What U learned

          During this semester we learned a lot of new things, some things we may have learned before or we are new to it. Sociology is full of important and amazing facts we should know in life. They can be benfefical unto us later on in life.
         I don't remember everything from the top of my head but the most important thing I learned is about stratification. I never knew how us human are ranked in life. Some are poor,rich,homeless,middle class,lower class,and upper class. I thought we was all upper class or didn't have a class. We go about living not knowing what our class is. Some people even judge us about our class. You got to a certain restaurant or store, you can tell if its upper or middle class. 
       I also remembered learning about family incomes. Now I know what my family income is, my parents make about $85 thousands a year. If sociology didn't teach me about it, I wouldn't have know. I remembered medicalization and how its about healing problems and serve as an agent or social control by returning absolute jurisdiction over health care. 
    Ascribed and achieved status I definitely remember during my semester. Ascribed status is  social position assigned to a person by society w/out regard for person's unique talents or characteristics and achieved status is social position attained by a person through own efforts. I must say I learned how to complete and create a blog.
   I could go on and on about what I learned in my sociology class. I must say I learned a lot. It was amazing semester ,new things and experiences. 

The Hispanic Dropout Mystery:
A Staggering 30 Percent Leave
School, Far More Than Blacks
or Whites. Why?

       I think a lot of students should take time out and read this because I learn something new and interesting. I ask myself why is the rate more higher than blacks, i thought blacks was the highest. These kids get caught up in today society with drug dealing, lack of home training and running the streets trying to fit in. Some parents don't even care to sit down and teach them right from wrong. Like in the reading it says, kids dressing with baggy pants, walking the halls, no one telling them what to do, and if someone does , they wont listen. Some of them feel that its pointless to be in school getting an education. Most of them have their reasons why they leave school. They're failing, bored in class, no support from family etc.. the list goes on and on. Some lack of language because they drop out. They don't know how to speak English fluently. Then poverty comes in, no money to get to school, can't afford to buy nice clothing, tough times, so they feel the need to drop out. Theres only so much the teachers and counselors can do to help. Kids have to want help in order to receive it.

                                Who Has The Right To Look Down On Anybody?
   
             -People Like Us
4 - Social Class In America!!
                  

                 

   Watching the video I learn new things I never knew from before. It was brought to my attention that class matters a lot in the society we live in today. There's upper class, middle class and lower class. Everyone belong to a particular class, some may not know which one or even thought about it. The point is that it still exist and we should understand it even if we don't want to.
   There's a lot of differences between these classes. They dress different, live in different neighborhood, different cars etc.. Some people can tell if your upper class from the house you live in. The house might be big and much more classy than others. Some people said if you have screen doors, that's consider lower class. I think that's stupid because you can't put a title on someone because of the type of door they have. Upper class people can have the same door, doesn't make them different. Even what you wear can determine your class. If you're parents are doctors, physicians or lawyers, they consider upper class. They making a certain amount of money. They don't say certain words.
  In the video, working stiff is basically what you wear is not what you really are. Some people can be dress up for an interview and not be comfortable. They're not use to dressing up, so it feels weird and different. Social Critic is what society thinks of us by the way we look. In the video a female was judging people by the way they look. Everyone who passes her, she would give them a title. Ex: Dorky, Ghetto, Lower Class, Upper Class. She can be right or wrong, i guess that's what society thinks of us based on our appearance. Social Climber having too many children or driving a cheap car. Basically down grading people on their negative or positive outcome. 
  We are surrounded by many people. Some people make categories for us. People would go out their way to fit in to a group or school. Why should you go out your way to do something like that, WHY society wont accept us they way we are. We can be divided by class, Where we live, what school you go to etc .. If you didn't go to a rich school like Harvard for example, we not smart enough or don't meet certain requirements. Question is What are those requirements?  I guess it reveals different things about us. 
                 Bud Or Bordeaux

  We make choices and we have the right to do so. What we surround our selves with says a lot about our status. All the classes have different stores. If you want more expensive things, you can go to the upper class store. Everything belongs in that store for a reason. We're catergorize and we don't know it. Some people feel limited by a certain class. A class can be determined by how the way we stand. Upper class people stand 16-19 inches apart. Why do all that just to different your self from everybody else? Most of the times its not all about money. 
  Salt of the Earth

  Simply about the working class. Work to earn your money to survive. Pat Gulden is a working class person. Works selling lawn ornaments. Sells them at a reasonable price so everyone can afford them.
      Friends in low places
Acting different when their from a different place. Why can't we all act the same? Whats the reasons to act different? I ask my self these questions. 
    Belonging
Fitting in to an area might not be a good thing to do. You want to belong somewhere and make sure you feel comfortable in that area.
             IF YOU'RE NO SATISFIED BY YOUR CLASS, CHANGE IT!!
In the chapter, Like Davis and Moore said Its important to rank people in society. So having these different classes can be very important. Everything is based on how were ranked, which is called stratification. Based on the reading Positive Functions of the Undeserving Poor: Uses of the Underclass in America. What is poverty? There can be several answers to that question. It can be determined by the nature, the people, and interests. Poverty have negative and positive outcomes. Poor people do certain things to make them stand out. Getting involve in street crimes, breaking norms meaning bearing a child out of wedlock. The reading expands our knowledge on the importance of the poor Undeserving.Differences between the poor and wealthy in our society. Think about the 13 points of poor people that have a positive effect on society.

• 1. Risk reduction
• 2. Scapegoating and displacement
• 3. Economic banishment and the reserve army of labor
• 4. Supplying illegal goods
• 5. Job creation
• 6. Moral legitimation
• 7. Norm reinforcement
• 8. Supplying popular culture villains
• 9. Institutional scapegoating
• 10. Conservative power shift
• 11. Spatial purification
• 12. Reproduction of stigma and the stigmatized
• 13. Extermination of the surplus

 EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT,PAY MORE ATTENTION TO IT !!

Killing us Softly and A call to men.

     Killing Us Softly.

Collages of ads about what it meant to be a women in culture. We process these ads, its apart of our environment. The ideals of femininity. These messages and images reinforce unrealistic and unhealthy things about beauty and perfection. Talks about relationships, eating disorders and gender violence. I think its also about destroying gender sterotypes.

   Its also about how the media think about females in the generation today. People look to media to prevent these things.

    Tony Porter; A call to men.

   Always thought that men were to be strong, tough, dominated, courageous, no pain or emotions , only exceptions of anger. Men were always thought to be a leader in life , never a follower. A little comparison between women and men. Women were to be weak and always showing emotions. He discuss to main types of box. The socialization box and fear of getting out box. Basically rules about being a men in society and what it is to be a men. Deconstructing and reconstructing what is to be a men. For example; His child was crying, he was five years old. He told him to grow up and be a man. Sent him to his room, basically what it means to be a men. Its told that its hard for men to express their feelings in front of women. Its okay for men to have feelings and show emotions to your sons.

Both videos relates to the chapter on socialization because it shows process through which people learn their cultures basic norms , values , beliefs and appropriate behaviors. People teach us about our culture, like family and friends. Growing up we were taught certain things that we didnt know would be apart of our society today. Basically its similar to the hidden curriculum. The lessons on appropriate behavior .

          The Milgram Experiment  

Conducted by: Stanley Milgram. 
    
      Twelve member volunteer to take part in a scientific experiment. They were instructed to perform acts that conflicted with conscience. The professor will decide on a teacher and and learner .The teacher would ask questions to the learner and if they got it wrong, the teacher have to shock them. Each time they answer wrong, teacher would increase the volt more. Volt went by 15-450. 

      
      This experiment was not an easy experiment.The experiment offer a powerful and disturbing look into the power of authority and obedience. The teacher had a choice whether to put a stop to the test or listen to the professor. Also falls back on chapter 5 (Power). Having a choice to do something or not. The teacher doesn't know that the learners is not being shock. They recorded a voice to make it seem as if it were the learners voice. 9 out of 12 went all the way to the end. It can convince ourselves that  violence is justify. 

                Five Faces of Oppression

     Gender,race,class,relationships,identities and experiences are shaped by conditions of oppression.

- Exploitation difference between wealth that workers create through labor power.
-Marginalization those who are unable to keep employment because of disabilities, education, age etc.. 
-Powerlessness workers in lower status jobs experience more powerlessness then workers with professional jobs.
-Cultural Dominance the way one group experiences, cultural expressions.
-Violence can be used to keep a group in its place. Also remind social groups of what happens when the resist of oppression. 


       In the experiment and from the reading everything is all about choices we make daily. Most people in society face at least one of the oppression before.Racism runs through each of these oppression. Oppression also relates to the video. We all have differences. 

The Meaning of Social Control -Peter Berger

           First Social Control refers to social mechanisms that regulate individual and group behavior.Every society must have harmony and unity, without it no society could remain in existence.It can be expressed through laws, rules and also regulation. Social Control is an influence that can be exerted through public opinion or religion.

          In this society we need social control because without it there would be chaos. Everything is a form of structure which can fall back on social control.People who live in small neighborhoods or towns sometimes complain about the feeling about being watched by other people.They feel that if they don't behave according to the social norm, they will be talked about. 
         Social structure is something we experience everyday. Chapter 4 explains it all. Everything doesn't stay the same, our behavior might be the only thing that stays the same. Chapter 4 helps us understand other people according to patterns of social structure.

Body Ritual Among the Nacirema By Horace Miner

      The Anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ways in which different people behave in similar situations that he is not surprised by even the most exotic ones. The Nacirema presents unusual aspects that may see, different to describe them as examples of the extremes to which human behavior can go. Professor Linton first bought about the ritual of the Nacirema to the attention of anthropologist 20 years ago. The Nacirema are the North American groups living in the territory between the Canadian Cree, Yaqui,and Tarahumare of Mexico and Carib and Arawak of the Antilles. Nacirema culture was highly developed which involved in a rich natural habit. There beliefs were deeply in the perspective that the human body is prune to sickness and dis figuration.

The Stanford Prison Experiment

       The Stanford Prison experiment was created by Professor and Psychologist Phillip Zimbards. It was a study of the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. It went from August 14 to August 20 of 1971. It was set up in a basement, where there was hidden cameras that was monitor daily or hourly. Twenty four male students were choosen. They were assigned roles of prisoners and guards in a mock prison. They were  not allowed to harm the prisoners. The prisoners were arrested at their homes and charged with armed robbery. Although the students were healthy and knew they were taking part in an experiment, some guards became aggressive and prisoners showed signs of depression and stress. After six days, the planned two week study became out of control. The experiment made it known that putting normal human being into an unstable environment will more likely to become expose to a tragic situation. It will have negative effects on society. 

Who am I>

I'm 19 years. Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. Favorite sport in Track and Field. On my free time I enjoy :

• shopping
• hanging with my friends
• watching movies
• sleeping
• surfing the web
• going to parties
• spending time with my love ones

I'm a well-educated person who wants to be the first sibling in my family to make something of myself. That means graduating college with degrees and getting a good job. My parents always said to me " Become something someday, don't be like your brothers and sister. From that day I knew I had to make a change. I always wanted to make my parents proud. My parents always played a big influence part in my life. I will never let them down. My purpose in life is achieve my goals, turn out to be somebody and be appreciated for everything I do or accomplish. I want to continue to further my education and make it out into the real world.