Unit 1
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Ch:1 Thinking About Social Problems
I would first like to discuss what a social problem is from my
understanding. The two major components, subjective and objective
criteria have led to the formation of a definition for the term social
problem. Basically, the objective criterion is, when a group of people in
society believe there is a social condition. Then, you add the subjective
criteria, that same group of people feel the social condition can be harmful to
society and can be fixed. Put together, the bottom line becomes that
group of people then wants action taken or a remedy for the
problem.
Another thing I have found useful is the idea of the sociological
imagination. If a person doesn't put their "sociological thinking
cap" on it might be difficult to comprehend and keep in context some very
critical social problems. The sociological imagination is making the
connections between our personal lives and everything that is happening around
us. According to our text it is, deciding which issues are "private
troubles" and "public issues." Furthermore, it would be
identifying if the two might have any relation to one another and asking the
question, could something that is a private trouble also be a public issue?
Ch:2 Physical and Mental Health and Health Care
The area that most stood out to me in this chapter reading was the section
on obesity.
I found it striking;
two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese! In just one
year the statistics for childhood obesity (ages 6-11) almost doubled from 11
percent up to 20 percent!
Another idea
which was presented was that in less developed countries people who live in
poverty or have low Socioeconomic Status (SES) tend to be undernourished and
facing starvation.
Yet, in the United
States, people who live in poverty have a higher risk of being obese.
This is interesting because it just shows us
the types of unhealthy foods that are available to those who may be struggling
financially.
One thing I really enjoyed
in this reading was the photo essay section. The photos and info really confirmed some of the feelings I have had toward the way our food is processed. Since having my own family I have become more aware and
concerned with what my family eats.
There are way too many health and safety issues out there not to be a
bit worried.
One area that I would like
to spend more time trying to understand better is our U.S. Health Care.
I know it continues to change but there seem to
be a lot of problems with it and until there is some sort of remedy, the health
of our nation will continue to be on the line.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Ch:3 Alcohol and Other Drugs
So far, I have found this chapter to be my least favorite.
There were some very good statistics,
definitions of drugs, and presentation of the effects on the human body and the
environment.
On the other hand, I had a
hard time deciphering between the different sociological theories and
perspectives on drug abuse.
Plus, there
are so many differing opinions on where the line should be drawn with legal
action and what a “gateway drug” is, I just found myself becoming
frustrated.
I think this may be in part
due to the history with drug and alcohol abuse in my own family.
I just know how it has affected me, and I
want something better for the generation my children are growing up in.
Unit 2
Friday, September 28, 2012
Ch: 4: Crime and Social Crime
One fact presented in this chapter that really struck me was, not only are
women smuggled into the United States for sex trafficking, but children are as
well.
The text states that “thousands”
are smuggled in!
That is so alarming to
me!
I realize that children have been
and are victims of child pornography which is also a terrible thing.
Then to find out children are brought to this
country for the sole purpose of becoming sex slaves is sickening to me.
I feel so very strongly that if an adult who
willfully engages in this type of crime should be put to death.
I would never want someone with those
capabilities to be roaming the streets where my children live whether they are “recovered”
or not, served their time or not.
Something I liked about reading this chapter was that it was broken down
into very short topical paragraphs.
This
made it very easy for me to read and understand.
There are so many ways to observe crime and
classify crimes it seems critical to be as specific as possible when describing
crime.
For example, age and crime,
gender and crime, and region and crime each have their own section.
Another thing I found helpful to me in this
chapter was the section on White Collar Crime.
I guess since I come from a blue collar-middle class background I have
never gave much in depth thought to the idea of White Collar Crime.
I have heard of it and knew a little bit just
from the news, but I realized that White Collar Crime can affect society as a
whole on a much wider scale.
This was very
educational to me.
The types of crimes
that white collar workers are prosecuted for, such as, dangerous products,
physician insurance fraud, and toxic waste disposal, are very serious crimes in
which the affects can reach even my family.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Ch 8: Problems in Education and “Waiting for Superman” film
Chapter 8 and the study in the education system has been one of my favorite
subjects so far. I work within my local
school district in the afterschool program.
Many of the topics covered in this chapter have been why I feel so
strongly about doing my part for the children in my community. I am learning through this class, how to
study research data, and it is really helping to paint a clearer picture in
areas where I may have made generalizations.
In some cases like low SES families, I have always felt there has been a
disadvantage when it comes to public schools.
In other cases, I was off in my thinking that our government can’t
financially afford much more that the $9,000 per student already being put out
per year. When in fact, after watching “Waiting
for Superman” a child could be funded through private school for their entire school career and still save about
23 thousand dollars compared to funding required to house a person in a
correctional facility for the same amount of time! One thing that was
interesting to me in this chapter was the idea of Head Start. Head Starts came about to help families and
children from very disadvantaged homes.
Not only was it established to provide an early learning experience for
children, but there was a structure in place to include health care, parental
involvement, and social services. From
what I have experienced, Head Start has shown to be a very beneficial program
for disadvantaged children and their families.
Unit 3
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Chapter 5: Family Problems
Chapter 5 had lots of focus on various levels and types of abuse as well as
divorce and polygamy.
I had one major
problem with this chapter.
I really didn’t
like how the textbook used celebrities to paint a picture for students as to
how “society” views certain issues.
For
example, we are given the opinions of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, the marital
situation of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, the assault on Rihanna by Chris
Brown, and finally, the divorce of Al and Tipper Gore.
I guess because I think when we view our
lives in constant comparison to the “stars” we are constantly given a false
sense of reality.
I mean really?
Are these people our role models?
To me it seemed more like gossip than
anything.
On another note, the issues
are very real.
When it comes to child
and elder abuse I feel very passionate.
I think it’s because at both of these stages in life the individuals are
so fragile and dependent.
It’s just not
fair for them to be treated with violence.
Chapter 6: Poverty and Economic Inequality
Chapter 6 really opened my eyes to poverty.
The difference between absolute poverty and relative poverty is that
absolute poverty is when there is no access to basic necessities like food and
water, shelter, education and health care.
Relative poverty is when you feel “poor” compared with where you wish to
be, but you have all of the things that people who are absolutely poor do not
have.
The United States doesn’t have
extreme poverty like many other countries in the world.
Although it seems like many families are on
the edge of being relatively poor and absolutely poor.
There are so many families out there that
rely on government agencies and funding to help with those necessities like
education, health care and food, if they did not exist and one day had to be
taken away they would be absolutely poor.
This is not to mention those families who are relying on credit cards to
help them pay for the roof over their head or a shortage on gas and grocery
funds.
Chapter 7: Work and Unemployment
In this chapter I really got a sense of how the work force operates
today.
It really made me see how it’s no
longer just a competition for job positions locally or even nationally, but it
has become a global economy and competition for good jobs.
We have had so many shifts in focus for what
is in demand, at such a rapid pace, maybe that’s why things seem so complicated
and messy these days.
For example, the
focus quickly went to an industrialized work force in the early 19
th
century and now we are already in the middle of the post industrialized work
force.
It seems like the people of the
industrialized work force had a good sense of hard work and labor.
Now, we have a younger generation who has
lost that focus for good work ethic but a very good sense of how to look for a
job on a global scale and the areas of need in the work force.
Unit 4
Sunday,
November 11, 2012
Chapter 9: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
This chapter hit somewhat close to home.
I come from a long lineage of immigrants, some maybe even, illegal.
I found the “Whiteness Studies”
interesting.
Colleges and Universities
are offering a focus on increasing awareness on the privileges of having “white
skin.”
According to our text the study
is an “attempt to think critically about how white skin preference has operated
systematically, structurally, and sometimes unconsciously as a dominant force
in American-and indeed in global-society and culture.”
One of the things I learned in this chapter
is that it is possible to discriminate even without being prejudiced.
An example given in the book is when a store
clerk begins to watch a certain race because the manager is prejudiced and has
told the clerk to watch that race more closely.
Also, something else that came up in this chapter that I was able to
make a connection with was the segregation in schools.
I remember in Chapter 8 people living in
poverty, ghettos, or inner city neighborhoods typically comprise of minority
groups.
The same train of thought was
presented in this chapter and it sounds like court-ordered desegregation plans
are being put into effect to stop the increase of segregation within school
systems.
Chapter 10: Gender Inequality
In this chapter I gained a lot of terminology.
There were ideas and concepts I were
previously aware of but learned that there are technical terms for some of
these things.
In the section under Work
and Structural Sexism, for example, pink-collar jobs are those that women
typically occupy such as secretaries and tellers, and they offer few
benefits.
Another term I learned of is
called a glass ceiling when there is an invisible barrier that prevents women
and other minorities from moving to the top in corporate positions.
I find that the Photo Essays are a great
piece in each chapter for me.
This
particular photo essay focuses on the gender continuum.
It provides a variety of cultures and
glimpses throughout history for which a person’s “sex” can be one of three “male,
female, or other.”
The two cultures,
Indian and Native American view male-female gender as a privilege and in the
Indian culture it has been institutionalized for thousands of years.
Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and the Struggle for Equality
This chapter was somewhat difficult for me.
I get the idea that people just want their equal rights regardless of
sexual orientation.
The reason I was
frustrated is because I have my personal beliefs and my life journey takes me
on a road that does not support gay marriage.
In this chapter, because of my beliefs, I would be portrayed as a
monster and narrow minded.
Just because
I do not agree with something doesn’t mean I will commit a hate crime or start
speaking out against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (lgbt) relationships.
The most startling thing I read in this
chapter was the “Letter from a Concerned Listener.”
Although the advice columnist may have been
angry I think he went over the top.
The
listener wrote his/her comment and feelings in a reasonable manner.
The columnist was just downright rude to the
listener, which was uncalled for.
I truly believe in the eternal value of the
Bible regardless of who others are or do, I am to treat everyone with love and kindness.
Unit 5
Saturday, December 01, 2012
Chapter 13: Environmental Problems
Wow, I learned so much in this chapter!
At first I was overwhelmed because I knew very little on the issue of
the impacts on the environment.
One thing
that really interested me was the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
I have never heard of tar sands or tar sands
oil.
I was amazed that something that is
naturally occurring when transformed from solid to liquid could have such a
negative impact on many things, including our drinking water!
Another point I found crazy is that Ethyl, a United States company sued
Canada and won $13million because they were backed up by the policies of a
transnational corporation.
According to
our text, transnational corporations and free trade agreements are allowed to
have access to the world economy and established in developing countries where
laws are very loose.
Under certain provisions
corporations can proceed with potentially harmful imports and exports if the
courts rule that regulatory measures will negatively impact their
business.
I find that absurd!
Finally, I feel that we can all do our part to make changes in our own
individual lives and families for the good of our environment.
But, if our government and other world
leaders do not step up to the plate and start changing some things that only
they can, our world will continue to deteriorate.
