Global Inequality

I understand that global inequality effects the rest of the world. That one poor country down the road affects another wealthy one through trade, commerce and other things. I agree that both kinds of countries (wealthy and poor) can have both negative and positive effects on the world, I also however believe that we should be worried about global inequality not only for the governmental and economic reasons but also for those concerning humanity. I believe that we should worry about other human life as well as our own and that alone should be enough of a reason to take an interest in this topic. I say this thinking more of countries and citizens like most of those we find here in Northern Virginia, those people who are affluent or middle class. We should be concerning ourselves if not with at least our own poor those in other countries, the starving and helpless. I agree that it is important to know about global inequality and to take not of it in our every day lives because it does affect our economical structure through trading, as well as 

intertwined

price of products

size of economy due to selling

enviroment- how country uses resources and pollution

brilliant minds

inventions

cultural products

hatred

disruption

war fare

poverty 

who benefits

what are forces keeping system going

Exploring Social Class

When considering social class in the US today I believe it matters quite a bit. At first glance I tend to say that class does not matter much if at all but considering day to day life and really thinking about it to me it seems class is a huge part of American society. The book speaks of Milners study of high school students but compares them to a caste society instead of class, however when looking at what he says I can relate it to a class society as well. Reading the description of his high school study and remembering high school for myself certainly (for me at least) emphasizes class rank. In high school Milner says that the wealthy kids hang out with the wealthy kids, this I believe comes not only from ones desire to share the company of those in the same social class but from the examples shown by their parents and other adults as well. If class did not matter today I believe it would be far less reflected in our high schools. Looking at the PBS website was also very interesting. The stories they chose seemed to me to be a good random general selection. Reading the stories was another thing that made me thing about classes in todays society, so quickly we are ready to jump to classify people as equal, more wealthy, less wealthy, poor, and sometimes even trashy. While class shouldn't affect they way we treat people it does. Seeing people who appear to be in a lower social class than we are usually throws up flags, we wonder what they are doing in OUR area, or what trouble they are causing. This alone is proof that to most of us social class matters every day.

One thing I find disturbing is the new "underclass". In a country such as the United States that boasts such  exemplary lifestyles and gives hope to many across the globe people should not be living in dirt poor circumstances. People should not live that way anywhere in the world but in a country such as our own that prides itself on the American dream and a decent standard of living we are in my eyes far from that decency.

I understand that class systems must exist so as to give a gauge of the population but they bother me. Granted I believe they are much better than a caste system but the emphasis that is put on money, and the greediness which Americans (and I am sure many other citizens of many other countries) have for it is shocking. I am also disturbed by the way high school and even middle school takes such a cue from our social classes. I understand that with each social class comes a set of standards for peoples actions such as a basis for education completion and do not intentionally divide us but to me it is a large part of what the class system does: divide.

Social Connections

I believe that today Americans are less intimate because of technology but not necessarily simply more isolated. Technology has given us a place where we can be another person, openly share all our thoughts, and find other people with similar thoughts and expectations, in these ways we are connected through the Internet. The Internet however also takes away a personalization of people and their relationships. You may be having a conversation with someone who is half way across the globe and never know what they look like let alone very much background information on them. My favourite example of this is "facebook stalking". It is something quite a few people participate in and is a way for you to keep tabs on people without really knowing them. Instead of simply asking someone how they are doing or what is new in their life you can hop on facebook, look them up, and see the people they have recently talked to and the things they have talked about, as well as photos. Now with the updates on facebook you can even see where a person has been as well as an entire "friendship" between two people. This gives us a connection but not an intimate one. It does not require actual conversation let alone telling someone intimate details. In that aspect I do believe that Americans are isolated, we are isolated from real, personal contact.

In today's world a person could never leave home. Via the Internet one could buy all their necessities from places like drugstore.com, purchase all their clothes from any number of stores, even order groceries from Giants Peapod service, people can work from home, order dinner from home and even self diagnose illnesses from home. Today almost everything can be done via the Internet and this I think makes us more isolated, this gives a lack of personal contact that shows today in what I see as Americans, especially in our generation, lack of interest in many social activities both in our local neighborhoods and our interest in people across the world.

Nature VS Nurture

In the debate of Nature vs. Nurture I believe that it is a combination of the two forces however if forced to choose one side I more closely side with the nurture stance.I find myself leaning that way for a number reasons however I do not have a  problem with gender roles. While in the podcast gender roles were mainly focused on I do not agree, as I probably should according to the podcast, I believe that gender roles are somewhat nurtured in to us. Yes men have certain traits through nature and yes so do women but I believe that through media and other social influences gender roles have become what they are. I also believe that with the same emphasis on changing gender roles that it can be accomplished.

My main arguments for the nurture side of the debate are my sister and mother. Both my sister and mother were adopted as babies and both are very similar to their adoptive parents. In watching my mother and maternal grandparents interact you can see a close reflection of her in them. To me however it is much more apparent in my little sister who I see daily. My sister was born in Guatemala in September of 2002 and we arrived in March of 2003 to pick her up to take her home, at only 6 months old. Despite being birthed by one woman, spending 6 months with yet another and finally spending the past 7 and half years with us she is undoubtedly a member of my family. She has many of the same mannerisms and actions as my family does and has even developed a sense of humor very like my father and mine, she emphasis many of the same things we do. She shows the same types of kindness, humor and other emotions and actions that I as a child showed, that my parents both emphasised. These things to me are hard evidence that a person becomes who they are through nurture. Despite being from another country thousands of miles away she is most like my family and I and that I think can only come through nurture, through the way a child is raised and the things which are shown and imposed upon them, through this people become who they are.

Another reason, and a much more naive one, I believe in nurture as a shaping force is because to believe that nature is the main shaping force of humans is to believe that people can be born bad, can be bad to the core. This to me is pessimistic, at the risk of sounding naive I believe that the soul of a person is good, that intentions begin admirably and through nurture and misguidance evil steps in. Why I believe that I can not necessarily say other than the fact that I think it disconcerting to believe some of the worlds most angry, evil people were simply born that way. That evil is an ever present force and not one that is pushed upon us to take the place of kindness and love. However naive and childish that may sound.