As I go through everyday life, I now realize how sociology is really tied to my life. Anywhere from my social class, to my family and relationships, I relate sociology to everything I do.
As C.W. Mills once said, "We're blaming society, yet we are society. So to make it a better place, we must change ourselves first."
After my sociology class, I am now taking the things I learned and putting them towards society to make myself a better member.
Friday, May 6, 2016
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
College in Reality
As college and picking out the perfect school comes around, I am learning so many new things. When I was younger, I had thought that you could go to school anywhere in the country and there were no set backs keeping you from this. As I am coming to realize, your educational future solely depends on your social class.
Freshman year it had finally come to me that someone who is relying on welfare and is an average student, will not have the opportunity to go to a big name university because of the cost. It is unfair because not everyone has the same opportunities. Yet, on the other hand, someone who was born into a upper class family, will have all the opportunities to go to any college of their choice just because, well, they can definitely afford it.
Education should not be based on how much money you have, but how successful and determined you are going to be in the future. Just because I am in the middle class in society, I do not have as many opportunities to receive the best education after my final high school days are over.
Do do feel as if your post high school education is solely based on money?
Freshman year it had finally come to me that someone who is relying on welfare and is an average student, will not have the opportunity to go to a big name university because of the cost. It is unfair because not everyone has the same opportunities. Yet, on the other hand, someone who was born into a upper class family, will have all the opportunities to go to any college of their choice just because, well, they can definitely afford it.
Education should not be based on how much money you have, but how successful and determined you are going to be in the future. Just because I am in the middle class in society, I do not have as many opportunities to receive the best education after my final high school days are over.
Do do feel as if your post high school education is solely based on money?
Monday, March 14, 2016
Positive Acts of Deviance
As many people think, deviance is a negative term. Yet in some cases, there is actually the concept of positive deviance. The concept of positive deviance is an approach to behavioral and social change based on the observation in communities where peoples unsuccessful behaviors enable them to find better solutions. When people get mugged, they usually get something taken from them and run. But in Julio's case. he reacted positively instead of negatively. As Julio says, "I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world." You treat people the way you want to be treated and in the end it leaves a positive remark.
I work at a small ice cream parlor called White Cottage. All the time do I see costumers voluntarily paying for other customer's food. After the multiple times I have seen it happen, I realized it was my turn. As my coworker got to work, she was complaining about how hungry she was. My coworker goes to school full time and plays softball in the college level as well. I decided since she works so hard, I can do her a small favor. I bought her a cheeseburger and an order of French fries. My positive deviance was a random act of kindness, and I did it without being forced too.
After I had done this gesture for my coworker, I did not think much of it. My manager including my coworker said how nice that was of me. I had realized one small gesture can make someone's whole day. Also after doing this act of kindness, it made me feel like a positive person in society. It makes me feel great knowing I have the ability to make someone really happy. This experience has showed me that our society and culture is not kind at all. If just once a day someone would partake in a small act of kindness, people in this society would be much happier. Also, these acts of kindness would not be as surprising if people did them on a daily basis.
I work at a small ice cream parlor called White Cottage. All the time do I see costumers voluntarily paying for other customer's food. After the multiple times I have seen it happen, I realized it was my turn. As my coworker got to work, she was complaining about how hungry she was. My coworker goes to school full time and plays softball in the college level as well. I decided since she works so hard, I can do her a small favor. I bought her a cheeseburger and an order of French fries. My positive deviance was a random act of kindness, and I did it without being forced too.
After I had done this gesture for my coworker, I did not think much of it. My manager including my coworker said how nice that was of me. I had realized one small gesture can make someone's whole day. Also after doing this act of kindness, it made me feel like a positive person in society. It makes me feel great knowing I have the ability to make someone really happy. This experience has showed me that our society and culture is not kind at all. If just once a day someone would partake in a small act of kindness, people in this society would be much happier. Also, these acts of kindness would not be as surprising if people did them on a daily basis.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Are We All Criminals?
When we were in elementary school, we referred to the criminals as "bad guys". As I was watching the nightly local news a week ago, I saw a familiar face. From that moment on I had realized we are deviants, even the not so innocent people I used to go to school with. My former book buddy in the first grade, is now a convict in the local prison. The high crime rate in society has influenced my peers to become deviants. My former friend and now convict, had no self control and felt the need to obstruct a police officer. The lack of self control in our society is the start of the deviant acts being tolerated and performed in society today.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Outside The Classroom
As I was reading through the daily stories on my "News" app, I happened to come across an interesting story that has touched the headlines. As many people know, teachers will go to many extremes for students to learn the material throughly and effectively.
In Michigan, a professor is using desocialization and is assigning his sociology students to stay in the St. Louis Correctional Facility every Tuesday night to learn racism, social change, and even psychology. The professor believes this is first hand experience to teach the students how difficult desocialization can be. This project is to insure that we are keeping up with the education system in prisons. As with the students, they are having a new setting to learn desocialization and prison. I feel as if this is a great way to introduce a new learning environment besides just the average classroom setting. If almost every major or class could have an experience like this, the students would be more motivated and want to learn the material.
In Michigan, a professor is using desocialization and is assigning his sociology students to stay in the St. Louis Correctional Facility every Tuesday night to learn racism, social change, and even psychology. The professor believes this is first hand experience to teach the students how difficult desocialization can be. This project is to insure that we are keeping up with the education system in prisons. As with the students, they are having a new setting to learn desocialization and prison. I feel as if this is a great way to introduce a new learning environment besides just the average classroom setting. If almost every major or class could have an experience like this, the students would be more motivated and want to learn the material.
Friday, February 19, 2016
The Real Mexico
When many families go on vacation, they visit for the all inclusive offers and the time to relax. During the summer of 2010 when my family and I visited Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, we wanted to adventure out and take in more than just the beautiful beaches.
On a sunny day in the big city, we took a taxi to experience the real side of Puerto Vallarta (besides just where the tourorists go). While walking down the streets, we were forced to socialize with the native Latinos and Mexicans to get around the streets. Since my family was from a different country, we learned many skills to socialize with the natives.
Later on in the afternoon as my family and I sat down at an authentic outdoor Mexican restaurant, we could hear the sirens of the police patrolling the dangerous streets. As it was time to order, it was hard to socialize between the different cultures. The waitress was speaking fluent Spanish and we tried to order our food with as little English as possible. Before taking my trip to Mexico, I did not realize how different all the cultures around us socialize differently. Our hello is very much different than a native Mexican's hello. As I was learning the different Mexican culture from sitting at the small restaurant, I enjoyed authentic street tacos. Here is a great street taco recipe for you to try and have a chance to sample the real Mexican culture!
On a sunny day in the big city, we took a taxi to experience the real side of Puerto Vallarta (besides just where the tourorists go). While walking down the streets, we were forced to socialize with the native Latinos and Mexicans to get around the streets. Since my family was from a different country, we learned many skills to socialize with the natives.
Later on in the afternoon as my family and I sat down at an authentic outdoor Mexican restaurant, we could hear the sirens of the police patrolling the dangerous streets. As it was time to order, it was hard to socialize between the different cultures. The waitress was speaking fluent Spanish and we tried to order our food with as little English as possible. Before taking my trip to Mexico, I did not realize how different all the cultures around us socialize differently. Our hello is very much different than a native Mexican's hello. As I was learning the different Mexican culture from sitting at the small restaurant, I enjoyed authentic street tacos. Here is a great street taco recipe for you to try and have a chance to sample the real Mexican culture!
Friday, February 12, 2016
More Than Just a Secret Agent
When watching the Super Bowl 50, many people saw the performance as a positive message towards love and being yourself. In reality, it was just a way for Beyonce to promote a negative message.
The day after the Super Bowl when I was on Youtube watching the headlining performance again, I noticed there was more of a message besides what just Coldplay was promoting. The lyrics of Beyonce's new song "Formation" is a black-power anthem, a fitting contribution to Black History Month and the movement called "Black Lives Matter."
When Beyonce came out on stage, her and her back up dances were dressed and in position to what looked like a connection to the revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization, "The Black Panthers". For the Super Bowl being a game of American football, the negative remarks to "Black Lives Matter" was uncalled for. American families watch the Super Bowl for a great game of football, not to be insulted by a half time performance.
The day after the Super Bowl when I was on Youtube watching the headlining performance again, I noticed there was more of a message besides what just Coldplay was promoting. The lyrics of Beyonce's new song "Formation" is a black-power anthem, a fitting contribution to Black History Month and the movement called "Black Lives Matter."
When Beyonce came out on stage, her and her back up dances were dressed and in position to what looked like a connection to the revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization, "The Black Panthers". For the Super Bowl being a game of American football, the negative remarks to "Black Lives Matter" was uncalled for. American families watch the Super Bowl for a great game of football, not to be insulted by a half time performance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)