Socialization of Prejudices

The socialization process is the method by which a society develops a prejudice and teaches to people in that Society. This process starts with singling a group out, justifying your actions, and finally discriminating against that group. Over time the society just begins to interpret these beliefs as the norms, and fewer and fewer people see the problem with the prejudice.
I definitely feel that prejudices and ideas are learned this way. Starting with are parents when we are young, everyone and everything around us leaves a lasting impression that sways how we view the world. I also find it striking true that as a prejudice begins to form, it goes through several stages. Like when a group is looking for a scapegoat, it doesn’t automatically have someone to hate. Instead, a person is chosen that can’t fight back and slowly momentum around the idea builds until the person is well cemented as the person to blame.

Jefferson's Virginia

The differences between the Thomas Jefferson shown in History books, the picture and the passage are large, but expected. Each one strives to show a particular aspect of Jefferson’s personality, so each is biased towards their beliefs.
The history books talk about the hero Jefferson. A founding father, he wrote the Declaration of Independence, and helped form the country. One of the first presidents, only the greatest aspects of his personality is shown.
The passage shows his personality when he’s dealing with his own state. He himself is a slave owner, but while it is obvious that he doesn’t completely respect slaves, he still wants to see the institution of slavery abolished. Some of his flaws are shown, but his inner charity is still seen.
The picture is probably the clearest view into how Jefferson really felt. Even though the picture doesn’t involve him directly, the races of his decedents in enlightening. He has both White and Black decedents. This shows that he felt enough of a connect with one of his slaves to have children. No matter what his words saw, Jefferson say slaves as people.
Jefferson had many personalities, like all of us. Each of these pieces gives us a different view into the founding father’s beliefs.

Cora v Willy

The outlooks on life for Willy Loman and Cora Tucker couldn’t be any different. Willy believes that all you need to succeed is to be liked, while Cora thinks that you must go out and fight for what you want.
Willy’s view ends up getting driving him to death because as soon as he feels that he is no longer well liked, he gives up on life. Cora, on the other hand, doesn’t care if people like her. She wants the equal rights that she thinks people deserve, and she couldn’t care less if she steps on some toes while getting it.
Willy has all the trappings that should make people enjoy life, but all he can see if failure. Cora lives near train tracks and really doesn’t have much, but end the end she’s more than just happy.
Willy thinks the world should come to him while Cora seizes life by the scruff of the neck. While she might have physically less, emotionally she has so much more.

Willy and individual opportunity

Willy thinks that to be successful in life you, all you need is to be well liked. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, or what school you went to, you can do whatever you want as long as people like you.
This is most obvious is the way that he handles Biff as a child. When he is informed again and again that his son is failing at math, Willy couldn’t care less. Instead he just takes his son aside and tells him that its alright to cheat on a test to pass the silly class, and as long as people like him for is spot on the football team, he’ll still be set in like.
In Willy’s own life too, when all his old contacts retire and he can no longer get service just through his name alone, he feels like he has no life left. Even though his friend offers him a job, because he no longer feels like he is well liked. He decides his is worth more death than alive.
Willy measures success by how much you’re liked. All that you need for your individual opportunity to grow is to be well liked. Once that is done, anything goes.

Speeches, day 2

The second day of speeches was much more painful. The vast majority of the people stood behind the podium and read. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone gives a speech and only reads. It’s a speech, not a reading contest for god’s sake!!!! More than a couple of people actually sat down behind their stool, basically dooming themselves to a bad speech. That mixed with failed attempts at using technology in a speech that really didn’t need it made for a rather interesting day.
I did like Tina’s speech because rather than simply standing behind the podium she got up and stood outside its protective oaken exterior. I also liked how even though she had to change her charity at the very beginning to something she didn’t know as well, she still seemed comfortable with its subject. Like Alex, she was one of the few to do more than read from their paper and look anxiously at Lamags.
All I can say is I’m glad that day is OVER.

Speeches, day 1

I found these speeches much more entertaining than I thought I would. In particular, Alex’s speech about goodwill was particularly interesting. I knew that Goodwill was involved in community service somehow, but I didn’t realize how exactly they provided it. The way that Goodwill gives jobs rather than just money is cool because it gives people new skills that will help them much more in the long run than just a handout. This strategy seems to be the most practical in the long run and will help the poor better themselves in a major way.
I also liked the way that he presented his topic. I especially liked that he moved away from the podium. Unlike most of the others who spoke today, he really made eye contact and that helped me to connect with his topic more effectively.

self relience

Emerson says that to be successful one must resist the temptation to conform to the world and must instead express oneself as an individual. The world shakes its head at the individual, but it is only by being an individual that you can succeed. I agree with Emerson that one of the keys to being successful is to be yourself, but I definitely don’t believe that its that easy. While standing out is a good way to advance yourself, there is a very careful balance between how much to be yourself. At times it is basically required that you. For instance, if you feel like you just absolutely have to be a rebel in the airport, you could probably end up getting shot. A less extreme example is at your work. Although doing everything your way can be more enjoyable, if you step out of regulations too often, it will probably result in you getting fired.
Emerson had it right that being yourself is the best was to succeed, but there is much more to the game than that. You can’t always snub the world at large because you need it much more than it needs you. While being yourself is good, every once and while you need to get in step.

speach topic

The topic that my speech will be about is the Lord’s Pantry. Even though it isn’t specifically a personal motivation company, it is surprising how much motivation having food in your stomach will provide. Also, having been down in the area around the Lord’s Pantry I have directly seen the impact that the actions of a few dedicated workers can produce.

mini mini pole

The results of my mini-poll don’t support Dalton’s claims. In fact, if anything it shows that people are more aware of the remaining racial issues than Dalton contends.
The most common answer revolved around the idea that although it is indeed possible for minorities to succeed in our country, it is very hard for them to do so. The participants in my poll all had a pretty detailed idea about how race relations in our country have improved, but still have much room to grow.
The participants all seemed to think that the placement of such minority stars only highlights the position of the general minority groups in our country. For every minority actor, athlete, or politician, there is many times that number of Caucasian stars. The gradual spread of minority figures has actual brought the race division into the light again.
The people I polled all thought that minority celebrity figures don’t cause people to blink at the many barriers of racial equality. If anything, it causes people to look at them more.

that terrible world out there

The differences between the realities expressed in the documentary and the one shown in “Ragged Dick” are vast. The very basis of their stories is completely different.
In Moore’s documentary, the people of Flint are suffering after GM closed its auto plant there. People are reduced to selling Rabbits for meat. Crime is rampant, jobs are scarce, and rather than deal directly with the problem, Flint’s town government is avoiding the issue with cheap distractions.
In stark contrast, “Ragged Dick” is much more upbeat. The main character, Richard, is a poor boot shiner who only wants to move up in the world. After saving a boy from drowning, the thankful father gives Dick a large sum of money as well as a well paying job. All his dreams suddenly fulfilled, Dick prepares to live a life of much greater happiness.
I think that both stories could be considered real. However, I also think that Moore’s view of the world is seen more. Great luck and fortunate circumstances happen, but usually only to one person not a large group. On the other hand, terrible events, like the closing of a GM plant, turn thousands of lives upside down and make headlines everywhere. While both realities occur, the later is much more pronounced and in our sensationalist society, is in our view more of the time.