barely appreciates things anymore. Also, while I was reading the part of the article that mentioned how we often go to malls to waste time, my friend was asking me if I wanted to go to the mall because we were both bored. I was able to make that connection right away and realize how it really is true that we usually spend money out of boredom. The article really elaborated on how materialistic Americans have become. It's unfortunate that our lives revolve around spending money on many things that we don't need because if that wasn't the case, everyone would be a heck of a lot richer and more appreciative of what they have.

A Bronx Tale

The past few days we watched A Bronx Tale. The boy in the movie, who is called C and Collogero is influenced in many ways as he gets older. We see him as an innocent little boy sitting on the stoop of where he resides. For his age, he is exposed to many hard core things and acts of violence that kids at a young age don't typically ever see. He sees what the community he lives in is all about and he learns the ways of the Italian mobsters. His parents try and protect him from the violence but C gets attached to Sunny, the Italian mobster, and can't seem to keep his distance from him. The town he lives in is mostly racist and they don't like when groupies or gangs are on their grounds. Since C comes from a family that doesn't have a lot and because his parents are always trying to protect him, C doesn't do anything more than observe everything that goes on. When C was in the bar when Sunny and his clan beat up those guys, C just watched. He didn't fight because he wasn't taught that way. When C's friends beat up the African American boy, C tried to convince them not to and he didn't take part in it, he just watched it happen. C is the perfect example of a boy who is greatly influenced by the community he was brought up in, yet he still holds his own values and tries to do the right thing.

Obama's Speech

In class we were able to watch President Obama's inspirational speech about education. While listening to Obama speak, there were many things going through my mind. He mentioned that our country depends on us and that the future of our world depends on us. And as I thought more and more about that, it made me realize that it's true. What all of us in our generation do with ourselves now and what we accomplish is going to be what will shape the future. Generations from now, people will be studying our era of time and the innovations we came up with and all of the things that we accomplished. We all might individually think, well I'm just one person, I'm not gonna make a difference in this world or change anything, and in a sense that may be true, but if we all do what we are capable of and work together, we can all make a difference in this world together. We don't know what we can do if we never give it a try. Also, Obama made me think about how if I become a doctor one day, while I might not change the world, I can help better the lives of sick children and people. Our education really is important, and so is being sociologically mindful of that :)

Social Construction

Today in class, we learned about the social construction of reality. We saw an example of this through the experiment Mr. Salituro had one of our classmates do. She had to fill a spoon with saliva and when he asked her to put it back in her mouth, everyone was disgusted by it and she refused. This lesson was really interesting to me because I've never really thought about how we become accustomed to think something like that is gross or how we adapt to think of something in a certain way. The only difference between the saliva is how we thought about it. The saliva was still the same on the spoon, but because we percieved the saliva as spit when it wasn't in her mouth, it was gross to us. It's like when one of my friends asks me to use my chapstick I usually always say no because I don't want their lips touching the same object that mine do. It's my perception of how their germs would be transferred on the chapstick and it grosses me out. But I know a lot of people that don't mind to share chapstick because they don't percieve the sharing the same way as I do. Another example is that I don't like to drink out of glasses in restaraunts without a straw. Some people may never think about the idea that hundreds of people have put their mouths on the side of the glass. Even though they get cleaned, the fact that I think about all the peoples germs that have touched the glass, it makes me grossed out and needy for a straw. It's crazy isn't it!?

Silence

On the first day of class as we all know, we experienced an "awkward silence". It was awkward for us because we expected the teacher to begin talking, but instead he sat down in a desk and we all sat there in silence. The only reason why it felt awkward to us is because we made it feel that way. Or so that's what I believe. I think silence is only awkward if you make it awkward. When I'm just hanging out with my friends and nobody has anything to say someone will blurt out " well this is awkward" when in reality it only became awkward when they said that because they made it feel awkward to the rest of us. I think we need silence sometimes to help us gather our thoughts and think of what to say next. We can constantly be talking unless you are one of those people that never shuts up.

Who am I?

I'm Jennifer Rose Feldman. There are obviously many things that make up the person that I am and things that make me different from everybody else. For one thing, my most unique characteristic is that I'm insanely neat and organized. Everyone that knows me well, knows that I'm very peculiar about certain things and can't stand a mess. They like to say I have obsessive compulsive disorder which I probably do. As far as my personality, I'm friendly and I like to think I'm funny. I didn't have the easiest childhood so with that being said I turned out to be a very independent, self-sufficient girl. I do many things on my own and I rarely ask for help unless it's necessary or if I can't do something on my own. I'm stubborn when it comes to certain things but I'm not difficult to deal with. I live to impress nobody but myself. All I want is to be healthy, happy, and successful. My dream is to become a doctor, specifically a pediatrician, one day. I have a passion for kids and I love helping them. When I want to do something, I put my mind to it and my determination helps me achieve whatever it is. My goal/purpose in life is to help people while also helping myself. I can't stand self-ish, ignorant, or inconsiderate people so I never want to become that way. I work two jobs and I try to do my ultimate best in school. If I can be successful down the road, I'll have accomplished just what I've always wanted. And on a completely different note, One Tree Hill is my absolute favorite show! I have 2 older siblings, a sister that just graduated from college, and a brother that just graduated from high school. I argue with my parents every now and then but I'm thankful for everything they've done for me over the years and if it weren't for them I wouldn't be who I am.