SumBlog 12

Our continuing discussion on social inequality developed into yet another section this week. Technology and social change cover many areas in the social inequality unit, but I thought the most about social change and social movements. (Apart from maintaining the status quo because I couldn't stop thinking about the song “Stick to the Status Quo” from High School Musical.)

I find social change really interesting because if you look at how different our culture is now compared to just 10 years ago, you realize how often social change can really occur. While the change in clothes, actions of the public, songs, and more are usually minor changes, they still can have an effect on the society. Even last year, the clothing trends were way different than they are right now. A trend may not have a major impact on the society, but it is a brief change for a period of time. Trends also may not be considered social change because they don’t really have social movements prior to the change. Social movement is a collective effort to promote social change; so I guess if you want to get technical, you could consider clothing stores to be part of social movement.

One good example of social change that I can think of is sexual orientation equality. People have been trying to make this come a reality for many years now, but only recently has been extra effective. There are many social movements that have helped with increasing equality: events, alliances, and especially the votes for marriage equality. While we are still fighting for the complete social change, the movements are doing a good job of getting us closer to it.

SumBlog 11

There’s a part of me—sometimes small, sometimes large—that positively loves documentaries. Solar Mamas definitely put me in the large love category. Seeing what so many women go through in the eastern countries (and comparing that to those in the west) was remarkably eye-opening. The way Rafea and her family had to live in Jordan, their entire village unemployed, makes me feel awful about myself. The next time I want to complain about something in my apartment I’m going to stop myself, think about this film and how Rafea and her family lived in a tent.

The global inequality between us in the United States and Rafea in Jordan is unbelievable. What’s even more ridiculous is that we rarely think about how hard life is in those countries. Most likely, the majority of American citizens are unaware of the lives Jordanians lead—or even Kenyans or Colombians. In this documentary we got to see women trying (and succeeding) to prove themselves to their families, their villages, their countries. These women wanted so badly to gain an education and make something of themselves. And here we are, skipping classes and complaining about doing homework. It makes me feel really sad how often we take things for granted here in the US.

http://jeffiscool.com/pictures/Foxtrot/foxtrot_homework.JPG

This comic is a very accurate depiction of most American high school, middle school, and college students. To us, learning and going to school becomes a bit of a burden. During elementary school, we’re usually excited to go to school. But after many years of doing so day after day, we get sick of it. We get annoyed with our teachers, impatient with our homework, and tired of being cooped up for eight hours a day. Once we get to high school, we only like school because we get to see our friends every day. Is this how Rafea felt? Nope. Sure, she was happy to see her friends, but that’s not the sole reason she wanted to go to school. She actually wanted to learn. And she was even learning in a totally different language. Can you imagine us going to school and learning everything brand new in a language we didn't know? We certainly wouldn't take it as easily as Rafea and her friends did. When Rafea was struggling, she laughed. If only we all had such a positive outlook on life and learning like Rafea.

SumBlog 9

The discussion we had on Wednesday really got me thinking about today’s society and how drastically things have changed over the years. When I compare my life and the things around me to that of my grandparents when they were my age, I can’t believe the differences. It really makes me wonder what things will be like when I’m a grandparent. Obviously everything is prone to change, and everything eventually changes, but it’s crazy how norms can change. If something is the “norm,” how can it change? Well, when people in the public eye start to push the boundaries, the rest of society begins to follow the leader, and eventually that becomes the norm. Boundaries keep getting stretched, norms keep being changed, and we get further and further away from the original.

One topic we talked about on Wednesday was music. Popular music now is nothing at all like it used to be. We went from classy, appropriate music to disrespectful, improper stuff. Like we said in class, it’s become acceptable and almost necessary for songs to be about sex and the male taking advantage of the female. Is this an example we really want to be setting for the younger demographic? But it’s too late now, there’s no going back. At this rate, things can only get worse. Maybe in a couple decades, things will make a circle back and music will be respectful again. Right now though, songs need to be bleeped out when played on the air because of swear words and parents need to be ready to switch the dial every time and inappropriate song comes on the radio.

When we listened to “Blurred Lines” I thought of another song that is similar in topic. “Do What U Want” by Lady Gaga. In this song, the main line is “do what you want with my body.” Even though this one isn't about rape like “Blurred Lines,” it is still giving all the power to the man and is a very unsuitable song for children and young-adults.

SumBlog 8

When we played Monopoly in class on Monday I was in Group 3 which represented single females. If I remember correctly, we were given $870 at the start of the game. The biggest issue we had was jail. Every time we rolled doubles, we were sent to jail. Apparently my teammate and I are prone to rolling doubles because we did so almost every roll. When we were in jail the only ways to get out were to pay $100 or wait three turns. At the beginning of the game, we were upset that we were in jail all the time, but then later we realized that it was kind of a good thing; we weren't spending any money in jail. However, after rolling doubles many times in a row, we started getting a little annoyed at how often it happened. Our experience was very roller coaster-like; we would be excited at getting out of jail, but then would immediately get thrown back in.

Sociopoly related to real life in many ways. Group 1, who represented whites, was privileged throughout the entirety of the game. They were given the most amount of money to start, and received the most amount of money for passing Go. I’m not sure how they got into jail without picking a card, but Group 1 at my game never went to jail. But I’m sure if they were sent to jail, it’d be pretty easy to get out. Certainly a lot easier than it was for Group 3 or 4. Group 1 was also given houses every time they passed Go. With all these privileges, it actually would have been difficult for Group 1 to lose or come close to bankrupt. It was easy for them to buy properties, and then they were given the opportunity to put houses on their properties. Group 2 also had a lot of opportunity throughout the game…definitely more than Group 3 or 4. I really enjoyed playing Sociopoly and I thought it did a really good job at representing groups in real life.

SumBlog 7

Diversity in education is something that I've heard being discussed for as long as I can remember. Especially in high school. You know, when it comes time for applying to colleges? Diversity is such a hot topic during that time period. To me, diversity is very important. Not just in schools and universities, but in everyday life. There are so many different types of diversity and I think they’re all equally important; race, class, and ethnicity. I think it’s great for people to be around others that are different than them. If we were all the same, life would be kind of boring, don’t you think?

I think there can never be too much diversity in ourselves or in the people around us. It makes life more interesting because things are always changing. While there are some people who dislike diversity and think everything should be one way, I disagree. Like I said above, life would be boring and monotonous if everything was the same. Experiencing any type of diversity in our lives opens us up to be more accepting of differences. The more you experience, the more open you can become. 

The Paradox of Diversity: Dr. Marylin Sanders Mobley at TEDxCLE 2013

I found this TEDx Talk on YouTube and I think it fits very well with our discussion of diversity in education. Dr. Mobley discusses her experiences in dealing with diversity and how it affected her throughout her life. She talks about the decisions she made to overcome challenges and how they helped shape her. It’s definitely interesting and encouraging to listen to and I think we could all benefit from doing so. Hearing people’s real life stories and experiences is never a bad thing, and Dr. Mobley is no exception. 

SumBlog 6

I really enjoyed the video we watched in class on Wednesday; it made me appreciate custodians even more. It also reminded me of the janitor we had in elementary school. We called him Mr. Tom and he was so well-loved throughout the school. Teachers and especially students could never get enough of him. Unfortunately, Mr. Tom passed away in early 2011. During this time, I was in a creative writing class at my high school. I decided to write an elegy to him for one of my assignments. To this day, it is still one of my favorite creative works of mine—although it could use a little bit of editing. The impact that Mr. Tom had on me, and hundreds of other Clovis Grove students, is remarkable. He may not have been our teacher, but he taught us many things.

If Mr. Tom is just one custodian the world has had, I can’t imagine how many other great custodians are out there that have gone under-appreciated. This remembrance makes me want to have longer conversations with the custodians we have on campus. Where did they come from? What are their stories? Maybe one of them will impact my life as much as Mr. Tom did.

The issue of false consciousness is almost always relative to custodians. Most people think a custodian has that job because they can’t get anything else. A lot of times, however, the person chose to have that job—for many possible reasons. Because the world sees custodians in a less fortunate way, the custodians sometimes start to think of their self that way too. This leads to a false consciousness within these individuals. While Mr. Tom is not an example of a false consciousness, many custodians are—including ones from the film we watched.

I posted my elegy on this blog; here’s the link to it:
http://mollyhendries.blogspot.com/2014/03/if-it-were-up-to-us-elegy-to-mr-tom.html

If It Were Up to Us: an Elegy to Mr. Tom

For six years at Clovis Grove you made me smile,

even on my worst days.

The six years when I was most naïve;

but even then I knew

you were an extraordinary man.

You knew my name, and everyone else’s too.

We were your kids, the ones who made you happy;

the sunshine in your day—as you were in ours.

Even though you were just a janitor,

you never once let us down.

And even though you weren't our teacher,

you taught us to love life,

live life, and to

enjoy our time here.

We watched your biceps move up and down

like the teeter-totter on the playground,

as you gave them a beat to dance to.

Going to those Muscle Dances was our

favorite thing to do as little kids.

We would've gone to many more

if it were up to us.

Or we’d sit on your big comfy lap,

as you pretended to be Santa Claus,

with that perfect white beard of yours.

That beard that I will never forget.

That beard that I will always love.

Crossing your path in the halls

was the best part of my day.

I always knew you

would be there to make me smile and laugh

with that deep, jolly voice of yours.

Laughter has gotten me so far in life,

and I have you to thank for that.

You taught me to

laugh often,

laugh loud, and

laugh much.

Now that we’re in high school and college,

we’d give anything to still be

in the lunch room that was too big,

or in the hallways that we drew in,

or in our classrooms that you loved to visit;

laughing along with you,

if it were up to us.

The sparkle in your eyes,

like the moonlight in an ocean,

will forever be ingrained in my mind.

As will your presence in my heart.

It was contagious the way you were to us:

we became your copy-cats, your mini-me’s.

Your strive to be free, fun, and considerate was

exactly what I wished I was like.

Now I look in a mirror and picture you

there with me, telling me jokes and then

laughing at yourself, increasing

the wrinkles on your face.

Each time I see a mop bucket,

I chuckle to myself,

remembering how you let me ride on it.

And now, you’ll laugh with me too,

while you’re up there.

You’ll impress everybody with everything you do—

laughing, caring, being free.

You've done it to thousands of young kids here,

you can easily do it to millions of people

where you are now.

I wish you didn't have to impress the ones above

so soon, but someday

I’ll be up there with you too.

And then we can show off our laughter;

laugh until we cry, until our stomachs start to hurt.

But if I could, and if we could,

we would come visit you.

Not up there,

but at your home or

at your school.

If only it were up to us.

SumBlog 5

We learned a lot of different definitions in class this week, but a concept that got me thinking a lot was ‘passing’. It got me wondering about the times I've tried to be a part of a group that wasn't my own. I thought of a few examples, but one that really stuck out was my entire sixth grade school year.

In sixth grade I tried to fit in with the “popular girls” because I thought they were cool and well, doesn't every middle school girl want to be popular? Anyway, I tried really hard to be one of the cool girls during that year of my life, but it didn't work all that well. Let’s just say I’m a bit of a dork and I didn't accept that until later. I thought I wanted to be like the other girls, so I attempted to dress and act like them.

This photo was taken at a birthday party in October 2004; I’m the one on the far right. I’m pretty sure I zipped my sweatshirt all the way up because I was embarrassed about the shirt I was wearing underneath it. Also, I distinctly remember being extremely excited when I bought that sweatshirt because it was my first purchase from Aeropostale and I thought that made me super cool.

Turns out when I tried to pass for a popular girl, I didn't succeed in the long run. I’m happy about this now, but quite embarrassed looking back on myself during that time. However, everything worked out for the better. Of those five other girls in the picture, I’m not close friends with any of them anymore—and to be honest, I would only be comfortable having a conversation with two of those girls. I found people that are more like me and I feel comfortable around no matter what. For a year, I passed as part of the popular crowd, and after that I started to realize who I was. I’m glad for this part of my life because I grew up and became who I am today.

SumBlog 4

Imagine jumping on to your kitchen counter every time you need something from the cupboards. Imagine standing on a step stool every time you need that sweatshirt from your top shelf. Imagine not finding jeans that fit properly. Imagine never being able to see the hood of your car while driving.

Welcome to my life.

Oppression can be something very serious, or in my case, very simple and not so serious. However, it has still made a big impact on my life.

Growing up I was always the smallest person in my class, which made for my fair share of bullying. Kids picked on me all the time because I was so short. My classmates would grab my things and lift them up high so I couldn't reach them and then they would laugh in my face. In elementary school I spent a lot of time wishing I would magically get a huge growth spurt over night.

When middle school came, kids made fun of me because my clothes never fit; they were always too big. My jeans would drag on the floor and my t-shirts would hang far too low. To middle school kids, this was hilarious. I was an easy target to be made fun of…and we all know how much middle school students like to make fun of their classmates. The “popular” girls told me I should only like boys who were short (so, like, two boys) because the tall boys didn't like short girls. Looking back on this now it seems quite hysterical, but at the time I was heartbroken.

In high school I learned to accept my shortness, and most other people did too. We all matured and got over it once we entered the big leagues. Of course, I still couldn't reach things, which caused a great deal of struggle when I started to drive. I had to learn how to judge the length of the car and adjust my seat so I can reach the pedals without being too close to the steering wheel.

The struggle to reach things is still evident in my life today and will be for the rest of my life. The only difference is I've learned how to deal with and accept it. I've found a store that sells jeans that fit me as best as possible; I have step stools in my apartment that I’m used to using regularly; I've memorized the length of my car. I still experience oppression; I've just learned how to overcome it.

SumBlog 3

This week we learned about religion and how greatly it can vary. I found the Westboro Baptist Church documentary really interesting as I didn't know much about their religion prior to Wednesday. It's crazy to see how different their beliefs are compared to other religions. This made me think about what types of things a "religion" can be.

In class we learned that religion involves beliefs of the sacred. While this usually means some sort of a higher power, I think it can mean something entirely different to someone else. One type of “religion” I considered was sport. Some people live and breathe American football, baseball, basketball, football (soccer), rugby, etc. This sport can be such a strong part of their lives that it becomes a religion. They believe that this sport makes the world a better place, they follow it relentlessly, and the outcome of games affects their mood. People can believe in a team and can practice their belief by attending games or watching on television. This may seem like a strange example to some people, but it is normal for many others.

Another aspect I thought of was love. Some people’s undying love for someone can be a type of religion. This reminded of a song by The Cab called “Her Love Is My Religion.” If you listen to the lyrics, the singer feels lost without his girl. Even in the title of the song you get the gist of the idea; her love is his religion. He lives for her love and she is a part of him. I think this song is a great example of how religion doesn't always have to be about a higher being for some people.

I think for the sociology definition it’s okay to say religion is based on the sacred. However, it isn't necessarily that way for all people and for all definitions. Religion is a subjective term; it isn't something that can be defined the same way by or for every person. 

SumBlog 2

In class this week we discussed sex, gender, and sexuality. To some people, sex, gender, and sexuality go hand in hand. They think everything is one way and if you act different than you "should" then you are wrong and need to change. Other people, completely disagree with this and think each thing can extremely separate. There are others who sit somewhere in the middle that acknowledge and respect both sides. Wherever you lie on the spectrum shouldn't matter to anyone else but yourself.

Understanding the differences between sex, gender, and sexuality can be quite confusing to some people. I found yet another Vlogbrothers video (I think I see a trend growing here) that perfectly defines each aspect. This video goes even further and talks about sexual orientation, romantic orientation, and sexual behavior. There are pictures that help show exactly where and what Hank is explaining. I think this video can help many people better understand this topic and recognize why everyone is different. It’s nice to be able to get a physical view on where each idea occurs in the human body. People who don’t understand why some people can vary from others would really benefit from watching this video.

Our other topic this week was on disability. We learned that there are two different kinds of status and how this applies to disability as a status. Ascribed status is a social that one has involuntarily; one they were given without choice. Achieved status is voluntary, one that a person has earned or worked for. When learning about achieved status I thought of Drake’s song “Started from the Bottom.” In this song, Drake says, “Started from the bottom now we’re here.” While Drake doesn’t exactly say where he is, it is implied that he is now famous and higher on the social scale than he was when he started his career. (Warning: this song contains explicit language)

SumBlog 1

The discussions we had this week and last week covered inequality; class & status; and race, ethnicity, & nationality. We learned a lot of important definitions and ideas over the past three class periods. During the race, ethnicity, and nationality discussion I thought playing Guess Who was a great activity and really got us thinking about view others from the outside. The statistics we received about upper-, middle-, and lower-class in the U.S. were really interesting and surprising to me. The topic of inequality and societal norms was also intriguing.

While learning about inequality I couldn’t help but think of a YouTube video I watched a while back. Said video was made by Hank Green, co-owner of the YouTube channel Vlogbrothers. Vlogbrothers started in 2007 as a way for two brothers (Hank and John Green) to communicate via Internet for one year—which they dubbed Brotherhood 2.0. However, they grew a following and continued making YouTube videos even after the Brotherhood 2.0 project was completed, and their videos still follow by the rules they came up with at the beginning of Brotherhood 2.0. For example, all videos must be less than four minutes and, as you’ll notice, they address each other at the beginning and end of each video. The Vlogbrothers channel isn’t a specific genre; they discuss anything and everything and do so with the power of nerd and being awesome.

While their channel doesn’t appeal to everyone, this video relates to our topic of inequality and makes it relatable to most people. Hank takes the inequality from The Hunger Games and translates it to our society.

Enjoy! Vlogbrothers: "I Am President Snow"

Another video I found relates to our discussion on class and status, particularly caste systems. This video is made by other Vlogbrothers owner, John Green. (Who is also a really great author. You should check out his work. A movie is coming out in June based on his book The Fault in Our Stars. It’s a phenomenal book.) However, this video is for the YouTube channel Crash Course—which is an additional channel John and Hank created. On Crash Course, the brothers teach the audience about literature, science, history, etc. in about ten minutes. These videos provide lots of educational information and are also entertaining to watch. The video I am sharing is about India’s history. You can watch the whole thing if you wish but 1:32-5:19 is when the video focuses mainly on the Indian caste system.

Happy learning! Crash Course: "Buddha and Ashoka"