Poverty

In class this week we focused on poverty. I didn't really understand what being in poverty meant. I always thought poverty, was almost like being 'homeless'. I learned that 24% of Americans are in poverty. I work a minimum wage job and cannot even imagine supporting my family off of that.

When we watched the documentary 30 days on poverty, it really saddened me. I felt awful for those who had to live on minimum wage. I make 8.50 an hour, which is a quarter above minimum wage. Over the summer for three weeks, I worked for forty hours and made about 300 bucks a week. I however, spent it rather quickly. As times are changing, the amount of money for items increases. I think about the cost of something so simple as candy. Just in my time, the cost of a cadbury chocolate bar went from 1.00 to 2.39. My mom also lived on top of a candy store when she was younger. All the candy, was a penny. Now, if you go to the candy store it is 6.99 a pound.

This just shows that people cannot live on minimum wage any longer. The fact that the couple on 30 days was able to get a apartment and have food, amazes me. There happiness levels seemed to drop dramatically. I thought that they went from being happy and optimistic about the project to utterly regretting it and wishing they had stayed where they were.

Personally, I don't think I could have done their experiment. The hardest part in my opinion, would be to support not only yourself but a family. I think you could potentially support yourself with minimum wage, if you were very conservative with your money. I think you would need to save a lot in order to get yourself some in your savings and work off of that, but even that would be very difficult.

Sketchers

Mail: Skechers.com
Customer Service
228 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Dear Sketchers,

I am writing to your company due to an ad I recently found. The ad featured Kim Kardashian and a pair of sketchers. This ad exclaims that Kim Kardashian ditched her trainer and went to a more affordable pair of sketchers shape ups. This ad is completely false. Kim didn't ditch her trainer. The ad makes it seem as if you will look like Kim Kardashian if you wear a pair of shape ups. Well in fact, Kim works out daily to get her body. However, her body doesn't look that good, it is Photoshopped which also provides a false advertisement. Kim recently was suppose to appear in a super bowl ad that got replaced. The ad was very racy and allured more to her sex tape than football and sketchers. I personally think you guys need to advertise your shoe. The consumers today want the truth. They want to know about your product and don't want to be tricked into thinking they will 'look like kim' by buying a pair of shape ups. I'm pleased that the super bowl ad was pulled because that was very racy and unnecessary. It showed kim straddling a man and at the very last two seconds, the shoes. You guys have made several comments about how Kim has had a lot of success. That is another problem with our society. Our society shouldn't be buying more sketchers shoes because Kim is the rep. They should be buying sketchers because they like the product and believe the product will work for them. I think you guys really need to consider your commercials and ads. I don't think showing Kim who has a personal trainer (many average Americans can't afford), is effective advertising. 

Thanks,

Emma Woods

Women and Media

A stereotype is a commonly held public belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings.Many times in society we think of girls as the 'cooks, house wives'.  In almost every show I watch, the women is always cooking while the man is always working. In the movies women are depicted as if they are just the 'beautiful' ones. I found this intersting fact from A.V.club.com " This according to a USC study that surveyed the 100 top-grossing movies of 2011 and found that gender inequality is just as prevalent as it was in the dark ages of 2008 (back when women were primarily kept as pets), with males still accounting for around 70 percent of the speaking characters in 2011’s biggest hits". That alone proves my point that women are meant to be the pretty ones. However, In a movie I recently saw, Silence of the Lambs, The main character was a women. She was depicted as a hero in the end and saved the day, But that was a rare case. 

Another point brought up in the video is how fewer women politicians there are. I thought that was absolutely absurd that 34 governors were women while over 2,000 were men. I think that this issue of being a women, is more pressing then ever. I think that our society still hasn't fully accepted us. They are still judging us off the stereotypes media gives us. Such as, weak, pretty, ditzy and much more. 

 

I think we deserve to be based on the same criteria as men. I don't think we should let the way media preseves us to be, guide us. I think we should continue to fight for our rights and to speak otu against this media frenzy.

Whats Normal?

Social norms are seen across our world in many different ways. In America, we have very 'open' idea of what is normal. Some examples would be, saying please and thank you. In our society, it is considered 'rude' if you do not say please and thank you. Many times, People will mention something if you do not. An example of that, would be when driving and you let someone go, they simply show you their hand, meaning thank you. If they don't, it is very aggravating. Another social norm in America, is tipping a waiter. Usually it is a social norm to tip fifteen percent.

Some other examples, would be to avoid burping and farting in public. It is considered very rude in America to burp or fart in public. Also, Holding open doors is a social norm. Many people in America go out of their way to hold open doors for others, Especially the elderly. Just three weeks ago a middle aged man who was about 50 feet away from my friend and I, whom were entering a restaurant, said 'Wait' and we were very confused. We stopped and he went and held both doors for us. It was very strange that he went so out of his way to hold the door open for us, but it was very polite.

Lastly, Social norms are changing everyday. New ones are coming into place, while old ones are diminishing. A great example of that is marriage. Marriage back then, meant couples were in love and were to be together forever with a family. Today, it is very normal to see couples living far apart, traveling, divorced, no children, and many other scenarios. The social norm for marriage has changed, just like other social norms.

Technology

This week in class we watched a documentary on technology. I was in complete and utter shock after watching it. I completely agree that our society is so involved in technology. I personally think it's not a good thing. I think there are some good aspects of technology, like with the military, but for the most part, it's a negative thing. Today I went to the Ymca to workout, After my workout I'm doing weight machines, I look ahead of me and I really realized, how dependent our society is on Technology.
This is what I saw when I looked across. Five ellipticals with televisions running and no one on them. I personally was in distraught as to why the YMCA even got new televisions for the ellipticals. Personally, When I go workout, I like to listen to my music, not television which engulfs our society today. Another interesting point is, how often people don't talk to one another in person. Recently, I committed to Mizzou and joined the class of 2016 page. I planned on getting a roommate from there so I posted a little paragraph about myself on there. Soon after, I received several messages on Facebook from people whom were interested. After talking to the girls, I realized that I couldn't choose over the internet. You may get along very well online, but in person, it will never work out. You can make yourself seem ultimately perfect over the internet, with choice of words and Photoshop. In the end I think the internet and television are taking over our lives. That is shown throughout our school today. Children are on Facebook for hours rather than doing their homework. I currently while posting this blog have Facebook open in the next tab. I hate spending more than an hour on the computer a day. However, it's hard with all the homework we are given that is online and social media websites.  Socially our society is adapting to these changes, which are at a very fast pace.

Lost boys of Sudan

Imagine coming to a country and trying to fit in. Many people expect our 'norms' to be known. Going on vacation to other countries, you learn the way things are done, are very different. As I was watching the movie the lost boys of Sudan, I learned all about how are country is viewed. The boys said something that stuck in my mind, "In America time is money." I think that statement is very true. Many people find that when they come to America, they see people who are consumed by money. I believe that is very true, not everyone, but most. I see people who are completly commited to their jobs and not their family. For example, in many cultures the mothers stay home to take care of their children. In America, it is common to see the mothers working full time while their children are in daycare.

A funny story from my expierences with people from other countries living in America is about my friend arthur. Arthur is from France and came to America to go to Camp Edwards in Wisconsin. After camp he stayed at our house for three weeks and now comes back to visit every so often. While he was here he went boating with my grandfather. While boating he said he had to use the restroom.. while there was no restroom. So my grandpa simply said 'pee of the boat'. Next thing they know Arthur is in the water of the river and peeing...Any other person in America would have known he meant stand on the boat and pee off into the water, Not to actually get into the water and pee. This shows how communication is very different in other countries.

Another cultural difference, is the greetings. In America it is common for a hug and to say hey how are you. In many other countries, you are welcomed by a kiss on both cheeks and a loud voice. Over Christmas Break, My family had their Russian friends over and when they walk in the door they greet you with a huge hug and kiss you on both cheeks. This is another example of something that I wouldn't consider normal everday thing in America.

Incomplete

           In class, we talked about symbolic interaction. Symbolic interaction is the interaction among people based on mutually understood symbols. These mutually understood symbols, could be stereotypes. For example, In Freeks and Geeks, a portion of the class began to chuckle as the camera glanced under the bleachers. Why? This is because it was portraying a stereotype of 'stoners'. Stereotypes surround our world today. As you walk through the hallway, you make judgements without even knowing it.
                Many people from other cultures have different stereotypes. I had a friend from France stay at my house over Thanksgiving break. He had no idea what Thanksgiving was. He had heard about it, but he didn't know all the 'hoopla' that surrounded it. Arthur was amazed by the amount of time spent on cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Also, Black Friday, was a new thing. He thought the idea of staying up till four a.m. to go shopping, was absurd.
Conflict perspective is social living is a contest of who attains the most power. There is power struggles seen throughout our society everyday. Political candidates have conflicts every day that they're trying to overcome. Children have conflicts with their teachers and parents. The deans also have power over the children. In Freeks and Geeks, Lindsey has a conflict with the Counselor, whom has more power.

Lastly, Functionalism, is the emphasize on different contributions of all parts of a society. For example, in Freeks and Geeks it was the school. The schools manifest function was to educate. It's latent function, was learning to socialize such as the dance. Another example would be my job. It's manifest function is to earn money. It's latent function is to give me experience with children, as I work at the YMCA.