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Final Concept Reflection

-Two things I have learned from Sociology (Kayla Turner)

There are a couple of things that I learned through this class that impacted my way of thinking one being the lecture on modern romance. I wasn’t aware of how much we process a person who we could potentially end up spending our lives with. Sternberg’s triangle theory of love says that there are 8 types of love based on a combination of things. Another thing that I learned that has an impact on my way of thinking can be seen in the film “Tough Guise”. This film talked about how boys are taught to be aggressive and dominate at a very young age which could be way more men do mass shootings. I was unaware of how toxic masculinity could be a reason for way men commit these terrible crimes.

-Two things my partner learned (Gillian Tobias)

The first thing that had a huge impact on the way I thought was definitely the documentary, “There’s Something Different about Robbie.” I also thought that the way we were nurtured impacted our future behaviors and actions, but the documentary showed me that there are many aspects to what causes a person to “snap.” The second one was definitely the combination of prejudice and discrimination. I honestly had no idea that the two terms do not go hand-in-hand. However, after watching “Crash,” I soon realized that there is a variety of different ways that people combine prejudice and discrimination.

-My response to the things that changed my partners thinking. (Kayla Turner)

My partner learned a majority of things from the documentary “There’s Something Different about Robbie”. One being how much nature comes into play in the nature vs. nurture conversation. I feel the same way, I thought nurture was a huge part of the way a child turned out and thought it was more important than nature. After watching the documentary we both had a better understanding that nature had more of an impact than we thought.  She also mentions watching “Crash” which is a movie that touches on discrimination and prejudice. She didn’t know that these two terms went hand and hand which before the movie I wasn’t aware of either. This movie brought a lot of light to my eyes and made me look at the terms completely different than I had beforehand. We pointed out different things we learned in class but mostly agree on the same things.  

-My partners response to the things that changed my way of thinking. (Gillian Tobias)

In her reflection, she discusses how modern romance has impacted our lives in the sense of how much time we now spend on getting to know someone before they become our “soulmate.” I read Modern Romance in high school, so I learned about this idea a few years ago. Similarly, I do think it’s crazy how much time we now spend on social networking apps (i.e. Tinder) in order to find our “perfect” person. Her other thought was about Tough Guise, and how toxic masculinity could be a reason for why men commit such violent crimes. After watching that documentary and Miss Representation, I was surprised by how powerful media can be. Sometimes, I forget the media’s power on our minds and how those thoughts will affect our actions. Our perspectives are different because we both discussed different topics from this semester, but I do agree with what she has shared. Most of the topics that we discussed in class were very eye-opening to me and have helped me view things a little differently now.

  -How could I communicate about these topics with someone who had very different opinions than you do in an effective way? Why should we strive for this? (Kayla Turner)

Sociology can often be sensitive and it’s important to understand how to communicate without making someone feel uncomfortable and hurt. One way to communicate with someone else’s opinions even if they are not your own is being understanding and talk in a calm manner. Even if the opinion may be different does not mean it is wrong. People must stay calm and collective when discussing their opinions and while asking questions about the others. Also a main key to this is respect because people feel the way they want to on that topic and you must respect an opposing opinion. We should strive for this because it will introduce people to new ideas or even solutions to big problems. Many of the big problems are the ones uncomfortable for some to talk about.

- How could my partner communicate about these topics with someone who had very different opinions than you do in an effective way? Why should we strive for this? (Gillian Tobias)

I believe that the most effective way to discuss these topics with someone who has opposing views is by making them feel as though it is a safe space to share your opinions. I would begin the discussion by letting them know that I will not judge them for their thoughts and will listen to them without talking back. It is important for people to not feel like they need to be on the defense at all times when having these tough conversations. It is necessary to strive for this because we must be willing to see all sides of a topic, rather than just our own. It opens our eyes to new ideas, as well as how other people view the world.

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EC blog. Keeping in contact with Loved Ones COVID 19

During this crisis, one thing I really miss is seeing my friends and grandparents. Since I am participating in social distancing, I can either do something where I keep 6 feet apart or I won’t be able to see them at all in person. One that has really helped me is going to my grandparents while they sit on their back porch and I sit in the yard. This allows us to keep human contact with them while they are pretty much stuck in their house. I have also gotten out of the house by going to the grocery store for them and my family trying to prevent them from getting sick. Trying to see my college friends on the other hand is more of a struggle. Most of my friends are from Northern Virginia and New Jersey which are hot spots for this virus. It is very different how they are handling this virus versus Roanoke because they are getting hit so hard. I even had my friends from New Jersey get the virus and she said 6 people in her neighborhood alone have died from this virus. It is something we should all be taking as serious as possible because even if younger peoples death rate is lower, the people we love could die. In order to stay in connect with them, we have a zoom Friday night and talk to each other. Although it may be hard being away from others, there is ways around it!

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EC blog. How to keep busy COVID 19

Although times may be hard, there is ways to keep myself busy. One way I try to keep busy and is a positive about being home is being able to cook. Cooking is something I have always loved to do, and I really missed this when I was living in my dorm. Another way I have kept myself busy is by working out more or sitting outside to get fresh air. I found this really important doing anything outside will already increase your mood and while working out your body pumps out endorphins which are the happy chemical. Being stuck in one place is really hard for some people so I have found removing myself either around my house, finding new places in the house to study, and doing homework outside helps. Lastly, reading and making friendship bracelets have been my go-to when I am tired of watching TV. All though these things are very healthy for me, I also do some not so healthy coping mechanisms to occupy my time. Online shopping when I’m making less money is not the best thing I could be doing right now. Also eating an entire box of cheese its in one sitting probably isn’t the best for me either. People are coping with this crisis in so many different ways but the main thing I have taken away from this is to not be too hard on yourself during this time period. It’s okay to be extremely productive one day and the next eat brownies and watch Netflix all day.

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Prompt 3

As far as feeling in control of my life, I feel very little.  Prior to this disease, I felt very in control with my life. Being a freshman in college, finally getting to have my own space and make my own decisions was a big step. Being at home is quite different and I do feel stripped of my independence. My general sense of well being has decreased due to this virus because I am a very social person and enjoy just being around people even if we aren’t speaking. I’m also always on the go so having to be in once place and keeping my mind focused is really hard for me.

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Prompt 2

I am following social distancing protocols, but I am still working. My place of work actually won’t let us wear mask and people come up to the counter to order their to go food and they are only a foot away from us. I do think it is necessary to wear a mask because it is the considerate thing to do. When I go anywhere else, I wear a mask. I do think some people think it is excessive and may give you a dirty look which I find odd because people who are wearing the masks are looking out for other people.

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Prompt 1

The symptoms and ways to prevent and protect myself from COVID 19 do overwhelm me. To simply watch your hands and stay away from people makes it sound like we have no control over this virus and we really do not know much about it. I feel like if I was in contact with someone you had the virus and I just go and wash my hands, that does not prevent it from already getting into my body. It does not make me feel in control of this nor does it make me feel any better. I do think many people are experience this as well because simply just washing our hands seems like when they tell people to get under the desk in case of a tornado. I don’t think they really know how to stop the spread expect for telling people to stay home.

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Blog 8

Patterns relating to marriage and family that are seen in these articles are the essential “need” to get married and start a family. People think that in order to be happy with your life you must get married and start a family. Due to these ideas, the wedding industries continue to grow and grow and is a huge job pool. The impact of technology and social media on marriage and family is that these things point a perfect picture of what a family should be and how they should act in reality not a single family is absolutely perfect. We are humans and everyone fights with someone once in their lives but there is so much pressure to be this loving, well put together family on social media which can cause even more suppressed issues. Also, technology has created a disconnect when it comes to communication with loved ones. Fighting through text message seems to get more people in trouble than it does resolve the problem. If people were to wait until they got home to address the problem, it would cause people to have time to calm down and not say things they don’t mean. Also, they are unable to see facial expressions or body language and could easily take something the wrong way. 

Amatonormativity is basically saying if you want to have a happy life you must get married but this can differ for people of various race, class, gender and sexualities.  For example, people having a same sex marriage can be controversial and getting married may cause problems between families making life seem harder. People of different class, specifically the lower class, may feel a lot of pressure to have a beautiful elegant wedding when in reality they do not have enough money to afford it which may make them disappointed. 

An example of feeling as if you have to spend so much money on a wedding in order it to be beautiful and elegant is four weddings. This show has four different brides competing to see who has the best wedding and usually spending a grand amount in order to achieve a honey moon vacation.This is turning your special day into a competition which I feel like degrades the significant of becoming married. Due to competing with other people, the brides most likely used more money than expected due to feeling like they have to win.

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Teacher

This would be the most important duty because in order to be anything  in life, someone has to each you how to do it in the first place. The reward  for being a teacher would be the highest paying job because it is critical  for people to learn.

First responders

This job requires a lot of thinking on your feet and could save someone’s  life. This are the people who are sacrificing themselves by putting themselves  in danger. They would also get reward very highly because they go through a  lot of training while being selfless in order to keep us safe.

Medical care

This would also be very important because they go through extremely difficult  schooling and training. This goes for all health care because every person  plays a role in keeping that person alive and calm. I would reward this job  also very highly do to how much work goes into every aspect of the job.

NFL football player

These people do require a lot of physical training and requires a lot  of gift, talent, and motivation. It is more of a born talent and in todays  society one of the highest paying jobs. I still think it should be a good  paying job but shouldn’t be extremely good pay or more than doctors, teachers,  or first responder.

Entertainers

Entertainers such as singers, dancers, and musicians require some  talent but with todays technology most people can sing without actually being  able to sing. These people shouldn’t be getting paid more than essential jobs  that put peoples lives on the line. Their rewards should be less then all of  the above.

Personal trainers

These people don’t need much education but get paid quite a bit to  make individual work out plans for people. These people should be making less  than all of the above due to the things we can find on the internet that can  help with our physical fitness. 

People in the united states support a hierarchically arranged society because in order to gain the reward people are yearning for, you must work hard to accomplish your goals. The Davis–Moore meritocracy states we should be rewarded based on people’s abilities and credentials. People like the idea of this because it guarantees if you worked really hard, got a lot of training, and the work you perform is precise and difficult, you’ll be rewarded and paid what you deserve to be paid although this doesn’t happen.

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For my experiment, I would walk through a door with people behind me and only open it far enough for myself to get it. This is something that is taken for granted and left people confused. Most of the time people will see someone is behind them and open the door completely open even sometimes keeping the door opened and wait for the person to get closer so that the door doesn't close. It is something people do automatically without really thinking about it. People didn't make completely obvious reactions out of politeness but some either laughed or made a confused face as to why I was doing that. The violation of these small norms reveal that it is almost expected and is respectful to open and even hold the door open for others if one sees them coming or is right behind you. This behavior is expected especially more in southern states and shows that you are being polite even though it is not a need. 

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Blog 2

 Through out “There’s Something Different About Robbie”—the first episode of Investigation Discovery’s show “Evil Lives Here” the question of nature vs. nurture is a big theme. I think it was a combination of both Robbie's mental health and environment that caused him to be the way he is. Although his dad and step-mother did everything they could to help with his mental illness and outbursts, he still hated his step-mother. This could be due to the fact he felt like she broke up his family and that is an environmental impact. His nature was purely aggressive and there wasn't much the family could do to prevent that. I don’t believe Robbie’s parents could have done anything differently to change the outcome because they tried everything that was accessible to them and didn’t give up on him. They tried countless amounts of therapy and psychiatric help but nothing allowed Robbie to improve all that much. For example, he would be asked to apologize to his step-mother for his threats and he would not be sincere at all. He wouldn’t even try to fake be genuine which showed no matter what, Robbie wasn’t going to change unless he wanted to change himself. 

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I’m Kayla, I don’t have a nickname but honestly you can call me whatever. I am from Roanoke, VA and my major is exploring life sciences. With that being said, I have no idea what I want to do with my life but I have some sort of a direction. I took this class to see if sociology would be a good fit for me and may be something I end up loving. 

Fun Fact: I have a labradoodle named Bagel who is 14 years old ,also I’m really close (sometimes too close) to my family. :)