CRASH into Race

Simplifying race to a black-white issue definitely creates confusion over race issues in America. Clearly, from Crash and that other movie we saw, there can be inter and intra racism. There was certainly racism seen when Ludacris' character would talk cruelly about other black people. He claimed that he had no respect for black people who robbed from other black people. Luda constantly criticized his friend who later died for liking country music or bringing along his patron saint of travelers. Most people assume that racism is only between races. They are very wrong. Crash proves that race is a much larger problem than that because it is everywhere and in everyone. When Sandra Bullock sensed that Luda and his friend were bad people, she worried that people would see her as racist. Honestly, I cannot see how others would think that. If Luda and his friend had been white, dressed that way, with that demeanor, I would have been worried. In that case, I really do not believe that it was race, but looks and general atmosphere. If Luda and friend had been nicely dressed, then, I think it would have been a completely different story. Sometimes clothes and appearances in general really help typlify a person. Anyway, I loved Crash and it was sad to finish the movie. I really like the directing style. It is so cool how everyone is connected. I believe that this movie portrays the six degrees of separation very well. Okay, so this is my last blog. How sad :( It was a fun class! Thanks Sal!

Is Race Real?

Before our sociology classes this past week, I never questioned the idea of race. To me race is so built in to American society that I incorrectly presumed the idea of race was shared by all societies. It is confounding to me that in South Africa, people apply for races. But it does make more sense. What really makes a person black or white if they are both, like Barack Obama?How come we call Obama the first black president when he is equally black and white? Our society defidently looks at race first when judging a person. Whether it is locking our doors in a poor mostly black neighborhood in Chicago or refusing to be friends with a black person, implicit and explicit race is everywhere. I wish that everyone acted like Livia. Seeing an Asian man and saying he resembled Obama. Most people do not think that way. Just the other day, at work, we were playing Wii and the two players on the screen were black and white. To keep track of the game, the other kids would say "Oh, the black guy's winning". I never would have thought of that as racism before, but after this class, I have opened my eyes. Racism really is everywhere, which is an extremely sad fact. The doll experiment was another moment when I was just blown away by the racism present in little kids against themselves. It really sucks that racism is so ingrained in our world that even little kids who are black view themselves as bad and mean.

Blue Collar Stereotypes

I do not think that the white collar people are making fun of the blue-collar people. Yes, they visit dive bars and claim to be romanticizing the blue-collar lifestyle; however, I don't think they meant to be rude about it. Rather, it just expresses their discontent with their own lives. Bruce Springsteen still sings about blue collar life, when he is obviously not blue collar anymore. Sometimes being blue collar can be an image, other times it can be a hard-earned title. I completely agree that class stereotypes are more openly prevalent in mainstream society. I think the problem is that people buy into their stereotypes. Women call themselves trailer trash, but it may hurt them when other people call them trailer trash. Guess what, don't reinforce your own stereotype! That just encourages people to think that calling someone trailer trash is okay. It is not okay. I also think sexism is quite common in every day life. It was especially widespread during the fight for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Even Katie Couric, a renowned reporter, spoke up after Hillary Clinton conceded. Couric claimed that Clinton was wronged and objectified during her campaign run. To me, class and gender stereotypes are the most ocmmon and prevalent in society.

Tammy's Story

Although I felt sorry for Tammy, I found it unfathomable how she treated her son. I don't think her son was rude in trying to better himself. He seemed like a smart kid with a lot of awards. He could probably get a scholarship to college or something, so why wasn't Tammy encouraging him? Tammy was also trying to better herself, although she was against huge odds. It makes sense to me that she would want her children to strive to better themselves. I am not sure how proper the movies depiction of Tammy was, but what they showed concerning her son portrayed Tammy in a negative light. I wish that Tammy could receive a better job and graduate from school and become a teacher, but is that even possible for her? She does not have a car, lives in a trailer, and works a minimum wage job cleaning toilets. How will she better herself is she does not have the resources to do it? I do, however, give props to her for trying. I just wish that the American dream was a possible reality for everyone. Guess our streets are not really paved with gold after all, but paved by the poor.

Chintz or Shag

I am so sorry that I forgot to blog over the weekend! I recently took the chintz or shag quiz. I believe it was interesting but not exactly correct. My quiz answer told me that I was middle middle class, which is close but not right. By the middle of the quiz, I was choosing furniture based on whether if fit with the rest, not if I really liked it. I wanted the room to look good, so I do not believe my quiz answers were consistent. I really enjoy the movie that we are watching in class. It is interesting. I love the rich woman because she is hilarious in her condescending ways. Like seriously Edward from Twilight drives a VOLVO! She was so rude. Did she fake that awful accent? What I did notice from the movie right away was the accents poor and rich people had. I think that the differences in voice tone were due to education. The rich people spoke my eloquently because of the education money bought them.

Deviance at SHS & Prisons

Deviance. Differing from a norm or socially accepted standards. Deviance is very prevalent at Stevenson High School. Everyone texts at school, goes late to class, and disobeys ridiculous rules. It's the bad kids, or at least the ones that look bad, that get caught. Many innocent and angelic looking people who know how to charm others to get away with everything. They get called down to the Dean for ditching a class, and they'll get away with it. My friend ditched a class and did not get in trouble because she told her Dean she was sick. For a bad kid, that would never work. Bad kids are the one's swearing at teachers, listening to music during school, ditching classes, skipping detention, and wearing dirty clothes. The ones who are well-groomed and charismatic get away with a whole lot more. Now, to change my topic, I would like to discuss prisons. Prisons are supposed to be rehabilitation and re institutionalization centers; instead prisons are just crowded places to lock criminals up. In fact, more people executed from the death penalty have actually been proven innocent than guilty years later. So why the rush? What is wrong with out penal system that innocent people are getting killed for crimes they did not commit? Why is it that 2/3 of prisoners released return to prison? In order to make America safer, we need to improve our prisons. This means better, cleaner, less crowded facilities. This change needs to come quick. Hopefully, President-elect Barack Obama will help.

When are you supposed to be Independent?

Independence. It is the word that every senior hears. You'll be independent when you go to college. But are you really independent? Few seniors at Stevenson will pay for college and most will return home for breaks. So when do you truly become an adult? My cousin is twenty-one years old, she is a senior in college, and recently I asked her if she felt like an adult. She laughed, replying "No, not at all. I am home for about five months out of the year give or take. I think I'll finally feel like an independent adult when I can call another place besides my parent's home or college home." She went on to say that when she is married, she'll feel independent from her parents. I think she is correct. Until we can completely move out of our parent's homes, we are still dependent upon them for many adult things like taxes and bills. Once we move away from our parent's homes, we have new responsibilities. These new responsibilities like financially taking care of ourselves and others makes us independent. However, what truly makes you an adult is being able to balance your new responsible role with your old one as a son or daughter because your parents will always want to take care of you.

The Masks Men Wear

I have always known that guys in general are more violent than girls, but seeing the statistics was mind baffling. The movie we watched made it seem like guys are these horribly violent monsters in order to prove they're not gay. I never thought that guys were so mean to one another. The Kimmel article states that homophobia is the fear of being called gay, which seemed to ring true in the case of the school shooters. The one girl that Kimmel mentioned involved in a shooting was the one who chickened out. I think it would have beeen more interesting to delve into the girl's reasons for wanting to participate in the first place. Generally, society sees men as strong and girls as weak, which is why mainstream media has always shown men as violent people. In One Tree Hill, a guy was a school shooter and in many other shows guys are always the one's getting in fights. Why not girls? In real life, girls tend to use words and hold grudges, guys fight and move on. The other day at school, I witnessed a fight between two girls. About 100 hundred people were are watching shocked that girls would actually hit one another. I think most girls view actually attacking another girl as trashy, whereas guys hit eachother to gain respect.

Beauty is Not only Skin Deep

The sad thing about watching the Dove ads is that I was not surprised, not even shocked. I know that models in magazines are always adjusted, but I had no idea how much work went into altering their appearances. I wish that the media released the message that beauty is what counts on the ouside. However, I understand that people will always care about appearances, but why so excessively? The way that our world is causes people to die. People die every day from anorexia, bulimia, exercise bulimia - there are so many different types now that I can't even keep track. A new one is called wannarexia, where people are afflicted by the extreme desire to be anorexics. What is wrong with our world where people pray for the chemical imbalance to become anorexic. I can't only blame the media, and neither can anyone. I watch my fair share of TV, most of which portrays super skinny and good looking people, but I do not allow myself to become disillusioned by actors. One just needs a healthy dose of real life. The largest agent of socialization is family because family can really dictate how you view yourself.

Bowling for Columbine

Moore's satire defidently brought up mixed emotions for me. First and foremost, I thought it was interesting. I also did not really like the movie. The agents of socialization that helped contribute to gun use is family and society. The Columbine shooters were depressive people who clearly did not have a strong family and friend base. They also listened to Marilyn Manson music, which is a music and pop culture contributor. I don't believe that Marilyn Manson told them to shoot up their school; rather I believe that the shooters were most likely born mentally disturbed and their surrounding nurture brought the likelihood to do bad things to the surface.

Tuesday's with Morrie

As many of you know, I was not at school so I did not see Tuesday's with Morrie. Coincidentally, I spent the week surrounded by death and sadness. My papa (grandpa) died almost a week ago. It was a huge shock and my family is very sad. What helped me a lot is knowing that he didn't feel any pain and had no idea that he would die. How did Morrie live so long knowing he would die from ALS? It is very morbid to know when you will die, so I am very thankful that my papa didn't know. As a culture, America has an interesting relationship with death. Death is a pivotal plot point in numerous television shows like LOST, Bones, and the CSI's, and in movies like Vantage Point, Disturbia, and SAW.... Yet, while used as an entertainment point, Americans fear death. No one in their right mind wants to die, and no one really knows what happens when you die. As a culture, we fear the unknown and that is what death is. No one can tell you what dying or the afterlife is like - that is where religion and faith comes in. I do believe, however, that dying is the beginning of a new adventure for the soul. After seeing my papa's body at the hospital, I firmly believe that body and soul are completely separate entities because the differences between a living person and a dead person are drastic. I don't know what my family's life will be like without my Papa, and we love him will miss him every single day.

U of I Politcal Rules

My brother Alex goes to the University of Illinois. After hearing about the new rules in place for teachers, TA's, and graduate students I called him up. I was shocked that they could not wear or share their political beliefs. Of course, as per usual, my brother barely knewwhat I was talking about. However, my cousin Daniel did. Daniel is super involved in Obama's camp. He goes canvassing and has even joined several student run organizations concerning the election. Daniel said that he and a bunch of other people have been petitioning for the rule to be dismissed, but nothing has happened yet. Apparently, it is really important at the U of I that teachers do not affect their student's views. I can understand this, but I don't believe it is fair. However, unlike here at Stevenson, everyone in college can vote. It is not as big of a deal here because only a handful of students can and will actually vote on November 4th. I wonder if Stevenson were a college, if the rule would be different.

Culture Norms

I had the most difficulty adjusting to the restaurant norms in England, France, and Italy. In America, waiters and waitresses come whenever to take your order. They are even border-line annoying in their insistency. However, in European countries waiters wait and wait and wait to take your order. They will not approach your table unless the menu is closed and placed on the table. Once my family and I waited to place our orders for forty minutes before realizing that our menus were wide open. As soon as we closed them, the waiter came running. This norm took at least four days in Italy to comprehend, and I soon realized that I liked it better. In America, waiters pester you to no end until you finally order. I've once been asked four times in fifteen minutes to place my order --- No, I'm not ready yet!

Cycle of Violence

In A Bronx Tale, C is a young boy growing up in a mob influenced town. Throughout his life, he must figure out how to balance his friends, family, and Sonny. Although Sonny said he never trusted anyone, I believe the closest person he had was C. When C was nine, Sonny referred to him as "like a son". This status propelled C into a radically different world than his father wished for him. Violence was a common occurrence, as was racism. Sonny told C that he was better than all of the violence and encouraged him to date Jane. But association alone tarnished C's reputation as a bus driver's son. C became a member of the mob due to his friendship with Sonny, and witnessed numerous violent acts because of it. Each act followed another one, it was a neverending cycle. Sonny died because the man he shot when C was nine had a son, and the son avenged his father. C's friends died trying to kill the black people even though they were not doing anything wrong. C tried to not be racist around Jane, but he learned a different way growing up. He had to struggle to get rid of everyone else's expectations of him and find himself amongst violence, death, and racism. In the end, C escapes his friends and Sonny through death. It was really sad, but it taught him that the "worst thing in life is wasted talent", and the real C went on to become a famous actor.

Identity

A person uses groups in order to identify himself of herself. Everyone belongs to a group, but certain ones are more prevalent than others. My master groups are friends, family, and religion. I am a religious Jew. I am observant, I keep Kosher, and I celebrate Shabbat. Some people are suprised to find out how observant I am, but others aren't at all. I'm also very close with my family. Hopefully, my brother and sister realize that I am really nice to them. I think my sister appreciates what I do for her, but my brother Alex is in his own world most of the time. He's a college frat boy and calls me a couple times a week to talk about TV, which is more than he calls our mom so I guess I'm honored (lol). And then there are my friends. I have been best friends with Lauren and Leslie since seventh grade. Alot of people at Stevenson can't really say that so I feel really lucky. I love my friends and family. They're a huge part of me, and they help to define who I am to myself and others.

Sociological Mindfulness

In the summer of 2007, I went on a social justice trip in Chicago called Or Tzedek (Righteous Light). It was one week and thirty-two hours of community service. However, I got a lot more than something to add on my college resume. On the trip, I met a homeless man named Dave. He completely surprised me and obliterated my preconceived notions about the homeless. Dave was going to college classes. He was working and trying so hard to make ends meet. Davehated drugs and loved his daughter. All of a sudden, my eyes were opened to this new world where the homeless were the victims of a situation not the perpetrators. That trip taught me to open my eyes and to stop jumping to conclusions. I am forever grateful to Dave and the trip for changing my thought process and teaching me about sociological mindfulness.

Silence...A Good & A Bad Thing

Martin Niemoller once said,"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up". In Niemoller's case, silence destroyed him. Because he stayed in the shadows while others died, he wasted away until his time came. By the time the silent one was picked off, everyone else was already gone. Silence did not save him; rather it conquered him. For others silence can be a weapon used for good. Confucius wrote that "silence is the true friend that never betrays". He is correct, but so is Niemoller. Depending on the situation, silence can be good or bad-sometimes both. Walking into class on the first day of school, kids are used to a nice welcome and noise; however, walking into sociology was a different experience. Change may be natural, but it is also frightening. We did not know how to deal with an extreme change, so the silence became awkward. Words can become awkward too. How things like silence and noise are perceived are all a matter of contention. Perception is a gray area and sometimes silence can be welcoming.

Who am I?

Hi, my name is Sydnie. I am a senior in high school. Wow, senior year. It is a big and important year. This is the year that I will apply to college (one down, five to go) and graduate from high school. Going to college, leaving my family and most of my friends is a frightening thought, but change is a part of life. So now that I've spoken about college, it's time to talk more about me. I love my friends and family. Recently, I cooked an entire meal for my family and cut up an entire raw chicken. Apparently, raw chicken is extremely hard to cut and is usually cooked first. Anyway, the meal turned out great and I discovered that I love cooking and I'm good at it. I work at a daycare center three days a week. It is my third year working there and I love it. At work, I teach cooking, yoga, and jewelry making. Another passion of mine is traveling. I have been to Israel, Canada, Mexico, Italy, France, England, Alaska, Hawaii, and numerous other islands and states. Most of the time, I travel with my family. My brother goes to the University of Illinois, and my sister is a sophomore at the same high school as me. My dad is a lawyer and my mom is a yoga teacher and a homemaker. Hopefully, when I am an adult, I will either be a lawyer or a teacher like my parents (not a yoga but a history teacher). I love to read, watch television, cook, do yoga, hang out with my friends, and spend time with my family (in no particular order). My parents are immense inspirations in my life, and so is Hillary Clinton. I wrote my fourteen page junior research paper on Hillary Clinton's campaign. My goal in life is to be a happy well-adjusted adult, with a good job, amazing friends, and a loving family. Hopefully, my job will be either in family or entertainment law or as a high school history teacher. I also would like to help as many people as possible through my job and community service.