Racist

We are all racist whether we mean to be or not. When you see someone, you automatically notice and make judgements on about 11 things within 30 seconds. The color of their skin is one thing. And then without thinking, you will judge them and stereotype them unconsciously. In class this week, we watched the movie Crash. This movie was made to show people just how racist most of America is. This movie incorporates many of the large race groups in America today. They all judge other races that are present here. And they all fit the stereotype for the "race" that they are. It was so sad to watch as these people acted how they did to people with a different look than they have. The judgements were very harsh and hurtful. I know that some of this was exaggerated, but knowing people EVERYDAY do the same thing is a hard thing to think about.
This movie has summed up so much of what we have talked about in Sociology. Sal has been telling us all year that we need to see the larger picture. We need to think about others that need more than we do. If everyone in America would sit down and watch this movie for less than 2 hours, so much would change. People would see how wrong it is to judge someone on just their appearance. This movie is blatantly telling the public to stop and see the bigger picture in society, in people, and in the world.
This movie relates to my life because I, too, judge people. I think that is something that will never change in most peoples' lives. You can't just stop judging people. But this movie made me so much more aware of the harm it can have. Since taking this class, I have tried a lot harder to see the bigger picture. I have tried to not look at people for the color of their skin but what is really inside. And I think that is the most important thing in a society such as ours. So next time, try and stop yourself from judging before you know someone.

It Doesn't Even Exist!

RACE DOESN'T REALLY EXIST! Did you know that the first thing we see when we first meet people is their sex and their race. So we notice the color of their skin. And then we start judging them before the first words can even come out of their mouths. This week in Soc we have been talking about how race is a socially made up concept. There is nothing different in my blood being white than a different person being black or hispanic or asian. Nothing really sets us apart except for the area of the world that we are from. So what are we really looking at? Do I become "black" when I am super tan in the summer? How do I pass as white? What is so different about me? Simple answer...my family is from Europe, so I have lighter skin than someone from Africa.
So this is related to sociology because people aren't seeing the bigger picture in everyone. I wish people could break past seeing color and see the real person inside. I try to do this everyday. I want to know people for who they really are, and I want people to do the same when they see me. Would you want to be judged based on your appearance and not the real you? Personally I think everyone should have the chance to be themselves before they are judged.
This realtes to my life because of a friendship I had a long time ago. My best friend growing up until she moved in 2nd grade was black. When we are young we don't look at the color of someone's skin. This is what we need to do now! See the real person! So I didn't judge her or expect something different, I just wanted to be friends. Why can't this always be the case? Let's try and see people INSIDE before we judge their outsides!

30 days

Could you imagine living a life of poverty? Working a minnimum wage job and having a family? I can't even imagine that. We live in completely different lives than lower class families. In class, we watched 30 Days where Morgan lives for 30 days making minnimum wage. The minnimum wage is currently $8.25 I believe. Most working students at our school make more than $8.25 and we are only in high school! And how fast does that pay check go? FAST! At least if you are like me. There is a whole nother side to the world that people in our area don't always realize exists. Many families by us are in the top 10 percent of the United States. There are people that aren't making even a fraction of what some families here make!
This relates way back to one of the first weeks of school with having a sociological imagination. We need to be able to see that there are other parts of life, not just what we live. This class has made me realize how lucky I am to have been born into the family I have been. It's luck of the draw. Like when we played Monopoly; there is no way to choose who you are...it's a roll of the dice and you're stuck there for probably most of your life.
This idea relates to my life because of my parents. They were the difference in this social class phenomenon. They were born into lower class families without college education. Both put themselves through college and broke the norm. They can imagine what it was like to live in the minnimum wage families. It's hard for me to grasp what else is out there. It makes me wonder what I can do to help everyone else. There is so much more out there than we realize.