- Introduction to Sociology
- Thinking Sociology
- Social Creatures
- Conform or Rebel
- Walking in Another's Shoes
- Social Institutions
- Are We Sheep?
- Digital Story
WELCOME TO SOCIOLOGY - CLOSED
The Study of Society
Sociology focuses on identifying, explaining, and interpreting patterns and processes of human social relations. This introductory course is designed not just to teach you some of the major findings of sociology, but to help you master fundamental sociological skills, including the ability to think with a "sociological imagination" as well as integrate "technological fluency" with "informational literacy" utilizing basic computer-based data analysis—skills which have broad applicability in a range of educational and work settings.
Our goal in is class is for you to gain a different perspective of a diverse world often taken for granted and to gain new insight into the ways that society shapes people and the way people shape their society. Our objectives are directed at building competence as a critical thinker and change agent so that you will better able to raise relevant questions about the direction in which society is moving, interpret social trends, and examine significant social problems.
It is my hope that this hands-on experience of "doing" sociology will both enliven your interest in sociological analysis and help you develop practical skills that you can use in other contexts as well. We can best understand the process of social interaction when we understand the person in place and in time. Our syllabus sets the place, time and process of this course for you the person.
Welcome to my world, your world, our world.
Dr. Michael Thompson
Garrett Kirkwood x
10/1/15
Thinking Sociologically
Sociology is defined as the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. I think that when people generally think about our society it is superficial, but when we think sociologically, we dig deeper than what it looks like. In order for us to think through sociological eyes we must first understand the definition of sociology.
Sociology is the study of development. This includes economic development, technological development, social development, physical development, psychological development, political development, educational development, religious development, cultural development, and even moral development. We need to understand that most of these “developments” started from nothing. How did society develop each of these factors that help us in our lives? A person that looks through sociological eyes can see the changes that have been made, and why they have been made, for the development to take place. For example, the difference in technology for us in 2015 compared to the technology in 1850 isn’t even comparable. The little changes year to year that have been developed, with the help of many types of people and jobs, are what has made technology evolve.
Sociology is also the study of structure. This includes families, groups, careers, education, federal government, state governments, laws, rules, expectations, religion, and culture. The structure of what we develop is what keeps us organized. How things are structured explains our behavior, norms, and desires. For example, in our school systems we have kids separated into their own age group. When education started to develop we structured it this way for the benefit of the kids. Our family structures are also a good example. The normal structure of a family is two parents that have children. This structure keeps us organized with a name, and identity, and a group.
The last part of the definition of sociology is the study of the functioning of human society. Through the development of social institutions, and structuring them the way in which it benefits us individually, is the way our society functions. It is also important to have such a mix of cultures, structures, political viewpoints, and religion. If we didn’t have these differences there would be no innovation, and no further development. Society is a living, breathing, creature who learns more and more every day.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sociology
http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2013/04/thinking-sociologically-about-education.html
Paige Ryan x
As human beings, our lives revolve around other people. No matter if people say they are independent and don’t like being around other people we all have to socialize at some point. “Human beings are social animals. Our lives depend on other humans. Human infants are born unable to transport or care for themselves. Their survival depends on another human's efforts. We develop and learn about the world around us through the filter of other people. Our connections to others are key to not only our survival, but also to our happiness and the success of our careers.”
Everyone needs a person or many people that they can talk to and share information that is going on in our life, it is our way of working through the problems that come with everyday life. “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god. ”
In today’s society, it is more common for people to text or talk through the computer. These devices are making new generations less sociable with human interaction.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/183896-man-is-by-nature-a-social-animal-an-individual-who
http://www.aipmm.com/anthropology/2010/05/humans-are-social-animals-1.php
Sammie Stewart x
Dr. Thompson
October 1st, 2015
Thinking Sociologically
What is sociological thinking, you may ask? Some people have their own way of thinking. Some people think about the same things, but they can take that one similar thing and turn it in a completely different direction. Sociological thinking is sought to be thought socially, more then interacting with people. It can be seen as something that can possibly change the way out society thinks. Like I have stated before people think differently when it comes to their own mind. People cannot be made to think the same way.
I know in many different ways people make assumptions on certain things. People can assume that their own spouse is either cheating on them or having an affair. It’s simple now a days people make assumptions about the stupidest things. Things like doing drugs or sneaking around or even being an alcoholic even though people may not be doing any of these things. People see the social aspect of life. People try to blend in and form their own cliques. People use the society to blend, they want the society to accept them for who they are trying to be even though people aren’t who they say they are. The way people think can make an effect on people lives and their family. Its even harder on single parent families, because if that single parent doesn’t get that respect for the society that parent will never understand what it is like to be accepted into the society.
From a cultural stand point, different cultures have different ways of viewing things. Some cultures have different views on religion, like even here in central America there are even different people in this country that have different religions. Some are Catholics, Christians, Buddhists, Jewish, Islamic, Hinduism that is just to name a few we all know there are so many more in this world that people see everyone else differently. Even simple things like language. So many people have different languages, like Spanish, English, Chinese, Japanese, Amish, even African Americans have different languages. So many people are judged in this life for the way they think or act. Thinking sociologically can change a person, if a person just changes the way they thing there could be so many more options in the world that could be offered to them. Different jobs could be offered for just that way a person thinks.
Has anyone even lived inside of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) brain? I am currently taking the EMS course. Being around the EMS crew every Monday and Tuesday and then spending time in the ER, or even on call at the EMS building. It is really amazing of the way that these people think, they have to think so fast and on the ball. When these people go on calls, once they hit the back of that ambulance, they are constantly making a plan of what to do when they arrive on scene. Saving someone’s life is on the top of their list. But making sure that they are safe is also on top. Scene is safe is the major part of being an EMT minus saving the sick or injured person. But anyways an EMS person has to think on their feet. They have to think on the sociological side of things and make sure what they do makes that person and yourself safe.
On the side note, thinking sociologically is just a simple part of life. Thinking on your feet is the way you need to live to be able to be accepted by the society.
Sources
http://modernsocieties.wordpress.com/2007/09/30/what-do-we-mean-by-thinking-sociologically/
http://http://www.sociology.org.uk/ylgmain2.htm
Drake Kirkwood x
Mr. Thompson
September 30, 2015
Social Creatures
We as human beings all have the capability, as well as the urge to socially interact with other human beings. It is a critical aspect of life and we could not survive without it. In order to get the most out of human nature, it requires us being able to work together, communicate together and positively embrace one another. This leads to self-happiness and innovation in the world. Those are two key factors that are revealed from social interaction. Joy and happiness can be created from healthy relationships with other individuals. Strong relationships can lead new objectives, new theories and new technology. This is an incredible ability which human nature is capable of achieving.
The first concept I mentioned that is a positive influence derived from social interaction is the simple fact that it makes humans happy. Who doesn’t enjoy meeting new people who they can get along with? Due to the fact that we are social beings by nature, we are able to express ourselves and share it with those we choose to share it with. By doing this, it allows us to make friends and produce healthy relationships. Friends create happiness. By communicating we are able to laugh with one another, argue or debate against each other, and simply express ourselves. Take a sports team for example. In this case I will talk about the baseball team at Colby Community College. We all share the same passion for baseball, which sparks the social interaction among each other. We have chosen to attend Colby to play baseball and go to school. Since we all have this in common, we are able to unite as one and play the game of baseball together. If humans were not social creatures, it would be impossible to play a team game such as baseball. The amount of social interaction and communication involved in the game of baseball is through the roof. It makes the game fun, because we all get the chance to work together to go out and try to beat other baseball teams trying to do the same thing. The good teams have good chemistry, and typically have players who are socially active. Some of the happiest times of my life are from playing baseball and sharing experiences with my team mates and friends. Social interaction allows humans to share their identities and create happiness for one another.
The second aspect that I have chosen to discuss about is the ability humans have to initiate change and innovation. As you look at evolution, there has been so much development and the world continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The main contributor to the increasing innovation throughout time has been communication. Without communication, there is no evolution. Being able to socially interact allows mankind to discuss new ideas and develop more efficient ways of doing things. Take a washing machine for example. Alva J. Fisher was the man who came up with the idea of a washing machine. This idea was shared with other humans and was discussed upon in order to make the best possible washing machine. As time went on, new ideas led to more efficient washing machines. Communication among engineers allows there to be room for increased improvement with technology. This concept applies to everything in the world. New technology is always being discovered. The world is an ever evolving place and there is always an increase in innovation and efficiency. Evolution could not occur at the rate is does without communication.
Humans are social creatures. We have been blessed with the ability to communicate with one another. This can lead to much happiness and joy. We as human beings want to feel wanted and appreciated; communication allows us to express our thoughts with other humans and express our feelings. Social interaction also leads to an innovating world. We rely on social interaction and could not live without it.
Resources
http://www.aipmm.com/anthropology/2010/05/humans-are-social-animals-1.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pascal-vrticka/human-social-development_b_3921942.html
Alexis Andersen x
Dr. Thompson
September 29, 2015
Social Animals
We as humans are naturally born as social creatures. When we are born we are very dependent on other humans to nourish, protect, and give love to us. Growing up, we start to learn more about the world we live in, and realize that we need close people in our life. Having close connections with people in our life help us with survival, our happiness in life, and just our overall wellbeing.
Humans are born biologically hardwired to be social. In our brains, we have a much larger neocortex than other mammals. The neocortex is where we process our thoughts, emotions, language, and behavior. Basically, this means that this part of our brain allows us to engage in different social interactions, and keep relationships with different people. When we are socially interacting with others, our brain as a very positive reaction which makes us happy when we are accepted by people. But it can also have a negative effect on us when we are rejected, or disliked by people. When this happens it is almost as if our brain thinks that we are being physically hurt.
Even though it seems like having a larger brain than other mammals seem amazing, it can also have some down sides. Researchers believe that our brain takes at least twenty one years to fully develop. So when we are adolescents, we are still pretty dependent on our parents/guardians. Parents have to teach us as we grow up about social skills, morals. Parents are usually the ones that set morals for us by telling us what you should do, and what you should not do. But the people that we surround ourselves with also have a great deal of influence on what we think is right and wrong.
Back in the day the way people would have to relay messages to each other was through the mail. But now a days we have so many different options on how to communicate, or get a hold of other people. Ways we can contact each other is through phone calls, text messaging, E-mail, and various social media websites. There is even ways that you can communicate to other people face to face with technology by using face time, or Skype. With all these different ways to communicate with each other, it has made humans more social than ever before. Thanks to the internet we could get a hold of someone that is on the other side of the planet in just a couple seconds.
Even though technology is very convenient on communicating to people, there is nothing like communicating to people face to face. When talking to people face to face it is easier to read their body language, and see how they react to what you are saying. When you are texting a person it is easy to misinterpret what they are actually saying, and you might take what they say in a different way than what they actually meant. Since we as humans are social animals, it is best for us to interact with each other face to face, rather than through technology.
Resources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pascal-vrticka/human-social-development_b_3921942.html
http://centerforwholeselfhealth.com/we-are-social-creatures/
Humans as Social Creatures
Emily Purvis x
Dr. Michael Thompson
September 30, 2015
I believe our lives depend on other humans. We are born unable to care for ourselves, our survival depends on another humans effort. We learn and develop things from teachings of other human beings. The connections we make are key to not only our happiness but also our success. After reading “Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives.” by James Fowler and Nicholas Chrustakus, I learned more about a social theory that talks about how our lives impact social networks and how important sociology is in our everyday lives. Also, how much we are influenced and how we influence other people when we don't even realize we are doing it. Everything you do has some effect on another person, good or bad. One quote that i thought was very important from this book “While Social networks are fundamentally and distinctively human, and ubiquitous, the should not be taken for granted.” - Fowler A lot of us take our social networks for granted, by saying “i don't need anyone but myself” or something in that nature, but the truth is you do need other humans, to influence you to teach you right from wrong. Theres so many things we do from each other that we don't even realize.
After reading a article from http://www.huffingtonpost.com, I learned that evolutionary processes have developed social interactions in humans, along with the brain activity that supports them. I also read that the neocortex of the human brain, is larger in humans compared to other animals. This interests me in many ways because the neocortex controls a lot of our brain areas involved in social cognition, which is for example language, emotion regulation, conscious thought, and also empathy. A lot of the social brain activity of humans is not fully understood, there is growing research some scientists are coming to find difficult to observe in humans. Which can relate back to the theory of mind and the ability to understand the intentions and feelings of others.
Being social is a trait we all pick up on throughout our lives, some say its the feminine energy within all of us. The need to this connection may be more important for others, but in some point in our lives we all reflect in social interactions. The social interaction has changed dramatically throughout the years. This could be anything from technology or even in person situations, a good example of this would be the launch of Facebook or Twitter. These social networking apps as you may call it, provide us the connections with the added benefit of seeing and checking up on each other and communicating with one another in very diverse ways. I personally am a very social person when it comes to social networking, it gives me a thrill seeing or communicating with people I am no longer close to. Although there is still nothing like face- to face interactions.
Although america is a free country, we still rely on others for advise but unlike other countries we generally do what we want. For example: we can choose to go to college or not to go; we have to choice of being conservative or be liberal. We make up our own minds on situations like death penalty, abortion, health care, gun control and taxes. Even though none tells us to do theses things we still look at others for advise or rely on others from there past experiences. This is our social instinct to rely on family or people that we love and care about. I believe this is what makes humans social creatures.
Sources
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
“Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives.” by James Fowler and Nicholas Chrustakus
Humans as Social Creatures
Rachel Browne x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Introduction to Sociology
27 September 2015
When the terms "teenage" and "girl" stand adjacently, many tend to correlate the combination with undeniable drama, raging hormones, and rebellious attitudes. Although, at 17 years of age I, admittedly, fall into this category, I do not exhibit these typical characteristics by any means. Instead, in all of my naivety and innocence, I spend my spare time doing things like watching My Little Pony. Many may find this hobby foolish or inappropriate, but the show actually produces numerous life lessons that even older audiences could learn from. In fact, My Little Pony even demonstrates many diverse sociological topics, including that of humans as social creatures. In the show, the ponies are always afflicted with different problems and instinctively rely on one another to solve them. Despite the fact that the show is centered on ponies rather than humans, it still establishes the idea that people naturally like to be surrounded by one another, sharing personal experiences along the way. This concept is obviously not only exposed in My Little Pony, as it is perpetually displayed in lives all over the world, including my own.
As social creatures, humans abide by the same instinct all around the world. The website, thereeleggeddragon.com, presented an excellent example this concept that everyone displays in everyday life. It recognized the fact that humans choose to build houses next to each other even though hundreds of miles of habitation is open for people's use. Just as everybody exhibits this idea, people also, in diverse ways, need social bonds. However, a sense of animosity still prevails between society and individuals. Although humans naturally gravitate towards groups, it's imperative that they sustain their individualism. The only chance at human race's survival depends on individuals. Similarly, individuals need groups to amplify their own odds when it comes to survival. The two coincide with one another; the unity they exude plays a huge role in human existence. This concept is displayed in numerous everyday situations. For example, individuals rely on one another when it comes to producing new members of their species. They must cooperate as they protect these new members and themselves. They also depend on each other in providing food, friendship, and information. However, human's most fundamental instinct in which they are dependent on each other stems from reproduction. All living things obtain this instinct, as it determines their survival. Individuals can certainly exist alone, but if they did, their species wouldn't. Thus, all organisms have an opportunity to create more members of their species, adding diversity to their gene pool. It becomes their responsibility to protect and teach new members so they become useful, acquiring a purpose. Overall, people depend on others for their own survival and growth.
In fact, I have experienced many of the previously mentioned concepts in my own life. The idea that people naturally prefer surrounding themselves with others prevails in my life day to day. Similar to all humankind, I like to share personal experiences with people, producing unforgettable memories. For example, this past April, I was privileged with the opportunity to go to New York City with my dad, and it undoubtedly prevails as one of the best trips of my life. By lucky chance, I have recently been graced the opportunity to travel to New York City again on a trip with my friends this summer. Both of these occasions are certainly more favorable than if I were to go on the trip alone. Although, I'm sure it would still be a magnificent experience, groups are always more pleasurable because it allows one to create new memories and experiences with others that he/she will always be able to reflect on. Correspondingly, on my vacations to Canada, The Bahamas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and all the rest, this concept unquestionably endures, as each of these trips included my family, and they certainly would not have been nearly as delightful without them. Although this idea is undeniably apparent in each of my vacations, it certainly exists in nearly all aspects of my life, just as it does in everybody's.
Obviously, everyone is a social creature, emitting a similar mentality with identical instincts. Humankind is naturally drawn to groups, as it allows people to form bonds and make connections. However, people must still maintain grasp of their individualism, as individuals and groups depend on one another and determine human survival. The characters in My Little Pony perfectly portray the importance of individuals coming together to solve problems. In fact, they have a tremendous amount of fun in doing so. The nerd in me finds it pretty awesome that I can relate to the My Little Pony characters when it comes to sociological concepts. However, I shouldn't feel too special because everyone can relate to the ponies on this topic, as all humans are social creatures. Nevertheless, besides my sister, I'm probably the only 17-year-old watching My Little Pony, and likewise, am the only one who would find this connection exciting. Thus, I have discovered a new appreciation for the show due to the fact that the ponies and I share the same instinctive nature, which undoubtedly supports the idea that I am definitely not a "typical" teenage girl.
Resources
http://www.threeleggeddragon.com/writings/simply/simple.social.html
http://www.aipmm.com/anthropology/2010/05/humans-are-social-animals-1.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pascal-vrticka/human-social-development_b_3921942.html
http://centerforwholeselfhealth.com/we-are-social-creatures/
How We are Socialized Throughout Formal Institutions like Schools, Workplaces, and the Government
Breanna Slipke x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Introduction to Sociology
October 1, 2015
Children are born into this world without any form of socialized culture. They go through a development process in which parents, siblings, daycare providers, teachers, and other individuals influence them into socially fit individuals. The socialization process develops in infancy and continues throughout one’s lifetime. When a child is born they are slowly molded into a social being and learn ways of how to act and feel in society. This process of socialization, from newborn infant to adulthood, lets the individual develop their own identity. The most important agent of socialization is the family, because family is the first and most continual social atmosphere for infants and children. One’s social identities are predetermined and we are born into a world which has certain roles and rules already set for us.
During socialization, individuals form values about the differences between right and wrong. Socialization involves many different individuals, group and social institutions. Individuals, groups a social institutions provide critical information that is needed for children to be successful as a member of society. These individuals can be family, schools, religion, sports, or workplaces. Each individual is affected by their social identity.
In a school such as college, socialization shapes the person. What if all the students sat alone at lunch, did not have a roommate, but lived alone? College interaction plays a big role in shaping individuals and provides many opportunities for the student to become involved in various groups and activities. Social development is a way for a person that in that will help shape them for the work world after college.
The workplace is very much like a school in the form of socialization. You have to be able to get along with and interact with your co-workers at your workplace. It would be a very lonely feeling for a person to keep to themselves and not have conversations with the other workers around them. Socialization in the workplace impacts human relations by providing employees with skills for participating within the business culture and can increase motivation. It shapes the way employees view teamwork and thy way they share information which are all important factors. Through socialization, employees can depend on one another for support and to meet goals. This teaches employees to look to one another for help rather than carting a problem on their own. Employees who do not feel a sense of friendship or sharing are often likely to develop feelings of not being satisfied.
People acquire political culture through a process known as political socialization. Although the bulk of political socialization occurs during childhood, adults continue to be socialized. The government plays a role in political socialization in a variety of ways. It determines the policies, including what books students may read, for public schools. The government also regulates the media, which has a huge effect on what we see and hear. Nowadays in the United States, broadcast television programs cannot contain nudity or profane language, and the government also mandates a certain amount of how many “family-friendly” shows can air on the programs per week. With all of this, we learn that bad language is inappropriate and that Family is an essential part of American life and obviously American political culture. In authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, the government often takes active measures to include loyalty, especially in the younger groups of people. To social class to which each individual chooses shape’s ones views. When a major political event happens, it can shape an entire generation’s attitudes toward its nation and government which can sometimes not be a good thing.
Sources
http://www.candysclassroom.com/about-us/
http://www.123helpme.com/search.asp?text=socialization
http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/3797?e=paletz_1.0-ch06_s02
Humans as Social Creatures
Andrea Browne x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Introduction to Sociology
30 September 2015
When I was just a sprout, my family and I possessed a bit of an obsession with Pokémon. No, not to the point of us sprouts evolving into the Pokémon Bellsprout, but we came rather close. Constantly, we’d beg and plead for more cards, trade them with our cousins at family reunions, and tune in to each movie we owned multiple times a day. Although my pokéball-sized brain could not comprehend nearly as much back then, today I’ve realized deeper meaning within Pokémon. Each Pokémon holds a unique power, which they use to battle the evil Team Rocket. Squirtle’s water powers, for instance, would provide much more use than Pikachu’s electrical powers if battling Charmander with his fire powers. It is evident that each Pokémon and his/ her trainer rely on one another to label themselves successful. This concept is even relevant within the theme song. It states, “You teach me and I'll teach you (Po-ké-mon). Gotta catch 'em all. Every challenge along the way, with courage I will face. I will battle every day to claim my rightful place. Come with me, the time is right. There's no better team. Arm in arm we'll win the fight. It's always been our dream.” Deemed obvious through the lyrics, one can interpret that they need each other to survive and prosper, just like the human species and the theory that humans are social animals.
Just like the Pokémon, people need people in order to survive. It is literally impossible for a baby to survive without the assistance of a guardian to nurture its fragile being. In fact, human beings need one another to even produce a child. They also rely on each other to provide the necessities of life, to provide friendship, and to pass information along. For example, when little third grade me developed the urge to have a boyfriend, I needed a friend to act as my Hermes. I conjured up the courage to ask Jaxon Haas to be my lover through my sister’s little legs hustling across the playground to do it for me. And had she not, who even knows if I would have survived!
But on a more serious note, the human species really does need this passing down of information to organize the dos and don’ts of civilization. People develop this social animal platform by forming groups. They connect with multiple groups. Some are by choice and some are chosen for them. People expand their identities through these groups. They can be based on a multitude of things, from their families to physical characteristics. One time, in the third grade once again, the whole grade was attending the Shrine Circus. I was pumped to hang with all of my friends and when I arrived at the bus, I noticed this girl named Destiny had the same shirt on as me. She wasn’t apart of my typical friend group, but I somehow didn’t leave her side once that day. We basically became sisters for the day, but by the next day, BAM, we were once again nothing, we returned to our usual groups.
However, both of us added our own little skills to our groups, which in turn, adds diversity to the world. Harry W. Yeats Jr. says it best when he states, “The healer needs the hunter, just as the hunter needs the healer. The thinker needs the doer, just as the doer needs the thinker.” People can learn from anybody no matter how young or old. This generation seems far more accepting of gay marriage for instance. Some older folk feel accustomed to it being “wrong” and are scared of new ideas. However, this exhibits that with diverse ideas, the world can. People are made to posses varied opinions, but each group must tolerate one another’s. This stimulates growth as people, groups, and even the overall consensus of people. Groups’ goals typically revolve around the idea to survive and prosper, but they also desire that their contributions to the group are needed. Groups can build or break a person’s self-esteem. If the group does not fancy one’s thoughts or decisions, it could ultimately crush his self-worthiness leaving him to feel like he let everyone down. However, it goes to show that people must compromise to keep the world spinning. For example, when my siblings and I begged my father for another dog. We pestered him uncontrollably and finally he allowed us to purchase him as long as he got to name him. Although that is on an itsy-bitsy, minor scale of the worlds’ problems, it showcases cooperation as a key feature of society.
It is quite pronounced that the human race embodies the social animal and that everyone relies on everyone to withstand the weight of the world. They work together amongst diverse groups to not only survive, but also to develop achievement, just as the Pokémon do. Whether Jigglypuff performs her cute charm or Bulbasaur amazes his posse with his overgrowth, each Pokémon brings something to the table. From the good Pokémon, to Team Rocket, each group possesses individuals that add something different and overall symbolize the human beings in this world in their manifestation of the social creature.
Resources
www.threeleggeddragon.com/writings/simply/simple.social.html
http://www.aipmm.com/anthropology/2010/05/humans-are-social-animals-1.php
Social Animals
Kyra Tucker x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Intro to Sociology
30 September 2015
Social Animals
“Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god. ” This quote by Aristotle, who was a famous philosopher in 300 B.C, perfectly analyzes the human need to be a part of society.
Human beings are social animals. Our lives depend on other humans. This necessity starts the moment we are born. When we are infants to the time we are an adolescent our survival depends on another human's efforts. We develop and learn about the world around us through the filter of other the people around us. Our connections to others are key to not only our survival, but also to our happiness and the success of our careers.
For example, as infants all the way until young adulthood, we depend heavily on our care givers to essentially keep us alive and without that human connection there is no way we would survive on our own at that young age. Those examples represent our physiological and safety needs which are the most important according to Maslow. As adults, we can take care of our basic needs to survive but our need to be loved and to belong heavily depend on another person or group. And if we do not feel loved or important or self-esteem, also a stage on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, will inevitably plummet. Low self-esteem is known to lead to depression or other mental ailments. Last on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is self-actualization. Which means the achievement of one’s full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity, and a grasp of the real world. Even though this is prompting you to find yourself and realize what you want in life, it always helps to have other people or companion to help guide in the direction you want to go as a human being wanting to be successful in life.
In conclusion, the need for human interaction is essential for survival. Think about it this way, animals in the wild prey on the weak to find food and to survive. These animals will stop at nothing to get what they need to continue living. As humans, we are “social” animals. We do not prey on our food but we do prey on other humans essentially. Either if it is to find a friend, lover, companion, or whatever it may be we are always looking out into society trying to find someone to help us on this wild journey called life.
Sources:
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/183896-man-is-by-nature-a-social-animal-an-individual-who
http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Nosike Obanya x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Intro to Sociology
1 October 2015
Social Animals
As social creature’s humans evolve and adapt to their surroundings. We all tolerate the same compulsion around the globe. We were born incapable to do for ourselves, but in order to outlast we had to depend on our dependent’s effort until we were able to fend for ourselves. In order for us to develop social skills we need to communicate with others, and by communicating with others we learn and develop things from teachings of someone else. Their are some people who think they can do everything on their own but we need other people to survive, imagine being the only person on this earth? Do you really think you can survive or even stay sane for 5 years, not exactly. We need others to sharpen our creative minds, we get smarter and smarter everyday, like the saying says “we learn something new everyday”.
When I got to high school i was always outgoing so i had plenty of friends. I had so much friends by the third week of school i had to literally give each group a name, i had the bad group of friends who always wanted to cut school and go party, and i had the good group of friends who i learned a lot from. The bad group of friends i learned about a lot of gangs that was around the school, i was introduced to marijuana which i never heard of till i got till high school, i learned about kids drug dealing in school but i wasn't in to that so i wasn't really around those kids like that. I wasn't very good at math so i was always around my friends who were smart, i was learning math at a very rapid rate, the first semester i had a 72 in math, by the second semester my grade shot up to a 92 which goes to show i developed skills from another group of people. I always spoke to my mom about my days in high school when i was growing up. I told her about the bad group of friends i had and the good group, she yelled at me an told me to not hang out with the bad group of friends and assert myself with the good group. I learned from my mom the dos and don't that day, We as the human race really need the passing down of information from guardians or others to organize the dos and donts of civilization.
The human race obtain political culture from a activity known as political socialization. Even though the volume of political socialization transpires during our childhood, adults remain to be socialized. Uncle Sam, generally called the government engages a position in political socialization in a mixture of ways. It dictates the system, containing what books students may digest, for public and private schools. Uncle Sam also dictates the media, which has an enormous consequence in what we see and hear. Currently in the United States, transmitted televised programs cannot include profanity or pornography pictures. Also, Uncle Sam controls a specific amount of how many children shows, family shows, and reality shows can broadcast on the presentations per week. All in all, were learning that cursing is unacceptable and that family is an important piece of learning life and evidently political culture. However being dictatorial and undemocratic commands, Uncle Sam often takes active measures to include loyalty, especially in the younger groups of people. To social class to which each individual chooses shape’s ones views. When a major political event happens, it can shape an entire generation’s attitudes toward its nation and government which can sometimes not be a good thing.
Resources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pascal-vrticka/human-social-development_b_3921942.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pascal-vrticka/human-social-development_b_3921942.html
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Why Criminal?
Celeena Holt
Why do our young people want to commit crime? Do they even want to? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs illustrates why juveniles act out. It is a pyramid split into five sections, each with a list of factors that juveniles need. At the base of the pyramid is the “physiological needs” portion, meaning air, food, water, shelter, clothing, and sleep. Coach Edwards stated that kids will steal because their home situation does not provide food, water, or clothing. They steel to survive, not for fun. Kids in the system are most likely getting less than half of the physiological needs that are necessary to survive.
The next portion is labeled “safety and security”. This includes health, employment, property, family, and social stability. Youth in broken or poor families have no sense of safety or security. They will act mindlessly to gain this security, like carrying a gun or a knife on the street. They aren’t carrying that gun because it makes them feel cool, they are carrying it to feel safe from all of the other guns on the street.
The next level is “love and belonging”, which includes friendship, family, intimacy, and a sense of connection. This is a huge contributor to teen crime. In homes where a kid does not feel loved or appreciated is a home where delinquency originates. When a kid’s mom spends all of the welfare money on her next hit of cocaine, the kid gets left with nothing. This is when they join gangs on the street, or any gr
oup, so that they can have a sense of belonging. So that they can be noticed for once in their life.
The level above that is the “self-esteem” bracket. This includes confidence, achievement, and the respect of others. Honestly self-confidence it almost out of reach for a kid that falls into all of these other portions of Maslow’s pyramid. When we feel comfortable in our own skin we don’t feel the need to impress other people, or fear their judgement. Every kid with a low self-esteem is more likely to act out for an image, for friends, or even for an accomplishment they can call their own.
The tip of the pyramid is called “self-actualization”. This includes morality, creativity, spontaneity, and acceptance. Delinquents don’t have this portion at all. Each level builds on each other, and if a kid lacks in the beginning stages, he or she does not have a chance at the top of the pyramid.
It is sad to think that our youth act out because of basic needs and belonging. This is a huge lesson to every parent out there. A child will be ten times more successful if he or she has been taken care of with love. That doesn’t mean just with money, but to actually spend time with them and let them know that someone cares for them is what every child needs.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
http://www.2knowmyself.com/Why_do_people_commit_crime_psychology
Deviance, Crime and Social Control
Kiana Springfield x
Deviant behavior is a multi-faceted thing. It is simply when someone violates the social norm. That however is not so simple. It depends on many factors. Social norms differ from one society to another. Different cultures, social status, ages, upbringings and peer pressures have different impacts on deviant behaviors. How society responds to the act is what constitutes whether it is deviant or not.
There are sanctions the most societies enforce or use to enforce rules. There are positive sanctions and negative sanctions. A simple smile or a promotion can be a positive sanction to a behavior that will let the person know that what they did was good. Negative sanctions are ways of punishing people for going against social standards. This punishment is to let people know what is expected of them and what consequences there will be if they don’t conform to society’s rules. A prison sentence, parental grounding, speeding tickets, or any other kind of punishment is a negative sanction that must be enforced to have social restrictions. There are informal sanctions also. They are when someone does something that’s not real cool with society, such as not dressing properly for a formal ceremony. You will receive bad looks and maybe even be asked to leave if the dress code is not met. Formal sanctions are official ways of enforcing social norms, such as breaking some serious rule at school and getting kicked out.
We are all, to some extent, deviant. We break rules all the time, whether it is rules at school, rules at work, or rules at play. The same is true for crime. We all break laws at some time. Speeding, stealing small items from our work place or not wearing seat belts. However, there are extreme deviant behaviors. Along with it is rape, incest and child molestation. Why do we have so much of this deviant behavior? Sociologists think there are different theories. One is the strain theory. This is where society has acceptable means to achieve certain goals that society says are acceptable such as wealth. However, not all groups of people have equal access to the means to get these financial goals met. Because of this, they may turn to deviant behaviors to make it happen, like stealing. The strain of reaching this goal is just too much. Some will try as best they can to achieve the goals through the best way they can within social acceptable means. This is conforming to the rules. Others will use innovative means that are criminal or deviant to get the goals accomplished. Retreatists are in are individuals who reject both the cultural goals and the accepted ways of attaining those goals. They simply avoid both the goals and methods to attain them and turn to begging. Rebels not only reject both the established cultural goals and the accepted ways of reaching those goals, but they replace them with new goals and new methods of attaining them. Terrorists and groups like the Klan are examples of this.
The social disorganization theory believes that people who from up in poor, drug infested areas are more likely to be deviants or participate in criminal behaviors than those in wealthy neighborhoods with good schools and strong families. This is similar to the cultural deviance theory. This theory states that single parent homes and areas of high poverty have higher rates of juvenile violence. It is also shown in many tests that the elite of society that commit crimes are under-punished and is a huge monetary cost to society.
Differential association theory makes a lot of sense. The theory is based upon the idea that criminals commit crimes based upon their association with other people, especially those closest to them. One example is that of a man named Stithies Kirkpatrick. He was an 18 year old who had an awful home life. He witnessed his dad shooting a man when he was a small child. His mother was in and out of jail on drug charges. In 2010 he was sent to live with his aunt in Nebraska because he was too much for his mother to handle. He was in trouble constantly. There was no stability in his life. On January 21, 2011 he committed the most horrific, deviant crime. He lured a female friend of his out of her house at 3:00 in the morning, sexually assaulted her, stabbed her and set her on fire. She was only 14 years old. His childhood was full of deviant behavior, hence his life was too. He killed my cousin that day. Yes, he had a bad childhood, but he chose to go against societal norms and brutally kill a beautiful young girl with her whole life ahead of her. Her only deviant behavior that morning was leaving the house, which she was not to do after ten that night, to talk to an obviously mentally ill young man whom she thought was a friend and try to help him.
The court system, the police and prison system did the job that society expects of them. He will spend the rest of his life in prison without parole. He received the ultimate negative sanction.
www.people.vcu.edu/~jmahoney/deviance.htm#Contents
Sociology book pages 142-154
http://i31.servimg.com/u/f31/13/21/28/38/poa76k10.jpg
Social Deviances in Society
Rachel VanGulick x
Rebellion is defined as an act of violent or open resistance to an established government or ruler. A second definition of rebellion is an action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention. People sometimes wonder why we rebel, or why we conform. There are different theories in society that explain what rebellion is, and what conformity isn’t.
An American sociologist named Robert K. Merton developed what he called the “social strain theory”. The theory states that social structures may pressure citizens to commit crimes. Social structures can pressure people at the societal level to strain, or at an individual level. Either way, Merton clarifies the vagueness of social deviance including rebellion, innovation, conformity, ritualism, and retreatism.
Merton says that a person’s social deviance depends upon the motivations to reach specific goal, and that person’s belief in how to attain that goal. The first social deviance is conformity. Conformity involves the acceptance of the cultural goals and means of attaining those goals. For example, if a person agreed to follow the drinking age law, and then took correct actions to not drink underage, they have conformed. The second social deviance is innovation. Innovation involves the acceptance of the goals of a culture but the rejection of the traditional and legitimate means of attaining those goals. For example, a member of the Mafia values wealth but employs alternative means of attaining his wealth; in this example, the Mafia member's means would be deviant. A third social deviance is ritualism. Ritualism involves the rejection of cultural goals but the routinized acceptance of the means for achieving the goals. Another social deviance is called retreatism. Retreatism involves the rejection of both the cultural goals and the traditional means of achieving those goals. And finally, rebellion is a special case wherein the individual rejects both the cultural goals and traditional means of achieving them but actively attempts to replace both elements of the society with different goals and means.
I think that social deviance is necessary for new ideas, change, and equality. I also think that it causes chaos in society, when it turns into serious criminal offences. I wish that there was a happy medium where society accepted innovation more, but that people wouldn’t commit violent crimes.
Merton’s “social strain theory” illustrates the differences of social deviance. That some social deviance helps society, and some social deviance destroys it. That’s what makes us social creatures, and makes oursociety a living breathing social structure.
https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/deviance-social-control-and-crime-7/the-functionalist-perspective-on-deviance-62/strain-theory-how-social-values-produce-deviance-375-6183/
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rebellion
+ Horse Slaughter
Allyson Dorrell x
There has been and still is a significant amount of controversy regarding the practice of horse slaughter. Horses are an icon of the United States. Many people see horses as pets, companions, friends, and athletes. They do not want to see them slaughtered or killed for human consumption. For example, no one wants to eat a horse and be thinking about who this horse once belonged to, or whose friend he or she was at one point. That is why in this essay I will be touching base on the miss-information or information that has not been provided to the public about horse slaughter. The number of unwanted or abandoned horses in relation to public animal rescue facilities and how much it cost to care for these horses until they have found a new home, will be evaluated. Finally, discussion concerning the human consumption of horse meat, and how the wild horse lands and round ups effect horse slaughter will be detailed.
Many people do not understand that horse slaughter is a necessity to keeping the horse population down and at a manageable number. People’s arguments as to why horse slaughter is bad relates primarily to the fact that they see them as pets, friends, and companions. Horse are all of those things and much more. However, there is a huge gap between the horse population numbers, compared to the amount of horse owners and care takers, which is largely related to the cost of care for horses. For example in 2005, it was estimated that the total cost of caring for unwanted horses in rescue facilities or foster homes was $220 million. The number of unwanted or abandoned horses is due to many things, one being the breeders, people who do not understand that when you breed horses to reproduce that you can’t just look and the mom (mare) and the dad (stud) and say “well they look pretty lets breed them.” You have to take into consideration the conformation (bone structure) and many other genetic deices or abnormalities that could be passed on from the parents or relatives linage. In other words, people are breeding horses without doing their homework which results in unsound, deformed, or lame horses that cannot be used for riding, this results in them not being able to function and having to be put down. Knowledge is the key when it comes to controlling the horse population through breeding.
Human consumption of horse meat has been and will continue to be a heated disagreement here in the United States. Many people argue that there is money to be made in horse slaughter for human consumption, and in truth there is. However, many people agree that horses are pets, companions, friends, Olympic athletes and an icon for how our country came to be. I do not believe that this issue will be solved or go away any time soon. People feel very strongly that horses should not be slaughtered or humanely put down for no reason. The public is commonly miss-informed in many ways though about the numbers of unwanted horses and the cost of managing and caring for them.
Finally, wild horses are a major part of the United States and are magnificent icons of what the US looked like so many years ago. These horses ancestors helped build what the US is today and many people feel that the wild horses and the lands that have been designated for them should be left alone. The wild horse round ups happen every year and are happening more and more frequently however the majority of the public do not realize that the horses that are rounded up, if they are not sold they are sent to slaughter. Again over population without controlled breeding will continue to be an issue with wild horses and domestic.
Sources
http://www.naiaonline.org/uploads/WhitePapers/AWC_UnintendedConsequences_51.16.06.pdf
http://americansagainsthorseslaughter.com/uploads/AAHS-Horse-Slaughter-Truth-Deception.pdf
Walking in Another's Shoes
Rachel Browne x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Introduction to Sociology
16 November 2015
Junior year, for nearly all high school students, is undoubtedly tough. Forced to compile what little motivation the previous two years have left them with, students bear the harsh reality that they are only half way through the tempestuous adventure of high school. Although most all students experience this turbulent journey, my personal flight was pretty severe, as I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. This definitely proposed many rigid obstacles, all of which I conquered, but I certainly could not have done it without the compassion and consideration of my generous teachers. Throughout the course of my diagnoses accompanied several, undesired appointments and hospitalizations. Accordingly, my teachers allowed nearly all the time I felt necessary to complete the assignments I missed, constantly offering their undivided assistance. The moral of the story is that my teachers stepped into my shoes for a moment, experiencing my abhorrent adversity along with me, causing them to graciously provide the leniency my circumstance required.
Fortunately, my teachers emanated sympathy as they considered the view from my perspective. Many people in similar situations, however, are, unfortunately, not endowed with this generosity. In fact, in numerous circumstances, people’s perspectives are not even considered. For example, in today’s society, people tend to judge and categorize human beings based on race, gender, age, and other demographic variables, completely disregarding their feelings and situation, almost as if they exist as a supernatural entity. The mentality of said discriminators is fueled by the concept of regulating social divisions with the intention to reflect unequal positions of power within the society. These divided groups that are given less or more influence tend to mirror the culture’s political, economic, and cultural interests relevant at the specific time. The inequality that accompanies this separation prevails especially prominent; for instance, the individuals forced into the less powerful category must endure numerous consequences concerning their opportunities and outcomes in life, while those who are granted the fortuitous blessing of living as a “powerful” individual are bestowed with the proper, appropriate freedoms and opportunities that all should obtain.
These unfair circumstances prevail especially conspicuous among diverse racial and ethnic groups. In fact, the injustice that accompanies the discrimination of particular groups dates all the way back to America’s birth. The oppressive circumstances commenced as Christopher Columbus sailed to the eventual America, which was, at the time, inhabited by countless Native Americans. Unfortunately the inhabitants’ group traumatically decreased in number as white settlers and U.S. troops initiated a mass killing of the race, which scholars have sadly concluded amounted to genocide. A similar brutality existed, and admittedly, still does, amongst African Americans. History proves the obvious, cruel treatment that blacks encountered daily. The fact that they were sold and abused as slaves, attacked by white mobs, and even executed in the South clearly exhibits the complete ignorance and lack of compassion that most Americans manifested. In fact, African Americans were not the only subjects that these white groups targeted, as several immigrants and religious groups suffered similar mistreatment. Although the racism occurring in Germany throughout the 1930s and 1940s somewhat awakened Americans to their own evil conditions, it, by no means, annihilated the unrelenting prejudice happening; the ratification of the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery, did not even do that entirely.
Overall, discrimination has obviously endured throughout the history of time; people habitually judge and categorize people based on predetermined variables that should not even pertain to the their analysis. Instead, one must consider the perspective of the victim, rather than conforming to society’s acquired standards. It’s important to develop empathy for people, replacing whatever negative inquiry they have made with optimism and compassion. In the past, people referred to blacks and other victims as if they were not even human; thus, it has become absolutely crucial that people recognize that everyone is entitled to the same rights, and, similarly, endures several of the same hardships. Through all of the diversity amongst races, genders, ages, etc., people all strive for the same happiness, tranquility, and love. Therefore, instead of acknowledging that intuitive judgment, one should accept and recognize the similarities. All in all, people should channel the compassionate mentality my teachers exuded throughout the course of my diagnoses because they truly walked in my shoes and graciously accepted my situation.
Sources
http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2011/developing-empathy-walk-a-mile-in-someone’s-shoes/
https://new.edu/nodes/walking-in-another-s-shoes-understanding-diversity-in-race-gender-and-age
Skin Tones
By Tyriq Gunnels x
Scientist and other people believe that the first humans were on the darker side of skin color. Race is a huge division in the human species, if not the biggest division of humans. Imagine a world where race did not exist. Everyone was just the same color. The skin color is probably the first thing you notice when meeting a person. Diversity would be an issue but racism would probably not exist. Say you are an alien and you come down to planet Earth. You are an alien so you will not have any prejudice thoughts or anything like that. The world would be a much better place and a lot of things could be avoided. One of the main things that could have been avoided was racism and the whole civil rights movement. Your skin tone has nothing to do with the person that you are. It is just the way your body adapts to climates and the amount of pigment you have.
As early humans started to migrate to hotter environments. Where you live in the world also has a lot to do with the color of your skin. For example, if you live in a colder climate your skin will most likely be lighter than someone who lives in a hotter climate such as Africa. Human skin color can vary from almost ghostly to midnight black. The different skin color comes from the amount and type of a pigment called melanin found in the skin. Sweat glands and UV rays has a lot to do with the color of your skin. Just like many of your other traits your skin color is due to your genes. Sunlight is really dangerous to the skin and could cause skin cancer. People in the southern hemisphere are darker than people in the northern hemisphere of the world.
The social significance of differences in skin color varies across cultures and over time has resulted in discrimination and racism. For the most part, the evolution of lighter skin has followed different genetic paths in the Asian and European countries. As human beings populations began to move around the world, the task of trying to keep skin dark decreased proportionally to the distance north a population migrated, resulting in a range of skin tones within northern populations. Today’s lifestyles and modern technology have created a lot of mutations in people and people’s skin tones.
Even though racism has been said to have been over for years; still today in some parts of the world places prefer a certain color of skin. A person of darker skin is probably going to experience some racism in Brazil. In Brazil a person with lighter hair, skin, and eyes is said to be of higher ranking or social status. The amount of hair you have has a lot to do with your skin color. People who have darker skin tend to have less her on their bodies. At the end of the day your skin is an important part of you but it isn’t who you are. LOVE THE SKIN YOU ARE IN!!!!
http://scienceline.org/2012/02/the-skin-were-in/
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/genetics/skin-color
Cole Smith
http://www.dumblittleman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1-81.jpg
Walking a mile through a persons shoes is a frequently used quote. I believe that you shouldn’t judge a person before you truly learn who they are and how they were raised. I am frequently judge because of the people I hang out with but those people know nothing about my life and what I have gone through to this point in my life.
When we meet a person for the first time, we immediately put them into boxes, subconsciously, if we want it or not. The first impressions can have a long lasting effect on what we think about a person – until we really get to know them better. Often times, we don’t even think much about this process happening and allow our “intuition” guide us when forming an opinion about others. It is important that you realize that this is a natural process unfolding that unfortunately creates a lot of biases. In order to empathize with others, it’s crucial to set aside your biases and generalizations, in order to see behind the façade.
Before you judge someone, ask yourself if you know this person inside out and if you know what made them the person that they are today. If you can understand what they go through day after day, if you can relate to them and what it must feel like to be in their position, then you can form an opinion about them, without being biased. Notwithstanding, it should be noted that unless you really experienced the exact same situation as another person, with the same burdens, problems and suffers, you should ask yourself if you are in the proper position to judge or even criticize this person.
When you are in an exchange with someone and you want to know them as best as is possible, survey your own experience, which you are in possession of, for a circumstance that aligns with what you see the other person going through. Your own experience will only be an approximate match but you can at least come as close as possible.
Now here’s the critical part. The match you’re looking for is an emotional one. It’s not an intellectual or conceptual match. For example, let’s say that the circumstance is an car accident. It’s doesn’t really matter if it happened on ice, or at a cross walk, or on a crowded freeway. What matters is the emotional impact on other person. Why? Because each of us will have a different experience of the same set of facts, the same data points. One person may be enraged. Another becomes depressed. Another is terrified. That’s the specific part of their experience you need to relate to in order to walk in their shoes.
Being able to empathize means to be capable of identifying and understanding another person’s feelings, without experiencing them for yourself at that particular moment. It is the ability to literally experience the world from another person’s perspective; to walk in their shoes, to view life from their living conditions and to feel what it feels like to be that person. Surprisingly, the ability to empathize with others is relative to a person’s capacity to identify, feel and understand his own feelings and thereby being able to project one’s feelings onto others. This means in turn that it becomes complicated at times to understand what a person is undergoing, if you haven’t undergone it for yourself – or at least felt similar feelings. The outcome of this can be seen in our day-to-day lives; it’s relatively easy to laugh about someone who is not as tall as you, or to rant about “the lazy unemployed” when you have never been unemployed in your life, or grown up in riches. But once you experience for yourself what it feels like to be teased about your body height or the difficulty to find a job, your point of view might change drastically and also how you feel about those who are facing a similar situation.
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/walking-in-another-persons-shoes-calgary-connects-2053512.htm
http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2011/developing-empathy-walk-a-mile-in-someone%E2%80%99s-shoes/
Demi Briegel x
Have you ever had the feeling of another human being judging you because you didn’t know something that they knew? Before we can finish blinking our eyes, we’ve already decided whether we want to hire, date, hate, or make friends with a person we’re encountering for the first time. I know that I always hate taking my car to the mechanic or even going into a parts store to get something for my car, because I always feel as though I am being judge or laughed at because I am so lost and have no clue what I am talking about or what I may need.
I feel like we, as humans are the biggest critics to each other, we all think that just because we know how something works or what it is called or how to do it that everyone else around us should know how to do it too since it’s just common knowledge to us, but we all are different and all strive to be different from one another. We shouldn’t judge someone based on their knowledge because it doesn’t define them as a person and they may know something you don’t from past experiences and vice versa.
I have seen this first hand in the ER quite often and the nurses that work back in the ER are always so annoyed whenever someone calls in with a sick kid that might have a slight fever, or just something that is so simple to the nurses, because they have the knowledge they think that this patient is clueless and they of course can’t give them medical information over the phone so a trip to the ER is usually what they do. I feel like this is a perfect example of; not all humans are knowledgeable in the same field, which I feel is a good thing because it makes it so that we all need each other to make the world go round, the professionals who have spent four or more years in school to be a medical professional should know way more about what to do with a sick child, I don’t feel like they should be judging and being rude to a worried mother who has a sick child or a patient that comes with a non-emergent concern that is emergent to them since they are lacking medical experience.
Another example I see where judging can happen a lot is at school, we are all raised differently and learn different so I feel like just because someone sticks out they shouldn’t be judge maybe that is their norm. Nothing is worst whenever you are horrible at a subject and you get chosen by the teacher to explain how to solve the problem and you are totally clueless and most of the time you know that you are being judge. Did you know that about 40% of all students drop out of school because they don’t fit in with the other students? I feel like we all struggle at fitting in with each other and finding out who we really are that we don’t need to be judging each other along the way.
So next time when you go to judge someone stop and try to except them for being different and find out who they really are. You never know what judging can do to a person, it can turn them away from a business or may even have them turn away from having a good education.
Resources
http://dropoutprevention.org
http://www.psychologicalscience.org
Rasaan Cook x
Dr. Michael Thompson
Intro to Sociology
01 October 2015
I am a man. I have a face. I have two of almost everything; arms, hands, legs, feet, eyes, ears just like anybody else. Just as well as any human being. Although there are somethings people lack that they aren’t born with. Things like courage, love, integrity, responsibility, wisdom, but more importantly experience.
Many people go through life changing situations whether its family issues, friendships, or relationships. Nobody ever knows exactly what that person is going through or how they feel because they simply aren’t that other person. Starting from the time you were born, you may have been raised as a formula fed baby as another could’ve been raised as a breastfed baby. And it makes a complete difference of how you’re fed because it is to be believed that breast milk stimulates the brain and protects the body from chronic conditions, allergies and infections. All the way to our emotional mindset because heartbreaks, loneliness and solemn are just the beginning of the many to come terrible tales. Sadly people have to deal with losing loved ones whether it’s a family member or even a family pet. People still feel emotions because they’re like nerves, you don’t have a choice but to feel it . Emotions have a huge impact on the paths that we take because being a human being, we do not all think the same. Everyone handle things differently. So judging somebody for their actions wouldn’t be advised because of the simple fact that if it was you in their position or “in their shoes”, you wouldn’t want anybody judging you. Speaking on the topic of judgment comes with first impression. "You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" - Harper Lee whom wrote the tree time award winning novel To Kill A Mockingbird.
The first impressions can have a long lasting effect on what we think about a person until we really get to know them better. Before you judge someone, ask yourself if you know this person inside and out and if you know what made them the person that they are today. If you can understand what they go through day after day, if you can relate to them and what it must feel like to be in their position, then you can form an opinion about them, without being biased. In reality, we are all the same. No matter of our ethnical background, skin color or religious orientation we all are striving for happiness, peace and love. Also, each of us is trying to avoid sadness and suffering at best. Lyrically capable and highly reverent and intelligent MC that goes by the name of Logic completely understands that this world is evil and that it is full of people that are judgmental. As his slogan is “Peace, Love, and Positivity”, he understands that he conveys to his follower, listening audience as well as his fans that if you are finding ways to be judgmental you destroy the idea of peace, love, positivity all at once. So instead of being blinded by the differences that superficially separate you from another person, try to acknowledge the commonalities you share with this person. Try to feel some empathy for that person. Being able to empathize means to be capable of identifying and understanding another person’s feelings. Now take the time to think about those feelings. For you at that particular moment the ability to literally experience the world from another person’s perspective; to walk in their shoes, to view life from their living conditions and to feel what it feels like to be that person would only be the beginning of your steps to empathy.
*Resources*
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/breast_bottle_feeding.html
http://www.complex.com/music/2014/07/logic-discusses-frank-sinatra-positivity
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+ Walk a Mile in Someone's ShoesKatie Pelton
What do you really think walking a mile in someone’s shoes means? It does not mean physically putting on someone else’s shoes. What we are talking about here is taking your perspective on things and trying to put it in the other person’s perspective. Before you start to criticize someone try to get there side of the story. Being able to empathize means to be capable of identifying and understanding another person’s feelings, without experiencing them for yourself at that particular moment. It is the ability to literally experience the world from another person’s perspective; to walk in their shoes, to view life from their living conditions and to feel and identify what it is like to be that person.
For example, a middle school kid is not being very nice and gets sent to the principal’s office for something he or she said they didn’t do. What side are you going to take? You can’t just take a side. You have to understand and know both sides of the story to make the best judgment on what to do. Maybe this kid is acting out because of the lifestyle issues. Maybe the kid is not treated very well at home. This could make the kid think that he or she doesn’t have to treat others at school with any respect. “Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” (Ali Luke)
Humans spend most of the day thinking about the things we have to do. We really never stop and realize what it would be like if we had to walk in someone else’s shoes. Our days are all about us. But, what if for just 15 minutes a day you put on a pair of shoes belonging to someone who was brought unwillingly to this country by his parents before learning to speak the language? How do you think the choice that was made for him will affect how people treat him? What if you laced up the shoes of someone who has never been able to hear birds sing or the wind rustle leaves on a tree? Or more frighteningly the worn out boots of the person you just mumbled a slur against because they didn’t look like you?
Another aspect of empathy depends on its emotional intelligence. This kind of intelligence does not have to do with the mental skills or the intellectual ability to study emotion, but a lot more with actually experiencing emotions. A person experiences a variety of emotional states and feeling throughout their life. These occur from the victories won, happiness, and joys, to the depths of defeat, sadness and anxiety. This makes it significantly easier to understand the person’s feelings and emotions of what is going on. Some people are more emotional than others, which is not a bad thing. For instance some guys think if they show emotion they are not manly, while women show emotion all of the time. “Basically, it’s the mental projection into the emotional state of mind of another person, allowing you to identify their feelings” (Ali Luke)
I challenge you to take about 15 minutes out of your day and try to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, and really see what it is like to be them. You will experience what they see, hear, and feel and then maybe you will understand them more as a person. You never know, you might actually see why they act like they do. We are all human but we all have different shoes we walk in every day. So remember don’t judge someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.
Sources
(Steve Mueller) http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2011/developing-empathy-walk-a-mile-in-someone%E2%80%99s-shoes/
(Ali Luke) http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/07/how-to-walk-mile-in-someone-elses-shoes.html
+ Walking in Someone Else's Shoes
Maria Claassen
Have you ever sat and wonder what if would be like to walk in someone else shoes for a day? What would it be like? How you feel about that person? What kind of struggles would you have to face walking in their shoes? Most of the time we sit here and we are judging people because of how they look or how they act. In reality we don’t know what they are going through. I told people you sit there judging me walking in my shoes for once and see how you feel about that. People don’t realize when you they have no reason to be flustered. You feel like no one understands you until they have been through it with you. Sometimes we are able to empathy with people because maybe we have gone a similar situation but don’t all struggle that they are going through. We look at the person situation and figure out how we can help them. Most of the time we can relate somehow with someone on a different situation maybe not the exact. If you try to figure out what bothering them usually you can find the reason to what they are doing. Why are they acting a certain way? You will usually find out some answers. Sometime the person so closed off that they don’t want to talk about it. We just need to be there for them no matter what. Even if they never tell us what really going on inside of them. Most of the time body language or the look in their eyes usually give it away. It’s more of a puzzle to figure out a person and what their motivation for the behavior. I know from what I have learned no one has ever walked in my shoes. I know people who been adopted but they never gone through what I have. They might have gone through similar situation. One of my friends committed suicide because one of the reason is because he was bullied. I have been in that situation and yet no one was there for him when he need just a friend to have and to talk to. They will probably never walk in our shoes but I know that we can always be there for them. We don’t take the time to be there for people. It seems like it all about us. We need to stop thinking about ourselves and if someone struggling be there to help them. Get to know them most of the time you will realize they are a lot like you. Some people will never want our help but if we are there for them we can take the time for them. Then maybe eventually they will come around and ask for our help. When others are judging you. You don’t feel good about it because they think they know you but they don’t. We need to have a good support system who is going to help us along the way. They wouldn’t be able to walk in our shoes but they can know about the experience that we had to face and maybe if there a time they are going through something like that we can help them. Be a good friend to them because you don’t know when you will lose them. Maybe you will be a big part of their lives. Get to know the person, take the time and don’t judge till you know. Maybe they just need a person to talk to. “Don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.”
Sources
http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2011/developing-empathy-walk-a-mile-in-someone%E2%80%99s-shoes/
https://www.everydaysuccess.com/everyday-life/single/a-mile-in-their-shoes
http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/personal_experience/article/206412/To-Walk-A-Mile-In-Someone-Elses-Shoes/ by By FreakShow818, Longmont, CO
Alexis Andersen
11.17.15
Education
Education is one of the most important social institutions in the world because every other thing is connected back to it. It is where society learns, and understands what our own needs are. There are many definitions of education in the dictionary. One defines education as the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Another defines the term as the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills, as for a profession. Education is also known as a degree, level, or kind of schooling. The last definition is the result produced by instruction, training, or study. As we can see, there are many types of “education”. Our education differs greatly with the education of ancient civilizations.
Education is not a new concept, all though it has advanced in our times. But in ancient times there was education. Most education was only offered to boys, because it is a source of power, and women weren’t allowed. Also, much of the education was correlated with their religious beliefs and doctrine. The very first educations in the world belonged to the Egyptians. The humanities as well as such practical subjects as science, medicine, mathematics, and geometry were in the hands of the priests. Vocational skills relating to such fields as architecture, engineering, and sculpture were also taught. The next civilization to have an education was in the Middle East at Mesopotamia. As a civilization contemporary with Egyptian civilization, Mesopotamia developed education quite similar to that of its counterpart with respect to its purpose and training. Formal education was practical and aimed to train scribes and priests. It was extended from basic reading, writing, and religion to higher learning in law, medicine, and astrology. China was right there with the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, but their curriculum differed greatly. Chinese ancient formal education was distinguished by its markedly secular and moral character. Its paramount purpose was to develop a sense of moral sensitivity and duty toward people and the state. Even in the early civilizational stage, harmonious human relations, rituals, and music formed the curriculum.
The middle ages had more education than in ancient times. Greece and Rome had huge empires and education flourished. In Greece there were two different systems. The goal of education in Sparta, an authoritarian, military city-state, was to produce soldier-citizens. On the other hand, the goal of education in Athens, a democratic city-state, was to produce citizens trained in the arts of both peace and war. In Rome, they studied reading, writing, and counting. At age 12 or 13, the boys of the upper classes attended a "grammar" school where they learned Latin or Greek or both and studied grammar and literature. Grammar consisted of the study of declensions and conjugations and the analysis of verbal forms. Both Greek and Latin literature were studied.
The new world offered its own educations among the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas. The Maya, being a highly religious culture, regarded the priesthood as one of the most influential factors in the development of their society. The priest enjoyed high prestige by virtue of his extensive knowledge, literate skills, and religious and moral leadership, and high priests served as major advisers of the rulers and the nobility. The Aztecs, cultural preservation relied heavily upon oral transmission and rote memorization of important events, calendrical information, and religious knowledge. And the Incas focused on vocational education for common Incas and highly formalized training for the nobility.
As we can see, there was some form of education throughout history in the world. Why? Because people’s lives depend on it! Other social institutions surround education, but none can function without it.
http://www.britannica.com/topic/education
http://history-world.org/history_of_education.htm
Miranda Geist
11/16/15
Prison As a Social Institution
The purpose of the prison system in the United States is to serve as a safeguard to the public. Prison sentences are supposed to punish offenders and create a safe atmosphere for society. It makes sense to punish a criminal in hopes of changing their mind about committing crime in the future, but does prison do this effectively? Many people think the prison system is effective, while others disagree, but when both arguments are taken into consideration, it allows us to decide what stance we will take concerning the punishment of those who cross the boundaries of their civil rights.
The first stance on criminal punishment regards prison as a worthwhile expenditure of funds. Many people claim that it is plausible to spend the amount of money needed to cage these animals. A portion of society says criminals can be dangerous and deserve to be put in a cell for the things they have done. Also, the same amount of money, if not more, would be spent on alternative forms of punishment, and the prison facilities already built would be for nothing if we did away with them.
People that promote the prison system also argue that the facilities keep our society safe. Common sense tells us that if we lock up dangerous people, we are safer. Not only do advocates say this is true, but they have statistics to prove it. From 1980 to 1986 the incarceration rate more than doubled, and the crime rate went down 31 percent. Another study showed that when the incarceration rate skyrocketed in 1990, the robbery and burglary rates dropped 25 percent. These studies convince many that incarcerating criminals does in fact work by removing them from the streets, so they can no longer afflict society for the length of their sentence.
Switching to the second stance on the issue, critics claim that prisons are an ineffective form of punishment. In the article, “The Prison System Does Not Work”, by William H. Rentschler, the testimonies are against prison. Rentschler states, “To cage a human being represents a cost of $12-30,000 per prisoner each year from tight state and federal budgets”. From this statement, the public can infer that there is entirely too much money being delivered into the prison system. Taking into consideration the number of prisoners in our nation, we know that millions and millions of dollars are being spent each year because prison crowding is a reality, and we are always building more facilities to house a steady influx of criminals. People that are against the system believe that their tax money should be used towards cheaper, alternative ways to punish criminals.
Prisons are a social institution for criminals. Is it more taxing on society to keep them running with money, or do they do society good? The argument comes down to whether you are worried more about money or safety.
http://seankerrigan.com/five-stunning-facts-about-americas-prison-system-you-havent-heard/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-mcelwee/incarceration-america_b_3528901.html
Ashley Witt x
11/11/15
Types of Health Care
Health care is one of those things that has evolved so much over the years. The amount of knowledge we now know is just incredible. Looking now at everything the health care field can offer their patients and community is just amazing. They are now able to better serve those around us in need of specialized care with a wide range of services. There are many ways health care today can serve you. They offer many different options and types of health care. Some of which are involved in primary care, others involve nursing care, outpatient and inpatient care, medical rescue services, emergency care, as well as specialty care. They also offer a few other services such as work related medical services, dispensary care, spa therapy / rehabilitation, preventative care, as well providing medical devices for patient use.
Primary care is a term used to describe cares involving checkups and minor health care concerns with a primary care provider. They have many different kinds of practitioners under this type of care who can specialize in things like family practice, women’s health, pediatrics, as well as prenatal care. Nursing care is another type of care offered to patients. Nurses assist the doctors and look over the patients. They can administer medications while you’re in the hospital and perform certain procedures per doctors’ orders.
Speaking of being in the hospital, did you know that there are some patients who can come into the hospital for outpatient care rather than being an inpatient? Outpatient care is different than inpatient care. Outpatient care allows patients to get their treatment in a medical facility without having to be admitted to the hospital, where as inpatient care means you are admitted. Outpatient care is different than primary care in the sense that most often you are first seen by your primary care provider who will then refer you to this service.
Something most of us try not to think too much about is the medical rescue and emergency care services that are available to us when we need them. Medical rescue services include your EMT’s and other trained professionals. They are there to provide pre-hospitalization and emergency care to those individuals who may be severely injured. They provide patients with immediate care until they are able to reach the emergency room where the staff there will have more available to them and equipped to provide the best care possible.
If these aren’t enough, there is one other type of health care known as specialty care. This is where patients can be referred by their primary care provider to see a specialized care provider when they feel the need. You don’t have to have a referral to see one of these specialists though. You can always make your own appointment with one them without any kind of referral. The wide range of specialists available to you are as follows: Cardiologist, Dermatologist, Endocrinologist, Hematologist, Immunologist, Neurologist, Nephrologist, General surgeon, Gastroenterologist, Oncologist, Ophthalmologist, Orthopedist, Psychiatrist, Physical therapist, Pulmonologist, Radiologist, and Urologist. These specialists focus on many different disorders of the heart, lungs, blood, kidneys, urinary tract, immune system, bones, ligaments, mental, emotional, as well as physical disorders; all the way to things like treating cancer or things requiring surgeries.
It’s sometimes hard to believe that we have all of this at our fingertips for our use. It’s an amazing thing that we have this wonderful luxury of having all of this available to us, because we all know that some countries aren’t as lucky as ours when it comes to all of our accomplishments in the health care field. It is something to be very grateful for to continue to support in our communities, because it is a vital part of any community; small or large.
Sources
http://www.garretsongroup.com/claimant-education/different-types-healthcare-plans
http://darkmatter2bd.com/what-are-the-different-types-healthcare-providers/
http://www.mzcr.cz/Cizinci/obsah/types-of-healthcare-delivery-services_2660_23.html
Micah Baehler
+Family
In today’s society, family can mean many different things to different individuals. Some may view family has blood relatives, close friends, or the people that accept them for who they are. These families can consist of many different variations; some may have two parents, while others have only one parent. Today’s generation faces different challenges than previous generations, which results in different views on what is socially acceptable to be called a family.
According to the textbook, a family is a socially recognized group of individuals who may be joined by blood, marriage, or adoption and who form an emotional connection and an economic unit of society. Family is a central part of all of our lives. There are many different variations of family. Some may view family, in only the traditional view of having two parents and one or more child(ren), also know as a nuclear family. Although it is becoming more common to see children being raised by either single parents, or extended family such as grandparents in today’s society. While others view their family, as close friends because they either have no family or they do not have a close bond with them. Those who are adopted can form a bond with their adopted family and their blood relatives. There are also families that are non-traditional, such as families with two mothers or two fathers.
When a group of people become close and rely on each other, they form a special bond. Soldiers form this special bond, because they entrust their lives to others. Many people have more than one family. For example, some may have a close bond with their family, but when they go away to college they form another bond with their friends and roommates. These close relationships help form an individual’s ideals for a family when they settle down. With changing lifestyles, family types have changed, but in the end they all offer the same love, security, and companionship.
This generation faces many different challenges, than previous generations. These differences affect how today’s society view marriage and family. The younger generation today views education as a higher priority, than getting married and settling down. This delay in starting a family makes parents older, which can affect their views on raising a child. Being a single parent is found to be more common in today’s society. There are numerous circumstances that result in being a single parent; a product of a divorce, widowed, or never married. Being a single parent is not impossible, but it is a challenge. There is also a difference in the acceptance in having a child outside of marriage. In today’s society is it more accepted than in the past. It is more common to not get married, just because of an unexpected pregnancy. It is possible to have a family without the parents being married.
There are many different variations of families, but in the end they all serve a purpose in our lives. They are the support system and love, which each individual needs. In today’s society it is acceptable to have a family that is not the traditional mother, father family dynamic.
http://cnx.org/contents/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d@3.51:63/What-Is-Marriage-What-Is-a-Fam
http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/understanding-family-structures-and-dynamics-ga.htm
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Family
Human Dependency
Rachel VanGulick
Human instinct is to follow. We follow our parents, teachers, leaders, friends, coaches, and other family members. We follow social patterns such as trends, fads, and styles. We follow the media and try and make ourselves what it portrays is “normal”. We follow our religions and our traditions. We create our own image by who we follow.
Humans are labeled dependent when we depend on our parents. As babies we are very dependent, as we couldn’t take care of ourselves. But we slowly grow more and more independent the older we get. At a certain age we consider ourselves dependent, choosing our own life, own career, own people to associate with, own place to live. But the truth is, even though it seems like we are independent we still depend on others. We will always be sheep in this society, following each other, and getting the things we need from each other. As adults we depend on our lawyers, bankers, doctors, farmers, mechanics, construction workers, and many more people so that we are able to live.
It is rare to see people, in this day and age, live completely independent of society. There are some who live in the remote areas of the world who do not depend on anyone else to live. But like I said it is rare. Our society is a spider web of dependency. It is scary to think about, but it is also really cool that we can trust each other, and trust each other’s work in their career.
The following instinct we possess can be silly or tragic as well. The old "Candid Camera" show illustrated people getting on an elevator and turning backward just because everyone else did, and everyone laughed. Everyone laughed again during the movie "Mean Girls," when an act of teenage revenge, cutting nasty Queen Bee Regina's T-shirt during gym class — an act meant to insult her — became a school fashion trend instead. It turns out the joke is on us. These two examples illustrate something that we humans don't like to admit about ourselves: We follow the pack. Like birds in a flock or sheep in a pasture, we follow — sometimes at our own peril.
Humans never stop following each other because we depend on each other. By following certain friends, family, religion, or the crowd, it provides us "protection", of some sort. Most people can get this protection the good way, some do not. Gang members are an example of followers who need protection, an image, and a living, but fall short of reaching the glorious web of society. But they still have that natural instinct to follow.
The natural instinct to follow can get us into trouble if we aren’t careful with it. It can also bring us a world of peace and joy and comfort. It depends on what types of things we follow. Humans are sheep, and even though some are smarter than others does not mean that we don’t all have the natural instinct to follow and depend on each other.
http://www.jknirp.com/mello4.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Health/story?id=1495038
Creating a Movement
By Tanner Harvey x
When we think about the word movement, what images come to mind? The US civil rights march on Washington, that ended with Martin Luther King, Jr. giving his “I have a dream…” speech; Germans from east and west climbing up and pulling down the Berlin wall; Gandhi, in his white robes, marching with hundreds of thousands of working class people across India; Nelson Mandela speaking to hundreds of thousands after his release from imprisonment on Robben Island.
But movements aren’t just about marches and speeches and breaking unjust laws (though those are all important). They’re also about building trust, leaders, and sustainable organizations that can win the solutions we want. The raw materials of movements are campaigns, leadership, trust, and a certain sense of moral solidarity. The focus of a movement is solving a deep-rooted cultural problem. Movement-building requires three big pieces:
1. Organizing for big change – we’re talking transformational change, not just winning a single campaign.
2. Bringing new people on board – Our first instinct when organizing is to first start with people we know. To bring new and diverse people on board, we must take a step further and engage in deep listening and collaboration with other people and organizations.
3. Ensuring a sustainable movement through trust, commitment and leadership – Movements that succeed are ones that last years. Building trust, commitment–and especially leadership–from the ground up, is critical.
Ignite a movement by creating an experience that people are drawn toward, have an emotional connection to, and are passionate about. And often, a company’s ability to do that successfully is set long before the ink has dried on the original business plan. It comes down to the company’s DNA, the people who support it, and how well they tell their story.
So, how do you get this combination right for that next breakthrough idea and the team and customers that will support it?
Enjoyment is more important than access. We’ve moved from a world of products and services based on enabling access to information to one in which the most successful companies are those that offer delightful, engaging experiences… There’s more to creating a movement than identifying a problem and building a product to solve it. Specifically, it’s about knowing your story and communicating your value in the market in a powerful way.
Tell a unique and ‘ownable’ story. It’s not enough to create a product that’s incrementally better than what existed before and expect it to steamroll incumbents. Igniting a movement is about delivering an entirely new experience that’s so novel that it becomes contagious. A great product just isn’t enough.
Live what you preach. To build a movement, it can’t be about chasing dollars and business cards. Instead, it must be about engaging and establishing a genuine connection with your audience every chance you’re given. And if you’re successful at that, revenues and big followings, often result.
The human element. Founders must place a great deal of importance on getting the right people in the door. As Derek Sivers said onstage at TED, "The first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader." And while many job descriptions have ‘checklist’ requirements that must be met, what’s more important is hiring passionate people who love what they do, connect with the people around them and truly believe in the impact they have on the world. The intangibles—and identifying those ‘it’ factors—make the magic happen.
Paul van Seeters and Paul James define a social movement as “a form of political association between persons who have at least a minimal sense of themselves as connected to others in common purpose and who come together across an extended period of time to effect social change in the name of that purpose.”
When you engage the right people with the right message, and give them a reason to bring your story into theirs, you are on your way to creating the movement.
Sources:
http://createthemovement.com/
http://workshops.350.org/toolkit/movement/
http://www.ipra.org/itl/09/2014/how-to-start-a-movement-creating-campaigns-that-change-behaviour-and-influence-public-policy
http://www.fastcompany.com/3005404/building-brand-no-longer-enough-you-must-create-movement
Kiana Springfield
Mr. Thompson
Sociology
Walking in Another’s Shoes
https://mindfullthinkingblog.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/walk-in-another-persons-shoes/
We’ve all heard the saying, “Walk a while in my shoes; see what I see; hear what I hear; feel what I feel; then maybe you will understand why I am the way I am.” Another is “Until you have walked a mile in my shoes don’t judge me.”
We might think this would apply to perhaps kids being bullied at school, drug users, prostitutes or any number of other groups that are treated badly. Any minority group would probably feel this way at some time in their life, because of their race, ethnicity, or other prejudices.
Race is the physical differences that a certain society would think are significant, and ethnicity is a word used to describe a shared culture, such as language, religion or traditions. A minority group is a group that is inferior or that lacks power in society without regard to their skin color or ethnicity. It is a group that is not the dominant group, but one that is thought of being less than the so called dominant one.
A good example of a dominant group is the white population. They have many privileges that other groups don’t. However, the black community has affirmative action that has tried to get them on the same playing field as the whites. This has not been as successful as they had hoped. The Black-white group relationship is the most problematic relationship in America. There has been a view held that blacks are naturally inferior. This started with the slavery era and true equality still does not exist today. There is still strong inequality between blacks and whites in America, especially in unemployment, housing, health and education.
The ever growing Hispanic group is another that is considered a minority. The main issue today that causes strike between the Hispanic group and the white population is the illegal immigrants. Another group that experiences stereotyping and prejudices is the Arab Americans. With the events of 9-11, a deep hurt, anger and hatred was left on many Americans, which in turn has brought about prejudices towards that group.
I personally think we tend to label certain groups of people as “races”, when in actuality; there is only one race, the human race. I am from Irish and Italian ancestors, but they were all just human. All human beings in the world today are classified as Homo sapiens according to Ken Hamm in his article “Are There Really Different Races?” He says that scientists today admit that there is only one race and that is the human race. ABC News said that scientists believe that “race” is more cultural than racial. We should call the differences people groups, not races. The so called racial differences in people are so trivial that it is in the range of about 0.1 percent. In Hamm’s article, he states that “there is more variation within any group than there is between one group and another.” It’s pretty simple; the differences are because of our DNA and melanin. Melanin determines our skin, hair and eye color and DNA controls the basic shape of our eyes. We are all descended from one man and one woman, period.
Because racism is so much a part of our everyday lives including where we live, go to school, our job, who we interact with, and our treatment in the justice and healthcare systems, we just assume there is such a thing as race. We have been told lies for a very long time. We have been told that “race” is related to intelligence, birth rates, crime, work ethic, life span and brain size. We have been told that some “races” are better than others. Robert Wald Sussman in his article “There Is No Such Thing as Race” affirms what Hamm says by stating “given current scientific data, biological races do not exist among modern humans today, and they have never existed in the past.” Even though races do not exist, racism still does. Human “races” are real in our culture, not our biology. Race and racism, discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes still exist simply and unfortunately because it has been deeply rooted in our history and we haven’t been told any different.
I am so thankful that my family is a mixture of white, black, brown(Hispanic) humans. We are a human family with different hair color, eye color, skin color, but one thing is the same among each of us and that is we are all human and we all love each other deeply. I wish our country and our world would see things this same way.
Resources:
Sociology Book pages 232-249
Ham, Ken. "Are There Really Different Races?" Nov. 29, 2007.
https://answersingenesis.org/racism/are-there-really-different-races/
Sussman,Robert. "There Is Really No Such Thing as Race." Nov. 8, 2014.
http://newsweeek.com/there-no-such-thing-race-283123