Global Inequality

Global inequality is important because it's important for the United States to realize that not every country has freedom, religious freedom, and a generally stable government. Many countries are very poor and the people mistreated. It's the reason so many yearn to start new in America, because in other countries there is no education, no equal rights for women, and not enough food and water. 

Even though the United States seems vastly more successful than these countries, we still rely greatly on other countries for things we need. Such as oil. Also, almost everything you pick up says "Made in China" on it. 

It's important for us to maintain a good relationship with these countries and to help them out, because it can avoid fights, wars, and terrorism.  

Social Class

Social class will always be present in the U.S., and people will always judge social class no matter what. The social class divisions aren't exactly fair, but it's important we recognize them. From way back when, "white males" were considered the superior and in many ways that mindset is still around. It still seems more common for Spanish and African American families to be poor or under educated  and there's still evidence that crime is higher with African Americans. In our book once, it said once that upper class families children learn more words than lower middle class families, therefore making their scores on tests naturally much higher. 

I think it's important that we push social class boundaries, which we have done a lot in the past 400 years in our country. However there's still a lot of assumptions that Asians are smarter than everyone else, that African Americans are "ghetto", that Spanish aren't as smart, that women belong at home in the kitchen.... even though we've come a long way, those assumptions are still bound in many peoples head. 

There is still many substantial differences in income and jobs between white and minorities families so social class with always be important. Social class does matter, although unfairly, because many people give opportunities and have different opinions based on the social class they see when they look at you. 

Technology

I think Americans are definitely more isolated due to technology. Technology does open more ways of communication with texting, email, phone calls, beepers, etc... but this also allows people to hide behind all this technology and not actually communicate. Why would we meet someone meet someone face to face to discuss something when you could just text? And with all the things to do on the internet and watch on TV- Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Netflix.... it's easy to just stay in and be by yourself or stick with your same group of friends instead of going outside to hangout or going out to do things. It;s also hard to meet new people when you're staying inside instead of going out. Also, technology seems to rule how we view companies. The companies with more technology are seen as superior. 

I think that while technology has helped America, America should try to step away from it at least in some aspects. Pretty soon technology will rule everything we do, so right now we should try to do some things without technology- such as turning off our phones for a day or taking a break from social networks. 

The Criminal Justice System

I thought the part in this chapter about prisons was interesting. I had no idea that it costed that much money to keep the prison system in place. But even with the extreme money is costs to keep it into place, I really don't think there's any other solution. However, maybe lesser crimes shouldn't have prison sentences to keep the clutter out of prisons, but I think prisons are still the solution. I personally am opposed to the death penalty, because I think spending your life in prison being forced to sit in your cell and think about all the bad you've done is even more torture than the death penalty is. But maybe prison should be reserved for crimes like murder, kidnapping, rape. Lesser crimes such a shoplifting or fraud maybe can be dealt with with house arrest or community service. I can see how policing some areas would help, but I know a lot of people who feel very uncomfortable around/with police so in some areas I think it would hurt more than help. But it is always nice to feel like there's someone protecting you. I think the idea of "shaming" is interesting because it's a very big mind game to play...and when people's minds are played with it can deeply change a person. Deep down everyone wants to feel accepted especially in their community or with people they're close with. If a criminal feels ashamed and ridiculed, it will definitely lead to anger and criminal behavior... I think it all goes back to "don't treat anyone the way you wouldn't want to be treated." I think that if it worked for Japan, the U.S. could put the "shaming" system into use and make it work for us too. 

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Whenever I think about the nature vs. nurture debate it always frustrates me because it's hard for me to pick a side. I think that the person you become has to do with both nature AND nurture.... a combination of both. There is hard scientific evidence that male and female brains work differently and that's just how it is and how someone is born. But I do also strongly believe that nurture or socialization have a lot to do with it. Our book says that, "No individuals are immune from the reactions of others around them which influence and modify their behavior at all phases of the life course." So even if parents raise a child one way, a boy could go to school and be laughed at for liking barbies or girly things by his peers. When he sees his peers react like that, he's going to feel like he's not acting the way he's supposed to. I think no matter how you socialize someone gender roles are inevitable. This is because of socialization because society has always viewed men and woman differently. Women used to be able to vote and always stayed at home with the family and men were considered the tough ones who were allowed to speak up. If you think about it, our society has come a long way from those long ago gender roles that were in place. Women can vote, play sports, and do everything a man can. So maybe as more time goes on there will be less gender roles, but I do think they are inevitable.

I think people are born with certain personality traits in them. Two twins usually have very opposite interest or personalities, even if they were nurtured the same. But there's also a distinct difference in the way people act if they were born in a rich family instead of a poor one. There's a difference between someone who was raised with 7 siblings and someone who was an only child. Many also send their kids to private school because they believe they are "socializing" them better or "nurturing" them better than the kids who just go to public school. Some people can't understand homosexuality because their whole life they were told it was wrong while some people completely accept it because their whole life they were told it was okay. Nurture has a big role in shaping your thoughts, but I can still never decide which side I'm on in the Nature vs. Nurture debate, because I know there's been evidence out there that proves the male and female brain are scientifically different.

America/British -Blog #3

It is very clear from this clip that the British look down on Americans. Hugh Laurie is dressed messy and casual, with a plaid shirt and a plain white shirt underneath. His hair is also messy and has some sort of a bandanna wrapped around his head as if to imply that Americans are un-kept hippies. And the guy at the end who I assume is supposed to represent "the British" is wearing a nice fitted suit. Hugh Laurie's song that he's singing also doesn't have much to it, just "America" and "The States" repeated over and over... maybe trying to imply that there's nothing really that great to be said about America. The British clearly find Americans annoying, hence why the man came in at the end and punched him off the piano so that he would shut up. Maybe that's how the British feel when America constantly brags about how great of a country we are, they probably wish that we would dial it back a little bit and "shut up" about it. 

Assignment 2: The Stanford Prison Experiment

I think The Stanford Prison Experiment was initially an interesting idea and and interesting experiment. However, I do think it was taken a little too far. The fact that it shook up so many young college boys in just 6 days makes it an unethical experiment.
It's inhumane and disgusting let them go without washing and to make them go to the bathroom in buckets and leave the buckets there so that their cells start smelling terrible.
Also, I think it was extremely inappropriate to put completely random boys as guards, with no training or experience and to just let them go wild like that. I think that prison guards today usually are watched or are told what it okay to do and what is okay not to do. Prisoners are people who have done a bad crime and deserve to be punished and yelled at, but their human rights were completely taken away and that is not right and is against the law.
Also, if Dr. Zimbardo wanted to make it like a real prison...why do things that real prisons don't do? Like putting them in dresses. I understand that he wanted to make them feel "emasculated as fast as possible" but the fact that he had to end the experiment just after 6 days because everyone was breaking down shows that he tried to move it a little TOO fast. Same with putting chains on them, that is VERY cruel and also was unnecessary especially since they don't do that in real prisons.
Stripping them naked to search them when they first come in is one thing, but stripping them naked just for fun or just because you can't keep them line is terrible, and then spraying them with carbon dioxide. They were literally abusing them like animals. People look down at other people if they start kicking and punching a dog or a cat, so why would anyone be okay with a human being treated this way? It is definitely not ethical and not okay.