Blog Entry 10- Gender and Sex

There are many roles that come with being a man or woman. Men are seemed to be given the responsibility of providing for his family, taking care of wife, kids, and parents. Women are often prepared from childhood to be house wives through the toys they play with and the teachings of their mother and other female relatives. An important educator to the sexuality of men and women is society and its expectations of behavior and what is acceptable. Chapter 11: “Gender and Sexuality” spoke of gender and sexuality and the inequalities tied to each. Sex is the biological distinction between females and males. Gender is the socially constructed cultural expectations associated with men and women. Much like race, gender is too socially constructed. The belief of gender has deviate amongst culture and over time. Gender roles influence characteristics like appearance, behaviors, emotions, activities and aspiration that come with identify with a gender. Inequalities and stratification of gender has been a part of society’s structure. Sexism is one of these inequalities, which is the ideology that one sex is superior to the other. Men have always been described as the superior sex from the home, workplace, social institutions media, politics and religion amongst many. For these and many other reasons women have been subject to domestic violence, a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another partner. While women are often subject to inequalities so are member of the LGBT communities whom are often subject being victims of hate crimes. Whether its race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or education, someone always has to find a reason to oppress others.

 This article was about the first modern study of sexuality in the United States which opened the doors for people to speak freely about sex and the stereotypes attached to it. The article states that there are only two types of groups that represent the human race in the sexual world, heterosexual and homosexual and one can ONLY be one of them and that the bisexual group is insignificant. It is stated that human sexuality is predetermined from birth and throughout one's lifetime leaves little room for change. The sexual preference of one is linked to their physical and mental qualities and that the personalities of heterosexual and homosexual are different in totally. "It is generally thought that these qualities make homosexual person obvious and recognizable to anyone who has sufficient understanding of such matters." This quote directly from the article was one thing that I found to be very stereotypical. It went on to say that psychiatrists discuss this personality and the qualities of a homosexual such as fine skins, high-pitched voice and obvious had movements. These are just a few amongst what is considered as the homosexual personality. Present day study shows that heterosexuals or homosexual is not just one or the other but can sometimes be both.

This last chapter touched a lot of home bases for me. My older brother is gay and I remember him leaving home to move to Florida mainly because he was tired of pretending to be someone he was not. I remember the day he told my parents over the phone and my dad asking my sisters and I if we knew and us saying in unison "Nooo duhhh." It took a lot for him to "come out the closet", but it also took my dad a lot to accept it because of how he was brought up and his religion. Now little by little we are exposing my baby brother who is eleven to the difference of the world. He, too, was taught by religion that homosexuality is wrong but we are teaching that regardless we are all human and that's that all that really matters. The pictures on the left represent two bible quotes, one of homosexuality being an abomination and the other of a gay man quoting the bible as well. As a women and a Hispanic I am often fighting against both of these intertwining issues of inequality. There are always stereotype attached to someone, like Hispanics having babies at young age. Not I. I am 23 years old and have NOT ever been pregnant and although I am engaged, I don’t plan on having kids until maybe after completing my B.A. After taking this course and seeing that we do not all start at the same line I want to offer my future children a chance at a better future where maybe race and sexuality would not be such a big deal. 

Blog Entry 9: Racism and Ethnicity.

Chapter 10 was mainly about what race and ethnicity. Race is described as a category of people widely perceived as sharing significant physical characteristics. These characteristics are often referred to as skin complexion. Ethnicity is shared cultural heritage which comes from common ancestry and homeland. Race and ethnicity are both social constructions. By categorizing people into different races and/or ethnicity group dynamics of majorities’ vs. minorities become part of the social structure and demonstrates the inequalities associated with the power the majority have. Through history, race has been used to justify slavery and inequalities upon "minorities." Racial and ethnic discrimination were diminished slightly with the civil rights movement which helped transform society. Diversity was then introduced allowing other races and ethnics groups to migrate to the country, mostly Asians and Latin Americans instead of Europeans. Regardless of the civil rights movement, inequalities of race and ethnicity still continue to occur at different levels of society which varies from attitudes, behaviors and structural barriers implemented by social institutions, racialization of the state. Racism, discrimination and prejudice still occur due to the differences between cultures or by the goals certain groups want to achieve. All these are possible by the color-blind theory, a form of bias in which the promotion of race neutrality helps to maintain existing racial and ethnic inequality. Race is social constructed to benefit those in power and help them remain in power.

The article which I read was “The Hispanic Dropout Mystery,” by Susan Headden. The article's main idea was about the percentage of high school drop outs of Hispanic students. The article underlines the idea that 30% of students who drop out are Hispanic, which is far greater by three times than whites and black students. The causes of this problem varied from economic problems (students having to work to support their families), language barriers (43% of Hispanic drop outs are foreign born), and being marginalized by public school system (students' cultures are disrespected and their language problems are often neglected.) Another main cause is the peer pressure. Some Hispanic groups consider doing well in school to be "nerdy". The society these Hispanic kids are in expected them not to do well, to drop out and to become low lives. Another point addressed in the article, which in my opinion is very essential, is the parental influence. Hispanic parents are often not well educated or illiterate. Their children often don't attend preschool and they do not read to them probably maybe they are too busy working to provide for their families. The article states that a way to prevent this drop out rate to increase is to have more courses in Spanish, have more Hispanics role models, smaller classes to accommodate students’ work hours and tutoring to help them succeed.

The video "Race: The Power of Illusion," was about the differences between human beings of different races. Most of these differences were appointed as being physical, such as skin color, eye color and shape, hair and body form etc. These differences have been use to classify people into races which is what divides us. People can be identifying by their phenotype. Assumptions about the physical are made about the abilities of one because of their race such as athletic abilities, musical aptitude and intelligence. The video went on to showing experiments done by students to find the similarities and different students had with each other. As expected those of the race stated that they would have more similarities with each other than those of different race. Race is NOT biological, but an idea ascribed to it. Many assumptions are tied to the abilities of different races, like blacks having an extra muscle in their bodies. Race's definition benefits those who want its definition to mean something else. Bottom line is that genetically there is only one small amount of variation.

I remember not to long ago walking into Walgreens in my neighborhood and as I walked down the aisle I experienced something that will forever stay with me. A Hispanic mother was with her baby girl and a Jewish mother with her son, who was about 5 years old. As the boy's mother looked at items on the shelf the little boy walked over to the Hispanic mom and her baby and started playing with her. The baby girl was laughing so much that attracted boy's mother attention. For a moment both mothers looked at each other and I looked at them and the son said something to his mom and the mother said in English "yes, she's a beautiful baby." I was shocked at this remark not because the baby wasn't beautiful but because I had never experienced something like this. I was in awe. Racism does not only occur outside the different races but within races as well. As you may know I am Dominican. I was born in the Dominican Republic, but grow up in New York. My fiancée is Puerto Rican. These two ethnic groups have a constant battle with each other of whose better than the other in every single way possible. There are times when he and I are conversing and he'd say something like "You Dominicans", or "Your people" and my answer is always the same, "if you don't like it get yourself a Puerto Rican girlfriend." This usually shuts him up. Although we are the same race, our ethnicity is different.

Extra Credit Blog Entry

The video entitled, "Ted Talks Education", hosted by John Legend whose main focus is to address the crisis of high school drop outs all while delivering powerful and persuasive short speeches about the importance of education. Each person that spoke at TED primary purpose was to share their ideas about why kids drop out of high school and what can be done to prevent that from recurring. The first speaker was Rita F. Pierson, a dedicated teacher for 30 years, noted that kids don’t learn due to poverty, low tendency, and peer influences. People failed to recognize that as humans that we all are we all need human connection and relationships to significantly learn something new. Students would learn better they actually LIKE the person teaching them and if teachers took the time to actually emphasize WHY education is important. Many teachers fail at their roles to inspire their students and believe that they can achieve and these educators should teach to become the best you can be. Dr. Ramsey Musallam stated that curiosity enables students to draw themselves to their teachers while creating another connection.

Amongst the speakers were psychologist Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth, who spoke IQ not being necessarily the only means to being successful, millionaire Bill Gates who expressed that students need coaches to guide them in the right path, and Dr. Geoffrey Canada remembered growing up in a time were the school system was really bad and even now in this time there are school who still fail at meeting the standards. There was also Chicago poet Malcolm Lincoln, who spoke about labeling and something inspiration needs to be done in order for education not to continue to fail, Pearl Arredondo who spoke about growing up poor and the issues attached to that, Sir Ken Robinson who was my favorite speaker spoke of the No Child Left Behind act which is a curriculum that limits the only focus of standardized exams and allow students to succeed with a more diverse broaden curriculum and education is about engaging , stimulating and provoking students to learn and begin to learn without any assistance.

            As an education major I enjoy these different speeches and how these people approach the topic of adults engaging themselves more to create more successful students to put a stop to the crisis. I believe that with teachers who actually enjoy teaching and who want to build a human connection with their student this crisis will decrease whether is by allowing technology to be a major part of education that allows students to think deeper and in many different ways or similar allowing students to express their creativity such as Musallam’s student. Coaching students to go beyond their limits is something that can potentially change their lives. Building relationships that allow them not to see themselves as failures but as approaching the limits they want to cross.  Organizations like TED bring about awareness to us and different ways we can win these constant battles such as the high school drop out crisis.

Blog Entry 8- Inequalities Amongst Us!

The article I choose to read was "Cause of Death: Inequality" by Alejandro Reuss. This article basically underlines the idea of inequality being the top cause of death amongst poor people due to their lack of education about major diseases and cause of deaths. It is said that as status decreases mortality increase although women have a longer life expectancy than men by six years. Education and family income is a major factor as well as race. The more education you have and the better income the less likely you are to suffer from any type of cancers, diseases, accidental injury and homicide. Your physical health and how long you live are determine on where you are in the socioeconomic hierarchy. The article then goes on to provide evidence of how different  parts of the world's poor people, men and women alike, are more prone to infectious disease and disease of the circulatory system unlike those in the United States. The lack of access to health care also affects the inequalities Reuss is stating, which is also a major factor. Higher income adults and poor adults have difference of how effectively they are treated when it comes to health. Environmental and occupational hazards mainly affects and are dangers to the lower income people of this country than those with higher income. Education, income and race all conspire to how long people live in this country which ultimately results in inequality. The richer lives longer while the poor die faster.

The film "People like Us: Social Class in America," is about the different class systems in America and how each class measure who belongs where. These measures are described by the people we live amongst with similar background and are comfortable with. "Tribes" are spoke about in the film are basically the class systems which are defined by our occupation, income and what we aspire to be in life. We try to separate ourselves from those who do not fit in our social groups and belong to our class. The film stated that America is a country divided by class, social distinction and is defined by where we live, what we eat, how we look, and education. Social class defined the inequalities in the class system. The film states that the choices you make reveal your class. This means that whatever it is you decide on doing, buying, believing in defines the class you are in. Many people believe that class can be changed if you are not entirely content to the one you belong in. It is not all about money but also the practices and customs of the class and mastering it in order to feel part of it or learning how to be a part of it. Since appearance is something that ultimately rules our society it is important to look the part we are trying to play in order to believe we can up our changes of changing our class system. One particular speaker in the film believed that it is impossible to successful change social class without studying really hard to learn everything there is to know about that class. Many people seem to dislike people coming into their social class as people that no matter how they behave they can not escape not belonging to that class. There are unwritten rules to each social class in the hierarchy of class system.

Both the article and film connects with Chapter 9 on inequalities because this chapter is based on the inequalities amongst different class systems in our country. A person whose parents are well educated, married and were born into a wealthy family has better opportunities than a person who was born into a one parent family who lacked education. Although it is not always the case it does help to better your chances at education which ultimately leads to a better career and better income. This country wants us all to believe we all have the same equal opportunities but it is not the case. Without education we are not. As mention in the article uneducated people have higher chances of suffering from either a disease or illness. Uneducated people are often subject to many inequalities that is a detriment to them climber the social class hierarchy. Education is something I always believed in. As a young child my parents always enforced that my siblings and I concentrate more on better grades and further our education than anything else. Homework always came before anything. Before I was allowed to play on the Nintendo (yes I owned several different Nintendo as a child and which I still did!!!) I was required to do my homework plus read a few pages of a book a night. Now as I work towards completing my degree and further my education not only do I enjoy reading I rather read a good book than to watch a reality TV shows. I often read books who had been made into movies before watching the movies, in some case I reread the books and make comparison between the two…The Great Gatsby which I read in high school in next on my list !

Bog Entry 7: Is Deviance What It Seems or Are We Just Living?

            After ready Chapter 8 on Deviance I learned about what our society/culture considers as deviant behaviors. Deviance is a behavior that does not conform to basic cultural norms and expectations. It is situational. Deviance is also socially constructed which varies on time, place and setting. For people defined as being deviant it can have a negative effect on them which can last for a very long time. What is defined as deviant in our society has no written rules on how not to cross the boundaries. These six deviant acts are just a few of many I was able to identify as I look around in my own community.

1. Smoking weed in the park/public places:

In my opinion this is a deviant act one because smoking weed is illegal in this state, two because if you are going to break the law you should not do it in the public eye thus exposing the younger generation to this act and three because parks are for the most park for young kids and adolescents to play. Parents are careful not to have their young ones around when people are smoking cigarettes, so you can just imagine how cautious they are when it comes to weed. The behaviors of those smoking weed is label as deviant because of those with enough power to enforce that label. The labeling theory in chapter 8 argues that deviance is the result of how other interpret a behavior and those individuals who are labeled deviant often internalize this judgment as a part of their self identify.

2. Teenage Pregnancy:

Teenage pregnancy is a deviant act because society says people should be married before having kids or they should attend college and pursuit a career before becoming parents. Society expects teenagers to graduate high school and continue to get some sort of higher education and in most cases that’s not the case. Although society frowns upon teenage pregnancy they mostly dislike Hispanics and blacks who are engaging in sexually acts at a young age which results in pregnancy and the mother usually dropping out of school to take care of their offspring. There’s a stigma attached that these children (both parents and kids) will not go to college therefore creating a continuous cycle of uneducated minorities. Stigma refers to the shame attached to a behavior or status that is considered unacceptable or discrediting. I’m somewhat indecisive about this topic because my mother was a teenage mother and here I am doing a blog for sociology class in COLLEGE, and even though she did not attend college it was because she hates school (loll) unlike my dad who did graduate college and made a career for himself.

3. Roaming the streets while under the influence or drugs or alcohol:

Just like the smoking weed in public places, there are many people roaming the street WHILE under the influence of alcohol and drugs. I believe this is a deviant act because being under the influence in public goes against the basic cultural norms and what is expected of people. As members of society we are expected to behave a certain way while in public that does not cause a disturbance to others. Many people get fines and arrested for disturbing the peace such as drunken disorderly or disorderly conduct. This can be a result of labeling people which may lead them into secondary deviance, deviant behavior that is a response to the negative consequences of labeling. A person who is label a drug addict or alcoholic can become hostile or purposely act a certain way because of their label.

4. Homosexuality and Transgender:

These two are consider deviants because they go against the basic cultural norms. Although it is not as severe as it used to be in years before, people are expected to be heterosexual and be happy with the way they were born. Man are deviant if they are gay and women are deviant is they are lesbians. This topic had been causing controversy especially when deciding whether or not to legalize gay marriages. Many people believe that homosexuals and transgender are sick or have a mental disorder and that they will benefit from medical intervention. This referred as medicalization of deviance, when the label of deviant behavior as an illness that can be treated by medical professionals.

5. Auto Clubs/Bike Clubs:

This is another example of deviant behavior in my everyday life. In my community being part of a bike/auto club can be seem as deviant because many times the auto clubs double park on streets playing their loud music at any time of the day and night. The bike clubs usually make commotion as they are driving. Often there are conflicts between these clubs which usually results into altercations. Many times parents do not want their children to become a part of these clubs to due to the fear of them becoming deviants like the people they associate with. This is referred to as differential association theory which is that deviance is learned through association with other people involved in deviant behavior. This theory explains deviance as a behavior that it’s learned.

6. Panhandling:

Last but not least, panhandling is viewed as deviant because it goes against our basic cultural norms. People are not expected to be poor and to be begging on the streets or trains. Society has expectations of people to be educated, working, to be middle class and white, but since we can not all be that being poor, uneducated and any other race is considered deviant. Panhandling is deviant because sometimes the people doing it become aggressive when money is not given to them or if people just walk by them without acknowledging their presences. Panhandler do this act alone which can be tied to loner deviance, the activities of individuals who commit deviant acts without the social support of other participants.  Sometimes panhandlers use their kids to panhandle as well which can also be a deviant act because some may argue that children should not be exposed to that lifestyle but many people should remember that we are not all middle class white men. This deviant behavior occurs with a specific goal which is to receive money to either eat or get another fix.  This example of deviance goes into my next topic, the article by Herbert J. Gans and the undeserving poor.

            Herbert J. Gans wrote an article named “Positive Functions of the Undeserving Poor: Uses of the Underclass in America.” The article speaks about how poverty is described as a social phenomenon which exists based on the consequences it follows. It talks how it affects both the poor and non-poor because the poor usually involve themselves in activities that are hazardous to their physical safety and well being. Among these activities are those which society portrays as deviant such as bearing children during adolescence, not married, failing to work and be an active member of society and depending on welfare. Gans continues on discuss 5 sets functions of the undeserving poor such as microsocial, economic, normative-cultural, political, and microsocial, which he divides into 13 specific functions each having their own sense of importance and how they of positive effect. These functions in divided; two microsocial functions are risk reduction, scapegoat and displacement and three economic functions which are economic banishment and the reserve army, supplying illegal goods, and job creation. Another three normative functions are moral legitimation, norm reinforcement and supplying popular culture villains. Three more include political functions such as institutional scapegoating, conservative power shifting, and spatial purification. The two last ones are reproduction of stigma and the stigmatized and extermination of the surplus. None of these are place by order of importance but as ordered in the article.

             

Blog Entry 6- Socialization and Depictions. (VERY long)

             I was really intrigued watching the video, “A Call to Men,” because it underlined many of the ideas men were taught as young boys and abide as adults. Tony Porter said that’s as boys, men are taught that they are superior to women and must not have the emotions of one. As youngsters they are taught to be dominating, strong, and courageous and must not feel any pain amongst other things. They are taught that women are nothing else but a sexual object and nor can they be in charged and are simply followers of men. Porter gave example of his life where he subject himself to these ideas, such as treating his kids differently (allowing his daughter to cry but not his son). He also preaches how men are paralyzed about it meant to be a man, and how they portray themselves in front of women (such as his father only crying in front of him but not the women in his family.)

            The video, in my perspective, brings the questionable action of what is being taught to young boys about women. Boys have a constant fear of being labeled as having women tendencies so they focus more on how they are to be presented to others, and not what is right, such as the example he gave of him, Johnny and Shela. Porter goes into talking about how socialization inflicts this knowledge of women being property and less valuable that in ultimately results in objectifying women leading to nothing but violence against them. Lastly, Porter says that in order to understand all of this, “good men” although they are not separated from the rest, must come to the consensus that less value and objectification is the foundation to violence and it can not happen without it. Men are a part of the solution as well as the problem, and it all comes down to how men as boys are raised, and it is OK to be the opposite of what men are depicted to be leading to liberation for all.

            The video “Killing Us Softly 3: Advertising’s Image of Women,” is mainly about Jean Kilbourne’s analysis of advertisement and the depiction of women in the media, primary by men, throughout a period of time. Advertisement in media depicts women as mindless passive inactive sexual object incapable of doing anything else besides showing off their womanly parts. Culture emphasizes the important of beauty and the message it sends out to young woman in our culture of how unfulfilling life is as a woman. Kilbourn goes to talking about the importance of advertising and how much people are exposed to and the variety of locations. Most of the advertising in the video that Kilbourn spoke about dehumanized woman (which ties to previous articles on oppression, implicating that in order to be happy women should change lives by their bodily appearance. The self esteem of young girls is affected by advertisement once they become adolescents versus to the self esteem of boys the same age and the advertisement of men in ads.

            Jean Kilbourn is fighting for equality in advertisement and fighting for the way women’s bodies are continuously judged and criticized. Another main point in the video is which ads are being promoted, those 5% of women who have a specific type of body which is considered the “perfect” size, and it’s constantly in ads yet doesn’t necessarily exist. There are also these unwritten guidelines that women are only except if they are a certain race, certain age, and always properly groomed. These ads affect women, especially young women because of this idea that they need to be extremely thin, not full of themselves and sadly not to be too powerful. Not only are they degrading women’s physical appearances’, there are also encouraging women to have some type of eating disorder, and sending out the message that beauty is pain. All these harmful ideas to women (at least in my opinion they are) come from the media and how they advertise women either passive, vulnerable or mutes, and the message that they should only be seen and not heard.

            Both of these video relate to our chapter on Socialization because Chapter 6 speaks about socialization and how it is subject to change and challenges us as part of a society. Socialization teaches who we are, how society expects us to behave and how it operates as a whole. It allows for social reproduction while being the key element for stability and as it changes its messages also changes. Chapter 6 also speaks about family and it being the first form or agent of socialization because as youngsters we learn the most important aspects of socialization from our families, such as speaking, values, being respectful and personal hygiene. Families are the first teachers children have as they develop. Children also learn about the expectation of society in interactions outside of their home life such as schools or day care facilities. Here, they are taught how to behave, to obey and follow the rules and authority, to respect others, and be attentive in their leanings. Media in today's society also plays a role in being agents of socialization. The young generation of today has unlimited access to media whether it is internet, television or game console which also has internet in some cases. Media sets values, beliefs, norms and behavior all to increase consumerism and ideas and situations of adults which concerns many parents because of the sexually explicit and graphically violent content of some media.

The article, “Parents’ Socialization of Children,” is about how parents’ are the primary source responsible for the children they bear or adopt and have legal responsibilities and obligations to provide their children with the nourishment (physical and mental) ultimately raising them to meet the expectations of their communities. The three different types of parenting styles are authoritative, permissive and authoritarian. Authoritative parenting is being firm yet nurturing, explaining their reasons for their actions, encouraging parent-child discussions about problems, and are responsive to their children’s needs, and knowing how to receive compliance. These children turn out to be self-reliant, self-controlled, cheerful, cooperative with adults, achievement oriented and friendly with peers. Permissive parenting avoids supervision and control of their children by not setting acceptable means of behavior. They allow children’s input on family matters and encourage independence, use reasoning and are rarely punish their children for unacceptable behavior.  These children are usually aggressive, aimless, bossy, lacking in self-control and independence, and non-compliant with adults. Lastly, authoritarian parenting demands total obedience from their children usually implementing many rules, restrictions and are very punitive. They enforce their values and traditions with no negotiations or compromise, which results in their children being fearful, moody, aimless, unhappy, easily annoyed, and less able to cope effectively with stressful circumstances.

            The article also goes on to describe the influence of parental control, support, and power even when parents are only able to interact with their children a few hours each week and effects of parenting styles from different countries, such as China, Japan and the US and Israel, and how each country labels different parenting style and behavior differently and how they subcultures views corporal punishments. The parenting styles varies from culture to culture, there are more similarities than differences. Whether it is encouraging autonomy or obedience with just interacting with your child a few hours a day those hours are crucial because it is where the children develop their particular behavior. Academic success for children comes from parental involvement as well as the parents’ own academic success and status. The article continues to talk about the effects of class and styles of parenting with academic and behavioral success in different cultures. This article ties with chapter 6 because socialization comes first from parents and the different parenting styles ultimately affect children’s socialization and what they learn, values and beliefs.

            The article, “The Retro Wife,” starts off being about a mother would after getting an education and receiving a degree decided to become a completely house wife mainly because she wanted to be there unconditionally for her children, cooking healthy meals and devoting herself to teaching life lessons to her kids. She wanted to spoil her husband after his long work hours and being able to be a role model for her children. The article then goes on to discuss about another woman who works at a Fortune 500 company but who is also a mother and got a formal education all because she believe her self to be smart enough to do so but refused to call herself a feminist. The women the article speaks about are more content and find it fulfilling to be able to stay home and direct and interact with their kids while their husbands go to work. Many of the statistics of young couple married showed that women can be just as good mothers working as those full times mothers as well as their partners who supported the family. Despite anything, men regardless of time did far less housework than their wives (surprise surprise) and spend less time nourishing their kid. The article then goes to elaborate on how women are perfectionist when it comes to housework and how their partners look after their kids constantly reminding them what needs to be done. This article can be tied to chapter 6 because its based on how stay at home mothers find it more satisfied in being there everyday for their kids whether preparing meals or helping with homework which according to chapter 6 family is the key element for stability and it being the first form or agent of socialization because children learn the most important aspects of socialization from their parents.

            After reading, “The Retro Wife” and “Parents’ Socialization of Children,” I was able to learn exactly why chapter 6 refereed to parents and families as being the first agents of socialization for children. Children learn many different things from their families and it’s important to set a good example. As an education major these article help me gain more knowledge on how to better educate children. In my perspective, my parent’s parenting style was authoritative because firm yet nurturing, explaining their reasons for their actions, encouraging us to mutually discuss problems, and are responsive to their children’s needs, and knowing how to receive compliance. I believe my siblings and I turned out to be self-reliant, self-controlled, and cheerful (when we have enough sleep lol). We are cooperative with adults, achievement oriented and friendly with peers (again when we have enough sleep). These video also shifted my way of thinking about how I would raise my own sons in the near future, not implying that they should not feel anything besides anger and my daughters to no be allowed to be oppressed by men. I have learned many incredible values from my parents and family, and hope to pass them on to my future children.

Boys and Girls Socialized:

Blog Entry 5- Power and Opression.

   Reading this next chapter gave me a whole new take on the society I live in and how much change STILL needs to be done in order for TOTAL equality to be exhibited. Chapter 5 defines and examines what power is in a sociological concept and how it affects every level of our society. It also states how power influences our lives on a daily basis. Power is defined as the ability to bring about an intended outcome, even when opposed by others. It is defined by its two components, one being the ability to bring about an intended outcome and the other the capacity to dominate others.

   The article, "The Five Faces of Oppression," is mainly about oppression and its different kinds (exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, violence, and cultural imperialism.) It speaks of oppression and how it does not always mean to be ruled by a cruel person with similar cruel intentions, but also limiting one's ability to become fully humanized thus denying their rights to many different opportunities. This article had 5 main points. 1. Exploitation is having people work for you or do some kind of labor and not properly compensating them. It is a system which grants the people in power to remain in power while suppressing others’ opportunities. (The rich get richer and poor poorer.) 2. Marginalization is the exclusion a group of people from the main population. This is associated with the idea of one single white race and other groups being disregarded. I believe that as a Latina my race is many times subject to marginalization because it is sometimes hard for Latinos to find jobs if they do not speak English and usually are discriminated against. 3. Powerlessness is the lack of decision making power and being exposed to maltreatment because of the lowered status. This is allows believed to be the most severe form of oppression because people oppress themselves and others and think very little of them selves. 4. Cultural Imperialism is the taking of the majority class's culture and establishing as a norm. In other words, it is actively promoting one culture into preexisting cultures declaring it appropriate behavior.
5. Violence is being the most obvious and visible form of oppression, in which people live in fear of being victims of random, unprovoked physical attacks on themselves or their property. Violence is used to damage, humiliate and ultimately break the person on whom it is inflicted on.

   I can tie this article to the video “The Milgram Experiment,” because the video was associated with violence and oppression as well as the powerlessness of those in the experiment. The video was a replicate experiment in which law abiding citizen were put to the test of inflicting lethal electric shocks in the name of science. The experiment was misleading because they were told it was based on memory tests. While those involved where actors the person applying the shocked was not thus ultimately 9 out of the 12 completed the experiment delivering very lethal shocks to the counterpart. Five main points which I was able to grasp from the video are as follow. One the point of the experiment was to see if the “teacher” would call a stop to the test when they believed the subject was experiencing too much pain. Two the learner went silent after a certain level of shock to create this idea that they were unconscious of even dead. Three, throughout the experiment the actor professor emphasized how important it was for them to continue as it was their obligation. Though he did not have any physical power, he was a figure of power present in the room. Four, the influence of this experiment was ideological concerning what the “teachers” believe science to a beneficial advancement for society. The fifth and last main point of the video is that violence is in everyone but it is brought out by different circumstances. Normal people in this experiment were subject to delivery gruesome pain to others (although no one was actually shocked) indisputably convincing that violence can be justified under specific circumstances.

This experiment connects to chapter 5 “Power” as well as the article “The Five Faces of Oppression,” because they all articulate about how an intended outcome and the other the capacity to dominate others. They connect through oppression, conflict and violence. The learners in the video were powerlessness because the teachers controlled the amount of voltage they received. I strongly believe if I was in this situation I would have been one of the three out of twelve people who did not complete the assignment. I believe this because it goes against my morals in purposely hurt another human being unless my life depended on it. Is violence necessary? I would say yes in extreme cases, such as school shootings, or when one person is threatening the lives of many, hence North Korea recent threats on the United States. Cases like these makes me few for the future and those in power.

Blog Entry 4: Parts of My Cultures !

1. Culture:

My nationality is Dominican. I was born in the Dominican Republic but raised in the United States from a very young age. Although I have never spent more than vacation time in my home country I believe my culture is both American and Latin. As a Dominican I speak Spanish as well as English and share the same beliefs, values, knowledge, and norms as most Latin American people. I know about the history of the United States as well as the history of the Dominican Republic.

2. Language:

As a Hispanic American I enjoy the benefits of being able to communicate with my people in both Spanish and English. I can read and write in both languages which are an advantage in most cases.

   

3. Symbol:

The bald eagle is a symbolic representation of the United States. It represents freedom, and strength. The escudo (Coat of Arms) of the Dominican flag represents
the blue symbolizes Liberty, red is fire and blood of the independence struggle and the white cross is a symbol of sacrifice. The coat of arms says, "Dios, Patria, Libertad" (meaning "God, Fatherland, Liberty"). “A bible with a small golden cross above it, which is opened (according to popular belief) to Johns 8:32, which reads Y la verdad os hará libre (And the truth shall make you free).”

4. Material Object:

This painting was created by a maternal uncle of mine back in the Dominican Republic. It symbolizes material culture because such painting are created and sold by Dominicans through out the country. They can be found in many homes, and businesses there.

5. Society:

In light of the recent tragedy of the orthodox Jewish couple and their infant who lost their lives recently in my hometown of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I decided to use this picture to represent their society and American culture. Our society meets thanks to the share territory we live in. Williamsburg has many ethnic groups which all includes Italians, Jews, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Blacks and Whites.

6. Values: 
This is a picture of my mother's side of the family this past summer while my parents and little brother vacation in D.R. In my culture, a very highly held value is that of family and its importance.I love that my family is so big and is always happy to come together.

7. Norms:

It’s expected in both my cultures to be properly dressed and to keep up the standards of personal hygiene. 

8. Culture Objects:

These dishes represent the physical objects created by my American and Dominican culture. I eat pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as well as arroz con carne (rice with meat) mangu con salami y queso frito ( smashed platanoes, salami and fried cheese.

9. Culture Shock:

People walk bared footed in the streets of in the poorer sections of the Dominican Republic

10. Behaviors:

It is a behavior of the American culture to pursuit formal education to be successful in life.

Blog Entry 3- All Because of Culture

     As we grow older we tend to forget what its like to grow up and be teenagers, especially during a certain time or era. We tend to forget how culture and society influences the younger generation. We tend to forget how society affects the younger generation whether good or bad. This chapter explores culture, its role in society and social world and how cuture influences us as human beings. As time progress we learn a better understand of culture and how it impacts our lives and how it allows us to interact with people of different groups. For many people culture is defined as having the knowlegde of arts and music while other refer to it as a way of life. Culture is having the collection of values, beliefs, knowledge and norms along with the language and behavior shared by people which is socially passed on from generation to generation. Culture is learned as we grow up and it is not biological. It operates from individuals to large and larger groups ultimately influencing how people live. For example, my cultural background has always taught me that it is a sign of respect to look at someone in the eyes when they are speaking whereas other cultures might see it as a sign of disrespect. Evey culture differs from what they believe is normal and odd, but one thing is for sure culture in definition is the same to everyone, our values, beliefs, language and our food. As time goes on culture becomes redefine as newer things are introduced. Culture can change as generations develop.

   When I first started to read the article "Teenage Wasteland," I couldn't help but think of an episode of Law and Order Criminal Intent where a group of young adults made a suicide pact as a way out of the life they lived. A young couple much like the couple in the article was part of this pact to end their lives together while others just wanted to end their miserable lives. Much like the author of this article I found myself asking the question "What made them choose this route instead of looking for other alternatives?". I also felt bothered as how the media and adults referred to them as "burn outs". I felt as though these adults and others should have been paying more attention instead of judging them because of their peers and how they dressed and behaved. A major factor of suicide in the teens of Bergenfield was alcohol and drug abuse as well as their families being destroyed by estrangment, death and divorce and their failure in school. Their society failed to help them became better instead of wasting their time trying to pass the time and overcome boredom. Instead they were labled. A lable that followed them even after their death, even after they have taken their own lives they were not respected by society. As adults we sometimes tend to forget how much words can affect our young generations and I believe if these teens were offered some kind of moral support somewhat like the author was doing in trying to figured out why the teens were cutting themselves, the suicide pact between theother teens would of probably not happened.

      The article "Teenage Wastelands" and Chapter 3 relate to each other in my opinion because they both speak about cultural shock (the experience of being disoriented because of a lack of knowlegde about an unfamiliar situation) and what a culture implies to be appropriate behavior. The "burnouts" of Bergenfield were not define as 'appropriate'. The teenagers who committed suicide were expected by their community and society to act and behavor a certain way. The norms as described in chapter 3 told people what they should do and what NOT to do. These teenagers were expected not to take their own lives, to go to college and find a good job and move out of their town, but no one took the time out from labeling them to ask them how they were doing after experiencing a death or divorce in their family. They were simply put off as the bad crowd even after their pact.

     I can somewhat related to the "burn outs" from this article because in high school those were the people I hung out with the most. Although I was considerably book smart and "wise beyond my years" as teachers often referred to me I was drawn to sit at the lunch table with the kids who were lable as burn out or good for nothing and trouble makers. Afterschool I often found myself hanging out with them on the corner store eating a cup of noodle soup to keep warm in the winter or flavor iceys in the summer. I much rather be with the outcast then the nerds in the library or the pretty popular girls at the mall. I preferred to be with the bad kids because to me they were fun to be around. Teachers believed they were a bad influenced to me but I believe I was bad to them. I enjoyed getting into trouble with them and having debates, which to much of my suprise they were not dumb at all. They were just not fulled entertained by school and society was not of any help either.

Blog Entry 2- No Excuses !

In "Experience Sociology" by David Crouteau and Willam Hoynes, Chapter 2 I read about many different theories. I read about sociology being an activity that uses the framework of science to seek results of the social world's phenomena. Many of the research done were uses as a basis of communication to the public which address problem practical to the social world. Different theories were put to the test by gathering data and information to prove and disprove them. Chapter 2 discussed how sociologist use media to bring their findings in basic and applied research and to highlight the aspects of society which otherwise would remain unnoticed and create common errors. The section on the media coverage of domestic violence stood out to me the most because it is something I witnessed and experienced myself. I thought it was very true what the section said on how the media projects domestic violence as being "private family problem" when in reality it affects more than just the families.

The article, "Association is Not Causation" by Richard J. Gelles and Mary M. Cavanaugh relates to my readings in Chapter 2 due to the article basing their information about the links to family violence to research done just as read in "Experience Sociology". The article spoke about the use and misuse of alcohol and drugs leading to family violence such as child abuse and neglect and domestic violence. Although some research aim towards determining that use of alcohol and drugs are in fact the cause violent tendencies others aim to disprove this idea. In fact the article stated that "evidence from cross-cultural research, lab studies and blood tests of men arrested for wife beating and survey research all indicates that although alcohol may have been associated with intimate violence, alcohol is not a primary cause of the violence." The article also speaks of how society and culture plays a big role of how individuals react to alcohol preferably, and whether or not it acts the brains then the results should be the same and have the same consequences throughout different societies.

I believe there's no excuse for child abuse or wife beating and families should not keep quiet about it and the media should not make it seem as though it only happens to one certain group of individuals. This is something that affects not only the family and community but society as well and people should get informed. I have yet to understand why people with partners, whether husbands or wives, and child find the need to inflict pain upon them when intoxicated with drugs or alcohol. I believe there is NO acceptable explanation for ANY kind of abuse.