Chapter 14: End of the Class

Although I have taken other Sociology classes for my Criminal Justice major, I still had not learned the basics until now. This class has taught me many things and has provided me with a quality base of the Sociological perspective that I hoped to gain in order to carry my studies further. One thing that stuck with me and that I learned the most about was the structure of society. Through this I was able to broaden my knowledge on the importance of organizations and how they impact how the world works as a whole.

We all have roles in the world that are brought together by the concept of organizations. Organizations form to provide over all order for communities of people. They are created to offer a form social structure that provides a framework of society that adds order and predictability to one’s private life (278). When we are young, we do not consider how the impacts of the organizations form how we are expected to act in society. One form is education, and the expectations we have for children in our society to learn in a certain way. Educational organizations expect children to fall into the system and to morph their unique qualities into one track for success. This form of education provides benefits for our society because it provides high quality educated individuals to participate in society.

Although I knew about the impact of the education system there are components that I learned about organizations that I was not as exposed to. It is always surprising to learn the impact of bureaucracies, which are large hierarchical organizations governed by formal rules and regulations and having clearly specified work tasks (287). These bureaucracies have control over the overall impact on others’ lives and how certain components of our communities are produced.  They play into how our communities are controlled and how people fall into their everyday roles.

I think one thing that is rarely contemplated is the hierarchy of authority, where there are a few people at the top controlling most of the outcomes in society and then there are many at the base that have very little power (288). This is a prime example of how the Occupy Movement occurred. The whole movement focused around the hierarchy of authority and how there is 1% of the community that earn most of societies profit. Then there are 99% of the communities that are working for the people at the top and have very little power.  Although I participated in this movement, having the reason why it came to exist made a lot more sense to me.

People usually take their position in society among organizations and do not look at how other people impact their role. Many tend to focus on one’s own role and do not think about how it is essentially a conveyor belt of roles that get us to where we are in society. There are people at the bottom that have very little power but their roles carry to the top and provide us with our everyday needs. This is something that many do not take the time to realize on a daily basis.

With this chapter and concept I was provided with a more thorough understanding of how organizations impact my life. I have a role in the machine of society and there are other people that have other roles that provide me with my basic needs. It is a complicated system that is harder to understand because we rarely take a step away from our lives to realize where objects come from and how they come to be.  

This class has given me a better understanding of how our society works and how different components make up how we act. I have learned a lot that gives me an overall understanding on society and prepares me for further classes in Sociology. 

Chapter 13: My Dad's Journey

My dad’s immigration story has been told to me throughout my life and over the years I have been able to appreciate his travels even more. My dad, Eric John Benson was adopted from Korea when he was five years old. He knows that he is not full Korean and does not know what the other half of his heritage is. He was adopted by a Caucasian, Scandinavian, Texan family and his first memory was running away from the flight attendants with his “brother” on the plane coming over to the United States. Being a Korean adoptee in Texas was not the easiest life for my dad. Although he does not know much of his family history, he has a lot of memories of coming to and growing up in the United States. Newman explains migration to be, “moving to another place where prospects for a comfortable life are brighter “(452). Since my dad and my uncle were young to understand they did not realize the impact of migrating to the United States would have on their lives. They would be provided with opportunities that they would not have had in the orphanage in Korea.

Korean Orphans in the 1960's

My grandpa was working with the military in 1966 as a doctor. He heard a rumor from one of his colleagues that there were Korean children that needed homes. They traveled to Korea to see if they could make additions to their family. When they got there they discovered that there were two boys that needed a home. My dad and my uncle were two energetic little boys that were just waiting for someone to adopt them. My dad said, “So they came to the orphanage and found my brother Mark and I. They visited us for a day and decided they wanted us.” My grandparents decided to adopt them and go through all the paperwork to adopt them. It took two years to adopt them into their family and get them to the United States.

This video shows the beginning of Korean adoptions and how they started:

When my grandparents adopted my father they replaced his given Korean name with Eric John Benson. They chose a Scandinavian sounding name to counter balance the Asian background. They wanted to give my dad a chance to not be profiled when they read the name off of a piece of paper. My dad said, “It gave them the view that I was white before coming to the classroom.” By giving him a white sounding name they could postpone the predisposed opinion that they had of the Asian stereotype. Newman states that, “even though laws in most countries ban discrimination against immigrants, anti-foreigner resentment and prejudice are global phenomena” (454). My grandparents were trying to combat that stereotype because he was one of the few Asian children in the Texan community. My dad said that it did not help much though, “I don’t think it helped much because I still looked Asian.” Even so they tried to make him as White as possible, taking away his Asian heritage.

My dad was never linked back to his Korean heritage while being a part of a Scandinavian household. He was brought up as Caucasian and in that society instead of learning about his ethnic background. My dad expressed his feelings about being Asian, “Growing up I was embarrassed being Korean. There weren’t a lot of Asians back in Texas.” He was not exposed to anything that had to do with the Asian culture. When he was growing up there was not a lot of as much integration of races today. He was surrounded by predominantly “White” culture. He did not know where he came from and did not thrive to start learning about that part of his background. Although he felt out of place in his community he did not look for a solution. The resources for that exploration may not have been provided in a predominantly white community as well, making it nearly impossible to learn.

Needless to say my dad is a dork.

Although I am just a quarter Korean I am extremely proud of my heritage. If my dad had not been adopted and came to the United States from Korea I would not be in exist let alone be American. Even though parts of his culture were lost in his immigrating to the United States he has been able to recover some of it as he has gotten older. He tries to incorporate parts of his culture by encouraging his children to take part in things such as Korean dancing and eating traditional foods.   Though the Asian culture has been reduced through assimilation in the United States it still exists in small amounts. My dad’s history is not uncommon but it is unique to my family and how he came to become an American citizen. It makes my family different from others and the pride we have for our heritage is immense because of everything he has gone through to discover where his roots are as an Asian American. 

Chapter 12: Learning Gender

Society has many definitions that play a role in how people express themselves. The first boxes that people tend to put people in, is their gender. There are two boxes that can be filled male and female. It is harder to bend those definitions that society has put on people since they have been so ingrained in the way we look at people. We raise our children on these definitions on what gender is defined as and set them up for a future in a society that has expectations for both of them. Children start to be raised in a binary world from birth.

Girl baby on the left. Boy baby on the right.

When a baby is born the doctors set them up for how they are going to be treated for the rest of their lives. Boy babies get blue blankets and girl babies get pink blankets. From then on they are going to be treated differently by society. When the parents bring their babies out of the hospitals the baby’s gender is celebrated by many expressions. These expressions tend to be different based on what gender the baby is. Girl babies tend to be surrounded by expressions such as, “she is going to grow up to be a beautiful young woman.” Boy babies will be addressed as, “he looks like a tough little man.” You will not usually hear those expressions being used on the opposite gender. This sets the children up to have different sets of expectations on the way they are going to grow up. They are set up for two different tracks in life. Girls are expected to be delicate and “lady-like.” Boys on the other hand are expected to be tough and “manly.”

This video explains the different ads shown on cartoon network and how they play into gender norms for boys and girls:

As the children grow up the toys they play with set them up for different walks of life. Boys are set up with things such as Legos and model power tools, to set them up for jobs where they are going to be out of the household. They are set up for man-dominated fields where they are expected to use their hands and be tough (430). Girls are given toys that are focused on preparing them for life taking care of the household. These toys are objects such as baby dolls, kitchen sets, and when I was little things such as toy vacuum cleaners. This emphasizes the inequality in the family structure, where the women stays home and takes care of the house while the man goes off to work (425). Though toys have started to blur the gender binary, children still are strongly set up for roles that society expects them to fall into as they get older.

Gendered Toys

As children start to get older they have already been immersed in a sexist society. They have beliefs that each gender has a certain roles that they must fit into and that one may be inferior to the other (407). They learn that there are two roles and two genders that they must fit into. Boys that exhibit more feminine qualities that may want to play with “household based toys” are viewed as being “fairies.” Girls that are more masculine and love to play with cars are labeled as “butch.” Endless teasing as a child for breaking out of gender norms is a strong encouragement to fall back into the life path society has for them. Though there has been an emphasis on trying to stop the bullying, society still sets up those expectations that children have for each other. The children are being taught that stepping out of the boxes for gender is wrong.

This poem done by spoken-word artist Guante shows the stereotypes that are placed on men and how it is hard to break out of the norms of what masculine is. Although it is not as related to children I still think it shows a good example of how society expects boys to "man up" and to suppress any form of "femininity" that they may have.: 

Gender inequality starts early. Children are set on two different paths the minute that they are born. They are given boxes that are hard to break out of and when they are challenged it makes people uncomfortable and the parents are questioned on how they are raising their child. The social construction of gender has affected many children and provides a framework for how they should be raised in today’s society. Being a child that broke many of the rules I know that it is difficult to fit into a society that believes that we must raise our children in a two gender world. Until people start being able to blur the lines of “what is right” for each gender to “play with” as a child they are still going to have those expectations hanging over their heads. 


Work Cited:

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

Chapter 11: Racist Jokes

Jokes tend to be part of everyday culture. One question tends to be with racial jokes, where do we draw the line with what is and is not socially acceptable to say out loud? With taking many classes that focus on race I have found that I am really sensitive to jokes that are tossed around when it comes to race because I know the implications behind them. I feel as if they perpetuate stereotypes that have been institutionalized by our society and they are a lot harsher when you know their history. When you think about the inequality in our culture the jokes become less funny. Yet a lot of jokes are told within each race and help establish an individualized culture. Many of my friends have told me I have lost an aspect of my humor because I am a lot more careful around the topic of racial jokes. So the question continues to be where do jokes become harmful to society and how do they play into everyday racism? If the jokes are defined as racist it creates the belief that humans are divided into groups that are different in their social behavior that can be ranked as superior or inferior (405).

I thought this meme emphasized my point.

When I grew up my dad continually joked about his Asian background. He would make jokes such as “Why do Asians have slanted eyes” and he would push his eyes to become more slanted then state, “Oh no more rice!” We would always laugh about this in our family and it became a running joke. Yet he warned us that we should be really careful of who we shared that joke with because it may be less funny to someone else. He also stated that it was okay for him to joke about that because he was Asian. This became something that we could bond over as being from Asian heritage. This attitude changed when someone else used jokes that were similar but they were not within that race. For example, one of my friends would call me Chink on a regular basis, which refers to someone of Chinese background. First of all, I am not Chinese but I took this as a nickname. It was offensive to me but since she was my friend I accepted it as friendly teasing. Looking back on this I should not have let her use this phrase as a nickname, it ended up making me feel really bad about myself just because she was using a name that had so much history behind it. There are jokes that become only acceptable when they are used within a race, yet even then there is still the question of whether or not those people are marginalizing themselves through their jokes. If they are playing into the stereotypes other people have for them are jokes ultimately healthy?

Throughout school jokes are tossed around about race and you never know when to step in to say that they are not okay. Where do we individually draw the line of what form of discrimination is okay? Jokes about people’s intelligence, color, or skill levels tend to be an everyday topic. People tend to accept discrimination within jokes because they are “just jokes” and people can brush them off. They expect there to be no lasting impact of their jokes on the people they are talking with. While they are “just jokes” the minorities that are being targeted tend to walk away feeling as if they fit that stereotype or not knowing how to react. It is harder to stand up for yourself when racism is in a form of a joke and people do not want you to take it seriously.

This becomes a larger issue within the realm entertainment. Comedy is full of jokes that are focused around race and ethnicity. Comedians have full range to pull out racial and ethnic stereotypes to get their audience to laugh. Of course in history there have been comedians that are called out for taking their comedy too far. People remember “Kramer’s” Racist Tirade, where Michael Richards went on a racist rant in a stand-up act which offended many people. He apologized to the community, yet people stated that was just the beginning of the healing process. As a society what makes that rant cross the line into too much? There are plenty other comedy acts that we call “off color”, yet we accept them and even laugh at them.

As a society I think we need to take a look at where we draw the line of what is socially acceptable and how we are impacting the outlook of different communities of people through our jokes. We make excuses for our discrimination of people and expect them to keep their true feelings hidden about the situation for a few laughs. Jokes are a huge part of our society and laughing keeps us light-hearted but we need to look at our forms of institutionalized racism through these acts. We tend to lace our jokes with customs that have racist intentions whether we realize it or not (405).

Work Cited:

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

Chapter 10: Family Expenses

For my family of four here are my wages and expenses for each month:

Income of parents: $2,772

Car Insurance: $35

Fuel: $200

Medical: $190

Dental: $38

Daycare: $375

Food: $300

Clothing: $100

Entertainment: $50

Energy: $100

Apartment rent (2 bedroom) gas and water included : $925

Annual Substance Budget: $27756

I based a lot of this information off of what my parents budget out on a monthly basis.

For this budget I could reduce the amount of money we spend on Medical, Dental, Entertainment, Clothing, and Fuel. These things could be reduced based on how much we spend on luxuries. Also public transportation can be used to reduce the amount spent on gas. These things will cut out the benefits of having things that are considered to be a privilege for some people. Shopping at thrift stores will reduce the amount spent on clothing as well. The need for health care is essential but when budgeting out necessities there are other things such as a place to live and food that take priority. The medical costs can be cut by applying for Medicaid (335).

This sort of lifestyle is hard on the average family. Families need to determine what necessities are and what can be defined as luxuries. To a family that is more well off the things that are determined to be luxuries to one family may seem to be absolute necessities to another. This shows the difference in class structure and how each of them views life on a day to day basis.

My hypothetical family will struggle to make ends meet on a monthly basis. They will not have much money to spend on fun things for the kids that other families may have. They will spend time budgeting their money to make ends meet and probably have to ask for help once in a while. There will be very little extra expenses month to month. Trying to put away money for extra things such as vacations and savings accounts will be rare.

This type of lifestyle will make it harder on the children. They will not have as many luxuries as other children in their classes. They will be enrolled in public schools that tend to be held at a lower standard to private schools. They will be given hand-me-down clothing and may be spoiled once in a while with new clothes. When they get older they will have to find their own jobs to pay for their own entertainment and the clothing that they would like.  Their parents will have to pay for other things such as rent and food so they will not have much extra money for the things their kids want. The kids will most likely have to pay their way through college or find loans to cover the expenses. Their parents will not have been able to save up much for their college education throughout their life but will help where they can.

This hypothetical situation is reality for a lot of families throughout the United States. Many of the United States families live below the poverty line, which identifies the amount of yearly income a family requires to meet its basic needs (335). This family may be defined as being within the working class where the jobs are at high chance of being replaceable and a chance of being laid off.  The realities of expenses are scary and as kids grow up they realize the impact of what money really means to society. It determines where you live, your health, and how comfortable you are on a day to day basis. In the end money really does hold importance in the way people function throughout their lives. 

Chapter 9: Successful Students

Good Student Award

Throughout most of my education I have been told that I am a really good student. That is not me bragging or anything; it was just what I was constantly told. Throughout my early education I did not think much about the tests that we were taking to analyze our skill levels. I remember being exposed to the standardized tests and having competitions with a boy in my class on who could get our tests done faster. We took turns being the first and second ones to be done and it was more of a joke. When the test scores would come back my parents would praise me for my results. I apparently scored higher than my grade level constantly and that was something to be praised for. I had gained the status of a successful student early and that role followed me throughout my whole educational career.

As I got older I became more aware of the educational structure and how it impacted other students around me. I had friends that were in lower level courses and were struggling to maintain the grade level work that was given to them. My best friend and I in middle school followed the path of working above our grade level in math and reading. Since we were in charter schools the learning styles were more unique and allowed the teacher to give us a little more leeway to teach ourselves the material.

Standardized Testing Cartoon

When I went to Crosswinds Arts and Science we were told by our English teacher that there was a lot of pressure from the school board to pull good scores on our next standardized tests. Our teacher explained to us that we were at risk for losing our charter because we were not keeping the standards that were stated in our contract. We set aside all of our materials that we had been learning and picked up practice tests. Our teacher ran through how to take tests and reviewed a lot of the material that we had been learning. She said she expected the best out of us and that she knew that we could pull the scores that the school expected out of us. When the tests came back my teacher told us that she was so proud of the work that we had done and that we had excellent scores. That situation showed has although we were a charter school we still had to follow the rules that an institution had for us. We had to set aside our personal learning to achieve what the state believed we needed to achieve.

Standardized Testing Cartoon

After Crosswinds I moved to Central Senior High. I could see the difference in the way the school ran. I noticed the distinct separation between the kids that were succeeding and the students that were not challenged. The students called them tracks and if you were to go anywhere with your high school career you were expected to take challenging classes. So I entered into as many challenging classes as I possibly could knowing that it was the best way to set myself up for college. I took Advance Placement classes and International Baccalaureate classes to ensure I was on the track to college. The school encouraged the successful students and encouraged them to keep up the good work. They did not concentrate on the lower level classes and how it might impact their future. The structure of this institution was concentrating on pushing already successful students to be extraordinary students. Newton mentions the example of the having competition, although you see your fellow students struggling, you know that you are at least succeeding (279).  

This video shows the process and the explanation of the tracking system and how it affects our education system.

In the long run, as you grow up you learn that schools are just another organization that is deeply a part of your life. You learn their norms and how to function among them to either be successful or fall below their expectations. Learning to navigate those aspects of education is part of growing up in the United States and you discover where you fall within those definitions. You also learn the realities of the achievement gap and how that plays into your life. Tests become regularity and figuring out how you can get past them is part of your training. Education is a necessity and my experiences are some of my favorite memories but there are a lot of faulty aspects in the way our society addresses education that I realized as I grew up. The pressure to succeed is intense and a lot of students can not fit into the box that the educational institution expects them to.

Work Cited: 

 Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

Chapter 8: TV Shows

Labeling theory characterizes a deviant person as someone to whom the label “deviant” has been successfully applied (252).

When you turn on the T.V there seems to be an increase in reality shows to watch. Oxford Dictionary defines reality TV to be “television programs in which real people are continuously filmed, designed to be entertaining rather than informative.” While these shows tend to be entertaining to the general audience many of them tend to define what deviant behavior is acceptable to their general audience. It labels things to be socially acceptable and others to be acts that result in arrest. There are two T.V shows that tend to come to mind that display society’s acceptance and defining what will get you arrested.

 One show that defines norms of deviant behavior is Jersey Shore. This show started showing in 2009 and ran till 2012. In this show viewers have access into the lives of eight housemates that spend their summer at Jersey Shore. These members of the house are known for their getting drunk and sleeping with random people every night. This show is full of belligerently drunk moments and fights. This show is known for its portrayals of Italian-American stereotypes and their deviant behavior. The show quickly became popular and had a dedicated following. Although the show had many behaviors that may be considered “delinquent” like assault or public drunkenness, people fell in love with the characters. It glorifies the party lifestyle and the acts that come along with it. The members of the show were labeled as being celebrities rather than delinquents.

Another show that shows society what is defined as criminal is Cops. Cops is one of the longest-running shows on Fox, debuting in 1989. This show follows police officers with camera crews while they bust criminals throughout various cities. The show is the definition of what criminal acts will result in being arrested. The show starts with the song “Bad Boys” which sets up the shows purpose of catching “bad” individuals. They are showing viewers what criminal society looks like through showing arrests of local criminals. The show is filled with individuals that are part of minority populations highlighting on street crimes rather than capital crimes. Viewers are exposed to drug crimes, car chases, and bust ins. Though there is an announcement at the beginning of the show that “all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law”, they tend to frame the suspects as a nuisance to society upon arrest. Suspects are shamed on local television and their acts are displayed to everyone watching the show. This is an example of deterrence theory because it allows viewers to judge the costs of the act they see on their television and outweigh its benefits (250). The show is a warning to the general public that if you commit any of these acts that you could end up just like the individual on your television.

These shows are two examples on how society forms its opinion on what is deviant and what is not. We label decide to label individuals as a nuisance to our society so they deserve to be punished. Others we view their acts to be entertaining and funny rather than a problem. Relativism states that deviance is not inherent to any particular act, belief, or condition; instead, it is socially constructed, a creation of collective human judgments and ideas (240). We create television shows out of people’s lives and this forms society’s views on acceptable behavior. The way the show is constructed forms our judgments on individuals and their decisions. We then decide to label them to be socially acceptable and whether or not we can approve of their behavior. 

Work Cited: 

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

Other Resources: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Shore_(TV_series)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cops_(TV_series)

Chapter 7: Who's Taking Care of the Children?

In our society we view children to be the essence of innocence and to be the future of our country. We view their caretaking to be essential in their growth and development so that they grow up to be substantial members of society. We emphasize on their education, health, and many other factors that go into their wellbeing. As families grow and have more children in today’s time you have to wonder who is actually being held responsible for these children’s growth. Ultimately who is taking care of the kids?

A worry of people today is that kids are having other kids. This occurrence has been highlighted in today’s society through T.V shows and individuals posting updates about their pregnancies on Facebook. This results in young adults having children while they are still in teenagers. “In 2010, U.S teen births accounted for 9.3% of all births and 20.1% of all nonmarital births” (Solomon-Fears, 1). These births usually account for young unmarried women who are not economically prepared to have a child. If the child is still in school the child needs to be provided with some form of childcare during the day. This results in the parents of the child taking care of their grandchild. This expands the family dynamic to not only the single mother but the child’s grandparents being one of the main caretakers as well.

A prime example of this is MTV's 16 & Pregnant: 

http://jessica-pierce.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/image.jpg

Another concept is the increase of parents working full time. With our economy the cost of having children has been dramatically increasing. Newman states that the cost $222,360 to raise a child from birth to seventeen (218). This increases with each birth of a child within that family. With both parents working there have been the diminishing views of a stay at home parent. The view of women being a housewife has been reducing since more women have been entering into the workforce. Mothers with children under the age of eighteen that are in the workforce have dramatically increased from 47.4% to 71.6% between the years 1975 and 2009 (Bianchi, 1). This has changed society’s views on family based on the stereotypes of having a parent that is the provider and the other parent being the care provider. Both parents have the need to work to bring in money to provide for their families to be able to sustain their living conditions.

http://childcarecenter.us/static/images/providers/911232/daycare.jpg

If the parents cannot take care of the child another option for the parent is to put their child in daycare. Parents having to work or go to school have increased the number of children in the daycare system. Instead of one of the parents directly taking care of their children they depend on outside sources to raise their children and teach them good values. According to the U.S Census Bureau, in 2010 about 20% of children were in Center-based care (1). This brings into question how much time these children are having with their families. They are being taken care of by individuals that are not their relatives. This has changed the structure on how families interact and the time they spend together. It also changes who ultimately interacts with the children on a daily basis. As a society we depend on others to raise our children while we are at work.

These different factors play into how families are affected by their structure and who is taking care of the children. It changes the interactions and the way the children grow up to become substantial members of their communities. They are introduced to different forms of family based on the way they are taken care of on a daily basis. These factors play into how they are raised and the values that are being taught to them. Our definition of how a family “functions” has changed over the years and the way we provide care for our children has changed to reach beyond the nuclear family and the stereotypes of the parents care.

Work Cited:

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

Other references:

http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/fam_fig.asp

http://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/docs/21_02_02.pdf

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS20301.pdf

Chapter 6: Pressures of Job Interviews

As you grow up, you are taught what job interviews consist of and how to prepare for one. You are taught that your first impression on your potential employer is one of the most important things and if you do not make an impact, you are less likely to get the job. You are taught how to dress and how to present yourself to your employer to make the greatest impact on that person so that you leave a lasting impression so that they will consider hiring you.

Within this last year I applied for a promotion at my job with Saint Paul Parks and Recreation for the Rec Leader position. My boss at the rec center warned me that this was going to be a very competitive procedure and that it was going to be a grueling process. I was mentored by my supervisor on my impression management to present a favorable public image of myself (175). My first impression did not even come from my appearance; it came from my resume where I had to present myself favorably through writing. The higher ups would analyze my accomplishments and how well I presented them on paper. Through this they already knew of my history and what I claim to be my best presentation myself as an employee.

I got called into an interview along with about fifty other applicants. This was the first interview where they would weed out people that they thought were not qualified for the position. As I prepared for the interview I put on my best suit and made sure that everything about my appearance was up to par. I also prepared myself to perform my best in the questioning process. Newman mentions in the text that this is considered to be “dramaturgy”, where the situation is considered to be something like a theatrical performance (176). I genuinely felt like I was preparing for a performance. I had stage fright and jitters as I prepared to give my best performance to my audience of employers.

As I entered the area for my interview I made sure to follow all of the rules of an interview that I had been taught in the past. I was determined to keep my composure even though I was nervous and not spoil the identity I had made for myself. I knew that I had to keep calm and not stammer though the interview because that is not a quality employer’s look for in their employees. As I started my interview I did let my nerves take over and stammered through an answer to a question. I was embarrassed about my nerves and was worried that my impression was discredited. In result of this I thought I should explain actions to try and regain some credit. I let them know that I was a little nervous because I was really excited to be there. We laughed about it a little bit and carried on with the interview which ended up going really well.

Through this experience I was able establish a good impression on the people that I work for. I was also able to prove to them that I was qualified to gain more responsibility in their department. I was able to carry my identity forward to become a Rec Leader in the city of Saint Paul. This experience showed me how impressions can be established if you follow the expectation that others have of you but also display your own twist of personality that makes you different from others that they may be in consideration as well. 

Work Cited: 

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California. 

My Sense Of Self

Throughout my life there have been many components that make up my concept of self. Self refers to the unique set of traits, behaviors, and attitudes that distinguishes one person from the next (137). My family, culture, and my schooling have all been agents of my socialization. These different concepts have been steps in my socialization as a member in society. I have taken on many roles that allow me to have different opportunities to experience different things that I look back on as making me who I am.

My middle school: Crosswinds Arts and Science

Education was an experience that is a big part of what shapes who I am now. I am very passionate about my education and that comes from the different schools that have taught me how to work hard for positive results. I went to charter schools until I was in 11^th grade and through that I got a unique form of education that other students might not have gotten if they went to public schools. Once I entered into public high school I knew that I was on my way to college. I took college prep classes and was on the higher level of the tracking system. A lot of what schools taught me is how to act in a scholarly setting. They taught me behavioral concepts such as raising my hand to answer questions and to sit and face the teacher while they were talking. My charter schools were also big on teaching us morals, one of the main ones being how to interact with others and how to be a substantial member of a community. One thing that I did learn is that charter schools taught me how to think more critically than my public high school. So I was able to be exposed to two separate ways of analyzing things in a cultural standpoint. It has been a big part of how I have been socialized into a successful college student.

My Family

I grew up in a lower middle class household. When I was younger both of my parents had substantial jobs where we were not strapped for money. In this I was spoiled a little through classes such as Korean dancing, softball, and other extra activities. Needless to say we were living somewhat comfortably and I was a child that got what I asked for most of the time. Then my dad lost his job which made us shift our way of living. This shifted the way we looked at money and we were not able to have as many luxuries as we had before. I learned quickly that if I wanted something I had to earn it myself. The fact that my parents did not have much money to spoil me anymore made me realize that you have to work hard for what you want. This has brought me to where I am now, where I am paying for my own college education and working two jobs. Seeing my parents struggle financially has taught me that success comes from working hard and relying on yourself to get there.

My childhood church: Hope Evangelical Free Church

Although I am not religious, I grew up in a household where religion was very important. My parents taught me to be thankful for what we had because God was the one who brought it to us. I was also taught my morals through religion. I had a very strong sense of what was right and what was wrong according to what I learned at church services. This religious upbringing had a substantial impact on my socialization because it impacted what my parents exposed me to as a child. These experiences were formed around what the church believed was socially acceptable. This resulted in a very sheltered childhood and I was not exposed to very much. As I grew up and had other world views shared with me, my viewpoints changed. Like Newman mentions religion does not have as much hold on society as it did in the past. I grew up and grew out of my religion but it still has a huge impact on who I am as a person because of what I learned in the past.

These three agents of socialization play a huge part in my sense of self. As I grew up my past experiences and how I was raised impact who I am now. I am continually exposed to different forms of culture that may affect my views in the future. I am constantly being resocialized into new sets or norms, values, and expectations each time I leave behind old social contexts or roles and enter new ones (142). All these components play a huge part in my sense of identity and I will continue to expand my growth as a person in society. 

Breaking Gender Norms

Hancock Rec Center

I work with children that are first through sixth grade on a daily basis in a program called Rec Check at Hancock Recreation Center. I break social norms of what a girl should be without even trying and the kids call me out on it every day. I am a female but I usually present more masculine. Ever since I cut my hair short and wear masculine clothes it has been hot topic. I get the constant questions such as, “Are you a boy?”, “Do you want to be a boy?” and “Why do you dress like that?” I have come to expect that if there is a new kid that comes to our program I will have to fight their thoughts on what gender is defined as. Since the kids are young they are stuck in the belief that a sexual dichotomy exists. They are used to a solid definition of what male and female are and gender expression is mutually exclusive (129). I tend to bend their definition of what gender is defined as.

Me, Corina and one of the kids

The staff and I have addressed the constant debate by having a direct discussion with them. My coworker Corina made an announcement to the group that she knew there was a rumor going around the program that I was a boy. We told them that even though I have short hair and wear “boy clothes,” that I am still a girl. Though we had the very thorough discussion with them, they still get stuck on pronouns on a daily basis. I still have funny debates with the kids on what my gender is and have become really creative on how to answer their questions. Pronouns are also difficult but they are young and it is a difficult concept to get down even when you are an adult. On the other side there are numerous kids that have broadened their definitions and yell at kids who get it wrong. Once in a while you will hear, “He gave me…” and another kid will yell, “She’s a GIRL!”

Me, Allen and some of the kids

Honestly it becomes a little frustrating after a while but I keep it in mind that this is probably the first time that they have been strongly exposed to the gender spectrum. It is interesting to hear their explanations on what gender is and how each gender should present themselves. According to their views I break every norm of what a girl should look, talk, dress, and play like. I continue to break what they view to be the norm in our culture of what a female looks like. Since I have been working with these kids since the school year started the subject does not come up quite as much. They just accept me as Taty and they do not focus on my gender all the time. As young children they are brought up in a culture that has strict rules on what gender is and breaking them makes them uncomfortable. After a while their definition expands and they become accustomed to a new norm of me just being me, where the lines are a little more blurry. 

Work Cited: 

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California. 

Mikey's Late Night Slice

Those involved in the encounter pictured above.

This past weekend a story was passed around on many social media sites. While waiting for a piece of pizza at a food truck Late Night Slice, two men Joel and Ethan were holding hands. Another man in the line told them to "cut that gay shit out." In result of his comment, many of the people in line told him that his comments were inappropriate and to leave the two men alone. The man continued to harass the two men. One of the workers leaned out of the truck and told the man that they do not serve customers that discriminate against others. He told the man to leave the line. The man left the line and was not allowed to get his piece of pizza that night. Joel and Ethan were quoted to be impressed in the amount of support and that there were so many allies among strangers.

I thought that this story related to some of the text in Chapter 2. It shows how the man who called the two men out expected them to fit under social norms of the past. The support of the two men show that social norms have started to shift and the rules of conduct are different than in the past. LGBTQ rights have started to become more culturally acceptable and allies are starting to appear out of the woodwork.

If you would like to read the article it is listed below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-diaz/lgbt-tolerance_b_2397363.html

Billboards

I tend to be very passionate about who I am and my beliefs. It was hard to pick only a few personal billboards to show who I am and what I stand for. As Newman states, “personal billboards, communicate messages cheaply and are available to any group or individual with a vehicle or a wardrobe” (73). Finding pictures about what I am deeply passionate about was a little difficult to find but I think these few really show who I am as a person. 

My dad is a Korean adoptee. He has taught me that I should be very proud of my culture and has made sure that his kids were exposed to this as we grew up. Since he grew up in a White, Texan family, it took him a while to find pride in his heritage. So I continue to carry on his pride to be Korean. 

Being a member of the LGBTQ community, I am very proud of the progress we have made as a community. It took me a while to be completely proud of who I am coming from a conservative family. Now I not only stand up for my own rights but those of other minority statuses. Acceptance of people who are different than us broadens our perspectives and promotes a better community for everyone. 

I have lived in the Twin Cities my whole life. I also lived most of my life on the East Side of Saint Paul. Living in the cities comes natural to me and I could not see myself living anywhere else. I love the cities and the diversity that comes with it. 

When I was in high school I was a part of a group called the Saint Paul Youth Commission. This group gave youth a voice in Saint Paul and gave us the opportunity to make change. Through this I found my love for youth work and have been working with youth for the past five years. I hope to continue to work with youth in my future careers.

Personal Billboards continue to be important to the community. It allows us to show others what we are passionate about without having thorough conversations. They can also ignite conversations that can expand our knowledge of certain perspectives. They give individuals the freedom of speech through t-shirts, signs, bumper stickers  and many other means of expression.

Back When I Was 12

I turned twelve years old in 2004 on October 23rd. There were plenty of events that year that made a great impact on society and the way people would look at the world today. During October the presidential election was on the United States’ mind. The George Bush and John Kerry election was looked at as being very important because of the war in Iraq. The debates were then followed up by the election where Bush won, starting his second term as president.

This election had a huge impact on society and the way individual’s lives were affected. George Bush’s popularity sky rocketed after the video of Suddam Hussein’s involvement in the 9/11 attacks were released.  Individuals continued to fear terrorism attacks and gained comfort from knowing that there was a chance he would be killed. I remember the elections and my parents talking to me about how Bush would bring security to our country. They talked about how the war had a huge effect on our communities and that Bush’s decision to avenge the United States was a good decision. The war that had just started in 2002 continues today. We continue to send soldiers out to fight a war on terrorism. My generation continues to be involved in knowing the impact of the 9/11 attacks and Bush’s decision to go in to fight against something that brought deep fear to our country.

Condoleezza Rice

Another important big event of 2004 was the nomination of Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state. She was nominated by George W. Bush after the November elections. Rice was the first female African-American secretary of state. She had served as Bush’s National Security Advisor throughout his first term. After Colin Powell’s resignation she was nominated to take his position.

This nomination brought hope to my generation. This opened doors for two different groups of people. With her being the second woman and African American, she broke through norms. Women had more of a role in the household and though the “glass ceiling” had broken, she proved that an African American woman could step into that role as well. I remember being told that this was such a significant event in history because she was the “first.” This allowed me and other youth my age to think of an African American woman in a role normally filled by a white male.

Facebook Home Page

Earlier that year the popular social networking service was launched. As of 2012 Facebook has over a billion users. Mark Zuckerberg developed Facebook while attending Harvard. It quickly grew from a college based website to one used worldwide. The site allowed people to create a profile that can be viewed by your friends. This site is still popular among all ages and is used on a daily basis.

In a result of the development of Facebook, users have the ability to keep tabs on others that they are friends with. I am constantly facing the temptation to open my Facebook to look at everyone’s statuses. It built a social institution based on the fact that it is a piece of mass media, which allows individuals to communicate important news whether it is personal or national. It has impacted the way individuals interact with each other and it has created a sphere where people are able to openly display their opinions. I am able to share anything I want with people I allow to be my friends.

“Sociological Imagination enables us to understand the larger historical picture and its meaning in our own lives” (Newman 2012, p.9). These events had an impact on my viewpoints on society and how I go about day to day. Events such as presidential elections, nominations of women, and social networking sites continue to affect my life in significant ways. These events in 2004 will continue to affect myself and society to this day.

Work Cited:

Newman, D.M. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday life. 9^th Ed. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

Other references:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2004

http://articles.latimes.com/2004/oct/23/nation/na-women23

http://www.crunchbase.com/company/facebook