Stratification

Money does not make you high class. Being rich or poor is definitely a factor in whether or not you are considered high class or not, but not always. Let's look at the Beverly Hillbillies for example, they were a lower class family who came to be millionaires. Yet they were still not accepted by those of a similar economic status as them. They had to learn how to act like those around them, to fit into the social circle of people with money. They way we act about money and around others determines how others judge us and our socio-economic status.
Herbert Gans argues that poverty serves a purpose in our society. The poor fill unwanted jobs, they buy unwanted goods, they keep the affluent afloat economically, they create jobs to service the poor...the list goes on. The poor are continually targeted as the source of crime, economic problems, and social unrest. When all else fails our society tends to use those of lower class as a scapegoat it seems. Keeping the poor oppressed and the amount of affluent people low is a very big advantage to the wealthy. We can hypothesize about what our society would be like if wealth was distributed equally, a utopia of sorts. However, we can concede that this will never happen. Humans are made to want more, to be in control, to fight for power and influence and comfort and happiness. These human instincts are what keep the social structure of today in tact, whether we see that as good or bad.

Gender Socialization

The article this week argues that males and females are actually more alike than we originally thought. "the gender similarities hypothesis holds that males and females are similar on most, but not all, psychological variables." This may surprise us at first, however I think that it is extremely true, especially now in the 21st century. Unlike fifty years ago, there are many less expectations on what it means to be a boy and what it means to be a girl. These expectations aren't just physical anymore either. Girls and boys are more comfortable now with acting like a the opposite gender. These specifications still exist; but now adays homosexuality, cross-dressing, and gender switches blur the lines of what it means to be either male or female. It is no longer socially unacceptable to question your gender. Although not exactly common, boys decide to become girls and girls decide they were meant to be boys all the time. In fact, the differences in boys and girls may eventually become obsolete and unecessary. However we won't know until that happens.

Girls and Boys

The ways that boys and girls are treated as small children is very different. But is there really a purpose for this? Why don't mothers paint their daughters bedrooms with firetrucks and baseballs? And why is it so frowned upon for young boys to enjoy ballet or figure skating? Many scientists believe that this is not biologically predetermined whether you adapt male or female tendencies. Which means that it is all left up to nurture. Our world would be extremely different if there was no gender distinction. Aside from reproduction, is there really a reason for separating males and females? Many women fight for equality; however, if differences in sex didn't exist at all...would our world really be better? I'd like to think that there are advantages to being separate. For one thing it certainly makes life more interesting and exciting. It also creates a more competitive atmosphere for mating. Perhaps society goes a little overboard on pink wallpaper for girls and thrusting baseball bats into boys hands practically as they exit the womb. Yet gender distinction keeps society moving smoothly. Interruptions in this order are not smiled upon.

Isolation and Online Socialization

I was very surprised to find the Frontline video very accurate. Sometimes movies about the Internet get outdated so quickly that when we watch them in school, we just laugh at their inaccuracy. However, this movie got a lot of things right. What really struck me was when they asked the kids about how they avoid predators. I completely agree with the fact that most kids aren't on chat sites, and are definitely not looking to talk to strangers and give away personal information. On the other hand, in the beginning of this movie they emphasized the gaming that kids do online. I think that they focus too much on this. Although many kids do play online games, I believe that the majority of the time is spent networking with friends. Only a minority of kids get together to play these games together.

On the positive side, the Internet helps kids learn to type faster, which may seem futile, but when it comes to typing papers and doing school work it makes a big difference. Also, I think that in some cases social networking can help face to face socialization. However, the Internet IS dangerous, and we've all seen kids get kicked off sports for drinking pictures. Or having their Facebook hacked.

On the opposite end of the spectrum you have feral children. Where as most kids these days are increasing the amount of other people they talk to, feral children have noone. I think that most of what a feral child is missing is nurture. It is in our biological makeup to act like a human; to eat, walk and survive. However, things like eating with utensils, reading, talking and dressing are not instinctual. Children learn how to act in a social environment by watching others. If scientists were able to conduct an experiment where the feral child was able to watch humans but not interact with them, I believe they would be much more advanced. We learn and adapt so much by conforming with others. Of course without nurturing from a parental figure or being taught how to do certain things a child will be wild and lagging in development.

Cracking Down

The introduction to the article "Dealing Crack: Doing Research with Streetcorner Dealers" discusses how to investigate drug dealing in urban areas. This immediately made me think of the Illinois Youth Services survey that all the seniors and sophomores recently took. The survey asked kids about different drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence. I don't know how seriously the IYS takes the results of this survey. However, I am suspecting the results are far from accurate. No matter how confidential that the school swears the survey is, kids are still going to lie. Not only are kids lying to protect themselves (many students believe the school will catch you if you admit to being involved in illegal activity) but they also lie to be funny. Many people check they do have tried or do every drug, every day. On the other hand, some "more clever" students check that they have never tried drugs or alcohol and never want to, even if they do involve themselves with it. They do this becuase they believe that if the survey results show that kids are not involved with drugs and alcohol then they will focus on other problems that they believe that kids have and forget about drugs. Thus allowing more freedom and less suspicion about drugs. I think it is even harder to find out the truth about the activites of highschool students than it is about the drug dealers. Kids are even more protective of their privacy and even more scared of getting in trouble; and even less trusting of authority figures.
However, I do find it interesting that the crack dealers eventually let Jacobs into their lives. Perhaps with a little more effort in slightly different tactics, adults could learn more about the lives of the youth.

Understanding the Golden Arches

I thought that this was the most interesting article we've gotten so far this year. I never realized that McDonald's went to such an extreme effort to keep all of their stores uniform. However, now that I take a step back and look at it, it's true. Although I have noticed some individuality; in the interior decorating. For example, our very on Barrington McDonald's has a 'fancier' air to it. Perhaps this is an attempt to reflect Barrington and our ideals, and entice more customers to eat there. The McDonald's corporation probably sees that Barrington is wealthy, and a part of the upper class, and took steps to capitalize on that. Once when I was in Florida, I went into a McDonald's decorated with an under the sea theme. Again taking a step back, I now realize that this is a gimmick for tourists to eat at that McDonald's; although it is exactly the same as every other McDonald's in America. This week I realized how often the general population falls prey to different marketing ploys that have been so thoroughly researched by companies.