How are we, who we are?

This week in sociology we had to ask our parent a few questions about parenting and ourselves in general. I found it very interesting how my mother told me that my quick wits and sense of humor remind her of herself. This is odd because personally, I do not necessarily see the similarities. However, she also said that I am unique in my outlook on the world. She said that she makes things into a larger deal than they need to be, while I on the other hand, tend to have a more relaxed view of the world. She said I don't let things bother me that shouldn't. I find this peculiar because if i were to spend my whole life with her since birth, wouldn't one assume that I would be anxious and nervous as well? Alas, I am not, maybe this laid back view comes from peers, teachers, or other authority figures? Or perhaps, there is more going on on a subconscious level. Maybe, if I am supposed to learn and begin to function based on the environment I am brought up in, is it equally possible to recognize what sorts of behaviors or traits, are not ideal to have as a person, and as a result develop in the opposite direction? What sort of stimuli would my subconscious mind actually pick up on? And how would that stimuli affect my growth and development as a human being?

The Lost Boys of Sudan

The lost boys of Sudan were a group of boys forced to run out of their country due to the civil war in Sudan. They were forced to band together, having lost their families, and take refuge in many refugee camps along the border of their country. For a decade they lived in the refugee camps, hoping for the day they could return to their country, but there was no life in the camps. However, there was a hope, some people are selected every so often to go to America and start a new life there. You can imagine the kind of culture shock that someone could experience. Somebody who has never used electricity, used a shower, or rode on an escalator. They found it very difficult to assimilate into American culture while still being true to their native ones. It is difficult to imagine exactly how difficult that would be. Leaving everybody behind and entering a place completely different from what you're used to. It is odd watching their story from their perspective. It really makes you analyze what we as a nation hold as important values and beliefs. For example, one of the boys was perplexed how you couldn't approach strangers walking alone. It is a strange thing to think about because that is a value that I'm somewhat embarrassed of. I wish we were a friendly society more open to strangers and meeting new people, like in Sudan. Analyzing our own culture from an outsiders perspective is a way that we can all improve our culture and our society.

The Importance of Language

This week in class we talked about the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. This is when our language changes how we actually perceive the world. For example, when an Inuit person looks outside, they can see clear differences in snow because they purely have the words to describe it. As an American, when I look out my window, all I see is snow because English simply doesn't have the words to describe it. This could perhaps be one of the reasons that many cultures value different beliefs. Their view of the world is shaped by their language and therefore allow them to perceive the world in a different light. This could be a reason that many nations don't see eye to eye on many issues, because our values and beliefs, are all originated from our language. America seems to have a streak of being a bully and pushing people around we tend to be very ethnocentric people. The problem is, this blocks us off from actually seeing for what the world is in all its' glory and evil. Perhaps, if we were to forget all our rules and beliefs of normality, we would make some better, more respectful, decisions in the world that reflect the kind of people we should be, and are not pretending to be.