Monday, February 25, 2008
comment on sabine's blog (2/25/08)
Hey Sabine, thanks for posting, I enjoyed reading it. I liked the part where you were talking about social norms we're faced with as children (can't pick your nose, can't be naked, etc.) It was easily relatable, pretty much everyone has faced such things and it helps the reader understand where you're coming from. I also like that you interviewed someone outside of NY. It gives sort of a better view of U.S. social norms. I had thought about interviewing one of my siblings, but I don't think there would have been as much to work with there as what you got from your interviewee.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Intro to major concepts
Capitalism-An economic system in which major companies that provide for the people are privately owned and run by individual citizens of that country. This kind of economic system supports the idea of one person making profit off of the labors of another. In the case of the U.S., the people making profit off of others form the minority of the population while the laborers form the majority. Capitalism also forms a system of social class so that the laborers, because they have a lower income, are placed in a lower class than the people making more money. This economic system makes the richer more rich by taking resources from the poor.
Government policy-This dictates the way people act through force. Anything the policy is against, the government will reward with punishment such as a sentence in prison or they will force you to pay a fine for a parking ticket. Government Policy is a set of rules we are forced to follow for fear of punishment. It is more acceptable to break social norms than to break government policy, most likely because social norms rely less on force.
Social Norms-Specific manners of acting that society as a whole deems acceptable. If someone does something that is socially unacceptable, there is no real forceful punishment, but that individual will become less accepted by society. This will make it more difficult for that particular individual to live in that society. This is not always the case however. There are many social norms that can be broken without any repercussions of any kind, and the social norms are dependant on where you are.
Government policy-This dictates the way people act through force. Anything the policy is against, the government will reward with punishment such as a sentence in prison or they will force you to pay a fine for a parking ticket. Government Policy is a set of rules we are forced to follow for fear of punishment. It is more acceptable to break social norms than to break government policy, most likely because social norms rely less on force.
Social Norms-Specific manners of acting that society as a whole deems acceptable. If someone does something that is socially unacceptable, there is no real forceful punishment, but that individual will become less accepted by society. This will make it more difficult for that particular individual to live in that society. This is not always the case however. There are many social norms that can be broken without any repercussions of any kind, and the social norms are dependant on where you are.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
rough draft (added to 2/14/08)
Guido Gonzalez
Cradle to Grave
Rough Draft
Capitalism-Class difference can be credited to Capitalism. This feeling of class difference causes different groups of people to have different types of upbringings, types of homes, types of parents, families, etc. This affects people from infancy to death. This part of environment (especially during infancy) helps shape who we become as people. Teenagers are affected by this as well, but in addition, they are affected by the market aspect of Capitalism. Any fast food restaurant you go to in America, you’ll find that the majority of the staff working there are teenagers. This is because they are easily exploited by big businesses for their labor and are paid very low wages. This effect of capitalism stays with people through their adulthood and somewhat into the elderly stage. Though, elderly people who become retired are less affected by capitalism, they no longer have to work for large companies etc.
Government Policy-Infants don’t really seem to be that much affected by government policy outside of laws prohibiting violence against them. Teenagers are more affected by government policy. They have to go to school otherwise police will escort them home or to school. They are not allowed to drink or do drugs. They are treated differently in law, i.e. if a teenager has committed a crime, they will be tried as a minor. Adults must pay taxes and serve jury duty or there will be consequences to face. There are also government policies such as welfare, health care, etc that help adults who, (for whatever reason) cannot support themselves, survive. Elderly people don’t seem to be as affected by government policies as adults. Since they have social security they don’t have to work for money, and they can pretty much live how they want.
Social Norms-It is socially unacceptable for infants to use “adult” language. It is socially unacceptable in teenage society for “nerds” to ever approach or talk to “jocks” This starts placing them into different social classes. It’s somewhat socially unacceptable for them to be sexually active. It’s socially unacceptable for a teenager to not be going to school, it is part of the social norm that everybody has to go to school because we believe if we don’t go to school, it will make it much more difficult for us to succeed or survive. It is part of the social norm for an adult to have a job. If a person doesn’t have a job, they are considered unproductive, and sometimes even worthless. A social norm (or stereotype?) for elderly people is that they are incapable of doing some things we consider simple. Usually people think they need or deserve help to go up stairs, cross the street, etc. People have to give up their seat to an elder person on buses and subways.
Ideas-It seems to me that elderly people are the least affected by all three categories. This is probably because they have the least use; they can’t really benefit to capitalism after retirement so they are cast aside and no longer really cared about. It’s like saying “oh, do whatever you want, we don’t care, you don’t do anything for us anymore. In this sense human beings are very much like batteries; they are cared about until their energy or usefulness has been completely used up, at which point it no longer becomes consequential what happens to them. This is probably mostly pertaining to capitalism; it is what uses the labor of people to maintain itself, and once the person can no longer provide labor, capitalism can no longer use them.
Cradle to Grave
Rough Draft
Capitalism-Class difference can be credited to Capitalism. This feeling of class difference causes different groups of people to have different types of upbringings, types of homes, types of parents, families, etc. This affects people from infancy to death. This part of environment (especially during infancy) helps shape who we become as people. Teenagers are affected by this as well, but in addition, they are affected by the market aspect of Capitalism. Any fast food restaurant you go to in America, you’ll find that the majority of the staff working there are teenagers. This is because they are easily exploited by big businesses for their labor and are paid very low wages. This effect of capitalism stays with people through their adulthood and somewhat into the elderly stage. Though, elderly people who become retired are less affected by capitalism, they no longer have to work for large companies etc.
Government Policy-Infants don’t really seem to be that much affected by government policy outside of laws prohibiting violence against them. Teenagers are more affected by government policy. They have to go to school otherwise police will escort them home or to school. They are not allowed to drink or do drugs. They are treated differently in law, i.e. if a teenager has committed a crime, they will be tried as a minor. Adults must pay taxes and serve jury duty or there will be consequences to face. There are also government policies such as welfare, health care, etc that help adults who, (for whatever reason) cannot support themselves, survive. Elderly people don’t seem to be as affected by government policies as adults. Since they have social security they don’t have to work for money, and they can pretty much live how they want.
Social Norms-It is socially unacceptable for infants to use “adult” language. It is socially unacceptable in teenage society for “nerds” to ever approach or talk to “jocks” This starts placing them into different social classes. It’s somewhat socially unacceptable for them to be sexually active. It’s socially unacceptable for a teenager to not be going to school, it is part of the social norm that everybody has to go to school because we believe if we don’t go to school, it will make it much more difficult for us to succeed or survive. It is part of the social norm for an adult to have a job. If a person doesn’t have a job, they are considered unproductive, and sometimes even worthless. A social norm (or stereotype?) for elderly people is that they are incapable of doing some things we consider simple. Usually people think they need or deserve help to go up stairs, cross the street, etc. People have to give up their seat to an elder person on buses and subways.
Ideas-It seems to me that elderly people are the least affected by all three categories. This is probably because they have the least use; they can’t really benefit to capitalism after retirement so they are cast aside and no longer really cared about. It’s like saying “oh, do whatever you want, we don’t care, you don’t do anything for us anymore. In this sense human beings are very much like batteries; they are cared about until their energy or usefulness has been completely used up, at which point it no longer becomes consequential what happens to them. This is probably mostly pertaining to capitalism; it is what uses the labor of people to maintain itself, and once the person can no longer provide labor, capitalism can no longer use them.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
cradle-to-grave paper (very rough draft)((updated: 2/13/08))
Guido Gonzalez
Cradle to Grave
Rough Draft
Capitalism-Class difference can be credited to Capitalism. This feeling of class difference causes different groups of people to have different types of upbringings, types of homes, types of parents, families, etc. This affects people from infancy to (?) This part of environment (especially during infancy) helps shape who we become as people. Teenagers are affected by this as well, but in addition, they are affected by the market aspect of Capitalism. Any fast food restaurant you go to in America, you’ll find that the majority of the staff working there are teenagers. They are easily exploited by big businesses for their labor and are paid very low wages. This effect of capitalism stays with people through their adulthood and somewhat into the elderly stage. Though, elderly people who become retired are less affected by capitalism, they no longer have to work for large companies etc.
Government Policy-Infants don’t really seem to be that much affected by government policy outside of laws prohibiting violence against them. Teenagers are more affected by government policy. They have to go to school otherwise police will escort them home or to school. They are not allowed to drink or do drugs. They are treated differently in law, i.e. if a teenager has committed a crime, they will be tried as a minor. Adults must pay taxes and serve jury duty or there will be consequences to face. There are also government policies such as welfare, health care, etc that help adults who, (for whatever reason) cannot support themselves, survive. Elderly people don’t seem to be as affected by government policies as adults. Since they have social security they don’t have to work for money, and they can pretty much live how they want.
Social Norms-It is socially unacceptable for infants to use “adult” language. It is socially unacceptable in teenage society for “nerds” to ever approach or talk to “jocks” This starts placing them into different social classes. It’s somewhat socially unacceptable for them to be sexually active. It’s socially unacceptable for a teenager to not be going to school, it is part of the social norm that everybody has to go to school because we believe if we don’t go to school, it will make it much more difficult for us to succeed or survive. It is part of the social norm for an adult to have a job. If a person doesn’t have a job, they are considered unproductive, and sometimes even worthless. (can’t think of any social norms for elderly)
Cradle to Grave
Rough Draft
Capitalism-Class difference can be credited to Capitalism. This feeling of class difference causes different groups of people to have different types of upbringings, types of homes, types of parents, families, etc. This affects people from infancy to (?) This part of environment (especially during infancy) helps shape who we become as people. Teenagers are affected by this as well, but in addition, they are affected by the market aspect of Capitalism. Any fast food restaurant you go to in America, you’ll find that the majority of the staff working there are teenagers. They are easily exploited by big businesses for their labor and are paid very low wages. This effect of capitalism stays with people through their adulthood and somewhat into the elderly stage. Though, elderly people who become retired are less affected by capitalism, they no longer have to work for large companies etc.
Government Policy-Infants don’t really seem to be that much affected by government policy outside of laws prohibiting violence against them. Teenagers are more affected by government policy. They have to go to school otherwise police will escort them home or to school. They are not allowed to drink or do drugs. They are treated differently in law, i.e. if a teenager has committed a crime, they will be tried as a minor. Adults must pay taxes and serve jury duty or there will be consequences to face. There are also government policies such as welfare, health care, etc that help adults who, (for whatever reason) cannot support themselves, survive. Elderly people don’t seem to be as affected by government policies as adults. Since they have social security they don’t have to work for money, and they can pretty much live how they want.
Social Norms-It is socially unacceptable for infants to use “adult” language. It is socially unacceptable in teenage society for “nerds” to ever approach or talk to “jocks” This starts placing them into different social classes. It’s somewhat socially unacceptable for them to be sexually active. It’s socially unacceptable for a teenager to not be going to school, it is part of the social norm that everybody has to go to school because we believe if we don’t go to school, it will make it much more difficult for us to succeed or survive. It is part of the social norm for an adult to have a job. If a person doesn’t have a job, they are considered unproductive, and sometimes even worthless. (can’t think of any social norms for elderly)
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