To Truly Be Sociologically Mindful

            In my first blog, I answered the question "who am I?'. I talked mostly about my family and the people I felt have influenced me most directly to make me into the person who I am today. After understanding the sociological view of the world, this question has created more depths to travel in the answer. Talking about my family a lot has made me come to realize how much I rely on them, and I learned that this is okay. America is a very independent society and it is often looked down on to be too dependent, but it was very interesting to learn that in each different society around the world there is a different answer. Collective societies can function just as well as independent ones like America and I found that very interesting. Sociology has really defined my sociological imagination. I have come to realize that many separate things come together in order to define a person. I have also come to realize that all things that a society constructs, like race, gender, religion, sexuality, etc., fluctuates from society to society. What one society finds deviant can be the norm for another. This proves that there is no correct way to live, no perfect person to listen to. It makes the world so much more interesting and makes me want to become more and more sociological mindful. Thank you.

Implicit and Explicit

             This week we watched the movie "Crash". This movie I found not only interesting, but also showing great examples of implicit and explicit racism. An example of explicit racism that the movie shows is when a Farsi character wanted to buy a gun to protect his family, the gun store owner started calling him an "Arab" who was involved in 9/11 and refuses to give him anymore business. This is purely an explicit example  because the store owner is deliberately discriminating and making assumptions of this man just because of the society we live in today. An implicit example would be the cop who was always trying to be aware of racism and avoid it. He even told a personally embarrassing lie in order to get away from his racist partner but when he is driving an African American man home and the man reaches in his pocket, he automatically thinks it is a gun and shots him while in reality he was only trying to show him a religious statue. This is an example of implicit racism because the cop really wanted to do the right thing and never discriminate, but in the end his inner reflexes that society has embedded into him took control. I personally really enjoyed this movie because it showed so many separate stories and the backgrounds of all the people that make the absurdity of racism so clear and it really made me understand how disgusting stereotypes of races are. An individual is an individual and hopefully one day this society will never have to worry about implicit racism, let alone explicit.

Race

        Today we talked about race. I never really thought about it before but I was really interested to hear that race is actually not biological. The word "race" is not something that actually exists, but that each culture creates differently. All it is is a social construction of reality, a social "norm". "Race" changes with each place you go. For example in other countries  they have over 100 different names for their classification of "races" while a country like America has much less. If race can change with each culture you go to, then there is no way that race can be genetic even though many think that their culture "norms" are genetically correct. This relates specifically to my life specifically because I never really thought about race not being biological. I always thought that you are born with that one specific race and you are that one race wherever you go. To know that "race" changes throughout cultures is really interesting and is important to know that you cannot just place people into certain categories.

Polar Plunge!

       I first want to start off by saying what a great experience I had at this event and would recommend it to anyone. Besides being a little muddy and for obvious reasons, cold, this event was amazingly run and has an amazing purpose. Polar Plunge is an event that raises money for the Special Olympics. Each participant donates money and is able to run into a frozen lake, the ice literally needs to be chipped away, and fully dunked with a group of friends. Each group is able to dress up as a theme and as you can tell from the picture below, my group were princesses. It was not only an amazing experience, it was my first time ever jumping into a frozen lake, but at the same time I knew that the money we helped raise was going to an amazing cause. Polar Plunge is one of several Special Children's Charities. The Special Olympics is an event were athletes learn fundamentals, rules, and strategies from their coaches during a training period prior to competition. Special Olympics Chicago also provides motor activities training programs for persons with sever and profound disabilities. As you can see this is such an important event for not only the athletes, but for the family and friends as well, and knowing that you can help raise money for such an event is amazing.

Project Dance

       A few weeks ago I partook in an event called Project Dance. Project Dance is an fundraiser to raise money and awareness for Lincolnshire's Riverside Foundation and Stevenson's K.I.N. Fund. After doing some research I learned that the Stevenson K.I.N (Kids In Need) Fund was established to help provide financial assistance for our own students in Stevenson who are in need. I also learned that the Riverside Foundation is a residential facility that helps enrich the lives of adults with developmental disabilities and allows them to live a more independent life while also participating in recreational activities to learn new skills. Project Dance was a great experience for me because not only did I get to have a good time and dance with friends, but seeing some of the members that the Riverside Foundation brought was amazing. They were all dancing and having a blast and it really touched me. Project Dance not only is a fun event, but it really does help people. This year Project Dance raised over $60,000 and it feels great to know that I was apart of that. It was an amazing experience to know that those individuals who were dancing their hearts out are going to have a fun and safe place to live their lives while also learning important skills. When thinking about how many students who go to my own school and need help is astonishing to me because we never really take time to think about it all. I have been very privileged in my life, but knowing that I can help not just my own community, but possibly even friends, by helping raise money for the K.I.N. Fund was also important to me. It was truly an amazing experience. 

Can We Live Off That?

          We watched a part of a documentary called 30 Days, following a man named Morgan and his girlfriend Alex who lived for 30 days on the United States minimum wage to see if it was really possible to survive. The minimum wage has not increased in over several years, but the amount of money needed to live sufficiently has as inflation and other factors have increased. This is proven by what Morgan and Alex experienced. They both worked full time jobs, Morgan at times with two, and still could only afford one bus pass between the two of them. They literally had to live check-by-check and if one of them was sick and could not work for the day, they didn't know what to do. During this time Morgan and Alex both had a medical problem and had to go to the emergency room. Seeing how much they had to pay just to enter into the room is ridiculous. It really opens your mind to see that not everyone has health insurance, not everybody has a safe and comfortable home to return to at night to relax. There was one scene that really caught my eye. When Alex and Morgan were looking for furniture for there apartment,  they came across a place where people volunteer their own time to help people in need, giving them free furniture to make others feel as comfortable as possible. Alex cried at realizing how nice human beings can actually be. I want to make a difference somehow as well. Not just do the "required" community service hours to "get it over with", but really do something that affects the lives of others. If all of us can just give one more thing in these world, open our eyes and see that there is a serious problem that is being ignored, maybe we can make a change. It might be small at first, but a first step can go a long way.

The Social Ladder

           We started class off with a sort of gambling activity. Each person was given three pennies and we had to flip a coin and bet which side it would land on. Whoever won, would win all of the others persons pennies and would then move on to face another person. As the game progressed, we began to see the disadvantages and unequal opportunities that were present. As the game rounds continued, not everybody had the same amount of pennies anymore. You had to verse a component with either more or less pennies then you, and we quickly learned what a advantage or disadvantage that could bring. This form of gambling should "technically" be fair, since flipping a coin is a 50/50 chance of winning, but in reality, the more coins you had to start off with as the rounds progressed, even with that 50/50 chance when flipping the coin, the much higher chance you had at winning. This example can directly be related to social classes in life. We all think we have equal opportunities and chances in this country, but in reality, where you come from and how you start out has a larger impact than we think. For example, money can be linked to living in a better area, going to better schools, getting more tutors and help, and this education is directly linked to success. Typically, the higher on the social ladder an individual is, the more education they have received. Personally, I never really thought through how much of an advantage I really do have already in life. Even just thinking about a job over the summer. My dad helped design a cafe in Glenview and goes there often to eat. I was able to instantly get a summer job there and in essence pick the hours I wanted just because I was related to him. Just thinking about all those people who are constantly looking for a job and how easily I was able to get it just because of my background alone. It really makes you stop and think.

LGBTQ

    I got to have the experience of being able to listen to four of my classmates talk to us about what it is like to be a part of the gay, lesbian, or transgender community. We were able to listen to their own personal stories, which was very touching, and were truly able to feel the pain that they had experienced during one part or another of their lives. All I wanted to do was be able to help them. To let them know that they are never alone. Most were able to say that they were able to find and have felt acceptance at our high school, and that made me very happy. I have personally always have been more than accepting to the gay community and will always be. One of my closest friends is gay and he is the sweetest guy I have ever met. I wish the world for him and I never want him to be dragged down because of his sexuality. I remember when I was younger, I was the first person he ever came out to about being gay, and that is a moment I will never forget. It made me feel like he could trust me and that he knew I would never judge him and only accept him for being himself, and of course he was right. Because of all this, I am a huge supporter of gay marriage rights and I hope that others hearing the true personal stories from people like these will be able to open up more minds. I know it will be a difficult journey, but the more who are willing to step up and fight for who and what they believe in, I truly believe the faster it can be accomplished. I really love the picture below because I truly believe that this freedom is what America is all about. I am very glad that we were able to hear such speakers and take another step towards making a difference.

Masculinity

     Today's youth are raised from the beginning to be formed with ideas of masculinity and how their life and their actions should revolve around this. This "masculinity" negatively affects boys by the way they are constantly pressured to be "tough", "dominant", and "respected". This is overwhelmingly seen through acts of violence. As boys are raised, they are constantly exposed to violence through TV ads, shows, video games, and much more. Through this violence, boys grow up with the fear the thought of being considered and seen as "gay" or "feminine" and think they can counter this threat by committing violent acts to hold up their "man-hood".  They believe that this violence and attack will gain them respect. This is how society has raised them. I can personally see the idea of how the "true man" of being big, tall, and strong can affect others. I have two older brothers. The oldest one is shorter than the his younger sibling and ways significantly less. During my older brothers high school graduation dinner, a man walked over and congratulated my younger brother on the graduation instead of the rightful older brother because the younger brother looked bigger and stronger like a "man" should be, so he  automatically saw him as the older one. This made my older brother upset, and all of this has stemmed from what society has deemed as "normal" and the necessity to influence on continuing generations.

Impact of the Media

        This week, we focused greatly on the impact that media has on our lives since the second we are born. I found it very interesting how the baby educational videos such as "baby Eisenstein  can actually cause your child to grow up with the inability to focus on one thing, just as the TV program jumps from one thing to another. Children are immersed into this world of advertisements without even knowing it. Teens compare themselves with the celebrates they see on TV, when in reality, those celebrates are photo shopped and are depicted as "flawless", which is impossible. Children and teens today are striving for the "perfection" that is, in reality, unreal. These individuals teens are striving for focus on the idea that weight and appearance are the main thing that make you beautiful  and teens think that if someone can do it, so can they, and this leads to eating disorders and other issues for a goal that is in reality unrealistic. The new development of such great technology is seen as amazing and as a way to broaden socialization, but in reality, it makes this country a lonely place. We are so glued to our televisions that we forget what a real and realistic relationship is. In my life, one of my close friends growing up loved to play basketball. To me, always seeing girls our age playing with barbies and dolls on advertisements, I thought that we automatically had this want and need to do so as well. Seeing her not have any interests in these sort of things, at first confused me, but I was able to grow out of the stereotypical idea of what each gender is supposed to do what, and see that advertisements do not determine what your interests are, but it is getting very hard to ignore each year that technology grows and finds new ways to subliminally plant these products in today's youth.

Nature vs. Nurture

       This week we learned about the term socialization. We first started with the concept of the "growing man". When you are a child, you are controlled by your nature, which consists of genes, biology, emotions, and instincts. As the infant grows, it is also affected by outside environmental factors, nurture. This nurture consists of social interactions with observational learning and language. We read in article about a little girl named Genie who had been locked in a closet for the first thirteen years of her life with virtually no human interaction at all. When she was discovered, she could not speak, eat solid food, or even walk or stand up straight for being tied to a chair for all that time. These cases prove that from early development, it is vital to experience this human interaction in order to have the brain develop properly. These terrible cases are very stunning to me, it really shows how much the development of a brain can be impacted by nurture factors. This proves that the life of a person is represented with both nature and nurture. I personally have learned how much I truly do take advantage of situations in my life. I have a loving family who exposed me to social interaction. I really took advantage of the idea of socialization. You rarely stop to think about the concept of nature or nurture, but it is what makes you the person you are today.

Doing "Nothing"

           This week for an assignment in class, we had to do nothing. Yes exactly what I said, stand an a place for at least ten minutes and do absolutely nothing. This sounded so easy to me at first, but the more that I thought about it, the more I realized in our society, we never seem to be doing literally nothing. We are always either listening, or watching, or thinking. I decided to attempt doing nothing at my fencing club. As I stood there, I personally found American culture very apparent. All that my mind kept coming back to was thinking what else I had that day to get down or what time something started or how much of it I needed to do. This showed to me the extent to which American culture value time and always having something to do. In American culture, "time is money", and to stand around doing nothing productive is highly looked down upon. As I also stood there, I seemed to drift into watching the people around me. I would watch the fencers and start to evaluate their moves and what they did that I could do to improve myself, and I would have to quickly remind myself to dismiss these thoughts. This showed me the American culture of individualism. We are always looking to better ourselves in one way or another. This activity really connected to me personally because I was able to see first hand the impact of a society and a culture can have on the life and actions of an individual.

Culture Values

          This week we read an article in class about the thirteen qualities that Americans value. Some of these qualities include time, openness, achievements, individuality, material goods, and more. Many individuals who are unaware with the cultures of America find it strange how materialistic and focused on time Americans can be. This is becoming more apparent as I grow older. In this stage of life in my high school, many teens are feeling the pressure of being involved in every club, getting good grades, getting accepted to college, while also trying to get enough sleep at night to be able to function the next day. It is so fast paced and all to improve your own self. Life is not like that everywhere. In one of my classes we are debating the idea of the siesta, or a time to relax in the middle of the day practiced in places throughout Europe. I find this idea very interesting because it goes so against the American viewpoint how "time is money". I would personally love to spend time in another country to be able to see how the ways slow paced life can be lived, because for me, living in America all my life, it seems like there is no other way because you become so used to your one culture as "normal".

The Lost Boys

         This week we watched the movie "G-d Grew Tired of Us", and this movie had a drastic impact on the way I see my own life. The story is about The Lost Boys, a group of young boys who escaped the Civil War in Sudan and walked over a thousand miles in order to find some sort of shelter. They found this shelter in Kenya and learned how to speak English as well as forming strong bonds between each other. They all literally became like brothers to one another. The American government then began to take refugees into America. The story followed a group of boys who were taken to places like New York, Pittsburgh, and Illinois. As the boys came to America, they experienced much culture shock. The social life and human interaction were so different in America to them. Majorly, they were used to always having people around to talk to, everyone cared for each other, but in America it is very individualized. The boys began to feel lonely. The social norms were so different that even one boy had become so distressed he had to be taken to a mental hospital for treatment. Personally, this movie made me realize how lucky we are and how we often take advantage of our situation. I live in a household with a family who loves me, eat a breakfast lunch and dinner each day, get an education and just a place without death and starvation right around me. The terrible things the boys had to face everyday was a real eye opener to me. It is terrifying to think that things like this occur even now in this world.

Culture Shock

         When an individual is exposed to a new culture, they can experience terms called culture shock, ethnocentrism, and culture reality. Culture shock is when an individual is shocked by how different cultures do things differently. Ethnocentrism is when an individual bases and judges things off of their own culture because they think that that is the best way since they have been raised that way. Culture relativity is when an individual tries to relate what they know about that culture and use that to figure out what it means. For example, a danish woman, who left her baby in a stroller outside of a restaurant in New York while eating, had her child taken away from her. In Denmark, it is culturally normal to leave children outside to get fresh air and rest. Is this a question of culture? That is what the main controversy followed. Personally, when I get older, I want to try an experience of teaching in Japan. We talked about Japanese culture very much in class, and for years I have always been interested in their culture. The main thing I love that would probably still give me culture shock when I first visit is the way they treat their elders. In American culture, elderly people are treated the same, if not lower than average aged citizens because they are considered slow. In Japan, the elders are treated with the utmost respect. People who are younger need to bow to their elders and talk to them in a respectful matter. There are also many other cultural differences that could have me experience culture shock, but I want to expose myself to such differences so I can grow and a mindful person.

A Bronx Tale

        In the movie, "Bronx Tale", a true story is examined through many years of life situations of an Italian boy as he grew up. This boy, Calogero, is surrounded by different groups but also belongs to many as well. Many of these groups include Calogero's Italian friends, an African American girl he meets and wants to be with, his family, and Sonny and his crew. But within those groups it breaks up even farther. I do not believe that C is really in the group of Sonny's crew, but of Sonny himself. Sonny treats C differently. He tells him to finish school and to never become like him. He acts like so much of a father figure that even C's own father intervenes. This is why I believe that C's masterstatus would be "son". Throughout the entire movie, it is just different events that both of his father figures are trying to teach him about real life situations as well as trying to protect him. As I wrote about before, masterstatuses impact our lives greatly. They are the people who impact you the greatest in life. Personally, my masterstatus would be "daughter" and "sister" because at this age I still spend a lot of time with my family. My parents are supportive of everything I do and I know my brothers would do anything for me. As life goes on, these status can change. I believe, for example, that when we go off to college, the less time you spend with your family and the more time you spend with friends or mentor figures, the status can shift. Personally, I feel like my masterstatus will not change, like Calogero's, because I have been so impacted through my parents and brother like C through his father and Sonny, that as things change, we can still never forget what originally made us the person we are today.

The Identity Molecule

        This week in class we learned about the Identity Molecule. We started off with an activity of writing down every group that you felt had an influence over your life in one way or another. We then had to pick two as our "masters", or what we felt had the greatest influence of us. Everybody seemed to have the traditional "family" or "friend", but something that I noticed when we were going over other people's groups was that there were a lot of group that have also had an influence on me, but I could not think of them on my own. I really found this interesting and found it intriguing to be able to relate to things that I at first did not realize even for myself, but that do really have a huge influence in my life. One of the groups that I personally wrote down was "my brothers friends". Most people would never think that a siblings friends could influence there life so much, but in my life I find it very noticeable. My brother Devin is five years older than me and while we were growing up, he always had the same group of four guy friends over. I became so close with these guys because they were always at my house that they literally became like brothers to me. I can tell them anything and I know that they will always be there for me even though I am not their "real" sister. After this activity I actually told one of my brothers friends this story. His first response to when I said they are like older brothers to me and I know that they would always be there for me was "and you better not forget it!" I think that this is so special and now to be able to acknowledge this meaning makes me value having them in my life so much more.

Social Construction of Reality

            This week in Sociology, we learned about the Social Construction of Reality, which I  found very interesting. Social Construction of Reality is what society has influenced us to believe is the "reality", the social norm. That means that our actions are based on what is socially acceptable at that given time. This is seen in many different ways around the world. Something so simple as stopping at a red like can even be seen as a Social Construction of Reality. Before cars were invented, there was no such thing as traffic lights. A red, yellow, or green light would mean nothing to these people. It is only because we are used to stopping at red lights now since that is what is seen in our society as "normal" for us. Personally, thinking about this now is a strange feeling. Basically anything we react to in situations and day to day life is because of the idea of the Social Construction of Reality. Even using the dollar to by something only works and is deemed right because it is "socially acceptable". This past month my brother traveled to Israel for two weeks. When he came home, he had left over sheqels, the currency used in Israel. Imagine if he tried to buy something at the counter in America, the cashier would just look at him like he is crazy because it is not the social norm. Everything in its own way relates back to the idea of Social Construction of Reality and how society in its own way influences what we find acceptable and crazy.

                                                

Sociological Imagination and Mindfulness

There is so much more to life than what meets the eye. Sociological mindfulness and sociological imagination play a day to day role in everyone's world in one way or another. Sociological imagination is understanding how individuals are affected by where and when they grew up. For example, an individual living in a small town in Pennsylvania in the 1970's will be affected differently than an individual living in the twenty first century in a busy city. My father grew up in such a town in Pennsylvania, and therefore he has been impacted differently than what I at first could even imagine. He was raised in an area with not much to do, and because of that, he was always outside, making up random games with his friends around the town just for some entertainment and something to do. Me on the other hand, my life is full of bombing technology and many attractions to visit and spend time with friends. It is a whole different way of growing up. My dad has had a huge impact on me because of this. Learning the idea of sociological imagination, I was able to quickly connect with it. Because my dad was influenced the way he was, he wanted to make sure my brothers and I always had something to do. He gave my brothers every piece he could of technology that they wanted and every winter break he took my family and I to Disney World. I have been influenced on not just when and where I have grown up, but also the people in my life. Because of his actions, I have the social imagination to realize that family always comes first. The strong bonds I share with my brothers are because of our parents influence on us, always making sure we were together. Sociological mindfulness is involved with realizing that people have unique qualities and to appreciate them. Every individual has his or her own impact on the world and the people around them. Just a simple task like holding the door open for the next person behind you can be sociologically mindful. While walking into school the other day, there was a student walking right in front of me and another student in front of them. The student first in line barley opened up the door wide enough so he alone could fit through, then he let the door slam behind him. The student in front of me was able to catch the door before it closed and held it open until everyone who was walking in was through. This one action made my day more bright and put a smile on my face. I think that this is a great example of sociological mindfulness because it shows how just one person can impact another. It is great to learn and to be able to understand that where, when, and other people have an impact on your own life, but that you as an individual have an impact on others as well.

Who Am I?

       Who Am I? It seems like such an easy question to most individuals, but when you stop to consider the answer, it then seems impossible to put everything that you are into words. My name is Brooke and I am a senior at a suburban high school in Illinois. I see myself as a caring person and my true friends and family really do mean the world to me. I have two older brothers, Blake and Devin. I am super close with my brothers and that makes me so happy. My oldest brother Blake lives in Florida, but when we visit him, it is like we were never apart at all. My brother Devin and I are also close, spending hours just talking about anything. My three year old Siberian Husky is named Misty, and she has the ability to make me happy no matter what the problem is. My family and friends are the safe place I can go were I can be myself. I am a very shy and careful person at first glance, but if you take the time to get to know me, I am loud and crazy and will do anything to make you happy. I have been the captain of my fencing team for three years now and it is a sport I am glad I discovered. Most people comment "Oh cool you get to stab people for fun!", but it is more than that. I really love how it is a sport of quick decisions, wit, and outsmarting the opponent. Through the team, I have made new friendships that share the bond of commitment and determination for something in common that we love. I also have a love for singing and music. Music is something I find I can just connect too and seems to have a way of dealing with every type of emotion I can have. The biggest influence in my life are my grandparents. They will do anything in their power for their family and are always there for me. Just one example is that they will come to every fencing tournament I have, even those four hours away. To see them come all the way there just to see me shows me how amazing they are. Out of everything, I just want to be happy and have the people around me to be happy. Nobody deserves to feel alone and sad and I want to be one of those people who strives to do anything just to make someone smile.