SB 11 Capitalist or Socialist?

The ability to travel across impassable land and water became possible with the invention of ferry, train and then cars. One of the final pieces in connecting a nation was the telephone. This country, in one century made travel possible and communication nationwide nearly instantaneous. People changed lifestyles dramatically, from farming to industry, from rural living to city life. What will the next century bring for the descendants of the current 7 billion? The changes in globalization may not be any more detrimental than the effects we saw in our own country as we incorporated new ideas for what we believed would create better living conditions. Fear mongers are quick to speculate in all of the negative outcomes from loss of diversity. Theorists, such as sociologist, Immanuel Wallerstein, believes we need to move away from capitalism and towards socialism to survive. He predicts a severe crisis for many countries but especially ours in just a few years. The World-System theory divides every one up into one of 3 levels of survival with the people on the bottom barely alive, the ones on the periphery doing the work for the core. This system of inequality is looked at as global, due to many factors, there doesn't seem to be any solutions for those on the bottom to get out except to move up in the hierarchy ladder.  In the type of capitalist systems, everyone cannot be at the same level. Who would do the work for those with the money? This seems to be the basis for the idea that we need to throw out the capitalist system. This is not a new thought line, many countries follow and promote socialism. History has not been kind to socialists and the kind of leadership it has produced, but even in this nation, some form of socialism has always been promoted. In the United States, Eugene Debs ran for President as a socialist and had the backing of 6% of the vote. Socialists today see the inequality in income, property ownership and resources and see the solution in public or government ownership. The ideas are supposed to spread the wealth around more evenly and lead to less inequality. Followers recognize that to work socialism will have to be global, the combined resources can then lead to a healthier classless population with services and income that everyone needs. However this world will change in the next century, good or bad, we all are a part of the end result. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SttJu5M-6MI . Just for fun....an MSNBC interview regarding socialism today.

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist. 

Culture of Fear according to Glassner SB10

Recent class discussions have focused on violence and social control and how the institutions in our lives contribute to our level of understanding or misconception that eventually becomes socialized when enough people are convinced it is truth. Symbolic interactions, such as the words we choose, harm or support each other; they are there every day, everywhere. The societal acceptance of the hidden meanings to words is what cuts so deep. But one thing that drives the negative and hurtful language is fear. A sociologist, Barry Glassner, has had a lot to say about what he calls the culture of fear. For those interested in learning more he has a 3part video called Truth-Driven Thinking that clearly explains past trends, rational and what we can do.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9O88BDVUus  We all understand the Fight or Flight reaction and why being fearful is helpful because it could save our lives when we are in danger. But Glassner’s concerns are for our fears that are for things we should not be afraid of. He explains that the overwhelming amount of fear that is promoted in the media, by politicians, by marketers and in entertainment have negative consequences. One of his biggest concerns is that we will use all of energy to focus on something that is in reality very unlikely to happen to us and avoid worrying about a true danger. He also reports that these types of fears cost billions of dollars a year. Fear can affect not only how interact with each other, treat each other and support each other, but it can greatly change our minds and affect other decisions. What we eat, if we immunize, where we travel, who we vote for and many other decisions could be based on fear. Glassner suggests when we hear these dramatic stories, mostly produced for ratings, that we ask ourselves: 1) Who benefits from this story ? (clue- who’s bringing it to you), 2) How is it promoted? “a trend, epidemic, widespread”, based on a few examples?  And 3) Why are you reacting to it really?  We all have things that frighten us, we have to step back as educated people and look at the information, the source, and the data being delivered before it changes how we think, act or react. 

Power of Words SB 9

In this week’s reading, Zola quoted a line that seems to sum it all up for me regarding the power that language has in society. "What is needed is not so much a change in language as an awareness of the power of words to condition attitudes." So often I hear people say "What does it matter how I say it?" or "It's just words". After all , didn't we learn early that, "Sticks and stones might break my bones but words will never hurt me?" To the contrary, maybe we should change it to, "but words hurt even more". The truth is the actual consequences of language, or the words we choose, is how we behave and think. According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis language goes deep into who we are. It is how we perceive categories. As we know categories means hierarchy and differential treatment depending on where you are in that hierarchy. Herbert Blumer separated it into three basic levels, including the actions we take, and how we interpret them. He goes on to add that meanings a a product of our interactions. In other words we often think we understand how things work, what they mean and so forth, but suddenly we discover that we may have been wrong, or slightly off base. What do we do about this, we negotiate our own definition. It’s the “Hmmm” moment when you feel you need to rethink something. It is always changing, fluid, developed, influenced, and produced by us. Therefore we are in control; we can change ourselves and others. Anything that is a product of society can be changed by society. We have a choice about consciously changing what we know is not right. We also have a responsibility to think about what we unconsciously think, leading us to use the language we do. An example in class was the song “Blurred Lines”. Many class mates statements sounded as if they thought this was too big an issue for them to take on. There is always something positive that can be done by any individual to change a wrong. In the case of the lyrics, 1) Don’t buy the song, 2) Don’t listen to the song, 3) Tell other what the words are so they can make an informed decision, 4) Monitor children’s listening (if you are responsible for any) 5.) Tell others the power of language. Well I could keep going but I think it is clear where I am going with this. Pharrell was featured in “Blurred Lines”, here’s a link to a better message of his ,Happy,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM Happiness is a perception, according to Pharrell. Let him and others know it is a perception based on language and we must all choose carefully. 

The economy and our children...our nation's hungry future. SB 8

According to the Washington Post, data published in 2012 the income disparity for blacks has not improved in the last 50 years and the ones who feel the brunt of the suffering are the children. Black children are more likely to currently be living in poverty than any other groups.

Black children are more likely to be living in poverty than anyone else. 

    According to the U.S. Census bureau the children of American make up a disproportionate amount of the poor. While 24% of the population are children, 36% of the poor are children. In 2010, 38% of all black children lived in poverty. One New Yorker described the adult view of how poverty feels,  "Poverty is like literally being held back from enjoying life, almost to the point of not being able to breathe." It is estimated that 45.8% of black children under 8 years old live in poverty compared to 14% of white children. Not only are so many children feeling hunger as normal every day, but they watch the family in distress, wonder where they will be sleeping when it gets dark and are forced to live this adult life of constant struggle. A 2012 Frontline television special on PBS highlighted the life many children are grateful for, living in the cheapest motels, which is better than being taken away from the caregivers for homelessness. The National Center on Family Homelessness reports that 1 in 45 children experience no place to sleep every year, homeless. This is about 6.1 Million children. That is about 600 times the entire population of the Stevens Point, WI area.  For those with the heart here is the link to the documentary:   http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poor-kids/ .  One source, clutchmagonline, reports that by 2018 the majority of children will be non-white. The future of our country rests in the hands of hungry distressed children. A change is needed before the country realizes what the product of this type of economy has led to, the decision makers, leaders are of tomorrow are counting on our support today. Education of others is a good place to begin.