"Shift" Happens

• how does the video make you feel about the world's future? why?

            Honestly this video made me sad to think that our future is uncertain both economically and socially. Our world can barely afford the people in it let alone the 331 being born in India as the slideshow was going on.  

• what do you think our educational system needs to do to prepare you for this future?

            We spend more money on defending our country then wanting to see its children success.

• how do you think changes in information processing and availability are improving our lives today? do you think they are also detracting from our lives in some ways?

            The information improves our lives but also hurts it at the same time, knowledge is power but ignorance is bliss. Technology has over run our lives in the past 10 years that you are judged more by what technology gadgets you own, as I’m writing this I have my laptop on my iTouch, cell phone and desktop on and in arms length.

• what ideas that we have studied so far in class can help you better understand the facts and trends presented in the video? explain how they apply.  

            The social class, global inequality, technological advances and sociological culture are areas affects by the statements on the slideshow. This class has shown us how to view issues differently and the facts on the slideshow are interesting from non-sociology mind but to have knowledge of the effects of these facts from different levels helps us as students appreciate the impact more. 

Urban/Suburban/Rural Life

Personally, I have lived in the same suburban community my entire life, I never really knew my neighbors name but I have a drive way white picket fence and even a flag pole. Over the last ten years, I’ve noticed people are buying more homes in the suburbs and commuting to work 30 minutes to an hour to get to work yes the houses are only 3-4 bedrooms but many people now-a-days only have 2-3 kids. Even more recently more people are moving to the rural areas because the homes are cheaper and bigger, cheap enough to be willing to drive 2 hours or more to get to work. My mom lives in Round Hill, VA, where there are farms, and drives everyday into DC to work buy why? Because you save $20,000 on a house, but you spend $15,000 on gas, parking in the city, oil change, tires, milages etc. and if something happens to you car how do you get to work then bus? NO. So is it really worth living 2 hours away, when you can live in a smaller house for less money and more time on your hands. 

Who has the Power?

In Democracy the Power Elite wields more power, like Mill’s said the power elite come from wealthy families, and they know one another though the schools they attend, the clubs they are apart of and the boards they sit on. Because business and political work together they have close relationships, meaning that political have business interest because of that relationship and business leaders often run for office. This is odd considering that we as the people elect people to public offices and through the study that Domhoff did in 1971, 1979, 1983 and 1993, it was discovered that “the social backgrounds of those in leading positions are highly unrepresentative of the population as a whole,” so why do we elect them? And given them the power?

Wal-Mart: Good or Bad?

Wal-Mart has effect America both good and bad, it has provided millions of jobs but it has also put many, mom and pops stores out of business and their demanded for low prices have forced many of their suppliers to move their factories to Asia, mainly China, in order to compete. Their low prices put for money in American’s pocket but at a heavy cost. Like Rubbermaid in the video many companies have suffered if they didn’t meet Wal-Mart’s price and because Wal-Mart’s main purpose is to sell at volume they can make the rules when it comes to buying, hurting companies. Wal-Mart’s one stop shopping gives American time that they would otherwise spend going to different stores, but like stated in the video the prices may not always be the lowest but the convenience of the one stop shopping is the positive. Wal-Mart has monopolized the 1 stop shopping market so much so that K-mart in the last couple years have suffered and has had to close many of their stores—again hurting America with even more job losses. Therefore, both sides have valid points and it depend on where our coming from whether you think Wal-Mart is good for America.

Domestic Division of Labor

When I did the chart I saw that my mom did mainly domestic chores—cleaning, cooking, moping—at home and anything that was outside of the house my dad did—dry cleaning, mowing the glass, shoveling the sidewalk. Honestly, it’s not surprising to me that my mom does a lot more than the rest of the family because in our society it’s expected of her, she just wants to be a good mom in the eyes of society not necessarily her children. Why are women measured by the domestic chores that they do rather what they bring to the family—financially or supportively? Take men my dad was always working I don’t remember him making dinner—on occasion he bought a pizza—but men are measured by how much money he can make to support his family. Yes, finically stability is important but if you ask kids of men that work 80 hours a week they would rather have memories of their dad putting them to bed then the iPod that he bought them for Christmas. 

Religion

I don’t think there should be any role of religion in government like I previously stated in my blog, the stand of abortions, many believe that its murder—killing God’s children--others believe that it’s a women’s right to choose because it’s their body. Another way to look at it if you don’t believe in abortions then you can’t be in favor of stem-cell research—involving cancer, Parkinson’s disease, muscle damage etc.—even though that research can help save million more lives. I am a Catholic and I do believe in abortion, it’s a women’s right to choose and I know that the result of that choose, whether its abortion or not, it can bring a new life into this world or save one from leaving it too soon. If you were to put religion into a role with power over those types of decision its taking away a women’s freedom to choose what happens to her body. 

Secularization

Yes, I do think that our society and/or world is secularizing, a leader cannot lead if they have a religious agenda. Example if a man is running for President, he is a republican with a Catholic background that is against abortion, because he believes every child born or not is God’s human life. Many fellow Catholics would agree with that but many other religious or spiritual affiliations wouldn’t necessarily agree with that statement making them less likely to be vote for that particular candidate, making that candidate less powerful because majority of people wouldn’t vote for him. Religion is a beautiful belief whether it’s Catholic, Christians, Protestant, Methodist etc but our society and/or world are made up of so many different people with different religions, beliefs, and culture that make many support secularizing.

Race and Ethnicity

The tale of two stories is a reflection of many families in the U.S. and the conclusion is where it was best described, “Wealth isn’t just about luxury. It’s also the starting point for the next generation. Until the wealth gap is addressed, white will continue to have an advantage over nonwhite, generation after generation,” this is what happened with Byron and Max. Max does not have to worry about his parents because they were financially secure from the sales of their home so Max can help his children with school and their own homes, giving them an advantage of nonwhites. Byron on the other hand, did not have to financial support from his family, he did get a good education through scholarships but on top of his own expenses, he must financially support his parents because they were not as lucky as Max’s parents were. The gap of the two families will continue to grow from generation to generation, the generation before you will affects the gaps positively in Max’s case or negatively in Bryon’s case.

Gender Inequality

My uncle was a gay man that enjoyed drag shows, for the confidence that men showed by dressing up and take a political stand on a subject he refused to express to his family, mostly his mother, on who he truly was. My uncle died in June of last year never being able to express whom he truly was to his family, but at his funeral his friends, dressed up with wigs, makeup, dress and heels, to express who he was despite his inability to express it when we was alive. I watched those women and it saddened that my uncle could not express who he was because of his fear of shame it brought to my grandmother. After I read “the political work of drag”, it reminded me of my uncle and the brave women that come to his funeral to show that despite who you are you can still be beautiful, respected and make a difference in a life, like my uncle’s. Most of my family knew what my uncle was hiding, but after the funeral, they were touched that those women would come without the fear of being judged by those close-minded. 

Global Inequality

As an individual and an American, we should care about global inequality because it can affect your everyday life despite you being aware of it or not. All of the countries around the world are connect in one way or another, whether it’s providing resources, goods or even pollution. The affect can be positive through books or culture and negative through violence or war. The decision on where you choose to buy your groceries or coffee—local?—that determines the type of pollution we create to the world. Starbuck choose to use organically grown coffee from around the world, which helps that countries economy, but creates more pollution due to travel, so next time you go get coffee at Starbuck know that you are affecting the global inequality.