CRASH

1. In the movie Crash, Matt Dillon was a cop that was racist. His racism was used during his job and throughout his life he judged people. When he was on duty with his partner, he pulled over a African American couple. The couple was told to get out of the car, Dillon knew he had an advantage since he was a cop and he was white, he did a search on the wife that crossed the line. Cameron (the husband) didn't do anything to stop the cop from doing the search on his wife. Dillon took advantage of this situation. Another time was when Dillon needed help with his father, he called for medication and judged the woman by her name and her race. The woman didn't take his racial comments, he was told that if he wanted medications he shouldn't treat her like that. Sandra Bullock was another racist white in the movie. Compared to Dillon they are about the same, Sandra didn't trust that a Mexican was changing her locks to her home. She was scared that since she had a gun held to her head and her car with stolen that the man changing her locks would give the keys to his "homies".

2. When the man and daughter were buying a gun for their store, the man who was selling the drugs made stereotypical comments saying that they might be terrorists and such. The father didn't appreciate the comments and went off on the man selling the guns. It made the father and daughter upset that people would judge them by their looks and assume that they were terrorists. Another situation was with the Mexican Locksmith, how again... Sandra Bullock assumed that he would change the locks and give the keys to his friends.

3. There are still many racist people in this country, I don't think it will ever stop because they have their own beliefs and you cant really force to change others beliefs. But, I believe that they can change their own believes and eventually there will be less people who will be racist. Matt Dillon was still racist but deffinatley changed his mind a little and was less racist when he decided to save the woman from the car even though she was African American.

4. Stereotypes are basically judgements/beliefs others have on certain people. Most of the times stereotypes can be started kind of like rumors and others just believe them or maybe they are told by family members and pass down stereotypes for the children to know about. For example, people stereotype that if your from Pakistan or somewhere in the middle east that you are automatically a terrorist. The father and daughter who owned the shop were judged by their looks and were called terrorists.

5. I dont think that racism is natural. I think its based on your surroundings. Like if you parents are racist they might teach you to be racist too by telling you certain things.

6. I think race is learned by your surroundings you learn about different colors and ethnicities of people, also throughout history you hear about whites and African Americans. People hear messages through movies and families and they pick it up and start stereotypes.

7. I think might be possible but i think it would be hard to get people to change their beliefs on things. Eventually maybe it may die down but its always going to be around.

Final Blog; Wealth

Throughout the past few weeks we watched a video called "People Like Us", we played Real Life Monopoly, and coin toss. While playing Real Life Monopoly, all players were put into real life situations. We all started with different amounts of money and were in put into different classes. For the rich, they had it easy, they had the most money and had an easier time than the lower class. For the lower class they had less money and it was harder for them to get through the game. Throughout the game there would be situations thrown in to make the game harder such as credit cards and divorces. During coin toss, we all started with 5 pennies and had to bet on the coin landing heads or tails. The more coins the more you could bet, whereas if you had less coins it was harder to bet more because there was a 50/50 chance you could win or loose. At then end of it all... the upper class had an easier time managing their money then the lower class. Being wealthy comes with some privleges such as better education, more leighway (bailing out of jail), and being able to socially network with other wealthy people. Being wealthy means your children will have good education, they will be taught well compared to kids in the middle and lower class. Also, when it comes to jail, since upper class have more money it is easier for them to get out of jail rather than lower class it is harder because they dont have as much money to bail like the wealthy do. Socially networking with others is a privlege because it is easier for things to happen more quick. For example, if you wanted to open a resturant, the process would be more quick.

-"What a man is depends on his character; but what he does, and what
we think of what he does, depends on his circumstances. The characteristics that
ruin a man in one class made him eminent in another." I believe that what Shaw is saying is that many people judge others. I think that he is trying to say that people base their opinions on people by their environment and class. Someone could be doing something totally normal from their point of view but to others in a different class or environment it could mean completely different. His quote basically is saying that what a person does and what we think a person does is based on their environment. Its like a person judging someone because of how they look and where they come from... this is what they are probably going to do or end up like. For example, in a situation such as furnishing a home... a upper class wealthy family may hire someone to decorate and furnish their home for them, willing to spend as much money as long as their home is decorated nicely. Where as a lower class family will probably just buy their own furniture and wont care as much about the look of their home.

Deviance

Is punishable deviance a societal construct? Yes. The term deviance means people who go against the norms of society, these norms can either be positive or negative. Deviant behavior could vary and an example would be someone doing something out of an act of kindness, like paying for a strangers toll or paying for the woman's coffee who is behind you. In the US we send people to jail or to court for punishable deviance. During class last week we watched the episode of "30 Days". During this episode Morgan goes to jail for 30 days to experience what happens. When people go to jail they do something against society's norms and rules/laws that sends them to jail. In the episode of "30 Days In Jail" they showed many people who have been constantly sent back to jail for continuing these negative acts. Some of the men in the jail said they were going to change and once they got out that they were not going back, but in fact the men continued to do bad things and ended up back in jail anyways. One of the guys was a drug addict and he went to rehab to become clean, he got out of jail and he said he wanted to change, he ended up back in jail for stealing. Societal construct can be punishable. People make their own choices to change, its a matter of if they are committed enough to change or not.

Socialization/Adolescence Reflection. 2nd Six Weeks :)

1. Clothing, my future, and activities I enjoy are a mix of both Nature and Nurture. I believe that most of the things are more towards the nurture because all around me there are things events happening throughout my life and people who influence me as I grow. I can say that my love of style and clothing comes from both my parents but, over the years, Nurture, such as magazines and trends from celebrities... the latest "in styles" has influenced me as well. My future and hobbies are also balanced by both Nature and Nurture. My profession is more based on Nurture as well as things such as shopping and spending time with my family and friends are more Nurture but include a little bit of Nature. I think overall, most of the things are more leaning towards the Nurture side, everyday my I learn and grow from my surroundings.

2. Adolescent social status power is so important to most adolescents because its all about being known, being popular, or fitting in. Status Power is experienced by teenagers everyday of their lives, this is what many teens live by. Teens/adolescents live by this status until their adult years when they realize, social status isn't important. Fitting in school is something many students want to have, in many schools there are group labels. The more popular you are the more status more, the less popular the less power. Status power is taken seriously to some, some think "once a loser always a loser", if being called a loser that's what that person lives by unless they are told otherwise. People can change their attitudes towards others but shouldn't have to change their entire personality to fit in. By changing your whole personality to fit in would be like being someone who you aren't, lying to yourself and others in some sort. Status power is the way teens look at themselves and how they fit in with others.

3. The socialization process is a bit the same but I find that it is more important to kids these days. There are many concerns to kids these days, one way is fitting in. Kids want to fit in, be a popular, anything but being the "loser". Kids who care about this, their lives basically surround it, its what their social life is made of.

4. Three main examples that I can think of that are of gender differences in socialization would be sports, clothing, and toys that are more gender based. Toys such as barbies and dolls only being for girls and cars and action figures only being for boys. The society has lived upon a stereotype of gender based things. That a boy can only do this and a girl can only do that kind of thing. These examples are conforming to America's "norm" and view on things. I know that one time when I was younger, I wanted to play catch with my brother and his friends and he told me that I couldn't because it was a "boys" only game. Growing up with my brother and his friends I was discluded from doing things because I wasn't a boy. Society is constantly basing things on gender and it deffiantly has and impact on things.

Adolescence

Adolescence is a young person who hasnt fully matured yet, usually refered towards teenagers. Our society treats teens this way because we are younger and still dont understand as much as we would when we are fully matured adults. We are still sometimes treated like babies since we havent fully developed our maturity. We have yet to experience things and we learn more and more about things as each day passes.

Status Power is experienced by teenagers everyday of their lives, this is what many teens live by. Fitting in school is something many students want to have, in many schools there are group labels. The more popular you are the more status more, the less popular the less power. For example, in the tv comedy show "Freaks and Geeks", there are two main groups: the Freaks and the Geeks. Both groups obviously arent the populars of the school but the Freaks have more status power then the Geeks due to age as well. Teenagers care about status power because it is something they have to deal with for the rest of their school years. In some cases, situations like these impact the development throughout adult years. Status power is taken seriously to some, some think "once a loser always a loser" but technically, it doesnt always have to be like that. People can change their attitudes towards others but shouldnt have to change their entire personality to fit in. By changing your whole personality to fit in would be like being someone who you arent, lying to yourself and others in some sort. Status power is the way teens look at themselves and how they fit in with others.

Socialization

My family and friends have had a big influence on me throughout my life so far and will continue to have an impact on me later on in life. They are the main two groups who play a main role of who made me who I am today. There are many ways that I am like my family. I am similar with them in traits, personality and such. My whole family is very friendly and enjoys meeting new people and socializing so i guess thats where I get those three from. As far as my friends, I could go on forever about them. With my long time friends (my best friends) we are soo similar in soo many ways. We like to have fun, go out, tend to be loud, laugh a lot, etc. My parents say my personality is somewhat unique. They first realized when i could first start talking. (haha) They said that i was so talkative and that i was always friendly and going off (when I could walk) being friendly with others who i didnt know. They said sometimes they got worried that someone would kidnap me because they thought i was too friendly to strangers! but besides that point my parents thought since i was little to this day that I like to meet new people and am somewhat outgoing and a socializer.

Some things i wouldnt want to be like would be being very short tempered. ive noticed that ive begun to develop that, my moms side is very short tempered but yet very layed back... kind of how i am too, their tempers just depend on the situation but thats something that i wouldnt want to get to me so early in life, being constantly short tempered.
Both my family and friends are the major parts of the puzzle to my life, like i said they are apart of me and what makes me, me. These people are so important in my life, without them i wouldnt be the person i am today. Yes its very cliche, but its the truth. Theyve taught me so much about life and ive learned along the way by things theyve told me. They are very supportive in anything i do and are always positive about my decisions. i know that no matter what they will always stand by my side and be there for me. They make me very happy and i dont know what i would do without them! They literally are apart of me.