Know Your Role

by Kwaamia Gray

We are not born with a culture. We must grow and develop. Our parents, teachers, peers, and siblings are those who help and influence our culture. This is socialization. During this process we are taught the language and the roles we are expected to play in life. For example, a girl learning to became a mother and a wife or something occupational such as a nurse. We are also taught and embrace the norms of the culture. We learn our rights from our wrongs. For example, in some cultures it’s not ok to have sex before marriage. Our parents usually have the most influence on us because they are our main teachers who are there from the beginning. They choose where we live, what schools we attend, and the activities we join in for the most part. Socialization can be described as a molding method. What we are and who we become depends on the people we interact or socialize with. The people around us may influence the beliefs and attitudes we have about certain things.

Role Models (2008) is a comedy film about two associates, Danny and Wheeler, who are ordered to complete 150 hours of community service working with a Big Brother Little Brother program. One underlying theme of this movie could be socialization.  Danny and Wheeler are placed with two boys. Their job is to mold them into what the society would agree to be successful men. Danny and Wheeler’s roles are to be examples of what these little boys should want to become. The title of the movie describes it all. These boys could be describes as deviant because they will not conform to the standards of the culture. The standardized things are what make up the norms we live by.

Socialization is a life-long learning process. With age come new statuses that we will need to know the roles of. Our experiences throughout our lives will eventually help us to socialize even more and help others socialize as well. Experiences help teach lessons and most of the time revise our expectations and beliefs. Take a rape victim, for instance, they may not feel worthy or even will not be able to trust anyone. Different cultures different people, but everyone knows their role.

Fashion and the different cultures that have influenced it. By Irene Colbert

The Pussy Cat Dolls take on the Indian Sari

On any given day, when you we commute to and from our various destinations, we come in contact with many people. Some are from different economic backgrounds,different sexual orientations and different cultural upbringings. One thing thing that ties us all together is fashion. Weather we dress in business attire, casual wear, or more traditional garments that represent religion. One tie that binds us all, Is that at one time or another, we have been influenced by different cultures when we choose an outfit. In this, We will examine some of the diverse cultures and their histories that have influenced our ever changing global society.

With vibrant hues of reds, gold, violets and bright oranges, India has some of the most elaborate fashion in all of the world. Indian or panjabi women adorn themselves in lavish fabrics with intricate designs and beautiful colors that make up what is known as the Sari. A sari  is outfit that has two main parts, usually a mid-drift top and a large piece of fabric that is used to wrap around the bottom to resemble a skirt. This piece of fabric is draped at the bottom half of the body, and come around the back. The remaining fabric is used as sort of a shawl. With the Bollywood craze that danced onto the scene in the mid 2000's, Many different designers such as Ives Saint Laurant, Dolce and Gabanna, and Halston used  influences of this look in thier fashion lines. Pop sensation The Pussy Cat Dolls were found at an red carpet event with their take on this very traditional way of dress. 

Why Read From Books Any More?

By: Daniel Harris

Once upon a time, you sat in a circle with other children while your teacher read an intriguing story from a book. Or you laid tuck under your covers as a loved one read you a bed time story from your favorite book. At times you were very eager to flip through the pages just to find out what happened next or even to take a look at the colorful illustrations or the pop out pictures.  Controlling the book in your hands was fun and had a sense that the story was yours and when you got to the end, you lived happily ever after too.

In today's day and age, technology has evolved beyond our imagination.  You do not have to read from books physically no more.  There are media tablets that has taken over the hard and paper backs.  A simple download and a swift movement of your fingers, you can put children to sleep as if you have the actual book in your hands.

These media tablets are so easy to use, children can pick them up and use them themselves.  This takes away from one on one time with the other person reading to the children.  Also, this takes away your chance on teaching children how to read yourself.  The technology is so advanced, that they can do all the reading and learning themselves.  At least there will not be any more stomping your toe into the bookcase, where as though you can simply store hundreds of books on to a small hand held device.

A Second Life vs. The First Life

Submitted by Mirra Watkins


Imagine a world of “infinite possibilities.”  A world that has a flourishing economy that will never go under.  Your entire life is completely controlled by you.  Type of business, education, income, gender, employment, race, body, mate — it is all decided by you.  A tad bit enticing it sounds, does it not?  Such a wondrous and perfect life is so easily attainable in the online virtual world known as Second Life.

For those who are not familiar with it, Second Life is a more interactive and elaborate way of Facebooking while indulging in one’s fantasies that people enjoy or admire in TV, books, or films.  Create your own avatar and be whoever and wherever you wish to be in “a life without boundaries” where “the sky is hardly the limit.”  Though it sounds like a fun way of escapism, Second Life (and other programs like it: Sims and IMVU) has become harmful to our society.  It has contributed to the isolation of people from the real world, hindering users from real-life interactions within our society.

In D. Stanley Eitzen’s “The Atrophy of Social Life,” he discusses how some types of social advancement has led to a downfall in social interaction.  One social advancement that he touches on is technology and how it has led many to social isolation.  In connection with Second Life, the virtual world has caused many to isolate themselves from society.  No doubt about it, Eitzen was making a valid point.

Second Life has led many users to spend over 20 hours a week engaging in a false life.  Twenty to forty hours a week (according to The Wall Street Journal) are dedicated to sitting at home, cooped up in a room, gazing at a screen, interacting with other avatars with false identities.  Would you not say that was socially isolating oneself?  Some Second Life users might claim that it’s not, that they are still interacting and socializing…just with other users.  However, take a closer look.

Are Second Life users engaging in “face-to-face interaction,” where real connections between people are genuinely formed?  Eitzen mentioned that "we are becoming an autistic society" because we are "communicating electronically without really connecting."  There is a greater level of intimacy and meaning in a relationship amongst two people in real life who know each other’s true selves than two avatars that are little to nothing like the real individuals behind the computer screen. Therefore, Second Life users are actually socially isolating themselves for they are not having "face-to-face interactions" that form real connections and relationships.  Look at the picture below, it only represents one kind of relationship (dating) people can have, but generally speaking which type of relationship would be more meaningful to you or give you a greater sense of connection, the virtual one (left) or the real-life one (right)?

I have read many accounts from Second Life users who have become or previously were addicts to the virtual world.  Some users gradually started ignoring the real people and responsibilities of their first life in order to spend more time on Second Life.  As Eitzen said, “The more time people spend online, the less they can spare for real life relationships with family and friends,” and forming new meaningful, real-life relationships.  Many users claimed Second Life was interfering with work, friends, school, family, and love.  They skipped out on social outings and spending quality time with family and friends.  They avoided doing homework or work at the office.  Alone in their house for hours, they shunned the outside world in exchange for playing in a virtual world where people could fabricate their looks and lives.  Eventually, “second life became [their] first life.”  Therein lies, why Second Life users should be cautious so that their virtual world does not isolate and alienate them from the real world and their real-life relationships.

I do understand we all have our hobbies and things that we like to indulge in to escape from reality.  There’s nothing wrong with interacting or socializing on Second Life.  But just like any other hobby, it is wrong to indulge too much time into a leisure activity that causes you to isolate yourself from society.  When a person finds himself spending more time in Second Life with virtual friends than hanging out with his friends and family or not trying to meet just as many new people in the real world as he made in a virtual world, now is the time for reevaluation.  Finding a balance between Second Life and interactions in real life will help many people refrain from becoming socially isolated.

Culture Clashes

Soranis Phal

Culture is the custom, belief, knowledge, ideas, and values that are socially passed on from one generation to the next. Different people have different types of cultures. Their beliefs and ideas may not always be the same. The traditions and customs that they follow may be different depending on the country and location they grew up. Today people are still facing with culture clashes. Culture clashes are when people don’t understand the traditions and beliefs of other and know only of their own culture. Its also the conflicted values and traditions of other cultures and your own culture.  

As seen in this picture there are two women staring at a typical White American women. The American woman is seen wearing high heels and a short mini dress. The other two women is Muslim covered up in almost all black except for their hands and face. In the eyes of these two Muslim women, they see the white girl based on their cultural belief. Culture clashes eliminates them from seeing other culture and understanding only their own culture and beliefs. What other cultures see as different and out of their “norm” they consider it to be wrong or in this case inappropriate.

            These two Muslim girls would look at this white girl and say why she would show so much skin? The reason behind it is because Muslims cultures require for women to wear clothes that covers their whole body. However, by seeing this white girl reveal her skin in public shocks them by surprise because it goes against their cultural beliefs. The reason why the Muslims cover themselves is to protect their beauty from other men and to only show it to their husband. If it is vice-versa the white girl might not know anything of the Muslim culture. Therefore, the white girl would see that the two Muslims women cover up on a hot summer day to seem weird. The reason why is both culture are unaware of the other culture and causes a culture clash. 

This brings us back to cultural clashes and people misunderstanding of other culture besides our own would look at other cultures as weird or different. Culture clashes can also happen within Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Japanese and Americans. It can also be disagreements in the traditions and belief that other cultures may have. What people need to understand is different culture has different beliefs even though the beliefs may not be consider the "norm" in your culture.

No More Face-to-Face

Keith Miller


Over the past couple of years, face-to-face communication has really disappeared.  This can all be thanks to technology.  With the Internet, our phones and other types of technology we can have a conversation without even looking at the person.  Communication is key to so many things in life and technology is helping but also hurting society and having the ability to communicate face-to-face.

Internet has brought us so many ways to communicate online.  Probably the oldest way is by e-mail which is still very popular and very important in this society today.  From e-mail came instant messaging which was the ICQ and AOL.  As the years went on it lead to social networks such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.  All of these different ways of communication share a common purpose and that is to be able to have a conversation with someone else without even moving from your computer.  With enhancing technology every day we are now able to web chat online whether its Skype or ooVoo with anyone from around the world.  When going shopping for clothes or food you use to see the same people all the time shopping too.  Thanks to Internet we don't even need to leave the house to get food or clothing which then eliminates us from have face-to-face conversations with fellow shoppers.

If you don't have a cell phone then your living in another world.  Cell phones have become so popular and so advanced that depending on what type of phone you have it is basically a computer.  Phones were made just so we can talk, now there is a lot more things you can do besides talk.  Every phone has texting which can be unlimited, every phone can e-mail so now you don't always have to be on the computer, and now recently phones such as the IPhone have web cams on them so you can have FaceTime with someone.  But is it really having a conversation face-to-face?  Between this FaceTime and regular web cams for the computer, this could be a good start to being able to use technology and also being able to communicate face-to-face.

Communicating face-to-face has defiantly dropped over the years thanks to technology.  But in the direction it is heading, in my perspective, I believe that people will communicate more often face-to-face using technology such as a web cam whether its on your phone or computer.

The different Tradition and Norms Americans Have In their Wedding

 

By Jennifer Velazquez

Culture is very important in today society. Culture is a set of tradition, belief, and value. One of the cultures in America is the tradition of someone wedding. Many individuals in America take their wedding seriously especially if it is their first wedding. Not everyone has the same norm and wedding tradition as people have in America.

The picture above represents Americans wedding and some of their tradition. The picture shows the bride at her bridal shower opening her gifts, an example of a vow, the flower girl, and the exchange of rings this represent some of the tradition that American have in their wedding. This tradition has been around for so many years and it is still very important in today society. In the US people have a choice to choose their mate, and who should be included in the ceremony, and where they want their wedding to be, and depending on their religious belief they may have a different minister performing the ceremony. If it is their first time ever getting married the bride usually wears a beautiful white dress and the groom wear a black suit. In another country for example in India they bride wears a red dress and the grooms wear a cream color long coat. One unique thing that Americans are allow to do is that they choice whom to marry. Americans choose a person that they are in love with, and want to spend the rest of their life together. In other countries the bride is not able to choice whom to marry. The father of the bride chooses the groom for his daughter to marry. In the past when a bride is considering getting married the groom will ask the bride father for their blessing to get married. This is to show respect for the bride and her father. Another tradition Americans have is that the bride choices a flower girl which consist of her walking down the aisle with a small basket of flower throwing it on the ground. Also they have a tradition which consists of having a maid of honor a maid of honor is the person who throws a bridal shower. The bridal shower is a place where friends and family gather around and share this special day with the bride and the groom. They also receive gifts and these gifts help the two individual to settle down in their new home. Another part of a wedding tradition is that the bride and the groom exchange vows. The vows are to express their love to each other and their faithfulness for the rest of their life. These two individual exchange wedding rings to each other, which symbolizes a never ending circle of love.

I consider that the wedding tradition in America is such a beautiful and special day for anyone that is getting married. In the passed the groom will ask the bride father for their blessing, but in today society some people don’t take that too seriously. Some people get married without the blessing of the bride father. Not everyone has the same wedding tradition as American. Not saying that Americans wedding tradition are the right way or the wrong way. For example, In America the women choose who they want to marry in Pakistan and India people have arranged wedding. Arranged wedding is when bride father chooses his daughter groom. In Pakistan and India they view arranged wedding as a norm. The bride does not have the option to marry someone she considers she is in love with and can see herself with for the rest of her life. Another example is that American exchange vow and after they exchange the vow they exchange wedding rings. African Americans have a tradition that after they exchange vow they jump over the handle of a broom. Jumping over the handle of a broom is to represent the beginning of the two individual and their new life. That is a norm that African Americans have, but that’s not a norm that Americans have. Every other country has their norms and traditions. Every culture has their tradition and it varies within the person culture.

In America people have several values. For instances, American value freedom of religion freedom of religion allows an individual to choose which god they prefer to believe in. Also, they value their privacy for instance the privacy of their home. Many Americans do not like neighbors or stranger to interfere with their privacy. American also values their family and their wealth. In America people have their own values and beliefs, but in other countries they might have similar values as American, but sometimes they do not value the same things. In India they value respect. Indians show respect to everyone even the kids are also taught to show every individual respect. Indians value patience they consider if an individual have patient a person can get things done correctly.